Commander Fury

This week, the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/music-unlimited/">Music Unlimited Service</a> welcomes <a href="http://blog.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/2012/04/17/new-releases-on-the-music-unlimited-service-41712/">new releases</a> from Train, Jason Mraz, and Dry the River. Other featured titles this week include Jack Johnson, Neon Trees, Bob Marley & The Wailers and Lisa Lampenelli. The <a href="https://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/video-unlimited/">Video Unlimited Service</a> this week adds Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol starring Tom Cruise to New Releases, as well as season five of Eureka in TV Shows. Also, it’s all about slackers in this week’s Own $5 Films -- for just 5 bucks, own great flicks like Take Me Home Tonight, The Rocker, and The 41 Year Old Virgin in SD. Get the full details on this week’s highlights <a href="http://blog.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/2012/04/17/new-on-the-video-unlimited-service-this-week-417-2/">here</a>. More...

Denizens of the Blog of PlayStation, You know how you’re really excited for something and then something happens and you get even <em>more</em> excited? Like that time you found out they were making a movie for The Hobbit and you were excited...but kinda bummed that Peter Jackson wouldn’t be directing it. But guess what happened: Peter Jackson announced that he *would* in fact direct it, and you got a heck of a lot more excited. Right? Remember Dragon’s Crown, the next project from Vanillaware announced at last E3, a multiplayer action RPG with beautiful hand-drawn visuals slated to come to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a>? 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/21_Episode_021__Capcom_Crossplay.mp3">MP3 here</a> (Right-Click->Save As)</li></ul></blockquote> <p class="center"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://player.wizzard.tv/player/o/j/x/133487895201/config/k-56a55a55c60a6428/uuid/root/height/250/width/500/episode/k-1de836e6b8a2bb05.m4v"></script></p> Today's show is bursting with goodness -- we welcome back Seth Killian, Capcom's Special Combat Advisor, to walk us through the many enhancements of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/street-fighter-x-tekken/">Street Fighter x Tekken</a> for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> (including much-requested PS3 crossplay support). Seth also dishes on the rest of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/capcom/">Capcom</a>'s 2012 and 2013 lineup, including <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/04/10/captivate-2012-resident-evil-6-in-october-sf-x-tekken-vita-cross-play-lost-planet-3-dmc-update/">Devil May Cry, Resident Evil 6, and Lost Planet 3</a>. We also welcome special guest and PlayStation.Blog correspondent <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/author/aburt1/">Andy Burt</a>, who talks about his experiences at <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/namcobandai/">Namco Bandai</a>'s recent Gamer's Day -- and that means a heaping helping of new <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/ni-no-kuni-wrath-of-the-white-witch/">Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch</a> details. More...

“One Piece†is a household name in Japan, where the mangas and anime series are among the most popular series of all time. The series follows Monkey D. Luffy, a seafaring pirate in search of treasure on the high seas, who possesses the strange ability to stretch his limbs to cartoonish lengths after eating a mysterious fruit. While only a handful of the games created in the One Piece universe have seen releases Stateside, the release of PS3-exclusive One Piece: Pirate Warriors sees the series return to the US. I recently went hands-on with a Japanese build of the game at <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/namcobandai/">Namco Bandai's</a> Gamers Day, checking out Pirate Warriors’ brawler-based gameplay and over-the-top anime antics. More...

Howdy everyone! Ryan from <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/nis/">NIS America</a> here, dropping by to talk about our upcoming PS3-exclusive title <a href="http://nisamerica.com/games/atelier-meruru/">Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland</a>! Due out May 22nd in North America, this is the final game in the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/05/24/niss-playstation-lineup-bleach-aterlier-totori-disgaea-4-cladun-x2/">Atelier Arland</a> trilogy and we are super excited for its US debut. For those new to the Atelier series, they are RPG games that revolve heavily around adventuring and using alchemy to synthesize items, weapons, and armor. In order to make items with alchemy, you will be out leveling up your characters and gathering materials in various areas. Although Atelier Meruru is the third title in the Arland trilogy, the story itself is independent from the previous two titles, so you can totally pick it up and enjoy it without having previous knowledge of the backstory. For those who have played the other two Arland games, you can definitely look forward to seeing familiar characters from the previous two titles! More...

<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3/">Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3</a> Content Collection 1 arrives in the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-store/">PlayStation Store</a> today, and it brings with it a whole weekend of double XP. This is the biggest DLC collection in franchise history, offering four multiplayer/Survival mode maps – Piazza, Liberation, Overwatch, and Black Box – as well as two all-new Special Ops missions, Black Ice and Negotiator. That kind of content doesn't just make itself, so I asked Mark Rubin, Executive Producer at <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/infinity-ward/">Infinity Ward</a>, for some insight into how the studio approaches making add-on content for MW3. More...

Hi everyone! I’m Todd Papy, the game director of the recently announced <a href="http://www.godofwar.com/">God of War: Ascension</a>. As most of you were recently made aware, God of War: Ascension will be coming exclusively to PlayStation 3. For those of you who haven’t had a chance to check out what the team at Sony Santa Monica Studios has been working on, I’m excited to present you with our very first trailer. Watch it and let us know what you think in the comments! I’m sure your mouth is watering for more, but unfortunately I have to leave you with that for now. Be sure to tune in to PlayStation.Blog on Monday, April 30th at 8am Pacific Time for a live streaming event that will give you a glimpse of what’s in store for God of War: Ascension. More...

The next game in the God of War franchise has been announced <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gygX2TRdEXodF6wY2itUwXvmofs/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gygX2TRdEXodF6wY2itUwXvmofs/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gygX2TRdEXodF6wY2itUwXvmofs/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gygX2TRdEXodF6wY2itUwXvmofs/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/UrgentFuryUnleashed?a=wNQgCGL-gbk:jcHMJ2GT3cM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/UrgentFuryUnleashed?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/UrgentFuryUnleashed?a=wNQgCGL-gbk:jcHMJ2GT3cM:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/UrgentFuryUnleashed?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/UrgentFuryUnleashed?a=wNQgCGL-gbk:jcHMJ2GT3cM:Ly1H5S7uc7A"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/UrgentFuryUnleashed?d=Ly1H5S7uc7A" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/UrgentFuryUnleashed/~4/wNQgCGL-gbk" height="1" width="1"/> More...

<blockquote><em>If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, come by our community meetup <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/356881931028574/">tonight</a> to go hands-on with Resistance: Burning Skies in a kill-or-be-killed multiplayer tournament!</em></blockquote> If it’s true that a shooter is only as good as its weapons, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/resistance-burning-skies/">Resistance: Burning Skies</a> is shaping up to be a delight indeed. Take the Mule, a new double-barreled shotgun that dishes out devastating buckshot blasts and launches explosive bolts via its over-barrel crossbow. Or the ever-popular Auger, whose projectiles hungrily chew through walls to seek out warm flesh. But my favorite gun so far is the lethal Hunter rifle, a long-range Chimeran burst-fire weapon with the ability to deploy an attack drone that you can guide towards your multiplayer foes with taps on the front touchscreen -- tres sophisticated! More...

Last week in New York City I was fortunate enough to show off <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/dyad/'>http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/dyad/">Dyad</a>, the almost-ready-done-really-soon-I-promise game coming to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/'>http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a> for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/'>http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a>. During our NYC showcase, the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/">PlayStation.Blog</a> crew was kind enough to stop by and conduct a quick Q&A and gameplay session, and you can watch the results in this new original video. Each of the game’s 27 different levels touch upon a variety of mechanics and goals: forming long combos, racing, surviving as long as possible, hitting certain top speeds and more. And the game’s 26 special Trophy levels have challenging alternate goals, whether it’s playing just by using sound or collecting objects as quickly as possible. Since each level has a corresponding leaderboard to track online rankings, Dyad boasts a huge number of leaderboards -- 52 in all, each requiring a unique set of skills to master. More...

House of the Dead fans, another blockbuster adventure arrives with House of the Dead 4! Hot from the arcades and exclusively on PlayStation Network, it marks the first time House of the Dead 4 is available to play at home, and for only $9.99. Play as AMS Agent James Taylor or Kate Green and save the world by fighting against an old enemy and hordes of unforgiving evil creatures in this unforgettable House of the Dead adventure. HoD4 also fully supports PlayStation Move, multiplayer modes, and for a limited time, is available with a 30% discount for PlayStation Plus subscribers! We’ve also got great new PS Vita content to check out. Fans of last year’s PSN hit StarDone will be excited to see <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/04/12/stardrone-extreme-coming-to-ps-vita-next-week/">StarDrone Extreme</a> on PS Vita. Featuring revamped levels from the original PS3 version as well as a ton of brand-new exclusive PS Vita levels; this velocity-based puzzler promises a breakthrough experience on PS Vita for only $3.99. Don’t forget that the PlayStation 3 version of StarDrone is getting updated, featuring cross-continued gameplay with PS Vita version via Cloud Save and Cloud Load feature allowing you to exchange your current progress between the two platforms. More...

We’re pleased to confirm that Axel will be available to all <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/twisted-metal/">Twisted Metal</a> players with the upcoming free patch on April 18th. If you missed him through early pre-order access, this will be your chance to deal some serious destruction in new ways. Bothered by some unrelenting enemies? Blow them away with Axel’s signature Crowd Control attack, or run them right over with his ruthless War Wheel alternate special attack. You can learn more about Axel gameplay strategies (along with strategies for all vehicles) in the Twisted Metal University series at <a href="http://twistedmetal.com/media/">twistedmetal.com</a>. After studying up on your vehicle of choice, take it for a spin in online multiplayer where we’ve tirelessly been working on updates driven by user feedback. Give it a try and keep the feedback coming! More...

<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/namcobandai/">Namco Bandai</a> recently hosted a media event in Las Vegas that showcased a slew of upcoming titles coming to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> in 2012 and beyond. Based on the lineup, there are a number of games in the works from the veteran publisher that warrant attention from PS3 owners. See below for a full round-up, and keep an eye out for in-depth previews of these games right here on the PlayStation.Blog! <h4>Tekken Tag Tournament 2</h4> The storied fighting game series is finally headed to PS3. Tekken Tag Tournament 2 features all of the improvements Namco included over its predecessor in the arcade version, and throws even more characters into the mix: the final game will include over 50 playable combatants. Series director Katsuhiro Harada said that they have no desire to make these characters available through paid DLC, which is good news for fight fans. The console version also throws in a new mode called Fight Lab, a training mode that incorporates many mini-game elements from past games, while simultaneously teaching players new skills to add to their repertoire. More...

It's been quite a while since <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/namcobandai/">Namco Bandai Games</a> first announced PS3-exclusive Ni No Kuni: Wrath of The White Witch. A collaborative effort between veteran RPG maker <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/level-5/">Level-5</a> and veteran animation house <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_Ghibli">Studio Ghibli</a>, Ni No Kuni promises to seamlessly blend Ghibli's gorgeous art style with Level-5's RPG chops for a completely unique experience not seen on PS3 until now. I went hands-on with the game at Namco Bandai's recent media event in Las Vegas, exploring the lush world of Ni No Kuni, battling a plethora of creatures, and traversing through a pig-obsessed city appropriately titled Hamelin. If you haven't yet, check out the gorgeous new trailer for Ni No Kuni: Wrath of The White Witch above. More...

Thanks to the storytelling wizardry and storytelling chops of J.J. Abrams and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Robot">Bad Robot</a>, one of the most beloved sci-fi series in history teeters on the brink of a renaissance among fans and newcomers alike. With Star Trek for PS3, developer <a href="http://www.digitalextremes.com/">Digital Extremes</a> is crafting a standalone story that takes place between the 2009 film and the upcoming sequel. The hope: to boldly go where no licensed game has gone before. Star Trek is a cooperative third-person shooter, but that description doesn't do the game much justice. The two controllable characters, Captain Kirk and Spock, both experience the story differently, with branching paths and narratives that will give the game a substantial amount of replay value. More...

<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PlayStation Vita</a> owners can look forward to a trio of free applications to help you make the most of the handheld console’s unique features, the first of which will be available to download this week, on 18 April. Turning the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/">PS Vita</a>’s impressive 5â€OLED screen into a sketch pad, Paint Park is fun for beginners and expert artists alike. Using PS Vita’s touchscreen to make and share drawings; you can doodle, sketch and scribble quickly and easily with the virtual markers and on-screen colour palette. The PS Vita’s front and rear cameras can play a part too, as you can take pictures and add your own creative imaginings to them. Simple and fun Paint Park can also be a socially rewarding as users can share their work and even compete with up to five friends in the online multiplayer via the Ad Hoc mode. More...

As you’re no doubt aware, Sonic 4 Episode II will be upon us in due course. I’m just here to give an overview of one of the features we’re most proud of in the upcoming game – Collaborative Gameplay between Sonic and Tails. Sonic can now team up at any point in the game with Tails, by utilising one of three combo moves in order to progress through some of the more challenging parts of a level. Firstly, we have the Copter Combo (fans of the earlier Sonic titles will remember this from Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles) which allows players to take control of Tails to lift Sonic up and over objects or onto previously unobtainable platforms. Secondly, the Submarine Combo allows players to overcome Sonic’s big weakness, his inability to swim. Tails can now pick up Sonic and swim through the water scuba style, meaning that Sonic now has a way to speed through the underwater parts of a level. Meaning that whilst you still need to collect those all-important air bubbles to stay alive, you’re in much less of a hurry thanks to Tails support. More...

It’s no secret that electronica artist deadmau5 signed on with Toronto-based Queasy Games to collaborate on the upcoming <a href="https://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita </a>musical platformer <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/sound-shapes/">Sound Shapes</a>. But last week we finally tasted the succulent fruits of that creative collaboration. During a media showcase in New York City, Sound Shapes Producer Jason deGroot kindly demonstrated a new set of levels (a “Record†in the game’s lingo) that featured audio effects provided by the mousey maestro and pixelicious art courtesy of indie developer <a href="http://www.pixeljam.com/">Pixel Jam</a>. You can analyze the results for yourself below -- headphones recommended! It’s worth noting that deadmau5’s album tracks, such as the pop cut “Ghosts ‘n Stuff,†won’t be appearing in <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/games-and-media/psv-sound-shapes.html">Sound Shapes</a>. And that’s by design: the game’s interactive soundtrack synthesizes with your platforming progress, making each “performance†a unique arrangement. More...

<h4>LittleBigPlanet 2: Update 1.12!</h4> Update 1.12 for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/littlebigplanet-2/">LittleBigPlanet 2</a> will be out this week, and it will introduce a few nifty features to the game. <strong>Dive-In</strong> The Dive-In feature has now been moved to the top of the Community menu, and has been vastly rewired and improved to help players easily find some new Sackfolk to play with during their adventures! <strong>Boo-Be-Gone</strong> To help encourage creativity, we have removed the Boos from the Level Rating System. You can still Yay a level to say that you really liked it, but we found that the Boo ratings were disheartening at best, and could be used to cause grief amongst the community. More...

