Today we’re offering a first look at two new maps from the upcoming DLC map pack for Killzone 3, ‘From The Ashes’. Consisting of two Guerrilla Warfare maps and two Warzone maps, ‘From The Ashes’ will reinvigorate your Killzone 3 online experience with environments both fresh and familiar.

First up is a preview video of Lente Missile Base, a Warzone map for 24 players set inside an abandoned missile base at the edge of the Kaznan Jungle. One of many outdated defense facilities abandoned after the discovery of nuclear Petrusite, Lente Base is slowly being reclaimed by Helghan’s strange plant life. But when warring ISA and Helghast forces stumble across the remains of the facility, they find that most of its systems are still operational. As both factions vie for control of the base, the facility begins firing its missiles – frying anyone caught in the underground exhaust vents…

The second preview video features Mobile Factory, a Guerrilla Warfare map for 16 players set aboard one of the largest vehicles from the single player campaign. Part resource production facility, part moving fortress, the Mobile Factory is a strategic asset that both factions desperately want to seize control of. Combatants need to watch their step as a single mistake can cause them to plummet into the heavy duty scrap metal shredders at the bottom of the facility. Those looking to do some shredding of their own will be able to wield one of two portable miniguns found in the Mobile Factory.

DLC Pack 3 “From The Ashes” will be available from the PlayStation Store on 22nd of June for €4.99\£3.99. But that’s not all! Those of you new to Killzone 3 will be interested to learn that we’re simultaneously releasing the DLC Bundle Pack. As the name implies, this pack bundles the Retro Pack, the Steel Rain Pack AND the From The Ashes Pack – a total of eight maps – for the low, low price of just €9.99\£7.99. . Stay tuned to Killzone.com and the official PlayStation.Blog on Monday, because we’ll be posting preview videos of the other two maps in the From the Ashes Pack.

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To celebrate the return of the PlayStation Network and welcome you back to Killzone 3‘s online battlefield, we’ve got a Double XP Weekend lined up! Starting this Friday, May 20 at 17:00 PM UK time, and lasting until Monday, May 23 at 10:00 AM UK time, all XP you earn in Killzone 3‘s multiplayer matches will be doubled.

The upcoming Double XP Weekend isn’t the only Killzone-related goodie in the pipeline. As you may know, Sony has revealed that Killzone: Liberation is part of its Welcome Back Program for PSN members, meaning you’ll be able to download the critically acclaimed PlayStation Portable shooter absolutely free of charge. And there’s even more… But we’ll announce that at a later date.

So stay tuned to Killzone.com, and remember to brush up your Killzone 3 multiplayer skills. This weekend, you’ll have a chance to catch up on 3 weeks’ worth of rank progression!

P.S.: During the Double XP Weekend, the Score Screen will display the message “Fast Starter Bonus” instead of “Bonus Points” – this is a string error that will be fixed in future Bonus XP events.

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Hello everyone,

It is my pleasure to announce that Killzone 3 is out in stores this week. After two years of hard work by the talented developers at Guerrilla, we are thrilled to bring you the most intensely immersive first-person action game the PlayStation 3 has ever seen. Killzone 3 has become a true showcase piece for the PlayStation 3, making full use of its considerable capabilities – including stereoscopic 3D and PlayStation Move compatibility. And with support for the PlayStation Move sharp shooter, Killzone 3 is accessible to experienced and casual players alike.

I would like to take a moment to extend my gratitude to the fans in the Killzone community, who have supported and cheered us on over the course of Killzone 3′s development, and to everyone who participated in the online multiplayer beta trials, for helping us make Killzone 3 the best game
possible. We hope you enjoy it, and we look forward to seeing you in Killzone 3′s online multiplayer mode.

Now, without further ado – go out and buy it!

Hermen Hulst
Managing Director, Guerrilla Games

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If you’re the kind of player who likes to hunt down every trophy and every secret in a game, now may be a good time to request that paid vacation. When Killzone 3 hits the streets, there will be more than 50 new trophies for you to obtain – including 20 hidden ones! Luckily the official game guide to Killzone 3 will be released simultaneously, thanks to the dedicated folks at Future Press.

These are the non-hidden trophies included in the game:

Those of you who purchased the official game guide for Killzone 2 already know how thorough Future Press is in covering every aspect of the game, from highly detailed overview maps of the single player campaign to minute details on obtaining each of the trophies and secrets. Killzone 3: The Official Guide is no less meticulous, with an extensive breakdowns of the single- and the multiplayer modes as well as useful tips and strategies for players of every skill level.

In addition, Killzone 3: The Official Guide contains lavish concept artworks depicting the development of the characters and environments of Killzone 3, accompanied by interviews with key Guerrilla designers describing the process involved. As a special bonus, purchasing the official guide gives you access to 3 Unlock Points that you can use to get a head start in unlocking abilities and weapons for your preferred career. The guide even recommends the right time to spend them!

Killzone 3 and Killzone 3: The Official Guide will be released on February 25. The official game guide is also available in a hardcover Collector’s Edition. For more information, please visit the Future Press web site.

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It’s less than a week since the Killzone 3 Multiplayer Beta hit PlayStation Store, but already you’ve racked up some impressive numbers. There’s been a staggering 62 million – million! – kills, of which around ten per cent have been Brutal Melee kills. Some 400,000 games have been blitzed through, with well over half a million players appearing on the Killzone 3 leaderboards. And two of those players have stormed through the one million XP barrier already. The Helghast don’t know what’s hit them.

Your dedication to the cause hasn’t gone unnoticed over at developer Guerrilla Games. Far from it: the team has been working around the clock to analyse and act upon your feedback. Below you’ll find a round-up of issues discovered thanks to your hard work, and the solutions that Guerrilla is working on to refine your experience:

High level issues discovered:

• Connection problems
• High load caused the database to fall over
• Score posting
• Flickering screens
• Ribbon stats not updating
• Vulgarity filter

Solutions underway:

• Guerrilla has already released a patch, which is live at the time of writing.
• Guerrilla has made improvements for the server connection issues. The server was brought down and put back up for that on Monday, 7 February 2011.
• The problems with the filter should be fixed now.
• Guerrilla will continue to update the servers and patch the Beta if needed and are watching your feedback closely on Killzone.com

From Guerrilla: “We are happy that we are encountering these issues now, during a Beta, instead of after launch. This will help us get ready for the huge amount of people that are expected to go online at launch.”

“This Beta also gives us the opportunity to change Killzone 3 based on feedback that we get. Although we’ve already gone gold, we can and will make server side adjustment to things like weapon damage, balancing issues etc. So this is not a demo; it is a Beta for us to test the game.

“Thanks for your continued patience and help in getting this tested properly.”

So, keep playing – the more you experience the Killzone 3 Muliplayer Beta, the more you’ll contribute to an even more polished final game.

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