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Sony launching MMO for PlayStation Home
Sony is adding an MMO to the ranks of games currently offered on PlayStation Home. Sodium One launches today and is a sci-fi themed game involving a variety of games and community events. Players will begin their experience in Sodium One with VICKIE, an NPC who is responsible for assigning quests. The first game is "Salt Shooter" (Are we sensing a theme here?), and sends you off in a tank to fight robots. Sony has adopted a pricing structure that is becoming increasingly familiar: free-to-play to a point, with the option to break out the credit card and purchase more in an a la carte system. You can play the first five levels free, and additional items are available for purchase to help you advance beyond that. The game launches today for PlayStation 3 owners who have a PlayStation Home account -- just look for the teleporter in the PlayStation Home Central Plaza and you're on your way.
How would you change Sony's PlayStation 3 Slim?
For the most part, we'd say that Sony addressed the concerns of many when it introduced the PlayStation 3 Slim. The console was smaller, cheaper and easier on the eyes, and of course the 120GB hard drive didn't hurt matters either. That said, we know that the redesign didn't please everyone, and we've heard more than a few PS3 diehards complain about the new design. If it were you designing a newer, less expensive PlayStation 3, what would you have done differently? Kept PS2 backwards compatibility? Colored it white? Added HD DVD support? Don't be scared to get a little crazy -- besides, they call that "innovation" in the corporate world.
Sony Ericsson Aino now Remote Playing with European PS3s
We know Sony Ericsson's PS3-lovin' Aino would be hitting European shelves at some point during the month, and now Sony itself has stepped forward to confirm that the handset is on sale. We're hearing that it's selling for £399.99 ($639) sans a contract, and just in case you're wondering why you and your PlayStation 3 should care, the Aino is capable of turning your console on and off, browsing the XMB user interface, accessing DRM-free content on the HDD, shopping for items in the PS3 Store and watching live TV via PlayTV. Hit up the read link for all the nitty-gritty, and be sure to hit your British friend up if you're stuck yearning here in the States.[Via Joystiq]
Video: Sony's Vision Library for PlayStation Eye recognizes faces, creates nightmarish human-cow hybrids
What's this, another fun tech demo from Sony? Just a few days ago we got a glimpse of the PS3VR library, which allows seamless zooming from far away to very, very close indeed. The company also showed off voice recognition tech and it's now applying the same idea to the PlayStation Eye, fulfilling earlier promises of advanced facial recognition for the PS3. It's called the Vision Library and, once a face has been analyzed, the machine can tell it apart from others, determine orientation, identify gender, tell what expression that face is... expressing, and then superimpose some big-eyed anime head right on top of it real-time. We fear this might take some of the fun out of cosplay night, but could make life rather more interesting for freaks with bovine fetishes. See for yourself after the break.
74 percent of PS3 owners have watched a Blu-ray, but how many have watched two?
