Adams Briscoe

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

Entitle this! Sony names their own achievements

A wise man once said, "The merit of originality is not novelty; it is sincerity." Having said that, a recent EGM Live podcast revealed what Sony could be calling their own version of game Achievements. Enter... the Entitlements! At a point during the first third of the podcast, Dan Hsu spoke about how these Entitlements could be a key player in the next-gen cross-platform scene. Due to the infamously rising development costs, bringing the same game from one console to another is shaping up to be a very cost-effective alternative to exclusive titles (sad as it may be). So if you earn some Achievements on a certain ported game, chances are you will be able nab the same Entitlements on Sony's service just as easily. The editors also made a very sharp point: wouldn't it be great to see something tangible awarded to those gamers with high Entitlements? Perhaps a free retro game to download, or an honorary icon/avatar for your profile?

By Adams Briscoe Read More

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

Check it: WarHawk footage for the flyboys

Some of you might have seen this before, but for everyone else, here is a nice and quick video of what you may be able to expect from WarHawk. Sorry, no controller action for you to see, but just use your imagination!Overall, the video is too short to critique, but the graphics don't seem that bad (given the quality of the footage and all). It'll be interesting to see how it changes between what we see here and the release date. I wonder if they will try and incorporate their new Eye Toy and the potential motion-sensing apparatus into it.

By Adams Briscoe Read More

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

Detractors of the PS3 reach out, grab nothing

It shouldn't come as a surprise to know that with the lull in the biz during this time of the year (the hot, greasy summer), many people are floundering for something tangible to talk about. And nothing says "Urgent!" like an apocalyptic headline about Sony biting the big one.Whether it's opinionated articles stabbing at the high cost or mole hill-stories becoming mountains over nothing, detractors of the PlayStation 3 would like nothing more than to stir up the pot and chip away at the foundation of Sony. For instance, on the heels of the SmackDown "cancellation" news, certain outlets would love to make people believe that all of the developers are just throwing in the towel and pulling support. In reality though, nothing was cancelled at all!Like this write-up suggests, the summer is slow and Sony's next-gen console is an easy target for quick publicity (or just malicious take-downs). We're not advocating that anything critical which is said about the PS3 is unfounded, but use your head next time you read something about the console and if you feel like it's blown out of proportion, dismiss it as such.

By Adams Briscoe Read More

Gaming By Adams Briscoe

Stranglehold: can you taste the cinema?

Anything that has John Woo's name on it should automatically come with a warning label. You're almost guaranteed to walk away with a bruised noggin... if you walk away at all. Enter Stranglehold: his brand new PS3-powered videogame sequel to none other than the oh-so-action-packed Hard Boiled. IGN got the chance to chat it up with Jason Kaehler, who is the Art Director on the game. They talked about how much effort is going into just creating the detailed characters you will see in the title. For example, instead of relying on sketches and concept art alone, Midway actually had a casting call where hundreds of extras came in to have their likeness captured via photographs. So next time you see a call for "Gritty, rugged, mean-looking bad asses," keep your options open because you could find yourself immortalized in the next interactive cinematic videogame. Check out the article for more (and some new screens too).

By Adams Briscoe Read More

Nintendo

Nintendo By Adams Briscoe

Let's play the patent game: more Wii controllers?

We thought we were past this whole "Sony copied Nintendo copied blah" stuff, but CVG via Tech-On points out that the new patent we blogged about earlier could possibly be perceived as another pass at Nintendo's Wii controller. You know, besides the other one.If you take a close look at the odd picture that comes along with the patent, you will notice a pen-like apparatus used in conjunction with the camera. This is for image-mapping and converting movements into the 3D environment. But what exactly are we seeing here anyway? I don't think Super Scribbler 3D is in the cards, so could it be a controller not unlike the Nintendo Wii's? Even more motion-sensing from the Sony camp could backfire. But not if they decide to bring us back our old controller in favor of this new motion-sensing one. Of course, Nintendo fans would have something to say about it if this pen-like device stepped up to replace the DualShake as we currently know it. And then again, maybe we're shooting in the dark here and it's nothing to give any attention to at all. Your thoughts?

