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In a move to help its next-gen console better rival the service options offered by the Xbox 360, Sony Entertainment has been trying to make its PlayStation a little more “homey” for users. The electronics giant recently announced that more than 20 different companies have signed on to have their own slice of “Home.”
Some of the partners that will offer content on PlayStation Home have been
confirmed as Activision, EA, Capcom, Disney Interactive Studios, Namco Bandai and Ubisoft. Gamers with access to Home can create their own 3D avatars to navigate the world, customize their experience and check out the content available to them.
The Home concept has been in
development for several years and entered beta in late 2008. While it looks splashy, many wonder if it’s a little too little a little too late. With the success of Xbox Live and its ever-expanding offerings, it just may be.
I have to admit, however, Home does look pretty spectacular. The Sony site shows avatars worthy of Sony Online Entertainment’s MMORPGs. The 3D aspect is quite striking. The company has, in fact, put together a great lineup of content providers.
As Home shapes up, it will be interesting to see if it helps pull users away from the tried and tested Live or if it, like the console that backs it, will languish as the slow runner in the next-gen race.
Nods to
1UPRelated
PS3 May Get A Price CutLabels: playstation home, soe, sony, xbox 360, xbox live
As the next-generation console race leaves Sony’s PlayStation 3 in the dust the problem is not with the console, it’s with the price tag. With a starting price of $399, the console’s bells and whistles just haven’t been enough to move the PS3 off the shelves. This could change in April.
According to industry analyst Michael Pachter from Wedbush Morgan Securities, Sony is likely to drop the price of the console to a sweet $299. This would better position it against the Wii and the Xbox 360 in terms of investment.
“Once the PS3 is at a more affordable price point, we think that sales of that device will once again begin to grow,” Pachter is quoted as saying.
Pachter is convinced the price cut is necessary to make the PS3 more attractive in a market where consumers are forced to hang on to every penny they have. He also expects Microsoft to drop pricing on its Xbox 360 even more.
If Pachter is right, 2009 could shape up to be an interesting year for gamers who have yet to jump on the next-gen bandwagon.
The question is whether or not a PS3 price cut would come soon enough to balance out the financial losses Sony has faced, in part, due to the PS3. The console costs almost $450 to make, which means game sales would have to be extremely high to make up for the loss of another $100 in entry price.
Add to this the prediction that Microsoft will further slash the 360’s price and it might just turn out to be an even bigger hit for Sony. While it technically has the most impressive of the next-gen machines, players still want value. The 360 already offers this with its most recent price tag sweetening the deal. Put another cut out there and Sony could be very hard-pressed to compete.
Although a price cut would make the PS3 a whole lot more attractive, it just might be a case of a little too little and a little too late.
Regardless, it will be interesting to see how the Big 3 compete in a market where value and pricing suddenly matter a whole lot.
Nods to
XbitRelated:
Sony Scrambling To Make PS3 SalesXbox 360 Scores Big In 2008Sony Adds More Proof That Gaming Industry Isn’t ImmuneLabels: microsoft, nintendo wii, ps3, sony, xbox 360
Sony’s PlayStation 3 might be the most powerful and impressive of the next-gen consoles, but that isn’t translating at the sales counter. With a starting price tag of $399, this machine does require a serious investment. While the power and graphics capabilities make it a sound purchase, Sony just can’t seem to beat out Nintendo’s Wii or Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Arcade in the sales department.
There are a host of reasons for this that go well beyond the pricing difference. Now that Microsoft has dropped the starter 360 to $199 and the Wii price remains a very fair $249, Sony seems to be running a little scared. The proof is in the latest marketing ploy. Sony has released a value comparison
chart that shows the PS3 offers a whole lot more bang for the buck over the two other consoles.
While there’s no denying that the PS3 does offer a tremendous amount of power and lots of bells and whistles, these things are not adding up to be enough to make gamers rush out and buy the console.
So, what’s the PS3 missing?
It all comes down to perceived value. Sure, the starter 360 doesn’t have Wi-Fi or an included hard drive. It does, however, have a mass of titles available for play.
Plus, it does provide these things as optional if players decide they need or want them. It, in short, gives users choice.
The Wii doesn’t come with a whole lot of bells and whistles either. Add ons aren’t really part of the design. This console does, however, deliver a ton of titles and a whole lot of fun. The value is there.
We have all three consoles in my house. The Wii and the Xbox 360 get used a lot. The 360, in fact, is used daily for playing Halo, Call of Duty (and Pacman. Hey! I’ve gotta have a vice, right?). The PS3 has been relegated to replace a broken DVD player. I don’t think we’ve played a game on it in about six months.
While the PS3 has the power, it doesn’t offer the same level of fun. And, if you look at the pricing of the three consoles, you can get a Wii and now an Xbox 360 for only about $50 more than a single PS3. Now, that’s real value!
Sony's going to have to do a whole lot more than make neat charts to convince buyers the PS3 offers enough use value to justify the price.
Related:
Xbox 360 Scores Big In 2008Sony Adds More Proof That Gaming Industry Isn’t ImmuneLabels: call of duty, halo, nintendo wii, ps3, sony, xbox 360
If you can’t beat them,
join them. That’s the tactic Sony Online Entertainment has taken when it comes to gold farmers and item traders.
Although it already facilitated trades of virtual items, the company has upped the stakes with Station Cash. This system is now available in both EverQuest and EverQuest II. It allows players to buy virtual items for cold, hard cash.
To use the system, players of both EQ and EQII simply use their credit cards to load up on Station Cash. This, in turn, can be used to purchase things within the game world.
What Station Cash does is cut down on the potential profits gold farmers are making by offering an in-game, sanctioned way to purchase things. Rather than the farmers making the money, SOE does.
Recently launched,
Station Cash can be purchased in the Marketplace for use in the game. The Sony-based virtual currency is non-refundable and non-transferrable. SOE is working on options to enable gifting of Station Cash, however.
As a long-time player of both EQ and EQII I have mixed feelings on this recent launch. While it’s nice to see Sony taking a bite out of farmers’ action, it feels a little seedy. I’m one of those purist players who has tried to avoid “cheating” in every game I play. Someone else leveled my character in Age of Conan through its final half-level to 80 and I lost all interest in the game. I didn’t do it myself, so the sense of accomplishment was gone.
Evidently, I’m a rarity in the virtual world, however. With a gold farming industry that’s now worth an estimated
$1.8 billion a year, the market for gold and trade is strong, according to Live Gamer.
Who knows? Maybe Sony can recoup some of its financial
losses that have cost thousands of jobs?
Labels: everquest, everquest II, live gamer, soe, sony
As the economic downturn continues to take its toll worldwide, Sony has joined the list of manufacturers that show the gaming industry isn’t bulletproof. That corporate giant has announced plans to shave its workforce by a whopping 8,000 people. It also intends to close quite a few of its manufacturing facilities to help it save an estimated $1.1 billion at next fiscal year’s end.
As Game Spot points out, the news is just the
latest in a series of blows to the industry. Earlier, EA announced the reduction of 600 employees and a loss of $310 million. Other gaming and electronics industry companies have also faced the crunch, including Midway, Eidos and Samsung.
While Sony joins the conga line of companies impacted by the worldwide economic crisis, its news is particularly troublesome. When the giants suffer, you know it’s bad out there.
Although Sony’s announcement does highlight the severity of the global downturn, the entire situation can end up being good news for the industry. As more consumers tighten their wallets and demand quality over quantity, it could force those who want to survive to be even more creative and offer more bang for the buck.
While Sony is crying over sales, Microsoft is cheering its three-to-one sales
victory over the PS3 on Black Friday. This, in my opinion, is largely due to the value the $199 Xbox 360 now offers gamers. The Wii also still seems to be more than
holding its own.
It seems that sales, although down, are still coming. Consumers are demanding value for their money and they are turning to the products that deliver. The end result could be very troubling times for the industry as a whole, but it might just emerge leaner, meaner and even more intriguing for gamers.
On a side note, my heart goes out to those who have lost their jobs. This is a horrible time to be out of work. The human toll of the downturn should not be discounted, and it’s my fear we are only seeing the beginning.
Related:
Video Gamers Have A 1 Up On The EconomyA Return Of Wii Holiday Shortages?Wal-Mart Helps Gamers Beat The EconomyLabels: microsoft, nintendo wii, PlayStation 3, ps3, sony, xbox 360
Breaking the glass ceiling in the video game industry might not be as difficult as it is in the American White House, but that doesn’t mean the task isn’t daunting. My hat is off to Sony Online Entertainment for recognizing this and trying to do something about it.
Torrie Dorrell, SOE’s senior VP of global sales and marketing, recently called on members of the International Game Developers Association to stand up and support the Gamers In Real Life (or G.I.R.L.) scholarship. Money given to this fund helps pay for college educations for women who want to enter the gaming field in such areas as design, creation and production.
"Today, I am challenging everyone to take action to help level the playing field for women pursuing a career in video games,” Dorrell said. “By donating to the G.I.R.L. scholarship, we can encourage diversity in development and make a difference, hopefully creating more opportunities for women and ultimately making more video games women will want to play."
Link
Dorrell called on industry leaders to each make $10,000 donations toward the cause.
My congratulations go to Sony, and Dorrell, in particular for making an issue of the obvious, but often overlooked reality women gamers face. While there’s no denying we exist, all too often were aren’t taken as seriously as we should be. And, the simple truth is a lot of games aren't designed with us in mind - at all!
I’m not a bra burner by a long shot, but it would be nice to see a woman’s touch in some titles – especially in MMORPGs where it seems a lot of the action and design work is geared solely for male players. Conan’s anatomically correct women are fine, but it sure would be nice to not have characters look so perfect!
Here’s hoping the effort to get a few more women actively involved in the behind-the-scenes creativity will result in titles that are at least slightly more balanced for the sexes.
Labels: age of conan, girl, soe, sony
When it came to video game conventions, the E3 used to be considered the Mack Daddy. Somewhat akin to Cannes for the movie industry, this elaborate showcase is now a shadow of its former self.
It was decided last year to shrink the event.
