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Alter-Ego: In blackest night, no pilot's light, awaits the city frights
Another week passes when those of us who want to get back to stomping around in DC Universe Online are left to our own devices. Meanwhile, Sony is continuing to work toward restoring its service as the days of the longest large-network MMO outage tick by. (We are, after all, all about the MMOs here at Massively!) Since last week's column, Sony Online Entertainment has announced that not only will subscribers be getting the free month plus a day for each day the network is down along with the Batmask, but there will be additional goodies as well. For DC Universe Online players, that means the previously mentioned Batman and new Two-Face inspired masks (no word on whether this will be one mask per side or both masks for both sides) and 30 Marks of Distinction. Station subscribers will also get 500 Station Cash, and Lifetime subscribers get 10 additional Marks of Distinction. (For those not familiar, Marks of Distinction are what you need to get Tier 2 raiding gear.) Personally, I think the marks are a wise choice of bonus since locked out players re essentially losing the chance to run dailies and raiding, both of which involve timers. The amount is also especially wise -- it's a good portion based on outage time but isn't so huge that people can immediately jump into lots of T2 gear. The cheapest piece (back-slot) would take all 40 marks a Lifetime subscriber had. Meanwhile, as SOE remains locked in its security and networking cocoon, we're left on our own to hunt down other DC Comics entertainment. As I'm also a player cut off from running around and then using this column to write about things I'm experiencing in the game, this week I figured I'd once again diverge from the game to the larger DC Comics universe and take a look at a few cool DC things to come.
Sony misses promised PlayStation Network and Qriocity restoration date, begs for more patience
Whoops. If you'll recall, Sony held what can only be described as an emergency press event in Japan a week ago in order to issue a number of assurances about the resumption of service as it relates to the PlayStation Network and Qriocity. Seven days later, things are still as dead as they were pre-Cinco de Mayo. This evening, the company's Senior Director of Corporate Communications Patrick Seybold punched out a quick update to let the world know that they could actually leave the house and find something else to entertain 'em -- like it or not, PSN isn't coming back online today. The reason? On May 1st, Sony was apparently "unaware of the extent of the attack on Sony Online Entertainment servers," and now, it's spinning its wheels in order to restore security on the network and "ensure" that user data is safe. Mr. Seybold seems to understand that you're overly anxious about getting back into the swing of things, and he's even going so far as to ask your trust that Sony's doing "everything [it] can" to get the lights blinking once more. Oh, and if you were planning on visiting that source link just to find the new ETA... don't. Sony's planning to update you "as soon as it can." [Thanks, Alex]
PlayStation Plus coming via PS3 firmware 3.40 (update: now available)
At last, the first post-E3 firmware update for the PlayStation 3, and as you might've suspected, this one's got PlayStation Plus packed into the mix. We've talked about the service a bit so far, but to recap, $50 annual nets you a 50 percent discount on PSN titles, early access to betas, and one hour of demo time on select full titles (among other benefits). If you're not willing to shell out the Ulysses S Grant, however, however, there's a few other treats in the software patch, including five-star ratings for content purchased on the Store, video editor and uploader for Facebook and YouTube (note: not a video capture service, gotta use what the HDD already has), and expanded integration into Picasa and Facebook photo galleries. Speaking of Facebook, a new app will appear on the social site for showing off your PSN profile and befriending others. As usual, no exact date for the firmware is given, but if history's any indication, it won't be very long at all. Update: We just checked our consoles and, sure enough, the update is live. We're downloading now and will let you know if there's anything peculiar. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] %Gallery-96494%
Burnout Paradise sells 20k copies via PS Store
In an earnings call yesterday, Electronic Arts revealed that Burnout Paradise had been downloaded over 20,000 times in the first three weeks of launch on the PlayStation Store. "In the future we see slower growth in the basic packaged goods business, and higher margins, greater growth and reduced cyclicality [sic] with these new direct-to-consumer businesses," said CEO John Riccitiello, who added that the company is investing $150 million in digital distribution. At $30 per download, that amounts to $600,000 for the publisher (and Sony, who undoubtedly gets a share of that). Riccitiello also said that on average, $14.50 has been spent per user in The Sims 2 online store. For this fiscal year, EA expects $185 million in online revenue. Burnout Paradise "Party" DLC and Ultimate Box set are coming February 2009.
