PlayStation Vita

LittleBigPlanet 2 Cross Controller DLC To Bring TouchScreen Technology To The PS3

by Jan Hutchings | Jun 9, 2012 | 4 comments

One of the more surprising announcements at Sony’s E3 presentation was the upcoming Cross Controller PS3 DLC for LittleBigPlanet2 which essentially transforms the PlayStation Vita into a touch-screen controller for the PS3 console.

Not only that, PS3 and Vita players will be able to play together simultaneously; whatever is happening on the big screen corresponds to what’s being shown on the Vita’s screen as well. In addition to that, players can use the Vita’s front and rear touch screen to make their level and game creation process much easier thanks to the simplified touch-screen creation tools included on the DLC (much like the tools in the upcoming LittleBigPlanet for the PS Vita).

Along with the cross-control functionality, Sony has also said that the DLC will come bundled with new levels, a new story, stickers, and costumes for our favorite Sackboy.

No concrete release date has been attached to the DLC so stay tuned to SRN for more details as they come.

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Coming To PlayStation Vita

by Jan Hutchings | Jun 7, 2012 | 0 comments

At their E3 2012 press briefing, Sony and Superbot announced that the upcoming multiplayer brawler PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is coming to the PlayStation Vita in addition to the PS3 release.

What’s great about this Vita release is it’s going be THE killer-app that showcases the PS3 and Vita’s cross-play feature. Basically meaning that all game modes, all matches can be played by PS3 and Vita users at the same time. For example, Superbot’s live E3 demo featured one (three-minute) match that had two people playing on the PS3 and the other two on the PlayStation Vita.

Amazing thing was, gameplay was slick and smooth (with the hiccup at the beginning of the match but I think that was a technical issue) gameplay was fair and balanced, and the Vita players faced no handicap whatsoever. Hell, a Vita player even won the match. And he was using Fat Princess!

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale on the PS3 and PS Vita will both have the same character roster, game modes, and interactive crossover levels. Speaking of the crossover levels, the E3 live demo showed the Metropolis location from Ratchet and Clank get invaded (and destroyed) the Hydra from God of War. The players will then have to be aware of the Hydra as it’ll occassionally attack the them and cause serious damage.

From what we’ve seen from E3, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale looks like it’s going to be the absolute best PlayStation crossover battle game that fans have been asking for since the PS2. With more characters being added to the roster each month, the game is set to have the complete PlayStation universe when it is released this winter.

Discuss:

Which other PlayStation universe character would you like to see in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale?

2012 E3 Sony Press Conference Photos

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 6, 2012 | 8 comments

If you haven’t had a chance, read through our 2012 E3 Sony press conference live blog where we revealed all Sony had to stay on a minute by minute update. For those of you with a little more visual taste, our photo gallery comprises shots from the biggest announcements to help bring you one step closer to E3.

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E3 Hot Trailer: Sony Announces ‘Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation’ for PS Vita

by Chris Quibol | Jun 5, 2012 | 0 comments

While not a lot of games were shown for the PS Vita at this year’s Sony E3 press conference, one Vita game did take center stage during the presentation; one which managed to bring a few surprises to a well-established franchise. Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation will be released this fall on October 30 on the PlayStation Vita, available as a standalone game or as a part of the “Crystal White” Wi-Fi Vita bundle that Sony also announced during the press conference.

Sony debuted Liberation’s first trailer, with Sony Computer Entertainment of America President and CEO Jack Tretton calling the franchise “one of the most acclaimed franchises ever created in gaming” and that, much like previously released title Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Liberation is developed specifically for the Vita and its many features.

According to the latest issue of Game Informer magazine, Liberation is set in 18^th century New Orleans and will star an African-American female assassin named Aveline, whose connection to Desmond is currently unknown. Tretton also mentioned during the presentation that linking the two versions of Assassin’s Creed III (the Vita version and its PS3 brethren) will provide the Vita version with Connor’s tomahawk, an exclusive character skin, a multiplayer character, and a bonus in-game upgrade of ammunition pouches. No further information is available about the multiplayer side of things, though the trailer does have a ton of footage from the single player portion of the game.

The short trailer shows Aveline wielding dual hidden blades and executing the same types of cinematic kills and takedowns the series is known for, as well as providing a peek at the tree-based forest traversal that will possibly play a large role in the game.

Hit the jump to check out the Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation trailer for yourself.

Our 2012 Sony E3 Press Conference Live Blog Begins Now!