Sony may be working to expand the perception of the PS3 as a media powerhouse with half-hearted bundles and new advertising campaigns, but according to SCEA Director of PlayStation Network Operations Eric Lempel, it's already doing quite well in that department. He indicates that 74 percent of all PS3 users have "spent some time" watching Blu-ray movies, with barely a quarter left shunning the machine's high-def creds. Of course, the real question for Sony's sake is how many have gone ahead and purchased some of those fancy discs, a stat that Lempel doesn't share, but regardless we have to think it's time for Sony to stop putting tedious advertisements for Blu-ray players at the beginning of its Blu-ray discs -- we've already got one, you see? It's very nice![Via Joystiq]
Survey finds Xbox 360 is played five times as often as Wii, five times more likely to fail than PS3
Ready for some numbers this morning? Some scary, scary numbers for Xbox 360 gamers? Game Informer, current king of the smoldering ruins of the print gaming magazine empire, polled about 5,000 of its readers to get a feel for their gaming experiences, including just how many of them had unlocked the fabled "Red Ring of Death" achievement. We'd heard estimates ranging from 16 to 30 percent, but even the most pessimistic guesses don't line up with the survey's findings of a staggeringly high 54.2 percent failure rate. That's five times higher than the PS3's 10.6 percent, with the Wii coming in at 6.8 percent. Mind you, the Xbox 360 was the most played console, with over 40 percent of Xbox gamers button mashing for three to five hours a day, compared to 37 percent of PS3 gamers, and less than an hour's worth of gaming per day for 41.4 percent of Wii owners. However, game consoles should be designed to shrug off marathon sessions and just keep on spewing polygons, something that the first revisions of Microsoft's baby obviously couldn't manage. That said, there are some problems with this survey; as far as we can tell there was no verification made that respondents actually own the consoles that they indicated they did, and we all know how people like having fun at Microsoft's expense. Also, the survey was naturally only of readers of the magazine itself, who don't necessarily line up with the gaming world at large. But, it's impossible to deny there's truth in these numbers. Indeed, it's hard not to think they're too low, as you'll be hard-pressed to find an original Xbox 360 that hasn't thrown up the three-light salute. Even so, there's nothing to be proud of in Sony's 10.6 percent failure rate, or even Nintendo's 6.8, particularly given that system's relative lack of attention. All are much higher than the three percent most consumer electronics companies strive for -- and that Microsoft initially (incorrectly) claimed its console was managing. [Via TG Daily, The Consumerist]
Sony timing its PS3 price cut to roll with Madden, homework?
Sony showed us a lot of things at this year's E3 -- some expected, some rather less-so -- but they didn't show us the primary thing shareholders and fans were hoping for: a price cut. That most expensive of gaming consoles still retains its lead in the brutal MSRP wars, but a Sterne Agee analyst indicates that Sony is just biding its time. According to the always accurate "industry sources," the PS3 will receive a $100 drop sometime in the middle of August, just in time for the launch of Madden NFL 10. That would also coincide with back to school shopping, apparently a popular time for buying consoles by parents who want to give their kids every chance in the world to fail thanks to spending too much time robbing graves in Uncharted.
The mysterious case of the non-existent white DualShock 3 controller
For over a year you've had Sony's blessing to cradle a black DualShock 3 in your twitchy little fingers, and though that matte covering makes for a perfect primer base should you care to go the RustOleum rattle-can route, that's still the only color Sony has approved for the US. It's the only color, Sony repeats, even when presented with the image above, which pretty clearly shows a white DualShock 3 safely encapsulated within North American, bi-lingual packaging -- and a Walmart receipt to boot. Sony's specific response was: "We have no plans to release a white Dualshock 3." That means either someone carefully sealed an imported gamepad into a domestic package, or this was one of those unplanned releases. Something else to look forward to at E3? Oh youbetcha.Update: Commenter Four More Beers looked up the UPC and, go figure, it points to the classic black model on Walmart's site. So, proven hoax, or does Sony also not have any plans to release new UPC codes?
PlayStation 3 motion-sensing controller to be shown off at E3?
It's now just over a month before Sony's E3 press event and already the rumor mill is aflutter with what the comapny's planning to debut on stage. We've already heard about PSP's apparent makeover, and now comes word from Variety that the PlayStation 3's oft-rumored motion sensing controller, closer in the vein of the Wii remote than of its relative-positioning Sixaxis pad, will be getting some time on stage. A source from Kombo late last month suggested key third-party developers have already been brought up to speed and asked to implement the functionality into their upcoming titles. Like we said, this isn't the first time we've been down this road, and it's not happened infinitely more times than has, so... take that as you will. Brace yourself, this is only the beginning of the of a flurry of game-related murmurs and speculation in the leadup to next month's conference. Read - Variety Read - Kombo
Special Edition Advent Children PlayStation 3 unboxed in all its matte glory
There's a lot to love about the special edition 160GB Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete Cloud Black PlayStation 3 bundle that was unleashed this week in Japan -- a fancy Strife Wolf emblem, a copy of Advent Children Complete on Blu-ray, and a Final Fantasy XIII demo you can't play anywhere else -- but perhaps our favorite part is the console's matte finish. For us, a smudge-resistant PS3 is well worth the 49,980 yen (US $505) price of admission. 1UP has the unboxing, hit up the read link for more pics.[Via Joystiq]
Netflix on the lookout for gaming platforms engineering guru
We've heard whispers of Netflix heading to other, non-Xbox 360 game consoles before, and now adding to the susurrus is a job listing from the company for Engineering Lead - Gaming Platforms. The description calls for someone familiar with the technical hurdles of current-gen consoles for building a small team to "rapidly prototype and iterate on a variety of platforms." Whether or not this means we'll be seeing PlayStation 3 or Wii services in the near (or even distant) future is anyone's guess, but with Microsoft's version so far a streaming success, we wouldn't be surprised if the company took a few steps to increase the probability that 3 billionth delivered flick is digital.[Via Joystiq]
PlayStation 3 overtakes Wii in Japan, now about twice in a blue moon
With all the doom and gloom stories we've seen about PlayStation 3 getting beat by Nintendo Wii, it's refreshing to have some good news for a change. For the first time in 16 months, Sony's console managed to best its motion-controlled competitor, 146,948 to 99,335 this past March in Japan, according to gaming research group / Famitsu publisher Enterbrain. The sales are undoubtedly helped by PS3 heavy-hitters Yakuza 3 and Resident Evil 5 debuting last month, and at this point we don't expect the trend to continue, but for now Sony, enjoy your victory and bask in the knowledge that you're still totally kicking Xbox 360's rear in your home country.
PS3 2.70 firmware adds in-game text chat, video backup
Sony's just released the details for its upcoming PlayStation 3 2.70 firmware update, and while it's nothing that'll knock your socks off, they are some goodies here to look forward to. Additions include text chat for letting you make the best of that new Wireless Keypad -- or some other physical / on-screen keyboard -- with up to fifteen online friends and / or three chat rooms, in-game or out. Speaking of online friends, those can now be sorted by online status to see who most recently logged on, and the file attachment size cap has been upped from 1MB to 3MB. Additionally, you can now back up your PS Store video purchases to an external drive and restore later for playback, and similarly your PSP video purchases can now be transferred to PS3 for a larger-screen experience. No word on the release date for now, but in the meantime, check out video demonstration after the break.Update: Well that was fast. Firmware's available now, let us know what you think.
Sony: 'no plans' for a PS3 price cut
That PlayStation 3 price drop rumored to be coming tomorrow? Not happening, according to Sony. In a statement given to Joystiq, SCEA public relations manager Al De Leon says, "we do not have plans for a PS3 price drop, and any rumors to that effect are false and are the result of speculation." Although we wouldn't put it past the company to deny it up until the second before an official announcement, we seriously doubt Sony would announce any sort of price cut on the day it's most likely to get drowned out by fake PSP2 mockups. No word on that speculated $100 PS2, but we wouldn't get our hopes up here, either.
