The first complete DC Universe Online Trailer has been released as part of E3 week.
DC Universe Online has been in development for quite some time. To date, we have seen small clips, images, but never an official trailer until now.
Combining footage that we have already seen, it also adds quite a bit of new footage that gives you the overall feel of just how big this game really is and how epic it’s going to be with you in the center of it. Some of the locales in the game have never been fully fleshed out in the comics, such as Gotham City. Gamers will have an opportunity to see what some of these areas truly look like.
It’s also nice to see the pain staking work that the legendary Jim Lee devoted to character models such as The Flash are being accurately rendered on screen.
The ability to choose sides, and become a legend next to your favorite heroes or villains is going to make this MMO unique among all others.
The “shooting attachment,” designed to place the PlayStation Move motion controller horizontally, will allow players to hold the motion controller as if they are holding a gun and to easily aim at an in-game target. The trigger on the attachment is interlocked with the motion controller T button and will enable users to intuitively play the game, not only limited to shooting games but also on games that may require precise button input and control.
It will deliver immersive gameplay and will work perfectly with software titles like The Shoot! by SCE and Time Crises: Razing Storm by Bandai Namco Games Inc. which is expected to support the attachment. The “shooting attachment” will become available starting this fall in each region at a RRP of euro 14.99, US $19.99 and 1,480 yen (including tax), respectively.
Sony introduced the highly rumored PlayStation Plus premium subscription plan at E3 2010. The features included are relatively good for in its inital offering. Major features include free full game trials so you can try games before you buy them for up to one hour. Also, Playstation Plus members can have priority access to demos and betas before everyone else and its all topped off with exclusive discounts (up to 50%), free games and content from the Playstation Store.
PlaystationPlus members also will receive downloads of select demos, patches, and firmware updates automatically. They’ll also have access to select avatars, themes and other items that regular Playstation Network members cannot access, until long after you’ve seen it. The first month of available free software to PlaystationPlus members will beWipeout HD, the PSN 1 classic Rally Cross, and other downloadable content.
The service will include new features such as a streaming music application, which can play music while playing your favorite titles. Subscribers will also be able to receive one free PSN title a month. We also believe you will get access to movie content.
This is just the beginning of PlaystationPlus, which we think is fairly priced at $49 per year or $19 for three months of service. Plus, if you buy one year of PlaystationPlus you’ll get three months for free. However, once your subscription ends, premium content cannot be played; the content is tied to your subscription.
At E3 Sony announced that the long awaited Gran Turismo 5 will hit retail shelves on 11/02/2010.
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After what seemed like an eternity, GT5 will be released before year’s end. In grand fashion, Sony showed a new trailer showcasing it in all it’s glory at E3:
To celebrate the release, a collector’s edition bundle was announced as well. The bundle includes a 1:43 scale collectible diecast car, a 300-page guide to cars and racing techniques, a GT-branded key chain, a voucher for five (5) DLC cars, and a numbered certificate of authenticity, in a premium package.
Collector’s Edition Content Details:
Gran Turismo® 5 game
Exclusive limited edition 1:43 scale diecast 2009 Nissan GT-R Spec V with custom Gran Turismo livery designed by Polyphony Digital, produced by well-known collectible car maker Kyosho
In-depth 300-page car-lover’s guide written by the experts at Polyphony Digital, covering everything from the history of the modern automobile to driving techniques and game reference material
Custom etched Gran Turismo key chain
Voucher for five (5) exclusive high-end cars with custom Gran Turismo livery and performance upgrades
Numbered certificate of authenticity
Custom collector’s packaging
Retail price for the collector’s edition is $99.95. Gran Turismo 5 alone is $59.99.
Pricing and details were just released for the PlayStation Move at Sony’s E3 Press Conference. Here are the facts:
PlayStation Move Controller – Stand alone retail $49.99
PlayStation Move Bundle – Includes PlayStation Move controller, PlayStation Eye Camera, Sports Champions and PlayStation Move demo disc for $99.99
PS3 Move Bundle - Includes PlayStation Move controller, PS3 console, PlayStation Eye Camera, Sports Champions, and PlayStation Move demo disc for $399
The Navigation controller will be available seperately for $29.99 and the PlayStation Eye Camera for $39.99. Sony has also released additional accessories to accompany the release as well.
On the software front, SCE Worldwide Studios will release more than 20 titles that are either dedicated to or supported with the PlayStation Move platform in fiscal year 2010 ending March 2011. Exciting and innovative software titles available in the launch window will include; Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition by CAPCOM Co., Ltd., Time Crises: Razing Storm by Bandai Namco Games Inc., Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 by Electronic Arts Ltd, Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest by WB Games Inc, EyePet, Sports Champions, Kung Fu Rider by SCE and many more.
The PlayStation Move charging station will allow you to charge the Move and Navigation controller at the same time for a retail price of $29.99. A shooting attachment is also set for release that places the Move controller in a gun style configuration for arcade and first person shooters for a retail price of $19.99.
With a slew of titles set to release by year’s end the PlayStation Move will have a large library by the holiday season.
If you live in the Los Angeles area, Sony will be a three different Best Buy locations with the PlayStation Move tonight.
Tonight from 6 – 9 p.m. Sony will give gamers a chance to play the PlayStation Move first hand and try out titles set for release this fall.
If your one of the first 125 people in attendance at each location, you can score a $5 giftcard according to theOfficial PlayStation Blog to Subway as you will no doubt be tired after all that moving
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010 (aka E3 2010) takes place on June 14-17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. E3 is an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). It is used by many video game developers to present their upcoming games and game-related hardware.
Sony’s press conference is today at 12PM PDT and will be hosted by Playstation USA President/CEO Jack Tretton. If you’d rather watch the press conference in HD, please check out the live stream of Sony’s E3 2010 Press Conference at Game Trailers, Gamespot, IGN, and G4TV. Here is our live chat that will update you with the latest information during the press conference:
(we are noticing errors with the live chat, please stay tuned and refresh until it works again)
Sony plans to further showcase the PlayStation Move and its compatible games as well as announce the worldwide release of firmware for the PS3 to fully support stereo 3D gaming and movies. President of Sony Computer Entertainment, Jack Tretton, has said that they “will absolutely bring the heat, there’s a lot to talk about.” Sony is also set to reveal new hardware at E3.
Sony will have their E3 Press Conference at 12:00PM PDT.
A few of the things we can expect are listed below:
Sony
Infamous 2
Killzone 3
Little Big Planet 2
Gran Turismo 5
Motorstorm 3 Apocalypse
SOCOM 4
Move Party
The Shoot
Sports Champions
Square Enix
The Tales of Bearsworth Manor: Puzzling Pages
FRONT MISSION EVOLVED
DUNGEON SIEGE 3
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
The Tales of Bearsworth Manor: Chaotic Conflicts
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
FINAL FANTASY XIV
The 3rd Birthday
KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep
And of course a big spotlight on PlayStation Move. Even with a few leaks here and there leading up to E3, Sony always has a big surprise or two up their sleeve and hopefully today is no exception.With Microsoft pushing a new console redesign and their camera peripheral Kinect, and with who knows what Nintendo has in store this morning, all eyes will be on Sony to see if they can steal some of the other companies thunder.
We are on the precipice of a major transformation in technology and entertainment. Perhaps one could call this moment the calm before the storm. We know now that in the early years of the twenty-first century this world became truly connected and the ability to rapidly advance our intelligence became possible. We know now that as human beings busied themselves about their various concerns that consumer electronics companies gave us an option to escape in immerse worlds in high definition. With infinite complacence, people went to and fro over the earth about their little affairs, and achieved a serene existence by placing high definition equipment in their domains. The universe was no longer a dark mystery; even the minute elements within the small spinning fragment of solar driftwood that man inherited was now defined in stunning clarity.
Despite an immense effort to transform and catalog the world in HD, minds that to our minds as ours are the creators of this technological utopia – their intellects vast, cool and unsympathetic – regarded this earth with envious eyes and slowly and surely drew their ultimate plans for the consumer. In the tenth year of the twenty first century came the most extensive integration of the third dimension in our lives.
Sony is launching a 3D invasion upon us.
