Gong Hei Fat Choi, everyone! In celebration of the Chinese New Year, Media Molecule has released two cute Chinese Sackboy/girl costumes. The costumes are available from the PlayStation Store for free, but for a limited time only – the costumes will only be available for 10 days so be sure to download them ASAP. Media Molecule has also uploaded a video to provide gamers with tips on how to create your own Survival Challenges.
Earlier this month SCE Asia announced two new colors for the third-generation PSP (PSP-3000), Vibrant Blue and Vibrant Red. Now, Sony has announced that two new colors will be added to the line-up: Bright Yellow and Spirited Green. Sony also announced that they will be releasing new pouches and battery packs to match the Carnival theme. The Carnival colored PSP-3000 will retail for ¥19,800 (approx $225) and will be available this March.
This week’s PlayStation Store update is now live. The FEAR 2 demo is available to download from both Stores, and the WipEout HD Demo is available on the US store too. Both Stores have received new game add-on content for Buzz! Quiz TV, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and Naruto. The European Store has also received a number of new downloadable games including Penny Arcade Adventures, EA Replay and Tom Clancy’s EndWar. Check out the complete list for both stores below (content is free unless stated).
European Additions:
US Additions:
PlayStation 3 Firmware 2.60 in now available to download. The new update is "designed primarily to enhance the system’s media capabilities." This includes a new Photo Gallery application, which delivers a suite of tools for sorting through and displaying your digital photo collection, guest access to the PlayStation Store and DivX 3.11 support. The Photo Gallery application needs to be installed separately after updating your PlayStation 3. Guest access to the PlayStation Store will allow unregistered users to browse the store to check out the latest games, demos, videos, etc.
Changelog:
Walkthough Video:
[Originally Posted On: 21/01/09 09:43 AM]
UPDATE:
According to a few websites, Sony has sneaked some unannounced features into PS3 Firmware 2.60, these include:
‘Improved System Stability’ isn’t exactly a feature but it’s good to know Sony is improving the stability of the software. We’re not exactly sure what is meant by BD Disc Theme Support and 3-D Secure Support but it could be something Sony are adding for future use. As for ‘HDD Data can be accessed and deleted in-game’, we’re sure some data could already be deleted within a game. Sony hasn’t confirmed any of the above features so for now, they fall into the ‘Rumor’ category.
PlayStation Home will be taken offline this Thursday (Jan 22nd 2009) for some maintenance work in the UK. It is unclear how long PlayStation Home will be offline but it will begin at 8:00am GMT. Once the servers come back online, the Far Cry Game Space will be accessible to UK users. The Far Cry Game Space has been available in the US for some time now, though it is unclear if there are any differences between the two regions. We covered the US Far Cry Game Space a few months ago – you can check out the video below.
Video:
Over at the PlayStation.Blog, Eric Lempel has announced that PSP Firmware v5.03 is now available to download. The minor update "improves system software stability during use of some features." Other than that, there is nothing different in the new firmare update. However, it could also patch the recently discovered GripShift exploit so if you are using homebrew, you may want to hold off on upgrading your PSP for the time being.
The official changelog for the update states "a security patch was added to address security vulnerabilities in the system software."
If you are a fan of the PlayStation title Final Fantasy VII, you may be happy to know that a limited edition PlayStation 3 will be hitting Japan in April. The Final Fantasy VII model, dubbed ‘Cloud Black’, will retail for ¥49,980 (approx $550) and will come with a 160GB hard drive, Final Fantasy XIII demo and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete. Currently, there are no plans for an oversea release so the US and Europe will need to wait. Square-Enix revealed the first image of the PS3 model, which we have included below.
This week’s PlayStation Store update is a large one for the US and quite a large one for Europe too. The new episode of Pulse is now available to download from the US store and well as two new downloadable games. Europe also has a new downloadable game available to purchase and two new playable demos. Both stores have various new content for Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Shaun White Snowboarding, and other games. Check out the complete list below.
European Additions:
US Additions:
If you have ever wanted to watch YouTube on your large TV screen, you will be happy to hear that YouTube for Television is now available on the PlayStation 3. Currently in beta, the TV website provides a streamlined interface that enables you to discover, watch and share YouTube videos on any TV screen through your PS3. How? Simply go to http://www.youtube.com/tv on your PS3 (this link will not work on a PC/Mac). The YouTube TV website uses a new interface to watch videos in full-screen, as well as using enlarged text and simplified navigation.
Video:
Sony is working with the YouTube team to make a more PlayStation-centric version of the YouTube TV Website page accessible from the lefthand menu bar (the YouTube button currently takes you to our branded channel on YouTube). So stay tuned for that and in the meantime grab a cold one and sit back to enjoy your favorite videos on the big screen!
[Via: PlayStation.Blog]
Over the last two years, the PlayStation Network has gained ground, and with the release of PlayStation Home and the US Video Store, thing will only get better. Sony has been impressed with the numbers and they were kind enough to share them with the world. According to the numbers released by Sony, over 17 million uses have registered to the PlayStation Network, and 3.4 million users are using PlayStation Home. Check out some other interesting stats below.
