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SOCOM: Confrontation pricing, planned simultaneous worldwide release
After a minor delay, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation is heading over to store shelves and the PS Store on October 14th. The pricing scheme was also unveiled today, and it looks very similar to another PSN title, Warhawk: $59.99 Bundle Version -- Includes the game on Blu-ray, along with the newly designed Bluetooth headset, and some exclusive Behind the Scenes videos. $39.99 Stand Alone Version -- Includes the game on Blu-ray and nothing else. $39.99 via PlayStation Network -- Includes the game downloadable from the PSN and nothing else. Amazon also has a pre-order bonus of five downloadable music tracks -- the Bundle Version is here and the Stand Alone Version is here. No information on a release date outside of the US at this time, however, Sony's goal is to have a simultaneous worldwide release. For more on the game, check out our hands-on impressions. [Thanks, AlterEgo and David D.!] %Gallery-3193%
SOCOM: Confrontation priced: digital, retail, and headset bundle
Surprising approximately no one, the final prices for the various releases of the multiplayer-only SOCOM: Confrontation have been announced. Tearing a page (and pricing sheet) straight out of the Warhawk playbook, Confrontation is being offered in both digital and Blu-ray variants, with the latter being offered in both stand alone and bundle versions. Pricing for both the PlayStation Network download and the retail stand alone version is $39.99 while the retail bundle version – which includes the (rather attractive) PS3 Bluetooth headset along with "exclusive Behind the Scenes videos" – will be $20 more, at $59.99. No prices yet for the rest of the world, but Sony is aiming for a worldwide release of October 14th. Our magic eight-ball says we'll "most likely" hear a price before then. %Gallery-3180%
First real, tiny screen of Sony's 'Massive Action Game'
Here, in all its compressed glory, is the first actual screenshot of Sony and Zipper Interactive's 256-player MAG: Massive Action Game. We say "actual" because it was clear to anyone with eyes that Sony had pulled another Killzone 2 with the MAG video debuted during its pre-E3 press conference. In other words, it was all pre-rendered.MAG senior producer Rade Stojsavljevic posted the shot to the official PlayStation blog, calling it "a sneak peak from one of [Zipper's] internal play sessions." Stojsavljevic also said that the dev has used its experience working in online games with the SOCOM franchise to create an entirely new server architecture for MAG capable of supporting its, well, massive amount of players.
PSN first-party E3 screenshot roundup
Since we don't want you to be overwhelmed by the deluge of media emerging from E3, we've picked a bouquet of the best screenshots from Sony first-party PSN lineup, including luscious images from ex-seed expectations experience, Flower. Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty, PixelJunk Eden, Fat Princess, Siren: Blood Curse ... Which of these are you dying to download? %Gallery-27943%%Gallery-27947%
PlayStation-branded SOCOM Bluetooth headset spotted, touched, pictured
Remember that PlayStation-branded SOCOM Bluetooth headset we told you about a while ago? Not surprisingly, it's for real, and we spotted it in Sony's booth alongside SOCOM Confrontation here at E3. It looks to be a relatively nice unit, a bit bigger than your standard Bluetooth headset intended for phones, and the USB charger it comes with is clearly intended to hang out with your PS3. Sony points out that the headset sports a giant mute button for your in-game arguments with significant others, and battery time is promised to be "exceptional." They wouldn't tell us exactly how exceptional, but we'll believe them for now. Finally, they did confirm that you'll be able to pair this with your cellphone in case you want to show off your SOCOM love while away from your living room.%Gallery-27878%
Sony unveils 256-player MAG: Massive Action Game
At their E3 press conference today, Andy Beaudoin from Zipper Interactive (known for the SOCOM series) revealed a new project called MAG, short for Massive Action Game. The game will break up to 256 human players into eight-man squads fighting each other simultaneously in a total free-for-all. Characters will be able to advance their statistics as they play. More as we get it.
Confront the SOCOM: Confrontation trailer
Slant Six recently released a gameplay trailer for SOCOM: Confrontation, the series' maiden voyage onto Sony's current-gen home console. It looks faithful to the series' frantic, tactical roots on the PlayStation 2, though this trailer doesn't do a great job of showing off the game's new features and gameplay improvements. The graphics, though significantly gussied-up since its public unveiling last year, still could use a bit of polish -- though we'd be willing to sacrifice a bit of gussy for a steady framerate during the many 32-man multiplayer matches we'll be participating in. You can find out if it really does pay to be a winner when Confrontation drops on October 14.
Confirmed: SOCOM Confrontation gets one month delay
Our impressions of SOCOM Confrontation made it clear: the game needed some extra work. The hotly anticipated PSN game looked great in the alpha build that we played, but nagging issues like a stuttering framerate and random network problems, made us think a delay was for the best. Well, looks like the SOCOM team agrees.In a recent post on SOCOM.com, Seth Luisi notes that "Unfortunately, even working late into the nights and every weekend, we've had to re-evaluate our schedule. Our top priority is delivering the best SOCOM online experience possible. Tough decisions had to be made and we've decided to push back the release date to October 14th, 2008. We just had to face the facts and do what is best for the title. Rather than sacrifice features, quality and stability, we had to do the right thing and re-adjust our schedule.Obviously, this means those that are eagerly awaiting the beta (in addition to the final game) will have to be a little bit more patient. In the case of SOCOM Confrontation, we're confident that the delay will be worth it.
Retail hints at one-month SOCOM Confrontation delay
Could it be? Is another anticipated PS3 game getting a delay? Maybe. But don't sweat this one! Gamestop customers have been notified that their upcoming pre-orders for SOCOM Confrontation may be delayed a month. Originally scheduled for a September release, it appears that the Slant Six team is getting an extra month to polish the title. The new release date? October 14th.While this date has yet to be confirmed, we're told that the official SOCOM blog at SOCOM.com will update tomorrow with an official response. Stay tuned.[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]%Gallery-3193%
Gamestop says SOCOM: Confrontation delayed to Oct 14
Update: New release date confirmed.Last we heard in March, SOCOM: Confrontation was coming September 16 to PS3. If Gamestop is to be believed, that release date has been pushed back a month to October 14. We wouldn't be surprised if it was true, as our hands-on time with the game recently showed there was still a lot of work to be done. We've put in a call to developer Slant Six for an official response.%Gallery-3180%[Via PS Forums]
PlayStation-branded SOCOM Bluetooth headset revealed
Now that you've already picked up one of those Metal Gear Solid 4 headsets, what on Earth are you to do with another? We're hearing that the Blu-ray retail version of SOCOM Confrontation will indeed include a Bluetooth headset, and as you can clearly see above, it's a PlayStation-branded one at that. You'll also find a much needed mute button for keeping everyone else out of your whooping coughs, and a bundled USB cradle will keep it charged up when the battle subsides. As for pricing, that tidbit remains a mystery, but you can count on picking one up sans the game should you be so inclined. Head on down to the read link for a gallery of shots.[Via Joystiq]
SOCOM headset officially revealed
Click for high-resolution image. The Blu-ray retail version of SOCOM Confrontation will include a Bluetooth headset. However, expect something much classier than the one included in the Warhawk bundle so long ago. This one is made specifically with gaming in mind -- and as such, earns the official PlayStation branding. The headset, which will also be available seperately from the game, is designed for long use and even includes a much-needed Mute button, a feature uncommon to most Bluetooth headsets. The device will also include a USB cradle, so that it can be charged via the PS3.While neither the design and price have been completely finalized, Sony plans on pricing this quite competitively. From the looks of its quality, we believe Sony will charge more than what they did for Warhawk.%Gallery-26269%
Official PS3 Bluetooth headset revealed, bundled with SOCOM
click for gallery SOCOM Confrontation's retail release will include a Bluetooth headset, Sony reconfirmed today -- this time with pictures. While similar to the Jabra headset packaged inside Warhawk's box (and later removed), SOCOM's offering actually appears to be well-designed and, in fact, PlayStation-branded. Features include a prominent Mute button, USB charging cradle, and extended battery life. Sony has neither finalized the design nor priced a standalone model, but the SOCOM bundle is rumored to fetch $80. Gallery: Official PS3 Bluetooth Headset
PS3 Fanboy hands-on: SOCOM Confrontation
Click for high-resolution image. This is SOCOM. On the PS3. That's SOCOM Confrontation, put simply. It's somewhat strange to think that the team that brought us the incredibly innovative SOCOM Tactical Strike (PSP) is bringing us a game that feels so by-the-numbers. But for the hardcore SOCOM community, this is the game they've been waiting for. It's been years since the last major console SOCOM game, and Slant Six must offer a product that delivers all the thrills that fans of the franchise have come to expect. Rest assured, Confrontation delivers everything SOCOM fans have come to expect from the series, and expands upon the formula by adding massive 32-player matches and a fully-fleshed online community component.Many criticized the game when it made its public debut last year for having dated graphics. But, Slant Six had only worked on the game for 5 months when the initial screens were shown to the public. Since then, the game has made remarkable progress, and looks rather stunning. The lighting, heat blur, and smoke effects are all beautifully rendered -- and the scope of each of the game's seven levels is massive.%Gallery-3193%
Lord of the Rings, SOCOM vet launches Caffeinated Games
Greg Chudecke, an industry vet who's left his fingerprints on such franchises and games as SOCOM and Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring has launched his own indie studio called Caffeinated Games. Besides giving players a rapid heartbeat and the jitters, Caffeinated Games aims to not only create games, but also act as a social network for developers and gamers in general to interact as well. Comments the former Zipper and Black Label Games dev, "Our approach...is to make the games we want to play and then pitch those games directly to the gamers." The first such pitch is expected next week, with a timer on the site currently ticking down towards next Wednesday.
