via Eurogamer


Atari has told Eurogamer this afternoon that the PS3 version of Alone in the Dark hasn't been delayed after all, but will launch simultaneously with the PC and 360 games.

The PS3 version didn't appear on the publisher's most recent release schedule and a spokesperson told us in response to a follow-up query that "[the 360 and PC versions] are the first to be released".

But now Atari has explained it's all been a misunderstanding - and AitD PS3 should have been listed on the schedule all along.

Alone in the Dark is yet to be given a solid launch date, and currently swims in the crocodile infested waters of "Coming Soon Financial Year 2007/08", which could mean any time between now and next March.

We'll let you know when it re-emerges. Chomp. ...

via Eurogamer


Sony has confirmed our suspicions by revealing that the recent firmware upgrade for PS3 had no effect on European consoles.

The version 1.92 patch was released to tinker with stability and compatibility issues with US and Japanese games only, we were told.

"All the changes in the firmware update were for the US and Japan, and actually had no effect for us in Europe," a spokesperson for Sony Europe told Eurogamer.

We now feel a little silly for staying up all night trying to work out what had changed. ...

via Games Industry


Sony has confirmed that the rumoured new PlayStation 3 starter pack is genuine - but the bundle is only intended for the French market.

An image surfaced yesterday of a starter pack that replaced Motorstorm and Resistance with Heavenly Sword and F1 Championship Edition. At the time, Sony declined to comment.

In a clarifying statement, a Sony spokesperson has now said: "The choice of which titles to include in the Starter Pack, and the freedom to change the titles is up to the individual markets based on their unique market conditions."

"The F1 and Heavenly sword pack is only being introduced in France for the time being, and will be available from the launch of Heavenly Sword in France on 19th September." ...

via Computer and Video Games


It might be an annual update but it's still worth taking a look at the new features for Tiger Woods 08 in our handy little movies captured directly from the final game.

Are you one of those gamers who absolutely loves EA's Tiger Woods golf games but is always unsure about whether or not to buy the 'new' version every year? If you are, allow us to take some of that weight off your shoulders with these handy little movies of what's new for the 08 version.

First up is GamerNet, an impressive feature that connects you with the global Tiger Woods community and allows you to take part in various challenges to prove your worth. As you win you'll advance up the ranks of the world's best. See if you can count how many times Mr Overdub Man says EA Sports GamerNet.

You can also take a detailed look at the Photo Game Face mode, which, among more pressing matters like how to get your face in the game, walks you painfully through how to take a digital picture. It's one of the "best new features" says Mr Overdub Man.

Last but not least is something called Shot Confidence, which sounds like it needs an asbo. It basically stalks you right through the Career mode.

The movies were taken from the 360 version of the game, which is in shops now.


Video clips right here ...

via Computer and Video Games


The singing, dancing, rhythm-action game is no longer exclusive to Wii - as new versions are bound for PS2 and DS before the end of the year.

Boogie on DS comes packaged with 3D glasses - something we last got free in Kellogg's Cornflakes about a billion years ago when Jaws 3D came out at the cinema - so you can view the game in, er, 3D - while wearing the glasses - and it features new modes and mini-games.

(Note to self: don't wear the glasses in public places, or private).

EA tells us more: "The game's unique modes include DS Download Play and Multi-Card Play, three main dancing gameplay modes including Copycat, Freestyle and Choreography as well as more than 10 mini-games. Players can also dive into the career mode for a deeper experience as they embark on a quest to become the Boogie Master."

Sadly for PS2 owners, it appears you don't get any 3D glasses, but EA says the version "showcases the game's signature dancing and singing gameplay".


Screenshots ...

via IGN


Earlier today, news wires were abuzz with the news that Dave Karraker, Senior Director of Corporate Communications at Sony Computer Entertainment of America, would be leaving the company and the gaming industry. A figurehead for the past year at SCEA, Karraker was one of Sony's key spokesmen, and he oversaw much of the news and releases related to the PlayStation 3 console. Karraker also handled a number of press requests as to the direction of Sony with Home and its PS3 price cuts.

"I have enjoyed immensely my tenure at SCEA and think the company and its brands are very well positioned to have an exceptional holiday and a very bright future. I look forward to continuing to follow this industry as a gamer, rather than a spokesperson," Karraker said in a released statement earlier today. He will leave to take a position as the head of PR and events for Skyy Spirits. ...

via IGN


Sony has released the Daxter Entertainment Pack, a limited-edition slimmed-down silver PlayStation Portable that comes with a copy of Daxter, the Family Guy: The Freakin' Sweet Collection on UMD, and a 1GB memory stick.

The bundle was first announced at E3 2007, along with the news that future PSPs in North America would be thinner, come in new colors including "Ice Silver" and "Ceramic White," and feature faster data caching and a video out. The Daxter pack is $199.99.

On Oct. 9, Sony plans to release a limited-edition Star Wars Battlefront Entertainment Pack which includes a white PSP with a silk-screened image of Darth Vader on the back and the PSP-exclusive title Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Wii and DS have been such a huge success that Nintendo must now avoid that breeding complacency within its corridors, the company's president Satoru Iwata has stated.


Looking inward further, Iwata said that he personally has to work hard to ensure the world's perception of Nintendo remains positive.


He spoke too about the balance of still appealing to Nintendo's traditional hardcore fanbase while sinking hooks into a broader audience.

...

via Eurogamer


EA has joined forces with 10Tacle to publish Boulder Dash-Rocks! in Europe.

It means we'll see the DS offering here this Christmas, followed by the PSP version next spring.

We told you about Boulder Dash-Rocks! a little earlier in the year; about how it was a remake of the 1980s retro classic - that one starring Rockford where you had to collect gems while avoiding falling rocks and avalanches.

We probably even said that our granddad thinks its a coal mine simulator and said that wasn't very fun at all cough cough.

These new versions will have up-to date graphics, varied levels, and multiple game modes to keep you interested - each platform gets an exclusive one, apparently. You can even challenge your friends to a game in multiplayer, if you fancy it.

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