Hasta La Gadget!

If you feel the current design of the PlayStation Store leaves a lot to be desired, then you’ll probably be glad to hear it’s being totally revamped. A new UI should do a better job of pushing fresh content at you, and its appearance will be consistent regardless of whether you’re outputting in standard or high def. Searching has been improved to handle abbreviations and misspellings, and a dynamic list of suggestions will try to work out what you’re looking for as you type. Also, Vita and PSP content will be separated, new filters will be available and content hubs will offer everything linked to a certain title, à la the Xbox 360 Marketplace. Sound good? Well, there’s not long to wait – it’ll be launching in PAL regions (Europe, Asia, Australia and others) on October 17th, while North Americans will receive it almost a week later, on October 23rd.

Filed under: Gaming, Software, Sony

PlayStation Store update hitting PAL regions on October 17th, North America on October 23rd originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 11:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |  VG247, Sony PlayStation Blog  | Email this | Comments

Sony isn’t sharing exact numbers, but Sony Computer Entertainment America VP of marketing, handhelds and home consoles John Koller teased that “almost all” PlayStation Vita owners are also PlayStation 3 owners. We were discussing the potential crossover between Vita and PS3 — the obvious comparison to Nintendo’s latest offering, the Wii U, and its tablet controller. The Vita and the PS3 are capable of producing similar functionality, and, if anything, with higher fidelity, as the Vita is a standalone console.

Koller says Sony invites the comparison. “We tell our PlayStation fans all the time that what the Wii U is offering is something that Vita and PS3 can do quite easily,” he says. It’s not just about the functionality, however, it’s about whether implementing that functionality makes any sense. “It’s dependent on the content. So we need to make sure the content isn’t force fed. And, to us, making sure that the gamer receives the right type of experience is what’s most important. So we’re gonna pick our spots, but that technology does certainly exist here.”

It wouldn’t be hard to imagine Sony bundling the Vita and its new PS3 model together for holiday sales, pushing up against this holiday’s Wii U launch. Koller says not just yet, though. “As we look at the lineup, there are gonna be some opportunities to do that. Whether we want to bundle the hardware together remains to be seen,” he explains. It sounds like we’ll be hearing more on that front in the future, as “retails asks for it all the time,” Koller says. For now, however, he’s happy knowing that the vast majority of Vita owners are already prepared for cross-functionality between the two consoles. “In the meantime, you look at the Vita consumer and a very high percentage — almost all of them — own a PS3. So you see that crossover works.”

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

Of PlayStation Vita owners, ‘almost all’ own PlayStation 3 as well originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Sony’s PS3 / Vita cross-buy program might not be as simple as “buy one, get one” after all. Taking the stage at its pre-TGS press event, Sony announced a new Hot Shots Golf game as one of the program’s first adopters — citing a price reduction, rather then a free game, for users who pick up either the PS3 / Vita version of the title. In contrast, Sony stated at Gamescom that buyers of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale and Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault would receive a second copy of the game for free upon purchase, indicating that cross-buy discounts may vary from title to title. Remember kids: just because you bought it once, doesn’t mean you won’t have to buy it again.

Filed under: Gaming

PS Vita and PS3 cross-buy: more discounts, less freebies originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 01:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Despite having launched elsewhere in the world already, Sony’s 3G PlayStation Vita is heading north to Canada with help from Rogers Communications this October. Beyond the usual features of the Vita, the 3G model offers access to various social networks while on-the-go, as well as a handful of games that support asynchronous multiplayer via 3G. Mostly, though, it just offers a $50 bump to the usual Vita price of $250 (at least in the US). In Canada, however, the 3G version is getting bundled with Gravity Rush and Unit 13, and the whole shebang is launching on October 2 for $299.99. It’s unclear how much the unit will cost as a standalone (or if it’s even being offered that way), but we’ve asked Sony Canada for more info. 3G plans with Rogers run $15 and $30 for 30-day packages bundling 250MB or 5GB data streams, respectively.

Filed under: Gaming, Mobile

3G Vita headed to Canada via Rogers on Oct. 2, Canadian gamers remain non-plussed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Sep 2012 14:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Newsire  | Email this | Comments

Gaming accessories come in all shapes and sizes — replacement controllers, portable console suitcases, specialized mice, control augmenting nubs, you name it. Whatever your niche, you can bet there’s a product out there to fill it. Nyko, in particular, has made a bit of a habit of fulfilling a particular need: manufacturing third-party battery accessories for all those short-lived handhelds. The outfit has such a solid track record in the category, in fact, that we had little doubt its PlayStation Vita Power Grip ($25) would live up to its life-giving hype — but we decided to put it to the test all the same.

Continue reading Nyko Power Grip for PlayStation Vita review: a $25 accessory that promises to double your battery life

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Nyko Power Grip for PlayStation Vita review: a $25 accessory that promises to double your battery life originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments