The PS Vita launches across North America on February 22 – for most people.

It seems the exception is a number of Canadian Amazon shoppers, who started getting their Vitas from February 8 after the retailer released the units early by mistake. While the number of prematurely released consoles isn’t known, many users in this Red Flag Deals forum thread have already posted shots of their shiny new Sony slabs, as the rest of the continent inwardly ragefaced with envy.

The users on the site got their shipping notices last week. Consequently, many received their new gadget two weeks or more before the official Vita launch.

While receiving games from online retailers a day or two early is not unusual, getting a brand new console a whole fortnight before launch suggests a hefty slip on Amazon’s part. Could these premature Vitas number in the hundreds? The thousands? The tens of thousands? Nobody knows, but I imagine Sony would like an answer to that.

Alas, the window of opportunity has now slammed shut: Amazon has noted its error and restored the correct February 22 ship date. Are any lucky Canadian Vita owners reading this? Let us know what you make of your gleaming new toy, you jammy swines!

[Red Flag Deals, via Joystiq]

PS Vita Consoles Let Out Early By Amazon.ca is a post from: The Inquisitr

In Japan, Sony introduced the “UMD Passport” program alongside the launch with the PlayStation Vita. The program allowed gamers to register their PSP games on PSN, and then download their games to their PS Vita for a fee.

It was assumed that Sony would be possibly do something similar in other regions, but Sony recently confirmed to Kotaku that there will not be a North American version of the UMD Passport program.

Shortly after Kotaku ran their story, Sony issued an official statement confirming the report, saying:

“SCEA will not be offering the UMD Passport program. U.S. consumers who already own digital versions of select PSP titles will be able to seamlessly transfer those games to their PS Vita system. What’s great for PS Vita owners is that they can enjoy PSP games with upscaled video quality that’s ideal for the system’s 5-inch OLED screen, along with controls that are optimized for its features such as the dual analog sticks. More than 250 PSP titles (including minis) will be available at the launch of PS Vita, and hundreds of additional titles will be available post-launch.”

We know that Sony won’t be introducing a UMD Passport program in North America, but the company didn’t say why the program would be a no-show. The program got some heat for being a little more pricey than some would like, but it was fairly convenient and still less expensive than buying a new copy of the game in most cases.

The PlayStation Vita launches in North America on February 22.

via Giant Bomb

PlayStation Vita UMD Passport program scrapped in North America is a post from: The Inquisitr

EA will be doing a little server cleaning next month – and by cleaning, I mean they’re shutting down multiplayer servers for several older EA titles.

Among the list of titles having their onlnie play axed is the orgiinal Skate, Army of Two and Battlefield 3 (the Xbox 360 version).

Here’s the full list of all online server shutdowns:

August 11, 2011 Online Service Shutdown

Army of Two (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
Army of Two Demo (Xbox 360)
Battlefield 2142 Demo (PC)
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat (Xbox 360)
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat Demo (Xbox 360)
Medal of Honor Airborne (PSP)
Medal of Honor Heroes 2 (PSP, Wii)
NASCAR 09 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
NCAA Basketball 10 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
NCAA Football 10 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
Need for Speed Most Wanted (PC, Xbox 360)
Need for Speed Undercover (PSP)
Skate (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10 (PSP, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii)
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 11 Demo (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

October 1, 2011 Online Service Shutdown

Madden NFL 10 (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360)
NHL 10 (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360)

via Game Informer

EA shutting down servers for many older titles next month is a post from: The Inquisitr

In today’s update of the PSP’s digital comics service over at the PlayStation Blog, Sony announced they’ll be pulling the plug on the digital comics service.

Fortunately for comic fans, that doesn’t mean the 4,000+ strong digital comic library is going away – you’ll still be able to collect all of them, if you’re so inclined – but today’s update will be the last for the service.

While this marks the end for the PSP side, Sony assured fans that the service will be appearing on other Sony devices. We don’t know just what those devices will be yet, but I’d say that the PlayStation Vita is a pretty safe bet.

If you’re interested in seeing what the final waves of comics to hit the service are, head over to this link.

Sony shutting down PSP digital comics service is a post from: The Inquisitr

Last month, Sony announced that Monster Hunter Portable 3rd was headed to the PlayStation 3 as Monster Hunter 3rd HD. Earlier this month, we got word that Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is also headed to the PlayStation 3. If you were curious if Sony was up to something with all of these PSP ports, well, they are.

Enter the “PSP Engine”, a base engine for porting over PSP titles to the PS3. According to a report by Famitsu (via Andriasang), the engine will act as a middle ground, allowing for smooth transitions from the handheld over to the PS3. The features included in the engine include support for dual analogue controls, high resolution rendering, main memory and graphic memory expansion and, of course, support for stereoscopic 3D.

Now that Sony’s come out and announced a whole engine for porting PSP titles, it sounds to me like we’ll be hearing about a whole lot more “PSP Remasters” in the coming months.

Source: Famitsu (via Andriasang)

Sony introduces the ‘PSP Engine’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sony announced a new “PSP Pack” bundle on the PlayStation Blog today, offering up two games from the “Greatest Hits” and “Favorites” collection for a rather agreeable $15 starting this week in retailers across the U.S.

The new ‘Dual Pack’ line will kick off with three bundles: Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow and Killzone Liberation; Secret Agent Clank and Daxter; and, last but not least, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror alongside SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo. As you can probably tell, the bundles will be themed by genre.

If you prefer your PSP games in the digital variety, all of the Dual Pack bundles will be available to purchase on the PlayStation Store.

As of right now the only confirmed region to be getting these ‘Dual Packs’ is the U.S., but I would be surprised if it didn’t hit other regions in the near future. We’ll let you know if we hear anything on that front.

via Kotaku
[Image]

PSP Dual Packs Coming to Stores This Week, Offers Two Games For $15 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sony’s tribulations have been testing the patience of PlayStation 3 users since back in April, but with the relaunch of the PlayStation Store things are looking brighter for Sony and their users. To win back the hearts of those left without their precious multiplayer gaming for several weeks, Sony has announced on the PlayStation Blog that the previously-detailed Welcome Back program is now available.

Provided you were a PlayStation Network member before April 20, 2011, you’ll be able to redeem two of five PlayStation 3 titles (Dead Nation, inFAMOUS, LittleBigPlanet, Super Stardust HD and Wipeout HD + Fury) as well as two out of four PlayStation Portable titles (LittleBigPlanet PSP, ModNation Racers, Pursuit Force and Killzone Liberation).

If that’s not enough to win you over, Sony is also offering a free 30-day PlayStation Plus subscription to all PlayStation Network members, as well as a 60-day extension for existing PlayStation Plus subscribers.  Last but not least, Sony is offering up a selection of “On Us” video rentals, which will remain free throughout this weekend.

As of the time of writing, PlayStation Network is currently experiencing severe server load, undoubtedly as a result of the launch of the program. If you’re not able to pick up your free goodies right away, sit tight. You’ve got plenty of time, after all – and what’s a few hour’s wait over several weeks?

Source: PlayStation Blog

[Image]

PlayStation Network Welcome Back Program Now Available is a post from: The Inquisitr

Brian Kingrey is one lucky – and now rich – gamer. The 25-year-old from Hammond, Louisiana picked up a check for a million bucks after becoming the first person to pitch a perfect game in MLB 2K11, the latest annual update from videogame baseball specialists 2K Sports.

2K announced the contest earlier this year, revealing the competition would kick off on April 1st. It took Kingrey around two hours after the contest’s start to succeed. However, don’t go thinking Kingrey is a baseball nut. Speaking to Kotaku, he revealed: “This is the first Major League Baseball videogame I ever played in my life.”

To Kingrey’s credit, he came prepared. In the build-up to the contest he analysed real-life stats, averages, and pitcher strengths, and (obviously) played the game itself to death. He pulled off his feat with the Philadelphia Phillies’ Roy Halladay, pitching against the Houston Astros, apparently one of the weakest hitting teams in the game.

So any plans for that money, Brian? “We have picked out a new fridge already.”

‘Atta boy.

[Via Kotaku]

Gamer pitches perfect game in MLB 2K11, claims $1m prize is a post from: The Inquisitr

Just as I assumed I wouldn’t have to write another depressing PSN hack story ever again, it’s emerged the new PlayStation Network password reset system can be exploited to alter passwords – and this can be done using quite basic data that was leaked in the original PSN hack. Using only your PSN account email and your date of birth, an attacker can change the password on your account and lock you out for ever.

Fortunately, online gaming is still available for now, though Sony is urging all users to create a new email account and get it changed for “when this hack becomes more public.” Well, at least Sony is getting the word out quickly this time. Here’s what Sony has to say:

“This means that those who are still trying to change their password via Playstation.com or Qriocity.com will be unable to do so for the time being. This is due to essential maintenance and at present it is unclear how long this will take. In the meantime you will still be able to sign into PSN via your PlayStation 3 and PSP devices to connect to game services and view Trophy/Friends information.”

The company also later tweeted: “Clarification: this maintenance doesn’t affect PSN on consoles, only the website you click through to from the password change email.”

Man, someone has some serious beef with Sony.

[Via Nyleveia and Eurogamer]

New PlayStation Network password system already hacked is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ding dong, Sony’s PSP Go is dead – and that’s official.

Sony Computer Entertainment confirmed to AV Watch that it was no longer manufacturing or shipping the download-only portable, which sold only 207 units in Japan last week. This, Sony explained, was so it could concentrate on the NGP, its flashy new follow-up to the original PSP.

The PSP Go lived a short and sad life, having never really stood a chance in this age of cheap smartphone games and Nintendo dominance.

After seeing its price slashed by retailers just a week after launch, the Go quickly became a target of developers, who predicted its demise. Charging the same steep prices for downloadable games as the UMD versions didn’t help, and in the end even Sony admitted it was priced too high.

Now, bring on the NGP!

[AV Watch, via Kotaku]

Sony confirms death of PSP Go is a post from: The Inquisitr

It’s the start of a new year, and already there are at least sixteen thousand games I want to play. So yes, this list is tinged with a touch of personal bias, but I’d like to think there’s something for everyone here, no matter what your gaming tastes. So here we go, then – my most eagerly anticipated 11 games to play in 2011 (plus a long list of honorable mentions at the bottom, because I’m an indecisive bugger):

↑ Child of Eden (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 | Q Entertainment)
When this music-based shooter was revealed back in June, I immediately proclaimed it one of my games of E3 2010. Compatible with Kinect, PlayStation Move, and (thank gawd) a standard controller, Child of Eden is an on-rails shoot-’em-up with gorgeous trance music, surreal visuals and jaw-dropping bosses – its wonderful E3 trailer must be watched!
Release date: Late-2011

↑ The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time 3DS (Nintendo 3DS | Nintendo)
It’s the most critically acclaimed action-adventure game of all time. In 3D. ‘Nuff said.
Release date: 2011

↑ Batman: Arkham City (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC | Rocksteady Studios)
Batman: Arkham Asylum rewrote the rulebook for superhero games. For so long a genre populated by industry jokes (Superman 64) and lazy cash-ins (almost everything else), here was a superhero game worthy of the label: beautiful, muscular, and sleek. The visuals, the style, the setting, the combat, and the feeling of actually being Batman: it was all pitch-perfect. Arkham City sees the Dark Knight take to the streets of a city beseiged by rival gangs run by Two-Face and Joker. Watch out for a Catwoman appearance.

Release date: Quarter 3, 2011

↑ BRINK (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC | Splash Damage)
BRINK immediately stands out thanks to its cartoony, Team Fortress 2-style characters, but it’s more than just a pretty face. In Splash Damage’s game, single-player links seamlessly with multiplayer (allowing up to eight players to drop in and out of its co-op mode), while previews have long talked of a nuanced yet brilliantly balanced class system. There’s also the SMART button (standing for ‘Smooth Movement Across Random Terrain’), a single button that lets you effortlessly leap, sprint, and vault around the game’s gorgeous environments.
Release date: Spring 2011

↑ Deus Ex: Human Revolution (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, OnLive |Eidos Montreal)
2003′s Deus Ex: Invisible War was by no means a terrible game, but as a sequel to the acclaimed Deux Ex, it didn’t feel worthy. Eight years on, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution looks like the sequel Invisible War should have been, with a teeming futuristic city and the Deus Ex spirit of exploration and discovery fully intact.
Release date: April 2011 or later

↑ The Last Guardian (PlayStation 3 | Team Ico)
To say The Last Guardian comes with a bit of a pedigree is like saying the Pope is a bit religious, or that Lionel Messi might be a bit good at football. Developer Team Ico has the acclaimed Ico (2001) and Shadow of the Colossus (2006) on its resume, and The Last Guardian seems to borrow heavily from each, with a dreamlike atmosphere, gorgeous, atmospheric visuals, puzzle-based adventuring, and a loyal companion to help you through your quest (in this case, a giant feathered beast resembling a griffin).
Release date:  Quarter 4, 2011

↑ Diablo III (PC, Mac | Blizzard)
Diablo III has been public knowledge for two and a half years now, even appearing on the 2010 equivalent of this list. However, there is serious hope for a 2011 release, with leaked documents from within Blizzard suggesting a Quarter 4 launch. Diablo II (released in 2000 – man, I’m bleedin’ ancient) is still regarded as the king of strategy hack-and-slash, so Diablo III‘s inclusion here should need no explanation. The game’s markedly more colorful appearance has already inspired the wrath of blowhard idiots who want a return to the darker, dingier looks of Diablo II, yet I’m betting they’ll be first in line to part with their cash.
Release date: Quarter 4, 2011

↑ Portal 2 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac | Valve)
Portal is now rightly considered first-person shooter royalty amongst gamers, a supremely clever, original beast that was the highlight of 2007′s The Orange Box. The 2011 sequel is a chance to flesh out the three- or four-hour original, and Valve is throwing everything at it: a longer single-player campaign, a bigger cast, co-op modes, online play, and a host of new environmental features. Given: (a) Valve’s track record and (b) the fundamental ingenuity of the portal gun, it’s hard to imagine this being anything beneath stellar.
Release date: April 21st, 2011

↑ Pikmin 3 (Wii | Nintendo)
Okay, so we don’t actually know if this is landing in 2011. Since it was first confirmed by Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto in mid-2008, barely a word has been uttered about the third game in the wonderful plant people series. But that was 2008, so it must be close … right? All we know is it’s coming, it’ll be on the Wii, and it shall be amazing. FACT. Also, I am a thirty-year-old man who freely admits to owning Pikmin plushes, so I may be a little biased about this.
Release date: ???

↑ Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (PlayStation 3 | Naughty Dog)
The Uncharted games do big, ballsy, blockbuster gaming better than every other franchise out there, and the third game is promising more of the same. The footage shown so far of hero Nathan Drake escaping a collapsing, burning chateau is hugely promising.
Release date: November 1st, 2011

↑ L.A. Noire (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 | Team Bondi)
There’s a reason L.A. Noire is the only game on this list I’ve illustrated with a video clip: because I’m convinced its animation techniques could be revolutionary for games. With facial animation and lip-synching that comes astonishingly close to bridging the uncanny valley, Team Bondi’s crime epic does something no other game has asked of you: ascertain when another character is lying, based solely on individual tics and expressions. In my book – and excuse me if I sound like a press release here – that could be pretty amazing.
Release date: Quarter 2, 2011

Honorable mentions:

Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury (Xbox 360)
Bulletstorm (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii)
Crysis 2 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
de Blob 2 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS)
Dead Space 2 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
Ico & Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection (PlayStation 3)
I Am Alive (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii)
Killzone 3 (PlayStation 3)
Legend of Zelda: The Skyward Sword (Wii)
LittleBigPlanet 2 (PlayStation 3)
Mass Effect 3 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D (Nintendo 3DS)
Nintendogs + Cats (Nintendo 3DS)
Okamiden (Nintendo DS)
Patapon 3 (PSP)
Rage (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac)
The Witness (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
Tomb Raider (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)

11 videogames you need to play in 2011 is a post from: The Inquisitr

The folks at 2K Sports are offering an eye-watering $1 million jackpot to the first person who can throw a perfect game in their latest MLB title. If this rings any bells, it’s probably because they ran the exact same contest last year, when a 24-year-old gamer from Alabama seemingly fluked a million buck prize in a heart-warming tale.

This year, the rules have been tweaked slightly for MLB 2K11. Pitching the perfect game is still the key to victory and that fat check, but this time the contest is open to anyone aged 13 or up (last year it was over-18s only).

Also, while last year gamers could throw for the prize from the game’s launch date, this time you get to practice your pitching. MLB 2K11 launches on March 8th, but the competition opens April 1st, the day after the 2011 baseball season kicks off.

This is certainly a canny promotion from 2K Sports, and yeah, I realize I’m sort of feeding this PR monster by posting this, but it’s a novel and exciting way to get people playing your game. Anyone going to give this a try?

[ESPN, via Destructoid]

$1m prize for first perfect game in MLB 2K11 is a post from: The Inquisitr

PSP 2 is coming … soon, but according to at least one analyst, it may as well not bother showing up. Speaking on his show Pach-Attack!, Wedbush Morgan’s Michael Pachter has predicted the console will be “dead on arrival”. He also claimed the gaming handheld market is “in trouble” and “reaching saturation point.”

The reason, predictably, is Apple.

As the iPhone and iPod Touch continue to birth hundreds of cheap (and occasionally very good quality) games, fewer people are shelling out $25 for a PSP or Nintendo DS cartridge, preferring to spend 99 cents on an iPhone or or iPod Touch app. Indeed, Sony seems to have foreseen this problem, and has reacted with the PlayStation Phone. As Pachter points out:

“We’re starting to see DS hardware sales crack, I think the big woody of the iPod Touch is cutting into the handheld market, I think the PSP is dead on arrival and I think the PSP2 is going to be dead on arrival.

“It looks to me like young kids are just as happy playing with an iPod Touch or a Nano. The Touch is cool, it plays games, plays music, they’re going to put a camera in it and you’re going to get all kinds of cool stuff.”

If, like me, you work in an office full of people obsessed with Flight Control and Angry Birds, it’s difficult to disagree.

[GameTrailers, via VG247]

Analyst: PSP 2 will be ‘dead on arrival’, game handhelds in trouble is a post from: The Inquisitr

Fancy a cheap game to go with the turkey sandwiches you’ll be eating for the next eight weeks? We have you covered! If you’ve change left over from Black Friday, you may want to consider some of the 70+ titles listed below; alphabetically arranged because we love you!

Note: Remember, once stocks are gone, they’re gone. Get your skates on.

0-9
- 3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3, Amazon, $20)

A
- Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth (Nintendo DS, Amazon, $20)
- Aliens vs Predator (PS3/Xbox 360, Amazon, $20.99)

B
- Band Hero + with $20 gift card (PS3, Gamestop, $29.99)
- Battlefield Bad Company 2 Ultimate Edition (PS3/Xbox 360, Amazon, $39.95)
- Bayonetta (Xbox 360, Amazon, $20)
- BioShock 2 (Xbox 360, GameStop, $20)
- BioShock 2 Special Edition 360 (Xbox 360, GameStop, $29.99)
- Borderlands (PC, GameStop, $39.99)

C
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Xbox 360/PS3, Amazon, $14.99)
- Champions Online (PC, Best Buy, $4.99)
- Chrono Trigger (Nintendo DS, Amazon, $14.99)
- Civilization IV: The Complete Edition (PC, Amazon, $19.99)
- Civilization V (PC, GameStop, $39.99)

D
- Dead Space Extraction (Wii, GameStop, $9.99)
- DJ Hero 2 (Xbox 360, Amazon, $49.99)
- Dragon Quest IX (Nintendo DS, Amazon, $19.99)

E
- Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (Xbox 360/PS3, Amazon, $25)
- EVE Online Commissioned Officer Edition (PC, Amazon, $13.49)

F
- Fable 3 (Xbox 360, Amazon and Best Buy, both $39.99)
- Fallout: New Vegas (Xbox 360, Amazon, $39.99)
- FIFA 11 (Xbox 360/PS3, Best Buy, $34.99)
- Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, Amazon, $18.99)

G
- Grand Theft Auto IV (Xbox 360, Amazon, $12.99)
- Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3/PC, Amazon, $13.99)
- Guild Wars Trilogy (PC, Best Buy, $14.99)
- Guitar Hero Aerosmith + $10 gift card (Wii, GameStop, $19.99)

H
- Halo: Reach (Xbox 360, Amazon, $39.95)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 1 (Xbox 360/PS3, Amazon, $34.95)
- Harvest Moon Animal Parade (Wii, GameStop, $19.99)
- Harvest Moon DS (Nintendo DS, GameStop, $9.99)

J
- Just Cause 2 (PC, Amazon, $18.99)
- Just Dance (Wii, GameStop, $29.99)

K
- Kirby’s Epic Yarn (Wii, Amazon, $39.99)

L
- Lego Universe (PC, Amazon, $23.99)
- Little King’s Story (Wii, Amazon, $13.99)
- Lost Planet 2 (Xbox 360/PS3, GameStop, $19.99)

M
- Madden 11 (Xbox 36/PS3, Amazon, $34.99)
- Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360, Amazon, $9.99)
- Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3, Amazon, $13.99)
- Michael Jackson: The Experience (Wii, Wal-Mart, $39.96)
- Michael Jackson: The Experience (PSP/Nintendo DS, Wal-Mart, $39.96)
- Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (PSP, Amazon, $14.99)

N
- Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (Xbox 360/PS3, Best Buy, $34.99)
- Neverwinter Nights 2 Gold (PC, Amazon, $14.99)

P
- Phantasy Star Portable 2 (PSP, Amazon, $29.99)
- Pokemon Heartgold (Nintendo DS, Amazon, $24.99)
- Pokemon SoulSilver (Nintendo DS, Amazon, $24.99)
- Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box (Nintendo DS, Amazon, $17.99)
- Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (Nintendo DS, Amazon, $17.99)
- Puzzle Quest 2 DS (Nintendo DS, Amazon, $10.89)

R
- Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3, Amazon, $17.99)
- Red Dead Redemption (Xbox 360/PS3, GameStop, $39.99)
- Resident Evil 4 Wii (Wii, Amazon, $9.99)
- Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360/PS3, Amazon, $14.98)
- Rune Factory 2 (Nintendo DS, GameStop, $9.99)

S
- Shaun White Skateboarding (PS3, Amazon, $14.64)
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable (PSP, Amazon, $29.99)
- The Sly Collection (PS3, Amazon, $29.99)
- Sonic Colors (Wii, Wal-Mart, $39.96)
- Soul Calibur IV (Xbox 360, Amazon, $10.99)
- Split/Second (Xbox 360/PS3, Amazon, $19.99)
- Street Fighter IV (Xbox 360, Amazon, $10.99)
- Street Fighter IV (PS3, Amazon, $14.99)
- Super Scribblenauts (Nintendo DS, Amazon, $22)

T
- Tekken 6 (PS3, Amazon, $19.99)
- Tekken 6 (PSP, Amazon, $9.99)
- The Orange Box (PC, Steam, $7.50)
- The Sims 3 (PC, Amazon, $19.99)
- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 (Xbox 360/PS3, Amazon, $39.95)
- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 (Wii, Amazon, $34.95)

V
- Valkyria Chronicles (PS3, Amazon, $19.99)
- Valkyria Chronicles 2 (PSP, Amazon, $29.99)

W
* WipeOut Pulse (PS3, Amazon, $12.49)

Calling gamers! All the best Cyber Monday deals: 2010 edition is a post from: The Inquisitr

But not just any glove, naturally. No, that glove. Michael Jackson’s single sparkly mitt was one of the many iconic things about the late singer, and now YOU can own your OWN Jackson glove. Yay?

There’s a catch, though. First of all, you’ll have to buy the forthcoming dance game Michael Jackson: The Experience. Not only that, but you’ll need to buy the Wii version. And NOT ONLY THAT, but you’ll have to buy it fast – these things will only be in launch units of the game. It doesn’t cost anything on top of the normal version of the game; you just need to buy it early.

Aaaaalso, developer and publisher Ubisoft has updated the tracklist for the game, which now includes ‘Dirty Diana’. Here are the songs we know about so far:

- Bad
- Beat It
- Billie Jean
- Black or White
- Dirty Diana
- Earth Song
- Ghost
- Rock with You
- Smooth Criminal
- Speed Demon
- The Girl Is Mine
- They Don’t Care About Us
- Thriller
- Who Is It
- Workin’ Day and Night

See also: [VIDEO] So much win: Dude syncs his Christmas lights to Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’

[Via press release]

Michael Jackson videogame to come with free glove is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sony’s PSP 2 has a problem – it’s called the Nintendo 3DS. So far, the 3DS looks and sounds pretty awesome, so Sony’s next handheld – whenever it’s officially revealed – needs to rock our socks even more. Tough one.

However, rumors emerging today suggest PSP 2 could be something special. Kotaku is carrying a report that says the Sony machine will feature a touch pad, a bigger, sharper screen (that Sony is calling “HD”), and dual analog sticks, like those found on PlayStation controllers since 1997.

It sounds like a compromise between the current PSP and Apple’s iPad, though “several sources” told Kotaku that the touch panel was on the back of the hardware. The screen is apparently “about an inch” larger, but final internal hardware has not yet been settled on, with Sony facing problems concerning battery life and overheating – the latter being not exactly ideal for a handheld.

Finally, the moles in this story say PSP 2 is coming Fall 2011. Sony has yet comment, and I wouldn’t hold your breath.

[UPDATE: As it happens, Sony today slashed $50 off the price of a PSP Go! in North America.]

