Talk Playstation 3 News

We al know Japan has the most custom made PlayStation consoles and PSP’s out there compared to other regions, so why not design another one.

This time it’s a Ryu ga Gotoku 3 (known to the rest of us as the game Yakuza) design on a ceramic white Playstation 3 (80 GB). On the body you will see a dragon which is mirrored.
This special design will be in a pack including the game and of course the console.

So you will probably want to get you hands on one of these, be quick then. There will only be 10,000 of these.

Source

Dan Hill believes that Playstation Home can become a system seller in the future. Home offers new possibilities for companies to create revenue through advertisements.

In time I would say that Home will definitely become a reason to purchase [PS3]. Today, we are at the beginning of a long journey – now is the time to start its evolution

The PlayStation Network is getting better all the time, and Home is integral to our online offering. If you buy a PS3 and you grow with us, as Home evolves, you are going to become part of something very special, something unlike you can experience anywhere else.

He may be right on the PS3 giving you a certain experience you can’t find anywhere else, but Home becoming a system seller will be out of the question. Home still lacks a certain amount of features which were promised in the beginning. Of course things change to get a quicker release date, but with 2 big delays, a server problem in Europe and a much heated discussion about the micro transaction fees in certain regions that dream will not happen in the next year.

Home is not for everybody and there are different types of users that own a Playstation 3. You have the ones that just want to play a game, the online gamers, the multimedia freaks, the trophy whores collectors and many more types. The experience on the PS3 is different for everybody. And by believing that a majority of those people are willing to pay for stuff that they don’t actually own (read virtual stuff) is pushing it too far to be a system seller.
Major titles like Metal Gear Solid 4, Grand Theft Auto 4 and Resistence 2 those are system seller. It is because these games have history and a solid fan base which are two pillars for a system seller.

(the opinion written here does not reflect on that of Talk Playstation or/and it’s other authors)

Source

Either David Reeves is a pretty bad actor or he’s the next guy will who be fired. The latest rumours suggest that Sony is already working on a PSP 2 which was previously denied by the SCEE President.

Now rumours are spreading again about the Playstation 4 and his response on that was

I’m not even sure if that’s being considered, It’s certainly nothing I can talk about. I have absolutely no knowledge of it whatsoever. Not even sure it’s being planned.

With a claimed lifespan of 10 years for the Playstation 3, starting now for a possible release in 2010-2012 of the PS4, it’s becoming more likely as Microsoft is already starting a buzz for their next console. By that time Microsoft will be able to pick up from the popularity of the ever growing Blu-ray sales and run away with it.

Will Sony have to reconsider their life span for the Playstation 3 or will they let the competition get a head start and believe it the PS3’s true power.

Source

The last time we spoke about this game was back in September and it was about the game being delayed from September till November 28th.

Konami has now set an new release date. On the 27th of 2009 Silent Hill will make it’s release on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. This will be the first Silent Hill for the current generation of consoles.

With many reports coming in on the sales numbers of November, one thing is clear, Sony (mainly Playstation) is doing bad this last quarter of 2008 compared to their competitors.

In the latest sales numbers Playstation is getting hammered. The Xbox 360 has sold more then a combined numbers of the PSP and PS3. How this is possible, easy answer ‘ the price’ . The Xbox 360 is selling for $199 compared to the PS3 which is selling for $399. Yes the PS3 offers more for your money then the 360, but with the current economic crisis, people think cheap first, then quality. Same goes for the PSP, the DS lite sells for $130 compared to $170. Yeah it’s only a $40 difference but it’s still a game or two more.

(more…)

With concepts of a possible PSP 2 hitting the web since the PSP-2000 and the lately ‘leaked’ info about a possible manufacturer, Sony still denies their working on a PSP 2.

No, there are currently no plans for a PSP2. I go to Tokyo quite a lot and no one has referred to it – I think they have their hands full at the moment

Sony’s main focus is to keep improving the PSP with help of the latest version of the PSP-3000 which David Reeves feels still needs to really hit the market. One way is to stimulate the PSP (sales and attention) through methods like a dedicated PSP version of the PlayStation Store for downloadable titles.

Nintendo has been doing this well with the transition from the DS to the DS lite and the now currently flagship DSi. And Mr Reeves hopes the PSP can do the same.

