Sony have just announced that on August 12, they'll be releasing a special PSP hardware bundle, built around this year's handheld version of Madden. For $200, you'll get Madden 09, "NFL: In Just One Play" on UMD, a voucher to download the excellent Beats from the PlayStation Store, a 1GB memory stick and, most importantly, a new "Metallic Blue" PSP. The colour's a bit so-so for me (I'm still thinking about summery drinks), but for $200, that's a deal so sweet we've gotta use italics. Pic of the full bundle follows.

How popular is anime Haruhi Suzumiya? Popular enough to get its own PSP game and Wii game. Popular enough to be ripped off for the Bejing Olympics. And now, popular enough for Russian copyright infringement. Pictured, Haruhi appears on a tasty treat. But remember kids, in Russia, Haruhi Suzumiya infringement eats YOU! Heh.

Comparison after the jump!

What copyright? [Neko are blog]

Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee was one of the games I played the most during the early days of the PSP, so I am definitely looking forward to the sequel, coming out the June. The new version features online tournaments for up to 16 players, 12 challenging courses, and 24 different golfers with insane customization options, which I really missed in the PlayStation 3 Hot Shots title. If you need more facts, hit the jump for a fact sheet, and help a little document fulfill its purpose in life.

Hot Shots Golf®: Open Tee 2 FACT SHEET

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment Japan / Clap Hanz
Platform: PSP® (PlayStation®Portable)
Genre: Sports / Golf
Release Date: June 2008
Rating: "E" for Everyone

OVERVIEW
Developed by Clap Hanz, in conjunction with Sony Computer Entertainment America's Santa Monica Studios, Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee® 2 brings another chapter of the beloved Hot Shots franchise onto PSP® (PlayStation®Portable). Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 adds six challenging new courses to test even the most hardened golf veteran, and 12 new characters are available to customize with hundreds of accessories. With the franchise's signature over-the-top visuals and pick-up-and-play action, fans of the series can once again look forward to hitting the links on the go with the most fun and wacky golf experience available.

Players will also have unmatched online access with robust Internet play available for players to challenge other Hot Shots across the globe in tournaments of up to 16 players. Additionally, players can tee-off locally with up to eight players via Match Play or head-to-head in Ad Hoc mode. Individually, players can test their prowess on the links with a number of single-player modes such as Challenge, training, and Stroke Play.

KEY FEATURES
Online Golf Action - Tee off in tournaments of up to 16 players online and challenge others around the world for the Hot Shots title.
Ad Hoc Multiplayer - Players can engage in an eight-player Match Play mode or even hit the links one-on-one via Ad Hoc.
Exotic Courses - 12 challenging courses to conquer, with a mix of new courses as well as fan favorites from the past to challenge golfers of all levels. The environments will take players across tropical islands, vast desert plains, snow-capped mountains, and oceanfront views.

Crazy Characters & Caddies - Choose from 24 different playable characters and five different caddies, each with their own distinct look and characteristics that embody the fun and spirit of the Hot Shots franchise.
In-Depth Customization - Customize characters with more than 300 different options, including clothing, hairstyles, shoes, clubs, hats, and much more. Successfully conquering challenges in the game will allow players to further upgrade equipment, allowing for more accurate shots, longer drives, and impeccable control.
Clothing & Accessory Attribute Boost - Incorporating special combinations of clothing and accessories will provide a unique boost to character attributes as well as overall fashion style.
Unlock A Variety of Equipment - Players can earn new clubs and golf balls throughout each match to execute more accurate shots, longer drives, tighter approaches, and pinpoint putts.
A Variety of Golf Outings - Multiple single-player and multi-player modes of play including VS Mode, Training Mode, Tournament Mode, Stroke Mode, Match Play Mode, and other challenging modes offer a diverse golfing experience for everyone.

Just arrived at the top of The Roosevelt Hotel where Sony has kicked off their Gamer's Day. This time around the company has decided to cut to the chase and just let us dive in to the rooms full of games they have present for hands-on.

So far I've seen consoles set up for Buzz! PS3, Killzone 2, LittleBigPlanet, MotorStorm 2: Pacific Rift, Resistance 2 and SOCOM: Confrontation. PSN titles on hand are Linger-In Shadows, PixelJunk Eden and Siren: Blood Curse and Playstation Portable titles playable are BUZZ! PSP, Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee and Secret Agent Clank.

Stay tuned for hands-on impressions of all of these games from myself and McWhertor throughout the day.

Anime fans? This one's for you! The PlayStation Store update kicks off with the PlayStation 3 version of Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit, giving fans of convoluted cheeseball fighting dramas something to kill the time before the full game is released in June. The cel shading doesn't stop there, as a trailer for Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm keeps the anime-inspired fighting fun going. A pair of demos for the PS3 and PSP round out the playables, with new content for Rock Band, Hot Shots Golf Out of Bounds and Rocketmen keeping those titles fresh. There's new echochrome content, too, but that will be delivered in-game. The full list, and potential Dragon Ball Z discussion, is after the jump! Yay!

Games and Demos
Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit demo
Overlord Raising Hell demo
Secret Agent Clank demo (for PSP)

Expansions and Add-Ons
Rock Band tracks ($1.99 each) - "Kool Thing" by Sonic Youth, "Train In Vain" by The Clash and "Hanging on the Telephone" by Blondie
Hot Shots Golf Out of Bounds characters ($0.99 each)
* Gloria - Expert Skill Level
* Alex - Intermediate Skill Level
Rocketmen: It Came From Uranus! expansion ($4.95)
Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore songs ($1.49 each) - There are 21 of them!

Game Videos
NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja Storm trailer
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe "Gamer's Day" trailer

Movie and Television Trailers
Pineapple Express trailer
Saawariya trailer

Wallpapers and Themes
Haze theme
Overlord Raising Hell theme
Overlord Raising Hell wallpaper
echochrome themes (for PSP and PS3)

Here's an interesting idea for the hunting genre. Now that Cabela has pretty much allowed us to kill all the animals available today, the only thing to do is go back in time and kill the animals of history! Cabela's Legendary Adventures, coming this fall to the Nintendo Wii, the PlayStation 2, and the PSP, will allow gamers to relive some of the greatest hunting stories ever told. Players will use authentic period equipment to hunt some of the most famous game ever, such as the white-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk, and Bambi.

"In Cabela's Legendary Adventures the missions are based on encounters with some of the most famous animals ever hunted in the wild," said Dave Oxford, Activision Publishing. "Focusing on these amazing once-in-a-lifetime stories has really allowed us to capture the essence of what hunting is all about - a quest for a legendary experience."

Neat! Maybe next they'll let us go back in time to help hunt woolly mammoths and giant armadillos to extinction in prehistoric North America!

Activision's Cabela's Legendary Adventures to Bring Hunting's Greatest Tales to Life

SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 14, 2008: Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today the upcoming release of Cabela's Legendary Adventures for PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and WiiTM. The latest title in the best-selling Cabela's franchise will allow players to relive the greatest hunting stories ever told. The game will hit shelves in Fall 2008.

"In Cabela's Legendary Adventures the missions are based on encounters with some of the most famous animals ever hunted in the wild," said Dave Oxford, Activision Publishing. "Focusing on these amazing once-in-a-lifetime stories has really allowed us to capture the essence of what hunting is all about - a quest for a legendary experience."

Players will hunt in different eras in search of trophies such as white-tailed deer, Yukon moose, Alaskan brown bear and Roosevelt elk in over ten of North America's top hunting locations, including Kodiak Island, the Yukon and the Rocky Mountains. Each location in Cabela's Legendary Adventures is a visually stunning open outdoor environment that encourages exploration and tactical variation. Shooting mechanics have been developed to reflect modern as well as historical hunting technology, so players relive the hunts complete with detail from specific time periods.

Under Cabela's guidance, the firearms, tactics and gear in Cabela's Legendary Adventures are as true to real life as a game will allow. The title will also include a large variety of additional hunts featuring over 30 species of other big game, small game, waterfowl, upland birds and turkey.

Cabela's Legendary Adventures is scheduled for release in Fall 2008. For more information visit www.activision.com.

Photo via AAA Alaskan Outfitters

Once upon a time, people thought Microsoft was going to enter the handheld console market. It hasn't! Maybe, it will one day, but for the time being, the company is sitting on the sidelines. Any regrets? Says Microsoft's Shane Kim:

I'm very happy we didn't get into it, because launching a handheld platform is like launching another Xbox 360. You have to be fully committed, as an organisation, from a resource standpoint, to doing that. Frankly we've got a lot on our plate with Xbox 360 and Xbox Live. We don't have any experience in that space. Our content assets don't naturally lend themselves to driving success in that particular market.

