nDreams presents the very first Clubhouse for Europe! The War Room is perfect for clan meetings, socialising and plotting world domination. You and your fellow warmongers can stand at the podium and address the other members, with your face and words appearing on huge video screens throughout this high tech facility. Please note – You must purchase the Clubhouse slot to use this item!

Heralding the launch of our brand new gaming console, the PlayStation Vita lounge graces Home with its presence this week. Featuring trailers and information on the PS Vita as well as a slew of launch titles, this space contains all you need to know about this groundbreaking device. We will be updating the space with quests galore in the coming months so don’t forget to check back regularly!

Do you share your HOME with a cute LOOT Schnauzer Puppy or Dragosaur? Now you can decorate your personal space for your companions with the LOOT Animal Furnishings Bundle. Those cute critters won’t be able to interact with the items, but at least they’ll know they’re HOME. This bundle comes with the Dog House – Small, Dog House – Large, 3 Pet Baskets (in Green, Yellow and Red), chew toy, dog bone and the BUNDLE EXCLUSIVE: TWO Food bowls (Plastic and Steel!) Hit up the LOOT Store for the FREE plastic dog bone.

Juggernaut Games is excited to introduce the newest version of the haunting Cutteridge Estate personal space to Europe. This macabre space is full of ghostly happenings and dark mysteries. Do you dare face off with the ghosts of Cutteridge Estate to banish them forever into the gloom? Terrify and delight your guests with controllable weather, ghostly hauntings and the built-in Poltergeist Puzzle Box!

Konami releases their Secret Agents line. No matter what nefarious plots are waiting around the corner, you know you’ll save the world in style. You have all the tools a great agent needs to diffuse any situation. Concealed weaponry, lasers, telecoms, smashing good looks, you’ve got a license to thrill as an International Man or Woman of Mystery! Try out the new custom animations!

Ever visited the zoo and wished you could take a couple of cute animals home with you? Well, Lockwood’s zoologists have been hard at work to make that dream a reality! Tembo is a beautiful baby elephant in miniature. He’s incredibly cute with flapping ears and a waving trunk. He can even do a little trick, but you’ll have to be patient and watch him quietly to see him do it. Make room in your home and your heart for this adorable little guy!

Solve all your furnishing dilemmas with the Slice range from Cucumber coming to PlayStation Home next week.

Last week we released the apartment version of Go Fish! If you also miss the crazy crustacean action of Oscar’s Lobster Mania, you can now have your very own version in tropical island form, available from Estates.

Last up, to celebrate the most romantic time of the year, a special PlayStation Home Valentine competition is taking place on the PlayStation Forum.

For a chance to win the Valentine Cupid companion from Codeglue, you will have to take up the challenge with a fellow PlayStation Home user in order to create the screenshot of the perfect Home couple of friends, gamers, lovers… Head over to community.eu.playstation.com before the end of the event on Sunday 19th of February.

• Inside PS Vita: Social Connectivity – The latest video in the Inside PS Vita series features the developers of Reality Fighters and WipEout 2048 discussing the changing ways we play together.
• Video Store Of PlayStation Store News! – The 0.99 Movie Showdown comes to the Video Store. Vote for either Captain America: The First Avenger or Conan the Barbarian to go on sale for £0.99/€0.99!
• The 8 February SingStore Update With The Human League And More… – Pick up the 80′s Part 4 Song Pack and a bunch of other gems this week in SingStore.
• ModNation Racers: Road Trip – Here, Let Us Help You With That – New Track Studio features will let you twist and shape your ModNation surroundings like never before, for some truly mind-bending races.
• Malicious Comes To PSN This Week – This all-new action game for PS3 contains stages that throw players into boss battles, and allows them to freely choose which stage they would like to begin with.
• PlayStation Home: Love is in the Air – Home is a digital romance goldmine this week, with a Lockwood ShowOff: First Date photo competition, new Valentine’s-themed clothing and furniture, and more.
• PS3 System Software Update (V.4.10) – This new firmware update features an improved Internet Browser and renames PSN Account to Sony Entertainment Network Account (but doesn’t change how you log in!).
• ‘Heads-Up’ Game Store Update 8th February 2012 – Shank 2, Malicious, The Simpsons Arcade Game, and lots of DLC hit the Store this week, plus the PSP Power Sale continues.
• DLC Roll Out: New Uncharted 3 Co-op Adventure DLC And Skins Pack – The Fort Co-Op Adventure DLC is here, plus 3 Skins Packs and the Flashback Map Pack 2.
• Dive Into PS Vita’s Augmented Reality Suite – Sony Santa Monica Sr. Manager Dave Thach shows off two new augmented reality games, Fireworks and Cliff Diving, coming exclusively to PS Vita on 22 Feb on PSN for free.
• Motion Controls In Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition – Virtua Tennis 4 uses the unique new features of the PlayStation Vita to full effect, so you can do things like tilt the screen to change your view of the game.
• MUBI Update: 9 February 2012 – A wide mix of genres in MUBI this week – classic cinema, contemporary genre films, super smart and sexy mainstream international titles, and more.
• Inside PS Vita: Cross Play With PS3 – Get a first look at the awesome level of interaction between the PS Vita and PS3, making it possible for players to compete against each other on different devices and more.
• Vodafone UK PS Vita 3G Pricing & WipEout 2048 Offer! – Announcing the plans for UK PS Vita 3G users, plus an offer that includes a free copy of WipEout 2048.
• VIDZONE UPDATE: M Is For Madonna, Minaj, M.I.A, Miike Snow And More! – This week in VidZone, a wide variety of great music videos come together in alphabetical unity, led by Artist of the Week Nicki Minaj.
• FuturLab’s Space Shooter Revealed, Music By Killzone Composer – The new teleportation shoot ‘em-up Velocity, coming in March, will combine nostalgia and innovation for a game that’s both familiar and exciting.
• Smash ‘N’ Survive Coming To PSN On 22 February – Version2Games’ first PS3 offering brings a new level of planning to vehicle combat, featuring environmental weapons, a variety of game modes, and other tweaks to the genre.
• Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3 PS Vita Gameplay – Watch new video from the game, and make your choices: Hero or herald? Marvel or Capcom?
• Access Episode 20 – This episode features PS Vita racer WipEout 2048 as Game of the Week, plus footage from the recent Glasgow Vita Rooms and more.
• PlayStation Vita Discovery Apps: Frobisher Says And t@g – Frobisher Says is a surreal party game with a wide variety of activities; t@g brings fun, competition, and design to real-life spaces. Both are free from the PlayStation Store.
• “The Weekend Debate: At Home VS Not At Home” – What’s the difference between a perfect home console game and a perfect portable one? Dive into the discussion.

