Playstation News

[deathstar1000]

Like the other thread, I'll be posting PS3 news here!

From G4:

Sony's John Koller Speaks Out About PS3 Slim Rumors and Leak-Based News
Posted by Jake Gaskill - Tuesday, June 09, 2009 3:18 PM

As everyone (especially those who stupidly bet money on whether Internet rumors are true or not) is keenly aware, Sony didn’t unveil the PlayStation 3 Slim at E3 2009 last week. At this point, the only “evidence” that a PS3 Slim is in the works is a series of “leaked” photos from a manufacturing plant that supposedly show the slimmed down console being packaged.

Now, while a PS3 price drop is certainly a worthy concern for any prospective PS3 owner, the possibility of an entirely redesigned console seems like an even more influential factor in terms of preventing someone from taking the $400 plunge now as opposed to later. That is, of course, unless you ask Sony’s director of hardware marketing John Koller, as [censored] Technica recently found out. While on the topic of the recent PS3 Slim rumors, Koller said:

"If [the coverage] focuses more on leaks or what may or may not happen then yes, there is a certain amount of frustration…Who's going to get to the future first? I think that's a more interesting story than 'I found some packaging in China that may or may not...' You know, personally, I don't see that as a story…I'd love to live in a world with fewer leaks and more meat."


[censored] Technica’s Ben Kuchera notes that during this portion of the interview, Koller was noticeably more standoffish and defensive, suggesting (not so subtly) that there might be something to the rumors after all. Of course, after having its PSP Go bubble burst prior to its big E3 reveal, it’s easy to understand Sony’s ire towards leaked hardware information. But to suggest that such leaks don’t constitute valid story material is preposterous, especially in the case of one of gaming’s major hardware players.
When it comes to super secret projects like a PS3 Slim, and leaks are the only source of info, don’t those leaks represent valid story material?

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 News

From G4:

Prototype PS3 Install Bugged, Fix Is Kind Of Ridiculous
Posted by Brian Leahy - Wednesday, June 10, 2009 10:11 AM

The PlayStation 3 version of Prototype has a nasty little bug that may affect some users as they try to install the game. The PS3 may claim it does not have enough free space on the hard drive even if it does, but it can be solved by a goofy workaround.

By changing the amount of free space on your hard drive by at least 700MB, the game will complete its mandatory install and you can begin slicing people open on the streets of NYC. Want a suggestion on how to do this? Delete or download a game demo.

Activision has stated that a patch will be released over PSN shortly. Unfortunately, this workaround is necessary until then if you experience the bug because the installation is mandatory. PS3 owners might recall the same bug with Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction.

In other news, I conducted the optional install of Prototype on the Xbox 360 last night and was playing it so much that I forgot to eat dinner. True story.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

"Just About" Every PSP Game Released After October 1 Will Be Downloadable For PSP Go
Posted by Jake Gaskill - Wednesday, June 10, 2009 3:27 PM

Even prior to Sony's official unveiling of its next big portable device, the PSP Go, speculations abounded regarding what the company's plans were for bringing UMD-released games to a UMD-less device. Well, things are a little bit clearer today.

Sony social media manager Jeff Rubenstein told Destructoid that "just about" every PSP game released on UMD after October 1 (the day the PSP Go goes on sale) will also be available for download on the PlayStation Network. Rubenstein went on to say that third party titles will need the approval of their publishers before they will be available for download.

This is of course great news for people who have never owned a PSP and, as such, don't own a single UMD game, and plan on investing in a PSP Go. However, the download service still doesn't help current PSP owners thinking about eventually picking one up. That is of course unless the vast majority of them don't mind carrying around two PSPs all the time.

Last week, I posted about Sony apparently considering a UMD transfer service to solve this issue, but that service has yet to be detailed in any significant way. If it ends up working (and its free), then Sony will gain an all new level of respect and adoration from gamers everywhere. If it doesn't come together, PSP owners are going to have a tough decision to make come October 1.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Sony: We Don't Regret Blu-Ray
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Wednesday, June 10, 2009 3:20 PM

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Sony president Kaz Hirai was asked whether the inclusion of a Blu Ray player in the PlayStation 3 was a mistake. Here's how Kaz answered:

"Purely from a gaming standpoint there was no other choice for us. Why? The capacity of the disc. Last year's Metal Gear Solid 4 was pushing 50GB as it was. If it was on DVD it would have been a 6 disc set... So from a gaming standpoint there was really no choice if you wanted a high definition gaming experience. Kojima-san has been pushing the boundaries already. And then there is the motion picture issue. The PS3 installed base certainly went a long way to making the movie studios side with Blu-ray rather then HD-DVD or supporting both."

It's safe to say that Hirai does not regret his company's decision to include a Blu-Ray player in their game system, and as a recent convert to the PlayStation 3, I have to agree with him -- that Blu-Ray player is amazing. But since we're talking about things that Sony should regret versus things they shouldn't regret, and since I'm in a particularly ornery, post E3 mood, please click the cut and check out my list of things about the Sony should regret about the PlayStation 3:


Lack of an HDMI cable: This isn't the biggest fault of the system, but the lack of an HDMI cable represents the first time in my entire life I was ever disappointed by a game system before I plugged it in.

PlayStation Home

Backward Compatibility: I don't really care that much, because I rarely play older games, but how are you going to take features away in later versions of your console? You're supposed to add features.

Wonky Media Server: I bought my PS3 to stream media, and this thing is just unstable. Sony should regret that they never made this work right.

The Price: You gotta figure they already regret that painful $600 launch price point and the bad feelings it engendered.

Lack of games: Sure, now there's some exclusives that everyone wants to play, but it's been, what, over two years since launch.

Loss of exclusives: Tekken, Final Fantasy, GTA (at least timed exclusives.) Ouch, man.

Yes, I could make just as long a list for the 360... feel free to fill it in the comment section.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

PSP Firmware Getting Updated, Only Adding Tech Fixes
Posted by Patrick Klepek - Thursday, June 11, 2009 2:05 PM

Sony loves their firmware updates, which is why PSP users will have the opportunity to download the version 5.51, the latest update to the PSP hardware "soon," according to the PlayStation Blog.

The firmware isn't adding any new features, though. Sony's only promising some improvements to "system software stability during use of some features." Which features? Like other firmware updates, it'll be up to users to figure that out.

I can't wait to forget about this update, be forced to upgrade when I buy a new game and cry in a corner, as my PSP tells me I need to wait until it's fully charged to update. (That's mostly sarcasm.)

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Sony CEO Kaz Hirai Says Core Gamers Should Be Served Before The Mainstream
Posted by Raymond Padilla - Thursday, June 11, 2009 12:50 PM

With the success of the Nintendo Wii, numerous gaming-industry pundits have focused on what console companies are doing to garner the mainstream audience. In a sense, it's understandable; out of the gate, the Wii has reached a broad audience in a way that (arguably) no console ever has. While the shortsighted reaction would be to mimic the Wii in every way possible and as soon as possible, Sony believes in a more gradual approach -- an approach that has worked for the company twice before. It will go after the mainstream audience with products like Buzz, SingStar, and its unnamed motion controller. However, Sony feels that it's important to start with the core audience and build out. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Kaz Hirai said:

"We have always started with the core audience and then expanded. A console always needs a solid core of games that appeal to gamers. Look at God of War. We launched that in the seventh year of the Playstation 2 and a lot of people wondered why we did. It's because we always wanted to keep the support of the core gaming audience.

That's not to say we're not doing anything to expand the demographics. Singstar and Buzz are obvious examples. But we need to do this in a controlled way. If you go mainstream too quickly and don't support the core gaming audience then you lack the pillar to support your platform. Without this pillar you end up with a fickle audience that might be big but will probably move on."

A lot of what Hirai is saying makes complete sense, but this generation is quite different from the previous two and the market has changed considerably. The most obvious point is that the PlayStation 3 does not enjoy the same market position as the PlayStation and PlayStation 2. With that in mind, can Sony afford to use the same approach it did in the past? Or does it need to alter its gameplan drastically in order to catch up to Microsoft? (Let's be honest -- neither company is going to catch up to Nintendo.)


Hirai's words also made me think about Nintendo's longterm future. Numerous readers of TheFeed would say, to use Hirai's words, that Nintendo lacks the pillar to support its core-gaming audience. While it might not matter this generation, some have argued that the Wii has generated so much ill will with enthusiast gamers and it will bite Nintendo come next generation. Like Kaz said, it's possible that these gamers will "move on".

It's still early in the console game so it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. Microsoft and Sony still have numerous opportunities to succeed. While Nintendo's lead is substantial, it still has a lot of work to do in order to avoid a sharp sales drop off. Even though a lot of enthusiast gamers have turned their backs on Nintendo, the company has the ability -- much more so than the others -- to win back hearts with its classic franchises.

So look into your crystal [censored] and read your tarot cards. Do you think the approach Hirai spoke about will work? Or is this generation a completely different ballgame? How about Nintendo? Did it "go mainstream too quickly"? Will it haunt the company in the future? Share your thoughts!

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Valve Won't Develop On PS3 Again Until They Can Do It Right
Posted by Patrick Klepek - Friday, June 12, 2009 11:37 AM

Hey, at least Valve's honest. The company has never expressed much interest in developing for PlayStation 3 and been pretty clear about their reasons. When Electronic Arts ported The Orange Box, it bummed out Valve because it hasn't supported the platform since then. In Billy's interview with co-founder Gabe Newell, he said Valve won't be returning to the platform until they're confident they can do it right.

"We haven’t done a good job of taking care of our PS3 customers at all for the existing Orange Box customers, and that is very frustrating to me personally," admitted Newell. "Until we can do a better job than we have, I’m sort of hesitant to go back and screw them again. So, I want to make sure when we have customers on the PS3 they don’t end up in the sort of second class citizen that I feel that they’ve been by what we did originally with The Orange Box."

It sounds like Valve could embrace PlayStation 3 eventually, but for the time being, if you want to play their games and want to play them now, you need an Xbox 360 or PC.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Sony President Jack Tretton Talks Press Leaks, Motion Control Compatibility
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Friday, June 12, 2009 8:56 AM

The video game industry is notorious for leaks and slip-ups of press material, and Sony's E3 2009 press event was no exception. The trailer for Last Guardian leaked weeks before E3; accurate leaks of the features of the PSP Go were out back in February, and even Sony's motion-sensing system was whispered about in the weeks leading up to the show.

“People don’t respect confidentiality in this industry,” Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, told CNBC. “It’s tough enough to keep a secret within your own company, much less when you speak to third parties.”

“This is an industry that has trouble focusing on today,” he says “We want to constantly talk about tomorrow.… You have to prepare for people to know things in advance. The frustrating thing is they only know a part of the story and that opens up a lot of conjecture and misinformation that ultimately waters down the reality when you roll it out.”

Tretton and other heads of the game industry should be happy the game press is so keen to leak information -- it only happens because video game fans actually care what companies are doing, and are eager to lap up any scraps of information that can be presented to them. In other industries, people are rarely interested enough to even want information before it is announced. (Although, I've heard rumors that the Studor Company's new line of REDI-VENT temperature actuated flow reduction valves are going to schweeet.)


Tretton also implied the PS3 Motion Sensor will be available for a bunch of games.

“It’s a different experience that doesn’t lend itself to certain types of games. [But] I think our [motion] controller can be used with every game that’s on the system now — and every game we’re working on.”

Tretton also said that it was "absolutely conceivable" that existing PS3 games could be updated to incorporate the new technology. I'll believe that when I see it!

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Activision CEO Warns It 'Might Have To Stop Supporting Sony' -- Sony Responds
Posted by Patrick Klepek - Friday, June 19, 2009 10:03 AM

Shots have been fired, friends. Traditionally outspoken Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has told Times Online that unless Sony cuts the price of PlayStation 3, something Kotick has strongly advocated for in the past year, he'll consider dropping support for Sony's console. Strong words from the leader of the largest third-party publisher in the world.

“They [Sony] have to cut the price, because if they don't, the attach rates are likely to slow," Kotick told the newspaper. "If we are being realistic, we might have to stop supporting Sony. When we look at 2010 and 2011, we might want to consider if we support the console — and the PSP too.”

Both Sony Computer Entertainment America and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have issued responses to Kotick's comments, though neither did much to challenge him.

"PlayStation has tremendous momentum coming out of E3, and we are seeing positive growth with more than 350 titles slated to hit across all our platforms, including many anticipated games from our publishing partners," said a SCEA representative in an e-mailed statement to me. "We enjoy healthy business relationships with and greatly value our publishing partners and are working closely with them to deliver the best entertainment experience."

VG247.com managed to eek a response out of their European branch. “We respect our third-parties’ opinions and their right to express those opinions but we will not be commenting on this story," said a SCEE representative.

You can bet there's going to be some phone calls between Sony and Activision today.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

If Activision Dropped PS3 Support This Year, Here's What PS3 Owners Couldn't Play
Posted by Patrick Klepek - Friday, June 19, 2009 12:55 PM

Activision is threatening to drop support for PlayStation 3 (and PSP, but let's focus on the big target here) if Sony doesn't drop the price of their hardware soon. As the world's largest third-party publisher, Activision wields power. If Activision made good on their threats, what would be the impact?

I combed through the company's upcoming release calendar for the rest of 2009 and produced a list of games PlayStation 3 owners wouldn't see if Activision drops support for the platform. Note: This has almost zero chance of happenning, as most of these games are nearly finished. It's merely a "what if?" scenario.


Let me know if there's anything missing, but if Activision drops support for PlayStation 3, here's the games that wouldn't be appearing on the machine in 2009:

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen -- June 23

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs -- June 30

Wolfenstein -- August 4

Guitar Hero 5 -- September 1

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 -- September 8

Singularity -- TBA

Cabela's Outdoor Adventure -- September 22

Tony Hawk: Ride -- October

Bakugan -- October

Modern Warfare 2 -- November 10

Chaotic -- November

Guitar Hero: Van Halen -- Fall

Band Hero -- Fall

Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2009 -- TBA

Which game would you miss the most? Something tells me it's not Ice Age.

 

[Porkerpig]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

Man I tell ya Sony and its ego are going to hurt them. Heck they had a good thing going with Square being exclusive to them. If they still had that deal I tell ya they would sell the heck out of PS3s with a Final Fantasy available only on the PS3. But since its coming out on the 360, no need to get one. Now Activision is threatening to stop making games for the PS3. If this happens, its going to hurt future PS3 sales. Not saying they will go under by any means, but with cheaper price tags on the 360 and the way the economy is this could be very good for the 360. I think its cool that the PS3 has FFVII for download, and blu ray is nice. But cmon Sony all the newer games I can already get on the 360. You dont have that one big exclusive title thats going to sky rocket sales for the asking price of the PS3.

Thanks as always DS for the latest news, your efforts are appreciated

 

[DarthAndosMan]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

Man sony's screwed, they cannot afford to lose those games (leaving out Transformers: revenge of the Fallen, Ice age: dawn of the dinosaurs, chaotic, and bakugan i don't think anyone cares bout those games).

 

[jediraven82]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

Only reason I ended up buying a PS3 recently was for their exclusives and Blu-Ray. All multi-platform titles I'll buy on 360. I wouldn't shed a tear if Activision left them, that company has become worse that EA in terms of sequelitis.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Sony Reveals More Motion Controller Details
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Monday, June 22, 2009 10:40 AM

One of the main surprises at E3 2009 was Sony's announcement of its own motion-sensing controller to compete with the Wii and Xbox's Project Natal. Late last week, Sony let developers in on some more details of the system. Here's a partial-picture of how the system will work, in bullet-point form:

Scheduled to launch in Spring 2010.

It will hit market with a "range of first-party and third-party content."

The new controller functions "with any games across all genres from casual to core."

The "face-tracking and head-tracking capability already in the PS3 SDK" will offer developers "powerful tools for new types of user interaction."

Works in tandem with the PlayStation Eye's built-in microphone array for voice input and voice recognition.

Up to four of the new motion controllers can be tracked at once by the PlayStation Eye.

Sony is considering combining motion control wand and PS3 controller functions. Here's the example Sony offers; "the motion controller as a sword and use DualShock 3 as a shield."

It will use a lot of the PS3's power: "motion-tracking library has some SPU overhead and has an impact on memory as well, although these will be minimized."

I wonder if Sony and Microsoft are heading towards a huge iceberg here. Yes, the Wii sold a lot of consoles, but maybe that was because home motion-controlled video games were a total novelty. Maybe people don't actually like flailing their arms around when they're gaming, aside from the initial rush of the first couple hours of play.

Personally, when I play video games, I move as little as possible, preferring to sink into the couch and zone out. That doesn't work with motion control, and I wonder if these new schemes are going to ultimately fizzle when they hit market. On the other hand, you can't deny the "party appeal" of motion controls!

What do you think? Is motion control really the wave of the future, or will we look back on Microsoft and Sony's experiments in a few years and laugh at the absurdity of them?

 

[Shaggscoob]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

wow, who cares about all this motion tracking crap? I've had a wii since release, it loses its luster quickly.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

Agreed.

Mine has been collecting dust for quiet some time.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Media Molecule Hiring Programmers For "Ground-Breaking AAA, PS3 Title"
Posted by Jake Gaskill - Tuesday, June 23, 2009 3:45 PM

Those charming little scamps over at Media Molecule, creators of the adorable living canvas that is LittleBigPlanet, are apparently in the market for some fresh talent. According to a new job listing over at Edge Magazine, the UK-based developer is looking to hire a couple of programmers for a “ground-breaking AAA, PS3 title” that features some sort of “online component.”

The game in question could very well be LBP 2, and the fact that the listing mentions prospective applicants will be expected to “maintain and improve the existing code and data structures,” seems to suggest at least something LBP-related. Could it be that MM is working on some monstrous LBP DLC? According to MM's Twitter page, there is some "great DLC underway," so that wouldn't be a terrible guess either.

I contacted Media Molecule's PR rep to find out more, but I haven’t heard back yet. So stay tuned.

 

[DarthAndosMan]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

wow, who cares about all this motion tracking crap? I've had a wii since release, it loses its luster quickly.

The Non-gamer cares

 

[Shaggscoob]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

wow, who cares about all this motion tracking crap? I've had a wii since release, it loses its luster quickly.

The Non-gamer cares

My wife is a non-gamer. She loved it for about 5-6 months, but after awhile it was just the same things over and over again. Plus, the controllers aren't very accurate and require alot of trickery to do what should be simpler and more precise. Honestly, if the hardware did and behaved the way it should have upon release, I think we would still be enjoying it.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Another Slight PS3 Firmware Update Is Live
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Wednesday, June 24, 2009 3:52 PM

Sony, why must you keep teasing us long-suffering PlayStation 3 owners with your firmware updates that don't do very much? The latest: Software update (v2.80). According to Sony, the tweak improves the quality of some PlayStation 3 format software. Thanks, I think.

It would be nice, though, to get a little more detail on what these updates actually do, wouldn't it? I'd love to know which software will be improved, and how it will be improved. And does this update do anything else? For that matter, is this update preparation for the next update, which will finally answer everyone's prayers and fix every single gamer's last problem with the PlayStation 3? It remains to be seen, but I'm guessing "no."

But speaking of your PS3 wish-list...what's on it? Personally, I would like the wonky media-serving to be improved. I get errors while streaming MP3s and video very often.

 

[CaptKain]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

Man I tell ya Sony and its ego are going to hurt them. Heck they had a good thing going with Square being exclusive to them. If they still had that deal I tell ya they would sell the heck out of PS3s with a Final Fantasy available only on the PS3. But since its coming out on the 360, no need to get one. Now Activision is threatening to stop making games for the PS3. If this happens, its going to hurt future PS3 sales. Not saying they will go under by any means, but with cheaper price tags on the 360 and the way the economy is this could be very good for the 360. I think its cool that the PS3 has FFVII for download, and blu ray is nice. But cmon Sony all the newer games I can already get on the 360. You dont have that one big exclusive title thats going to sky rocket sales for the asking price of the PS3.

Thanks as always DS for the latest news, your efforts are appreciated

Heh, guess Sony still has "Beta-itis"
If they didnt learn it back then when Beta lost out due to Sony's stubborness, I dont think Sony ever will change.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Sony Drops More Hints About "Non-Gaming" PSP Applications
Posted by Jake Gaskill - Thursday, June 25, 2009 3:54 PM

Sony is hoping to take the portable digital tech world by storm this October when it releases its adorable PSP Go. But it seems the company isn’t content focusing simply on establishing itself as the dominant force in the digital-only handheld gaming market. In fact, the company appears to have taken a page out of Apple’s playbook, and could be eyeing the wildly popular app world as well.

In a new interview with CNET, SCEA PR manager Al De Leon says that the reduction in price for the PSP development tools will open the door to a wide variety of potential content for the PSP. Leon went on to say that while most of this content will be game-related, “there’s certainly an opportunity to look at some non-gaming applications.”

A couple weeks ago, Destructoid reported that Sony was planning to unveil a new PlayStation Store, complete with an app section, during gamescom in Cologne, Germany in August. PSP developers have also apparently been asked to look into developing “non-retail” games and applications in the near future.

So it seems the stars are aligning for PSP apps, but of course we’ll have to wait until August to see if Sony decides to try and cut in on Apple’s action.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Sony Revealing New Motion Controller Details Next Month
Posted by Patrick Klepek - Thursday, June 25, 2009 12:15 PM

As Sony prepares to deliver development kits for their new motion controller technology, more details are needed. Some will be disclosed next month at the annual Develop Conference, where Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's head of developer services, Kish Hirani, will be giving a coding keynote and discussing the technology. Will we finally see a real game using the wands?

Read on for the official panel description.

" The keynote speech will provide an overview of the current state of the PlayStation platforms. Expect to hear a lot more about the new PS3 controller shown at E3, together with vision processing and advanced graphics techniques in the PS3 libraries. There will be coverage of several real-world examples of such techniques as used in recent and soon to be released PS3 and PSP titles from both Sony Computer Entertainment first party and external developers."

Develop Conference takes place in Brighton, UK from July 14 to 16. Speculation on what Sony will show at Develop starts…now.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Should Sony Have Focused More On PS3 Sequels Than Originals?
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Friday, June 26, 2009 3:24 PM

Like most of you who post on our website, video game industry analyst Matt Matthews has some opinions on what Sony did wrong with the PlayStation 3. But unlike most of the people who post on our website, Matthews has actual numbers and, charts and graphs to back up his assertions.

Leaving aside the hardware aspects of the console, Matthews took a close examination of the sales figures for PlayStation 3 exclusive software. Matthews feels that Sony might have sold more games if it had focused more on sequels and less on developing original property.

For example, Sony partner Insomniac created launch title Resistance: Fall of Man as opposed to releasing another Ratchet and Clank game, and Evolution Studios made Motorstorm instead of another World Rally Championship game.

As Matthews puts it:

The pattern is clear: instead of relying on established properties these key Sony partners were granted the opportunity to create completely new, top-tier franchises for the PlayStation 3. These were games the competition could never have, ones exclusively owned by Sony.


It seems obvious that Sony intended these new games to be system-sellers for the PlayStation 3, but, judging from their numbers, it didn't really happen. If you compare the sales numbers of original PS3 games with the sales of sequels like Grand Theft Auto IV, and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, you'll find that, yes, those sequels sold much better than original games.

In the short term, it's true, sequels will generally sell better than original games -- people like to know what they're getting into with a video game so they stick to familiar names. But as a long-term strategy, I think Sony has (finally) gotten it together.

Sure, new properties are risky, but so are franchises. The problem with putting all your resources into sequels is that, eventually, the franchises will run out of steam. The faster you make new versions of old games, the faster they start to seem like just that: Old games with new boxes. When a franchise is wrung dry by a game company, people will stop buying it, and then you've turned a once valuable intellectual property into something worthless, and have not developed anything new to take its place. You need to put resources into original games, even when they don't work out (Lair), because eventually, you're going to find something that does (inFamous.)

Also, a preponderance of sequels for the PlayStation 3 wouldn't really fit the marketing of the machine as the newest, most shiny, powerful system. If the PS3 had launched with a new Ratchet and Clank instead of Resistance, and a full slate of other familiar games, it wouldn't have seem very exciting to the core audience Sony was trying to reach with the system.

It seems to me that the slate of PS3 games available now, in the middle of the console cycle, is a nice mix of original titles (Uncharted, LittleBigPlanet, InFamous, etc) and sequels (Madden, GTA, Metal Gear).

What do you think about the PlayStation 3's mix of originals vs. sequels?

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Updated: Hulu Blocking PS3 From Viewing Videos
Posted by Brian Leahy - Monday, June 29, 2009 12:59 PM

Updated: 12:59PM PST

As of June 26th, PlayStation 3 owners attempting to access Hulu through the console's built-in, Flash-enabled web browser will find videos blocked and unviewable.

Hulu's terms of service were changed on the 26th, but there are still no specific references to the PlayStation 3. This follows in the footsteps of Hulu blocking Boxee, a third-party solution for viewing web video on a TV. Support for Hulu in Boxee has been off and on.

Engadget notes that this could be a glitch with the PS3's recent 2.80 firmware upgrade, but users are reporting the same error with earlier firmware versions.

Boot up your PS3's and let us know if you're able to watch Hulu videos.

