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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%
VUDU hits PS3 on November 23rd, UI overhaul coming mid-December
First Netflix, then Hulu Plus, and now VUDU. The movie rental service is making its way onto PlayStation 3 just in time for Thanksgiving later this month -- November 23rd, to be exact. If you're familiar with Walmart's recently-acquired video service, you know the drill: on-demand HD titles streamed for a fee, up to 1080p and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound. The interface will be the same as every other VUDU iteration -- until mid-December, that is. That's when, as we've been told, the company plans to roll out version 2.0 of its UI. In addition to being more streamlined, there's ratings, recommendations, and most interestingly, support for PS3's Move controller. Pictures below, press releases after the break. %Gallery-107570%
PlayStation 3's Bluetooth headset slims down, shines on, adorns ears later this month
My, what a difference a couple years makes. As we suspected, Sony is updating its old Bluetooth headset design with a decidedly more elegant model. Here's what we've got: dual mics, USB pairing, in-game status indicator, a charge cradle that doubles as a desktop mic, and of course, a giant mute button for when you have only moments to smack yourself in the ear and curse loudly about your good-for-nothing teammates. It's also smaller and glossier -- and rocking the same $49.99 price tag. When's it arriving? Soon, later this month. When is that, exactly? Have patience.
Best Buy charges $30 for PS3 firmware update, laughs all the way to the bank
In case you hadn't noticed by now, Best Buy's Geek Squad isn't always the most scrupulous sort, but their latest attempt to upsell consumers is truly off the charts. We've confirmed for ourselves that the Staten Island, NY store is offering 120GB PS3 Slims for $329.98, explaining away the surcharge as their fee for a firmware upgrade. In case you've never booted up a PS3 yourself, let us explain the sheer ridiculousness at work here: a system update requires about three button presses, and some discs prompt you automatically. Hell, if you want to play online or access the PlayStation Store, you don't even have a choice -- ever since Other OS got Sony's goat, firmware updates have been mandatory across the board. Still, it's hard to say no when Best Buy employees are this polite -- when we explained to a rep that we already had a PS3, he graciously offered us an update anyhow... for just $29.98.
PSA: Sony says counterfeit PS3 controllers could explode
We're not sure why anyone would buy a knock-off DualShock 3 or SIXAXIS gamepad, considering the trouble Sony's taken to make sure they don't work, but the PlayStation 3 manufacturer has another reason you might want to steer clear of counterfeit pads -- they could be tiny Li-ion bombs poised to explode. Talk about force feedback! Yes, the company that brought us exploding laptop batteries says that third-party products "which are practically identical in appearance to genuine PlayStation®3 wireless controllers" may burst into flame, and as you might expect, Sony suggests that you run out to your nearest retailer and purchase the real deal instead.
PlayStation Move accessories charge controllers, keep your pesky imagination in check
If there's anything Microsoft's Kinect has over the PlayStation Move -- neither seem to have a killer app -- it's that peripheral manufacturers (hopefully) won't be able to generate wave after wave of cheap plastic junk to wave in front of a camera. As you can imagine, PlayStation Move peripheral purveyors have no such problem, and Nyko, Mad Catz, Interworks, CTA Digital, PDP and more are pumping out plenty of plastic shells and chargers for those ball-tipped motion controllers. Hit the links below to just see how far we haven't come. Read - GamingBits Read - IGN Read - Amazon
PS3 firmware 3.50 is a go, 3D Blu-ray movies suddenly feel more wanted
Right on schedule -- or a day early, depending on your time zone -- Sony has unleashed version 3.50 of its PS3 firmware. And as previously promised, it's got 3D Blu-ray movie playback with it. According to the Official US PlayStation blog, there's also some added Facebook integration and new methods of grief reporting. We're still updating and will let you know what else we might unearth. Update: Surprise, surprise, it works. We were able to test Blu-ray 3D out and got it running without too much hassle, as long as the HDMI setting is on "Auto" it will detect your 3DTV and switch to the correct mode just like it has for gaming since the update that enabled 3D functionality there. We didn't see any differences in the menus with the Disney Blu-ray 3D demo disc we had on hand, but we'll be checking out how BD-Java functions in 3D later on. Update 2: Per Sony's v3.50 support page, and verified by several sources, the PS3 has to choose between Blu-ray 3D playback and lossless audio, whether from DTS-HD MA or Dolby TrueHD, it will fall back to a compressed codec while playing 3D content, while menus, items and BD-Java content "may be different" on the PS3 than on other systems. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sony launches anti-Kinect attack website, yaybuttons.com
Sony's typically the equal-opportunity offender, poking fun at everything from Wii to iPhone, but the company's latest marketing campaign is unmistakably aimed at Microsoft's motion-sensing peripheral. Head on over to www.yaybuttons.com to interact with a two-dimensional PlayStation Move, which will pop out a series of quotes from Kevin Butler -- Sony's fictional VP of Realistic Movements -- explaining Sony's tactile advantages over Microsoft's Kinect. While members of the Sony Defense Force will surely eat this up in spades, the rest of us will simply enjoy this latest tussle, and go back to waiting for both companies to put their money by their oral socket and make more games worth playing.