• Weekend Essentials 112 – Unlock the secrets of Amalur, take a trip to Gotham City and discover a town plagued by nightmares in Catherine this weekend on PlayStation.
• Top Tips: Gotham City Impostors – Become the perfect phoney in Batman’s home town with these handy hints from Monolith, developer of Gotham City Impostors.
• Top Darts preview – Take your personal dartboard with you wherever you go.
• Little Deviants preview – Let the mayhem begin on PS Vita.
• Uncharted: Golden Abyss preview – Uncover the dark secret behind the massacre of a Spanish expedition to Central America 400 years ago.

Whenever I’m in an interview about PlayStation Vita I find myself asking the subject the same question: what’s the difference between a perfect home console game and a perfect portable one? None has given a gold-plated answer yet so I thought I’d open it up to the community. This week’s debate is:

Is there any difference between a game best suited to a home console and one best fitting a portable, or is the whole gaming world too diverse to try and make a distinction?

• The Internet Browser has been improved. This will result in better display of content and page layouts are displayed with greater accuracy. Some websites that could not be displayed correctly prior to the release of PS3 system software 4.10, including interactive websites, are now supported.
• You can automatically set the time more accurately via the Internet every time your PS3 system connects to PlayStation Network (PSN). This can be done via [Settings] > [Date and Time Settings] > [Set Automatically] on the XMB (XrossMediaBar).
• PSN Account will be renamed Sony Entertainment Network Account. This will not result in any changes to how you log in or the details you use to do so.

In order to download PS3 system software version 4.10, you will need a minimum 180MB of free space on either the PS3 Hard Disk Drive (System Update) or on removable storage media (PC Update).

Whether you love or hate Valentine’s day, everyone loves free treats! Head on over to Pier Park and feel pampered with a snug pair of slippers and some lovely cupid wings. Continuing with the loving theme, WIN big this month in the Lockwood Valentine’s update! Find six new rewards hidden in the Lockwood Publishing Showcase. Throw caution to the wind and show us what a romantic soul you are in the ShowOff: First Date photo competition! First Place WINS one of two pre-release Iron Fusion content packs. If you really want that ultimate prize, you’ll be pleased to know that all entrants get submitted into a prize draw for another chance to win! Five picnic packs are up for grabs to runners up, along with one Lockwood Team Choice Award.

If you’ve never taken part in Lockwood’s exciting photo competition for PlayStation Home users, now’s your chance. Each ShowOff competition has a theme, the rest is up to you. Be as creative and artistic as you can in interpreting the theme. Visit the Gift Machine or www.lockwoodpublishing.com for more information.

Fill your apartment with romantic ambience as Valentine’s Day approaches. Get a luxurious bathtub decorated with rose petals or a floral candle, or sweep someone off their feet by taking them for a picnic. For the ideal way to show that special someone you care, visit the Gift Machine for the latest love-themed Gift items.

With Lockwood’s many collections and ranges, it’s easy to forget that sometimes they make items that are simply LKWD. These two latest outfits are just that – simple wearable separates that can be worn in a variety of ways and with plenty of items from the LKWD back catalogue to create the perfect stylish ensemble.

For a dreamy, exotic look, there’s the Fairytale outfit, combining a dreamy long silk dress with a sultry long plaited hairstyle. If you want to stand out from the crowd, opt for the Unique clothing pack, a distinctive corset dress teamed with a choice of long or short boots and tousled up hair.

New PS Home publisher Juggernaut Games brings us the MechPets – Icebox the Abominable, Party Machine 9000, and Monsieur Love Machine. Whether you’re in the mood to start a snowball fight, dance the night away or romance some eligible ladies and/or gentlemen – one of these companions is sure to be your perfect sidekick! Now available in the PlayStation Home Stuff store.

Konami are offering some great value bundles this week. Treat yourself to the full Konami Code collection, the Gothic Attire or Hair Salon bundles, or go old school with the Retro Collection Super Bundle containing a massive 19 items!

Make your apartment look like a palace with a selection of sparkling diamond furniture from the Furniture store, while at the MyDeco store there are some tantalising and tasty treats to decorate your apartments with. Quench your thirst for fruity furniture with the very inviting watermelon chair. Or jazz up your wall with a pair of luscious KissMe Neon Lips. And if you’re feeling a little tired after your trip to the shopping centre, why not end the day in the new Xtreme Hot Jacuzzi!

We’ll have the next episode of Inside PS Vita, explaining how Cross Play between PS3 and PS Vita works, here on PlayStation.Blog later this week.

Here’s your recap.

• Hungry Giraffe Eats Its Way Onto PSN – Live the dream: Help a stretchy-necked giraffe eat burgers floating in the sky.
• LittleBigPlanet Now Has Over 6 MILLION USER-GENERATED GAMES & LEVELS!!! – Check out a fan-created LBP video series that caught our attention, watch the trailer for the new Muppets DLC, and more.
• ‘Heads-Up’ PlayStation Plus Update – 1st February 2012 – The Simpsons Arcade arrives next week for FREE, Far Cry 2 is coming soon after that, and a lot more in this update.
• PlayStation Home: Lose Weight With Novus Prime – This week in PS Home, spacewalk in Novus Prime, try out new period costumes, and more.
• Twisted Metal Multiplayer Beta Coming To PSN Today – This awesome beta includes 8 vehicles, 2 multiplayer modes, and a challenge mode.
• PlayStation Network Scheduled Maintenance – PSN was offline for scheduled maintenance from 2pm Thursday to 7am Friday (GMT).
• ‘Heads-Up’ Game Store Update February 1st 2012 – Betas for Gotham City Imposters and Twisted Metal, plus a Syndicate demo and more.
• Lumines Electronic Symphony: Q Entertainment’s Love Letter To Electronic Music – See the full listing of 33 playable tracks, and read reactions from some of the featured artists.
• Making Of: The Last Of Us Announcement Trailer – See motion capture footage from the making of The Last of Us announcement trailer.
• Welcome To The PS3 Demo Of Syndicate! – This co-op demo with an awesome weapons arsenal showcases how Syndicate is more than your average FPS.
• Touch Controls In Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition – Virtua Tennis 4 takes full advantage of the Vita’s front and rear touch capabilities for some truly innovative gameplay.
• MotorStorm RC: Video Run-Through Of Competitive Online Play – Get a glimpse of MotorStorm RC’s competitive online play, perfect for igniting intense rivalries among gamers.
• Worms Ultimate Mayhem Release Date Confirmed – This “best of” compilation of content from both Worms 3D and Worms 4: Mayhem arrives 15 February.
• Access TV Episode 19 – In this week’s episode, new Uncharted: Golden Abyss footage, Vita tech specs, a real-life WipEout track, and more.
• Randy Pitchford Talks Aliens: Colonial Marines Release Date, Prometheus Possibilities – The CEO of Gearbox Software dishes on the new FPS’ play style and the upcoming film Prometheus.
• The Weekend Debate: Caption This – A twist on this week’s Weekend Debate!

• Weekend Essentials 111 – The FINAL FANTASY and SOUL CALIBUR series return to PS3 this weekend, whilst a brand new edition of our Level Up quiz celebrates the upcoming launch of PS Vita.
• First look: Darksiders II – Find out what it’s like to play as the unlikeliest hero on PlayStation 3.
• Augmented reality on PS Vita – Bring the world into play with PlayStation Vita and dramatically change the world around you using augmented reality…
• The features of PlayStation Vita – Take a look at the revolutionary features of PlayStation Vita that will change the way you play on the go.

• PS Vita pre-order guide: the cheapest prices, best bundles
• Resident Evil 6 characters: who can, and who can’t come back?
• The Last Of Us’ Joel is “a violent thug, a brutal killer and a torturer”
• SoulCalibur 5′s top cheaty tips – tactics to always win.
• Things I wish I’d known before I started playing Final Fantasy XIII-2

I don’t have any spare voucher codes to give away this week so this is just for kicks and the chance for you razor wit to be admired by the PS community. Enjoy!

During the maintenance, you will be unable to access the following services:

• PlayStation Store on PS3 and PSP.
• PlayStation Network Account Management.
• PlayStation Network Account Registration.

In addition, you will not be able to sign in to PlayStation Network from eu.playstation.com. If you wish to play online during the maintenance, then you may be able to do so if you sign in to PSN before 14:00 on Thursday 2 February 2012.

During this maintenance, you can continue to collect in-game trophies and these will be updated on your profile once PlayStation Network is back up and running.

If you have any questions about this down time, feel free to visit the official PlayStation Forums at community.eu.playstation.com where you can post your query and a member of the moderation team will get back to you.

For the latest maintenance updates, visit the PlayStation Blog at blog.eu.playstation.com, keep an eye on our Facebook page at facebook.com/SonyPlayStation and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/PlayStationEU.

To celebrate the recent launch of Novus Prime: Vindication in PlayStation Home, our friends at Hellfire Games are offering zero-gravity Spacewalking for FREE inside the Novus Prime space station through the end of this week! Simply warp to Novus Prime from the Action District, activate Spacewalk at the centre of the station, and float around weightlessly indoors (and outside in space!) for free until February 5th.

Be sure to check out all the fresh content and free rewards in the newly released Novus Prime: Vindication expansion while you’re there!

Granzella bring us some more Edo era inspired clothing with Japanese Yukatas, while in Threads and Alter Ego you can find a selection of classic period costumes. Slip into the guise of an Old West Gunslinger, or show your love for the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s with classics such as the Flapper, the Zoot Suit, and the 1940s Gal. Go for maximum bling with Don Dynamite or Madame Firefly costumes, or float mystically through Home on a magic carpet. There’s also some more contemporary clothing including sharp suits and new hairstyles to keep your avatar on trend.

This week sees the departure of the Go Fish game from Shopping Mall East after it’s been reeling in the punters for a good few months. Yet, fear not young fishermen and women, the Go Fish game will continue in its very own apartment! Available in Estates now!

