PlayStation Teams Up with Rowling on New Harry Potter Venture

So, a new Harry Potter venture called Pottermore is announced. According to the official website it's "a free website that builds an exciting online experience around the reading of the Harry Potter books." But what we're interested in is on the Official PlayStation blog.

Warners has the movie rights. Bloomsbury, and Scholastic (the US publisher) have the paper rights. The digital book rights have been a point of contention for some time. Could Sony have got in there?

Well, the official EU PlayStation Blog is making a very big deal over the launch of Pottermore, running the full release before any mention, for example, of the latest PS3 firmware update.

Certainly the PlayStation blog is clear on Sony's interest:

"J.K. Rowling today, Thursday 23rd June, answered mounting speculation about the nature of her new project and announced Pottermore, a unique and free-to-use website which builds an exciting online experience around the reading of her hugely successful Harry Potter books, and is partnered by Sony."

It then states, "J.K. Rowling’s announcement on YouTube and sony.com today revealed that Pottermore (along with the Pottermore Shop) will be open to all users in October 2011. From today, 23rd June, fans can submit their email addresses on Pottermore.com in order to be contacted by the site following the opening of registration on 31st July, Harry’s birthday. Also on that date, an online challenge will be launched, whereby the first million people to complete their registration will gain early entry into the website, and help put final touches to the experience."

Even Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Sony gets a comment, “Sony’s association with J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore brings together one of the world’s most innovative brands with the most successful book series in history, in a pioneering partnership that will help shape the future of story-telling. We are proud to be a part of it, both at this momentous announcement, and as we collaborate on its development over the coming years."

But right now, all we can see is a website which, according to Ms Rowling, "will also be the exclusive place to purchase digital audiobooks and, for the first time, eBooks of the Potter series."

Sure, Sony has E-readers and it's trying to tie all parts of the business together. But could the PS3 or PSP Vita being used as platform for Harry Potter E-books too?

Here's the video: