PlayStation 3 Message Board

If you're unwilling to wade into the calm, inviting waters of the Day 1 console launch pool this year, the Sony Store is offering refurbished 320 GB PS3 Slims for $200.

Cheap Ass Gamer user timro33 posted about the sale on the site's message boards this afternoon. The deal is for the second-generation PS3, a model that doesn't offer the original build's compatibility with PS2 discs. It does, however, play physical PS1 and PS3 games, a technical feat that its imminent successor will not be capable of.

Refurbished PS3s carry the same warranty as their untroubled, factory-fresh counterparts, so you'll have the same luck avoiding the console's pigmented take on the white flag as anyone else should you decide to buy one.

Sony has announced that Blizzard's release of Diablo 3 on the PlayStation 3 and 4 will boast some exclusive, Sony-related items, including something called Drake's Amulet (named after none other than Uncharted's Nathan Drake).

A few of these items will be available when the game launches on the console, but Sony said more items would be coming in the future.

Blizzard's Senior VP of Story and Franchise development Chris Metzen joined Sony during its PlayStation 4 announcement today to say that "Blizzard and Sony have entered into a strategic partnership, through which we will take over the world." And the first product of that worldwide takeover will be Diablo 3, playable on both the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation 4.

Metzen said the game is already up and running on the PlayStation 3, and will contain a split-screen mode for local gameplay. "In the coming months, we'll formally debut the game," and Metzen said to look for more new at PAX East, coming up at the end of next month. "We're very excited about our partnership with Sony and what the future has in store for us," Metzen finished by saying. So we'll look out for more on

The grand tradition of pointing cameras at people as they remove things from boxes continues as Ryan puts his filthy hands all over a nice, new PlayStation 3.

Tokyo Game Show is always an exciting time for gamers everywhere, as we all look forward to new games and other news being unveiled during the show. This year is no exception. We are always looking for ways to create better experiences for our gamers, and to that end, we just unveiled a smaller, lighter PlayStation 3 at the show.

The new PS3 will be available in two different models, with 250GB and 500GB HDDs which will allow you to store even more of your digital life. It also features a smaller, streamlined design that will look great as part of any entertainment system. The new model is approximately 20% smaller and 25% lighter than the current PS3.

In order to maintain the superior gaming experiences that you expect from us here at PlayStation, we are always looking for ways to change and evolve with your gaming behavior. You might remember the smaller models that we launched for PlayStation 2 and PSP (PlayStation Portable), and we know that many of you love the opportunity to add these streamlined models to your home. Additionally, as developers continue to release deep and rich digital gaming content, providing an option for larger HDD is essential, especially for games with large DLC packs, and full game downloads, as well as personal entertainment content. The biggest and best games live on PS3 this holiday season, and the new PS3 is the perfect way to play.

We are also excited to announce that the launch of this new PS3 model will include incredible additional value. The 250GB PS3 will be available on September 25th for $269.99 (MSRP) as part of a limited edition bundle featuring UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception: Game of the Year Edition and a voucher for more than $30 worth of bonus digital content for the highly acclaimed digital title, DUST 514. This bundle offers more than $70 in total combined value.

The winner of over 60 industry and Game of the Year awards, UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception will be re-released next week in an all new Game of the Year Edition, which includes 12 new multiplayer maps, over 40 multiplayer skins, Fort Co-Op Adventure, and Shade Survival Mode, a value of over $45 in bonus content. In case you somehow missed it, UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception is the latest installment in Naughty Dog’s storied UNCHARTED franchise that chronicles the adventures of Nathan Drake. UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception Game of the Year Edition is a great way to kick off your gameplay experience on the newest PS3 model.

UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception Game of the Year Edition will also be available as a standalone title on September 25th for $39.99 (MSRP).

CCP Games’ DUST 514 brings intense infantry combat, large-scale warfare and deep character advancement to PS3 in an exclusive free-to-play massively multiplayer shooter. Set in, and integrated with, the massive universe of EVE Online, players wage war in the next generation of first-person shooters, where a single victory could prove the crushing blow to a galactic empire of thousands of online gamers. This bundle includes an incredible amount of bonus value – more than $30 in total.

For those of you who do not own a PS3 yet, or have been looking to add another PS3 to your household, this is the perfect opportunity to jump in before the next wave of blockbuster games launch this holiday season.

The new 500GB PS3 will be available in a limited edition bundle on October 30th in conjunction with the release of Assassin’s Creed III – one of the most anticipated games for this holiday season featuring four exclusive levels, only available on PS3.

PlayStation fans – let us know what you think of the new PS3 model. Stay tuned for more PlayStation 3 updates here on PlayStation.Blog!

Update: The slimmer 250GB PS3 model (in black) will be available in the U.S. on September 25 for $269, bundled with the "Game of the Year" edition of Uncharted 3 and a voucher for $30 worth of content in the free-to-play shooter Dust 514, according to the PlayStation Blog. A non-bundled version of the new 250GB console will be priced at $249 eventually; however, a Sony press release notes that only bundles "will become available at launch timing."

The 500GB model will launch for $299 on October 30. The blog also revealed a special, limited edition Assassin's Creed 3 bundle was in the works, but did not announce price. In a press release, Sony noted that Japan will get the white model and that "other regions and countries will follow."

Europe and Honk Kong will also get their hands on a 12GB flash memory console on October 4, priced at €299 ($389).

Original Story: The PlayStation 3 is just a little addicted to plastic surgery, as Sony just announced at Tokyo Game Show the second major revision of the console.

The latest model is available in two flavors: 500GB and 250GB models in "Charcoal Black" and a 250GB system in "Classic White." The black model launches on October 4, while the white model hits on November 22. The black and white 250GB unit will retail for 24,980 yen ($317.61).

The new model is a 50% size reduction vs. original PS3, and 25% vs. the previous slim model. We hope to get a closer look at the new console after the conference to identify other changes made to the system.

The new model has been rumored since July, with further rumors speculating the console revision skipped an intended Gamescom debut due to there being too many boxes of the old console still in the marketplace.

The PlayStation 3 is just a little addicted to plastic surgery, as Sony just announced at Tokyo Game Show the third major revision of the console. The latest model is available in two flavors: 500GB and 250GB models in "Charcoal Black" and a 250GB system in "Classic White." The black model launches on October 4, while the white model hits on November 22.

The new model is a 50% size reduction vs. original PS3, and 25% vs. the previous slim model. Despite its smaller frame, the system remains the same price as the current PS3 model.

The new model has been rumored since July, with further rumors speculating the console revision skipped an intended Gamescom debut due to there being too many boxes of the old console still in the marketplace.

Take a look at the upcoming games for Playstation 3 and privately weep that you can't play them yet.

The Killzone 3 team is celebrating the release of the From the Ashes DLC this week with a triple XP party this weekend. From Friday to Sunday, all of the XP earned in multiplayer matches will be tripled, whether it's in the new DLC maps or just in the standard game.

Hopefully this also means that the Helghast forces will learn three times as fast that you just can't keep the ISA down. Sometimes that's a tough lesson to learn.

Sony shows off what it's got at E3 2011.

Jack Tretton is on stage right now at the Sony E3 press conference, and he says that the PlayStation 3 enjoys a (slightly unbelievable?) lead as the most popular device for Netflix users, apparently topping the Xbox 360, Wii, and the Apple TV, and accounting for nearly 30% of Netflix streams in one study. Tretton also announced that Sony would be adding the CinemaNow service to the PlayStation 3 in the future, giving users one more way to instantly watch video on demand on the console.

Tretton said that Sony would bring even more content onto the console soon, and "keep adding industry-defining entertainment experiences to PlayStation Network each step of the way."

In theory, it sounds like a great idea: Sit down with three other people and play Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One together. But in practice, four-player co-op can be chaotic and downright nasty: "Just hit the switch, dumbass! Gawd you suck at this game."

Cordial coordination is challenging enough when all four of you are on the couch together. But how often does that happen? A lot of players will be teaming up online -- with strangers, no less -- and that can often mean complete radio silence.

Insomniac is trying to design All 4 One to work in both cases, on the couch and online. "Certainly we think that both are extremely important," says gameplay programmer Mike McManus. "We don't want either to not work."

Oh, Kevin Butler. You seemed so perfect -- exactly the kind of PR icon that Sony needed, always saying and doing exactly the right thing for the company's image. You were always so in the know, always on top of the public pulse. Until Tuesday night, that is, when the Kevin Butler account on Twitter replied to what it thought was a random series of letters and numbers with a Battleship joke. Unfortunately, that code turned out to be the key once used to hack the PS3 through a USB dongle. In essence, the great KB helped to spread exactly the sort of information his company's been fighting to keep secret in court.

Of course, the tweet was quickly deleted. It wasn't that severe a leak anyway, since Sony's already fixed the exploit that it used and that key isn't the one being contested in the ongoing lawsuit. The real damage here is to KB's reputation. After deleting the tweet, whichever PR person runs the account quickly dived into a relatively harmless attempt to start a "#gamingis" trend. What, no snarky comeback or humorous braggadocio, KB? And here we thought he was the Vice President of Knowing What's Up.

If you ever load up the Netflix app on your PS3 and suddenly feel as if you're being experimented upon, here's why: Netflix is reportedly showing off three different user interfaces to users of its service on the PlayStation 3, in order to test out the various recommendations systems and how they're both created and delivered to users. Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt says the "Play" and "Add to Queue" buttons' size, placement, and functionality can vary from build to build, and even things like load times and streaming start times are being adjusted among the various test UIs running on real-life PS3s, providing direct feedback to the company about how customers use the video streaming app.

Hunt says he can boil down what they're learning to just three words: "Simple trumps complete." We'll make it easy for you, Netflix. Make one simple UI for all of us to use.

In the latest Insomniac Games newsletter, the company hints that it will be releasing news about a brand new title in the coming weeks, specifically for the PlayStation 3, ruling out its multi-platform project with EA. "Sometime between now and the Penny-Arcade Expo over Labor Day weekend," says the newsletter, the Burbank-based studio will pull the curtain off of the project. And during PAX 2010 there will be a panel in the Serpent Theater on September 4 at 6:30pm, moderated by G4's Adam Sessler, that will see Insomniac "discuss (and demo!) our upcoming PlayStation 3 project."

So we can all agree that it's Resistance 3, right? I mean, sure, it'd be nice to have a brand new Spyro or even some new IP, but we're all going with Resistance 3 for this one, right? We'll find out sometime in the next few weeks exactly what they're talking about.

A small crowd of movie and game producers met this week at Universal City in Los Angeles for the first-ever 3D Gaming Summit, to sit down and discuss the trend of 3D imaging in gaming and film. Much of the talk at the summit was speculative -- with almost no actual consumer devices on the market and nearly none within price range of the average consumer anyway, gaming in 3D isn't much more than an idea at this point. Most of the technology companies in attendance are still working to get content producers to use their systems to create games and films rather than selling hardware directly to consumers.

Still, the panels and discussions at the summit offered an interesting look at what many believe to be the eventual future of the industry. From a lunchtime interview with Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil director Paul W.S. Anderson to a Playstation Move demo (and a panel moderated by a Joystiq editor), the 3D Gaming Summit showed off a lot of guesswork, a few interesting demos, and a few big holes that will need to be filled if 3D gaming is going to ever take off.

After a night of radio silence, Sony has finally spoken up about the game-crashing issues currently plaguing non-Slim PS3 models. A post on PlayStation.Blog has confirmed that the problems are "being caused by a bug in the clock functionality incorporated in the system." The statement puts a loose timeframe on a fix for the issues, saying, "we hope to resolve this problem within the next 24 hours."

The PlayStation.Blog post also includes a word of warning which PS3 Phat owners should heed: "In the meantime, if you have a model other than the new slim PS3, we advise that you do not use your PS3 system, as doing so may result in errors in some functionality, such as recording obtained trophies, and not being able to restore certain data." We know you're curious to see what the console apocalypse looks like, but trust us -- it's just not worth it. We'll let you know when it's safe to turn it back on.

The Borderlands crew at Gearbox Software is making the post-mortem interview rounds, and this time Aaron Thibault, Stephen Palmer and Matthew Armstrong stopped to chat with G4. The interview has some excellent insight into the making of the game: The team originally was finishing up the Halo PC port when they realized that Bungie had dynamically coded their guns, and wondered what you could do if you dynamically created guns from that code. "Halo meets Diablo" was the answer, and that was Gearbox's premise from the beginning. They also talk about the famous art style change, and say that the current animated look actually helped players get into the game -- they could "make a certain leap of faith into an understanding that the crazier and wackier and more fun things can exist in this world." And they say that for future installments, they are taking player feedback into account: Both a mini-map and more levels are two things that they didn't quite expect such a call for, so it's a safe bet that we'll see those features in any future installments of the "important" franchise. Please?

Sony has filed a trademark notice here in the US for the word "Cloudsurf," and the trademark relates to a number of different products and services, including everything from audio players to game consoles to video cameras, as well as online distribution of games, music and television. In other words, it could be for anything that Sony has made or sold, ever. Edge guesses that it could have something to do with online distribution or even storage via a subscription model, and you might remember that earlier last year, Sony trademarked "PS Cloud," then hinting at a "cloud computing" system to provide storage or processing over the Internet. Of course, companies file trademarks all the time, without any obligation to reveal or release whatever product they're working on. So right now, "Cloudsurf" is made up of nothing but thin air -- permeated, we'd imagine, by a floaty, visible mass of condensed water droplets.

Click to start the unboxing. Japanese gamers are braving the cold right now, waiting on line to pick up Final Fantasy XIII. Square Enix and Sony have partnered up to create a limited edition bundle that includes a copy of the game, a white controller, and a pink Lightning-emblazoned 250GB PS3 Slim system. It's unlikely this system will ever be officially released outside of Asia. Unless you're looking to do some import shopping, these pics from Joystiq Japan's Ittousai are the closest you'll get to owning the first-ever special edition PS3 Slim.

We think the redesigned PS3 is small enough. However, Sony's Japanese designers, in their continuing desire to shrink things, noted that the PS3 Slim "could have been made even smaller." Sony's executive VP of technology Masayuki Chatani spoke with Japanese newspaper Nikkei about the challenges of designing a slimmer PS3. The goal was not only to cut costs, but to expand its attractiveness to "an even wider range of users." Considering the Japanese penchant for small electronics, the original PS3's girth was certainly a limiting factor. However, certain sacrifices would have been necessary for Sony to pursue an even smaller box. One option was to place "the power supply on the outside," much like Microsoft's Xbox 360 power brick. Taking yet another page from Microsoft, an even more drastic option considered was to remove the hard drive altogether. The alternatives -- Flash memory or virtual network storage -- proved to be too expensive, and too unreliable. Ultimately, the Sony team chose function over form. "One of the best features of the PS3 is that people can download games to the internal local storage unit and play comfortably." That reminds us -- we need a bigger couch. [Via IGN]

"It Only Does Everything" Well, except make money. Three years after the launch of the original PS3, Sony has yet to profit from the hardware. It's getting close, though. The redesigned slim PlayStation 3 is smaller -- and thanks to the passage of time -- much cheaper to manufacture than the launch models, which lost Sony over $200 with each unit sold. According to iSuppli's teardown analysis, a current PS3 system costs $336.27 to make, about $500 cheaper than the first batch of consoles. With the system retailing for $300, Sony is still incurring at least a $40 loss per system, when you account for marketing and other additional costs. (This also means that Sony lost about $17.6 million over Black Friday week on PS3 hardware sales.) The single most expensive component to the system is still Sony's proprietary Blu-ray disc drive, which is estimated to cost about $66 to make. Other components have dropped significantly in price thanks to a switch from 65nm conductors to 45nm. The end result is a far more power-efficient system that requires less power and cooling technologies. "In light of these factors, the PlayStation 3 probably is already at or near the tipping point for profitability," iSuppli's Andrew Rassweiler added. So, if for some reason you need Sony Corp to lose money, you better rush and buy a PS3 now before they make those things profitable! [Via CNET]

What's new in 3.10, feature-by-feature and with Facebook!

