Can you believe that tomorrow marks the five-year anniversary of PlayStation 3’s launch in North America. Just think, before the PS3 came into the world: online multiplayer modes were the exception, not the rule; HDDs were a side option for game consoles, not a standard feature; standard-def DVDs were the only choice for home video; and Nathan Drake wasn’t a household name.
Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) today announced that the PlayStation 3 will be available for a new lower price. The PS3 with 160GB hard disk drive, currently available at a recommended retail price of £249 will be available at a very attractive new RRP of £199 in the UK.
Japan has received two updated PlayStation 3 Slim units, but don’t add any additional hard drive space or new features. The CECH-3000B model retains the 320GB HDD found in current ‘B’ models, while the CECH-3000A (160GB) model appears the same too. The two main differences are the power consumption rating which drops 30W to 200W and a drop in weight from 3kg to 2.6kg.
According to a industry source, those new CECH-3000A/B PS3 models that have been released in Japan feature more than just a reduction in weight and power consumption. They’ll also be shipping with new copy protection features built in to the hardware.
On May 31, Sony will be releasing the Limited Edition PlayStation 3 Call of Duty: Black Ops Bundle. Not only will you get a 160 GB PS3 system and a copy of Activision Publishing Inc. and Treyarch’s critically acclaimed Call of Duty: Black Ops, you’ll also be treated to the First Strike Content Pack – for free.
After the PlayStation 3 was hacked to run custom firmware and unsigned application, Sony decided to sue George Hotz, the person responsible for identifying the hack and distributing it on the Internet. The case has now been closed as Sony and Hotz have reached a settlement decision. A joint statement from both SCEA and Hotz can be found below detailing their decision.
Yesterday, Sony released an official statement regarding piracy on the PlayStation 3, all as a result of the recent hacking activities that have occurred on the console. In short, consoles running pirated software will be blocked from the PlayStation Network, preventing online gameplay and access to PSN services.
2011 will be another big year for the PlayStation 3, with over 20 exclusive titles heading to the console. Nearly every major PlayStation series will be making an appearance, include a guest appearance from Kratos in the new Mortal Kombat title. Check some 20 of the biggest titles heading to the PS3 and PSN this year.
It’s only been a few days since the PS3 ‘root key’ was discovered and already a Custom Firmware has been created by homebrew developer KaKaRoTo. Naturally, due to legal issues, the developer has refrained from releasing the firmware to the public but has made available all the tools needed to create your own custom firmware (providing you have some coding knowledge).
GeoHot is at it again! The PlayStation 3′s “Root Key” was discovered by a group of hackers last week and has been published by famed hacker GeoHot. The root key allows PS3 users to run homebrew applications without the need for dongles and devices like the PS3 Jailbreak.
