Official Killzone 2 Box Art Unveiled

Sony has revealed the official box art from Guerilla Game's mega-shooter, Killzone 2.

We're going Killzone 2 crazy at the moment and this packshot just feeds our addiction.

Limited Edition Final Fantasy VII PS3 Coming in April

Square-Enix has revealed the first image of the limited edition Final Fantasy VII PS3. Pictured on the below, you'll see the Final Fantasy VII style PS3. Dubbed 'Cloud Black', this PS3 will come individually numbered and packaged with a Blu-ray version of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete. Of course, the real appeal of getting Advent Children Complete on Blu-ray is the Final Fastasy

XIII demo. Oddly enough, Advent Children will have the option of English voices, but it'll lack the option for English subtitles if watching in Japanese. Also, the Final Fantasy XIII demo will not feature English subtitles or voice work. Too bad.

Complete package details:

• "Cloud Black" HDD 160GB PS3
  
• Final Fantasy XIII Trail Version Set (FFXIII demo)
  
• Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete Blu-ray disc

The Cloud Black PS3 will come with a 160GB HDD and release on April 16th for 49,980 yen ($550 give or take a bit). No word on an oversea release, though.

Killzone 2 PS3 Bundle Coming to Europe

It seems that all we’re posting lately is Killzone 2 releated. From hands on impressions to release dates.

Now it seems that there is some more news that needs posting.

It seems that Sony are all set to release a official PS3 bundle with the game and a PLAYSTATION 3 if this packshot is anything.

The bundle is for Europe only right now with no current plans from either SCEA or SCEJ as of now but we’ll hedge a bet that SCEA will do something similar and announce it just before launch.

No price has been given yet but we’ll assume it’ll be out with the game on Februrary 25th in Europe and February 27th in the UK

While a bundle seems to be the most obvious thing right now in the world, it’s still a good move for the game as there are alot of people who are buying a PLAYSTATION 3 just to get Killzone 2.

Anyways, pack shot below:

Future Gran Turismo Titles In 3D Vision?

Over at the 2009 CES Convention, the folks at Ars Technica got a chance to preview some of Sony’s new 3D gaming technology, which is supposed to take the visual experience to a totally new level. Some of the games on display at the booth were Wipeout HD and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, both in 3D format. For now though, the details are still tightly under wraps and how they achieved that 3D effect is still unknown to the public. The technology is still a work is progress and is not definitely confirmed for the future, but it still looks promising.

“This probably won’t be the last 3D display we see at CES, but as a proof of concept, our appetite is whetted. Sony claims that they have Gran Turismo Prologue playable on the display, but I just wanted to take one home. The company is hedging its bets about how long it will take to get this level of 3D into your home, but if this tiny taste was any indication, there is a ton of promise.”

For now, there is not really much to say about it, but if this 3D technology does become a reality, we may be lucky enough to see it in future Gran Turismo titles (not GT5 though, so don’t get over excited).

Source

Record high for videogaming sales

Sales of videogames in the UK hit an all time high of 82.8m in 2008, figures from the industry trade body show.

The Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) said that consumers spent £4.03bn on video game hardware and software.

Total video game sales were in excess of £1.9bn, 23% more than the previous year and more than double the total earnings over the past five years.

Console sales accounted for another £1.422 billion.

Figures from ELSPA suggest that video games for the Nintendo Wii made up almost a quarter of all software sales, with more than 20m games sold. This was an increase of 112% on the previous year.

Software for the firm's handheld game console - the Nintendo DS - also proved popular, with more than 19.1m copies sold.

Games for Microsoft's Xbox 360 also did well, with a 51% rise in sales.

And there was some good news for Sony.

Sales of software for its PlayStation 3 console role by 145%, selling 10.4 million units - more than double the 4.2m games sold in 2007.

ELSPA's managing director, Michael Rawlinson, said the growth of games pitched at the casual user had help fuel the growth.

"Videogaming is increasingly bringing families together with the introduction of so many outstanding family-based console titles.

"These have really opened up the market to those who may never have even considered playing a videogame before," he said.

But with economic worries, and a shortage of blockbuster titles, some experts think 2009 may not be so rosy.

Speaking to the BBC, veteran game designer Peter Molyneux said he had concerns.

"While there is stuff in 2010 we can look forward to, off the top of my head, I cannot think of anything this year that really excites me."

"Everyone says games are good value for home entertainment, despite the relatively high price. I'm not so sure.

"I think we're going to see a lot of price pressure put on games," he added.

Source

Evolution and WipEout Team to merge under one roof

Two of the best PlayStation 3 racing game developers are to eventually merge under one roof.

Developer Evolution Studios were purchased by Sony Entertainment in 2007, and have since released a successful sequel to their racing classic MotorStorm.

It's well known that the team shared not only their PlayStation 3 engine but also their knowledge with Sony Studio Liverpool in the creation of WipEout HD. The collaboration resulted in a stunning full-1080p, 60 frames-per-second futuristic racer.

The studios have always been intertwined, in a similar way to the connection between Ninja Theory (the developer of Heavenly Sword) and Sony Cambridge. Evolution Studio was formed in 1999 by Martin Kenwright and Ian Hetherington. Ian had previously founded Psygnosis, which is now...Sony Studio Liverpool.

Sony's head of Worldwide Studios in Europe, Michael Denny, tells Gamesindustry.biz of the relationship between the two Northern studios;

"You may be aware that Evolution and our Liverpool Studio have now merged in terms of management structure and using combined resources. Liverpool had great success this year with Wipeout HD and they also helped on MotorStorm as well.

"Each studio has its own internal concepting group which will always be looking at new opportunities and new IPs, and we'll continue to extend and innovate within our existing franchises as well."

When asked whether the studios would merge completely in the future, Denny replies;

"Yes, it was always the intention with them being in the same geographic location and working so closely together, it would be ideal if they could be housed at some point within the same site, but it's not happening overnight."

This wouldn't necessarily mean that the teams would collaborate together to create one game. The teams would remain separate, but being under one roof would allow them to more efficiently share resources.

In our opinion this is great news for Sony's internal development studios.

Source

Killzone 2 Demo Primed for Launch

Sony has confirmed that a demo edition of Guerrilla Games’ Killzone 2 will be available on PSN before the full game officially launches.

SCEE has confirmed that the demo will be available to European PS3 owners, while Americans eager to sample the FPS will have to pre-order the full game GameStop to get access.

Commencing February 3, GameStop will hand out demo download codes to customers in return for their pre-order deposit. Access to the Killzone 2 demo will remain this way until the title's official US release on Feb 27, afterwhich it'll be free to all.

And while SCEE couldn’t provide precise details on the demo’s release date in the UK, a spokesperson told news site VideoGamer that it will be released in Europe in a “normal manner”.

Panasonic, Dolby Fight to Land 3-D Blu-ray Standard

Earlier this week, news broke that Dolby Laboratories is pushing its 3-D Blu-ray Disc technology with content providers in hopes of scoring the prized industry standard when Blu-ray in 3D debuts. Dolby's standard would utilize existing Blu-ray players, 3-D equipped TVs and glasses with specs determined by TV manufacturers.

