Yes. The Sony PlayStation 3 is as old as its generation number indicates. Happy Birthday, you sleek black box that only does everything. May you enjoy a long and prosperous life cycle.

[Thanks PlayStation Blog]

The first DLC installment for Borderlands, The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned, will hit Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on November 24th, exactly two weeks from today. It will cost $10 USD, meaning 800 MS points. Unfortunately, there is no set date for when the DLC will hit the PC.

And before you all cry “OH GOD MORE ZOMBIES C’MOOOOON,” let it be known that I love zombies and I will fight to the death to defend their honor.

Valve continues to show their love for the “it only does everything” PlayStation 3 console. The latest show of support comes from a CVG interview with Valve’s writer extraordinaire, Chet Faliszek.

“In hooking up with your friends and the community aspects, I think the Xbox 360 is head and shoulders above the PS3 …  it’s all about playing with your friends.”

Apparently the PS3 isn’t friendly enough for Valve. Chet digs the knife deeper by telling gamers that they shouldn’t not buy Left 4 Dead 2 with the hope that it will eventually come out for the PlayStation 3.

“… it’s not going to [come out for the PS3] … It’s coming out on the PC and 360. It’s going to be exclusive for that.”

I think it’s safe to say that there is no love lost between Sony and Valve. What do you think of Valve’s open dismissal of the Sony next-gen console?

The PlayStation Blog have announced that the full HD re-releases of God of War and God of War II on a single Blu-ray disc will be coming out on November 17. They’ve also released a list of Trophies, which can be seen after the jump.

I think they’re a bit rubbish, to be brutally honest. I think Trophies and Achievements are better when they’re used to point out silly things you can do in the games, or used to reward those who have completely mastered the game. There’s a little of this in these ones but not nearly enough; most of them look like they’re just for stuff you’re highly likely to do when just playing through the games.

Still, I’m looking forward to the release, since I haven’t played the games yet and I’m told they are great.

GOD OF WAR

Bronze

• 1.21 Gigawatts – Acquire Poseidon’s Rage
• Rocking Out – Acquire Medusa’s Gaze
• Bolt Action – Acquire Zeus’ Fury
• Sword Man – Acquire Blade of Artemis
• Soul Search – Acquire Army of Hades
• Matador – Win the first Minotaur fight
• Scape Goat – Win the first Satyr fight
• Roll Over … and Die – Win the first Cerberus fight
• Don’t They Ever Shut Up! – Defeat the Desert Sirens
• Beat a Dead Horse – Complete the Centaur sacrifice to Hades
• Kickboxer – Complete the Spike Room Box Puzzle
• Rockin’ the Boat – Complete the Sex Mini-Game
• Don’t Leave Her Hanging – Rescue the Oracle with 10 seconds to spare
• Get the Ball Rolling – Complete the Challenge of Atlas
• Totally Baked – Complete the Human sacrifice
• Splash – Kiss the Nyad
• Get Me a Beer Kid – Free yourself from the depths of Hades
• Zero Health = Bronze Trophy – Open a Health Chest when your health meter is already full
• Hitman – Get a 100 Hits Combo
• Getting My Ass Kicked – Die enough times to get offered Easy Mode

Silver

• Kratos’ Marble Collection – Collect all the Gorgon Eyes
• Stick it in Your Cap! – Collect all the Phoenix Feathers
• It’s the HUGE One – Retrieve the Captain’s Key
• Take the Bull by the Horns – Defeat Pandora’s Guardian
• God Killer – Kill Ares
• Head Hunter – Obtain the head of the Architect’s wife
• The Power to Kill a God – Retrieve Pandora’s Box
• Hitman 2 – Get a 200 Hits Combo
• Legend of the Twins – Watch the ‘Birth of the Beast’ Treasure
• Seeing Red – Max out all Weapons and Magic

Gold

• Prepare to be a God – Beat the Game on any Difficulty
• You Got the Touch! – Climb the Spiked Column in Hades without taking damage
• I’ll Take the Physical Challenge – Complete the Challenge of the Gods
• Speed of Jason McDonald – Beat the game in under 5 hours on any Difficulty
• Key to Success – Collect all of the Muse Keys

Platinum

• Trophy of Zeus – Unlock all God of War Trophies

GOD OF WAR II

Bronze

• Breaking Wind – Acquire Typhon’s Bane
• Big, Tuff, Buff and Rough – Acquire Rage of the Titans
• Blue Balls – Acquire Cronos’ Rage
• Shiner – Acquire the Golden Fleece
• Rock their World – Acquire the Head of Euryale
• Learning to Fly – Acquire the Icarus Wings
• Shaky Ground – Acquire Atlas Quake
• Death from Above 2009 – Defeat the Dark Rider for the first time
• Resurrection – Climb from the pit of Hades
• Rock Hard – Defeat the Titan Minotaur inside Atlas
• Pick’n on the Little Guy – Win the battle outside of the Palace of the Fates
• Watcha Got on the Hot Plate? – Solve the riddle of the Fire Phoenix Statue
• Whip it Good – Whip the Steeds of Time
• Lift with Your Knees – Topple the Temple in the Bog of the Forgotten
• Swinger – Cross the collapsing Grapple Bridge
• Stoner – Stone and Shatter 30 Enemies
• Super Sized – Get a 500 Hits Combo
• Hitting Your Stride – Power up any item

Silver

• Eye Can’t Believe it – Collect all the Gorgon Eyes
• Go Make a Pillow! – Collect all the Phoenix Feathers
• Eye Sore – Collect 20 Cyclops Eyes
• Boss Batch 1 – Kill the Colossus of Rhodes, the Dark Rider, and Theseus
• Boss Batch 2 – Kill the Barbarian King, Euryale, and Perseus
• Boss Batch 3 – Kill the Kraken and all three Sisters of Fate
• Daddy Issues – Defeat Zeus
• Rise and SHINE – Awaken the Phoenix
• Spread ‘Em – Open the wings of the Temple of the Fates
• Shine King – Open the door to the Temple of Euryale
• Blowin’ Your Wad – Max out all Weapons and Magic

Gold

• The End Begins – Beat the Game on any Difficulty
• Feel the Urn – Collect and use at least 2 Urns of Power
• Bleeding Thumbs – Beat the Challenge of the Titans
• 15 Min Fight Scene – Battle your way to the Loom Chamber in under 10 minutes
• You Know the Germans Make Good Stuff… – Collect all Uber Chests

Platinum

• Trophy of Gaia – Unlock all God of War II Trophies

The “anything you can do I can do better” competition between the Sony PlayStation 3 and the Microsoft Xbox 360 for the title of ”Master Swiss Army Knife Console King Toaster Oven” continues as Sony announced their partnership with Netflix on Monday. Remember when video game consoles didn’t cost 500 dollars and just played video games? I do.

Starting next month, PS3 owners (who are also Netflix subscribers) will be able to instantly stream thousands of movies and TV shows from the Netflix catalog to through their PS3. The only stipulation with the service out of the gate, is that PS3 owners will need to have a free Netflix-provided Blu-ray disc (available from netflix.com/ps3) in their console to utilize said service. This may be something that is eventually phased out by a future firmware update, but that’s purely speculation at this point.

Sure all these “extras” are nice to have, but its getting to the point where console manufacturers are going to need their own “Jimmy Football” and a slew of infomercials to justify the cost and explain the “jack of all trades”  functionality. Geek-gate tested! Geek-gate approved! Hit the jump for the full press release.

COMING SOON: NETFLIX MEMBERS CAN INSTANTLY WATCH MOVIES AND TV EPISODES STREAMED TO TVs VIA THE PLAYSTATION®3 COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM

With Movies Streamed Instantly from Netflix, Blu-ray/DVD Playback and Downloadable Videos via the PlayStation®Network, the PlayStation 3 System Offers The Industry’s Most Comprehensive Options for Watching Movies and TV Shows

FOSTER CITY and LOS GATOS, Calif., October 26, 2009 – Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. (SCEA) and Netflix, Inc. [Nasdaq: NFLX] today announced that they are joining forces to make thousands of movies and TV episodes from Netflix available to be streamed instantly to TVs via the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. Netflix expects to begin streaming via the PS3 system next month at no additional cost to Netflix members in the United States who have a PS3 system.

Today’s announcement pairs two of the most popular and fastest growing home entertainment brands in the U.S. The PS3 system’s installed base has reached close to 9 million units in the United States, and Netflix recently reported 11.1 million U.S. subscribers as of September 30.

The partnership further solidifies the PS3 system as the most complete home entertainment hub on the market today, enabling consumers to play high-definition games, watch Blu-ray movies, listen to music, view photos, browse the Internet, and download content from PlayStation®Network − from exclusive games to blockbuster movies and popular TV shows. PS3 system owners will soon enjoy an unparalleled experience watching their favorite movies and TV shows streamed instantly from Netflix, downloading from the PlayStation Network or watching Blu-ray/DVD media. The Netflix offering expands on the entertainment experience delivered to PS3 system owners via PlayStation Network.

For only $8.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed to their TVs and computers via Netflix ready devices such as the PS3 system and can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes.

“The PlayStation 3 system has always been about more than just gaming, and it will soon be the only platform in the industry to offer consumers such a variety of convenient options for enjoying movies and TV shows,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. “Whether you want to watch content on Blu-ray disc and DVD, download it from the PlayStation Network’s video delivery service, or stream videos instantly from Netflix, the PS3 system is the only solution that offers it all.”

“As instantly watching movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix becomes an increasingly popular way to enjoy the Netflix service, our goal is to rapidly expand the devices that stream to our members,” said Netflix CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings. “As a leading game console and Blu-ray disc player, bringing Netflix to the PS3 system is a real win for both Netflix members and PS3 system owners.”
Initially, watching movies instantly streamed from Netflix via the PS3 system will be enabled by a free, instant streaming Blu-ray disc that is being made available to all Netflix members. The free instant streaming disc leverages Blu-ray’s BD-Live™ technology to access the Internet and activate the Netflix user interface on the PS3 system, which must be online via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

Netflix members simply slide the disc into their PS3 systems to reveal movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly. These titles are conveniently organized into a variety of categories based on members’ personal preferences, popular genres, new arrivals and members’ individual instant Queues. Members can use the Netflix Web site or navigate directly on their PS3 systems to add movies and TV shows to their Queues. With the PS3 system’s Wireless Controller, members can choose a movie to watch from their instant Queues or just play directly from any of the lists. They also have the ability to read synopses and rate movies. In addition, they have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream via the Wireless Controller.

Netflix members and PS3 system owners can now reserve a free instant streaming disc for PS3 systems by going to www.netflix.com/ps3. Upon availability, the instant streaming disc will be delivered for free by first-class mail, generally one business day after members request it.

Is that headline a bit critical of Band Hero? No. Is that headline very critical of Band Hero? Absolutely.

The demo for Band Hero hit the Xbox Live Marketplace a few hours ago, and though it’s getting rather mixed impressions, through and through, Band Hero is a family game, with family songs, targeted at a family market. Of course, with artists such as Taylor Swift, Maroon 5, and Jesse McCartney heading up the set list, you didn’t need me to tell you that.

But that’s not to say the setlist is a stinker; In fact, I really like it. Obvious mainstream appeal aside, songs like “Black Horse And Cherry Tree”, “Let’s Dance”, and “Kung-Fu Fighting” make me want to at least give the game a try, when it comes out Nov. 3rd. If this seems like your type of thing, or you’re just looking to quench your music game, button-mashing thirst, hit up XBLM and download the 3-song demo now.

The God of War collection smashes onto the PS3 in less than two months featuring the full version of the first two games in the series. While that was enough to make me run out and preorder it (I actually powerwalked), the pot has just been sweetened: the collection will also come with a voucher to download the E3 God of War III demo. That’s right! There is a God. Of War. And he’s on his way.

