Aug 25 2012

The PlayStation Recap — PAX Prime 2012 Edition

+ Posted by Sid Shuman // Social Media Manager

Gamescom may be over, but the party’s just getting started. Next Friday sees the kickoff of PAX Prime in Seattle, one of the fastest-growing gaming events in North America and a major draw for indie developers, major publishers, and ordinary gamers alike. Jeff and I will be making the trip this Thursday to check out the God of War: Ascension panel (featuring a special guest host), chase down any new hands-on opportunities, and line up some interviews for the Blogcast. If you see us in Seattle next week, be sure to say hi!

In other news this week: Soul Sacrifice creator Keiji Infanue described the game’s tough choices, we examined the legacy of Naughty Dog’s Jak and Daxter, Santa Monica Studios dissected God of War: Ascension’s bloodthirsty Satyr Captain, the creator of Sun Flowers explained the inner workings of one of PS Vita’s cutest games, I punched and kicked my way through a KickBeat hands-on demo, Harvey Smith explained how Dishonored represents a reboot of stealth gameplay mechanics, Moonbot Studios shared its vision for Wonderbook noir title Diggs Nightcrawler, PlayStation Home updated with new items and spaces, and Retro/Grade and Transformers: Fall of Cybertron came to PSN.

Oh, and don’t forget that PSN Play ends Tuesday. That means this weekend is likely your last chance to earn cash back and extra savings on PSN Play games Sound Shapes (PS3 and PS Vita), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Papo & Yo, and The Expendables 2.

What are you playing this weekend?

I’m playing: Gotham City Impostors, Super Stardust Delta, Batman: Arkham City

I’m watching: Breaking Bad: Season 5, [REC] 3

I’m reading:

I’m listening to: PlayStation Blogcast 039: Ratchet Until Dawn

Most-Watched Video of the Week: Tokyo Jungle Trailer

The 10 Most-Viewed Posts of the Week

The Walking Dead: 9 Minutes With Robert Kirkman – The Walker Dead creator Robert Kirkman is a busy, busy man, but he took some time to answer our (and your!) questions.

New NIS RPG Legasista Coming to PSN Tomorrow – Take a new look at this PS3-exclusive action-RPG from the creators of ClaDun.

Psychonauts Coming to PS2 Classics This Tuesday – Double Fine’s first game is legendary in more ways than one, and it’ll be available on PSN come Tuesday.

Dust 514 Neocom Vita App Promises “MMO on the go” – Our EU Blog counterpart Fred Dutton gets the skinny on the PS Vita app for this upcoming free-to-play PS3 shooter.

The Ratchet & Clank You’ve Never Seen: 10 Years of Concept Art – Ultra-rare sketches for Ratchet & Clank show off some wildly different interpretations of this beloved PlayStation power pair.

Fight to Survive in Tokyo Jungle, on PSN September 25th – Pomeranian power! This quirky survival title hails from Japan, where it enjoyed significant sales success.

Read PlayStation: The Official Magazine on Your Tablet With PTOM: Digital Edition – New ways to read PTOM on your iOS and Android tablets, complete with handy links and subscription info.

Deep Black Plunges to PS3 Today – The conspiratorial aquatic shooter plunges to PSN.

Way of the Samurai 4 Out on PSN Today – This eccentric open-world drama casts you into a cultural revolution in Edo-era Japan.

Persona 4 Golden: Solid Gold Premium Edition – Atlus USA will manufacture only 10,000 copies of this PS Vita bad boy — no lollygagging!

//Add Your Own

22 Comments 3 Replies

+ BlueBl1zzard on August 25th, 2012 at 7:01 pm said:

I never was really that crazy for PAX, but here’s to hoping for some news that really catches me by surprise. Have fun Sid and Jeff!

I’m playing: Sleeping Dogs, DDR Extreme (PS2), my Vita

I’m watching: America’s got Talent

*sigh* I’m reading: The Logic of Politics, Psychology and Calculus textbooks (yay school)

I’m listening to: DDR songs (Afronova and Sexy Planet all day!), Playstation Blogcast Ep. 39 Ratchet Until Dawn

+ BlueBl1zzard on August 25th, 2012 at 7:09 pm said:

Oh and I’m eagerly awaiting : PS Vita system update (v1.80) and Kickbeat’s release date

+ jacob_w_18 on August 25th, 2012 at 7:13 pm said:

I’m playing: Metal Gear Solid HD on ps3 and PsVita, Metal Gear Solid 4, Sound Shapes, Retro/Grade (holy crap!)

I’m watching: Breaking Bad season 5-first half almost over….

I’m reading: playstation.blog

I’m listening to: playstation blogcast 039

I’m anxiously waiting for: this tuesdays vita update- soooo hope psone support will be epic, not a staggering release as psp support has been. Still waiting for mgs portable ops.

+ Astro411 on August 25th, 2012 at 8:23 pm said:

What happened to Pulse? After E3 there was one show and after that nothing, pleases don’t say it got cancelled.

I’m playing Vita : Sound Shapes, Foosball 2012, Gravity Rush and TOM Blitz. PS3 : Outland, Papo & Yo (Replays) and Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine.

I’m watching : whatever is on tv.

I’m reading : the PS Blog.

I’m listening to : the Blogcast and music by various artists.

+ StealthReborn– on August 25th, 2012 at 9:35 pm said:

Hey Sid,

If you want, I’ll take your place at PAX and you go home to play Journey. What do you say? =P

+ deathuponhe52 on August 25th, 2012 at 9:44 pm said:

when is the psvita system software update going to happen

+ df2506 on August 25th, 2012 at 9:53 pm said:

Really enjoyed the behind the scenes features this week. Especially the Ratchet & Clank one! The concept art was cool. :)

So happy about Psychonauts on PSN.

Just got 3 months of Playstation Plus!! I loved the free trial I had recently so much that I just had to continue on. Hoping we get some more cool stuff soon (would love to play the Playstation All-Stars Beta and some bigger games, like Red Dead or Uncharted 3).

I’m Playing: Ratchet & Clank: All4One, Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault beta, and on Tuesday: Ratchet & Clank: HD Collection. Yep! All Ratchets. lol. :D

I’m watching: lots of stuff, but favorite, at the moment, is Grimm on Mondays. Though that’ll change when Doctor Who comes back on Saturday!

I’m Reading: twitter & this blog.

I’m listening to: not much right now.

+ Sid Shuman on August 26th, 2012 at 1:33 pm said:

Glad you liked ‘em! We’re hoping to get many more to share in the months ahead.

+ luvtoseek on August 25th, 2012 at 10:20 pm said:

Looking forward to TWD Epi. 3, ME3 DLC, & Zen Pinball Vita/PS3 V2 update! Upset over the poor Madden version of the Vita… grrr no xplay…

+ GHOZTPRIME on August 25th, 2012 at 11:53 pm said:

I’m playing: Nothing. (just waiting on LBP PS VITA)

I’m watching: Top Gear

I’m reading: PS Blog

I’m listening to: a lot

+ UltimateDisco on August 26th, 2012 at 6:16 am said:

Looking forward to PAX, and I’ll be at Tokyo Game Show! Totally looking forward to next month.

I’m playing; Uncharted Golden Abyss, Papo and Yo, and Sound Shapes.

I’m watching; One Piece and Community

I’m reading; Surprised By Laughter

I’m listening to; Gregory Porter’s Be Good, Fozzy’s Sin and Bones

+ Nick-A-30 on August 26th, 2012 at 7:15 am said:

@ Sid,

Just wondering if you have any word on PS Vita price drops late this year or early 2013. Or is sony just focusing on bundles?

Thanks in advance.

+ v-X_SHADOW_X-v on August 26th, 2012 at 8:04 am said:

can you guys add a copy/paste feature for the Ps Vita’s keyboard just like the one on the PS3

+ Sid Shuman on August 26th, 2012 at 1:33 pm said:

Have you checked out Share? http://share.blog.us.playstation.com/

+ AgitoKoyoto on August 26th, 2012 at 8:07 am said:

Nick-a-30, there will be no price drop for the PlayStation Vita system this year or early 2013 as stated by Sony. Multiple articles show that it’s “to early” for one.

+ AgitoKoyoto on August 26th, 2012 at 8:09 am said:

I’m playing: Battlefield 3

+ mainkster on August 26th, 2012 at 9:55 am said:

looking forward for zen pinball to unveil the mystery table coming out with ZEN pinball 2

+ Sid Shuman on August 26th, 2012 at 1:32 pm said:

Sweet, sweet Popcap.

+ supermoc10 on August 26th, 2012 at 11:54 am said:

I’m playing: Darksiders II (One of the best games I have ever played), Battlefield 3 MP

+ CommandingTiger on August 26th, 2012 at 12:45 pm said:

I do believe that Sony will need to make a temporary price drop of either 25$ or 50$.
The reason?

Well, currently the retailers such as Wallmart are currently offering a Vita at 250$ and a bundled Vita with WipEout 2048 and Resistance for 250$.
Does that make sense to any of you? No, of course not. Everyone who wants one will take the bundle pack instead of the stand-alone Vita.

You may think, that isn’t anything to be concerned about . But here’s the deal:
If people go off and buy the Vita Bundle, then all thoses Vitas that aren’t bundled will stay on stores shelfs. What that will do is that when the retailer request more Vitas, he will already have a bunch of bundle Vitas on store shelfs, so, he’ll order a lot less Vitas since his stores’ inventory are full of un-purchased Vita Stand-Alone.

Simply put, it will cause massive distribution problems for Sony.
Yet, they’ll keep producing new Vita bundle, but at the end, it’ll need to go to a retailer who has inventory space to accommodate the Vita. They can’t do so if they have unsold Vita stand-alone.

+ CommandingTiger on August 26th, 2012 at 12:47 pm said:

Maybe they’re hoping that the stores will be given rebates during the holidays on the console in order to get rid of their inventory, but what if they don’t? They could simply let the console stand there without any promotions of any kind.
Unfortunately, I do not believe that is what’s going to happen.

They need a temporarily price drop, such as a promotion during the first week of september for kids getting back to school, with that rebate, it will be talked about and thoses students, regardless of their age, that will be a nice short term promotion.

+ CommandingTiger on August 26th, 2012 at 1:04 pm said:

I would do just like Apple does, year after year, improve the hardware of the PS Vita by adding new features to make it worth while to buy.

It’s simple, an Apple fan who wants the new iPhone will sell the old one he already has to one of his friend at a discounted rate and just pay the difference.

It works for Apple.

+ Beast780 on August 26th, 2012 at 1:22 pm said:

I’m playing: Madden 13 PS3 (Vita next week), Sleeping Dogs
I’m watching: Adventure Time, Little League World Series
I’m reading: Retro Gamer (magazine)
I’m listening to: 8-4 Play podcast / GiantBombcast

I’m awaiting: Madden 13 Vita, update 1.8 (Disappointed there aren’t folders yet, but I’m excited to use buttons to control the home screen), Zen Pinball 2 and new Pinball Arcade tables in a little over a week!

+ TwinDad on August 27th, 2012 at 8:25 am said:

I’m playing: Persona 1 PSP

I’m watching: Top Gear (UK)

I’m reading: Far too much

I’m listening to: playstation blogcast 039, Giant Bombcast, CAGCAST, 84 PLay

No surprise Sid’s playing imposters he wax poetically for 5 minutes about it on his Gem of the Week. I love that feature BTW.

I am so looking forward to PAX prime this year.

@Nick-30
Sony heads said that they are going to focus on the bundles for the time being and that they hope people like the value they give. Which without a memory card is nothing. So much for the “Value”.