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PSN Tuesday: Tales of Xillia, Dragon's Crown, ibb & obb
This week's PSN content jamboree is headlined by a pair of Japanese games: the beautiful beat-em-up Dragon's Crown from Vanillaware and Namco's surprisingly charming JRPG, Tales of Xillia. Rounding out this week's high-profile games is ibb & obb, the long-awaited co-op puzzler with an emphasis on gravity from Sparpweed Games. PlayStation Plus members can snag a free copy of Hitman: Absolution, which kicks off a solid month of free content on PS Plus. Subscriber discounts extend to the Rayman series today, Escapevektor, Superfrog and more – the full list of content can be seen over on the PlayStation Blog.
PS Plus August freebies: Hitman Absolution, Runner 2, Star Wars Pinball
The August incentives for PlayStation Plus subscribers have been revealed, starting tomorrow with a free copy of Hitman: Absolution. IO Interactive's latest entry in the stealthy kill-em-up series deviates from the established formula, our review says, but offers a "healthy dose of stealth and creative assassinations." Other free games up for grabs in August are PS3 games Runner 2 and Star Wars Pinball, Machinarium on PS Vita and Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower, compatible with PS Vita and PSP. Tomorrow's PSN update will also yield discounts on Rayman content and a few new games – all of which you can see listed over on the PlayStation Blog.
Sony Q1 results see declining PlayStation sales offset by weak yen
Sony profitable fiscal 2012 continued into the first quarter of 2013, the company posting a net profit of ¥3.5 billion, which converts to $35 million, for the three months ending in June. The company's modest Q1 profit came on the back of a 13 percent year-on-year rise in revenue, attributed largely to currency exchange gains due to the depreciating yen; on a "constant currency basis," as Sony noted, Q1 revenue saw a year-on-year dip of 3 percent. Despite the gains on the yen's value, Sony's PlayStation division saw almost zero change in its year-on-year revenue in the first quarter, this due to declining PlayStation hardware sales. The company shipped 1.1 million PS3 units and 0.6 million Vita and PSP units in the three months of Q1, compared to 3.5 million PS3 and PS2 units and 1.6 million portable units for the corresponding period of fiscal 2012. Sony still forecasts it'll ship 10 million PS3 units across the fiscal year ending in March 2014, and 5 million Vita and PSP units. Research & development on Sony's upcoming console was primarily responsible for a marked increase in the PlayStation division's operating losses, rising to ¥14.8 billion in Q1, or $149 million. The company again declined to post projections for the PlayStation 4, due to launch sometime this holiday.
Now Playing: July 29 - August 4, 2013
A hero comes out of retirement and runs for his life this week in Cloudberry Kingdom... Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:
Sweet Fuse, a dating game starring Keiji Inafune's niece, out August 27
Sweet Fuse, the Japanese dating sim starring the fictional niece of game designer Keiji Inafune, will hit PlayStation Network and retail shelves for PSP on August 27. In the game, Saki Inafune visits her famous uncle's new amusement park on opening day – the same day that the villain Count Hogstein blows up the Ferris Wheel and forces park employees to participate in a series of deadly games. Saki volunteers (as brave young women do) to play his games and save Uncle Keiji, and somehow this all culminates in a romance story. Pre-order Sweet Fuse via Amazon and get Count Hogstein's skull necklace. Otherwise, be on the lookout for the downloadable game on PSN in North America and Europe on August 27.
PSN Tuesday: Stealth Inc, Zeno Clash 2, Zone of the Enders
This week's PSN content update is now live, headlined by cross-buy enabled stealth and puzlee platformer Stealth Inc - A Clone in the Dark, now on sale for $10. If you like your conflict a bit more on the direct side, Zeno Clash 2 takes a swing at PSN today for $15. Both remastered Zone of the Enders HD games are also here, available for individual purchase at $10 for the original and $20 for the sequel. PlayStation Plus subscribers can download PSP and PS Vita-compatible Metal Slug XX for free this week and enjoy discounts across Sorcery, Cloudberry Kingdom, Datura, some Thomas Was Alone DLC and more. For the full list of this week's content, hit up the PlayStation Blog.
Now Playing: July 22-28, 2013
Sci-fi and magic collide this week with Shadowrun Returns... Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:
PlayStation Plus deploys free Metal Slug XX this week
Metal Slug XX, compatible with both PSP and PS Vita, is this week's new recruit for the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection. PS Plus subscribers can grab SNK's run-and-gunner gratis starting tomorrow - the usual asking price is $20. Metal Slug XX is an altered version of Metal Slug 7 on the Nintendo DS. It features additional ad-hoc co-op and mini-games on top of the core DS game. The series is known for its expressive sprites, powerful weaponry, insane boss battles and blatant disregard for bullet rationing.
FIFA 14 will have 19 'authentic' Brazilian teams
EA Sports announced that it reached licensing agreements with 19 soccer clubs in Brazil today, and will be bringing those teams to FIFA 14 this year. FIFA 13 had 20 Brazilian teams, but not all of them were exactly "real." Unlike the English Premier League, Brazilian league team licenses are negotiated on a team-by-team basis. FIFA 14 will include 19 authentic teams, "meaning authentic kits, club name, crest and real players," an EA representative told Joystiq. "However, unlicensed clubs can still feature in-game under our FIFPro license which enables us to use real player name/likeness," EA added. So of those 20 Brazilian teams in FIFA 13, a handful were unlicensed clubs. That means fully-licensed teams such as Internacional, Nautico and Ponte Preta in FIFA 14 were seen as I. Porto Alegre, N. Recife and P. Campinas in FIFA 13. "We call these clubs 'art generic' because an artist makes the kit/crest look very similar. Football fans know the difference," EA said. FIFA 14 will only include clubs from the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A league (the top league of three within Brazil's professional soccer system) with the exception of Palmeiras, a popular team that was recently relegated to Serie B. EA does not have licensing agreements in place for use of team logos and kits for two Serie A teams that were in FIFA 13 and Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2013, EC Bahia and SC Corinthians. The publisher is still in negotiations for "additional club and league licenses and will have more announcements to make." FIFA 14 is due out in North America on September 24, and will also come to PS4 and Xbox One later this year.
Special Edition of Indie Game: The Movie spooled up for July 24
A new version of Indie Game: The Movie, the 2012 documentary chronicling the lives of indie video game developers chasing their dreams, will be released on July 24. This special edition will include 300+ minutes of footage, including over 100 minutes of never-before-seen film that will include epilogues for some of the developers featured in the film. The Team Meat fellers, prominently featured in the film, also provide some new commentary tracks, as do directors James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot. The special Indie Game: The Movie will be available through Steam and the official site for $15, or for $5 if you already own the first version. If you pre-order now, a DVD boxed set is available for $59 (regularly $69), while the Blu-ray version is down to $69 from $89. Boxed sets won't ship until August, at which point they'll revert to their full prices. Both DVD and Blu-ray special editions will be signed by the directors, include exclusive artwork from Edmund McMillen, and offer a code for the digital special edition. Indie Game: The Movie is currently available for streaming on Netflix Instant, as a rental or purchase on YouTube and, until July 22, a $2.99 purchase on Steam, thanks to the Steam Summer Sale.
Sony relaxes PSN Video Unlimited restrictions
Sony has significantly altered its DRM policies for the PlayStation Network's Video Unlimited service, allowing users to download purchased content across multiple devices. Previously, buyers had one-time access to videos purchased through the PlayStation Network, which effectively prevented the copying, redownloading, or transfer of Video Unlimited content. Sony's new policy, discovered by Shacknews, adds support for persistent cloud libraries, along with the ability to redownload content across supported devices like the PlayStation 3, PS Vita, and PSP. The change in policy applies to new purchases as well as content bought prior to Sony's recent Terms of Service update. "If you purchase a copy, the video or TV show download will be available infinitely and can be transferred to other enabled devices," Sony's Video Unlimited website now states.
