As expected, Sony has partially unveiled the new Subscription based service for the PS3. This service will be “on top” of the current FREE PlayStation Network.
This is to clarify that everything you enjoy currently on the PSN will remain free.
For $49.99 USD per year, or $17.99 USD for 3 months, gamers will gain access to a one year Qore Subscription, exclusive beta access to select upcoming games, early access to demos and trials of major games such as inFAMOUS, free minis and occasional free PSN titles such as Wipeout HD which comes free with the first month’s subscription.
The service will offer gamers hundreds of dollars worth of content at a small price. This content will remain under your ownership for as long as your subscription is maintained.
Sony also announced that the first 3 months of the service will be free. It is unclear if the Service wil be free to all for the first 3 months, or that subscribers will gain an additional (first 3) months free, on top of their $49.99 payment.
PlayStation Plus is expected to go live later this month, and more details on the service and it features will be announced soon.
Cross game voice chat maybe? We’ll see.
If you’ve been a regular reader of the PlayStation.Blog, you’d have noticed the many Canadians requesting that Sony launch the 2-yr old service in the Great White North.
A subtle announcement by Jack Tretton launches this service next month!
After a day of frustration, rage and worry about today’s PSN crash, the network is finally back online.
Source: [PlayStation.Blog - PSN Restored]
On Sunday 28th February, the PSN became inaccessable and gamers were shown a 8001050F Error code display. A quick search of this code revealed that the entire world of PS3 users, excluding the PS3 Slim users, suffered a similar fate.
It was revealed that the error was caused by the fat-systems’ internal clock treating 2010 as a leap year.
More on this Major PSN Crash:[PlayStation.Blog - Latest Info On PSN Status]
During this temporary crisis, Sony announced that PS3 users must not use the console until after word of the fix or else…”or else” meant possible loss of data etc. I have just had experience of this “or else” but in a minor form which I will describe in the forums here.
So, yes Trinidad and Tobago…it should be safe to turn on your PS3 (but I take no account for anything that may happen =P).
Bad news, everyone.
I tried to log in with my PS3 this morning, and, not only was I not able to sign in, but some of my games (in particular, MvC2) had reverted to their trial versions. I thought that my PS3 system itself was just being wacky, until I read this:
All around the world, PlayStation 3 consoles simply aren’t working like they’re supposed to, with an error preventing people from not just going online, but from playing some PS3 games offline as well.
From Europe to the Americas to, well, my house in Australia, users (mostly of older “Fat” consoles, those released before 2009′s “PS3 Slim”) are complaining that upon booting their consoles up, they’re unable to sign into their accounts, check their trophies, use dynamic themes or access the PlayStation Network. That’s fine, Sony say there are PSN connection problems, and that they are “looking into it”.
Problem is, the error does more than just prevent you from going online. It prevents you from playing certain games offline as well. Even for some consoles that aren’t connected to the PSN, like debug units. The screen above is what I was greeted with on a retail console when attempting to play Heavy Rain, and pressing out of it simply reboots the PS3, returning you to the main menu screen. It’s the same story for other games that feature dynamic trophy support.
PSN games are no different; I tried to boot up “Flower”, only to be greeted with a similar message about failed copyright protection, and it was right back to the XMB.
Sony say “stay tuned” for updates on the problem.
Source: http://kotaku.com/5482328/ps3s-suffering-from-global-network-lockdown
Stay tuned for further updates. Until then, it looks like we’re gonna have to do something else. Anybody up for Robot Unicorn Attack?
“Hustle Kings is undoubtedly the most realistic and entertaining billiards game available anywhere…period” says Aaron Orsak, US Producer of Hustle Kings.
I’m pretty sure most of you have played a pool game at some point in your life, most likely on the PC and I pretty sure you enjoyed it. You may even have been lucky to play the real thing in a bar somewhere. But Hustle Kings is Pool meets PS3, as a full game, boasting the best simulation and graphics for a pool game ever. If you want the perfect Pool Game for your PS3, get Hustle Kings. Just as Gran Turismo is to car racing, Hustle Kings is to Pool/Billiards etc.
I’m certainly getting this title when it releases this Thursday, January 28th for US$9.99 on the PSN.
Here is the Hustle Kings Trailer:
See [PlayStation.Blog] for more information on the game.
Shop Playstation Network at Amazon.com
UPDATED: Please see NEW POST.
Great news for the Trinidad community. It is now way easier to buy items from the Playstation Store.
Incompatible local credit card woes are now gone as Sony has just announced [Via Playstation.Blog] that Gamers can now buy Playstation Store Goodies in the form of “Codes” at Amazon.com, where upon purchase you are given that code and use it to redeem the content via the Playstation Store on your PSP, PS3 or PC (Via Media Go).
Simply head on over to Amazon.com/PlaystationNetwork and add your items to the shopping cart. Use your current credit card, VTM card etc. make your purchase, get your code and redeem 
In addition to just buying for yourself, you are given the option of gifting a code where the code will be sent to the person you want it to, which makes your Christmas Shopping for your gamer family or friends that much simpler.
Please note as of this time the new service appears to be only dedicated to holders of United States Playstation Network Accounts. Use with other accounts such as Canada or Europe has not been tested by PSNTT.
This September October will be a very interesting time to be in PlayStation Home as version 1.3 will be released the first day of that month. Now, it should be noted that this will be a very serious update which will bring some major requested features to the PlayStation Network community. Features like:
- Universal Game Launching with any PS3 game without the need to sign out of Home!
- In-Store Item Previewing that allows even combinations of clothing to be previewed on your avatar in 3-D (something I’ve wanted for a long time). You can even view furniture in full 3-D
- Free Cameras to capture that memorable moment with friends (in either 1st or 3rd person view) and instantly save the pictures to the PS3′s HDD
- More Portable Objects like the Bubble Machine. However, the developers have seen what problems portable objects can cause (e.g. trouble accessing mini-games with a Bubble Machine nearby) and so have devised a solution. Now you can ‘hide’ someone’s object(s) and make targeting easy
- Determine Your Cache Size from 3GB to 12 GB to allow a smoother Home experience
- a SingStar Home Space will be released around the same time as the v1.3 update. Reactive dance-floor, SingStar Quiz and a Video-Voting Jukebox are enough to have a party with friends anytime
- and…Limited Use Items like a Shrinking Potion can be purchased, and yes it really does shrink your avatar!
Tom Thumb comes Home
There will also be fixes, additions and optimisations in the update, and judging by the major features above, there certainly will be lots for everyone to enjoy in Home come September October.
Read more via: [PlayStation.Blog, PlayStation.Blog(update)]
Although there weren’t many major surprises at Sony’s E3 press conference this year (thanks to several pre-E3 leaks), the company managed to impress the audience with its future line-up of quality titles for both the PS3 and PSP. While Sony was proud to showcase trailers and live demos of its superior exclusives, the PSP Go! (aka ‘the worst kept secret of E3‘) was the highlight of the show.
Kaz Hirai, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., officially announced that the PSP Go! will not replace the current PSP-3000 model but will stand alongside it when it is released on Oct. 1st 2009. This new model is 15% lighter and 43% smaller than the PSP-3000 and utilises a sliding screen that covers the face buttons. Although the UMD drive has been removed, it promotes the feature of direct downloads from the PSStore and the new Media Go! which will replace the previous Media Manager. Kaz stated that this does not mean the UMD format will become obsolete as it will still be sold.
Sony also presented live demos including:
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
- Massive Action Game (MAG) – actual 256 players live
- Assassin’s Creed II
- Mod Nation Racers
- God of War III
Exclusive games that were revealed were:
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
- MAG
- Gran Turismo PSP
- Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP) – a true sequel to MGS3
- Agent – from Rockstar Games
- Final Fantasy XIV (online)
- Mod Nation Racers – the LittleBigPlanet of racing
- The Last Guardian – Team Ico’s masterpiece
- Gran Turismo 5
- God of War III – March 2010 release date
The day before, Microsoft was proud to show a tech demo of their Project Natal motion-sensing and voice-recognition camera. Sony made it known that they are also working on motion-sensing by use of a new prototype controller and the PS Eye. It wasn’t as impressive as Project Natal, but unique and interesting nonetheless. This motion controller is due for release in Spring 2010.
For those of you who wish to watch the entire E3 press conferences, here are the links to the rebroadcasting videos below:
[Via CNet (1), CNet (2), Mirror, DigitalSomething]
Go log-in to Playstation Home now and head to the mall the “Chamber” apartment is free this week and will be gone when the week is over…forever.
And here’s a new HOME Trailer from SCEA:
This week on the Playstation Store, North American PSN account holders can get Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic for free courtesy Sprint.
Kinda screws over the customers like myself who bought the game the week, actually the hour it came out, but oh well.
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