Sony-Computer-Entertainment-America
Latest
Canada celebrates Boxing Day with two-game PS4 bundle
Boxing Day, the festive day following Christmas in which folks shop even more is upon us, friends. To celebrate, Sony will offer Canadian players a new PS4 bundle that includes two games. For $450, players can pick up the 500 GB PS4 console with NHL 15 (because Canada) and LittleBigPlanet 3 this Friday, December 26. Pre-orders for the Boxing Day bundle open on Wednesday, and it will be available through "major retailers." Canada's Boxing Day bundle's value compares fairly well to previous ones: Sony offered a PS4 for $400 earlier this month that packed in the buyer's choice of one game out of four options, LittleBigPlanet 3 being one of them. Walmart later sweetened that deal by tacking a $50 gift card onto the offer. While NHL 15 wasn't received well at its launch due to a number of missing modes, some of which returned in via patches, the platforming sequel starring Sackboy did get praise in our review for its "vibrant and inviting" world. [Image: Sony]
The Last of Us gets weapons, skills, gear in new DLC
Naughty Dog launched add-ons for The Last of Us' online multiplayer Factions mode this week, each piece available for purchase individually or in convenient bundles. The game's new Tactical Weapons bundle ($2.99) features a tactical shotgun, burst pistol, frontier rifle and crossbow, each available for $0.99 separately. The Last of Us' Misfit Head Item pack costs $6.99 and includes eight clothing and gear options for players such as ski goggles and a viking hat, each available at varying prices individually. Likewise, the Risk Management Survival Skills pack ($3.99) includes five new skills that are otherwise $0.99 each. Lone Wolf boosts players that separate from their team, Second Chance grants a bonus health kit to those in danger, Jack of All Trades boosts grab-bag level one skills, Lucky Break increases supply box hauls and the special execution-improving Lethal Efficiency skill. Speaking of which, the game's Special Executions pack costs $2.99 and offers new animation sets for takedowns across nine weapon categories, each one costing $0.99 on their own. Lastly, Naughty Dog introduced two new gestures packs for $2.49 each, with individual gestures going for, you guessed it, $0.99. The developer noted that some of the special execution animations didn't make the cut for the game's PS3 version due to the system's memory constraints. [Image: SCEA]
SCEA boss: 'You can't effectively test' for games like Driveclub
Wondering why Driveclub, a game that has required several post-launch fixes, didn't receive more testing to make sure everything was running smoothly before it was pushed out the door? According to Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) President and CEO Shawn Layden, it's because games like Driveclub, which focus heavily on online communities, can't be effectively tested. "In the development cycle, we try to do all things. In the development cycle, we try to test against every possibility. We have a [Quality Assurance] team, we have a QA plan. You do a beta test, you scope against that," Layden recently told IGN. "But now, in a connected world, you can't effectively test in your house or in your beta group what it means to have 50,000, 100,000, 200,000 users hit your service. And the guys [at the studio] are struggling with that. It's throwing up things they had not anticipated." Layden noted that progress reports from developer Evolution Studios show continued improvement, and called the problems experienced so far a "hiccup." For their part, Evolution has been quick to apologize for Driveclub's issues, going so far as to offer free DLC and extending Season Passes. [Image: Sony]
Driveclub update adds photo mode, three new tracks
Evolution Studios updated Driveclub yesterday, adding a photo mode option as well as three new tracks. Players can now press the right side of the DualShock 4 controller's touch pad to enable photo mode, then use the system's sharing features to send their pretty car screenshots across the web. Driveclub's three new tracks, which include reversed variants, are located at Yedapalli in India, Los Pelambres in Chile and Wester Ross in Scotland. The developer posted the patch notes to Driveclub's official Facebook page. The update also added support for two upcoming expansions, the Ignition Expansion Pack and Photo-Finish Tour Pack. Both pieces of DLC will launch on November 25 in North America. Driveclub's latest update featured changes to corner and collision penalties as well as corner cutting "for balancing purposes." In addition to new menu and club functionality, the update also introduced "a number of minor bug fixes, performance improvements and usability tweaks." Driveclub has been plagued with server connectivity and performance issues since its October launch. [Image: SCEA]
