GamerNode: Latest PlayStation 3 News

Sony introducing PSN Pass with Resistance 3

A logo titled "PSN Pass" was found on photos of the Resistance 3 bundle, revealed yesterday by German website Konsolentreff. Now Sony has officially announced what this new feature actually is.

In response to questions regarding the service, the SCEA explained that the program will require users to input a one-time code in order to unlock a game's online features.

"We are always evaluating new programs for our online offering, and starting with Resistance 3 this September, we will be instituting a network pass program for PS3 games with online capabilities," said the spokesperson. "This program will be game-specific. Games that are a part of this program will include a single-use registration code that grants the account holder redeeming the code full online access for that title."

This mean...

LIMBO possibly headed to the PlayStation Network

LIMBO received critical acclaim and numerous awards when it was released exclusively on Xbox LIVE Arcade last year. Now it looks like the downloadable title may be headed to the PlayStation Network soon.

The Korean Rating Board has a listing for LIMBO, and apparently Sony Computer Entertainment Korea has rated the game. In all likelihood this means a PSN version of the puzzle platformer is now pending release.

SCE Korea's involvement does not necessarily translate to a North American release, and at this point nothing has been confirmed or denied by Sony. But 2008's Braid and Castle Crashers were released on PSN after a period of XBLA exclusivity. LIMBO following suit would not be too surprising.

Playdead Studios, the team behind LIMBO, has already begun work on its next IP. If a PSN version ...

Hirai promoted to SCEI Chairman, House takes CEO p...

The last time anyone saw Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., he was making a long apology via video for the hacker attacks on the PlayStation Network. Today, Sony has announced that Hirai will be promoted to SCEI Chairman, effective September 1.

His promotion didn't come due to his expert apologizing skills however, but because current Chairman Akira Sato will be retiring as of August 31. Sato's departure comes in additon to that of the Father of the PlayStation and Honorary Chairman of SCEI, Ken Kutaragi, who retired yesterday.

Sony also announced that Hirai isn't the only one getting promoted over at Sony, as SCEE President Andrew House will move up and take over Hirai's position as Group CEO. According to the company, the duo will work "in close colla...

Uncharted and Ratchet & Clank bundles revealed for...

Having found success with HD re-releases of past titles, Sony is now focusing on releasing bundles of current PlayStation 3 games.

PS3 collections for both the Uncharted and Ratchet & Clank franchises were discovered recently, and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has confirmed their existence. Both bundles will be released in Europe on July 22 with the likely price point of $39.99.

In addition to the first two Uncharted games, the Uncharted Collection will come with a dynamic PS3 theme and avatar based on Naughty Dog's upcoming entry in the series, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.

The Ratchet & Clank bundle will include the two PS3 titles, Tools of Destruction and A Crack in Time. A dynamic theme and four avatars featuring Ratchet, Clank, Qwark & Nefarious will also be included.

Sony has not ...

Sucker Punch hiring for next project

Sucker Punch Productions released inFAMOUS 2 just two short weeks ago, but it looks like the developer already has its sights set on a new project.

The job listings section on the company's official site reveals openings for an art director, senior producer, lead sound designer, and senior game designer.

The senior producer listing describes the new project as "our next big thing." Another job listing for that same position found on Gamasutra reveals the PlayStation 3 as the only current platform for the upcoming game.

This new project can't be a new Sly Cooper game since Sanzaru Games is working on the newest entry in that series, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. Another inFAMOUS title isn't completely out of the question despite the fact that inFAMOUS 2 just recently came out. But this project ...

Three PlayStation Network hackers arrested

The PlayStation Network was finally restored last month, but Sony and the authorities are still searching for the hackers behind the security breach. Now it looks like they are one step closer to that goal.

Spanish police have arrested three members of the internet hacker group Anonymous on charges of cyber attacks against the PlayStation Network, government, businesses, and banks. The three subjects were found in Almeria, Barcelona and Alicante. The police said they were using a server set up in a house in Gijon in the north of Spain.

Spanish police also hinted at the larger threat that Anonymous poses to governments, saying, "They are structured in independent cells and make thousands of simultaneous attacks using infected 'zombie' computers worldwide. This is why NATO considers them a th...

E3 2011: Sony press conference roundup

Sony was the second of the "Big Three" to hold its press conference, and here is a rundown of what happened during the presentation.

Things started off with a fairly lengthy preview video showcasing various games including Uncharted 3 and Resistance 3 among many others. Then company president and CEO Jack Tretton took to the stage to address the "elephant in the room," and apologized on behalf of Sony for the recent security breach and PlayStation Network downtime.

