Sony’s Kaz Hirai – at the time chief of the company’s Computer Entertainment division, and since made overall CEO – said that the PlayStation Suite platform “isn’t an ecosystem where we want to keep everything within the Sony family.” Instead, it’s intended to be Sony’s first “cross-platform endeavor” he explained.

The PlayStation Suite has, so far, been limited to Sony and Sony Ericsson hardware. As well as the gaming smartphone, certification has been extended to Sony’s Tablet P and Tablet S hardware, giving the slates access to the PlayStation download store with various classic PSOne titles.

The news goes some way to addressing the question of whether Sony intends to try to sell customers all of the hardware – phone, tablet, TV and computer – in its “four-screen” strategy, or of ceding some of the market by embracing a cross-manufacturer ecosystem. Hirai has been blunt in suggesting that Sony must look to user experience not simply hardware if it wants to turn its fortunes around, and part of that strategy appears to be bringing other OEMs onboard to fill in potential gaps in its line-up.

The PS Vita First Edition bundle will include the 3G-enabled unit itself along with a 4GB PS Vita memory card, a limited edition carrying case, and a physical copy of the Little Deviants game. The bundle will also include a set of AR Play game cards that enable augmented reality play with a host of mini games that can be downloaded for free.

Additionally, the PS Vita First Edition bundle packs an AT&T DataConnect Session Pass good for one free 250MB data session when you purchase one 250MB data session and a free PlayStation Network game that can be redeemed when you activate 3G for your PS Vita.

[via PlayStation Blog]

This isn’t necessarily retailer error, though with Walmart we wouldn’t automatically give them the benefit of the doubt. It’s possible Sony didn’t put an embargo on the game because giving out early units isn’t that big of a threat (you still need the Vita before you can play it). Or perhaps it’s a way to grab some early sales from customers who would otherwise have had no interest in ModNation Racers but jump are too anxious for their Vita to turn away an early copy.

A third possibility is that the early copies are only available to Walmart. Game publishers have been known to give special bonuses or perks to the world’s biggest retailer because it is such an important part of any game company’s bottom line. In any event, it doesn’t really matter *why* it’s there, just that it is there. So if you absolutely positively need to hold something Vita-related in your hand before February 22, head down to Wally World.

[via Kotaku]

The full list of playable games is: Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, Little Deviants, EA Sports FIFA Soccer, ModNation Racers: Road Trip, Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition, Escape Plan, and Wipeout 2048. The Vita launch is exciting since it is the first new generation of Sony gaming hardware in nearly six years. Analysts are also eager to see how it fares against the Nintendo 3DS, which had a surprisingly poor reception in the US in its 2011 launch.

And it wouldn’t be GameStop if there wasn’t some sort of related offer that encourages budget-conscious gamers to get rid of their old treasured game equipment. The retailer is offering an extra $25 trade-in credit on a Nintendo DS, 3DS, or PSP for customers who use that credit toward the purchase of a PlayStation Vita. The Vita is due out in just a couple weeks, on February 22. It’s available for $250, or $300 for those who want an AT&T 3G-equipped unit.

[via Engadget]

For those of you reading this in the future, this particular down-time took place on the 2nd of February, 2012. This maintenance period has for the most part left online play unaffected, while those who had signed into their accounts before 6 AM PST today should have been able to stay logged in throughout the down time. The services you know and love that are down and will remain down through the night will be the PlayStation Store via the PlayStation 3 and PSP, and Media Go.

In addition, PlayStation HomeMusic Unlimited and Video Unlimited services are unavailable until tomorrow. Account Management and Account Registration are also being said to be down while all the good stuff stays active as it should be. The good stuff includes gamers abilities to collect in-game trophies – each of these trophies then set to upload to users accounts when maintenance ends. Meanwhile you could also just play some offline games or break out the old Ball in a cup attached with a string and have a little old-timey fun then too. It’s only one day!

A reminder to all: the place where Sony announces down-times in advance is over at the PlayStation blog – or you could just stick around SlashGear where you love to get your PlayStation news and we’ll let you know both in advance and day-of like we always do. Cheers!

Hirai says that corporate structure is what has kept Sony from capitalizing on product innovations, and in fact has kept the company trapped in the past. “We really need to buckle down and be realistic,” he told the newspaper. “I don’t think everybody is on board, but I think people are coming around to the idea.”

To deliver on that, Hirai will use the same strategy that worked so well in Sony’s gaming division. The exec turned the PlayStation around from $2bn losses to profit in just four years, though mediocre sales of the PS3 had a detrimental effect on fiscal Q3 2011 results.

“I thought turning around the PlayStation business was going to be the toughest challenge of my career, but I guess not. It’s one issue after another. I feel like ‘Holy s—, now what?” Kazuo Hirai, CEO and President, Sony

“User experience” not just solid hardware is the way forward for Sony, the new CEO believes. His predecessor, Howard Stringer – who will take position as chair of the Sony board later this year – set out plans for a “four screen” strategy last year, integrating TV, PC, tablet and smartphone in an overall ecosystem; however, that means Hirai has to persuade would-be customers to buy not just one Sony device, but four of them.

