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Modern Combat: Domination makes a Move on PSN
PlayStation Move owners looking to experience more motion-based gaming might want to consider Modern Combat: Domination, a new online multiplayer shooter -- with Move support -- coming to PSN in January. It's being developed by Gameloft, which probably explains the unfortunately generic name. There's a brief Gameloft-produced Q&A about the game over on the PlayStation Blog, discussing Domination's map design and some of the other non-Move details. The developer is counting on a "far less expensive" price and a focus on realism to help push it above other first-person shooters on PS3. %Gallery-111467%
Xbox 360 Kinect bundles outsell PS3 Move bundles 5 to 1 in November
In his latest report to the game industry, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter shed some light on the battle between Microsoft's Kinect and Sony's Move motion control systems. Pachter reports that Xbox 360 Kinect console bundles outsold PlayStation Move console bundles in the US by a margin of five to one in November. According to Pachter, "about half" of the Xbox 360 consoles sold in November were part of Kinect bundles, while PlayStation Move bundles made up for "about one fifth" of total PS3 console sales for the month. With Microsoft reporting 1.37 million Xbox 360s sold in November, that puts the Kinect bundle figure somewhere in the range of 685,000 units, thus putting Move console bundles around 137,000 units. Of course, it's worth pointing out that these figures only refer to console bundle sales and not to individual Kinect and PlayStation Move sales. According to Microsoft, global Kinect sales have topped 2.5 million units. Sony has reported that 4.1 million PlayStation Move units have been shipped to retailers, though the company hasn't disclosed actual sales numbers.
Sharp Shooter attachment for PlayStation Move, new DualShock color announced
While it's no Game Boat, the Sharp Shooter attachment for PlayStation Move outdoes the already released shooting attachment by transforming your motion controller into a full-fledged plastic rifle, with adjustable shoulder stocks and pump-action. We tried the peripheral with Killzone 3 and found aiming to be relatively easy. Shooting with the trigger feels good, and the ability to reload using the built-in pump should make for a fun (albeit cheesy) experience. The placement of the PlayStation face buttons on the side of the controller felt counterintuitive, making things like jumping much, much more difficult. It'll be interesting to see how other Move shooters feel with the odd button layout. If you need this plastic cradle for your Move controller, you'll have to shell out $40 -- nearly the cost of a Move controller itself! If you'd still rather play with "regular controllers," Sony also announced a new DualShock color: Jungle Green, available in February to coincide with the launch of Killzone 3. See what it looks like after the break. %Gallery-110250%
PlayStation Move Sharpshooter hands-on: a first-party SMG peripheral coming in February
This isn't the first PlayStation Move peripheral to replicate a firearm, but the Sharpshooter is brought to you by Sony itself, so you expect a higher degree of quality than from the third-party deluge. And if you're the sort who like to accessorize, it's a pretty good offering. We had a chance to check it out this morning over a brief round of Killzone 3, which Sony says was the inspiration (along with the upcoming SOCOM). Overall, it's pretty light and sturdy. The Move controller slides into the front, and the buttons then become mapped around the gun: RL is under the grip, the Move button is just under the trigger, start and select rest on opposite sides of the barrel, and Square / Triangle are mirrored above the trigger, making it easier to reach regardless whether you're right- or left-handed. There's a cradle under the stock for the Navigation Controller to rest, the butt is adjustable, and the top has a mount for a scope (no details on that peripheral of a peripheral). There's additionally a lock button and what seems like burst-fire mode that won't be used by Killzone 3; the reps told us they spoke with various other developers to make sure the accessory fit their needs as well but couldn't elaborate more. So, how did it handle? We'll say the buttons were all easy to get to, but this accessory is fundamentally not for us. Having to move the entire submachine gun (or your whole body, as it were) to aim felt more unwieldy than simply twisting a wrist like you would with the first-party Shooting attachment (or the Move controller by its lonesome). Speaking of which, the Sharpshooter is lacking in retro aesthetic, something we really liked in the "1950s laser pistol" replica that came out last month. We get the feeling this wasn't made with us in mind, anyway. Sharpshooter should hit store shelves in February (same month as Killzone 3) for a penny under $40. Looking for something more traditional? A jungle green DualShock 3 is also coming in February for $55. Press release after the break. %Gallery-110228% %Gallery-110247%
Move support added to PSN Swords and Soldiers
Ronimo Games has released a new patch for Swords and Soldiers on the PlayStation Network, bringing PlayStation Move support to the cartoony and entertaining 2D RTS title. Now you can control your little Vikings and Aztecs just by waving your hand -- presuming that your hand is holding one of those Move wands with the glowing ball on top. The company also tells us that the PC version's release on Steam last week went well and, to celebrate, is making the game available for 20% off the usual price -- just $7.99 after the discount.
