Hello paranormal pals, and what an exciting time to be writing to you! Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has just hit theater screens and I’m delighted to announce our Frozen Empire content update for Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, coming to PlayStation VR2 as a free update on March 28. Let me give you a sneak peek at what we’ve been working on.
Following on from the Slimer Hunt update we released in January, our Frozen Empire update features five new narrative-infused missions that see you working as a team for none other than Dr. Ray Stantz – played by the legendary Dan Aykroyd – to defeat the villainous Garraka.
Our Frozen Empire mission pack begins with a trip to New York where you’ll be briefed in person by Ray. We loved working with Dan Aykroyd on Slimer Hunt, where he provided voiceover as Ray, and are delighted to have him in the flesh as Ray in Frozen Empire. Oh, and I forgot to mention that your initial briefing with Ray will take place in the iconic Ghostbusters firehouse. What an epic way to kickstart your Frozen Empire adventure.
We were fortunate enough to visit the Frozen Empire movie set and got to go inside the firehouse to ensure the layout and details in-game are as authentic as possible. You’ll be able to explore both inside the firehouse and outside on the rooftop, and interact with parts of the scenery – yes, you can slide down the fire poles! We can’t wait for you to have the chance to experience this slice of Ghostbusters history in VR.
Luckily, you’ll have some trusty ghostbusting equipment to help you take the fight to Garraka. We know that fans have been eager to wield the original proton packs from the 1984 movie and I’m thrilled to say that you will finally get that chance in Frozen Empire, courtesy of Ray himself.
Alongside the original packs, you’ll receive a brand-new invention from Lars in the Ghostbusters’ new research lab. They call it the Heat Beam and it’ll be your best friend when going up against Garraka’s challenges.
We’re so excited to connect Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord’s story to the wider Ghostbusters’ universe through Frozen Empire. As a quick recap, players in our game became accidental Ghostbusters when they answered an ad for a courier job at the mansion of San Francisco benefactor Gustav Hookfaber that results in a demon being inadvertently released on the city, and the discovery that Hookfaber’s famous clean energy innovations had supernatural origins.
Having dealt with the potentially world-ending threat and becoming fully fledged Bay Area Ghostbusters, you learn there’s a new threat in New York – Garraka, the terrifying ancient demi-god who’s been trapped in an object not unlike one that Hookfaber brought to the Ghostbusters years ago. So, who does Ray call in this moment of need? You!
What secrets does Hookfaber’s past hold? What did he know about trapping ghosts in objects? To solve these mysteries, you’ll head back to San Francisco where you’ll discover that Garraka’s powers have extended through the etheric plane, affecting locations and ghosts in ways that make everything more dangerous! Get ready for icy obstacles blocking your path, essential equipment freezing over, and powerful icy attacks from ghostly enemies.
Lars, Podcast, and Lucky will be added as playable avatars part of the Frozen Empire update, letting you step into the shoes of the stars of the movie in our game. You’ll even get to play an unexpected role in helping the legendary Ghostbusters of New York.
We’ve had fun revisiting our ghosts and equipment to answer your feedback and increase the challenge in the game. We’ve also completely refreshed the mission selection so, for the first time, you will be completely free to select any mission from the entire game, helping those completists who want to tackle them all, and making it easier for everyone else to replay their favorites.
Let me conclude by thanking you all for your feedback on the game since release. It has helped us to shape the last six months of content and create a game that’s gotten closer and closer to our dream of enabling you all to feel like a real Ghostbuster.