By Adams Briscoe Read More

News

News By Adams Briscoe

The Intelligence Factor: analysts speak out... again

We know, we know. You've been seeing this regurgitated analyst stuff for months now, and you'd be hard pressed to find something that cites Sony in a good position at this point. Well, unfortunately, DFC Intelligence isn't ready to change that trend."Why should anyone even bother reading something from a bunch of researchers outside of the industry anyway," you ask? Actually, DFC has been covering the games biz ever since 1993. They've been around the block a few times, so even if you don't like what you're reading here (and if you're a Sony fan, you won't) it's still just food for thought.Lots of research and 600 pages later, they've come out with a comprehensive forecast of the industry. What they say is that "two things are clear: 1) the high price of the PlayStation 3 is going to slow overall industry growth, especially for software and 2) if Sony does not change its current strategy for the PS3 the system will probably end up in third place in installed base. Microsoft and Nintendo have been handed that golden opportunity and both companies have a chance to make their systems the market leader."What's this about software growth and Sony inhibiting it? On the contrary, with their free online platform, Sony could be poised to offer all kinds of commercial and independent (heck, even homebrew) games to a wider audience right out of the box. This could be just as much of a golden opportunity if they play their cards right. As for Blu-ray and the other software medium, we've already heard from one developer that he believes it could make all the difference. So take this analyst report as you will, the rest of us are waiting for November.[Via Joystiq]

By Adams Briscoe Read More

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

PlayStation 3 game prices revealed from Best Buy

That's right boys and girls, Best Buy Canada is touting bold game prices on their website. For the ripe price of $74.99, these jokers don't come cheap. But if you thought the next-generation of gaming was going to cost you anything less than an arm or a leg, you might as well dust off your cartridges.Does this really come as a surprise though? With a console as steep as the PlayStation 3, it'd be naive to think the games would be bargain-priced. As much as I'd like to say "Keep your eyes out for an amended page" or be wary of the current costs, we may be kidding ourselves thinking that next-gen games are going to be anything cheaper than 75 bucks a pop.

By Adams Briscoe Read More

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

Start your engines: PS3's are in production

According to certain reports, Asustek Computer has started shipping PlayStation 3's back to Sony in small numbers as the manufacturing process is clearly underway. Two hundred thousand component sets were shipped to Asus in June and over one million are planned for September and October. This means the hardware has finally been ironed out and that they're ready to get things started. Higher volumes are expected in the coming months, so it looks like their projected 2 million unit launch availability will happen after all. However, those units are going to be stretched thin over many a region, and if demand spikes then we could see a shortage before the end. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

By Adams Briscoe Read More

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

PlayStation 3 shows up the Wii in Japan, according to...

Polls and surveys, in their ever-accurate representation of market share, can at least show how certain audiences are reacting to what companies are offering. Take this latest chart for example. Amazon of Japan has some numbers which show the next-gen Sony console climbing past the Nintendo Wii in popularity. To be specific, we're talking about the 60GB version as the 20GB PS3 was the least popular.Yes, this does in fact contradict a Famitsu poll that showed quite the opposite (with the Wii taking 73% and the PS3 pulling out 17%). What readers need to understand is that this is coming from Amazon's vantage point and doesn't take into consideration the opinions of retailers or developers. It's a relative poll showing some positive feedback, which is always welcome, but it's not definitive (and as Sony fanboys, we know about over-reacting and how to avoid it).In the end, this does show some good news for Amazon of Japan though. However we're still waiting on those scientifically proven surveys to come out (should be any minute now...).[Via Joystiq]

By Adams Briscoe Read More

Gaming By Adams Briscoe

The Darkness Lead Designer favors Blu-ray

PS3Land.com scored some Question and Answer time with the Swedish studs at Starbreeze Studios. Having ironed out The Chronicles of Riddick among other titles, they're now tackling The Darkness (based on the comic) for PlayStation 3.A notable quote from the interview came from when Lead Designer Jens Andersson spoke on his personal experience with developing for the PS3 and the new Blu-ray medium: "Personally, I think Blu-Ray is going to be the thing that will make most difference. Since the start of the development we've been discussing whether or not we will fit the game onto one DVD, and that is not counting all the bonus materials we want to cram onto the disc."So having all that extra space is showing some merit already. There are some in-house readers who would agree with that, based on our previous Blu-ray poll. Now it's just a matter of time before we see the advantages for ourselves.

