PlayStation: The Concert is an unmissable uplifting experience

The video games industry is incredibly multifaceted. In a way, it’s an industry built around a sense of community; there are the friends we play with online, the developers we support, and the millions of players across the world who share the same servers as us. There’s another side to gaming though, and it’s one that’s incredibly insular.

While there are plenty of multiplayer titles out there, so too are there heaps of wonderful single-player experiences. Insular is perhaps a strong word because I, like many others, adore delving into a lengthy single-player title. There’s a sense of immense relaxation and joy to be found within losing yourself to an adventure that could last you several weeks of playtime. For me though, there’s a tinge of sadness that accompanies the satisfaction when that platinum trophy pings; yes, I’ve achieved what I set out to do, but that also means my time within a certain world has come to an end.

It’s why I chose the word insular. These experiences feel very individual and yet, there are likely millions of fellow players who feel just as you do - and that’s why it’s important to remember that word I mentioned before, community. Regardless of whether you’re playing solo or with pals, every single title we load up has a community built around it, and I can’t say I’ve ever felt that as strongly as I recently did at PlayStation: The Concert. If you’re looking for a reminder of all that is good and inspiring in this industry, this is it. It’s a beautifully put together trip down memory lane, where the very act of sitting in an audience of like-minded people is as important to the experience as the incredible music itself.

You can take a look at the trailer for PlayStation: The Concert below.

PlayStation: The Concert is currently travelling across the UK before it heads to Europe, with dates in the US and beyond set to be announced in due course. Attendees are in for a wondrous night that celebrates 30 years of PlayStation. A world-class orchestra and talented live vocalists will bring to life many of your favourite game’s scores, whether that’s Gustavo Santaolalla’s simplistic yet haunting score for The Last of Us or Bear McCreary’s epic God of War anthems. This is all accompanied by state-of-the-art visuals, allowing you to truly immerse yourself in these familiar worlds.

I can only heap praise on the production, with two and half hours passing by in the blink of an eye. The orchestra sounded beautiful, as did the live vocalists who tackled several, I’d imagine, difficult tracks with total ease. The visuals truly did transport me, whether that was to the island of Tsushima or to a post-apocalyptic Salt Lake City complete with a friendly giraffe. Naturally, you should expect to hear the soundtracks of PlayStation’s tentpole franchises, many of which I’ve mentioned, but I also appreciated that old gems (Journey) and emerging modern classics (Helldivers II) were not forgotten within the evening’s line-up.

I was surprised by just how moved I was by the experience, and in more ways than one. On a personal level, it was incredibly reflective hearing The Last of Us’ various tracks played live, whether that’s the aforementioned Gustavo Santaolalla’s famed ‘Main Theme’ or Crooked Still’s ‘Little Sadie’. I don’t just adore these games; they changed my life. It’s why I ended up doing this, and it’s doing this that led me to my closest friends who I love so dearly. They do say that live music is incredibly powerful and it wasn’t until I was engulfed by the sounds of the orchestra bringing this music to life that I realised just how different my life would look if The Last of Us franchise had never stumbled into it.

And then there’s the fact that I was moved by, and I’m bringing in that theme again, the sense of community that tangibly accompanied what was happening on stage. Whether it was hearing somebody shout that Bloodborne deserves a remaster, or hearing the room erupt in rapturous applause, whoops, and whistles as John Paesano’s Marvel’s Spider-Man score was announced as an encore. This industry isn’t perfect; developer lay-offs have been far too abundant in recent years and player toxicity hasn’t been stamped out. As I sat at PlayStation: The Concert though, I was reminded of just how many good, kind, and lovely people there are out there who truly adore this art form that so much of my own life is centred around.

PlayStation: The Concert brought me so much. It brought me joy, nostalgia, and entertainment first and foremost, but it also brought me a sense of belonging. For a night out, you can’t ask for much more than that.

To view upcoming tour dates, you can visit PlayStation: The Concert’s website.