So we're happy to let Sony and Nintendo slog it out. I do think mobile is probably the more important platform in the future, and the number of Windows mobile devices and hardware that's capable of running Windows mobile in the future is really a compelling opportunity, and one where we don't have to worry about launching a new hardware platform too.

Or dealing with that platform's hardware troubles. Zing!
Shane Kim Interview [Eurogamer] [Pic]

According to some number-crunching by the Guardian, Sony might actually be losing more money per PlayStation 3 sold than its figures show.

A look at Sony's recently-announced financials show a significantly improved condition for the company's PlayStation business year over year. Sony's game division lost $1.2 billion on the year - last year, though, that number was over $2 billion.

So the company's clearly closing an internal gap. Its own figures, however, seem to show $130 lost on each PS3 it ships. The Guardian, however, points to the profitability of the PSP and continuing strength of the PlayStation 2 to paint a different picture. From its article:

"On Sony's own figures, the games division made a loss of $130 for each PlayStation 3 shipped. Let's assume that it's making pots of money on the PSP and the PlayStation 2: the PS2 is now hugely profitable and still sells more games than anything else. These two platforms could easily have made a profit of $1.2bn in the year. In that case, the total PS3 loss would have been $2.4bn shared between 9.24m PS3 consoles, or $260 per PS3 — including any attached Sony games."

Is Sony losing $260 on every PS3 it ships? [The Guardian]

EA weren't the only company to release their financials today. Sony Corp did as well, and while these were results for the entire company, there were of course gaming-related numbers to be had amongst them. Overall sales for the PlayStation group were up 26% off the back of increased interest in the PS3, while the gaming division cut its losses from $232 million to $124 million (with forecasts it'll have gone into the black by this time next year). But hey, unless you're a Sony shareholder/raving-mad fanboy, that stuff's of secondary importance. Most of you will probably just want to know how many PS3s, PSPs and PS2s the company shifted last year.

As you can see, the PSP was Sony's biggest-seller for the year, moving 13.89 million units, with the PS2 not far behind at 13.73 million. The PS3 is obviously trailing, but at 9.24 million, is doing a lot better than this time last year. Software sales weren't so close, with the PS2 selling more than the other two combined, but then, with an installed base of well over 100 million that's to be expected.

Remember the dark days? The PlayStation Store update Thursdays with nary a downloadable worth the background download? Long gone, we hope, forever! This week, there's plenty of stuff to slake your download thirst, with demos for Haze, GRID and The Bourne Conspiracy joining extra content for PixelJunk Monsters, Guitar Hero III and Rock Band. Some of the media released over the past couple weeks, including some from Sony's recent event in London can now be watched on The Big Screen, including that lovely looking Mirror's Edge trailer. The full list is post jump!

Games and Demos
Haze demo
The Bourne Conspiracy demo
GRID demo
SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2 demo for PSP

Add-ons and Expansions
PixelJunk Monsters Encore expansion ($5.99)
Guitar Hero III "Muse Track Pack" ($6.25) - "Exo-Politics", "Stockholm Syndrome" and "Supermassive Black Hole" by Muse
Rock Band tracks ($1.99 each) - "Date with the Night" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "It Hurts" by Angels & Airwaves and "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" by Fall Out Boy
Rock Band "Scene Pack" ($5.49)

Game Videos
WipEout HD trailer
Mirror's Edge trailer
Mercenaries 2 "Payback" trailer
Overlord: Raising Hell trailer
The Wheelman trailer
TNA Impact! "Gamer's Day" trailer
PlayStation 3 "What You Need" video

Movie and Television Trailers
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull teaser trailer
The Love Guru trailer
Iron Man trailer

Wallpapers and Themes
PixelJunk Monsters wallpapers
PixelJunk Monsters theme
Sports theme

At Sony Europe's Gamers Day event, the company took care to emphasize the "social gaming" angle it's pursuing. The company focused on "games where players of all ages socialize through gaming," pointing out EyeToy products, puzzle titles and Buzz!: Quiz TV, where groups can play trivia games on a variety of topics over PlayStation Network.

The overall message seems to highlight the PS3's diversity as an entertainment device, with the aim of appealing to an all-ages audience.