Today, an article in The Nikkei Japanese newspaper today is reporting Panasonic will be unveiling their 3-D Blu-ray technology, that would be built into software and hardware, at CES this week. It would utilize special glasses viewing alternating left-and-right eye images at 120fps to achieve a 3-D effect on-par with what you'd find in the movie theater today.

These two proposed standards likely won't be the last. The future of home entertainment, for both movies and videogame consoles like the next iterations of Xbox 360 and PS3, is pointing more and more towards 3-D with each passing day.

The fear many, including us, don't want to face is another "format" war like HD DVD and Blu-ray where multiple 3-D standards are released to the marketplace. One war slowed the adoption of Blu-ray already. In this economy, the clearer options are to consumers, the better.

If a standard can be adopted relatively soon and manufacturing gets underway with relatively little issue, the first 3-D Blu-ray hardware, software and TVs are expected to hit the marketplace in mid-to-late 2010.

Source

Reeves: Profit is number one priority in 2009

President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, David Reeves, has said that the priority for the PlayStation business in 2009 is to finally make a profit.

Speaking on the official PlayStation website, the exec noted that the company must reduce the pressure to turn a profit before concentrating on pushing games and services.

"The most important thing for us as a company in the very short term is for us to start making money," he said.

"This is a pledge that was made last March and is something that we are still very much on target to achieve. Once we have achieved this, I think it will be a very exciting time for PlayStation.

"Once we have alleviated that specific pressure, we can move forward at a rate of knots," added Reeves.

As well as previously announced titles on the horizon, Reeves also highlighted the launch of music and video download service Vidzone, for the PlayStation Network, as key to the console's offering in the coming year.

Vidzone was previously announced to go live in Q1 2009, but Reeves mentioned the service will not go live until later in the year.

"2009 promises to be a very exciting year for PS3, with blockbuster titles such as Heavy Rain and Killzone 2 coming out, whilst we have the music and video download service becoming available towards the end of the year."

"We have built our reputation over the years on great entertainment, and innovation and 2009 will be a prime example of PlayStation at its very best," added Reeves.

Source

European PSN releases for December 24th

Merry Christmas from SCEE. Today's update brings three full games, three demos, the normal extreme amounts of music-based DLC and, of course, the LittleBigPlanet Metal Gear Solid pack. There are also a bunch of price drops on some excellent PSN games (though, is it just us or has WipEout HD always been that price..?). Savage Moon is good fun, particularly if you're a tower defense fan. Here's the full release list:

Playable Content

• Savage Moon full game (£6.29/€7.99)
• Mahjong Tales: Ancient Wisdom full game (£7.99/€9.99)
• Street Fighter Alpha Warriors' Dreams PS1 game (£4.79/€??)
• WipEout HD demo
• Metal Gear Online demo
• Sonic Unleashed demo

Seasonal Offers

• WipEout HD (£11.99/€14.99)
• Super Stardust HD (£3.99/€4.99)
• PAIN (£3.99/€4.99)
• The Last Guy (£3.99/€4.99)
• Toy Home (£3.99/€4.99)
• echochrome (£4.79/€5.99)
• Toy Home: Second Gear expansion (£1.59/€1.99)
• Snakeball Team Mode add-on (£1.59/€1.99)
• Eye of Judgment Set 2 & 3 combo pack (£8.39/€11.99)
• flOw (£3.99/€4.99)

Add-on Content

• Shaun White Snowboarding "Glamour" pack (£3.99/€4.99)
• Buzz! Quiz TV "National Geographic: Undersea" pack (£6.29/€7.99)
• Everybody's Golf: World Tour "Mainichi Issho Lobby Character Headwear" (free)
• Everybody's Golf: World Tour "Toro" character pack (free)

LittleBigPlanet DLC

• Metal Gear Solid costume kit (£4.79/€5.99)
• Metal Gear Solid level kit (£4.79/€5.99)
• Metal Gear Solid "Raiden" costume (£1.59/€1.99)
• Metal Gear Solid "Screaming Mantis" costume (£1.59/€1.99)
• Metal Gear Solid "Meryl" costume (£1.59/€1.99)
• Metal Gear Solid "Solid Snake" costume (£1.59/€1.99)

Rock Band DLC

Foo Fighters Pack 1 (£2.49/€3.99)

• "DOA" - Foo Fighters (£0.99/€1.49)
• "This is a Call" - Foo Fighters (£0.99/€1.49)
• "Times Like These" - Foo Fighters (£0.99/€1.49)

Rockin' the Holidays 2008 Pack (£1.69/€2.29)

• "Blue Christmas" - The Pretenders (£0.59/€0.79)
• "Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You" - Billy Squier(£0.59/€0.79)
• "Hanukkah Blessings" - Barenaked Ladies (£0.59/€0.79)

Guitar Hero World Tour DLC

• "Because of You" by Nickelback (£4.39/€5.49)
• "Light It Up" by Rev Theory (£1.59/€1.99)
• "Use Me" by Hinder (£1.59/€1.99)
• Hard Rock Track Pack (£1.59/€1.99)

Videos

• 2x Mirror's Edge trailers
• MotorStorm Pacific Rift "Water Zone" trailer
• Shoot! episode 6 -- "The Dreaming"
  

Enjoy.

List of Spike video game award 08 nominees and winners

Game of the Year

Gears of War 2
Grand Theft Auto IV
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Fallout 3
LittleBigPlanet

Best Independent Game

World of Goo
PixelJunk Eden
Braid
Audiosurf

Studio of the Year

Media Molecule
Rockstar North
Harmonix
Bethesda Game Studios

Big Name in the Game Female

Dame Judi Dench as “M”
Eliza Dushku As “Shaundi”
Liv Tyler As “Betty Ross”
Jenny McCarthy As “Tanya”

Big Name in the Game Male

Liam Neeson As “Father”
Kiefer Sutherland As “Sgt. Roebuck”
Ricky Gervais As “Himself”
Daniel Craig As “James Bond”

Best Performance by a Human Female

Debi Mae West As “Meryl Silverburgh”
Keeley Hawes As “Lara Croft”
Paula Tiso As “Silvia Christel”
Nathalie Cox As “Juno Eclipse”

Best Performance by a Human Male

Stephen Fry As “The Narrator”
David Hayter As “Old Snake”
Jason Zumwalt As “Roman Bellic”
Michael Hollick As “Niko Bellic”

Best Multi-Player Game

Call of Duty: World at War
Resistance 2
Left 4 Dead
Gears of War 2

Best Original Score

LittleBigPlanet
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Spore
Fallout 3

Best PC Game

Left 4 Dead
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning
Crysis Warhead
Spore

Best PS3 Game

Grand Theft Auto IV
LittleBigPlanet
Resistance 2
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Best Wii Game

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
No More Heroes
Wii Fit
Boom Blox

