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E3 2013: We’re Liveblogging the Sony Playstation Press Conference

So many press conferences, so little time! After their game-filled PS4 reveal, smart money is on Sony’s press conference focusing on the hardware itself. After covering EA, Microsoft and Ubisoft‘s robust offerings, Sony has their work cut out for them. With rumors swirling about a next-gen Final Fantasy, we’re excited to see what kind of exclusives Sony has up their sleeves. Tune in along with us and let us know what you think in the comments below or on Twitter using the hashtag #NerdistE3!

6:00 PM – It’s about to start! Are you guys excited?

6:13 PM – Patience is a virtue, but this is ridiculous. At least play some smooth jazz or elevator muzak in the background.

6:18 PM – Okay, here we go! Cue the uptempo dance music and smash to game footage.

6:20 PM – Jack Tretton, Sony Computer Entertainment of America president, is here, thanking those brave souls who lined up at noon PST.

6:22 PM  – We’ll get to the PS4 in a second, but first “70 million people want to know what’s on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation VITA.”

6:23 PM – In the VITA’s first year, there’s a library of 125 dedicated VITA games and over 650 titles when you count PS and PSP titles. A “strong appetite for digital downloads” evidenced by a 60% rate of purchase from digital store.

6:24 PM – Over 85 titles will launch by end of year including Batman: Arkham Origins, Doki Doki Universe, Destiny of Spirits, Killzone Mercenary, Tearaway and more.

 

6:25 PM – Remastering favorite games for VITA like Final Fantasy X and X-2, God of War, and the newest episode of Telltale’s incredible The Walking Dead, entitled “400 Days.”

6:26 PM – PS4 was designed “at a system architecture level to tap into the VITA.” The VITA is “the ultimate companion device to the PS4.”

6:27 PM  – Another look at the seriously droolworthy The Last of Us. Naughty Dog’s newest offering is already raking in massively positive reviews.

6:27 PM – Slightly jauntier than The Last of Us is Puppeteer, a platformer-type game from SCE Japan Studio.

6:28 PM  – Wow – Rain still looks hauntingly beautiful. Fall 2013 can’t come soon enough.

6:29 PM – Ready to openly weep and let a game bum you out? Quantic Dream’s Beyond: Two Souls, featuring the voice talents of Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe, looks like it’ll live up to the devs reputation for intense experiences.

6:30 PM  – Ellen Page is kicking ass and taking names in a more Solid Snake-style outing in Beyond: Two Souls. This footage looks amazeballs.

6:31 PM  – Release date for Beyond: Two Souls is confirmed as October 8th, 2013.

6:32 PM – Looks like Forza and The Crew will have some competition from the revamped Gran Turismo, boasting a new physics engine and lush visuals.

6:33 PM – You know that one engineer in the crowd is biting his lip when he reads “adaptive tessellation.”

6:33 PM  – It’s pretty impressive that they can achieve these graphics for a console in its seventh year of existence. Good on ya, Gran Turismo 6.

6:34 PM – And now for a mixtape of upcoming features from their publishing partners. So far, we’ve seen Killzone and now the awesome-looking Batman: Arkham Origins.

6:35 PM – Anyone who’s worried about Rocksteady not handling the newest Batman can chill out; it looks like Warner Bros. has kept what made us fall in love with the free-roaming series.

6:36 PM – Sony and Warner Bros. are teaming up to give PS3 users special items like Knightfall DLC and a ’60s TV show skin.

 

6:37 PM – PS3 fans will get an exclusive $299 GTA V bundle that comes with a branded headset.

6:38 PM – The PS4 platform represents a “relentless dedication to the gamer.” Now, Andrew House is here to talk PS4.

6:39 PM – The PS4 is a “system of unparalleled power” that is “sleek and visually impactful.” Here’s our first look!

ps4-big

6:40 PM – It’s slim, sleek and looks…pretty much like I imagined it would.

6:41 PM  – Michael Linton, CEO of Sony Entertainment, takes the stage for the first time.

6:42 PM – Sony will “curate next-generation entertainment” for gamers through services like Sony Music Unlimited and the PlayStation Network.

6:43 PM  – Sony Pictures is hard at work on “a brand new original programming plan” that will be exclusive to the PlayStation Network in addition to their existing programming.

6:45 PM – Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited will be available on Day 1 of PS4. Music has over 20 million tracks and Video has over 150,000 choices available in addition to standard apps like Netflix, Hulu, Crackle, etc.

6:47 PM  – Redbox Instant from Verizon, Flixster and Pay-Per-View events will also be available on the PS4. Still no word about HBO Go…

6:47 PM – At its core, the PS4 is about “delivering gaming experiences.” Now for a look at PS4’s offerings with Shuhei Yoshida, President of Sony Worldwide Studios.

6:48 PM – Sony Worldwide Studios consists of 14 studios around the world, making it the largest first-party studio in existence. They all contributed to the PS4 and its design.

6:50 PM – New IP coming exclusively to PS4 from Sony Santa Monica and Ready at Dawn. So far, it’s filled with Victorian attire, horse-drawn carriages and imposing mustaches.

6:53 PM  – The Order – 1886 looks like steampunk Les Mis-meets-Resident Evil, which is to say pretty freakin’ awesome.

6:54 PM – And now another look at Killzone: Shadowfall, which we first saw at February’s PS4 reveal event.

6:56 PM – Killzone looks suitably action-packed, Driveclub is still Driveclub and Infamous: Second Son looks like it’s taking a slightly more serious approach to the franchise’s storyline.

6:58 PM – Unfortunately, guys, I have to run. The event started late and though I’d love to see it through, this press screening on Man of Steel isn’t going to see itself. I’ll be back to update the post later on with anything I missed! Let me know what you think in the comments below.

ps4-prices

10:04 PM – Okay, guys. I’m back. Thanks for your patience. First and foremost, the PS4 is coming in at only $399, a calculated move on Sony’s part and a real gauntlet thrown in front of Microsoft’s $499 Xbox One. I remember shelling out $600 for a PS3 back in 2006, so this is a welcome change of pace. What could explain the price difference is the Kinect 2 technology, which is clearly part of Microsoft’s long-term strategy. Its robust functionality might be explain the $100 differential. That being said, that’s $100 you could spend on a new game, a large pizza and a six-pack.

PlayStation’s much talked about Cloud Service won’t go live until next year, which means those of you looking to use it at launch will have to wait a little bit.

Like the Xbox One, PS4 launches this holiday season, so mothers of America, buy yourself a new pair of trampling boots.

On the subject of used game DRM, Sony had this to say:

Overall, the question doesn’t seem to be whether gamers should buy a next gen console, but rather which console they’ll buy first. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to collapse into a heap before waking up to do this all over again tomorrow.

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Comments

  1. CJ says:

    @ least SONY left a better impression then Microsoft and most of the Game Developing Co’s … have we reached a time now where it takes several Conventions throughout the year to deliver information to Consumers? (I think it has) …

  2. Slider13 says:

    I expected a little more presentation from Sony’s presentation…