Inverse - 👾 Meet the Queen of PlayStation

Plus: The best spy thriller of the year might be too good for us.
Inverse Daily
Shawne Benson is responsible for finding all your favorite indies — and more.
Ariela Basson/Inverse; Courtesy of Shawne Benson
Game Changers
The Mind Behind PlayStation’s Most Surprising Hits

Before Shawne Benson worked at PlayStation, she was a musician struggling to make ends meet. On Instagram, she still posts the occasional piano ballad, but these days, Benson says she’s found a new outlet for her musical passion: curating video games for the over one hundred million people who own a PlayStation console.

“I like to think of it like you're making a mixtape,” Benson tells Inverse, describing the mix of games she helps shepherd to PlayStation’s platform in any given year. “The feeling of ups and downs, with different pacing and vibes that create an overarching composition.”

As PlayStation’s Global Head of Third Party Portfolio and Acquisitions, it's Benson’s job to know what games will resonate with the PlayStation 4 and 5 owners around the world. While much of what she’s on the lookout for comes down to what she likes to play, it also takes a bit of intuition and a keen eye for the future of the gaming business. There’s no better example of her sixth sense for special games than a moment she recalls from her interview with Sony back in 2016. Asked what third-party game she’d pursue as a PlayStation exclusive if hired to join the team, Benson had an inspired choice.

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The Latest
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Warner Bros.
Exclusive
Jeffrey Wright Was Never Asked to Appear On ‘The Penguin’
“We’ll see what happens down the line.”
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Paramount+
The Inverse Interview
How Star Trek’s Reigning Captain Is Quietly Making History
“She does all of those little things that most captains don't necessarily pay attention to.”
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BDG
Shopping
The Best Early Black Friday Deals On Amazon
The countdown to Black Friday is on.
Featured
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Showtime
Review
The Best Spy Thriller of the Year Might Be Too Good For Us

There are certain expectations for a spy series: a sexy leading man or woman, thrilling action setpieces, conspiracies that go all the way to the top, perhaps the threat of nuclear warfare. It’s the kind of escapist storytelling regularly headlined by ultra-cool movie stars like Tom Cruise, Daniel Craig, or, indeed, by Michael Fassbender. So when The Agency opens on Fassbender’s covert CIA operative returning home after a six-year deep undercover mission, only to meticulously search through his apartment to destroy the bugs planted everywhere, you may think, “Oh yeah, I’m in for the coolest sh*t ever.” But The Agency, an upcoming 10-episode series on Showtime executive produced by Fassbender and George Clooney, is doing something much more interesting than the typical spy stuff.

The Agency adapts the 2015 French spy series Le Bureau des Legendes, which was based on real accounts by former spies and inspired by contemporary events. The U.S. remake takes a similarly grounded approach by depicting not just the glamorous double lives of the CIA’s deep undercover agents, but the decidedly unglamorous work lives of their handlers and bosses. The result is a sophisticated new spy series that is equal turns thoughtful and thrilling — willing to give as much time to its characters’ crumbling psyches as it does to hot-button political issues and international crises. It’s refreshing to see such a smart spy series try to make sense of our complicated world... especially as reality falls short of expectations.

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Old Navy
Presented by Old Navy
Shine This Holiday Season With Old Navy’s Festive Collection

Old Navy has the perfect pieces to make every holiday celebration unforgettable. Find standout styles for yourself and discover gift-worthy favorites for family and friends. From sparkling details to luxe layers, Old Navy’s collection has something for every gathering. Shop now to make your holidays merry, bright, and stylish.

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Paramount
Movies
The Most Glaring Historical Inaccuracy in ‘Gladiator 2’ Would Have Turned the Movie On Its Head
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Retrospective
25 Years Ago, Pokémon Set the Gold Standard For RPG Sequels
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