Feed aggregator

UPDATE: Hit the play button in the Ustream box below to replay today’s PlayStation Move press conference from GDC.

Greetings from GDC 2010! This year we’re going big at the Game Developers Conference, with a major press event today. Couldn’t make it in? Sure you can! Just watch our live stream below.

The show starts at 4pm Pacific/7pm Eastern:

Free Videos by Ustream.TV

By now you’ve read Jack’s post regarding the exciting new update to PlayStation Home’s core client, which will, among many other things, greatly improve loading times as well as streamline navigation in-between spaces. But we have much more than just the 1.35 update coming at you this week. We’re talking FINAL FANTASY XIII content, new Indiana Jones items, and more personal spaces than you can shake a stick at.

The reviews are rolling in and, to say the least, they are positively glowing. FINAL FANTASY XIII, Square Enix’s latest addition to what is inarguably one of the critically-applauded RPG franchises of all time, has just been released and, chances are, you are reading this blog on a brief detour to the ultimate destination: Pulse. Which means that we caught you just in time to let you know about an additional option for those of you who, like me, simply must immerse themselves in all things FINAL FANTASY-related – namely, the brand spanking new FINAL FANTASY XIII personal space (as well as the corresponding furniture items) that is releasing tomorrow, March 11 into the ever-expanding world of PlayStation Home.

Also releasing this week is a brand new personal space sure to make every racing fan’s pulse pound – the Luxury Race Box. A true must-have for all you speed demons, the Luxury Race Box is the ideal location to kick back and relax with your friends. That’s if your idea of “relaxing with your friends” is being bombarded with the shrieks and squeals of cars that are motoring by mere feet away whilst the smell of burning rubber fills your nose. Peep the video below for a closer look at this exhilarating new personal space.

Magnus Keynes’ Mall Madness sale continues this week with a huge price cut on some of the most popular personal spaces to ever grace the PlayStation Home platform. We’re talking the Summer House, Lakeside Log Cabin, Wizard’s Den, Post-Apocalypse, and even the Halloween favorite “Deadquarters” (which turns you and all of your friends into zombies just by entering) – with prices ranging from $1.99 to $4.99 for a bundle. Needless to say, Magnus has been going a little nuts with the proverbial scissors but it fares well for the rest of us, so let him do his thing! Here are a couple shots of some of the spaces that are on sale this week. These spaces are only available at this super-low price for a limited time, so be sure to pick yours up on tomorrow morning.

It’s a new week, which means that a new episode of The Tester will be playing in the PlayStation Home Theater come late Thursday afternoon. And, of course, we’ll be giving out free items to everyone who watches Episode 4 of this PlayStation Network exclusive reality series, as well as offering commemorative items in the Central Plaza and Theater kiosks – like this special The Tester jersey!

In other news, another batch of Indiana Jones items are coming to PlayStation Home this Thursday – including your very own Ark of the Covenant for your personal space. Of course, you need to make sure you are pure of mind, body, and soul before you pick this one up…

In terms of Sodium updates, two new Salt Shooter weapons will be available this Thursday: The Multi Shot Grenade Launcher and the Long Range Plasma Emitter. The MSGL is a powerful and deadly addition to your arsenal that is perfect for taking on multiple enemies at once, while the LRPE boasts fantastic accuracy, rapid rate of fire, impressive range, and an efficient cooling system (the LRPE can be upgraded to become the most powerful weapon in the game and will help you achieve new personal high scores left, right and center!) To get these new weapons, all you have to do is purchase the corresponding items of furniture from the Sodium store. When you have these, you will be able to equip your tank with the weapons next time you play the Salt Shooter game.

Come tomorrow, you’ll also start receiving Bronze, Silver and Gold Accolades as you progressively earn more credits playing the Desert Quench mini-game in the Sodium hub. To earn credits as a thirsty customer you must drink your way through beverage after beverage following the command prompts which appear on screen – the less prompts that you miss, the more credits you’ll earn. As an employee, you should aim to serve customers the right drink combinations – correct combinations will earn you the most credits and get you closer to those precious accolades.

See you in Home!

Hello again Home Community,

I am thrilled to be back on the PlayStation.Blog to share some exciting news. Tomorrow we will be launching PlayStation Home 1.35, a new client update that will include some very significant enhancements that will make your PlayStation Home experience even better.

This update will bring several of the changes that you, the PlayStation Home community, have said are most important to you. Most notably, this update features faster load times, giving you quicker access to PlayStation Home and all the great content within. The new 1.35 update also enhances the login process. Now, once you have launched into PlayStation Home from the XMB, you will be transported directly to a new intuitive navigator, without the need to click through message screens.

Like much of PlayStation Home, the design of this new navigator is directly based on community feedback on how to improve access to the content used most in PlayStation Home. This streamlined interface features categories to help you quickly move through PlayStation Home and locate friends in just a few clicks.

Categories will include:

• Favorites: Personalize your own section to make locating your favorite places quick and simple.
• Personal Spaces: Your clubhouses and personal spaces are now right at your fingertips. The personal spaces you own and the clubhouses you belong to will be viewable in one convenient location.
• Friends: Finding your friends in PlayStation Home has never been easier. View the current location of your friends in PlayStation Home, and then navigate there to enjoy the action together.
• Explore: Browse all the spaces PlayStation Home offers. Finding a space that suites your taste and mood has never been easier.
• Recommend: Keep up with what’s hot in PlayStation Home. This regularly updated category will feature the newest and most exciting additions to PlayStation Home.

Just a reminder that PlayStation Home will not be accessible for a brief period tomorrow as we work the magic on our side to bring you this update. If you have any questions or comments, as always, please drop us a note in the PlayStation Home forums.

With now 12 million users around the world playing games, attending special events, watching videos, listening to music, and meeting new friends, there has never been a better time to join the PlayStation Home community. For those of you that are already part of the party, with tomorrow’s 1.35 update, I think you’ll agree that everything you love about PlayStation Home just got that much better.

With Final Fantasy XIII just released, Qore’s got an in-depth walk-through of this stunning title. Get the real story on the story, characters, and fascinating insights provided by exclusive interviews with creators Motumu Toriyama, Yoshinori Kitase and Yuji Abe. There’s also an interactive gallery of gameplay tips, and a look back at the launch day in Japan.

For you God of War fans eagerly awating next week’s release, we’ve got an exclusive digital preview of the upcoming graphic novel from legendary comic scribe Marv Wolfman. Audrey Cleo meets the man to discuss his approach to taking Kratos to print and using Qore’s interactive digital gallery, preview of the comic book narrated by Marv himself.

Qore also visits Volatile games in the UK for a preview of the noir action/shooter—Dead to Rights Retribution. Grant City is a dark and dangerous place, even when playing as a cop on the edge, so it’s a good thing you’ve got a trusty (and deadly) canine companion by your side to help you sink your teeth into the action.

As a follow up to an earlier look at Lost Planet 2, the Qore team’s produced a detailed preview with never-before-scene gameplay. The creatures are massive, the vital suits totally cool and Lost Planet 2’s lush, newly-defrosted environments are very enticing.

And finally, many of you have been asking for dynamic themes, and this month, all Qore subscribers can access a new Heavy Rain dynamic theme. For those of you familiar with the game, this dynamic theme takes place at the crime scene, complete with patrolling officers, police cars, and plenty of rain, of course. Even if you haven’t gotten into Heavy Rain yet, this dynamic theme is still pretty cool on its own.

Look for Episode 22 tomorrow.

Not like we thought it slipped your mind, but if you’re in the San Francisco Bay area tomorrow, you’re invited to come celebrate the launch of God of War III!

And if you have the means to get here, do it – we have a history of treating our fans to extremely good times. And tomorrow is no exception as you’ll have many chances to win great PlayStation games and prizes, get autographs from members of the development team, create your own God of War III box, and much more. So whatever the means – train, plane, car, bike, rollerblades, horse, camel – get here tomorrow! There’s only one God of War III event and we don’t want you to miss it (In all seriousness, if you arrive on a camel, you’re getting something incredibly cool).

Check out our initial post for all the fine details, but here’s a quick recap. We’ve got a couple HUNDRED tickets for our very special community (that’s you!) to get you in to the amazing and mega-exclusive God of War III event, where you’ll get to go hands-on with the final version of God of War III, enjoy some epic food and hospitality, and watch a still-secret-but-guaranteed-to-be-super-awesome band perform.

And all you need to do is show up. But we HIGHLY recommend arriving early. The hands-on event doesn’t start until 7pm – so we’re setting up a community-only pre-event party that goes on all day. What does that entail? Free food from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m, awesome schwag giveaways and raffles, free wi-fi (In the words of Triumph, “For you to Tweet on!”), the chance to put yourself on the God of War III box, autographs and more! So if you haven’t already signed up, RSVP on our Facebook Page!

Important Details:

• The hands-on event goes from 7-10pm on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at the SF Concourse Exhibition Center. The pre-party meet-up begins at noon (you’ll see our tent in venue’s parking lot). Directions here. Don’t even think of strolling up at 6.30pm – you ain’t getting in!
• Keep in mind that you must be 21 or older to get into evening hands-on event, but anyone 18+ (or with their parent/guardian) can come to the all-day meetup. ID *will* be checked!
• Parking is rough in the area, so try to take BART or Caltrain – both very close to venue.
• Once you’re in, you’re in — no ins and outs (don’t worry, we will have bathrooms). Unless of course you don’t want to stick around for the amazingly awesome hands-on event at 7pm. Then you’re free to leave at will…but you’re making a HUGE mistake!
• You must RSVP via this Facebook event invite
• Be sure to leave your replica Blades of Chaos at home
• You might wanna think about bringing your PSP ;-)

The End Begins at GDC…

Hi everyone,

It’s been fun to watch all the speculation on whether or not God of War III would get its own spot with Kevin Butler. The answer? Of course, how could it not? We’ve been looking forward to the launch of God of War III for some time now (as you all have) as it’s one of the best examples of “It Only Does Everything” that you’ll find. Where else can you get epic storylines, groundbreaking depth of scale, dynamic 3D realism, and our signature gameplay that is God of War. Yes, God of War III will be one of our biggest sales drivers this year, selling multiple millions of copies and becoming a system seller for PS3. It’s that good and everything you’ve heard is true. With more than 35GB of Blu-ray gaming goodness, it’s truly a shining example of “Only on PlayStation.”

The early reviews are echoing what we already know, that the wait for God of War III will not have been in vain. PlayStation: The Official Magazine has given God of War III a score of 5 out of 5 while Game Informer has followed suit with a 10 out of 10, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg as we expect an onslaught of positive reviews to hit newsstands next week.

Some of you already know what to expect from the final installment of this Olympic-size trilogy. For those of you who don’t, comparing God of War III’s scale and scope to previous chapters is like comparing Kratos’ Blades of Chaos to a letter opener. We are confident that if you haven’t jumped on board yet, this game will certainly be the incentive you’ve been waiting for to get a PS3. Our hats are off once again to our studio organization for creating another amazing experience. I’ve been saying it for awhile, but the depth and breadth of content on PS3 is unrivaled and will continue to be a catalyst to our sales all year long.

While the game itself won’t be in stores until March 16, many of you dedicated God of War fans have already been feeling the Fury of Kratos at your local 7-Eleven. Already, thousands of vouchers from the cups have been redeemed for exclusive downloadable content. Kratos will also be invading the world of NASCAR. On Saturday, March 20, the No. 20 car will be sporting a brand new God of War III and GameStop themed paint scheme driven by Joey Logano during the Scotts Turf Builder 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. For our die-hard fans, we’ve produced our first collector’s item with the “Ultimate God of War III Edition” which comes packed with exclusive collectibles and downloadable content (priced at $99.99). Several retail partners are seeing huge demand on pre-orders for this edition, so make sure to grab yours on launch day.

Which brings us back to our good friend Kevin Butler, who will also play his part to promote God of War III with a new TV commercial that begins airing the end of this week. Suffice it to say that Kevin can’t possibly ignore the game’s star power. We will also have a 15 second commercial highlighting all the glowing accolades this game is already garnering. We hope you all enjoy your exclusive access to both commercials here before they hit the airwaves:

I look forward to hearing your feedback on the commercials and this amazing game.

By now we’re hoping many of you out there are enjoying everything White Knight Chronicles has to offer on the PS3. For those of you who have gone through the single player campaign, there’s still plenty to do on GeoNet and with the Georama. If you haven’t taken a look, be sure to check out this video that tells you all about it!

And if you think you’ve done it all, guess again. Beginning this Thursday, March 11th, we’ll be offering up additional quests for free every week through the end of June! You read right, free. Just log into the PlayStation Network, start up your copy of White Knight Chronicles and you’ll see new quests pop up on the World Map. Each week we’ll be releasing a new permanent quest, as well as limited quests that will only be available for two weeks at a time. To find out which quests are active, be sure to follow our Twitter account. We’ll be shooting the names of the permanent and temporary quests out through there.

To celebrate these weekly updates, we’re going to run a sweepstakes! Just log into any of the following quests in White Knight Chronicles:

• All in the Cards
• All in the Cards II
• Station Attendant
• Station Attendant II
• Heat Waves
• Heat Waves II

Log in between 5pm PST on Friday, March 19 and 11:59pm on Sunday, March 21 to get entered into a drawing to win a 12-inch White Knight figure:

Specific rules to the contest are below.

Good luck!

“Get The Loot” Sweepstakes

The following promotion is intended for viewing in the 50 United States and D.C. only and shall only be construed and evaluated according to United States law. Do not proceed in this site if you are not a legal resident of, and located in, the 50 United States or D.C. at the time of entry.

White Knight Chronicles International Edition “Get The Loot” Sweepstakes

OFFICIAL RULES

1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void outside the 50 United States and D.C. and where prohibited. To enter, you must have a valid PlayStation Network account, a PlayStation 3 system and a copy of White Knight Chronicles International Edition (“WKC”). Entries are submitted by signing in to the PlayStation Network and playing an on-line quest within WKC. The on-line quests are titled “All in the Cards”, “All in the Cards II”, “Station Attendant”, “Station Attendant II”, “Heat Waves”, and “Heat Waves II”. Each time you log in and play one of the quests listed above, you will qualify for an entry into the Sweepstakes. Quests do not need to be completed to qualify for an entry.

To be valid, entries must be received between March 19, 2010 5:00 p.m. (PST) and no later than March 21, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. (PST). Sony Computer Entertainment America (the “Sponsor”) is not responsible for lost, late, mutilated, illegible, incomplete or misdirected entries. Sponsor is not responsible for technical, hardware or software failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections or failed, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmissions which may limit an entrants ability to participate in the contest. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to modify, cancel or suspend this sweepstakes should virus, bugs or other causes beyond Sponsor’s control corrupt the administration, security or proper play of this Sweepstakes. If the Sweepstakes is cancelled for any reason, winner will be selected from among all valid entries received prior to cancellation and all prizes will be awarded. Entries not satisfying these Official Rules will be automatically disqualified.

2. PRIZES: Twenty Five (25) Winners will receive one (1) White Knight Figure (approximate retail value, $100). Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prize of equal or greater value if prize is unavailable. Prizes are non-transferable and no substitutions allowed. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of prizes.

3. WINNERS: Winners will be determined by a single random drawing of all valid entries received by Sponsor, whose decisions are final. Drawing will be held on or about March 26, 2010. Winners will be notified by the e-mail account used to set up their PlayStation Network ID within 10 days of drawing.

