PS3 SingStar details News

SingStar on PS3 will have an all-new track listing, new microphones, and a download service that allows you to access every single track in the PS2 series' back catalogue - with high definition videos where possible. Plus, it'll be a launch title for PS3.

That's what we've had coming out of Sony's conference in LA today - and speaking to the development team afterward and having a quick go on the revised version, it's looking like the service is pretty much what SingStar fans have been crying out for.

Through a "My SingStar" profile section you'll be able to share recorded footage of your singing and download it to PSP to take away with you, we were told. The more sophisticated PS3 video compression means the 30-second-or-so segments are easily handled over the net. These videos will probably still work on the basis of snapping "key moments", according to the team, but equally it's possible there may be a manual-record mode.

As for the songs - you'll need to pay to download individual ones, but Sony's looking into letting people who already own existing SingStars use their discs to unlock the relevant tracks in the back catalogue.

In terms of new songs, Sony hasn't decided how many SingStar PS3 will ship with, but it does say that it will continue to support PS2 with new SingStar discs, and that the songs from those will be available very soon after on PS3 - if not at the same time.

There are no technical changes to the game other than the interface and use of high definition videos where available, but new microphones are in evidence - silvery beasts that look and feel a lot sturdier than the original blue and reds.

As for whether that's it for big new iterations, the developers were coy - but did say that serious revisions to the formula, if the decided they wanted to do some, could drive other SingStar PS3 discs beyond the launch title.

We'll bring you move on SingStar PS3 nearer launch - alongside PS3 on November 17th in Europe.