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GDC 07: "You can buy a better sunset"
Microtransactions are going to be huge in Sony's upcoming Home. The service, which will be included in a future required firmware upgrade, will rake in the dough through three "revenue channels": Object/item sales, such as new furniture. Games/premium items Advertising/B2B: in-game ads and other sponsorships may become common. The revenue from Home will cover the cost of moderation and upkeep of servers, undoubtedly. However, one wonders if the "democratization" of this virtual economy is going too far. Buying a virtual couch is novel in certain ways, but where will the trend stop? Harrison, during the blogger's meeting, noted that "you can buy a better view, you can buy a better sunset."
GDC 07: Home lets you delete people from your world
At Sony's blogger event tonight, Phil Harrison addressed the issue of parental controls in the world of Home. Home will not only utilize the in-system PlayStation Network parental controls, but will offer you the ability to delete users from your view ... instantly. So if some prick is attacking you with flying dongs, you'll be able to have them disappear from your world at a push of a button. "I wish I could have that in real life," Phil Harrison joked.
GDC 07: PSP will realize its potential this year
In tonight's blogger meeting, I had a chance to talk to Sony president Phil Harrison about his keynote and the suspicious absence of the PSP device: "We didn't talk about the PSP because [the keynote] was 45 minutes," he tried to explain.John Koller, the man responsible for the marketing of the PSP, then joined in: "We're absolutely not overlooking the PSP." He hinted that the future of the PSP looks very similar to what has been planned for the PS3. "We could start talking about PSP in the same manner as Phil."Sony recognizes the potential of the system, and promises that in May, they will be revealing some more exciting news. "The promise is there ... [yet] we're well aware of the market realities." What specifically the PSP will be evolving into is still unclear, but it appears as though downloadable media and PS3-style Network features are in the works. From the smiles on their faces, it's clear that some truly exciting things will be happening to the PSP this year.
Joystiq and Engadget live at Sony's 2007 GDC keynote
10:20 a.m.: We're being let in and taking our seats now.10:30 a.m.: We've taken our seats, but the press is still milling about. Coldplay is playing over the sound system, a PlayStation logo is on the screen, and giant props from the just-announced-this-morning LittleBigPlanet flank both sides of the massive screen.10:32 a.m.: On the left side of the stage there's a large tree--pretty much life-size--that looks like it's made out of a glob of clay, the right side has a gear rotating, about the same size as the tree. Is it a water wheel? Colored lights glaze across the ceiling in maroon, greens, and blues. 10:33 a.m.: The room fits about 5,000 people, it will be full. A many-iterations removed remix of an LCD Soundsystem song is playing
RUMOR: Phil Harrison's GDC Keynote speech in full detail
Phil hasn't given his speech fo' realz yet, but someone got a hold of a copy of it, or listened in on a rehearsal (do you think they have rehearsals or just wing it?) or something and have compiled a list of key... notes about the speech. Here's what's important: March 8th is the big firmware update. It includes: More refined PS Store frontend PlayStation Network "integrity enhanced" Wallpapers from pictures Ability to change background colors Sony Connect Store for music and movies added to the PS Store. Hundreds of trailers/full films/songs Videos and mp3's available for download. Playstation Card option in PS Store enabled. Playstation Lifestyle- Similar to my space/youtube. User generated content and experiences are the key. + more. Removal of Emotion Engine chips will come stateside and to Japan in April. Upscales certain PS-One and PS2 games to 720p/1080i. Game announcements: Warhawk in June/July, Heavenly Sword delayed, Killzone 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4 in late 2007. New PS-Store stuff being added on the 8th include: Tekken 6 trailer Lair demo & (new?) trailer Rainbow Six Vegas demo EA: Skate trailer Battlefield Bad Company trailer Warhawk demo Virtua Fighter 5 demo Virtua Tennis 3 demo & trailer GRAW 2: trailer Mortal Kombat 2 game Killzone 2 trailer... demo to come in May May we just say one thing? "Superfantabulous!" Sounds like a kickin' keynote address, except for the Heavenly Sword being delayed thing. But that's so all the first-party and semi-first-party games get their own time to shine instead of competing with one another. What do you guys think? Badass or assbad?