PlayStation Move review
The PlayStation Move. It's funny to think just 15 months have passed since Sony first unveiled its motion controller, and now we're mere weeks away from hitting the retail market. To be sure, it's not like the company didn't have waggle on the mind already -- patents dating as far back as 2005 reveal as much, and of course the incredible success of Nintendo's Wii proved there's a market for more physically exerting gameplay. And it's not just PlayStation; Microsoft's got its controller-free Kinect motion camera system coming this November. So, in the year where all major game consoles now ask you to get off the couch and earn arm muscle, how does Move fare? Read on for more!
Visualized: PlayStation controller table, or the things men do when in love
Continuing the fine tradition of combining console peripherals and lounge room aesthetics, this here mod was built by a young chap completing his Year 12 high school qualifications in Australia. Made out of humble MDF and plywood, the PlayStation controller coffee table took 20 weeks of on and off labor to finish and the result pretty much speaks for itself. You'll find a couple more pictures after the break and a fuller gallery at the source.
160GB PS3 Slim, 320GB Move bundle coming to US and Europe this fall
The leaks weren't wrong, they just weren't the whole story. A 160GB PlayStation 3 Slim is indeed coming to the US -- Europe, too -- but additionally, there's a heftier 320GB Sports Champions Move bundle. The former standalone console is available now stateside for $299, and according to the GamesCom press conference, Europeans will have to wait until October for 299 Euros. As for the biggie, which includes the game and one-player Move package, that's due out September 19th in US (or September 15th across the pond) for $399 and 349 Euros, respectively -- just in time for holiday shopping sprees.
160GB PS3 slim spotted on GameStop's website
One of the following just occurred today: either a GameStop employee just spilled the beans on an upcoming Sony announcement, or someone in the retailer's IT department has a cruel sense of humor. At any rate, IGN spotted a listing today (since removed) for a slim PlayStation 3 with 160GB of storage, purported to be shipping today for $299.99. That's unfortunately not the case, but while we'd wager a capacity increase is inevitable, it'd be infinitely more intriguing if that new hard drive came part and parcel with a pallette swap -- something in white, perhaps. Hey, we can dream. It might be worth noting that Sony's got a press conference lined up at GamesCom for mid-afternoon ET tomorrow; we'll keep our German-trained ear to the ground, just in case. Update: Newegg is now showing the same deal as above, with a projected arrival date of August 19 [Thanks, Disaresta51].
Sony giving away PlayStation Move for block parties, along with completely wild freebies
Looking for a free PlayStation Move setup and a bunch of useless schwag? Too bad you didn't sign up for Sony's Ultimate Block Party. In the vein of the hilarious Windows 7 and TiVo promo giveaways of yesteryear, PlayStation's thrown a virtual bash that actually requires a modicum of interaction to properly enjoy this time. As this isn't a retail Move package, there's no traditional unboxing to be had, but soon-to-be-host Phil does show off a demo disk (with eight titles and uproarious setup guide) that we pray will be included in the final kit. Other than that, the promo box includes your standard array of party supplies -- PlayStation Move cocktail napkins, Sports Champions mini-frisbees, plastic soda can handles, and the gift that keeps on giving: a bag of Kevin Butler button badges. Because real boxers don't do Tupperware. Spot all the goodies at our source link.
Sony restricts stereoscopic PS3 games to 720p 3D
Sorry, fellow gamers, we're out of luck if we want to play stereoscopic PS3 titles in their full high definition glory -- Joystiq reports that Sony guidelines won't allow for 1080p 3D. As we discovered in April, the goal is to run even native 1080p content at a lower 720p resolution when splitting the image in twain, allowing enough processing overhead for a smooth 60fps framerate and likely reducing eyestrain. Mind you, it's not like there are many occasions when you'd have cause to complain -- even in two dimensions, native 1080p titles on modern consoles are few and far between. Exempt from the specification are 3D Blu-ray movies, which run at a slower (but larger) 1080p24 by default, so rest assured that when you're being tortured with Clash of the Titans repeat viewings, you'll see every glorious detail.
