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Gravity Rush Review: A Solid Vita Debut For Sony Japan
By GameInformer, published 24-05-2012
Months into the Vita’s lifespan, the portable features little in the way of original action-adventure offerings. Outside of Uncharted: Golden Abyss, gamers have few options if they’re looking for a console-caliber adventure that makes use of the Vita’s dual analog sticks. Originally planned as a PS3 title, Gravity Rush finally found its way to Sony’s new portable (despite missing the system’s launch window). With an intriguing gravity mechanic and relative lack of gimmicky motion controls, Sony Japan Studio has created one of the more enjoyable early titles on the Vita. You play as a young girl named Kat, and the game doesn’t waste much time in introducing you to the unique gift she possesses. Thanks to the aid of a mystical cat named Dusty, she can be...
E3 Predictions: MS And Sony Talk Next-Gen Consoles
By GameInformer, published 23-05-2012
Both Microsoft and Sony have stated they won't debut new consoles at this year's E3, but we still expect to hear some next-gen talk during the show. The Internet kicked off 2012 with rumors that both Microsoft and Sony would be outlining their next-gen plans at this year's E3. A few days later, Sony's Kaz Hirai denied the rumor, stating the company is "not making any [next-gen console] announcements at E3" and that it will be sticking to its planned 10-year cycle for the PS3. In mid-March, Microsoft Studios' Group PR Manager Ryan James told us there will be "no talk of new Xbox hardware at E3 or anytime soon." Given how definitive these statements are, we would be surprised to see any kind of next-gen hardware from Sony or MS at E3. But that doesn&#...
PlayStation Network Offline Tomorrow
By GameInformer, published 23-05-2012
Sony said today the PlayStation Network will undergo regular maintenance tomorrow, May 24. The downtime will last for the better part of the day. Below is Sony's full statement: Regular maintenance is a necessary part of operating a service such as PSN. As part of our efforts to continue to deliver you a world-class online entertainment experience on your PS3 and PS Vita devices, we will be performing maintenance on the network on Thursday, May 24th, starting at approximately 8:00 am PDT / 10:00 am EDT and concluding around 11:00pm PDT / 2:00am EDT. During this maintenance period, you may receive a message that states “PlayStation Network is undergoing maintenance” when attempting to access the PlayStation Store or PlayStation Home. Online play will not be affected and you...
E3 Predictions: Console Price Drops
By GameInformer, published 22-05-2012
Gamers are always up for a console price drop, and next to the holiday season, E3 time is ripe for a price reduction. Will we see any at this year's convention? Each console manufacturer has their own reasons for reducing the price of their current consoles particular to their own situation in the market. Here is how things might go down. SONY Given that the PS3 is in last place behind Nintendo's Wii and the Xbox 360, Sony has ground to gain by reducing the price of the system. Although the last price drop happened only last fall (160GB slim model for $249.99), a $199 model has a nice ring to it. Sony will probably position this new price point squarely at younger new adopters rather than established gamers, and as such, getting under $200 could be critically important. If the com...
Sly Cooper Sneaking Over To Vita
By GameInformer, published 18-05-2012
Sly Cooper's upcoming time-traveling adventure will be hitting a larger audience than previously expected. Sanzaru Games has announced that its upcoming Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time will be available on both the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation Vita. In addition to the Vita news, Sanzaru president Glen Egan revealed that Carmelita Fox will also have a part to play in the game. Sly's love interest is fully playable in Thieves in Time, and players will be able to use a new over-the-shoulder aiming system that is designed to make targeting easier than before. If you're a die-hard Sony fan and you have both a Vita and PS3, you'll be glad to know that the game supports cross saves. In other words, you can play the game on your Vita and seamlessly pick up where you left off on y...
A Whole Mess Of New PSP Games, Minis Now Out On PS Vita Store
By GameInformer, published 15-05-2012
PS Vita owners have a good reason to check out the Vita Store today, as more than a dozen PSP games and Minis have been added. Today's releases include Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas, Ys: I & II Chronicles Digital, and Age of Zombies. Here's the complete breakdown, straight from the PlayStation Blog: Available Today: PSP Titles:Cho Aniki Zero (Aksys Games Localization, Inc.)Strikers 1945 Plus (PM Studios, Inc.)Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 (UbiSoft, Inc.)Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas (UbiSoft, Inc.)Valhalla Knights 2: Battle Stance (XSEED JKS, Inc.)Ys: I & II Chronicles Digital (XSEED JKS, Inc.) PSP minis:Aero Racer (Halfbrick Studios)Age Of Zombies (Halfbrick Studios)Blast Off (Halfbrick Studios)Dynogems (StormBasic)Echoes (Halfbr...
GameStop Yanks PSP Games from Several Stores
By HotHardware, published 14-05-2012
New and used games retailer GameStop is starting to move away from selling titles for Sony's PlayStaton Portable (PSP) game console, instead choosing to focus on newer platforms, like the PS Vita. According to reports, GameStop has removed PSP games from a quarter of its stores, yanking them out of the smallest brick-and-mortar locations....
Sony CEO: Worldwide PS Vita Sales Top 1.8 Million
By HotHardware, published 05-11-2012
Sony President and Chief Executive Officer, Kaz Hirai, revealed during a conference call this week that his company has shipped 1.8 million PS Vita consoles up through the end of March. Looking ahead, Hirai expects to sell an additional 10 million units by the end of March in 2013, a bold prediction given the console's past performance. "About...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 05/10/12
By GameInformer, published 05-10-2012
For many the highlight of the week was revealed with Game Informer's June cover announcement, showcasing The Elder Scrolls Online. Several bloggers shared their thoughts on it while others were compelled to write about a wide range of topics from the world of video games. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: April 30 – May 06, 2012Number of User Blogs: 109Number of User Bloggers: 65Number of User Blogs Herded: 14 Community Events: Kid Icarus Uprising 3DS Online TournamentGame Informer community members Kid Ica and The Monster Hunter are looking for some fellow gamers to join them for some Kid Icarus Uprising online action on or around May 13. Community Blogs: My Top 25 Vacation Spots In GamesIf you could escape to any location in your favorite video game for a little rest and r...
Sony Posts Record Loss For Last Fiscal Year
By GameInformer, published 05-10-2012
Sony posted a record loss for the last fiscal year ending on March 31, 2012, and that's partly due to lower hardware and TV sales. Revenue for the company's Consumer Products and Services division, which houses both video games and TVs, was down 18.5 percent from the previous year, and the division posted a net loss of approximately $2.9 billion. Previously it posted over $135 million in profit. Overall, Sony's losses widened from the previous fiscal year to $5.7 billion. Worldwide, Sony sold 13.9 million PS3 units for the fiscal year, which is down slightly from 14.3 million the previous year. At least software was up, however, with 156.6 million units sold worldwide, as compared to 147.9 million in fiscal year 2010. The company says that 1.8 million Vita units have been sold...
Sign Up For The LittleBigPlanet Vita Beta Now
By GameInformer, published 05-09-2012
I dare you to say "LittleBigPlanet Vita Beta" ten times fast. After you're done giving your tongue a work out, you should probably take a crack at early access to Sack Boy's latest adventure if you have a Vita. A post on the PlayStation Blog is sounding a call to arms for all Vita-owning LittleBigPlanet fans. Developer Tarsier Studios know LittleBigPlanet is all about the users, and that's why getting fans to help test the game early on is so important. So what are you waiting for? Sign up!
Soul Sacrifice Teaser Video
By GameInformer, published 05-08-2012
We don't know much about Soul Sacrifice, the mysterious PlayStation Vita game which was unveiled a few weeks ago. A new video teases the game's upcoming reveal on Thursday, May 10. We get a quick glimpse of some action, and it looks very action-y. There's speculation this is a follow-up to Demon's Souls by From Software, but that doesn't appear to be the case as Sony Japan is behind its development. Looks like we'll just have to wait a few more days. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Vita Getting Whitewashed In Japan
By GameInformer, published 05-08-2012
The Vita has been out for a while now, which means it's about time for Sony to unleash the cavalcade of color options for the handheld system. First up is Crystal White, which is, well, white. The version of the system will be available June 28, and will sell in Japan at the standard price. In August, a special limited-edition Hatsune Miku bundle is coming, which adds a copy of the Next Hatsune Miku Project Diva game, a 4GB memory card, and more. It'll cost ¥39,800 (about $497.50) or ¥34,980 (about $437.25), depending on whether you spring for the 3G or Wi-Fi version. There's no word on whether these will be coming stateside. The system is region free, however, which makes it an appealing choice if you're into importing. [Via Andriasang]
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #229
By GameInformer, published 27-04-2012
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Game of Thrones, Twins Baseball (Even Though We Are Bad), NHL Playoffs, Audi R8 GT (I Really Need Audi To Give Me One, I'll Talk About It Every Month I Promise) Dislikes: When the Weather Is Nice During the Week And Horrible On Weekends, Comcast (Seriously, Minneapolis Cable Boxes Are Awful), That I'm So Behind On My Gaming I Haven't Gotten A Chance To Start Witcher 2 or Guild Wars 2 Yet Current Favorite Games: Fez, Xenoblade Chronicles Andrew Reiner Profile E...
Hot Deals of the Day: Dell Inspiron Laptops, Logitech Headset, and Sony PS Vita Bundle
By HotHardware, published 23-04-2012
It’s time for a fresh batch of HOT tech deals, courtesy of our friends at LogicBuy. On the menu this Monday afternoon, we have deals on a couple of Dell Laptops (a 17.3" Dell Inspiron 17R with a Core i5-2450M and 8GB of RAM and a 15.6" Dell Inspiron 15R with a Core i5-2450M and 6GB of RAM), a Logitech Wireless Headset F540, and a Sony...
Sony Teases God of War Announcement
By GameInformer, published 18-04-2012
Update: It was discovered on NeoGAF the file name for the teaser image on Sony's website is "ps_gow-teaser," suggesting heavily this is indeed a new God of War game being announced tomorrow. ------------------------------------ Sony asks, "Will vengeance bring redemption?" Looks like we'll find out next week. Sony published a teaser image on its Facebook page this morning revealing the date. This is likely related to God of War IV, however we can't rule out a potential Vita announcement, either. What do you think it is? Tune in next Thursday for the announcement. [Source: Facebook]
Sony Teases God of War Announcement
By GameInformer, published 04-12-2012
Sony asks, "Will vengeance bring redemption?" Looks like we'll find out next week. Sony published a teaser image on its Facebook page this morning revealing the date. This is likely related to God of War IV, however we can't rule out a potential Vita announcement, either. What do you think it is? Tune in next Thursday for the announcement. [Source: Facebook]
PS Vita OLED Screen: Colour Fidelity, Sub-Pixels
By DigitalVersus, published 04-12-2012
Following our full review of the PlayStation Vita, we decided to put Sony's new handheld console's OLED screen through its paces with our colour sensor and USB microscope. Sony PlayStation...
The Augmented Reality Game Roundup
By GameInformer, published 04-11-2012
Augmented reality is the next big step taking us away from the harsh truths of reality. Instead of escaping into an entirely separate world, as we have been doing in video games for decades, augmented reality lets us merge virtual and real worlds together into something that has yet to prove itself as being particularly fun. Eyepet Eyepet is a game that went insane and tried to combine two technologically advanced, but not necessarily fun game types into one with both augmented reality and PlayStation Move controls. You could interact with a blindingly cute furry creature against the backdrop of your livingroom from the viewpoint of a very low resolution camera. The HD creature against the non-HD background is a little jarring, and problems arise when your real cat gets in the frame and ...
Falling Down Never Felt So Exciting In Gravity Rush
By GameInformer, published 04-06-2012
Gravity Rush is one of the strong players in the Vita’s initial lineup, and even though it slipped from the launch window, it’s still worth keeping an eye on. Our demo begins with players taking control of Kat, an amnesiac with weird clothing who talks to cats. Losing your memory occurs in video games about as often as you reload your clip in Call of Duty, but the story crutch serves its purpose by offering a mystery to solve and a valid excuse to hold the player’s hand through a tutorial. Little of the story was offered in our demo, but it seems unlikely that it will be the force that keeps players motivated to complete the game. That job is in the hands of the gravity control. With a tap of the shoulder button, Kat can eliminate the gravity from around her, making hers...
Sony Takes Dev Off Warrior's Lair
By GameInformer, published 04-03-2012
Sony confirmed Idol Minds will no longer develop Warrior's Lair, the game formerly known as Ruin. The company told GamesIndustry International the project is now being moved completely in-house to its San Diego studio. Sony did not provide a reason for the change. Warrior's Lair was renamed earlier this year. This Diablo-style action game let's you play on both Vita and PlayStation 3. For more on Warrior's Lair, check out our latest preview of the game. [Source: GamesIndustry International]
Atlus Discounts Its PSP Games, Including Persona Series
By GameInformer, published 28-03-2012
With Sony's Vita on the market, PSP hardware is now available at discount prices. Venerable JRPG publisher Atlus is following suit with a clearance sale on its PSP catalog -- including the critically praised Persona games. The digital ad below has all the details. It's a chance to get some very high-quality games for cheap.
Report: Hackers Use PSN Titles For Vita Homebrew
By GameInformer, published 28-03-2012
UPDATE Sony has confirmed that PSP titles Everybody's Tennis and MotorStorm: Arctic Edge have been removed from the store due to security concerns with the Vita. A Sony representative told us that sale of the two titles in question have been suspended due to "software stability improvement." No timetable was given for their possible return. ORIGINAL STORY: A few PSP titles have been taken out of the PSN store due to possible Vita hacking concerns. Homebrewer W.Ololo has posted that some enterprising hackers have been using the digital versions of PSP games Everybody's Tennis (a Japan/Europe title) and MotorStorm: Arctic Edge to enable the Vita to play homebrew games. The exploit does not allow for pirated games or let people tap into the full capabilities of the ...
Report: Hackers Use PSN Titles For Vita Homebrew
By GameInformer, published 27-03-2012
A few PSP titles have been taken out of the PSN store due to possible Vita hacking concerns. Homebrewer W.Ololo has posted that some enterprising hackers have been using the digital versions of PSP games Everybody's Tennis (a Japan/Europe title) and MotorStorm: Arctic Edge to enable the Vita to play homebrew games. The exploit does not allow for pirated games or let people tap into the full capabilities of the system. Using legitimate software as an end run around a console's security is a fairly common technique that dates back to the NES era. Both titles have been removed from the store in an apparent attempt to address the situation. We've contacted Sony and will let you know if we hear anything on the matter. [via Joystiq]
Sony Planning On Shutting Down Zipper Interactive
By GameInformer, published 24-03-2012
The writing could be on the wall for Socom and MAG developer, Zipper Interactive. According to sources at Kotaku, the developer is being hit with layoffs and project cancellations and may even face studio shutdown. Zipper’s last game was the PSone Vita title Unit 13. We’ve reached out to Sony for confirmation, but the publisher declined to comment.
MLB 12: The Show Vita Review: A Solid Player With A Hole In Its Swing
By GameInformer, published 22-03-2012
The Show’s Vita debut isn’t so much a port of the console release as it is an experience tailored to take advantage of the hardware and meet the needs of the gamer on the go. Sony offers touchscreen controls where they make the most sense. On the field, they can be used to place pitches – which ends up being the most reliable way, thanks to an overly sensitive left analog stick. One flick of the finger on the rear touchscreen in the direction of a desired base will initiate a steal, pick-off attempt, or fielding throw. All of the frontend and in-game menus offer handy touchscreen controls as well. Hitting X to select a mode and pressing down on the analog stick to scroll through a roster works just as well, but the touch controls speed up menu navigation. Touch controls ...
Here's What's Coming Soon In The World Of DLC
By GameInformer, published 22-03-2012
Whether it's on the disc, supposedly not on the disc, or definitely not on the disc, DLC is a major component of all current generation games. Here's a compendium of what's coming soon, and what recently released for the biggest games of the last few months. Street Fighter X TekkenStreet Fighter X Tekken's first batch of DLC adds new characters (sort of) and new costumes (sort of). The character pack is the collection of extra characters that will be available in the Vita version of the game. The new costumes are swaps that allow Tekken characters to wear Street Fighter clothes, and vice versa. There will also be a number of free updates to fix bugs and expand the gameplay. The costumes will be available on April 3, with the new characters appearing shortly after the Vita ...
Angry Birds Could Migrate To PS Vita
By GameInformer, published 03-12-2012
The original Angry Birds nearly took over the world. Perhaps the sequel will finish off what the original started. Developer Rovio hopes to bring the series to every conceivable game space. Last week, the company confirmed that it would bring Angry Birds Space to Mac, PC, iOS, and Android, but in an interview with Joystiq, Rovio’s chief marketing officer Peter Vesterbacka said, “With all our games, we're going for all the screens: Smartphones, tablets, TVs, the web, so we really want to bring Space to all the screens as well." Vesterbacka went on to clarify that previous Angry Birds titles were already on their way to the Nintendo 3DS, and that Sony was thinking about releasing a Vita version. “It’s not that we can decide, it's really if Sony wants to...
Call Of Duty Leads February Game Sales
By GameInformer, published 03-09-2012
U.S. market research firm NPD released its February 2012 sales numbers today. Total game sales declined by 20 percent year-over-year. Total game sales fell from 1.33 billion to 1.06 billion. Xbox 360 lead all hardware sales for the month with 426,000 units sold. The Wii sold 228,000 units. Sony has not released PlayStation 3 hardware sales at this time. “The best-selling hardware platform for the month was Xbox 360 for the seventh month in a row. While most hardware platforms posted declines versus last year, all current-generation platforms improved sales over January 2012 by more than 50 percent," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier. "There are four days of retail sales reported for PlayStation Vita in this reporting period. Overall, hardware unit sales increas...
Update: Retailer Lists Only Unannounced Monster Hunter 3 For Vita
By GameInformer, published 03-07-2012
[Update] We reported earlier today that European retailer play.com listed the four games seen above, and subsequently removed three of them from its online store. Now it seems that the alleged screengrabs were a photoshop. Monster Hunter 3 for Vita, however, continues to appear on the site. [Original Story] Monster Hunter 3, Grand Theft Auto Vice City Nights, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, and Tales of Innocence R for the PlayStation Vita have been spotted on a European retailer's website. The listing for Monster Hunter is still online, but the other three titles have already been pulled down. None of these games have been officially announced by publishers or by Sony, and the art for the games that was in place before they were pulled were placeholders until the real boxarts were delivere...
Own A Vita? Get MotorStorm RC For Free
By GameInformer, published 03-06-2012
Sony and Evolution Studios' more casual take on the MotorStorm name is available March 6, and for a limited time, the Vita version is free. MotorStorm RC is a downloadable title coming to both PlayStation 3 and Vita. While the game costs $9.99 on consoles, the handheld incarnation is being offered for free (for a limited time) thanks to a Sony partnership with Toyota/Scion. Vita owners can nab the full game for free starting tomorrow afternoon. [Source: PlayStation Blog]
April Cover Revealed: Assassin's Creed III
By GameInformer, published 03-01-2012
For years now we've enjoyed the adventures of Ezio Auditore as he makes his way through the Italian Renaissance and Ottoman-controlled Constantinople. That story is over. Ever since the conclusion of Assassin's Creed II, a senior team of Ubisoft developers has been secretly toiling away on what comes next. That team aimed high, with plans to examine and rethink every element of the franchise from the ground up, build something new, and take a full three year development cycle to do it. The game that emerged is Assassin's Creed III. Set in the latter half of the 18th century, we'll see the war between the Templars and the Assassins escalate as it crosses over to the New World of America, and witness firsthand the events of the American Revolution. Caught in the conflict is a...
Gravity Rush Coming To Vita This Summer
By GameInformer, published 29-02-2012
If you've been underwhelmed by the launch lineup for the PlayStation Vita, Sony has some good news. The visually arresting action title Gravity Rush will be simultaneously releasing as a retail and digital title this June. Gravity Rush is an open-world action game that puts players in the high-heeled shoes of Kat, who possesses the handy ability to control gravity. The cel-shaded graphics set it apart from other Vita titles, and early buzz is this might just be the first game worth buying Sony's new handheld for. Gravity Rush came out a few weeks ago in Japan, but June 12 is the official release date for North America. We'll have a preview of the game in the newest issue of Game Informer, but in the meantime, check out this stylish trailer. (Please visit the site to view this ...
Vita Sales Hit 1.2 Million Worldwide
By GameInformer, published 28-02-2012
Sony is crowing the sales for its Vita handheld, which launched in Asia back in December, arriving in North America and the rest of the world last week. According to figures released by the company, Vita has sold more than 1.2 million units worldwide since December 17. "PS Vita was designed to deliver the ultimate portable entertainment experience, and we couldn't be more thrilled with the reaction we're seeing from consumers and the pace at which PS Vita is selling," says Andrew House, president and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "The market has responded and there is clear demand for a mobile device capable of providing a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real-world context. To sustain momentum, we're work...
Facebook Vita App Pulled
By GameInformer, published 25-02-2012
After users reported numerous errors, PlayStation has pulled the Facebook app for the Vita. "The Facebook application for PS Vita is not available at this point in time," Sony said in a statement given to Game Informer. "We are currently looking into this to restore it to normal operational status. We will announce further details when ready." Eurogamer first reported that the app had been removed from the European store. When users attempt to log into Facebook through the app they see error code NP-13144-3 and are unable to do anything but close the program.
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #227
By GameInformer, published 23-02-2012
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Austin Hill Country Biking, Timberwolves Basketball, DICE Speeches By Todd Howard, Tim Sweeney, and Many Others, Getting To Know My PS Vita (Not Sure It Is A Hit Yet But I'm Enjoying My Time Quite A Bit), The Hunger Games, Nook Dislikes: Bad Internet, Texas Drivers And Crappy Shoulders For Bikers, The Vita Browser Current Favorite Games: Pinball FX 2, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, Super Stardust Delta, Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning Andrew Reiner Profile E-mail...
MotorStorm RC Release Date Announced
By GameInformer, published 22-02-2012
The smaller, more casual approach to the MotorStorm franchise is due out next month, Sony announced. Evolution Studios will release the game on March 6 through PlayStation Network. MotorStorm RC is playable on either PS Vita or PlayStation 3. As noted on the PlayStation Blog, the PS3 version contains 1080p HD visuals; stereoscopic 3D; SimulView same-screen multiplayer and classic four-player split-screen multiplayer. Check out the latest trailer below. (Please visit the site to view this media) [Source: PS Blog]
Sony Discusses The Launch And Future Of The Vita
By GameInformer, published 22-02-2012
Guy Longworth is Sony’s newest senior vice president of PlayStation brand marketing. He’s responsible for the marketing behind all of Sony’s platforms, including PlayStation 3, the PlayStation Network, and of the newest member of the Sony gaming family, the PlayStation Vita. The Vita has been in production for four years leading up to today, and even though Longworth has only been with Sony for about four months, he's here to answer our questions about Sony’s latest handheld. You said you’ve only been with Sony for a few months. Where were you before Sony? My background is consumer products. I started my career with marketing with Proctor & Gamble, Kraft foods, and Kellogg's and since then I did a software consumer services start-up Internet busin...
Naughty Dog Has 'No Plans' To Develop On Vita
By GameInformer, published 21-02-2012
The Last of Us and Uncharted developer Naughty Dog is currently not working on any PlayStation Vita titles. In a recent interview with GameTrailers, Sony SVP of brand marketing Guy Longworth seemed to have implied the studio was developing a title for the new handheld, but it appears to be a misunderstanding. "We're not working on anything for PS Vita," said Naughty Dog community manager Arne Meyer. "I won't say never, ever, but there's no plans for it right now - we've always felt that consoles play to our strengths as a studio the best. "We've never made a handheld game, so us saying we're not working on anything at the moment shouldn't be some earth shattering surprise." Uncharted: Golden Abyss for Vita was developed by Sony Bend Stu...
Hot Shots Vita Review: Another Day On The Course
By GameInformer, published 21-02-2012
Launching with a Hot Shots title is a rite of passage for any new Sony platform. Because of this, I can always count on at least one title at launch that doesn’t disappoint. Be that as it may, the Hot Shots franchise’s role as a launch stalwart seems to be in a stasis; its Sisyphean duty to support a new console forever keeps it from being anything greater than that. More likely, the Hot Shots franchise is stuck in a rut because it has already dialed in its gameplay and engaging career formula with its fans. World Invitational is more of the same, notwithstanding the new Vita features and some solid online features such as a friends’ leaderboard and a promise from Sony of downloadable courses, costumes, and characters. As with other Hot Shots games, I was easi...
Retro City Rampage Confirmed For PS3 And Vita
By GameInformer, published 20-02-2012
Developer Brian Provinciano dropped the news that his love letter to classic gaming is coming to Sony's systems today on the PlayStation Blog. Provinciano, A.K.A Vblank Entertainment, can't seem to say enough nice things about Sony. "The PS Vita has been a dream to develop for as well," he says. "I’ve developed for every console and handheld from the past decade, and the PS Vita’s development system is the best I’ve ever used. Sony’s simply gotten everything right, from the hardware to the tools and support. With such a great development system, teams are able to focus entirely on making the best possible game, and I can’t wait to see what’s to come from other developers in the future." He also seems to confirm some kind of c...
Sony SVP Confirms Call Of Duty For Vita
By GameInformer, published 19-02-2012
It's not surprising to hear that this year's entry into the Call of Duty franchise will feature a Vita version, but it's nice to get a confirmation. In an interview with Geoff Keighley and GameTrailers.com, Guy Longworth (whose name sounds slightly invented), SVP of PlayStation brand marketing, confirmed that we will see a Call of Duty on Vita in "Autumn." There's no telling if it will be a Black Ops 2, Modern Warfare 4, or maybe World STILL at War, but it will be for Vita, and I'm sure it will be impressive.
Dungeon Hunter Review: A Battle Against Bugs And Boredom
By GameInformer, published 18-02-2012
Gameloft’s Dungeon Hunter series originally appeared on the iPhone in 2009 and impressed many gamers by successfully bringing the Diablo style loot-heavy action RPG to mobile devices. It was a great feat on that platform, but in the years since the quality of mobile gaming has improved rapidly, Torchlight has proven that you can copy the Diablo formula while still having a unique sense of style, and Gameloft has been increasingly written off as a developer incapable of producing much beyond weak look-alikes of better games. Is there enough steam in Dungeon Hunter’s borrowed formula to make for a worthy Vita launch title? Alliance’s minimal story sees you waking up in a tomb to discover that you are the long-dead king of the land of Gothicus. Something has gone wrong in ...
UPDATE: PlayStation Vita Review Round-Up
By GameInformer, published 15-02-2012
The PlayStation Vita is almost out, and we've posted our reviews for many of the titles that will be available at launch for Sony's handheld. Take a look at an excerpt of our opinions and click through for full reviews right here. Army Corps of Hell - "I enjoyed Army Corps of Hell quite a bit during the initial stages, but it didn’t take long to realize how little there was to the overall experience." -Dan Ryckert FIFA Soccer - "Despite the fact that the Vita is brand-spanking new technology, FIFA Soccer on the platform is dated. A year old, to be exact. That means I’m not talking about FIFA 12, which was a great step forward for the franchise. Instead, this Vita FIFA takes after FIFA 11 – a game that I find hard to go back to." -Matthew...
PSA: This Vita Charging Tip Could Prevent A Lost Save
By GameInformer, published 14-02-2012
As we've been reviewing Vita games for the last month or so, several of us have noticed an odd design decision when it comes to the portable's charging cable. You see, most devices only allow their charging cable to plug in one way...the way it's supposed to work. Try plugging in your iPad or 3DS with the cable facing the wrong way, and you won't get very far. The Vita, on the other hand, lets you snugly insert the charging cable either way. I learned this as I was reviewing Wipeout 2048. The battery level was in the red, so I plugged the system in. Considering it clicked into place just fine, I figured I was set to play as long as I wanted. Unfortunately, the system shut down mid-race and I lost my progress. It wouldn't turn on again, even though the system was plugge...
Lumines: Electronic Symphony Review – Fun With Few Surprises
By GameInformer, published 14-02-2012
Lumines was the highlight of the PSP launch for me, and in the months of weak software support that followed, Q Entertainment’s music-infused puzzle game was the only thing that kept me playing the system. A hardware generation later, Sony’s new handheld is launching with Lumines: Electronic Symphony, but I can’t muster the same enthusiasm. After further iterations released on XBLA, PSN, PS2, and PSP over the years, Lumines doesn’t pack the same punch it once did, though it is still an elegant and addictive formula. Electronic Symphony keeps the core gameplay largely unchanged, but surrounds it with a hit-and-miss assortment of new features. For example, you can use the Vita’s touchscreen to rotate and move the falling blocks, but it’s so clumsy and un...
This Is Your First Vita TV Ad
By GameInformer, published 14-02-2012
Sony's "Never Stop Playing" PlayStation Vita ads are starting to roll out. The ad campaign, which according to reports will cost as much as $50 million, is the largest in PlayStation's history. Sony's SVP of brand marketing Guy Longworth says, "You will find the television commercials featured during primetime programming on some of your favorite networks including Fox, Comedy Central and ESPN. Residents of New York, LA, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco will notice PS Vita on buildings and billboards. You’ll find it on your favorite websites and on your favorite radio stations." Below you'll find both the North American and European TV spots. Which do you like better? (Please visit the site to view this media) North America (Please visit th...
Resistance: Burning Skies Release Date
By GameInformer, published 14-02-2012
Sony today confirmed the release date for Resistance: Burning Skies, the portable shooter headed to PlayStation Vita. The game hits stores on May 29 in North America. Insomniac Games, creators of the first three Resistance titles for PlayStation 3, are passing the development torch for the game over to Nihilistic Software, who previously worked on PlayStation Move Heroes and Zombie Apocalypse. Insomniac Games stated last month it was no longer developing titles in the Resistance series after the third game.
Uncharted: Golden Abyss Review: A Solid Adventure That Comes Up Short
By GameInformer, published 13-02-2012
Uncharted is one of my favorite series of this generation. Based on what I’d seen, I was confident that the Vita was powerful enough to deliver a true Uncharted experience on a handheld. In some ways, Golden Abyss lives up to my expectations and in some other important ones, it fails. Let’s start with the positives. Golden Abyss is visually stunning. Sony Bend clearly has a good handle on the Vita hardware, and delivers with graphics that are nearly indistinguishable from the PlayStation 3 games. You might notice some small differences in the facial animations, but when shrunk down to the Vita’s small, vivid screen they are hardly worth talking about. I never thought I’d see handheld graphics like this in my lifetime. Longtime fans are going to get a lengthy advent...
PlayStation Vita Review
By GameInformer, published 13-02-2012
Is Sony’s new handheld gaming platform worth the price of admission? We break down its performance and hand out a final grade in anticipation of the February 22 release.Display The screen is the first thing you will notice about the Vita, and understandably so. Though it doesn’t have the resolution of the iPhone 4’s Retina display, this five-inch, 960x544 resolution OLED screen still delivers bright, colorful, and stunning visuals. The graphical fidelity is markedly better than the PSP and PlayStation 2, but not quite on the same level as the PlayStation 3. The fact that the image quality is even in the neighborhood of the high-powered console is an incredible feat in and of itself. During my review I saw no hints of ghosting or tearing, frequent problems on the PSP. Vid...
REVIEW: Super Stardust's Frantic Formula Is Still A Blast
By GameInformer, published 13-02-2012
If there was a game that cried out for the Vita’s twin sticks, Super Stardust was it. Super Stardust Portable valiantly made due with the PSP’s single stick and face buttons, but with Super Stardust Delta, fans can get the frenetic action as it was meant to be experienced. True to series’ form, in Super Stardust Delta, players pilot a tiny ship across a spheroid, blasting massive asteroids apart and fighting enemy ships. Your ship is equipped with a pair of main weapons – a stream of fire and a spread shot – as well as a trio of special-use items. They’ll be indispensable as you work through waves of enemies while traveling across a variety of planets and tearing apart massive bosses. I enjoy the stripped-down test of reflexes that the twin-stick shoote...
Little Deviants Review: Cool Technology Buried In A Dull Minigame Collection
By GameInformer, published 13-02-2012
The Vita has a lot of gizmos built into it, and judging from the back of Little Deviants’ package, developer Bigbig studios wanted to use them all. Informational boxes advertise the implementation of the microphone, touchscreen, rear touch pad, motion sensor, and rear camera. These hardware features may offer gamers a way to show off the capabilities of their new handheld, but Little Deviants isn’t supposed to be a tech demo. It’s a game, and not a good one. The parade of minigames in Little Deviants is all about making players use the hardware in different ways. Marble Madness-style levels have you gingerly tilting the unit, while others have you pressing the rear touchpad to deform the environment. A singing challenge detects the pitch when you hum, and a whack-a-mole...
Wipeout 2048 Review
By GameInformer, published 13-02-2012
The Wipeout series and Sony consoles have a long history together, dating back to the PSone’s launch window in 1995. When Sony released its first portable 10 years later, the anti-gravity racer was sitting on store shelves right alongside it. History repeats itself this year, as Wipeout 2048 greets new Vita owners on day one. It’s a gorgeous and fast-paced racer as always, but a strong sense of familiarity and some questionable hardware utilization bring the experience down a bit. If you’ve played any recent game in the series, you have a good idea of what to expect from 2048. Bells and whistles like photo mode, pilot assist, and motion controls have been seen before, and the core gameplay still revolves around hitting speed pads and collecting (or absorbing) weapons and...
ModNation Racers: Road Trip Review: The Best And Worse Of Kart Racing
By GameInformer, published 13-02-2012
The original ModNation Racers was a flawed but entertaining attempt to innovate in the kart racing genre. Its easy-to-use toolset for creating and sharing content has produced over a million user-made tracks, karts, and racers for players to download, putting the offerings of Mario Kart's countless iterations to shame. While Road Trip's touchscreen support makes fashioning your own creations easier than ever, some old and new missteps make playing this handheld version significantly less fun than the original. As with all Vita launch titles, a lot of effort has been placed in utilizing the handheld's unique features, primarily the front and back touchscreen panels. A wide range of gestures let you place, resize, and rotate objects and decals, lay down and shape roads, and even...
