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PlayStation TV launches October 14th in US and Canada
Sony will be releasing its PlayStation TV here in the US and in Canada on October 14th. What's more, as it looks to get people amped up for it, the company also let it be known that the mini console is set to have nearly 700 playable games from day one, giving interested folks Stateside and in The Great White North something to look forward to come launch day. That amount of games, naturally, is made possible thanks to the PlayStation TV's flexibility -- it provides access to a variety of content in different ways, including through PS Vita titles, PlayStation Now and via Remote Play with a PlayStation 4. The PlayStation TV is going to be available for $99 (system-only), or you also have the option to get a $140 bundle which includes a DualShock 3 controller, 8GB memory card and The Lego Movie Videogame.
Sony's PlayStation TV is coming to Europe on November 14th
Microsoft's already taken the stage at Gamescom to show us what's next for Xbox, and now it is Sony's turn to do the same with PlayStation. Today, in Cologne, Germany, the Japanese outfit announced that its micro-console, the PlayStation TV, will be available in Europe starting November 14th. SCEE worldwide studios SVP Michael Denny said PlayStation TV, also known as PS Vita TV, is set to hit European shelves bundled with three digital games, priced at 99 euros. According to Sony's teaser video, which you can watch after the break, the titles included are OlliOlli, Velocity Ultra and Worms Revolution Extreme. The tiny streaming box was released in Japan on November 14th of last year, so it has taken Sony quite a while to bring it to The Old Continent. Earlier, Sony revealed it has now sold over 10 million PS4s to date, making it obvious that demand for the console hasn't slowed down a bit since its debut.
PlayStation TV coming to the UK this autumn for £85
You may have heard that Sony is finally launching the PlayStation TV (or Vita TV as it was previously known) outside of Japan. We know that the mini-console will be priced at $99/€99 in North America and Europe respectively, but we were left in the dark over how much it would cost in the UK. Until now. Eurogamer reports that when it arrives in the autumn, the PlayStation TV will retail for £84.99. That's a significant bump over the £60 (plus taxes) it would set you back if you went out to the US and bought one direct. To make matters worse, Sony won't offer UK customers the PS3 DualShock controller bundle like it does in the US and Asia. That said, it'll still mirror your PlayStation 4 screen and you'll still be able to play lots of Vita games, PlayStation games and stream video content, as well as music and video from Sony's own store.
Vita TV becomes PlayStation TV in the US, Europe and Canada for $99 this fall
The Vita TV is coming to America! It's just going to get a bit of an identity change first. Now the micro-console will be called PlayStation TV for North American and European audiences. The good news is that it will only be $99, while still giving you access to the library of PS Now games and the ability to remotely access titles on your local network. As we learned in our review, it's not a perfect device, but it's clear that Sony is investing in the platform... so there could be some significant improvements on the horizon. You'll be able to pick up the newly christened PlayStation TV this fall either as a standalone unit, or as part of a bundle with a DualShock 3 controller, 8GB memory card, an HDMI cable and a voucher for Lego: The Movie Videogame. Though, honestly, we assume if you're in the market for this streaming-only console, you have most of those things already.
Disney Infinity 2.0 announced for Vita, Vita TV
Amid the unveiling of PlayStation TV for the West, Sony slipped in that Disney Infinity 2.0 is coming to the Vita and its TV-connecting variant. Disney's second game in its new plastic-stuffed series is due to hit various PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox systems this fall.
Weekly Roundup: PlayStation Vita TV review, T-Mo's 'Mobile Money' and more!
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Daily Roundup: PlayStation Vita TV review, the future of Nokia featurephones and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Guerilla outlines Killzone Mercenary updates, two free maps next year
The PlayStation 4 and Killzone Shadow Fall may be out in the wild, but Guerrilla Games still has plans for several updates to Vita entry Killzone Mercenary. The European studio detailed four patches headed for the handheld shooter, including one that'll add two free multiplayer maps early in 2014. That's Update 5, and that patch will also add the offline Botzone mode that's appeared in other Killzone games. Updates 3 and 4 are due before it, the first in the next few weeks and the second some time in January. Update 3 will free up 800MB of precious Vita space by reducing the sizes of prior patches, while Update 4 will tweak matchmaking and automatic team re-balancing. Rounding things off is Update 6, which is due in the "early months of 2014," and offers the chief addition of Vita TV support.
