During CES 2012, Sony introduced a new generation of their Balanced Optical SteadyShot, designed for their line of HandyCam camcorders. With the five new camcorder lines shown, three of them would feature this new technology. It is aimed at further reducing the shaky footage which can be caused by shaking hands or by walking around. The new Balanced Optical SteadyShot is built on a new concept in which the lens floats in the middle of the camera housing. With this new floating-lens technology, the camera and the parts around it will shake from your movement while the lens in the middle continues to point forward. This means that the lens will not take in the shaking which would no doubt otherwise cause your footage to be shaky.

The result is quite remarkable, given how previous Sony technology already did a wonderful job at reducing shaky footage. However, no words can quite capture the difference between the previous technology and what Sony has in store this time around. That’s why below is a video demonstration of the two technologies, side by side, with the left camera incorporating the new Balanced Optical SteadyShot floating-lens while the camera on the right uses Sony’s previous SteadyShot technology.

Discuss:

What did you think of the video presentation?

Just a week ago, Apple announced another record-breaking quarter, with a revenue of $46.33 billion and net quarterly profit of $13.06 billion. This again reaffirmed Apple is the world’s most profitable company with $97.6 billion in cash and marketable securities, up $16 billion from the prior quarter. Sony, who was once known as the leading electronic manufacturer in the world, was seen in the eyes of late Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, as the company to beat and imitate. Now, Sony has followed up with their own quarterly earnings report, and, despite being in many of the same consumer segments as Apple, the company posted greater-than-expected losses for this past quarter while raising their loss for the full year.

For the October-December quarter, Sony Corp. reported a net loss of 159 billion yen ($2.1 billion), primarily due to strong competition from rival Samsung, resulting in lower TV sales while flooding in Thailand delayed the launch of many highly-anticipated Sony cameras, including the NEX-7, Alpa A65, and A77. This has resulted in the company modifying their original original forecast of a 90 billion yen ($1.2 billion) loss to be a 220 billion yen ($2.8 billion) loss for the full year through March. Sony incurred expenses of 8.9 billion yen ($114 million) for  direct damage to their Thailand manufacturing facilities.

Sony’s quarterly sales were $23 billion, down 17.4% when compared to last year. Sony’s bread and butter, the consumer products and services division, which oversees products like the PlayStation 3, Bravia televisions and tablets also saw a 24% drop in sales, resulting in a loss of over $1 billion. Sony also recorded equity in net loss for S-LCD of 66 billion yen ($846 million) after ending their joint venture with Samsung.

The burning question now remains, despite a lowered sales and earning forecast for the most recent quarter: Will Sony able to capitalize on the new year? The answer may in fact be yes as the company continues to shed off unwanted divisions and to restructure externally. Most recently, Sony sold their remaining stake of their Samsung S-LCD venture. Despite the loss, Sony can now start off with a cleaner record while they believe that, due to them no longer manufacturing LCD screens and instead, opting to buy them (like other competitors) from Samsung, they will be able to lock in more favorable prices. Sony has also begun full production of their entire NEX and Alpha lines of cameras while PlayStation sales have continued to be on the rise. Sony also recently purchased the remaining shares of the Sony Ericsson venture and has planned to bring the entire mobile division in-house to better utilize Sony’s strengths and services. Dealing with all this will be their new appointed president and CEO, Kaz Hirai, who will take helm of the company starting on April 1st. Is 2012 poised to be the year of Sony? Only time will tell but they seem to be positioned better then any other time in recent history.

Discuss:

Despite posting great losses, is Sony now in a better position to compete?

[Via Sony]

Those of you who missed it the first time around can rejoice as Mortal Kombat is set to arrive on the PlayStation Vita soon. And the best part about it? MK on PS Vita is virtually identical to its PS3 counterpart; meaning 60 frames-per-second fighting, graphical presentation, characters, stages, fatalities, moves, and—oh yeah—playable DLC characters right off the bat.

In addition to the available extra characters like Rain, Freddy Krueger, Kenshi, and Skarlet, the throwback MK1 and 2 ninja costumes for Sub-Zero, Reptile, Scorpion and other ninja characters will also be available as part of the Vita release. If you thought extra features ended there, you’ll be surprised to hear this:

NetherRealm Studios is including 15 additional PS Vita-exclusive costumes which include MK3 style garbs for the Ninja characters. As well, the developer is adding two more mini-games like the Test Your Balance (where players have to their characters balanced on a board using the sixaxis motion control) and a secret one that we’ll just have to find out about when we get the game.

