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Sony VP promises in-game XMB, NA video download service, PlayStation Cards in '08
It doesn't seem like those Sony firmware engineers will be a getting a break any time soon. With the PlayStation 3's v2.30 firmware and its DTS-HD MA / PS store upgrades barely settled Sony Senior VP Peter Dille jumped on the official PlayStation blog to let us know what the rest of 2008 has in store. In-game XMB? On the way this year, along with a video service that "separates the service from others you've seen or used...to give you the TV, movies and gaming content you want," and expanded community features. Also in store are PlayStation Cards (in $20 and $50 denominations) for the credit card-less among us. The four pillars of Sony's plan (community, free online gaming, digital media download services, and original content) hint towards the reasons we won't let the shiny beast get quite as dusty this year.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Sony proves your PSN qualms don't fall on deaf ears
Sony may have already proved that they're listening to what we want with the redesign of the PSN Store, but there are plenty of other features people are clamoring for from the service. Peter Dille, Senior Vice President of the PlayStation Network, has written a post on the PS.Blog letting everyone know that they are listening and that features are coming. Specifically, he confirms that in-game XMB is coming this year, along with a video download service (for North America) and "other community-related services."There's lots of exciting stuff to come this year then, not to mention Home which will (literally) add a whole new dimension to the PlayStation Network. Dille promises that more information on the video download service will be coming "very soon" and states that we should "stay tuned" for "more announcements on the expanding community functions within PLAYSTATION Network in the near future." Trust us, Peter (can we call you Peter?). We've been "tuned" for over a year now. Let's here more about those features ASAP, please.Lastly, the PlayStation Network cards are finally getting released in the US. They're shipping out to retailers this Spring and will allow you to add either $20 or $50 to your PSN wallet. Handy for those of you who don't have a credit card.[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]
Bionic Commando Rearmed grapples with M-rating
Bionic Commando Rearmed's website unleashed a pre-emptive strike, announcing the game received a Mature rating from the ESRB. The ESRB has not yet listed the game on its own site. Having had some hands-on time with the game ourselves, the only reason we could come up with the title receiving the M-rating was due to the final scene. *SPOILER ALERT* The site states in one of its "communications" that the M-rating means players will see the "historically accurate" scene where Hitler's Master D's head pops like a can of Pringles -- but now in glorious HD. The communication jokes it'll be the "best five seconds of [its] entire life." %Gallery-14181%
PSN Tuesday: Lair goes analog, Super Stardust HD expands
Along with a revamped PSN Store, we usher in the return of PSN Thursdays Tuesdays. Since we're already welcoming back the store and updates, we should probably say something to Lair, who just flew in under our radars with an update to make the game playable -- not only with rumble but also analog controls. He's looking kind of lonely over there in the corner.Also this week, Super Stardust HD expands its universe with new modes: Endless, Survival, Bomber and Time Attack. Arcade Mode now features the Easy difficulty. A new Retro soundtrack has also been addedUpdate: SCEA has confirmed that Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will headline the return on PS Store's regularly scheduled Thursday updates this week (April 17th). We'll post the full release list when it becomes available.Check out the complete list of this week's content after the break. For a listing of Europe's goodies, head over to PS3 Fanboy.
Study to publishers: Don't release demos, just trailers
To us, demos seem like a great way to get the word out about games, but a recent study suggests that they might be better tools for consumers than solid marketing strategy. The Electronic Entertainment Design and Research Group (EEDAR) reports that games that are marketed on Xbox Live and PSN with a trailer only sell considerably better than games that ship with a demo.On the PS3, games with no demo or trailer actually sold better than those with a demo, while the inverse was true on the 360. Now, this doesn't mean EEDAR wants you to lose your precious demos forever, but they recommend starting work on a demo after the game's on shelves so no polishing resources are lost. Though we can definitely see the logic in this (we've been kept from buying a few bad games by demos), we kind of wish EEDAR would keep our secret to themselves.
