Update []:
We now have a little more information on the future of the China Hero Project, courtesy of Niko Partners’ Daniel Ahmad.
He writes that the programme – which was conceived in 2016 to help nurture local development talent – is now in its fourth phase, with Sony stepping up its efforts to bring great locally developed Chinese titles to the global market.
It’s currently accepting pitches for new projects, and it will improve its support network, which already includes funding, marketing, and assistance.
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For example, Virtuous has been brought in as a partner for potential co-development opportunities. RichTap will help with haptic feedback. And PS Studios’ own UI/UX team will assist with evaluation, art, and feedback.
The ultimate goal is to help China continue to make incredible games which can be sold across PS5 and PC on the global stage. We’ve already seen several releases bear fruit, and Sony will be looking for those next big hits it can associate with its console.
Original Story: Sony held a press conference on the eve of ChinaJoy 2025 in Beijing today where it revealed the next wave of its China Hero Project.
Throughout the presentation it announced that it will be financing third-person shooter EXILEDGE and character action game Daba: Land of Water Scar.
It also revealed strategic alliances with Virtuous, the developer of remake Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, and RichTap.
While it wasn’t explicitly mentioned during the presentation, it’s likely that all of the above projects will be PS5 console exclusives, considering the platform holder is investing in them. It also financed the upcoming Lost Soul Aside, which is due out next month on PS5 and PC.
EXILEDGE is described as a “high-speed third-person shooter game”, blending gunplay with character action elements. It’s being built using Unreal Engine.
Meanwhile, Daba: Land of Water Scar is an action game telling the tale of a “humanoid clay puppet”.
There’ll be more news about the China Hero Project, including gameplay and trailers, throughout the weekend, and we’ll bring you everything as it breaks here. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on these new partnerships?