PS3 to upscale DVDs, says Phil
Well, sort of. Phil Harrison naturally couldn't just announce the future feature straight out, he had to work it into a clever demonstration of how Sony doesn't usually talk about stuff that's in the pipeline. In a talk with N'Gai Croal, Phil conjectured that to "engender trust in our users, we have to share some things that might be not quite perfect." He continued: "So we could say, 'You know, we're not sure when it's coming, but we're going to have DVD upscaling on PlayStation 3.' There you go. There's a scoop for you." If Phil digs the idea enough to drop some info like that in an interview, we're not sure why he doesn't just go ahead and adopt it as a policy, but we're sure there are powers at Sony that even our shiny-headed little friend here cannot conquer. Of course, this gives us very little knowledge in the way of timing and implementation, but it's nice to know that DVD upscaling -- which Xbox 360 users have been enjoying for a few months already -- is coming to Phil's shiny PS3 boxen all the same.[Via Joystiq]
Phil Harrison gives respect to the homebrew scene
N'Gai Croal, Newsweek's hard-hitting video game reporter, spoke to Sony's Phil Harrison about a myriad of issues. One of the more pertinent discussions for PSP fans involves his stance on homebrew: "It's always difficult, because officially, we could never condone [homebrew]. Unofficially, I am always very admiring of those people, because they do some really interesting things under very technically complex circumstances. If there was a way to legitimize that--we wouldn't get all of the community, because for some people, the whole dark under the radar element is the appeal. I respect that. I don't like it, but I respect it."Croal then goes on to prod Harrison about potentially using a PS3 as a way to develop for the PSP platform. While it's an interesting idea, it's unlikely to happen. However, with Harrison speaking at GDC about the upcoming "Game 3.0" environment, almost anything is possible.[Via DCEmu]
PS3 will eventually upscale your awful DVDs
In the fourth and final part of N'Gai Croal's epic and quite informative interview with Phil Harrison, the Sony head of worldwide studios discusses his company's cultural approach to marketing in Japan. Mr. Harrison explains that in order to engender trust in Japanese consumers, Sony should start divulging more information and features earlier, even if they aren't quite "perfect" yet. His example? "You know, we're not sure when it's coming, but we're going to have DVD upscaling on Playstation 3." He follows up with, "There you go. There's a scoop for you."Though it's up in the air as to when a PS3 firmware update will enable a feature found in standalone Blu-ray players, it should work as a sufficient stop-gap to those still waiting for Blu-ray versions of Bloodrayne and American Ninja 4: The Annihilation. DVD upscaling might not boast the "wow" factor of pure HD content, but the Algebra of Wows dictates that it should be worth several thousand anti-mehs. At least!
Sony's Harrison on Euro PS3: 1,000 PS2 games at launch
As you can probably imagine, the reaction to Sony's newly-spec'ed European PS3 hasn't been all that warm, so Three Speech decided to hit up big Phil Harrison himself to get responses to the criticism straight from the horse's mouth. Perhaps the biggest relief to nervous Eurogamers will be Harrison's claim that over 1,000 PS2 titles will be available on the PlayStation Network at launch fully software-backwards compatible (despite the Euro PS3's removal of PS2 hardware), a list of which will be made available online on the 23rd or perhaps even sooner. However, it's clear from the way Harrison dodged a question about the importance of backwards compatibility that Sony does not place a lot of weight on the feature, instead hoping that people will go out and spend loot on games and Blu-ray flicks. One possible positive revealed by Harrison was the fact that the PS2 Emotion Engine chips being omitted from European (and possibly all future) models are not the same ones mass-produced for the PS2 itself, but rather, are manufactured specifically for the PS3 -- meaning that Sony will indeed see a significant cost reduction which could theoretically be passed down to the consumer. Want some more potentially good news? How'd you like all those legacy games to utilize the PS3's upscaling ability and add new life to your favorite classics? Well that's exactly what Sony plans to do with a firmware update this summer, claims "Rumor Reporter" Bruce Kelly, whose sources tell him that the company is looking to bring 1080i/720p support to its upcoming emulator. Kelly goes on to say that Sony will add compatibility for select games in batches of ten or so, but hopes to eventually offer support for almost every title on PSN. We'll believe this one when we see it, but if Kelly does turn out to be right, we don't think Sony will be hearing one more word about that discarded Emotion Engine. Read - Harrison interview [Via Joystiq]Read - Upscaling rumor [Via PS3 Fanboy]
Phil Harrison promises 1,000 backwards compatible titles for Europe
This should be the end of the backwards compatibility information. First, we told you about Sony getting rid of a portion of backwards compatibility, then we mused that the decrease in manufacturing costs due to the change may lead to a price drop by the end of the year. Sony recently talked about the issue and RumorReporter said that in addition to this, summer may yield a new firmware update that upscales PS2 and PS-One games to 720p or 1080i. There. Now it's all in front of you. Let's move on to what Phil Harrison said to the semi-official ThreeSpeech in an exclusive interview.Phil Harrison said this about the whole thing: "The situation is changing every day, but on March 23, we expect the list to include over 1,000 PS2 titles." That's about eight times as many as I own. He goes on: "It's very easy to over-react. We're working to introduce a resource on the Web to detail which titles will have backwards compatibility. And as we make firmware upgrades, we will be able to add to that list." There's more to the interview, but it's mostly stuff we've cruised over the past four or five posts about it. Feel free to check out the interview if you want to learn more.
Over 1,000 PS2 games to be compatible with Euro PS3
In an "exclusive interview" with "semiofficial" Playstation blog, Threespeech, Sony's Phil Harrison provides some clarity regarding the PAL PS3's range of backwards compatibility, not to mention the opportunity to place even more quotation marks into this paragraph. "The situation is changing every day, but on March 23, we expect the list to include over 1,000 PS2 titles." Sony's head of worldwide studios is referring to the list of PS2 games that are expected to be supported by the software emulation found in European PS3s.This announcement certainly defuses some of the controversy that resulted from Sony announcing the removal of PS2 hardware from European PS3 systems. After promising software support for a "limited" number of titles, many European gamers were feeling rightly cheated for having to pay a higher price for a PS3 with fewer features. Though the specific titles that comprise the list have yet to be announced (Harrison notes that Sony's policy is to focus on popular titles), it seems Sony is already far better equipped than Microsoft when it comes to fighting the inevitable onslaught of gamers complaining about their favorite title not being supported. Mr. Harrison also promises that an online list of backwards compatible games will be available on March 23, and that it will grow with every PS3 firmware update.
Phil Harrison says: more Resistance in April?!
No, no, we're not going to say "A sequel to Resistance: Fall of Man is in the works and set for an April release"... although a sequel is in the works. No, we don't have a link to prove it, but it's true. It's called trust! Phil Harrison sat down with, uh, Newsweek and talked about a multitude of things -- Gears of War, being a silly-willy, being tall, the PS3 launch, etc.We're not going to talk about that. The very last point Phil brings up is the upcoming content for Resistance that is going to, as he said, "We're going to release additional content for Resistance. I don't think we've gone into detail on the schedule, but we have some really, really cool things that will be extending the story, extending the locations, some brand new content, starting in April." He goes on to allude to a sequel if this extra stuff is well-received. A collective "woo" is necessary from the R:FoM crowd, please.
Sony's Phil Harrison: no pressure to drop PS3 price
Hop on the merry-go-round and hold on for dear life -- here's a Phil Harrison interview. In speaking to GameDaily BIZ, the Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president touches on several interesting topics, including "so called negativity" in the press, potential PS3 price drops and the omission of rumble technology in the Sixaxis controller. On negative press: Mr. Harrison isn't fazed at all, pointing out that those who have purchased a PS3 have been naught but satisfied thus far. He goes on to say that negativity originates from "a fairly narrow section of the media" (Time Magazine and New York Times BURN) and that if there "were genuine criticisms, then of course we'll address them, but there's nothing that bothers me." Nothing at all? On PS3 price drops: Sony feels under no pressure to drop the price of the PS3 this year, expressing comfort with their current strategy and the level of software currently available. On the lack of rumble: Phil Harrison says motion controls offer far more opportunities to innovate than rumble ever did, adding that rumble is like, totally last-gen. "Now, rumble I think was the last generation feature; it's not the next-generation feature. I think motion sensitivity is." Analog stick, your days are numbered, my friend. What say you, Joystiq readers?
Phil Harrison speaks about the PS3... again.
If only there were more original subject lines for this type of thing. Seriously, he just talks about the PS3 a number of times. Nothing really unique, but different topics are covered. Bah, whatever. We'll give you an outline of questions and their answers. To be honest, Phil's got a way with words. Take that as you will. Anyway, this is sort of long, so please click through to the continued portion.
Sony to reveal "interesting announcements" at GDC
Well, duh. CVG pointed out an interview that Phil Harrison did with 1UP, where he reminded fans of the beleaguered company that exciting revelations would surely take place at the upcoming Game Developer's Conference in March. With E3 being a shadow of its former self, many are looking to GDC as the year's big gaming event, with representatives from Sony and Nintendo presenting keynote speeches.This intrepid blogger will be there, live-blogging from the show floor. Make sure you stay tuned to PSP Fanboy from March 7th for the latest up-to-the-minute info on every bombshell that Sony's sure to deliver the PSP community.
