Commander Fury

By popular demand, this Wednesday, July 25th, Street Fighter Total Game Integration event returns as its own dedicated game. On top of that, The Casino offers new collectible freebies to the community, Lockwood releases some awesome dinosaur companions, and more! Here’s the weekly must-do and get list. <strong>1. Street Fighter Total Game Integration returns to PlayStation Home this week as its own dedicated game space.</strong> Square off against friends and foes, and brawl using your avatars! Kick your way over there, starting Wednesday. <strong>2. Magnus presents the latest episode of his Virtual Item Showcase.</strong> From dinosaurs to insect-inspired tattoos, there’s tons of great collectibles coming to the PlayStation Home Mall this week. Check it out! More...

Malicious is available on PlayStation Network today! If you’ve had a craving for an addictive, fast-paced action game, this is exactly what you’ve been waiting for. In <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/malicious/">Malicious</a>, you have the ability to jump right into boss battles, acquire new skills by defeating them, and eliminate Malicious to save the kingdom of Santville. Developed by <a href="http://malicious.alvion.jp/">Alvion</a> and exclusive to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PlayStation 3</a>, Malicious will be available for $9.99 when the PlayStation Store updates today. If you are a PlayStation Plus member, you’ll nab the game at a 20% discount (until August 7th). Also, as promised in the previous post, we’re also releasing a ton of avatars and dynamic themes today -- be sure to check them out! More...

<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/author/jmikyska/'>http://blog.us.playstation.com/author/jmikyska/">Jakub</a> from <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/grip-games/'>http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/grip-games/">Grip Games</a> here! Today is a great day for our small indie studio -- <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/foosball-2012/'>http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/foosball-2012/">Foosball 2012</a> is out today on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/'>http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a>! I'm stopping by the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/">PS.Blog</a> today to answer a few questions about the game. Foosball 2012 is another entry in the line of not-so-typical-for-a-console-game sports, like darts, bowling, pool, or golf that we have seen recently on the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-store/">PlayStation Store</a>. If you weren't sure which platform to get the game on, we think you'll appreciate that when you buy the game for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a>, you'll get the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> version for free and the other way around! A lot of people ask us “Why foosball?†and we keep telling them “Why not?†Other games that wouldn't seem to be well-suited to a console experience managed to capture the essence of those games, and we hope to do the same with Foosball 2012. More...

Calling all golf fans! Update 1.04 for <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/games-and-media/psv-hot-shots-golf-world-invitational.html">Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational</a> on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PlayStation Vita</a> has arrived! Here’s what to expect the next time you hit the fairways: <h4>Invite friends to play in private tournaments</h4> Whereas before you could only play in Real Mode tournaments that were open to all, now you can create private tournaments for you and up to seven friends, as well as private rooms in the online lobby space. Out on the course, you’ll be able to see your opponent’s ball after each shot, and between holes you can also use text chat to communicate with your friends, on the scorecard screen. More...

<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/littlebigplanet/">LittleBigPlanet</a> will soon be graced by the presence of eight very special ladies, with our upcoming Disney Princesses Costume Packs. Belle, Aurora, Tiana, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jasmine, Snow White and even little Ariel will all be ready for the LittleBigPlanet Ball when the packs release next month. To celebrate the release of the Disney Princesses Costume Packs, we have this rather lovely wallpaper of our princesses to share with you. Next week will see the release of Disney Princesses Costume Pack 1, which will contain Aurora, Cinderella, Jasmine and Snow White. The remaining Princesses will be part of the Disney Princesses Costume Pack 2, just a couple weeks after that. Stay tuned to Sack it to Me for more news on the Disney Princesses Costume Packs! More...

One of the worst ways to realize you're getting old is when something you hold dear reaches a certain age. That being said, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Gear">Metal Gear</a> celebrates its 25th anniversary this month. The Metal Gear series, although not originally created for PlayStation consoles, began to reach its current level of popularity in 1998 when Metal Gear Solid was released on the original PlayStation. We met with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hideo_Kojima">Hideo Kojima</a> to talk about his thoughts on the series' landmark games, and to discuss what's in store for the future's franchise. <strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Gear_(video_game)">Metal Gear</a> -- 1987 (MSX2)</strong> <strong>Hideo Kojima:</strong> This is the year I began working in the video game industry, as a game designer and planner. I was very young -- among the first generation in the industry in Japan. More...

<p style="text-align: justify;">Coming to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> this week, Adidas MiCoach brings the popular miCoach interactive athletic training system to the PlayStation 3. Many of the world's most well-known adidas athletes are featured in the game, including Dwight Howard, Kaká, Tyson Gay, Jessica Ennis, Ana Ivanovi More...

We're at the end of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/dyad/">Dyad</a> launch week here on PlayStation.Blog. If you've already read creator Shawn McGrath's <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/17/dyad-will-blow-your-mind-today/">launch post</a> and heard him on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/19/playstation-blogcast-034-beyond-borderlands-2/">this week's Blogcast</a>, you can find reviews from a myriad of gaming sites below. Spoiler alert: people like it. <strong>The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Week of July 16th, 2012)</strong> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/dyad-review/">Dyad review: Where is my mind? - Joystiq</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2012/7/16/3162881/dyad-review">'Dyad' review: light cycle - The Verge</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.destructoid.com/ni-no-kuni-ninostarter-adds-extras-to-wizard-s-edition-231680.phtml?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Destructoid+%28Destructoid%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Ni no Kuni 'Ninostarter' adds extras to Wizard's Edition - Destructoid</a></li> <li><A HREF="http://www.gamespot.com/dyad-2012/reviews/dyad-review-6388172/" ADD_DATE="1342977856" PRIVATE="0" TAGS="">Dyad Reviews - GameSpot.com</A></li></ul> More...

Though I'm away on vacation for most of this week, like many of you I'll be heading out this weekend to watch Christopher Nolan's latest superhero epic. It's been a big week for PlayStation news, too: in addition to the top 10 stories below, this week saw confirmed release dates for two new PS Vita games (<a href="blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/18/puddle-splashes-on-to-ps-vita-next-week/">Puddle</a> and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/18/foosball-2012-flipping-on-to-ps3-and-ps-vita-next-tuesday/">Foosball 2012</a>), an update on the PS3-exclusive RPG <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/20/tales-of-xillia-coming-to-ps3-namco-bandai-answers-your-questions/">Tales of Xillia</a>, news of a PS3 and PSP launch for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/19/wizorb-brings-block-breaking-magic-to-ps-minis-tuesday/">Wizorb</a>, the announcement of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/20/sound-shapes-gets-its-beck-on-with-new-exclusive-tracks/">Beck tracks</a> for Sound Shapes, Comic-Con panel highlights for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/17/watch-playstation-all-stars-battle-royale-comic-con-panel-highlights/">PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale</a> and PSN gem <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/16/watch-the-unfinished-swans-comic-con-panel-here/">The Unfinished Swan</a>, news of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/16/mlb-12-the-show-a-new-low-price-for-ps3-and-ps-vita/">a new low price</a> for MLB 12 The Show on PS3 and PS Vita, a GT Academy <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/17/gt-academy-top-16-drivers-advance-to-silverstone/">Silverstone update</a>, and a cute <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/19/when-vikings-attack-character-design-contest/">character-design contest</a> for the upcoming PS3 and PS Vita arcade game When Vikings Attack! More...

It’s the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/psn-spotlight/">PSN Community Spotlight</a>! For the uninitiated, this is your chance to tell your unique PlayStation story as submitted to this special section in the new and improved <a href="http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PSN-Community-Meets-the-PS-Blog/bd-p/22802">PlayStation Community Forums</a>. Those that find their way to the PlayStation Blog will find a $50 PlayStation Store voucher in their inbox. This week’s story comes from PSN member <a href="http://us.playstation.com/publictrophy/index.htm?onlinename=Calvin-The-Bold">Calvin-The-Bold</a>. With convention season in full swing, it was great to see a story about some of the most compelling attendees of these shows: the cosplayers! Read on to see how PlayStation influenced this gamer’s decision to step into the roles of some of gaming’s favorite characters. More...

Earlier this month, NAMCO BANDAI announced (<a href=" ">via Twitter</a>, no less), that they’d follow <a href="http://namcobandaigames.com/console/tales-of-graces-f">Tales of Graces f</a>’s North American release with <a href="http://www.siliconera.com/2012/07/06/tales-of-xillia-announced-for-north-america-and-europe/">a Western version of Tales of Xillia</a>. This PS3-exclusive RPG is a celebration of sorts for the Tales series of RPGs, which had been around for 15 years at the time of the game’s release in Japan. But rather than just rehash classic elements, the Tales team took some chances, crafting a new battle system and a more grown-up visual style. The result, <a href="http://andriasang.com/comxu6/tales_of_xillia_famitsu_score/">according to Famitsu</a>, is the best Tales game yet. More...

Hello chaps and chapettes! There’s just under three weeks until the release of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/sound-shapes/">Sound Shapes</a> on PS Vita and PS3 on August 7th, and it's time we sat down and had a serious chat with you. You see, we've been keeping a secret from you. Yes, here in <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/queasy-games/">Queasy</a> Towers, our glittering skyscraper in downtown Toronto, so beloved by the city that they’re building us a moat (they claim they’re upgrading streetcar lines, but we know what they’re really doing), we have been hiding someone from you. Although to this point we’ve revealed stars that shine as brightly as <a href="http://www.deadmau5.com/">Deadmau5</a> and <a href="http://www.jimguthrie.org/">Jim Guthrie</a>, it wasn't until yesterday that we were able to sneak out the news that Grammy Award-winning musician <a href="http://www.beck.com/">Beck</a>—mastermind behind Mellow Gold, Odelay and most recently 2008's Modern Guilt—has been working with us on an exclusive set of three tracks for the game. More...

This week, the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/music-unlimited/">Music Unlimited</a> service features <a href="http://blog.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/2012/07/17/new-releases-on-the-music-unlimited-service-71712/">new releases</a> from Frank Ocean and HELLYEAH, as well as titles from artists including Nas, No Doubt, Boys Like Girls, Matisyahu, Bloc Party, The Killers, and many more. Plus, don’t forget to enter to win a VIP Concert experience in Chicago during one for the biggest music events of the year! Tickets to Lollapalooza, FILTER Magazine after parties, flights and hotel are all for grabs in our new sweepstakes -- head over to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sonyentertainment">Sony Entertainment Network Facebook page</a> and enter now – the promotion ends TONIGHT AT 11:59 PM PDT!!! More...

<blockquote><strong>Subscription Links:</strong> <ul><li>Subscribe via <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/the-official-playstation-blogcast/id483223024">iTunes</a> </li> <li>Subscribe via <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheOfficialPlaystationBlogcast">RSS here</a></li> <li>Download the <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/playstation/34_Episode_034__Borderlands_2_and_A.mp3">MP3 here</a> on PS3, PS Vita or PC (Right-Click->Save As)</li></ul></blockquote> We're celebrating Dyad launch week here at PlayStation.Blog, so we welcome the game's creator <a href="https://twitter.com/Dyadgame">Shawn McGrath</a> into <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/author/sshuman/">Sid</a>'s vacant, but still warm chair. Gearbox CEO <a href="https://twitter.com/DuvalMagic">Randy Pitchford</a> talks <a href="http://www.borderlands2.com/">Borderlands 2</a> in an interview, and details the improvements that PS3 owners will notice in the sequel. More...

