Hasta La Gadget!

Sony’s already got a low barrier to entry for developers on its PlayStation Mobile platform, which encompasses the PlayStation Vita handheld game console and a variety of smartphones — just $99 for a license enables publishing across all PlayStation Mobile devices. Apparently that fee is too much for some folks, so Sony’s waving it altogether. Starting right now (as of yesterday, actually), Sony’s “removing any existing barriers” between developers and the PS Mobile platform by dropping the publishing fee, thusly making it all the easier for devs to push their games to the Vita and various smartphones. There are already some great indie games featured on Sony’s PS Mobile store, including Vlambeer’s Super Crate Box and Super Icon Ltd.’s Life of Pixel, and this paves the way for even more.

Of course, Apple’s iOS publishing fee is $99 per year and the App Store is certainly more flush with content than Sony’s Mobile store, which tells us it isn’t the license fee that’s stopping people from pushing their games to PS Mobile.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Software, HD, Sony

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Source: US PlayStation Blog, EU PlayStation Blog

Took a couple of months, but EPIX is finally ready to fulfill its promise of PlayStation 3 movie streaming today. The network’s launching its app for the console, giving users access to some 3,000-plus titles including the likes of The Avengers, Skyfall and The Hunger Games, plus a slew of documentaries, concerts and such. The app itself is free, but requires a premium subscription to really do its job. In fact, if you’re already a paid-up member of PlayStation Plus, you’ll get a free movie or special every week. A more handheld version of the service is set to hit the Vita in “the coming weeks,” according to the company.

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Sony

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SCEJ President Hiroshi Kawano introduced a PS Vita info session earlier today. Detailing “everyone’s PlayStation Vita,” he announced a price drop for Japanese models right from the outset. Starting from February 28th, the price will drop down to 19,980 yen for both the 3G (previously 30,000 yen) and WiFi (once 25,000 yen) models. Yep, both will receive a substantial price-cut alongside a a 7-day free trial of PS Plus (including Uncharted, Ridge Racer and four more titles free during February), plus a free download campaign for its Torne TV service until the end of March. No word on whether the rest of the world will benefit from the same price reduction, but we’ve got in touch with Sony Computer Entertainment to check. Maybe we’ll hear more on Wednesday.

Update: And SCE aren’t saying anything more about those price drops elsewhere — you can wait two days, right?

Filed under: Gaming, Sony

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Source: PS Vita (UStream)

Good news: Sony has revealed a new PlayStation console! But it’s not what you think. Instead, there’s an Ice Silver edition PlayStation Vita reaching Asian countries from February 28th onwards. The new hue is attached to a WiFi model and marks the fourth special color we’ve seen in just over a year since the Vita hit shops, joining the more ostentatious blue, red and white shades from 2012. Hong Kong residents will pay HK$2,280 (US$294) to stand out from the crowd on the 28th, with launches also known to be coming later to Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. There’s no word on if or when silver might reach other parts of the world, although Sony might not want to wait too long for any further expansion — it’s likely that a color addition will be the last thing on gamers’ minds in a few weeks’ time.

Filed under: Gaming, Sony

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Via: Joystiq

Source: PlayStation Asia (1), (2), (3)

Version 2.0 of the PlayStation Vita’s firmware has just gone live, bringing with it PS Plus and a handful of new features. Thanks to the fresh update, the handheld’s browser can be used without quitting games and has been sped up and overhauled with a revamped rendering engine and optimized GPU performance. In addition, the video application on Sony’s portable has been bolstered to play 1080p video, and a brand-new email app has arrived with notifications and support for up to five accounts in tow. If gamers have the itch to transfer content from their PC to their Vita, the “two-dot-oh” release allows the mobile rig to connect wirelessly to computers and pull down content. For additional details, hit the more coverage links below.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Sony

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Source: Shuhei Yoshida (Twitter)