PlayStation Vita

Sony’s PlayStation Vita Release Date Leaked?

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 23, 2011 | 36 comments

Retailers never tend to be a great source when it comes to release dates, often placing a place holder date until an official one is announced from the company. However, UK retailers ShopTo might have just leaked the PlayStation Vita’s release date with a very specific set of instructions.

If you pre-order PS Vita : Wi-Fi Model before 12pm on Wednesday 2nd of November 2011 we will guarantee that you will receive it by the release date of Friday 4th of November 2011. If you do not receive it we will compensate you with £3.00 on your shopto account. Click here to view Terms and Conditions.

So again, even though I would take this with a grain of salt, these instructions to seem to be very specific in their nature and hint at some kind of back knowledge. The time frame also lends itself to the Holiday 2011 launch that Sony had in mind. With the Tokyo Game Show set for September 15th, we might not be too far from an official announcement from Sony on the PlayStation Vita’s release date.

[Via ShopTo]

Sony Discusses ‘Cross Game Chat’ for the PS3 and PS Vita

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 13, 2011 | 5 comments

Over the last several years, gamers and tech buffs alike have seen the PlayStation 3 drastically change and improve for the better via firmware updates. Partly due to customer requests and partly via a roadmap, the PlayStation 3, once with little video offering, now offers Vudu, Netflix, and Hulu support prior to other consoles and even has Sony’s own purchase and rental space via the PlayStation Store. Speaking of the Store: Once a barren HTML design, the PlayStation Store now offers a much more functional design with access to games, movies, themes, demos and more which can also be taken on the PSP and the soon-to-be-released PS Vita. We’ve also seen new photo and video apps, as well as support for 3D games and movies. Heck, you can even create a download queue and tell your PS3 to finish downloading the list, install the items and turn itself off. PlayStation Plus members can set up their PS3 to turn on during a scheduled time slot, check for game updates, and install the content all without being near the console. However, the feature that many gamers consider to be the holy grail of offerings, ‘Cross Game Chat,’ has yet to make it to the PS3 via a firmware update.

Then came this past week’s E3 conference, which we were able to attend and live blog from. During the further reveal of the PS Vita (NGP) and the games, features and prices that would accompany the system for a holiday 2011 launch in the US, Sony also mentioned that the Vita would be gaining Cross Game Chat. Cross Game Chat would give Vita players the ability to talk with other PSN friends, no matter which game they are playing. However, later on during an interview with CVG, SCE Europe boss Andrew House revealed that there is still no news for the PlayStation 3.

“No, [there are] really not any new announcements to put on that,” he said. “We know that it’s a huge thing out there. We have continued to do much R&D in the area, but we don’t have anything to announce right now.”

For PlayStation fans, this is a bit of a mixed bag. With nearly 50 million PlayStation 3s on the market, the ability to have cross game chat would be welcoming to say the least. However, it’s at least nice to see Sony embrace the technology for their upcoming handheld and make sure that the Vita offers a ton of features that players want. With no other handheld gaming device being able to offer such a feature, this will give the Vita another vote of confidence from gamers. Still, this might make some gamers scratch their head as they wonder why a console as powerful and versatile as the PlayStation 3 still does not offer Cross Game Chat.

As with all things internet-related, people tend to make wild and crazy accusations as to why Sony doesn’t offer it, with a popular reasoning being that they don’t listen to their fans, as if the whole process was as simple as clicking on a check box which enables the feature. I, however, have a better one. During CES 2011, I had a chance to chat with many higher-up employees of PlayStation and seeing how I was not officially interviewing them, I won’t be mentioning any names. However, during my lengthy conversations with them, it was apparent that they were very much aware of the situation and had internally run into a roadblock. That is to say that while the PS3 was being designed in Japan, cross game chat was never taken into consideration as a necessary feature, which makes sense considering the fact that Japan is much more interested in the single-player experience while we in the West tend to love the multiplayer offering. If this is indeed true, the fact that the right hardware for the task is not present in the system could very well explain why Sony hasn’t been able to properly implement the feature.

