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Sony today has announced the upcoming availability of the latest firmware version for PlayStation 3, version 3.40. The update will bring with it a host of new features, including support for the upcoming PlayStation Plus, which launches tomorrow, June 29. Also added will be a new network-based photo sharing feature, which will allow users to upload, browse, and comment on photos on sites like Facebook and Picasa. (Content can also be shared with PSN friends, as well)....

Electronic Arts has announced that theFight Nightseries is making its return next year withFight Night Champion. IGN reports that the new game will feature 60 to 65 boxers, an all new single-player mode, as well as something called “Full Spectrum Punch Control.” Developer EA Canada says this will allow for “the most realistic punching system ever seen,” as well as making it “the most user-friendly title” in the series to date....

Vigil is currently hard at work onDarksiders, but the team has another futuristic game starring musclebound freaks in the works, a game it’s been working on for years and years. That game is an MMO set in theWarhammer 40,000universe. This explains whyDarksiders‘ main character looks exactly like a space marine, at any rate. Anyway, details on this MMO have been under strict lock and key, so today is the first glimpse anybody’s ever had of the thing....

Quick reminder — the first parts of Capcom’sDead Risingfilm,Zombrex Dead Rising Sun,have hit Xbox LIVE Marketplace today. They’re available right now in three parts; you can find it by findingDead Rising 2and viewing “All Downloads” — you’re looking for the three “Webisodes.” Filmed entirely in Japan and written and directed by Capcom’s Keiji Inafune, the film is inspired by the events ofDead Risingand pays homage to 60s and 70s zombie flicks....

Continuing developers’ admirable quest to turn every existingfranchiseandgenreinto an MMO before 2009 (onlyWorld Of NeedlecraftandProfessional Cheesemaker Onlinehave yet to be annouced I believe, but expect something before the end of the year), Sega Europe and Sports Interactive have announced that one of the longest running series’ in gaming is due to take the plunge next Spring. Football Manager, orWorldwide Soccer Managerto you American types who insist on getting the name of England’s national game wrong, has been around since the ZX Spectrum original in 1982, and has appeared on every format from the Commodore Amiga and the Xbox 360 since....

Cosmic Birdsis a shmup with a hand-drawn aesthetic that’s become excessively popular on iOS. It doesn’t stray very far from convention, but it’s pretty tough and it ought to keep you hooked for a good few minutes. Oh, and it’s free of course. You can earn money by defeating enemies, which can be spent on power-ups, and there are a variety of ships to unlock. It’s pretty simple, and it does the trick....

iPhone quality merchant Gameloft is holding a series of daily offers all throughout December, and it’s kicking off with a biggie. Both TylDurden and Garham kindly alerted me to this freebie, and I’ll be keeping an eye on Gameloft all month now. Today’s offer is none other thanDriver, the iOS version of the classic vehicular justice dispenser. Gameloft’s really very good at bringing console experiences to the iDevices, andDriverdoes a pretty decent job....

Twisted Pixel’sMs. Splosion Manis out today, and outside of it being really pink and all of the buttons doing the same s**t, I thought itwas pretty good. On this joyous release day, the developer is revealing that it will be presenting free additional game challenges to players on “a regular basis.” The content will come thanks to Xbox Live’s Title Managed Storage (TMS) feature. The developer will be creating all new leaderboards especially for these challenges, as well as doing some cool stuff like giving out real world prizes to top players....

Oh man. This has been a rough week for Sony. With thenetwork being down, and now a possibleclass action lawsuit, I really feel bad for the guys over there. The PS3 FNF crew was hoping that it would be back up in time for this week’s gaming, but sadly it seems the wait continues. Let’s hope the issues get resolved soon! The 360 crew still has FNF plans, which includeMortal KombatandMonday Night Combat....

Marvel vs. Capcombeing a special franchise in the hearts of many gamers, it seemed likely that there may be some sort of extravagant collector’s edition packaging to get consumer mouths extra frothy. Now, GameStop has listed one such edition though it is far more modest than it might have been and quite appealing. The special edition release ofMarvel vs. Capcom 3: The Fate of Two Worldscomes with a steelbook case with exclusive art, a prologue comic book and a one-month subscription to Marvel Digital Comics....

In a recent chat withGamasutra, GameStop’s Merchandising SVP Bob McKenzi and merchandising and marketing VP Tony Bartel talk hardware trends at retail. Their take? Everyone is doing great … yay! The Wii? People are “firmly behind it, and they believe that it’s real,” McKenzie says of both consumers and developers. The PS3? It’s totally picking up steam, man! The Xbox 360? That price drop is killer! And the PC? Oh, they’re not getting out of that space, calling the market “definitely still very alive....

Last week at GDC, DICE threw a party to give us the first look atBattlefield Bad Company 2. DICE went all out with old school style post cards, little toy tanks and even an ice sculpture tank that shot out alcohol! As for the game though, it really looks like more of the same. The demonstration started off with the Bad Company team from the first game somewhere in Russia. The Bad Company team went through a snow filled Russian town taking out enemies left and right....

I’ll be the first to admit that Nintendo’sRock N’ Roll Climberis not what I had expected. I suppose it would have been a bit much to expect that I’d be playing a groupie game featuring my favoriteRock of Lovecast members. Sure, a game about rock climbing makes a bit more sense. When Bill Trinen of Nintendo’s Treehouse localization group took the stage at Satoru Iwata and started playingRock N’ Roll Climber, I wasn’tthatsurprised....