Playstation Network

This month Sony took the wraps off of PlayStation Network PLAY, a new annual program showcasing four of the season's hottest action titles. Starting today gamers can get more action when the PLAY lineup becomes available for pre-order on PlayStation Network (in North America and Europe). With each pre-order from the PLAY program made in the PlayStation Store, gamers will receive a free theme for their PlayStation 3 and a bonus gift with every purchase for each order. PlayStation Plus subscribers will also receive an automatic 20% off every PLAY program purchase.

Also, as a bonus gift, action fans ages 18 years and older that purchase all four PLAY titles in the PlayStation Store will receive a voucher code for PAYDAY: The Heist, at no additional cost. This offer is good through September 19, 2011.

The 2011 PlayStation Network PLAY lineup is:

August 23: Street Fighter III Third Strike Online Edition – This highly-anticipated action-fighting title from Capcom features 20 playable characters, HD graphics, more than 200 pieces of unlockable content, more than 100 trials and more than 100 challenges. When Street Fighter III Third Strike Online Edition is purchased through PLAY, purchasers will be able to unlock GILL, the self-proclaimed god, without having to beat the game with every character, as day-one DLC. Street Fighter III Third Strike Online Edition will be $14.99 and will be available for pre-order through August 18. Street Fighter III Third Strike Online Edition is rated "T" for "TEEN."Read more

System: PS3 (PSN download)
MSRP: $9.99
Release Date: January 4, 2011

This rendition of Tetris is the most beautiful yet with its support of 1080p HD graphics and it sounds great with its 5.1 surround sound support.

Players can now play online or locally with up to six friends in all-new game modes: Shared, Team Battle, and Battle. "Shared" enables two players to team-up in a single matrix to combine efforts and clear lines together. "Team Battle" allows two teams of two to play against one another, alternating between offense and defense as they compete for the win. And "Battle" has been enhanced with new power-ups for more fast-paced fun.

Additionally, Marathon mode is included, but with a new twist, now multiplayer games let up to four players locally play "Marathon" mode at the same time. Also included, is the new "Challenge" mode, which allows players playing "Marathon" mode or any of the 12 variants to try to beat "replays" of either friends or some of the best Tetris players in the world.Read more

Sony announced this week that two new PlayStation 3 systems will soon be hitting stores shelves - a standalone 160GB PS3 system and a 320GB PS3 which will be offered in a Sports Champions Move bundle. The new models will have all of the same features as the current PS3 but give you approximately 33 percent more space to store your games, music, photos and videos.

The 160GB PS3 system is priced at $299.99 (the same as the current model) and is shipping to retailers now.

The 320GB PS3 Sports Champions Move bundle will be available on September 19 and coincide with the launch of PlayStation Move. The bundle includes the 320GB model PS3 system, one PlayStation Move motion controller, PlayStation Eye camera, a copy of Sports Champions, and bonus Blu-ray game demo disc. It will be priced at $399.99.

"With the launch of PlayStation Move just around the corner, we're expecting many new consumers to join the PlayStation family. The PS3 Sports Champions Move bundle provides those families with everything they need to get into motion control gaming at a great value, with the 320GB model PS3 system as the centerpiece of the package," said Scott A. Steinberg, vice president of product marketing. "Also, as PlayStation Network continues to evolve with exciting new services, the hunger for digital content grows; these larger storage capacities address that demand and encourage consumers to take full advantage of the complete PS3 experience."

Get more information at www.us.playstation.com.

Dads and baseball fans, pay attention! PlayStation Network is giving all PlayStation 3 owners a free weekend of MLB.TV for Father's Day. Beginning today through Sunday, June 20, 2010, anyone with the MLB.TV app on their PlayStation 3 system can stream all the live Major League Baseball games for free. You can even catch up on past games! Now tell me, what baseball loving dad wouldn't want to spend his weekend kicked back, watching all the free MLB games he can get?

Don't have the MLB.TV app? Go to the "Media" category in the PlayStation Store to download the free MLB.TV app. PlayStation is (of course) hoping that you'll love this free weekend enough to subscribe to MLB.TV so you won't miss out on the remaining 2010 MLB Season.

Sony announced this week that its PlayStation Network video delivery service is now offering HD movies for rent or purchase from all of the major movie studios, including 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution.

PlayStation 3 owners that have their device connected to the Internet can now rent or buy the following movies:

• 20th Century Fox – "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian", "Jennifer's Body" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox" (on March 23)
• Walt Disney Pictures – Disney Pixar's "Up", Jerry Bruckheimer's "G-Force" and Disney's "Earth"
• Paramount Pictures – "Star Trek", "Paranormal Activity" and "Zoolander"
• Sony Pictures – "This Is It", "2012", "District 9" and "Zombieland"
• Universal – "Inglourious Basterds", "Couples Retreat" and "Public Enemies"
• Warner Bros. Digital Distribution - "The Hangover", "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" and "The Wizard of Oz"

The wait is over for PlayStation 3 owners! Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is available today through PSN or through a limited retail release exclusively at GameStop in North America for $14.99.

The GameStop retail box includes a redemption code to download the game over PSN and a code for a month's subscription of digital comics at Marvel.com.

Features:

• Over 50 characters from the Marvel and Capcom Universes!
• 3 on 3 tag-team matches
• New online matching mode, including Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix's "Quarter Match" mode; enjoy the arcade experience from your console
• New optional visual filter smoothes out the game's graphics
• Four button controls introduce new players to fighting games; compatible with the Mad Catz Street Fighter IV joysticks and Fight Pad
• Available for the first time via digital distribution on Xbox LIVE Arcade and the PlayStation Network

Only 15,000 copies of the retail box are available, so you better hurry!