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GameStop, Amazon discount PS3 and PS TV ahead of Black Friday
Black Friday may be two weeks away, but retailers are already dropping the price on two pieces of Sony hardware: PlayStation TV and PlayStation 3. Both systems will start at $80 and $200 respectively through Amazon and GameStop for the holiday season, though GameStop notes that the deals are temporary and are "first-come, first-served." The PS TV's DualShock 3 bundle is also down to $100 at the two retailers, saving game streamers $40 off the bundle's regular price. Thrifty buyers can also opt for deals on PS3 bundles, such as the 12 GB PS3 with Disney Infinity ($200) or a 500 GB console with either The Last of Us or Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham and The Sly Collection ($250 each). Sony isn't the only company offering early discounts this year; Microsoft cut the Xbox One's price by $50 for the holidays and already listed the Microsoft Store's Black Friday deals. [Image: Sony]
Killzone: Mercenary update adds PlayStation TV support
If you prefer to dispatch Helghast hordes from a stationary position while seated in front of a sizable television, you'll be happy to hear that the latest Killzone: Mercenary update adds support for the imminent PlayStation TV device to the formerly Vita-exclusive first-person shooter. "The game does indeed look fantastic on the big screen, and the DualShock controls bring a new feel to the game's mechanics," reads a description on the PlayStation.blog. "We've reworked all the touch mechanics to maximize the experience when played with those controls. Knowing that PS Vita players will play directly with PlayStation TV players online, we've worked hard to ensure the game is balanced for both parties, without either one having a competitive advantage." The PlayStation TV is slated to launch tomorrow, October 14. Additionally, the update adds a new "restart-from-checkpoint" system to the sci-fi shooter, allowing players to put their mission on hold without having to suspend the game to the PS TV or Vita menu screens. [Image: Sony]
PlayStation Now open beta hits PS TV, Vita on October 14
Tucked inside a lengthy pre-launch fact sheet for the PlayStation TV is word that the PlayStation Now open beta test will reach both the Vita handheld and the PS TV on October 14. Like the PlayStation 4, the PS TV and Vita beta tests will offer users access to "more than 150" PlayStation 3 games that can be streamed on-demand from Sony by anyone willing to pay for limited time access. October 14 also marks the initial debut of the PlayStation TV, meaning that those willing to purchase the gadget will not only have access to the PlayStation Now catalogue, but will also be able to play "nearly 700" compatible games, ranging from PlayStation One classics to portable PSP hits. Additionally, Sony claims the PlayStation TV will have access to "videos and movies" from the PlayStation Network Store and will launch with support for "other entertainment services," though it's not known which media options this might include. [Image: Sony]
PS TV hits US on October 14 with 'nearly 700' compatible games
Though the PlayStation TV won't support all Vita games at its October 14 debut, the miniscule console will play "nearly 700" Vita releases, according to Sony. Less a proper console and more a device that combines the functionality of numerous Sony gaming machines, the PlayStation TV plays digital Vita games, PSP games and PlayStation One games, while streaming PS3 games via PlayStation Now and PlayStation 4 games via that console's Remote Play feature. Specifically named among supported Vita games are hits like Rayman Origins, the God of War Collection, Borderlands 2 and Persona 4 Golden. Additionally, Sony has announced that the upcoming Adventure Time tie-in game, Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom from Little Orbit, will launch simultaneously for both the Vita handheld and the PlayStation TV on November 18. Sony has revealed plans to add support for additional games in the future (including Minecraft), though the PlayStation.blog offers no timeline on when those updates might be available. [Image: Sony]
With the PlayStation TV, Sony's going after families with young kids
The PlayStation TV is a curious oddity. The $100 device, a rebranded Vita TV that's slated to launch in North America and Europe later this fall, is Sony's direct answer to the Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV streaming boxes currently flooding the market. It's also the only box of the bunch capable of offering a video game experience that goes beyond just casual gaming. In fact, the PlayStation TV's library of titles spans several platforms: the PS Vita, PSP, PS One, PS3 (via PS Now's cloud streaming) and PS4 over Remote Play. It'll also offer consumers the ability to stream video content. But with the PS4 occupying the top spot in the PlayStation totem pole, we have to wonder: Just who is the PlayStation TV for?