Update: Spong.com is reporting that a possible deal between Microsoft and Hulu for Microsoft to "provide consumers with personalised content and advertising across all media platforms within three years." Could this be the reason for Hulu blocking the PlayStation 3 or just a coincidence?

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Sony's PlayStation Cloud Being Developed by SCEA San Diego?
Posted by Jake Gaskill - Tuesday, June 30, 2009 3:28 PM

The first two things that come to mind when I hear “PS Cloud” are a mass of airborne toxins slowly engulfing a small town and perhaps the most benign post-script ever (P.S. Cloud. Rainbow. Dew drops. Awww.)

Back here in the real world though, PS Cloud refers to Sony’s PlayStation Cloud, a mysterious set of Internet-based services that may or may not have anything to do with gaming, social networking or some combination of the two.

Now, while Sony's patent filing mentions handheld games and rental services (among a ton of other applications), the service could very well be referring to the revamped PlayStation Store features announced a few weeks ago, or it could that new online service built on the PlayStation Network that Sony plans to unveil next spring, or it could something entirely new.

However, as PlayStationLifeStyle.net found out, the PS Cloud website is registered to SCEA San Diego, who is supposedly “exclusively” developing PSN games at the moment. Perhaps then, PS Cloud will be a mobile version of PlayStation Home designed specifically for the PSP Go. Whatever it is, one thing is for sure: Sony has quite a few Internet-based plates spinning at the moment, and it looks like it will still be a while before we know exactly what the company has planned for all of them.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

PlayStation 3 Slim Manufacturing Orders For Launch Next Month?
Posted by Jake Gaskill - Tuesday, June 30, 2009 12:39 PM

It wouldn’t be a weekday without a PlayStation 3 Slim rumor, so let’s get on with it.

According to Engadget, the latest reports indicate that hardware manufacturers Foxconn and Pegatron are building PS3 Slims, and are planning to ship the long rumored console in July. Considering analysts have pointed to August for a PS3 price cut, and the PS3 Slim is expected to be released sometime around the time of said price cut, a July/August release window seems reasonable enough.

The other rumor to emerge from all of this is that Sony plans to make the PS3 Slim the last console model of this generation. If that sounds like crazy talk, that's because it most likely is. Sony won’t be rolling out its motion-control technology until sometime next year, and if Microsoft is planning to release a revamped Xbox 360 with built in Project Natal support, you better believe Sony has something similar planned for their motion tech as well. Of course, that purely theoretical console might be a PS3 Slim with built-in motion support, but that would still qualify as a new console model. In short, this rumor doesn't sound right at all, so I'm just going to move along now.

I contacted Sony about all of this, and I'm currently waiting to hear back.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Could All PlayStation 3s Soon Be Backwards Compatible?
Posted by Jake Gaskill - Tuesday, June 30, 2009 9:29 AM

Sony’s PlayStation 3 and the issue of backwards compatibility have a long and storied history, despite the fact that the console has only been around for a few years. Between the Emotion Engine chip (the PS2’s CPU) initially being available in some SKUs, to the Emotion Engine chip being pulled from later SKUs, to some models including emulators, it’s just a big mess. Basically, the major point to take away from all this is that currently, Sony is not producing any PS3s with backwards compatibility support (via hardware or software). However, that could be changing sometime soon.

As SilconEra reports, Sony recently filed a patent that would allow the PS3’s Cell processor to emulate the Emotion Engine. If successful, this process would add backwards compatibility to every PS3 on store shelves and in homes. In addition to most likely being built into the rumored PS3 Slim expected to be out sometime later this year, this feature could also be made available via firmware update for all current PS3 owners.

It would be impressive if Sony could pull this off, even though this whole Cell-powered backward compatibility function should have been part of the PS3 from the beginning. But I’m guessing that most PlayStation fans will see it as a “better late than never” scenario, and they’re probably right.

 

[Shaggscoob]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Could All PlayStation 3s Soon Be Backwards Compatible?
Posted by Jake Gaskill - Tuesday, June 30, 2009 9:29 AM

Sony’s PlayStation 3 and the issue of backwards compatibility have a long and storied history, despite the fact that the console has only been around for a few years. Between the Emotion Engine chip (the PS2’s CPU) initially being available in some SKUs, to the Emotion Engine chip being pulled from later SKUs, to some models including emulators, it’s just a big mess. Basically, the major point to take away from all this is that currently, Sony is not producing any PS3s with backwards compatibility support (via hardware or software). However, that could be changing sometime soon.

As SilconEra reports, Sony recently filed a patent that would allow the PS3’s Cell processor to emulate the Emotion Engine. If successful, this process would add backwards compatibility to every PS3 on store shelves and in homes. In addition to most likely being built into the rumored PS3 Slim expected to be out sometime later this year, this feature could also be made available via firmware update for all current PS3 owners.

It would be impressive if Sony could pull this off, even though this whole Cell-powered backward compatibility function should have been part of the PS3 from the beginning. But I’m guessing that most PlayStation fans will see it as a “better late than never” scenario, and they’re probably right.

If they did this, I think it would boost PS3 morale in a huge way!

 

[Porkerpig]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

That would be cool, but I honestly thought the reason they really didnt back the whole backward compatability thing was so they could offer the titles online for download and get more money off us

and that goes for the XBOX 360 as well. At least Nintendo got it right, or as far as I know anyways ha ha.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Sony Reveals PSP Strategy: Cheaper, Smaller Downloadable Games

Posted Today 7:44 AM - By Stephen Johnson

In an interview with Develop, Sony revealed its strategy for development on the PlayStation Portable, and it's going to look a lot like an iPhone, with lots of easily downloadable, cheap and "snackable" apps and games. The company is making development of downloadable PSP games easier by streamlining distribution, and encouraging developers by abolishing concept approval, providing cheaper devkits, shorter quality assurance processes, and low price points for new games. All of these new games and applications will be available on a specially branded section of the PlayStation Store available to both PSP and PSP Go owners.

“We’re introducing new initiatives for the PSP which take it beyond traditional gaming, but still includes elements from gaming, and also includes new developers.” said Zeno Colaço, SCEE's head of developer relations.

Fifty studios are already hard at work on the new-school PSP applications and games, with more to be added in the future. While Sony isn't following the iTunes model to the letter -- it won't be giving away development kits -- the company has recently slashed prices of its SDK by 80%, which lowers the entry bar significantly for smaller teams.

"It is still a professional environment," Colaço said, "you still need a development kit and you still need to have investment and a team. But it can be a small team. We don’t see any of the restrictions on the disc-based space being in this space."

Do you think Sony's adoption of an iPhone-like app store for the PSP and PSP Go is ultimately a good thing or a bad thing? Do you care about small games and utilities on the PSP, or are you more about full-scale gaming on your little tiny screen? What kind of games or programs would you like to see? Personally, I think opening up the development process to more people will create a whole lot of crappy content -- it always does -- but buried within all that crap, you'll find some diamonds that otherwise wouldn't exist, so lets hope the gaming community and/or Sony will come up with a filtering system to separate the wheat from the chaff!

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Sony Plans Phone With PlayStation Integration Later This Year

Posted 2 hours 41 mins ago - By Patrick Klepek

Not a real product!

Are we one step closer to a PlayStation phone? Sony's mobile division is hoping to leverage part of the still-powerful PlayStation brand later this year, as The Wall Street Journal's reporting (via Engadget) that Sony will be releasing a phone with "PlayStation integration" later this year. It's unclear what the company means by "integration."

Sony has discussed expanding the PlayStation Network and the cross media bar interface across other platforms, which jives with "integration" but may not be the PlayStation-branded phone people have been speculating about for who knows how long.

Engadget speculates this isn't actually news, as the company's upcoming Aino phone was already going to support the Remote Play functionality, ala PSP.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

PlayStation Home Adds New Content, Including 10-Screen Movie Theater

Posted 1 hour 14 mins ago - By Stephen Johnson

Sony is rolling out some special new content for PlayStation Home, including a 10-screen movie theater, with the suggestion that full-length movies and TV shows are coming! Here's how the official PlayStation blog describes the new movie-house:

"The Movie Theater brings you ten times as much exciting content [including from the PS.Blog! -Jeff] with a brand-new 10-screen layout, a new lobby, and the ability to unlock rewards in select screening rooms. Be sure to check out the screening rooms often – you never know when one of them will be giving something away. Stay tuned for lots of exclusive new videos over the coming months, including the future possibility of full-length TV shows or movies, with new features debuting on a regular basis."

What do you think? Would you watch a movie in Home? If not, why not?

That's not all that's new, however: Sony is also rolling out a new Burn, Zombie, Burn space with a cartoonish graveyard and crypt in which to hang and videos, as well as a zombie maze mini-game and "an exclusive reward."

Just-released downloadable game Fat Princess is getting some Home love too. You'll be able to take part in a Fat Princess cake-search game. You'll need to search Home high and low for clues that help unlock delicious cakes for the Princess. The prize is pretty choice: If you unlock all eight pieces of dessert, you'll be rewarded with your very own Fat Princess throne for your Home space. Nice!

There's some new Motorstorm content too, but that won't be coming right now -- it's on the way in the following weeks, so sit tight.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

PlayStation 3, PSP See Significant Hardware And Software Sales Drops

Posted 3 hours 23 mins ago - By Patrick Klepek

It's bad news across the board for the video game industry today. Nintendo is reporting lowered sales and profits and Sony's games business isn't faring much better. In the first fiscal quarter ending in June, Sony reported year-over-year drops in both hardware and software sales for their primary gaming platforms -- PlayStation 3 and PSP.

PS3 hardware sales slid from to 1.6 million from 1.1 million, PSP slumped from 3.7 million to 1.3 million. On the software side, the news wasn't much better. PS3 software went from 22.8 million units in the same quarter last year to 14.8 million this year. PSP software experienced an even harsher slide, from 22.8 million units to 8.3 million.

Sony saw a 48.6% drop in revenue year-over-year. As with Nintendo, Sony largely attributed the drop to lowered software sales, but pointed to sluggish PSP hardware, too. The company also pointed to disappointing sales for its Vaio PC.

And that about wraps it up for video games. Time to pack it in, folks!