Full release follows the jump:

06/05/2008 17:30
Get closer to friends and family with PlayStation

London, 6th May 2008- With PlayStation, games have never been more family-friendly. We've created up the genre of 'social gaming': games where players of all ages socialise through gaming. For the kids and the young-at-heart, there are EyeToy® games that burn physical as well as mental energy. We've got puzzle games that everyone will want to try- whether at home or in the car - and we're also allowing you to take TV on the move. You can even team up as a family to challenge your overseas relatives to a round of online quizzing over PLAYSTATION®Network (PSN) - and when it comes to keeping in touch further, we've just given PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) video and voice chat capabilities.

PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™): the next generation system that brings you High Definition gaming, Blu-ray movies, internet browsing, music, TV and entry into the online community of PLAYSTATION Network.

Buzz!™: Quiz TV (PS3)

Buzz!: Quiz TV for PS3™ is the next-gen game that takes the Buzz! experience into the future and across the world via the online PLAYSTATION Network. Arriving this June, it'll give you instant access to quizzes on almost any subject you can think of, and will be supported by vast downloadable and user-generated content. The game's Blu-ray disc comes with wireless buzzers and contains a whopping 5000 questions, divided into five selectable channels to suit every quiz fanatic - it's a quiz where you choose the content. Not enough questions on your subject of choice? Write your own. New online quiz community MyBuzz!™ links directly from the internet to the game and allows players to write and upload personalised quizzes plus download quizzes created by other online players which suit their questioning needs. The disc is also your gateway to online gaming and content, connecting you to Sofa vs Sofa mode, in which you can team up with everyone at home to challenge up to three other teams of gamers online, as well as to extra downloadable quiz packs and quizzes written by other Buzz! users.

echochrome (PSP and PS3)

In echochrome, it's not what you see, it's the way that you see it - and the more pairs of eyes involved, the better your chances of solving the dozens of fiendish puzzles ahead. The world of echochrome consists of a series of crazy mazes inhabited by the endlessly wandering Walker, and your goal is to help him get where he wants to go - despite being faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles and hazards. The trick is to open your mind and let your imagination run riot: by rotating each maze and changing your perspective on the action, you might just be able to change reality... A brand new and brain-busting puzzle experience, echochrome will have you asking everyone you know: "Can you see the answer?"

PlayTV™ (PS3)

Television how, when and where you want it; Play TV lets you pause, rewind and record free-to-air digital television using your PS3 and, best of all - after a one-off payment for the peripheral, the service is completely free. End family squabbles as you watch one channel while recording another through a dual TV tuner, stream television anywhere using a wi-fi connected PSP or pause television should household events demand your attention - Play TV offers access to great TV without the pocket-punching bills this later this year.

Folding@home (PS3)

Developed by Stanford University, Folding@home uses the combined power of interlinked computers around the world to perform mathematical calculations that help with research into protein folding - research that could lead to breakthroughs in the fight against diseases such as Alzheimer's, CJD, Parkinson's and various forms of cancer. In 2006, it was realised that a network of interlinked PS3 processors could boost the project's output to unprecedented levels thanks to the power of the PS3's Cell processor. All you need to do to play a part in Folding@home is to select the project's icon in the Network column of the Cross-Media Bar (XMB), then leave your machine running.

PLAYSTATION®Network (PSN)

The online home of PS3, PLAYSTATION®Network is where you'll find some of PlayStation's most innovative and fun games for you to download at wallet-friendly prices. You'll also find downloadable extras, free online gaming, voice chat, video chat, web surfing and more.

Elefunk™ (PSN for PS3)

A herd of elephants needing safe guidance through a series of perilous levels requires a guide, so help steer the jungle giants to safety this May. Across 20 levels, create safe passage across ravines, rivers, fires, pits and swamps with the materials available to you. Plus, swap construction for Deconstruction in a specially designed multiplayer game where players must disassemble a structure as carefully as possible without letting the structure, or imperilled elephants, fall...

Buzz! Junior™ (PSN for PS3)

This summer, we're bringing the fun of the children's Buzz! Junior range to PSN with bundles of mini-games for PS3 owners to download at pocket money prices. Buzz! Junior titles offer all the fun, easy play of Buzz! controllers, but with wacky mini-games of skill and speed rather than trivia-based play - they're perfect for youngsters to play with friends and family. Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party will be the first to arrive on PSN in a download featuring five great mini-games from the original PS2 version - now in 720p High Definition; it'll be followed by similar downloads from Buzz! Junior: RoboJam and Buzz! Junior: Monster Rumble.

PixelJunk™ Eden (PSN for PS3)

After sowing seeds with its Racers and Monsters, PixelJunk puts down roots on PLAYSTATION®Network with PixelJunk Eden. Leap and swing between lush alien vegetation in a truly innovative platform game which constantly evolves over time as you move through the perfectly realised undergrowth, hunting treasures and smashing enemies from his path. Destroyed enemies scatter pollen across the landscape, which the player must collect and use to pollinate seed pods before using the new growth to progress further.

PlayStation®2 (PS2™): the world's best-selling entertainment system that offers you great gameplay and the biggest social gaming brands

EyeToy® Play: PomPom Party (PS2)

Limber-up for the first cheerleading game for PS2, which comes bundled with real pompoms to help every wannabe-cheerleader pull off some groovy moves. As you follow the directions on-screen and shake your pompoms to the music, the EyeToy Camera will detect your movements and score your routines. So keep that rhythm going, and soon the whole block will be bouncing to your cheers in EyeToy Play: PomPom Party - it's arriving in time for Christmas in late 2008.

EyeToy® Play: Hero (PS2)

The ultimate quest for all budding adventurers - embark on a fantastic journey through a colourful, exciting fantasy world. EyeToy Play: Hero includes its own toy sword for you to wield; the EyeToy Camera will detect your sword's movements as you perform feats of bravery throughout the land. Watch your adventure unfold on-screen, hone your swordplay, and maybe one day you'll be considered a true hero of the kingdom! It's arriving in time for Christmas in late 2008.

PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable): the handheld entertainment system that offers games, music, film, TV, communications, GPS mapping and more

Buzz!™: Master Quiz (PSP)

Turning PSP into the ultimate social gaming experience, Buzz! makes his handheld debut in Buzz!: Master Quiz. Keep friends and family amused and entertained on the move, on holiday or on the bus as Buzz! hits the road, free from its front-room beginnings. Play solo or get involved with new multiplayer rounds such as Pass Around (which enables six players to play Buzz! with just one PSP!). The ultimate PlayStation quiz experience has hit the road - are you along for the ride this July?

Go!Messenger™ (PSP)

Keep in touch using your PSP with a revolutionary new addition, which turns your handheld system into a wireless communication tool featuring video chat, voice chat and instant messaging. It allows PSP owners to instant message each other- then, just add a headset and voice messaging and voice calls become possible. Add Go!Cam, the USB camera for PSP, and video calls and video messaging become a possibility. Go!Messenger is out now - it's another reason why PSP is becoming a travel essential.

SKYPE™ (PSP)

Skype, the online communication software that allows Internet users to call each other free of charge*, has now arrived on the new Slim and Light PSP. Talk to any one of the hundred million Skype users worldwide with free voice calls, managing your contacts list and checking which of your friends are online via your PSP. You can opt into the SkypeOut and SkypeIn features, which connect Skype callers with landline and mobile users - and you can do all of this from any wireless hotspot - anywhere in the world.

The press releases from today's London Gamers Day just dropped and boy are they packed. This one goes over some of the way Playstation 3 gamers can go head-to-head or play cooperatively on their console and includes some small details on Resistance 2, SOCOM: Confrontation, Warhawk: Operation Broken Mirror and Haze.

As mentioned earlier, Resistance 2 will hit in November with eigh player co-op, 60 player multiplayer and a new story featuring more Chimera enemies.

All we know about SOCOM is that it's coming out later this year and will include headset support and the ability to spectate.

Hit the jump for the bull breakdown on all four games from the official press release.

06/05/2008 17:30
Join the best, challenge the best; be the best

London, 6th May 2008- The world really has never been such a small place thanks to the online capabilities of PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) with a growing community of gamers testing themselves against the best of the best worldwide. The speed of play, the ease of use and the quality of the game offering that comes with PS3 is unparalleled; it’s the ultimate online arena to meet, interact and play with fellow gamers across the world. So if words like teamwork, precision, competition, strategy and ‘never give up’ are your mantra, PLAYSTATION®Network, is the place for you.