By Adams Briscoe Read More

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

Sony files for the spiffy new Eye Toy

Remember that neat little "secret component" everyone was talking about last month in regards to some extra hardware? You know... the next-gen Eye Toy? Well here's the return of it as Sony has filed big number 2006-178948, which is the patent for a new camera that "will recognize every move and position of an object and will translate these actions accordingly to an object inside a game." What used to take multiple cameras now takes one, thanks to a patented mapping technique.It's like motion capture for the average Joe. But what ever happened to that Israeli company called Prime Sense? Weren't they supposed to come into the scene with their own interactive device which sounds a lot like this one? Well at any rate, Sony is on the move to get this camera inked in their name. Let's hope they don't step on any toes with this, because they haven't had the best of luck in the patent area lately.Could the camera also have videoconferencing features added into it as well? Thanks to Avistar and company (and the magic of licensing), this new Eye Toy could be your next long-distance video phone. Yet another testament to Sony's desire to bring the PlayStation brand out of "For gamers only" territory and into a wider audience.[Thanks, Fan]

By Adams Briscoe Read More

News

News By Adams Briscoe

The results are in: You embrace Blu-ray! (Some of you)

We decided it was time to take the Blu-ray inquiry out of limbo and officially close the poll. As you can see, over 1,400 readers had something to say about it. So, what do you think about Blu-ray? More than half of you embrace the strategic move by Sony to include the next-generation format in the new console. This speaks a lot to the kind of people we have interested in the system: those who opted for the first choice are willing to take the price spike for the new medium.On the other end, over 30% said they should have the right to decide for themselves. Two versions of the console would cut the cost considerably, but leave Sony more vulnerable to HD-DVD by not smuggling Blu-ray in with every PS3.At any rate, thanks for voting! And if you harbor a burning desire to know what the community here thinks and have an interesting question to ask the audience, let us know.

By Adams Briscoe Read More

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

Multi-platform title Theseis is "dropped" for PS3

It's unfortunate that this bit of news is circulating with so little information included, but word has it that Track7 has "cancelled" their multi-platform game Theseis. The culprit? High development costs: "If Sony were to offer us assistance in producing a PS3 version we would be more than happy to oblige!" This coming from inside the company.Heading to Xbox 360 and PC, this title was also popularized as a PlayStation 3 game. However, they were quick to nip this in the bud with an announcement on their website: "Track7Games would like to clarify that we never cancelled something that did not exist in the first place. We plan to develop "Theseis" for PC and Xbox360 in the near future. As for the PS3, we simply made a strategic decision to not move ahead because we deemed it not probable at this time." So there you have it: Theseis was not "cancelled" so much as it was just dropped in the interests of business. Either way, Sony fans are still holding out for some dedicated third-party support.

By Adams Briscoe Read More

Tomorrow

Tomorrow By Adams Briscoe

The future-proof risk takers talk total potential

Here's some more quote cud to chew on, this time from CEO Howard Stringer. The big boss has admitted that they're taking a pretty big gamble with the price of the new console, but if the full potential is realized then the console will essentially be "future-proof" while kickin' around for years to come.The "total potential" is the key point to that issue. The only way we're going to see the full potential lived up in the console is if third-party developers can push the hardware as far as they can (and how about some more innovation while we're at it?). Of course the more complicated the system becomes, the harder that's going to be. But once that happens, fans might be echoing his sentiments of the competition: "I don't think anyone will be worried about Nintendo or Xbox's cheaper price." We'll see!

By Adams Briscoe Read More

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

The price ceiling for PS3 games is under construction

Nothing in life is free and if 'Fun' had a price, then recent videogames are out to bankrupt you. I mean what with the cheaper medium of CDs and all, who can blame them for charging upwards of 60 bucks for a single game? Okay, sarcasm aside, there's probably a small army of people out there who are ready to hear something official about the pricing of the PlayStation 3's titles.Our favorite talking bobble head Kaz Hirai is at the presses again spreading the gospel. This time he's finally said something about the game pricing of the next-gen console. "I think it would be a bit of a stretch to think that we could suddenly turn around and say 'PS3 games now $99.99,'" he said to PSM. "So, if it becomes a bit higher than fifty-nine bucks don't ding me, but, again, as I said, I don't expect it to be a hundred bucks."So it's a "stretch", but we shouldn't expect a three-figure price point for those nifty new Blu-ray games... yet. Actually when you get down to it, what he's saying is that the titles won't be less than $59 or more than $100, while keeping their distance from the latter. They've got such an uphill battle with just the price of the console that I really don't think Sony would have the cojones to push the games to, say, $69.99 or more. Then again, Sony likes to surprise us. But seriously, how much are YOU willing to pay for next-gen games?

