Sunday, May 31, 2009
Sony's E3 press conference will come Home on June 2
While you're waiting for Home to catch up, make sure you check back here at 11am PST (2pm EST / 7pm BST) for our liveblog of the event on Tuesday, June 2.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Rumor: PSP Go, Metal Gear PSP revealed in June issue of Qore [Update]
According to the Sony rep, a slew of new game announcements are going to be made for the platform at E3, including: Metal Gear Solid and Jak & Daxter, as well as a re-reveal of Gran Turismo PSP. Get those bingo cards out, kids!
Original Article: According to images grabbed by the Gaming Console Network, PS3's virtual magazine (Qore) made its latest issue available early and revealed the (long-rumored) PSP revision. As rumors and mockups theorized, the PSP Go in the images features no UMD drive and a sliding screen. It also features a single (and poorly positioned) analog stick. Adding fuel to the fire, PlayStation LifeStyle has posted an image it states is of the actual retail packaging for the soon-to-be announced handheld iteration -- and both designs match.
As we have not been able to spot the images on Qore our self, we're calling this rumor. Only a few days until we find out if the madness is true.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in. Via GameTrailers Forum]
Pics of the PSP Go Retail Box
We weren't planning on releasing these pics to the public, however since gamingconsolenetwork.com has already posted pics of the PSP Go, we can reveal the pics we have.
Friday, May 29, 2009
E3 2009 in Playstation Home confirmed
PlayStation Home gets some new BUZZ!
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PlayStation Home is expected to get some much-welcome BUZZ! very soon as the quiz show game has been announced to get some space for the online front. Better yet, the space won't just be some big, elaborate ad to remind you of the game - it's gonna have a 64-player trivia-fest where you can pit your stock knowledge against other aimlessly dancing avatars. You'll be standing on a huge BUZZ! buzzer panel, and you'll have to stand on one of the colored buttons - the one for the right answer, hopefully - before the timer runs out. Questions will come from the best user-created questions on MyBuzzQuiz.com. Since you'll be playing with 63 other players, you'd be able to tell who knows the answer, and who's simply jumping the bandwagon. Word comes from Rob Alvarez, product marketing manager for BUZZ!, and he says that the new BUZZ! space should go live "very soon." |
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Kojima Updates Site Yet Again With Familiar Face, Hidden Mystery Mask
Is it Raiden? Is it Gray Fox? Is it Sunny? Who knows? Hideo Kojima does, that's who. Him and his minions. There are also new letters: C, O, P. There's the number six, too.
The site also sports a new Kojima Productions logo in the bottom corner. When it changes to a mask, click on the image, and it takes you to another site. That site has this:
There's music, too! That mask seems to morph into this:
And that morphs into:
Kojima Production "Next" and Mask [Kojima Productions]
PlayStation 3 Hits Stride, Xbox 360 Standing Still
Yes, I know. I work for PSX Extreme so "of course" I'd say this. I'm not even going to dignify that with an explanation, but let's just say that anyone who knows me realizes that after a quarter-century of gaming, I have little to no "brand loyalty." And by the way, I would've reversed this same title in favor of the 360 back in 2007 because it was just that obvious...just like this situation is equally obvious.
Dhani Harrison: Beatles Rock Band will "blow people's minds"
Speaking to musicradar.com, Dhani Harrison, son of the Beatles' George Harrison, took care not to mince his words when discussing The Beatles: Rock Band. Naturally, one would expect that someone so closely connected to the project would be pretty positive about it, but Harrison made himself quite clear, saying, "I'm not hyping in the least when I say The Beatles: Rock Band is going to blow people's minds." He then added that the game will "set a new standard for video games."
Strong words to be sure, but, considering Harmonix's pedigree, it just might be true. We'll find out when we take the game for a spin next week at E3.
Rumor: Sky Player coming to Xbox 360 in the UK
Emphasis seems to be on sport, as Sky has arguably the best sports coverage in the country. The story states 360 owners will also be able to access interactive leaderboards and news through the service. Unfortunately, users will need a Sky subscription, which for sports is around £34 a month. Clearly this is Microsoft's way of combating the fact that the 360 -- unlike the PS3 and Wii -- cannot access services like the free iPlayer due to the lack of a web browser. Not to mention the brilliant PlayTV for PS3.
No doubt we'll hear confirmation within the next few days if this is true but, judging from the evidence, all signs point to "real."
[Thanks, Liam]
The rest of Midway is up for auction
Midway's Geoff Mogilner told Joystiq this afternoon that today's release "doesn't change that agreement [with WB]" and either side will suffer financial penalties for backing out. He also noted that the acquisition has no effect on the development teams employed by Midway as "people aren't assets." Yet, Geoff. Yet. Seriously though, he told us that any bidder wishing to acquire development teams would have to engage in a "separate acquisition" and any winning bidder on Midway's assets won't take on any of the massive debt the company is currently weighed down by. He also noted that the recipient(s) of the money from this auction have yet to be decided. Standing in line for a payout are a laundry list of creditors along with mystery man Mark Thomas.
Access your PS3 anywhere with the Sony Aino cell phone
Europeans will also be able to access PlayTV, allowing them to view, pause and rewind live television, as well as setting programs to record from afar. There's no indication of whether the phone will have access to the PlayStation Network store or the friends list, but that would be the icing on an already tasty cake. Having this feature on a cell phone makes perfect sense -- hopefully this is something that will become a lot more prevalent in the future. Who knows, one day we might see a Remote Play iPhone app. We'd love that.
[Via Engadget]
Sony’s Biggest E3 Announcements Ever
The general consensus among gaming media and fans alike is that E3 2009 could be Sony’s biggest showing in the history of the PlayStation brand. Rumors, leaks, and a massive pre-E3 media event have helped fuel the hype for what is set to be quite an amazing show.
PlayStation LifeStyle has the great pleasure of seeing this first hand, and will work tirelessly to bring you all possible coverage of the PlayStation brand, no matter how big or small the news.
Before E3 begins, and Sony takes the gaming world by storm, we are bringing you a trip down memory lane by giving you a recap of Sony’s biggest E3 showings of the past. This way, you can see exactly what Sony’s showing at E3 2009 is up against, and you can be the judge of whether or not this will be Sony’s best year ever!
E3 1995
SEGA, after having two poorly-received hardware offerings with the SEGA CD and 32X, needed to impress the crowd at the very first E3. SEGA had previously announced the SEGA Saturn before the show which had a scheduled release date of September 2, 1995. However at the SEGA Keynote, it was announced that the SEGA Saturn was secretly shipped to retailers the night before, and was now on sale for $399. A move that left retailers unhappy, and gamers without many launch titles to choose from.
This, shortly after, was completely overshadowed by Sony. Olaf Olafsson (who named this guy?) took the stage at Sony’s keynote and announced the release date for the Sony PlayStation. The real shocker, and what could have been the death blow to Sega before the PlayStation was even released, was the announcement that it would release for the price of $299. Also shown during E3 were what soon became PlayStation franchise mainstays: Ridge Racer, Tekken, and WipEout. This marked the beginning of Sony’s reign over the gaming industry.
E3 2000
History repeated itself a bit with E3 2000. The Sega Dreamcast had been released in North America the prior year and was off to a rough start. Its CD-based software medium constrained the visions of many developers.
While the PS2 had already been announced in Japan previously, there hadn’t been a release date set for the American market. Sony took the opportunity to do so at E3 2000, and set the big day for October 26 of the same year. Although this time around, Sony’s console was priced higher than SEGA’s by $100; it offered DVD playback, as well as DVD-ROM as the software medium, allowing for larger games. The inclusion of the DVD player may have been Sony’s most genius idea yet. It helped introduce the PS2 into the homes of anyone interested in DVD players, as it offered a decent quality DVD player, along with PlayStation brand gaming for around the price of your average DVD player at the time.
E3 2000 wasn’t all about hardware, in fact it was the software that really stole the show. One title in particular had fans and media floored. That title was Metal Gear Solid 2, the follow up to the fan favorite Metal Gear Solid on the original PlayStation (now known as the PSOne). The sheer detail of MGS2 is what impressed the crowd, and it really showed of what the PS2 was capable of. While MGS2 didn’t make the PS2’s launch, Sony had plenty of other titles to show, 51 of which were scheduled to be available by Christmas of 2000.
E3 2003
Kaz Harai takes the stage at Sony’s Keynote during E3 ‘03, and had plenty of major announcements to discuss. He started off with the announcement of a revised PS2 in the works. The revision boasted progressive DVD playback, a built in IR port for use with a remote, reduced fan noise, and would be bundled with a Network Adapter.
Sony continued to strut its planned online strategy, which was a direct response to the undeniable success of Xbox Live. Games that were shown included Final Fantasy XI, SOCOM II, and pledged support from EA Sports’ future lineup.
Of course Sony wasn’t done there. Dr. Richard Marx then took the stage and demonstrated the PS EyeToy. The EyeToy was a USB web cam that allowed for interaction with images on screen by moving your body and appendages; no controller was needed.
