At last, an answer to that pesky imaging problem when older PlayStation 2 games are popped into a PS3.

Sony has released a free download that enhances the imaging quality of older games and even movies. It also allows users to watch stored video and more through the Internet via the PlayStation Portable.

According to a report from KomoTV.com, "The software will also work to adjust the image quality of movies so they will look much better on the PS3, which is equipped to deliver higher image quality through next-generation Blu-ray disc technology.

Up to now, people could use the PlayStation Portable to watch content stored in their PS3 through a wireless local area network.

With the upgrade, users will be able to use PlayStation Portables to check out music, photos and video stored in their PS3 machines at home, while on the go, even from abroad, wherever there's an Internet connection. But they won't be able to play PS3 games on their portable console."

This sounds like a very important upgrade for the PS3 in a particular. The ability to play older games on the machine was a draw for gamers waiting for bigger and better PS3 titles to arrive. But, with the imaging issues, some of the fun was sucked right out of the proposition.

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Labels: playstation network, playstation portable, ps2, ps3

Activision has released its Shrek the Third video game for fans to enjoy, just days before the huge theatrical release of the third in the series.

The game puts the fate of Far Far Away land into gamers' hands as they take on the role of one of the movie's main characters. Featuring the all-star cast of Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, Puss-in-Boots and even Artie and Sleeping Beauty, the game takes players on a quest to stop the ever-evil Prince Charming.

Call me a big kid if you will, but this movie and its memorabilia really has my attention. Perhaps it's because of my 7-year-old, or maybe it's just Antonio's voice, either way, I'll be there this weekend to see the third installment. It's also possible, the game will make it's way home, too.

The game is available on multiple platforms, ranging from the Nintendo DS and the Game Boy Advance. It's also out for the Xbox 360, the Wii, the PS2 and more. Prices vary depending on the gaming system involved. It starts at $19.99 for the PC version and works its way up to the standard $49.99 fee for the next gen systems.

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Labels: activision, fiona, next-gen, Nintendo, shrek, video games, Wii

It might be one of the best-selling consoles on this side of the globe, but the Japanese have had different opinions since day one. It seems those opinions are holding strong.

According to Punch Jump, the Xbox 360 is still hanging out in the No. 6 position in Japan, falling behind most other gaming machines, handhelds, too, in the country.

Average sales for the console on a weekly basis there fall in between 2,000 and 3,000. Software ranking is also sluggish, but that makes sense with the console's popularity or lack thereof.

Still, there's a silver lining in the cloud. Amazon Japan's video game division has Forza Motorsport 2 and another 360 title on its Top 20 list.

Will they be enough to get the console some attention?

Probably not enough. With the Wii and the PlayStation 3 both trouncing the 360 on weekly sales, a pull out of the figures seems unlikely.

Still, it's doubtful Microsoft ever bet the farm on winning Japanese gamers over.

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Labels: japanese sales, nintendo wii, ps3, video games, Wii, xbox 360

News that Electronic Arts' and Will Wright's Spore would be delayed broke yesterday to the surprise of probably no one. This game has already earned worldwide interest because of its maker, but its release has never been nailed down despite years of buzz.

In fact, Spore might be the most popular title that ever wasn't.

Considering the build up for the game, I understand the hesitance to release it before it's "perfect." Wright has a reputation to maintain, after all. As the father of The Sims, any creation he makes is expected to rock the gaming world.

Still, all the delays are starting to make me wonder if Spore isn't just a great big mess.

Guess we'll have to wait until 2008 to find out now.

Once released, the game is expected to be a "god" type title where players create their own worlds from the spore up. It's already won numerous accolades and has a following that includes celebrities.

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Labels: ea, electronic arts, spore, the sims, will wright

As the May 19 date for a Blizzard Entertainment event in South Korea approaches, speculation is running high about what the company's newest installment in the StarCraft series will be.

According to CVG, a new MMO will be revealed, following in the footsteps of the company's incredible success with World of Warcraft.

"Well placed US sources have revealed to us that the StarCraft MMO will be unveiled at an upcoming Blizzard event on May 19 in South Korea - the epicentre of the sci-fi RTS series' rabid fandom," CVG says.

With millions and millions of subscribers to WoW found all over the globe, there's no doubt this company is a master at creating an MMO. A science fiction entry that has the mass appeal of WoW and the popularity of StarCraft would be hard to beat.

