Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

[Pai Pai Master]

Here's some stuff from the IGN Liveblog of Sony's press conference at Leipzig. More to come later, when I get outta class.

PSP-3000

PSP 3000 will launch on the 15th of October for 199 Euros with one-game bundles. Eight Bundles will be included. Harry Potter, Buzz Master Quiz, Go Messenger, FIFA 09 Slim and Lite will then be priced at 169 Euros. Keep in mind kids, that's Euros, not USD. It will be more expensive here, in a way.

It brings you all the functionality of the old PSP, looks the same, actually... hmm. Hm, the LCD screen is "enhanced" He's explaining what that means. The intensity of colors have been increased. Crisper colors in outside natural light, reducing glare. Screens for the win!

In addition, the PSP 3000 has a built-in microphone. Along with Skype and Go Messenger, this will make it a "reliable communication device."

Limited Edition 160GB PS3

The host talks shortly about Kaz Hirai. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that Kaz is the man. So, PS3 has a great year. Sales have grown to over 14 million worldwide, and 5.8 million through the end of July -- that's in the PAL territories. Friday of this week, 80 gig PS3 available!!!!! 399 Euros.

Speaker says they're announcing a special, limited edition 160 GB PS3 with the same specs, just more HD space. Priced 449 Euros. Will include 70 Euros of additional downloadable game content.

VidZones

Speaker is -- again -- pleased to announce a new music service for 23 PAL territories. VidZones. It's going to be seperate from the already established video service. Intriguing. Unlimited streaming of music on demand, totally FREE of charge. Um, all kinds of awesome? Yes, yes it is.

You can use this streaming content to create custom playlists and it can be accessed via Remote Play on your PSP, and also including phone support. Wow, I'm actually pretty impressed by that.

SingStar

Oh, new service to play the tracks from our PS2 versions of the SingStar games onto your PS3! Just throw in the PS2 disc and you can grab the tracks! This will be available through a firmware update.

The trailer shows a bunch of people singing along to some stuff, some are talented and others are... not so skilled. Funny stuff. SingStar Disney!!!!!! Megaton! Singalong with Disney is the official subtitle, it seems. I can't wait to sing Lion King with Greg.

Dear God, yes, it's the classic Disney sing-alongs with actual Disney videos in the background. It looks like a lot of fun for kids and also Disney fans that want a trip down memory lane. SingStar Queen! 5 songs for 6.99 Euros.

EyePet

Let's move on to something created out of Sony's London studio. The speaker is building this up, it better be good.... I have a feeling it's -- wait -- EyePet!

Your Virtual Pet. I thought it was something else, but I guess we're going to be raising 3D virtual pets with the power of the PS3. Trailer time. Using EyeToy, you can interact through the video and the little creature reacts to your gestures in real time. It shows it finishing in your drawings for you, after you've scanned it in, including making a fully functional little car. Now it's playing dress up. Crazy. Actual looks pretty cute, but let's see if the game is actually as awesome as the guitar-filled trailer.

Heavy Rain

David Cage, with Quantic Dream takes the stage. This is the big one. People applaud happily. "After being silent for a while, we're proud to be in Leipzig." He references Noman Soul, Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy) and then The Casting, that sweet technical demo that we all saw a while ago.

He's here to talk about Heavy Rain today. Key points: This will be mature/serious content. It's going to be accessible. It's going to be an emotional experience (moral choices and the like, the player will be playing the story).

It will be story driven and your decisions have consequences. These are some of the same themes that Cage went over during my meeting with him prior to the press conference. Make sure to check out my Eyes-on, readers! It's good stuff.

Cage mentions that Sony has been very supportive of their efforts. Actual gameplay footage is being shown, a rainy neighborhood is tainted by the presence of something evil. Sinister.

These are scenes from the Origami Killer demonstration we received previously. Very intense contextual gameplay with an extremely vivid emotional touch. Heavy Rain 2009 ends the trailer.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

Here's some stuff from the IGN Liveblog of Sony's press conference at Leipzig. More to come later, when I get outta class.

