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Tag: PlayStation

  • Microsoft Signs 10-Year Nintendo Contract Over ‘Call of Duty’

    Microsoft Signs 10-Year Nintendo Contract Over ‘Call of Duty’

    Microsoft has signed a 10-year contract with Nintendo, ensuring the popular “Call of Duty” game remains on the platform.

    Call of Duty (CoD) is at the heart of the issues surrounding Microsoft’s proposed purchase of Activision Blizzard. Sony, in particular, has made the case to regulators that Microsoft will use the purchase to favor its own Xbox platform, withholding CoD from the PlayStation and other platforms.

    Eager to put those claims to rest, Microsoft just signed a binding legal agreement with Nintendo that will see the latter’s gamers playing CoD for at least the next decade.

    Microsoft President Brad Smith tweeted the news:

    https://twitter.com/BradSmi/status/1627926790172811264?s=20

    The announcement should go a long way toward undermining Sony’s claims.

  • Microsoft Commits to Keeping ‘Call of Duty’ on the PlayStation Forever

    Microsoft Commits to Keeping ‘Call of Duty’ on the PlayStation Forever

    Microsoft has just made a major commitment, with an executive saying it will keep Call of Duty on the PlayStation forever.

    Sony has been raising objections to Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard, claiming it will give Microsoft too much control over the gaming market. Microsoft already controls one of the leading consoles, and Activision Blizzard will give it one of the leading game publishers with some of the most popular titles. Call of Duty has become the main sticking point, with Sony raising concerns that Microsoft may eventually make it an Xbox-exclusive.

    Microsoft’s Phil Spencer has set the record straight, saying that “as long as there is a PlayStation out there to ship to, our intent is that we continue to ship Call of Duty on PlayStation.”

    It’s unclear if the declaration will do much to assuage Sony’s fears, but Microsoft is pulling out all the stops to make sure it’s acquisition goes through. The company has even taken the unusual step of acknowledging that Sony’s PlayStation sales dwarf that of its Xbox.

  • Microsoft Admits Sony PlayStation Outsells Xbox Two-to-One

    Microsoft Admits Sony PlayStation Outsells Xbox Two-to-One

    No company likes to admit its competitor has a leg up, but Microsoft did just that in an effort to avoid antitrust issues.

    Microsoft is trying to purchase Activision Blizzard, one of the biggest tech acquisitions of all time. In order to convince Brazil’s antitrust authority the deal isn’t a threat, Microsoft is admitting that Sony’s PlayStation sales outpace the Xbox by a factor of two-to-one, according to TheStreet.

    “Sony has surpassed Microsoft in terms of console sales and installed base, having sold more than twice as many [as] Xbox in the last generation,” the company writes in this 25-page document in Portuguese. (TheStreet translated the document. The disclosure is at the beginning of page 18.)

    The revelation is especially notable given the issues Sony has faced keeping up with demand amid the semiconductor shortage. It is widely believed the company would have sold far more units if it could have kept production at higher levels.

  • Microsoft Takes Shot At Apple and Google With ‘Open App Store Principles’

    Microsoft Takes Shot At Apple and Google With ‘Open App Store Principles’

    Microsoft is throwing down the gauntlet in the app store market, releasing a set of “Open App Store Principles” that take aim at Apple and Google.

    Apple and Google have increasingly come under scrutiny for how they run their respective app ecosystems, the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Epic sued both companies in an effort to force major changes, including the ability to use external payment systems and sideload apps. Although Epic lost, a majority of US states are backing its appeal.

    Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Open App Store Principles are a declaration of how Microsoft will manage its digital ecosystem, and seem to address many of the complaints Apple and Google are facing. Company President Brad Smith also makes it clear the company hopes this action will help ease any regulatory issues surrounding its attempt to acquire Activision Blizzard, a deal that is already being reviewed by the FTC.

    Today we’re announcing a new set of Open App Store Principles that will apply to the Microsoft Store on Windows and to the next-generation marketplaces we will build for games. We have developed these principles in part to address Microsoft’s growing role and responsibility as we start the process of seeking regulatory approval in capitals around the world for our acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

    Whatever the motivation, the company has outlined 11 principles, as well as three commitments. These include not locking developers into Microsoft’s payment systems, treating apps equally, not using private information to compete with third-party apps, holding its own apps to the same standard as everyone else, and respecting people’s privacy, among others.

    Smith also makes it clear that, not only will Microsoft honor existing agreements for Call of Duty on PlayStation, but the company will keep the franchise on Sony’s console into the future, beyond the current agreement. Smith says the company is also make similar arrangements to continue supporting Nintendo’s platform. The news should come as a relief to gamers concerned that Microsoft would hoard Activision’s top titles, making them Xbox-exclusives.

    It remains to be seen if Microsoft’s overtures will influence legislators and regulators but, at this time, it’s certainly more than either Apple or Google have been willing to concede. That alone may keep Microsoft out of the line of fire, when it comes to any future regulatory action.

  • Sony PlayStation and Discord Announce Partnership

    Sony PlayStation and Discord Announce Partnership

    Sony PlayStation has announced a partnership with Discord, to integrate Discord with PlayStation’s social experience.

    Discord is a popular platform for gamers to communicate and message each other. The company was recently in talks with Microsoft, with the latter looking to purchase Discord for $12 billion. Discord ultimately ended the talks, opting to go public instead.

    Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) CEO Jim Ryan announced on the company blog that SIE had made a minority investment in Discord, and the two companies will work to integrate their services.

    At PlayStation, we’re constantly looking for new ways to enable players around the world to connect with one another, form new friendships and communities, and share fun experiences and lasting memories. It’s in this spirit that we’re excited to announce a new partnership with Discord, the communication service popularized by gamers and used by more than 140 million people every month around the world.

    Together, our teams are already hard at work connecting Discord with your social and gaming experience on PlayStation Network. Our goal is to bring the Discord and PlayStation experiences closer together on console and mobile starting early next year, allowing friends, groups, and communities to hang out, have fun, and communicate more easily while playing games together.

    With Discord planning to go public, rather than be bought out, it’s a safe bet this won’t be the first such partnership for the company.

  • Microsoft, Nintendo & Sony Announce Shared Commitment to Safer Gaming

    Microsoft, Nintendo & Sony Announce Shared Commitment to Safer Gaming

    Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony are collaborating to make gaming safer, especially for those most vulnerable.

    Video gaming has grown far beyond its original audience and is now enjoyed by people across all demographics. In fact, a recent survey shows the biggest area of growth is among those 35 years-old and up, with the single biggest jump among 45 to 54 year-old individuals.

    As the pandemic has forced people to social distance, gaming has become an important social interaction for many people. Some games have even found their way into Esports, with video gamers playing professionally. This widespread adoption has increased the call for video game companies to do more to be inclusive and protect participants.

    “We believe gaming is for all people of all ages, including our youngest and most vulnerable players,” writes Dave McCarthy, Corporate Vice President, Xbox Operations. “Technology makes compelling entertainment experiences possible, and we want to ensure that those experiences – especially when they involve interaction with others – are positive and respectful. All players deserve to have fantastic social gaming experiences in settings where respect and safety are mutual.

    “At Xbox, we are aligned with both Nintendo, on behalf of the community of Nintendo Switch players, and PlayStation in our belief that protecting players online requires a multidisciplinary approach – one that combines the benefits of advanced technology, a supportive community, and skilled human oversight. We can accomplish more when we work toward the same goal, and so we will each continue investing in, evolving, and amplifying our approaches to user safety. As we continue this work, we will prioritize protecting the safety of our players, especially those most vulnerable.”

    The three companies are working to prevent issues through more control over the gaming experience, as well as partnering with trade organizations, industry members, law enforcement and regulators to create better safety initiatives. The three companies will also make it easier for individuals to report abuse and violations of their code of conduct.

    The three biggest names in gaming backing such an endeavor should go a long way toward making video games a safer environment for all players.

  • Microsoft Sees Amazon and Google As Primary Xbox Competition

    Microsoft Sees Amazon and Google As Primary Xbox Competition

    People love rivalries. Apple vs Microsoft, Ford vs Chevy, Patriots vs the Bills and Xbox vs PlayStation are just a few of the greats. According to Protocol, however, the Xbox vs PlayStation rivalry may be nearing its end as Microsoft’s focus has shifted to Amazon and Google as its primary rivals.

    “When you talk about Nintendo and Sony, we have a ton of respect for them, but we see Amazon and Google as the main competitors going forward,” Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft’s games business, told Protocol in an interview. “That’s not to disrespect Nintendo and Sony, but the traditional gaming companies are somewhat out of position. I guess they could try to re-create Azure, but we’ve invested tens of billions of dollars in cloud over the years.”

    The change in focus is another indication of the growing importance of the cloud, and Microsoft’s determination to continue gaining ground in the market. While the company has enjoyed phenomenal success with its Xbox line, it sees the future of gaming in cloud-based streaming, according to Business Insider.

    Google has already released its streaming game service Stadia, and Apple has a similar service called Apple Arcade. While Amazon doesn’t currently have a gaming service, it has the underlying cloud architecture to support one. Unlike Microsoft or Sony’s current offerings, for a low monthly price Stadia and Arcade stream a myriad of games to devices people already own and use, meaning there is a far lower barrier-to-entry. This is significant when taking into consideration the cost of a gaming console. Suddenly the potential market goes from hundreds of millions to billions.

    Microsoft’s changed focus is just the latest thing that illustrates the many different fronts the cloud wars will be fought on—including gaming.

  • HBO GO Comes to the PS4, Finally

    HBO GO Comes to the PS4, Finally

    Almost a year to the day after HBO GO came to the PS3, it’s finally coming to the PS4.

    It wasn’t already on there, you ask. No. No, it wasn’t.

    HBO GO is notoriously slow to arrive on new consoles and other streaming hardware. It didn’t launch on the Xbox One until November of last year.

    And it didn’t land on Amazon’s Fire TV until last December, nearly eight months after the device’s launch.

    “The app functions just like the PS3 version. After you authenticate your PS4 with your current cable/satellite service through HBOGO.com/activate, you’ll be able to watch every episode of every season of HBO’s best shows, including True Detective, Silicon Valley and Game of Thrones,” says Phil Rosenberg on the Playstation blog.

    The HBO GO app will be available to download at some point today, March 3. Happy GoT‘ing, everyone.

    Image via Game of Thrones, Facebook

  • Sony Makes $15M Settlement Over 2011 PSN Hack

    In April of 2011, Sony’s PlayStation Network was hit with an “external intrusion,” prompting a massive shutdown amid concerns that personal information – possibly even credit card info – had been compromised. Those fears were eventually confirmed, as Sony admitted to a data breach. The PlayStation Network was down for nearly a month, slowly coming back online in mid-May.

    A couple of days later, Sony announced an apology swag pack of sorts, which they called the “Welcome Back Customer Appreciation Program.” It allowed any and all PSN customers to select two games from a pre-determined list of either PS# or PSP games – plus a bunch of other smaller benefits like free trials of PlayStation Plus and free virtual items.

    For some, Sony’s mea culpa was enough. Some – not everyone.

    For the unsatisfied, a class action lawsuit followed. Now, more than three years after the headline-grabbing hack, the suit has a preliminary settlement.

    The proposed settlement, which still has to be accepted by a judge, offers restitution in the total amount of $15 million – in the form of games and other giveaways.

    Sony’s proposal breaks it down into groups – those claimants who already took advantage of their previous “Welcome Back” package, and those who didn’t.

    From the settlement:

    PSN Claimants who did not participate in the “Welcome Back” package offered to PSN Account holders are eligible to receive two of the following PSN Benefit Options (i.e., either two separate PSN Benefit Options or two instances of one PSN Benefit Option): (1) one PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Portable game selected from a list of fourteen games included on the Claim Form (the “Game Benefit”); (2) three PlayStation 3 themes selected from a list of six themes listed on the Claim Form (the “Theme Benefit”); or (3) a three month subscription to the PlayStation Plus service free of charge.

