Commander Fury

At this very moment, a small group of lucky testers are putting the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/18/starhawk-private-beta-begins-rolling-out-tuesday/">Starhawk Private Beta</a> through its paces. During last week’s PlayStation holiday showcase for New York City media, I had a chance to go hands-on with the beta. But I wanted to learn more about the beta’s reception among the diehard Warhawk community, so I chatted with Senior Producer Harvard Bonin to learn some key findings from the beta: the most popular weapons and vehicles, the sneakiest tactics, and what beta players can expect next. <blockquote> <strong>PlayStation.Blog: Obviously, there’s a private beta going on right now. What have been some of the key learnings?</strong> Oh, boy. There have been too many to name here, but one of the key learnings has been how closely we need to listen to hardcore Warhawk players. We made some changes to the flight controls that they reacted to negatively. We’re now in the process of addressing that, and it’s only because of the beta that we realized. Without a beta, we have no way to do that. More...

Every so often, the team at San Diego Studio allow me up from the basement, favorite red stapler in hand, to take a peek at the upcoming week’s new features. I’ve learned to “extend†my gameplay sessions with “coincidental†occurrences of: -Free highly-caffeinated energy drinks and donuts in the break room. -A sudden rash of car alarms blaring from the parking lot like a jet plane just grazed the roof top. -A bogus announcement over the company P.A. system that Kevin Butler has arrived on campus. More...

Fight along side the resistance in the martian underbelly of Mars in Red Faction: Armageddon. Also, join Alice in conquering nightmarish hallucinations in Alice: Madness Returns, both available for full-digital downloads. Plus, a cardinal of PSN demos and a PSmini complete the PSN ensemble in this week’s The Drop. PlayStation Network Red Faction: Armageddon – [...] More...

Microsoft have announced that they are porting the powerful Halo Waypoint over to the mobile version of the franchise for iOS, Android and Windows Phone 7. Halo Waypoint has been around as a console-based app for a couple of years and provides “near real-time” information on weapons and vehicles for the game you are currently playing as well as birds-eye maps. Probably the biggest plus though is the ATLAS strategy system developed in association with strategy game maker Brady Games. The feature includes full maps for Halo: Reach with pan and zoom support as well as item locations. In Matchmaking Multiplayer the maps will only show the default spawn locations of weapons, powerups and health packs. However because of the near real-time system, custom games will show the current location of all weapons and powerups including those held by your friends who may be cloaked. ATLAS will be a paid in-app upgrade priced at $4.99 on most devices in the US. Halo Waypoint was released on iOS, Android and Windows Phone 7 on December 10th. More...

Good morning! We're all still reeling from last night's [best Geoff Keighley voice] World Premieres at the VGAs. One of the cooler moments was the mixing of PS Vita's Soundshapes and famous dj <a href="http://www.deadmau5.com/">Deadmau5</a>. Which reminds me... If you haven't already, swing by our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PlayStation?sk=app_215346605199397">Everybody Dance Facebook tab</a> to enter the ‘Everybody Dance with deadmau5’ contest. If you upload a video showing us your best Everybody Dance moves to deadmau5’s “Ghosts ‘N’ Stuff,†you could win an official deadmau5 head or even a trip to London. Deadmau5 will be judging the finalists himself, so <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PlayStation?sk=app_215346605199397">try to impress</a>! More...

Videos have been flying around all week about a new PS3 exclusive called <a href="http://www.lastofus.com/" target="_blank">The Last of Us</a>. It was <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/video/vga-2011-the-last-of/724687" target="_blank">revealed</a> at this year's VGAs and we're very excited to confirm that The Last of Us is developed by Naughty Dog Inc, the creators behind the UNCHARTED, Jak and Daxter, and Crash Bandicoot series. Neil Druckmann, Creative director and Bruce Straley, Game Director chime in below to divulge what The Last of Us is about all. More...

<a href="http://www.spike.com/shows/video-game-awards">The Video Game Awards</a> has turned into one of the gaming industry's biggest nights, and it's all about to unfold live! Between the <a href="http://www.spike.com/events/video-game-awards-2011-voting/voting/gametrailers-com-trailer-of-the-year">awards</a>, the known quantities (a new <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/IrrationalGames/status/145562320268034050">Bioshock Infinite trailer</a>!), and <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/geoffkeighley/status/144999452904652800">the rampant speculation</a>, it should be an intriguing and entertaining watch. I'm lucky enough to have seen some things ahead of time, and believe me when I say that you want to see them, too. The stream starts at 7.30pm Eastern/4.30pm Pacific, and you can watch it right here. As the show progresses, let us know if you like what you see in the comments... More...

Finally: It's going to pay to not have plans on a Saturday night. Starting at <strong>8:00pm Eastern Time / 5:00pm Pacific Time tonight</strong>, <a href="http://www.spike.com/events/video-game-awards-2011">SPIKE TV’s 2011 Video Game Awards</a> will kick off live with an awards show celebrating some of the year's best games (including the coveted Game of the Year award) and "more than 10" world premieres of upcoming games. I know I'll be watching live -- will you? In other news, this week saw the release of the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/08/official-playstation-blogcast-episode-003-where-is-my-skyrim/">Official PlayStation.Blogcast episode 003</a>, a <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/07/limited-time-offer-music-unlimited-60-day-premium-free-trial/">60-day premium free trial</a> for Music Unlimited on PS3, BBC's announcement of an upcoming <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/09/doctor-who-the-eternity-clock-coming-to-ps3-and-ps-vita/">PlayStation-exclusive Doctor Who game</a> for PS3 and PS Vita, first details on Ninja Gaiden 3's genre-first <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/09/team-ninja-details-ninja-gaiden-3-multiplayer-ninja-gaiden-sigma-for-ps-vita/">competitive multiplayer mode</a>, new <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/06/new-dc-universe-online-dlc-lightning-strikes-today/">DC Universe Online content</a>, and a new video showing of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/09/the-quantizing-sounds-of-lumines-electronic-symphony-for-ps-vita/">PS Vita exclusive Lumines: Electronic Symphony</a>. More...

Flying through the vector digital utopia of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rez">Rez</a> was a defining moment for me when I played it on the PS2. And when <a href="http://www.qentertainment.com/english/english.html">Q Entertainment</a> released Lumines for the PSP soon after, Tetsuya Mizuguchi and his team easily became one of my favorite developers. Now the team comes full circle with Lumines: Electronic Symphony, a launch window title for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a>. Producer James Mielke joins me on camera and introduces the next generation of Lumines, an addictive musical puzzle journey. Lumines: Electronic Symphony was built from the ground up to take advantage of the PS Vita’s potent graphical capabilities and unique touch mechanics on both the rear and front OLED screen, giving you immersive control on over three dozen tracks with every quantized musical note at your finger tips. Have questions about Lumines: Electronic Symphony? Hit me up in the comments and I’ll do my best to shed some light. More...

Earlier this week, Team Ninja set up a temporary dojo in San Francisco to share news and game time with <a href="http://teamninja-studio.com/ng3/us/top.html">Ninja Gaiden 3</a> and <a href="http://teamninja-studio.com/doa5/">Dead or Alive 5</a> on the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PlayStation 3</a>. Of particular note was the first hands-on demo of Ninja Gaiden 3’s multiplayer offering in the form of 4v4 Team Deathmatch and Battle Royale modes. It’s a bold move to add a competitive multiplayer mode to a melee-based action game, and I struggled to think of a comparable product out there; it definitely stands on its own in the action genre. My favorite touch: when struck by a deathblow, you can fight off your attacker by mashing the buttons, and then choose to “die with honor†via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seppuku">seppuku</a>. After a lengthy playtest, we were granted some face-to-face time with the team’s Head Ninja, Yosuke Hayashi. Here we chat <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-move/">PlayStation Move</a> support in NG3, working on the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">Vita</a>, and how many actual ninja are on Team Ninja: More...

Okay, so, here we go... the first blog post on Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock. I’m looking forward to writing more of these blog posts over the next couple of months as we move towards launch. Developing anything for Doctor Who has to be done right. The show has such a following that we need to be certain that everything the game does fits with the expectations of the fans. So far, we've said very, very little about the game. This trailer just has the barest hints about the core of this story. What is The Eternity Clock? How is it related to the Doctor? How is River involved in this? More...

The Wolfpack is back and funnier than ever this week in New Releases! <strong>The Hangover Part II</strong> hits our service with Bradley Cooper (Limitless), Ed Helms (The Office) and Zach Galifianakis (The Muppets) retracing their steps once again, this time in Thailand. And if you buy the 1080p HD version to own, you’ll get over 14 minutes of bonus content to enjoy. Daniel Craig (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Olivia Wilde (Tron: Legacy) and Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) star in the alien western blockbuster <strong>Cowboys & Aliens</strong> this week in Movies. Follow as a band of cowboys and outlaws must stop a full on alien invasion. Plus, check out the Epic Adventures in Collections & Sales for a free 10 minute preview of the film. More...

So with all of the craziness of Multiplayer releases in 2011 over, now it’s time to look ahead to 2012. And a new entry into the realm of multiplayer is Mass Effect 3 by Bioware based in Edmonton Canada. In a press release from October, the award-winning developer, a label of Electronic Arts Inc., announced hat multiplayer will be coming to the critically-acclaimed Mass Effectâ„¢ series for the very first time as part of the new Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system. With the Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system, players will fight for the survival of the galaxy against an ancient alien race known only as, Reapers, in both the single player campaign and through a suite of Mass Effect games and applications. Progress made in each of the components of the system, including the new multiplayer mode, will directly link back to the player’s main campaign, helping Commander Shepard rally the forces of the galaxy to eliminate the Reaper threat once and for all. The Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War feature can be activated via the Online Pass code found in every new copy of Mass Effect 3. The Mass Effect 3 Online Pass can also be purchased separately on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. “The theme of galactic war in Mass Effect 3 presents us with the perfect opportunity to introduce multiplayer into the Mass Effect series,†said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer of the Mass Effect series. “Multiplayer not only features amazing combat and deep customization options, but it will give players another way to help the war effort against the Reapers in the main event — the single player campaign.†Featuring four-player cooperative gameplay, multiplayer in Mass Effect 3 puts players in the role of a team of elite Special Forces soldiers sent to protect resources and assets that can help the war effort against the Reapers. Players will have the option of playing as one of six classes and from six different races: Human, Krogan, Asari, Drell, Salarian and Turian. Multiplayer and other components of the Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system provide alternative ways for players to wage the final war against the Reapers. The new system will also connect players to their BioWare Social Network accounts to stay up to date on the latest Mass Effect 3 news and access downloadable content (DLC) and add-ons. Now if you read around the net, the avid Mass Effect Fans are not that keen on addition of the Multiplayer, but as stated by Shane Bell in his editorial about Multiplayer not extending the life of games, maybe this developer is seeing an opportunity to add a longer playability to their title after all. Only time will tell if this is successful or not and there are rumors of a beta soon, the game is scheduled to launch March 6th, 2012. About BioWare The BioWare Label is a division of EA which crafts high quality multiplatform role-playing, MMO and strategy games, focused on emotionally engaging, rich stories with unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world’s most critically acclaimed titles and franchises, including Baldur’s Gateâ„¢, Neverwinter Nightsâ„¢, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republicâ„¢, Jade Empireâ„¢, Mass Effectâ„¢ and Dragon Ageâ„¢.* BioWare currently operates in seven locations across the world, including Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec, Canada), Austin (Texas), Fairfax (Virginia), San Francisco (California), Los Angeles (California) and Galway (Ireland). In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. In 2011 EA created the BioWare Label, alongside EA Games, EA SPORTSâ„¢ and EA Play. *To join the millions of fans already registered with the BioWare community, go to http://social.bioware.com. More...