One Shots: Soylent cake
All of our readers have their favorite MMOs -- and their favorite events in those MMOs. With that said, this has to be one of the more unique event occurrences in a game we've seen to date. Today's image comes to us from Captain1nsaneo, who loves to play Sony Online Entertainment's MMOFPS, PlanetSide. Not sure what those odd things are in the foreground? We'll let him explain: "This is from PlanetSide, the best MMOG ever made (totally unbiased). This was from an 'event' where the backpacks left behind when players died were replaced with pie, cake, or donuts depending on which faction the deceased belonged to." Or as his PlanetSide character put it: "Sure it's made of people. But I think you're overlooking the most important fact here: it's delicious." We love to see strange and funny things going on around the MMOGsphere. If you've captured an image of a funny moment in your favorite MMO, you should email it to us here at oneshots@massively.com. Be sure to include your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here for everyone to enjoy, and give you the credit! %Gallery-85937%
PlayStation Plus coming via PS3 firmware 3.40 (update: now available)
At last, the first post-E3 firmware update for the PlayStation 3, and as you might've suspected, this one's got PlayStation Plus packed into the mix. We've talked about the service a bit so far, but to recap, $50 annual nets you a 50 percent discount on PSN titles, early access to betas, and one hour of demo time on select full titles (among other benefits). If you're not willing to shell out the Ulysses S Grant, however, however, there's a few other treats in the software patch, including five-star ratings for content purchased on the Store, video editor and uploader for Facebook and YouTube (note: not a video capture service, gotta use what the HDD already has), and expanded integration into Picasa and Facebook photo galleries. Speaking of Facebook, a new app will appear on the social site for showing off your PSN profile and befriending others. As usual, no exact date for the firmware is given, but if history's any indication, it won't be very long at all. Update: We just checked our consoles and, sure enough, the update is live. We're downloading now and will let you know if there's anything peculiar. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] %Gallery-96494%
US PlayStation 3 gets four 3D titles starting tomorrow
Perhaps the PlayStation Network needed to be down in order to add extra dimensions -- whatever the case, Sony just announced that tomorrow will usher in the first quartet of PS3 titles to support stereoscopic 3D. Not too shocking, as it happens to be the same day Japanese gamers get the same deal. Entrees include WipEout HD, Super Stardust HD, Pain, and a demo of MotorStorm: Pacific Rift. Looking to the future, PlayStation Move title The Fight: Lights Out will support 3D at launch. Of course you'll need a 3DTV to join the fun, but hey, looks like Sony's got you covered there, too.
PlayStation 3's first 3D title updates coming June 10th to Japan
Good news / bad news, folks. First with the smiles: PlayStation 3's first 3D-enabling updates are due out on June 10th for downloadable titles Super Stardust HD, WipEout HD, and Pain. The first two games get the added dimension for gratis, but Pain lovers (who should be accustomed by now to its abundant premium add-ons) will need to fork over ¥300 (approximately $3.28) for the benefit. The other stickler is that these updates are so far only announced for Japan -- and by merit of a Bravia promotion, Europe as well. So what's a North American gamer with a penchant for wearing special glasses to do? Keep waiting, true believers.
Sony selling 'PlayStation Protection Plan' warranty extension for PS3, PSP
Sony makes some pretty resilient game consoles, and while you'll certainly hear about the occasional glitch, they aren't exactly plagued with RRoD. That said, there's always room for worry, and if you're willing to pay for peace of mind, Sony has a brand-new service agreement with your name on it. Dubbed the "PlayStation Protection Plan," it simply extends the full warranty on your PlayStation 3 or PSP for another year or two, and optionally covers your handheld's five-foot swan dive onto solid concrete for an additional fee. While replacement won't quite be no-questions-asked and the warranty explicitly fails to cover dead pixels, liquid damage and loss of data (among other things), we can still imagine some will pony up the $30 to $50 for extra insurance. Not us, though. Since you can only buy if you're still within the original warranty period, it won't help us replace our backwards-compatible 60GB PS3... and honestly, we think we've had enough of Sony's protection.
Sony taken to court over PS3 'Other OS' removal
Sony forced PS3 owners into a tough decision with the mandatory 3.21 firmware update: either lose online play, or forgo Linux support. On Tuesday, Anthony Ventura chose door number three -- and filed a lawsuit in California, asking the judge for class-action status. The complaint quotes Sony executives on numerous occasions saying how vital and important the "Install Other OS" feature was to the game console (it's a computer, remember?) and claims breach of contract, false advertising, and several other causes of action against the entertainment giant. Sure, a lawsuit was bound to happen, given the number of angry PS3 owners out there, but here's the thing: there's no telling whether the court will grant a class-action certification here, and even if the case gets that far it's pretty unlikely to force Sony to turn the feature back on -- instead, customers will probably receive a token amount in damages while the lawyers get their full fees. For example, a rare, successful class-action suit against Palm -- filed in 2004 -- got Treo 600 owners only $27.50 in store credit, five years later. Meanwhile, we hear European PS3 owners just have to ask for their money back -- which, we promise you, is the fastest way to put an end to your Linux-based PS3 nightmares. Either that, or just wait for Geohot to make it all better.
