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Capcom announces dates for Super Street Fighter II HD for XBLA, PSN

Zach Lott — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:10:06 -0600

Capcom announced today the release dates for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix - November 25 for the PSN version and November 26 for the XBLA version.

Also announced was that various Street Fighter-themed DLC will be released for various XBLA titles while another "little surprise" will be coming for PSN later in the year. In addition, a downloable album of hip-hop music inspired by Street Fighter will be made available for PS3 owners when SSFIITHDR is released.

Sony: 80% of PS3 users are "active" on PSN

Zach Lott — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:04:27 -0600

In a post celebrating the second anniversary of the release of the PS3 on the official U.S. Playstation Blog yesterday, Sony's John Koller went through an extensive list of the system's achievements, but one that should draw your attention more than the others is this figure: 14 million "active" PSN accounts.

If Sony is to be believed, then this means that around 80% of PS3 owners are currently active on PSN, but chances are that this isn't the whole story. I'd be willing to bet that the 80% figure is counting people who have made an account, not just people who are actually using it on a regular basis, as I think that figure would be somewhat lower.

What do you guys think?

Sony Addresses Little Big Planet Moderation

Solomon Lee — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:54:31 -0600

For those of you wondering why your precious LBP level was deleted without cause or notice, Sony has provided a formal explanation on the Three Speech blog in the form of guidelines:

Ensure that the content you share with other users is suitable for all ages - everyone has access to your level if you publish it
Please respect other people's intellectual property rights. For example, don't use images, brands or logos that you're not entitled to use.
If you come across any content that you feel the need to report, then please do it responsibly. Hoax reports will be considerable inappropriate behavior.

There you have it folks! Don't be afraid to create a living canvas or to build something truly unique - as long as they adhere to these guidelines.

Resident Evil 5 Coming To PC?

Tim Grube — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:34:02 -0600

Resident Evil 5 is approaching quite rapidly and today the folks over at MCV have found something deep within a Capcom Q1 2009 release schedule. It states the RE5 is scheduled to be coming out on the PC as well as the previously announce PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles.

This is big news for PC fans because many RE fans have been asking for a PC port and now it is here! The game is scheduled for release on March 12, 2009 in Japan, and March 13, 2009 in North America and Europe.

Valkyria Chronicles DLC confirmed for US release.

Ryan Fulton — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:07:07 -0600

Sega's beautiful action-strategy-rpg Valkyria Chronicles released today, so if you're keen on experiencing a unique game that bends an established genre and blends another, now's the time to pick it up. If you're further interested, two bits of DLC have already been confirmed for US release in early 2009. One allows you to play as a side character called Edie, and the other allows you to take on the role of the game's antagonists. If Japanese prices are anything to consider, you can expect them to run $5-10 a piece. You can also expect them to be fully voice acted.

NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM Ships

Tim Grube — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:33:03 -0600

Namco Bandai Games America Inc., today shipped NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM to retailers across North America exclusively for the PlayStation 3 console.

The Ultimate Ninja series is recognized by Naruto fans and gamers alike as the video game franchise that best captures the high-energy ninja action of the hit animated series, said Todd Thorson, director of marketing and public relations at Namco Bandai Games America, Inc. NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM represents an incredible leap forward for the franchise as we make our debut on the PLAYSTATION 3 system with an all-new battle system, free-roaming gameplay and undeniably stunning graphics.

Developed by CyberConnect2, NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and carries a suggested retail price of $59.99.

Metal Gear Online Reaches One Million Mark

Tim Grube — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:02:57 -0600

With all the mass voting going on here in the states, Konami was able to sneak in some good news surrounding Metal Gear Online. The company revealed that Metal Gear Online has established over one million members since the service launched back in June.

To go along with this great news, Konami will launch a special campaign Metal Gear Online: Commemorative Campaign, which will officially begin on November 25, 2008, awarding reward points to gamers who access Metal Gear Online during the promotion. The 10,000 reward points will be updated to account owners on the last day of the campaign, December 9, 2008.

These reward points can be used to purchase new online gear from the in-game reward shop.

Heavy Rain: 30 Minutes of French and Good Lighting.

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:20:20 -0500

Recently released video of Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain from the Micromania Expo in France has reached the gaming site formerly known as Jeuxfrance which shall henceforth be known as Gamekyo. The animations could use some work, and the gameplay looks as if it may be somewhat dry just yet, but damned if the game doesn't have lighting down to a science. Qualms aside it looks like it could very well be an interesting game. The video is definitely worth a look. Just excuse the French... unless you speak French, then please, by all means, ignore what I was just talking about.

Happy Halloween To All - Now Go Play Fallout 3!

Tim Grube — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:19:33 -0500

Shameless plug incoming...I have been locked into Bethesda's Fallout 3 on the PC for a couple days now and I have to admit that this game is almost my game of the year. Well, the World of Warcraft expansion is due out on November 13, so that might consume most of my time--but as of right now, Fallout 3 is an exceptional game and you must purchase it today!

Game reviews:

GameRevolution
Gaming Nexus
GameTrailers
Atomic Gamer
Total Video Games
GoodGearGuide
Spillmagasinet Norway
Vandal
Hardgame2
Gamesurf.it
PS3Italia
Spaziogames
Big Download
Spike
Fox News
MSN
Empire Online,

Patent Crawling Reveals New PS3 Controller from the Future!

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:24:36 -0500

In a move to further confirm the assumptions of jocks and parents world-round, Sony has patented a controller that looks like some sort of a cross between a Star Trek phaser and a novelty item for children that you see in magazines that sell cheap Chinese crap designed to waste batteries and break. To further engender the lusty gaze of Star Trek fans you can slap the controllers together to make something that looks sort of like a Bat'leth. (Please note that I put a considerable amount of time into finding out the name of that weapon... I can assure you that I've never spent this much time looking up a Star Trek related item that didn't involve 7 of 9 porn.)

All derisive comments aside, this looks like a really neat piece of kit. It can sense like 58 billion things like relative motion, and everything else that the Wii remote can't even come close to doing. Additionally, since it teams up with the PlayStation Eye it can sense body and facial motion. All-in-all, it looks as if Sony could have something amazing on their hands if they can bring it out for a reasonable price, and supply a constant stream of quality software based on the technology including third party support.

Official PS3 Headset: A Non-technical, Non-lengthy Review.

Ryan Fulton — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:40:57 -0500

The Official PS3 Wireless Headset that recently shipped with SOCOM and will see a future solo release on this upcoming Tuesday it is quite a nifty piece of tech. Through testing with a friend and by simply playing SOCOM it's rather apparent that this is a top quality headset.

The speaker is crisp and clear, and the dual microphone setup does an amazing job of picking up what you're saying with minimal distortion. Though untested and personally unconfirmed, the headset also works as a general microphone when docked if you should so chose to use it in such a manner. The inclusion of a mute button is also a welcome addition, especially when you consider the fact that games like Call of Duty 4 use an "open mic" system. The headset is considered comfortable by general consensus and personally I find it easy to forget that I'm even wearing it.

All in all, it's a top quality headset that if you own a PS3 and you happen to not have a headset, or if you're just sick of the horrible one that you have now, it's definitely worth looking into picking this headset up.

Little Big Planet: See You in Another Week.

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:42:24 -0500

In a move that's just shy of incomprehensible Sony and Media Molecule have decided to push the release date of the exceedingly anticipated Little Big Planet back by a week and to break my heart in the process. Citing issues of a song that contains messages from the Qur'an, the game has been delayed in shipping until October 27th in order to remove the offending lyrics; the game can be expected around the 4th of November if Amazon is to be believed.

So... Feel free to play Fable 2 without feeling guilty now. At least for a week or two. Unless Sony does something awesome for atonement and opens a full public beta or something. Please do something awesome?

Firmware Alert: PS3 2.50 and PSP 5.0 Due Up Soon.

Ryan Fulton — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:09:06 -0500

Today is a momentous occasion for those of you who were waiting on baited breath for the newest firmware releases on Sony's systems. For today, marks the day, when most of the features for the new updates were announced. While there is no hard release date given, we can assume that the PS3 update, at least, will be sometime this week due to the inclusion of the PS3 headset with SOCOM which releases this week.

For a list of notable features for both systems, hit the jump.

PS3:

Support for the new PS3 Bluetooth Headset.
The ability to take your stalking to a new level and spy on your friends playing habits, or at least see when they last played.
Trophy improvements, for the 3 games that you have which support trophies.
A more upfront manner for redeeming PSN codes to coincide with the advent of PSN cards being available at more retailers.
A welcome sleep-mode for both the PS3 and controllers.
A screenshot function. Allow me to be the first to thank Sony for this awesome feature. I don't know how this is the first time that it has been introduced to a system.

PSP:

You can now access the PlayStation Network and PSN Store by way of your PSP.
I suppose I didn't need a bullet list.

GB Preview: Snag some Little Big Love in Little Big Planet

Shiva Stella — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:49:41 -0500

If you haven't heard of Media Molecule's Little Big Planet by now, I want to be you. I've spent the last 72 hours holed up in my imaginary cubicle with nothing but the PlayStation 3's holiday savior, completing creatively designed levels with dragon bosses, Silent Hill pyramid heads (think SH 2; you know what I'm talking about), rockets, ghosts, dinosaurs, Mario (sorry Luigi), Indiana Jones (I kid you not!), Nathan Drake, and--of course--the deliciously adorable sackboy. Or sackgirl. As Media Molecule would probably interrupt right now, it's all up to you.

I don't want to be too cruel to those of you unfortunate enough to not receive a highly coveted invitation to join the beta, (okay, maybe a little cruel), but really, you're not missing too much--only one of the most interesting, thought-provoking, heartwarming, sweetest masterpieces we've seen from this console generation the likes of which may actually put Fable II in its place, and yes, Mr. Molyneux, I did just say that. Possibly I'm over-exaggerating, but after spending significant time delightfully chained to the sackboys and sackgirls in the beta (community hug!), Little Big Planet may just convince you that your PlayStation 3 purchase was worth it after all.

At the heart of LBP lies its undeniable, addicting charm. A tiny, plain sackboy might not look like much--just a little creature your grandmother could have knitted for you eons ago, you know, when you still played with dolls--but herein you'll find that its stark simplicity is what is most endearing: a trite, but almost loving creature operates as your mirror self, full of limitless potential and impossible to measure possibilities, complete with a witty British narrator who would have made your childhood so much easier when he wasn't drowning you in tea.

And if painting your own canvas is your thing, you're in luck--you'll have ample opportunity to turn your sack-self into something truly dashing, like an Elizabethan housewife, a bunny-eared cowpoke, a pirate with a savvy polkadotted dress, or even Kratos if you're all smash and no class. Name a customization option and it's here; change eyes, material color, throw in some teeth, maybe a disgusting mustache or a miscellaneous animal part to let everyone know you walk on the wild side, and viola--instant sack-asso. Your mum would be proud.

After you've completed your "look", you'll want to stroll through the enchanting levels designed by MM in the game's story mode. LBP's stages contain the whole package; you'll listen to infectious music and great sound effects, swing from giant sponges, watch a little tutorial tv, hop a ride on a bird, and, most importantly, sticker the place up with collectible items. And here we find the magic of LBP: at its core half of the game is about getting your grubby sack-paws on every single item, object, sticker, material, or decoration you can spot. The other half is about using those items to create a living world.

This dynamic universe is the epitome of videogame self-expression. If you ever wanted to design a level in which Solid Snake fought off Metal Gear Rex with snazzy cardboard boxes, you can do it. If you've dreamed of Mega Man racing your friends in the latest WipeOut, you can do it. And if you've fantasized about recreating every single level from the original Mario Brothers, you can do that, too--with some obvious caveats, the point being that if you're creative enough, the game gives you the tools with which to realize your fun delusions.

And everything is easy to master. The level design tools offer tutorials for every aspect, from placing an object or using a template to covering the world with bright purple flowers or coating the walls with blood (hey, this makes for a great aesthetic effect). Your only real limit is a bar that lets you know much room is left in your stage to fill with objects, and if you're not using a template that's a lot of space to test your imagination in.

Once you're creation is set to rock the sack-world, it becomes available for you and all your sack friends to play through together, including newbie strangers who operate as fantastic q/a testers and leave great comments like "SNAAAAAAKE!" and "needs more Mario". Anyone who plays through your level can rate it with a tag, from "awesome" and "fun" to "short" and "stupid", and those who love what you've done with the place can mark the stage with a heart so they always have immediate access to the thrill-zone that is your creative genius. At this point there is some lag when you're playing online with your fellow sack-peoples, but how much of this is relegated to the final product is impossible to tell yet, so cross your delicately stitched fingers and remember that a little lag is worth the chance to show off your sack-casa to your buddy list.

If you're as enthusiastic about Little Big Planet as the rest of the world, you can join the pre-order gig by clicking on one of my handy links below, where I've noted what pre-order goody goes with which retailer to save you some googling. Meanwhile you'll find me in LBP, robbing banks and rescuing sack-peoples from ferocious red-ringed Xbox 360s. Here's hoping I see you there on October 21.

Best Buy: Nariko (Heavenly Sword)
EBGames/Gamestop: Kratos, Medusa, Minotaur (God of War pack)
Amazon: Downloadable level design guide, sometimes a free $10 gift card as well
GameCrazy: Adorable knitted zipper pouch
Circuit City: Free $10 gift card
ALL: Space Suit Sackboy Costume (free from MM/PSN)

Little Big Planet: SquareEnix/Konami approved!

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:05:56 -0500

God's honest truth, I didn't care about Sony's Little Big Planet until just a moment ago. Ok, that was a blatant lie, it's already pre-ordered, but that's hardly the point of what I'm going for here. Basically, we all knew that Kratos and Nariko were going to be making appearances in LBP, and that was cool. PlaySation Blog one-upped those two by breaking news of an additional round of sacked-out franchise characters.

Assuming you added your own drum roll there, the newly announced characters are none other than Metal Gear's Solid Snake, and Final Fantasy VII's Sephiroth. Please, kindly, resist the urge to make LBP Sephiroth x Snake yaoi. Who am I kidding; I'm sure someone is already writing the fanfic as I'm posting this.

TGS 08: Demons Souls, a New PS3 RPG.

Ryan Fulton — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:19:00 -0500

Sony has announced a new RPG title for the PlayStation 3 by the name of Demon's Souls. Billed as a spiritual successor to the Japanese only PS1 RPG King's Field, not much is known about the game at this point.

Launch Gallery: Demons Blood

(11 images)

Thanks to NeoGAF for the original link.

White Knight Chronicles: Bring a friend.

Ryan Fulton — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:43:27 -0500

Japanese gaming magazine Dengeki PlayStation has revealed some of the sordid details involving Level 5's White Knight Chronicle's online-multiplayer. In a level of interaction unprecedented in console RPGs, WKC offers 16 person multiplayer that melds directly into the single player game, if you should so chose to use it, and you probably should. I mean, they went through a lot of trouble to add it and all.

Once the desired number of players is reached the game takes it upon itself to split the players into groups of 4 so that they may venture forth into the world of giant turtle-city-beasts and fiery dog-things.

Thanks for this info go to 2chan by way of Kotaku.

Sony's Jack Tretton, "[Numbers and Stuff]."

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:07:45 -0500

SCEA's big man on campus, Jack Tretton, recently announced that the PlayStation brand as a whole is selling like half-priced Ensure at a retirement community. Numbers are up from estimates and everything is going well.

The PlayStation 3 has been selling at a rate that's over 30% better than originally estimated and is on track to hit 10 million units by March '09. That's an increase of over 100% versus last year's sales. So that means, that over the same period of time, Sony managed to sell 100% more consoles than last year which is 30% more than what they were expecting to so that works out to roughly... Ok, we can assume that they're pretty happy with the sales; math was never my strong suit.

The PSP is also said to be selling at somewhere between 20 and 30% over their estimates. All told, things are going pretty well, or at least better than planned.

Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

Rumor: PS4/Wii HD Planned for 2011.

Ryan Fulton — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:41:01 -0500

I never thought I would say this, but I think technology is moving too fast. Perhaps I'm growing old, but it seems as if this generation has hardly learned to crawl and already there are rumors of the next generation of consoles due in 3 years.

Within the last 24 hours, rumors for both the PS4 and Wii HD have surfaced on the web. Just for safety's sake, they're rumors, again, rumors. That being said, it's not implausible that both are interested in getting onto the market first after seeing how much having a first place spot helped the Xbox 360 and PS2 (Let's ignore Dreamcast for argument's sake.)

The PS4 is said to use a similar cell architecture with slight improvements and will be ditching the faster XDR RAM in favor of a more conventional form of RAM. Supposedly Sony has been mentioning the proposed specs to third parties. Other than that details are scant.

The Wii HD rumor is slightly more fleshed out citing rising R&D expenditures and various other tidbits. The tech end of it leaves much to be desired.

Maybe I'm just being cynical, but I'm not sure these tired bones can hope to keep up at this rate. The world seems to have gotten itself into a big damned hurry. Maybe the companies should work on maxing our their current product or providing enough to meet demand before they get too involved in producing what's next.

Thanks for both goes to NeoGAF for finding the information, and the respective sources found therein.

Clifford, Not a Huge Fan of DS3 Controller.

Ryan Fulton — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:29:43 -0500

Epic's outspoken Clifford Bleszinski is a man of refined tastes. When something suits him, he's all about it, like say the PS3's Blu-ray drive, but when something displeases him... Well let's just say you don't want to displease him, or he may call you out in the middle of a London press conference. The subject of his ire this time? Why none other than Sony's DualShock 3 bluetooth interface device for the PlayStation 3.

Quoted as having said, "I hate the [rough consensual sex between adults]ing controller" it's pretty safe to say that he's not a huge fan.

While the sentiment is seemingly widespread, many people consider the DS3 to be a great controller. Personally, my "40-foot hard on" tends to lean towards the SIXAXIS controller, but I prefer my controllers to feel light, as if they're not even there.

Any opinions from you guys?

Image: bliffyc.com

Additional Content Coming to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

GB News — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:28:02 -0500

LucasArts today announced that it is preparing two rounds of additional content for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed this Fall. This new content will be available for Xbox 360 owners through Xbox Live Marketplace and for PlayStation 3 owners through the PlayStation Network.

The first piece of downloadable content will be comprised of additional costumes and character models that can used while playing through the single-player campaign, including Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Kit Fisto.

The second round of downloadable content, due later this year, will feature an entirely new single-player mission, set in the Jedi Temple on the planet Coruscant. Darth Vaders Secret Apprentice turns to the Jedi Temple to learn more about his father, and while searching through the rubble of the destroyed building he must confront his inner demons.

Pricing and availability for these downloadable items will be announced at a later date.

WipEout HD: How'd they do it?

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 15:34:48 -0500

Now after playing WipEout HD you may ask yourself, how did they manage to keep the game running at a crisp 1080p with 60 fps? Well the answer isn't a demonic compact, nor is it wizardry of any sort. Ok maybe it's technical wizardry, but that's not really what I had in mind.

You see, rather than being rendered in true 1080p at all times, the game's engine uses a dynamic output that scales based upon how much the system can handle at any given point. After it pushes out the best resolution it can while keeping the game at 60fps the data is passed along to the PS3's hardware horizontal scaler to make up the difference, all the while maintaining the amazingly fast pace of the game.

Pretty neat, huh? Please hit the link to get a far more technical walkthrough of the process.

PlayStation Store Update: Best. Week. Ever.

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:08:41 -0500

With this weeks PlayStation Store update Sony seems to have gone out of their way to provide gamers with far more content than anyone who has a job and doesnt suffer from insomnia can handle. Including several highly anticipated titles, this weeks PSN store update may just (but hopefully wont) prove to be the biggest week that the service will enjoy. Now, lets make with the mind-boggling, thumb-destroying list.

WipEout HD: After what seems like a metric eternity, SCE Studio Liverpool has unleashed their much awaited futuristic racing title for the appealing price point of $19.99.
Burnout Paradise: Not to be contented with one robust racing title on PSN this week, developer Criterion has turned their disc-based title into a fully featured PSN title that carries a $29.99 price tag.
Megaman 9: Capcom brings back Inafunes titular little blue manservant for another round of stealing skills from the various and sundry bosses that have co-opted the Brady Bunchs opening title. Get down with Rockman for the moderate price of $9.99. (Or just play the demo repeatedly and imagine the enemies being different for free. And your parents said that your imagination would get you nowhere)
GEON Emotions: Bliss, rage, envy or fear use the power of your 8 emotions to purchase and play the title that XBL has had for the last year and a month. You can get in on some GEON for $9.99.
Various Rock Band songs: Rock out like Geddy Lee and Neil Peart with Rushs Moving Pictures. There are a few other songs too, maybe youre into them. If youre at all interested in this sort of thing you likely already know the pricing.

There are also a few demos this week including NBA Live 09 and, on the complete opposite side of the spectrum, NBA 09. As one could likely guess there are some videos that have been posted as well; Resistance 2 and Tomb Raider Underworld top the list. Backgrounds and such also make an appearance along with a few PSP games that made the cut this week: Untold Legends and Puzzle Quest. In a shocker to literally no one, there are still no PS1 classics worth writing home about.

So thats this weeks PSN Store update. Please be delighted, and if you dont mind give us a yell about what youre picking up. Youll likely catch me on WipEout HD.

Mirror's Edge Release Confirmed For November

Solomon Lee — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:27:11 -0500

Electronic Arts has announced that Mirror's Edge is coming to the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on November 11. A special code unlocking the "Time Trial" mode in the demo will be given to those that pre-order the game after September 26. As reported, this pre-order bonus is available only at "selected retailers."

The PC version has been delayed to "later in the winter."

New Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Screenshots

Tim Grube — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:44:45 -0500

Activision and Treyarch are hard at work on the next Spider-Man game entitled, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows and today we were treated to three new screenshots. Peep them below. The title is expected to be released late October on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, PSP, DS, and PlayStation 2.

Launch Gallery: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

(3 images)

Ubisoft To Push Subtitles On All Games

Tim Grube — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:12:04 -0500

So how do you help the deaf community? One way, put subtitles in videogames. Ubisoft today announced that it will make all there games accessible to this group by incorporating subtitles. First games that will feature this new addition will be Far Cry 2, Prince of Persia, and Shaun White Snowboarding.

"This commitment entails modifications to some of our game engines, as well as the inclusion of subtitles in the conception phase of game development," stated the company.

Far Cry 2 is due out in stores October 21, 2008.

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin Announced

Tim Grube — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:48:35 -0500

Finally it has been announced! Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced today the new name - F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin for the sequel to the hit videogame F.E.A.R. The game is being developed for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

The name addition builds upon the strong game recognition, which we will extend as we move forward reinventing the F.E.A.R. brand, said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Production and Development, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin will continue the legacy of the original F.E.A.R. game with story and combat while adding new twists, gameplay and graphics to expand the players experience.

The game is due out in stores on February 10, 2009 in North America and February 13, 2009 in Europ. Hit the jump for the official boxart!

PlayStation Store Update: The Last Guy, Warhawk DLC, NHL 09 Demo

Zach Lott — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:40:20 -0500

Thursday is here, and thus the Playstation Store has received another update. As always, there's plenty of content to be had, including the new game The Last Guy, some fresh DLC for Warhawk, and a demo of NHL 09. Check out the list of additions after the jump.

Downloadable Games

The Last Guy ($9.99)

Add-On Game Content

Warhawk Fallen Star Pack ($7.99)

Warhawk Booster Combo ($15.99)

Rock Band

She Does - Locksley ($0.99)

Dont Make Me Wait - Locksley ($0.99)

Dont Make Me Wait - Locksley ($0.99)

All Over Again - Locksley ($0.99)

Locksley Pack 1 ($2.99) - includes: All Over Again, Dont Make Me Wait, and She Does by Locksley.

Game Demos (free)

NHL 09

Soulcaliber IV

Game Videos (free)

SOCOM Confrontation Extraction Trailer

LittleBigPlanet Leipzig "Sackzilla" Trailer

Motorstorm Pacific Rift Leipzig Trailer

PAIN Trauma Mode Trailer

GT5 Prologue Play With The Pros! With Tanner Foust

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway Machine Gun and Bazooka Trailer

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway Sqaud Gameplay Trailer

Facebreaker Audition # 1

Facebreaker Audition # 2

Facebreaker Audition # 3

Madden NFL 09 Gameplay Trailer

Madden NFL 09 Madden Moments Trailer

Madden NFL 09 Play Call Trailer

Top Spin 3 Player Creator Trailer

Movies and Blu-Ray Trailers (free)

Quantum of Solace Trailer

Prom Night Trailer

PS3 Wallpapers (free)

The Last Guy Wallpaper (x2)

PSP Themes (free)

Cake Mania: Bakers Challenge Theme

PSP Wallpapers (free)

PSP Wallpapers Series 1 Wallpaper (x3)
Hot Shots Golf Open Tee 2 Wallpaper (x2)
Cake Mania: Bakers Challenge Wallpaper (x3)

Next Team Ico Project Unveiling?

Solomon Lee — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:20:20 -0500

There's been no word of Team Ico's next project for the Playstation 3 for the longest while. However, Sony Worldwide Studios Head, Shuhei Yoshida recently spoke with VG247 by stating that they have been "working very hard since the release of Shadow of the Colossus."

Aside from the screenshot above, no other details are available for this highly anticipated title. In response to the lack of public information surrounding this game, Yoshida is quoted as saying, "Soon you'll see."

Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice (PS3) Released

Shiva Stella — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:20:00 -0500

Loyal Nippon Ichi fans rejoice: Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice has released for the PlayStation 3 and carries a cozy retail price of $49.99.

The game marks the popular RPG franchise's next-generation debut and releases just before Disgaea DS, an updated port of the PlayStation original, which is scheduled to ship early next month.

Hit the link to visit the game's official site, or drop by Disgaea HQ for more information on other titles in the series.

PlayStation Store Update: Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest For Booty, Force Unleashed Demo

Zach Lott — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:14:15 -0500

Sony has once again updated the Playstation Store, with the main additions being the release of Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty and a demo for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. There are plenty of other demos, trailers, and such, so check out the list of new content after the jump.

Downloadable Games

Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty ($14.99)

EA Sports Live Score Tracker ($.99)

Add-On Game Content

Hot Shots Golf Out of Bounds: Kratos Character ($1.99)

HAZE Domination Pack (free)

Guitar Hero III

Dragonforce Track Pack ($6.25)

"Heroes of Our Time"

"Revolution Deathsquad"

"Operation Ground and Pound"

Rock Band

Individual Songs

Through Being Cool - Devo ($1.99)

Girl U Want - Devo ($1.99)

Rio - Duran Duran ($1.99)

Girls on Film - Duran Duran

Get Your Rock On 1 The Janitors ($0.99)

Game Demos (free)

The Last Guy

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

NFL Head Coach 09

Leipzig Game Videos (free)

SCEE Leipzig Software Compiliation

Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty Launch Trailer

inFamous Leipzig Trailer

Warhawk Fallen Star Video

Game Videos (free)

The Last Guy Cities Trailer

PAIN Clown Toss Mode Trailer

PAIN Hot 'n Cold Mode Trailer

Vampire Rain Altered Species Trailer 5

Vampire Rain Gameplay Trailer #2

BiA Hell's Highway Making Of #1: Operation

BiA Hell's Highway Making Of #2: Roll Call

Madden NFL 09 Backtrack Video

Madden NFL 09 Replay Video

Madden NFL 09 Virtual Trainer Video

PS3 Themes (free)

Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty Theme

inFamous Theme

PS3 Wallpapers (free)

Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty Wallpaper
Motorstorm Pacific Rift Leipzig Wallpaper
TNA iMPACT! Wrestling Wallpaper (x3)

Playstation Store For PC

Jeanne DArc ($22.99)
Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty Launch Trailer
Jeanne DArc trailer
Yggdra Union official trailer
Hot Shots Golf Open Tee 2 Wallpaper (x2)
Yggdra Union Wallpaper (x3)

Fallout 3 Release Date Official

Zach Lott — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:29:47 -0500

1up is reporting that Bethesda has revealed the official release dates for Fallout 3: October 28 in North America, and October 31 for Europe.

"We are very excited to let gamers get their hands on Fallout 3, the latest chapter in this beloved and highly acclaimed franchise," Bethesda President Vlatko Andonov said about the release. "To meet the huge demand for this title by our fans worldwide, we are planning one of the biggest launches of any game released this year."

As the successor to one of PC gaming's most legendary franchises, the game should be one of the most popular of the year, and it had a strong showing at this year's E3 event, where it won "Best RPG" awards from various gaming outlets. It'll be available for PC, 360, and PS3.

GB Review: Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3)

Brian Mohr — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 14:07:13 -0500

Battlefield: Bad Company may not completely revamp the war game experience, but it does modify it enough to keep you interested throughout both on and offline. The biggest new feature clearly is the ability to blow buildings apart -- and visuals are spectacular, but the game features more than just that. For once, it features an entertaining single-player experience with a meaningful storyline. Of course, it brings a quality online experience as well to keep you playing for some time.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

War games are so common today that in order to stand out from the crowd, the game really has to do something different. Battlefield: Bad Company may not revolutionize the genre by any means, but it does add some nice improvements to the next-generation experience to make it fun and interesting.

