If you live in Australia and just so happen to be a big-time gamer, we feel for you...and your wallet. We've known for a while now that it's an extremely expensive hobby in the land down under, and now, more bad news: it seems one of the most popular games of the generation - and its sequel - may never arrive for Aussie music fans.
According to Joystiq and an IGN tipster, the original Rock Band hasn't even made it to Australia yet, due to retailers who are "hesitant to transport and shelve the bulky bundles." Those same stores are also more likely to stock the cheaper (and newer) Guitar Hero: World Tour when it arrives later this year, which might mean Harmonix could be out of luck in regards to Rock Band 2. Sure, this means Guitar Hero suddenly gets a pretty big edge in the competitive music war, but what about music fans and gamers in Australia? No Rock Band ever? Granted, we had heard the game would cost an obscene amount in that country, but even so...we imagine many would've liked to have had the option. And besides, even though it will be cheaper, World Tour still won't be "cheap" compared to what we in the U.S. pay.
It's just crappy news, although it's hardly confirmed. Either Rock Band title could eventually come to Australia, but it's not looking good right now. If any of our readers are Aussie gamers and they have more information on the subject, feel free to let us know about it.
PSXEXTREME
8/18/2008
8/17/2008
The upcoming Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty downloadable PLAYSTATION Network game sure is a different kind of downloadable. The PLAYSTATION Network game will feature the same stunning graphics of the Blu-Ray disc Tools of Destruction as well as at least four hours of gameplay for $14.99. Enjoy the new gameplay.
SCRAWL
Nothing to see here, folks. Vampire Rain makes its Japanese debut on the PS3 this week, but all other territories are gameless. Not a single one. Is the Summer game drought finally arriving? The next few weeks don't look too stellar, but at least we're only a couple of months away from some amazing titles like LittleBigPlanet. About time. Here's the full release list:
US Games
No new releases
EU Games
No new releases
Asian Games
Vampire Rain: Altered Species
PS3FANBOY
Okay, so a lot of PSP users have probably upgraded to CFW 4.01 M33 by now. If you've upgraded and you like pimping your PSP out with custom themes, don't worry. Poisonhzkj has released a new version of CXMB that officially includes 4.01 M33 support.
Apart from 4.01 M33 compatibility, CXMB 3.2 also includes the following improvements over the previous version:
Select the random.ctf, then cxmb will randomly apply your themes in /PSP/THEME/
Compile universal binary, cxmb.prx should work on 3.71/3.80/3.90/4.01
Fix some wrong io operation (I wrote some sceIoClose where there should be sceIoDclose)
Clean up sources
Now, you may already have Miriam's 4.01 M33-compatible CXMB mod. According to poisonhzkj, that particular mod used a wrong hex edit (0xDEAD0400 instead of 0xDEAD0401), so you won't be able to use any themes you made using that version in CXMB 3.2unless you hex edit it at offset 0x10.
Download: CXMB v3.2
pspupdates.qj.net
In a news story last week we told you about that guy on YouTube who discovered that if you send a PSN friend request to Hideo Kojima the name turns into Old Snake. Just discovered early this morning by our own Bonemantour are two other names which also change into something interesting. If you want to try to send them friend requests you'd better hurry. Hideo Kojima's psn friend list filled up within minutes of the breaking news story. The names are, hal_emmerich which turns into Tiagra, and rosemary, which turns into Queen. Very interesting isn't it?
PSNFRIENDS
NOTE:The starting 2 to 3 seconds are from Resistance 1, but everything else is the Resistance 2 Beta.
Sony Computer Entertainment is taking another stab at establishing the PlayStation Portable as a film viewing device, by lowering title prices, signing studio deals to license content and making digital copies playable on the handheld system.
When the PSP launched in 2005, all of the major studios were churning out films in the portable console´s Universal Media Disc format. However, games ultimately proved to be far better sellers on PSP, and nearly all the major studios stopped generating UMDs after about one and half years of production. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment was the exception.
Although the new release pipeline substantially dried up, PSP owners were still accessing films. But they were mostly doing so illegally, transferring ripped Web files to their systems. At the same time, studios cannot ignore the PSP´s 13 million U.S. hardware base as the DVD market matures.
"We want to provide a legal offering from the studios, … and it´s an easier conversation to have with them now," said John Koller, director of hardware marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment America. "There´s a lot of positive momentum with the PSP."
To make sure consumers buy UMDs this go around, Sony is shaving new release list prices to $9.99 to $14.99. That is $10 to $25 less than UMD initial pricing a few years ago.
To attract studios, Sony Computer is promising to do the bulk of the work with UMDs. Sony will license, manufacture, distribute, market and sell the studios´ films for them for the PSP.
MTV was the first supplier to agree to these terms, which resulted in the bow earlier this year of nine UMDs, spanning seasons of such shows as Viva La Bam and Jackass. A second wave of MTV UMDs should street by the end of the year. Additional studios are expected to announce UMD licensing deals with Sony in the next several months, added Koller.
Sony´s goal is to distribute five to seven studio-licensed UMDs each quarter, not including movies from its sister studio.
Koller said Sony is pleased with MTV UMD sales, believing consumers are drawn in "because it´s getting close to an impulse purchase" in price.
Additionally, Sony wants to release titles that narrowly appeal to young men, who make up 92% of PSP owners. Its core demographic is the 15- to 17-year-old male teen.
"The biggest issue with UMD was the lack of creating for a targeted demo," said Koller. "When we first launched, it was a difficult sale. I don´t think it´s a big stretch to say that a 16-year-old doesn´t have a lot of discretionary income. … We were offering UMDs that were more expensive than DVDs at the time. And we want content that is in line with what the demo is asking for, action and comedy … not romantic dramas."
SPHE, for instance, has set Prom Night and You Don´t Mess with the Zohan to bow on UMD on Aug. 19 and Oct. 7, respectively.
Best-selling UMDs to date include New Line Home Entertainment´s Wedding Crashers and Sony´s Superbad.
To further enhance PSP´s film capabilities, Sony is courting studios to make DVD digital copies compatible with the handheld system. Today, Sony´s DVD unit is the only studio embedding copies for PSP playback.
"The studios are looking at this and saying, what are the myriad of ways that content can reach all of the various consumer touch points?" said Koller. "They want to grow that consumer base that they have."
At least one studio source indicates they are eager to make its digital copies compatible with PSP so as to prevent Apple from creating a monopoly with its portable media. There is a fear that Apple might grow to be the digital version of Wal-Mart, exerting the same power with studios over downloading/streaming as the bricks-and-mortar chain does with DVD.
Koller is especially confident that studios will sign on to UMD and digital copy because of their recent support of the PlayStation 3 download and streaming service. Since July, most studios have been offering digital film sales and rentals that people can transfer from their PS3 to their PSP. People also can order content directly from PCs at www.store.playstation.com and transfer to a PSP through a USB cable.
Also, Sony licensed Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment´s National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets for a customized hardware/software bundle streeting in October. This Disney UMD will only be available in this bundle, priced at $199, and won´t be sold separately.
"The future of PSP is bright for video because of all the different methods consumers have to enjoy it," Koller said.
DVDTOWN
The keen eyes at Siliconera have done it yet again! They've spotted Puzzle Quest for the PSN. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords - Revenge of the Plague Lord is a downloadable PSN game with online play, according to the ratings service. Considering Puzzle Quest successfully launched on pretty every console imaginable, we don't doubt that D3 is looking to expand their fanbase and sell more copies of their addictive puzzle-RPG hybrid.
We've embedded footage of the XBLA version for your reference.
PS3FANBOY