Sony unveils new plans at Tokyo expo

Written by Mark Schilling

Friday, 10 October 2008

Story Categories: games, Japan, Sony, Tokyo,

TOKYO - Sony made a spate of announcements at a press conference at the Tokyo Game Show on Thursday.

First, the company presented a new PlayStation 3 console with an 80 GB hard drive. Set to launch on Oct. 30, the new model will sell for 39,980 yen ($392) in Japan. For a limited time, it will come with a copy of "Grand Turismo 5 Prologue Spec III." Fans can also opt for a LittleBigPlanet Dream Box for 44,980 yen ($441), which contains the title software, together with two DualShock3 controllers.

Sony also said that it is switching to open pricing for the 40 GB PS3 -- an effective price cut aimed at boosting sales.

Starting on Oct. 15, Sony will also allow the 1.3 million users of PlayStation Network to purchase content from PlayStation Store directly from their Internet-connected PSPs, instead of using only PCs or PS3s as previously.

Sony has also rolled out the new Ad-Hoc Party service for PlayStation Portable, skedded to bow Oct. 30, that will allow PSP and PSP3 users to connect together for online play with the ad-hoc mode. The PS3 will serve as a home base, tunneling game sessions to other players via the Internet. Users will be able to play "Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G" from the start of the service. The "Phantasy Star Portable" game will also soon be Ad-Hoc accessible.

Finally, Sony revealed that it will begin open beta testing for its new PlayStation Home 3-D community-based service by the end of the year. Closed beta testing started in August and another closed beta test for a larger number of users is skedded to begin the latter part of October, until Sony finally opens it up to everyone before 2009.

In the Home service, first announced in March 2007, users create an avatar, while acquiring a virtual apartment to live in. They can furnish this space -- or invite other avatars in to chat, stream content, including music and pics, and enjoy other activities. They can also play games from Sony's 24 partner developers, including Namco Bandai and Capcom.

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