Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Joyswag: LittleBigBeta code giveaway, day fivehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/joyswag-littlebigbeta-code-giveaway-day-five/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/joyswag-littlebigbeta-code-giveaway-day-five/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/joyswag-littlebigbeta-code-giveaway-day-five/#commentsFiled under: ,


Over the last week, we've been deriving deliciously twisted pleasure from our LittleBigPlanet beta code giveaway. Oh, to have such power over our readers in exchange for a simple sequence of letters and numbers. Please continue to indulge our pathetic power trip and make a play for ten more codes. Tell us why you don't want entry into the LittleBigBeta and we might just give it to you out of spite. To enter this giveaway:
  • Leave a comment telling us why you don't want entry into the LittleBigBeta.
  • You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec and Imaginationland).
  • Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day (comment more than once and we'll toss poor Sackboy into a fire).
  • This entry period ends at 11:59pm ET on Friday, October 3rd. We'll randomly select 10 winners at that time to each receive a LBP beta code. Please check your e-mail!
  • For a list of complete rules, click here.
Also keep an eye out on The Not Unofficial Joystiq Twitter[TM] for a chance to win more beta codes!

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]]>BetaLBPLBP-JoyswagLittleBigBetaLittleBigPlanetMedia-MoleculePSNLudwig Kietzmann2008-10-03T20:45:00+00:00Resistance 2 Public Beta apps now acceptedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/02/resistance-2-public-beta-applications-now-accepted/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/02/resistance-2-public-beta-applications-now-accepted/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/02/resistance-2-public-beta-applications-now-accepted/#commentsFiled under: ,

application
Look, you gotta understand, not everyone gets into a private party. But a public one? Man, you gotta have some bad luck -- or some funky smelling breath -- not to be invited in. Go on, prove that you're still worthy, apply for the Resistance 2 Public Beta. You can drop your answers here (remember, there's always a right answer, even if it doesn't count). Here's what Insomniac has to say:

"We'll notify you via e-mail if you are accepted into the Public Beta. Space is limited. So, if you want to get a chance to try out all the new multiplayer features in Resistance 2, such as the 8-player co-op and up to 60-player competitive multiplayer, apply now! Good luck!"

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

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]]>betainsomniacpsnr2resistanceresistance-2James Ransom-Wiley2008-10-02T11:58:00+00:00Get a look at Home's 'extended closed beta'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/get-a-look-at-homes-extended-closed-beta/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/get-a-look-at-homes-extended-closed-beta/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/get-a-look-at-homes-extended-closed-beta/#commentsFiled under: ,


click to enlarge
As we mentioned in yesterday's guided tour of PlayStation Home, most of the game's virtual world's "spaces" have undergone some significant visual re-tooling since it was announced at GDC '07. Today we can illustrate the point with fresh screens from the latest extended closed beta client for PS3's answer to Second Life.

The apartment space itself hasn't really been tweaked that much, but the view off the balcony has (it's quite gorgeous in person, really). Check out both our original and updated galleries below to see how many changes you can spot.

Gallery: PlayStation Home Extended Closed Beta


Gallery: PlayStation Home

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]]>betahomeplaystation-homesonyRandy Nelson2008-09-18T22:45:00+00:00A guided tour of the PlayStation Home betahttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/a-guided-tour-of-the-playstation-home-beta/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/a-guided-tour-of-the-playstation-home-beta/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/a-guided-tour-of-the-playstation-home-beta/#commentsFiled under: ,


Home's Central Plaza now looks altogether different from this early, mall-like setting.

Since its impressive unveiling at GDC '07, the virtual community of PlayStation Home has gone from being Sony's most ambitious software undertaking as a console manufacturer to something just shy of vaporware. We hear that more members of the gaming populace are being cherry-picked to test it, but despite this - and a spattering of showings at industry events - it nevertheless seems no closer to realization.

With the expanded closed beta underway and Sony still talking about a public "open beta" release by year's end, we met with PlayStation Home director, Jack Buser, to get a look at what those under NDA are experiencing right now.

