The latest update to the PlayStation 3's digital storefront sees the debut of the August edition of Sony's digital magazine Qore, along with new details concerning paid access to the upcoming beta program for Insomniac Games' shooter sequel Resistance 2.

Those gamers who buy an annual subscription to the digital magazine will be offered early access to the beta, scheduled to kick off in the near future. Single episode purchasers, meanwhile, will be guaranteed access at an undisclosed later date. Qore is priced at $2.99 per issue, or $24.99 for an annual subscription.

Also on offer is the PlayStation Home theme, which acts as an application into the latest round of beta testing for Sony Studio London's online social networking software when downloaded. As revealed earlier today, the theme is available free of charge.

The entirety of today's PlayStation Store update is viewable below... Read more

As Sony prepares to launch the public Home (PS3) beta this year, the company has revealed plans to ramp up the closed beta test at the end of the month.

To apply for the latest round of testing for Studio London's online social-networking software, North American PlayStation 3 owners simply need to download the free PlayStation Home theme that will be available in the PlayStation Store later today.

"We will be using a variety of criteria including activity on the PlayStation Network to determine eligibility for the Beta community," director Jack Buser wrote on PlayStation.Blog, noting that current beta testers will be included in the rollout, and that SCE Europe will be contacting active PS Network users for beta participation.

The multiplayer PC beta for EALA's strategy title Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 has kicked off, allowing the first 2,000 folks that registered beta keys to begin playing.

"We are starting the activation process with a very small pool of testers and will work to ramp this number up to thousands and thousands of Comrades around the world on a weekly basis, likely multiple times a week throughout the rest of this month and August," EALA noted on the game's official site.

The studio expects the next wave to bring in at least 10,000 more participants. At present, the only way to register for the beta is to use the key that was bundled with the PC edition of the C&C3 expansion pack Kane's Wrath.

The full version of Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 arrives on PC and Xbox 360 this October. The project was originally slated to hit PlayStation 3 as well, but was later cancelled due to the PS3's "exotic and tough" development environment.

Serial codes granting access to Blizzard's recently launched World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (PC) beta are being sold on internet auction site eBay for exorbitant sums of money following the beta's launch late last week.

According to Eurogamer, the beta keys have sold as high as €652 ($1022) on internet auction site eBay's UK arm. Meanwhile, recently completed listings in North America range anywhere from $200 to $650, with one listing going for $735.

Originally distributed at Blizzard's BlizzCon 2007 and 2008 Worldwide Invitational, the keys were recently revealed to grant entry to the anticipated expansion's beta testing phase. The only other means of gaining access is by way of an opt-in sign-up page, from which participants are randomly selected.

Wrath of the Lich King marks the second expansion to the wildly popular fantasy MMO, and includes the title's first hero class, the Death Knight.

The expansion is set to make its full retail debut by the year's end.

The beta for Backbone Entertainment's Super Street Fighter II HD Remix (PS3, 360) has been extended to September 5th, publisher Capcom revealed on its official blog.

Originally slated to operate until mid-August, the Xbox 360-exclusive beta formally kicked off on June 25 and was made available to those Xbox 360 owners who purchased Backbone's Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3.

The extension is likely aimed at testing a new patch for the fighter revamp, which Capcom says will arrive "in the coming weeks." The patch incorporates a new netcode which minimizes lag while playing the game online, as well as a number of general gameplay tweaks.

A complete listing of the patch notes are viewable below... Read more

Update: Insomniac Games has informed Shacknews that Qore represents "only one way into the public [Resistance 2] beta," which is planned for worldwide availability.

"There will be many ways in, including a pre-order program we'll announce soon that will grant the earliest access to the public beta," noted Insomniac's James Stevenson.

Original Story: The August issue of Sony and Future Publishing's downloadable PlayStation 3 video magazine Qore, priced at $2.99, will contain an exclusive invitation to the online beta for Insomniac's upcoming first person shooter Resistance 2 (PS3).

Resistance 2 is slated to include 60-person online class-based competitive multiplayer and 8-person online cooperative play in addition to the expected ... Read more

Serial codes handed out at Blizzard's BlizzCon 2007 and 2008 Worldwide Invitational will allow players access to a beta testing of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (PC), the company revealed today.

The news arose in a forum post written by a Blizzard representative, who stated that attendees of either event who have their keys on hand can register the codes on the company's official beta sign-up page.

Those eager players who did not attend BlizzCon or this year's Worldwide Invitational can participate in an "opt-in" beta sign-up, in which participants will be chosen at random. A launch date for the beta has not yet been disclosed.

Marking the second expansion of the wildly popular fantasy MMO, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King will include the MMO's first Hero class, the Death ... Read more

Developer NetDevil and publisher Codemasters have announced that the pre-release beta signups for the upcoming PC space-action MMO Jumpgate Evolution have begun through the game's official website.

Codemasters also provided a new set of screenshots alongside its announcement.

Announced around this time last year, Jumpgate Evolution is NetDevil's update to its long-running MMO Jumpgate with new graphics, AI tweaks, a redesigned user interface and other improvements.

Jumpgate Evolution is expected to debut later this year.

The open beta for GarageGames' online shooter Fallen Empire: Legions, a spiritual sequel to Starsiege: Tribes, has launched on web portal InstantAction.com.

Prospective beta testers need only sign up for a free InstantAction account in order to get in on the action.

As in Tribes, Fallen Empire's major draw is its jetpack-based flight, which makes for a rather frenetic first-person shooter. The game supports up to 16 players on two maps, played in either deathmatch or capture-the-flag modes.

For more on the game, check out our recent preview.

Publisher Capcom announced today that the beta release of its upcoming classic fighter overhaul Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix will be made available to Xbox 360 users on June 25.

Access to the downloadable Xbox 360-exclusive beta will be granted to all who purchase Backbone Entertainment's Commando 3 from the Xbox Live Marketplace. The beta allows gamers to test the title in online play as either Ken or Ryu on a single stage.

Developed by Backbone Entertainment, the full version of SSF2HDR will be sold at an unknown price through the online storefronts of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 later this summer.

Realtime Worlds today unveiled its plans to host a "full public beta of APB," its upcoming crime-based MMO due out on PC and Xbox 360. Helmed by Grand Theft Auto creator David Jones, the studio's first release was the open world title Crackdown (360).

The news and two new bits of character art were tucked away within the announcement of Chris 'Ulric' Dye as the game's community relations manager.

According to business manager Mario Rizzo, Dye's hiring "signals the start of a new phase for APB where we can interact more fluidly with both gaming sites, and our potential future player base. This is an important milestone for the game now that we are transitioning into Alpha and moving towards the full public beta of APB."

Alpha and beta tests are relatively common for massively mutliplayer online efforts, though they often occur within the confines of an closed, invite-only environment. No timeframe or platform details were provided for the public beta, though the game is expected to launch in 2009.

People interested in beta testing Ubisoft's voice-controlled strategy game Tom Clancy's EndWar (PS3, X360) can now sign up at this website, provided they have an Xbox 360 with an Xbox Live Gold subscription, and 3GB of free space.

The private beta, which will run for three weeks in June and July, will include three maps and the ability to play 1v1 and 2v2 matches. For more on EndWar check out our recent impressions and interview.

Speaking with Shacknews, Electronic Arts has clarified reports of pay-to-play weaponry in the upcoming release of EA DICE's Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3, X360).

Responding to reports that ten weapons in the Xbox 360 multiplayer beta of the title were marked as purchasable from the Xbox Live Marketplace, a representative explained that some of the weapons would be made available as part of pre-launch promotional programs.

"Battlefield: Bad Company will release five unique weapons free of charge through five different promotional programs prior to launch," the rep noted. "EA will again make these weapons available to players free of charge after launch, in case anyone missed the pre-launch promotions."

The other five weapons will be made available to players who purchase the Gold Edition of Battlefield: Bad Company, which will be released alongside the standard retail release this June. "For players who do not purchase the Gold Edition of the game, they can still buy the five weapons at a small individualized price per item," the representative continued.

"All weapons are balanced for gameplay," they added. "More weapons offer players more choices but do not create an advantage/disadvantage for players who do not opt to buy new items."

A glance at the unlockable arsenal in the newly released beta for EA DICE's Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3, X360) reveals weapons will be up for purchase on the Xbox Live Marketplace, Game|Life reports.

The Unlocks section of the game's menu system lists a variety of weapons, ten of which read "buy this weapon on Xbox Live Marketplace" when highlighted. The game also displays a model of the weapon which can be rotated and viewed at any angle, leading some to speculate that the weapons are already packed in the game data.

While many elements in the beta versions of many titles are often changed or scrapped prior to retail release, the inclusion of a microtransaction seems an unlikely candidate for overhaul as Bad Company nears its June release.

Another EA DICE online shooter, Battlefield Heroes (PC), was recently confirmed to include microtransactions to support its free-to-play pricing structure.

Shacknews has reached EA for comment, but the company has not responded as of this writing.

EA DICE's first-person shooter Battlefield: Bad Company and its destructible environments will arrive on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in June, publisher Electronic Arts has revealed.

An Xbox Live beta will begin on March 25, allowing select users early access to the game's multiplayer component and two of its maps. Retailer GameStop will distribute beta keys to the first 5,000 people that pre-order the title.

"We're really excited about this beta since it gives us a chance to let a wider audience play our new multiplayer game [mode], Gold Rush," said senior producer Karl-Magnus. "The feedback coming back from something like this is crucial for us as developers and will help us with the final changes and polish in the game."

For more on Battlefield: Bad Company and its Gold Rush multiplayer mode, scope out our recent impressions and check out the multiplayer tutorial movie below.

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Capcom announced its intentions to release a beta for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PS3, X360) alongside an upcoming Xbox Live Arcade title, GameSpot reports.

The company revealed that the eight-week beta program will be accessible to Gold Xbox Live subscribers via purchase of its upcoming Commandos 3 on Xbox Live Arcade this spring. Commando 3 will be priced at 800 Microsoft Points ($10).

The beta will allow gamers to play online as either Ken or Ryu on a single stage. Aimed as a stress test to gauge the title's network functionality prior to its full release on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network later this year, the HD Remix beta will be unlocked shortly after Commandos 3's release.

Capcom also revealed on its official blog that SSF2T HD Remix's art style has been revamped, owing to difficulties in production with the previously ... Read more

The first expansion pack for the PC edition of Command & Conquer 3 is in manufacturing and will arrive at retailers on March 26, publisher Electronic Arts has announced.

Developed by EALA, the studio behind Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars (PC, X360), Kane's Wrath includes 13 new missions, 6 new sub-factions, and a key to the PC beta for the recently unveiled Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (PC, PS3, X360). Details on the beta are set to arrive in the summer.

An stand-alone Xbox 360 release of the expansion will arrive in the summer, complete with a new radial interface and an exclusive challenge mode.

Indie developer GarageGames has opened the floodgates on its web-gaming application InstantAction.com.

While an official announcement is not due for another day or so, a GarageGames representative confirmed to Shacknews that anyone who signs up for the beta via the service's official site will be able to instantly access the beta.

The beta currently contains four titles from multiple studios--Marble Blast Online, ScrewJumper, Think Tanks, and Cyclomite--with a prototype version of TRIBES spiritual sequel Fallen Empire: Legions slated to arrive by the month's end.

For more on InstantAction and its upcoming titles, check out our past coverage.

Publisher Konami has revealed that the beta for Metal Gear Online, the 16-person multiplayer component of Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3), will begin on April 21.

As previously announced, players will be able gain access by pre-ordering Metal Gear Solid 4 from major retailers. The pre-order program will begin in April, with consumers receiving a limited edition DVD, entitled Metal Gear Saga 2.0, that contains a download code for the beta.

At present, the beta is expected to run for about two weeks, according to a post by Konami PR director Michael Shelling on official PlayStation blog. He also noted that the participation of "additional promotional partners" could open the test to those who don't pre-order.

A PlayStation 3 exclusive, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots hits retailers worldwide Thursday, June 12. It will contain five Metal Gear Online maps, which Konami has repeatedly described as a "starter pack." For more on both efforts, scope out Nick Breckon's hands-on impression of Metal Gear Solid 4 and Metal Gear Online.

Kojima Productions' anticipated PS3 tactical sequel Metal Gear Solid 4 is set for a late Q2 release this year.

The news comes from Sony's Destination PlayStation conference held earlier today. Kotaku is reporting a target release date of June 12, 2008 for the title.

A beta for the online component of the game, Metal Gear Solid Online, will begin in April. Those who preorder Metal Gear Solid 4 will receive access to the test.

Sony also announced a new PlayStation 3 bundle themed around the game. The $499 package includes a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4, one of the new DualShock 3 rumble-supported controllers, and an 80GB PlayStation 3 console.

The bundled console will feature some backwards compatibility, the hardware being similar to that found in the 80GB Motorstorm bundle, according to a comment made by SCEA's Al De Leon on the PlayStation blog.