Rumours have again begun circulating about the PSP 2 at the European games fair Gamescom currently underway in Germany. According to Eurogamer, Sony is demonstrating an unfinished version of its next portable gaming console to game publishers.

 

This new model is about the same size as the current PSP-3000 and boasts touch-enabled controls on the back of the unit as well as Flash media support just like the PSP Go.

 

Sony has however denied the rumours. 

 

“We don’t have anything to announce and nor are we giving anything away if we say we’re always looking at the future as well,” Sony’s Europe Worldwide Studios boss Michael Denny said to gamesindustry.biz.

 

“For now, we’re still concentrating on the PSP as a very attractive proposition. It’s natural that in the lifecycle of a platform as the cost comes down they do skew younger and we’re having a lot of success with the more child-friendly products on the PSP and it’s certainly a great proposition to buy in on, and the PSP has life left in it yet.”

 

 

During an interview with IGN, id Software creative director Tim Willits stated that gamers can expect to get their hands on key releases a great deal sooner than was the case in the past. According to Willits Doom 4’s use of the id Tech 5 game engine, which is the same one employed for Rage, allows for both titles to be developed concurrently.

 

“The Doom group is using the same technology; they are learning from our mistakes and they have assets they can start to test things with,” Willits said. “So the plan is that Doom 4 will come out quicker and then the Rage team will start working on something else while Doom 4 is being finished up.”

 

 

MTV Games and Harmonix Music Systems Inc. this week revealed the acts that are set to feature on the 83 song on-disc soundtrack for Rock Band 3. Some of them include Bob Marley & The Wailers’ jiving ‘Get Up, Stand Up’, Slipknot’s ‘Before I Forget’, Rammstein with ‘Du Hast’ in German and 80’s favourite Roxette with ‘The Look’.

 

Rock Band 3 will be released on 29 October in Europe for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS.

 

 

THQ has announced that WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 will sport eight WWE wrestlers on multiple region-specific covers.

 

The first of these will feature John Cena, Big Show and The Miz, who will appear on the front cover in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan as well as India. Randy Orton, Undertaker and Sheamus will appear on the European cover.

 

More front covers will be announced later in the year.

 

 

The hotly anticipated horror FPS title F.E.A.R. 3 will not be coming this fall (spring for us) as originally announced by Warner Bros.  According to IGN, a representative from Warner Bros. told them that the game which will be released for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC “will now be shipping sometime in 2011”. No reason was given for the delay. 

 

F.E.A.R. 3 joins Test Drive Unlimited 2 and Crysis 2 on the list of 2010 gaming titles that are being held back until 2011.

 

 

Dragon Age: Origins hasn’t even been out for a year, but its sequel was announced at  Gamescom this week. Dragon Age 2 will be released on 8 March in the US and 11 March in Europe for the PS3, PC and Xbox 360.

 

The new title is set in the same world as Dragon Age: Origins and gamers who played the first instalment will cross paths with many of the same characters and groups that they know from Origins.

 

 

Criterion Games (an Electronic Arts studio) announced a Limited Edition version of Need for Speed Hot Pursuit on Tuesday. 

 

This Limited Edition sports six of the fastest new desirable cars, the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, Ford Shelby GT500, Audi TT RS Coupé, Chevrolet Camaro SS, Porsche Cayman S and Dodge Challenger SRT8.

 

The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione and Ford Shelby GT500 are exclusively available on the Limited Edition. Players can still get behind the wheel of the rest of the above mentioned rides by leveling up in the game.

 

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit will be released on 16 November in the States and 18 November in Europe for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.