As visitors to this year's Game Developers Conference eagerly await Phil Harrison's keynote speech later today, Sony has confirmed that PS3 hardware will go on show at the event.

In a statement, the company that there will be "PlayStation 3 kiosks, showcasing the latest hardware and development tools for the next-generation console, including Unreal Engine, COLLADA, PlayStation Graphics Library (PSGL) and performance analysis tools."

Sony also said that the booths would host "demonstrations of games that highlight the new and unique features of the PlayStation platform" - but stopped short of saying whether any of those games would be for the PS3.

However, it was confirmed that several PSP games will be playable at the show, including Loco Roco, Field Commander and Me & My Katamari. Sony will also use GDC to demonstrate the PSP Spot game download service, and new accessories for the handheld such as the PSP headset.

The speech by Phil Harrison, Sony's head of Worldwide Studios, is set to be one of the highlights of GDC. Titled 'PlayStation 3: Beyond the Box', it is scheduled to take place at 10.30am (6.30pm GMT) today - visit GamesIndustry.biz for up to the minute coverage. ...

Source Eurogamer

Sony's announced that World Tour Soccer 2 is due out on PlayStation Portable in June - just in time for you to lose your PSP down the back of a German stadium, presumably.

While Sony's World Tour Soccer PSP game was never going to dethrone Pro Evolution Soccer when it came out, we did find ourselves really quite enamoured with its "challenge" mode, which offered a new take on the whole concept of "arcade football" by actually giving you points for stringing together passes and scoring incredible, John-Arne-Riise-against-Birmingham-7-0-you-knew-I'd-fit-it-in-somewhere style long-range shots. Sensibly, it's this area that WTS2 seems to be keenest to expand upon.

The game will be split into World Tour and Medal modes, which will allow you to work toward unlocking new teams, game modes and All Star teams, but there are a total of 11 game modes overall - and most of the challenge-esque ones are asking for you to discipline yourself in certain ways.

Classic challenge sticks with the original formula, while all-rounder rewards you for bringing in team-mates; time attack is about scoring points against the clock; checkpoint is about your ball-distribution skills; and shot clock is about scoring quickly. If it's anything like the original, you'll compete for bronze, silver and gold medals - and probably get quite addicted to doing so.

On top of that your skills at the actual football will improve - and then you can take on other players in four-player ad hoc and two-player wireless infrastructure modes. Sony's London-based development team has also built in eight new stadiums and 71 international teams.

Given that one of our major criticisms of WTS1 was that the challenge mode was over so quickly, it all sounds good to us. We'll let you know how the game turns out - you can see how it's shaping up in screenshots elsewhere on the site. ...

Bad news for our American friends and import fans - two highly anticipated Nintendo DS titles have been delayed over in the States.

New Super Mario Bros. will now be arriving a week late, on May 15th. Big Brain Academy has also been delayed from late May to June 5th.

But have no fear, Europeans - a Nintendo spokesperson told us that the release dates "have been moved in the US only". Not that they've announced official dates for the games over here, mind, but at least that means we should still be on track to get New Super Mario Bros. and Big Brain Academy early this summer. ...

Bad news for our American friends and import fans - two highly anticipated Nintendo DS titles have been delayed over in the States.

New Super Mario Bros. will now be arriving a week late, on May 15th. Big Brain Academy has also been delayed from late May to June 5th.

But have no fear, Europeans - a Nintendo spokesperson told us that the release dates "have been moved in the US only". Not that they've announced official dates for the games over here, mind, but at least that means we should still be on track to get New Super Mario Bros. and Big Brain Academy early this summer. ...

News from Divineo China

We are now taking preorders for a new solderless solution for Xbox: The Hyper X, a high quality, totally solderless, yet low priced Xbox chip!



Features/Specifications:

- Easy and Solderless Pogo and spring wire installation.
- High quality branded 1 Mbyte flash.
- High speed CPLD.
- ON/OFF switch.
- Enable/Disable function.
- Power indicator LED. ...

Source -CVG

Sam Fisher's been gone for a while, and there's still months to wait before he re-emerges on consoles in Double Agent. Luckily we have this bite-sized PSP adventure to tide us over until its bigger brother arrives, and it's looking rather swish.
As you can see from our amazing video technology in the top right corner - on which expense is spared - Splinter Cell Essentials is looking like an um, essential purchase for owners of Sony's sleek handheld.

The game will reveal the origin of everyone's favourite tri-goggled super-spy, from his military beginnings as a US Navy Seal to the Third Echelon stealth-dynamo we know today.

Splinter Cell Essentials sneaks into the shops on April 7th.

Check out the Trailer Here --> http://www.computerandvideogames.com....php?id=135999 ...

Everyone's got a soft spot for WWII-themed shooters, but there's undeniably only one shooter ruling the Xbox 360 roost, and it's Infinity Ward's stellar Call of Duty 2.
So news of a new Xbox 360 patch release will have Nazi-shooter fans spinning in their office chairs (or whatever you're sitting on when you read this) in excitement. Log onto Xbox Live this very moment and latest Call of Duty patch will be lovingly deployed onto your Xbox 360, via the magic of the internet.

The patch offers more in the way of enhancements than major additions, but avid players will be pleased to hear that multiplayer performance has been improved by the update, hopefully curing those lag problems. Apart from that, there's a number of not-very-exciting changes like new multiplayer hosting options and the addition of post-game lobbies.

Meanwhile on the PC front, players are again promised the long awaited PunkBuster anti-cheat support is on the horizon. The next PC patch will apparently add two new multiplayer maps for mouse and keyboard enthusiasts; Rhine and the classic fan-favourite Harbor, from the original Call of Duty.
No target has been set for the PC patch, but Xbox 360 owners can get their patch on right now. Are you still here? ...

In an interview with IGN, Microsoft's Vice President of Interactive Entertainment Peter Moore, in typically canny fashion, took the opportunity to have a subtle dig at Sony regarding the PlayStation 3 - while pointedly refusing to shed light on rumours that Microsoft is about to enter the handheld gaming market.
Moore launched a sly attempt to demoralise Sony by pointing out the problems it faces with the PlayStation 3, and contrasting them with the problems faced by the Xbox 360 (which, in a classic example of spin-doctoring, turn out not to be problems after all) : "We've got some challenges: meeting demand for a product that's already in market that millions of people are already enjoying.... So by the end of next week we're up and running in 30 countries with millions of units flowing in, and our primary and only focus will be to fulfill demand.

"Sony, on the other hand, has got huge problems as you always do in bringing a product to market - launching it, getting it delivered around the world, getting your yields up, delivering against a format in Blu-Ray that's not yet mass market, delivering against unknown silicon issues, the list goes on. They're a very talented company with a huge check list of things they need to do. I sleep easy knowing that my only problem is fulfilling demand."
Nice to know that insomnia isn't a problem, but sadly, IGN missed a trick when asking Moore about the Microsoft gaming handheld rumours. Moore was allowed to refer only to the Origami, which we now know is a red herring: "We've made no announcements at all. Don't be confused. Origami is a portable device that's more about portable computing that had entertainment layered in. It's not being done by our division."

Moore also gave a hint of what Microsoft can be expected to do at E3: "E3 is all about the holidays. We will have as strong a lineup as I've ever gone into E3 with. This year will be a very interesting E3. It almost gets to be a put-up or shut-up situation for some people. Our primary focus is on showing you great games. We'll be unveiling new games for the holiday as well as giving you a better perspective on Gears of War.

"For Sony, E3 a year ago was all about high-powered video, CG, and my suspicion would be that they feel the pressure to have hands-on playables."

He's right in that respect, although since Sony is adamant that the PlayStation 3 will launch in November, it is obvious that the company will have to showcase a decent portfolio of playable PS3 games if it wants to be taken seriously once more. And he's right that it's going to be quite an E3. As ever, we'll be there, sending dispatches from the gaming front line. ...

Eidos has revealed that its forthcoming game of undercover CIA operations, Just Cause, is creeping up on Xbox 360.
In the game, players slip into the shoes of Rico Rodriguez, a CIA agent specialising in regime change who is attempting to overthrow the corrupt government of San Esperito. The South American island is suspected of stockpiling WMDs and ultimately Rodriguez is trying to eliminate a threat to world peace. So just another standard day at the office then.

Speaking about the Just Cause next-gen operation, Christofer Sundberg, founder and creative director of the game's developer, Avalanche Studios said, "We are proud that Just Cause will be available on Xbox 360 as well as current generation platforms. Our aim has always been to deliver a next-gen experience and with the power of Xbox 360 you are going to see something really special."

With Just Cause, we're promised freeform-style play in a vast, detailed environment littered with missions. As Rodriguez, one of the key weapons in your regime-overthrowing arsenal is the ability to influence various San Esperito power groups, Eidos saying that the game's hero can play the island's factions off against one another, incite a rebellion among the masses or build alliances with rebel forces and drug cartels.
Just Cause is due on Xbox 360 - and Xbox, PS2 and PC - around autumn 2006. ...