Editor’s Note: The following is a community post by PSLS reader Charlie Dove, who talks about his reservations for Black Ops 2.

Well as everyone reading this will know the next Call of Duty has inevitably been announced, and already a fair amount has been said about it. I imagine that many people reading this will be excited for the latest instalment in the long running series, I for one am not, and here’s why.

The first Call of Duty I played was COD4, most people will likely agree that it was a great game, even now I could happily play that game and still have fun for a little while. The next game in the series, World at War, was also fairly enjoyable for me, particularly with the introduction of Nazi Zombies, which was and still is my favourite mode in that game.

Since then however, I just don’t believe that it has been the same, well in some ways it has, and that’s the problem. One of my main reasons for a lack of interest in Black Ops 2 is simply that I’ve lost interest in the series because to me they all feel too similar. It has been over four years now since COD4 was released, and in many ways it still feels the same. I could switch from COD4 to WaW to Black Ops and not notice much of a difference in the gameplay. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, they have to be at least relatively similar after all they are in the same series. You could perhaps argue that Assassin’s Creed II, Brotherhood and Revelations are similar in some ways but they still had new elements to them. Call of Duty has had new features as well of course, but underneath it just all seems the same and I can honestly say that it’s gotten rather boring to me, I feel like there is nothing new to hold my interest and right now I can’t see that changing with the new release.

However, that does not mean that I will ignore Black Ops 2 completely, I will continue to read new details about it as they emerge and, who knows, this game could prove to be one that gets me interested again. This ‘near-futuristic’ setting sounds relatively interesting, and my favourite gamemode in the series (Zombies!) has already been confirmed as a part of the game. It’s only fair to give every game a chance, but personally it’s nothing for me to get excited about.

Well that just about covers it, I hope you guys can see where I’m coming from, though many of you (providing this actually wins the competition of course) will probably be sitting there wondering “what the f*** is this guy on about?”. Some might agree with me, though others surely won’t. This is purely my opinion and in my opinion Call of Duty just isn’t particularly interesting any more, but perhaps that’ll change later this year.

If you enjoyed Charlie Dove’s post, be sure to vote for it to win the community writer award once all the entrants are published.

© Community for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Each week Sony brings PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable owners new content, add-ons, games and more. PlayStation LifeStyle catalogs the PlayStation Store updates for the major regions across the globe. Check back every Tuesday and Wednesday to keep up to date with each week’s PlayStation Store Update.

** Note for other regions **

European PSN is updated on Wednesdays.

North American Update

PlayStation Plus Content

PSN Games

• Alex Kidd Miracle World ($4.99)
• Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock ($19.99)
• Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale (+Trial) ($14.99)
• Monster World IV ($4.99)
• Super Hang-On ($4.99)
• The Revenge Of Shinobi ($4.99)
• Wonder Boy In Monster Land ($4.99)
• Wonder Boy In Monster World ($4.99)

PS3 Games

• Sorcery Full Game ($39.99)
• Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition ($29.99)

PS Vita Games

• Table Top Tanks Full Game ($1.99)

Game Demos (free)

• Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale: Trial
• Journey Demo

PS3 Add-ons

• Dragon’s Dogma add ons (x3) ($0.99 – $1.99)
• Hyperdimension Neptunia Mk2 – Skill Pack (free)
• MotorStorm RC add ons (x3) (free – $0.49)
• Saints Row: The Third – Penthouse Pack ($2.99)
• Blur 2 Song Pack ($6.99)
• Soul Calibur V add ons (x5) ($0.99 – $1.99)
• Warriors Orochi 3 – Stage Pack 2 ($2.99)

Rock Band 3

• “FLIGHT OF ICARUS” – Iron Maiden ($1.99)
• “INFINITE DREAMS” – Iron Maiden ($1.99)
• “PHANTOM OF THE OPERA” – Iron Maiden ($1.99)
• “RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER” – Iron Maiden ($1.99)
• “SEVENTH SON OF A SEVENTH SON” – Iron Maiden ($1.99)
• “THE PRISONER” – Iron Maiden ($1.99)
• Artist pack ($9.99) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game album: MAIDEN EPICS. This pack includes “Flight of Icarus”, “Infinite Dreams”, “Phantom of the Opera” and “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”. By Iron Maiden.

Rock Band Network v2.0

• “AMAZING HORSE” – Weebl’s Stuff ($0.99)
• “KITTY FIGHT SONG” – Dance for the Dying ($0.99)
• “NO HOLY MAN” – Eden’s Curse ft. James LaBrie ($0.99)
• “THUG LOVE” – Dance for the Dying ($0.99)
• “VALLEYS” – Close Your Eyes ($1.99)

PS Vita Add-Ons

• MotorStorm RC (x3) (free – $0.49)
• Reality Fighters Ghostbusters Pack ($2.99)

Updates

• flOw (Sale) (PS3) (now $5.59, original price $7.99)
• flOw Bundle (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.29, original price $8.99)
• flOw Expansion Pack (Sale) (PS3) (now $2.09, original price $2.99)
• flOw PSP (Sale) (PSP) (now $5.59, original price $7.99)
• Flower (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
• Flower Soundtrack and Dynamic Theme Bundle (Sale) (PS3) (now $2.49, original price $4.99)
• Flower Dynamic Theme (Sale) (PS3) (now $1.49, original price $2.99)
• Flower Avatar Bundle 1 (Sale) (PS3) (now $0.75, original price $1.49)
• Flower Avatar Bundle 2 (Sale) (PS3) (now $0.75, original price $1.49)
• Sky Fighters (Sale) (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
• Young Thor – Minis (Sale) (PS3/PSP) (now $2.49, original price $4.99)
• Zombie Tycoon – Minis (Sale) (PS3/PSP) (now $2.49, original price $4.99)
  

Avatars

• Dragon’s Dogma Avatars (x10) ($0.49 each)
• Ghost Recon Future Soldier Ghost Avatars (x10) ($0.49 each)
• Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack Avatars (x8) ($0.49 Singles, $1.99 Bundle)

Game Videos (free)

• Batman Arkham City – Game Of The Year Announce Trailer
• PULSE 5/22 Edition
• Resistance: Burning Skies Multiplayer Trailer
• Rocksmith Offspring Preview Video (Trailer)
• Rocksmith The Police Preview Video (Trailer)
• Spec Ops: The Line – Narrative Trailer
• The Walking Dead – Launch Trailer

PS Vita Videos

• PULSE 5/22 Edition
• Resistance: Burning Skies Multiplayer Trailer

PS3 Themes

• Batman Arkham City – Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Dragon Age – Theme (free)
• Ghost Recon Future Soldier Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Hitman Absolution – Big City Vista Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

PSone Classics

• Alone In The Dark The New Nightmare ($5.99)

PS2 Classics

• Need for Speed Most Wanted ($9.99)
• Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain ($9.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Game Videos (free)

• PULSE 5/22 Edition

Next Page: European Update »

© Louis Edwards for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Escape Hatch Entertainment President and Chief Creative Officer Garry Gaber realized his goal for the funding of an original space combat game, after having a Kickstarter come down to the wire. Garry previously wrote a guest post about Starlight Inception (PC & PS Vita) on PSLS readers and gave us an interview about his plans for the game. In this new interview, Garry talks about the Kickstarter experience, when fans might be able to expect to see the game, what Escape Hatch has planned for the future, and more.

How does it feel to have reached your Kickstarter goal? What was the Kickstarter experience like for Escape Hatch?

It feels great. At last count, only one in four Kickstarter games were making it to completion, and we feel honored and humbled to amongst those projects. Our backers and fans are the greatest – they really stuck by us when we were on the bubble, and have been wonderful since the Kickstarter ended – they are making it possible to move forward so solidly on this game.

The Kickstarter experience was at times exciting, at other times nerve-wracking. We had a great first push, then a large drop off in the middle, punctuated with a light at the end of the tunnel built around events (i.e coverage from TotalBiscuit on YouTube). But nothing on Earth (or space) could prepare us for the rollercoaster ride that was the last day…

Now that the goal has been reached, has development on the game itself begun yet?

Yes. We are in the process of shoring up our preproduction – designing the art of the game, working out details of the logo, coming up with cool features on the programming side, setting up voice talent, etc.

How has supporter input affected plans for the game? Will gamers continually be able to offer feedback on the game? Will progress on the game be transparent to the gaming community?

The backers will have access to art and announcements before others – they are free to witness what happens in the development of the game, and we will be establishing a backer-only forum for just that purpose. They will also have a voice in the making of the game, but only as far as a focus group – Escape Hatch will still have final say and make the tough decisions as we move through the process – it is virtually impossible for 3700+ backers to come to consensus on every decision, and it would paralyze the process if we tried to do so. But, we stand by our ‘break down the ivory tower’ rule – we want backers to feel like they are heard, and we will make every effort to explain decisions, and to listen to what they suggest, especially if those suggestions work within our design and development framework.

If the development process is going to be more transparent, will that mean more demos, betas, etc. than usually released for retail games?

Absolutely – we promised players gritty realism, and they will definitely see the making of the game as it occurs, including more demos, alphas and betas, if they so chose.

Is Escape Hatch going to work on the PC and Vita versions of Starlight Inception simultaneously or one at a time?

Simultaneously. The same engine will be used for both, the same assets, and the same coding. We will tweak the control scheme for both platforms, but the core assets and code will be shared from beginning to end.

Will Escape Hatch be using any middleware or middleware engines (Unity, PhyreEngine, etc.) to develop the game on PC or Vita?

Yes, we are using a proprietary middleware solution.

Next Page >>

© nickmichetti for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Each week Sony brings PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable owners new content, add-ons, games and more. PlayStation LifeStyle catalogs the PlayStation Store updates for the major regions across the globe. Check back every Tuesday and Wednesday to keep up to date with each week’s PlayStation Store Update.

** Note for other regions **

European PSN is updated on Wednesdays.

North American Update

PlayStation Plus Content

Free PSN Game

• Rock of Ages

Discounts

• 50% off Goldeneye Reloaded
• 40% Off Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood Complete

PSN Games

• PixelJunk 4am Full Game ($9.99)

PS3 Full Games

• Rock Of Ages ($9.99)
• Jam Live Music Arcade ($9.99)
• Goldeneye 007 Reloaded ($59.99)
• Prototype 2 With Radnet Access Pack ($59.99)
• Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II ($14.99)

Game Demos (free)

• Batman Arkham City
• PixelJunk 4am
• Rock Of Ages
• Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II

PS3 Add-ons

• Asura’s Wrath – Lost Episode 2 ($1.99)
• Dungeon Defenders: Quest For The Lost Eternia Shards Part III ($3.99)
• Final Fantasy XIII add ons (x5) ($2.99 – $4.99)
• LittleBigPlanet 2 add ons (x5) ($1.99 – $5.99)
• Max Payne 3 – Gorilla Warfare Loadout Pack (free)
• MotorStorm RC add ons (x3) (free – $0.49 each)
• Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City – Echo Six Expansion Pack 2 ($9.99)
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 add ons (x4) (free)
• Two Worlds II: Defense ($2.99)
• UFC Undisputed 3 – Contenders Pack ($2.99)
• Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Multi-Player Pack ($4.99)
• Yakuza: Dead Souls add ons (x2) (free)
• Rocksmith – Come Out And Play By The Offspring ($2.99)
• Rocksmith – Gone Away By The Offspring ($2.99)
• Rocksmith – Self Esteem By The Offspring ($2.99)
• Rocksmith – The Offspring Song Pack ($7.99)

Rock Band 3

• “BRICK BY BORING BRICK” – Paramore ($1.99)
• “IGNORANCE” – Paramore ($1.99)
• “THE ONLY EXCEPTION” – Paramore ($1.99)
• “THE ONLY EXCEPTION (PRO GUITAR)” – Paramore ($0.99)
• Artist pack ($5.49) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game album: PARAMORE PACK 01. This pack includes “Brick By Boring Brick”, “Ignorance” and “The Only Exception”. By Paramore

Rock Band Network v2.0

• “BEER, METAL, TROLLS AND VOMIT!” – Nordheim ($1.99)
• “OCEAN FLOOR” – The Bunny the Bear ($1.99)
• “SONG FOR THE BROKEN” – Close Your Eyes ($1.99)
• “TOCCATA AND FUGUE IN D MINOR (BACH)” – Johann Sebastian Bach ($0.99)
• “YOUNGER LUNGS” – Less Than Jake ($1.99)

PS Vita Add-Ons

• MotorStorm RC add ons (x3) (free – $0.49 each)
• Reality Fighters Soccer Fight Pack ($2.99)
• Ridge Racer add ons (x4) ($1.49 – $2.49)

Updates

• 5-In-1 Arcade Hits – Minis (Sale) (PSP) (now $0.99, original price $1.99)
• Assassin’s Creed (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
• Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood – The Da Vinci Disappearance (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
• Assassin’s Creed II – Sequence 13 + Secret Locations (Sale) (PS3) (now $4.89, original price $6.99)
• Assassin’s Creed II: Sequence 12: Battle Of Forli (Sale) (PS3) (now $2.79, original price $3.99)
• Assassin’s Creed II Deluxe Edition Digital (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
• Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
• Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (Sale) (PS3) (now $20.99, original price $29.99)
• Beyond Good And Evil Hd (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
• Blimp: The Flying Adventures – Minis (Sale) (PSP) (now $0.99, original price $1.99)
• Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
• Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood Old West Map Pack (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
• Far Cry 2 (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
• Far Cry 2 Fortunes Pack (Sale) (now $3.49, original price $9.99)
• From Dust (Sale) (PS3) (now $10.49, original price $14.99)
• Might And Magic Clash Of Heroes (Sale) (PS3) (now $10.49, original price $14.99)
• Minisquadron – Minis (Sale) (PSP) (now $0.99, original price $1.99)
• One Epic Game – Minis (Sale) (PSP) (now $0.99, original price $1.99)
• Prince Of Persia (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
• Prince Of Persia Classic (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
• Prince Of Persia Classic Trilogy Hd (Bundle) (Sale) (PS3) (now $27.99, original price $39.99)
• Prince Of Persia: Epilogue Dlc (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
• Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time (Sale) (PS3) (now $10.49, original price $14.99)
• Prince Of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
• Prince Of Persia: The Two Thrones (Sale) (PS3) (now $10.49, original price $14.99)
• Prince Of Persia: Warrior Within (Sale) (PS3) (now $10.49, original price $14.99)
• Ricochet Hd (Sale) (PS3) (now $2.74, original price $4.99)
• Scott Pilgrim (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
• The Impossible Game – Minis (Sale) (PSP) (now $0.99, original price $1.99)
• Magic 2012 Gold Deck Bundle (Sale) (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
• Magic: The Gathering – Dules of the Planeswalkers 2012 Gold Bundle (Sale) (PS3) (now $9.99, original price $19.99)
• Outland (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
• Scott Pilgrim – Knives Chau Add-On Pack (Sale) (PS3) (now $1.39, original price $1.99)
• Final Fight: Double Impact (Sale) (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)

Game Videos (free)

• Assassin’s Creed III Announcement Trailer
• Darksiders 2: Death Strikes: Part I Trailer
• Darksiders 2: Behind The Mask: Death Rises Trailer
• Darksiders 2: Behind The Mask: Deaths World Trailer
• Darksiders 2: Death Eternal Trailer
• Far Cry 3 Dr. Earnhardt Gameplay Trailer
• Game Of Thrones – The Wall Trailer
• Game Of Thrones – This Is War Trailer
• Game Of Thrones- Winter Trailer
• Medal Of Honor Warfighter Announce Trailer
• Medal Of Honor Warfighter Gameplay 1 Trailer
• Sleeping Dogs Driving Trailer
• Sleeping Dogs Undercover: Hong Kong Trailer
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier: Ghost Recon Alpha

PS3 Themes

• Dynamic Beautiful Girl 3 ($2.99)
• Max Payne 3 Premium Theme ($1.99)

PSone Classics

• Myst ($5.99)

PS2 Classics

• Red Faction 2 ($5.99)

Bundles

• Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood Complete Edition ($24.99)
• Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood Complete Edition ($19.99)
• Far Cry 2 Complete Edition ($19.99)
• Prince Of Persia Complete Edition ($19.99)
• Scott Pilgrim Complete Edition ($7.99)

Music

• Sorcery Soundtrack ($4.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

PSP minis

• Velocity- Minis ($4.99)

Next Page: European Update »

© Louis Edwards for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us

Editor’s Note: The following is a community post by PSLS reader Kick_in_ur_Face, who says a fond goodbye to Metal Gear Online, which is sadly shutting down on June 12th, 2012.

Metal Gear Online, or MGO as it was known to its players, will be ending soon in June. It is the best multiplayer I have ever played, and as a tribute I can simply write about my memories of such a game, but there are of course ups and downs of Metal Gear Online.

Let’s start at the beginning: In the early days of MGO it was impossible to join a game without Aim Bots. The memory that always comes to mind is the one I tell the most. I remember on the map “U.U.” I saw an enemy across the bridge, a distance shot, and I wasn’t the best shot at this time. I aimed; fired one shot and missed. This player, as I fired, turned around and shot me between the eyes, and before I even began to fall down, the player had already turned around and was continuing on his path. Konami soon did away with the majority of Aim Bots, but they still exist even though people dispute the fact. Even with such shenanigans, the game was extremely fun. I dreamed about MGO when I was sleeping and I dreamed of MGO when I was awake. I was a great sniper in my hayday. M.M. is the map of choice for sniping and my fondest memory is me taking on 3 snipers and destroying them all. 3 up, 3 down, respawn and 3 more down – those were the days. Learning how to knife made the game even better. Waiting for that one person to come around the corner just so you can toss him down, and use your stun knife and then eventually use your knife to completely kill him.

Then there was the time I remember where the opponent used a DSR-1 (one shot sniper rifle) to kill members of our team and I ran out with an AK47, aimed at his head and got a headshot while he killed me with his cheap tactics. You just know when you’re better than someone else and you have to take the moral victory. These were all fun memories for me but there were some bad too. Everyone knows about the horrible lag that came with MGO. Hit someone with a grenade and they go flying, and if you don’t kill them right away they disappear and reappear about 5 feet from where they were and now they have a free shot on you. That’s not really a problem but an inconvenience. I always had a rule – if they are wearing Red they are cheaters. The people in red always did the impossible shots. I was watching YouTube MGO videos and this guy was simply shooting at spots before someone was there and getting massive kills and in the comments people were saying you’re the best player but I call bullshit. When your reticule doesn’t drop below the neck, EVER, you’re full of shit.

But let’s get into the other problems I had. All the problems I have mentioned are issues, but you can deal with those. What I couldn’t deal with were the whiners. Oh my god; the whiners! In MGO you had the ability to create games and set all parameters from what guns you could use to what game type and map you were playing. It got completely annoying. If a host sucked against grenades he simply removed them from play. Some games you played with no sniper rifles or no rifles in general. What I really hated was when you’re just trying to play a Team Stealth Game and there are special rules of how to play it. The constant special rule on all Team Stealth games was NO RUSHING! The players turned the game type into Hide and Seek. You sat back as the invisible team and waited for the defending team to come find you. It was completely boring. All you would hear was “Kick Him, He’s Rushing!” Oddly enough these weren’t the only whiners in the game. When you kill anyone who was a higher level than you they would either leave to protect their stats or they would come on the mic and be like “that guy is cheating, I’m too good and if he’s killing me, he must be cheating”. This game was killed by the players. You just couldn’t have fun anymore. Between the special rules (literally in every game) and the whiners who played them, there was no point anymore. This was the longest I have ever played multiplayer and it was the greatest experience I have ever had. I no longer play MGO but will be sad when the game goes offline. Farewell Metal Gear Online. Long live H34dHuNtEr and Raidens_Clone.

If you enjoyed Kick_in_ur_Face’s post, be sure to vote for it to win the community writer award once all the entrants are published.

© Sebastian Moss for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Editor’s Note: The following is a community post by PSLS reader Jay Cochran, who explains how Call of Duty went from a great shooter series to shameless cash cow.

What happened to Call of Duty? Why is it that this franchise that used to draw us in with great first-person shooter action has now become a monotonous money-machine?

