2K Games has announced a partnership with Dark Sector developer, Digital Extremes, to aid in the completion of the PlayStation 3 version of superb submerged shooter, BioShock. Digital Extremes is the fourth studio to join the project -- 2K Marin, 2K Australia and 2K Boston have already dove in -- and aims to give PS3 players a "fully optimized experience," complete with new features and content. And trophies, probably.

James Schmalz, CEO and founder of Digital Extremes, noted that the decision to work on the critically acclaimed project didn't even require a brain. "When 2K approached us to assist with development on BioShock for the PLAYSTATION 3 system, it was a no-brainer," he said. "You really can't ask for a more exciting, technically impressive world to work in than Rapture, and the incredible knowledge and talent between the 2K studios and our team at Digital Extremes is unprecedented." Apparently, when it launches this October, BioShock will make the PS3 "sing with Big Daddy goodness and Little Sister 'thank you's'."

A freshly-inked arm feature BioShock's Big Daddy and Little Sister, made Wednesday and sent in by Joystiq reader Nate G. He offered to send us pics after it heals, but we think the tinge of blood and pain is appropriate given the tattoo's subject matter. Check out the highlights for today:

Joystiquery
DS Fanboy Lite: June 21 - June 27
Joystiq hands-on: EA Sports All-Play
Joystiq Podcast 055 - Public access edition
This Week in Review is Left 4 Dead ... again
WRUP: Bonus! Includes Lights Out game cart edition
X3F Week in Review: June 20. 2008 - July 26, 2008

News
Super Street Fighter II HD beta: borked, but fun
Blizzard Splash Screen Update for June 27
Microsoft: Byron regulations may make games more expensive in UK
McFarlane Toys casting Guitar Hero in plastic
White Knight Story to be told in Sony's fiscal 2008
Will Wright talks Spore and defensive cows
Full-page Kmart ad showing $299 Xbox 360
Official PS3 Bluetooth headset revealed, bundled with SOCOM
Hudson crafting a new Adventure Island
Soul Calibur IV getting tag teams of some kind
38 Studios bags former THQ, EA art guy
Röck Band Weekly: Accrüe the awesöme Crüefest DLC
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 getting free multiplayer maps in July

Rumors & Speculation
Rumor: UGO-owned E3.net lists Kid Icarus, Alan Wake, HL2: Episode 3

Culture & Community
One of the easiest Wii homebrew guides you'll find
Amazon's gold box deal: Smash Bros Brawl for $26
Blizzard offers live streams of Worldwide Invitational
PAX 2008 exhibitor list is quite large

Big Daddy is now free to roam on as many PCs as possible. According to 2K Community Manager Elizabeth (via 2K Forums), BioShock for PC can now be installed on as many computers as you want. The SecuROM protection still remains, however, and you still need to both activate the game upon installation and keep the disc in the tray.

Elizabeth does provide some assurance to those who worry about the DRM. "I believe, as you seem to, that BioShock will be the kind of game we will want to revisit 5, 10, 15 or more years from now. I want my copy to be playable, just as you do, and so does 2K," she said. We know Mr. Bubbles would be happy, and we'd hate to see him feeling otherwise.

As part of a conference call following Take Two's second quarter earnings, company officials addressed questions from analysts on a number of topics, including the previously announced plan to give fan favorite BioShock a movie makeover. Despite the obvious vocal excitement from Take Two officials regarding the project, it may be some time before we see Big Daddies and Little Sisters frolic on the big screen, with Take-Two chair Strauss Zelnick stating that "it's unlikely that [the movie] would be released alongside BioShock 2...and it's more likely that it would be released alongside BioShock 3, but that remains to be seen." No, that's not a typo: BioShock THREE.

Additionally, while no specific details were shed on what we can expect from the movie, Take Two certainly appears to be taking a somewhat hands-off approach to the project. Zelnick commented that while the company "feels it is something that could be beneficial," Take Two has "structured the deal so we have no economic structure or risk."

No question: Take-Two lurves their BioShock baby. In an announcement today, the publisher revealed that, to date, BioShock has shipped over 2.2 million units across both the Xbox 360 and Games for Windows platforms. Not too shabby, eh?

It's clear that with this news, Take-Two's gearing up for BioShock mania. Combine strong sales with the recent announcement of BioShock on PS3, news of the Verbinski-directed BioShock film, and the inevitable BioShock 2 announcement from 2K Marin, and we're on the cusp of the next big franchise in gaming. Good thing or bad thing?

While BioShock's October release on the PlayStation 3 may bring visual parity with versions already available, news from the official PlayStation blog teases that the upcoming descent into Rapture may come with a few unexpected surprises.

According to 2K Marin exec Alyssa Finley, the game is being handled by four different studios, with 2K Marin sharing kitchen space with 2K Australia, 2K Boston, and another mystery partner "with some outstanding PS3-specific coding chops." In addition, Finley notes that the devs at 2K Boston are currently banging out code for the version's "as-yet-unannounced components," while simultaneously refining the game's physics to take "maximum advantage" of the PS3's inner voodoo. All said, we're more than interested to see how this latest take on one of last year's landmark releases measures up, even as platform zealots prepare to sling mantra to the effect of 'my Big Daddy can beat up your Big Daddy!'