Lastly, Sony announced its plans to take on Nintendo and its stronghold over the handheld gaming market with the PlayStation Portable. No Hardware or Software was shown, or demoed, but the announcement was big enough to shock gamers.
E3 2005
The PlayStation 2 was in its prime; a large amount of AAA games were shown. The current king of consoles was easily overshadowed by the announcement of its successor, the PlayStation 3. The PlayStation 3 was debuted, boasting some of the most impressive specs ever seen by console gamers. Specs at the time included the cell processor, 1080p High Definition gaming, 3 Ethernet ports, 2 HDMI outputs, 6 USB ports (4 front, 2 rear), Wifi, Bluetooth 2.0, and a built-in Blu-Ray drive.
Even with the massive listed specs, the thing that generated the most buzz was the new controller. The new controller wasn’t yet another iteration of the Dualshock, it was a boomerang-shaped controller. Jokes galore hit the internet about how if you were angry after losing in a game, you couldn’t throw the controller, as it might come back and hit you.
There was no actual software, however there was plenty of technical demos ready to go that were running on PCs that had specs similar to that of what the PlayStation 3 would have. PlayStation staples such as Devil may Cry, and Tekken were shown (ironically, both went multiplatform). The biggest splash came from the confirmation of Metal Gear Solid 4 being in the works, and the showing of a technical demo of Final Fantasy VII. This immediately sparked excitement from the crowd, as fans thought a FFVII remake was in the works. However, that wasn’t true, as Square quickly make it clear that it was a tech demo only.
E3 2006
Not all E3 announcements are good announcements, despite how large they may be. In 2006, Sony announced the price of the now “gimped” (originally the PS3 was to have 2 HDMI outputs, 6 USB ports, 3 ethernet ports, and more) PS3, which was set to $599. Although there was a less-expensive 20GB model announced, which was even more gimped with its removal of wifi, card readers, and a lower-capacity internal hard drive, the price shocked the world. Both Sony’s previous consoles had been released for $299, and history had shown that expensive consoles never fared well.
There was the argument that you get what you pay for, and Sony’s newest console was surely a beast. While that was indeed true, the massive price tag scared away many long time PlayStation fans over to the other HD console on the market, the Xbox 360. The price tag was the target of media outlets, which soon started questioning Sony’s motives about the console, claiming it was more about Blu-Ray penetration than making another successful gaming console. To this day, the PlayStation 3 is the most expensive console. Anyone can see that because of this, the sales have been less than Sony (perhaps foolishly) hoped for in comparison to the ridiculously fast-selling PlayStation 2.
E3 2009
You have seen our predictions. You have heard the rumors of a redesigned PSP, and a slimmed down PS3. You know the massive lineup of games that are scheduled to be at E3. You know that Sony always has more games that are currently unannounced, and that E3 is prime time to unleash them. Because of those facts, it does seem to be that 2009 will be Sony’s best showing ever. Stay tuned to PlayStation LifeStyle for all of your E3 coverage!
Xbox 360: More Than 30 Million Served
The new statistics arrive with the announcement of record growth for the console so far this year, celebrating a 28 percent jump in console sales over the previous year - the highest percentage growth of any console in 2009. Over the course of this console generation, U.S. customers alone have spent $14.5 billion on the console, including hardware, games, and downloadable content, which Microsoft's Don Mattrick attributes to offering more entertainment value than anyone else, while teasing next week's E3 announcements.
"We've always been confident that Xbox 360 offers more entertainment value than any other console on the market, and these latest numbers show that consumers agree. We expect our growth to continue to accelerate. Our news at E3 next week will underscore our commitment to bringing blockbuster entertainment experiences to everyone and to growing the Xbox entertainment brand globally."
On the software side of things, the Xbox 360 has generated $5.9 billion in sales for third-party developers to date, which according to the NPD group is more than the PlayStation 3 and Wii combined.
With more than 20 million active users, Microsoft is calling Xbox Live the world's largest global entertainment network. The service now reaches 26 countries, with an install base larger than any satellite television provider. More than 1 billion pieces of content have been downloaded from the service to date.
Live has been generating particularly amazing numbers since the launch of the New Xbox Experience last year, with a 136% increase in new members, TV and movie downloads doubling, and game add-on downloads increasing by 70 percent.
The official announcement ends with another E3 tease, promising more exciting announcements to come, as long as they don't blow the whole thing several days before the show, like everyone else seems to have been doing lately.
Ars' mole says slimmer PS3 coming in August or Sept.
The mole's also pushing the PSP Go!, saying it will feature "lower power consumption and possibly a lower price." Read all of the shifty rodent's musings right here.