“We can’t just continue to be a great purveyor of hardware products,” Hirai concludes, “even though some people expect us to do that.”

The Tester, which is released in weekly installments through the PlayStation Network’s video store, pits self-proclaimed PlayStation fanatics in a series of wacky and outrageous stunts until only one is left standing. The winner gets a $5,000 cash prize and the opportunity to become a full-time entry-level game tester. The show has been maligned from the beginning for its terrible prize and for the ridiculous way it tries to tie in the show’s obstacles into actual responsibilities of being a game tester (having cockroaches running up and down your face shows that you’re good under pressure, which is a trait of all good game testers. Yeah, sure).

UPDATE: Sony has updated us to note: “This year, we’ve changed things up and the prize is a position as a Production Associate at Santa Monica Studios.” Exciting stuff!

In the “where are they now?” files, The Tester season 1 winner Will “Cyrus” Powers is now an “Associate PR Generalist”, and season 2′s victor, Matthew “Gaymer” Brown now works for Sony Pictures. Who will be the next to walk through the revolving door at Sony? Find out when The Tester 3 begins “airing” on the PlayStation Network on February 7.

[via PlayStation Blog]

[Image credit: Tai Chiem]

Therefore, many people reason, Sony will be offering up its console within the next 24 months.

I hate to be the guy who comes in and gives those hopeful folks the bad news, but I just don’t see that happening. Sure, Nintendo is launching the Wii U this year and there’s a good chance it’ll appeal to many consumers, but that device is far more of a catch-up product to match the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, rather than a console that can set a new standard in gameplay.

What’s more, if we examine Sony’s sales over the last several years, it becomes abundantly clear that the company’s claim that the console really is a ten-year device might just hold up.

Sony has seen console sales grow year-over-year since the PlayStation 3 first launched. What’s more, with nearly 60 million consoles sold worldwide, there’s a strong possibility that Sony’s device could surpass the Xbox 360 in total sales within the next year.

Those that have been watching NPD release their sales figures each month with Microsoft’s hardware in the lead might find that surprising. However, it’s important to note that NPD’s figures are U.S.-only, making them a sub-par barometer of how all gamers actually feel about the consoles. Elsewhere around the world, especially in Japan, the PlayStation 3 is dominating the Xbox 360.

But that’s just sales. The fact is, the PlayStation 3 is still one of the best Blu-ray players on the market, and its graphical prowess is top-notch. As always, gamers would like to see even better graphics, but at this point, I’m not quite sure how much of an improvement we could actually get if Sony launches a new console this year or next.

So, I think it’s time we acknowledge that the PlayStation 3, while not perfect by any means, doesn’t need to be replaced anytime soon. The console is still commercially viable, it’s still delivering high-quality experiences, and it’s priced right for consumers. Stunting its growth now would be a mistake of epic proportions.

Don’t even think about launching a new PlayStation this year or next, Sony. You have something solid already in place — and you shouldn’t want to mess that up.

The service will be down for the PlayStation Store on PS3, PSP, and Media Go, as well as the PlayStation Network Account Management and Registration services. PlayStation Home will be down this whole time as well, as will Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited services. As it turns out, unlimited does not include maintenance times. You will not be able to sign in to the PlayStation Network from us.playstation.com during this time.

Those who were signed on before the maintenance began should be able to stay signed on, oddly enough, but will not be able to access any of the services so listed in the paragraph above. Users who are signing on now during the maintenance will be given a message that essentially says they may go no further. In-game trophies will be able to continue to be collected while the maintenance is going on, and your profile will be updated once the PlayStation Network is up and running once more.

[via PlayStation Blog]

The device you see today has a 5-inch OLED display, physical controls, and plastic to allow for better signal reception. When they first set about designing the PS Vita, says Sogabe, they felt it deserved a bigger screen than the PSP had at 4.3 inches. When they first hit on the 5.5-inch display, they found that it and its on-screen controls lost a lot of operability, and the idea was abandoned entirely. The pads that were then added to the final design were, for a time, slide panels, but became the tilting controls you see today in the end.

Other iterations of the PS Vita included a sliding system, similar to what you see now on the PSP go, and a clamshell – that is, one that folds up into a shorter size. The Sony teams worked very closely with Worldwide Studios on the project, they having a big say in how the final product turned out – especially in that the device was not entirely flat, as Sogabe would have had it. Finally, Sogabe also was a fully metal device as the best way to present a gaming system such as this, but because of its internal Wi-fi, 3G, and GPRS antennae, plastic was needed. The more you know!

[via PlayStation Blog]

The sales tracking data, which came from Media Create, shows the progression of PS Vita sales over the past five weeks as listed below:

Week 1: 324,859
Week 2: 72,479
Week 3: 42,648
Week 4: 42,915
Week 5: 18,361

Other gaming consoles, such as the 3DS, PS3, and PSP also experienced a decline in sales following the holiday period, but none had dropped below 20,000 units. The fifth week rankings, which are from January 9 to January 15, shows the 3DS continuing to take the lead at 100,668 units, followed by the PS3 at 30,332, the PSP at 22,538 and then the PS Vita at 18,361.

Despite these poor numbers on the PS Vita’s Japan launch, its US release could fare better. Sony has a staggered lineup of game releases with major franchise titles that should carry PS Vita sales in the months following the launch period.

[via Andriasang]

Asked about comments from the  head of Sony’s videogaming division, Andrew House, which had earlier suggested that the PS4 wasn’t on the cards for a 2012 reveal, Hirai confirmed they were accurate. ”Andy [House] is absolutely right in that we are not making any announcements at E3,” the exec said. “I’ve always said a 10-year life cycle for PS3, and there is no reason to go away from that.”

Meanwhile, Microsoft is believed to be preparing its new Xbox, with talk of two variants of the console that would cater for casual and serious gamers. A cheaper model would make for an affordable entry point to multimedia streaming through Xbox LIVE services, while a more expensive version would deliver the true next-gen gameplay.

Nintendo has already shown off the Wii U, the company’s own next-gen device, which is set to launch later this year with a new motion-sensing touchscreen tablet controller.

Separately, Hirai is expected to be made president of Sony in the near future, with existing president Sir Howard Stringer taking a step back to concentrate on his roles as CEO and chairman. Reports initially claimed the decision was a done deal, something Sony went on to deny, though leaving the door open for the decision at a later date.

Sony notes that the PS Vita has so far sold 500,000 units since it launched in Asia and Japan. The PS3 consoles sold well during Christmas as well. The PS3 console moved 3.9 million units worldwide and Sony thinks it will hit the sales goal of 15 million units be the end of its fiscal year in March. Sony also sold 1.7 million units of the move motion control system.

As old as the PS2 is, the console is still selling around the world. Sony reports that it sold 500,000 units globally. The Vita is the new Sony portable, but the PSP is still on the market right now. The PSP sold over 1.6 million units during the holiday season. That adds up to some impressive sales for Sony for the Christmas season 2011.

This device will have the biggest software lineup in the history of PlayStation – the biggest amount of apps available to the device as it launches, right out of the door, that is. You’ve got both 3G and wi-fi connectivity if you wish, and the rest of the party is there as well: party, microphone, and the lovely hardware launched in Japan already.

For the Sony Tablet P, he spoke on how it has optimally designed software made specifically for its two-screen interface, how its swift and smooth, and how it’s got cross-device connectivity like blu-ray disk players and smart television — markedly connected with the following hero brands: Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited, PlayStation Certified, and Reader Store networks. They spoke on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, revealed recently to be carried by AT&T as well.

The PS Vita will be launched in the USA on AT&T on February 22nd 2012. This device will have two data plans available, no term contracts which include 250MB for $14.99 and 2GB for $25 – the data you need when you need it. Will you be buying in?

MCV reports that Microsoft has been rumored for a long time to be talking about next-generation console plans at the show. MCV also notes that Microsoft has hinted to partners that it will be talking about the next gen hardware at the show. Rumors have been hinting that we will see two next-gen Xbox consoles.

Sony is also tipped to be teasing next gen hardware this year at E3. MCV claims that Sony has been telling third parties that it won’t be left behind in the next gen console wars this time around. The details offered at the show are expected to lack things like launch details and pricing on the future PlayStation and Xbox devices. I hope they aren’t too expensive.

[via MCV]

If this next generation handheld console by the name of PS Vita has one thing going for it, it’s support by the developers unwilling to let go of the many different ways people want to play games in their home and aboard airplanes. Because where else could you better take the time to play a full sports session than flying 50,000 feet above the ground? In this video FIFA 12 is shown to work with dual analog sticks, touchscreen utilization, and rear touchpad shooting.

The PlayStation Vita comes out on the 22nd of February, 2012, here in the United States of America, and we can be rolling out with the game soon after. The FIFA license is in full effect here too, those of you who follow the sport, so you’ll see up to and including 500 officially licensed clubs and 50 fully authentic tournaments for the greatest futball experience you’ve yet had anywhere! Look like enough incentive for you to get the hardware?

While some have said they’re experiencing similar problems to those described in the Japanese release of this device, it is only the Japanese PR who have had to apologize and promise an update imminently. In this statement they let it be known that they do recognize the handful of bits that need to be fixed and that they’re working on them now. have a peek at a bit of the statement translated to English here:

“Currently, our information centre regarding PlayStation Vita as well as our usual customer service centre are receiving many enquiries. We apologise if your phone isn’t connected straight away. Some issues regarding PlayStation Vita can be addressed by simple procedures at home [via our usual Q and A website.]” – Sony

Have you been having trouble with your device since you purchased it this past week or earlier on? Did you purchase a device that was straight from Sony, or did you get one internationally through a third party? How has your Sony PlayStation Vita experience been thus far, folks?

