SKATE 3 Confirmed, May 2010

It's official- Skate 3 will be on the shelves by MAY 2010. Great news for all Skate fans, but it does beg the question: Why are they releasing so many Skate titles in so little time? Of course the answer is for the money, obviously, but I'm still having fun with Skate 2.

Personally I think that they should work on some more DLC. It couldn't be that hard to make updates to add more tricks into the game, an option to buy more levels or open up new sections of the map or even make new multiplayer modes- a free roam split-screen would suit me just fine.

(This was a bugger to get a hold of, as the official UK site for SKATE still hasn't been updated, and the American one just re-directs you back to the UK...)

But all this said, I will probably buy this title straight off. As much as I'd prefer DLC, there are some major flaws on Skate 2 that could be fixed or improved- namely the crappy physics when you're off your board...

--BIZNITCH--

PlayStation 3 Firmware (v3.00) Update

IN OTHER NEWS! (more interesting news in my opinion)

PlayStation 3 Firmware (v3.00) update has also been confirmed.
This new update has a fair few little updates and tweaks to the system, hopefully resulting in an all-round better experience.

The update will include:

• “What’s New” – The “Information Board” will be replaced with a “What’s New” section, which allows you to enjoy interactive PlayStation news every time you start the PS3 system. Located under the PlayStation Network icon, “What’s New” displays the latest and greatest game, video, PlayStation Network and PlayStation news and releases, as well as your recently played games, in a sleek, new animated format.

• Status Indicator – In the top right corner we’ve added an indicator bar, which displays your user icon, friend icon, the number of friends you have online and a small message icon to let you know if you have any new messages. The indicator also includes a scrolling ticker that features the latest news from PlayStation Network. In addition, when you press the PS button, the battery life indicator will no longer cover up the clock.

• Friends List – Now your PlayStation Network friends will appear in a slightly redesigned format on your Friends List. Also, messages will now be viewable from each of your friends’ respective profiles.

• PlayStation Store Shortcuts – We’ve added a handy shortcut icon to the PlayStation Store under both the Game and Video categories so you can access the latest content quickly and easily.

• Personalization – Personalize your PS3 with new dynamic custom themes and avatars. Dynamic themes as well as free and premium avatars will be available through PlayStation Store. A dynamic theme takes your screen to a whole new level as it incorporates animated objects into the background.

• Trophies – Showcasing your hard earned trophies just got better. Update 3.00 gives game developers the ability to modify how they display trophies for add-on content. Base and add-on game trophies will continue to be combined into a single list so you can see where you stand in a game as a whole. Within that list, trophies will be broken out into subcategories—base trophies and add-on trophies—that way, you can easily view the percentage of your base game trophy collection, and separately track your trophy progress in add-on packs. Look for this enhancement to be included in upcoming games.

What? Don't believe me? Well why not check this video out:

There will also be other minor tweaks to the system. I'm hoping that one of the tweaks will be for the internet browser, as currently it feels more like a cheap, last minute add-on.

-- BIZNITCH --

Batman: Arkham Asylum- Making the Game

Since the Demo has FINALLY hit the PS Store, I thought I'd find some B:AA related news to post, as I had some spare time on my hands while waiting for it to download.

The latest news on the game seems to be a short behind the scenes look at the game, i.e- the making of!

So sit back, relax and enjoy...

More Batman: Arkham Asylum Info

(If this video doesn't work- click here)

....Why must my internet connection be so slow.....