In a press release today, SCEE has announced that Gran Turismo 5 will be available to purchase on both Blu-Ray Disc and from the PlayStation Network Store. The title is due for release later this year according to the press release. This new development means that the PlayStation Network version will not be free as reported earlier.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will give gamers a taste of Gran Turismo 5. Prologue will feature over 40 cars, a new physics engine and online play for upto 16 players. Thats right, for the first time ever in the history of Gran Turismo, you’ll now be able to race online. Up to 16 players will be able to go head-to-head on some of the world’s best race tracks on PSN. The full title will launch in 2008.

[Via: SCEE Press]

In a shocking development, PSP homebrew icon and pioneer Fanjita has announced his retirement over at his website Fanjita.org, citing trust issues as the main reason.
While no specifics were mentioned, the famed developer did say that “the betrayal of trust that preceded the Pandora release was extremely hurtful.” This, he says, left him to unable to fully trust the people he previously enjoyed working hard with.

“I’m tired of the continual pressure and idiocy of the PSP scene – long gone are the fun days of pioneering amongst like minds, in a mutually supportive and gentlemanly environment,” he says. “The Pandora Battery therefore marks my last major PSP project,” says Fanjita. “I expect that Team C+D and Noobz will continue to release stuff without me, and I still hope to finish up some of the non-exploit projects that I’d been working on.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will apparently be a free download on the PlayStation Network Store when it is released. According to Yamauchi in a Gamespot Hands-on, the game will be released as a free experience on the PSN later this year.
Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo 5 promises to possibly be the most challenging and detailed racing video game ever.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will give players an online-enabled sampler of the GT5 experience. Prologue will feature dozens of different cars and a few variety of tracks to explore before the official game debuts.

The release date for the upcoming multiplayer game Warhawk has been delayed slightly in Europe, by 48 hours. According to Sony, the game will not appear on the PlayStation Network Store on the previously announced date of August 28th 2007, but will instead appear on August 30th 2007. The reason for the delay is so because “Thursday is the usual day for [Sony’s] PS Store refresh”.

“As you know, Thursday is the usual day for our PS Store refresh. We are sorry for any inconvenience that the extra 48 hours wait may cause,” said a Sony spokesperson.

Not much of an excuse, but it shouldn’t cause a lot of problems. At least Sony is trying to be consistent with the PSN Store updates.

[Via: CVG]

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has announced a lot of new stuff for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable owners yesterday, but those who are looking for a PS3 price cut are bound to be disappointed. SCEE President David Reeves said that there are currently no plans to cut the price on the PlayStation 3. Instead, SCEE will release new bundles that will come with different games to increase console sales.

“What we’re going to allow, and it doesn’t need an announcement, is simply that we’ll probably put out more hard bundles than the Starter Pack,” said Reeves. “We’re not making any pricing announcements at Games Convention at all. There’s none. And we don’t have any plans in that regard. We’re really happy with the way that things are going for the PAL business. We really are. It’s on track.”

The noobz team was working on a PSP unbricker that would restore any bricked PSP’s using the faulty M33 Custom Firmware, however, instead of releasing a unbricker program, they have released the ultimate unbricking tool. Dubbed Pandora’s Battery, the program lets you convert a normal PSP battery into a "jigstick", allowing you to unbrick any PSP.

The unbricker is the culmination of years of behind-the-scenes research and development by some of the top names in PSP hacking, under the name of the Prometheus project. This group of people, from various development teams, was dedicated to developing and releasing PSP hacks and exploits, with the aim of improving the status of PSP homebrew, and making sure that it was kept alive.

All the instructions needed to use the tool are included in the readme file, be sure to pay close attention to any instructions. Here is the process in brief:

• You run a program on a homebrew-enabled PSP that will convert a standard PSP battery into a jigkick battery. Note that you can’t then use that battery normally – so you should use a spare one.
• You run a program to generate the unbricker memory stick image, built from the v1.5 update EBOOT (note that this, and the custom IPL, means the release is completely free of Sony copyright materials).
• You run some programs on a PC to install the image to your memory stick.

[Download Pandora’s Battery]

Thanks to Sable for the tip.

As promised by Sony, the EU PlayStation Network Store has been updated with a bunch of new stuff, including the exclusive Folklore demo, available for a limited time only. The update also includes a number of new game trailers and trailers from the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany. As usual, check out the list of new content below.

• Playable Demos
  • Folklore
• Game Trailers
  • Warhawk Trailers:
    • Warhawk Multiplayer
    • Warhawk Air Combat
    • Warhawk Ground Combat
    • Warhawk Trailer
  • Stranglehold GD Trailer
  • UT3 Gamer’s Day Trailer
• Lepizig 2007 Content
  • Leipzig PSN Trailer
  • PlayStation Eye Trailer
  • MGS4 Gameplay Trailer
  • Heavenly Sword Trailer
  • Snakeball Trailer

Today, SCEE finally announced the introduction of PlayTV, a combined TV tuner and Personal Video Recoder (PVR) for the PlayStation 3. PlayTV will be available in UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain early in 2008, with other PAL territories to follow in due course. The twin channel TV tuner peripheral and PVR software turns PS3 into a state of the art TV recorder, allowing users to watch, pause and record live TV. PlayTV will also record individual programmes or whole series to the PS3 hard drive for viewing later on the family TV, or for transferring to the PSP for remote viewing outside of the home.

Operating on the widely available Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial (DVB-T) format, PlayTV uses an incredibly quick and easy to use 7-day Electronic Programme Guide EPG. that provides the navigation for programming the PVR features of PlayTV. In line with PlayStation’s focus on advanced technology made easy, PlayTV provides a host of added value features seldom seen on anything but the highest cost standalone PVRs:

• PlayTV’s two TV tuners are High Definition ready and are able to view, record and play back High Definition signals in full HD1080P to fully complement PS3’s already impressive High Definition credentials.
• Unlike the electronic programme guides found on conventional satellite and cable services, PlayTV’s EPG is lightning fast, and simple to use with either PS3’s SIXAXIS™ wireless controller or the BD remote control to really enhance viewing pleasure.
• Intuitive controls, single button help features, tutorial videos and simple navigation make PlayTV a positive joy to use compared with the complexity of some standalone PVR models
• Seamless connectivity with PSP allows you to set recordings, watch Live TV and recorded TV programmes remotely on PSP via a Wi-Fi connection (using Remote Play feature). Alternatively, quickly transcode recorded TV shows for high quality viewing to PSP by USB cable for remote viewing away from the home.
• Optional on-screen graphical display provides a wealth of information about the status of PlayTV and provides quick access to programme information, stored TV programmes and the controls to pause or record live TV. PlayTV will also set the correct interface for either Standard Definition or High Definition displays, maximising the viewing experience.
• PlayTV will evolve with time, with great added value functionality being updated via PLAYSTATION Network; a feature that sets it above all other set top boxes. PlayTV will never be out of date.

“The introduction of PlayTV really will extend the already broad entertainment credentials of PS3, and makes it an exceptionally attractive proposition for the whole family,” said David Reeves, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. “PS3 already provides High Definition gaming, Blu-ray Disc movies, music, video, photo album, web browsing and PLAYSTATION Network support. With the introduction of PlayTV’s state of the art TV tuner and PVR functionality, PS3 is now the best choice of home entertainment hub for the whole family.”