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Skylanders iOS versions officially announced
We've known since the beginning that the enormously popular toy/video game combo of Activision's Skylanders would come to Apple's iOS platform at some point, and now here comes the official announcement that Skylanders fans are getting not one but two different iOS games to play. Skylanders Battlegrounds will be the game that most closely matches the current console versions: It'll be a more standard RPG/action game that will even pair up with a Bluetooth "portal," to let players connect their Skylanders toys up to the in-game action, just like on the PS3, Wii and Xbox versions. The portal will be available at retail stores sometime this November for US$49.99, along with three figures, a code for the downloadable iOS game and a "Platinum Treasure Chest" with codes to redeem for lots of in-app purchases. Even if you don't buy the portal, though, you'll still be able to pick up the game for a price "between $5 and $7" (probably) and play it without figures. But of course the big draw of Skylanders is this combination of physical toys and the digital titles: Players can level up their characters in the game, and then save that progress right onto the physical figurines. And Skylanders: Lost Islands is a free-to-play take on the universe that looks a lot like your standard freemium town-building game. That one is already in beta in Canada, which means it should be available very soon here in the US (possibly within the next few weeks or so). Lost Islands should also work with the buy-it-separately Bluetooth portal, but Activision will also be kicking off its own social network soon, called Activate, that will tie together all of players' little figure data through the cloud as well. Both of these games should be out by next month, and fans of Skylanders (or, more likely, their parents) will have yet another piece of the series to buy and play.
Sony pushing Blu-ray aspects of PlayStation 3 starter packs
Assembling bundles for consoles isn't something incredibly new to Sony, but on its latest selection of six PlayStation 3 starter packs, half of 'em are aimed squarely at the home theater crowd. The Fantasy, Adventure and Thriller packages all ditch extra controllers or AAA game releases to include a different Blu-ray movie, the PS3 remote and a paltry $10 savings. Given the sudden surge in attractiveness, we wouldn't be surprised one iota to see Sony continue to market the movie-playing aspects as Blu-ray awareness picks up.[Thanks, Chris]
Heavenly Sword to be bundled with French PS3
Sony has confirmed that the French will be getting a new "Starter Pack" for their PlayStation 3s starting Sept. 19 which will include Heavenly Sword and F1 Championship Edition. The rest of Europe can still take their Motorstorm, along with Resistance, and like it too! Speaking with GI.biz, Sony said, "The choice of which titles to include in the Starter Pack, and the freedom to change the titles is up to the individual markets based on their unique market conditions."Sony went on to confirm that this new pack will be introduced in France for the time being and will be available for the Heavenly Sword launch. Actually, it would be hilarious if Sony America ever introduced the Starter Pack in the States and started offering games to "individual markets based on their unique market conditions." One state gets Motorstorm, while another gets Heavenly Sword. We'd love to see how those determinations would be made.
Heavenly Sword + Formula 1 bundle confirmed ... for France
Kotaku, our friendly blogging neighbours, have solved The Case of the New PS3 Bundle. Contacting SCEE directly, they were able to determine that while the new Heavenly Sword plus Formula 1 bundle is real, it's only going to be available in France and will be released there on September 19th. SCEE also confirmed that each European market is able to set up their own starter pack deals, which is why this one is only available in France. No doubt we'll be seeing more of these bundles come out in various countries with different games in each. First one to release the Heavenly Sword + Warhawk pack wins.
Rumour: Sony to announce a Heavenly Sword + Formula 1 EU Starter Pack
We're classing this one as a rumour because we have no experience with NeoGAF user Robinspain's backstory. Regardless, the other NeoGAF users seem to have no qualms in believing him today when he revealed that Sony will be announcing a new PlayStation 3 Starter Pack in Europe. He even posted a nice promo image of the box, as you can see above. While the price remains the same (€599/£425) the contents of the box has changed to include an extra controller and the games Formula 1 and Heavenly Sword. Generally speaking, Heavenly Sword and Formula 1 appeal to completely different tastes. Perhaps this is Sony's way of making the console appeal to different members of the family. A Blu-Ray player for the dad, a racing game for the son and a woman-power adventure game for the daughter/mum? It screams of check-all-the-boxes, target-every-demographic marketing which, until games like Singstar are released, won't work too well.This is all moot, of course, as ever since the Starter Pack was released shortly after E3, stores have been soft-bundling different games with the PS3 at the Starter Pack price. It's no harder to pick up a PS3 with Genji and Ridge Racer than it is to get one with Motorstorm and Resistance at the same price. Lastly, you may have noticed that neither of the in-box games have two player split-screen, so why the extra controller? Remove F1 and stick in the Warhawk Blu-Ray disc and the bundle suddenly becomes far more worthwhile.
PS3 60GB are officially all out in the wild
PC World reports all the 60GB PS3s are out of the house and looking for a home. Sony's Dave Karraker confirms, "We no longer have any inventory in SCEA warehouses. All inventory has been purchased and shipped to retailers." So, if you still want a PS3 without limited backwards compatibility, here's your last chance. Once the 60GB sell out, that's all she wrote.Now, we have to ask, was it all a clearance sale or will the 80GB drop down to the $499 price once the channel is cleared? Karraker says, "We won't be making any further announcements ... until the 60GB model is exhausted and market conditions are evaluated." Place your bets if it'll be before or after the holiday. Whatever it takes to build that install base at this point.[Thanks Marcus]
PS3 Starter Pack is a "summer promotion"
A customer email from Sony may indicate that Australia isn't the only region to have an end date on the PS3 Starter Pack. People have been complaining directly to Sony that they missed out on two free games and a controller because they bought a system before the Starter Pack was released. In response, Sony replied with the following: "I was sorry to hear that you are dissatisfied with regards to the launch of the PlayStation 3 Starter Pack. I would like to take this opportunity to stress that this is a summer promotion and that due to the nature of this offer it will end on a predetermined date,"Despite this, Sony have reiterated to Gameindustry.biz that the Starter Pack will be available for the "foreseeable future." So which is it? Chances are, not even Sony really knows. This stinks of the 60GB "clearance sale" debacle. The question is, what happens once the Starter Pack "promotion" ends? With the Leipzig Games Convention happening just days before the August 31st Australian end date, we imagine there'll be an announcement of some sort made there. We dream of a time when buying a PS3 is a straightforward affair. When we don't have to worry about prices suddenly changing or promotions ending. Maybe one day ...
PAL starter pack in question
Gamasutra reports that there are conflicting signals about how much longer the PS3 Starter Pack will be offered in Europe and PAL territories. The Starter Pack was Sony's answer to Europe for them not receiving the US price drop. Questions revolve around why PAL territories would continue to have a 60GB model when we know that's being phased out and GameSpot Australia reports that their Starter Pack will be done Aug. 31. It also doesn't help that Sony sent emails to Euro PS3 owners who bought their consoles days before the Starter Pack was introduced were told that it was just a "a summer promotion." A SCEE spokesperson said to Gamasutra, "As far as the UK and Europe are concerned there is no time limit on the availability of the Starter Pack".If SCEE's David Reeve's promise of "fireworks" holds up then maybe there'll be some Sony Europe announcements at Leipzig. The Games Convention is Leipzig could be hiding a bunch of announcements for the European/PAL market. From what's going on with the PS3, to the deal with the no Xbox 360 price drop. Hopefully PAL territories will get some answers in a couple weeks.
PS3 Starter Pack confirmed for Europe - No price cut in sight
It looks like MaxConsole.net was right, SCEE has today revealed plans to launch the PlayStation 3 Starter Pack in Europe. The pack will be released on the 18th of July in the UK and will be available in all other European countries by the 1st of August. As a result of this the PlayStation 3 will not be seeing a price cut in Europe. The Starter Pack will sell for £425 in the UK and €599 elsewhere in Europe. These prices may seem familiar to you, as they haven't changed since the console's launch in March.The Starter Pack contains a 60GB PS3, two games and two controllers. The example used by Sony has Resistance and Motorstorm in the box but other packs will include different games from the launch line-up. We think it's a decent package, but are still disappointed by the lack of price drop. The price of the PS3 in the Starter Pack works out to about £310 or €430. Is this technically a 'price cut' of £115/$250? Let's pretend it is. Then we, as a continent, can start buying safe in the knowledge that we got a larger price cut than America.The problem still remains, however, that some people just can't afford it. It's not necessarily a matter of "won't", Sony. It's a matter of "can't".