What? Qore grants late access to SOCOM beta? [Update]
Did you buy Qore solely for access to the SOCOM Confrontation beta? Well, looks like you might've bitten too early. A small comment on the SOCOM official website shows that Qore guarantees access into the beta ... but two weeks after the public beta launches. Wha? According to a comment by David Brothers, "Qore gives access to the public SOCOM beta two weeks after the public beta launches."Why would they delay beta access to Qore members? We're not entirely sure. However, there are other ways to go about getting access into the beta: "There are other ways to get into the public beta beforehand, like the upcoming preorder program, so don't worry about the ratio of non-SOCOM fans to SOCOM fanatics."These comments were made three days ago, so it's unclear if the beta's policies have changed since then. We're going to try and find out the latest word -- stay tuned.Update: Veronica Belmont has updated us: "If you buy the pre-order for SOCOM with the headset, and put $5 down for the beta, you'll get it a bit before ours (and that's depending on if everything ships as planned, too). They're not the same beta. Otherwise, our beta is still before anyone else will get it."[Thanks, Mike!]
American PC-Store releases for June 5th
We hope you like SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2, because if not then you're going to be very disappointed with today's update. There's the game itself, a trailer, two adverts, four wallpapers and five music tracks. That's a lot of content for a single game. Here's the full release list: SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2 ($15.99) (also downloadable via PS3) SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2 trailer SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2 TV Spot 1 SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2 TV Spot 2 SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2 Wallpaper (x4) SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2 music tracks (x5)
SOCOM Confrontation to include Bluetooth headset
A few months ago, we reported that SOCOM Confrontation will release in retail stores with a brand new Bluetooth headset for $60 -- it's a similar package to the one crafted for Warhawk, but this new headset will be officially PlayStation-branded. An e-mail about an upcoming SOCOM media event made quick mention of the device, confirming its existence, but offered no new details. We hope to get some pictures and some ears-on time with the new headset later this month.
SOCOM Confrontation: new screens showcase action, UI
Click for high-resolution image. Our coverage of Judge's Day games ends for now with the latest batch of SOCOM Confrontation screens. Here, you'll be able to see some more shots of the game in action. Heck, we even have images of the game's UI. Promising up to 32 players online, this PSN title looks to bring back everything players loved in the original game ... and then some.Like Warhawk before it, the game will release as both a downloadable and retail title, and will be supported through a number of DLC packs post-release. Considering how successful the SOCOM franchise was on PS2, we're pretty sure that there are going to be many, many people lining up to play Confrontation when it releases this summer fall.%Gallery-3193%
SOCOM Confrontation interview details SIXAXIS controls, maps
Another recent interview with David Seymour, design director for SOCOM Confrontation, sheds more light on the game and, in particular, on the game's SIXAXIS controls. The tilt capabilities will be used in "the old SOCOM lean," said Seymour. "[It] lets the player use cover in the environment in a very open way."For those new to SOCOM, the lean ability allows characters to stretch out behind their cover position and get a better shot at their target without exposing themselves to the enemy. Seymour explains, "By tilting the controller, you stretch your character up to full extension or lean him out or any combination of the two. So you can lean up and out just enough to clear the tip of your barrel, over the roof of a car, or to fire through a gap in a broken wall. Lastly, there is a "bailout" position that you access by tilting the controller down, causing your character to pull his head down for cover behind low objects." The SIXAXIS has a second function other than for leaning; it will be used to "roll, lob, or throw" grenades. To see the lean in action, check out the last minute of this video here.Also, some further details on the game's seven maps were also discussed. Five of these maps will be scalable with support for 8, 16, and 32 players while the other two only support 8 and 16 players. Four of the maps are all new, while three are classic remakes. If you're interested to read more about the interview, you can do so at IGN.
