SingStar returns on PS4 and PS3

Sony just confirmed that the SingStar series will return on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3. The SingStar karaoke game craze debuted on PlayStation 2 and continued well into PlayStation 3’s lifecycle, only to be transformed into a free-to-play service in recent years. It seems that the PlayStation 4 installment in the series will return to the series’ roots of standalone game experiences, at least at retail.

The new game is called SingStar Ultimate Party and it is scheduled to launch on PS4 and PS3 in 2014, but no later than Christmas. There is no firm release date, but it’s fair to think that Sony will want to catch the holiday season in order to maximize sales. The biggest feature the new SingStar has over the older games is the fact that you don’t need a microphone in order to sing to your favorite songs.

The game will launch alongside an app for iOS and Android, which will be able to connect to the console via WiFi and transmit the microphone data from the phone inside the game. This is a very elegant solution to buying extra peripherals, but those who already have the microphones can still use them. The game is compatible with older generations of SingStar mics, and we can assume that a new generation will be launched alongside the new game.

The game will launch at retail and will include 30 tracks for  $29.99/£24.99. You can also try a free version of the downloadable edition which includes snippets from ten of the songs, with the option to buy individual songs for $1.99 a piece via the SingStar Store.

Right now Sony is working to make the songs cross-buy, meaning that tracks bought on one platform should activate automatically on the other.  This may not be a seamless process, though, given the licencing needed for each individual track, meaning that you may be required to buy some songs again.