Tag: Culture - Page 11
News Former PlayStation Boss Jack Tretton Will Return on Spike TV
Appearing as press conference pundit
If you’re suffering from Jack Tretton withdrawal symptoms, worry not – the former PlayStation president will put in an appearance at E3, after all. After a slew of memorable interviews with GameTrailers TV host Geoff Keighley, the duo will be teaming up one more time for this year’s Spike TV coverage of the...
Talking Point Is Watch Dogs Proof That You Can Have Too Much of a Good Thing?
Greedy guts
There’s no shortage of gamer clichés capable of sending groans through the office each time that we encounter them, but this editor has a particularly vehement distaste to the vapid criticisms pertaining to game length. While we can appreciate that gaming is an undeniably expensive hobby, we find it frustrating that consumers are...
Soapbox For the Love of DualShocks, Quit with the Button Bashing QTEs
Tapped out
These days, few things in games frustrate me more than a blinking button on the screen. I’d never really noticed the frequency of these quick-time events in the past – an odd thing for a God of War stalwart to admit – but lately this lazy design mechanic has been causing me to lose it. I believe it was during a pre-release press...
News Nine-Year-Old Boy Passes on PS4 to Save Lives Instead
Got his priorities right
We focus our attention on an industry where a delayed game or disagreeable digital rights management policy can feel like the end of the world, but in reality, it’s all somewhat meaningless. One thoughtful nin
News This Awesome Art Book Is for the Fans of Naughty Dog
Turn back the pages
You may not know it, but Naughty Dog turns 30 this year. The award winning Californian studio was first founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin way back in 1984 as JAM Software. Five years later, it changed that name to the one that you’ll recognise, and set to work on its first full title: Keef the Thief for the Apple IIGS and...
Weirdness How Would You Like to Play PS4 on the AT&T Stadium's Screen?
Expose every flaw
While the AT&T Stadium may be best known for hosting the Dallas Cowboys, it’s also home to one of the biggest television screens in the world. At an incredible 160 feet wide and 72 feet tall, the $40 million panel cost more to manufacture than the original iteration of the actual Texas arena. So, what better way to utilise...
Weirdness Sony's Opinion of Portable Gaming Perfection Is Misjudged
Didn't think this one through
Despite blossoming into a really quality console, the PlayStation Vita is still struggling to attract the interest of more mainstream gamers. Its fortunes have undoubtedly improved in its native Japan, but in Western territories it remains a niche device that mostly appeals to the type of people that read this website...
News This Killzone Movie Is Probably an Early April Fools' Day Prank
Hig budget
Out of all of Sony’s first-party franchises, Killzone is probably the least deserving of a big screen adaptation. There’s some immense fiction powering the property, but this is often substituted for one dimensional leads like Rico, who’d rather scream expletives than say anything of worth. As such, we’re pretty sure that...
Weirdness Did You Spot inFAMOUS: Second Son's Ringtone Easter Egg?
Thieves in time
PlayStation 4 exclusive inFAMOUS: Second Son is bursting with Easter eggs, including a replica of The Legend of Zelda’s mighty Master Sword. However, while the hallowed Hyrulian rapier is reasonably well hidden, one of the game's more upfront references occurs every time that protagonist Delsin Rowe’s phone rings. You see
Weirdness What if Sony Made a PS4 Racer Like Mario Kart?
Double dash
Sony’s already attempted to emulate Super Smash Bros.’ success with PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, but what if it borrowed a few ideas from Mario Kart, too? Between the likes of Crash Team Racing and ModN
Weirdness Sony May Be Making a Movie About the Console Wars
Blood bath
Forget about the fight between the Helghast and the ISA, as the so-called console war is undeniably the biggest brawl in gaming. And in a strange twist of fate, Sony Pictures could be producing a movie inspired by the neverending skirmish, charting SEGA’s assault on Nintendo in the early to mid 1990s. We don’t know about you, but...
News Virtue's Last Reward Sequel Sunk by Japanese Investors
Seek a way out
Kotaro Uchikoshi, the creator of Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward, opened a personal Twitter account for his English fans this week. Sadly, the reasoning behind this spelled bad news for the series' future. Despite the PlayStation Vita murder mystery and its Nintendo DS predecessor 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors being...
Talking Point Who's the Cutest Couple on PlayStation?
Love at first sight
Roses are red, violets are blue, and believe it or not, there’s a PlayStation couple out there for you. While you deal with the consequences of buying your significant other the wrong box of chocolates, we figured that you may appreciate a spot of escapism. And what better way to celebrate the current commercially exaggerated...
