PlayStation

NFL Sunday Ticket Comes to the PS3 via DirecTV

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 17, 2011 | 1 comment

Just shortly after posting our take on the PlayStation 3 price drop, Sony and DirecTV announced a new partnership which will bring the popular NFL Sunday Ticket to the PS3. Those who subscribe to the DirecTV package will be able to add their PS3 for an additional $50 which, in turn, will turn your PS3 into an additional DVR for the house. The $50 charge, which is part of DirecTV’s Ticket To-Go, will also give you access to NFL Sunday Ticket on other mobile devices and is a DirecTV charge, not a Sony charge. This great package offers:

Up to 14 NFL games every Sunday
Full HD for every football game
DIRECTV’s Red Zone Channel

For those who don’t own DirecTV but would like access to this package, DirecTV has a deal for you as well. For $339.95, the entire NFL Sunday Ticket can be yours and accessed via your PS3 with no DirecTV subscription or DVR needed. This also means that you can now place your PlayStation 3 in any part of your house and access NFL Sunday Ticket with just a broadband connection. Expect a free app for download while a Fall release and pre-NFL start date is expected.

[Via PlayStation Blog]

PlayStation 3 Drops to $249. What This Means For You

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 17, 2011 | 20 comments

Yesterday, during Sony’s PlayStation press conference at gamecom, Sony pulled the rug from underneath the press in the best way possible and announced a price drop for the PlayStation 3. The PS3, which till now has been selling at $299, can now be purchased for $249, effective immediately. This of course makes the PS3 160GB the most affordable that it has ever been while the bigger brother, 320GB unit which had previously gone for $349 has now dropped to $299. That’s not all though; for a limited time, Sony will also produce a 320GB PlayStation 3 package which will include inFamous 2 and a 30-day PlayStation Plus membership for $299, which should be pretty popular this holiday season. So what does this mean for you, the gamers and media junkies out there? Quite a lot, actually.

With the PS3 being at its most affordable price point ever, this means that consumers can once again get the best Blu-ray player out in the market for a low price. Even though the PS3 is now 5 years old, it’s still the unit to beat as Sony continues to pump new features and updates via their free system updates. Some highlights of the PS3’s Blu-ray capabilities include:

Full 1080p
Full 1080p 3D Movies
DVD Upscaling
BD Live Functionality
LPCM 7.1ch, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS-HD, AACD

This alone puts the PS3 at the center stage of a home theater but there is a ton more for the media junkie in you. Sony knows that DVDs and Blu-ray films can bring only so muchto your home theater experience and that streaming is a big part of everybody’s lives today. Because of this, the PS3 also features an array of streaming services from all the popular providers with unique apps, designed to give you the best experience possible. Which apps can be had for your streaming pleasure?

PlayStation Store (you can both buy and rent movies/tv shows which can also be transferred to the PSP or PS Vita)(2D and 3D movies)
Netflix
Hulu Plus
Vudoo (2D and 3D movies)
MLB.TV
NHL Game Center
NFL Sunday Ticket
BBC iPlayer (Europe)
LoveFilms (Europe)
Qriocity Movies (Coming Soon)
Qriocity Music Unlimited

If that’s not enough for you, rumors even peg Best Buy and Amazon’s streaming service for the PS3 at some point. For you server junkies, the PS3 can also access any home server in the household and stream your videos directly to your television. But if you’re like me and just watched an Indiana Jones flick and now have an itching fever to live the life of Indy, then the PS3 again has your back with the biggest game exclusives ever. Just to give you an idea of what is in store for PS3 users, the following list will revolve around a 14-month time table.

Gran Turismo 5 (3D)
LittleBigPlanet 2 (3D, Move)
SOCOM 4 (3D, Move)
Killzone 3 (3D, Move)
MLB: The Show (3D, Move)
inFamous 2 (3D)
MotorStorm: Apocalypse (3D, Move)
Dead Nation
DC Universe Online
Resistance 3 (3D, Move)
Journey
Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One (3D, Move)
Uncharted 3 (3D)
Twisted Metal

With free online games and PlayStation Store access, PlayStation Home community, trophies, web browser (yes, it could be better but who knows what updates await us), digital camera support to display your 2D/3D photos, PlayStation Move, PSP and PS Vita compatibility, and more, it’s easy to see why those who purchased the PS3 at $599 five years ago got an ever-expanding machine that has continued to offer them new features with the changing times while anybody who is getting a new unit for $249 is simply getting a bargain. So no matter if you are a gamer or a media junkie, the PS3 is the de facto machine that should be centered in your home theater room, bedroom or dorm room and with the next system update, who knows what Sony might add.