I must say that, personally, Cross Game Chat is not a feature that interests me. If I’m playing a single player game like Uncharted, frankly, I don’t care to talk to anybody else, seeing how I will be focused on that game with its rich plot and dialogue. And if I’m playing Killzone 3 or SOCOM 4, for instance, you can bet that I definitely don’t care what my friend has to say when he is playing Gran Turismo 5, seeing how I’ll be focused on talking with my teammates. How about you? Is Cross Game Chat really that important of a feature for you or is it something that’s been hyped up too much?

[Via CGV]

PSP Reaches 70 Million Units Sold

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 8, 2011 | 26 comments

It seems like at times in our culture, certain events and situations turn into a universal truth without much research or acceptance. This usually tends to deal with one group’s bias which is then fueled by more loud and vocal groups. Soon after, their opinion is turned into a universal truth without much reason as to why. The PSP has unfortunately been a victim of this phenomenon with the media always looking at it with a stink eye. An eye that always doubts the system and attempts to put it down or marginalize its gains.

Though many call the PSP an under-performer, the truth of the matter is that Sony has just announced that the little system that was introduced to us in 2004 has now crossed the 70-million-units-sold marker. This in part, for a system that always cost more that its counterpart from Nintendo (though it also offered a ton more), is not a number we should take lightly. Nintendo has long been in the handheld business while this was Sony’s first walk in this territory. What’s more is that many forget that during the time where Sony was bleeding a loss of $300 on each PlayStation 3 sold, it was the PSP that was helping keep the division in some kind of balance. With over 3,200 titles available on UMD and many more via PSN, the PSP has come to sell over 298 million games during its lifetime. What’s more is that Sony has no plans to get rid of the system once the PS Vita comes out and is instead going to leverage and continue to support it, much like they did with the PS2 during the PS3’s early few years.

So hit the jump for the official press release and while you are there, let us know your PSP story. Do you have a PSP and if so, what are some of your favorite games and times to use it?

Sony NGP to be Backwards Compatible with PSP Games

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 3, 2011 | 2 comments

Whatever the NGP ends up being called, whether it is NGP, PSP2 or PS Vita, potential owners of it and current PSP users can rest assured that any current title that they may have downloaded for the PSP via PSN will be backwards compatible with the device. No matter if the purchase came from the PS3, PSP or Media Go store, users will be able to transfer their games on over and continue to play. The good news does not end there though. The NGP which is powered by a completely different architecture will playback the games via a software emulator which will also give users the ability to turn scaling on to help improve and smooth out the graphics. This is a huge plus, seeing how the NGP will run on a 5-inch OLED screen which can make anything slightly old look even worse, due to it’s extremely high quality nature. Those of you who are familiar with the NGP will also point towards the dual analog stick, something PSP owners have wanted from the beginning. Now, you will get you wish, as PSP games will also be able to take advantage of the NGP’s dual analog stick and other media outlets have already seen PSP games like Resistance: Retribution running on the device, using both sticks.

I’m sure we will have plenty more news, related to the NGP with next weeks E3 press conference. Just a reminder that we will be attending the attend and Live Blogging it for you so remember to check back in with us the day of! With the NGP being able to play PSP titles, which titles would you most likely replay again?

[Via EuroGamer]

PlayStation Move to come to PSP Go or NGP?

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 1, 2011 | 1 comment

If the patent office is an indication to go by to see where a company will be headed in the future, then look no further to Sony’s 2009 filing. The patent which specially points to the PSP Go would allow the handheld system to gain PlayStation Move compatiblity via a dock. Those who own Move for the PS3 will note that you need a camera to make the motion gaming add-on work and that’s exactly what this dock would have offered. A built-in camera in the top center of the dock would much like the PlayStation Eye track the Move controllers, allowing users further freedom and interaction with their PSP Go.

But seeing how the NGP is around the corner and we expect plenty of news on the device at E3 next week, we doubt that Sony would suddenly release such an accessory for the PSP Go, seeing how they have slowed down production for the unit. However, a device like this could further add a special touch the NGP. In fact, seeing how the NGP has a front and rear facing camera, chances are that an implementation of this could be done, without the need of an additional dock like the above patents shows.

