During Sony’s gamescom press conference a newer model PSP was announced for $99, along with PS3 being cut globally to $249/€249. Check out highlights from our liveblog below.
Sony presser highlights
PS3 price-cut goes into effect immediately for $249/£199/€249.
PS3 installed base in Europe sits at nearly 22 million units.
A new PSP model is coming out and will run you $99.
Essentials will now be priced at $9.99£9.99/€9.99.
InFamous 2: Festival of Blood hitting PSN in October.
Resistance on Vita is now known as Resistance: Burning Skies. Does not star Grayson or Hale.
Skype and Foursquare were confirmed for Vita.
Assassin’s Creed, Rayman Origins, Lumines, Asphalt, MJ: The Experience and Dungeon Hunter,Call of Duty, Dust 514 all coming to Vita.
Escape Plan and Reality Fighters announced.
Amazon broke the news of a PS3 price-cut earlier today before Sony could announce it. However, the listing was pulled, so we had to wait on the official announcement from the firm to confirm it. The cut is effective immediately, so if you have been holding out on one, hop to it.
Ubisoft also announced its Vita line-up before Sony had the chance. The firm said Assassin’s Creed for the handheld would be released in 2012, and to expect Rayman Origins, Lumines, Asphalt, Michael Jackson: The Experience and Dungeon Hunter for it as well.
The European market
Sony Europe’s Andrew House took the stage, to chat about how important the European market is to Sony, and talk about how during the presser the firm would take a look at what is “now, new, and next,” and discuss how it plans to continue to challenge the industry with “new innovation, new technology.”
He also mentioned how Sony is focusing on connected devices and who it is exploring this with PSN as “connected devices will be key to our future.” He also talked about how the firm’s network is a point of access to a variety of services like Vidzone, MUBI, video delviery service, Qoricity and more.
“The consumer is in control like never before,” he said.
House then went on to introduce Jim Ryan, his upcoming replacement as president of SCEE, as House is now SCEI president in Tokyo from September 1. Kaz Hirai will become chairman.
Ryan took the opportunity to touch upon Vita and its SIXAXIS motion technology, front and rear cameras, and its two models: wi-fi and 3G. He also discussed Near, Party, and Live Area which is the social aspect for the handheld. FourSquare, Facebook and Twitter are all optimised for Vita, as well as a trophy application for Vita and PS3.
The group messaging app will allow messaging between PSN pals, and all Vita games will be available on the PS Store, as well as currently available PSP titles.
“Vita will enjoy an always-connected experience,” he said before introducing a video showing how all these social options for Vita work which displayed the phrases: “Challenge everywhere. Compete Everywhere. Never Lose Touch with your Friends. Join Forces, whoever you are.”
WipeOut was briefly shown the video.
Resistance: Burning Skies for Vita
“The consumer is in control like never before.Vita will enjoy an always-connected experience.”
Sony WWS came on stage to demo Resistance: Burning Skies for Vita, which is a “brand new experience we’ve made with Insomniac.” The demo shown took place on Ellis Island and with fireman Tom, not Grayson or Hale, who uses his fireaxe via the touch-screen to chop up Chimera.
The game takes place when the Chimera started its invasion of the US seen in Resistance 2. There’s a new cover system in the game which is automated and it doesn’t lock to the player. While you’re in cover, you can throw grenades using the touch screen.
A brand new weapon called the Chimera chain-gun was demoed, along with the Chimera trying to burrow into a US lab. It’s part of a playable demo on floor at gamescom.
Vita’s touch screen
Michael Denny, vice president of Sony Worldwide Studios Europe, came on stage to introduce the touch section of Vita, which showed LittelBigPlanet, and how parts of the real world can be used in the game using Vita’s cameras.
Dani Naurben and John McLaughlin from WWS came on stage to show a new Vita title called Reality Fighters, which is an AR game.
Andy House and Jim Ryan came on stage to demo it, with their in-game avatars fighting each other – each one shaped like both. House gave Ryan a hammer blow, and they both continued fighting until Ryan lost.
Escape Plan
Michael Denny came back out to introduce another new title for Vita called Escape Plan, where you must help the characters Lil and Laarg escape by any means. They look like little balloon people of sorts.
The main goal of the game is not to die, and they can die in silly ways such as tripping over or getting bunted into the air and smashed by a safe. It looked rather interesting.
Third-parties and PSP for $99
Ryan came back onto the stage to announce FIFA for Vita, as well as Ubisoft’s six titles Assassin’s Creed, Rayman Origins, Lumines, Asphalt, MJ: The Experience and Dungeon Hunter. Others include Call of Duty, Dust 514 and Assassin’s Creed was dated for 2012.
He also announced a a new PSP model which will run you $99/£99/€99/AUD $140. Essentials priced at $9.99£9.99/€9.99 as well.
Move takes the stage
“PlayStation 3 is as relevant now as it is now, and one such experience only possible on PS3 is Move,” said Denny.
There’ll be full Move functionality in FIFA 12, as well as the new game Move Fitness coming later this year.
“We have great visual titles coming out his year,” he added.
DanceStar Party was shown, and even Diversity came on stage to dance.
PS3, InFamous 2: Festival of Blood, Uncharted 3
“PlayStation 3 is as relevant now as it is now, and one such experience only possible on PS3 is Move,” said Denny.
PS3 installed base in Europe sits at nearly 22 million units, said Denny.
A Resistance 3 video was shown with a girl talking about Grayson’s trip to New York in order to stop the Chimera threat. It was rather nice trailer, and of course the game is out September 6 in the US and September 7 in Europe.
InFamous 2: Festival of Blood was announced, and its slated for release in October on PSN. It’s a brand new experience, and it sees vampires rampaging across New Marais. Cole has been attacked, and he only has one night to find a cure.
Jim Ryan also welcomed Naughty Dog’s Arne Myer who showed an Uncharted 3 demo featuring Drake and Elena in an airfield. It was part of the demo shown to the press at E3 this year.
Drake asked Elena to take the jeep and get out of danger, the enemy spotted him, she took him to a plane, he got on it through the wheels, and he and an enemy fought it out. Drake was almost pushed out of the plane. The demo ending with him hanging on for dear life as cargo from the plane’s bay was falling towards him.
Ryan took the stage once more to announce that the 3D TV announced at E3 is coming to Europe so folks can enjoy many things including UC3 with the tech and costs €499 Euros and comes with two pair of 3D glasses.
Andrew House then came back on to announce today’s global PS3 price-cut of $249/€249.
Pat since confirmed that PS3 will cost £199 in the UK effect immediately.
Australians will have to wait until August 22 to benefit from the cut, with SCE Australia confirming an AUD $350 price tag for the 160GB, and AUD $450 for the 320 GB – an AUD $150 drop on both.
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