PlayStation News Message Board older than one year ago

Retailer begins nationwide trade-in program.

Get nail'd in Seattle.

Finally - the 'cast you've been waiting for! Hit up the AU team's very first podcast!

Retail chain will buy back new and used electronics.

48 hours later, and we're still wildly swinging our arms.

Hi everyone, my name is Johnny Coghlan and I’m Head of Publishing for Chillingo. I’m posting on the PlayStation.Blog to confirm that Chillingo’s record-breaking physics game, Angry Birds, is going to release for PlayStation minis!

In Angry Birds, players take control of a flock of different birds as they attempt to retrieve their precious eggs from a fiendish group of thieving pigs. The pigs have taken refuge within levels containing structures made up of materials such as wood, glass and stone. There are over 100 levels to play through! The object of the game is to catapult the birds into the pigs and their protective barriers, in order to eliminate the pigs and rescue the eggs.

Each level gives the player a certain number of birds to catapult at the pigs using a giant slingshot. There are six different types of bird, each with its own appearance, weight, sound effects and special abilities such as exploding or splitting into three mini-birds for maximum impact! If the birds hit the pigs or knock a piece of material onto a pig, the pig may explode into thin air and disappear.

When all of the pigs are defeated without the player running out of birds to catapult, the level is complete and a new level is unlocked! Players may re-attempt levels as many times as they wish, and may also replay completed levels to score more points and achieve more reward stars.

Angry Birds for minis features all of the content that has made it a record-breaking addictive success! Controls are instinctive, meaning that anyone can play the game straight away, while visuals are optimized for the PSPgo to ensure the overall experience is the best it can be on the platform.

This is going to be a hit release when it launches soon! For more information on Angry Birds you can visit Chillingo.com now!

Fight for team and territory in an epic mash-up of action, RPG, and tower defense.

New PSP2 Infinity adds new race, scenario and communication options.

Pig popping fun coming soon as PlayStation minis game.

We've had the controller all day, and boy, are our arms tired.

We have a complete rundown of today's PSN update.

Editorial: Your favorite pastime needs Farmville, whether you like it or not.

Earlier this year, we introduced the PlayStation Protection Plan, an extended service plan for the PlayStation 3 and PSP system. This service was introduced to give gamers peace of mind by providing an additional one or two years of coverage on top of their one year limited manufacturer’s warranty. Some of the plan benefits include free shipping, no hidden fees or deductibles and utilization of OEM parts and service technicians…PS3 plans are now available for download directly from the PlayStation Store. However, in continuing our goal to provide PlayStation Plus subscribers with exclusive offerings and even more value to their entertainment experience on the PlayStation Network, we are now offering the PlayStation Protection Plan to subscribers for a discounted price.

PlayStation Plus subscribers will be able to purchase a two year PS3 plan for 25% off (PlayStation Plus price $44.99, original price $59.99) Considering the PS3 one year plan is $44.99, PLUS members get two years for the price of one! In order to qualify for any of the plans, your PlayStation 3 must still be within its one-year original manufacturer’s warranty.

We are happy to continue to offer new features to the PlayStation Plus subscribers. With a little less than three months in the books, PlayStation Plus continues to evolve giving gamers an excellent set of content and features for their PlayStation 3.

Additional information on the PlayStation Protection Plan can be found here.

Pay-for-play service an option for PSN.

Trust, dependence, and betrayal in Portal 2, Borderlands and Left 4 Dead 2.

Get ready for an invasion of Whammies in Press Your Luck, coming tomorrow to the PS3. Just like on TV, the loveable but mischievous caped cartoon character pops up everywhere in the game, which is based on the classic Press Your Luck television game show.

Play as one of three contestants competing to win by correctly answering trivia questions to earn spins on the Big Board. The player who ends the game with the highest earnings emerges victorious — all the while trying to avoid the dreaded Whammy or risk losing all his winnings.

Press Your Luck is Ludia’s second multiplayer PS3 title, and includes two multiplayer modes: local multiplayer on one PS3, or PSN multiplayer that enables you to challenge up to two friends online. Press Your Luck also supports solo play, with over 2500 trivia questions to keep things fresh.

You can download Press Your Luck from the PlayStation Store on PSN tomorrow. Please be sure to let us know what you think of the game, and thanks for your support!

Peter Molyneux and the Giant Sausage.

Kazuhiko Abe joins front office.

Hi MotorStormers! I’m excited to let you know that we will be releasing MotorStorm 3D Rift to PSN this Tuesday, August 24th for $9.99. Now you can enjoy an immersive 3D racing experience with 10 of our favorite MotorStorm Pacific Rift tracks like Kanaloa Bay or Caldera Ridge, using a selection of festival-favorite off-road vehicles including Bikes, Buggies, Racing Trucks, and Monster Trucks.

For those of you who don’t have a 3D TV yet and want to sample MotorStorm Pacific Rift, I can assure you that 3D Rift is still wicked fun on a 2D TV! Check out this video of the adrenaline-soaked MotorStorm Pacific Rift in action.

In 3D Rift you’ll have 10 unique events to compete in (one for each track) with the full range of competitor difficulty levels through the races, so you can enjoy the brutal off-road racing at your leisure or take on the toughest and most competitive rivals.

With 3D you can naturally judge your speed and proximity, which will be extremely helpful when trying to avoid being side-swiped by a rampaging Racing Truck, ramming a rival Buggy into a cave wall, or timing when to get back on the accelerator as you take a tricky corner. When you are riding a Bike, 3D makes it obvious what you can and can’t duck under — even at high speeds! And you can feel just how monstrous a Monster Truck is when looking down at a rival Buggy just before it disappears under your super-sized wheels. If you’ve played the 3D Collection demo then you’ve already gotten a taste of how awesome MotorStorm is in 3D. Check out MotorStorm 3D Rift for more tracks and greater challenges. If you haven’t, you’ll be blown away by the sense of speed as you fight through the tropical island setting and RIP it up in 3D paradise.

MotorStorm 3D Rift includes 10 tracks, 10 race events, multiple playable vehicles, and is playable in both 2D and 3D. You can get it on PSN for $9.99.

We hope you’ll enjoy it as much as the team here has enjoyed working on it. We look forward to bringing you more breathtaking 3D racing action with MotorStorm Apocalypse next year!

Is this our first hint at a Valkyria Chronicles followup?

Help! I am currently writing this post hiding underneath my desk. Sid and Jeff are armed with makeshift cardboard guns and chainsaws running amok on the 4th floor, and they’re using Kevin Butler’s several interns as canon fodder. Can you tell we’re aching for some Shank? The kitchen on the 3rd floor reeks of spaghetti and lasagna, and Mafia II is etched in the men’s bathroom.

If you’re a fan Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm or PixelJunk Racers, you will be pleasantly surprised with this week’s updates and demos on the PlayStation Network. Hit the jump and brace yourself for gaming greatness, in this week’s The Drop.

PlayStation 3

Mafia II — You play as a poor Italian American immigrant, Vito, trying to escape the life of poverty and secure his place in the American Dream of the late 1940s. Vito, along with his childhood friend Joe, both descend into the world of organized crime guaranteeing them both power and wealth. As an added bonus, The Betrayal of Jimmy DLC comes exclusively to PlayStation 3.

PlayStation Network

Shank – Looking to get your hands bloody and spending your days hell-bent on revenge? Featuring both single player and co-op campaigns, Shank delivers on its promise of unleashing a strong mature rating on the PSN. Klei co-founder, Jamie Cheng, is no stranger to the PlayStation.Blog, when he brought his insight on building Shank’s co-op campaign and showcasing it’s combo system. Cheng returns this Monday with more news and details that will alleviate your itch for more Shank until Tuesday’s drop.

