PLAYSTATION 3 SYSTEM SOFTWARE VERSION 2.17 NOW AVAILABLE

Sony has made the latest update to the PlayStation 3’s system software (v2.17) available for download via the PlayStation Network and PlayStation.com. Unlike the version 2.10 update, which leaned heavily towards enhancing the system’s video playback features, this update seems to be focusing more on fixing some technical issues with select PS3 titles. Let’s take a look;

The PLAYSTATION®3 system software version 2.17 (with 2.10) update includes the following:

 

“Voice Changer

The Voice Changer feature has been added to voice / video chat. > See details.

Other new or revised features in version 2.17 (with 2.10):

Music

• You can now select [Type 3] as an option under [Settings] > [Music Settings] > [Bitmapping]. > See details.
• A new pattern has been added for the visual player. > See details.

Video

• DivX and VC-1 (WMV) have been added to the types of files that can be played. *1
• Blu-ray Disc Profile 1.1 is now supported. *2
• [BD Data Utility] has been added. *3

*1 – To play VC-1 (WMV) format files, you must go to  (Settings) >  (System Settings) and set [Enable WMA Playback]. – Copyright-protected files or files that were encoded by using DivX 3.11 cannot be played.
– Files that are 2GB or more cannot be played.

*2 – You can now use the “Picture in Picture” feature that enables playback of two videos at the same time with some Profile 1.1-compatible Blu-ray Discs. Features available vary depending on the disc.

*3 – Management data that is used by the Blu-ray Disc is saved here.

Game

• New for 2.17: System stability during use of some PLAYSTATION®3 format software has been improved.” – PlayStation.com

For further information or to obtain the update via the internet, check out the link below.

• System Software Update (2.17) – PlayStation.com

GOD OF WAR III “COMING SOON” TO PLAYSTATION 3?

Yes folks, God of War III is coming to the PlayStation 3. Naturally, right about now you're saying something snarky and wondering how this is news – after all, I don't think anyone has ever doubted that Sony would be bringing God of War III to the system. 

Well, what you may not know is that apparently the game is "coming soon" – at least that's the word according to the instruction manual for God of War: Chains of Olympus on the PSP. You see, IGN is reporting that much like the back cover of the God of War II manual which announced that Chains would be coming, the back of Chains' manual shows the familiar God of War "Omega" logo with the PS3 logo and "coming soon" written under it.

While there's certainly been no official word from Sony as to when God of War 3 will be hitting retail, one does have to wonder how long it's been in production and if this could be Sony's counterweight to Microsoft's Gears of War 2 come November. Regardless of what the situation is, we'll be sure to keep you updated on any developments as we hear about them.

• God of War III Ad – IGN 

METAL GEAR SOLID 4 COMING JUNE 12TH

Yeah, it does seem like it's "Grub Off Kotaku Day" here at the House of Latenite, but I always go with the first place I saw a story when posting them, and Kotaku just seemed to beat everyone to the punch today.

PlayStation 3 fans have finally gotten the answer they've been waiting to hear for so long… Konami has dated Metal Gear Solid 4. Rather than tease you any further (and since the date is in the title, it's not like that teasing would be effective anyway), the game is scheduled to hit retail on June 12th, 2008.

However, much like a late night infomercial, there's more – Sony has announced that they will be releasing a PlayStation 3 bundle that includes the 80GB PS3, a DualShock 3 controller and Metal Gear Solid 4 for $499.99. That's a combination that will probably win over quite a few who have been waiting on the sidelines for MGS4 before investing in a PS3.

• Metal Gear Solid 4 – Official website
• PlayStation 3: Metal Gear Solid 4 Finally Has a Release Date – Kotaku
• Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 Bundle Announced – Kotaku

DUAL SHOCK 3 CONTROLLER COMING APRIL 15TH

Kotaku is reporting that Sony has announced they will be releasing the DualShock 3 controller for the PlayStation 3 on April 15th of this year. As the name implies, the controller (priced at MSRP $54.99) will finally bring vibration feedback to Sony's console, eliminating one of the bigger complaints about the system.

At the $54.99 price point, I certainly don't see myself replacing both of my Sixaxis controllers, but I'll certainly grab at least one to serve as my "main" PS3 controller shortly after they become available. How about you?

• DualShock 3 Dated For US – Kotaku 

PLAYSTATION 3 MLB 08: THE SHOW DEMO NOW AVAILABLE

A demo of Sony's MLB 08: The Show for the PlayStation 3 is now available for download via the PlayStation Store. Download size is approximately 1.01GB.

• MLB 08: The Show – Official website

PLAYSTATION 3 SYSTEM SOFTWARE VERSION 2.10 NOW AVAILABLE

Sony has made the latest update to the PlayStation 3's system software (v2.10) available for download via the PlayStation Network and PlayStation.com.

The update adds a few new nice features including voice masking, DiVX and WMV support and Picture in Picture (PiP) support for BluRay discs that support the feature. Check out the full patch message below for details;

Voice Changer

• The Voice Changer feature has been added to voice / video chat. > See details.

Music

• You can now select [Type 3] as an option under [Settings] > [Music Settings] > [Bitmapping]. > See details.
• A new pattern has been added for the visual player. > See details.

Video

• DivX and VC-1 (WMV) have been added to the types of files that can be played. *1
• Blu-ray Disc Profile 1.1 is now supported. *2
• [BD Data Utility] has been added. *3

*1 To play VC-1 (WMV) format files, you must go to  (Settings) >  (System Settings) and set [Enable WMA Playback].

Copyright-protected files or files that were encoded by using DivX 3.11 cannot be played.

Files that are 2GB or more cannot be played.

*2 You can now use the "Picture in Picture" feature that enables playback of two videos at the same time with some Profile 1.1-compatible Blu-ray Discs. Features available vary depending on the disc.

*3 Management data that is used by the Blu-ray Disc is saved here. – PlayStation Network Update 2.10

For further information or to obtain the update via the internet, check out the link below.

• System Software Update (2.10) – PlayStation.com

LAZY DAY TRAILERS: GRAN TURISMO 5 PROLOGUE

Well, it was a slow news day, so you get a video courtesy of the good folks over at GameTrailers.com. Don’t you feel all special now? Admit it, you’re feeling all warm and fuzzy now, aren’t you?

What I’ve got for you today is a look at Sony’s Gran Turismo 5 Prologue – the latest in the company’s venerable racing franchise. What you’re about to watch is some in-game footage of a race through city streets. I’d say it was a thrilling run, but the fact that the driver can’t seem to avoid smashing into things kind of takes away from the whole presentation. Still, this video is about getting to see the level of detail of your surroundings – so maybe I should be spending our time looking around instead of critiquing driving skills.

Anyway, check out the video below – I’m sure you’ll agree that the game is looking good – and the fact that Sony has added an in-car mode has certainly got me excited about this one.

As I’m sure you well know, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will be a PlayStation 3 exclusive.

• Gran Turismo 5 Prologue – Official website
• Gran Turismo 5 Prologue: City Streets Gameplay – GameTrailers

PLAYSTATION 3 SYSTEM SOFTWARE VERSION 2.01 NOW AVAILABLE

Sony has made the latest update to the PlayStation 3's system software (v2.01) available for download via the PlayStation Network and PlayStation.com.

This update adds a few nifty new features, including system stability updates for both backward compatible titles and web browsing along with improved upscaling capabilities. There have also been a few reports that the update has bricked more than it's share of PS3's, so if you have the ability to back up your saves, I'd suggest doing it before upgrading just as a precaution.

Check out the full list of new features below.

"The PLAYSTATION®3 system software version 2.01 (with 2.00) update includes the following:

• New for 2.01: System stability during use of some PLAYSTATION®3 format software has been improved.
• New for 2.01: System stability has been improved for some operations, including the use of the Internet browser and  (Information Board).
• New for 2.01: System stability during output of upscaled PlayStation®2 format software images has been improved.*1
• New for 2.01: Functionality of the [Remote Start] feature has been changed to prevent an unintentional remote start. *2

*1 Applies only to models that support playback of PlayStation®2 format software. > See details

*2 If remote start via the Internet is enabled, the PS3™ system may turn on unintentionally, depending on the type of router in use. (In this case a remote play connection cannot be established.) To avoid unintentional power-up of the system, remote start via the Internet may be disabled automatically if a remote play connection is not established within a certain amount of time after the system is turned on. 

• Custom themes
• You can now customize the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) icons or background design. > See details

• Playlists
• You can now create playlists to organize content under [Music] and [Photo]. > See details

• Information board
• [Information Board] has been added as a feature under [Network]. PlayStation® related news can be displayed on the XMB™ screen. > See details

• PLAYSTATION®Network category
• [PLAYSTATION®Network] has been added as a category in the XMB™ home menu . > See details

• Remote start
• [Remote Start] has been added as an option under [Remote Play Settings]. A PS3™ system in standby mode can be turned on from a PSP® system used for remote play via the Internet. > See details

Other new or revised features in version 2.01 (with 2.00):

• Overall
  • New grouping options for the [Group Content] feature have been added to the options menu.

• Settings
  • [Color], [Background], and [Font] have been added as options under [Theme Settings].
  • You can now select [Brightness] as an option under [Theme Settings] > [Background].
  • The procedure for setting [Internet Connection Settings] under [Network Settings] has been changed.
  • You can now select Canon printers with the [Printer Selection] option under [Printer Settings]. For a list of compatible printers, select here.

• Game
  • [Vibration Function] has been added as an option under [Controller Settings] in the menu that is displayed when you press the PS button on a DUALSHOCK®3 wireless controller. *
    *Available for purchase in early 2008.

• Network
  • You can now view video content (as a progressive download) as it is being downloaded from PLAYSTATION®Store.
  • [Trend Micro Web Security for PS3™] has been added as an option under the Internet browser.

• Friends
• The voice / video chat menu has been changed.
• You can now use the PLAYSTATION®Eye camera for voice / video chat.*
  * For details on the PLAYSTATION®Eye camera, select here." – PlayStation.com

For further information or to obtain the update via the internet, check out the link below.

• System Software Update (2.01) – PlayStation.com

PLAYSTATION 3 TOY HOME DEMO NOW AVAILABLE

A demo of Sony's Toy Home for the PlayStation 3 is now available for download via the PlayStation Store. Download size is approximately 504MB.

• Toy Home – Official product page

RUMOR MILL – UNCHARTED: DRAKE’S FORTUNE RELEASED EARLY?

Just a quick note here for those of you waiting on Sony's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune – some retailers (and Gamefly) are now listing the game as available. I'm not sure if Sony moved the launch date up at the last minute, or if some locations have decided to break the release date, but it appears the game is, at least unofficially, out in the wild.

• Uncharted: Drake's Fortune – Official Website

A FEW THOUGHTS ON THE EYE OF JUDGMENT’S PROBLEMS

I'd like to take a moment to talk about the situation surrounding Sony's The Eye of Judgment and the use of photocopied cards in online play. A lot has been said on the internet about how the "pirating" of cards could well kill any chance for future expansion sets for Eye.

I'm going to take a bit of a counter-point stance here. I'm not saying the photocopying of cards is acceptable – it's not. Part of the balance of a game like The Eye of Judgment is that not every card is available to every player. You can make the argument that the game then winds up catering to the "rich kid", but I'd bet that even that rich kid doesn't have every single card.

You see, while the problem of card copying is certainly real and a concern, what I want to talk about is how much of this entire issue is due to a lack of thought and follow through on the part of Sony and it's partners. While there would always be a percentage of users who would try to find a way to beat the system, the problem certainly wouldn't be as prevalent if not for the following points.

