PlayStation blog has announced a lot of new things in celebration of 30 years of the business. Such things include:

  • My First GT - A free trial game to attract people to Gran Turismo 7, described as including "some of the favorite cars, tracks, and race events that evoke the nostalgia and excitement of the very first GT experience", which might mean that it will include cars and tracks from the first game released back in 1997.
  • Digital game soundtracks for the following games
    • God of War
    • God of War II
    • God of War: Ghost of Sparta
    • Twisted Metal
    • Starhawk
    • Unit 13
  • Shapes of Play - Actual physical objects you can buy (exclusively through the Sony store, unfortunately) themed after PlayStation:
    • Stress toys
    • Magnets
    • A sort of board game with wooden blocks
  • September 21st and 22nd hosts esports tournaments for a number of games as well as free online multiplayer.
  • They gave us some sort of Spotify playlist for vibing.

Quote From Isabelle Tomatis

Hello PlayStation fans! As we celebrate this Friday’s upcoming release of Astro Bot, Team Asobi’s tribute to 30 years of iconic PlayStation characters, stories, and magical moments, we want to thank you for the love and passion you’ve shown for PlayStation. Your enduring support has made these past three decades possible. While PlayStation’s 30th anniversary is still a few months away, today we’re delighted to share some of the ways we’ll be commemorating this milestone with all of you.

Explore a nostalgic homage to the original Gran Turismo, enjoy digital soundtracks from classic PlayStation games, and create fun moments with our new “Shapes of Play” collection – these are just a few of the ways we’re inviting you to join our community celebration, which starts this month.

And for everyone excited to jump into Astro Bot, we’re pleased to share a first look at a 30th anniversary photo opportunity located in the game’s central hub where Bots you’ve saved throughout your spacefaring adventures will hang out, ready to dance along with your stylish moves.

An early look at what’s ahead

  • My First GT.  This holiday, look forward to a free trial version designed to attract a diverse players of all skill levels to the globally acclaimed Gran Turismo 7. This upcoming release will include some of the favorite cars, tracks, and race events that evoke the nostalgia and excitement of the very first GT experience. Look out for more details on My First GT, available to all PS5 and PS4 players this holiday.

  • Digital game soundtracks. In collaboration with Sony Music, each month from October through January, we’ll release for the first time on Spotify a set of digital soundtracks from fan-favorite PlayStation franchises. You’ll be able to stream the following game soundtracks on Spotify or purchase them on various digital music storefronts, including Amazon Music, Apple Music, and participating music retailers:
  • God of War​
  • God of War II​
  • God of War: Ghost of Sparta
  • Twisted Metal​
  • Starhawk​
  • Unit 13

You can also vibe to our specially curated PlayStation 30th Anniversary playlist on Spotify, available to stream today. We’ll have more to share on the upcoming digital soundtrack releases, which will be added to this playlist over time, so stay tuned!

  • Shapes of Play. A new collection of products called “Shapes of Play,” crafted by the team behind the design of PlayStation consoles, gives you opportunities to create fun moments with our iconic shapes:
    • Shapes of Play: Battle is a board game where you can challenge a friend to line up four different shapes of the same color on the board to win.
    • Shapes of Play: Create is a set of magnetic blocks that you can position in any direction to create fun shapes.
    • Shapes of Play: Recharge lets you experience a new way to recharge between games, especially after that tough boss battle.

Shapes of Play will launch in December 2024, exclusively through direct.playstation.com in the US, UK, France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Benelux. Preorders start later today exclusively through direct.playstation.com.

  • Free online multiplayer weekend and esports tournaments. Join us later this month for a free online multiplayer weekend and exciting esports tournaments! To celebrate the fantastic online games and communities on PlayStation, we’re hosting a free online multiplayer weekend on Sept. 21 and 22.* During those days, you can enjoy online multiplayer for games you own without having a PlayStation Plus membership, on PS5 and PS4 consoles.

During the same weekend, we’ll host a series of PS5 esports tournaments, featuring titles like NBA 2K24, NBA 2K25, Madden NFL 24, MLB The Show 24, EA UFC 5, Tekken 8, and Guilty Gear Strive. If you own any of these games and qualify, you can compete on Sept 21 and 22 to win a special 30th anniversary-themed avatar and other game-specific prizes. Players on PS5 can sign up via the Game Hub or the in-game PlayStation Tournaments button. Keep an eye on compete.playstation.com for all the upcoming tournament details.

Image of the PlayStation avatars players will receive for participating in any of the Sept. 21 – 22 esports tournaments.

As we celebrate 30 years of play, these upcoming activities and releases are just a taste of what’s to come. Be on the lookout for more announcements in the near future!

*Available for PS5 and PS4 games with online mode. Internet connection and account for PlayStation Network required.

What do you think about this announcement? What are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments below.