Move! Top Darts soaring to PSN this month
Tighten those wrist straps, friends, and prepare to imagine your PlayStation Move controllers into Top Darts, a new PSN release scheduled to launch in time for Christmas. Developed by Devil's Details, the Move-only game features a host of (uh) top darts games, duh, including 501, Around the Clock and Cricket, with support for up to eight players. Top Darts also includes single-player League and Cup modes, plus simultaneous multiplayer modes, which do away with the traditional wait-your-darn-turn etiquette, while simultaneously making it safer to throw so many "darts" around your game room at once. Just ... again: Mind those wrist straps! %Gallery-108689%
The Fight patch enters the ring, DLC coming in December
We get it: there is only so much you can pummel Boxcar Billy in Murder Alley before The Fight: Lights Out starts to lose its luster. Thus, we'd like to inform you about some impending DLC, set to drop in December: the Duke DLC pack. Upon downloading, players are able to use all of the boss characters, including Duke, in both offline and online play. No price or exact release date has been set for the DLC, but we'll let you know as soon as we know. Now for news of the "immediately beneficial" variety: there's a new patch for The Fight: Lights Out. This patch, which will download as soon as you boot up the game, fixes "several small issues reported by players" and gives fisticuffers the ability to turn their fighter translucent, hopefully providing a better view of the on-screen kerfuffle. The PlayStation Blog has also put together a handy little tips video, which we've taken the liberty of embedding just past the break.
Sony ships 4.1 million PlayStation Move controllers to retailers (updated)
A little press release from none other than Sony informed us this morning that the company has shipped 4.1 million PlayStation Move controllers worldwide. Alas, that number has been widely misreported as the tally of direct end-user sales, which it most definitely is not. What Sony's letting us know is total wands that have left its warehouses on their way to retailers, a number that's one step removed from actual sales results. Still, if you simply must have something to compare against Microsoft's 2.5 million Kinect sales, there you have it. Update: Our brothers at Joystiq have reached out to Sony and confirmed that these numbers represent shipped units, not consumer sales. Here's Joystiq's exact wording on the (seemingly purposefully) confusing situation: A Sony representative explained that the 4.1 million actually represents Move units shipped to stores, adding "While we don't disclose our exact sell-through number, the key is that our retailers continue to ask for more Move units and are taking every unit we can supply them with based on their sales." Which, you know, would have been a cool thing to put in that press release, we think. Update 2: We've also confirmed with Sony that the sales numbers are in reference to retailers, not consumers, and learned that more than 75 percent of the sales in the US are bundles -- meaning new console sales or software groupings.
Sony: PlayStation Move reaches 4.1 million in worldwide sales [update]
Microsoft's not the only one to achieve some market penetration with its newfangled motion controller contraption -- Sony has announced that in the two months the PlayStation Move has been available in Europe and North America, and the one month the device has been on sale in Japan, the core Move controller has sold 4.1 million units. Considering the PS3 has sold 41.6 million units to date, that means one out of every ten homes that has Sony's gaming console now also houses a Move. Or, since the Move really works best with a second controller in hand, it could mean that one out of every twenty homes owns two of the devices. Or, perhaps less likely, one out of every thirty PS3-owning families contains three Moves, for their freakish, three-armed children. Update: There seems to be some confusion as to whether this figure represents the number of Moves actually purchased by consumers or sold to retailers. Though the U.S. press release revealing the sales posted after the jump explicitly says "sold," the Japanese press release mentions "the quantity delivered to the dealer" in a footnote. We've contacted Sony for clarification. Update 2: A Sony representative explained that the 4.1 million actually represents Move units shipped to stores, adding "While we don't disclose our exact sell-through number, the key is that our retailers continue to ask for more Move units and are taking every unit we can supply them with based on their sales." Which, you know, would have been a cool thing to put in that press release, we think.
3D 'a new creative medium,' according to Sony's Mick Hocking
Delivering a keynote speech -- entitled "Seeing is Believing: 3D a New Creative Medium for Games" -- at the Develop conference in Liverpool, Sony Computer Entertainment's Mick Hocking argued that 3D can give games more than just increased visual depth. The studio director of Sony's Liverpool studio, responsible for Wipeout HD, stated that the technology can make games seem more natural and thus more inviting to newcomers. "Doing things like the way we've used Move combined with 3D in Tumble makes a game more natural and more accessible, which will be great for welcoming more people to your games," Hocking said. The ability to interact within a game's space makes the technology a new creative medium, he added, allowing creators to build on the player's enhanced sense of depth and spatial awareness. Sony has claimed that over 50 3D games (20 internal) are currently in the works for PlayStation 3 -- and Hocking is willing to give developers a push if they're still on the fence. "I really would urge you to start converting your game into 3D now," he said. "We're here to help you and can help with training." Of course, Sony's marketing department will have to train customers to make a significant investment first. Among console games, mainstream-friendly accessibility usually comes with a significant hardware cost (as with the Wii and Kinect), but even Hocking's Tumble example -- which requires a 3D television, appropriate glasses, a PlayStation Move set and a PlayStation 3 -- sticks out more than other offerings.
Shocker! GameStop expects Kinect and Move to be in short supply this holiday season
Are you prepared to be blown away? Have your mind flipped inside-out? Experience a revelation to end all revelations? Tough luck, bubs. During an earnings call yesterday, GameStop president Tony Bartel was cited as saying that both Microsoft's Kinect and Sony's PlayStation Move would both be difficult to find this holiday season, noting that the Kinect would be "a hot item through the holiday season and the key opportunity will be just to continue to keep them in stock." He also stated that the Move would be "in short supply," and even went so far as to predict that consumers would be "following the UPS truck to our stores to pick up that product as soon as they can find it." Naturally, GameStop's in-stock guarantee won't apply to the two things it actually should (read: Kinect and Move), and Tony stopped short of providing hard evidence that this so-called shortage would in fact occur. But hey, no one ever said that drumming up demand for a product your store hawks was a bad business move, you know? And on the real, we're guessing that Santa will actually have the hots for these things, and if you're considering one, it's always wise to be proactive. Or spend countless nights attempting to snipe Johnny Doe on eBay -- your call. [Image courtesy of Geek In Heels]
Tron: Evolution dev diary demos persistent progression, Move support
We've had like, one dream our entire lives, and that dream is to drive a real-life light cycle. Is that too much to ask? Tron: Evolution says "No, of course not," as the game's latest dev diary reveals that the PlayStation Move controller pretty much allows you to simulate that experience as well as you can in this, the year of our lord 2010. Unless, of course, some technology manufacturer is holding out on us. We're watching you, Hitachi. The dev diary also shows off the game's character progression system, which remains persistent between single-player and multiplayer modes, and talks a bit about the PS3 version of the game's 3D display support. We're not sure our eyes can handle all those vivid colors presented in such an in-your-face manner. They're delicate, you know?
Move-based, co-op 'Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves' hits PSN in December
As expected, Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves, the title outed by Australia's ratings board, refers to a new LittleBigPlanet spinoff. Sony officially revealed the game today as a multiplayer-only game requiring one PlayStation Move wand and up to three DualShock controllers. One player uses the Move to clear a path -- by blasting crates, flicking switches and triggering platforms -- allowing up to three other players to make their way through the ten prehistoric-themed levels platforming-style. The game title pretty much sums this one up: Sackboy in a prehistoric landscape, using the Move. PlayStation Plus members will get to see Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves as early as December 7, for free -- as will an unspecified number of "LBP supporters." The game will be released to the general PSN population one week later for $6. It'll also be included as a bonus on the LittleBigPlanet 2 disc, which will be available on January 18. %Gallery-107765%
The Fight: Lights Out Review: Turn 'em out, party's over
As we've all known for about 10 years now, the first rule of Fight Club is "You don't talk about Fight Club." Coincidentally enough, this is also the second rule. From this, we learn that people who take heavy blows to the skull are (1) not historically known to be good list-makers and (2) not so hot at marketing. Take Sony and ColdWood Interactive's The Fight for example. While the game is being sold as a gritty underground tournament brawler with HD graphics and 1:1 control fidelity, in reality it's actually a very cleverly designed Trojan horse. Yes, The Fight: Lights Out isn't so much a fighting game as it is an cunningly disguised exercise title designed to appeal to macho males who find the prospect of using EA Sports Active or the Your Shape series too emasculating to bear. And to its credit, it does succeed in getting you to work up a sweat. That's good, because as an enjoyable fighting game, it doesn't really fly. %Gallery-95944%
Auditorium PSN to feature more levels, 3D and Move support
Auditorium is one of those perfect little games that you load up when you need a break from the stresses and toils of the real world, allowing you to relax while moving soothing sound particles through even more soothing squares. That's why we're a little trepidatious about the recently announced changes that will be incorporated in the game's PSN iteration: There are twice as many levels and musical selections (we're cool with that), PlayStation Move support (we're okay with that) and, troublingly enough, 3D display support. We suppose if you've invested in a PlayStation Move and 3D television, these additions will be quite welcome, entirely justifying the game's $9.99 price tag when it drops November 23. However, we're not sure how soothing the experience will be when the sound particles are flying right at your face whoooooOOOOAAAAA%Gallery-107463%
How would you change Sony's PlayStation Move?
Is it Sony's play against the Wiimote, or the Kinect... or both? Hard to say exactly, but there's no question that the PS3 is no longer on the outside looking in when it comes to motion gaming. Now that it's been on the market for a few months, we're looking to hear from early adopters -- have you enjoyed your time with the Move? Has it lived up to your expectations? Any quirks with gameplay that you'd iron out? Any particular games that you'd prefer to see play nice with the apparatus? Set yourself in the mindset of a SCEA designer for a tick and let us know how you'd do the Move differently down in comments below. And yeah, sticking with "Arc" is totally an acceptable suggestion to make.
Create moving into stores on November 16
Taking to the US PlayStation blog, EA Bright Light producer Justin Manning revealed the imminent release date for his studio's next game release, Create: November 16 (aka: next Tuesday!). We've also confirmed that Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii iterations of the game will arrive on the same day next week. Given the game's user created level sharing ability via PSN and PlayStation Move functionality, perhaps Create can fill the hole left in your heart by the LittleBigPlanet 2 delay? M ... maybe?
PlayStation Moves into creepy ad business
We all know Sony likes to be a bit off the wall with its commercials, so this dystopian vision of a grown-up baby's trudge through corporate monotony shouldn't surprise us at all. And yet, somehow, it does. It's part of a pair of new ads destined for Latin America, the second of which awaits you after the break.
Speculative Kinect sales figures announced, looks to have handily trumped PlayStation Move
We'll get this out of the way right up front: VGChartz won't say where it gets its sales figures and, because of that, they're not to be taken as gospel or treated with much validity on their own. But, comparing one set of the site's numbers to another can be useful in showing trends, and with that caveat firmly in mind let's take a look at Microsoft's Kinect vs. Sony's PlayStation Move. According to the site, Kinect Adventures (bundled in with the camera itself) sold just under 480,000 units in one week after launching on November 4th, while the PlayStation Move sold 200,000 "units" in its first week, which according to VGChartz is not individual pieces of hardware but bundles of hardware tied to a single console. (This contrasts to Sony's figure, which counts each piece of hardware -- nunchuck, wand, and camera -- separately.) So, by these rather early and decidedly unofficial numbers it looks like Microsoft's Kinect investment might just be paying off, though of course it's the long-run that counts in these things.
Australian board rates possible LittleBigPlanet spinoff
We know that Sackboy dominates whole worlds in LittleBigPlanet, but he's always stayed in the present, content to steal our dreams in modern times. We worry that may be about to change though, as the Australian Classification Board has rated "Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves" for release. Siliconera shrewdly theorizes this will be a Move-centric release, thanks to the title and Media Molecule's development partner for the project, Supermassive (the house behind Start the Party and Tumble). We're happy to see Sackboy branching out, but why would Media Molecule release yet another game when LittleBigPlanet 2 is already all of the games? What sense does that make?
