GC08: Live blogging the Sony Press Conference

Yes, we're here. In fact, we're not just in the audience, we've got front row seats!

Loads of stuff to look forward to: the new Singstar stuff revealed this morning, some Heavy Rain in-game action and last but not least we've just heard that Sony will be talking about some new PSP hardware.

Conference kicks off at 5pm CET (in about 30 minutes), so stick around and get it all live.

After the drop.

• It's over. Sorry for all the technical s**t throughout. Thanks for reading.
• They're playing a temple level, apparently. Smith just said, "We're going to have literally hundreds of thousands of levels." With the player-made stuff, obviously.
• Fire, platforms, running about in a cowboy hat.
• They'e earned a Trophy.
• They're playing a level now. Smith just said he's going to ignore the German. The German's sniffing his armpit. Smith's going to smack him in a minute.
• Adding a face with the PLayStation Eye.
  
• They've given the German guy a Sackboy with no face.
  
• A German journalist has gone up on stage to play the game. Everyone looks a bit confused.
• All the levels are on the planet in the background.
• They're playing it. Sackboys in a room waiting to be customised. Costumes are going on.
• They're talking about how people in the beta are starting to create stuff.
• "The end is in sight," he says.
• Pete Smith, LBP producer on stage.
• Sackboy in armour. It's the E3 trailer.
• LBP video.
• Turkish version of SingStar announced.
• Big video of German people talking about SingStar.
• Graphs about SingStar sales.
• All about the German market.
• He's got loads of slides about consoles market split, etc.
• Uwe's got massive microphone.
• Uwe Bassendowski, GM of Sony Germany, on stage now talking in German about German stuff.
• Reeves is back on. He said "next year."
  
• More details in the coming months. NO date.
• All the video was playable and in-game.
  
• Inside the house. Being chased through the house.Woman attacked by man. QTE events to prevenmt stabbing. Sanding in the rain again. Over.
  
• Man in rain. Kids playing outside a house. Room with birds hanging form the ceiling. Woman speaking into dictaphone.
  
• Video.
• A different kind of experience based on emotions.
• No guns, cars, interfaces, puzzles or enemies. Moral choices, contextual actions and decision making instead. The player is the writer and the director.
  
• Games are no longer for kids and teenagers, he says.
  
• Heavy Rain started as The Casting, the famous movie of the woman with the gun.
• He's talking about a focus on emotions and narrative.
• He looks a bit nervous.
• Nice cheers from the crowd. David Cage from Quantic on the stage.
  
• Heavy Rain now.
  
• Can customise the pet. "The next level of interactive fun." PS3 next year.
• They're playing a movie. Kids playing with a virtual monkey, holding up pictures to the camera and watchhing them drop into the world.
• EyePet announced. Subline: "Your Virtual Pet".
• SingStore song packs announced. A dedicated Queen SingStar title announced.
• It's on PS2 this autumn.
• SingStar Disney announced. Tracks from Lion King and Beauty and the Beast.
• And Queen.
  
• Barry Manilow's going to be in SingStar Vol. 3. And Michael Jackson.
  
• It's going to be a Firmware update this year.
  
• They're going to allow people to play tracks from PS2 SingStar versions on PS3.
  
• 2.2 million track downloads to date.
• 13 million units since launched.
• SingStar now.
• Video download service for PAL territories in Q3 next year.
• For music, Vidzone will be there in Q1 next year followed by a download sevice for PS3 and PSP in Q3 next year.
• He's talking about a roadmap for music and video.
• Video of it. Browse 1,000s of music videos. It links with mobiles, apparently.
• "Early 2009."
• An easy access music service". He said it'll give people unlimited access to music "free of charge".
• Music now. He's just announced Vidzone, a streaming music service for next year.
• He says it'll make Home "far more accessible".
• Eight versions in PAL markets to supports various languages.
• Wireless keypad announced for PS3. It fits on the top of the controller.
  
• LBP on October 29 this year. He's bigging it up, saying it'll change people perceptions of gaming.
  
• PlayTV on September 19.
  
• It includes 70 euros of downloadable content.
  
• 160Gb PS3 confirmed for PAL territories in the peak season.
  
• 80Gb PS3 out this Friday.
  
• 5.8 million PS3's sold in PAL territories.
  
• It's really great that the site's down. Amazing, in fact.
• Movie of SOE stuff.
• He's excited about the potential of MMOs on PS3.
• He's talking about The Agency now. SOE stuff. DC Universe Online and Free Realms.
• FIFA bundle, Potter bundle. Slim and Light will be left on market for period of time for 169 euros.
• PSP 3000 will launch on October 15 in PAL territories for 199 euros.
  
• Built in microphone confirmed
  
• Reeves just announced PSP 3000. It's new, Slim and Light case but with "enhanced LCD screen". More colours. "Crisper colours with more intesity when outside in the natural light."
  
• LBP, Killzone 2, Resistance 2 and Motorstorm are all going to be shown.
• He's going to show inovation and how PlayStation is changing with the times.
• "Everybody is a winner," though. Phew.
• "The losers, very quickly, become winners."
• He just read The Times They Are A' Changing.
• He's talking about Goethe. Now he's reciting a poem.
• Reeves on stage.
• They're showing a long video of various titles. Nothing new.
• It's started.