SCRAWL Launches on May 11, 2008

Here it is readers, SCRAWL, the new home of onAXIS, has finally launched (yeah, we are for real this time). We are very excited and we hope you are. Bear with us as we install the forums. Visit the welcome post below.

[SCRAWL]

New Official PlayStation Magazine Australia Editor Says Unnannounced PlayStation 3 Game Will Blow Your Mind

In a new interview with new Official PlayStation Magazine Editor for Australia, Vanessa Morgan, they ask what are her top five upcoming PlayStation 3 games that she is most excited about. She answers.

"1. LittleBigPlanet
2 Motorstorm 2
3. MGS4
4. An unannounced title coming to PS3 for the first time
5. Another unannounced title coming to PS3 that'll BLOW you away

Sorry, not meaning to rub it in but OMG! The titles are BIG and so were the forms I've had to sign about not releasing any info until after the embargo dates pass BUT all will be revealed in the next two issues of the mag. We've had to fly to London, Paris, San Fran, Vegas and LA to nab this info. We're tired and our eyes are square."

What can this huge title be? What can the other unannounced title on the PlayStation 3 for the first time be as well? I guess we will have to wait for the next two issues of the magazine.

[Introducing Vanessa Morgan]

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe: Scorpion Revealed

Game With a Brain put up the in-game render for Scorpion for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe yesterday. His uniform update is pretty nice, and we have no complaints. So until more footage and character renders come, just enjoy this.

[MK vs DC: Heeeeere's Scorpion]

More Evidence Niko Will Be Visiting San Andreas?

We posted a rumor yesterday about a ticket appearing on Rockstar's Social Club website for a plane ride from Liberty City to San Andreas for a Niko Bellic.

Now, there is possibly more evidence that Niko will be visiting San Andreas in Grand Theft Auto IV. Here is a billboard in the game with a price for a plane ticket to visit Los Santos in San Andreas. If you recall, Grand Theft Auto III had billboard ads for Vice City as well.

[Niko Bellic's San An Flight Priced By Airways]

Race Driver: GRID PlayStation 3 vs. Xbox 360 Comparison Is Fishy

Here is yet another comparison for an anticipated upcoming game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Race Driver: GRID. They both look almost exactly the same, but I noticed at the end when they changed from PlayStation 3 to Xbox 360, the buttons at the bottom for the PlayStation 3 stayed. What is GameTrailers up to? Or is it just a mistake?

Update 12:10AM: GameTrailers have taken down the video.

Update 9:24AM: A gamer has gotten it up on YouTube showing the lies of the video. It came from this discussion thread.

New Site Opening Tomorrow Night, IRC Chat for Site Names

Well, we are launching the new site tomorrow night, and right now you can catch up with us in the IRC Chat located in the right sidebar of the site labeled "onAXIS mIRC Chat". We ask you to join us in the chat with any last minute names for the site you have that may just bring the spark to this site it needs. Or if you have any questions, or just want to chat, feel free to come in and ask.

Meet us there!

Persona 4 Opening Is Awseome

Atlus always gets me with these Persona openings. The opening to Persona 3 was great, so why wouldn't the opening to Persona 4 be? Take a watch if you'd like to spoil it, and if you do, enjoy it.

Kitase Dreaming of Final Fantasy VII Remake

During an interview for French TV program, "Next Gen", on French TV channel MCM, Yoshinori Kitase, producer of the Final Fantasy series, said that he is hoping to do a Final Fantasy VII remake after XIII and Versus XIII.

He said "Every day I wake up and the project is moving slowly, although it is still at the stage of reflection."

It will come, my readers!

[Kitase is dreaming about a remake of Final Fantasy VII] [Image]

PlayStation Day 2008: Conference Videos Including Summary

Here are three new PlayStation Day 2008 videos showing the conference they've held in crystal clear HD. The same conference were Hirai delays Home and KILLZONE 2 once more. The summary can be seen above, other videos are below.

Face Breaker: Steve Talking Head Trailer

Here is a new character profile for EA's upcoming Facebreaker. This character is named Steve weighing in somewhere between Superman and The Incredible Hulk. This new video shows off some of his fantastic moves. Enjoy!

Call of Duty 5 Already Playable?

Thanks to some sources alerting Kotaku, we have word that Call of Duty 5 is already playable.

The game, developed by Treyarch, is set in a World War II Pacific environment and will be using the same engine as Call of Duty 4. That engine will also be used on the upcoming 007: Quantum of Solace.

[Call of Duty 5 Already Playable]

Microsoft's Greenberg Says Sony Fails on Promises

Microsoft's Aaron Greenbeg, Director of Product Management for the Xbox 360 and Live, spoke today on promises made by Sony that they've failed to keep. Read his "speech" below.

"I know a lot of folks enjoy watching the console wars and we would never underestimate our competition. But answer to your question specifically, didn't Sony promise all of this last year including Home as well? We have been fighting Sony's promises from the day we entered the market and if you remember at that time it was all about PS2 being an online cybercity with partner announcements from the likes of RealNetworks and AOL. Then three years ago at E3 they showed what PS3 games would supposedly look like with the Killzone 2 video, that we are now learning will ship four years later. That means that we will have shipped Gears of War and Gears of War 2 before they can even get Killzone out the door," he said. "Think back to GDC 2007 when Sony promised to leap ahead in online with the Sony Home unveil. Here we are two years later and multiple delays for a product that appears to have little to no buzz. Where are the achievements? The friends list integration across all games? Where is the long-promised video store? Where are all the other products using and networking with their CELL chip? How come Blu-ray did not result in better games? What happened with Sixaxis and rumble? Where is the complete 1080p game library we were promised? If Blu-ray as they said would be such a catalyst to PS3 console sales, then why have PS3 sales over the past couple months not seen any lift since the format victory?"