4. ODDS OF WINNING: The odds of winning depend on number of valid entries received.

5. ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal U.S. residents 13 years or older. Return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqualification and an alternate winner will be selected. All unclaimed prizes will not be awarded. If the winner is a minor, then prize may be awarded to winner’s parent or legal guardian. By acceptance of prize, winner agrees to the use of their name and/or likenesses for purposes of advertising, trade, or promotion without further compensation, unless prohibited by law. Additionally, by acceptance of prize, grand prize winner agrees to release Sponsor, its parents, subsidiaries and affiliates from any and all liability, claims or actions of any kind whatsoever for injuries, damages or losses to persons and property which may be sustained in connection with the receipt, ownership or use of the prize or while participating, in any prize-related activity. Employees of the Sponsor and its parent, subsidiaries and affiliated companies and their immediate families are not eligible to participate in this sweepstakes. Neither the Sponsors nor its affiliates, subsidiaries, division or related companies are responsible for any damages, taxes, or expenses that winners might incur as result of this sweepstakes or receipt of prize.

6. WINNER LIST: To obtain a copy of the rules and/or the name of Prize winners, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: “Get The Loot” Attn: Promotions, 919 E. Hillsdale Blvd. 2nd Floor Foster City, CA 94404. Prize winners name request will be fulfilled within four weeks after prizes have been awarded. Requests for winner list must be received by April 30, 2010.

7. RESTRICTIONS: Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

8. SPONSOR: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., 919 E. Hillsdale Blvd. Foster City, CA 94404

The big day is finally here. As Yakuza 3 begins the journey to stores across the west, we take another look at what makes Yakuza 3 something you’ll find only on the PS3.

“If there’s one thing about Yakuza that these last few months have taught people,” I thought as I sat at lunch on Monday, “It’s that the fans are a force to take seriously…usually.” Fans can be the biggest allies and proponents of games that may not be the huge, multi-million sellers like (insert generic FPS here), or (insert additional generic FPS here). They can create amazing successes for games that were never expected to have them – looking at you, Valkyria Chronicles – and they can just as easily do the opposite, in some cases.

But more than anything, most fans just want to be heard. Fans want interaction, and to be responded to. So let’s begin this blog post by jumping right in to one of the biggest things fans have been asking about: the content.

Yakuza 3 is huge. Besides exploring Tokyo and Okinawa, you can also visit restaurants, pick up ramen at a local convenience store, go golfing, bowling, fishing, karaoke, or bust some heads in a local street fight.

As someone who enjoyed Shenmue, my love for Yakuza grows in knowing that some of the people who developed the original Shenmue games also work on Yakuza now. The similarity in feel between the two is no coincidence – and the epic feel of exploration, and Japanese culture, that the game offers are things you won’t find anywhere else. I’m also a big fan of playing darts while drunk – the extra level of difficulty is quite entertaining, besides being notably safer in Yakuza 3’s virtual world than it is in real life. (Note: I do not condone playing Darts while intoxicated. You’ll probably take someone’s eye out.)

Also, we’d like to make special note that while not everything from the Japanese version made it to the western shores, our community team has been – and will be– reading, compiling, and passing all of that feedback upwards here at SEGA. I can’t say more than that presently, but know that you are being heard, and we’ll make sure of that for you. To clarify additionally, as has been mentioned: Hostesses are in the game, and you can take them out on dates, build relationships, and sing karaoke with them to your heart’s content.

As Yakuza goes out the door and into the homes of hundreds of thousands of fans, I’d also like to take a moment to give some thanks to the people that really deserve it – and that’s you guys. It goes to the people who pushed from the beginning to show SEGA how much they wanted this game here. To those who post in the comments sections encouraging us, offering bright and helpful viewpoints even when the going got rough. And finally, to those who continue to support this PS3 exclusive by picking up the game, and in doing so give the franchise the legs on which to stand.

Know that we appreciate the support so many of you have already given to this series – and that we are now, and will continue to listen to your feedback.

That said – here’s to Yakuza 3!

Hi Everyone – Break out the bubbly, because today marks a milestone on the Video Store! Starting today, PlayStation Network’s video delivery service is the first to offer high-definition movies for purchase from all of the major movie studios, including 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution.

So head to the Video Store today, and on your PS3 from the comfort of your own home, download popular movies to own in dazzling HD, such as This Is It, 2012, The Hangover, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and Zombieland, plus recent Oscar winners and nominees like Inglourious Basterds, Up and District 9. Enjoy!