Destructoid have noticed this post on NeoGaf detailing a leaked document from SEGA. The document was leaked and includes a lot of goodies. The biggest piece of gossip is that “SCEA wants to sell all PS2 titles on PSN (GTA Vice City/Sonic/etc)”. Similarly, “If [SEGA] provide a list of DC (Dreamcast) titles SCEA will let us know which ones they’re interested in having exclusively.”

Yes, you may now say “wow, I hope this is real”. Journalist Jim Sterling notes that he “tried the download link and it certainly comes from Sega’s own PR site,” so this could be legit. I certainly hope so. Go to the links to see the full list, or hit the jump. Your choice.

SCEA Meeting Aug 5th Notes
Aug 6 2009 – DRAFT FOR COMMENTS

Objectives of Meeting
Dyer agreed to regular quarterly meetings with SOA

Sony PS3
SCEA reiterated plans to sell 13 million PS3s this year
Big announcement back half of year they can’t talk about (potentially price cut of PS3 to reach hardware goals)
SCEA commented on indexing between PS3 and 360 SKUs, should be around 2:1 to garner most favorable treatment.

Motion Controller
Spring 2010 launch (March in JP)
No bundle/pricing details yet, should come Sept 1
Plan on selling 4-5MM units WW
SCEA agreed to provide a list of Sega IP that would work well with the motion controller, Virtua Tennis was an example
Motion Controller support allows easy way to differentiate PS3 SKU
Other differentiation opportunities include PSP/PS3 interoperability – think of features that would make users want to buy both PS3 and PSP SKUs.

Alpha Protocol
Michael Foster, product evaluator, said AP felt barely RPG. Initial level too challenging for players. “Mass Effect felt more RPG.”
Review notes sent to John Merlino a few weeks prior. After meeting Gerald mentioned AP is a high priority for his team.

Planet 51
Sell in of PS3 SKU – SCEA noted that other movie titles on PS3 had underperformed as well (inc. Transformers) this cycle.
Dyer suggests contacting Susan at Walmart and asking what she wants in the pack to sell this SKU (movie tix etc)
Other possibilities are Hybrid movie disc (BD 25 or 50 with Game and Movie on same disc).

Bayonetta
Collectors edition with Bayonetta Action Figure
Novo recommended launching PSN demo around Xmas based off a Jan 5th Ship date with 2-3 week run out to launch.
3-4 weeks is usually ideal demo timing with fresh content every week leading up to launch (trailers, insider video about PG heritage, video blogs).

Vancouver 2010
HOME, Olympic destination would garner a lot of positive attention from SCEA
Should be doing same with Bayonetta, Marvel etc. Easy to launch in all territories.
HOME merchandizing opportunities (clothes etc).

Sonic Racing
Open to DLC to differentiate PS3 SKU – not ratchet and clank but other characters
maybe characters from Rare or Fable universes

Yakuza
Could put Japanese games directly on PSN for download in a special Japanese Import section (pricing $9.99 to $39.99 for full game).
Might need to localize menus at least with subtitles.
SCEA interested in helping on MKTG side if they can have period of exclusivity.

AVP
Another great HOME candidate
AVP avatars
Hybrid BD disc with movie

Iron Man 2
Great candidate for HOME space – explore Tony Stark’s lab etc.
Should have one for Marvel in general.

PSU2
Could do bundle at GameStop with PSP 30-35K units on UMD, Go, or both.

Valkyria 1937
Could bundle with PSP as well.

Vanquish and Aliens: CM
Opportunity for PS3/PSP interoperability (see Eidos Batman, Army of Two, Assassin’s Creed for good examples).
If we offer that SCEA would be really interested in having us at their booth next E3.

Thor
SCEA would like a look at the code soon.

Sonic Anniversary
Could put out collectors edition with all old sonic games on one BD disc.
“Best of Sonic” for around $99.
SCEA would love PSN exclusive power ups/different game modes (like Castlevania’s flip it over/backwards)

PS2 emulator for PS3 (confidential)
SCEA wants to sell all PS2 titles on PSN (GTA Vice City/Sonic/etc)
For co Marketing money show PS3 controller on TV ads – similar to EA Madden Spots, NCAA, etc…

London Olympics
Perfect opportunity for Motion Controller integration.

DC Digital Titles
If we provide a list of DC titles SCEA will let us know which ones they’re interested in having exclusively.
If we give them a long period of exclusivity they’ll give us more marketing support.

PSP Titles
For SKU differentiation it’s best to offer features that are slightly different from PS3 version.
Titles that are coming up on PSP are Assassin’s Creed II, GTA China Wars, Resident Evil, Little Big Planet – all massive franchises.
SCEA has a specific PSP deck which they can send up with their hardware director for a chat.

This is an advert for Tecmo’s upcoming PS3 game Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. In the game, you can shake the Sixaxis to make the boobs of one of the characters shake. Obviously this is the biggest selling point of the game, so Tecmo are advertising that, and that alone. Never mind the fact that Ninja Gaiden might actually have good gameplay. Dood, there’s boobs in it.

No-one tell Tecmo that Hideo Kojima already did this a year ago. He was a little more subtle about it, though.

In a stroke of absolute genius, Sony have announced that PS3 owners who don’t feel like getting up to feed themselves can now simply hit the “Papa John’s” button on their PS3 browser and order away. I might be alone in this, but (at least in my area) I think Papa John’s actually makes decent takeaway pizza, so there’s yet another upside.

There is something I should point out before you go ordering away, though. You will have to get up to go to the front door to collect your pizza. If you don’t think you can manage that, I’d stick to licking the bits of old cheese off of the stains on the carpet. You barely even need to move to do that.

Joystiq reports that the acclaimed downloadable game Wipeout HD will be heading to Blu-Ray for European gamers. The bundle will cost £20 and, for now at least, is showing no signs of coming to the US.

Unfortunately, this bundle means that I no longer have an excuse to buy this game, as it will undoubtedly become a lot cheaper than £20 if you shop around. If you’ve been around these parts for a while you might remember our glowing review of the game, so this can really only be good news for everyone.

Everyone with a PS3, anyway. Everyone with a PS3 who lives in Europe, anyway. Everyone with a PS3 who lives in Europe and doesn’t already have the game, anyway. Everyone with a PS3 who lives in Europe and doesn’t already have the game and wants to buy the game, anyway. Alright, fine. Not everyone, then. Don’t be such a pedant!

Good news, everyone! Well, at least to the people who haven’t yet played the God of War games on the PS2. Sony today announced that they will be releasing anti-aliased and 720p-resolution updated versions of both God of War I and God of War II. Also included is a set of trophies for those who care about their e-peen.

I’m going with this being a good thing, despite the fact that it’s milking a franchise, simply because I was told about how good these games are just after I put my PS2 away, and I am quite lazy. This saves me the trouble of not only getting out the PS2, but buying two discs to put in it. Laziness wins in the end.

Rumor has it that the God of War games, including a demo for the upcoming third game in the series, are coming to the Sony PlayStation 3 on a single Blu-ray disc.

The rumor comes from a translated post on the Twitter account of MarkPlayStation, the supposed manager for Sony Mexico. This “trilogy” would be coming this December.

With a little over four months to go, you’d think that Sony would’ve formally announced this by now. I certainly hope it’s true, as I’ve only ever played part of the first God of War and I’m not lucky enough to own a backwards compatible PS3.

PSX Extreme via Gamezine

You read that right Killzone 2 fans! After just releasing the third DLC map pack “Napalm & Cordite” yesterday for their highly popular PS3 shooter, Guerrilla Games is celebrating by giving players a double XP weekend starting today.

The double XP weekend will allow players to earn a 2.5 multiplier with a team win and with a loss you’ll be granted the normal multiplier for a win which is 1.5. So even with a team loss you still get extra XP, which is always a plus. Now get online and start ranking up and unlocking those badges!

Source: PlayStation.blog

Gamespot have managed to get a first look at Castle Crashers, the XBLA hit- on the PS3. Always good news when a well-received game becomes available to more people, and Castle Crashers is something I’ve wanted to play since I heard about it way back last year or so. The PSN version of the game will feature Trophy support, for those of you who care about that, but no further features have been announced.

Honestly, they could release the game on PS3 with no extra features and I’d be happy; I just want to be able to play the game. Castle Crashers PS3 will be playable at Comic-Con in San Diego this week, if you’re in that area.

LittleBigPlanet recently reached one million online levels, and the developers have deservedly begun to celebrate. A million levels, of which 999,990 are trophy-farming levels. The million levels have been played 244 million times; obviously this means that there have been 244 million cases of frustration over the stupid physics and jumping mechanics, and likely about a billion uses of the “hit the other player” wave of the control stick.

Retro/Grade isn’t your average shooter. Sure, it looks a little like it, but there’s a key element to this game that makes it stand out: you play the entire game in reverse. This means that in order to match the actions the pilot made to get to the end, you must use the rhythm to move and fire the ship correctly. All is explained in the above video.

An interesting thing to note about this game is that it can be played with a guitar controller, if you so wish. Certainly this is a game to keep your eyes on, and we’ll do our best to help you as we see more of this game.

So, last week I had a post up about the new Killzone 2 update and DLC and in that post I told you all that the DLC and update would be available on July 14, this past Tuesday. Well, it seems like I was only half right. The 1.28 Patch was up and ready, but the Napalm & Cordite DLC was no where to be seen on the PlayStation Network.

Okay, my bad, but I just discovered today this new trailer for the Napalm & Cordite DLC, showing off the two new maps (Suljeva Cliffside and Arctower Landing) along with two new weapons (the VC1 Flamethrower and the  Boltgun 4400), which were previously only available in the single-player campaign. Look for the new DLC on the PlayStation Network on Thursday, July 23. I repeat Thursday, July 23. See ya’ll online!

Source: PlayStation.com

The Fallout 3 DLC for PlayStation 3 is coming in late September and Bethesda is mixing up the order a bit.

The first bit of DLC to hit PSN will be Broken Steel, due to it being the most popular content. The great thing about Broken Steel hitting first is that it raises the level cap from 20 to 30, allowing players to beef up quite a bit before tackling the other content.

They also want to get Operation: Anchorage and The Pitt out as soon as possible, so they’ll probably be released simultaneously shortly after Broken Steel.

Edge

DICE is currently performing maintenance on the soldier profiles in the recently released Battlefield 1943, so you may have noticed that your stats have been reset. Not to worry, my friends, as this is temporary.

Simon Dalziel (I presume of DICE) explains that the soldier profiles are actually being made “better than they already are” and that all of the kills will still count towards the Coral Sea challenge. After maintenance is over in the next few days, ranks and badges will be restored.

Game Stooge

Time to get excited Killzone 2 fans! Guerrilla Games is releasing a new DLC pack called “Napalm & Cordite”, featuring two new maps and a new patch. Already the third DLC pack for a game that has just been out since late February, GG is doing a great job giving to it’s Killzone 2 community and really supporting it’s PS3 shooter.

Patch 1.28 will contain many new fixes and features, including the support for the Napalm and Cordite maps. Hit the jump for a picture of Cordite (the above pic is of Napalm)  and the official press release from Guerrilla Games detailing Patch 1.28.

Cordite

On Tuesday, June July 14th 2009 at 8AM Greenwich Mean Time, Guerrilla Games will release the 10th update for the visceral shooter, Killzone 2.

Patch 1.28 will be 91MB in size (316MB for Asian release) and will be released worldwide simultaneously pending a server update. There will be an anticipated server down-time of about 2 hours while the patch is rolled out and the server updates are completed and tested. The following fixes and features are included in this latest release:

• Feature - Code support for DLC pack III “Napalm & Cordite”. The update will enable players to create games with the newest maps “Suljeva Cliffside” and “Arctower Landing”
• Feature - Code support for DLC to allow the additions of the Flamethrower and the Boltgun to multiplayer.
• Trophies – New trophies added for DLC pack III “Napalm and Cordite”.
• Feature - Detailed information screen when browsing games. Items displayed include: Friendly Fire, Faction Balancing, Custom Weapons and Custom Badges as well as the region, game size, selected maps and allowed Missions and Badges.
• Feature - Higher values for Bodycount mode. Players can now create games with 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 100 and 200 points to increase the time of the mode for 32 player games.
• Feature - Moderators can now create double-points events.
• Fix for persistent squads now working correctly when users using separate Japanese accounts join Friends.
• New loading screens.
• Moderation – Additional powers and functionality for online moderators.
• Fix for Clan Leader leaving his clan before an active Tournament of Clan Challenge.
• Fix for score replication on different clients.
• Fix for a Clan Challenge results displaying a won/lost games as a ‘Draw’.
• Fix for incorrect Tournament timings being displayed for (semi)-final.
• Fix for an empty message pop-up being displayed.
• ‘High Precision Mode’ now defaulting when requested.
• Fix for stuttering audio on the Asian version.
• Fix for network error displayed when trying to log in with another users account.
• Fix to reduce network traffic and improve performance.
• Fix for occasionally being displayed an empty background when ‘Join Friend’ via Communications tab.
• Exploit – Pyrrhus Rise map boundary fix.
• Exploit – Radec Academy collision fix to prevent players being revived inside a pillar and using it to their advantage.
• Cosmetic fix for Medic Gun visual effects.
• Cosmetic fix for Search & Retrieve object being cloaked by the Scout.
• Cosmetic fix for Scouts body remaining cloaked after being mortally wounded (i.e. headshot).
• Gameplay – Damage from Sentry bots tweaked back on request of the community.
• Collection of minor code fixes.
• For the latest new content, news and all things Killzone, visit www.Killzone.com which will also reflect the changes made to the game such as being able to view Battle Replays of games played out on the new maps or being able to use the new settings to create Clan Challenges or Tournaments. Further features and fixes to www.Killzone.com include:
• Feature - Tournaments – Full tournament functionality enabled once again.
• Feature - Upcoming Tournaments are now displayed in a clan’s calendar.
• Feature - Upcoming Tournaments are now displayed in My Killzone upcoming events.
• Feature - Upcoming Tournaments are now displayed in clan communication center.
• Feature - Tournament and Clan Challenge support for DLC Pack III “Napalm & Cordite”.
• Feature - Additions of sounds in Battle Replays.
• Feature - Additional animations in Battle Replays.
• PlayStation®3 landing page updated.
• Higher selectable Bodycount values when creating Tournaments or Clan Challenges via www.Killzone.com.
• Various bug-fixes and minor updates.

Source: Playstation.com

In an interview with Kombo, PopCap Games’ PR director Garth Chouteau has noted that the highly acclaimed Plants vs. Zombies will follow its cousin Peggle onto other platforms: XBLA, PSN- even the DS and iPhone. Chouteau is quoted by Kombo on the matter:

…Peggle for XBLA is a good example of a game that we took that was popular on the PC and we spent probably twice as long as anyone else would have figuring how to make that game really good for Xbox and Xbox Live Arcade, and I think you will see that with Plants Vs. Zombies–I don’t know the exact order in which that game will make its way onto other platforms, but it’s certainly been successful enough, quickly enough, that we’re looking at other platforms and deciding where we’ll take that game next…

Since PvZ was such a success, both commercially and critically, it can only be good news that it can come to a bigger audience. I only hope that they make a DS version as good as Peggle DS.

Looking to buy a PS3 anytime soon? Wanting to get the best deal? Well, Best Buy has got a pretty nice PS3 bundle their offering right now. The bundle includes the 80GB model of the PS3 hardware for $399.99, along with a copy of LittleBigPlanet and a Blu-ray copy of Wall-E for FREE! Quite an impressive package, so if you’re interested in getting a PS3, I’d put some thought into this deal.

Source: Ars Technica

Unlock the what in the what now? Folks who pre-order the sequel to Assassin’s Creed will get the chance to explore the Palazzo Medici, a famous palace in Italy. I think that’s lame.

This trend of sectioning off a part of the game for customers who pre-order is not something I’m liking. I’m also talking about when people get special weapons, like the kind that came with the gold edition of Battlefield: Bad Company that actually gave players who spent $10 more an advantage in multiplayer. Why can’t we just stick to fancy cases and physical collectable items?

Source: Exophase

Contrary to my usual anti-Activision diatribes, I’ve been pretty positive about Guitar Hero 5 ever since the setlist was announced in May. As a huge fan of Vampire Weeekend, Stevie Wonder, and Bob Dylan, I can’t complain about the partial setlist, but I can complain about this- Activision sent out the Guitar Hero 5 box art today, and it’s, well, bad.

You can make your own judgment on the box art after the jump, but I think it’s too plain. Usually, I like minimalism, but when the minimalism is akin to Googling “trunk” and plastering your logo on the picture you find, you should probably just go with the usual box art shenanigans. Plus, what’s with all the text?

According to the Google translation of a Belgian gaming website 9 Lives, the king of pop (should that be capitalized?) has a new game coming out in the near future.

It seems that Michael Jackson is gearing up for a comeback and a new video game for the Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 is part of that comeback. No details are known at this point, but let’s hope it’s a sequel to Michael Jackson’s Moon Walker. I loved that game.

Go Nintendo

Yesterday I reported that Left 4 Dead 2 seemed to be coming to PS3, as the console was listed on the game’s EA products page. Now, however, it looks like that was simply an error. The product page has been updated and now it only lists “Xbox 360, PC, PC Download.” Sorry to get your hopes up, Sony fans.

Valve may be opposed to porting its games to the PlayStation 3, but their publisher Electronic Arts sure the hell isn’t. A PS3 version of Left 4 Dead 2 is listed on its EA Games page, leading the internet to assume that EA will port it to the console, just as they did with Team Fortress 2. Let’s hope they do a better job this time.

Digital Battle

In answer to an Q&A question on the Ubisoft forums, a Splinter Cell Conviction developer has noted that the game will not be released on the PlayStation 3. “Splinter Cell conviction is a true Microsoft exclusive title and there are no plans to have Splinter Cell Conviction on other platforms,” he writes. “There are several reasons behind this choice. First of all, Splinter Cell games are historically linked with Microsoft platforms… The second reason behind this choice is purely linked to production. Having a single target platform means that we can optimize the game even further, because we only have one type of – console – hardware to support.”

There you have it, folks. That game that you saw and loved at E3 will be unavailable to you if you do not have an Xbox 360. Therefore, you will be unable to buy the game and give Ubisoft your money.

*gasp* Man, that title is a mouthful.

The second Call of Duty: World at War (seriously, I refuse to call it Call of Duty 5.) map pack just hit, and while presumably thousands of people are having fun with it right now, you might’ve just hoped it would hit the proverbial online bargain bin soon enough, even though it’s a measly $10. Well, now you don’t have to, because we at Ripten are giving away 5 PS3 codes and 5 Xbox 360 codes for the map pack.

Of course, we can’t just give them to you. That would be crazy! No siree- but you can hit the jump to see what you can do to win a code.

(header image by AgentMOO. Play his game, yo!)

To win one of these codes, all you have to do is make a drawing in MS Paint (or Paintbrush for Mac, Tuxpaint for Linux, or whatever) and leave a link to the picture in the comments below, but don’t forget to tell us which console you want the code for. The drawing can be of anything- as long as it’s gaming related, and the Ripten staff will choose the 5 best PS3 artist drawings and the 5 best Xbox 360 artist drawings. The main point of the contest is that you absolutely cannot use anything other than a rudimentary paint program. You can even use an iPhone paint program if you want to, but if we see any hints of Photoshopping, GIMPing, Paint.NET-ing, or A.viary-ing, your painting will not count.

Keep in mind though- best doesn’t necessarily mean most skillfull. If your drawing is though provoking, or funny, or artsy, or even just totally outrageous enough to make us like it, then you’ll probably win. That’s not to say that skillful artists won’t win- you can make a drawing of anything, as long as the drawing is related to video games. It doesn’t have to look like a Monet, though- Pollacks and Picassos are just as welcome.

You can submit as many masterpieces as you want, but make sure you leave a link to them before midnight (between Tues. & Wed.), Tuesday June 23rd, one week from now. Get to it, guys!