Posts Tagged ‘sony computer entertainment’
The Matrix Online gets unplugged today
All players of The Matrix Online today will be taking the blue pill, as today marks the end of the online service of the game. Sony Online Entertainment will be terminating the service after four years of delays, ad controversy, and other drama. But, we will always remember the game for what it is; a fun way to relive the movie.
Subscribers the game were raised to the highest level, and given access to all of the stuff that they might not have been able to try before the game was ended. Additionally, the game was made available free of charge for anyone to try in its last days.
This isn’t the first time an MMO has died, just look at Hellgate: London, which only survived around two years of online service.
Rest in peace, The Matrix Online.
Kaz Hirai to deliver keynote at TGS
The Tokyo Game Show this year is right around the corner, and today we learn that Kaz Hirai, Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer of Sony Computer Entertainment, will be delivering the keynote at the event.
The keynote’s title will be “New Tactics For 2009″, and will also feature an all-Japanese panel discussion of executives from Capcom, Bandai Namco and Square Enix about global strategy.
This year’s Tokyo Game Show will be held from September 24 to September 27. The last two days will be open to the public, while the rest of the show is industry-only.
Read (Gamasutra)
LittleBigPlanet PSP playable at Comic-Con
Sony will be at Comic-Con showing off their new portable version of LittleBigPlanet for the PlayStation Portable. In addition to the game being fully playable, Sony has lined up two LBP Super Creators at their booth
As a special treat, LBP Super Creators gevurah22 (Azure Palace) and Darknessbear (LittleDeadSpace) will be at the PlayStation booth to chat with any aspiring LBP creators to give creator tips or just to walk folks through some of their favorite User Generated Levels.
Along with some fun with these famous creators, prizes will also be offered. The PSP version of LBP will be released this fall and will feature new levels and content. This year’s Comic-Con will be held at the San Diego Convention Center during July 23rd through 26th. But if you’re so fortunate enough to be there, I’m sure you already know that.
Read (PlayStation.Blog)
New Uncharted 2: Among Thieves screens
Sony was kind enough to release a batch of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves screenshots for us to look at as we prepare for the game’s launch in November.
The sequel is set to have online multiplayer modes, and new gameplay mechanics. In addition to gameplay improvements, the game will have no loading screens and have updated graphics. Hit the jump for the rest of the screens.
ModNation Racers debut trailer
Kart racing never gets old; they’re always a fun pick-me-up that you can play with with your friends or with yourself. At this year’s E3, Sony showed off their entry into the genre with ModNation Racers, with their own little mix.
Developed by United Front Games, ModNation is mostly a user-generated content game, allowing players to create and share their own tracks and characters. The trailer shows off some of the ways you can customize your character and use the level designer to create unique maps for you to share with the world.
ModNation Racers will be out sometime next year on the PlayStation 3.
PSP Announces Big Name Games for 2009
For the many PSP owners and enthusiasts, brace yourselves for a storm of new applications heading your way as Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced a huge and colourful year for its PSP handheld entertainment system.
The arrival of some big-name titles in 2009 for PAL territories include
These new games will be coming to PSP this year, joining the ranks of popular PlayStation franchises such as the ever entertaining Buzz!
“There are a lot of big claims in the gaming industry but we’re confident when we say that 2009 is going to be an exciting year for PSP,” said Mark Hardy, European Marketing Director, SCEE. “Our fans have demanded big PSP titles and this year, we’re going to deliver again and again. With Resistance: Retribution™, already on its way to stores, PSP gamers are going to get one big franchise after another.”
(Source) Three Speech
LBP An “Evergreen Game” Says Sony
While the title hasn’t been lighting up the sales charts this holiday season Sony is confident that LittleBigPlanet will eventually snowball towards big success. John Kohler, a marketing manager for Sony Computer Entertainment America has said that the inventive platformer is seeing ‘explosive’ sales and it’ll rack up ‘big sales’ over time.
“LittleBigPlanet also opens up the PS3 to other portions of the demographic – not just 20-something males, but younger gamers, females, and maybe even some older gamers,” he said, insisting that the title would be “an evergreen game for the PS3″. Given the constant content being generated by users and developers there’s a lot of potential for continuing and expanding interest. He also said that they were planning on it being a franchise, reigniting speculation about a PSP version of the game.
Motorstorm Sequel Sells a Million
Sony Worldwide Studios Europe chief Michael Denny has revealed that racing sequel MotorStorm: Pacific Rifthas sold over one million units worldwide. The game was released on October 28 in North America a date too late for sales to make an impact on the charts; November sales data is yet to be released.
“We’re pleased with the high Metacritic rating of 82 percent and it’s sold over a million units worldwide,” said Denny to GamesIndustry.
Developer Evolution Studios is currently working on producing a lot of downloadable content for the game, most of which will reportedly be free. The content is set to be released on a weekly basis.
Sony Cutting 16,000 Jobs
The economic crisis has now hit electronics giant Sony, who has been forced to cut roughly 8,000 of its 160,000 jobs by April 2010. Reuters added that 8,000 more jobs will be cut from “more temporary and contract staff.”
Unfortunately, Sony Computer Entertainment, the gaming division, will be part of the upcoming review.
“To stay competitive in the accelerating global network environment, we will always carefully review and make structural changes, if necessary, in order to further expand and strengthen the PlayStation business,” SCE told GamesIndustry.
The upcoming cuts will see Sony reduce investments in “unprofitable or non-core businesses” and reduce its focus on LCD and mobile phone technology. It can be noted that SCE has posted loss for quite some time.
Sony Increasing Development Effort in India
Hoping to cut game development costs, Sony Computer Entertainment has announced plans to strengthen its development efforts in India, a destination preferred for outsourced labor. The initiative will break even in three years and lead to a dedicated Indian development facility if the plan is successful, according to SCE country manager Atindriya Bose.
Sony will be coaching local programmers in game development and loaning out development hardware. Four Indian developers have been tasked with five project sso far, with Sony hoping the effort will help lower game costs.