Best Xbox 360 Game

Fallout 3
Grand Theft Auto IV
Gears of War 2
Fable II

Best Soundtrack

Guitar Hero World Tour
Rock Band 2
Grand Theft Auto IV
LittleBigPlanet

Best Action Adventure Game

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Mirror’s Edge
Grand Theft Auto IV
Dead Space

Best Driving Game

Mario Kart Wii
Midnight Club: Los Angeles
PURE
Burnout Paradise

Best Music Game

SingStar
Wii Music
Guitar Hero World Tour
Rock Band 2

Best Game Based on a Movie or TV Show

Naruto: The Broken Bond
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Quantum of Solace
LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures

Best Graphics

LittleBigPlanet
Gears of War 2
Fallout 3
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Best Original Score

Fallout 3
Spore
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
LittleBigPlanet

Best Handheld Game

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Patapon
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
God of War: Chains of Olympus

Best Individual Sport Game

Skate It
Wii Fit
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09
Shaun White Snowboarding

Best Fighting Game

Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Soul Calibur IV

Best RPG

Fallout 3
The World Ends With You
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning
Fable II

Best Shooter

Gears of War 2
Left 4 Dead
Resistance 2
Far Cry 2

Gamer God award given to Will Wright

Harrison: "Sony took absolutely the right decision" to recall LBP

Atari president Phil Harrison has told GamesIndustry.biz that he believes Sony took "absolutely the right decision" in recalling LittleBigPlanet over the controversial references made to the Qur'an.

Harrison, who was previously president of Sony Worldwide Studios before taking on his current role - and who championed the title from the very beginning - also thinks that the delay won't affect the game's ultimate success "one iota".

Source

Sony and Toshiba to begin mass producing 45nm cell processor in 2009

Japan's Nikkan is reporting that Sony and Toshiba will begin mass production of the 45nm Cell processor in 2009 -- not this autumn as previously rumored. The smaller chip which cost less than the current 65nm Cell to manufacture also require 40% less power to run. This opens the door to possible price drops on existing PS3 consoles in 2009 as well as slimmer, cooler running rigs should Sony decide to refresh the industrial design.

Source

LittleBigPlanet Goes gold

Alex just announced on the Media Molecule website that LittleBigPlanet is finished!

“LittleBigPlanet is nearly in your hands! Rejoice! Time for champagne…” he said. Congrats to Media Molecule, it looks like LBP is right on schedule. The wait will be over soon!

LittleBigPlanet to Embarrass Xbox Live

Sackboy is about to show Xbox Live where it's at.

Is Microsoft's Xbox Live service better than the PlayStation Network? At one stage in this generation such a question would get little debate: Xbox Live for the win – at least from a user’s perspective. We’d still tend to give a nod in Live’s direction. With all of Microsoft’s extensive PC networking experience behind it, consumers have rallied behind the marketplace (despite its questionable pricing plans: microtransactions our collective arses!) and fallen in love with the social mechanics and achievements.

Sony has been playing catch-up all along. But catching up they have been, with each firmware update the PlayStation Network has become a more robust online alternative, to the point where there is a hint of the cross-media bar in the upcoming Xbox Live re-skin. Now Sony just need some killer software.

For a while there it looked like Home was going to be Sony’s big PSN hope, but a run of delays has seen interest in the product wane. But a new beast has risen to take its place: having just spent a few days goings hands-on with LittleBigPlanet and chatting with Nick Robinson, its Senior Product Manager, we think it could be LittleBigPlanet that really rocks Xbox Live’s boat in this key skirmish of the console war.

For the uninitiated, LittleBigPlanet is one of the bravest software concepts of all time. A side-scrolling platformer on the surface, its beating heart lies in user-creation, with gamers empowered to construct their own levels and freely distribute them across the Net to all other community members. As Nick informed us, the driving mantra during the game’s creation was ‘no cheating.’ Each of the 50 levels constructed in the main experience is developed with exactly the same tool kit provided to users in the creation mode.

In fact, Nick stated that originally they weren’t going to provide any maps at all, just the editing software. But instead the 50 levels were designed and included for the specific purpose of illuminating what can be achieved with the tool kit: they’re instruments of inspiration first, entertainment second. And while Nick informed us that there is already 12 months of planned DLC for the game, it will come in the form of new editing tools – a mini music studio was spoken about but not confirmed – coupled with levels that show off what it can do.

The possibilities in LittleBigPlanet are next to endless. As part of our time with the game, the assembled journalists were each given two hours to construct a map, with everything from skate-boarding simulations to hardcore platformers and cut-scene driven puzzlers spilling out of the nation’s finest critics.

Nick is aware that this leaves the door open to just about anything – he believes that they’ll probably get every Mario bros level ever developed day one – and they have strict moderation features to counter spam and indecency. But the truth of it is they are genuinely clueless as to what is going to happen. They really don’t know: they’re going to press the big green button step back and watch what happens. It’s the great unknown, but ultimately Media Molecule, and Sony, are charging headfirst into the unknown with barely contained excitement.

It’s a mentality that parallels the ground-breaking work being done by Will Wright on Spore, and it’s already working. In fact, Nick informed us that other Sony studios – including Guerrilla Games – are chomping at the bit to make their own themed-levels for their games – Sack-Helghast anyone? The game is filled with brilliant features that are sure to facilitate exponential community growth. Like the ability to create props and images that you can hide in your level as Easter eggs which, if discovered, will be delivered as prizes to the gamer for use in their worlds. Or to chain-link multiple levels together, so when you finish one it downloads the next, allowing guilds and clans to develop whole games of their own styling. Not to mention full website support covering things like stat-tracking of your average map rating, and fastest times in race maps. Not to mention that the game supports Trophies.

It’s going to go off. And it’s all facilitated by the freedom Sony gives to developers in the way they use the PSN. Such freedom does not exist on Xbox live.

We broached the subject of Xbox 360 with Nick and whether LittleBigPlanet could function as desired on the format: the answer was a disappointed shake of the head. Echoing the thoughts we heard from Epic Games Mark Rein last year regarding the issues they faced with wanting mods available for the Xbox 360 version of Unreal Tournament III (which subsequently resulted in a delay), and the frustration shown more recently by the developers of N+, Microsoft’s Draconian – and frequently hypocritical (seems to be ok in Halo 3 and Forza 2) – restrictions on user-generated content is proving to the be Live’s Achilles’ Heel.

Just today the developer of the highest rated XBLA game ever, Braid, sugested he would never work on the system again due to Microsoft's restrictions.

Getting a straight answer out of Microsoft as to what precisely is their problem has been a long trek down a dead-end. On the surface they’re saying it’s a bi-product of Xbox live being a ‘closed system’, and then there’s been a bit of the old ‘we can’t guarantee the quality, or that the content will be kosher’. But there are more than enough hints to suggest that Microsoft is simply worried that it will devalue the premium content on the Marketplace: as in they will lose money. Or more precisely, will not get as much money. Certainly Bizarre Creations, who were told they couldn’t give Geometry Wars away for free, would agree with this theory. Even Mark Rein has moaned about the need of “convincing Microsoft to let us give some things away for free."

