Official US PlayStation Magazine returns

Future US to begin publication in November

Future US has announced that it will be publishing PlayStation: The Official Magazine under an agreement with SCEA.

The new magazine will debut in November, with former PSM editor-in-chief Rob Smith at the helm.

Future plc currently publishes the Official Sony PlayStation Magazine in the UK and licenses it in other countries. It expects an initial circulation of 300,000 copies, with 13 issues printed each year.

"We're very excited to be working with a group that is nearly as passionate about our brand as we are ourselves and we look forward to working with Future on many innovative ideas they have to create a best in class enthusiast publication," said Peter Dille, SCEA's senior VP of marketing and PlayStation Network.

The original Official PlayStation Magazine was published in the US by Ziff-Davis from September 1997 until January 2007. It was the first gaming magazine to include a demo disk.

Wii outselling PS3 more than 4 to 1 in Japan

Xbox 360 still struggling

The Nintendo Wii has outsold the Sony PlayStation 3 by more than four to one in Japan during the past six months.

According to Enterbrain data, as cited by a Reuters report, from April to September of 2007, Nintendo sold approximately 1.6 million Wii consoles.

Sony, meanwhile, sold 385,492 PS3 consoles in Japan during the same period.

Both the PS3 and the Wii were released in Japan within a few weeks of each other in November and December of 2006. Microsoft's Xbox 360, released a year earlier, has continued to struggle. In the first half of 2007, only 122,565 Xbox 360 consoles were sold in Japan.

The demand for the Wii continues to be so high that spokesperson Reggie Fils-Aime claims that Nintendo won't be able to meet the demand for the upcoming Christmas season.

The Virtual Army Experience Games

Five years ago, the U.S. Army launched America's Army, a free first-person-shooter (FPS) computer game based on the Army itself. It received solid reviews, and has been through multiple permutations, including retail versions for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. A new Xbox 360 America's Army game, True Soldiers, ships later this fall.

The Army is now bringing its video game series out of the PC and console and to virtual reality with the Virtual Army Experience. America's Army: VAE is a traveling exhibit presented by the U.S. Army that lets people get a dose of VR combat through the America's Army: Special Forces (Overmatch) video game. At Digital Life, I got a chance to try the Virtual Army Experience for myself.

The virtual reality game consists of a handful of mock-up military vehicles and a set of several large projection screens. After a short mission briefing (go into enemy territory, get a captured terrorist with valuable information, and leave), the game's participants and I got into the vehicles and manned mock-up M-240 machine gun mounts. I sat in the roof turret of a Humvee, with a gun mounted on a huge, circular rail that let it slide and swivel back and forth. When everyone got settled in, the mission began.

Like a giant light-gun arcade game, the experience consisted mostly on training my fake gun on terrorists and enemy vehicles and blowing them up to the best of my ability. The fake M-240 produced satisfying kickback, rattling and shaking in my hand thanks to pressurized air. The Humvee itself also shook as it absorbed virtual rockets and IEDs. I had fun, sliding and spinning back and forth, training my gun on enemy targets and trying to gun them down before they could fire on us. We drove through the simulated landscape, picking off terrorists and protecting fellow soldiers' rides until we reached the end of the game. The screens flashed large "Mission Accomplished" logos and we all shuffled out into another trailer for "debriefing".

More from crave

$169 Rock Band on November 23

Harmonix rep confirms Amazon.com price and date for upcoming PS3 and Xbox 360 rhythm game bundles; PS2 edition to follow December 10 for $159.99.

Shortly after Rock Band was first announced for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, retailers posted product pages for the game's various instruments and an all-in-one bundle. However, Harmonix and MTV Games remained stubbornly mum on the subject of pricing and package options for the music game.

That changed today when a Harmonix rep confirmed for GameSpot that Amazon.com's latest changes to the game's price and release date are accurate. The online retailer is currently listing the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 bundles of the game for $169.99, with a November 23 release date.

In addition to that news, the representative also confirmed the PlayStation 2 version's price and release date. Last-generation gamers will have to wait a little longer to shred, but the price of admission won't be quite so steep, because the PS2 bundle will sell for $159.99 when it arrives December 10. The game and instruments will also be available separately.

Both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 bundles will include the game, a wired drum kit, and a microphone. The 360 bundle will also come with a wired Fender Stratocaster guitar controller and USB hub, whereas the PS3 bundle will come with a wireless version of the Stratocaster controller and no USB hub. The PS3 edition's instruments can also be used with the PS2 edition of the game.

In May, results that were leaked from a focus group revealed that MTV Games was asking potential customers about three price points: $150, $175, and $200. Shortly thereafter, GameStop began listing the entire bundle for $199, which indicated that Harmonix, MTV Games, and distributor Electronic Arts had opted for the highest price point possible.

Source: Game Spot

Parents can now check games ratings online

Parents will find making decisions about which films and video games are suitable for their children much easier from today, as the BBFC launches a new website specifically for parents and guardians. Parents BBFC – www.pbbfc.co.uk – provides detailed information about the content of ‘U’, ‘PG’ and ‘12A’ films and all video games classified by the BBFC, and why they got the classification they did.

David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said:
“By providing parents with more information about the content of films and video games they will be in a better position to make informed choices about what their children watch and play. This is particularly relevant in the area of video games, where not all parents are as technology literate as their children. We have included all games, including ‘18’ rated games, on the site because we know that parents come under a lot of pressure to buy the latest big selling title. So now when they are told by their offspring that ‘it’s only a game’, particularly if it’s rated ‘18’, they can look at the new website and see what the game contains and why it got the rating it did.

“The well known and understood Consumer Advice – the short sentence about a film’s contents seen on posters, advertising and packaging – has proved both popular and helpful, but by its very nature cannot provide the sort of detailed information which parents would find useful. For each film the site will provide information about why the film got the classification it did, a synopsis of the plot, significant plot lines and how they might affect young children. This is particularly important when deciding whether to take a child younger than 12 to a ‘12A’ film, or whether the elements which moved a film from ‘U’ to ‘PG’ might be too much for a very young child. This website will take the guess work out of the family outing to the cinema and open up the world of video games for those who don’t know their PSP from their Wii.”

Wii waves light sabre at Sony

ABOVE: Early 'Light Sabre' Game

Nintendo’s Wii console has overtaken Microsoft’s Xbox 360 in worldwide sales – now more than 11 million sold, compared with slightly fewer for the Xbox 360, which had a year’s advantage in sales. Sony’s PlayStation 3, released two weeks before the Wii, has sold about 4.6 million – less than half its rivals.

Meanwhile, LucasArts – set up by Star Wars creator George Lucas – will next year release a game in which you get to wield a light sabre, just like those Jedi folk. And it’ll be on the Wii too.

Demand for the Wii is going to remain high. And Sony has a big, big problem. The only consoling thought for Howard Stringer at the top of Sony is that as it loses money with every console sold (unlike Nintendo, which profits), low PS3 sales actually help with its bottom line.

Week recap: PS3 decline; Xbox 360 Halo 3 sales; Wii lead

Highlights

Sales for Sony Corp.'s Playstation 3 decreased in the latest Japan retail data. The PS3 ranked as the No. 5 best-selling hardware in the sales period.

A news item this week claimed that the 40GB PS3 SKU will be manufactured by Taiwan-based FoxConn. Sony has not yet announced a 40GB version of the latest Playstation.

Sales for the Xbox 360 incurred a minor sales gain in the latest Japan retail data. The Xbox successor still ranked below most other video game hardware offerings.

Additionally, Halo 3 logged more than 1.3 million players in the first 24 hours of release. The Xbox Live network this month reached seven million members worldwide.

Halo 3 sales this week fell out of the top 20 at Amazon Japan. The title was released in the region on Sept. 27.

Microsoft this week announced a price cut for select Xbox Live titles for a limited time. Discounted titles include Bankshot Billiards and Frogger.

Wii regained a 2-to-1 sales lead over the PS3 in the latest Japan retail tally. Additionally, Wii ranked three titles in the top 10 game sales for the week.

Sales for Wii increased in the latest retail data from Ebay. The Wii held the No. 1 rank as the Most Popular video game hardware at the auction website.

Konami this week released Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party to the Wii. The latest entry utilizes new motion-sensitive controls and traditional mat-based gameplay.

Nintendo this week released a new wave of Wii Virtual Console titles. New offerings include Kirby’s Avalanche and Streets of Rage 3.

Full review at Punch Jump

PSP tops Japan hardware charts

Slim and Lite sales drive new surge in take-up; others remain static

While the release of the PSP Slim and Lite in Japan has reignited hardware sales of the console, numbers for other platforms dropped further, according to the latest retail data from Media Create.

Sales of the PSP, which in the figures isn't divided into individual SKU, hit nearly 280,000 in the week ending September 23 - that's up from 95,000 the previous week, and far more than normal chart-topper, Nintendo DS, on just over 70,000.

In fact most of the other platforms dipped once again as, with the PSP aside, hardware numbers continued to tail off.

The PlayStation 3 dropped by 18 per cent on the previous week, while sales for the PlayStation 2 dipped by 13 per cent, the DS by 12 per cent, and the Wii 5 per cent.

The only console to buck the trend, other than the PSP, was the Xbox 360, which saw sales jump by over a third - although that only represented a increase of about 400 additional consoles, to a total of 1687.

The hardware sales list in full:

1. PlayStation Portable: 277,794

2. Nintendo DS: 70,523

3. Nintendo Wii: 24,992

4. PlayStation 2: 11,373

5. PlayStation 3: 10,732

6. Xbox 360: 1687

7. Game Boy Advance: 382

8. Nintendo GameCube: 15

Jericho playable demo goes live.

It's blood, sweat and fears as the Clive Barker's Jericho playable demo goes live.

Battle demonic foes from the Crusades time slice with Church, Black and Delgado.

Prepare to confront evil and then blast its face off as Codemasters announces the release of the Clive Barker's Jericho™ playable demo.

The demo is now available from Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and the Games for Windows demo available from www.codemasters.co.uk In Europe and PAL territories, the demo will be available for the PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment system on October 4th from PLAYSTATION Network*.

Clive Barker's Jericho dispatches players to the Middle-Eastern city of Al-Khali. Controlling the Jericho squad, a team skilled in both conventional and paranormal warfare, players fight through different time periods from the city's history on a gruelling journey to unravel the legend of the First Born, God's first aborted creation of man and source of ultimate evil.

Thrusting gamers into the heart of this unique horror FPS, the demo is taken from the time of the Crusades in Al-Khali's past. A vicious attack has divided the squad, with one half presumed lost. As the demo opens, players join Sergeant Billie Church, Lieutenant Abigail Black and Sergeant Frank Delgado in the blood-drenched sewers and catacombs of a fortress.

Playing as Captain Devin Ross, the fallen squad leader who as a spirit is able to possess and heal individual members of the team, players must take advantage of Church, Black and Delgado's paranormal talents.

Delgado, a pyromancer and heavy weapons expert, can unleash a parasitic flame spirit to incinerate nearby enemies and wields a 7.62 calibre Minigun.

Church, a blood scribe, casts powerful wards, enchantments and banishments through the ritual of drawing her own blood. She also comes equipped with a customised Nodachi for ruthless melee attacks.

Black possesses astonishing telekentic powers, which lets her guide bullets fired from her customised XM-110 sniper rifle with pinpoint accuracy through multiple targets.

Only by combining the unique squad abilities of this paranormal fighting force can gamers survive this hellish nightmare and come closer to the truth.

Right from the off, players face a vicious onslaught from an army of grotesque crusader warriors. These twisted and tormented enemies, whose armour is fused with their rotting flesh and limbs replaced with axes and swords, are powerful, shocking realisations of monsters from the mind of Clive Barker.

FIFA Soccer 08 Kicks Off at iGames

Exclusive Launch Party, Showcase, at Select iGames Member Centers Across North America to Celebrate Release of Blockbuster Sports Title

One-Day Launch Party, October 13; Two-Week Showcase, October 15-28

WHAT:
Leading game center organization iGames will host a series of special events to celebrate the release of EA SPORTS™ FIFA Soccer 08, the latest installment of the blockbuster sports title.

WHEN:
The first event will be a one-day launch party, Saturday, October 13, followed by an expanded showcase, October 15-28, allowing FIFA Soccer 08 fans one free hour over the eagerly anticipated game.

WHERE:*
• Launch Party: Select iGames member centers across the United States and Canada.
• Showcase: Select additional iGames member centers.

(*) Note: This is a multiplatform launch, with centers hosting separate events for the PC, Xbox 360 and the Wii. For more details on which platform is being supported in your area, visit: www.igames.org.

ABOUT THE GAME:
EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer 08 will create a football experience that matches the complexity, finesse and beauty of the real-world game. FIFA Soccer 08 features a new, organic building-block system that enables you to combine tricks and skill moves together to recreate signature moves from the real-world superstars or define your own style of play. You can even capture video of your best moves and goals in-game and upload to the FIFA Soccer 08 website to show off your style and celebrate your glory with friends across the globe. In addition, FIFA Soccer 08 features a true next-generation ball-striking engine that re-creates the drama and unpredictable nature of shooting, and the inclusion of 576 licensed teams, 30 leagues, and more than 15,000 players.

FIFA Soccer 08, developed by EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C., will be available in the US October 9, for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Wii™, Nintendo DS™, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PC and mobile. FIFA Soccer 08 is rated “E” (Everyone) by the ESRB. For more information, visit: http://www.FIFA08.ea.com/us/.

What exactly is a next generation game?

The term next-generation is used a lot in the video games industry but what does it actually mean? How are developers taking advantage of new gaming hardware and what are the challenges and next steps for the industry?
With each new iteration of games console hardware comes the promise of revolutionary game experiences.

When the Xbox 360 launched in November 2005, the then boss Peter Moore said: "Xbox 360 will deliver mind-blowing experiences."

Ahead of the launch of the PlayStation 3 (PS3) Sony gushed: "Gamers will literally be able to dive into the realistic world seen in large screen movies and experience the excitement in real-time."

More from the BBC

Codemasters refuses to edit Jericho for Germany

Codemasters has refused to edit the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Clive Barker's Jericho for release in Germany.

The decision comes after the German ratings board USK declined to give the game a rating in the region.

"Following a review by the USK ratings board, which declined to give an official rating, Codemasters has decided not to change the artistic vision of the renowned author and film-maker Clive Barker though cuts and extensive changes,".

"Codemasters respects Mr Barker's creative ideas, despite the German distribution and marketing consequences for the title.

"Therefore Codemasters will release only the PC version of Clive Barker's Jericho in its original form for adult gamers and Clive Barker fans," confirmed the company.

The game is due for release in Europe on October 26, with a demo of the game due on Xbox Live tomorrow and on PlayStation Network next week.

Source: Games Industry

Ubisoft Announces All-Star Holiday 2007 Lineup

Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, announced that its holiday 2007 lineup will feature an exceptional selection of titles. Covering all segments of video games – from hardcore to family titles, as well as games based on some of the most popular films and television series – the rich offering also includes some of this year’s most anticipated new brands along with exciting new entries to some of Ubisoft’s multimillion-unit selling brands:

Assassin's Creed™ – One of the most anticipated video games of the year comes to the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system in November, and to PC in early 2008.