Feature Five PS3 Favourites That Deal with True Love
Something in the air
It’s that time of the year where we find ourselves bombarded with terrible Hugh Grant romantic comedies, overpriced chocolate shapes, and vomit-inducing teddy bears holding twee little love hearts. But just because it’s the ideal day to showcase your soppy side, that doesn’t mean that your games can’t join in on the...
News Katamari Damacy Gets Rolled Up in Traditional Japanese Fanart
They still got it
With cult hit Katamari Damacy renowned for being louder and more flamboyant than an army of angry peacocks, this traditional fanart of the series is simply on a planet of its own. Using the traditional woodblock painting style, this classy tribute is the perfect period piece. If you're taken by surprise by this monstrous ball of...
Weirdness inFAMOUS: Second Son Preaches Safe Sex with Supercharged Condoms
Great power, great responsibility
inFAMOUS: Second Son protagonist Delsin Rowe may be a bit of a wild child, but even he understands the importance of keeping his appendages covered when things get a little hotter than his smoke superpowers. And in order to spread that message, GameStop Italy is giving away a pack of glow-in-the-dark condoms when...
Weirdness This Dramatic Story Makes an Argument for the PS4 Controller's Light Bar
Shine it bright
There may be some debate as to whether the PlayStation 4 controller’s light bar is entirely necessary, but one shaken NeoGAF poster is thankful that Sony hasn’t incorporated an option to dim it at a system level yet. As part of a theatrical post on the popular message board, user Khalifa Jayy recited ho
News Here's How to Enjoy PS4 Remote Play with Uncompromised Control
Problem solved
The ability to play your PlayStation 4 games on the PlayStation Vita is arguably one of the next generation console’s best features, but control limitations mean that it’s not always practical. A title such as Killzone: Shadow Fall, for example – which makes heavy use of the shoulder buttons and thumb stick clicks – doesn’t...
Feature Eight PlayStation Properties That Deserve a Shot at the Silver Screen
Hollywood highfliers
Sony’s gone cinematic adaptation insane. Not content with the Ratchet & Clank and Heavenly Sword movies announced last year, the firm has now confirmed that cunning raccoon robber Sly Cooper is set to sneak into theatres in a couple of years. With the platform hold
News This Site Will Add Dozens of Free PS4 Games to Your Library
All running through the web browser
We’ve already established that the current PlayStation 4 drought isn’t quite as bad as some message board pundits may lead you to believe, but there is an easy way to enhance your next generation software library for free. A smart group of gamers have launched Sonyfied.com, a website tailored to the...
News You May Want to Keep This Metal Gear Solid V Statue Stashed Away
Cover it up
We’re not ones to dictate what people should and shouldn’t like; we cast our opinion on the quality of PlayStation games, but would never force you to think in a specific way. And we extend that sentiment to everything that we do, as we believe that it’s down to you to make up your own mind about the industry and the issues that...
Weirdness First-Person Tomb Raider Will Make You Nauseous
Don't look down
Those of you without a head for heights may want to fondle your browser’s friendly ‘Back’ button, as this first-person footage of PlayStation icon Lara Croft may leave you a little worse for wear. The video – created by perspective adaptation specialist Filipe B. Costa – shows a classic Tomb Raider title through the eyes of...
Weirdness All of the Best Marriage Proposals Are Conducted in Uncharted 3
She said yes
Marriage proposals can be quite clichéd affairs. You know the movie staples: drop a ring in a glass of bubbly and pray that your other half notices it before they swallow it and you spend several days searching through you know what. Fortunately, at CES 2014 this week, PlayStation fan and blogger ‘TheGoodKyle’ adopted an original...
News Activision Won't Make a Crash Bandicoot Game, So This Fan One Will Have to Do
Total Twinsanity
If the rampant speculation that Sony had reacquired the dormant Crash Bandicoot franchise earlier in the year got your hopes up, then we can only apologise. For a split-second, the stars seemed to align, and we genuinely believed that the mascot had come home. Then, of course, Activi
News Those Waiting for Their PS4s Didn't Have an Especially Merry Christmas
Bah humbug
Sony’s next generation console has officially attained must-have gadget status, as evidenced by this bizarre New Year padding post by a Nottingham newspaper. The story plots the toils of a “spoiled" family Christmas, after British retailer Argos failed to deliver the recently released PlayStation 4 on time. There were tears as far as...
News We'd Trade a Phoenix Mirror for This Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Content
Changed our mind
Forget about the unresolved drama regarding Shenmue’s slick looking glasses, series antagonist Lan Di has cooked up an even more sinister plot involving Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. While the PlayStation 3 and Vita versions released over a year ago now, SEGA has just published the iOS and Android ports – and they...
News Dress Like Joel from The Last of Us This Christmas
Practice your Texas twang
We hope that you’ve still got the sprouts of facial hair from your hopeless Movember attempt intact, because they may come in handy if you’re attending a fancy dress party this holiday. Insert Coins, the fine British tailor behind many a stylish video game themed tee, has a rather nifty shirt in stock – and it’s...
News Spending Money Is More Palatable When Sackboy's Smiling At You
Visa-ri
There are still a few dark days before Christmas, and that means that right now you’re probably rushing around wasting money on stocking fillers that are destined to find themselves on eBay this time next week. Still, it’s a cross that we all must unfortunately bear, so at least Sony’s giving you a way to flush your cash down the drain...
News Your Mum's Terrified You'll Be Spending Christmas Playing PS4 Exclusive Killzone: Shadow Fall
Please think of the children
Your mum only has one wish this festive season, and it doesn’t involve David Beckham and one of those motorised bow-ties. A report on Babies.co.uk – it's a real website, apparently – reveals that PlayStation 4 exclusive Killzone: Shadow Fall is right at the top of the list when it comes to gifts that parents would...
News PS4 Means More Than Just Games To This Sony Executive
Do not underestimate the passion of PlayStation
Console launches can prove emotional periods for the executives who’ve worked tirelessly to bring the various devices to market – and that much was true in South Korea earlier this week where one Sony suit shed a few tears on-stage at a PlayStation 4 launch event. Shiro Kawauchi, the head of SCE...
News The Smithsonian Museum Has Added Flower to Its Permanent Collection
Where it belongs
There are few experiences as relaxing and moving as thatgamecompany's Flower. It tells an enchanting tale of the over-industrialisation of modern society while also providing one of the most compelling arguments for SIXAXIS controls. With that in mind, we're happy to report that the respite-sim will be joining first-person shooter...
News You Don't Have As Many PSN Trophies As This Guy
Hakoom hits Level 100
Trophies are a curious part of the PlayStation experience. As much as we enjoy the thrill of unlocking a brand new trinket, they can sometimes feel a little bit like hard work. One person who’s transformed the grind into a day job is Hakoom, the world’s leading pursuer of small PNG pictures. And he’s just hit another...
News This Korean Couple Are Braving the Cold to Be First in Line for a PS4
Now that's dedication
While we sit in the comfort of our homes playing Knack, it's easy to forget that the PlayStation 4 hasn't actually released worldwide yet. The next-gen system is launching in South Korea on 17th December, and at the time of writing, there are already two dedicated fans camping out to nab their very own black box. 33-year-old...
Weirdness What if The Last of Us Was a LEGO Game?
Blockbuster
Naughty Dog's current generation swansong The Last of Us isn't a LEGO game – but it would make a pretty good one if this video's anything to go by. The short – created by animator Brian Anderson – shows protagonists Joel and Ellie clearing out a warehouse infested with Clickers. Somehow, the clip manages to make the brutal...
Weirdness Youngster Issues Santa with Epic PlayStation 4 Ultimatum
"Bring me a PS4 or my sister's kitten goes in the blender"
Stella Artois swigging eight-year-old Damian Garside has told Santa that he wants a PlayStation 4 for Christmas – and if he doesn’t get one, he’ll be making an animal smoothie out of his sister’s pet kitten. The hard-as-nails pre-pubescent tearaway from Crewe – pictured dragging on...
News Italy's PS4 Launch Event Was Way Better Than Yours
Lights and sounds
Hardware launch events are always enjoyable because the sense of energy among consumers is infectious – but Sony’s Italian branch opted to elevate the experience to an entirely different level in Rome overnight. As opposed to handing out t-shirts and pizza to celebrate the PlayStation 4’s release, the platform holder instead...
News Wow, These PS4 Queues in Berlin Are Absolutely Insane
Lining up for the launch lineup
You may have heard people refer to Europe as ‘Sony Land’ in the past, but what does that actually mean? Well, this video of a PlayStation 4 midnight launch event in Berlin should give you a good idea, as it takes one amateur cameraman almost four minutes to sprint from the back of the line to the front. It’s the...