Look forward to the Lockwood Valentines Update throughout February! Win prizes in the Show Off Competition. This time it’s a romantic theme; get ready for your First Date and let Lockwood know about it – more details coming soon! The Showcase has a Spring time facelift with 6 new hidden rewards and 5 new Valentines themed gifts cropping up in the Gift Machine along with some old favourites.

See you in PlayStation Home!

While I can’t share everything I have planned for next week, you can look forward to February’s PlayStation Plus content list on Monday. We’ll also have updates on LBP, Virtua Tennis on PS Vita and the superb MotorStorm RC. I hope you’ll be with us for all that.

Here’s your recap:

• Action And Comedy On VideoStore Of PlayStation Store – We all love the thrill of watching a great action film… right!?
• Win The Ultimate PS Vita Gaming Bundle – Sign up to Inside PS Vita now and receive all the latest updates and developments, and maybe even win something!
• Online Features In ModNation Racers: Road Trip – An impressive list of online functionality to take advantage of the WiFi/3G and GPS functionality.
• Creating Monsters For Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock – Here’s some insight into the monsters that will be appearing in the game.
• SingStore 2012: The Next Update Is Here… – SingStore update No. 2 for this year! Time flies when you’re having fun.
• Mecho Wars Soars Onto PSN Tomorrow – minis title Mecho Wars, is coming to the PlayStation Store for €4.99 on January 25th!
• Everything You Wanted To Know About BlazBlue – But Were Afraid To Ask – Take a look at a series that’s built a reputation for itself among fighting aficionados over the last couple of years.
• Ubisoft PS Vita Week – Asphalt: Injection Fuels The Fire – Boasts ten game modes spanning the tried-and-true Race mode to more signature game modes!
• PlayStation Home: Yeti Sighting In Winter Event Space – Reports of a mysterious cave opening up down by the water in the Winter Event space
• The Jak And Daxter Trilogy Hits On Feb 22nd With Over 100 Trophies To Collect – Score the first three installments of the Jak and Daxter trilogy in one complete PS3 Blu-ray package for just €39.99 (RRP).
• Introducing Your Reality Fighters Sensei: Mr. Miyagi – Augmented Reailty beat ‘em up coming exclusively to PlayStation Vita!
• ‘Heads-Up’ Game Store Update 25th January 2012 – Check out the new PSN content and snap up a new batch of avatars ranging from Assassin’s Creed to King of Fighters!
• Ubisoft PS Vita Week: Building On A Classic With Lumines Electronic Symphony – Lumines still holds its place as one of the top five games currently available for PlayStation Portable.
• VidZone Update – VidZone’s Annual Alternate Video Awards 2012 – Encounter the winners and losers, the gracious and jealous, tears of joy and disappointment, the good the bad and the downright mental antics.
• Ubisoft PS Vita Week: Rayman Origins – On February 22, Rayman and his friends return to PS Vita!
• Armored Core V Preps PS3 Community For Deep Multiplayer Action – Hitting consoles across Europe on 23rd March, so check out this trailer with some ins and outs!
• Mega Man And Pac-Man Confirmed As PlayStation Exclusives For Street Fighter X Tekken – Two of videogaming’s most iconic characters are entering the ring and going toe to toe.
• Access TV Episode 18 – Episode 18 of Access is on YouTube now and it’s decidedly PlayStation Vita-shaped!
• The Weekend Debate: Crossing The Streams – What would be your dream gaming crossovers or cameos and why?

• Weekend Essentials 110 – Download The Duke, see Naughty Dog’s latest vision and win great prizes with PlayStation this weekend.
• “Top Tips: Gran Turismo 5″ – 2011 GT Academy winner Jann Mardenborough gives us a driving masterclass in our exclusive video.
• Win the ultimate PS Vita gaming bundle – Be first in line to experience the handheld revolution thanks to Inside PS Vita.
• PS Vita connects with Vodafone – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe partners with Vodafone to provide 3G services for PlayStation Vita.
• Bundles of fun – Start your PS3 and PSP adventure with a great value hardware and software pack from PlayStation.

• What Uncharted 4-s million polygon characters will look like.
• Brendan McNamara interview: creating LA Noire and destroying Team Bondi.
• Resident Evil 6 trailer breakdown, 60 screens and horribly excited, zombified thoughts.
• Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock now PS3 exclusive.
• Official PlayStation Magazine UK: new issue on sale: The Last Of Us/Mass Effect 3.

Bonus OPSM link!

• What happens when you play Reality Fighters with a six foot AR card?

Earlier today we learned that the PS3 and PlayStation Vita versions of Street Fighter X Tekken will include five exclusive characters: Mega Man, Pac-Man, Cole McGrath and Japanese PlayStation mascots Toro and Kuro.

It got me thinking about cameos and guest appearances in games – an increasingly frequent occurrence, it seems, particularly in beat ‘em ups. And it’s not just other game characters popping up in other pixels’ playgrounds: the NBA Jam series has a long tradition of including Presidential ‘ballers and the mighty Phil Collins popped up in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.

This week’s Weekend Debate poser is:

What would be your dream gaming crossovers or cameos and why?

The 15 most original and entertaining ideas as decided by our independent judge will bag their authors a voucher code for the LittleBigPlanet 2 Move Pack to help you make your dream mash-ups for yourselves. Do bear in mind that you will need a copy of LittleBigPlanet 2 (not included) to use this DLC.

Can’t wait to read what you come up with!

Reports of a mysterious cave opening up down by the water in the Winter Event space are rife this week, along with suspected sightings of what some have claimed to be an abominable snowman. Hunters and other enthusiasts are flocking to the area to see if they can catch a glimpse of the mythical yetis in the hopes of bringing back evidence of their existence. Extreme caution is advised to all those intrepid enough to go in search of the yetis and the government is advising that anyone attempting to face them stock up on precautionary ammo and other supplies at the store located at the site.

Here’s an unsubstantiated picture sent in by a local hunter, allegedly in support of these wild claims.

Inside, away from the colder regions of Home, Cucumber aren’t just about eye-popping colours (although there are still some of those in their latest collection). They also have a strong desire to create useable sets that will help you set the scene in your apartment. With Dolly’s Diner, that scene was of a bustling 1950s diner. These latest bedroom ranges are more subtle, but they still allow the creation of a complete, unified look.

Whether the look you’re aiming to achieve is one of contemporary chic, or peaceful comfort that expresses your personality, Cucumber has the furniture for you. Large double beds in a variety of colours with matching drawers and lamps are available in store now!

In other furniture news: it’s that time again! Yes that’s right, MyDeco are back with some more tantalising and tasty treats to decorate your apartments with. Quench your thirst for fruity furniture with the very inviting watermelon chair. Or jazz up your wall with a pair of luscious KissMe Neon Lips. And if you’re feeling a little tired after your trip to the Shopping Centre, why not end the day in the new Xtreme Hot Jacuzzi! Other furniture updates from SCE this week include some sleek and stylish pieces in Modern and Round Rattan styles, or turn your apartment into your very own chocolate factory with the Sweet Treats range which includes Candy Floss Rugs, Donut chairs, and Cake Couches to name a few. Tasty!

Attention, Novus Prime: Vindication fans! Our friends over at Hellfire Games are now giving away EU-region codes for their exclusive Pirate Chainsword avatar item! Originally salvaged from the ruins of an old pirate stronghold, the Novus Prime engineers have re-examined and perfected the pirate technology to bring you this fantastic new item. Since no pilot should ever be caught unarmed, Hellfire Games has decided to outfit everyone with this weapon absolutely free. All you’ve got to do is head over to their promo page and join the Hellfire Games mailing list. Not only will you get a voucher for your own Pirate Chainsword, but you’ll also be kept in the loop about future updates and more free items from the Hellfire Games team.

In the Threads store you can find a selection of new hairstyles to let your avatar stand out from the crowd, ranging from short and spiky to long and wavy styles, and plenty more in between. Alter Ego sees the arrival of more Urban Camo costumes – check out these increasingly inventive disguises and sneak up on your friends undetected.

If you’re looking for a new companion then head to the Stuff store where you can find an adorable fainting goat, a white tiger cub, a miniature robot or a cute dragon who will loyally follow you anywhere you go.

That wraps it up for this week. See you in Home…if the yeti doesn’t get you first!

Next week we’re going to be in similarly fine fettle and, while I don’t want to drop a pile of spoilers on you, posts we have taking shape include a beginner’s guide to BlazBlue, a competition to win a PS Vita with a pile of games and an appearance from a well-known wearer of bow-ties…

Here’s your recap:

• FIWC Winner Enjoys a Night With the Stars – An interview with FIFA Interactive World Cup champion Francisco Cruz following the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011 Gala in Zurich, Switzerland.
• Arc The Lad Returns With An Accent – The long-awaited English-version emulation of Arc the Lad was re-released on January 18th on the EU PlayStation Network.
• GT Academy Drivers Take Class Podium at Dubai 24H – Last weekend, a record-breaking race team composed entirely of PlayStation gamers participated in the Dubai 24H in the GT Academy competition.
• ModNation Racers: Road Trip – Mod Postcards! – A preview of the hilarious customizable postcards ModNation Racers players will be able to create on Playstation Vita.
• Starhawk Public Beta! – All the skinny on the Starhawk beta that kicked off on Wednesday for PlayStation Plus subscribers.
• PlayStation Home: Welcome The Year Of The Dragon – A new Chinese Dragon companion, plus adorable Stitchkins ponies and a Japanese Edo period-themed space.
• New Year, New Uncharted 3 DLC; Fortune Hunters’ Club Grows – The new U3 DLC includes four completely new maps. We also get a preview of the next DLC, which will feature three new character skins packs.
• ‘Heads-Up’ Game Store Update January 18 2012 – New this week: Splinter Cell Double Agent, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 costumes packs, a free LittleBigPlanet 2 costume, and tons more.
• New Gran Turismo 5 DLC Out Today – Two new GT5 DLCs: Car Pack 3, featuring more Gran Turismo cars, and the Speed Test Pack.
• Hitman: Absolution Q&A: IO Interactive Goes for the Throat – We sat down with the lead producer of the awe-inspiring new Hitman game for an info-packed Q&A, featuring questions submitted by @PlayStation followers.
• Meet PlayStation’s President: Andy House – A video interview with PlayStation President and CEO Andrew House, who discusses PlayStation Suite, the upcoming Western launch of PS Vita, and a lot more.
• PS Vita Designer On Perfect Screen Size And Battling Engineers – Takashi Sogabe, head of the team in charge of the aesthetic of PS Vita, offers insight on screen size, analog sticks, and the battle between function and design.
• Mortal Kombat For PS Vita: Ed Boon Talks Touchscreen Fatalities, New Challenge Tower – Netherrealm Studios Creative Director Ed Boon talks about what’s different, what’s the same, and what’s new for Mortal Kombat on PS Vita.
• Resident Evil 6 Announcement Trailer – RE6 for PlayStation 3 is coming this November, and this trailer offers the first real look at the thrilling and ambitious new installment.
• Access Episode 17 – Episode 17 of Access TV is now available on YouTube complete with mega PS3 exclusive The Last of Us as game of the week.
• Step Into The World Of WipEout 2048 – Check out a specially narrated cut of the cinematic intro to WipEout 2048 on PlayStation Vita.
• The Weekend Debate: Going for Gold – Which Olympic events would you include in your game of the 2012 Olympic Games and what would be the control mechanic?
• UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss – The Characters Unmasked – Check out how the UNCHARTED characters are brought to life.



