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Tag: Sony

  • Chromecast ‘Cast Screen’ Feature Now Supported By Sony Xperia Z3 Phones

    In July, Google launched Android screen mirroring via Chromeast with the Chromecast app’s “Cast Screen” feature. It had previewed the feature, which automatically makes the Chromecast device roughly a billion times better, at Google I/O earlier in the summer.

    The feature launched, but it only supported certain devices. That list has now grown to include the Sony Xperia Z3 series. The unofficial Xperia blog pointed out that the devices were quietly added to the list in Google’s support documents. The full list of supported devices is now as follows:

    Nexus 4
    Nexus 5
    Nexus 7 (2013)
    Nexus 10
    Samsung Galaxy S4
    Samsung Galaxy S4 (Google Play Edition)
    Samsung Galaxy S5
    Samsung Galaxy Note 3
    Samsung Galaxy Note 10
    HTC One M7
    HTC One M7 (Google Play Edition)
    LG G3
    LG G2
    LG G Pro 2
    Sony Xperia Z3
    Sony Xperia Z3 Compact

    Google still says additional device support is coming soon.

    As the device list for Cast Screen support grows, so does the list of supported apps, which recently grew to include Sling, Disney, Twitch, iHeart Radio, DramaFever, and others.

    Image via YouTube

  • Crackle’s ‘Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee’ Season 5 Gets Release Date

    The fourth season only debuted in June, but Crackle has already announced the fifth season of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee – its flagship show, which features comedian Jerry Seinfeld driving around in cars and drinking coffee with other comedians. It will debut on November 6th.

    The last season included such stars as Aziz Ansari, Robert Klein, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jon Stewart, and George Wallace. The upcoming guest list includes: Fred Armisen, Colleen Ballinge, Bill Burr, Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer, and Ali Wentworth.

    Crackle, a unit of Sony Pictures Television, says, “Debuting in July 2012, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee has been established as one of the most popular original series with nearly 70 million streams. The series has garnered rave reviews, and earned Jerry Seinfeld two Primetime Emmy nominations in the Outstanding Special Class – Short-Format Nonfiction Programs category and two recent 2014 Webby Awards for Best Individual Performance (both the Webby and the People’s Voice Award). Additional accolades include a Silver Telly Award in 2014 in Comedy, and two Bronze Telly Awards in 2014 for Branded Content with Acura and Use of Humor; a 2014 Webby Media and Entertainment Honoree and Branded Content Honoree for Interactive Advertising and Media.”

    Others who have appeared on the show in the past include Louis CK, Jason Alexander, Alec Baldwin, Mel Brooks, Larry David, Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Seth Meyers, and Howard Stern.

    Image via Crackle

  • Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Announced at IFA

    Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Announced at IFA

    As expected, this week’s IFA conference in Berlin has been host to many new smartphone announcements. Just like last year Sony used the conference as a chance to push its latest flagship smartphone.

    This year’s big Sony phone is the Xperia Z3, another waterproof smartphone with a 5.2″ display. Sony, however, is now diversifying its Xperia offerings in much the same way that Samsung has with its Galaxy lineup. The Xperia Z3’s launch will be accompanied by the Xperia Z3 Compact, a smaller version of the Z3.

    In the mobile industry, mini versions of flagship smartphones often come with pared-down hardware specs, but Sony is claiming that the Z3 Compact is “uncompromised” in that way. The device features the same 2.5GHz Snapdragon quad-core processor as the larger Z3, as well as the same Adreno 330 GPU.

    The processor may be the same, there are many areas where the Z3 Compact falls short of the larger Z3.

    The most obvious is the Z3 compact’s 4.6″ 1280×720 resolution display. This contrasts with the Z3’s 5.2″ 1920×1080 resolution display.

    The Z3 compact also has less memory than the Z3, with 2GB of RAM versus the Z3’s 3GB. Both come with up to 16GB of storage (though 4GB of that is used for firmware).

    Both devices come with a 20.7MP rear camera and 2.2MP front-facing camera. The Z3 is capable of 4K video recording while the Z3 compact is limited to 1080p video recording.

    Aside from hardware considerations, the Z3 and the Z3 compact will come running much of the same software. Both devices will run on Android 4.4 Kitkat and will undoubtedly be loaded with Sony proprietary software. Both smartphones can also connect to Sony’s PlayStation 4 and its Remote Play feature, allowing them to connect to a DualShock 4 controller and be used as a remote screen for playing games. Like previous Xperia smartphones, the Z3 and Z3 Compact are also, of course, waterproof.

    “At Sony Mobile, ‘flagship’ now means offering a choice to consumers of enjoying a large screen Xperia Z3 for immersive entertainment or a more compact, lighter Xperia Z3 Compact that doesn’t ask you to compromise on features,” said Kunimasa Suzuki, CEO of Sony Mobile. “Consumers demand and deserve greatness from their smartphone – in design, camera and battery life. That’s precisely what we aim to deliver with Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact, at the same time as delivering leading innovations such as unique Sony camera experiences and, for the first time, PS4 Remote Play in two beautifully designed, fully waterproof smartphones.”

  • 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

  • Melissa Rauch To Star in Sony Pictures’ “The Bronze”

    The Bronze is the latest movie to be picked up by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, and it just so happens to star Melissa Rauch from The Big Bang Theory.

    According to the Hollywood Reporter, the movie is an indie flick, and currently being shot in Ohio. The director, Bryan Buckley, is mostly know for his Super Bowl commercials. As for Rauch, she plays an Olympic bronze medal winning gymnast named Hope Gregory who deals with celebrity status in a small town.

    It’s a comedy.

    What drew Sony to the property? “We fell instantly for the vulgar yet lovable Hope Greggory,” a Sony Vice President explained. In other words, Melissa Rauch is to blame.

    The location of the movie shoot is sunny Amherst and Elyria, Ohio. The Chronicle-Telegram of Lorian County reported that the activity of the cast and crew had made an impact on the small town. The Pikewood Manor Mobile Home Park received special treatment as an important filming location.

    “I was told it had to do with the scene itself, and that they liked our community as a whole,” owner and operator Kent Sommer said. “They liked what they saw.”

    It certainly appears that Rauch will be entertaining as usual. With the added boost from Sony pictures, the indie film will most likely pick up traction as a hot new item. So far no release date or trailer is available, just small town reports and speculation. But in the meantime, indulge yourself in some classic Melissa Rauch antics, courtesy of YouTube:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Doc Savage Reboot: Shane Black Eyes Chris Hemsworth For Title Role

    In the era of superhero movies, there comes a time for every hero to be played by a Hollywood actor. For Doc Savage that actor may very well be Chris Hemsworth.

    At the end of an article about director Shane Black’s involvement with a Predator reboot, the Hollywood Reporter softly broke the news that Black has met with Hemsworth to take on the role. They added that even though Sony considers the movie a priority, the film has been bogged down budgetary concerns. Doc Savage as done by Hemsworth may not even happen at all.

    Which would be a shame, since Black has described the movie as “What if Jimmy Stewart were a stone-cold killer?”

    Collider received some clarification on what exactly that means. “We’re shooting it as though it’s in the 30s, including all the Capra-esque elements of 1930s films like You Can’t Take It With You,” Black told them, further explaining, “Doc Savage had the abilities of a fighting machine but truly the soul of a pacifist. He always tempered his violent skills with kindness and a social conscience, preferring never to take human life. So, um, perhaps my quote should have more accurately read, ‘potential’ killer.”

    In an interview with IGN, Shane Black explained his concept for the movie. “Obviously in the books there’s an element of ‘goody goody’ that we like… But that kind of perfect hero who never makes mistakes him great to a point and that type of adventure and the pulp it represents has been so imitated,” he explained, “So we kept it in the 30s, we beefed up the sort of rationale behind what it would take to be a perfect person and to be trained as such from childhood and how that would scar someone. And what it would take to be a parent who is capable of inflicting that on your kid.”

    The last Doc Savage movie was produced in 1975. It starred Ron Ely in the title role. If you want to see a trailer for the Shane Black version, you’ll have to wait. But the 1975 trailer is ready to watch on YouTube:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.

  • Beats Headphones Banned at World Cup, But That’s Not All Bad from a Marketing Standpoint

    You won’t see any stars wearing Beats by Dre headphones on the pitch or at press conferences during the 2014 World Cup, but that doesn’t mean that Beats aren’t enjoying a nice marketing opportunity.

    As Reuters reports, FIFA has banned the on-field use of Beats headphones, due to a licensing agreement with rival Sony.

    But Beats has the support of plenty of footballers, including Neymar, Rio Ferdinand, Daniel Sturridge, and Luis Suarez (among others) – and those stars have been wearing their personal Beats headphones outside of the official FIFA ban zones – buses, practices, and such.

    “When fans see World Cup athletes wearing Beats in their downtime, by choice, it has as much impact as seeing them lace their Adidas (boots) or sip a sponsored beverage,” said Ellen Petry Leanse, former Apple and Google strategist.

    And she’s right, of course. For those who see Neymar, for instance, sporting Beats headphones off the field and Sony headphones on it will come to the obvious conclusion that the latter is for show, and the former is for pleasure. It’s a funny, but interesting form of indirect marketing.

    Beats isn’t all about indirect marketing, of course…

    All of those are part of Beats’ ‘The Game Before The Game’ ad campaign that kicked off earlier this month with a sprawling five-minute ad that hit viral paydirt and racked up over 17 million YouTube views.

    Last month, Apple officially announced their acquisition of Beats for $2.6 billion, bringing co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre along for the ride.

    Image via Beats by Dre, Instagram

  • Crackle’s ‘Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee’ Season 4 Gets Release Date

    Crackle, Sony’s online video streaming service, announced that it’s getting the fourth season of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee on June 19th.

    The show on Sony’s free service, which recently added Chromecast support, has featured guests like Louis CK, David Letterman, Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, Sarah Silverman, Chris Rock, and Seinfeld alumni Larry David, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards in the past.

    The upcoming season will include Aziz Ansari, Robert Klein, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jon Stewart, and George Wallace.

    According to Crackle, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee has been streamed over 40 million times since its debut in July 2012. Seinfeld was nominated for an Emmy for it. The aforementioned Chromecast support should only serve to increase the popularity of the show, especially as it continues to get interesting guests.

    Here’s the trailer for the new season:

    Image via YouTube

  • Cassette Tape That Can Hold 185TB Revealed by Sony

    The cassette tape has long been irrelevant in the consumer market, with the technology hanging on only in a few isolated hipster music circles. In storage media industry, however, cassettes have never really gone out of style. Magnetic tape is still one of the most reliable ways to archive large amounts of data, and the technology is still improving.

    Sony has announced that its new magnetic tape technology is designed to store more information on a single cassette than ever before. According to the company, the new technology has a “nano-grained magnetic layer with fine magnetic particles and uniform crystalline orientation.” What this means is a new cassette that can store more than 185TB of data on a single cartridge with a recording density of 148GB per square inch. This is, according to Sony, 74 times the amount of data that can be stored on the current highest-density magnetic tape storage cassettes.

    Sony officially announced its new magnetic tape tech earlier this week at the INTERMAG conference in Dresden, Germany. The announcement was made in conjunction with IBM, which measured the recording density of the new media for Sony.

    Sony is calling its new magnetic tape the “next generation” of tape storage media. The product was created by placing uniform layers of crystals on polymer film thinner than 5 micrometers. This was accomplished using a technique called “sputter deposition” and optimizing the technique to provide smooth layers of crystals that are uniform in size. The average thickness of each of these layers is 7.7 nanometers.

    Sony is betting that its new storage technology will be sorely needed in the growing age of cloud computing. Though end users can interact with cloud data in the magical-sounding way the marketing hype suggests, the companies behind these cloud products actually have to store many terabytes of data. With data storage facilities quickly growing, any chance to save space through greater storage density is likely to be popular with large data storage businesses.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Battlestar Galactica’s Sackhoff Voices EVE: Valkyrie

    Battlestar Galactica’s Katee Sackhoff is starring in CCP Games’ upcoming multiplayer virtual reality dogfighting shooter, EVE: Valkyrie, playing the role of Rán Kavik. Sackhoff’s Rán isn’t a playable character, but rather a voice that can be heard in the player’s ear, akin to Cortana in the Halo franchise.

    Commenting on the new game, Sackhoff said, “The first time I played EVE: Valkyrie I immediately knew I had to be a part of it. Even with the roles I have played, it is the closest I have ever felt to being a real spaceship pilot. It is a truly transformative video game experience.”

    EVE: Valkyrie (formerly called EVE-VR) is set in the EVE universe, and incorporates new virtual reality peripherals to add to the depth of the gameplay. Eve: Valkyrie is scheduled to be released for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4. For Windows, the game will be a launch title for the Oculus Rift virtual reality head-mounted display. As for the PlayStation 4, EVE: Valkyrie will support Sony’s virtual reality headset, tentatively known as Project Morpheus.

    Here is a preview of EVE: Valkyrie, which sports visuals reminiscent of Battlestar’s own space battles:

    Sackhoff, 34, is best known for playing Captain Kara “Starbuck” Thrace on the Sci Fi Channel’s reimagining of Battlestar Galactica, which ran from 2003 to 2009. She was nominated for four Saturn Awards for her work on the show, winning for Best Supporting Actress on Television in 2005. The role in EVE: Valkyrie not the first time Sackhoff has appeared in a video game. She also lent her voice to 2007’s Halo 3, 2009’s Resistance 2 and 2011’s Spider-Man: Edge of Time.

    Sackhoff recently appeared in the 2013 supernatural drama horror film Oculus, and was seen in Vin Diesel’s sci-fi action/survival movie Riddick the same year.

    Owen O’Brien, executive producer for EVE: Valkyrie at CCP commented, “Katee is the perfect actor to bring Rán to life. Not only does she have a track record in bringing strong female characters to life, but also once she had played Valkyrie I was delighted to see that she was as excited and enthused about the project as we are.”

    Image via YouTube

  • PS4 Games: Which Ones Are You Picking Up This Week?

    PS4 games are not exactly a commodity at this point in time. Sony’s new console is less than six months old and it still only has a handful of games. That’s to be expected in a console’s first year on the market, but there’s a lot of quality content hitting the PS4 this week.

    The PlayStation Blog announced over the weekend that a number of PS4 games will be hitting the console this week. There’s a little something for everyone ranging from JRPGs and action adventure to survival horror titles. Of course, there’s also plenty of content coming for those who don’t own Sony’s latest console.

    Before getting to that, let’s check out the latest PS4 games to hit the console this week. First up, we have the much anticipated Child of Light. The JRPG from Ubisoft Montreal is an indie game from within the massive studio that brought us Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry 3. Here’s the official synopsis:

    A jaw-dropping tribute to JRPGs. Join the brave Aurora on her quest through the mystical realm of Lemuria. Wage war in a rich, turn-based battle system with a party of quirky and charming heroes. Play alone, or with a partner.

    If you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s a trailer:

    Looks pretty good, eh? Well, it doesn’t stop there as Activision will be releasing The Amazing Spider-Man 2 on PS4 next week as well. The adaptation of the upcoming summer blockbuster might just be a pretty good game if previous Spider-Man film adaptations are anything to go by. Here’s the synopsis:

    Unravel a threat against New York City as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Play as both the famed webhead and also Peter Parker, battle all-new villains, explore a fully-realized Manhattan, and unleash new abilities. Happy swinging.

    Finally, there’s something for the survival horror fans out there in Daylight. The procedurally generated horror title tasks players with making their way out of a creepy maze with nothing but their wits and a smartphone. The game includes unique Twitch integration that allows those watching a stream of the game to spook players through the chat. Here’s the synopsis:

    Endure the haunted halls and misty woods in a procedurally generated horror experience, in which no two playthroughs are the same. Unreal Engine 4 powers atmospheric settings alongside bone-chilling sounds.

    If all that isn’t enough to sate you, those still holding onto their PS3 will have plenty to sink their teeth into this week. The aforementioned Child of Light and The Amazing Spider-Man 3 will also be on PS3 next week. They will be joined by Bust-a-Move 4, JoJos Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle, Raiden IV: Overkill, Rambo: The Video Game, Scourge: Outbreak and Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Duels.

    Image via Ubisoft/YouTube

  • Sony Has Sold 7 Million PS4s Since Launch

    Sony Has Sold 7 Million PS4s Since Launch

    Sony has time and time again said that it’s having trouble keeping the PS4 on store shelves. It’s been that way since launch and the demand for the new console hasn’t died down since. It’s only been six months since the launch of the console and Sony has already hit another huge milestone.

    On Wednesday, Sony announced that it has now sold 7 million PS4s globally. It was only last month that the PS4 had hit the six million sales threshold thanks to the launch in Japan. Sony also announced that it has sold through 20.5 million software units in stores and digitally since launch.

    “The response from the global gaming community for PS4 has been overwhelming and we are truly humbled that gamers are selecting PS4 as their next generation console of choice,” said Andrew House, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “The PS4 journey has just begun, and although we are still facing difficulties keeping up with the strong demand worldwide, we remain steadfast in our commitment to meet the needs of our customers, and surpassing the wildest expectations of gamers by delivering new user experiences that inspire and engage. We look forward to unveiling many of these experiences to our fans in the coming months.”

    Speaking of experiences, Sony unveiled the features coming in system update 1.70. The focus is on sharing with the latest update as Sony introduces new software called SHAREFactory. In short, the software is a simple video editor that allows gamers to edit the video captured via the Share button. The edited video can then be exported to Facebook or an external USB device for sharing on YouTube and other video platforms. Unfortunately, there’s no word on when Sony will be getting a native YouTube app on the PS4.

    As for other features, update 1.70 also lets gamers turn off HDCP. HDCP was a security standard on the PS3 that prevented users from recording gameplay footage through the HDMI out. Sony never turned it off on the PS3 due to that console having a component out. With no such video out on the PS4, Sony had to offer an HDCP off option for those who want to record longer Let’s Play videos of PS4 through the HDMI out.

    Finally, Sony says that it’s introducing a pre-loading service for those who digitally pre-order upcoming games on the PSN. After the update, users will be able to download the game before it comes out so that they can start playing the game as soon as it’s released. Microsoft has already dabbled with this idea on the Xbox One with Titanfall, but it sounds like every game on the PS4 will support this feature after the update.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Minecraft Coming to PS4, Retail For PS3

    Minecraft Coming to PS4, Retail For PS3

    Ever since its release in 2009, Minecraft has grown to become one of the biggest gaming phenomenons in history. The popular multiplayer sandbox game regularly tops sales charts for every platform it appears on, including mobile devices, where Minecraft Pocket Edition is a best-selling title despite it costing $7.

    Most recently Minecraft came to the PlayStation 3, shooting up sales charts once again. Until now Minecraft for PS3 had been available only through Sony’s PlayStation Store ad a digital download. That will all change next month.

    Sony and Minecraft development studio Mojang today announced that Minecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition will be coming to retail stores in the U.S. and Europe. The game will be available on a Blu-ray disc starting May 14 in Europe and on May 16 in North America.

    The retail version of Minecraft for PS3 will have all of the same features of the downloadable version, including split-screen multiplayer. The game will come with all the updates for the title up to update 14. This means that items such as potatoes, Emeralds, and more will be available right out of the box, which will look like this:

    Minecraft PS3 box art

    All of these features and more are previewed in a new video released by Sony today highlighting the PlaySation 3 version of Minecraft:

    In addition to the PS3 retail release of Minecraft, Sony today also teased that the game is still being developed for PlayStation 4 and PS Vita. Those ports are being developed by 4J Studios, the Scottish development studio that has handled the Minecraft ports for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

  • 4K TV Lineup Priced by Sony, Available For Pre-Order

    Sony Electronics this week announced that it will begin selling nine new 4K ultra HD TV models sometime in June. The models are those that the company showed off at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.

    The new TVs are part of three different product lines from Sony. The high-end XBR-X950B series will come in 65″ and 85″ models priced at $7,999 and $24,999, respectively. The mid-range XBR-X900B series comes in sizes of 55″ ($3,999), 65″ ($4,999), and 79″ ($8,999). The entry level XBR-X859B series comes in four sizes and prices: 49″ at $2,099, 55″ at $2,999, 65″ at $3,999, and 70″ at $5,499. All of these models are now available for pre-order through the Sony website.

    Post by Sony.

    In addition to the ultra HD displays seen on the products, the TVs will come with a variety of features and software. Every set will include HDMI 2.0 standard, HEVC codec decoding, MHL 3.0 for mobile 4K playback. The TVs will also come with support for Sony’s PlayStation Now streaming gaming platform, as well as Sony’s recently released Video Unlimited 4K ultra HD video streaming platform. PlayStation Now will allow customers to stream PlayStation 3 games through their TV, which can be connected to a DualShock 3 controller.

    “We continue to be the only company that offers a complete line-up of consumer 4K products, including TVs, front projectors, cameras, and camcorders, while also leading the industry in providing 4K content,” said Mike Fasulo, president of Sony Electronics. “Sony’s new 4K Ultra HD TVs, 4K media player and new 4K content offerings continue to strengthen our growing ecosystem. We strongly believe 4K is the future for entertainment and we remain committed to leading the 4K movement, from lens to living room, in a way that only a company like Sony can.”

    After splitting its TV division off into a separate subsidiary, Sony is leaning heavily on ultra HD technology to prop up TV sales. An industry report earlier this week revealed that Sony is hoping to quadruple its ultra HD sales this year.

    Image via Sony

  • 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

  • David Fincher Reportedly Wants Too Much for Steve Jobs Biopic

    Too much money, and too much control.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, David Fincher and Sony Pictures have come to an impasse in negotiations over the Aaron Sorkin-penned Steve Jobs biopic. THR quotes sources who say that Sony Pictures is now looking to replace Fincher as director “due to his aggressive demands for compensation and control.”

    More specifically, Fincher reportedly wants $10 million up front and is demanding marketing control over the film. Apparently, the studio thinks this is “ridiculous.”

    A little history on this Steve Jobs movie–

    About the time that we learned that Ashton Kutcher would be playing Jobs in an indie biopic, we heard that another Jobs biopic was coming to the big screen–one based on the best-selling biography by Walter Isaacson. Rumor had it that The Social Network screenwriter Aaron Sorkin would write the script. This was all in 2011, and Sony Pictures didn’t confirm Aaron Sorkin as the official screenwriter until a year later.

    Nearly two years later, in January of 2014, Sorkin turned in his script for the movie.

    March brought reports that David Fincher was in talks to direct the film. Of course, the The Social Network featured the powerful duo of Fincher and Sorkin as director and screenwriter, respectively. So this all made sense.

    Speaking of demands for control, The Wrap recently reported that Fincher gave the studio a Bale or nothing ultimatum-basically saying that he would only direct the project if Sony would cast Christian Bale in the lead role.

    Bale was never and still isn’t officially or unofficially attached to anything, however.

    Both THR and Mashable note that Fincher could still be in the running for the job, if either side changes their tune a bit–but it certainly appears that the relationship is strained. What’s good for both parties involved is that everything was still in the negotiating phase–nothing had been set in stone.

    And what’s good for us is that this frees up Fincher to do something more interesting than this Steve Jobs biopic.

    Fincher’s latest film is Gone Girl, an adaptation of an incredibly popular novel by Gillian Flynn. It stars Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, and Neil Patrick Harris–and it set to release on October 3rd. The first trailer just dropped last night:

  • Sony Bringing Freedom Wars And More To PS Vita In North America

    After a rocky launch and an even rockier first year, the PS Vita is finally finding its footing. While Sony’s handheld will never be able to catch up to the 3DS at this rate, it’s still a great machine for those who love Japanese games. Sony knows this and has answered in the form of announcing the localization of three Japanese games.

    Over on the PlayStation Blog, Sony announced that it’s bringing Soul Sacrifice Delta, Freedom Wars and Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines to North America this year. The first two have been oft requested titles while the third is a complete surprise. Still, all three represent more games for PS Vita owners.

    Staring off, Soul Sacrifice Delta is a sequel of sorts to the original. The story and conceit is still the same, but Delta packs in a lot of new content and features making this the definitive version of Soul Sacrifice.