Resogun sets course for PS Vita
Arcade-style shooter Resogun will receive a PlayStation Vita version, developer Housemarque confirmed via Twitter today. The Vita port will be handled by Climax Studios, which developed the PS4 and Vita versions of another Housemarque original, Dead Nation. While no release date for the Vita version was given, the developer noted that "more details on the port will soon be released by Sony." Resogun launched alongside the PS4 in November 2013 as a free download for PlayStation Plus subscribers. The game's first major "Heroes" expansion arrived this past June and added new survival and demolition modes to the shooter. The DLC launched shortly after a free update for the game patched in a ship editor and local cooperative multiplayer options. [Image: Housemarque]
The Unfinished Swan painting PS4, Vita next week
Giant Sparrow's surreal exploration game The Unfinished Swan will arrive next week on PS4 and Vita, just over two years after it first launched on PS3. The game will launch on Tuesday, October 28 in North America and the following day in Europe for $14.99 (€12.99/£9.99). The Unfinished Swan will also be Cross-Buy enabled, so those that own any version of the game will be able to download it on the other two systems. Our review of the PS3 game noted that The Unfinished Swan's power "lies in its engagement with our imagination, in its ability to remind us of that capacity for whimsy and fantasy." It's the first game from the Santa Monica-based developer, which is currently working on an as-yet-unannounced game that is not a sequel to The Unfinished Swan, but is "not a million miles away either." [Image: Giant Sparrow]
Spend $100 on PSN in October, get $15 back
Sony's latest promotion is dishing cash back to those that buy goods on PSN this month. As of October 1, players that spend at least $100 using their Sony Entertainment Network wallets will receive $15 in credit. The credit will be delivered to those taking advantage of the offer "on or before November 7" via email or PS4, PS3 or Vita system notification in redemption code form. The promotion runs through Tuesday, October 28. Players will have until December 5 to redeem their $15 credit codes. Now the question is: What ever shall you spend that $100 on? PS4 players may consider the recently-launched and excellent Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, or may choose to pre-order Alien: Isolation via PSN. Or you could just blow it all on repeated rentals of Hocus Pocus. Your call. [Image: Sony]
Killzone: Shadow Fall drops three new multiplayer maps
Sony dished out three free maps for Killzone: Shadow Fall today, the publisher's FPS that launched with the PS4 last November. One of the maps is The Statue, a competitive affair that takes place at a Scolar Visari memorial statue surrounded by scaffolding. A trailer for The Statue map can be found after the break. The other two maps, The ATAC Tower and The Canal, feature cooperative multiplayer action. Players that want to check out those two levels must also own Killzone: Shadow Fall Intercept, either in its add-on expansion form or the standalone version. The DLC launched in June, while the lone Intercept download arrived last month. For an extensive look at Intercept, check out our archived stream of the DLC from July. [Image: SCEA]
Infamous dev Sucker Punch hit by layoffs, numbers unknown
Sony-owned developer Sucker Punch laid off some of its staff this week, just days ahead of Infamous: Second Son standalone expansion First Light releasing on PS4. Sony Computer Entertainment America confirmed the layoffs to IGN yesterday, though it's not known how many employees at the Infamous and Sly Cooper studio lost their jobs. "SCEA can confirm a reduction in workforce has taken place at Sucker Punch Productions," reads Sony's statement. "Sucker Punch is appreciative of the tremendous work team members contributed to the Infamous and Sly Cooper series, and wishes them the best in their next endeavors."