“Methods, systems, and computer programs for wireless interaction with a portable device supported by a stand are presented. In one method operation, a communications link is established between the portable device and the stand. The stand tracks the motion of an input device within an interactivity zone. In another method operation, the portable device interfaces with the input device to generate actions associated with game objects in the portable device, where the interface takes place when the input device is in or near the interactivity zone. Additionally, the stand moves when the tracking detects that the input device is outside predefined boundaries near an edge of the interactivity zone. The stand movement information is transferred via the communications link to update the location of the interactivity zone.”

Seeing how one of Sony’s goals has been to create a seamless gaming experience between the NGP and PS3, allowing users to start gaming on one device and continue it on the next as Hideo Kojima has pointed out, using the PlayStation Move could be further prove of concept for such a vision.

Hit the jump for one more picture from this patent. While you are there, let us know what you think about this accessory. Would it be something that you would want to purchase for your PSP or NGP? How about if it was built in?

[Via Free Patents Online]

NGP to be “More Affordable” and Less Costly for Sony

by Sohrab Osati | May 31, 2011 | 2 comments

We all now by know how the PlayStation 3 saga played out. Though this current generation is far from over, the road ahead is bright for the PS3, unlike the first two years of the consoles life. When the PS3 was born, long before the E3 debut and Tokyo Game Show trailers, Ken Kutaragi, the father of the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and then PlayStation 3 had one clear goal in mind. To create the most powerful and cutting edge machine that he possibly could. This meant offering features that many at the time would not be sure of like a Blu-ray player, 3D gaming and movies. Now of course, in retrospect, those have all been fantastic choices as Blu-ray is the definitive and ideal way to playback HD, 3D movies and 3D games. However, with Blu-ray, 3D, Bluetooth, Cell Processor and custom graphics cards, Sony paid a huge price for it. Not only did the PlayStation 3 come out a year later then the Xbox 360, it also cost a lot more which slowed the adoption rate and Sony was still losing $300 on each machine sold. This dug a big whole for the PlayStation division which was losing a massive amount of money, due to the high cost of the machine. Now nearly 5 years later, the PlayStation division is doing fine and is about to unveil more information for their second generation PSP at this years E3, codenamed the NGP.

So would Sony repeat the same trend that the PS3 set? Not so says Massaru Kato, Sony’s Chief Financial Officer when he spoke to the WSJ. The NGP will be less “investment heavy” and instead, rely on less custom GPUs and parts and more off the shelf products from partners. This means that Sony can turn to a manufacture who is already producing the parts they need in high volume and therefor, be able to get a lower price on the part, unlike the PlayStation 3’s cell processor for example which is being used exclusively in the PS3. Lower component costs for Sony will also translate to a lower product price for consumers, meaning that the NGP will be much more competitively priced to Nintendo’s recently released 3DS.

What do you think about the NGP and the price tag it will carry? Will it be PS3 expensive or something less? Let us know in the comments below.

[Via WSJ-Subscription Required]

Sony Remasters Select PSP Game Titles

by Jesse Fogarty | May 24, 2011 | 17 comments

It’s been a while since the PlayStation Portable System was improved or for that upgraded in anyway. With the Nintendo DS advancing into newer technology *Cough*3D*Cough* before Sony’s PSP system. Even the most devoted PSP gamers are becoming fed up with the low definition graphics (all be it, still better then the Nintendo DS), and are to frustrated to wait until the PSP’s successor the NGP is released.

Two days ago on May 22, Sony announced the Japanese release of a new “PSP Remaster” title series. The name itself serves as a dead giveaway, Sony will be revitalizing select PSP game titles for the PS3 in high-def Blu-Ray.

In addition to remastering select game titles, some games may receive new add-on content plus stereoscopic 3D support. However, Sony didn’t stop there users will also be able to share game save data between their PSP and PS3 systems. Imagine for a second, being able to play on the subway – and when you get home being able to continue where you left off earlier that day on a large TV screen.

The first PSP Remaster title announced was Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, sadly this is set only to launch in Japan at an unknown time and date. Meaning for now North American PSP users will have to deal with the low definition, eye straining graphics they’ve grown accustomed to.

With the Monster Hunter Portable series making its way to the PS3, what other titles would you like to see come? I for one would love to see MGS: Peace Walker and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 make their way in glorious HD to the PS3.

