Commander Fury

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...

On the last day of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/comic-con12/">Comic-Con</a>, we were fortunate enough to have a <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-all-stars-battle-royale/">PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale</a> panel for the fans! Moderated by the one and only <a href="https://twitter.com/gameovergreggy">Greg Miller</a>, the panel started with <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/superbot-entertainment/">SuperBot</a>'s very own Chan Park and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/author/okendall/">Omar Kendall</a> explaining the studio's beginnings and its affinity towards the PlayStation universe and the fighting game genre. They then fielded questions from an eager audience, detailing various tidbits regarding the game including DLC plans, roster creation, stage hazards, level mash-ups, and game modes. The crowd was also presented with several videos to showcase the game, including trailers featuring our newest additions <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/15/playstation-all-stars-battle-royale-cole-and-jak-join-the-fight/">Cole MacGrath and Jak and Daxter</a>. These reveals were met with overwhelming enthusiasm, which is great because we have plenty more where that came from! More...

<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/dyad/">Dyad</a> is available today on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a> for $14.99 and $11.99 with a <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-plus/">PlayStation Plus</a> subscription. I'm really excited by all the positive reviews that Dyad's receiving. It currently has a <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/dyad">Metacritic score</a> of 87. It's been a crazy amount of hard work to finish it and bring it to you on the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PlayStation 3</a>. It's out today and I am extremely proud of it -- thanks for all the love and support! When Tim Rogers, director of Action Button Entertainment, first played Dyad he literally died. When he resurrected he demanded to be allowed to direct and co-star in his own Dyad advertisement with Vito Gesualdi. I hope you find their take on Dyad as hilarious as I do. More...

As the celebration of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/ratchet-clank/">Ratchet & Clank’s</a> 10th Anniversary has unfolded this year, we’ve received your anxious e-mails, tweets and Facebook messages asking us when you can get your hands on the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/03/15/the-ratchet-clank-collection-going-1080p-on-ps3-multiplayer-included/">Ratchet & Clank Collection</a> in North America. Today, we can tell you the remaster of three original PS2 Ratchet & Clank games will be available at retailers and via PlayStation Network on August 28th for $29.99! The Collection features 1080p HD remasters of three PS2 Ratchet & Clank classics: Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, and Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal. In addition, these three games have Trophy and 3D support (in 720p), and the fine folks over at <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/idol-minds/">Idol Minds</a> have restored online play to Up Your Arsenal. More...

This Wednesday, July 18th, the Juggernaut MiniBots Training Facility finally arrives to whip you and your MiniBots into shape, a spooktacularly exciting machinima creeps into the Community Theater, some summery tops from Granzella arrive, and more! Here’s the weekly must-do and get list: <strong>1. Juggernaut Games brings the MiniBots Training Facility to Home!</strong> This free personal space includes a third-person shooter for up to eight players. Unique furniture enables you to design a custom battlefield -- fight for dominance in Free-For-All Mode or team up in Team Training Mode. Check out the Armory to try out new weapons, gadgets and decorations and unlock additional rewards! More...

Great news sports fans! The most realistic baseball game available now has a new lower price. <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/mlb-12-the-show/">MLB 12 The Show</a> is now just $39.99 for PS3 and $29.99 for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/08/batter-up-mlb-12-the-show-for-ps3-and-ps-vita/">PS Vita</a>. The price drop is fresh off the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/09/mlb-12-the-show-predicts-the-2012-all-star-game-hr-derby-online-now-available/">recent news</a> that Home Run Derby is now playable online for the first time ever in MLB The Show through a free downloadable update via the PSN, adding even more ways to play the most comprehensive version of MLB The Show yet. The price drop also gives owners of both the PS3 and PS Vita hardware a chance to purchase both games for less than $70 combined, and enjoy cross-platform play by saving and continuing a single Season, Franchise or Road to The Show mode on either platform. More...

Hey everyone! I'm Ben, a Game Designer at <a href="http://giantsparrow.com/">Giant Sparrow</a>. Last Saturday, a bunch of us took a trip down to San Diego for Comic-Con, where we held a panel that focused on the art of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/the-unfinished-swan/">The Unfinished Swan</a>. We want to thank everyone who attended -- you’re all beautiful people. If you couldn’t make it to the panel, we’ve put together this highlight reel so you can watch all the good parts! The panel was hosted by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Webb">Morgan Webb</a>, who made sure things went super smooth as we discussed the ups and downs of developing such a unique game. On stage we had <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/author/idallas/">Ian Dallas</a>, Hokyo Lim, Max Geiger, and me. We showed off some never-before-seen concept art, and talked about how we developed the art style for The Unfinished Swan. More...

Earlier this month, we delivered a <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/07/02/new-games-coming-to-playstation-plus-instant-game-collection/">big update to your PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection</a> with the addition of great games like Gotham City Impostors, Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, and Renegade Ops. These three games continue to be free for Plus members, in addition to nine more free AAA games, like LittleBigPlanet 2, inFAMOUS 2, and Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One. That’s not all for this month, though! To round out July (and even getting a bit into August), we’ve got even more goodness for Plus members! <strong><a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/dyad-ps3.html">Dyad</a> – 20% Off:</strong> Dyad is an abstract game that is influenced by many genres, including racing games, fighting games, puzzle games and classic arcade shooters. Each of the game’s 27 different levels utilizes a variety of mechanics and present unique challenges: forming long combos, racing, surviving as long as possible, hitting certain top speeds, and more. More...

Let’s start the week with another community spotlight. This time, we’re tipping our collective hats to the cool guys who run the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/sackinima">Sackinima YouTube Channel</a>. Sackinima features an impressive collection of videos including machinima and community-level videos. With special permission, they even released some amazing gameplay videos from the recent <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/littlebigplanet-vita/">LittleBigPlanet Vita</a> beta, which showcased some of the amazing talent seen in the beta. These guys have been producing great videos for so long and for that reason, we will be bestowing a Rare Prize Crown to each of them. Congratulations guys! Keep up with the great videos! More...