1. Security: 
1. For all the times Sony went on record as saying the card coding was secure and there would be no way to "copy" cards, the fact that on the very first day of release, a photocopy of a low-resolution scan of a card proved to work just as well as an original shows that, like so many other games in the current generation, no one really tested anything. Seriously, how much testing went into the security of this game when scans, photocopies and even hand-drawn copies of cards are working just as well as the originals. What did you think was going to happen when you price your cards at a premium and then make bootlegging this easy? This leads us into my second point…
2. Greed: 
1. In many ways, Sony, Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast are now reaping the "rewards" of their greed. To begin with, the cards are priced at $3.99 for a booster pack of 8 cards or $14.99 for a pre-built "Starter-Deck" of 30 cards. That's well over the cost of other collectible card games, and when combined with the next fact, is actually quite a bit appalling. You see, if my data is correct, of the 110 cards available in the initial EoJ set, 50 cards are Rare, Ultra-Rare or Phantom cards. Fifty… 45 percent. This ranks right up there with the worst examples of greed we're seeing in the downloadable content arena. For those of you unfamiliar with the way the packaging for the cards works, that means that in every $3.99 booster pack of cards, you're going to get ONE of those 50 cards. Normally, that's an acceptable thing – except when there are only 60 cards that don't fall into that category. Hell, remove the 30 uncommon cards in the set from the equation and we're left with only 30 "common" cards. If you're a little lost at this point, here's what I'm trying to say – there are more "rare/ultra-rare/phantom" cards in the set than there are "common" cards. That's just ridiculous.
3. Supply Issues:
1. As if that wasn't enough, Sony and friends can claim that bootlegging is killing card sales all they want – however, those of us trying to legitimately buy the cards know another truth… the cards just aren't available. Whether there was some problem with printing or the demand for the game was just far more than anyone expected, you would have to look for a long time to find a steady supply of cards. If you look at online retailers, they have messages like "expected in stock in 1 or 2 months" listed for any of the card packs. eBay is almost barren of any card sales beyond individual commons and uncommons. Shortages like this can push even the most honest player into being tempted by those copied cards because they can't play the game they bought online competitively without a variety of cards. Then only people in good shape right now are those that grabbed cards on day one in anticipation of a shortage or fear that should the game bomb, no more would be forthcoming. (For the record, I've managed to grab all 5 starter decks as well as 5 booster packs, with all but the Wood Swarm booster being bought on the day the game came out. Beyond that one additional starter, I haven't seen packs available anywhere since launch. I've got more booster packs on order, but even online sellers are stating that WoTC is far behind in their shipments.) Here's a fact – if you want to sell cards, you have to have cards to sell.

So there you have it. Whether any of these issues can be solved before irreparable harm befalls The Eye of Judgment's card sales is really anyone's guess right now – probably because there would have to be cards freely available on the market to see if anyone is buying them.

Bottom line? People can claim bootlegging is the biggest danger to the game all they want, but in my opinion, it's the ineptitude and greed being shown on the part of the parties behind Eye that are the biggest problems.

• The Eye of Judgment – Official website 

PLAYSTATION 3 UNCHARTED: DRAKE’S FORTUNE DEMO NOW AVAILABLE

Oh yeah, nothing tastes quite like the flavor of a demo for a highly anticipated game – especially when it's one that's been keeping a bit of a low profile. As was rumored earlier this week, a demo of Sony’s Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for the PlayStation 3 is now available for download via the PlayStation Store. Download size is approximately 1.17GB.

• Uncharted: Drake's Fortune – Official website

PLAYSTATION 3 SYSTEM SOFTWARE VERSION 2.0 NOW AVAILABLE

Sony has made the latest update to the PlayStation 3's system software (v2.0) available for download via the PlayStation Network and PlayStation.com.

This update adds a few nifty new features, including the ability to customize the XMB's icons and backgrounds, the ability for the system to be started remotely (via the PSP) and… vibration feedback support for the Dual Shock 3 controller! (Coming in early 2008 according to the patch notes)

Check out the full list of new features below.

• Custom themes
• You can now customize the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) icons or background design. > See details
• Playlists
• You can now create playlists to organize content under [Music] and [Photo]. > See details
• Information board
• [Information Board] has been added as a feature under [Network]. PlayStation® related news can be displayed on the XMB™ screen. > See details
• PLAYSTATION®Network category
• [PLAYSTATION®Network] has been added as a category in the XMB™ home menu . > See details
• Remote start
• [Remote Start] has been added as an option under [Remote Play Settings]. A PS3™ system in standby mode can be turned on from a PSP® system used for remote play via the Internet. > See details
• Other new or revised features in version 2.00:
• Overall
• New grouping options for the [Group Content] feature have been added to the options menu.
• Settings
• [Color], [Background], and [Font] have been added as options under [Theme Settings].
• You can now select [Brightness] as an option under [Theme Settings] > [Background].
• The procedure for setting [Internet Connection Settings] under [Network Settings] has been changed.
• You can now select Canon printers with the [Printer Selection] option under [Printer Settings]. For a list of compatible printers, select here.
• Game
• [Vibration Function] has been added as an option under [Controller Settings] in the menu that is displayed when you press the PS button on a DUALSHOCK®3 wireless controller. *
  *Available for purchase in early 2008.
• Network
• You can now view video content (as a progressive download) as it is being downloaded from PLAYSTATION®Store.
• [Trend Micro Web Security for PS3™] has been added as an option under the Internet browser.
• Friends
• The voice / video chat menu has been changed.
• You can now use the PLAYSTATION®Eye camera for voice / video chat.*
  * For details on the PLAYSTATION®Eye camera, select here.

Unfortunately, it looks like the ability to bring up the XMB while playing a game is still just a dream.

• System Software Update (2.00) – PlayStation.com

PLAYSTATION STORE: TWISTED METAL 2

Well, this week's PlayStation Store update has brought another original PlayStation classic to the PlayStation 3 and PSP. Twisted Metal 2, the first sequel to Twisted Metal (duh), is now available for download at a cost of $5.99. This is two weeks in a row now for classic PS1 games and the store after what seemed an eternity without an update. Color me impressed. 

I'd love to regale you with tales of my days with TM2, but while everyone goes on and on about what a classic it was, I just never really cared for it. I had played the original Twisted Metal quite a bit, but for some reason, TM2 and I just never got along – I wouldn't return to enjoying the vehicular combat genre until about 2 years later when Vigilante 8 made it to the scene.

Based on that last paragraph, I'm sure that I'll start receiving nasty e-mails from the Twisted Metal fanatics in the audience… and probably even a nasty-gram from David Jaffe himself. Hell, I'll probably get a postcard with Kratos on the front of it giving me the finger. (Ok, so actually that would be truly epic and something I would keep forever)

Anyway, it's getting late (or early to be more specific), so I'm going to wrap this one up by stating that if you've been waiting for Twisted Metal 2 to hit the PlayStation Store, it's happened. Have a great ride. 

• Twisted Metal 2 – Official website
• Twisted Metal 2 – Wikipedia entry 

PLAYSTATION STORE: SPYRO THE DRAGON

While we're on the subject of this week's PlayStation Store updates, Sony has finally gotten around to releasing another classic PlayStation title for both the PlayStation 3 and PSP. Spyro the Dragon, the first in the now familiar series of games, is available for download through the PlayStation store at a cost of $5.99.

"Meet Spyro, the adorable and mischievous little dragon on a GIGANTIC adventure. Take on an astonishing and completely 3D platform adventure game unlike any other! Take a wonderful journey as you glide, fly, roll, and frolic through fantasy worlds." – PlayStation.com

 I remember playing Spyro when it first came out back in 1998, and despite my general dislike of platform style games, I did enjoy my time with it. Maybe it was the fact that the main character was a dragon, or maybe just the fact that I found making Spyro charge headlong into objects utterly hilarious, but I did like it. 

That said, I still won't be purchasing this one. I've got my Emotion Engine equipped PS3 and the original game right here, so there's no need to shell out any more cash for nostalgia's sake. I do wonder if part of the reason Sony is backing away from any support for backward compatibility is so they can rake in the cash the same way Nintendo does with the Wii and it's Virtual Console. Just something to consider.

• PlayStation Store – PlayStation.com
• Spyro the Dragon – PlayStation Store 

PLAYSTATION STORE: EYECREATE

One of the item's released in this week's PlayStation Store update was EyeCreate – a free program for the PlayStation 3 that will allow PlayStation Eye owners to edit their own videos using the console.

"PLAYSTATION®Eye required. EyeCreate™ is the first video editing software for the PLAYSTATION®3. Using EyeCreate™ and the PLAYSTATION®Eye camera, you can capture video, audio and even photos which can then be edited into a movie. An extensive list of special effects such as Color Filters, Distortions, Art Filters and Motion Trails can give your video a professional touch. There are even advanced features such as Time Lapse and Stop Motion to experiment with. Once you're done creating and editing your masterpiece, Export it to watch it on the Video folder of the XMB. EyeCreate™ will let you express yourself and get creative!" – PlayStation Store

While I do understand the need to support the just-released PlayStation Eye camera, I do have to wonder why this wasn't just included with the Eye itself. Ultimately, EyeCreate sounds like a nifty little program for those looking for some simple video creation fun – and since the price is right (free), it certainly couldn't hurt to give it a download.

• PlayStation Eye – PlayStation.com
• EyeCreate – PlayStation Store

NEW FOLKLORE DEMO AVAILABLE FOR PLAYSTATION 3

A second demo of Sony’s Folklore for the PlayStation 3 is now available for download via the PlayStation Store. Download size is approximately 1.27GB.

• Folklore – Official website

DIGITALLIFE ‘07 HANDS-ON: THE EYE OF JUDGMENT

After much procrastinating, I’ve finally gotten around to posting my hands-on experience with Sony’s The Eye of Judgment, a hybrid collectible card game developed with the assistance of Wizards of the Coast, for the PlayStation 3.

Since the article is pretty long and somewhat image heavy, I’ve set up the full article on another page so that those of you who have no interest in the game don’t have to deal with seeing the whole story every time you visit the site.

Just a taste of what you’ll find in the full article – you know you want to read it!

• DigitalLife ’07 Hands-On: The Eye of Judgment – nylatenite.com
• The Eye of Judgment – Official website
• The Eye of Judgment Tutorial Trailer – GameTrailers.com

PLAYSTATION STORE: EVERYDAY SHOOTER

This week’s PlayStation Store update brings Jonathan Mak’s critically acclaimed game Everyday Shooter to the PlayStation 3. The game is a stage-based shooter that plays a lot like Bizarre Creations’ twin-stick shooter Geometry Wars, with the added twist that the player must collect particles created by the destruction of your enemies in order to chain together scoring combos.

One of the game’s coolest touches is that it’s in-game audio effects become part of it’s soundtrack, meaning that every shot and every explosion will create a soundtrack that differs with each play through.

“Developed solely by Jonathan Mak, Everyday Shooter won three awards at the Independent Gaming Festival at the 2007 Game Developers Conference. Unlike traditional arcade shooters, the sound effects in Everyday Shooter play in musical harmony with the game’s background music. Throughout Everyday Shooter’s album of games, typical arcade sounds of destruction are replaced with guitar riffs harmonizing over an all-guitar soundtrack.

KEY FEATURES

• Album of Shooter Games – Each of the 8 ‘songs’ or levels has a completely different visual vibe and chain system.
• Vector-Based Graphics – Graphics are created from mathematical equations celebrating the beauty of geometry.
• Stunning, Evolving Synaethesia – Every shot, hit, or explosion creates a visual and musical inspiration that produces a note, chord or riff that harmonizes into the song for each level.
• Full HD at 1080p – In addition to the fluid music, enjoy the brilliant colors and stylized visuals.” PlayStation Store

Based on the trailers I’ve seen of Everyday Shooter, as well as the praise the game has drawn from numerous reviewers who have had a chance to try it, I’d probably feel safe in saying that if you’ve got a PlayStation 3, don’t mind stage-based shooters and are a fan of arcade style games, this one is probably going to be a good buy for you.

It’s in that statement that the bad news surrounding Everyday Shooter can be found… I say “probably”, because as with most of Sony’s other PlayStation Store offerings, no demo is available for you to try before you make a purchasing decision. While the game certainly looks fun, it only has a limited number of stages, and without getting a feel for how long each lasts, there’s a question as to whether or not this one is really worth the $9.99 price Sony is asking for it.

• Everyday Shooter – PlayStation Store

PLAYSTATION 3 RATCHET & CLANK FUTURE: TOOLS OF DESTRUCTION DEMO NOW AVAILABLE

A demo of Insomniac Games Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction for the PlayStation 3 is now available for download via the PlayStation Store. Download size is approximately 1.57GB.

• Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction – Official website

PLAYSTATION 3 RATCHET & CLANK FUTURE: TOOLS OF DESTRUCTION DEMO NOW AVAILABLE

A demo of Insomniac Games Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction for the PlayStation 3 is now available for download via the PlayStation Store. Download size is approximately 1.57GB.

• Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction – Official website

PLAYSTATION 3 RATCHET & CLANK FUTURE: TOOLS OF DESTRUCTION DEMO NOW AVAILABLE

A demo of Insomniac Games Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction for the PlayStation 3 is now available for download via the PlayStation Store. Download size is approximately 1.57GB.

• Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction – Official website

PLAYSTATION 3 RATCHET & CLANK FUTURE: TOOLS OF DESTRUCTION DEMO NOW AVAILABLE

A demo of Insomniac Games Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction for the PlayStation 3 is now available for download via the PlayStation Store. Download size is approximately 1.57GB.

• Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: GO! SPORTS SKI

Today’s PlayStation Store update will see the release of Go! Sports Ski, a new extreme skiing game designed by Smackdown vs RAW developer Yukes. The game will offer both single player action as well as multiplayer racing via split-screen for the low cost of $2.99.

“Go! Sports Ski™ is a skiing simulator that harnesses the SIXAXIS™ wireless controller to twist, turn and pull off tricks. The easy and intuitive motion control allows you to fly down visually stunning slopes right out of the gate. Supporting various single player modes, including slalom racing, a split-screen versus mode and several online battle modes, Go Sports Ski features two distinct courses. Other online features include downloading the top online player’s ghost data to race against and a global ranking system.

