Sony E3 conference roundup

By Ellie Gibson Published 11 July, 2007

New PSPs, new partnerships and high hopes for the PS3 price cut.

It's not hard to imagine that nerves were on edge in the Sony Computer Entertainment camp this morning. Memories of last year's E3 conference and the reaction to it must have been fresh in their minds - and the evidence would suggest so, judging by Jack Tretton's "Riiiiiidge Racer" reference.

The SCEA boss was first in the limelight at this year's event - appearing in the form of his Home avatar, which was shown in his virtual apartment on the big screens above the stage.

Tretton said everyone at Sony is "extremely proud" of Home, but although it was referred to and even used as a presenting device throughout the conference, he continually reiterated the importance of "games, games and more games".

"Once you've seen the scope... You'll understand why we feel we're in a very strong position," said Tretton. "We're confident we'll continue our industry-leading role in this generation and beyond."

There was much talk of the recently announced 80GB PS3 and US price cut - but no mention of whether a similar move was planned for Europe. There was also trumpeting of the PS2, which now has an installed base of over 118 million units.

'Sony E3 conference roundup' Screenshot kaz

What's that in your pocket, Kaz? It's the new PSP!

According to Tretton, that makes it "the most popular console of all time, worldwide". This followed, of course, Microsoft's claim last night that Xbox 360 is winning the next-gen battle, and Nintendo's declaration that DS is "unquestionably" in the lead.

DS is certainly doing better than PSP, but Sony seems keener than ever to push its handheld forward. It's also committed to the UMD format, with Tretton stating that sales are up 35 per cent from 2006.

PSP games shown at the conference included SOCOM, Syphon Filter, WipEout Pulse, Sims 2 Castaway and more. But the big announcement came from Kaz Hirai (who was another in Tretton's Home apartment, where the current SCEA boss asked him, "Are you playing Riiiiiidge Racer?").

Hirai then appeared in person to pull a new iteration of the PSP out of his pocket. It doesn't look remarkably different to the current model, but according to Hirai, "When you have it in your hand the difference is clear."

'Sony E3 conference roundup' Screenshot chew

Jack Tretton and Chewbacca enjoy the Star Wars Battlefront PSP skin. Tretton later told the audience he enjoyed his wookie hug.

Specifically, the new PSP is 33 per cent lighter and 19 per cent slimmer. It's got a longer battery life and is faster at loading games - due for a worldwide release in September.

But what Tretton described as one of the best new features was still to come - the option to hook it up to your TV ("Sony Bravia", of course) and view games, movies and photos on the big screen.

He also revealed it will be available in three colours: piano black, ice silver and white with a Darth Vader logo on the back. The latter will come bundled in a Star Wars Battlefront entertainment pack, as Tretton announced with the help of special guest star Chewbacca.

With the PSP out of the way, Phil Harrison appeared to talk more about PlayStation Network and the new downloadable games on the way. These included Echochrome - described as having "the least graphics and most gameplay of any game on show" - plus WarHawk, WipEout HD and Pain.

For Harrison's next trick, he took a photo of the audience on his mobile phone and sent it to his PS3 - where it appeared in a frame on the wall in his Home apartment.

After a sequence about SingStar PS3, during which nothing much new was revealed, Harrison confirmed you'll be able to launch games from within Home and set up multiplayer matches there. To demonstrate he played a Motorstorm race with 11 other players on a new track called Eagle's Nest that will be available for download next month.

Tretton then returned to the stage to talk once again about the PS3 price cut, stating that sales of the 60GB model have doubled at Sony's top five retailers since the cut was announced on Monday.

Then it was time to move on to third party games for PS3. Tretton began by revealing that NCsoft will be creating games for the PlayStation Network that "will be found nowhere else", based on both current properties and new IP.

A flurry of game demos followed - Haze, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare, to name but a few. Unreal Tournament 3 was declared as a PS3 exclusive "this year". The same trailer for Resident Evil 5 shown at Microsoft's conference made a reappearance, and there was footage of The Simpsons Game, Guitar Hero III, Medal of Honor Airborne and Rock Band.

