Sony Announces PS Vita TV: Stream PS4 Games to Another TV

In addition to announcing a Japanese release for the PS4 and a new, slimmer PS Vita model, Sony also announced something completely unexpected at their pre-Tokyo Game Show Conference. And, coincidentally, Sony‘s latest creation unites their two most recent consoles in some interesting ways.

So, what is this new device you ask? Well, it’s called the PS Vita TV and it may just be the hottest new gaming device this side of a next-gen console.

The PS Vita TV is, in the simplest of terms, a console for playing Vita games on your TV. It boasts an HDMI output port, a slot for Vita cartridges, and a slot for the Vita’s proprietary memory cards. In other words, it’s a Vita without the screen and controls.

Obviously, any TV will replicate the Vita’s screen, and as far as controls are concerned the PS Vita TV can sync with any DualShock 3 controller. Once everything is set-up (i.e. Vita TV plugged in and controller synced), gamers can play any Vita game, or any game a Vita can play (PS One Classic, PSP title) on their TV.

Moreover, the PS Vita TV serves as a decent substitute for an Apple TV or a Roku box in that it can handle a variety of streaming services like Netflix or Hulu. Gamers likely have plenty of solutions for their streaming needs, so what’s one more?

But where the PS Vita TV will most impress gamers is with its Remote Playfeatures. Although it won’t be available at launch, the Vita TV can use Remote Play almost exactly like the handheld Vita will be able to, albeit with one key difference.

Instead of streaming PS4 games to the Vita’s OLED screen, however, the Vita TV will stream games to an additional TV and will use the DualShock 4 for control. That means gamers can stream their PS4 console gameplay to another TV through the PS Vita TV. With this feature, the PS Vita TV ostensibly becomes a Slingbox for your PS4 gaming.

Unfortunately, there are two downsides to this very exciting PS Vita TV announcement. First, the device has only been announced for the Japanese market (launch date: November 14th). There’s no reason to think Sony isn’t developing a version for North America and Europe, but the announcement was specifically geared towards Japanese gamers.

The second downside to the announcement is that the Remote Play functionality will be added at a later date through a system update. It’s unclear if that’s because the PS4 launches much later in Japan on February 22nd, or if the functionality is still in development, so that’s something to keep an eye on. We should know more about Remote Play’s timeline when the PS4 hits North American store shelveson November 15th.

Overall, the PS Vita TV sounds like just the thing for gamers who were interested in the Vita’s Remote Play features, but weren’t sold on the Vita as a handheld. With this much cheaper device (about $100), gamers can access their PS4 from nearly any room in their house, and if the mood strikes they can check out what the Vita has to offer in terms of its own experiences.

Does the PS Vita TV sound like something you would be interested in? What do you think the device is missing/needs, if anything?

The PS Vita TV launches November 14, 2013 in Japan. No North American or European release dates have been announced.

Sony HMZ-T3W headset puts two 720p TVs in your face (pictures)

BERLIN -- If you're weary of interacting with the real world, pop one of these on your head and you'll be transported to an alternate reality where you own a 750-inch TV.

That's the promise of this new headset from Sony, the HMZ-T3W Head Mounted Display, the third generation of in-your-face dual-screen headware from the company. It might look like something from a '90s movie about virtual reality, but it's a real product, unveiled here at IFA.

It's completely wireless, though you'd have to be very brave to take this thing on the bus. Sony promises "hours" of battery life, meanwhile. The 1,280x720-pixel OLED displays mimic a giant screen, and are 3D-capable

Flexible headbands are one-size-fits-all, and have cushioned pads to keep things comfy. Its lenses are adjustable via two sliders under the set, so in theory even wearers of glasses can get involved, but in practise, the fit is quite snug, so we're not convinced you'd fit any spectacles comfortably into the viewing area.

Impressive picture quality
Sony says the HMZ-T3W is equivalent to gawping at a 750-inch screen at a distance of 20 feet. That's not quite true when you try it out -- you'll still feel like you're really close to a tiny display -- but the viewing space is quite large, and once you fiddle with the adjustable lenses, focus is sharp.

The viewing space doesn't fill your vision, which might be what you'd imagine to look at the outside of this headset. Instead you're seeing a big rectangle surrounded by darkness.

