Loved
Pure Digital: The PSPgo is smaller, sleeker, better designed than its predecessors, but the thing that really separates it from all of the Playstation Portables that came before is its lack of a Universal Media Disc drive. Gamers will rely almost entirely on a WiFi connection to download pictures, movies, music and games to their system.

Granted, you can use the Media Go software and a computer. You can use the Playstation 3 and a cable. You can even use a Memory Stick Micro to put content on your PSPgo. But those are all safety nets. This device is meant for online purchases and play.

A gamer's main access point for buying content is the Playstation Store, a built-in option on the PSPgo's cross media bar. Once set-up, gamers can use a credit card or store-purchased redeemable cards, to get new content. The store, available on the Playstation Portable as well, is a well constructed digital shopping center that makes finding and grabbing the content you want a breeze.

Over the course of a week I purchased TV shows and games, rented a movie and downloaded demos from my home in the U.S., airports abroad and even the press room of the Tokyo Game Show. Getting content onto the device with a wireless connection from virtual anywhere was a breeze. And with five games, four demos, some music, pictures and a TV show and movie, I still had 9 of the 16 built-in gigs of memory free.

Accessing the content is also a breeze, with a folder for system storage and another for the Memory stick. Within each folder are icons for the games already installed.

The system of downloading, installing and playing full blown games is very similar to the iPhone, though the store is much better organized and the selection much more diverse and often of a higher quality than the iPhone's game section.

Feel: My more-than hour long sessions spent playing games on the PSPgo never ended in hand cramping, despite the device's smaller size. The portable has enough heft to keep it from feeling like a toy, but it's light enough to minimalize any hand fatigue.

The back of the features two slightly raised ridges which make clutching the go with your fingertips a bit easier while your thumbs dance across the front of the system.

The directional pad and face buttons aren't as raised and don't have as much give as the ones found on the PSP 3000, but that's something I adapted to fairly quickly. While the single analog stick is shifted over a bit, now down and to the right instead of below the d-pad, I got used to that quickly as well. The big issue will be with games that require gamers to switch quickly between that right d-pad and the thumbstick. The new location for the two will make that much harder to do. The shoulder buttons were far less clicky sounding and feeling than with the original Playstation Portable, but I felt that was a change for the better, not the worse.

The button changes that did bother me a bit were the Select, Start, Display and Volume buttons. All four have almost zero give when pressed. The volume buttons, tucked away behind the screen on the top edge of the system, were hard to find and use during play.

Overall, I found that for longer gaming sessions the PSPgo was a more comfortable system than the Playstation Portable. I do have relatively small hands, and thin fingers, so people with over-sized mitts may feel differently.

Look: Much sleeker than the Playstation Portable and both the DS and DSi, it is perhaps more apt to compare the go to the form factor of the iPhone. While the iPhone, unsheathed from any case, is about half as thick, both devices are roughly the same size. Both slip in a pants pocket almost unnoticed. In fact, I spent much of the Tokyo Game Show walking around with both my iPhone and PSPgo stacked in one pocket.

The PSPgo pops open to reveal a compact set of controls, but not too compact. While the screen is slightly smaller than the PSP 3000's (3.8 inches compared to 4.3) it wasn't something that stuck out to me. The only thing that I wasn't happy with was that the back of the screen reveals unfinished steel and a barcode when popped open to play games. The rest of the device is impressively slick.

Game Pause: During the course of any game you can bring up an option to permanently pause the title. This creates a save point exactly where you paused the game and allows you to turn off the system, watch movies and even play another game, without losing your place.

SIXAXIS Support: Using the PSPgo's built-in Bluetooth support, gamers can connect their Playstation 3 controller to the portable for full control in and out of all media and games on the system. While this may not seem very useful when on the go, it's a fantastic addition for those who plan to connect the device to their television when at home or to use the charging dock on their desk.

Bluetooth Support: The PSPgo's Bluetooth support means you can use wireless headphones, speaker systems and, yes, even the Playstation 3 controller with your portable.

Media Go: This software suite works with both the PSP and PSPgo, but it's a nice addition to a digital-only platform. Connecting your go to a computer with this software allows you to find movies, images and even your iTunes music to move to your PSPgo. You can also use the software to shop in the Playstation Store.

Hated
Compatibility: Almost nothing on your Playstation Portable will work with your PSPgo. That includes television cables, GPS, camera, TV adapter and of course your library of UMD discs. There is a hardware solution to get some of that to work, but it doesn't look very elegant.

The biggest let down of the system, and the biggest hindrance for those considering an upgrade from a Playstation Portable to the PSPgo, is the complete lack of support for getting all of those UMD games over to the new platform. While Sony initially said they were working hard to have a solution in place by launch, they recently told Kotaku that legal and technical issues prevented that from happening. They also seemed to indicate it may never happen.

While I understand there are a lot of obstacles to overcome in allowing gamers to transfer a physical disc to a digital-only platform, not doing so makes the PSPgo a very hard sell to current PSP owners. The PSPgo isn't not backwards compatible, it's not current game compatible for those nearly 60 million PSP owners considering an upgrade.

Price: At $250, the PSPgo is asking for a lot of cash for little more than aesthetic changes. The PSPgo's pure-digital approach to gaming is a big plus, but with Sony set to essentially cut retailers out of the game-selling formula, you'd think they'd be willing to subsidize the cost of doing that a little bit.

The Little Things: There are a lot of things going for the PSPgo, but there are also a few annoyances. The system, like the PSP and the DSi, is still virtually unplayable in direct bright sunlight: A big let down for a portable device.

The battery life is about the same as for the PSP and now, because the battery is stowed away inside the case beyond warranty-breaking seals, there's little chance you'll be able to buy an extended battery for it.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Sony also decided to change the memory stick type used in the PSPgo, opting for the smaller Memory Stick Micro, which means time to buy all new memory again. The good news is that you can get a 4GB one for as little as $12, though a 16GB one will run you $80.

The PSPgo, with an eye-popping redesign and no need for a UMD drive, is the sort of system I would love to see replace the current generation of Playstation Portables, but until Sony comes up with some system to transfer over all of those purchased UMD games I can't see current owners giving up their platform. The cost, both for the system and in terms of repurchasing games, is just too high.

For someone new to the Playstation Portable or even new to portable gaming, the PSPgo is an attractive option. With a price drop I could see the system flying off of shelves. The smaller, slicker design of the PSPgo is much more attractive and portable than the PSP and the promise of all future games landing digitally on the go is sure to eventually fuel the success of this portable.

If you're thinking of upgrading from PSP to PSPgo and have a lot of games, I'd say hold off. If you're new to the platform and don't mind the price, than definitely pick one up.

The PSPgo was designed by Sony Computer Entertainment and released on Oct. 1. Retails for $249.99 USD. Downloaded and played several games for more than a week, watched TV shows and movies, listened to music and looked at pictures. .

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"What's going to be important for the next five years is not going to be the innovations in the specifications of the hardware or software," Wada said, "But the billing ... the revenue model and how this can be firmly rooted among the users — that's when the next breakthrough will come."

The Square-Enix chief is high on the prospect of paid network games. The executives on the panel, which included the top men at Capcom, Namco Bandai, and Konami, discussed many aspects of gaming's present and near future. None proposed the perfect new payment model that Wada is seeking.

The executives did note that there is a challenge billing for full games that are sold digitally. Namco Bandai president Shin Unozawa said "it is inconceivable" to think people will pay full price — $59 U.S. — to download games. That needs to be figured out, he said. "There is a fear there... It's quite frightening to think about changing to a different model." He said that the profits in digital downloads are not there to support the today's scale of big-game development. That said, he referenced his company's successful practice of selling Pac-Man on mobile platforms for low prices.

"There doesn't have to be one title, one price," Wada said, saying that some consumers might be willing to pay smaller fees to play games for set amounts of time, rather than paying a full price for a full game."

Spinning off all of the pricing comments, Shuhei Yoshida, head of worldwide studios for Sony Computer Entertainment, said that he, at least, has seen small signs of success. He cited the financial and creative successes of small development teams creating and selling games through the Sony PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade and the Wii.

"From students there may be people coming up with several hundred thousand hits [sales] per title."
The proliferation of the App store and Facebook in 2009 was also impactful, Yoshida said. It connected more people and allowed gaming and non-gaming experiences to become more of a service to users.

Capcom president Haruhiro Tsujimoto said that he likes that it is easy for fans of mobile games to show them to each other. He likes the idea of word of mouth making a game popular. So, he was asked, is Monster Hunter is it possible on iPhone? "Let's pass that question," he said.

Both Square-Enix chief Wada and Namco Bandai president Namco's Unozawa denied that the global economic crisis was hurting the gaming business or any other sector of the gaming industry. Hasuhiro Tsujimoto agreed, saying that, like the music industry, success is based on the quality of a new release.

Wada also raised a concern about demographics. He said that the Japanese market needs to address the sense that it isn't cool for adults in his country to play video games. He believes that gaming while you're older is seen as cool in the West, but not in Japan.

Earlier this morning Sony announced a major restructuring of their company, with Sony CEO Howard Stringer being named president of the company and the formation of two new groups within the company, the New Consumer Products Group and the Networked Products and Services Group.

As head of that latter group, Hirai will oversee the Walkman lines, Sony Media Software and Services, which develops a common service platform across Sony products, and Sony Computer Entertainment.

The goal of this new group is to "maximize the potential and pace of Sony's innovation and to enhance profitability." Integral to this process, Sony says, will be the utilization and expansion of the Playstation Network.

What does that mean to gamers? It sounds like Sony is trying to do a better job of getting their different groups to work better together, which could mean greatly expanded Playstation Network offerings and some interesting product development. PSP phone? PSP Walkman? Who knows?

Sony Corporation Announces Major Reorganization and New Management Team Led by Howard Stringer [Sony]

Sounds like I wasn't the only one.

Sony Computer Entertainment designer Hiroyuki Kotani told us that Patapon 2 will include a couple of features that will make keeping the game-playing rhythm alive easier. Now once you hit a few stanzas of the rhythm and hop into Fever mode it's much harder to drop the ball and get kicked backed out.

The first misstep you make brings a little skull badge up on your Fever mode banner. Then the game emphasizes the rhythm with audio cues, and if you still screw it up you revert to normal mode.

"The rhythm is made much easier this time," Kotani said. "We wanted to expand the number of users, that's also why we added multiplayer."

So here's Shuhei Yoshida on all the SCE's working together:

After Ken Kuturagi's departure, Kaz Hirai completely changed the way we worked internally. Before, because Ken was such a big visionary, he came up with something, a great technology, but then landed it on us as a finished thing...but Kaz is involving Worldwide Studios members and regional headquarters people to inform strategy, for the company and the platforms.

That's a major, major change in how we work, and I think it's the right change. Looking at how we struggled with PlayStation 3, one visionary just can't get it perfect three times in a row.

And here's Shuhei Yoshida on the woeful level of support the PS3 received from third-party developers early in the console's lifespan:

[Developers] massively underestimated the effort that was needed to re-architect the game to properly take advantage of the PS3's multi-core architecture...But it's impossible to bring the level of support that we feel is important for the PlayStation 3 platform without the third parties' continued support. That was the miscalculation by both us, and from third parties.

And there you have it! Shuhei gets off the mark. I would have preferred something a little more explosive - maybe along the lines of "ROBBIE BACH EATS BABIES" - but I guess he's got to warm to the position first before kicking it up a notch.

Yoshida-san: I have big plans for Worldwide Studios [GI.biz]

When we heard that Harrison was going the way of Moore and Allard, fleeing from his job to parts unknown, we were genuinely concerned. So concerned, in fact, that Luke made up a missing person flyer and like clockwork Harrison was spotted... by Harrison.

From: Phil Harrison To: Brian Crecente

Hey Brian,

Hope all is well - I missed you at GDC, sorry our paths didn't manage to cross.

As I wind things down here at SCE this week, I wanted to reach out and say "thank you" for what has been a fun and entertaining few years skirmishing along either side of the PlayStation story.

While the vast majority of your posts have been bang on target; many made me laugh out loud, some have made me want to throw things around the office and some have just been, er, wrong. But the one thing they all share in common is that they've been written with absolute passion for games and commitment to your readers and for that I salute you.

I'm sure our paths will cross again but for now I look forward to my new adventure with great excitement and a life where my used chewing gum has less significance.

BTW, important fact checker: As anyone who really knows me is aware, I'm 6'7" not 6'6'...(cue smutty headline about the extra inch making all the difference)

Also, where the hell did you get that picture from? Seems like I have a mouth full of food...

Take care and best wishes,

Phil

P.S. I guess the Reggie, Peter, Phil group hug will have to wait a while...

From: Brian Crecente To: Phil Harrison

Hey Phil,

I really appreciate the email and the kind words. We really did mean we it when we said we would miss you. Sony needs more people like you not less. Not only did you do a good job of running Worldwide Studios, but you helped personalize a company that I think some felt was starting to turn its back on gamers. Of course, we all know it wasn't, but it was good to have you out there dealing with the issues and answering questions without trying to spin them.

Feel free to drop us a line when you're ready to say where you're headed.

Brian

p.s. Can I post this email? I think our readers would LOVE it.

