Late Night Consoling

Taiwanese technology news outlet DigiTimes is reporting on an interesting rumor regarding the PSP. It claims that Sony is working on a version of its portable console which will include 8GB of NAND flash memory. Earlier reports suggested that Sony would be updating the PSP with a less expensive Microdrive rather than NAND memory, but this rumor alleges that the company got a good rate on Samsung flash memory.

At last month's CES, Sony executives frequently highlighted the multimedia capabilities of the PSP, as well as its eventual convergence with the company's Connect media download service. A large amount of onboard memory would certainly encourage users to download media onto the device. One point working against the rumor, however, is that such an upgrade would also encourage users to load their PSPs with movies and music they have ripped (or otherwise obtained...) themselves rather than through a Sony service. Last week, Sony reiterated its commitment to the UMD movie format, whereas a large amount of onboard memory would seemingly deter users from buying full films on separate discs. It could be, however, that Sony is accepting slowing UMD sales and is looking to rework the PSP's angle as a media device. Of course, with the undoubtedly hefty price tag that would accompany such an upgrade, good deal from Samsung or no, the company may try to position an 8GB PSP as an exclusive version of the device for media enthusiasts. This would be similar to the strategy taken with the PSX media center device, which also included PS2 hardware.

Yahoo! Games' Hollywood Byte recently caught up with director Peter Jackson (The Valley, Bad Taste, The Making of 'The Frighteners') to talk about Jackson's involvement with Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie (PS2, Xbox, GCN, X360, PS3, DS, PSP, PC). The project was largely managed by Ubisoft designer Michel Ancel, creator of the Rayman series and Beyond Good & Evil (PS2, Xbox, GCN, PC), but Jackson also took a greater role in the game's creation than most directors do when their films are adapted to video games. Ubisoft still has the rights to any further King Kong-based video games, and Jackson has been very vocal about how much he enjoyed working with Ancel and his team. In regards to possible further Kong collaborations, Jackson said, "I have been in discussions with Michel Ancel and the Montpellier team, but there is nothing to share at this point in time."

Last year, when asked about his upcoming project, Ancel stated, "I don't know what my next game is going to be, but it's not going to be a movie adaptation." While Jackson would probably be able to convince Ancel to come back for another go, it seems it's not what the designer has in mind for now. Let's hope for the completion of his planned Beyond Good & Evil trilogy.

Little by (very) little, the confirmed Revolution developers keep trickling in. In a report on the expansion of Orlando, Florida video game developer n-Space, the Orlando Sentinel reported that the company is working on one or more more titles for the upcoming machine. "Best of all for future revenue," the article states, "n-Space is producing games for Nintendo's new Revolution console, which is due out later this year."

N-Space largely supports itself on contracted licensed titles, with franchises ranging from Duke Nukem to Rugrats, but the company is most recently known for last year's paranormal shooter Geist (GCN), an original title. The game was delayed multiple times, and launched to mixed reviews, with many reviewers suggested it didn't quite live up to its potential. Regardless, it doesn't seem to have hurt the company's bottom line, as it is currently looking to add 20 staffers to its current count of 50, as well as add significant area to its offices.

Unsurprisingly, no details of the games were revealed. Shacknews has contacted n-Space for any further information.

Gamers internet-wide have been reporting on a rather odd request being made of them by their PSP copies of EA's Fight Night Round 3. When attempting to go online, the game has the user register with his or her birthday and email address. After doing so, two options are presented: pay a $2 fee by credit card or agree to release your address to ESPN or other companies. While it's clearly possible to provide false information, the choice is not given until that information has already been entered; it's not a choice most gamers are accustomed to have to make.

While $2 is hardly going to break the bank for most folks able to purchase a PSP and games for it, the registration method being taken by EA (or Sony?) has left a bad taste in the mouth of Fight Night Round 3 owners. It will be interesting to see whether similar strategies are adopted in other online PSP titles. (Thanks to Kotaku for being the first I saw to report on the issue.)

Nintendo sent along word today that New Super Mario Bros. (DS) now has an official launch date in North America. The game will hit shelves on May 7, just days before the company's Revolution-unveiling press conference. The game is the first new sidescrolling 2D Mario adventure in over ten years.

The company also announced Magnetica, a DS title in which the player must eliminate rolling marbles by making matches of three similarly-colored marbles. It sounds very much like Zuma, a title available for Windows and Xbox 360. The game can be controlled entirely with the stylus. It will launch on June 5. - Press release.

The SOCOM games have always been a primary driver of Sony's online efforts with PS2, and now the publisher plans to make additional content available to keep players coming back. Sony announced today that developer Zipper Interactive will be releasing a series of new multiplayer maps for its online PS2 action title SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALs. The maps will be separated into several SOCOM 3 Map Packs, each of which will be downloadable for $5.99. They can be stored on any USB storage device (such as a thumb drive or a PSP with a Memory Stick) or the optional PS2 hard drive. It does not appear that they can be stored on PS2 memory cards, most likely due to insufficient capacity. The maps require at least 32MB of storage.

The first Map Pack will be available in March, and will include versions of SOCOM II maps After Hours, Last Bastion, and Liberation updated to take advantage of SOCOM 3's features. Further Map Packs will include original maps. - Press release.

EA's Need for Speed Most Wanted has enjoyed 13 weeks on the UK top 10 sellers list, and most of those were spent in the #1 slot. However, a new title took that honor this past week and, mindblowingly enough, it is SCEI's excellent Shadow of the Colossus (PS2), which just saw its European release. Petroglyph's just-released Star Wars: Empire at War (PC) took the #2 slot, with Most Wanted sliding down to a still strong #3.

Next Generation speaks with Microsoft Game Studios head Shane Kim about Halo 3, other upcoming titles, and the Xbox 360's life span so far. Regarding Halo 3: it'll be out when it's ready.

GameSpot has a designer diary on Dimps' Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai (PSP).

Game Informer chats with producer Keiji Inafune and director Kenji Oguro about Capcom's Lost Planet: Extreme Condition (X360).

In honor of Link's 20th birthday, 1UP has a Zelda feature up, and 4 color rebellion has a couple of retrospective posts.