14/04/10 – FirstPlay, Europe’s first on-console interactive show, available exclusively for Sony’s PlayStation 3 (PS3) celebrates its second weekly episode by teaming up with Gameshastra to give gamers a free PSP Mini game.
Inviting gamers to sample the growing range of PSP Mini games available for download, Episode Two of FirstPlay offers Gameshastra’s D-Cube Planet, free of charge. Currently on-sale for £2.49, the action-puzzler is playable on either the PS3 or PlayStation Portable (PSP) and sees gamers moving sliding blocks to recover an alien spaceship.
Available every Thursday, FirstPlay delivers brand-new high definition video reviews and previews and much more. FirstPlay is delivered to your console for just 99p an episode, with money-saving 90-day subscriptions, costing £8.99
Among the highlights from Episode Two are the definitive video review of Capcom’s Super Street Fighter IV, as well as exclusive in-depth previews of both Disney’s Split Second: Velocity and Namco Bandai’s Dead to Rights: Retribution – revealing more than 3 minutes of each PS3 game in glorious HD.
Bringing gamers closer to the biggest PS3 releases, episode two’s interactive gallery function includes screenshots and artwork from Blur, Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom, Splatterhouse and Vanquish. Gamers can use each image as an XMB background wallpaper and also find out more about the game, thanks to the accompanying audio captions.
FirstPlay also guides gamers through the variety of content available on the PlayStation Network – rounding up the latest PlayStation Minis, films and digital comics in a weekly package.
As FirstPlay continues to evolve, user generated content will be pushed to the fore. Episode Two reveals the PS3 community’s greatest FIFA 2010 goals in its inaugural countdown and invites gamers to submit their ultimate Just Cause 2 stunts for inclusion in a forthcoming episode.
Tim Clark, Editor-in-Chief of FirstPlay and Official PlayStation Magazine, said:
“Each week, our focus is to show gamers the most exciting things on PlayStation systems, and thanks to Gameshastra, we can throw open the world of PSP Minis to gamers who haven’t experienced a game like D-Cube Planet themselves.
“The response to our launch episode has been great, and we’re actively listening to gamers, through direct feedback from their PS3 and our social media channels. FirstPlay will continue to evolve, and early adopters can help us shape the future of Europe’s only on-console interactive show.”
Prakash Ahjua, CEO of Gameshastra, Inc., added:
“We’re delighted to partner with FirstPlay to offer its users a special free gift, D-Cube Planet has been a tremendous hit with consumers since its launch late last year, and we’re hopeful that many more people will fall for its charms with this fantastic promotion.”
FirstPlay is created by Future, the special-interest media group, in partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE).
Episode Two of FirstPlay is available Thursday, 15th April on the PlayStation Network store, costing just 99p or £8.99 per 90 days. Gamers can then download Gameshastra’s D-Cube Planet (normally £2.49) from within FirstPlay for free.
ENDS
About Future
Future plc is an international special-interest media group that is listed on the London Stock Exchange (symbol FUTR). Founded in 1985 with one magazine, today we have operations in the UK, US and Australia creating over 180 special-interest publications, websites and events for people who are passionate about their interests. We hold strong multi-media market positions in games, technology, film, music, cycling, automotive and crafts. Our biggest-selling magazines include Total Film, T3, Classic Rock, Digital Camera, Guitar World, Official Xbox Magazine, Official Playstation Magazine, Nintendo Power, Maximum PC and MacLife. Our websites include gamesradar.com, bikeradar.com, techradar.com, musicradar.com, dailyradar.com and photoradar.com. Future produces nearly 4 million magazines each month; we attract more than 27 million unique visitors to our websites; and we host 27 annual live events that attract hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts. In addition, Future exports, syndicates or licenses its publications to 90 countries internationally, making us the UK’s number one exporter and licensor of monthly magazines.
About Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PlayStation®3, PlayStation®2, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®Network software and hardware in 99 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes entertainment software for these formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for the formats in these territories. Since the launch of PlayStation 3 in November 2006, over 27 million units have been sold globally and continue to be sold at a record level. Maintaining its position as one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history, PlayStation 2 has sold over 140.7 million systems worldwide. Since its launch at the end of 2004, over 55.9 million PSPs have been sold globally, highlighting the importance of the portable entertainment market. With the huge increase in interest and accessibility of network applications and network gaming, over 31 million accounts have registered to PlayStation Network, the free-to-access interactive environment, and over 650 million items have been downloaded.
For more information
Victoria Bacon, Head of Group Communications, Future Plc, 020 7042 4033.
Will Guyatt, Media Relations Manager, Future UK, 01225 822517.