PSN Thursday: Trials of Hawkish, Mesmerizing Snakeballs
This week's batch of PlayStation Network content is pretty massive - "our biggest ever," according to the official US PlayStation blog. There's a catch, of course, in that PSN will not be updated next Thursday (also known as Christmas Eve). Enough pouting, let's open our presents a week early!Warhawk fans have the most gifts under the tree this week, with the already-opened Omega Dawn expansion, a free theme, a game video of the expansion and (gasp!) the original Warhawk PS One title downloadable as a classic for play on either the PS3 or PSP. Rhythm fans also get a tasty sampler of the usual Rock Band DLC and a free Guitar Hero III song, the holiday-themed "We Three Kings" (strangely absent from the list: the premium GH3 songs for this week).Downloadable games include Toy Home, Snakeball and two PS Eye games: Trials of Topoq and Mesmerize: Distort. A demo for Blacksite: Area 51 is also out, and those looking for more festive updates can check out the free Folklore DLC and PAIN wallpaper. Full update list after the break; check out our sister site PS3 Fanboy for European PSN update info.Update: So apparently we have two fewer days to shop for Christmas gifts than we thought. Hmph.
Seven first-party downloadable PSP titles coming 2008
Sony Computer Entertainment America is currently developing seven original titles for the PSP, due out next year via download through the PlayStation Store. According to sources speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, the first-party septet encompass three action games, two music-based games, one shooter and one racer (where does Calling All Cars fit into that list?). They will be approximately one-half to one-third the size of current UMD disks and are intended to provide two to ten hours of gameplay. Sony is also reportedly courting developers to provide more original titles to the network. No other details are currently available. The PlayStation Store, currently only accessible via the PS3, will be available through the PC and PSP next year.
Sony 'bringing home' E3 too, on PSN
Much like what Microsoft has been doing with the Bringing It Home campaign since last E3 (and again with this one), Sony has unveiled its initiative to provide coverage of next week's E3 summit to PlayStation 3 owners via the PlayStation Network.The July 11 press conference will be available for download as well as unspecified "trailers, videos, and other editorial content," according to a GamesIndustry.biz report. Additionally, the official PlayStation blog will reportedly be updated alongside the show.
Nielsen tracking in-game ads for Sony
Sony Computer Entertainment America and The Nielsen Company want to track your stats. Specifically, the two companies have teamed up to "develop a measurement system for game network advertising that will help make game software a more competitive advertising platform," according to the press release. SCEA will "share with Nielsen game network traffic and other data" from PS3 titles, PlayStation Network and the upcoming social MMO Home, at first only in North America -- details beyond that are sketchy, but Nielson calls the effort "fully-transparent" in the press release. The results will be used "to deliver the right ad to the right person at the right time" and to help advertisers figure out a CPM, or cost per impression, for in-game ads.The initial results of the partnership are expected later this year. Expect more in-game ads you're less inclined to ignore and possibly the strange feeling that Big Brother is critiquing your gamer skills.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Long-delayed Resistance update coming Friday
An update to Resistance: Fall of Man that Once Upon a Time was to be released at the end of May is finally coming this Friday. The download, so far confirmed only for Europe, will enable global multiplayer matches. Servers will be down for 16 hours, from 2:00 am to 6:00 pm BST, while they are updated, according to Eurogamer. Also coming tomorrow is the first Map Pack, which includes maps Westmorland and Camborn, for £2.99 GBP and US $7.99. No word on the map pack or update outside of Europe; we've contacted Sony Computer Entertainment America for information on the status of the update in the US. [Update: Included US information care of Sony's shiny new blog. Thanks for the heads-up!] [Via PS3 Fanboy]
Super Stardust HD shoots up PSN today
You're a spaceship destroying bad guys and asteroids -- it's been a time-honored tradition from Space War all the way to Geometry Wars and now crash landing on the US PlayStation Network as Super Stardust HD, an ancestor to descendant of [update: you have your concept of the direction of time and I have mine] the 1993 game Stardust with 1080p visuals. The shooter was released in Europe on June 15, receiving a glowing review from Eurogamer. Super Stardust HD should be available today for US PlayStation 3 owners for $7.99. %Gallery-2813%
Resistance & Motorstorm updates further delayed
Technical issues befall updates to PlayStation 3 titles Resistance: Fall of Man and Motorstorm. The content was originally supposed to be on the PlayStation Network today alongside currently-available trailers for Heavenly Sword, MLB 07 The Show and Stranglehold, which did come out.The MotorStorm 1.2 update has now been slightly split up. A Sony spokesperson told IGN that the patch, which promises to improve online play, will be available on June 11. The new Time Attack mode will be made available June 14. The update was initially due in mid-May.Resistance: Fall of Man was to have new content pack that includes new maps and the game modes Team Conversion and Assault, as well as allow for global online play. "The delay will not be long, and we'll have a firm date to share with you shortly," said Alyssa Casella at SCEA, citing "a few last minute issues ... during the final testing of the global server" for the game. The update had already been pushed back to today, initially promised for the end of May.
