Topic: PSP gets LittleBigPlanet, MotorStorm, Assassin's Creed, Rock Band Unplugged

[Flames_of_chaos]

Source

PSP(R) System Poised for Breakout Year with a New 'Lilac' PSP System for Female Gamers, New Entertainment Packs, and Breakout Titles for North America

At its annual retail and publisher conference Destination PlayStation(R), Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) announced its unprecedented line up for PSP(R)(PlayStation(R)Portable), including a new hardware offering that extends the PSP market to young female gamers, the debut of blockbuster franchises MotorStorm(R) and LittleBigPlanet(TM) on the platform, and major software support from Disney Interactive, Electronic Arts, MTV Games, Square Enix, Ubisoft, and other publishing partners.
"With a year of record sales ushering us into the new year, we continue to raise the bar on providing consumers the deepest and broadest entertainment content for every member of the family to enjoy," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. "With new content being added every day to the PlayStation Network combined with an unmatched line up of exclusive titles on PSP, and the roll out of truly groundbreaking games such as Killzone(R) 2 for PS3, we remain confident in our approach and strategy for another record year of growth and momentum."

SCEA also previewed its deepest and broadest content line up for the PS3 system, including groundbreaking exclusives such as Killzone(R) 2, inFamous, MLB(R)'09: The Show(TM), MAG, UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves and God of War(R) III to hit throughout the fiscal year. Promising to be a blockbuster hit, Killzone 2's immersive and sensory gameplay sets the stage for PlayStation's continued momentum on the PS3 this year, accompanied by truly innovative and genre- defying content such as MAG, the industry's first online shooter to allow up to 256 players, combined with artistic and niche games like Flower(TM) and Ragdoll Kung Fu(TM): Fists of Plastic on PlayStation(R)Network.

With a rapidly growing install base, the PSP platform is riding a wave of momentum that will be paired with a new hardware offering and its best software line up to date, demonstrating significant support from SCEA's publishing partners. Two new limited-edition PSP Entertainment Packs will be available in 2009, bundling everything consumers need to jump onto the PSP platform, from the hardware to games, videos, and other content -- all for $199.99 (MSRP).

    * Hannah Montana PSP Entertainment Pack -- As part of a new focus on expanding the PSP market to female gamers, SCEA will launch this new bundle in July. The pack includes the introduction of the "Lilac" PSP system, Disney Interactive's Hannah Montana PSP game (an exclusive dancing and rhythm action game for gamers to design the show and go on tour as the teen icon), a selection episodes from the Hannah Montana TV series on UMD, a 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo, and stickers to customize the PSP.
    * Assassin's Creed(TM) PSP Entertainment Pack -- Ubisoft will debut an exclusive installment of the popular Assassin's Creed franchise on PSP later this year. To commemorate this highly anticipated title, SCEA will launch a new bundle that includes the game, a "Piano Black" PSP, and other content that will be announced later.


SCEA's push toward teen and "tween" girl gamers will also be supported by Ubisoft's Petz(R) software line, which will make its debut on PSP with new, unique titles later this year. The Petz series allows young players to create and care for cute, furry pets chosen from many different breeds of dogs, cats, horses, hamsters, dolphins, tigers and bunnies.

Publisher support for the PSP system will continue throughout the year with Rock Band Unplugged(TM), launching exclusively on PSP. MTV Games and Harmonix announced separately that gamers will be able to take Rock Band Unplugged on the road with the first ever portable version of the popular music and gaming experience. Rock Band Unplugged will take center stage as it leverages the PSP system's Wi-Fi capabilities and becomes the first PSP game to include a fully-featured in-game store for downloadable content in the North American and Europeans markets.

The third party support for PSP will continue throughout the year with a stellar line up of titles from EA SPORTS. Madden NFL 10 will enable NFL fans to build their own formations and plays from scratch on the PSP. Then, through connectivity with the PS3, the plays can be downloaded and perfected on the console. In addition, Madden NFL 10 will deliver a faster and more "PSP- friendly" gameplay experience to adapt to the PSP owner's lifestyle. And for the golf fans out there, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR(R) 10 will allow gamers to experience the drama of major golf tournaments with revamped gameplay modes for on and offline play. Look for more EA SPORTS titles to be announced for the PSP this year.

Rounding out the unprecedented publisher support, Square Enix's DISSIDIA(TM) FINAL FANTASY, which has sold 850,000 units since launching before the holidays in Japan, will make its way to North America this summer.

From a first party perspective, SCEA will bring its biggest franchises from the PS3 to the PSP this year, starting with MotorStorm(R) Arctic Edge and LittleBigPlanet(TM) in Fall 2009. These titles will be built from the ground up for PSP, offering users a unique portable experience based on the critically acclaimed franchises. Following are details for each game:

    * LittleBigPlanet -- Developed in conjunction with MediaMolecule, the critically acclaimed game LittleBigPlanet makes its way to the PSP, offering new SackBoy(TM) adventures with the same play, create, share experience for gamers on-the-go, in addition to brand new levels and environments specifically created for the platform.
    * MotorStorm Arctic Edge -- Developed by the award-winning Bigbig Studios, the team behind the best-selling Pursuit Force(TM) series, MotorStorm Arctic Edge sees the music, the festival and the brutal off-road racing arrive in the breathtaking yet lethal and unpredictable setting of Alaska. The game is also expected to hit the PlayStation 2 platform in Fall of 2009.


As the connective tissue of the PlayStation experience across the PS3 and PSP systems, SCEA announced continued PlayStation Network content from new movie releases through the video delivery service and new game spaces for PlayStation(R)Home. Launching this week, the new "Warhawk(TM) Command Center" space makes its way into PlayStation Home offering Warhawk fans a new place to socialize and strategize featuring the sand table. PlayStation Home is the ultimate social community gathering gamers via a rich, 3D high-definition environment and will continue to expand overtime.

[Flames_of_chaos]

In the Sony event here are all the games announced/talked about:

PS3
Killzone 2
inFamous
MLB 09 The Show
MAG
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
God of War III
Flower
Ragdoll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic

Home
Warhawk Command Center

PSP
Assassin's Creed
LittleBigPlanet
Rock Band Unplugged
MotorStorm Arctic Edge
Dissidia: Final Fantasy
Hannah Montana
Petz
Madden NFL 10
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10

PS2
MotorStorm Arctic Edge

[GoldenPhoenix]

So LBP is possible on PSP and not Wii?

[Flames_of_chaos]

So LBP is possible on PSP and not Wii?

It's a Sony franchise

[GoldenPhoenix]

So LBP is possible on PSP and not Wii?

It's a Sony franchise

I know, but I recall it at one time almost being a Wii title.

[Halbred]

How the heck is LBP going to work on the PSP? I'm excited, no doubt about it, but I just wonder what it's going to BE. A new Assassin's Creed could be pretty rad, too. Hopefully it's not the PoP fumble that the DS cart was...could be good.

So LBP, Assassin's Creed, and Patapon 2 in '09. I'm excited! My PSP is actually going to see some playtime!

And hey, did everyone else besides me realize that Sarah Marshall (forget the actress' name) was the lab assistant in Assassin's Creed?

[GoldenPhoenix]

The PSP nub of doom sucks the happiness out of me for any game that is not 2D.

[Halbred]

Couldn't agree more. Almost all of my PSP games are 2D aside from Silent Hill and Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters. I picked up a used copy of Secret Agent Clank, but I don't really like it.

I think the PSP does 2D platformers really well. It has the hardware to give old games a new, wonderful shine, like Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles, Mega Man: Powered UP and Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X. And then you've got original franchises with beeaaauuutiful art direction (Patapon). 3D games honestly look a little bit forced on the PSP, as if they certainly can be done, but not to the same level of perfection a 2D game can be.

The only 3D game I've really enjoyed on the PSP without worrying about technical issues has been Chains of Olympus.

[Flames_of_chaos]

So LBP is possible on PSP and not Wii?

It's a Sony franchise

I know, but I recall it at one time almost being a Wii title.

Yeah I heard that Nintendo rejected Media Molecule's idea/design so they went to Sony and probably Phil Harrison loved it and the rest was history.

[Spinnzilla]

Lolwut, rock band?

[Caliban]

The PSP nub of doom sucks the happiness out of me for any game that is not 2D.

It could be worse. I've been playing a few 3D games (God of War, Phantasy Star demo, Ratchet and Clank, Killzone Liberation) on my PSP3000 and I haven't had any major problems handling it. I think it's all a matter of calibrating your thumb sensitivity to the nub's small size.
On the 2D side I have Loco Roco 2 (I'm in love with it), Patapon (It's wicked), and I have yet to play Prinny.

With that said I'm glad with LBP coming to PSP because I love the PS3 version a lot, but I'm worried how it's going to work on the PSP when the PS3 controls are taken into consideration.

[NWR_pap64]

So LBP is possible on PSP and not Wii?

It's a Sony franchise

I know, but I recall it at one time almost being a Wii title.

Yeah I heard that Nintendo rejected Media Molecule's idea/design so they went to Sony and probably Phil Harrison loved it and the rest was history.

Really? How ironic that many people say that LBP feels like a Nintendo game when Nintendo themselves rejected the idea.

And never say that Sony owns any IP. Remember, Crash Bandicoot was a Sony IP too...

[GoldenPhoenix]

Probably the main thing keeping it from feeling like a Nintendo game is the overly floaty controls.

[Caliban]

Just pretend you're playing with Luigi from Super Mario Bros 2, he's floaty.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Just pretend you're playing with Luigi from Super Mario Bros 2, he's floaty.

Lol. I HATED Luigi in SMB2 along with his, um, guest appearance in a certain recent Mario game.

[Caliban]

Yeah I don't like Luigi's floating physics much either. He's like a flying, slippery cucumber.

[NovaQ]

Just pretend you're playing with Luigi from Super Mario Bros 2, he's floaty.

Lol. I HATED Luigi in SMB2 along with his, um, guest appearance in a certain recent Mario game.

I disagree with your opinion!

Seriously, though, I loved that recent appearance. It turned the game on its side (not quite on its head) by making some of the previously easy parts hard and previously hard parts easy. Great fun.

[GoldenPhoenix]

easy parts hard and previously hard parts easy. Great fun.

Poor controls always do that.

[NovaQ]

I agree, and even though you're making a joke, I'm going to respond anyway (in this thread that has nothing to do with Mario). I think in this specific case, the designers made the game with great controls, and then they made an extra mode that messed with the controls big-time. After enjoying the original controls, I had even more fun getting used to the weird ones. If, however, those wonky controls had been the only option from the beginning of the game, I would not have been happy.

[NWR_Lindy]

It could be worse. I've been playing a few 3D games (God of War, Phantasy Star demo, Ratchet and Clank, Killzone Liberation) on my PSP3000 and I haven't had any major problems handling it. I think it's all a matter of calibrating your thumb sensitivity to the nub's small size.

How do you like the PSP-3000's screen?  Is the interlacing as annoying/noticeable as everybody says (especially on GoW:CoO and KZ: Liberation)?

[Flames_of_chaos]

And never say that Sony owns any IP. Remember, Crash Bandicoot was a Sony IP too...

You are wrong there Sony only had the publishing rights to Crash Bandicoot and Spyro however Universal also known as Vivendi owned the IP and now since the merger Activision-Blizzard owns the Crash and Spyro IP.

[Caliban]

Silks, I haven't noticed anything, but if I were you I would have someone from the store demo it for you if they have one at hand.
Heck I can PM you some photos or youtube some footage if you would like to.

[Kairon]

So LBP is possible on PSP and not Wii?

It's a Sony franchise

I know, but I recall it at one time almost being a Wii title.

Yeah I heard that Nintendo rejected Media Molecule's idea/design so they went to Sony and probably Phil Harrison loved it and the rest was history.

Really? How ironic that many people say that LBP feels like a Nintendo game when Nintendo themselves rejected the idea.

And never say that Sony owns any IP. Remember, Crash Bandicoot was a Sony IP too...

I never heard that. I heard that it was shopped around a bit, including Nintendo, and then Sony offered to pay the entire development cost, thereby ensuring the game was exclusive.

[NWR_Lindy]

Silks, I haven't noticed anything, but if I were you I would have someone from the store demo it for you if they have one at hand.
Heck I can PM you some photos or youtube some footage if you would like to.

I bet it only shows up in certain games.  I think I'll ride this year out with the PSP I have, and see if Sony releases yet another SKU.  I'd love to see them release one final version of the original PSP with the better screen, no UMD drive, and a program that allowed you to rip UMDs with your old PSP and then transfer them to the new UMD-less PSP.  That'd be great.