KEY FEATURES 

• Various Gameplay Modes – Includes 3 offline practice modes, split-screen battle, 2 online single player leaderboard time trials, and 4 player online battle mode.
• SIXAXIS™ Wireless Controller – Fully controlled by the SIXAXIS motion sensors to simulate realistic ski slopes.
• Collect up to 27 Emblems – Unlock emblems with gameplay success and display them to your online records.
• Global Online Ranking – See how you stack up against other skiers worldwide.” – PlayStation.com

Go! Sports Ski has been rated E (Everyone) by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board.

PLAYSTATION STORE: LOCOROCO COCORECCHO!

You know, almost every time Sony releases an original game via the PlayStation Store, I find myself saying "I really wish there was a demo" – I’m sure many of you feel the same way. Anyway, Sony has brought the LocoRoco franchise to the PlayStation 3 with the release of LocoRoco Cocoreccho, a game that would appear to be patterned off of titles such as Lemmings, but with a slight twist – instead of placing objects in strategic areas to control the flow of the critters being saved, players use the motion controls of the Sixaxis controller to move a butterfly, which the LocoRoco will attempt to follow, around the playfield.

"All new LocoRoco™ game exclusively for the PS3™! Play as a butterfly and guide the cute little LocoRoco to safety. The LocoRocos respond to the environment, interact with each other, and sing along to the music. Running at 1080p, LocoRoco™ Cocoreccho! brings all new gameplay, use of the SIXAXIS™ wireless controller technology, mini-games, and online rankings.

• New Gameplay – Control the butterfly to guide the cute little LocoRoco to safety! LocoRoco will try to follow the butterfly wherever it goes!
• Full HD at 1080p – Fly around a richly detailed environment to wake up and rescue up to 200 LocoRoco!
• SIXAXIS™ Wireless Controller- Use the SIXAXIS controller to rock, launch, and bounce the LocoRoco.
• Additional Mini-games – Discover three addicting mini-games." – PlayStation store product description

The game is priced at $6.99, and as I alluded to earlier, no demo is available.

PLAYSTATION 3 NBA 08 DEMO NOW AVAILABLE

A demo of Sony’s NBA 08 for the PlayStation 3 is now available for download via the PlayStation Store. Download size is approximately 888MB.

• NBA 08 – Official website

SONY CONFIRMS DUAL SHOCK 3 CONTROLLER

Confirming the rumors that have been spreading across the ‘net for the last few days, at their press briefing for the Tokyo Game Show, Sony Computer Entertainment President Kaz Hirai confirmed that that vibration feedback would be coming to the PlayStation 3 in the form of the Dual Shock 3 controller.

The new controller looks identical to the current Sixaxis controller and will be hitting retail in Japan this November with the United States and Europe following in the Spring of 2008. No price has been quoted at this time.

This is great news for PlayStation 3 owners who have been sorely missing the feature – though I’m sure some who purchased multiple controllers may feel a little burned by the move. Even better news was that in addition to future PS3 games supporting vibration feedback, Hirai noted that some games in the existing PlayStation 3 catalog could have the feature added via downloadable updates.

• Sony Confirms, Details SIXAXIS Rumble– Kotaku
• TGS ’07: Sony announces Dual Shock 3, Home delay – Gamespot
• Sony Confirms DualShock Controller For PlayStation 3 – Gamasutra
• TGS 2007: Sony confirms PS3 rumble, sidesteps any admission of failure – Destructoid

PLAYSTATON STORE: PIXELJUNK RACERS

PixelJunk Racers, the second game added in last week’s PlayStation Store update, is a bit of a strange title – I’d almost call it a throwback game. The game is based on the slot car race sets many if us played with as children in which cars race around a track with only the ability to change speed or lanes. Several game types appear to be available to add some mix to the flavor, but ultimately, it’s still slot car racing.

"PixelJunk™ Racers is an addictive slot car racing game that supports 1080p and features single player and multiplayer fun (up to 7 players simultaneously offline!). Intuitive controls, 32 different race modes, and online rankings will provide countless hours of racing mayhem.

• Unlimited Racing Action – 16 core racing modes with varying degrees of difficulty for a total of 32 modes, including an in-depth single-player tournament and offline multiplayer modes (up to 7 players!).
• Full HD at 1080p – Speed through 10 richly detailed courses.
• SIXAXIS™ Wireless Controller – Use the controller’s left and right buttons on the D-pad to steer through traffic, master cornering, and overtake rival vehicles.
• Global Online Ranking – Play for your personal best in Score Attack and see how you stack up against other racers worldwide." – PlayStation Store

PixelJunk Racers is priced at $6.99 and a demo is available for download via the PlayStation Store. I had the chance to try this one out this weekend, and I’ll rate it as a pass – there’s just not much of a game there.

PLAYSTATION STORE: HIGH STAKES ON THE VEGAS STRIP: POKER EDITION

Last week’s PlayStation Store update saw the addition of two new games to the service. The first we’ll be talking about is High Stakes on the Vegas Strip: Poker Edition. As this game has managed to stay far under the radar and no demo is available, I really can’t really tell you what to expect (other than that it’s a poker game of some sort) beyond what’s listed in the product description – so let’s take a look.

"Go all in on the Vegas Strip. Take a seat, put on your poker face and experience the casino action of Vegas; play limit or no-limit poker in five different game types including Texas Hold’em, Super Hold’em, Billabong and more! Master your skills against the computer or challenge up to five others in multiplayer action to become the online poker champ! Ante up and risk it all in High Stakes on the Vegas Strip.

• Multiplayer Action – Challenge up to 5 others
• Online leader boards and in-depth hand statistics
• Power through the tournament circuit in Turbo Mode
• Live audio feed
• High definition up to 1080p." – PlayStation Store

High Stakes on the Vegas Strip: Poker Edition is priced at $9.99 and, as I mentioned earlier, no demo is available. I really don’t see how anyone could screw up a poker game at this point, so if you’ve been waiting for a poker game and don’t mind paying $10 for one, this is probably for you

PLAYSTATION 3 SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATED TO V1.93

If you own a PlayStation 3 and have logged onto the PlayStation Network in the last day or so, you have undoubtedly noticed that there is a new system update available for the console. System Update 1.93 doesn’t seem to add all that much to the mix, as according to the PlayStation 3 System Update page, the only addition in the update are some tweaks to network stability.

"New for 1.93: The stability of the network connection has been improved." – PlayStation.com

Not much else to say here, it was a small update and one that most will probably never notice the effects of.

• PlayStation 3 System Software Update – PlayStation.com

LAZY DAY TRAILERS: HEAVENLY SWORD: LEGEND OF THE SWORD – PART FIVE

The fifth and final installment in Sony’s animated Heavenly Sword series has been released and as predicted last week, Nariko’s clan didn’t take too kindly to their heavenly warrior being born a girl. Still, Nariko undergoes her training with the clan to become the warrior of legend. The story has once again rapidly moved forward and leaves us at the scene of what will most likely be a great battle – and possibly the opening of Heavenly Sword.

The word on Heavenly has been pretty mixed so far, but I’m not about to give up hope on this one yet, though I am tempering my expectations quite a bit.

Those of you looking to play catch-up with the series should check out the below videos in their proper order.

• Heavenly Sword – Official website
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part Five – GameTrailers.com
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part Four – GameTrailers.com
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part Three – GameTrailers.com
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part Two – GameTrailers.com
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part One – GameTrailers.com

PLAYSTATION 3 SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATED TO V1.92

If you own a PlayStation 3 and have logged onto the PlayStation Network in the last day or so, you have undoubtedly noticed that there is a new system update available for the console. System Update 1.92 doesn’t seem to add all that much to the mix, as according to the PlayStation 3 System Update page, the only addition in the update are some additional tweaks to backward compatibility.

"New for 1.92: Playability status with the PS3™ system has changed for some PlayStation®2 format titles. To check on the latest status, visit the search site for compatible titles (coming soon)." – PlayStation.com

My guess is now that the latest model PS3s are shipping without hardware based backward compatibility, we’ll be seeing that message in quite a few of the upcoming patch messages.

• PlayStation 3 System Software Update – PlayStation.com

LAZY DAY TRAILERS: HEAVENLY SWORD: LEGEND OF THE SWORD – PART FOUR

The fourth installment in Sony’s animated Heavenly Sword series has been released and it looks like the story is rapidly catching up to present day. Unless there’s a major plot twist about to happen, we now get to see the birth of Nariko – and some early signs of how her arrival was taken by her clan. Here’s a hint – not good.

Those of you looking to play catch-up with the series should check out the below videos in their proper order. We’ll continue posting each episode as they’re made available, so stay tuned.

• Heavenly Sword – Official website
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part Four – GameTrailers.com
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part Three – GameTrailers.com
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part Two – GameTrailers.com
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part One – GameTrailers.com

PLAYSTATION 3 FOLKLORE DEMO NOW AVAILABLE

A demo of Sony’s upcoming fantasy title Folklore is now available for download via the PlayStation Store. The demo weighs in at 1,107MB and lets you experience two of the worlds in the game.

"Be the first to cross over to the “other” side and discover the amazing worlds and creatures of Folklore. Join Ellen and Keats in their search to solve the mysteries of the Netherworld and learn to protect yourself from the dangers that wait for you. Experience a completely original battle system as you use your SIXAXIS™ controller to take your enemies’ powers and make their abilities your own.

In this demo, play as both characters and visit two of the many worlds of Folklore. Explore the wonders of the Faery Realm as Ellen or discover the wastelands of Warcadia as Keats." – PlayStation Store demo description

Folklore is scheduled to release exclusively on the PlayStation 3 some time this October.

• Folklore – Official website

LAZY DAY TRAILERS: HEAVENLY SWORD: LEGEND OF THE SWORD – PART THREE

If you’ve been following along with the home version of our game, you’re no doubt aware that we’ve been posting each installment of the the Heavenly Sword animated series as they hit the internet. If you haven’t been following along, now is the perfect time to start, as the third installment in the series has been released. It looks like we’re getting closer to the present time as It’s a pretty good bet that the evil brother in today’s video is none other than King Bohan.

Those of you looking to play catch-up with the series should check out the below videos in their proper order. We’ll continue posting each episode as they’re made available, so stay tuned.

• Heavenly Sword – Official website
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part Three – GmaeTrailers.com
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part Two – GameTrailers.com
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part One – GameTrailers.com

LAZY DAY TRAILERS: HEAVENLY SWORD: LEGEND OF THE SWORD – PART TWO

Last week we told you about a five-part animated series of shorts Sony would be running to give some background on the world of Heavenly Sword. Today, thanks to the folks over at GameTrailers.com, we’ve got part two of the series for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

We’ll continue posting each episode as they’re made available, so stay tuned.

• Heavenly Sword – Official website
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part Two – GameTrailers.com
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part One – GameTrailers.com

PLAYSTATION STORE – PIYOTAMA

Sony has made Piyotama, a new PlayStation 3 "match the falling objects" type puzzler, available for purchase via the PlayStation Store. I know that’s not exactly the most descriptive of explanations, but I just watched a video of the game and I really can’t think of any other way to explain it. In short, colored eggs fall from the top of the screen and the player must shift around the horizontal rows of eggs at the bottom of the screen to create matches using the Sixaxis tilt controls.

Still confused? I don’t blame you one bit. The official product description listed below isn’t much help in that regard either;

"Hidden deep within the Hotai forest, you’ll find a family of playful and mysteriously colored creatures known as Piyos. Every spring Mother Piyo “PIYOMAMA” lays a few eggs to fill the forest with new colorful Piyos; however, this year she got too excited and laid too many eggs! Help her hatch the eggs before they overflow the nest!" – PlayStation Store Piyotama product description

While Piyotama may be priced at a very reasonable $2.99, my advice to those of you unsure of whether or not to purchase this one would still be to check out this gameplay video over at GameTrailers.com – hopefully it will let you know if this is your kind of game or not.

• Piyotama – Piyotama page at PlayStation.com
• Piyotama Egg Hatching Gameplay – GameTrailers.com

LAZY DAY TRAILERS: HEAVENLY SWORD: LEGEND OF THE SWORD – PART ONE

Sony sent out an e-mail to all PlayStation Underground Gamer Advisory Panel (G.A.P.) members advising them that they were being given exclusive early access to a series of animations and behind the scene looks at Ninja Theory’s highly anticipated title Heavenly Sword.

Quite obviously, while I may be a member of the G.A.P, that doesn’t help you much, does it? Thankfully, the folks over at GameTrailers have posted the first of five animated shorts which will serve to introduce gamers to the world of Heavenly Sword. Let’s take a look;

The remaining episodes should be made available over the next few weeks, so we’ll be sure to update the site as each video finds it’s way to the internet. (Don’t worry if you miss one, these videos are only being made exclusive to G.A.P. members for a limited time, so eventually you should be able to find them everywhere.)