'Sony E3 conference roundup' Screenshot phil

Phil Harrison and virtual Phil Harrison. Notice the MotorStorm outfit his Home avatar has on. He loves dressing up.

Many of those have been seen before, but the excitement level rose a notch with the appearance of the next guest on the stage - Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima. He reconfirmed that the next instalment in the series will be exclusive to the PS3, without directly dismissing recent rumblings from Konami that options may be reconsidered. He also said MGS4 would be "the finale" for the series.

A long and impressive trailer followed, and Kojima told the audience, "This is real-time footage and you'll be able to play in this quality." More will be revealed in a demo in Tokyo next week.

More game demos followed - Ratchet and Clank PS3, Heavenly Sword, Drake's Fortune, LittleBigPlanet, Gran Turismo. Again, all titles seen before, but then came Infamous - the new title from Sly Cooper developer Sucker Punch.

To finish up, Harrison showed a trailer of Killzone 2. It was also shown off at a special press event last night, and the general consensus seemed to be that Killzone 2 is looking more impressive than might have been presumed. The trailer was also well received by the audience today.

Tretton concluded the event by summing up all that had been discussed - the new PS3 price, the new PSP model and colours, the emphasis on games and the importance for Sony of driving innovation.

And then it was over. Attendees might have been hoping for more surprises, and less of an emphasis on games that have already been announced and shown to the world. The same could also be said of Nintendo and Microsoft's conferences, arguably. The question, however, is whether Sony needed to do more than its rivals this year - and the answer remains to be seen.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (57) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • rayk2099 #1 5 years ago

    Watched it online - was more interested in my game of Picross than pretty much everything Sony had to show.

    All three conferences were disappointing. Maybe I expected too much :)

    Can someone confirm the exclusive status of Haze? Is it a timed exclusive?

  • PuffyPipe #2 5 years ago

    chewy wants a good euro PS3 price drop or he will start killing ewoks.

  • theweaze #3 5 years ago

    yeah only available on ps3 in 2007, Q1 2008 for 360

  • penguin_overlord #4 5 years ago

    It's been a good week for Sony so far with the US price drop seeing an increase in sales (it's still number 1 on Amazon). It will be interesting if the same happens in the UK after Friday as it's currently stuck at 23 on the UK Amazon site (mind you, that's still 10 places higher than the Xbox).

    The 360 and PS3 both have some very promising games out in the months ahead but I do think the PS3 has the edge. I wonder also how true it really is about games like Lair only possible because of Blu-Ray. I can see some sense as hi-res 1080P images with hi-quality sound would need a few gigs for a typical game.

    Although the 360 and PS3 may be fairly equal in performance (at least based upon what we've seen so far) I can't help but think the lack of a HD DVD drive in the 360 as standard will be its achilles heel.

  • Rodster #5 5 years ago

    Of course PSP disks are selling more, you got the hint to drop the price you dumb asses. No one is going to buy a fucking $40 portable movie. Drop the system price, as well as games and movies and it will sell. It's a no brainer.

    I actually own and like the system, it's just priced to high against the DS.

  • FunkyRenegade #6 5 years ago

    @PuffyPipe
    /agree

  • smelly #7 5 years ago

    sony deffo had the best conf this year.

  • spongebob #8 5 years ago

    I think it was the best conference of the bunch, but that's not saying much. All of the companies were playing it safe. Only Sony came out with some slightly bigger announcements (PSP Lite, price drop of PS3 and couple of games and exclusive deals with developers).

    It was not E3 2005, but then again, how could have it been. We'll see similar conferences next time when new consoles are about to come out.

  • Downside #9 5 years ago

    Hey great, a new PSP!

    Shame, I was expecting amazing games for the PS3 but alas, there were none.

  • penhalion #10 5 years ago

    I pointed this out in another thread (yes it was a sudden realisation on my part) that the PS3 hasn't actually had a price cut.

    It was 499 for the 20gb version and 599 for the 60gb version at launch. It's now 499 for the 60g version and 599 for the 80gb version. As they no longer manufacture the 20g version, they have simply moved the 60 down to fill it's shoes and introduced the 80 to replace the 60. That's pretty much what every electronics manufacturer does every 6 months i.e. natural progression of models along a chain.

    Even I was taken in at first because all I heard was price cut. It took an innocent remrk from a friend who pointed out that he hadn't savd his 499 to get a PS3. I immediately said something like "No they've cut the price it's now.......oh right 499" At that point my brain jumped through some logic hoops and then went "Eh?!?" er where's the price cut then.........
    Edited by 1 at 12/07/07 @ 01:33

  • Roamer #11 5 years ago

    I wish I had something clever to say. Chewbacca?

    If I had to make an embarassing analogy, I would cast Sony as the Empire, Nintendo as the Jedi (long in the game, but low on technology - plus everyone thought they were gone, but they somehow they always come back) and Microsoft as Jar-Jar Binks (hated by all due to personality, or rather engineering, faults. Still an important part of the first part of the second trilogy though).

  • JediMasterMalik #12 5 years ago

    Yes penhalion, an item that was once 599, and is now 499, has not been reduced in price.. It's a marketting trick. >_>

  • YourMessageHere #13 5 years ago

    Chewbacca!
    Chewie!
    oooOOOOoooh what a Wookiee!
    /green jelly

    Oh gawd, Playstation Home. Watching that, it seems Sony's new idea is to insert the word "Sideways" at regular intervals. Plus, of course, Fully Functioning Space! It's so amazing! You can take photos of yourself, have them appear automagically, then take more photos of yourself and have them appear automagically elsewhere! It automatically blogs, publishes and automates the process of disappearing up it's own arse! You can even START GAMES (as opposed to complicated ideas like putting the disc in and switching it on, or using an OS)! I can't believe they think any of that toss is useful or desirable. It's moderately amazing that it CAN be done, but completely mysterious as to why you'd want to do it.

  • SeesThroughAll #14 5 years ago

    They want Home to be Myspace on consoles... dunno if it's ever going to happen, though.

  • Steroyd #15 5 years ago

    With the way they were pimpin' home if I was brave enough to bet my nuts that Sony's going to have the next E3 conference at HOME where by then we can all visit personally then I would.

    But I'm not brave enough.

    Actually that could bring E3 to a more mainstream audience.

  • Daikon #16 5 years ago

    Still don't care for the PS3.
    However, with a lighter PSP with better battery life and a remake of the original Final Fantasy Tactics around the corner I foresee me buying one very soon.

  • Dizzy #17 5 years ago

    ETA 2008 seems to be the keyword.

  • gamerbunny #18 5 years ago

    @Downside

    "Hey great, a new PSP!

    Shame, I was expecting amazing games for the PS3 but alas, there were none."

    .....

    What E3 were you watching?

  • toy_brain #19 5 years ago

    Hmm, new PSP sounds good. Might have to see about trading up my current 1st-gen model for one, but I wanna know more specifics about the lengthened battery life and the TV output first.

    Not really bothered about the PS3 stuff yet as its still out of my price-range.

  • drumbaby #20 5 years ago

    There were many more games shown forcing me to eventually empty my wallet than in any other year's E3. It was a very good showing from the Sone.

  • Jaded #21 5 years ago

    @penhalion

    seeing as the 20gb was never even available in the UK, it's a price cut...

  • kingkatt #22 5 years ago

    JMM,

    The minimum you would pay for a PS3 before the "price cut" is 499. Now, the minimum you will pay for a PS3 is 499. There has been no price cut, just added pack-in value. But on the shelves there really is no difference. TSony will get a one or two week spike max, after that everyone will look at the price of Wii as cheapest, then 360, and then PS3, still at 499, AS IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN, and say "no thanks".

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #23 5 years ago

    Well, Microsoft must be sighing with relief that Sony's conference was as surprise-free as their own. I was expecting a bit more of a new model of PSP to be honest. Home still sounds rubbish to me, but I'm over 25, so I don't 'get' all this Web 2.0 social networking bollocks.

    So the only surprise of this year's E3 is that Nintendo is making good on their 'wii games are proper excercise' promise.

    Looks like E3 really did die last year.
    Edited by 1 at 12/07/07 @ 08:52

  • Caimbeul #24 5 years ago

    anyone see the footage of GT5 Prologue? any links?

  • Caimbeul #25 5 years ago

    scratch that, found it : http://uk .media.ps3.ign.com/media/857/85...

  • onyxbox #26 5 years ago

    it was the best one of the bunch.

    Sony are making some sweet moves and they held a few things back for TGS too.

  • PlugMonkey #27 5 years ago

    Headbog - I'd pretty much agree. Sony announced more new exclusives than MS, but they were lagging miles behind on that front to begin with anyway. I'd give Sony this round on points but no one seems to be lining up the knock out punch. For me, MS's exclusives are currently the more attractive. They seem to have lots of exciting new exclusive IPs, and Sony have lots of old exclusive IPs that I'm slightly less excited about.

    "I'm over 25, so I don't 'get' all this Web 2.0 social networking bollocks."

    I might have that printed on a T-shirt. :)

  • Jdoki #28 5 years ago

    It seems the new E3 is as much for the investors and shareholders as for the gaming public. They all focused on the short-term and none of them announced anything major. Perhaps the E3 organisers gave the companies some specific parameters to adhere to.

    It makes me think that the TGS and/or specific events like Microsofts X0_ will be where the big announcements come from.

    From the conferences I think:
    - MS came out on top in terms of games, purely because so much good stuff coming before Xmas. I thought they needed one big surprise annuncement though.

    - Sony had the biggest announcements overall and gave me a bit of hope that buying one will one day be a good idea! Although the Haze and Unreal annoucements were a bit 'so what' (I was disappointed with the Haze footage - a.n.other generic FPS) it was nice to see the PSP revamp. I was also a bit annoyed with the whole 'this can only be done on PS3 line'. It's getting tired.

    KZ2 didn't wow me at all, the footage wasn't as good or better than E305 and the game looked horribly generic... dontcha just love bad guys who stand still while you shoot them! The NCSoft deal is exciting as I liked City of Heroes and love Guild Wars.

    - Nintendo was OK, probably great if you're an overweight gamer with agrophobia (wow, I don't need to leave my house and go for a run or to the gym to get fit!), or someone obsessed with firearms!

    If I was to mark the conferences out of 10, compared to last years E3..

    MS 5.5
    Sony 6.0
    Nintendo 5.0


    In terms of what I could be playing in the short term.

    MS 9
    Sony 6/7
    Nintendo 5/6 depending on whether the release dates are Worldwide or just US.
    Edited by 1 at 12/07/07 @ 09:47

  • brazzauk #29 5 years ago

    Thought it was a good step in the right direction. Thought the list of games was good and they didn't even cover Lair, Assasins Creed or COD4. All mentioned but that was it.

    Was stoked about Wipeout HD as well, not enough made of that one! Happy to see some of the games coming to the PSN looked worth a download.

    Heavenly Sword as well not mentioned greatly but still looks amazing!!!!!!

    I am glad I have all 3 formats as I think there will be great titles on all 3 platforms. I hope they all attain equal shares of the market as that has to be good for gamers. Healthy competition rather than a console war!
    Edited by 1 at 12/07/07 @ 09:50

  • Mr_Bison #30 5 years ago

    WHAT ABOUT WIPEOUT

  • manic_mouse #31 5 years ago

    Hurray, new PSP for me! Now where's that Euro PS3 price-cut?

  • niz #32 5 years ago

    "Shame, I was expecting amazing games for the PS3 but alas, there were none."

    Life's quite hard for a chronic Sony hater.

    But hey, at least Nintendo showed bunch of incredible, innovative Wii titles!

    I simply cannot wait for the Zapper and the inevitable Duck Hunt 2008 (with 1998 visuals)!

  • Goffee #33 5 years ago

    Useful, I can now homebrew my current PSP and get the new one for later games... Thanks Sony, you've just made my day.

  • Gurgeh #34 5 years ago

    @jaded
    "seeing as the 20gb was never even available in the UK, it's a price cut... "

    Lets wait and see what the price cut is in Europe first. A couple of days ago the rumour was no price cut but an improved bundle of games.

  • Yaster #35 5 years ago

    @ Goffee

    That's EXACTLY what I was thinking of doing

  • Steroyd #36 5 years ago

    Lets wait and see what the price cut is in Europe first. A couple of days ago the rumour was no price cut but an improved bundle of games

    The announcement of that is expected to be released today.

  • Eighthours #37 5 years ago

    The 360 and PS3 both have some very promising games out in the months ahead but I do think the PS3 has the edge.

    Not even close. Many of PS3's big games (MGS4, LBP, Killzone 2) aren't out this year. The likes of Mass Effect, PGR4, Halo 3, Bioshock and Splinter Cell adds up to a very strong first party lineup for MS, allied to the GTA factor.

  • MaxiSleep #38 5 years ago

    "ms has too many sequals, sony has a lot of very interesting stuff that utilises ps3 and is starting to show off its power, u can keep your halo, we got haze, killzone 2, heavenly sword ,gt5, warhawk, lbp,home, uncharted ,rachet,mgs4, lair,wipeout hd!"

    Halo 3 will be a huge disapointment. (Based on Halo 2 as the last reference point)

    However there are I think one (perhaps two) other games out for the 360. So deem this post to be

    ( ) Informed
    (x) Silly

  • SBfistfun #39 5 years ago

    "ms has too many sequals, sony has a lot of very interesting stuff that utilises ps3 and is starting to show off its power, u can keep your halo, we got haze, killzone 2, heavenly sword ,gt5, warhawk, lbp,home, uncharted ,rachet,mgs4, lair,wipeout hd!"

    er Killzone2, gt5, warhawk, ratchett, mgs4 and wipeout hd are sequels you texan!

  • lambtron #40 5 years ago

    Is it just me or does that GT footage (the actual in-game bit) look pretty much exactly like Forza 2?

  • kingkatt #41 5 years ago

    Is it just me or does that GT footage (the actual in-game bit) look pretty much exactly like Forza 2?


    I thought it looked more like PGR3 than Forza. The London shots reminded me a lot of the New York scenery renders Bizarre Creations put out before the launch of PGR3.

  • penhalion #42 5 years ago

    Seems we did get shafted on the price cut after all. Instead of a cut, they are bundling two games....something most shops already do as I recall. Well I guess my joy at finally being able to recommend the PS3 just went down the toilet.


    Way to go Sony you muppets!

  • SeesThroughAll #43 5 years ago

    Well I guess my joy at finally being able to recommend the PS3 just went down the toilet.

    Just show people the trailers of Killzone and MGS4.

  • kangarootoo #44 5 years ago

    @penhalion

    I wish you would stop with this "its not a price cut" nonsense. Everytime you chirp up with that one, you just make youself look dense. Yes you pointed it out on another thread, and on that thread as in this one people pointed out you were talking rubbish.

    "Instead of a cut, they are bundling two games"

    Sell the games yourself then, result... price cut. Sheesh, its not bloody hard if you engage your mind. Ah... I see your problem.

  • mossychops001 #45 5 years ago

    Good E3 Sony, Keep up the good work...

    Killzone 2
    Rachet & Clank
    Drakes Fortune
    Haze
    GT5

  • kangarootoo #46 5 years ago

    @headbog

    But there are different specs of PS3. They aren't the same item. One item, that has remained the same, has got cheaper. That is a price cut.

    To bundle everything together under one PS3 tag is like saying that if Ferrari stop making their cheapest car, but price drop another more expensive better featured car, that isn't a price cut because the price of the cheapest ferrari remains the same.

    The better car used to cost X, now it costs Y, X > Y, therefore PRICE CUT.

    PS3 60GB model (the only one in the UK) used to cost X, now it costs Y, X > Y, therefore PRICE CUT.

    You say that the 20GB is no less able to play games, but its not that simple. My shitty Hyundai is no less able to drive to the shops than a Ferrari, but it is less able to do other things as well. Likewise the 20GB model is less able to store 40GB of data on its bundled HDD, incapable of doing so in fact (this is what is known as an example, so please lets not dwell on it).

    Describing similar specific functions that are shared between two items does not make them the same in every way, and does not therefore mean they must have equal value.
    Edited by 1 at 12/07/07 @ 17:17

  • Sorb #47 5 years ago

    They should have kept the 20 GB version and lowered it to $400 now. But since they didn't I'm not buying a Blu-ray play...I mean a PS3.

  • QotSAfan #48 5 years ago

    If i hear people arguing that "its not a price cut because the microsoft guy said so, so he doesnt have to cut the price of his console so he makes more money" again i will shoot them. Fact is a 100 dollars was cut off the 60Gb model. Hence the price has been cut so you can stop talking as if you graduated from Plato's school of philosophy.

    Also, since when has splinter cell and PGR been anything worth talking about? The major MS exclusive's are Halo 3 Mass Effect and Bioshock.

    You can't dismiss Haze as another generic shooter. Goldeneye, Timesplitters anyone? These guys have been in the industry making great FPS games for a long time. No critism against their mastery is allowed!

    That is all for now. :D

  • 3william56 #49 5 years ago

    Yeah, enough with the price warbling. Get to the important bit:

    Wipeout HD? When???

  • Blaggers #50 5 years ago

    Virtual Phil Harrison looks like Jimmy Hopkins from Bully.

  • zuljin #51 5 years ago

    The PS2 is still being sold out there for around £70-80 pounds, so what he's talking about isn't a price cut.

    /Rolls eyes

  • smoothn00dle #52 5 years ago

    KZ2 show gameplay demo and where Halo3's demo, just a tailer. Would be a fake! Same goes to COD4.. At least KZ2 is real!

  • zendragon #53 5 years ago

    No it's not a price cut per se, they're just clearing stocks, and only in the USA. Price cuts were in Japan, where it's dirt cheap. Here it's rip off.

  • johlee991 #54 5 years ago

    Does Sony plan to make any games this Christmas? WTF is up with that? I bought my PS3 last year and they STILL haven't made any games worth buying except for Resistence. What good is a GAME CONSOLE without any games?

    Crikey, your Sony, man! Wake up! Xbox360 is past you in games for some odd reason and they're not really a gaming company!

  • Rash' #55 5 years ago

    johnlee91: VF5, Motorstorm, Oblivion, flow, Tekken, Gripshift, GT:HD, Calling All Cars, Stardust HD, Rainbow Six: Vegas, Ninja Gaiden... these are some of the most enjoyable games currently available and they're on PS3. Right now. So lets not have this "no games available on PS3" drama again. As for what's coming this year I think you need some clarification on that too: Everyday Shooter, Ratchett and Clank, Wipeout HD, Lair, Heavenly Sword, Drake's fortune, Warhawk... With Assassin's Creed, Half life: Orange Pack and GTAIV, I don't know about you but I am looking forward to gaming on the PS3 over the coming year.

    BTW it's a price cut. I understand economical logic is alien to some here, but believe me there's no getting round it. The 60gb PS3 has dropped in price from $599 to $499. Whether that will convince the market of the purchase is another matter...

  • drunkymonkey #56 5 years ago

    "Crikey, your Sony, man! Wake up! Xbox360 is past you in games for some odd reason and they're not really a gaming company!"

    Sony aren't either.

  • TRUTH #57 5 years ago

    VF5 improved version coming to 360 very soon, Oblivion also on 360, Rainbow Six: Vegas plays/looks better on 360, Ninja Gaiden also available on Xbox (NG Black) but with extra content not on PS3, also for less then $15.

    Haze is also coming to 360, PGR3 was rushed for release for the 360...PGR4 is the next true follow up, and alot more exciting then GTR as a racing game (Booooooooring). Splinter Cell Conviction is a exclusive for the 360, developed esp for the 360. Also don't forget that ex Final Fantasy developers are releasing Lost Oddysee & Cry -On Rpg's exclusive to 360 which have been getting alot of praise from game journalist. There's also some true innovation in next-gen gaming from Mass Effect & Bioshock. Alan Wake is another exclusive to 360, another game that has impressed.

    Have you noticed many PS3 consoles and games now being pushed to the back of shop displays!...In Europe this is happening.

    Edited by 1 at 22/07/07 @ 21:39