It's worth noting that Harrison OKed me posting his email only after I agreed to post my suck-upish reply to him as well. Dammit. At least I know we only have to wait until Monday to find out where he's landed.

The Indian gaming market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 78 per cent by 2010, and barely one per cent of the country's gaming potential has been tapped...However, we are still at a very nascent stage, even though there is a lot of potential for the industry.

The press release doesn't say much more about the game other than that it will use the power of the Cell and game development technology of the PS3 to "set a new benchmark in delivering emotionally compelling experiences to gamers." With Quantic on board, I think that's quite possible. More details are expected "soon", which has to be code for at E3. Hit the jump for the press release.

Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios to Work on a Groundbreaking New Title for PLAYSTATION®3

Collaboration with developer Quantic Dream to redefine cinematic realtime entertainment

LONDON, July 3 2007 - Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS) is pleased to announce that it will be collaborating with developer Quantic Dream on an exclusive PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) title - more details of which are to be announced soon. Quantic Dream has an outstanding track record in delivering interactive, cinematic games with true emotional depth. Combined with the power of Cell Broadband Engine™ and game development technology of PS3, the project is expected to set a new benchmark in delivering emotionally compelling experiences to gamers.

Founded in 1997 by David Cage, French developer Quantic Dream has achieved international renown for its ground-breaking innovation within the games industry, particularly in the areas of interactive narration and emotional content. The studio's record speaks for itself: in particular Quantic Dream was responsible for 2005's award winning Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in the US and Canada), a paranormal, interactive blend of film and gaming that was widely praised for re-imagining the adventure game genre.

Michael Denny, Vice President, SCE Worldwide Studios, said: "We're really excited to be working with Quantic Dream for the first time and to have this opportunity to once again push the gaming experience to realise a new level of interactivity and, in particular, to engage players at an emotional level never experienced before. We're looking forward to revealing more news on this special title later this year."

David Cage, Founder, President and CEO of Quantic Dream, said, "We always believed that "next generation" meant more meaningful content based on players' emotional involvement. To us, PS3 is the only platform that can truly deliver on this promise, and SCE WWS is a group that is both inspiring and pleasant to work with."

Update Here's that Heavy Rain tech demo everyone is talking about in the comments:

The father of the Playstation officially stepped down today, ending an era that saw the launch of three consoles and Sony's entry into the gaming market.

Kutaragi announced his plans to leave the company as all but an "honorary chairman" back in April. Kazuo Hirai will be stepping into his large shows to take over day-to-day responsibilities as the head of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

It's doubtful we will see any substantial change in the company's operations in the weeks leading up to E3, but I'm sure this move will trigger some shifts in the way Sony does business down the line.

Father of Sony PlayStation steps down [CNN]

Bloomberg is reporting that Sony is considering introducing a new Playstation 3 with a bigger hard drive in the wake of killing off their 20GB model.

``It's in line with our strategy as we had planed to choose models based on consumer needs,'' Fukuoka said. The larger model, which retails for $599 in the U.S. and is $100 more expensive than the smaller version, accounts for about 90 percent of sales, he said.

The company is also considering introducing the model with a bigger hard disk, Fukuoka said, without providing details.

I love that Sony seems so willing to shift around their model designs based on consumer demands, though I'd love to see a breakdown of how many of the 20GB PS3s went unsold. That 90 percent figure either means people didn't want the cheaper PS3 or they couldn't find them. I suspect the first, but I'd still love to see the hard numbers. Brian Crecente

Sony Shares Rise on Report Profit to Exceed Estimates (Update3) [Bloomberg]

Wow. Say what you will about Phil Harrison, president of Worldwide Studios for Sony, but the man certainly has some brass balls. Harrison has agreed to make a run through the Q&A gauntlet that is the Slashdot Ask series.

Essentially, Zonk opens the floodgates to the readers, letting them ask whatever questions they want of a person and then tries to guide the person in the sights through the gauntlet.

Keep in mind these are questions that come straight from the readers, readers that Zonk likes to describe as "cranky." Brian Crecente

Ask Sony's Phil Harrison About PS3 and Games [Slashdot]

I just love this whole Lik-Sang, Sony thing. It's like the two companies are playing chicken with each other in a very public, and increasingly embarassing way.

The latest engine revving comes from Lik-Sang who just sent us a letter from a very distraught Pascal Clarysse, a spokesperson who has just been canned. Or as Pascal puts it "These will be my final words for Lik-Sang unfortunately. The company is now terminating my contract and I will no longer be in the position to speak on behalf of Lik-Sang.com any longer in the future."

In over-wrought two-page letter Pascal refutes Sony's claim that they had nothing to do with Lik-Sang's closure.

Denying boldly any correlation between Sony's legal actions and Lik-Sang's closure must probably be cynical sarcasm on their behalf. Unfortunately for Lik-Sang, the current situation is neither a joke, nor a game: A bunch of people, including two highly pregnant women, have lost their basis for existence because of corporate lawsuits for something that is not only regarded as lawful in Hong Kong, it is considered to be beneficial for consumers (free trade).

Highly pregnant women? Basis for existence? I'm surprised they didn't just claim the women spontaneously miscarried when they heard the news.

Pascal goes on to say that Sony's claim that the execs who purchased PSPs from them where just investigating, is bogus.

UK news website Spong.com tried to call all three of the listed Sony directors, just to learn that 66% of them are not in their office or are on holidays this week. They are probably still very exhausted from placing all these investigatory orders for the trainees of their legal department...

Hmmm, 66 percent of three... that would be...? Like two people less one finger?

Good thing it's a blizzard here in Denver. I'm going to get some popcorn and sit and wait for Sony's response. Maybe they'll claim Lik-Sang is responsible for their 94 percent drop in net profits. Can't wait. Brian Crecente

First of all, Sony's claim that Lik-Sang didn't turn up and therefore incurred no legal cost is absolute nonsense. Lik-Sang's legal representatives spent over a year to vigorously contest the UK's court jurisdiction until the last moment, produced witness statements and documents, and replied to Sony's allegations about parallel importation and copyright infringement. Plenty of documents were sent back and forth from Hong Kong all the way to the UK, and it was also argued to the London High Court that Sony has launched duplicate actions in different countries, but all to no avail. The court case in Hong Kong is still ongoing, and Lik-Sang as well as its lawyers spent hundreds and hundreds of hours trying to catch up with Sony's mass of documents and claims. As a result, two different High Court judges at different occasions expressed their surprise about the unusual high legal expenses claimed by Sony's law firm.

Through their lawsuits, Sony forced the relatively small company behind Lik-Sang.com into a bizarre world of lawyers charging more than GBP 380 (EUR 550+) per hour (!), and if you believe it or not, these guys don't come alone, they need their (not necessarily much cheaper) assistants and clerks around them to get something done.

The UK courts ruling that outlaws what Lik-Sang and the gaming community enjoyed ever since, and the imminent direct threat from Sony about yet a third lawsuit and a PlayStation 3 injunction, will absolutely not make things easier and fairer for anyone involved.

Denying boldly any correlation between Sony's legal actions and Lik-Sang's closure must probably be cynical sarcasm on their behalf. Unfortunately for Lik-Sang, the current situation is neither a joke, nor a game: A bunch of people, including two highly pregnant women, have lost their basis for existence because of corporate lawsuits for something that is not only regarded as lawful in Hong Kong, it is considered to be beneficial for consumers (free trade). And a huge amount of gamers all around the globe lost a place on the Internet that they were enjoying.

Lik-Sang is not involved into any other lawsuits apart with Sony, and, while they "strongly denied that their actions have had anything to do with [Lik-Sang's] closing" in their statement, they still had the time to send a 15 pages fax less than 24h later, lining out the terms of the order made by the UK court last week and asking Lik-Sang to pay the sum of GBP 100,000 (EUR 150,000) just for their legal costs before 4pm at November 1. By the way, the fax also includes a penal notice, nicely reminding the reader that not obeying the order (which means shipping any PlayStation branded product to any country in Europe) may mean sequestration of all assets and, in worst case, imprisonment for the directors of the company. The judge also ordered that 'there be an inquiry as to the damages suffered' by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe in the UK and in any other member state of the European Union, based on each EU country's own rules.

Finally, Sony's unbelievable statement that all purchase orders made by their own directors 'would' be for investigatory purposes speaks volumes, and also doesn't explain why these and all the other orders placed by Sony officials were not revealed to the High Court (despite what is called duty for 'full and frank disclosure' in court proceedings, as Lik-Sang understands it as laymen).

Oddly enough, all investigatory orders that were revealed by Sony to the High Court in London and to the High Court in Hong Kong started much later than the purchases placed by their directors. Further to this, Sony Europe's own Legal and Business Affairs Manager signed a witness statement in the High Court of London that says that Sony Europe 'became aware' of parallel imported PSP consoles in the UK and in the rest of Europe only in March 2005, and the same witness statement presents a trainee solicitor from Sony's lawyers as the one placing such investigatory orders during May 2005.