Though fundamentally a third-person shooter, the Ratchet & Clank series has rarely shied from bold genre experimentation: witness the progressive competitive and co-op modes of Ratchet: Deadlocked, the brain-busting temporal puzzles of A Crack in Time, even the four-player feuding of last year’s <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/ratchet-clank-all-4-one/">All 4 One</a>. But with <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/ratchet-clank-full-frontal-assault/">Full Frontal Assault</a>, the storied series will undergo incorporate what is perhaps its most sweeping metamorphosis interesting twist yet, creating what developer<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/insomniac-games/"> Insomniac Games</a> is calling “action tower defense.†Yep, Ratchet’s going all <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/pixeljunk-monsters/">PixelJunk Monsters</a> on us. This is a logical, some might say inevitable, evolution when you consider the series’ gameplay trajectory, which despite its myriad twists and turns has focused squarely on two core elements: ludicrously powerful weaponry and freakish alien foes. In other words, the raw ingredients for a mean tower defense game. “One of the things we wanted to explore with Full Frontal Assault was large, sprawling battlefields,†Production Director Shaun McCabe told me. “The large battlefields in Up Your Arsenal and A Crack in Time added a lot of player choice. The decision to add tower defense felt organic...exploring large open battlefields and then returning to your base to set up defenses.†McCabe cited tower defense games like Dungeon Defenders and Orcs Must Die as key inspirations for Full Frontal Assault. More...

PlayStation always strives to extract engaging performances for its titles by utilizing incredible talent. Who can forget Nolan North's performance as <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/uncharted/">UNCHARTED's</a> Nathan Drake? <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/beyond-two-souls/">BEYOND: Two Souls</a> pushes immersion to the next level by pairing top Hollywood talent with the latest in full performance capture technology. At last week’s <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/comic-con12/">San Diego Comic-Con</a>, I sat down with Academy Award nominee <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Page">Ellen Page</a>, who’s playing the lead role of Jodie Holmes, and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/quantic-dream/">Quantic Dream</a> writer/director David Cage. How did the star of films like Juno and Inception come to work with Quantic Dream in BEYOND: Two Souls? And what does this level of talent mean for the game? Let them tell you: More...

Would you like to help the war effort against the Viking hordes? How about win a <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PlayStation Vita</a> whilst your own character design is implemented in <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/when-vikings-attack/">When Vikings Attack!</a> as a playable character? Well now you can, thanks to the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/games-and-media/psv-when-vikings-attack.html'>http://us.playstation.com/psvita/games-and-media/psv-when-vikings-attack.html">When Vikings Attack!</a> Character Design Contest that begins today! PlayStation and the awesome guys over at <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/clever-beans/">Clever Beans</a> are offering one lucky gamer the opportunity to design a character in our upcoming Viking ‘em up for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a>. Need a catch up on the game? Here’s Martin and Andrew from <a href="http://www.cleverbeans.co.uk/">Clever Beans</a> being all British at <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/e312/">E3</a>, describing <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/when-vikings-attack-ps3.html">When Vikings Attack!</a> for both <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> and <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/">PS Vita</a>. More...

Hi there! <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/author/amenshikov/">Alexey Menshikov</a> from <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/beatshapers/">Beatshapers</a> and Jonathan Lavigne from <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/tribute-games/">Tribute Games</a> here. We're stopping by to let you know <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/wizorb/">Wizorb</a> for Playstation minis will be available on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-store/">PlayStation Store</a> in North America for $3.99, on July 24th! You'll be able to play on your <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a>, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psp/">PSP</a>, and eventually on your <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a>. <a href="http://www.wizorb.com/">Wizorb</a> is a unique combination of classic block-breaking action and light RPG elements. The game features a charming a pixel art style, an engaging storyline, epic boss fights, and various worlds to explore. More...

Hello, I’m Sébastien from Neko Entertainment. We came out with a game earlier this year called Puddle, and we're bringing it to PS Vita next week! Puddle began as a project by six students of the video game school ENJMIN. It won a Student Showcase prize at the Independent Gaming Festival at GDC 2010, and was later picked up by Neko Entertainment. There, those same six students were able to turn it into a full-fledged game. After we released the game on PS3, we worked hard to get a better handle on the game's mechanics, so we'd be able to deliver a new version of Puddle on PS Vita. We paid particular attention to feedback from PS3 players when working on the PS Vita version -- which will have many exclusive features! More...

