God of War: Ascension | Simply Games | £14.99 | Price Comparison
God of War: Ascension Review

Includes access to exclusive The Last of Us demo on May 31st.

"Now Is The Time"

Future's James Jarvis spotted a full-page advert in today's Metro, which makes no bones about Sony's console hitting British shores before year's end. We pretty much all figured this was happening anyway, but it's a relief to get official confirmation for European territories (since we usually receive the sharp end of any manufacturing delays). Firm details will likely be confirmed at E3 2013 during Sony's press conference on June 10th. [via MCV]

As far as I'm aware, Sony has also bought advertising space at this year's Champion's League final. Eyes peeled, footy fans.

Some new screenshots of upcoming Vita FPS Killzone: Mercenary have hit the net, and look unbelievably shiny by handheld standards. The Vita's crying out for a superior FPS, so with luck, Mercenary will wash away the sour taste left by Black Ops Declassified and Resistance: Burning Skies.

It's out on September 6th.

God of War: Ascension | ShopTo | £17.86 | Price Comparison
God of War: Ascension Review

Includes access to exclusive The Last of Us demo on May 31st.

Thanks to Jelavic18 at HotUkDeals.

(But Your Guess Is As Good As Ours)

Sony Japan Studio has released a reveal trailer for a mysterious new project, currently known only as 'Panopticon.' Featuring some futuristic cities, enormous Sci-Fi cyborg beasties, hacking and a cadre of gunslinging protagonists, we could well be on course for a cooperative action-RPG in the vein of Monster Hunter or perhaps a Science Fiction JPRG or shooter setting. We reckon that the art style would be a good fit for Vita, but this is just supposition based on a notably gameplay-free video.

To say that details are "thin on the ground" would be a monstrous understatement, but Sony will apparently make everything clear on May 21st. Perhaps they're attempting to steal some of Microsoft's next-gen thunder? Either way, let us know what you make of the trailer after the break.

PS3 500 GB Super Slim (Black) | £179.99 | Zavvi

If you're in no rush in terms of delivery (The Hut Group are, at best, lackadaisical) snap this up. It's around £15-20 than most other places at the moment.

Sony have been consistently saying that, when it come to the PS4, they won't be making the same mistakes as they did when it came to the PS3, particularly regarding costs.

Addressing analysts and investors during a financial call this morning, Sony chief financial officer Masaru Kato said that because Sony are not starting from scratch this time around, in terms of developing hardware architecture, the amount investment required is "much lighter" than before.

God of War: Ascension | Zavvi | £19.75 | Price Comparison |
God of War: Ascension Review

Includes access to exclusive The Last of Us demo on May 31st.

Thanks to DestinyCalls815 at HotUkDeals.

According to Epic Games' VP Mark Rein, Microsoft and Sony are informing developers that they're "going heavily" in on free-to-play and in-app purchasing models when it comes to their next-gen consoles.

Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida has said that the company is "not crossing out any type of game" and, moreover, has started developing an as-yet unannounced free-to-play title.

Poor Vita Performance Expected To Continue

Sony's PlayStation-specific FY2013 financial report is fairly unsurprising, in that the malaise surrounding the end of this console generation has lead to a major slump in sales. Still, the Yen's fluctuating value has contributed to the corporation's first annual profit in five years, and Sony predicts a major sales upturn in the next financial year. I wonder why?

It certainly won't be thanks to the Vita, which is predicted to bring home even less bacon.

Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida has once again reiterated that not only will the PS4 not require an always-online internet connection, but that the Japanese company never even considered it.

Sony is continuing their big indie push by introducing a new Indie Games category to the PlayStation Store. This new shopfront should make some of the more deserving smaller titles and boutique offerings easier to find, and give the ever-growing market some extra publicity to boot. Compared to burying indie games away in the darkest recesses of the Metro Dashboard, this is a revelation, and another statement of intent for major independent support moving into the next console generation.

You can celebrate by purchasing Retro City Rampage at a 50% discount, after scrutinising Carl's detailed review of course.

A new report has emerged suggesting that Sony might struggle to meet their expectations for shifting 12-16 million PS4 units in 2013 as supply chains are yet to receive any sort of shipment instructions from the company as yet, thus potentially pointing towards a delay when it comes to the console's mass shipment schedule.

The Last Of Us will have not one, but two special editions available to pre-order. The Joel and Ellie Editions both cost €79.99, but contain slightly different merch like themed controller skins and backgrounds.

Sony have provided us with a trailer for each, meaning that you can sit back and let some magical moving pictures sap your willpower and drain your wallets. Check them out after the break.

Game are giving you the chance to play The Last of Us up to a month before release at one of their after hours lock in events. This time they're hosting the game at 75 stores, many more than previous events. There's a strong chance one of your local stores is running one of them, so when not give them a call, tweet or drop in to reserve a spot free of charge. Attendees must be over 18, so take some ID if you're likely to get carded.

The demo you'll get to play is going to be brand new and will be different from the one that will unlock with God of War: Ascension on May 31st. Pizza and soft drinks will be available and any pre-orders will be rewarded with a double-sided poster for the game. Check out the list of stores and dates after the break.

Here's the trailer that was debuted at last night's Tribeca Film Festival. It focuses on the lead character Jodie Holmes, played by Ellen Page. We see scenes from various stages of the game including her as a child and an adult. Locations are varied too, one minute she's living rough while possibly on the run and then she's out in the desert riding a horse in a scene similar to one you may find in Red Dead Redemption.

Willem Dafoe can be heard in the trailer too, trying to convince Jodie to come back. We're presuming she's escaped the testing facility/hospital where they've been examining her psychic powers. Gameplay is a bit thin on the ground, as the trailer clearly plays to the film-fan crowd at the festival, but there's no denying we can't wait to see more. Enjoy the new trailer after the break.

Tune in right here at Dealspwn tonight at Midnight UK time to see a live stream of Beyond: Two Souls from the famous Tribeca Film festival in New York. The event will last about two hours and will include a 35-minute scene from the game, including gameplay. The game’s official trailer will also be debuted.

After the screening, there will be a live panel Q&A with the game’s lead star Ellen Page, the director David Cage and supporting cast members Kadeem Hardison and Eric Winter.

This is the first time a video game has been selected as a part of the Tribeca Film Festival selection. Geoff Gilmore (a founder of the Sundance and Tribeca film festivals) described the upcoming PS3 exclusive’s inclusion as “a watershed moment in storytelling and media.”

Several Sony tech developers have released a video all about the DualShock 4, the PS4's flagship peripheral. It's cloyingly smug and self-congratulatory to a fault, but does gives you a good idea of the size of the controller, as well as some of the inspiration behind its design and feature set.

• What: 90 Days PS Plus Membership
• Where: Base
• Current Price: £8.99

Membership to Sony's plan across the PS3 and Vita offers frequent terrific value for money with lots of free games. With decent year-long membership deals being a bit thin on the ground this is a great price for 90 days and means you won't miss out on current freebies Okami HD, The Cave, Uncharted: Golden Abyss (Vita) and Dead or Alive 5. Upcoming titles include Hitman: Absolution and Catherine. Games are available to play as long as your membership is active, but any exclusive discounts you get are permanent. Certainly sounds like a better deal than paying Microsoft £40 for the privilege of being called a gay by overweight american eight year olds.

Thanks to gerrymig at HotUkDeals.