And finally, according to Ed Boon, Mortal Kombat for the PS Vita will have an exclusive challenge tower in addition to the first one seen in MK (PS3). That’s 150 more excruciating challenges to conquer for high rewards. 

Discuss:

Which Mortal Kombat extra and/or PS Vita-exclusive features are you most excited for? Let us know in the comment section below.

Early this morning, we wrote about the breaking news which would have current Sony president and CEO, Sir Howard Stringer, step down to chairman position starting April 1st while current deputy president, Kaz Hirai, would replace him as the new Sony president and CEO. Kaz Hirai, who’s been with the company for over 20 years, is best known for turning around the Playstation division. Upon the announcement of his new position, Kaz Hirai was quick to point out that he is ready to take the helm of the company and begin focusing on the core business that make up Sony, most notably, “to drive the growth of our core electronics businesses – primarily digital imaging, smart mobile and game; to turn around the television business; and to accelerate the innovation that enables us to create new business domains.” Mr. Hirai was also willing to acknowledge the struggles of Sony, noting that Sony is going through “challenging” times but was optimistic about the company’s future, believing that a proper foundation has been laid in the last few years that will help Sony achieve a dominant role once again.

After the jump, Kaz Hirai’s full comments.

“As challenging as times are for Sony now, were it not for the strong leadership of Sir Howard Stringer these past seven years, we would have been in a much more difficult position. I am grateful to Sir Howard and to the Board for their confidence in me, and I look forward to working with everyone at Sony more closely than ever before to build a strong future for our customers, shareholders, partners and employees. The path we must take is clear: to drive the growth of our core electronics businesses – primarily digital imaging, smart mobile and game; to turn around the television business; and to accelerate the innovation that enables us to create new business domains. The foundations are now firmly in place for the new management team and me to fully leverage Sony’s diverse electronics product portfolio, in conjunction with our rich entertainment assets and growing array of networked services, to engage with our customers around the world in new and exciting ways.”

Discuss:

What core business do you think Sony should focus on?

Do you like things short, sweet, and to the point? As Agent Simmons would say, “Let’s not get episodic, okay, old-timer? Beginning, middle, end. Facts, details. Condense: Plot. Tell it!” Sticking true to this mindset, the Google TV team took it upon their Twitter account to announce that Sony Google TVs would be gaining a faster Chrome browser and support for 3D Blu-ray titles. Heck, in those 140 characters, they were even able to ask you about the first movie you would watch. No other details were given but the update is expected to roll out in the next few days.

Discuss:

Do you have Google TV? If not, does it interest you, and, if you do have it, what do you like most about it?

[Via Google TV]

It’s been a rumor long and coming but after a vote at Sony’s Japanese headquarters, it has been officially announced that current Sony deputy vice president and long time head of PlayStation, Kazuo Hirai, will be replacing current Sony CEO and president, Sir Howard Stringer, starting April 1st. After the completed transition, starting on June, Sir Howard Stringer will remain on the board of Sony.

Since his time as CEO, Sir Howard Stringer has seen Sony’s stock lose more than half its value. Though the easy thing is to assume that this was his doing, it sometimes goes unsaid that Sony could be in even a worse position had it not been for him. Under Stringer, Sony was able to close down my plants and end entitlement programs and divisions, something which is very hard to do and highly frowned upon in the Japanese culture. It’s also been the vision of Sir Howard Stringer to make as many Sony devices internet capable so that they may communicate with and other. This plan finally came into fruition at CES 2012 where Sony announced that their Video Unlimited, Music Unlimited and PlayMemories software and services could be accessed on more than 200 million Sony devices. Sony now believes it’s in a place to battle services like iTunes.

Still, in the last five years, Sony has given up any presence in the music industry to Apple and the iPod and they were once again seen as playing catchup to the iPhone. I would however dispute this as no one had an answer to the iPhone for the first two to three years of the devices life and till now, no other hardware manufacture has been or would have been able to go, toe to toe with Apple without a proper OS behind, which Google would finally provide. The bigger culprit though is Samsung who is in the same position as Sony. A company who makes electronic devices like televisions, computers and smartphones and much like Sony, relies on Microsoft and Google to provide the OS for their device. Sony, who once was known for making exciting laptops and television sets has seen the Korean electronic eat away at the companies TV business, while gaining on the likes of Acer in the laptop market, whom are all hold double digit market shares, unlike Sony who is still in the single digits. Samsung was also in the same position as Sony when it came to smartphones, having to rely on Google’s Android to compete with Apple and  but has been able to make gain considerable market share, though their solution simply seems to be copy what Apple is doing with minor tweaks.

2011 was internally dubbed as the year of Sony and the year the company’s strategic plans would pay off. Sony was however met with huge losses, due to the devastating earthquakes and tsunamis that struck Japan which left many of the company’s factories damaged or offline for months. Months later, Sony’s PlayStation and Qriocity Network (now dubbed Sony Entertainment Network with services like Video and Music Unlimited) would be put under assault by hackers which would force Sony to take the service down for over a month as the company improved network security. Tragedy would again strike as Thailand was hit with devastating floods, just as the company was beginning to launch its highly anticipated series of Alpha and NEX cameras. The company has just recently been able to start proper production again, after having missed out on months of sales.

Now the 51-year-old former PlayStation head will be taking helm of the Japanese giant. Having grown up in both the U.S. and Japan, Kaz Hirai is fluent in both English and Japanese with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from the International Christian University in Tokyo. Having been able to turn around the PlayStation division, one of Sony’s last lucrative divisions (besides Sony Pictures), Kaz Hirai becoming the new President and CEO of Sony hardly comes as a surprise. Many now hope that his dual-cultural upbringing will give him the ability to deal with the Japanese side of Sony which has primarily been focused on hardware with little thought to software and Sony’s American division which is influenced by the likes of Apple and Microsoft who believe in the user experience and interface. Mixing in his understanding of the East with the needs of the West, it is believed that Kaz will also be able to better navigate the more political and cultural end of Sony Japan as well, as he is Japanese-born. Is 2012 the year of Sony?

Discuss:

Do all of Sony’s troubles really fall on Sir Howard Stringer? If so, is Kaz Hirai the man to save Sony?

[Via Bloomberg]

This weeks PlayStation Store update is live and ready for consuming. For me personally, the biggest title everyone needs to checkout is the demo for the upcoming Twisted Metal game which will land in store shelves on February 14th, how sweet yea? Some highlights:

• Twisted Metal demo
• Scene It? Movie Night Sci-Fi Movies DLC ($9.99)
• Syndicate Demo
• LittleBigPlanet Groundhog Day Costume (Free)

After the jump, the full update.

PlayStation Plus

Don’t have PlayStation Plus? Click here to purchase your subscription today!

PSN Games

Puddle ($9.99)
In this one of a kind game experience, guide puddles of fluid (a cup of water, a drop of dew, molten lava, and others) through a variety of beautifully designed environments (the human body, a garden, a foundry, and more).
ESRB rated T
File size 1.08 GB

PS3 Full Games

Madden NFL 12 ($29.99)
Madden NFL 12 continues the rich tradition of the storied franchise by bringing fans closer to the NFL than ever before. Featuring all 32 teams, stadiums, and your favorite players in the league, Madden NFL 12 is True to the Game.
ESRB rated E
File size 4.97 GB

Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days ($19.99)
What would you not do for love? For acceptance? When would you give-up? For Kane & Lynch, there is no limit.
ESRB rated M
File size 8.1 GB

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men ($14.99)
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men follows the violent and chaotic journey of two men – a flawed mercenary and a medicated psychopath and their brutal attitude towards right and wrong. This volatile partnership combined with innovative technologies allow for an unparalleled gaming experience.
ESRB rated M
File size 10 GB

Mini Ninjas ($19.99)
Join Hiro, the smallest hero on the biggest adventure, as he embarks on an epic and electrifying quest to restore harmony to a world on the brink of chaos. Use your skills and mighty Ninja training to battle a magical army of evil Samurai.
ESRB rated E10+
File size 6.3 GB

Game Demos (free)

Twisted Metal Multiplayer Demo
Twisted Metal is here with an exclusive early access demo. Get your hands on the new online multiplayer experience in classic Free for All or the all-new Nuke mode. Download the Twisted Metal Multiplayer Demo today!
ESRB rated M
File size 1.49 GB

Syndicate Demo
Syndicate is a re-imagination of the classic 1993 Syndicate game – a cyber punk FPS set in a dystopian world where large Syndicates rule and Business is War. In the 4-player co-op demo, team-up to take down rival Syndicate Cayman Global as you battle for market dominance and your life. Some takeovers are more hostile than others.
ESRB rated M
File size 620 MB

Puddle Demo
Check out this demo! In this one of a kind game experience, guide puddles of fluid (a cup of water, a drop of dew, molten lava, and others) through a variety of beautifully designed environments (the human body, a garden, a foundry, and more). But to do so, you must tilt the environment, balancing the push of each fluid’s unique properties with the pull of environmental factors of gravity, friction, and obstacles.
ESRB rated T
File size 1.08 GB

Add-on Game Content

LittleBigPlanet Groundhog Day Costume (Free)
A seasonal exclusive costume for SackBoy!
File size: 1.04 MB

Assorted PlayStation Home Packs x 15 ($2.99 – $4.99)
15 PlayStation Home Packs that include over 300 items combined!
File size: N/A

Dead Island – Ryder White ($9.99)
There are always two sides to a story! Experience the events on Banoi as seen through the eyes of the villain. Are things really as they seem?
File size 1.04 GB

Need For Speed: The Run – Italian Pack ($6.99)
The NFSTR Italian Pack contains the following: 1995 Lamborghini Diablo SV, 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera, 2009 Pagani Zonda R, 2010 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, 2005 Maserati MC12, 1993 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione, Italian Motor Racing Playlist, Italian Challenge Series, Italy vs. World Challenge Series, New Trophies.
File size 3.16 MB

The King Of Fighters XIII Unlock Icons ($2.99)
The entire Customize Icon set for personalizing your online match profile is available to purchase.　*These icons can also be unlocked by playing the game. With the triumphant return of fan favorite characters like Mai, K’, and Vice, extensive refinement of the core fighting engine based on community feedback, and vastly improved network functionality, THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII represents the HD entry in the series that fans have been waiting for.
File size 6 KB

Soulcalibur V Customization Equipment 1 ($1.99)
File size 134 KB

Soulcalibur V Downloadable Music 1 -10 ($0.99 each)
File size 136 KB each

Soulcalibur V Downloadable Music Pack 1 ($2.99)
This pack contains the stage music tracks: BRAVELY FOLK SONG, HORANGI ARIRANG, SOUL AND SWORD, THE WIND AND CLOUDS, and WORLD ATLAS COLLAPSED from SOUL BLADE. This content should only be purchased by those who have not already purchased one or more of the background music tracks in this pack.
File size 138 KB

Soulcalibur V Downloadable Music Pack 2 ($2.99)
This pack contains the background music tracks: CHASING DOWNSTREAM, DUELISTS, THE CURSED IMAGE, UNBLESSED SOUL, and WING OF FAITH from SOULCALIBUR. This content should only be purchased by those who have not already purchased one or more of the background music tracks in this pack.
File size 138 KB

Scene It? Movie Night Sci-Fi Movies DLC ($9.99)
Scene It? Movie Night: Sci-Fi Movies takes you across the universe in the ultimate science fiction trivia challenge, packed with film clips and captivating questions from blockbusters to cult classics. Sci-Fi Movies features fourteen different puzzle types to keep the excitement going, and a rapid-fire “Quick Pitch” battle that determines the victor. Play solo, or in lively 2-4 player matches.
File size 1.06 GB

Rock Band 3 
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.