EyePet

Let's move on to something created out of Sony's London studio. The speaker is building this up, it better be good.... I have a feeling it's -- wait -- EyePet!

Your Virtual Pet. I thought it was something else, but I guess we're going to be raising 3D virtual pets with the power of the PS3. Trailer time. Using EyeToy, you can interact through the video and the little creature reacts to your gestures in real time. It shows it finishing in your drawings for you, after you've scanned it in, including making a fully functional little car. Now it's playing dress up. Crazy. Actual looks pretty cute, but let's see if the game is actually as awesome as the guitar-filled trailer.

The gamer in me wants to slit her wrists...

[Pai Pai Master]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

SCEE's always been pretty heavy on casual titles. EyePet is basically their console-response to Nintendogs. Dunno if it'll go over well but most of their efforts usually see strong sales in the PAL areas at least.

SCEA announced that the 160GB PS3 will be coming here in the form of an UNCHARTED: Drake's Fortune bundle, launching next month for $499. It'll also include a PSN voucher for PAIN, just like the MGS4 bundle.

The PSP-3000 will launch next month for $169 individually and $199 in a RATCHET & CLANK: Size Matters bundle, along with a 4GB Memory Stick. This is the same model that will feature in the limited edition DISSIDIA: Final Fantasy bundle in Japan.

There'll be a keypad accessory released for SIXAXIS and DUALSHOCK 3 controllers this year. It uses a Bluetooth connection and latches on to the top of the controller. The keypad can also be used as a touchpad for mouse-like use.

Gameplay footage!

[ame=http://www.gametrailers.com/player/38636.html]Gametrailers.com - Heavy Rain - GC 2008: In-Game Battle System Gameplay (Cam)[/ame]

[ame=http://www.gametrailers.com/player/38646.html]Gametrailers.com - MotorStorm Pacific Rift - GC 2008: Rift Gameplay (Cam)[/ame]

[ame=http://www.gametrailers.com/player/38549.html]Gametrailers.com - Killzone 2 - GC 2008: Multiplayer Trailer[/ame]

[ame=http://www.gametrailers.com/player/38628.html]Gametrailers.com - Killzone 2 - GC 2008: Gameplay (Cam)[/ame]

Today's press conference was mostly for hardware and service announcements; we'll see more games in the next few days, plus content from individual developers like Insomniac and Guerrilla Games.

I'm glad they've polished the QTE elements of Heavy Rain; I didn't quite like them in Indigo Prophecy. Game feels more like a Western Shenmue this way.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

Yep been holding my breath waiting for Heavy Rain. I hate getting my hopes up but this is one game I've been dying to play.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

So just how many versions of PSP does it take to get it right? Seems like with every new version, the more rushed to market the system actually was. This is actually worse than Nintendo has been about this sort of thing.

Guess I'll just keep waiting on PSP. Half the games that come out for it that I do want end up as PS2 ports :/

I'm kinda surprised SE hasn't caved in and put Crisis Core on PS2 yet

[Pai Pai Master]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

PSP was rushed to market because they enhance the hardware with new features? I wouldn't say it's worse. They got the core design of the hardware right the first time, unlike Nintendo. They're simply adding to the existing design to increase the value of the package, something that falls in line with their new hardware strategy. Continue to improve the current hardware instead of creating new platforms every 4-6 years.

Nevermind that. This is the greatest announcement of the convention:





By the gods!

[Raydeus]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

Nice!

[Malacite]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

So just how many versions of PSP does it take to get it right? Seems like with every new version, the more rushed to market the system actually was. This is actually worse than Nintendo has been about this sort of thing.

The GBA would like to have a word with you...

[Yellow Mage]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

The GBA would like to have a word with you...

I'm pretty sure kitten was specifically referring to the GBA. It had the original, the SP, and you can count the Game Boy Micro as well, if you want (I played on one of those once: it was actually kind of neat). That's three, tops.

PSP, however, has had the original, the Slim, the Lite, and now the 3000 apparently. That's four.

And, of course, DS and DS Lite. No need for explanation there.

As far as I see with Nintendo's renditions of the same thing, there really isn't much pressure to buy later renditions (possibly excluding GBA -> SP: back-light and rechargeable battery both be that good) to buy the same thing again for an upgrade. At worst, you're missing out on an aesthetic sidegrade you can easily live without.

As far as games go, all PSP offers me is a chance to play Disgaea again, and that's about it.

[Malacite]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

What's the Lite? I haven't seen this (pretty sure the most recent 2000-series is the slim)


And at least Sony isn't perpetually shrinking the god damned thing to the point where it's smaller than your cell phone.

[Tickmeoff]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

PSP, however, has had the original, the Slim, the Lite, and now the 3000 apparently. That's four.

What the hell is a PSP Lite? There's the original (what most people now call the "Fat"), the Slim, and now there is apparently a 3000.

As far as games go, all PSP offers me is a chance to play Disgaea again, and that's about it.

Unfortunately this is pretty much true. Most of the good games on PSP are games you played on the PS1/2 a long time ago that were ported. If you ever get into Monster Hunter though I guarantee Freedom 2 or Portable 2nd G will suck up more of your time than any other game you've ever played. I'm coming up on 300 hours played and still going.


It has it's uses beyond just PSP games though. I use mine to play PS1 games on the go, as an mp3 player, and for teh internets when I'm at school.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

What the hell is a PSP Lite? There's the original (what most people now call the "Fat"), the Slim, and now there is apparently a 3000.

My mistake, the Lite was the same thing as the Slim. I misread Wikipedia.

[Pai Pai Master]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

If you haven't played Patapon you have no right to speak of any sort of lack of original PSP games.

[Feba]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

And honestly, the only thing that comes up in my mind is "And is this supposed to make me care?". I mean, it sounds like they're pandering to people who already like the PSP and PS3 with their changes, and the thing is-- they already own it.

I mean, for one thing, why the hell haven't they announced a UMD drive for PS3? Sell it for $30-50, call it a PSP Player if you want to piss off Nintendo, and go with it. You've just HUGELY improved the market for UMD movies, and given quite a big help to PSP games to boot. And the best thing is, it would be basically impossible for Nintendo to do the same with the DS; and even if it were, the demand simply wouldn't be there without the graphics advantage the PSP has. I, for one, will probably never own a PSP, whereas if I owned a PS3 I would buy a PSP player in a heartbeat (assuming a reasonable price, at least)

Why the minor upgrades to hardware, without a drop in price? A 160GB HDD doesn't mean shit to anyone who knows the PS3's hard drive can be swapped (at much lower prices than anything Sony is willing to offer), and I doubt that a minor improvement to the LCD is going to be a winning point for much of anyone (Look at the difference from GBA->SP and the difference from DS Phat->Lite, for one. SP was a huge improvement for many people; I know plenty of Phat owners couldn't care less about the backlight improvements). How about instead of constantly redoing your manufacturing process (thus requiring a large amount of money to design, test, and implement), you take the money you WOULD'VE spent on that and use it to lower the price?

really, come on, Sony. You had been my main console for a decade before this generation; why do I not want you now? Sure, there are some PS3 games I'd like. PSP games I'd like. But there's nothing out there that makes me want the PS3. And I already have one portable, and see no purpose buying another. There's nothing to make me go "Yeah, I'll spend that $500". Especially when I could spend that money on games for consoles I already have, and get much more out of it. I shouldn't want to make a list of games I'm interested in on your platform, and wait five years for new consoles to come out, and pick everything up at a discount. But that's what's happening.

Also, just what the hell is up with the PS3 keypad? 360 already did that, and it sucked pretty hard last I checked.

[Pai Pai Master]

Re: Sony @ Leipzig: 160GB LE PS3, PSP-3000, Free Music Video PSN Service, and More!

I mean, for one thing, why the hell haven't they announced a UMD drive for PS3?

Quite possibly the dumbest idea I've ever heard. The last thing I want tainting my perfect multimedia entertainment device is a freakin' UMD drive. Hell, the PSP-2000 is already a portable UMD player for your TV.