via IGN


Classic PlayStation gaming through the PSP and PS3 just got a bit more expensive over in Japan. Along with the ability to at long last play Game Archive titles on the PS3 comes a higher download price for all Game Archive games old and new.

Since Sony started its PlayStation download program late last year, downloads through the service have costed 525 yen per game, regardless of the title (that's a 500 yen base price plus 5% tax). That price has gone up just a bit. As of 4/26, all Game Archive titles, old and new, cost a tax-inclusive 600 yen.

Sony's did not provide a reason for the price change. In fact, the company didn't even mention the price change in the press materials that were distributed to announce the start of PS3 compatibility for the service. The new prices have replaced the old ones at the official Game Archives website, however.

This news of price hikes and new downloads concerns only the Japanese market. We'll let you know what's going down outside of Japan once Sony starts talking. ...

via Nintendo DS Fanboy


The folks at GamePro have put together a pretty interesting feature listing their picks for the top 52 most important games ever. These aren't necessarily the best games, or the best-selling games, but their choices for those titles that have been the most influential on gaming as a whole. And while we're sure many of their picks will be questioned and debated to the point of exhaustion, we're really only interested in one small part of the list -- that is, the only DS title to make the cut. Nintendogs weighs in at #44. Does this mean it's the most influential of all DS games? Since it's the only one on the list, it would seem so, and while we agree that Nintendogs certainly advanced gaming, we might argue that since the franchise draws heavily on both Animal Crossing and the digital pet phenomenon, it's hard to see Nintendogs as a "focusing lens" that forever changed gaming. Does that mean Nintendogs did nothing new? Of course it did. But the idea of a needy digipet existed long before Nintendo popularized the portable pooches with their array of titles. GamePro says "first" doesn't matter -- it's being the folks that do it right that matters -- Nintendogs certainly did a lot of things right, but is it the most important game on the DS? It's an interesting question.

And we have a question of our own -- where's Brain Age? The game that started the training phenomenon is easily equally influential, or perhaps even more so. But we won't argue; rather, we admire the effort that goes into such a list, and after skimming the comments on the article, we don't envy the flood of angry e-mails that are surely flowing into the mailboxes of the writers. ...

via Xbox 360 Fanboy




Aspiring Gears of War machinima creators out there will be happy to know that the director's nightmare of a HUD can indeed be removed. How you ask? With a whole bunch of button mashing that's how. Actually, the HUD removal video, button sequence and directions are posted over on crpgchamp's YouTube page under the details section. So now you have the entire screen as your recording real estate, HUD removal just rocks! The only limitation to the whole process is that you'll have to be on Xbox Live (because you can't be host) and you have to be attached to a wall for the full HUD removal effect. Watch the video, take it in, then make the jump to get learned. ...

via Xbox 360 Fanboy


Yesterday, our Tom Clancy viral website mystery was solved with the announcement of EndWar. Though, information about the game is still lacking, but that's where the original viral website Rev64 comes to the rescue with some new content. Head on over to the Rev64 website and use passcode "s9p1z6" to get in. Once in, you'll hear the plot and backstory that EndWar is based on, including some Russian revitalization talk. Our tipster Mike also mentioned two videos were viewable once in, but after the backstory is complete we get nothing. We're thinking we probably have to register to see the media. The two videos are supposedly a F-22 dropping happy bombs on a few unlucky souls and some shaky cam soldier footage. Can anyone confirm the two videos once in the Rev64 website? ...

via Xbox 360 Fanboy


Xboxic got their hands on a Polish magazine with new Project Gotham Racing 4 pics and details. Some of the new features that the busy bees over at Bizarre Creations are implementing include vehicle models using 70 to 100 thousand polygons, improved spectators on the track, 200+ courses, and better physics in online matches to avoid turning the game into Burnout. Other cool tidbits include that the AI you race against have character, with their own styles and personality, a revamped career mode, as well as you create your driver, specifying nationality etc. For the complete list, check here. So, is PGR4 shaping up alright in light of the new info? ...

via Nintendo DS Fanboy


It seems some people were concerned that in trying to keep Dragon Quest fresh, the upcoming iteration might be heading too far away from the basics of the franchise -- specifically, by moving away from a turn-based combat system in favor of something a little more action-oriented. But don't worry, DQ buffs; the rumors were just that, and according to the latest Shonen Jump, DQIX will in fact retain a turn-based combat system. Also, players will be able to customize the appearance of their characters, from height and weight to hair and face, and even their costumes. There's no word yet on how extensive this system may be, but even a small dose of customization can go a long way.

Next month, we hope to see more than a trickle on the upcoming DS exclusive at the Square Enix party. ...

via Games Industry


Electronic Arts' boss Gerhard Florin has told GamesIndustry.biz that the true effect of the PlayStation 3's controversial price point will only become apparent two years' after release.

While early critics are suggesting the console's luxury price is hampering sales, EA's executive VP of international publishing doesn't believe the GBP 425 price tag will hold back sales in the first twelve months.

"Look at the price in two years' time, and then you can say whether it's too high," said Florin, in an interview published today.

"Whether it's too high or not the consumer has to decide, but I don't think for the first year the price will be a problem which holds anything back," he added.

It's not just Sony's latest home console that EA is withholding judgement on. Florin believes that both Microsoft's and Nintendo's recent launches also have a niche to find and sales to exploit.

"I wouldn't make any judgements within the next two years," commented Florin.

"The first two years will clearly be an open race, everybody will do very well. I believe all three [consoles] are worth supporting in different ways."
Electronic Arts is confident it has the portfolio of franchises to spread across each home console, playing to each machine's respective strengths. ...

via Games Industry


More than 250,000 PlayStation 3 users have allowed their console to contribute processing power to the Folding@home project, the PS3 version of which has been active for just one month.

Stanford University's research now enjoys a computing power of 700 teraflops in a single moment, 400 of which are delivered by PS3 owners.

The console has also helped bring recognition to the scheme, boosting the number of PCs actively contributing by 20 per cent.

"The PS3 turnout has been amazing, greatly exceeding our expectations and allowing us to push our work dramatically forward," said Vijay Pande, associate professor of Chemistry at Stanford University and Folding@home program lead.

"Thanks to PS3, we have performed simulations in the first few weeks that would normally take us more than a year to calculate. We are now gearing up for new simulations that will continue our current studies of Alzheimer's and other diseases."

The project is also making a new software update available. The 1.1 version improves visibility of donor locations on the globe, folding calculation speed and protein viewing. There's also additional language support, help screen hints, and improved donor-name length and character handling.

Users can join the program by clicking on the Folding@home icon in the PS3 CrossMediaBar (XMB), or setting the application to run whenever the console is idle. ...

via PS3 Fanboy


Did you get an inconspicuous envelope from Sony lately? We're skeptical because we haven't been informed of the initiation of the Home beta, but a random person over at the PlayStation forums has decided to heat up the interweb with this simple, poorly constructed claim: "hay if you did not get your copy of the PS3 home disc for down load you are not in the beta test sorry but i got mine yesterday". Wherever did proper grammar go?

Anyway, we've yet to see confirmation or the denial of such a claim, so we're leaving it to you, our famous readers! Has anyone else gotten a disc of the beta in the mail? Or did you get a download disc some other way? Shoot a picture of it, send it our way. Because we've not gotten/seen anything. ...