Sony Talks The Last Guardian, Demon's Souls, And The Vita Launch
By GameInformer, published 02-10-2012
2011 was one of Sony's best years in terms of first-party software releases. The company released many titles, such as LittleBigPlanet 2, Killzone 3, Uncharted 3, and Infamous 2. Sony also released its newest handheld, the PlayStation Vita, in late December in Japan. The Vita launches in North America and Europe later this month. We talked to the president of Sony's Worldwide studios Shuhei Yoshida about what the company learned from the Vita's Japanese launch and the mistakes they hope to correct this year. Game Informer: I first wanted to get your thoughts on the PlayStation Vita launch in Japan. It started out pretty well, but every week it seemed sales dipped and dipped. Shuhei Yoshida: In terms of sales, yes. But it’s within our expectation. It didn&r...
Sony's Credit Rating Takes Hit
By GameInformer, published 02-09-2012
The electronics giant has seen some big losses in recent months, and the financial world is taking notice. Sony has had some tough competition across its many business ventures in recent years, and the massive electronics company hasn't come out unscathed. On the heels of a huge $2.03 billion dollar loss in the third financial quarter from October to December of last year, the financial firm Standard & Poor's has lowered the company's "long-term corporate credit and debt ratings" to BBB+, a one-notch downgrade from its previous position at an A- credit rating. A company's credit rating indicates S&P's opinion about an organization's ability to meet its financial obligations in full and on time. The bad news for Sony doesn't end there. S&P ...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 02/09/12
By GameInformer, published 02-09-2012
The output of the Game Informer blogging community dipped slightly this week but that doesn't mean there aren't still some great posts to read, including a few of the best provided below. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: January 30 – February 05, 2012Number of User Blogs: 65Number of User Bloggers: 53Number of User Blogs Herded: 9 Community Blogs: What Makes Us Special?Continuing the ongoing debate of purchasing video games new or old, we get to hear from a voice who works in the industry as Sheriff Warbuff shares his thoughts on the often controversial subject. Why Free-To-Play Is GeniusA number of members in the community are debating purchasing new or old video games, but Jack, The Quixotic Gamer switches gears and talks about why the free-to-play business model is a...
See The New Marlins Ballpark Early With MLB 12 The Show
By GameInformer, published 02-08-2012
Sony has put together a trailer showing off the new Miami Marlins ballpark as it appears in MLB 12 The Show. Every detail is lovingly rendered, from the fish tanks behind home plate to the ghastly abomination that lurks in the outfield (pictured).The Marlins' new logo is bad enough, but I'm pretty sure that this...thing...brings Cthulhu one step closer to waking from his dead dreaming sleep in the underwater realm of R'lyeh and devouring our world every time a Marlin hits a home run. (Please visit the site to view this media) Sony Santa Monica's baseball sim has been one of the best sports games on the market for years, and that's unlikely to change for 2012 We'll find out when it drops on PS3 and Vita on March 6. [via the official PlayStation blog]
Sony Confirms PSP Passport Program Not Coming To Vita In North America
By GameInformer, published 02-08-2012
With the Vita launch in Japan last year, Sony unveiled a nice program allowing Japanese gamers to pay a small fee to download their original PSP games on the new handheld. As the North American launch of the Vita approaches, we've patiently waited to hear about a U.S. version of the UMD Passport plan. Sadly, it's not going to happen. Kotaku reports on official word from Sony that there will be no North American equivalent of the UMD Passport program. As such, you'll have to hold on to an old-school PSP to keep using your UMDs, although Sony says you will be able to re-download any downloadable PSP games tied to your Sony Entertainment Network account. I'm definitely annoyed by this but not surprised. Still, at least I'll be able to keep playing Corpse Party on the Vit...
Naughty Dog Almost Made A New Jak And Daxter
By GameInformer, published 02-06-2012
From Crash Bandicoot to Uncharted, Naughty Dog has a history of putting out top-notch entertainment. The studio is jam-packed with talented game creators. So many, in fact, that two years ago the company expanded to form a second team, which would eventually develop The Last of Us. But before the first glimpses of Joel and Elle’s post-apocalyptic survival tale wowed gamers, Naughty Dog was working on a next-generation reboot to the lauded Jak and Daxter series. This is the story of how Naughty Dog’s new team started work on a Jak game that would never see the light of day. Following the success of Uncharted 2, Sony wanted to license out the game’s engine to make more great-looking blockbusters, but, due to technological factors, Naughty Dog ended up being the only studio...
Old Sony Patent Shows Controller Similar To The Wii U
By GameInformer, published 02-04-2012
VentureBeat.com has uncovered an old Sony patent that shows a device with similar functionality to the Wii U and the Kinect.The patent for the "Position-Dependent Gaming 3-D controller" was filed in 2010 and looks very similar to the Wii U's tablet controller. As you can see in the image above, it also looks capable of full body interaction with science fiction robot shooting games that feature at least one pyramid.There is no telling if Sony is still pursuing such a device, but it seems like the Vita could be perfectly suited for it. The handheld has connectivity options with the PlayStation 3, built in cameras, and a touch screen. Sounds like it might be able to handle everything this patent is showing off.[via VentureBeat and US Patent and Trademark Office]
PlayStation Vita Playable At GameStop
By GameInformer, published 02-03-2012
More than 3,300 U.S. GameStop stores now have playable demo units of PlayStation Vita, the retailer announced today. The new handheld from Sony goes on sale February 22 but gamers can get their hands on it a few weeks early if they haven't already. "We are excited to be the first retailer where consumers can experience the PS Vita," stated Bob Puzon, vice president of merchandising at GameStop. Games available to play for the demo units include: Uncharted: Golden Abyss Little Deviants Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational EA Sports FIFA Soccer ModNation Racers: Road Trip Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition Escape Plan wipEout 2048 [Disclaimer: Game Informer is owned by GameStop]
March Cover Revealed: The Last Of Us
By GameInformer, published 02-02-2012
Ever since its debut video in December, The Last of Us has shot to the top of many gamers' most anticipated upcoming games. The trailer ran on in-game assets and the engine, but it didn't show an actual part from the final game. We visited Naughty Dog's studio to see a full segment of The Last of Us played live, talked to the team members about their inspiration, and landed a ton of details you won't find anywhere else. If you've missed the basic setup for the post-apocalyptic world that protagonists Joel and Ellie must battle through, be sure to check out our story on the science behind The Last of Us to prepare yourself for the issue that launches next week. Be sure to return to gameinformer.com later today for our first batch of The Last of Us content. At 4:...
Reader Discussion: Are You Buying A PS Vita?
By GameInformer, published 29-01-2012
I just realized that we are less than a month away from the release of the PS Vita, and I’m not nearly as excited as I should be for the release of new video game system. Sony’s PlayStation Vita releases on February 22 here in the states. I don’t think I’ll be waiting in line to get one. Granted, I’ve already played with the thing, so I’m not super eager to try it for the first time. But, I’m also not really excited to spend around $300 to own one. I think it’s a great piece of hardware, and I’m really looking forward to playing Uncharted: Golden Abyss and a few other games, but I’m still hesitant to buy a system on day one? I kind of feel like I got burned with my PSP purchase – which I don’t think I used nearly enou...
Launch Day PlayStation Vita Bundle Announced
By GameInformer, published 27-01-2012
Sony revealed today a new, limited edition bundle for the PlayStation Vita that includes a memory card and PSN game. According to a statement on the PlayStation Blog, a new PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi bundle at launch includes an 8GB Vita memory card, an AT&T DataConnect Pass good for one free 250MB session, and a PlayStation Network game for $299. Sony did not detail what game would be available as part of this bundle. Additionally, if you pre-ordered the PS Vita First Edition Bundle, Sony is now including an AT&T DataConnect Pass, and a PlayStation Network game. This bundle still includes the limited edition case, a 4GB PS Vita Memory Card, and Little Deviants game. [Source: PS Blog]
See PS Exclusives Mega Man, Pac-Man, More In New Street Fighter X Tekken Trailer
By GameInformer, published 27-01-2012
Street Fighter X Tekken is coming on March 6, across the usual variety of platforms. Sony fans have a few convincing reasons to stick with the PS3 and Vita versions, as this new trailer shows. As mentioned earlier, Pac-Man is joining the roster, taking control of the classic Tekken character Mokujin. Mega Man is also getting his fight on, though it's not the version fans may have been expecting. Remember the paunchy, pistol-packing version of our hero featured on the hilariously bad NES box art? Well, he's in the game. The pair join previously revealed PlayStation exclusives Cole McGrath and Japanese mascots Kuro and Turo. (Please visit the site to view this media) For more info on the game, check out our recent video feature, where we took on the game's producer, Yoshinori On...
MLB 12: The Show Preview: You May End Up Purchasing It Twice
By GameInformer, published 26-01-2012
The 2012 baseball season has already delivered more drama than a daytime soap, and players haven’t even reported to Spring Training yet. Ryan Braun, the National League MVP, failed a drug test and may be suspended 50 games. Albert Pujols, the star of the reigning World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals, opted to follow the scent of money to Anahiem rather than defend his title. The Chicago Cubs, a team desperately seeking a solution to a 100-year championship drought, hope former Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein can work his voodoo to remove The Curse of the Billy Goat from Wrigley Field. While video game baseball is free of the doping, betrayal, and the hundred years of sucktitude found in its real-life counterpart, developer Sony Computer Entertainment San Diego is ma...
New Video Showcases MLB 12: The Show Improvements
By GameInformer, published 25-01-2012
Sony's PlayStation exclusive baseball game has been 10-run ruling the competition for years now, but that isn't stopping the developers from pushing the boundaries of digital hardball further. As this new video showcases, SCE San Diego Studio has added several new features to the latest entry in the series, including full PlayStation Move controls, another layer of polish on the already impressive presentation that Sony dubs "TruBroadcast," a stronger focus on realism, a revamped Home Run Derby, and a new card based mode that looks to take some cues from EA's popular Ultimate Team mode that appears in Madden, NHL, and FIFA. Watch the trailer below: (Please visit the site to view this media) MLB 12: The Show ships for PlayStation 3 and Vita on March 6 – ju...
3G Vita Pricing Plan Changes Slightly
By GameInformer, published 22-01-2012
Sony announced pricing plans for the Vita earlier this month with two different plans. One of those plans has changed slightly. Originally, the plans were $14.99 and $24.99 per month for 250MB and 2GB respectively. Now, the 2GB plan has been replaced with a 3GB plan for $30 plan. Sony and AT&T aren't even messing around with all that $0.99 business. The question I have is, does anybody plan on purchasing a 3G model of the Vita? Sony has said that 3G owners will be able to download a free game, but I don't know if that really offsets the cost of having a Vita that can always access 3G. There are no contracts thankfully, so you could easily stop 3G coverage even after only one month, but it still seems like quite an investment. [via Joystiq]
Behind-The-Scenes Golden Abyss Video Shows Mo-Cap In Action
By GameInformer, published 20-01-2012
Ever wonder what a motion-capture session looks like? Or how goofy Nolan North looks when he's waving around a neon stick while wearing spandex? Have we got the video for you. The video below is taken from a chapter of Uncharted: Golden Abyss entitled "Without a Paddle," which appropriately features Drake and Sully taking a canoe for a spin. For voice actors Nolan North and Richard McGonagle, that means sitting on a pile of blocks on a motion-capture stage. While the drama of the scene is lost due to the realities of the motion-capture process, it's still an interesting glimpse at how video games are made, and bodes well for the production values of Golden Abyss. (Please visit the site to view this media) Uncharted: Golden Abyss will be available February 22. To see the ...
Mortal Kombat Coming To Vita
By GameInformer, published 17-01-2012
Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm Studios has announced that it is bringing all of the vicious action of Mortal Kombat to the Vita, and then some. The game will come out for Sony's upcoming handheld some currently unspecified time in March. Mortal Kombat for the Vita will not only feature the features and content of the console game, but also some new stuff specifically designed for the handheld. For more on the game, check out our review of the Xbox 360/PS3 version. All screens shown are from the console version of Mortal Kombat
Japan's Best-Selling Games Of 2011
By GameInformer, published 16-01-2012
Games retail tracker Media Create published the best-selling games in Japan for 2011. The data comes from Japanese website 4gamer and was translated by Andriasang. Below are the top 10 games. The full top 30 can be seen through the link below. Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo): 1,160,169 Super Mario 3D Land (Nintendo): 1,080,192 Monster Hunter 3G (Capcom): 985,498 Final Fantasy Type-0 (Square Enix): 746,203 Final Fantasy XIII-2 (Square Enix): 704,236 Monster Hunter Portable 3rd (Capcom): 682,651 (4,532,557) Rhythm Heaven: 654,403 Tales of Xillia (Namco Bandai): 627,346 Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2 Professional (Square Enix): 602,664 Wii Sports Resort Wiimote Plus Pack (Nintendo): Here are the total hardware sales for 2011 in bold with life-to-date numbers in parentheses. Nintendo 3DS - 4,282,1...
Vita, PS3 Game 'Ruin' Renamed 'Warrior's Lair'
By GameInformer, published 15-01-2012
Remember Sony's action-RPG, Ruin? You know, the one that lets players take their progress with them between the PS3 and PS Vita versions of the game? Well, it doesn't want to be called Ruin anymore. From now on, it prefers Warrior's Lair. Probably because that's now its official name. Sony unceremoniously dropped the info on the game's official page. Perhaps they didn't make too big a fuss over it because it's a title as exciting as a plate of raw tofu. Even though the name is different, the sentiment from Tim's hands-on impressions of the game is the same. You'll just have to do a find/replace from Ruin to Warrior's Lair when you read through it, however. That is, unless it's a sentence like "Dan Ryckert really knows how to ruin a good tim...
Sony PlayStation 4: Not Before 2016?
By DigitalVersus, published 15-01-2012
While Nintendo is gearing up to launch its Wii U console this year, Sony doesn't seem to be in any hurry to show off a PS4. In any case,... Read more...
The UK's Best-Selling Games Of 2011
By GameInformer, published 01-11-2012
Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was the UK's best-selling title last year, according to data released today by UKIE, a trade association that represents the UK's video game industry. This marks the third year in a row that Call of Duty took the top spot in the UK for the year. Modern Warfare 2 was the top game in 2009 and Black Ops in 2010. FIFA 12 and Battlefield 3 took the #2 and #3 spots, respectively. “In a year when overall consumer spending was down, the launch of so many high-quality titles showed that there was still strength in the UK’s boxed-product games market," said Jo Twist, CEO of UKIE. "However, whilst the boxed product market still remains a key revenue stream, digital is where much future growth lies and it is therefore vit...
Taco Bell Giving Away PlayStation Vitas
By GameInformer, published 01-11-2012
Sony announced a new promotion starting later this month with Taco Bell where they'll be giving away one PlayStation Vita every 15 minutes. The new "Unlock the Box" promotion kicks off January 26 and ends March 11. At participating Taco Bell locations, codes found on the $5 Buck Box can be entered online for a chance to win. The Vitas can be picked up at retail locations on February 22. Prize packs include one PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi model, a copy of Little Deviants, one 4GB Vita Memory Card, and a choice of one of the following games: ModNation Racers: Road Trip, LittleBigPlanet or MLB 12 The Show. There are two other ways to win a Vita through Taco Bell. You can win one through the company's mobile app by playing Reality Fighters Dogo or entering a contest online where you m...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #226
By GameInformer, published 01-11-2012
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Even Though I Read It Three Months Ago Ready Player One Still Pops Into My Head Once A Week (READ IT), Winter Training, Waiting For Diablo III, Jazz At Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge, Breaking Bad, Jose Gonzalez, Mad Men, NFL Playoffs, Timberwolves Basketball, My New Darksiders Statue Dislikes: THQ's Stock Price (THQ Has Way Too Many Awesome Games To Be As Beat Up As They Are – Stop Making An MMORPG And Concentrate On The Games In The Works That Matter Like Darksiders II And South ...
Sony Closes Little Deviants Dev
By GameInformer, published 01-10-2012
The developer behind the adorable PlayStation Vita title Little Deviants has been closed by Sony. The company confirmed a report this morning from Develop that said Sony restructured two of its UK studios. Cambridge Studios will now work closely with Killzone developer Guerilla Studios to bring the franchise to Vita. Also, developer BigBig, which recently finished up work on Little Deviants, was shut down. Below is Sony's full statement on the matter: Regular reviews take place throughout SCE Worldwide Studios, ensuring that the resources that we have in such a competitive business can create and produce high quality, innovative and commercially viable projects. As part of this process, we have reviewed and assessed all current projects and plans for the short and medium term and hav...
Trailer For Vita Version Of Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Surfaces
By GameInformer, published 01-05-2012
Konami's upcoming Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, which includes the classic stealth titles MGS 2, 3, and Peace Walker, is coming to the PlayStation Vita. Now, we have the trailer to prove it.This trailer, intended for Europe, just surfaced on the Japanese gaming blog Andriasang. Check it out for your first glimpse of Snake on Sony's next-gen handheld. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Japanese Retailers Are Already Cutting 3G Model Vita Prices
By GameInformer, published 01-04-2012
It's important to note that this is not a Sony sanctioned price drop, but some retailers of the handheld are already cutting into the price of the Vita after initial sales were disappointing in Japan. According to GamesRadar, The 3G model is especially struggling, and the price has come down 20% already. That's a far cry from the price jump that the 3DS was forced to make, but it ultimately helped Nintendo when the 3DS was not selling as well as expected. Since this is not a new MSRP set by Sony, but rather retailers trying to move stock in Japan, it shouldn't affect the assorted prices of the Vita when it launches in the U.S. in February.
Sony Has Nothing To Say About The Sharp Drop In Vita Sales
By GameInformer, published 30-12-2011
The PlayStation Vita started out strong selling over 300,000 units during its first week in Japan. During its second week though, sales dropped 78%. It wasn't even able to outsell the original PSP during its second week. The 3DS on the other hand, is doing incredibly well. The system has already reached 4 million units sold before even hitting its one year anniversary, exceeding the outlined expectations that Nintendo has in place for the handheld. So, what does Sony think of all this? Nothing apparently. Bloomberg Japan asked for comment on the Vita's disappointing early performance and all SCE PR head Satoshi Fukuoka had to say was, "no comment." The Vita releases in North America in February. Do you think it will perform better worse, or exactly the same? Or are you t...
Vita Sales Plummet In Second Week
By GameInformer, published 28-12-2011
The PlayStation Vita racked up decent sales numbers in its first two days on store shelves (attracting 321,407 buyers), but couldn't beat out its PSP predecessor in its second week. Sales data listed by 4gamer shows the Vita only sold 72,479 units, whereas the PSP reached 101,121 consumers. Both of these machines were crushed by 3DS' impressive 482,200 units (57.2 percent). The Wii (81,179 units) and PS3 (75,943 units) also sold more than Vita. The decline in sales is worrisome, but not out of character for a new system launch. The 3DS also ran into slow sales in its first year. After a price drop and offering games people want to play, look at it now. Thanks to Neogaf and Game Informer reader HK-47 for the tip!
Analyst Predictions For 2012
By GameInformer, published 28-12-2011
The games industry had an interesting year. Some highlights from 2011 include the release of motion controllers from Sony and Microsoft - Kinect and Move - and Nintendo revealed it's upcoming console, the Wii U, due out sometime after this coming E3. The 3DS saw a massive price cut from $249 to $169 in less than six months after launch. In the digital space, EA launched Origin, its online retail store to compete with Valve's Steam. Sony launched PlayStation Vita, a new, powerful handheld. And Grand Theft Auto V was finally revealed by Rockstar Games. As this year comes to a close, we spoke to several industry analysts to get their take on what could happen in 2012. Their predictions are published below: Jesse Divnich - EEDAR 1. Pricing for Paid Mobile Apps Will Increase in 2012 Wi...
Editorial: Sony's Biggest Mistake Of 2011
By GameInformer, published 27-12-2011
Despite releasing some big name exclusives, 2011 was a rough year for Sony. The company's lackluster security led to one of the worst hacking scandals in recent history, and its solution to motion-controlled gaming fell flat in light of nearly nonexistent support. But these disappointments pale in my mind to the company's failure to capitalize on three little words. Play, Create, Share. It's a tag line Sony coined alongside the first LittleBigPlanet, one that wasn't just supposed to be a flashy slogan, but a new way to play video games. It was meant to be a feather in Sony's cap – one the company could certainly use. The LittleBigPlanet series provides virtually unlimited replayability Sony doesn't have a lot to differentiate itself from the competition nowad...
The Big Gaming Remake Guide
By GameInformer, published 25-12-2011
Remaking classic titles with enhanced features and uprezzed graphics is all the rage these days and keeping track of them gets out of hand quickly. Here's a guide to help you remember which remakes are already out and which ones are on the horizon. The following lists focus mostly on titles that released recently, but includes a few older favorites and some that are on the way. The data includes the name of the remake or collection, the platforms, and which games are included. Some games were omitted because they are no longer available (the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade games and Double Dragon). Click on the links for full reviews or more information on the collections. If we did a review back in the day and it's doesn't have a direct link on the site, the numerical sco...
Hands-On: Sony PS Vita, First Impressions
By DigitalVersus, published 25-12-2011
Although we'll have to wait until 22 February 2012 to see the PlayStation Vita in stores in Europe, we've been lucky enough to have a quick hands-on with Sony's latest... Read more...
Japan Exclusive Malicious Receives Australian Classification
By GameInformer, published 24-12-2011
Malicious is a game where you fight bosses, gain powers, and use those powers to fight other bosses, and we were never sure if it would be seen outside of Japan. Yesterday though, the game showed up in the Australian classification database. This is by no means a guarantee of a localized version of the game for the U.S., but it is a strong indicator, which is good news because the game looks cool. It sort of reminds me of that old PlayStation 2 game, Stretch Panic, but much, much better. There has also been an announced Vita version of the game, but again, no word on whether or not it will be making it's way to the states. [Via Joystiq]
Vita's Design Has Surprising Ties To Old-School Sony
By GameInformer, published 23-12-2011
James Gallagher, of the PlayStation Blog, attended the official launch of the PS Vita in Japan earlier in the week. He's compiled a few tidbits from his trip in a new post, which includes a surprising link between Sony's latest handheld system and the company's old-school consumer-electronic roots. In addition to passing along a few mundane details such as what's inside the system's box, Gallagher mentions a chat he had with Takashi Sogabe, from Sony's Corporate Design Centre. Sogabe's team designed the physical form that players will hold in their hand. Sogabe knows a thing or two about hardware design, Gallagher says, since he designed the original Sony Walkman cassette player. Sogabe told Gallagher that the system had undergone several iterations, including ...
OnLive heads to the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
By TechRadar, published 23-12-2011
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play may have debuted to lukewarm reviews in 2011, but game streaming king OnLive has given it a reprieve by making its service available on the smartphone.OnLive has managed to show the world that cloud gaming can actually work – especially on the big screen, where all you have to do is plug in its receiver to stream content.Its launch on handheld devices earlier this month, however, was a harder sell. Yes you play premium games on a tablet but you have to use either fiddly virtual controls or and external joypad, which is decent but not perfect when your screen is no bigger than 10 inches.Enter the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, the only smartphone around with analogue controls, and suddenly OnLive on a portable device begins to make sense.Game on"From the mome...
PS Vita UK game and accessory prices revealed
By TechRadar, published 23-12-2011
Sony has officially announced UK and European prices for PS Vita accessories and games, but also revealed no 32GB memory card will be available at launch. A launch line-up of 25 games has been unveiled for the US, but not the full final list for PAL regions (Europe, New Zealand and Australia). We have been offered a price list for the first-party games from Sony itself; and you'll be expected to fork out up to a staggering £55 for some. Memory hog?With the pricings comes the news that the largest of the official memory cards (32GB) is not coming to the PAL regions at launch. "At this time we are not planning to launch with the 32GB Vita Memory Card," said Sony's PS Vita European Product Manager Adam Grant.That means the options are a 4GB, 8GB or 16GB card for your sparkly new hand...
PlayStation Vita US launch titles revealed
By TechRadar, published 22-12-2011
Sony has revealed the full line-up of games which will be available for the PlayStation Vita console when it launches on 22 February.There will be 25 games available in total, priced from $10-$50, with Sony calling claiming that "PS Vita will have the biggest and best lineup we've ever launched across the history of PlayStation platforms."Sony says there are over 100 games in development, but these are the titles that will be available from day one:SCEA Launch Day Titles Escape Plan (PSN Only), Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, Hustle Kings (PSN Only), Little Deviants, ModNation Racers: Road Trip, Super StarDust Delta (PSN only), UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss, wipEout 2048. Third Party Publisher Launch Day Titles Army Corps of Hell (Square Enix), Asphalt Injection (Ubisoft), BEN10 GAL...
PlayStation Vita US launch titles revealed
By TechRadar, published 22-12-2011
Sony has revealed the full line-up of games which will be available for the PlayStation Vita console when it launches on 22 February.There will be 25 games available in total, priced from $10-$50, with Sony calling claiming that "PS Vita will have the biggest and best lineup we've ever launched across the history of PlayStation platforms."Sony says there are over 100 games in development, but these are the titles that will be available from day one:SCEA Launch Day Titles Escape Plan (PSN Only), Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, Hustle Kings (PSN Only), Little Deviants, ModNation Racers: Road Trip, Super StarDust Delta (PSN only), UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss, wipEout 2048. Third Party Publisher Launch Day Titles Army Corps of Hell (Square Enix), Asphalt Injection (Ubisoft), BEN10 GAL...
PS Vita hits shelves with 20 titles
By GameSpot, published 22-12-2011
Sony lays out launch lineup headed by Uncharted and Hot Shots Golf; games priced from $10 to $50, memory cards running from $20 for 4GB up to $100 for 32GB. The PlayStation Vita is almost here, and Sony today locked down some launch details for its latest handheld, including the first wave of games and accessories. PS Vita purchasers can start working out their launch-day budgets now. When the PS Vita officially launches in North America February 22, it will do so with 20 retail games and another five downloadable titles available only through the PlayStation Network. Sony also outlined software support for the system's First Edition bundle, which goes on sale a week earlier, launching February 15. All five of Sony's first-party games will be on shelve...
Unboxing The PlayStation Vita
By GameInformer, published 22-12-2011
I just now got my hands on the Japanese version of Sony's new handheld. In this video, we reveal the Vita's packaging, menus, front-end features, and play a couple games. So far, it seems like a well-made system with some impressive technology under the hood. The screen itself is big and beautiful. In addition to digging through some of the menus and features, I got to check out two Japanese games – Touch My Katamari and Army Corps of Hell (both of which are headed to the U.S.) – to give you an idea of what games will look like on Vita. While they aren't the most graphically impressive titles coming to the system, they look good nonetheless. Check out the video below for more; this is one sexy system. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Sony Announces U.S. Vita Launch Lineup & Accessories
By GameInformer, published 22-12-2011
Sony has announced its official launch lineup for the PlayStation Vita when the system comes out next year. SCEA Launch Day TitlesEscape Plan (PSN Only)Hot Shots Golf: World InvitationalHustle Kings (PSN Only)Little DeviantsModNation Racers: Road TripSuper StarDust Delta (PSN only)Uncharted: Golden AbyssWipeout 2048Launch Window TitlesGravity RushMLB 12: The ShowReality FightersUnit 13Third-Party Publisher Launch Day TitlesArmy Corps of Hell (Square Enix, Inc.)Asphalt Injection (Ubisoft, Inc.)Ben10 Galactic Racing (D3 Publisher of America)Blazblue: Continuum Shift Extend ( Aksys Games Localization, Inc.)Dungeon Hunter Alliance (Ubisoft, Inc.)Dynasty Warriors Next (Tecmo Koei America Corporation)F1 2011 (Codemasters)FIFA Soccer (Electronic Arts, Inc.)Lumines Electronic Symphony (Ubisoft, I...
Gary Marshall: Tech firms! Stop using us to beta test unfinished kit
By TechRadar, published 22-12-2011
Good news! The Kindle Fire's working properly now!Amazon's issued an automatic software update that adds a raft of new features including Buttons Reacting When You Press Them, Touch Commands Being Detected and Your New Gadget Actually Bloody Working Properly.It's free and came out quickly, so hurrah for that, but it's yet another example of what I like to call "the tech industry taking the proverbial out of its customers". The Kindle Fire update doesn't address obscure driver conflicts, or one-in-a-million entanglements between apps, individual system settings and particularly unpleasant wallpaper. It fixes some very basic flaws, flaws that pretty much every reviewer spotted immediately.There are only two possible explanations: one, everybody in Amazon's QA department is a dumbass....
Big in Japan Dec 12-18: FF XIII-2, PS Vita
By GameSpot, published 22-12-2011
Sony's new handheld comes in second to 3DS on hardware sales chart in launch week; Square Enix's latest RPG tops software charts. All eyes were fixed on the PlayStation Vita when it launched in Japan on December 17, so there's no surprise that Sony's new handheld made its presence known in the recent Media Creates sales chart on both the software and hardware sides. Not to be outdone, the release of a major Final Fantasy title in the country proved that role-playing game juggernauts can still sell, even with everybody talking about the availability of a new device. Square Enix may have stolen some of Sony's thunder in the week of December 12. The PlayStation 3 version of Final Fantasy XIII-2 debuted at first place on the sales chart for the week of ...
Sony Denies Widespread Vita Errors
By GameInformer, published 21-12-2011
Sony is upset by a number of reports appearing online claiming its new PlayStation Vita is marred by glitches and errors. Numerous reports and videos began surfacing out of Japan since the Vita launched this past Saturday that highlighted system freezes and unresponsive touch screens, though Sony says these issues are isolated. "The PS Vita has had a terrific launch and sold in large numbers," said David Wilson, head of UK PR at Sony Computer Entertainment, in an interview with The Guardian. "We're annoyed with these stories, because we can't find any evidence of widespread glitches." Wilson added: "The stories even said that Sony has issued an apology for PS Vita glitches, which simply isn't true – there's an apology on our Japanese website...
How Does Vita And 3DS Battery Life Compare To The Old-School PSP?
By GameInformer, published 21-12-2011
As handheld systems gain more utility and become more powerful, one seemingly important element is getting lost in the equation: battery life. One Japanese gamer decided to take the newest handhelds from Sony and Nintendo and pit them against an older PSP-3000 to see what wins. You can watch the sped-up video for yourself below, but the results shouldn't be terribly surprising. The 3DS crumbles under the added power drain of its 3D capabilities and is the first to go at around two-and-a-half hours. The PlayStation Vita lasts to a bit under four hours, while the PSP-3000 goes strong right up through the nine hour mark. Does battery life matter to you when choosing a handheld system? More importantly, does anyone actually keep the 3D turned on for their 3DS all the time? (Please visit ...
PS Vita software lineup planned to 2013
By GameSpot, published 20-12-2011
Sony publishing president says company will not be repeating PSP game library "mistake"; Hot Shots Golf tops Japanese launch sales. Sony launched the PSP in March 2005, and one criticism that was leveled against the company during that window was the system's dearth of new games. With the PlayStation Vita having launched in Japan last week, Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida does not plan on having the company make that mistake again. Japanese gamers were most concerned with hitting the links upon the PS Vita's debut. "In the past we launched PSP and then shifted our attention to PS3 when that came on the horizon, which we now concede was a mistake," Yoshida said in an interview posted to the PlayStation Blog. "So with PS Vita we are wor...
Sony: We won’t make PSP mistakes with PS Vita
By SlashGear, published 20-12-2011
Sony has admitted it made a mistake with how PSP games were handled, dropping the ball when the PS3 arrived, and insists that it will not make the same mistake the the PS Vita. “”In the past we launched PSP and then shifted our attention to PS3 when that came on the horizon, which we now [...]
321,000 PS Vitas sold in two days
By GameSpot, published 20-12-2011
Japanese launch sales for Sony's new handheld nearly match those of the 3DS at launch. The number of PlayStation Vitas sold in the handheld's first two days on sale was 321,000, according to a Reuters report on the latest figures from Japanese retail tracking firm Enterbrain. Look for this PS Vita packaging when the system hits in February. The PS Vita was released on Saturday in Japan ahead of its international debut on February 22. The handheld comes in two different flavors--a ¥24,980 Wi-Fi only model and a ¥29,980 model that features both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity options. In the US, the two versions will retail for $249 and $299; in the eurozone, they will cost €249 and €299; and in the UK, they will be £229.99 and ...
Sony moves 321,000 PS Vita portables in first two days
By SlashGear, published 20-12-2011
We have been hearing a lot about the Sony PS Vita over the last few months leading up to its Japanese launch. The little portable console will launch here in the US in early 2012. In Japan, the launch has already come and Sony is reporting robust sales of the device. We had heard previously [...]
PlayStation Vita Week One Sales Results
By GameInformer, published 20-12-2011
Sony's newest handheld got off to a decent start in Japan where it sold 321,407 units in its first two days. The sales number comes courtesy of Japan's retail tracker Enterbrain via Famitsu. First week sales account just for December 17 and 18. Sony said it shipped 500,000 Vitas in Japan for launch, though other reports claim the company made available an additional 200,000 units. That number hasn't been confirmed. For comparison, the first two days of sales for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan totaled 371,326 units while just one day for PSP hit 166,074 units. The PlayStation Vita releases on February 22, 2012 in North America and Europe. Source: Andriasang
PlayStation Vita Launches With Bizarre Setup Process
By GameInformer, published 20-12-2011
As of this weekend, Sony's PlayStation Vita handheld is out and in the hands of Japanese gamers. Unfortunately, those early adopters are likely to be hitting a few speed bumps on the road to next-gen handheld gaming. Cheap Ass Gamer founder CheapyD posted the video below on his YouTube account. In it, he attempts to tie his PlayStation Network account to his Vita only to be told that he has to download a system update...that the system seemingly won't allow him to download. Eventually, CheapyD discovered that he had to tell the system that he didn't want to use his existing PSN account, create a trial account, download the system update, and then switch over to his real PSN account. If that seems like an inconvenient, unintuitive, painful process, it's because it is. Then...
Sunday Shortbread
By TechReport, published 18-12-2011
Eight is Enough Microsoft's design lead Steve Kaneko on unification and Metro: 'We're not looking over our shoulders' Engadget: Fusion Garage's website goes dark - has it bitten the dust? The Register: Seagate matches and raises WD disk warranty cuts Cascading the reschedules: If Sandy Bridge EP comes later, so will Ivy Bridge EP - VR-Zone SemiAccurate: Low-end Radeon HD 7000 series; AMD re-brands Engadget: Motorola Xoom tablet gets an Ice Cream Sandwich makeover with 4.0.3 AppleInsider: Sony launches PlayStation Vita handheld to reclaim mobile gaming Torchlight II company play test Read more...
