Tag: Culture - Page 7
News Japan Studio Concert Will Celebrate the Sounds of Sony's Greatest Games
Audio tribute
Japan Studio's output may have been pants during the PlayStation 3 era, but under the leadership of ex-Santa Monica head Alan Becker, Sony's biggest developer has been restored to the bosom of its Worldwide Studios network. Over the past few years alone the organisation has had a hand in Bloodborne, The Last Guardian, and Knack – the...
Feature We Wish You a Very Merry Christmas
'Tis the season, after all
Psst. Take off your party hat, put down your Christmas cracker, and fall away from your family for a second: we've got something to say. It won't take long, it's only a couple of words. Ready? Happy Holidays! Yeah, that was it really. To be brutally honest, this year's passed in a flash, so it only feels like a few weeks...
Talking Point Why Are Fall's Biggest Blockbusters Flopping?
Signs of decline
It's not been a good few months if you pay attention to the UK sales charts. There have been a handful of success stories: Mafia III, against all odds, exceeded expectations – while Battlefield 1 has done well for itself. But by and large, it's been a quarter of catastrophic sequels: Titanfall 2? Down. Gears of War 4? Down. Call...
News There's an Official PlayStation Colouring Book on Sale Right Now
Features Uncharted, Journey, Ratchet, and more
Okay, we know that most of you reading this aren't children, but we thought that this official PlayStation colouring book was worth pointing out. Cleverly titled 'Art for the Players', the paperback released yesterday, and it's currently available over on Amazon UK. The book features blank pictures of...
News Remember When Xbox Paid Donald Trump to Fire Fake PlayStation Employees?
Seems he understands 'cyber' after all
Haha, it's always fun to turn back time – especially where American presidential candidate Donald Trump is involved. Back in 2004, the console wars were arguably at their fiercest: Sony was lapping the competition with the PlayStation 2, but like a rowdy American neighbour, Team Xbox was working incredibly...
News Media Molecule Opens Satellite Studio in Brighton
Pier we go
Media Molecule's borderline cringe working culture has culminated in the creation of a new satellite studio based in Brighton. The Guildford-based organisation has opened the new workspace in order to accommodate a group of devs who have been commuting from the seaside town for many years. While those on location will still make regular...
News We Got Up Close and Personal with the Nintendo PlayStation
Alternate universe
On display at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo this weekend was a real treasure: the Nintendo PlayStation. The disc-based edition of the Super Nintendo system was produced by Sony in collaboration with the House of Mario, but never saw the light of day after the two Japanese giants had a difference of opinion. A prototype unit did,...
News This Battlefield 1 PS4 Controller's Pretty Rad
Post-traumatic DualShock
Vulpe Andrei is a console modding maniac, and to celebrate the release of Battlefield 1 this week, he just couldn't resist reconstructing his DualShock 4 with a World War I theme. The appliance architect has taken Sony's handset, and furnished it with studs, metal, and rusted buttons. It doesn't look massively comfortable to...
News Rise of the Tomb Raider's Retro Press Kit Is the Best You'll Ever See
A whole Lara love
Sony always makes the best press kits – but it may have been beaten by Square Enix here. In order to celebrate the launch of Rise of the Tomb Raider on the PlayStation 4, the publisher's really playing up the property's origins – and it's been sending press copies of the game in a classic PSone case. It just feels right,...
News Sacked Man United Manager Louis van Gaal Wanted to Bring VR to Old Trafford
LV(R)G
As the launch of PlayStation VR lurches ever closer, it's interesting to think about where this technology is headed. And while many are focusing on the games for now, it's perhaps worth remembering that the tech has advantages in other sectors – like health and education, for example. Case in point: Louis van Gaal, the former manager of...
News Manchester United Youth Player Fosu-Mensah Isn't Impressed with His Face in FIFA 17
Good job he hasn't played PES
Timothy Fosu-Mensah has a bright future ahead of him, breaking into Manchester United's first-team alongside fellow youth talent Marcus Rashford under the watchful eye of the flat-faced Louis Van Gaal last season. But despite Jose Mourinho sticking with the Dutch junior this term, the youngster hasn't been awarded the...
Weirdness Half-Life 3 Is on Display at Gamescom 2016
But not in the way you may hope
Those heading to Cologne for Gamescom 2016 this week are in for a treat: Half-Life 3 is on display. Well, it is – but not in the way that you'd think. A group of smirking Germans have paid for the embedded banner to hang outside the Kolnmesse Convention Centre, with the translation of the full text reading:...