Still the science fiction MMO arena already has some pretty big names that aren't doing as great as one might expect. EVE is considered on of the best MMOs out there by fans, but its subscription base is miniscule compared to WoW and Sony's Star Wars Galaxies is continuing to flounder along.

But, with Blizzard behind the wheel of a StarCraft-based game, anything could be possible. It will be interesting to watch this develop, if it does.

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Labels: blizzard, mmorpg, starcraft, world of warcraft, wow

There's only a short few weeks left to go before Forza Motorsport 2 speeds on to the Xbox 360. To say there's been a lot of buzz leading up to this release is an understatment.

The highly anticipated game is the subject of many interviews, specs layouts and even has its own Wikipedia entry. It's available for preorder in a number of locations. Amazon.com is offering a 9 percent discount on the $59.99 sticker price from Turn 10 and Microsoft Game Studios. Amazon also is offering a Nissan Fairlady Z for download to those who preorder.

The updated version of Forza runs at 60 frames per second, allows for a 360 degree view of a car with networked screens and features cars that can be fully customizable. The title supports split-screen and system link and can be played by up to eight people via Xbox Live.

Racing enthusiasts wanting to learn more about the title will find there's no shortage of information out. TeamXbox has a great rundown on the cars of Forza 2, complete will full driving specs.

CVG has a prerelease interview with Dan Greenawalt, the game's director, on its site. Greenawalt took the time to answer questions about the title in general, its features and the new decal system, among other things.

The game releases May 29 for the Xbox 360. It's later than many of us thought it would be last year, but the wait sounds like it will be well worth it.

That day's already marked on the calendar in my house. It's a must have.

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Labels: forza 2, forza motorsports 2, next-gen, racing games, xbox 360

Courtesy of The EPN and Namco Bandai, the Igniq.com tradition of giving continues.

This time around we have a $20 gift card to GameStop or EB Games courtesy of the two to give away in honor of the recent launch of Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection for download on the PlayStation Network. The card roughly covers the cost of the download.

The Tekken 5 download is a big one. It took us quite some time to get through it, but it was worth it. The game looks great and is a fun play.

To get in on the gift card giveaway, answer this question correctly: What anniversary did the Tekken franchise recently celebrate?

E-mail answers to sherri@igniq.com. Eligible contestants must live in North America and must answer the question correctly. The deadline is May 19. The winner will be drawn shortly thereafter.

Now, in regard to our .hack://g.u. giveaway, the brand new copy goes out to Krista Edlen in Florida, who was among those who correctly placed the world of Norrath with the MMORPG EverQuest. Congratulations Krista! Your game will be mailed out this week!

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Labels: free video game, namco, namco bandai, playstation network, tekken 5

Spider-Man fans who can't get enough of the blockbuster hit in the theaters can bring the action home thanks to Activision's latest release.

The official Spider-Man 3 Game has made it was to stores. The game is based on the movie and allows players to "experience for the first time Spider-Man's mysterious black-suited persona, as well as heroic red suit while battling villains in a massive New York City playground teeming with activity," says Activision's media release.

The game features scenes from the movie and enables players to choose between the film plot or new storylines as they fight crime and explore the city. The title boasts more than 20 miles of subterranean environment.

Spider-Man 3 is out for a host of gaming devices, from the three next-gens, to handhelds like the Game Boy Advance. It ranges in price from $59.99 to $29.99, depending on platform of play. It's rated E10+.

Sounds like a great way to bring the action home.

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Labels: activision, spider-man, spider-man 3, spider-man 3 game

A recent reminder for Second Life players to make wise choices in creating and protecting their passwords has some wondering if the game is experiencing a problem with hackers, spamers or glitches.

MMORPG.qj reported that Daniel Linden, Linden Lab's community affairs director, has suggested that residents of Second Life consider May "Strong Password Month." It seems Linden went on to strongly encourage people to change their passwords right away.

It does sound like a security breach or a suspected one prompted this, but in the gaming world, password security is always a concern. It can't hurt to play it safe.

In other Second Life news, Linden Labs is getting ready to test an age verification tool that will help ensure residents are 18 or older. Beta testing is set to begin soon and will require residents to input some form of ID to help esnure the population follows the age restriction requirements.

