Sony Liverpool was making two PS4 launch games, report claims

August 23rd, 2012, 02:08 Posted By: wraggster

Sony Liverpool was reportedly working on two PlayStation 4 launch games prior to today's announcement of plans to close the studio.
According to Eurogamer sources, one was a "dramatically different" WipEout game said to have been in development for between 12 and 18 months, while the other started life as a gangster title before evolving into a Splinter Cell-style experience which employed motion capture tech similar to Depth Analysis' MotionScan, which was popularised by LA Noire.Sony Liverpool Studio is to close as part of a wider reorganisation of the platform holder's Worldwide Studios group, the company confirmed to CVG today.
Formed in 1984 as Psygnosis, the studio was acquired by Sony in 1993. It went on to create scores of games including WipEout and Destruction Derby.
Speaking in June, Sony Computer Entertainment boss Andrew House said that the company is not prepared to show PlayStation 4 until the system can demonstrate 'a significant leap' in technology.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...report-claims/

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EU PS Store Update: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure HD, Retro/Grade, Madden NFL 13

August 23rd, 2012, 02:06 Posted By: wraggster

Sony has detailed the latest European PlayStation Store content update, which includes a visually improved version of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, demos for Madden NFL 13 and NHL 13, and DLC for Dragon's Dogma.
What it doesn't include is Counter Strike: Global Offensive, something the platform holder has apologised for. Here's what's on offer:
PlayStation PlusPS3 games

• Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XLPrice: £19.99/€29.99/AU$39.95
  
• Deep BlackPrice: £11.99/€14.99/AU$23.95
  
• The Expendables 2: The VideogamePrice: £11.99/€14.99/AU$23.95
  Availability: Not available in DE
  
• JoJo's Bizarre Adventure HDPrice: £15.99/€19.99
  Availability: Not available in AS, IN, IS, KU, NZ, QA, SU, SA, UA
  
• LegasistaPrice: £17.49/€20.99
  Availability: Not available in AU, DK, FI, NZ, NO, PL, SE
  
• Retro/GradePrice: £7.99/€9.99/AU$15.95
  
• Retro/Grade + SoundtrackPrice: £10.99/€13.99/AU$21.95

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PlayStation 4 will support 4K resolution - report

August 23rd, 2012, 02:04 Posted By: wraggster

Sony's next-generation PlayStation 4 console will support ultra HD '4K Resolution' displays, according to a new rumour.
Citing an anonymous source, Yahoo reports that the next-gen console will be capable of pumping out the super-high-resolution images expected to be possible on a rumored new 4K resolution TV from Sony.Just as the PS3 was key in the establishment of Blu-ray HD and, later, 3D content, the PS4's super HD capability will apparently come as part of Sony's plan to push the new 4K resolution tech out to consumers.
4K resolution is the term used in digital cinematography to broadly describe a resolution (pixel count) of around 4000 pixels horizontally on a display. This is similar to 'Ultra HD', or 'Quad Full High Definition' (QFHD), which at 3840x2160, is exactly four times today's full HD resolution of 1920x1080.
According to the report, the PS4's 4K resolution support will span both movies and games, the latter of which would prove mightily impressive if true.
PS3 is capable of 1920x1080 resolution, but only a small number of games manage to run at that spec, so 3840x2160 or higher at 60 frames-per-second would be incredible (if a little hard to believe at this point).
Despite rumours of a late 2013 release for at least one of Sony or Microsoft's next-gen consoles, Sony has said it's not prepared to reveal its PlayStation 4 console until the system can demonstrate 'a significant leap' in technology.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...lution-report/

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Tomba leaps onto European PSN September 5

August 23rd, 2012, 01:53 Posted By: wraggster

MonkeyPaw Games' PSN re-release of Tomba! is coming to Europe on September 5, the publisher told Joystiq today. The PSOne Classics version of Whoopee Camp's caveman platformer, about a pink-haired caveman battling pigs to reclaim an heirloom bracelet, was released in North America in June.