    Soul Sacrifice Delta is the ultimate edition of Soul Sacrifice with tons of new content and improvements. Grim, the faction who believes in neutrality in all things, joins the blood thirsty Avalon and the merciful Sanctuary, and adds a third angle to bring the Delta in Soul Sacrifice. Grim’s beliefs, rooted in the prophecy they will seek to realise, will bring about irrevocable changes to the world as we know it.

    Moving on, Freedom Wars is another hunting style game, but with a decidedly fascinating premise. Players take on the role of a prisoner sentenced to live one million years from the day of their birth. They can shorten this sentence by completing various quests and it even includes 8-player multiplayer over ad-hoc and online.

    Finally, Sony announced out of left field that it’s localizing Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines. It’s a traditional JRPG with a bit of a twist:

    In case you haven’t guessed it by now it’s an RPG in which you take charge of an ancient Japanese clan that have been cursed with a maximum lifespan of just 2 years. Your task is to lead the clan on their quest to lift the curse and enlist the help of gods inspired by Japanese mythology to make sure each new generation of the clan is more powerful than the last.

    There is no English trailer for the game just yet, but here’s a Japanese trailer for the title that will give you an idea of how it looks and plays:

    All three games will be out later this year. Now those complaining about the PS Vita only getting indies and ports can finally find some solace in these titles.

    Image via PlayStation Blog

  • Sony Hopes Ultra HD Sales Will Quadruple This Year

    The TV industry isn’t contracting in the same way the PC industry is, but TV manufacturers are still desperately searching for the next big feature that can convince satisfied HDTV owners to upgrade their screens. Smart TV features such as apps and streaming content channels will certainly help, but only in a limited way as streaming boxes such as the Apple TV can be had for less than $100.

    With the 3D TV experiment now burned out TV manufacturers are betting heavily that Ultra HD displays will be the next feature to excite the consumer market. This year’s Consumer Electronics Show was filled with Ultra HD displays from every major TV manufacturer, with a few even showing off advanced “8K” screens. Those same manufacturers are now confident that Ultra HD will be the kick the TV market needs.

    A new DigiTimes report today shows that Sony, one of the largest TV manufacturers in the world, expects Ultra HD sales to take off during 2014. The report cites Sony as predicting that its Ultra HD sales will quadruple this year. In China alone the company expects its Ultra HD sales to increase by six times its 2013 sales numbers.

    Sony also expects to gain a full 10% of LCD TV shipments during 2014. The company is shooting for 20 million LCD TV shipments by the year’s end.

    A majority of Sony’s TV shipments during the coming year are expected to have Ultra HD displays. DigiTimes, citing unnamed market observers, estimates that Sony will ship 13 to 15 million Ultra HD TVs during 2014.

    The report also cites Sony as saying its TV market strategy this year will focus on high-end displays, similar to its strategy in past years. In addition, the report claims that Sony will begin focusing more on in-house production rather than outsourced manufacturing.

    This strategy fits well within the major changes that Sony has recently announced for its TV division. The company announced in February that its TV division will be spun off into a subsidiary. Though the subsidiary is not expected to turn a profit in 2014, the company believes that this restructuring will make the division more competitive in the near future.

  • The Last Of Us Remastered Announced For PS4

    Last year, Naughty Dog blew us all away with The Last of Us. What should have been a by the numbers zombie apocalypse story turned out to be so much more. It later expanded upon the story and made something arguably better with Left Behind – the game’s post-release DLC story add-on. Now all of that is coming to the PS4 with upgraded visuals and new features.

    Naughty Dog announced this afternoon that its bringing The Last of Us Remastered to the PS4 this Summer. Here’s everything you can expect from the next-gen version of last year’s best game:

    Moving our efforts to the PS4 has allowed us to remaster an already phenomenal looking The Last of Us in 1080p with a list of upgrades including higher resolution character models, improved shadows and lighting, upgraded textures, along with even more improvements. We love setting challenging technical hurdles for us when working on each game – and this is no different. We’ve been working hard on The Last of Us Remastered to release a next-gen evolution worthy of the 200+ Game of the Year awards, not to mention the acclaim and expectations of our fans.

    The Last of Us was already the best looking and performing game on the PS3 so it will be interesting to see how it looks running on the PS4. It should give us a taste of what the next Uncharted game on the PS4 will look like.

