European broadband issues delaying PS4 Gaikai rollout

September 6th, 2013, 01:32 Posted By: wraggster

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EA: Madden 25 sells through over 1 million units in first week

September 6th, 2013, 01:30 Posted By: wraggster

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Project Phoenix confirmed for PlayStation 4 and Vita

September 6th, 2013, 01:29 Posted By: wraggster

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Dark Souls 2 PS3 beta begins on 12th October

September 6th, 2013, 01:13 Posted By: wraggster

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Sony hikes Indian game prices as Rupee decline continues

September 5th, 2013, 23:53 Posted By: wraggster

Sony has increased the prices of upcoming PS3 titles Beyond: Two Souls and Gran Turismo 6.
Both games were previously priced at Rs 2,999, but are now increased to Rs 3,499. The price hikes are attributed to the continuing decline of the Rupee, which today stands at Rs 67 against the US Dollar.
It is widely expected that other publishers will follow suit. Games from several publishers are currently priced at Rs 2,799 or Rs 2,999, and many of these are expected to increase.
Retailer buzz suggests that Grand Theft Auto 5, which is only two weeks away from release, will also receive a price hike, although the exact amount is not known yet.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/sony-...tinues/0120671

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Sony refunds digital FFXIV: A Realm Reborn purchases on PSN

September 5th, 2013, 23:49 Posted By: wraggster

Those who paid for the PSN version of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn have been refunded by Sony.
The funds should already have been credited to users’ wallet, with the game itself now available to download from their download history.
The move follows the ongoing problems surrounding the re-launch of Square Enix’s MMO.
“I would like to take the time to personally apologise once again to all those players who have been affected by the extended World login and character creation restrictions which have been in place for the past several days,” the game’s producer and director Naoki Yoshida said on the game’s forum.
“I also understand that apologies will not help you get logged in. Considering the outcome of our first launch, our sales estimates for this one were decidedly conservative, as we believed that there would be a more gradual rise in users over the opening weeks and months.
“Instead, to our pleasant surprise, we experienced tremendous support from a great number of players who were eager to get into the game from day one. The fact that we had to implement these restrictions is a direct result of my inaccurate sales and login estimates, and as producer, I must accept complete responsibility for this misstep.
“Each and every player who has been affected has my deepest apologies.”
Square Enix last week suspended digital sales of the game as it continued to struggle with its technical issues.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/sony-...on-psn/0120673

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GTA V voiced by real criminals

September 5th, 2013, 23:36 Posted By: wraggster

Writer Lazlow Jones says gang members hired for 'authenticity'

Rockstar Games has opted out of tradition voice actors in favor of “authenticity” by recording the conversations of actual gang members for use in Grand Theft Auto V.
In a radio interview with Chicago station WGNpicked up by Polygon, GTA V contributing writer and producer Lazlow Jones said he hired real criminals to voice ambient characters in the game.

"When we record all these ambient characters we go towards authenticity," he said.
"We recruited a guy who gets gang members, actual real gang members, like El Salvadoran gang dudes with amazing tattoos, one of which had literally gotten out of prison the day before.”
This commitment to authenticity is an interesting thing to announce on the radio when a host of senators are denouncing the game industry for its alleged connections to real-world violence, but it could well add to the tone fans expect from the franchise.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...real-criminals

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Killzone Mercenary day one optimisation patch is 1.2GB

September 4th, 2013, 23:20 Posted By: wraggster

A day one Killzone Mercenary optimisation patch has been released.
Offering "stability fixes and performance optimisations", it weighs in at 1.2GB, taking the Vita shooter's total size close to 5GB, SixthAxis reports.
The list of Killzone Mercenary Trophies was posted online earlier this week ahead of today's Killzone Mercenary release date in Europe. The game's due to hit UK stores on Friday and US ones on September 10.
Developed by Guerrilla Games Cambridge, the title sees players step into the boots of the new Mercenary faction, taking on paid contracts from both the warring ISA and Helghast forces.
You can expect CVG's Killzone Mercenary review to be published on the site later today. For more on the game before than, check out 30 minutes of Killzone Mercenary gameplay and read all about Killzone Mercenary multiplayer.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...patch-is-12gb/

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PSN Final Fantasy XIV buyers to receive a refund

September 4th, 2013, 22:57 Posted By: wraggster

Customers who purchased a digital PlayStation Network version of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn are to be given a full refund, Sony confirmed today.