MonkeyPaw has suggested to us in the past that it is interested in releasingTomba 2 as well, provided sales of the original game are sufficient.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/to...n-september-5/

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Madden 13 emphasizing post-launch support, first update in September

August 23rd, 2012, 01:51 Posted By: wraggster

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Dust 514 beta preview: War-torn and complex

August 23rd, 2012, 01:49 Posted By: wraggster

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More GTA V screens for you... but still no release date

August 23rd, 2012, 00:21 Posted By: wraggster

Yes, it’s another set of brand new screen shots for Grand Theft Auto V.
Man. Parachute. Rocks. Trees. River. Bridge. Tennis. Grass. Bikes. Mud. It really is ALL happening in these images which, as you’ve probably noticed, can be seen below.
On Monday Rockstar released three new images for the game. We were very excited.
In our dreams all this new GTA V activity point to an Apple-style “Surprise, it’s in stores tomorrow” type release in October. But the safe money’s still on 2013, sadly.
Anyway. Your eyeballs. Point them downwards.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/anoth...e-date/0101662

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You should probably log into PSN and buy WipEout HD Fury today

August 23rd, 2012, 00:20 Posted By: wraggster

GAME OF THE DAY: WipEout HD Fury is a great example of the modern games industry at its finest.
It’s digital-only, cheap to download (£13.99 the last time we looked), it runs in 1080p at 60fps and it’s absolutely brilliant. But what’s equally as important is its history.
The IP was born back in 1995 when a studio called Psygnosis (which later became Sony’s Studio Liverpool) released WipEout on PlayStation One, Sega Saturn and PC.
And while it wasn’t a single format release, the game was a perfect fit for the new PlayStation generation and became one of the main poster boys (alongside poster girl Lara Croft) that championed gaming’s new post-Nintendo era.
It wasn’t until the fourth release in the series, WipEout 3, that the brand devoted itself solely to Sony’s machine. Having starred on PSOne and PS2 – and delivering arguably the PSP’s best launch title in the form of 2005’s WipEout Pure – the game also made an appearance early on in PS3’s lifecycle.
WipEout HD was a technical masterpiece. As one of the few titles to run at both full resolution and full speed, on a large screen it was a sight to behold. Purists may have resisted the changes to the controls and item pickups, but it was a fantastic title that easily justified itself amongst the current generation of racers.
The release of the Fury expansion (and the subsequently bundling of the pair in WipEout HD Fury) cemented its brilliance even further, significantly increasing the content and bringing some new ideas to the table.
And while we’re yet to learn if the WipEout IP will live on, today brought the sad news that its home, Studio Liverpool, is no more.
We at MCV want to say thank you to everyone who has worked there – past and present – for making gaming that bit better. We know what we’ll be playing tonight.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/you-s...-today/0101664

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Counter Strike: Global Offensive arrives... but not on PS3

August 23rd, 2012, 00:18 Posted By: wraggster

Valve’s long-awaited multiplayer shooter Counter Strike: Global Offensive has finally been released… but not for PS3 owners.
Well, not in the UK anyway.
Although now available on both PC and Xbox 360 in the US and Europe, the game was a surprise omission from today’s European PlayStation Store update. It did make an appearance in the US, however.
"Unfortunately Counter-Strike has not been made available on the European PlayStation store today, and we apologise to those of you who were looking forward to playing it,” a Sony spokesperson confirmed.
“We hope to resolve this issue as quickly as possible."
Counter Strike was originally released as a mod to Half-Life that proved so popular that valve eventually acquired the rights to the game.
Counter Strike: Global Offensive is a modified version of 2004 release Counter Strike Source. Indeed, it began life as a port of that title for Xbox 360.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/count...on-ps3/0101665

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New GTA V screenshots

August 23rd, 2012, 00:17 Posted By: wraggster

Rockstar has released another three screenshots from Grand Theft Auto V. Following Monday's transport-themed shots, these three are headed 'Leisure', showing dirt bikes, tennis, and paragliding.
Click the images below for full-size versions.



http://www.edge-online.com/news/new-gta-v-screenshots

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Street Fighter X Tekken Vita includes new 'Ghost Tag' and 'Swap Switch' systems

August 22nd, 2012, 12:47 Posted By: wraggster

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Sony calls on the High Street to boost PlayStation Plus

August 21st, 2012, 23:47 Posted By: wraggster

The High Street has been called in to help Sony ramp up subscribers to its PlayStation Plus service.
The platform holder has today (August 17th) launched new one-year (£39.99) and 90-day (£11.99) subscription cards into specialists stores, and is set to embark on a ‘really big’ marketing and PR push for the service.
The news follows Sony's Gamescom announcement that PlayStation Plus will be coming to Vita.
It also detailed a series of updates, including big name titles added to the services’ Instant Game Collection such as Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption. The company also announced it was increasing the amount of Cloud Storage available to users.
“By releasing the cards into specialist retailers, we can increase our audience beyond those who already know the PlayStation Store and offer not just Plus, but the idea of digital software and the PSN to a new audience who typically have only ever bought their games from the shelves of a traditional retailer,” said European PS Plus product manager Ross McGrath.
“We’re going really big this year with awareness, with a presence in retailers, a huge amount of coverage across the gaming press and through our own channels, like PlayStation.com.
“We’ve announced more than seven new titles from third-party publishers which will be available in Plus as they launch, and of course Red Dead Redemption included from September, which we hope shows you the kind of quality bar we look at when it comes to content we source for our members.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/sony-...n-plus/0101591