    As you can see, similar to what was offered in the original apology package.

    Users who already took that package are being offered one benefit option.

    All benefits will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis – with a $6 million cap on non-welcome back claimants and a $4 million cap on welcome back claimants.

    The saga is far from over, however, as a final ruling on the settlement will have to wait nearly another year – May, 2015. Sony has already paid a $396,000 fine over the data breach, to the UK’s Information Commissioner Office last year.

    Sony agrees to $15M settlement

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • No Heroes Allowed: No Puzzles Either! Hits PS Vita Today

    The No Heroes Allowed franchise has been a big hit since the PSP days with its humorous take on villainy and Dungeon Keeper-esque gameplay. Now the series has returned on the PS Vita in a decidedly different format.

    Sony announced today that No Heroes Allowed: No Puzzles Either! will be out on PS Vita today. The free-to-play game tasks players with stopping the heroes from invading Badman’s stronghold through match-3 gameplay. As you might expect from a free-to-play game, it does feature the usual pay-to-win mechanics by letting players pay real money to get power boosts, increase their monster’s digging power or even expand their lodgings.

    The latest game in the franchise does offer some other new features beyond the new match-3 puzzle gameplay:

    No Puzzles Either! offers a good mix of gameplay from the previous games in the series, with additional features including a multiplayer mode where four players can battle against heroes in AdHoc mode. Gather your friends and play powerful combos to feel the thrill of defeating strong heroes.

    Also, keep an eye out for special community events. Winners of these events will be rewarded with rare, stronger monsters that can be added to their monster collections. We’re happy to announce that all of these new features are free to access, as well.

    No Heroes Allowed: No Puzzles Either! should be available on the PS Vita later today when the PSN updates.

    Image via PlayStation/YouTube

  • Sony’s Project Morpheus Previewed in New Video

    Sony’s Project Morpheus Previewed in New Video

    Yesterday the video game community was thrown into a combination of disbelief and despair following the news that Facebook has agreed to acquire Oculus VR for $2 billion. The Ocuslus Rift headset was seen by many as the best leap forward for virtual reality gaming in decades, bringing with it the promise of more immersive gaming experience and quite possibly the future of gaming itself.

    Despite Facebook’s promises that Oculus will continue its gaming initiatives, the company’s press release was littered with references to using the Rift as a social media device. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg even used a few non-gaming examples (such as virtual sporting event participation) to explain to shareholders why the acquisition was made. Given the direction Facebook looks to be taking Oculus in, it is no wonder that gamers feel both upset and betrayed that the company has been derailed from the gaming track it was on.

    Oculus isn’t, however, the only game in town when it comes to VR. Though the company is ahead of most others in regards to the technology, other companies could end up taking the Rift’s place in future gaming VR initiatives.

    Last week at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) Sony officially announced its next VR headset, code-named “Project Morpheus.” The headset impressed conference-goers with its 1080p displays, though the prototype was limited to a 90-degree field of view. Sony also provided several tech demos for the headset, including a first-person God of War simulation.

    Today Sony has brought a taste of Project Morpheus to the consumer market. A new video released by the company shows off the headset as it was seen at GDC and provides a few details about the project through an interview with Richard Marks, the director of SCEA’s “magic lab” R&D department.

  • ‘Star Wars Pinball’: New Tables Previewed

    ‘Star Wars Pinball’: New Tables Previewed

    Over one year ago, Zen Studios announced that it was expanding Zen Pinball 2 with Star Wars-branded DLC. The Star Wars tables were a mix of the new and old, covering Star Wars movies such as Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series while also highlighting fan-favorite bounty hunter Boba Fett with his own table.

    Now, with Star Wars: The Clone Wars out on Netflix and Star Wars Episode VII less than two years away, the hype surrounding the Star Wars brand is rising once again. Zen Studios will soon be riding this hype as it releases even more Star Wars content for Zen Pinball.

    The developer today announced that it will be bringing four new Star Wars-branded tables to Star Wars Pinball. In addition to a table with a Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope theme, the new tables will be dedicated to characters such as the droids, “Master of the Force,” and Han Solo himself.

    Like last year’s Star Wars tables, the new content will feature lively animated depictions of Star Wars characters interacting with the tables.

    Zen today released a preview video for the new content. The trailer focuses specifically on the table themed around everyone’s favorite scruffy-looking Nerfherder:

    The new Star Wars Pinball content will make its way to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PS Vita sometime this spring.

    With the focus this March on big titles such as Titanfall, Infamous: Second Son, and Dark Souls 2, the games release schedule this summer is looking a bit slim. For PlayStation owners, however, this means plenty of time to catch up on the numerous indie games that are appearing on PlayStation consoles – and a little time spent with a pinball game could be just the right diversion for rainy days.

  • PS Vita To Receive Update 3.10 Today

    PS Vita To Receive Update 3.10 Today

    The PS Vita is turning into quite the handy portable games console. Even if you don’t use all the features on the device (like the email app), it’s still a daily companion for some of us. Now Sony is making it even better with a new firmware update.

    Sony announced today that the PS Vita firmware will be updated to version 3.10 today. The latest update will bring with it a number of new features, including an increase in the app limit. The increase should be especially helpful for those who have a large memory stick.

    Here’s the full list of updates:

  • You can now display up to 500 applications on the home screen.
  • A Calendar application has been added for PS Vita, allowing you to set up gaming events with your friends. Sync your Google calendar to have all your events with you on your PS Vita. You can also share your favorite events by using the Messages and Email applications.
  • A new “Manage Content on Memory Card” option has been added to the Content Manager application. You can now view the data on your memory card, making it easier than ever to manage content on your PS Vita. You can now view memory usage by content type, and delete content and applications.
  • You can now send and receive voice messages using the Messages application on PS Vita. Exchange voice messages with your friends and players on PS4 and PS Vita.

    • The new PS Vita update is pretty awesome, but what about that promised PS4 update? According to Sony, it’s coming soon. The update will add many of the media features that were missing at launch as well as the ability to turn off HDCP encryption for those who want to record gameplay through external capture devices. The next PS4 update might also include emulation support:

    For now, however, just look forward to being able to stuff over 100 applications onto your Vita.

    Image via PlayStation Blog

  • Jack Tretton To Leave Sony At The End Of March

    Jack Tretton is a rarity in the games industry. He has been with a single platform for almost 20 years. In fact, he was there at the launch of the original PlayStation and stayed with Sony through all its subsequent product launches. With the PS4 out of the door, he’s now taking his leave.

    Sony announced today that Tretton will be stepping down as President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America on March 31. There’s no reason given for this departure beyond a mutual agreement between Tretton and Sony not to renew their “contractual relationship.”

    “Working at SCEA for the past 19 years has been the most rewarding experience of my career,” said Tretton. “Although I will deeply miss the talented team at SCEA and the passion demonstrated every day by our fans, I’m very excited about starting the next chapter of my career. I want to thank the employees, partners and customers for their tireless commitment to the PlayStation brand and, of course, to our fans who have pushed us to new heights of innovation and entertainment over the past two decades. I leave PlayStation in a position of considerable strength and the future will only get brighter for PlayStation Nation.”

    Tretton stepping down must have been planned for a while as Sony already has a replacement waiting. Shawn Layden, the current EVP and COO of Sony Computer Entertainment International will be taking charge on April 1.

    “It’s an honor and privilege to join Sony Computer Entertainment America and be a part of the team that is leading the next generation of gaming and entertainment,” said Layden. “SCEA is committed to delivering breakthrough gaming experiences that inspire fans and exceed their wildest expectations. As PS4 shows us every day, there has never been a better time to be part of the PlayStation community and I look forward to working with our retail, development, publishing and network partners to further demonstrate why PlayStation is the best place to play.”

    The departure of Tretton is certainly the end of an era for Sony Computer Entertainment America. He’s been there since the beginning and has been one of the most well liked executives in the gaming industry. If Sony wants to keep its advantage going forward, Layden will have to be just as likable and meme inspiring as Tretton.

    Image via PlayStation/YouTube

  • HBO GO on the PS3 Finally a Reality, Still Waiting on a PS4 App

    HBO GO on the PS3 Finally a Reality, Still Waiting on a PS4 App

    In oh, really, that wasn’t a thing already? news, today is the day that HBO GO, HBO’s on-demand streaming video app, finally lands on the PS3.

    “Watch every episode of every season of the HBO’s best shows, including True Detective, Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones. Speaking of Game of Thrones, with the season 4 premiere airing on April 6th, you’ve got more than a month to get caught up on the first three amazing seasons.”

    Yeah, you have plenty of time to catch up on Game of Thrones. The season finale of True Detective is next week, so I suggest you get your ass in gear and binge on the first seven episodes of that before you take a trip to Westeros. That merely a suggestion–carry on as you wish.

    HBO first announced that the PS3 would finally get an HBO GO app back in January.

    For all the PS4 owners out there–sorry. You’re going to have to wait a little bit longer–or maybe a lot longer. SVP of business development Phil Rosenberg would only say this about the future of HBO GO on the PS4:

    “We are also working diligently with HBO to bring the HBO GO app to PS4.”

    Of course, HBO GO isn’t the only high-profile app that the PS4 is still lacking.

    Ok. But for PS3 owners with HBO subscriptions AND a cable subscription (ugh), stream away.

    Image via PlayStation Blog

  • ‘Fez’ Coming to PlayStation Consoles in March

    It’s another week and Sony is once again announcing the release date for an indie game that is coming to the PlayStation 4. This time the game is one of the most-talked about indie games of the past two years. Fez is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PS Vita on March 25.

    Fez, is the 2D/3D platformer that impressed critics and fans in 2012 with its interesting puzzle mechanics involving a bit more thought and detective work than the average video game puzzle. The game has already sold over one million copies across the Xbox 360 and PC platforms.

    The PlayStation versions of Fez have been ported by developer BiltWorks. It’s unclear what role the game’s original studio, Polytron, is playing in the PlayStation release. Fez creator Phil Fish rage quit the video game industry last year, halting development on Fez 2 shortly before the PlayStation versions of Fez were announced. Fish and Fez were famously featured in the documentary Indie Game: The Movie.

    The launch trailer for Fez is still relevant to its PlayStation debut and shows why Fez is so lauded without spoiling too many secrets:

  • ‘The Swapper’ Coming to PlayStation Platforms in May

    Last year indie game studio Facepalm Games released The Swapper for PC. The title is a stylish puzzle game with some interesting/disturbing story elements linked to its core gameplay mechanic of using clones to solve puzzles. The Swapper was highly praised by critics and now console gamers will get a chance to see what the hype was about.

    Today Curve Studios announced that The Swapper will be coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita sometime in late May. Curve is the developer porting the game to PlayStation platforms.

    Though more details about the console version will be coming over the next couple of months, it seems that the game will appear on PlayStation platforms in nearly the exact same form as it did on PC. Players will take on the role of a character stranded in a deep space outpost called Theseus station. To solve puzzles players will have to use four extra clone versions of their character and use them Lost Vikings-style.

    The Swapper announcement is yet another in a long line of indie game announcements Sony has made over the past year. With titles such as Octodad and TowerFall landing on the PlayStation 4, Sony’s new console is quickly becoming the go-to platform for indie studios looking to make an appearance on consoles.

  • ‘The Last of Us: Left Behind’ DLC Out Now

    ‘The Last of Us: Left Behind’ DLC Out Now

    The Last of Us was the consensus choice for the best game of 2013. This is despite the launch of new consoles and an even larger rise in quality indie titles.

    Naughty Dog and Sony have now released the first story DLC for The Last of Us, titled Left Behind. As previewed over the past few months, the new campaign story puts players into the shoes of Ellie, the young woman who features so prominently in the main Last of Us campaign. Ellie joins Riley, her best friend and a companion who will travel with Ellie as the girls explore the wasteland. The DLC is set in a period shortly before the main game’s story, while Ellie is attending a military school in the Boston quarantine zone.

