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Sony's aqua blue PS Vita hits GameStop November 2nd
In Japan, Sony's PlayStation Vita console has come in a host of colors for years now, but other countries haven't been so lucky. For the most part, US buyers have been limited to only black or white options, but Sony just announced that'll be changing soon. An "aqua blue" version of the second-generation PS Vita is coming to GameStop on November 2nd, and you can pre-order it now for $199.99. Other than the color, the console is identical to the version out in the market now, but it does appear to be a striking piece of hardware. (We'll have to withhold full judgement until we see it in person, though.) The timing is a little odd, as the Vita isn't getting any younger and developer support is definitely starting to wane. But if the blue color is enough to push you over the edge, you should probably pre-order soon -- Sony says this model won't be around for too long.
PlayStation Now game streaming officially arrives on Vita and PS TV
If you've been itchin' to give PlayStation Now's streaming a go on your gaming handheld, the wait is over. The subscription service officially arrived on the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation TV, delivering access to over 125 games on those two devices. PlayStation Now had been available on the Vita and PlayStation TV in beta form for months, but now it's making a proper debut after hitting the PS3 back in May. In addition to equipping two more gaming gadgets with the service, five new titles are being added this month. Joining the library of titles in August are Dynasty Warriors 8, MX vs. ATV Supercross, Bomberman Ultra, The Last Guy and, most importantly, God of War III. With new games being added on the regular and Sony offering newcomers a free one-week trial, there's really now excuse for PlayStation owners to take the service for a test drive. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Claim your PlayStation Vita settlement credit now
If you've been anxiously waiting to claim the credit Sony owes you after it settled with the Federal Trade Commission over misleading PlayStation Vita ads, you'll be glad to hear that you can finally take action. The company handling Sony's settlements has launched a website that lets you file a claim so long as you bought a Vita in the US before June 1st, 2012. The options are fairly tempting. You can receive a $25 check or PSN credit if you're only concerned about the bottom line, but you can also choose from one of three bundles with decent (if aging) games like the God of War Collection and Uncharted: Golden Abyss. Be sure to move quickly, whatever you do -- you have to file for compensation by June 29th.
Your PS Vita is about to get slightly less useful
If you regularly use the Maps and YouTube apps on your PlayStation Vita, please raise a hand. If you'd be mightily disappointed if those were to disappear from the portable console, keep your hand up and someone will bring you a tissue. That's because, unfortunately, Sony has announced that both features will be going the way of all things very shortly. Maps is getting erased from history with the March software update, which will, naturally, also kill the geographic elements of the Near social gaming app. YouTube, meanwhile, will stop working on April 20th, although the app itself is being pulled from the PlayStation Store from today. The company does, however, point out that you can still access YouTube via your browser, but let's be honest - it's at that point you probably just pull out your smartphone.
PlayStation Network is back online following Christmas Day attack
Three days after Lizard Squad's latest denial of service attack knocked the PlayStation Network offline (and Xbox Live, we'd add), the internet gaming service is gradually getting back on its feet. Sony now says that PSN should be up and running for all of its consoles. While the company warns that there might be some "intermittency" as it gets back into the swing of things, you theoretically won't face major interruptions during that big Destiny raid. It's not clear if Sony's infrastructure will be any better at weathering future digital assaults on this scale; given that the attack was supposedly three times larger than the previous record-setter, this probably isn't a permanent fix. However, it's good to know that you can squeak in at least some online gaming on that shiny new PS4 before the holidays are over.
PlayStation Plus gave you $1,349 in 'free' games this year
It won't surprise you to hear that your PlayStation Plus subscription provides a healthy amount of gaming goodness for $50 per year, but have you ever crunched the numbers to see just how much you're getting? Push Square has. According to its calculations, Sony offered Plus subscribers a whopping $1,349 (£960 in the UK) in PS3, PS4 and PS Vita software during 2014. If you were diligent enough to add every title to your library, you got quite a bargain -- especially since many of the titles (such as Don't Starve and Dust: An Elysian Tail) would easily be worthwhile as stand-alone purchases.
Here's everything Sony showed at the PlayStation Experience keynote
Sony just held the keynote for its first-ever PlayStation Experience fan event, and the company didn't hold back on game previews -- it showed dozens of titles that will be hitting the PS3, PS4 and PS Vita in the months ahead. Did you miss out on the whole shebang? Don't worry. We've rounded up all the games that got a showing at the Las Vegas event, ranging from blockbuster sequels like Uncharted 4 and Street Fighter V to eyebrow-raising originals like Wattam. If you're ready to start watching a ton of trailers, grab some popcorn and check out the full game list below.
Sony to refund some customers after misleading PS Vita ads
According to the Federal Trade Commission, Sony deceived consumers by falsely advertising the PlayStation Vita's "game-changing" features when the console launched in the US. And, perhaps in an effort to stay out of court, the electronics company has agreed and, more importantly, settled with the FTC. As a result, Sony will be providing a partial refund of $25 cash or credit, or a $50 voucher for select, as-of-yet-unnamed games and/or services, to people who bought its handheld console prior to June 1st, 2012. The FTC cites Sony's Cross-Platform Gaming, Cross-Save, Remote Play and 3G connectivity as the features used to mislead consumers, noting that some of these a) didn't work as advertised or b) were nowhere to be found.
Sony's PlayStation Experience is a two-day public gaming show in Vegas
Sony's holding a two-day PlayStation event in the middle of the desert, and it wants you to attend. Okay, technically Las Vegas isn't the middle of the desert, but it's certainly out there. What will said event entail? PlayStation social media man Sid Shuman says you'll, "Sit in on in-depth panels, meet the industry's best developers, score hands-on gameplay with tons of upcoming PlayStation games, collect free swag, and get a chance to purchase rare collectibles directly from their favorite game studios." It's kind of like PAX, basically, but all PlayStation. One more similarity to PAX? It'll cost ya. $50 for a one-day pass, $90 for both days. If those previous activities left you still sitting on the fence about attendance, Shuman also promises, "an exclusive first look at what's coming next in 2015, which I am told you will not want to miss." Project Morpheus details? Maybe a PlayStation helicopter? Who knows! Hey, if nothing else, it's an excuse to fly to Las Vegas in December, right? [Image credit: Sony PlayStation]
PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita on October 14th
If you're planning to snag a PlayStation TV with game streaming in mind, you'll be glad to hear that it will be ready to go on day one. Sony has posted an FAQ confirming that the PlayStation Now beta will be available on the PS TV (and the PS VIta) in North America on October 14th, the same day that the mini console hits store shelves. As with the Now tests on bigger PlayStations, you'll have the option of renting 150-plus PS3 games with multiplayer support and cloud-based saves. Whether or not you're bent on using Now from the start, the FAQ is a handy primer for all the less-than-obvious things the PS TV can do -- it's worth a trip to the source link if you're at all curious.
Cult classic Vib-Ribbon will finally land in North America tomorrow
Back in 1999, that little vectorized rabbit thing (Vibri, if you want to get specific) bounded across televisions in Japan and Europe in a quirky little PlayStation title called Vib-Ribbon, Now, 15 years later, gamers in North America are finally getting a chance to steer her through an array of trippy musically generated levels... as long as they have a PS3 or PS Vita. Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Shawn Layden wrote in a blog post today that the cult classic would go live in the PlayStation Store tomorrow (no firm price just yet), and that the PS3 version retains the game's original hook: you'll be able to pop in an audio CD, and the game will automagically create a level from each track. Alas, you won't be able to play the game if you splurged on a PlayStation 4, though Layden was quick to point out that your time will soon come. Bummer, but hey: it's not like you're going to have to wait another 15 years, and you can peer beyond the jump to see what exactly you'll have to look forward to.
Live from Sony's PlayStation event at Gamescom 2014!
At the game industry's annual United States trade show, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the big three console makers battle it out for your attention. At Gamescom -- the world's largest gaming trade show which draws around 350K people -- it's kind of Sony's show. Sure, Microsoft has an event. And hey, this year there were some pretty big announcements at Microsoft's event. But Europe is Sony territory, and this is the show where PlayStation is wont to make some big waves. Join us right here at 1PM ET for the whole event as it unfolds, live from Cologne, Germany.
PlayStation at E3 2014: an interview with Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida
Sony Computer Entertainment's Shuhei Yoshida wants his company's new game-streaming service, PlayStation Now, to be the Netflix of gaming. When it launches later this summer, it won't be. In fact, it's launching in open beta. "We have to walk before we run," Yoshida told us in an interview this week at E3, the game industry's big annual show in Los Angeles. He sees the service as a long-term plan, part of Sony's ongoing initiative to bring PlayStation games to many devices. And that plan is just kicking off.
Got PlayStation Plus? You're now getting two games every month
Now that Microsoft is offering free games each month to Xbox One owners with Live Gold subscriptions, Sony is in a tough spot -- how does it get you to buy a console and sign up for PlayStation Plus? By giving you more games, that's what. As of June, Plus members get two games per month for every PlayStation platform they use, whether it's a PS3, PS4 or Vita. Availability will also be more consistent as of July. From then on, you'll see the new Plus titles arrive (and old titles phase out) on the first Tuesday of a given month.
'Minecraft' arrives on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 this August
Look, playing Minecraft on a console is really great. It's basically the same delightful/terrifying experience from PC, albeit in the comfort of your living room. What's not to like? Well, on last-gen consoles, there was at least one unfortunate side effect of the platform: the procedurally generated world of Minecraft was significantly smaller than what could be done on PC. With Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions arriving this August, that changes. As development studio Mojang puts it, "It brings significantly bigger worlds and a greater draw distance than Xbox 360 Edition." Hot dog!
There's a new PlayStation Vita available in the US today: what you need to know
Look, we're not gonna review the PlayStation Vita again. Promise. Three times is enough, no? We think so too. But we do want to tell you that the second version of the PlayStation Vita is finally available in North America today -- it even comes in a bundle with Borderlands 2 for $200 -- and we want you to feel safe and secure in your purchase, should you choose to make one. So, is it worth it? In short: yes, yes it is. It's thinner; it's got rounded edges; and Sony's cut a ton of fat from the price as well. Head below for our full video review of the Japanese model, then jump into the Engadget database for specs, reviews from other publications and to discuss which games you're most excited about. It's Luftrausers, right? Come on, admit it.
Sony hopes Michael Jackson's legacy can boost its streaming music service
Sony sure knows how to dangle a carrot in front of its customers. In a not-so-subtle use of music industry clout to drive its technology business, the company is offering access to five tunes off of the Michael Jackson album Xscape on its Music Unlimited streaming service days before the album's official debut (May 13th in the US). Meanwhile, iTunes and other services are getting one early song at best.
The PS4's first big update is almost here, check out what's inside
Curious to know everything that's in the PlayStation 4's 1.70 update launching on Wednesday? You won't have to download it yourself to find out -- Sony has spilled the beans ahead of time. Some of these updates we've heard about before, such as the SHAREfactory video editor, 720p HD Twitch streams (that are archivable) and automatic pre-order downloads. However, we now know that there's quite a few subtler improvements in store. You can control the default length for shared gameplay videos before saving them to a USB drive, and a toggle to dim the DualShock 4's lightbar is included in this update. Remote Link pairing with the PlayStation Vita is now automatic, and those who hate credit cards can shop with PayPal on the PlayStation Store. All told, this is a lot more than a simple tune-up, and you'll likely want it as soon as it hits the servers -- updated companion apps for iOS and Android are already available. Update: The 194MB download is rolling out now, and there are a few more tweaks included in the changelog, like the ability to log in multiple users with a single controller.
How PlayStation Move shaped the PS4
The PlayStation Move has been called a lot of bad names. It's the PlayStation peripheral that's least used by game devs, least purchased by console owners, and least spoken of by Sony itself. Some of that sentiment's been turning lately, ever since Sony showed off Project Morpheus a few weeks ago and demonstrated what an impact something like Move has on virtual reality immersion (the controller works for both PS3 and PS4). And the guy who heads up PlayStation's worldwide game studios, Shuhei " Shu" Yoshida, says Move is responsible for far more than it's given credit. "This project was one of the very first hardware projects formed with three groups: the software engineering team at SCEA, the hardware engineers at SCEI in Japan, and the Worldwide Studios team making games using the motion controller," Yoshida told attendees of a presentation tonight at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. He and PlayStation 4 lead architect Mark Cerny explained that this trifecta was the first in a string of major collaborations: PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, and now Project Morpheus.
Slimmer, lighter, juicier: Sony's revamped PS Vita hits the US on May 6th
Sony's slimmer, brighter PlayStation Vita has been making the rounds in Japanese and European game stores for months now while we in the States had to make do with the original. Well, the wait is nearly over: Sony today confirmed that antsy Americans can lay claim to the rejiggered portable on May 6th in a bundle that includes a digital copy of Borderlands 2 and an 8GB memory card. If the lure of a lighter handheld with a more robust battery (our review unit hung in there for about 8 hours, compared to the original's 5) wasn't enough, you can rub that copy of Borderlands in your friends' faces -- it won't be available to the masses until May 13. Just be warned: This redesigned model uses an LCD screen instead of the original's OLED panel, which makes for some less vivid colors on-screen. The other potential bummer? It looks like the black model is the one getting bundled, so those of you hoping to sear some eyeballs with a jauntily colored Vita (like the one above) will just have to keep the faith for now.
