GAJIZMO

Much-anticipated virtual world will be in open beta starting Dec. 11

Sony today announced that its highly anticipated PS3 Home Beta service will become available for all PS3 users around the world on December 11, 2008.

Following the successful completion of the closed beta service, PlayStation Home's open beta service will continue to evolve with new features and functionality.

For nearly 18 months, Sony has polished Home as it intensifies the console war with Nintendo and Microsoft. Sony's Home virtual world enmeshes social network on top of the games for the PS3. Popular features include a free service that allows a member to join a multiplayer game with friends by just moving near them inside Home and launching a group game. Microsoft and Nintendo, in contrast, believe that gamers might talk to each other via cute little characters, but they have not created a full-blown virtual online space for those characters.

Downloadable Content available Dec 4th

MTV, Apple Corps, Harmonix announce Beatles music game

Forget disc-based expansions to existing music games; The Beatles are getting an entirely new game built from the ground up.

MTV and Apple Corps, along with Rock Band developer Harmonix, announced this morning that they're making a full, standalone game featuring the music from the iconic pop and rock band The Beatles. The Beatles catalog isn't even available on the wildly popular music distribution service iTunes, so this is big news. Follow the story here.

Joystiq gives extensive overview of the Xbox 360's dashboard update

Just in case it wasn't completely obvious that I'm thrilled about the Nov. 19 launch of the Xbox 360's dashboard update, here's my third story on the subject.

This time, I'd like to point out that Joystiq has uploaded nine helpful video walkthroughs that demonstrate all the major features of the New Xbox Experience (NXE), from Xbox 360 game installation to community games. We've all been hearing in recent weeks about expected features (shared movie watching and Xbox Live Primetime) that won't be part of the NXE launch, and I think now's a good time to be reminded of all the cool things that made the cut … and not in that piecemeal way Microsoft's Major Nelson reveals them to his followers, either.

Lips isn't really a game that gamers haven't heard before. It was first revelaed in June by way of a leak from market-researcher Intellisponse who gave out details on Lips as well as a number of other new products that includes the avatar system that will debut later this year in Microsoft's New Xbox Experience dashboard update. Lips also gave audience a spectacular teaser during Microsot's E3 press conference where pop singer Duffy performed a live version of her song from the game.

However, Microsoft has been holding out on any fresh details on Lips despite the games looming launch sometime in mid-November.

That changed today when the publisher finally puckered up for new details on the iNiS-developed Lips, revealing the game's 40-song setlist, gameplay modes, and mid-November release window. The game, which comes with two wireless, motion-sensing microphones, will retail for $69.99.

Spider-Man saga continues with toughest combat action

The fate of New York City lies in gamers' hands starting today as Activision and Marvel's all new Spider-Man: Web of Shadows ships to retail outlets nationwide. The action-adventure caontinies the saga of the Spiderman franchise and introduces players to a cataclysmic Big Apple clash against an invasion of alien symbiotes that threatens mankind itself.

With a story penned by acclaimed Marvel comic book writer, Brian Reed, the title features a New York City devastated by a deadly symbiote invasion, in which players are faced with the choice to play the heroic web-slinger in his classic, agile red suit or the dark, formidable black suit. Battling with or against a huge cast of fan-favorite Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains, gamers can switch allegiances instantly as they decide which missions will ultimately save mankind.
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Related
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Review
Web of Shadows is a fast-paced, soaring superhero adventure that delivers just about everything a Spider-Man game should. - Gamespot
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Game trade show to expand format, loosen attendance restrictions

Is the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) returning to old form?

The E3 Media and Business Summit recently gave G4's X-Play details regarding their next E3 video game trade show. First off, the show's moving one month up the calendar to June 2-4 at the L.A. Convention Center. Second, the show will include "a broader range of industry guests" and remove some restrictions that lowered attendance in previous years, which could result in tens of thousands of attendees. GameStop employees rejoice!

In effect, these new changes would undo most of the downsizing measures made to E3 since the last "big" show in 2006. Starting in 2007, E3 became an invitation-only event to about 5,000 guests, and publishers did away with the huge, noisy, flashy booths of previous years.

Variety reveals rhythm game's 15 licensed songs

Wii Music may not have the coolest setlist around, but at least you might already know most of the tunes.

I don't know what that says about you (and me), but Wii Music's set of 15 licensed songs (revealed by Variety) certainly pulls from older pages in our musical history. Songs like "Chariots of Fire," "Daydream Believer" and "Please Mr. Postman" should rally the older crowd into silly instrument pantomime. Keep in mind, however, that the list below is just a sample of the approximately 50 songs included with the full game, which ships next week for $50.