Naughty Dog then came out to show a gameplay demo of the highly anticipated Uncharted 3. At the start Nathan Drake finds himself on a large boat in the middle of the night. The stealth aspect of the game is highlighted as Drake enters a room with huge chandeliers and performs a stealth takedown on an enemy.

Eventually Drake is cor...

Uncharted 3 Collector's Edition, preorder details ...

Naughty Dog and Sony have officially given out the details on the collector's edition and various preorder bonuses for Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, which features a package sure to make potential Nathan Drake cosplayers rejoice.

Running gamers $99.99, the Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Collector's Edition will include a replica of Drake's belt buckle, a replica of Drake's ring/necklace, a Sideshow Collectibles Nathan Drake statue, and a "Steelbook" game case. The entire bundle will come in a "Travelling Chest" case.

Anyone who is looking to preorder a copy of either the regular or collector's edition of the game will have quite the decision to make, as nearly every major game retailer will be offering a different bonus with the game. Each bonus is multiplayer exclusive.

Here's what you ca...

Uncharted 3 beta details revealed

Developer Naughty Dog announced last month that an Uncharted 3 multiplayer beta would be coming soon, and now the company is revealing specific details regarding the upcoming preview.

In total nine different multiplayer modes will be available, including Team Deathmatch, 3-Team Deathmatch, Team Objective, Free For All, Plunder, High Stakes, and three additional co-op modes that will be revealed later this week.

Two maps will be featured in the beta: an airfield and a French chateau. Both are fairly large maps with multiple levels, and they include exciting events such as attacking planes and collapsing buildings.

As far as abilities go, eight boosters and four medal kickbacks will be included. They range from reduced respawn time to vanishing in a puff of smoke. Weapon mods will also make an ...

Sony faces further security breaches on various we...

Sony has finally restored the PlayStation Network and the PlayStation Store is soon to be back up, but that isn't stopping hackers from giving the company something new to worry about.

Earlier today it was reported that the personal data of 2,000 customers was stolen from a Sony Ericsson website in Canada. In addition, hackers have also obtained information of 8,500 users from a Sony Music Entertainment website in Greece.

The leaked information includes e-mails, passwords and phone numbers. Luckily no credit card details were obtained, and Sony is stating that the websites were hosted externally by third parties rather than being part of its main network.

George Boyd, a spokesman for the company, has also stated that the Sony Music Entertainment website in Indonesia and the Sony website in Th...

PSN attack to cost Sony over $170 million

In a revision of its consolidated forecast for the fiscal year 2010, Sony has unveiled that the hacker attack on the PlayStation Network, which took the service down for nearly a month, will cost the company a whopping $171.2 million by the end of the 2011 fiscal year.

Millions of gamers were unable to play the multiplayer component on any of their PlayStation 3 titles during the network shutdown, and both developers and publishers were unable to sell their products, costing them millions.

"Next, I would like to briefly address the impact on our financial results of the unauthorized access to the PlayStation Network, Qriocity and Sony Online Entertainment network services that occurred this April, since there have been so many media inquires about this incident," said Sony according to their...

PSP games to be ported to PS3 with HD graphics and...

Sony today released details of their plans to bring PlayStation Portable titles to the PlayStation 3, promising graphical improvements and new features.

The PlayStation Portable Remaster Series looks to enhance the original titles with HD graphics, control pad support and exclusive new content.

Sony also plans to integrate the PS3's Ad Hoc Party service to support games with Ad Hoc multiplayer support, a long-awaited development for PSP multiplayer, with many popular titles containing only local multiplayer.

One of the most interesting developments is that save files of the PSP and PS3 versions will be transferable, letting you pick up where you left off, even on the move. 

The first announced title to be remastered is Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, with more details expected soon. Whilst the...

The PlayStation Network has returned

In a video announcement made earlier today, Sony Executive Deputy President Kazuo Hirai declared to all PlayStation Network users that the online service that has been shut down for close to a month has finally returned.

The video, approximately five minutes in length, has Hirai explaining exactly in what capacity the PSN has returned and just what players will need to do in order to reactivate their accounts.

Here is what was restored in what Hirai called "Phase 1" of the restoration process:

- Sign-in for PlayStation Network and Qriocity services, including the resetting of passwords

- Restoration of online game-play across PS3 and PSP

- Playback rental video content, if within rental period, of PlayStation Network Video Delivery Service on PS3, PSP and MediaGo

- Music Unlimited powered by Qr...