As it stands, LittleBigPlanet is set to embarrass Xbox live and really challenge Microsoft’s views on user-generated content. The game has a tremendous amount of hype and having played it for hours now, that hype is certainly warranted. It’ll be a trendsetter for sure, and a host of LittleBigPlanet clones will surely appear down the track, all of which will seemingly need to head to the PS3. And LittleBigPlanet is just the first wave in an onslaught of user-driven experiences, including such big hitters as Guitar Hero: World Tour and Spore.

Indeed, if LittleBigPlanet fulfils its potential, appealing to mainstream and gamer alike, then it could very well force Microsoft’s hand by humiliating the revered Xbox Live system. Worse still for Microsoft is this all important question: what other unannounced games have already pledged themselves to the PS3 in order to jump on the user-content bandwagon?

Source

PS3 Trophies system having teething problems..........

Various forums are reporting few problems with the PS3's trophy & gamecard system. Several of the games that support trophies are not updating the gamecard with the trophy. I have had this problem my self with 'Buzz Quiz TV!'. My gamecard still shows a total of 19 trophies. When it should read a total of 24 trophies. Lets hope this problem will get sorted soon.

Let me know if you are having any of the mentioned problems.

E3 2008: Sony Conference overview

Playstation 2:
Hardware:

• Bundle with LEGO Batman and Justice League: New Frontiers DVD - R1140

Software:

• Buzz! (2008)
• LEGO Batman
• Madden NFL (2008)
• Mercenaries 2 (2008)
• NCAA Football (2008)
• Singstar (2008)
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (2008)
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour (2008)
• Yakuza 2 (2008)

------------------------------------------------------------

Playstation Portable:
Hardware:

• Bundle with Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters, National Treasure 2 UMD, a 1GB memory stick, and echochrome PSP voucher - R1520

Software:

• Buzz! Master Quiz (2008)
• LEGO Batman
• Loco Roco 2
• Madden
• Midnight Club Los Angeles Remix
• NBA 09
• Patapon 2
• Restistance Retribution (2009) - by Sony Bend, a third person title.
• Star Wars: Unleashed
• Super Stardust Portable

------------------------------------------------------------

Playstation 3:
Hardware:

• 80gb SKU - same functionality as 40gb

Software:

• 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
• Buzz Quiz TV (2008)
• DC Universe Online - Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Joker, Bane.
• God of War 3
• Gran Turismo 5 Prologue - Pay Per View content coming
• Ghost Busters
• Guitar Hero: World Tour
• HOME - Dedicated rooms. Graphical update.
• inFamous (2009)
• Killzone 2
• LittleBigPlanet (October 2008)
• MAG: Massive Action Game - Zipper Interactive. 256 players possible online!!!
• Mirror's Edge
• Motorstorm: Pacific Rift
• NBA 09
• Quantum of Solace
• Resident Evil 5
• Resistance 2 (2008)
• Singstar
• Socom: Confrontation
• Soul Calibur 4
• The Agency

• Crash Commando [PSN]
• Fat Princess [PSN]
• Flower [PSN]
• Pain: Amusement Park [PSN]
• Siren: Blood Curse [PSN]
• Ragdoll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic [PSN]
• Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty [PSN]

------------------------------------------------------------

Playstation Network:
Software:

• Single user sign-in for all Playstation customers

• Video rental service - Sony, Fox, Disney, Warner, MGM, Lionsgate, 20th Century and even Funimation. Studio backgrounds replace normal backgrounds. 85 films from Sony available on SD. HD rental also available for certain titles, with purchase as an option at R115. Files can be transfered to you PSP.

• Life with Playstation - News and weather with google earth.

E3 2008: Every confirmed PS3 game

E3 2008 begins today in LA. We waited until the last possible minute to bring you the final list of confirmed games, including all those that are PS3 exclusive.

Of course, we are expecting all sorts of additional titles to appear during the Sony conference on Tuesday 15th, but this is the list of games actually confirmed to be on the floor at the event.

• Baja: Edge of Control
• Bionic Commando
• Bionic Commando Rearmed
• BioShock
• Blitz: The League II
• Borderlands
• Buzz! Quiz TV(PS3 Exclusive)
• Damnation
• Dark Void
• Darksiders: Wrath of War
• Dead Space
• Edge of Twilight
• FaceBreaker
• Fallout 3
• Free Realms(PS3 Exclusive)
  
• Just Cause 2
• Killzone 2(PS3 Exclusive)
• Legendary
• LEGO Batman: The Videogame
• LittleBigPlanet(PS3 Exclusive)
• Madden NFL 09
• Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
• Mirror's Edge
• Monster Madness: Grave Danger(PS3 Exclusive)
• Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
• MotorStorm: Pacific Rift(PS3 Exclusive)
• NBA 2K9
• NBA Live 09
• NCAA Football 09
• NHL 2K9
• Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising
• PixelJunk Eden(PS3 Exclusive)
• Plunder
• Project Origin
• Pure
• Red Faction: Guerrilla
• Resident Evil 5
• Resistance 2(PS3 Exclusive)
• Rise of the Argonauts
• Saints Row 2
• SIREN: Blood Curse (Episode 1) (PS3 Exclusive)
• SOCOM: Confrontation(PS3 Exclusive)
• Soulcalibur IV
• Street Fighter IV
• Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
• The Agency(PS3 Exclusive)
• The Last Remnant
• The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
• This is Vegas
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09
• TNA iMPACT!
• Tomb Raider Underworld
• Wheelman
• WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009

Other PS3 games that are not confirmed too appear at E3:

• Final Fantasy XIII(PS3 Exclusive)
• Gods of War III(PS3 Exclusive)
• Twisted Metal PS3(PS3 Exclusive)
• White Knight Story(PS3 Exclusive)
• WipeOut HD(PS3 Exclusive)
• Uncharted 2(PS3 Exclusive)

Confirmed: Euro DUALSHOCK 3 for July 4 for £39.99

ust got this from Sony: 'I’m pleased to announce Dualshock 3 will be released in the UK on July 4th for £39.99'.

Press release:

DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controller
available for PLAYSTATION®3 this summer
Feel the full power of your games as the eagerly awaited DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controller arrives on PS3™

June 27, 2008: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced that DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controller will be available for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) in Europe on July 4, 2008. The eagerly awaited wireless controller with vibration function will put truly responsive gaming power into players’ hands, shaking up gaming experiences when it arrives on PS3 this summer.

It’s not what you see – it’s what you feel that makes DUALSHOCK 3 the first choice for all gamers. More than 28 million DUALSHOCK controllers have been sold since the first DUALSHOCK release for PlayStation® in 1998. Now DUALSHOCK 3 puts some serious power into existing and future PS3 titles, with its vibration function offering even more interactive play between gamers and the many games – past, present and future – which support the vibration functionality. DUALSHOCK 3 also retains the high-precision, high-response motion-sensitive aspects that have made SIXAXIS so popular.

David Reeves, President and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, commented, "We are delighted to confirm that DUALSHOCK 3 will be released in SCEE territories in early July. We hope this will add to the intense gaming experience for our fans, as we continue to evolve PS3, its software and its peripherals".

Almost all future PS3 releases will support DUALSHOCK 3, and the controller is already compatible with many existing PS3 titles (firmware upgrade 1.94 required). Face the heart-pounding fear of alien warfare in Resistance: Fall of Man™, hold tight as you tear through the streets of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue™, or feel the thrill of treasure hunting in Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune™ – your favourite PS3 games like you’ve never experienced them before.

Making your gaming experience more immersive, more intuitive and more realistic, DUALSHOCK 3 is the only Bluetooth® controller combining vibration function and SIXAXIS™ features, and the first choice for anyone wanting to get the most out of their PS3 gaming experience.

Official: FW 2.40 Video Walkthrough - Part #2: Trophies

Confirmed: Firmware 2.40 for July 2nd release

ust got this from Sony: “I’m pleased to announce Firmware 2.40 will be released Wednesday 2nd July.”

The following games are now confirmed to include Trophy support:

• BUZZ! Quiz TV
• LittleBigPlanet
• MotorStorm Pacific Rift
• NBA 09 - PS3
• PAIN
• PixelJunk Eden
• Resistance 2
• SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation
• Warhawk

Press release:

Get more from online gaming on PLAYSTATION®3
with the free 2.40 firmware enhancement

PS3™ to give online gamers the features they’ve been requesting:
XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) access in-game and trophies available in this free, automatic system upgrade

June 30, 2008: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced new online gaming functionality for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™), which will become available on July 2, 2008 with the 2.40 enhancement, an automatic firmware upgrade that delivers several of the features most requested by gamers. Combined with PLAYSTATION®Network’s unique service of free* online gaming, the enhancement makes PS3 an even more attractive platform of choice for the online gamer.

Firstly, the 2.40 enhancement allows XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) access in-game. This means that you can access the PS3 menu at any time while playing most games, simply by tapping the PlayStation button on your controller. With 2.40, you can check if any of your friends are online (thanks to their own user profile), read and send messages, change some settings for games, all without having to quit the game you are playing. While you can’t pause an online multiplayer game involving other people, you can rejoin play at any time when you’ve finished browsing. Along with these enhanced communications features, the Friends list capacity will double to 100 Friends.

2.40 also delivers trophies to recognise players’ achievements in the online arena. Other competitive activities recognise winners with trophies – so why not gaming on PS3? Many online games will have gold, silver and bronze trophies – with platinum available for those who snag all three – all displayed on the XMB for everyone to see.

Super Stardust™ HD, a PLAYSTATION Network-exclusive released last year, will be the first game to leverage the Trophies system and will offer a variety of trophies**. The following first-party games are also slated to offer Trophy support:

• BUZZ!™ Quiz TV
• LittleBigPlanet™
• MotorStorm™ Pacific Rift
• NBA 09 - PS3
• PAIN**
• PixelJunk™ Eden
• Resistance 2™
• SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation
• Warhawk™**

The 2.40 enhancement is just one more reason to join PSN, the online network for PS3 users that lets you game online for free*. All you need to do to join is connect your PS3 to broadband and register, or go to the connection guide at www.eu.playstation.com to find out more.

Once in, you’ll find online matches and leagues for all of your favourite games – whether that’s MotorStorm™, Resistance™, Warhawk™ or Gran Turismo™5 Prologue – absolutely free (although users are responsible for paying their broadband fees) and at any time of the day or night. You’ll also find PLAYSTATION®Store, where you can download entire games as well as extra levels, content for your existing games plus internet browsing, video chat thanks to PLAYSTATION®Eye and much, much more.

There’s never been a better time to join PSN. Sign up now to make the most of the 2.40 firmware enhancement - see www.(website).com to find out more.

* No subscription required, broadband fees apply
** Requires a game update to be downloaded and installed

Official: FW 2.40 Video Walkthrough - Part #1: In-Game XMB

Note: FW 2.40 Video Walkthrough - Part #2: Trophies will be available in a 'few days' with the actual FW 2.40 update being released soon after.

The extremely Limited Edition UK MGS4 watch

Isn't she lovely? This lovely Limited Edition Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots timepiece, now up for preorder at UK online retailer Gamestation, has been lovingly crafted using the finest stainless steel, engraved and numbered, and packed in a lovely black box with a silver MGS4 logo stamped on top along with a certificate of authenticity from Konami. Approved by Kojima himself, only 500 of these babies are being released on October 31st of this year, and they're only going to be available through Gamestation...who only ships to the UK, making me sad.

One of the team responsible for creating the limited edition dropped us a line to let us know that Gamestation accidentally put it up for order before the big announcement, so this would be an excellent time to order one before the rush. At £99.99 it makes an excellent gift for any member of the American gaming press sitting at their computer desk drooling over a watch.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Exclusive Watch [Gamestation Preorder Page - Thanks Dan!]

Guerrilla: Killzone 2 ready to take on Call of Duty 4

Killzone 2 developer Guerrilla Games has stated with confidence that it believes the highly anticipated First Person Shooter has lived up to the expectations of eager fans since the game debuted in trailer form at E3 2005.

"The level of anticipation for the 2005 trailer meant that people expected the biggest thing ever to materialize, and what we’ve shown so far, at last year’s E3 and today means that we’re living up to the expectation," commented Steven Ter Heide, Killzone 2’s senior producer.

Graphically, Killzone 2 has surpassed anything delivered on a console yet, with lifelike animations, facial expressions, and spectacular lighting and smoke effects. This combined with gameplay mechanics such as the "lean and peek" system, Killzone 2 looks set to deliver more than just a rudimentary FPS experience.


The firm also acknowledges the comparisons observed between Infinity Ward’s highly successful Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and virtually every new FPS on the market, though remains confident the studio can step up a gear when Killzone 2 hits shelves in February 2009.

"I’m not going to sit here and talk about the competition," said Guerrilla Games' Hermen Hulst. "COD is a game that virtually everybody in the office has played through and completed. We know where our game stands, and we’re up for it, definitely."

With over eight months left for development, Guerilla Games has plenty of time to ensure the title lives up to expectations when it releases exclusively for the PS3 early next year.

Blu-ray adoption outpaces DVD

Singulus has revealed that consumers are adopting Blu-ray faster than they did DVD, with the company having received 21 orders for Blu-ray dual-layer machines in the first quarter.

The information was revealed to shareholders at the technology manufacturer's Annual General Meeting of the Singulus Technologies in Frankfurt and directly contradicted claims by Microsoft's Robbie Bach that consumers were hesitant to upgrade to Blu-ray.

"This means that the orders for Blu-ray in the first year of the dual layer technology already by far exceeded the volume at the start of the DVD eleven years ago with 17 machines," said Stefan A Baustert, CEO of Singulus.

Blu-ray became the standard high definition format after Toshiba's decision to end its HD DVD business earlier this year. The announcement by Toshiba was then followed by Microsoft's decision to end production of the HD DVD player for Xbox 360.