News Hideo Kojima May Just Be Gaming's Greatest Troll
Be still our beating heart
Hideo Kojima is taking a vacation in the sun-baked sprawls of Venice, Italy. But even when out and about among such idyllic beauty, he can't resist a spot of trolling. Case in point: the image embedded above. Our hearts can't take this cruel teasing, Kojima-san.
News Uncharted's Movie Secures New Script Writer, But Will Never Come Out
Better left buried
Here's one thing we've learned from several years running Push Square: the Uncharted movie will never come out. The flick has been mooted since the beginning of time, and has had dozens of high-profile names attached to it, but it never really seems to get anywhere. Bad Boys III director Joe Carnahan is the latest to be signed up...
News Now You Can Play Super Nintendo Games with a PS4 Controller
Playing with power
We've always thought that the Super Nintendo's controller was one of the industry's better ones, but if you don't fancy using the iconic pad, then why not switch to the DualShock 4 instead? Not content with creating a NES wireless receiver, peripheral makers Analogue and 8BitDo have now joined forces on a SNES one, too. Obviously...
News Don't Panic, Shu Yoshida Has Reclaimed His Twitter Account
And he's living the life of riley in Montpelier
Normal service has resumed on Shuhei Yoshida's Twitter account, after it was hacked earlier today by a group of ne'erdowells. The cheerful chap didn't seem to be too bothered by the infiltration, though, as he spent his afternoon supping wine and scoffing snails in the idyllic French city of...
News What the Heck Is Going On with Shu's Twitter Account?
#Xbox4Ever
Lovable Sony suit Shuhei Yoshida is a frequent presence on Twitter, engaging with fans and industry figureheads, promoting all things PlayStation, and occasionally letting us know what he's been playing lately. His total number of tweets at the time of typing amounts is about 43,200 – it seems he's as keen on his social media as he is...
News Ubisoft Solves a Mystery That's Bugged Mankind Since the Beginning of Time
Finally
It was alluded to in Homer's Odyssey and it was brought up in the Bible, but now Ubisoft has attempted to solve a mystery that has cursed mankind since the beginning of time: just how do you pronounce the company's name? It's not You-Bee-Eye-Soft that's for sure. Muppets!
News New Documentary Will Depict How PlayStation Conquered the World
And you can help fund it
PlayStation's big business these days, but that wasn't always the case. Back in the early 90s, electronics giant Sony was rather reluctant to create its own console – with its board of directors voting against Ken Kutaragi's proposal. The firm's wily CEO Norio Ohga believed in the project so much, though, that he sent the...
E3 2016 EA Play Hosting Charity Initiative, Play to Give
Five charities to benefit from
Hidden away among the game announcements and gameplay –or, er, behind the scenes footage – EA unveiled a new scheme entitled Play to Give. During the publisher's pre-E3 2016 event, EA Play, gamers will be able to try and complete various challenges across a handful of games, earning in-game rewards in the process...
News Geoff Keighley's The Game Awards Will Return on 1st December
On every gaming screen and VR
Oh, great. As we mentally prepare ourselves for a week of exorbitantly late night streams, industry icon Geoff Keighley has revealed that we can look forward to one more on 1st December, when The Game Awards will return. We thought that last year's show was just about as good as one could reasonably expect an awards...
News There's a PlayStation E3 Headline Generator
And it's glorious
E3 is a time of fierce format wars and – if you happen to work in the games industry – intense stress. Scientists often say that laughing is a good way of dealing with tough situations, and this PlayStation E3 headline generator certainly got a giggle out of us. Some of our favourites so far: Shawn Layden bursts from a crate...
News This Modded Uncharted 4 PS4 Is Pretty Amazing
Golden
It's incredible how creative some people are when it comes to constructing modified consoles, and this Uncharted 4: A Thief's End-themed system is yet another example of that. Made by Romanian gamer Vulpe Adrian Andrei, the system employs a shirt similar to the one worn by protagonist Nathan Drake as well as leather bounding and pistole...
News Learn Why Shenmue Is Held in Such High Regard
Courage shall determine his fate
Not going to lie: Shenmue III's reveal almost had your humble host in tears last year. It's a game series that's had a profound effect on this author, as illustrated in this soapbox article. But many who missed out on the original – or perhaps were too young to play it – may not understand why Yu Suzuki's...
Weirdness Snake Believe! Python Found in Faulty PS4
Greatnesssss awaits
The PlayStation 4 can be a bit of an animal, but one Sao Paulo gamer got a little more than he bargained for. After encountering a few console faults – unexpected power cycling and strange smells – he took the system to an electrician, who assumed that he may find some kind of electrical fault inside. Instead, however, he...