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 4, 2012 | 12 comments

As promised, we’re looking to bring you closer than ever to the 2012 Sony E3 press conference with our live blog. Our arsenal of tools to make this happen consist of a MacBook Air, iPad, iPhone, 4G card, Cybershot HX5V, Bloggie Live, and Nikon D5. This means that we’re hopefully ready for whatever E3 throws at us, minus snakes…because we at SRN hate snakes. Below, you will find our live blog from the event which can be accessed from any web browser, mobile device, or tablet. Remember that you can find additional coverage by us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, and Flickr.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=74b11718d6" >2012 Sony E3 Press Conference Live Blog</a>

Rumor: Sony + Gaikai Deal To Bring PS1 & PS2 Backwards Compatibility Through Cloud Solution

by Jan Hutchings | Jun 3, 2012 | 3 comments

Rumblings and rumors within the industry sound like Sony’s cloud-gaming partnership with Gaikai will include bringing PS1 and PS2 compatibility to the PlayStation 3.

Last week, there were rumors that Sony is planning to announce a partnership with either Gaikai or Onlive (both cloud-based gaming services) to bring some kind of partnership service to PlayStation.

Well, according to Games Industry International’s sources close to the deal, the Sony + Gaikai partnership will include a way for third-party publishers (as well as first party Sony products) to bring their catalogues to the PlayStation Store.

And since most current PS3 Slim models do not have backwards compatibility, it only makes sense for Sony to employ a cloud-based gaming solution that will allow players to purchase games and stream them on their console. That’s exactly what Gaikai and Onlive subscribers have been doing for the last two years.

It’s not yet clear which systems this partnership service will show up on, but one can see that the PS3 and the PS Vita would best benefit from it. And since Sony has been eyeing cloud-based gaming solutions for a while now, this new partnership will help their R&D to test the waters and understand user needs for their next console release.

We’re Headed to E3 2012 and We Wanna Take You!

by Allegra Osati | Jun 2, 2012 | 21 comments

One of my biggest goals for SRN has always been to bring you closer to the game and tech industry. This means hosting live chats with some industry favorites like David Jaffe, creator of Twisted Metal and God of War while providing live coverage of Sony’s E3 and CES press conferences. When it comes to large events like CES and E3, we all have different games and topics that interest us and sometimes, that means not seeing the thing you wanted most covered. To do that, means that you have to pack your bags, head to LA, and have an industry pass to roam the halls and talk to your favorite developers, which can not only be expensive, but it’s technically impossible for most. So if we can’t take you, that leaves us as your voice and the next best option. If you have questions you want to ask a developer, if there are pictures you wanna see from booth or a video of a specific game, we want to be your eyes and ears at E3.

All you have to do is drop a comment in our comments section below or visit us on our many different outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, and Flickr. For the first time, we want your voice to help shape our coverage and the coverage you receive about E3. Though we can’t promise to get to everyone’s request, we hope that this will bring you one step closer to E3 though to be clear, we’re not about to cover Pokemon 2012 Extreme Lightning Edition or Mario Party 87 for Wii U, seeing how we’re a Sony site. Like last year, we will also be offering a live blog from the Sony E3 press conference. You can either bookmark this post which will be updated with a link, once the event is live or check back on the site on Monday, June 4th at 3:00pm PST.

YouTube Finally Coming To Vita This Month

by Jan Hutchings | Jun 1, 2012 | 16 comments

Earlier today, Sony announced that the oft-requested YouTube app is finally coming to the PlayStation Vita later this month. The YouTube app is perhaps one of the most popular additions to the PS Vita app library which includes Nico Nico, Paint Park, Skype, Facebook, and other social media applications.
The YouTube app will be a free download and will allow PS Vita users to search and watch millions of videos, comment on their favorites (or least favorites), and like/dislike them.

“You can easily search for videos, choose favorites and make comments, and your personal YouTube account is available right on your PS Vita.”

As well, Vita owners can access their personal YouTube account using the Vita YouTube app; however there’s no word on whether video upload and sharing will be available upon launch of the Vita YouTube app.

What The Hell Is Nico Nico On the PlayStation Vita Anyway?

by Jan Hutchings | May 31, 2012 | 24 comments

“So what the hell is Nico Nico anyway?”

If you’re one of those people (like myself) who look forward to PlayStation Network’s Tuesday releases, you were probably thinking the same thing as you downloaded the brand new Nico Nico app to your PlayStation Vita. Here I was eagerly awaiting a Youtube or a Crackle app, yet what I got was this video sharing service that’s definitely got “Japan” stamped right on it.

Nico Nico (or N² for short) is a social video network service, like Youtube, that allows users to share their own videos, follow other creators, and comment on videos uploaded to the service. In its native Japan, Nico Nico is one of the most popular and most-visited websites and is used by celebrities, game companies, and businesses to promote their products to the Japanese netizens.

PlayStation Vita LittleBigPlanet Box Art Revealed

by Sohrab Osati | May 29, 2012 | 16 comments

Thanks to the PlayStation Blog, we now know what the box art for the highly anticipated Playstation Vita title, LittleBigPlanet, looks like. Not straying away whats made the previous two PS3 and PSP titles so unique, the new LBP box art one again features Sackboy and the adventurous world he’s bound to explore front and center. A behind-the-scenes video awaits you, after the jump.

