A lot of PlayStation 3 gamers out there are looking forward to the upcoming video download service for the PlayStation Store, but aside from promises that it'll launch "shortly," we still don't have any idea when it will see the light of day.

A news report from the LA Times has given a more specific release date than "soon." According to the report, unnamed executives have revealed that the service will launch as early as this summer, although they don't give anything more specific than that.

It's not official confirmation, but the timing is plausible. The E3 convention will be held in July, so it wouldn't be surprising if they decide to release it near, or even during, the event. All we can do right now is cross our fingers and wait for confirmation straight from Sony. So, for now, we'll be notching this up as Rumor as well.

The launch of the video download service is a significant event for the PlayStation 3, as it would signal a more active competition against Xbox Live. It's significant for PSP gamers as well, as it could very well signal the arrival of Portable Copy, or even the PSP's own video download service.