By Adams Briscoe Read More

TV & Movies

TV & Movies By Adams Briscoe

With our powers combined... Blu-ray + HD-DVD [UPDATED]

Some want it, others don't. Either way, Sony is going to get Blu-ray into your home one way or another. That's their plan anyway, thanks to the PlayStation 3. Like we've said before, it's not just about the games this time and Sony is in it for the long haul.That's what makes this little bit of information so intriguing. What would happen if a Blu-ray partner like Samsung, who is technically not supposed to mess with HD-DVD, decides to foster a partnership with Toshiba in an attempt to make a hybrid player? Everyone is talking format wars with HD-DVD and Blu-ray going head-to-head. But what happens when you have a machine that can play both?Having a dual-player would essentially take the "war" out of the formats. And with Sony trying to smuggle their medium into homes via the next-gen PlayStation, how is this move going to affect their strategy? It gets even more interesting with talks about making an HD-DVD/Blu-ray hybrid disc to go along with it. The kicker is this: Sony knows the PS3 is a good deal, as a Blu-ray platform, as they're trying to appeal to non-gamers with it as well. But would non-gamers still want to invest if they can have their cake and eat it too with a hybrid machine that can play both formats?[UPDATE: Well, looks like you can cut through this rumor like a knife through warm butter. Check this out for the skinny on the mess. So all of the above is more of a hypothetical scenario. Yeah, that's it-]

By Adams Briscoe Read More

Gaming By Adams Briscoe

New screenshots for Virtua Fighter 5

Here are some images to check out from Sega's famous brawler which is due out next year. The aesthetics are shaping up to that next-gen feel, especially with the environments. Apparently gamers will be able to deck these characters out in different clothes and accessories purchased from an in-game shop. Makes you wonder if they plan on adding any support for micro-transactions over the internet as well.

By Adams Briscoe Read More

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

Reminder: Vote on Blu-ray and the PS3!

Here's a friendly reminder to check out the poll asking "What do you think about the PlayStation 3 and Blu-ray?" We have had over a thousand people cast their thoughts. Can you guess what the popular choice is?The results may surprise you (or at least a certain audience). Visit the link to see the results up to this point and vote if you haven't already done so. We'll be closing the poll at the end of this week, so hop to it. Another reminder: it's not quite scientifically indicative yet... but we're working on it.

By Adams Briscoe Read More

News

News By Adams Briscoe

The truth will set you free: old vibes and new tech?

The cost of Sony and Immersion force feedback litigation... $90 million. One Pelican PlayStation controller bought off eBay... $5. Proving that the motion-sensing technology and rumble feature worked together ten years ago... priceless. This is a video that shows off a decade-old controller that worked with not only PlayStation games like WarHawk back in the day, but also PS2 games like Gran Tourismo. You can thank the independent source of PSM for the find, though the video is admittedly awkward. What does this prove? Obviously vibration feedback and motion-sensing in a controller is not only possible, but it's already been done! So why isn't Sony jumping on this already? Who knows... But it's looking more and more like the bad vibes between Immersion and their patented rumble feature could be keeping Sony from implementing it. With TouchSense claiming to fix it all, and proof that it's been done before, what else could it be?[Thanks boots!]

By Adams Briscoe Read More

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

New My SingStar screens: it's karaoke for PS3!

Some people just like to hear their own voice. If you're the next aspiring American Idol, you may find this worth checking out. Last week some new My SingStar images surfaced showing off the next-gen karaoke game for PlayStation 3. It gives off a quirky vibe to those who may not be keen on this type of game, but we could be seeing some really sweet applications thanks to the PS3 hardware. With secret weapons emerging, hardware of the like could provide a fresh angle on a song-driven game like this. Though you can only push an EyeToy or camera so far for a karaoke title. However there's always the possibility of downloading all kinds of new songs over their network platform too. And what about the chance of downloading user-created content as well? Maybe that's just wishful thinking, but hey... it could happen!

