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Thank the gawds: Three Speech is dead, replaced by EU PlayStation Blog
Sony Europe has finally seen the light and will execute Three Speech, replacing it with the EU PlayStation blog. Three Speech is Sony Europe's "semi-official" blog, written by -- we believe -- freelancing European game journos and an outside PR company who don't byline their articles. For years, the site has drunkenly walked a line between being a Sony Europe mouthpiece and something different.Thankfully, as of April 17, it appears Three Speech will finally take the mouthpiece mantel with pride and become the EU PlayStation blog. All we can do is hope the EU blog takes its cues from the US PlayStation Blog, a professionally-run site that provides good content and doesn't mince words about what it is.
ThreeSpeech announces release dates for first-party titles
The semi-official blog ThreeSpeech has announced European/UK release dates for their upcoming titles. Most of you are probably most interested in the Resistance 2 release date, which has been floating around as rumor but never confirmed. Buzz! Quiz TV Special Edition was suppose to come out next month, so its release date of tomorrow is a little earlier than expected. Rest of the release dates are below: Buzz! Quiz TV Special Edition - October 31st LittleBigPlanet - November 5th MotorStorm Pacific Rift - November 7th SingStar Volume 3 - November 14th SingStar ABBA - November 14th Resistance 2 - November 28th
Shuhei Yoshida on his relocation, exclusives and future of PS3
Sony's President of Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, sat down with ThreeSpeech in an interview to discuss his plans for the PlayStation name. He began by giving some background information about himself and his transition into Phil Harrison's former position, admitting that his predecessor's departure was "unexpected" but he will "continue that drive." The main question on everyone's mind was exclusives, mainly whether Sony will begin paying for them. Yoshida stated that he understands due to the rising cost of development, third-party publishers must recuperate costs, hence the need to go multi-platform. He tells us Sony's strategy is "invest(ing) in our first-party studios; (and) in terms of exclusive titles, our role becomes more important." LittleBigPlanet is the exclusive the President is most looking forward to and further indicated Home should be ready by Christmas. He also addresses canceled games; citing "business situations and priorities" as the reasons why Eight Days and The Getaway, in their pre-production phase, landed on the cutting room floor. Yoshida also confirmed his move from the US back to Japan this year, in order to participate more in the "overall direction-setting of our company and our future platforms" and "to participate in the top management group of SCEI and really achieve the vision that Kaz has in terms of how this company should work going forward." Of course, no Sony executive can go on interview without agreeing with the prediction that the PS3 will remain "a really relevant system for another ten years." For more, read the in-depth interview over at ThreeSpeech.
2.40 bricking caused by 'system administrative data' on hard disk
In an official statement issued to ThreeSpeech, SCEE explains the problem with firmware 2.40. It seems that there was a problem which "prevented a limited number of PS3s from activating properly after updating to version 2.40, when certain system administrative data were contained on the HDD." This has now been fixed with 2.41, though those who suffer from the problem (which prevents the PS3 from loading up the XMB) will not be able to access the new firmware update.Instead, those who had problems with 2.40 will need to contact Customer Services and will receive a replacement PS3. 2.41 will prevent this problem happening to anyone else. The statement also reiterates that those who installed 2.40 successfully will not suffer from any issues. Good news all round, really. We're happy those people who were too slow to grab 2.40 will now be able to start earning trophies and enjoying in-game XMB with the rest of us.
Siren: Blood Curse priced and dated for Europe
ThreeSpeech has the scoop on when we can expect Siren: Blood Curse to hit the European PSN Store, as well as how much we will be spending on this episodic horror. We're not sure what Sony's understanding of "episodic" is, but we were expecting something a little bit different to what's been described. Siren will be split into four chapters, each containing three episodes of the game, but the strange part is that all four chapters will be made available on the same day -- July 24th.I guess we can't complain now that we know we won't have to wait in between episodes, but we can't help but wonder why they've bothered with splitting the game up at all. Why not just release it all as one? When the game releases you'll be able to pick up each chapter for £4.99 (no sign of a price in Euros, sorry!), with all four chapters bundled together for £19.99. Pro tip: Buy them all separately and you'll save 3p. That's three penny sweets!
SingStar Vol. 2 announcement brings more questions than answers
As previously rumored Sony will be releasing a second volume of casual sing-em-up SingStar for the PS3. While SingStar Vol. 2 will be little more than a 30-song expansion (much like the many, many PS2 SingStars available) there will be an additional gameplay mode available. There's no indication as to whether the songs on the disc are already available on the SingStore or, if not, whether they'll be made available soon after release.We're wondering exactly why Sony are releasing a second volume. Wasn't the SingStore meant to prevent this sort of thing? Considering the market it's designed for (casual gamers) we can sort of understand if the extra volumes are released for people who have no intention of signing up to the PlayStation Network. But more gameplay modes? We hope to see this new "Harmony mode" released as a free download for SingStar Vol 1 users who do use the SingStore. If not, expect users of the original game to be quite angry. The release of Volume 2 brings with it more questions than answers, such as a price or release date. Also, how will this affect the still-pending US release? Stay tuned.
Behold, Buzz! Quiz TV
We know that sometimes reading words is hard work. Sometimes you need someone to talk at you. To show you. In walks the above Buzz video. If you've had trouble making it through one of our Buzz! Quiz TV posts (including our recent hands on impressions) in the past then let the game's host, Buzz himself, show you exactly what's what. All the special features that promise to make the PS3 version of the Buzz! franchise so great. Speaking of which, some of those downloadable quizes look great fun -- particularly the video games and sci-fi movie based ones. Is it wrong that we're already putting money aside for this game before it's even released? Oh, and before you ask: Summer. Apparently.
ThreeSpeech receives redesign including mysterious timer
ThreeSpeech, Sony's "semi-official" PlayStation 3 weblog has received a new lick of paint recently, you'll be happy to hear. The site looks altogether much spiffier, with a wider page format and a countdown timer. A countdown to what, though? You don't really have to be a rocket scientist to work out that when that timer reaches zero we'll be treated to some sort of Motorstorm 2 coverage. We were promised a trailer by French site JeuxVideo but it never materialized. Even if we hadn't been given the blatant clue "a new breed of warrior will be born," we would've expected to see the video appear whenever the timer runs out. You never know, though. We've been wrong before ...
67 songs headed for the Singstore on March 7th
It's about time. Finally, the first worthwhile Singstar Singstore update is on its way. On March 7th the Singstore will be updated with 67 new songs, almost doubling the amount of content that's available today. It's true that a lot of songs included in this update are from previous Singstar iterations on the PS2, but if these updates (which should be occurring twice monthly, now) keep looking similar to this, we'll be impressed.The song list is really rather good, actually. We're quite looking forward to grabbing some ourselves. Particularly, some Bowie, The Darkness, Feeder and Lordi. To see the full list of songs due to be up on the Singstore on the 7th or March, check past the jump.
Check out WipEout HD's soundtrack - don't like it? Use your own!
The WipEout series has always had excellent soundtracks and WipEout HD promises to be no exception. Sony has today revealed the full music list for the game, along with a plethora of other details, most of which we've seen before. The full soundtrack for the game is as follows: MoveYa! & Steve Lavers: Chemical Stanton Warriors: Tokyo DJ Fresh: X-Project (100% Pure mix) Ed Rush, Optical & Matrix: Frontline Noisia: Seven Stitches MIST: Smart Systems Mason: Exceeder - Special mix Booka Shade: Steady Rush Kraftwerk: Aero Dynamik Nothing on that list take your fancy? That's okay, WipEout HD will feature full custom soundtrack support, just like its PSP cousin, Wipeout Pulse. That means you can speed along at 600kph whilst listening to something wholly inappropriate, if you so wish.
See PlayTV in action
In glorious low-res shakycam! Those lucky BBC Tech guys have got their hands on PlayTV and have produced a wee video showing off exactly what it can do. The video takes you through the interface of the software on the PS3, showing you how quick and streamlined the whole system is. They then go on to show off the remote play features. It all looks rather excellent to us and we can't wait to get our hands on the magic box itself. ThreeSpeech has also been able to put rest to some niggles that some of you may have. They have confirmation from Sony that, should you set a program to record and have your PS3 on standby mode, it will turn itself on, record, then shut down. So those of you who are worried about wasting energy can rest easy in the knowledge that your PS3 will be on only as long as it needs to be.
Still confused about PlayTV? Watch this video
There's been a lot of talk about PlayTV, but until now that's all been words. ThreeSpeech have released the above video to show you, with actual pictures and everything, how exactly PlayTV will work. It's all very simple and straight forward. PlayTV's release date is still shrouded in mystery, though Play.com did leak a possible date and price (March 28th for £99) this has now disappeared. No doubt there will be a significant marketing push when the system is nearing its release. We're just hoping to get our hands on it as soon as possible.
ThreeSpeech spoils our 2.00 surprise
While Sony America granted us exclusive access to information regarding firmware 2.00, it seems Sony Europe has had other plans. ThreeSpeech have revealed the feature set for the latest firmware via a SCEE press release. While this does spoil our surprise somewhat, please hang in there. When we're finally able to we will be releasing further in depth information regarding the firmware's features as well as some exclusive screen captures of it in action.Until then, however, we'll retread the information on the press release so as to let you know what the firmware will contain. While we knew that Remote Start would be available from PSP firmware 3.72, the other features are as follows: XMB themes Information Board XMB background colour changer Music and Photo playlists PlayStation Network XMB group As we've said, we'll have more details (including images) for you before too long.
Threespeech reveals giant EU PSN update plans for the rest of the year
While today's EU PSN update is still very much in the dark, Threespeech have posted a long list of expected releases for the rest of the year. If you've been disappointed by the PSN before, hopefully this is the time for your faith in the service to be restored. The list for December is labeled as a list of "highlight" - presumably meaning there's more to come. Here's the full list so far:November releasesGames Feel Ski game Mesmerise: Distort game for PlayStation Eye Mesmerise: Trace game for PlayStation Eye Tori Emaki game for PlayStation Eye Toy Home game Snakeball game Coolboarders PS1 game G-Police PS1 game Destruction Derby PS1 game Colony Wars PS1 game Motor Toon Grand Prix2 PS1 game Syphon Filter 2 PS1 game Bust-A-Groove PS1 game Crash Bandicoot 2 PS1 game Crash Bandicoot 3 PS1 game Demos Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Add ons Folklore "Bottom of the Sea" add-on pack Folklore "The Alchemist" add-on pack Motorstorm "Devil Crossing" add-on pack Motorstorm Livery pack 1 Motorstorm Livery pack 2 Motorstorm "Rascal & Governer" vehicle pack Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online add-on pack Formula 1 "PSP Wing Mirror" add-on Blast Factor: Advanced Research expansion pack flOw expansion pack Resistance: Fall of Man map packs Trailers Uncharted "Meet the Dogs/The Characters & Music" trailer Uncharted "Animation Overview" trailer Uncharted "A Living Environment" trailer Uncharted "Hunting El Dorado" trailer Lair "Call of the Beast" trailer Motorstorm "Revenge Weekend" trailer Motorstorm "Devil's Weekend" trailer Ratchet and Clank launch trailer Ratchet and Clank TV ad Riff: Everyday Shooter trailer Dark Mist trailer PAIN trailer Don't stop now - this is only November. After the jump we'll give you the list of December's upcoming "highlights".
ThreeSpeech sheds some light on European game release dates
We all know that the next couple of months include some major game releases but, for those of us in Europe, we're not entirely sure when exactly the big titles are coming. ThreeSpeech to the rescue! They have revealed all the confirmed release dates for the big Sony first party titles between now and the end of the year. Thankfully no games have been delayed into 2008, with most titles having gone gold already. Even Singstar gets a mention, along with confirmation that it will be out this year. Here's the full list: The Eye of Judgment - October 26th Lair - November 9th Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction - November 9th Uncharted: Drake's Fortune - December 7th Singstar - December ??th We know what gamers are like though - they always want more. If this list doesn't seem long enough to you then don't forget about all the third party titles that are out soon. With games like Guitar Hero III, Assassin's Creed, Haze and Call of Duty 4 along with the above list we're in for a busy Christmas.
Heavenly Sword downloadable content coming ... if it sells well
It's a two-way road, this video game business. Developers want you to buy their products so, in turn, if you request something from them then you had better be willing to front the cash. During a presentation and Q&A at last night's Warhawk tournament at 3Rooms, Tameem Antoniades (co-founder of Ninja Theory) was asked what his response was to the criticism that Heavenly Sword was too short. He replied that Ninja Theory are definitely interested in extending the experience via downloadable content - but only if it sells well. The game has been getting good reviews pretty much across the board, with the most common criticism being that there simply isn't enough game to play. With the marketing push that is happening in Europe (we couldn't get through the paper this morning without being greeted by Nariko's face at least twice) we expect the game to sell well, but will it sell enough to persuade Ninja Theory to release extra content? We sincerely hope so. If you want to see it happen, then put down the money and buy the game.
Bad EU PSN updates? SCEE knows and is working on it
At a ThreeSpeech organised Warhawk tournament (more on that later) at 3Rooms last night, a member of the Sony Europe PR team spoke to attendees regarding the lackluster EU PSN releases. The general gist was that Japan and America are receiving decent content regularly because each territory only has a single language. Europe, on the other hand, has 21 languages and each piece of content has to be localised for all of them. They recognise this is an issue and are working on a fix."Will you be able to see improvements in the next week, or the week after? Probably not, but do expect to see things get better in the near future." We look forward to it! Despite that, yesterday's EU PSN update has been heralded as the best yet. It's good to see Sony plans to push beyond that with future EU updates, rather than sitting back and relaxing now that some people have been appeased. We look forward to seeing what they come up with over the coming months.
ThreeSpeech discover some EU PSN release dates
Sometimes news is better left untold. Or is it? We're in two minds as to whether the outcome of ThreeSpeech's PSN release date snooping is making us feel better or worse about the situation. They have managed to procure information regarding PSN releases for the upcoming month but we're sincerely hoping that the list is inexhaustive -- a fraction of the next month's PSN offerings. If not, then our hopes and dreams for the next 26 days are crushed. Crushed.September 6th Motorstorm Coyote Revenge update Heavenly Sword Anime episode 4 Heavenly Sword Making-of episode 4 Lair trailer September 13th Motorstorm vehicle set 1 Loco Roco Cocoreccho trailer inFamous trailer September 27th Motorstorm vehicle set 2 Overall, a good month for Motorstorm fans. Lots of new downloadable content. The lack of any information regarding the 20th makes us think that there's more to come this month. We hope.
Warhawk pushed back in Europe, but don't start crying just yet
While technically this can hardly be called a delay, Warhawk has been pushed back slightly in PAL territories. ThreeSpeech has declared that we can expect the game to grace the European PSN Store on August 30th, not the 28th as previously stated. The reason for this is simple. Sony have always updated the European PSN Store on Thursdays, not Tuesdays. Why break the habit of a lifetime few months and update it a couple of days early? We can see the same thing happening with the release of Heavenly Sword. The UK release for which is September 14th, two days after the American release on the 12th. Retail games come out on Fridays here, that's just the way it goes. But wait a second, didn't we just get a PSN update on a Wednesday? We wonder if those extra two days the yanks get to play with give them the edge. With worldwide servers available on day one, we'll no doubt soon find out.
Warhawk finally dated for Europe
ThreeSpeech has the scoop on the European release dates for Warhawk. We have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the downloadable version will be available on the same day as in America. The 28th of August. The bad news is that the retail version won't be available until the 21st of September. Yes, we know. The retail version is out on August 28th in America. That's a week today, for those of you with your head in the clouds. But where's ours? Over three weeks late, that's where. We're not particularly impressed. This isn't the first time Europe has been shafted like this. The bizarre thing is that the game will be available via download. Taunting those of us who are waiting for the cheap-as-free Bluetooth headset. Oh well, looks like another title we'll have to import.