Now Playing: July 8-14, 2013
Discover all new ways to conquer the world this week with Sid Meier's Civilization V: Brave New World... Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:
PSN Store update: Deadpool, Hotline Miami, free Zero Escape on PS Plus
Due to this week's PSN maintenance, the weekly content dump is a bit off schedule but no less lacking in goods. Headlining this week's offerings is the PSN launch of Deadpool, High Moon Studios' take on the merc with a mouth. Hotline Miami, a cross-buy game for both PS3 and PS Vita, also makes its debut on PSN alongside Magic 2014: Duels of the Planeswalkers and Spartacus Legends. PS Plus subscribers get a free game in Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward and access to discounts on Escape Plan, Pool Nation, Hydrophobia and Fat Princess.
Now Playing: June 24-30, 2013
Take control of the battlefield this week with Company of Heroes 2... Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:
PSN Tuesday: Dungeons & Dragons, Giana Sisters, Jak & Daxters
The weekly PSN update is live, unlocking Capcom's collected quest classics, Dungeons and Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara. Joining the 2D beat-em-up is Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, which finally makes its way to PSN after its Xbox Live Arcade debut back in March. The Jak and Daxter Collection – which includes all three original PS2 games, Jak and Daxter, Jak 2 and Jak 3 – steps up on PS Vita today, along with Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two. Rounding out this week's update are free PS Plus games Saints Row: The Third and Gods Eater Burst. For the full list of this week's PlayStation Network content, hit up the PlayStation Blog.
Now Playing: June 17-23, 2013
Jump into the ultimate retro-style meta RPG experience this week with The Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Edition... Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:
Sony throws down new games, new footage, and the gauntlet at E3 2013
Sony finished day 0 of E3 2013 with a bang, following up on its PlayStation 4 console announcement from earlier this year with some more game teases and reveals, and then laying down one of the most memorable E3 moments ever, with Jack Tretton taking full advantage of the public discontent with Microsoft's Xbox One licensing policies. Here's a post-conference rundown of what exactly took place at the Sony event last night.
Now Playing: June 10-16, 2013
Survive this week with The Last of Us... Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:
Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 powered by Fox Engine this year
Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 has been announced by Konami for Xbox 360, PS3, Windows PC and PSP. In this latest incarnation, the series will switch to using the Fox Engine. There's no word on Wii U, PS4 or Xbox One in the press release, but we've contacted Konami for further details. The 2014 game will feature what is dubbed as "TrueBall Tech," a system governing physics and controls centered around the ball. The Motion Animation Stability System (M.A.S.S.) is designed to present more realistic and dynamic player collision behavior and tackles, and footballers will now have mental statistics that can be affected throughout a match by fan support and teamwork. The Fox Engine is a multi-platform development suite powering Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
PSN Tuesday: Remember Me on PS3, Limbo on Vita, Deus Ex free for Plus
This week PSN gets Remember Me for $60 as a full PS3 download (and here's our review). Also on the docket is Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon, which hits PSN for $20. Vita gets Limbo for $15, Toro's Friend Network for free, Quell Memento for $5 and Paint Park Plus for free. Class of Heroes 2 hits the PSP this week, and it's now in the Vita store for $25. PlayStation Plus members can grab the PS3 game Deus Ex: Human Revolution for free, alongside a 10 percent discount on Grid 2 ($54), and 40 percent off Portal 2 ($9.60) and its Move-enabled DLC, In Motion ($4.80). Let's Fish: Hooked On is half off on Vita for Plus members this week, for $10. Sony has some secret content in store for June, according to PlayStation Digital Platforms Community Manager Paul Sullivan, and it just so happens there's a large gaming convention right in the middle of this month. Keep your eyes peeled.