Ubisoft Working On PS4, Xbox 720 Games
Report: PS3 Slim Is Real, Won't Be At E3
A "very well-informed mole" says that there won't be a PS3 Slim announcement next week at E3, and that the console won't be in stores until late summer or early fall. Why? "There are plenty of PS3 systems sitting on store shelves right now," writes Ars Technica, "and Sony is planning on sitting back and allowing the supply of those units to dry up over the summer."
A cease and desist was sent to Kotaku from Taiwanese attorneys after we posted apparent pics of the rumored PS3 Slim.
Don't expect a PS3 price cut, Ars Technica adds, but it is still a possibility. This echoes what Crecente said on the Bonus Round about price cuts — that Sony will want to save a price drop for a big announcement at this year's Tokyo Game Show. It seems to make better sense timing-wise, being close to the holidays. An early summer price drop announcement could paralyze console sales if the price drop did not immediately go into effect.
Mole: PSP-Go details confirmed, smaller PS3 is on the way [Ars Technica via Gizmodo]
Fighter cut from UFC 2009 because of ... his hair?
We applaud Guida for not (essentially) selling his hair to THQ, but come on, he had to be cut because of his hair? Hasn't hair been in 3D fighting games since ... forever? Couldn't they have given his in-game model a headband or something? The mind reels ....
[Via GameSetWatch]
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine cleansing consoles for the emperor
In development for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, it's unclear what ties, if any, the project has to the leaked Space Marine footage that made the rounds late last year. However, judging from this IGN-hosted trailer, the game certainly looks to keep more with 40K's combat-heavy fiction when it eventually decides to chainsword retail shelves.
MGS4, Ratchet, others $30 as PS3 'Greatest Hits' starting June 16
- Army of Two
- Battlefield Bad Company
- Devil May Cry 4
- Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
- Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
- Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
Fight Night Round 4 demo slugs Xbox Live
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Ubisoft's Killing Day Still Alive?
Based on a newly filed trademark from Ubisoft, the game may not be dead after all, as someone at the company appears to have interest in keeping Killing Day protected. Does that mean Ubisoft is renewing its efforts to continue development on the stylish shooter? Not necessarily. Companies often file trademarks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for games that ultimately never reach store shelves.
And Ubisoft certainly didn't make mention of the game's revival earlier today during its quarterly earnings call. But you never know. Perhaps we'll see something at this year's E3.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
First Big Boss, And Then Raiden (With Censored Kojima Interview)
Raiden means "thunder and lightning" in Japanese — fitting as the teaser site has mostly been thunder and lighting. Oh, rain, there has been rain.
Those hoping for a plethora of details from the Famitsu reveal, though luck. The title of the article is "Director Kojima Interview With Tons of Blanked Out Words: Talking The Latest MGS."
Kojima Productions Updates Site With... Big Boss Image
The lighting and rain return, but the letters "R" and "P" flash on the screen...along with? What looks like a close-up of Big Boss.
Thanks, treegreen!
Microsoft unveils Zune HD, Zune marketplace headed to Xbox 360 [update]
How this will work exactly won't be fully revealed until E3, where Microsoft promises that attendees will learn "how Zune integrates into Xbox LIVE creating a game-changing entertainment experience." This integration could very well be related to the hinted-at 360-Zune team-up we posted about last December.
Still, the announcement does bring up some interesting questions in the meantime. Chiefly among them: Will video content purchased on one device be playable on the other and vice-versa? Microsoft isn't saying, although that would make perfect sense. Also, the Zune marketplace offers an extensive catalog of downloadable songs -- could this be an indication of an iTunes-like music service debuting for 360? Microsoft's press conference has just become more unpredictable.
Update: The Guardian reports that Microsoft told it to expect movie, TV and music downloads via the Zune marketplace on 360. In addition, a subscription service like (or one and the same to) Zune Pass will likely be offered to Live users, allowing them unlimited song playback and 10 song downloads a month for a set fee. Final details are expected to be announced at next week's E3.
Back Up and Play Your Wii Games From an External Hard Drive
New Metal Gear game to be revealed tonight
Surprise: LucasArts announces Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron for DS/PSP
The new portable addition to the Battlefront series -- shipping on both platforms this fall -- stars X2,
The press release suggests that the DS and PSP are getting s ubtly different games, with the DS version promising a "class-based gameplay experience" with different weapons for each class, and the PSP version allowing players to "personalize and build their character with more weapons and items than ever before." The PSP game has 16-player multiplayer with "in-depth stat tracking," and the DS release has "intense 4-player skirmishes" in different multiplayer modes.