If you visit an electronics store you will see products that we have grown accustomed to for nearly a decade – products such as LCD TV’s, point and shoot cameras, video players, notebooks, and movies/video games on disc. Change is coming.
In hindsight, the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show was ground zero for 3D – it was the point on the Earth’s surface where an explosion occurred. Nearly every major consumer electronics manufacturer who has a presence in television showed off 3D capable displays. The world was surprised by such a massive tour de force. Yet for some strange reason, many attendants were kind of underwhelmed by the sudden shift in industry focus; those people were too comfortable with HD and the lull of product evolution that has existed for the last five years.
The 3D invasion is not only an effort to make movies, pictures and games feel truly immersive, but it is also an enormous gamble to galvanize multiple industries that have either gone unchanged for eons, or were lost in an endless cycle of incremental upgrades. 3D is also a powerful angle from companies who have suffered profit losses from pirated content. If you think about it, the profits are back in the hand of the creator; to enjoy 3D you have to buy it.
I believe those who choose to truly open their eyes and minds are becoming inspired by the exceptional collective achievement of releasing 3D from its prison of theater. At first, I didn’t believe it was worth the effort.
And I’ll be honest with you, I have spent a fair amount of time with Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, LG and other 3D TV’s throughout their evolution at trade shows and the finalized versions at retail. I’ve seen all the different types of active shutter glasses and marketing terminology that assures the consumer that their interpretation of 3D is the best option. And after my observations my eyes made the decision what companies I liked best – Sony and Panasonic.
Several days ago, I visited Los Angeles, California to participate in a 3D launch event Sony hosted at the historic Sony Pictures Studios. The event was not just a simple effort by the company to showcase a few televisions, but rather a real attempt to convince those who were still skeptical about whether or not 3D could really be the “next big thing.” The event also served the purpose of showing off the latest innovative 3D content. Sony also wanted the consumer to identify the company is leading 3D with strong content partnerships and education offerings.
3D, whose momentum has been subdued by economic woes and skepticism, is finally starting to accelerate forward. Sony held no reservations about how important this strategy has become for the struggling company, as CEO of Sony Sir Howard Stringer, President and COO Stan Glasgow, CMO Mike Fasulo, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Michael Lynton, and President/CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Jack Tretton were all on hand to talk 3D, and how it will influence their respective businesses. We will have separate articles about their marketing and movie efforts; we wanted to focus on the consumer electronics portion of the presentation for this post.
Sony is playing a solid hand for the first generation of 3D home theater. There are seven 3D ready (and built-in 3D) televisions Sony will deal to consumers this Summer, starting at $2,099. Let’s take a look at the models:
As you can see, Sony has attractive 3D TV options in screen sizes ranging from 40″ to 60″.
The LX900 (52″ and 60″) series is the most feature rich option of out of the box, as it includes built-in 3D capabilities, MotionFlow Pro 240Hz, a vast array of online video, included active shutter 3D glasses and built-in Wi-Fi. Picture-wise, most consumers will find the ultra-thin LCD panel (with side-lit LED) of the LX900 to offer excellent quality. I sat down with the 60″ LX900 and played several Playstation 3 games in 3D, including Super Star Dust, Wipeout, and Motorstorm. I peeped around on the Playstation 3 and the firmware was 3.30, but it was a special build that had developer options I’d never seen before, allowing the ability to install items and other features.
Super Star Dust 3D was quite impressive, and the game looked fantastic in 3D as my ship flew around dodging asteroids, creating explosions and upgrading its weapons. The neon guns and explosions shined in 3D, creating a rather amazing effect that made such an ordinary game quite extraordinary. I noticed the game had an option to intensify or lessen the 3D effect, which was helpful addition that I actually found useful. Motorstorm 3D was better than the original, and the smoothest looking game of the three but still left something to desired. And finally, I felt Wipeout 3D was the king of the games available to sample, clearly demonstrating that high-speed games did not suffer in 3D, but rather complimented them greatly. I was worried that the high speed element of the vehicles would be too challenging to enjoy in 3D, but it was rather a surprisingly great experience that was truly fun. A well made 3D first person shooter on the PS3 will be a “killer app.”
For more thoughts on Sony’s Playstation 3D efforts at this event, please check out this informative post I helped put together – “PlayStation CEO Talks PS3 And Its 3D Future.”
The HX909 series (46″ and 52″) is for the true picture enthusiast, as it offers a LCD panel with direct LED back lighting, and offers picture quality on par or above the famous BRAVIA XBR8. The HX909 also has incredible other features pointed out in the above comparison chart (and this HX909 SonyStyle info page). However, the HX909 is only 3D and Wi-Fi ready, meaning you will have to pony up the extra money for those accessories in order to gain that functionality. So that $3,999 52″ HX909 will be much more expensive if you add on the cost of 3D transmitter and 3D active shutter glasses.
I watched Alice in Wonderland in 3D in a dark room on the 52″ HX909 and it was clearly the best 3D presentation out of all the Sony 3D TV’s currently available. Colors were truly lush, and the black levels were exceptional. The HX909 series truly shines because of the Intelligent Dynamic LED backlighting and the innovative OptiContrast panel. I started to realize after watching the movie for an extended period of time that a set like this could convince nearly anyone that 3D for the home is the real deal.
There was also a brief opportunity for me to see several 3D panoramic pictures on the HX909 taken with the upcoming NEX-5 camera. It was not a gimmick – I felt like I was witnessing the future of photo viewing. Images looked fantastic and detail was very crisp. The sense of dimension was quite noticeable, especially in a group shot of about three dozen people standing together. You are also able to zoom in on the 3D panoramic photo with the remote control. Incredible stuff.
And finally, there is the workhorse HX800 series (40″, 46″, and 55″) which is very similar to the LX900 series as they both have a dynamic edge-lit LED LCD. Read more about the HX800 series at SonyStyle. However, like the HX909, the HX800 series it doesn’t include the 3D emitter, active shutter 3D glasses, or integrated Wi-Fi but can support them.
Sony had the LX900 next to a Panasonic 3D TV, which was quite straightforward for Sony to do at an event like this but it demonstrated how hungry they are to convince the media they are serious about dominating 3D TV at home, as many have considered Panasonic Plasmas to be some of the best first generation 3D TV’s. Yet somehow, in this demonstration, when viewing the LX900 and Panasonic 3D TV next to each other, the LX900 looked better. I found it hard to believe that an edge-lit LED LCD panel could be on par with a Plasma, but it was. The LX900 was very bright, and seemed to solve that “whites aren’t white enough” problem the Panasonic exhibited. I also noticed the colors were not as lush on the Plasma as the LX900, and the power consumption of the Panasonic was nearly double the LX900 (as seen above). Troubling. Here are some comparison pictures of the 3D glasses for Panasonic and Sony:
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The 3D Launch event wasn’t just about the newest hardware, though – it was also about how Sony has released a free firmware update that enables 3D functionality in existing 2010 Blu-ray disc players and home theater systems, such as the BDP-S470 and BDP-S570 players and BDV-E570 and BDV-E770W home-theater systems. The firmware update can be directly downloaded and installed over the Internet, or through a USB port. Nice.
Also, after purchasing and registering a 3D BRAVIA TV, you will receive a copy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s Blu-ray 3D title “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” as well as Blu-ray 3D title “Deep Sea.” There is also an included PlayStation Network voucher enabling purchasers to download stereoscopic 3D gaming experiences on the PS3.
There was also a great exposition of 3D content at the event, ranging from sports (golf, basketball, extreme, both types of football), nature clips, action movies, and so much more. Over the last year of trade shows, it seems the quality of the 3D clips have evolved dramatically. Sony is investing incredible energy into creating tools that shoot great 3D and educating others how to use them effectively, and the content is truly starting to reflect that. There were two clips that impressed me the most throughout the presentations. The first clip was in conjunction with the announcement that the next X-Games (ESPN) would be shot and presented in 3D, and they proceeded to show some dirt bikes flying in the air off ramps – it was truly jaw-dropping.
