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Alas, we've gone yet another decade without a single jetpack, hovercar, hoverpack or jetcar. We've got high hopes for unimaginable technological advancement in the 2010s -- for instance, if a recent advertisement for a bundle of LittleBigPlanet-branded PSP accessories that ran in MCV's latest "Digital Edition" is any indication, we're thinking that a new model of the old-school, UMD-equipped handheld might not be out of the question.

Proudly printed on the ad is a lineup of PSP models the accessories are compatible with -- including the PSP-4000. Now, this could just be a mistake on the ad designer's part, or it could be an accidental hint of things to come. Maybe not things as awesome as sky-based personal transportation, but hey -- we'll take what we can get.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

A recent PlayStation.Blog post contained great news for your ragtag group of trained virtual killers: an Uncharted 2 title update which goes live later today will add Clan Tag functionality to the game's multiplayer component, allowing you to proudly display your team's four-letter moniker before your PSN ID. Sure, this isn't exactly the full clan support that your clan might have hoped for, but it still lets you represent. Isn't that what really matters?

The update's other features, which include quick rematches for online games and hastened load times, can be found in a list after the jump.

Though Japan finds itself awash in Square Enix RPGs in the PSOne Originals channel of the PlayStation Store, the American PSN is suffering from an inexplicable drought. Fortunately, that situation will be rectified shortly -- according to a recent email bulletin sent out to its customers, Sony revealed Final Fantasy VIII will be coming to the U.S. PlayStation Store. No exact timeframe was given for the game's arrival, but it's listed under a section of the newsletter titled "Coming Soon." We've contacted Sony to try and get something more concrete than that.

[Thanks, Solace.]

After a strong 2009, Sony plans to focus its efforts in the coming year on some new initiatives -- notably the still unnamed and, with a "Spring 2010 release," curiously under-promoted PlayStation Motion Controller, 3D games, and the PlayStation Network. In a recent GamePro interview, Sony marketing head John Koller said the company will be focusing on these "three big pillars" going forward, and detailed its plans to expand on each. "I think the areas that are going to be really critical to our success will be family games, as well as shooters and sports games ... they're areas that quite honestly, I think Project Natal and the Wii are going to have trouble matching," he said of the company's motion controller plans.

Without getting too specific, the PlayStation Network will apparently be seeing the addition of "a number of very critically demanded features" in the coming year, while the company strives to reach day-and-date release parity between UMD-based PSP games and their digital counterparts from third-party devs on PSN. He even teased the concept of "placing you as a consumer into the game physically" -- an idea he called "the Holy Grail of gaming." We get the feeling 2010 is going to be kind of a weird year, folks.

Here's a challenge from the gods: the Playstation Blog has challenged followers to putt their dignity on the line to win one of 20 copies of the God of War III Ultimate Edition, signed by the development team. All you have to do is make a video that encapsulates your love for the game and explains why you deserve to open Pandora's Box. Creativity is important -- though we're sure they'll give bonus points for embarrassment. Not everyone can pull off that buff Kratos kosplay, you know ...

The top 20 submissions will also be included in the credits of God of War: Unearthing the Legend, "a full-length movie documentary depicting the history of the God of War franchise." Check out the video for the contest after the break to gain some inspiration.

As rumored last week, LittleBigPlanet will receive a massive chunk of DLC just before Christmas -- the "Pirates of the Caribbean Premium Level Kit." This pack includes the highly anticipated Water update, along with the tools Sackboy will need to navigate said fluids (scuba tanks, air ducts and the like). In addition, the pack includes five pre-made Pirates-themed levels, four new audio tracks, a new background, a free "Cannibal" costume, and a whole mess of decorations, stickers and materials to collect.

The pack will land on the PSN alongside a six-pack of Pirates costumes, which include Jack Sparrow, Davy Jones, Will Turner and other characters from the movie, on December 22 for $5.99 each. Check out the pack's aquatic, buccaneering offerings in the trailer above.

[Thanks, Casder.]

We think the redesigned PS3 is small enough. However, Sony's Japanese designers, in their continuing desire to shrink things, noted that the PS3 Slim "could have been made even smaller."

Sony's executive VP of technology Masayuki Chatani spoke with Japanese newspaper Nikkei about the challenges of designing a slimmer PS3. The goal was not only to cut costs, but to expand its attractiveness to "an even wider range of users." Considering the Japanese penchant for small electronics, the original PS3's girth was certainly a limiting factor.

However, certain sacrifices would have been necessary for Sony to pursue an even smaller box. One option was to place "the power supply on the outside," much like Microsoft's Xbox 360 power brick. Taking yet another page from Microsoft, an even more drastic option considered was to remove the hard drive altogether. The alternatives -- Flash memory or virtual network storage -- proved to be too expensive, and too unreliable. Ultimately, the Sony team chose function over form. "One of the best features of the PS3 is that people can download games to the internal local storage unit and play comfortably." That reminds us -- we need a bigger couch.