“Over the years, it has become clear that we need a more intimate program, including higher quality, more personal dialogue with the worldwide media, developers, retailers and other key industry audiences,” said Doug Lowenstein, ESA president at the time.
1UP has a full listing of this year's E3 exhibitors – all 33 of them. Last year's convention had more than 400, with all the pomp and circumstance of the Academy Awards.
Notables at this year's event, which has been moved to July from May, include Activision, Atari, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Capcom, Take-Two, Sony Online Entertainment and Vivendi Games. 1UP has a full listing, which is missing big names like NVIDIA and Blizzard along with the usual round up of indie creators, as 1UP points out.
I understand the idea behind the leaner, meaner conference. There's nothing wrong with getting back to the basics. But, still, it won't seem the same watching the action unfold without all the pomp, circumstance and
unique moments.
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North Americans won't be the only ones enjoying more affordable PlayStation Portables. Sony has announced that a price drop is on the way for Europe, too.
According to Gamasutra, the price drop will be on par with the $30 drop Sony recently announced for North America. That means the price of the core bundle will fall from €199.99/£149.99 ($271) to €169.99/£129.99 ($230).
It also sounds like gamers will be able to pick up some great titles for less, too. The Platinum titles will drop from £19.99 to £14.99 ($40 to $30). Upcoming titles in this range include Tekken: Dark Resurrection, Killzon: Liberation and Ridge Racer 2.
“PSP is unique and is constantly evolving. It offers the widest palette of mobile entertainment, from gaming to video, music, photos and internet,” SCE UK managing director Ray Maguire has been quoted as saying. “But now the exciting possibility of connecting remotely to PS3 makes PSP more relevant than ever. So what better time to offer a brand new price point, and the launch of five new Platinum titles?”
It sounds like Sony has a winning idea here. But, will it be enough to knock
Nintendo out of the lead spot?
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While it's not carved in stone, a Sony spokesperson has confirmed rumors that the company is toying with the idea of creating a bigger, better version of the PlayStation 3.
The news comes on the heels of Sony's FCC application for an 80GB PS3, and following many rumors that this announcement would be forthcoming.
The spokesperson, Satoshi Fukuoka, has
been quoted as saying the notion is "in line with our strategy as we had planned to choose models based on consumer needs."
The creation of an 80GB version and the dropping of the 20GB model all make sense in light of Microsoft's
recent Elite announcements. Keeping up with the competition while working to develop better games for the PS3 could mean the difference between success or failure for the next-gen console.
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There's no word on when or even if Sony's new "hand-held computer interactive device" will make it to the market, but the patent drawings sure make it look and sound sweet.
The device would put the power of movement in gamers' hands very much like the older model Power Gloves from Nintendo did decades ago, but this updated version might just have a greater ability of catching on thanks to the success of the Wiimote.
The Sony controller would have the ability "to capture a user's hand movements." This means finger, palm and full hand movements combined. It would also offer "tactile feedback" so users would know if their actions have been completed.
While the concept isn't a new one, it could be a real hit in the market of today where gamers have rapidly fallen in love with the Wiimote.
Although there's no word on what Sony plans to do with the patent, it would be an awesome addition to the PS3 or even an eventual PS4.
Some are billing it as a Wiimote killer, but that might be a little premature. Still, the concept is one that has found its time. And, the glove style might just be safer than the
Wii strap!
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Reports of problems with PlayStation 3s have been few and far between, but it seems a
few issues are starting to crop up.
In question are some 60GB models that seem to have been made in January and were shipped to Canada for sale. Some of the models, it seems, are having problems with overheating and making a high-pitched ruckus.
Yeoua reports that gamers have been trying to get their consoles replaced or repaired, but many are having no luck.
“EB Games wouldn't let me exchange it for a new one, not even the day after I bought it ... I then proceeded to call Sony and tell them of the situation, I sent it in to be repaired and they sent it back to me saying that nothing was wrong with it,” wrote a poster quoted in Yeoua’s article.
It seems the bad eggs of the PS3 batch have been narrowed down to those with serial numbers in the CE133190xxx and CE133212xxx batches.
It doesn’t sound like Sony has acknowledged issues with the consoles as of yet, and some gamers sound pretty hot.
“Let’s be clear here for all those new to this thread – it’s no specific game, it’s no specific hearing range issue, Sony has some bad PS3 batches out there,” wrote J-Mon in the
PlayStation official forums. “Either a shipment was dropped, or mismanufactured and we ALL need to move forward with this in mind. Exchange your PS3 and get one outside the above mentioned serial range or get a replacement unit directly from SONY like I'm doing.”
Sounds like Sony has a bit of a problem on its hands, which hopefully for these gamers’ sakes will be taken care of with haste.
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Sony’s decision to discontinue the PlayStation 3 20GB version in North America doesn’t come as a huge shocker. The way it’s being spun, however, is pretty interesting.
Sony’s PR guy,
Dave Karraker, has said the $499 version will go by the wayside in favor of the $599 60GB model because that more expensive model has been preferred 10 to 1 by consumers.
Here’s, the spin: That buying trend “supports the notion that consumers are willing to pay more for advanced technology in a gaming console.”