Sony was showing off the headset with a selection of movie trailers and game audio, and I'd need much longer to determine whether you can comfortably enjoy a movie using this sci-fi gadget. Picture quality did impress in my brief hands-on, though -- the vision that's beamed into your eyes is bright, colourful, and very crisp.

It wouldn't be much of a virtual reality without sound, and included headphones -- with 16mm drivers -- artificially create 7.1-channel surround sound, for the full 360-degree experience.

You can connect the HMZ-T3W to your PC, game console, and mobile phone or tablet via HDMI plugged into a wireless processor unit that converts the input to an image that matches your two screens. Whether its wireless connection is fast enough for intense gaming is something we'll have to test. Sony does say the visor offers enough room so you can look down at your keyboard.

The HMZ-T3W is out in Europe in November for the staggering price of £1,300 ($2,035). A US launch date has yet to be penciled in. Would you splash out for one of these? Let us know in the comments and check out all the new gear at IFA on our show home page here.

Additional reporting by Luke Westaway

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Sony Reveals Stacked TGS 2013 Lineup

 

Gamescom is done but the Tokyo Game Show is right around the corner.

As you might expect, Sony will be presenting a ton of games, as they revealed at the company's Japanese website.

Highly anticipated PlayStation 4 launch titles like Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack and DriveClub will be on display, as will plenty of heavy-hitting PS3 titles. Attendees will see Beyond: Two Souls, Gran Turismo 6, Ace Combat Infinity and the remastered editions of Final Fantasy X/X-2. Here are the confirmed lists for the PS4, PS3 and Vita:

PlayStation 4

• Assassin's Creed 4
• Deep Down
• Driveclub
• Killzone: Shadow Fall
• Knack
• PlayRoom
• Wolfenstein: The New Order

PlayStation 3

• Ace Combat Infinity
• Armored Core: Verdict Day
• Batman: Arkham Origins
• Beyond: Two Souls
• BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma
• Dark Souls 2
• Eiyuu Densetsu: Sen no Kiseki
• Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster
• Gran Turismo 6
• Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2013
• J-Stars Victory Vs
• Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
• Musou Orochi 2 Ultimate
• Puppeteer
• Rain
• Rocksmith 2014 Edition
• Sengoku Basara 4
• Shin Sangoku Musou 7 with Musouden
• World Soccer Winning Eleven 2014
• Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z

PlayStation Vita

• Dangan-Ronpa 1 & 2 Reload
• Eiyuu Densetsu: Sen no Kiseki
• God Eater 2
• Gundam Breaker
• Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2013
• Musou Orochi 2 Ultimate
• Shin Rorona no Atelier: Hajimari no Monogatari - Arland no Renkinjutsushi
• Shin Sangoku Musou 7 with Musouden
• Tearaway

Killzone Mercenary review: Hired gun

From a superficial perspective, Killzone: Mercenary is about as rote a shooter as you'll find. It stars former soldier Arran Danner who has opted for a more lucrative life as a mercenary, battling the Helghast invasion as part of the Phantom Talon Corporation. This sets the plot up for many cliché twists and overwrought scenes of dramatic betrayal that players will see coming miles away. And yet, despite its tired storytelling, Killzone: Mercenary largely succeeds by focusing on the sort of well-polished, frenetic first-person shooter gameplay rarely see on the PlayStation Vita (though not for lack of trying).

When you first step into the world of Killzone: Mercenary, you'll notice its gorgeous graphics. There's no hyperbole in saying these are some of the best the Vita has ever seen – Killzone: Mercenary could very easily pass as an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 game. Fans of earlier Killzone games might find this worrying, as the series has earned a reputation for being overloaded with cutscenes that, while attractive, remove control from players for lengthy stretches of time. The developers behind Killzone: Mercenary seem to have learned their lesson on this front. Mercenary does feature periodic interludes, but they're primarily used to segue into and out of missions, and seldom last more than a few moments.

Of course, this added autonomy would mean nothing if the gameplay were not worthwhile. Thankfully, in a pure, gut-level way, Killzone: Mercenary stands alongside almost any recent shooter – for better or worse.

Killzone: Mercenary

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