Analyst: PS3 price cut could happen very soon
According to Janco analyst Mike Hickey, Sony could be set to announce a new, lower price point for the PS3 in the next few days. He says Sony needs to slash $100 off the price of the console to "effectively restart unit velocity at retail." He sees this cut taking effect in "April or by June at the latest." Without the cut, he predicts PS3 sales will continue to steadily decline.There's also speculation regarding a potential Blu-ray-less PS3, which would "enable them to make the aforementioned hardware price reduction," though that sounds kind of ridiculous. Without all of that Blu-ray goodness, how are you supposed to play any software on the thing? It's not like people will go running out to buy a cheaper PS3 that will only play PS2, PSOne and PSN games, after all.[Via Yahoo Tech]
Sony goes Cloud-hopping with Final Fantasy VII edition PS3
Like some greedy vampire that just won't rest, Final Fantasy VII keeps coming back again and again to suck the contents out of your wallets. Its latest incarnation is a re-release of Advent Children, and Sony's getting in on the game with yet another special edition console to celebrate it. The upgraded movie is said to boast 30 more minutes of gratuitous high-res animation action while the new PS3 features a 160GB HDD and a matte "Cloud Black" paint job with Cloud's Strike Strife Wolf emblem engraved (or at least appliqued) on top. The bundle with the movie (including a demo of Final Fantasy XIII) will sell for about $550 in Japan when it releases next month -- naturally there was no mention of a US release.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
PlayStation 3 used to hack SSL, Xbox used to play Boogie Bunnies
Between the juvenile delinquent hordes of PlayStation Home and some lackluster holiday figures, the PlayStation has been sort of a bummer lately, for reasons that have nothing to do with its raison d'etre -- gaming. That doesn't mean that the machine is anything less than a powerhouse -- as was made clear today when a group of hackers announced that they'd beaten SSL, using a cluster of 200 PS3s. By exploiting a flaw in the MD5 cryptographic algorithm (used in certain digital signatures and certificates), the group managed to create a rogue Certification Authority (CA) which allows them to create their own SSL certificates -- meaning those authenticated web sites you're visiting could be counterfeit, and you'd have no way of knowing. Sure, this is all pretty obscure stuff, and the kids who managed the hack said it would take others at least six months to replicate the procedure, but eventually vendors are going to have to upgrade all their CAs to use a more robust algorithm. It is assumed that the Wii could perform the operation just as well, if the hackers had enough room to spread out all their Balance Boards.[Via ZD Net]
PS3 gamer overcomes disability with custom controller, triumphs in l33t3st way imaginable
Yeah, we here at Engadget are hardened cynics -- our cold, black hearts have closed off to all but the most extraordinary tech-related stories, and we don't talk about the triumph of the human spirit a lot, but PlayStation 3 forum user KitsuneYume has us stepping outside our usual box today. With the help of an engineer, he made an "adaptive controller" that allows him to game with the pros despite serious disabilities. 20 out of 25 functions are accounted for by the system, and he uses his fingers, toes, and even his tongue to play -- your regular, everyday controller mod it ain't. The creator said he uploaded the pictures to make sure folks who might need it are aware the technology exists, as he contacted Sony a while back and they weren't able to tell him where to look. We hope this helps gets the word out, because we think everyone should have and chance to lie, cheat, and steal their way through Fallout 3.[Thanks, Jason]
Wii off to a flying start in Oz
The Wii is off to a healthy start down under, having shifted 80,000 units in its first five months of release. That's 0.4% of the Australian population, for those of you who lie awake at night wondering about such things. Looks like those pre-order bonuses paid off.The Xbox 360 has sold 160,000 units but has been out for more than a year. Things look less rosy for Sony, who's PS3 has the unfortunate luck of being stuck with a $1,000 dollar price tag and has people thinking twice about buying it, with just 36,000 units shifted.[Via Go Nintendo]
Market research could have improved PS3's image
Few people hate Sony as a company; it is just the PS3 -- as well as the DRM and exploding batteries -- that pull the brunt of the ire. In fact, many of their other products are beloved by consumers worldwide and aren't decried by the media. The biggest reason is Sony's Electronic Division's strong consumer research practices. Sony's television and digital camera lines garner much consumer approval. This is helped in part by the creation of focus groups and people who actually listen to customer feedback. For example, when developing the Mylo device (a handheld WiFi device that allows chat-functions, Internet connectivity, music and a full QWERTY keyboard) they sent 850 of the devices out to determine the who, what, where, when, why and how the product would be used and made changes around the feedback gained; as such, the Mylo is poised to be another well-received Sony product. The PS3 is a device that appears to have been developed in a vacuum; one where only the engineers built what they thought was the ultimate console. This is shown by the general user unfriendly environment the PS3 has built; symptoms of which are seen in major media publications. While most of the problems can easily be fixed with firmware upgrades over time, there are still aspects that cannot be fixed -- such as the lack of a scaler chip to allow for a simple one-and-done resolution setting when using various features -- without angering earlier adopters or alienating customers with confusing redesigns so early in the life-cycle. How different would the PS3 be today if the PlayStation Division took the same consumer research approach the Electronics Division does?