Update:

As soon as this article went out, Sony just announced a new partnership with DirecTV which will bring their NFL Sunday Ticket to the PS3.

PlayStation Store Update (08-16-11)

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 17, 2011 | 60 comments

You might have noticed that Tuesday came by and even ended for you but a PlayStation Store update never came. It in fact did go live on Tuesday, depending on your time zone but nearly towards the end of the night. However, with all the exciting PlayStation announcements like Resistance: Burning Skies for PS Vita and a PlayStation 3 price drop to $249, you can excuse the folks at PlayStation for being a tad busy. So what do you have to look forward to this week? Here are some of our top picks:

Qore (Free for all)
LittleBigPlanet 2 Toy Story 2 Costume Pack ($5.99)
inFAMOUS 2 – Various add ons and packs (x15) ($0.99 – $2.99)
Driver: San Francisco – Multiplayer Demo
Section 8: Prejudice (Free PS3 Theme)
BREATH OF FIRE IV ($5.99)

Hit the jump as always to find the full PlayStation Store update listings.

Sony Announces Resistance: Burning Skies For Vita

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 16, 2011 | 14 comments

Sony announced Resistance: Burning Skies for the PlayStation Vita at their Gamescom conference earlier today.

Developed by Nihilistic, developers of the critically acclaimed Vampire: The Masquerade, Burning Skies acts as a prequel to the events of Resistance 2. Burning Skies casts players as Tom Reilly, a New York Firefighter caught in the midst of the Chimeran invasion of the United States. Hit the jump for more on Resistance: Burning Skies for the PlayStation Vita.

Child Of Eden To Feature PS Move and 3D Functionality

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 16, 2011 | 7 comments

The critically-acclaimed Child of Eden is finally coming to the PlayStation 3 next month and will feature PlayStation Move motion control as well as 3D functionality.

Child of Eden is a unique multisensory shooter that engages the player with trippy visuals and audio. Child of Eden was released on the Xbox 360 in June but only sold a meager amount. It seems players were confused by the game’s advertising and believed that the game was only for Kinect, when really they could also play the game with a standard Xbox 360 controller.

It looks like Q Entertainment has learned from that marketing gaffe and is now advertising the PS3 version as “Move-compatible” which most PlayStation owners understand to mean “can be played with or without PlayStation Move.”

Child of Eden comes to the PlayStation 3 on September 27, 2011.

PS3 BBC iPlayer Redesigned And Ready To Go

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 12, 2011 | 7 comments

The newly re-designed BBC iPlayer will be available for PlayStation 3’s soon.

The new design looks to be more TV and large monitor-friendly similar to that of Youtube XL’s PS3 functionality. That means it will be easier to see and access content as compared to older designs which were geared more towards a PC, Mouse, and keyboard setup.

Some additional features include:

Uses HTML5 on PS3
Improved search functionality
Favorites function
Easier-to-use graphical user interface.

On-demand television and movies have been on the rise with big media and television conglomerates rushing their own products in order to compete with companies like Netflix (who has a set, cheap monthly price for unlimited viewing), and BBC (whose iPlayer can be watched for free since its not allowed to charge for shows), VUDU, and HULU.

DISCUSS:

Will you use the new BBC iPlayer when it launches on the PlayStation 3? Which of the streaming services available do you use the most?

Or, do you download movies and shows from the PlayStation Network Video Store?

[Via BBC]

Gamestop Adding Resistance 3 To PlayStation 3D Display Bundle

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 12, 2011 | 39 comments

A few days ago, we reported that Sony has dropped Resistance 3 from its PlayStation 3DTV bundle, and replacing it with MotorStorm: Apocalypse. It seems fans looking forward to the bundle weren’t too happy with the sudden switch and started complaining on forums, blogs, and social media sites all over the web.

Well, it looks like Gamestop has heard fan complaints and have added Resistance 3 as a bonus item when players pre-order the PlayStation 3DTV bundle online and from their stores.

PlayStation 3DTV Specifications:

Simulview Technology delivers individual full HD screen visuals to each player in two-player mode.
(Requires two 3D glasses in order to work.)
Connects to the PS3, cable TV boxes, and PC’s and can play all 3D content.
24″ design for smaller entertainment spaces.
Built-in speakers and subwoofer for higher quality surround sound.

Gamestop’s PlayStation 3D Display Bundle includes:

24″ 3D HDTV
HDMI Cable
Universal PlayStation 3D Glasses
MotorStorm: Apocalypse (3D and PS Move Compatible)
Resistance 3 (3D and PS Move Compatible)

So now, not only are players getting the intense, edge-of-your-seat MotorStorm: Apocalypse, they will also receive the much anticipated exclusive in Resistance 3 for free.

The PlayStation 3D Display (and bundles) releases on November 26, 2011.

[Via Gamestop]

PlayStation 3 System Update 3.7 Video Walkthrough

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 11, 2011 | 8 comments

Just a little over a day ago, Sony released the PlayStation 3 System Update 3.7, adding user requested features such as auto trophy sync and auto game saves to the cloud. In addition, 3D Blu-ray playback got a bump while recommendations to friends has made its way to the PlayStation Store. Below is our video walk through which will take you over the installation, as well as where and how to activate some of the features mentioned.

Assassin’s Creed Revelations Multiplayer Beta Exclusive to PSN Plus

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 10, 2011 | 2 comments

Ubisoft announced today that the Assassin’s Creed: Revelations multiplayer beta is coming exclusively to PS3. Of course, only PSN Plus subscribers get to play the beta when it hits the service on September 3rd. Hit the jump to learn more about the characters, maps, and modes made available for the Assassin’s Creed: Revelations Beta.

PS3 System Update 3.7 Detailed (Update: Now Live)

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 9, 2011 | 21 comments

Sony has finally released details on the upcoming system update 3.7 for the PS3. The update brings a number of new interesting features to the system; automatic trophy sync to player’s online profile as well as the enabling of automatic cloud game saves.

One thing of note is that the features discussed above are exclusive to PlayStation Plus subscribers.

To regular, non-PS Plus users, a new feature allows everyone to share their recommended videos, DLC’s, games, demos, and more to people on their friends list. In addition, players can now send a message with a link to the recommended item for download.

Other additional functions to be added through system update 3.7:

New category on XMB called TV/Video Services (Containing Netflix, HULU Plus, and VUDU)
Additional folder within TV/Video Services called “My Channels” for easier access to downloaded apps

And for users who watch 3D Blu-Ray movies on their PS3’s:

3D support available when a user accesses Java-based special features within the Blu-Ray Disc
DTS-HD MA, DTS-HD HR decoding/bit stream output (or lossless audio) now supported when playing Blu-Ray movies.
3D digital photos (MPO) now available to be viewed in 3d using the Photo Gallery app.

There has been no firm release date announced. Sony has only said that the system update will be coming “soon.”
Stay tuned to SonyRumors for more information on additional features and applications once the firmware goes live.

Update:

View our video walkthrough of the PlayStation 3 System Update 3.7.

DISCUSS:

What features and/or applications would you want to see added to the PS3 on the next firmware update?

[Via PlayStation Blog]

PlayStation Store Update (08-09-11)

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 9, 2011 | 158 comments

With looters running around wild in London and the stock market taking a nose dive in the US, this week might be better spent at home gaming then going outside and facing all the crazies. This week’s PlayStation Store update note worthy titles include:

Fry Cry 2
PlayStation PLAY
LittleBigPlanet 2 Perseids costume (Free)
Mortal Kombat – Freddy Kreuger ($4.99)
Pulse 8/9 Edition

As always, hit the jump for a full breakdown of this weeks PlayStation Store update.

Sony Under Pressure To Cut PS Vita Price

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 8, 2011 | 17 comments

Sony is under much pressure from analysts as well as the gaming public to cut the PlayStation Vita’s price in order to compete with Nintendo’s 3DS as well as the expanding mobile gaming market. Even at a stunning $250 price point, many gamers believe that the next-generation portable gaming system is still too expensive.

Nintendo cut its 3DS gaming system’s price to a low $169.99 a few months after its release. It seems the mobile gaming market is getting more and more competitive with Andriod- and iOS-handhelds selling more games at cheaper price points.

Bloomberg reported that Ace Securities analyst Hideki Yasuda believes that if Sony does not drop the price of its upcoming PS Vita, it could result in failure for the system.

“Gamers are increasingly anticipating Sony to lower prices, especially after the 3DS cut; Sony is under major pressure to cut the price of the Vita or risk a major failure.”

Despite all that, The Chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment Kaz Hirai stated last week that the PlayStation Vita will stay its course and will not drop lower its price point.

DISCUSS:

Do you think Sony should initiate a PS Vita price cut in order to compete with the Nintendo 3DS and the broader mobile gaming market?

[Via Bloomberg]

Sony: PSN PLAY Offering Games With Free DLC Bonuses

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 6, 2011 | 5 comments

Sony announced yesterday that they will be starting a new PlayStation Network event this summer. PSN PLAY is a yearly-purchase program akin to Microsoft’s Xbox Live Summer of Arcade. A total of four games are featured with one releasing per week. Purchase of a game comes with additional free DLC as well as a PS3 theme (if you pre-order by the Thursday before each game’s release). Hit the jump to learn more about PSN Play.

It Only Does Everything – A Look at Sony’s Ad Campaign

by Jan Hutchings | Aug 6, 2011 | 1 comment

INTRODUCTION

The end of 2006 marked the arrival of the PlayStation 3, Sony’s entrance into the next generation of video game consoles. The last generation console war saw the PlayStation 2 as the clear winner with over 150 million units sold worldwide. With this success, Sony appeared to be arrogant and refocused their branding and advertising campaigns.

In order to hype up potential buyers, Sony’s $150 million advertising campaign focused on how “out of this world” the new console is and will be, going as far as creating TV ads that confused rather than informed customers about the benefits of the new console. Sony then began placing the PS3 as a high-end machine, one that would cost $600; making it one of the most expensive game consoles ever released.

PlayStation 3D Display Drops Resistance 3 for MotorStorm: Apocalypse

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 5, 2011 | 24 comments

In the middle of my mindless Twitter scrolling last night, I came across a late night tweet from the folks at Insomniac Games where they announced that Resistance 3 would no longer be bundled with Sony’s upcoming PlayStation 3D Display.

For those asking about the 3D TV bundle: amazon.com/gp/product/B00… — Motorstorm: Apocolypse replaced Resistance 3. Sorry for any inconvenience.

During Sony’s E3 2011 press conference where Sony announced the PlayStation 3D Display for $499, Sony also confirmed that the TV bundle would include:

PlayStation 3D Glasses
Resistance 3
HDMI cable

Now, in just a short time, the listing for the PlayStation 3D Display has changed to reflect that Resistance 3 is out and MotorStorm: Apocalypse is in. The reason for the sudden switch, considering that Resistance 3 is set to ship in September, isn’t quite clear, though a few theories do come in mind. Now, mind you that Sony has yet to comment on the subject matter so the following is just speculation on our behalf.

First, it could be that Resistance 3 does not need the additional sales boost where MotorStorm: Apocalypse did not do the best in sales and bundles are always a great way to further push a product. Having played the new MotorStorm game in 3D on a Bravia set and the PlayStation 3D display where the game was configured for the dual 3D view, I can say that the game is a great example of what 3D is capable of. Another potential scenario and possibly a more likely one is that Resistance 3 is rated M where MotorStorm: Apocalypse is rated T. By bundling Resistance 3 with the PlayStation 3D Display, Sony would be basically limiting their sales option because some retailers may choose not to stock the product, seeing how it could not be sold to minors.

Discuss:

What do you think is the reason behind Sony’s shift from Resistance 3 to MotorStorm: Apocalypse on the PlayStation 3D Display?