Many Netflix subscribers will find a rather inconspicuous red envelope in the mail today. It may look like a standard Netflix package, but inside PS3 owners will discover the "Instant Streaming Disc" which enables Netflix's instant streaming service on Sony's console. We've embedded a video overview of the service above. We'll admit that there are a few qualms with the presentation so far. First, the activation process is slow and requires the use of a computer -- there is no way to activate Netflix directly from the PS3. (You won't be able to use the PS3 internet browser for activation purposes either.) Second, the loading of cover art is suspiciously slow. Finally, there is no way to directly manage your Queue from the interface. While you'll be able to browse various categories, there is no Search capability. One benefit the PS3 has over the 360 in this regard is the built-in browser. You will be able to use the PS3's internet browser to manage your Queue. It's a baffling additional step, but it certainly is an added convenience. (ProTip: Use SELECT to add a bookmark to your PS3 internet browser.) While the previous video we posted suggested otherwise, we can confirm that HD video works on PS3, and it works well. In fact, it's a bit faster than watching SD content, simply because you won't have to wait for the PS3 to switch between resolution modes. When browsing your queue, look for a tiny HD icon at the bottom of the screen to see if it will play in high-def. (The selection can be quite limited.) When judging the overall experience, however, we'd say starting movies required a longer buffer than when using the service on the 360 or PC. Netflix is a terrific value-add for the PlayStation 3, but minor interface issues make it clear that there's a lot of room for improvement -- perhaps when Netflix becomes a standard built-in feature of the OS next year?

If you haven't heard, the PlayStation Wii is so successful, it pretty much prints money. Wait, Sony didn't make the Wii? Then how did the market analysts of DFC Intelligence come to the conclusion that "Sony was saved by the success of the Wii?" According to DFC, the Wii's mainstream appeal forced Microsoft into a successful, but not entirely dominant position. "The main danger Sony faced was that the Xbox 360 would become embedded as the system of choice. Instead consumers flocked to the Nintendo Wii. The Xbox 360 had solid sales, but they have not been enough to give Microsoft anywhere near a breakout market position," the report explains. Should enthusiasm for the Wii wane this holiday season, the recent price drop, coupled with with impending release of God of War III, finally positions the PS3 as a viable choice for mainstream consumers, the report notes. EEDAR's Jesse Divnich agrees, pointing out that Sony can finally utilize its leverage from the previous generation. "People who purchase a PS2 are more likely to purchase a PS3 in the future. Consumers, believe it or not, are pretty loyal." Three years after the launch of the PS3, Blu-ray is also finally becoming a marketable feature for mainstream consumers, the report argues. "This holiday season Blu-ray movies are finally getting a major focus at retail ... Blu-ray clearly now becomes a strong selling point for the PlayStation 3." Undoubtedly, SCEA will create an ad that focuses on this aspect of the system that "only does everything." While DFC's report comes off as incredibly bullish, it's understandable to see why there's some doubt over Sony's ability to capitalize on the moment. Let's not forget, this is a company that managed to fall from first to last place in the course of a year. "The cards are in Sony's favor and now is the time to make the most of them ... Now is the time for Sony to shine ... or else." [Via CVG] Source - Is it Time for the PlayStation 3 to Shine? Source - How the venerable PlayStation 2 made it to 9 years old

Just a quick reminder to let everyone know that the 250GB PlayStation 3 is available now in North America. The package runs $349 and crams a console, 250GB hard drive, controller and composite AV cables into the box. As the more astute readers have no doubt realized, the only thing different from the 120GB model is the 250GB hard drive. Still, as Gaming Bits points out, that's more than twice the storage for an extra $50 over the $299 model. Of course, with Black Friday sales just a few weeks away, you might consider waiting to see what deals will be available before taking the plunge.

SCEA tickles the PS3 with new motion-tracking technologies.

Learn more about new motion-tracking technologies at SCEA.

What's going on behind the scenes at SCEA?

The magic wand returns, with a ton of new motion-based tricks up its sleeves!