The Guildmasters

Hi all,
Just found this article this morning, enjoy:

Sony’s PlayStation Network is finally (mostly) back up on its feet, and now that gamers have had a chance to hop on, change their passwords, and resume some much-need online gaming, the attention turns to Sony’s “Welcome Back” program — the company’s way of apologizing for the downtime. The program offers a decent selection of free games and services to get Sony back in the good graces of PlayStation 3 and PSP owners.

If you own a PlayStation 3 and were affected by the downtime, you’ll be able to choose 2 free games from a selection of five, including:

* Dead Nation
* Infamous
* LittleBigPlanet
* Super Stardust HD
* Wipeout HD

PSP owners can cherry-pick a pair of games from this list of 4:

* LittleBigPlanet PSP
* ModNation Racers
* Pursuit Force
* Killzone Liberation

In addition to the free games, PSN users will also be granted access to a selection of PlayStation Network movies over an upcoming weekend, the specific titles of which will be revealed later. Also, gamers not currently subscribed to PlayStation Plus — Sony’s premium PSN service that grants game discounts and other perks — will get a free month to try it out, while existing Plus subscribers will get 60 additional days for free. Sony’s PlayStation Home virtual world will offer users 100 free items as well, so if you’ve never given it a try this will be your best opportunity. All of these freebies will begin flowing once the PlayStation Store is back up and running, the timetable for which has not been revealed.

In addition to Sony’s program, streaming service Hulu is offering users who have their Hulu Plus premium accounts synced with a PlayStation 3 a 25-day credit for the inconvenience of not being able to stream due to the network outtage. Hulu Plus subscribers will begin getting emails shortly that contain a link to redeem the credit.

Yes the highly anticipated game that many players have been waiting for is finally on the horizon.

White Knight Chronicles 2 is available from August 30th in the U.S. and can be pre-ordered now from Amazon.

Game Description

From Japan’s top developer Level 5 come an epic high production RPG with stunning visuals and over 30 hours of original gameplay. This follow up to the original White Knight Chronicles includes new features fans demanded and the return of its signature combination of single and multiplayer role playing. Experience the thrilling finale to the epic battle between light and darkness and awaken to your true calling as you unlock the true powers of the Incorruptus, a giant powerful knight from the ancient Dogma wars.

Features:

* Signature combination of single player and multiplayer returns allowing players to share characters from your single player game in multiplayer
* 2 games in 1! This game includes all the content from the first game with improved and enhanced features of the sequel adding up to over 100 hours of combined gameplay
* Improved gameplay mechanics that fans demanded makes battles more fast paced and dynamic
* Character can now select new skills and spells such as dual wielding weapons to make characters more customizable
* For the first time ever, create and customize your very own Incorruptus that you can use in both single and multiplayer modes

Hi all,
I’ve just been notified of the latest update from Sony, although they are not online as yet it doesn’t look like it will be too long now.

They have been testing all week and you can now sign in to install the latest update which is required for when they do go live again, you can download and install this latest update now via the PS 3

As well as this latest news I also read that the attackers/hackers used Amazon ‘cloud’ to launch their attack from, this was not from Amazon themselves I must say, the hackers just used Amazon.

Hopefully we will be able to play again very soon. Also in the news was that many PS3 owners are trading in their systems for Xbox 360’s, 200% more trade-ins than normal in fact, it’s a shame.

Tony:)

Hi all,
Here is a unique RPG which hits the shops in a couple of days. Rather than me give you the details it’s better to give you the official game description but without giving anything away this does sound like a great RPG.

Certainly if you enjoyed playing Heavy Rain then you will want to play this one.

Game Description:

Solving the mystery is more about mind than muscle in this detective saga where you don’t just uncover the evidence, you have to decide how to use it.

Enter the hard-boiled world of 1940s Los Angeles, a world where Hollywood was golden, hats were fedoras, and chin music was played by fist meeting jaw. Track a serial killer in an investigation where finding the next clue hinges on your ability to decide if people are lying or telling the truth.
While the story may be more about your smarts than your shot, you will still carry some iron. But thinking about bullets won’t save your skin when the heat is on.

Sony says 25 million more accounts hacked in security breach ahead of PlayStation attack.

NEW YORK (AP) — Sony Corp. said Monday that hackers may have taken personal information from an additional 24.6 million user accounts after a review of the recent PlayStation Network breach found an intrusion at a division that makes multiplayer online games.

The data breach comes on top of the 77 million PlayStation accounts it has already said were jeopardized by a malicious intrusion.

The latest incident occurred April 16 and 17 — earlier than the PlayStation break-in, which occurred from April 17 to 19, Sony said.

25 million more potential accounts? About 23,400 financial records from an outdated 2007 database involving people outside the U.S. may have been stolen in the newly discovered breach, including 10,700 direct debit records of customers in Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain, it said.

The outdated information contained credit card numbers, debit card numbers and expiration dates, but not the 3-digit security code on the back of credit cards. The direct debit records included bank account numbers, customer names, account names and customer addresses.

Company spokeswoman Taina Rodriguez said Sony had no evidence the information taken from Sony Online Entertainment, or SOE, was used illicitly for financial gain.

“We had previously believed that SOE customer data had not been obtained in the cyber-attacks on the company, but on May 1 we concluded that SOE account information may have been stolen and we are notifying you as soon as possible,” Sony said in a message to customers.

Sony said that it shut service Monday morning to Sony Online Entertainment games, which are available on personal computers, Facebook and the PlayStation 3 console. Its most popular games include “EverQuest,” “Free Realms” and “DC Universe Online.”

The company said it will grant players 30 days of additional time on their subscriptions, along with one day for each day the system is down. It is also creating a “make good” plan for its multiplayer online games.

On Sunday, Sony executives bowed in apology and said they would beef up security measures after an earlier breach caused it to shut down its PlayStation network on April 20. The company is working with the FBI and other authorities to investigate what it called “a criminal cyber attack” on Sony’s data center in San Diego, Calif.

The company said it would offer “welcome back” freebies such as complimentary downloads and 30 days of free service to PlayStation customers around the world to show remorse and appreciation.

PlayStation spokesman Patrick Seybold, in a blog post Monday, denied a report that said a group tried to sell millions of credit card numbers back to Sony.

He also said that while user passwords had not been encrypted, they were transformed using a simpler function called a hash that did not leave them exposed as clear text.

I’ll post more as and when I get it, it seems Trey was right when saying it could be a couple more weeks.

Tony:)