PSPgo Productions Not Ending for United States

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 21, 2011 | 6 comments

We’ve been meaning to report on the PSPgo for several days now and what better time then now, when we have the full report and picture. Introduced over a year ago, the PSPgo was a new handheld from Sony and the PlayStation which packed the same features as the current PSP-3000 but with one twist, there was no UMD drive to feed it media. Instead, much like the iPod Touch, the device was solely fed from PSN (PlayStation Network) which allowed the device to download games, movies, TV shows and comics. Now, as Sony slowly begins to prepare for their next handheld released, a true second generation handheld, news began to flow that production for the PSPgo had ended. As it turns out, this was partially true.

Sony has said several times that much like how the PS2 continues to have life, long after the PS3 was introduced as a successor, the PSP and NGP relationship will the same. That is that the PSP-3000 will continue to be made and supported, past the NGP launch. However, the PSPgo will not enjoy that same benifit, or atleast now in Europe and Asia. In those regions, Sony has ended the production for the PSPgo. Still, I wonder if this also in part has to do with a huge inventory that might be on their hands as the unit never reached the sales Sony would have liked. However, for North America, the story is different:

“We are continuing production of PSP Go for North America.”

Simple, sweet and to the point. The PSPgo will live on for now.

[Via Joystiq]

PSP Firmware 6.38 with Qriocity Install Overview (Video)

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 15, 2011 | 111 comments

As we mentioned in our prior post, we’ve been working on a video overview of PSP firmware 6.38 which finally brings Sony’s music streaming service, Qriocity, to PSP and PSPgo units. Our video below will show you how to install the service, give you some tips to make sure you experience a smooth setup and an overview of how well the streaming service actually works.

PSP Firmware 6.38 Now Available with Qriocity Music Unlimited Support for the PSP and PSPgo

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 14, 2011 | 4 comments

I apologize for calling the service Qriocity Music Unlimited in the headline but it’s what I sometimes must do for the Googler Interwebs search engines to dig us up. Sticking to what should just be called Qriocity, today Sony has released a new firmware up date for the PSP and PSP go system. Firmware 6.38 is a small download that builds upon the previous update and gives PSP and PSPgo users access to the Qriocity, Sony’s cloud based music streaming service. Those who download will note that they need to do 3 additional things before being able to use the service.

On their PSP, go to settings > Date & Time Settings > Date and Time > Set via Internet
Have over 200MB of free space available on their system
Via their PS3 or web browser, link a PSN account to a Qriocity subscription

After following these steps, you will be on your way towards streaming music. As I write this, I’m also importing and editing a video that will hopefully be up by tonight, if not tomorrow which goes over the installation via a PSP and PSPgo. Also, I go over how the service works and some of the tips I just gave. So look for that soon! Have you guys download Qriocity for the PSP or PS3 system yet? If so, what do you think and if not, what’s holding you back?

Sony Cuts European Price for PSP to €129.99

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 11, 2011 | 1 comment

Following the trend set last month in the United States, Sony of Europe is also cutting the price of the PlayStation Portable (PSP) in all European territories, down by 24% to €129.99.

“The price cut is aimed at increasing adoption of the player in Europe,” said Satoshi Fukuoka, a Tokyo-based spokesman at Sony’s video-games unit. The previous suggested retail price was 169.99 euros.

With the NGP looming around the corner, it’s no surprise to see the price of the PSP fall all over though Sony has said that much like the PS2 and PS3, the PSP will live on beyond the NGP launch. Still, we can’t help but wonder how much more penetration Sony could have done had the PSP price cut happened a year or two prior. Still, we have to also take into account that due the PlayStation 3’s high costs, Sony was losing over $300 per console for the first few years the product was on the market and that the PSP was the only product bringing in a profit into the PlayStation division. Taking that into consideration, you might see why the price was not cut prior.

Sony PSP Outsells Nintendo 3DS in Japan

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 8, 2011 | 4 comments

For some reason, as I began to write this post, all I could think about was Riddick saying “skittish Tombs, very skittish“. Those unfamiliar with the quote, I highly recommend seeing the two Riddick movies. Now, onwards to the news. Nintendo’s new handheld console, the 3DS was launched in Japan on February 26th and has been met with great sales. Still, it seems like software is king and with a lack of 3rd party support as often is the case with Nintendo (and let’s be honest, Nintendo hasn’t really hurt from this as each year, all they need to do is put Mario on something and make Mario Party 23 and Mario Tennis 37 and it will sell millions) Sony’s 7 year old PSP was able to outsell the 3DS with 58,075 units in the week of March 28th to April 3rd while Nintendo pulled in 42,979. As mentioned though, software is indeed king and the PSP had the help of the popular sim game, Amagami. I of course am not taking this as some impending doom and gloom situation for the 3DS nor a trend that will continue on every week.

