PlayStation

‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ Delayed Again

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 1, 2016 | 0 comments

Sony has just announced that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End has been delayed again. From Shawn Layden:

As you know, Naughty Dog is wrapping up production on Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End with the game on track to go gold and into production later this month. In an effort to meet the considerable worldwide demand, and to ensure that all gamers worldwide have the opportunity to play the game on day one, we have chosen to postpone the launch of the game by two weeks to allow for extra manufacturing time.

More details after the jump.

PlayStation Vita TV Discontinued in Japan, US Next?

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 29, 2016 | 0 comments

A while back, I wrote a piece called ‘Dear Sony: Either Support PlayStation TV or Kill It’. That piece is just as relevant (and worth reading) today as when I first wrote it; I argued what the future of the small connected box could have been:

the ultimate trojan horse for Sony. If you have a PS4, perfect. With PS TV, you can now extend that experience to other parts of the house. Don’t have one? No need to worry as you’ll be able to enjoy everything that PlayStation embodies today like PlayStation Vue, PlayStation Music, PlayStation Network (TV shows, Movies, Trailers)

Of course there is no reason to limit PS TV to just entertainment content.

From there, Sony has an extensive electronics arm which ranges from cameras to speakers. Imagine being able to stream from them to PS TV or easily viewing the photos you just took with PlayMemories Online, Sony’s semi take on iCloud photo library. All this with of course a UI designed for television. As Apple has proven time and time again, a single product can have a massive halo affect on the company. For that reason alone, with a $99 price tag, PS TV is an easily attainable product that could open the door for consumers to purchase other Sony products that it complements like PS4 or subscribe to any of the mentioned services.

Of course history has proven that during that time, Sony has given little to no thought to PS TV and that its days are likely numbered. Details after the jump.

VR “Not Expected to Have a Big Impact” on Console Market

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 29, 2016 | 0 comments

For research firm DFC Intelligence, VR is still an unknown. Despite their bullish stance on PS4 reaching 100 million unit sales in its lifetime, the group is more conservative on their VR views.

Overall VR is not expected to have a big impact on the console market.

PS4 to Sell 100 Million During Its Lifetime, Hold “Dominant Position”

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 26, 2016 | 0 comments

By now, it’s no shock to hear that PS4 is doing well, and that thanks to a few stellar exclusives this year like Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, the powerful console is expected to keep its momentum. That’s not even including additional experiences that will be provided by PlayStation VR. Researchers in fact believe that Sony will

command a dominant position over the next five years

How dominant? 100 million units by 2020 dominant. More details after the jump, including sales figured of prevision PlayStation consoles.

PS4 is the ‘Best Place to Play’ in an All New Ad

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 26, 2016 | 0 comments

Just in time for spring and better weather which might make you want to go outside, Sony has released a new PS4 ad dubbed ‘Best Place to Play.’ In the short 30-second spot, Sony highlights Street Fighter V, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, MLB The Show 16, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. For those playing at home, just the other day, Naughty Dog released an epic Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End story trailer.

You’ll find the The Best Place to Play ad after the jump.

PlayStation VR Press Event Scheduled For March 15

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 25, 2016 | 0 comments

With the initial orders of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive starting to trickle into consumer hands, all eyes are on Sony and PlayStation VR. While we’ve seen quite few of PS VR games and the final hardware build, Sony has been mum on the device’s specifics like UI navigation and price. Speculation has ranged from $399 to $699 with the only word from Sony being that PS VR will be

priced as a new gaming platform.

Luckily, we might not have to wait much longer to find out. Details about the PlayStation VR press event after the jump.

‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ Story Trailer

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 24, 2016 | 0 comments

The highly-anticipated PS4 exclusive Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is just two months away. Set to be released on April 24th, this could be the final ride for Nathan Drake and company, making it a bittersweet moment for gamers. And for those whose computers can handle it, you can watch the glorious trailer in 1080p 60fps.

Several years after his last adventure, retired fortune hunter Nathan Drake is forced back into the world of thieves. With the stakes much more personal, Drake embarks on a globe-trotting journey in pursuit of a historical conspiracy behind a fabled pirate treasure. His greatest adventure will test his physical limits, his resolve, and ultimately what he’s willing to sacrifice to save the ones he loves.

After the jump, the Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End story trailer awaits you. Be warned, spoilers are to be had.

Sony Files Patent Application for Computer-Controlled Furniture for Use With VR

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 19, 2016 | 0 comments

As crazy as the title sounds, it kind of makes sense. If we treat VR as a 3D ride (even though it’s much more), then by adding something like a remote-controlled chair, we’re able to take that experience and create a more immersive 4D experience.

On August 3, 2015, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited filed in the US via the USPTO a trademark application for “Computer Controlled Furniture and Method”. It is originally a UK filing dating from 2014, but it was published in the US today on February 18, 2016. Inventor is Andy Thomason (Goldsmiths & Sony).

The patent itself aims for

A re-configurable item of furniture is provided, and includes at least a first reconfigurable portion having in turn a plurality of deformable cells, each having electrically operated valves to control a gas inflow to the respective cells from a gas inflow source, and a gas outflow from the respective cells, to thereby modify the pressure within respective cells. The gas inflow source includes a high-pressure reservoir cell among the plurality of deformable cells. The item of furniture also includes a control unit arranged to transmit control signals to a plurality of the electrically operated valves, including a valve of the high-pressure reservoir cell, to modify the pressure within a plurality of the cells in a coordinated manner selected to generate a new configuration of support for a user of the furniture.

