Video download service for PS3
Sony Corp. finally launched its long-awaited video download service for the PlayStation 3 video game console.
The company started selling and renting movies and TV shows through its PlayStation Network late Tuesday. MGM, 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, Warner Bros., Disney, Paramount, Turner Entertainment and of course Sony Pictures are making titles available.
PlayStation 3 owners will be able to buy TV shows for $1.99 and up. They can also rent movies for $2.99 to $5.99 and buy them for $9.99 to $14.99. For example, “Cloverfield” can be purchased for $14.99 or rented for $3.99. A high-definition version rents for $5.99.
Videos purchased through the PS3 can be transferred to Sony’s PSP hand-held game console.
Also Tuesday, Nintendo Co. jumped into the rapidly growing genre of music-themed video games with its own title, Wii Music, designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Wii Fit, Nintendogs and other hit titles.
Wii Music lets as many as four players at a time jam on virtual instruments, including violin, drums and guitar. Nintendo showed off the new game at a press event in Hollywood and put a video of the game on its website.
The Japanese company also gave hard-core game players a present: Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. is bringing its Grand Theft Auto franchise to the Nintendo DS hand-held console, which mostly features casual fare. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is expected to be available before Christmas.
