Segas Community Manager Clumsyorchid shocked the AvP player base today with a forum post

Aliens Vs. Predator fans who weathered the storm of mediocre review scores are being rewarded with a second helping of downloadable multiplayer maps next month in the Bughunt Map Pack, complete with environmental hazards and weather effects.

The Bughunt Map Pack, available on July 7, consists of four new multiplayer maps: Crash Site and Furious for the game’s six different competitive online modes, and Tempest and Monument for AvP’s co-op Survival mode.

The four new maps all come complete with environmental hazards and weather effects, both new features added to the game with this pack.

Look for the Bughunt Map Pack to hit the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Steam on July 7 for $6.99 or 560 Microsoft points.

Sony has revealed the updates to Home this week, and users can expect to get goodies pertaining to Assassin’s Creed, AvP, a SingStar VIP room and new additions to the luxury space line.

Here’s what’s happening:

• Assassin’s Creed game space launches this week with a multiplayer tower defense game that pits Assassins against Templars, concept art, the Animus 2.0 database, the full Assassin’s Creed: Lineage short film, and more.

• Aliens vs. Predator costumes are to be made available along with Facehuggers stuffed in stasis tubes. However, these items will only be available for purchase for a limited time only in the PlayStation Home Exclusives store, after which they will be pulled off the shelves forever.

• The doors to the SingStar VIP room will open and the music player will contain tracks from the Stereophonics. Exclusive virtual items will also be on hand pertaining to the band, along with the opportunity to play a Stereophonics SingStar Quiz.

• Luxury spaces available this week include the Pharaoh’s Tomb along with the Anime personal space (a penthouse headquarters perched atop a Tokyo high-rise circa 2050).

• The Tester virtual items, such as a Big D Teddy Bear will be available.

• Irem will be adding new content to the Irem Seaside of Memories space from new rewards in the Deep Sea Treasure Hunt mini-game to a bunch of beachwear.

All sound neat and go live tomorrow.

Get more on this from the US PS Blog.

This morning, Sega announced that the first DLC add-on for Aliens vs. Predator will be a four-pack of multiplayer maps — the same four maps that came included in the European Collector’s Edition of the game. Specifically, Europeans will be able to pick up “Docks” and “Machine” (the regular multiplayer maps) and “Outpost” and “Hive” (the Survival Mode maps) as a set for 560 ($7), according to the Sega of Europe website. (Sega of America told us that there will be more info on the North American release this week.)

Unfortunately, no firm release date has been given, though the map pack is said to arrive “shortly” for all three platforms.

***Update***

The four multiplayer maps released in Aliens vs. Predator‘s Special Edition will be available to the general public as DLC beginning next Thursday, March 18. The Swarm Map Pack will run you $7.

The DLC delivers four maps, two for the game’s competitive multiplayer and two for its cooperative modes. “Docks” and “Machine” are available for the six competitive modes (Deathmatch, Predator Hunt, Infestation, Species Deathmatch, Mixed Species Deathmatch and Domination).

“Outpost” and “Hive” pit the humans, working cooperatively, against Aliens in a survival match set in an abandoned colony overrun by Aliens, and then an Alien breeding ground, respectively.

In this episode:

• Week One Update for 141
• Alien vs. Predator
• Mail Bag – CommanderFury@urgentfury.com

Aliens vs. Predator released today, and PC players are stuck with peer-to-peer matchmaking for a little longer while Rebellion gets a dedicated server ready “in the next few days,” according to the studio.

In a Steam forum post today, Rebellion had this to say:

Rebellion are busy preparing the dedicated server for the Aliens vs. Predator community. We hope to have a beta release with reduced functionality out in the next few days and further updates to improve functionality and fix bugs over the next few weeks. The files will be available to download from the “Tools” tab in the Steam client and will be a free download.

If that’s not good enough, well, that’s what the singleplayer campaign’s for, I guess.

SEGA and Rebellion announced today that an updated version of the Aliens vs Predator demo is now available on PSN.

The original demo has been taken down and replaced with the new version.

Matchmaking issues plagued the original demo, resulting in some players experiencing difficulties getting into matches. These issues were resolved, and some additional functionality was added to allow PS3 users to create their own matches and browse for any available ones to join.

“We are confident that the matchmaking issue has been fixed with this new demo and we will be monitoring community activity closely over the coming days to ensure that it has been fully resolved, said SEGA Europe’s Gary Knight. “We would like to thank the community for all of their valuable feedback and continued patience.”

Rebellion would clarified the reasoning behind the choice of a Deathmatch multiplayer demo for AvP.

“We chose Deathmatch as the mode for the demo as it’s very familiar to all FPS gamers and minimizes restrictions on players while they are getting to grips with the controls of each of the three playable species” said Jason Kingsley, CEO and co-founder of Rebellion. “We have plenty of new modes in the game and players only have to wait a matter of days before they can play them when the game launches.”

SEGA has released an FAQ for players to discern whether they have the original demo, or the new one. It’s through here.

AvP’s set for release on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 February 16 and 19 in the Us and Europe, respectively.

Rebellion has responded to issues relating to the match-making in the PS3 demo of Alien vs Predator.

“Since our earlier update regarding successful patching of the PC demo of AvP, we’ve been working with Sony and SEGA on investigating reports of a similar issue from some PS3 owners,” a SEGA spokesperson told VG247.

“Tests so far have shown a significant improvement, but we’re not yet finished with the fixes. The team will be working over the weekend to make it even better for players.”

Released on Thursday, the demo issues were fixed on PC, and did not occur with the 360 version.

Hopefully, all remaining issues will be ironed out for PS3 user.

Game’s out February 19.

Sega’s released AvP’s multiplayer demo for PC: download it now.

 The publisher said yesterday that the demo will hit both Live and PSN today as well.

It’s a multiplayer-only affair, Jason Kingsley, boss of developer Rebellion, explaining yesterday that, “Multiplayer was a huge part of our original AvP game back in 1999, and we’ve kept the spirit of that classic experience in creating the multiplayer for our new Aliens vs Predator.”

The full game releases on February 19.

Sega just put out images of the two AvP special editions, namely the Survivor and Hunter editions.

The latter’s the biggie, complete with its lenticular postcard, and can only be ordered from HMV in the UK.

The Survivor edition’s basically the game in a metal case with some DLC, but that’s better than a kick in the face. Or a Predator claw up the ass. You can only get it from GAME.

If you pre-order from Play you get some multiplayer skins. Woot. Click Read More Link for Images and details of all.

It’s out for PC, PS3 and 360 on February 19.

The Survivor Edition

• Alien Vs Predator game in steelbook packaging
• Four multiplayer maps – docks, outpost, machine & hive

The Hunter Edition

• Alien Vs Predator game in steelbook packaging
• Replica facehugger model
• Four multiplayer maps – docks, outpost, machine & hive
• Weyland-Yutani material patch
• 3D lenticular postcard

Multiplayer skins

• Predator Skin: The Serpent Hunter. The mask worn by the most formidable Xenomorph slayer of all-time.
• Marine Skin: SGT. Kaneko. Veteran of 27 drops, including post-incident quarantine of Fiorina ‘Fury’ 161.
• Alien Skin: Number 6. Personally selected by Karl Bishop Weyland for the infamous ‘Program’

The Rebellion shooter’s got a PC, PS3 and 360 spread and will ship in three editions: Standard, Survivor and Hunter.

The Survivor Edition comes in a metal case and features a code for DLC multiplayer maps, coming post-launch.

The Hunter Edition will also contain the maps, as well as a facehugger model, a Weyland Yutani sleeve badge and a “3D lenticular postcard”. Special.