PlayStation Interview - E3 2010

Everyone has seen the Sony PlayStation Press conference at this year's E3. If you didn't, we have the overview. It's no secret that the publisher has a ton of new offerings for PS3 owners this year and beyond, including new titles such as SOCOM and Little Big Planet 2. Alongside the games, the PlayStation Move (which we previewed) is also making a name for Sony in the motion controls war. E3 was a busy show, so we had to wait a little before we could chat with Matt Levitan from Sony Canada - so we spent that time exploring the company's booth offerings.

Now that things have calmed down a bit, Matt was kind enough to answer a few of our questions. The full interview follows:

Q: No doubt, the biggest event in the gaming industry was the recent E3. Overall, how do you feel Sony fared at the show?

Matt Levitan: "Overall, response to our press conference and product on the show floor was excellent. Media really came away with a positive outlook on the Move, with a variety of software applications shown for the new motion control device. Starting off the press conference with Killzone 3 in 3D really led off our week with a huge statement about what we are capable of."

Q: During this year's show, Sony only had a few new announcements in regards to upcoming games. Many were revealed before E3 - was there a strategy behind this?

ML: "Announcements sometimes tend to get lost during the week of E3. To separate ourselves from the massive amounts of news that week, we announced inFamous 2 and a few other games the week before. That being said, I still think we surprised a few people with our Twisted Metal presentation on stage."

Q: The PS3 looks to have a great value even for titles that appear on Q: other platforms, such as the special features of Portal 2 and Q: exclusive editions of Dead Space 2 and Medal of Honor. Are there Q: further plans to continue  enhancing PS3 versions of multiplatform Q: titles, in addition to EA and Valve?

ML: "We're always looking to our 3rd party partners to bring the most complete game experience to the PS3 version of their titles. The sheer size of a blu-ray disk often makes this possible. To be able to build a game as massive and spectacular as Dead Space 2 and then still have the space to include a version of Dead Space: Extraction for the Move is really only possible when you have the storage space of blu-ray. No further announcements now, but it's always a strategy of ours."

Q: The summer is in full swing, but fall and the holiday season are Q: just around the corner. What can we expect from the PS3 in terms of Q: upcoming games? Which are you most excited about?

ML: "Our line up looks really strong this fall, I really think we offer something for every type of gamer in your household. Shooter fans will be impressed with SOCOM 4: US Navy Seals which now features Move compatibility. Gran Turismo 5 is no doubt a heavily anticipated title, with over 950 cars, 40 tracks, car damage and 16 player online modes, it's definitely one to watch. Personally though, I'm going to have to vote for LittleBigPlanet 2. I loved the first one and can't believe how far Media Molecule has come with developing the sequel. The tool set is so far advanced, you can make virtually any kind of genre of game within the LBP world now. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Kratos' next journey - God of War: Ghost of Sparta. Chains of Olympus is my favorite handheld game of all time, having another Ready at Dawn creation for the PSP this fall is huge!"

Q: Are there any further plans to bring older titles to the PS3, such as the God of War Collection?

ML: "We announced the Sly Collection at E3 this year. Bringing Sucker Punch's famous mascot back to the PlayStation platform is exciting news. I loved these games on PS2, so now being able to play them in HD, with trophies, in 3D and with Move functionality is awesome. Look for further news like this from us in the future!"

Q: The PSN+ was a big announcement at this year's E3. What are some of the highlights of the service?

ML: "PlayStation Plus has gotten strong reviews so far out of the gate. Many gamers were worrying that Sony would begin to charge for our PSN service much like one of our competitors does. In actuality, we've created an optional subscription service that gives you tons of content for your money. Exclusive access to betas and DLC, PS one classics, the ability to try before you buy games and so much more. For $50 a year, you get way more content than you would expect for a little over $4 a month."

Q: Can Canadian gamers expect to see the same PSN+ premium content and bonuses as those in the USA?

ML: "At this point, it looks as though the PlayStation Plus service will be the same in Canada as it is in the US, yes."

Q: Do you feel that the push for home 3D Entertainment is viable for the present, or is there an expectation that the trend will need some time to catch on?

ML: "We'll push the adoption rate of 3D with quality titles coming throughout the year. We've already announced Gran Turismo 5 and Killzone 3 will be playable in 3D with more announcements to come. We recognize there will be growth years as there was with HD. Content really drives any new technology and we saw blu-ray and PS3 games really push the sales of HDTV's in the last four years. We believe we'll do the same thing with 3D in the foreseeable future."

Q: The PS3 is known to have an older, more mature gaming community. At the same time, many users are excited about PlayStation Move. What can they expect?

ML: "True, the PS3 installed base is primarily made up of males aged 18-34 at the time being, but that's what makes the launch of Move so exciting for us. We know we've started to reach a mass audience with the $299 price point of the PlayStation 3. The next step is to make more games accessible to people of all interests and ages. Move will be a huge hit with families and casual gamers with titles like Start the Party, EyePet and Sports Champions. However, what sets us apart is the content for core gamers like SOCOM 4, LittleBigPlanet 2, The Fight: Lights Out, Sorcery, Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest and Heavy Rain. You'll see a much more diverse line up of software on the Move than you will on competitive  platforms."

Q: Given that the Move is so accurate, the party games will be fun as always, but there is also room for the more precision-oriented titles such as Heavy Rain and upcoming SOCOM. What was the idea behind developing motion controls for more "hardcore" games?

ML: "Move is a much more precise controller than anything you've experienced to date. Therefore it made sense to appeal to our core gamers with titles that push the boundaries of action/adventure games, RPG's, shooters and other genres. Motion control does not have to be limited to sports, music and mini-games. We have much bigger plans for Move than that."

Q: Gran Turismo 5 in November. May we take your word on it?

ML: "November 2, 2010. Take my word for it! Note - it's really up to Yamauchi-san though, so what do I know! [laughs]"

Q: Is Kevin Butler going to appear at more Sony events?

ML: "Bringing Kevin Butler out on stage at our conference was a huge hit, I think what he said really struck a nerve about gaming in general and how passionate gamers are. "Personally, I know what it's like to stay up until 2 am going after a trophy that doesn't really exist. Or does it?" I thought that was classic. That being said, we have to be careful with our much-loved spokesperson. He has to be new and fresh every time you see him, so we don't want to draw from that well too many times."

Thanks again for your time, and we look forward to Sony's lineup for the rest of the year!