Square Enix has been unable to deliver a quality service since the title launched on PC and PS3 last week due to overwhelming demand, which resulted in the publisher halting digital sales as it attempted to expand server capacity to accommodate the number of people wanting to play.
After downloading and installing the game last week, numerous PS3 users complained of being unable to log in. Even after binding their PSN and Square Enix accounts, affected users were met with the following message, according to SixthAxis:

No valid service account is available to play FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn. In order to play FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn you must first purchase the digital download from the Playstation Store or register a product code. Please restart the client for FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn

On Tuesday, Square Enix said players will receive seven extra days of free play time following the game's troubled launch.
Earlier today, the company carried out maintenance on the game designed to improve the user experience. Square says: "This maintenance has implemented countermeasures to alleviate the stress on servers. Previously, matching took place across all servers in the various region data centers, but following this maintenance, matching will now take place within selected groups."
A Realm Reborn is a redesigned and redeveloped version of the original, much criticised Final Fantasy XIV. Monthly subscriptions start at £7.69 / €10.99.
At E3 in June, Square said A Realm Reborn will release on PS4 in 2014.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...eive-a-refund/

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EU PS Store update: Diablo 3, Killzone Mercenary

September 4th, 2013, 22:53 Posted By: wraggster

Sony has detailed this week's European PlayStation Store content update.
This week's highlights include the PSN releases of Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons and Castle Of Illusion. Digital releases for Diablo 3, Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut and Farming Simulator 2013 are also part of the line-up.
On Vita, the big release is Killzone Mercenary, which we described as "a shining showcase of the Vita's power" in our Killzone Mercenary review.
PS3 games

• Best Of PSN Vol 1 (Fat Princess, When Vikings Attack, Sound Shapes, Tokyo Jungle) - £23.99/€29.99
• Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons - £11.99/€14.99
• Castle Of Illusion - £9.99/€12.99
• Crazy Strike Bowling - £9.69/€11.99
• Dancestar Digital - Free
• Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut - £29.99/€39.99
• Diablo III - £49.99/€59.99
• Farming Simulator 2013 - £29.99/€39.99
• Hatsune Miku Project DIVA F - £31.99/€39.99
• Hunter's Trophy 2 - America - £7.99/€9.99

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Rayman Legends Vita: Missing levels promised as free DLC

September 4th, 2013, 22:46 Posted By: wraggster

Ubisoft will bring the Vita version of Rayman Legends up to par with the console versions with a free DLC update containing the missing levels.
Outrage was sparked when it emerged that Rayman Legends on Vita was missing the 28 'Invasion' levels, despite an earlier statement from Ubisoft which claimed the portable version "includes all of the original Rayman Legends content, as well as five exclusive maps".
But Ubisoft communications manager Gary Steinman has said the publisher will later add the missing content for free.
"Due to a longer development time than expected, we couldn't initially include the Invasion Mode - essentially, a second take on existing Rayman Legends maps -- in the Vita version of the game," he explained.
"However, we can confirm that the Invasion Mode will be added via a free patch, at a later date," said Steinman.
In late August the Vita version was delayed for a further two weeks in the UK, "in order to apply the final level of polish gamers expect from a Rayman game".
In our Rayman Legends review, we said the game is "an absolute joy to play", offering "essential platforming shenanigans" that are "best experienced on Wii U".

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...d-as-free-dlc/

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Square Enix apologizes for Final Fantasy 14 headaches with week of free play

September 4th, 2013, 01:30 Posted By: wraggster

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Killzone: Shadow Fall, Gran Turismo 6 headline Sony's TGS lineup

September 4th, 2013, 01:28 Posted By: wraggster

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Sony showing more than 50 games at TGS

September 4th, 2013, 01:04 Posted By: wraggster

Sony intends to showcase over 50 PlayStation titles at Tokyo Game Show 2013 later this month.
The figure includes more than ten PS4 games such as Knack and Capcom's Deep Down, which was recently revealed to be an online title.
Vita and PS3 titles being exhibited will include Tearaway, Gran Turismo 6, PES 2014 and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan said today in a press release.
A trio of Sony executives are reportedly set to deliver an opening day keynote at TGS, which runs from September 19 to 22.
Titled 'The World PlayStation 4 Creates', the keynote session will be hosted by Sony Computer Entertainment president and group CEO Andrew House, senior vice president Masayasu Ito, and Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida.
At Gamescom in August, Sony announced a PS4 release date of November 15 in the US and November 29 in Europe.
PS4 will be available in 32 countries this holiday. The PS4 price has been set at £349 / €399 / $399. First party launch titles will includeKillzone Shadow Fall, DriveClub and Knack.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...-games-at-tgs/