    Along with the content’s launch a new launch trailer has been released. As expected, the video teases that the tone of Left Behind will quickly shift as the realities of Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic world catch up with the girls:

  • Sony Bringing Four Games To Vita As Part Of Play 2014 Promotion

    For the past few years, Sony has promoted upcoming PlayStation titles through Play – a four-week long promotion that encourages players to buy upcoming titles in exchange for refunds. PlayStation Plus members generally receive a gracious discount on top of that as well. While these promotions generally take place during the summer, Sony is starting early this year with a Play promotion for upcoming Vita games.

    Sony announced this morning that Play 2014 will begin on January 21 and last through February 17. Each week will see the release of a new Vita title with players who buy all four getting a $10 refund at the end of the promotion.

    The first title out of the gate on January 21 is OlliOlli – an arcade skateboarding game. It will release at the price of $12.99, but PlayStation Plus members will get it for $10.39.

    On January 28, the Vita will get Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z. The latest entry in DBZ fighting game franchise is the only non-indie game as part of the Play promotion and will cost $39.99. PlayStation Plus members will get it for $31.99.

    On February 4, PC indie darling Dustforce will make its way to the PS3 and PS Vita courtesy of Capcom. It will cost $9.99, but PlayStation Plus members will get it for $7.99.

    Finally, February 11 will see the release of TxK – the latest entry in the legendary Tempest franchise. Developed by Llamasoft, the developer says TxK is “neon candy for your thumbs and your mind.”

    As part of the Play promotion, you’ll get $3 back if you buy any two of the above games. For buying three of the above games, you’ll get $6 back. If you buy all four, you’ll get $10 back. The promotion only lasts until February 17 so buying any of the games after that won’t count towards anything.

    Image via PlayScopeTrailers/YouTube

  • HBO GO is Finally Coming to PlayStation Consoles

    The PlayStation 3 console is the most-used device for streaming Netflix video. It’s clear, then, that PlayStation owners enjoy watching video nearly as much as playing video games. Those PlayStation owners are in for a treat in the coming months as a crucial video streaming service will finally be hitting PlayStation consoles.

    Sony and HBO this week officially announced that HBO Go will be coming to PlayStation consoles. The HBO GO app will appear on both PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 consoles in the near future, though a specific time frame for its rollout has not been announced. The announcement did not touch on whether the PS Vita HBO GO app may be in the works.

    HBO GO is premium cable channel HBO’s streaming video solution. The app can be found on a variety of devices and provides streaming on-demand access for a wide variety of HBO programming, including movies and shows such as Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire.

    To use the HBO Go app on PlayStation consoles, users will have to have an HBO subscription through their cable provider (or know someone willing to share their HBO Go login information). Unlike Xbox consoles on which customers must have an Xbox LIVE subscription to access HBO GO, access to HBO GO will not be restricted to PlayStation Plus subscribers only.

  • PlayStation Now Streaming Game Service Announced

    As part of its big Consumer Electronics Show (CES) presentation, Sony today announced a new streaming video game service called PlayStation Now. Sony put the U.S. release date for the service at sometime “this summer” and a limited beta test for the U.S. will begin sometime near the end of January.

    Through PlayStation Now gamers will be able to stream PlayStation 3 games that Sony considers “popular hits and classic games.” The service will also offer cloud game and save hosting, which can be accessed through Sony accounts on a variety of devices.

    The service will roll out on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 consoles first, and come later to the handheld PS Vita. Eventually Sony hopes to put PS Now on a variety of devices, including HDTVs, smartphones, and tablets. Sony’s Bravia TVs will be some of the first to have the service, with “most” of the company’s 2014 Bravia lineup supporting PS Now.

    Compatible devices will be able to stream full games that will be available for either rent or purchase. Sony will also be offering a PS Now subscription that will allow subscribers to “explore a range of titles.”

    A service like PlayStation Now had been rumored ever since Sony acquired streaming video game company Gaikai back in 2012. With the coming launch of the PlayStation 4, Sony had signaled more than ever that a streaming service could be used to give its new console the backwards compatibility that its hardware is missing.