GC 2008: PSP-3000, 160GB PS3, PS3 keypad unveiled

  • By Guy Cocker, Tor Thorsen, GameSpot
  • Posted Aug 20, 2008 8:38 am PT

[UPDATE] Mic-enabled portable hitting Europe Oct. 15 via eight 199-euro bundles; new 449-euro consoles coming Oct. 31; PlayTV launches Sept. 19, LittleBigPlanet Oct. 19; bluetooth keypad also due out by November's end.

LEIPZIG, Germany--Today at its press conference at the Leipzig Games Convention, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe came out swinging. Presenter SCEE head David Reeves wasted little time in unveiling two new models of his company's top gaming devices, the PlayStation Portable and the PlayStation 3.

First off, Reeves formally announced the PSP-3000, which had been rumored for several months. The model will come with a built-in microphone and a new screen that will "reduce any glare that the user may experience." The handheld will arrive October 15 in Europe via eight €199 bundles. Three games set to receive the bundle treatment include FIFA 09, Harry Potter, and Buzz! Master Quiz. On the same day, the handheld will also be released in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand; no North American release details are yet public.

Hardly breaking stride, Reeves quickly wheeled to the subject of a new 160GB PS3, which will touch down in Europe on October 31. Priced at €449, the new console SKU will come with 70 euros' worth of "additional downloadable" content that will vary from country to country. Reeves offered no information about its release in other territories.

Next up, the executive dated two other highly anticipated PS3 projects. The first was PlayTV, which launches in UK on September 19 and the rest of Europe later in the year. Announced at GC 2007, PlayTV is a digital video recorder (DVR), which will bring TiVo-like TV tuning and recording functionality to Sony's console. Currently, the service is only planned for Europe.

The PS3 typepad.

Next up was the official dating of LittleBigPlanet, the award-winning PS3 platformer from British indie studio Media Molecule. Set for European release on Sunday, October 19, the highly customizable game's easy-to-use toolset and family-friendly cast of "Sackboy" characters aims to expand the PS3's user base. "I believe this game is going to be a huge success and change people's perceptions of gaming," said Reeves.

The outspoken executive then announced that Sony would release a wireless PS3 keypad similar to the Xbox 360 model released last year. The rechargeable blue-tooth add-on will snap onto either the Sixaxis or DualShock 3 controller and will be available in eight versions in PAL territories to accommodate various languages. The keypad also features a touchpad mode for mouse input and "could be used for a new interface for gaming" said Reeves. He also said the keypad could be used for text messaging in Sony's forthcoming PlayStation Home service, bypassing the PS3's current cell-phone-like predictive text system.

Reeves also announced a deal with UK-based mobile music streaming service Vidzone. The deal will give British and European PS3 owners unlimited, free access to the company's music video offerings, which include such UK chart-toppers as the Chemical Brothers' "Midnight Madness" and Madonna's "Give it 2 Me." Vidzone also offers a basic music recommendation service.

[UPDATE] Shortly after SCEE announcements, Sony Computer Entertainment America announces its release plans for the same hardware models. In November, the 160GB PS3 will arrive in North America as part of a $499 bundle which will also include Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and a Pain voucher. The PSP-3000 will hit US and Canada in October as either a $169 PSP Core Pack or as part of one of the $199 PSP Entertainment Packs. The wireless keypad for the PS3 controller will arrive stateside by the end of November.

320 Comments

  • kingdavid92

    Posted Jan 24, 2009 3:36 pm PT

    f*ck microsoft , ps3 int copying nothing, and even if it was its improving on the xbox keypads - cos it is touchsensetive. and i agree with keyblade42, why the f*ck are these 360 assh*les on this page? ps3 is improving things just like when billgates improved on macintosh when he made windows

    owned

  • chappy_man

    Posted Oct 17, 2008 9:39 am PT

    Little Big Planet Bundle anyone?

  • division_9

    Posted Oct 12, 2008 9:13 pm PT

    Since when was a controller gamepad exclusively a Microsoft idea.

  • 00Terry00

    Posted Oct 1, 2008 2:45 am PT

    Ish....Fanboys, fighting over every bit.....Like what happen b4 MGS 4 came out.

  • JoshiiWah

    Posted Sep 30, 2008 2:37 pm PT

    How can people say Sony copied Microsoft with this typepad when M$ have avatars on the way?..

  • xk2y

    Posted Sep 26, 2008 10:35 pm PT

    is the ps3 typepad permanent on the controller or its just an add on?

  • FrankenLife

    Posted Sep 8, 2008 8:16 pm PT

    Copying is part of competitive business. Microsoft especially has been copying others for years. Do you think that Microsoft should have never copied Apple's use of windows in their OS? Should all PC users be forced to navigate list based menus, and long command chains of DOS. For you wee tikes out there that don't remember that, DOS is what we had before Windows.

  • matermahmoud

    Posted Sep 8, 2008 4:23 pm PT

    Hi Peaople

  • MiltoxBeyond posted Aug 27, 2008 6:40 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    MiltoxBeyond

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 6:40 pm PT (hide)

    lol the avatar isn't a cheap version of Home...
    Its a wannabe mii...

    PS3 copied more things really...motion sensing...in game XMB is like the 360's in game profile tab where I can access messages, music, etc...Home is an XBox Live taken to the extreme(so many unnecessary features, that aren't bad but...all I wanted was easy chats in game with friends/easy join to play with friends)...now the type pad... video download service...

    But whatever since I own all the systems don't really care who copies who... the games are all that matter. The Force Unleashed is looking sweet... Mercenaries 2... Rock Band 2... GH World Tour.

    Later Killzone 2, GoW2, Resistance 2, Fable 2, etc. etc.

    And so much more coming soon for these systems...

  • Gta3-fan334

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 5:37 pm PT

    Sigh. So the 360 keypad was lame and the PS3 one isn't? Nice one PS3 fan-boys.

  • Lethuss

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 12:34 pm PT

    coff* copy coff*

  • Dawg9000

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 5:02 am PT

    HotRod2142

    Posted Aug 26, 2008 1:32 am PT

    @djd326
    Lets see microsoft copyed dream cast controller, the mouse from apple, the home button from sony since it was on the PSX and PSP, windows vista is mix between Max OS-X and Ubuntu, the new interface is a copy of the XMB, the avtar system coming out is a cheap version of HOME. So quit being a fanboy



    Owned. lol

  • Dawg9000

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 5:02 am PT

    HotRod2142

    Posted Aug 26, 2008 1:32 am PT

    @djd326
    Lets see microsoft copyed dream cast controller, the mouse from apple, the home button from sony since it was on the PSX and PSP, windows vista is mix between Max OS-X and Ubuntu, the new interface is a copy of the XMB, the avtar system coming out is a cheap version of HOME. So quit being a fanboy



    Owned. lol

  • j5r9s2

    Posted Aug 26, 2008 6:41 pm PT

    copy war, right how big is the hard drive for the xbox, that comes standard

  • shamarke

    Posted Aug 26, 2008 5:36 pm PT

    LOL copying war!

  • shamarke

    Posted Aug 26, 2008 5:36 pm PT

    sony is coping 360!

  • jahoousa

    Posted Aug 26, 2008 3:38 pm PT

    A copying war? Who copied who? You guys really will argue about anything. If I had only a PS3 and wanted a keypad I guess I might be angry at sony for not releasing one. At the same time if I only owned a Xbox 360 and they never released an XMB like interface I might be pretty dissapointed (I don't like the current dashboard). Give it a rest people! And all these people moaning about Microsoft I got just the solution for you: Ebay your 360, download linux for your computer, and get a PS3 if you've got any money left over. Or get a Wii I don't care. Compaining for the sake of complainging just does nobody any good. Back to the keypad being stolen from microsoft: This is really stolen from a Blackberry, the first phones I've ever seen with a built in keypad. Going from phone to gamepad is a bit of a nobrainer...... Gives us consumers more options=good. STOP COMPLAINING!!!!

  • keyblade42

    Posted Aug 26, 2008 2:53 pm PT

    Why are these Xbox people even here? I have a PS3. I never look at Xbox news.

  • brianpoetzel

    Posted Aug 26, 2008 2:29 pm PT

    Indigo Prophecy was a GREAT game and I can't wait for Heavy rain.

  • darkride66

    Posted Aug 26, 2008 12:06 pm PT

    DiscGuru101 said"@darkride66: Stop whining about Gamespot coverage, if you don't like it, write them a letter."
    I'm hardly whining, on a slow news week I was just pointing out that everyone else had coverage of Heavy Rain and Gamespot dropped the ball on that one. Perhaps they are just working on a big preview.
    "Heavy Rain looks like the best game ever? Hardly. It has bad graphics, and a gimmick that has been done poorly before."
    I never said "best game ever." Your reading comprehension could use some work. I pointed out that some sites were saying it had the best graphics ever of any videogame, and it certainly looks like it's true from what I've seen. You should really set aside your blind hatred of everything PS3 once in awhile and join the majority of gamers who can still be excited by games, no matter what system they're on. You mentioned "a gimmick that has been done poorly before." I assume you mean with Indigo Prophecy - a fantastic title on the Xbox/PS2/PC that earned a metacritic score of 84%? Rather than simply bashing games, you should really play them like the rest of us. I wouldn't dream of bashing any title, on any platform, until I had the opportunity to play it. It's funny when people pass judgement of games that are months away from release.

  • JoshiiWah

    Posted Aug 26, 2008 11:57 am PT

    @djd326
    Then what do you call Microsofts "avatars?"

  • HotRod2142

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 10:33 pm PT

    *Mac OS-X

  • HotRod2142

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 10:32 pm PT

    @djd326
    Lets see microsoft copyed dream cast controller, the mouse from apple, the home button from sony since it was on the PSX and PSP, windows vista is mix between Max OS-X and Ubuntu, the new interface is a copy of the XMB, the avtar system coming out is a cheap version of HOME. So quit being a fanboy

  • djd326

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 9:02 pm PT

    wow sony another thing u copying first it was the achievements no this n other things

  • djd326

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 9:00 pm PT

    wow there copying everything from the 360

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 7:23 pm PT

    @darkride66: Stop whining about Gamespot coverage, if you don't like it, write them a letter or go back to Playstation.com

    Heavy Rain looks like the best game ever? Hardly. It has bad graphics, and a gimmick that has been done poorly before.

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 7:14 pm PT

    Wireless keypad for the low low price of $59 anyone?

  • heatblade12

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 3:29 pm PT

    This console war is turning into a copying war lol everybody is copying everybody.
    ps3 FTW

  • heatblade12

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 3:29 pm PT

    This console war is turning into a copying war lol everybody is copying everybody.
    ps3 FTW

  • picklesrocks

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 1:00 pm PT

    just a 360 rip off

  • necronaux

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 9:12 am PT

    All in time for Christmas. Great timing Sony!

  • sieg6529

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 6:54 am PT

    I'm actually excited about the keypad, since I don't want another keyboard taking up space.

  • brianpoetzel

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 3:43 am PT

    That keypad looks really awkward.

  • jfrdricks63

    Posted Aug 24, 2008 7:52 pm PT

    Well the keypad thing is something I can honestly say they stole from Microsoft.

  • iesexywarden

    Posted Aug 24, 2008 7:41 pm PT

    wow this looks ipressiev, sure theres the madcats one, but this actually looks nice..
    and i heard the plate is touch also...so it can sdouble up as a touch "mouse" when surfing the internet...
    CANT WAIT TO BUY

  • Dookie105

    Posted Aug 24, 2008 12:33 pm PT

    I wonder if typing will make me press the shoulder bottons by mistake...

  • osxgp

    Posted Aug 24, 2008 1:29 am PT

    Not as nice as the 360 keypad

  • bores

    Posted Aug 23, 2008 5:25 pm PT

    that controller seems a bit umconfortable, doesn't it? i mean, i haven't tried a controller like that and it may be better than i think, but writing with that might be hard, you can't put the controller on the table (playstation pads don't fit too well on a flat surface) and writing 'on the air' is even worse. i'd have to try it to check it... when i can finally buy a ps3 :S and more atachments make you have to be charging the battery too often

  • ps3thabest

    Posted Aug 23, 2008 11:44 am PT

    DAMN. I GOTTA BUY THAT CONTROLLER. IM TIRED OF USING THE KEYBOARD FOR UT3.

  • mangoslayer

    Posted Aug 23, 2008 8:17 am PT

    I honestly don't think I have ever disagreed with darkride on ANYTHING.

  • mangoslayer

    Posted Aug 23, 2008 8:11 am PT

    Wait, im pretty sure it has 4 times the memory though.
    Same thing = not something different.

  • Jinkomaster

    Posted Aug 23, 2008 5:46 am PT

    The 160GB PS3 will be the same thing as a 40GB PS3. Make sure you know this. This means:

    - No PS2 compat.
    - No card readers
    - Only 2 USB ports

  • RyD3n

    Posted Aug 23, 2008 4:09 am PT

    So will the 160GB PS3 have backwards-compatibility or not? It doesn't seem to specify if it does. I live in South Africa and generally seem to get the same releases as Europe...

  • Spyder25000

    Posted Aug 23, 2008 4:01 am PT

    Its gotta go there cause that where the charging cable goes... like your xbox (oh what your gotta use batterys)
    yeah i would just plug in a keyboard...
    Sony dont copy them, they probbly had plans for this years ago just lost in a fileing cabnet or something.

  • darkride66 posted Aug 22, 2008 9:28 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    darkride66

    Posted Aug 22, 2008 9:28 pm PT (hide)

    rasterror said "A keypad for the controller is a good idea, i have one for my 360. But its in the wrong freakin' place....every time Sony tries copy the 360 they seem to screw up or fail badly!"
    You know, you could just use a regular keyboard if you don't like it. I'm sure you do that on your 360 all the time. Oh...you can't? But it has mouse support, right? No?
    Quit nitpicking.

  • xbox360progamer

    Posted Aug 22, 2008 7:10 pm PT

    wow umm i like that key pad but why isnt it under the controller instead of over the controller...

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