Boy, I wish that rule extended to MMORPGs like EQ and Vanguard!

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Labels: game security, linden labs, online games, second life

Disney Interactive Studios is celebrating the 25th anniversay of "Tron" the movie with a with a re-release of the classic games on Xbox Live Arcade. Both Tron the game and Discs of Tron will be out this summer.

"The 'Tron' film has captured the imaginations of video game players and film fans for generations with its ground-breaking visuals and action-filled story," said Craig Relyea, vice president of marketing, Disney Interactive Studios, in a media release. "The classic arcade games Tron and Discs of Tron are returning this summer through Xbox LIVE Arcade with new features and options for the film's 25th anniversary."

The games include the original versions and also newly enhanced ones, as well. The updated versions include enhanced graphics and audio. There will be four online modes.

There's no word on when exactly these will arrive on Xbox Live, but they will certainly deliver one heck of a blast from the past when they do.

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Labels: disks of tron, disney, tron, xbox 360, xbox live, xbox live arcade

Just nine months after its official release, THQ's Saints Row has been named an Xbox 360 Platinum Hits title.

Players of the game take on the role of a 3rd Street Saints gang member. Living under threat from rival gangs and corrupt officials, the mission is to conquer Stilwater a district at a time.

The title allows players to customize their character and vehicles. The open-world genre title can support up to 12 players on Xbox Live.

As a Platinum Hits title, Saints Row will retail for $29.99. Considering it's only nine months after its initial release, I can't quite figure out if this is actually good news for the title or not, but at least it's good for gamers that want to check it out for less of an investment.

The folks at THQ don't sound too upset though.

"Achieving Platinum Hits status in just nine months is a tribute to Volition's talented development team, and we look forward to leveraging their proprietary open-world engine to continue pushing the genre forward," said Bob Aniello, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, THQ, in a media release.

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Labels: platinum hits, saints row, thq, xbox 360, xbox live

AGI and Sega have a quirky little program coming out for the Nitnendo DS that will have gamers talking – literally.

Kokoro Scan is voice recognition software that is designed to gauge a person's mood. The program can tell if users are happy, sad, stressed and so on. It can even be used to scan the voices of others in the area.

The software comes with a few games, including Kokoro Age, which will have players trying to control their moods while talking. Mini-games are also included.

It doesn't sound like much right now, but if Kokoro Scan follows the typical Nintendo pattern, there will be much more there than meets the eye. Quirky + Nintendo tends to equal addictive!

Wii Sports anyone?

Nods to Kotaku

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Labels: agi, kokoro, Nintendo, nintendo ds, wii sports

If the presales for the Xbox 360 Elite are any indication, Microsoft might have a serious seller on its hands. Although its name sake is only the second bestselling next-gen console, this bigger and better version is kicking up some real interest.

Punch Jump is reporting the Elite, which features a 120GB hard drive and HDMI, has sold out on preorders via Amazon.com.

The preorders have put the Elite in the "No. 5 position in the best-selling products for Amazon's Computer & Video Games division on Thursday."

While that's not necessarily the No. 1 spot, it does look as if the Elite is garnering some serious attention. With the PS3 still floundering and the upcoming release of Halo 3 drawing closer (we all hope), the Elite might bring only good things to Microsoft.

The new console releases April 29.

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Labels: microsoft, ps3 elite, xbox 360, xbox 360 elite, xbox elite

Blizzard is cooking something up for next-gen console fans who happen to love MMORPGs.

The company responsible for World of Warcraft and Diablo currently has three positions open that specifically point to a next-gen MMORPG being on the way.

“Blizzard Entertainment is looking for an individual to lead an engine-programming team focused on next-generation massively multiplayer online games,” reads one of the three ads on the Blizzard site.

There’s no indication as to whether this would be a remake of an older Blizzard game, such as WoW or Diablo, or a completely new creation. There’s some speculation that it might be a Diablo remake. Since Blizzard execs have said a WoW versions for next-gen consoles would be incredibly difficult, the Diablo guess does sound like a good one.

Still, a completely different game by these skilled creators wouldn’t be a bad thing either.

There’s no indication based on the job postings which next-gen consoles Blizzard is looking at. Whatever it ends up being promises to be good.

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Labels: blizzard, diablo, mmorpg, next-gen console, wow