The Japanese Vita Unboxing Videos Have Begun
By GameInformer, published 18-12-2011
Ever since YouTube took over the internet in the mid-2000s, unboxing videos have become a...thing...of some sort. Whether or not you understand the appeal of these shaky-cam looks at the contents of boxes, they're all over the site. With the Playstation Vita releasing in Japan recently, you can now see what comes in the Japanese package. I don't understand a lick of Japanese, so I have no idea what the guy in the video is saying. I assume it doesn't really matter, as the real star is the purdy Vita hardware. Take a look: [UPDATE: Thanks to lots of people correcting me on Twitter and in the comments, I now realize that I actually don't understand Japanese OR Cantonese. Thanks!] (Please visit the site to view this media) Source: Kotaku
PS Vita Launches In Japan; Long-Term Success Questionable
By HotHardware, published 17-12-2011
Sony's PlayStation Vita went on sale today in Japan to strong demand; there are reports that Sony sold-out all 700,000 units it set aside for the Japanese launch. ""I'm so happy to see so many people lining up for PS Vita so early in the morning," Sony Computer Entertainment Japan President Hiroshi Kono wrote in his official blog after touring...
PS Vita details surface on Trophies, remote play, and more
By SlashGear, published 16-12-2011
Sony’s PS Vita has already sold out in pre-orders for its December 17 launch in Japan, but it won’t be heading to the states until February 22. Nonetheless, we can indulge in new details on the device that have been revealed in the English version of the console’s user guide, which Sony has made available [...]
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #225
By GameInformer, published 16-12-2011
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: I Really Want To Install A Giant Second Monitor In My Game Room For Sports Viewing (I Know, I Have First World Problems, I Didn't Say I Was Doing It), Winter Training (I'm Finally Able To Workout Since My Kidney Donation, And I Really Want To See If I Can Do An Olympic Length Triathlon This Coming Summer. I'm Gonna Crush The 3K Miles I Rode Last Season On My Bike), Having A Full Staff Again (This Death Star Is Fully Operational), Skyrim Dreams, Bananas Dislikes: Finding That Pa...
Sony Confirms One PSN Account Per Vita
By GameInformer, published 15-12-2011
Backtracking on comments it made earlier this month, Sony is now saying the PlayStation Vita will allow only one PSN account per unit. Wired first reported that Sony said users could switch memory cards in order to use multiple PSN account IDs on a Vita handheld. Now that doesn't appear to be the case. “[The] PSN account is tied to the hardware and the memory card, not just the card,” a Sony representative told Wired, “which means that if a second person is using your Vita, it’s not just a case of switching out memory cards, it’s clearing out all of your saved data on the Vita itself when you do the factory reset.” “In other words, PlayStation Vita is intended to be played by only one user." Game Informer followed up with Sony for addit...
Sony to unveil Ericsson-free Xperia phones at CES 2012?
By TechRadar, published 15-12-2011
We all know that Sony is planning to bust out a range of Ericsson-less smartphones by June 2012, but we could be seeing the shorter-named handsets as early as CES 2012. Alongside an invitation to the Sony press conference at the tech show, Swedish site Swedroid received a note inviting it to a second meeting "where the latest Xperia models will be showcased". The illuminating invitation arrives just as the first images of the Sony-only handset hit the web, a smarpthone apparently codenamed the Sony Xperia Nypon (model number LT22). Image credit: mobile.it168.comIt's not a particularly inspiring looking handset, but it does seem quite slim up top with a rather rotund bottom half (above). Speculation timeSpecs are said to include a 1GHz dual-core processor, 4-inch qHD display, 8MP ca...
Sony PS Vita sells out in Japanese pre-orders
By SlashGear, published 15-12-2011
The Sony PS Vita is launching first in Japan and inside Sony’s home country the little Vita portable has been up for pre-sale ahead of a lunching in time for Christmas. Sony will launch the Vita inside Japan officially on December 17, which is this coming Friday. The Vita has been up for pre-order for [...]
Buying Guide: Best camera remote shutter releases
By TechRadar, published 15-12-2011
There are many reasons why you might want to trigger your camera's shutter remotely, and there are a range of wired and wireless remote releases enable you to do this. Wireless remotes are particularly useful when taking group shots with yourself in the frame, or when it isn't practical to stand directly behind your camera at the time of capture, such as with certain type of nature photography. Cheaper wired remotes, meanwhile, are just as suitable as wireless types when you want to trigger the camera without touching the shutter release button, such as for macro photography where camera stability is vital to achieving a sharp image.So here's our selection of our favourite camera remote releases, all of them available for under £100.Canon RS-80N3 - £45This Canon controller connects to po...
PS Vita could succeed with more PS3 integration
By SlashGear, published 15-12-2011
Sony’s PS Vita could get a good boost from integration with the PS3 console. With casual mobile gaming becoming popular, the dedicated next-gen gaming portable didn’t get quite the reception it was hoping for. But if it can enhance the PS3 gaming experience or somehow work in tandem with the console, it could offer a [...]
Where Does webOS Go From Here?
By MaximumPC, published 14-12-2011
Praise tech Jesus, webOS still has a pulse! The mobile OS seemingly doomed to a cold eternity in a digital graveyard has been granted an open source reprieve. Great! Only question is, what comes next? Obviously webOS is a platform built for smartphones and tablets, but HP making it open source means people can find some weird uses for the little OS that could. How would webOS be best put to use? We already know we'll probably see another tablet from HP. They've conceded that much and we like that. A lot. But we've got some other ideas for how webOS could be used. HTC Phones HTC makes fantastic, well-built hardware, and is generally open to building devices for any viable platform. WebOS has always run on hardware that could have been better. HTC is also caught between Google and Microsoft...
Uncharted Leads Barrage Of New Vita Trailers
By GameInformer, published 14-12-2011
Sony's PlayStation Vita handheld is only days away from launching in Japan and just over two months from making its way to North America. It's time for Sony to start building the hype, and what better way to do that than releasing a bunch of trailers for Vita launch games. Check out the new trailers for three of my most anticipated Vita releases below. Then you can head over to the Official PlayStation Blog for seven more trailers and a ton more exciting Vita info. Are you planning to pick up the new handheld or any of these games come February? (Please visit the site to view this media) (Please visit the site to view this media) (Please visit the site to view this media)
[Update] Rats! DJ Deadmau5 Leaves PS Vita In A Cab
By GameInformer, published 12-11-2011
[Update] It seems that Deadmau5 was merely trying to get a rise out of Sony when he claimed that he misplaced the PS Vita that was entrusted to him. Apparently a man who performs in a giant cartoony mouse head has a sense of humor. "Sorry! didn't lose the lose the PS Vita! i just wanted to see how much management would freak out over it,... " he tweeted, adding a link to a photo of the unit tucked gently in an enormous padded case. Whew! Here I come, full night's sleep! [Original story] Deadmau5 performed at last night's VGA awards, providing tunes for the event. Afterward, he went to his hotel. So far so good, except for the part where he accidentally left a prerelease PS Vita that Sony had provided him behind in a cab. Drat. The DJ revealed the situation in an earl...
Vita PSN Accounts Tied To Memory Cards, Not The Handheld
By GameInformer, published 12-08-2011
If you’re a fan of bringing your gamer profile and a bunch of downloadable games over to a friends’ to show them off, you’ll probably like the Vita. PSN accounts don’t bond with the hardware itself, but rather the memory card they’re downloaded to. “Your PSN ID is bonded to your memory card and your memory card is bonded to your Vita,” Sony associate brand marketing manager Crystal MacKenzie told Wired. “So if you wanted to change different PSN users but use the same memory card, you would need to go factory reset.” So accessing your PSN account and games is as easy as swapping out the memory card they’re installed on. Sounds simple enough. If you have too much media for one of Sony’s spendy storage devices, you can have yo...
Report: Only One PSN Account Allowed Per Vita
By GameInformer, published 12-05-2011
It's not unusual to set up multiple accounts on your PS3. Maybe some are there for your friends and family or you have some foreign accounts set up. Unfortunately, there's a report that the Vita handheld can only be synched with one PSN account. NeoGAF user medhi_san attended a Vita launch event in Osaka, Japan, and an FAQ in the literature for the handheld states that only one PSN account can be registered per Vita. Switching the associated account can only be done through a reset of the system's factory settings. Sony says that the PSP also limits gamers to one account, but it just doesn't require a factory reset to login to a new account. By definition a factory reset wipes all your data and brings you back to nothing. This would presumably prevent you from sharing save...
PS Vita lacks game/web multitasking; single PSN limit
By SlashGear, published 12-05-2011
Sony’s PS Vita handheld with ship with limits on multitasking preventing web browsing while a game is running in the background, as well as on how many PlayStation Network accounts can be used with a single unit, new information ahead of the console’s launch has confirmed. The company confirmed to AV Watch that, at least at launch, [...]
Sony's Cat Mascots Join The Fray In Street Fighter X Tekken
By GameInformer, published 12-05-2011
Toro and Kuro are feline Sony mascots that are popular in Japan. Naturally, the duo be making exclusive appearances alongside Ryu, Kazuya, and the rest of the gang in the PS3 and Vita versions of Street Fighter X Tekken. This video shows creator Yoshinori Ono as he demonstrates the cats in action alongside two life-sized versions of the kitties. (Please visit the site to view this media) Based off the moves shown, it looks like Toro has been taking notes based on Capcom fighters and Kuro is more of a Tekken guy. Kudos to the two playing the game for not decapitating the hyperactive mascots as they obscured the screen. Talk about herding cats, am I right? It seems like Ono didn't mind too much, however, what with the bit of furry love at the end. Source: Destructoid
Rumor: Downloading PSN Games On Vita 40% Cheaper Than Retail
By GameInformer, published 12-04-2011
Sony has hinted in the past that downloading games on the Vita will be a cheaper option than buying them off the shelves. The scuttlebutt from a recent Sony event is that the savings could be a dramatic 40 percent for ditching the box. According to Thrifty Nerd, Vita games will be capped off at $39.99 at retail. Downloading a game at the same price would only cost around $23, however, saving you a pretty penny by going digital. Many gamers gasped at the Vita's spendy memory cards (4GB: $30, 8GB: $45, 16GB: $70, 32GB: $120), but these savings, if true, could soften that blow. While this prospect is exciting for prospective Vita owners, keep your expectations low until we have official confirmation from Sony.
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 12-03-2011
This week's hottest reviews on TechRadarThis week we've looked at Sony's new dual-screened Tablet P - it's a clamshell Android tablet that's seriously different from anything else on the market. Read on for what we made of it. Then we've got our definitive verdict on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, plus the super speedy Intel Core i7 2700K processor and the entry-level Nikon D3100 DSLR. Plus there's plenty more besides - read on to see all of this week's reviews. Sony Tablet P reviewThe Android tablet is diversifying by the day, and here's one that… folds in half. Yep, the Sony Tablet P has dual screens and folds closed into something resembling a large glasses case. The slick lines and thin body of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and even the Sony Tablet S are nowhere to be seen, this is a device a...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 12-03-2011
This week's hottest reviews on TechRadarThis week we've looked at Sony's new dual-screened Tablet P - it's a clamshell Android tablet that's seriously different from anything else on the market. Read on for what we made of it. Then we've got our definitive verdict on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, plus the super speedy Intel Core i7 2700K processor and the entry-level Nikon D3100 DSLR. Plus there's plenty more besides - read on to see all of this week's reviews. Sony Tablet P reviewThe Android tablet is diversifying by the day, and here's one that… folds in half. Yep, the Sony Tablet P has dual screens and folds closed into something resembling a large glasses case. The slick lines and thin body of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and even the Sony Tablet S are nowhere to be seen, this is a device a...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 12-03-2011
This week's hottest reviews on TechRadarThis week we've looked at Sony's new dual-screened Tablet P - it's a clamshell Android tablet that's seriously different from anything else on the market. Read on for what we made of it. Then we've got our definitive verdict on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, plus the super speedy Intel Core i7 2700K processor and the entry-level Nikon D3100 DSLR. Plus there's plenty more besides - read on to see all of this week's reviews. Sony Tablet P reviewThe Android tablet is diversifying by the day, and here's one that… folds in half. Yep, the Sony Tablet P has dual screens and folds closed into something resembling a large glasses case. The slick lines and thin body of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and even the Sony Tablet S are nowhere to be seen, this is a device a...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 12-03-2011
This week's hottest reviews on TechRadarThis week we've looked at Sony's new dual-screened Tablet P - it's a clamshell Android tablet that's seriously different from anything else on the market. Read on for what we made of it. Then we've got our definitive verdict on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, plus the super speedy Intel Core i7 2700K processor and the entry-level Nikon D3100 DSLR. Plus there's plenty more besides - read on to see all of this week's reviews. Sony Tablet P reviewThe Android tablet is diversifying by the day, and here's one that… folds in half. Yep, the Sony Tablet P has dual screens and folds closed into something resembling a large glasses case. The slick lines and thin body of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and even the Sony Tablet S are nowhere to be seen, this is a device a...
Sony negotiating Flash support for PS Vita
By TechRadar, published 12-02-2011
While Adobe may have given up on Flash Player for mobile, Sony is having none of it, claiming to be in negotiations with the software company to bring Flash support to the PS Vita. Sony's division two software development head Muneki Shimad told Japanese publication Impress Watch that the company is "continuing negotiations" with Adobe and has "not given up". The same interview also revealed that the PS Vita won't support 1080p at launch, although future updates might bring the higher resolution playback to the console.Vita-liteBad news for Mac users, your computers won't recognise the PS Vita as a mass storage device when it lands in February 2012. While a PC utility will be created before the handheld comes out, Mac users won't be so lucky – but Sony's product division ...
Sony negotiating Flash support for PS Vita
By TechRadar, published 12-02-2011
While Adobe may have given up on Flash Player for mobile, Sony is having none of it, claiming to be in negotiations with the software company to bring Flash support to the PS Vita. Sony's division two software development head Muneki Shimad told Japanese publication Impress Watch that the company is "continuing negotiations" with Adobe and has "not given up". The same interview also revealed that the PS Vita won't support 1080p at launch, although future updates might bring the higher resolution playback to the console.Vita-liteBad news for Mac users, your computers won't recognise the PS Vita as a mass storage device when it lands in February 2012. While a PC utility will be created before the handheld comes out, Mac users won't be so lucky – but Sony's product division ...
MotorStorm Dev Says Sony Saved It From Apocalypse
By GameInformer, published 12-01-2011
MotorStorm Apocalypse definitely wasn't a bad game, but it faced a lot of trouble previous entries in the racing series didn't. Pushed back due to bad timing with the natural disaster in Japan and up against problematic PlayStation Network service, the decks were stacked against Apocalypse. According to the head of developer Evolution Studios, the team only survived because of Sony's support. Speaking to Eurogamer, Evolution Studios group game director Matt Southern lamented, "Racing has had a very tough time, even without extraordinary circumstances like the ones we went through." Luckily for the group, Southern says that Sony "defended us and protected us and allowed us to experiment." According to Southern, following the stormy release of MotorStorm Apoc...
New PS3 Firmware Update Preps For Vita Launch
By GameInformer, published 30-11-2011
PlayStation 3 owners are receiving a new firmware update tonight that adds Vita support. The update, v4.00, allows users to "copy their digital content such as games, music, photos, and videos between PS Vita and PS3, back up PS Vita games including save data to your PS3 hard drive, and update the system software for your PS Vita system using the network features of your PS3." Sony also notes on the PlayStation Blog the update allows PlayStation Plus members to choose to enable or disable each automatic update feature: Game patches System software Recommended games and videos Sync trophy information Also included are new PlayStation Network settings for filtering friend requests and messages.
Sony To Host Public Playable Vita Event In San Francisco Tomorrow
By GameInformer, published 29-11-2011
Sony's new Vita handheld doesn't release in the U.S. until February 22, but the company will be holding a number of Vita Social Club events around the country to give gamers a chance for some hands-on time with the unit. The first of these happens tomorrow in San Francisco.Dubbed the "Vita Hill Social Club," the San Francisco event begins tomorrow at 5pm Pacific time. Here are all the details. Note: The event is open to the public but you must RSVP online. If you don't live in the Bay Area, don't worry -- Sony promises that Vita Social Clubs will take place "all around the U.S. in the near future."Date/Time?: Thursday, Dec 1st, 2011 from 5:00 – 9:00pm Pacific Time Location?: Vita Hill Social Club1694 Union Street (at Gough)San Francisco, CA 94123 ...
Updated: PS Vita: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 29-11-2011
PlayStation Vita: what you need to knowAfter much rumour and speculation, Sony announced the new PSP console - formerly codenamed NGP for Next Generation Portable - would be called the PlayStation Vita. And we've been playing with the new handheld. Read our thoughts in our Hands on: Sony PS Vita reviewBut when will the PlayStation Vita UK release date be and how much will it cost? Read on to find out.brightcove : 1091086359001PlayStation Vita UK release dateNobody expected Sony to miss the all-important Christmas shopping period, but it has happened. While the release date was originally planned for October 2011 - a flyer from Blockbuster put the original PS Vita release date at 28 October.Sony has now said that the PlayStation Vita UK release date is 22 February 2012 when 11 games will la...
Review: Sony Tablet P
By TechRadar, published 29-11-2011
OverviewThis time last year - when the Tablet P wasn't even a twinkle in Sony's eye - we were weeping into a mound of rubbish iPad rip-offs, begging for sweet release from our tiresome lives. Every week we saw yet more rectangular lumps of plastic, fit only for use as door wedges. They ran outdated versions of Google's Android operating system, designed for the humble smartphone, so the blocky desktops and stretched-out apps looked truly horrendous.But just as we were headed to the bathtub with our toasters, two miraculous things happened. First, Google released Android Honeycomb - a slick, tablet-oriented version of its mobile operating system. And second, manufacturers started paying attention to the slew of negative reviews and actually started producing decent devices.The excellent Sam...
Delay hits Nintendo 3DS update
By TechRadar, published 29-11-2011
Nintendo has confirmed that the software update to the Nintendo 3DS that brings 3D video recording to the console is delayed until 8 December. The company had hoped to release the software before November's end, but it seems that the "final stages of internal testing" are taking longer than it thought, hence the delay. As well as 3D video recording, the update will bring the ability to transfer downloaded content between 3DSes, as well as new "game content" in the Mii Plaza. Wrong castle, Nintendo update fansNintendo has struggled to shift the 3DS console and, after price drops and other tactics didn't really help, recently decided that it should focus on casual gamers in order to sell more. As well as the 3D video recording functionality, the handheld console will see more...
Delay hits Nintendo 3DS update
By TechRadar, published 29-11-2011
Nintendo has confirmed that the software update to the Nintendo 3DS that brings 3D video recording to the console is delayed until 8 December. The company had hoped to release the software before November's end, but it seems that the "final stages of internal testing" are taking longer than it thought, hence the delay. As well as 3D video recording, the update will bring the ability to transfer downloaded content between 3DSes, as well as new "game content" in the Mii Plaza. Wrong castle, Nintendo update fansNintendo has struggled to shift the 3DS console and, after price drops and other tactics didn't really help, recently decided that it should focus on casual gamers in order to sell more. As well as the 3D video recording functionality, the handheld console will see more...
In Depth: OnLive vs Gaikai: cloud gaming explored
By TechRadar, published 29-11-2011
OnLive vs GaikaiWe're not usually in the business of predicting the weather, metaphorical or otherwise. Lately though, the clouds over the current technological landscape have grabbed our attention. A few got drizzled on in the early days of cloud data storage - it had its teething problems like any new tech - but now most of us enjoy saved games backed up in Steam's cumulonimbus of information, and trust our most treasured documents within the altostratus of LiveDrive. There are yet more strange shapes forming in the sky above PC gaming; namely Gaikai (pronounced guy-kai pop-pickers) and OnLive (pronounced on-live). They both offer gamers an ever-increasing library of PC games to play instantly on your PC, Mac or smart TV.OnLive review It might sound like Steam without the download time, ...
In Depth: OnLive vs Gaikai: cloud gaming explored
By TechRadar, published 29-11-2011
OnLive vs GaikaiWe're not usually in the business of predicting the weather, metaphorical or otherwise. Lately though, the clouds over the current technological landscape have grabbed our attention. A few got drizzled on in the early days of cloud data storage - it had its teething problems like any new tech - but now most of us enjoy saved games backed up in Steam's cumulonimbus of information, and trust our most treasured documents within the altostratus of LiveDrive. There are yet more strange shapes forming in the sky above PC gaming; namely Gaikai (pronounced guy-kai pop-pickers) and OnLive (pronounced on-live). They both offer gamers an ever-increasing library of PC games to play instantly on your PC, Mac or smart TV.OnLive review It might sound like Steam without the download time, ...
PS Vita won't support PSOne/archive titles at launch
By GameSpot, published 29-11-2011
Japanese PS Vita FAQ page reveals upcoming handheld will not play archived titles initially, says more details will be revealed later. Earlier this month, Sony revealed players wanting to transfer existing PSP titles to the publisher's soon-to-be-released PlayStation Vita console will have to repurchase the titles for a discounted fee. Players hoping to have better luck accessing and playing PSOne classics on the console have fared no better, with the publisher revealing that the Vita will not support archive titles at its Japanese launch next month. The Vita won't play PSOne classics at launch. In an FAQ on Sony Japan's Vita site, and as translated by GameSpot Australia, the publisher states: "Q: Can games in the PlayStation archives be played on ...
The Mysterious PlayStation Vita Launch Lineup
By GameInformer, published 29-11-2011
The PlayStation Vita is nearly upon us, but we’re still not completely sure what games will be available to play on launch day. We can make some pretty intelligent guesses based on the confirmed European launch lineup, but nothing will be set in stone until Sony offers us a true list for North America, which should be soon.The handheld system releases here in North America and in Europe on February 22, but in Japan the system will be available on December 17. Here’s what we know, and what we can assume about the games we will be able to play on day one. This list is based on a combination of rumors and retailer information.Sure Things (Maybe)Uncharted: Golden Abyss – This is the reason many are getting excited about the Vita, and understandably so. It looks almost indist...
GameStop reveals PS Vita accessories pricing
By SlashGear, published 28-11-2011
GameStop has unveiled all the pricing information for Sony’s PS Vita next-gen portable along with the pricing of its official accessories. Those include various capacity memory cards, USB cables, docks, car adapters, and a starter kit. However, the device isn’t set to launch in the US until February 22 of next year. Accessories for the [...]
PS Vita memory card prices revealed - Retail Radar
By GameSpot, published 28-11-2011
GameStop listing for first-party PS Vita memory cards lists 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB cards starting at US$30 and going to US$120; other Sony accessories revealed. Last month, Sony finally announced a global release date for its upcoming PlayStation Vita console, revealing the system would ship worldwide beginning February 22, 2012. Later, the publisher outlined the console's game transfer fees, saying that players who wish to play their PSP UMD-based titles on the Vita will have to repurchase them at a discounted price. Now, retailer GameStop has revealed prices for the four memory cards that will be available with the new console. The 4GB memory card will cost $29.99; the 8GB will cost $44.99; the 16GB will cost $69.99; and the 32GB memory card will cost $119.99, almost half the ...
In Depth: 10 ways PCs will change over the next 25 years
By TechRadar, published 27-11-2011
The PC in 25 yearsThe best way to predict what the future holds, they say, is to look to the past, but such a philosophy isn't necessarily the best option when it comes to computers. It's a useful way of extrapolating the numbers to see how fast the processors of the future may be; that's one reason Moore's Law continues to work. We can even use it to predict how much RAM future machines will have access to and how big hard drives are going to get, but given that the biggest changes to computers come in the way we use them, any predictions of the future would be better left to futurologists, industry wishlists and brief glimpses of roadmaps. You need only look at the rapidly changing way in which we use our computers to see that it's not just technological advances that have pushed the PC ...
Editorial: Embracing The "Game" In Video Games
By GameInformer, published 25-11-2011
Gamers have a lot of praise for their favorite hobby. Many, in fact, would probably argue that video games aren't just a hobby. Video games are art, as intellectually stimulating and culturally relevant as any classic masterpiece. Video games are also the future of entertainment, a storytelling medium destined to eclipse the humdrum, non-interactive formats we suffer through today. As much as I love a good story, however, I'd rather just play a game that remembers to be a game. For the record, I don't disagree with the opinions espoused by high-minded gamers. Video games are art in my opinion, and they are capable of telling amazing stories. I just don't typically enjoy those types of games as much as ones that embrace their "game-iness." Here are a few examples ...
Hands on: PlayStation Vita review
By TechRadar, published 25-11-2011
OverviewThere's a good reason PS Vita is often referred to as PSP 2.It addresses the step up Sony's handheld console has needed to make since almost day one.It's evolving from being the Nintendo DS competitor that didn't quite make it, to an all singing, all dancing touchscreen, motion controlled portable gaming console with tablet and multimedia aspirations thanks to a 5-inch OLED display that puts it up there with smartphones like the HTC Sensation.The important thing to grasp is that this isn't a revamped PSP, an easy mistake to make when you consider the PlayStation Portable has been made available in five largely identical models since its 2004 debut.Three of these, the PSP-1000, 2000 and 3000, are basically size revising updates, while the PSP Go aped sliding-case phones to create an...
Hands on: PlayStation Vita review
By TechRadar, published 25-11-2011
OverviewThere's a good reason PS Vita is often referred to as PSP 2.It addresses the step up Sony's handheld console has needed to make since almost day one.It's evolving from being the Nintendo DS competitor that didn't quite make it, to an all singing, all dancing touchscreen, motion controlled portable gaming console with tablet and multimedia aspirations thanks to a 5-inch OLED display that puts it up there with smartphones like the HTC Sensation.The important thing to grasp is that this isn't a revamped PSP, an easy mistake to make when you consider the PlayStation Portable has been made available in five largely identical models since its 2004 debut.Three of these, the PSP-1000, 2000 and 3000, are basically size revising updates, while the PSP Go aped sliding-case phones to create an...
Hands on: PlayStation Vita review
By TechRadar, published 25-11-2011
OverviewThere's a good reason PS Vita is often referred to as PSP 2.It addresses the step up Sony's handheld console has needed to make since almost day one.It's evolving from being the Nintendo DS competitor that didn't quite make it, to an all singing, all dancing touchscreen, motion controlled portable gaming console with tablet and multimedia aspirations thanks to a 5-inch OLED display that puts it up there with smartphones like the HTC Sensation.The important thing to grasp is that this isn't a revamped PSP, an easy mistake to make when you consider the PlayStation Portable has been made available in five largely identical models since its 2004 debut.Three of these, the PSP-1000, 2000 and 3000, are basically size revising updates, while the PSP Go aped sliding-case phones to create an...
Hands on: PlayStation Vita review
By TechRadar, published 25-11-2011
OverviewThere's a good reason PS Vita is often referred to as PSP 2.It addresses the step up Sony's handheld console has needed to make since almost day one.It's evolving from being the Nintendo DS competitor that didn't quite make it, to an all singing, all dancing touchscreen, motion controlled portable gaming console with tablet and multimedia aspirations thanks to a 5-inch OLED display that puts it up there with smartphones like the HTC Sensation.The important thing to grasp is that this isn't a revamped PSP, an easy mistake to make when you consider the PlayStation Portable has been made available in five largely identical models since its 2004 debut.Three of these, the PSP-1000, 2000 and 3000, are basically size revising updates, while the PSP Go aped sliding-case phones to create an...
Hands on: PlayStation Vita review
By TechRadar, published 25-11-2011
OverviewThere's a good reason PS Vita is often referred to as PSP 2.It addresses the step up Sony's handheld console has needed to make since almost day one.It's evolving from being the Nintendo DS competitor that didn't quite make it, to an all singing, all dancing touchscreen, motion controlled portable gaming console with tablet and multimedia aspirations thanks to a 5-inch OLED display that puts it up there with smartphones like the HTC Sensation.The important thing to grasp is that this isn't a revamped PSP, an easy mistake to make when you consider the PlayStation Portable has been made available in five largely identical models since its 2004 debut.Three of these, the PSP-1000, 2000 and 3000, are basically size revising updates, while the PSP Go aped sliding-case phones to create an...
Sly Cooper 3D re-releases coming to PSN Nov 29
By GameSpot, published 25-11-2011
Sly Collection is headed to PSN; all three full games are available for download in the US on Tuesday, November 29. Last year, Sony released remastered versions of three original Sly Cooper titles for the PS3 as part of the US$40 Sly Collection pack. Today, the publisher announced that the Sly Collection will be heading to the PSN on November 29 as a PlayStation Store download. Players can either purchase the entire collection--comprising updated versions of Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, Sly 2: Band of Thieves, and Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves--for US$29.99 or buy the individual titles for US$9.99 each. The Sly Collection is coming to the PSN. Each PlayStation 2 title in the collection has been remastered, with 720p visuals, widescreen HD run...
Sly Cooper 3D rereleases coming to PSN Nov. 29
By GameSpot, published 25-11-2011
Sly Collection is headed to PSN; all three full games are available for download in the US on Tuesday, November 29. Last year, Sony released remastered versions of three original Sly Cooper titles for the PlayStation 3 as part of the US$40 Sly Collection pack. Today, the publisher announced that the Sly Collection will be heading to the PlayStation Network on November 29 as a PlayStation Store download. Players can either purchase the entire collection--comprising updated versions of Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, Sly 2: Band of Thieves, and Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves--for US$29.99 or buy the individual titles for US$9.99 each. The Sly Collection is coming to the PSN. Each PlayStation 2 title in the collection has been remastered, with 720p ...
PS Vita to stream PlayStation 3 games?
By TechRadar, published 24-11-2011
The Sony PlayStation Vita is set to have a remote play feature which will allow users to play all PlayStation 3 games through the handheld.This is according to Eurogamer, which is reporting that an upcoming firmware update to the PS3 will unlock this feature and open the handheld up to remote gaming via a PlayStation 3 console.There are a few caveats to the remote play functionality, however, and they have to do with the screen resolution. According to reports, you will only be able to play the games in PSP resolution which is just 480 x 272. The PS Vita will then upscale the content in real-time to match the resolution of its screen.We're not quite sure how good the quality of this will be, considering the PS Vita's screen resolution is double that at 960 x 544.Cool controlThere's been no...
PS Vita to stream PlayStation 3 games?
By TechRadar, published 24-11-2011
The Sony PlayStation Vita is set to have a remote play feature which will allow users to play all PlayStation 3 games through the handheld.This is according to Eurogamer, which is reporting that an upcoming firmware update to the PS3 will unlock this feature and open the handheld up to remote gaming via a PlayStation 3 console.There are a few caveats to the remote play functionality, however, and they have to do with the screen resolution. According to reports, you will only be able to play the games in PSP resolution which is just 480 x 272. The PS Vita will then upscale the content in real-time to match the resolution of its screen.We're not quite sure how good the quality of this will be, considering the PS Vita's screen resolution is double that at 960 x 544.Cool controlThere's been no...
PlayStation Vita Europe Launch Details
By GameInformer, published 22-11-2011
Sony today revealed the PlayStation Vita launch plans for PAL territories. The system will release on February 22, 2012, the same day in North America. Vita will launch in Japan on December 17, 2011. Below are the confirmed first party launched titles available across PAL: Uncharted: Golden Abyss WipEout 2048 Reality Fighters Little Deviants ModNation Racers: Road Trip Everybody’s Golf Escape Plan Gravity Rush Hustle Kings MotorStorm RC Top Darts Super StarDust Delta Below is a list of confirmed Vita titles that are currently in development but have no release date: Army Corps of Hell, Square Enix Asphalt: Injection, Ubisoft Disgaea 3 Return, NIS America Dungeon Hunter: Alliance, Ubisoft Dynasty Warriors Next, Tecmo Koei EA Sports FIFA Football, EA F1 2011, Codemasters Lego Harry...
Sony Announces MotorStorm RC For Vita And PSN
By GameInformer, published 22-11-2011
Sony and developer Evolution Studios have revealed the next entry in the MotorStorm series, and it looks like things are getting smaller. According to the PlayStation Blog, MotorStorm RC takes the ridiculous racing of MotorStorm and shrinks it down to radio-controlled size. The title will release on both PSN and Vita, and buying it for one platform gives you access on the other. In other words, you can jump between the PSN and Vita versions while retaining your progress (and not paying for the game twice). You can see what's in store in the trailer below, but the short version is that MotorStorm RC has 8 racing categories, 16 tracks, and four-player multiplayer (on PS3). Considering the gonzo direction the series went with MotorStorm Apocalypse, anything that brings the series close...
MotorStorm RC races to PS Vita and PSN
By GameSpot, published 22-11-2011
Radio-controlled spin-off announced for off-road racing series; one purchase grants access on PS3 and PS Vita alike. The PlayStation Vita release is three months away, and its launch will bring a number of familiar Sony franchises like Uncharted and Wipeout. This latest announcement may not quite make the new handheld's launch, but it will bring another Sony franchise into the mobile mix. Big-time racing in tiny vehicles. Sony today announced MotorStorm RC for the PS Vita and PSN, a spin-off set to shrink the Sony off-road racing series down to handheld-friendly, radio-controlled size. Developed by series creator Evolution Studios, MotorStorm RC will deliver 16 different tracks set in four familiar environments, with many of the vehicle types from previous...
SOCOM dev bringing Unit 13 to PS Vita
By GameSpot, published 22-11-2011
Zipper Interactive readying third-person shooter to launch with Sony's new handheld on February 22; game to feature cooperative, competitive online action. Zipper Interactive not only has a PS Vita game in the works, but it's locked and loaded for the system's launch window. The developer today announced its first PS Vita game, Unit 13, on the PlayStation Blog, adding that the game would be "available right around" its host system's February 22 debut. Unit 13 is Zipper's first handheld game since the PSP SOCOM Fireteam Bravo games. Described as a third-person shooter with an emphasis on fast action, Unit 13 will let players take on 36 missions as one of six different characters, each with specific talents. As players finish those main missions, they unlock "...
