According to TechJapan, Sony has confirmed that the controller buttons on some PSP units may become stuck and not return to their default position. The defect occurs in part of the initial shipment of PSP units and is caused by excess plastic not being completely removed during the molding and manufacturing process of the outer cabinet. As a result, when a button is pressed, it can become caught on the excess plastic and not return fully to its default position. Sony is conducting a free repair program for users who have PSP units affected by this problem. The defect is not present in PSP units fabricated in 2005 and currently being sold.

Sony Online President John Smedley looks back at when EQ first luanched, but also towards the future and speaks out on where he sees Everquest going, and MMO's in general. Read more for the rest of his community statement ...

The highly anticipated microchip that will power the PS3 made its debut today, as IBM, Sony and Toshiba showed off the inner workings of a chip intended to run a new generation of electronics. Cell is based on IBM's existing Power processor line, and will work with various software packages, including Linux. The chip will have nearly a quarter-billion transistors and be built on 90-nanometer manufacturing technology. It will work with a memory technology developed by Rambus. Inside the chip, eight processing units will churn through data at speeds above 4 ghz. Read more for details ...

Reuters is reporting that they have received word from a company source that Sony could miss its end-March target for the European launch of its PSP. This would effectively be the second time it has delayed the European launch, since it originally planned to release the handheld in time for Christmas last year.

Sony Online Entertainment announced today that it has expanded operations with the formation of a development studio in Seattle, Washington. SOE Seattle will be headed up by Matt Wilson, who some of you may remember from Microsoft’s cancelled Mythica MMO. Ed Fries (formerly of Microsoft) will also be working with the SOE Seattle team in an advisory role, but will not be joining the company full-time.

Today Ubisoft announced an exclusive multi-title licensing agreement with Sony Pictures Consumer Products to develop and publish games based on "Open Season" and "Surf's Up," the first two feature-length animated films from Sony Pictures Animation.

SOE's President John Smedley has put up a message in the official EQ 2 forums outlining a roadmap for continuing to evolve the world of Norrath. SOE will add content to the game in three distinct ways: Live Updates, Expansion Packs and Adventure Packs. "Live Updates" will happen 1-2 times a month and expand the game both through new zones, npcs, quests, features, spells, skills and new gameplay additions as well as fixing any bugs or issues that arise. "Expansion Packs" will happen twice a year (first one due second hald of 2005) and are going to be large, game altering additions to the game that will be sold both at retail and online via digital download. "Adventure Packs" will happen 2-4 times a year, at a minimal cost (first one at $4.99) and are a new style of content, similar to "Modules" from traditional tabletop RPGs

The rivalry between Sony's Blu-Ray and Toshiba/NEC's HD-DVD rages on as today the first two game companies have announced their support for Sony's Blu-Ray solution. Electronic Arts and Vivendi Universal Games will announce their support for the Blu-ray Disc optical disc format on Thursday afternoon at the CES.

Sony will likely launch its new PlayStation Portable hand-held game console in North America and Europe in March, a top executive said on Wednesday. Sony has previously only said it will start selling the PSP, which can also play movies and music, in Europe and North America between January and March.

Sony Europe today released an avalanche of information on the upcoming PSP titles they have lined up for launch. Read more to check out info & screens for :

• WRC
• WipEout Pure
• Ridge Racer
• MediEvil
• Formula One
• Football
• Fired Up
• Everybody's Golf
• Ape Academy

Sony Online Entertainment today announced that it is working with Future Network USA to create Sony Online Entertainment Worlds, a limited collector's edition magazine. Sony Online Entertainment Worlds will offer comprehensive coverage of all of Sony Online Entertainment's games.

Gamania and Sony Online Entertainment announced what is potentially the largest global strategic alliance in the history of online gaming. The alliance of Gamania and SOE will include four primary undertakings: establishing a joint venture, Asia Pacific products operation, core technology transfer, and potential investment in China.

Sony Corp. expects to show off its latest PlayStation at the E3 trade show next May, it said on Monday, increasing pressure on Microsoft Corp. to take the wraps off its Xbox successor at that time.

Last week, it was reported that another company's title had set a "world record" by having 160 simultaneous players in an online FPS server. Not only is this not a record, it's not even an average play session in PlanetSide, the world's first (and only) MMO first person title.

On June 5, SOE hosted almost 70 players from around the United States in our first-ever Guild Summit. This meeting allowed for a frank exchange of views and ideas between the EverQuest Live team and leaders of some of the game?s more prominent guilds. The various guild representatives came well-prepared (notes and notebooks, even CDs) with suggestions for improving the EQ experience. Read more for details...

E3 is over, it was great fun and we literally brought back a truckload of material, 40+ previews, trailers and hundreds of screens which we will be bringing to you over the next few days...Today we start with Sony's lineup of roughly 20 titles, check the new screens for :

• Jackie Chan Adventures
• WRC 4
• DJ: Decks & FX (PS2)
• Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament 2 (PS2)
• Death by Degrees (PS2)
• Crisis Zone (PS2)
• Ghosthunter (PS2)
• Killzone (PS2)
• Rise of the Kansai (PS2)
• Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2)
• Jak 3 (PS2)
• 'Siren' (PS2)
• MLB 2005 (PS2)
• NHL FaceOff 2005 (PS2)
• Sly 2: Band of Thieves (PS2)
• Athens 2004: The Official Videogame of the Olympic Games (PS2)
• Hot Shots Golf Fore! (PS2)
• World Tour Soccer 2005
• Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain (PS2)
• ATV Offroad Fury 3 (PS2)
• God of War (PS2)
• Gran Turismo 4 (PS2)
• The Getaway: Black Monday (PS2)

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) and Guerrilla are delighted to announce the signing of a deal that will see Guerrilla, creator of the highly-anticipated Killzone game for PS2, develop games exclusively for SCEE and Sony platforms from now on.

PlayStation today announced a unique partnership with International Sports Multimedia (ISM), exclusive licensee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for Interactive Entertainment software, to develop a PlayStation 2 game based on the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Scheduled for release in July 2004 just prior to the start of the next Olympic Games in August, Athens 2004, The Official Videogame of the Olympic Games will be the only official licensed videogame product of the IOC on PlayStation 2.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. today announced the second title to utilize the EyeToy camera technology. EyeToy: Groove, exclusive to the PlayStation2, is the first interactive videogame that enables players to dance in time with one of the 28 licensed songs, from such artists as Elvis, Madonna, Jessica Simpson, Jamiroquai, and Fatboy Slim, with no controller or dance pad necessary. Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment London Studio, EyeToy: Groove is scheduled for release in Spring 2004 and will be available at an SRP of $49.99 with the EyeToy USB camera or $29.99 without.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced today that it would launch a special limited edition Aqua colour version of its PlayStation2. A limited number of units of PlayStation 2 will be available across PAL territories from early March. Additional Aqua accessories will also be available in March including an Aqua Vertical Stand (for PlayStation 2) and a Memory Card (8MB) (for PlayStation 2).

Sony Online Entertainment has exciting news for all EverQuest players. As the world of Norrath evolves and expands, so too does the technology powering EverQuest. Sony Online Entertainment is making significant upgrades to the EverQuest engine which will allow SOE to provide players with the great game, but on a much more stable and efficient platform. SOE anticipates patching in the new engine sometime during the next month or two.

Electronic Arts and Sony Music Entertainment have jointly announced a cross promotional marketing agreement to support the in-game soundtrack of the upcoming EA game, NFL STREET, which promises to be the most significant yet between a video game publisher and a music label to date. NFL STREET will be available January 15, 2004 on the PlayStation2, GameCube, and the Xbox.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. today announced a multi-million-dollar integrated brand campaign designed to further expand the renowned PlayStation2 gaming experience among mass-market consumers, specifically targeting new users, gift-givers and kids. This campaign comes at a time when the industry-leading platform is poised for another record-breaking holiday season fueled in part by the company's ability to offer an unparalleled experience, an incredible library of games and the best overall value in home entertainment. Exceeding previous efforts, the five-tiered multimedia campaign, including television, cinema, print, outdoor and online advertisements, breaks in mid-November and will run through the end of the year.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today the launch of SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs, the sequel to last year's number one online console game and "Greatest Hit" title, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs. Developed exclusively for the PlayStation2 by Zipper Interactive, Inc., and produced by Sony Computer Entertainment America's Foster City Studio, SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs improves and expands upon its predecessor, a game already in the hands of more than two million people worldwide.