Considering the sluggish PS3 sales overall, I’m not quite sure how they managed that particular take on the situation. But, it does stand to reason that if a gamer decides to fork over $500 for a console the extra $100 to get the better drive isn’t all that much more.
At any rate, 20GB owners will still get full PlaySttion support, which will no doubt be welcomed news to those who have purchased one.
Rumors of the 80GB version persist, but no confirmation has materialized as of yet.
It will be interesting to see how well the Xbox Elite will do now, since it will be cheaper than the cheapest PS3.
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UK PlayStation 3 and Wii owners can now listen to the radio on their high tech, next-gen consoles thanks to a deal with Virgin Radio. The music will soon come to the Xbox 360, too.
“It’s great for us to achieve another new media first and be the only UK radio station available on both of these massively popular games consoles,” said James Cridland, director of digital media, is
quoted as saying by el33tonline.
Virgin’s saying “if it’s got a speaker on it, we want it to be playing Virgin Radio.”
To access the service, gamers need to open their Internet browsers on the PS3 or Wii and go to virginradio.co.uk/listen. Click on the “listen now” button to access the player designed for the next-gen systems.
This sounds like a solid play to ensure the next-gen consoles become total entertainment devices. Now, to just get this in North America!
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To celebrate the second birthday of the PlayStation Portable,
Sony has announced a sizeable price cut for the handheld console.
The new sticker shouldn’t cause too much shock at a cool $169.99.
Sony’s Jack Tretton has been quoted as saying, “We have seen a steady rise in the number of teens adopting PSP as their primary handheld entertainment system, and we expect the new price to accelerate that trend.”
With the new pricing, it’s possible this will accelerate the trend, but it will be hard to beat the Ninteno DS, which remains the most popular of gaming machines.
However, with the
recent firmware update that gives users an online ability for six months at T-Mobile hotspots and lots of new download possibilities, the PSP is looking more attractive, even if
UMDs are questionable.
Still, appealing to the teen market is perhaps the best way to knock Nintendo out of its No. 1 perch. With tons of young kids in love with the DS, Sony could easily market its PSP as the “hipper” handheld and get some serious notice.
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Sigil Entertainment’s Vanguard has been out for a few months now and as some players race to hit the level cap, others are taking their time enjoying the world that’s been presented them. I’m one such player. And, while I’m not a Vanguard expert by any stretch of the imagination, there is some sage advice I’ve picked up along the way from other players and a bit I’ve gleaned myself.
Starting out in the world of Vanguard can be a bit overwhelming. The world of Telon is made up of three known continents right now: Thestra, Qalia and Kojan. While this might not seem like much, Thestra can be such a pain to travel the old days of getting across West Karana in Ever Quest 1 seem like a picnic. At any rate, players start out on one of these three continents and begin their quest in the world with very little gear or money.
Getting started, players will find is pretty easy if they do a few things:
Quest: As it is with EverQuest and the other similar fantasy MMOs games, questing is the surefire way to fast experience and item upgrades. Get as many quests as possible and do them.
Stick to the roads: The roads in Vanguard aren’t “safe” by any means, but they are safer than trying to take shortcuts, no matter how appealing they might be. When possible, stick to the roads for travel from one town to the next.
Value money: Money is hard to come by, very hard. At level 27, I’ve barely broken the gold mark and since I’m not a big tradeskiller, it’s not looking like wealth will be in my future. Fortunately, upgrades for the most part come cheap right now on my server, but this will likely change as more wealth is gained and moved about the world.
Pay attention to player crafted gear: Unlike other games where player made items are generally topped by a lot of drop items, this isn’t the case in Vanguard. This isn’t to say the stuff that drops is all junk, but the fact is tradeskillers have a real niche here.
Tradeskill: I know I said I’m not a big tradeskiller, but this is the road to wealth. Players who tradeskill might not have their coffers overflowing, but they tend to do better than those who don’t. Plus, tradeskilling is a game in and of itself, which has made it a whole lot of fun for those who have the time and inclination to get into a craft. The tradeskilling set up in Vanguard is very well done and infuriating to a point, but it’s hooked many a person more than even adventuring.
Diplomacy: This offers another game in a game that I haven’t personally experimented with all that much. It’s fun, I can tell you that much and pretty complex, as well.
Soloing advice: Soloing is pretty easy for most classes to achieve and the fact is there are a ton of solo quests available. Just take care to con mobs. They’re set up on the old fashion green to red system with purple thrown in for good measure. The dots on the targeting device indicate the complexity. Solo mobs are typically two dots or less, but many a class can take on a three or four dotter with relative ease.
Have fun: This is the biggest bit of advice I can offer anyone starting out. Take your time, make friends, ask questions and explore what Telon has to offer. There’s a lot more than meets the eye.
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Sony’s added some neat perks for PlayStation Portable owners with its announcement of the 3.30 firmware upgrade.
The latest upgrade allows PSP users to play compatible games online, do a bit of web surfing, download podcasts and more. The podcasts will be available at more than 7,000 T-Mobile HotSpot locations, which include some Starbucks, Borders, Hyatt hotels and about 70 U.S. airports.