Resistance™2 (PS3)

Team up with seven other players in eight player co-op mode and also in massive online battles involving up to 60 gamers in multiplayer mode - Insomniac Games’ sequel to phenomenal history re-write Resistance: Fall of Man features an unprecedented level of online play. Upping the stakes with new Chimera enemies and vast online battlefields, the action has moved across the Atlantic and will take place in a devastated America. Once again, the Chimera threaten the very future of mankind itself as the terrifying alternative history of Earth’s last days continues to unfold, November 2008.

SOCOM™: Confrontation (PS3)

Recruit the best soldiers from across the world to form an elite team and lead your hand-picked squad against other highly-skilled outfits. Released in late 2008 and exclusively online, join specially organised events or take the back seat as a spectator on massive multiplayer campaigns where you’ll communicate in-game via headsets. SOCOM: Confrontation demands strategy and teamwork to win the war and see your tooled-up soldier rise through the ranks. Reward your troops not only when they are brave and fearless but when they use intelligence and work as a team.

Warhawk™: Operation Broken Mirror expansion pack on PSN (PS3)

Since the first Warhawk expansion pack (Operation: Omega Dawn, available now) was released, online gamers have been stepping up the attack around the world, battling for domination on the ground and in the air. The next pack, Operation: Broken Mirror, brings the mighty Armoured Personnel Carrier into the fray as troops battle it out in the seven arenas of the new Vaporfield Glacier. Available now, the battle will be decided across seven arenas capable of holding different numbers of players – up to 32 gamers can fight in Tundra Assault, for example, while Olsavik Village is designed for smaller battles with four to eight players.

Haze™ (PS3 – Third-Party Title - Ubisoft)

Play both sides of the same war in Haze – a new, PlayStation-exclusive first-person shooter set in a futuristic world where governments have outsourced military operations to private corporations. You play Shane Carpenter, an idealistic young soldier in the pay of Mantel Global Industries, a military company that feeds its troops the performance-enhancing drug Nectar as part of its hi-tech onslaught against vicious rebel group the Promise Hand. An unforeseen revelation leads you to switch sides halfway through the struggle, eschewing your hi-tech weaponry for the cunning tactics of the Promise Hand. It’s a stunning new title for PS3, brought to you by the developers of the TimeSplitters® series.

Details are very sketchy, but SCEE and Nissan just announced the GT Racing Academy, which will give gamers a chance to show if they can drive in real life like they do in Gran Turismo. Every step of the academy will be filmed and later made available on the Playstation Network.

It sounds like it's connected to a contest that will give two luck people a four-month, real-life racing tutorial and then have them participate in the Dubai 24-hour race in January.

The vids will hit starting the PSN on May 23rd.

PlayStation Day Conference [Eurogamer]

Resistance 2 will feature eight-player co-op which will have its own story, characters and rewards, Ted Price, president of Insomniac Games, told the folks at today's UK Sony Gamers Day.

Multiplayer will support up to 60 players and include Chimera, again, it will also be structured in a way to bring back a sense of intimacy. There will be squads within these mammoth fights, making the game feel more personal and filled with skirmishes instead of giant, faceless wars. The game will use some sort of system to make sure you always respawn near the same group of players, so you can really start to gun for them.

R2, which is six months from hitting shelves, will also include persistent levels which you earn by getting points for things like helping out your team.

PlayStation Day Conference [Eurogamer]

Killzone 2 will be hitting the Playstation 3 in February, David Reeves told journalists gathered in London for Sonys Gamers Day there today.

Not a whole lot of other information about the release, but several sites report that the game will be playable to the press both today and next week during the U.S. Gamers Day.

The news came following an announcement that LittleBigPlanet has been pushed back from a September launch date to October. SCEE also sales of the Playstation Portable, Playstation 2 and Playstation 3 in Europe and apologized for the delay of Home.

PlayStation Day Conference [Eurogamer]

It's the same old story. Boy meets Monster Hunter. Boy buys Monster Hunter. Boy buys PSP. We lose interest in the dreadfully boring and stable Japanese hardware market. Can't someone buy 60,000 Xbox 360s and mix it up over there? We're getting tired of seeing that giant black mass dominate the Media Create hardware charts! Oh well. Maybe we'll feel better pointing out a PS3 sales blip on the release of Valkyria Chronicles and dreadful Xbox 360 numbers. Nope. That didn't help.