On top of that, more than a half year after the named Sony officials started to receive their PSP purchase orders from Lik-Sang, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (managed by the very same directors) sent a letter to Hong Kong claiming that they just 'recently discovered' that Lik-Sang is offering PSP consoles and games to customers in the UK (United Kingdom) and that they would be entitled for a court injunction.

The three directors that were revealed in Tuesday's press release are very important and directly linked to Sony's lawsuits against Lik-Sang. A copy of their purchase orders, along with a fine selection of others, was produced by Lik-Sang's legal representatives to Sony Europe during the Hong Kong High Court discovery proceedings long before the trial in the UK took place. No purchase orders of non-management level Sony employees were revealed, not in court or otherwise.

UK news website Spong.com tried to call all three of the listed Sony directors, just to learn that 66% of them are not in their office or are on holidays this week. They are probably still very exhausted from placing all these investigatory orders for the trainees of their legal department...

My final words: Sony should be proud of having such a die-hard import gamers community rushing to buy their products and supporting them with a passion. Instead, they march all over us.

Pascal Clarysse, on behalf of Lik-Sang.com

Earlier today, in a bit of theatrical teeth-gnashing, Lik-Sang announced they were shuttering their online store because of Sony's multiple legal actions against them for selling Playstation Portables from Asia to people in Europe. Now, I don't in anyway support the lawsuits Sony filed, I've purchased my share of games from Lik-Sang, but I think Lik-Sang was a bit over the top in their response.

"Fighting multiple lawsuits in different countries at the same time and paying high premiums to expensive lawyers is an overwhelming situation for a small company like Lik-Sang. Launching separate court actions with separate claims and different judges is completely unnecessary, except for the fact that it helps reaching one single target: outspend Lik-Sang to death. 'Pay Beyond.'"

And then, after a few hours, comes Sony's response filled with typical outrage and bluster, but also a few interesting tidbits. In the statement, sent to Games Industry, Sony points out that while they have successfully sued Pacific Game Technology, which owns Lik-Sang, they haven't received a dime and that the company didn't bother to show up to court to fight it.

"Lik-Sang did not contest this case (i.e. they did not turn up and therefore incurred no legal costs). We have been awarded substantial costs against Lik-Sang which have not been paid," the statement claims.

"We would therefore strongly deny that our actions have had anything to do with this website closing (we assume the legal entity is still trading), and would suggest that this release is sour grapes on behalf of Lik-Sang which is aimed to belittle Sony Computer Entertainment and the British judicial system that found against them."

OK, I get that, but then Sony claims that the oodles of PSPs that a number of SCE execs purchased through Lik-Sang were just purchased for "investigatory" purposes.

"The purchasing of PSP consoles by SCE employees would be for investigatory purposes. We would also like to express our surprise at a company releasing personal information about its consumers, as this is contrary to data protection principles around the world."

Oh, customer privacy. Good one. It's like watching a tennis match. Come on Lik-Sang, what do you have to say about that... oh and how about printing those execs' credit card numbers too. Brian Crecente

Sony denies responsibility for closure of Lik-Sang [GI]

Sony CEO Howard Stringer's job is safe for now. The company's sales rose 11 percent, and the company appears to be on the rebound. Massive cuts have been made, with 9,600 jobs, 9 factories and the Aibo getting the Stringer axe.

While profits from the electronics division contribute to more than 70 percent of total sales, the video game division isn't doing so hot. Sony Computer Entertainment suffered 29 percent losses and big spending for its new PlayStation console, the PS3. Masafumi Oshiden, from Merrill Lynch Tokyo said:

The PlayStation 3 will be a huge money loser in the beginning. I think Wii will sell better than the PS3.

Fanboy. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Bloomberg]

Sony Computer Entertainment czar Ken Kutaragi will be delivering the keynote at this year's Tokyo Game Show on September 22nd. Kutaragi's speech will be titled "The next-generation as created by the PlayStation 3." And what idiot said Sony was arrogant? Geez...

While Nintendo's Satoru Iwata pulled the Wii-mote out of his pocket during last year's TGS keynote, Kutaragi will most likely unveil launch titles, finalize pricing and explain how the PS3 is gaming in 4D or even 5D. Squre-Enix's Yoichi Wada will be giving another speech, and so will some dudes from Epic Games, but nothing they say will be half as zany as what tumbles out of Kutaragi's trap. This could be make or break for Sony. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Games Industry]