A new PS4 and PS5 exclusive game is releasing later this month, and it is set to bring back a niche, forgotten PS3 series. The release is not as noteworthy as some of the month’s biggest games, such as Borderlands 4, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades 2, and more, but for PlayStation fans who were playing the PS3 back in 2011, it will be more nostalgic than many of September 2025’s biggest releases.
The PS3 series in question is Beat Hazard, which returns to PlayStation consoles for the first time in over a decade on September 24 via Beat Hazard Arcade. For those unfamiliar with the IP, Beat Hazard is a music-themed shoot ’em up developed and published by Cold Beam Games. And it’s sometimes associated with Xbox 360, because when it first launched in 2010, it was an Xbox 360 exclusive as part of the Xbox Live Indie Games program. Two years later, in 2011, it came to the PS3. Then, in 2019 and 2024, it got two sequels, but neither ever came to a PlayStation platform. Now the series is returning to the PlayStation ecosystem.
About the Game
What makes Beat Hazard Arcade unique from some of its contemporaries is that you can import your own music through a USB stick, and then the game will adapt its gameplay to your music. There is also 4.5 hours of built-in music if you don’t want to go through the trouble of doing this. Whatever you choose, you can enjoy the game by yourself or with up to four players via local co-op.
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While Beat Hazard Arcade is available to Wishlist on the PlayStation Store, there is currently no pricing information. And there is no word of it coming to any other platforms, despite a history of releasing on other platforms. Meanwhile, those on PS5 Pro do not currently have any PS5 Pro enhancements to look forward to, or at least there is mention of PS5 Pro enhancements. Given the more humble nature of the release, it is safe to assume that even if there were PS5 Pro enhancements, they would not be a game-changer.
For many PS4 and PS5 users, this new exclusive release won’t scratch the itch, but for those who played the original back on PS3 or who like these old-school shoot ’em ups, it is worth paying attention to how this new installment is received when it releases later this month. All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think, or join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum. What classic PlayStation games — niche or popular — are you dying to see return?
