Commander Fury

Greetings, friends. The name's Justin; I've been sneaking around behind the scenes here at PS.Blog for a few months, helping to get posts put together and looking extra-slick before they reach your eyeballs. See how game thumbnails are tucked neatly in with the text in recent <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/11/06/playstation-store-update-264/">PlayStation Store Updates</a>, for example? That's me. You may have heard me on a <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/09/20/playstation-blogcast-043-pomeranian-all-stars/">PlayStation Blogcast</a> <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/25/playstation-blogcast-048-trumpet-of-the-swan/">or two</a>, but otherwise I've kept a pretty low profile since I've started here. That changes today! I'm taking over the weekend Recap, where I'll recount the week's top PS.Blog posts. Taking this post over from <a href="https://blog.us.playstation.com/author/sshuman/">Sid</a>, I know I have a lot to live up to -- I'll try not to disappoint. Now, let's have a look at this week's top posts... More...

It’s almost time for turkey, folks! In the meantime you can enjoy the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/psn-spotlight/">PSN Community Spotlight</a>. For the unfamiliar, this is where PlayStation gamers tell their unique stories/experiences/thoughts, as submitted to this section in the <a href="http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PSN-Community-Meets-the-PS-Blog/bd-p/22802">PlayStation Community Forums</a>. Those that make it all the way to the PlayStation Blog will receive a $50 PlayStation Store voucher. Last week we asked for your PlayStation stories, and gamer <a href="http://us.playstation.com/publictrophy/index.htm?onlinename=bgrutt">bgrutt</a> wrote in to tell us about how he met his Call of Duty clan. <strong>PlayStation's Creation of the Six Guy Clan</strong> As a child, I was your average boy. In 2000, I received a PSone combo pack for my birthday and my favorite game then and now was James Bond. My brother and I found a special connection with each other through that game. More...

Firstly, I want to apologize for the lateness of this week's Blogcast - we'll be back to our regularly scheduled Thursday afternoon publish starting next week. But I'm hoping that today's show will be worth the wait for you. Not only does today's show mark the official one-year anniversary of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-blogcast/">PlayStation Blogcast</a> (!), it <em>also</em> marks two major milestones for PlayStation 3! This Saturday marks the console's six-year birthday in the United States. And as <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/ps3-70-million-move-15-million/">you may have heard</a> early this morning, PS3 has officially passed the 70 million milestone. On today's double-stuffed show, we celebrate those milestones in style. The always insightful Shuhei Yoshida, Sony Computer Entertainment's celebrated president of <a href="http://www.worldwidestudios.net/en/Homepage">Worldwide Studios</a>, reminisces on the challenges of launching PS3 in 2006 and how innovative game development drove the PS3 to global must-have status. Later, SCEA President and CEO Jack Tretton stops by to provide a bird's-eye view on PS3 and PS Vita - and even the launch of WiiU. Then PlayStation Store Director Grace Chen makes her debut appearance to discuss the evolution of PlayStation Store and PSN, even answering some long-requested questions for good measure. All are must-listens! More...

As we’ve noted in the past few months, PlayStation stands for gamers. And because we stand with you, the PlayStation Nation, we want to offer you incredible deals on Black Friday to show our appreciation. If you don’t own <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> or <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a>, now’s the time. PlayStation platforms will be paired with the biggest and best franchises in gaming, proving once again that PlayStation is the best place to play. PS Vita’s game library is growing rapidly, and some of the biggest franchises in gaming are launching on the platform this holiday. In addition to the PlayStation Plus announcement providing an instant game collection for PS Vita, we are also celebrating the holidays with several incredible deals. More...

This week, the Music Unlimited service features <a href="https://blog.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/2012/11/13/new-releases-on-the-music-unlimited-service-111312/">new releases</a> from One Direction, Soundgarden, and The Weekend, as well as Christina Aguilera, Green Day, Deftones, and Aaron Lewis. Also, fans of the hottest name in global house music parties, residencies, and compilations won’t want to miss this: The Music Unlimited service is now the one place to stream your favorite <a href="http://www.hedkandi.com/">Hed Kandi</a> compilations and mixes. Hed Kandi’s compilations feature the world’s top DJs and remix artists — each song is a feel good hit, and each album is perfect for a different occasion. Enjoy the best tunes for <a href="https://music.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/#album/4bb8b6b7733447a28b3b0e6e1ac67975/Various_Artists/Hed_Kandi_Winter_Chill">chilling out in winter</a>, enjoying a <a href="https://music.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/#album/989c760c82e94b1cb2accb66f04d3ca9/Various_Artists/Hed_Kandi_Fit_Fabulous_Summer">fit and fabulous summer</a> and more. More...

Killzone Intercept is a fan-made live action short set during the ISA evacuation of Helghan in Killzone 3. The 14-minute film follows a small ISA squad as they’re ordered to prevent a large contingent of Helghast troops from intercepting the retreating ISA convoy. Outnumbered, the squad takes on the task with hopes of getting everyone off the planet alive. Since its release on the Internet last week, Killzone Intercept has been a small sensation among Killzone fans and novices alike. At the time of writing, the fan film has amassed nearly 170,000 views – and it’s not showing signs of slowing down. We got in touch with director (and longtime Killzone fan) Brian Curtin to find out how Killzone Intercept came together. More...

Late last year, we were gathering ideas and prototypes in preparation of creating our next game. There was one idea we really liked: A fast-paced multiplayer sneaking game about a group of safe-breakers that sneak past cameras, laser barriers, and guards to pull off the ultimate heist. In our earliest prototype, the goal of the four players was to pick locks and break walls in order to reach the vault and grab all the money inside before one of the other players could. There was one element in this early prototype that was really fun: You could set up bear traps that would snare other players, slowing them down and causing the guards to catch them. Around the same time, we were also playing a lot of Bomberman in the office. And its brand of pick-up-and-play fun and multiplayer battles was something we wanted in our game, too. More...

What? Me again? Wasn't I just here to let you know that<a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/playstation-all-stars-battle-royale-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale</a> had <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/11/08/playstation-all-stars-goes-gold-opening-cinematic-and-final-boss-unveiled/">gone gold</a>? Have you ever wondered what dev teams do after a game goes gold? If all is going well, often times they get down to business with DLC. And in fact that's exactly what we have begun. I'm here today to announce the first DLC characters that will be joining the All-Stars roster: Kat from <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/gravity-rush/">Gravity Rush</a>, and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/starhawk/">Starhawk</a>'s Emmett Graves! More...

As gaming résumés go, few can compare to that of Warren Spector. After starting his career on the fabled Wing Commander series back in 1990, he went on to work on massive franchises such as Ultima and System Shock, before re-inventing the stealth genre with Deus Ex and Thief. In short, he’s a true giant of game development. And this week sees him return to the fray, with Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two – an ambitious sequel to his epic 2010 platforming adventure, packing in full co-op play and PlayStation Move support. The <a href="http://www.junctionpoint.com/">Junction Point</a> founder was kind enough to lend PlayStation.Blog a few minutes of his valuable time to discuss the game – read on to find out what he had to say. <strong>PlayStation.Blog: There are a lot of PlayStation gamers out there who might not be too familiar with the first game. What did they miss?</strong> Warren Spector: What did they miss? Only the greatest game experience of all time! More...

Hey PlayStation Nation! A couple of weeks ago we released <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/10/22/playstation-all-stars-come-to-life-in-new-short-film-from-creators-of-michael/">"The All-Star"</a> for all of the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/playstation-all-stars-battle-royale-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale</a> fans out there. From the more than five million views it got in two days, we're guessing that you liked it. For the hardcore PlayStation fans, we layered in more than 30 Easter eggs referencing the playable characters, levels, and some classic PlayStation heritage. People have been decoding Easter eggs in the comments, and our friends over at IGN recently filmed a <a href="http://www.ign.com/videos/2012/10/23/rewind-theater-playstation-all-stars-battle-royale-live-action-trailer">Rewind Theater of “The All-Starâ€</a> the same day it came out. IGN did a great job finding a handful of our Easter eggs -- but they didn’t find all of them! So we’re turning to our fans to help uncover more, as well as relive some key moments in PlayStation history, with a Trivia tweet up. More...