Imagine the motorcycle and rider doing a trick in the air, fifty feet off the ground; the moving image just looked so stunning. The rider was perfectly separated from the crowd behind it in vivid 3D; it was like the third dimension is what has been missing from making extreme sports truly exhilarating to watch. Another clip that grasped the audience was the slow-motion clip from Discovery Channel of an enormous shark capturing a fish in its mouth while jumping high in the water. The near freeze-frame effect of the slow motion perfectly complimented the 3D effect; the rise of the mammoth shark felt so real, and with it being in 3D the true intensity of the moment helped create the most brilliant piece of nature footage I’d ever seen.
Naturally, Sony and the other consumer electronic manufacturers will face hardship trying to convince consumers to spend large amounts of money on a 3D TV. To make matters worse, if you have an old home theater system you will have to buy a 3D compatible receiver. Then there is the matter of accessories – only two of Sony’s 3DTVs come with the 3D emitter and active shutter 3D glasses, adding more cost to the equation if you buy a model that doesn’t include those items. It’s still unclear how much content will really cost. It’s like the beginning of HD all over again, essentially, but this non-believer has been converted. The content looks so amazing. Despite the fact there will only be two 3D channels available for consumers – ESPN 3D and Discovery/IMAX 3D – I feel that live sports and video gaming in 3D will play the biggest role in attracting consumers to the 3D revolution.
Jack Tretton, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, detailed the future of Playstation 3D gaming at a recent Sony 3D TV launch event in the Sony Pictures Studios lot. He spoke in front of an audience of about one hundred press and executives in Sony, including Sir Howard Stringer, CEO of Sony.
Initially, Tretton began by talking about the strength of the PlayStation brand over the past 15 years. Highlighting the strength of that brand, and how the PS2 is in over 145 million homes to date. He discussed how the PS2 and the decision to use DVD as format assisted in establishing the DVD and that the PS3 has had a major role in establishing Blu-ray.
Considering the success of the Playstation brand, and it’s ability to change the way that consumers interact with technology, he made mention that the PS3 is now poised to drive 3D adoption. And we couldn’t agree more – in fact, the PS3 will most likely be the only true 3D home gaming console in 2010 and for the majority of 2011. Our experiences with 3D gaming on the Playstation 3 have also been overwhelmingly positive, even in difficult fast-paced racing games like Wipeout 3D.
Next, he revealed some interesting numbers. According a survey, PS3 owners are most likely to have their system connected to a high definition television, a surround system, and use their console as their primary dvd player compared to other consoles. He described PS3 owners as “voracious technophiles” who are the early adopters, and who are ready for the next step in home entertainment.
Stating that 3D is critical for the PS3, he had a survey that highlighted just what some PS3 owners are thinking. In that survey, 63% are aware of 3D games, 71% say it’s important, and more than half indicated they would use their PS3 more because of 3D content. For those who aren’t PS3 owners, their purchase intent goes up, when they find out about the PS3′s 3D capabilities.
With the current install base being at 35 million and projected to be at 50 million by early next year, he mentioned that the PS3 is positioned perfectly as the 3D home entertainment hub. And a key feature of that hub is gaming. He commented that this year alone, over 20 gaming titles that are stereoscopic 3D compatible would be released. There is going to be a genre for everyone from the core gamer to the casual one.
Owner’s can expect a true 3D experience as he stated:
These titles are not being converted to 3D, they are being created in 3D
While only mentioning by name a few title such as Pain, and Killzone 3, he didn’t want to steal the thunder of E3, and he promised more specific information next week.
A big part of the PS3 strategy is motion gaming, and 3D is going to play a pivotal role in that. He confirmed that The Fight: Lights Out for the move, will be available in 3D. When mentioning the PlayStation Move, Mr. Tretton said:
Gamers won’t just be able to enjoy the game, or be surrounded by the game, they will also be in the game.
To drive 3D even further, anyone in the US, Canada, or Mexico who buys a 3D Bravia will receive a voucher to download four unique gaming experiences for free, including 3D demos of Pain and Motor Storm: Pacific Right, and full games of Wipeout HD and Super Stardust. Reminding everyone of the value of the PS3 he reiterated that “It Only Does Everything”
Sony is again positioning themselves very strongly in the 3D arena, and keeping the momentum high as we move forward to E3.
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