News Forget About E3 2016, It's Time to Get Hyped for TGS 2016
Event's main graphic released
'Tis the season for game conventions, alright! While it may be E3 2016 that's approaching fastest, the main graphic has been revealed for this year's Tokyo Game Show, which is set to run from 15th September through 18th September. Illustrated by Ippei Gyoubu, the theme for 2016's art seems to centre on changing...
News Hideo Kojima Modelling New Studio on Media Molecule
Small and intimate
Do you remember Hideo Kojima's recent worldwide tour? The auteur picked up a lot of tips for the running of his own independent studio, and he's modelling it on Media Molecule. Speaking with Game Reactor, the veteran revealed all about the new Kojima Productions, which is working on a PlayStation 4 exclusive under the Sony...
News Uncharted 4's Focus Testing Didn't Always Go Smoothly
One individual had to be ejected
By and large, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End has prompted a pretty damn positive response – but not everyone is in love with the PlayStation 4 exclusive. But while criticisms of its pacing and platforming may be more than fair, comments about the gender of some of its characters are less reasonable. However, that's...
Talking Point Are Indie Devs Bringing Back the Budget Boxed Game?
Bargain bin
Once upon a time, convenience shops and hardware stores in the UK like Spar and Wilko used to sell games. But they wouldn't carry the big titles – that was more the domain of Argos, Woolworths, and GAME. Instead, you'd find budget PlayStation 2 releases available for less than a tenner. They were, in most cases, universally awful –...
News Move Over, Angelina! Here's Your New Lara Croft
Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander to play the iconic character
Swedish actress Alicia Vikander, perhaps best known for her roles in Ex Machina and The Danish Girl, will play Lara Croft in Warner Bros and MGM's forthcoming Tomb Raider movie reboot. The Oscar-winning actress has secured the role despite it being heavily linked with Star Wars' Daisy Ridley...
News UK Magazine Play Calls Paper Based Issues a Day
Play another day
As someone whose entire career was founded off the back of spending hundreds of hours reading Official PlayStation Magazine, EDGE, and GamesTM, it's always sad to hear that a UK institution is pulling out of newsagents. Play, admittedly, wasn't this author's regular read – but your humble host still has multiple issues littered...
News Finally! Now You Can Play Your NES with a PS4 Pad
Playing with power
For many, the NES is a legendary console – even if ours spent more time on the blink than actually running games. If you happen to have one where the cartridge connectors aren't all mangled, however, then you may be interested in this exciting accessory: the Retro Receiver NES allows you to play your 8-bit games wirelessly using...
News Now We've Truly Reached the End of an Era
Sony Interactive Entertainment presents
We knew that the day was coming, but it's still sad all of the same. Sony announced earlier in the year that it would be formally renaming the division that runs PlayStation to Sony Interactive Entertainment starting 1st April, and we've been waiting for that most famous of boot screens to be replaced. Ratchet...
News Ratchet & Clank Fans, You're Going to Want Some of This Swag
Oven gloves! Vinyl records! Sticker packs!
Well, we haven't forgotten Ratchet & Clank – and nor should you have. With the new game launching in North America next week, I Am 8 Bit is flogging a stack of gear starting today – including a vinyl soundtrack and a Groovitron oven glove. You know you want them. Also up for grabs is a sticker...
News Sony Mods PS4 Controller for Fan with Cerebral Palsy
For the players
One thoughtful Sony employee has specially modified a DualShock 4 controller for a PlayStation fan with cerebral palsy. Peter Byrne contacted the platform holder after experiencing issues with the touchpad on the PlayStation 4 peripheral. Alex Nawabi, who works for PlayStation's research and development team, spent ten hours coming...
News Prepare to Diarrhea! Can You Beat the Dark Souls III PS4 Hot Wings Challenge?
Or are you chicken?
It's often said that fans of the Dark Souls series are masochists, but going 18 rounds with Ornstein is one thing – and eating 20 of Meat Liquor's hot wings is another. Sony and Bandai Namco have teamed up with the Brit gourmet food establishment to giveaway exclusive Dark Souls III 'I Survived' shirts to all those who can...
News Star Wars' Daisy Ridley in the Frame to Play Lara Croft?
Rey to go
Don't worry: we have no intention of writing nerd culture stories on this site any time soon, so you can sleep easy knowing you're safe from Marvel movie trailers here. (Speaking of which, it's been a few days since the last one – they should really rectify that.) This is an interesting little tidbit, though: according to Deadline, Star...
News Meet the People That Make Sony Santa Monica Tick
Sao Paulo to Santa Monica
While we complain about bugs and pre-order campaigns, it's easy to forget that hundreds of people contribute to the creation of a single game. This new video series from Sony Santa Monica aims to put the spotlight on the stories of individuals from within the storied studio, with senior staff character artist Rafael...
News There's an Uncharted 4 GIF That People Are Going Gaga Over
Solid gold
Love 'em or loathe 'em, Naughty Dog tends to set the visual benchmark which all other developers strive to achieve. And the forthcoming Uncharted 4: A Thief's End looks to be no different, with the title's recent behind-the-scenes including a short snippet of footage which has left message boards in a spin.
Soapbox Why Do We Treat Gaming Like a Chore?
Work, work, work
I've got to finish it otherwise I'll never clear my backlog. Recognise that? In this instance, 'it' doesn't refer to an important project or a piece of school work – but a game instead. Some of you won't have uttered a sentence like that, but I'd wager that there'll be more of you that have than haven't. The fact is that many of...
Weirdness Japanese Telly Has No Idea Who Shuhei Yoshida Is
They know he likes Space Invaders, though
Shuhei Yoshida, the affable executive in charge of Sony's Worldwide Studios, is one of the most high-profile names in games, but Japanese television doesn't have a clue who he is. The suit recently attended an exhibit about the history of video games, and was interviewed by a show called Mezamashi TV...
News PS4 Architect Mark Cerny Proves His Genius By Platinuming The Witness
Are you on the same intellectual plane?
Anyone who earns the Platinum in Jonathan Blow's brilliant The Witness deserves an honorary PhD. Mark Cerny, the architect behind the PlayStation 4, is the latest to 100 per cent the release, following in the footsteps of our very own Simon Fitzgerald. Better order the gowns, guys – it's graduation time. And...
Weirdness Ubisoft Chiselled a PS4 Out of Stone Because Far Cry Primal
Stoners
Reckon your PlayStation 4's a paperweight in its plastic guise? Well, publisher Ubisoft's crafted an even more useless version of Sony's console – out of stone. It's a publicity stunt for Far Cry Primal which we're totally playing into, but it is pretty cool. The company commissioned accredited master carver Nick Roberson to create the...
Feature A Brief History of Virtual Reality
Alex Boz tours the '90s VR graveyard
With the Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR well and truly on the way to our living rooms, virtual reality (VR) is the biggest news in gaming right now. But let's rewind the clock some two and a half decades, back when Sony was working on the Nintendo Play Station and the inventor of the Oculus Rift, Palmer Luckey,...
News Dress to Impress with Licensed Street Fighter V Clobber
Geek chic Masters
Street Fighter is one of the few franchises that's more than a game – it's a cultural touchstone. It's no surprise, then, to see merchandise manufacturers go crazy with licensed goods for the latest entry in the fighting franchise. Numskull, known for its seasonal Street Fighter knitwear, has gone particularly nuts ahead of the...
News Here's Hideo Kojima Hangin' Out with Norman Reedus
Quiet mountains
Hideo Kojima, you great big tease. The veteran director, fresh from his global tour with Mark Cerny, has posted a picture of himself hanging out with The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus. The picture is significant, of course, because the talented twosome were set to work together on Silent Hills, the cancelled PlayStation 4 survival...
News Football Teams Are Signing Pro FIFA Players Now
But the transfer window's closed?
Are you any good at FIFA? You may be getting a call from Pep Guardiola, Louis Van Gaal, or Jurgen Klopp any minute, because it looks like football teams are starting to sign up top gamers. BBC Newsbeat reports that Wolverhampton-based PlayStation pro David Bytheway – that ain't a real name, surely? – has been...
Weirdness Never Was a Story of More Fascination Than This of Xbox and PlayStation
Fortune's fool
The console wars may be awash with warriors angrily biting their thumbs, but the word star-cross'd springs to mind when observing the latest social media fad. This tragic tale of two adoring PlayStation and Xbox representatives actually did the Twitter rounds a couple of years ago, but it's made a comeback overnight – even prompting...
News Sony's Dropped a Clanger with This Let's Play Lark
Company tries to trademark YouTube term
Sony, why?! The early success of the PlayStation 4 can be assigned to the feel-good factor that the Japanese giant built around the format: the gamer-centric marketing, the agreeable policies, the Jack Tretton smackdown – so why the heck is the company jeapordising that by trying to trademark the popular...
