Sony kicked off its E3 show at the Shrine Auditorium this morning in downtown Los Angeles. We already knew they were coming to E3 with a packed portfolio, but the list of games was quite simply overwhelming at 364 games for PlayStation platforms this year alone, including 35 exclusives. Dubbed "E3's worst kept secret" by Sony's SEO himself, we already knew about the new PSP Go, but Sony still had a few kickers in store, both hardware and software.
Sony started by pointing out that the PlayStation 2 is still very much alive and kicking. At $99 USD, the platform is still a strong seller and will be the recipient of over one hundred new titles in 2009. The official word is that Sony is "still committed to this system as long as consumers see value in it," even if that means pushing Sony's typical ten year lifecycle.
The PlayStation 3 will be a source of old school PS1 titles, with over fifty of them coming to the PlayStation Store this year, notably including Final Fantasy VII. In addition, the online meeting platform PS Home is expanding drastically, with new content by such key publishers as Ubisoft, Capcom, Electronic Arts, and Activision.
Though this will certainly not be news to most of you, the new PSP Go was unveiled today, designed for the digital lifestyle. The revised portable console has removed the UMD drive and replaced it with a 16 GB memory drive for storing all your digital media and games. The portable console is now 50% smaller and 40% lighter than the original PSP-1000, has slideout button controls, integrated bluetooth, and ports for additional memory. A new app has been created to allow the PSP Go, which has integrated WiFi, to download games direct from the PlayStation Store. All future PSP titles will be released both on UMD and as DLC. In addition, the PSP Go will natively support a video delivery service. The PSP Go will retail for $249.99 USD on October 1st.
Sony's biggest hardware announcement, and one that was miraculously kept under wraps, was the research and development of a massive enhancement to the Eye Toy. Sony has effectively been able to reproduce the Wii's MotionPlus controller with added accuracy in a demoed prototype for a true one-to-one mapping between physical and virtual environments. The software engine allows this controller to be used to manipulate objects in a virtual 3D environment with sub-millimeter accuracy, also enabling such things as air-writing on the screen, or laying out a path of objects. As demoed on stage, the potential applications also include new possibilities for the RTS genre on console platforms. However, the technology still appears to be far from marketable.
Sony's strategy when showing game demos today was different, to say the least. Rather than showing in-depth details of a handful of titles, they instead opted for short trailers of a massive list of games that more adequately represent what we can expect on the console in the near future (see below for the lists). We were only privy to further details on a few titles.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
If you think last year's Uncharted title had stunning visuals, get ready for a brain melting sequel. The action sequences are exhilarating and the sheer amount of detail makes it all come to life. The best part of the demo has our protagonist inside a building as it crumbles to the ground.
MAG
We were promised a 256-player multiplayer war game, and that's exactly what was delivered. The squad-based mayhem enables commanders to give orders to their crew in a calculated assault on the enemy base. Needless to say, the short glimpse of the game already looks insane.
Gran Turismo PSP
A full-scale 60fps Gran Turismo title is coming to the portable platform, including over 800 cars, 35 tracks and 60 layout variations. A 4-player ad-hoc multiplayer allows friends to dive right into the action, and share or trade the cars they have unlocked.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Keeper
Solid Snake is back on the PSP, taking on foes in the Caribbean in the wake of the Cuban missile crisis. This is a true sequel to the franchise, taking place roughly ten years after the conclusion of MGS3. Look for this one in 2010.
Agent
All we know so far about this Rockstar North title exclusively for the PS3 is that we're going to be able to play in the 1970's era world of espionage and assassinations.
Final Fantasy XIV
A Final Fantasy exclusive returns to the PlayStation 3 console, but the tagline at the end of the trailer called this one an online game. The skeptical jury is still out on this one.
ModNation Racers
This game is all about customization and sharing. A modern take on kart racing, players will be able to customize their rides, drivers and tracks in an extremely user-friendly interface. For instance, drawing the path for a new track is as easy as driving the path in a sandbox environment. This exciting gem is set for a 2010 release.
The Last Guardian
A weird story about a giant bird rat befriending a kid in the midst of ruins will be an exclusive to the PS3. We're still scratching our heads.
Gran Turismo 5
There wasn't anything too unexpected in this trailer, other than the confirmation that the game is still a go. Very interestingly, the trailer did showcase official NASCAR racing elements, which makes us question whether the exclusive license was sweeped from under EA's proverbial feet.
God of War III
Kratos is back and meaner than ever in this mythical action game. We don't have the full details yet, but we can say that the decapitation and finishing moves are absolutely gruesome.
The PSP's game lineup will benefit from a Resident Evil exclusive, and the following titles, to name a few:
Little Big Planet
SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3
Hannah Montana
MotorStorm: Arctic Edge
Harry Potter
Dissidia: Final Fantasy
Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite
Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny
Persona
Indivizimals
Warriors Orochi 2
Adventures to Go
Echochrono
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
NCAA Football 10
Hot Shots Tennis
Crimson Gem Saga
Fat Princess
Unbound Saga
Star Wars: Battlefront
Madden NFL 10
Rock Band Unplugged
As for the PS3, we were show a similar list of short trailers for the following games:
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
inFamous
Madden NFL 10
Final Fantasy XIII
MAG
Batman Arkham Asylum
Brutal Legend
White Knight Chronicles
Dirt 2
Ghostbusters
Ninja Gaiden 2
WET
Mafia 2
Buzz Quiz World
Fuel
DC Universe
G.I.Joe
Fight Night Round 4
God of War III
Saw
Ice Age
Tekken 6
Overlord 2
Red Faction: Guerilla
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
Dark Void
G-Force
Guitar Hero 5
NCAA Football 10
Planet 51
Kareoke Revolution
Heavy Rain
Battlefield 1943
Little Big Planet
The Saboteur
Bioshock 2
Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
That's it for the Sony Conference recap. Look for in-depth previews of these games and more on GamingExcellence as the E3 week progresses.