Gallery: PlayStation Home


Our tour began in the totally re-designed Central Plaza, something that Buser calls the "pride and joy of SCEA." This area, inspired by elements of modern architecture from Munich and Los Angeles, serves as an entryway and hub into the world. As it stands, the world is comprised of this space, the Games Space, which contains virtual pool, bowling, and arcade games; the Mall, which offers free and paid clothing, furniture, and even entire properties; and a currently single-screen movie theater, which is being used to screen trailers (WipEout HD at present) with plans to expand it into a multiplex offering "more types of video content."

"It's clear that Home is still very much a work in progress, but, as Buser explained to us, will continue to grow."
It's clear that Home is still very much a work in progress, but, as Buser explained to us, will continue to grow long after its doors have been open to a (hopefully) eager public. Manning a DualShock 3 sporting Sony's upcoming keypad peripheral, Buser walked us through Home's current state.

First and foremost, Buser shared his distilled explanation of what Home is all about - something that was still fairly unclear to, well, anyone. "It's all about expanding the game experience. Expanding the gamer community," Buser told us, explaining that, "Every time we do anything, the first thing we ask ourselves is 'How does this expand the game experience? How does this enhance gameplay? How does it enhance existing or upcoming games?' That's our 'laser focus' with Home."


The original Games Space (shown) has undergone a major face-lift in the beta.

Some - ourselves included - have seen the Game Space before and wondered what was so special about multiplayer online pool and bowling. Buser explains that this area of Home is actually a key community component in the eyes of the team. "The real reason for the game space being there is to give you an excuse to do something to meet people," he said. "Take pool. It's just like playing pool in real life. You do it to hang out with friends. Maybe one out of 10 times you play pool it's actually to get better at your game."

Buser believes that the space will serve as a novel and better means of making online friends. "There are really only a couple of ways to meet new friends on traditional game consoles. Either play a game with them, shoot them down, and say, 'Hey, I shot you down! Be my friend' and add them to your friends list," he noted, adding that, "Sometimes you often regret doing that and have to remove them."

"There's no place that gamers can meet up en masse and get to know each other. Which is really kind of sad." - Jack Buser
His second analogy was that, "You meet up with them in real life and exchange PSN IDs, etc.," but that, "There's never really been this layer in-between. There's never been anything built into a game console that's been purely designed as a way to make friends. In Home, you can take time to find out more about somebody - what games they're into, etc. - and decide if you want to be friends with them."

Buser lamented the death of arcades as a congregation spot for gamers, saying, "Think about the real world. If you wanted to go out there and meet other gamers, where would you go? It used to be you'd go to the arcade, right? You can't do that anymore. There's no place that gamers can meet up en masse and get to know each other. Which is really kind of sad." In his mind, "[Home] is the place to meet other gamers. Especially outside of the context of games. You don't have to be blasting them to chat."


The basic - yet customizable - apartment all Home denizens receive still looks nearly identical to this earlier iteration.

But what about other reasons to stay once you've made those friends? We asked about plans for expansion, and were told that, "What we want to do with Home is dynamically grow. What you see on day one is not what you'll see on day two. It's not what you're going to see a month down the road or even six months down the road." The cinema complex was one example. "We wanted to experiment with only one screen, to make sure we got it right," Buser told us. He illustrated how the world will extend past the Central Plaza by opening the World Map, a 2D representation of all the game's spaces. Buser explained that new spaces will be added to the world without necessarily appearing in the Central Plaza, stating that, "We have a ton of content in the pipeline."

"We're constantly going to be adding new spaces, new items, new features, new events ... and even new technology." - Jack Buser
When we quizzed Buser about the oftentimes lengthy loading when moving between zones, and whether this will be optimized before the open beta, he responded, "I can't really talk about that specifically, but what I can talk about is that the reason at launch we're calling it a 'open beta' is because we're constantly going to be adding new spaces, new items, new features, new events ... and even new technology. It's always going to be a living, breathing platform."

We wondered what transpires if spaces become too crowded. For example, would we see queues to play pool? "They way we've designed it, each area that's on the map - game spaces, the Central Plaza, and so on - they fill up to a certain limit and then [another is created]. That way, we know how many people are going to be in a given space, max, he explained. "We've designed it so that it will be crowded, but not so crowded that you won't be able to get to the [Games Space] game you want to get to."


There's no cinema lobby like this in the beta. You walk through the main doors straight into a single-screen auditorium.

Rounding up our tour, Buser booted a newer version of the client to show us the still work-in-progress dedicated Game Space for Uncharted. This envisioning of Sully's bar was a lavish, two-story adventurer's club affair, complete with what we realized were doors that could only be unlocked using special passcodes, one of which we suspect was hidden in a video playing on a TV above the bar. There were also Mercenary Madness arcade machines running. The game, as it turned out, was a simple Pitfall-esque platformer.

Buser said that the Uncharted space was just one example of what can be done for first- and third-party single player titles within Home. "It's also a way for us, with cross-platform games, to provide content for them you're not going to find on any other console," he said. "The farther along we get, the more you're going to see things that happen in-game affecting things in Home, and vice-versa."

We left Home impressed by the atmosphere and vision, yet still uncertain about what the average gamer - even the hardcore contingent - will make of (and in) it.

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]]>betahomeinterviewjoystiqfeaturesplaystation-homevirtual-worldsRandy Nelson2008-09-17T09:15:00+00:00The best of WoW Insider: September 2-9, 2008http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/10/the-best-of-wow-insider-september-2-9-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/10/the-best-of-wow-insider-september-2-9-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/10/the-best-of-wow-insider-september-2-9-2008/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It's dancin' time in Azeroth -- the Wrath of the Lich King expansion is just around the corner, and we couldn't be happier. News is flying off the beta, all the classes are getting upgrades, there's new content to explore, and it all just makes us so happy we can't help but get on down. Here's the top stories from the past week in Warcraft, courtesy of Joystiq's sister site, WoW Insider.

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]]>achievementsbetadramaglyphshumankarazhanracialshamanskill-masterytaurentrollsworld-of-warcraftwrath-betawrath-of-the-lich-kingJoystiq Staff2008-09-10T00:30:00+00:00SOCOM: Confrontation beta patched, actually playablehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/socom-confrontation-beta-patched-actually-playable/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/socom-confrontation-beta-patched-actually-playable/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/socom-confrontation-beta-patched-actually-playable/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It was a rough weekend for the SOCOM faithful as server and network code issues made the game nigh-unplayable for many. Sony was well aware of the problem, promising a fix before the end of this week. Surprise: the fix arrived early this morning, and we - along with, oh, everyone who waited for the beta - were eager to see what exactly was fixed.

Turns out the answer is (at least in our experience) quite a bit. We were irked to find that our character customization data was wiped by the 1.10 patch, but them's the breaks in betaville. Rebuilding our characters wouldn't be worth it if we couldn't get into a match, though. Happily, we have found that almost all front-end network issues (login errors, general slowness, etc.) have been nipped, we can finally join games, and, when we do, gameplay seems less laggy.

It still takes quite a while to load into a match, but knowing that you'll actually be able to play once you do makes the waiting much more bearable. For those who are in the beta, let us know what your experience with 1.10 has been like in comments.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

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]]>betapatchslant-sixsocomsocom-confrontationsonyRandy Nelson2008-09-09T14:40:00+00:00Mythic flings wide the gates of the Warhammer Online open betahttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/mythic-flings-wide-the-gates-of-the-warhammer-online-open-beta/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/mythic-flings-wide-the-gates-of-the-warhammer-online-open-beta/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/mythic-flings-wide-the-gates-of-the-warhammer-online-open-beta/#commentsFiled under: ,


We know that most of you had some fairly important decisions to make this morning -- for instance, the mind-plaguing decision between coffee or tea, or the equally perplexing choice of cereal or pancakes. Perhaps you spent an hour in front of your dresser, trying to decide between boxers or briefs -- or, for our Alaskan friends, which color long johns best suited your mood. However, a select few of you will be making an even more complex decision today, likely in the next few hours: High Elves or Greenskins?

This race-rolling dilemma will be cordially presented to you by Mythic's Warhammer Online -- the open beta for which launched earlier this morning. Members of the previous stages of the closed beta and those who have pre-ordered the title at "select retail partners" can now download the client and let loose the dogs of WAR (though we've heard a number of complaints from frenzied pre-orderers who have had trouble accessing the beta). Fear not, unwashed masses -- your Age of Reckoning will begin in a little over a week.

