Commander Fury

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...

Hope you are excited to go Back to Karkand! With the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-store/">PlayStation Store</a> update later today, you will be able to buy, download and play Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a>. To celebrate launch day, here is an all-new gameplay trailer showcasing Wake Island running on PlayStation 3 hardware. I hope you like what we have done to this classic Battlefield map, and that you enjoy your one-week PS3 exclusive head start on this expansion pack. Once you have downloaded Back to Karkand, the four new maps (Wake Island, Strike at Karkand, Gulf of Oman, and Sharqi Peninsula) will be available in the server browser and in the Quick Match filter settings just like the nine maps from the base game. There will be servers that mix and match maps from the base game and Back to Karkand, so you will never have to commit to playing either base game or Back to Karkand maps in your gaming session. More...

On behalf of everyone at <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/insomniac-games/">Insomniac Games</a> and Sony I’m very excited to announce <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/resistance-3/">Resistance 3</a>’s Brutality Pack, available today for download from the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-store/">PlayStation Store</a>! This new DLC, priced at $3.99, features a vicious survival mode where you face off against an army of ravenous Grims as they try to take you and your friends down. And yup, it’s co-op – both online and offline. Plus, you get a special Mick Cutler skin AND the sledgehammer unlocked for all of the game’s modes, as well as a special Warden Static <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> Theme. But what has me most stoked personally is that the Brutality Pack fittingly features the music of the incomparable, Grammy nominated, Mastodon. We’re featuring seven tracks, including three songs from their just-released album <em>The Hunter</em>, two instrumental versions of <em>Blood Mountain</em> tracks and two special bonus songs from the deluxe version of <em>The Hunter</em>. Check out the brand new trailer that we’re releasing today to see the new gameplay mode in action set to one of Mastodon’s latest singles, “Spectrelightâ€. More...

Here we are, back again to talk about even more exciting things happening with <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/dc-universe-online/">DC Universe Online</a>. Today we’re celebrating not only the launch of our second DLC Pack, Lightning Strikes, but also the amazing success that we’ve had since making the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/02/dc-online-universe-free-to-play-your-way-on-ps3/">Free-to-Play transition</a> just over a month ago. Bottom line, there are a whole lot more of you out there playing <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/dc-universe-online-ps3.html">DCUO</a>. And apparently you’re having a good time, because most of you -- more than 85%, in fact -- are returning again and again for adventures in Gotham City and Metropolis. You may have seen a few weeks ago when we announced that more than one million new players had jumped in to DCUO since the launch of Free-to-Play. That number is definitely larger now, and growing by roughly 6% each day. We love seeing all of the new heroes and villains in game, and hope you and your friends keep coming back to experience the great new adventures we have planned for the coming year. More...

With the holiday shopping season counting down, Christina Lee takes a look at some of the must-have custom <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PlayStation 3</a> peripherals perfect for gift giving (to yourself). From the new official <a href="http://us.playstation.com/ps3/accessories/sony-blu-ray-disc-remote-control-ps3.html'>http://us.playstation.com/ps3/accessories/sony-blu-ray-disc-remote-control-ps3.html">Media/ Blu-ray Disc Remote Control</a> to the much talked about <a href="http://us.playstation.com/ps3/accessories/sony-playstation-3d-display-ps3/index.html'>http://us.playstation.com/ps3/accessories/sony-playstation-3d-display-ps3/index.html">PlayStation 3D Display</a>, use today's show to pass along any last minute shopping hints to the ones you love. This edition also takes a look at two new full game downloads available from the PlayStation Store with <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit/">Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit</a> and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/dragon-age-2/">Dragon Age II</a>. Both, now part of the growing line up of full games on the store. Also covered, for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/battlefield-3/">Battlefield 3</a> fans, don't miss the Return to Karkand Expansion Pack coming later today (first on <a href="http://us.playstation.com/ps3/">PS3</a>) and a preview of action/puzzle/platformer fairytale of Trine 2. More...

With the holiday season in full effect, we’re giving <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-plus/">PlayStation Plus</a> subscribers extra discounts and free games. The total value of all this month’s offers total over $250 with about $50 being free games. This month’s free content includes the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/ps3/">PS3</a> full game <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/tomb-raider-underworld-ps3.html">Tomb Raider: Underworld</a> and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a> game <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/marvel-pinball-ps3.html">Marvel Pinball</a>. The free PSone Classic of the month will be <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/spyro-year-of-the-dragon-ps3-psp.html">Spyro Year of the Dragon</a>. If anyone is keeping track this is the third PSone Classic from the Spyro franchise offered in <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-plus/">Plus</a> and since it’s the holiday, we’ll bring back the first two again to offer the full collection in December. To finish out the free games, take your pick from free early access to minis like Orbit, or mini favorites like A Space Shooter for 2 Bucks! or Mad Blocker Alpha. We always look to give Plus subscribers extra discounts on top of existing PlayStation Store sales and promotions and this month is no exception. The Holiday Collection Sale will feature some great deals on PS3 full game bundles, with Plus subscribers getting an extra discount on top of these deals. With <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-store/">PlayStation Store</a> promotions happening throughout the year, a Plus subscription always comes in handy. Check out the full list of discounts on titles like <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/assassins-creed-brotherhood-ps3.html">Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood</a>, <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/renegade-ops-ps3.html">Renegade Ops</a>, <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/darksiders-ps3.html">Darksiders</a> and more; and watch for more details on the Holiday Collection sale soon. More...

Welcome to ModNation Monday! In response to questions from loyal ModNation Racers fans, let's investigate a few features from the Kart Studio in the upcoming <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/modnation-racers-road-trip/">ModNation Racers: Road Trip</a> for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a>. <strong> 1. Kart Parts - Explode View </strong> Yep, it’s as fun as it looks! <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/modnation-racers-road-trip/">ModNation Racers: Road Trip</a> for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">Vita</a> brings you even closer to a true Kart modeling experience (without the sticky toxic smelling glue) with the rotatable “exploded†view of your Kart and it’s customizable components. It’s as simple spreading your thumb and finger on the screen to open and then a pinch to close the view. We can’t say it enough but there is just something intrinsically fun with the tactile feel of using your fingers to “explode†you kart open, spin it around, rinse and repeat! strong> 2. Drag and Drop </strong> As with the Mod Studio Edit feature, you simply drag and drop your parts and props right onto your Kart. You’ll feel like a real mechanic as you drag a new set of wheels onto your kart or simply touch the color selector and add that “new coat of paint to items like your shocks, engine, seat, etc. More...

Story by: CritiKiL Modded clan tags in Modern Warfare 3 are tags which have button icons in it, that make them considerably longer compared to what is permitted. A minor issue, yes, however Infinity Ward does not like any*kind of exploit whatsoever, in their games. If you have got a modded clan tag, be sure to change it back to something suitable or risk a ban. Here is the official response on the*Activison support forum*regarding the MW3 clan tags: “Using any kind of hack or exploit to put characters or graphics into your clan tag can result in a suspension or full ban. You may only use the default set of characters included in the user interface†This is true for tags that are colored anything beyond the default colors, which also have been confirmed to be an exploit as well.*Infinity Ward has stated that they will be evaluating the problem and that gamers who have got modded clan tags ought to be reported on sight. Guy Beahm of Sledgehammer games was asked if there would be an ETA for the fix, however due to this being so low-priority and undamaging to gameplay, there isn’t one.* So if you’re using these types of clan tags, remove them or run the risk of getting banned from the game. More...

Our grand opening of our first <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/28/san-francisco-ps-vita-meet-ups-kick-off-this-week/">Vita Hill Social Club</a> was an overwhemling success! It was a pleasure to meet the PlayStation community in the Bay Area, and give you a personal introduction to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a>. Check out the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PlayStation">PlayStation facebook</a> for photos! Stay tuned, we'll be opening more Social Clubs in more cities soon. Listen to the <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/the-official-playstation-blogcast/id483223024">PlayStation.Blogcast</a> for a hint! <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/the-drop/">The Drop</a> this week brings Dragon Age II, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and Final Fantasy VI to PSN. More...