This Wednesday, April 18th, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/04/09/playstation-home-exclusive-x7-club-opens-this-week-novus-prime-5-5-update/">exclusive x7</a> perks continue as more early-access items will roll out, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/lockwood/">Lockwood</a> shares another sneak peek at their upcoming <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/sodium-2/">Sodium 2</a> update and releases some adorable new safari-inspired companions, and a new, vibrant collection from Konami Raver clothing gets ready to light up the night. <strong>x7 Early Access Update</strong>—Members of x7 will gain early access to several new items this week including a not-so-furry Robotic Cat Companion and Active Item bundled together, some “metaâ€-physical auras from the four elements Flame, Aqua, Earth and Air, and more. First thing Wednesday morning, head to x7 to pick up these new items. More...

Fingers crossed the term above has no impending underground or urban double-meaning. Either way, if you are not modding you should be. It’s a lot of fun! “Adults†can deny all they’d like, yet creating your own personal Mods in <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/modnation-racers-road-trip/">ModNation Racers: Road Trip</a> (<a href="https://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">Vita</a>) takes us back to those memorable, endless days of playing with our action figures and figurettes (some still do? oops, my bad). Enjoy this very informative tutorial to help you create that ultimate Mod you have been dreaming of… <strong> ModNation Racers Two-Year Anniversary Celebration Coming Soon! </strong> Keep your eyes and ears peeled to this blog over the next few weeks as we begin to roll out plans for ModNation-Palooza 2012 in celebration of two great years for the ModNation franchise. More...

It’s time to gear up for <a href="http://us.gran-turismo.com/us/">GT Academy 2012</a>! The competition starts on May 2nd and will be open to all entrants through June 26th. Developed for racing fans of all levels, GT Academy 2012 will offer a newly designed eight-step training and qualification program accessible as a demo based on the hit Gran Turismo 5. The demo will be made available for free on PlayStation Store via <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a> and will maximize the potential of all users, from beginners to advanced drivers. All participants will compete in a series of virtual driving trials using Nissan cars, and the best of the best will compete in the National Finals in July. More...

<p style="text-align: justify;">Taking advantage of some of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita’</a>s unique hardware features and bringing exclusive content, Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention brings two new characters, new story chapters and quests, new bosses, and new unique GPS positioning functionality. Also on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> as a <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a> release, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/stardrone-extreme/">StarDrone Extreme</a> puts you in the pilot seat of an always-in-motion spaceship through 60 diverse cosmic environments, where you’re tasked to survive, destroy, and collect items.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Dropping this week in the form of a full <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> digital download is Dead Rising 2: Off The Record, which sees Willamette survivor and photojournalist Frank West take center stage as players experience a very different interpretation of events in this re-imagining of the Fortune City outbreak. Enjoy this week’s <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/the-drop/">The Drop</a>.</p> More...

It's kind of hard to believe, but we're just under two months away from E3. In between then and now, the publishers will play host to a large number of preview events to whet the appetites of media and gamers alike. SCEA and Namco Bandai both held showcases last week, and you can expect updated previews from both events here on the PlayStation.Blog this week. And if you're in the neighborhood (SF Bay Area), I want to extend an invitation to join us for a PS Vita event on Wednesday, headlined by Resistance: Burning Skies. We'll be holding an R:BS multiplayer tournament, as well as set up demo stations for the single player campaign, as well as other upcoming titles, such as Gravity Rush (yes!). Details and RSVP <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/356881931028574/">here</a>. Oh, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PlayStation/app_23744633048">04.19.12</a>. More...

My name is Matthew Harper, and I'm part of the recently-formed PlayStation Digital Platforms Community Management team. Our mission is to keep you better informed about everything that is going on in the wide world of the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PlayStation Network</a>, to make your voice heard within the company, and to ensure that you, the gamer, are at the heart of every development across PSN. Together, we will help guide the future of this platform. I’m here today to let you know that we will be performing routine scheduled maintenance on the network on Monday, April 16th, starting at approximately 6:00 am PDT / 9:00 am EDT. This maintenance will last roughly 13 hours, concluding around 7:00pm PDT / 10:00 pm EDT. During much of this time, users won’t be able to access the PlayStation Store, PlayStation Home, Account Management or play online. PSN enabled websites will not be able to service users, including this one. More...