A pack of three downloadable songs from legendary guitarists will be available this Thursday, July 24 for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock owners on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, publisher Activision today announced.

Entitled the Guitar Virtuoso Track Pack, the bundle includes the following master tracks:

• "Surfing with the Alien" - Joe Satriani
• "For the Love of God" - Steve Vai
• "Soothsayer" - Buckethead

No price point or any indication of a cost was provided for the pack. Past Guitar Hero 3 DLC has ranged in price from free to a three-pack bundle for $6.25.

Following a pair of scarce updates, the PlayStation 3's digital storefront has been updated with new DLC, demos, and the usual roundup of rhythm game content.

As previously announced, a free pack of maps for Ubisoft's Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 arrives today on the PlayStation store. The pack offers the fan favorite Calypso Casino map from the first Rainbow Six Vegas title, as well as two relit versions of existing maps Murdertown and CQB Training.

A complete round-up of this week's content, including new demos and new downloadable content for Harmonix's Rock Band, is viewable below.... Read more

Developer Harmonix has unveiled next week's downloadable content for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 editions of its multi-instrument music title Rock Band:

• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Snow (Hey Oh)"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Tell Me Baby"
• Rush - "Closer to the Heart"
• Rush - "Working Man (Alternate Take Master)"

A cover of Rush's "Working Man" was previously released as DLC this past January.

"This version, however, is an alternate-take master from the same session [Rush] recorded the hit with an alternate solo," Harmonix's Sean Baptiste explained on the game's forum. "It has never been released."

Individually priced at 160 Microsoft Points ($2) a piece, each master track will be available for download from the Xbox Live Marketplace beginning Tuesday, July 8.
As usual, the PlayStation 3's online PlayStation Store will receive the songs on the following Thursday, July 10.

Sony Computer Entertainment has denied reports that PlayStation 2 games will be offered on the PlayStation 3's digital storefront, following reports of an alleged leaked image showing listings for PS2 titles on the PlayStation Store.

"I'm not sure where the image came from," said SCE communications director Patrick Seybold, as reported by GamePro. "At this point, we haven't made any announcements, and there are no plans for PS2 downloadable titles on PS3."

The image showing PS2 titles on the PlayStation Store appeared yesterday on the N4G forums, posted by a user who claimed to have received the image from a contact within Sony's London studio. Among the titles listed were Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Solid 2 and Namco Bandai's Ridge Racer V.

The source added that plans were to be officially announced at the E3 Media and Business Summit, with an official launch coming later this summer.

In celebration of July 4, Activision has announced that the "Top Gun Anthem" will be available as a free download for the PS3 and Xbox 360 editions of Guitar Hero 3.

"The instrumental, guitar-heavy theme was immortalized in the hit film that inspired a generation of young men to awkwardly serenade women at bars, perform perfectly-timed 'flipside' high fives and threaten to 'buzz the tower,'" noted Activision.

Initially released in 1986, the aviation-oriented film starred a number of now-renowned actors and actresses, including Tom Cruise (pictured), Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, Michael Ironside, and Meg Ryan.

Due out for "mavericks and their wingmen everywhere" on Thursday July 3, the track will be downloadable from the online PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Marketplace.

Following up on this morning's revelation that PS3 and 360 Rock Band owners will be receiving a best-of The Who compilation, the band has detailed the bundle's 12 tracks.

Compiled with the assistance of surviving band members Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, the pack serves as a replacement for the promised release of The Who's entire "Who's Next" album as DLC, which proved impossible due to missing master tracks.

The Best of The Who Rock Band Edition (All Master Tracks):

1. Amazing Journey
2. Baba O'Riley
3. Behind Blue Eyes
4. Eminence Front
5. Going Mobile
6. Leaving Here
7. My Generation (Live At Leeds) -- "Special edited version"
8. Real Good Looking Boy
9. Sea & Sand
10. Summertime Blues (Live At Leeds)
11. Who Are You
12. Young Man Blues (Live At Leeds)

Available to Xbox 360 gamers on Tuesday, July 15, each song will sell individually for $1.99, with the whole package going for $19.99. The band claims the PlayStation 3 pack will hit the same day, though it is more likely that it will, as all past Rock Band PS3 DLC, arrive the following Thursday, July 17.

A poster on the N4G forums has produced an image which appears to show PlayStation 2 titles available on the PlayStation 3's digital storefront, allegedly taken by an employee at Sony Studios London.

According to the post, the source also claimed that the PlayStation 2 lineup is to be officially announced at the E3 Media and Business Summit, with an official launch coming later this summer.

