PlayStation 3

Report: Microsoft to Cut Xbox 360 Price to $299

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 1, 2008 - 8:00am.

Los Angeles - Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) plans to slash $50 off the price of its Xbox 360 video game console in advance of the industry's E3 trade show this month, bringing the price for the 20GB model to $299, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which cited "a major retailer." The cut would make the Xbox 360 Pro $100 cheaper than Sony's (NYSE: SNE) 40GB PlayStation 3, and bring it closer to the top-selling Nintendo Wii, which currently costs $250.

Sony PlayStation 3 Movie & TV Downloads Coming This Summer

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 27, 2008 - 12:40pm.

Tokyo - Sony Computer Entertainment this week announced plans to launch its long-awaited movie and TV download service for the PlayStation 3 in the U.S. this summer, although "insiders at numerous studios" told Variety that they have not signed deals to license their content to such a service. Along with downloads directly to the PS3, sources involved in the discussions told Variety the deals could include transfers to the PSP handheld, and transfers from Blu-ray movie discs to the PS3 and PSP. The company has been working on the service since 2006.

tags: Games | TV | Sony | Movies | PlayStation 3 |

IGA to Serve In-Game Ads for Sony PlayStation 3, Electronic Arts

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 4, 2008 - 11:31am.

New York - IGA Worldwide, a provider of in-game advertising services, has announced a partnership with Sony (NYSE: SNE) to provide in-game advertising on the PlayStation 3 in the U.S. and Europe, and also with publisher Electronic Arts (NASD: ERTS) to serve in-game ads on EA titles for the PlayStation 3.

Sony to Produce Original Video Series "Qore" for PlayStation 3

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 3, 2008 - 12:45pm.

Foster City, Calif. - Sony Computer Entertainment America announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with Future US, publisher of The Official PlayStation Magazine, to produce an original, monthly HD program that will be distributed exclusively through the PlayStation Store for its PlayStation 3 console. The interactive "Qore" episodes, available for $2.99 each or $24.99 annually, will feature multimedia news, developer interviews, in-depth game previews and behind-the-scenes, in addition to game demos, betas, add-ons and other downloadable and game-related content.

tags: Games | Video | Sony | HD | PlayStation 3 | Qore |

Microsoft Xbox 360 First Console to Hit 10 Million in U.S. Sales

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 15, 2008 - 10:37am.

Redmond, Wash. - Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) has announced that its Xbox 360 beat out rival next-generation video game consoles from Sony (NYSE: SNE) and Nintendo to become the first to sell over 10 million units in the U.S.

Biddle to Market Networked Blu-ray Content Service in U.S.

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 6, 2008 - 12:05pm.

Burbank, Calif. - Dreamer, a Korea-based interactive TV developer, said on Tuesday that it has opened an office in Burbank, Calif. to market its Biddle technology, a platform that lets content distributors deliver customized, interactive programming and services to networked Blu-ray Disc players or PlayStation 3 consoles. Dreamer said its Biddle platform is currently in use by over one million subscribers in Korea.

Blockbuster Begins Selling Video Games, Consoles & Accessories

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2008 - 8:34am.

Dallas - Video rental giant Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) announced on Monday that it has begun selling video games, game consoles and accessories at all of its U.S. corporate-owned stores, as part of the company's broader plan to significantly expand its game business.

Sony Delays Launch of PlayStation Home Service Again

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 22, 2008 - 12:08pm.

Tokyo - Sony (NYSE: SNE) has once again delayed the launch of its "Home" 3D virtual community for the PlayStation 3 console, now saying the service will launch for users in the fall. The service had initially been slated to launch last fall, but pushed the debut until this spring.

Sony Launches Redesigned PlayStation Store

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 15, 2008 - 12:23pm.

Foster City, Calif. - Sony Computer Entertainment America on Tuesday announced the launch of a redesigned PlayStation Store for its PlayStation 3, which is now a native application on the game console rather than a Web-based storefront. The store now features quicker navigation and an expanded library of nearly 900 pieces of content, including over 70 downloadable games, as well as game demos and videos, and HD movie trailers. Sony counts more than 3.6 million registered PlayStation Network accounts in North America.

Report: Blockbuster Developing Movie Streaming Set-top Box

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 10, 2008 - 11:20am.

Los Angeles - Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) is developing a set-top box that will deliver streaming films to consumers' televisions, and is expected to announce details on the plan sometime this month, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Sony Aims to Increase Blu-ray Market Share to 50% This Year

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 7, 2008 - 9:02am.

Taipei, Taiwan - Sony (NYSE: SNE) plans to increase distribution of its Blu-ray Disc players this year and hopes its share of the total DVD market can increase from 20% to 50% by the end of this year, Digitimes reports. Sony Electronics CEO Ryoji Chubachi made the projection at a press conference in Taipei last week.

tags: TV | Sony | HD | Movies | Blu-ray | PlayStation 3 |

Sony to Add Blu-ray Interactive Features in PS3 Software Update

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 20, 2008 - 11:19am.

Foster City, Calif. - Sony Computer Entertainment America said on Thursday that the next system software update for its PlayStation 3 will add BD-LIVE, a set of interactive features for the game console's Blu-ray player. BD-LIVE will enable features such as downloadable video content, ringtones and games. Sony said the update, due for release in late March, will also enable photo and music playlists on the PS3 to be copied to a PSP handheld.

Microsoft Exec: We Have No Plans for a Blu-ray Xbox

Authored by Jay Baage on March 13, 2008 - 8:19am.

San Francisco - Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) is not in talks to include Sony (NYSE: SNE) Blu-ray high-definition DVD technology in its Xbox 360 video game console, according to Aaron Greenberg, group product manager for Xbox 360. Microsoft will, instead, continue to invest in the Xbox Live online service, which lets users rent movies, including ones in high-definition, over the Internet.

Sony to Drop 20GB, 60GB PlayStation 3 Models in Japan

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 10, 2008 - 12:45pm.

Tokyo - Sony Japan (NYSE: SNE) has announced plans to discontinue both the 20GB and 60GB models of its PlayStation 3 game console in Japan, choosing instead to focus on a 40GB model introduced there in November, GamesIndustry.biz reports. The company is similarly phasing out its 60GB PS3 in favor of the 40GB model in Europe, and cut the price on the U.S. 60GB model when it introduced an 80GB model in the U.S. last August.

tags: Games | Sony | PlayStation 3 |

Sony: 1.2M PS3s Sold Over Holidays; Skype Coming to PSP

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 7, 2008 - 8:54am.

Foster City, Calif. - Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) (NYSE: SNE) said on Monday that it sold 1.2 million PlayStation 3 consoles during the holidays, along with 1.4 million PSP handhelds and 1.3 million units of the PlayStation 2. The holidays timeframe was defined as Nov. 23 through Dec. 31.

tags: Games | Sony | PSP | Skype | Retail | PlayStation 3 |

PlayStation 3 Adds Support for DivX Video Format

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 18, 2007 - 10:14am.

San Diego - DivX (NASD: DIVX), a developer of video compression technology and distribution services, announced on Tuesday that the PlayStation 3 now supports the DivX video format, with the upgrade to PS3 system software Version 2.10 released today by Sony. The PlayStation 3 is the first gaming system to officially support DivX video playback.

tags: Games | Video | Sony | DivX | PlayStation 3 |

PlayStation 3 Outsells Wii in Japan for First Time This Month

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 30, 2007 - 11:22am.

Tokyo - Sony's PlayStation 3 outsold rival Nintnedo's Wii console in Japan for the first time this month, Reuters reported, citing sales data compiled by Japan's Enterbrain.

tags: Games | Sony | HD | Nintendo | Wii | PlayStation 3 |

Sony Says U.S. PlayStation 3 Sales Up 300%

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 27, 2007 - 11:01am.

Foster City, Calif. - Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced that sales of its PlayStation 3 are up 298% since Nov. 2, compared with October sales, which the company credited to availability of both the 40GB and 80GB models of the game console.

tags: Games | Sony | PSP | Retail | PlayStation 3 |

Sony Halves Cost of PlayStation 3 Developers' Kit

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 19, 2007 - 1:06pm.

Tokyo - In a bid to woo additional developers, Sony Computer Entertainment has halved the price it charges for the software tools necessary to create games for its PlayStation 3 console, the Associated Press reported. The SDK will now cost $10,250 in North America. The price cut follows Sony's decision to cut the consumer price tag for the PlayStation 3 last month. Sony had sold 5.6 million PlayStation 3 units worldwide as of the end of September, company spokesman Daisuke Nakata told AP.

tags: Games | Sony | PlayStation 3 |

Report: Console Games with Downloadable Content Sell Better

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 14, 2007 - 11:41am.

San Diego - Video game publishers would do well to take advantage of the online storefronts offered by next-generation video game consoles, as games with downloadable content sell 114% more than other titles, according to a report from market research firm Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR).