Hi everyone, I’m Jill Grabenkort, associate promotions manager for PlayStation. From time to time, I’ll chime in here with updates on some of our promotional work. Back in mid-March, we kicked-off the 4th annual PlayStation AM JAM tour in conjunction with Camp Woodward. This series of events is a nation-wide talent search for amateur action sports athletes. After hosting these events in 11 cities across the nation with more than 850 of the best action junkies showing off their stuff, we narrowed down the competition this month and I think we’ve found the best-of the best.
Over the past week, the PlayStation AM JAM finals were held at Camp Woodward, and it was definitely a cool site to see. If you’re not familar with it, Camp Woodward is the *premiere* actions sports training facility in the country. Check out the above pic of the PlayStation AM JAM winners. Chris O’Reilly (Skate Vert), Cody Porsche (Inline), Louie Lopez (Skate Park), and Kyle Kelsey (BMX) each took home a check for $5,000 and a scholarship to Woodward Camp for the 2008 season. In the next few days, I’ll try and drop in some video here from the finals.
Our congrats to the PlayStation AM JAM winners! For those of you looking for info on upcoming events, stay tuned….
I’ve givin up hope of playstation events…They only go to big towns and they ignore all the towns in between.
Way to segregate your market SONY!
Wow, my family and I love Woodward, our oldest son used to go there as a Olympic hopeful in gymnastics. It’s great that so many people are discovering this fabulous facility. Now if it only didn’t cost an arm and a (broken) leg….
But seriously, it’s great the PS is supporting the so called extreme sports, but when are you guys going to start supporting things LIKE gymnastics instead of the same ‘extreme’ things everyone else is supporting.. It’s actually getting a little stale for some of us involved in traditional sports and events.
This is actually kinda cool. Just try to avoid the whole “goat sacrifice” thing . . . just kidding, Jill, but come on; in retrospect that whole GOW2 thing was funny as hell.
You guys should come to more cities in Canada.
Nice!
derrick,
I feel you on that one. It is like that though with ANY big time event. I live in Fort Lauderdale and if I want to go to anything worth doing I have to drive to Miami. My suggestion is move to a “real” city ;)
This site needs to post more gaming news, interviews, and overall thoughts and opinion about the state of the playstation. Let us know how you guys are addressing such issues such as the lack of demos on the store, or not having the ability to at least access your friends list from inside the games.
Am Jam is great and all, but I am sure that most people don’t come here to read up on that sort of news.
So far the blog is cool, but it could be so much better in the future. Kind of like my PS3.
why would they come to small towns, nobody comes to small towns, thats the price you pay for living in a small town in exchange for a nice quite neighbourhood. anyways this looks cool
I like the idea of them putting some more focus on small towns since it is generally cheaper to get things done there.
I agree with Kratos… less F1 driver interviews and more actual gaming news
Congrats to the winner.
And its nice to meet you Jill Grabenkort, I look forward to see what promotions Sony has for us, hopefully to include Canadians too. ;-)
TWISTED METAL will be announced at E3 on July 13th! Mark my words!!!! ;-)
I disagree with some of those above. Anything you post on here is welcome in my book. It doesn’t all have to be gaming related, IMO. Nice to know that Sony was involved in this, doesn’t sound like that camp is that far from me as I’m in Columbus, OH. Too bad I’m not into extreme sports… :)
I think people are failing to see this as the “Playstation” blog and only see it as the “PS3 News” blog.
An easy way to get around this problem would be to have categories so that people can RSS feed just PS3 news or something. It is not a hard thing to do.
cool… I wanna see a video of them trying to do the same trick on a skateboard and Tony Hawk ps3 AT THE SAME TIME (wireless controllers and all, should be easy right?).
So far I’ve mastered this impressive feat with only one impressive move: falling on my bum. I am working on others though, like falling on my face, skinning knees etc etc.
I agree with efenili. Different categories for Playstation news and other news shouldn’t be too hard to do.
But I won’t complain. These are nice fillers and I am content that other Playstation blog posts will come, especially as we get closer to E3.
More Playstation News Please.
[]^XO
I hate to be one of those annoying people that posts multiple times on each blog, but any chance of us getting an official update on what will be on the American PSN later today? Wondering on an ETA for the Resistance Map Packs, Lair Demo, Darkness Demo, or any other demos.
Awesome… so where is the amature game development contest? :D
I love game news as much as anybody, but I also like to read some non-game related news as well although not as much. I appreciate the variety though, and it kind of fosters a sense of community knowing what else is going on in the world of Playstation.
@ 18
Sorry, but the store disappoints once again. That is, unless you have Motorstorm or feel like playing some old PS1 games.
LOL… you said demos.
You see, trailers of movies and games are better and more entertaining than demos. Think about it, would you rather have 7 trailers of MLB, or 1 demo of MLB? I think the numbers speak for themselves.
Nice article.
One suggestion….really, there has to be a way to unify contests in North America. I’m really glad to see Playstation take more of an active role in Canada, but I don’t like to be left out of contests with our brothers/sisters to the south, and I don’t like our brothers/sisters to the south being left out of our contests. It really doesn’t make sense that you invite Canadians to the G.A.P. then exclude us from every single contest you promote….seems somewhat backwards.
Also, like the very first poster said, and it applies to Canada as well…Sony…you need to visit more cities. For instance, the Playstation truck that visits places, as far as I can tell, is NOT going to visit Halifax, Nova Scotia…but they’re going to New Brunswick…..seriously, what the hell ? Here’s hoping for a (more) unified North American Playstation Community.
can i please get some actual gaming news
CMON Sony! We want to know about PS3 features and upcoming PS3 news. I thank you for the post about Blockbuster supporting Bluray and how the new PSP is a rumour and the heads up on the new firmware, but how about telling us when in-game XMB is coming? Or some hints at cool thing to come. About a week ago you were supposed the top 10 features that we asked to come in the firmware, but did you forget? Or did it get delayed, like all the games?
good news on the tour, i know its hard hitting all the small spots, but getting out of the office is aways good to hear.
second, i can’t wait to go download the motorstorm update, but you guys will have to really pick up the pace if you are hoping to hit the 300 something goal for games by next march. maybe that was a typo? i don’t know, but everyone will be watching.
third. let manhunt 2 be on your systems, AO or not. Anyone who will think less of a company because you are willing to see the true rating of a game and market/carry it as such is blinded by government control and has become to lazy to be constructive thinkers in today’s world. [ok, that last bit was a bit harsh, but i don’t know how else to explain it.]
finally, have a good day, everyone needs to have a good day. it shouldn’t be forced on them, but hey should be allowed to have it if they want.
Cool. Hope they tread over to my town
Nice read, @TristanMike I believe it has somthing to do with the laws of Canada. I’m sure sony is not purposly trying to leave Canda or any other country out on promotions.
On the subject of event stops, Sony first needs to increase stops in the US alone. I mean, there are leik 3-5 stops each in Florida and California, but not a single Seattly stop. All I’m asking is for a single stop in each state and teritory at the least, except Alaska, Hawaii, and far north Canada for weather reasons and/or transportation issues. Shipping a couple hundred tons of equipment to Hawaii would be a hefty pricetag.
Slightly off topic, about the PSN update today, can we please get a trailer of Haze, or perhaps some new sutff for Warhawk, Lair or some new guns for R:FOM?
Com’on Sony help us out here!
@Destroyer41139, I know (or hope anyway :P) that Sony isn’t purposely leaving us out, and that the laws are to blame, that’s not what I intended. I was just saying that there must be some middle ground.
Right now, for instance, there is a Canadian only contest in which you can win a Red PS3. What stops them to have the same contest in the US (aside from the fact that the unit will most likely be a Canadian unit, not that they’re really different)? It’s just painted red (albeit hand painted, but red none the less) :P Maybe instead of the Red PS3 for the US, it could be Red/White/Blue. And have the contest run simultaneously in both countries. Maybe the winners can be flown to the same location to hang out. Canadians get in on Beta opportunities (Thanx Sony :D) and we (Canada and the US) do trading all the time so there has to be some way to coexist for a contest or two, LOL, that’s all I meant. Let’s try and bring us closer together. :D
Of course, I could be completely wrong.
sweet come to alberta
This looks more like a p.r. page and less like a community site where customers and enthusiaists share ideas with every article u guys post
Before posting any crap you do on this blog, why don’t you focus on the freaking PSN. I’m tired of crap, at least, if you release PSone games, release Castlevania or Metal Gear Solid. And stop with the trailers, they suck.