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

Sony Reduces PS3 Manufacturing Costs By 70%

Posted Today 11:42 AM - By Jake Gaskill

And I was just starting to get to worried that I would end up going a full two weeks without posting about Sony potentially cutting the price of the PlayStation 3. Silly me. Fortunately, the price cut angle is more of a secondary element to the story, but it certainly has its place. Anyway, as TVG reports, Sony CEO Nobuyuki Oneda recently disclosed that it now costs his company about 70 percent less to manufacture PS3s than it did when Sony first started churning them out back in 2006.

“The cost reduction since we introduced the PS3 is very substantial and this is on schedule…We don't disclose how much of the PS3, specifically the cost deduction was achieved during the past two years. But that is on schedule,” said Oneda.

If TVG’s estimates are correct, this puts the current manufacturing price at somewhere around $240, making the PS3 profitable for the first time in its history (as the 80GB model retails for $399). “Oh glorious day! A PS3 price cut is on the way!”

Not so fast, Rumor McMillington.

Sure. Sony might now finally be making a profit on the PS3, but it's been losing money for years, and it's going to take a while before it makes up for those loses. So it only makes sense to assume the company will want to keep the profit train rolling as long as possible before once again willfully deciding to start losing money.

The more likely result of all of this will be the introduction of the rumored PS3 Slim sooner rather than later. I can’t help but think that one of the major reasons Sony has been able to reduce manufacturing costs so dramatically recently is that the PS3 Slim requires less materials and smaller parts than the black behemoth that is the PS3. Then again, these same factors have helped Sony save money on building standard PS3s, suggesting that a consumers might have to wait quite a bit longer than previously expected before seeing a price cut and/or a new SKU.

What do you expect to see first: a $100 PS3 price drop, or the PS3 Slim?

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

More Rumors About PlayStation 3 Slim Pile Up Overseas

Posted 1 hour 53 mins ago - By Patrick Klepek

At this point, if there isn't some truth to the PlayStation 3 slim rumors, I might tear up because I've spent so much time reading about it. I can't be the only one tired of watching blurry YouTube videos?! Still, the Jeux Video Network is reporting more information about the fabled new PlayStation 3, based on an interview with a retailer who claims to have been briefed with information about it.

Even more confusing is attempting to follow the conversation through Google's spotty translation service. There's video proof of the interview, however. The anonymous retailer claims his wholesalers have passed on the details about a new, slimmer PlayStation 3 model that will launch at a reduced price point (€299.99 versus € 399.99) sometime in September, but that's not final.

According to the retailer, the PlayStation 3 slim, at least in Europe, isn't being designed a replacement for the current PlayStation 3, but a limited edition model.

If the machine's as close as the rumors suggest, we should see some leaks happening in North America before too long, too. But keep up the good work, Europe.

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

PlayStation 3 Slim And Price Cut Rumored To Be Announced At GamesCom

Posted 1 hour 55 mins ago - By Raymond Padilla

The rumors of the PS3 Slim continue to swirl like the Sea of Sargasso (see Sub-Mariner)! This time around, Hong Kong magazine Gamewave has claimed that the new model will be announced at next week's GamesCom convenion in Cologne, Germany. The magazine also said that a price cut will be announced. Examiner.com has translated an article from the magazine and concluded:

"GameWave, a Hong Kong gaming magazine, is reporting that the long-rumored Playstation 3 Slim will finally be revealed at the Gamescom convention held in Cologne, Germany from August 19th to the 23rd. The publication has been known for leaking several news stories before.

Sony will be holding a three hour press event starting on 9:00 AM PST the day before Gamescom. Presumably, they will announce the new Playstation 3 model and drop the price of the system to $299.99 during that time."

There have been a few rumors about the PS3 Slim appearing at GamesCom and this adds more fuel to the fire. Sony has had problems containing its secrets (see E3 2009), so it wouldn't be surprising if the announcement happens next week. However, there's a chance that these rumors are just playing on gamers' wishful thinking that a PS3 price cut is on the way. With Microsoft rumored to be cutting Xbox 360 prices again, Sony might not have a choice this time around.

What do you think of these PS3 Slim rumors? Would you pick one up? How about the price cut rumors? If you haven't purchased a PS3, will a price cut make you buy one?

 

[deathstar1000]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

From G4:

PlayStation 3 Price Cut Rumors Continue!

Posted 4 hours 53 mins ago - By Stephen Johnson

It's price-cut rumor time, everybody! According to an internet-distributed picture purported be taken from Texas-based retailer Hastings' catalog, the 160 GB Playstation 3 will soon cost $400, a $100 saving over the current price. The ad says this is a "price cut" not a "sale." The new price supposedly takes effect on September 8th, weeks after Sony's press conference at Gamescom, where the company is expected to announce the new, low price.

As for how likely is this rumor to be true, I'm not sure, but the photo looks pretty legit... so let's just say, personally, I wouldn't buy a PlayStation 3 before September 8th.

If the announcement is going to be made at next week's GamesCom as expected, you'll be the first to know if you keep your web browser right here, for our wall-to-wall coverage of the European game show.

 

[DarthAndosMan]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

thats not much of a price cut.

 

[Darth_Roxonor]

Re: PS3 & PSP News

What if you get one with lower GB and all that junk?