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Sony has 'no firm plans' for PS4 and Vita bundle

September 4th, 2013, 01:01 Posted By: wraggster

Sony Computer Entertainment UK boss Fergal Gara says the company currently has no plans to release a PS4 and Vita hardware bundle.
There are "no firm plans at this stage to put the two together in one box", he told OPM.
"But as a minimum there is clearly the opportunity for us to work with retailers to put them together alongside each other as at least a great companion trade up sale," he added.
Sony confirmed in May that all PS4 games bar those that require use of specific hardware like the PS Camera will support Vita Remote Play.
Gara also told OPM that the recent Vita price cut, introduced three months before November's PS4 release date, was "a nice coincidence in timing".
Reducing hardware costs is "a process we continually try and drive on all of the platforms", he said. "How can we sweat the technology and production costs to offer better value to the gamer. So we've hit a moment when we can do that and bring [the Vita] down in cost [and] that happens to time very, very nicely with PS4, which further adds to the PlayStation Vita agenda."
Vita is now available for €199 / $199, while the PS4 price has been set at £349 / €399 / $399.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...d-vita-bundle/

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GAME details GTA 5 midnight store openings

September 4th, 2013, 00:56 Posted By: wraggster

GAME is to open hundreds of stores nationwide at midnight in order to sell Grand Theft Auto as early as possible on September 17.
For midnight launches, stores generally open their doors between around 11.45pm and 1am. For those who can't make it to a midnight opening, many stores will be opening early the following morning at 8:30am.
HMV stores across the country will also be opening their doors in the early hours to enable consumers to pick up copies of the game at the earliest possible opportunity.
Rockstar has confirmed a US and European GTA 5 release date of September 17 on Xbox 360 and PS3. The game will launch in Japan on October 10.
Last month the studio revealed GTA Online with a debut trailer and the news that it will launch two weeks after GTA 5. For more details read ourGTA Online interview, and get our impressions of it in this GTA Online first look preview.
Rockstar also recently released the official Grand Theft Auto 5 trailer.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...tore-openings/

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Sony's Gara: PS4 "feels like a bit of a rebirth"

September 4th, 2013, 00:16 Posted By: wraggster

Meet the man that every UK games retailer has on speed dial
Sony

Sony Computer Entertainment

Sony Computer Entertainment is a Japanese videogame company specialising in a variety of areas in the...
playstation.com

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe

eu.playstation.com


Fergal Gara is VP and MD of UK and Ireland at Sony Computer Entertainment and he's just about to face his first console launch. He's had experience of retail before with nearly six years with Asda, but the PlayStation 4 puts him firmly on the other side of that fence, marketing a huge product launch at his erstwhile colleagues and contemporaries.
GamesIndustry International sat down with Gara the morning after Sony's Gamescom press conference to talk about the PlayStation 4's success in the pre-order market so far, why Vita is still an essential part of Sony's offering and why it's an emotional time to be a console manufacturer.

Q: Sony as whole seems to have been very open about the details and features of the PlayStation 4 from very early on, was that a conscious decision?
Fergal Gara: For me that goes all the way back to February 20 and Mark Cerny who said it was a five year project in listening to developers in particular: what did they need to make life easier, to get the toolkit that gave them the most creative scope? And therefore it's been a project of opening up and embracing the development community, big and small.
I think what you saw last night was a great, rich example of the sheer breadth that comes out of having such a policy. I think we just further underlined the points that have been there since February really, of which there are more and more examples. It's great to see that diversity, we want to be the ubiquitous home for gaming, gaming for everybody and that means every kind of user, every kind of gamer, but also every kind of developer.
Q: It does feel that with this console launch Sony have got things right. Is that how it feels internally? Do you feel confident?
Fergal Gara: There's nothing better in any form of business than when customers are rewarding you with their custom and it's absolutely true to say, particularly since E3, that gamers have been rewarding us with their commitment and their pre-orders. That does have a motivational effect on the team so people are more chipper, they're more focused, they're more upbeat and it is fantastic that the key strategies that have been laid out and planned way back, we've been able to not deviate from them whatsoever. It does feel like we're getting a lot of things right and that's helping the teams be even more motivated and even more focused on doing the best job that they can.
Q: Pre-orders must help when you're making deals with publishers and developers too?
"Success is contagious, but we don't allow ourselves to get smug or complacent"