Reminder: The new PSN Store, PS3 firmware 2.30 both live
If you love retooled buying experiences or super, SUPER 27.1 surround sound, then we probably don't need to remind you of this, but for the rest of you: The new PlayStation Store and PlayStation 3 firmware version 2.30 are both live.As if that weren't exciting enough, this also means that weekly updates to the store will resume and PS3 Rock Band owners will finally get their hands on Jonathan Coulton's "Still Alive." We'd expect the geek anthem to be part of a pretty beefy update this week to mark the store's return, we'll let you know when we hear something. Gallery: PlayStation Store Update Spring '08 [Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]
PSN Store down today for 'scheduled maintenance'
According to the US PlayStation Support site, the PSN store will be down for "scheduled maintenance" from 8AM - 11PM PST today. The PlayStation Blog is a little looser with the time of the maintenance, expressing it'll be from early today through the "early morning of Tuesday, April 15." Once the downtime ends, users will be prompted to download a firmware update.All of this, of course, is in preparation for the new PSN Store going live tomorrow. We do not believe this behind-the-scenes updating will affect other PSN features such as chat or games, but if something does go wrong -- well, this will probably be the reason.[Via PS3 Fanboy]%Gallery-19777%
PSN to experience 'scheduled maintenance' on April 14
From 8AM-11PM PST on April 14th, the PLAYSTATION Network will be down for "scheduled maintenance." According to the US PlayStation Support site, the Store will be completely inaccessible as Sony makes the background changes necessary to accommodate the Store redesign. Once the downtime is over, a new firmware update will be available for all to download.It's unclear whether or not online gaming and friends lists will be affected by this maintenance. Don't be surprised if you won't be able to enjoy a bout of Warhawk or Call of Duty 4 while Sony does their magic.[Thanks, Ralle! Via N4G]
No preorder needed, Metal Gear Online beta open in Europe
While North America is used to getting things early, it looks like European Metal Gear fans will get the last comically exaggerated laugh after all (really, stop laughing, we get it). After a brief mention in a SCEE press release, Konami has confirmed that the "Metal Gear Online Premiere Beta will be available as a free download on the PlayStation Store" from April 17th to May 6th ... in Europe.Just so we're clear, Europeans don't need to pre-order Metal Gear Solid 4 to get into the beta and they'll be sneaking from April 21st through May 6th, while North American gamers will only be snapping necks from April 21st through May 5th, a full day shorter? Coupled with the Limited Edition limitation, those of us in North America are feeling a bit unloved, Konami ... now we know how Raiden feels every day of his life. [Via PS3 Fanboy]
Revamped PlayStation Store goes live April 15 [updated]
Sony KONPYUTAENTATEINMENTOJAPAN has announced that the revamped PlayStation Store will open its virtual doors on Tuesday, April 15th. Update: SCEA has confirmed that loud-mouthed, spendthrift American PS3s will be allowed to roam the aisles on the same day, as will systems from around the globe. The store revamp will be facilitated by enhanced firmware (version 2.30) and should mark the return of weekly content updates which have been absent since April 3rd. Once the more user-friendly interface is up and running, PS3 owners will be able to download fun things like Warhawk's Broken Mirror expansion and the 'Still Alive' DLC for Rock Band.%Gallery-19777%[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Call of Duty 4 Variety Map Pack enters PS3 certification
Well, someone in Sony's software certification lair is having a blast. Infinity Ward community manager "fourzerotwo" has noted on his blog that the $10 Variety Map Pack for Call of Duty 4, which hit Xbox 360 last week, has entered the certification process for PlayStation 3. Unless it's discovered that the downloadable content melts console innards, the "monstrously huge" number of PS3 players shouldn't have to wait much longer before getting shot at in the four new environments.Though further details should become apparent later this week, expect the map pack to arrive alongside the PS3 version of Call of Duty 4: Game of the Year Edition.
PSN Thursday: Gone fishin', enjoy some new store screens
There is no PSN update this week (or next, for that matter) due to the incoming PlayStation Store revamp. Today Sony added some new images of the forthcoming store to the PlayStation Blog -- these can be found in the gallery below. For those who missed the announcement last week, the recently patched Warhawk is currently on sale until April 15 for $30.%Gallery-19777%
UMD-nied: Echochrome PSP goes download-only in NA
At last, the PSP version of Sony's Escher-esque puzzler, Echochrome, is no longer "up in the air" for the North American market. When it comes down to earth, however, it'll strictly be in the form of a digital download. Newsweek's N'Gai Croal confirms that the game will only be available through the PlayStation Network store, thereby ruling out a retail-bound UMD like that released in Japan. The PSP version will come with 56 unique levels, a number roughly in line with the (PSN-only) PlayStation 3 version. So, what about those 100 levels on the Japanese Echochrome UMD? For now, it looks like they'll only be obtainable if you import the game. Echochrome is out in North America this May.