• Weekend Essentials 109 – Take part in the Starhawk beta with PlayStation Plus and check out the January Sale on PlayStation Store this weekend.
• Win the ultimate PS Vita gaming bundle – Be first in line to experience the handheld revolution thanks to Inside PS Vita.
• Pick the right PS Vita launch game for you – Say hello to the games set to lead the handheld gaming revolution, and choose the right ones for you.
• Trophy Cabinet – Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception – Treasure, trailblazing and trophies combine in the outstanding adventure of 2011. Here’s how to max out your trophy list.
]]> http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/21/playstation-blog-recap-119/feed/ 36 http://blog.eu.playstation.com/files/avatars/avatar_67.jpg http://blog.eu.playstation.com/files/2011/12/PS-blog-new-branding-featured-image.jpg 2.5 36 3 http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/20/the-weekend-debate-going-for-gold/ http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/20/the-weekend-debate-going-for-gold/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:04:30 +0000 James Gallagher http://blog.eu.playstation.com/?p=55490 If you’re a fan of sports then the irony is that the summer of 2012 will most likely be among your most inactive, with the European Football Championships soon followed by the 2012 Olympic Games in my home town of London, England all over your TV sets.

Earlier this week I read the first details of the inevitable official game of the 2012 Olympics, and I admit I always look forward to them. They take me back to the days of playing International Track and Field as a schoolboy and pioneering new ways to break world records (such as wearing a sock over your hand and using one finger to rapidly alternate between the X and Circle buttons in the sprint events. We called it the ‘getting biro off the back of your hand’ technique.)

I have no idea which events will be covered in the 2012 edition, nor which control schemes the development team is dreaming up. So, this week’s question is:

Which Olympic events would you include in your game of the 2012 Olympic Games and what would be the control mechanic?

Bonus points for the weird and wonderful, of course. The best 15 answers as selected by an independent judge will get a voucher code for PixelJunk Sidescroller. These will be sent via private message at http://community.eu.playstation.com.

Marks, set… comment!

]]> http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/20/the-weekend-debate-going-for-gold/feed/ 99 http://blog.eu.playstation.com/files/avatars/avatar_67.jpg http://blog.eu.playstation.com/files/2011/12/PS-blog-new-branding-featured-image.jpg 3.5 99 16 GB http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/19/ps-vita-designer-on-perfect-screen-size-and-battling-engineers/ http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/19/ps-vita-designer-on-perfect-screen-size-and-battling-engineers/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:00:48 +0000 James Gallagher http://blog.eu.playstation.com/?p=55270 Last December I attended the Tokyo launch of PlayStation Vita, which is going to be in your hands just about one month from now. While I was there, I got to chat with Takashi Sogabe of the Sony Corporate Design Centre, head of the team in charge of the aesthetic of the console. Sogabe-san has 27 years of experience working with Sony, in which time he has designed the Walkman, VAIO notebooks, the current slimmer model of PS3 and many other electronic devices.



We spoke about the look and feel of PS Vita and the eternal tug of war that goes on between the designers wanting to create something as sleek and compact as possible and the engineers whose job it is to cram as much technology as they can into that shell.

PS.Blog: A lot of people seem impressed by the five inch OLED screen on PlayStation Vita. How did you decide on that particular size?

Tokashi Sogabe: When we first saw a prototype of the beautiful OLED screen we used on PS Vita, we felt it deserved to be bigger than the 4.3 inch screen on PSP. It’s almost as if we settled on five inches in order to really maximise the same impact that we felt when we first saw it.

It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking bigger is better when it comes to screen size but it isn’t. There was a great deal of discussion and we even talked about using an even larger screen.



PSB: How much development has gone into the dual analog sticks and what design challenges did they present?

TS: The engineers have been working on the PS Vita analog sticks for quite some time and it is a much greater technical challenge to build sticks this small than you might imagine. We learned that you need that physical response of tilting the stick to feel like you have total control.

For me as a designer they have presented a huge challenge, partly because it much easier to design products with entirely flat surfaces. We also discussed the position of the analog sticks at great length: I didn’t feel that they were in the perfect position from a design perspective but Worldwide Studios were adamant that they were in the best position for comfortable gameplay, and in the end they won out on that point.



PSB: How do designers and engineers work together to ensure all aspects of the device, such as performance, form and comfort of use are all just right?

TS: There is always a battle between engineers and designers and I’m not just talking about PlayStation Vita when I say that – it is always there. To give you an example, I originally intended for the final machine to be thinner than it is now. From a designer’s point of view thinner is always better. However, the engineer has to cram all of the technology into that case and so they’re going to be fighting back on that point.

A designer is always looking to create that magical first impression aesthetically and an engineer’s job to bring the working device into reality; neither side wants to make any compromise whatsoever.

Also, it’s not just designers and engineers who have a say. When we started work on PS Vita, the shape we had in mind was very similar to the final product, but in the testing phase we tried many different designs. We settled on the final model after many discussions with the game development teams in Worldwide Studios.

PSB: Who usually wins these battles between designers and engineers?

TS: Many years ago I would have said that it was the designers, at least here at Sony. In fact, when we were developing the Walkman I remember coming to the office with a block of wood and saying that it needed to be this size and shape, and it was up to the engineers to make that happen.

It’s hard to compare then and now because Sony has become so much bigger as a company. Of course, your question also depends on personalities – some designers are very stubborn and will never budge, whereas others are easier to convince.

Talking about PS Vita specifically, I was pushing through this idea of ‘thinner is better’ but I had to be reminded of things like the feature set, processing power, battery life… the overall package.

There are times when you have a design idea that you love but then the engineers see a major flaw straight away. I actually wanted PS Vita to be entirely made of metal but then it was pointed out that this was impossible due to the internal Wi/Fi, 3G and GPRS antennae.

So yes, I’m afraid designers do lose on some occasions!

]]> http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/19/ps-vita-designer-on-perfect-screen-size-and-battling-engineers/feed/ 33 http://blog.eu.playstation.com/files/avatars/avatar_67.jpg http://blog.eu.playstation.com/files/2012/01/6720448695_3fb813b392_o-704x396.jpg 2.41 33 0 AE AU GB IE NZ http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/18/playstation-home-welcome-the-year-of-the-dragon/ http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/18/playstation-home-welcome-the-year-of-the-dragon/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:13:17 +0000 James Gallagher http://blog.eu.playstation.com/?p=55175 PlayStation Home is offline from 8AM GMT on Wednesday 18th January for routine maintenance. Here is what to expect after the update…

Celebrate the Chinese New Year in style in the brand new Mahjong apartment. Invite your friends to play Mahjong Attack, our version of this very popular Chinese game.

It’s the year of the Dragon, so we’re giving away a free Chinese Dragon! Known for his wisdom and loyalty, this dragon is a worthy companion to have at your side. Just visit Home Square to pick up this reward, absolutely free.



Everyone loves cute ponies, right? If you say no, you’re clearly kidding yourself. The latest herd of Stitchkins have come cantering into PlayStation Home and they are some seriously adorable equines. Starshine and Aurora are big-eyed unicorns who stamp their little hooves to get your attention. If you wouldn’t be seen dead with a pink pony, then maybe Nimbus and Storm are more your style. Longer limbed Pegasus, these winged miniature horses never give up trying to fly, even if their stubby little wings aren’t big enough to lift them. Whichever you choose, their antics are sure to brighten up your day!

Also this week, Granzella bring us ‘Great Edo of Nippon’ – a Japanese Edo period themed space.

Along the shop-lined streets of this space, townspeople and merchants can be seen going about various occupations such as cargo delivery, running food stands, and samurai duties as well.

In the local clothing store, among many other Japanese costumes, you’ll find stylish kimono, samurai outfits, and even swords to complete the look. Change into a samurai outfit or kimono and experience the traditional Japanese culture of the Edo period.

Upon entering the city you can try your hand at the Goldfish Scoop and the Shooting Gallery mini-games. However, there’s a strange rumour going around the city recently…

Apparently, people say something is haunting the city!



Konami bring us some new additions to their Urban Camo range – try sneaking up on your friends in a variety of elaborate disguises, such as a treasure chest or arcade cabinet.

The PlayStation Home January Sale continues, and you can now pick up a great value bundle containing all of the Winter Villa furniture for just £2.99 / €3.59.

That wraps it up for this week. See you in Home!

]]> http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/18/playstation-home-welcome-the-year-of-the-dragon/feed/ 32 http://blog.eu.playstation.com/files/avatars/avatar_67.jpg http://blog.eu.playstation.com/wp-content/themes/scee/images/rss-default.jpg 3.46 32 0 AE AU GB IE NZ http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/16/fiwc-winner-enjoys-a-night-with-the-stars/ http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/16/fiwc-winner-enjoys-a-night-with-the-stars/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:00:11 +0000 James Gallagher http://blog.eu.playstation.com/?p=55023 “Who would have thought that playing EA SPORTS FIFA would one day take me to the FIFA Ballon d’Or,” said reigning FIFA Interactive World Cup champion Francisco Cruz, sitting in Zurich, Switzerland just hours after having experienced the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011 Gala.

With his victory at the FIWC11 Grand Final in Los Angeles, Cruz earned $20,000 in prize money and a priceless invitation to the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011 Gala. At the Gala, Francisco talked tactics with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, played FIFA 12 against Wayne Rooney and Gerard Piqué on a nearby PS3 and shook hands with superstars such as Lionel Messi, Xavi, Ronaldo, Neymar and Dani Alves. The morning following Francisco’s incredible night at the Gala, the team at FIFA.com spoke with him as he reflected on the experience.

This must have been an amazing experience for you. Does any specific moment stand out?

Francisco: I can’t really say what my favourite moment was. All of it was incredible. Beating Wayne Rooney at FIFA 12 and talking to Sir Alex Ferguson were certainly highlights. And of course meeting Lionel Messi, my favourite player. There have been so many highlights, I have to watch out that I don’t forget anything!

What did you discuss with Sir Alex?

Francisco: For me he’s a true legend. He’s been with Manchester United for more than twenty years now so I was very happy that I had the opportunity to talk to him. We talked about the best ways to cope with mental pressure in tough games. This was really helpful for me and I’ll definitely try to apply his advice at this year’s Grand Final.

You mentioned your EA SPORTS FIFA 12 match with Wayne Rooney. What was it like to play against one of your idols?

Francisco: It’s a dream playing against one of my favourite players. It’s a new experience and I would like to do it again next year, he is a good player. He kept possession of the ball well with England but he could not transfer that into goal scoring opportunities. He said he was the best FIFA 12 player at Manchester United and I believe him as he was very good. I had some good chances and I scored, but he could have scored one or two goals.

You brought your cousin to the Gala. Why did you choose him to accompany you?

