Sony Computer Entertainment announce a major enhancements to PlayStation Network, expanding on SCEA’s commitment to give users a comprehensive entertainment experience.The video delivery service for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system launches today in coordination with a new line-up of premier Hollywood, Anime and Sports partners.
In addition, Media Go, a free application that makes it easier to manage digital content including games, photos, videos and music for the PSP system through a PC will also become available. These enhancements give new entertainment possibilities for PSP system owners, providing direct downloadable access to games, demos and trailers, as well as movies and television shows via the PlayStation Store on PlayStation Network. New game content will also be added to an existing library of more than 200 downloadable games on the PlayStation Store today, including much anticipated titles Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake, Gravity Crash, Hustle Kings and more than 60 PS one® Classics hitting the PlayStation Store by the end of the year.
“PlayStation Network has experienced a high growth year and today we’re excited to add new content partners such as Showtime, G4 & E!, Magnolia Films, and TNA to our family. In addition to extending our content offerings and expanding with new features like Media Go, we continue to bring relevant and compelling content via original games and programming to our users,” said Peter Dille, senior vice president marketing and PlayStation Network, SCEA. “Gamers will be pleased to find new games for all genres and interests with original titles Fat Princess and Gravity Crash, in addition to many PS one Classics such as Final Fantasy VII coming to PlayStation Network this year.”
Video Delivery Service
PSP system users now have direct access to PlayStation Network’s video delivery service, where they can download their favorite movie and television programs and take with them on-the-go. In addition, the video delivery service is announcing content from 16 new premier partners in Hollywood, anime and sports. Hollywood content partners include Showtime Networks Inc., Starz Media, – for Film, TV and Manga Anime, G4 and E!, Summit Entertainment, The Weinstein Company, HDnet and Magnolia Pictures. Anime partners include, Anime Network, Media Blasters, Right Stuf's Nozomi Entertainment, Starz Media’s Manga Entertainment, Toei Animation, Viz Media and WEP. FUNimation Entertainment will also be a part of a new anime category on the video delivery service. Sports partners include HDNet Fights, UFC, Wrestling from TNA and Video Action Sports.
Premier Hollywood content will include hit films such as Overture Films “Righteous Kill,” Summit Entertainment “Twilight” and The Weinstein Company “Zack & Miri Make a Porno.” PlayStation Store will also feature TV shows such as Showtime Networks Inc.’s “Dexter,” E!’s “The Soup,” G4’s “X-Play” and Starz Media’s “Painkiller Jane.” A new anime channel will also launch in both the TV and film sections of the video store and will feature the best in anime content, including Anime Network’s “Appleseed,” Starz Media Manga Entertainment’s “Dead Space.” Toei Animation’s “Fist of the North Star,” Viz Media’s “Naruto” and WEP’s “Voltron.” Some of the new sports content will include bouts from HDNet Fight’s “Inside MMA,” wrestling from TNA’s “iMPACT!,” UFC PPV events and Video Action Sports’ “That’s It, That’s All.”
With the addition of these new partners, the video delivery service will have nearly 1900 movies and 9400 TV episodes, covering reality, mixed martial arts, sports, anime, manga and animation genres. For one price, PlayStation users can watch standard definition (SD) video content from the comfort of their home television on the PS3 system or at their convenience on-the-go with the PSP system. PlayStation Store offers a combined total of nearly 9,000 hours of video content, with more than 35 % percent of the movies in High Definition. Through the PS3 and PSP systems users can access a unique three-in-one entertainment package unlike any other – the ability to enjoy high-definition Blu-ray movies, groundbreaking games, and downloadable video content from one platform and one service.
With the launch of the video delivery service for the PSP system, Media Manager for PC is being replaced with Media Go. Media Go is a free application that makes it easier and more convenient for consumers to manage their PSP games, photos, videos and music on their PC and provides access to PlayStation Store.
Games
Several PlayStation Network titles for both the PS3 and PSP systems were announced at E3, adding to the robust lineup of over 200 downloadable games available for PlayStation Store. For the PS3 system, Gravity Crash from developer Just Add Water melds a vintage gravity based arcade shooter with High Definition (HD) graphics, and Hustle Kings, from VooFoo Studios, is the PS3 system’s first photorealistic billiards simulator. For the PSP system, Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake brings a fun and strategic medieval battle royale unlike anything seen before on the portable system. In addition, the PlayStation Store will deliver more than 60 PS one Classics by the end of the year and will launch Final Fantasy VII and Medal of Honor on PlayStation Store today.
Starting this fall, many PSP titles that will be launched on UMD will also be offered digitally on PlayStation Store in North America. This will add nearly 300 games from the PSP system’s library available for download through PlayStation Network.
PlayStation Network is built on a legacy of gaming and continues to expand into a premier entertainment platform with innovative and compelling content options for people to enjoy on multiple devices.
About PlayStation Network
PlayStation Network is an entertainment network that unites people and innovative entertainment to deliver captivating experiences worldwide. In addition to offering new and original forms of entertainment, PlayStation Network supports free and community-centric online gameplay, communication tools, and PSP (PlayStation Portable) and PLAYSTATION 3 systems connectivity. As of the end of May 2009, PlayStation Network has more than 24 million registered accounts worldwide.