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Rumor: PS3 cross-game chat in next firmware update
Update: Sony says: "We haven't made any announcements on upcoming firmware and don't comment on rumor or speculation." In a PlayStation.com Forums thread about the existing Uncharted 2 chat system, a Naughty Dog staffer with the handle "ReklissAbandon" reportedly said that "the next PS3 firmware update is going to allow cross game chat."Currently, that alleged confirmation is "deleted" (presumably by ReklissAbandon), but the text reappears as a quote a couple of posts down the thread. We've got the full quote after the break in case all record of the statement should meet with an unfortunate accident, and we've also reached out to Sony for comment. In the meantime, please temper your excitement over hearing your friends' voices with a bit of healthy skepticism. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Nate Drake's origins to be explored in Uncharted prequel motion comic
Ever wonder how Uncharted protagonist Nathan Drake got so darn pithy? Curious how he developed his Spider-Man-like acrobatic finesse? Want to know how he met up with his cigar-chomping partner in crime, Victor Sullivan? All these questions and more will (probably) be answered in the next piece of Uncharted errata coming from developer Naughty Dog: A motion comic set before the events of the first game, titled Uncharted: Eye of Indra. The project was announced during yesterday's PlayStation.Blog live chat with Naughty Dog's Travis McIntosh and Neil Druckmann. According to them, the motion comic will be voiced by many of the actors from the game series, and focuses on "a prequel story that we eventually cut" from Uncharted 2. We hope the story reaches back far enough to show when Nate's mother taught him how to dress himself in such a slapdash manner.
Uncharted 2 Fortune Hunter Edition hits eBay, costs a (wait for it) fortune
Wait, wait, wait! Tell us you haven't already purchased Uncharted 2 on this, the day of its release! Oh, you haven't! Great. Why purchase the boring ol' standard edition of the game when you could just as easily purchase the ultra limited Fortune Hunter Edition on eBay. Sure, it's $2,990 more expensive than the regular edition, but it comes with a dagger which will unlock ancient, wondrous portals to treasures untouched by human hands for a millennium. So, you know, the cost should be fairly easy to recoup. %Gallery-43761%
Ratchet & Clank & Uncharted getting their own Home spaces
Tired of waiting in unbearable queues while trying to access the games embedded in PlayStation Home's virtual territories? A couple of new additions may reduce your abeyance -- according to 1UP, the social platform will receive new areas based on Uncharted 2 and Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, both of which will include fairly robust minigames. The Ratchet space will include a four-player Tower Defense game, while the Uncharted space introduces "Fortunate Thieves," a competitive game that pits two players against one another in a hectic treasure hunt. Okay, so you'll still probably have to wait in line to try these games out -- however, there'll be plenty of diversions in these two areas to keep you busy in the interim. For instance, the Ratchet space allows you to travel in time, changing the landscape of the zone, as well as the enemies featured in the aforementioned Tower Defense game. No release date has been given on the arrival of these new territories, but with Uncharted 2 hitting stores tomorrow, and A Crack in Time releasing later this month, we're guessing they'll appear in a soon-ish manner.
Play Uncharted 2 beta, win Uncharted 2 Fortune Hunter edition
You know what you really need? Like, really, really need, and you don't even know it? One of our kidneys. That's what we're putting on the table on the off chance that you're the winner of Naughty Dog's latest contest -- the prize for which is one of the limited, sexy, leather-bound, dagger-infested copies of Uncharted 2 Fortune Hunter Edition. All you have to do to be eligible is play in the Uncharted 2 Multiplayer Beta this weekend, and you'll automatically be entered. They're handing out 10 copies of the special edition every day until the game's released, meaning our chances of receiving one are slim. Hence, we offer one of our kidneys as an exchange to any potential winner under the sound of our voice. They're fresh, they regulate the balance of our electrolytes superbly, and, best of all, they're ours! Don't you want to put a bit of Joystiq inside you?
