PlayStation Vita's firmware update 2.10 adding folders, enhanced video playback

Tired of all those messy icons cluttering up your PlayStation Vita's home screen? Sony's providing a solution in its next update, firmware version 2.10, which enables folders of up to 10 items to be organized on the screen. That means you could potentially take those 100 max applications allowed and stuff them all into folders on the home screen, effectively condensing your various home screens from 10 to one. The rest of the update isn't so thrilling -- namely, being able to identify which memory card you've got in the device, some email app enhancements, and video support which "allows you to play video within the browser." There're a few more minor tweaks, which we've included in the list past the jump -- a complete list of updates in gritty detail will show up here when the update goes live at some point "later this evening."

Create folders to more easily manage your favorite application icons on the home screen, with up to 10 icons in each folder and a maximum of 100 on the home screen (including icons inside the folders). Verify which PS Vita card you are using by looking at the home screen's info bar. You can also save the layout of your home screen icons in the memory card. Added video support allows you to play videos within the browser (memory card required; some videos are not supported). New email enhancements allows you to view HTML messages, add multiple email addresses to your contacts, and easily search your messages using the new search feature. PlayStation Plus members will be able to automatically update PlayStation Mobile format software and upload game save data onto online storage using 3G connection. New "Mute Automatically" option will mute your PS Vita speakers when your headset is unplugged and pause your music when using the music app.

Source: Sony (1), Sony (2)

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By: Unknown On 10:05 AM

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Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag swabbing decks on Wii U, PlayStation 3 / 4, PC, Xbox 360 and next Xbox

The Assassin's Creed video game series -- beyond its trademark murderous historical fiction -- is known for arriving in annual installments. 2013 is no exception, with French publisher Ubisoft recently revealing Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, a pirate-centric next entry in the long-running franchise. Unlike last year's game, which took players through the American Revolution as a half-British / half-Native American named Connor, AC4: Black Flag puts you in his grandfather's swashbuckling boots as Edward Kenway of The Caribbean. Kenway's the captain of a pirate vessel known as "The Jackdaw," which promises a new twist in the AC series: open-world naval combat. While the last series entry teased naval combat, Black Flag is built around that gameplay; AC4 also borrows from recent Ubisoft highlight Far Cry 3, with Kenway battling sharks below water while diving for booty (a takeoff on the hunting found in that game, as well as in the last AC entry).

Of course, the conceit of the AC series has always been that you're a modern man named Desmond Miles, a member of the ancient Assassin's Guild, and that you're experiencing your assassin lineage through a machine called the "Animus" in order to save the world. This conceit lead Desmond through a variety of eras in previous games, ending with the American Revolution in Assassin's Creed 3. Without spoiling that game's final moments, it's safe to say that Desmond isn't joining the cast in Black Flag; rather, you're simply a modern day Templar (the long-running rivals of the assassins) searching for more secrets about the enemy. Ubisoft reps wouldn't tell us much about how the modern day will play into the new game's story, but did admit that it'll play a major role.Assassin's Creed 4: Black FlagSee all photoswhen.eng("eng.galleries.init")

Given the game's theme, it's no surprise that conspicuous pirate Edward "Blackbeard" Teach will also show up, as well as lesser known pirates like "Calico" Jack Rackham. Between boarding ships, plundering for loot, and having naval battles, it's easy to forget that this is an Assassin's Creed game -- rest assured there'll be plenty of sneaky assassinating. During our meeting, we were promised a return to the series' roots of tracking and assassinating targets. That said, what we've seen so far has us a little worried about Black Flag -- a distinct lack of assassinating and a move away from the series' main story beats give us a sense that the blockbuster series doesn't have a steady captain at the helm.

Multiplayer is also back, and likely in the form we've seen it take in previous entries, though no details are available just yet. It won't be long before we hear more, though, as Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is planned to launch this October on PC, PlayStation 3 and 4, Nintendo Wii U, Xbox 360 and whatever Microsoft's next box is called. That technically makes this one of the first (or the first) game officially announced for Microsoft's next console, though others have confirmed launch on "next-gen consoles." At any rate, it's the first Assassin's Creed title on next-gen consoles -- the trailers above and below don't do the next-gen version justice, we're told -- and we're looking forward to seeing what that means.

