LOS ANGELES—Sony's Monday night E3 press conference ran the gamut from highlights of major upcoming AAA titles and indie game promotions to hints at future PlayStation features and products.
PlayStation TV, PlayStation Now, and Project Morpheus
PlayStation Now is Sony's upcoming video game streaming system that promises to bring previous generations of games to the PlayStation 4, which does not support backwards compatibility. Sony announced that the service will be available in open beta on the PS4 starting July 31 in North America. It will initially only be available on the PS4 and will only include PlayStation 3 games, but Sony plans to expand the service to include the PlayStation Vita and certain Sony smart HDTVs in the future.
The PS Vita TV came out in Japan last year, and though PCMag put the imported Japanese unit through its paces, it still hasn't officially hit North American shores. That will change this fall, though the device will be re-branded as the PlayStation TV in the U.S. It will still be a PlayStation Vita in a tiny box that you connect to your HDTV. It will retail for $99, with a limited edition that includes a DualShock 3 gamepad and a copy of The Lego Movie game.
Sony's Project Morpheus virtual reality headset is getting a lot of attention, and the company announced that it will be on display at the PlayStation booth at E3, with two new tech demos. There was no word on pricing or availability for consumers.
LittleBigPlanet 3, Uncharted 4, "Project Beast," and Let it Die
The LittleBigPlanet and Uncharted games are among the most prominent in Sony's first-party lineup, and both will come to the PlayStation 4.
Sony announced LittleBigPlanet 3 by jumping straight into a demonstration of the game without even introducing it, much to the cheers of the crowd. The new title introduces three additional sack people beyond Sack Boy, each with their own abilities. Oddsock is a sack dog that can wall jump and run faster than any other character. Swoop is a sack bird that can fly. Toggle is a sack person that can switch between large and small versions to get through tiny cracks and push large switches. LittleBigPlanet 3 will be just as reliant on user-generated content as its predecessors, but confirmed backwards compatibility with LittleBigPlanet and LittleBigPlanet 2 levels mean a massive amount of gameplay available at launch. LittleBigPlanet 3 comes out in November.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is also confirmed for the PlayStation 4, but Sony offered few details beyond its ominous name and a trailer (below) that featured series star Nathan Drake convincing his friend Sully to help him with one last job. It's planned for next year.
Bizarre game auteur Goichi Suda (Suda 51) is bringing his latest game to the PlayStation 4 as an exclusive. Let It Die is also light on details, but it seems to involve a lot of stylized murder.
From Software's long-rumored "Project Beast" has been revealed as Bloodborne, a game that appears to be similar to the company's Souls games but with a slightly more industrial setting that features shotguns. Bloodborne was not explicitly announced as a PS4 exclusive, but Sony holds the game's trademark in the United States and will likely publish the title.
Powers on PSN
Brian Michael Bendis's comic book series Powers is getting a television adaptation exclusive to the PlayStation Network. Bendis appeared at the press conference to promote the upcoming series, which is currently in production. It's about a pair of detectives solving crimes involving superheroes. The first episode will be available to all PlayStation 4 owners for free, and the entire series will be free to PS Plus members.
HD Remakes
The Last of Us only came out last year, but it's already getting a remake for the PlayStation 4. The Last of Us Remastered will feature improved graphics for the new system. However, it's not the only game that's getting spruced up for the PS4.
Sony announced that Tim Schafer's classic adventure game Grim Fandango will be getting a high-definition remake for the PlayStation 4. Grim Fandango in its current form is available on PC, but the PS4 version will feature improved graphics.
The original Ratchet and Clank will also see a remake for the PlayStation 4. Ratchet and Clank got an HD remake as part of the Ratchet and Clank Collection for the PlayStation 3, but it was a relatively simple upconversion of the original game. The PS4 remake will feature overhauled graphics and new gameplay sections.
Pseudo-Exclusives
Besides full exclusives, the PlayStation 4 will get semi-exclusives in the form of timed releases, DLC, and beta access for certain third party games. An alpha version of Activision's Destiny will arrive for PS4 owners starting Thursday, while the full beta launches July 17. Sony proclaimed that PS4 owners will be able to "Play it First, Play it Better," and even announced a bundle with an exclusive color variant. A "Glacial White" PlayStation 4 bundle including Destiny will be available on Sept. 9.
EA's Battlefield: Hardline and Deep Silver's Dead Island 2 are also getting exclusive beta access on the PlayStation 4 before the games' full launch, and the PS4 version of Dead Island 2 will feature an exclusive player lass and level.
The PlayStation 4 is currently the only console with Diablo III (though it's been available on PC for over a year), and its exclusive content will expand with the Ultimate Evil Edition's introduction of a Last of Us-themed dungeon with clickers and other infected enemies from the game.