Trophies for physical, retail PS Vita games can only be earned for a game on the system the game was started on. If you play the game on another PS Vita, you will not be able to earn Trophies unless you associate the game with your PSN account. This means that you would sign up for PSN when you start the game on one console and when you play it on another you would have to sign in to PSN first.

As for saving backups, if you have application/game data along with save data are on a Memory Card, then both can be backed up to a PS3 or a computer. But, if the game saves to a PS Vita game card, then neither types of data can be backed up.

When it comes to Remote Play, there are three different kinds of button assignments and image quality options of +1, Standard, and -1. Screenshots can also be taken by pressing the PS Button and Start button at the same time, although this may not be supported in all applications or all parts of an application.

And lastly, the manual detailed battery life estimates for the PS Vita, pegging 3-5 hours of game play when network features are off, about 5 hours of playing videos, and 9 hours for listening to music. Recharge time from empty to full will take about 2 hours and 40 minutes.

[via PlayStation Lifestyle]

What you’ll find in the three videos at hand here is a fellow sitting in a room watching his television with his PlayStation, tapping in to a movie which explodes upon him like a storm. Have a peek at the first video here and see if you can tell which movie is being referenced. And don’t let the bright green lights and grids fool you – no special effects of any kind!

Then here isn the second video you’ll be flying high again in a wing-based environment, this time with a few more Green Man fellows running around. Watch as the PlayStation Store makes this guy have such an awesome time he can’t stand it. And stick around again at the end for the cheering because they had a great time, awesome job!

Then finally you’ll have to cry because this last video is all about being lost at sea. But don’t worry, there’s rum to be had! Though you WILL have to watch out for the octopi and the other deadly sea animals that live under the couch. And again stick around for the cheers!

Instead, the 3D Display will follow on in 2012, with updates on exactly when that’s expected tipped for early in the new year. It’s possible that Sony has been overwhelmed with sales, demand for the screen outstripping its production capabilities; the company blamed the Thai flooding recently for part of its underwhelming financial results and manufacturing delays.

Priced at £410 in the UK (and $499 in the US), the PlayStation 3D Display measures in at 24-inches and comes bundled with a pair of 3D glasses; although its primary target is gaming, it will also handle 3D movies and other content, such as that played back on a PS3. Sony has also said it is considering larger versions for future launches, though has not committed to availability. Still, with the company’s LCD business looking disappointingly dreary right now, we imagine Sony is keen to take advantage of any interest from the market whatsoever.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Sony has now announced that the dev program for the PlayStation Suite is accepting apps for the closed beta testing period. The SDK will use the C# programming language and will run on a C# virtual machine inside PS Certified devices and the PS Vita. The beta program goal according to Sony is to get a limited number of users into the program to get feedback to improve the SDK.

Apps are being accepted for the beta from both corporate and individual developers. Sony says not all applicants will be allowed to join the program. Apps for developers in the UK, Japan, and the US will be accepted in English. The beta SDK works on Windows machines with 32-bit XP and both versions of Windows 7. The application form for the dev program is available here. With Android and iOS gaming overtaking the PSP and DS in portable game revenue, this program could be key to increasing Sony’s share of the gaming market.

A lot has changed in the ten years since Sony and Ericsson inked their partnership, and I’m not just talking about that oft-quoted pivotal iPhone moment. High speed cellular networks have proliferated in North America, Asia and Europe, delivering 3G and increasingly 4G speeds not only in patches but more consistently across states and entire countries. Meanwhile user expectations have snowballed, beyond simple calls and the occasional SMS to include multimedia messaging, email and multimedia, along with persistent access to a range of cloud stores containing music, video, documents and other data.

Then there’s hardware. A decade ago, sub-centimeter thick tablets with all-day battery life, big touchscreens and processors as fast as computers were, quite literally, the stuff of science fiction. Cameras have gone from being chunky, standalone gadgets to ubiquitous accessories. In short, no longer is it enough to slap “Walkman” branding and a headphone jack on a basic cellphone and expect it to coast through the marketplace.

Sony Ericsson had already confirmed it was shifting its focus exclusively to smartphones in 2012, betting the farm on Android and the increasing demand for handsets that do more than make calls and play music. Nonetheless, the company had struggled as an also-ran, in many cases, against its Android contemporaries.

Samsung led the way in cutting edge hardware, a benefit of its considerable manufacturing heft, while HTC had been in many ways the consumer choice, its efforts with Sense the most compelling and thorough of the UI modifications. Motorola had its close relationship with Verizon Wireless, and now of course is slipping neatly into Google’s back pocket. In contrast, Sony Ericsson was beginning to look precariously balanced on the periphery, with no homegrown tablets – only cousins in Sony’s line-up – and word of increasing managerial tensions over how well-established brands like Walkman and PlayStation would be leveraged. All the time, Apple continued to build momentum as the wunderkind of the smartphone segment, the “obvious choice” for fashion following consumers.

Ironically, Sony has always been the most likely challenger to Apple; in fact in many ways it already had a head start. The company’s BRAVIA TVs are well respected, and their position in the gaming segment firmly cemented with the PlayStation range; the VAIO line-up is one of the rare computing exceptions to the adage that only Mac shoppers will pay for styling. Steve Jobs even admitted once that he looked to the Japanese company for inspiration in their consistency of design and purity of product message, factors which have waned over the years.

What Sony has struggled to do is capitalize in its potential, only now beginning to rise to the challenge of interconnectedness across its various ranges. The company’s Google TV products sank after making little impact to the smart TV segment, while PC sales across the board have been drearily unimpressive. Standalone MP3 players long ago lost their charm as first the iPod and then smartphones took over their functionality. Most promising has been the DLNA and universal remote support in the recent Sony tablets, taking functionality that has been around for some time but dressing it up in a way that makes it more compelling, more instantly appealing to consumers.

Android will undoubtedly play a significant role in Sony’s mobility future, and by bringing Sony Ericsson fully into the family fold the platform’s potential can be leveraged. With some clever integration between phones and tablets, for instance, Sony could leapfrog Samsung in tying together ownership of both, similar to how Apple has positioned iPhone and iPad as ideal companions. The Qriocity subscription-based streaming media service begins to look a whole lot more compelling when you have multiple devices you can use it on. Then there’s gaming, an area that Apple undoubtedly lags behind in today but is forever rumored to be targeting as the Next Big Thing, and which has the potential for truly engaging multi-device functionality for the company who controls not only your console but your high-powered smartphone, PC and tablet.

In the end, it’s control over its own future that Sony so desperately needed: the flexibility to react to the market and rivals by itself, to develop devices it finally considers truly worthy of its coveted branding, and most importantly control over the speed at which it can act. Buying up Sony Ericsson isn’t the be-all and end-all of this story – in fact it’s just the start of it – but if Sony can deliver on its ambitious “four-screen strategy” of phones, tablets, computers and TVs it could well make this a two horse race between it and Apple.

The lack of Flash support at launch isn’t too surprising since Sony’s PSP also did not support flash initially. But that device did not get an update to support Flash until over a year after it launched. With the current anti-Flash movement, the Vita’s Flash support may come just as slowly in the form of a firmware update, if at all.

The PS Vita was first unveiled at E3 2011 and features a 5-inch touchscreen display along with an additional touchpad control on the backside. The device sports dual cameras, dual analog sticks, GPS, Bluetooth, and WiFi. It’s set to go on sale in Japan on December 17, launching with 26 game titles, and will be released in North America and Europe on February 22.

[via Gamasutra]

Hirai said that the PlayStation Suite platform “isn’t an ecosystem where we want to keep everything within the Sony family.” He also confirmed that the company was “in discussions with non-Sony companies to bring them onboard.” It’s not clear when that would be as the company’s own next-gen portable gaming device, the PS Vita, isn’t set to launch until late this year in Japan and early next year for other markets.

Back in September, Sony announced that it will be releasing an SDK for the PlayStation Suite so that game developers could create one game that would run on all PS Certified devices. This includes the PS3 game console, PS Vita, Sony’s Android tablets, and Sony Ericsson Android smartphones. However, the SDK won’t be available until November.

[via Android Community]

There’s also no internal TV tuner, but a pair of HDMI 1.4 ports along with a single component video input mean you can hook up external tuners, Blu-ray and DVD players, or your computer. Sound is courtesy of stereo speakers and an integrated subwoofer, though there’s a single headphones socket too.

Of course, the part we’re really interested in is SimulView, which allows two gamers to play – in 2D – simultaneously while seeing different views on the same panel. That means head-to-head gameplay without being able to sneak a glance at your competitor and see what they’re up to. Initially only MotorStorm Apocalypse, Gran Turismo 5, Killzone 3 and Super Stardust HD will support SimulView (and you’ll need to buy a second pair of 3D glasses, since only one is bundled with the set) but Sony is working with developers to upgrade existing titles and produce new ones that will work with the system.

Sony also says it’s “evaluating different possibilities” for bigger sizes of display in future, though has nothing to announce now. Still, we’d be very surprised if SimulView didn’t show up on larger 3D HDTVs from the firm. You’ll be able to grab the PlayStation 3D Display on November 13 in the US, Canada, Europe, and “key areas of Asia”, including Japan.

Still unconvinced whether you should buy? Check out Don Reisinger’s reasons why he’s picking up the PlayStation 3D Display and why you should too.

The PlayStation Store will be automatically flagged up to Tablet S owners as a potential download, and once they’ve installed it they’ll be able to begin shopping. Downloads will only be supported over WiFi, though an internet connection isn’t necessary for actual gameplay.