• PSP - 92,411
• Wii - 48,796
• Nintendo DS - 42,435
• PlayStation 3 - 9,107
• PlayStation 2 - 7,108
• Xbox 360 - 1,283

Media Create Weekly Sales

Good old Crash Bandicoot, he takes a licking and keeps on ticking. And tick he will in his next game, for the Xbox 360, PS2, PSP and PSP. It is a follow up to Crash of the Titans and this time the story takes form in a spoof of the iPhone. A techno device has hit Crash's world that everyone wants and MUST get their hands on. What they don't know is, this device is being used to control their minds by nefarious forces. The only one who seems to not be affected by the device is Crash who must use his powers to save the day.

The title includes plenty of the platforming levels that Crash is famous for, but also includes a more free roaming aspect than previous games. Crash uses an arsenal of powers including a new dodge move and combo attacks as well as capturing enemy powers that can be used later. These powers can be used not only to defeat other enemies but also to solve the various environmental puzzles that you are confronted with. There is a limit to the number of enemy powers that you can carry at one time however, so be sure to stock up wisely. And don't be discouraged if you can't figure out a level right away and be sure to remember that there are multiple ways to solve every puzzle. Often the key is matching your enemy powers with your environments. Crash will include a co-p mode where an additional player can add in as Crash's sexy friend Co-Co. No online mode is in place yet but it is something that is being considered.

While the graphics looked great and it was definitely a new game in many respects, this ultimately seemed like more of the same to me. I can see this game appealing to the younger set or die hard Crash Bandicoot fans (?) but more than likely most regular gamers will find it a bit typical. Of course I could be wrong and this could be the title that brings Crash back to his former glory. Then who will be laughing out of the other side of his face?

For those who cannot be away from their PSPs for even a moment, there's this: A plastic bag you can put your PlayStation Portable in. Once sealed, it makes your handheld portable waterproof, so you can watch digital TV or something. Products like this for cell phones have been around for ages in Japan (like at least since 2004!), so it's not surprising to see this. Not surprising at all.
CYBER GADGET Bag [Game Watch Impress via PSP Fanboy]

Blinged out cell phones are not new. And if people have been doing that to their phones for a while now, they've probably been doing them other things like their computers, iPods, pets, whatever. But putting those sparkles on stuff one-by-one is a great drag. For those keen on glittering up their PSP Slim & Lites without the fuss, there's this: Jewel Stone Sheet. Just wipe down your PSP, remove the clear film and slap these phony rhinestones on. Easy! Retailing for ¥ 2,625 (US $25.48), the sheet comes in patterns like "Panther", "Argyle Pink" or "Butterfly". You know, as they do.
Jewel Stone Sheet [GAMETECH via Famitsu]

Blame SNK and its witching touching game Doki Doki Majo Shinpan, because the floodgates have been opened. Wide. Saucy manga/anime To LOVEru is getting PSP and DS games this summer. To LOVEru follows a high school boy and an alien girl. Both the PSP and the DS games are rated 15 and up, but the DS version seems a tad riskier with its touching mini-games. Hit the jump for the inevitable Penguin pink pantsu poking that heals her injuries. 'Cause, you know.

The DS game is out this August in Japan, with the PSP game out in September.
To LOVEru is a sexy game [Arumi]

Another game joins the Rockstar Games Social Club this September as Rockstar announces the release dates for Midnight Club: Los Angeles and its baby PSP brother, Midnight Club: LA Remix. September 9th is the date that North American players will be blazing down the streets of a fully recreated Los Angeles, with our European friends receiving the game three days later.

"People are going to be blown away when they see how true-to-life Los Angeles looks in this game," said Jay Panek, Midnight Club Producer Rockstar San Diego. "We've added some great twists and turns that let players experience the authentic vibe and feel of the city at blistering speeds that you simply couldn't get away with in real life."

They had me at the third-rate recreation of Atlanta in the last game. I can't wait to see what they've done with the Los Angeles, though of course I will never be satisfied until they add realistic pedestrians to the mix. I wanna see unrealized script pages exploding upon impact. Then we'll have a faithfully recreated LA.

Rockstar Games Announces Release Date for Midnight Club: Los Angeles on the Xbox 360® Video Game and Entertainment System from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 Computer Entertainment System and Midnight Club: LA Remix for the PSP®

Open-world street racing series debuts on next generation consoles September 9th and 12th for North America and Europe respectively

NEW YORK—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Rockstar Games is proud to announce the fourth installment of its critically-acclaimed and genre-defining Midnight Club franchise, Midnight Club: Los Angeles, is set for release on September 9th in North America and September 12th in Europe. Developed by series creator Rockstar San Diego, Midnight Club: Los Angeles will give gamers the unprecedented freedom to race through a hyper-realistic LA.