The promotional offer also includes six months of Wi-Fi access at the T-Mobile spots. When the six-month trial is over, PSP owners will have to pay for the service. To get the deal, PSP owners have to login to the network by March 28, 2008.
“ This new offer enables SCEA to take portable gaming and entertainment to a new level of mobility and convenience for PSP owners,” said Peter Dille, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America, in a
media release. “With T-Mobile’s service, we’re making it possible for the PSP community to connect in new ways and access the online content they want in more places than ever before. More and more PSP users are going online to challenge each other in multi-player games, and we can now make it more convenient to access online gaming as well as the Internet, showcasing the rich feature set that PSP has to offer.”
The first game on the online list is Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters. More titles are expected soon.
The upgrade sounds like a good one that puts the PSP to greater use.
For a full list of 3.30 details, click
here.
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Sony’s PlayStation 3 has broken sales records in the UK to become that country’s fastest-selling next-gen console.
According to Pocket-Lint, 165,000 consoles were purchased in the two days after the console’s launch. These numbers put it ahead of the Xbox 360 and the Wii. They note, however, that does not beat the PlayStation Portable.
The Wii might have beaten the PS3 figures, but Nintendo only had 105,000 consoles available for launch weekend.
Interesting to note here is the fact the PS3 broke records, but it didn’t sell out. If Sony delivered the 220,000 consoles it promised, about 55,000 were still without homes.
Meanwhile, Sony is playing third fiddle in sales elsewhere.
The Wii topped both the PS3 and the 360 in February. Wii sold 335,000 unit. The 360 came in with 228,000 and the PS3 trailed with 127,000.
As Newsweek’s
N’Gai Croal has been quoted as saying, the performance “is simply abysmal. The PS3 is sucking wind right now. ... Price is a factor. Some of the negative buzz is a factor. Some of the FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) is a factor. And the lack of a large number of triple-A software titles is a factor."
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The official European launch of the PlayStation 3 has come and gone. The inequity has ended. But, it honestly looks as if Sony’s reception in Europe wasn’t exactly stellar. At the very least, the launch sounds like it was almost boring in comparison to earlier releases in American and Japan.
If the snaking lines, the days of camping and massive amounts of
hoopla and even the violence surrounding the North American and Japanese launches are considered, the European debut is downright mild.
For instance,
Spong had this to day: “Over a hundred people turned up at HMV to pick up a PS3 with a free copy of the sublime Virtua Tennis 3 from Sega.”
And, this: "One guy had even turned up at midnight last night to be the first in the queue!" Simon Winter, PR manager for HMV.
That’s over a hundred in a line and one guy in an early queue. Remember the campouts in front of stores in America? The ridiculous fan behavior? The store manager that made wannabe buyers play silly games that resulted in injury?
MCV confirms the modest lines, “Queues of around 100 people who had pre-ordered consoles waited patiently outside both retailers’ flagship London Oxford Street stores before doors opened – GAME’s at 7am and HMV’s at 7.30am.”
With consoles reported still available after pre-orders were filled, the launch sounds like it went very smoothly, as compared to elsewhere. Perhaps if gamers had known a free HDTV was in the mix at some locations, the lines would have been more out of control?
While the excitement level doesn’t sound up to snuff with what gamers had in store at earlier launches, it sure sounds like the Europeans did this one right. So far, there are no reports of PS3 thefts or buyers getting robbed or beaten. The crazy antics that made headlines with the North American launch just aren’t there.
Whether this is due to a lack of interest in the console or perhaps that European gamers are more civilized than some Americans, doesn’t matter. The fact is, numbers aside, the launch sounds like it went off without a hitch, or at least a big one.
Congratulations Sony. Congratulations European stores. Congratulations European gamers.
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As the clock began to tick down on the official launch time for Sony’s PlayStation 3 in Europe, one gaming site was reporting something rather interesting.
While Americans and Japanese lined up in droves, hours and hours in advance for their on-time launch, Londoners don’t seem to be quite as excited. In fact,
Tech Digest’s report makes it sound rather bleak for PS3 sales on Friday.
“Even I was surprised by the amount of people gathered in the basement of Virgin's Megastore on Oxford Street today, I thought there'd be *slightly* more than three people queuing for the PS3 30 hours before the big launch,” the writer scribed.
While it’s highly unlikely the line will only remain three deep as Friday rapidly approaches, perhaps this is London’s way of telling Sony it isn’t thrilled with being snubbed during the failed worldwide launch?
How well or how poorly the console does at release will be interesting to watch as it unfolds.
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As Sony gears up to turn its PlayStation 3 loose on the European market this week, months after its planned debut, the question remains as to how well or how poorly the console will do in regard to sales.
With a price tag that comes in higher than the U.S. version, the delay in initial launch and the issues with backwards compatibility, it’s the easy guess that Sony will run number three in Europe, falling behind the Wii and the Xbox 360, as it has in the North American market. However, preorders for the console have been high, despite the pricing and compatibility issues.
With about 220,000 units ready for the UK for Friday, it sounds like Sony’s banking on taking Europe by storm. Indeed, even store executives are talking up the gaming console’s release.
Woolworths’
Jim Batchelor has been quoted as saying the launch “will be biggest video games console launch of all time. It will be bigger than the launch of the Nintendo Wii, the Xbox 360 and the previous Playstation.”
That’s a tall order to fill, but the world will get to see for sure on Friday.
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Despite its third-place rankings in the next-gen battle, Sony is still banking its PS3 will hit the 6 million shipped target by the end of March.
With an estimated 4 million consoles shipped by February, per chairman Ken Kutaragi, the figure seems more than feasible. With the European launch just days away, it’s more than likely 6 million units will ship by March 31 on the worldwide market.
The real question, however, is whether they will sell?
According to GameSpot, Sony had only managed to sell about 1 million consoles in the U.S. since its launch. Elsewhere, figures on the sales front are about as bleak. Only 6,000 consoles sold in total in all of Canada in February.
With a lack of game titles and problems with backwards compatibility, Sony will likely have a difficult time unloading the PS3 for some time to come. But, with millions of consoles waiting in the wings, maybe they’re just planning for the demand that will eventually come when the title choices improve?
Perhaps it’s a case of if we build it, they will come?
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It’s hard to believe eight years has passed since Sigil and Sony Online Entertainment unleashed EverQuest on the world. The MMORPG took the gaming world by storm, redefining the fantasy genre in a big way.
With multiple expansions and tons of new content added over the years, EverQuest has lived up to its name. Although considered an “old game” by gaming standards, EQ has a strong and loyal following that has stuck with the title from the beginning. It’s even managing to pull in new users as the expansions keep making the world of Norrath fresh and exciting.
While I no longer personally play this title, its expansive world, rich stories and incredible design will long serve as the measuring stick by which I judge other MMORPGs.
To celebrate the milestone anniversary, SOE has kicked off an array of anniversary promotions, including the release of an Anniversary Edition box set. Here is some of what’s going on in Norrath:
In-game events: Fabled Luclin NPCs have been brought back and there’s even a scavenger hunt going on. The promotions run through April 16.
Video contest: Players can have an item named after them if they manage to win The
Fabled Adventurer Video Contest.
Festival of Time: This runs through March 26 and has NPCs traveling the world to “spread timeless tales of ancient history.”
For a full run down of the festivities, visit
Sony’s site.
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Sony is the latest game console maker that thinks portable systems need to go on a diet. Rumors that the PlayStation Portable would soon have a lighter look have been confirmed.
The confirmation comes from Sony’s UK managing director Ray Maguire, as confirmed by
Games Industry.biz. According to Maguire, the system will get an updated design that is smaller, but that will also retain the screen size of the PSP.
While there’s no date on when the shrunken console will arrive, it is my hope the PSP’s lighter version will take advantage of the same accessories the original PSP uses.
Making handheld consoles smaller and more portable isn’t uncommon. Nintendo’s done it successfully with its DS Lite. The only problem is not all accessories translate and the older versions are sometimes hard to come by.
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There’s more to Mii than meets the eye.
At least that’s what the folks over at
Marketing Vox are saying. It seems Nintendo is far from finished showing off everything Miis can do. Next on tap is the launch of a Mii channel later this year that will give users the ability to chat and rate each other’s Miis. The idea is to create a social network site that could possibly rival MySpace, but in this case it would be just for Wii users.
At least one industry analyst is calling the move a stroke of genius.
“Within a year, the Wii may be the most successful and valuable social-networking community on the Web,” says Richard Doherty of Envisioneering Group. "Nintendo is creating a framework for an open environment that will allow other developers to add value. Interesting third-party solutions could link fans of TV shows, gamers sharing tips, even home-schoolers."
Doherty may indeed be right. With Sony’s announcement of Home and the unbridled popularity of sites like MySpace and YouTube, why not a place Wii fans can call their own?
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The folks over in Europe are no doubt not feeling the love today as Sony has made another disappointing announcement in regard to the Euroepean version of the PlayStation 3.
No, there’s no delay this time, but gamers might want to pack away some of their old PlayStation 2 titles.
Sony has announced it will eliminate a microchip from the European PS3. In doing so, it will cut costs of production, but it will also lessen the console’s backward compatibility greatly.
“Unlike the PS3 being sold in the United States and Japan, the upcoming European version will not carry the microchip that offers graphic- and data-processing functions for PS2 games, cutting production costs,” a
Sony spokesman has been quoted as saying.
Instead, it will have a different, less expensive chip, that won’t offer the backwards compatibility the other one did (not that it was all that great either). It doesn’t look like the cost-savings will be passed on to gamers either.
With losses in its game unit up to more than $1.71 billion, there’s no doubt Sony needs to do something, but this seems like a slap in the face of European gamers who have already endured a delay.
A big question this brings up is whether Sony will continue to work on the backwards compatibility issues on North American and Japanese consoles, or will try and dust the problems under the carpet?
The consoles rolls out in Europe March 23.
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Sony Computer Entertainment let the cat out of the bag about its big, free promotion to make the PlayStation 3 a little bit different than anything else out there. Taking tips from the MMORPG Second Life and the Wii with its adorable Miis, Sony plans to make gamers feel right at “Home.”
