Interactive compendium coming with next PSN update.

June 18, 2008 – Perhaps you’ve played through the first three Metal Gear Solid games, but still have questions and haven’t had a chance to play Metal Gear Solid 4. Then again, maybe you’ve blasted through MGS4 and don’t fully remember all of the characters and who’s connected to what person in the mythology. Don’t you fear, because Konami and Sony are going to be releasing a huge amount of information related to this massive universe in a rather creative way. On the Playstation.Blog, Brandon Laurino from Konami Online stated that the MGS4 Database will be launched tomorrow, June 19th as part of the PSN update. A free downloadable application, it features information relating to all aspects of the franchise. As Laurino said in his post, the database will include, “complete storylines, character profiles, relationship diagrams, and much more!”

Obviously, this would be an excellent way to augment any knowledge of the previous games, which is a great addition for fans. However, the MGS4 Database will also contain MGS4 spoilers with easter eggs and other hints. However, if you haven’t beaten the title yet, players don’t need to worry about spoilers, because the Database will read your save files and black out these spoilers until you’ve beaten the game once.

Laurino ended his post by highlighting that this was only one of a number of downloadable extras that Konami plans on releasing with MGS4, noting that a new camouflage pattern and iPod song have already been released, and that more was on the way.

Thanks IGN and PS Blog

Hello, I just wanted to bring to your attention to something a lot of people have been wanting to see more of since last E3: Yes that’s right, new Killzone 2 coverage. We’ve got a big cover story coming up with the August issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly which should hit subscribers by the end of the week. Everyone else should be able to get their hands on it near the end of June/beginning of July on newsstands. The cover story contains a lot of great Killzone 2 coverage, including background on where the franchise has taken us, new gameplay reveals, as well as information about the developer, Guerrilla Games. Did I mention that this is also EGM’s official E3 issue as well?

Be sure to keep an eye out on 1up.com between now and E3 for teasers, interviews, gameplay videos and other KZ2 content. We will have a new screenshot teaser up on 1up soon, just to whet your appetite a little. Then as we get closer to E3, you’ll start to see more Killzone 2 goodness popping up, so keep your eyes peeled.

Thanks to the Official PlayStation Blog

Dress will take advantage of a unique avatar system that operates separately from the regular Home interface. Sony will be working with real-world fashion brands to provide your virtual avatar access to the latest fashions in Dress Town, which is supposed to recreate the feel of buying clothes in a real-world store.

Thanks DLB-Network

EA’s seminal racing franchise gets yet another new name, and likely a change in focus.

:June 18, 2008 – To no one’s surprise, EA is set to release the next installment in the Need for Speed franchise later this year in the form of Need for Speed: Undercover. In an interview with gamesindustry.biz, Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello said that the title is in development from one of EA Vancouver’s two NFS teams. He also hinted that its inspiration comes from movies like The Transporter, though we’ll have to wait and see what he means by that.

The single previous Need for Speed team was split into two last year to allow each of the two teams more time to create yearly updates for the franchise. Rather than giving one team only 12 months to create the next installment, each team would now have a full two years, with the teams trading release years, obviously. Being that the team was only split last year, the Undercover team will only have a little over 16 months to create the title, but the extra breathing room must certainly welcome in any case.

In the interview, Riccitiello also discussed his disappointment with last year’s Need for Speed ProStreet, and said that the reason for splitting the team into to two was to help insure that future titles would actually be a worthy experience.

No consoles were specified for Undercover, but given the franchise’s history, we’d expect to see it hit every major system.

Thanks IGN

EA has reassured PS3 owners that they should not be concerned by the putting “on hold” of the PS3 version of Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 and the lack of a PS3 version of Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath, and reiterated its commitment to the platform “going forward”.

In an interview with VideoGamer.com, Kane’s Wrath associate producer Jim Vessella said that EALA (the division of EA which is responsible for its RTS games, including Command & Conquer and Battle for Middle Earth) was still “very interested” in the PS3 and “big fans” of Sony’s console.

When asked why there was no PS3 version of Kane’s Wrath, Vessella replied: “The PS3, it would just be extra development time we didn’t really have right now, so we could focus on the 360. And also specifically with Kane’s Wrath, because we’re building off of the foundation of Tiberium Wars it was just a natural transition to continue with the 360 exclusive development.

“Although we are very interested in the PS3. We’re big fans of the console. We’re definitely moving forward on that front for hopefully our future titles. You’ll have to talk to the Red Alert 3 team specifically about future plans for PS3 and also our future games going forward. So we’re definitely looking at the PS3, but for Kane’s Wrath, just not yet.”

Vessella moved to reassure PS3 owning RTS fans that EA wasn’t leaving them behind, and revealed that the company is hoping to “dive into the PS3 and give it the attention it deserves” “pretty soon”.

“I think that going forward in the near future we’ll be able to really focus on getting really good PS3 versions,” he told VideoGamer.com. “And that’s the other thing. We don’t want to just port it over to the PS3 without giving any care as to what really makes that console successful. We really want to put care and heart into every version that we do. And so we really want to be able to dive into PS3 and give it the attention it deserves. We’re really hoping that will happen pretty soon.”

You can check out the rest of our interview with EA’s Jim Vessella right here.

We’ve just had the latest Fact Sheet in from Sony on MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, and whilst most of the information we’ve know about for some time the document does confirm a launch period of Autumn 2008 (well, ‘Fall’, but you get the idea) and a couple of new features, which may or may not be news to some of you.

The Photo Mode will allow players the opportunity to save images at any point in the game to put on their desktop or send around to friends. Finally, also confirmed are Custom Soundtracks: players can take their own music stored on a PS3 HDD and add to the list of music played within the game.

Expect much more from Pacific Rift at E3.

So that finally is the confirmation that all the leaked info is true. Let’s hope that it’s coming in the next several weeks

Thanks Official PlayStation Blog

All you guys and girls need to do is visit this link to download the file and have some fun with the best browser today!

Chalk this up as pure rumor for now.

An inside UK source tells us that Heavenly Sword 2 has been canned by Sony Computer Entertainment of Europe. The game was axed after months in development because it is no longer seen as commercially viable, our source tells us.

The news came during an emergency meeting set up for the Sony Cambridge team which was working on the game.

On a side note, Ninja Theory, who have already said they weren’t working on the sequel to their Playstation 3 exclusive, have grown increasingly bitter about their treatment at Sony’s hands, our source tells us. I’m told that the development studio, which once had offices in the same building as Sony Cambridge, have started packing up to move to a new location.

I guess when they said they wanted to move away from Sony and get into multi-platform development they weren’t kidding.

If true, this marks the third major project, counting Eight Days and Getaway 3, that has been canned by SCEE. Is the Europe arm of Sony in trouble? No clue, but we’ve asked for comment.

This new upgrade replicates the Google Internet search experience, delivering the same search results that you’d get at www.google.com. And with a search history recall of 20 items, Web searches couldn’t be easier.

After you download and install the firmware on your PSP, click on the XMB’s Network icon and then the new Internet Search icon. Enter your keywords and then let Google’s algorithms do the work. You’ll need to be connected to the Internet via a wireless access point or Wi-Fi hotspot. Googling something on the go has never been more convenient on your PSP.

Another new feature delivered through the 4.00 update is the ability to change viewing speed during playback of videos stored on your Memory Stick PRO Duo, so you can speed through or slow down what you’re watching. To do this simply press the up or down directional buttons while playing a video. Enjoy!

Thanks to the Official PlayStation Blog

Normally you see me posting news updates on the site. This time around I have an important topic to discuss so I will give you my ideas this time.

As you guys and girls can read in the post below Peter Dille from Sony had some big surprises for us in the newest article on the official PlayStation Blog. Those surprises are:

- In-Game XMB

- Video content service

- Accomplisments

- PlayStation cards

Besides these topic he also named expanded community features, rewards and PlayStation Home.

When I read the post I had a feeling in my stomach that began to grow. I’m so thrilled that Sony finally opened up their ideas and showed us dear PS fans why we believe and love Sony so much. The PlayStation Network is now finally we can call our Home and be proud of.

The PlayStation 3 always had it’s Unique Key Selling points but the way I see thing, the competition and most likely Microsoft has it’s UKS slimmed down day by day. The PlayStation brand will offer the whole package and that’s what excites me the most.

Let me know what you guys think in the comment section

First off, we’re excited about the new look and feel of the PLAYSTATION Store. Personally, I’ve been looking forward to this update for a long time as, in my view, the previous PLAYSTATION Store experience wasn’t one that lived up to our brand. But this new UI is much more dynamic and allows us to elegantly display and merchandise a lot more content, which is very important today, but will be critical going forward with so much great new content coming onto the Store. We look forward to hearing your input and reaction now that you’ve gotten your hands on it.

2008 is being called “the year of PlayStation 3” by a lot of press and analysts these days, and for good reason — there’s lots of momentum behind PS3 and we have a ton of great new exclusive games coming. This week’s launch of GT5 Prologue is one great example, and gamers are already in countdown mode for Metal Gear Solid 4, Little Big Planet, SOCOM, Resistance 2, and on and on. But another big reason 2008 will be a great year for PS3 fans is due to the big things we have in store this year for the PLAYSTATION Network. The PLAYSTATION Store redesign is the first step but it’s only one example. Our primary goal with PLAYSTATION Network is to form an evolving entertainment network where the PlayStation community can gather and discover new forms of entertainment. Some of the key pillars that will make this an experience a success are:

• The PlayStation community;
• Free online gaming;
• Digital media download services; and
• Original content

Of course, entertainment comes in the form of content, so I’ll dive in and discuss what we are bringing to PLAYSTATION Network that will help us achieve this goal.

One of the most critical elements to PLAYSTATION Network that we’ve focused on since day one is delivering quality games. We’ve always stressed quality over quantity (in other words, fewer arcade remakes and more original content) as well as games that show off PS3’s tech, and games like Everyday Shooter, Super Stardust HD and PixelJunk Monsters are proving that you can get a great experience for $10, or roughly the cost of a movie ticket. What’s equally exciting is what we have planned for you this year..of course one of those titles is available starting today- the world’s best-selling racing franchise, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. We also have coming this May the wildly imaginative puzzle-game echochrome, which frankly is a game I’ve been playing most lately. It’s as good as it looks in all the press you’ve been reading and is extremely addictive. We will also be bringing hugely popular franchises to PLAYSTATION Network for the first time, including SOCOM Confrontation and WipEout HD, as well as continue to deliver innovative indie games like flOwer, from the developers of flOw. So in short, content is what’s driving you, and we hear you loud and clear, and are delivering that quality that you want and deserve.

The strong lineup of games doesn’t stop there. Many of you have been hearing rumblings about a video service that will allow you to download full-length TV shows and movies via PLAYSTATION Network for North America. While I don’t have any new announcements here for the PlayStation Nation, it’s already been confirmed that we’ll be offering a video service for PS3 in a way that separates the service from others you’ve seen or used. Ultimately the goal of the PLAYSTATION Network service will be to break through the overwhelming clutter of digital media to give you the TV, movies and gaming content you want. More on this very soon …

Community-related services available via PlayStation Network have also been a big focus for enhancements here in 2008. We know you want in-game access to XMB features and we’re committed to bringing that, among other community-related services this year. They will be designed to allow more community development and collaborative gameplay, as well as recognize and reward you for your gameplay accomplishments across a broad portfolio of PS3 games. Of course, 2008 will also see the launch of PlayStation Home, and we’ll have more announcements on the expanding community functions within PLAYSTATION Network in the near future, so stay tuned.

Lastly, we feel your overall experience on PLAYSTATION Network should be rewarding. We hope the redesigned PLAYSTATION Store is a step in the right direction and delivers on your feedback, which is vital to some of the short and long term changes you’ll be seeing with PLAYSTATION Network. We understood from your comments on this very blog that you wanted the PLAYSTATION Store to have a more dynamic look and improved navigation. We want the PlayStation community to enjoy their experiences on PLAYSTATION Network and the online storefront is a key part of that experience.

And to wrap up with one of the many topics I know you ask about regularly, we are rolling out the PlayStation Cards to retailers nationwide as we speak. They will have the PlayStation Cards in denominations of $20 and $50 starting this spring. This will provide you with another option to get on board with the PLAYSTATION Store and enjoy the content that I’ve outlined above.

As you can tell, we’re extremely excited for what’s planned for PLAYSTATION Network. We believe the library of original and quality games and entertainment, combined with community services and continued enhancements to the overall experience, will deliver on our promise of an integrated content and community experiences. We look forward to sharing more updates with you in the near future.

Thanks and have fun!

The Official PS Blog

Unlike it’s PS2, Xbox 360, and Wii cousins, the PlayStation 3 version of Alone in the Dark will be coming out in Fall 2008. Eden Studios wanted to adapt it instead of just porting it. They say that additional content may come to the PlayStation 3 version (due to it’s later release). A demo will come close to the game’s release. Good to see they are not just throwing together a crappy port. Go Eden!

Thanks OnAxis

GameFocus has just let us know that Ubisoft confirmed that a Haze demo is coming early May. What can we expect? We can look forward to a piece of the single-player campaign mode plus you can play with 3 of your mates in the four player co-op mode

If that doesn’t get you pumped, well nothing will lol!

Thanks DLB

Announcing SingStar® Vol.2 on PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™)

30 new tracks on Blu-ray Disc, a new harmony duet mode and PSP™ (PlayStation®PlayStation) Remote Play functionalities

o Sing 30 new tracks from top artists including The Killers, Eminem and Gorillaz
o Showcase your skills by singing duets in harmony!
o Share your performances with the SingStar community at My SingStar™ Online
o Get access to the ever-expanding SingStore™ to download all your favourites tracks

15 April 2008: SingStar® fans are in for a treat this summer with the launch of SingStar® Vol. 2 on PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™). The new addition to the multi-million selling franchise features 30 new tracks, a brand new harmony duet mode, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) Remote Play functionalities, increased levels of personalisation and an entry point to My SingStar™ Online – the rapidly growing online SingStar community.

Whether you’re an entertainer, a diva, a rocker, a crooner or hip hopster – or even a shy star – there will be something for you on the disc’s 30-strong track list. Artists featured include The Killers, Eminem, Kaiser Chiefs, Gorillaz and many many more. All track features the original music video for you to enjoy!

Singstar Vol. 2 will feature a harmony duet mode: a new way of playing that allows two players to sing different lines to a song at the same time, showing off their harmonising skills. This is really your chance to showcase your talent and adds a new dimension to the SingStar experience! Special tracks have been included to showcase this new mode such as Kool and the Gang: Celebration, the Paul McCartney & the Frog Chorus: We all Stand Together and The Mamas & The Papas: California Dreamin’.

As if that wasn’t enough, SingStar Vol. 2 also includes Remote Play functionalities with PSP. Using PSP and a wireless Internet connection, players will be able to access various areas of the game such as:

* SingStore: browse, select and download new songs, from SingStore remotely. This is really your chance to get your favourite party tracklist ready before you’re heading back home!
* My SingStar Online: browse and participate in all areas, rate media, leave comments, take part in polls, etc.). You can now continue to be part of the SingStar community on the go: share and show off hilarious and killer performances to your friends and family!

As with the first instalment of SingStar on PS3, SingStar Vol. 2 gives players instant access to SingStore, the ever-expanding online download store where extra tracks can be purchased, allowing players to add to their collection of songs and create their own SingStar playlists to suit their party mood. There are currently over 300 tracks in SingStore costing 1.49€ / £0.99 per track. Make sure you’re part of My SingStar Online, the next-generation community where players can share their performances with the world after capturing them with a PLAYSTATION®Eye or EyeToy® camera.

Key Features:

* Introducing the new harmony duet mode: Put your vocal skills to the test as you perform different lines to a song against your SingStar rival! This is your chance to perform duets in harmony and showcase your skills!

* 30 strong track list: Sing along to critically acclaimed artists and bands from The Killers, Eminem, Kaiser Chiefs, Nirvana and Gorillaz and many many more!

* PSP Remote Play functionality: With a PSP and a wireless internet connection, you will now be able to browse, select and start downloading new songs from the ‘SingStore’ on the go. Choosing your perfect tracklist is easier than ever before. You can also access to all areas of My SingStar Online and share the best SingStar performances with your friend and family!

* Join the online SingStar community: Enter via the game (My SingStar Online) or PC (www.singstargame.com) and upload your performances and rate others. Who knows, you could become an overnight star.

* Download in an instant: SingStore is directly accessible in-game. It’s easy to use and your song selections can be quickly granted. And with over 300 tracks available for you to download directly from the SingStore, there is plenty of choice to suit your party mood!

* Slick new look: Navigate the famous ‘carousel’ for your song selection and enjoy a cool, sophisticated slick new in-game design

* The SingStar experience: Competitive game-play with battle and one-player modes, credible artists and social, inclusive fun – everything you know and love about SingStar but more music and more choice than ever before.

Visit www.singstargame.com for the latest news on the SingStar community, where you’ll also find polls, quizzes, free downloads for MySpace and Bebo pages, party ideas, music news and updates on new tracks available in the SingStore for PS3.

You guys might wanna take a look at the new Harmony mode and the Remote Play functionality. Sounds promising enough for me. Can’t recall the last time I had as much fun as I did with SingStar & Beer lol!

Thanks ThreeSpeech

How will consumers benefit now that the HD war is over?
It has certainly helped to clear up the confusion. It’s been said so many times already but the whole HD war scenario really was holding things back. Obviously consumers – and retailers, to a certain extent – were not going to invest heavily in something that might be rendered obsolete just a few months down the line.

Consumers now have the peace of mind to take the plunge and buy whatever HD hardware or software they have their eye on without fear of flushing their cash straight down the toilet. It also has benefits for the industry as a whole because studios also now have the security to fully commit to the format. Now that DVD’s successor is clear you’re going to see many more releases flooding onto the market (both new and catalogue) and hopefully new ways of using the fledging technology.

Do you think the best technology won?
Both formats had their plus points. For example, HD DVDs were being produced with features like Picture-in-Picture and community viewing options long before Blu-ray’s BD Live functionality. And the picture quality and sound quality was on a par with their Blu-ray counterparts. However, Blu-ray was improving and evolving at a much faster rate.

I think in the end it all came down to marketing and Sony and its Blu-ray backers were much more switched on than the HD DVD camp and saw the potential for the format much earlier. Just talking from a magazine point of view, each month we were receiving many more Blu-ray Discs than HD DVDs – we really had to work at chasing studio representatives and PRs just to get a single HD DVD in for review. Most companies didn’t have review samples even though they had the actual product on the shelf. It seemed like, in Europe at least, there was no infrastructure to distribute or promote HD DVD even within the industry let alone to the public, whereas Blu-ray did. It might not be a case that one technology was better than the other but that one camp was more prepared, educated and aware of the potential of high-definition discs than the other.

Looking at some of the more interesting additional features of Blu-ray, Picture-in-Picture displays are mentioned quite a bit. What have been some good examples? And are there interesting examples on the way?
There are plenty on the way – it’s actually really exciting to hear what studios have planned but it’s still fairly early days. Although discs like Resident Evil: Extinction include options like Blu-Wizard, which essentially lets you create your own playlist with the extras package and true Picture-in-Picture, the best is really yet to come with the introduction of BD-Live.

How about some of the other interactive features of Blu-ray – are they being used at the moment? Things like simple games, richer menus, etc? Are there any interesting examples already out there, and on the way?
Like I say there are some nice little touches being added but the real gold is yet to come. Disney has announced plans to release some of its back-catalogue material like Sleeping Beauty on Blu-ray with a whole host of simple interactive games, which should help to keep kids entertained as well as provide consumers with a genuine reason to buy the movie again even if they already own it, which is definitely a step forward.

Menus and extras really depend on how seriously the studios are taking the move to Blu-ray. Some are really quite quirky and cool, whereas others are more your standard DVD menu with a few bells and whistles attached. Some certainly work harder than others.

PS3 has just had a firmware update to Profile 2.0, allowing it to support BD Live. Are there any interesting movie discs set to support this, and how? The early stuff I’ve heard of sounds like just downloadable trailers, although Saw IV apparently has ‘MoLog’ element allowing viewers to blog on the film directly via their blu-ray player. What do you think are some of the more intriguing plans?
I’ve heard some awesome things are in development, all the things you’ve mentioned and much more. I’m particularly interested in the community side of things that enable you to sit down with friends around the world and watch a movie together just like you would play games against each other online, with headsets and everything.

The innovations ahead extend to being able to download sound clips for your mobile and additional content for the movies you’ve already purchased, hopefully putting an end to the whole ‘double-dipping’ scenario we’ve all experienced with DVD. I’ve seen some of it in action and if it works that well in practice it’s going to get a lot of people excited. What I would say though is that things are a little slow at the moment – recent import release and one of the first 2.0-compatible titles Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story gives you the option to download trailers etc, but without a super-fast internet connection the process can be a little laboured. I’m sure this will improve over time, though.

In terms of these BD-Live features I think my favourite so far is the plan to included an on-demand trivia quiz for the film you’re watching, so mid-movie you can compete against people online or in the same room to see who the true superfan is. Who knows, you might even get to use your Buzz controllers.

How supportive are studios when it comes to this kind of extra content? How much of a priority is it for them? It seems a few directors were very supportive of Blu-ray – are they likely to be the driving force when it comes to more in-depth use of Blu-ray functionality?
In the early days it was interesting to see the different approaches studios took towards Blu-ray and HD discs in general. Some would go all out and really try and deliver a package that excelled on all fronts, whereas others would just release their titles on Blu-ray almost as an afterthought and offer the same, or sometimes even less than the standard-def DVD version. But now Blu-ray is a much bigger deal for all those involved as it is a growing source of revenue and so some real consideration is being put into the product, which can only be a good thing.

Of course directors will have an impact because they are the driving force behind the movies – the Lucases and Spielbergs of this world can have a real impact because they reserve the right to decide which format their movies are released on and when, but in reality it’s really up to the studios. Directors can ensure the films look good by using high-def cameras, etc, but, according to the directors I’ve spoken to, the home video release is generally in the hands of the studio execs.

Sony Pictures has confirmed that some of its movie releases will include lower resolution ‘Portable Copies’ of the film to be viewed on PSP. Interesting, but have you heard about videogame releases that may employ Blu-ray’s interactive or Live features?
Not specifically but games have led the way in this field. For years now we’ve been able to download content, trailers and even full games using online services, as well as interact with other users; it’s now commonplace and I’m sure in the years to come that will be the case for Blu-ray too.

Is it likely we’ll see further additions to the Blu-ray feature set in the future? If so, what kinds of things?
Absolutely. The recent updates are just the start of something bigger that should change the way we experience home media. It’s still early days but there has been talk about adding the ability to cut your own version of the film –I don’t know how far along they are with features like this, though.

What other home cinema elements will need to evolve in users’ homes to get the most out of Blu-ray? Are their forthcoming TVs and home theatre audio setups that are going to be able to exploit the technology better?
It’s hard to imagine just how good things can get with technology evolving at the rate it is. Most HDTVs are full 1080p now, which should see an end to all this ‘HD ready’ nonsense, and some of the sound systems that can replicate surround sound without all the trailing wires are really coming on. Sony is already talking about integrating Blu-ray into most of its new appliances, including consoles, camcorders and the actual televisions themselves – kitting them out with full Blu-ray playback and recording functionality.

All you really need at the moment to really enjoy Blu-ray is a decent 1080p panel, a PS3 and an up-to-date audio system. Put all these together and I guarantee you’ll notice a huge difference over standard DVD because, let’s face it, now the HD format war is over the new war is Blu-ray versus DVD, which is going to be a much harder battle to win.

Recommended
Five discs with interesting extras…

Sleeping Beauty
Features a virtual castle to explore and an interactive game currently known as Maleficent’s challenge.

Men In Black
Boasts an interactive Trivia Game.

Hannah Montana
First-ever next-gen release to include both 2D and 3D viewing modes – comes with four pairs of 3D glasses for family viewing.

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Offers the ability to download theatrical trailers and additional footage.

AVP: Requiem
This is still unconfirmed for the final release but ‘Alien vs. Predator vs. You’ is an interactive BD-Live-based game that allows multiple users to battle each other online, with the game’s narrative woven into the storyline of the film as it progresses.

Thanks ThreeSpeech

Ahead of March’s NPD Group sales data, due to release this Thursday, Pachter forecast PS3 sales of 365,000 units, edging out sales of 310,000 for Xbox 360.

In a Monday investor note, Pachter predicted that Nintendo will come out on top for yet another month, with Wii sales of 700,000 during March’s five-week retail period.

Pachter believes that Wii and DS supply improved during the month, adding that the Wii supply situation has “made forecasting unit sales quite difficult.” Pachter said a weak US dollar may have driven Nintendo to give a larger piece of the 1.8 million Wiis produced monthly to Europe at the expense of the US market.

“However,” Pachter wrote, “we believe that European supply has caught up with demand, and think that the company likely shipped the U.S. its “’fair share’ in the month of March, particularly in light of Nintendo’s need to support the launch of Super Smash Brothers Brawl.”

He said that Wii demand is “expected to outstrip supply well into 2008.”

The simExchange virtual stock exchange forecast Wii sales of 593,000, and PS3 and Xbox 360 sales of 301,000 and 296,000, respectively.

Software will also likely be the big story for March, as Pachter expects console software sales of $850 million, a 47 percent rise at US retail.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl from Nintendo is expected to be the top game for the month. The title, released on March 9, sold over 1.4 million units in the US in its first week. Pachter believes the title sold 2 million during the entire month.

Other top sellers may include Army of Two, Rainbow Six Vegas 2, Major League Baseball 2K8 and catalog titles such as Wii Play, Guitar Hero III and Rock Band.

Just like its PS3 brethren, the PLAYSTATION Store for PC has also received a mild facelift. Changes are mild, but apparent. From the moment you type the URL into your browser, you’ll see the country select screen has changed. Instead of choosing from a drop-down menu, you can simply click on your country. Yes!

Beyond that, you’ll notice a few aesthetic differences. For example, you’ll see a red PlayStation bag icon appear on items you’ve already purchased. Head over to the Download List on top to get anything you’ve already purchased.

While the PS3 Store redesign is far more significant, it’s nice to see the Store look as sleek as it does now. Now, we’re hoping to see some real content appear on the Store. This Thursday, perhaps?

Thanks PSPFanboy

Just this morning I opened up my email, to find a decent scoop on some industry happenings that involve our favorite console.

Apparently, Konami is very pleased with the way Sony is handling the hype for MGS4, along with being pleased the PS3 is picking up steam at such a fast rate.

Its always good to please a big developer/publisher, it usually means more support, and more exclusive content for the respective console.   Thats exactly what is happening right now.

Word is, Konami is working on a new 3D Castlevania exclusive to the PS3.  Konami is hoping to take advantage of the cell, to create the first hugely successful Castelvania in 3D…

From an inteveiw with Igarashi

“Do you think you’ll do another fully 3D Castlevania? God of War seems like the closest to a 3D Castlevania to me.

KI: Yeah, I hate to lose, and it’s very frustrating. One thing I definitely want to do is to see the franchise realized in 3D.

To take revenge?

KI: Yeah! (laughs)”

Thanks Sev1512

Impressions of the new PS Store now Firmware 2.30’s been released.

The first thing you notice is how lightning quick it is to log on to the new Store. No sooner has one of your five thumbs depressed the X button, the new interface appears with a huge banner on the left of the screen and 20 squares on the right detailing type of content, genre, and so on.

However, in stark contrast to the initial log-in, the squares themselves do take some time to fill up with little diagrams of a sportsman running which symbolises, you guessed it, sports games, a chequered flag for racing and so forth.

Just in case you don’t know what an action or shooter game is, after you select an image the left half of the screen gives you some detailed information, such as the fact an FPS game means you shoot stuff and a Racer means you drive a car.

If waiting isn’t your thing then don’t click on one these symbols, as the list of games takes ages to arrive. And we mean ages. When we started writing this article we clicked on ‘Latest’ and the full list of icons still aren’t in although we’ve now almost finished.

The top menu is split up into eight subsections listing everything from PSP games (nice addition) to Game Add-ons (another good idea) to We Recommend – which at the moment is just about every game on the Store you can buy.

Although the interface is a lot more user-friendly we still miss being able to search for stuff by name. The ability to search by title instead of trawling through three or four sub-menus and waiting around ten minutes to see if it appears would have been great.

Also, for those of you who couldn’t wait to try out the Super Stardust HD add-on, although the Solo Game Pack was ready to download early this morning, the patch for SSHD needed to make the Game Pack work wasn’t ready. However, the internet has just informed us that all is now well: you should be prompted for an update when you fire up the game, and it’ll do the rest for you.

Thanks VideoGaming247