PlayStation Press Conference Liveblog @ E3 2008

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1.04 – “If this is year 2 of the PS3 life cycle, imagine what year 10 will bring.” Jack signs off. What did you think?

1.02 – MAG trailer shown. It bears repeating – 256 players! Land and air battles going on (with paratroopers), really, it’s pretty huge. Big applause.

12.59 – A brand new game revealed for the first time – MAG. Andy Beaudoin from Zipper Interactive details this Massive Action Game (get it?). MAG will support up to 256 players (!) MAG is squad-based, with teams broken down into 8 players, with fine-tuned soldier types, ongoing campaigns and character growth.

12.58 – InFamous – it’s up to you to save or destroy an entire city. Trailer shown with in-game footage. Looks awesome, though I invite you to judge for yourself when you see the video. Out Spring 09.

12.57 – Now a look of what’s to come: God of War III trailer shown! “In the end, there will be only chaos.”

12.55 – Now to show the games, in montage: LittleBigPlanet, MotorStorm Pacific Rift, 007 Quantum of Solace, SOCOM Confrontation, Ghostbusters, Soul Calibur IV (Vader!!), Resistance 2, The Agency, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm, Mirror’s Edge, Resident Evil 5, Singstar, Guitar Hero World Tour, NBA 09 The Inside, Buzz! Quiz TV, Killzone 2, Fallout 3, Valkyria Chronicles, and more.

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12.51 – Developers from Treyarch, EA Tiburon, Ubisoft, Bethesda, 2K Marin, and Lucas Arts are shown on video talking about how much more they’ve learned about programming for the PS3, and how that’s going to pay off in games like Far Cry 2, The Force Unleashed, Prince of Persia, Call of Duty World at War, Madden NFL 09, and Fallout 3. “We’re just beginning to scratch the surface of what PS3 is capable of.”

12.48 – New Hardware package: the 80 GB Core Pack coming this fall $399 – 40 more GB at that price, plus DualShock 3.

12.46 – Lee: “You can stop imagining now.” Video shown featuring lots of DC Legends like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Joker, and more.

12.43 – Mr. Lee is a HUGE MMO fan, been playing since Everquest began… so this is a dream project for him. “Imagine being able to create your own superhero… and help Batman take on the Joker… that’s a cool image.”

12.41 – SOE – Sony Online Entertainment – bringing titles to PlayStation 3. Jim Lee (of comic book fame) on stage now to preview DC Universe online. He’s doing 1-armed push-ups. Don’t hurt your inking hand!

12.39 – “Let’s return to PLAYSTATION 3” – Life with PlayStation will provide live news, weather, and more and it’ll be available by the end of the month.

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12.35 With an install base of over 35 million worldwide, many more PSP games are on the way. Montage shown, featuring Patapon 2, The Force Unleashed, Super Stardust Portable, Madden 09, LocoRoco 2, NBA 09 The Inside, Lego Batman, and Buzz Master Quiz.

12.33 – For the first time ever revealed – Resistance for PSP… Resistance Retribution! Out Spring 2009.

12.31 – On to the PSP – announcing a new PSP Entertainment Pack – in October we’ll launch the Ratchet & Clank Size Matters pack, which includes the PSP-2000, National Treasure 2, a 1GB memory card, and echochrome.

12.30 – Eric demonstrates how to copy movies to the PSP. You can do this either through a PS3, or through the PC Store. BTW, this video download service will be available TONIGHT (applause). We’ll be adding new titles each week.

12.29 – “How long will it take to download an SD movie?” The answer is about an hour for a 2 hour movie. However, with progressive downloading, you can begin watching your video almost instantaneously.

12.25 – Eric Lempel takes the stage (you remember him, right), to show a live demo of the video download service – it’s part of the existing PLAYSTATION Store – there’s a new video tab. Each studio has a page. Eric shows how to buy, rent, or preview a movie.

12.23 – Jack talks about the new video download service. On Day 1 – Sony Pictures, Fox, MGM, Lions Gate, Warner Brothers, Disney, and more will have content available. A huge differentiator – you can take movies and tv on the go via PSP.

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12.19 – Jack Tretton PlayStation Home: “Your patience will be more than rewarded.” We’ve got great publisher support on game-specific spaces. A new video is debuted showing more of what Home’s experience will be all about.

12.17 – Gran Turismo TV introduced – racing video content coming to Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, shows like Top Gear and other original content in Hi Def. Gearheads will definitely be all over this. Lots of international content. Launches August 1st.

12.14 – Jack Tretton: “We’re not interested in filling up our store with games that nobody wants to play, just so we can say ‘we have the most games.'” He follows this up with a trailer showing a number of upcoming PSN games like PixelJunk Eden, Fat Princess, Crash Commando, PAIN Amusement Park, Flower, Ragdoll Kung-Fu and Siren: Blood Curse.

12.11 – 180 million pieces of downloaded content since launch. New stuff coming to the PLAYSTATION Store – Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty. “Like a summer blockbuster – high quality, less expensive.” Q4B will answer the questions to Clank’s disappearance at the end of RCF: Tools of Destruction. Price will be $14.99.

12.09 – PLAYSTATION Network – we’re instituting a single sign on this fall – online on a PC, a PSP, PS3. Check your friends list on a PC (I think a few of you have asked for that).

12.07 – New PS2 bundle coming this fall – a new Lego Batman Bundle, along with a Justice League movie, for $149.

12.03 – Let’s talk about PS2: More than 130 new titles coming to PS2. Not bad for a 9 year old system.

12.01 – Among the announcements – we’re turning our attentions to Latin America… and a announcement of PS3 Greatest Hits. Huge applause for sackboy, Alex, and LBP!

11.58 – Alex Evans of Media Molecule is out on the stage to help Jack work through the business side of things… more on this later…

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11.56 – Ted has left the stage, Jack Tretton is back out to talk about user generated content. “We’ve seen a glimpse of that future – it’s called LittleBigPlanet.”

11.54 – More, even huger enemies/ships shown in an R2 video. An Idaho location has been mentioned as well. Add that to Chicago, San Francisco, and the California redwood forests.

11.53 – PS video from the Press Conference will be available on PSN, you’ll wanna make sure to see this.

11.51 – Did I mention this thing is huge? Cheers from the audience as the live demo ends.

11.50 – Ted is taking on a 300 foot leviathan (you may have read about this in GamePro) with a rocket launcher. On paper it’s one thing – in full motion, it’s something else entirely…

11.48 – Here’s a look at Resistance 2, Ted Price from Insomniac Games takes the stage.

11.46 – Jack Tretton: “If PlayStation in 2007 was all about hardware, PlayStation in 2008 is all about software.”

11.45 – Jack Tretton: “The PLAYSTATION 3 is the most complete and future-proof Blu-ray player available.”

PlayStation Press Conference

11.41 – OK back in my seat, as CEO Jack Tretton reacquaints us with the history of PlayStation and Sony Computer Entertainment. “We take a longer look ahead.”

The press conference is just about to get started and I’m up on stage playing Metal Gear Solid 4. You might be able to see me as soon as G4 starts their live video stream (look to the left side of the stage).

I’ll keep updating this post with news from the event, so check back often or keep your eyes on our twitter feed for the latest.

Comments are closed.

678 Comments

  • Good presentation for the most part. I am not going to complain about not showing more games and what not, after all this is a press event. The real show is on the floor. I will say however that due to teh FFXIII news from yesterday Sony should have been more proactive in trying to minimize the effect of losing the exclusivity and in that respect they did not. So much could have been done such as showing other exclusive RPG’s like White Knight Chronicals. Perception can make or break confidence and the exclusivity of FFXIII being lost is being seen all around the web. Just read what is being said at pretty much any gaming site.
    Sony really needs to not be so slow in responding to events.

  • @ 378 Se7enwolf | July 15th, 2008 at 2:36 pm

    Which conference were you watching buddy? I beg to differ about your comments.

  • Where was wipeout… Kaz hirai… Sony WWS Japan… where was team Ico?

  • most probably the info of games from Japanese studios will come to light in TGS 08.

  • @378

    Se7enwolf | July 15th, 2008 at 2:36 pm

    -And the new features for the PS3 like that weather thing and Global ID are worthless. No one really wants those.

    I do.

  • So where was Killzone 2? Does Guerrilla have their own conference or did it somehow drop off the radar since it was pushed back to February 2009 (with the decision being to focus on Resistance 2 more)?

  • You guys do know that even the lauded FFVII was not really exclusive. Go do a google search, it appeared on PC not too long after showing up on PS1. Square doesn’t really do exclusives much anymore, just the way it is. That said I see 0 reason everyone is grousing about the FFXIII exclusivity thing, I mean the PS3 is STILL getting it. As a bonus the PS3 has a lot of other good games to play in every category while the 360 has…just…nothing. I mean look at the MS E3 show, 80% of the show was multiplatform games, 10% was PS3 rip offs (singstar, “avatars”, Buzz…oh I mean scene it and the eyetoy…oh I mean in the movies) and only 10% was actual exclusive 360 games both of which are made by 3rd parties and pretty much guaranteed to end up as superior PC games (Fable 1 and GOW 1 both were on the PC in improved packages with extra content free).

    Either you guys are talking about selling your PS3 for a 360 as a protest or you’re really foolish. If you REALLY do want to make a trade like that I have a 88 civic sitting on bricks in the front yard (no wheels or engines), I would be happy to trade it for a new 3 series BMW right away. Thats the kind of trade a PS3 for a 360 is, 88 junker for one of the best cars on the market.

  • @399

    Yeah, good question where the eff is wipeout? I have been waiting for that game for awhile now!

  • @398

    He went into blind typing rage after fanboyism overloaded watching the glory of it all.

  • ok for everyone complaining that Sony lost RPGs namely FF13 they didnt lose it its still coming out for the PS3 some quit complaining. They are only releasing ti on the 360 in the US and Europe its still exclusive in Japan for the PS3 . and Versus 13 and still PS3 exclusive. So its not like your not going to get FF13. And Personally who cares if we’ve know about some of these games already at least they are showing them. What would have happened if they didnt show them you guys would complain that they didnt show them. PS HOme can take the time it needs to get right. Better to have it right off the bat then have it come out and not do what Sony and us gamers want it too. they know what we want and im sure they will do their best to put it in their. And if you hate the PS3 some much sell the damn thing and leave the other PS3 owners that liek wat they’ve seen ALONE. quit spamming these boards with your pointless BS.

  • Lets talk about the Movie service prices people. What’s your thoughts? I don’t know much abut the service our competitors offer so I cant really comment/compare. Also, we could have our movies on the go. Thats a major plus in my book. Would you guys say the prices are fair or to high? I don’t like the HD content prices.

    Who on earth still watches SD movies anyways? It should’ve been just HD only.

  • Sony you have better have some thing good at TGS. People want games from SCEJ like more games like ICO. We want a FFVII remake also from Square-Enix & Kingdom Hearts. Factor 5 needs to show White Knight and needs to come out this year. They also need to show Dark Cloud 3 plus True Fantasy Live Online.

    Get the picture I want RPGs not shooters. I could care less about KZ2 and R2. Both games I think will be good but there not the games I want.

    How can the DS get a new GTA and the PSP not.

    No show of the new IP you and RockStar are making and LA Loir. No news of you guys buyging 2k to get R* and so many other great companies.

    LBP is great we get it buy MM. My top three favorite generes are Action/adventure, RTS and RPG. Gets these games on the PS3.

    I don’t need new on R2, KZ2, Socom Confrontation & MAG. I want games other then shooters. You are becoming the Xbox not the 360 the Xbox and the 360 is becoming the system that gets lots of different generes.

    Pay Blizzard money for Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3. Even if the games have to be sold with a keyboard and mouse do it. Those games are great and having those on the PS3 will help sell the PS3 because people like those games and if you do not need to up date your PC to play those games people will buy a PS3.

    I don’t want news on games like singstar or Buzz. I am not a casual gamer. I want my RPGs. Give them to me. How about a new RTS game that is Colony Wars. Were is Tekken 6 were is it.

    How about making a game like Super Smash Brothers. You will get hate mail from Nintendo but at lest Nintendo is giving people want they want. I would love to see a fight with Jak VS Rachet. How cool would that be. It could even a game like Tekken if you wanted.

    Have SOE make more games for the PS3. May be all future games come out on the PS3 too. I want to play Everquest 3 on the PS3 when ever that comes out. Bring Ramayan 3392 A.D. to the PS3 also and not just the PC and bring it to the US too.

    Wake up and smell the coffe people want games so stop canning them. Give Eight Days and the Getaway 3 life again.

    There is even a petition to bring them back.
    It may only be 300+ right now but that still would be 300+ people that would buy both games. Plus if the games was to come out even more people would buy it. Not that many people a signing it because they think you will not listen. Please listen we want are games back. Plus many more new ones too. So were are they. That for a bad E3. I really had a great time hearing no thing really new.

    If you do not have a great. No make that far out awesome showing at TGS. Sony you will be the laughing stock of the gaming world. So you have your work cut out. Also to give you a warning. I would say right now TGS will be crap. You will show the same thing over and over. Please show me I am wrong. But I do not have high hopes for TGS.

    So Sony work with third party members and get games only that will be on the PS3. Plus buy more gaming companies too.

    So start working on it. Get going.

  • @402 it was there they showed most of the stuff that was released a week ealrier. It looks great cant wait for the release. Since R2 is coming out first they wantede to give it more of a showing than KZ2. im sure at the Tokyo Game Show they may show more KZ2.

  • With the exception of XBOX’s FFXIII coup and their timed exclusive release of Rock Band 2, their whole presentation was pretty lackluster. Ohhh, Mii’s… I mean Avatars! Neat and totally original. However, let’s not kid ourselves, FFXIII going to XBOX also was, bar none, the biggest announcement at E3. Period.

    Nintendo’s presentation was abysmal. Wii Music? Wii Sports 2 and Wii Motion Plus? Are you kidding me?! Where’s Kid Icarus? Heck, where’s anything for the core gamer? Maybe if Nintendo would stop focusing so much attention on my mom, they’d realize why the Wii has such a poor software attach rate.

    Sony had an okay showing after all, but there were still some disappointments. God of War will be very cool but it was also very expected. The movie and TV service is old news to anyone who follows the VG blogs. What else did we get? New PSP and PS2 bundles.

    Whoopidy-dang-doo. Color me apathetic.

    Frankly, the only announcement that held my interest was the PS3 greatest hits and frankly it should have happened last year. However, 80gb’s for the base price of $399 is very cool and should push more units. It’s a nice counter to the five(or is it six) SKU’s the 360 has. One question you guys never answered, though. IS IT BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE OR NOT?

    Where are our [DELETED] RPGs? Where’s our third-party support? Where’s the massive influx of PS1 games (Japan gets Xenogears, why the heck don’t we)?

    Sorry, I’m as die hard a Sony fan as any, but for this E3:

    PS3 >>>>>>> Wii
    XBOX >>>>>>> Wii (despite the blatant plagarism)
    PS3 = XBOX (just barely)

    Piece of advice – Now would be a good time to drop the PS2 to that magic $99 mark.

  • where was tekken,wipeout and kaz???

  • 406
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    Codeman420 | July 15th, 2008 at 2:53 pm

    ok for everyone complaining that Sony lost RPGs namely FF13 they didnt lose it its still coming out for the PS3 some quit complaining.

    agreed, plus fallout 3 is more an RPG than fallout 1,2 or tactics, idiots

  • I’m glad GOW 3 was announced, but after losing the exclusive rights to the biggest RPG franchise I was hoping for some news on a couple JRPG’s.

    I understand we still have White Knight Story but I think it is time Sony that you try snatching up some other great JRPG titles like Konami’s Suikoden 6, Sony’s Legend of Dragoon 2?, and if you really want to make up for loosing FF 13 pay some money to SE and obtain exclusive rights to the next Chrono game.

  • GREAT JOB ON THE CONFERENCE SONY, KEEP IT UP!!! :D

  • good god to all the people compalining over msoft and sony get a grip. Lets see what does xbox have so far that sony isn’t getting

    so you like the new and gay avatars comunity?
    or the xboxmb? or maybe you liked that new movie game they have? the only thing that xbox has good thats going for them is gears
    other than that its a copy and paste from sony.

    as far as rpgs sony is getting them people just don’t know how to get their facts straight. last remnant,star ocean 4, valkria, eternal sonota, white knight, disigea, are all coming to ps3 so whats the problem. the only one i heard was exclusive was undefinite discovery. soooo? ps3 is getting rpgs as well some people just can’t read. lol

  • You guys know who I miss a lot?…

    PHIL HARRISON. =]
    I always enjoy watching that guy talk about games. He would’ve definitely help sony today if he was around.
    We miss you Phil!

  • makes sense… show them at a japanese show and not at your biggest event of the year where MS just laughed in your face

    That fits with the entire PS3 lifetime so far… well done sony being consistent is really important in marketing communications.

  • FALLOUT 3 and MIRROR’S EDGE sparked interest most for me.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg7-DDnRpXk

  • Bottom line… they bombed out…

    Look on xbox,com how xbox fans are jubilant… and on here how everyone who’s not in denial recognises this was almost as sad as e32k6

  • Sony has no clue no clue at all.

  • To everyone asking: The new $399 80GB PS3 is NOT backwards compatible. If you watch the keynote Jack specifically states “The same functionality as the 40GB PS3”. This is just a storage bump. 40GB of extra space for no extra money. Sounds like a good deal to me! It’s just sad that they’re discontinuing the 80GB $499 bundle(Jack said they are now only going to focus on the $399 bundle).

  • @419

    Well, Sony had a strong lineup of content to show. They announced new bundles for each one of their hardware, and they announced the new video store.

    GoW3, R2, inFamous, MAG, and KZ2?! It was good to me.

    Overall I was disappointed of the lack of SHOCKERS, but well, it wasn’t as bad as Microsoft last year, or Nintendo this year.

  • @ 421

    Jeez. Glad I got a launch 60gb. The inability to play my 80+ PS2 games would cause me to commit vehicular homicide.

  • what was with the DC Universe guy?

    Belching… and press ups… ? It was E3 not a frat party.

  • great job sony, a lot of great games for the future
    best of show

  • So…. when the heck are the PSN cards coming out in Canada??

  • @ 417

    You know what I’ve been thinking. The very instant Hideo Kojima decides he’s done working at Konami, Sony needs to go over to his place:

    “Here’s a blank check with your name on it. You just write down the biggest number you can think of, any number at all, and we’ll give it to you to head up our Japan Studios. Please with sugar on top.”

    He loves Sony. I’m sure he’d jump.

  • I am impressed. Keep it up Sony! Oh and please return my broken PS3 asap. I’m hurting.

  • So in summary. Nothing new here.

    And more importantly still no signs that either Home or Killzone 2 are actually anywhere close to being finished.

  • @422 aaquib2…..yep…I was also reading the new PS3 will have a different chip in it than what the current ones have….they didn’t state that on the conference, but I’m pretty sure this is the one that will have that new chip.

  • http://livewire.ign.com/2008/e3/index.html

    Special Killzone 2 Event. In 15 Minutes.

  • Well this is what I think. The bigest piece of news at E3 had to be(the SHOCK heard round the internet) and that was (it hurts to even say it)

    THE FFX111 360 DEATH-BLOW!

    Holy crap I didn’t see that one coming and SO FAR NOTHING HAS eclipsed it (somebody please prove me wrong), I am NO xbot, I bleed SONY Blu (just check my posts) Last year we WON E3 but this year…Ummm? I don’t know???
    Well Jeff, you asked and thats my thoughts.

  • Dear Sony,

    I have been a PS fan since the very beginning. I have a PS1, PS2, PS3 and PSP. I know I am not speaking for only myself when I say that I played those systems primarily for the quality jRPG’s they had to offer. Playstation was the undisputed king of RPGs. Where are those RPG’s now? Folklore and Fallout 3 don’t count. I realize that FXIII is still coming to the PS3, but Microsoft’s announcement was still pretty earthshattering. RPG’s are one of the main reasons people buy playstation systems. Why stray from what worked for you in the past? You have millions of RPG fans that are just waiting and waiting for some quality games to come out and what do you give us? A bunch of first person shooters. Killzone 2 and Resistance is enough. More than enough — at least for now. Even Star Ocean 4 is now a x360 exclusive. When I first read that news my heart dropped, but when I heard the news for FXIII I wasn’t very surprised. The reason for this is because I have come to accept that you’ve simply lost focus of the fact that the PS3 is primarily a GAMING SYSTEM. Yes it has a blue-ray player and is a wonderful home entertainment system, but the vast majority of people that buy a ps3 buy it for the games, not the movies.

    Get some jRPG’s out there. Fight for third party exclusives. Third party exclusives are the decision makers when one is choosing which system to buy. You need to promote and advertise your jRPG’s more than you have been. People get it. the PS3 can play Blu-ray movies! Stop beating a dead horse. Focus on games now. I have been a loyal fan since the beginning and have stuck with you, but disappointment after disappointment is really testing my patience. Do whatever you need to do to at the very, very least to keep games multiplatform. Do not let titles that have been playstation staples become 360 EXCLUSIVES. Star Ocean 4 comes to mind. I don’t care if it’s multiplatform, just come out with the games one way or another to keep your fans happy.

    Also- to those who are still saying “At least we have versus, right?” :
    Were we not told that XIII would be a ps3 exclusive? What makes you think that XIII-versus will not follow suit?

  • You people that complain make me sick, there are so many games to look forward to what more do you wont.

  • once again, sony had the best show, great amazing games, from m.a.g to dc online, to little bigplanet…to infamous to resistance 2, all only playable on the ps3, also we have free online, add to that a movie service as well, sony is taking over, what does the rrod system have that sony doesnt?

    its game over, sony is on the way to be this gen winner

    once again… GREAT JOB AND GREAT SHOW SONY

  • what a let down. this year’s e3 belongs to m$. m$ is now on the victory podium holding sony’s balls in its hand….FTL

  • and to all those that care about this ps video sh*t…dling a freaking 2 gig demo is slow as hell…i can’t imagine dling a HD movie…he said a SD movie was 2 hrs…HD = 4 hrs? f**k that i’d rather pirate the damn thing or go rent it…geesh fail! and for all those that wanted cloud to come back and save sony…we did not get our wish

    NAIL TO COFFIN!

  • @T-Jani
    i second that!
    You guys really ned to stop complaining and be satisfied. Look how many features we hav gotten since the launch. Todays conference was good. I mean come on they announced the movie rental store today!And those of you wanting more ps1 games…did u buy a ps3 so u cud play ps1 games?

  • nintendo had final fantasy and playstation had what? 7,8,9,x,x2 etc… 7 and 8 were also on pc, I remember rumors of ff9 on pc too etc etc, so what if xbox has ff13?

  • @desithrilla93

    lol it took 2 years…pretty pathetic dont you think? we are flooded with false/delayed promises it’s pretty lame. ps video store will probably be delayed tonight LOL

  • Jack Tretton: “We’re not interested in filling up our store with games that nobody wants to play, just so we can say ‘we have the most games.’”

    Jack, let me make that decision. The PSN has basically nothing on it in terms of game downloads. Some of the games I like are “games no one is interested in” like “The King of Fighters”. Why does the Wii get these games and we’re left with an empty store?

    The video store is great, though I honestly won’t use it. The “Life with Playstation” service is something I’ll use and look forward too, just like the oft-delayed Home, but I really want to hear about -new- games, and not just shooters!

  • You idiots who keep saying “we have FFXIII too are sad and pathetic.
    FFXIII was Sony’s chance to sell consoles, it was Sony’s last big chance to make an impact.
    Only a complete drooling idiot would buy a PS3 for FFXIII now when you can get it on the 360 that they already own.
    If it makes you sleep better at night, you keep telling yourself that it doesn’t matter and then you can suck on the games that only come on 360 and pc and then maybe PS3 months later.
    And to the one saying that they were on pc also , you have invented a new calibur of idiocy.

  • mirrors edge and pixeljunk eden are new concepts as well as a few of the psp games, there IS innovation here.

  • @Ranma

    agreed, we need more classic games. we dont have anything. our store honestly imho sucks. plus dl is so damn slow. kz2 and r2 are fps that are aiiight. i’m more interested in new games but we got nothing more than sequels and god of war 3 will probably extend out to 5 versions and ruin the whole damn story and its glory

  • @mik3yl3

    no i do not think its pathetic… at least we are getting these large updates. ook at xbox, they get very few updates and stil have to pay for online. we get a lot of updates and dont have to pay. sure the delays do get annoying, but in the end, when we finally get we realize it was truly worth the wait.

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