Home is a new service that will launch sometime this fall that will offer gamers a detailed 3D sort of game within the game.
From Sony’s media release, “Home is a real-time online 3D, networked community available on the PLAYSTATION®Network. It allows PS3 users to interact, communicate, join online games, shop, share private content and even build and show off their own personal spaces to others in real time. Home will be available as a free download from the PLAYSTATION®Store and will launch directly from XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) on PS3.”
Users will get to create their own avatars and customize them to their own liking. They also will have their own in-game apartments where they can have others over to see their gaming trophies, watch videos, show off pictures and so on.
“This is a significant step forward in the area of user community services and emergent entertainment experiences,” said Izumi Kawanishi, Corporate Executive and CTO Software, SCEI. “While the 3D graphics demonstrate the power of PS3 and the PLAYSTATION Network, the most impressive feature in Home is the variety of ways in which multiple consumers, as well as our third-party partners, can experience the next generation of communication by interacting and sharing among each other. I feel strongly that this unique blend of community, user-generated content, collaboration and commerce will expand the future of computer entertainment.”
The new Home project goes into closed beta this spring with the full launch set for sometime this fall.
I’m personally not sure what to think about this. Granted, games like Second Life have an impressive following, but I’m having trouble seeing a hard-cord PS3 gamer that’s been pulled in by the power wanting to sit around and show home movies in a cyber apartment. I'm just not sure this is the kind of PS3-targeted game fans were looking for.
Maybe it’s just me?
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It looks like Sony Computer Entertainment is taking a cue from its television division. The company is working on a number of PlayStation 3 titles that will be episodic by design.
Word of this game development comes from John Hight, Sony’s director of production, during the Independent Games Summit at GDC.
“Mid -summer this year we'll be talking about some games that are episodic in nature,"
Hight is quoted as saying. “Some by design, more like interactive TV broadcasts and some to take content and spread it out"
Sounds like a great idea to get PS3 specific content out there that might take full advantage of the console’s power and graphics. Mid-summer sounds like a long time to wait right now, but here’s hoping they cook up something good enough to make the wait worthwhile.
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As Sigil Entertainment and Sony Online Entertainment are busy touting the
first big update for Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, players are wading through the muck created by the game’s premature release.
With annoying bugs in abundance and little or no help from GMs other than some fairly rude comments and strict requirements for reporting said bugs, the game would better benefit from an exterminator right now. Instead, players will be getting update that includes new weapons, adventuring areas, NPC classes and most likely new and improved bugs, too.
Don’t get me wrong, Vanguard’s shaping up to be a good game. It’s well thought out. It’s beautiful. And, there’s enough content that solo players and groups can have an equal amount of fun. But as a player, I’d sure like to see what’s broken fixed before more content is added to the title. March 6 is way too early to be talking content additions.
Some of the persistent and annoying problems with the title right now include:
Missing mailThis still appears to be a problem. The check’s in the mail excuse is actually legit in Vanguard.
Broken world/quest locationsSome mobs that are supposed to transport players to different locations in the game to speak to NPCs send them instead to locations under the world, rending the quests useless. While there is a /stuck yes command to enable players to free themselves this command comes with a rather harsh (and somewhat rude) warning that all requests will be reviewed for abuse. (And probably go on your permanent record, too!)
Group bugsPlayers invited into groups are being dropped spontaneously, only to find they cannot be invited again because they are “already in a group.” The only fix for this is time or a full log out.
HarvestingSome players are still having issues with not gaining harvesting skill updates when they should.
Once all of these and a host of other problems are fixed or at least beaten back, then new content should be added. But, right now, adding more things to go wrong just doesn’t make sense and it could backfire and turn players off.
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In wake of reports that
Sony’s backwards compatibility on the PS3 will be less than desirable on the European launch day, March 23, Phil Harrison is setting the record straight. It seems the console will support more than 100 PS2 titles coming out of the gate.
"The situation is changing everyday, but on March 23, we expect the list to include over 1000 PS2 titles,"
Harrison has been quoted as saying.
As the folks at Games Industry point out, Sony has been sending out some mixed reports about backwards compatibility. “While it has noted that consumers expect backwards compatibility as a standard feature, the company has also stated it believes that early adopters will buy the console for the next-gen gaming experience,” they write.
Harrison is now saying Sony is working on firmware upgrades to add to the list and plans on introducing a Web page to detail titles that are backwards compatible, much like the Xbox 360 list.
Whether Sony intends to do something or even can about how bad the PS2 titles look on the PS3 has not been stated. I speak from experience in saying some of the old titles look absolutely horrible with graphics pixilated and distorted.
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In the face of reports that a supply of PlayStation 3 consoles on North American store shelves has to do with the console’s lack of popularity, Sony’s Jack Tretton is fighting back.
Rather than showing the PS3’s lack of potential buyers, Tretton is saying the ready supply of consoles shows how well Sony’s manufacturing and supply chain is working.
"It's a testament to the fact that we've been able to manufacture and ship units on a greater pace than any previous console,"
Tretton has been quoted as saying. "Our goal is to fill shelves across the United States. Our goal is not to have empty shelves, it's to have full shelves. If we have a empty shelves that's one less consumer who could have bought a PlayStation 3.”