But it has it’s Kryptonite and that is developer dedication.

Its weakness, however, is its software. And that’s because developers, when it comes to placing their bets, have to choose PS3 and 360, then Wii, then DS, maybe even PS2 before PSP. It’s the same at our internal studios, where the focus has been on PS3.

We still believe in the PSP, not because it’s a Playstation product but the innovating technology it brings between the PS3 and the PSP.

Source

Aaron Greenberg, Product manager for Xbox 360 was raving about his own product but coming to the competition it seems compliments are a no no.

We al know Home still needs to be launched as Open Beta, but it has picked up a small delay due to technical difficulties.

Aaron Greenberg was quick to jump to conclusion that the Home concept is out of dated.

What Home to me feels like is Second Life for hardcore gamers, it doesn’t feel like it broadens the experience and invites people in. When they unveiled it, it seemed innovative. I think what’s happened is we are a couple of years later and we feel beyond that. It feels like 2005 tech in 2008. I’m not sure that’s what people want.

We wonder what the NXE is then? We were disappointed to read that he compared Home to Xbox Live like a IGN reviewer compared Football Manager 09 (WWSM 09) to PES09 and Fifa09.

Home and Xbox live are two different things. Live is a service, home is an extention to a service (like the 360’s NXE). Many Microsoft managers were quick to say they have a better deal online as Netflix is picking up sales and their hardware sales were greater then that of the PS3. But does that make you better? We’ll leave the judgement to you.

Source

After almost two years and three possible release periods, Home will finally be available to the public from December 11th 2008.

SCEE let know that tomorrow, everybody who has registered to the Playstation Network will be able to download Home from the Playstation Store. There was much speculation of when it would be available and in the latest interviews with people from SCE/Sony/Playstation only increased them.

Kazuo Hirai was proud to say,

PlayStation Home is truly a promising network community service on the PlayStation platform, made possible with the powerful combination of PS3’s overwhelming computational power and PlayStation Network that covers many countries around the globe. We are committed to providing PS3 users with exciting gaming experiences with PlayStation Home and together with our partners and users, expand the new world of interactive entertainment as we move forward.

We’ve heard about different kind of places you can visit like the lately announced ‘Clubs’ or event halls like the Tokyo Games Show, but also special spaces dedicated to certain games. From the start you can expect to have access to a Far Cry 2 space.
Sony has aimed for such game inspired environments so that it allows people to discuss the specific games, plan strategies and access content and clues that will enhance the gaming experience.
Expect more spaces like this to come soon from games like Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune™, Warhawk™, Motorstorm and SOCOM (we say this one will be available once the game hits Europe) and even other games.
SCEE has focused on bringing us more of these engaging environments together with Electronic Arts, UBISOFT, Midway, Sega and Atari that will provide users with an on-going gaming experience.

We already know that Red Bull had it’s own thing coming in Home but joined by other brands like Fashion leader Diesel, furniture designers Ligne Roset, Paramount Pictures, video content providers Hexus TV and Eurogamer they are one of the first to provide us with content once the Open Beta launches.
Expect to Dress 2 kill your avatar in Diesel clothing ranging in prices from free of charge to €1.50. Or do you rather want to show of your in-door decorating skills by furnishing your apartment, Summer Cottage or any other estate with exclusive Ligne Roset furniture. Maybe even be hired by somebody else.

To take the PlayStation Home Theatre to another level, Sony teamed up with various content providers to enhance the cinematic experience. Expect to see lifestyle technology programming from Hexus TV. Gaming content from Eurogamer and exclusive film content from Paramount Pictures (Maybe Sony Pictures as well in the future).
Paramount Pictures will be using Home to promote it’s latest movies like the highly anticipated film Watchmen to PlayStation®Home residents. You will also be able to get a selection of virtual Watchmen merchandise like T-Shirts with the smiley face logo, Doomsday clocks and character statues. Expect to see these items in (begin) 2009, ahead of an exclusive Q & A event where cast and filmmakers will meet selected press and competition winners fans within the Watchmen themed environment.
So this all seems like good news, but we still wonder how much content will actually be released in Open Beta from the start. With content we mainly mean clothing and furniture. The small store update that was received last week for people who were able to get into the Extended Closed Beta was nice acording to some but still not enough.
Will we be able to play music from our hard disks in our apartment or watch a clip on the TV in you Summer Cottage home. We don’t know yet, but coming tomorrow most questions will be answered, and then the judgement over Home’s potential will really start.