Sony's PlayStation Store currently offers many titles previously available at retail, including original PlayStation and PSP titles. Though all PS3 models are compatible with PS1 software, only one model currently available on store shelves... Read more

A 12-track compilation of The Who songs will be released as downloadable content for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 editions of Harmonix's Rock Band the week of July 15.

The upcoming bundle replaces the promised debut of The Who's entire "Who's Next" album, which proved impossible after several master tracks turned up missing. Only 2 of the pack's 12 tracks--"My Generation" and "Who Are You"--have been revealed.

Each song will sell individually for $1.99, with the whole shebang going for $19.99.

"We were trying to release 'Who's Next' in its entirety, but we were unable to locate all the masters," Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos told The Associated Press. "In the face of that, [surviving band members] Pete [Townshend] and Roger [Daltrey] helped curate this best-of soundtrack of everything we were able to find."

Compatible with the fall release of Rock Band 2, the compilation will be available to Xbox 360 gamers on Tuesday, July 15, with the PlayStation 3 edition following on Thursday, July 17.

Sources at several major movie studios revealed that Sony Computer Entertainment has not yet solidified agreements to bring films to its recently announced PlayStation 3 video download service, according to Variety.

Sony Pictures is presently the only studio believed to be confirmed for the new service. The company is currently in talks with several others to bring more films to the store, slated to hit the PS3's PlayStation Store sometime this summer.

The report goes on to note that the company plans to offer more in its service than what's currently available on the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store and other digital distributors, which may include the ability to transfer downloads from the PS3 to Sony's PSP handheld.

At its launch in 2006, the Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store included content from just two major movie studios, Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures. The service has since gained the support of MGM, Walt Disney Pictures and Lionsgate Films.

This week's update to the PlayStation 3's digital storefront includes a whole lot of rock and little else—but hey, Pixies fans have a lot to celebrate.

Downloadable content for Harmonix's Rock Band this week includes the game's third downloadable album "Doolittle" by the Pixies. The album's 14 tracks will be available in an $18.99 bundle, or individually for $1.99 a piece. Three new Weezer tracks are also on offer at $1.99 a piece, or $5.49 for the pack.

As previously announced, a track from Blizzard Entertainment's in-house band Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain is now available for Neversoft's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Entitled "I Am Murloc," the track is available free of charge.

A comprehensive list of new content is viewable below... Read more

Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Kaz Hirai revealed that a new movie download service will hit the PlayStation 3 in North America sometime this summer, according to an Associated Press report.

Hirai added that more details would be available next month, most likely at Sony's E3 Media and Business Summit conference. The service is also slated to launch in Japan and Europe at later dates.

Competitor Microsoft currently operates a similar service on the Xbox 360 with its Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store, launched in late 2006.

Hirai stated that Sony intends to cut costs and strengthen its lineup of network services to achieve profitability in its current fiscal year. The company recently posted a $3.31B loss over 2007 to 2008, owing to an imbalance between the PlayStation 3's retail price and manufacturing cost.

This week's update to the PlayStation 3's digital store includes a new downloadable title, a digital encyclopedia detailing the Metal Gear saga, and the regular roundup of downloadable content.

As previously reported, today's update marks the release of Koei's Fatal Inertia EX, a retooled edition of the 2007 Xbox 360 combat racer with new tracks, difficulty settings and a modified Sixaxis control scheme. The game is priced at $29.99.

This week also sees the debut of the Metal Gear Solid 4 Database, available free of charge. The database spans the entirety of Kojima Productions' stealth action series from the original Metal Gear to the newly released Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3), and includes an encyclopedia, relationship map, and series timeline.

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

The most recent update to Sony's PlayStation Store brought price increases ranging from $1 to $6 to a number of downloadable PSP titles, plus one increase of $11.

According to a Gamasutra report, the price hikes were mostly limited to premium PSP games being republished on the PlayStation Store, while most of the PlayStation Network-exclusive titles kept their original price points. No reason for the price bumps were provided, nor were they publicized on Sony's PlayStation.Blog store update post.

Among the increased prices were SCE Studios Japan's Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee, up $5 to $15.99; Sony Studio Liverpool's WipeOut Pure, up $5 to $15.99; and Climax Entertainment's Kingdom of Paradise, up $6 to $16.99. Team Soho's Gangs of London saw a jump of $11 to $22.99. Oddly, SCEA's The Con saw a $10 drop to $9.99.

A complete summary of the new pricing is viewable below... Read more

While the Pixies' Doolittle album won't arrive until June 24, Harmonix has pulled back the curtain on this week's downloadable content for Rock Band on PS3 and Xbox 360:

• Avenged Sevenfold - "Afterlife"
• Avenged Sevenfold - "Critical Acclaim"
• Crooked X - "Rock N Roll Dream"
• The Offspring - "Hammerhead"

The Avenged Sevenfold tracks, one of which was previously rumored, and that Offspring tune will sell for 160 Microsoft Points ($2), while the Crooked X single will go for 80 Microsoft Points ($1). All songs utilize the original master recordings.

As usual, the content will hit the Xbox Live Marketplace on Tuesday, June 17, with a PlayStation Store release following on Thursday, June 19.

A pack of three tracks from piano-rock group Coldplay will be available for PS3 and 360 Guitar Hero 3 owners to download on June 19, publisher Activision revealed today.

Meant to promote the new Coldplay album that arrives June 17, the pack will contain:

• Violet Hill
• Yellow
• God Put a Smile Upon Your Face

The pack marks the third of the five GH3 track packs Activision vowed would arrive in June. No price point or any indication of a cost was provided, suggesting the trio could be a free download from the online PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Marketplace.

Rock Band developer Harmonix has announced that it will release the Pixies' "Doolittle," the game's third downloadable album, on PS3 and Xbox 360 the week after next.

Per the typical Rock Band DLC schedule, Doolittle will debut in the Xbox Live Marketplace on Tuesday, June 24, and hit the PlayStation Store on Thursday, June 26.

While the entire record actually runs for 15 songs, only 14 tracks will be offered as one of the 15--"Wave of Mutilation"--is already included on the Rock Band disc itself.

Those 14 tracks will be available in a 1520 Microsoft Points ($19) bundle, with each track going individually for 160 Microsoft Points ($2).

A complete list of the 14 master recordings follows, provided by... Read more

This week's batch of content for the PlayStation 3's digital storefront is unsurprisingly light, owing to today's release of Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3).

As previously announced, the MTV2 Three-Pack for Harmonix's Rock Band and the Isle of Wight festival bundle for Neversoft's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock are now available on the PlayStation Store.

Other new downloadable content includes the Veteran Map Pack for EA Montreal's Army of Two, which brings two additional cooperative campaign maps and a new multiplayer map to the co-op shooter.

A complete rundown of this week's PlayStation Store update follows... Read more

Publisher Koei has announced that it has wrapped production of its downloadable combat racer Fatal Inertia EX (PS3), readying the title for a June 19 release on the PlayStation Store.

A retooled version Koei's 2007 Xbox 360 racer Fatal Inertia, Fatal Inertia EX adds eight tracks and a new difficulty level for veteran racers. The game also features a modified control scheme which takes advantage of the PlayStation 3's Sixaxis capabilities.

Fatal Inertia EX will run gamers $29.99. As with most PlayStation Network releases, a playable demo will be made available alongside the full game.

Update 2: After a brief delay, the promised content is now available.

Update: As of 12:42 AM CST, Sony has yet to update the PS Store with the promised content. "We know you're waiting for today's PlayStation Store weekly update, but it's not quite ready," the company wrote on the PlayStation.Blog yesterday.

Original Story: As if in apology for last week's meager offerings, this week's update to the PS3's online store offers a hefty load of content including a pair of anticipated demos, two games and the debut of Qore, a premium video magazine that includes exclusive beta access.

Playable demos of Firaxis Games' Civilization Revolution and EA DICE's Battlefield: Bad Company will be made available alongside tonight's PlayStation Store update. Bad Company is expected to hit the PS3 and Xbox 360 on June 23, while Civilization Revolution arrives on PS3, 360 and Nintendo DS on July 8.

This week's update will also see the release of indie developer Tiki Games' top-down shooter Novastrike and the arcade action title Wolf of the Battlefield... Read more

Backbone Entertaintment's action arcade revival Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 is now available for download on the PS3's PlayStation Store, and will hit the Xbox 360 next Wednesday, publisher Capcom announced today.

Commando 3 marks the first appearance of the series in almost 18 years, which last saw release as Mercs in 1990. The sequel sports a new 3D engine and supports 3 player online or local co-op. The title will run $9.99 on the PlayStation Store, or 800 Microsoft Points on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Those gamers who purchase Commando 3 on the Xbox 360 will also be granted access to the Super Street Fighter II HD Remix beta, which is expected to go live shortly after the Commando 3 launch. A PlayStation 3 version of the beta has not been planned.