gamescom
Latest
Sony announces 'snackable' 100MB Minis for PSN Store
Over in beautiful Cologne, Germany, Sony has just confirmed what we've suspected for months now. Exclusive to the PSN Store, loyal Sony gamers will soon have access to a new segment of titles, ones that'll be available anytime and anywhere that there's an internet connection. The 100MB (or less) selections -- which are being officially called Minis -- are designed to take advantage of the "smaller development cost on the PSP," and if all goes well, we'll see 15 games (such as Tetris, Hero of Sparta, MiniGore and Fieldrunners) launching on October 1st. There's been no mention yet of how expensive these "snackable" apps / games will be, but we're holding Sony to its promise of 50 by the end of 2009.Update: Press release after the break.
Sony's GamesCom presser coverage live at Joystiq!
Hey, Sony's GamesCom press conference is just about to get underway, and our pals from Joystiq are there covering it live. We just got sent this leaked memo on Sony's presentation, and it says there'll be an "unannounced Playstation 3" on stage, so it seems like the PS3 slim is even more of a lock than before -- but what are you waiting around here for? Go hit the liveblog!
Seen@GamesCom: Hating expensive Sony products
In the shadow of Sony's hotel in Cologne, Germany, a street ad displays a rather good deal. Electronics retailer Saturn is urging passersby to pick up a PS3 and a PSP for €399 -- not a bad deal, considering the PS3 costs that much on its own. Now we understand Saturn's tag line! "Wir hassen teuer," as in, "We hate expensive."Of course, who knows if that deal will remain as hot within the next few hours, when Sony has its press conference on the eve of GamesCom. It's widely speculated that the company will announce a PS3 Slim and a possible price drop.
PS3 price cuts appear in print, must be real (update: 'new exciting Playstation 3')
As the story goes, a Kotaku reader just received these PS3 posters (now posted after the break) into the FYE shop where he works. You'll notice that the "new low price" is augmented with a "while supplies last" disclaimer indicating what could be a close-out on the 80GB (soon $300, reduced from $400) and 160GB ($400, reduced from $500) PlayStation 3 models. More evidence, perhaps, that a PS3 Slim announcement is imminent -- even as soon as today's Sony presser at the Cologne Gamescom Expo that kicks off at 12 noon ET or 1800 for those of you on Central Europe time.Update: Kmart is now in on the action with a front-page ad (pictured above) that says the "rumors are reality" and then promises linked details about "new low price and a new exciting Playstation 3." Unfortunately, the link isn't populated with the new prices or the new model yet but we'll keep digging.[Thanks, Jeremy23j and Daniel]Read -- FYE posterRead -- Kmart adRead -- Kmart home page (wait for ad to cycle)
PlayStation Network conveniently down for maintenance during Sony's press conference today
There's something very peculiar about Sony bringing down the PlayStation Network for "maintenance" today from noon until 2:00PM ET. Not only is that timeframe somewhat prime gaming hours for North America and Europe -- and arguably Asia, too -- but it also happens to coincide perfectly with the company's press conference at the gamescom expo in Cologne, Germany, the rumored site for the PS3 Slim's official debut and a price cut for the original. We've no doubt that Sony's got a handful of major announcements lined up for the event, revised console or no, and we wouldn't be surprised if the online store played into that somehow. Of course, the timing of the maintenance could all be some big coincidence, but if you ask us, the chances of that are pretty, well, slim. If we're really lucky, maybe Sir Howard Stringer will come out and explain that laughter-tracking patent. [Via Joystiq]
NCsoft announces Aion has gone gold, now being manufactured
Aion, NCsoft's latest MMO that is due to launch in the US and Europe next month, has just gone gold, the company has announced. For those not in the know, this means the game has been completed and is now being manufactured for release. Yes, that's it, the game is done. This comes after Aion has topped Steam's weekly sales chart and the Collector's Edition has almost sold out in the UK. The announcement hits just a few days before GamesCom 2009 in Cologne, Germany where NCsoft will be demoing version 1.5 of the game, which includes The Shadow of the Balaur content patch that was released in Korea on August 5th. NCsoft will also be demoing this latest version of the game at this year's Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle and it will also be included with the North American and European versions of the game when Aion is released on September 22nd/25th. The Shadow of the Balaur promises new zones, instances, quests and some specially created Western looks within the expansive character customisation system.
Rumor: PSP Go 'app store' games coming, will be very low-priced
If Pocket Gamer's sources are correct, we'll be seeing some shockingly low-priced downloadable titles coming to the PSP's next iteration, the PSP Go. Reportedly, games on the download-only handheld will be priced at "1, 2 and 5 Euros" per game (roughly 2, 4,and 10 dollars, depending on the exchange rate), apparently challenging Apple's App Store head-on. The piece unfortunately doesn't clarify if these will be existing UMD-based titles, PSN titles, or brand new stuff.A few months back, rumors arose about the unveiling of an app store for the PSP Go at next week's Euro game convention, Gamescom. This report seems to corroborate the idea of an app store for the device and even posits that Sony is currently "sourcing iPhone developers to bring existing titles to PSN." We asked Sony for comment on the subject and will update this post when we hear more.One thing's for sure: Sony has a whole mess of rumors on its hands and Gamescom would be a good place to put some of them to bed ... or bring them to fruition.
