PlayStation 3

Speculation: Sony to Announce “Super Slim” PS3 at Gamescom

by Jan Hutchings | Jul 7, 2012 | 5 comments

According to Eurogamer, Sony may announce a new, super-slim PlayStation 3 system at Gamescom in August.

According to a recent FCC filing, it looks like a new PS3 model (PS3 4000 Series) is coming and is an update to the existing Slim PS3 (PS3 3000 Series). Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a lot of information about it including dimensions, HDD size, or new features so we’ll have to wait until Gamescom to find out more about this new super-slim PS3 console.

This new, slimmer PS3 is most likely a lot cheaper for Sony to produce given that components are now much cheaper to make. Though from a retail and casual perspective, a new SKU could potentially confuse people. Is it a brand-new console? What was taken out tomake it cheaper?

On the other hand, if this newer, slimmer, PS3 is announced with a price of $199, then Sony’s got themselves a serious contender against Microsoft’s 4GB Xbox 360 Slim starter machine. That would help position the PS3 as an affordable gaming system for casual gamers.

Discuss:

Any thoughts or speculation about this new super slim PS3 console?

Playstation Store Update: (07-03-2012)

by Chris Quibol | Jul 4, 2012 | 0 comments

In this week’s Playstation Store update, we have three amazing new additions to your “instant game collection,” along with the usual flood of updates, sales, demos, and full game releases. Online first person shooter Gotham City Imposters, PSN title Renegade Ops, and the highly regarded Pac-Man Championship Edition DX are all available for free download for Playstation Plus members.

If you don’t have a Plus membership, you can download a ton of full games from the PSN storefront, including the well-reviewed third person shooter Spec Ops: The Line and Sega’s Sonic Generations. And if you’re low on funds this week, check out the demos for Bellator MMA Onslaught and Summer Stars 2012.

Check out the entire Playstation Store update after the jump.

Sony Acquires Gaikai, Prepares for Cloud Gaming

by Sohrab Osati | Jul 2, 2012 | 1 comment

After rumors of a potential purchase of Gaikai, a web browser based online gaming service which offers games like Mass Affect 3 and Crysis 2, Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) has announced a definitive agreement to purchase Gaikai for a cool $380 million. Sony hopes that through the acquisition, the gaming giant will be establish a new cloud based gaming service. Andrew House, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. said:

“By combining Gaikai’s resources including its technological strength and engineering talent with SCE’s extensive game platform knowledge and experience, SCE will provide users with unparalleled cloud entertainment experiences,”

He went on:

“SCE will deliver a world-class cloud-streaming service that allows users to instantly enjoy a broad array of content ranging from immersive core games with rich graphics to casual content anytime, anywhere on a variety of internet-connected devices.”

Understanding Wonderbook, PlayStation’s New Platform

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 28, 2012 | 0 comments

One of the surprise announcements from the 2012 Sony E3 press conference was the Wonderbook, an edition to the PlayStation 3. Utilizing the PlayStation Eye, Wonderbook is a full sized ‘digital book’ in the sense that houses no real paper or words on its page. Instead for the Wonderbook to come to life, it must utilize the PS3 and the PS Eye to read the patterns on the plastic-like book which bring the content to life on the television screen, but lets go back for a second.

To help understand the Wonderbook, we must first separate the device from its E3 showing, which utilized the PlayStation Move. Unlike the PlayStation Move, which can be seen as an accessory to the PlayStation 3 as used in games like Killzone 3 and Heavy Rain, Wonderbook is an entirely new platform that isn’t reliant on the PlayStation Move or games on the PlayStation 3. Though Wonderbook needs the PS3 and PS Eye to function, Sony is positioning the book as an entirely separate category with its own unique content so don’t expect Wonderbook: LittleBigPlanet Edition.

Wonderbook, which has been in development for over two years, is meant to rethink the book. Much like Apple’s iBooks initiative which allows for books to have multi-media and digital content, Wonderbook rethinks books for the 21st century with a more interactive flair. Sony is currently working with publishers all around the world, including J.K. Rowling, to bring their books to the new platform. Unlike the Kindle or the Nook, Wonderbook isn’t just a digital manifestation of books and instead relies on rethinking the book from the ground up. So how does it work? We’ll discuss that after the jump.

Playstation Store Update (06-26-2012)

by Chris Quibol | Jun 27, 2012 | 0 comments

If you own a Playstation 3 and haven’t played the first two games in the Uncharted series yet, you’re probably crazy, but this week’s Playstation Store update has you lunatics covered. Available for full download this week for the first time on the Playstation Store are Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, available separately or together as a savings bundle.

