Sony Apologizes to Users, Announces New PlayStation Vita & 3D Gaming Package

Jack Tretton, CEO of Sony (NYSE: SNE) Computer Entertainment America, didn't ignore the proverbial "elephant in the room" Thursday, apologizing for recent PlayStation online network outages at the E3 gaming conference.

"And for those of you left the PlayStation brand or were never part of it, we hope the next 90 minutes will convince you to come back or join," Tretton noted.

Sony announced two new products at its keynote event, with the first being the new PlayStation Vita portable device. To be available at the end of this year for $249 for the WiFi-only model, or $299 for the 3G version, the device incorporates a 5-inch multi-touch OLED as the front display and a multi-touch pad on the rear.

According to gadget blog Engadget.com, "The device, also known as the PS Vita, offers up six-axis motion sensors, dual analog controls (proper ones, with thumbsticks), front- and rear-facing cameras, an OLED touchscreen, and a touchpad on the back, too. The company showed off a number of top-tier titles, including Uncharted: Golden Abyss, a hack-and-slash RPG called Ruin, a new ModNation Racers, LittleBigPlanet, and Street Fighter x Tekken, each showing off plenty of motion and touch interactivity... things that we couldn't be more elated to try for ourselves in due time."

Sony also announced a new 3D gaming package that will be available this fall. A 24-inch 3D Display will be packaged with 3D Glasses, an HDMI cable and the PlayStation 3 game Resistance 3.

Expected to retail for $499, Sony notes that it was "Designed to deliver the ultimate gaming experience only possible on [a] 3D Display; it utilizes new proprietary technology that allows two players playing a multi-player game to see individual, unique, full-screen images of gameplay using the bundled 3D Glasses and supported software title."

Sony has recently been battling a number of difficulties, including the hacking of its consumer data servers and the prolonged outage of its PlayStation online network. The natural disaster in Japan has also impacted the company.

Sony is engaged in the development, design, manufacture, and sale of various kinds of electronic equipment, instruments, and devices for consumer, professional and industrial markets, as well as game consoles and software.