Warhawk gets patched up today
If you've tried to play Warhawk since about 6 a.m. EST today, you've probably been a bit unnerved, perhaps even alarmed by your inability to access the game. But take heart! Your sacrifice will be rewarded after 12 p.m. today when you find that patch 1.3 has gone live.What does 1.3 mean to you? Well how's about a Bio-Reactive Field Generator? How does that grab you? How about ... you know what? It's in the video. Just watch that. We're busy unlearning French.
Call of Duty 4 multiplayer boasts 'monstrously huge' numbers
When Infinity Ward producer, Mark Rubin, told Eurogamer that the number of online users for the PS3 version of Call of Duty 4 was "monstrously huge," we can only assume he was referring to a beast of significant size and infinite terror -- which pretty much rules out those Pokemon things. Indeed, the multiplayer monster appears to be of the house-trampling, child-eating variety, with Rubin having declared, "No other game has come close, either online current, or total unique users in a day."The battle between Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3 for Xbox Live supremacy was also mentioned, with the former shooter's "between 1.2 and 1.3 million users every day" trumping Bungie's slightly more spartan servers. As for the percentage of total game owners (over seven million at last count) that have taken their tactics online, Rubin describes the number as "startling." Who knew statistics could be so scary?
MTV 'dates' upcoming PSN games
MTV's Stephen Totilo has recently had his hands on with all the big first-party PSN games that will be hitting within the next few months. His thoughts on each title are generally very positive, which is great now that we know that they're all coming out between now and June. Totilo lists each of the games (Echochome, Elefunk, PixelJunk Monsters: Encore and WipEout HD) along with a vague release date.While May will be the busiest month of the quarter, April will kick things off with (as well as a Store redesign) PixelJunk Monsters: Encore, an expansion pack for the well received tower defense game, which is pegged for the latter part of the month. Echochrome and Elefunk will keep May interesting until WipEout HD finally gets a release in "late May, or early June". Interestingly, it seems that Echochrome will receive two releases - one for PS3 and one for PSP. Each will be entirely different to the other in terms of level layout, but both will be available for download from the PSN Store. True Echochrome fans will no doubt want to grab both versions for the full experience. Needless to say, these dates are all US based. There's no telling when Europe will be seeing any of these games ...
Spring PSN lineup dated
Sony recently showed off near-final builds of its next wave of original PSN games, and even committed to release time frames, according to MTV Multiplayer. Though weekly releases on the PS Store are largely kept behind the big, black curtain until showtime, it appears that Sony is trying to steal some attention away from the recent bevy of WiiWare boloney "buildup" and the well-oiled Xbox Live Arcade machine by generating previews of its own. So how 'bout those dates: Late April: PixelJunk Monsters Encore (expansion pack) Early May: Echochrome May: Elefunk Late May / early June: WipEout HD
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue now available on Euro PSN
No doubt tired of all the screeching that emanated from yesterday's delay of tire-screeching driving sim, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Sony has finally sorted out its "technical difficulties" and updated the European PlayStation Store. Our readers from across the sea can now cease sending us irate tips and reserve the gnashing of teeth for when they send an exorbitantly priced car into an unforgiving barrier.Whether you opted for the downloadable Prologue or the Blu-ray version, we hope you enjoy it long enough for the full game to come hurtling around the corner.
Warhawk's Broken Mirror expansion arrives April 17
Warhawk's next expansion Operation: Broken Mirror, may have a nebulous release of "April" for Europe, but Sony announced today that it'll be available in North America for $8 on April 17. The PlayStation Blog posted several details about the expansion directly from Warhawk's Game Director, Dylan Jobe, along with a preview video which we've placed after the break.Warhawk is currently on sale for $30 through PSN, with a major update expected for the game at a later stage. Gallery: Warhawk: Operation Broken Mirror
PSN Thursday: GTA IV trailer, DLC for UT3 and Warhawk sale
This week's PSN update brings a hearty dose of content. Warhawk, which has an update and expansion incoming, is on sale the next couple weeks for $30 (normally $40). There's also a flOw bundle for $9 that includes the game plus expansion. UT3 players should make sure to pick up their free maps; meanwhile, High Stakes poker players with a PlayStation Eye can download the free camera add-on and show off how they play poker naked from their living room couch. The reason for the late PSN update today was because the embargo on the Grand Theft Auto IV trailer (available on PSN) had to lift, so check that out just to give purpose to this delay. We'll put a link to PS3 Fanboy's Euro update as soon as we get it -- we're thinking it was delayed because of the GTA IV trailer as well. Update: The Euro update.