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By: Unknown On 6:04 PM

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Sony promising two new PlayStation Vita apps for spring in Friend Network and Imaginstruments

Two PlayStation Vita apps from international waters are making their way to North American Vitas this Spring, Sony announced today. Both Friend Network and Imaginstruments are headed to the PlayStation Network on Vita, and neither was given a price -- each is free in its given country of origin (Japan and Europe, respectively). The former is a social networking app that encourages new relationships (with strangers! gross!) through a variety of minigames, and it stars little known PlayStation mascot Toro. You can also integrate Twitter and Facebook to find real life friends, with the ultimate goal for reaching 100. The latter is a music app that enables some light music composition; think of Imaginstruments as a pared down Korg synth. Take a look at each app in action, just beyond the jump.

Source: US PlayStation Blog

More Coverage: Joystiq

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By: Unknown On 4:56 PM

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Halo creators unveil 'Destiny,' an MMO-like first-person-shooter for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3

When Halo creator Bungie managed to steal away from Microsoft back in 2007, Master Chief's forefathers were afforded a few years to go dark and head down on a brand new gaming universe. Today, Bungie and its new benefactor, Activision, revealed that new franchise as "Destiny," an online-required persistent world first-person shooter. Even though the game's not due out this year, Bungie says it's headed to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with no mention of next-gen.

The online requirement extends to both single-player and multiplayer campaigns -- your character's achievements remain persistent, and your avatar will seamlessly populate friends' games (rather than futzing with menus and the like), allowing for on-the-fly pairings. Bungie's shying away from outright referring to Destiny as an MMO, a la World of Warcraft. "[The] amount of players you see is design controlled. It's not about stuffing as many people in there as possible," Bungie COO Pete Parsons told our sister site, Joystiq. Of course, with next-gen sounding online connectivity, Bungie's silence on next-gen consoles is little more than a temporary vow -- Destiny seems a lock for (at very least) Sony and Microsoft's next consoles, if not also the PC (Wii U's looking unlikely).

Hard details on Destiny are a bit scarce at the moment -- when it launches, if it's part of a series, how exactly the game will work -- but we've dropped concept art below and a debut video just beyond the break. The video goes into a bit more detail on the universe, and briefly touches on the smartphone tie-in that Destiny will have (think Halo Waypoint), but for a more exhaustive approach to Destiny's debut, Joystiq's got you covered.Destiny (concept art)Source

By: Unknown On 8:52 PM

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Garnet red PlayStation 3 bundled with God of War: Ascension and 500GB HDD arrives this March for $349

Sony apparently sees 2013 as a chance to colorize its aging PlayStation 3 console, today announcing yet another new color for the superslim packing 500GB of storage. To match the blood red tattoos found all over God of War star Kratos' body, Sony colored this one garnet red, and is pairing the console with God of War: Ascension -- thusly, the bundle arrives on March 12, the same day God of War: Ascension is scheduled to go up for sale. Unlike its "Classic White" brethren, you won't get a full-year subscription to PlayStation Plus in this bundle -- a disappointment considering this one costs $50 more. It does, however, include not just a copy of God of War: Ascension, but also God of War Saga (which collects the first three God of War games) and God of War: Origins Collection (which bundles the two God of War PlayStation Portable games). That's a total of six God of War games included in this bundle, so you'd better really be into spending time with Kratos should you pick this up.Garnet Red PlayStation 3 (God of War: Ascension bundle)See all photoswhen.eng("eng.galleries.init")

