Kotaku: destination playstation

Sony's PlayStation 3 Video Store Sounds Ready To Go

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:30:00 MST

The current PlayStation Store is a bit of a clunker. It's functionally sound, but a bit rough around the edges from a usability standpoint. Compared to the rest of the PlayStation 3's visual design, it's certainly lacking—but that's reportedly going to change come Springtime, as the Store is said to get a new coat of paint. One aspect of the Store that's been hinted about by reliable publications, like the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal, is Sony's download service, one that president Howard Stringer may be talking about when he refers to the "expansion" of the PlayStation Network.

It may be Sony's best bet in fending off Apple's iTunes for movie and television distribution. And it may be closer than we thought.

Sure, it's been a long time coming, with first reports of the digital download venture hitting in December of 2006, but Sony's been awfully quiet about when it's coming.

According to sources who attended the retailer and publisher focused Destination PlayStation conference last week in Scottsdale, Arizona, Sony showed off a portion of its video store. It reportedly uses the same SingStore-like interface we talked about in our PlayStation Store revamp post, something we hoped to capture in the mock-up of the video store above.

No specifics on launch date, pricing, digital rights management or integration with the redesigned PlayStation Store were provided, but we did hear that North America may be getting the service before anyone else. The only offerings we were told about were Sony Pictures owned. Word on who else might be licensing their content to the the store wasn't provided.

Sony's been very coy about discussing any aspect of the PlayStation video store with the press, but if its showing the service to publishers and retailers, we're hoping that means it's on the cusp of going prime time.

PlayStation Store Getting Overhauled In April

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:00:00 MST

While Metal Gear Solid 4, DualShock 3 and God of War news may have dominated our Destination PlayStation coverage, one other interesting leak came out of the retailer conference. According to sources there, the PlayStation Store is finally getting a graphical user interface overhaul, one planned to arrive alongside Gran Turismo 5 Prologue on April 15. The revamp of the PlayStation Store is said to give it a look more in tune with the SingStore, pictured above, which is already accessible from the PlayStation 3 version of SingStar.

Details were light on the change, but beyond a coat of paint, word was that navigation would change to a series of icons running along the bottom of the interface. We don't have official confirmation on this one yet, so consider it rumor for now.

First Look At God Of War Special Edition PSP

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:00:00 MST

That hasty Photoshop job of the God of War: Chains of Olympus PSP? Not official. But this one is and it looks far more gorgeous than the "Deep Red" PSP that Japanese gamers got. As we said earlier, the God of War Entertainment Pack comes with a bloody good PSP color swap, a copy of Chains of Olympus, a UMD with Judd Apatow's comedy blockbuster Superbad and a voucher to download Syphon Filter: Combat Ops from the PlayStation Store, free. Not a bad deal (and one that may make me bite, as I'm in the market for everything offered).

The bundle ships, as we said earlier, in June for $199.99. For a look at the reverse side, with a lovely Kratos silkscreen, keep on clickin'.

Oh, I'm absolutely bringing this thing to my next threesome. (Just kidding, honey!)

Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 Bundle Announced

Mark Wilson — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:38:30 MST

It's happened. The bundle we've all been waiting for will indeed be coming to store shelves. Sony is releasing a PlayStation 3 bundle for the release of Metal Gear Solid 4. It will include an 80GB system, the game and one Dual Shock 3 controller for $499. We assume that this bundle will hit June 12th alongside Metal Gear Solid 4. Expect slippery aisles, wet with fanboy...drool.

Destination PlayStation Round Up. Word out ...

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:40:00 MST

Destination PlayStation Round Up. Word out of Scottsdale, Arizona this morning brings all sorts of good news. According to sources at the retailer-only conference, we finally have domestic ship dates for Metal Gear Solid 4 and the DualShock 3 as well as info on a new PSP bundle. But is that all we can expect? And when is SCEA going to make this stuff official? Nope and hopefully soon, respectively.

Red PSP Comes Stateside With God Of War Summer Bundle

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:00:00 MST

In addition to Metal Gear Solid 4, Sony will bundle another hit with one of its platforms, offering a special red God of War themed PlayStation Portable package in June. The special edition edition PSP will follow in the tradition of last year's Star Wars Battlefront bundle and feature a rendering of Kratos emblazoned on the back side of the device.