[Via Kotaku]

[RUMOR] PSP 2 to have touch pad, bigger screen, analogue sticks is a post from: The Inquisitr

Please forgive the faint smell of cabbage in here, won’t you. It’s just … well, it’s the PSP. *whispers* It’s getting kind of old, see.

But don’t take my biased word for it. Sony itself is now admitting that the handheld, first released in 2004, is becoming a little gray around the edges. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida confessed that, “… after five or six years, and releasing many games, there’s no denying that people start to see that [PSP] is getting a bit old.”

Yoshida then revealed the company is looking at new tech to prepare for the inevitable PSP2. It just won’t be 3D, ‘kay? That is, until the Nintendo 3DS sells like the hottest of cakes and Sony has no choice but to follow by example.

“… In terms of looking at new technology, it’s always the case that as soon as we look at a new platform or new tech, our R&D teams start looking at what’s new in the general space. So yes, we have been looking at new technologies, and looking at the options that we have. It’s not the right time for me to say anything about it.”

Earlier this year rival Nintendo pulled the wraps off of the Nintendo 3DS, an update of its popular DS handheld that can produce glasses-free 3D visuals. It looks thoroughly swish, as you can see, so something big is expected from Sony, which has done better than any other company to challenge Nintendo in the handheld gaming arena.

Now, anyone for a PSP Go? (LOL)

See also: Sony rules out PSP with 3D capabilities

[Via GamesIndustry.biz]

Sony: PSP is “getting a bit old” is a post from: The Inquisitr

Most modders are happy modding one console at a time. Mechanical engineering grad student Brain De Vitis has bigger ideas. The lifesize R2-D2 unit above is his work, and contains no less than ten game consoles from yesteryear: a SNES, a NES, an N64, a GameCube, a PS2, a PSP, a Sega Genesis, an Xbox, a gaming PC, and an Atari 7800.

Oh, and what’s that on the head?

A Dreamcast!

This totally sweet mod was spotted by Fort90′s Matt Hopkins at the PAX Prime expo. Many of the aforementioned consoles are disguised in cunning ways, such as the PSP that slots into the shoulder:

Aside from that, there’s a shit-ton of cartridge slots and controller ports to meet your gaming needs, and of course a projector to play it all on:

Check out more pics of this epic radness at Fort90.

See also: 7 Amazing Modded Game Consoles

[Via Fort90]

This R2-D2 mod rocks TEN game consoles and a projector is a post from: The Inquisitr

Michael Jackson may have gone, but his spirit ability to turn a posthumous profit lives on. Hurray! A few months ago, Ubisoft announced Michael Jackson The Experience would be released this year for a variety of consoles, including new motion control kids on the block Microsoft Kinect and PlayStation Move.

If you were looking forward to this no-doubt touching tribute to Jackson’s life, bad news: you’re going to be looking forward a little longer. Ubisoft has confirmed to IGN that both the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game have been pushed into “early 2011″. The reason? The games need more polish, apparently.

“We’re giving our teams more time to develop the Kinect and Move versions to ensure we deliver awesome experiences that take full advantage of the new technologies,” revealed an Ubisoft rep. Righto.

However, the Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP versions of the title will still make it this year, and are due to hit stores on November 23rd in North America.

[Via IGN]

Hold that moonwalk: Michael Jackson videogame delayed until 2011 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has called the iPhone and iPod touch platforms “the number one portable game players” on the market, boasting that “the iPod touch outsells Nintendo and Sony’s portable game players combined.”

Whether you believe this particular claim from the polonecked one is another matter entirely. At today’s Apple conference, Jobs revealed there has been 1.5 billion downloads of games and entertainment titles for the iPod touch, before arguing this proved the device has “50%+ the marketshare for portable game players in the U.S. and worldwide.”

However, with many iPod/iPhone games costing just a buck or two each (and most DS and PSP games costing $30 new), I find this claim questionable to say the least. It’s very convenient for Apple to judge this on the amount of software it has sold, because its software costs so little.

Furthermore, Apple has sold “only” 120 million iOS devices (according to its presentation today), while the DS alone (according to Nintendo) has sold more than 132 million Nintendo DS handhelds. Sony, meanwhile, claims the PSP has sold more than 60 million.

Apple may well overtake both of its rivals eventually, but right now? Not in my book.

[Via Kotaku]

Dubious: Apple thinks iPod touch is “#1 portable game player” is a post from: The Inquisitr