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Something is brewing over at Gaia Online and it means plenty of fun and freebies for Gaians.

I received a message from Christina Simmons, assistant account executive of public relations at Mullen Public Relations: “Hi Lucy, Ever wondered what it’s like to be born with extraordinary superhero powers? Well, Tim Kring, executive producer and creator of NBC’s Emmy and Golden Globe nominated epic saga, Heroes is hosting a live webcast on September 21, 2009, at 7 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), an hour before the highly anticipated Season 4 Premiere.”

She explained that Kring’s visit to Gaia is part of Gaia Online’s Celebrity Interview Series. I tried to get an interview with Kring but didn’t have any luck.

Heroes’ fourth season will begin with a two-hour premiere beginning at 7 p.m., September 21, 2009, on NBC.

Heroes chronicles the lives of ordinary people who have special abilities. Viewers follow the characters to see how they learn to cope with their special ability and learn to harness their powers. I don’t want to spoil it for those readers who like surprises, so for those who are curious about the show may have to ask Kring himself by for more information on Gaia Online.

After the event, while chatting with Kring, five lucky Gaia live-chat participants will have a chance to win autographed Heroes merchandise.

Site [Gaia Online: Tim Kring Heroes Event] Read [Gamertell]

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Recently announced during Gamescon 2009 in Cologne, Germany, and confirmed on the Sony PlayStation blogs, Sony Home will have a major overhaul with the release of version 1.3 in September 2009 with tons of updates and much welcomed additions to make the experience more fun.

Sony PlayStation Home v1.3

Launching Simplified

According to the recent blog post, players will find they will be able to launch into any PS3 games that support launching like Street Fighter IV and MotorStorm: Pacific Rift without having to leave Home to start the game. An icon will appear above the player’s avatar to allow friends to join the game as long as it supports multi-player functions. This will be made easy to set up just by loading the disc into the system while logged into Home and following the directions to get started.

Photo Opportunities

Another new feature, everyone in the community has been begging for in the forums, is the new camera function. When the update takes place in September players will be able to take photos of their favorite areas or pose with friends for a picture they can hang in the personal spaces. The photos can be taken in first person or third person view to make the photos more personal with a few new poses or action emotes to choose from to make the photo interesting. All images will automatically be saved onto your PS3’s XMB.

Improved Experiences on Home

To improve the Home experience there will be a few new portable items much like the irritating bubble machines we find everywhere. But this time, players will now have the option to block another player’s portable items from their screen to avoid the annoyance. Speaking of irritating players you may run into, this same function will also allow players to remove the offending player from their sight by simply blocking the player. So that you can not only mute what they are typing, you don’t even have to look at them, they will be gone completely from your area. Can we say Hallelujah?

A Shop-aholic’s Dream Come True

For those of you who like to shop as much as I do, a new function will be added to the shopping mall that will allow players to try the clothing items on their avatar before making a purchase to avoid downloading an item that will sit in the inventory never to be worn again ... ever. Or even preview how the furniture will look in personal spaces before the final purchase. Because once the item is downloaded all sales are final. But luckily players can always suggest adding that function in the PlayStation blogs where Sony they encourage players to post ideas and suggestions so they can improve the gaming experience everyone wants.

New Spaces Coming Soon

SingStar and Audi Space

Once the new version has been released a new space will open for all SingStar fans. This club-style space will feature a dance floor, video jukebox and a SingStar Music Quiz mini-game.

No further information about the Audi space is available as it was just announced, but you can check out the video below for a glimpse of the SingStar space and a glimpse of all the additional features mentioned and more coming to the Sony Home in September:

Sony Home Update

For now until the updates take place here’s what is new on Home today:

At the Theater

For those who visited the theater for a chance to win more Criss Mindfreak items and be entered for a drawing, this is the last week to claim the coffee table and be entered for the drawing. For the military buffs roaming the Home community stop by Auditorium 2 to watch clips from Army Ranger to unlock an Army Strong t-shirt for your avatar.