The regular PlayStation 3 owner will probably agree with the statements of Greenberg. He makes a valid point, as we still have not received our in-game XMB, Home, or any of the other stuff he mentioned. Games continue to come with required installation even though Blu-Ray is available. Can Sony turn this all around?

[Exclusive Destructoid interview: Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg on GTA IV]

Gran Turismo Hits the 50 Million Mark

Sony Computer Entertainment has announced today that the Gran Turismo series has hit the 50 million mark. The list of sales for each games puts Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec in the lead, with 5 Prologue in dead last. View the press release below.

Gran Turismo(TM) Series Shipment Exceeds 50 Million Units Worldwide
Remarkable Sales Achieved In Only 10 Years And 4 Months Since The Original Gran Turismo Launched In 1997

TOKYO, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) announced today that the cumulative worldwide shipment of the Gran Turismo(TM) franchise, a genre-defining racing and car-life simulator available on PlayStation(R), PlayStation(R)2, and PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(R)) computer entertainment systems, has exceeded 50 million units as of April 30, 2008. This remarkable sales figure was achieved in just 10 years and 4 months since the launch of the first title in the franchise - Gran Turismo, in December 1997.

The Gran Turismo franchise, from the original Gran Turismo to the latest Gran Turismo(TM) 5 Prologue, has continued to evolve alongside the PlayStation platforms. With its outstanding game play, beautiful graphics and the true to life driving feel, the franchise is recognized as the world's number one automotive game title on the PlayStation format, receiving high regard not just from game fans, but also from professional racing drivers and people in the automobile industry.

The seventh installment of the world's best-selling racing franchise, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue introduces entirely new entertainment modes by taking advantage of the broadband network, such as online head-to-head racing for up to 16 players, "GRAN TURISMO-TV"; a new in-game online channel that delivers automotive video contents from around the globe, and downloadable additional contents including new cars and courses, only possible on PS3. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue has recorded strong sales since the first launch in Japan in December, 2007, followed by North America and Europe in Spring of 2008, with more than 2 million units of cumulative shipment worldwide and contributing to the further expansion of the PS3 platform.

For all Gran Turismo fans around the world, SCEI and the developer of the Gran Turismo series -- Polyphony Digital Inc., will continue hereon to vigorously promote development of the Gran Turismo series, which can be expected to evolve even further through the PS3 platform and broadband network environment.

"Initially, Gran Turismo was an 'alternative' racing game, kind of an outsider in the genre," said Kazunori Yamauchi, Producer of Gran Turismo. "And we made it thinking that it would be okay as long as it reached out to 'the select few who would agree with us.' So this figure -- 50 million units -- is simply astounding. If you go to a game store and look for a particular package, and pay for it at the cash register, though the time may be very brief, it still takes at least 3 minutes or so. It's simply mind boggling and hard to believe that this has been repeated 50 million times all around the world in the last 10 years. I would really like to thank all the fans who have supported the Gran Turismo series over the years, for all their passion and love of the game. We'd like to continue making every effort to create cutting edge, high quality games, so that we don't disappoint anyone's expectations."

Title Release Dates in North America

Gran Turismo May 12, 1998
Gran Turismo 2 December 23, 1999
Gran Turismo 3 A-spec July 10, 2001
Gran Turismo 4 February 22, 2005
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue April 15, 2008

About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Recognized as the global leader and the company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) manufacturers, distributes and markets the PlayStation(R) game console, the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, the PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) handheld entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(R)) system. PlayStation has revolutionized home entertainment by introducing advanced 3D graphic processing, and PlayStation 2 further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. PSP is a new handheld entertainment system that allows users to enjoy 3D games, with high-quality full-motion video, and high-fidelity stereo audio. PS3 is an advanced computer system, incorporating the state-of-the-art Cell processor with super computer level processing power. SCEI, along with its subsidiary divisions Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc. develops, publishes, markets and distributes software, and manages third party licensing programs for these platforms in the respective markets worldwide. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is an independent business unit of the Sony Group.

PlayStation, PLAYSTATION, PS3 and the PlayStation logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Gran Turismo is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

All manufacturers, cars, names, brands and associated imagery featured in this game are trademarks and/or copyrighted materials of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

US PlayStation Store Gets JP Feature

For those of you that have Japanese accounts on the PlayStation Network, you may have seen this when you were downloading your Mainichi Issho game or Siren: New Translation demo.

It has finally come the US store now, however. What I'm talking about here is the "Featured Games" and "Top Downloads" on the side there. It's always a good new feature to have.

[PSN@Home]

PlayStation 3 Lets DICE Push Texture "Much Higher" for Mirror's Edge

Digital Illusion CE has said that the PlayStation 3's cell processor has allowed them to "push the resolution (of Mirror's Edge) of our textures much higher".

Sean Decker spoke during PlayStation Day 2008 in London on Tuesday saying that the PlayStation 3 has "a lot of little quirks to it that we really like and our engineers love as well as our designers".

During Sean Decker's on-stage presentation at the keynote, he said that "thanks to the incredible processing power of the PS3" DICE was able to make its "vision of what the game really is".

Off-stage, he was quized on what else the PlayStation 3 is allowing the developers to do. He said: "The great thing about it is that there's a lot of little things like, Faith there when she's walking like this (points to Mirror's Edge trailer showing Faith tightrope-walking across a beam), Sixaxis controls, super easy to implement and say, OK well just balance it and then you've got it there, as opposed to teaching a player to say, oh let's push this button or that button."

He continued: "The other thing is the Cell really allows us to push the resolution of our textures much higher and we've taken full advantage of that as well. So there's a lot of little quirks to it that we really like and our engineers love as well as our designers."

So will the PlayStation 3 version be better than the Xbox 360 version? Decker refused to say.

"The controls are different," he said. "The other thing is the way the architecture in each one of the machines is different. It allows you to do different things with them and emphasise things, like let's try a higher texture resolution on this one, and if you want to push the GPU or the CPU, and how the engineers want to balance out what's most important in this game and how you want to bring that out in each one of them.

"At DICE we have lead engineers on all of our major platforms and they're the ones who really architect it and say, you know what this is, what this platform is great for and this is how we're going to bring it out on it. I wouldn't say one's better than the other. Again they have different quirks. It's kind of like driving several different SUVs and saying one's better than the other."

[PS3 Cell lets DICE push texture res "much higher"]

Mirror's Edge Will Not Be 1080p, Only 720p

Mirror's Edge developer Digital Illusions CE have revealed today that their upcoming title will not be in 1080p on either the PlayStation 3 or the Xbox 360.

At PlayStation Day 2008 in London on Tuesday, DICE's general manager Sean Decker said that gamers can expect "crisp, clear texture resolutions" at the high definition minimum of 720p.

"It's more about in certain situations you're going to see very crisp, clear texture resolutions there and, again, this is more for the tech-file, somebody like me who's sitting up there and looking at every single little detail and saying, OK what's the difference between this one and this one, putting them side by side." Decker said.

[PS3 Mirror's Edge won't be in 1080p, DICE confirms]

Motorstorm 2: SCEE Gamer's Day Trailer

Thanks to GameVideos, we have the SCEE Gamer's Day (PlayStation Day 2008) trailer for Motorstorm 2. Once again, it looks like nothing but Island Paradise. Enjoy!

Rumor: Niko Going to San Andreas?

On the Rockstar Social Club official website, you are able to drag the objects around that are under the Story Gang book (you need to have completed the story to see it). A plane ticket can be clearly seen under the book for Niko Bellic from Liberty City and to San Andreas. Could this be an upcoming sequel to Grand Theft Auto IV? Or possibly just that exclusive Xbox 360 DLC? Or perhaps even exclusive PlayStation 3 DLC. Remember Mr. Reeves?

[SPOILER? Possible 'Sequel'?, Source: R* Social Club]

X-Play: Race Driver: GRID Demo Looks Sexy

We haven't downloaded this yet, we are still busy with Grand Theft Auto IV, but when we get around to it, it does look like we are going to enjoy Codemasters' upcoming Race Driver: GRID. The gameplay and graphics sure do look fantastic. Enjoy!

Vampire Rain: Altered Species Coming to PlayStation 3

Developers like SouthPeak and Codemasters are refining their previous Xbox 360 titles as PlayStation 3 versions with better graphics and newer features with games like Overlord: Raising Hell and Monster Madness: Grave Danger, and developer Artoon along with publisher AQ Interactive is joining that party.

"We are very excited to bring Vampire Rain: Altered Species to the PS3," said Artoon President Naoto Oshima. "The incredible power of the PS3, will allow us to give gamers a fully immersive experience. This will include: 5.1 channel audio, over 50 hours of gameplay, extra bonus levels, a lot of completely revamped animations, character interactions and much more."

The game will feature a blood-chilling single player campaign along with a robust multiplayer mode. For their sake, we hope it is MUCH better than the Xbox 360 version. View the press release below.

The Battle Between Mankind and Nightwalker Continues (PS3)
AQ Interactive is set to release Vampire Rain: Altered Species on the PlayStation 3.

May 8, 2008 - AQ Interactive announced today that it will bring Vampire Rain: Altered Species to the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system. The exciting stealth action game will be developed by industry veteran Artoon, which has developed such blockbuster titles as Blue Dragon, Blinx: The Time Sweeper, Yoshi's Island DS and many more.

"We are very excited to bring Vampire Rain: Altered Species to the PlayStation 3," said Artoon President Naoto Ōshima. "The incredible power of the PS3, will allow us to give gamers a fully immersive experience. This will include: 5.1 channel audio, over 50 hours of gameplay, extra bonus levels, a lot of completely revamped animations, character interactions and much more."

Vampire Rain: Altered Species is an intense game that takes place during a dreary night in a suburban, west coast city in the US. For some time now, mankind has been battling the ferocious and terrifying Nightwalkers, a race of superhuman vampires who crave human blood. People have been disappearing at night; the lucky ones are found dead, but those less fortunate are reborn as Nightwalkers, and are bound by instinct to forcefully recruit unwitting victims into the Nightwalker army. Gamers take the role of John Lloyd, a member of a US special government unit created to defeat the Nightwalkers, and the only human to ever survive a physical encounter with them.

Aside from featuring a blood-chilling, story driven single player campaign, Vampire Rain: Altered Species will also feature a robust multiplayer mode.

Suikoden Rated for PlayStation Store PSone Classic by ESRB

The Entertainment Software Rating Board has rated Suikoden for the PlayStation Store as a PSone Classics release. Suikoden was released back in 1996 and received review scores mostly in the 9/10's. We anticipate it's Store release.

[ESRB (Search Suikoden)]

KILLZONE 2 & LittleBigPlanet: SCEE PlayStation Day 2008 Trailers

We can finally view it in all of it's high-definition glory. Here is the new KILLZONE 2 and LittleBigPlanet trailers from PlayStation Day 2008. Look at their heads bobble as they become the new Helghast. Enjoy!

Home Game Spaces to Be Shown Off Next Month

Daniel Hill of Sony Computer Entertainment said at Sony's Gamers Day in Europe that Home Game Spaces are going to be shown off at the end of this month. They will be shown to the closed beta members with game launching extending beyond Motorstorm and Warhawk.

He also reconfirmed the Open Beta in..... Autumn and said it will include all the necessary features such as trophies and game launching. He also mentioned trophies will be available in the XMB as well. They have to be," he said. We will take an order of "in-game XMB" along with that as well, please.

[Home 'game spaces' being shown off later this month]

PSM3 Rumors: Beyond Good and Evil 2, Secret Service, More

Issue 101 of PSM3 contained quite a bit of interesting rumors. Here we are with the breakdown for you.

- Eccentric Fahrenheit creator David Cage was working on a PS3 sequel to his obscure PC adventure game Omikron, but has been canned because the story wasn't up to scratch. Instead, he's working on a mystery game to go along side the stunning-looking Heavy Rain.

- Michael Ancel is rumored to be working with Final Fantasy illustrator Yoshitaka Amano on a sequel to Beyond Good & Evil.

- Guitar Hero IV is currently in the works and is said to feature The Undertones' classic Teenage Kicks.

- Superbad producer Judd Apatow is said to be working on a Leisure Suit Larry movie and will play Larry himself.

- Motion capture company are said to be working on a new game that will "define its own genre".

- Recently Swordfish Studios, the developers of the new 50 Cent game, said that they've been working on a secret FPS "based on a popular francise" for 15 months before being taken off the project by Vivenda. PSM3's guess it was Cold Winter 2.

- EA's Redwood Shores development company are said to be working on a new Simpsons game.

- Call Of Duty 5 is being developed by Treyarch and not Infinity Ward, but they spent a lot more time on it than they did for the third game, so expect it to be way better.

- Sony are rumored be teaming up with Netflix. Apparently they'll let you stream movies through the PS3 - for a fee of course.

- Did you see the MGS4 - Assassin's Creed internet spoof on April's Fool day. It's less than a joke than people think - it is, in fact, the first five minutes of the game but with Snake in the Altair outfit. What's the link? All will become clear when you play ... but there's a hidden Ubisoft logo in the game's end credits.

- Vin Diesel's Tigon Studios are working on some new games, including Secret Service which sees you work for the President security force and will feature input from Usual Suspects director Bryan Singer. The other is the real-life story of a violent NYC cop.

[PSM3: Beyond Good & Evil 2, Netflix on PS3, Leisure Suit Larry movie, plus more]

Metal Gear Solid 4: European Bundle Image

Here is the first image of the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots bundle for Europe. It will include a 40GB PLAYSTATION 3, a SIXAXIS controller, and of course a Kojima Productions masterpiece titled Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

[LusoPlay]

David Reeves: Home Open Beta Definately Coming Out... In Autumn

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's David Reeves said today that Home will definitely be coming out in autumn. Sad part is, even then, he said it will only be an Open Beta.

"It is definitely coming out in autumn," assured Reeves. "Whether that's October or November, I don't precisely know, but it is an open beta."

"We've realised that maybe we were too ambitious with the non-gaming applications within Home, getting sponsors and stuff like that," he went on to confess.

"In that sense we were deserting gamers. So, we're concentrating on the gaming by launching games in Home, and attracting people who are into gaming in first - instead of the Nike people, or Adidas people who are into fashion and not necessarily into gaming."

Reeves touched on loss of exclusives from third-parties by saying "We did Buzz, we're doing LittleBigPlanet, Killzone, and there are obviously others that we're developing. We're becoming less dependent on third parties."

Reeves, you silly dog you. That isn't funny, third-parties practically make the system.

[Reeves: Home was too ambitious] [Image]

US PLAYSTATION Store Update: May 8, 2008

It's Thursday, meaning today we have another PlayStation Store update. Lets cut the chit-chat and get straight to the content.

Demos

• HAZE demo (free)
  
• The Bourne Conspiracy demo (free)
• Race Driver: GRID demo (free)

Add-Ons

• Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore Downloadable Songs ($1.49 each)
  
• Guitar Hero III: Muse Track Pack ($)
  
• PixelJunk Monsters Encore ($5.99)
  
• Rock Band Add-Ons
• Smashing Pumpkins Scene Pack 1 ($5.49)
• "It Hurts" by Angels & Airwaves ($1.99)
• "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" by Fall Out Boy ($1.99)
• "Date With the Night by Yeah Yeah Yeahs ($1.99)
  

Game Videos

• WipEout HD Trailer (free)
• PLAYSTATION 3 "What You Need" Video (free)
• Mirror’s Edge Gameplay Trailer (free)
• Mercenaries 2: World in Flames Payback Trailer (free)
• Overlord: Raising Hell Trailer (free)
• The Wheelman Trailer (free)
• TNA iMPACT! Gamers Day Trailer (free)

Theatrical Trailers

• Iron Man Trailer 2 (free)
• Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Teaser Trailer (free)
  
• The Love Guru Trailer (free)

Themes and Wallpapers

• PixelJunk Monsters Theme 3 (free)
• PixelJunk Monsters Wallpapers x2 (free)
• Sports Theme (free)

Enjoy!

PLAYSTATION Store Worldwide

• EU PLAYSTATION Store Update: May 8, 2008
• EU PLAYSTATION Store Update: May 6, 2008
  

EU PLAYSTATION Store Update: May 8, 2008

The European PlayStation Store has been updated for the second time this week due to the PlayStation Day event on Tuesday, so we can be sure they are pretty happy at the moment. Today's content list can be seen below.

Demos
- Race Driver: GRID demo (free)
- The Bourne Conspiracy demo (free) (Australian Store Only)

Add-Ons
- Army of Two SSC Challenge (£3.99)
- Guitar Hero III: Muse Game Pack (£3.99)
- Guitar Hero III: Def Leppard Trakc Pack (£3.99)

Game Videos
- Mirror's Edge Gameplay Trailer (free)
- PlayStation Day 2008 Conference Videos (8) (free)

There is the update. Oddly, most of Europe didn't see The Bourne Conspiracy demo as they were promised (thanks commenter #1).

Fallout 3 Composer Announced: Inon Zur

Yesterday, Bethesda Softworks announced the composer for their upcoming (potential game of the year) Fallout 3. Inon Zur will be composing this soundtracks, known for his works with Crysis and Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones.

“We’ve wanted to work with Inon for a long time,” said Todd Howard executive producer of Fallout 3. “He brings so much to the table, in terms of his talent, background, and the music that’s influenced him. He’s created a score that has epic sweep; from the lonely ambience of the wasteland to dramatic fights for survival.”

Inon had his own to say as well.

“Fallout 3 is one of the most engaging and demanding projects I've scored,” said Inon Zur. “It was very rewarding to put all my creative energy into supporting Bethesda's vision for the game. I’m very proud of the outcome, and look forward to sharing the music with the players."

We are looking forward to nothing but good from the game and it's soundtrack.

Peter Moore Disappointed by PlayStation Home Delay

Peter Moore, former Xbox boss, now EA Sports President, said less than 24 hours after Kaz Hirai apologized for the Home delay that he was disappointed about it.

Moore said: "Yeah; I just wish it would ship. I [previously] questioned it a little bit, whether I'd want to wander around there. Phil Harrison showed me a demo - it's very cool, but let's go already. And so I'm disappointed that it's been pushed back a little bit again.

"But I really hope it gets going and becomes that portal to the PlayStation Network and we can utilize it. But boy, I just wish we'd get going."

We have to agree, just hurry up and release it Sony.

[Moore "disappointed" by Home delay]

KILLZONE 2: More Amazing Gameplay

Here is some new footage of KILLZONE 2 from IGN. Once again, we are nothing but amazed, especially those smoke effects towards to end. Great job Guerrilla! Enjoy!

X-Play: Madden 09 All Access

A new All Access feature from X-Play gives us a look at Madden NFL 09. They talk about the Madden curse, and if it will ever come back. Enjoy!

Prince of Persia IV: Speed Art Trailer

Ben Mattes, producer for Prince of Persia IV gives us an exclusive first look on the game. The game has an all new look and story, and in the video we see the character art with a quick rush through, showing our Prince. The fact that they do it in about 20 minutes amazes me. They say more is to come in the coming months. Enjoy!

KILLZONE 2: More PlayStation Day Footage

Thanks to JeuxVideo, we have some more KILLZONE 2 gameplay footage for you from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's PlayStation Day 2008 held on Tuesday. Enjoy!

[KILLZONE 2 Footage]

Grand Theft Auto IV Load Times: So This Is What It Comes To

Here is yet another comparison for Grand Theft Auto IV, this time comparing load times. It seems, according to the video and some commenters of the video who have "confirmed" it, that the PlayStation 3 has two more loading images than the Xbox 360 does, which is bad. You'd think the mandatory 3.5GB install would of made it faster. Guess not, if the video is to be believed of course.

KILLZONE's Helghast in LittleBigPlanet

Wondering how diverse the character customization in LittleBigPlanet really is? Take a look at this video where we see the Helghast from KILLZONE as Sack Boys. They look awesome. Enjoy!

DOOM 4 Officially In Development

id Software have announced today that DOOM 4 will be enterting development, as they started accepting applications for jobs to work on the game. DOOM 4 will take place on our planet Earth. The game will presumably be shipping for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

In its now-hiring announcement, id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead said, "DOOM is part of the id Software DNA and demands the greatest talent and brightest minds in the industry to bring the next installment of our flagship franchise to Earth. It's critical for id Software to have the best creative minds in-house to develop games that meet the standards synonymous with our titles."

If you want to check out the positions, visit their official website.

[DOOM 4 Now in Development, Takes Place on Earth]

EA Sports Announces Fight Night Round 4

Electronic arts have announced Fight Night Round 4 today for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game will ship in early 2009, however, meaning we have a bit of time before we get our hands on it.

“The EA SPORTS Fight Night franchise has always been synonymous with quality and innovation that raised the bar for the sports videogame genre”, said Kevin Wilkinson, Executive Producer, EA SPORTS. “EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 3 was a platform defining game as the industry transitioned to next generation consoles. EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 will change how boxing games are played and measured in the future.” View the press release below.

THE CHAMP IS BACK! EA ANNOUNCES EA SPORTS FIGHT NIGHT ROUND 4

Mike Tyson Featured in First Boxing Videogame in Nearly a Decade

Guildford, UK – May 7, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: ERTS) announced today that EA SPORTS™Fight Night Round 4 is in development at EA Canada in Vancouver under the EA SPORTS brand. EA SPORTS Fight Night is back with the most realistic “in the ring” experience to date, featuring some of the greatest boxers in history fighting in their prime.

“The EA SPORTS Fight Night franchise has always been synonymous with quality and innovation that raised the bar for the sports videogame genre”, said Kevin Wilkinson, Executive Producer, EA SPORTS. “EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 3 was a platform defining game as the industry transitioned to next generation consoles. EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 will change how boxing games are played and measured in the future.”

Featuring a re-written gameplay engine, EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 will add a variety of fighting styles and boxer differentiation to authentically emulate the greatest fighters of all time. Pressure your opponent with the brawling inside style of young Mike Tyson, bobbing and weaving to set up powerful hooks and uppercuts. Capitalize on Muhammad Ali’s reach, hand speed and fleetness of foot to bewilder your opponent with lightning fast jabs and straights from the outside. For the first time in history, EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 gives you the opportunity to pit these legendary heavyweights against one another and name a true champ.

No fight will be the same with an all-new physics-based animation system that recreates the full spectrum of true-to-life punch impacts, giving boxers a devastating arsenal of punches, blocks and ring movement. The new physics system allows for missed punches, glancing punches, knockout blows and for the first time ever, rough and tumble inside fighting. Fatigue, adrenaline, footwork and timing all come into play as you hammer away at your opponents.

EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 will be available for the Xbox 360™ system and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and ships to retailers in 2009. The game has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI.

EA SPORTS™ is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL Football, FIFA football, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® and NASCAR® racing.

Grand Theft Auto IV Patched to v1.01

Hmm. Rockstar released a new Grand Theft Auto IV patch today titled v1.01. Sadly, it doesn't fix those freezing problems but only those multiplayer connectivity issues. Come on Rockstar, I want to actually play it with out worrying it will freeze in the middle of a mission.

[GTA IV gets 1.01 patch, freezing not fixed]

Update: Here is the official release from Rockstar that I just saw in my mailbox. They say it does fix the lock-ups, however.

Rockstar Games has released a GTA IV patch for Playstation 3 today that prevents Gamespy’s servers from being overloaded and therefore reduces the impact on those servers that were causing the game to stutter and lock up. We continue to monitor the performance of the game both on and offline and will provide further updates as necessary. We want to assure everyone that, together with our hardware partners, we continue to strive to give our fans the best possible interactive entertainment experiences possible. This update will ensure that everyone will experience Grand Theft Auto IV the way it was intended. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused.

HAZE Demo Coming to US PlayStation Network Tomorrow

Ubisoft today announced that just as Europe did, the US PlayStation Store will be receiving the HAZE demo as well tomorrow. The demo will contain 4 Player Cooperative and Campaign modes. Be sure to check back during tomorrow's weekly update. View the press release below.

HAZE – *4 Player Co-op / Campaign Demo Now Available Exclusively on the PLAYSTATION®Network*

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: 6th May, 2008 – Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, today announced the release of a fully playable demo for Haze, the new first-person shooter set in a harsh future where war is never quite what it seems. Available exclusively on the PLAYSTATION®Network, this playable demo gives gamers a taste of not only the single-player campaign in Haze, but also allows for up to four-player, drop-in drop-out co-op play online, via LAN or even 2 player split-screen. The demo is now available across Europe, and will go live on the PLAYSTATION®Network on 8th May in the U.S. Developed by shooter experts Free Radical, creators of the critically acclaimed TimeSplitters® series, Haze is scheduled for release exclusively on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system on May 23rd 2008 in EMEA territories. Haze is rated “18+” by PEGI.

Haze 4 Player Co-op / Campaign Demo: *Salva Region*
It’s finally time to feed your addiction…the playable demo for Haze has arrived. Take a Nectar-induced romp solo style, or with 3 of your friends in fierce co-op action through the Salva Region, a bright and high-octane environment, where explosions are huge and delightful, and deaths are fleeting and meaningless. It’s the only place on earth where you can blow a stranger’s head off with a jolly smile on your face. The green-orange vegetation teams with primary-coloured, unthreatening wildlife for the marines to trample all over. The sunshine beats down in comforting waves as you merrily murder your fellow man. This world makes you feel confident. Artificially so and like a dream.

For more information on Haze, please visit www.hazegame.com.

© 2008 Ubisoft Entertainment and Free Radical Design Limited. All Rights Reserved. Haze is a trademark of Ubisoft Entertainment and Free Radical Design. Free Radical Design and its associated logo are trademarks of Free Radical Design Limited. Ubisoft, Ubi.com, and the Ubisoft logo are registered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Developed by Free Radical Design Limited. “PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION” and “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 24 countries and sales in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2007-08 fiscal year Ubisoft forecasts generated sales of 920 million Euros. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

About Free Radical:
Founded in 1999, Free Radical Design is one of the UK’s leading independent video game developers and is now wholly focused on next-generation development. It recently achieved its first listing in the Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100, being one of the UK’s fastest-growing technology companies. To learn more, please visit www.frd.co.uk.

SCEE Boss: "You probably will see" PS3 Grand Theft Auto IV DLC

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe boss David Reeves said yesterday at London's PlayStation Day 2008 that PlayStation 3 owners "probably will see" Grand Theft Auto IV downloadable content.

As you know, the Xbox 360 will be receiving two exclusive episode packs as downloadable content promising "hours of additional play".

When asked if it was damagint to Sony that and the PlayStation 3 that no Grand Theft Auto IV downloadable content is coming, Reevse responded: "Well I think you probably will see it, it's just that a deal obviously was struck between Microsoft and Take 2 to do that, and if that's what they want to do, I think that's the last shot they have."

When Reeves was asked if he had a message for PlayStation 3 fans who wanted downloadable content, he replied: "I would say to them then, you know, email Rockstar (laughs), and ask them what's coming. I think they already are, probably!"

Wait, so David Reeves, is something on it's way? "I'm honestly not going to make any comment on that because it's too big a thing to... we can make an announcement when we make an announcement." I hope I heard that right. It sounds like we will be getting some downloadable content.

