Sony Reveals Mobile, God of War Ascension and The Wonderbook Playstation 3 During Press Conference

Sony Entertainment has pledged to keep pushing the envelope in the gaming world and beyond. The E3 Playstation 3 press conference took place on Monday (June 4) at the Los Angeles Sports Arena and the event was full of the innovation and risk-taking.

One of the highlights of the affair was the demo for the chilling post-apocalyptic “The Last of Us.” The game is a third person action thriller that uses many of the elements that made the Metal Gear franchise so popular. The end of the demo wrapped up with the main character, Joel, shooting an enemy at close range with a shotgun and that cause the crowd to erupt in enthusiasm.

But the biggest announcement is that Sony is partnering with HTC to create new Playstation-certified mobile games. There is also a new imprint joining the Sony family called Sony Mobile.

Attendees also got a taste of the new God of War Ascension game which features a pissed-off Kratos ripping off heads of demonic creatures and fighting a sea monster. Additionally, it was announced that the game will feature a multiplayer system. SAnd speaking of multiplayer, there was also a demo of Far Cry 3, which now has a four-person team component. Far Cry 3 looks great and the multiplayer mode may rival that of the Halo games.

Sony seems to be trying to save the PSVita portable console from becoming the next handheld fossil. There was a lot of emphasis on sustaining —or in this case creating— momentum for the fledgling device which has not moved many units since its release. Thus, Sony is offering a slew of new games and crossover products to link it with the PS3.

One such product is the highly-anticipated Battle Royale, which features characters from the Sony universe facing off in a Super Smash Brothers-type gaming experience. PSVita gamers will be able to play against PS3 gamers in a multiplayer crossover.

On the flip side of all the exciting news, what could have been a great moment for the press conference ended up being a lull one, and that was when Sony previewed the very innovative Wonderbook. The Wonderbook is an interactive book aimed at younger gamers and families. However, the demo was drawn out and lost most of the crowd after the buzz of it’s unveiling. J.K. Rowling, of Harry Potter fame, has written the first offering for this groundbreaking device that utilizes the Playstation “Move” technology.

Despite the fact, 2013 is looking like another strong year for Sony on the gaming front, and perhaps beyond, as it seeks to tap into other platforms. —Eric Montgomery