Britain, Your PS3s Will Stream TV As Of September 10 (Everyone Else, Little Later)

Europe's PlayTV service for the PS3 is looking very nice. We already knew SCEE were looking at a release window of around September, but yesterday Sony's David Reeves started handing out actual dates and actual info. The UK will be the first country to get PlayTV, with it due to start up on September 10, with a staggered roll-out across Europe in the weeks after. As a bonus treat, he also confirmed that you'll be able to record TV onto your HDD at the same time you're playing a game, with the necessary code having been quietly slipped into the 2.41 update. Oh, and before anyone not up to speed on PlayTV asks, no, there are no plans to bring it to the US.

PlayTV dated, will record TV while gaming [Eurogamer]

PS3 Platinum Range Detailed For PAL Regions

More news from Sony's secret, PAL-only event in Santa Monica: the region's "Platinum" games range for the PS3 have a release date, as well as pricing info. The first batch of Platinum games will be appearing on August 1, and titles mentioned specifically included MotorStorm, Resistance, Uncharted, Assassin's Creed and Virtua Tennis 3 (with Heavenly Sword and Ratchet & Clank surely there as well). As for pricing, they'll be *deep breath* €30/£20/AUD$50/NZD$60.

R&C: Quest For Booty Getting Blu-Ray Release

Ratchet & Clank: Quest For Booty is, at its heart, a PSN game. It's meant to be short, it's meant to be downloaded. And in the US, that's how it'll stay. As a PSN title. But in Europe, consumers will have a choice. They can download the game from the PSN, or they can buy it on Blu-Ray, as a disc-based version of the game will also be released. No reason given, but our guess is one of the versions will ship with only a handful of major languages, so it hits the market quicker.

Ratchet Booty coming to Blu-ray [Eurogamer]

Sony Video Service Not Hitting Europe, Australia Until 2009 (At Least)

That new Sony video download service sure looks neat! I wouldn't know, though. Not American, you see. Seems I might not know for a while yet, either, with Sony's David Reeves announcing that PAL territories won't be downloading movies on their PS3s in 2008.

This will not come to the PAL markets this year, but Sir Howard Stringer has made the commitment that non-games will come to all regions in due course and it will. The dates for video content will come later this year. For us, and I think you appreciate most of you European, that local content is important, and that's what working on right now.

A shame, but not a surprise, given the legal issues Microsoft faced with their service (which, incidentally, Australia still doesn't have).

80GB PS3 coming to Europe, Australia on August 27 [GameSpot]

80GB PS3 To Hit "All PAL Territories" On August 27

Chatting at a secret Europeans-only gig in Santa Monica, SCEE boss David Reeves has announced that the 80GB PlayStation 3 - unveiled at Sony's E3 address yesterday - will be released simultaneously "across all PAL territories" (yes, that includes Australia) on August 27. It'll be priced at £299/€400, and as in the US, it'll be straight-up replacing the 40GB unit (which Reeves says is almost out of stock, and will not be seeing a temporary price cut).

E3 08: 80GB PS3 coming to Europe [MCV]

Nintendo, SEGA, Ubisoft, EA All Back PEGI Over BBFC

After the Bryon Review suggested a new system requiring games that would normally receive a 12+ Pan European Game Information (PEGI) rating be subjected to review by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), publishers like EA started to worry about even longer UK game release delays. Both the BBFC and PEGI are trying to carve out control in a UK game ratings power scramble. Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association head Paul Jackson explains why PEGI is superior to the BBFC:

PEGI represents the “gold standard” today, and will undoubtedly be the best system for tomorrow. PEGI is clearly the only ratings system which has the power to prevent game publishers distributing unsuitable content to children, online and offline. Only PEGI fully assesses all games content. It is designed specifically for interactive software. It understands games and their potential for infinite variations. That’s why it is backed by the vast majority of the computer games industry.

And it's not only the ELSP that supports PEGI, but also Nintendo UK, Ubisoft UK, SEGA of Europe and EA UK, Ireland and Nordics. Hit the jump for comments from each of those companies:

GfK Buy ChartTrack, Good News For European Sales Charts

While we're treated to precise sales figures from Japan, and decent approximates from the US market, it can be a difficult thing to nail down European sales figures. And by difficult, I mean largely impossible. Not only is the continent split across dozens of nations and languages, but there have long been two companies collecting sales data for the region: GfK, who handled most of continental Europe, and ChartTrack, who were largely responsible for the British market. Well, as of yesterday, GfK now own a controlling interest in ChartTrack, bringing the companies together under the new name GfK ChartTrack Limited. Fingers crossed this means we can start getting not only some decent European sales numbers, but also regular pan-European sales charts as well.

GfK acquires ChartTrack [MCV]

Daily Mail: Elite RRODs Have Cost Microsoft "£500 Million"

It's coming from the Daily Mail, so make what you will of that, but the British tabloid is claiming that Microsoft is setting aside £500 million - which is just shy of USD$1 billion - to help cover the costs of an increasing number of faulty Xbox 360 Elite units. They'll also apparently be offering a three-year extended warranty for Elite owners. Both the value and warranty are the same as those offered last year, when Microsoft was forced to pay up and extend the warranties for owners of original 360s. The Elites, however, were meant to be improved consoles, nowhere near as susceptible to the red rings of death as their off-white cousins. We'll update when we hear something a little more...official, because really, we find it hard to believe they've sold that many Elites.

£500m bill for Xbox red ring of death [Daily Mail]

Capcom Knows Importance of Foreign Business, Opens New French Subsidiary

Europe, Capcom's looking at you. That's right, you. The company announced that it established a new local French subsidiary called "Capcom Entertainment France, S.A.S." and has funded it 100 percent through it's continental subsidiary company CE Europe, Ltd. Established with €37,000 in capital, the focus of this new subsidiary is improving local marketing and direct game software sales. Besides France, Capcom also has subsidiaries in England and Germany. According to Capcom: "From now, the foreign home console market is anticipated to expand, and to accomplish future business growth, it's extremely important to strengthen our overseas sales network." With all the cold shoulders and looks of indifference Europe gets from most Japanese companies, sure nice to see someone is serious about the European (and international) market.

フランスにおける子会社設立に関するお知らせ" [Capcom]

Wait, No, Europe May Not Be Getting Rock Band 2 In September

That Rock Band 2/European release news just had to be too good to be true, didn't it? Despite initial claims that the game would be released in Europe alongside the US launch in September, EA have since changed their tune, saying "There was a misunderstanding and there is no confirmed date for Europe". Sad, but also typical, even expected. If you're looking for more realistic release estimates, sometime/anytime in 2009 would probably get you the best odds with the bookies.

No Euro date for Rock Band 2 after all [Eurogamer] [Pic]

Microsoft: If We Launch A Game On 360 & PC Simultaneously, We Shoot Ourselves In The Foot

While many publishers today see the PC as a handy way to make a quick buck on the side - see Capcom for reference - not everyone thinks releasing major titles on console and PC simultaneously is a good idea. Like, Microsoft Europe don't. Indeed, Microsoft Europe's Peter Zetterberg thinks it's a terrible idea. Why? Because while many people have PCs, not so many people own 360s. Using the German market as an example, he says:

If we launch a game that is on 360 and PC simultaneously, we basically shoot ourselves in the foot by allowing the German market to choose to play the PC version – because they are more likely to buy that than spend their money on the Xbox 360.

Oh Peter.

MGS Europe: Simultaneous releases would "shoot ourselves in the foot" [GI.biz]

Europe Gets Rock Band 2 In September As Well

The first Rock Band's European roll-out was...less than ideal. So news of the sequel's announcement earlier today will, for a lot of Europeans, bring more questions than excitement. Questions like: what about a European release date? Wil it be released outside the UK, France and Germany? Will it be released in Europe at all? Well, yes (to one of those questions). No firm date as of yet, but EA have confirmed to VG247 that the game will be released in Europe in September, same month as it is in the US. Much better.

Rock Band 2 release is "the same for Europe" [VG247]

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe announced that the DualShock 3 for that region. The vibration function controller goes on sale in Europe from July 2nd. Says SCEE honcho David Reeves:

We are delighted to confirm that DUALSHOCK 3 will be released in SCEE territories in early July. We hope this will add to the intense gaming experience for our fans, as we continue to evolve PS3, its software and its peripherals.

We. Are. Confused. 2008 was supposed to be the last year the Games Convention was held in Leipzig. Starting next year, we were meant to get a bigger, badder European show in the more travel-friendly city of Cologne. We were happy with this news, we'd accepted it, were reading up on Cologne seeing who does the best fry-up breakfast. But now the organisers of Leipzig have announced that they'll be staying on, and will be holding another Games Convention in 2009. Which, if we're not mistaken, will give us two tradeshows in Germany next year. And we all know that, in the interests of good business, there can (and shold) be only one.

Leipzig Games Convention Not Moving [Next-Gen]

"We Are Going To Invest To Win in Europe"

Never mind that the analysts peg the Xbox 360 as Europe's "biggest loser", sales in the continent did double after the price cut. Microsoft is in for the long haul. Just listen to Xbox Europe's David Gosen (pictured) go on and on:

We have some very aggressive plans in terms of investing in this market to be successful. We are in Europe to win. We’re not here to come second or third... We are going to invest to win in Europe. There is no question about that.We understand the challenge in the region. We understand what we need to do to continue to drive the growth of the business. What we need to do is not just pay lip service to this but really invest.

Keyword here is "invest", it seems.

'Aggressive investment will ensure Xbox win' [MCVUK]

Microsoft Say Sony Are Fibbing, 360 Still In Lead In Europe

In May, Sony Europe boss David Reeves said the PS3 has now outsold the 360 in Europe. He said the PS3 had sold over five million units since launching in March 2007. And Microsoft Europe's David Gosen says he's lying. Speaking with MCV, Gosen says that the 360 has sold "well over" five million units in Europe, and goes on to boast "We are incredibly well positioned – our installed base in Europe is well over five million and contrary to what's been reported we are at least, if not more than, three quarters of a million ahead of PS3". One of these men is telling the truth. The other is not. And there's only one way to settle this. Like men. A challenge, a glove to the face then pistols at dawn.

360 cruises past 5 million in Europe [MCV]

Sega Disagrees With Nintendo's Euro Release Schedule

Whoops! Looks like Nintendo of Europe's upcoming summer (and beyond) release schedule doesn't quite line up with Sega's. The publisher tells Eurogamer that some of the products Nintendo was touting simply don't exist. Sonic Unleashed, for example, is not getting a Nintendo DS release, nor is Beijing 2008 on the Wii.

Both products have since been removed from Nintendo's software release list. We hope this wasn't too crushing of a blow for your future Nintendo hardware-based purchases.

SEGA comments on Nintendo date listing [Eurogamer]