PSA: PS Vita TV now available in Japan
Nearly lost in the chaos of the imminent PlayStation 4 launch is another Sony gadget, the PlayStation Vita TV, which made its Japanese debut today. The Vita TV serves double duty, both as a device for streaming media options such as Hulu to your television and also as a stationary Vita analogue. The Vita TV is said to support 1,300 games from the Vita, PSP and other, older Sony platforms, as well as support for the PS3's DualShock 3 controller. Though the selection of compatible titles is slated to grow over time, on debut, the system will support standouts like Persona 4 Golden and Lumines: Electronic Symphony. Further, the Vita TV will also support Remote Play with either PlayStation 3 titles that support it, or the upcoming PlayStation 4. You can find full technical specs on the Vita TV in our story on the device, or if you'd prefer moving pictures, YouTube user "RedSunGamerTV" offers an unboxing video. Currently, the Vita TV bears a price tag of ¥9,945 (about $100). Sony has yet to announce a Western release for the Vita TV, so if you plan to import one, expect to pay a bit more.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero raises $776k in funding campaign [Update]
WayForward's Kickstarter project for platformer Shantae: Half-Genie Hero ended today, raising a total of $776,084. The project's final amount was enough to push it past the developer's $700,000 "Costume Swap" stretch goal, which will offer players three more fully-animated outfits for use in the game. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero has players leaping through side-scrolling levels as series protagonist and belly-dancing genie Shantae, using her has a whip-like weapon and dancing to transform into other creatures. WayForward likens the series to that of Metroid and The Legend of Zelda, as it encourages exploration and puzzle-solving in order to see the adventure through to completion. Half-Genie Hero's journey is separated in chapters, each including new "subplots, friends and foes, a new Transformation to discover, puzzles to solve, hazards to overcome and a Boss to conquer." The game will launch on a number of platforms in August 2014: PS3, Xbox 360, Steam, PS Vita, Vita TV, Wii U and next-gen consoles PS4 and Xbox One. Update: WayForward added an update to its Kickstarter page, noting that it earned $35,878 from PayPal donors, bringing the total amount of funding to $811,962. It plans to keep its PayPal funding open, and pledges through that system remain eligible for the project's reward tiers.
Hands-on with the Vita TV at TGS 2013
Right now, the Vita TV has only been announced for Japan, China and South Korea, and that's a damn shame, at least for those of us over in the west. I was able to test out the little box's two main functions (big-screen Vita games and PS4 Remote Play) during last week's Tokyo Game Show kerfuffle, and the (approximately) $100 device did exactly what it says on the tin. My multiplayer Soul Sacrifice Delta session involved one Vita TV and three of the new Vita PCH-2000s, all networked together without any obvious complications. The game controlled well despite being co-opted onto a DualShock 3, ran smoothly and looked surprisingly good on the big screen. In fact, my repeated deaths at the hands of my own incompetence were the only discouraging part of the demonstration. The Vita TV's PlayStation 4 Remote Play functionality also works surprisingly well from a mechanical standpoint, and I can totally see owning a Vita TV as a PS4-centric media extender for a bedroom or office. There was no perceptible input lag and Knack ran smooth as a whistle, though it's worth pointing out that my test was under optimal conditions – real-world mileage likely varies. Still, what I saw of the Vita TV was very promising overall.
Sony 'very encouraged' by Western response to Vita TV
Sony is "very encouraged" by the Western response to its Vita TV, the device that will be capable of playing Vita games and streaming PS4 games, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Andrew House told Eurogamer on Friday. The Vita TV is currently only planned for release in Japan on November 14, with later releases reaching China and South Korea. House explained that Sony is launching the Vita TV in Japan first because "there is no existing competitor in the region for the device, whereas streaming media boxes in the West are more commonplace." In a separate interview, Sony Japan executive Masayasu Ito noted that the company would have to "watch the environment and identify what other services are available" before they decide to launch the Vita TV in the US or Europe. Until Sony makes their decision, you can take the pre-emptive route and see which Vita games are planned to be supported by the Vita TV. If it remains in Asia for eternity, however, well... there's always the Super Game Boy.
Vita TV not planned for US, EU market as yet; can 'technically' stream PS3 games
A round-table interview with Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Andrew House has filled in a few more details about the PlayStation Vita TV microconsole. Engadget's takeaway was that the little console could "technically" support PS3 titles through the same cloud-based streaming available to the PlayStation 4. That's not a stretch, since Vita TV can stream PS4 games, but it's the first we've heard of it. As for Vita TV's availability in other regions, the device will launch November 14 in Japan and then creep across to the Asian continent, with releases planned for China and South Korea. House says it's not planned for the US or European markets at this point. Sony recently released a Vita TV compatibility list, so have a look to determine which games are supported through it.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero coming if funded to Vita, Vita TV
WayForward will grant wishes for a Vita version of Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, but not just the regular version of the portable. If it meets its funding goal, the Kickstarter platformer will hair-whip its way onto Vita and the freshly unveiled Vita TV. In a Kickstarter update, WayForward said it had noted fans asking for Half-Genie Hero to appear on Vita in addition to the Xbox One, PS4, Wii U, PS3, Xbox 360, and Windows PC versions already detailed. However, the catalyst for the portable's addition was yesterday's Sony conference, and the reveal of Vita TV, a micro-console version of the handheld. Vita TV plugs into tellies and lets users play Vita games using a DualShock. "As it happens," reads WayForward's update, "The landscape of gaming has shifted somewhat today with Sony's Vita TV announcement. In response, we've decided to port wfEngine to Vita as part of our 'work-for-hire' business." That suggests we'll likely see more WayForward games on Vita and Vita TV, although the American studio hasn't announced anything yet. As for Half-Genie Hero, at the time of writing it's at just over $220,000 of its $400,000 goal, only a week or so after kicking off and with 24 days on the clock. Looks like the new Shantae is bound for plenty of systems.
Vita TV will support more than 100 PS Vita retail games at launch
Sony has released a preliminary compatibility list for its upcoming PlayStation Vita TV hardware, revealing the first round of Japanese retail software joining the platform's estimated 1,300-game lineup. Sony announced that Vita standouts like Persona 4: Golden, Soul Sacrifice and Lumines: Electronic Symphony will be supported at Vita TV's launch. Upcoming releases like Dangan-Ronpa 1-2 Reload, God Eater 2, and Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster are also compatible with Sony's DualShock 3-controlled console. Many games that require use of the Vita's dual touchscreens are notably absent from the list, however, including Gravity Rush, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and Virtue's Last Reward. While software updates could potentially add Vita TV compatibility to games that aren't currently listed, touchscreen-reliant games like DJMax Technika Tune are not likely to make the cut. The PlayStation Vita TV will launch in Japan on November 14.
PlayStation Vita TV puts Vita games on a TV, out in Japan on Nov. 14 [update: specs]
Sony Computer Entertainment Japan has revealed the PlayStation Vita TV, a miniature system that plays Vita games on the television. The Vita TV has slots for both Vita games and memory cards, allowing users to play games on their tellies with a DualShock 3. It'll support 1,300 games, including Vita, PSP, and other PlayStation offerings. Like the Vita, Vita TV will also support PS4 Remote Play through a future system update. Vita TV also enables streaming services such as Hulu. The PlayStation Vita TV will cost 9,954 yen including tax when it launches November 14 in Japan, that converting to around $100. There'll also be a bundle that includes a DualShock 3 controller and 8 GB Vita memory card for 14,994 yen after tax, or around $150. Update: Sony Computer Entertainment's press release provides some specs on Sony's littlest new device. The Vita TV comes in at 6.5cm by 10.5cm, and weighs just 110 grams. It connects to the TV via HDMI, supports Wi-Fi, and has an internal memory card of 1GB. Also, Vita TV can connect to two DualShocks at once, this functionality applied with PSOne games in mind. Full specs are below the break. Update 2: Our pals at Engadget have a great eyes-on gallery with Vita TV.