At the Shopping Mall

Threads 2 (located on the second floor)

Males Only:
• Skullcap Helmet cost 49 cents
• Steam Punk Goggles cost 49 cents
• Grim Bandana cost 49 cents

Costume Shop (located on second floor)

Males Only:
• Motorcross Helmet cost 49 cents
• Motorcross Gloves cost 49 cents
• Motorcross Boots cost 49 cents
• Motorcross Jacket cost 99 cents
• Motorcross Pants cost 99 cents
Females Only:
• Burning Girl Bead Bracelet cost 49 cents
• Burning Girl Work Boots cost 49 cents
• Burning Girl Camo Top cost 99 cents
• Burning Girl Quilted Skirt cost 99 cents

Site [PlayStation Blog] Site [PlayStation]

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Home Theater

Special items and Giveaways

This week members of the Sony Home community are treated to exclusive clips from Criss Angel’s upcoming show and an exclusive limited time free item at the theater now through Aug. 12, 2009. The free item is a coffin-style sofa for their personal spaces, also, while watching the clip players will be entered into a give away for one of two real-life coffins used in Criss Angel: Mindfreak and one of three Criss Angel: Burn DVDs and books. Only five winners will be selected and to participate register and log on to Sony Home and visit Auditorium 1 to watch the video. Players can find the Theater in Central Plaza or by selecting the space from the World Map.

Home Shopping Mall

There really isn’t anything new going on space wise on home but there are a few new items available at the shopping mall located in Central Plaza, check it out:

Threads 1

Males Only:

• Western shirt for 99 cents
• Scenester Street top for 99 cents
• Victorian Vest and Shirt for 99 cents
• Padded Jacket for 99 cents
• Flower Power Button-down Shirt for 99 cents
• Bomber Jacket for 99 cents
• Argyle Ensemble for 99 cents
• Down Vest for 99 cents
• Board Shorts for 99 cents

Females Only

• Buckled Boots for 49 cents
• Ski Parka for 99 cents
• Cheongsam Top for 99 cents
• Jean Shorts for 99 cents

Threads 2

Both Male and Female:

• Animated Smiley Face T-shirt for $1.99
• Animated Revolving Earth T-shirt for $1.99

Males Only:

• Band Jacket for 99 cents
• Animated Growing Vines T-shirt for $1.99

Costume Shop

Males Only:

• Deep Sea Diver Bundle cost $1.99

Individual items:

• Deep Sea Diving Gloves cost 49 cents
• Deep Sea Diving Boots cost 49 cents
• Deep Sea Diving Helmet cost 99 cents
• Deep Sea Diving Suit Top cost 99 cents
• Deep Sea Diving Suit Pants cost 99 cents

Females Only:

• Cave Woman Bundle cost $1.99

Individual items:

• Prehistoric Bracelet cost 49 cents
• Prehistoric Fur Boots cost 49 cents
• Prehistoric Bodice cost 99 cents
• Prehistoric Mini-skirt cost 99 cents

Read [Playstation Blog] Site [PlayStation] Site [Criss Angel’s Official Website]

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Boom! If you don’t have to be the first kid on the block to play Madden NFL 2010, Sports Illustrated has a deal for you.

You can get 28 weeks of Sports Illustrated and a copy of the wildly popular game for $49. There’s also an NFL films DVD about John Madden’s road to the Hall of Fame.

If you cancel the subscription you can keep the game and DVD for $26 (you get the rest refunded, they don’t hit you for an additional $26).

Needless to say, they’re not going to ship it to you before the game’s official release. EA’s a multi-billion corporation for a reason, folks. But if you can just wait 4-6 weeks, you can get the game for less than half of its regular retail price. If you can’t wait, well, I bet you’ve already got your pre-order turned and been obsessively playing the demo for weeks now. Yeah, me too.

Initial indications are that whichever route you take to purchase, this could be one of the years that Madden is more revolutionary than evolutionary. The big improvement EA is touting this year is the Pro-Tak animation technology. This reportedly allows players to break out of any tackle animation, so the play isn’t over until it’s over. This, in theory, makes it easier for running backs to keep throwing out the special moves and for quarterbacks to evade sacks.

As a defender, you can keep adding to the pile up to nine-man gang tackles. Fights for the fumble are getting more interactive with a button-pressing mini-game.

Yes sports fans, quick time has come to Madden Football.

Read [Time Inc.] Also Read [Examiner]

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The PlayStation Home has been updated with three new spaces to new stores at the mall and more stuff than you can shake a stick at. And like a 3-year-old in the candy isle at WalMart, I’m hopped up on digital eye candy and screaming my head off for a bag of flavored treats!

New Spaces

Namco Bandai Game Space and Namco Game Theatre

There are three new spaces available on Home , each just as exciting as the next. The first space is the Namco Bandai Game Space. If you download the Namco Museum Essentials which is now available at the PlayStation Network Store for $9.99 and a demo for free, players can unlock virtual items for their personal spaces such as their own arcade, trophies and even clothing for their avatars for beating high scores or accomplishing certain tasks like collecting all the fruits from each level in Dig Dug. Downloading the game also allows players to launch into the game using the arcade center or the personal arcade in their spaces. Those who do not have the game downloaded can still enjoy mini-games all over the center such as the vending machine games where players can receive items such as soda cans with cute little anime pictures on them or clothing items like boots, shirt, skirt and a girl mask. What? The costume is cute, in a creepy animated way.

The vending machine game is roulette-style so the results are completely random. If you think that’s all there is, don’t forget to check out the money exchange machine for a free stack of game coins to toss on your table in your personal space. Want to see how compatible you are with your friends? Take a seat on the heart shaped love-seats to be ranked and get a free t-shirt. Walk down the hall and enter the Namco theater where you will find life-sized figures of a Tekken or Soul Calibur character standing guard over another set of vending machines and a race car from Namco’s Ridge Racer 7 game in the center. There are screens hanging above teasing the related games above the figures.

Buzz! HQ

After months of waiting to play Buzz! HQ only to have it removed for technical issues, the game space has returned. The game allows players to work together with others to answer the multiple choice questions. The space is huge! From the moment you enter the lobby to the moment you enter the studio to play the game. Up to 64 players can work together to answer the trivia questions fed directly to the space from MyBuzzQuiz.com. Questions ranging from movie series to scientific brain busters to cartoon knowledge and musical tidbits. The winning group wins the prize item for their avatar or home space and are encouraged to create quizzes of their own by visiting and registering on MyBuzzQuiz.com if they like. Check out this video to see the space:

EA Sports Complex: Fight Night 4

The gloves are pulled on in this space with plenty to do. Just like Buzz! HQ, this space is huge to explore and two games players can enjoy from boxing with two Rock-em-Sock-em style robots in the center ring or try their hand at mixing the music at the turn tables. Check it out in this video clip:

Sony Home Mall

The mall has been completely renovated with new stores and items for purchase using your virtual PSN account. It’s like Christmas in July on Sony Home right now because there are also new virtual items available for every avatar. Check out the new look in this video:

Threads

The original threads now located on the first floor of the mall in the central plaza now have Namco Bandai and SOCOM gear available. Some items are for both male and female avatars and a few are gender specific items.

Namco items for both female and male avatars:

• Flag Cap is free
• Pac-Man collection t-shirt for 25 cents
• Dig Dug Pooka t-shirt for 25 cents
• Galaga bug t-shirt for 25 cents
• Xevious Solvalou t-shirt for 25 cents
• Mappy Jailtime Goro t-shirt for 25 cents
• Libble Rabbler t-shirt for 25 cents
• Pac-Man pin smock for 49 cents

Gender specific namco items:

• Lucky Flag Cap for female for 25 cents
• Special Flag Cap for male for 25 cents

SOCOM items (male only):

• Top Rim glasses cost 49 cents
• Tactical goggles cost 49 cents
• Aviator glasses cost 49 cents
• Urban Camouflage Boonie Hat for 49 cents
• Wood Camouflage Boonie Hat for 49 cents
• Urban Camouflage Combat Helmet for 49 cents
• Wood Camouflage Combat Helmet for 49 cents
• Urban Camouflage Shirt for 99 cents
• Wood Camouflage Shirt for 99 cents
• Urban Camouflage Bandolier shirt 99 cents
• Wood Camouflage Bandolier shirt 99 cents
• Desert Camouflage Bandolier shirt 99 cents
• Wood Camouflage pants 99 cents
• Desert Camouflage pants 99 cents

Threads 2

Located on the second floor of the mall just up the stairs have new animated t-shirts that flash and light up and a few fun items.

Items for both male and female avatars:

• Skull Bullet Bundle shirts cost $1.99
Individual skull bullet shirts:
• Blue Skull Bullet t-shirt for 49 cents
• Green Skull Bullet shirt for 49 cents
• Red Skull Bullet t-shirt for 49 cents
• Orange Skull Bullet t-shirt for 49 cents
• White Skull Bullet t-shirt for 49 cents

• Animated Shirt Bundle cost $1.99
Individual animated shirts:
• 4th of July t-shirt cost 49 cents
• Flashing battery icon t-shirt for 49 cents
• Pulsing headphones t-shirt for 49 cents
• Beating heart t-shirt for 49 cents
• Equalizer t-shirt for 49 cents

Items for male only avatars:

• T-Rex Head for 49 cents
• Thai Boxing Wraps for 49 cents
• Chainmail Shirt for 99 cents
• Police Shirt for 99 cents

Items for female only avatars:

• Venitian Carnvial Mask for 49 cents
• Fruit Hat cost 49 cents

Costume Shop

A brand new costume store located on the second floor have items for all those who like to dress up their avatars as their favorite game character or just for fun.
Costumes for both male and female avatars:

• Luchadora Bundle cost $1.99
Individual Items:
• Mask, Top, Skirt (female), Bottoms (male), gloves and boots are 49 cents each.

• Medieval Armor Bundle cost $1.99
Individual items:
• Helmet, Gauntlet and Sabatons cost 49 cents each
• Armor top, Armor bottoms (female), Grievers (male) are 99 cents each

Killzone Helghast Soldier costume:

• Gloves and Boots cost 49 cents
• Helmet, Flack Jacket and Trousers cost 99 cents

Gender specific costumes for male avatars:

• Spartan Bundle cost $1.99
Individual items:
• Helmet and boots cost 49 cents each
• Armor top and bottom cost 99 cents each

• Samurai Bundle cost $1.99
Individual items:
• Helmet and Gauntlet cost 49 cents each
• Top Armor, Leg Armor and Shoes cost 99 cents each

• Cardboard Robot bundle cost $2.99
Individual items:
• Robot legs cost 49 cents
• Robot head, torso, claws and feet cost 99 cents each

Gender specific costumes for female avatars:

• Geisha Bundle cost $1.49
Individual items:
• Geisha wig cost 49 cents
• Komono top, bottom, and shoes cost 99 cents each

• Roman Toga Bundle cost $1.49
Individual items:
• Leather sandals cost 49 cents
• Toga top and bottom cost 99 cents

Read [Playstation Blog] Also [Playstation Blog] Site [PlayStation] Site [Namco Bandai] Site [My Buzz Quizz]

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This week is a good week to sign into Sony PlayStation Home if you haven’t already.

Today (June 2, 2009) and throughout the E3 Conference players are being awarded free items for their avatars as well as sneak peeks at upcoming games at the Presentation Podium. Between interviews with publishers and developers of PlayStation games Sony is flashing codes that will unlock freebies.

Today’s broadcast featured a sneak peek of upcoming game Heavy Rain by Sony Computer Entertainment so I went on YouTube to find the trailer for a closer look. Not exactly the one shown at E3 but this video will show you how gorgeous the game looks, check it out:

To claim your free gifts or check out new footage of upcoming games visit Sony Home and find Presentation Podium on your map. Watch the videos, the codes will flash between interviews. Or keep up with the events on the PlayStation website to interview times.

With the E3 Conference taking place there’s nothing new at the Mall. However over at Xi: The Hub, paranoia is stretching the AlphaAFK team thin as the struggle to find the spy among them and now another tester has gone missing. Between ransacking their homes looking for the surveillance camera that has been recording their every move they must figure out what Xi is all about and quickly. Players are asked to take on another maze in Alpha Zone 3, a riddle maze full of mind boggling riddles to receive their next fragment.

Read [Playstation Blog] Also Read [Playstation E3 Blog] Site [PlayStation]

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Starting today (May 14, 2009) until May 21, 2009, users can download their very own exclusive Chamber Apartment for free by visiting the Real Estate store in the Mall located in central plaza and download it.

The chamber is very spacious and includes four pits which you can switch between water falls or crackling fire pits just by stepping on a switch next to the pit. As you move around, there’s a face on the central tree that seems to follow you wherever you walk.

Before you leave the mall, visit the furniture store on the second floor for woodland-themed furniture such as dressers, shelves, chairs, tables and decorations for 99 cents each.

For players who love free items there are two free t-shirts at Threads located on the second floor of the Mall in Central Plaza.

For females, two Patapon 2 t-shirts are available, one pink and one green. For males one black and white shirt and one blue and white Patapon 2 t-shirts in honor of the recent release of Patapon 2 for the PSP. For those wanting a real Patapon T-shirt for free, fans can download one of two masks from the PSN blog site, create a photo or video with yourself wearing a mask and post them to Sony’s facebook fan page and email the link to playstation_community_support@playstation.sony.com and make sure the subject line reads: “PATAPICS ENTRY.”

Don’t forget to include your name, address and T-shirt size in the message. A few winners may even receive an extra item which has not announced yet.

As the worlds keep expanding as well as the popularity of Home, Playstation has created a new commercial to showcase some of the new things available on Home and even hinted at the most requested item in the forum, er, hamster suits. No dates for release of this item has been announced yet. But for now there are two free items players can claim, a koi hat and a shark hat, available for male and female avatars. Just find the code hidden within this video and redeem it:

The mysteries surrounding Xi: The Hub aer also growing and the plots just keep twisting. Just this past week a line was drawn and players were asked to choose which side to stand on between SpartaAFK (the alpha testers) and VeilCorps, but within the SpartaAFK clan differences of opinions have divided the team. From SpartaAFK players can choose which alpha tester to follow. Would it be DemocraXi or The Collective?

After a few days of bickering the Alpha Testers decided to put their differences aside and throw a party at Jess’ apartment. Nice friends, huh? While you’re in danger, they throw a party in your apartment (nice). But the party is not what it seems to be. While at the party the team asked members to seek out the VeilCorps spies among the party goers and try to find out what they already know about Xi. VeilCorps spies attending the party are asked to search Jess’s apartment for clues about Xi. Within the apartment there are three clues to find, one gives you a fragment and the other two unlock butterflies. One of the clues is a password to enter into your holopad. Hint: listen to the music video and do what it says ... literally.

Read [PlayStation Home Blog] Site [Sony PlayStation HOME]

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As mentioned in the previous Sony Home Update, Electronic Arts wowed gamers with the new Godfather II Home space packed with two levels of card tables and mentioned working on a Sports Complex for gamers.

Well, that complex finally opened Thursday, April 23, 2009, with two levels to explore. This is only phase one of the sports complex with hints at more games to reveal themselves very soon. At the moment players are encouraged to try the two games currently available in the complex. A racing game on the first floor and “Texas Hold’em” style poker games on the second. Players will be rewarded with a free poker or racing game t-shirt just for trying them.

Over at the mall there are many new items available, some are even free. New clothing for avatars available can be found at Threads on the second level of the mall and include:

Angels and Demons items

• Element Air T-Shirt is 25 cents
• Element Earth T-Shirt is 25 cents
• Element Fire T-Shirt is 25 cents
• Element Water T-Shirt is 25 cents
• Statue T-Shirt is 25 cents
• Illumanati T-Shirt is 25 cents
• Angels and Demons T-Shirt Bundle Pack is $1.99

Freebies at the mall

• Angels and Demons movie T-Shirt at Threads for both male and female avatars
• inFAMOUS/Uncharted 2: Among Thieves T-Shirt at Threads for both male and female avatars
• Resistence: Retribution T-Shirt at Threads for male avatars.

At the furniture store also located on the second floor has a few more items available:

Street Fighter 4

• Dhalsim Action Figure Doll for $1.99
• Zangief Action Figure Doll for $1.99
• E. Honda Action Figure Doll for $1.99
• Blanka Action Figure Doll for $1.99

Angels and Demons

• Angel Statue for 49 cents.

Home Community managers have announced that more Street Fighter 4 items for female avatars would be on their way but was not specific as which female character clothing items would be released first. Only that it may appear when the new Street Fighter 4 launching site opens on April 27, 2009. Other announcements made in Home include possible unlockable SingStar items will soon be available in HOME.

For all those working hard to solve the mysteries of Xi: The Hub, this week’s quest will have you climb down a manhole into the maintenance area of Home located near the apartments in the central plaza to fix a computer and rebuild a robot.

But there’s a catch. You have to figure out how to get past security to enter the area, clues were left in the locker room so be on the look out. Two new puzzles will also have you going bonkers tracking a flight from the U.S. to Italy, watching the latest video message and try to decipher a code written in musical notes to solve the mystery of Xi: The Hub. As the clues and puzzles get harder, don’t worry. You don’t have to solve the mystery alone.

There are always plenty of other players who are more than willing to help you if you help them.

Site [PlayStation] Gamertell [Sony Home Update]

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I’ve seen some pretty crazy contests in my time, but never one so - permanent. See, Codemasters has this game called Rise of the Argonauts. And it decided a contest would be a great way to promote the game in the UK. But not just any contest, a contest that helps revitalize the name Jason. You know, like as in Jason and the Argonauts.

So if someone in the UK named their son Jason, they can enter to possibly win a bunch of Codemasters games. Of course, you can’t just email in and say, “Look! My son’s Jason!” You have to actually send a copy of your son’s birth certificate. Actually, it could be a daughter named Jason too - the site just says to send in the “child’s” birth certificate.

And you can’t pop up and say, “My name’s Jason! Let me in!” The kid has to have been born between January 1 and February 13, 2009. The contest ends on March 17, 2009, and the winner gets Rise of the Argonauts, Bella Sera, Emergency Mayhem, Race Driver GRID and Turning Point. If a game is available on multiple platforms, the winner gets to choose which version he or she wants.

Of course, this now begs the question - would you name your kid after a video game character for free stuff? Let’s say Square Enix will give you a free copy of every Final Fantasy game in print if you named your kid Cloud. Would you do it? It probably wouldn’t be too bad for the little boy or girl. Yes, boy or girl. Cloud’s one of those names that really could go either way. And the kid could always bluff and say, “Video game nerds? Heavens no - my parents are just former hippies.” See, it’d work.

What if Nintendo would give you a free Wii and games if you named your son Mario? Wait, no, not Mario. That’s too normal. Link. If you name your son Link or your daughter Zelda, you’d get free Nintendo swag. Would you do it? I think with that contest, we’d see a lot more little Zeldas than Links.

Of course, there are quite a few die-hard fanboys and girls out there, so I’m sure that, if they were given the proper motivation, they’d name their kids after any character. If the right publisher was holding a contest with a free system or year’s worth of games as prizes, I’m sure there’d be parents willing to name their offspring Ganondorf, Bowser or Sephiroth. I think I even have some friends who would get pregnant just to enter a contest like that.

Read [Electronic Theater] Also Read [GamesKnights.com] Site [Bring Back Jason]

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LocoRoco 2 for the PSP should be in a store near you by now, since it came out on February 10, 2009. But maybe you didn’t have the funds or means to acquire a copy yet, even if you really, really wanted one. Sony wants to help, so it’s announced the Don’t Worry, Get Loco! Sweepstakes.

