PlayStation 3

Our LittleBigPlanet 2: Collectors Edition is Here!

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 8, 2011 | 5 comments

We’re a little late to Media Molecule master piece, LittleBigPlanet 2 but our lovely editor, Allegra Wilson was able to get her hands on a collectors edition and our team will soon be rocking it with Sackboy and Sackgirl. Released on January 18th of this year, this sequel has gone to receive critical praise like the original title. With an average score of 9.1 from the critics and 9.3 from users, this PlayStation Move enabled sequel is as refreshing as the first round with plenty of new tricks and features. Did we mention there is already over 2 million user generated levels, in addition to the 50+ game levels? Look for my dressed up as either Captain Jack Sparrow, Spider-man or Clu from Tron under Fusion_ID and Allegra as Miss Elizabeth Swan or the Human Torch under The_Prancer. Unfortunately, the Collectors Edition is extremely hard to find but the normal edition can be found on Amazon for $53.88.

New DualShock 3 Docking Station from Sony

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 4, 2011 | 10 comments

One thing I hate more then anything when it comes to my gear is cheap accessories. I didn’t shell out over $600 for a PlayStation 3 or over $900 for my iPad to turn around and buy a cheap dock, case or peripheral from companies who we won’t name. Those of us who have wanted a charger for our DualShock 3, know that there isn’t much quality options in the market. That’s why it’s nice to see Sony step into the game by releasing the DualShock 3 Charging Station (CECH-ZC2JYB). The device can charge two controllers at once and is plugged into an AC outlet, as opposed to the PS3’s USB ports, bypassing the need to have your PlayStation 3 unit on. This Charging Station is set to release on April 21st in Japan for 2,480 yen ($29). No word yet on a US release date.

[Via SCEI]

PlayStation 3 Stats: 41.6 Million Sold, 70 Million PSN Accounts, Revenu Way Up

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 3, 2011 | 91 comments

During Sony’s GDC press conference, the maker of the PlayStation 3 revealed some new stats that show the system making great strides in the last year to help Sony’s profitability and close the gap between their immediate rival console from Microsoft. Pierre Gravereau, SCEA digital distribution manager revealed that the PlayStation 3 has crossed over 41.6 million units sold worldwide with 80% of them being web connected, thanks to their free PSN (PlayStation Network) service, opposed to Microsofts Xbox 360 which requires $70/year to go online. Sony has also been able to pull in 70 million PSN subscribers, which helped the store see an increase of 60% store traffic and 70% boost to their profits.

Sony to Launch PlayStation Home Version 1.5 in Spring

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 1, 2011 | 17 comments

LittleBigPlanet space in PlayStation Home

Today at GDC, Sony lifted the vail off of the upcoming PlayStation Home 1.5 update, showing a slew of improvements that the company has in mind for the free PlayStation 3 service. For those who are not familiar, PlayStaiton Home gives users a play to hang out, chat, talk games and actually play tons of games, many which are free. Home is a destination to meet players who enjoy the same games, and gives users options like shopping for virtual items, decorating their Home space and avatar. With all that, the core existence of Home is gaming. Here, users can create groups and launch into multiplayer games together like Uncharted 2 or LittleBigPlanet, making it a great pre-gaming environment. Since the service launched, Sony has had many updates which have added to gaming spaces, and user features. PlayStation Home Community Manager had this to say:

While versions 1.3 and 1.4 brought user-facing features like Voice Chat, Cross Game Invites, Navigation Improvements, In-Store Previews, New Item Types (such as Active Items and Companions), Optimized Load Times and Universal Game Launching, PlayStation Home v1.5 is packed with tools and features that will enable developers to expand the types of games possible on the platform – from first-person shooters with real-time, peer-to-peer multiplayer to kart racers and more.

Home currently offers a ton of free mini games, based around popular franchises like Killzone, LittleBigPlanet and Resistance while the company has also created many unique games like Sodium. Now with PlayStation Home 1.5, Sony is looking to up the ante by giving developers more control and power to create deeper, richer and more fulfilling games that will be exclusively on PlayStation Home.

[Via PlayStation Blog]

PlayStation 3 Shipments to Europe Now Halted, Thanks to Sony vs. LG Lawsuit

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 28, 2011 | 4 comments

You might remember that at the beginning of 2011, Sony Electronics started a lawsuit against Korean giant, LG. The lawsuit alleged that LG had violated on Sony’s cellphone patents in which case, Sony wanted all shipments of LG phones to the United States halted and civil damages be award to them. Quick to respond, LG filed a set of patent claims against the Sony’s PlayStation 3, indicating that they were the actual victims in this sad electronic world we all live in. With the first round over, LG has come out on top with the courts ruling in LG’s favor. This means that all current PlayStation 3 systems headed to Europe will be confiscated by customs for at least ten days while this mess continues to be sorted. The good news for European PlayStation fans is that most retailers have a few weeks worth of inventory on hand and there should not be an immediate impact. The bad news is that this is a temporary stock and until this lawsuit is settled, Sony cannot feed that market with new PlayStation 3 units. With an average of 100,000 units shipped to Europe each week and Sony closing the world wide sales gap of the PlayStation 3 versus Microsofts Xbox 360, Sony cannot let this drag on for long. Sony would not comment much on this matter:

“We are currently looking into this matter, and cannot make any comments at this point in time.”

[Via The Guardian]

SOCOM 4 Full Deployment Edition Gives You Move Bundle with $70 Savings

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 25, 2011 | 14 comments

2011 is gearing up to be an exciting time for PlayStation 3 and Move fans. January saw the release of LittleBigPlanet 2 and just this week, Killzone 3 was released with full native Move and 3D support. Now set for an April 19th release, SOCOM 4 will give PlayStation 3 owners another exclusive FPS with full Move support from the ground up. The SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs Full Deployment Edition for $149.99 will come packed with:

SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs video game on Blu-ray disc
PlayStation Move Motion Controller
PlayStation Move Navigation Controller
PlayStation Move sharp shooter
PlayStation Eye Camera

This limited time bundle will allow those who want to experience Move for the first time to save $70 versus buying the individual pieces needed for the full Move experience. Of course FPS fans, SOCOM 4 is Dualshock 3 compatible as well with the regular edition costing $59.99.

Gran Turismo 5 Update 1.07 Now Available

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 25, 2011 | 13 comments

Hey GT5 fans, a new small update awaits you before your next gaming session that is set to fix some glitches and bring on some overall enhancements.

[Major Changes and New Features]

Friend Rankings

In Drift Trials and Time Trials, you can now display leaderboards that shows only your friends. While it was difficult before to locate your friends in the general leaderboards, this now makes it easier to compare laptimes with them, allowing you to compete between just your friends for the best laps and scores.

[Correction of Known Issues]

– The calculation of performance points (PP) which is an index of a car’s performance, is now calculated without taking into account the tyre selection.You can now combine the performance point restriction and the tyre restriction when setting the regulations for a lounge.

– Fixed the issue where the performance of electric cars increased/decreased after a certain amount of driving.

– Downloaded replays from Seasonal Event Rankings can now be viewed properly.

[Other Changes]

– Cars worth over 1,000,000 Cr. (Including those in a gift car ticket form) are now prohibited from being traded to prevent issues during the trading process. When lending and borrowing cars between friends, please utilize the car loan system.

Sony Qriocity Overview on the PlayStation 3 (Video)

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 24, 2011 | 7 comments

Earlier today, I wrote about how I believe Sony can battle the likes of Apple and make Qriocity, their cloud music streaming service, a hit. For those who are wondering how Qriocity looks on a device like the PlayStation 3, the following video is for you. In the video, I go over the user interface and not only how to navigate the service, but how to get the most out of it as well. Your comments are always welcome below or you can reach us on Facebook, Twitter and voicemail at (661) 750-BLOG.

Sony PS3 Firmware 3.56 Now Live, Qriocity Feature Now Available for United States

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 17, 2011 | 20 comments

Sony has just released the PlayStation 3 Firmware 3.56, adding its Qriocity Music Unlimited cloud service to the PS3, as well as select Bravia and Blu-ray players. The PSP will soon gain this feature via a separate update. Those who turn on their PS3 will be greeted with a notification that will point them to their system update. The small update will only take a few minutes to complete, though once logged back into your PS3, you will note that the “Terms of Service/User Agreement And Private Policy” has been changed. In order to continue, you have to agree to the new set of terms, mostly like centered around Qriocity.

As we have reported in the past, Qriocity first went live in December in the UK and Ireland and soon expanded to other European countries in January. A month later and the service is now live for the United States, allowing users access to over 6 million songs. This cloud based music service allows users to stream unlimited music, with a Premium at $9.99 or Basic at $3.99. The premium service allows access to premium channels such as Hot Songs, Global 100, Local 100 and Pop 100 to name a few. Other premium features including the capability to search the entire Qriocity music data base, and music synchronization.

New PS3 Terms of Service

Music synchronization might be one of the killer features of this service. Once activated on your PC (yup, sorry Mac users), you can download a program that will scan your music library and sync it with your main account. Now, whenever you log into a Qriocity enabled device with your account, you will have access to all of your music. Sony is currently offering a free 30 day premium trial offer.

Qriocity Premium Channels

Current Qriocity enabled devices include your Web Browser (Mac or PC with FireFox and Safari support), PlayStation 3, 2011 Bravia TV’s, Blu-ray Players and the PSP soon. Sony is looking to bring this service to its up coming lineup of Android phones (Xperia Arc, Play, Neo, Pro) and plans to further expand the service to other Android phones and iOS devices.

Sony Releases Filmy App for the PlayStation 3 for HD Videos. We Provide Video Overview

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 10, 2011 | 1 comment

During this Tuesday’s regular PSN update, Sony also released a new application for the PS3 called Filmy under the Media tab. Designed to cater to those who enjoy HD videos, Filmy is specifically designed to play back AVCHD files on the PlayStation. Many of Sony’s Cybershot and Handycam camcorders record in this format, but other manufacturers have used this codec as well. The video-only application is priced at $5, and there is a 15-minute free demo available as well. Once you’ve launched the application, you will be greeted with a simple and clean menu that gives you the option to either view your video in a timeline or look at your video on a world map, great for those who own GPS enabled cameras and even more familiar for those who have used iPhoto. Other features include finding video based on favorites and face/smile detection. Now hit the jump as we provide a full video overview of the application.

Should You Buy the ‘Quad Charger for PS3 Move?’

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 21, 2011 | 7 comments

A little under two months ago, I did a video review, though in hindsight should have been called overview of the Quad Charger for the PS3 Move. Back then, I was still getting pieces together for my PlayStation Move setup and did not actually own the PlayStation move itself. Fast forward to today, thanks to a wonderful girlfriend and mother, I now own two PlayStation Move Controllers and 2 PlayStation Move Navigation controllers. This presented itself as the perfect time to revisit the old video and do a full review of the product. For those looking to buy one, Amazon has a fantastic price on them. Our video review, after the jump.

VUDU Gains 3D Movies, PS3 Now Offers Another Avenue for 3D Content

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 21, 2011 | 23 comments

Without a doubt, Sony would not have won the battle of HD-DVD vs. the Sony backed Blu-ray, had every PlayStation not been equipped with a Blu-ray player. Since then, Sony has been able to leverage the PlayStation 3’s Blu-ray player to give developers extra space to create their games and owners of the PS3 the capability to watch the latest movies on Blu-ray. This combination of next generation gaming and movie watching experience though was costly to Sony during the initial three years of the PlayStation 3, has now locked Blu-ray as the winning future format for movies and continues to be a big draw of the PS3.

What many might not have seen though is the fact that Sony will once again be using the PlayStation 3 as a means to draw audiences to 3D. Currently, the PlayStation 3 offers a few games in 3D with the list expanding heavily during 2011 with all first party PlayStation 3 games being in 3D. On the movie side of the PlayStation Network Side (PSN), Sony also currently offers 9 movies for download or rent which are in 3D, giving those who own a 3D television some much needed content. But Sony isn’t looking to go at this alone, instead now announcing that movie streaming app VUDU is now gaining 3D movies. The free app which just recently saw an update is again gaining a new server side update that allows users to rent movies in 3D. That’s not all, VUDU has also stated that they are looking to soon provide users with the option of buying movies in 3D as well.

So if you are a current 3D TV owners with a PlayStation 3, I highly recommend you picking up one of these devices as it will be the source of a lot of upcoming 3D content from Sony and partners alike. If you already own a PlayStation 3 and are on the fence about 3D, look at this as a clear sign that Sony and it’s partners are serious about 3D and it’s not something that is going away.

SOCOM 4 Release Date News & Killzone 3 will have SOCOM 4 Beta

by Jenni Petot | Jan 19, 2011 | 7 comments

SOCOM 4 news has been pretty quiet ever since we heard that the game was delayed back in July of last year. However, the Wall Street Journal said this third-person shooter game will be arriving in April. A specific date has not been set but we have a month and it’s getting there. SOCOM 4 will also be Playstation Move compatible.

Other exciting news for fans was announced today from Sony. When buying Killzone 3, players will receive a code to access the SOCOM 4 Beta. Killzone 3 arrives in just over a month, (February 22) and this definitely adds to the excitement and anticipation for this game . The beta will test the online multiplayer portion of the game, offering up to 32-player firefights. Zipper Interactive’s Chris Roper described the details:

To get early access to the beta, look for the SOCOM 4 callout on the front of all eligible copies of Killzone 3 (including both the standalone and Helghast Editions). Inside the box you’ll find a PSN code that you’ll be able to redeem for your early access as soon as the beta goes live. To find out when the SOCOM 4 multiplayer beta begins, be sure to check back at SOCOM.com once you pick up your copy of Killzone 3, hitting shelves on February 22nd.

We’ll have more information on the SOCOM 4 multiplayer beta itself in the near future. For now, take a look at the callout for the beta on the awesome Killzone 3 box art!

There’s no word as to when the SOCOM 4 beta will kick off but details should come shortly. The beta code will only be available at participating retailers. Pre-order Killzone 3 now at GameStop, Amazon or Best Buy to receive the SOCOM 4 Beta.

[via Playstation Blog]

SOCOM 4 Release Date News & Killzone 3 will have SOCOM 4 Beta

by Jenni Petot | Jan 19, 2011 | 14 comments

To get early access to the beta, look for the SOCOM 4 callout on the front of all eligible copies of Killzone 3 (including both the standalone and Helghast Editions). Inside the box you’ll find a PSN code that you’ll be able to redeem for your early access as soon as the beta goes live. To find out when the SOCOM 4 multiplayer beta begins, be sure to check back at SOCOM.com once you pick up your copy of Killzone 3, hitting shelves on February 22nd.

We’ll have more information on the SOCOM 4 multiplayer beta itself in the near future. For now, take a look at the callout for the beta on the awesome Killzone 3 box art!

[via Playstation Blog]

Watch Players Try to Set Guinness World Book Record for LittleBigPlanet 2

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 18, 2011 | 8 comments

In celebration of the release of LittleBigPlanet 2 today, Sony and Media Molecule are in the middle of hosting a LittleBigPlanet 2 party with games, food and team members from MM. Besides celebrating the release of the game, the team is also trying to set a few Guinness World Book records. What are those records?

Longest marathon playing a platform game
Most user-generated video game levels played in a marathon
Most gaming genres in one video game
Most player-created level in one video game
Most video game genres played in one video game in 24 hours
Most user-generated video game levels played in 24 hours
Longest marathon playing LBP2

Throughout the live feed, not only do you get to see people lounge around and play LBP2, but team members from MM will show you parts of the game, how to build levels and give you further insight into the game.

Head over to Amazon to purchase the game if you haven’t already and watch the live feed for some LBP2 fun and hopefully a few broken world records as well.