God of War: Ascension™, The PlayStation®3 Exclusive Prequel To Critically-Acclaimed God of War® Series, Delivers Pulse-Pounding Action, Visually-Stunning Graphics, Exciting New Multiplayer, And One Of Gaming's Greatest Icons - Kratos - as He's Never Been

FOSTER CITY, Calif., March 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (SCEA) announced today the North American release of God of War: Ascension™, available exclusively for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system.  Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS) Santa Monica Studio, creators of the God of War franchise, God of War: Ascension marries the series' most emotional narrative—that of Kratos' deception by the god Ares, his sorrowful imprisonment, and his subsequent path to retribution—with its most refined gameplay mechanics to date.

A tale of tragedy and retribution deeply grounded in Greek mythology, God of War: Ascension is the origin story of Kratos, one of PlayStation's most recognizable characters. Following the tragic loss of his wife and daughter, Kratos embarks on a path of brutal revenge—armed with his legendary Blades of Chaos—in which he will face mythology's darkest creatures and overcome harrowing obstacles through a merciless quest for revenge and deliverance.

Combat, the heart of the God of War series, has never been tighter or more brutal. With his new ability to tether many of his foes with the very chains Ares had bound him with, Kratos can now unleash far more devastating combination attacks, tossing enemies around and into each other. With the World Weapon system, varied armaments dropped by certain monsters or found in the environment can also be wielded to inflict increased damage and discarded in devastating finishing moves.

New to the God of War series is a deep multiplayer offering, one that provides rich new gameplay experiences that fully retain the familiar look and feel of the beloved franchise.  This new suite of competitive and cooperative online play modes—Match of Champions, Team Favor of the Gods, Capture the Flag, and Trial of the Gods—allows up to 8 players (depending on mode) to battle together in the frantic, larger-than-life settings and arenas of the God of War universe.

"PlayStation's commitment to pushing the boundaries of play, to crafting stories and experiences meaningful to our fans, is on full display in God of War: Ascension," said Asad Qizilbash, Senior Director, First Party Games Marketing.  "Combining refined, over-the-top action gameplay with visceral battles, state-of-the-art visuals and an all-new multiplayer offering, Santa Monica Studios has crafted an exceptional PS3 experience, exciting for newcomers as well as long-time followers of the franchise."

Gamers who purchase God of War: Ascension will receive early access to a special demo for PS3's The Last of Us™, the highly-anticipated title coming June 14, 2013 from Naughty Dog, makers of the UNCHARTED™ series. This early demo will be available to God of War: Ascension customers on May 31, 2013.

God of War: Ascension is now available exclusively for the PS3 system on Blu-Ray disc. The standard release has an MSRP of $59.99, the limited Collector's Edition sells for $79.99, and the Garnet Red Legacy Bundle—which includes the entire God of War series of games—retails for $349.99.

God of War: Ascension has been rated "M" for Mature with Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, and Sexual Content by the ESRB.  For more information about the ESRB, visit http://www.esrb.org. For more information about God of War: Ascension, visit the PlayStation blog or the official game site http://www.godofwar.com.

About Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC
Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one® systems, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, the ground-breaking PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system, the PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) portable entertainment system and its online and network services the PlayStation®Network and PlayStation®Store.  Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one, PlayStation 2, PSP, PSPgo, PS3 and PS Vita systems for the North American market.  Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC serves as headquarters for all North American operations.

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© 2013 Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. God of War: Ascension, God of War and The Last of Us are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. "PlayStation", "PS3" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

SOURCE Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC