Earlier this week, leaked release dates for the European PlayStation emerged suggesting that PlayStation Home will be released in July. In addition, the leaked document also revealed release dates for other content for the PlayStation Store from April to July. Sony has neither confirmed nor denied the release dates in the document but stated that "Internal working documents naturally have proposed dates against titles, but these change frequently and dates are not confirmed until issued as part of a press release or formal announcement."

Statement from Sony:

"Internal working documents naturally have proposed dates against titles, but these change frequently and dates are not confirmed until issued as part of a press release or formal announcement. The same applies to titles of games, which may be working titles or placeholders subject to later confirmation.

As a result, no weight should be given to titles or dates that appear in this document, other than to those which have already been formally confirmed. We will not be commenting on any title mentioned that has not already been confirmed and/or given an official launch date."

Rumored Release Dates:

• 15th April
  • Superstardust Solo
  • Lair: Diabolical Dragons Pack
  • Resistance 2 Trailer
  • PAIN: Nigel character
  • Dark Mist
• 17th April:
  • Warhawk: Operation Broken Mirror
• 24th April:
  • High Velocity Bowling Add-on content
  • Echochrome Trailer
  • Elefunk
  • Ape Quest
  • Toy Home Add-on content
  • PixelJunk Monsters Add-on content
  • Everybody’s Golf 2 Trailer
  • SOCOM: Confrontation Trailer
  • Wipeout HD Trailer
• May:
  • Wipeout HD
  • The Last Guy
  • Echochrome
• June:
  • Buzz! Add-on content
• July:
  • SOCOM: Confrontation
  • EyeCreate 2
  • Flower
  • Ratchet: Quest for Booty
  • PlayStation Home

This weeks PlayStation Store update is in and once again it’s bad news for European PlayStation 3 owners as only three new items are added to the store. The US on the other had has received a fairly large update with a new playable demo, lots of game add-on content and several new videos and XMB themes. Europe have received a new game add-on pack for Guitar Hero 3, a new theme and a new game trailer. Check out the list below.

European Additions:

• Game Add-on Content
  
  • Guitar Hero 3 – Modern Metal Track Pack (£3.99)
• PS3 Themes
  
  • PixelJunk Monsters Theme
• Video
• Elefunk Trailer

US Additions:

• Playable Demos
  • Major League Baseball 2K8 Demo (free)
• Game Add-on Content
  
  • Toy Home Expansion Pack ($6.99)
  • PAIN Characters:
  • Nurse, Ginger ($0.99)
  • Cheerleader, Muffy ($0.99)
  • GUITAR HERO III: Dropkick Murphy’s Track Pack (free)
  • Famous for Nothing
  • Flannigans Ball
  • Johnny
  • I Hardly Knew Ya
  • Rock Band
  • Shockwave – Black Tide ($0.99)
  • Beethoven s C – Serj Tankian ($0.99)
  • CrushCrushCrush – Paramore ($0.99)
• Videos
  
  • Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds – Characters & Courses
  • Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds – New Shot System
  • Viking: Battle for Asgard Teaser Trailer
  • Viking Episode 1 – Skarin s Calling Trailer
  • Viking Episode 2 – Siege of Caldburg Traile
• PS3 Themes
  
  • God of War: Chains of Olympus Theme
  • PAIN: Ginger Theme
  • PAIN: Muffy Theme
  • Condemned 2: Bloodshot Theme 1
  • Condemned 2: Bloodshot Theme 2

Sony has unexpectedly released a new firmware version for the PlayStation 3, bringing the current firmware version to 2.17. A new post on the PlayStation Blog by Jeff Rubenstein, Social Media Manager for SCEA, confirms the firmware release which is available to download using the Network Update feature from the Settings menu. The update is minor and simply improves the "stability of some online PS3 titles". The regional websites have yet to be updated with the download.

PlayStation Blog post reads:

"If you’ve signed in to the PLAYSTATION Network tonight on your PS3, you probably noticed that you were prompted to upgrade the system’s firmware to v2.17. In case you were wondering what it’s all about (and a quick Google search indicates that yes, you are) the operating stability of some online PS3 titles has been improved.

Hope that clears things up!"

The first PlayStation Network Store update for March brings a big improvement to last weeks update for Europe, where only two new videos were added. This week, Europe has several new additions to the store including new game add-on content, a new XMB theme and lots of new videos and trailers. As for the US, there is lots of new game add-on content and a new downloadable game. In addition, the US have received new videos trailers, a new XMB theme and some new wallpapers. Check out what’s new below.

European Store Additions:

• Game Add-on Content
  • Flow Expansion Pack (£1.99)
• Guitar Hero 3 – No Doubt – Track Pack (£3.99)
• Game Videos and Trailers
  • Uncharted DJ Shadow
• WipEout HD
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Trailer
• Movie and Blu Ray Trailers
• The Pursuit of Happyness
• Reign Over Me
• Perfect Stranger
• Themes
• Graffiti

US Store Additions:

• Downloadable Games
  
  • Rocketmen: Axis of Evil (free demo, US$9.99 full game)
• Game Add-on Content
  
  • Guitar Hero III: Modern Metal Track Pack (US$6.25)
    • Almost Easy by Avenged Sevenfold, The Arsonist by Thrice, and Hole in the earth by Deftones.
  • Rock Band
    • Casey Jones -Grateful Dead (US$1.99)
    • Sugar Magnolia -Grateful Dead (US$1.99)
    • Truckin’ – Grateful Dead (US$1.99)
    • Franklin’s Tower – Grateful Dead (US$1.99)
    • I Need A Miracle – Grateful Dead (US$1.99)
    • China Cat Sunflower – Grateful Dead (US$1.99)
    • Grateful Dead Pack 1 (US$9.99)
• Game Videos and Trailers
  
  • NBA Ballers: The Chosen One Trailer
• Movie and Blu-ray Trailers
  
  • Hancock Theatrical Trailer
  • 21 Theatrical Trailer
• PS3 Themes
  
  • Lost Planet Theme
• PS3 Wallpaper
• Condemned 2: Bloodshot wallpaper (3)

Rumors of the PlayStation Network Store makeover in April have been confirmed by SCEA’s director of Product Development who says "you will see a pretty big change in the PlayStation Network in the early part of April." The new store design has not been unveiled but reports suggest that it will look similar to the Singstore found in the Singstar game.

SCEA’s John Hight said:

"We give [Sony’s PSN team] a lot of feedback based on how our customers are reacting to things, and I think you will see a pretty big change in
the PlayStation Network in the early part of April, where we roll out some new interface stuff largely based on customer feedback.

Simplification, cutting down on the
number of mouse clicks, making it easier to find stuff that you want to
find… that’s kind of an outgrowth of us having more content now, so
we have to make sure that you can get at it easily."

In a recent interview with MCV UK, Ray Maguire of SCEUK revealed some very interesting information regarding the PlayStation 3. The PlayStation 3 has sold over a million units in the UK and has sold faster than the PSOne and PS2. He also revealed that PS3 Firmware 2.40 will include "in-game communication" and is expected in the summer. You read right, he mentioned Firmware 2.40!

Ray Maguire said:

"Achieving one
million PS3 sales faster than both PSOne and PlayStation 2 is even more gratifying considering PS3 is a premium product introduced at a premium price.

Our momentum will continue with the introduction of in-game communication in the summer, firmware update 2.4 and the strongest line-up of games through our third party partners and our own studios. I d personally
like to thank our trade and business partners for helping us on the start of the PS3 journey."

As previously reported, Blu-Ray Profile 2.00 (BD-Live) will also be released on the PS3 in the summer. It looks like the summer firmware version will be the biggest update this year. Lets hope firmware 2.20 and 2.30 have something new to offer too.

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Dylan Jobe, Game Director for Warhawk, recently discussed some of the features from the upcoming booster pack for Warhawk, Operation Broken Mirror. One of the new additions to the game is a new vehicle, the APC, which acts as a mobile base for the team. Players are able to respawn around the APC and also have access to additional equipment. To protect the APC from enemy fire, a bubble shield spanning several hundred feet is also included.

The new booster pack will also contain a new map with ten new layouts in addition to new layouts for the existing maps. The release date for Operation Broken Mirror hasn’t been set yet, but it is expected that the booster pack will be available sometime in mid-April.

This weeks PlayStation Store update is officially the worst update for European PS3 owners. Europe received only two new game videos as part of this weeks update, while the US Store received a multitude of new content including new game add-on content, new game and movie videos, and new XMB themes. Check out the list of new content below and judge for yourself.

European Store Additions:

• Game Videos
  • Haze Boss Speech trailer
  • Conflict: Denied Ops – Dev Diary #4

US Store Additions:

• Add-on Game Content
• PAIN: Scurv Dogg Character ($0.99)
• Rock Band
• March of the Pigs – Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)
• The Collector- Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)
• The Perfect Drug Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)
• Nine Inch Nails Track Pack 1 ($5.49)
• Guitar Hero III: No Doubt Track Pack ($6.25)
• Game Videos
• MLB 08 The Show My MLB Music Video
• MLB 08 The Show Blog Video
• NBA 08 Amare Stoudemire Bio
• Condemned 2: Bloodshot Trailer 1
• Lost Planet Trailer 2
• Movie and Blu-ray Disc Trailers
• Star Trek Teaser Trailer
• PS3 Themes
• PAIN: Scurv Dogg Theme
• PS3 Wallpaper
• Rocketmen: Axis of Evil Wallpapers (4)

The Blu-Ray Profile 2.0 (BD-Live) update for the PlayStation 3 will arrive as early as May or June, according to an announcement by Sony. For those who aren’t familiar with the features of BD-Live, the new update will allow Profile 2.0 compatible movies to have extended features by going online and looking for related content appropriate to your Blu-ray title. The firmware update will be available once the first BD Live stand alone players hit the market this Summer.

Sony mentioned this little piece of information to Home Cinema Choice Magazine. Most likely, the company was referring to the Panasonic DMP-BD50, which is believed to be the first Blu-ray player to feature BD-Live. In any case, we’ll just have to wait and see if Sony decides to release any more information on this in the few months.