E3 2010: Sony Press Conference -The opening Gambit

  It's been an explosive year so far at E3, with the big companies in gaming seeking to outdo each other it's getting hard to keep up! however, fearless as ever, we send Drew into the mix to take a gander at what Sony have to offer this year with orders to separate the triumphs from the dead geese. What follows is a quick introduction to the action with links to further updates focusing on what you need to know about Sony's 2010 E3 Press Conference.   


  Honestly guys, I'm not sure that the bird analogy works, but what is most definitely true is that when these companies get together to do an expo they sure make a lot of work for the likes of me! Sony are no exception to this rule, this years E3 see's Sony covering all sorts of ground with their press conference and while some have argued on forums across the web that Sony's contribution was underwhelming, I'd say there is plenty to talk about.

  For a start there are the customary theatrics that come with these kinda of affairs. With stiff competition from rival companies there is always an element of "smoke and mirrors" while the big-wigs on stage peddle their wares. Sony achieved this by reputedly handing out 3D glasses and starting the conference early and thus generating a feeling of urgency around their conference. A clever device that set the ball rolling for Sony to announce a host of expected titles and a few surprises too.

  Nobody was going to be surprised at the announcement of games likes Killzone 3, Little Big Planet 2 and Grand Turismo 5 but the revealing of a new a Mortal Kombat game along with a Twisted Metal game in the final stages of the conference proved to be an exciting surprise. That said, when a battered ice-cream truck arrives on stage containing David Jaffe you have to admit it's usually a little unexpected. For the full story on the games of Sony's conference, look no further then here. 

 Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Sony's planned releases is the extent to which they will support 3D. During the course of the conference SCEA president Jack Tretton announced that by March 2011 Sony will deliver 20 titles for the PS3 in native 3D, including games like Killzone 3 and Mortal Kombat. This is a fairly impressive claim that shows Sony's commitment to innovating in the field of 3D gaming and goes along way in supporting the force behind Sony's planned releases. Get the scoop on Sony's 3D commitment here.


 Hardware and infrastructure are also receiving a push from Sony this year with the PSP set to see a whole host of new games, PSN getting a new service in PSN Plus and the final unavailing of that little device you may have heard of, Playstation Move. Sony appear to have decided to make a move on the portable market by pushing the PSP as the only portable solution for "serious" gamers. This has been a long time coming and will hopefully finally see the PSP getting into the stride it deserves. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is touted by Tretton as an example of a leading core PSP title before he goes on to unveil new titles for the machine including a new God Of War game. The portable parable can be found here.

  Infrastructure wise we see the way games are delivered to us getting a slight revamp with the unveiling of PSN Plus, an additional paid tier for PSN which has been received with decidedly mixed reactions. The basic idea behind 'Plus is that for either a years subscription costing $50, or a 3-month subscription costing $18, subscribers can expect access to free games, mini's, themes and discounts. As well this, PSN Plus implements a "full demo" service which allows players to download and play a full game for around an hour to trial it before purchase. This has proven to be a hot topic as Sony have revealed that while content like themes and content paid for with discounts will remain available at a subscriptions end, free games will not until the subscription is renewed leading to some to refer to the service as an expensive way of renting games. The biggest upset is that cross party chat has yet to be confirmed on PSN while a paid tier has.Whatever side you take in the PSN Plus debate, pay a visit to the discussion here.

  Now I can't help but feel that I'm missing something. Something big. Something that my editor-in-chief will flay me for should I miss it. Something, movement based perhaps? Oh come on, did you really think I'd forgotten? I talk of course of Sony's answer to the motion race - Playstation Move. Call it a gimmick, call it a revolution, either way it's big news. The build up to the unleashing of both Sony's and Microsoft's flight into the world of motion controls has been truly epic and now finally we get a look and Sony's contribution. What really sets Playstation Move apart is that in accordance with Sony's big games push, is that 'Move is already being announced as compatible with upcoming core PS3 titles with Killzone 3 and SOCOM 4 both reputedly being made ready for Move capability at launch. Move over to the full motion article here. 

   So there's a very brief overview of some of the main points from Sony's press conference. At a glance it is obvious that Sony are really pushing the gaming part of consoles. It's interesting that despite the importance of Move, it hasn't dominated Sony's press conference. Instead we see a vast array of games appearing in various formats across the Sony range. It surprises me that people have described Sony's conference as underwhelming when you consider the sheer volume of games that were mentioned during the presentation. While Microsoft can boast partnerships with ESNP and Activision, sony can counter with strong ties to EA, DICE and even Gabe Newell. You know? That formally rather vocal critic of the PS3?

   I would have to say that Sony could be close to leading the way in gaming over the next few years, with so many games apparently on the cards to support the moves into 3D and motion controls Sony seem to be building a solid and daunting presence in the gaming world. If the reports free all three of the console producers are to be believed then the current generation of consoles is evolving and if Sony deliver what they say they will they could come out on top. Whatever your gaming alliance, check out the following links to read the full news for Sony's 2010 E3 Press Conference and whatever you do, keep gaming!

Check out the rest of our Sony E3 2010 updates here:

SonyE32010 – Games http://tiny.cc/2gtsz


SonyE32010 – 3D http://tiny.cc/cgn17

SonyE32010 – Portable http://tiny.cc/8kwwh

SonyE32010 – PSN Plus http://tiny.cc/w8jqm


SonyE32010– Move http://tiny.cc/n20ri