Easily the biggest new improvement to the series is the impressive visuals. Worth noting is that it is in first-person. Running through the levels, your player shakes and vibrates. The visuals of guns and various weapons on screen are very realistic.

Those are all well and good, but what really catches your eye the most is the incredible detail of the environments with fires, special effects and more. Even more notable than that are the destructible environments, explosions look incredibly real with chunks of rubble exploding around you. Hiding in a building is far from safe anymore, and can be a bit nerve-racking, as a tank can blow the roof off, literally.

The game features more than just visuals though. The sound is very good with impressive war sounds, the guns are very realistic and explosions are incredible too. The musical score works with the various environments and moods and the single-player experience actually has some good dialogue with character.

Did I do that?

Speaking of the single-player experience, it puts you in the role of the new player in Bad Company. A group of problem soldiers who take on the worst of assignments in order to score money in the form of gold bars. Although youre not able to command your teammates, the action is exciting and the missions are interesting. The game features a number of weapons to play with as well as explosives and health injectors to gain life. There are side goals as well as numerous vehicles including helicopters, boats, trucks and more in the seven-level offline campaign.

As for the control scheme, its very user friendly with the use of the triggers and sticks. If youve played a first-person shooter before it will take little time to adjust. The only difficulty was flying helicopters, which takes some getting used to.

Not to be forgotten from any Battlefield experience is the online component which is once again solid. It features up to 24 players per map, all vehicles in the single-player mode including tanks, jeeps, boats, helicopters and hummers, a variety of weapons including turrets, cannons and rockets on the field as well as five arm sets to choose from, each group features unlockable bonuses too. While the conquest mode that Battlefield is known for isnt featured yet, the online option is solid nonetheless.

GB Review: Siren: Blood Curse (PS3)

Ryan Kincaid — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:38:14 -0500

"Siren" is a somewhat lesser known series of survival horror games, developed internally by SCE Japan. The franchise is most well known for its Silent Hill-esque game play, supernatural scares taken from the mythology of rural Japan, and for "sight jacking", which allows the player to look directly through the eyes of the enemy. Unfortunately, this newest addition to the Siren mythology does little to improve or reinvent the genre, despite providing a number of truly frightening scenarios and game play concepts that would be more than welcome if they were only developed a little further.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

The latest entry to the modestly received Siren series, Blood Curse (known as New Translation in Japan) is an interesting title. While there are a number of legitimate scares in the game, most of them are derived from the Silent Hill book on creepiness, in that you're more often than not scared of what could happen rather than what actually does. Not to suggest that this is a weakness to the game, but S:BC doesn't dare to tread much new ground, even when its own series is concerned.

In S:BC, an American television crew has traveled to the land of the Rising Sun to investigate the so-called "legend of Hanuda", which states that a village where human sacrifices had once taken place had supposedly disappeared into thin air. The team, needless to say, manages to stumble across the village and naturally, horrors ensue. Although I can't speak for the Blu-ray release in Japan, Sony's choice to distribute the game episodically via PSN makes the experience play out somewhat like a survival-horror soap opera, with occasional interludes to either catch you up to the story so far, or give you a sneak peek at the next episode. The episodic nature of the game seems to work in its favor, with the only obvious gripe being the roughly 10 gigabytes of hard drive storage that a simultaneous install of every episode requires.

The game play is your typical survival horror fare, with various blunt objects, pistols, and the occasional rifle provided as you either stumble across them or they are provided via narrative. Although somewhat arbitrary based on the given situation, the option to occasionally hide in shelves, closets, or pull makeshift weapons from wrecks and piles of garbage or tool sheds does add an open-ended element to an otherwise linear progression.

The familiar "sight jacking" feature is back, which allows the player to look through the eyes of the various possessed villagers to assist in avoiding them, only this time with the much welcomed switch to a split-screen view rather one that takes up the entire display. The feature, although extremely useful in more confined environments, tends to fall apart once you get into more wide open areas, with enemies detecting you at what seems almost random at times.

At the risk of comparing S:BC to Silent Hill too much, when it comes down to the overall look of the game, the obligatory static filter doesn't do a very good job of hiding very PS2-era character models. The environments, while more detailed than the people who occupy them, ironically tend to shine mostly when they're veiled in darkness. Siren has always been very good at suggestion in scares, story, and aesthetics, and even though that might be the point of it all, when held up to even the most rudimentary examination, the presentation just doesn't hold up.

Despite its numerous flaws, however, the Siren series has always been more about the sum of its parts rather than its individual elements. With a number of truly scary moments and competent level and scenario design, the creators are definitely on to something and if they could just step outside of their own safety zone, the Siren series could rise to become something that not just derives from Silent Hill, but easily rivals it.

Final Fantasy XIII Development Being Led On PS3

Zach Lott — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:34:26 -0500

Microsoft provided one of the few big announcement at this year's E3 event in the form of the news that Final Fantasy XIII is hitting the 360 as well as the PS3, but that doesn't change the fact that Square Enix is leading the game's development on the PS3 and will port the game to the 360 later, according to GameDaily.

"We haven't changed the direction of the development. We're making the PS3 version first, and then porting to the 360 later," said director Motomu Toriyama in a video shown at Japan's DK Sigma 3713 event. "I'm telling them to not think about the Xbox 360 right now. We can think about it after the development kits arrive."

As noted by GameDaily, this will likely push back the release of the game in North America even further because there will be a simultaneous release for both platforms in the West. We'll let you know if a North American release date is announced in the future.

Left 4 Dead Headed To PS3?

Zach Lott — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:11:01 -0500

If you're bummed that Left 4 Dead hasn't been announced for the PS3, here's an interesting bit for you: Joystiq is reporting that the Official Playstation Magazine's latest issue claims that the game is hitting the PS3 but will be developed by EA instead of Turtle Rock Studios. However, the mag doesn't disclose its source for the information, so you might not want to get too excited until an official confirmation is made.

If true, EA will be under pressure to deliver a strong port, as their PS3 port of the Orange Box angered many PS3 owners because of its numerous bugs, framerate issues, and other technical mishaps. Let's hope that this one turns out better.

GB Review: Soul Calibur IV (PS3)

Shiva Stella — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:26:28 -0500

For those of you unfamiliar with Namco's Soul Calibur series, it's the one with the slew of weird characters vying for two powerful swords--soul calibur and soul edge--to rule, destroy, or save the world, and most of the time they look exceptionally good while doing it. Soul Calibur IV continues that trend with 33 characters seeking to use the swords to accomplish their own (often selfish) desires, including two bonus "guest" characters from the Star Wars universe: the legendary Darth Vader and the mysterious "apprentice" from the upcoming Force Unleashed. Though the game clearly fails to revolutionize the genre, it accomplishes everything it sets out to do quite well, and the addition of online play and a very robust character creation system keep the game addictive.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

As with any fighting game, Soul Calibur IV pits you against an onslaught of characters that you must take down by lowering their health bar with flashy moves and powerful combos. Namco also included a soul gauge feature that changes color depending on your performance; block too often or receive too many strong attacks and the gauge will start flashing red, entering a "soul crush" state, at which point you're vulnerable to a one-hit KO attack called a critical finish. To keep things fresh (and because it's mildly entertaining to witness characters fighting in customizable undergarments), equipment destruction is a vital component of any fight; equipment condition is displayed in a three slot vertical bar designating head, upper body, and lower body gear, and enough attacks to the same area will break the equipment.

The soul gauge modifications manage to prevent players from over-blocking, but this is mostly because they're afraid of having their equipment destroyed--not because they fear any elite finishing moves; the critical finish attacks have to be performed a half-second or so after the opponent's gauge flashes red, and because there's a lot of action on-screen it's difficult to pay attention to both the guy that's beating your brains out as well as his gauge.

Soul Calibur IV offers up a sufficient variety of the standard modes included in nearly all of its competitors, highlighted by a disjointed, loosely named five stage story mode, a training session convenient for those new to the series, an eight stage arcade mode, and the tower of lost souls, which is a survival mode that rewards you with new equipment for completing secret objectives as you clear floors; this is a significantly less boring and time-consuming procedure than the "adventure" mode of previous games in the series, however you cannot adjust the tower's difficulty level. A versus mode is included for local multiplayer and features either a standard or special setting to determine whether skills and weapon effects are active, but sadly is limited to two players, as is online play via the PlayStation Network. What's upsetting is that you're often stuck in a room watching matches before you're able to take the winner, though the fights are usually quick and you always have the option of creating your own room and inviting a friend to eliminate the wait.

The character creation feature is extremely impressive, enabling you to modify any character's template and save up to 48 different versions of each character. You're also given the option to design your own character from scratch, modifying everything from equipment color and model physique to voice, skill set, eye color, and fighting style. When you're satisfied with your unique creation you can take it through the story mode, where it'll perform in cutscenes, or hop online to show off your creativity to the community. Though the character creation system is highly robust, unfortunately your gear options determine your character's stats and your ability to set decent skills. This gets especially frustrating when you're trying to churn out a ferocious Solid Snake or Harry Potter because characters designed with the "best" equipment will therefore have the best stats and a great battle advantage, however you can play with weaker characters in standard versus or online mode, where skills and weapon effects are inactive.

Soul Calibur IV's presentation is nothing short of stunning, with gorgeous, highly detailed environments featuring some interactivity in the form of breakable stuff; the visuals are absolutely breath-taking, with most stages featuring moving objects (space ships, animals, etc) in the background and appropriate ambient noises that change depending on the stage. The striking characters move fluidly and are detailed down to the fine texture of their clothing and every strand of hair that blows in the wind--Soul Calibur IV easily ranks as one of the most visually impressive games in its genre.

Given the game's convenient 2.6GB install option that significantly shortens loading times and unbelievable amount of unlockables it's a shame to see Namco limiting customization in other aspects of the game. For example, you can set your own stage music as an audio alternative, but only if your music consists of Soul Calibur themes purchased from the PlayStation Store, which is infuriating. You're also currently stuck with the two bonus Star Wars characters given (Vader and his apprentice), but expect to download the 360 version's bonus characters in a "fresh" and overly priced variety pack--the opportunity for Namco to make money on this feature is simply too good for them to pass up. Don't be surprised if Namco also releases downloadable equipment, stages, or other characters and bonus content.

Soul Calibur IV's only real flaw is that its modes are a tad shallow due its lack of 4-player play both online and locally, but its character creation system and even standard online play more than make up for it. The game should rank very highly on the list of anyone who enjoys a good, heavily customizable fighter--even casual players.

Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty Out Soon

Tim Grube — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:15:27 -0500

According to GameSpot, Insomniac Games is hard at work finishing up the first downloadable Ratchet & Clank game entitled, Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty.

Picking up after the events of Ratchet & Clank Future, Quest for Booty will put a greater emphasis on puzzle-solving and platforming elements.

The game will be released on August 21 with a price of $14.99

PlayStation Store Update: Siren Blood Curse, Summer Game Sale

Zach Lott — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:04:44 -0500

It's time yet again for Sony's weekly update to the Playstation Store, and this week features a couple of new games in the form of Siren: Blood Curse and 1942: Joint Strike in addition to discounts on existing titles and more. Check out the list of additions after the jump.

PS3 Store Sale

For one week, the following titles will be offered for $4.99 (regularly priced at $9.99)

PAIN
PixelJunk Monsters
High Velocity Bowling
High Stakes on the Vegas Strip: Poker Edition
Rocketmen: Axis of Evil

Downloadable Games

Siren: Blood Curse (3 bundles of 4 episodes @ $14.99/ea & full game SKU for $39.99)

1942: Joint Strike ($9.99)

Add-On Game Content

Guitar Hero III: Guitar Virtuoso Pack ($6.25)

Surfing with the Alien - Joe Satriani

"Soothsayer" - Buckethead

"For the Love of God" - Steve Vai

Rock Band

Devour - Shinedown ($1.99)

Junkies for Fame - Shinedown ($1.99)

Nine Inch Nails Track Pack 02 ($5.49 includes songs below or songs available individually)

Last - Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)

Burn - Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)

Capital G - Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)

Game Demos (free)

PixelJunk Eden Demo

Game Videos (free)

PixelJunk Eden Trailer

Street Fighter IV: E3 2008 Gameplay Trailer

Street Fighter IV: PS3 Special Trailer

Bionic Commando Rearmed The Making of Part 1

PS3 Themes (free)

Killzone 2 Wallpapers (2 for PS3, 2 for PSP)

PixelJunk Eden Wallpaper

Fracture Wallpapers (x4)

Siren Wallpapers (x5)

Playstation Store for PC

Parappa the Rapper ($22.99)
Parappa the Rapper Trailer (free)
Killzone 2 Wallpapers (x2 for PSP) (free)
Parappa the Rapper Wallpapers (x4) (free)

E3 2008: PlayStation Store Update

Shiva Stella — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:03:57 -0500

Many of the videos presented during Sony's conference yesterday have been added to the PlayStation Store for comfortable download and viewing at home. Take a peek.

PS3 Store

Super Stardust HD Team Mode Add-on ($4.99)

Rock Band

Rock Band The Best of the Who Rock Band Edition Track Pack ($19.99)

(12) individual songs ($1.99/ea)

Amazing Journey
Baba ORiley
Behind Blue Eyes
Eminence Front
Going Mobile
Leaving Here
My Generation
Good Looking Boy
Sea & Sand
Summertime Blues
Who Are You?
Young Man Blues

Videos

God of War III
Motorstorm Pacific Rift
Xamd Lost Memories
Buzz PSP
Resistance: Retribution
Ratchet & Clank Quest for Booty
PixelJunk Eden
Siren Blood Curse
PAIN Amusement Park
Gran Turismo TV
MKU vs DCU
Blitz The League II
Valkyria Chronicles
Resident Evil 5
This is Vegas
TNA Impact! Wrestling

PC Store

Videos

Resistance: Retribution
Buzz PSP
God of War III
Motorstorm Pacific Rift
Xamd Lost Memories
Ratchet & Clank Quest for Booty
PixelJunk Eden
Siren Blood Curse
PAIN Amusement Park
Gran Turismo TV

E3 2008: Wanted Videogame In Production

Tim Grube — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:12:12 -0500

Universal Pictures announced today that they are in development of a game based on Universal Pictures' blockbuster action-thriller "Wanted", starring James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie. The game will be published worldwide by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and is being developed by renowned game developer GRIN, best known for its work on the Tom Clancy: Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter series and the upcoming Bionic Commando.

"'Wanted' is a film with a fantastic visual style, an in-your-face attitude and edge-of-your-seat action sequences, and moviegoers around the world have resoundingly embraced it," said Bill Kispert, Vice President and General Manager, Interactive, Universal Pictures Digital Platforms Group. "From the time we read the script and saw the film's pre-visual material, it was clear that 'Wanted' was a powerful property -- one that was well poised to deliver an engaging gaming experience. We look forward to working closely with the film's creative team to extend 'Wanted's' mythology and to expand the story behind the Fraternity of Assassins."

The "Wanted" video game will feature intense third-person action, taking combat to a new level with iconic moves -- such as "curving bullets" and "Assassin Time" -- drawn directly from the film, as well as an innovative, multi-layered cover mechanic. The storyline of the game will pick up where the movie leaves off, providing fans with another chapter to explore both Wesley's journey into becoming an uberassassin and the epic fiction of the Fraternity.

The 'Wanted' game, in development since early 2007, will be available later this year for consoles and personal computer

E3 2008: Resistance 2 Screenshots

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:02:21 -0500

Launch Gallery: Resistance 2

(3 images)

E3 2008: Killzone 2 Screenshots

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:00:55 -0500

Launch Gallery: Killzone 2

(6 images)

E3 2008: 80GB PS3 for $399

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:52:54 -0500

Sony has confirmed a new PS3 hardware package, this one including an 80GB unit and the Dualshock 3 at a comfortable $399.

E3 2008: Yakuza 2 Screenshots

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:04:41 -0500

Sega has revealed new media for its Yakuza 2 on the PlayStation 2. Enjoy.

Launch Gallery: Yakuza 2

(6 images)

E3 2008: Stormrise Screenshots

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:53:13 -0500

Check out the new screens for Sega's Stormrise, heading to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Launch Gallery: Stormrise

(8 images)

E3 2008: Valkyria Chronicles Screenshots

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:34:31 -0500

Sega has revealed new media for its Valkyria Chronicles on the PlayStation 3. Enjoy.

Launch Gallery: Valkyria Chronicles

(4 images)

E3 2008: Mirror's Edge Screenshots

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:28:55 -0500

Launch Gallery: Mirror's Edge

(4 images)

E3 2008: New BioShock on PS3 Footage

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:16:20 -0500

Check out this new HD video footage of BioShock on the PlayStation 3.

E3 2008: Final Fantasy XIII To Hit Xbox 360

Zach Lott — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:44:31 -0500

Sqaure Enix President Yoichi Wada dropped a bombshell at the end of Microsoft's press conference today, as he revealed that Final Fantasy XIII is no long exclusive to the PS3 and will be available for the Xbox 360 on release day.

This is huge news for Sony, as one could now argue that they have to show at least one huge game at their conference tommorow to show that they have quality exclusives in the pipeline for the PS3. There's no doubt that they'll be facing pressure to show that the PS3 can compete with the 360's lineup of exclusives, which includes Fable 2 and Gears of War 2.

Stay tuned, we'll keep you updated with all the big announcements.