• Heavenly Sword – Official website
• Heavenly Sword: Legend of the Sword – Part One – GameTrailers.com

PLAYSTATION STORE – BLAST FACTOR: ADVANCED RESEARCH

An expansion pack for Sony’s PlayStation 3 shooter Blast Factor is now available for purchase via the PlayStation Store. Purchase price is $4.99.

• Blast Factor: Advanced Research – Blast Factor page at PlayStation.com

SONY DATES HEAVENLY SWORD

That little taste of Heavenly Sword that Sony gave us a little over a week ago gave us may have been short, but it certainly left us wanting more. Thankfully, it looks like the wait for the full meal is almost over. IGN is reporting that Sony’s most anticipated PlayStation 3 title of 2007 will be hitting retail on September 12th. I’ve got my pre-order in – do you?

• Heavenly Sword – Official website
• Heavenly Sword Date Set – IGN
• Lazy Day Trailers: Heavenly Sword Demo Footage – nylatenite.com

LAIR DELAYED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 4TH

In a surprising move, Sony has reversed course and announced that, despite their earlier statements, Lair will be delayed until September 4th so that several community features of the game can be properly tested. While it is unclear whether that’s really the situation or if Sony is bringing Lair back in for some control tweaks following some supposedly very unkind early reviews, what is clear is that the game won’t be on the shelves in August.

"Wow, even I didn’t see this one coming! Due to an extra step in QA testing to enhance the community features in the game, the release of LAIR, originally set for August 14th, has changed to September 4, 2007. Natural challenges that arose while finalizing the offline game to include key online features – such as leaderboards and medal systems – have led to the difficult choice of pushing back the release date. We appreciate everyone’s excitement and patience for the game and look forward to its release on September 4." – Ryan Hamlyn, associate producer, SCEA

If the game is indeed being brought in for a control scheme overhaul, one has to wonder whether or not September 4th will be a reasonable release date – after all, the game would have to go to press again, wouldn’t it? (after all, you could just patch "online" features and ship in August, but in order to change the control scheme you would have to change the game itself as customers who are unable to patch online would have to be taken into account – you couldn’t ship a game that didn’t control correctly right out of the box without facing serious repercussions)

Before any fanboys go running with this one, please keep in mind that officially the game is being delayed due to additional quality assurance testing centering around the community features of the game – the rest is just my own speculation.

• Lair – Official website
• Lair Update – PlayStation.Blog
• Early EGM Reviews for Lair Look Grim – Gaming Today

PLAYSTATION STORE: GRIPSHIFT 2.0

In all the excitement surrounding the Heavenly Sword demo, I realized this morning that I forgot to post this one. Sony has made a remixed version of it’s downloadable PlayStation Network title Gripshift available for purchase in the PlayStation Store. Gripshift 2.0 is available for $9.99 and has been rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

"GripShift™ combines high speed driving and platform gaming action! Stunt through 150 crazy levels and experience all-out, pedal to the metal thrills as you collect power-ups, avoid traps, and beat the clock. Challenge the No. 1 leaderboard spot, or compete in online multiplayer, to be the Master of Faster!" – PlayStation.com

LAZY DAY TRAILERS: HEAVENLY SWORD DEMO FOOTAGE

To celebrate yesterday’s release of the Heavenly Sword demo, I broke out my digital camera and recorded video of the demo from start to finish. Now, before you watch it, I feel the need to tell you that my digital camera, for want of a better term, sucks. I do apologize for the graininess of the four videos below, but it was this or nothing – and I figured those of you following the game who haven’t bought a PlayStation 3 yet would really like to see what the rest of us are playing.

So, without further delay or introduction, check out the below four videos which will take you through the complete, short-but-oh-so-good, demo of Heavenly Sword.

You can also check out the full sized version of these videos at the YouTube links below. Enjoy.

• Heavenly Sword – Official site
• Heavenly Sword Demo – Part One (1 of 4) – YouTube
• Heavenly Sword Demo – Part Two (2 of 4) – YouTube
• Heavenly Sword Demo – Part Three (3 of 4) – YouTube
• Heavenly Sword Demo – Part Four (4 of 4) – YouTube

PLAYSTATION 3 HEAVENLY SWORD DEMO NOW AVAILABLE

PlayStation 3 owners dreams have finally been realized as a playable demo of Heavenly Sword is now available for download via the PlayStation Store. Approximate download size is 996MB.

"The complete game is still set for September, but I think you’ll find this demo is a great sample of what’s in store and it’ll certainly give you a good idea of the look and feel of the game. To set the stage here, at the beginning of this demo, our heroine, Nariko, gains consciousness after a violent encounter with the evil King Bohan and his army. Nariko learns that Bohan is holding her father, Shen, prisoner inside a massive temple complex so she sets out to fulfill her destiny and embarks on a quest for vengeance against the invading King and his army." – Kyle Shubel, Producer, Heavenly Sword (as quoted in PlayStation.Blog)

This one is something that I’ll stop playing the new Civilization expansion for. Enjoy the demo all!

• Heavenly Sword – Official website
• Yes, The Heavenly Sword Demo is Coming … – PlayStation.Blog

SONY CONFIRMS LAIR IS COMING AUGUST 14TH

In a post over at PlayStation.Blog, Sony confirmed that Lair has gone gold and will be releasing for the PlayStation 3 on August 14th, 2007.

• Lair Dev Complete, August 14th Release Set! – PlayStation.Blog
• Lair – Official website

PLAYSTATION 3 SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATED TO V1.90

Sony has made the latest update to the PlayStation 3’s system software available for download via the PlayStation Network or the System Update page at PlayStation.com. The v1.90 software adds some new features to the PlayStation 3 including the ability to use custom wallpapers for the XrossMediaBar, emoticon support for text messages and upsampling for audio CDs. Check out the full text of the update note below to see all the newly added features;

The PLAYSTATION®3 system software version 1.90 update includes the following:

• Customizing wallpaper (Theme Settings)
• You can now display an image as the background of XMB™ (XrossMediaBar).

Using emoticons

• You can now use emoticons when creating messages under [Friends].

Entering text in the Internet browser

• You can now enter text directly into text entry fields of Web pages using a USB keyboard.

Upsampling audio CD output

• Upsampled output of audio CDs is now supported.

Other new or revised features in version 1.90:

• Settings
  • [44.1/88.2/176.4 kHz] has been added as an option in [Audio CD Output Frequency] under [Music Settings].
  • [Type 2] has been added as an option in [Bitmapping] under [Music Settings].
  • [On] has been added as an option in [BD 1080p 24 Hz Output (HDMI)] under [BD/DVD Settings].
• Video
  • The [Image Quality Adjustment] option in the control panel has been changed to [AV Settings].
  • You can now play AVCHD-format video files that are saved on Memory Stick™ media or on the hard disk of a video camera.
  • You can now operate the (Slow (Back)) and (Frame Reverse) functions when playing video files saved on storage media or on the hard disk.
• Game
  • You can now adjust screen display settings while playing PlayStation® and PlayStation®2 format software.
• You can now sort games that are saved on the hard disk.
• Network
• [Add to Bookmarks] has been added as an option in the [File] menu of the Internet browser.
• Friends
  • When an avatar is displayed during a voice / video chat, the avatar now moves in response to audio.
• Overall
  • [Eject Disc] has been added in the options menu for discs.
  • You can now select [Group Content] when changing a file or folder icon.

For further information on how to use the above features, head on over to the PlayStation 3 System Update page at PlayStation.com.

• PlayStation 3 – System Software Update – PlayStation.com

I’VE JOINED THE PLAYSTATION HOME BETA TEST

I’m in a bit of a rush this morning to get these posts up as I wound up working late yesterday, caught up on some much needed sleep and, most importantly, received my invite to the PlayStation Home beta. Unfortunately, due to the non-disclosure agreement included with the beta, I can’t discuss anything about the service at this time. Rest assured I am keeping notes, so once the NDA is lifted, I’ll be sure to tell you all about it.

• PlayStation Home – Press release at PlayStation.com
• PlayStation Home – Wikipedia entry

LAZY DAY TRAILERS: KILLZONE 2

This originally wasn’t the only post I had planned for the early part of the day, but once again it appears that my internet connection is down. I really don’t quite know what to make of the recent run of issues I’ve had with my connection other than to know that should I call my provider, they’ll blame my cable modem – just as they always do – and then claim ignorance when the problem suddenly clears up.

Anyway, before I go too far into an off-topic rant, today’s E3 video selection is Sony’s answer to Halo 3 – Killzone 2. You may remember that the first time Sony unveiled video of Killzone 2, there was a huge scandal because they initially claimed the stunning visuals seen were in-game footage, but later admitted that the entire trailer was just a “target video” done in CGI.

In this E3 2007 demonstation, we get to see what should be actual gameplay footage. While the game is certainly looking good, it doesn’t come close to that original “target” trailer we saw back at E3’05. One thing that disturbs me is the apparent lack of a self preservation instinct in the enemy AI. I’m hoping that this is just a case of setting the demo to it’s easiest level for the demonstration, but it’s something I’ll be keeping my eyes on as we get closer to release. Still, after how long it’s been since we’ve seen anything regarding Killzone 2, it’s nice to see that it’s generally coming along well.

Killzone 2 is scheduled to release exclusively for the PlayStation 3 in 2008.

• Killzone 2 – Official website
• Killzone 2 E3 2007 On-Stage Demonstration – GameTrailers.com

60GB PLAYSTATION 3 DISCONTINUED

Rumor confirmed. In an update to our earlier story regarding Sony’s plans for the 60GB model of the PlayStation 3, following somewhat conflicting statements by numerous Sony executives, it has been confirmed that the 60GB model of the PlayStation 3 is heading off into the sunset.

Gamespot is reporting that in an interview with VGTB, SCEI president Kaz Hirai officially confirmed that the 60GB model has been discontinued;

“From a hardware perspective, the $499 price adjustment we did for the 60GB version for the American market, we’re no longer in production for that product. Once that product is gone from the retailer shelves, then we’re back to a $599 SKU only, so it’s not like we have a two-price strategy in the US market. We found out very early on how consumers react to having just one SKU as opposed to two.” – Kaz Hirai

Based on that statement and subsequent confirmations from SCEA’s chief communications officer Dave Karraker, it now appears that the price drop on the 60GB model is basically a sale price designed to clear inventory of the existing 60GB model stocks prior to the introduction of the new 80GB model.

For those of you wondering why Sony would discontinue the 60GB model rather than just using it in the new bundle, my guess is pretty simple – it’s due to the removal of the PS2 “Emotion Engine” chip. Sony could ill afford the consumer lawsuits and retail confusion that two 60GB models with different features would cause. Further, having to differentiate between the two 60GB models on the shelves (until the “original” 60GB model supply would run out) would also bring much more attention to the removal of the Emotion Engine chip.

Bottom line is this – if you want a PlayStation 3 that includes hardware based backwards compatibility, you better hurry and get one of the $499 machines before stores run out. It’s a little sad to see, as since the price drop the sales of the PlayStation 3 have apparently seen huge increases – enough so that it’s been listed as the #1 selling item in Amazon.com’s video game department for most of the last week.

• E3 07: Hirai: 60GB PS3 “no longer in production” – Gamespot

PLAYSTATION STORE: NUCLEUS

This week’s PlayStation Store update brings us another original game in the form of Nucleus. The game, which runs under the premise of fighting viral attacks inside the human body, plays like a cross between a level based shooter (like Mutant Storm) and some form of gathering game. Unfortunately, the demo, which is available through the PlayStation Store as well, is rather short and really doesn’t give you much of a feel for the title. In the two levels I played, I was charged with either capturing certain objects within a set time limit and collecting groups of cells in order to move them to specific locations.

What I took from the demo is that Nucleus really needs a longer demo. The game isn’t really explained well in the demo’s current form and doesn’t come off as a game that’s really all that much fun to play. It was because I couldn’t get a good feel for Nucleus that I went out hunting for some video of it to show you, and in doing that I saw that the game does seem to have some other elements that could make it a worthwhile purchase. Let’s take a look;

The full version of Nucleus is available in the PlayStation Store for $9.99.

• Nucleus – Product page at PlayStation.com
• Nucleus – Gameplay video at GameTrailers.com

NORTH AMERICAN 60GB PLAYSTATION 3 TO BE DISCONTINUED?

So much for a long term price cut… GamesIndustry.Biz (by way of Kotaku) is reporting that in an interview with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves, Reeves answered the question of why Europe was not seeing a price cut by announcing that once Sony expends all it’s existing stock of the 60GB PlayStation 3 in the United States, the company will only supply 80GB models to the region;

"GamesIndustry.Biz: How concerned are you about possible criticisms that you should have given European consumers what SCEA has given US consumers, i.e. the option to pay a lower price?