[Via IGN]

We know there's a temptation to freak out, but just stick with us until the second graph, okay? When asked by Nikkei Japan how the company managed the cost of maintaining the free PlayStation Network, Sony Computer Entertainment executive VP Masayuki Chatani highlighted the possibility of new revenue streams, saying, "In addition to single-payment packaged software, there are also schemes like monthly fees or per-item charges."

As GameIndustry.biz points out, Chatani could be talking about any number of different items and monthly-charged services delivered via PSN -- as was vaguely referenced in a presentation last month. Viewed together, the comments may seem troubling, but additional services don't necessarily equate to PSN itself becoming a subscription service. If Sony wanted to lose the biggest advantage of its online service just as the PS3 builds up a good head of steam, a funeral service might become more appropriate.

Sony Computer Entertainment America has laid off 30 full-time members of the company's Quality Assurance department. SCEA explained to Gamasutra that its San Francisco-based first-party QA group had been consolidated and moved to San Diego. The company would not comment on the 100 or so contract positions reportedly affected by the reorganization, as noted by Kotaku.

Sony is currently on the long road back to profitability -- expect some unfortunate bumps along the way.

Source -- SCEA Consolidating First-Party Quality Assurance [Gamasutra]
Source -- Dozens of Tester Jobs Affected in Sony QA Consolidation [Kotaku]

While Heavy Rain attempts to welcome both serious and more casual players, it's clear that many will find the unique controls and the story's slow burn a bit too jarring, unconventional, and even boring. Sony has already released so much (arguably too much) footage of Quantic Dream's adventure, and chances are that you've already passed judgment on the title. Perhaps more than any other game before it, Heavy Rain hopes that you want to like the experience. Why? It is -- at its core -- a role-playing game.

When people find out I've been playing Heavy Rain, the first question that generally pops up is, "Is it anything but a series of Quick-Time Events?" The problem with that question is that it inherently assumes that a QTE necessitates a lack of player control. While it's true that the majority of player input is done via on-screen indicators, to simply call them quick-time events is a bit derogatory, ignoring the innovations that developer Quantic Dream has made. Not all actions require players to press buttons as quickly as they see them. In fact, most of the commands involve a very deliberate pace: you may need to move the analog stick slowly, or hold down two buttons while transitioning to a third. Some inputs use the PS3's built-in motion controls, while others will use a combination of various inputs. There are many ways of interfacing with the controller, with each QTE trying to simulate its corresponding, real-world action.

However, variety is not Heavy Rain's greatest innovation. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the game to explain is its integration of inaction. You are often given the opportunity to do nothing -- and counter to your intuition, that can be the most satisfying option to pursue.

-DS: 1.7M1.2M (+262%)
-Wii: 1.26M753K (+149%)
-360: 820K570K (+228%)
-PS3: 710K389K (+121%)
-PSP: 294K119K (+76%)
-PS2: 203K85K (72%)

Check out the software sales chart after the break.

OK, everyone, let's gather in a circle and repeat: Oh, lords of downloadable games, please guide PixelJunk Shooter to sales. For now is the time of retail and PJS has been released into the wastes. May it find an audience in this unforgiving time.

Meanwhile, PSP Go (and normal PSP) owners have some downloadable games and even a couple PSP minis to choose from. Check out the full PSN update after the break.

Looking to try out that PSP Mini on your preposterously sized high definition television? Though we can't promise the results will be particularly gorgeous, we're pleased to announce that the option is now available to you. Sony just launched PS3 Firmware Update 3.15, which allows you to play PSP Minis on your decidedly un-Mini console. In addition, the patch makes it easier to transfer files between PS3s using only a LAN cable. Read here to learn more about this functionality, and simply go to the System Update option on the XMB to get the patch!

On the eve of the launch of Q-Games' latest super-stylish opus, PixelJunk Shooter, the studio's president, Dylan Cuthbert, decided to drop a new trailer for the title on PlayStation.Blog. We've posted it above -- as you can clearly see, it contains all of the requisite elements to fulfill the game's moniker: There's pixelated enemies, a great deal of of shooting, and plenty of junk to aim the aforementioned shooting at.

The blog post also contained good news for thrifty fans of the franchise -- on Dec. 22, Q-Games will bundle PixelJunk Eden, Monsters and Racers together into a single $19.99 bundle. Sounds like a pretty sweet package if you're hoping to receive a new PS3 from ol' Saint Nick this holiday season.

What a tease: First we read on IGN that one of the the great untapped licenses, Voltron, would finally be made into a video game. But then we learn that it's not only an iPhone game, but an iPhone game (iTunes link) that's being ported to other phones. That's fine, but befitting of Voltron? We say no.

Seriously, Sony, has no one explained Voltron to you well enough to convince you that it needs to be a real game? OK, let us take a swing. It's a robot made of lions made of robot. When the aliens exterminate us for being a failed species and we ask them what proof they have, exhibit one's going to be the fact that Voltron isn't a game and Dante's Inferno is.