@Gothdom
I partly agree with the focus needing to be applied to the PSN. That and the PS3’s overall interface.
Now, I don’t think the trailers have sucked too bad, except for the 90 MLB trailers they posted. I prefer movie trailers (No Springsteen though) like HotRod and this new Ben Stiller one. At least they are something free to watch in full HD. That’s cool.
What I would like to see out of the PSN is MORE DEMOS. Demos for Harry Potter, The Darkness, Lair, everything and anything. You took away the Official PS Mag from us, and you took away its demo disc. Sony, you need to give us those demos back at some point.
Also, I know a lot of people want full-HD movies to download from the PSN, and I agree with that as well.
You listening Sony?
Ah, now, back to our regularly scheduled comments.
I bet that if they did a post stating what was up on the PSN today, it would get like 100 negative comments.
Its been like what, a couple of months since we got a new demo up there?
oh common sony, there is a couple of weeks until e3 and you guys talking about this events. I dont have anything against them but please address the playstation comunity with what we want to hear. the consoles and games you make and we love to play. This is the time to start the hype train once again you guys dont have to be concrete but give us some hits on whats to come
@ MCWHAMMER
Sony never took away OPM. Ziff Davis themselves choose to stop the magazine because they felt that since PS3 can have downloadable demos, no one would bother getting their magazine anymore (which is somewhat true IMO, but I also believe it has to do with blu-ray disc being more costly and you can’t just throw them out like DVDs).
Anyway, I’m always interested to hear the events PlayStation is at. This is a pretty cool article which I would have never saw if it weren’t for this blog.
Nice post its good to see that Sony is caring about the youth..
Congrats to the winners
$5000, thats a PS3, a Bravia 1080p TV, a DD set and a lot of games :-)).
Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online This will be a nice, “verry nice” (Borat) ad on to the current Tekken down load. Also, was happy to see the Motorstorm download pop up today.
ATTN: GOD OF WAR PSP TEAM, When is the demo going to be mailed out? And for all of you that did not know about the demo check the offical game site it might still be available.
And yes the AM Jam news is nice yet I would rather read about games, PS3 news, PSP news, even what Jack Trenton ate for lunch today LOL!
@40
Demo’s out on September, didn’t you get the e-mail?
Wow, I guess your stuff is so messed up with your lack of store content and STILL no Resistance news that I guess you have to resort to this. Maybe you guys should go read major nelson’s blog for some tips on how to communicate with your fan base. Oh that’s right, I forgot you don’t care.
Shipwreck75 hit it right on the button. Talk about gaming and whats to come for PS3. Don’t talk about some little kids winning $5000 doing skateboard tricks. They are probably going to buy a 360 with the money. Yeah, I said it. I own a PS3 and it does a great job making sure my papers don’t fly around. Get on the ball. Maybe you all got lazy cause the PS2 was so successful. You thought you didn’t have to do much for PS3.
WWWwwhat the frig has camp woodward or whatever it is called got to do with ps3. are you guys at sony trying to deflect the attention away from the ps3 being abosulutely shiessen at the moment, we want to know about home, games, ps store and other ps3 related stuff not about some kid who is good on roller boots! COME ON SONY I HAVE’NT EVEN TURNED MY PS3 ON FOR NEARLY A MONTH NOW.
i dont want to keep dissin the ps3 cos it makes me feel stupid for paying so much money for it but i cant help but hate it. it does nothing other than collect dust…. im sure that things will get better in time but how patiant do you want us to be?? now i hear that home has been delayed untill christmas in the uk, brilliant! your doing a good job sony……. a good job of PI?SING ME OFF!!!!!!!
Jeez some of you people are fickle. Why not stop complaining? The system is only 7 months old and Sony has already gone leaps and bounds ahead of what the other consoles have done in their same lifetime. Give them a break! PSN has slowly but surely been improving and it will continue to do more so over time.
*sigh* I hate making off-topic posts, but seeing as that is becoming the norm on and ps3 and/or 360 related forum (and sadly this blog included) I shall follow suit.
I bought a 360 shortly after release, and you know what? I was bored to tears with the games for well over 6 months. GoW was OK, but had a short single player element, only 8 ppl in multi (which I despised paying for btw). So just as the games were getting good (LOVE crackdown) but after many many reliability issues (it breaking, sending back to MS twice, each time getting it back even Noisier than before) I happily traded the flawed piece of [expletive deleted] in for my first choice: a PS3. This time I bought within half an hour of the midnight release, and settled back once again for the 6 to 12 month+ wait till the decent games start rolling out. To my delight, I really like Resistance, GT concept, F1 and motorstorm. that’s a bigger list of Frequently Played games than I had on the 360 after 9 months. So stop your whinging people! It’s called “patience”. if you don’t wanna wait, don’t buy the system so near launch: buy a ps2 for the interim (seems like plenty of people are, the system is about the same price as a single ps3 game here in Australia).
how’s that for a post that started off “I hate making off topic posts”? :)
@Cagalli, 47
You are very arrogant, and blind. I like Sony and all but there has been more fucus on releasing Blu-ray movies and AV updates, than games themselves. Games took a seatbackstage while Sony considered Toshiba a bigger priority than pleasing its fans.
—–Yea it has been 7 months and Sony now realizes that ” O crap, people want more games not more movies”. Did you get your ps3 for free or as a gift? It sounds like it, because I know I sure as hell paid 600 dollars and some change for a system that has same graphics as the xbox 360.
—–I still consider myself a Sony defender knowing that the time will come, but you are blind and hide behind the “its only been 7 months excuse”. Sony knew it was going into a market with the competition 1 year ahead, yet made no attempt at releasing blockbuster games justifying the price.
……Resistance: fall of man worth 600 bucks? Nope.
……Motorstorm considered a system seller like Jack and the rest of Sony state it was? Nope.
—–Sony tried to ride the success of the ps2,to do the justice for the ps3. It worked for a few, but backfired as the media lashed out and many sites calling it a waste of money. Sony also banked on Final Fantasy and Metal Gear Solid 4 trailers to generate interest as well. It worked, and suckers like me who love the previous Metal Gear titles dove in head first. Now news of it not coming out till 2008? But hey, 400 more new titles by march.
—–You also say how great PSN is. Is it really? For free, yea that is one good thing, but Xbox live comparisons are always going to happen. Sony knows this, yet came out with no immediate plan, nor substantial upgrade to level the field. Upscaling? Xbox 360 has it too.
——–Awesome, Home is coming out! But wait, 1 year after the console had PSN? HOME should of been there from the beginning, but sony jumped into the market prematurely and burned alot of fans. Sony’s poor decisions, cost more fans than they think. Finally Jack and the head honcho’s are getting the idea.
Sony is going to have and try to start over to get more trust in its customers, trying to rebuild bridges.
—–With Ken Kutargi out of the picture I trully hope that Sony will deliver the quality and level that the ps2 did. They have to remind me that I paid good money for a game system, not a movie player. Cagalli, check yourself before you wreck yourself.
@48 , DragNdrift.
Yea good comparison but when the 360 came out it had no competition. Sony came in with no idea of what they were doing. You say:
——Patience————
Why is it that there is no system sellers out for the ps3 right now? Resistance is great but not worth 600 bucks like I stated above. It however might be worth 299, if you catch my drift. With 600 bucks, you just uped the ante as well as customer expectations. THERE IS NO SYSTEM SELLING TITLES WORTH THE PRICE OF THE SYSTEM. Blu-ray was a better purchasing aspect. Sorry but I am just tired of waiting to get what I paid for.
Can’t wait till September though, where finally my purchase will be justified.