Weirdness The Sun's Page 3 Swapped Out for a Sexier Image
Real hardware
Looks like British glamour model Rosie Jones has been given the day off, as Sony has taken charge of The Sun’s famous Page 3 column. For those out of the tabloid loop, the UK rag ordinarily publishes pictures of scantily clad ladies on the inside page, but it’s swapped out the images for something a little sexier today – a shot...
News This Fan Spent Three Days in Line to Get the First PS4
Well, sort of
While we certainly consider ourselves to be huge Sony fans – we played Hannah Montana: The Movie just to add another Platinum Trophy to our already bulging cabinet – we certainly wouldn't relish the idea of camping out for two nights in a row just to be the first person to get their hands on the Japanese giant's shiny new machine...
News Are You in Europe? Don't Worry, PS4 Is Right Around the Corner
Let's do this again
It’s been a mad month so far with the North American launch of the PlayStation 4 – but it sure isn’t over yet. While we’ve had a week or so to calm down as the lucky folks in the Land of the Free get to grips with the next generation console, we’re psyching ourselves for round two, as the system readies itself for...
Weirdness Giant PS4 Controller Tries to Gate Crash Xbox One Launch
Pushes the share button
This video isn’t quite as funny as the headline may make it sound, but you’ve got to give this YouTube user credit for creating an insanely accurate DualShock 4 costume. The clip shows a cosplayer dressed as a gigantic PlayStation 4 peripheral trying to gain access to last night’s Xbox One launch event. He isn’t...
Weirdness Couple Become Hosts of Hit PS4 Chat Show Overnight
It only does everything
Given the launch of the Xbox One last night, we expected to crawl out of bed to a bunch of Microsoft related news – but it seems that the Redmond-based manufacturer has been gazumped by a humble PlayStation 4 talk show. A Washington-based husband and wife double-act have become Internet sensations by hosting a live call-in...
Weirdness Sony Won't Replace Your PS4 if It's Infested with Insects
You better bee careful
The PlayStation 4 has had a pretty smooth launch, all things considered. A few technical hiccups have been well and truly masked by the system's impressive sales figures. But one crucial question remains unanswered: will Sony replace a PS4 that has been infested with insects? The short answer is no, it won't. Twitter user...
News A Tornado May Have Taken This Man's Home, But It Spared His PS4
System shock
There are often scant silver linings when a fierce tornado cruelly destroys your home and all of your worldly belongings, but one Washington dweller found a single reason to smile this week – his brand new PlayStation 4 weathered the storm. The above image – shared on Reddit yesterday – shows an optimistic home owner holding onto...
Weirdness Saucy Site Expands Upon PS4's, Er, Entertainment Options
Rough and ready
Sony may not have touted the PlayStation 4 as a media juggernaut in quite the same way as the Xbox One – but the next generation console does now have access to all of the adult entertainment that you could ever need. Stimulating hotspot Pornhub has announced that it’s the first saucy site to fully support the Japanese giant’s...
Weirdness Prince William Wants a PS4, Fears Kate Middleton's Reaction
Sony recruits a royal fan
What do you buy a member of the Royal Family for Christmas? Well, in the case of Prince William, he’s quite keen on a PlayStation 4 – even if he is a little worried that wife Kate Middleton may not take too kindly to the addictive addition to the family. The modern monarch revealed the tidbit as part of an appearance in...
Weirdness What Happens If You Shoot a PS4 with a Sniper Rifle?
Boom, headshot
Sony’s next generation console may be suffering from some minor mishaps – but we don’t think that the platform holder’s support department will be sending a replacement for this particular system. YouTube user RatedRR – who’s garnered a fan base by shooting electronics with terrifying weapons – put together this...
News Microsoft Pats Sony on the Back for Successful PS4 Launch
Round of applause
As entertaining as the console wars can undeniably be at times, all three major gaming manufacturers rely on each other to succeed. After all, a healthy industry is good for business – and competition is a great thing for consumers. This surprisingly sporting image from Microsoft congratulating Sony on the PlayStation 4 launch...
Weirdness Sony Rebrands London Landmark with PS4 Symbols
London's playing
South Bank’s famous OXO Tower has received a bit of a rebrand ahead of the PlayStation 4’s launch in the UK later this month. The London landmark, which already wears Circle and Cross symbols similar to PlayStation’s famous face buttons, has been kitted out with Square and Triangle icons to create a monumental gaming display...
Weirdness How Many PS4 Consoles Can You Count in Amazon's Warehouse?
Beats sheep
We mentioned overnight that retailers across North America have started receiving their PlayStation 4 consoles ahead of next week’s launch, and that includes online giant Amazon. Posting on its Facebook page overnight, the store uploade
