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Uncharted writer Amy Hennig no longer at Naughty Dog
Uncharted writer and creative director Amy Hennig parted ways with Naughty Dog this week, and the circumstances surrounding her departure aren't clear. Following an IGN report claiming Hennig left her post on March 3, Sony confirmed with the site that she's no longer employed at the studio. "We can confirm that Amy Hennig has left Naughty Dog," A Sony representative told IGN. "Amy has made significant contributions to the game industry and we appreciate all she has done for Naughty Dog. The development timeline of Uncharted will not be impacted." Hennig served as the creative director for Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, and she also penned the script for the three games. She was understood to be reprising her role for the Uncharted PS4 game. Neither Hennig nor Naughty Dog have commented, but IGN sources claim the writer, a Naughty Dog veteran of more than ten years, was "forced out" by The Last of Us directors Neil Druckman and Bruce Straley, and the pair may take over the Uncharted series. Hennig worked with Druckman and Straley on the first two Uncharted games, before the two men switched to developing The Last of Us. [Image: @amy_hennig]
North American Vitas getting Murasaki Baby, No Heroes Allowed this year
Sony recently confirmed the appearance of two Vita games this year in Murasaki Baby and No Heroes Allowed: No Puzzles Either. The latter will launch this spring while the former will arrive in North America "later this year." Murasaki Baby, a twisted touch-based adventure from Italian indie developer Ovosonico, has players protecting a little girl from nightmarish threats. We spent a little time with the game in October and determined that it's "about as bizarre as could be." No Heroes Allowed: No Puzzles Either is the fifth game in the series, one of the previous being No Heroes Allowed for PSP. No Puzzles Either draws a few comparisons to mobile puzzler 10000000, as it challenges players with 64 levels of match-three-style puzzles to defeat over 200 enemies. [Image: Ovosonico]
Invizimals PS3, Vita games are ready to capture North America
The Invizimals series is bringing its reality-augmenting critters back to North America, with portable and console entries due this year. Vita game Invizimals: The Alliance and PS3 companion Invizimals: The Lost Kingdom hit Europe last year. Despite not bringing the series' PSP game stateside, Sony Computer Entertainment America stepped in to ferry the duo over this time around. Given the Vita's built-in augmented reality features, Invizimals: The Alliance was always a given. The portable game rekindles the series' Pokemon-like unearthing and capturing of monsters, with players using touch and noise to capture their psuedo-real prey. Meanwhile, PS3 game The Lost Kingdom is the first in the series to shy away from AR, instead dropping players into a colorful 3D action-adventure set in the Invizimals' world. The PS3 game syncs up with its Vita sibling, letting players duke it out in a cross-system battle arena for up to four players, additionally allowing players to transfer items across the two games. Fans of the three PSP games, including Invizimals: The Lost Tribes, which never made it stateside, will be pleased to hear SCEA's Nick Accordino say there's a "nice chance" of them showing up on PSN.
Rainbow Moon hits Vita next month, Skies coming 'end of 2014, maybe later'
SideQuest Studios is flying PS3 game Rainbow Moon to the Vita on December 3. The dungeon crawler and strategy RPG hybrid supports cross-saving between the two platforms, and the Vita game's assortment of new features, fixes, and tweaks are also being patched in to the PS3 version. As for Rainbow Skies, last we heard it was due on both PS3 and Vita sometime next year. However, its launch trajectory may be awry, after Sidequest CEO Marcus Pukropski took to the PlayStation Blog comments section to note the sequel "won't be out before the end of 2014 or maybe later." Whenever it arrives, Sidequest says Skies will bring new combo attacks, monster taming and "up to 100 hours and beyond" of cutesy-faced RPG-ness.
Final Soul Sacrifice update adds 16 new (and tough!) quests
The Marvelous AQL and Japan Studio-developed Vita-exclusive Soul Sacrifice has been given its final update, SCEA producer Kumi Yuasa revealed in a post on the PlayStation Blog. Update 1.30 adds "16 challenging new quests" to the game, for free. Unlike previous updates, unlock keys from the PlayStation Store are not required to enjoy the content. Yuasa says the game's final bonus quests are all at level ten difficulty. "You'll be tasked with facing challenging boss characters you may have come across before," Yuasa adds. Soul Sacrifice launched for the PlayStation Vita in North America on April 30. The Joystiq review noted that playing it could exact an "unexpected toll on your thoughts." Spooky!
Extra Life and Sony partner for 25-hour charity drive
Charitable foundation Extra Life is teaming up with Sony Computer Entertainment America to host this year's series of 25-hour gaming marathons to raise money for hospitals within the Children's Miracle Network. The first 50,000 participants that raise $10 or more will earn a 30-day PlayStation Plus membership. The first 20,000 that clear the $25, $50 and $75 goals will win When Vikings Attack, Wipeout HD and LittleBigPlanet Vita, respectively. The event's grand prize consists of a 1 year PS+ membership and "a lineup of PS4 games" that includes Knack, Killzone: Shadow Fall and Driveclub. It will be awarded to the team that raises the most funds from today until 8am PST on November 3. If you're interested in participating, sign up here. Due to laws in the UK and Australia restricting the ability of non-profit organizations to raise funds in either country, international participants will need to play their marathons for the benefit of the international efforts of three hospitals: Boston Children's, SickKids in Toronto, or Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Beyond: Two Souls behind the scenes video covers gameplay, crying at payphones
This latest look into the Quantic Dream's development process for Beyond: Two Souls gives insight into how different departments plan, communicate and coordinate their efforts to produce the World's Most-Psychic Ellen Page and a gameplay system befitting her purposes.
Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational PS3 drives onto PSN next week [update]
Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational drops onto PS3 in next week's PSN update in North America, a treat for those awaiting the console port of the Vita game. Publisher Sony Computer Entertainment quietly mentioned a while ago the PS3 version, released in Japan last year, was in the works for the west. Similarly quietly, this week's PlayStation Blogcast spills the beanies on the arcade golfer's PSN arrival - there's no news of a physical version. In Japan the PS3 port, which supports cross-platform play, features additions including two new characters, two new courses, and two new modes, including one completely devoted to those short-but-sweet Par 3 holes. We'll keep our ears to the fairways for further details on the western version. Update: World Invitational PS3 will cost $19.99, a PlayStation Blog post reveals. It also notes the PS3 version offers local multiplayer for up to four, features PlayStation Move support, and downloadable content is cross-buy between the two versions. As per the Japanese version, cross-platform online play is available too. Finally, Europe is getting the PS3 version next week too, where it'll be priced €14.99/£11.99.
The Last of Us patch 1.02 removes sex hotline numbers, includes multiplayer fixes
Naughty Dog has wasted no time in removing the completely unintentional sex hotline telephone number it inadvertently plastered on a bulletin board inside of The Last of Us. The game's first patch, version 1.02, changes the "texture of a phone number on a bulletin board" as its only modification to the single-player experience. Multiplayer mode, on the other hand, has received a handful of technical corrections and gameplay adjustments, including improved host migration and fixes for miscellaneous crashing, camera and connectivity issues. The full patch notes can be found here, but what we really want to find out is: Who was answering those telephones after the apocalypse? Clickers? We're betting it was Clickers.
Gran Turismo 6 demo out next week
A playable Gran Turismo 6 demo is coming to PSN on July 2, SCE America revealed this week. When Polyphony Digital's shiny new racer was unveiled finally last month, Sony promised a demo was due in July. Sure enough, the demo is coming and right at the start of next month too, which should go some way to allaying fears the racer's 'holiday 2013' release window is too soon to be true. The demo is also the qualifying method for GT Academy 2013, the competition intended to unearth real driving talent by providing winners with a spot on Nissan's racing team. Qualifications end on July 28, but the demo remains freely available to all afterwards. The demo itself features beginner stages themed around a GT Academy boot camp, with racers who make the grade going on to the final qualifier at the UK's Silverstone track. In terms of cars, SCEA said the demo features the Nissan Leaf, 370Z, and GT-R at the least.
PlayStation Plus price not changing for PS4, video services don't require Plus
The PlayStation Plus service will remain the same price at the launch of the PlayStation 4. SCE America VP of Publisher & Developer Relations Adam Boyes confirmed to Joystiq during a roundtable that the price will remain $50 annually in North America. Boyes also said "all video services [on the PS4] will be outside of Plus," meaning that services like Netflix and Hulu won't require Plus. Furthermore, free-to-play games won't require PlayStation Plus for online multiplayer. During a separate roundtable Joystiq was present at, Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida said, "As far as free-to-play games are concerned, it's the publisher's decision whether they put it inside or outside of PS Plus." The news follows confirmation that a PlayStation Plus subscription is required for online multiplayer on the PS4. Existing PS Plus subscriptions will extend onto the console's lineup when it launches this holiday.
