LittleBigPlanet™ 2 Now Available, Exclusively for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) System

FOSTER CITY, Calif., Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. (SCEA) today announced the North American release of LittleBigPlanet™ 2, the sequel to the award-winning, multi-million unit selling hit LittleBigPlanet™, exclusively for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system.  Developed by Media Molecule, the same creative team that brought you LittleBigPlanet, LittleBigPlanet 2 provides players a new means to PLAY, CREATE, and SHARE, with revolutionary gameplay mechanics that allow for a level of control and customization that has never been seen before.  This franchise has always empowered players to CREATE their own levels with the same tool set used by the development team, but now with evolved creation abilities, players can not only make better levels, but completely new games across multiple genres.  LittleBigPlanet 2 also features a brand new storyline, a revamped graphics engine supplying stunning visuals, and added accessories and equipment to help Sackboy™ to make his way through this new world.

"Since the launch of LittleBigPlanet, our online community has uploaded over three million levels to the PlayStation Network, with creations popping up everyday that continue to amaze," said Scott A. Steinberg, vice president, product marketing, SCEA.  "With LittleBigPlanet 2, players now have the ability to create actual games across different genres, so it will be very exciting to see what our community can come up with.  LittleBigPlanet 2 also boasts a brand new story mode for Sackboy to explore that, coupled with the millions of user-created levels online, provides an endless entertainment experience that can be enjoyed by the entire family."

LittleBigPlanet 2 begins with a new story mode that provides a beautifully reshaped world for Sackboy to explore and PLAY.  The campaign includes 40 story levels across six different themes; each level influenced by cultural high points in history and visually stunning when seen through the game's revamped graphics engine.  All of the new levels and territories to PLAY fuse different historical ideas together to create fresh aesthetics that populate this new world, with themes including: Techno Renaissance, Steampunk and Cake, Neon Propaganda, Fluffy High-Tech, Designer Organic, and Hand-made Arcade.

With the implementation of a new CREATE mode, the tools have evolved to allow users to make actual games, not just levels.  Players can reset the controller buttons for any object and change the rules to any level using the Controlinator, and new multiplayer abilities advance the types of games possible for a social/competitive experience--imagine racing games, flying games, shooters, puzzle games, sports games, action/adventure games, and more.  

And what would a LittleBigPlanet game be without new SHARE abilities.  An enhanced SHARE experience will have gamers spending less time searching and more time playing the millions of levels and games created by fans around the world.  With the unveil of LBP.me (http://lbp.me/), a social networking website, every published online level/game will get its own webpage, so users can search/find creations while online at home/work, mark them, and have these favorites queued up and ready to PLAY when you return to your PS3 and sign onto PlayStation®Network.  Users will also be able keep an eye on what games/levels your friends are playing via activity steams, as well as link levels together to provide longer gameplay experiences without the breakup of going back to the 'Pod.'

Sackboy will also have new tools and equipment to aid him on his journey, including a Grapple Hook for swinging across large gaps and pulling small objects towards you, the Grabinator for picking things up and throwing them, and the customizable Creatinator for Sackboy to carry and can spew out anything a creator desires.  

Additional new features include the Music Sequencer, allowing players to compose their own musical score and connect in-game objects to your own custom tunes, a cinematic Cut-Scene Maker to create stand-alone movies or cut-sequences in levels, customizable Sackbots--interactive, programmable non player characters that bring the game to life, and of course a host of new CREATE materials and gadgets to satisfy any imagination.  

LittleBigPlanet 2 offers four-player offline and online multiplayer, a host of fun and challenging trophies to collect, and is backwards compatible with LittleBigPlanet allowing players to access the more than three million online levels created with the original game.  The Blu-ray disc will also include Sackboy's™ Prehistoric Moves--stand-alone bonus levels that support PlayStation®Move.  LittleBigPlanet 2 is a single or multiplayer creative gaming experience that has an ESRB rating of "E" for Everyone.  For more information about the ESRB, visit www.esrb.org.  For more information about the LittleBigPlanet franchise, visit www.LittleBigPlanet.com.

Acclaim for the LittleBigPlanet Franchise

Since its launch in October 2008, the LittleBigPlanet franchise has sold more than four million copies worldwide.  It has been widely praised and critically acclaimed with more than 80 industry awards worldwide, 15 of which have been for Game of the Year categories, with awards ranging from the top gaming critics to prestigious organizations such as the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) and The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).  The title has established the PLAY, CREATE, SHARE creative gaming genre and the game continues to grow and evolve, helped by the support of countless fans around the globe.  The customizable nature of the unique PlayStation® exclusive title allows players to alter characters and build entirely new objects and levels, then share and play them online as part of the LittleBigPlanet community.  In fact, the sharing nature of the game has become so embraced, it has attracted fans to publish more than three million levels to the PlayStation Network since the award-winning game was released.  

About Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC

Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one® systems, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, the ground-breaking PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system and its online and network services the PlayStation®Network and PlayStation®Store. Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one, PlayStation 2, PSP, PSPgo and PS3 systems for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC serves as headquarters for all North American operations.

Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com.

"PlayStation", "PSP", "PS one" and the "PS" Family  logo are registered trademarks and "PS3" is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. LittleBigPlanet ©2007 Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.  Developed by Media Molecule.  LittleBigPlanet is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.  Sackboy is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC.

SOURCE Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC