Last month, word got out that online gaming communication and tracking provider Xfire would be offering some kind of service for PlayStation 3, but details were hazy at the time. Today, the Viacom-owned company announced it will be offering its friend tracking and chat services as a PS3 middleware SDK that can be used by other developers if so desired. The first PS3 game to use Xfire will be Sony Online Entertainment's action/RPG launch title Untold Legends Dark Kingdom. Apparently, after logging into Sony's PS3 online service, players will also be able to log into an Xfire account for games that support the service. Messaging and chat seem to be available through both services, leaving it up to players to decide which service they prefer. One advantage of Xfire over the standard PlayStation Network Platform service is that it will allow PS3 Xfire users to communicate with PC Xfire users, similarly to the cross-platform PC/Xbox 360 interoperability with Microsoft's upcoming Live Anywhere service. However, it seems that Sony Online Entertainment's downloadable content will be available only through the PlayStation Network Platform and not Xfire, at least initially. Both GameSpot and IGN released interviews with Xfire CEO Mike Cassidy about the service's details.

Speaking to those publications, Cassidy made comments that many have interpreted as indicating that Xfire also has a Wii service in the works. He also more openly stated that the company has a working PS2 Xfire prototype, but had nothing official to announce as to that project's status. Asked by IGN whether Xfire would work with Microsoft or Nintendo, Cassidy responded, "Yes, we would like to work with both. Let's just say it is more likely we'll work with one of them than the other." Speaking to GameSpot, he was a little less cagey, admitting, "We are in talks with one other console maker." Given that Microsoft has run its own full featured proprietary online platform for several years on Xbox and Xbox 360 and is already gearing up for its cross-platform Live Anywhere, it seems more likely that Nintendo would be the company in question.

Japanese studio Level 5 has long been known for its RPG efforts on Sony platforms, being responsible for the Dark Cloud series (PS2), Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2) with Square-Enix, and the upcoming White Knight Story (PS3) and Jeanne d'Arc (PSP). Today, the company announced a new game that marks a deviation both in the company's usual platforms and genre. It is developing and publishing an adventure game for Nintendo DS entitled Professor Layton and the Mysterious Village; this will be Level 5's first self-published game.

Level 5 president, and frequent director and producer, Akihiro Hino will be heading up the game's development, while the game's puzzles will be supervised by mental training author Akira Tago. According to IGN, Level 5's Hino enjoyed Tago's books as a child, which led to Tago's involvement in this game.

Visually, the game seems to draw as much or more from European animation styles as from the Japanese anime traditional that has been associated with most of Level 5's work. The company has released a few initial screenshots and pieces of artwork. Interestingly, the official site announces a voice cast for the game, suggesting it will have a substantial amount of voice acting. The game tells the story of protagonist Ruke and the titular Professor Layton, who must visit a mysterious village (surprise) and uncover a hidden inheritance by way of solving the game's puzzles.

Level 5 plans to release the game to Japanese store shelves in February 2007. No North American release has been announced, but it is very unlikely the studio would self-publish abroad, and may be looking for a third party publishing deal.

Apparently confirming inferences dating back from last month, various publications are reporting on news from Japanese publication Famitsu that PlayStation 3, both in its 20GB and 60GB hard drive incarnations, will come bundled only with a composite video cable, and not a component video cable or an HDMI cable. This makes the "premium" Xbox 360 model the only next-gen console confirmed to ship with component cables. However, in a nice touch, PS3 will accept the same multi A/V out cable as its predecessor PS2, meaning that if you're got PS2 component cables lying around, you'll be all set to run your PS3 in HD.

Yesterday, Nintendo held a Japanese event focused around announcements for the upcoming Wii launch. The conference was intended for retailers, and thus was more concerned with discussing accessory availability and pricing information than with game announcements. The company released a list of cables and other extra components to be made available when the machine launches in Japan.

Several A/V output cables were confirmed. All prices given are for the Japanese market. As previously revealed, the system will ship with a composite video cable; replacements can be purchased for 1000 yen ($8.38). S-Video and Component cables will also be available for 2500 yen ($20.95) each. Finally, a D-Cable, which is unlikely to be sold in North America, will be available for the same price.

Nintendo will be offering a branded 512MB SD card for 3800 yen ($31.84), though it is worth noting that it is simply a standard SD card and players will be able to buy third party cards, likely for significantly fewer yen/dollars per megabyte.

For users who do not have a wi-fi network to get Wii online, Nintendo will offer an ethernet adapter for 2800 yen ($23.46). The system can also get an internet connection through the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector, released earlier for Nintendo DS.

Nintendo has announced initial details for a series of events in Japan that will feature playable Wii and Nintendo DS consoles open to the public in major cities. Tokyo Game Show is known for being a big industry event that is open to the public, but Nintendo does not generally attend TGS, making this a major opportunity for the Japanese public to try out the device before its December launch in Japan. Nintendo World 2006, as the tour has been dubbed, will travel to Nagoya on November 3, Osaka on November 12, and Tokyo from November 25 to 26.

In line with its professed goal to bring gaming to new audiences, the company also released a series of video clips under the heading "Wii Experience," showing individuals and couples from countries throughout the world trying various Wii Sports titles for the first time.

Yesterday's one-day PS3 preorder rush at EB and GameStop retail locations apparently turned out rather like a console launch itself, with many gamers lining up for hours waiting for stores to open and begin accepting reservations for the upcoming console. Of course, following such shenanigans, numerous PS3 eBay listings have popped up, promising bidders the chance to be the first with Sony's next-gen console for the low low price of two to ten times the suggested retail value. At time of writing, "Buy it Now" prices start at $1,200, and some auctions run as high as $5,000 for a minimum starting bid. Many PS3 auctions have already been won.

PlayStation 3 goes on sale in North America on November 17, at $499 for a 20GB hard drive model and $599 for a 60GB hard drive model. Sony expects to ship only 400,000 units to North America, which is likely a strong factor in the high reseller asking prices.

Speaking to Japanese publication Famitsu, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios head Phil Harrison stated that, across Sony's various Worldwide Studios, the company currently has some 190 games in development for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PSP. Of these, a surprising 100 are in development for PlayStation 3, representing an enormous amount of output for the system from a single publisher. Sadly, Harrison stopped short of listing each game.

Viacom subsidiary MTV Networks today announced that it will be acquiring independent developer Harmonix Music Systems. Harmonix is the studio behind games such as Frequency (PS2) and Amplitude (PS2) and is best known for its recent Guitar Hero (PS2) and upcoming Guitar Hero 2 (PS2). Since November 2005, MTV has featured Guitar Hero in various programs and promotions. MTV announced the terms of the deal, which will see the youth network pay out $175M in cash, as well as additional future payments to Harmonix shareholders if various financial goals are exceeded.

According to 1UP, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios head Phil Harrison has confirmed six specific titles which will be running in 1080p resolution when they ship for PlayStation 3. These are Factor 5's Lair, BEC's Mobile Suit Gundam: You'll Get Caught Up in the Crossfire, SEGA AM2's Virtua Tennis 3, Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo HD, Namco's Ridge Racer 7, and EA Canada's NBA Live 07. Of these, all are playable in 1080p on the TGS show floor with the exception of NBA Live 07, which was shown only at a private Sony event last night.

Various other games are targeting 1080p as well, including PS3 launch title Insomniac's Resistance: Fall of Man, but the six listed above are those that are currently confirmed for the resolution.

Yesterday during a post-keynote question and answer session at the Tokyo Game Show, Sony Computer Entertainment revealed that in Japan, the 20GB PlayStation 3 model will be priced at 49,980 yen ($427.11) rather than the originally stated 59,800 yen ($511.02). Today, the company confirmed that this pre-launch price cut is indeed only for the Japanese market. However, it did also reconfirm that the addition of HDMI to the lower-end PS3 model is a worldwide change.

The existence of Team NINJA's Ninja Gaiden Sigma for PlayStation 3 has been reported by various Japanese sources in recent days and was included in Sony's official PS2 lineup released during TGS, but now Japanese publication Famitsu has outlined the upcoming game in more detail. Ninja Gaiden Sigma will essentially be the "complete" version of Team NINJA's acclaimed Ninja Gaiden (Xbox), which was already re-released and tweaked with Ninja Gaiden Black (Xbox). Sigma adds various new features, such as improved graphics, dual wielding of weapons, and the ability to play as heroine Rachel.

Developer and publisher SNK today announced that one more Metal Slug game will be gracing its upcoming Metal Slug Anthology headed for Wii and PSP: Metal Slug 6, released in arcades just this year. Already announced for the compilation are Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4, and Metal Slug 5. The game was previously set as a Wii launch title, yet the game was conspicuously absent from recent launch lineups for the system. However, today's press release from SNK indicated that both versions of the game are still on track for release this November.

Tokyo Game Show coverage continues from GameSpot, IGN, and 1UP.

Update: 1UP has updated its original story with statements from Sony Online Entertainment's Chris Kramer. Kramer clarifies the situation, stating that the Xfire deal in fact applies only to SOE's launch title Untold Legends Dark Kingdom, and not to the PlayStation Network Platform as a whole. "This proposed deal is completely separate and independent from the PlayStation Network Platform, and is something that SOE was examining specifically for Dark Kingdom," said Kramer. "More information on Xfire and Dark Kingdom will be coming soon." IGN has a similar statement from Xfire CEO Mike Cassidy, who said, "We do have future announcements. For now I can only tell you Xfire is not part of PS3's PNP."

Original story: In a Viacom conference call transcript released on August 9th, the media conglomerate revealed a particularly interesting detail about Sony's upcoming free online service for PlayStation 3, about which very little has been said. Viacom-owned Xfire, which offers a multifeatured set of communication and browsing service for online games, will be producing a version of its software for PS3. The relevant statement from Viacom's report is as follows:

Importantly, Xfire just signed a deal with Sony to create a version of their platform for the new PS3, which will now enable Xfire to extend its reach further into the huge console gaming market.

Sony has stated on numerous occasions that basic online functions such as online multiplayer, matchmaking, and messaging will be free to PS3 owners. It is likely that functions such as these will be handled by the system's Xfire implementation. Xfire on PC also includes functions such as in-game voice chat, which is almost certainly to be a basic PS3 function, and gamer profiles, which Sony is no doubt planning to include on PS3 given their success on Xbox Live.

One other possibility is that Sony may opt to include an option for Xfire's game server browing in addition to automatic matchmaking. Whereas Microsoft has strived to differentiate its Xbox console family from PCs by streamlining processes as much as possible and disallowing the use of a mouse and keyboard interface in gameplay, Sony seems to be going the opposite direction, allowing mouse and keyboard and pushing the console as a computer. This may suggest that the company would want to further entice PC gamers by including a PC-like server browser, though that is purely speculative.

1UP, which first noticed Viacom's statement, also speculates that Sony may be hoping to allow cross-platform play between PS3 and PC gamers. This is something Microsoft is also planning on leveraging as part of its upcoming Live Anywhere initiatives.

Sony had not responded to inquiries on the matter at time of writing.

With seven actively supported home and portable consoles competing for consumers' dollars this holiday season, manufacturers will be looking for ways to make their systems attractive buys. Sony is making an early move in its direction with its PSP Entertainment Pack, which the company announced today. The bundle contains a black PSP system, Climax's ATV Offroad Fury: Blazin' Trails, Lords of Dogtown on UMD, and a 1GB Memory Stick Pro Duo. It will be available for a suggested retail price of $249.99 when it goes on sale tomorrow. Sony notes that the individual components contained in the Entertainment Pack would retail for over $300 if purchased separately.

"While the PSP system has out-sold all other next-generation gaming handhelds in the period since its launch," said SCEA senior marketing VP Peter Dille, "we expect this new offering to drive additional consumer interest and sales, particularly as the holiday shopping season approaches." - Product shot.

Among other iPod-related announcements today, Apple announced that its flagship line of MP3 players will be gaining increased gaming capabilities. Standard iPods--the big ones--will be able to play a variety of casual games, many of which are also available on PC gaming portals as well as Xbox Live Arcade. The initial lineup consists of nine titles, each of which will sell via iTunes for $4.99:

- Bejeweled
- Cubis 2
- Mahjong
- Mini Golf
- Pac-Man
- Tetris
- Texas Hold 'Em
- Vortex
- Zuma

Codemasters today announced that Pompom Software is producing a PSP version of its popular PC web-based Bliss Island. Controlling protagonist Hoshi the Zwooph among others, players participate in a number of mini-games that will see them "juggle, race, defend, and direct" various characters and objects. Bliss Island for PSP will contain over 80 different challenges, and will support local wireless multiplayer. The game is set to ship this winter. - Screenshots, artwork.

A 60 minute trial of the PC version of the game is playable at Funsta.com.

Following last month's Games Convention in Leipzig, a panel of judges representing the event has announced the games comprising the "Best of GC 2006." This year's awards chose one game each from the PlayStation home consoles, Xbox home consoles, Nintendo DS, PSP, and PC. The winners are as follows:

- PlayStation: Relentless' Buzz! Junior Jungle Party (PS2)
- Xbox: Capcom's Lost Planet: Extreme Condition (X360)
- Nintendo DS: Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
- PSP: Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 6
- PC: Maxis' Spore

Capcom today sent out a press release commenting on its win for its sci-fi action title Lost Planet. "With more than 180,000 people in attendance, the Leipzig Games Convention provided a great opportunity for gamers to experience Lost Planet’s gripping single player campaign and multiplayer modes," said Capcom marketing VP Charles Bellfield. "We are extremely pleased to have won the Best Xbox 360 Game award as it is a testament to its unrivalled gameplay experience."

Activision today announced that Infinity Ward's Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty 2, which was the best selling Xbox 360 launch title and continues to be its highest selling game, has become the first Xbox 360 game to reach one million sales at United States retail. "We are proud that Call of Duty 2 is the first title to sell over one million units on the Xbox 360 in the U.S." said Activision executive VP Robin Kaminsky. "Activision has made a strong commitment to develop leading franchises for the next-generation consoles and we look forward to continuing that successful strategy with our titles launching on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the Wii this fall."

IGN has an absolutely massive interview on EA Canada's Wii version of EA Tiburon's Madden NFL 07. Producer Jason Armenise speaks about the game's control scheme as well as numerous other features unique to the Wii version.

We've got an interview with Activision producer Matthew Paul, speaking about Raven Software's Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (PS2, Xbox, GCN, PS3, X360, Wii, NDS, PSP, GBA, PC).

Today Sony announced its first-party holiday season lineup for its PSP console, which has taken fire for its lackluster games library since the initial launch. The games, with brief but extremely informative notes, are as follows:

Sony's MediEvil Resurrection ships September 13. Who else played MediEvil back in the PS1 days? I remember renting it one time.

Page 44's Gretzky NHL '06 ships October 4. Apparently, your team can consist entirely of Gretzky. Awesome!(?)

989 Sports' NBA 06 ships October 4. It lets you play "HORSE" too! Not with a team of Gretzky, though.

Think and Feel's The Con. It's a 3D fighting game with some gambling.

Zipper Interactive's SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo ships November 8. It has some kind of connectivity with SOCOM 3 for PS2.

Climax's Kingdom of Paradise ships November 15. It's an action RPG with customizable combos.

Midway today put out a fake press release claiming that the publisher signed a twenty-two year exclusive contract to publish football games based on "The League". The League is the fictional sports entity created by Midway that is featured in their upcoming game, Blitz: The League. Since EA acquired exclusive NFL video game rights, Midway simply decided not to use the NFL.

However, looks like nobody bothered to tell 1UP news editor Jane Pinckard, who slams Midway after failing to understand what the press release is all about, noting that it "makes [her] go 'huh?'" She postulates that the reason EA is the biggest publisher is because they don't send out press releases like this, which makes them "competent, most definitely." The news was widely reported last month by major sites such as GameSpot (and Shacknews). Eyes like the vulture, that Pinckard.

Young Italian developer KyrcStudios is working on Nights of War Song, a fantasy real-time strategy title for Nintendo DS. The game is set in an original world inspired by myths of the Middle Ages. Few details are available at this point, but the game will feature three armies, will use the stylus in the manner of the mouse in PC RTS games, and will feature online multiplayer through Nintendo's upcoming online service. The game is apparently at the demo stage, and the team is still looking for a publisher.

Continuing an apparent trend started last year, Playboy is once again putting out an issue featuring rendered models of female video game characters in the nude. Featured are characters from Blitz: The League, God of War, 50 Cent: Bulletproof, Playboy: The Mansion - Private Party (surprise), Darywatch, and Hellgate: London. Most saddeningly, though, is the inclusion of Carla Valenti, the homicide detective from Quantic Dream's soon-to-be-released Indigo Prophecy (Fahrenheit in Europe). While one can sort of justify nude models of the other characters, since those girls are clearly designed with, ah, particular aspects in mind, it is frustrating that such a marketing move is being made with a game that is clearly attempting to innovate and provide a unique experience, and whose main female character is for once not an overexaggerated half-nude model aimed at arousing dorky teens. Well, until now, anyway. I guess it's still the same old industry.

MTV Films, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc., announced today that it acquired the film rights to Surreal Software's The Suffering (PS2, Xbox, PC). The game is a survival horror title which puts the player in the role of Torque, a death row inmate who, due to The Suffering being a video game, must kill a lot of demons. The game has an upcoming sequel, The Suffering: Ties that Bind (PS2, Xbox, PC), set for release later this month. Both are published by Midway.

Sumner Redstone, Viacom's CEO, has become an 80% majority owner of Midway, and many have speculated that he plans to reposition the publisher as a Viacom subsidiary. With all the mergers and acquisitions that have been going on lately, who can say? Nobody--unless one were God.

Following yesterday's earnings announcement, publisher Take-Two's share price has dropped 6.3% to $22.64. The drop rippled through the industry, with Activision down $.50/share to $21.70 and Atari and THQ each dropping $.01 to $1.38 and $22.25 respectively. Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson, however, noted that "I think you've seen most of the impact from (the hack). Other than that, I don't think the 'Grand Theft Auto' franchise as a whole was hurt by this."

Remember the Legend of Zelda animated series? No? That's probably for the best. For those who do remember and for some reason have been pining for its DVD release, well, here you go. The complete series (all 13 episodes) will be released in a three-disc set and features character sketches, trivia games, downloadable art, and several segments of the Super Mario Bros. Super Show. Remember that one?

The set will retail for $29.98 on October 18, and may transform you into something more powerful than you ever thought you were.

Every gamers' favorite politician (no, not Arnold), Tem Leland Yee, is once again at the forefront of a videogame political scandal. Since it was discovered that users can unlock a sex mini-game in the PC version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Yee now wants the ESRB to give the game an Adults-Only rating. "Once again, ESRB has failed our parents," he said. " Plain and simple, parents cannot trust the ESRB to rate games appropriately or the industry to look out for our children's best interests. The ESRB and the video game industry cannot police themselves and this is yet another example of why we need legislation to limit these types of games to children." The ESRB has responded by saying it will conduct a "thorough and objective investigation."

Bizarre Creations revealed new details on how tournaments will work in the Xbox 360 game Project Gotham Racing 3. Multiple tourneys will be held each month over Xbox Live that include a qualifying and a knockout phase. The first two weeks of the month are all the qualifying races; then Gotham TV takes over and sorts out everything for the knockout round, telling players when to play. The finals can be viewed through Gotham TV, which is pretty damn cool if you ask me! Live gaming events!

Those sleuths over at GameGossip have discovered what could possibly be a new bundle from Microsoft that packages the Xbox with Halo 2. Over on their official site, the Canadian product catalog shows "Halo 2 Edition" priced at $259.99. The link doesn't go anywhere, but one could assume a new bundle is on the horizon. Now the question is.. is this bundle for Canada only?

Okay, so Microsoft decided to port Fable over to the PC and gave it the sub-title of The Lost Chapters, adding in new regions, quests, and story elements. Well, today, Microsoft will be porting the port back over to the Xbox this fall. Fable: The Lost Chapters will have everything the PC version has but it'll sell for the low price of $19.99.

IGN had a recent discussion with a few peeps over at Square Enix and came away with some interesting details regarding the Xbox 360 port of Final Fantasy XI. All graphics work is done with the entire process at about 55% completion. Porting started this past February and they're basing the content off the Windows version. It was actually supposed to release on the original Xbox and be part of the Xbox Live launch, but it just didn't happen. No worries; Square Enix is confident FFXI will be ready for the launch of the Xbox 360.

A European market research group announced their findings on their study that tried to tap the pulse of gamers to see which new handheld they preferred. The results were a landslide in favor of the Nintendo DS. It beat out Sony's PSP in all the major categories: screen, games, quality, and value. Still, there were plenty of complaints for both handhelds; gamers don't like the huge amount of puzzle games for the DS but they also dislike the long drought of new games for the PSP. Check out the full details inside the link.

The upcoming Xbox version of Sid Meier's Pirates! will come bundled with new goodies not found in the original release. New to the version are 200 unlockable items that show off behind-the-scenes media and a new party game featuring ship battles. On top of that, downloadable content will be possible through Xbox Live and there'll be an online leaderboard.