Hohokum soars into art gallery, soundtrack preview available
So what if we have to wait until August 12 before we can ride a flying rainbow-snake-thing through the colorful skies of Honeyslug's Hohokum on PlayStation systems? We can listen to its enchanting soundtrack right now via music database site, Hype Machine. If you're in the Los Angeles area, you can also head to Echo Park on any day between August 9 and August 17 to see a gallery of art from the game, and thus delight two of your senses. Hosted by iam8bit, "The Hohokum Art Spectacular" will feature not only lovely illustrations, but a chance to play the game as well. Music for our ears, art for our eyes, gameplay for our hands ... now we just need to have Sony and Honeyslug release an official Hohokum-scented candle and Hohokum-flavored candies and we'll have all five primary senses covered! [Image: Sony]
Hohokum launch trailer is just the right amount of weird
The arrival of Honeyslug's cheerful Hohokum is mere weeks away, and it's still impossible to classify. The game received a new trailer to celebrate its August 12 launch date (August 13 in Europe), showing the meditating hermit-like star of the game in addition to the squiggly, flying worm that players control. Devised by artist Richard Hogg, Hohokum became a 2011 IGF finalist before Sony Santa Monica began working with the Hogg and Honeyslug in May 2013 to bring the game to PlayStation platforms. It will be Cross-Buy-enabled as well, so the $14.99 price will give players access to the PS4, PS3 and Vita versions. Hohokum is part of the PlayStation Store Play event Sony announced just yesterday, in which players that pick up four games in August will receive $10 of in-store credit. Additionally, pre-orders for the four games are 20 percent off each for PlayStation Plus members. Joining Hohokum in the deal are Rogue Legacy, The Swapper and CounterSpy. [Image: Sony]
Vita action game Freedom Wars offers Japanese audio only
The Western version of Freedom Wars features Japanese audio with subtitles in multiple languages, but no English dubs, says Producer Nick Accordino, who also revealed a physical edition of the sci-fi Vita game is "definitely planned" for North America. Sony's also published a new subtitled story trailer, which you'll find below the break. Freedom Wars is set in a dystopian future where players are born into penal communities called Panopticons and have to fight to earn their freedom. Completing the game's action-RPG, Monster Hunter-like missions helps to reduce your incarceration, but - and it's a but big enough to please Sir Mix-a-Lot - your sentence begins at 1 million years. Bit harsh. From a gameplay perspective, there is an interesting regional difference to do with the Panopticons. In Japan, where the game just released, there are 47 Panopticons based on the country's real-life 47 prefectures. According to Accordino (possible sitcom?), the West's Freedom Wars features 50 Panopticons based on cities across the globe, and players can choose which one they'd like to be placed in.
PS4 launch a 'great redemption' to Tretton
Former Sony Computer Entertainment America President - and upcoming co-host of Spike's E3 coverage - Jack Tretton told GamesIndustry International that part of the reason for his departure from Sony earlier this year was that he wanted to "go out on top." Calling the PlayStation 4 a "great redemption" from the financial woes that plagued the PlayStation 3, Tretton said he was ready to break out of the platform and company-specific boxes he had previously been defined by. "Figuring everything out and making that platform such a success quite frankly contributed to me being more comfortable with getting on to the rest of my career," he said. Since April, he's been pursuing other interests. "I really see myself more in a free agent role and really trying to branch out and smell the fresh air of being able to be platform agnostic and not just dedicated to console gaming," Tretton said. "I've really been spending more of my time during the last couple months looking into mobile gaming and other forms of entertainment that I haven't had the time or ability to focus on." Last Wednesday, it was announced that Tretton had joined the advisory board for a startup company called Genotaur, which researches artificial intelligence and human-computer interfaces. [Image: Sony]
Former Sony boss Jack Tretton covering E3 for Spike TV
Jack Tretton, former president of Sony Computer Entertainment America and man who literally dropped the mic at E3 2013, will be back for E3 2014. Instead of operating under Sony's banner however, Tretton will join forces with Spike TV's Geoff Keighley as a "special correspondent" during Spike's "All Access" program, weighing in with his thoughts about the various announcements, reveals and news coming out of E3 2014's press conferences. "Since I dropped the mic last year on Spike I thought it was only appropriate to pick it back up for E3 this year," Tretton said in a statement to Kotaku. "I've been to every E3 but this year I'm excited to see the show through a different lens with the team at Spike. I'll be watching the news and announcements unfold alongside the fans and the rest of the industry, and I can't wait to see the new games that everyone is bringing to the table." In light of his employment history, it'll be interesting to see if Tretton takes Stephen Colbert's approach to his analysis, i.e. "Sony's press conference: great conference, or greatest conference?" [Image: Joystiq]
Video preview: Socialized racing in PS4's Driveclub
After deciding to go a few more laps to ensure its social features functioned as envisioned, Evolution Studios is ready to unleash its delayed PS4-exclusive racer Driveclub onto the world. Launching on October 7 in North America, the racing game finds its place between the hardcore simulation style of a Gran Turismo and the arcade action of a Need for Speed. In our video preview, we discuss the game's look and tactility, marvelous sound design, microtransaction concerns and where the game's PS Plus version fits into the mix.
