Joystiq [PlayStation]

11:18AM - David Reeves "introduce us to the delights the PlayStation has in store for the upcoming months." "Why do we call it the 'World of PlayStation" - because it is "a brand that offers something for every individual and every consumer"

11:19AM - Kaz Hirai takes the stage. First time speaking to European press. Singstar, Killzone 2 and LBP all come from European dev community. 10.5 million PS3 at the end of 07, 34 million PSPs. Most recent figures will be available at Tokyo event next week.

11:21AM - "PS3 is a platform for digital interactive home entertainment ... [and] games, games, and more games." More developers are working on PS3, and games are getting better as developers become more familiar with the system.

11:23AM - First year of PS3 had teething problems, but they are aware of their problems and are confident they can overcome. 2008 is off to a fantastic start. Key titles: LBP, Resistance 2, MGS4, Haze, Motorstorm Pacific Rift, Buzz (it's the highlight reel all over again!). Blu-ray and PlayTV vital part of introducing PS3 to new markets.

11:25AM - Realizes Home announcement was disappointing. (Really? You guys don't like delays?) Reiteration: Home will be open ONLY when ready. Home will be available on the show floor.


11:27AM - 8 million+ registered on PSN. My Buzz will become "A global portal for quiz lovers and will deliver a unique take on communities" LBP will "revolutionize the way gamers interact with games." "The future of PlayStation is Interactive Entertainment," whether casual, social or hardcore. LittleBigPlanet planned for October release.

11:30AM - David Reeves returns to the stage. PS3 is about "play in the widest possible sense of the word." YAY NUMBERS. Europe region: 12 million PSPs, 48+ million PS2s, 5 million PS3s in the region. Similar numbers as PS2 timeframe, in spite of higher cost. Sold more than 360, in spite of 16 month difference and recent price drop.

11:33AM - User created content allows any user to express themselves and capture imaginations. SingStar sold 220k copies, 1 million songs (avg. 6.3 songs/user). My SingStar Online allows you to make a video of you singing any of the songs and upload to My Singstar Online. Short collection of clips from My SingStar -- am I in it?

11:35AM - No. I wasn't in it! =( But a wookie was!


11:36AM - Buzzing about Buzz:wireless buzzers, user created quizes and downloadable quiz packs. My Buzz website allows you to make quizzes. LittleBigPlanet is best example for user-generated content on PS3. Video of some Media Molecule levels. And yes, there is a level inspired by Killzone 2. There are Killzone Sackboy characters as well. <3


11:39AM - PS3 is a hardcore gamer's machine as well, with Killzone 2 and Resistance 2. Killzone 2: February 2009. Video now being showcased. Will be playable this afternoon (expect impressions later in the day). Looked gorgeous on video. Still very brown.


11:42AM - Insomniac's Ted Price on stage to talk about Resistance 2. They've focused on Community, Campaign, Co-op and Competitive. Every game needs strong online community. For R2, redesigning resistance.net more like Facebook. Website matchmaking. Focusing on Nathan Hale for R2 in the US. Video of Resistance 2 competitive play.


11:46AM - "Battles within battles" for R2 online. 5 different squads with different objectives, dynamic objectives. Every squad must go against rival squad with same objectives. With 60 players there are always 5 or 6 players for whom you develop a "really intense hatred."

11:48AM - Ted leaves, Reeves returns. Reeves loves that Ted always delivers the games on time. (Unlike Killzone ... cough ...) Now talking about Metal Gear Solid 4. What's that?

11:50AM - Paul Hollywood takes stage, creative director at Evolution Studios. Talks about Motorstorm 2 Motorstorm Pacific Rift. Promises "brutal offroad racing." "Not just updated the graphics and added a "2" to the title." Moar of: aggression, destruction, variety, danger, unpredictability. Inspired by Hawaii. The island is now your greatest enemy. Twice as many tracks as original Motorstorm. Interactive vegetation technology! Plants fight back! Only larger vehicles can punch through heavy vegitation. Water is everywhere too, adding drag and bouyancy and cooling down the engine temperature, adding tactics. New vehicle: monster trucks. Split Screen for up to 4 players. Motorstorm is a way of life! /cult


11:59AM - Hollywood gone. New game: Mirror's Edge, presented by Sean Decker. Faith is a runner who has run into a conspiracy and is now on the run. "We're going to put you in the shoes of Faith" via a first person perspective. New footage. Very impressive video, will be available on PSN later this week.


12:05PM - Reeves is back. Says GT5:P is the best car game in the world. 1.5 million copies sold. Pleased to announce a competition in conjunction with Nissan. GT Academy -- competition spanning 7 months. Prize: 4 month racing training program to get their license, then they get to race in the 24 hour Dubai race in 2009 on Nissan's team.

12:07PM - Simon from Nissan on stage. Many Nissan cars have a cult following thanks to GT. GT Race Academy is a natural and exciting extension to the Sony/Nissan relationship. People can finally answer the "can I do this?" question when it comes to virtual racing. Lots of GT5 in-game footage. 23rd May 2008 on PSN. Every round of the GT Academy will be filmed and made available on the PSN. Some journalists will be able to report on the academy and take part in the training.

12:10PM - FIFA Virtual World Cup, 32 finalists. Grand final at Sony Center in Berlin in 2 weeks.

12:11PM - 5 million Blu-ray players in homes. PS3 owners are embracing the format. Talking about BD-Live. "PlayStation is directly responsible for Blu-Ray's growth." Telling us why Blu-ray, like, totally rocks.

12:13PM - Someone fell backstage. Everyone laughs.

12:14PM - June 16th Sony will release its first BD-Live outside the US. Men in Black, with interactive trivia game and downloadable materials. Video showing some cool Blu-ray features. Haha, Vantage point has a PiP GPS tracker.

12:23PM - Ran into some technical glitches. Sorry. Go! View on PSP showcased. Launches June 30th. Will offer video content from Sky on a PPV or subscription basis. Go! View will require computer to download content. A similar program will be available on PS3. "Watch this space."

12:26PM - EyeToy Play Heroes - a PS2 game with a sword peripheral. New EyeToy game with pom poms, as well. Talking about echochrome, a "modern day rubix cube." Video.

12:27PM - Kids love music, says Reeves. Searching for new music talent by making it available via a new show on the PS Network.

12:32PM - PlayTV: September for 99 Euros. Go! Explore launched last week in some countries. Others to follow in June, including UK presumably.

12:34PM - European PC Store will expand to full UMD game downloads. (Classic titles have been available in US already.)

12:35PM - PlayStation Day 2008 is over. Will be annual event. Stay tuned for hands-on coverage. Thanks for reading!