They are listed in order by Units Sold… 1. The Green Ticket by Mass Media, Inc. 2. 100 Items Super Bundle by SCEA (Sony Computer Entertainment America) 3. Lockwood Token Pack – 80 by Lockwood Publishing 4. Spider Web Tank Top (Female) by SCEA 5. Long-Wavy Hairstyle (Female) by SCEA 6. Phantom 5000 Beat Machine by SCEA 7. Cutteridge Mansion by Juggernaut Games, LLC 8. Official Scre4m Movie Costume (Male) by Codeglue 9. Hollywood Hills House (with Home Theater) by Sony Pictures Entertainment 10. Lockwood Token Pack – 480 by Lockwood Publishing The Green Ticket takes the #1 spot again, will anything ever take down this item? Come on guys, there has to be something!!! If you have not taken the time to check out PlayStation®Home Lately, you have got to check it out. The new look is more than amazing and with the release of 1.60 this week there is a slew of improvements and so much more… From the Blog Announcement This Thursday, December 8th, we will release the latest update to the PlayStation Home client. PlayStation Home version 1.60 delivers a wealth of improvements and updates to the core client, not the least of which is a doubling of the item placement limit in personal spaces! NEW FEATURES Furniture Placement Limit We have doubled the furniture placement limit in personal spaces and clubhouses from 50 to 100 items. Standard and active furniture limits have been merged into the same system. Currently all actives take up 22 furniture slots in the new system. Thus you can now place a variety of different combinations: 100 standard furniture items or… 78 standard furniture items and 1 active or… 56 standard furniture items and 2 actives or… 34 standard furniture items and 3 actives or… 12 standard furniture items and 4 actives. GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS Targeting in Personal Spaces Targeting in personal spaces has been improved. This means you shouldn’t accidentally target furniture items through floors or ceilings any more. Although we have made exceptions for wall hangings and lights as these tend to be placed quite high up. If you find any items of furniture in places you can’t reach then you can always remove them through the furniture browser and place them somewhere else. Portable Items and Companions We have changed the way that companion portables work so they will now automatically re-activate after you enter and leave a game or relocate between spaces. No more having to put your companion away and take them out again when you do this! Help System There is a new help system to aid new users as they explore PlayStation Home for the first time. Arcade Games Arcade games are no longer subject to the 3 minute inactivity timeout when placed as furniture in Personal Spaces or Clubhouses. CHANGES Menu Pad We have removed the “Community†section of the Menu Pad. The information that used to be contained in here is now communicated via the Message of the Day pop-up at login and the new loading screens. There are so many different new areas to explore, quests to attempt and overall fun added in Home’s new version it is like starting all over for those Home Veterans out there. We are extremely happy with how the new look came out. The theater looks*awesome, the poker tables are busy and the sports bar is serving up the drinks. More...

Despite my bulging pectorals, rippling six-pack abs, and chiseled physique, I’m honestly not much of an athlete. But I don’t need to be a sports expert to see the appeal behind <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/mlb-12-the-show/">MLB 12 The Show</a>, the slavishly faithful baseball simulation that consistently ranks as the sport’s most respected gaming franchise. At a holiday showcase event in New York City last night, I took a few swings with an early build of MLB 12 The Show, including the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-move/">PlayStation Move</a>-enhanced PS3 edition and the all-new <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> iteration. The game’s community manager, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/author/rrussell/">Ramone Russell</a>, described how the San Diego team began development with a gruelingly in-depth focus test. The goal: to suss out what core players <em>didn’t</em> like about last year’s edition. “The key feedback we heard involved our presentation and commentary, so that’s our number one focus this year.†Russell described a new feature called True Broadcast Presentation, which accurately recreates broadcast camera cuts and other presentation signatures you’d see in a televised MLB broadcast. “We’re trying to blur the lines between baseball simulation on your PS3 and what you’d see on MLB.TV sitting on your couch,†Russell explained. “When a batter strikes out, the camera will cut and you will see his face, his anger.†More...

This thing is officially a trilogy! On this week’s Official <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-blogcast/">PlayStation Blogcast</a>, we’ve declared a Skyrim moratorium as we share the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a> releases for December 13th and go over some huge <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-plus/">PlayStation Plus</a> discounts for the month, describe <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PlayStation Vita's</a> “Welcome Park,†and launch a new segment we’re calling “Origin Story.†We’re often asked how we got jobs in the game industry, so this week I share my journey from cleaning shelves at a videogame store in the mall to working at <a href="http://us.playstation.com/">PlayStation</a>. Prepare your sound holes! <strong>Subscription Links:</strong> <ul> <li>Download the <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/playstation/03_Episode_003__Where_Is_My_Skyrim_.mp3">MP3 here</a> </li> <li>Subscribe via <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheOfficialPlaystationBlogcast">RSS here</a></li> <li>Subscribe <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=483223024">iTunes</a></li></ul> More...

The handheld weapons are a key part of any MMOFPS and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/dust-514/">DUST 514</a> is no exception. There were a few things that were very important to us. Firstly, we wanted to avoid the feeling of “Vietnam in space†that you sometimes see in sci-fi games. The goal was to create weapons that had recognizable roles but used more advanced technologies than the equivalent weapons of today. The power of these guns would tear apart a modern day battlefield. In <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/dust-514-ps3.html">DUST 514</a> the only way your mercenary can survive the power of these weapons is due to the advanced shielding and armor of the dropsuits they wear. Without them, simply firing these weapons would severely injure or even kill you! Secondly, it was important to us that the weapons felt like a natural part of the EVE universe. In the same way that the ships in EVE have distinct racial designs and specialties, the weapons of DUST 514 had to encapsulate the values and technology of the race that created them. The ruthless efficiency of the Caldari, the progressive aesthetics of the Gallente, the resilience and resourcefulness of the Minmatar as well as the proud arrogance of the Amarr Empire. All of this had to be communicated through the design of the weaponry; the different styles should be evident when you look at the three examples below. More...

After a year of major game releases, the game industry & gamers from all over the world, are set to pick the best of the best for the 2011 Video Game Awards. Shane Bell (Urgent Fury CIO) & Doc (The Tester (Season 1) & Replay w/ Doc) join Commander Fury to preview a few of the categories & make their 2011 VGA picks. More...

The numbers are in! Starting this month we’re expanding the PSN sales charts to include not only the 20 top-selling PSN and PS3 Full Games, but also the top five PS one Classics, PSP games, and Add-Ons. You may not be surprised to see inFAMOUS: Festival of Blood at the top of the PS3 list…but [...] More...

First off, welcome to the 400,000+ new <a href="http://www.littlebigplanet.com/">LittleBigPlanet</a> fans we've gained since Black Friday (for some of you, expect a big surprise from Santa in a few weeks) <h4>New on the PlayStation Store</h4> We hope you all saw Disney's The Muppets Movie! We loved it so much we wanted you to continue with your own Muppets adventure with our new costumes, newly available on the PS Store refresh. Check these out! ...and be on the lookout for more costumes from The Muppets in upcoming weeks. Also... For all you Oddworld fans, be sure to check out the latest Munch costume on the PlayStation Store, now! More...

This Holiday season, <a href="http://www.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/main">Sony Entertainment Network</a> is offering the gift of a special 60 day free trial of the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/music-unlimited/">Music Unlimited</a> Premium service for a limited time, just for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PlayStation 3</a> users! The <a href="https://music.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/">Music Unlimited</a> Premium plan includes offers unlimited access to a catalog of millions songs featuring classic favorites and the latest hits. You can find personalized channels categorized by Genre, Era, Mood or your favorite artist. No ads and unlimited skips. You can even set up a cloud library of your favorite songs, playlists and channels accessible from a range of home, mobile and gaming devices including PSP, Android phone, Sony Tablet, network enabled Blu-Ray Disc player and Bravia TV, and any PC. More...

This Thursday, December 8th, we will release the latest update to the PlayStation Home client. PlayStation Home version 1.60 delivers a wealth of improvements and updates to the core client, not the least of which is a doubling of the item placement limit in personal spaces! Here’s a look at what’s coming to you as part of PlayStation Home v1.60: <strong>How to Apply the v1.60 Patch</strong> If you are upgrading from an old version of Home (v1.40 or earlier) then when you attempt to apply the v1.60 patch please wait for the orange “hard drive activity†light to stop flashing on your PS3 before commencing the patching process. <strong>NEW FEATURES</strong> <ul> <strong>Furniture Placement Limit</strong> We have doubled the furniture placement limit in personal spaces and clubhouses from 50 to 100 items. Standard and active furniture limits have been merged into the same system. Currently all actives take up 22 furniture slots in the new system. Thus you can now place a variety of different combinations: </ul> More...

Hey everyone, it’s that time AT LAST! I wanted to first thank you all for your patience, it’s been a long wait, but at the same time it’s been even longer for us. We’ve been working on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/oddworldstrangers-wrath/">Stranger’s Wrath</a>, one way or another for around 15 months now. From the initial discussions, to actually starting work on the project true, to then getting it done! As most of you may know we originally planned to release the game around Easter, to be able to do that we were to have started full development in September last year, but as it transpired, we didn’t actually start until April 2011, which gave us our hoped late Summer release; but we ended up spending another couple of months on it, so here we are DONE AND DUSTED for release. As such I’m extremely pleased to announce that <a href="http://www.oddworld.com/?p=88">Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath</a> HD will release on December 27th in North America for $14.99. And we will be releasing worldwide! (all stores, except for the Far East/Russia/Ukraine and Portugal at this time). More...

It’s a week of amazing DLC with the release of Add-ons for Battlefield 3 and Resistance 3 hitting PlayStation Network in a big way. Battlefield 3 multiplayer expands with <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/01/battlefield-3-back-to-karkand-hits-psn-tuesday-with-new-guns-vehicles-assignments/">Back to Karkand</a>, available first and exclusively on PSN. Featuring four of the most loved Battlefield maps ever reimagined with the power of the Frostbite 2 engine, this DLC gives you new weapons, vehicles, dog tags, and persistence in the form of all-new “assignments†to carry out on the battlefield. <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/resistance-3/">Resistance 3</a> sees also sees new content with the Brutality Pack. Team up with a friend to fight off endless waves of Grims, Leapers, and Leeches in the all-new Survival Mode. The Brutality pack also unlocks the Sledgehammer in multiplayer, the Mick Cutler Skin, and Warden XMB Theme. Despite all the DLC love, don’t forget about the new games hitting PlayStation Store. Wanted Corp, Final Fantasy VI, and PS3 Full Games Dragon Age II and Need for Speed Hot Pursuit all release today. Wanted Corp brings the fun as you play as a pair of intergalactic bounty hunters in this cooperative action-shooter to capture escaped intergalactic convicts. RPG fans young and old will want to download Final Fantasy VI as this PS one Classic caps of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/03/announcing-square-enixs-winter-of-rpgs-campaign/">Square Enix’s Winter of RPGs</a>. More...

While most of us are using December to catch up on all the huge game releases this holiday season, the December episode of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/qore/">Qore</a> is looking forward to 2012. And, in anticipation of the new year, we’re very excited to kick off a new era for Qore with both a new host and new correspondent. Please welcome Qore’s new host <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/tweetjesse">Jesse Blaze Snider</a> and new field correspondent Tiffany Smith. Jesse jumps right into the giant sequel Final Fantasy XIII-2. With time travel, new fight mechanics, and new characters joining the old cast, XIII-2 expands an already epic storyline. If you’re into weapon-based fighting (who isn’t?), then you’ll definitely want to check out the Qore preview of <a href="http://www.soulcalibur.com/en_US">Soul Calibur V</a>. Meet old and new characters such as Assassin's Creed’s very own Ezio Auditore making his fighting game debut. And, check out the ‘create-a-fighter’ tools. More...