Xperia Play and Arc on pre-order – WIN tickets to the launch party!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Jen W. and Aruj, who should have received their invites. Remember to check your email!

Are you an Android fan who’s been wanting a little more out of their mobile gaming experience?  If so, then you probably already know this, but Sony Ericsson and Rogers have gone official with the Xperia Play, the first Android phone to feature PlayStation certification, as well as a slide out gaming controller.  Along with the Play is the Arc, which features the same specs but lacks a physical controller in favour of a larger screen and a more media-oriented usage, with an Exmor 8 megapixel sensor, along with the Bravia Engine built in for watching videos.  Both are available for pre-order now at the Rogers site.

There’s a big launch event being held at an undisclosed location this Wednesday at 7:30 pm.  If you’d like to spend some time with the phones, we might be able to help you out.  We have 2 pairs of tickets available for the event, and plenty of ways for you to win a pair…

• post a comment in this article with your contact info
• email, with contact details, show@rgbfilter.com with the word Xperia in it
• send a tweet out that has @rgbfilter Xperia in it
• Post a comment on the RGBfilter facebook page

See, I told you it would be easy.

CONTEST ENDS 12PM TUESDAY APRIL 12th. If you win we must have your contact info by 3PM Tuesday in order for Sony Ericsson to send you your tickets.

PRESS RELEASE

Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAYlaunching to market with over 60 games

The world’s first PlayStation® Certified smartphone now launching to first markets
More than 60 games available within the first week, including top franchises Assassins Creed, Need for Speed and The Sims Original PlayStation® titles available for download exclusively on Xperia™ PLAY Partnerships with over 20 publishers as well as middleware companies Unity and Havok to ensure a steady flow of new innovative games

London, April 1, 2011 – Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY, the world’s first PlayStation® certified smartphone, is now on sale in shops in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Russia, Hong Kong and Taiwan with further availability in an additional 6 markets over the next 2 weeks. The Xperia™ PLAY launches with more than 60 games from the industry’s biggest content providers including Sony Computer Entertainment, Gameloft, Electronic Arts and Glu Mobile. The range of games available to download at launch is a combination of original PlayStation® titles, well known 3D titles that take the full advantage of the graphical capabilities and controls of Xperia™ PLAY as well as popular casual games all optimized for the unique game pad.

Sony Ericsson has formed partnerships with over 20 developers from big publishers to independents, from middleware providers Havok and Unity to engaging Android developers, to ensure a steady flow of new titles for Xperia™ PLAY. Some of the highlights include:

• Assassins Creed Altair’s Chronicles HD – One of the most popular gaming franchises, with action, puzzles and stealth gameplay set in the Middle East of the Crusades
• Need for Speed – Grab the wheel of the fastest, hottest, and most powerful cars in the world. One of the most successful video game franchises of all times.
• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell – The latest instalment in this key franchise. Special Forces operative and renegade Sam Fisher returns to fight a corrupt secret agency.
• Dungeon Defenders Second Wave – Stunning graphics, intense gameplay and exclusive on Xperia PLAY.
• Gun Bros – Choose your weapon and join the ‘Freakishly Rugged’ action heroes Percy and Francis Gun as they take on a terrifying menagerie of alien beings.
• Galaxy on Fire 2 – Escape into space with hours of deep gameplay and mind blowing graphics in this space exploration game.
• Guns ‘n’ Glory – You lead a gang of bandits in this popular and award-winning casual tower defence game with a hilarious western theme.
• Worms – Send your worm platoons into battle in this award-winning turn-based strategy game.
• Zenonia 2 – The lost memories – Classic and popular RPG. Numerous quests following an epic storyline.
• Backstab – An epic 3rd person pirate adventure that incorporates intense sword fights and other dynamic combat modes. Launching on April 14th exclusively on Xperia™ PLAY.
• N.O.V.A.2 – Awesome graphics and intense multiplayer gameplay. This First-Person Shooter makes its Android debut exclusively on Xperia™ PLAY.

In addition Sony Ericsson is happy to confirm that Asphalt 6 – the latest instalment of one of the leading and top-selling racing games will be available for free exclusively on Xperia™ PLAY.

The games are downloadable via the “Xperia™ PLAY launcher”, an application that is activated by sliding open the gamepad. The “Xperia™ PLAY launcher” recommends games and enables consumers to search for top titles optimised for Xperia™ PLAY on Android market.

There is also a range of PlayStation® original games available at launch (in select markets initially). These are comprised of a pre-install of the PS One classic Crash Bandicoot®* and a further 5 PlayStation® original games available to download via the PlayStation® Pocket application in Xperia™ PLAY.