PixelJunk Racers 2nd Lap – On August 10th, PlayStation Plus members got their chance to indulge in 32 race modes and seven player multiplayer. Not a Plus member you say? The wait is finally over; PixelJunk Racers 2nd Lap races to all PSN users this Tuesday.

PlayStation Network Demos

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 — Japan received their Naruto fix when the demo dropped back on July 29th, but US fans of the original Ultimate Ninja Storm were left out in the cold. Grab your Naruto snuggies American fans, and rejoice — the US demo drops this week. Have a glimpse of Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, as its story becomes a trifecta told by Naruto, Sasuke and Jiraya in the sequel.

Alien Breed: Impact – The Alien Breed franchise comes to PlayStation Network in the science fiction arcade-shooter, Alien Breed: Impact. Rich environments, high-impact weapons and the collection of the usual suspects are enhanced with an online co-operative battle mode.

PlayStation Portable

Zuma – This PlayStation 3 port goes portable as you take control of the stone frog idol of the ancient Zuma in this action puzzler. Aim true, and you’ll rack up huge combos and special bonuses that will help you on your adventure. Download this Tuesday on PSN.

PlayStation minis

Arcade Air Hockey & Bowling – Arcade Air Hockey & Bowling is a sports game featuring classic air hockey and bowling designed for all ages. Win trophies and unlock new equipment in the World Tour career mode, or challenge a friend to play.

New Ratchet and Resistance revealed, big showings for Gran Turismo and PlayStation Move, and the announcement of Mass Effect coming to PS3 – it’s been another big gamescom for PlayStation fans. So no surprise, this week’s What We Read serves up a (metric) ton of stories from Germany.

And one last reminder, I’m off to Washington DC tonight to share an early hands-on with Move – hope to see you there if you can make it.

The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Week of August 16, 2010)

• Parasite Eve could come to PS3 – VideoGamer.com
• This is the full 83-track Rock Band 3 setlist – Joystiq
• Valkyria Chronicles II Academy Also Trains Students To Use Swords – Siliconera
• Valve: ‘PS3 is incredibly important to us’ – Destructoid
• Journey for PlayStation 3 – Preview – G4tv.com
• Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One Gamescom 2010 Interview – G4tv.com
• Teh Bias: Big heroes – Destructoid
• Video: Innovative Musical Themes Drive SOCOM 4’s Gameplay – GameLife | Wired.com
• Killzone 3 for PlayStation 3 – Multiplayer Preview – G4tv.com
• Square Enix Hits Gamescom with Two Epic PSP Trailers – VGBlogger
• LittleBigPlanet 2 Lets You Make Music (That Makes Levels) – Kotaku
• Mass Effect 3 on PS3 is Probably a Safe Bet – PlayStation LifeStyle
• Gran Turismo 5 speeds off with Gamescom’s top prize – GameSpot
• Scott Pilgrim game soundtrack coming to iTunes next week – Joystiq
• Heroes On The Move Gains Momentum – Kotaku
• Gran Turismo 5 Injects Some RPG Into Your Hardcore Racing Sim – Kotaku
• We Went To Sony’s GamesCom Presser And All We Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt – Kotaku
• gamescom interview: BioWare confirms intro content for ME2 PS3, included DLC, more – VG247
• Gamescom: No More Heroes Will Move on PS3 – PlayStation 3
• Gamescom: Kung-Fu Live Preview – PlayStation 3
• Playing R.U.S.E. With Playstation Move – Kotaku
• I Survived I Will Survive In Singstar Dance – Kotaku
• Sega serves up Virtua Tennis 4 for PS3 – GameSpot
• Tesla car to ‘burn virtual rubber’ in Sony game – San Francisco Business Times
• GDCE 10: Guerilla talks Killzone 3, new IP for Sony – Destructoid
• Cladun: This Is A Release Date – Siliconera
• David Cage opens up about Heavy Rain – GameSpot
• Valkyria Chronicles II Community BLiTZ: Day 1 – New Canvas – SEGA America Blog
• SCEA Releases PlayStation Move ‘Launch Brochure’ – PlayStation LifeStyle
• Flight Control PS3 supports 3D, comes with exclusive map – Destructoid

Gravity effects abound in Namco Bandai's upcoming shooter.