David Reeves: Well, they’re not really are they, because what the US are offering from the 1st of August is a USD 599 version with one game. All they’re doing is taking their stock in trade that they’ve got at the moment of the 60GB model, marking the price down and it will all be gone by the end of July.

GamesIndustry.Biz: So once the 60GB is gone, that will be the end of the 60GB then?

David Reeves: In America, yes." – GamesIndustry.Biz interview with David Reeves

Now, either Reeves is just trying to cover for the lack of a European price drop or Sony really does plan on shooting itself in the foot yet again. What a public relations nightmare this one is going to be. Leave it to Sony to take the one positive piece of press they’ve gotten recently and totally screw it in a matter of days.

• E3: David Reeves Talks PS3 – GamesIndustry.Biz
• 60GB PS3 Being Taken Out To Pasture – Kotaku

SONY E3 2007 PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Allow me to repeat myself… I’d like to preface this post by saying that I normally hate reporting on anything I haven’t seen in person. Since I had to work today, I was unable to catch the Sony press conference, so instead I followed along with Kotaku’s liveblog of the event. While I trust Kotaku’s take on things, keep in mind that I could be wrong about a lot of the below information as I didn’t have the perspective of actually seeing the same thing the folks at Kotaku were seeing, nor did I have the luxury of following the transcript uninterrupted.

Based on what I read, here are the more important bits of information that came out of the briefing. If you’re looking for a more complete breakdown of Sony’s conference, check out the full text of Kotaku’s liveblog here.

• 160 games coming to PS2 over the next year
• PSP has seen a 90% sales increase since the last price drop.
• They hope to ship 9 million PSPs’s this fiscal year.
• 140 new games coming for PSP.
• New model PSP announced – will offer come kind of PSP to HDTV function.
• New PSP is 33% lighter, 19% slimmer than current PSP.
• You can now upload PSP video to TV via a cable.
• New PSP comes out this September.
• New PSP will come in black and ice silver.
• Ice silver model will be a sold in a $199 bundle including a 1gb memory stick duo, Jak & Daxter and the Family Guy Friggin Sweet Pack UMD.
• Another bundle – a Star Wars Battlefront Renegade Squadron branded PSP (White with Darth Vader’s image on the back) and the Renegade Squadron game – $199.99.
• Wipeout HD shown.
• PlayStation Home to be released this fall.
• Tretton claims PS3 sales have doubled since the price drop.
• NCSoft making a game for PS3.
• Haze to release on PS3 this holiday season – since they’re saying “you can only play it this holiday on PS3″, I’m assuming that means the PC/360 versions will be coming a bit later.
• Unreal Tournament 3 will be a PS3 exclusive for this year (again, PC/360 versions to follow later)
• UT3 will allow the use of PC Umods via the PlayStation Network.
• Midway & Epic have signed a deal to help optimize their engine (Do they mean Unreal Engine 3?) for the PS3
• UT3 comes out this November
• Rock Band confirmed as coming to the PS3 (there were rumors about a 360 exclusive deal)
• Metal Gear Solid 4 announced as a PlayStation 3 exclusive.
• Hideo Kojima comes out to demonstrate the game and announces this is the end of the current series, Snake and his (Kojima’s) involvement with the franchise.
• MGS4 to have a worldwide release… “very soon”
• Infamous announced – a super hero game where you can play as a hero or villain. (I’m assuming like a comic book version of Fable)
• Gran Turismo 5 Prologue coming to the PlayStation Network this holiday – with online support.
• Killzone 2 trailer shown – this time with real gameplay footage.

I think I’ll have to make sure that I schedule a vacation day for at least the first day of E3 next year – because I’m really not pleased with these last two posts.

• Liveblogging the Sony Press Conference – Kotaku

FIRST BATCH OF E3 CONTENT HITS PLAYSTATION STORE

The first batch of E3 2007 trailers for the PlayStation 3 are now available for download via the PlayStation Store. Here’s a list of what you can expect to find;

• Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
• Killzone 2 First Look
• PS3 E3’07 “Sizzle” video montage
• Lair
• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
• Unreal Tournament 3
• High Velocity Bowling
• Warhawk
• LittleBigPlanet
• Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
• PAIN
• Folklore
• Blacksite: Area 51
• Go Sports Ski
• Blast Factor: Advanced Research
• Everyday Shooter
• Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice
• E3’07 Closing video

There’s still no sign of the rumored Heavenly Sword demo, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

80GB PLAYSTATION 3 WILL NOT INCLUDE PS2 EMOTION ENGINE CHIP

GamesIndustry.Biz is reporting that Sony Computer Entertainment America has confirmed that the newly announced 80GB model of the PlayStation 3 will not include the PlayStation 2 Emotion Engine chip, instead depending on software based emulation for backwards compatibility.

“The current 60 GB model utilizes a hardware and solution for backwards compatibility, namely the Emotion Engine chip. The new 80 GB PS3 will use a software solution for backwards compatibility, similar to that currently found in the PAL model.” – Kimberly Otzman, SCEA – as reported by GamesIndustry.Biz

So let me see if I understand this right… Not only is Sony asking gamers to shell out $599.99 for a bundle that doesn’t seem to be worth the sum of it’s parts, but now they’re actual taking away one of the selling points of the console? I don’t know what they’re smoking over at SCEA, but it must be some really freaky stuff.

Because it seems a given that once existing stocks of the PlayStation 3 are sold out, future shipments of the 60GB model will follow suit, those of you planning on buying a PS3 soon may want to accelerate those plans to ensure you get an Emotion Engine equipped model.

• New 80GB PS3 eliminates “emotion engine” chip – GamesIndustry.Biz

SONY CONFIRMS PLAYSTATION 3 PRICE DROP, ANNOUNCES 80GB SYSTEM BUNDLE

In a post over at PlayStation.blog, Sony Senior PR Manager Patrick Seybold confirmed the rumored PlayStation 3 $100 price drop and took the opportunity to announce that Sony will be making an 80GB model of the PlayStation 3 available with a bundled copy of MotorStorm for $599 starting this August.

"…we’re introducing a new PS3 model with a 80GB hard drive which will include a free copy of MotorStorm, all for the retail price of $599. This 80GB package will be available starting in August, just a few short weeks from today. The larger hard drive will give players more of an opportunity to take advantage of all the downloadable games and trailers on the PLAYSTATION Network, including the content from our forthcoming download service which will include videos, movies and other entertainment content.

In addition, as some of you speculated last week, we confirmed today that we are lowering the price of our current 60GB PS3 by $100, to $499, effective immediately in North America. I know many of you were eager to hear this and we’re thrilled to share this with you now as we head into E3." – Patrick Seybold

While I believe the price drop was an absolute necessity for Sony, I’ve got to question the wisdom of this new 80GB SKU. In essence, what Sony is offering here is a copy of MotorStorm ($59.99) and an extra 20GB of hard drive space for $100. It just doesn’t add up – why not just buy the 60GB model for $499, a game of your choice at $59.99 and keep the rest for another purchase.

One big question being repeated by commenters over at PlayStation.blog is whether the 80GB SKU will include the PlayStation 2 Emotion Engine chip or rely on software based emulation for backwards compatibility. We’ll be sure to keep you updates on any additional information about the new SKU as it becomes available. Personally, I’m still keeping my fingers crossed that Sony will throw early adopters some kind of bone to make up for the price drop and lack of titles available.

• New PS3, New Price Drop & More News Coming – PlayStation.blog

PLAYSTATION NETWORK TO FEATURE E3 VIDEO CONTENT

Just a quick note here – Sony has announced that they will be putting many of the trailers and videos of upcoming PlayStation 3 games on the PlayStation Network over the course of the coming week. There is no word on whether they’ll be throwing playable demos into the mix as well, but we can all hope.

• PlayStation Network – Information page at PlayStation.com

PLAYSTATION 3 TO GET $100 PRICE CUT ON JULY 12TH?

That’s the current rumor floating about the internet. According to Kotaku, a poster over at the DVD Talk forums is advising he got an early look at the Circuit City sale circular for the weekend of July 15th. According to the poster, the 60GB PlayStation 3 will be advertised with a $100 price break, bringing the cost of the system down to $499.99.

Many would argue that the circular could be taken to indicate either an as-of-yet unannounced price drop or perhaps just a one week sale to clear inventory, GameDaily Biz followed up the story by announcing that they had received confirmation from an insider at “one of the world’s biggest retailers” that the price of the PlayStation 3 will be dropped by $100 effective July 12th. Looks like Sony has one heck of an announcement on their hands for E3, eh?

While I think it’s definitely the right move for Sony given the relatively lackluster sales of the PS3, as an early adopter – and someone who understands that early adopters always take some degree of risk – I can’t help but feel completely shafted now. I’ll tell you why;

1. Unlike other systems I’ve owned, even after 8 months I really don’t feel like I’ve gotten any benefit by having been an early adopter. There hasn’t been a single “must have” game on the system since launch (and I’d even dispute whether one could call Resistance: Fall of Man a “must-have” title) and at this point, a price drop would just serve to reinforce the “sucker” feeling.
2. I get the feeling that by the time Sony gets any product worth playing that hasn’t been on other platforms into the stores, my factory one year warranty will either have expired or be close to expiring. From a piece of mind perspective, I would have liked to have seen that the PlayStation 3 could handle the load of being played on a daily basis. Now, given the low number of failure reports for the PS3, I doubt this will be an issue, but it’s one of those nagging thoughts that sticks with me.
3. Between the rumored price drop, new 5 Blu-Ray Disc movie offer and the prospects of having to purchase new Sixaxis controllers when the vibration feedback enabled models become available, I just can’t help but feel like Sony has taken advantage of me.
4. Everything I’ve experienced with the PlayStation 3 to this point has really made me feel like I paid to beta test the system. From the disorganization of the PlayStation Store to the lack of quality titles on the shelves, everything just feels like it wasn’t quite ready for release.

Again, I know this is a move Sony must take in order for the PlayStation 3 to have any chance of surviving, and I know that as an early adopter, there’s always an inherent risk of getting burned, but I’m not going to lie and say that I’m happy with the situation as it stands. The only thing I can hope is that since Sony has not made any official comment on the matter as of yet, there’s always a chance they will do something to show a bit of loyalty to those who were willing to buy the system at it’s original price.

I’ll be sure to update this story with any new information that comes in. As of right now, it’s looking pretty solid, so to those of you who have been waiting for a price drop before picking up a PlayStation 3, your wait may finally be nearing an end.

• PLAYSTATION 3 $100 Price Cut Hits July 15 – Kotaku
• Report: PS3 $499 on July 12 – GameDaily BIZ
• Circuit City Prices: July 15 – July 21, 2007 – DVDTalk Forums

HEAVENLY SWORD DEMO COMING IN THE “VERY NEAR FUTURE”

While surfing the net earlier today, I discovered (by way of Kotaku) that IGN is now hosting a blog for the folks from Ninja Theory – the development house behind Heavenly Sword. In the most recent post, Heavenly’s producer, Mat Hart, not only talks a bit about what gamers can expect to see and experience when Heavenly Sword hits retail, but also took the time to answer a few questions from readers.

While much of the information Hart dished out was quite interesting (such as the fact that there will be no jump button in the game) the biggest bit of news didn’t come until page four of the Q&A session… according to Hart, a playable demo of Heavenly Sword will be coming to the PlayStation Network in the “very near future”;

“I can confirm that we are, of course, going to be releasing a demo for Heavenly Sword…and soon! This will be downloadable via the Playstation Network…so keep an eye out for this in the very near future…and i mean very near future!” – Mat Hart

That above emphasis on “very near” has led many to believe that Sony will counter Microsoft’s “Bringing it Home” promotion by releasing the aforementioned demo during E3. I’ll be one of the many people keeping my fingers crossed for just such an occurrence.

One last thing to note is that Hart confirmed that there will be no collector’s edition of Heavenly Sword, though he did mention that the game will be loaded with bonus content usually reserved for special editions. Heavenly Sword is slated to release later this year exclusively for the PlayStation 3.

• Heavenly Sword – Official Website
• Ninja Theory – Company website
• Heavenly Sword blog at IGN – IGN
• Heavenly Sword Demo Due “Soon” – Kotaku

PLAYSTATION STORE: SUPER STARDUST HD

Sony has released a new arcade style shooter for the PlayStation 3 in the form of Super Stardust HD. The game, available as a download from the PlayStation Store, seems to be a 3D cross of Asteroids and Mutant Storm. The player flies around a 3D rotating planet clearing the atmosphere of asteroids and alien starships. Having seen a few previews of the game, it seems like it would be an enjoyable experience, though I was a bit concerned about the fact that the game is broken up into stages rather than being one continuous experience.

Here are the details as per the PlayStation Store;

“Twelve years have passed by. The times have been peaceful and prosperous in the home solar system. The Professor is back for the most ultimate revenge. You must defeat his forces and save your home solar system from total annihilation. Five planets are under attack. Your destiny is to save the home solar system, yet again.

Key Features

• Super Intense Action – With superior technology, experience massive hordes of physically simulated enemies against your ship’s super powerful weapons and intense boss battles.
• Token Collectibles – Destroy asteroids to collect tokens and extra ships, shields, antimatter bombs, points and weapon upgrades.
• Various Gameplay modes – Contains single and multiplayer challenges with co-op and arcade play modes.
• High Definition Graphics – Full next-generation 3D-textures with explosions, dust clouds and other similar effects at 1080p.
• Online Rankings – See how your score compares against other players around the world.” – PlayStation.com

The game will run you $7.99 should you decide to go ahead with the purchase, and quite unfortunately as has been the case with a few of the original game releases on the PlayStation Network, no demo is available. The lack of a demo has turned me off from the title, so I can’t really tell you much beyond what I’ve already mentioned. Buy at your own risk.

• Super Stardust HD – PlayStation Store product page
• PlayStation Store – PlayStation.com

PLAYSTATION 3 SYSTEM UPDATE – V1.82 NOW AVAILABLE

Sony has once again released an updated version of the PlayStation 3’s system software. As with previous updates, Sony has added a few more little bells and whistles to the PlayStation 3 that you may not have felt you needed, but are nice to have just the same. This time around it’s the addition of support for MPEG-4 video playback that’s been added – so if that’s been on your PS3 wish list for awhile now, you can cross it off.

Rather than posting the entire 1.8X list of features, I’ve just listed the items marked as “new for v1.82” from the PlayStation Network Update page.

• Video
  • Support for playback of AVC High Profile (H.264/MPEG-4) format video has been added. *
    * High image quality encoding method used by Blu-ray Discs and other media
• Other
  • Support for playback of AVC High Profile (H.264/MPEG-4) format video has been added. *
    * High image quality encoding method used by Blu-ray Discs and other media

I think you know what I’m going to say next… These new features are all fine and well, however Sony really needs to do something about the games available for the platform, because while I love using my PS3 as an upscaling DVD player really wasn’t what I purchased it for.

• PlayStation 3 Network Updates – PlayStation.com

WIPEOUT HD COMING TO PLAYSTATION 3 THIS YEAR

1UP.com is reporting that Sony will be releasing a downloadable game in the Wipeout series for the PlayStation 3 before the year is done. Wipeout HD will not be a full fledged sequel – that job will be left to an as-of-yet unnamed Wipeout title which should be hitting the PS3 some time in 2008. Wipeout HD will most likely feature an online multiplayer mode played out on high-definition versions of the tracks found in the upcoming Wipeout Pulse for the PSP.

Now, back when the series first started, I was a huge fan of the game. I remember playing the game on my Sega Saturn and loving it, only to have my jaw drop to the floor a few months later when I picked up a PlayStation and witnessed it with the PSX’s lighting effects. Hell, I loved the game so much, that when I purchased a second PlayStation just prior to the release of Resident Evil 2, I immediately picked up another copy of Wipeout along with a system-link cable in hopes of playing some two screen races with friends. While the more recent additions to the series have lost something along the way, I’m still looking towards this release with some anticipation – after all, you never know when lightning could strike twice.

• Wipeout HD Coming Soon to a PS3 Near You – 1Up.com
• Wipeout – Series information at Wikipedia

LAZY DAY TRAILERS: HEAVENLY SWORD – GAMER’S DAY ‘07

While it’s been an incredibly slow weekend on the gaming news front, I still haven’t had a chance to sit down and write out my thoughts on the whole Manhunt 2 situation. What that means to you, beyond the fact that you’ve been saved from hearing my rantings for now, is that you get a video to watch instead.

We’re revisiting Sony’s Heavenly Sword today and what we’ve got this time is… well, it’s more combat footage in areas that we’ve seen before. While there’s nothing wrong with the combat you’re about to watch, I’m still a little nervous regarding the general lack of information coming out of Sony on Heavenly Sword. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they’re just saving everything for a last minute media blitz so that people don’t lose the “wow” factor the game carries with it when you see it in action.

Those of you looking for more videos of Heavenly Sword, or who want to download the above video in standard or high definition, should head on over to the Heavenly Sword video page at GameTrailers.com. One word of warning here: If you don’t want any spoilers about the game’s plot, you may want to skip the “Gamers Day 07 Moves and Technologies Interview” GameTrailers has available.

Heavenly Sword is scheduled to release later this year exclusively for the PlayStation 3.

• Heavenly Sword – Official website
• Heavenly Sword video page – GameTrailers.com
• Heavenly Sword: Gamer’s Day 07 Trailer – Gametrailers.com

MOTORSTORM GETS TIME ATTACK MODE

Motorstorm owners who have been waiting for the long promised Time Attack mode for the game, your wait is finally over. Yesterday, Sony made the Time Attack mode for Motorstorm available for download via the PlayStation Store. Not much else needs to be said here – if you have Motorstorm, head on over to the the store and get your download. Enjoy.

• Motorstorm – Official website
• PlayStation Store – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

PLAYSTATION STORE: HOT SHOTS GOLF 2 & COOL BOARDERS

Yesterday, Sony added several bits of content to the PlayStation Store including downloadable versions of the (original) PlayStation titles Hot Shots Golf 2 and Cool Boarders. The downloads will run interested gamers $5.99 each and are compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

• PlayStation Store – Official website
• Hot Shots Golf 2 – Official website
• Cool Boarders – Official website

KEN KUTARAGI OFFICIALLY STEPS DOWN AT SONY

As reported in a previous article, yesterday was Ken “Father of the PlayStation” Kutaragi’s last day as CEO and Chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment. While Kutaragi will be staying on as a “special advisor” to the company, the responsibility for SCE’s performance now fully falls to Kutaragi’s successor Kaz Hirai.

Good luck Kaz, you’re going to need it.

• Sony’s Ken Kutaragi Retires – nylatenite.com

PLAYSTATION 3 SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPGRADED TO V1.81

Yesterday, Sony released the latest upgrade to the PlayStation 3’s system software. The v1.81 doesn’t include anything massively eye opening, unlike the v1.80 update which introduced DVD, PS1 and PS2 upscaling to the system, but rather focuses on the smaller refinements you’d expect from an interim update. Let’s take a look at the current update notes as shown at the official PlayStation 3 system update page;

The PLAYSTATION®3 system software version 1.81 (with 1.80) update includes the following:

Upscaling game or DVD output
You can now upscale the video content of PlayStation® format software, PlayStation®2 format software, and DVDs to HD resolution.

Copying saved data to a memory card
You can now copy saved data from PlayStation® format software and PlayStation®2 format software to a memory card or a memory card (8MB) (for PlayStation®2).

Using the DLNA client feature
You can now display images or play music or video files that are stored on a personal computer or digital video recorder with DLNA Media Server functionality over a network.

Printing Images
You can now connect a USB printer to print images.

Using remote play outside the home (via the Internet)
You can now use remote play over the Internet.

Other new or revised features in version 1.81 (with 1.80):

Settings
[BD 1080p 24 Hz Output (HDMI)] has been added as an option under [BD/DVD Settings].
[RGB Full Range (HDMI)] has been added as an option under [Display Settings].
New for 1.81: The method of setting [RGB Full Range (HDMI)] under [Display Settings] has been improved.
[Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr Super-White (HDMI)] has been added as an option under [Display Settings].
[Bitmapping (Super Audio CD)] has been added as an option under [Music Settings].
The [Test Camera] option under [Accessory Settings] has been changed to [Camera Device Settings].
[Printer Settings] has been added.
[Media Server Connection] has been added as an option under [Network Settings]

Music
You can now edit CD information.

Photo
A new type of slideshow display pattern has been added.
You can now use zoom display for images.
You can now trim images.

Video
Super-White and x.v.Color output are now supported.
Downscaled output of Blu-ray Discs is now supported. When 720p is selected as the video output setting of the PS3™ system, Blu-ray Discs that were recorded in 1080p or 1080i resolution can be played in 720p resolution.

Game
You can now move copy-prohibited saved data for PlayStation® format software and PlayStation®2 format software to a PS3™ system.

Network
The options menu items under [Download Management] have been changed.

Friends
[Display Photo] has been added to the voice / video chat options menu.

Other
New for 1.81: The stability of the network connection used during gameplay has been improved for some PlayStation®2 format software titles that support online gaming.

For more information on any of the above features, head over to the official PlayStation 3 system software update page.

• System Software Update – PlayStation.com

SONY FINALLY GETS IT’S OWN COMPANY BLOG

Yes Virginia, it appears that Sony finally got the message that they needed to join the rest of us in here in the 21st century. After numerous complaints by just about everyone regarding Sony’s lack of communication with it’s customers, the company has finally opened a corporate blog for the PlayStation line of products. It’s about damn time too.

While the opening posts of the blog seem to show that Sony finally gets it – that they finally understand that they can’t just dictate to people what they’re going to want and that they need to keep their customers up to date on what’s going on with the PlayStation Network and PlayStation Store, the real question here is whether or not Sony truly understands the market and plans on embracing the blog concept, or if they’re just trying to appear “hip” once more.

If they can keep the relative candor shown in the introductory post and avoid making any more ridiculous claims, as the early posts and quote below show they at least are making an attempt at doing, than this could be an excellent start for Sony as far as turning things around for the PlayStation 3. If it is just another lame publicity stunt, you can probably expect it to eventually backfire as badly as the “All I want for Christmas is a PSP” viral campaign did. That, my friends, would be a damn shame.

“It’s with enthusiasm, eagerness and, honestly, a little bit of relief that we lift the cover on our first official Sony Computer Entertainment America company blog – welcome and sorry for the wait.

PlayStation.Blog is a bit of work in progress, we see it as a place where we can share with you our company’s collective insights, opinions and perspectives on all things related to SCEA, PlayStation and the industry we play in.

At the moment, we’re thinking about sharing all sorts of things here, ranging from product news and title announcements to developer updates and industry opinion posts – all of which will come straight from the people here inside SCEA who are working, thinking and playing with this stuff every day. Look to the categories on the sidebar for some initial thoughts we have on future post themes.

Now, what we’ve learned, perhaps the hard way, is that a blog like this is really about you and the things you want to hear, share and discuss with us. With that in mind, you’ll notice that comments are enabled – and encouraged – so tell us what you want to see here and we’ll do our best to make it happen. And yes, like most blogs, we have a comment policy, please just keep this in mind when you’re leaving a comment.

We imagine it may take us a short while to find our pace with this, but bear with us as we get underway and we promise we’ll quickly make this blog a valuable stop in your daily info hunt for PlayStation news.

Like we’ve said, we’re excited to finally have a platform for conversation and connection. Much more is in the works too, so we hope you’ll consider sticking around, kicking the tires of our shiny new blog and sharing what you think. – Patrick Seybold, Senior Manager – Public Relations, SCEA

Welcome to the blogosphere Sony, I’m looking forward to having an easier time getting a hold of PlayStation news to report.

• PlayStation.blog – Official SCEA PlayStation blog
• PlayStation.com – Official PlayStation website
• Welcome, You’ve Been Waiting – PlayStation.blog
• Sony: PSP Viral Campaign “Poorly Executed” – Next Generation

QUICK FIX: DO YOUR PLAYSTATION 3 UPSCALED VIDEOS LOOK WASHED OUT WITH HDMI?

If you’ve noticed that your PlayStation 3 upscaled DVD playback looks decidedly washed out when using a HDMI connection after downloading the v1.80 update like mine did, this simple fix could be the answer to your problems. Go to your settings tab on the PlayStation 3’s menu and choose BD/DVD Settings. Next go to the BD/DVD Video Out Format (HDMI) tab and change the setting from “automatic” to “RGB”. That’s it, you’re done. Hopefully your problem is now fixed and you can enjoy some upscaled DVD content.

I’ve noticed there’s also been some confusion as to what many of the new upscaling menu items actually do – here’s some information straight from PlayStation.com

“Upscaling game or DVD output

You can now upscale the video content of PlayStation® format software, PlayStation®2 format software, and DVDs to HD resolution.

What is upscaling?

Upscaling is a feature that can be used to enable content recorded in SD resolution (480p/480i) to be displayed in HD resolution (1080p/1080i/720p). Because the video content of PlayStation® format software, PlayStation®2 format software, and commercial DVDs is recorded in SD resolution, the resolution can be raised by upscaling the video output.

Upscaling game output

(Game Settings) has been added as an option under (Settings). You can adjust settings for upscaled output of PlayStation® format software and PlayStation®2 format software. The options available under [Game Settings] are [PS/PS2 Upscaler] and [PS/PS2 Smoothing]. These options are described below.

PS/PS2 Upscaler

You can adjust settings to upscale video output from PlayStation®2 and PlayStation® format software.

Off	Disable upscaled output.

Note

• If image quality is reduced or the image does not look right when upscaled, set this option to [Off].

PS/PS2 Smoothing

You can adjust settings to reduce the roughness of video from PlayStation®2 and PlayStation® format software.

Off	Disable smoothing.

Notes

• The [PS/PS2 Smoothing] setting can be used even when [PS/PS2 Upscaler] is set to [Off].

• With some software, the smoothing effect may not be noticeable or image quality may be reduced if this option is set to [On]. In that case, set to [Off].

Upscaling DVD output

[DVD Upscaler] has been added as an option in (BD/DVD Settings) under (Settings). You can adjust settings for upscaled output of DVDs.

Off	Disable upscaled output.

* This option can be used only when the PS3™ system is set to output video at 1080p or 1080i via an HDMI or component AV cable.

Notes

• When playing copyright-protected DVD content such as the content on commercially available DVD-Video, an HDMI cable is required to upscale the video content.

• If image quality is reduced or the image does not look right when upscaled, set this option to [Off].” – PlayStation.com

I hope that helps any of you who’ve been having issues.

• PlayStation 3 System Software Update – PlayStation.com

• Upscaling game or DVD output – PlayStation.com

QUICK FIX: DO YOUR PLAYSTATION 3 UPSCALED VIDEOS LOOK WASHED OUT WITH HDMI?

If you’ve noticed that your PlayStation 3 upscaled DVD playback looks decidedly washed out when using a HDMI connection after downloading the v1.80 update like mine did, this simple fix could be the answer to your problems. Go to your settings tab on the PlayStation 3’s menu and choose BD/DVD Settings. Next go to the BD/DVD Video Out Format (HDMI) tab and change the setting from “automatic” to “RGB”. That’s it, you’re done. Hopefully your problem is now fixed and you can enjoy some upscaled DVD content.

I’ve noticed there’s also been some confusion as to what many of the new upscaling menu items actually do – here’s some information straight from PlayStation.com

“Upscaling game or DVD output

You can now upscale the video content of PlayStation® format software, PlayStation®2 format software, and DVDs to HD resolution.

What is upscaling?

Upscaling is a feature that can be used to enable content recorded in SD resolution (480p/480i) to be displayed in HD resolution (1080p/1080i/720p). Because the video content of PlayStation® format software, PlayStation®2 format software, and commercial DVDs is recorded in SD resolution, the resolution can be raised by upscaling the video output.

Upscaling game output

(Game Settings) has been added as an option under (Settings). You can adjust settings for upscaled output of PlayStation® format software and PlayStation®2 format software. The options available under [Game Settings] are [PS/PS2 Upscaler] and [PS/PS2 Smoothing]. These options are described below.

PS/PS2 Upscaler

You can adjust settings to upscale video output from PlayStation®2 and PlayStation® format software.

Off	Disable upscaled output.

Note

• If image quality is reduced or the image does not look right when upscaled, set this option to [Off].

PS/PS2 Smoothing

You can adjust settings to reduce the roughness of video from PlayStation®2 and PlayStation® format software.

Off	Disable smoothing.

Notes

• The [PS/PS2 Smoothing] setting can be used even when [PS/PS2 Upscaler] is set to [Off].

• With some software, the smoothing effect may not be noticeable or image quality may be reduced if this option is set to [On]. In that case, set to [Off].

Upscaling DVD output

[DVD Upscaler] has been added as an option in (BD/DVD Settings) under (Settings). You can adjust settings for upscaled output of DVDs.

Off	Disable upscaled output.

* This option can be used only when the PS3™ system is set to output video at 1080p or 1080i via an HDMI or component AV cable.

Notes

• When playing copyright-protected DVD content such as the content on commercially available DVD-Video, an HDMI cable is required to upscale the video content.

• If image quality is reduced or the image does not look right when upscaled, set this option to [Off].” – PlayStation.com

I hope that helps any of you who’ve been having issues.

• PlayStation 3 System Software Update – PlayStation.com

• Upscaling game or DVD output – PlayStation.com

SONY’S KEN KUTARAGI RETIRES

Ken Kutaragi, the man known as “The Father of the PlayStation” has announced that he will be stepping down as CEO and Chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment on June 19th and retiring. As you may remember, Sony performed some corporate shuffling a few months back in which Kutaragi was moved away from the day to day operations of the PlayStation division, a move many suspected was due to the poor retail performance of the PlayStation 3. Today’s announcement begs the question of whether Kutaragi was forced out of the company, grew discontented with his new role at Sony or, as the official press release states, actually plans on pursuing other interests besides the PlayStation brand. Officially, Kutaragi will continue working with Sony as both honorary chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment International and as a special advisor to the company.

Kaz Hirai, Sony’s current President and COO of Sony Computer Entertainment, has been appointed as Kutaragi’s successor. Whether this move indicates that Sony needs Hirai to move the division further towards profitability as he’s considered more of a businessman and less of a visionary – unlike Kutaragi, or if Hirai is also slowly being moved towards the door as well, is anyone’s guess. Check out the below links for more on this story.

• SCEI and Sony announce Executive Management Transition – Official press release
• Ken Kutaragi Steps Down at PlayStation – Kotaku
• Ken Kutaragi retires – Gamespot
• Analysts Weigh In on Kutaragi’s Departure – GameDailyBiz
• Sony CEO Kutaragi To Step Down – Gamasutra

GRAN TURISMO HD CONCEPT V1.2 RELEASED

Sony has once again made an updated version of Gran Turismo HD Concept available for download via the PlayStation Store. Version 1.2 weighs in at 632mb and as with the previous versions is available free of charge to all PlayStation 3 owners with a PlayStation Network account.

SONY TO DROP PSP CORE SYSTEM TO $169.99?

Kotaku is reporting that Sony will be dropping the price of the PlayStation Portable’s Core pack to $169.99 effective immediately. While I’ve certainly been impressed with the direction Sony has been taking with the PSP lately, I still think that the buy in is still a bit too high. The Core PSP includes only an AC adapter and battery, meaning at the very least you’re going to be on the hook for a memory stick as well.

Given the fact that the rumor mill is still pointing towards the possible announcement of a PSP2 sometime this year, you have to wonder if this is an attempt to bolster the system’s install base or if it’s more about clearing out inventory. I don’t know about you guys, but I think I’ll wait for the price to hit $149.99 or less before I bite – even with the enhanced version of Rondo of Blood coming this year.

• Sony PlayStation Portable – Official site
• PSP Core Drops To $169 Tomorrow– Kotaku
• Rumor: No Denying It, PSP2 Is Coming – Kotaku
• Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles – Gamespot

PLAYSTATION SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPGRADED TO V1.60

A little behind on this one, but Sony has upgraded the PlayStation 3’s system software to version 1.60, and this time around, the new features are more than just cosmetic. Before we get to the full upgrade description, let’s stalk about the most important (imho) aspect of the v1.60 system update, and that’s the addition of background downloading. Just like the Xbox 360, you can now use your PlayStation 3 while downloading content from the PlayStation store without having to interrupt your download except in the following circumstances;

• When playing a Blu-ray Disc or DVD
• When using network features of online games
• When starting PlayStation®2 format software
• When starting (Folding@home™)
• When using voice / video chat
• When performing a system update
• When adjusting setting items under (Settings)

Background downloading was without a doubt at the top of many people’s wish lists for the PlayStation 3, and I’m glad to see that Sony has begun to implement it. Now if they can just speed up the download rate from the PlayStation Store, things would really be cooking.

Here’s the full patch message as per Sony’s PlayStation 3 system software page;

"The PLAYSTATION®3 system software version 1.60 update includes the following:Precision Zoom and Resolution settings (Internet Browser)

Precision Zoom: You can automatically enlarge to optimal viewing size the area on the screen where the pointer is located. By analyzing the Web page source, the system automatically calculates the best enlargement ratio based on the area where the pointer is located. Select here for details.

Adjusting the resolution: You can adjust Web page size for optimal viewing based on the PS3™ system’s video output resolution. A setting to reduce flickering of the screen when outputting in interlace mode has also been added. Select here for details.

Full-size keyboard You can now use a full-size on-screen keyboard to enter text. Select here for details.

Background DownloadSupport for background downloading of data has been added. Select here for details.

Folding@home™You can now download and use the Folding@home™ program. Folding@home™ is a distributed computing project that is run by Stanford University. The goal of the project is to research protein folding mechanisms in the hope that this will lead to medical treatments for related diseases. Using the Folding@home™ program, you can participate in this project over the Internet. Note that the program must first be downloaded and installed on your PS3™ system. Select here for details.

Remote play via an access point

You can now use the remote play feature from a PSP® system via an access point. You can establish a remote play connection with a PS3™ system that is not equipped with the wireless LAN feature (20 GB model). Select here for details. Other new or revised features in version 1.60:

• Overall
  • Support for playback of BD-RE (Blu-ray Disc Rewritable) ver 3.0 has been added.
  • The PS3™ system can now automatically detect an HDMI connection to a TV. If the PS3™ system is turned on with an HDMI cable connected, the screen for switching video output settings will be displayed automatically.*
    * Does not function unless the TV that is connected by the HDMI cable is turned on.
    * If you are already using the HDMI OUT connector, the screen for switching video output settings will not be displayed.
• Settings
  • Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, Chinese (Simplified) and Chinese (Traditional) have been added as options in [System Language] under [System Settings].
  • You can now select the character set to be used for file names under [System Settings] > [Character Set].
  • [Enable WMA Playback] has been added as an option under [System Settings].
  • [Disc Auto-Start] has been added as an option under [System Settings].
  • You can now restore backed up data to another PS3™ system under [System Settings] > [Backup Utility].
  • You can now register a keyboard and a mouse under [Accessory Settings] > [Register Bluetooth® Device].
  • [Remote Play Settings] has been added as an option.
    
• Music
  • Support for playback of DSD (Direct Stream Digital) discs has been added. *
    * These discs are music discs created using SonicStage Mastering Studio Version 2.1 or later or DSD Direct Version 2.0 or later (both Sony products, sold separately).
• Video
  • Motion JPEG and AVCHD (.m2ts) have been added as playable formats.
• Network
  • [Download Management] has been added as a feature.
    
• Friends
  • [Start New Chat] has been added as an option." – PlayStation 3 system software page

MLB 07: THE SHOW FOR PLAYSTATION 3 DELAYED UNTIL MAY

While talking to a friend on IM late last night, I heard that Sony had announced that the PlayStation 3 version of MLB 07: The Show has been delayed until May. Now, it’s not that I don’t trust my buddy, but he often attempts to poke fun at the fact that I purchased a PS3 despite all my misgivings about it (not that I don’t do an excellent job of that myself) – so when he mentions that one of the few first party titles expected in stores anytime soon is getting kicked back on the release schedule, it’s time to hit the newswires.

Sure enough, Gamespot is reporting that the PS3 version of MLB 07 has indeed been pushed back to an undisclosed date in May… which isn’t a good thing when you consider that depending on when it releases, the baseball season could already be 2 months old. Anyway, thanks for the tip nyisles, looks like "The Shoe" certainly doesn’t fit on April – just like you said.

SONY ANNOUNCES IT’S PLAN FOR THE ONLINE FUTURE OF THE PLAYSTATION 3

Yesterday at the Game Developer’s Conference, Sony unveiled their plans for the future of the PlayStation 3’s online service. The new feature, named PlayStation Home, looks to be an integration of the matchmaking capabilities of Xbox Live with the personalization of the Mii avatars on the Wii.

"Home is a real-time online 3D, networked community available on the PLAYSTATION®Network.  It allows PS3 users to interact, communicate, join online games, shop, share private content and even build and show off their own personal spaces to others in real time.  Home will be available as a free download from the PLAYSTATION®Store and will launch directly from XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) on PS3." – Sony press release

In short, PlayStation 3 owners would create virtual avatars that could move around in a 3d online world where they could use all aspects of Sony’s network service – without paying a monthly fee, I might add. At first glance it all seems very cool, just the same way the 3DNA desktop seemed like a fabulous idea for the PC. However, when you stop and think about it, when you’re trying to get to a specific piece of data, be it a demo, a video or entering a waiting room for an online game, do you really want to spend time walking there or do you just want to get in, get what you want and get out? Further, the idea of being constantly surrounded by many of the very people I go out of my way to avoid when I’m online certainly isn’t a selling point to me. Basically, I look at the core concept of the PlayStation Home as being something that old school PC users would say is "very pretty"- in other words, nice to look at, but totally impractical – and probably one that won’t be used by many as the main interface for Sony’s network services.

That’s not to say that there aren’t a few ideas in there that I don’t find very appealing. First and foremost is the idea of a public/private trophy room. I look at this as a virtual version of the achievement points system, which I think we all know is one of Xbox Live’s big hooks. This feature could conceivably eliminate part of the advantage I feel the Xbox 360 versions of multiplatform titles currently hold.

Secondly, I like the idea of being able to create a personal space where you could show videos, leave general messages, etc. It seems to me to be a potentially great way to share information without having to log off to check the internet. Even more intriguing is the ability for developers to essentially set up an online marketplace for their products. What I see in this is the potential for these spaces to become a virtual E3 of sorts where developers could allow the public an even closer feel than we currently get on any competing service. Think about it, not only could a developer present demos and videos of their game from this marketplace, but you could make announcements, run live contests and even have employees interact with your customers. Is that view an extremely ambitious idea for how the service could be used? Sure, but until we know just what the network’s limitations are, the sky really could be the limit.

There are other things that I worry about, things like latency, pricing and longevity. How much will all of these visual elements affect the performance of the PlayStation network service as far as actually playing games goes? Will Sony turn to a model of charging for every little thing you may want to do in order to keep the service profitable? Will Sony provide support for their games for more than just a few token years, or will we see games being removed from the service long before the console it’s played on heads off into the sunset.

Rather than ramble on and on, I’ll cut this one short until I know more about what we can really expect from the PlayStation Home. In the meantime, I found some of the video from Sony’s presentation on YouTube, so check it out below to learn more about what to expect when the PlayStation Home launches later this year.

• PlayStation.com – Official PlayStation website
• Game Developer’s Conference ’07 – Official website
• PlayStation Home demonstration – YouTube
• PlayStation Home announcement – Sony press release

LAZY DAY TRAILERS: HEAVENLY SWORD ON HEROES

The other day I was lamenting the fact that we hadn’t seen any news on Heavenly Sword in quite some time and I was starting to worry that as the game had entered development hell just like a few other prominent PlayStation 3 titles have recently. Well, it appears the game is at least still being used as a promotional tool by Sony, which I figure has to be a good sign.

On last night’s episode of Heroes, Nikki and Micah are seen playing Heavenly Sword during a moment of downtime, and Sony used the opportunity to show off a whole ten seconds of new footage. What we got to see was what appears to be more of the “God of War” style, single button press action system and naturally, it left us wanting more. The good folks over at Kotaku put the video up at YouTube, so here it is (spoiler free for those of us who are still playing catch-up with our Tivo’ed episodes of the show.)

If you remember, awhile back we announced that Sony had listed today’s date on the Heavenly Sword information page as the game’s release date. Obviously, the game isn’t coming out today and Sony replaced that information with a plain “2007” marker a month or so back. Hopefully we’ll get some new news about when we can expect to see this one at retail soon. While we’re waiting for that news, I’ve taken the liberty of listing a few other Heavenly Sword videos below to help us pass the time.

• Heavenly Sword – official site
• Heavenly Sword on Heroes – YouTube
• Heavenly Sword GC’06 Trailer – YouTube
• Heavenly Sword Gameplay Footage – You Tube
• Heavenly Sword E3’06 Demo Footage – YouTube

LAZY DAY TRAILERS: HEAVENLY SWORD ON HEROES

The other day I was lamenting the fact that we hadn’t seen any news on Heavenly Sword in quite some time and I was starting to worry that as the game had entered development hell just like a few other prominent PlayStation 3 titles have recently. Well, it appears the game is at least still being used as a promotional tool by Sony, which I figure has to be a good sign.

On last night’s episode of Heroes, Nikki and Micah are seen playing Heavenly Sword during a moment of downtime, and Sony used the opportunity to show off a whole ten seconds of new footage. What we got to see was what appears to be more of the "God of War" style, single button press action system and naturally, it left us wanting more. The good folks over at Kotaku put the video up at YouTube, so here it is (spoiler free for those of us who are still playing catch-up with our Tivo’ed episodes of the show.)

If you remember, awhile back we announced that Sony had listed today’s date on the Heavenly Sword information page as the game’s release date. Obviously, the game isn’t coming out today and Sony replaced that information with a plain "2007" marker a month or so back. Hopefully we’ll get some new news about when we can expect to see this one at retail soon. While we’re waiting for that news, I’ve taken the liberty of listing a few other Heavenly Sword videos below to help us pass the time.

• Heavenly Sword – official site
• Heavenly Sword on Heroes – YouTube
• Heavenly Sword GC’06 Trailer – YouTube
• Heavenly Sword Gameplay Footage – You Tube
• Heavenly Sword E3’06 Demo Footage – YouTube

WARHAWK DOWNGRADED TO DOWNLOADABLE MULTIPLAYER GAME

As the rumor mill hinted at awhile back, it appears that Sony’s PlayStation 3 title Warhawk will no longer be seeing a full retail release. According to an article over at Kotaku, IGN’s weekly webcast features an interview with the developers over at Incognito Entertainment, where they confirm that the game will indeed be reduced to a multiplayer game only available via a download from the PlayStation Store. According to Warhawk’s director, Dylan Jobe, the reason behind the change is that the single player mode just wasn’t coming along well, so they decided to just focus on the multiplayer aspects of the game.

I’m getting more and more nervous about Heavenly Sword’s fate. It seems to me that the less Sony mentions a game, the worse things are going for it – and we haven’t heard anything official about Heavenly Sword in awhile now. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed.

• Warhawk Goes Multiplayer, Download Only (Really, This Time) – Kotaku
• IGN Weekly – IGN (the episode you’re looking for is #38)

SONY THREATENS TO BLACKLIST KOTAKU, BACKS OFF

Before you think I’m having a Sony love-in today, it’s time to prove that Sony can never have a good day without stepping in it at the same time. Here’s the short version of today’s Public Relations nightmare;

It apparently began when Kotaku’s Brian Crecente contacted Sony regarding a story they were looking to break. The story was in reference to a service Sony will apparently be introducing at next week’s Game Developer’s Conference (GDC) which will be a mix of Microsoft’s Achievement point system and Nintendo’s Mii avatars. Rather than just giving the usual "We don’t comment on rumors" line, Dave Karraker, Sony’s senior director of corporate communications, contacted Crecente and basically advised them not to run the story under threat of harming Kotaku’s relationship with Sony.

Thankfully, Crecente decided his loyalty was to his readers and games journalism, not Sony. As such, he politely responded to Sony that they would be running the story anyway… and then it got ugly. Karraker responded to Crecente’s e-mail by advising them that he "can’t defend outlets that can’t work cooperatively with us." and notifying Crecente that effective immediately, Sony would be cutting off Kotaku from any official communications with Sony. They cancelled all interviews scheduled with Kotaku staffers during the GDC and revoked the site’s invitation to their media event next week. Pretty grim, eh?

What Sony didn’t realize at the time, and probably still don’t fully understand, is something that I’ve touched on here a few times before. This isn’t 1995. Simply put, the days when print magazines had to kiss ass because the only place to get news about a console was directly from the manufacturer are long gone. Truth be told, Sony probably needs Kotaku more than Kotaku needs Sony.

Regardless of whether you agree with that last point, what happened next was pretty amazing. The story was picked up by multiple game sites and within a few short hours, the sheer amount of negative press made Sony rethink their position. Karraker contacted Crecente one last time, and both decided that while they would agree to disagree on the issue at hand, it was in the best interests of both Sony and Kotaku to renew their relationship.

First off, let me give a huge salute to Brian Crecente and the folks over at Kotaku who kept their heads during the few hours all hell must have been breaking loose around them. There’s a reason why Kotaku is my number one stop for gaming news, and that’s because since I started reading their site, I’ve grown to trust them to be honest about what they think and feel. As a reader, knowing that someone can’t buy or bully Kotaku into saying something other than what they really believe is a huge selling point.

Secondly, let me say that it really is time someone at Sony wakes the hell up and smells the internet. If you want positive press, earn it – no one worth reading is going to just give it to you just because you say so. No one is going to just accept the company line without questioning the stupid things you may say. Accept it, Deal with it and adapt to the new world. Thank you.

• Rumor: Sony To Unveil PlayStation Home – Kotaku (the story that started it all)
• Sony Blackballs Kotaku – Kotaku
• Sony and Kotaku Make-Up – Kotaku

PLAYSTATION 3 TO GAIN DVD UPSCALING CAPABILITY?

Kotaku is reporting that in an interview with Newsweek’s N’Gai Croal, Sony’s Phil Harrison leaked the news many PlayStation 3 owners have been waiting to hear… Sony is working on bringing DVD upscaling to the PlayStation 3;

“I think in order to engender trust in our users, we have to share some things that might be not quite perfect, but are ready to give you an indication of what’s coming. So we could say, “You know, we’re not sure when it’s coming, but we’re going to have DVD upscaling on Playstation 3.” – Phil Harrison

For those of you who don’t know what the big deal is, DVD upscaling is a process in which standard DVD’s which are normally only capable of being displayed at 480p are digitally upgraded to support 720p resolution. In other words, it makes regular DVD’s play in high-definition. While you can buy regular DVD players that perform the same function, the fact that this is something that can apparently be added free of charge via a firmware update will definitely be a positive boost to the PS3’s image.

• PS3 Getting DVD Upscaling – Kotaku

SONY SETTLES IMMERSION LAWSUIT – RUMBLE TO FOLLOW?

Gamespot is reporting that Sony has finally settled with Immersion Corporation on the vibration feedback patent dispute case that most believe resulted in the Sixaxis controller not supporting vibration feedback. In addition to settling the dispute over the patent infringement issues with the PlayStation 2 and Dual Shock Controller, Sony has also entered an agreement to work with Immersion on bringing "advanced vibration feedback" to the PlayStation 3;

"Our new business agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment is specifically intended to enable advanced vibration capability for the benefit of the PlayStation gaming community, we are happy to provide our technology in this regard and hope to make technical proposals very soon with respect to use of our technology in the PlayStation products." – Victor Viegas, CEO Immersion Corporation

Let me go on the record right now as saying I don’t care what anyone else may say about having to buy additional controllers, should Sony roll out vibration feedback, unless Sony does something exceptionally stupid , I’ll be more than happy to purchase 2 new controllers for my PlayStation 3 if it means that I can get some rumblin’ action.

• Sony and Immersion Patch Up – Gamespot

PLAYSTATION SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATED TO V1.54

Sony has made another small update to the PlayStation 3’s firmware. Here are the details for v1.54 as per the PlayStation 3 System Update page.

"The PLAYSTATION®3 system software version 1.54 update (with 1.50/1.51) includes the following:

• Users
  
  • You can now select an image to use as the User icon from [Photo].
• Settings
  
  • [Key Tone] has been added as an option under [Sound Settings].
  • [Delete Backup Data] has been added as an option under [System Settings] > [Backup Utility].
  • WEP 128, WPA-PSK (TKIP) and WPA-PSK (AES) have been added as security methods that can be used with [AOSS™] under [Automatic].*
    * If you have already set up for AOSS using an earlier version of the system software, you must perform AOSS setup again to use the security methods listed above.
    * When [Automatic] is selected, the security method to be used is automatically set.
    * AOSS is a trademark of Buffalo, Inc.
• Game
  
  • New for 1.51: Support for PLAYSTATION®3 format software titles has been expanded.
• Friends
  
  • New for 1.54: [Screen Mode] has been added as an option in the options menu for video chat. The image of the person you are chatting with during video chat can now be changed to match the screen size.
  • New for 1.54: You can now use a compatible USB camera compliant with USB video class (UVC) for video chat.
    

    * For information on supported models and usage instructions, contact the retailer where the cameras are sold.

  • The method for saving your password / signing in automatically under PLAYSTATION®Network has been changed. There are now two separate options.

• Other
  
  
  • You can now enter text in Korean using the on-screen keyboard" – PlayStation Network System update message

The update can be downloaded either directly via the PlayStation 3 or from the system update page itself.

• PlayStation 3 Network Updates – PlayStation.com

SONY SHIPS OVER 10,000 PS3 DEVELOPMENT KITS

Next Generation is reporting that they’ve been told by Sony that the company has shipped over 10,000 Playstation 3 development kits to companies worldwide, a new record for any Playstation console.

The comment was apparently made to assure gamers that third party development is still on track and of great importance following the recent departure of Mark DeLoura, SCEA’s Manager of Third Party Development.

"The best and brightest development teams are hard at work creating familiar franchises and original IP for the PS3 including – EA, Konami, Sega, Rockstar, Activison and our own internal studios just to name a few. To date we have shipped more than 10,000 development systems to 208 companies in 11 countries, the largest number ever for a PlayStation platform." -Ryan Bowling, SCEA Public Relations manager

Things have been somewhat quiet on the PS3 front recently, and all things considered, that’s probably a good thing for Sony. My guess is given the recent negative publicity Sony has been getting, they felt the need to make sure they quashed any rumors that DeLoura’s leaving the company to work for Ubisoft wasn’t indicative of any problems regarding the company’s relations with third party developers.

Click here to head over to the Next Generation article on both DeLoura’s exit and the number of dev kits shipped.