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EU/US PlayStation Store Update 5th June 2008

EU

Games/Demos:
- Battlefield: Bad Company Demo (PS3)
- Dragonball Z Demo (PS3)
- Rainbow Six (PS1)
- Killzone Liberation (PSP)

DLC:
- Toy Home DLC
- 2 x Guitar Hero 3 Packs

Trailers:
- Resident Evil 5 Trailer
- Top Spin 3 Trailer

Other:
- Retro Theme

US

Games/Demos:
-Wolf of the battlefield: Commando 3 (Full Game)(PS3)
-Novastrike (Full Game)(PS3)
-Civilization Revolution Demo (PS3)
-Battlefield: Bad Company MP Demo (PS3)
-NASCAR 09 Demo (PS3)

Quore Digital Magazine:
-Qore Episode 001: June 2008 ($2.99 Issue, $24.99 Annual Subscription)

DLC:
-Guitar Hero III: God Of War Add-On
-Guitar Hero III: Motorhead Track Pack
-Rock Band: Tracks

Trailers:
-Resident Evil 3: Spring Trailer 2008
-Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 Trailer
-LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures Launch Trailer
-Dead Space Story Trailer
-Fracture Trailer
-Fracture Behind the Scenes ' Story'
-Hail to the Chimp: 3.00 AM

Game Music:
-God Of War 'The End Begins' Music Track

Introducing Qore: Taking you behind the curtain with PlayStation

Today we are announcing that Qore: Presented by the PLAYSTATION Network, a highly interactive, monthly lifestyle gaming program covering the world inside PLAYSTATION is on its way to PS3. Qore has been developed to give PS3 users early access to game related content at a level of quality, interactivity and depth. Everything is filmed in HD. Qore will feature exclusive news, developer interviews, in-depth game previews and behind-the-scenes looks at PlayStation games and special access to game demos, special beta invitations, game add-ons and other downloadable game-related content.
Our premier episode will be available on Thursday, June 5. The premier episode includes in-depth exclusive and never-before released content on upcoming PlayStation titles such as SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Secret Agent Clank, Soul Calibur 4 and Afro Samurai, as well as the latest Blu-ray Disc trailers, an exclusive SOCOM: Confrontation theme with an invitation to the SOCOM: Confrontation beta, art galleries and other surprises. We also know that many of you are big fans of Veronica Belmont, the widely-known host of numerous online video programs and podcasts and an avid gamer, so we’ve chosen her to be your host.

To get Qore, simply log onto PSN and go to the PLAYSTATION Store, as you would purchase any other form of downloadable content. Once the single Episode or annual subscription is purchased, that month’s episode will be downloaded under the “Game” heading on the Cross Media Bar (XMB). Users who purchase the “Qore Annual Subscription” will notice only that month’s episode is available to download. The following month, the new episode will automatically appear in your download list. The introductory price for Qore is $2.99 for a single episode and $24.99 for an annual subscription of 13 episodes, using your PLAYSTATION Network wallet.

As Peter Dille mentioned in a previous PLAYSTATION Network post, the broader service and community initiatives launching on the PLAYSTATION Network this year such as Qore, PlayStation Home and the Video Download Service are all evidence of our dedication to delivering an all-encompassing entertainment experience for PS fans. Qore is the first in a series of planned original programming specifically created for the PLAYSTATION Network community and we hope you enjoy it.

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Sony stops work on Eight Days and The Getaway

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has announced that it has stopped production on two PlayStation 3 titles that were in development at the Sony London Studio - Eight Days and The Getaway.

A statement from the Corporation read as follows: "It has been agreed that production of both Eight Days and The Getaway will cease immediately due to the redistribution of resources and budget.

"This decision was made following an internal review of all games and it was deemed that with the incredibly strong list of exclusive first party titles coming up both this year and in the near future, resource should be reallocated to enhance those projects closer to completion.

"Worldwide Studios has a reputation for innovative and entertaining games, with titles such as LittleBigPlanet, SingStar,Buzz, EyeToy and Eye of Judgement, and will continue to push the boundaries on all PlayStation platforms."

The move follows shortly after the appointment of Shuhei Yoshida as the head of Sony Worldwide Studios, replacing previous company icon Phil Harrison, who departed to take up the role of president at the re-imagined Atari.

Eight Days was first announced at E3 in 2006 with a trailer showing a mixture of what appears to be in-game action and cinematic footage, involving a shoot-out at a remote truck-stop in the Arizona desert.

The Guardian reported just a few weeks ago that the title was "just ramping up to full production," suggesting that the decision was taken only recently to terminate the title.

The Getaway, which was due to receive full attention once Eight Days had been released, was apparently still in the early stages of development.

Sony London Studios was previously responsible for the fantastically successful SingStar and EyeToy franchises. There has been no indication that the decision would result in any redundancies, or whether work on the projects would restart at a later date.

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Want a gunmetal gray PS3? all you need is a tin of spray paint

A member of the official Playstation forums has done a good job creating his own gun metal gray PS3. He used a tin of Tamiya Gunmetal TS-38 spray paint and used Testors Dullcote 1260 for the flat clear.
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PSM confirms BioShock for PS3, better on PS3

The June issue of UK PlayStation mag PSM3 has confirmed that Take-Two's Bioshock is coming the PS3. According to the magazine cover it will tell us "why Xbox's best shooter is better on PS3".


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Dev responds to IGN's Haze review - "MEGAowch"

With early reviews for Haze looking good (Famitsu 34/40 and Italian PSM 9/10), it came as a bit of a shock when IGN bestowed a dreaded 4.5/10 on the game in their review this morning. In curiosity, PSU.com contacted Rob Yescombe of Free Radical to hear what he had to say.

"My thoughts are "Owch". No, wait - MEGAowch," wrote Yescombe. "Haze has had mixed reviews, but even GoldenEye got a 4/10 when it first came out. With a 9/10 in the Italian PSM, and an extremely positive review in Famitsu, we're looking forward to people playing Haze and making a judgment for themselves".

According to IGN, Haze suffered from "a bland story with weak characters... [and] tons of visual issues, from texture tears and non-descript environments to pop-in and odd animation problems."

This comes as a surprise to us because back in March, PSU was given hands on with a near final build of the game and we thought the title looked fairly good. The graphics in particular looked crisp and the framerate was smooth.

With Haze releasing today in the US, and Friday in Europe, we'll see how well gamers will jump on board with the new PS3 exclusive.

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Sony to take action over 'Uncharted' replica gun sales

Sony Computer Entertainment has told GamesIndustry.biz that it will take action against a retailer selling air guns using branding from hit PS3 game Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.

At least one internet retailer is advertising the 'PS3 Uncharted Drake's Fortune Full Metal M92 Airsoft Gun', on sale for USD 169.88, using artwork from the game developed by Naughty Dog.

When contacted, Sony said that the product is not in any way officially endorsed and the company will take the appropriate action against retailers advertising such products.

"The Drake's Gun is not licensed or in any way sanctioned by SCE and one we certainly do not condone.

"We are investigating the source of this product and will proceed with the most appropriate action," said Sony.

