Tagged: scee

Get Warhawk free with Starhawk online pass

Sony has revealed that you get Warhawk free with the Starhawk online network pass. This classic PSOne game was released in 1995, and now works with the latest PS3 exclusive.

All you have to do is redeem the pass found on the back of the Starhawk manual. The game will then pop up on your download list.

Europeans get special inFamous 2 bundles

To celebrate the release of inFamous 2 in a couple of weeks, Sony has announced a couple of special bundles. The first is the PS3 bundle, which sees the game coupled with a standard 320GB console and DualShock 3 controller.

They will also release two exclusive wireless controller bundles for people on both sides of the moral fence. The “good” side gets the ‘cosmic blue’ controller, while those lacking their moral compass can go for the “evil” bundle which is ‘crimson red’.

There are also various editions of the game. The Special Edition comes with extra digital content, including the Electrocution Grenade power, Golden Amp and the Cole MacGrath skin from the first game. Meanwhile, the Hero Edition is bundled with even more digital content, as well as a figurine of the electrifying hero and a comic from DC Comics, as well as a messenger bag and the soundtrack.

You can check out images of all the editions on Eurogamer. The game is due out in Europe on June 8 and in UK, Germany and Ireland on June 10.

Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time Announced

Sony Computer Entertainment today announced Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time, the latest entry in the popular action-adventure franchise. Here’s the deal:

Concluding the events that began in Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction and Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time will answer some of the franchise fans’ biggest questions. After discovering that lovable robot Clank’s disappearance was engineered by Dr. Nefarious, the Wrench-swinging Ratchet races to save his best friend. Along the way, both will finally uncover the hidden truth behind their origins, and discover their ultimate destinies. As the duo come closer to reuniting, they’ll have to ask themselves the biggest question of all: Do Ratchet and Clank’s destinies lie with each other? Or is it finally time for the universe’s greatest duo to separate for good?

Powered by Insomniac Games’ fourth-generation PS3 technology, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time will continue to bring the experience of playing your own computer generated animation movie to PS3. Expect all the laughs and witty banter of a Ratchet and Clank title, as you enjoy all-new space gameplay that gives players the opportunity to engage in space battles, explore the surrounding star system, and discover hidden items and collectables… You’ll come head-to-head with a brand-new cast of baddies, and some old favourites, and obliterate them with cool new weapons and abilities.

The game hits this autumn exclusively on PS3.

PSP Sells 50M Units Worldwide

Whoever said the PSP is dead? Sony today announced that it has sold a total of 50 million units since the console’s launch. This sales figure is worldwide and includes sales for all models and revisions.

The PSP was launched back in December 2004 in Japan, March 2005 in North America, May 2005 in Asia and September 2005 across Europe. It features a 4.3 inch wide-screen LCD screen, memory card support, Wi-fi and more. The console has gone through a couple of revisions that has seen it shed weight, gain a better display and the ability to make VoIP calls through Skype, among other things.

However, it has been suffering from a case of software drought since its release. Many big-name games have been released for the platform, though it is superseded by the popularity of the DS. Sony aims to correct the situation this year, promising that it has many games in store for the PSP.

Sony in PR Blunders List

This year’s list of “101 Dumbest Moments in Business” chronicles the PR blunders of Sony, listing the God of War 2 decapitated goat debacle as well as the inclusion of the Manchester Cathedral in Resistance. The list also carries other gaming organizations, including Atlus and Microsoft, though the latter is not included for a mistake related to gaming.

Unrated Manhunt 2 Leaked by SCEE Employee

It has been quite a while since an unrated copy of Manhunt 2 had been made available on P2P and Warez networks worldwide. No one knew where the version originated from, until now. The originator of the leak was, apparently, an employee of SCEE. Here’s what Take-Two had to say:

[We] have confirmed that a former employee of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has acknowledged his responsibility for the unauthorized online distribution of an unrated play-test version of Manhunt 2 submitted for the European PAL PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.

Unfortunately, details of the case are yet unknown. Those interested in playing the unrated version can download it, but will need a modified PS2 to run the disc.

A rated version of Manhunt 2 will be released on October 31 on PS2, PSP and Wii in North America; the game is still banned in Britain.

Europe Gets 40GB PS3, Price Cut

Europeans are in luck this Holiday season as Sony has announced a new cheaper PS3 model. The new model features a 40GB hard drive and lacks backwards compatibility with PS2 and PS1 games, but will retail for less: 399 Euros (299 Pounds in the UK) starting October 10. The removal of past software support as explained by Sony: “The new model is no longer backwards compatible with PlayStation 2 titles, reflecting both the reduced emphasis placed on this feature amongst later purchasers of PS3, as well as the availability of a more extensive line-up of PS3 specific titles (a total of 65 titles across all genres by Christmas).”

Additionally, the baseline model will feature two USB ports rather than the standard four and has no memory card slots. However, it retains the Wi-fi functionality of the immediate model.

Sony added to the announcement with word that the 60GB Starter pack available in Europe will get a 100 Euro price drop to 499 Euros. It contains an extra Sixaxis controller and two first-party titles. The company also introduced the Value pack model in the UK: it will include two Sixaxis controllers as well as two first-party titles and will retail for 349 Pounds.

Killzone 2 Only Possible on PS3

Yes, we all know certain games can only be run on the Xbox (hint: Halo and Halo 2) and certain games only on the PlayStation (hint: Devil May Cry), but in this day and age you would developers would be smarter not to claim such things. Well, Guerilla Games has claimed just this: Killzone 2 is only possible on the PS3. In an interview with the Official PlayStation Magazine, the studio’s bigwigs revealed that developing exclusively for the PS3 is a “huge benefit” and that when developing for several platforms you always have to take “restrictions into consideration.” Well said words, but this is what stings the most: “[Killzone 2] would be difficult, if not impossible, to deliver on a competing machine.”

The game’s producer Ter Heide chimed in: “I would say [It’s] impossible. We literally can’t do this stuff on any machine other than the PS3.” He notes the use of Blu-ray on the console, citing the recently shown demo that used 2GB space.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Later This Year

002.jpgThose looking forward to Gran Turismo 5 for PS3 can now mark their calendars, as Sony has announced that it will release Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, a preview of the full game, at the end of this year. Prologue will feature forty cars, new physics engine and up to 16-player online racing via PlayStation Network.

Cars by Lotus, Nissan and Ferrari will be available for riding around in various tracks including the Eiger Nordwand, the London City track and Suzuka. It will feature Gran Turismo TV, letting players view matches, as well as a couple of other online functions such as online dealership, a My Garage function and more.

Gran Turismo 5, the full title, launches next year. Prologue is intended to serve as an indication of things to come.