Sony partners with Vodafone for Vita in Europe, AU
By GameSpot, published 22-11-2011
Vodafone announced as "preferred partner" for Sony's PlayStation Vita 3G connectivity in Australia, UK, and PAL territories. Last month Sony announced that its upcoming PlayStation Vita console would launch worldwide beginning February 22, 2012. Later, the publisher outlined the console's game transfer fees, revealing that players who wish to play PSP titles on the Vita will have to repurchase them at a discounted price. PS Vita will partner with Vodafone in Europe and Australia. Now, Sony has further outlined its plans for the new console ahead of its early-2012 release, announcing it has partnered with mobile phone carrier Vodafone to see the company as the "preferred provider" of 3G connectivity on the Vita in Australia, New Zealand, and other territori...
EA sued over Battlefield PS3 promotion - Report
By GameSpot, published 21-11-2011
Publisher's last-minute Twitter announcement that Sony console edition of military shooter wouldn't come with Battlefield 1943 prompts class action complaint. In June, Sony announced at its Electronic Entertainment Expo media briefing that Battlefield 3 for the PlayStation 3 would come packed in with Battlefield 1943. When the console-maker's third-party partner Electronic Arts did an about-face and pulled that bonus from the package, it acknowledged the change on Twitter the day Battlefield 3 launched. EA is taking fire for its handling of the Battlefield 3 PS3-exclusive promotion. EA's handling of the situation has prompted legal action, according to a report on Kotaku. Edelson McGuire, a law firm specializing in class-action litigation, filed sui...
PS3 Saints Row: The Third owners get Saints Row 2 free
By GameSpot, published 17-11-2011
Sony, THQ offering downloadable copy of madcap action adventure's predecessor gratis to those who redeem online pass. Sony has been actively pursuing exclusive content for the PlayStation 3 editions of multiplatform games, and one such deal was to involve THQ's Saints Row: The Third. With THQ's madcap open-world action adventure hitting store shelves this week, Sony has finally parted the curtain on the particulars of that arrangement. Saints Row 2 isn't quite as ludicrous as Saints Row: The Third, but it's pretty close. Today, Sony and THQ announced that those who purchase the PS3 edition of Saints Row: The Third and redeem the game's online pass within the next 90 days will receive a free digital copy of Saints Row 2 from the PlayStation Network. S...
PSP Owners Get Discounted Downloads For Vita
By GameInformer, published 11-11-2011
Sony just announced a UMD Passport program for the PlayStation Vita in Japan. Hopefully this program will migrate to the U.S. According to Andriasang, starting December 6 (more than a week before the system launches), Japanese PS Vita buyers will be able to downloaded versions of UMD games they already own, at a discounted rate. Getting the discount is a simple as 1,2,3…4: Download a UMD Registration Application from PlayStation Store to your PSP. Boot up the UMD Registration Application from your PSP's XMB menu and insert the UMD game you want to register into the system. Follow the prompts to register your UMD disc with your PSN account. You can then download the downloadable version of your game at discount price. Right now UMD Passport has only been announced for Japan,...
Buying Guide: 13 best Android tablets in the world
By TechRadar, published 11-11-2011
13 best Android tabletsOur list of the best Android tablets in the world - regularly updatedIf you're looking for a tablet and don't fancy an iPad, then Android is currently the way to go. (Don't know what an Android tablet is? Check out: what is an Android tablet?)There are other options out there; Windows 7 tablets are available, the BlackBerry PlayBook is on sale now and the HP TouchPad has come and gone in a flurry of £99 panic-buying. But Android 3.2 is currently the main OS rival to the iPad, and the products are creeping onto the shelves one by one.Follow our tablets channel: @TR_TabletsWe've gone from zero Android tablets to stacks of the things in a very short space of time, and inevitably some are better than others.Some have ten-inch screens, others seven, and there are big dif...
Sony unveils new UMD Passport for PS Vita
By SlashGear, published 11-11-2011
The launch of the PS Vita is getting close for Japan even though it won’t hit the US until next year. Gamers that plan to purchase the Vita that have a big library of UMD games from their previous PSP will be able to sign up for the UMD Passport program. Before you get too [...]
Sony details Vita game transfer fees
By GameSpot, published 11-11-2011
Sony details Passport Program, offering discount digital download prices for those wanting to play games they already own on the new platform. The PlayStation Vita's Japanese launch is rapidly approaching, and Sony has finally offered some details on the program that will allow PSP owners to transfer their games and saves to their new Vita handhelds. All games will have to be repurchased to be played on the Vita, Sony said, but those who can prove via UMD that they already own games will get a discount when repurchasing the same content digitally. The Vita will be released in Japan later this year. Many full-price games will command a fee of ¥1,000 ($13, £8); titles confirmed to be in this price range include Dirt 2, Gran Turismo, Dead or ...
PlayStation Suite SDK closed beta announced
By TechRadar, published 11-11-2011
Sony has announced the arrival of a closed beta for its PlayStation Suite SDK, which comes with an emulator so developers can try out what their games will look like on the PS Vita and other PlayStation certified devices.As this is a closed beta, Sony is being coy about who it is letting get their mitts on the software development kit.To apply for the kit, you have to fill out an application form and be in the US, UK or Japan. Oh, and you have to have a PC supporting Windows XP or Windows 7.brightcove : 1091086359001Life is Suite"By supporting development for multiple devices and by adopting libraries designed to create a variety of gaming and non-gaming content, PS Suite SDK will not only help developers reduce costs for creating new content, but also allow them to efficiently create ...
Week in Tech: Tablets 2.0: time for the next gen?
By TechRadar, published 11-11-2011
It's been an exciting week for Android fans: we've seen the shape of things to come, and it's a vehicle.That's what Gary Marshall reckons, anyway: according to him, the new Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime eschews me-too design "and turns into a truck".It doesn't really, but its blockbuster movie branding doesn't stop with references to robots in disguise: the Transformer Prime also boasts a Superman-inspired Kal-El processor, better known as a Tegra 3.That delivers not one, not two, but four cores (and an extra secret one), and its 12-core GPU should deliver exceptionally tasty graphics performance.It's the first time we've seen a tablet rocking the Tegra 3, and despite its impressive engine the Transformer Prime remains super-slim - it's just 8.3mm thick - and marginally lighter th...
MLB 12 hits PS3 and PS Vita on March 6
By GameSpot, published 11-10-2011
Boston Red Sox All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to headline next year's baseball release from Sony. 2K may have the multiplatform Major League Baseball rights tied up, but as a first-party publisher, Sony has been producing its own critically lauded MLB games for years. Almost ready for another go around the bases, next year's entry now has a release date, platforms, and cover athlete. The Show winds up for another go around (MLB 11: The Show pictured). Sony announced this week that Boston Red Sox All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez will be taking the role of cover athlete for the 2012 iteration. A release date of March 6 was also revealed for the PlayStation 3 and all-new PS Vita versions. Next year's entry will mark the first time Sony's basebal...
Uncharted 3 sells 3.8 million copies
By GameSpot, published 11-10-2011
Sony reports that Naughty Dog's latest PS3-exclusive game exceeded expectations with multimillion day-one tally, is on track to top its predecessors' sales totals. Gamers have bought into Drake's Deception by the millions. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced that the PlayStation 3-exclusive Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception posted day-one global sales of 3.8 million copies. Unlike this craft, Uncharted 3 did not crash and burn on takeoff. Released on November 1 in North America and November 2 in Europe, Uncharted 3 "has smashed sales expectations," according to Sony. Additionally, the Naughty Dog-developed title is on pace to be the best-selling game in the franchise to date. When Uncharted 2 launched in October of 2009, it took the game th...
Future Tense: Whither Apple?
By MaximumPC, published 11-09-2011
800x600 800x600 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Whither Apple? I believe America’s greatest strength has been its ability to cultivate the most profitable crop in human history—geniuses. This country is the way it is because of men and women with genuine vision and the ability to move that vision into the realm of ac...
iOS and Android games grossing more than Sony and Nintendo
By TechRadar, published 11-09-2011
Game sales for Android and iOS devices now generate more revenue than those for the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS series, according to new projections.Flurry expects mobile and tablet games to own 58 per cent of the market and gross $1.9 billion by the end of 2011, while the combined total of Sony and Nintendo sales are likely to amount $1.4 billion.If the analytics firm's predictions hold true, it'll be the first time that Apple and Android games have brought in more cash than the old stalwarts of the handheld gaming industry.In 2009 Apple and Google controlled just 19 per cent of the market, while the DS had a whopping 70 per cent, while the already-fading PSP had an 11 per cent share.Big name troublesOf course both Nintendo and Sony have endured troubled times in the handheld arena over the ...
Reflecting On Our Time With The PlayStation Vita
By GameInformer, published 11-08-2011
The PlayStation Vita is an interesting piece of hardware with some ambitious titles hitting around launch time. We here at the Game Informer office are getting excited about Sony's new handheld as its February 22 release date approaches. Join Dan Ryckert and myself as we reminisce on our experience with the device and discuss the games we're most excited about. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Sony to host PlayStation Vita tour in Japan
By GameSpot, published 11-04-2011
PlayStation Vita Play Caravan: National Demo Tour starts November 19; set for five cities. With the Japanese PlayStation Vita launch date slowly creeping up in the next month, Sony has decided to host a tour across Japan to show off the device and give the public a hands-on preview. The publisher has dubbed the event the PlayStation Vita Play Caravan: National Demo Tour, and it will start on November 19. Gamers in Japan can get an early hands-on starting November 19. According to the tour's official website, it will be held in five cities in Japan: Sapporo (Nov.19-20), Nagoya (Nov.26-27), Osaka (Dec. 3-4), Tokyo (Dec. 10-18), and Fukuoka (Dec. 19-20). In Tokyo, Sony will have kiosks set up at Roppongi Hills, the outside area of the Parco department ...
Sony patent points to biometric controllers
By GameSpot, published 11-02-2011
PlayStation creator's application would cover controllers that read a player's state of mind to drive dynamic responses from software. In 2009, Nintendo signaled its intention to explore another avenue of user interface with the Vitality Sensor, a peripheral that would monitor a player's pulse and use that information in games. While that add-on is still unreleased, a recent patent application (as spotted by Siliconera) shows that Sony may be interested in testing similar waters. Sony described console controllers and even a handheld with built-in biometric sensing equipment. Filed in December of 2010, the application reveals design diagrams for three different biometric controllers. Biometric-equipped versions of a DualShock 3 and PlayStation Move co...
Updated: Wii U: all the latest details
By TechRadar, published 31-10-2011
Wii U: all you need to knowAs original Nintendo Wiis gathered dust in households across the UK, Nintendo confirmed it would unveil a second-generation 'Wii 2' at this year's E3.And now the Wii U is out in the open and we've rounded up all the new details on the new console right here. Check out our Hands on: Nintendo Wii U review. The Wii 2 is called Wii UNintendo is calling the successor to the popular Wii console the Nintendo Wii U. It has sold 86 million Wii consoles so far.brightcove : 1039086953001Remember when you first heard the name Nintendo Wii? Many people laughed and said it would never catch on. It did. Nintendo is hoping that Wii U will capture people's imaginations in the same way."You might remember how the Wii name began to make perfect sense once you started hearing it...
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 31-10-2011
iPhone 5 rumours: iPhone 4S and new rumoursAs it happened, there was no iPhone 5 after all, but the company did announce the iPhone 4S.However, the iPhone 5 is still on the cards - we're expecting it to debut in mid 2012. You can check out the latest rumours about iPhone 5 below.First though, why not read our complete iPhone 4S review?Also check out our iPhone 4S video review:brightcove : 1224629147001Here are the new iPhone 5 rumours we've gathered together since the iPhone 4S launchiPhone 5 release dateUPDATE: For the latest on new iPhone 5's release date, check out our regularly updated article iPhone 5 release date.Given the pattern Apple's iPhone launches, we're expecting the next-gen iPhone 5 to debut in mid to late 2012. We reckon it's most likely to be shown off at Apple's Worldwid...
Asura's Wrath unleashes February 21
By GameSpot, published 29-10-2011
Capcom reveals release date for Xbox 360 and PS3 action game, confirms Vita version of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 to follow February 22. Capcom only has to hold back its anger a few more months. The publisher today announced that it will direct Asura's Wrath at North American retailers starting February 21, 2012, with the PlayStation Vita version of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 hitting the next day. Do not troll this man. Following in the over-the-top footsteps of Capcom games like Devil May Cry and God Hand, Asura's Wrath is an eccentric action game from CyberConnect2, the studio behind the .hack series. The game follows the variably armed and very angry Asura as he pursues a group of seven "Guardian Generals" who killed his wife (framing him in the...
Asura's Wrath unleashes February 21
By GameSpot, published 29-10-2011
Capcom reveals release date for Xbox 360 and PS3 action game, confirms Vita version of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 to follow February 22. Capcom has to hold back its anger only a few more months. The publisher today announced that it will direct Asura's Wrath at North American retailers starting February 21, 2012, with the PlayStation Vita version of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 hitting the next day. Do not troll this man. Following in the over-the-top footsteps of Capcom games like Devil May Cry and God Hand, Asura's Wrath is an eccentric action game from CyberConnect2, the studio behind the .hack series. The game follows the variably armed and very angry Asura as he pursues a group of seven "Guardian Generals" who killed his wife (framing him in the...
PS Vita First Edition bundle coming a week early
By GameSpot, published 28-10-2011
Sony's forthcoming handheld to be available February 15 for those willing to buy it in bundle form; includes a copy of Little Deviants. The PlayStation Vita's Western launch date is set for February 22, but Sony is providing a way for its "most loyal fans" to get their hands on the system a week early. Little Deviants is the latest title from the studio that brought you MotorStorm Arctic Edge and Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice. Announced today via the PlayStation Blog, the PS Vita First Edition bundle will be available in the US and Canada on February 15 for those who preorder. Priced at $349 and $299, respectively, the US package includes a 3G version of the system, while the Canadian edition will be Wi-Fi only. These prices represent a $50 premium ...
Sony To Release PS Vita One Week Early – If You Pre-Order
By GameInformer, published 28-10-2011
Sony would like you to try out its new handheld gaming system. The company will even let you get started several days before the scheduled February 22 launch, if you're willing to pony up for a pre-order. That's the word rolling out from the PlayStation Blog, where Sony has revealed that you'll be able to get a PS Vita one week early if you pre-order with select (unnamed) retail outlets. The special bundle includes a Vita 3G + Wi-Fi model, a special case, a 4GB Vita Memory Card, and the launch game, Little Deviants. Altogether, you're looking at a $349.99 price tag. Plus, you'll have the sexy new handheld in your hands on February 15. Those poor schlubs without a pre-order? February 22. How is the Vita shaping up for you as a potential gaming system? Are you planning a...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 10/27/11
By GameInformer, published 27-10-2011
Despite the spam attack plaguing the Game Informer website, the blogging community presses on and continues posting high caliber blogs for your viewing pleasure. This was also one of the biggest weeks of 2011 for the video game industry with the release of the critically acclaimed Arkham City and the highly anticipated Battlefield 3. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: October 17 – October 23, 2011Number of User Blogs: 156Number of User Bloggers: 80Number of User Blogs Herded: 9 Upcoming Events: FragFest Fall 2011 Event Schedule – Events 2 And 3The release of Battlefield 3 is upon us and eyros2k is celebrating the event by hosting Frag Fest 9 this weekend. Check his latest blog for all of the details and join your fellow GI members online. Community Blogs: The Morality Of The...
Review: Toshiba 55WL863B
By TechRadar, published 27-10-2011
OverviewFor a couple of years now there's been an increasingly wide divide between Toshiba in Japan and Toshiba in the UK.For while Toshiba's Japan division has been blazing a high-end trail with its phenomenally powerful and entirely uncompromising CEVO TVs, Toshiba in the UK has been increasingly turning into a (very successful) budget brand. Today, though, Toshiba is finally trying to get back on higher ground with the 55WL863: its first UK TV to carry the brand's CEVO Engine.This powerful processing engine ushers in a number of potentially important picture features, including an advanced 2D to 3D conversion engine, a 3D version of Toshiba's long-respected Resolution+ system for boosting sharpness and detail, and a potentially very handy NetResolution+ system for improving the look of ...
PlayStation Vita will launch without Flash support
By TechRadar, published 27-10-2011
The eagerly anticipated Sony handheld console – the PlayStation Vita – will reportedly launch without Flash support. The portable console is scheduled to launch in December in its home market of Japan, but the PlayStation Vita UK release date is not until February 2012. According to Famitsu, Japanese buyers will be able to take advantage of HTML5 websites and those using Javascript 1.7, but Flash support will not be present at launch. Games ArchivesThere's also some confusion about the Games Archives support, which apparently will not be in place for the portable console's debut. It's not unusual to see devices launch without all the functionality that was intended – and Flash support often seems to be withheld. That means that we're likely to see some major firmware updates rolled o...
Updated: PS Vita: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 27-10-2011
PlayStation Vita: what you need to knowIt's here! And by "here!" we mean "nearly here!"After much rumour and speculation, Sony announced the new PSP - formerly codenamed NGP for Next Generation Portable - would be called the PlayStation Vita. But when will the PlayStation Vita UK release date be and how much will it cost? Read on to find out.brightcove : 1091086359001PS Vita UK price will start at £229.99The UK pre-order price for the Sony PlayStation Vita has been revealed, with both Play and Game offering the handheld for £279.99 (3G) and £229.99 (Wi-Fi). The handheld appears to be $299 in the US.As the more eagle-eyed of you will notice, this is a near like-for-like dollar and pounds pricing strategy, something us in the UK are unfortunately getting used to now.PlaySt...
Sony PS Vita browser won’t support Flash at launch
By SlashGear, published 27-10-2011
According to a report from Japanese publication Weekly Famitsu, the web browser on Sony’s next-generation portable gaming device, the PlayStation Vita, will not support Adobe Flash at launch. It will support cookies, JavaScript 1.7, and some HTML5, but Flash didn’t make the list. Also not supported are Game Archives that include classic PlayStation One games. [...]
Future Tense: Apple Sauce
By MaximumPC, published 26-10-2011
(This was written before Steve Jobs died, and it was never intended to be disrespectful, only slyly satirical. Because of publishing schedules, it is only appearing now. I admired Jobs and I will sincerely miss his presence in the consumer electronics industry. His influence went far beyond his own company. He was a human catalyst accelerating the pace of computer evolution to warp speed.) 1984 was and still is a year forever tainted by George Orwell’s novel of the same name. Orwell, “Big Brother”, and even the year itself have become shorthand terms for totalitarianism or anything that even hints of it, whether it’s a security camera or a political philosophy you disagree with or Microsoft’s Windows validation software. “Orwellian” is a ...
DICE addresses disappearance of PS3 Battlefield 3 bonus
By GameSpot, published 26-10-2011
Developer says early release of expansions replaced the previously announced Battlefield 1943 pack-in as the Sony platform bonus for Electronic Arts' military shooter. At Sony's Electronic Entertainment Expo media briefing in June, SCEA president Jack Tretton announced PlayStation 3-exclusive bonuses for a trio of multiplatform Electronic Arts games. One such enticement was that every PS3 copy of the DICE-developed first-person shooter Battlefield 3 would include a copy of 2009's downloadable Battlefield 1943 on the Blu-ray disc. "I can't help feeling I forgot something… Did I leave the oven on?" Battlefield 3 officially launched yesterday, and as observant PS3 owners might have noticed, that bonus is nowhere to be found. DICE explained the absen...
FIFA 12 PSP bundle hits November 15
By GameSpot, published 24-10-2011
Downloadable Cars 2: The Video Game joins UMD version of EA soccer sim in new $160 PSP Entertainment Pack next month. The PlayStation Vita is just a few months away, but the PSP still has one last holiday in the West as Sony's primary handheld. The console maker today announced a new bundle that will include two very different takes on two very different sports. Sony's latest PSP bundle. The details of the new bundle were revealed via the PlayStation Blog. Hitting on November 15 in the US, the new $160 PSP Entertainment Pack will include a UMD copy of FIFA 2012, as well as a 2GB Memory Stick Pro Duo and a voucher for a downloadable copy of Disney Interactive Studios' Cars 2: The Video Game. Cars 2: The Video Game is finally seeing a release on Sony's port...
Interview: Sony: PSN outage 'woke our customers up'
By TechRadar, published 24-10-2011
Sony Entertainment NetworkSony has revealed more information regarding its mass rebranding of its online services as the Sony Entertainment Network and has told TechRadar that the PSN outage earlier this year woke its dormant customers up, getting them back online rather than pushing them away.Back in September, at IFA 2011 in Berlin, Sony revealed that it would be grouping all of its (non gaming) online content together under the banner of the Sony Entertainment Network – which mainly comprises the company's two media offerings: Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited.So Saida, senior director of global business strategy and development at Sony, explained to TechRadar that despite the PSN outage this year, more customers than ever were now using Sony's online services and this repositioning...
Katamari, Ridge Racer roll into PS Vita launch lineup
By GameSpot, published 21-10-2011
Namco Bandai readying three titles for new Sony handheld launch next year: Ridge Racer, Touch My Katamari, and Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen. Just two days after Sony confirmed a February 22, 2012, launch date for the PlayStation Vita, Namco Bandai has announced it will have three titles ready on day one. New installments in the Katamari and Ridge Racer series will arrive alongside the PS Vita hardware, as will previously confirmed launch game Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen. Katamari will attempt to roll into Vita gamers' hearts February 22. Namco Bandai's quirky ball-rolling, object-collection series is heralding the PS Vita launch with Touch My Katamari. This new game will utilize the handheld's rear touch panel to allow players to deform the player's bal...
Namco Confirms Three Titles For Vita Launch
By GameInformer, published 20-10-2011
Sony announced the release date for the PlayStation Vita in North America and Europe earlier this week. Now that the date is set - February 22, 2012 - publishers can begin revealing what titles they have planned for the system’s launch. First up is Namco Bandai, who just announced it will release three titles at Vita’s launch: Touch My Katamari, Ridge Racer, and Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen. “We’re pleased today to officially confirm three titles for the PlayStation Vita system to gamers across North America excited for the launch of this impressive new handheld gaming device,” said Carlson Choi, Vice President of Marketing, Namco Bandai Games America. “Between the innovative new gameplay features in the irreverent new Touch My Katamari, the blistering ...
PS Vita launches February 22
By GameSpot, published 19-10-2011
Sony confirms early 2012 European, North American, and Australian release date, pricing, for next handheld gaming system. The PlayStation Vita finally has a release date. Sony today confirmed that its next portable gaming system will arrive in North America, Europe, Latin America, Australasia, the Middle East, and Africa on February 22. That puts the system's international launch two months after its Japanese debut, as Sony confirmed a December 17 bow for the hardware in its home territory of Japan. Look for this PS Vita packaging when the system hits in February. A Wi-Fi-only version of the Vita will cost $249, and a Wi-Fi/3G model will retail for $299. European pricing for the console will be €249 (Wi-Fi) and €299 (Wi-Fi/3G), while Japane...
BioShock Vita in 'paper design stage'
By GameSpot, published 18-10-2011
Irrational Games' Ken Levine says Sony portable installment will be different from Infinite, previous two games, "have its own voice." The 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo served as a premiere for the PlayStation Vita, and Sony trotted out a number of third-party developers to promise support for the device. One such developer was Ken Levine, who announced that a new installment in Irrational Games' popular BioShock franchise is coming to the handheld. If Columbia winds up on the PS Vita, expect it to be a side story. However, it appears as if gamers shouldn't expect BioShock on the PS Vita any time soon. In an interview with Joystiq, Levine said that the game is still "in the paper design stage." He also confirmed that the current plan for the gam...
EverQuest Next taking inspiration from Star Trek movie reboot
By GameSpot, published 18-10-2011
Q&A: Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley talks about seminal MMORPG's future in wake of Hall of Fame induction and freemium games on consoles, confirms Vita support. Last week was a big one for Sony Online Entertainment's EverQuest. The massively multiplayer online role-playing game was inducted into the Game Developers Choice Online Hall of Fame, becoming just the second game to receive that honor behind Ultima Online. Following the awards ceremony, SOE president John Smedley sat down with GameSpot to answer a few questions about the future of EverQuest and the rest of the developer's slate of titles, including the upcoming PlanetSide 2 and already-released DC Universe Online. The executive also pledged his support for Sony's upcoming PlayStation Vita portable and add...
Army Corps of Hell joins PS Vita launch lineup in US
By GameSpot, published 15-10-2011
Square Enix prepping RTS-like actioner from Pikmin writer's new studio for Western launch of Sony's new handheld. The PlayStation Vita dominated Sony's 2011 Tokyo Game Show press conference, with the company confirming a large swath of launch lineup titles in Japan. One of those titles was Army Corps of Hell, from Square Enix. Today, the Japanese publisher confirmed that Army Corps of Hell will also be a launch title for the PS Vita in the US early next year. The Army Corps of Hell mobilizes in the US early next year. Army Corps of Hell comes from Entersphere, a new studio from the writer behind Nintendo's highly regarded GameCube game, Pikmin. Placed in the shoes of the "King of Hell," players will lead armies of goblins with the goal of reclaiming ...
Updated: Wii U: all the latest details
By TechRadar, published 14-10-2011
Wii U: all you need to knowAs original Nintendo Wiis gathered dust in households across the UK, Nintendo confirmed it would unveil a second-generation 'Wii 2' at this year's E3.And now the Wii U is out in the open and we've rounded up all the new details on the new console right here. Check out our Hands on: Nintendo Wii U review. The Wii 2 is called Wii UNintendo is calling the successor to the popular Wii console the Nintendo Wii U. It has sold 86 million Wii consoles so far.brightcove : 1039086953001Remember when you first heard the name Nintendo Wii? Many people laughed and said it would never catch on. It did. Nintendo is hoping that Wii U will capture people's imaginations in the same way."You might remember how the Wii name began to make perfect sense once you started hearing it...
Vita Game Downloads On Day One
By GameInformer, published 13-10-2011
Sony is planning to release the PlayStation Vita handheld in the States sometime before March next year, and when it does, you'll be able to get your games a few different ways. Speaking at a GDC Online session, Chris Norden, Sony senior staff developer support engineer, confirmed that the system's launch games will be simultaneously available via traditional retail channels as well as through a PSN download. Norden also confirmed that similar to your phone, the Vita will be held to a 20MB download cap when using the 3G model. Of course, Vita's titles will be much larger than that, so you'll have to use the handheld's Wi-Fi functionality to pull down such large content. Later in the session, Norden also mentioned that developers are allowed to create free-to-play title...
PS Vita 3G 20MB download cap confirmed
By GameSpot, published 10-12-2011
GDC Online 2011: Sony rep confirms carrier-imposed limit on downloadable game size, reality check on device being as powerful as PS3, potential for freemium model. As the PlayStation Vita approaches its December debut in Japan, specific details are starting to take shape about what the hardware can--and can't--do. In a 2011 Game Developers Conference Online sponsored session today, Sony Computer Entertainment America senior staff developer support engineer Chris Norden clarified a few of the machine's limitations. As it would turn out, the PS Vita will not be as powerful as the PS3. Shocking. The first such limitation is not actually being imposed by Sony. Norden confirmed that the 3G version of the PS Vita will only be able to download games up to 2...
Sony freezes 93,000 PSN accounts after new hack
By TechRadar, published 10-12-2011
Sony has announced that it has frozen 93,000 PSN accounts, after the company noticed a huge number of failed log-ins on the service.Not wanting to be faced with another security crisis, Sony has revealed that it has frozen the accounts in question, although a small number of users may be affected.In a blog post on the Playstation EU blog, Philip Reitinger – VP & Chief Information Security Officer, Sony Group, said: "Less than one tenth of one percent (0.1%) of our PSN, SEN and SOE audience may have been affected. There were approximately 93,000 accounts globally (PSN/SEN: approximately 60,000 accounts; SOE: approximately 33,000) where the attempts succeeded in verifying those accounts' valid sign-in IDs and passwords, and we have temporarily locked these accounts. "Only a sma...
Sega Has No Plans To Localize Valkyria Chronicles III
By GameInformer, published 10-11-2011
It appears the only way to play Valkyria Chronicles III: Unrecorded Chronicles for PSP will be in Japanese. Sega's team manager of console sales Hiroshi Seno recently told GameSpot the company has no plans to localize the title in North America and Europe, citing poor sales of the sequel and dipping popularity of the PSP system in those regions. What about perhaps bringing the title to PlayStation Vita? Seno said the company would make that decision that next time it meets with Sony.
Valkyria Chronicles III not coming to US and Europe
By GameSpot, published 10-11-2011
Low sales and localization costs of Valkyria Chronicles II cited as key reasons for Western no-show. The Valkyria Chronicles series was praised for its bold and fresh strategy role-playing games that were both beautiful to look at and fun to play. Fans of the series will be disappointed to know that Sega is not planning to localize the third game, Valkyria Chronicles III: Unrecorded Chronicles, for North American and European markets. This story won't be chronicled in English anytime soon. During a recent interview in Singapore, Sega's team manager of console sales, Hiroshi Seno, confirmed that the game would not be localized due to the PSP platform not being popular and well liked in North America and Europe. He also said that localizing the title ...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 10/06/11
By GameInformer, published 10-06-2011
This week's edition of Blog Herding demonstrates why the Game Informer community is so spectacular. While the industry is still buzzing from the launch of the Battlefield 3 demo, veteran and rookie bloggers alike continue turning out a collection of blogs on all sorts of different video game topics. This latest series has something for everybody, regardless of your platform or genre preference. Blog Herding Stats:Period Reviewed: September 26 - October 02, 2011Number of User Blogs: 112Number of User Bloggers: 65Number of User Blogs Herded: 17 Upcoming Events: Need A Good Karma Boost? Help Some Sick Kids And All Will Be ForgivenIt's not too late to join TEAM GIO to support the Extra Life 24 hour gaming marathon. All proceeds will benefit the Children's Miracle Network Ho...
Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 10-06-2011
iPhone 5 rumoursAs it happened, there was no iPhone 5 launched by Apple this week, but the company did announce the iPhone 4S. However, the iPhone 5 is still on the cards - we're expecting it to debut in late 2012. You can check out the latest rumours about iPhone 5 below our complete coverage of the new iPhone 4S.Check out our iPhone 4S video preview:brightcove : 1200452098001Apple iPhone 4S UK release date announcedApple has announced that the iPhone 4S UK release date will be 14 October, with pre-orders opening on 7 October. Our article on the iPhone 4S release date has more info.iPhone 4S: which networks will offer it?The iPhone 4S UK release date has been announced as 14 October, meaning swathes of queues outside the Apple Stores around the country - but most people will want to know ...
PSVita 3G Downloads Will be Capped At 20 Megabytes
By GameInformer, published 30-09-2011
If you were considering buying the more expensive 3G-enabled model of the Vita with the intention of buying retail games on the go, you might want to rethink those plans. In an article posted on the Japanese site ASCII (translated by Andriasang), a Sony representative stated that 20 megabyte cap will be put on downloads conducted through a 3G network. This is common in the mobile market Apple imposes a 20MB file size limit on 3G downloads for iPhone and iPad. Apple's iOS devices and Android both support larger file sizes, but those bigger downloads require a Wi-Fi connection.So, downloaded on the go will likely be limited to things like music and small-scale casual games that are typical of the mobile game market.3G connections, which often suffer from significant packet loss an...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 09/29/11
By GameInformer, published 29-09-2011
If you were concerned that the release of Gears of War 3 was going to impact the level of activity from the blogging community, worry no longer. This week's edition of Blog Herding marks the most activity and biggest selection of blogs since the series returned. Check out this week's collection of blogs from your fellow friends and gamers. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: September 19-25, 2011 Number of User Blogs: 114 Number of User Bloggers: 70 Number of User Blogs Herded: 17 Upcoming Events: Need A Good Karma Boost? Help Some Sick Kids And All Will Be Forgiven On October 15th, Extra Life is holding their annual 24 hour gaming marathon to benefit the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Mojomonkey12 is championing the effort and has taken the lead with establishin...
In Depth: How to build the best PC for your needs
By TechRadar, published 25-09-2011
How to build a PCSystem builders are great and everything, but unless you emit static electricity or are terminally lazy, you should be thinking about building your own PC. Why? Because not only do you get the satisfaction of having crafted your machine from the ground up, growing and harvesting each component from the soil… or something like that. You also get full control over what goes in the chassis. And what the case will look like. System builders do a great job of delivering sensible packages of components at attractive price points, but building your own rig gives you full control. All the parts you need, none that you don't. And no extra expense to you. And that level of control's important. It's what being a PC enthusiast is all about. It's what elevates us above the hunched si...
The Week in Camera News
By TechRadar, published 24-09-2011
There's only really one story dominating the camera headlines this week, the launch of the Nikon 1 compact system camera. A CSC from Nikon has been expected for months and on Wednesday, the company finally delivered with the V1 and J1. TechRadar attended the UK launch of the new cameras so we could spend some time getting to grips with the new offering, which Nikon is dubbing "Advanced Camera Interchangeable Lens". The Nikon V1 is the more advanced offering of the two, featuring a high resolution electronic viewfinder. The J1 is aimed at family and beginner photographers, keen to get a step up in image quality. Confused about the differences? Read our handy Nikon V1 vs Nikon J1 comparison piece. Of course the big question on everyone's lips is how well the new cameras perform. We w...
Updated: 40 best free iPhone games on the planet
By TechRadar, published 23-09-2011
Best free iPhone and iPod touch games: 1-20It's safe to say that Apple's given the gaming industry a square kick in the tender regions. Despite their bluster, dismissing Apple in every way possible, Sony and Nintendo are both clearly concerned by the meteoric rise of iPod touch and iPhone as handheld gaming devices. Although great games are the driving force behind the success of Apple gaming, low prices have also helped. Most 'premium' titles cost six quid or less, and many developers end up in a race to 59p, thereby providing games that'd cost 20 quid on a rival platform for the price of a Kit-Kat.But what if you've spent your last penny on your shiny Apple object of desire? Can you get great games for nothing at all, or is the 'free' section of the App Store full of the kind of games th...
Future Tense: Personal Wi-Fi
By MaximumPC, published 22-09-2011
The problem with predicting the future is that there’s so much of it. You can predict some pieces of it because some trends are obvious, but you can’t predict how all the pieces are going to fit together, and even more difficult, you cannot predict what human beings will do with all those different pieces once they have put them together. The smartphone is a great example. Robert A. Heinlein predicted cell phones in The Star Beast, first published in 1954. Other writers predicted tablets as well. But nobody predicted Twitter or sexting. Those were surprises. We’re on the threshold of another leap forward in the punctuated evolution of computing technology and the first pieces are starting to appear. I think it’s inevitable that some of these pieces are going to mate, mutate, and ev...
Deadly Premonition director to helm Lord of Apocalypse
By GameSpot, published 21-09-2011
Hidetaka "Swery" Suehiro slated to direct Square Enix's upcoming PSP and PlayStation Vita launch title. During last week's pre-Tokyo Game Show press conference, Sony announced a Japanese release date for its upcoming PlayStation Vita, and at the same time, it unveiled the full list of the console's 26 launch titles. Swery is directing Square Enix's Lord of Apocalypse. One of titles announced during the press conference was Square Enix's Lord of Apocalypse, the action role-playing game follow-up to this year's Lord of Arcana. That title was developed by Access Games and directed by Deadly Premonition director and Access cofounder Hidetaka Suehiro (or Swery, as he's more commonly known). Now, according to Swery's personal blog, the Japanese developer will o...
Vita Compatible With Ad Hoc PSP
By GameInformer, published 21-09-2011
Sony has some good news for multiplayer enthusiasts regarding the cross-compatibility of its two handhelds. As reported by Siliconera, a new graphic over at the Japanese PlayStation website confirms that you'll be able to connect up and play ad hoc multiplayer between PSP and Vita. So if you're playing a PSP game on your Vita and want to play a little multiplayer with a friend who only has a PSP, you're all set. It's not world-shaking news, but it's good to hear Sony is trying hard to have their various devices play nice together. Are there any PSP games that utilize ad hoc multiplayer that you'll be happy to play on Vita?
Tuesday Shortbread
By TechReport, published 20-09-2011
Eight is Enough VR-Zone's post-IDF bites: Ivy Bridge GPU to support 4Kx4K displays Engadget: Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Wi-Fi gets U.S. pricing, 16GB model starts at $469 This is my next: hp's 7" TouchPad Go leaks out on Chinese forum Neowin shares rumor: HTC developing Windows 8 ARM tablet VR-Zone: Apple to launch two new iPhone models? Microsoft: Desktop apps will run on Windows 8 on ARM Making the lives of IT easier: Windows 8 Refresh, Reset, and Windows To Go - Ars Technica Sony executive: Vita will offer better firmware update experience than PS3 - Ars Technica Read more...
Sony’s Shu Yoshida Talks Vita, PSP Lessons, And Nintendo
By GameInformer, published 19-09-2011
The PlayStation Vita was definitely the star of TGS 2011. Sony’s dual analog sticks, touch capabilities, impressive graphics, remote play, and 3G functionality has the attention of portable-minded gamers everywhere. I got the chance to interview Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony Computer Entertainment’s worldwide studios. We chatted about lessons learned from the PSP, Nintendo’s new second 3DS circle pad, HD remakes, and more. The PSP received many different hardware iterations, to mixed reactions of consumers. Do you think the Vita will experience a similar life cycle? We haven’t even released the PS Vita, so we don’t have any plans for future iterations. But as with any electronics product, things get better and cheaper or components advance, so we look at ...
Play Japanese Europe And American Games On One PS Vita
By GameInformer, published 17-09-2011
Want to play Japanese games on Sony’s upcoming PlayStation Vita? It seems that a foreign language might be the only thing to hinder your digital questing. Sony Computer Entertainment's president of Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, confirmed that the new handheld would be capable of playing games from any country when he responded to a question on twitter. We had previously heard a lot of rumors and hinting that the PlayStation Vita would be region free, but it’s always nice when something is double confirmed. [Source: 1UP]
PS Vita software will not be region-locked
By GameSpot, published 17-09-2011
Sony publishing president Shuhei Yoshida confirms new handheld will not be content-restricted by location. Sony devoted nearly all of its Tokyo Game Show press conference to the PlayStation Vita, but one omitted bit of news concerning the device was revealed today in 140 characters or less. In a post to his Twitter feed, Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida confirmed that the PS Vita will not be region locked. The PS Vita won't be region-locked. After a Twitter user asked Yoshida whether it had been confirmed that the PS Vita would be region free, the Sony executive replied with a simple, "Yes, it is." Yoshida did not indicate whether the PS Vita will be open through just physical media, or also digital content. Sony had not responded to G...
Hell In A Handheld
By GameInformer, published 16-09-2011
Sony revealed a brand new Japanese launch title for the PlayStation Vita during their pre-TGS 2011 press conference a few days ago. While I didn’t know anything about the game then, I liked the idea of guiding a legion of goblins through hell. To my pleasant surprise, I was able to get my hands on the Square-Enix title today. After several minutes of flinging goblin henchmen at monsters and mastering the Vita’s dual analog sticks, I’m happy to report this heavy metal murderfest is a ton of fun. The main character is the fallen ruler of the world. His domination and greed among mortals bred a lust to conquer the gods. Predictably, this goes awry. The tyrant is sent to hell, where he must rally goblin troops to regain his power and seek revenge on his banishers. Army Corp...
3DS is not a competitor to PS Vita - Sony
By GameSpot, published 16-09-2011
Sony Japan president Hiroshi Kawano expects first 500,000 units of the PlayStation Vita to sell out quickly, says internally Sony does not regard Nintendo's handheld as direct competition. TOKYO--During its pre-TGS 2011 press conference yesterday, Sony outlined its plans for the release of the upcoming PlayStation Vita portable, including the announcement of all 26 launch titles, as well as a December 17 release date for the console in Japan. Now, speaking to Reuters Japan (as translated by Japanese gaming news site Andria Sang), Sony Computer Entertainment Japan president Hiroshi Kawano has gone into further detail about Sony's expectations for the Vita. The PS Vita is set to launch in North America and Europe next year. As already revealed, the handheld...
Shinobido 2 confirmed for PS Vita launch in US
By GameSpot, published 16-09-2011
Namco Bandai localizing ninja stealth action game from Tenchu: Stealth Assassins and Way of the Samurai developer Acquire. Sony has detailed a Japanese PlayStation Vita launch lineup packed with 26 titles ready to go when the system hits shelves December 17. While the electronics giant hasn't been as precisely detailed with international release dates and launch games, the lineup isn't entirely unknown. Namco Bandai Games America today announced that it would localize Shinobido 2: Tales of the Ninja and have it on US store shelves in time for the PS Vita's North American debut next year. Shinobido 2's ninjas may be masters of stealthy kills, but they're not exactly concerned with cleanliness. Shinobido 2 is a ninja stealth action game developed by Acqu...
A Simply Charming Vita Platformer
By GameInformer, published 15-09-2011
I love platformers, and few systems lend themselves to the simplistic genre like a handheld. I recently got my hands on Sound Shapes for the PlayStation Vita for the very first time, and it's ranking among my top reasons to pick up the portable when it launches. Guiding the tiny, sticky ball across chasms and up along ceilings forces seasoned platforming experts to think differently. The Vita's slick analog sticks and vivid display make for pixel perfect jumps. I love how not every entity in the game is an enemy which damages you on contact, and that instead you must cling to them to access new areas on their patrol routes.One of my favorite moments involves climbing up rotating gears while avoiding being crushed by them. The level I played progressed gradually from rolling green ...
Arcades, holograms, cloud computing the future of gaming - Square Enix CEO
By GameSpot, published 15-09-2011
TGS keynote address sees Yoichi Wada assess the changing industry landscape as Sony reps show off Resistance for the PS Vita, confirm November release for PlayStation Suite SDK. TOKYO--The Tokyo Game Show kicked off today with a keynote address on the future of the gaming industry from three of Japan's leading video game industry figures. Square Enix CEO and Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association chairman Yoichi Wada, Sony Computer Entertainment worldwide studio president Shuhei Yoshida, and Sony Computer Entertainment senior vice president Yoshio Matsumoto took to the stage in the Makuhari Messe convention centre this morning to speak about evolving business models in the industry and the need to create new gaming experiences as the gaming audience continues to grow and diversify...
Square Enix Teases New Vita Title: Army Corps Of Hell
By GameInformer, published 14-09-2011
Square Enix unveiled a new PS Vita title during Sony's press conference at TGS yesterday, which looks like a strange departure from the company's recent track record. The game is tentatively titled Jigoku no Gundan: Army Corps of Hell, and is in development at Japanese studio Entersphere. The game stars a king who has been banished to hell, but takes the opportunity to assemble and command an army of 100 goblins in a style many are comparing to Pikmin. Right now there's not a whole lot of other information available, other than that the game will support up to four players, and feature music from the Japanese metal band United. I can't wait to control my own goblin army... [via 1Up]
PS Vita to hit Japan on December 17
By SlashGear, published 14-09-2011
Earlier this month we mentioned that the Sony PS Vita portable game console would be landing in the US and the UK on December 31, missing the important holiday shopping season .The PS Vita had a price pegged at $249.99 in the States and £229.99 in the UK. The consoles are up or pre-order in [...]
Updated: PS Vita: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 14-09-2011
PlayStation Vita: what you need to knowIt's here! And by "here!" we mean "nearly here!" After much rumour and speculation, Sony has announced that the new PSP - formerly codenamed NGP for Next Generation Portable - will be called the PlayStation Vita. So what are the PlayStation Vita specs, when will the UK release date be and how much will it cost?brightcove : 1091086359001PS Vita UK price will start at £229.99The UK pre-order price for the Sony PlayStation Vita has been revealed, with both Play and Game offering the handheld for £279.99 (3G) and £229.99 (Wi-Fi).As the more eagle-eyed of you will notice, this is a near like-for-like dollar and pounds pricing strategy, something us in the UK are unfortunately getting used to now.There was originally a credible previously...
PlayStation Vita release date and details confirmed
By TechRadar, published 14-09-2011
Sony's PlayStation Vita has been given a release date of 17 December in Japan, with the games giant promising 26 games at launch and 100 in an unspecified 'launch window'. The Vita has sparked widespread interest although a price point of 24,980 Yen (approximately £206) for the WiFi-only unit means that it will come in at significantly more than the Nintendo 3DS following its radical price cut. brightcove : 1091086359001However, the PlayStation Vita forgoes the gimmick of 3D for dual analogue sticks, and also brings more graphics and processing power to boot. GamesFifa 12, F1 2011 and Uncharted: Golden Abyss are among the launch titles, alongside the might of Final Fantasy X HD – for a handheld that is looking to go one better than the PSP and provide genuine competition in the portable...
Vita Getting Shin Megami Tensei Games, New Level-5 RPG, And More
By GameInformer, published 14-09-2011
If you're wondering what will be in store for Sony's upcoming PlayStation Vita handheld beyond its 26 launch titles, the publisher has provided a tiny glimpse into the system's future. Andriasang reports that it was able to catch the following games on Sony's list of future Vita titles: Strategy-RPG from Alpha Unit Shooter from Cave Two new games from GungHo New game from Gust Baseball game from Konami Soccer game from Konami RPG from Level-5 New game from Mages Action RPG from Marvelous Fantasy RPG from Marvelous Simulation RPG from Marvelous Educational games from Media Five Anime action game from Namco Bandai Maplus Portable Navi 4 Shin Megami Tensei series (Persona 4, pictured above, has already been announced for a Vita port, but this implies more games under the SMT...
Super Monkey Ball rolling to PlayStation Vita in early 2012
By GameSpot, published 09-12-2011
Sega bringing simian-themed labyrinth game to Sony's handheld with support for tilt-sensitive and touch-screen controls. Super Monkey Ball is rolling to new territory next year. Sega today announced that its long-running minigame and maze adventure game will be launching on Sony's new PlayStation Vita handheld in early 2012. [Caption omitted for reasons of taste.] Designed around the new hardware's features, the PS Vita version of Super Monkey Ball will make use of the handheld's tilt-sensitive motion controls, dual analog sticks, and both front and back touch screens. The game will feature the series' familiar mix of maze challenges where players must traverse treacherous courses, collecting bananas en route to each levels goal, as well as a variety of min...
Sony Asia and Nanyang Polytechnic to continue game design partnership
By GameSpot, published 09-08-2011
Publisher and school sign new five-year MOU to make PS3 and PS Vita titles thanks to outcome of Games Resource Centre. Get the full article at GameSpot "Sony Asia and Nanyang Polytechnic to continue game design partnership" was posted by Jonathan Leo Toyad on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 21:33:39 -0700
Report: Rayman, Lumines & More For Vita At TGS
By GameInformer, published 09-07-2011
On the eve of Tokyo Game Show, news hits about more titles coming for Sony's PlayStation Vita. Recently at Europe's GamesCom convention, Ubisoft pledged support for the Vita, and Famitsu reports that the company is making good on its word with at least four Vita titles at Tokyo Game Show: Rayman Origins, Lumines: Electronic Symphony, Michael Jackson: The Experience HD, and Dark Quest. Not mentioned in Famitsu's article is the Assassin's Creed Vita title. Previous reports say that there will be over 30 Vita games at the show this month. Stay tuned for more on these games and others as we cover the show when it happens. [via Kotaku]
Sony PS Vita pre-order opens at Amazon
By TechRadar, published 09-07-2011
Amazon.co.uk has opened pre-order for the PS Vita, with both the Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G models available to stake your claim on.Although the UK site doesn't give anything away on the delivery date front, the US site Amazon.com reckons pre-orderers will get your new console on New Year's Eve. It'll set you back £279.99 to pre-order the Wi-Fi and 3G version, while the Wi-Fi only model saves you fifty quid, coming in at £229.99. Wooo-oooah Vita-liteThe 3G-toting PS Vita doesn't list a network partner for the provision of the data in the UK, but we expect you'll need to pay a little bit extra for your non-Wi-Fi internet connectivity no matter who it's with. And what do you get for your money? The complete spec hasn't been made public yet, but we do know it'll bring you a 5-inch OLED touch...
Opinion: Why Sony's Personal 3D viewer is game-changing
By TechRadar, published 09-06-2011
Why Sony's Personal 3D viewer is game-changingIFA is nothing if not a hotbed of crazy new tech, but probably the most arresting image to emerge from this year's show is the sight of bemused visitors struggling to clasp Sony's astonishing HMZ-T1 Personal 3D Viewer to their head.Grimly futuristic, the white plastic visor with luminous blue power light looks more like a prop out of Fringe than a 3D display. No wonder folks fought to wear it - if only for a few minutes.Thankfully, we got to spend rather more time with it. And although one of our writers felt the unit was a little bulky, I liked what I saw.The HMZ-T1 is not the first time Sony's developed a heads up display. Back in 1997 the company touted the Glasstron, a viewer which looked very similar. It was standard def, of course, but ut...
Sony showing 18 unannounced PS Vita games at TGS
By GameSpot, published 09-01-2011
Publisher's booth will have 31 titles for upcoming portable in total at show; The Last Guardian MIA from 21-game PS3 lineup. Sony has made it official that the PlayStation Vita will be confined to Japan in 2011, with the North American and European rollouts not expected until early 2012. Japan will also be the site of a major update to the PS Vita library, as Andria Sang reports today that Sony confirmed that this month's Tokyo Game Show will play host to the announcement of 18 new titles for the device. Dynasty Warriors Next will be among 31 PS Vita games shown at TGS 2011. Sony did not provide a breakdown of who will be publishing the games that it plans to show at its PlayStation Vita Zone booth. However, the publisher did confirm by name 13 other...
Sony showing 18 unannounced PS Vita games at TGS
By GameSpot, published 09-01-2011
Publisher's booth will have 31 titles for upcoming portable in total at show; The Last Guardian MIA from 21-game PS3 lineup. Sony has made it official that the PlayStation Vita will be confined to Japan in 2011, with the North American and European rollouts not expected until early 2012. Japan will also be the site of a major update to the PS Vita library, as Andria Sang reports today that Sony confirmed that this month's Tokyo Game Show will play host to the announcement of 18 new titles for the device. Dynasty Warriors Next will be among 31 PS Vita games shown at TGS 2011. Sony did not provide a breakdown of who will be publishing the games that it plans to show at its PlayStation Vita Zone booth. However, the publisher did confirm by name 13 other games...
FPS Gameplay To Breathe New Life Into Eve Online
By GameInformer, published 09-01-2011
It's been awhile since we brought you information about Eve Online's FPS booster shot, Dust 514. Back at E3 2011 we delivered the answers to questions Eve Online fans might have regarding the new game. Just in case that information was a little too inside baseball, we bring you a more general look at what Dust 514 is all about. In the world of Eve Online, when a ship is destroyed, it’s gone. That’s it. The player’s essence may phase into a new clone replacement, but months spent enhancing an important battleship are lost. Needless to say, the denizens of New Eden are a hardcore bunch. When you have a fan base so intensely dedicated to an MMO, big changes can be met with fear and resistance. Dust 514 is the biggest change we’ve ever seen an MMO undertake. De...
PS Vita has 'better chance' than 3DS - EA
By GameSpot, published 26-08-2011
EA Labels president Frank Gibeau says there was "some confusion" about Nintendo's handheld, lauds new features in Sony's upcoming portable. The PlayStation Vita's release plans haven't been finalized yet, but there's no shortage of people in the industry willing to weigh in on its prospects. Last month, Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli expressed his skepticism about the handheld, saying it "might be too late" in a world focused on tablets and mobile devices. Earlier this month, Heavy Iron Studios' president and CEO Lyle Hall joined the naysayers, saying simply, "People don't want it." The Vita is set to launch in North America and Europe next year. Now Electronic Arts' recently appointed president of EA Labels Frank Gibeau has offered his assessment of the hardw...
Insomniac not signed on for Resistance 4
By GameSpot, published 24-08-2011
Studio creative director Marcus Smith says sci-fi shooter series could be handed off like Spyro franchise, company ready to branch out. Insomniac Games is slated to deliver the final chapter in its Resistance trilogy on September 6 with the release of Resistance 3. And if a Resistance 4 is on Sony's docket, as of yet, Insomniac isn't signed on to make it, according to studio creative director Marcus Smith. Insomniac may soon be putting the Resistance franchise to bed. Asked by Gaming Union whether the Resistance franchise will remain Insomniac's flagship franchise going forward, Smith demurred, saying that the studio has a number of other franchises it is currently pursuing and the alternate-history sci-fi shooter isn't one of them. "As far as Resistance ...
Sony goes in-depth on 3D
By GameSpot, published 22-08-2011
Gamescom 2011: SCEE senior group studio director Mick Hocking gives a progress report on the PS3's 3D game push, says the technology's time has arrived, leaves door open for a 3D-capable iteration of PlayStation Vita. Sony has been pushing stereoscopic 3D gaming on the PlayStation 3 for nearly two years, and the company is maintaining its commitment for the foreseeable future. This holiday season could be a particularly significant one for Sony's 3D initiative, as the electronics giant is releasing its own PlayStation-branded 3D monitor that will allow for full-screen two-player head-to-head gaming in supported titles, along with anticipated 3D-supporting titles like Resistance 3 and Uncharted 3. Sony Europe's in-house 3D advocate, Mick Hocking. To get...
PlayStation Vita Allows Cross-Game Voice Chat
By GameInformer, published 20-08-2011
The PS Vita may or may not have more rams than the Bronx zoo, but it definitely has more RAM than the PlayStation 3. This allows the system to perform cross-game voice chat through a new party system. Also, we apologize for that first joke. For a while it was rumored that the PlayStation Vita’s RAM had been trimmed down. Thankfully, rumors of the RAMs demise were greatly exaggerated. The PlayStation Vita has 512MB of system RAM and 128MB of video RAM. How does that compare to the PlayStation 3? The PS3 has 256MB of system RAM and 256MB of V-RAM. This extra RAM enables the Vita to perform cross-game chat. Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida recently told Eurogamer, "The reason why we were able to include something like Party, which enables cross-game voice chat is ...
EA Sports' game plan: Follow the fans
By GameSpot, published 19-08-2011
Q&A: Newly appointed label head Andrew Wilson explains the consumer-focused approach driving expansion into cross-platform services, Kinect- and Move-capable FIFA, and consumer apathy for 3D games. Earlier this week, GameSpot caught up with former EA Sports president Peter Moore at Gamescom to get his appraisal of an array of industry issues now that he has ascended to the position of chief operating officer of Electronic Arts. Moore's EA Sports successor, Andrew Wilson, also sat down to discuss his new domain with GameSpot. During the discussion, the executive covered the early gamer reaction to the Season Ticket program, EA Sports' spotty support of handhelds, customer apathy over 3D support, and bringing Move and Kinect support to FIFA 13. New E...
Console watch: PS3 Price Drop, Nintendo's New "Wii Minus," PS Vita To Have 512MB of RAM
By HotHardware, published 18-08-2011
Sony has confirmed the specs on the company's upcoming PlayStation Vita handheld. The new device will use an OLED screen at a resolution of 960x544. The system will use a quad-core variant of the same dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 that powers Apple's iPad 2 with 128MB of dedicated VRAM and 512MB of main system memory. It's a significant step...
Smooth PlayStation Vita launch is vital, says CEO
By TechRadar, published 18-08-2011
Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan exec has admitted that the launch of the PlayStation Vita is a critical time for the gaming giant. The Vita's predecessor, the PSP, is unlikely to be held up as a pinnacle of marketing prowess, and has never reached the heights that its key rival, the Nintendo DS, has managed consistently for years. But, with the PlayStation Vita UK release date likely to be in early 2012 and the Japanese launch set for the end of 2011, Sony is aware that it cannot make the mistakes it made in the underwhelming PS3 launch. Bright startRyan told Future Publishing's CVG that his key task was ensuring that the Vita is given the best possible start in life."It's obviously a top priority," he admitted. "We're going to launch early next year and it's critical that a marke...
EA to reprise Desert Strike and Road Rash?
By TechRadar, published 18-08-2011
Electronic Arts is planning to bring back 'a couple' of classic gaming franchises, according to the head of EA Labels.Frank Gibeau, formerly the head of EA Games, hinted that beloved 90s titles like Desert Strike and Road Rash may be updated for the modern era.Speaking to CVG at Gamescon 2011 in Cologne, Gibeau says that EA won't bring back titles for the sake of it, but will embrace the opportunity to add new elements to celebrated classics.He said: "We do have a couple of old franchises that we're looking at right now... reimagining them and bringing them back."25 years"We've got 25 years of good IPs and I've worked on a few of them in my career like Road Rash and the Strike series. So I have a strong affinity for a lot of the things we've done in the past. "We kind of have a rule which ...
In Depth: PS Vita: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 17-08-2011
It's here! And by "here!" we mean "nearly here!" After much rumour and speculation, Sony has announced that the new PSP - formerly codenamed NGP for Next Generation Portable - will be called the PlayStation Vita. So what are the PS Vita specs, when will the UK release date be and how much will it cost?PS Vita UK price will start at £229.99The UK pre-order price for the Sony PlayStation Vita has been revealed, with both Play and Game offering the handheld for £279.99 (3G) and £229.99 (Wi-Fi).As the more eagle-eyed of you will notice, this is a near like-for-like dollar and pounds pricing strategy, something us in the UK are unfortunately getting used to now.There was originally a credible previously rumoured pricing. Given that the Wi-Fi only version of the new PlayStation Vita would be ...
PlayStation 3D TV UK release date and pricing announced
By TechRadar, published 17-08-2011
Sony's PlayStation 3D TV will go on sale in the UK this Autumn with a £499 price tag.The 24 inch set will be bundled with two pairs of PlayStation-branded 3D specs, said to be a cheaper version of its current Active Shutter models, and claimed to work with other manufacturers' sets. It has been confirmed that US buyers will also get a 3D game thrown in, but it's still not known whether that will apply in the UK.SimulView techThe set, first announced by Sony at E3, is 'designed to give the ultimate gaming experience'. It achieves this thanks to the brand's proprietary SimulView tech, which uses the active shutter glasses to enable two players to see different images (2D, not 3D) on the same screen.Other tech specs of the PS 3DTV include a built-in subwoofer to beef up the performance of it...
Sony PS Vita specs revealed, still big on RAM
By TechRadar, published 17-08-2011
New specifications have been revealed for the Sony PS Vita and it seems that the handheld has not lost any of its power, despite reports insisting the console's RAM had been slashed to make it cheaper.According to a new Sony press release this isn't the case as the specs reveal that it will indeed have 512MB of RAM and some 128MB of VRAM to go alongside this. Feature focusOther features include a screen resolution of 640x480 (VGA) and frame rates will be 60 frames per second. This can be doubled, however, to 120fps but the resolution is cut to 320x240 (QVGA).Sony is still keeping some details close to its heart. These include how much on-board storage the device will eventually have and we still don't know when the PS Vita UK release date will be.Sony has had something of a busy week – i...
Planning A Prison Break On PlayStation Vita
By GameInformer, published 17-08-2011
Meet Lil and Laarg. Lil is tiny but scrappy. Laarg is...well, large. Both of them have awoken in a jail of some sort, and together they're going to escape...with your help. Escape Plan is a stylish 2D puzzle game that wonderfully shows off the non-traditional control options possible on Sony's new handheld. In the build that I played at Gamescom, virtually every interaction was handled via the touchscreen, the rear touchpad, or tilting the Vita. The only action I saw that used regular buttons was the ability to zoom the camera in and out with the analog sticks, but the Sony representative demoing the game suggested that may not exist in the final version. The Gamescom demo began with the simplest of puzzles. Lil laid asleep in bed, and I had to tap the screen to wake him up. To ma...
Hands-On With Resistance: Burning Skies
By GameInformer, published 17-08-2011
Sony just announced that Nihilistic Software is taking the reins from Insomniac for an all-new Vita entry in the series and we got to play around with it. Nihilistic is most recently known for its work on PlayStation Move Heroes starring a mishmash of Sony mascots. While this title wasn’t really the most faithful to the original properties, Resistance: Burning Skies looks and plays almost exactly like its PS3 big brothers. The game begins on Ellis Island in 1951, the same year as Resistance 1 and parts of the second game. You control a fireman named Todd Riley who wakes up on the island with tubes jacked into his arm. He grabs his fireman’s axe and helmet and takes out. It turns out that this place became a Chimera research facility in Resistance’s alternate history and ...
Analysts say PS3 price cut could spike sales 30-50%
By GameSpot, published 17-08-2011
Wedbush and EEDAR prognosticators react favorably to Sony's $50 discount to the PS3, question when/if Microsoft will follow suit. While analysts had been calling for a price cut to the as-yet-unreleased PlayStation Vita in recent weeks, Sony instead dropped the cost of its PlayStation 3 today, trimming the console's price by $50 to $250. Initial reaction to the cut appears to be positive, as Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter and Electronic Entertainment Design and Research analyst Jesse Divnich told GameSpot today they expect sales spikes in double-digit percentages thanks to the lower price. Analysts expect a lower price to move a lot more PS3s off store shelves. Pachter said Sony made a "bold move" by cutting its price before Microsoft did the same for...
Hands On Ruin's PlayStation Vita Incarnation
By GameInformer, published 16-08-2011
I played through a demo area with upcoming action/RPG Ruin's agile Assassin class and came away with more questions than answers. Sony invited us out to its Gamescom 2011 press conference, with the complementary inclusion of hands-on sessions with a selection of Vita games afterward. Sitting down with Ruin, I was unsurprisingly impressed with the Vita hardware and the game's graphical fidelity. Beyond that, the demo itself was a mixed bag.The Assassin is a dextrous, tricksy heroine who decimates her foes with lightning-fast dagger strikes, poison darts, and improvised bombs. I had no trouble brushing aside the opposition, bosses included, but the Ruin developer on hand freely admitted that the team hadn't even tried to balance the powers for this demo. Indeed, my mana bar never...
PSP E-1000: budget PlayStation Portable announced
By TechRadar, published 16-08-2011
Sony has announced that a new, low-cost PlayStation Portable model will launch in Europe later this year.The new PSP E-1000 will not have Wi-Fi, but will only cost €99 - which equates to about £86, although Sony is yet to confirm a UK price.The announcement was made during Sony's Gamescon 2011 keynote, which also saw the company reveal a significant PS3 price cut.The device, which will have the same matte finish as the PlayStation 3 console, will still enable users to download games through the use of the Media Go PC mounting service.Cheap UMDsSony is also offering a host of UMD games for the device at a heavily discounted, App Store-matching price of €9.99.Those titles will include FIFA 12, Invizimals: The Lost Tribe, EyePet Adventures, plus many more, according to the official PlayS...
Sony announces new budget PSP model
By TechRadar, published 16-08-2011
Sony has announced that a new, low-cost PlayStation Portable model will launch in Europe later this year.The new PSP E-1000 will not have Wi-Fi, but will only cost €99 - which equates to about £86, although Sony is yet to confirm a UK price.The announcement was made during Sony's Gamescon 2011 keynote, which also saw the company reveal a significant PS3 price cut.The device, which will have the same matte finish as the PlayStation 3 console, will still enable users to download games through the use of the Media Go PC mounting service.Cheap UMDsSony is also offering a host of UMD games for the device at a heavily discounted, App Store-matching price of €9.99.Those titles will include FIFA 12, Invizimals: The Lost Tribe, EyePet Adventures, plus many more, according to the official PlayS...
Assassin's Creed, Rayman Origins lead Ubisoft's PS Vita slate
By GameSpot, published 16-08-2011
Publisher confirms six games in development for Sony's next portable PlayStation product; Lumines, Michael Jackson, Asphalt, and Dungeon Hunter Alliance also headed to new handheld. Third-party software support will be vital to the PlayStation Vita, and Ubisoft is clearly on board with Sony's upcoming handheld. The publisher today announced that it has six games in development for the handheld, including new installments of some of its highest-profile properties. Ubisoft's Asphalt is speeding to the PS Vita. Leading the way are a pair of iconic Ubisoft franchises in Assassin's Creed and Rayman. While the publisher did not detail the PS Vita debut of the free-running stealth action game, it did say that the phantom-limbed mascot Rayman would be making h...
Sony Drops PS3 Price To $249
By GameInformer, published 16-08-2011
Have you held out on buying a PlayStation 3? Maybe you're looking for a spare to put in your bathroom. Whatever the case, now you've got a good reason to consider picking one up. Sony announced today during its Gamescom 2011 press conference that the PS3's price tag is having $50 sheered off of it. Previously priced at $299, you can now score the cutting edge gaming console/Blu-Ray player for $249. That's the same price as a PS Vita. Though it wasn't officially stated, we're assuming this pertains to the 160 gigabyte model.
New budget-line PSP model coming to Europe only
By GameSpot, published 16-08-2011
[Update] Gamescom 2011: Sony uses press briefing to reveal new handheld redesign bearing 99 euro price, no Wi-Fi; exec confirms no North American launch planned. During Sony's Gamescom 2011 press briefing today, newly named Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president and CEO Jim Ryan revealed that the company plans to continue support of the original PSP with a brand-new model of the handheld device. If the price is right… Citing the success of its budget-priced PSP Essentials lineup, Ryan said this new PSP model will mimic that philosophy and come priced at an affordable €99 ($143). However, that price does not come without a few sacrifices; this new model will not carry the Wi-Fi capabilities of its PSP brethren. Cosmetically, the hard...
Live Blog: Sony's Gamescom Press Conference
By GameInformer, published 16-08-2011
Sony is getting ready to present its titles at its Gamescom 2011 press conference in Germany, and we're live blogging the event. The press conference starts at noon central time here in the States (assuming Sony's got the trains running on time), so stay tuned for all the news from Sony's bash. Press Conference should be starting in 15 minutes or so.... (Note: Updates will appear at the bottom of this story.) Bad electronica playing as a prelude. At least it's not "Euro Techno." Instead it's just anonymous "Press Conference Techno." Sony announces that it's going to begin in 10 minutes. "Starting shortly." Starting. Usual video montage of games. Uncharted 3, Resistance 3, etc. Andrew House on the Stage, President a...
Assassin's Creed And More Coming To PS Vita
By GameInformer, published 16-08-2011
While drumming up interest for the PS Vita at its Gamescom press conference, Sony announced that Ubisoft is working on a portable Assassin's Creed for 2012, complete with a new story. The mysterious new Assassin's Creed title was not named or shown, but Sony Europe's new CEO Jim Ryan stated that it is one of six games that Ubisoft is currently developing for the PS Vita. This was accompanied by the splash screen of other third-party support shown above, which includes high profile franchises like BioShock and Call Of Duty, the FIFA and Virtua Tennis sports franchises, and the colorful platformer, Rayman Origins. Again, no gameplay was shown from any of these games, but given the graphic quality of the demos we've seen so far, it looks like the hardcore crowd will have plen...
'People don't want' PS Vita - Heavy Iron
By GameSpot, published 15-08-2011
Developers offer grim assessment of upcoming portable, saying Sony will have a tough time finding audience with prevalence of iOS and Android devices. Nintendo is having a tough time with its 3DS. Not six months after the device launched, Nintendo slashed the price tag on its 3D-enabled handheld by 32 percent in the US, and analysts heralded the move as evidence that the market is shifting away from gaming-specific hardware. Now, according to Heavy Iron Studios heads Lyle Hall and Matthew Seymour, Sony and its PlayStation Vita are also in trouble. It seems safe to say that Heavy Iron Studios will be staying away from the PS Vita. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Heavy Iron Studios' president and CEO Lyle Hall said that the PS Vita is going to have a h...
PSP Vita A "Car Wreck" Reckons Devs
By GameInformer, published 15-08-2011
A pair of developers over at Heavy Iron Studios (UFC Personal Trainer) think that Sony's Vita handheld is doomed in the face of multi-function devices like smart phones. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, two Heavy Iron developers – Lyle Hall and Matthew Seymour – give their opinion on the Vita. "If people aren't willing to pay $249 for a Nintendo 3DS why would they pay $299 for Vita?" asked Hall. "People don't want to carry more than one thing in their pocket, that’s why Android and iPhone have done so well, they are the devices of choice, they offer multiple functions outside of gaming." "With all due respects to Sony and Vita, it's a car wreck," added Hall. "And how about Xperia Play? I'd love to pull up the numbers o...
Week in Tech: The week that gadgets went AWOL
By TechRadar, published 08-12-2011
If you're into tablets, smartphones or gaming then this week has been rather like a dream - and we don't mean one of those dreams involving your favourite celebrity, a leprechaun costume and a gallon of massage oil. One minute all kinds of technological delights were heading for UK shop shelves; the next, they'd vanished into the ether.U-turns have affected three top gadgets this week: Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet, the Nokia N9 smartphone and Sony's PS Vita handheld. The reasons differ from device to device, but they all have one thing in common: you won't be able to get your hands on them for the foreseeable future.First up, there's the PS Vita. We've drooled over its specs, its unusual control scheme and it's hefty processing power, so we were gutted to discover that it's not going t...