Joust to impale the PS Network tomorrow for $5
What is the price of nostalgia? Sony has announced that starting tomorrow, you will be able to ride your ostrich and thwart buzzard-riding knights when Midway's Joust arrives on the PlayStation Network for $4.99.Judging by the press release and attached screenshots, the game looks to be visually untouched from its original state. We had a hard time recommending the game for $5 (then 400 MS points) last year when it was released, with updated visuals, on Xbox Live, and we have just as hard of a time recommending it now on the PS3. However, if you have deep-rooted memories in this game (and don't already have it in one of the other Midway bundles), this is for you.
Jaffe un-promises, Calling All Cars delayed
Like a little girl struggling to keep her favorite doll out of the garage sale bin, David Jaffe is returning to the world of Calling All Cars to make some fixes and revise some of the criticisms the title received via reviews, even after announcing that the title has gone gold, according to a post he left on the NeoGAF forums. The title, therefore, has been delayed for an unspecified time.The bug fixes concern network connection and voice chat issues. Jaffe apologizes, of course, and notes that the previously-mentioned release date was never official. ("Sony was kinda annoyed that I claimed 5/3 as release date," he said.) Would gamers have preferred the game be released on time with a patch promised at a later time? We're leaning towards no, given the importance of multiplayer in the game, although our opinions might sway depending on how long these two "key bugs" take to fix.
Calling All Cars is done, due out May 3
David Jaffe has announced on his design blog today that Calling All Cars (formerly Criminal Crackdown) has gone gold and is expected to hit the PlayStation Network on May 3. The game had been previously delayed for focus testing and other minor tweaking, but it now seems that Jaffe is happy enough with the product to let it go.Has it been worth the wait? Reviews are slowly coming in, but IGN is calling it "Sony's first truly original, must-have title on the PlayStation Network" and claiming it bests just about everything on Xbox Live Arcade. Strong words; we'll see for ourselves next week.[Thanks, Pete]
Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Virtua Tennis demos assault US PS Store
Without warning, like the shadowy figures known only through whispers in the night, Ninja Gaiden Sigma has made its presence known on the PlayStation Store. The demo will be available today in the US, one day prior to its Japanese release, alongside a demo for Virtua Tennis. Also coming out today are trailers for Gauntlet II, The Wheelman, John Woo's Stranglehold and The Godfather. The full version of Ninja Gaiden Sigma is set for a June release (on disc). [Via SCEA news release]
Current PlayStation classics to be PS3 compatible in May
Sony has confirmed with IGN what Joystiq and the Fanboy sites discovered last night: current downloaded PlayStation Classic titles do not work on the PS3, despite its firmware upgrade.The problem is that two files -- the ROM and its certification key -- are needed for the PS One titles to work on the PSP, but that "such a system is not needed on the PlayStation 3," according to the article. We're not sure how this explains the console's inability to play the titles, but rest assured SCEA manager Al de Leon told IGN that, "we'll be replacing the older PS1 games with fixed versions sometime in May" and you will then be able to download the games directly to your hard drive.Sony did not comment on whether or not previously-disabled multiplayer modes would be reinstated upon the May update.
Gran Turismo HD 1.2, GTA 4 trailer to hit PS Network today
Sony has sent word of their new offerings for the US PlayStation Network today. Most importantly for racing fans, Gran Turismo HD Concept will be upgraded for free to version 1.2, which enables force feedback through Logitech steering wheel peripherals. (European gamers have been enjoying GTHD 1.2 since the console's launch in the region.)The Grand Theft Auto IV trailer is also available for download in high definition, as is the Armored Core 4 demo. Microsoft's Peter Moore, proud that Xbox Live got the GTAIV trailer up before Sony, has added yet another tattoo on his arm to add to his collection of AAA-titled inkings.All of the content will be available free of charge and should be online sometime today.[Update: It's the Armored Core 4 demo, not trailer, that is released today. All parties responsible for the error have been thoroughly sacked.]
Darwinia, Defcon dev hints at console releases
Introvervision co-founder Mark Morris has told Next Generation that the company is looking into bringing a few of their titles to the home console front by way of digital distribution.Morris explained that their relationship so far with the console makers has allowed them to retain intellectual freedom in their design. Unlike publishers who try to give them money at the cost of some control of the game, the console makers are "just offering massive distribution of the games and to give [us] a return back on that. That works for us," he said.For what system and which titles is unknown -- all three of the current systems (PS3, Wii and Xbox 360) are capable of digital distribution. Morris said the game(s) would be available within the next twelve months. An earlier rumor from eight months ago suggest a partnership with Xbox Live, which makes since considering the recent Vista upgrade of Darwinia and the similarities in architecture from Windows to Xbox 360 development.Introversion is responsible for Darwinia, DEFCON, and Uplink. They are currently working on a project codenamed Subversion.[Thanks, Sam!]
