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Feast your eyes on a menagerie of new NGP game images
We may not know much about Sony's NGP (or is it PlayStation Vita?) just yet, but we do have a whole mess of new images from its game lineup. After the break, you'll find eight (eight!) galleries of brand new screens, pulled from Uncharted, Wipeout, Little Deviants, and many more.
Sony NGP may become 'PS Vita,' give us 100 percent of our RDI of handheld gaming
If you're like us, you've been spending most of your time in the lead up to E3 scouring the source code of gaming company sites searching for clues about next week's announcements. We happened to miss Sony's "Vita" namedrop in the code of a post about the "future of handhelds," but one reader managed to catch it before the company removed it completely. The inclusion of the name is the latest in a series of slip ups that lend credence to the notion that the decidedly generic Next Generation Portable title isn't the official name for the company's less investment heavy handheld. There's certainly the possibility that Sony was using the name PS Vita while developing the device internally, though mentions seem to be popping up more and more as we push closer to the big event. Either way, we're certain to get a big dose of vitamin Sony in a matter of days.
PlayStation website source code reinforces PS Vita name
It's looking more and more likely that Sony's new handheld, currently known as the NGP, may soon receive "PS Vita" as its official name. The source code on Sony's own E3 2011 contains a handful of references to the name, including two subdirectories apparently labeled "Games and Media" and "Features." Attempts to access either subdirectory leads to "page not found" errors for the moment. This is the second time the name has been discovered on one of Sony's own websites, having previously been spotted on the SCE developer site. Again, it's possible that Sony is simply using an internal codename for the device, though evidence to the contrary is certainly starting to add up.
NGP to be less 'investment heavy,' more 'affordable'
After years of losses in its PS3 division, it's no surprise that Sony's not attempting a fiscal encore. Just the opposite, in fact. Massaru Kato, Sony's Chief Financial Officer, stated recently that the upcoming NGP handheld won't be as "investment heavy" as previous platforms. What does this mean? Sony probably won't pour cash into developing new semiconductors just for its new handheld, and will instead opt to build NGP hardware with off-the-shelf and readily available components. This could translate to competitive pricing versus Nintendo's 3DS (we hope), but it's all quiet on the pricing front at Sony HQ. That's liable to change at E3 next week, but regardless we'd rather not have to wait four years just to hear Yoshida's good news again.
Vita.SCEdev.net website spurs more speculation
As we all know, one website name is more than enough to confirm the rumored final name of the temporarily named NGP as "PlayStation Vita." Okay, okay, we may be getting ahead of ourselves a bit, but it is certainly interesting that Sony's developer sites contain a curious subdomain: Vita.SCEdev.net. So, why does Sony have a developer subdomain with the word "Vita" involved? Your guess is as good as ours. We do know that the site scedev.net is most certainly registered to Sony's UK branch, and a handful of other subdomains tied to Sony gaming products also work (PSP, NGP, and PS3, for instance), while random words only elicit a "page not found" error. As per usual, we've contacted Sony for comment, and are more than happy to hear from you internet supersleuths who see something in this that we don't. [Image credit: GamesPundit]
Rumor: NGP to be officially named 'PS Vita,' renamed at E3
Sony's second handheld console will undoubtedly be given the star treatment during the company's hours-long June 6 press conference at E3, but one particular rumor began circulating this morning and has been making the rounds rather quickly. According to anonymous sources speaking with two separate, unknown sites, the NGP will officially become the "PS Vita" as of just a few weeks from now, during the aforementioned E3 presser. Two images were initially posted to one of the sites yesterday -- a Blogspot site owned by someone named Hugo Miramontes -- though the shots were later taken down along with the post. In its place, a note now sits, which reads, "This has to be one of the stupidest things I've ever done. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry. I really am." We reached out to Miramontes for comment, and had yet to hear back as of publishing. A cached version of another now deleted post, which originally indicated just the "PS Vita" name, has comments from the blog's author, explaining that the images are "prepared graphics for E3." That said, all of this could be little more than a well-crafted hoax. Lest you forget, before the NGP was officially confirmed, multiple rumors pegged the system as being codenamed "Vita" and/or "Veta." Of course, Sony could've just stuck with the name, but it could also be that there are folks on the internet with plenty of extra time on their hands. Hit the poll below the break and let us know what you think of the images and the name. And hey, if you're real into Photoshop and wanna tear apart those shots for the obvious hoaxes they are (are they?), we'd love to hear from you!
Sony will stream PlayStation E3 press conference straight to PlayStation Blog
Never one to be left out, Sony has finally announced its plans to stream its E3 press conference directly into the PlayStation Blog. This follows in the footsteps of Nintendo, Microsoft and, despite our strenuous pleas to reconsider, even Konami. Make sure to circle June 6th in your Sexy Sony Executive calendar (June is Jack Tretton's month!), because things get going at 5pm PT. Though Sony has something of a reputation for its press conferences dragging on (and on and on and on), we don't think this year's conference will take up the entire five hour event. Yes, Sony's event on the 6th is five hours long and yes, if it's all press conference we'll kill ourselves too. And that is where suicide pacts come from.