Epic Mickey 2 mouses around on Vita June 18
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two charges onto Vita in a few weeks time. SCE America announced a release date of June 18 this morning. The Vita port of the co-op game is also confirmed for Europe, although that remains undated for now. SCE America says the Vita version, being handled by Blitz Game Studios, features ad hoc network support. Lots of the additions center on the touchscreen, including being able to control paint, thinner, and the electric beam of Oswald (the one that's not Mickey). The touchscreen can also be used to command AI and navigate the user interface, among a number of other actions. Disney closed original developer Junction Point earlier this year. The game sold 529,000 units in the US across November and December 2012, having launched for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and Wii on November 18. %Gallery-189201%
Sony America trademarks 'Greatness Awaits,' points to PS4 slogan
Sony's slogan for the PS4 may be "Greatness Awaits," based on a recent trademark and a purported ad leak. It's emerged Sony Computer Entertainment America trademarked the term last week, just ahead of next month's E3 conference. That on its own doesn't mean much, but it backs up Siliconera's prior report of a leaked script for a PS4 ad, with the term used as a slogan for the upcoming console. The script, which Siliconera has in full, certainly resembles PlayStation's unique brand of surreal, high-octane advertising. It features a man walking down a road, talking at the camera and demanding the viewer not to be ordinary, afraid, or a slave to the past. Around him buildings appear "increasingly damaged," and the scene grows more chaotic as windows break apart, two people covered in yellow paint sprint past him, and eventually a crowd of followers fall in line behind him. It even features a "homemade flag [sic] painted with the icon from Destiny" being unfurled out of a window, and a "giant spacecraft from Killzone" flying overhead. The ad closes with the man saying, "Who are you to deny greatness? If you would deny it to yourself, you deny it to the entire world... And we will not be denied." Then the words 'Greatness Awaits' appear on screen, followed or joined by 'PlayStation.' We've reached out to Sony for comment.
ESRB rates 'Sly Collection' for Vita
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board has issued an "E" classification to the PlayStation Vita version of The Sly Collection, which is interesting since that game hasn't been announced for that platform – insert dramatic musical sting here.As is typically the case with these sorts of ESRB leaks, the rating summary gives very little pertinent information beyond the fact that the port exists, and that one of the games briefly shows a barrel marked "ale." We've reached out to Sony for more information and will update with any official word we receive. In the meantime, we're going to follow the ESRB's lead and see if anything in our fridge is also marked "ale."
White Knight Chronicles 1 & 2 servers shutting down in June
Servers for both White Knight Chronicles and White Knight Chronicles 2 are being taken down on June 18. The WKC2 server shutdown was announced by D3 Publisher, while the WKC1 news came from Sony Computer Entertainment America.The servers were shared by North American and European players, so while both announcements only specify North America, they likely affect Europe as well. Neither announcement specified reasons for the servers being terminated.The servers in both of the Level-5 JRPGs allow players to go online and take part in co-operative missions and town-building. North Americans will have had access to WKC2's online play for just over 21 months when the servers close this summer.
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment isn't compatible with Vita, PSP, fix coming
North Americans waiting for a PSP-playable localization of Persona 2: Eternal Punishment are going to have to wait a little bit longer. The Atlus JRPG, which came out on PSN this week as a $9.99 PSone classic, can be downloaded onto PS3, but not as yet onto Vita or PSP.Sony Computer Entertainment America says the game was intended to be compatible with Vita and PSP, and is now working on a fix to ensure it is. There's no exact ETA, although community manager Morgan Haro says "worst case scenario" is that it takes a few weeks.
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment disciplines PSN this week
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment is forever slapping the PlayStation Network's wrists as of this week. The game arrives on North America's PS Store tomorrow, February 26, after recently receiving ESRB ratings for PS3 and Vita. The PlayStation Blog didn't list a price.It's unknown if Eternal Punishment is coming to other regions, although Europeans fans of the series can at least fall back on Persona 4 Golden, which came to the region last week.
Sound Shapes DLC landing March 12
Queasy Games has announced that a new bundle of Sound Shapes DLC has had its debut performance scheduled for Wednesday, March 12, and that said DLC will indeed be Cross-Buy enabled. It's sort of like when you buy a modern album on vinyl, but it also comes with a code for a digital copy.Unfortunately, Queasy neglected to mention what the DLC actually is, and instead only revealed its release date, saying that more information will be forthcoming. Personally, we're hoping for an "all MIDI dog sounds" pack.
Sony patent would combat piracy by comparing load times
A patent describing a "method for validating legitimate media products" attributed to Sony Computer Entertainment America surfaced earlier this week. Originally filed in August 2011, the patent elaborates on a process by a which a piece of media could be detected as legitimate (not pirated) by comparing two load times against a benchmark for the media.As seen in the flow chart above, the patent also describes a secondary validation stage in which a serial number and "user identification information" are checked against "reliable data, such as that sourced from the manufacturer or developer of the media title." Examples of the user information could include account names, location, IP addresses, the speed of the user's connection and product license numbers.The secondary validation cycle would account for load time errors due to hardware issues, but would also be skipped entirely if the first cycle (the load time benchmark comparisons) checks out. Whether the "load time" method for combating piracy is used in future hardware efforts by Sony is unknown.
Soul Sacrifice offers trailer with puny humans fighting not-so-puny beasts
Keiji Inafune's Vita action-RPG, Soul Sacrifice, brings a mix of picturesque vistas, giant monsters, and epic combat with said monsters which rips those vistas into shreds. It arrives in North America on April 30, and in Europe on May 1.