Phil Harrison answers only the important questions
He not only answered questions, but he even said things that he probably shouldn't have said, like when asked what he's been playing, he replied: "The next version of LocoRoco which... I can't really talk about because we haven't announced it." Nice. Well, let's make a list of other questions and answers that were pretty important. What will the PS3 do to reach out to casual gamers? "Something we've done successfully in Europe is something we've coined 'social gaming.' We've had great success with SingStar and EyeToy, which combined is over a $500 million category - Singstar has sold 7 million units." He then demonstrates Singstar (I wonder if he was any good!) and talks about an upcoming PS3 iteration that goes online. The SingStore concept will allow you to buy songs off of the PS-Store to use in the game. Neat! What's up with the apparent lack of developer support? Some key technical documents and information originate in Japan and don't flow very easily to other parts of the world. Harrison also notes that many of the critical PS3 components were created in English-speaking parts of the world. Are you planning to improve the PlayStation Store to better compare with XBox Live? Harrison says: "The launch of a platform like PS3 is not a fixed specification the day you buy the console. The chipset stays the same but what it does in software changes over time. We'll continue to refine [the PlayStation 3 Network], not just for developer experience, but for consumers too. This year we'll be adding some functionality to the PSP that will unify our approach." So... why's it taking so long for the PSP to get some creativity? You said it would be a console in the palm of your hand. What gives? Phil was pretty direct here. "I don't mean to belittle developers, but we've only managed to recreate PS2 in the palm in your hand. I think we can go deeper, I think we can explore more features of the machine, connectivity, social aspects, media aspects, and integrate it into game design that is unique to that format. It's not a missed opportunity so much as a future opportunity." All right. Well said, Phil Harrison. We'll keep mental tabs on the things you've said and make sure that at least some of the promises are achieved. Anyone think these goals are possible? Impossible? Useless? Useful? Question number five?
LocoRoco sequel outed? Not quite
Unless he's got a parade of man-servants lugging around a PlayStation 3, 1080p display, and generator to power the two, then Phil Harrison's been spending his time traveling from session to session at D.I.C.E. with a LocoRoco sequel on a decidedly smaller platform. PSP? Nope, mobile. According to IGN, Harrison said he'd been playing "LocoRoco's next version on the way" over to a Q&A with the gaming site.Sure, it could be that Harrison let slip the near-complete condition of a presupposed PSP sequel, but he's got more business savvy than that. Besides, IGN was asking him what he'd been playing on other platforms, ruling out PSP and PS3; not that more LocoRoco isn't headed to those formats. In December, Harrison confirmed that multiple LocoRoco games were in development, indicating that a PSP sequel is likely underway. That some of those cuddly blobs will be bounding onto the PS3 store seems like a no-brainer too.[Via PSP Fanboy]
DICE: Phil Harrison PSP tidbits [Update 1]
In Gamespot's DICE coverage of Phil Harrison's Q&A, they had a few mentions of PSP. Firstly that there will be deeper online functionality later this year. Specifics weren't given, but I personally would like the ability to have most web pages finally work on the PSP. Though it could also be a hint at downloadable PS1 games finally being capable without a PS3. The homebrew community may have another reason to disagree wtih Phil Harrison after the event.Also during a talk about homebrew, someone asked about the PSP's role in it. Phil claimed that the system wasn't well-suited for homebrew. Newsweek's N'Gai Croal then mentioned Dark_Alex's work and Phil had some sort of cryptic response about future announcements. So all and all, not a whole lot of new PSP info so far, but hopefully GDC will bring us more news. [Update 1: "This year we'll be adding some functionality to the PSP that will unify our approach," Harrison reveals in an interview with Gamasutra. Seems like PSP might pick up some of the cooler network options of the PS3.]
Phil Harrison speaks at GDC about "always on" gaming
GDC is little over a month away, and big names plan on headlining this potential E3 replacement. Phil Harrison, SCE Worldwide Studios president, will speak about "new opportunities offered by advancements in connectivity." Let's hope that this doesn't end up to be like Nintendo's infamous Pac-Man showing at E3.His keynote, "Game 3.0: Developing and creating for the third age of videogames," will undoubtedly speak about PLAYSTATION 3, but I expect PSP to play a large role in his speech. The concept of "always on" gaming sounds a lot like "Live Anywhere," but unlike Microsoft, Sony has a fully fledged portable gaming device to make "always on" gaming possible.Expect more news at GDC, which begins March 5th.[Via GI.biz]
Phil Harrison to give GDC keynote on Game 3.0
Sony figurehead Phil Harrison has been announced as a keynote speaker for this year's Game Developers Conference. Harrison's speech, entitled Game 3.0: Developing and Creating for the 3rd Age of Video Games, will purportedly define the term Game 3.0 and show how Sony Worldwide Studio will "demonstrate some exclusive insights into its development of products and services that will help define future growth in the video game market."We're curious to see how Harrison defines Game Ages 1.0 and 2.0, as by most accounts we're in the seventh generation of console games and we're not sure where he divides the lines. Chances are the ages correspond with each PlayStation iteration (remember: generations don't start until Sony says so). Semantics aside, we'll be happy if Harrison's speech is more interesting than Kutaragi's Tokyo Game Show debacle.Harrison is the second of three speeches to be announced, with Shigeru Miyamoto being revealed as a keynote speaker earlier this week. Other notable speakers include Square Enix's Ichiri Otobe who will be giving a Serious Game Summit GDC keynote Monday, March 5.