Hey everyone James from Insomniac Games here. Our team of veteran Insomniacs in North Carolina has been hard at work developing Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault, and today I’m happy to share new details surrounding <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/ratchet-clank/">Ratchet & Clank’s</a> latest PSN adventure. Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault heads back to the classic camera, weapons and third-person Ratchet gameplay that the series is known for, while adding a new tower defense element that will have you building and defending a base against invasions using your ultimate Ratchet & Clank arsenal. This new twist, added to the classic Ratchet gameplay, brings a whole new level of strategy and decision-making to Full Frontal Assault. You’ll want to make sure your Hoverboots are laced up and ready as you race to defeat your enemy while keeping your base secure. Wait, Hoverboots don’t have laces... More...

Hey everyone, Jakub from <a href="http://www.grip-games.com/">Grip Games</a> here. For the past few weeks, I've been keeping you up-to-date with news about our upcoming PS3 and PS Vita game <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/foosball-2012/">Foosball 2012</a>. Today, I can finally tell you when the game will be released and how much it will cost! You'll be able to scratch that foosball itch on July 24th, when the game launches on the PlayStation Store. It will cost you only $7.99 for which will get both the PS3 version and the PS Vita version, so you’ll be able to fully enjoy the awesome cross-platform features we have implemented in the game. <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-plus/">PlayStation Plus</a> subscribers will enjoy a limited-time discount, netting the game for just $5.99! More...

Hi PlayStation.Blog readers! I hope you’re ready for some big laughs, because there's a brand new app coming to PS3 called The Laugh Factory LIVE. It's the first live comedy application available on <em>any</em> console, and it is coming exclusively to PlayStation 3. Comedy aficionados may recognize the Laugh Factory name. The Hollywood-based club has hosted some of the best talent in the business over the years -- recent acts include names like Dave Chappelle and Dane Cook, for example -- the number of high-caliber comedians who have have performed at the Laugh Factory is second to none. With The Laugh Factory LIVE, you’ll be able to relive some of the best moments of the club’s past, as well as watch live comedy performances, right from your PlayStation 3. More...

In San Diego this past week, we were floored to see how many people turned out for Comic-Con! The highlight of our very busy weekend was our Last of Us panel. We couldn't believe how long some people waited in line to attend our panel on Friday. Some amazing cosplayers came by, and the room was just packed in general. The enthusiasm there was infectious and truly exciting. If you weren't around to see the panel, here's a condensed look... We had The Last of Us Creative Director, Neil Druckmann, and Game Director, Bruce Straley, discuss various game inspirations and dive deeper into the characters, the plausible science behind the game, and the character acting behind the scenes. More...

The GT Academy National Finals quickly came to a close, after two days of intense competition. The nation’s top 32 racers battled at Jolt’n Joe’s Restaurant in downtown San Diego, July 13th and 14th. The top 16 virtual racers will fly to the world-renowned Silverstone racing circuit in the UK to participate in a week-long boot camp in August, which will be televised and aired on Spike TV's GT Academy television series later this year. GT Academy North America finalists will be judged and eliminated by an expert panel of racing professionals, based on each competitor's skills, performance and overall aptitude for the requirements to become a professional racer. The top driver will train under the guidance of professional racing drivers and compete in selected races for a Nissan racing team. More...

Highly-anticipated PSN releases make up this week’s PlayStation Store Update. Read on to find out which Games, Add-Ons, and other content you'll want to to add to your digital collection this week. <h3>PS3 Full Games</h3> <strong>Crysis 2 - Maximum Edition (Includes Add-Ons) ($29.99)</strong> Aliens are decimating New York City, with a full invasion force bent on the total annihilation of mankind. Neither paramilitary law enforcement nor the might of the US military can stand against the invaders. More...