Meanwhile, the Tablet P – with its clamshell design and dual screens – will also support the PS Store when it goes on sale imminently, and Sony says it’s working hard to certify other Android devices and games so that they’ll be able to join in the fun too. No word on when that might happen, however. You can find our full Sony Tablet P review here

• Cool Boarders
• Destruction Derby
• Hot Shots Golf 2
• Jet Moto
• Jet Moto 2
• Jumping Flash!
• MediEvil
• Motor Toon Grand Prix
• Rally Cross
• Wild Arms

Of course, a new console is no use if there aren’t any games to play on it, but Sony reckons it has that wrapped up too. The company has over 100 games in development for the PS Vita, including Sound Shapes, Resistance: Burning Skies, Uncharted Golden Abyss, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Assassin’s Creed, FIFA and Call of Duty.

There’ll also be social networking support baked in, including Facebook, foursquare, Skype and Twitter. The PS Vita also gets an unusual rear-mounted touchpad for game navigation, twin analog sticks and dual cameras.

While previous versions of NBA JAM have included such gems as President Bill Clinton jamming dunks from across court, this version gets a little less political. Watch the video below and you’ll think you’re waiting for an advertisement to be over for a new version of the SSX snowboarding game and OH WHAT, WHAT JUST HAPPENED – that’s right, there’s an SSX team of players featuring the classic set of snowboarding heros right there on the court. Don’t they get hot in those big snowsuits? I guess not! We’ll see how they fare against the mascot players – also seen in the video:

In addition to the new unlockable players, there’s some STANDARD upgrades to this version as well. NBA JAM On Fire Edition had a brand new to the franchise AI system that’s previously been used in the Fight Night game series, modified to fit this classic arena. What it does is learn from your tendencies to, for example, head to the top of the court every single freaking time you get the ball, and learned from them, “throwing them back in your face”, as it were.

There’s also online competitions and a cooperative online campaign included in this brand new game from EA Sports. You can purchase the game directly through the PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE Arcade for $14.99 USD or 1200 points respectively. Grab it now!

[via EA Games]

It was in an interview with none other than the official PlayStation blog that DICE Producer Patrick Liu let loose some pointed factoids on the upcoming Battlefield game. There’s currently an open beta of the game going on inside the PlayStation Network, so questions came to Liu from real-live players of the game (through PSBlog, of course):

PSB:That level you showed on the PS3 was huge, but it was also highly detailed — I saw mirrored floors, reflective surfaces, tons of special effects and physics with a smooth frame rate. Are you confident that PS3 players are going to get a great experience?

Patrick Liu: Oh yeah. We’re very confident – we’re pushing the hardware big-time. Of course, we have a performance budget that we have to hit. Everything counts into that: the scale costs performance, destruction, animation, special effects…those are all the things we cram in there. I feel really good about where we ended up with on the PS3.

PSB: There are a lot of military shooters these days. What’s the biggest thing Battlefield 3 is bringing to the table?

Patrick Liu: It’s a number of things. For a very long time, the core pillars of Battlefield have been the destruction, the sandbox experience, the scale, and the vehicle gameplay. Those are all still pretty unique to Battlefield, I’d say. My first Battlefield game was Bad Company.

It’s time for war, PS3 fans, massacres before October 25th, the release date for the full game. THis look like the massive blast of war you’ve been looking for?

“There are people who are interested in importing the Japanese version of PS Vita from outside Japan, but I personally do not recommend that” Yoshida suggested, going on to explain that “from my experience owning both US and [Japanese] game consoles of everything, there tend to be minor nuisances … Like inconsistency between the use of x and o buttons between system software and games.” Pressed by would-be Vita importers to explain, the exec pointed out that “It’s a legacy, but in Japan circle means “yes”, cross means “no”.”

Nonetheless, it’s likely that many will choose to import a PS Vita if the price is right, given Sony is yet to confirm release dates outside of Japan. In Europe, the console is up for pre-order with several retailers, but none are giving specific availability timescales at this point.

[via CVG]

The software made using C# will be run on the PS Certified devices using a virtual machine. This will also mean that there will be more games available for Android devices that are PS Certified. Sony notes that it is working on expanding the list of current PS Certified devices to allow more bang for the buck when developing using the new SDK.

Sony will be offering new content for the PS Certified devices in October through the PlayStation Store. The service will start in nine countries including the US, Europe, and Japan among others. The SDK will be offered to developers that sign a license agreement with SCE and purchase the tool products. It doesn’t sound like the SDK will be free when it lands.

[via Android Community]

What you’ll find first is that this Tablet P has many similarities to the Tablet S in that it has DNLA support, connectivity to all of Sony’s current network services, and a full entertainment experience in more ways than one – the only real connectivity-related feature the Tablet S has that the Tablet P does not is an infra-red port for universal remote-control abilities. One thing the Tablet P does have that the S does not, on the other hand, is 4G connectivity. The Tablet P is an AT&T device, (at least as far as we know at first,) so you’ll be working with their data plans should you decide you want to purchase the Tablet P when it’s first released.

On the inside of the device (aka the front) you’ll find a 0.3 megapixel camera and on the outside (aka the rear) of the device you’ll find a 5 megapixel camera capable of recording 720p video. The folding mechanism, the lightness, and the relative smallness of the device once its folded up make this tablet a real candidate for what Sony describes in this hands-on video as coat pocket or purse carry-ability. The two 4.5-inch displays work as one, to show a single webpage, for example, or in a teamwork mode in a collection of apps like email, Sony Reader (for ebooks), and yes indeed, PlayStation games.

PlayStation compatible and approved just like the Tablet S, this device is going to be able to play a collection of PlayStation One and PSP games in the future. The same demonstration game is used on the Tablet S as on the Tablet P, that being Crash Bandicoot, aka one of the most classic PlayStation-oriented games of all time, and it appears to be working as smoothly on the Tablet P as we’ve found it’s working on the Tablet S.

Finally (for now) and possibly most importantly, this folding tablet has the same NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor we’ve seen in the most popular Android tablets on the market thus far. With the Tegra 2 processor the Sony Tablet P (and the S, too, of course,) will be able to access the Tegra Zone, a collection of apps inside a library made specifically for Tegra 2 optimized dual-core utilizing super apps. Check out our hands-on review of the web-based Tegra Zone for a taste of what you’ll be getting at.

When this device is released, it will come in one configuration, that being with a 6 GB memory expandable up to 32 GB through its SD card slot. Availability is still to be determined with AT&T. Exciting! Check out the hands-on video above and the photos below to get a better idea of what the Sony Tablet P is all about!

While the fact that this game is being re-configured for our modern world of mobile would be good enough news as it is, there’s also news that the “Japanese soundtrack” will be included in the release. Whether this just means it’ll come with downloads for PC and consoles OR if it means it’ll come in a package download for iOS, Windows Phone, and Android too is still a mystery – app bonuses? We’d love that!

This game includes such fan favorite characters as Amy Rose, Sonic, and of course the alter-ego of our hero: Metal Sonic – blast through enemies with the greatest of ease until you grab victory with a duck and zoom action! This entire game has been re-mastered for our updated consoles and platforms across the board, yet each level is made up of all of its original components. The original storyline remains in tact as well, as Sonic CD finds the evil Dr Eggman attempt to steal the Time Stones from the Little Planet – Sonic must beat down enemies all along his path as he attempts to recover the Time Stones and save his lady Amy Rose from the uniquely hardcore Metal Sonic.

Special iOS features, Xbox LIVE Achievements, PSN Trophies, PC Achievements and more will be included in this special release. Looking forward to its drop on all systems soon!

Original intro below:

This value-priced PSP model dubbed the E-1000 will lack Wi-Fi support, meaning it will not be able to download games. Instead, it will be accompanied by a variety of PSP Essentials titles that will retail for £9.99, including Invizimals: The Lost Tribe, EyePet Adventures, and FIFA 12.

The PSP E-1000 will retail for £99, which is £30 less than the current PSP model. And although there’s no Wi-Fi, users can still access a full catalogue of PSP games on UMD or from the PlayStation Store via Media Go.

[via Kotaku]

Counter-Strike’s newest expansion will be released in what its developers at Valve are saying is early 2012 and on several platforms. Global Offensive will come out on PC, Mac, PlayStations 3, and Xbox 360 eventually, though we’re not sure if they’ll all be out simultaneously at the moment. New maps, characters of all varieties, weapons, and game modes will be offered in this newest look at the game from whens the term HEADSHOT became a universal nomenclature for doing something extremely successfully.

This newest game will be developed by Valve as well as a second group: Hidden Path Entertainment, one known for the games Counter-Strike Source and Defense Grid: Awakening. Cost is not yet revealed by Valve, and additional details are forthcoming. Whether this game will be released as a disk or as a download only is also not known at the moment.

Are you excited? Have you ever played Counter-Strike before? If you did, were you part of the massive group of LAN party players that were busting up skulls in the early 2000′s and listening to friends of mine yelling obscenities as they busted your kneecaps in everlasting CS glory? Let us know!

As you’d expect, there’s video playback – including the S1 showing a copy of The Green Hornet – and audio support, but Sony also shows the clamshell S2 running an ereader app. The app itself is unspecified, but it appears to support showing two pages of an ebook simultaneously, one to each of the S2′s 5.5-inch displays.

Finally, there’s a sneaky look at how PlayStation gaming will work on the S2, with a copy of Crash Bandicoot playing on the tablet. Gameplay and a small number of controls are shown on the top screen, but unfortunately we can’t see what’s going on with the lower panel; the assumption, though, is that a D-pad and other buttons are displayed there. Crash Bandicoot is one of the PSOne titles available to Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play owners on the Android smartphone.

Still a mystery are release dates, pricing and even the official names for the S1 and S2, though rumors last week pegged a September pre-order phase for one of the models. You can find the first two episodes of Sony’s teaser here.