Nintendo pressured to bring Mario to iOS - Analyst
By GameSpot, published 08-12-2011
After 3DS price cut, Stats Investment Management's Masamitsu Ohki says investors are pushing Wii maker to bring franchises to Apple's platforms. Analysts and investors have been uppity in general of late, and game companies haven't been spared scrutiny. Earlier this week, Ace Securities analyst Hideki Yasuda told Bloomberg that Sony has faced significant pressure to cut the PlayStation Vita's price tag even before its release, due to Nintendo's drastic markdown of the 3DS. Iwata isn't keen on having Mario fly onto Apple's handhelds. Nintendo, too, is weathering guidance from investors who are concerned about the company's flagging financials. Speaking to Bloomberg, Stats Investment Management Co. fund manager Masamitsu Ohki said that investors are in...
MotorStorm: Apocalypse update adds Move, mode editor
By GameSpot, published 08-11-2011
Tomorrow, Evolution Studios' PS3-exclusive racer gains support for motion peripheral, Logitech wheels, new customization tools, online tweaks. 3D and motion-sensing controls have been a primary emphasis by Sony for PlayStation 3 games of late. MotorStorm: Apocalypse hit the first of those points upon its launch for the PS3 in May, and this Friday, it will also accomplish the other. As part of tomorrow's sizable free update, Evolution Studios will introduce PlayStation Move support for its end-is-nigh racer. Shaky hands aren't a deal breaker when the ground opens beneath you. Along with full Move compatibility, Evolution has added support for a handful of racing wheels, including the Logitech G25, G27, Driving Force GT, and Driving Force Pro periphera...
Sony To Offer PSP Bundle With Madden NFL 12 And Need For Speed Shift
By SlashGear, published 08-10-2011
Sony’s PlayStation Portable will soon be available in a special bundle called the PSP Entertainment Pack. So, if you’ve been wanting to get a portable gaming console and you’re not patient enough for the next-gen PS Vita, then at least wait until August 30, when this PSP deal hits store shelves. The bundle will include [...]
Disgaea 3 Returns on PlayStation Vita - Report
By GameSpot, published 08-10-2011
Nippon Ichi bringing strategy-RPG to Sony's new handheld, teases new titles from Prinny and Disgaea teams. Disgaea is on the go once again. According to Dengeki PlayStation (and translated by Andriasang), Nippon Ichi has confirmed Disgaea 3 Returns--an enhanced port of the original PlayStation 3 strategy role-playing game--is in development for the PlayStation Vita. Disgaea 3 protagonist Mao is the top honors student in the Netherworld Evil Academy. While it's not clear if Disgaea 3 Returns will be ready for the system's Japanese launch later this year, Nippon Ichi did spell out some of the game's new features. In addition to four new scenarios and a pair of additional characters, the PS Vita release of the game will pack in all of the PS3 version's do...
Ken Levine Talks BioShock Infinite, Move, And Vita
By GameInformer, published 08-09-2011
Irrational Games founder and BioShock creator Ken Levine has never been one to avoid a channel by which he can transmit his thoughts about games. Today, that channel is a heavily produced video courtesy of Sony's official PlayStation Blog.Levine touches on many aspects of BioShock Infinite in the video below, including what Songbird's role in Columbia is ("We wanted a character who represented the sky in the same way that the Big Daddy represented the ocean.") and what he feelings he hopes to create in players as they explore the relationship between main character Booker and psychically powerful Elizabeth. It being the PlayStation Blog, there are a fair number of cops to Levine's appreciation of Sony's platforms as well. He speaks at length about how excited he i...
Analyst expects NPD slump to continue
By GameSpot, published 08-09-2011
Wedbush's Michael Pachter expects this week's sales data release to show July software, hardware sales down 7 percent; NCAA expected to lead pack with 800,000 sold. After a big April in which Mortal Kombat and Portal 2 helped push sales up 20 percent, the US game industry entered its summer doldrums a bit early, posting double-digit declines in May and June. With the industry-tracking NPD Group expected to release its sales figures for July later this week, one analyst is predicting a third straight month of losses, albeit with a smaller overall shortfall. Pachter thinks NCAA Football will repeat as the July sales champ. Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter sent out a note to investors this week with his expectations for the NPD's figures, saying he expect...
PS Vita Pre-Order Page Hints at March 2012 Release
By HotHardware, published 08-09-2011
BestBuy Canada has sparked rumors of an early-2012 release of the PlayStation Vita today with the posting of a Vita pre-order release date of March 30, 2012. The pre-orders apply to both the Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G models that Sony is releasing. Sony confirmed just last week that the handheld would be releasing in North America and Europe...
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 crossing over to PS Vita - Retail Radar
By GameSpot, published 08-08-2011
Amazon France lists product page for unannounced port of fighting franchise; Capcom says it has made no announcements. Last month, Capcom Europe COO David Reeves said the publisher has at least four games in store for Sony's upcoming PlayStation Vita. One of those may have come to light today, as Amazon France has posted a product page for Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds on the new handheld (as spotted by Gematsu). Like a tiny Phoenix, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 may get a second life on Sony's new handheld system. Amazon France has a decent track record with product leaks for high-profile titles for Sony hardware. Last year, the retailer broke word of Uncharted 3, Team Ico Collection, and Ubisoft's PlayStation 3-exclusive high-definition Splinter Cell...
Sony under pressure to drop PS Vita price - Analyst
By GameSpot, published 08-08-2011
Gamers putting heat on electronics giant to counter Nintendo's 3DS price cut, according to Japanese industry watcher. The 3DS price drop goes into effect later this week, and its impact is already reverberating throughout the industry. Speaking with Bloomberg, Ace Securities analyst Hideki Yasuda said all eyes are now on Sony to see whether it reacts with a price cut for the upcoming PlayStation Vita. Is a price drop vital for the Vita? "Gamers are increasingly anticipating Sony to lower prices, especially after the 3DS cut," Yasuda said. "Sony is under major pressure to cut the price of the Vita or risk a major failure." That's a risk Sony is apparently willing to take. Last week, Sony executive deputy president Kaz Hirai told reporters the Nintendo ...
Sony 3D HDTV bundle drops Resistance 3
By GameSpot, published 08-05-2011
Insomniac confirms publisher has swapped alternate-history shooter in 24" TV package with MotorStorm: Apocalypse. The PlayStation Vita wasn't the only new hardware Sony showed off at its 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference. Beyond the new portable, Sony debuted its newest 3D-enabled HDTV, saying that it would promote the device's release by bundling it with a copy of Insomniac Games' anticipated shooter Resistance 3. MotorStorm: Apocalypse is a bit like Resistance 3, but with more crotch rockets. Unfortunately, that's no longer the case. Confirming what had been indicated in an Amazon listing, Insomniac revealed through its Twitter feed that Resistance 3 had been swapped out for MotorStorm: Apocalypse. Aside from that change, the bund...
Sony Reports Vita To Miss Holidays, Nintendo Apologizes For 3DS Price Cuts
By HotHardware, published 08-05-2011
Sony announced today that its upcoming PlayStation Vita, the updated handheld slated to replace the PSP, won't launch in the US or Europe until early 2012. That's a bit surprising considering that electronics sales seasonally slump in the first quarter. The company also stated that it has no plans to sell its television manufacturing business,...
PlayStation Vita not hitting US, Europe until 2012
By GameSpot, published 08-04-2011
Japanese launch of new handheld still expected this year; Hirai says no price cut planned in wake of Nintendo's 3DS price drop. Gamers' hopes may have been bolstered by recent rumors that Sony's PlayStation Vita would be making its North American and European debuts this year, but Sony executive deputy president Kaz Hirai put an end to that today. Coming soon. Just maybe not as soon as hoped. According to an Associated Press report, Hirai told reporters today that the PS Vita will not be ready for its international rollout this year. Instead, Sony is planning to launch the system in Japan later this year, with North American and European debuts to follow in early 2012. Previously, Sony had simply said the PS Vita would "successively launch in [the] glo...
PlayStation Vita Coming To U.S., Europe In 2012
By GameInformer, published 08-04-2011
Sony’s been cagey about when it will be releasing its PlayStation Vita handheld, but a recent statement by company VP Kazuo Hirai dumps a pail of water on hopes that it’ll be out here in 2011. Hirai says the system will be on sale in Japan by the end of 2011, but that it won’t be coming to North America and Europe until early 2012. Hirai said he didn't categorize the news as a delay since the company had planned a phased worldwide rollout all along. This is consistent with what we've heard from multiple industry analysts, including Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter, who did not believe the Vita would hit stores in the U.S. this year. According to the Associated Press, Hirai also took a shot at rival Nintendo’s recent troubles with its 3DS handheld. "...
Sony's PlayStation Vita UK release date pushed to 2012
By TechRadar, published 08-04-2011
Sony has announced that it is not going to release the new PlayStation Vita in the UK or the US in time for the Christmas rush, with Kaz Hirai suggesting that it will not arrive until early 2012. Sony's exec deputy president Hirai confirmed that the PS Vita will not get a Christmas release in Europe or the US, although it will launch in Japan before the end of December.Brits should expect to see Sony's new PlayStation handheld at some point early next year, according to Hirai, who was speaking in Japan.PlayStation business a key pillar"The PlayStation business is a key pillar," said Hirai. "The video-game industry is evolving constantly. My expectation is for the PlayStation business to remain at the forefront of this very dynamic industry." Sony is trying to make its TV business more prof...
World of Warcraft subscribers drop again
By TechRadar, published 08-04-2011
The number of paying subscribers for Blizzard's fantasy MMO World of Warcraft has dropped for the second financial quarter in a row.Having peaked at 12 million subscribers, WOW's falling figures have prompted some observers to question if this means the beginning of the end for the world's most popular online game.So, is World of Warcraft on the wane or is this just a temporary blip in the world of Azeroth?MMO memoWoW provides a major revenue stream for the Activision-Blizzard, which noted recently that digital revenues from properties such as World of Warcraft were up by a 27 per cent increase from the same quarter a year ago. "It's normal to see some declines, the team is currently working on our largest content update since Cataclysm, which will hit later this year," Blizzard Entertainm...
PS Vita US and Europe launch in “early” 2012 says Sony
By SlashGear, published 08-04-2011
Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation Vita launch will miss the 2011 holiday season in the US and Europe, with the new handheld instead arriving “early next year.” According to Sony VP Kazuo Hirai, only Japan will see the Vita arrive in time for Christmas, with the rest of the “phased global rollout” taking place [...]
Bethesda: No Xbox 720 or PS4 till 2014
By TechRadar, published 08-04-2011
Bethesda's Todd Howard, game director for the forthcoming blockbuster Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, says that gamers should not expect follow-ups to the PS3 and Xbox 360 until 2014, at the very earliest.Speaking to PSM3 magazine, the Bethesda exec said that gamers were happy with the current generation of console tech and that he didn't expect to see an Xbox 720 or a PlayStation 4 before 2014.What will be at E3 2012?The Skyrim director told PSM3: "I think it's going to be a while still, I really do. I think consumers are happy with the current ones, there's a lot you can do with them."There are rumours that the Xbox 720 will be on show at E3 2012, although Microsoft has refused to comment to date.Nintendo plans to release its own new Wii U console later in 2012.Bethesda's Elder Scrolls V: Skyri...
The Playstation Vita Also Serves As a PS3 Controller... And More!
By DigitalVersus, published 08-03-2011
With the Wii U, Nintendo has opened new doors for gamers... and Sony, very much inspired by Nintendo, is also getting in there with the Playstation Vita which you'll...
PlayStation Vita usable as PS3 controller
By GameSpot, published 08-03-2011
Sony confirms that developers will be able to incorporate handheld's touch screen, gyroscopic features in their PlayStation 3 titles. While the Wii U controller boasts a considerably larger screen than the PlayStation Vita, Sony's handheld boasts many of the same features found as the primary selling point for Nintendo's next console. According to Sony, developers will also be able to incorporate PS Vita compatibility in their PlayStation 3 games, either with direct controls or cross-platform play. Not quite the DualShock 4. According to Eurogamer, Sony Europe R&D manager Phil Rogers confirmed for an audience of gamemakers at the Develop Conference last month that the speculated compatibility was possible, and he suggested that Sony would allow cro...
Sucker Punch on Sony sale
By GameSpot, published 08-03-2011
Q&A: Infamous developer's cofounder expands on joining the PlayStation family, says Sony deal will let it continue taking risks; "hard at work on stuff" but not sharing just yet. Earlier today, Sony announced that it had acquired Sly Cooper and InFamous developer Sucker Punch, making the Bellevue, Washington-based studio the publisher's 16th wholly owned studio. The move came as not much of a surprise, as every game the studio has made except the Nintendo 64 game Rocket: Robot on Wheels has arrived exclusively on Sony's PlayStation 2 or PlayStation 3. Sucker Punch is now wholly owned by Sony. In an interview with GameSpot, Sucker Punch cofounder Chris Zimmerman explained what led to the acquisition, the implications of it, and what's next for t...
Sony Puts A Ring On Sucker Punch Relationship
By GameInformer, published 08-02-2011
It's no secret that Sucker Punch and Sony have had eyes for each other for the dozen years or so, and today they've made it official. Sucker Punch is no longer a second-party developer for Sony after becoming an official member of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios. "Sucker Punch Productions is one of the most highly acclaimed development studios in the industry and we have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with the company for over 12 years. We are delighted to officially welcome them to the SCE family," said Shuhei Yoshida, president, SCE WWS. "The addition of Sucker Punch to SCE WWS reiterates our dedication to developing world class gaming experiences that can only be found on the PlayStation platform. With one of the strongest exclusive software lineu...
Sony PlayStation Vita to launch this October, in a 'phased global release'
By Thinkdigit, published 08-02-2011
A leaked flyer from Blockbuster in the United Kingdom has revealed that the PlayStation Vita, or the Android-based Next Generation Portable we are all waiting for, will be launching by October 28th this year. While Blockbuster has not confirmed the veracity of the flyer, it ties in with last week’s rumours of the Vita emerging by the Fall. Speaking to gaming site IGN, Sony confirmed that the PS Vita will be launching with a ‘phased global release’ in the ‘holiday seaso [...] Read the entire article
PS Vita due October 28 tips Blockbuster flyer
By SlashGear, published 08-01-2011
An “upcoming releases” flyer for the UK arm of retailer Blockbuster has seemingly confirmed the release date of the PlayStation Vita, Sony’s upcoming replacement to the PSP. The document, forwarded to IGN by an anonymous UK gamer, suggests that the Vita will drop on October 28 2011, in the UK at least, in both WiFi-only and 3G [...]
Rumor: PS Vita Launching October 28?
By GameInformer, published 30-07-2011
While it's far from a sure thing, a flyer supposedly leaked from Blockbuster pinpoints the release of Sony's new handheld – in the UK, at least. According to the advertisement pictured below (courtesy of IGN), the hardware is set to launch on Friday, October 28 in the UK. That's only three month away, but it would ensure that Sony hits the target release for this holiday season along with giving people plenty of time to buy games before the year ends. Given the lack of confirmation from Sony (and abundant speculation on the device's release date), I'm going to wait for an official announcement before I believe anything regarding when the Vita will be available. (Source: IGN)
Report: Samsung Manufacturing PlayStation Vita Chips
By GameInformer, published 30-07-2011
\ The makers of the iPhone and 3DS chipsets are apparently pitching in with the Vita hardware too. Though Sony built its own chipsets for the PlayStation 3 and PSP, the company is looking for some outside help for the Vita. According to the The Semiconductor Industry News, Samsung is developing the quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 chip for Sony's new handheld. The chip is being built using the 45 nanometer process, which has become popular in recent years due to its low electrica leakage. Other devices using semiconductors made via this technological process include the PlayStation 3 Slim, Xbox 360 S, iPhone, and 3DS. The decision to bring on Samsung was likely fueled by Sony's wish to keep the development costs down; developing your own chipset is expensive. These savings may come in hand...
3DS price cut to bolster third-party confidence - Analyst
By GameSpot, published 29-07-2011
Despite "red flags" regarding handheld's long-term health, EEDAR VP Jesse Divnich says Nintendo's move wins points with publishers, could pay off over the holidays. Nintendo sent the industry scrambling this morning with the one-two combination of a dreary earnings report and surprising price cut for the 3DS. Reporting on its April-June quarter, Nintendo said revenues slipped 50 percent over last year, leading to a ¥25.5 billion ($328 million) loss. That weakness was due in part to anemic 3DS sales of just 710,000 units during the quarter. Third parties stand to gain from the 3DS hardware price cut, says Divnich. Speaking to GameSpot, EEDAR VP of capital research & communications Jesse Divnich said that while the 3DS's new $170 price point ...
Supremacy MMA To Wreck Faces On Vita
By GameInformer, published 28-07-2011
Fighting games don't traditionally find much of a home on portable systems, but that's about to change at least a little. Today 505 Games and Kung Fu Factory announced that Supremacy MMA is going to be making its way onto the PlayStation Vita this year. “Supremacy MMA takes MMA where it’s never gone before, with unprecedented brutality and arcade speed, and now it’s headed for another new frontier as the sole MMA game to go to handheld in 2011,” says Ian Howe, President, 505 Games, North America. “The arcade-styled gameplay is perfectly suited for quick handheld sessions, and the game looks amazing on Sony’s hot new tech.” The game is a blend of arcade action and authenticity, balanced to prevent five-second knockouts in favor of longer, m...
Sony Reports $191 Million Loss For Quarter
By GameInformer, published 28-07-2011
Amid lowered year-upon-year PlayStation 3 and in the shadow of the natural disasters that have hit Japan, Sony is reporting a 15.5 billion yen ($191 million) net loss for the first quarter. Sony blames the earthquake in March, although it noted that the recovery is going faster than expected. Still, a drop on year-on-year PS3 sales can't help matters either, as the system sold 1.8 million units for the first quarter as compared to 2.4 million in the previous year's period. The company says that it still expects to sell more PS3s when the year comes to a close; predicting 15 million in sales. Other areas had better news: PS3 software sales were up slightly to 26.1 million from 24.8 million units, and even with the Vita breathing down its neck, PSP sales were up from 1.2 million to ...
Developer: PS Vita has 'ten times' more RAM than PSP
By TechRadar, published 28-07-2011
While Sony remains tight-lipped about the exact amount of RAM it plans to put in the forthcoming new PlayStation Vita handheld, one developer has revealed this week that the new console has "about ten times" the amount of RAM that was in the original PSP.Developers have been privy to the Vita developer kits, but are supposed to have agreed not to discuss the details with anyone.However, developer Dani Sánchez-Crespo, the CEO of PSP games studio Novarama, spoke to Develop magazine this week, revealing that, "The first PSP had 32 MG of RAM and we have about ten times that now."Ten times more RAMThe developer added that PS Vita will "have a whole lot of headroom in terms of GPU power, CPU power and indeed RAM."Sony is alleged to have cut back its original plans to include 512 MB of RAM in th...
Sony in the red due to quake-hit production
By TechRadar, published 28-07-2011
Sony has reported that it made a net loss of 15.5 billion yen (£122 million) for the three months from April to June 2011, with sales declining by 18 per cent year on year.It blames the chasm in its finances on the earthquake that hit Japan earlier this year, which caused production delays and squeezed component supplies. It also reckons "unfavourable exchange rates" and "the deterioration of the electronics business environment" have had a negative impact. TVs down, gaming weirdThe worst hit department was Sony's TV unit, which has also revised its sales forecast for the rest of the year downwards. Sony's computer entertainment division had some interesting news; PlayStation 3 sales are down, possibly due to the PSN hack that took the gaming network down for over a month earlier this yea...
EA: 'Apple iPad is fastest-growing game platform'
By TechRadar, published 28-07-2011
EA has revealed that the Apple iPad is its fastest-growing game platform, suggesting that the dominance of the home console in the games industry is finally coming to an end.While home consoles made up around 80 per cent of the games business a decade ago, they now make up around half that. iPad gaming growthEA CEO John Riccitiello revealed this telling fact to website IndustryGamers this week, following the company's recent announcement of better-than-expected financial results."Consoles today are 40 per cent of the game industry, so what do we really have?," said the EA boss. "We have a new hardware platform and we're putting out software every 90 days. Our fastest growing platform is the iPad right now and that didn't exist 18 months ago. "Every 5 years you'd see a new console or platfo...
Microsoft releases new Xbox 360 headset and remote
By TechRadar, published 26-07-2011
Microsoft has announced a new Xbox 360 Bluetooth headset and Media Remote Control this week, due for commercial release this coming November.Microsoft's new wireless Bluetooth headset and Media Remote will no doubt appeal to those Xbox gamers that like to play online via Xbox Live or who like to use their games console as a media centre to watch movies, TV and listen to their favourite tunes.Taking communication to the next levelBoth products will be available this coming November, with the wireless headset carrying an estimated retail price of $59.99 (£36.63) in the US and the remote $19.99 (£12.20). Final UK pricing is still to be confirmed.Microsoft's official PR blurb tells us that the new wireless Xbox 360 headset "takes communications to the next level with a sleek appearance that ...
Starhawk goes wild wild Warhawk
By GameSpot, published 24-07-2011
Comic-Con 2011: Lightbox discusses adding sci-fi Western single-player story to multiplayer-centric franchise for upcoming PS3 exclusive. Who was there: Lightbox Interactive creative director Lars DeVore was joined by writer Keen Wooten, as well as Sony Santa Monica studio director John Hight and senior producer Harvard Bonin. IGN's Greg Miller moderated the panel. Emmett Graves is the star of Starhawk. What they talked about: Rather than a sequel to 2007's online, multiplayer-only Warhawk, Lightbox is returning to the PlayStation 3 in a new direction with the markedly expanded Starhawk. Announced in May, Starhawk combines sci-fi and Western elements to tell a single-player story that augments the franchise's well-known online element. Taking to the ...
Resistance 3 multiplayer beta fires up in August
By GameSpot, published 22-07-2011
Comic-Con 2011: Insomniac says trial for upcoming sci-fi shooter dropping in two weeks for holders of SOCOM 4. SAN DIEGO--Gamers who picked up April's well-received SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs were promised early access to the multiplayer beta for Insomniac Games' Resistance 3 at a to-be-determined date in the future. Now, the developer has dated the beta, saying it will begin during the first week of August. Resistance 3's beta starts next month. The news stems from Insomniac's official Twitter feed, where the developer wrote that those with SOCOM 4 codes in North America can get in alongside European PlayStation Plus subscribers. The developer did not say when, or if, the beta will open to the public. As for the full game, Resistance 3 is due out on S...
Is the future free-to-play?
By GameSpot, published 21-07-2011
Develop 2011: Former Sony exec Phil Harrison says free-to-play will be the dominant business model as industry veterans discuss a service-driven future for games. Who was there: Miles Jacobson of Sports Interactive, Phil Harrison of London Venture Partners, industry veteran Chris Lee, and David Braben of Frontier Developments. What was said: Much of the panel's time was consumed by a wide-ranging discussion on the future of the industry, the way business models are changing, and what current social and technological trends mean for the games industry. The panel mull the merits of free-to-play. Harrison said that the balance of power is shifting between publishers and developers. Now that developers can get their games out there without a publisher ...
The Game Boy: The Future of Gaming As Predicted by E3 2011, Pt 1
By MaximumPC, published 20-07-2011
E3 is finally far enough behind us that I can start to make sense of it. Taken all at once – it pretty much sounded like a bunch of ungodly screaming occasionally punctuated by the word “transfarring” (which isn't even a real word). You tried to roll with the punches, I'm sure – to stand before News Godzilla without fleeing while shouting something in badly lip-synced Japanese – but it eventually broke you. So, what happens next? Now that the news/preview/interview barrage dust has finally settled, what does it all mean? Well, since I did one of these things last year and I'm nothing if not a slave to habit, here are a few thoughts on this year's show. Brand New Consoles That Are Already Behind The Times Now: Nintendo took the wraps off its latest box-shaped chunk of insan...
PSN outage helped LittleBigPlanet, says Media Molecule
By GameSpot, published 20-07-2011
Develop 2011: Creative director Mark Healey says network outage didn't hurt online community; user numbers "rocketed" thanks to LBP giveaway; studio will stay "protective" of franchise. The PlayStation Network outage hasn't harmed LittleBigPlanet's online community, according to Media Molecule creative director Mark Healey. After the outage, in which Sony took its online service down for several days in April and May, the number of players online in the community-focused LBP games surged due to PSN users downloading the first LittleBigPlanet game for free as part of Sony's welcome back package. The PSN outage didn't harm the LBP community, according to the game's creators. At UK-based games industry conference Develop, Healey told GameSpot about Medi...
In Depth: The future of 3D TV content
By TechRadar, published 20-07-2011
If you have recently treated yourself or the family to a new 3D TV, or are considering making an investment in 3D for the home soon, then you will no doubt want to know what's in store for the future of decent quality 3D content.Hollywood has come under flack of late, with a rep from 3D TV manufacturer Panasonic claiming that Tinseltown's rush to produce "badly converted" 3D movies in the wake of the success of James Cameron's Avatar has "damaged 3D".It's certainly true that even the most impressive camera and projection technology cannot improve a bad script or a poorly-directed movie. But where does this current feeling of unease about 3D leave 3D TV viewers? Where do producers and directors hope to see commercial 3D TV programming from the likes of of Sky and Virgin Media going in 2012 ...
PS Vita "developed entirely differently"
By GameSpot, published 20-07-2011
Develop 2011: Sony discusses the possibilities for social networking, augmented reality, and a new development model for PS Vita. Who was there: Kish Hirani, head of developer services at SCEE. What he talked about: Hirani started by showing off the PlayStation Vita units to the audience and explained that there were only five units in Europe at the moment. He then ran through the technical specifications compared to the PSP-3000 and explained that the way it had been designed meant that gamers would get "a whole range of games" from casual to AAA. Dual thumbsticks for the Vita was a frequent request from developers. He then went on to show off some of the PS Vita's early augmented-reality applications. First, he loaded a tech demo from Japan Studio ...
Vita 'might be too late' - Crytek CEO
By GameSpot, published 15-07-2011
Cevat Yerli expects Sony's next handheld to have a hard time carving out its market against tablets, mobile devices, and the 3DS. The PlayStation Vita may be Sony's next-generation handheld, but one developer wonders if the upcoming portable system is already behind the times. In a newly published interview with Develop, Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli expressed appreciation for Sony and the PS Vita, as well as skepticism about their commercial prospects. Can the Vita thrive in a mobile-driven market? "The Vita is an absolutely fantastic platform, but it will have a hard time, and it might be too late," Yerli said. "I love Sony as a company, and we have great relations with them, but the Vita is going to have a hard time against the next generation mobiles and all th...
Review: Lenovo ThinkPad X1
By TechRadar, published 15-07-2011
Lenovo is well known for its ThinkPad range, a collection of rather serious-looking business laptops that often do their job in an efficient, if unexciting, manner. When we first laid hands on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1, we were definitely impressed. The conventional plain black design remains, but the firm body measures just 27mm at its thickest point and weighs a mere 1.8kg, making it effortlessly portable. This is also one of the most rugged ultra-portables we've seen. Sure, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 lacks the immediate beauty of the Samsung 9 Series or Apple MacBook Air, but it's solidly built in all areas, from the impressively tough lid to the rubberised frame. We're a sucker for rubber, which helps with grip and means no pesky fingerprints. Unlike the fragile-feeling Sony SB Series, we're ...
Capcom exec hints at Monster Hunter for PS Vita, 3DS
By GameSpot, published 14-07-2011
Publisher's European COO says multiplayer action game will "probably" come to both handhelds, confirms at least four games in the pipe for Sony's next-generation portable. While Capcom's Monster Hunter series started on the PlayStation 2, no installment of the multiplayer-focused action franchise managed to break the million-unit mark until it went portable on the PSP. The series may soon be branching out in the handheld space even further, as Capcom Europe COO David Reeves implied Monster Hunter would make its way to the PS Vita and 3DS in an interview with the Middle East-focused MEGamers. Capcom's hit franchise is looking for new hunting grounds. "I think down the road, you could probably see a Monster Hunter iteration somewhere. Probably on both of...
Sony makes PS Vita dev kits cheap to encourage “garage developers”
By SlashGear, published 07-12-2011
A rumor was circulating after the Pokémon Company announced plans for games for the mobile phone segment that Nintendo might finally be bringing its games to the mobile sector. Nintendo quickly denied that rumor and noted the Pokémon Company is an independent. Sony is actively reaching out to what SCE head Shuhei Yoshida calls the [...]
Updated: Wii U: all the latest details
By TechRadar, published 07-11-2011
As original Nintendo Wiis gathered dust in households across the UK, Nintendo confirmed it would unveil a second-generation 'Wii 2' at this year's E3.And now the Wii U is out in the open and we've rounded up all the new details on the new console right here. Check out our Hands on: Nintendo Wii U review. The Wii 2 is called Wii UNintendo is calling the successor to the popular Wii console the Nintendo Wii U. It has sold 86 million Wii consoles so far.Remember when you first heard the name Nintendo Wii? Many people laughed and said it would never catch on. It did. Nintendo is hoping that Wii U will capture people's imaginations in the same way."You might remember how the Wii name began to make perfect sense once you started hearing it as Wii. It was clear how much fun we all had playing tog...
Review: Sony KDL-40CX523
By TechRadar, published 07-11-2011
The Sony KDL-40CX523 steers clear of the potential minefield that is 3D, aiming instead for good old-fashioned value for money. Six hundred quid really isn't a lot for a 40-inch TV from what is arguably the world's most trusted electronics brand, particularly one with as generous a feature set as this. Particularly striking is the provision of Sony's Bravia Internet Video service, with its startling amount of video streaming sources, while multimedia playback from USB drives, the ability to access content stored on DLNA PCs and the option of making it Wi-Fi ready with an optional dongle also impress.Joining the KDL-40CX523 in the CX523 range is the 32-inch KDL-32CX523, while stepping up Sony's range means getting into the 3D-capable EX723 series, though you might be better advised to skip ...
Rumour: Apple planning 3G iPod touch
By TechRadar, published 07-08-2011
Apple might be about to close the gap between the iPhone and the iPod touch by kitting-out a new version of the latter with 3G data connectivity, according to reports.Dutch website AppleSpot.nl is claiming, that like the iPad, the world-beating handheld music and games titan will get a data-only service whenever a new version is launched, likely to be later this year.So, rather than have a cellular connection to make phone calls, you could use services like Skype to make VoIP voice and video calls, connect to social networks and play games online.Just like the iPadA rough translation of the report says: "It will work just like the iPad; you get a 3G enabled simcard from your provider and put that in you iPod Touch."Apple's choice of bringing 3G to the iPod Touch isn't all that weird, if it...
In Depth: Is there a future for handheld 3D gaming?
By TechRadar, published 07-08-2011
Following the recent release of Nintendo's auto-stereoscopic 3D ("glasses free") 3DS handheld earlier this spring, there has been a lot of discussion and debate amongst gamers and games developers about the future of interactive 3D entertainment in the palm of your hand.Sony is set to release its new PS Vita handheld in the UK early next year, although there has – to date – been no mention of any plans for 3D handheld content on the new portable PlayStation device. It's also fair to say that the commercial and critical response to the 3DS, to date, has been somewhat muted. Nintendo hopes that the recent launch of a 3D remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and 3D versions of a number of other hardcore favourites such as Mario, Kid Icarus and Starfox slated for release later thi...
Sony ends PSP Digital Comics updates
By GameSpot, published 07-07-2011
Game giant releases final update of four-color fiction for portable, shifting efforts to "bringing the comic service to other Sony devices." Sony has offered gamers new comics to read every week since the PSP Digital Comics store launched in 2009, but that practice is no longer "to be continued." The book has closed on PSP Digital Comics. Sony has announced via the PlayStation Blog that this week's PSP Digital Comics update will be the very last. According to Sony, the Digital Comics team will now shift its focus to "bringing the comic service to other Sony devices," presumably the forthcoming PlayStation Vita. Although weekly updates to the PSP Digital Comics store are ceasing, the store itself--which boasts over 4,000 titles--remains open for business. Th...
Demo Shows Vita Using Facial Recognition, Video Chat, And Avatars
By GameInformer, published 07-01-2011
Sony's PSPVita is a powerful piece of hardware, and a demonstration at a recent forum in Japan shows that its capable of real-time video chat -- complete with avatars that respond to your facial expressions.Siliconera posted the link and translated a story from the Japanese gaming site 4Gamer, which showed footage from a recent demonstration given at the Game Tools & Middleware Forum 2011 in Tokyo.The video, which you can watch below, shows two people talking over live video chat, but with a twist -- the actual display shows two avatars (a small doll and a tiger) conveying all the users facial expressions (which are assumedly captured through the PSPVita front-facing camera). It's a very interesting demo, and shows once again that the Vita is a pretty advanced piece of hardwar...
Sony signs exclusivity deal with Reality Fighters dev
By GameSpot, published 30-06-2011
Novarama agrees to bring more augmented-reality titles to publisher's platforms; Invizimals The Lost Tribes hitting Europe in November. Novarama Technology has largely made its bones by developing games for Sony's platforms, having brought the augmented-reality title Invizimals to market for the PSP last year. With the Barcelona-based studio now crafting Reality Fighters for the PlayStation Vita, Novarama has signed a deal with Sony to work exclusively on the electronics giant's platforms. Reality Fighters lets tiny little people battle it out anywhere, anytime. As part of the deal, Reality Fighters will remain exclusive to the PS Vita. The game's core mechanic revolves around augmented-reality gaming, making use of the PS Vita's built-in camera. The...
3D gaming: what the future holds
By TechRadar, published 29-06-2011
Where next for stereoscopic 3D gaming? And, by extension, what is that first properly 3D game - that title that will be the benchmark for all the subsequent 3D games to follow - going to be like?These are vital, timely questions for hardcore gamers and games developers alike, as a familiar haze of cynical disinterestedness settles over the first batch of 3D games on PC and PlayStation 3.Indeed, a recent report claims that, despite the concerted push from the TV and display industry to leverage 3D as an added-value feature on your new telly or PC monitor, many users will still rarely watch or play with 3D content in future.Informa Telecoms & Media claims that, despite 3D soon set to become a default feature on our TVs and PC monitors, 3D TV will not be a mainstream success, with less than h...
