SCEE @ Gamescom: Press Conference & Showfloor

[Shin-Ra]

Summary of key announcements:

• SCEE PS3 hardware sales increased by 57% year on year
• SCEE PS3 software sales increased 46% year on year
• Two new models of PS3 to be launched – 320GB and 160GB PS3, to replace current models
• PlayTV Live Chat to launch later in 2010
• MUBI to launch in October
• New catch up TV channels to launch
• New selection of PSP games to launch within the Essentials range
• PlayStation Move launching on 15th September
  • PlayStation Move motion controller – €39.99 (RRP)
  • PlayStation Move navigation controller – €29.99 (RRP)
  • Starter Pack – €59.99 (RRP)
• SEGA’s Virtua Tennis 4 to launch with both stereoscopic 3D and PlayStation Move functionality
• Resistance 3 announced for release in 2011
• Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One announced for release in 2011

Heavy Rain Move Edition

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inFAMOUS 2

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Killzone 3 Multiplayer

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LittleBigPlanet PlayStation Move Levels

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MotorStorm Apocalypse

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One of the biggest videogames events of the year took gamers for a spin at gamescom 2010 in Cologne - and PlayStation was right at the heart of it with a stunning showcase. Offering a tantalising glimpse into the future of PlayStation, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe announced the arrival of two new models of PlayStation 3, with larger Hard Disk Drives (HDD) to make sure all of your entertainment storage needs are covered.

In response to the increasing amount of downloadable content on the popular PlayStation Network, 160GB and 320GB PS3 systems will be launching in October 2010. The 160GB system will weigh in at €299* and phase out the current 120GB model, while the 320GB PS3 will replace the existing 250GB system, and will also be available in an exclusive PlayStation Move bundle for €349*.

With regards to the eagerly awaited PlayStation Move motion controller for PS3, due for release on 15 September 2010, audiences were given the chance to get their hands on some of the revolutionary peripheral's massive variety of software, including The Fight, Heavy Rain Move Edition and TV Superstars.

SCEE President and CEO, Andrew House, was on hand to reveal PlayStation's impressive multimedia capabilities, bringing entertainment diversity to your living room, with the announcement of PlayTV Live Chat. Coming later in 2010, PlayTV Live Chat is an upgrade of the already formidable TV on-demand service, introducing on-screen text discussion during your favourite shows.

There was also an expansion of the Catch up TV service, with the addition of six new channels on PlayStation 3: ZDF and Animax in Germany, TV3 in Spain, ITV in the UK, Yahoo!7 in Australia and YLE in Finland, with more to follow. And films on PlayStation 3 got a boost as well, thanks to the free movie streaming service MUBI, via PlayStation Store, coming October 2010.

PlayStation 3 was revealed to be going from strength to strength with an incredible 38 million sales across the world to date, with sales in Europe having clocked up over 16 million units. Software numbers were equally exceptional, growing 46 per cent, thanks to critically and commercially successful titles such as Heavy Rain, God of War III and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. And it's only set to get bigger with the introduction of newly announced games, Resistance 3 and Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, as well as a variety of fresh titles which take advantage of stereoscopic 3D, including Killzone 3, Gran Turismo 5 and MotorStorm Apocalypse.

PSP wasn't left out from the celebration either, with amazing global sales of 9.9 million units during the previous financial year thanks to services such as Digital Comics, which has seen more than three million comics downloaded globally and the quick and easy to download minis titles which have achieved over one million downloads in less than year.

The PSP Essentials range got a boost too, increasing its catalogue of greats games for a great price, with titles including WipEout Pure, Patapon, Buzz!: Quiz World, Lemmings and Everybody's Golf added to the affordable range.

The fun is just starting with PlayStation - so keep reading eu.playstation.com for more on what's coming and the most exciting information fresh from gamescom 2010.

*Local prices will be added at a future date in 2010.

Prediction time!

New products debut:
BUZZ! Music Quiz (PS Eye, Move compatible)
PlayTV 2 (HD support in UK with new hardware, social/networking features)

PSN titles:
Dead Nation
Eat Them!
echochrome ii (Move compatible)
PixelJunk Shooter 2
tumble (Move required)

The rest of the Move lineup, excluding some Japanese stuff:
EyePet Move Edition
The Fight: Lights Out
Kung Fu Rider
The Shoot
SingStar Dance
The Sly Collection
SOCOM (4) Special Forces
Sports Champions
Start The Party
TV Superstars

And potential 'surprise' announcements:
A couple more PSN titles
Tarsier Studios Project
Until Dawn / the flashlight adventure game for Move

And not a SCE game exactly but SCEE could be showing Just Add Water's Oddworld game(s) in their booth.