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]]>betaeamythicopen-betawarhammer-onlineGriffin McElroy2008-09-07T12:00:00+00:00Call of Duty: World at War beta hits 360, PC in Octoberhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/call-of-duty-world-at-war-beta-hits-360-pc-in-october/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/call-of-duty-world-at-war-beta-hits-360-pc-in-october/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/call-of-duty-world-at-war-beta-hits-360-pc-in-october/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In what has to be the most totally original pre-order bonus ever, Activision is going to let anyone who "reserves" Call of Duty: World at War into a multiplayer beta planned for sometime in October. Oh, that's everyone except PS3 owners. The beta will be available only on Xbox 360 and PC, giving lucky paying entrants a chance to try out the game's new perks and squad system.

In "no purchase necessary" style, those not feeling the pre-order itch can try their luck by registering for a beta token lottery on the official Call of Duty site - that is if they can navigate through the Web 2.0 minefield of way too much stuff on the page.

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]]>activisionbetabreakingnewscall-of-dutycall-of-duty-world-at-warpre-ordertreyarchRandy Nelson2008-09-04T14:30:00+00:00Check your email: Home beta invites senthttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/check-your-email-home-beta-invites-sent/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/check-your-email-home-beta-invites-sent/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/check-your-email-home-beta-invites-sent/#commentsFiled under: ,


You may have downloaded the PlayStation Home theme from the PSN Store thinking, "How can this possibly work? How will I know I've ... won?" The answer to that question arrived today for the Selected Ones, the latest batch of Home beta recruits who were informed via email that they'd won out over the presumably thousands of others who'd downloaded the theme. That's right: Sony knows where you live your email address.

Sony isn't saying how many invites are going out, but has confirmed that it's happening in waves over the next 24 hours, so keep checking your email if you haven't received one yet - you might still get lucky. We're told by Sony that another "beta wave" will hit in the next few weeks, so look for more news on that as we get it. Did you land an invite? Lets us know in comments, and have fun Home-ing.

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]]>betahomeplaystation-homepsnsonyRandy Nelson2008-09-02T21:30:00+00:00SOCOM beta confronted by delayhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/socom-beta-confronted-by-delay/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/socom-beta-confronted-by-delay/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/socom-beta-confronted-by-delay/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Over at the official PlayStation Blog, SOCOM: Confrontation producer Seth Luisi has confirmed a massive or slight delay (depending on your level of SOCOM infatuation) for the game's public beta. Originally slated to begin yesterday, the virtual doors will instead open this Friday, September 5. (QORE subscribers will be let in the following Friday, September 12.)

Luisi says the delay was prompted by the team "working so hard to ensure the final product is fantastic," which we believe is Ye Olde Spinne for "we found a bug." Thankfully (and thoughtfully) the beta's run won't be cut short by the delay; it will last a full month, from 9/5 to 10/5. (Make that three weeks for QORE readers viewers.)

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]]>betadelaypsnslant-sixsocomsocom-confrontationRandy Nelson2008-09-02T15:30:00+00:00Resistance 2 releasing Nov. 4, co-op beta starting early Oct.http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/resistance-2-releasing-nov-4-co-op-beta-starting-early-oct/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/resistance-2-releasing-nov-4-co-op-beta-starting-early-oct/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/resistance-2-releasing-nov-4-co-op-beta-starting-early-oct/#commentsFiled under: ,


Gun-toting xenophobes, rejoice! Sony has confirmed that Resistance 2, much like all games ever, will have its North American release in the alarmingly crowded month of November -- the 4th, to be exact. Insomniac's ambitious first-person shooter will also arrive in the company of a fancy, $79.99 collector's edition, complete with the usual making-of videos, art books and snarling statuettes.

If you're the impatient type who simply can't wait to take some shots with at a digital Chimera, you'll be pleased to note that Sony has a multiplayer and co-operative public beta planned for early October. To gain "guaranteed access," you'll either have to pre-order Resistance 2 at Gamestop, purchase an annual subscription to the PSN's interactive magazine Qore, or simply purchase Qore Episode 3. There's a free option too -- register here -- but it does not guarantee entry to the beta.

Gallery: Resistance 2

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]]>BetaBreakingNewsCollectors-EditionFPSInsomniacResistanceResistance-2SCEALudwig Kietzmann2008-09-02T09:50:00+00:00PlayStation Home beta extends to Asia this Fallhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/playstation-home-beta-extends-to-asia-this-fall/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/playstation-home-beta-extends-to-asia-this-fall/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/playstation-home-beta-extends-to-asia-this-fall/#commentsFiled under: ,


Those looking to help iron out the kinks in Sony's silicon-powered social gathering space, PlayStation Home, can now add Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan as valid entry locations for the program's closed beta. Sony's Hong Kong site (via Edge) is already asking readers to check back on August 29th for information on the test, which is expected to begin in mid-September.

Edge also notes that an open beta will commence this Fall, coinciding with similar events in Europe and the US. The more the merrier we say ... even if everybody in the virtual room is just whining about how a plain ol' menu would suffice.

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]]>AsiaBetaHomePSNLudwig Kietzmann2008-08-28T16:15:00+00:00The best of WoW Insider: August 12-19, 2008http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/19/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-12-19-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/19/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-12-19-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/19/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-12-19-2008/#commentsFiled under: , ,


This gigantic, bladed, slashing monstrosity is one of the most coveted weapons in all of the World of Warcraft, spoken of in whispers by some of the most epic characters in the game: the Ashbringer. And it's set to feature pretty prominently in Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion coming to the biggest game in the world later this year. Joystiq's site covering all things Azeroth, WoW Insider, has the story on this sword and much, much more. Here's our biggest posts from the past week in Warcraft.

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]]>ashbringerbetabeta-newsblizzcondalranjoystiqloreticketsweeklyroundupworld-of-warcraftwow-insiderwrath-of-the-lich-kingJoystiq Staff2008-08-19T20:30:00+00:00Warhammer Online open beta starts Sept. 7http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/warhammer-online-open-beta-starts-sept-7/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/warhammer-online-open-beta-starts-sept-7/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/warhammer-online-open-beta-starts-sept-7/#commentsFiled under: ,


If you can't wait to get your hands on Warhammer Online, EA announced today that an open beta for the game will kick off Sept. 7, giving you a whole 11 days to play before the general populace sullies it on Sept. 18.

So, how do you get in? Just pre-order the game with one of EA's "select retail partners." (We don't know who they are yet, but even money says GameStop is one of them.) Also, those who are already in the closed beta will automagically be invited. So, are you getting in on the ground floor? Or have you been burned one too many times by start-up MMOs?

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]]>betaeawarhammerwarhammer-onlineJustin McElroy2008-08-18T11:45:00+00:00SOCOM Confrontation beta features detailedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/socom-confrontation-beta-features-detailed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/socom-confrontation-beta-features-detailed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/socom-confrontation-beta-features-detailed/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Just a couple of weeks to go until those with GameStop pre-orders for SOCOM Confrontation will gain entry into the public beta for the game. (Qore subscribers will need to stay patient for a few days after that - d'oh!) With the sneak peak looming, the SOCOM Blog has posted some salient details on what to expect content-wise.

The latest update details the "Crossroads" map, which will be playable in both 16- and 32-player variations. Available game modes will include Extraction, Suppression, and the less friendly sounding Elimination. Beta players will have access to weapon and gear customization, as well as clans and stats tracking - player data will be deleted once the game hits retail, so bold beta entrants best not get too attached to their accomplishments.

On another SOCOM Confrontation related note: we've toyed around with Sony's official PS3 Bluetooth headset (included in the $59.99 retail bundle) and not only is it well designed, but it acts as a far-field microphone while in its charging cradle so you never have to go without voice chat.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

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]]>betapsnslant-sixsocomsocom-confrontationRandy Nelson2008-08-15T23:00:00+00:00SOCOM pre-order comes with 3 beta keyshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/socom-pre-order-comes-with-3-beta-keys/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/socom-pre-order-comes-with-3-beta-keys/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/socom-pre-order-comes-with-3-beta-keys/#commentsFiled under: ,


click to embiggen
You and a friend can now join in the SOCOM Confrontation beta just by bullying some other friend to pre-order the game from Gamestop. According to an email sent out to the PlayStation Underground members, a Confrontation pre-order will net you participation in the public beta and the ability to invite two friends for free. If you read the fine print, however, the deal is rendered immediately null and void should either party decide to end the friendship. Sony keeps a very strict "friends only" policy. The public beta begins September 1 for pre-orders and September 8 for Qore subscribers.

