ps3

Which game console should you buy?

A lot has changed since the Xbox 360 debuted in November 2005. After what has seemed like dozens of upgrades, improvements, omissions, price drops, motion controllers, and bundles, the dust has settled (once again) and we're left with three competitively priced consoles.

Editors' note: This console buying guide was updated on November 23, 2011, for the holiday season.

Such an evenly matched trio of hardware brings up the ultimate question for prospective video game console buyers: which home console should you buy?

This question doesn't necessarily have a definitive answer. Quite frankly, the answer could be any of the three depending on what you're looking for. In other words, there is no default "best console." It's about finding the one that's right for you--and what will be the deciding factor in your case will ultimately depend on what you plan to use the console for. That said, in lieu of detailing every last bit of functionality that each console offers, let's discuss the type of person we think would benefit most from each console. … Read more

Sony restricts PSN game sharing

Sony has greatly reduced the number of gaming devices that can access games purchased from the PlayStation Store through one user account.

In the past, someone with a PlayStation Network account could play a purchased game on up to five PS3 or PSP devices. A revised policy--which went into effect Friday for several countries in Europe, as well as Australia--stipulates that only two of each Sony gaming devices (PS3, PSP) can access purchased games and content (purchased after November 18) from the PlayStation Store.

Sony announced the policy earlier this month on its official European PlayStation blog. Sony representatives did not immediately reply to CNET's request for comment on whether the change would come stateside. … Read more

At $500, is the Sony PlayStation 3D Display worth it?

During my month or so with the Sony PlayStation 3D Display, I was quite content with it sitting beside me at my desk, allowing for awesome 3D gaming whenever I wanted. Then I wondered, "How many people find themselves in similar situations?"

It's this realization coupled with a healthy number of shortcomings that ultimately undid my initially positive impression of this display. Despite boasting the impressive SimulView technology (that lets two players see their own 2D screen), there is a laundry list of issues I have with the new PlayStation-branded display from Sony.

Aside from the fact … Read more

Stunning sample 4K image from a PS3

There've been previous reports that a PlayStation 3 will soon be able to output ultra-high-resolution 4K (4,096x2,160) still photos, and we finally got to see some samples at the recent Sony VPL-VW1000ES media launch. They were breathtakingly detailed and faithfully rendered by this $24,999 4K home theater projector. … Read more

CNET Labscast 8: Tech toys; more ultrabooks; Kindle Fire; and the PS3 3DTV

CNET Gotham may be over, but we've got some of the best laptops and tech toys from the week-long event right here. Also, a quick hands-on with the new Kindle Fire tablet, and we run the new PS3-branded 24-inch 3DTV from Sony through some tests.

Make plenty of room for Skyrim

Bethesda Game Studios has a knack for creating enormous playable worlds that give gamers hundreds of hours worth of play time. Just like what we saw in Fallout 3, The Elder Scrolls franchise gives players an incredible amount of freedom to do whatever they want, even if that doesn't include following the main story arc.

The follow-up (though notably not a direct sequel) to 2006's Oblivion, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has easily been one of the most anticipated role-playing games in recent memory. It's the genre standout for this holiday season, and we've already been racking up the hours in the enormous land of Skyrim. … Read more

Call of Duty: Elite experiences rough start

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's overnight launch has caused a big headache for premium players.

The first true casualty of the military simulator is the new free and subscription-based Elite service, which has buckled under the stress from "hundreds of thousands of players" who have registered, according to a statement from Activision Blizzard.

A comment from Reddit member "ButterflySammy" indicates that users are having trouble with clans or using some of the other Elite features: "You just can't set up any clans or use any of the other elite features on any platform." … Read more

GAEMS G155 game unit saves a marriage

OK, the above headline is admittedly a little dramatic, so maybe we should knock it down a peg: "GAEMS G155 aids a marriage by letting an overgrown-kid husband get his gaming in without hogging the TV."

The GAEMS (Gaming and Entertainment Mobile Systems) G155 is a self-contained gaming unit that essentially transforms any Xbox 360 or PS3 Slim into a console in a briefcase. It combines a sturdy carrying case with a 15.5-inch 720p LED-lit monitor, an HDMI connection, stereo speakers, and dual 3.5 mm headphone jacks--all for $299.

Unique so far in design and function, it's advertised as a way for young gaming fanatics to take their Modern Warfare with them wherever they gather with other gadget-obsessed hipsters. I wouldn't be surprised to find one at the core of Occupy Wall Street. But I wanted to see if I could put the GAEMS unit's capabilities to use another way. … Read more

PlayStation Home getting massive update

Three years after PlayStation Home's debut, gamers largely regard it as an unpopular social-gaming community for the PlayStation 3. A big redesign coming tomorrow could make the online environment a much more compelling space for gamers to congregate.

The new PlayStation Home represents a new strategic direction for the online space, which is loosely similar to Second Life.

"Home's community is made up of some of the most passionate gamers on PS3, and we've listened to their feedback since Home launched in 2008, finally transforming Home itself into a game," Jack Buser, director of PlayStation Home, said in a statement. "This redesign marks a new beginning for PlayStation Home, and players can expect much more to come." … Read more

First Grand Theft Auto V trailer debuts

Last week, Rockstar Games released a teaser site and logo for the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto V, which led to widespread speculation as to where the next game in the open-world chaos simulator would take place.

This morning we finally have an answer, as the first-ever trailer for GTA V has been released. The game will take place in a fictional Los Angeles-inspired town.

We're sure there will be much more about GTA V in the coming months, but what are your thoughts based on this trailer?