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Namco to restock Tales titles as eBay auctions hit £100

August 21st, 2012, 23:46 Posted By: wraggster

Namco is restocking niche RPG titles that were selling at double its RRP on eBay after stock ran out.
Senior product manager Lauren Bradley told MCV that the publisher is promising a steadier supply of stock for future Tales titles.
“Tales of Vesperia was regularly reaching £80 to 100 on eBay two years after release,”?she said. ”We only shipped moderate day one quantities in the past – we will rectify this for the release of Tales of Graces f.”
Namco wants to push the IP to fans of blockbuster RPG series Final Fantasy.
“Since the change in direction of Final Fantasy, many of the older fans of that series are now interested in the Tales of series.”
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/namco...it-100/0101592

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Darksiders II brings Death to the barren summer release schedule

August 21st, 2012, 23:44 Posted By: wraggster

GAME OF THE DAY: You know that awful summer drought games fans have to endure every year? Guess what – it’s over!

With New Super Mario Bros 2 and Sleeping Dogs last week, and now Darksiders 2 and Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition this week, we can now officially say that the build up to the Q4 rush has well and truly begun.

The original Darksiders was released in 2010 and saw War (of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse fame) trying to maintain the balance between the armies of heaven and hell as the conflict spills over to the Kingdom of Men – as in, Earth.

Darksiders II, which was announced at E3 last year, arrives after a slight delay to add more polish. It sees the first game’s protagonist, War, imprisoned and his fellow Horseman Death on a quest to avenge what he sees as an injustice.

Gameplay remains roughly in line with the template already laid down by the IP, although it has been expanded upon with various RPG elements. The world is also vastly expanded and a new loot system in place.

Crucially, upon completion of the game players are able to start over in Game Plus, retaining all the weapons and power ups unlocked in the first run through.

Expect great things from this one at retail. THQ revealed in July that the game is its second most pre-ordered title ever behind only Saints Row 3. A Wii U version is also expected to be ready for the launch of Nintendo’s machine at the end of the year.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/darks...hedule/0101594

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PS Vita selling 11,000 units a day

August 21st, 2012, 23:30 Posted By: wraggster

PlayStation handheld trails behind iPhone, iPad, 3DS and Minecraft

Sony’s PS vita has sold more than 2.2 million units worldwide since its launch in December.
The figure, confirmed to Playfront.de by Sony, means that since its launch in Japan, Vita has sold approximately 11,000 units a day.

Apple meanwhile recently revealed in its financial report for Q2 2012 that it had sold roughly 390,000 iPhones a day, whilst iPad sales had hit 130,000 a day.
Since its release in February 2011 meanwhile, Nintendo’s 3DS has sold just under 38,000 on average every day.
Compared to cheaper software such as Mojang’s hit indie title Minecraft, Vita still trails behind, with XBLA sales recently revealed as 17,000 a day.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...ng-11000-a-day

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PSP outselling Vita 2:1, new Sony data reveals

August 20th, 2012, 23:35 Posted By: wraggster

PSP sold more than twice as many units as Vita managed during Sony's most recent financial quarter, new data shows.
The contrasting performances of the two handheld systems were revealed today when Sony confirmed to CVG that worldwide Vita sales stood at 2.2 million units as of June 30, 2012.The figure was originally provided to websitePlayFront by PlayStation Germany's Uwe Bassendowski, although the article didn't specify a cut-off date for the sales.
Prior to the confirmation of 2.2 million Vita sales, the system's last publicly announced sales totalwas 1.8 million as of the end of Sony's financial year which concluded March 31.
The new calculations means that the PS Vita sold about 400,000 units worldwide during April, May and June.
When combined with separate Sony data, it shows that the PSP is outselling Vita globally by a ratio greater than 2:1.
In August, Sony told investors that combined Vita and PSP sales reached 1.4 million unitsduring the three months in question. Therefore PSP accounted for about one million of the total, or 71 per cent of Sony's handheld unit sales.
In a new interview with CVG, PlayStation Europe CEO Jim Ryan said "we still have a significant PSP business in many markets, which is something that tends to be forgotten".
Earlier this month Sony Computer Entertainment UK boss Fergal Gara said the company "would love" to be selling more Vitas, while SCEA chief Jack Tretton labelled Vita sales "acceptable".
Yet Sony still has high hopes for its acclaimed handheld. Ryan told CVG that a strong Christmas line-up, complete with Call of Duty Black Ops Declassified and Assassin's Creed Liberation, is expected to reinvigorate the retail performance of the new device.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...-data-reveals/

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PlayStation Cross Buy confirmed for North America

August 20th, 2012, 23:33 Posted By: wraggster

Contrary to previous reports, Sony's recently announced PlayStation Cross Buy initiative will be available in North America.
"PS Vita-PS3 Cross Buy price promo is coming to both Europe and North America," Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida said on Twitter. "My quote by Famitsu was meant as 'not decided for Japan yet'," he explained.Announced during Sony's Gamescom conference last week, PlayStation Cross Buy will allow players to buy a game on PS3 and download the Vita version free of charge.
Cross Buy kicks off later this year with Sony's PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault and Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, but a top Sony executive has admitted that the service is hampered by the technological differences between PS3 and Vita.
PlayStation Europe CEO Jim Ryan said in a newly published interview with CVG: "PS Vita is a more PC-based environment whereas the PS3 is a more bespoke development environment. So the cross-over between both platforms is rather limited."
EA has said it's looking at the possibility of using Cross Buy for Need for Speed: Most Wanted.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...north-america/

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Sony sells 2.2 million PS Vitas worldwide, will redirect marketing toward 'younger au

August 20th, 2012, 23:20 Posted By: wraggster

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Sony's software brilliance still isn't enough

August 20th, 2012, 22:02 Posted By: wraggster

Hardware pricing remains the elephant in the room, says Rob Fahey
Sony


Sony came to Gamescom with a lot to prove. In spite of a general consensus that the company had narrowly bested its platform holder competitors with its showing at E3 a few months ago, 2012 has not been a positive year for the company. Sales of the PlayStation 3 have slackened, while Vita has had the weakest launch of any PlayStation hardware platform ever. Sony's games division, traditionally a bright spot on the company's financials, turned a loss. If 2012 is going to be rescued, it's going to have to happen in the Christmas quarter.
The expectation was that Sony would begin its efforts to salvage a tough year by announcing a new model of PlayStation 3 hardware - slimmer and cheaper than the existing console. A PlayStation Vita price cut might also be on the cards, although that kind of embarrassing climbdown announcement is more traditionally carried out at a dour press conference in Tokyo involving a lot of bowed heads, rather than on a festive event stage like Gamescom.
"Pricing and hardware never troubled the stage. Instead, the company put software front and centre, with a strong, confident presentation which was rich with new IP"

In the end, though, Sony took an altogether different - and arguably more aggressive - approach to Gamescom. Pricing and hardware never troubled the stage. Instead, the company put software front and centre, with a strong, confident presentation which was rich with new IP. E3's over-long and rather botched Wonderbook presentation was redeemed with a set of announcements and video demos that suggest that the company could really be on to something in the kids market. Vita, embarrassingly neglected at E3, was given centre stage and an intriguing new Media Molecule title.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...ll-isnt-enough

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Was Vita's Gamescom dream shortlived? Lifetime sales numbers revealed

August 20th, 2012, 21:55 Posted By: wraggster

It was the week that Vita seemed to live again. But all too quickly Sony’s ambitious handheld has been brought down to earth.
Sony has traditionally been coy about revealing Vita’s sales numbers, but be it deliberately or not the numbers were finally revealed at Gamescom last week, with PlayStation Germany boss Uwe Bassendowski revealing to Playfront that the machine has sold 2.2m units since its launch in Japan in December and in Europe/America in February.
And as compiled by a Neogaf user, this does not compare favourably to other formats.
At the same stage in its lifecycle, PSP had sold 5.05m units and the 3DS 6.68m. DS had shifted 6.65m units and the Game Boy Advance 9.58m.
Furthermore, Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida has subsequently admitted to Andriasang that the fantastic Cross Buy initiative – which means those who buy a title for either PS3 or Vita receive the same game free if it’s available on the other system – is only confirmed for Europe at present.
Then PlayStation Europe’s chief executive Jim Ryan admitted to CVG that Cross Buy will not play as significant a role in the console’s fortunes as we might have hoped as "the development environments [for each machine] are rather different".
Added Ryan: "PS Vita is a more PC-based environment whereas the PS3 is a more bespoke development environment. So the cross-over between both platforms is rather limited."
Sony confirmed to MCV last week that it is to spend more marketing Vita this Christmas then it did for the machine’s launch in February. This is perhaps the biggest positive of all, of course.
Despite all the negative press and the disappointing sales, Vita remains the most technologically advanced games machine on the planet. With the right marketing – and perhaps a price cut? – it could still do the business.
It’s certainly a make or break period for the machine worldwide this Q4.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/was-v...-revea/0101527

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