Francisco: My family is very important to me. For the 2009 Grand Final in Barcelona, where I placed third, I invited my sister. Last year, my father came with me to Los Angeles, so now it was my cousin’s turn. He’s just as crazy about football as I am, plus he’s a really good friend of mine.

Did you ever imagine that you would be part of such a special night when you first played the FIFA series?

Francisco: No, not at all. It is still unbelievable. I mean who would have thought that playing EA SPORTS FIFA would one day take me to the FIFA Ballon d’Or! And now, here I am, among stars like Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney!

Is this day at the FIFA Ballon d’Or a strong motivation for you to defend your title?

Francisco: I’m very competitive and I want to win every game. Of course, this day is very special for me and If I could be part of this once more it would be fantastic. I’ll definitely give my all and try to defend my title!

]]> http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/16/fiwc-winner-enjoys-a-night-with-the-stars/feed/ 5 http://blog.eu.playstation.com/files/avatars/avatar_67.jpg http://blog.eu.playstation.com/files/2011/09/Blog_FIFA12_EN.jpg 1.76 5 0 AE AU GB IE NZ http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/14/playstation-blog-recap-118/ http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/14/playstation-blog-recap-118/#comments Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:00:10 +0000 James Gallagher http://blog.eu.playstation.com/?p=54998 This is my first recap intro of 2012 and I have to admit I wasn’t expecting our publishing schedule to get back to full speed quite so quickly, and yet we had stacks of posts last week, and the next is looking just as healthy.

To some it may seem arbitrary but a new year is a time for new thinking, resolutions and a little bit of reflection; one thing I have realised is that I can hardly ever think of anything interesting to write in these intros!

I’m always asking you for ideas of what I should be doing with this blog so please; let me know in the comments what you like to see in this weekly space. A recap of that week’s releases? Some hints at upcoming blog posts? Something else?

Here’s your recap.

• Shinobido 2 Developers Discuss The Sounds Of Assassination - Our friend Toshiko Tazaki shares details on how they shaped the tension and atmosphere in their upcoming assassin-thriller.
• ModNation Racers: Road Trip – Brand New Career Mode! – A look at highlights of the new career mode in ModNation Racers: Road Trip.
• Welcome To The First SingStore Update Of 2012! - Adele, Loick Essien, Spice Girls, Dean Martin, Steps, and a new DanceStar Party mix.
• Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City Triple Impact Trailer – Watch the brand new trailer for the latest installment in the Resident Evil franchise.
• Galaxy Fight Plays the Blues in the Import Store – A retro classic returns in the PlayStation Store.
• PlayStation Home: Defend The Earth Fleet In Novus Prime: Vindication – An update on the new Novus Prime expansion, plus All Zombies Must Die! and more.
• Get Involved In The FIFA Interactive World Cup! – All the details on UK FIWC qualifiers and more about this year’s tournament.
• ‘Heads-Up’ PlayStation Store Update 11th January 2012 – AMY, Zack Zero, Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Asura’s Wrath demos, and a ton more.
• PlayStation Store January Sale – Deals on the likes of Crysis, Dead Space 2 and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Get ‘em while they’re hot! Week 1 ends Wednesday.
• CES 2012: PS Vita’s Augmented Reality Transforms Your Table Into An Arena - Seriously cool – don’t miss the video.
• Shinobido 2 Revenge Of Zen Reveals Its Story, Weapons, And More! - A new trailer for Shinobido 2 for PS Vita.
• Touch My Katamari Prologue Reveals The Truth About The King Of All Cosmos! – A first look at the storyline for the next chapter in the Katamari saga.
• MUBI Update: 12 January 2012 - The beginning of our collaboration with My French Films Festival 2012 brings some incredible young filmmakers to MUBI.
• VidZone Update – The Best Of 2011 & Ones To Watch For 2012 – Highlighting the old and ringing in the new with the latest hits and soon-to-be hits.
• Unit 13 Infiltrates PS Vita March 7th, Covert Mission Video Walkthrough – Get psyched for Unit 13 with an exclusive walkthrough video and more.
• New Gran Turismo DLC And Update Incoming - The details behind another DLC pack winging it’s way to PlayStation Store very soon, 18th January to be exact.
• Access Episode 16 - Check out a roundup of the best PlayStation Store content, plus a look at what’s hot news wise in the world of PS3.
• Time To Vote In The Official PlayStation Community Awards 2012 - Access the official PlayStation forums and decide what has been the best of the best within the PlayStation Universe in the last year.
• GT Academy Hits Dubai 24H - A recap of the GT Academy and look at the GT Academy race in Dubai.
• Nominate Your Favourite LBP Levels For A Sackie Award - The Sackies have returned to recognise the LittleBigPlanet community of players, creators and sharers alike.
• Call to Arms! Starhawk Public Beta Begins Wednesday, January 18th! - A look at who gets the Starhawk Public Beta and when.
• The Weekend Debate: Chance is a Fine Thing? - Submit your thoughts on the varying degrees of ‘chance’ that influence our gaming.
• Under Siege – Enhanced Edition Free Update Now Available - Massive update for Under Siege Enhanced Edition on PSN.



• Weekend Essentials 108
• PlayStation Game and Community Awards 2011
• Hands on with EA SPORTS FIFA Football
• Grab a bargain in PlayStation Home
• Get Involved with the FIFA Interactive World Cup



• Find out about Hitman: Absolution’s new gameplay in this preview and interview.
• Promises, promises: Skyrim PS3 lag fixed in next 1.4 update
• Is this new PSN horror any good? Read our Amy review to find out.
• Is Call Of Duty Black Ops 2 out this year?
• Get ready for plenty of new The Last Of Us info in next month’s Official PlayStation Magazine UK.
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