There has been a lot of talk recently about the pricing of the upcoming Playstation 3 and its software including the news coming out of the Tokyo Game Show 2006 (TGS) that the PlayStation 3 games' prices will be higher in other territories. It was speculated at TGS by Munechika Nishida (a well-known contributor to Japanese newspapers and tech magazines) that prices for the upcoming titles (for those only living in Japan) will range between $ 75 US and $ 84 US. The reason given for such a price? The rising costs of development.

Fear not though, as a quick look-over at Sony Style US reveals they have seven games available for pre-order on the PlayStation 3 and they are all set to $ 59.99 US. This includes the titles Blazing Angels, Call of Duty 3, Full Auto 2, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Sonic the Hedgehog, Tony Hawk's Project 8 and Untold Legends. According to the site, these prices are only available for pre-order, and only time will tell whether these prices will be the price as well for Japan (for all our sakes, lets hope so!).

With the Tokyo Game Show in full swing, the guys over at IGN managed to check in on a few titles on show for the Playstation 3. A bit of research at the show (with a lot of help from the official TGS booklet) revealed the following completion rates:

• Virtua Fighter 5: 70% complete
• Sega Golf Club: 70% complete
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3: 75% complete
• Armored Core 4: 80% complete
• Coded Arms Assault: 50% complete
• Ridge Racer 7: 100% complete
• Gundam Target in Sight: 80% complete
• Gran Turismo HD: 50% complete
• Warhawk: 50% complete
• Unknown Realm: 30% complete
• LAIR: 35% complete
• Motorstorm: 60% complete
• The Eye of Judgment: 70% complete
• Genji: 70% complete
• Resistance: Fall of Man: 85% complete
• Minna no Golf 5: 30% complete
• Heavenly Sword: 65% complete

Now, most of these games are scheduled for release around the launch time of PS3, but as you can see from the figures above, a few of them seem to be a long way from completion! Good news is, at least Ridge Racer 7 is good to go!

In what may well be the best game soundtrack of the year, EA's Need for Speed: Carbon features an international soundtrack comprising of some 30 diverse cuts that reflect the game's three distinct car classes, including Exotics, Muscles and Tuners.

The Exotic class consists of a mix of the new UK Grime scene, Muscles are fueled by riff-heavy power bands, and Tuners deliver a newly revitalized sub-genre of 'Electro' (electronic music).

Artists announced for the car classes are the following:

• Muscle Class : Kyuss (US), Eagles of Death Metal (US), Metro Riots (UK), Wolfmother (Australia)
• Tuner Class : Ladytron (UK), Goldfrapp (UK), The Presets (Australia), Melody (Japan), Tiga (Canada)
• Exotic Class : Lady Sovereign (UK), Roots Manuva (UK), Sway (UK), Pharrell (US), Spank Rock (US)

Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Marketing at EA added, "Street racing is an international outlaw sport with a velocity all its own, Need for Speed Carbon takes a cinematically sonic approach to the sport's different personalities and the crews that rule it. We've spent close to a year working with artists and labels from around the world to ensure that not only does the music capture the true hardcore styles of the sport, it also pushes it forward with breakthrough new artists. By combining these genres, we've now taken the premier street racing simulation brand in the industry to an unstoppable new level."

Need for Speed: Carbon will be available on most platforms including PSP, PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation3, Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation2, Xbox and Nintendo Gamecube.

Buy: [Need for Speed: Carbon Xbox 360]
Buy: [Need for Speed: Carbon PSP]

PSM Magazine has hinted at a news that EA is working on its first title in the skateboarding genre named "Skate" for the PlayStation3. Capturing the "true spirit and soul of the sport," EA has created a unique control scheme that uses both analog sticks. The entire game will be controlled by physics - angle, speed and control that the player will have when entering a grind will alter the performance of the trick.

The game also uses several stylistic elements to add to the mood, with a realistic "skate video" type camera, the ability to record your moves so you can watch them back via replay from all different angles (a la Tony Hawk), customization of characters, and the appearance of 14 real skating pros

No other details are available at this time (including other features), except that "Skate" is expected to be released sometime in 2007 for the PlayStation3. There has also been no further announcement regarding an Xbox 360 version.

Activision CEO, Robert Kotick confirmed today what many had thought - that the company's upcoming titles for the PlayStation 3 will carry a price tag of roughly USD$60. Readers may think this price tag sounds familiar, and in all honesty it is. Xbox 360 launch titles also carried a USD$60 price tag and some of Activision's current titles on the PSP come in at USD$50 with Call of Duty 2, for example on the Xbox 360, also being priced at USD$60.