In 2010, when I started making <a href="http://www.foddy.net/PoleRiders.html">Pole Riders</a>, my original plan was to make a straight pole-vaulting game, like the ones in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Games">Summer Games</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daley_Thompson's_Decathlon">Daley Thompson’s Decathlon</a>, both games that were super-popular when I was six years old. Back in 1984, local multiplayer games were nearing the peak of their popularity. In the arcades, there were games like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joust_(video_game)">Joust</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_%26_Field_(video_game)">Track & Field</a>, but at home, and in the public libraries, the Epyx compilations ruled the roost: not just Summer Games but <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_%26_Field_(video_game)">Winter Games</a> and the immortal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Games">California Games</a> too. I was absolutely obsessed with the pole-vault event in Summer Games and for the longest time, I wanted to make my own version of it. Perhaps it’s no coincidence, then, that I’m now involved in <a href="http://www.sportsfriendsgame.com">Sportsfriends</a>, which is a spiritual successor to Summer Games - a compilation of four sports-themed games, to be played by up to four friends on the one couch. But unlike the old Epyx compilations, none of the Sportsfriends games play it straight. More...

<em>New Grand Theft Auto V trailer. Here it is.</em> For more info on Grand Theft Auto V, visit <a href="http://www.rockstargames.com/V/">rockstargames.com/v</a>. More...

It’s almost time for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, and to prepare you can now pre-order it off the PlayStation Store. Continuing in the fighter theme, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is available for download. A more cooperative option for your family gatherings, SingStar is now available with some free demo songs. If you’re looking for the Call of Duty experience on the go, Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified is now up for download on PS Vita. For a more peaceful experience, Colors! is also available on PS Vita, so you can paint or doodle wherever you’d like. PS Plus members can snag another free game this week as Quantum Conundrum enters the Instant Game Collection. There’s also a Timed Trial for Counter Strike: Global Offensive in case you missed it when it was only available via Automatic Download back in August. Rounding out the Plus member goodies this week are a few discounts on Machinarium, Choplifter HD and Super Stacker Party. More...

<a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/need-for-speed-most-wanted-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">Need for Speed Most Wanted</a> is now out, and today we’re celebrating 1 million Autolog users with the release of the PlayStation 3 demo. We’re bringing PlayStation.Blog the inside track on what new players should look for, and how to dominate the Most Wanted demo. Making a demo for a large-scale open world game is a major challenge. We wanted to put together a snapshot of Most Wanted’s blend of exploration, connected competition and explosive, over-the-top police chase action to give you a taste of what to expect from the main game. The action takes place in a locked down version of the city – you get to play in Fairhaven’s Downtown and Four Bridges districts. These areas are loaded with billboards, jumps, speed cameras and hidden cars. The game kicks you off in Aston Martin’s beautiful V12 Vantage. Race to the first location, and we’ll bust out the classic Porsche 911 Carrera S. More...

<a href="http://http://www.codemasters.com">Codemasters</a> are well known for creating racing games with lots of depth, and in many ways our brief for <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/f1-race-stars-ps3.html">F1 Race Stars </a>(out on PS3 November 20th) was no different. When designing the game’s structure we intended to provide ongoing variety as crucially as the instant appeal you’d expect from a “karting†game. Firstly, along with the typical race event, we have introduced a host of other modes of racing. There are eight in total, each requiring unique skills and strategy -- some will feel instantly familiar to gamers, and some will feel entirely fresh and unique. For example, we've introduced Refuel mode - based on the principles of fuel strategy in F1, where fuel re-stocks are placed around the track, but carrying less fuel means more speed. Or Trophy Chase mode, a smash and grab event where players collect trophies, found both on the track and stolen from other drivers. Gamers should feel instantly at home with other modes such as Sector Snatch mode, where players can own sectors of each track by setting the fastest split time though it, or racing in a classic Elimination mode. More...

People often want to know where the ideas for a game come from. Let me tell you how Planets Under Attack, the latest from <a href="http://www.targem.ru/">Targem Games</a>, was invented and what it turned out to be. It all started with this hand-drawn picture of an enormous gun, covering half of the planet. Some sketches that followed were incredibly helpful when it came down to choosing the setting, since they had been done in this nice cartoonish style. We decided to create a world that would be like a cross-section of sci-fi, with humans, robots, aliens and all that. Then we crafted an entertaining story that played up the usual sci-fi clichés. But more than anything, we wanted the game to be fun. The end result is a game called Planets Under Attack - a concise and dynamic strategy game. It's easy to play, but hard to master. The game's trailer distinctly defines all these features. Let's talk a little bit about the races presented in the game. First, we have Humans - their goal is to profit at all costs. Playing for this race means managing the huge cash flow. Next up, we have Robots - they protect the environment and safeguard the legacy of their creators. More...

At long last, the very first title for the new Wonderbook peripheral, <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/wonderbook-book-of-spells-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">Wonderbook: Book of Spells</a>, officially launches today in North America! The team at SCE London Studios worked hard to conjure up a truly amazing experience using the latest in augmented reality technology that combines Wonderbook with the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/ps3/accessories/playstation-eye-camera-ps3.html">PlayStation Eye camera</a>. Starting today, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the world of Harry Potter and begin learning the art of spell-casting while using your <a href="http://us.playstation.com/ps3/playstation-move/?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">PlayStation Move</a> motion controller as your magic wand. The book features new and original writing from J.K. Rowling, and will allow you to learn about the histories of some of the well-known spells from the Harry Potter series, as well as other interesting insights. Over the past few months, we’ve shared that<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/wonderbook/"> Wonderbook: Book of Spells</a> unlocks the secrets of casting your favorite spells like Incendio, Wingardium Leviosa and Expelliarmus. Today, I’m excited to share that the book will also teach you a very powerful spell - Expecto Patronum! With this incantation, you’ll have the chance to discover the animal form of your very own Patronus, the manifestation of your positive thoughts and your best weapon to drive away attacks from Dementors. That’s just a small taste of the magic that we have in store for you! More...

During <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/tgs12/">Tokyo Game Show</a> we announced that <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-plus/">PlayStation Plus</a> would be coming to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PlayStation Vita</a> in November. We are excited to reveal that PS Plus will be available on November 19th as part of the next PS Vita System Software Update (v2.00). I teamed up with Ray Bautista, Product Manager of Digital Platforms Strategic Planning to give you a sneak peek at the Instant Game Collection for PS Vita and all of the benefits and features that PS Plus has to offer. Today I’ll walk you through some of the other new features you can look forward to with the system software update, including an email app, the ability to transfer content wirelessly between your PS Vita and PC, and enhancements to the web browser. With the addition of PS Plus, and such a great lineup of exclusive games launching by this holiday, now is the perfect time to purchase a PS Vita. More...

This Wednesday, November 14th, the Thanksgiving festivities begin, Home Tycoon gets new sustainable building options, PanthaBots make their entrance, Konami releases new raver items, and more! Autumn is here, there’s a crisp zing to the air, the leaves are changing colors and Thanksgiving is nearly here! In Pier Park, we have a fall theme coming, complete with a full decor take-over, a Witch Hunt game and more. No, there are no turkeys to chase this year, but there are rewards-a-plenty to earn. In the spirit of community working together, there’s a banquet to make that requires a group effort. Can your team race to collect the ingredients in time to make the table as plentiful as this? Expand your dream city with the new Garden District and Sustainable Apartments this week in Home Tycoon from Hellfire Games! These new commercial and residential buildings from TransUtopia are now available in Home Tycoon’s Planner Mode under the TransUtopia categories. Get a sneak preview in the City Showcase over at the Home Tycoon Train Station today! More...

<a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/littlebigplanet-karting-ps3.html?CMP=soc_us__ac_sm_05_21_12">LittleBigPlanet Karting</a> is now out across the globe, and the community have already jumped straight into the brand new story to help Sackboy in his latest adventure against the Hoard. Some have even put their Karting creative skills to the test, and have begun publishing brand new LittleBigPlanet Karting levels for all to play. To help you find all of these creative wonders being published, we have a brand new website that will be joining our other LBP.me sites. Stepping on to the podium is… <a href="https://karting.lbp.me/">LBP.me Karting</a> is your pit stop for all of your LittleBigPlanet Karting community needs. You will be able to see the latest activity of your friends, popular levels and all of the latest community creations for LittleBigPlanet Karting! More...

Last week, we revealed that Resident Evil 5 would be free for <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-plus/">PS Plus</a> members. Now we’re welcoming Quantum Conundrum into the Instant Game Collection. It’s a ground-breaking title in its own right, so read on to learn a bit more about it, along with another great deal for Plus members. This update’s content will be in effect with the November 13th PS Store Update. Don’t have PlayStation Plus? Go to the PlayStation Store on your PS3 or click <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-plus/">here</a> to get access. <strong>November 13th PlayStation Plus Update</strong> Designed by Kim Swift (one of the original developers of the classic game Portal) , Quantum Conundrum is an amazing first person puzzler which gives you the power to hop through different dimensions, manipulating the very physical traits of the world around you in real time on a quest to save your inventor Uncle, More...

Greetings, PlayStation.Blog readers and <a href="http://www.atlus.com/">ATLUS</a> fans! I’m aware that some PlayStation RPG fans still haven’t heard of Persona 4 Golden, the latest in ATLUS’ best-selling Persona series, which hits North American store shelves and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PlayStation Network</a> on November 20th. So what is Persona? Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 is <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/shin-megami-tensei-persona-4">Metacritic’s PlayStation 2 Game of the Year</a> for 2008. Persona 4 places you in the shoes of a high school student who needs to strike a balance between school, a social life, learning more about his family, and, as it happens, investigating a series of gruesome murders that may or may not involve a psychedelic world that lies behind the screen of every television in town. Whether beating up Shadows or tackling schoolwork, the choices you make will come to affect how others see you, and how you see yourself. More...

There are few forthcoming <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PlayStation 3</a> titles that are quite so keenly anticipated as <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/beyond-two-souls/">Beyond: Two Souls</a>, the latest project from <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/quantic-dream/">Quantic Dream</a> – the idiosyncratic French developer behind acclaimed 2010 adventure <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/heavy-rain/">Heavy Rain</a>. Following the story of young Jodie Holmes (played by Hollywood starlet Ellen Page) and her mysterious supernatural companion, Aiden, it lit up <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/e312/">E3</a> earlier this year with its stunning reveal trailer. We’ve not heard too much since, so we caught up with Quantic’s founder, David Cage, at Paris Games Week for a quick progress update. More...

I wanted to give the PlayStation Nation the inside scoop on some cool things we have coming up for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/tekken-tag-tournament-2/">Tekken Tag Tournament 2</a> this week. Starting on Tuesday, November 13th, we will be offering Tekken Tag Tournament 2 as a download on <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-store/">PlayStation Store</a> for $49.99. For those of you doing the math right now, that’s $10 cheaper than a Blu-ray copy of the game. And for those of you who have not purchased the game yet and are looking for another excuse to download or grab a copy, we will be releasing the final timed character roster update this week as well! BOOM! HYPE! WISDOM! Monday night we’ll unleash the final Tekken fighters from their cages and let them loose on the internet for our dedicated fans. The new unlocked characters for feature three returning favorites: Dr. Boskonovitch, Unknown and Violet. It’s been a while since players have been able to get their hands on these characters and play as them themselves, with Dr. B last playable in Tekken 3, Unknown last playable in the original Tekken Tag Tournament and Violet in Tekken 4. It’s been a long time, but we think it has been worth the wait when you see the changes the team has made to the new characters. These guys are absolute beasts in the ring with new move sets since the last time we’ve seen them. More...

<p style="text-align: justify;">On <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> this week, Call of Duty: Black Ops II arrives with an all-new Call of Duty - Black Ops storyline featuring new characters and returning characters. A unique single-player campaign that contains two time periods linked by characters and their actions. As well as Special Strike Force missions, in which the players action affect the outcome of gameplay and the overall campaign, and of course a killer variety of multiplayer modes and play options.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">On <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> and on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a> as a digital download, bridging the storyline between the original Call of Duty: Black Ops and this year's highly anticipated follow-up, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified explores original fiction in the series, told through a collection of single player operations. The PS Vita exclusive title, brings classic Call of Duty-style gameplay to gamers on-the-go, offering a console gaming experience anytime, anywhere. And with touch screen and Near features, Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified puts the adrenaline-rush action of Call of Duty in the palm of your hands.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Enjoy this week’s <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/the-drop/">The Drop</a>.</p> More...