SlashGear » Playstation

PlayStation Move lag measured: speed-games might suffer?

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:45:03 +0000

Sony’s PlayStation Move motion-controller is certainly catching plenty of attention lately, but just how accurate is the system in action? Sony themselves are claiming “under 1 frame” lag from the hardware, but when combined with a game (that may be tweaked to smooth out jerky user-input), a flatscreen display and the console itself, real-world performance has the potential to be pretty different. Eurogamer took along a 60fps-capable camcorder to shoot some footage of Move in action, and then ran their stopwatch over the results.

The concept is straightforward. Firstly, running an app that’s not console-intensive – such as a simple augmented reality demo, which basically just shows what the PlayStation Eye camera sees – pretty much takes the PS3’s own lag out of the equation. Then, you measure how long it takes the on-screen representation to start moving after you go from stationary to suddenly active; similarly, you can measure how long what’s on-screen takes to go from moving to stationary.

Doing that, Eurogamer reckon the PlayStation Move latency to be around 133ms, give or take a frame, though that doesn’t take into account any lag in the display panel itself. That’s probably fine for regular gaming, but may present reaction issues when you’re playing titles that depend on outright speed of response. Sony have already limited the amount of simultaneous controller use – to below what the PS3 can actually handle in terms of concurrent Bluetooth connections – seemingly as an at-least partial sop to bandwidth considerations, so it’ll be interesting to see how intensive games hold up (and how Sony’s ongoing code-tweaking might improve things). Check out the video here.

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Sony PlayStation Move no memory hog but has controller limitations

Chris Davies — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:14:58 +0000

So, we already know the Sony PlayStation Move controller is coming Fall 2010 and should be priced – in “starter kit” form – at under $100, but we’re still seeing more tidbits about the motion-control system drip out GDC this week. There’s good news and bad, unfortunately, including a limitation on multiplayer support in part thanks to the PS3’s own Bluetooth connectivity capabilities. Turns out, while up to four-player gaming is possible, that’s not if everyone wants to use both the Move controller and a sub-controller.

Sony have confirmed to Gizmodo that the PS3 will either support four Move controllers on their own, or a pair of them with sub-controllers. That means that motion-only games will be suitable for up to four players, but anything requiring extra degrees of control that a sub-controller would bring will only be usable by two gamers at a time.

Four PlayStation Move controllers can connect to a PS3 at one time (or two PlayStation Move Controllers and 2 PlayStation Move sub-controllers).

It’s unclear to what extent this is a system limitation and what Sony themselves have coded in; apparently the PS3’s Bluetooth connectivity can only deal with up to seven connections at a time. Still, Sony have done good work slimming down the Move system elsewhere; according to Joystiq it’ll only demand 1-2MB of system memory.

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Sony officially launches Playstation Move motion controller, available in Fall 2010

Paul Fang — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:43:58 +0000

Sony has just officially announced its new motion controller at GDC 2010, and it’s dubbed the Playstation Move (for rather obvious reasons). You’ll be able to acquire a Move in three packaged ways: bundled with a PS3, by itself, or in a starter kit targeted at “under $100″ with the Playstation Eye, a controller, and a game, all slated for a Fall 2010 launch.

Gizmodo has a hands-on, and Editor Jason Chen takes a few looks (or rather, grips) on the Move:

“I just got hands on with two of the games, one is Socom, a shooter that has been adapted to use the Move and the sub-controller, the second is the Sports Champions swordfighting.

Socom, compared to point-and-shoot shooters on the Wii, was much smoother, much less jittery and more accurate. The combination of Move and PlayStation Eye seems to work well in this aspect, but it’s not exactly better to use this when you compare it to a standard controller or a Mouse + Keyboard. I can see this as better for novices to shooters, being able to aim where you want to shoot.

The other game, the Sports Champions sword + shield fighting, is about what you’d expect. It’s more or less 1:1 motion, like the Wii MotionPlus, but it’s not so much more accurate than the Wii that you’d call it a dramatic improvement. An improvement, yes, but not dramatic. The left hand also holds a controller in order to wave the shield around, and that was a bit awkward in my experience. Right hand was fine, left hand a bit awkward to control simultaneously.

