SCEE Working on Bad EU PlayStation Store Updates

Over at a Warhawk Tournament that ThreeSpeech organized, at the 3Rooms, Sony Europe PR team spoke to attendees regarding the small amount of EU PSN releases. The main problem was that Japan and America are receiving decent content regularly because each territory only has a single language. Europe, on the other hand, has 21 languages and each piece of content has to be localised for all of them. They recognise this is an issue and are working on a fix.

"Will you be able to see improvements in the next week, or the week after? Probably not, but do expect to see things get better in the near future."

Thats good to hear for everybody in Europe. At least now we know that they are working on the issue.

[Via PS3Fanboy]

TGS 2007: Yakuza 3 Trailer

GameBrink has the trailer for the upcoming Yakuza 3 in Japan. View the trailer at the link.

Yakuza 3 is an epic game by SEGA producer producer Toshihiro Nagoshi, this is the third edition in the franchise known outside of Japan as Yakuza.

[View Yakuza 3 Trailer]

More PixelJunk Games Coming this Year

According to the PixelJunk Japanese website, we are going to be seeing more PixelJunk games on the PlayStation Network. An unnamed game above is slated for a November 2007 release, with no details what so ever.

This game is also unnamed and looks like some sort of plant game? Maybe you grow plants, I really don't know. This is slated for a December 2007 release.

[Via PixelJunk JP]

Buzz! PS3 Will Have Plenty of Questions & Downloadables

IGN interviewed Buzz! creator David Amor on the new PS3 iteration of the franchise and PS3Fanboy outlined the entertaining bits below:

• Relentless Software isn't exactly a technology company, so programming for the PS3 hasn't been as big an obstacle as other devs. They're focused more on the game itself, which they want to make as social as possible. Keep the PS3 in the big family den, you know?
• The game will be a Blu-ray release, not downloadable. However, like with Singstar, there will be a ton of downloadable content for quiz-enthusiasts. The plan is to have a hefty amount of stuff available from day one of the game's launch.
• There are currently about 5,000 questions on the disc itself in a multitude of categories. Interestingly, these aren't created solely by Relentless Software. A very large portion of the questions are outsourced to a company called Sleepy Dog, then fact-checked for accuracy. Sony has even approached National Geographic for making their own category of questions.
• In fact, there could be a lot of companies in the future giving categories for download. Heck, we will probably be able to up our own categories of questions for people to check out, give ratings as to their value, etc. This service will be in the game and will be free, whereas company question packs would get upped on the PS Store for an acceptable price.
  
• Online matches sound fun -- person vs. person, team vs. team, et cetera. Nothing ground breaking, but feeling like you're on a quiz show is good enough.

There is much more discussed, even details about creating your own question packs, playable characters, and keeping track of the stuff people could potentially upload (no copyrighted images, for now). The controller for the PS3 Buzz! is the same as the PS2 version, so you quiz experts won't have to adjust to a new steering wheel, so to speak. The game is due out in Spring of 2008.

[Via PS3Fanboy]

Assassin's Creed Boxart Revealed

The official boxart for Assassin's Creed for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 has been revealed. Above we have the normal and collector's edition boxes. Enjoy.

[Via Gaming Today]

Steambot Chronicles 2 Coming to PlayStation 3

Steambot Chronicles (Bumpy Trot in Japan) was having it's sequel scheduled for a PlayStation 2 release, but now it seems that they've shifted the title, and it's now coming to the PlayStation 3.

A first trailer for the game will be shown at the Tokyo Game Show. However, ahead of next week's formal debut, you can get a sneak peak via a tiny screenshot at the above website. Some of the improvements over the PS2 version should be immediately clear.

[Via Bumpy Trot 2]

Home Update with Home Square Footage

Well, if the screenshots weren't enough for you, here is a video showing the newest feature in the closed beta of Home. The end of the trailer shows a big surprise for closed beta users already, can anybody say goodbye to spider webs?

[Via GameTrailers]

Ratchet & Clank Demo with Heavenly Sword?

A member over at PS3Forums is reporting that he received a copy of a Ratchet & Clank demo along with Heavenly Sword. No other members seem to have got it with their copy, except one member who tries to tell he isn't lying. Screenshots below.

[Via PS3Forums]

JP PlayStation Store Update for September 13, 2007

Here is the PlayStation Store releases for Japan today:

Add-Ons:

• FolksSoul new Folk "Gemaga editor-in-chief"

This update adds a new monster, who just happens to be the editor-in-chief of Japanese video game magazine Gemaga. He uses his narcissistic pose to unleash a barrage of flower petals to attack enemies, weird.

[Via PS3Fanboy]

Jack Tretton Talks PlayStation Network, Video Downloads

Straight from GameDaily BIZ.

Sony's PlayStation 3 will follow Microsoft's Xbox 360 into the video market, but will blaze its own distinct path.

That's the early word from Sony Computer Entertainment America president and CEO Jack Tretton, who does not expect the PS3 to adopt the monthly fee imposed by its rival console on the Xbox Live service. The latter continues to gain traction not just for online gaming but also as a platform for downloadable movies, TV episodes and other content.

"We're very committed to online gaming and downloadable content via the PlayStation Network, but we're going about it in a very unique way in that we're not charging a monthly fee," Tretton said. "This will be part of the PlayStation 3 experience when you walk out the door with the machine."

Tretton won't say just what Sony's business strategy will be to chase Xbox. However, he laid out broad preliminary plans supporting recent indications made by Sony chairman Howard Stringer that the PS3 home gaming console and the PlayStation Portable will be key platforms in a companywide plan to offer video downloads of entertainment content.

Read the rest at the link below.

[Via GameDaily BIZ]

Sony Executives Answer Home Questions on Commerce & Age-Specific Content

There is no need for introduction of home, here is the breakdown of Sony's saying.

• There might not be a single release date for Home: "We want to scale up the numbers so we can get feedback from the users and find out how they’re using the service. And as the service grows and as we start bringing more people in, we’ll get more of an idea as to how they’re using it and build it up with them, rather than just going out there with a product that ticks all the right boxes."
• Sony hopes Home will pull in a wider audience: "...there are lots of other family-members and friends who might see [core gamers] using Home and think: 'That looks fun: I’m not normally the sort of person who would use a PS3, but let's have a go with it.'"
• They want to make money: "Sony is in it to make revenue from it, otherwise we wouldn’t be doing it. But there are revenue opportunities for everybody there, in the long-term. Obviously there’s advertising and sales revenue for us, even physical sales channels, going through other fulfilment channels for partners."
• Big Brother is looking out for you: "We can get a lot of information about the kind of user you are–your age, location and that kind of thing–so we can be pretty confident about knowing you are who you say you are. So we can protect you in that respect."
• Porn? Maybe not: "For instance, a casino or even somewhere you can go and see 18-rated trailers for games. That isn’t anything particularly sinister, but obviously, you’d have to prevent 12-year-olds going in there. Obviously, there are other 18-plus areas that you could imagine, but some of those might not come to fruition."

A lot of new information is revealed here. Enjoy.

[Via Arstechnica]

US PlayStation Store Update for September 13, 2007

Well, the US PlayStation Store update is up, and we got a huge update to go with it.

Games:

• High Stakes on the Vegas Strip: Poker Edition - $9.99
• PixelJunk Racers - $6.99

Demos:

• FIFA 08 demo
  
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix demo
• NHL 08 demo
  
• PixelJunk Racers demo
  
• Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground demo

Trailers:

• Everyday Shooter trailer
• Feel the Noise trailer
• High Stakes on the Vegas Strip: Poker Edition trailer
• Juiced 2 trailer
• Lair Behind the Scenes video
• Soul Calibur IV trailer
• Warhawk trailer

Wallpapers:

• High Stakes: Poker wallpaper
• 2 PixelJunk Racer wallpapers
• Folklore wallpaper

Add-Ons:

• Lair Music Track

Updates:

• Home Beta Update (including Home Square)
• Resistance: Fall of Man Update (including the return of Human vs. Human)
  

One mighty update indeed. Enjoy, no complaints on this one.

[Via Punch Jump]

EU PlayStation Store Update for September 13, 2007

Hmm, is it just me, or did a Harry Potter demo come out of no where? Considering this game is pretty old makes it seem suspicious. Perhaps Sony is trying to catch up with Live? Anyway, here is the update:

Demos:

• FIFA 2008 demo
• Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix demo
• NBA Live 08 demo

Add-Ons:

• NG: Sigma DLC: Weapons Master - Survival Mode - Ryu-only - 3.99 euros
• Motorstorm vehicle pack (two cars) - 2.49 Euro

Trailers:

• Locoroco Cocoreccho
• Harry Potter and the Order of The Phenix (the videogame)
• Heavenly Sword Animated Prologue (part 5 of 5)
• Heavenly Sword The Making of... (part 5 of 5)

Updates:

• Home Beta Update (including Home Square)
• Resistance: Fall of Man Update (including the return of Human vs. Human)

I wouldn't have any complaints there. Perhaps next week, we can expect a demo for Sonic the Hedgehog.

[Via NeoGAF]

Major Home Beta Update for September 13, 2007

The closed beta for PlayStation Home received a big update today. That included the Home Square that we've all seen at E3 2007. In this update, they've also broken locations down to optional downloads. So if there is a place you do not want to visit, then you save space on your hard drive. More screenshots below. Remember, I did not take these images.

[Via Console-Exploits]

TGS 2007: Metal Gear Online & Metal Gear 4 Playable

Kojima Productions' Ryan Payton revealed in today's podcast, Metal Gear Solid 4 and Metal Gear Online will both be playable at the Tokyo Game Show 2007. There you have it, you have something to look forward too now if your an MGS fan.

[Via Kotaku]

More Metal Gear Solid Games Confirmed by Kojima

Yes, today, GamerT did an interview with Kojima himself. Here is one of the questions:

Question: Was it difficult to say goodbye to this big franchise?

Answer Kojima: No, actually not. I believe the MGS range will continue. Just like the James Bond frinchise. This is a job for my new staff and they may use the MGS for a new franchise however they like. I won't be a part of this according the details, but will only be the producer.
The only sad thing is to say goodbye to Solid Snake, because I created that character.

To conclude: the Metal Gear Solid saga will continue. That's for sure.
Will this be different because Hideo Kojima won't be part of the details? I think not. The staff won't change a winning team.

[Via GamerT]

Gran Turismo 5: Prologue Price Still Undecided

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue's price is still to be decided, Sony said today, following a report on Dutch website Fok! which claimed the Blu-Ray edition would cost EUR 45.

In addition, Eurogamer.net reports that Sony was also unable to narrow a date down for Polyphony's eagerly awaited PS3 sequel. Current expectations are that both the PSN and Blu-Ray versions will be available before the end of 2007.

[Via EuroGamer]

Go! Sports Ski: New Details

Thanks to Famitsu, we have some new details on Sony's upcoming PlayStation Network title, Go! Sports Ski:

- SIXAXIS motion sensing will be available.
- 4 player maximum simultaneous play.
- PLAYSTATION Network allows online play.
- Online modes feature "Time Attack", etc.

Anyway, view Go! Sports Ski images at the link.

[Via Famitsu]