Beowulf™ – The video game, based on Paramount Pictures’ and Shangri-La Entertainment’s “Beowulf,” the upcoming feature film from Academy Award®-winning director Robert Zemeckis, will be released in November on Xbox 360, the PLAYSTATION 3 system and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system.

Blazing Angels® 2 Secret Missions of WWII – Experience World War II on the PLAYSTATION 3 system as an elite pilot in the follow-up to the successful Blazing Angels® Squadrons of WWII coming for holiday.
Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway™, previously expected to be released for holiday 2007 will be released on next-generation platforms and PC in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007-08. Brothers in Arms Road to Hill 30 for Wii will be released in December.

CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION™ Hard Evidence – For the first time, CSI fans will be able to play CSI on Xbox 360 and the Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo this holiday.

Haze™ – Legendary development team Free Radical Design teams up with Ubisoft to deliver the mind-altering, technologically superior game Haze, exclusively for the PLAYSTATION 3 system this holiday.

Heroes of Might and Magic® V: Tribes of the East - Enjoy the dramatic evolution and conclusion of the Heroes® V experience this holiday on PC.

NARUTO™: Rise of a Ninja - In a game exclusively developed for Xbox 360 from the ground up and for the first time ever, in October, gamers will experience Naruto starting from the series' beginning.

Rayman Raving Rabbids® 2 - The bunnies are back and crazier than ever in this new game specially developed for Wii and Nintendo DS™ this holiday.

This holiday, Ubisoft will also release games that appeal to all audiences, with its innovative and appealing Games for Everyone lineup:

Chessmaster®: The Art of Learning for DS and Chessmaster®: Grandmaster Edition for PC - In both games, Josh Waitzkin, International Master and eight-time National Chess Champion, coaches players to grasp the basic fundamentals of chess and to master the game through exciting courses and tutorials taken directly from his groundbreaking book, The Art of Learning (Free Press).

Cranium® Kabookii - designed specifically for Wii, Cranium Kabookii is an all-new game where families jam, draw, act and puzzle as they collect points and take center stage in the Kabookii Arena to win. Special Kabookii Decoder Glasses reveal secret answers for added fun!

Imagine™ - The Imagine line allows girls to explore their favourite interests and hobbies - as indicated by extensive lifestyle research on this audience – in an interactive and entertaining way with titles such as Fashion Designer, Happy Cooking and Pet Vet 2 for Nintendo DS and PC.

My Coach - Play and learn with this suite of entertaining training coaches that will teach you languages (My French Coach, My Spanish Coach) or help you to improve your expression (My Word Coach) for DS and Wii.

Petz® - This holiday will see the return of Pippa Funnel®, Catz®, Dogz® and Hamsterz on the DS, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PC – and for the first time on Wii!

The Sex Pistols Re-Record 'Anarchy In The U.K.' For Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock

Famous for Kick Starting a Musical and Cultural Revolution, Original Members of The Sex Pistols Enter the Studio for the First Time in 30 Years

Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today that Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Sex Pistols, who famously turned down the award, recently returned to the studio to re-record "Anarchy in the U.K.," which will be included in Guitar Hero™ III: Legends of Rock as a master track. Now, fans can perform their own live version of the punk anthem in the next installment of the #1 best-selling music and rhythm video game franchise.

The Sex Pistols were an obvious choice for Guitar Hero, having established themselves as the definitive punk band of the 1970s. Unable to locate the original multi-tracks for inclusion in the game, Activision invited the band back into the studio to re-record a couple of songs including "Anarchy in the U.K." Original members John Lydon on vocals, guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook re-teamed with producer Chris Thomas, utilizing the original analog sound desk (circa 1969) that was built for George Martin at Air Studios, London, England in order to maintain the classic sound.

Thirty years ago this fall, the song was first included on The Sex Pistols' only studio album, "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols" which will be re-issued on vinyl on October 29, 2007, in its exact original format, including poster and Submission 7". The single 'Anarchy In The UK' will also be re-issued on vinyl on October 1, along with three other classic singles throughout October. Celebrating this milestone, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will be sponsoring the historic Sex Pistols show at The Brixton Academy in London taking place on November 8, 2007.

John Lydon stated that "Re-recording them [the songs]-what a stress you put on us but we rose to the occasion I think...admirably!" Adding that, "a bit of anarchy in a video game is alright by me."

"It was great for Guitar Hero to, in a way, get us back in the studio. I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out but it actually turned out great and I think everyone held their own," said Steve Jones. "I like it [Guitar Hero] because my friends' kids like it. And I like what kids like."

"Guitar Hero fans have been requesting more punk rock in the game since its first iteration," said Tim Riley, Activision worldwide executive of music. "We are honored that The Sex Pistols went into the studio after 30 years, so that we could have a song from the most renowned punk band of all time in the game."

"We are proud to have joined forces with such a legendary and influential band as The Sex Pistols for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock," said Kai Huang, president and co-founder of RedOctane. "We are very excited to partner with them on their 30th Anniversary and expose them to an entirely new generation of fans through the game."

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will include explosive new content and features including a multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a host of exclusive unlockable content and visually stunning rock venues. Expanded online multiplayer game modes will also allow axe-shredders worldwide to compete head-to-head for true legendary rock status. For the first time ever, Guitar Hero fans will also be able to thrash and burn with new wireless guitar controllers available for each platform. The game will feature a star-studded soundtrack including master tracks by such legendary artists as Guns N' Roses, The Rolling Stones, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam as well as original songs by guitar icons Slash and Tom Morello. The sequel also will offer a vast array of downloadable content including songs from some of the most popular European bands.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, published by RedOctane® and developed by Neversoft, is rated 'T' for Teen by the ESRB and will be available October 28, 2007. For more information about the Guitar Hero franchise, please visit the dedicated community site: www.guitarhero.com.

Sony to consider bigger PS3 HDD for Japan

While Americans and Koreans sun themselves from the collective glare bouncing off their shiny, whopping 80GB PS3s, other parts of the world make do with 60GB models. Japan, surprisingly, is one of them, but Japan's COrporate News are reporting that might not be for much longer, Kaz Hirai saying that Sony are considering "boosting" the Japanese model's HDD capacity, and also that they'll take user requests into account when making the decision. Japanese readers, if you're going to fire off a request to Sony, try and keep it sensible, OK? The thing's expensive enough as it is, it doens't need a gagillion-billion GB HDD. That would be silly.

PS3 helps Tiger Woods top UK charts

MySims debuts at number two

Electronic Arts' Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 has climbed the charts to become the number one selling game in the UK thanks to its release on the PlayStation 3.

The sports game has jumped from number three to number one, knocking the publishers' own Medal of Honor: Airborne off the top.

MySims, another EA property for Nintendo consoles, has entered the charts at number two, with the game seeing 58 per cent of sales on the Wii and 42 per cent on the DS.

Super Paper Mario climbs the charts to number three, with Midway's John Woo Presents Stranglehold at number four.

Elsewhere in the charts, Codemasters' Colin McRae: Dirt enters the top ten at number eight and the second highest new entry is VU Games' World in Conflict at 15.

Sony's SingStar Rock Ballads has entered the charts at 25 and Sega's Sonic Rush Adventure breaks into the top 40 at 26 on its second week of release.

The only other new entry is Sony's PS3 title Warhawk at number 38.

Sony dismisses £299 PS3 rumours

Talk of entry level console shot down by SCEE

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has told GamesIndustry.biz that recent chatter about an entry level 40 GB PlayStation 3 is just "rumour and speculation".