The boys break down every PlayStation news story out of Germany and shove it into your ears.

Rumors from Gamescom this week say Sony's new handheld will utilize touch-sensitive controls.

Hello to the glorious PlayStation.Blog! I’m here today to present you with the gift of a release date. After many months of certification, we’ve finally secured an actual day for the USA, Canada, and Mexico release of Castle Crashers on the PlayStation Network. This gift is Tuesday, August 31st!

We’ve been working on Castle Crashers for the PSN for about a year and a half. In that time I’ve had the fortune of meeting everyone at tradeshows and lots of people will ask me, “C’mon, what is taking so long?” I have to say that we’ve felt the same way — our whole team’s goal is to make you all happy so we want to share it right now!! We’re super antsy. But like all of our games, we can never rush anything as it’s necessary to make sure that every little piece is airtight. And fun!

We’ve teamed up with some other sites to give you a full list of contests for a chance to win free stuff. Be on the lookout for these dates as we inch closer to the release. Perhaps something wonderful will be obtained?

Also, we’re going to be at PAX from September 3rd to the 5th (booth #3102) so come on by and check out both Castle Crashers and BattleBlock Theater. We are building a four-player Castle Crashers arcade cabinet which you can use at the show! Look out X-Men/Alien vs. Predator/Simpsons — we’re coming after your distant memories!

Nintendo dominates the summer sales season, as usual.

Yahoo!7 and Sony announce PLUS7 catch-up TV service.

We have a complete rundown of today's PSN update.

Hi everyone. My name is Chad Dezern and I’m the Studio Director at Insomniac Games’ North Carolina studio. I’m here to share some exciting news. We’ve been hammering away in our secret shack in the middle of the woods since January 2009. Now it’s time to emerge into the sunlight and hold our creation aloft. It’s alive!

We’re excited to announce that we’re hard at work on the first ever one-to-four player cooperative, online/offline, drop-in/drop-out Ratchet & Clank title, Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One!

We knew from our earliest meetings that we wanted to give players a chance to play in the Ratchet Universe with Ratchet and Clank at the same time. And after we started, we felt an almost moral obligation to include Captain Qwark and Dr. Nefarious; there was just too much comedy potential in bringing this group together for us to pass up the opportunity. Their bumbling idiocy, prickly antagonism, and unfettered evil was a perfect reflection of how we play All 4 One here in the office. I’m looking forward to telling the story of how the four of them find themselves together . . .

The game is about cooperative play through and through. We want to make it easy to get together with friends and family, get in a game and have fun in the Ratchet universe. We’re working hard to capture the feeling of fighting through amazing battles with other players, whether they are on the couch next to you or playing online half-a-world away.

Our official reveal happened at the PlayStation Press Conference during gamescom in Cologne, Germany. We will be following up with a panel at Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle on September 4. There, I’ll be joined by other Insomniacs: North Carolina Production Director Shaun McCabe, Senior Writer TJ Fixman, and Senior Community Manager James Stevenson. We’ll talk about all things Ratchet (including comics and action figures), and we’ll show all of the content from our announcement.

We can’t wait to show you more of the game. We feel like the game we want to make lines up perfectly with the game our fans want to see–the time is right for Ratchet coop! Keep an eye out for more info in the coming months. Don’t miss a thing: follow @InsomniacGames on Twitter, and sign up for our community and newsletter on InsomniacGames.com to stay up-to-date with new announcements.

So long for now, we’ll talk more soon.