I think it goes without saying that the vast majority of cable news channel pundits are the scum of the earth, but here comes Donny Deutsch to outdo them all. His program lured journalist John Davison, former chief of EGM and current editor at 1UP, to talk about a wide range of gaming topics, including clans, tournaments, and also violence. However, Davison quickly discovered that he was lured into a trap to paint him as the evil defender of videogame violence. Read the whole tale from Davison himself here at his blog. Thanks to Kotaku.

Tecmo announced their first PSP game the other day and it's called Tokobot. "Players will take on the role of the young hero "Bolt", a quick thinking agent who has discovered some friendly, highly advanced robots called "Tokobots" during his explorations of ancient ruins. With the help of the loyal Tokobots, Bolt will reveal mysteries and save the world, as the Tokobots faithfully follow him on his journey, helping him on his way." Sounds a bit like Pikmin!

Sony Computer Entertainment performed a ton of housekeeping maneuvers that shifted around personnel and created new divisions. The two new areas of SCE are Sony Computer Entertainment Asia and Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Studio, with the latter overseeing all first-party games. Phil Harrison, who was the prez over in Europe, now is in charge of all SCE game developments. Also, Kazunori Yamauchi, creator of Gran Turismo, has been given a new executive position.

The "offline MMORPG" series, .hack//, will continue with .hack//fragment. However, with this baby, you can actually play online with it! It'll have a BBS, mail, and guild system and there'll be a matching server to make it easy to find people to play with. It won't require the PS2 HDD nor will there be a monthly fee.

Ubisoft has tipped off gamers to expect some of those promised Chaos Theory maps within the next couple weeks. In that time frame, the versus map Street Squat will be released. Not long after, two more versus maps will become available with the summer wrapping up with one last final map.

The Japanese-style MMORPG that was canceled near its completion, True Fantasy Live Online, may not be as dead as we all thought. 1UP has learned that Microsoft has renewed the trademark on the game. This may not be saying much; I mean, really, it's not that expensive to renew the trademark, but it gives a glimmer of hope to its fans.

This country definitely has caught poker fever and now fans of ESPN's World Series of Poker can play against the greats right from the comfort of their living room couch. Activision has announced they'll publish a game based on the TV series and it'll feature the likenesses of players that were at the 2005 tournament. Expect this one later in the summer for the consoles indicated above.

Take-Two Interactive announced that it has signed the goalie of the Dallas Stars, Marty Turco, to grace the cover of NHL 2K6. Turco has been voted twice to the All-Star game and won a couple championships in college. The game is slated for release this fall. I forget; will there even be a season this year?

Don't steal the spotlight, Turco! The Phoenix Suns' Amare Stoudamire was also revealed to grace the cover of a sports game: NBA 06 for the PSP. The All-Star power forward was an integral part of his team reaching the NBA Western Conference Finals this past season. The game, however, is still slated to suck.

It has been an on-going saga that the 82-year old Viacom CEO, Summer Redstone, has been wanting to gobble up Midway. Slowly but surely, he's been buying large chunks of Midway stock. Over the past week alone, he's made nine stock purchases worth nearly $7 million. With the recent agreement of Midway to partner with Viacom-owned MTV, it doesn't appear long before the two are one.

ABC's megahit series, Lost, will have its own UMD release on the PSP later this year. Launching alongside the Season One DVD set on September 6, the two-part pilot will be available on UMD for an unspecified price. Considering the $38.99 DVD set contains about 26 episodes, I'm hoping the UMD is coming out at a bargain price.

Planning to go to the big San Diego Comic-Con International this weekend? If so, you'll get the opportunity to see Backbone Entertainment's Death, Jr. The game will be playable and the staff working on the comic series will be on-hand. Check the link for event details.

A new version of the EyeToy will be hitting store shelves in the near future. Sony Europe has signed Nam Tai Electronics, the original manufacturers, to build a new EyeToy that is smaller in size than the original. It will be made to sit alongside the upcoming satin silver PS2.

Take a deep breath; it's not as bad as it sounds. Nintendo isn't pimpin' Mario in a yet another oddball sports game. Instead, the Big N is sponsoring the Rip Curl's GromSearch 2005, a national surfing contest. Surfers can win Nintendo prizes, such as GBA games. Also at the beaches will be Nintendo kiosks to try out their games. Cowabunga, dude! Radical!

TeamXbox looks at the A.I. of Far Cry Instincts. 1UP briefly runs down what to expect at this year's Tokyo Game Show. Want to truly understand the interface of the new Xbox Live? Then click that link!