The Sony Conference

-- PSP Go! --

Lets get started with the worst kept secret in video game history, the "PlayStation Portable Go!" This updated handheld was scheduled to be announced at Sony's pre E3 conference this past Tuesday but pictureds of the unit were leaked a day earlier. The system will sport a new design making it sleeker and with the lack of a UMD drive, it will be smaller and lighter, as well as have a brighter screen. The new "Go" model also sport Bluetooth connectivity. The system will be released somewhere around October 1st and will go for a MSRP of $249.99. Because there is no UMD drive, games will be stored onto the 16 Gigs of internal flash memory or users can use the new, smaller, Memory Sticks that are due out any time soon.

Alongside the "PSP Go" will be new software that is used for media management between your PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3 and PC. "Media Go" is a PC application that serves as a more PSN (PlayStation Network) focused update to Sony's earlier "Media manager" software. With media now being easily streamlined between platforms Sony plans to bring more TV Content to their PlayStation Store.

As a side note the standard PSP will now also be available in Pink as a bundle with "Hannah Montana: the Movie Game" All news aside here's a little heart to heart. I love the design of this new unit. Honestly, this should have been the way the system started out in the first place. While the aesthetics is a plus I do see some major negatives. First off, why would anyone in their right mind pay MORE for a "Sleeker" PSP when their current model system does the same thing? There are already 16 Gig memory sticks available. If a current PSP owner wanted to go all digital with their unit and not use the UMD's at all, it would be a bit cheaper using their current unit and a 16 Gig stick than buy a totally new unit. You can clearly see where Sony is trying to go with this update but all they did was give the PSP brand a pair of wings and clipped one of the wings so that the unit flies "half-assed". The other gripe I have about the "Go' is the lack of touch screen. Looking at the system when closed, it screams "stick touch screen here". I guess (on the portable side) Sony didn't want to blatantly steal any ideas from Nintendo.



-- Uncharted 2 Among Thieves --

After a very lengthy PSP announcement the audience was "rewarded" with what I would consider a VERY beautiful demo showing on Uncharted 2. It's no secret that I'm not a Sony fan but I will give them credit for making a decent first party game like Uncharted. Enjoy...



-- Mag Trailer --

After that lovely video of "Uncharted" Sony decided to give us what I would consider another tech demo. If "Uncharted" was to show the graphics quality of the PlayStation 3 then M.A.G is to give us a idea of the horsepower of the system. Sporting 256 players in a online game at one time. M.A.G. isn't my type of game but for the purpose of giving you a idea of what a 256 player online game looks, here's a video.



-- Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker (PSP) --

With the M.A.G demo being over Kijima Sam (Hideo Kojima) appears on the stage to talk about his latest PSP game, "Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker". Two small notes for the Sony MGS fan that will make them happy.

- Kojima is writing the script
- Game WILL be apart of the official MGS universe.
- Game seems to be about the creation of Outer Heaven



-- More Announcements --

Sony continues the conference with the following announcements...

- "Resident Evil", "Little Big Planet", "Rockband" and "Gran Turismo" will be released for PSP

- As of right now 50 PlayStation One classics including "Final Fantasy 7" are available from the PlayStation Network Store.

- "Lost Planet 2" Early 2010

- Rockstar's "Agent" is exclusive to the PlayStation 3. The game's setting takes place in the 1970's

-- Assassin's Creed 2 Trailer --

Announcements aside, a Ubisoft representative appears on the stage and gives us a lovely demo of Assassin's Creed 2



-- Final Fantasy 14 Online --

The Assassin's Creed trailer was followed by a major surprise for Final Fantasy fans.




-- Sony Takes Another Step Into Motion Gaming --

Here is Sony's answer to motion gaming. I present to you the PlayStation 3 Wand Controller...




-- Final Trailers ending the show --

Mod Nation Racing (Live Demo)



The Last Guardian (Trailer)



Gran Turismo 5 (Trailer)



God of War 3 (Live Demo)



-- Afterthoughts --

All in all, I have to say that this conference wasn't a bad one. I'm slightly disappointed that Sony stepped further into motion control the way they did but I think they got their message across and that was showing their game offering. Now that the Sony conference is out of the way, you can be sure to see my recap of Nintendo's conference SOON!