Exclusive Bioshock Infinite Audio Mode for Pulse – Elite Edition Headset

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Exclusive Bioshock Infinite Audio Mode for Pulse – Elite Edition Headset

Bioshock Infinite Pulse Elite Wireless Headset Profile

Tomorrow marks a big day for world-acclaimed studio Irrational Games with the release of Bioshock Infinite, so it’s only suitable that we mark the occasion with something special. For the first time, we are partnering with a game developer to deliver a specially crafted audio experience exclusive to PlayStation. Tonight at midnight, we are launching a new audio mode for the PULSE-Elite Edition Headset designed especially for BioShock Infinite. Better still, it will be free.

Why a custom audio mode? Irrational Games wanted to elevate the dark world of BioShock Infinite to a new level by providing a richer gameplay experience. We worked with them to take advantage of our new BassImpact technology embedded in the Pulse-Elite headset to create a sound profile that enables players to feel gunshots and explosions in a much more dynamic and powerful way.

Bioshock Infinite Pulse Elite Wireless Headset Profile

Engineers on both teams worked together to tie the pulses from BassImpact to key audio elements in the game, creating a more immersive experience as you fight your way through Columbia as Booker DeWitt. We examined characteristics of sounds such as frequency and amplitude as well as gameplay data like attack times, then tailored the strength of the BassImpact actuator responses to complement those in-game sounds. This means that the pulse you feel from a gunshot will be different than the pulses you feel from an explosion. Irrational’s audio director Patrick Balthrop was overheard remarking that the game sounds “excellent” on the Pulse-Elite. You can download the BioShock Infinite audio mode at no cost from the free Pulse-Elite Manager App which launched in December. You can find both on PlayStation Store.

For those of you who don’t have the Pulse-Elite Edition headset yet, we have something for you as well. From March 26th (midnight Pacific Time tonight) to April 9th, 2013, when you buy Bioshock Infinite you’ll get $20 off the purchase of the Pulse-Elite headset at participating retailers*.

Stay tuned for more news about game-specific audio profiles from your favorite franchises. Now get out there and find Elizabeth!

*Participating Retailers: GameStop, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Hastings, Transworld, Nebraska Furniture Mart

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68 Comments

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  • Just wanted to say I love these headphones. I have the original ones as well. I hope I’m able to continue to use these on the PS4. When it releases.
    +1 to the engineers

    • Thanks! Glad you’re enjoying our products. We’re really proud of being able to bring surround sound to the first Wireless Headset, and then BassImpact to the Pulse-Elite Edition. We really like the idea of taking the next steps in immersion with game specific profiles like this.

  • Still need to pick one of these up. Now I have even more of a reason to do so.

  • Wow!! That is awesome…..Hope more Audio Mode support for other games are in the works like Uncharted or The Last of Us.

    Nice Job

    • Stay tuned for future announcements. It’s been a blast working with the developers coming up with unique audio profiles for their games.

  • Cool feature! I normally use my Pulses in the wee hours of the morning, which tonight are conveniently located right after I pick up the game at midnight. I’d love to see more studios taking advantage of this.

    As B-Real206 said: I hope these are supported on PS4 too.

  • This should win some kind of award for the most random announcement ever. Though, it should be great for those of us that will play the game with our Pulse headsets.

    Also, I still love how much use I’m getting out of these headphones. I may have broken mine only a few months after getting them (I didn’t handle them as carefully as I probably should have), but the audio quality hasn’t gone down at all. Outstanding! Now I just need to use the warranty on them so I can use them in public again (I taped them :P).

  • I’m using my right now to listen to my music. :) Hope for GOW:A and Last of Us mode.

    • I like using them for music as well particularly when I am on the bus or train. Try downloading the other music modes available Pulse-Elite Manager… they work great as well.

  • I’ve been really debating getting this game but this is awesome to see for new games. I love these things and use them a lot. Much props for these head phones. Any PS fan should get a chance to try them out at some point for themselves. Keep up the great work, guys. Hope I can use these as well still as others have mentioned for the PS4.

  • Wish you guys would make a wired version of these headsets. I bought the previous model of the Sony wireless headset and it was just freaking HORRIBLE. Terrible battery life and it was always dropping the signal so I just eventually got rid of them, a total waste of money. I’d buy this headset in a second if they were wired like the Turtle Beach ones I have.

  • Will there be a canadian release for this app this time?

  • Headphones with apps? lol That’s really cool

    • Audio is such an important part of the gaming experience. We want to put you right in the middle of the action. The Pulse headset line lets us do that.

  • this is pretty cool , is there any way that sony can do this for psvita games using the headset too ? I got the pulse headset specifically because it also supports the psvita console and can be used for an mp3 player as well so it would be great to have this type of custom audio for vita games .

  • Fantastic! Looking forward to downloading both mode and game from PSN tonight.

  • This is awesome news. The pulse headset alone is worth it and the pulse manager is the best bonus there could have been for owners. Kudos to Sony and IG! Hope to see more studios team up with Sony for their games.

  • Nice. Great headphones, though the bass response can be very sensitive. The audio quality is so good, you can tell when the audio in a game is compressed.

  • How can we take advantage of this offer if we preordered?

  • I love the headset and this sort of idea is one of the reasons why. My only complaint is that I can’t hear myself in them when chatting. I have tried to adjust settings and in the mic level screen I can hear myself, but as soon as I leave I can’t. Any suggestions?

    • To change the sidetone, you should be able to adjust it on the pulse by holding down the Mute button. A long press, will let you cycle through a low-medium-high mix for your voice.

  • I lost my wireless reveiver. Is there something I can do about it?

  • will the 20$ off work at gamestops in Canada?

  • What a great idea/gimmick. I’m not an audiophile and hate head-pinching over-the-ear headphones but this is intriguing. I look forward to hearing more about this feature in future games.

  • Cool mode. I know it’s not for the other Bioshock games but I might use it with Bioshock 2 until my copy of infinite comes in.

  • This sounds great, but the app is not available in Canada!

  • I’ve been thinking about getting the Pulse Elite for a while because I already have the original Pulse. This announcement convinced me to upgrade. Hope to see a Battlefield 4 mode, Last of Us Mode and Beyond: Two Souls mode.

  • I love this headset, use it on my PS3, on my Vita, on my PC at work and at home, and anywhere I can. Thank you for making this headset and I hope to see its support continue on PS4.

  • This is a headset that I’m going to get for sure, great incentive. More games need to incorporate this.

    • Totally agree….we are encouraging game developers to adopt this technology. What games would you like to see have a specific audio mode for the Pulse-Elite headset?

  • this post makes me wonder about what kind of headset will be included with the ps4

  • so far haven’t see or hear any Move demo they say gonna support it…
    i guess probably have cancel it silently…

  • Will the app ever be made available in Canada? The headphones are great, but I feel like I may be missing out.

  • I just order this headset. I currently have the other 7.1 PS3 headset but this one destroy it sounds quality when comparing the two.

  • I was talking to my recruiter about these he said they are absoultly amazing, I have triton ax 720’s as of this moment, but if these still work when ps4 comes out i will def def have to upgrade for sure

  • Wow, great day! First I find out that the new firmware update allows my headset to finally work with PS2 classics then this awesome news. I’m about to play GTA San Andreas with my headset now, and will play Bioshock Infitinite tomorrow. Good Times!!

  • Can you tell us whether the Pulse headset will work with the PS4? I just spent a bundle on a fancy headset, hopefully it works with the console when I pick it up :)

  • Those headphones are REAALLYY GOODDDD….heavy attacks on GOW:A sound amazing!!

  • I don’t much care for the precedent you’re setting for exclusive content for a particular headset.

    I’m getting much more comfortable with not being an early adopter of software this console generation. It’s things like this that do it.

  • This headset is a good way to spend your tax refund. :)

  • Any recommended level for the bass impact slider? I’d love to get the best experience I can for this game

    • For BioShock Infinite, I played it with the slider on the upper end of the range (about a 8/10). Using this profile, the slider is a threshold level, so it sets the trigger based on the amplitude of the sounds that we detect. We’ve found that some people like more subtle effects (a bit of a lower setting) while others like more triggers to happen during gameplay (a bit higher). Hope that helps to make the experience great for you!

  • This is awesome I bought the Pulse and Pulse Elite headset and love them both the elite is the best headset I have ever owned and little touches like this make all the difference can’t wait to check this out tomorrow! Now any chance you can work to make it so we can use more then one headset on a ps3? that’s been my only complaint as I got them for my wife and I so we could watch movies or play games in bed without waking the kids.

  • This is awesome!! I love these headphones and will be playing bioshock with them.

    @8 these headphones are waaaayy better than the previous Sony headset. These actually come with a detachable wire so you can use them on any device with a headphone jack. Of course the wireless function with the ps3 is where these shine but I use them with my iPhone and vita and they are awesome!!

    I would say they are better than my $300 beats.

  • *Yet no $20 discount on the Pulse-Elite Headset for those purchasing Bioshock Infinite through the Playstation Store? Interesting, and quite lame I must add.

  • adding it to my pulse right now

  • @33 Hooligantuan So SONY asks Irrational Games to put a custom sound mode to promote a SONY headset, how is that a bad thing? It doesn’t ruin your experience at all. If you want it, buy the headset. People will whine about anything these days. It’s unbelievable.

  • You guys should make one for games like The Last of Us.

  • any chance of getting the app on the EU store

  • “+ Hooligantuan on March 25th, 2013 at 9:28 pm said:
    I don’t much care for the precedent you’re setting for exclusive content for a particular headset.
    I’m getting much more comfortable with not being an early adopter of software this console generation. It’s things like this that do it.”

    I’m sorta in agreeance with this statement. This should be across the board and not just for a set few especially since its not even a PS exclusive. I’d be more inclined if it was localized instead of “whored out” just to attract buyers. What happened to the uncharted’s, soundshapes, killzone’s, LBP’s etc…or better yet full support with vita?
    I;m a music production major and avid audiophile….yet this device only caters to select games…bad judgement/execution…It’ll stay right where its at “on the stores shelf” until theres real incentive to get it.

  • “+ rabidninjamonky on March 26th, 2013 at 2:05 am said:
    @33 Hooligantuan So SONY asks Irrational Games to put a custom sound mode to promote a SONY headset, how is that a bad thing? It doesn’t ruin your experience at all. If you want it, buy the headset. People will whine about anything these days. It’s unbelievable.”

    It’s not that he experience is ruined. Its the fact that now all of a sudden they wanna drop “custom” sound for a game. When the clock is already running on epic renditions. Seriously think about it. How hard would it be for them to ask first party to develop for this vs asking outside the box? Politics all over again…we cant even get the best or the most equipped as end users because of fiascos and biases like this.

    Thats like PS4 coming out and all the better features / games are from 3rd party that are not even exclusives. Uncharted 3 is still in development with plans to drop new dlc and even got free to play now. How come this feature hadn’t been added for one of those patches for that?

    Just food for thought!

  • “+ dante139 on March 25th, 2013 at 7:42 pm said:
    this post makes me wonder about what kind of headset will be included with the ps4”

    I bet support will drop…if not I bet the next “pulse” will do what this one can already do….custom game sound for every game innately. #RIPPEDOFF

  • How do we get the $20 off coupon to use to buy the headset? I clicked the link in the blurb above and purchased the game and I’m downloading it now, but did not see anything to use for going to a retailer to purchase the headset afterwards.

  • So how do we get the discount on Amazon? I already bought Bioshock Infinite Ultimate Songbird Edition from Amazon and I don’t see anything about the $20 discount on the site or in any emails.

  • @47 same here i tried calling amazon and they where like we don’t know call sony so i did and they said to call back in 3-4 hours they are busy updating the store

  • @48 Thanks for the info I guess I’ll wait, sounds like a pretty neat headset with audio profiles tuned for the game with the dev’s help.

    Come on Sony I want to spend some $!

  • I know that this was asked in an earlier post but was unanswered. Will the Pulse Elite App be released in Canada? Thanks

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