playstation

I've had the PlayStation Vita for a week. In that time, I've been impressed with the system's potential, and I appreciate the effectiveness of its dual analog sticks, but I've come away with one conclusion stronger than all the others:

The Vita needs to be a phone.

By that I mean, in a phone. The current PS Vita, despite coming in a 3G version with AT&T mobile broadband, is far too large, and obviously couldn't be a phone, unless you used a Bluetooth or wired headset (then again, the Samsung Galaxy Note is basically the same size). However, the fingerprints of a phonelike OS are everywhere. The large, multitouch OLED screen, the gesture-based motions, the Android/iOS-like app icons, the open app pages, the Web browser, the Twitter app, the front- and rear-facing cameras...the PS Vita is so much like a phone that it becomes confusing to describe to anyone who hasn't heard of it before.

I've explained the Vita to several people who didn't know about it, and while "next-generation PSP" does get used quite a bit, so does "like a phone." The interface and the downloadable music, movies, and apps are phonelike, not gamelike.

Here's why I think it could, and should, happen.… Read more

Sony yesterday delivered a host of new games and applications to its PlayStation Store ahead of today's PlayStation Vita launch.

The game company delivered three augmented-reality titles to the PlayStation Vita's game selection, including Cliff Diving, Table Soccer, and Fireworks. Augmented reality is made possible with the Vita's cameras, which identify user movement. In my experience with it on the Vita, augmented reality is by no means a key reason to buy the device, but it's a fun add-on--especially when friends are interested in trying it out.

In addition, Sony launched a number of new Vita … Read more

The PlayStation Vita's official U.S. launch date is February 22, but those who can't wait any longer can get their hands on the device today.

Sony's first edition bundle, which includes a 3G-equipped Vita, a case, 4GB memory card, and a free edition of the game Little Deviants, has shipped to those who pre-ordered it. Gamers who missed the pre-order but want to get the Vita before next week can buy the bundle now.

Getting the PlayStation Vita a week before its official launch date comes at a price. Whereas the 3G launch bundle shipping next … Read more

The Sony PlayStation mobile gaming empire could expand its borders to HTC gadgets next.

That's right, if a Pocket-lint report pans out, you'll be able to play PlayStation-branded game titles on on HTC smartphones and tablets soon.

My instant reaction to this nugget of potential news was joy and giddiness. Perhaps I'll be finally be able to enjoy a few PSP breaks during my daytime commute. Then cold hard reality set in when I realized PlayStation certified doesn't mean PSP certified.

Remember the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play? That was a device full of promise, billed to … Read more

Sony's PlayStation Vita will ship in North America next week, and with it will come the company's biggest-ever marketing campaign focused on a platform launch.

A New York Times report reveals that Sony is spending $50 million on its "Never Stop Playing" campaign to market the PS Vita, representing "the largest platform launch in terms of marketing investment we've ever had," according to Sony's John Koller.

Read more of "Sony spending $50 million on PS Vita marketing" at GameSpot. … Read more

Deciding when to release a video game involves a carefully planned strategy and knowing your competition. At times it feels like a publisher is watching the cards, observing patterns, and learning when to bet.

2K Games pulled some its own crafty rescheduling when the publisher pushed back The Darkness II from its initial fall 2011 release date to February 2012. It was a smart move on 2K's part because had it been delivered on time, it may have got lost in the ether that was an already overcrowded holiday gaming season.

Now I'm not privy to the actual specifics of why it was bumped, but avoiding military-shooter-mageddon 2011 was the right play--mostly because The Darkness II is a great game that deserves its own chance to step into the light.… Read more

As Sony prepares to launch the PlayStation Vita in the U.S., the company is also considering bringing it to other mobile devices at some point in the future.

Speaking recently in a question-and-answer session with reporters, Sony's incoming chief executive Kazuo Hirai said that the operating system running on the PlayStation Vita was intentionally designed to be "expandable," and could work on both smartphones and tablets.

"If you're asking if we've made it in a way that's expandable, so that it's possible to apply to smartphones and tablets on top of … Read more

A rather noteworthy firmware update arrived yesterday for the PlayStation Vita in Japan, just weeks before the device is set to debut in the U.S. on February 22.

Vita can now shoot MP4 video (1.5Mbps) at 640x480 resolution with supplementary audio-recording support up to 128Kbps AAC. This is not HD-quality by any means, but it will probably look above-average based on the strength of Sony's mobile-camera sensors. There's a note of an improvement to "Featured Photo," which now supports video content.

We also spotted an optional Content Manager Assistant app for Vita (available now in English for PC and Mac) that lets you run a system update and transfer and/or back up data between the Vita and a computer. … Read more

PlayStation Network accounts will soon be no more.

In a move toward unifying its online services, PlayStation Network accounts are changing to Sony Entertainment Network accounts. "This helps us get closer to our goal of establishing a global comprehensive network platform of services across games, movies, music and more, all accessible from one convenient account," the company said in a statement.

The change is in name only, and users of the service will not have to worry about changing their username or password. A software update for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita will arrive tomorrow to usher in the rebranding, but oddly, this change is not occurring for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). … Read more