We all have our memories of playing for hours on end, getting that elusive killstreak, or maybe obtaining the weapon to bring you to the “next level” . We were praising the games that unarguably changed the face of First Person Shooters and the gaming industry in general. Call of Duty, Call of Duty 3, Call of Duty 4, then Modern Warfare 2. Activision churned out hit after hit, and gamers (myself included) ate it up. Those games were GOOD GAMES. Games that were universally acclaimed. But unbeknownst to us, there was a monster waiting behind the curtain.

He started to be revealed in January of 2008, 2 months after the release of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. The game had already sold 7 million copies in those short three months, making it the best-selling game of ’07. Keep in mind that it beat out games that had an 11 month head start to sell copies. It was a hot topic; the sales were incredible. The monster was curious.

As the monster thought, Treyarch handled the next Call of Duty release: World at War, which received a notable amount of success. But the monster didn’t notice; he had an idea.

Development on a sequel to Modern Warfare started. On March 2009, the highly anticipated trailer for the newly named Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was revealed. Rumors and excitement flooded the gaming community. MW2 would become the most-preordered game in Infinity Ward’s history before the end of the year. The game hadn’t even released yet, and the hype was staggering. When the actual game did release on November 2009, it sold more than half of the copies that Modern Warfare one sold in total…overnight. Activision wasn’t one-arming, though. They had a partnership with Monster Energy, a day one comic book, a set of Modern Warfare 2 branded controllers, and a nice controversial level to hype the other demographics up. It worked. In four months, the game had sold over 10 million copies, easily beating the original. The monster was hungry now.

Small voices in the community gave Modern Warfare 2 a minor criticism. “…Infinity Ward repeats a lot of tricks from the first game. (IGN UK)” It was a small complaint to be sure, but one that wouldn’t be repeated later…right?

The monster saw potential. Solid sales, firm fanbase. How could this work to his advantage? Then his idea came: certainly one new Call of Duty annually couldn’t hurt, if only to test the consumer waters. It had been released annually before, but this would be a real attempt. It was decided. The already forgotten Treyarch would take the reins for the first truly annual release.

Activision led an eager fanbase through 2010 with trailers and a wave of hype. When Call of Duty: Black Ops finally launched, it sold 5.7 million units overnight. Surpassing even the ridiculously famous MW2‘s overnight in a flash.

I look back at this exact moment and think. On Activsion’s side, we have a new game that has practically already beat MW2. On the consumers’ side we have…

“A game which feels more like an update than a real sequel (Edge Magazine)” The annual release was already starting to show a sign of wear, even after just a short year. But the monster wasn’t stopping, no. The sales spoke louder than the critics, and the behemoth plowed on. An ad campaign for Modern Warfare 3 started only 6 months after the release of Black Ops, adored by fans, but already forgotten by the beast.

MW3 sold 6.5 million copies (now a given) overnight with an estimated total of $400 million dollars in Activision’s pocket, and another release already planned. “The fun you have is familiar (Gamespot)”, wasn’t stopping the Call of Duty train.

MW3 is already slipping into memory as the gaming world is abuzz with the debut trailer of this year’s Black Ops 2. Does it ever stop?

No, the question is: “does it ever change?” I’m astounded at the sales, the units sold, and the hype, but I’m not astounded at the game itself anymore. And isn’t that what matters most? I hold by the belief that an independent game made from money literally from the dev’s pocket can provide a deeper experience than a triple-A title. It’s not about if the games look or sound good: it’s about if they are fun. It’s about if the customer is getting what they want. The sales say they are, but I think otherwise. I see on a public level a growing distrust of the franchise and, on a private level, I see the loss of a great series of games for a cheap business model. A cash-in. No game should be that. When will you change, Activision?

If you enjoyed Jay Cochran’s post, be sure to vote for it to win the community writer award once all the entrants are published.

© Community for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Editor’s Note: The following is a community post by PSLS member kyuubi_clone, who discusses how online anonymity has ruined multiplayer gaming.

I wanted to talk about what the state of gaming has become. There was once a time when games were playable at home with earlier consoles, and the only way we could play with friends was when they came over to visit or if we went over to visit them. Now, times have changed for the better (mostly). We can play with any and everybody from all over the world with just the click of a button – amazing! But, with all that available at our disposal, somehow, the douchebag/keyboard warrior was born.

This new breed of gamers are killing the fun in games. They constantly look for glitches and cheats on YouTube for their favorite games and then they come online to cheat their way to the top – all while yelling insults and whatever derogatory remarks they can utter through their microphone. Sometimes, they come onto the forums of their favorite games just to troll the community and annoy the gamers that actually came to the forums for help or advice pertaining to the game. Why? Why do they go through all this trouble to be a nuisance? Because they are/can be anonymous. Plain and simple.

Back in the early days of gaming, you had to actually face your opponent, you had to be there side by side competing or cooperating. You had to have some serious balls to insult the random dude playing against or with you. Online gaming is not for the faint-hearted, it is not a safe environment for underage children, not with all the cussing, racism, homophobia, hate etc. People can be very, very mean to you for no reason whatsoever. How times have changed – instead of progressing with technology, it seems we are regressing to a more primitive way of interacting with our fellow man. It has become such an issue that some states are looking into making laws to prevent cyber bullying and trolling, making it an illegal and punishable offense.

Will there ever be a day when we can return to a world where we respect the random gamer? Will we ever have consideration for the gamers that may be disabled or color-blind? Not every gamer may be as good as you, or have lightning-fast reflexes like you do, some may be missing fingers or thumbs, or some may have really terrible internet connections. Nevertheless, we should not berate these gamers for something that may out of their control. Often, I’ve heard gamers insult others over their playstyle or connection, calling them poor, retarded, *insert random nationality here*, etc.

In essence, this new breed of gamer is killing off the offline community. Numerous games and their communities are branded as immature, n00bish and pubescent. The games lose good community members to these tryhard easy-mode gamers. It seems all they like doing is boasting about their stats online to measure their e-peen. Many friends and gamers alike are returning to their single player games because of the frustration that comes with the online fraternity. Ashamed that their family might end up hearing some random tryhard cussing at the top of his voice because he’s having a bad game or afraid that they may be insulted by the random child that’s being babysit by a console. Honestly, gamers really need to practice some online etiquette. It makes for a much more rewarding online experience, it makes it easier to make friends and influence people to be more respectful to others. The human stain on online gaming can be a pleasant one if WE choose for it to be as such, we just have to have consideration for others and their families that might be watching them play or be playing with them. All we have to do is evolve to complement the technology as it advances.

If you enjoyed kyuubi_clone’s post, be sure to vote for it to win the community writer award once all the entrants are published.

© Community for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Editor’s Note: The following is a community post by PSLS member irishglass, who paints a bleak future for disabled gamers if the next generation is all about motion-controls.

This generation of consoles has definitely been an exciting one, a generation which saw a change in how we play games. Nintendo got the ball rolling with the Wii, a console that invited everyone to play, even your grandma. It was an idea which was a huge success, so huge that both Sony and Microsoft felt they needed to jump on the motion bandwagon ASAP with the Move and Kinect respectfully and so came a new age where the whole family can play together… well not quite.

I’m a disabled gamer – my disability is that I’m legally blind. I still have my vision but it’s very poor and I need to be close to the TV when playing as to see what I’m doing. My only remedy to this seems to be buying a bigger TV which, for the most part, seems to do the trick, until of course I try to play a game with motion controls. It seems that one of the biggest drawbacks of motion controls is that they require the player to be at a certain distance from its sensor bar (most notably Kinect with a suggested 6-8 feet) something which immediately makes me give up. At the moment these controllers are optional, as you don’t need to buy a Move or a Kinect, but with both Sony and MS claiming their devices are a success it seems to blow the door wide open for standard integration with next generation consoles, something that would make developers more inclined to use them as required features for gameplay.

The idea of motion controls seems to be to get people off the sofa and have “an experience the whole family can enjoy”. But it seems a trade-off had to be made to get the grandparents involved, and we have had to put the disabled out into the cold – and this doesn’t just apply to me or any other gamers who are visually impaired, but anyone with physical disability. Fun party games that require you to jump around in front of a camera are a “neddy no no” if you’re confined to a wheelchair, and those of you who have low mobility in your arms and can only play while having a controller on your lap better think twice before picking up games that make you use a wand like a sword.

So what can be done to make sure everyone can indeed enjoy the experiences of a PS4 or an Xbox 720? Motion controls being a key part in next-gen systems is just a guess at the moment as nothing has been officially announced, but in the likely event that it’s true, making it a requirement that all games must have full support for a regular controller would be a good start. But if you have a console with unique features you might want the devs to focus on them to push your system. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens.

Should disabled gamers be excited for the next generation or not? All we can do is wait and see.

If you enjoyed irishglass’ post, be sure to vote for it to win the community writer award once all the entrants are published.

© Sebastian Moss for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Editor’s Note: The following is a community post by PSLS member Ariana H., which questions why we all crave old ‘classic’ games.

If there is one thing that this generation of gamers wants, it’s the classics. Depending on who you ask, the reason for this is different. Some believe that when gaming was new, everything was exciting – despite being worthy of applause or not. Every game was innovative because nothing had been done before. It was the beginning. A lot of today’s games can be likened to the situation movie makers are in today – most movies are either a sequel or remake. There’s no need to think of something new when you have such a vast library to build upon.

Then you have those who credit it to nostalgia. A yearning for a piece of the past, a gateway to lost youth and vigor. Much like an early onset of a mid-life crisis, a lack of connection to the current “it” generation has us reaching for familiarity.

I, on the other hand, believe it’s how the demands of yesterday’s gamers have shaped today’s market. In the past, a lack of graphical capabilities caused a demand for more realistic games. Which, in turn, took away the “escape” of reality I look for in games.

Another factor for me personally is the small amount of local co-op games. I fondly recall slumber parties spent playing Crash Bandicoot and making memories with my friends. Those games are few and far between nowadays. Most of the time we just play a game and then move on to the next one.

The increase of Indie games, however, has my hope for the future growing. With more people able to turn their ideas into action, innovation is again on the rise. My hope is that we will yet again have games that can impart lasting memories we can cherish.

If you enjoyed Ariana’s post, be sure to vote for it to win the community writer award once all the entrants are published.

© Community for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Editor’s Note: The following is a community post by PSLS reader Oversun, who talks about what you should take into consideration before you dedicate your life to the awesome profession of game development.

Disclaimer: I’m going to write about what kind of mindset you should have if you want to be a game developer, even though I’m not a developer myself. Despite that, I am a freshman game programming student and I read articles and blog posts by professional developers, so, at the very least, I’m not utterly clueless.

I’m sure many gamers have played a game when they were kids and thought something along the lines of, “I wish I could make a game like that! I wanna make games when I grow up!”

Generally, anyone who wants to make games falls into one of two categories. First, there are people who daydream about their own game concepts, outlining every main game mechanic in their head and perhaps writing stories and drawing characters. This type of person thinks about the abstract, high-level side of games, and usually aims to become a game designer, artist, or writer.

Other people spend their time learning programming languages like C++ and perhaps making programs using Adobe Flash or the Windows API. This type of person thinks about the technical, low-level side of games, and usually aims to be a game programmer.

Of course, some people may fit a little in both categories, but a majority of the people who hope to be a game developer belong in the first, high-level thinker category. After all, it’s the high-level side of games that makes us excited. When we play video games, we don’t think about how the game engine loads objects into the level, bounces a ball off a wall, or draws everything onto a back buffer before switching that buffer with the one that’s displayed on the screen. We just think about what we see, what we hear, and how to play the game.

Unfortunately, being creative is not enough to make a game or get you hired. Simply put, ideas are cheap and no one will hire you to make ideas all day. So if you want to be a high-level game designer, you need to know a skill that is related to games. The question is, what kind of skill?

First of all, there is no easy way to quickly become a game designer. There are schools where you can attend a game design program and graduate in less than four years, but few companies want to hire a game designer straight out of college. The way most people become a designer is they first work as a programmer or artist and gain experience until they get an opportunity to be a designer. That, or they form their own development team.

With that out of the way, if you want to be a game developer and you can program, draw, or write, and you enjoy doing it, then that’s clearly the best way to start working your way into game design.

But what if you don’t have any these skills? What if you love making game concepts in your head, but you’re not good at doing anything but playing games?

If that’s the case, then just give up any hopes you have of making a game. Game development is a painful process that is nothing like playing games (I’m sure there’s some people who don’t know that already). Even game artists need not only artistic talent, but they need to know how to use software to create 2D and 3D animations, among other things.

And don’t even think about learning programming from scratch. Game programmers need to know how to program all of the nitty-gritty details in games, like loading objects into a level, bouncing a ball off a wall, and double buffering (look six paragraphs back). Just forget about making your dream game and stick to your controller, punk.

However, if you earnestly, sincerely want to make games, and the last several sentences haven’t dissuaded you, then go for it. Is it possible to be a game developer without any technical knowledge? Well, I never wrote a single line of code until a year ago, and I’m currently in the second semester of my freshman year as a game programming major, so it might be possible (If you ask me again in three or four years, I might have a more definite answer).

I won’t talk about the subjects you need to study to be able to program, since I would need a whole new article for that, but once you have the passion and determination, you should search for a school with a game-related major near you and start studying ahead of time. Becoming a game developer is definitely a long, painful process, but if you’re convinced the end result will be worth it, then buckle up and bring your A-game.

If you enjoyed Oversun’s post, be sure to vote for it to win the community writer award once all the entrants are published.

© Community for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us

After announcing a community post competition only a week ago, we’ve been truly blown away by the number and quality of entries, so stay tuned to read all the ones that qualified!