You simply visit the Don’t Worry, Get Loco! Sweepstakes page at PlayStation.com, enter your information in the box at the bottom of the page, and hope that when the contest ends on March 17, 2009, you’ll be one of the lucky 104 winners chosen.

The prizes are pretty nifty - even the Second Prize Packages. The two grand prize winners will each get a PSP-3000, LocoRoco 2, a Sony Ericsson W760 Walkman Handset that has the cell phone game LocoRoco Hi, a LocoRoco 2 pen and a LocoRoco stress ball. Two first place winners get the phones, pens and stress balls. The 100 second place winners get pens and stress balls.

I’m kind of torn about the LocoRoco stress reliever. I mean, yes it looks like it’s just a sand filled balloon with a LocoRoco face drawn on it, and I could easily make my own. But, it’s an official sand filled balloon with a LocoRoco face on it!

Read [PlayStation.blog] Site [Don’t Worry Get Loco Sweepstakes]

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If you have a Playstation 3 and have yet to register or explore Sony’s Home , this is the month to do so.

Since Sony’s Home it opened its doors, I’ve been exploring the different things you can do in home besides shopping, chatting with friends and hanging out at the bowling alley arcades (for all the freebies you can unlock playing Ice Breaker, Carriage Return and Echochrome, of course).

Several events have already been started in celebration of Street Fighter IV, Killzone 2, Resident Evil 5, Warhawk and SOCOM.

For Killzone 2, for example, finding a hidden soldier and chatting with him will earn you lots of in-Home freebies. He’s hard to find and hopefully with the new leads I have I’ll find him yet.

Today (February 12, 2009), Home is launching the Street Fighter IV-themed world along with it ninja-themed clothing at the mall and an “I Love Ninjas” costume contest to take place in the new Gamer’s Lounge. Winners of the Ninja costume contest may win vouchers for the upcoming SOCOM and Warhawk games. Not much is known about the Street Fighter IV Home world at the moment other than the contest.

Another big event to take place soon will be the new Resident Evil 5 Home world, where Resident Evil fans can enjoy the some unlockables and be able to launch straight from PlayStation Home into the Resident Evil 5 game according to the PlayStation Network Home community manager’s blog.

Coming soon, according to the Sony blog, is the Warhawk Home world that will also allow players to launch into the game and SOCOM will be the SOCOM‘s Home world which will also start in the Gamer’s Lounge. There, players can hang-out to mix and mingle with other players and talk to special guests such as the developers during the special promotion event.

The worlds currently accessible to all Home residents include Sully’s Bar from Far Cry 2, the train station and depot area from Uncharted: Drakes Fortune and the air races at Red Bull Island. Each world except Red Bull Island includes a themed arcade game. While on Red Bull Island players can fly their airplanes through an obstacle course to compete with each other for the fastest. The fastest time is recorded on the leaderboard near the aircrafts. Just be careful not to touch the goal posts as you fly through or lose control of your airplane or get a penalty.

Well, I’m off to fill my PSN account to buy some ninja gear for the contest. If you haven’t registered on the PlayStation Network yet or take the time to visit and explore Home. Now’s a great time to join. See you there.

Read [PlayStation Blog]

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IGG may only have a forum up for its upcoming MMO 2029 Online, but it’s still starting the PR blitz to hopefully lure potential players to the new free-to-play game. Of course, the initial information is so far providing only the base basics to individuals - like that 2029 Online is a post-apocolyptic action MMO which Blend Games describes as being one part Diablo and one part World of Warcraft.

So basically you both hack, slash and destroy anything that is against you, and team up with other players to take on quests to become stronger or accomplish larger goals. Fairly typical of a free-to-play RPG. The setting isn’t Earth - since it was supposedly destroyed years ago by nuclear attacks. Humans migrated to Helen Continent, became the top dog there and now work and live together with the Dryads, Electonic Elves, Ice Energy and Mechanicals races that were already there. Confirmed missions, random battling and the ability to engage in PvP battles are the gameplay elements confirmed so far.

The forums are a little bit of a letdown at the moment, with one notable exception. The Announcement, General Speaking, Guild Alliance and Off-Topic forums each have a Beta CD Key Give Away 1 thread, where you can enter to win Karma, which can be traded for a Beta CD Key, by designing an Armored Fighting Vehicle. This contest lasts January 26-February 8, 2009. Anyone who enters gets 1 Karma, the first place winner gets 10 Karma, second place gets 8 Karma and third gets 6 Karma.

Read [Blend Games] Also Read [Blues News] Site [2029 Online]

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With the anticipation of the release of Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride for the Nintendo DS next month (February 17, 2009), what better way to excite the gaming masses than with an intriguing little sweepstakes?

Eager beavers should hurry over to the official Dragon Quest V monsters page where they will be challenged to locate a collection of 16 mysterious monsters hidden throughout the entire website. Should you successfully uncover all of these mischievous abnormalities of the Dragon Quest site, you will be eligible for entry to win the following prizes:

One grand prize winner will win:

• Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride game autographed by game designer Yuji Horii
• Dragon Quest V merchandise gift pack (actual contents are still unknown but most likely pretty cool and hard to find otherwise)

Two runner-up winners will win: 

• Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride game for Nintendo DS

Site [Dragon Quest V]

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Sports and politics, what a mix.

The first Saturday (January 24, 2009) after Barack Obama takes office as President of the United State of America (January 20, 2009), the Cincinnati Cyclones will celebrate with a free bobblehead to the first 3,000 ticket holders through the gate.

Because when I think of hockey, I think of Barack Obama.

The Obama bobblehead features a smiling president-to-be with his right hand giving a nice thumbs up sign. He’s also sporting a white Cyclones logo hockey jersey. Under the jersey is a dark shirt and a striped tie. He’s also wearing black pants and black dress shoes and the stand reads “Barack Obama.” The image above was scanned from a Cincinnati-area coupon mailer (Reach Magazine).

Tickets to the game: $10. Owning a Cyclones Obama bobblehead: Priceless?

For whatever reason, hockey teams enjoy Obama in bobblehead form. The Manchester Monarchs (New Hampshire, USA) pit him against McCain in a “Bobble the Vote” election, where fans “voted” for McCain simply because the supply of his b’head ran out first (see the video clip below). The Cleveland Lake Erie Monsters also handed out a few Obamobblers as well as a McCain model.

If you want one of the bobbleheads given out at games you’ll have to find them on eBay. There are, however, other Obama bobbleheads wobbling - or getting ready to wobble - around out there:

• Funko, for example,  has one that will sell for $10.
• PoliticalWobbles promises an Obama Bobblehead that’s not plastic ($20). The site also offers other political bobbleheads so you can have a good ol’ fashioned political nod-off right in your home.
• ImagineGate also has the superhero version of the Obama Bobblehead sporting the “O” logo on his chest.
• A pre-election Bobblehead is also available through Bobbleheads.com for $23.
• A less flattering talking Bobblehead of Obama was offered but has since sold out. It’s since been replaced by an identical,  silent version for $20.

Site [Cincinnati Cyclones] Read [Michigan Live] Also Read [Boston.com]

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So, I know you’re all very merry at the moment (at least, I hope so…) playing with games and gadgets acquired for Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or Festivus. But just in case you’re in the mood for another little stocking stuffer, the good folks at OverCocked ReMix are offering a free download of one very holiday friendly song - a remix of the “Frappe Snowland” track from Mario Kart 64. It’s a very jazzy, upbeat treatment of an already fun song (with melodies from other holiday faves thrown in for good measure), so it’s perfect holiday relaxation music.

The mix was arranged by Tweek, who also put together last year’s featured holiday song: Final Fantasy VII “Frozen Landscape”. So if you’re looking for another little present on this day of giving and receiving, go check the site out.

Download [Frappe Snowland] Site [OC ReMix]

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