SONY PSP AND PS VITA

Remember that line-up of colorful consoles we eyed back at TGS? One of eight of those mock-ups is about to become a reality, at least in Japan. On June 28th, color conscious gamers will be able to pick up a WiFi or 3G Crystal White PlayStation Vita for ¥24,980 and ¥29,980, respectively (that's about $312 and $375 if you're counting in greenbacks). If the absence of color is a bit too bland for you, a limited edition Hatsune Miku handheld will hit shelves two months later, commanding a ¥10,000 ($125) premium for the privilege of plastering ...

As promised, Skype arrives on the Vita today in a free download. Tell your friends ... to download Skype so you can tell your friends. Other new PSN content arriving today includes Bejeweled 3, The Walking Dead, and retail-to-PSN releases Battlefield 3 and The Cursed Crusade, all on PS3. Demos are available for Ninja Gaiden 3, Dragon's Dogma, and The Walking Dead. Old games available once again include PS2 Classic Red Faction (the first one) and Darkstalkers 3, and Future Cop LAPD on PSOne Classics. Find the full menu of downloadable PlayStation stuff on the PlayStation Blog ...

If you were disappointed with the Facebook app for the Vita due to not being able to share your Unit 13 high score screen grabs, then maybe it's time to reconsider. Version 1.01 just landed, and despite sounding like the tiniest incremental increase, there is, in fact, some decent new functionality. Not only can you finally upload images (and therefore those brags scores) to your news feed, you can also tag them, and enjoy any of the system languages of the device while you do so. Enough to win you back? Then point your Vita at the PS store for the goods ...

Sony announced today it would cut 10,000 jobs, approximately 6 percent of its global workforce, as it projects a loss of $6.4 billion for the fiscal year that ended in March. It will be the fourth straight year of losses for the company, which really needs to turn around its money pit TV business over the next two years. "Sony will change. I've fully dedicated myself to changing Sony," said new CEO and President Kazuo Hirai to press today, as reported by USA Today. Part of Hirai's turnaround efforts will be a fiscal pilates regimen, focused on strengthening ...

It's been barely a week since the last one, but Sony's now begun rolling out firmware version 1.67. It's another meaty download, weighing in at just under 100MB, although there's no detail on what it changes -- we're still exploring the update. Following the refresh, you can also pick up the PS Vita's latest free game, Montezuma Blitz, a Bejewelled-style puzzle game. However, it's not the first game to be offered up free on the Vita and some pesky in-game purchases taint that freebie status a little. Both the update and game are available to download on your Vita now ...

Fans of faux-bumpin' can bolster their collection of tables soon, as Zen Studios has announced Zen Pinball 2 for the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita platforms. Now, if you've purchased the previous game or Marvel Pinball, fret not -- Zen Pinball 2 will be available as a free update. You may recall Zen Studios taking a similar approach with Pinball FX 2. Zen Pinball 2 will incorporate the content from Zen Pinball and Marvel Pinball into the new platform. New users can also download Zen Pinball 2 and sample each virtual table, free of charge, via a built-in trial system. In addition to the free gameplay, Zen Studios is offering cross-play gratis. Purchasing any content in Zen Pinball 2 will grant players access on both the PS3 and PS Vita. Zen Pinball 2 will launch alongside Marvel Pinball: ...

Sony acknowledged in a matter-of-fact response the cross-platform PS3/Vita title "Warrior's Lair" -- previously known as Ruin -- has not been cancelled. We followed up with the publisher last week after forum murmurings (some since deleted) claimed the game had been canceled and over half the staff at developer Idol Minds were let go. To the first point, a Sony representative plainly stated, "Warrior's Lair is still in development; it isn't cancelled." As to whether the game is still in development at Idol Minds and if there were any layoffs? ...

Baseball is a polarizing sport. Either you love the drama of every at-bat, every line drive and double play, or you think it's boring as all get-out. It's a tough experience to translate into a game, especially in a manner that's, you know, something you'll want to keep playing. The MLB: The Show series by Sony's San Diego Studio has been the top baseball sim for several years and a solid exclusive to Sony's platforms. But this year is a big one: Sony's launched a new handheld, the PlayStation Vita ...

Foosball, the table game with a surprisingly rich history, is coming to PS3 and Vita this spring in the form of Foosball 2012. Developed by Grip Games, the game features a "World Tour" single-player mode with 30 locations, and multiplayer support for up to four players with online and couch co-op. It'll also support the PlayStation Move and allow players to control Foosball 2012 exactly like they "would control a real table football, with 1:1 movement precision." We don't think the Move warranty covers spinning the controller like a drunken madman and the ensuing breakage as it hits the floor. ...