PS3 Fanboy

Ready for another episode of Qore? This one is not to be missed as it will have footage and info from two of 2009's biggest PS3 exclusives, Killzone 2 and Heavy Rain. Veronica does some globetrotting as she visits the developers from these games (situated in Amsterdam and Paris, respectively). There's also some info on FEAR 2 and a look at what Street Fighter fans do to each other behind closed doors.

If you enjoyed your free Christmas episode last month you can pick up the latest episode on Thursday when it releases on the American PSN Store. It will cost you $2.99 for a single episode or $24.99 for an annual subscription (13 episodes). Check out the trailer for episode 8 above for some more footage of Veronica Belmont in a motion capture suit.

Another episode of Qore this week, but this one's a little different -- everyone can enjoy it because it's absolutely free. If you'd rather spend a bit of money, there's plenty to choose from here, including co-op side-scrolling shmup Soldner-X: Himmelssturmer. Other than that, there's a whole load of DLC for all your favorite games, along with a load of trailers. Here's the full release list:

Playable Content

• Qore episode 7 (free!)
• Soldner-X: Himmelssturmer ($9.99)

Add-on Content

• LittleBigPlanet "Kabuki Actor" costume (free)
• 3x Age of Booty map packs (free)
• Far Cry 2 "Fortunes pack" ($9.99)
• GRID "8-ball" pack ($9.99)
• Karaoke Revolution: American Idol 2 DLC (listed after the break)
• Rock Band 2 DLC (listed after the break)
• Guitar Hero World Tour DLC (listed after the break)
• SoulCalibur IV "character customization pack 3" ($1.99)

You fight like a maniac! Keep it up!

For those that you haven't jumped into PS3's video magazine, Qore, you'll have your chance this week. Episode 7 will be available on the PlayStation Store this Thursday -- and best of all, it'll be free. This month's issue will focus on Skate 2 (read our preview here) and Flock. A Killzone 2 theme will also be included with the issue.

We're wondering if subscribers will get an extra issue appended to their purchase, considering this issue is free for all. If not, annual subscribers can at least celebrate their exclusive access to a Flock demo.

Oh, that qrazy Veronica Belmont (pictured, above). The host of Future's PS3 vidzine, Qore, has written a list of her 10 favorite blogs on the aptly-named blogs.com. She calls these sites "time well spent," and the list includes PS3 Fanboy. In fact, it's the only PlayStation-related blog on her list. Wow! Thanks so much, Veronica! We'll totally invite you into our super-secret Home club. High-fives!

Here's the breakdown:

• BuzzFeed
• Engadget
• FabSugar
• Four Four
• Inhabitat
• Mashable
• PS3 Fanboy
• Passive Aggressive Notes
• PhotoshopDisasters
• i09

Ready for today's American PSN update? It's actually fairly similar to the European update, but without a few key items such as Theme Park, the MotorStorm costume and the "Week 1" rare t-shirt for LittleBigPlanet. You guys do get an episode of Qore, though, which promises to show off some interesting Home footage. There's also the usual bunch of DLC packs. Honestly, these update posts are taking longer and longer to write up each week. Less content, please! We kid, we kid ...

Playable Content

• Qore episode 6 ($3 each or $25 for annual subscription)
  
• Metal Gear Solid 4 demo (free)
• NCAA Basketball 09 demo (free)

Add-on Content

• LittleBigPlanet Spaceman costume (free)
• LittleBigPlanet Halloween Mask costume (free)
• Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm "Storm Pack 3" (free)
• Buzz! Quiz TV Comedy Pack ($5.99)
  
• Rock Band DLC (listed after the break)
• Guitar Hero World Tour DLC (listed after the break)
  
• Tom Clancy's EndWar "Enlistment Pack" (free)

Qore subscribers will be given the keys to Home today so, naturally, the assumption was that European beta invites will be sent out around the same time. While it seems that won't be happening today it shouldn't be too long. TedTheDog, community manager at the official European PlayStation forums, has said that a new wave of beta invites will be sent out once Home gets to version 1.0

The names of those who will be receiving invites have already been chosen, so it can't be too far away. If you're not on the list, though, Ted says not to worry as "Open Beta will be along within weeks of" the invites being sent out. Things are looking good for a beta launch happening before Christmas. Did you ever doubt it? Yeah, so did we.

Excitement ran high when we posted that Home closed beta access would be included in the next issue of Qore. It's still very much true -- only now, the content is exclusively available for annual subscribers and not for all purchasers like previously advertised.

Sony sent out a correction via e-mail stating that the "closed beta is available only to Qore annual subscribers who purchased subscriptions by 10/29." That date just happens to be yesterday; so it looks like it's too late to sign up for a sub and get into Home. Read the full e-mail after the break.

[Thanks everyone who sent this in!]

Back in September we got word that a European version of Qore would hit sometime in 2009. We now know a few more details regarding the service. Revealed by a Future Publishing job listing, the digizine will be called "Official PlayStation Magazine HD." It's not as original as "Qore," but at least it'll easily find its audience.

The service, as described by the job listing, will be a "new weekly paid-for download delivered direct to PS3 owners via the PlayStation Network Store." It sounds a lot like Qore, except for that "weekly" bit.

[Via Kotaku, thanks Wilester!]

If being shown Home, just so happens to not appease you enough ... then how does getting into the closed beta sound? Yeah, the November issue of Qore will also give both annual subscribers and one-off purchasers an invite into the Home closed beta to sweeten the pot. Qore's new issue will hit early next month.

Qore, Future's monthly PS3 video magazine, has a history of delivering (with questionable timeliness) betas for many popular Sony titles. Well, it looks like they may also grant access to the open beta of Home. A comment on the PlayStation.Blog from Sony's Kevin Furuichi hints at the possibility. "We're working on this for the current Extended Closed Beta. We are trying to get you guys [Qore subscribers] into Home before the official public beta. We hope to have more information in about two weeks."

[Via Edge]

Just what else is going into the already fantastic October issue of Qore? Why it's a playable demo of Valkyria Chronicles. It's the latest S-RPG from SEGA and it's set for release on November 11. If you missed the San Francisco event this past Friday, the Qore issue demo -- which will be available on October 9 -- is your next alternative to an early sneak peek.

[Thanks Gambit07!]

The monthly PlayStation Underground newsletter is always a great source when it comes to revealing what to expect in next issue of Qore. The October issue of the digi-zine will feature three somewhat 'scary' titles, all of which are multiplatform games. Capcom's Resident Evil 5, Bethesda Softworks' Fallout 3 and EA's Dead Space are all featured.

There's also going to be more on Shaun White Snowboarding. That one is not particularly horrific enough to fit in with the Halloween-vibe theme, but snowboarding can be quite a suspenseful spectacle. We guess it's a shoo-in in that way. Look out for the fifth episode of Qore early next month.

Sony UK and Future Publishing have today announced that they will be working together to deliver an "on-console digital magazine" for the PSN in the region. It doesn't have a name yet, but chances are it will be very similar to Qore, which is also produced by Future Publishing in the US. This magazine will be made available in the UK in early 2009, with other European countries getting their hands on it later in the year. Hopefully we'll get some more solid date and price info soon.

It will feature "news, reviews, features and downloadable content on games, movies and more." Which sounds very similar to Qore (except for reviews, perhaps). We suspect this will be well received once it's released. Europeans have been asking for a Qore of their own for months, and it seems Sony has been listening. We're just wondering who the British equivilent of Veronica Belmont is going to be ...

[Via press release]

Do you remember, way back in the mists of time (well, three months ago ...) when you were given a choice? To buy Qore or not to buy Qore. For those of you who did, today is the day that it pays off, particularly if you're a SOCOM fan. There's a chance you're already in the beta but, if not, you should be receiving and email today with download instructions for the game client. Check out the PlayStation Blog to get a sneak peek at those instructions before they drop at around 5pm PST.

The beta won't be available for download within Qore ep 1, so if you've been keeping it on your HDD for that reason you can feel free to delete it now. Only with the download code, redeemable through the Account Management menu of the XMB, will you be able to access the game. Remember, this is a beta, not a demo. We don't want to hear any whingeing about how bits and pieces are broken or buggy. Tell the appropriate people on the beta forum and they'll do their best to fix them before the full game releases.

We honestly can't remember if this mini-game called Qore Wars has ever been in the previous issues of Qore, but we're still putting this out and letting you know that it exists. Like Death Orb, another mini-game found in Qore (which has been around since the first issue), Qore Wars can be accessed by hitting the shoulder triggers while on the main menu of the September issue. Tapping L2 brings you to Qore Wars -- an alien shooter; tapping R2 brings you to Death Orb -- a Pong-like game. Both games are short, five minute diversions that are fun for the weekend.

[Thanks Roy F.!]