Sony Online Entertainment

According to business news trade sources, Sony may be posting massive losses for the fiscal year ending March 31. Sony could be facing up to 100 million yen in losses (1.1 billion US dollars) according to industry analysts, though the Nikkei Business Daily thinks that might double to 200 million yen (2.2 billion US dollars) if the industry giant cannot ship some of its stocked up inventory.

This past July Sony Online Entertainment awarded the first G.I.R.L - Gamers In Real Life Game Design Scholarship. Julia Brasil of San Francisco was chosen to receive a 10-week internship with SOE.

Julia has posted her first blog, sharing with us which studio she chose and why, and what her first week on the job was like! You can read the blog here!

Every year tens of thousands of fans descend on San Diego for 4 days to experience the most anticipated event of the summer, Comic Con. For the third year in a row, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) opened their doors on Saturday and welcomed the public (not just Comic Con attendees) to tour their offices.

Just when it seems like Comic-Con can't get any better, the legends start to emerge and walk amongst the fanbase!

Last night, Actor Mark Hamill, better known as Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars triology, and legendary comic book artist Jim Lee attended the Sony Online Entertainment's fan party at San Diego Comic-Con. Star Wars and comic book fans alike flocked to get a chance to meet these two gods of gamer godhood.

Sony Online Entertainment has announced the schedule for Fan Faire 2008 to be held August 14-17 at the Las Vegas Hilton. Events will be held virtually 'round the clock, including tournaments, themed live events, a career fair, and much much more! Extra goodies are available to all attendees this year, and pre-registering earns you an invite to upcoming selected SOE betas!

For more information on Fan Faire 2008, please follow this link!

Sony Online Entertainment has announced the winner of the first-ever G.I.R.L. Game Design Competition! The competition, designed to help boost female educational opportunities, was developed in conjunction with The Art Institute of California. Providing not only monetary assistance towards tuition, the scholarship also guarantees a paid internship of up to 10 weeks with Sony Online Entertainment in Austin, Denver, San Diego or Seattle.

SAN DIEGO, CA – June 9, 2008 – Six original pieces of artwork showcasing the epic fantasy characters from the EverQuest© franchise online trading card game Legends of Norrath™ are featured in the prestigious EXPOSÉ 6 digital art book hitting store shelves this week, Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) announced.

The illustrations by multiple distinguished SOE artists will be included in the video game section of the latest EXPOSÉ book. The annual compilation showcases the finest digital art in a variety of fields, including games, digital illustration, television and 3D.

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) , a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, today announced dates for Fan Faire 2008. Las Vegas again will play host to players from around the world as they gather to meet fellow gamers, mingle with the dev teams that bring us our favorite SOE titles, and partake in the various tournaments and other activities planned.

For more details on registration and hotel accommodations please visit the SOE Fan Faire page.

Mark your calendars for August 14 – 17, 2008 and we'll see you in Vegas!

Fantastic news today from the organizers of the 2008 ION Game Conference :

SEATTLE, Washington, January 30, 2008 - The 2008 ION Game Conference solidified its credentials as a premier online game industry event with the announcement that John Smedley, President of Sony Online Entertainment (SOE), is scheduled to deliver the Wednesday, May 13th keynote address at the conference. Mr. Smedley intends to focus on the accomplishments – past, present and future – of SOE and the MMO category in general. He will also highlight SOE’s Seattle studio, the driving force behind the development of the highly-anticipated online adventure/shooter currently in development for the PC and PLAYSTATION&® computer entertainment system, The Agency.

As President of Sony Online Entertainment, Mr. Smedley is responsible for the company's overall vision and growth, as well as management of SOE's hundreds of employees. Mr. Smedley has more than a decade's worth of experience in the interactive entertainment industry, including positions with ATG, Knight Technologies and five years with 989 Studios as Director of Development. Mr. Smedley was instrumental in the creation and development of the original EverQuest and was co-founder of Verant Interactive, Inc., which became Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) after it was purchased by Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2000. Under his leadership, Sony Online Entertainment has grown from a small developer with a single online PC game to an industry leader with hundreds of thousands of subscribers and multiple titles published on the PC, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, wireless and handheld platforms.

“John Smedley and SOE have had an indelible impact in the online game industry,” said Peter Freese, Conference Director for the 2008 ION Game Conference. “His insight of the past and vision for the future is a message we are excited to share with our attendees.”

The ION Game Conference is an annual game industry event designed for an international attendee audience, and development and business trends, at the highest level. Visit the official website http://www.ionconference.com for the latest news and information about the ION Game Conference. To review the global and diversified advisory board supporting the ION Game Conference, visit http://www.ionconference.com/advisors.html. To keep informed about the latest news about ION and the online game industry, sent straight to your e-mail Inbox, sign up for the free ION Connection newsletter at http://www.ionconference.com/signup.html.

In addition, early registration is now open for the 2008 ION Game Conference on the official website. An attendee pass permits access to all keynotes, the expo floor, all sessions and panels, as well as conference parties. Discounted attendance rates are available for early registrants for a very limited time.

There's not a better time to start playing LoN than now with the release of its first expansion, Forsworn! Here is SOE's PR: