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New in-game ads speeding towards WipEout HD
WipEout HD (and Fury) will be receiving a 2.10 patch soon. In addition to "small improvements to front-end functionality" and some minor fixes, the 2.10 patch will change the way in-game advertisements are displayed. You'll recall, Sony was largely criticized for the game's State Farm ads which increased load times – a "no no" for the in-game ad model. SCEE marketing executive Mikel Arrien says they've learned from the controversy: "We have therefore focused on ensuring that the advertising is embedded as sympathetically to the overall experience as possible." That doesn't mean ads have been completely removed from the picture with 2.10! In fact, more advertising is about to hit the game -- at least in European territories. "WipEout and in-game advertising and sponsorship have gone hand-in-hand since 1996, when a now famous energy drink appeared in the seminal Wipeout 2097 and over the years many brands and products have been associated with the series," Arrien said, trying to explain why the WipEout HD platform seems so ripe for commercialization.
LittleBigWorkshop reveals a handful of LBP PSP costumes
Though LittleBigPlanet's customizable protagonist, Sackboy, may have lost a bit of his highfalutin' texture rendering in the jump over to the PSP, he's managed to retain all of his original adorability factor. This unbridled cuteness can be seen in a recent LittleBigWorkshop blog post, which includes a batch of images previewing a few of Mr. Sack's new garments. The most intriguing of these duds are referenced in a section of the post discussing "preorder incentives and upcoming DLC packs" -- a moon buggy and a tank, seen above. We imagine these are just articles of clothing and not actual vehicles (a "moon buggy belt", if you will), but if you think that makes us less interested in them, then you must not know us very well.
Test your friendship with Buzz! on Facebook
Are you really friends with your Facebook friends? It's time to find out with the new Buzz! application. The "Friend Quiz" lets you and your invited friends to partake in a trivia contest about your mutual buddies. The quiz will draw information from mutual friends' status updates, comments, interests and photos.Buzz will be narrating the entire game, so expect some snide remarks from the short British host. Each question, in typical Buzz! style, is timed: make sure you answer quickly to get the most points. At the end of the game, you'll be able to post your total score to your Wall, as you wait for your invited friends to beat you. It's a terrific twist on classic Buzz! gameplay, and best of all -- it's free.[Via PlayStation.Blog Europe]
Retail gets PSN 'Game Cards' in NA, PSN vouchers in the UK
click to embiggen With the launch of Sony's PSP Go this week, the first download-only gaming device from a major console developer has finally arrived on the market. Given the profitability of the used games market and brick-and-mortar's relative stronghold on game sales, we asked Sony of America (SCEA) and Sony of Europe (SCEE) how they're going to get download-only games onto retailer shelves. SCEA's answer: PlayStation Network Game Cards.According to an SCEA rep, 10 titles (all of which can be found after the break) will be available "in North America at select retailers" and should be available as of today. Unfortunately for retailers across the pond, no such luck -- at very least in the UK. An SCEE rep told Joystiq, "We don't have any plans for vouchers/gift cards like this ... at the moment we are only selling the PSN vouchers of £20 and £50 for the UK," though that isn't to say PSN Game Cards will never arrive on European shores. At least for now it seems that SCEA will be keeping a foothold in retail with its download-only titles (and even some UMD-based titles now available as downloads) through these game vouchers. UK retailers ... well ... at least people will be coming in for the PSP-3000, right?%Gallery-74473%
250GB PS3 Slim bundles also coming to Europe [update]
Earlier this week, we got our hands on a few European GameStop listings for 250GB PS3 bundles. Earlier today, SCEE and SCE UK confirmed the hardware packages and included games. Earlier this hour, we went to Whole Foods and purchased some really crisp bok choy. (Sorry. We got into a rhythm there.) Europeans will have their choice of two bundles, both of which will be made available throughout October. One of the collections includes Need for Speed: Shift, while the other includes FIFA 10. Needless to say, both bundles come with the recently GB-boosted console. A price point for these two bundles has not been specified, but we've contacted Sony for clarification. Bizarrely enough, the UK's getting a different set of bundles than the rest of the continent. On October 1, United Kingdomites will have their choice of a 250GB PS3 bundled with Infamous or two unnamed Platinum Hits. Their options will be further expanded on October 16 with the release of an Uncharted 2 bundle, and once more on October 19 with a bundle that includes the X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Dark Knight films on Blu-ray and a film-friendly remote control.SCE UK has graciously provided a price for its bundles -- £284.99 ($450) -- making it our certified favourite European Sony chapter of the day. That's as legit as being knighted by the Queen, you know.Update: After the break, we've posted a snapshot of the FIFA bundle provided by a GameStop employee in Norway.
Sony 'looking into' changing PS3's newly redesigned Friends list
This is not what the Friends list currently looks like. Firmware 3.00 brought many changes: some good, some bad. The good? The removal of the PS3 logo at a game's launch, which "makes the loading time a bit quicker than before." The bad? A few aesthetic changes, most notoriously the redesigned Friends list. Inexplicably, the latest software update added large gray boxes around each individual user ID, making for a cluttered look that simply didn't jive with the elegance of the XMB. SCEE's PS3 Brand Manager appeared on the EU PlayStation.Blog to admit that "updates to firmware don't always suit everyone's tastes."Thankfully, the Friends list is something Sony is "looking into based on your comments." Mark Bowles added, "We really do appreciate the feedback you guys give us, both positive and negative."Sony, may we recommend you take some inspiration from the mock-ups (seen above) created by Steven Shaw? The "box" idea works really well, when implemented correctly. Above, Shaw uses the box to highlight the selected user, and then takes advantage of the screen real estate to provide instant access to useful information. We're quite fond of his work -- you should definitely check out more.
SCEE Platinum line expands, includes Resistance 2, Killzone 2
The European budget line of "Platinum" titles has expanded quite significantly, adding four new titles for the low price of £19.99 / €29.99. The collection now includes Metal Gear Solid 4, MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, Resistance 2 and Killzone 2.We're a bit jealous of our European friends, as games rarely get the "Greatest Hits" label so soon. Killzone 2, for example, released just a little over six months ago. However, it makes sense to drop the price of these games, especially Killzone 2, so soon -- there are a lot of new PS3 owners out there, hungry to try out the system's greatest games.
You MAY have written part of this MAG trailer
Did you partake in SCEE's MAG contest? If so, you may find your "inspirational" words in this new trailer for MAG. PSN users colingb20, Aday111, shenmue360, BioEye, playmartelli, OwNii, Dark_Jester, Bandicoot1980, MoeRonimoe and Klixx were all selected to have excerpts from their "battlefield speeches" inserted into the background of this cinematic trailer. Their prize for winning the contest? An entry into the MAG beta -- something you can purchase with an annual subscription to Qore.
PS3 vs. Xbox 360: European install base tiff muddled by murky borders
Speaking to MCV, Microsoft EMEA VP Chris Lewis has proclaimed that Xbox 360's 9-million-plus European install base trumps PS3's recently projected 10-million-and-counting base. How is that possible, you ask? Simple. "We count installed base differently," Lewis explains. Of course!In fact, Lewis takes the counting contention one step further. "We're confident we are actually around a million units ahead," he claims. While we're fairly certain both parties stick to the traditional "1, 2, 3" ... and so on convention, we suspect Lewis is arguing over just which "European" territories are at stake in this numbers game. SCEE pools its population from Europe, Australiasia and other territories outside of Japan, the rest of Asia and North America. Microsoft EMEA combines figures from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.Kinda hard to wage a console war when the opposing sides are scurrying about different maps. So then, stalemate?
Sony Ericsson's 'Aino' is almost a PSP phone ... but not really
The long rumored PSP phone may still be far away (or never coming, for that matter), but at least Sony Ericsson plans on bringing some of the PSP's functionality to its "Aino" phone. Though the Aino won't feature UMD support (where have we heard that before?), it will allow for Remote Play functionality, essentially granting the phone remote, limited access to a linked PlayStation 3. Sony Ericsson's Lisa Canning told the Euro PS blog that the first Aino will be arriving "early October in the UK, with the rest of Europe to follow," though no release Stateside has been announced yet. Aside from the missing UMD playback ability, no indication is given whether or not it will support PSP Minis, but unfortunately no games can be played through the Aino's Remote Play functionality. We're still not sure if a PSP phone is ever going to come out -- we are sure, however, that we stopped holding our breath for one a long, long time ago.
LocoRoco: Midnight Carnival details bounce into our hearts
A recent PlayStation.Blog post confirmed a few suspicions we had after viewing the debut trailer for LocoRoco: Midnight Carnival. Primarily, the post addresses the game's new arcadey feel -- a side-effect from the implementation of "Boinging," the hyperactive bouncing that was prevalent in the aforementioned trailer. You can string your Boings together, boosting your score multiplier in a Stuntman: Ignition-esque fashion. Man, those are two games we never thought we'd be comparing.No release date or pricing details are mentioned in the post, but considering the game only contains 16 stages, two mini-games and three bonus stages, we're hoping it ends up being easy on the ol' pocketbook.
EyePet making your coffee table more adorable Nov. 17
Finally, we can attach a date to the exact moment kids across the world can stop begging for real-life, responsibility-mandating pets, and can instead fall in love with their virtual, responsibility-free counterparts. That is to say, we know the release date for Sony's EyePet -- it's set to drop November 17 in the States. If you've got a PlayStation Eye already, you can pick up the core game for $39.99 -- though an Eye-equipped bundle is also coming for $59.99.For a quick breakdown of what EyePet is all about, check out the recent PlayStation.Blog video posted after the break. Here's a quick summary: It's like Seaman, only way less creepy, and with a Monkey-esque thing instead of a Man-Fish, and also the Monkey-thing will never learn to speak and question you about your sex life. We hope.
Sony's Andrew House hints at more social networking for PS3
PlayStation Home not "social" enough for you? Fret not PS3 users (or soon-to-be PS3 users), 'cause Sony Computer Entertainment Europe head Andrew House has recently dropped a not so subtle hint that some more traditional social network features are on their way to the console. While he obviously didn't get too specific, House did tell the Financial Times that Sony has plans for more social networking features, and apparently wouldn't rule out a partnership with "popular sites such as Facebook," much like Microsoft has already announced for the Xbox 360. In PS3 price-cut news, House also noted that Sony is indeed aware that "consumers are watching their euros and pounds more carefully than before," but added that "it would not be fair to say this is a reaction to current market conditions." [Via Joystiq]
Sony spends £82 million in new European marketing campaign
£82 million. €94 million. $135 million. Any way you put it, that's a large amount of money. The new ad campaign, which focuses on the redesigned, slim PS3 and new PSN services, is the first major campaign from SCEE since the highly criticized "This is Living" campaign from the system's launch over two years ago.The first of the "Start" series of ads focuses solely on entertainment services offered on PS3, like VidZone and the included Blu-ray player. However, future ads will also talk about the bread and butter of the system: games. But before Sony continues with the campaign, we'd recommend the company fix its Google search recommendation. Right now, the ad ends telling viewers to search "PS3 Start." Unfortunately, this pops up as one of the first results for that search term. Ouch.
Amazon says PS3 Slim already facing supply shortages, Sony disagrees
Been holding off on that PS3 Slim pre-order, waiting for Sony to tell you that this whole PS2 backwards compatibility issue was just a big misunderstanding, and of course Sony will keep trying its best to reintroduce PS2 compatibility into the PS3? Well, you might want to rethink that strategy, cowboy, because Amazon is warning of "shortages of this product across the US." It's already limiting Slim sales to one per person, and has a more lax five-Slims-per-person strategy in the UK. Meanwhile, Sony in Europe is saying not to worry, since it has "trucks and trailers" of the new console already on the road . We just don't know who to believe these days, but if you're not prepared to wait past September 1st for a crack at the Slim, you've got some deciding to do. Read - GamesIndustry.biz Read - MVZ
EyePet bundled with camera for 50 euros
Those looking to introduce a pet into the household without worrying about all the feeding, grooming, and post-pee castigation will be pleased to hear that Sony has announced a European bundle deal for its inescapably adorable EyePet game. While the company has confirmed that the camera-enabled carefest will arrive in North America this year, it has yet to establish a price for that region. EyePet will launch for €49.99 (roughly $70), camera included, in Europe this holiday. We'll let you know as soon as we hear more or if we somehow manage to use the phrase "post-pee castigation" ever again.Update: Retailers are currently accepting pre-orders for the standalone game (sans PlayStation Eye camera), with a UK price set at £19.99.
Digital Reader brings comics to the PSP this December
After trotting out a mess of new information about PlayStation Home earlier today in Germany, SCEE prez Andrew House announced Sony's upcoming digital comics initiative on the PSP, the Digital Reader. According to House, Sony has worked out plans with Marvel to launch with "hundreds available, including the Marvel Comics stable." Additionally, the service will give PSP-owning comic fans access to Archie and Image comics. Unfortunately, he didn't specify if the service will be a free firmware upgrade to the existing PSP software or pricing for the comics themselves. But alas, GamesCom has just started! We'll poke around and see if we can get some more information as soon as the Sony press conference ends.
Live from Sony's GamesCom press conference
[12:14PM ET]: We're here, in Germany, waiting in a cocktail reception (read: holding pen) for Sony's much-anticipated GamesCom press conference to start. Keep this page live and we'll keep updating it. Ooh, snacks ... [12:33PM ET]: And we're inside the theater, have taken our seat, and are patiently waiting for things to start. We're sitting next to former Joystiqer Mr. Jem Alexander. He's asking, "Are you excited?" I'm saying, "I may be. Let's see the goods!"
Amazon.co.uk unveils EyePet box, bursting with cuteness
Our love for EyePet should be clear. Why? Not only does it take advantage of the Eye in unique and innovative ways, it is absolutely adorable. It looks like London Studios, responsible for SingStar, has another casual hit on its hands. European retailer amazon.co.uk has posted what looks like the official box art for EyePet, and it looks oh-so-inviting. The titular mascot has its paws pressed against the box, beckoning for you to play with it.Kotaku also points out that the box for this upcoming PS3 game looks rather different from other PS3 titles. Notice the lack of the PS3 banner on the left-hand side? The PlayStation Network is prominently featured, but were it not for the PS3 logo stitch atop the clear plastic, you'd be hard-pressed into noticing it was even for the PS3. Is this a subtle marketing change on SCEE's part, or is it something the online retailer is doing for what could be placeholder art?
LittleBigPlanet: Game of the Year edition coming Sep. 8, $59.99
Looks like the reports and retailer listings were accurate: LittleBigPlanet: Game of the Year Edition exists and it's coming to stores on September 8 for the same ol' $59.99 you can currently find the non-GOTY variant at. So what does your ... well, just your waiting get you above and beyond the existing release? Media Molecule has hand-picked 18 "extraordinary" level creators to each build a level "specifically for the GOTY edition." Not enough? Perhaps seven "packs" from the PlayStation Store – including the Metal Gear Solid Level Pack and Costumes Pack – would be enough to entice you? Says here that's "nearly a $30 value." Still not biting, eh? Lastly, a "limited supply" of LBP: GOTY discs will include a voucher granting you access to the ModNation Racers online beta, the next game in Sony's "Play, Create, Share" series. If you're still not convinced, we don't think the trailer after the break is going to change your mind, but we still think you should watch it. Sackboy ... he's just so cute.
