Sony PlayStation Network (PSN) Hacked and Customer Information Stolen

Sony has been dealt a major blow last week when its PlayStation Network (PSN) was hacked and personal information of about 77 million accounts was stolen. After the PSN was down for a week plus, Sony belatedly made the official announcement that they are a victim of some hacker who obtained information such as name, address, date of birth, password and even credit card information if you have it stored in your PSN account. Obviously PSN users all over the world are pissed at Sony’s late actions and severely damaged their reputation and their CEO’s goal of having all Sony media electronics connected and unified in a common shared platform. This security breach has put a serious dent on the users’ trust in Sony’s system. Sony’s slow reaction and late disclosure has angered users who were not aware of the details of the breakdown and could have executed their personal mitigation steps in protecting their personal information like cancelling the credit card linked to the PSN account.

People are starting to file lawsuits against Sony for this matter and we expect there are more to come. Sony is going to pay a very heavy price on this. Do not forget that the downtime has cost Sony millions of dollars considering the revenue which they gain from the PSN activities of approximately $10 million per week. Even if they ended up paying $1 for each customer/account, that’s $77 million. If they pay $2 each, an additional digit is added to the payout amount ($154 million). And quoting the $1 and $2 price is merely to cite examples. I would feel really devalued if I get paid only $2 for them risking my personal information.

The ripple effects of identity theft would be hard to assess in terms of the true damages. All the hassle they caused me could have cost a lot of people a lot of time and money. I am not going to put my credit card info on PSN anymore.

Best of Both Worlds: Street Fighter X Tekken Game Coming to PS3

This is gonna get the Street Fighter fan pumped up and the Tekken fans excited at the same time. Capcom and Konami have teamed up for a new release: Street Fighter X Tekken crossover game for PS3. The Street Fighter franchise has been a great tradition dating back to my kiddo days when the NES was the game console that every kid on the block wanted. Ryu and Ken are still the living legend in fighting games uptil today. With this collaboration, fans of fighting genre can have the best of two worlds with Street Fighter X Tekken (SFXT). This joint venture however will cast some questions on which franchise is the main star of the game. Obviously nobody wants to take any trademark moves or original features out of both the characters and the settings. To find the midway point of balance between the Street Fighter combo moves and Tekken’s settings can be quite a task in order to satisfy both sets of fans. Put this in your to-buy list. Better still, pre-order your copy at Amazon.com and be ready for the unleashing of SFXT come release date (TBD).

First PS3 Custom Firmware is Released!

The PS3 jailbreak scene was kicked off with the release of PS3 jailbreak on USB dongle which did not require any hardmod (hardware modification) and done via the PS3’s USB port. It prompted Sony to file for an injunction in Australia court to ban the sale of the PS3JailBreak USB dongle while they work on their firmware update to close the loophole from firmware version 3.5 onwards.
And today, I saw a post about the first PS3 custom firmware being released. One can enable homebrew and in most cases play backup copies of your games right from the flash memory or disk memory instead of reading from DVD for improved read time when one installs a custom firmware in place of the original or official firmware from the manufacturer. Manufacturers have always been against the homebrew in fear of game piracy, which affected the previous PlayStation generations (PS1, PS2, PSP, Xbox, Xbox360, Wii, etc.) It has been reported that game piracy costs the industry billions of dollars every year.

PS3 jailbreak has already been confirmed doable for PS3 consoles with firmware version 3.41. Do a quick search on PS3 Jail Break on a search engine or the popular video streaming site should yield many usable results if you like to get more details or proof of its existence. Of course, homebrew fans would argue that Sony broke their promise when they launched the PS3 by blocking the installation of Linux. Nevertheless, homebrew is an area of interest because it enables the hidden capabilities of the console which are not put to use by the manufacturer through the official firmware. I’ve previously had CFW on my PSP and installed custom ROM on my Windows Mobile smartphones and I believe the idea of getting all the juice out of that internally powerful gaming console of PS3 or Wii sounds pretty tempting if the CFW is stable and reliable.

33% of People Waiting for GT5 Do Not Own a PS3

If you’re reading this site, you probably know Gran Turismo 5 is a big deal for the PlayStation brand, but we can’t often quantify that into numbers. Data collected by marketing research agency OTX GamePlan, however, gives a peek into stats you know Sony is taking into careful consideration. According to their latest survey, 33% of people who plan on purchasing GT5 don’t yet own a PlayStation 3 console to play it on. In other words, if GT5 sells anywhere close to GT4’s 10.9 million copies, there will have to be several million consoles out the door along with it. For a system that sells around 10 million units per year, that would be healthy increase. Without a solid release date for the game, though, those consoles could be sitting on the shelf for a while…

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for PS3 for $13 @ Amazon

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for PS3 is on sale at Amazon.com with free shipping if you buy above $25 (or if you have Amazon Prime). I was introduced to the Prince of Persia franchise by my old housemate who played it on PC a few years back. I gave it a try a few times as well while he was trying to finish it off. It has an average rating of 4/5 (as reviewed and voted by 27 people). If you're a Prince of Persia fan, this is a decent price for this game and I hope you enjoy it.


Product Features
Platform: PLAYSTATION 3

* From huge-scale multi-enemy combat to dizzying feats of acrobatic prowess in gigantic environments enhanced by the Prince?s ability to control nature and time, The Forgotten Sands will push the Prince?s prodigious abilities to a not-yet-seen level.
* With all-out war at the gates of the kingdom, the Prince?s abilities will be challenged like never before through the course of epic wow moments, be it by scaling a castle tower collapsing under bombardment or combating foes hundreds of feet tall.
* Wielding powers of nature and time, the Prince will have unparalleled mastery over his environment and his enemies. The Prince will discover that harnessing the forces of nature itself will prove to be a devastating companion to his ability to rewind time.
* Powered by the Anvil Engine used for Assassin?s Creed 2, The Forgotten Sands promises to bring a Prince of Persia experience like never before seen. Battle hordes of enemies at once, explore life-like settings, and experience a more powerful Prince.
* Set between Prince of Persia ? The Sands of Time and Warrior Within, The Forgotten Sands provides fans with a new chapter in the saga of the Prince, and an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the events from this series.

Embark on an adventure to an exotic land and unleash your legendary moves on enemies as the acclaimed Prince of Persia: Sands of Time story line makes its return. Unfolding with the mystery and powerful narrative that have become classic elements in this series, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands challenges you to unleash powerful offensive attacks and destroy your enemies. Race against time in an unforgiving world as you experience the return of the vaunted Prince of Persia.

Amazon Deal: Tekken 6 for PS3 and XBOX - $33 Free Shipping

Amazon.com is having the game Tekken 6 for PS3 and Xbox 360 for only $32.98 with free shipping! This is the best deal seen for this game currently. Tekken 6 for PSP (not for the new UMDless PSP Go) is still at $40. If you're a true fan of the Tekken series, you might be interested in the Limited Edition which includes a limited edition Tekken 6 controller (a must-have for Tekken aficionados)

TEKKEN 6 sees the return of many familiar faces as well as new characters to create the largest line-up the series has ever seen. With a growing roster of fighters, each equipped with their own deadly techniques, martial art moves, and attack combinations, TEKKEN 6 will be the best “King of Iron Fist Tournament” yet. Adding to the already rich gaming experience, a deeper character customization feature will only enhance the incredible fighting intensity as players go mano-y-mano.

Sony PS3 Firmware Update 3.10 Gives You Facebook Integration

Sony announced that the next iteration of the PlayStation 3's firmware is version 3.10 adn the biggest perk for many is that it now adds Facebook functionality to the PS3, including automatic Trophy and purchase updates. Now you can show al your Facebook friends what you've been scoring (or sucking) at your PS3. This also allows developers to include "trigger points" for Facebook integration in their PS3 games. Sony calls this Facebook service "the first phase of a variety of new features to further connect and enhance the online social experiences of PlayStation(R)3 (PS3[TM]) computer entertainment system owner." Other, less marquee features, include a new grid layout for photos and an updated friends list with the ability for users to change the background color of profiles.

Sony PS3 Drake's Fortune Bundle 160GB - $299.99!

Sony is offering 160GB PlayStation 3 Drake's Fortune Bundle which includes 2 Dualshock 3 controllers for $299.99 with free shipping. This is quite a good price I would say for this bundle, so Drake's Fortune fans should snap up this deal. Earlier on, this bundle costs a whopping $499.99. It seems obvious that Sony is trying to get rid of the old stock of the non-slim PS3. This now sells for $349.99 at Amazon.com.

Product Features of 160 GB Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Pack
* Internal 160GB HDD for storing your games, music, and photos
* Built-in Blu-ray player and HDMI output for 1080p resolution
* 2 USB Ports, Internet ready with built-in Wi-Fi, and Free PlayStation Network Access
* Includes 1 Dualshock 3 wireless controller
* Includes Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and a PAIN Downloadable game voucher

Sony PS3 Slim Officially Announced - Get It for $299 September 1 2009

Sony officially announced the PS3 Slim, well long after the leaked pictures made it to the world wide web. And now, everyone is happy with the latest price tag. Sony PS3is the costliest gaming console in the market compared to the XBOX 360 and Nintendo Wii. Now, Sony has decided to bring down the price to a much affordable $299. Rejoice PlayStation fans, it's time to finally own one if you haven't. The new PS3 slim is actually by design 33 percent smaller, 36 percent lighter, and comes with a 120GB hard drive. Sony redesigned the internal architecture of the new PS3 system in order to meet the new more compact form factor. This is about the same as what Sony did to the previous generation PlayStation, the PS2. The PS3 Slim is powered by a new 45nm version of the Cell processor which runs at the same speed as the 60nm processor in the "old" PS3, but is smaller and more energy-efficient. According to company reps, power consumption for the PS3 Slim has also been cut to two-thirds, "helping to reduce fan noise".





One element which changed against my liking is that the surface of the PS3 Slim is matte as compared to the classy looking shiny piano black finish of the PS3. Also, the "PLAYSTATION 3" words are no longer written across the top, replaced by "PS3". The Sony PlayStation 3 Slim is available for pre-orders from Amazon.com.

Gran Turismo 5 for PS3 Release Date December 29 2009 - Pre-order at Amazon Now!

All Gran Turismo fans! The latest installment of the GT series, Gran Turismo 5, is scheduled to be released on Tuesday December 29 2009. That's approximately 5 full months before you get your hands on a copy of this much awaited edition. Exclusively dubbed as "the real driving simulator", Gran Turismo will surely bolster its current fanbase after the noted success of the previous editions. You can now place your pre-orders from Amazon.com for $56.99. Surprisingly, the release date is after December 25 2009, therfore missing the Christmas holiday season. I strongly believe that if this was released ahead of Christmas, it is sure bound to the top seller of all games!

The next installment of the award-winning racing franchise, Gran Turismo® 5, is coming exclusively to the PlayStation®3 system. Known for its signature beauty and precision, the highly anticipated racer will showcase new jaw-dropping cars, real-life tracks, and diverse racing styles. Gran Turismo promises to deliver exciting advancements to the series in the most comprehensive racing experience ever.