First MLB 14: The Show roster update misses opening day, set for April 8
Those looking to play along with the baseball season using up-to-date rosters this week on PS3 and Vita should take note: The first live roster update for MLB 14: The Show will arrive on April 8, Sony's San Diego Studio noted yesterday on the game's forums. The first roster update for the game traditionally arrives in time for opening day, the first day of Major League Baseball's regular season (which was yesterday). "Please understand that if we could have offered the live roster on April 1st, without jeopardizing other critical responsibilities we would have," the developer wrote. The game launched today on PS3 and Vita, and will arrive on PS4 on May 6. [Image: Sony]
Crunchyroll app now on Vita, Hulu Plus and Redbox Instant next week
Sony Computer Entertainment America is chucking new apps at the Vita to satiate ice hockey, anime and movie junkies. First off, anime streamer Crunchyroll and hockey hub NHL GameCenter Live are available now on the handheld, as is the Qello Concerts app. That trio of apps is being followed swiftly by another trio, starting with Redbox Instant and Hulu Plus on March 25 - new subscribers to Redbox get a free month of movies, in case you're feeling nice and comfy in that butt-shaped couch indent. If you'd prefer something healthier, the fitness and spirituality shows of Gaiam TV are due on Vita this spring. [Image: Sony]
MLB 14: The Show arriving May 6 on PS4
The PS4 version of MLB 14: The Show will launch on May 6, Sony announced via Twitter today. Sony San Diego's baseball sim will land on the next-gen system just over a month after the PS3 and Vita versions arrive on April 1. MLB 14: The Show marks an introduction in career mode transfer options for the series, as players will be able to bring their created athlete and franchise data to future iterations of MLB: The Show. The baseball game also features an online franchise mode with draft, free agency, trading and scouting systems and community-created challenges. [Image: SCEA]
Gran Turismo 6 adds multi-monitor support in latest update
The latest update for Gran Turismo 6 gives players more to look at, as it adds multi-monitor support to the PS3 racing game. After updating the game, those with two or more connected screens simply need to hit the start button in the game, then select "options," then "display options" to enable the setting. Update 1.05 for Gran Turismo 6 also adds the ability to search for cars using a number of parameters in the game's car dealerships. Racing gear has seen a price shift, as players can now acquire individually-colored items as opposed to full color sets. The update also adds other features, such as the ability to select karts in one-make races on weather-enabled tracks and select time trial, drift trial and free run options in the "event settings" screen. [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment America]
Killzone Shadow Fall drops new weapons and modes in April DLC
Killzone: Shadow Fall's first multiplayer expansion will launch in April with new weapons, abilities and game modes for the PS4 launch game. Titled "The Insurgent Pack," the expansion is headlined by the addition of the insurgent character class, which features hack and steal abilities. The assault, scout and support classes will also receive new abilities: Assault characters will gain access to a guard drone, scout players get an e-pulse emitter and support characters can send out a tactical echo emitter to stall infiltrating enemies. Insurgent Pack owners will also receive a single-player "elite mode," limiting them to three lives on hard difficulty in the Shadow Fall campaign, in addition to collectible crates that will spawn once per online match for a limited time. The DLC also includes the M82 assault rifle from Killzone 2 and Killzone 3, as well as the L512 SMG Pistol and Sta14 sniper rifle. Lastly, Sony announced that two of the free multiplayer maps for the game are now available to play on PSN. They arrive just as the game's multiplayer mode becomes free this week. [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment America]