Lionhead Studios website overthrown by Che Guevara [update]
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/Lionhead_Studios_website_overthrown_by_Che_Guevara'; Update: It would appear as though Lionhead Studios' website has been overthrown by not one revolutionary but a series of them, as the site has updated today with a numeral five (countdown!) and an image of Maximilien Robespierre. Oh, you don't know who he is? He's one of those copycat French revolutionaries. A famous one, we promise. Now we're just hoping that at the end of the countdown, Lionhead doesn't overthrow the Internet.Don't you just hate it when your website gets overthrown by a long-dead South American revolutionary? Happens all the time! Well, okay, we're embellishing a bit, but it seems as though that's happened to Fable 2 developer Lionhead Studios' website. As you can see in the image above, Che Guevara's questioning gaze posits, "At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love," accompanied by a massive six. Sure, that could be six years or six celestial bodies orbiting around Lionhead prez Peter Molyneux's head at any given time, but we're thinking it pertains to a "special announcement" at next week's Euro convention, Gamescom, by the (in)famous developer. The email from Microsoft says, "Peter Molyneux, visionary developer and Creative Director of MGS Europe, will make a special announcement, so be sure to join us for this reveal." In the meantime, we'll be busily clicking between the thumbs up or down choice below Che's silhouette, watching as the sidebars change. It's called moral choice, folks. It's kind of popular.
UK retailers report PS3 shipment cutoff
Two anonymous retail spokespeople in the UK have reported that PlayStation 3 supplies from Sony have dried up, possibly in anticipation of this month's GamesCom and a future announcement therein. "Sourcing PS3 stock has been a challenge for the last two to three weeks," one source told MCV. Evidently, the retailers have been told that further shipments would not be coming until late August or early September. We can only speculate about the reason -- you may expect the next shipment of PS3 systems to make it to retail to be Slim, or a cheaper model; however, given recent history, we're going to conjecture that Sony is planning to release a new model with a higher price, and doesn't want to waste any more time building the "cheap" systems.
European PSN Video Store announcement coming at Gamescom
Angela Madranero, European PlayStation Store Manager, recently dropped word in the comments section of this EU blog post that the Video Store will be making its way (it's "forthcoming") to the EU PSN. Sony plans on making an announcement at next week's Gamescom, according to Madranero, but, should the rumor about the PS3 Slim be true, we have a feeling the excitement surrounding this will be somewhat diminished. [Thanks, Dark Archon!]
Rumorang: PS3 Slim to be revealed at Gamescom
Hong Kong gaming magazine GameWave is reporting that the PS3 Slim will be revealed at Gamescom next week. This comes following French media site JVN's report, which also indicated that the new model would be revealed at the European conference. The image on the magazine's cover isn't the real console, so don't get too excited. Also, thank goodness. We'll level with you: the buzz is that the PS3 Slim will be revealed in Cologne next Tuesday at Sony's Gamescom press conference. However, with Sony remaining tight-lipped, we're still waiting for the official announcement or solid images at this point. [Via Examiner; Thanks, SpiderMike]
gPotato to unveil new project at GamesCom
The gPotato games portal, hosted by Gala Networks Europe in Dublin, Ireland, will be on hand in force for the upcoming GamesCom convention in Cologne where they will announce and unveil a new MMO project for the portal.The new project, which will be demoed at the convention, comes with a tentative release date of early 2010. The genre or nature of the new project has not been released either, so it's anybody's guess as to what the new title will be.gPotato currently hosts some of the more popular free-to-play MMOs, including Dragonica, Rappelz, Flyff, and Allods Online. Those four games will be on hand at the convention as well for demonstration, so it's sure to be a game filled good time over at the gPotato booth!
Retailer claims PS3 Slim is headed for Europe next month, getting 100 Euro price drop
More fuel to the spreading rumor of a gamescom debut for the PS3 Slim: French games site JVN got ahold of an "anonymous retailer" who spilled the supposed beans of an impending PS3 Slim launch in Europe. Word is that the console is supposed to land next month over there for €300 Euro -- €100 Euro less than it currently retails, a real sight for sore, price-gouged eyes -- and gamescom seems to be the safest bet for a debut. Other details are scarce, and some facts are downright confusing: the console is currently being listed by this retailer's wholesalers as a "limited edition," which naturally seems silly given the traditional PlayStation life cycle. Still, we like where this all is headed. [Via Joystiq]
Sony, EA and Activision reveal Gamescom lineups
For those of you headed to Gamescom and wondering what you'll be waiting in line to play (or standing on tip-toes to watch as a trailer), VG247 has posted the announced lineups for three major publishers: Sony, EA and Activision. Square Enix hs also reiterated its lineup.Sony will be showing the PSP Go, of course, along with Gran Turismo, LittleBigPlanet, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier, and more on PSP, and God of War III, Uncharted 2, Heavy Rain, MAG, and lots of other big stuff on PS3. Activision will have a pile of plastic-instrument (and skateboard) games, as well as Modern Warfare 2, Blur, and Bakugan. EA's bringing basically everything ever. Head past the break for a full list.