Forget the Grammys, Tonys, and Oscars - videogames have their own award season, and we're in it. We'll be attending both the <a href="http://www.insidegamingdaily.com/2011/11/28/machinima-com-announces-nominees-for-inside-gaming-awards-2011/">Inside Gaming Awards</a> and the <a href="http://www.spike.com/events/video-game-awards-2011">VGAs</a> this week (vote for your Most Anticipated Game <a href="http://www.spike.com/events/video-game-awards-2011-voting/voting/most-anticipated-game">here</a>), and you should find both worth watching. Also, I wanted to take the chance to thank all of you who have listened to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/01/official-playstation-blogcast-episode-002-that%E2%80%99s-a-lot-of-blood/">our new podcast</a> (or better yet, <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=483223024">subscribed</a>). Thanks! <h3>The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Week of November 28, 2011)</h3> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/3d-dot-game-heroes-dev-adds-vita-support-to-its-orochi-engine/">3D Dot Game Heroes dev adds Vita support to its Orochi engine - Joystiq</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/urinal-games-make-a-splash-in-a-british-pub/">Urinal games make a splash in a British pub - Joystiq</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/final-fantasy-xiii-2-trailer-shows-off-combat-system-improvement/">Final Fantasy XIII-2 trailer shows off combat system improvements - Joystiq</a></li> <li><a href="http://ps3.ign.com/articles/121/1213892p1.html?RSSwhen2011-12-02_173900&RSSid=1213892&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ignfeeds%2Fps3+%28IGN+PS3%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Heavy Rain: By the Numbers - PlayStation 3 Feature at IGN</a></li> <li><a href="http://kotaku.com/5864735/four-more-ssx-screens-to-keep-you-warm-until-valentines-day/gallery/1">Four More SSX Screens to Keep You Warm Until Valentine's Day - Kotaku</a></li> More...

Welcome back! If you were traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday, you might have missed the launch of our <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/the-official-playstation-blogcast/id483223024">long-awaited weekly podcast</a> (now on its <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/01/official-playstation-blogcast-episode-002-that%E2%80%99s-a-lot-of-blood/">second episode</a>). Planning, taping, and editing the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-blogcast/">Official PlayStation.Blogcast</a> has been a lot of work, but hearing the constructive feedback, suggestions, and reactions from PlayStation.Blog readers has been immensely rewarding for Jeff, Nick, Rey, and I. Call it a labor of love! Have a great idea for an upcoming Blogcast? Never be shy about leaving your feedback: this is <em>your</em> show. If you've enjoyed the Official PlayStation.Blogcast so far, we encourage you to <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/the-official-playstation-blogcast/id483223024">rate the show</a> in iTunes. Among other things, it helps introduce new listeners to the smooth, dreamy sounds of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/author/nsuttner/">Nick Suttner</a>. Thanks again for your support! In other news, major announcements have been light given the recent holiday. Still, this week did see some interesting PlayStation developments: Our intrepid EU correspondent James Gallagher learned more about <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/02/motorstorm-rc-interview-a-refreshing-change/">MotorStorm RC for PS Vita and PS3</a>; MLB 12 The Show revealed its <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/02/first-mlb-12-the-show-screenshots/">first screenshots for PS3</a> (and yep, it's coming to PS Vita, too); Insomniac Games revealed <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/02/ratchet-clank-gives-the-gift-of-arcade-cabinets-this-holiday-season/">two ways to win</a> a pair of ultra-rare Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One arcade cabinets; Sucker Punch shared tips for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/29/infamous-2-how-to-create-your-own-ugc-graphic-novel-cutscenes/">creating your own graphic novel cutscenes</a> in inFAMOUS 2 and inFAMOUS: Festival of Blood; and the team behind <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/modnation-racers/">ModNation Racers: Road Trip</a> for PS Vita released new details for the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/28/modnation-racers-road-trip-mod-studio-preview/">Track Studio</a> feature. More...

Happy holidays Ratchet & Clank fans! Hopefully you’re all enjoying some quality gaming time with your friends and family cozied up by the fire playing <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/ratchet-clank-all-4-one/">Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One</a> this winter. Personally, I’ve been spending a lot of time down in the lobby of PlayStation’s HQ playing on the massive Ratchet & Clank arcade cabinet we first revealed at <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/comic-con11/">Comic-Con</a> and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/pax11/">PAX</a>. I wish I had room for one in my place! The good news is that in celebration of this holiday season, we’re going to be giving you two chances to win one of these cabinets for yourself! The pair we’re giving away include a <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> and the custom Ratchet & Clank controllers, so just plug them in and you’re ready to enjoy the ultimate Ratchet & Clank experience. Seriously… How good would that thing look in your living room? More...

