To quote via PlayStation Underground: Tomorrow, we are releasing a new version of PlayStation Home called PlayStation Home 1.0. This version will add some exciting new features and fix several known bugs, preparing us for launch into Open Beta. You can find the full list of new features below.
Highlights include new emotes and dance moves for avatars, new arcade games, new ways to launch into games from PlayStation Home, a new game rewards system, and much, much more! We think you’ll enjoy these many changes and improvements.
Home will be down for a period of time tomorrow to prepare for the launch of Version 1.0. I will let you know in the forums when it is back up.
We will be inviting a tremendous number of new beta testers soon, and conducting a massive load test this Friday night, November 21st. We will have an event to celebrate the moment. Stay tuned for further information as your assistance with this event is greatly appreciated.
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Rod Fergesson, the Senior Producer from Gears of War 2 has outlined on the official forums (linked above) the problems with their online matchmaking service and acknowledges that and patch will be released in the near future to counter the issues.
To quote: We're aware that some folks are experiencing longer-than-ideal wait times while using the skill-based Public matchmaking in Gears 2 multiplayer.
We're working on some solutions but it's a complicated issue as there isn't any one problem; it's a combination of factors. Clearly, scale is one of them as we've had millions of successful matches played online so far, however a small percentage of players are having issues, which is unacceptable.
We're working closely with Microsoft to address the matchmaking issues, I promise you that it is our #1 priority, and we hope to have an update soon.
In the meantime, I would like to suggest some workarounds:
The infamous Xbox 360 "red ring of death" (indicating a failed unit) has caused Microsoft - and its customers - untold pain in the three years since the console's launch in 2005, and cost it $1.15bn (£738m) last year.
Microsoft has never said publicly why the console was plagued with faults: it seems that poor production quality was at the heart of the failures - an all-round problem with no single cause except impatience on the company's part as it tried to become the leader in videogame consoles.
It was an ambitious attack. Microsoft's engineers started working on the Xbox 360 at least a year after Sony's engineers began work on the PlayStation 3, yet wound up shipping a year earlier. With the first Xbox, the company lost $3.7bn (£2.3bn) over four years, mostly because costs of the box - particularly its hard drive - were too high.
Bill Gates didn't really care about the losses; that was simply the ante for getting into an exciting ne... More »
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced a new initiative called Shoot!.
Shoot! will deliver series of short films that will be free to download from 13th November via PlayStation®Network for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) or PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable), allowing owners to watch cutting-edge film from up-and-coming directors and experience this unique content.
The films will also be screened across Europe on ShortsTV from January 2009.
Press Release: Six of Hollywood’s award winning filmmakers Armendariz, Bruckheimer, Kounen, Rothermund, Vinterberg, Winterbottom have chosen an emerging film director from their own country to mentor for the project. The emerging directors then created a short film, shot in High Definition, based on an open brief, shaped only by one of a number of words that capture the essence of PlayStation: Play, Create, Share, Connect, Discover and Challenge.
The emerging directors will showcase their mo... More »
All things considered, The Conduit shouldn't really be getting the attention it deserves. After all, it's being developed by High Voltage Software, a studio that's not exactly well known for the quality of its games.
Its back catalogue features such gems as Ben 10, The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy and the Family Guy videogame. Add to this the fact that the game didn't even have a publisher until the middle of September and it's hard to figure out why the game's so eagerly anticipated.
Of course, the reason it is getting attention is because it looks great for a Wii game. We know those last four words are really patronising, but let's face facts, we know the Wii doesn't have the graphical oomph to compete with other HD systems. However, this has meant that many developers simply don't bother trying to make the most of the Wii's power and simply churn out games that look half-decent instead. That's where The Conduit differs.
Over the months there has been a lot of inaccurate information circulating in regards to how exactly the PlayStation 3's Service Mode works, and as promised in our previous Dev updates here are some of the facts to help separate the rumors and speculation.
It is a fairly simple process as follows.. For starters, the PS3 is powered off, and a special USB dongle, known as the Jig, is connected. The PS3 is then turned on, and then off, once it has detected the Jig.
After this occurs, the PS3 is then turned back on, into "Service" Mode. From here, the PS3 is re-flashed using a Firmware Update on a USB stick, specifically designed to only install from the Service Mode. Once the PS3 is re-flashed with the software, it is then used in conjunction with a PC running customized software, specifically the DEX.exe and CEX.exe's.
There are a multitude of special PS3 firmwares, basically three major ones. The first is a Core System, followed by the Service Sys... More »
The Xbox 360 has once again beaten out the PlayStation 3 in Japan. This has been a continuing trend in the Japanese markets, ever since the 360’s price cut a few weeks ago.
Though the Wii and Nintendo DS have more than double Microsoft’s sales, the fact that the 360 is moving forward looks promising. But what does it mean for Microsoft and gamers?
Let’s consider the facts:
1. The Xbox 360 price cut has already bolstered sales in Japan, and rumors have it that Microsoft may cut the price of the 360 Elites even further, as well. We saw what two weeks of sales did for Microsoft. Of course, those sales were not only helped by the price cut, but also by the release of Tales of Vesperia and Infinite Undiscovery, two exclusives for the 360.
Now that the immediate surge is over, the 360 has once again fallen to fourth place in Japanese sales (behind the DS, Wii and PSP). Yet hopefully, this next round of price cuts should once again r... More »
The Dark Lego Knight's adventure is getting ever closer with a fall release date, and in the meantime, Warner Bros. has sent over a nice, concise fact sheet:
GAME FEATURES:
- Fight for justice as Batman and Robin or create chaos as The Joker, Catwoman and other villains, as you save or destroy Gotham City.
- Rocket through sewers and bound across rooftops as you take the fight to the criminals across classic locations in Gotham City.
- Fight on land, sea and in the air using a number of powerful Batman, Robin and villain-controlled vehicles, including the rocket-powered Batmobile, sleek Batboat and stealthy Batwing.
- Enhance the abilities of the Dynamic Duo by unlocking Batman's Demolition, Sonic and Glide suits and Robin's Gravity, Magnetic and Dive suits to help fight Gotham's villains.
- Enjoy numerous game modes and levels:
- Play through the game in Story Mode from both the hero and villain sides.
- Replay any ... More »
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