Swinging the hammer to your left, or right, or over your head actually moves it on screen, but again, it’s not SO much better than Wii MotionPlus. The graphics, of course, are one generation higher, but the controls, ehhh.”

PLAYSTATION®MOVE MOTION CONTROLLER DELIVERS A WHOLE NEW ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE TO PLAYSTATION®3

New PlayStation®Move Sub-Controller, Enabling Intuitive Navigation, to Accompany the Release of the Motion Controller This Fall and 36 Developers and Publishers to Support PlayStation®Move Platform

Tokyo, March 10, 2010 – Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) today announced that PlayStation®Move motion controller for PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system launches worldwide this fall, offering a motion-based, high-definition gaming experience unlike anything on the market. Concurrently with its launch, SCE will also release PlayStation®Move sub-controller to be used along with the motion controller for intuitive navigation of in-game characters and objects. The PlayStation Move platform, including the motion controller, sub-controller, and PlayStation®Eye camera*1, together with a strong lineup of software titles, will deliver an innovative and highly immersive experience on the PS3 system.

The combination of the PS3 system and PlayStation Eye camera detects the precise movement, angle, and absolute position in 3D space of PlayStation Move motion controller, allowing users to intuitively play the game as if they themselves are within the game. PlayStation Move motion controller delivers unmatched accuracy through its advanced motion sensors, including a three-axis gyroscope, a three-axis accelerometer, and a terrestrial magnetic field sensor, as well as a color-changing sphere that is tracked by PlayStation Eye camera. Through PlayStation Move system, both fast and subtle motion can be detected, whether the user is swinging a tennis racket, or painting with a brush. With PlayStation Move motion controller, users can provide direct input through action buttons and an analog trigger, while receiving physical feedback from rumble functionality and visual feedback from the sphere’s ability to display a variety of different colors. Furthermore, PlayStation Eye camera can capture the player’s voice or image, enabling augmented reality experiences.

The newly announced PlayStation Move sub-controller is a one-handed controller, developed to further expand the game play options that PlayStation Move games can offer*2. PlayStation Move sub-controller features a sleek curved design that pairs with the motion controller and comes with an analog stick and directional buttons that allow users to easily control the game when moving characters or choosing a direction. Like all other Wireless Controllers for the PS3 system, it comes with a built in lithium-ion rechargeable battery as well as Bluetooth® technology, enabling the controller to transfer the input information wirelessly to the PS3 system without a cable. PlayStation Move motion controller and sub-controller will further broaden the gaming experience on the PS3 system for all genres, from games that use one motion controller to games that use both controllers.

The introduction of PlayStation Move controllers has been well received within the industry and now 36 third party developers and publishers*3 have decided to support PlayStation Move platform. In fiscal year 2010, SCE Worldwide Studios will also release more than 20 games that are either dedicated to or supported with the PlayStation Move platform.

SCE, with strong support from software developers and publishers, will deploy various measures to enhance the PlayStation Move software title line-up and vigorously promote the PS3 platform.

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All six major studios on board for HD movies on Playstation Network

Paul Fang — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:52:29 +0000

The Playstation platform has been getting quite a bit of love these days, coming off just yesterday from an optimistic industry analyst report that it’ll become the reigning force in the console wars. Today, Sony announced some more news; it has signed up all six major studios to deliver HD movies (purchases and rentals) on the Playstation Network.

That heavy-hitter list includes 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. and, naturally, Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Sony’s the first-ever company to have inked such a deal; let’s hope that the Playstation Network itself doesn’t collapse under the excitement.

From Movie Theater to Home Theater: PlayStation(R)Network Delivers High Definition Movies From Six Major Movie Studios in the United States

PlayStation(R)3 Computer Entertainment System First to Have High Definition Movies for Purchase from All Major Studios

FOSTER CITY, Calif., March 9 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution will offer high definition (HD) movies for purchase and rental on the PlayStation®Network video delivery service in the United States. PlayStation Network is the first to offer high definition movies for purchase from all of the major movie studios, further establishing PlayStation®3 (PS3®) as the preeminent home entertainment platform for this year’s most popular and critically acclaimed high definition movies.

“Securing high definition content from these studios is another significant milestone further validating PlayStation Network as a complete entertainment network in the home. PlayStation Network is the first and only service to deliver high definition home entertainment from all six major studios, directly to consumers for download,” said Peter Dille, senior vice president, marketing and PlayStation Network, SCEA. “PlayStation Network continues to offer the most comprehensive catalogue of HD movies to PlayStation Network members that realize the wide-ranging entertainment power of the PS3 system.”

The PS3 system is the most complete home entertainment solution on the market today, enabling consumers to enjoy high-definition games and movies, as well as listen to music, view photos, browse the Internet and more. Today’s announcement joins one of the industry’s strongest home entertainment brands with the major media companies that produce and distribute a substantial number of films. At launch, the content will be available in the U.S. only, with plans to launch soon in the U.K., France, Germany, and Spain.

New titles available today on PlayStation Network include:
· 20th Century Fox – “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian”, “Jennifer’s Body” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (on March 23)
· Walt Disney Pictures – Disney Pixar’s “Up”, Jerry Bruckheimer’s “G-Force” and Disney’s “Earth”
· Paramount Pictures – “Star Trek”, “Paranormal Activity” and “Zoolander”
· Sony Pictures – “This Is It”, “2012″, “District 9″ and “Zombieland”
· Universal – “Inglourious Basterds”, “Couples Retreat” and “Public Enemies”
· Warner Bros. Digital Distribution – “The Hangover”, “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” and “The Wizard of Oz”

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Update from Sony: Playstation Network back online

Paul Fang — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:17:39 +0000

After Sony warned PS3 owners today to step away from their consoles lest permanent data loss from issues plaguing the Playstation Network, The PlayStation Blog has been updated with a post that confirms that all services have been restored, and all PS3s good to go for the next round of gaming.

“We are aware that the internal clock functionality in the PS3 units other than the slim model, recognized the year 2010 as a leap year. Having the internal clock date change from February 29 to March 1 (both GMT), we have verified that the symptoms are now resolved and that users are able to use their PS3 normally.”

Let’s hope that Sony doesn’t encounter anymore trouble, stranding PS3 gamers worldwide without their console of choice. Still having trouble connecting to the PSN? Let us know.

[via Playstation Blog]

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Sony tells PS3 gamers to turn off their consoles

Chris Davies — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:26:49 +0000

Got a first, second or third-generation Sony PS3? Step away from the console, unless you want to run the risk of permanent data loss; that’s the message from the official PlayStation blog, who are addressing the persistent PlayStation Network issues affecting all but the PS3 Slim. If you’re seeing 8001050F errors, along with messages warning of being unable to sign into the PSN, unable to reset the clock or unable to play back rented movies, you could run the risk of losing your hard-earned trophies.

It has to come to something pretty bad when a company tells gamers not to use their console. As users suspected, Sony have narrowed the problem down to a bug in the clock functionality of the PS3, and they reckon they’ll have a fix in the next 24hrs. PS3 Slim owners are happily unaffected, but everybody else should leave their console switched off or run the risk of losing data.

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Sony not making, but losing money on every PS3 sold

Paul Fang — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:46:32 +0000

Playstation 3 sales have recently been on the rise, but nevertheless, the Wall Street Journal has determined that Sony is still losing money on every PS3 unit sold, even up until now.

The WSJ reports in an analysis of Sony’s 3rd quarter financial performance that the company loses 6 cents on “every dollar of PS3 hardware sales.” Therefore, gathering into account that the current PlayStation 3 sells for $299, it’s probable that the electronics giant loses approximately $18 per unit.

It has been gauged by iSuppli that Sony spent $805 to make each PS3 unit upon release. The research firm had also predicted in December that Sony lost $37 on each PS3 unit compared to the $18 lost now, so Sony may just be on course to make the Playstation 3 soon a profitable product.

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Sony may start charging for PSN?

Paul Fang — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:14:53 +0000

Well, we can all blame Hulu for starting the no-more-free content movement, now since Sony may also start charging users for access to the PSN service. This doesn’t exactly encourage me to get the new PS3 I was considering, Sony.

The head of PSN revealed in an interview with IGN today: “Maybe a longer answer to a shorter question, but I think there is just tremendous improvements to the PlayStation Network, which leads me to your last question: will we charge for it or why don’t we charge for it? It’s been our philosophy not to charge for it from launch up until now, but Kaz recently went on the record as saying that’s something we’re looking at. I can confirm that as well. That’s something that we’re actively thinking about. What’s the best way to approach that if we were to do that? You know, no announcements at this point in time, but it’s something we’re thinking about. “

So what exactly will Sony charge me for? The ability for multiplayer in online gaming, like how Xbox Live currently works? Or perhaps for some premium content that they may push out? Feel free to chime in, PS3, or would-be PS3 owners.

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Sony PlayStation reaches 15th anniversary

Chris Davies — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:59:41 +0000

Cake and party-favors all round – it’s the fifteenth anniversary of the Sony PlayStation. Unfortunately, rather than hosting a party for all of the gamers across the globe, Sony Japan have taken the easy route out and merely launched an anniversary site that flags up all the significant milestones along the way.

It’ll help if you can read Japanese, certainly, since the text doesn’t appear to be available in English. We imagine the Sony web beavers are working on a US version that’ll probably go live later on today, but for now you can enjoy yourself nudging around the logo – made up of controllers, cables and other gaming hardware – with your mouse, or looking at the pretty pictures.

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Sony 250GB PlayStation 3 arriving in US on November 3rd

Chris Davies — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:47:16 +0000

It’s not just the Japanese getting some 250GB PlayStation3 love; Sony US have announced that there’s a 250GB version of the PS3 Slim incoming for their gamers too. The 250GB PS3 Slim will land on November 3rd, and be functionally identical to its existing 120GB sibling; unlike in Japan, there’ll be no bundled games or unusual color editions.

The 250GB Sony PlayStation 3 Slim will be priced at $349.99, $50 more than the existing model. Sony have purposefully made the hard-drive on the console reasonably easy to access, so those who have already been enjoying their slimline gaming but would now like some extra space can upgrade the drive themselves and do so, we’re told, without affecting their warranty.

It seems likely that Sony will follow up with gaming bundle versions of the console, but for now, if you’re considering making the PS3 Slim the centerpiece of your home entertainment setup, we’d recommend waiting until early November. More details here [pdf link].

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PS3 Slim launch gains ground as Sony Japan kill 80GB PlayStation 3 [Updated]

Chris Davies — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:10:15 +0000

A leaked memo to a Japanese retailer warning that final orders for the 80GB PlayStation 3 must be placed before Sunday August 9th has added fuel to the expectation that Sony will soon launch the PS3 Slim. According to the notice, retailer 7-Eleven has also been told to take down in-store displays for the 80GB model.

The move will leave the 160GB model the only commercially available PlayStation 3. The 80GB model is expected to be replaced with the 80GB PS3 Slim, a listing for which briefly made an appearance on Amazon Germany’s website last week (though without images, release dates or pricing).

7-Eleven’s supplier suggests that the 80GB PlayStation 3’s demise is at Sony’s request. The company themselves have denied a new PS3 is in the works, while the OEM at the center of the leaked box-art back in May issued a cease & desist notice to some sites featuring the images.

Update: Sony have cut $50 from the 160GB PlayStation 3 bundle through retailer Amazon, while RTLinfo are reporting that European retailers have been told to expect a €100 price cut on the 80GB version of the console. The assumption is that Sony will announce the PS3 Slim at the gamescon expo in Cologne, Germany, on August 18th.

[via Engadget]

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Sony touchscreen VAIOs planned for Windows 7; PlayStation Network integration

Chris Davies — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:42:15 +0000

Sony are planning VAIO computers with touch capabilities once Windows 7 launches, potentially taking advantage of casual gaming, streaming and downloadable movies and TV content from the PlayStation Network. Speaking in an interview with LaptopMag, Sony’s senior VP of the Information Technology Products Division, Mike Abary confirmed that the company find the touch functionality in Windows 7 “compelling” and that they would be looking to adopt some of those technologies in their upcoming PC ranges.

Abary did not clarify whether the touch functionality would include multitouch support, though given it’s that which most differentiates touch support in earlier Microsoft OSes it seems a likely assumption. He also failed to differentiate between Sony’s desktop VAIO line and their notebook range, though it’s entirely possible that both the all-in-one PCs and the laptops could gain touchscreen controls.