Sports fans - Baseball's Fall Classic may be over, but that doesn't mean the action on the virtual diamond has to slow down. Last month on the PlayStation.Blog <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/09/adrian-gonzalez-announced-as-cover-athlete-for-mlb-12-the-show/'>http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/09/adrian-gonzalez-announced-as-cover-athlete-for-mlb-12-the-show/">we announced</a> that Boston Red Sox first baseman <a href="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=408236">Adrian Gonzalez</a> will be our cover athlete for <a href="http://theshownation.com/">MLB 12 The Show</a>. Now, I'm thrilled to show you our first MLB 12 in-game screenshots. These images feature the newly unveiled uniforms that fans can expect the Orioles, Blue Jays, Padres, and Marlins to sport next season. Players seen here include: Adam Jones (Orioles outfielder), Mark Reynolds (Orioles third baseman), José Bautista (Blue Jays outfielder), Chase Headley (Padres third baseman), Mat Latos (Padres starting pitcher), and Hanley Ramirez (Marlins shortstop). Our good friends at <a href="espn.go.com/espn/thelife/videogames/blog/_/name/thegamer/id/7305499/first-screens-mlb-12-show">ESPN.com</a> just recently posted up the screens as well. Have a look... Details on MLB 12 The Show's new features (PS3 & Vita) will be coming very soon so keep an eye on the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/">PlayStation.Blog</a>, <a href="http://theshownation.com/">TheShowNation</a>, and our MLB The Show <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mlbtheshow">Facebook page</a> for more info. More...

It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/jak-daxter/">Jak and Daxter</a> found their way onto <a href="http://us.playstation.com/ps2/">PlayStation 2</a> and into the gaming world. We are delighted at the place the franchise has found amongst the gaming community and the mark it has left on the platformer genre in particular. Given that we’re so close to the 10th anniversary, looking back at some of the work that went into making those awesome games seems to be in order. It’s amazing to recall just how the development of the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/jak-and-daxter-collection-ps3.html">Jak and Daxter</a> franchise has progressed and just how far we’ve come. With each outing in the Jak and Daxter series, we set out to create a game that offered the player a new experience that built on the previous game. As you go from Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy to Jak 3, the story will connect across the titles as the gameplay and technical aspects of the games and the tools used to create them evolved. From being on foot in Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy to the hoverboard and morph gun in Jak II to the dune buggies in Jak 3, new gameplay ideas were always in play and being fleshed out and amped up. On the technical side, for instance, Jak 3 featured a new terrain renderer that included bump-mapping, which is now a commonplace element in rendering terrain. Cloth dynamics and rag-doll physics, also standard features in many modern games, were new developments by the time that Jak 3 was released in 2004. More...

Judging from the comments, we caught you by surprise when we announced that <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/22/introducing-motorstorm-rc-for-psn-and-ps-vita/">MotorStorm RC</a> is coming to <a href="http://us.playstation.com/ps3/">PS3</a> and <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/">PS Vita</a> in time for launch. You all seem really excited about the game so I followed up with its director Paul Rustchynsky to discuss in more detail the vision, the Cross-Play with <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>, and the social interactions that will be at the heart of MotorStorm RC. If you have any further questions then please let us know in the comments and I’ll get the answers. More...

The sweet and sexy Mila Kunis stars in the comedy hit <strong>Friends with Benefits </strong>debuting today in <em>New Releases</em>. Watch as her relationship with co-star Justin Timberlake (The Social Network) moves from casual to complicated. Patricia Clarkson (Shutter Island), Richard Jenkins (Hall Pass), Emma Stone (Crazy, Stupid, Love.), and Woody Harrelson (Zombieland) round out the cast. Everyone’s favorite little blue men enter Movies this week with The Smurfs. The lovable creatures get lost in our world being chased by the evil Gargamel, played by Hank Azaria (The Simpsons). Neil Patrick Harris (A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas) plays their human ally, while Anton Yelchin (Fright Night), Fred Armison (Saturday Night Live), George Lopez (Rio) and Katy Perry lend their voices to the Smurfs characters. For eye-popping action, you’ll also find the film in <em>Available in 3D</em>. More...