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SCEA: Killzone 2 fact sheet

A Killzone 2 fact sheet has been released. The release details the story line and the features list talks mainly about the graphics. Experience a beautifully lit world brought to life by deferred rendering technology. Multiple shadows casting light sources bring out the highly detailed environments and character animations.

Press Release
KillzoneTM 2

FACT SHEET

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Developer: Guerrilla Games
Platform: PLAYSTATION®3 system
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Rating: “RP” for “Rating Pending”

OVERVIEW

Developed by Guerilla Games, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Killzone™ 2 is the highly anticipated first-person shooter created exclusively for the PLAYSTATION®3 system. Following events and action from the original Killzone for PlayStation®2, Killzone 2 brings players into a highly detailed, ultra-realistic “theater of war” that truly leverages the processing power of the PS3.

Throughout the campaign, players will encounter lifelike and adaptable artificial intelligence (A.I.) from enemies as well as fellow soldiers, destructible environments, and stunningly detailed scenery. Additionally, players will be tasked with utilizing a host of new weapons and vehicles in the war to stop the Helghast. Featuring an extensive single-player campaign and thrilling multi-player mode, Killzone 2 delivers a host of new gameplay elements and an intense storyline that will once again drive gamers to join the ranks of the ISA and fight the Helghast…this time on the enemy’s home planet.

STORYLINE

Two years after the Helghast assault on Vekta, the ISA is taking the fight to the enemy’s home world of Helghan. The ISA goal is direct: capture the Helghast leader, Emperor Visari, and bring the Helghast war machine to a halt. Assuming the role of Sev, a battle-hardened veteran and a member of the special forces unit known as the Legion, players will lead a group of highly trained soldiers on a mission to take out the Helghast threat. For Sev and his squad, the invasion of Helghan is just the beginning. Tasked with securing Pyrrhus, the Capital City, the team quickly discovers that the Helghast are a formidable enemy on their home planet. Not only have they adjusted to the planet’s hostile conditions, they have also harnessed a source of power they can now use against the ISA. Sev discovers his squad isn’t just fighting enemy forces – their fiercest opponent may be the planet itself.

KEY FEATURES

• Experience realistic, highly atmospheric environments that respond dynamically to the violent conditions on the planet Helghan.

• Witness the devastating effects of Helghan’s climate as it forces you and your enemies to adapt to new tactics.

• Control an arsenal of new and unique weapons and vehicles, in addition to trusty Killzone classics like the M82-G and the StA-52 LA.

• Face off against fearsome enemies who have learned to wield the hostility of Helghan itself against their opponents.

• Between Killzone 2’s unique visual style, the power of PS3, the use of EDGE tools, and the proprietary technology developed by Guerrilla, the game promises to impress players with its benchmark visuals, smooth character animation, detailed, effect-laden environments, and realtime cutscenes.

• Experience a beautifully lit world brought to life by deferred rendering technology. Multiple shadows casting light sources bring out the highly detailed environments and character animations.

• With true next-gen audio the player is further immersed in the world, supporting 7.1 surround and location-specific audio with wave tracing. Players will not only notice the difference between indoor and outdoor but also experience sound and music that are dynamic and contextual.

• Studio grade special effects will provide unprecedented visual fidelity. With full screen anti-aliasing, motion blur, internal lens reflections, and depth-based color grading, players will experience a picture that is sharp, smooth, and full of detail.

Source

Sony Sees Revenues And Profits Rise

Sony Corporation has reported its financial results for the year ending March 31, 2008, with revenues and profits up on the previous year.

In total, across the group, the company took JPY 8.87 trillion (USD 84.4 billion), a rise of 6.9 per cent on the previous year, with net income hitting JPY 369.4 billion (USD 3.51 billion) - almost tripling the previous year's total of JPY 126.3 (USD 1.20 billion).

Sales of buildings, as well as funds received from the flotation of its financial business last year, contributed to the strong showing, although its consumer products also performed well.

The majority of the good news came from its electronics division, with record sales and operating income on the back of Bravia TV and Cyber-Chot camera sales, but the videogames unit also posted a far more promising set of figures than last year.

Sales in that department increased 26.3 per cent year-on-year to JPY 1.28 trillion (USD 12.2 billion), resulting in a narrowing of the loss from JPY 232.3 billion (USD 2.21 billion) to JPY 124.5 billion (USD 1.18 billion).

The company cited the principal reasons for the reduction of those losses as a lower cost of production for the PlayStation 3 console combined with a strong performance - particularly in Japan - of the PlayStation Portable.

Sales performance in the next twelve months is expected to improve slightly, with revenues rising by 1 per cent to JPY 9 trillion (USD 85.6 billion), although the company forecasts a fall in profits, by 22 per cent to JPY 290 billion (USD 2.76 billion) mainly due to the expected appreciation of the Yen against the Dollar.

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LittleBigPlanet - Killzone 2 characters video

Below is a video showing LittleBigPlanet - Killzone 2 characters. The video was shown at the Playstation Day yesterday.

PS3 & Folding@Home reaches 2 Petaflops

Folding@Home computing power reaches 2080 Terraflop mark (2 petaflops).

As of November 2007, the IBM Blue Gene/L at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is the fastest operational supercomputer, with a sustained processing rate of 478.2 TFLOPS.

The Folding@Home network is over 4x more powerful than the second most powerful supercomputer.

The PS3 is providing 81% of the computing power. In comparison, Windows PCs are providing 9%. This is especially amazing since there is almost 4 times less PS3 than computers contributing.

Therefore the average computing power of a PS3 is approximately 32 times more than the average PC. This is due to recent updates to the Folding@Home application which make it more efficient.

100,000 MGS4 PS3 Bundles for Japan

That's a lot. Maybe.

Japan is recovering from its Golden Week period of holidays, making news slow from the island nation, but we did stumble upon one little bit that ought to help those who take part in office pools over system sales. The web version of Mainichi Shimbun newspaper reports today that Sony plans on shipping between 80,000 and 100,000 units of the recently announced MGS4 PS3 bundle. Sony refers to this as a limited edition bundle, so we presume they intend to sell out of it quickly.

First announced last week, this bundle combines a 40 gigabyte PS3 in your choice of Clear Black, Ceramic White, or Satin Silver colors, with an extra Dual Shock 3 controller and a copy of the standard version of MGS4, all for 49,800 yen. This amounts to a 4,000 yen savings over buying the items separately.

Konami has its own bundle on the way, which combines a new metallic color version of the PS3 with a copy of the MGS4 limited edition for 51,800 yen. Shipping quantities have not been revealed for this set.

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Haze Demo Coming To US PlayStation Network Tomorrow

Today, Ubisoft confirmed that a playable demo for Haze will be coming to the US PlayStation Store tomorrow. The demo was released yesterday on the European PlayStation Network, following the Playstation Day event. The demo features a sample of the single-player campaign, online 2-4 player co-op (drop-in/drop-out play), and 2-player split-screen play.

European DualShock 3 launch is “imminent”, says SCEE president

SCEE president David Reeves confirmed that DualShock 3 will be launching in Europe very soon.

“The DualShock 3 launch is imminent,” he told us in answer to a remark we made on the fact a Sixaxis is included in the newly-announced European MGS4 bundle.