• “Fat Lip” – Sum 41 ($1.99)
• “Head Over Heels” – Tears for Fears ($1.99)
• “Still Waiting” – Sum 41 ($1.99)

File size: 19 – 32 MB (singles)

Rock Band Network v2.0

• “Africa” – Quartered ($1.99)
• “Against the Wall” – Ill Niño ($1.99)
• “El Monstro” – Dance for the Dying ($0.99)
• “Hysteria” – Aiden ($1.99)
• “Turn Around” – Bumblefoot ($0.99)

File size: 21 – 31 MB (singles)

Updates

Mahjong Tales: Ancient Wisdom (Sale) (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)

Avatars

The Darkness II Avatars (x15) ($0.49 each)

The Darkness II Avatar Bundles (x3) ($1.49 each)

The King Of Fighters XIII Avatars (x9) ($0.49 each)

Atelier Totori Avatars (x9) ($0.49 each)

Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken Avatar Bundle 1 ($2.99)

Assassin’s Creed Universe Avatars (x5) ($0.49 each)

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations Avatars (x9) ($0.49 each)

Jak and Daxter Collection Dark Jak Avatar 2 ($0.49)

Jak and Daxter Collection Jak and Daxter Avatar 3 ($0.49)

PixelJunk Shooter (x6) ($0.49 each)

Jak and Daxter Collection Jak and Daxter Avatar 2 ($0.49)

Jak and Daxter Collection Dark Jak Avatar ($0.49)

Jak and Daxter Collection Jak and Daxter Avatar ($0.49)

Carnival Island Avatar Bundle 1 ($1.49)

PlayStation B-boy Avatar (x3) ($0.49 each)

Game Videos (free)

Pulse 1/31 Edition

Reality Fighters Features Trailer

Aliens: Colonial Marines Contact Trailer

The House Of The Dead III Announcement Trailer

UFC Undisputed 3 – Roster Video

PS3 Themes

The Darkness Ii: Official Theme (free)

Atlanta Hawks 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Charlotte Bobcats 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Cleveland Cavaliers 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Denver Nuggets 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Detroit Pistons 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Golden State Warriors 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Houston Rockets 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Indiana Pacers 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

LA Clippers 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Memphis Grizzlies 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Milwaukee Bucks 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Minnesota Timberwolves 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

New Jersey Nets 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

New Orleans Hornets 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Philadelphia 76ers 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Portland Trailblazers 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Sacramento Kings 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Toronto Raptors 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Utah Jazz 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Washington Wizards 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Digital Blasphemy: Hidden Forces ($2.99)

Dynamic Temple Temptress ($2.99)

Wendy Premium Theme 5 ($2.99)

Vampire 5 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Dragon 3 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

Technicolour Yawn by Tom Sewell Static Theme ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 Storefront)

Naruto Shippuden: UN Impact ($39.99)
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Impact revolutionizes the Ultimate Ninja series with the all new ‘Rush Battle System’. With this new battle system, players are challenged to trust their instincts as they face off against hordes of enemies in 1 Vs. 100 battles! Players will also be treated to a variety of giant boss battles to test their tactical prowess. Also experience the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN storyline from Naruto and Sasuke’s point of view.
ESRB rated T
File size 899 MB

Game Videos (free)

Pulse 1/31 Edition

PSP Themes (also available from PS3 Storefront)

Redbox PSP Theme ($1.99)

Death Dealer PSP theme ($1.99)

Dragon 4 PSP theme ($1.99)

Dragon 5 PSP theme ($1.99)

[Via PlayStation Blog]

The Best PSP Games Of All Time

Just a few short years ago, the world waited in anticipation for the release Sony’s very first portable handheld. Some even said that the new system would knock Nintendo off of its portable gaming throne. They said that the PSP would be the defacto choice when people wanted to game on-the-go. Well it’s now 2012, and while many of these were not realized, millions still think that the PSP was, and perhaps still is, a powerful device that didn’t quite meet its potential.

We can play the blame game and blame it on corporate bullheadedness, or the UMD, or the lack of fresh, original games. But the PSP was home to some of the best (though many underappreciated) games of this generation. Check out the list after the break.

But before we start the list, here are some honorable mentions:

• Monster Hunter PSP Series
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
• Jeanne D’arc
• Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions
• Persona 3 Portable (P3P)
• Resistance: Retribution
• Dissidia 012: Duodecim Final Fantasy
• Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
• Patapon Series

And now, onto the five best games on the PSP.

5. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

A prequel to the much loved PS1 RPG, Crisis Core tells the story of Zack Fair, a SOLDIER from Cloud’s past and one of the important players within the Final Fantasy VII lore. The battle system was more Kingdom Hearts and less Final Fantasy, but the action-focused role-player kept the story going forward. And what a story it was, Zack’s tragic and heartfelt adventure set the stage for Cloud to become the hero that he’s supposed to be. I still remember the wave of nostalgia hitting me as the opening scene of Final Fantasy VII was re-created to act as an epilogue for Crisis Core. It was a fitting beginning and end for the series, and a mighty playable one at that.

4. Silent Hill: Origins/Shattered Memories

Both PSP Silent Hill offerings gave fans more of what they wanted out of the series. Origins brought about the beginnings of the town’s secret evil, and Shattered Memories re-envisioned the original Silent Hill into an original and spine-tingling tale full of psychology that played with the players as much as the players played with it. Both games pushed the handheld to its graphical limits; with Shattered Memories boasting realistic lighting that had never been seen on the PSP.

3. Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow

While the Syphon Filter series recieved its fair share of success on the original PlayStation, the series never got rid the “metal gear clone” stigma that came with its release. Fast forward to Dark Mirror’s release on the PSP; it was a game that told people that shooters can be done on the system if developers took the time to get around the PSP’s limitations. The game was successful in its run. A few years later, Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow was released and improved upon everything that made Dark Mirror such a success. The single player game was bigger, had a better story, with improved aiming and gameplay mechanics. Gabriel Logan had found a new home in the PSP. And oh boy did he make it big.

2. God of War: Chains of Olympus/Ghost of Sparta

Who said that the God of War series wouldn’t look or play as good on the PSP? They must’ve crapped their pants when they saw both games running on the aging PSP hardware. Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta are perfect examples of developers harnessing the power and potential of a portable handheld. Not only did players get full-on God of War experiences on the palm of their hands, they got to experience some of Kratos’ most tragic moments with storylines that were as good, if not better than their console counterparts. Perhaps Kratos is Sony’s King Midas. Everything he touches turns to multi-million sellers.

1. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

A game so big that it needed an install just so players can hear characters’ conversations, MGS: Peace Walker is Hideo Kojima’s best game in the Metal Gear franchise. Millions even consider it a better game than the PlayStation 3′s Metal Gear Solid 4. Players get to continue Big Boss’ adventure as he hunts down nukes  and uncovers a vast conspiracy deep in Central American jungles. All the while building his “Military without borders” into what would eventually be called Outer Heaven. Single player was fun, the story was top-notch, voice acting was perfect, and the shooting mechanics much improved upon from Portable Ops. Not to mention that Peace Walker featured a cooperative shooting experience never before seen on a handheld. If you’re going to play one PSP game in your lifetime, play MGS: Peace Walker.

Discuss:

What’s your favorite PSP game? Let us know in the comments section!

We are hosting a live chat with Twisted Metal co-creator, David Jaffe, who will be answering all of your questions about the upcoming PlayStation exclusive, Twisted Metal. With the game set to launch on February 14th, PS3 owners can now download a demo of the long-time PlayStation franchise and dive into the game’s multiplayer. We invite you to join us as we sit down and chat with David about Twisted Metal and highly recommend that you have a list of questions ready for our chat today.

For those who want to join the live chat, please click on the link bellow. The chat room itself will be open prior to David joining us which will happen at 3:30 PST. No accounts are required for this.

Join the live chat!

Before any announcements had been made, a Sony official said yesterday that Monster Hunter will be showing up on the PlayStation Vita in the coming months.

CEO of PlayStation France, Philippe Cardon, stated in a recent interview that had Monster Hunter been available during the Japanese Vita launch, the system would have sold much better.

“The games available at launch in Japan do not correspond to the typology of the Japanese public. It lacks a particular game, Monster Hunter, scheduled for the coming months; had it been there from the start in Japan, the story would have been different.”

Many say that the Monster Hunter franchise single handedly catapulted the PSP into many Japanese homes, so many in fact that other developers started creating games that imitated Monster Hunter’s addictive quest/hunting/crafting gameplay. Given the franchise’s system selling power, there’s no doubt that the PS Vita will get a massive sales spike once the game releases in Japan.

There’s no official release date as of this writing. We’ll keep you posted as more news comes.

Discuss:

Do you think Monster Hunter will be a system seller in North America? Or will it remain a niche, Japanese-only success? Let us know in the comment section below.

[Via Destructoid]