Uncharted 2 demo stats suggest plundering is addictive
The Uncharted 2: Among Thieves multiplayer demo has only been out for a week, but it's already attracted a large following of money-hungry murderers. Evan Wells of developer Naughty Dog has posted up some compelling (non-beta) stats: Total Number of games played: 1,217,424 Total Number of Kills: 92,110,787 Total Number of Treasures Captured: 1,860,645 Total Amount of Money Earned: $38,841,367,350 Total Time Played: 9,905 days (or 27+ years!) It'll be interesting to see these figures compared to those numbers produced by the retail game -- launching next week -- after its first seven days in service. Uncharted 2 has already become a critical favorite, and soon we'll see if Naughty Dog's game can convert all that in-game "money earned" into real-world doubloons ... Although, $38 billion in sales does seem a bit unrealistic.
Uncharted 2's cinematic properties parodied in PS3 commercial
It's really difficult for us to write clever observations about any installments in Sony's "It Only Does Everything" ad campaign. For instance, the recent commercial for Uncharted 2 (posted after the jump) is already really funny -- trying to get a few cheap lulz at its expense would be a Herculean comedic task. Regardless, we'll give it the ol' college try: Man, that guy's girlfriend sure is confused, isn't she? She thinks it's a movie! What a silly misconception. Oh, look, she's got popcorn! Man, don't you hate it when you eat popcorn and a piece of shell gets stuck in the back of your throat? That's the worst, isn't it? You're all like "Hacccckkkkk! Caahllllkkk!" And it just won't come out! Yeah, we're done here.
Meet the characters of Uncharted 2
Uncharted 2's release is only ten days away (unless you're Justin McElroy -- then you've already beaten it). Considering the Joystiq community's excitement for the game is palpable, we decided to showcase the various characters you'll encounter in the game. Thankfully, these mini-bios, provided by SCEA PR, are spoiler-free. Click to begin the tour!
Sony takes Uncharted 2 on tour, with 4K digital projection to make you forever loathe your home setup
Looking for a quick and easy way to become completely dissatisfied with your own PS3 rig? Maybe you could try tracking down Sony at one of its "sneak peak" stops, where attendees will be able to play through some of the upcoming, already-lauded Uncharted 2 on a movie screen powered by a Sony 4K digital cinema projector. Unfortunately, only four locations have been named, and two of them are in California, so not quite everybody is going to get a chance to spoil themselves for this generation of video games forever.
PSA: Uncharted 2 multiplayer demo is live for all on PSN
If you didn't pre-order, reserve or otherwise "guarantee" your day-one copy of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (we hear the game's pretty good!), your waiting to try out the game's life-eating multiplayer modes has come to an end. As promised by Naughty Dog, the multiplayer demo for Nate Drake's latest adventure is now available (albeit a bit behind schedule) via the PSN's PlayStation store for everyone. If you own a PS3, it's pretty much your honor-bound duty to download it. You should also track down your pre-orderin' friends and prove that the head-start they got on you isn't going to help them in the slightest. (Insert diabolical laughter)[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Metareview: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Now that Joystiq has gone on record regarding Naughty Dog's sequel, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, we figured it prudent to scour the webotron for more organized words on the PS3 exclusive so we could present you this Metareview. Let's not waste any time -- the reviews await your anxious eyeballs! Eurogamer (100/100): "Whether or not the multiplayer sticks, however, is arguably a footnote, because at the core of Uncharted 2 is an action-adventure masterpiece whose minor flaws are washed away on a tide of rhythm and spectacle -- one that would still be an essential experience even without the option to pull your friends off cliffs and play capture-the-heirloom." GamePro (100/100): "The A.I. is a little suspect, the camera can be stubborn, and you will die your fair share of cheap deaths. But it's still a fantastic effort and Naughty Dog deserves full credit for building upon the momentum of the first installment. PS3 owners should definitely experience it, especially if they liked the original." 