After what most would agree has been a successful stab at (officially) blogging about PlayStation, SCEA has taken up residence on YouTube. No, this isn't directly related to news from May that, should their developers wish, some PS3 games will offer functionality to upload gameplay videos directly to the Google-owned sharing service. (PixelJunk Eden was one of the first games to capitalize on the feature.)

The PlayStation YouTube channel is essentially SCEA's most direct avenue for distributing new game videos; the channel currently has around 54 in total, from NBA 09 The Inside, Motorstorm: Pacific Rift, and LittleBigPlanet. It's nothing groundbreaking, but should be nonetheless handy in that you can subscribe and receive official videos as they're released (albeit in YouTube, er, "quality"). Or, of course, you could just keep an eye on a – ahem – certain blog you're reading right now. (Wink)

How big is Patapon 2? Well, take the original game ... and then multiply it by two. The upcoming PSP-exclusive sequel will feature a staggering amount of content which makes the original seem rather diminutive. While the first featured 37 levels, Patapon 2 Don Chaka will feature over 80. There were 187 weapons and items in the original -- and over 500 in the new game. Not only that, Patapon 2 will also feature a new multiplayer mode.

While critics and fans have embraced Patapon's unique gameplay, the new content expansion should make the sequel much more appealing to newcomers and veterans alike. The core gameplay remains largely untouched -- each of the face buttons represents a certain sound, and pressing button combinations to the beat will command the Patapon to march, retreat and attack. However, they've added a new twist to the formula. Enter: the Hero Patapon.

Players wanted a more personal interaction with their Patapon. With the Hero Patapon, they'll get just that. The Hero has an expanded set of moves and greater HP, making it far deadlier than the standard Patapon. While Patapon were fairly expendable in the original, players will want the Hero to stay alive. As it can be named by the player, many may think of it as their own unique "pet" in the game.

The UK's semi-official PlayStation blog, ThreeSpeech, has published a Sony Computer Entertainment Europe press release on PS3 firmware 2.5 and PSP firmware 5.0, which includes the line: "Both system software updates will be released on 15th October." Hey, that's ... tomorrow!

The Oct. 15 date is also backed up by a post on SCEE's official forums from one of its community leads. All indications point towards tomorrow being the day both platforms will get tricked out with the new features we posted about yesterday, plus a couple of surprises – most notably Flash 9 support for the PS3's web browser. We've dropped SCEA a line for confirmation on a North American rollout of the firmware tomorrow.

After we were tipped about "essential maintenance work" being conducted in Europe on the PSN, we contacted Sony to find out if North America would be shutting down for a time as well. Turns out, it is. The PSN is scheduled to be unavailable tomorrow, Oct. 14, during the following time:

• 11AM - 4PM Pacific
• 2PM - 7PM Eastern

Be sure to plan accordingly and get those petitions ready demanding a refund for the downtime.

[Thanks, James]

As you've surely already noticed, a handful of our more travel-hardened writers have spent the past few days in the natal region of this humble weekly feature in order to more aptly cover the industry happenings at the Tokyo Game Show 2008. While we've missed their presence dearly, particularly at our bimonthly badminton tournament against other gaming blogs (Kietzmann is quite the racqueteer, you see), we've found their overseas stationing to be quite profitable for us homebound 'Stiqers.

You see, thanks to the inexplicable magic of time zones, it's a bit after midday tomorrow in Tokyo at the time of this posting. Our overseas cohorts have discovered a number of startling, time-sensitive pieces of valuable information, then sent them hurtling westward (geographically) and backward (chronologically) to the rest of the staff. We've been using this information to gain a valuable edge in the somewhat turbulent American investment market -- much like the oft-exploited sports almanac from Back to the Future lore (sans the frequent demands for its immolation by absent-minded, silver-haired chronophysicists).

Fret not, dear readers -- we can hear your requests for these valuable investment protips through the insulation provided by our wide-brimmed moneyhats. Here, we'll break you off a piece -- following an unlikely endorsement from acclaimed Japanese film critic Tadao Sato, Beverly Hills Chihuahua will set the highest single-day box office record in cinematic history tomorrow, and will remain at the top of the charts worldwide for fourteen months. As such, you might want to consider dropping a few bucks on Disney (DIS), and, of course, Chihuawow! (CWOW!), the West Coast's most prestigious Chihuahua distribution outlet.

- DS Lite: 42,385 15,462 (26.73%)
- PSP: 26,045 374 (1.46%)
- Wii: 25,330 984 (3.74%)
- PS2: 8,618 1,230 (12.49%)
- Xbox 360: 8,271 3,020 (26.75%)
- PS3: 7,232 1,043 (12.60%)

[Source: Media Create]

See: The time-sensitive archives

Ah, the Square Enix Mega Theater. It's always something to look forward to at every TGS. We took the time to check out the theater and see what's cooking behind those big, black walls. Square Enix showed off trailers for nine games and a film in the Mega Theater, including two PS3 titles, the Advent Children Complete movie, and four PSP titles. Grab the full scoop on each title in our Square Enix Closed Theater impressions.

Strangely, only one thing we reported on at Tokyo Game Show this year was under embargo. And that was this LocoRoco 2 trailer. Why? We don't know. If you read our hands-on impressions, you'll know that we're absolutely in love with this rather substantial sequel. Take a watch and see if you can find all the new gameplay features and enemies.

Despite what that affront-to-mankind-in-motion-picture-form, Spider-Man 3, may have tried to make you believe, merging with a dreaded symbote doesn't turn you into a mopey jerk with an unfashionable haircut and nightmarish dance moves. We feel that the upcoming Activision web-slinging simulator, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, depicts a much more accurate account of the side-effects of fusion with tar-like alien lifeforms: A widening of the eyes, an elongation of the teeth, and tendrils -- oh, so very many tendrils.

The launch trailer for the aforementioned title, posted above, gives us a good sampling of the symbiotic adversaries we'll be pummeling come Web of Shadows' October 21 release date -- and with a classy touch of Moonlight Sonata to boot. We highly suggest checking it out -- perhaps you'll find some place in your heart that hasn't eternally sworn off games featuring the titular, charismatic wall-crawler.

"Sorry it took so long," LocoRoco designer Tsutomu Kouno told me. In spite of the original's high-profile and well-received launch on the PSP, it's been over two years since we saw these lovable blubbers hit Sony's handheld. The silence around the long-rumored sequel is a bit baffling, as getting our hands on with the upcoming PSP title revealed a disarming amount of new content for the sequel.

It's undeniable that the original LocoRoco charmed hardcore gamers, thanks to its lovable style and rather unique design. However, it couldn't keep the attention of these gamers, as it was perhaps a bit too simplistic. While children and casual gamers were enchanted, hardcore gamers needed substance beyond tilting left and right.

So perhaps LocoRoco 2 is Kouno's attempt at bridging the gap between hardcore and casual audiences. The upcoming PSP-exclusive sequel maintains all the saccachrin sweetness of the original, but adds new gameplay features that add a tremendous amount of depth to the experience. The sheer amount of content found in this UMD/downloadable game is staggering.

As the gaming world sets its focus on Japan for the Tokyo Game Show, Sony decided to hold a preview event for the media (and later for community) in Toronto, Canada. Showcasing some of the most anticipated titles of the year for the platform, Sony showed off everything you'd want or hope to see.

Prince of Persia made its community debut and we had a chance to take the adventure for a spin. Killzone 2 surprised everyone with its presence but no one with its style and Dead Space proved that even a game releasing next week will garner a pile of crowd attention.

Here's a recap of all the coverage out of the Sony Holiday Event in Toronto, Canada, as well as images from the event:

• Joystiq hands-on: 30 minutes with Prince of Persia
• Joystiq hands-on: Killzone 2
• Joystiq hands-on: The beginning of Dead Space (PS3)
• Joystiq hands-on: Revisiting the Quantum of Solace

Time to bring out fat kitty again as the PSN update drops a bunch of new content on us this week. There's interactive art piece Linger in Shadows, a bunch of new add-on content, a new Qore, the level pack for echochrome PSP and a whole truckload of premium themes. Check it all out after the break.

The European PSN update can be found over with those Tokyo socialites at PS3 Fanboy.

We've always known that zombies are tools. Well, mostly in the sense that they want to bite us on our vulnerable, fleshy bits, but one should certainly consider the possibilities afforded by having a snarling, undead force at one's disposal. That's what Tecmo has in mind for Undead Knights, a newly announced action game -- with just a sprinkle of strategy -- for the PSP.

Stuck in the midst of a royal power struggle, you're encouraged to see every enemy as a potential ally. Casting you in the role of the anti-hero, Undead Knights sees the dead join your ranks, an increasing and varied assortment of undoubtedly foul-smelling monsters which will act out your every destructive whim. If we had to draw a comparison, we'd say it sounded a bit like Overlord -- or perhaps a more sinister Tokobot. Either way, Tecmo intends to keep things relatively smooth and simple, with action forming 80% of gameplay, and strategy relegated to those times when the unique services of certain felled enemies are required to progress.

If you feel conquering is best done in the company of friends, you'll be pleased to note that Undead Knights will support 4-player ad hoc multiplayer and co-op. It will rise to retail in 2009.

Sony has announced that all future first-party PSP games will be available through download in Japan, beginning later this year via the Wi-Fi Store. The store is scheduled to open in Japan on October 15th with the firmware v5.00 update. Games to be sold by direct download include Secret Agent Clank (11/20), Patapon 2 (11/27), and LocoRoco 2 (12/4) (these titles will also be available on UMD).

There is currently no date for the release of the store in North America or Europe. We're also wondering how downloadable games' pricing will compare to standard UMD retail prices (considering that direct downloads save on packaging, shipping and a slew of other costs). We'll update as soon as we hear anything.