Numerous websites and blogs have suggested that Sony is due to unveil a scaled-down console for around GBP 299 in the UK, with USB ports and backwards compatibility functions removed.

Although the US and Japan has seen PlayStation 3 price cuts this year, the console currently retails in the UK for GBP 425, complete with an extra controller and two first-party games.

EA REVS UP BURNOUT PARADISE WITH INNOVATION AND STYLE

PLAYSTATION 3 version to feature Rumble Controls, 3-Button EasyDrive & PLAYSTATION Eye for Instant Mugshots that Capture the Fun of the Moment

Paradise City awaits. Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today revealed the unique feature set that will define Burnout Paradise – the next-generation of Burnout. With true open world freedom, seamless ‘EasyDrive’ online multiplayer, four unique single-player events, and hundreds of online Freeburn challenges, Burnout Paradise thrusts gamers into an incredibly vivid HD world that pushes the limits of the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360™ videogame system. The white knuckle action explodes as players pull up at any stoplight and spin their wheels to jumpstart the action.

Spectacular bone-crushing crashes and an unparalleled sense of speed will always be a hallmark of Burnout games but Burnout Paradise ups the ante with an all new game design that expands the experience into a deeper, ever more immersive driving dream. Some of the key features that set Burnout Paradise apart include:

• True Open World Freedom – The entire city will be available from the outset, giving players the freedom to explore this immersive world known as Paradise City. Experience open world driving Burnout style as the action begins with you, but it doesn’t have to end.
• EasyDrive Online Social Gaming – See your friends online with the EasyDrive Friends List and connect with them instantly without having to wait or exit your game. Burnout Paradise is revolutionizing the way players jump on and offline, making it as simple and quick as possible.
• Single-player Events – Choose from Race, Marked Man, Road Rage, and Stunt by pulling up to the numerous stoplights in the game to initiate the event. The action isn’t forced any longer, as players have the freedom to start and even end a challenge at their leisure.

“This is the true beginning of next generation racing. On PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360, we are delivering a game that brings brilliant graphics into HD at 60 frames per second. Burnout Paradise does something that no other Burnout game has ever done – it gives the player full control on how to play the game,” said Alex Ward, Creative Director at EA Criterion Studios. “At Criterion, we have a long history of delivering stand-out software on the PlayStation consoles. The entire team is fired up about the opportunity to carry that heritage into the PLAYSTATION 3 generation.”

Burnout Paradise will have you feeling every bump, crash, scrape, and collision using Sony’s new DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controller with rumble feature for the PLAYSTATION 3 . The EasyDrive online Friends List keeps the action flowing on the PLAYSTATION 3, as players get into a challenge with three easy taps of a button. Once the competition heats up, players can grab snapshots as they rip through opponents and collect candid Mugshots of friends and foes alike using the PLAYSTATION Eye. The Xbox 360 version of the game features Mugshots using Xbox LIVE® Vision.

The Simpsons Game Fact Sheet

The Simpsons Game features a hilarious, sprawling, and mind-busting storyline crafted by the TV show’s Emmy Award-winning writers. For this action-comedy, the full cast of voice actors from the TV show and movie reprise their roles to lend the ultimate in authenticity and realism to the game.

In The Simpsons Game, Homer, Marge, Bart, and Lisa use exciting, all-new powers to save Springfield from rising chaos. To help the Simpsons, gamers must journey through their home town (as well as vast worlds beyond!), vanquish an amazing array of villains, and fight their way through parodies of multiple popular games.
• Play Your Favorite Characters – Battle enemies and save Springfield while playing as your favorite dysfunctional TV family; Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge and even Maggie Simpson.
• The Real Simpsons – With the actual voice actors from the TV show and movie reprising their roles; characters from The Simpsons Game sound exactly as they should.
• Unique Character Abilities – While The Simpsons family have general abilities that can be used to fight opponents, interact with environments, and finish puzzles; each one has been imbued with special abilities that are unique to their personalities. These abilities grow and change as they progress through the story to battle tougher and tougher enemies in their quest to save Springfield!
• Looks Like The Simpsons – Using innovative 3D into 2D technology, the developers have been able to recreate Springfield and the entire cast of The Simpsons as the most visually authentic Simpsons game to date.
• Featuring Favorite and Original Springfieldeans! – The Simpsons Game features over 100 of your favorite Simpsons
characters from the show along with 50+ new characters that were inspired by the fiction.
• An Original Episodic Adventure – The Simpsons Game features a 100% original script from the writers of the show with 4 distinct acts divided into 16 episodes and over 8,000 lines of dialogue.
• Springfield Hub – The open-world Springfield was designed as a central locale to jump into episodes with iconic locations to visit, characters to be visited and interact with, and hundreds of collectibles to be found.
• Parodies and Satire – With parodies of the video game industry, pop culture and current events, the game has the same gut wrenching hilarity as the show.
• Co-op Play – With two members of The Simpsons family involved in each episode, all episodes can be played cooperatively in addition to being played in single-player mode. Play by yourself and switch between characters to solve the various puzzles or have a friend come over, pick up a controller and drop-in drop-out of any episode they choose.
• Collectibles – Roam throughout the episodes and Springfield itself to discover custom video game clichés, and unique collectibles for each member of The Simpsons family. Collectibles lead to trophies that increase your family’s powers, and can be viewed in your trophy rooms back at home on Evergreen Terrace.
• Time Challenges – Every episode can be replayed, and each unlocks a unique Time Challenge. Use the skills you’ve learned throughout the game to beat target times over 16 individual Time Challenges.

Platform Features

• Nintendo Wii™ / PlayStation® 2 / PSP™ – Enjoy more than 6,000 lines of dialogue and 16 chapters of hilarity in these popular platforms. Jump directly from The Simpsons House from one episode to the next, or into your saved game. On Nintendo Wii, use gestures with the Wii Remote to unleash the Simpsons video game powers or play addictive mini-games such as Bite Night and Bart Wings.
• Nintendo DS™ – One of the most ambitious side scrolling action adventure games containing a Springfield based hub with 12 episodes and over 2,000 lines of dialogue. Be an action hero with Bart, a wreaking ball of destruction with Homer, and use the stylus to solve puzzles and defeat enemies with Marge and Lisa. The Simpsons DS is packed with features including lush environments sprawling across both screens, mini-games to unlock and conquer, 4 single card multiplayer games to play, and even a stylus controlled Pet Homer to love for your own.

More details on the Dual Shock 3 PS3 controller

The official announcement of the vibration-enabled Dual Shock 3 controller for the PlayStation 3 was the biggest news from Sony's otherwise lackluster Tokyo Game Show keynote address. Since the broad strokes of the original announcement, GameSpot was able to glean some additional details on the new controller--and get some hands-on testing of the unit as well. Here's what they found:

The Dual Shock 3 weighs a bit more than the current rumble-less Sixaxis controller, but it's otherwise identical to the existing PS3 controller.

The GameSpot crew found the Dual Shock 3's rumble to be "a touch weak" but "close to" the force feedback of the classic PS2 version.

When it goes on sale (November 2007 in Japan, early 2008 in North America and Europe), the Dual Shock 3 apparently won't be bundled with the PS3 console itself, but instead will remain an add-on upgrade that must be purchased separately.

Sony has released a list of at least 65 games in North America and Europe that will offer rumble compatibility. In addition to such hotly anticipated forthcoming titles such as Assassin's Creed, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Haze, Metal Gear Solid 4, Resident Evil 5, and Uncharted, the list includes current favorites like Heavenly Sword, MotorStorm, Resistance: Fall of Man, and Warhawk. Rumble compatibility for that latter set of games will be added via software patches downloaded via the online PlayStation Store.