The Euro boss gave no other hint as to when we’re specifically going to see the controller over here, or whether or not we’ve going to see it release before Metal Gear’s launch on June 12.

DualShock 3 has already launched in both America and Japan.

Rockstar and Sony plans to patch the PS3 version of Grand Theft Auto IV today to improve the multiplayer experience.

Speaking to Eurogamer, a Sony source explained that the patch would help by "reducing the loads on the servers at GameSpy and hopefully the completely random hangs that some users have seen".

PS3 owners who bought GTA IV last week have had to endure problems connecting to the multiplayer service almost from day one.

What's more, some reported random crashes , for which Rockstar suggested that erasing game data and reinstalling as a possible solution.

This week, UK chart monitor Chart-Track reported that 926,000 copies of GTA IV were sold during its first week on sale here - with 413,000 of going to PS3 owners.

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PlayTV to launch in Europe in September for 99 Euros

SCEE announced today that PlayTV will launch in Europe this September for 99 Euros which converts to about GBP 80/USD 154.

PlayTv will allow users to watch, pause and record live TV from a huge range of free channels, PlayTV lets you record a programme whilst watching another, record an entire series at the touch of a button or watch programmes on the go via Remote Play on PSP.

PlayStation Day Store update

The PlayStation Store has received its special Tuesday PlayStation Day update.

The content is as we expected:

The PlayStation Day trailers available include Motorstorm is back, Siren Blood Curse Trailer, Secret Agent Clank Trailer and finally a PlayStation Network PS Day Showcase.

High Velocity Bowling is finally available for £4.99; you can also splash out for an extra character Mick for £0.69, still nice if he was thrown in.

Blast Factor Advanced Research add-on back is on for £1.99 for anyone who is still playing this launch title.

Street Skater is our classic title for the usual £3.49

Two demos are available, the very good Condemned 2 demo is worth checking out and of course Haze is a must, the latter weighing in at about 1.5GB

Finally there is an additional trailer, Buzz Quiz TV

All that should keep you entertained till the next update on Thursday.

Go!View dated for Europe

Sony has revealed that its PSP video on demand service Go!View will be in the UK on 30th June. It will be out for selected countries in mainland Europe next month.

This is the first “official” PSP service of its type in Europe, according to SCEE boss David Reeves, and is a joint venture with broadcaster Sky.

It will be available on a pay-per-view or subscription basis, and lets you download films or telly shows such as drama or sport in five easy steps: log on, choose what you want, use your PC to download it, transfer it to PSP, and then, er, something; presumably watch it.

Sony is also keen to expand this model to the PS3:

“It’s also no secret that we’d like to launch a similar service on PS3... So watch this space.

Episodic Siren Blood Curse Hits PS3 this Summer

Siren Blood Curse is coming to the Playstation Network in twelve “TV-style, suspense-packed” downloadable episodes this summer, SCEE announced today.

GTA IV shatters UK first-week sales records

Title shifts almost a million units in first week; takes over £39 million at retail

Rockstar’s GTA IV has smashed all UK first-week sales records, according to official data obtained by MCV from industry monitor ChartTrack.

The game sold 926,000 units in the five-day period between its release (Tuesday, April 29th) and Saturday, May 3rd.

The title took a total of £39.9 million at UK retail – made up of Xbox 360 & PS3 software sales combined.

HOME won’t open till Kaz is happy with it

Today at the SCEE press conference Kaz Hirai made a statement on the PS3’s online community called Home. He apologized on the delay of Home but gave no time frame for it’s opening, if anything he said it won’t open until he’s happy with it.

Nissan To Sponser Gran Turismo Academy

Sony is teaming up with Nissan to offer what’s being billed as the “ultimate competitive driving test”.

The Nissan GT Academy prize is for two people to get a real-life racing tutorial over the course of four months. They’ll then get to compete in Dubai’s 24-hour race in January next year.

The competition will kick off on May 23rd on PSN. Speaking at the PlayStation Day conference SCEE boss David Reeves told the audience, “Every round of the GT Academy will be filmed and made available on the PlayStation Network”.

LittleBigPlanet Coming in October

Speaking at the SCEE PlayStation Day in London, Kaz Hirai has revealed LittleBigPlanet will be released in October.

Media Molecule’s effort will “revolutionise” the way people interact with games, according to Hirai. As you probably know already, LBP is PS3 exclusive that will let you create your own game levels and share them online.

New MotorStorm 2 trailer, Haze demo today

To tie in with Sony's PlayStation Day event taking place later today (don't worry, we'll be there), Sony will launch a Haze demo on PSN later today.

As well as today's PS Day-related update, Sony has told CVG that the usual weekly update on Thursday will still happen, with more new content, although that list is yet to be confirmed.

Here's a full list of the content going live today.

Content published on PSN (for PS3) May 6, 2008

• Game Demo: Condemned 2
  
• Game Demo: Haze
  
• Full Game: Street Skater
  
• Full Game: Blast Factor Advanced
  
• Full Game: High Velocity Bowling
  
• Expansion Pack: Blast Factor Advanced Research
  
• Expansion Pack: High Velocity Bowling Character - Mike
  
• Game Trailer: Buzz! Quiz TV
  
• PlayStation Day Trailer: Secret Agent Clank
  
• PlayStation Day Trailer: Siren Blood Curse
  
• PlayStation Day Trailer: MotorStorm is back

Content published on PS Store (for PC) May 9, 2008

• Full Game: Street Skater
  
• PlayStation Day Trailer: Siren Blood Curse

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Double EU PSN Store update next week to celebrate PlayStation Day

SCEE might just find themselves back in European PS3 owners' good books after next week. PlayStation Day, a press-only event in London, takes place on the 6th of May. The press conference at the event will be hosted by Kaz Hirai and David Reeves (President of SCEE) and will no doubt include some interesting announcements. We'll be there to give you up to the minute news as it happens.

To celebrate PlayStation Day, the European PSN Store will be updated twice next week. Once on Tuesday and once on Thursday. Those of you who have become disheartened with the European PSN updates might want to take special note to this line-up. In total you can expect to see four demos, three full games and five add-on packs spread across the two updates. Plus a nice collection of videos, including the PlayStation Day press conference itself, hosted by Kaz Hirai.

Check out the full list of content for Tuesday's update below. Thursday's list can be seen after the break.

Playable content

• Condemned 2 demo
  
• Haze demo
  
• Blast Factor Advanced full game
• High Velocity Bowling full game
  
• Street Skater PS1 game
  

Add-on content

• Blast Factor Advanced Research
• High Velocity Bowling Character - Mike

Trailers:

• Buzz! Quiz TV
• Secret Agent Clank
• Siren Blood Curse

Thursday's PSN update will look a little something like this:

Playable content

• Bourne Conspiracy demo
• Race Driver: GRID demo

Add-on content

• Army of Two
• Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - Def Leppard Track Pack
• Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - Muse Track Pack

Trailers

• Echochrome Apple trailer
• Play Compilation
• Press Conference

Source