"From the beginning, Midnight Club has been about street racing in a open-world," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "With our team at Rockstar San Diego we have developed a game that we feel once again pushes the boundaries and expectations of what a racing game can be."

Whether driving by the beach or beating the competition by cutting through a parking garage at 200 mph, Midnight Club: Los Angeles provides a seamless, breathtaking environment for everyone who loves to compete. With no load times, no tracks, and no rules, the game allows players to race who they want, when they want, and where they want in an unbelievable recreation of Los Angeles.

"People are going to be blown away when they see how true-to-life Los Angeles looks in this game," said Jay Panek, Midnight Club Producer Rockstar San Diego. "We've added some great twists and turns that let players experience the authentic vibe and feel of the city at blistering speeds that you simply couldn't get away with in real life."

A racing game is nothing without the great cars and Midnight Club: Los Angeles allows extensive customization of vehicles for both performance and appearance. Players can now fully personalize their officially licensed imports, tuners, classic muscle cars and motorcycles both inside and out with a dizzying array of licensed rims, spoilers, interior gauges, tires and more.

Also scheduled for release on September 9th, Midnight Club: LA Remix for the PSP® system will provide another incredible portable racing experience. Developed by Rockstar London, the game will take full advantage of the hardware to deliver the unrivaled sense of speed and style that the best-selling Midnight Club series is known for.

For more information about Midnight Club, please visit our website at http://www.rockstargames.com/midnightclubla.

Rockstar Games is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

Defeated. Beaten. By boobs. While Mario Kart Wii posted healthy numbers across the country during its first week on sale, in more discerning Akihabara shops, the game was outsold by PSP erotic game title Bokudake no Kajitsu ("Only My Fruit"). The "game" is actually considered an UMD video and hasn't been approved by Sony or even been rated by CERO, Japan's ESRB. But since it uses interactive menus, Bokudake no Kajitsu can be played like a typical point-and-click PC eroge, complete with animated "event scenes." According to shop Messe Sanoh's sales chart, MK Wii was outsold by two PSP titles:

1. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G
2. Bokudake no Kajitsu
3. Mario Kart Wii

Clearly Nintendo has underestimated Akihabara shoppers. Needs more monsters, more jubblies, less kart.
Mario Kart Wii Outsold [ASCII]

Most laptop fans will have heard of GelaSkins, protective/decorative covers that can be stuck and unstuck to your favorite gadgets with extreme ease. Now GelaSkins has just announced that they'll begin selling DS and PSP cases as well. For $20 a pop, the covers aren't super cheap, but they really are well-printed with very rich colors. Also of note: PSP and DS GelaSkins include clear screen protectors and PSP versions include matchy-matchy seamless wallpaper. Oooooh! Fancy! More shots after the jump:

Gaming Skins Are Here [GelaSkins]

Wouldn't it be great to have a mobile PlayStation 3? Sure it would. And this Clearvision 7-inch LCD Gaming Monitor is a good place to start. No, it's not as portable as the PSP (or even the PSOne ) but...well...OK, this thing is a horrible, horrible idea it's a portable almost portable PS3 for goodness sake! Subvert those Sony engineers surely working on the PS3P somewhere deep in their R&D labs and design your own. Buy the monitor, spray paint the whole thing metallic purple, slap a few Lair stickers on there and you will be the talk of the town, really.

PS3 Clearvision 7" LCD Screen [Madcow via PlayGadgets]

Where do Hong Kong gamers go when they want to play some Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G? McDonald's. With burger, fries and WiFi, it's got all you need for a MH meet-up. It's such a popular gamer destination that Hong Kong game mag Gamestation lists all the 24-hour McDonald's in the city for Monster Hunting. According to Spencer at game blog Siliconera:

I don't frequent McDonalds, but I have noticed groups of PSP owners huddled into a booth when I stopped in once for a late night snack. I wasn't aware that this was common in Hong Kong.

The folks in Hong Kong can't be alone. Anyone else know of other WiFi portable gaming hangouts?
Monster Hunter Paradise [Siliconera]