Sony E3 2012 Recap

Sony started the press conference with a showing a video of the many games and services they are planning to come out in the coming months. This was followed by Sony’s speaker saying that the PlayStation has the most passionate consumers in the wold (well it is a substitute against saying that they have the most users in the world). Sony’s President discloses the extent of E3 being the biggest event in the video game industry. The conference then goes with tanking the gamers in the audience at the event physically and digitally and the people behind the development of the games and services. They go on saying that the PlayStation service is growing to meet the people’s need in the gaming market.

The press conference starts out with a new IP “Beyond: Two Souls” from Quantic Dream. The developer of the game explains the use of storytelling with emotions and the ability for real-time 3D to enhance the emotions in the game. They say that the game is based on the things after life, questioning the existence after death. the game will live the life of a person named Jody Holms and the changes in life over the years in real-time. Followed by the back story of the game, the developer announced that the game is voiced acted by Ellen Page from Juno the movie. The demo is preceded by a video and gameplay of the game.  The video shows an officer questioning the protagonist, asking her name and where she live; then while looking for a missing person’s report, the SWAT team comes in asking where is the girl. The video then shows a recap of some of the gameplay in the following game.

Followed by the new IP to the PlayStation consoles, Sony brings in another game called PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. The game is basically Sony version of Nintendo’s Super Smash Brothers, but with the use of Sony gaming characters. It starts out with a video of the game, followed by game play of the game with 6 players (on the PS3 (4) and PS Vita(2)) in a 3 minute match. They explain that each character have a different ability and tactics in the game. They also explain that the characters gain level and in each level, they have different abilities to use, with the higher level getting higher ability. The game will be on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in the coming months.

Sony then emphasize the use of the PlayStaion 3 and PlayStaion Vita and the use of the two device to work with each other to control the games and services on the PlayStation with Sony’s Cross-Play. The Cross-Play functionality allows the PlayStation gamers to play with 3 other friends on either console. The Cross-Play also allows gamers to save points in the game between the two devices. Sony also announces that there will be a DLC for Little Big Planet to connect the two devices together and enable the use of the two devices together to create new things, utilizing dual screen gaming.

The event moves on to the topic of the PlayStation Network, saying that 80% of the PS3 and PS Vita being online and a library of 1,500 titles available to download. They also announced that the network will also be a great place for indie film creators. Sony also announced that 200 digital more download titles will be available soon in the year. Sony also says that the their subscription service, PlayStaion Plus, will be amplified with more games for free, with 12 more games in about the time you are reading this. Sony also announces some classic games to the PlayStaion Vita, including classics like Toumb Rader and Final Fantasy. Sony also announces that they are Youtube, Hulu Plus, and Crackle (Sony’s own video service) is coming to the PlayStation Vita. Sony also re-emphasizes their music service. Sony also announces that Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified, Ubisoft’s Assassins Creed: Liberation (the first female assassin), Assassins Creed 3 (set in the 18th century), Far Cry 3 will be on the PlayStaion Vita arround the holiday months 2012.

Sony then talks about the PlayStation Move saying more than 250 title for the system. One of the new things to the PlayStation Move is the interaction with a story book  interface called WonderBook, game/service designed for the more educative market. One of the uses with the Wonderbook service is a connection of the popular Harry Potter stories to create The Book of Spells; a game to interact and act like a wizard.

Finally, Sony announces that they are bring PlayStation’s interaction with Google’s Android with the PlayStation Mobile (previously PlayStation Suite). The last big announcement Sony said is that HTC will be the first non-Sony group to be sharing “the PlayStation expertise”.

While Microsoft and Sony had made some bold changes, what will Nintendo do?