2d ago - Sony Social Media Manager Sid Shuman went hands-on at this year's E3 expo and shared feedback on the new DualShock 4 PS4 controller below!

To quote: Following its debut at PlayStation's February 20th event in New York City, DualShock 4 has emerged at E3 in near-final form.

Though DualShock 3 has proven to be a capable and dependable wireless controller for years with PlayStation 3, the PS4's new weapon of choice is a clear improvement across the board. Here are some quick E3 2013 impressions.

For me, DualShock 4's most impactful new feature is a subtle but shockingly satisfying detail: A glossy cross-hatched texture that wraps around the larger handles.

This texture provides a snug, more comfortable grip on the device compared to DualShock 3's slipperier feel. This is one of those things you'll need to try for yourself to truly understand, but once you experience it there's no going back. It's a delight.

Then there are the redesigned and retuned analog sticks, which now boast a concave surface and slightly stiffer deadzone that makes it easier to maneuver the camera using small, precise movements. The surface is also more tactile, but not so much that it impedes your thumb's ability to glide around the inner rim as your make subtle adjustments to your aiming...

1w ago - Producer Doug Wilson made available a fresh video today spotlighting Sportsfriends for PlayStation Network as part of their E3 2013 update below.

To quote: I'm here to give you an update on our coming PSN game, Sportsfriends. Here's a new teaser:

Last time I posted here, we were still finishing up our Sportsfriends Kickstarter drive. Thanks to some of you, we were successfully funded, and since then we've been working on the games!

We're at E3 this week showing some of the games, directly on PS3 hardware. As part of the E3 fanfare, we want to talk about some of the new features we've been working on.

To start with, let's talk about Super Pole Riders, which has seen a radical overhaul since the free browser version. Below you can see one of the new arenas, illustrated by Bennett himself.

You'll note that there are four players there. The game now supports 1v1 and 2v2. Two-on-two is especially crazy, with poles flying everywhere. We're also thrilled with the new control scheme. It feels nicely direct to rotate your pole using the analog stick.

Hokra, too, will feature some graphical updates and a bunch of new features and arenas. The new arena layouts - which feature walls, different...

3w ago - Sony Social Media Specialist Justin Massongill has gone hands-on today with Media Molecule's new PS Vita adventure game entitled Tearaway below.

To quote: Media Molecule have proven themselves the masters of cuteness and community creativity, constructing a passionate fanbase worldwide through the madly successful LittleBigPlanet series. But what happens when the house that built a Planet sets out to create something completely new?

Maybe I should rephrase that. Their new project, Tearaway, isn't completely outside the studio's comfort zone. It's still adorable, inventive, and a true showcase of its platform's capabilities. Built with PS Vita in mind, Tearaway makes impressive (but not excessive!) use of the integrated camera and rear touchpad to craft a more tactile and immersive world.

Case in point: You'll occasionally come across transparent surfaces marked with PlayStation symbols, an indication that you can interact with that area via PS Vita's rear touchpad.

Sometimes this means tapping on the back of your Vita to beat a drum, which will launch iota or atoi (your fearless paper protagonists) far into the air above. Other times, it means poking your finger straight into the game to protect your companion from incoming enemies, or to move an object that's...

5w ago - Sony Social Media Manager Sid Shuman went hands on today with The Last of Us on the PlayStation 3 entertainment system.

Below are the details, to quote: I'm low on ammo, so I clumsily swing my two-by-four at the incoming Clicker - dumb move. The creature sinks its fetid teeth into my jugular, chirping with malevolent glee as it rips out a gobbet of flesh. Arterial blood spurts across my face, now contorted in shock and agony.

I'm dead. This time, I try a different approach. I combine one of my remaining rags and a precious bottle of alcohol to create a Molotov cocktail, then hurl it towards the abomination. Flames envelop the lumbering shape as it wails and collapses, dead at last. I'm alive - for a little while longer.

The Last of Us isn't afraid to kill you, over and over if need be. And that's a big part of its considerable charm. As you struggle to survive the game's inhospitable world, limping from one nail-biting combat scenario to the next, you'll feel strangely alive and alert.

In an era of game development that - at least to this old-timer - tends to babysit players with tutorials and handholding to dial down any chance of frustration, this game's unapologetically tough-as-nails approach feels both refreshing and quietly revolutionary. Remember when games used...

6w ago - Sony Producer Kumi Yuasa posted up a video today spotlighting The Sounds of Soul Sacrifice, inviting fans to get the soundtrack on PSN today.

To quote: Hi, everyone! We hope you are all enjoying Soul Sacrifice!

We've been talking about the music of Soul Sacrifice for quite a while. Many of you have asked if the soundtrack will be available for purchase. Good news: the Soul Sacrifice Original Soundtrack will be available exclusively on the PlayStation 3 PSN Store today! The album boasts 32 masterfully composed and orchestrated tracks, and will be available for $9.99.

Fantasy becomes reality in the soundtrack to Soul Sacrifice! World-renowned composers Yasunori Mitsuda and Wataru Hokoyama bring this legendary score to life with 32 riveting musical compositions.

Recorded at the state of the art Skywalker Sound, this soundtrack also features a myriad of world class instrumentalists comprised of a 94-piece orchestra and 25-voice choir, making history as one of the largest recording sessions ever for a video game. Check out the full-length behind the scenes video at the top of this post to see how the music of Soul Sacrifice came together.
Comments from Inafune-san:

"The music was created by the two accomplished composers who are capable of putting together...