New PlayStation Camera, Hasbro Agreement for Sony
April 26, 2007
Sony has announced the PlayStation Eye camera for the PS3, which should debut this summer with bundled EyeCreate software.
As key features of the upgraded Eye camera peripheral, Sony lists a more sophisticated microphone (4 channel audio, 48kHz) with the ability to reduce background noise and focus on spoken word for smoother, more accurate speech recognition, and a re-engineered lens with higher resolution input (640 x 480 at 60fps) to better perform in low-light conditions, a faster frame rate, a two-position zoom lens for close-up and full body options, and free EyeCreate editing software, which allows users to save, edit, and add visual effects to photos, video and audio clips.
EyeCreate also enables user to capture videos and audio clips directly to the PS3’s hard disk drive and access a range of different capturing modes, including slow motion and time-lapse. Pricing for the peripheral has not yet been revealed.
Announced simultaneously was that Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast will provide content for one of the debut titles to use the PlayStation Eye, the camera-based CCG The Eye of Judgment. WoTC already produces major CCG Magic: The Gathering, and under the agreement, Hasbro will create, manufacture and distribute the trading cards associated with The Eye of Judgment video game.
In the game itself, through use of a 3 x 3 board and trading cards, each encrypted with CyberCode, players conquer the field by selecting a card and placing the coded card in front of the PlayStation Eye for their respective creatures to come to life and battle. Each creature has various skills which will determine the outcome of the battle. Players take turns placing cards as they jostle for control of the board; the winner is the first player to conquer five of the nine fields. The game is slated for release in fall 2007.
Overhauled ‘Final Fantasy’ Anniversary Titles
April 19, 2007
In early February, Square Enix made an announcement regarding the chosen release date for the anniversary editions of Final Fantasy I (April 19) and II (June 7), and since then, there has been no news regarding definitive release dates for other regions.
Square Enix, however, has recently made an announcement informing American gamers that localized editions of Final Fantasy I and II would be available this summer. Final Fantasy will be available in North American stores starting June 26, while Final Fantasy II will ship out on July 24.
These games celebrate the 20th anniversary of the original Final Fantasy, which was released in the Japanese market towards the end of 1987. A translated American version was released for NES systems in 1990, and the cartridge is still considered to be a rare collector’s item.
Despite initial plans to release an English version of Final Fantasy II in the states, that plan was eventually scrapped so that translators could work on Final Fantasy IV for the Super NES (which was subsequently renamed Final Fantasy II to avoid confusing American audiences). For a while, America had not seen an official translated version of Final Fantasy II until the release of Final Fantasy Origins for the original PlayStation.
Both Final Fantasy Anniversary titles will undergo complete overhauls in graphics and sound. They will also contain new FMV sequences to bring the games into the modern era of RPGs.
PlayStation Home Details
March 12, 2007
Sony Computer Entertainment posted a shnazzy little PDF with some Q and A’s that I came across today. I’m not sure who exactly was asking the questions, but here are some more details about Home, which sounds pretty cool:
- Home online service will be released on PS3 in October, 2007.
- Home will initially be accessible only via PS3. Over time, though, SCE will enable users to access Home features and services via “other networked mobile devices” like PSP and mobile phones.
- SCE is aiming for the initial download “to be under 500MB.”
- Publishers will see profit from content purchases (clothing, accessories), content auctions, and advertising.
- Home is targeting “everybody” in hopes of creating “a broad and diverse community of users.”
- Closed and open Beta will roll out between Apr.-Aug. and Aug.-Oct, respectively.
- Hall of Fame is a “Home Space” trophy room in which users “display their gaming accomplishments.” Trophies are only won through games that support the Home Trophy system; publishers and developers build trophies into the game’s structure.
- Home transactions will use the Sony Wallet system within the PSN Store.
- Each user will have an aprtment space that is private and can be modified over time. The basic apartment is free and will offer plenty of personalization options.
- Home content will be updated weekly and is being developed continually. Special content for things like Halloween will be available for a limited time.
- Users can have as many friends as PSN firneds list allows, which is currently 50.
- Parental controls will be available through PS3 and PSN; Home also employs the same age restriction policies as PSP and PSN.
- Home usernames will be the same as PSN account IDs.
Sony’s Harrison Unveils PS Home and Little Big Planet at GDC
March 8, 2007
The PlayStation Home, referred to simply as Home, is a free downloadable program that upgrades social networking as we know it.
Users can create a customizable polygonal avatar to suit their tastes, decorate their “apartments” with all types of furniture and accessories (tv, decorations, and music players, explore the insides of their apartments, invite their friends into their virtual room and play pool, watch movies or listen to music (streamed off the PS3 hard disc), or launch straight into online multiplayer games. The interface looked clean and simple, and the graphics were highly detailed.
Little Big Planet, Sony’s new virtual playground, really fired everyone up and was definitely the star of the show. Little Big Planet is a unique combination of side-scrolling, puzzle-solving, and create-your-own-game sandbox play in which players can quickly and easily create levels with the game’s powerful internal physics engine. After building a level, you will be able to upload your project online so that others can try out what you’ve created.
Overall, the graphics were high-end, the physics seemed realistic, the interface looked clean, and the simple gameplay was a hit; speaking of which, the Sixaxis plays an important role in gameplay. Little Big Planet will be available on Blu-ray disc as the key example of Sony’s new “Game 3.0″ initiative.
Harrison also hyped up the European sensation SingStar, which he claimed has sold over 7 million copies on the PS2 worldwide, and the upcoming PS3 version will greatly expand the game’s scope, thanks to the PlayStation Network. Users will be able to download new tracks at the SingStore, but will also have the option of posting videos of themselves singing their favorite songs. All you’ll need is either an EyeToy or a standard USB camera, and every single SingStar owner across the world will be able to download your handiwork. Oh Jeez.
Harrison also noted that users can also customize their games with in-game wallpapers and other optional items. SingStar for the PS3 will be available first in European markets in June and will debut in North American this fall.
In addition, Sony showed a brief video of in-game footage from the new PS3 Killzone title, which appears to be set on a far larger scale than the PS2 original and featured driveable tanks. The physics and particle system looked top-notch. Sony promised more Killzone details at E3 in July.
Over 1,000 PS2 Compatible Titles for PAL PS3
March 1, 2007
Last friday, a Sony press release indicated that only a “limited” number of PS2 titles would be compatible with the PAL PS3 (to be launched in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia on March 23), but Sony president of worldwide studios Phil Harrison has just declared that “over 1,000″ PS2 titles will be backwards compatible with the PAL version of the PS3, thanks to the removal of the PlayStation Emotion Engine from the hardware configuration and a new reliance on software emulation.
Nevertheless, European fans were pissed off wiht this news; the issue of backwards compatibility, for many, is secondary to the perception that PAL consumers were being forced to pay more for hardware that featured less functionality than its North American and Japanese equivalents. Apparently referring to the negative headlines produced by the news, Harrison responded, “It’s very easy to over-react. We’re working to introduce a resource on the Web to detail which titles will have backwards compatibility. And as we make firmware upgrades, we will be able to add to that list.”
Referring to suggestions from Datamonitor analyst Alex Kwiatkowski that the move to software emulation could see an earlier than expected PS3price drop, Harrison said that price reductions are “something that we wouldn’t comment on specifically. But you know the business model very well – we strive to get the cost of manufacturing down as soon as possible, and as soon as we can pass cost savings onto the consumers, we will.”
According to Sony’s own figures 2,451 software titles have been released in Europe in total, from a worldwide total of 8,571. Assuming that the figure of over 1,000 titles promised by Harrison includes a significant number of the more popular PS2 games, it seesm that the move to software emulation is unlikely to remain a contentious issue in Europe.
Modified PS3 Offers Less Backward Compatability
February 26, 2007
For Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Australasia, recent changes in the PS3’s internal design means that the console’s backward compatability for PS1 and PS2 games “is not going to be as good as in the U.S. and Japanese models,” a Sony spokesperson said.
“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,” Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves explained.
A Sony press release confirmed, explaining that the PS3 to be launched in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Australasia on March 23 would utilize brand new hardware, the specifications of which include the Cell Broadband Engine, a 60 GB HD drive, a Blu-ray disc player, built-in Wi-Fi, and a SIXAXIS wireless controller. Most important, the press release stated that the built-in emulation would support only a “broad range of original PlayStation titles and a limited range of PS2 titles.”
The reliability of backwards compatibility on the PS3 won’t be as good in the European market to start off, but Sony will be releasing regular downloads through the PlayStation Network to increase the number of compatible games over time. An official list of working titles will be published on March 23.
Konami Announces New Projects
February 2, 2007
Konami, at its recent Gamer’s Day, revealed two major new releases for the upcoming year: an original Wii and a remake of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood for PSP. Both games were announced without release dates but are expected in 2007.
Konami’s new Wii game, from Elebits producer Shingo Mukaitoge, was revealed to be Dewy’s Adventure, marking the second original IP from Konami for Nintendo’s Wii console.
Players are to use the Wii controller for nearly all of the in-game puzzle-solving and platforming interactions, such as tilting it to roll the titular Dewy character, a living water droplet, around his environment, using the d-pad to heat or cool Dewy to steam or ice, or fanning the controller to create gusts of wind.
The game will also include an edit mode in the same manner as Elebits, and will also make use of the Wii’s internet connectivity in a yet-unannounced way.
Konami also announced the long-anticipated official debut of its classic Castlevania franchise for the PSP with Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles. Unlike recent DS adventure originals, the first Castlevania PSP outing will be a remake of the PC Engine Super CD cult hit Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo, also known as Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. The PSP remake of Rondo is being done with fully 3D assets, but maintains the 2D perspective.
Also included in The Dracula X Chronicles will be a portable version of PlayStation classic Symphony of the Night, featuring a reworked localization and slightly reworked graphics, making it the second forthcoming release of the game, alongside the Xbox Live Arcade Version, which is also due soon.
Sony, Microsoft Deliver Downloadable Classics
January 8, 2007
Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) officials have announced the licensed the rights from publisher Midway for six classic arcade titles to be made available for digital download through the PlayStation Network.
The six titles licensed for download are as follows:
Mortal Kombat II
Rampage World Tour
Gauntlet II
Rampart
Championship Sprint
Joust
The first of the six games will be made available in the U.S. in “early 2007;” no price has yet been indicated. The titles will join an existing line-up of PS one retro titles for the PSP, such as the recently released Jumping Flash!, and original/upgraded titles such as PSP update GripShift.
Retro titles have already been successful on the Xbox 360 and Wii, and Sony officials have long since indicated the company’s intention to continue the trend on the PS3.
So far, Wii’s virtual console has not included any arcade titles, but a few home conversions have been made available including R-Type for the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 and Altered Beast for the Genesis/Mega Drive.
“This is a great opportunity for SOE and Midway to come together to bring these arcade treasures to the next-generation of gaming on the PlayStation 3,” said John Needham, senior vice president and chief financial officer at Sony Online Entertainment. “SOE will continue to explore additional opportunities to bring fun and unique digital content to the PlayStation Network.”
PS3 Updates
January 3, 2007
Coded Arms Dropped?
It appears the reports/rumors of Coded Arms Assault’s demise originated in German online press, but nothing’s been confirmed or denied by official powers just yet.
Coded Arms Assault is an Unreal 3 engine-powered FPS that casts players as a hacker battling an evil corporation by entering virtual reality. The series has already appeared on PSP.
PS2 Predicted to Outsell PS3
Analysts are backing the PS2 to sell more than any other console in 2007, including PS3.
Chief operating officer at Sega, Simon Jeffrey, speculates that the PS2 “probably has the capacity to sell more than any other gaming console,” in 2007.
Michael Pachter, an analyst at LA-based Wedbush Morgan Securities says, “The PS2 will have legs well into 2008,” which is testament to the success of the console considering its competitors, the GameCube and Xbox consoles, have seemingly already died a sudden death.
New PS Games for PS3
Nine more PlayStation games have trickled onto the PlayStation Store for PS3 owners in Japan to download:
R-Types
Dino Crisis
Rhapsody: A musical Adventure
Mr Driller
Taiyou no Shippo: Wild, Pure, Simple Life
The Conveni: Anomachi o Dokusenseyo
Gekitotsu Toma L’Arc: L’Arc-en-Ciel vs Tomarummer
Global Force
Migi Hadari USA
New Games for Euro PS3 Launch
The following titles will be ready for the March European kick-off of PS3:
Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2
Splinter Cell Double Agent
Rainbow Six: Vegas
Blazing Angels
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Sony’s New Downloadable Movie Service for PSP
December 18, 2006
Following Microsoft’s lead, Sony is gearing up to launch downloadable movie content for the PSP, weeks after a similar service was launched for the Xbox 360 in North America, and apparently in opposition to Apple Computer’s iPod related service.
The new PSP movie download service will allow users to download a film to a PC (or presumably a PS3, although this is not specifically mentioned) and then to transfer it to the PSP, much in the manner of already announced emulated PlayStation games.
According the British newspaper The Financial Times, the service is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2007, following deals with various online video providers.
Several websites are reportedly currently in talks with Sony about 
the service, where the question of improved security against piracy is being promoted as a major benefit over iTunes and the iPod. The new service has been developed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, not Sony Computer Entertainment.
A move of this kind has been predicted for some time, as the sales of movies and video content on UMDs have failed to live up to Sony’s expectations. To accompany the launch of the service, the company will make available a new 4Gb memory stick which will be able to store up to ten feature length movies.
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