As you all know, the new PlayStation Store was launched today and along with some new content. There will be two updates this week, with the second one being on Thursday where the US can look forward to Gran Turismo 5: Prologue and everyone can look forward to Metal Gear Online Beta. Today’s update for Europe includes a new playale demo, some new add-on content and trailers. The US has received some add-on content and trailers too. See the list below.

European Additions:

• Playable Demos
  • SEGA Superstars Tennis
• Game Add-on Content
  • Super Stardust HD Solo Add-on Pack (£2.99)
  • Guitar Hero III Dropkick Murphys pack
• Videos
  • Bionic Commando Rearmed trailer
• Lost Planet trailer 2
• SEGA Superstars Tennis trailer

US Additions:

• Game Add-on Content
  • Super Stardust HD Solo Add-on Pack ($4.99)
  • Lair Dragons and Control Pack
• Videos
  • Gran Turismo 5 Prologue "Beyond the Apex" trailer
  • Gran Turismo 5 Prologue "Friendly Fires” video

PlayStation 3 firmware 2.30 is now available to download, as promised by Sony last week. The firmware update gives you access to the new revamped PlayStation Store and also adds DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio features for Blu-ray movies. We’re still waiting for the official changelog but from looking at the Japanese PlayStation website, nothing else has been added. See Japenese changelog below. Unfortunately, PlayStation Home was not included with the update.

Japanese Changelog:

• PlayStation Network
  
  • PlayStation Store has been renewed. New features have been added.
• Video
  • DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio is now supported.

Japan is getting the is in yet another new color, this time it’s Matte Bronze. The new color PSP will be available to buy in Japan from April 24th 2008 at a price of 23,800 yen (approx. $236) for the value pack. The value pack will come with all the usual accessories including pouch, strap, cloth, 32MB Memory Stick Duo, TV-Out cable (component D), battery and charger.

The PlayStation Network will go offline for several hours today in order to prepare the launch of the new PlayStation Store for tomorrow. The store will be offline from 8:00 AM PST (4:00 PM BST) until 11:00 PM PST tonight (7:00AM BST tomorrow). The announcement notes that other PlayStation Network services will not be affected. Before you can access the new store tomorrow, you will need to download firmware 2.30 when it is released tomorrow.

We will bring you more information on firmware 2.30 and the new store tomorrow. Sony has already confirmed that firmware 2.30 will include DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio features for Blu-ray movies, but other changes in the system software are still to be determined.

First off we would like to apologize for the Wallpaper Gallery downtime today. During the downtime we updated the gallery section by adding over 600 new HD Wallpapers for you to use on your PS3. We’ve been working hard over the past few days to being some much needed changes to the website, and more wallpapers is phase 2 of our planned update. You now have access to over 1500 high-definition wallpapers – you can get full access to the gallery section by becoming a member for free.

We’ve added 656 new wallpapers to the gallery which include:

• 150 new abstract wallpapers
• 40 new animal wallpapers
• 20 anime wallpapers
• 120 babe wallpapers
• 40 game wallpapers
• 90 landscape wallpapers
• 10 movie wallpapers
• 70 nature wallpapers
• 30 space wallpapers

We’ve updated the XTREME PS3 website today, with some interface and usability improvements. You will notice Tool Tips around the site now giving you some information about the various sections of the website. The News section has also been updated to provide a better and more robust commenting system. Any feedback on the new features would help us make further changes.

You can test the tool tips by simply hovering over one a link from the left or top navigation menus. The news commenting system now checks to see if your submission is valid before redirecting you – this should save you time. We will be looking to make some more improvements over this weekend. Any suggestions are welcome. The new functionality is JavaScript based so a supported browser will be required.

In a Press Release today, SCEE has confirmed that the new PlayStation Store will launch on Tuesday, 15th April 2008. Firmware 2.30 will be available to download which will allow you to gain access to the new store. In addition, new content will be available from April 17th 2008, including the Metal Gear Online Premiere Beta. The Warhawk add-on pack Operation Broken Mirror will also be available to download next week. Press release and new screenshots below.

Screenshots:

Press Release:

"On 15th April, the new look PLAYSTATION Store, the online content store on PLAYSTATION Network launches; bring with it improved navigation, more functionality and a whole raft of new content.

The revamp comes in response to a survey last year which showed that many PLAYSTATION Store users wanted a better interface and easier navigation. The new design will deliver a hugely improved navigation system, much greater scope for categorisation and a dynamic new user interface.

To accompany the launch, the PLAYSTATION Store will see an exciting selection of content available from 17th April, consisting of the launch of the Metal Gear Online Premiere Beta, building up to the launch of the next chapter in one of PlayStation’s most loved franchises, Metal gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots. Also available will be Warhawk: Operation Broken Mirror, a great new addition to the hugely popular Warhawk experience and Lair: Diabolical Dragons Pack and Skyguard Upgrade pack, offering new and exciting features and functions. There will also be a collection of trailers including the latest for GTA IV, as well as a Sega Superstars tennis demo.

The PLAYSTATION Store revamp will not affect PLAYSTATION Network accounts or the virtual wallet system."

An anonymous user has just emailed us a link to the Home Beta (v0.8.3) which was available to download from the PlayStation Home servers until Sony took the link down. Although the current version of the beta is v0.8.6, this version will still install (via the F@H exploit or using PlayStation Home “hack”) but is still unplayable. For those who would like to “fake” their participation in the beta, the download link is included below.

We have tested the download and we can confirm that it is able to start, but an update to Home prevents you from accessing the servers. At least you can start it and have “PlayStation Home” under your PSN ID to make your friends jealous.

[Download Home Beta 0.8.3]

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