“The PlayStation network is growing. We believe that network will have an option with VAIO PCs or any PCs for that matter. What we are trying to do is collaborate with our peers at PlayStation in that regard.” Mike Abary, Sony

As for integration with the PlayStation Network, Abary highlighted that the VAIO team are now under the same electronics group as PlayStation, Walkman, and Reader, and confirmed that there is increasing collaboration between the four divisions. Finally, talking about NVIDIA Ion, Abary pointed out that NVIDIA is a hardware partner of Sony and suggested that, while netbooks in general “have taken us backwards in the overall industry”, Ion was a step forward for the budget ultraportables. As for smartbooks, though, he’s less impressed, being of the belief that customers will expect laptop performance from such devices, and being unclear on the differentiation between a smartbook and a normal ultraportable (such as Sony’s own VAIO TT) with integrated WWAN.

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Sony PlayStation Eye to get facial recognition

Chris Davies — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:08:13 +0000

Sony have revealed plans to add facial recognition capabilities to their PlayStation Eye webcam, potentially stealing part of Microsoft’s Project Natal thunder. According to Kish Hirani, Sony Europe’s head of developer services, the functionality will soon be added to the existing hardware, with developer libraries available for games studios so that they don’t need to exert effort specifically coding for the new system.

The technology, says Hirani, will be able to “detect gender and even the age of the face, separate facial features such as the nose, eyes and ears, and even detect whether you’re smiling or not.” It will also work in tandem with the upcoming Sony Motion Controller, with the Eye camera tracking X, Y and Z motion by using the area of the glowing sphere.

However the Motion Controller’s own accelerometer will also allow for tracking, even when out of sight of the PlayStation Eye. Obviously developers will need to add support for the new functionality to their titles, but Hirani told them “the chances are you won’t have to develop any technology yourself.”

[via Kotaku]

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PS3 Firmware Update rumored to be on the way

Brenda Stokes — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:46:08 +0000

It seems that the PlayStation 3 will be getting a firmware update shortly to 3.0 status. At least, that’s what a new rumor is revealing. In fact, this update will set up a reputation system for the PlayStation Network.

This new system would allow you to rate and access other player’s reputations. This is very similar to the system on Xbox Live, as you may recall. At this point, we’re not sure if the rating system can lead to players being banned.

Apparently, the new firmware will allow game patches to download in the background just like Store downloads. Interface changes are also expected. We don’t have an idea on the release date for this new firmware yet, but it may coincide with the 120GB PlayStation 3 launch rumored to occur this fall.

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More Sony PS3 motion controller details revealed

Brenda Stokes — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:11:32 +0000

Sony let slip a bit more information about their PlayStation 3 motion control tech today, giving those who were anxious to hear more about it at E3 this year a little bit of reprieve from their desperate need to know more.

Apparently, developers can start making their own content for the new technology via the PS3 Software Development Kit. This SDK sports head tracking and face tracking abilities, giving developers quite a bit to work with just right there.

The new motion controller will also have force feedback rumble, voice input and voice recognition. Likewise, the PlayStation Eye can track four controllers at once. We still don’t know pricing or anything like that, but the new motion controllers are still expected by spring of next year.

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Jack Thompson PS2 mod is snarky genius

Chris Davies — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:11:29 +0000

Video game hating ex-attorney Jack Thompson has finally made himself useful, with a copy of his book “Out of Harm’s Way” providing the donor housing for a rather nifty PS2 case-mod. Mattigus of the Halflife2.net forums is the modder in question, who bought a copy of Thompson’s book on eBay and stuffed his working PS2 inside.

The book actually came from a library sale on the online auction site, and the library card inside suggests that nobody actually checked it out. Happily it also means that Thompson didn’t receive another royalty check for the sale, though going by the wealth of one star reviews on Amazon – “Jack Thompson writes as if English were a second language to him” – there are plenty of people who actually paid for the book who would like a refund.

A row of pennies stuck to the underside of the front cover provides it with enough weight to keep it closed. Mattigus’ first act on completing the mod was, ironically, playing Grand Theft Auto III.

[via Kotaku]

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White Dual Shock 3 controller for PS3 makes U.S. appearance

Brenda Stokes — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:25:48 +0000

Well isn’t this interesting? It seems a Walmart down in Florida has sold a Dual Shock 3 controller before they were supposed to, seemingly confirming Sony’s plans to announce this PlayStation 3 remote in white for U.S. release at this year’s E3.