Kojima: something big planned for 25th Metal Gear anniversary next year
Kojima Productions head honcho Hideo Kojima took to his company's official podcast to address some rumors surrounding his ongoing projects. Rather than elaborating on fans' questions (and potentially spoil Konami's long-term marketing plans), Kojima simply delivered either "Yes" or "No" answers (summed up by Andriasang). First up: He won't be making any big splashes at next month's E3, (that's a "no"), but he did confirm that there are big plans afoot for next year's 25th anniversary of Metal Gear. Before you get too excited, he also shot down the dream of a Metal Gear Solid 4 port to NGP, and offered another "No" when asked if MGS5 would be announced next month. As for the 3DS port of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater, "yes," it'll arrive by year's end. Finally, he noted that we won't see Metal Gear Solid Rising's multiplayer anytime soon, never mind at Microsoft's E3 presser (where he will not appear). Now we're hoping that Kojima's big surprise for next year is reversing all of this year's "No" answers. [Image source: Mega64 (screencap)]
THQ takes on distribution of four Codemasters releases this year
THQ announced today that, through its THQ Partners unit, it would be handling the North American distribution of four of Codemasters 2011 releases. In fact, THQ Partners actually began its task today, with the release of Dirt 3 into the retail channel. The deal also encompasses distribution of Operation Flashpoint: Red River, Bodycount and F1 2011. The new Operation Flashpoint hits June 7, with Bodycount set for "later this summer." Financial details of the deal weren't disclosed, but it has been confirmed that Codies will continue to handle the marketing of all four titles in-house.
'Collapse' game site registered by Ignition
Domain hound superannuation has dug up pending website domain Collapse-TheGame.com, registered to Ignition Entertainment. The discovery would fit nicely with recent comments made by Ignition's Shane Bettenhausen, who told SideQuesting that there's a "99 percent chance" the company would be announcing a new project at E3. Of course, there's no evidence yet linking the so-called "Collapse" to the potential E3 reveal. Bettenhausen added that the publisher's next project "might be" for NGP and suggested that Ignition's E3 announcement was dependent on Sony's press conference plan, according to SideQuesting. Ignition's latest release, El Shaddai, was developed by its Tokyo-based studio and debuted in Japan a month ago. It's expected to be released in North America and Europe later this year. The company's recently consolidated Austin branch is said to be working on the long-delayed FPS Reich. Additionally, Ignition's website (pictured above) indicates that the publisher has "more coming soon" to reveal.
Patent points at PlayStation Move-compatible PSP Go dock
A patent filed by Sony back in November 2009 (and recently published) with the USPTO seems to indicate that the company was once exploring methods of integrating its colorfully-tipped Move controllers into its handheld video games. The patent in question is for a dock which, in an attached illustration, fits a folded-shut PSP Go. The dock includes a built-in camera which functions like a PlayStation Eye, detecting Move controllers in a narrow radius in front of the dock. If Sony's actually looking into developing this peripheral, it's far more likely that they're doing so for the NGP rather than the nearly-defunct PSP Go. If it is a real thing, though, it's definitely going to bring up some intriguing metaphysical questions. For instance: Is a handheld gaming device still a handheld gaming device when it's not hand-held?
Uncharted NGP takes place before Drake's Fortune, more details coming June 2
Though Sony Bend is tasked with developing Uncharted for Sony's next handheld system, the franchise creators at Naughty Dog aren't above answering a few questions about Nathan Drake's NGP outing. In an interview with French site GameBlog.fr, Naughty Dog co-president Christophe Balestra placed the new game's setting between the first and second Uncharted games, but was later corrected by Sony. "It is an all-new story set before Uncharted: Drake's Fortune," Sony told us. The correction is notable as Sony won't actually confirm any of the other details revealed by Balestra, telling us, "New information on Uncharted NGP (working title) will be released on June 2." The other details, however, are similarly intriguing: potential interaction between the NGP title and Uncharted 3 on PlayStation 3, and a focus on exploration over gunfights. Let's hope we learn much more on June 2. [Thanks, Elena]
Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 aiming for all consoles this holiday
If you're as obsessed with the boy who lived as we are, this summer's final chapter in the Harry Potter film series is unlikely to sate your desire for British wizardry. Thankfully, Warner Bros. has announced that the next entry in the Lego Harry Potter series will arrive on pretty much anything that plays video games, sometime "this holiday." Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 follows Harry and co. through the treacherous final years at Hogwarts, leading up to the seventh book's catastrophic conclusions. Interestingly, the game is one of a handful of announced games for Sony's forthcoming system, the NGP (in addition to the PSP -- they're going to live alongside each other, remember?) If Lego HP lives up to its promise of launching on all those consoles this holiday, it looks like North America is still set to be one of the first territories getting Sony's new handheld before year's end. Reps from WBIE hadn't gotten back to us as of publishing. [Pictured: Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4]
NGP and Xbox 360 unite, birth Chinese knockoff
No, Sony and Microsoft didn't finally decide to kiss, make up and release an incredible Xbox 360 / NGP hybrid. What you see above is in fact the iReadyGo RG. Boasting an NGP form factor and a decidedly Xbox 360 color scheme, the open source device supposedly packs a 1GHz processor, a 720p camera, HDMI output and support for a variety of video formats. Our cohorts at Engadget also report that the manufacturer is hiring Android developers, possibly indicating the final device will include Google's mobile OS. What the iReadyGo RG won't offer: Uncharted on the go.
Keepin' it real fake: Sony NGP with Xbox 360 livery shows up in China
Look away now, Kaz, because it looks like this KIRF NGP is on track to beat the real deal to market. Known as the iReadyGo RG on Chinese forum CNGBA, this shameless rip-off is set to be a near-carbon copy of Sony's upcoming console with the same 5-inch touchscreen, though it isn't clear whether this will also be of OLED nature or of identical resolution. Other differences include the missing touchpad on the back, as well as the buttons' color scheme that's no doubt "inspired" by the Xbox 360 controller. The rest of the rumored specs include a 1GHz Cortex-A8 CPU, 720p camera, HDMI-out, and video playback compatibility for MP4, WMV, AVI, and many more. But what's most interesting is that apparently we'll be seeing some Android love here, and indeed, iReadyGo is currently recruiting six senior Android developers. No word on pricing or availability yet, but we'll probably wait for Sony's quad-core offering, thank you very much. Head past the break for a shot of the RG's glossy back. [Thanks, rrw]
Sony discusses the past and future of AR gaming
Sony's been working to tap the largely untapped augmented reality gaming market since 2003, when it launched the world's leading window wiping simulator, EyeToy Play. Check out the video below to see how their AR strategy has changed since then -- and where it's going in the coming years.
Tretton talks up need for 'cutting edge' tech, MS and Nintendo falling behind
In a recent interview with Fortune, Sony PlayStation CEO Jack Tretton spoke up the strength of the upcoming NGP handheld, while simultaneously taking off the kid gloves. Speaking on the current console cycle, Tretton said, "If you're really going to sustain technology for a decade, you have to be cutting edge when you launch a platform." He added, "[Microsoft and Nintendo] are starting to run out of steam now in terms of continuing to be relevant in 2011 and beyond," Tretton said. "I mean, you've gotta be kidding me," Tretton added, "Why would I buy a gaming system without a hard drive in it? How does this thing scale? Motion gaming is cute, but if I can only wave my arms six inches, how does this really feel like I'm doing true accurate motion gaming?" He also called out the family of DS hardware, saying Nintendo's handhelds are a "great babysitting tool," adding, "no self-respecting 20-something is going to be sitting on an airplane with one of those. He's too old for that." Joke's on you, Mr. Tretton -- not only are we sitting on a plane playing with our DS, we're using it to play Pokémon. Any self-respect we may have once had has clearly been eroded into oblivion.
Sony Japan denies any earthquake-related NGP delays
Sony's Japanese arm has told the Wall Street Journal that earlier reports suggesting Japan's recent earthquake would delay the release of the NGP in some territories -- including comments made by SCEA president Jack Tretton -- were outright "wrong." Company rep Satoshi Fukuoka said it expects "no impact from the quake on our launch plan," and that while that plan still calls for the device to arrive later this year, Sony has never said it would launch simultaneously in Asia, North America and Europe. Sony will, however, continue to monitor the situation in the earthquake- and tsunami-ravaged region and alter its plans if necessary.
John Smedley thinks Free Realms is on track for 100 million players
If you think World of Warcraft's 12 million players is impressive, SOE dares you to think bigger -- a lot bigger. John Smedley told GamesIndustry.biz that he sees Free Realms growing to up to 100 million players over time. Before last week's PlayStation 3 launch, Free Realms boasted 17 million players, a number that is sure to increase now that the game is available on a console as well. But 100 million? Smedley doesn't think that's so far-fetched: "[Seventeen million] is a phenomenal number, and we're very pleased with its success -- and it's really keeping going. I don't see this thing stopping until it hits 100 million. I think it could take five or six years -- that should give you some idea [of the time frame we're looking at]. But I don't see any reason why it can't go to 100 million, because there are so many kids out there." Smedley also hopes that the PS3 won't be the only console to which Free Realms and other SOE titles migrate, citing the recently announced NGP as a potential candidate: "Sony's announced the NGP, and if that isn't a perfect machine for doing MMOs on, then I don't know what is. So it's too soon to tell for sure but I think you're going to start seeing free-to-play gaming on consoles as well."
Tretton: Japan earthquake may push NGP out of 2011 in some regions
As a result of the recent earthquake in Japan, the NGP handheld may not make the holiday 2011 release window worldwide. "It may be the straw that says 'maybe we get to just one market by the end of the year,'" SCEA president Jack Tretton told Bloomberg, suggesting that Sony may opt to stagger production of the handheld and release it in just one territory this year. According to Bloomberg, damage from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami has slowed Sony's production line by forcing the closure of "several" factories in northern Japan. Sony's plan as of January was already to have the handheld out in "at least one territory" by holiday 2011. It's just more likely to be just one now. Of course, we hope we can all agree that the people of Japan have more important things to worry about right now than rushing out video game hardware. On the upside, Tretton brought up the point that increased time before release will allow developers to put more work into their launch games.