[SCEE boss: "You probably will see" PS3 GTA 4 DLC]

Famitsu: Cross Edge Announced for PlayStation 3

The latest issue of Japanese gaming magazine, Famitsu, features a new game exclusively for the PlayStation 3, called Cross Edge.

The game, scheduled for a September 2008 release in Japan, is a collaboration between Idea Factory, Gust, Capcom, Namco Bandai, Nippon Ichi Software, and Compile Heart. Development is currently 70% done at the moment.

In Cross Edge, the main character wakes up in a messed up world with some other characters who don't belong there. The world they wake up in lives on feeding off people's souls from other worlds. If it is not stopped, the world which that soul comes from will cease to exist. Currently, only two of the worlds are known. One being The Underworld, which consists of soulds from Vampire/Darkstalker and Disgaea. The other being Dreamworld, consisting of souls from Ar Tonelico and Marie's Atelier. View the character list and battle details at the link.

[New PS3 JRPG X Edge (Cross Edge) for Sept '08]

Take-Two Chairman Says Grand Theft Auto IV Is Glitch Free

Take-Two Interactive Chairman, Strauss Zelnick, may not have any idea what he is talking about when it comes to Grand Theft Auto IV. With the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game constantly receiving lock-up by many players, Rockstar still hasn't released or said anything about a patch.

CNBC's Michelle Caruso Cabrera quizzed him about any post-releaseGrand Theft Auto IV glitches, and he responded by saying "No, you know, no, none whatsoever. I'd say the only issue is that someone came up to me yesterday in a restaurant and said my thumbs were hurting from the weekend!"

Yeah Mr. Strauss, we aren't so sure about that one.

[Take-Two Boss Claims GTA IV Is Glitch Free]

PixelJunk Monsters Encore Coming Thursday for $5.99

Matt Morton, Associate Producer for SCEA Santa Monica Studios updated us today about an interview with Dylan Cuthbert from Q-Games.

They've announced that PixelJunk Monsters Encore will be releasing this week during the update on May 8, 2008 for $5.99 as an expansion. They tell us the new expansion will include a secret landmass located between Tiki & Toki islands. Hit the link for the full interview with Dylan Cuthbert.

[PixelJunk Monsters Encore dated + interview part 2]

Next GameTrailersTV Features Ghostbusters Gameplay Reveal

The next episode of GameTrailers TV coming this Friday will contain the first gameplay of Ghostbusters: The Game along with some other exclusives as well. The clip above shows a bit of what we will be shown on Friday, and it actually does look really good. Take a look at the video and be amazed as Dough Boy attacks. Enjoy!

Quantum of Solace: 007 Official Website Opens

Activision has opened the official website for it's upcoming James Bond game. The new site doesn't show any screenshots, but gives us some of the locations in the game along with some concept artwork. Some of those locations include Miami, London, Austria, Venice, Lake Como, Siena, Montenegro, and Madagascar.

A quote at the top of the screen reads “From Casino Royale to Quantum of Solace …And Beyond.”

This could mean the developers are using the storyline from the Daniel Craig movies in the new game.

The only solid information we have now is the name, Quantum of Solace: 007, and the developers. Treyarch will be handling the game on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with Beenox doing PC, and Vicarious Visions doing Wii and handheld.

[Quantum of Solace: 007] [DarkZero]

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Coming to Europe November 2008, Same as US

Atari announced today that they will be distributing Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm in Europe releasing November 2008, same release as North America.

The game will feature full 3D combat, every inch of Hidden Leaf Village yours to explore, high definition graphics, and more. You will be able to perform powerful jutsu attacks, acrobatic evasive manoeuvrs and even run up walls and over water. Players will be able to customize their fighting style as well. Each available character in the game has the ability to transformer into powerful Awakening forms under certain gameplay conditions as well, offering new abilities to the 25 game characters.The game will also support head-to-head multiplayer for up to two players, no online sadly.

The game will consist of 100 unique missions, with valuable scrolls to collect along the way, as long as interactions with your favorite Naruto characters. View the press release below.

'NarutoTM: Ultimate Ninja® Storm' Coming To Europe Exclusive For PlayStation®3

Naruto's PLAYSTATION 3 Debut Revolutionizes Ninja Action with Full 3D Combat, Free-Roaming Exploration and Incredible Anime Graphics


LYON, FRANCE – 5 May 2008 – Atari today announced the forthcoming European release of NAMCO BANDAI Games’ Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm exclusively for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. Based on the popular Naruto animated television series currently on air across Europe, the game delivers ninja action on an unprecedented scale as players go head to head in full 3D combat, investigate every inch of the Hidden Leaf Village in open-world exploration and revel in high definition graphics that surpass traditional hand-drawn animation. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm is scheduled for European release in November 2008.

Evolving the head-to-head fighting action of the Ultimate Ninja series, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm lets players battle in full 3D across massive environments. Players will unleash powerful jutsu attacks, perform acrobatic evasive manoeuvres and even run up walls and over water as they pursue their opponent for ninja supremacy. Players can customize their character’s fighting style and recruit up to two support characters to put their own stamp on the action. Each character in the game is capable of transforming into powerful Awakening forms under certain gameplay conditions, offering new traits and abilities to the game’s impressive ninja roster of 25 popular characters from the animated series. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm supports head-to-head multiplayer fighting for up to two players.

Allowing players to further immerse themselves in the world of Naruto, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm introduces all-new free-roaming exploration across the Hidden Leaf Village and the Forest of Death. Players can search every inch of these iconic environments to take on 100 unique missions, collect valuable scrolls and interact with additional characters from the Naruto animated series. Injecting additional variety to the game’s head-to head combat, these missions include races, special deliveries and large-scale battles against massive opponents.