[Thanks, Noshino]

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]]>betaconfrontationgamestoppre-orderpublic-betasocomsocom-confrontationRoss Miller2008-08-15T00:00:00+00:00Resistance 2 private beta beginshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/14/resistance-2-private-beta-begins/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/14/resistance-2-private-beta-begins/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/14/resistance-2-private-beta-begins/#commentsFiled under: , ,


While not yet open to all those Qore subscribers, a select group of PlayStation Underground members have been sent invitations to the Resistance 2 private beta test. To find out if you're in, check the email linked to your PSN account or hit up the Resistance 2 beta page and try to log in with your PSN name under the Beta Info tag. Qore subscribers will have to wait until that ever-so-descript "late September" start date.

[Thanks to eveyone who sent this in!]

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]]>betaInsomniac-GamesResistance-2Resistance-2-betaRoss Miller2008-08-14T12:45:00+00:00Street Fighter II HD beta gets bandagedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/08/street-fighter-ii-hd-beta-gets-bandaged/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/08/street-fighter-ii-hd-beta-gets-bandaged/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/08/street-fighter-ii-hd-beta-gets-bandaged/#commentsFiled under: ,


Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix's recently extended "open beta" got a technical hadouken this morning, addressing a number of the issues faced by the redrawn brawler, from connection lapses to frozen consoles. Other changes include Ken's newly-nerfed dragon punch, while Capcom says that the overall online experience has seen around a 50% improvement.

Notes a post on the company's blog, "While we can't do anything about high ping times, we've optimized the gameplay experience so that it's less noticeable and smoother," some of which can be seen in video form here. Still, those pining for more characters to pummel will be left wanting. According to Capcom, adding additional fighters was "technically not possible for the patch." We'll just have to wait until we get our thumbs on the full game to get our Cammy on.

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]]>backbonebetacapcomssfiithdrsuper-street-fighter-ii-turbo-hd-remixJason Dobson2008-08-08T15:15:00+00:00PlayStation Home beta accepting applicationshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/playstation-home-beta-accepting-applications/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/playstation-home-beta-accepting-applications/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/playstation-home-beta-accepting-applications/#commentsFiled under: ,

home
No previous job experience necessary. No references or extracurriculars. Heck, you don't even need a first grade diploma. All you need to do is download the PlayStation Home PS3 theme released today on the PS Store and you'll have applied for access to the expanded Home beta test (a mundane magical world brimming with "stuff" -- just like real life ... only avoidable). Of course, there's one thing you can do to make sure your application rises to the top of the heap: Play. "We will be using a variety of criteria including activity on the PlayStation Network to determine eligibility for the Beta community," Home director Jack Buser explains on PlayStation.Blog.

If you do make the cut, please remember to wear your hard hat. This Home is still very much under construction.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

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]]>betahomeplaystation-homepsnJames Ransom-Wiley2008-08-07T16:45:00+00:00SOCOM beta kicks off Sept. 1 for pre-ordershttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/socom-beta-kicks-off-sept-1-for-pre-orders/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/socom-beta-kicks-off-sept-1-for-pre-orders/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/socom-beta-kicks-off-sept-1-for-pre-orders/#commentsFiled under: ,


Right, so there's good news and bad news about the SOCOM: Confrontation beta details released today. It's still pretty early in the morning, let's go good news first. The good news is that, if you pre-order the game at GameStop, not only will you get an invite to the beta of the game that kicks off Sept. 1, you'll also receive codes that you can give to two friends so you can all play together until it wraps up on Sept. 30.

The bad news? Those who'll get entry by having purchased the June issue of Qore won't be able to join in the fun until Sept. 8, which is sure to be a bitter pill if you bought the digi-mag just for the beta invite rather than the peerlessly charming Veronica Belmont.

[Via The Real SOCOM Blog]

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]]>betaBreakingNewspsnSOCOMsocom-confrontationJustin McElroy2008-08-07T09:58:00+00:00