Fergal Gara: Success is contagious, and it does feel like a lot of things are clicking into place now nicely, but we don't allow ourselves to get in any way smug or complacent. But yes, we're feeling confident and that's a good place to be.
Q: You've announced the release dates now - why that particular timeframe and was that always where you were aiming for?
Fergal Gara: Yes. The release target window has been there or thereabouts for a very very long time. What's happened in recent weeks is that confidence on the production side of the equation has grown as units have started flying off the production lines. Now we can start to allocate the volumes and calculate the volumes needed by region, by territories, so that's allowing us to communicate the date with greater confidence.
Q: Do have any idea how many units have been allocated to the UK?
Fergal Gara: Yes, but I can't share it with you I'm afraid.
The only thing I would say is Andy [House] quoted a number last night for pre-orders, in fact he quoted a low end number, he said 'in excess of.' What I will say is that the UK represents a significant proportion of that, we're talking unprecedented levels of pre-orders that we haven't seen in 20 years in this business.
The pre-order phenomenon is a reasonably recent one, or certainly growing in recent years - but it does mean that demand is well ahead of our expectations as they were earlier in the year so our internal conversations are now all about securing volume to maximise the number of gamers we can satisfy on that day one or close to day one. It's a problem but it's a good problem to have.
There will be some frustration around it and we know that we'll have to do our best to satisfy the demand and outside of that manage the frustration that may result if we're not able to meet all of it immediately. It's a good problem to have but a problem, and we don't like to let anybody down.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-03-sonys-gara

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European broadband issues delaying PS4 Gaikai streaming rollout

September 4th, 2013, 00:12 Posted By: wraggster

There’s currently no timeline as to when European PS4 owners will be able to stream PS3 content onto their machines.
SCEE president and CEO Jim Ryan told Edge that the service is expected to arrive in North America in early 2014. But he’s not able to date a European rollout due to factors beyond the company’s control.
“So the plan is to begin with North America next year and the plan is to provide a streaming service that will allow for PS3 content initially to be streamed to firstly PS4 then PS Vita and then PS3,” he explained.
“And so that will happen in 2014 in North America initially. Now, and I touched upon these issues of broadband in Europe during the presentation – Europe is of course on the roadmap for that service to be deployed at some point in the future, but for reasons outside of our control we don’t yet have a timeline for it.
“We’ve got a roadmap, there’s just a few bumps along the road that need to be ironed out.”
Sony acquired Gaikai in mid 2012.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/europ...ollout/0120625

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Rayman Legends missing some content on Vita

September 4th, 2013, 00:10 Posted By: wraggster

It appears that the PlayStation Vita version of Rayman Legends lack some content found in the other releases.
Legends is already available on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U and PC but will not hit Vita until later this month following arecently announced delay.
Now CVG reports that the Vita release, according to early chatter from a journalist currently reviewing it, does not include the 28 Invasion levels – the site calculates that the omission equates to around a 12 per cent cut in content.
Ubisoft has not previously suggested that the Vita release would be cut down in any way.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/rayma...n-vita/0120628

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CryEngine-powered Timesplitters Rewind in development for PS4

September 4th, 2013, 00:09 Posted By: wraggster

Lots of you seem to want a new Timesplitters game. Well happy days then, as a new one is now in development.
It’s called Timesplitters Rewind and its creators are making it for PS4. That’s the last of the concrete information, however, with everything becoming a little hopeful and speculative beyond that point.
GamingBlend caught up with the project’s lead Michael Hubricka. He revealed that around 35 part-time devs are currently working on the project using CryEngine 3.
However, he also admitted that the team has yet to receive the official nod from Timesplitters IP holder CryTek.
“We're actually going to go ahead and start development on PlayStation 4,” he admitted. “Just because we're pretty confident Crytek's going to say go ahead and do it. But we don't want them saying go ahead and do it when we're caught with our pants down and we're like halfway through development and start something for the PlayStation 4.
"So we decided that since they released the SDK to allow us to do this, we're going to go ahead and do it ourselves, and when they say 'yes' or 'no' we can decide what to do with that. For now we're just going to go ahead and do it. So at least we're prepared.
“It's mostly just us waiting on Crytek's legal department to give us the go ahead. With these things it's not like they say 'Hey, we don't know you but we'll give you access to these things and you can release it on this or that console.' It's also their reputation on the line.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/cryen...or-ps4/0120630

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