Sony E3 Media Briefing
PSP go, motion control, Rockstar exclusive and tonnes of games.
Kaz Hirai, president & CEO, SCEI sat out last year's conference, but he returned this year to talk about making the PSP better. While it leaked days ago, he officially announced the PSP go, whipping out a white model from his pocket. It's been "designed for the digital lifestyle". Sony will continue to support and market the PSP 3000 alongside the PSP go.
As for games, 2009 will see more new games released than any other year in its history. Media Go will allow users to access the PlayStation store from their PCs and Sense Me will enhance your music experience by suggesting playlists to suit your mood. In an effort to aid PSP development, the tool kits required for developers will receive an 80% price cut. Kaz also revealed that all future PSP titles would be released as digital downloads and at retail on UMD, easing the fears of many gamers.
The PSP go will retail for $/€249 on October 1st in North America and Europe. It'll arrive in Japan a month later on November 1. Speaking about the video service for the PlayStation 3, Hirai revealed that it will also be available natively on the PSP and that new content is being launched today from a variety of new partners.
Kazunouri Yamauchi, founder of Polyphony Digital then took centre stage to finally announce Gran Turismo PSP - a game that Sony teased right back at the launch of the PSP. According to Yamauchi, Gran Turismo PSP will run at 60fps and is a fully featured title. Topping the bullet point list are 800 cars, 35 tracks and 60 layout variations of those tracks. It'll feature four-player local wireless play and car trading. Finally he introduced a trailer for the game which revealed it will be released alongside the PSP go on October 1 2009.
Not to be outdone by Microsoft, next up on stage walked Kojima Production's Hideo Kojima to announce Metal Gear Solid Peace walker for the PSP. The game is set in Costa Rica ten years after MGS3, in the 1970s. It is a true sequel. He emphasised that he'll be deeply involved in the game, writing the script and producing - it's not a spin-off or a side story. We then got to see a trailer for the game which heavily hinted at four-player co-op. It also revealed that it'll be released in 2010.
Kaz then left the stage, but the PSP news wasn't over. Jack Tretton returned to announce that a brand new Resident Evil game would be arriving on PSP next year. He also reeled off a string of titles arriving on the PSP this year, including Monster Hunter, Harry Potter, LittleBigPlanet, Jak and Daxter and MotorStorm Arctic Edge.
Jack then moved onto PSN, stating that more than 475 million units of content have been downloaded worldwide. Home got a look in too, with Tretton announcing that more than 6.5 million gamers use the virtual community worldwide.
After the deviation to the PSP and PSN it was back to the PS3 with a montage video showcasing some of the great games coming this year and beyond. These included Uncharted 2, infamous, Madden NFL 10, White Knight Chronicles, Final Fantasy XIII, MAG, Batman, Brutal Legend, DiRT 2, Ghostbusters, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, Wet, Mafia II, Buzz!, SAW, KOF XII, Ice Age 3, Tekken 6, Overlord 2, Red Faction, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, Dark Void, BioShock 2 and more. Jack also confirmed that Lost Planet 2 will be shipping on PS3 in early 2010.
User Comments
startover4
dudester
Mr_Ninjutsu@ rbevanx
rbevanx
But people wanting a games console will get a 360 rather than the PS3.
Most people who will get a PS3 will use it as a media center/blu-ray player rather than a games console and Sony will still lose money.
Karlius
guyderman
FF14 - people were probably gasping as it's a bit strange to announce 14 when 3/4 of the world hasn't got 13 yet.
Wido
The good thing I can look at SONY's E3 conference and say. Yup, they had an excellent E3 than the past 3 years.
Another Ratchet & Clank game coming out which looks good and the PSPGo surprised me quite a lot which will be getting a purchase from me. The motion control worked very well and I'm liking that.
To be honest Nintendo didn't have a good E3. Keep bringing out the older games with new sequels. A new IP would be great for the Wii, no mention of Zelda for the Wii only for the DS. A new Mario game can be easily guessed. Resi-Evil already people knew and again Red Steel 2 was known. So no, Nintendo didn't have anything to get excited about.
The best 'impact' and 'big reveal' was Natal from Microsoft. They also like the Sony and Nintendo conference coming back with sequels and good sequels they are. Still nothing too 'excited' to be about. Sony did have a 'big reveal' Lee. FF14 exclusive or 'timed' exclusive but still a big reveal as if you heard the E3 audience they gasped with that announcement.
Overall good E3 and very much expected stuff with just a few shockers like "Wow, that worked quite well".
CheekyLee
Bloodstorm@ jakeistheman
FantasyMeister@ El-Dev
I'd agree with that, Sony seem to have done very well out of IPs that started on the PS3, whereas Microsoft are still relying a lot on IPs that started last generation. Personally I don't mind one or two sequels but when we get to five or six it starts to get a bit 'been there done that'.
On the other hand, if you're new to gaming then I'd say there ain't much in it, glad I'm not buying my first console today because I'd probably be tearing my hair out over which one to get.
El-Dev
Who won I suppose is up to your own tastes but if you're a gamer then Sony walked this E3 without much competition games wise.
Ghost_Dog
Sony have strengthened their line-up for 09/10. Gran Turismo 5, God of War 3, The Last Guardian, MAG, Uncharted 2, Agent and Final Fantasy XIV all make for a promising future.
EDIT: How could I forget Heavy Rain!
jakeistheman
renegade