ony, perhaps even more than Microsoft and Nintendo, has something to prove at E3 2009. The platform holder needs to convince the hardcore that the PS3 really is the platform they should be gaming on, give a reason for casual gamers to consider it and make the PSP a must-have device again. We've put together a fairly realistic list of what would make the perfect Sony E3 conference, including a new PSP design, tons of new games and the reveal of the highly anticipated game from Team ICO.
The announced PS3 games
Of the three platform holders Sony has by far the most already announced high-profile titles. We've already seen the likes of God of War 3, MAG, Uncharted 2 and Heavy Rain in action, but we expect all of those will get a conference presence of some sort, even if they're just as part of a compilation video. Gran Turismo 5 is due an airing for the first time, as is Insomniac's Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time. If we had to guess which game would get the most exposure we'd go with Heavy Rain. If the game has come on as expected since we saw it at Leipzig Games Convention last year, it should be really quite special.
New PS3 game announcements
Sony already has a very solid line-up of games due out this year and early next, but we're likely to see a couple of announcements along the same lines as the MAG and God of War 3 reveals from E3 2009. Twisted Metal from David Jaffe seems like a cert given the various hints and rumours doing the rounds, a new Sly Cooper game for PS3 from Sucker Punch would be great and we're hopeful that Sony will finally bring Syphon Filter to the PS3. We'd love for at least one of those to be demonstrated on stage, but CG announcement trailers are far more likely.
PSP Go!
It's likely to be one of the big talking points of E3 2009, but just what would make it the perfect big announcement for Sony? A slide design and no UMD drive seems a certainty given the amount of rumours around the new device, but everything else is pretty much up in the air. In an ideal world the new device would have a touch screen and two analogue sticks, making camera issues in PSP games a thing of the past. Being more realistic, Sony is likely to keep the control options as they are with the current model PSP so as not to alienate their current userbase.
The new PSP needs new games
If there's a series that Sony can bank on to sell consoles it's Gran Turismo. The PSP edition of the driving sim has been talked about ever since the game was shown as part of the PSP's unveiling many years ago, but we've heard next to nothing on the game since. If Sony can announce that the portable edition will finally see a release to coincide with the launch of the PSP Go! and show a string of other new PSP games all due for release in the coming months (God of War, LittleBigPlanet, Jak and Daxter) the PSP will head into late 2009/early 2010 on a real high.
Final Fantasy XIII Demo
Microsoft might be the one banging its drum about Final Fantasy XIII, but Sony could pull one over its console rival by announcing a downloadable PSN-exclusive demo at its pre-E3 conference. What's more, it'll be available when the announcement is made. Microsoft may well roll-out demos for a number of titles over the E3 week, but nothing will be able to compete with an English language demo for the most hyped and anticipated RPG of all time.
Team ICO's new game
This could well be one of the most memorable events from E3 2009. The new Team ICO game for the PlayStation 3 should turn heads and will likely make a lot of PS3 owners happy. All we know so far is the game's nickname, "Trico", and that it'll be somewhat like the developer's previous games ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. We can only imagine what a developer this talented can do with a console as powerful as the PlayStation 3. If we had to bet on game of the show, this would be it.
GTA4 DLC and more
Depending on where you look you'll find people swearing blind that all the GTA 4 DLC is Xbox 360 exclusive, while others claim the PS3 will get it at some point. While Microsoft will likely stay one ahead of the PS3, with Rockstar releasing Episode 2 later this year exclusively over Xbox LIVE Marketplace, a PSN version of The Lost and Damned would make lots of PS3 owners very happy. We're also going to cross our fingers for some Ghostbusters-themed LittleBigPlanet DLC, complete with proton blasters and Slimer outfits.
The long awaited PS3 price cut
We reckon this could go two ways. Either Sony will significantly drop the price of the PS3 to compete more directly with the Xbox 360 or it'll roll out a sleek redesigned model for the same price. Our sensible head is saying it'll just be a price cut, but a completely redesigned slim-line model would certainly make bigger waves. It'd also be a way for Sony to keep the price relatively high, while presumably being able to manufacture the units at a lower cost.
What do you think would make the perfect Sony pre-E3 conference?
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