More on the computer-controlled furniture patent after the jump.

Free Multiplayer Weekend Starting Today on PS4

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 19, 2016 | 0 comments

Unlike on PS3, a PlayStation Plus subscription is required in order to game online with PS4. This weekend though, Sony is making online gaming free for everybody. Andy Lum:

We’re back with another free multiplayer weekend in time for the launch of Street Fighter V — the latest chapter of the legendary fighting franchise and a console exclusive on PS4.

Starting this Friday, you’ll be able to access the online multiplayer modes in any PS4 game without a PlayStation Plus subscription.

More info after the jump.

Sony Believes You’ll Get a Different Experience from VR if Framed as a Video Game

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 19, 2016 | 0 comments

Jamie Feltham writes:

Virtual reality (VR) isn’t yet at a point where the technology is indistinguishable from real life, but it’s good enough to trick users into making human reactions

And he’s absolutely right. As it stands, when you put on something like PlayStation VR, though you’re transported to the middle of the game, it’s not as if you cannot distinguish between that and the real world. Despite that barrier (and one that we will cross sooner, rather than later as CPU/GPU performances continue to increase) the VR experience of today and the graphics that PS4 can pump out are more than adequate in helping create the illusion that what you’re experiencing is more than just a video game.

For example, jumping off a building in Uncharted or Assassin’s Creed wields a very different response than when jumping off of a building or being thrown out of a rollercoaster when a VR headset. Because of this, SCE Senior Designer Jed Asforth believes that:

It’s very important in VR that the player knows what they’re going to get.

After the jump, why framing virtual reality is very important to the overall experience.

Help Beta Test PS4 Firmware Update 3.50

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 17, 2016 | 0 comments

PS4 firmware update 3.50 is going to be the next big software release for the leading gaming console and Sony wants your help with it.

Last September, we put a call out to PS4 owners to test out our next system software update, and since we’re getting close to the release of our next system software update for PS4, we wanted to do it again!

Starting today, a limited number of beta testers can sign up to get a sneak peek at some of the features making their way PS4. Though signup starts today, the beta program itself will kick off in early March. As with each major firmware update, there is a number of pre-planned enhancements that will be coming to PS4 but Sony also wants to hear back from the community on what they’d like to see.

We will be monitoring the forums throughout the beta. And while we can’t always implement changes suggested by the community, it’s super valuable for us to hear your feedback to help guide the direction we take.

After the jump, Sony explains how they’ve minimized the risk for beta testers and where to sign up.

See an 80-piece Chorus Perform Final Fantasy X’s “Hymn Of The Fayth”

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 12, 2016 | 1 comment

All I’m going to say is that if you’re a fan of Final Fantasy and artists like Lindsey Stirling, you’re in for a treat. Performed in a medieval church by Sweden’s Oprhei Drängar choir and singer Myrra Malmberg:

‘Hymn Of The Fayth’ plays a prominent role on the album. It’s the opening track—welcoming listeners with its gorgeous, layered arrangement—but it also appears multiple times throughout, remixed to be the connective tissue between songs as varied as Portal’s ‘Still Alive’ and Skyrim’s ‘Dragonborn.’

As someone who grew up with Final Fantasy and especially Final Fantasy X which was released during a pivotal time in my teen years, the song and now this live rendition of it gives me chills. That video after the jump.

41% of Ubisoft’s Sales Come from PS4, 27% from Xbox One

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 11, 2016 | 0 comments

PS4 continues to dominate as a sales leader for publishers.

PS4 is still the platform with the highest sales for the publisher (41% of sales in the latest quarter and 37% in the the first nine months of the current fiscal year), followed by Xbox One

Q3 2015 Ubisoft sales by console:

PS4 – 41%
Xbox One – 27%
PC – 12%
Wii – 6%
Other – 5%
Xbox 360 – 4%
Wii U – 3%
PS3 – 2%

The fact that PS4 is the leading platform for Ubisoft isn’t all that surprising to me. What is, however, is how poorly PS3 is doing for them. Sure, its days are long over, but seeing how PS3 eventually overtook Xbox 360 in sales, it’s odd to see it at the bottom of the pack. Then again, I’m not entirely sure if Ubisoft released the same games across all consoles which could explain why PS3 sales are at the bottom of the pack.

Dave Ranyard, Head of Sony’s VR Studio, Steps Down, Heads to Another VR Firm

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 10, 2016 | 0 comments

Dave Ranyard, head of Sony’s London Studio, is leaving the company after 17 years. While studio heads come and go, Ranyard and his background in VR are particularly in demand right now. During his time at Sony, Ranyard has been responsible for

PlayStation VR demos, including The London Heist and Streetluge.

Ranyard has also worked on past tiles like The Gateway, Wonderbook, Eyetoy, and Singstar, which have all helped shape what we now know as PlayStation VR in some small way. So where is he headed now? To another VR studio. Details after the jump.

Poll: Will You Purchase the ‘Uncharted 4’ PS4 Bundle?

by Allegra Osati | Feb 5, 2016 | 12 comments

Announced yesterday, the limited edition Uncharted 4 PS4 Bundle will be released at the end of April in North America and Europe. Will you be among those clamoring for one? Let us know in our poll after the jump!