Taking advantage of an original next-generation graphics engine, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm boasts fluid animation, incredible visual detail and an advanced facial expression system to create high-definition graphics on the PLAYSTATION 3 that surpass traditional hand-drawn animation. Replicating the same environments, characters and effects as the hit animated series, this new technology allows gamers to become a part of the world of Naruto like never before.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm for PLAYSTATION 3 is published by NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe SAS, distributed in Europe by Atari, and scheduled for European release in November 2008.

KILLZONE 2: More PlayStation Day Gameplay

We have some more gameplay videos of KILLZONE 2 from the SCEE PlayStation Day 2008 in London that was held today. This video is recorded from some snoopers that we thank. View the videos at the link. Enjoy!

[KILLZONE 2 PS Day 08' Gameplay]

EA Reveals 'EA Sports Freestyle' Sub-Brand

Electronic Arts today revealed their new EA Sports sub-brand, EA Sports Freestyle. This new sub-brandn focuses on more casual sports that is easy to pick up and play for kids, parents, women, and men.

“The launch of EA SPORTS Freestyle is an exciting milestone in the evolution of the EA SPORTS brand,” said Peter Moore, president, EA SPORTS. “EA SPORTS Freestyle will be a perfect complement to our core portfolio of games that our loyal fans are deeply passionate about, and will provide compelling opportunities for new audiences looking for a lighter gaming experience and an easier entry point into EA SPORTS.” View the press release below.

EA UNVEILS NEW 'EA SPORTS FREESTYLE' SUB-BRAND
EA SPORTS Freestyle to represent the lighter side of sports: No rules, just fun.

Guildford, UK – May 6, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: ERTS) today launched EA SPORTS Freestyle™, a new sub-brand aimed at a growing, more casual sports gaming audience. EA SPORTS Freestyle games, while based in sports, will be playful, inclusive, casual, and easy to pick up and play for kids and parents, women and men, and casual and hardcore sports fans of all ages.

“The launch of EA SPORTS Freestyle is an exciting milestone in the evolution of the EA SPORTS brand,” said Peter Moore, president, EA SPORTS. “EA SPORTS Freestyle will be a perfect complement to our core portfolio of games that our loyal fans are deeply passionate about, and will provide compelling opportunities for new audiences looking for a lighter gaming experience and an easier entry point into EA SPORTS.”

EA SPORTS Freestyle will be the home for innovative new intellectual properties from the EA SPORTS label, including three new games in development and slated for release in the next 12 months. The first title to launch under the new sub-brand will be FaceBreaker™, an arcade-style boxing title set for release in September 2008 and the first new console IP from EA SPORTS since 2002.

EA SPORTS™ is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL Football, FIFA, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® and NASCAR® racing.

Hirai: “GTA has always been associated with the PlayStation platform first and foremost”

Sony Computer Entertainment President Kaz Hirai said today at PlayStation Day 2008 in London that he beleives Grand Theft Auto is primarily a PlayStation franchise.

“I think Grand Theft Auto, the franchise, has always been associated with the PlayStation platform first and foremost, and so I think consumers are coming back again,” he said.

“They had previous versions of Grand Theft Auto on previous platforms, so it’s always good to come home to PlayStation 3 as well, I think.”

Regarding whether or not Microsoft wasted their green when paying Rockstar $50 million for exclusive downloadable content, he said that punters will vote on their feet, and did not answer.

“Well, it’s really up to the consumers to decide,” he said. “As I said before… it’s a franchise that’s associated with PlayStation for the longest time, and I think that based on the numbers I’m seeing right now, I think the consumers feel that way as well.”

[Hirai: “GTA has always been associated with the PlayStation platform first and foremost”]

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift: First Gameplay from PlayStation Day

At the link, you'll see a video containing the first gameplay footage of Motorstorm: Pacific Rift, coming straight out of PlayStation Day 2008 in London. The game's graphcis are sleek, and the video we are watching is only in pre-alpha. Enjoy!

[Motorstorm 2 First Gameplay]

Far Cry 2: New 3 Minute Making Of Video

GameTrailers has a new making-of video for Ubisoft Montreal's upcoming Far Cry 2 that discusses how the created the game. The video also showcases some new gameplay. Enjoy!

Barrack Obama Starring in Grand Hope

Attack of the Show's segment producer Luke Wahl snapped some shots of these Grand Theft Auto IV banners being replaced in the streets of Los Angeles. The replacement is the characters head, along with crossing out the words Theft Auto and replacing it with Hope, making it Grand Hope with Obama. This is what presidential elections do to people, but I'm voting for Obama anyway, so I don't mind.

[Nugget From The Net: 'GTH IV']

PlayStation Day 2008: Siren Blood Cursed Announced

At today's PlayStation Day in London, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe announced Siren Blood Curse for the PlayStation Network. The game will come in in twelve "TV-style, suspense-packed" downloadable episodes this summer. [Kotaku]

The next-gen horror-survival title is set in the Japanese village of Hanuda, where a TV crew from America arrive to research the legend of the ‘Vanished Village’ where human sacrifice is said to have taken place thirty years ago. Players discover the horrific curse that haunts Hanuda and battle to save the village’s survivors from the living dead – a spine-tingling struggle that involves using the unique Sight-Jack system to view events from the angle of your undead pursuers. In a gaming first, Siren Blood Curse will be released episodically, keeping gamers on the edge of their seats until the next download arrives in PSN.