More rumors regarding the long-awaiting, promised in-game XMB for the PlayStation 3. A member of the Max Console forums has posted a handful of images and videos what is reportedly the XMB working during BioShock, as well as trophies for the game. We've embedded one of the videos after the break. While certainly more convincing than some of the mockups we've seen (think: MS paint), we still remain skeptical.

During the month of Halloween, you PlayStation 3 owners will finally have the opportunity to wield blunt instruments and bludgeon a pack of masked weirdos. Especially if they're between you and a PS3 copy of BioShock, which has been slated for release in October.

Having wrenched free from its Xbox 360 and Windows exclusivity, the waterlogged dystopia sim hopes to win those Game of the Year awards all over again, especially with the aid of "new features and content that will make this a must-have game for its new audience, as well as for those who enjoyed it on the other platforms." We're not sure what developer 2K Marin plans to add, but we hope it's less upsetting than our idea of SixAxis-powered Little Sister shakin'.

We've heard rumors of it for months and now it seems that the most recent one circulated by 1UP's Quartermann is indeed on the money: BioShock is coming to the PS3. The news will apparently drop in the July issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly.

All we know at this point is that the game may get some graphical improvements, it's due in time for the 2008 holiday season and that the port is being headed up by new BioShock creative director Jordan Thomas, a designer on the original. Check out the July issue of EGM for screens and some more info.

With just a handful of months to go before the annual Penny Arcade Expo opens its doors again, you may be wondering who will be taking to the stage to the deliver the August event's keynote address. Organizers have announced that the opening speech will be given by none other than 2K Boston president and creative director Ken Levine.

Says Penny Arcade business mastermind, "Obviously, Ken is pimp supreme...We're super excited to have him open up the show." Given Levine's involvement with one of last year's biggest releases as well as a sequel that already ranks among our most anticipated in 2009, we're sure he'll have plenty to talk about -- and we expect to be left hanging on every word.

Looks like the rumor we broke back in January that Hollywood was flirting with the BioShock license was dead-on. Variety reports that Universal has signed a deal to turn BioShock into a movie. Director Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) will head the project and Aviator writer John Logan may write the screenplay. Take-Two executive chairman Strauss Zelnick, who was in charge of Fox in the '90s, handled the deal for his company and says the project will actually get made ... unlike the Halo movie.

There's also an interview with Verbinski on Variety's Cut Scene blog where he discusses the project. He believes the movie will be rated "R" and says, in terms of the Little Sisters, that he'll take the issue "right up to the edge," not wanting the core audience to feel "betrayed." Though no release date is currently targeted, Verbinski says he'll start pre-production when Logan's script is finished and approved.

[Update: If there was any doubt as to the validity of this story, Take Two itself just issued confirmation that the movie adaptation of its undersea adventure is indeed in the works.]

While left out of the Quartermann roundup posted on 1UP yesterday, the oft-rumored, oft-denied BioShock PlayStation 3 port could arrive this September, reports NeoGAF user "SuperSonic1305" upon scavenging the June issue of EGM. The revived rumor suggests the port will include the extra DLC content and sport upgraded visuals (how about a better ending?). In addition, BioShock 2 reportedly will be "shown" around the same time the port is due. Presumably, the sequel (or prequel?) will be released for Xbox 360 and PC, with a likely version developed for PS3 as well -- why not? And if that is the case, it might make sense to prime the Sony faithful with a port of the original, though BioShock is quickly becoming "last year's game." Two questions: Is a PS3 port too late to the party? But if it is arriving, however late, why keep it a secret?

"Wake up, Samus!"

"What is it, Weekly Webcomic Wrapup?"

"I just had the craziest dream. I was in the movie theater with my mom and grandmother and we were trying to decide what to buy tickets for. There were two movies: A Flicker, and one called Ludwig Kietzmann."

"Isn't that your editor?"

"Yeah, but there's nothing weird about dreaming about your superior's name, is there? ... Anyway, so we buy tickets to Flicker, and we walk into the theater -- no bigger than my college dorm room, mind you -- and the screen starts showing BioShock footage. It was an origins of BioShock movie, except instead of splicers the people turned into demons. And the Big Daddy, he was skipping and dancing around like from a 1950s musical!"

"Skipping? Webby, I think you need to stick to your namesake."

• A Preview (Penny Arcade)
• Wheel of Fate (2P Start)
• Nested Ironies (Penny Arcade)
• Theory of Evolution (2P Start)
• Make it Double (VG Cats)
• If buying a car was like Bad Company (Extra Life)
• Zero Punctuation, Multiple Puncture Wounds (Dueling Analogs)
• Some Restrictions Apply (Digital Unrest)

(Voting after the break.)