Over the coming week, we’ll be posting all the submissions for you to read, and at the end we’ll give you the chance to vote for your favorite, with the winner getting $20 on PSN.

Missed the community post competition, but still want to have your voice heard? While you won’t be a part of this competition, feel free to send any posts to community@playstationlifestyle.net and you could still be featured on the site (and we might give you a code for a minis).

© Sebastian Moss for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Each week Sony brings PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable owners new content, add-ons, games and more. PlayStation LifeStyle catalogs the PlayStation Store updates for the major regions across the globe. Check back every Tuesday and Wednesday to keep up to date with each week’s PlayStation Store Update.

** Note for other regions **

European PSN is updated on Wednesdays.

This Week’s Highlights:

North American Update

PlayStation Plus Content

PSN Games

• Datura Full Game ($9.99)

PS3 Full Games

• Need for Speed The Run ($39.99)
• Saints Row: The Third ($59.99)

Game Demos (free)

• Spec Ops: The Line

PS3 Add-ons

• ASURA’S WRATH Lost Episode 1 ($1.99)
• Disgaea 4 add ons (x5) ($0.99 – $12.99)
• Dynasty Warriors 7 add ons (x4) ($0.99 – $2.99)
• MotorStorm RC add ons (x3) (Free – $0.49)
• Prototype 2 Colossal Mayhem Pack ($4.99)
• Scarygirl – Enemy Within ($1.99)
• SingStar Song Pack ($6.99)
• Soul Calibur V add ons (x5) (free – $1.99)
• Street Fighter X Tekken (x7) (free – $1.99)
• UFC Undisputed 3 – Ultimate Fights: Knockout Pack ($4.99)

Rock Band 3

• “Bombtrack” – Rage Against the Machine ($1.99)
• “Killing in the Name” – Rage Against the Machine ($1.99)
• “Sleep Now in the Fire” – Rage Against the Machine ($1.99)
• Artist pack ($5.49) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game album: RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE PACK 01. This pack includes “Bombtrack,” “Killing in the Name,” and “Sleep Now in the Fire” by Rage Against the Machine.

Rock Band Network v2.0

• “A Bullet in the Head” – Anarchy Club ($1.99)
• “Back Through Time” – Alestorm ($1.99)
• “Force Feedback” – Machinae Supremacy ($1.99)
• “Nemeses” – Jonathan Coulton ft. John Roderick ($1.99)
• “The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle” – A Day to Remember ($1.99)

PS Vita Add-Ons

• Dynasty Warriors Next add ons (x12) ($0.99 – $4.99)
• MotorStorm RC add ons (x3) (Free – $0.49)
• Reality Fighters Weapons Pack (free)

Updates

• Caterpillar – Minis (Sale) (PSP) (now $1.49, original price $2.99)
• Cuboid (Sale) (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
• Magic Orbz (Sale) (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
• Panda Craze (Sale) (PS3) (now $1.49, original price $2.99)
• PixelJunk 3-in-1 Pack PS3 Bundle Sale (PS3) (now $2.00, original price $19.99)
• PixelJunk Eden PS3 Sale (PS3) (now $1.00, original price $9.99)
• PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe PSP Sale (PSP) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
• PixelJunk Monsters PS3 Sale (PS3) (now $1.00, original price $9.99)
• PixelJunk Racers 2nd Lap PS3 Sale (PS3) (now $1.00, original price $6.99)
• PixelJunk Shooter 2 PS3 Sale (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
• PixelJunk Shooter PS3 Sale (PS3) (now $1.00, original price $9.99)
• PixelJunk Side Scroller PS3 Sale (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
• UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves Drake’s Fortune Multiplayer Pack (Price Change) (PS3) (now FREE, original price $2.99)
• UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves Golden Gun Pack (Price Change) (PS3) (now FREE, original price $0.99)
• UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves PlayStation Heroes Skin Pack (Price Change) (PS3) (now FREE, original price $2.49)
• UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves Sidekicks Skin Pack (Price Change) (PS3) (now FREE, original price $1.49)
• UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves Siege Expansion Pack (Price Change) (PS3) (now FREE, original price $2.99)
  

Game Videos (free)

• Awesomenauts Release Trailer
• Awesomenauts: Meet The Awesomenauts Trailer
• Datura Trailer
• Dust 514: Eve Fanfest 2012 Cinematic Trailer
• FIFA Soccer 12 Uefa Euro 2012 Announcement Trailer
• God of War Ascension Multiplayer Announce Event
• GT Academy 2012 Announce Video
• Hell Yeah! Wrath Of The Dead Rabbit Announcement Trailer
• PULSE 5/8 Edition

PS Vita Videos (free)

• PULSE 5/8 Edition

PS3 Themes

• Amphenge Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Heart Rate Monitor Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Marines – The Few The Proud Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

PSP minis

• Knight Fortix 2 ($4.99)

Game Videos (free)

• PULSE 5/8 Edition

PSP Themes

• Amphenge PSP Theme ($1.49)

Next Page: European Update »

© Louis Edwards for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | No comments | Add to del.icio.us

With the PlayStation 4, Orbis (or whatever the heck you want to call it) looming on the horizon, there’s been a lot of speculation regarding what we’ll see from Sony and their new box. The PlayStation 3 has brought a number of new features – for better or worse – into the fray since its launch in 2006, and we can’t help but wonder which will make the cut for Sony’s next console. As such, Alex Osborn and Sebastian Moss have put together a list of some of the PS3′s most noteworthy features and broken down whether or not we think Sony will bring them to the next proper PlayStation.

Note: Features like Blu-ray and Trophy support have not been included in the list because, well, they’re basically a given at this point.

PlayStation Home

Alex Osborn: I will never forget the day Sony first revealed PlayStation Home. In a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief I found myself incredibly skeptical toward the online hangout hub, and with good reason. Now that it’s been out for a good three years or so, the service has yet to prove its worth, and I don’t think anyone will argue against the fact that such a day will never come. PlayStation Home was a colossal failure and one that Sony would be downright stupid to carry over to the PlayStation 4.

As such, I believe it is fair to say that no, PlayStation Home will not survive the transition to the Orbis. While it’s certainly possible that Sony may attempt to reboot it as a more robust and enjoyable hub for the next-gen, there’s just such a negative stigma that currently surrounds the service that anything even resembling Home would be a turnoff to most gamers. So, even if we do see some sort of evolution of the service, it would have to be so vastly different that it’s virtually unrecognizable. Sony has got to lay this one to rest.

Verdict: Won’t

Sebastian Moss: I think it’s fair to say that while Home has never been the big hit that Sony thought it would be, it still has a sizeable userbase that measures in the millions – a figure that can’t be said for a lot of Sony’s first party games. Having Home on PS4 would guarantee those millions upgrade, and Sony will certainly want to try and come up with as many reasons to make people upgrade as possible. There’s also a small niche of developers who are happy to keep pumping out Home games and content at a profit, and after the revamp the service has become a bit more interesting. The expensive and difficult part of Home – getting it all to connect and work – has been sorted, all Sony now has to do is let developers create content for the platform and take a percentage of the profits. In fact, I wouldn’t be that surprised if the PS4 integrated Home to a greater degree, with profile pictures being Home avatars, so that people buy shirts and hats and rubbish like that.

Verdict: Will

Remote Play

AO: The PS3′s remote play option has got to be one of the most criminally underused features of the system. Fortunately, it looks like Sony has been wisely evolving this idea of remote play by taking the concept to the next level, namely cross-platform play. With the PS Vita now essentially serving as your own portable PS3, the potential for inter-connectivity between the two is endless. Sony would be foolish to not take advantage of the link that the two devices share.

So does this mean that we’ll see remote play on the PS4? Well, yes and no. Yes in the fact that the connectivity between the Vita and Orbis will present, but no in terms of the actual labeling of the functionality. “Remote play” itself will likely be no more in favor of a more intimate level of interactivity. We’ve all seen what Nintendo is planning with the Wii U and its tablet controller, so what is stopping Sony from doing the same with the Vita and the PS4?

Verdict: Won’t in name, will in concept

SM: I’d just like to use this opportunity to once again state that Sony has seriously messed up the Vita’s Remote Play to the PS3. They promised way better remote play – hell, they even advertised it – so that really needs to be upgraded before someone complains to the Better Business Bureau.

As to the PS4, I hope that they will get their act together. A lot will be based on how many Vitas have been sold by 2013/14 when the PS4 launches – if it’s tanked then no developer is going to bother integrating Wii U-like features into their games. Even if it’s a success, I still don’t see it happening, as it requires two expensive devices, rather than one Wii U. At best, we can hope for proper Remote Play game streaming, and the occasional inter-connectivity gimmick on first party games.

Verdict: Will be there, but probably still crap

PlayStation Move

AO: This one has got to be the toughest. The Move controller has seen hardly any support since it launched, with most of the titles simply featuring it as a tacked-on control option. Aside from Sony’s upcoming title Sorcery, there is nothing even remotely appealing software-wise that has been built from the ground up with the Move in mind. So why isn’t this one a no-brainer?  Why wouldn’t Sony just scrap the Move and leave its failures in the past? It is important to remember that the Move itself is essentially two parts, the wand/navigation controllers and the PlayStation Eye camera. Sony saw a favorable amount of success with the PS Eye back in the days of the PlayStation 2, so it would be hard to imagine them abandoning motion controls entirely in the next-gen – as much as I desperately want them to.

So, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a new and improved Eye camera that bears a striking resemblance to Microsoft’s Kinect. After all, Sony’s mantra as of late has been “Copy the Competition” so it certainly isn’t out of the question. Will we see that goofy looking wand and navigation attachment? I’m guessing no.

Verdict: Won’t see wand, will see revamped PS Eye

SM: I have to completely disagree there – the Move is a brilliant piece of tech that is almost 1:1. The only real problem with the hardware is that the PS Eye is worse than a $3 webcam and can’t spot it half the time. Yes to changing the Eye, no to losing the Move. Both gives them the ultimate package. Plus, the Move already has an install base of 8-or-so million, which Sony would be silly to just ignore. Add that to the fact that Zindagi are making a Move game for next-gen platforms, and it seems like that’s the plan.

Verdict: Will see wand, will see revamped PS Eye

SixAxis

AO: When Sony first launched the PS3, they were all about the controller’s SixAxis functionality. I’m sure I don’t need to remind you how the story ends, as the company quickly remedied the gimmick by relaunching the controller as the DualShock 3, complete with both rumble and tilt controls. While we hardly see the SixAxis controls used in today’s games, I’m pretty confident that Sony will bring it over to the PS4′s standard controller. After all, indie games like Flower and Journey made excellent use of the added control option.

Not only that, but it clearly doesn’t appear to be all that much of a hassle for them to simply throw it in there. Heck, look at how they’ve managed to cram just about every control option possible in the PS Vita. Sony likes to cover as many bases as possible, and since they’ve already got the tech locked down, there’s no real reason to remove it. SixAxis isn’t obtrusive and certainly won’t do the controller any harm by being there.

Verdict: Will

SM: Thing is, it is a hassle to put it in there. It costs money to add the accelerometer to every single controller, and they have to include one with every single PS4, as well as selling them separately. Sony can’t afford to support a gimmick just so people can play Flower (Journey hardly used it). Developers didn’t embrace it this gen, they won’t next gen.

Verdict: Won’t

Backwards Compatibility

AO: At this point in the game, anyone who is still holding out hope that you’ll be able to pop a PSone, PS2 or PS3 disc in your PS4 and actually play it needs a reality check. Sony abandoned PS2 backwards compatibility early in the life of the PS3 and started releasing high-def collections of the popular PS2 titles. Since there is a huge market for re-releasing games in this fashion, don’t be surprised to see them pull a similar trick next generation.

It is also worth noting that the move to the digital space is growing ever popular, with both Sony’s PSone and PS2 libraries beginning to fill out nicely on the PlayStation Store. Once again, if there is no backwards compatibility in the PS4, then they’ll be able to get you to repurchase all of this content digitally, earning them a pretty penny. It also goes without saying that by not building this feature into the system, they’ll be able to save money on the hardware and possibly even sell it for a reasonable price at launch. Hey, one can always dream, right?

Verdict: Won’t

SM: I think there are two things that will stop PS3 backwards compatibility – the money on upgrades, and the technical impossibility. If rumored specs are anything to go by, then Sony are moving away from the cell, which would make backwards compatibility very difficult. If they stick with cell, then I still think they’ll want to sell people digital content and upgrades, so it still won’t be there.

Verdict: Probably won’t

PlayStation Plus

AO: I know a lot of gamers who swear by PlayStation Plus. I personally am not a subscriber, but I do see the allure. Sony has done a great job of getting people to pay for their online service and avoid an onslaught of complaints similar to those that Xbox gamers have been leveling at Microsoft for Xbox Live Gold. The main reason for this is simple, Sony still allows gamers to play online with their friends for free. By marketing PS Plus as an “exclusive service” rather than a necessary yearly subscription, they’ve won over a large chunk of the gaming public.

Because of this, there is really no reason to think that Sony would cancel the service when the PS4 inevitably rolls out. There are way too many gamers hooked on all of the free content and Sony is undoubtedly making a decent amount off of subscription fees. In the end it looks like it’s a win-win situation and you’d be insane to turn your back on something like that.

Verdict: Will

SM: Yeah, I don’t see why not, it makes sense and it’s probably profitable. We’ll probably see more and more PS+ content become PS4 stuff only, to ensure the few million subscribers have to upgrade. I just hope that they don’t also turn it into an XBL-style service where you have to pay to play online.

Verdict: Will, Probably Will be More Constrained

Well there you have it, our predictions on what Sony will and won’t be bringing to the next PlayStation. Agree with our thoughts? Disagree with every ounce of your being? Lets us know what you think we’ll Sony pack in the PS4 in the comments below.

© Alex for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us

It’s time for yet another PSLS competition, and this time we’re starting a whole new feature – Community Posts! Want to have your voice heard, and compete to win something? Read on!

We want to hear from you and let you share your opinion. Plus we want to give one of you $20 on PSN.

Excited that COD:BLOPS2 is going near-future? Angered at how it’s becoming harder and harder to be a used-game gamer? Have some fan-fiction? Disagree with a PSLS editorial or webcomic? Write about whatever you want as long as it’s about gaming.

Send us your community post to community@playstationlifestyle.net and we’ll publish the best right here on PSLS for everyone to see, and award the very best with $20 on PSN!

Some rules:

• Don’t include inappropriate content – sexism, racism, crudely explicit language (minor swearing is allowed)
• Only send stuff you made, or have permission of the content owner
• Copy the content into the body of the email, rather than as an attached file
• Tell us the name, PSN ID or PSLS username you want to be published under
• A maximum of two entries per person, further entries may be published, but not counted for the competition.

Keep the posts between 300-800 words long and please use correct grammar and spelling. Posts will be edited to fix any errors, but the tone of the post will not be changed.

Competition ends next Wednesday, 5pm EST. Best of luck!

If you have any further questions, feel free to ask them below or email me at sebastian.moss@playstationlifestyle.net.

© Sebastian Moss for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Each week Sony brings PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable owners new content, add-ons, games and more. PlayStation LifeStyle catalogs the PlayStation Store updates for the major regions across the globe. Check back every Tuesday and Wednesday to keep up to date with each week’s PlayStation Store Update.

** Note for other regions **

European PSN is updated on Wednesdays.

North American Update

PlayStation Plus Content

PSN Games

• Awesomenauts ($9.99)
• Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich Of Time ($7.49)

PS Vita Games

• Mortal Kombat ($39.99)

PS3 Full Games

• Battlefield: Bad Company 2 ($19.99)
• Disney Universe ($29.99)

Game Demos (free)

• Awesomenauts
• Dirt Showdown
• GT Academy 2012

PS Vita Demos (Free)

• Sumioni: Demon Arts

PS3 Add-ons

• Dead Space DLC Bundle ($9.99)
• MotorStorm RC Add Ons (x6) (free – $0.49)
• SSX Mt. Eddie Pack ($5.99)
• SSX: Classic Characters Pack ($5.99)
• SSX: Mt. Eddie & Classic Characters Pack ($7.99)
• Saints Row: The Third – Steelport Gangs Pack ($2.99)
• Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City Add ons (x5) ($1.99 – $4.99)
• Rocksmith – The Police Song Pack (Bundle) ($7.99)
• Rocksmith – Message In A Bottle By The Police ($2.99)
• Rocksmith – Roxanne By The Police ($2.99)
• Rocksmith – Synchronicity II By The Police ($2.99)

Rock Band 3
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.

• “ONLY ONE” – Yellowcard ($1.99)
• “TWO TICKETS TO PARADISE” – Eddie Money ($1.99)
• “DROPS OF JUPITER (TELL ME)” – Train ($1.99)

Rock Band Network v2.0

• “HOPE & RUIN” – The Trews ($0.99)
• “NEVER… AGAIN” – All Shall Perish (1.99)
• “SAY” – The Asbestos ($0.99)
• “CHEESY POP SONG” – A Talking Fish ($0.99)
• “RISE AND SHINE” – Destruction of a Rose ($0.99)

PS Vita Add-Ons

• MotorStorm RC Add Ons (x6) (free – $0.49)
• Shinobido 2: Revenge Of Zen The Mirror Spirits ($4.99)

Updates

• 101-In-1 Megamix+Fading Shadows Bundle (Price Change) (PSP) (now $10.99, original price $13.99)
• Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich Of Time (Sale) (PS3) (now $7.49, original price $9.99)
• Fading Shadows Digital (Price Change) (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
• Daxter (Price Change) (PSP) (now $9.99, original price $15.99)
• God of War: Ghost of Sparta Full Game (Price Change) (PSP) (now $19.99, original price $29.99)
• King Of Pool (Price Change) (PSP) (now $2.99, original price $4.99)
• Monochrome Racing – Minis (Price Change) (PSP/PS3) (now $2.99, original price $4.99)
• Robin Hood: The Return Of Richard – Minis & Monochrome Racing – Minis Bundle (Price Change) (PSP/PS3) (now $4.99, original price $5.99)
• Robin Hood: The Return Of Richard – Minis (Price Change) (PSP/PS3) (now $2.99, original price $4.99)
• Stardrone Extreme Skip (Price Change) (PS3) (now Free, original price $0.99)
• Trine 2 (Sale) (PS3) (now $9.99, original price $14.99)
• Urbanix – Minis (Price Change) (PSP/PS3) (now $2.99, original price $4.99)
• Zack Zero (Price Change) (PS3) (now $7.99, original price $12.99)
• StarDrone (PS3)(now $3.99, original price $7.99)
  

Game Videos (free)

• Disney’S Epic Mickey 2 Announce Trailer
• Max Payne 3 – Design And Tech Series Video #4
• Spec Ops: The Line – Community Gameplay Trailer
• UFC Undisputed 3 – International Pack Trailer
• The Walking Dead – Playing Dead: Episode 3 (Trailer)
• Max Payne 3 Design and Tech Series Video #1
• Max Payne 3 Design and Tech Series Video #2
• Max Payne 3 Design and Tech Series Video #3
• Max Payne 3 First Trailer
• Max Payne 3 Multiplayer Game Part 1 Trailer
• Max Payne 3 Official Trailer #2

PS3 Themes

• 3D Abstract Sculptures Static Theme ($1.49)
• Collide o Scope by Luke Insect ($2.99)
• Dream Cars Static Theme ($1.49)
• Dynamic M249 SAW Theme ($2.99)
• Headhunter Jungle Girl Static Theme ($1.49)
• Naughty Geisha 2 Static Theme ($1.49)
• Shannon’s Entropy Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• The Outer Woods by Kustaa Saksi ($2.99)

PSone Classics

• Legend of Dragoon ($5.99)

PS2 Classics

• Max Payne ($9.99)
• Rayman 2 Revolution ($9.99)

Bundles

• Call Of Duty: Black Ops With First Strike ($49.99)
• Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 With Stimulus Package ($29.99)
• Dead Space Super Bundle ($29.99)

Music

• flOw – Original Soundtrack from the Video Game ($4.99)
• Starhawk Original Soundtrack from the Video Game ($9.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

PSP minis

• Floating Cloud God Saves The Pilgrims ($2.99)

PSP Themes

• Superfeierabend PSP Theme ($1.49)

Next Page: European Update »

© Louis Edwards for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us