Rumor: ‘OnLive’ Cloud-Based Gaming Service Coming To PlayStation

by Jan Hutchings | May 25, 2012 | 11 comments

There have been a number of reports saying that Sony is about to announce a partnership deal with either Gaikai or Onlive to bring cloud-based gaming service to PlayStation products.

According to VG247, Sony is preparing to announce a BIG partnership with one of the two cloud-based gaming service providers at E3 next month. Though it’s not yet clear if the service will be for PS3 or Vita. Or perhaps both.

Onlive was actually in talks with Sony to solidify a partnership and to bring their cloud-gaming service to the console last year.

Hit the jump for more information.

Two New PlayStation Vita Bundles Headed to Europe

by Sohrab Osati | May 21, 2012 | 24 comments

Even though E3, the big video game convention which is held in Los Angeles once a year, is right around the corner, Sony isn’t sitting by idle for its press conference to make moves with the PlayStation brand. The PlayStation Vita, arguably the most powerful handheld to date, even when placed next to juggernauts like the iPhone 4S is getting two new bundles for Europe. The first gives Wi-Fi only lovers a 4GB memory card and Uncharted: Golden Abyss for €249 ($320).

Those who wish to purchase the Wi-Fi + 3G PS Vita will also receive a 4GB memory card and a Motorstorm RC download code for €299 ($380). No word yet if such bundles will make it State side but with news of a Crystal White PlayStation Vita heading to Japan and Hong Kong, it seems like there should be plenty of Vita news and changes coming at this years E3 press conference.

Crystal White PlayStation Vita Available Now, in Hong Kong

by Sohrab Osati | May 18, 2012 | 1 comment

Remember how Sony unveiled the Crystal White PlayStation Vita for Japan, with the Wi-Fi version for ¥24,98 ($312) and 3G for ¥29,980 ($375)? Well now, Hong Kong has jumped in on the action as well with shipments landing on June 28th. The newest color to the PS Vita will also cary no price premium so whether black or white is your color choice, you walk out paying the same. Those who wish to pre-order however will get some extra goodies like the Trooper Pack, Armor Game case, 4GB memory card and a lint free cloth for free which in some ways, actually places the price of the Crystal White addition below its black counterpart. Us fate and press release, after the jump.

Japanese Developer Cave Cancels Vita Games

by Jan Hutchings | May 17, 2012 | 15 comments

Shirotsuku was to feature characters based on historical Japanese heroes.

Cave, a Japanese developer known mostly for their shoot-em up games, has cancelled two of their PlayStation Vita games in development. The company had been facing financial issues and poor sales forecasts and was forced to cancel Shirotsuku (a social war game) and an unannounced shoot-em up; both were in development for Sony’s brand new handheld.

In the cancelled Shirotsuku, players are cast as a “daimyo” in the Sengoku period of Japanese history who needs build up his own tiny castle kingdom in this Sengoku simulation game. Players could use the “check in” feature to pick up souvenirs exclusive to your geo-location and construct unique buildings from that area. Once the player’s castle town is bustling, they can enter a skirmish to try their luck in battle against other users.

Shirotsuku was supposed to be the first game to use the PlayStation Vita’s location registration feature to pick up souvenirs and buildings exclusive to the player’s geographic area.

These cancellations present irrefutable evidence that many of Japan’s developers are indeed facing grave financial situations. These companies are also facing the threat of rising interest in western games in both the Western and Eastern game markets. Cave’s latest releases have mostly suffered from poor sales like the recent Akai Katana (released in Europe) for the Xbox 360.

Sony Announces 1.8 Million Vitas Sold Worldwide Despite Company Losses

by Jan Hutchings | May 11, 2012 | 1 comment

Sony announced that they have sold 1.8 million PlayStation Vita units worldwide during their 4th Quarter 2011 Earnings Announcement earlier today. The overall tone of the announcement was that of loss for the company, especially the 19% decrease in sales within the consumer products segment. A lot of it was due to the unfavorable impact of foreign exchange rates, the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the floods in Thailand, and deterioration in market conditions in developed countries.

However, according to Sony CEO Kaz Hirai, having sold the 1.8 million Vitas worldwide was a good start, and that the software is the key to success, “how good software is,” so “we have to reinforce the software area in order to improve the business, that is the basic line.”

Hirai also stated that:

“As of this moment, there is no decline or lack of motivation (from developers) for the portable platform. This is a very important product indeed for us and therefore we still have a very high motivation to develop this farther. Software and sevices must be strengthened. So in other words, the collaborative approach with third-party and first-party studios is very important.”

So in the end, Sony did indeed incur losses to their business, yet the Vita business is indeed starting to perk up. With E3 just around the corner, there’s rumblings around the industry that Sony will be announcing some major titles at the event which will hopefully drive sales of the handheld.