The controller, previously only available in Japan, was available for purchase at this Walmart, but it doesn’t seem to be a fluke. In fact, the packaging was in English and French, pointing to a North American–or at least a Canadian–release.

This controller was purchased in white and though Sony is officially saying they don’t have plans to release this controller in any color other than black, this physical evidence would seem to prove otherwise. But, I guess we’ll know for sure in three weeks at E3!

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Sony PlayStation Network access to spread; PS3 “a platform for web services”

Chris Davies — Mon, 11 May 2009 11:30:42 +0000

Sony are planning to extend the PlayStation Network to hardware other than the PS3, while at the same time “evolving the PS3 into a platform for web services.” The PSN currently offers games and media content to PS3 owners, but future deployments could see it available on Sony Bravia HDTVs and mobile devices like the PSP and Sony Ericsson handsets.

“Sony has begun the transition from a closed system to an open one … Next we will be expanding the PlayStation Network to hardware other than the PS3, because the number of PS3 units sold puts a limit on the scale of the network possible. Sony has a vertical structure for each product line, an organisational structure that resists change, so it will take time to achieve this network growth. However, a large number of employees share my opinion on this” Howard Stringer, CEO, Sony

Sony has been tipped as planning to jettison the UMD drive currently used on the PSP for pure online delivery in future iterations. While the company has denied such a policy, this latest statement does suggest that UMD will take a step back from the primary source of title distribution.

Given that Sony have made headway in standardizing the XMB GUI across much of its consumer electronics products, it seems likely that the PSN will evolve into a catch-all digital distribution system. As Stringer says, the physical number of PS3 consoles sold will be the hard limit to users of the Network in its current format.

[via Kotaku]

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PSN to get 20-40 classic Capcom games

Chris Davies — Tue, 05 May 2009 10:30:01 +0000

Capcom have revealed their plans to introduce as many as forty new PlayStation Network titles over the next few months, comprising a selection of original PS1 titles that have been ported over to the newer Sony consoles, and PSP games now available for download. According to Capcom’s Chris Kramer, users themselves will play a part in choosing which titles will be available first.

“We’ll definitely be looking at a lot of titles that have things like Street Fighter and Resident Evil in the title. We’re thinking about putting together a long list of the titles we’re looking at, and then releasing it on Capcom Unity and having people vote on them. Ultimately we’re looking at bringing between 20 and 40 titles to the PSN over the next several months” Chris Kramer, Capcom

Kramer suggests a voting system that would allow gamers to suggest legacy PS1 and PSP titles for inclusion in the download scheme. These would then be vetted by Capcom themselves, amended in line with their own suggestions, and put out to public vote.

Between 20 and 40 games will be released in this way, all through Sony’s game download system. Kramer did clarify that those titles that might involve licensing problems are unlikely to be considered, however.

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Lime Green PSP in the works?

Steven Grady — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:35:16 +0000

If you want to add a little color to your HP MediaSmart mobile viewing experience, you can look into getting a Lime Green PSP to view those completely legal and unlocked DVD rips on the go.

How many PSP users would actually buy this? I think the range of video game console colors should really exclude lime-or-neon-anything. This just makes it more difficult for kids to play it in the back of the classroom instead of paying attention.

It looks like it might just be a prototype, and there’s no word on potential release dates, or even if Sony plans on letting it see the light of day, but it’s an interesting color choice for a PSP. It matches the neon green of Mountain Dew for those gamers who like to accessorize. Other than that, your sister might like it to go with her Lacoste Polos.

[Via UberGizmo]

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XCM Cross Fire Adapter for Xbox 360 shipping now

Brenda Stokes — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:59:51 +0000

XCM just revealed their Cross Fire Adapter for the Xbox 360 and let me tell you, this gizmo makes it possible to use your PlayStation 3 controller with your beloved Xbox 360 for compatibility unlike any you’ve experienced before.

You can get your hands on the Cross Fire Adapter starting today. But it does more than just allow you to connect your PS3 controller to your Xbox 360. Rather, it also allows you to connect the original Xbox controller and the wired Xbox 360 controller to the Xbox 360.

Pretty cool, huh? This makes it so you don’t have to deal with complicated modifications of your controllers to get Turbo Fire action. If you want one, though, you had better get on it! Extreme-Mods.com has limited quantities and will be closed for the next two weeks for inventory. You can expect to shell out $84.99 for the adapter.

[via Team XCM]

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The Wii asks “What recession?”

Steven Grady — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:51:53 +0000

Nintendo’s Wii console topped the sales charts for video game consoles in February where hardware sales increased by 11% to $532.7 million and software was up by 9% to $733.5 million. 753,000 Wii consoles were sold as the supply now seems to be fitting the demand. XBox 360 and Plastation 3 and 2 followed in second and third place respectively. The top selling game was not a Wii title however; Street Fighter IV sold the most copies on XBox 360 and PS3 combined. Wii Fit came in at number two.

There are just some things that consumers are going to buy no matter what, and video games and consoles appear to be one of them. I wonder if there’s any correlation to the unemployment rate. I know I’d rather play Wii Fit than watch Maury.

[Via Reuters]

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New PS3 update to include photo sorting

Staff Editor — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:36:06 +0000

The Sony Playstation 3 is about to get a new update that will include a new Photo Gallery application that will sort your photos. This new application can detect faces and interestingly enough determine if the person is smiling or not and sort the photos accordingly.

These updates will come in the Playstation 3 firmware update v.2.60. The added feature will also sort photos by how old the subjects are, landscapes, colors and all sorts of other ways. It appears that Sony is really trying to push photo storage on the PS3 itself. This comes soon after Apple announced the new iPhoto 2009 with many similar features.

There will also be added support of the new 3.11 version of DivX encoding as well as guest access to the Playstation Store in this update. With new features and support coming to the Playstation 3 it really hints that there will not be a PS4 anytime soon. See the video below for a demonstration.

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Sony refuse PlayStation Phone licence to ailing Sony Ericsson

Chris Davies — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:47:53 +0000

All is not well with Sony and Sony Ericsson: according to reports this week [via], Sony have refused to allow its cellular partner to use the PlayStation brand, as has previously been done with the CyberShot and Walkman ranges. Sony Ericsson have claimed that the partnership is holding off until “product proposition lives up to brand promise”, but sources close to the matter suggest that Sony executives refused to licence the PlayStation brand until the company makes handsets independently.

“[Sony Ericsson] could not comment on what Sony has or hasn’t said … In the past, we have been keen that our product proposition lives up to brand promise, and we feel at the moment the technical specs are not high enough to put such a prestigious brand on a phone” Sony Ericsson spokesperson

The handset manufacturer is believed to have approached the Sony board late in 2008, to suggest a PSP cellphone. However the rejection undermined development of that device, and has apparently left relations between the two companies strained. A similar situation was tipped all the way back in June 2008, with analysts suggesting that Sony were working on their own version of a gaming cellphone.

Sony Ericsson today revealed their 2008 financial performance figures, and it’s sobering reading. The company had previously suggested a $95m profit for the year, but poor market demand led to a $346m loss.

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Over 50 million served in North America for Playstation 2

Shawn Farner — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:28:32 +0000

Even after the release of Sony’s Blu-Ray-packing Playstation 3, the older Playstation 2 is still selling – in fact, it just hit a major milestone. The PS2 officially hit the 50 million mark recently, eight years after it was unleashed on our living rooms.

The Playstation 2’s resiliance is due in large part to the amount of software support the system still receives, as well as the system’s lower price – it’s currently available for $129 in most stores. This allows people who are interested in gaming to own a supported console without having to dish out $200+ for a next-generation system.

According to SCEA’s John Koller, director of marketing, the Playstation 2 will continue to be supported for some time to come. That’s good news for those who are only interested in casual gaming at an affordable price. Here’s to another 50 million, Sony.

[via Kotaku]

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Playstation 2 causes two brothers to choke and stab one another

Staff Editor — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:58:36 +0000

Two brothers living in Waukesha reportedly choked, cut and stabbed each other when they fought over a Playstation 2 video game controller. Waukesha Police are recommending that charges be brought against both brothers who violently acted out of anger.