Look to Euro for Aussie Vita pricing: SCEA
By GameSpot, published 29-06-2011
Sony Computer Entertainment Australia head says euro pricing gives a "good indication" of what the new handheld will cost Down Under. The PlayStation Vita may already have a price set in the US and Europe, but Australian pricing still remains a mystery. Sony's local operations, however, have given a big hint as to what the possible cost of the new portable will be. Sony Computer Entertainment Australia and New Zealand head Michael Ephraim said while most local gamers tend to look toward US pricing as an indicator, the unit's European pricing is a much more accurate gauge of how much the Vita will cost in Australia. The Vita is priced at 249.99 euros for the Wi-Fi model, while 3G will cost 299.99 euros. At today's conversion rate, that will roughly equate to A$340 and A$407, respec...
E3 2011: BioShock Infinite scores at Game Critics Awards
By GameSpot, published 28-06-2011
Irrational's action adventure lands four trophies, including Best of Show; Battlefield 3, Sound Shapes, Elder Scrolls V nab two each; Bastion, Forza 4, PS Vita also honored. The votes are in for the Game Critics Awards Best of E3 2011 honors, and BioShock Infinite has won big. Irrational Games' agoraphobic-terrifying action adventure racked up an award for every category it was nominated in, including Best of Show, Best Original Game, Best PC Game, and Best Action/Adventure Game. BioShock Infinite flew away with top honors at the Game Critics Awards' Best of E3 2011. The 2K Games title's haul bested that of fellow quadruple nominee Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, which was shut out completely. Coming in at two wins each were Battlefield 3 (Best Acti...
BioShock Infinite Cleans Up In Game Critics Awards
By GameInformer, published 28-06-2011
Game Informer declared BioShock Infinite the best game of E3, and it looks like we weren't alone. The annual Game Critics Awards' Best of E3 winners have been announced, and Irrational Games' dramatic shooter has emerged as the clear favorite of the annual convention.BioShock Infinite won four awards, including Best of Show and Best Original game over strong contenders like Elder Scroll V: Skyrim and Battlefield 3. Here's the full list of winners:Best of ShowBioShock Infinite(Irrational Games/2K Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360) Best Original GameBioShock Infinite(Irrational Games/2K Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360) Best Console GameThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim(Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda for PS3, Xbox 360) Best Handheld GameSound Shapes(Queasy Games/SCEA for PSVit...
90% of PSN users have returned - Sony CEO
By GameSpot, published 28-06-2011
Company focusing on PlayStation Network services following hacks; shares down 30 percent so far this year. The past few months has been tough on Sony, thanks to the PlayStation Network service going down in April and a hacker attack that saw more than 100 million accounts compromised. Sony Corporation CEO Howard Stringer recently told shareholders during the company's recent annual shareholder's meeting in Japan that about 90 percent of PlayStation Network users have returned following the restoration of the system. According to the rest of the report from BusinessWeek, Stringer said that the trust toward the brand is rising. Sir Howard Stringer said the majority of PSN users have returned post-hack attacks. Stringer also said that Sony will strength...
PSP-3000 Value Pack in new limited edition colors coming to Japan
By SlashGear, published 28-06-2011
Sony is offering up some PSP-3000 value packs in Japan as a bit of a last hurrah for the system ahead of the launch of the PS Vita. Considering the PSP-3000 hasn’t sold in droves I don’t see a couple new colors being that big of a draw. The packs will land on July 28 [...]
PSP Dual Packs debut this week
By GameSpot, published 27-06-2011
Sony bundling two-pack portable releases of Ratchet and Clank, Daxter, Syphon Filter, Killzone, SOCOM for $15. The PlayStation Vita is expected to begin shipping later this year, but Sony isn't quite yet ready to retire the six-year-old PSP. Today, the game company offered a cheap way to pick up top-rated games for the system en masse. The Syphon Filter/Killzone collabo will be among the first PSP Dual Packs available. Beginning this week, Sony will launch the PSP Dual Pack line, which includes two games for $14.99. The soon-to-be-available PSP Dual Packs will come in the following configurations: Secret Agent Clank and Daxter; Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow and Killzone Liberation; and Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror and SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam B...
PSP Dual Packs debut this week
By GameSpot, published 27-06-2011
Sony bundling two-pack portable releases of Ratchet and Clank, Daxter, Syphon Filter, Killzone, SOCOM for $15. The PlayStation Vita is expected to begin shipping later this year, but Sony isn't quite yet ready to retire the six-year-old PSP. Today, the game company offered a cheap way to pick up top-rated games for the system en masse. The Syphon Filter/Killzone collabo will be among the first PSP Dual Packs available. Beginning this week, Sony will launch the PSP Dual Pack line, which includes two games for $14.99. The soon-to-be-available PSP Dual Packs will come in the following configurations: Secret Agent Clank and Daxter; Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow and Killzone Liberation; and Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror and SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam B...
Rumor: PS3 Price Cut Coming In August
By GameInformer, published 25-06-2011
Sony pleased a lot of fans at E3 when it announced a reasonable $249.99 price point for the Wi-Fi-only version of the upcoming PlayStation Vita. Now a new rumor suggests that Sony is going to keep the good news and good pricing coming at Gamescom later this year. MCV has heard that at the Gamescom event in Cologne, Germany in August, Sony will announce a big European price cut for the PS3, dropping it from its current £255 to £179.99. There's no direct U.S. conversion for that, as Europeans tend to pay a lot more for video game hardware, but ShackNews estimates that if the price cut carries over to this territory, the PS3 could drop to somewhere in the $200-$250 range, down from its current $299.99 price point. This price cut is definitely still firmly in rumor territory,...
Review: Samsung UE40D7000
By TechRadar, published 25-06-2011
Like its UE55D8000 sibling reviewed previously, the UE40D7000 is a mighty stylish TV, with a bezel that's so slender (barely a centimetre) that it's barely there at all. Moreover, the slimness is emphasised by the fact that most of the frame is transparent. The design is perhaps not quite as opulent as that of the D8000 series, with its more metallic finish, but many people might prefer the D7000's more subtle approach. The main remote control you get as standard is a pretty likeable affair, sporting a sensible layout and nice finish, although it's not as fashionable as the TV itself. The D7000's spec sheet quickly reveals a welcome surprise: apparently the set's features don't differ in any significant way from that of the D8000 series, and the only aspect that separates the two ranges is...
Review: Samsung Chromebook
By TechRadar, published 24-06-2011
Cloud computing is a term we've heard with increasing frequency recently.It's the idea that our usual computing tasks are not run by the hardware in our computers, but instead on powerful servers connected to your machine via the internet.Operating systems on netbooks and laptops are still firmly tethered to the hardware, with Windows 7 and Linux distros being the OSes of choice. Into this fray comes Google's Chrome OS, an operating system designed to drag laptops and netbooks into the cloud. The machines that run Chrome OS are known as Chromebooks, and Samsung is ahead of the pack by releasing the first Chromebook in the UK – the Samsung Chromebook Series 5.For more information on what Chrome OS is all about, check out our guide: Google Chromebooks - what you need to know.As the first o...
Review: Sony KDL-32EX524
By TechRadar, published 23-06-2011
Sony's KDL-32EX524 is described as a 'great all-rounder' and 'family friendly'. This is normally a euphemistic way of saying that there aren't many flashy features on board – but that's not the case with this impressively specified little TV. Sony has stuffed it full of features but kept it at a reasonably wallet-friendly price, which gets even friendlier if you shop around online. And it certainly is a great all-rounder, able to deliver hi-def pictures and play content from a variety of sources including USB devices and Blu-ray players – as well as providing access to online content through Sony's magnificent Bravia Internet Video portal and streaming content from other devices around the home.The KDL-32EX524 is one of four 32-inch sets in the latest EX range, alongside the KDL-32EX52...
Rumor: PlayStation Vita To Release In January
By GameInformer, published 22-06-2011
Early indications suggest that the new Sony handheld won't make the holidays, but will arrive in time to usher in the New Year. Yesterday we had a rumor that the Vita might be headed for a November 4th release. Today, Destructoid is reporting that several readers have been quoted an arrival date for their PlayStation Vita Amazon orders hovering around the first week of January. If accurate, the Vita may have a tentative release date of December 31st, 2011. We don't have any corroborating evidence for now, plus it's worth noting that many outlets are in the habit of setting release dates even when they haven't been confirmed by the product maker. However, it wouldn't be the first time that a purchasing outlet let the cat out of the bag on a release date.
Sony PS Vita May Not Ship Until January 2012?
By SlashGear, published 22-06-2011
Sony’s PSP successor, which has long been dubbed the NGP for next-generation portable was finally unveiled at E3 2011 as the PS Vita. It promises to bring PS3 console quality games to handheld and was slated for this fall just in time for the holiday season. However, recent reports from online pre-orders through Amazon suggest [...]
Yakuza series shipments top 5 million
By GameSpot, published 22-06-2011
Sega reveals Japan-based crime drama has hit penta-platinum milestone in global sales; zombie-themed Of the End ships 400,000. While the Yakuza series is a proverbial sales juggernaut in Japan, it is slowly gaining sales steam in the rest of the world. This is evident in Sega's recent announcement: The Yakuza series has shipped more than 5 million copies worldwide. The publisher also announced that it has shipped 400,000 copies of Yakuza: Of the End, a zombie-themed alternate story based on the long-running franchise. Yakuza + zombies = money. Yakuza: Of the End features main protagonist Kiryu Kazuma, who is tasked with exploring a postapocalyptic, zombie-flooded version of Kamurocho. The game's action is now resolved using guns and firearms, which ...
BioShock Infinite, Uncharted 3 Top Game Critics Awards' E3 Nominations
By GameInformer, published 22-06-2011
The nominees for the Game Critics Awards' Best of E3 Awards have been named, and the usual suspects are present and accounted for. BioShock Infinite and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception lead the nominations, with four apiece, joining other best of show nominees Batman: Arkham City, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Tomb Raider. The Game Critics Awards are compiled from the votes of representatives from 35 North American media outlets that cover games. If you're a dedicated console warrior, the awards are full of ammunition. EA and Sony tied for the most nominations, at 14 each. The Xbox 360 was home to the most nominated games at 55, with PS3 following up with 48. Finally, the PlayStation Vita scored seven nominations, compared to the 3DS' three. The winners will be re...
E3 2011: BioShock Infinite, Uncharted 3 lead Game Critics Awards nominations
By GameSpot, published 22-06-2011
Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Star Wars: The Old Republic, From Dust, Tomb Raider also lead nods from critics' panel. In addition to GameSpot's own Best of E3 Awards, each year the Game Critics Awards honors the top games from the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo. This year was no exception, with the press organization today announcing its nominees from the 2011 trade show in Los Angeles, which took place earlier this month. Uncharted 3 tied for first place with four Game Critics Awards nominations. Two titles--BioShock Infinite and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception--each garnered four nominations, making them the most-honored by the panel. Seven titles--Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, From Dust, Sound Shapes, Star Wars: The Old Re...
E3 2011: BioShock Infinite, Uncharted 3 lead Game Critics Awards nominations
By GameSpot, published 22-06-2011
Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Star Wars: The Old Republic, From Dust, Tomb Raider also lead nods from critics' panel. In addition to GameSpot's own Best of E3 Awards, each year the Game Critics Awards honors the top games from the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo. This year was no exception, with the press organization today announcing its nominees from the 2011 trade show in Los Angeles, which took place earlier this month. Uncharted 3 tied for first place with four Game Critics Awards nominations. Two titles--BioShock Infinite and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception--each garnered four nominations, making them the most-honored by the panel. Seven titles--Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, From Dust, Sound Shapes, Star Wars: The Old Re...
Rumor: PS Vita Releasing November 4?
By GameInformer, published 21-06-2011
Has a UK gaming shop stolen Sony's thunder?Website Shopto.net is currently hosting pre-orders for both the 3G and Wifi versions releasing on November 4. According to GameSpot, the retailer claims this date is "from Sony.""No one has communicated any release dates to retail partners," Sony UK told GameSpot UK. "That date is not official as we haven't announced anything yet."Sony's only official comment on the release date of PS Vita comes from the initial press release, which reads that it will ""successively launch in [the] global market starting [at] the end of 2011." [Via: GameSpot]
PS Vita release date outed? - UK Retail Radar
By GameSpot, published 21-06-2011
Shopto.net offers PlayStation Vita preorders for release on November 4; Sony denies releasing any information to retailers. Two weeks ago, Sony confirmed that the next-generation PlayStation Portable was to be called the PlayStation Vita and that it would "successively launch in [the] global market starting [at] the end of 2011." While Sony did not confirm which region (or regions) would see the handheld this year, UK retailer Shopto.net seems to be betting Europe is among them. Shopto.net showing a November 4 release date for the PS Vita. It has posted a release date of November 4, as shown in inset screenshot and has claimed that that date is "from Sony," rather than simply a placeholder. Responding to this claim, Sony told GameSpot UK that "no one...
Gametech 2011: Snack-sized gaming won't hurt portable space: SCEA
By GameSpot, published 21-06-2011
Sony Computer Entertainment Australia boss says bite-sized gaming growing quickly, but appetite for "immersive" experiences still large. SCEA's Michael Ephraim. Who was there: Michael Ephraim, head of Sony Computer Entertainment's Australia and New Zealand businesses. What they talked about: At Gametech 2011 in Sydney today, Sony Computer Entertainment Australia spoke to the local gaming industry about its upcoming plans for the release of Vita, the company's successor to the PlayStation Portable. But a key part of SCEA head Michael Ephraim's speech focused on the supposed tension between mobile, snack-sized games and more traditional portable gaming. Ephraim said that recent years have seen a seismic up-shift in the gaming market, driven by the huge uptak...
No next-gen PlayStation 'for quite some time' - Sony
By GameSpot, published 21-06-2011
SCEA president Jack Tretton tells Forbes that the Wii U's 2012 launch won't force an early debut of Sony's next-gen console. Last month, Sony executives let slip that the company was beginning preliminary work on the successor to the PlayStation 3. However, this week the man in charge of Sony Computer Entertainment America warned against holding out for new information on the platform--or for the hardware's launch. Speaking with Forbes, SCEA president Jack Tretton said that his company's current console is just getting going. Don't expect any PS4 news anytime soon. "PlayStation 3 is really just hitting its stride," said Tretton. "And technologically, I don't think it's possible to provide any advancement beyond what we have. What we've seen from the...
Report: PlayStation Vita To Use Skype
By GameInformer, published 20-06-2011
Microsoft may have just bought Skype, but Kinect might not be the only device using the Internet voice-communication service. Could PlayStation Vita also use Skype? GameGeneration took the above photo showing the Skype logo shown in conjunction with Vita during a Brazilian PlayStation conference. We're not really sure of the context of the slide, but we're sure that the logo being there isn't a coincidence, either. The PSP supports Skype, and before visions of cats and dogs getting married runs through your head, it's not far-fetched to see the Microsoft-owned Skype continue its current relationships – even if it's with a Microsoft competitor like Sony. After all, why not take Sony's money? [via GameSpot]
Disaster Report creator working on Vita, PS3, Home
By GameSpot, published 15-06-2011
Kazuma Kujo's new studio Granzella working on Sony platforms; first up is a PSN game and a pair of lounges for Sony's online service. Early this year, the creative designer behind the Disaster Report and Steambot Chronicles titles, Kazuma Kujo, left developer and publisher Irem to open up a new company called Granzella. According to a recent article on Famitsu (translated by Siliconera), the company is planning on making games for the PlayStation brand; specifically for PlayStation Home, the PlayStation 3, and the PlayStation Vita, Sony's newly titled handheld console. Kazuma Kujo's past involvement at Irem includes the Disaster Report and Steambot Chronicles games. According to a recent post on Granzella's development blog, the company is at work on...
Jaffe Says Some At Sony Don't Get Twisted Metal
By GameInformer, published 15-06-2011
We have plenty of people around the GI office who are extremely excited for Eat Sleep Play's upcoming Twisted Metal reboot on PS3. But according to recent comments from designer David Jaffe, some folks at publisher Sony may not completely understand the car combat franchise's appeal. Speaking to Eurogamer, Jaffe said that Sony hasn't talked to him or his team about creating a Twisted Metal spin-off for the new PlayStation Vita handheld. He went on to explain his beliefs that some higher-ups at Sony may not be totally fond of the long-running series: "When you say 'their big franchises' – I don't know – there are probably people within Sony who look at Twisted Metal and say 'that's a big franchise'. I just met a great sales guy from Aust...
DRM from 1998 to the Present: A Brief History of Copy Protection
By MaximumPC, published 15-06-2011
Avast ye mateys, piracy is alive and well on the virtual high seas. Argh! Time was that if you wanted to see a movie, you went to a theatre or you waited a few months to rent a VHS tape or DVD at five bucks a pop. If you wanted to read a book, you either drove to the bookstore and bought it, or to the library and borrowed it, under strict regulations governing its return. If you wanted to listen to a specific band or singer, you shelled out for the LP – or more recently, the CD.That's just the way it was. An artist/performer/writer would create something and you would pay real money to buy a copy. Or you'd pay less money and/or be somehow inconvenienced to borrow a copy that someone else had already paid for. Makes sense, right? Who wouldn't want to get paid for the work they do? Proble...
Video: Microsoft at E3 2011: top ten Xbox 360 games
By TechRadar, published 14-06-2011
Microsoft has had a difficult time competing with Sony and Nintendo at E3 2011. It's was only one of the three major gaming console companies not to reveal new hardware.Nintendo pushed its new Wii U home console, while Sony was heavily promoting its latest PlayStation Vita handheld. That left Microsoft at something of a loss when it came to grabbing the new hardware headlines.All about Xbox KinectIt has been "something of a consolidation year for Microsoft," according to Mike Channell, deputy editor of Official Xbox 360 Magazine."Finger tracking and object scanning have been discussed as possibilities since Kinect was first announced as Natal and while Kinect Fun Labs are tech-demo widgets, they'll be backed up with libraries so that games developers can take advantage." And for the hardco...
Video: Sony at E3 2011: Top ten PS3 games
By TechRadar, published 14-06-2011
Sony unveiled the PlayStation Vita at E3 2011, the company's latest handheld gaming console, set for release later this year. Just in time for Christmas, as is the tradition. Yet Sony also released a veritable welter of quality new PS3 game demos.That's right! Sony's E3 2011 was not all about the thrill of showing off the capabilities of its latest hardware, plenty of PS3 games were also on show to prove that delivering decent-quality exclusive gaming content is still right at the heart of the PlayStation strategy. A strong, humble showing from SonyOverall, it was, as PSM3 magazine editor, Dan Dawkins tells TechRadar, "a strong, humble showing from Sony after a gruelling year – the absence of Kevin Butler demonstrating the focus on delivery, not levity. Uncharted 3 was one of the most ob...
Buying Guide: What's the best Core i7 laptop?
By TechRadar, published 13-06-2011
Intel's Core i3 and Core i5 processors provide ample power for the price. But when it comes to getting the most power for your money, nothing comes close to Intel's high-performance Core i7 processors, especially in the latest Sandy Bridge versions. The Core i7 has finally blurred the lines between laptop and desktop PCs and, in many cases, the prices are highly affordable.What's the best Core i3 laptop?To help you choose the right machine for your needs, we've brought together four of the best Core i7-powered laptops, at prices to suit all budgets.What's the best Core i5 laptop?Offering staggering performance and features ideal for the whole family, you won't fi nd a more powerful range of consumer laptops. 1. MSI CX640-018UK - £512The combination of excellent performance, long battery l...
What Wasn't Shown At E3?
By GameInformer, published 06-11-2011
E3 is the chance for all the developers and publishers in the industry to show what they've got. But that doesn't mean that they bring all the games they're working on to the convention. Here's a look at some of the titles that didn't make it to the show this year.Of course, there are lots of reasons a company doesn't show a certain game at E3. Sometimes they want to highlight other games that might be coming out sooner. Or perhaps the title simply isn't in a state to be shown.Some of the games listed below are actual titles we already have heard about (ex. May Payne 3), and others are merely franchises that currently don't have any announced games for them – like Kingdom Hearts, but we're pretty sure that will exist in due time.Enjoy these games....
E3 2011: Activision Publishing CEO sounds off on Wii U, Vita, and Call of Duty: Elite
By GameSpot, published 06-10-2011
Q&A: Eric Hirshberg discusses the new console and portable, explains why Call of Duty won't fade like Guitar Hero; Sledgehammer Games' COD "action adventure" on hold. LOS ANGELES--At this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendoall held major press events. So did two major third-party publishers: Ubisoftand Electronic Arts. However, the biggest third-party publisher, Activision, didn't stage a media event. It was the third year running the company didn't hold a traditional press briefing, although it did tease some games during a star-studded concert at E3 2010. The company did have a massive booth in the Los Angeles Convention Center's South Hall which loudly promoted Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty: Elite, Modern Warfare 3's controv...
E3 2011: John Carmack talks Wii U, PlayStation Vita, and next-gen Rage
By GameSpot, published 06-09-2011
Q&A: id Software's technology chief discusses the possibilities raised by Nintendo's new console and how a sequel to the postapocalyptic shooter might be "cross-generational." LOS ANGELES--As the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo was winding down, John Carmack was getting ready to leave. Having been flown in for a day on a private jet from Texas--courtesy of his bosses at ZeniMax Media--the chief of id Software's technology department was holding court Wednesday at the extravagant booth of its corporate sibling, Bethesda Softworks. John Carmack is already thinking about the next generation of consoles. Bethesda is publishing Rage, the next game from id. The postapocalyptic action title--which features both on-foot shooting and car combat--has ...
Sony Answers Your Questions About PlayStation Vita
By GameInformer, published 06-09-2011
On its support site, Sony has posted a lengthy FAQ about the Vita ranging from the differences between the regular and 3G versions to LiveArea to why it doesn't do 3D. From Sony: PlayStation Vita (previously Next Generation Portable (NGP)) FAQsQuestion: When will PS Vita be available?Answer: There will be a phased roll out from the end of the year 2011 throughout all the SCE regions.Q: How much will PS Vita cost?A: It will cost $249 USD for the Wi-Fi version and $299 USD for the 3G version available through AT&T stores.Q: What is the official name?A: The official name will be PlayStation Vita (PS Vita). "Vita," which means "Life" in Latin, was chosen as the name for our next-generation portable entertainment system because it enables a revolutionary combination...
E3 2011: Silent Hill HD Collection spooking PS3 this fall
By GameSpot, published 06-09-2011
Konami confirms high-def update for Silent Hill 2, 3 will hit Sony's console later this year with new voice acting. LOS ANGELES--When Konami releases the Metal Gear Solid and Zone of the Enders HD Collections this November and next year, respectively, Xbox gamers will for the first time have a chance to experience the highly regarded franchises. However, Xbox 360 owners hoping for a similar high-definition update with the Silent Hill HD Collection shouldn't hold their breath. Silent Hill 2's HD update appears to be limited to the PS3. Konami has confirmed that the Silent Hill HD Collection will only be coming to the PlayStation 3 when it ships this fall. The package will include HD updates for Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3, which were originally re...
E3 2011: Sega's Pritchard talks Aliens: Colonial Marines, used sales
By GameSpot, published 06-09-2011
Publisher's executive vice president of marketing offers his take on Gearbox's new game, secondhand market, the six-week-long PlayStation Network outage, and Vita support. LOS ANGELES--The 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo comes to a close today in Los Angeles after some big announcements were made. Nintendo unveiled the Wii U, Microsoft brought Halo 4 out of the shadows, and Sony offered the finalized name of its newest portable, Vita. Sega's Alan Pritchard. One of the major exhibitors on the show floor this year was Sonic house Sega. The company used its floor space to showcase a range of games, including first-person shooter Binary Domain, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and others. GameSpot caught up wit...
Crawling Through Sony’s Versatile Action RPG
By GameInformer, published 06-08-2011
Sony showed off one of their standout Vita titles during their E3 2011 press conference. Ruin, an action RPG, borrows heavily from the Diablo formula while leaving room for intriguing social media integration and clever use of the Vita’s tech. Players will be able to start a game on their Vita away from home, then effortlessly transfer progress onto their PS3 to continue play on the big screen. We recently got our hands on the game and came away even more interested. Crawling through the dark dungeons of Ruin is a familiar journey; skeletons and other grunts lurch from and foolishly rush the overpowered qarrior. Developer Idolminds says each player begins with a character endowed with supernatural strength. Gameplay wise, this means players don’t start out with a cloth tunic a...
E3 2011: Vita to be profitable within 3 years - Sony
By GameSpot, published 06-08-2011
Kaz Hirai tells Reuters that upcoming PSP successor will take some time to pay dividends for electronics giant. Sony has said it plans on a 10-year cycle for its gaming systems. That's a good thing for the upcoming Vita, as the electronics giant doesn't expect the upcoming handheld to even turn a profit for the first one-third of that span. Sony hopes to make this profitable by 2015. Sony consumer products head Kaz Hirai told Reuters this week that the company's goal with the Vita is to make the system profitable within three years. When it launches later this year, the portable will come in two models: A $250 Wi-Fi only model and a $300 3G-enabled model. Sony's long-haul approach to console planning is nothing new. When the company launched the Play...
E3 Development Roundup
By MaximumPC, published 06-08-2011
While trying to keep you afloat in all things PC gaming related at E3, we sometimes lose sight of some of the other awesome announcements outside of our department. Luckily, our sister publication GamesRadar.com has been blowing out E3 with some killer coverage. We know PC users like to be in the know about anything electronic, including video games, so we thought we'd show you some of more memorable posts from today. Nintendo Wii U: Possibly the biggest announcement so far, Nintendo's questionably titled "Wii-U" sports a crazy looking controller and new, updated, HD graphics. Check it out here. BioShock Infinite Gets a New Trailer: 2K Games latest is an absolute stunner to look at. Check it out. PSP 2 is Called Playstation Vita: Sony unveiled their plans and pricing for the Playstation ...
Updated: Wii U: all the latest details
By TechRadar, published 06-07-2011
As original Nintendo Wiis gathered dust in households across the UK, Nintendo confirmed it would unveil a second-generation 'Wii 2' at this year's E3.And now the Wii U console is out in the openand we're rounding up all the new details on the new Wii U console - check back for more information as we get it.The Wii 2 is called Wii UNintendo is calling the successor to the popular Wii console the Nintendo Wii U, the company has revealed.Remember when you first heard the name Nintendo Wii? Many people laughed and said it would never catch on. It did. Nintendo is hoping that Wii U will capture people's imaginations in the same way."You might remember how the Wii name began to make perfect sense once you started hearing it as Wii. It was clear how much fun we all had playing together," said Nin...
Sony's PSP Sales Reach 70 Million Worldwide
By HotHardware, published 06-07-2011
Sony's PlayStation Vita is the next big thing from Sony's handheld gaming department, but if you're curious as to how the long-lived PlayStation Portable line is doing, here are the numbers. Sony has just revealed that a whopping 70 million PSP handhelds have been sold globally up until now, starting way back in December of 2004. That's a...
Sony Officially Names The NGP: PlayStation Vita Gaming Handheld Coming For $249
By HotHardware, published 06-07-2011
And now, we know the name for Sony's Next Generation Portable. The NGP, as it's called, will now be forever known as the PlayStation Vita, and unlike the PSPgo launch, it's looking more and more like Sony may just get this one right. The Vita will be sold as a standalone handheld gaming console (with Wi-Fi), or as a 3G device exclusively from...
E3 2011: Microsoft at E3: Top five moments
By TechRadar, published 06-06-2011
While there were few surprises or major new hardware reveals at Microsoft's E3 2011 press conference, there were more than enough new exclusive AAA-games, Xbox Live services and interestingly-novel Kinect experiences to wow the industry and media crowd gathered in LA this week to hear about the future of Xbox gaming.Some gamers have been quick to note that talk of "the future of PC gaming" was conspicuous by its absence (with a blinkered/laser-like focus on Xbox 360 and Kinect), yet Microsoft and its various development, publishing and licensing partners have unarguably revealed and demonstrated a solid range of new games and entertainment offerings at E3 2011.So here are the definitive top five Microsoft moments from E3 2011:1.New Halo and COD: understanding the core marketIt was both a r...
E3 2011: Microsoft at E3 2011: Halo 4 out 2012
By TechRadar, published 06-06-2011
Microsoft has kicked off E3 2011 in style in Los Angeles today, with a slew of new announcements and demonstrations of exclusive games and services for Xbox 360 and Kinect. And, as was expected and hoped, a final reveal that Halo 4 is on the way soon.Following a momentous opening marked by a demo of Activision's forthcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and a demonstration of the forthcoming new TV and voice search features on the way to Xbox 360 later in 2011, Microsoft gave the hardcore crowd exactly what they were hoping for. Loads of decent new games The Xbox 360 maker is the first of the three major console manufacturers to lay its cards on the table at this year's massive gaming industry trade event, opening E3 2011 in some style, and with an almost confident swagger.A solid range ...
E3 2011: Microsoft talks up Xbox TV and voice search
By TechRadar, published 06-06-2011
Microsoft has been talking up the forthcoming Xbox TV service and the new voice search, with Kinect tech soon set to be using Microsoft Bing search on your Xbox 360 via your television.The new Xbox experience, as Microsoft refers to it, begins by giving you further control over your television and entertainment.Gives TV your voice"It begins by giving TV a new voice: yours," says Microsoft, showing off a completely reworked Xbox interface which has been specifically designed for Kinect voice control.All you need to do is speak what you want to see or hear from your Xbox and the interface will deliver.Just say "Xbox: Music" or "Xbox: Video" and your console will take you directly to the category you desire, as a demonstrator explains to the E3 crowd.You say it, Xbox finds itMicrosoft goes on...
E3 2011: Microsoft: Call of Duty MW3 release date 8 November
By TechRadar, published 06-06-2011
Microsoft opened its E3 2011 press conference with an exclusive demonstration of the forthcoming Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, in a move that was clearly strategically planned to appeal the hardcore gaming crowd.The new COD game has a release date of November 8 later this year, Microsoft announced, quickly giving most of the crowd and online viewers the key piece of gaming news that they all wanted to hear.Big guns, explosions, action!Amidst deep see divers burning their way through grates and dead bodies floating by the ocean-based battle, the action in the game looks incredible, as we have come to expect from Activision's killer franchise.Developers at Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games noted how they were honoured to work together, with a Sledgehammer rep saying it was "truly humblin...
Sony PSVita gets trademarked, logo appears
By TechRadar, published 06-06-2011
Sony has filed for trademark on the name PSVita, pretty much putting to bed the many rumours surrounding the official name for the NGP.Sony always insisted that NGP (Next Generation Portable) was a mere codename for its upcoming handheld and a variety of sites been pointing to Vita as the official name for the PSP2. The trademark which has been filed at the Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market (OHIM), an organisation that looks after European trademarks, is PSVita and there is a logo.Vita-liteExpert more information on the Sony PlayStation Vita tonight, as the Sony E3 press conference is set to kick off at the ungodly UK hour of 1am.The PSVita UK release date is pencilled in for 11 November and is set to offer some powerful specs, with the device said to be packing a quad-core p...
E3 2011: Sony TM's 'PlayStation Vita' in Europe
By GameSpot, published 06-06-2011
Widely rumored name of new handheld surfaces in EU trademark office; previously leaked logo also spotted. With Sony's press briefing at the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo just hours away, evidence continues to mount that the NGP will be renamed the "PlayStation Vita." Evidence that the NGP will be renamed the PS Vita continues to mount. The latest proof comes in the form of three trademark applications Sony Computer Entertainment filed in Europe for the "PS Vita" and "PlayStation Vita." The trademarks cover a wide array of areas, including "game programs for handheld games with liquid crystal displays" and "consumer video game consoles for use with an external display screen or monitor." A previously leaked logo (pictured) was also associated with one...
The Big Questions
By GameInformer, published 06-03-2011
With the rise of mobile gaming, gesture-based controls, browser-based games, and an elongated console cycle, the interactive entertainment industry landscape looks drastically different than it did a decade ago. Once-formidable regions like Japan have failed to keep up with development trends, while Korea and China are challenging the conventional perception on how players consume games. Are these innovations here to stay, or are some of them destined to be short-lived fads? We asked industry luminaries to shed light on the big issues that could change the way you play your games. Once the shining beacon of innovation and creativity, the Japanese game development community has fallen on hard times. Obviously, in the aftermath of the tragic natural disaste...
E3 2011 Predictions: Day Two
By GameInformer, published 06-03-2011
E3 is next week, which means loads of announcements, system news, and other assorted gaming information. To prepare for the hype, the editors at Game Informer have gazed into their respective crystal balls and are bringing you the results. In our first day, we focused our predictions on the NGP, Nintendo's next system, and how Sony plans to deal with the PSN outage fallout. Today, we're speculating on HBO Go, Duck Tales, and more. JoeCapcom's new Devil May Cry is going to make a reappearance in some form. However, after all of the backlash surrounding Dante's redesign when the game was first revealed, I think we're going to see a new design for the character that leans more toward his classic look.PhilFor years now, a portion of Microsoft’s E3 show has been dedic...
Report: AT&T Partnering With Sony For NGP
By GameInformer, published 06-03-2011
IGN is quoting an inside source as saying that Sony is inviting publishers and developers to an AT&T-hosted 3G "symposium" next Wednesday at E3. Could this be the big info drop about how the NGP's 3G Internet connection will work?There's no official info as of yet, but this report is very plausible. You have to assume that E3 2011 is going to be the NGP's coming out party, and it'll be a lot easier for Sony to hype up the device if it can point to concrete plans and pricing.Sony's press conference is at 5 p.m. Pacific time on Monday. Get ready for more info about the NGP (PS Vita?) than you know what to do with then.
Review: Panasonic HX-WA10
By TechRadar, published 06-03-2011
The snappily titled HX-WA10 is one of Panasonic's first forays into pistol-style camcorders. These were once Sanyo's bread and butter as part of its Xacti line, but the company was bought by Panasonic several years ago, resulting in the HX-WA10 and its brothers, the HX-DC10 and HX-DC1.The WA10 is the top of the range, offering a 16-megapixel backside-illuminated sensor capable of recording 1080p footage, all in a waterproof exterior. The DC10 is identical save for its lack of waterproofing, while the DC1 has a 14MP non-backside-illuminated sensor.Backside-illuminated sensors are hot stuff at the moment thanks to their inclusion in the iPhone 4 and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. The reason the technology is so popular is that it should provide improved recording in low-light situations - especia...