Tretton also said the company is on target to sell about 2 million units by the end of March and promised consoles shortages in some locations will end by May.
Whether the supply statement is total spin or the honest truth remains to be seen. Only time will tell, and that 2-million unit sales mark being hit would be one of the best markers.
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While Sony’s PlayStation 3 is being outperformed by the other two next-gen consoles in sales, the news doesn’t seem to be impacting the company all that greatly.
In fact, even as PS3 sales are sluggish, the PlayStation 2 and PSP are still enjoying rather brisk sales. This bodes well for Sony and its execs aren’t afraid to point that out.
“We are pleased with the numbers from January as they demonstrate overall sales improvements for our legacy systems year over year and continued momentum for PS3. With supply levels stabilizing, you can expect to see increased marketing for PS3 and PS2 in weekly retail circulars, which should garner strong numbers, boosted by big software launches, such as MotorStorm and Virtua Fighter 5,” Sony’s director of corporate communications, David Karraker, is
quoted as saying.
Indeed, the introduction of Virtua Fighter 5 seems to be a very big boost for the third-place next-gen console and with the European launch on the horizon, sales figures should only rise. While more PS3 titles would certainly help, too, there are moves to make this happen.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, the PS3 is a great machine. When more options in games are presented, it will be a hard one to beat – even at the price. Right now, however, it isn’t the most attractive machine on the market. When it comes to options for play, the Xbox 360 wins hands down in my mind, while the Wii is a winner for its overall family fun factor and affordability.
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With the European launch of the PlayStation 3 looming on the horizon, Sony has dropped a bomb fans might not have been expecting.
“The backwards compatibility is not going to be as good as the U.S. and Japan models,” a Sony spokesperson was quoted as saying.
This little tidbit means that many PlayStation 2 titles gamers might be holding onto to play on the PS3 won’t work. It also sounds like Sony doesn’t intend to fix the problem any time soon.
According to X-bit Labs, a Sony statement has made it pretty clear: “Rather than concentrate on PS2 backwards compatibility, in the future, company resources will be increasingly focused on developing new games and entertainment features exclusively for PS3.”
While that’s all fine and well, and new games should be developed for the PS3, gamers were told the console would be backwards compatible. And for the price Sony’s charging for the PS3, they have every right to expect it to be so.
Sony intends to only roll out the 60 GB version at first in Europe. This means the pricing falls in at €599 ($777) in the most of the markets and for pricing close to that in a variety of countries (UK – £425 ($837), Ireland – €629 ($816), Australia – AUD 999.95 ($777), New Zealand – NZ 1199.95 ($840)), according to X-Bit.
If gamers have been banking on having the old titles work, this news might not bode well for Sony.
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As Sony slowly lets the cat out of the bag about a potential movie and television download service for the PlayStation 3, things over on Xbox Live Marketplace are starting to really shape up.
The Microsoft site's entry into the
television and movie arena has really come a long way since launch, offering a fair amount of titles in both the television and the movie arenas.
The Top 10 list for Movies has some pretty good flicks listed, including “Crank,” “Superman Returns” and “See No Evil.”
On the television side, Comedy Central is a big contributor with “Stand Up” and “South Park” both in the Top 10. “CSI,” “Supernatural” and a host of other shows round out the offerings.
Microsoft’s partners in the download effort include such big-name players as WB, Paramount, NBC and Spike TV.
While this isn’t exactly “gaming news,” it is interesting to watch this service grow and round out. The downloads for both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 make the consoles more well-rounded, useable and easier to financially justify. We’ve barely used a regular DVD player since the 360 and PS3 made their way into our home.
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The popularity of Sony’s PlayStation 3 in the UK market has once again been confirmed by the presales information coming out of online sites.
Last week, we reported the
PS3 was the fast-selling presale on the British site, Play.com. Now, it seems the console’s the hot item to have on Amazon UK.
According to
i4u.com, the PS3 is the leader in the video game top sales chart on the Amazon site. It’s followed by the Wii and the black Nintendo DS Lite.
The news must be music to the ears of Sony execs and might even provide a little room for gloating. If the launch figures hold true when the console arrives in Europe next month, the execs who said the delay would effect PS3 sales in Europe over the long haul will be proven correct.
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Sony might have a friend in Europe – a few of them in fact.
It seems the PlayStation 3 console has surpassed both the Wii and the Xbox 360 on preorders on
Play.com, an online sales site in the UK. Orders have been so brisk, in fact, the site’s exes have declared the PS3 “the most pre-ordered console yet".
According to
PS3 News, Play.com’s Gian Luzio has said the orders are six times higher than the 360 and 15 times that of the Wii.
“We have been working hard with Sony to make sure that we can deliver every pre-order on the release date. We are pleased to be able to offer our customers the service they expect from Play.com,” Luzio said.
The European launch of the PS3 is a few short weeks away and many are wondering how it will go over. After a delay and some rude comments about the European market, many (myself included) expect the reception to be brisk. If Play.com is any indication, that might not be the case.
It will be interesting to see the post launch figures when they arrive.
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