Video games can sometimes bring friends and family together, this on the other hand could have ended up deadly for these family members. This all took place on Sunday at a home on Whiterock Avenue where the two brothers got into a huge argument over whose turn it was to play the video game. The fighting went from simple yelling to one of the brothers choking the other.

In defense the brother who was being choked, pulled out a knife and cut the hands of the instigator, after which the who was doing all the choking took the knife and stabbed his brother and then fled the scene. The brother who fled then walked to the hospital and suffered from severely frostbitten fingers. It looks like this violent guy wont be playing video games for quite a while. Police report that none of the injuries sustained were life threatening.

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XCM Dominator arcade style joystick for PS3

Staff Editor — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:09:18 +0000

If your anything like me then arcade sticks are the only way to play your favorite fighting games. Luckily for PS3 owners there is a new arcade style joystick available. This is kind of odd as the mainstream video games have turned to first person shooters and the PS3 doesn’t not have many fighting titles to begin with.

The XCM Dominator has a joystick and a set of 10 buttons in two lines. This arcade stick help gamers who find move execution particularly hard on the standard gaming controller. Many moves require 4 to 8 different button combinations timed in order to execute a single move.

You can also program special buttons that are needed to pull of special moves or finishing attacks. The two very special features that the XCM Dominator has are the Combo Attacker and Independent Raid Fire. Independent Rapid Fire allows you to cheat by simulating the rapid pressing of a button without actually pressing it rapidly. There is no word on pricing, but the XCM Dominator will be available at TotalConsole.com and TotalConsole.cn.

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Sony Playstation Home offline today for 1.04 software update

Chris Davies — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 08:29:14 +0000

Sony have confirmed that Playstation Home will be offline for approximately six hours today, as the interactive environment is updated from software version 1.03 to 1.04. The update will begin at 12 midnight PST, during which time it will be unaccessible to users, with Sony claiming that the change is intended to reduce connection issues.

In the process, the voice chat functionality within Playstation Home will be disabled. Sony have not made public their reasons for this, but a fair assumption might be that the bandwidth and server capacity used to handle voice data is being re-prioritized to make room for more users logging in.

Text chatting is still functional in 1.04, and Sony do apparently intend to bring voice chatting back, though no precise timescale has been given. Home launched on December 11th, and was made available to PS3 users worldwide rather than in a more typical progressive roll-out. The service subsequently experienced ongoing connection problems, with some users unable to register and access it at all, and others suffering premature disconnections.

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PlayStation Home beta gets pushed out to PS3 owners worldwide

Staff Editor — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:47:18 +0000

Sony has announced that the PlayStation Home beta will be opening its doors to lucky PlayStation 3 owners today. This PS3 exclusive allows players to interact in a virtual social environment using text or voice chat. It more closely resembles Second Life and like their online gaming, it will remain free.

Sony is the last to jump on the social networking idea for gaming consoles. Nintendo’s Wii was launched with Mii avatar support in many games and services. Microsoft also gave the social community aspect to Xbox 360, but in no way does it compare to actually walking around and interacting in a virtual 3D world with many other players. This social environment has many extra features such as in-world music options, advertiser-supported destinations and stores, mini-games and trophy rooms.

From what we can see, PlayStation Home looks like the most sophisticated social environment on a gaming console today. Microsoft is saying that PlayStation Home appears to be “2005 tech.” If you’re a videogame junky such as I am you will have taken the day off and sat in front of the TV eagerly awaiting this update. Now, we know many of you are just itching to test it out; we want to know how you think Sony did with PlayStation Home. Did they meet or beat your expectations, or did this fall short never to be used again? Remember however this is still in beta.

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PS3 rumored to get a price cut in March 2009

Brenda Stokes — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:55:16 +0000

According to a company briefing, or at least what appears to be a company briefing, Sony will be making significant price cuts to the PlayStation 3 sometime early next year–most likely in March.

Supposedly, the European president of Sony, David Reeves informed his staff that they wanted to become more competitive in pricing in March of next year. This seems to coincide with the launch of Killzone 2. So in an effort to push sales of the game, a price drop on the console makes perfect sense.

We don’t know just how much of a price cut we’re talking, and it’s still unclear as to whether or not the cut would apply to just the UK or to the US and Japan as well. At the moment, a Sony spokesperson neither confirmed or denied the rumor and merely noted that information in meetings isn’t set in stone.

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