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Sony's Driveclub becomes second PS4 launch title to be delayed in a week
Sony has just announced that Driveclub, one of its original launch titles for the PlayStation 4, is running behind schedule and will miss the big day. The magnitude of this loss will obviously depend on how much your personal PS4 unboxing fantasy involved loading up a team-based, arcade-style driving sim -- and honestly, ours didn't. Nevertheless, the postponement comes in the same week that Watch Dogs was also pushed back to spring 2014 -- though that delay affects all consoles, not just Sony's. There's another issue, too: Driveclub was one of just two launch games that were meant to be offered free to PS Plus subscribers, as an extra inducement to spend $50 on a year's access. By way of a replacement, Sony will offer the dark platform-puzzler Contrast as part of its PS4 instant game collection, and you'll find a trailer for that title lurking in the shadows below.
Sony at Gamescom 2013: the story so far
Miss our liveblog of Sony's Gamescom press conference yesterday, or the wealth of news we've covered on all things PlayStation? Well, we forgive you. After all, there's a whole lot to digest. Now, chances are they'll be more Sony tidbits appearing as the German gaming event runs its course, but for now we've collected, compiled and condensed everything we've learned in one handy place: right after the break.
PlayStation 4's game recording and streaming features not tied to PlayStation Plus
Sony's PlayStation 4 allows any owner to stream, record and share game footage with or without a subscription to Sony's PlayStation Plus service. That stands in stark contrast to Microsoft's admission yesterday that the aforementioned features (and some other functionality) won't work on its Xbox One without a subscription to Xbox Live Gold. SCE Worldwide Studios head and extremely active Twitter user Shuhei Yoshida answered as much when asked by fans directly if Sony's upcoming next-gen game console would require a PS Plus membership for recording and streaming gameplay, as well as watching streaming content (such as Hulu or Netflix). He flatly stated "no" when asked about the Plus requirement, and elaborated that all users will have that functionality. That's a reflection of the current state of PlayStation Plus on PS3 and PS Vita, neither of which require PS Plus membership for media streaming or online play. Most online multiplayer on PS4 will require a Plus membership, unlike the Vita and PS3. In any case, though Yoshida's answers are short, we appreciate the black and white messaging -- something Sony's rival could be doing a much better job of at the moment.
PS Vita firmware 2.6 adds enhanced save management, spruced up UI
We're weary of the PlayStation Vita's constant firmware updates, but what version 2.6 brings to the table makes the patches almost bearable. Not only does it make managing game saves via PlayStation Plus easier, but the bubbles representing menu functions, games and apps are noticeably crisper, too. Sony has also added the ability to toggle wireless connectivity -- WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G and airplane mode -- by holding down the system's blue PS button. The features don't stop rolling there either, as you can now play media stored on a PC or PS3 remotely, without using the kludgy Remote Play app or copying the files to your handheld. While we've listed a quartet of tweaks here, there are a slew of other changes detailed in a video after the break and Sony has the full release notes on its official site.
PlayStation Vita launches PS Plus service on November 19th, free for existing PS3 subscribers (video)
Wrapped up in the Sony handheld's version 2.0 update, the PlayStation Vita is finally getting PS Plus. Detailing the offering for European users, the subscription-based service will add four free games per month, with the launch line-up including Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Gravity Rush and Chronovolt. Like its big console brother, you can expect to see discounted titles, free demos and other content arrive alongside full titles. Your Vita will also be able to tap into cloud storage for game saves, with an additional 1GB of space added for the portable console. If you're already paying for PlayStation Plus on your PS3 ( three months at $18 or a one-year plan for $50), you'll pick up the service for free on your Vita starting November 19th (and the 20th in Europe), provided they're linked to the same PSN account. There's a quick video outline (and the European press release) right after the break.
PlayStation Plus cloud storage boost landing 'soon' with system update v4.25
If you've been sat impatiently tapping your fingers on the desk waiting for that extra PlayStation Plus storage, then you might want to give that hand a break. According to the PlayStation blog, it's coming, and soon. The capacity bump will come in PS3 system update v4.25, and once installed, you'll just need to head over to the Saved Data Utility under the XMB's Game column to see it. Our friends over at Joystiq have pushed Sony for a more concrete time on the update's release, but if you've already maxed out that current 150MB, there's light at the end of the cloud tunnel.
PlayStation Plus coming to the PS Vita this year, cloud storage increasing from 150MB to 1GB 'from September'
Sony's decided that you've been playing so much with their dedicated online service, you deserve more space for your cloud saves. From next month, users will see their cloud storage increase from 150MB to 1GB. We were also teased that the PlayStation Vita would be getting into PlayStation Plus soon, but it looks like SCEE CEO Jim Ryan is holding onto that tantalizing nugget for now. Hopefully we'll hear more on this a bit later.
PS3 firmware update v3.60 live, adds cloud storage and turns off controllers at intervals of your choice
If you're rocking a PlayStation Plus subscription and can't wait to boot your savegames into the cloud, you'll be happy to hear that the System Update enabling that -- firmware v3.60 -- is available for download right now. If you aren't paying $50 a year for PS Plus, what good is it to you? Well, it'll let you set how long you'd like the system to wait before it tells your DualShock and Sixaxis controllers to shut down, hopefully conserving battery life without intermittent annoyance. Enjoy! [Thanks, Tim and Colin]
Hulu Plus on PS3, hands-on (update: video)
Sure, we already told you what Hulu Plus looked like on iPhone, iPad and a Samsung TV, and not much has changed since that juncture, but we expect a number of you care quite a bit about how it will operate on PlayStation 3, especially considering you'll (presently) have to cough up an additional $50 annually for the privilege. The good news is it's absolutely nothing like the PS3's disc-based Netflix solution -- here, you're looking at a responsive experience through and through, and the interface is about as simple and full-featured as we'd hoped. After a 28MB download, we were invited to either log in with an email/password combination or link our console at Hulu's website, both of which launched the program nigh instantly from the hard drive. The interface afterwards is a dead-ringer for the Samsung TV version, except optimized for console control, with the analog stick and shoulder buttons smartly seeking through programs at high speed, or tapped to jump ahead in fifteen-second increments. You can similarly adjust video quality (and thus, bandwidth usage) with a press of the R1 button, watch picture-in-picture programs while you browse, and the search function admirably narrows down Hulu's content as quickly as you can type the letters in. It does have its bugs, like when we tried to watch High Fidelity and were asked if we wanted to subscribe to the show, and there was the time we got caught in an unending advertising loop for body wash, but that time we think the app was just trying to tell us something. Yeah, we'd better run out to the store, but don't go away -- hit the gallery below for a brief tour. Update: Our friends at Joystiq have a video walkthrough; check it after the break! %Gallery-97526%
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%