Hi guys! I’ve back with the latest <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/battlefield-3/">Battlefield 3</a> news straight from the studio. I hope you are ready to go Back to Karkand, as we are releasing our first Battlefield 3 expansion pack Tuesday, December 6th on PlayStation 3 in America and Europe - <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/09/22/battlefield-3-expansions-to-hit-ps3-first-open-beta-on-psn-929/">a week early for PlayStation customers</a>! To recap, Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand is a massive themed expansion pack featuring four legendary Battlefield maps reimagined in the Frostbite 2 engine. You also get three vehicles (the VSTOL fighter jet, Desert Buggy, and an APC), ten new weapons that you can bring back to the base game, a new layer of persistence with our all-new Assignments, plus five shiny Trophies. The maps we chose for this expansion pack are all classic fan favorites: Wake Island, Sharqi Peninsula, Gulf of Oman, and Strike at Karkand (from where the expansion pack got its name). More...

We’re back with the second episode of <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/playstation/02_Episode_002__Thats_a_lot_of_blood.mp3">Official PlayStation.Blogcast</a>! Thanks for all the support and feedback for last week’s <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/23/official-playstation-blogcast-episode-001-greatness-from-small-beginnings/">debut episode</a>, which was listened by a surprising number of PlayStation fans. We’re continuing to refine our voice and integrate more of the content you’d like to hear -- this week, that starts with our first batch of reader questions! Also: We share first details on the PSN game releases for December 6th and celebrate the PS3-first release of <a href="http://bf3blog.com/battlefield-3-back-to-karkand/">Battlefield 3’s Back to Karkand</a> expansion pack this Tuesday, December 6th with special guest <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/crash7800">Ian Forney</a>, community manager for Battlefield 3. Plus: Dinosaurs, more Skyrim talk, Jeff shares a lucrative tip, Sid offers a PSN Gem of the Week, and a ton of nerdy game talk. <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/playstation/02_Episode_002__Thats_a_lot_of_blood.mp3">Listen now!</a> More...

<iframe src="http://blip.tv/play/h5l4guGIXwI.html" width="480" height="303" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://a.blip.tv/api.swf#h5l4guGIXwI" style="display:none"></embed> <br /> In episode 12 of UFreqTV, Jack drills down the good and the bad on MW3 and gives us the winner of the battle between Beauty and the Beast. And we reveal the unedited version of Nuketown Hooligans Killhouse Episode Visit Blip.tv for more videos

Over the last year we have seen several titles release with a multiplayer inclusion and have been excited about the different tournaments that can be created to extend the playability of the game and continue fostering the team building and communities built around it. But then we get the game and start testing to only find that sure the “Multiplayer†label is affixed to the game but no true means of really fostering a team or community for that matter. So let’s go back a few years so I can help you understand where I am going with this. And keep in mind PC Gaming had already started this trend with games like CounterStrike, but that was not my introduction to multiplayer. On PlayStation 2, a game called Socom was launched with this new feature called Multiplayer. Online gaming was a new concept for consoles and this seemed pretty cool. You could play with different players and the experience would be absolutely different every time since you were playing with humans instead of programmed characters. The next thing you know it, someone asked if I would join their clan or team for those not familiar with the term. Of course I have played with these guys a few times and enjoyed playing with them so I of course said sure. Next thing I know I have registered on the clan’s website and have instantly become a member of this highly focused community built around playing a game. At the time I did not see how much of a big deal this would be, but later in life it would prove to be the friendships and team building aspect of this was unsurpassed by any other experience in gaming. Some of these clans have run strong for many years and like any team, many have had conflict and caused the creation of new clans. So with that in mind you can look at the playability of a game and how this team building would foster a completely new breed of gaming now known as competitive multiplayer. Tournament communities started to spring up everywhere giving games a whole new life with teams competing for prizes, bragging rights and more. Suddenly your clan had a new purpose, not only are you playing with a group so you kind of knew who would do what, but now you could take your clans skills and pit them against other clans with a structured environment behind the scenes. Fast forward about ten years to today and many of these tournament communities have come and gone and some have thrived. MLG is probably the best example of a thriving business built around competitive multiplayer. The business brings in several millions of dollars with their tournaments through sponsorship and attendance. Even Richard Branson jumped on the competitive gaming train with the launch of Virgin Gaming in 2010. The big winner out of this business segment really has been the games themselves, as this creates a long lasting playability to a game. If done right a multiplayer portion of a game can be stretched out to years versus a few months. There is no beating the game, no trading in of the game, just endless play with your clan mates. Now let’s look at the games of the last year or so. Multiplayer seems to have become more of an afterthought then a true focus. In the original Socom for example, you could create a room with a custom title like “My Clan Tryouts†and it made expanding your team very efficiently, this was what we call the lobby system. In today’s games there are no lobbies, and even more so less means of even creating a private match. Socom 4 did have a clan match making system but it did not let you create any custom parameters to a match. Battlefield 3 launched with no private match making at all and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s private matchmaking is plagued with issues on PS3 causing communities such as ours to postpone or even cancel tournaments. What do we have to do to get the game developers to take a step back and realize that with the right design, multiplayer can make their game more profitable? Let me explain how… So let’s pretend a multiplayer game came out with the prized features like these: Private Custom Match Making Lobbies or User Created Rooms *A Clan Management System These three simple systems together foster a long life of playability of a game, also giving a developer the opportunity to sale DLC such as map packs and expansions. Here is how… With the ability to customize a private match, a tournament community can offer unique game play by changing the parameters of a game, giving players a completely different experience with the title. This can also keep the competitive play fresh with different setups, weapon restrictions, etc. While a good clan management system give members of the team the ability to manage their rosters, group up for game play and provide structure. And finally with a lobby system, the clans are able to promote recruitment, host events and even show off what tournament they are playing in. This breeds for longevity gameplay, giving the developer the right formula to sale additional content. If you have strong tournament communities developing long term events, many will incorporate the new content to freshen up the tournaments. The PlayStation 2 Socom’s are a perfect example for our community… we were able to run a tournament from the day it launched until the day the next title released. Even with Confrontation we ran a tournament up to the Friday before Socom 4 released. That is just shy of three years of game play on a single title. Yet when the DLC was released, we quickly adapted a tournament specifically for it. Now with today’s games, the community building portion of the game has gone. There is no way to foster the building or reinforcement of the clans and there are no stable private match making options in the game. Is this the end of clans as we know it today? I still play with clan members from almost 10 years ago, but now it is almost impossible to get together and play. We invite all developers to contact tournament communities such as ours and even Gamebattles. The ability to include these three simple features can give a game the means to generate additional revenue, keep a strong fan base and breed a whole new generation of competitive gamers. More...

This Thursday, November 30th, join the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-home/">PlayStation Home</a> community as we celebrate the one-year anniversary of PlayStation Home’s exclusive multiplayer space combat shooter <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/novus-prime/">Novus Prime</a>. To kick start this special event, Nebulon and Experience boosters will be absolutely free for all players (available for a limited time only)! Each booster lasts for 24 hours and increases gains by 150%. To top things off, select Novus Prime items will be on sale for 50% off. This deal won’t last forever, so report to the Novus Prime space station this Thursday and join the fight! Snow has begun to fall in the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/lockwood/">Lockwood Publishing Showcase</a>, transforming it into a magical winter scene. Visit the Lockwood Publishing Showcase this Thursday to dance with Timmy the Gingerbread Man, marvel at the new festive Stitchkins and get a sneak peak at what Figment and Iron Fusion have in store for the future. More...

You may have heard that <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/yakuza-dead-souls/">Yakuza: Dead Souls</a> is coming to PlayStation 3 in March 2012. Like <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/yakuza-4/">Yakuza 4</a>, the game will let you play as four characters, including two never-before-played fan favorites: Goro Majima and Ryuji Goda. It’s a Yakuza experience like none other, because this time, you’ll be fighting a horde of blood-thirsty zombies. The undead are multiplying and filling the streets of Tokyo’s red light district. The area is quarantined quickly, but degenerates into a district full of terror, panic and devastation. Survivors try to flee the city, but four men rise up to protect those they care most about. If you think zombies are bad, meet the Yakuza. Playable for the first time in Yakuza: Dead Souls, Goro Majima is nuts about zombie movies. He’s so excited to be killing off zombies that when you’re playing as Majima, you’ll be picking fights with zombies, instead of just merely defending yourself. Now that’s bad ass. More...

We hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving and are excited for what’s in store this holiday season. As you know, the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/11/playstations-3d-display-hits-this-weekend-watch-the-full-tour/">PlayStation 3D Display </a>officially launched last week and our friends at Best Buy are offering a new promotion to celebrate. While supplies last, customers who purchase a 3D Display will be able to purchase a PS3 for only $100. A fantastic offer for those wanting to experience 3D gaming and entertainment right out of the box. Just in case you missed it on Sunday, the new promotion was announced in a new TV commercial that aired for the first time nationally during the Falcons/Viking football game and it features everyone’s favorite executive Kevin Butler. More...