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GARNET RED PLAYSTATION®3 COMING SOON TO NORTH AMERICA INSIDE
GOD OF WAR: ASCENSION™ LEGACY BUNDLE
January 31, 2013 – Following the announcement of the availability of the Classic White
PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system in North America, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC
(SCEA) today introduced a new Garnet Red PS3 system as part of a limited edition God of
War: Ascension™ Legacy Bundle. The new bundle includes God of War: Ascension, the newest
entry in the critically acclaimed franchise, along with the five previous games in the series,
making it the ultimate collectors' item for God of War fans. The limited edition bundle will hit
stores on March 12, 2013, day-and-date with the standalone game, for $349 (MSRP).
The Garnet Red PS3, boldly colored in recognition of Kratos' distinctive tattoo, comes with a
500GB hard disk drive (HDD), providing more than enough room for consumers to download
games, movies, and TV shows from PlayStation®Network, and store their personal media files,
including music, photos, and videos. A 30-day PlayStation®Plus trial membership is also
included, enabling purchasers to check out the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection along
with other benefits such as deep discounts, online storage for game saves, and exclusive access
to select demos and game betas.
"We're excited to introduce this stunning Garnet Red PS3 that pays homage to one of the best
franchises ever launched on PlayStation platforms," said John Koller, vice president of platforms
marketing, SCEA. "We wanted to give our fans a complete collection of the series in this bundle
so they can relive nostalgic memories of their first God of War adventure or experience the
adventure for the first time if they are new to the series."
The complete God of War collection comes with the highly anticipated release, God of War:
Ascension. A prequel to the epic series, Ascension takes fans back to where Kratos' journey
began, with sophisticated gameplay mechanics and combat systems that truly enhance the singleplayer experience. Also, for the first time in franchise history, a new multiplayer combat mode
has been added for fans to compete among their fellow warriors. The God of War Saga
completes the collection, with God of War, God of War II, God of War III, and God of War:
Origins Collection, which consists of God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War: Ghost of
Sparta.
Since the franchise first launched in March 2005, the series has sold over 21 million units
worldwide*. The God of War series is one of SCEA's most successful franchises of all time and
has been acknowledged as one of the most critically-acclaimed franchises by key industry
publications and influencers.

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By: Dilusha On 9:13 PM

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Sony patent application reimagines PlayStation Move with ultrasonic capabilities, IR emitters

A redesigned PlayStation Move? Sony's taken a stab at it before -- but this time around, it's imagining a controller with ultrasonic location analysis and Wiimote-like IR tracking. A new patent application details a "method for determining location of a controller," which proposes tracking controller depth by measuring the travel time of sound emitted from the device to the television. Two-dimensional tracking would be managed via the existing Move's visual spectrum camera, or by using a display-mounted IR emitter in conjunction with a remote mounted sensor (again, just like the Wii controller).

Although not technically part of the patent, the application's attached visual aids are pretty creative too -- showcasing a completely redesigned Move wand with swappable button faceplates. One embodiment shows two Move controllers attached end-to-end, mimicking a sword, while another shows a pair side by side, linked by a full gamepad sized faceplate. One bold image shows a player with two devices strapped to his ankles, performing a backwards flip to kick a digital soccer ball -- Sony is apparently very confident about the patent's potential tracking accuracy. We'll reserve judgment until we see the technology in practice, but feel free to read the claims for yourself at the source link below, or simply mosey on past the break to see the aforementioned athlete trying to break his neck.

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Via: The Silent Chief

Source: FPO

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By: Dilusha On 9:46 PM

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PlayStation: The Official Magazine being shuttered, will say farewell with holiday issue

By Alexis Santos posted Nov 7th 2012 8:31AM

The publisher of PlayStation: The Official Magazine has confirmed to Game Informer that the Sony-minded periodical will board up its doors by year's end. This isn't the first gaming zine that publisher Future US has called it quits on this year -- news of Nintendo Power's closure broke this August. Just like the Nintendo-centric themed publication, the PlayStation mag's last issue will be its holiday edition. However, unlike Newsweek's leap to a purely digital existence, there's no indication that the magazine could see life online.

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By: Dilusha On 11:42 AM

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