Sony
Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) pulled back the curtain on the
major titles in its 2008 lineup for all current Playstation platforms
today. The list includes a quite a few sequels, a number of original
titles for the Playstation Network and an all-new IP for Playstation
3. In all, SCEA will be publishing 15 major titles before the end of
this year.

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Sony
is also touting the recent success of the Playstation 3, which was spurred by strong holiday sales and Blu-ray
winning the high definition format war. Playstation 3 does have one
major advantage thanks to Blu-ray, aside from its use for publishing
high capacity game discs. The console is still the least expensive
solution for consumers looking to purchase a Blu-ray player as it
doesn't just play Blu-ray Discs, but video games, music, view photos
and has built-in Wi-Fi Internet connectivity. Combined, these extra
features make the Playstation 3 an affordable option when compared to
regular Blu-ray players, which are generally
equally
or higher priced.
This
breakthrough year for Playstation 3 is also highlighted by the growth
of the Playstation Network, which has grown to 8 million registered
members worldwide who have contributed to over 140 million downloads
to date. Some of the titles announced for the Playstation Network as
part of the 2008 lineup include Japanese developer Q-Games'
PixelJunk
Eden
, as well as
Elefunk
and the latest installment in
the
wipEout
franchise,
the fully high definition
wipEout HD
.
"For
the second half of 2008 and beyond, we will see a spectacular line up
of triple-A titles and original gaming content that will satisfy
Playstation fans across the board,” said Scott A. Steinberg, vice
president of product marketing for SCEA. “Highly anticipated games
such as
Resistance
2,
LittleBigPlanet
,
and
Killzone
2
,
along with original content such as
SIREN:
Blood Curse
and
PixelJunk
Eden
,
demonstrate SCEA’s passion to lead the market by continuing to
deliver unique gaming content and revolutionary sequels to our
best-selling franchises.” Don't be mislead by Steinberg's inclusion
of
Killzone 2
in those
comments though, as, even though it is listed in the lineup, it
actually is not slated for release until February 2009.
The
complete list of Sony titles scheduled to release for Playstation 2,
Playstation 3, PSP and the Playstation Network for 2008, and
Killzone
2
, are:
Hot
Shots Golf
:
Open
Tee 2
– PSP
(Available June 3, 2008 / E for “Everyone”)
Developed
by Clap Hanz,
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2
introduces six challenging new courses, along with new characters to
customize using hundreds of accessories. Robust Internet play allows
players to challenge other Hot Shots across the globe in tournaments
of up to 16 players. Players can tee-off locally with up to eight
others via Ad Hoc mode, or engage in a number of single-player modes
such as Challenge, Training, and Stroke Play. With the franchise’s
signature over-the-top visuals and pick-up-and-play action, fans of
the series can once again look forward to hitting the links on the go
with the most fun and wacky golf experience available.
Secret
Agent Clank
–
PSP (Available June 17, 2008 / E10+ for "Everyone 10+")
Ratchet,
Clank, and Captain Qwark return to PSP this summer in
Secret
Agent Clank
, an all new
adventure where Clank takes the lead as the titular character. Taking
cues from spy classics of the past,
Secret Agent Clank
presents the Ratchet and Clank universe with a spy themed twist,
including Clank as the Galaxy’s greatest undercover agent dressed
in a tuxedo. Developed by High Impact Games, the studio that brought
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
to PSP,
Secret Agent Clank
brings the humor, quality gameplay and action that fans have come to
expect from the franchise back to PSP.
wipEout
HD
– PSN
(Available Summer 2008 / Rated E10+)
One
of the most beloved PlayStation franchises of all time returns with
wipeout
HD
for PS3. Available exclusively for download on Playstation Store,
players race at blazing speeds and experience adrenaline-filled,
anti-gravity racing action in full-1080p High Definition (HD) running
at a breathtaking 60-frames-per-second. Featuring a selection of the
best tracks from previous versions of the w
ipEout
franchise
meticulously reworked for PS3,
wipEout HD
supports up to eight player online multiplayer racing in addition to
various other race modes like Tournament, Time Trial and Speed Lap.
Featuring a new Pilot Assist option to help players navigate tracks
at blazing speeds,
wipEout HD
also includes a Photo Mode, support for the SIXAXIS wireless
controller’s motion sensing controls, and a bumping soundtrack with
Dolby 5.1 surround.
Elefunk
– PSN (Available Summer 2008 / E for “Everyone”)
Elefunk
is a PS3 construction puzzle game exclusively for download on
Playstation Network. In
Elefunk
,
players are tasked with building bridges and structures capable of
supporting elephants as they stroll across treacherous ravines,
rivers, fire pits and swamps. Using various materials with real world
physics applied to them - ranging from metal to wood and rope -
players must select the proper materials and pieces to build a
structure that will hold up the crossing elephants. With single and
multi-player gameplay both on and offline,
Elefunk
delivers simple and fun gameplay for the casual fan, with
leaderboards and challenging modes for the more competitive gamer.
PixelJunk
Eden
– PSN
(Available Summer 2008 / Not Yet Rated)
PixelJunk
Eden
is the third PSN
title from the addictive PixelJunk series by Japanese developer
Q-Games. In this stunning platform game, the player feels like a
small insect seeing a garden for the first time. Within this
constantly evolving and vibrant 2D plant environment, the player
leaps and swings between lush plants, smashing into approaching
enemies and navigating around the undergrowth to gather treasures.
Through various levels, the player is treated to stylish 1080p
graphics, a dynamic soundtrack and addictive gameplay.
PixelJunk
Eden
supports both single and
co-op play.
SIREN:
Blood Curse
–
PSN (Available Summer 2008 / Not Yet Rated)
Released
in twelve downloadable episodes,
SIREN: Blood Curse
delivers a haunting and horrifying story exclusively to PS3. Set in
the Japanese village of Hanuda, an American TV crew has arrived to
research and film an exposé on the legend of a “vanished
village.” Controlling seven different playable characters, the
player must discover the mystery behind the curse that grips the
eerie village of Hanuda. The unique “sight jack” system allows
the player to see from the point of view of the Shibito, or living
dead, to avoid their detection or watch as they close in on the crew.
Intense graphics, realistic character animation, and a gritty
film-like graphical presentation add to the horror of
SIREN:
Blood Curse
.
SOCOM:
US Navy SEALs Confrontation
– PS3 (Available September 16, 2008 / Not Yet Rated)
With
the power of PS3,
SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation
will deliver the most intense and authentic high definition modern
combat action. Delivering a global-scale combat experience that has
been refined over four generations of the
SOCOM
franchise,
SOCOM Confrontation
gives players the opportunity to battle against the best and
brightest from the U.S., Europe and Asia. Players will be able to
modify their appearance through facial and physical customization and
battle across seven North African environments, including a 32-player
version of the most popular SOCOM map of all time “Crossroads.”
Additional themed packs containing new Special Forces, weapons, maps
and features will be made available for download via the Playstation
Store.
LittleBigPlanet
– PS3 (Available October 2008 / Not yet Rated)
Developed
by Media Molecule,
LittleBigPlanet
is a new and hugely innovative PS3 title that establishes a new genre
called "creative gaming."
LittleBigPlanet
allows players to Play, Create and Share inside a glued-together and
hand-stitched 3D landscape. Players customize and control their
burlap Sackboy (or Sackgirl) character and can PLAY alone or with up
to three others, exploring a variety of developer-created levels.
Also, using a simple tool system, players can CREATE their own
objects and even full levels. Players can then SHARE these creations
with their friends or with the world through the online Playstation
Network community.
NBA
09
– PS3, PSP,
PS2 (Available Fall 2008 / Not Yet Rated)
Developed
by SCEA San Diego,
NBA 09
builds on the technology and features of
NBA 08
with more advanced graphics and gameplay control to deliver an
experience catering to hardcore basketball fans and casual gamers
alike. For the first time,
NBA 09
brings “The Life” mode to PS3, delivering gamers the most
detailed and engaging NBA experience both on the court and behind the
scenes. Additionally,
NBA 09
will feature a full Franchise mode, where gamers can run their own
virtual team on every level – from determining salaries, to
deciding playing time, to making trades. Progression mode, where
players are rewarded experience and attributes during gameplay,
returns with players now able to track “team progression” for all
five characters. Extending playability,
NBA 09
will bring back NBA Replay mode, where players will be able to
re-enact highlight performances from the real NBA season to gain
additional rewards. Other key features include expanded commentary, a
variety of mini-games, and full online gameplay action.
NBA
09
– PSP
(Available Fall 2008 / Not Yet Rated)
Developed
by SCEA San Diego,
NBA
09
for
PSP brings fast, fluid gameplay and delivers the most engaging
portable NBA experience available. Featuring a new Franchise mode,
players will be able to draft and construct contracts while engaging
in multi-season gameplay. The popular Conquest mode returns in a
variety of formats, allowing players to take over the country in
gameplay modes such as Dodgeball, Elimination, Fast Break, and
Pick-Up games. Carnival mini-games return, including Pinball,
Pop-a-Shot, and Skee-Ball, and cross platform compatibility allows
players to use mini-game Carnival tickets earned to purchase items in
NBA
09
PS3. Additional mini-games round out the experience including, Pick
and Roll, Alley-Oop, Box Out, Give and Go, and
21.
NBA
09 – PS2 (Available Fall 2008 / Not Yet Rated)
Developed
by SCEA San Diego,
NBA 09
for
PS2 returns with the fourth installment of the critically acclaimed
“The Life” mode. Within The Life, players will control storylines
for three different characters, interacting with them on and off the
court. In addition, a full Franchise mode will be featured, along
with optimized gameplay and artificial intelligence (A.I.) to deliver
a true basketball experience. Online roster updates will be available
weekly, and
NBA 09
will bring an expanded set of commentary featuring Kevin Calabro and
Kenny “The Jet” Smith.
BUZZ! Quiz TV
– PS3 (Available Fall 2008 / Not Yet Rated)
This
fall
BUZZ!
, the
popular quiz show franchise, makes its way for the first time to PS3
with
BUZZ! Quiz TV
.
BUZZ! Quiz TV
comes
stocked with five different channels of questions including Music,
Movies & TV, Sports, Brainiac and Lifestyle, combining to deliver
over 5,000 questions. Extending the quiz show network beyond the
disc, up to four players from anywhere in the U.S. can team up for
trivia showdowns in the online multiplayer mode, Sofa vs. Sofa, and
new quiz packs to be available for download from the Playstation
Network. Also, for trivia fans wanting to see if they can trump
others with their own vast library of knowledge, Mybuzzquiz.com
will provide a global community for players to create and share their
own quizzes online and make available to download on PS3.
BUZZ!
Master Quiz –
PSP
(Available Fall 2008 / Not Yet Rated)
Coming
this fall, the
BUZZ! franchise puts trivia in the palm of your
hand with
BUZZ! Master Quiz PSP. Packing over 3,000 questions
on topics including music, celebrities, TV, sports, science, nature,
movies and more,
BUZZ!
Master Quiz puts players’
knowledge to the test at home or on the go. When gaming solo, players
can enjoy a series of 15 different quiz challenges in single-player
mode. Staying true to the franchise’s social gaming roots,
BUZZ!
Master Quiz also offers three new multiplayer modes designed
specifically for PSP.
MotorStorm
Pacific Rift
– PS3 (Available
Fall 2008 / Not Yet Rated)
The
most brutal offroad racing festival is back, with players this time
attempting to tackle the diversity and unpredictability of a remote
Pacific island environment. Developed by Evolution Studios
exclusively for PS3,
MotorStorm
Pacific Rift revisits
the intense racing action introduced in last year’s
MotorStorm,
this time allowing players to navigate a radically different tropical
environment chock full of lush jungle, towering peaks, and
crystal-clear water. Players will experience a greater selection of
tracks and vehicles to choose, as well as extensive multiplayer
options including four player split screen and races with up to 20
players online. Additionally players will be able to utilize a new
photo mode to save images within the game and for the first time be
able to take music from their PS3’s HDD to create a customized
soundtrack.
Resistance
2
– PS3 (Available Fall 2008 / Not Yet Rated)
On
the brink of annihilation, mankind resumes the fight against the
unstoppable Chimera on the shores of the United States. Thus the
stage is set for
Resistance 2, the highly anticipated
follow-up to Insomniac Games’ best-selling PS3 launch title.
Players will once again step into the war-torn boots of Sgt. Nathan
Hale, who not only faces near impossible odds on the battlefield, but
also struggles with the Chimera virus raging inside his own body. In
addition to an epic single-player campaign, Resistance 2 will offer a
truly unprecedented eight-player, class-based online co-op campaign
and 60-player online competitive multiplayer built upon a ‘massive
battles, greater intimacy’ mantra. Also, players can expect tightly
integrated community support via MyResistance.net.
Killzone
2
– PS3 (Available February 2009
/ Not Yet Rated)
Developed
by Guerilla Games,
Killzone
2 is the highly anticipated
first-person shooter created exclusively for PS3.
Killzone 2
brings a highly detailed, ultra-realistic “theater of war”, where
players encounter lifelike and adaptable artificial intelligence
(A.I.) from enemies as well as fellow soldiers, destructible
environments, and stunningly detailed scenery. Set on the hostile
enemy planet of Helghan, players will once again join the ranks of
the ISA with a directive to battle through the harsh environment to
capture the Helghast emperor and bring the enemy war machine to a
halt. With an extensive single-player campaign and thrilling
multi-player mode,
Killzone 2 delivers a host of new weapons,
vehicles, and gameplay elements all wrapped in an intense storyline.