Major security vulnerability on PLAYSTATION Network discovered, rectified.

Following a SCE Japan alert, SCEA US Site have released a consumer alert, reproduced in its entirety as following:-


"Notice to PLAYSTATION®Network Users:

We have found out that there has been a possibility of unauthorized access to personal information on the PLAYSTATION®Store through PCs, a content download service of the PLAYSTATION®Network. Although unlikely, it is possible that the passwords of a small percentage of PLAYSTATION Network users may have been changed through unauthorized access, making it possible to view users' personal information and/or use the Wallet for the PLAYSTATION Store. PLAYSTATION Network accounts do not display entire credit card numbers, so any unauthorized access to your PLAYSTATION Network account is very unlikely to compromise your credit card number.

We have taken immediate measures to rectify this issue and system security is restored. We have investigated the extent of unauthorized access and possible alteration of passwords that could have occurred before corrective measures were taken, and are directly contacting customers who may have been affected by this incident. In order to verify that your account is intact, we strongly suggest that PLAYSTATION Network users sign in to the service. If you can successfully sign in with your pre-set password, your account is not affected by this incident.
For additional information and immediate 24 hour online support, click here for the PlayStation Knowledge Center."

What this mean is someone have hacked and accessed into some member's PLAYSTATION Network accounts, capturing their ID, password and wallet. Sony have rectified the security issue and is in the process of investigating the damages.

Meanwhile, if you want to know if you are affected, login to your account with your password. If you can't get in, chances are you have been affected and should contact your nearest Sony service center.

PS3 Firmware 2.20 is available now.

SCEH released PS3 Firmware V2.20 via PLAYSTATION Network last night. The firmware is a 121.8MB download and installs into your PS3.

The firmware update enables BD-Live, a feature that enables users to access online contents for Blu-Ray movies. The 2GB file size restrictions for DivX and WMV movies have been removed too.

Also available are updates to playlists (users can copy their PS3 playlist to PSP) and other minor tweaks.

Good times for BD movies buff using the PS3.

SCEH (Asia) Network Top-up promotion starts in April 2008.

For the whole month of April 2008 (thats from 1st to 30th... in case you are wondering), Sony Computer Entertainment HK Limited (covering the Asian regions of HK, Singapore and Taiwan) will run a promotion on encourage members to spend more on credits.

During the entire month of April 2008, for any single wallet top-up of SGD30/ HK$150 or above with a credit card or prepaid code in PLAYSTATION®Store or PLAYSTATION®Store (PC version), members of PLAYSTATION®Network will get an extra SGD 3/ HK$15 top-up to their wallet.

That's a 10% worth of credits value SCEH is giving you for the effort. The catch? These additional credits will be only given to your online wallet AFTER the promotional period.

Anyhow, it's a good deal, especially now as GT5: Prologue and echochrome (full version) is available for purchase and download via PLAYSTATION Store.

Satin Silver PS3 retails in Singapore today!

The new Satin Silver 40GB PS3 will be available in Singapore market today according to Sony HK's press release. This new colored PS3 will retail at SGD499 (RM1150), the same as the White or Black 40GB PS3 available currently, while a matching colored Dualshock 3 will also be available at SGD73 (RM170).

Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (Traditional Chinese) available for puchase now.

For local gamers looking to get their copy of Sony's much anticipated "demo" Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (Traditional Chinese), you have two options. The game is available for download from Playstation Stores from Sony HK, Singapore or Taiwan, and this option will cost you HK$298 / SG$59.99 / NT$1320 respectively. Alternatively, you can get the Blu-Ray disc version from the same markets at HK$328 / SG$66(tax included) / NT$1490.

The main difference is that the BD (Blu-Ray Disc) version will have the game codes and movies for the Gran Turismo TV (GTTV - featuring motor sports news) while the download version will require additional content download for GTTV after the game's code is installed.

The download will be approximately 1.9GB in size, so if you dont have a speedy connection and is very impatient to play GT5: Prologue (Traditional Chinese) in your PS3 (like me!), get the BD version as its much easier.

Latest Game Titles available in MY stores.

PS3:

Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (Chinese) - (Asian) Racing [Download or Blu-Ray]
echochrome - (Asian) Puzzle
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 - (Asian) Shooter


XBox360:

Condemned 2: Bloodshot - (US) FPS
Army of Two - (US) Shooter
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty - (US) FPS
Lost: Via Domus - (US) Action
Frontlines: Fuel of War - (US) FPS
Lost Odyssey - (Asian) RPG


Wii:

Winning Eleven: Playmaker 2008 - (Jpn) Sports
Pinball Hall of Fame: The William Collection - (US) Pinball Sim
Bully - (US) Action
Balloon Pop - (US) Puzzle
SEGA Bass Fishing - (US) Fishing Sim

PS3 and PSP software updated, COD4 PS3 patched as well.

Sony's PS3 firmware is now at V2.17, while PSP is upped to V3.93. Downloading them give your PS3 and PSP under the hood tweaks: PS3 will experience improved gaming experience (what the heck that means, let me know if you find out!) while PSP will get 20 (count 'em) players for its internet radio feature (I think there are some stuff to twart hackers thrown in too).


Meanwhile, after being patched on the Xbox360 earlier, the PS3 version is now receiving the same love as Call of Duty 4 is now at Version 1.20. This patch is a 12MB download, and it improves gameplay slightly.

Haze is PS3 exclusive?

Ubisoft's Haze is now being mentioned as a PS3 exclusive during a Play.com live event. Initially announced as a multiplatform title for PS3, Xbox360 and PC, it was later hinted as a "timed exclusive" for PS3.

Its now being mentioned as PS3 exclusive, heading for Sony's console in May 2008. We shall find out which is true by then.

PS3 MGS4 bundle shown by Famitsu.

Here's how it looks like, the upcoming Japanese Premium Pack: PS3 Metal Gear Solid 4 bundle, courtesy of Famitsu.

The entired package comes with an alloy-ring colored PS3, a matching colored controller (no mention if this is a Dualshock 3), Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots game, Metal Gear Online Starter Pack and a special DVD (no mention of contents, but surely filled with the game making-of materials).

The whole package will cost 51,800Yen (RM1800). For US importers, bear in mind that there will be a US version too come June 2008. Lets cross our fingers again for this bundle to appear in Asia. Seems there are much fingers crossings for Solid Snake stuff coming to Asia.

Metal Gear Solid 1 coming to Japanese PSN on March 21, 2008

Japanese PS3 gamers will be able to get Solid Snake's first adventure come March 21, 2008. Konami will release Metal Gear Solid to Japanese PSN, available for download at 600Yen. For that amount, Japanese PS3 owners can play Solid Snake's very first PS1 outing in their PS3 and PSP, presumably to stoke interest in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 4 release.

No news for the game to be released in other territories, but keep your fingers crossed!

Latest Game Titles available in MY stores.

PS3:

Army of Two - (US) Action Shooter
Conflict: Denied Ops - (US) Action Shooter
Lost: Via Domus - (US) Action
Lost Planet: Extreme Conditions - (US) Action Shooter
Fifa Street 3 - (US) Sports Sim
Unreal Tournament 3 - (US) FPS
Dynasty Warrior 6 - (US) Action


Xbox360:

Army of Two - (US) Action Shooter
The Spiderwick Chronicles - (US) Action
Devil May Cry 4 - (US) Action
Turok - (US) FPS

Super Smash Bros. Brawl (US) won't play on Wiis with dirty lens, Nintendo offers fix.

US Wii gamers are faced with the same problem Japanese gamers faced with Nintendo's hottest title, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. As reported in Japan early February, Wiis with "dirty" lens are unable to read the dual layered DVD thats stores Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

To help solve this, Nintendo of America have offered to collect and clean the dirty lens, on their expense. All you have to do is fill up the form here, and wait while its being collected, cleaned and returned to you.

So all it will cost you is not having the Wii to play on while its being cleaned.

Blu-Ray wins the High Def video format, blu-ray in Xbox360 soon?

The 1080P High Definition Video format war is over. When HD-DVD exclusive Warner Bros studios switched to support the Blu-Ray format exclusively, the winner was effectively decided. Shortly thereafter, Toshiba (the main player in the HD-DVD format) too announced that they will cease to produce new HD-DVD players and withdrawing from the format war.

Now, its reported that Sony is talking to Microsoft about adopting the Blu-Ray format to its systems. While Sony have approached Apple for the same talks too (Microsoft and Apple are supporters of HD-DVD format), there are now strong rumors that Xbox360 may feature Blu-Ray as standard drive format.

While these are rumors at this point of time, it is not impossible for Xbox360 to adopt the Blu-Ray as the format due to the larger storage capabilities and as games becomes bigger (Lost Oddessey will fit in one dual layer Blu-Ray disc instead of four dual layer DVD dics). Alternatively, Microsoft could come up with a Blu-Ray add-on drive, as they have done with the HD-DVD add-on drive.

This will be interesting to keep watch, to see how Microsoft will react.

Silver Satin PS3 and Xbox360 Arcade debuts in Japan.

This past weekend is a good weekend for Japanese games. On March 7th 2008, two new console SKUs have appeared in the land of the rising sun to woo gamers to these brands.

Sony rolls out their Silver Satin PS3 thats is of the same specifications with the Ceramic White and Black cousins, while Microsoft unleashes its Xbox360 Arcade, which have been long available in other markets.

Will these two new SKUs from Sony and Microsoft pry Japanese fingers from Nintendo's Wii? Only time will tell.