    The Last of Us Remastered Announced For PS4

    Besides the visual improvements, the game will also feature a commentary track for all the in-game cinematics. The commentary will feature Creative Director and Writer Neil Druckmann, Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson.

    As for in-game additions, the Remastered version will include the Left Behind DLC and both multiplayer map packs. If you pre-order a retail copy, it will also come with the following:

  • 100 Supply Points (XP) for use in Factions mode
  • Two special bonus skins for Joel and Ellie which will be unlocked after your complete the single player campaign
  • Increased Crafting Speed for use in the Single Player Campaign
  • Increased Healing Speed for use in the Single Player Campaign
  • 9mm Reload Speed Increase Upgrade for use in the Single Player Campaign
  • Rifle Clip Capacity Increase Upgrade for use in the Single Player Campaign

    • Naughty Dog says they will share more on the The Last of Us Remastered as we near its launch this Summer.

    Image via PlayStation Blog

  • Futuridium EP Deluxe Announced For The PS4

    Last week, Sony announced that it had 1,000 licensed developers making games for the PS4. Now those developers are announcing indie projects left and right for Sony’s new console. The latest is an enhanced port of a previously announced PS Vita title.

    MixedBag announced today on the PlayStation Blog that its bringing Futuridium EP Deluxe – a super colorful space shooter – to the PS4 this year. The team says they decided to bring the previously PS Vita exclusive game to the PS4 after gamers asked for a PS4 version following the initial reveal. The team says they got in touch with PlayStation Europe and made the PS4 version a reality.

    So, what is Futuridium EP Deluxe? Here’s how the developers describe it:

    For the readers not familiar with the game, Futuridium EP Deluxe is a fast, old-school shooter inspired mainly by the 8-bit classic Uridium, with an added hint of Zaxxon. Shake all that up in low-poly graphics, topped by a ton of fullscreen post processing effects, and served ice cold for your cube blasting pleasure. As a lone starship pilot lost in a dimensional loop with a depleting energy bar, you’ll encounter endless waves of giant space dreadnoughts. Your only hope? Destroy the blue energy cubes on them to refill your tank and expose the main power core, which must be destroyed to move on to the next ship.

    While the game will have the same gameplay features across both the PS4 and PS Vita, the PS4 version will benefit from the following:

  • 1080p in glorious 60 frames per second
  • Even more dazzling visual effects thanks to the PS4′s added power
  • Leaderboards shared with the PS Vita version
  • Cool DualShock 4 features
  • Full sharing support so you can stream your best run
  • Simultaneous PS Vita / PS4 launch
  • Cross buy

    • To coincide with the announcement, MixedBag has put together a trailer showcasing what the game looks like running on the PS4:

    Futuridium EP Deluxe will be out later this year.

    Image via PlayStation/YouTube

  • Borderlands 2 PS Vita Bundle Launches May 6, Standalone Game Hits May 13

    Earlier this year, Sony announced that the new slim PS Vita would be launching this Spring alongside a version of Borderlands 2 built just for the device. Well, Sony has held to their part of the bargain and announced that both will be hitting retail next month.

    Sony announced today that the Borderlands 2 PS Vita bundle will be hitting stores on May 6 for $199.99. The bundle includes the new slimmer PS Vita, a copy of Borderlands 2 on the Vita and an 8GB memory stick. Sony also notes that the new PS Vita includes 1GB of built in memory so you’ll be able to store your save games on the internal memory instead of the memory stick. That should leave a bit more space to save a few more PSP and PS Vita games on the memory stick.

    As for Borderlands 2 on the Vita, the game is a straight port of the console and PC versions. Sony says that no content from the main game has been cut in the transition to the Vita. They even managed to squeeze in some of the DLC, including Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate’s Booty and Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage. The Mechromancer and Psycho character classes will also be available from the start. As for the other DLC campaigns, nothing has been mentioned. It’s assumed that it will be released as post-release content.

    The game also features cross play support so you’ll be able to transfer your saves from Borderlands 2 on the PS3 to the PS Vita version and back again. If you’re one of those people who travels a lot, this is undeniably good news for you.

    If you already own a Vita and just want Borderlands 2, the standalone game will launch a week later on May 13.

    Image via PlayStation/YouTube