[Via GI](subscription required)

PSP and PSPgo to Receive Qriocity: Music Unlimited on April 14th

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 8, 2011 | 3 comments

Though the PSP firmware 3.65 added Qriocity support which is Sony’s unlimited cloud streaming music service many months ago, the handheld consoles still required an additional download in order for the service to work which has not yet been available. Now Sony has issued a press release, indicating that the PSP and PSPgo will be getting Sony’s cloud based music streaming service on April 14th via an additional download. Earlier this year, Sony began a roll out of Qriocity in Europe and quickly followed to North America. The $3.99 or $9.99 a month service allows your music to be synchronized and accessible via any web browser and is also available on all PlayStation 3 units, as well as Sony Bravia televisions, and Blu-ray players. Sony is looking to bring the service which gives you access to over 7 million songs to Android and iOS devices though no specific timeframe has been given.

As always, hit the jump for an official press release.

The PSP Turns 6! Happy Birthday!

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 24, 2011 | 34 comments

6 years ago today, Sony took the first steps at transforming the PlayStation division and being Nintendo’s first true competitor in the mobile gaming segment with by releasing PSP-1000 in North America. Offering at the time unmatched graphics which frankly, the just released Nintendo 3DS still cant compete with, Wifi, Bluetooth, online gaming and movies, music and photo viewing capabilities, the PlayStation Portable has come to sell over 67 million unit’s during these last 6 years. During that time, the PSP has seen a fair share of tweaks, with the PSP-2000 and PSP-3000 getting slimmer and yet offering a better screen and battery lifetime. Sony has also tweaked the PSP via firmware updates, giving the handheld access to the PlayStation Network which gives allows users to downloadable movies, games, themes, comics and more, directly over the air. Over a year ago, Sony would also release the PSPgo which was based on the PSP platform with one noticeable difference, a lack of UMD drive which had powered all the previous PSP models and current PSP-3000 in favor of downloadable content only. Though the PSPgo has not been the success that Sony had hopped for, Sony has always stated that the PSPgo was more of a test and an advent to the upcoming NGP. Recently, Sony dropped the price of the PSP-3000 to $129 and with exclusive games like God of War, Metal Gear Solid, SOCOM, Final Fantasy, Killzone and LittleBigPlanet, the PSP continues to be the corner stone of what a next generation portable should be.

PSP Launch, March 24th, 2005

Sony NGP to Cost $250 for Wifi, $350 for 3G?

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 17, 2011 | 4 comments

When Sony Electronics finally took the wraps off of the PSP successor, previously called by the public the PSP2 and currently codenamed NGP; both the press and consumers were blown away by what the system had to offer. We encourage to read our previous post where we dive into the NGP specs but for those who are playing at game, you will know that there is not one singular feature that stands out. Instead, Sony has created a cutting edge machine, much like the PS3 when it launched that offers power unparalleled by any currently and probably for some time to come. But the hardware is only part of the story, this time around, Sony has learned a good deal from both the PS3 and the PSP and has an extremely excited 3rd party presence that will sure help the NGP reach a success that the PSP was not to. Two questions were shortly discussed after the unveil; Is NGP really the products name and how much will this handheld cost.

The first question is the easier of the two. NGP stands for Next Generation Portable which is an internal codename that Sony used, during the products inception. The final product name has yet to be announced but think of it like when the original AppleTV was called iTV till an actual name (AppleTV) was given to the product. Although I would say that nearly two months after the product announcement and the word NGP sits quite nicely. After all, everybody thought Nintendo was crazy to call their next generation console the Wii and 80+ million units later, I don’t believe that the name hurt them one bit. Still, the product name was the least of Sony’s worries or the perception that soon would follow the press release. Instead, question two began to set in. How much would the NGP cost?