Get ready and be prepared to an experience that will take your Playstation 3 console to a whole other level.

Source

Michael Denny boss of SCE Worldwide Studio claims that MotorStorm: Pacific Rift has sold over one million games worldwide since it’s launch.

We’re pleased with the high Metacritic rating of 82 per cent and it’s sold over a million units worldwide

Despite the hectic release schedule which resulted the game of landing outside the top 10 during this period it still managed to sell 1 million units.

The sequel to the popular PlayStation 3 launch title was released at the beginning of November, entering the charts at number 29 in the UK and then falling the following week to 35.

Look out for downloadable content as Evolution Studios is working on it.

Source

Rockstar Games let know that the latest instalment of Midnight Club has been given an update which is available as we speak.

The patch both for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 includes a fix to improved AI that dynamically adjusts to the user skill level. This is done after many reviewers pointed out the difficulty of the AI. We just hope that it doesn’t get made too easy now.

The 360 patch will also include extra leaderboards for tournaments which can be followed through Rockstar Games Social Club, an improved multiplayer match searching and “upgraded streaming and performance”. (Read less lag)

Source

That is for the multiplayer mode that is included in the upcoming Riddick game, named Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena.

In the latest issue of Official Xbox Magazine US, there was information about new online modes including the obligatory 12-player deathmatch and capture the flag modes and for the first time an interesting Butcher Bay Riot game where you will play against each other in teams of four.

The teams for this new mode will include guards, mercenaries and prisoners, each tasked with fighting their way to and activating a central power cell.

But the most interesting mode will be Pitch Black. In this mode one person will play as Riddick, and the others grunts. The setting of the place, a dark arena which gives Riddick the advantage as he can see in the dark, while the grunts will have to do with flashlights. If you do manage to kill the person playing Riddick, you will take over that role in the next round, to try and do better.

So 20 maps, two exciting modes can be expected early 2009

Source

As Executive President of Playstation Network, Kevin Furuichi announced on the Playstation Blog that they have launched a new service called PULSE.

PULSE will give you the latest news and updates on the Playstation. You can expect to see the program to contain information about new Blu-ray disc and PlayStation Network releases from the PlayStation Store, including games, demos, movies and television series available for your PS3 and PSP.

So check out PULSE every other week for their program.

Despite the Xbox 360 creating great sales number these last few months, David Reeves is not worried. In the PAL area’s Playstation managed to still outsell the Xbox 360 by 300,000 units.

He said

We’re relying on the fact that the industry will keep growing and while we might have a comparatively smaller share of the market we will have higher sales. PS3 is tracking where PS2 was at the same point in its life. The value added strategy will continue for some years to come. The PS3 is already ahead of Microsoft’s rival.

SCEE how ever managed to get out of the red number after two years of losses. So their not interested in lowering the price of the PS3, like the leaked report said.

The SCEE president continued by saying,

Our strategy is very much value added, and Sony’s business model for the console isn’t designed around dropping the RRP every time a manufacturing cost saving has been found.
When we came into the industry we started at zero. And we had to have a model that offered price elasticity. As soon as we got the manufacturing price down on PSOne we lowered the price. Same with PS2. But we’re not doing that on PS3 – that’s not the model, even if people are expecting it.

We can however expect a more aggressive approach once they have reached the break-even point, which he hopes is next year.

Source

TedTheDog let know on the EU Playstation forum that Home will be (actually currently is as we are typing this) down for maintenance while they make some chances to the server. This will take about 30 minutes starting at 11am (GMT/UK).

The update to home is only to support these changes. There is still no word on the Open Beta.

Source

Soldier, stand at attention. SCE (UK) has released orders that it is looking for 35 capable men and woman TODAY! Expect Helghast soldiers walking around so be prepared

Yup, it’s on a short notice but later this evening (Euro time) 35 lucky people will be able to play the latest build of the single player mode. This event will take place at the VUE cinema in Leicester Square and will start at 6pm (GMT).

To enter go to the Killzone 2 website, get an account, and send an email to competitionsuk@scee.net with your name, address and contact number. Do this before 4pm GMT, as that is the time the winners will be decided.

Source