Kotick also confirmed that this indeed, was only for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 games, with the Wii titles price yet to be announced, although they are bust with two Wii launch titles, both under the Activision Value label. "We have not seen a lot of consumer resistance at the higher price points and we expect that all of our next-generation products will be launched at $60 price points," Kotick said during a presentation at the Merrill Lynch Media and Entertainment Conference.

Official Playstation 2 UK Magazine has revealed that Bioshock is on its way to the Playstation 3.  The PC classic, which is now making its way onto the Xbox 360 (Spring 2007), was always thought to have a PS3 version through a GameSpy interview with Irrational Games' Ken Levine earlier this month. In the said interview, he revealed that although no official announcements had been made (regarding bringing BioShock to other platforms), 2K Games would be announcing something in November.

Bioshock is a first-person RPG set beneath the waves in a utopia called Rapture, which once contained the brainiest people on the planet, before a civil war occurred and now contains fierce, desperate scavengers. Your character wonders around taking on mini-missions or scavenging for parts and bio-materials. Mixing a spine-chilling setting, sci-fi themes, RPG elements and a deep storyline with this first-person action, Bioshock is already a highly anticipated title!

If this turns out to be true, Bioshock for the PS3 will be hitting the shelves in March 2007. Check out  the scans below.

Electronic Arts (EA) has announced further athletes to grace the cover of NBA Live 07. Joining Tracy McGrady from the Houston Rockets on the North American cover (and all other countries) will be Dirk Nowitzki from the Dallas Mavericks (German Cover), Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies (Spanish Cover), Tony Parker from the San Antonio Spurs and Boris Diaw from the Pheonix Suns (French Cover).

In addition to the European athletes named, EA Sports will also feature the following European All-Stars: Nowitzki, Parker, Gasol, Diaw, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Peja Stojakovic, Andrei Kirilenko, Mehmet Okur, Hedo Turkoglu, Vladimir Radmanovic, Andrea Bargnani, Mickael Pietrus, Sasha Vujacic, Beno Udrih, and Nenad Krstic.

Keith Munro, VP of Marketing for EA also added, "With the global appeal of NBA Live it is important to us to assemble an All-Star team of international players who reflect our worldwide basketball franchise leadership. These players are superstars on their NBA teams and some of the best players in the world. We believe they truly represent the authenticity and entertainment that NBA Live 07 delivers."

NBA Live 07 is set for release on the Xbox 360, Xbox, PlayStation 2, PSP, Mobile and PC on the coming 25th of September.

So, you want to be in a video game eh? Had dreams about a role in a beat-em-up? Well dream no longer! Classified Productions is offering you the chance to take your 15 minutes of fame in their planned beat-em-up for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 title, Battle of the Gods (BOTG), a game similar to Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and Tekken. In the game, the player can choose a god/goddess including God, Virgin Mary, Jesus, Zeus, Buddha, Mother Nature, Thor and Satan (among many others).

According to the listing on eBay, the successful bidder will have a background character in the game and will receive the following straight away: t-shirt and stickers, an animated 3D model of himself by the art team, and a commemorative plaque featuring his model in their storyboards. When the game is eventually released, the lucky one will be the first to play the game, the first viewable thing in the opening level for the worldwide release, and will also receive two free copies of the game signed by the whole team (with himself on the cover)!

BOTG is currently in production and a release date has not been announced yet nor has the final selected platforms. On a final note, the bidding is currently up to US$3,100 and is due to end August 23.

Electronic Arts (EA) and the PGA Tour have today announced an extension on their licensing agreement for six more years. This is great news for the Tiger Woods PGA Tour video game fans, as this licensing agreement has a direct impact on the franchise which has been going for more than 15 years now. Because of this agreement, expect the franchise to continue until 2012, at the very least.

Considering EA's Tiger Woods PGA Tour, one of the better (and top selling) golf video games with the next in the series (07) due this October, the extension could not have come at a better time. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07, featuring vast improvements and offering features like the all-new shooting gallery and visual enhancements, will be available for the Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation3, PlayStation2, PSP, PC and mobile phones.

New Zealand fans rejoice! In response to consumer demand, Sony has announced today the launch of the official website for New Zealand with all the latest information including console specifications, launch software and technologies within the console.

Residents are encouraged to register their interests on the site in order to be sent exclusive updates on the console between now and the November 17 launch date. Traditionally, PlayStation products have launched in overseas markets before arriving in New Zealand, but with the Playstation 3, Kiwis will have their launch coincide with that of Australia, Europe and America.

Warwick Light, General Manager of Sales and Marketing for SCE New Zealand stated, "This website initiative was born from consumer hunger for information on the product. Since E3 [Electronic Entertainment Expo – May 2006] the PlayStation consumer phone service has been experiencing a steady climb in traffic from people seeking basic product information. In response we decided to populate a website with the most frequently asked PLAYSTATION 3 questions."