PlayStation Network to stay down for "at least a f...

It's been about three weeks since the PlayStation Network security breach, and gamers are still unable to access the online service. Now it looks like PSN won't be restored within the next few days either.

Patrick Seybold, Sony's senior director of Corporate Communications & Social Media, took to the PlayStation Blog to briefly update gamers on the current state of the PSN restoration.

"I know you all want to know exactly when the services will be restored," he said. "At this time, I can't give you an exact date, as it will likely be at least a few more days. We're terribly sorry for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work through this process."

Many expected some PSN features to be restored last week, but Sony had to delay that in order to do "additional comprehensive syste...

Report: Hackers to make third attack on Sony

The hackers that brought Sony, the PlayStation Network, and its users to its knees over the past few weeks are planning a third attack on the console maker in retaliation for the company's handling of the initial breach, according to a CNET report.

The highly respected technology news site has been told by a source that observes the IRC channel populated by the hackers that the group will make their next attack this weekend on Sony's website. They intend to copy and publicize the information they take from Sony's servers, including personal information like customer names, addresses, and credit card numbers. Some of them already claim to have access to the servers.

If this attack is successful, it will be the biggest and most devastating blow to Sony to date. It could create mass credit card...

Sony begins internal testing of new PlayStation Ne...

It's been over two weeks since PlayStation 3 owners have been able to access the PlayStation Network due to an infamous security breach, but Sony is now inching closer towards restoring at least some online services.

The company is now finishing up work on "internal testing" of the new PSN system.

Patrick Seybold, senior director of Corporate Communications & Social Media at Sony, posted the following message earlier today:

"Today our global network and security teams at Sony Network Entertainment and Sony Computer Entertainment began the final stages of internal testing of the new system, an important step towards restoring PlayStation Network and Qriocity services.

"As previously mentioned, we've been working around the clock to rebuild the network and enhance protections of your personal da...

Congress questions Sony on security breach

Given the severity of the PlayStation Network security breach that has compromised over 77 million accounts, it isn't too surprising that Congress has decided to step in.

The New York Times has obtained a copy of a letter sent out to Sony last Friday by the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade. The letter is addressed to Sony chairmen Kaz Hirai and contains a series of important questions.

Among them are, "Why did you wait to notify your customers of the breach?" and, "What steps have you taken or do you plan to take to prevent future breaches?" Some of these concerns were addressed by Hirai in a Sony press conference this weekend that occured after the letter was sent.

Congress wants a reply by May 6, and Sony has said it will comply. Representative Mary Bono Mack, chairwoman ...

Sony states new passwords required when PSN return...

The ongoing saga regarding the breach and shutdown of the PlayStation Network has seen another update today, with Sony informing users that a mandatory password change will be coming when the service returns.

"We are working on a new system software update that will require all users to change their password once PlayStation Network is restored. We will provide more details about the new update shortly," stated Sony spokesman Patrick Seybold in a new Q&A on the US PS Blog.

The company is also now working with law enforcement in addition to the security firm it hired in the early days of the breach to bring those responsible for the PSN intrusion to justice.

"This malicious attack against our system and against our customers is a criminal act and we are proceeding aggressively to find those re...

PSN to return 'within a week', Sony aggressively p...

With the PlayStation Network outage nearing a week, Sony finally admitted today that it was indeed hackers that caused the shutdown of the online service and that the personal information of PSN users has been compromised as a result. However, the company has assured those enraged that the PSN should be back soon and those responsible will be found.

"Please note that we are as upset as you are regarding this attack and are going to proceed aggressively to track down those that are responsible," said head of SCEE communications Nick Caplin today in an EU PS Blog update.

Most rumors and whispers on the Web have pinned the attacks on the hacker-savvy internet group Anonymous, which had threatened Sony with action earlier this month as a means to defend George "GeoHot" Hotz in his recent legal s...

PlayStation Network shut down for five days and co...

Last Wednesday, April 20, Sony Computer Entertainment America pulled the big plug on the PlayStation Network and Qriocityp; disabling gamers in North America and Europe from using the online components of PlayStation 3 games and halting streams of music and movies across the media network. According to Sony (at the time of writing), no definitive end is clear.

Speculation about hacker involvement in the PSN shutdown ran rampant across the enraged gamer-sphere last week. Loud whispers are pointing to the hacker support group "Anonymous" as responsible for aggressive action against Sony in response to legal action the company had recently taken against hackers. These claims gained traction on April 22 when Patrick Seybold, Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Social Media for Sony,...