The God of War package will come bundled with God of War: Chains of Olympus, a UMD version of the hit comedy Superbad as well as a gift certificate for a PlayStation Store downloadable game. Pricing is said to be set at $199.

Note: The image shown was one we created and does not depict the final color of the PSP.
Note 2: Turns out we were pretty damn close, here's the first look at the new PSP.

DualShock 3 Dated For US

Mark Wilson — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 10:46:55 MST

We have more word from retailer conference Destination PlayStation: the DualShock 3—you know, that DualShock we've been waiting for since the PS3's launch—has gotten a US release date.

Set to launch April 15th for $54.99, it's slated to coincide with the release of GT5 Prologue. Oh yes, feel those engines roar through your controller and make your SIXAXIS-wielding friends envious...like they're just playing a video game or something.

UPDATE: Sony has confirmed all of this information. Press release on the jump.

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA INTRODUCES METAL GEAR SOLID®4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS PS3 BUNDLE AVAILABLE IN LATE Q2 2008 IN NORTH AMERICA
Company Also Announces Limited-Edition God of War® PSP® Entertainment Pack and April Availability of DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controller for North America

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., February 26, 2008 - At its annual retail and publisher conference Destination PlayStation, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) announced details of upcoming PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) (PSP-2000) hardware bundles with two of the most highly anticipated 2008 titles. The company also announced the April 2008 availability of DUALSHOCK®3 wireless controller in North America.

To coincide with the much-anticipated North American launch of Metal Gear Solid®4: Guns of the Patriots in late Q2 2008, SCEA will introduce a PS3 bundle, which will include an 80GB PS3, the upcoming blockbuster Metal Gear Solid®4: Guns of the Patriots and a DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller for $499 (MSRP).

SCEA also announced the June 2008 availability of the limited-edition God of War® PSP Entertainment Pack for $199.99 (MSRP). The God of War Entertainment Pack will include a "Deep Red" PSP with God of War himself, Kratos, silk-screened on the back of the unit, a copy of the highly anticipated upcoming God of War: Chains of Olympus game for PSP, the hit comedy movie from Columbia Pictures, "Superbad™," on UMD™ (Universal Media Disc), and a PLAYSTATION®Network voucher to download Syphon Filter®: Combat Ops from PLAYSTATION®Store. The stand-alone version of God of War: Chains of Olympus launches on March 4, 2008.

"Working closely with our retail and publishing partners and sharing our hardware and software roadmaps at Destination PlayStation gives us a great opportunity to outline some key milestones for the year. In response to incredible demand, we will be manufacturing more 80GB PS3s for North America and the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots 80GB PS3 bundle is an ideal way to offer that continued value to our consumers," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. "With Blu-ray having won the format war, our stellar software line-up and a broad product portfolio, we will continue to drive the incredible momentum we've been generating since last fall."

SCEA will introduce the DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller for the first time in North America in April 2008 for $54.95 (MSRP). DUALSHOCK 3, which incorporates both rumble and motion sensing SIXAXIS™ technologies, maintains the award-winning design and precise, responsive features of PlayStation controllers. The added rumble feature, combined with the SIXAXIS system, enhances the gamer experience with more interactive, intuitive and immersive game play experience and will work with more than 100 current PS3 titles.

In additional news coming from Destination PlayStation, SCEA announced Metal Gear Solid®4: Guns of the Patriots will be available in North America in late Q2 2008. A Metal Gear Online "Starter Pack" will also be launched to support online game play. Gamers can select a single player experience or take the action online with up to 16 players and battle it out using the latest weapons and stealth techniques. For those eager to take on Solid Snake's nemesis, Liquid Ocelot, a nationwide pre-sell promotion will enable gamers to pre-order Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and be guaranteed access to a multiplayer beta test for Metal Gear Online scheduled for late April.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Finally Has A Release Date

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 10:20:04 MST

Word from Destination PlayStation, a retailers-only conference for all things PlayStation related, is that Metal Gear Solid 4 is coming to the PlayStation 3 on June 12, 2008. According to sources there now, the release of Kojima Productions action-stealth game will arrive on a Thursday, oddly enough. Even more interesting is that we're hearing word that Sony will be offering a hardware bundle that features MGS4, an 80GB PlayStation 3 and a DualShock 3 packed-in.

We're checking with Konami for official word on the matter and will update with additional information soon.

Update: It's official, hit the jump for the full release, plus tons of other confirmations of news we broke.