By Adams Briscoe Read More

Gaming By Adams Briscoe

Assassin's Creed gets exclusive... or does it?

We've just about heard everyone's opinion regarding the exclusivity of Assassin's Creed and the PS3. Sony fans want this thing to be theirs alone, but popular guesses indicate something different.Officially, the title "is coming to the PS3. No other announcements have been made." But Luke Smith from 1UP treats it like the elephant in the room: "Assassin's Creed is coming to the Xbox 360. It's one of those secrets no one is supposed to know about ... yet everyone does."He proposes the possibility of Sony just paying for it to be announced for the new console, allowing them to deliberate later on its exclusivity. That would mean they still have the option to keep it for themselves. Will Sony cough up the cash to keep it out of the Microsoft camp? We'll have to wait and see, because it looks like they may lose a key "exclusive" title if they don't. However, they haven't exactly been willing to pay for the betterment of things lately.[Via Joystiq]

By Adams Briscoe Read More

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

The secret component to the PS3 hardware

Some of you may recall from last year or around E3 2005 that a rumor was circulating stating that Sony was going to implement a motion-sensing feature similar to the technology seen in Minority Report. The idea was to be able to manipulate on-screen topography with nothing but your own movements and environment; no goofy peripherals needed.Well according to a "very reliable source," this futuristic hardware will be coming from a stealthy Israeli company called Prime Sense. So what the heck does their component do anyway? "Prime Sense's interactive device can see, track and react to user movements outside the computer, all without change of environment or wearable equipment for the end user."Think EyeToy on steroids. This description follows closely to a tech demo that Sony showed off at an event last year in LA. But if this technology is so awesome, who knows why Sony didn't make a bigger deal out of it this year. The source also claims that the device will be available on launch day for the PS3, and ready for PC users in the following months. It would be nice to hear more about this from Sony to get a better picture, but for now just think about all the crazy game applications this could provide and file it under "rumors."[Thanks, Anthony B]

By Adams Briscoe Read More

Gaming By Adams Briscoe

Could 360 GTA4 hurt Sony? He said, she said...

Let the mud throwing commence! You've heard it from the horse's mouth: Jack Tretton of Sony doesn't "think the battle would be any different with or without Grand Theft Auto ... I don't think [losing GTA exclusivity] hurts us. ... I really don't."Okay, so Sony ain't scared. But let's get real: it isn't like GTA4 won't be coming to their own console after all. Sure, having exclusivity means a lot. Many of you spoke up with concerns just over the possibility of Assassin's Creed being non-exclusive. But this is Grand Theft Auto and it's been all over the place. Would this being cross-platform really hurt anyone?I guess we'll have to wait and see. The mud slinging continues, however, with a priceless quote from Tretton on the PS3 cost: "Well, I guess if price is the only consideration, then we've won the war, because we've got a $129 PlayStation 2 that outsells the Xbox 360 today."

By Adams Briscoe Read More

PlayStation By Adams Briscoe

The juicy Ridge Racer 7 trailer

We know how much you love actual game coverage, even if its a hit-and-run quickie. But all jokes aside (Riiidge Raaacer!) here's a short but sweet teaser of the 7th installment to the franchise.There's no official word yet on a release date, but the racing series has always accompanied a PlayStation launch since 1994. Given the history, it wouldn't be a surprise to see this on shelves come November. When I said this was short, I wasn't kidding: it only clocks in at a little over a minute.

By Adams Briscoe Read More

Gaming By Adams Briscoe

Rumor control: First look at GTA4 screenshot

So you've probably seen the new 'mace-toting-chick' screenshot of GTA4 that everyone's talking about. No one ever really tipped us off as to which system it was running on, and the graphics don't really convey much either. Well Eurogamer got the skinny and here it is: the image is a fake. Hopefully you don't need a defibrillator after hearing this. They say, "Rockstar told us this afternoon. It really is a hoax."It's pretty unlikely that they're just trying cover it up too. The "disgruntled Rockstar Games employee" submission should have tipped off everyone to begin with. Here's until the next fake screenshot surfaces.

By Adams Briscoe Read More