PlayStation

Sony’s Q2 Performance – Winners and Losers (Updated)

by Jonathan Nolan | Nov 4, 2014 | 6 comments

Sony made a loss of $785 in the past quarter, despite a 7.2% jump in revenue on the same period in 2013. The Mobile division reported a loss of $1.58 billion. From those figures, it’s clear that other divisions paid for Mobile’s loss. One division in particular has come out most profitable, and it wasn’t the PS4-making Game business.

All of Sony’s key businesses performed well, turning a profit in the last quarter, Pictures being an exception, but Mobile was the real black hole where profit should have been. As the rhetoric goes, the PS4’s sales saved Sony in the last quarter.

Other mobile giants have been suffering too, notably Samsung’s quarterly profit dipped 49% in the last quarter. That’s one point the media beating on Sony which isn’t being reported as loudly. Clearly, whatever is going on in Sony’s Mobile division, isn’t exclusive to Sony. Sony’s mobile sales took a plunge – but the culprit wasn’t just the Chinese market, there was a bigger surprise.

How well are the other businesses doing and what’s going on in Sony’s Mobile house?

Sony Brings Season Passes to Video Unlimited and PlayStation Store

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 4, 2014 | 0 comments

Just last week, Sony finally brought season pass support to Video Unlimited and PlayStation Store. With season passes, users can purchase an entire season of a show, even prior to episode releases know that the episodes will be ready for them to consume once released. Season passes is already available on the PS3 through Video Unlimited and the PlayStation Store. Those on the PS4, and 2013 and later Bravia TV’s, and Blu-ray players will have to wait a little while longer with support for season passes on those devices ‘coming soon.’

PS4 Not Likely to Match Xbox One’s $50 Price Cut for Holidays

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 3, 2014 | 4 comments

With the Xbox One continuing to lag behind the PS4 in sales, despite having unbundled the Kinect camera which brings the cost of their console on par with the PS4, Microsoft is looking at price in order to win the ever-so-important holiday quarter. To that end, Microsoft has announced a $50 price cut on the Xbox One that will remain in effect until January 3rd in hopes of enticing holiday shoppers. Sony, for its part, appears to be unfazed by the move – and when asked about the price cut in their most recent earnings, the company seemed to suggest that no such cut would be in order from them.

Shuhei Yoshida – No ‘Exact Time Frame’ for DriveClub Fix, Postponing PS+ Version

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 31, 2014 | 0 comments

Taking to Facebook, Shuhei Yoshida, President of World Wide Studios at PlayStation, has given an update on DriveClub, the highly-anticipated racer on PlayStation 4. For those not familiar with the saga of the game from Evolution Studios, DriveClub launched earlier in October and was immediately hammered with online issues. To help combat the games plagued online component, Evolution Studios turned off many of the game’s online functionality and began to deploy game updates and server side updates on a near daily basis. Two weeks later, the game, while considerably more stable, is yet to achieve its original promise. Part of that was to be a free PlayStation Plus edition of the game which would provide a number of cars and tracks for free.

According to Shu, there is no ‘exact time frame‘ for DriveClub to be fully functional. Because Evolution Studios is currently fixated on fixing DriveClub for those who’ve paid for the game, all plans for DriveClub PlayStation Plus edition have been postponed until further notice. After the jump, the full statement from Shu.

PS4 Firmware 2.0 – Rest Mode Solutions

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 29, 2014 | 0 comments

It’s been a little over 24 hours since has released PlayStation 4 System Software Update 2.0, which brought on a host of new features. Those interested in the update can read our previous piece where we outlined all that’s new and all that’s changed with the new firmware update. As it goes with any major software release, a small portion of the community tends to be affected by unforseen bugs that can range from annoying to crippling. Resting somewhere in between the two spectrums is the ‘Rest Mode’ bug. Previously called Standby, Sony has changed the name of the feature which would simply put the PS4 to sleep, making it ideal for remote play and quick launch of games. Unfortunately, after some gamers place their PS4 in Rest Mode, the console tends to not wake up again, forcing you to fully shut down the PS4 and rebooting to get things up and running again.

If you’re experiencing this issue, the good news is that you don’t need to wait for a revised software update from Sony to address your Rest Mode woes. After the jump, we’ve outlined a fix directly from Sony.

PlayStation Store Update (10-28-14)

by Trevor Rodenberger | Oct 28, 2014 | 0 comments

Welcome to the PlayStation Store update for October 28, 2014. We have a great update this week packed full of new content and sales. PlayStation 4 users can now purchase Lords of the Fallen, NBA Live 15, and the beautiful the Unfinished Swan (also available for Vita).

PlayStation 3 owners can now hit the squared circle with WWE 2K15 and enjoy the quirky Costume Quest 2 (also available for PS4). PlayStation Vita users can now enjoy the highly anticipated Freedom Wars.

Finally, as you are probably aware PlayStation Plus users now receive all of their free games at the beginning of the month and all other weeks subscribers will receive extra discounts. This week there is a new update to The Sale of the Dead to celebrate Halloween and PlayStation Plus subscribers get even bigger discounts on these games. Keep reading to see the full PlayStation Store update.

PlayStation App 2.0.7 Now Available, Brings New UI and Tablet Support

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 28, 2014 | 0 comments

Alongside the PlayStation 4 System Software Update 2.0 that brought on an extensive amount of changes and new features to PS4, Sony has also released PlayStation App 2.0.7. The latest update brings improved robustness to the app, with more fluid UI, features, and native support for iPad. After the jump, the full changelog of PlayStation App 2.0.7 and gallery awaits you.

PlayStation 4 System Software Update 2.0 Now Available for Download

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 28, 2014 | 1 comment

As expected, the PlayStation 4 system software update 2.0 is now live and available for your downloading pleasure. The latest firmware update is set to bring some major changes to the PS4, including the ability to pause/resume downloads, Share Play, custom themes, USB music playback, and much more. After the jump, we have the full breakdown of all the new features on PS4.

PlayStation 4 Firmware 2.0 Will Allow for Pause/Resume of Downloads

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 27, 2014 | 2 comments

One of the odd things about the PS4 is a lack of features compared to its predecessor. While some features. like slim pickings of media capabilities, are a bigger ordeal than others, it’s still a great annoyance when you knew your near-10-year-old console could do something that your brand new unit cannot. One such feature the PS4 currently lacks is the ability to pause and resume downloads. While not a deal breaker, the ability to pause and resume allows for easier downloading of multiple items from PSN. It also givers the players the ability to prioritize which game/DLC first lands on their console. This becomes quite important when you further expand the scenario and have game updates in the mix and you’re in a time crunch to play a specific title with friends.

With PlayStation 4 firmware 2.0, Sony is bringing the feature to PS4.

PlayStation Store Update (10-21-14)

by Trevor Rodenberger | Oct 21, 2014 | 0 comments

Welcome to the PlayStation Store update for October 21, 2014. We have a great update this week packed full of new content and sales. PlayStation 4 users can now enjoy The Walking Dead Season 2 along with Shadow Warrior and Escape Goat 2.

PlayStation 3 owners now have access to The Voice, Spelunker HD Ultimate Edition and F1 2014. Owners of all 3 systems can download Race The Sun and Samurai Warriors 4 starting today.

Finally, as you are probably aware PlayStation Plus users now receive all of their free games at the beginning of the month and all other weeks subscribers will receive extra discounts. This week there is The Sale of the Dead to celebrate Halloween and PlayStation Plus subscribers get even bigger discounts on these games. Keep reading to see the full PlayStation Store update.

Full PlayStation TV FAQ

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 17, 2014 | 0 comments

With each new console release, companies tend to release the big juicy details about their latest in intervals to get the maximum exposure. While the big reveals and announcements usually revolve around the key functionalities of the product, in this case the PlayStation TV, they don’t always address the smaller details that can at times be the key for one person purchasing or not purchasing a given product. The PlayStation TV is no exception and despite its small size, there is a ton this companion unit can offer. Still, there is no way it will please everyone and check off every item on our wish list at a $99 price point.

To that end, after the jump, you can find the full PlayStation TV FAQ sheet.

Sony Outlines PS4 Firmware 2.0, Codenamed Masamune

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 16, 2014 | 0 comments

Set to be released this Fall, the PS4 firmware 2.0 is going to bring a host of new features and improvements to Sony’s latest console. Codenamed Masamune, the PS4 firmware 2.0 adds some key features like Share Play which will allow you to take over a friends game and play on their behalf, YouTube support for direct exporting of game captures, and Themes which will allow you to change your background, colors, and more. Along side that, Sony is also highlighting new additions like USB Music Player, new Voice Commands and Broadcasting features and more.

After the jump, we have more details on Masamune.

9 Things I’ve Learned About PlayStation TV

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 16, 2014 | 4 comments

The PlayStation TV is officially out in North America, nearly a year after it was released in Japan under the name PS Vita TV. Capable of streaming games from PS4 and PlayStation Now, the PlayStation TV will have access to over 700 titles across the Vita, PSP digital, PS One classic, and PlayStation minis spectrum. After performing our video unboxing of the PlayStation TV, here are 9 interesting things I’ve learned about PlayStation TV during my first 24 hours with the companion console.

You can find that list, after the jump.

We Unbox the PlayStation TV

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 15, 2014 | 2 comments

The PlayStation TV is now available in the US for $99 and allows you to stream games from the PS4, making it perfect for those with two televisions but one console. In addition to streaming games from PS4, the PlayStation TV can also play all PS Vita games as well as titles from PlayStation Now. Besides the base model, Sony has also launched a PlayStation TV bundle for $139. Best of all, the PlayStation TV on launch will have access to 700 titles, making it a very robust machine. In the above video, we unbox the PlayStation TV.