1UP (A+): "Uncharted 2 is simply a vast improvement over its predecessor, and it's a damn great PS3 game. Let's leave the "are games art?" question for another time; what Uncharted 2 proves is that games are, at the very least, craft. Just as Raiders is Spielberg at the top of his game, Uncharted 2 is Naughty Dog at the top of theirs, and further proof that they are masters of their craft." IGN (95/100): "It's very, very good. It's easily one of the best games on the system, blending fantastic presentation and visuals with gameplay that is practically second to none. And then there's the stellar multiplayer which you'll probably be playing until Uncharted 3 ships. No, Uncharted 2 is not perfect, but it's closer than pretty much any other game out there these days." Videogamer (90/100): "Uncharted 2 does so many things right, that its problems (a less than perfect cover system, some frustrating combat and unfortunate glitches) are easy to overlook. The single-player adventure packs in so many incredible moments that you'll be talking about it with friends for months, the multiplayer functionality is superb and rammed with content, and the whole game looks beyond anything you'll have seen before." %Gallery-70387%
Review: Uncharted 2 (single player)
Right from its vertigo-inducing "training stage" (it seems crass to even describe it like that) you'll know Uncharted 2 is something really special. Sure, you're being taught the basics of leaping, climbing and crawling through the rough terrain that hero Nathan Drake must overcome in his latest adventure, but you're doing so as you cling with all your might to a train car dangling off a cliff, knowing always that one wrong move will mean a certain, gooey death in the chasm below. As I emerged breathless from the part where they teach you the controls, the thought that kept running through my head was, "How long can they keep this up?" %Gallery-70387%
Uncharted 2 being previewed on the silver screen
If you're waiting on pins, needles and mercenary machetes for the film adaptation of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Sony and Naughty Dog have come up with a pretty clever way of biding your time -- sneak previews of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves will be given on the massive screens of four theaters in Bellevue, WA, Rosemont, IL, Thousand Oaks, CA and San Francisco, CA on October 5 and 6. SCEA reps and Naughty Dog developers will be around to answer your questions and give you a guided tour of the game. Tickets for the October 5 showings have already sold out -- so you'd better act quickly if you want to see what a two-story-tall half-tuck looks like. We imagine it's a life-changing experience.
250GB PS3 Slim bundles also coming to Europe [update]
Earlier this week, we got our hands on a few European GameStop listings for 250GB PS3 bundles. Earlier today, SCEE and SCE UK confirmed the hardware packages and included games. Earlier this hour, we went to Whole Foods and purchased some really crisp bok choy. (Sorry. We got into a rhythm there.) Europeans will have their choice of two bundles, both of which will be made available throughout October. One of the collections includes Need for Speed: Shift, while the other includes FIFA 10. Needless to say, both bundles come with the recently GB-boosted console. A price point for these two bundles has not been specified, but we've contacted Sony for clarification. Bizarrely enough, the UK's getting a different set of bundles than the rest of the continent. On October 1, United Kingdomites will have their choice of a 250GB PS3 bundled with Infamous or two unnamed Platinum Hits. Their options will be further expanded on October 16 with the release of an Uncharted 2 bundle, and once more on October 19 with a bundle that includes the X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Dark Knight films on Blu-ray and a film-friendly remote control.SCE UK has graciously provided a price for its bundles -- £284.99 ($450) -- making it our certified favourite European Sony chapter of the day. That's as legit as being knighted by the Queen, you know.Update: After the break, we've posted a snapshot of the FIFA bundle provided by a GameStop employee in Norway.