Games Convention Online logs into existence today in Leipzig
The Games Convention Online kicks off today in Leipzig, a mere shell of the once mighty Leipzig Games Convention that was previously held in the location. The new show is designed for online games, featuring browser, mobile and MMO games. The event expects ... 50,000 attendees?! Wow, that's more than the 41,000 at this year's E3. It may be a reduction of its former self, but that's still a big number. Games Convention Online runs through Aug 2.The big boys of video game publishing have thrown their Euros behind Cologne's Gamescom, which kicks off next month -- only at that time will we find out if it'll take Leipzig Games Convention's 200,000 attendees with it.
Square Enix and Eidos announce joint lineup for Gamescom 2009
Though it's been quite some time since Square Enix and Eidos shacked up, the first time the two share booth space will be at the upcoming European trade show, Gamescom 2009. Aside from bringing the first publicly playable Supreme Commander 2, some highlights include Dissidia Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and ... Nier. Alright, maybe not Nier. The event announcement says that both Final Fantasy XIII (as a franchise unto itself, not just the eponymous iteration) and Final Fantasy XIV will be at the show, though it doesn't detail if hands-on time with either will be available, or how much new info to expect, unfortunately. Finally, Batman: Arkham Asylum and Mini Ninjas will be descending from Eidos' camp. Gamescom 2009 kicks off on August 19 - 23 in Cologne, Germany. (Also, Pony Friends 2 ... finally!)
BioWare reveals The Old Republic plans for PAX and GamesCom
Great news for those of you heading to Seattle, WA for PAX -- or Cologne, Germany for GamesCom -- to check out Star Wars: The Old Republic. Seems like BioWare is ready to place their hard work live in front of the public, to be torn limb-from-limb the the ravenous throng. The first-ever live demonstration of the game will be at both events, to be specific. The BioWare booth is certain to be a crowded mess of people dressed as every Star Wars character in the book.The only thing better would've been a hands-on demo. Sadly it's not yet meant to come true, although we expect next year to be a different story.Still, a controlled live demo (presumably shown several times each day) is better than a looping trailer or worse yet: nothing at all.We're sure many of you plan to attend one of these events, and you can expect us to be there as well. So even if you don't manage to make the trip, expect a report from Massively. Plus, BioWare intends to upload footage from the demo so nobody fully misses out. Hoorah BioWare!
Age of Conan to unveil new expansion at GamesCom
The first proper expansion for Age of Conan will be unveiled this August at GamesCom in Cologne, Germany. Funcom's Erling Ellingsen confirmed the news:"Yes, we will be revealing the first expansion for Age of Conan at the GamesCom show in August. We have lots of exciting stuff to reveal and Conan players and gamers in general are in for a real treat, but for now, our lips are sealed until then!"The unveil will feature in-game footage and a preview of the quests, monsters, new environments and other additions that will make up the expansion. This news comes not long after the release of a major content patch for AoC, and should help keep that positive momentum going.
Rumor: PSP app store to be unveiled at Cologne Gamescom
Is Sony working on an App store for the PSP Go, to be revealed at Gamescom in Cologne, this August? A source close to Destructoid suggests they might be doing just that -- unveiling a section of the PSP store which offers smaller games which could also be free-to-play. The source suggests that while file size will be limited at 100 megs, that's the only limit content will be given. Meaning non-game applications may also be on the cards.These smaller games and apps are supposed to compliment the full PSP games made available digitally for the download-only PSP Go system. There are already a couple of games that fit this model, in the form of Super Stardust Portable and Everyday Shooter, both of which are under 100 megs. This sounds like a great idea to us. We'd love to see the PSP Store become as great a repository of quality downloadable-only games as the PS3 Store has become. This is still very much a rumor for now, but hopefully we'll see it come true at Gamescom in August.
Leipzig Games Convention cancelled for 2009
Since 2002, the Leipzig Games Convention has been the predominant European expo for gamers, recently rivaling the Tokyo Game Show as the largest games event in the world. In a move contradicting that success, organizers have just announced that this year's Games Convention will not be held in its traditional form at the Leipziger Messe Fairgrounds. In its place will be Gamescom, which has been backed by Nintendo, Sega and Microsoft. Who could compete with that?You may remember the importance of this Games Convention in recent years to such MMOs as Warhammer Online and Age of Conan. In fact, when AoC's servers merged recently, the EU servers fared a bit better than the North American ones. Not to fret though, as the organizers have announced an online version of the convention called Games Convention Online. "We will be combining the real fair, that is, the offline event, with an online event," says Wolfgang Marzin, Leipzig Trade Fair CEO. "This means that millions of gamers are linked in on the internet and can take part in the Games Convention Online in Leipzig live. The Games Convention Online will host tens of thousands of visitors in Leipzig, and several million in the whole world."
