Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Gameplay, Demo In July

It looks great, but how does it play? We'll know soon enough, as a playable demo will be coming out around E3 in July, initially available exclusively to Qore subscribers and then released to the unwashed masses a couple weeks later.

Update: Good old YouTube. Thanks Kumuasata!

Hit the link for the full episode of On The Spot.

On The Spot for 6/26/08 [GameSpot - Thanks xpowerdumpx!]

Qore Is Live

After a delay, Sony's PLAYSTATION Store *finally* upated, and Qore is available. According to PlayStation.Blog:

Qore Episode 001: June, 2008 ($2.99 Issue, $24.99 Annual Subscription)
Qore: Presented by The PLAYSTATION Network is a monthly interactive video production covering the world of PlayStation. Qore provides its audience with exclusive behind-the-scenes access to developers and their games, from both the SCE Worldwide Studios and the third-party community, where the audience member can control and direct the content.
File size: 1.53 GB

Those of you who downloaded, feel free to put impressions in the comments section. Or not. Your choice!

Update Live [PlayStation.Blog Thanks everyone who sent this in!]

Subscribe To Qore, Get Calling All Cars

I'm still not sold on Qore (which launched today, fyi). Not even close. The concept of paying Sony so they can market stuff to me? That just does not compute. Especially when an annual subscription costs you $25, which is $25 more than you should be paying for company-produced trailers and "previews". Guess someone at Sony has anticipated that line of thought, though, and decided that in order to sweeten the deal, anyone opting for a 12-month subscription to the service will get a free copy of David Jaffe's Calling All Cars. That sound better to you? No? Oh...

Qore [Playstation.com]

PLAYSTATION Store DOJO!! Update Running Late

Today's PLAYSTATION Store Update is running late. It's slated to bring a couple potentially good demos, plus a free Guitar Hero III tune from God of War II — not to mention Sony's launching online digital magaziney thingy Qore. Since it hasn't gone live yet (perhaps because of the Qore launch?), people are FREAKING OUT and GOING BANANAS. Over on the Sony site, PLAYSTATION Store Senior Manager Grace Chen blogs:

Hey, everyone. We know you’re waiting for today’s PLAYSTATION Store weekly update, but it’s not quite ready. We will inform you right here when the Store update goes live. In the meantime, please take a look at what will be heading your way this week...

Deep breaths everyone, deep breaths.

PS Store Update [PlayStation.Blog Thanks everyone who sent this in!]

Sony Introducing Pay For Demo, "Exclusive Content" Gaming Program

Sony just announced monthly interactive gaming program "Qore: Presented by the PLAYSTATION Network." HD PS3 gaming program Qore (pronounced "Core") will feature exclusive news, interviews and previews as well as behind-the-scenes look at PS titles — not to mention game demos and betas, "game add-ons" and other downloadable content. The show kicks off Thursday, June 5th, and the first episode features SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Secret Agent Clank, Soul Calibur 4 and Afro Samurai, plus new Blu-ray trailers, an exclusive SOCOM: Confrontation theme with an invitation to the SOCOM: Confrontation beta. From Sony's PlayStation.Blog:

To get Qore, simply log onto PSN and go to the PLAYSTATION Store, as you would purchase any other form of downloadable content. Once the single Episode or annual subscription is purchased, that month’s episode will be downloaded under the “Game” heading on the Cross Media Bar (XMB). Users who purchase the “Qore Annual Subscription” will notice only that month’s episode is available to download. The following month, the new episode will automatically appear in your download list. The introductory price for Qore is $2.99 for a single episode and $24.99 for an annual subscription of 13 episodes, using your PLAYSTATION Network wallet.

Yep! All that exclusive content (from the platform holder nonetheless!) will set you back US$2.99 each or $24.99 for the year. Hit the jump for a trailer with the show's host Veronica Belmont.

Rumor: Sony Starting Online Games Mag?

Sony Computer Entertainment America recently filed a trademark for a product named "Qore," but we don't expect to necessarily see a game coming to the PlayStation 3 or PSP with that name. Instead of the standard description "computer game software and video game software" services—as in the case with the recent filing for The Last Guy, a planned PlayStation Network release—the trademark filed for Qore protects against "computer services, namely, providing interactive online magazine and entertainment services in the field of video games."

Whatever it is, it's almost certainly PlayStation related—and one could speculate that a more polished digital delivery of approved info via the PlayStation Network might be a compelling service, from a marketing perspective. We'll be digging around for more info, but your best guesses in the comments are welcome.

Qore [USPTO]