• Cool Boarders 2 – Time to pick up that snowboard again and rip through the snow with 16 intense racetracks.
• Destruction Derby – Original car carnage. Buckle yourself into a new car and destroy it but send your opponents to the junkyard first.
• Jumping Jack Flash – A first person platformer like no other. Leap around 6 colourful worlds in the cockpit of a robotic rabbit, hunting for the evil galactic property developer Baron Aloha.
• MediEvil™ – Resurrected 100 years later you have returned to defeat the sorcerer Zarok. Perhaps the world’s least worthy hero, you set out to save the land once again–for the first time.
• Syphon Filter™ – Become Gabe Logan: Guerrilla war expert. A man on a personal crusade to bring down an international terrorist ring and eliminate a deadly virus.

More games from Sony Computer Entertainment will be added to Xperia™ PLAY on a regular basis.

Dominic Neil-Dwyer, Head of Market Development at Sony Ericsson commented: “It’s great to get Xperia PLAY into consumers’ hands at last. This is just the start and the future is exciting based on all the interest and support we have from the game industry. A steady stream of fresh innovative content will be coming to Xperia PLAY over the coming months.”

Xperia™ PLAY will be available in the following markets starting from today and in the next two weeks: United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Spain, France, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Russia, India and Portugal.

As announced at Mobile World Congress Xperia™ PLAY will be in stores in the US market with Verizon Wireless this spring.

Appendix: Games available within the first week of launch:

• Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior from Digital Legends (pre-installed)
• FIFA 2010 from EA Mobile (pre-installed**)
• Sims 3 from EA Mobile (pre-installed**)
• Star Battalion from Gameloft (pre-installed**)
• Tetris from EA mobile (pre-installed**)
• Asphalt 6 from Gameloft (free to download)
• Dungeon Defenders: Second Wave from Trendy Entertainment
• Galaxy on Fire 2 from Fishlabs
• Assassins Creed from Gameloft
• Need for Speed SHIFT from EA Mobile
• Worms from EA Mobile
• Nova 2 from Gameloft
• Modern Combat Black Pegasus from Gameloft
• Guns n Glory from Handygames
• Reckless Racing from Polarbit
• Real Football 2011from Gameloft
• Gun Bros from Glu Mobile
• Racer Luma from Arcade/Unity
• Cordy from SilverTree Media
• Aporkalypse from Handygames
• Brothers in Arms Global Front from Gameloft
• Guerrilla Bob from Angry Mob Games/Unity
• Let’s Golf 2 from Gameloft
• Zenonia 2 from Gamevil
• Cyberlords from Handygames
• Guitar Hero™ Warriors of Rock Mobile from Glu Mobile
• Age of Zombies from Halfbrick Studios
• Spectral Souls from HyperDevBox Japan
• Splinter Cell Conviction from Gameloft
• Air Attack from Art in Games/Unity
• Armageddon Squadron from Polarbit
• Uno from Gameloft
• InfeCCt from Handygames
• Spiderman total Mayhem from Gameloft
• Millionaire City from Digital Chocolate
• Avatar from Gameloft
• Raging Thunder 2from Polarbit
• Homerun Battle 3D from Com2us Games
• Aftermath XHD from Jakyl
• I Must Run from GameLion
• Baseball Superstars 2011from Gamevil
• Ground Effect Pro from Jakyl
• ZeNonia from Gamevil
• Super KO Boxing 2 from Glu Mobile
• Farm Story from Team Lava
• Wave Blazer from Polarbit
• Soccer Superstars from Gamevil
• Battle Bears from Skyvu
• Tower Blocks New York from Digital Chocolate
• Super Dynamite Fishing from Handygames
• Iron Sight from Polarbit
• Toonwarz from Polarbit
• Restaurant Story from Team Lava
• Escape from AMA
• Raving Babies from AMA
• Bakery Story from Team Lava
• Denki Blocks! Deluxe from Jakyl
• Rollercoaster Rush from Digital Chocolate
• PlayStation original games:
• Crash Bandicoot® from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
• Cool Boarders 2 from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
• Destruction Derby from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
• Jumping Jack Flash from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
• MediEvil™ from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
• Syphon Filter™ from Sony Computer Entertainment

* In France Syphon Filter™ will be pre-installed on Xperia PLAY.

** Pre-install may vary by territory

Legal

© Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB, 2011

The Liquid Identity logo and Xperia are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB. Sony is a trademark or registered trademark of Sony Corporation. Ericsson is the trademark or registered trademark of Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson. Additional information regarding trademarks may be located on our website at: www.sonyericsson.com/cws/common/legal/disclaimer.

PlayStation® is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved. All terms are subject to change without prior notice.

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB, SE-221 88 Lund, Sweden.

Sony Ericsson celebrates its 10th year as a joint venture between Sony Corporation and Ericsson in October, 2011. Over the years the company has brought together the best communication technologies with superior entertainment user experiences to create its Xperia™ line of “the most entertaining smartphones” in the mobile handset industry. With its global corporate functions in London, Sony Ericsson has sales and marketing operations in all major regions of the world, as well as manufacturing in China, and product development sites in China, Japan, Sweden and Silicon Valley, California. For more information, please visit: www.sonyericsson.com/press.