SingStar for PS3 may have just arrived in North America, but the Europeans and Australians are already done with that and moving on to SingStar Vol. 2 in June. PS3 Fanboy reports that Europe will try harmonizing to artists like Mama Cass starting June 20, while the game will hop into Australia a day earlier on June 19. IGN AU got its mitts on Singstar Vol. 2's track list, which we've placed after the break.

There is currently no announcement for when North America can expect Vol.2, and Sony tells PS3 Fanboy that licensing for discs and DLC are very different. Unless alternate arrangements can be made, we take that to mean we won't be seeing Vol. 2 available as DLC on the SingStore in North America.

European gamers that feel naked without a mic in their hand can use the other to pat themselves on the back, as Sony just dropped word that its SingStar franchise has sold through 12 million copies in the PAL region, with some 5 million of these going out the door between last April and March 2008.

In addition, with the SingStore finally gaining traction, Sony also announced that PAL gamers have downloaded a million tracks in the four months since the store opened. Also impressive is that the store's 140,000 registered users, together with members of the game's official website, have recorded and shared 20,000 videos of players belting out tunes from the comfort of their living rooms -- public embarrassment that has been watched some 2.5 million times.

The SingStar series first got players in Europe singing off-tune renditions of "Careless Whisper" and "Like a Virgin" in 2004, and has since spawned numerous sequels, including last December's SingStar for the PlayStation 3 and the soon-to-be released Volume 2. Now, with SingStar for the PS3 finally getting a release in North America on May 20, it will be interesting to see how enthusiasm on this side of the Atlantic for the game measures up.

Sony announced today that SingStar for PS3 will finally cross the Atlantic on May 20. That little bit of information was buried deep inside a press release about Sony America's presence at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival.

Coachella revellers will have the opportunity to try out SingStar and upload their embarrassing renditions of songs to the intertubes, that is, if they're not too busy viewing demos of Little Big Planet and playing some Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Sony America will also host the "TMO Tone Def Party and SingStar Lounge" on Saturday night.

The Euro-exclusive PS3 version of SingStar is ready to belt out another edition with SingStar Volume 2, just as the SingStore is finally getting up to speed. Volume 2 will include 30 new songs, a "Harmony Duet" mode, remote PSP play (you can't sing in public, only browse the SingStore) and features songs like "California Dreamin" by the Mamas and the Papas, along with a lot of artists from this decade. There is currently no release date or announcement whether the new tracks and features will be available as DLC from the SingStore.

The SingStore is also adding 45 new songs this Friday featuring a wide variety of international flavor. We've placed the full list after the break. Still no word when (or if) SingStar for PS3 will make it across the pond.

Read -- SingStar Vol. 2 announcement
Read -- SingStore update this Friday

[Via Gamespot UK]

A new season of Major League Baseball started up in America last night with the first game ever at Washington's brand new Nationals Park, complete with a presidential first pitch and a thrilling walk-off home run. Why should you care about any of this? Because the opening of the new park also means the opening of its new promotional PlayStation Pavilion, packed with demo kiosks for Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, MLB08: The Show, Guitar Hero 3 and SingStar.

You'd think people at a ballpark would have better things to do than play video games, but the demo area drew quite a crowd among the opening night fans. Need proof? Check out our exclusive gallery of photos from the new pavilion below.

May those who drink from the waters of karaoke (in Europe) rejoice, the SingStar SingStore is getting its first major update since launch on March 7. There was an update with 18 tracks last month, but this update will have a whopping 67 songs, almost doubling the offerings. The list of the songs in the update can be found after the break.

The karaoke faithful over at sister-site PS3 Fanboy point out that a lot of the songs are from previous PS2 versions of SingStar, but if these mega-updates continue it might help alleviate the complaints that the SingStore wasn't living up to its potential -- especially if a lot of the songs are recycled from PS2 versions.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

Unidentified man posing just after singing the second verse of Divinyls' "I touch myself" on Singstar the Sony press lounge. He was the first of many to embarrass show off his vocal skills. Actually, he was one of three to do so, just before it was halted for the Buzz! Charity post. Shine on you crazy diamond.

As if VH1's I Love the '90s and The Simpsons' recent '90s-stalgia episode weren't bad enough, Sony is helping us feel incredibly old with the announcement of Singstar '90s. The new karaoke collection, which goes on sales March 12 for the PS2, features Boyz 2 Men, New Kids on the Block, Spin Doctors and other artists that were popular in a decade that only ended eight years ago for goodness sakes.

Speaking of old age, we've been approaching it rapidly as we wait for the oft-delayed PS3 edition of Singstar, which an IGN interview reveals is now set for a May release in the U.S. That same interview also reveals the existence of Singstar Pop, Vol. 2, also coming in May for the PS2. We just hope our new dentures don't adversely affect our singing voices by then.

Trying to alleviate issues the SingStar faithful are having with the dearth of songs in the PS3 incarnation, Sony's SingStar Studios says downloadable songs for the SingStore are on the way. The studio admits its original vision was to have 350 songs available at launch, a mark missed just a bit as the store currently has a little over 60 songs (a fact made even sadder considering the game's delayed arrival).

The studio notes that 18 tracks will be available on January 18th (15 English songs and 3 Spanish ones) from artists such as KT Tunstall, David Bowie and Blur. There will be another update on Feb. 4, followed by further updates twice a month after that. If that doesn't work out, it might be time to call Harmonix and get schooled in how DLC is supposed to be done.

SingStar's offerings on the PS3 have been less than stellar thus far, causing fans to express themselves in the most effective method possible: a petition.

Of course, we wouldn't report on an internet petition if it didn't bring to light some legitimate problems. Though Sony promised more than 350 music tracks for the service at launch, it has so far delivered less than 100 songs. This is especially bizarre given that the SingStore advertises "hundreds of songs available to download," which is obviously not true.

On top of this, copious server outages, and a lack of updates to the SingStore news sections are leaving fans in the lurch. If the petition doesn't do anything (which is absolutely unheard of on the internet), then here's hoping Sony at least wises up and begins catching up on the missing content.

A new Playstation 3 bundle will go on sale in the UK this Friday, featuring two first-party titles along with the 40GB model of the PS3, GamesIndustry.biz reports.

The bundle, which will retail for £349.99 GBP, allows consumers to pick two games from a list of first-party titles to accompany the console. The list includes big 2007 titles like Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction, and SingStar (with microphones). With the 40GB PS3 normally priced at £299.99, this deal probably won't incite a voracious demand for the console, but it is a nice way to pick up a few games on the cheap with a new system.

Full list of titles available through the offer after the break.

SingStar for the PS3 has returned from its state of release limbo and is ready to help the UK and Australia belt out next-gen karaoke beginning the first week in December. Australia will receive the game Dec. 6 and the UK on Dec. 7. There is currently no announcement for the US.

The game will come as a standalone title or with a bundle that has two wired microphones. SingStar will also launch with 40-plus downloadable tracks on the SingStore. In the UK a song will cost 99p to download, which converted is about $2 USD, and that's how much the UK pays for a single off iTunes, so it sounds contextually fair. Australia will pay A$2.50 per download, which converted is about $2.25 USD. We now wait to see what the US gets charged, because there ain't no way in Hades we're paying more for a SingStar download than a Rock Band download.

Eurogamer reports that SingStar Bollywood will hit European store shelves this Friday. Lucky for some of you, the game features phonetic English lyrics so gamers don't have to learn Hindi in the next three days. If you've never been treated to an over-the-top Bollywood production, we have some toned-down examples after the break along with the song list for SingStar Bollywood.

The term Bollywood typically refers to a part of Indian cinema best known for elaborate musical numbers involving massive choreography and catchy tunes. This is certainly another gem in the increasingly diverse SingStar pantheon. Now we wait for the announcement of a SingStar Swedish Folk edition ... actually, seriously now, a pure ABBA SingStar would be amazing.

Karaoke lovers who had Nov. 13 circled on their calendars for the next-generation of SingStar to arrive -- um, just ignore that announcement was ever made. SingStar PS3 has been delayed and is currently residing in limbo until further notice. Sony told GI.biz that the game needs further testing and no specific "release period" will be given.

Reasons for the delay are not given, but the prominent theories are licensing issues and PSN problems. Sony says this delay will give them more time to test the SingStar PSN content "to ensure that it is as rich, simple and accessible a SingStar experience as possible." Don't fret Euro SingStar faithful, by the time the PS3 version comes out you'll be able to purchase a cheaper PS3 model and play all your PS2 SingStars on it too ... oh wait, no you won't. Oh well, there's always the SingStar PS2 bundle.

With the aging PlayStation 2 platform having no trouble besting its big brother in sales every month (not to mention the Xbox 360), Sony has their eyes aimed squarely at the one home console that everyone seems to want: the Wii. This November, they're giving the normally black or silver PS2 a Wii-styled whitewashing, controller and all, and jamming a copy of casual supergame, SingStar Pop, along with two mics into the box. And exactly how much would you expect to spend on this incredible bundle? $300? No! $200? No!

You'll get it all for the low, low price of $150 US ($160 CDN). With casual games like Buzz! and crossover hits like Guitar Hero, the PlayStation 2 SingStar bundle should prove to be quite an attractive option for those families hunting for the undoubtedly still-suffering-from-shortages Wii this November.