Sony Online Entertainment Inc. announced that its highly-anticipated massively multiplayer online first-person action game, PlanetSide(tm), has shipped to U.S. and Canadian retail stores. The groundbreaking game allows thousands of players to fight online in an all-hours-of-day global war that has never been seen before in the first-person action genre. The company also announced its first planned post-launch additional features including several new vehicles and game options. PlanetSide has a suggested retail price of $49.99, and includes a 30-day subscription to the game.

Responding to criticism that it was trying to take advantage of the Iraq war for commercial gain, Sony Corp said on Wednesday it will not use the phrase "shock and awe" for PlayStation videogames made by a subsidiary. A U.S. unit of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc has withdrawn an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to register the phrase for commercial use, a Sony spokeswoman said.

Sony have revealed that a new PS2 version is currently in production and will be released in Japan May 15th. This new version will support playback of recordable DVD formats, and will boast improved DVD playback. A new DVD remote is also planned, which allows you to power the unit and open the disc tray! European and US release date not available yet!

Gamesradar reports that the current war in Iraq could soon be coming to a PlayStation 2 near you - if Sony have anything to do with it. According to a report in today's Guardian, the console giants have already taken out a patent on the phrase "Shock and Awe" for usage in videogames. The phrase was adopted by the White House to describe the US's heavy bombing of Baghdad.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today the worldwide fall 2003 release of Jak II, created exclusively for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system. Developed by Naughty Dog Inc., the company responsible for 2001's smash hit Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy and the highly acclaimed multi-million unit selling Crash Bandicoot series on PlayStation, the newest installment of the Jak and Daxter series, Jak II, takes action-adventure gaming to a whole new level.

Blomberg.com reports that Sony Corp. plans to move production of its PlayStation 2 console to China next year, as the rivalry from Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox forces the world's largest video-game console maker to tighten control on costs and prices. Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. currently makes half of its PlayStation 2s at two plants in Japan. Sony expects to move all of its production to Chinese plants run by Taiwanese companies Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. and Asustek Computer Inc. next fiscal year, Sony Computer spokesman Koichiro Katsurayama said. Shifting PlayStation 2's assembly operations to China may allow Sony to increase profit margins at its video-game unit, which accounted for 36 percent of the company's operating profit in the three months ended Dec. 31. China's lower labor costs may also give Sony room to cut the PlayStation 2's retail price, giving Sony an edge over Microsoft's Xbox.

Sony Corp., the world's second- largest consumer-electronics maker, will introduce the PlayStation 3 video-game console this year, two years ahead of schedule, to widen its lead over rivals, the Commercial Times said, citing unidentified people at Taiwanese parts suppliers. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. of Taiwan, which assembles the PlayStation 2 for Sony, and other parts suppliers on the island will start trial production next month, the report said.

Sony Online Entertainment (SOE), will give the public a chance to experience EverQuest Online Adventures, one of the world's most anticipated massively multiplayer online console games ever created, before it's available on retail shelves currently scheduled on February 12th. EverQuest Online Adventures extends the EverQuest brand to the PlayStation2, the most popular console gaming system in the world.

Fast-paced driving, intense fight scenes, and unprecedented realism prove to be a winning combination for Sony Team Soho's London gangster game, "The Getaway," and they couldn't have done it without Kaydara FiLMBOX (now named MOTIONBUILDER). Using MOTIONBUILDER as a hub for its production pipeline, Sony Soho's team of over 50 developers were able to break new ground in advanced character animation and motion capture to produce one of the hottest action games of the year. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) released "The Getaway" in December 2002.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today moved to quash speculation that it would be reducing the price of its PlayStation2 computer entertainment console before Christmas. The move follows news coverage of a reduction in the wholesale price of the PlayStation 2 in Japan, to bring it into general alignment with the current console price in Europe and North America. The Japanese price cut was made possible by increased production yields of the NTSC format console for the Japanese market (Europe use the PAL TV format). Sony Computer Entertainment Europe confirmed today that there were no plans to reduce the price of PlayStation 2 in the PAL territories before Christmas. We are very content with the sales of PlayStation 2 in Europe following our price reduction at the end of August this year,” said David Reeves, EVP Sales and Marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. “This Christmas sees a phenomenal line-up of PlayStation games, from Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, to The Getaway, GTA Vice City, This is Football 2003, Formula 1 2002 and WRC II Extreme.

Logitech announced today that the Logitech Cordless Controller for PS One, and PlayStation has an official license from Sony Computer Entertainment America. This makes Logitech's cordless controller the first and only licensed cordless controller for this platform. This Logitech product includes proprietary 2.4 GHz Cordless Freedom, the most reliable cordless technology available for gamers.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced the line-up of exclusive titles for the PlayStation 2 in the run up to Christmas. With blockbuster titles to suit all tastes and age groups this Christmas, PlayStation gamers will be able to choose from 18 exclusive titles, in a range of over 100 new titles launched for the coming Christmas gift season. With eagerly awaited games such as The Getaway, Lord of the Rings, GTA Vice City, Tomb Raider - Angel of Darkness, Ratchet and Clank, WRC ll Extreme, This is Football 2003 and Kingdom Hearts there has never been a more exciting time to own a PlayStation 2.

On August 28, Sony announced that it would lower the price of its PlayStation 2 games console to E249-259/GBP169.99 across Europe. Within hours, Microsoft countered by cutting the price of its Xbox to E249/GBP159.99. Interesting read/opinions ...

It's robots fightin' time! A team of employees at Sony Online participates in the remote-controlled fighting robot competition BattleBots by entering our very own bot known simply as "S.O.B." See how our bot came into being, from the initial meeting full of wild ideas, through early designs and prototypes, to the final product. Follow the story of one tough S.O.B. as it competes in the fourth and fifth seasons of BattleBots on Comedy Central. Read more about the Sony Battlebot right here.

After firmly solidifying its market position with sales exceeding 11 million units in North America, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. today announced that it is leading the charge in the next evolution of computer entertainment by offering users the option to play games online through PlayStation®2 on August 27. Read more for details, titles etc...

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today the Fall 2003 release of Rise to Honor (working title), a fast-paced action-adventure game inspired by the excitement and cinematic styling of the Hong Kong action movie genre, developed exclusively for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system. Created by Sony Computer Entertainment America's Foster City Studio in collaboration with action star Jet Li (The One, Kiss of the Dragon, Lethal Weapon 4, The Bodyguard from Beijing, Fist of Legend, Shaolin Temple), Rise to Honor will immerse players into a chain of lethal missions that extend from Hong Kong to San Francisco.

One for all you PlayStation3 rumourmongers out there.. MIPS Technologies, Inc. a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital consumer and business applications, today announced that its MIPS64 architecture has been licensed to Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI).

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is delighted to announce the forthcoming release on PSOne of Klonoa Beach Volleyball, featuring the return of Namco's popular cast of characters.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today that MLB 2003 from the 989 Sports development team is now available in stores, marking the availability of the only officially licensed Major League Baseball game for the PlayStation game console this year. The latest installment in the most popular baseball franchise for the PlayStation features detailed player and stadium graphics, updated rosters and statistics, and unrivaled gameplay delivering an exciting and an amazingly authentic baseball game experience.

Europe’s leading interactive entertainment expo, ECTS, is set to return to central London in September, taking up residency at Earls Court between Thursday 29th and Saturday 31st August. In addition, for the first time ever, running alongside the show will be a consumer hall exclusively hosted by Sony Computer Entertainment.

Next week at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), in Los Angeles, Sony Online Entertainment reinforces its commitment to multiplayer online gaming with the announcement of a ground breaking lineup, including: EverQuest: The Planes of Power, PlanetSide and EverQuest II. Capitalizing on its game expertise and well-known properties SOE also announced that the company will be taking its popular EverQuest property to the console audience with the upcoming EverQuest Online Adventures for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system. In addition, SOE will become an official PlayStation 2 developer, specializing in massively multiplayer online games, an entirely new genre for the console player. SOE will be expanding massively multiplayer games into new genres with PlanetSide and Star Wars Galaxies, both of which are currently in development.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today its continued support for the PS one game console with a broad array of upcoming first party software releases for the 2002 Summer. This summer, Sony Computer Entertainment America will release three first-party titles for the PS one console that offer entertainment for all ages. With the new portability features of the LCD screen (for PS one) and car adaptor (for PS one), consumers will be available to enjoy these titles on the road, as well in the living room.

NVIDIA Corporation today announced that it is working closely with Sony Online Entertainment, Inc. to optimize two upcoming online games developed by Sony Online Entertainment. Star Wars Galaxies, to be published by LucasArts, and PlanetSide will be among the first wave of games optimized for NVIDIA's GeForce4 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), resulting in a gaming experience rich in crisp 3D graphics, unique visual effects and some of the most realistic, life-like images ever seen in an online game.

BAM! Entertainment today announced that it will publish futuristic racer WipEout Fusion and 3D action adventure Dropship: United Peace Force for the PlayStation 2. This expanded relationship with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe enables BAM! Entertainment to bring the games to the North American market this summer. Just last month, BAM! announced that it will bring North America the critically acclaimed racing title WRC: World Rally Championship for PlayStation 2.

MILIA 2002, the World's Interactive Content Marketplace, today confirmed that Sony Computer Entertainment will have an expanded presence at this year's event including the attendance of key European management.