[via Android Community]

Designer Joseph Dumary has conjured up a very futuristic-looking PS4 concept that’s also very eco-friendly—but what design concepts aren’t these days? He imagines the new console to be composed of 60% recyclable materials, to use 0 watts during standby mode, and to have a ECO Restart function that saves games, turns off the console, and can resume exactly where the user left off without a need for a full reboot.

His PS4 concept would also have the console automatically shut off primary power after each 30-minute period of gameplay to draw energy from a rechargeable battery for 5 minutes. The console connects wirelessly to any DPConnect TV and detects the appropriate resolution and audio output.

This concept PS4 features 1.5TB HDD, full 3D 4K2K compatibility, DLNA, HDMI Connect, 3D Blu-Ray, USB 3.0, DPConnect Bravia Sync, Sony Ericsson sync, Qriocity, cloud saving, live TV, and a whole bunch of widgets.

[via Yanko Design]

Even so, I’m here to tell you (and Sony) that the PlayStation 4 should launch as early as possible next year.

When we consider Sony’s current market position, we find a rather interesting story. Internationally, the PlayStation 3 is still selling at a rapid clip. However, in the U.S., the console continues to have trouble catching on with casual gamers that are more intrigued by the Wii and the hardcore segment that would rather play first-person shooters on the Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE.

There’s also the issue of motion gaming. Sony’s PlayStation Move just hasn’t caught on the way the company would have liked, and the Kinect’s controller-free offering seems to be appealing to a growing number of people.

Combine that with Sony’s recent troubles with the PlayStation Network breach and its continuing attempt to repair its ailing brand, and I think the time is right to release the PlayStation 4.

The way I see it, the PlayStation 4 will help change the discussion surrounding Sony. Gone will be the days where the company is mercilessly criticized by those who are still upset about the PlayStation Network breach. Instead, people will talk about Sony’s new and exciting console.

Even better, Sony can deliver its own console next year at or around the same time as the Wii U. That device, which features a really neat controller that might catch on with both casual and hardcore gamers alike, is right now poised for unabated success next year.

By offering a PlayStation 4 that comes with the (unfortunately, necessary) motion-gaming component, but also bests the Wii U on graphical power and online gaming, Sony can single-handedly squash one key competitor.

Of course, by launching a PlayStation 4 next year, Sony will also need to worry about the Xbox 720 (or whatever it will be called) that will be launching at some point in the future. Chances are, that device will have more power than Sony’s option.

But when we consider this generation, which Microsoft jumped into first and saw its Xbox 360 trumped in features by the PlayStation 3, Sony’s decision to release the PlayStation 4 might not be all that scary. After all, Microsoft’s console is still leading the PlayStation 3 even with all of its disadvantages.

So, maybe it’s time Sony stop worrying about its 10-year life cycle and get going on the PlayStation 4. At this point, it seems like the best idea for Sony.

[Image credit: Tai Chiem]

That’s ahead of a commercial launch of the PS4 sometime in 2012, the component supply chain sources suggest. Sony supposedly expects to ship at least 20m PS4 units in 2012, though the exact release date during that year is unknown. Foxconn and Pegatron are both responsible for assembly of the current PS3.

Specifications of the PS4 are a mystery, though motion-based control in a similar fashion to what Microsoft enabled with the Kinect sensor bar for the Xbox 360 is said to be a given. Comments from Sony in the past have suggested that the console will still rely on optical media rather than shifting to all-digital; Sony looks to have been burned by the PSP Go! fiasco, which ditched physical media but lacked momentum in the digital download space.

Otherwise it’s likely to be the usual recipe of faster, more graphically powerful and more internet and smart home aware. Sony has already leveraged its PlayStation Network – recent hacking and downtime notwithstanding – but we’d expect to see interaction between the company’s upcoming S1 and S2 tablets as well.

This silent announcement is actually more of a reveal, it being found by intrepid fans searching through press releases not yet shown to the world outside Japan. This newest model is not without its limits, you should know before we go on: Blu-ray movies are limited to 480i if you’re not using the HDMI or video out via HDCP, while games have no such limit. Additional specs include the following: 290 × 65 × 290 mm in size, 2.6kg in weight, and operating along AC 100V, 50/60Hz.

This model is slated to be released on June 30th in Japan with a 320GB model costing $436 in converted USD and will indeed replace the previous 2500B model. This device will be sold together with a special HDD Recorder in a bundle that will allow you, the Japanese user, to record TV shows to said hard drive using Torne. Another bundle will be available on September 8th for $473 converted USD.

As you well know, a device popping up in Japan does not ALWAYS mean it’ll be showing up in the United States of America, but it DOES point toward the possibility. With recent extended talks of the PlayStation Network being hacked again and again, it’s hard to speak about Sony’s connected electronics without feeling a little bit odd.

That said, there are still millions of ravenous fans out there dedicated to living out their gaming lives on Sony equipment, be it the PlayStation, the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY, or any number of connected electronics. Sony stay strong! Keep making wonderful object for us all to play with forever!

[via Electronista]