Australia to receive several 250GB PS3 bundles
Aussie reader, if you've been salivating over the prospect of owning a 250GB PS3 Slim, know your day is coming. SCE Australia has confirmed the console is headed down under and will be bundled with one of the following titles: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time Singstar Motown EyePet The bundles will go on sale starting October 15 and retail for $599.95RRP, coinciding with the release date of Uncharted 2. Perfect timing! You're going to need every last one of those gigglebytes to store the countless Machinima fan fictions you've already concocted in your head.[Thanks, Adrian]
Yeah, you can probably expect an Uncharted 3
Sure Uncharted 2 hasn't come out yet. But Naughty Dog's Amy Hennig is seeing a bright and very long future for the franchise. Speaking with the PlayStation.Blog, the studio's creative director mentions that the story of Nathan Drake and co. doesn't end with Among Thieves. "[Uncharted 2] doesn't conclude the story at all. The expectation with Uncharted is that it can be an ongoing franchise as long as people want more of it. All these stories are self-contained. You don't have to play the last one to play this one. Obviously, you're going to get a little bit more out of it if you have. But [Nathan Drake]'s going to have a lot of adventures, thank god." We can already see the early reviews of Uncharted 3 being written. You can watch the rest of the interview after the break.
Uncharted 2 plundering Europe October 16
The time is almost upon us to saunter back into ancient ruins and murder hundreds upon hundreds of mercenaries in Naughty Dog's upcoming quarter-tucked adventure, Uncharted 2. Stateside Nathan Drake enthusiasts have known the date their bread would be buttered on for quite some time (October 13) -- now, Sony's confirmed to Eurogamer that the title will be hitting European store shelves just three days later. (Whoa, don't hurt yourself. That's October 16.) If you're on the fence about your Uncharted 2 purchase, you'll be able to check out the game -- along with MAG, Heavy Rain and God of War III -- at the Eurogamer Expo, which runs October 27–28 in Leeds and October 30–31 in London. Tickets to the event are only £6, which we're fairly certain translates to about $0.16 in real currency. What a steal!
Rumor: Handful of 250GB PS3 bundles heading to Europe
This morning, Joystiq received two images, from an alleged Norwegian GameStop employee, in which multiple PlayStation 3 250GB game bundle SKUs are visibly on display. In one image, claimed to be an internal email to all Norwegian GameStop employees, instructions on the difference between the rumored 250GB PS3 bundles and the current 120GB PS3 are found. The email "there is no difference" aside from storage space and posits four possible "PS3 250GB" bundles: One paired with "NFS" (presumably Need for Speed: Shift); another with "FIFA" (presumably FIFA 10); a third with Uncharted 2; and the final one with Assassin's Creed 2. In the second image, our anonymous tipster supposedly snapped what looks to be the familiar GameStop clerk inventory screen, albeit with commands in Norwegian. It suggests yet another 250GB PS3 bundle, this time with "Ratchet" (presumably Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time) attached. If we're to trust these images, the bundles will be priced at 3799 kr ($644.16), a 500 kr ($84.78) increase from the current price of a 120GB PS3 Slim at Norwegian GameStops. No release dates are given.We were told last week by Sony of America that an image of an Uncharted 2 PS3 250GB bundle was a "complete fabrication," and as such we've contacted Sony of America as well as Sony of Europe for comment on these images. We'll update this post as we hear more.%Gallery-73638%
Uncharted 2 will tweet Trophies and multiplayer statistics
Naughty Dog is hell-bent on pushing the online functionality of Uncharted 2 beyond anything else on the PlayStation 3. The multiplayer demo reveals yet another new feature for the upcoming PS3 game: Twitter support. According to The BBPS, you'll be able to have the game automatically tweet updates whenever you connect to a multiplayer game, unlock a Trophy, or complete a single-player chapter. Twitter support is already live, as evidenced by these tweets from Naughty Dog's Arne Meyer and SCEA's Jeff Rubenstein.The auto-tweets will send inquisitive readers to a detailed stats page on Naughty Dog's website. Here, you can see someone's kill/death ratio, career length, amount of virtual money, and more. Further details will be broken down in the "Match History," "Weapons" and "Medals" tabs -- but all those features are currently "coming soon."