Uncharted: Golden Abyss leads official NGP game unveilings
By GameSpot, published 06-03-2011
E3 2011: Wipeout 2048 titled; AR game Reality Fighters revealed; Little Deviants, Super Stardust Delta, and Sound Shapes previewed. Though it has neither confirmed nor denied the NGP will be called the PS Vita, Sony did reveal some new details about its Next Generation Portable--namely, the first official wave of games for the handheld. Uncharted's NGP debut finally has a title, Golden Abyss. Previously teased at the NGP's coming out party in January, the first Uncharted NGP game has an official subtitle, Golden Abyss. The game will feature an all-new story, and won't be a sequel or a "direct prequel" to the PlayStation 3 Uncharted series. According to John Garvin, developer Bend Studio's creative director, the studio spent six months incubating vari...
Sony PS Vita name for NGP tipped via PlayStation site source code
By SlashGear, published 06-02-2011
No one will argue that Sony needs a new portable console. The PSP has never sold as well as the competition, even when it was new, and the new 3DS is now here and doing well. Sony needs a new portable to compete and the Sony portable we know now as the NGP has been [...]
Sony PlayStation Vita: new NGP name outed by Sony
By TechRadar, published 06-02-2011
It looks like we should all get used to calling the PSP2 the Sony Vita, as it is set to be the new name for the NGP.This is according to a commenter on Neogaf.com, who took a look round at the source code of Sony's E3 2011 teaser page and found the name embedded in the code.Sony has kept schtum about the matter – although the name has now mysteriously disappeared from the code – but it seems likely that the rumours earlier this week around the name Sony PlayStation Vita will turn out to be correct.Lovely Vita, Sony madeThe name PlayStation Vita makes a modicum of sense; Vita is the other name for Beta in the Greek alphabet, which is the second letter.It is also Latin for life and gaming is life, right? Okay, we are clutching at straws but it isn't the worst console name we've ever hear...
NGP 'PS Vita' speculation reaching critical mass
By GameSpot, published 06-02-2011
E3 2011: Numerous rumors and clues point to new moniker for Sony's portable; E3 reveal likely in the cards. Get the full article at GameSpot "NGP 'PS Vita' speculation reaching critical mass" was posted by Tor Thorsen on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:12:59 -0700
NGP 'PS Vita' speculation reaching critical mass
By GameSpot, published 06-02-2011
E3 2011: Numerous rumors and clues point to new moniker for Sony's portable; E3 reveal likely in the cards. Get the full article at GameSpot "NGP 'PS Vita' speculation reaching critical mass" was posted by Tor Thorsen on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:12:59 -0700
Microsoft shows Forza 4 head-tracking demo
By TechRadar, published 06-01-2011
Hardcore gamers have a tendency to dismiss motion control as a 'casual' gaming technology, although the new Forza 4 Kinect head-tracking demo released from Microsoft this week may well make them re-consider this particular prejudice. The Xbox 360's flagship racer is set to be demo'd with Kinect at E3 2011 in Los Angeles next week, showing how Kinect can be implemented in a subtle yet vital way in terms of improving the overall gameplay experience.Forza, Star Wars and more Microsoft PR guy Major Nelson shows off Forza 4's Kinect head-tracking feature in a new Inside Xbox E3 video, which you can see right here. Turn 10's creative director Dan Greenawalt talks about prototyping ideas that use Kinect and shows Major Hryb playing the game. In addition to Kinect integration in Forza 4, an E3 t...
Rumor: Sony Website Source Code Reinforces “PS Vita” Rumors
By GameInformer, published 06-01-2011
A few days ago rumors surfaced regarding the final name for Sony’s NGP. The supposed name is Vita, and today further evidence surfaces reinforcing that moniker. In an event that will surprise few, several computer-savvy folks have managed to procure hidden information from Sony. Buried within Sony’s official E3 website is text hinting that the handheld will be called the PS Vita. Head over to Destructoid for a peak at the suspect HTML. In a world where we play with devices called Wii, Kinect, and Move, the NGP becoming the Vita doesn’t come as too terribly surprising. Of course, we’ll have to chalk this up as rumor until next week at E3. What would you name it?
Call of Duty: Elite new online service announced
By TechRadar, published 31-05-2011
Activision has announced a new addition to its Call of Duty franchise – the subscription service Call of Duty: Elite.The new service wants to tap into the massive online community that Call of Duty has, offering instant access to DLC and new map packs. Activision is stressing that everyone will still be able to play multi-player games on CoD, but those who take up a Call of Duty: Elite subscription will tap into mountains of new data – such as your total XP, recent matches data and a heat map of your latest match explaining where all the kills and deaths happened.War gamesAlthough there are no details on price, Activision has said that it will cost the same as "any comparable online entertainment service currently in the market."It also noted that the service will: "provide players wit...
Rumour: NGP to be called 'Sony PlayStation Vita'
By TechRadar, published 30-05-2011
Sony is rumoured to be planning on calling its new handheld console – currently referred to as NGP (Next Generation Portable) – the Sony Vita.Of course, rumours run rife in the games industry in the week prior to E3, as speculation about the new tech and marketing plans to be revealed by Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo reaches fever pitch level.Vita, Veta or something else?The latest rumours that the new Sony handheld is to be called Vita are based on domain registrations for for PlayStationVita.com and PSVita.com which were made back on April 20 through NetNames. Joystiq also reports on a blog that had claimed to have a graphic showing the PS Vita, with the original blog post having since been removed. And a number of other gaming blogs, such as Ripten, are also claiming that Vita is the...
Sony releases official wireless PS3 headset
By TechRadar, published 30-05-2011
Sony has announced the release of the new official PlayStation 3 headset, over a week before the company is set to announce its plans for the coming year and beyond at E3 2011.It's a distinctively Sony style design, as you can see from the press shots of the new wireless gaming headset right here.Hear in-game audio cluesFeaturing 7.1 virtual surround sound, the new Sony wireless stereo headset lets you hear all those minor in-game audio clues clearly and, Sony points out, will work with many of the favourite PS3 franchises such as Killzone and Gran Turismo, all of which have been designed for surround sound audio. No UK release details or pricing has been announced as yet, but the official PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset will be available for $99.99 (MSRP) in the US this September, so we expec...
Is PS Vita The Final Name For NGP?
By GameInformer, published 29-05-2011
The rumor mill kicks into high gear around this time every year, and there's a new one floating around regarding the final name of NGP. Games Pundit has received a couple of images from an anonymous source, and they show off a logo that reads "PS Vita." There's an obvious possibility that these are Photoshop jobs, but we'll know for sure in a little over a week at E3.
TechRadar Phone Awards: Vote for your mobile phone 'one to watch' of the year
By TechRadar, published 22-05-2011
Voting for the TechRadar Phone Awards 2011 is in full swing, with thousands of you having your say on the mobile phone industry - from phone technology to the best games and apps around at the moment.But the TechRadar Phone Awards isn't just about looking back over the last year, but also to the future. In particular, the handsets and phone innovations which look likely to shape the rest of 2011 and beyond.Below, we have a selection of the One To Watch nominations and the reasons why we think these could be potential mobile phone game changers.As we will be announcing the Phone Awards shortlist in June, voting for the TechRadar Phone Awards 2011 longlist is nearing its end, so make sure your favourite tech, apps and games make the shortlist and have your say, by heading over to the Phone A...
Buying Guide: Best video editing software under £100
By TechRadar, published 21-05-2011
However much fun you have shooting video, the real satisfaction comes later, when you bring it into your editing suite and turn hours of footage into something tight, special and genuinely watchable. You can throw together something acceptable with free software like Windows Movie Maker, but with the tools you'll find over the next few pages, you can make it look truly professional. Most video editors available at this price work in a similar way. You import your clips from whatever you shot or saved them on, arrange them in a storyboard view if you like, then jump into a multi-track timeline to handle the proper editing. You can link clips together with simple transitions like wipes and fades, and jazzier ones that you're usually better off avoiding. You can apply effects over the top of ...
Sony at E3 2011: what to expect
By TechRadar, published 19-05-2011
What confirmed E3 rumours and surprise E3 announcements can we expect from Sony and its PlayStation at E3 2011 in Los Angeles next month?Sony hosts the second of this year's three major press conferences at 5pm PST on Monday 5 June (that's 1am BST on Tues 6 June, for those British PlayStation fans who are willing to wait up to watch the news streamed live online). This follows Microsoft's E3 press conference at 9am PST earlier that same day, with Nintendo set to reveal its own show-and-tell the following day on Tuesday 6 June at 9am PST.The actual E3 show itself doesn't kick off until Wednesday June 7 through to Friday June 9 at the immense LA convention centre downtown. But tradition has it that the big news announcements from the major three console manufacturers dominate the first two d...
Microsoft at E3 2011: what to expect
By TechRadar, published 18-05-2011
Microsoft kicks off E3 2011 week this year, hosting the first of the major press conferences at 9am Pacific Time (5pm BST) on Monday 6 June.The Xbox 360 fun and games show kicks off in grand style at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, followed later the same day by Sony's E3 conference (5pm PST/1am BST). Yet while both Sony and Nintendo's E3 showings are fairly easy to predict this year (a focus on the new Next Generation Portable and the Project Café/"Wii 2" console, respectively) Microsoft's plans are still shrouded in mystery.So what is in store for Xbox at E3 2011? Is there anything in those online E3 rumours about the possibility of a new Xbox console hardware reveal? And, most importantly for the celeb spotters in the crowd, which Hollywood megastar or rock royalty might the company w...
Choose Your Own Path
By GameInformer, published 16-05-2011
When we last saw Cole MacGrath, he was facing off against a massive boss creature. Appropriately named the Behemoth, Cole used his supercharged powers to stop this towering monstrosity from destroying the streets of New Marais. Boss battles are definitely scaled up in Infamous 2, but they’re just one of the tools Sucker Punch is using for the sequel. The choices that players have to make play a bigger part in the game as well, which I experienced first-hand in a playable demo. Near the beginning of the game, Cole finds himself pulled in two directions. On one side there’s Lucy Kuo, an NSA agent who appears to be on the side of law and order. Then there’s Nix, a mysterious woman who revels in chaos and impulsive behavior. To make things more interesting to the player, bot...
Sony Ericsson Drops Lawsuit Against Clearwire, Who Drops Phone Plans
By HotHardware, published 16-05-2011
Did you know that Clearwire was considering making a smartphone, or cellphone? The same Clearwire that provides 4G (WiMAX) services to consumers and carriers like Sprint. Yeah, probably not. You know why? Among other things, Sony Ericsson was picking a bone with the company, suggesting that their logo was too similar and would inevitably end...
Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
By TechRadar, published 14-05-2011
This week's top reviews include the Asus Eee Pad Transformer - one of the best tablets we've seen so far, running Android 3.0 Honeycomb. We've also reviewed the new HTC Wildfire S - a new breed Android handset that's available on budget tariffs. And then there's the simplicity of passive 3D with the LG 42LW550T. Below we've the details on all these top reviews as well as a full listing of all this week's reviews published across these pages. Asus Eee Pad Transformer review Finally, the Android tablet we've all been waiting for has arrived. While Android 3.0 has been knocking around for months now, viable, available-to-buy tablets have been rarer than a rare thing in a place that doesn't exist. The Transformer is an excellent touchscreen tablet that comes with its own battery-packing keyboa...
Future Tense: Are TV and Movie Studios Bound for Extinction?
By MaximumPC, published 05-12-2011
Sixty-five million years ago, an object almost the size of Manhattan struck the Earth, punching a massive hole in the planet’s crust, close to the equator, right where the Yucatan is today. The shock waves were so massive, they completely circled the globe, coming together again on the opposite side somewhere in India, cracking the mantle there as well, and triggering centuries of gigantic volcanic eruptions from a caldera the size of Australia. The resulting volcanic winter shut off most of the sunlight reaching the planet’s surface, starving almost every plant of sustenance. Most of the animals that fed on those plants died and most of the animals that fed on those animals died. The plankton in the oceans died, the fish that fed on the plankton died, the fish...
Ofcom: 4G might not solve UK data issues
By TechRadar, published 05-12-2011
Ofcom has published its report into 4G into the UK, looking into the real-time effect the next-gen tech will have on data users.The study aims to "understand the realistic capacity improvements of 4G relative to 3G" and has found that despite the data speed and traffic management improvements, the inevitable explosion in smartphone, dongle and tablet usage might mean networks will still struggle to keep up.Ofcom is keen to point out that while by 2020 we can expect speeds of nearly 3Gbps, the ability to get anything like those speeds out to users will rely largely on networks solving the issue of concentrated amounts of data use, such as at train stations or in office blocks.Getting ready for 4G"Our results show that 4G gains in cell spectrum efficiency will not be enough to keep pace with...
Review: Panasonic Lumix G3
By TechRadar, published 05-12-2011
Panasonic G3 review: OverviewThough the compact-styled GF1 proved very popular as a 'take-everywhere' camera for enthusiast photographers, its replacement - the GF2, left these users nonplussed. This was largely down to the fact that Panasonic simplified the handling, removed several of the direct control buttons (including the mode dial, drive mode switch, AEL and DOF preview buttons) and introduced touch-screen control. This may have been intended to appeal to novice photographers, but to enthusiasts it felt like dumming down. The modern-day classic reportage camera appeared to have been transformed into a happy-snappers model – albeit a very nicely built one.Panasonic's new Lumix DMC-G3, however, could be the camera that GF1 and G2 users want to upgrade to. It combines the compact cam...
Google I/O First Keynote Recap: Android 3.1, Android Ice Cream Sandwich, Google TV, Music Beta, Movies and More
By SlashGear, published 05-10-2011
Google I/O 2011 has officially kicked off with the very first keynote having ended just moments ago. Here’s a quick recap of all the exciting revelations that have come so far including an update to the Android tablet OS called 3.1 Honeycomb, the confirmation of the much anticipated Gingerbread successor Android Ice Cream Sandwich, and much more. Continue after the cut for the full recap. Google started off the keynote highlighting some impressive figures, mentioning that there are now 100 million activated Android devices, with 400,000 new Android devices activated each day, plus 200,000 free and paid apps available in the Android Market with 4.5 billion apps installed. In the past two and half years, Google has shipped eight releases of Android and now there are more than over 31...
PSN restoration delayed
By GameSpot, published 05-07-2011
Sony says "internal testing" of PlayStation Network taking longer than expected due to "comprehensive system checks" and security verification. Sony has dashed the hopes of PlayStation 3 owners who had hoped to play online over the weekend. In a post on the official PlayStation Blog, Sony Computer Entertainment America's senior director of corporate communications and social media Patrick Seybold announced that restoring PlayStation Network service is taking longer than expected. Don't expect the PSN to be up this weekend. "As you may know, we've begun the process of restoring the service through internal testing of the new system," he said. "We're still working to confirm the security of the network infrastructure, as well as working with a variety of ou...
Sony opts out of Data Theft congressional hearing
By SlashGear, published 05-03-2011
Sony may know all about the dangers of data theft, but the company has declined to testify at an imminent US Congressional hearing on just that topic. “The Threat of Data Theft to American Consumers” is the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade’s topic this Wednesday, but Sony declined an invite citing “an ongoing investigation.” However, the company will be providing responses to questions posed by the subcommittee regarding the PlayStation Network data breach. Originally Sony was to have until May 6 to respond, but having declined the invitation the subcommittee pulled that deadline forward to May 3, today. Sony says it will have its answers ready by the close of business, telling Bits that “we informed the committee that we could not app...
Buying Guide: 20 best mobile phones in the world today
By TechRadar, published 28-04-2011
Our verdict on the best mobile phones / best smartphones - constantly updated We've all got at least one mobile phone each, right? The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best mobile phone for you when you realise it's time to phone the network and trouble them for an upgrade?If you've read our list of the latest mobile phones, seen the hottest pre-release new mobile phones and are still stumped, well, this is where we make it easy. Because here we have our constantly-updated list of the top 20 best mobile phones you can get in the UK.And now, after a glut of top-end mobile phones steaming out from Mobile World Congress 2011, we've just brought you our biggest update ever to this definitive chart.The big surprise was the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc nabbing top spot - the combo of Andro...
Buying Guide: 20 best mobile phones in the world today
By TechRadar, published 21-04-2011
Our verdict on the best mobile phones / best smartphones - constantly updated We've all got at least one mobile phone each, right? The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best mobile phone for you when you realise it's time to phone the network and trouble them for an upgrade?If you've read our list of the latest mobile phones, seen the hottest pre-release new mobile phones and are still stumped, well, this is where we make it easy. Because here we have our constantly-updated list of the top 20 best mobile phones you can get.And now, thanks to a glut of top-end mobile phones steaming out from Mobile World Congress 2011, we're bringing you our biggest update ever to our definitive chart.So what's changed? We've lost seven of the 20 from the previous ranking, the top ten has seen a hu...
Review: Sony KDL-32EX723
By TechRadar, published 21-04-2011
It's been a long wait – made longer by production delays caused by Japan's earthquake – but at last the first of Sony's eagerly anticipated 2011 Bravia TVs is here, and comes internet, 3D and full HD-ready.The 32-inch KDL-32EX723 is a great starting point for getting a handle on how Sony's 2011 TV range might shape up in the weeks and months to come, since it sits more or less in the middle in terms of cost. Priced at £750, it's the most affordable Sony TV this year to carry active 3D capability, and far more affordable than the Sony KDL-46NX713. Aside from its headline 3D talents, the 32EX723 features Sony's new, improved Bravia Internet video platform, a full internet browser (the first time we've seen this on a Sony TV), Motionflow XR 200 motion processing and the new X-Reality pic...
Amazon Tablet Built By Samsung Could Arrive By End Of Summer?
By SlashGear, published 20-04-2011
Speculation that Amazon may be pushing forth its own Android tablet continues full steam ahead and now there’s belief that the tablet would be built by Samsung. That’s an interesting choice, considering the Korean electronics company has been the main components supplier for Apple, with whom they are about to embark on a massive legal battle. This gets all the more spicy when you think that Amazon is poised as the best iPad 2 rival. According to a report by Forrestor analyst Sarah Rotman Epps, an Amazon tablet would be the ultimate iPad 2 competitor because Amazon has the ability to compete on price subsidized by its content offering, and the ability to compete on distribution. And over the last few months, Amazon has indeed been quietly building up its arsenal to battle aga...
Shippin' Out April 17-23: Portal 2, Mortal Kombat, SOCOM 4
By GameSpot, published 17-04-2011
Plentiful new release slate led by puzzle, fighting, and shooting games; Conduit 2, Xbox Live Arcade Triple Pack, Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection also out. It's a busy week at retail, as a slew of high profile new releases make their debut on Tuesday including Valve's long-awaited puzzle game and Warner Bros.' fighter reboot. Leading the pack this week is Valve Software's Portal 2. The game follows the events of the first Portal, which saw gamers taking on the role of a human lab rat, Chell, who used a portal gun to create interdimensional openings on ceilings, walls, and floors in an effort to escape the Aperture Science labs. Along the way, players were guided through the diabolical tests by the deceptively sincere, yet altogether sadistic, artificial intelligence known as...
Shippin' Out April 17-23: Portal 2, Mortal Kombat, SOCOM 4
By GameSpot, published 17-04-2011
Plentiful new release slate led by puzzle, fighting, and shooting games; Conduit 2, Xbox Live Arcade Triple Pack, Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection also out. It's a busy week at retail, as a slew of high-profile new releases make their debut on Tuesday, including Valve's long-awaited puzzle game and Warner Bros.' fighter reboot. Leading the pack this week is Valve Software's Portal 2. The game follows the events of the first Portal, which saw gamers taking on the role of a human lab rat, Chell, who used a portal gun to create interdimensional openings on ceilings, walls, and floors in an effort to escape the Aperture Science labs. Along the way, players were guided through the diabolical tests by the deceptively sincere, yet altogether sadistic, artificial intelligence known as GLaD...
Insomniac’s Apocalyptic Nightmare Plays Like A Dream
By GameInformer, published 13-04-2011
I’ve been eager to drop into the post-apocalyptic world of Resistance 3 ever since writing the cover story back last November. Seeing the game in its early stages had me dying to know more about Joe Capelli’s cross-nation voyage, Insomniac’s rediscovery of the first game’s ambience, and the streamlined multiplayer. I finally had a chance to play through the arduous boat sequence, go a few rounds in a new multiplayer map, and sneak a peek at a new weapon, level, and a couple new foes at Sony’s press event in Hollywood. Capelli’s quest to save the human race eventually leads him to Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. Insomniac was eager to show off this new area of the game as it represents a departure in tone from any other setting in the series. This nighttim...
Cutting the Cords
By SlashGear, published 04-05-2011
When I suggested to my ex-wife that I might rent a storage space to house some of the stuff I wanted to take with me, she voiced concern. “That’s how the hoarders always start out.” Neither of us watches the hoarder TV shows that have cropped up, but she’s seen enough Oprah to have an idea of how the problem begins. At first I started to protest. [Image credit: Eric] “I’m not talking about keeping every bit of trash I have lying around. I’m moving from a four bedroom house (and a 15-year relationship) to a single life in a smaller apartment. It only makes sense that I have more stuff than I can store.” My new apartment has plenty of closet space — for clothing, shoes, the natural accoutrements of a non-hoarder. There is not enough space for everything I own, especia...
How Google can save Google TV
By SlashGear, published 04-05-2011
Google’s projects seem to inevitably fall into one of two camps: either they’re runaway successes, like Gmail or Chrome, or dismal failures, like Wave. Teetering on the edge right now is Google TV, the company’s push for the living room which launched with a bang last year, maintained just enough momentum to reach the holidays, and then fell well short of the CES 2011 splash we’d expected. Call it a reboot, call it a refresh or call it a desperate resuscitation, Google TV is in dire need of some retuning. Some background first. Announced in May 2010, Google TV’s target audience was the four billion TV viewers worldwide who, Google reckoned, watched on average 5hrs a day. TV + search was the concept, a mixture of streaming internet content, broadcast video an...
SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: April 4, 2011
By SlashGear, published 04-04-2011
Welcome back to SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up which, if you did not know, will now be coming to you in a “best of” form, allowing you to see exactly which stories will either be affecting your life or at least the rest of the day in important or otherwise completely awesome ways! Today happens to have started with some pretty thick rumors and realities on a couple of items we’ve grown to known and love to the max: iPad 2 and the oncoming version of Android to possibly be known as the tasty treat Ice Cream – or is it Ice Cream Sundae? Of course any good Morning Wrap-Up on a Monday also includes some weekend business, so let’s get to that as well: a couple of columns added on April Fool’s Day, Friday, were no jokes, and spilled over heavily into the weekend....
Smartphone Screens: How Big is Too Big?
By SlashGear, published 04-03-2011
I head up the Consumer Devices group at Current Analysis, where we have two complementary products: data – we track product pricing, availability, and specs – and analysis – our assessment on how competitive various products and initiatives are. I recently had a client ask a question that crossed both: how many smartphones today have super-sized screens, and how big is too big? (I warned them that the answer would make a great SlashGear column.) The data answer is simple: 13% of the smartphones at the four national carriers in the U.S. have screens 4” or larger. The analytical answer is a bit more complicated. When discussing screen sizes, I don’t think you can ignore the elephant in the room – Apple – which limits its product line and does a lot of thinking and...
In Depth: New mobile phones 2011: the full rundown
By TechRadar, published 28-03-2011
The world of new mobile phones changes so fast that even we at TechRadar have a hard time keeping up, and we're the internet. Since we don't want anyone to miss the news about the newest mobile phone that might be ideal for them, we've put together this round up of our hands-on reviews. These aren't our full reviews, so won't have the same authoritative depth, but they're our early impressions of all these new mobiles after we've been able to spend some limited time with them.This page will be updated regularly as new mobile phones are announced, so you know it's always the best place to come for the all the upcoming mobile phone news you'll need.Samsung Wave 578NFC (near-field communications) is an area that the networks seem to be pushing more and more in new mobile phones, but we've mos...
In Depth: New mobile phones 2011: the full rundown
By TechRadar, published 28-03-2011
The world of new mobile phones changes so fast that even we at TechRadar have a hard time keeping up, and we're the internet. Since we don't want anyone to miss the news about the newest mobile phone that might be ideal for them, we've put together this round up of our hands-on reviews. These aren't our full reviews, so won't have the same authoritative depth, but they're our early impressions of all these new mobiles after we've been able to spend some limited time with them.This page will be updated regularly as new mobile phones are announced, so you know it's always the best place to come for the all the upcoming mobile phone news you'll need.Samsung Wave 578NFC (near-field communications) is an area that the networks seem to be pushing more and more in new mobile phones, but we've mos...
Sprint’s New HTC Devices Powered By Snapdragon [CTIA 2011]
By SlashGear, published 22-03-2011
Slashgear covering live the Sprint event at CTIA, with two new devices unveiled, both powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon processors: The HTC EVO 3D, and the HTC EVO 4G Android tablet. The HTC EVO 3D features the dual-core MSM8660 Snapdragon 1.2 GHz processor, and the View 4G has a single CPU 1.5 GHz Snapdragon processor. The EVO 3D’s dual cores are asynchronous, allowing them to run at different speeds simultaneously. This will help with battery life on the phone. This will be HTC’s first dual-core Android smartphone. The Snapdragon MSM8660 supports advanced 3D including full 1080p 30fps HD and stereoscopic 3D video capture and playback. Be sure to stay glued to SlashGear, as we continue our CTIA 2011 coverage. Press release below: Inside Sprint’s first 3D smartphone, Qualcomm...
SlashGear Week in Review – Week 12 2011
By SlashGear, published 20-03-2011
Another week in the history books and another Week in Review for you to check out. We started the week last week with the alarms not working on older OS versions of the iPhone. At least the alarms were an hour early and not an hour late. The only fix for me was updating to the latest version of the OS. Terminix and its ad agency created a billboard in Dallas last week using thousands of live roaches. The board was designed to warn people of the germs roaches carry and to set an example to all the roaches watching of what can happen if they come into your home. Analysts claim that Apple sold a million iPad 2 tablets last week. Best Buy is said to have sold out in ten minutes. The Japanese market Prius will get an option for lithium ion battery packs. A cheaper model will continue to use t...
Sony makes 'small' cuts at Europe studios - Report
By GameSpot, published 03-10-2011
London Studio, Studio Liverpool, Evolution Studios all targeted for project cancellations as publisher puts more resources behind this year's exclusives. Sony has a number of high-profile exclusives coming to or already released for the PlayStation 3 this year, including but not limited to Little Big Planet 2, Killzone 3, and SOCOM 4. However, it would appear as if this strong slate of first-party titles has come at the cost of certain games across Sony's European studios. MotorStorm: Apocalypse is still slated to arrive on April 12. UK-facing GamesIndustry.biz reports today that it has confirmed with Sony Europe that the publisher has culled projects at London Studio, Studio Liverpool, and Evolution Studios. At cause for the cancellations is Sony's ...
Review: Nintendo 3DS
By TechRadar, published 28-02-2011
The UK release of the Nintendo 3DS on 25 March will see Europe welcome the latest offering from arguably the most innovative company in the gaming world.Nintendo is responsible for iconic household names like Super Mario, SNES and Gameboy all of which have made a massive contribution to how we play today.But the Japanese company has also been busy redefining the modern medium with its most recognised bit of kit - the Wii, dragging everyone from nine year old girls to 79-year-old grandaddys around the TV to wave a white remote in the air.Nintendo's current handheld line – the Nintendo DS – has had a similar amount of pull on the public, creating a world where everyone's a gamer. You might be Brain Training on the bus or leaping over spike pits at lunch, either way you're a part of a vid...
SOCOM 4 Move bundle mobilizes April 19
By GameSpot, published 25-02-2011
Sony to package Zipper's latest FPS with motion-sensing and navigation controllers, PS Eye, Sharp Shooter shell for $150. SOCOM 4 has been the poster child for Sony's new motion-sensing controller, the PlayStation Move, since the device was given its formal debut at the 2010 Game Developers Conference. It makes sense, then, that the publisher will be offering gamers a way to pick up both Zipper Interactive's latest modern-military shooter and the PlayStation 3 peripheral as part of one package. Giant glowing ball not withstanding, Sony's Sharp Shooter is basically a real submachine. Basically. Today, Sony announced the SOCOM 4: US Navy SEALs Full Deployment Edition will be available alongside the standard edition of the game on April 19 for $150. In ...
Sprint Kyocera Echo Hands-on
By SlashGear, published 02-08-2011
Sprint’s Kyocera Echo is certainly eye-catching, you have to give it that. Packing two 3.5-inch touchscreens and a clever – if slightly convoluted – hinge, the Echo can be used in a tiny-laptop configuration, as a flattened slate or, if you don’t mind a particularly thick device, as a single-display handset. Android 2.2 Froyo and some serious customization are in evidence too; check out our full hands-on impressions – and video – after the cut. In terms of hardware, bar the double displays the Echo isn’t particularly unusual, or even outstanding given its soon-to-be flagship status among Sprint’s line-up. There’s 3G but no WiMAX 4G, a mere 5-megapixel camera (with 720p HD video recording) and a 1GHz single-core Snapdragon processor ke...
Review: Toshiba Satellite R630-141
By TechRadar, published 02-07-2011
While Toshiba's Satellite range comprises its consumer laptops, the Satellite R630-141 (£764 inc. VAT) takes its design entirely from Toshiba's corporate Portégé R700 line. Offering high-powered mobility, it is an absolutely fantastic choice for the frequent traveller. Weighing just 1.4kg, this 13.3-inch this laptop is one of the smallest and lightest machines in this category. The sleek chassis is eminently portable and easy to carry during the day, while the 398-minute battery life vastly beats its rivals here to keep you working for nearly seven hours. Finished in brushed magnesium alloy, the chassis combines black and gun-metal colour schemes that add an eye-catching yet understated look. The tough plastics prove suitably resilient to scratches and general damage, although we found ...
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Review: LG 42LE4900
By TechRadar, published 02-06-2011
LG's close links with Sky and its 3D service are well publicised but not everyone is ready (or wealthy enough) to enter the third dimension right now. To that end, LG also boasts a wide range of conventional sets that offer bucketloads of other features without having to pay the inevitable 3D premium. The 42LE4900 is one such set, offering edge LED backlighting and all the enticing slimness that comes with it, as well as coveted baubles including a built-in Freeview HD tuner, internet TV access, DLNA networking and much more. That's a heck of a lot to pack into a sub-£600 set, so we can only hope that LG hasn't sacrificed picture quality on the altar of good value.The 42LE4900 is just one of many non-3D LED TVs in LG's latest range. The 4900 series, alongside the lower-specified 490 LCD r...
Nintendo Must Release the Wii 2 This Year
By SlashGear, published 02-05-2011
The video game market finds itself in a rather interesting place. Its consoles are still selling exceptionally well, some of the best games released in a long time hit store shelves in 2010, and yet, consumers, pundits, and analysts are wondering when Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo will be announcing new consoles. The calls for Sony and Microsoft to offer up new consoles aren’t as loud as those for Nintendo. Last year, Sony released its PlayStation Move peripheral to capitalize on the wildly popular motion-gaming space. Microsoft released the Kinect to do the same. And at least for now, it’s expected that those companies will be spending 2011 doubling down on those technologies with their current consoles. But Nintendo is a different case. Since the Wii’s launch in 2006, the game co...
Super Bowl Science: 5 Key NFL Technologies Revealed & Explained
By MaximumPC, published 02-05-2011
Super Bowl XLV. As we go to press, the bets are flying fast and furious and there really doesn’t seem to be a consensus pick. On one side we have the arguably indecent yet seemingly rejuvenated Ben Roethlisberger, the talented and stupendously coifed Troy Polamalu, and a killer defense. Across the field we see He-Who-Toiled-Too-Long-As-Favre’s-understudy Aaron Rodgers, a ton of fast-moving targets, and a relatively under-rated defense. More imporant and - more relevant to the Maximum PC reader - is the technology on, above, and around the field. The National Football League is more technologically savvy than most, so we thought we'd identify and break down 5 key technologies that play an active role in the NFL today. 1. Pill-popping for thermal regulation Some folks - you know...
Catch up: this week's most popular posts
By TechRadar, published 29-01-2011
Good news for iPhone and iPad owners – an official BBC iPlayer app is (probably) on its way.And the treat for Android fans is that the HTC Desire 2 has leaked ahead of Mobile World Congress 2011.This was also the week where the successor to the PSP2 – codenamed the Sony NGP – was announced. Read on for this week's most popular stories on TechRadar…Top five news storiesHas Nintendo really blown its Wii 2 strategy?While Nintendo has recently announced its plans for the 3DS release across Europe, there are still questions to be answered about its – still to be revealed - strategy for 'Wii 2', with some observers questioning whether a 'two console strategy' could work in the future.One analyst in particular that seems to be gunning for Nintendo is Wedbush Securities analyst Micheal P...
SOCOM 4 deploys April 19
By GameSpot, published 28-01-2011
Zipper Interactive's tactical shooter will arrive in under three months with full PlayStation Move support. At the 2010 Game Developers Conference, Sony showed off how the PlayStation Move would work with core games. One core game was shown, specifically SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs, the latest iteration of the popular tactical shooter series. The Zipper Interactive-developed game can be played normally with a DualShock 3 controller or with the Move controller and subcontroller for full motion control. SOCOM 4 is gunning for an April 19 release date. Now SOCOM 4 finally has a release date. Sony announced today that the game will ship on April 19 in North America, just over a year after it was first shown to the public. The game has been rated M for Matu...
In Depth: 10 mobile phones that changed the world
By TechRadar, published 26-01-2011
You can trace the history of the newest smartphones right back to the early 1990s, where cutting edge technology was a two-line LCD and phones weighed as much as a pack of beef mince.Since then, several phones have changed the world, introducing new technologies or new approaches that have altered the path of mobile communications. But which ones stand out? Here are 10 handsets that we think deserve their place in history. Maybe you owned one of them? Nokia 1011 (1992)Perhaps surprisingly, we're not kicking off this list by lugging out the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x, the 1980's cellular briquette that's acknowledged to be the first truly 'mobile' phone. But we do give it a warm, appreciative hug in our article Five phones we'll never forget.Instead, we tip our TechRadar cap to the half-forgott...
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Sony PS Vita : (8.1/10)
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Sony Playstation 3 : (7.7/10)
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Sonic Generations : (8.5/10)
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Sonic Colors : (8.1/10)
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