Two new releases also make their way to the Playstation Store, as the movie tie-in The Amazing Spider-Man and Resident Evil: Chronicles HD are both now available for download. The Amazing Spider-Man looks to recapture the magic of past Spider-Man games with a fully explorable New York City and revamped web-sling controls. The game also acts as an epilogue to the upcoming Sony Pictures film.

Resident Evil: Chronicles HD features two early games from the franchise, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles andResident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, both available on a Playstation console for the first time. These two on-rails shooters are also Playstation Move compatible and have upgraded HD graphics for there PS3 debut.

And finally, if you’re a Playstation Plus subscriber, be sure to check out all sorts of discounts for various games, including all of the aforementioned titles, Journey, Skullgirls, Madden 12, and Fifa 12.

Check out the entire Playstation Store update after the break.

PlayStation System Software Update v4.20 Will Be Outed Today (now live)

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 26, 2012 | 0 comments

All you firmware fans have something to be excited about as Sony is releasing a new PlayStation System Software Update v4.20 for the PlayStation 3 today. The firmware update specifically addresses a new feature releases in the firmware v4.10 where users could hear their own voice through the PlayStation headset, dubbed “sidetone.” While some liked this features, others were annoyed by it while others thought their system or headset was broken. The latest update now allows for “five levels for microphone audio, or turn the feature off completely.” Another benefit for owners of the Wireless Stereo Headset is an updated audio codec for the device, allowing for virtual surround sound functionality for Blu-ray or DVD movies on your PS3.

Another minor update includes how long your PS3 will be on before the system shuts itself down for [Video/TV/Music/Photo] and for [Game/Other Features].

Updates, after the jump.

Modern Warfare 3 “Content Collection 2” Now Available On PSN

by Jan Hutchings | Jun 22, 2012 | 0 comments

Great news for Modern Warfare 3 fans, Microsoft’s timed DLC exclusivity for “Content Collection 2” just expired for Xbox 360 and is now available for purchase on PSN.

Activision’s Modern Warfare 3: “Content Collection 2” comes with three multiplayer maps, two Face Off maps, and two Spec Ops missions. One thing to note is that the packed-in multiplayer maps are also playable in Survival mode.

Find out which maps are included in Content Collection 2 after the break.

PlayStation Store Shut Down in South Korea

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 21, 2012 | 0 comments

If you’re a PlayStation 3 owner in South Korea, we have some bad news for you. Thanks to a new law passed by the government there which “prevents under-18s from being asked for their names or ages for the purpose of account authentication,” Sony has been forced to close down access to the PlayStation Store from the PS3. The new “Game Industry Promotion Act” is set to go into affect on July 1st.

On the bright side, despite Sony taking the store down proactively, access to PSN like multiplayer gaming and chatting will continue to function until the PlayStation Store returns “sometime this year.” Interestingly, South Koreans can still access the store via the PSP or PS Vita. It remains to be seen if there is some loophole or exceptions that exist or Sony simply hasn’t gotten around to shutting them down yet.

PlayStation Move Support Confirmed For Okami HD On PlayStation 3

by Jan Hutchings | Jun 20, 2012 | 0 comments

Capcom recently confirmed that they will be bringing an enhanced version of the critically acclaimed Okami to the PS3 called Okami HD, and it’s coming with PlayStation Move support and other goodies.

Originally released on the PlayStation 2 back in 2006, the game was met with critical acclaim, winning multiple game of the year awards. Since it’s first release, Okami has been re-released on the Nintendo Wii and a sequel for the DS called Okamiden. Capcom has said that Okami HD will be the definitive version of the classic game.

Hit the jump for more on Capcom’s Okami HD for Playstation 3.

Final Fantasy XIV: Version 2.0 Re-imagines Game For PS3 Release

by Jan Hutchings | Jun 14, 2012 | 2 comments

MMORPG and Square-Enix fans will be happy to know that Final Fantasy XIV: Version 2.0 (PS3) is still in development and will have the advantage of being part of the revamped, re-imagined FFXIV title that gamers wanted when the PC version released some time ago. When it was released almost two years ago, Final Fantasy XIV met with critical and financial troubles. Both critics and gamers alike criticized the game as being bland, unfinished, and “sully to the FF brand.” Thankfully, the developers listened to fan requests; and now Final Fantasy XIV: Version 2.0 (PS3) is starting to look like a great addition to the Final Fantasy franchise. Learn more about Final Fantasy XIV: Version 2.0 after the break.

Exclusive: Sony Santa Monica Working on 3 Titles, 2 Of Which Are Secret

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 13, 2012 | 2 comments

Events like E3 are always about talking to industry folks and getting news where you can. Of course, when it comes to exclusive content, most of it is already signed away between publishers and large news sites who tend to have first dip on them. This of course does not mean exclusive content is impossible to come by, especially if you do a bit of detective work and ping back and forth between people within the same organization.

Having had a chance to do just that during E3, we were able to get some inside knowledge on Sony Santa Monica Studios and piece together some key knowledge about the studio’s current slate of games and future projects.

Sony Offers Free PS3 or PS Vita with Purchase of VAIO Computer

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 12, 2012 | 1 comment

If you’re starting to think about the up coming college semester, then Sony’s most recent promotion might help you decide on the computer thats right for you. Starting today, Sony is running a new back to school promotion that offers you a free PlayStation 3 (160GB) or PlayStation Vita (Wi-Fi) with the purchase of a VAIO computer. Not all VAIO computer are eligible though pricing on eligible notebooks start at around $750 and build from there. If you already have a PS3 and/or PS Vita but are still looking to get in on the action, Sony has other promotional offers as well, including $200 of PlayStation Gear. More on that, after the jump.

God of War: Ascension Multi-player Video and Gallery

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 12, 2012 | 1 comment

Despite being revealed over a month ago, God of War: Ascension was still one of the most popular titles at E3. Featuring Kratos once again, the story takes place before events depicted on PSP GoW titles which already were set before God of War 1. Till now, Sony had only revealed details about the game’s multi-player which features 4 v 4 PVP action, pitting Spartans and Trojans against each other.

With the exclusive PS3 title being displayed prominently at E3, we had a chance to take the multi-player part of the game for a spin with help from Emily Berger, the Associate Technical Artist on God of War: Ascension. Fans of the series will quickly feel at home with the game’s brutal combat system which is as vibrant as ever with a similar layout as previous titles. Other staple features like treasure chests, scaling, and even larger monsters like the Cyclops are equally present with more polish than ever. In fact, the game’s multi-player manages to look even better than God of War 3, clearly showing Santa Monica Studios’ talent at mastering the PlayStation 3 and pushing the game engine further. After the jump, our video preview and image gallery await you.

Has Sony Learned Nothing from the PlayStation Network Hacking?

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 11, 2012 | 8 comments

If Saturday was your day to kick back, relax and play some games on PSN, you quickly came to the realization that the PlayStation Network was down. Our site was the first of all the outlets to break the news, due to a simple coincidence which had me navigating the PlayStation Store and downloading a few games. Upon attempting to download LittleBigPlanet 2, I was quickly booted from the store and my subsequent attempts at accessing the store did little to change my faith. Taking to Twitter, I soon realized the incident was worldwide and not limited to North America.

Further discovery led to the realization that those who were logged into PSN could continue to view their friends list and download content in their queues while those logged out could not log back in, which affected both PS3 and PS Vita users. Despite partial access to the network, online gameplay was also down alongside other Sony services like Music and Video Unlimited though 3rd party services like Hulu and Netflix experienced no down time.

In the end, after 4-6 hour downtime, PSN was fully restored, though everyone was left in the dark as to why the service went down in the first place. During the down time, most users quickly feared the worse; another PlayStation Network hacking. While that might be jumping to a hasty conclusion, it’s also not a stretch and only Sony is to blame for their lack of communication during the downtime. After the jump, a chronicle of the events and Sony’s lack of communication.

PSA: PlayStation Network is Down Worldwide (update from Sony)

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 9, 2012 | 40 comments

After attempting to access the PlayStation Store to download a free copy of LittleBigPlanet 2, thanks to this week’s PlayStation Plus update, I discovered that every attempt to get into the store would result in a crash with the following error message:

The service is currently undergoing maintenance.

I’ve since attempted to do some basic trouble shooting like rebooting my network and PS3 with no different results, indicating that its indeed on Sony’s side. When the question was posed to our Twitter followers, it seems that a great many are experiencing the same issue, even in EU territories, resulting in not a localized blackout but a worldwide issue for Sony.

We’ve already contacted Sony and we’ll update this post as we hear more.

Updates, after the jump, including Sony’s response.