156w ago - This weekend SKFU shared news of a research project that himself, iQD and a few others have began work on with the PS3 Blu-ray drive in order to, among other goals, run PlayStation 3 game backups from the PS3 HDD.

Getting Sony's PlayStation 3 entertainment system to function without a BDD was not a difficult challenge for them, however, many may recall previous attempts by MysticHades among others to examine PS3 hacks which allow running game backups from the hard disk drive.

Earlier this year, knightsolidus detailed the Blu-ray drive PS3 CXD4302GB Chip Test Points, and Spanish site Elotrolado reported on a PS3 exploit found to run PlayStation 3 backups along with a leaked Sony Disc Boot Game Patch Programming Guide.

Prior to that, PS3 developers examined several PS3...

157w ago - Recently we revealed a few new PS3 models uncovered through the FCC, and today CVG.com (linked above) reports that Sony plans to launch new PlayStation 3 SKUs that will include a 500GB HDD and come bundled with the Move Motion Controller.

The new PlayStation 3 bundles are also reported to include faster internal Wi-Fi cards, specifically 802.11n versus 802.11 b/g.

To quote: "Sony plans to release 500GB and 250GB versions of its slimline powerhouse bundled with the new motion controller later this year, according to our industry source in Los Angeles.

We were also told that the new PS3s will come with new faster internal Wi-Fi cards (802.11n, for those of you who know what that means). Current PS3s come with the slower 802.11 b/g standard Wi-Fi.

Basically, that means new PS3's connection to PSN and the Internet will be faster if you have an 802.11n-compatible router."

161w ago - Today thegamersheep has shared a video via YouTube of ModNation Racers PS3 being unboxed, and the Examiner.com (linked above) has confirmed that the PlayStation 3 video game requires 3.2GB of free space for installation on the PS3 HDD.

The upcoming kart racing game in development by United Front Games for the PlayStation 3 (and PSP) is set for an official release on May 21st in Europe and May 25th of 2010 in North America.

To quote: "Coming packed with Sackboy character mod and LittleBigPlanet themed kart, ModNation is all about customization and player creation.

ModNation Racers PS3 will require 3.2 GB of HDD space. Considering the scope of the game, this really isn't that bad. With dozens of items, mods, and tools at your disposal, this installation is minor in size for this kind of title."

Those interested can check out the ModNation Racers PS3 unboxing pictures and video below!

163w ago - Today JustPushStart.com (linked above) has confirmed that Lost Planet 2 for PlayStation 3, which arrives next week, requires a mandatory 4.61GB PS3 HDD installation.

Hopefully this means the next installment won't be as sluggish as the PlayStation 3 port of Lost Planet: Extreme Condition.

The story takes place back on E.D.N. III 10 years after the events of the first game. The snow has melted to reveal jungles and more tropical areas that have taken the place of more frozen regions.

The game will center on an ongoing civil war to gain T-ENG (Thermal-ENerGy). The player(s) will assume control of several different factions such as Yuri's Snow Pirates, NEVEC (NEo-VEnus Construction) and many other groups battling the Akrid, a race of large insects native to E.D.N. III.

The Akrid have expanded their armies and return much more powerful in Lost Planet 2.

For those curious, Capcom's Lost Planet 2 will arrive on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows in North America and Europe on May 11, 2010 and in Japan on May 20, 2010.

To quote: "Mandatory installation for PS3 games released by Capcom has been a trend lately. We've been forced to do mandatory installations for games such as Devil May Cry 4 and Resident Evil 5.

You can now add Lost...

164w ago - Today Andriasang.com (linked above) reports that Sony has started a 250GB PS3 HDD upgrade service in Japan for those who are seeking to swap their current PlayStation 3 hard disk drive for a fee.

For the price of ¥18,000 (~$184), Japanese gamers can to send their PS3 directly to Sony who will upgrade the system's hard drive to a 250GB model, and move all the content of the previous drive across. They'll then send your system (and old PS3 hard drive) back to you.

To quote: "For ¥18,000 (~$184), Sony will upgrade your current PS3 to a 250 gigabyte hard drive. The cost includes the hard drive and all labor for swapping the drives and moving over your system software and all content from your current hard drive. Sony will even return the current hard drive to you.

The program works with the following PS3 models:

• CECHA00 (60GB)
• CECHB00 (20GB)
• CECHH00 (40GB)
• CECHL00 (80GB)
• CECHQ00 (160GB)
• CECH-2000A (120GB)

For further details, including a step-by-step guide to placing an order and shipping out your PS3, see Sony's hard drive swap service page."