Some brand new high-resolution screenshots from Battlefield: Bad Company. The game is due out on PS3 and Xbox 360 later this year.

With the release of the v1.92 firmware update for the PS3, Sony has put up a backwards compatibility site, allowing users to search for PS1 and PS2 titles to check their compatibility status on the new console.

Also, at the bottom of the page, the company notes that it is working with publishers and peripheral manufacturers to let gamers play peripheral-based PS1/PS2 games on the PS3.

Apparently, Retro Studios was serious when it said it wasn’t working on another Metroid game at the moment. Nintendo has told CVG that despite hints in Metroid Prime 3 they aren’t developing a 2D Metroid for DS.

Rumours of a 2D Metroid for DS, entitled Metroid Dread, ran rife at E3 2005 with the game supposedly turning up on a leaked release list, and later turning up on ‘insider’ blogs.

All talk of the game ceased until recently when, hidden deep within the Space Pirate-infested depths of MP3, a secret message that can be found using Samus’ scan visor hinted: “Experiment status report update: Metroid project ‘Dread’ is nearing the final stages of completion.”

Today marks the release of “Deception”, the newest episode in Myst Online: Uru Live. Containing new puzzles, new Ages and brand new storylines, the episode is set to serve as a lead-in to the season finale to the game next month.

A trailer for Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath is available, showing off in-game footage. The game is due out next year on PC and Xbox 360.

Variety reports that Andrzej Bartkowiak, the director behind the Doom film adaptation, has been signed by Hyde Park Entertainment and Capcom to direct Street Fighter, an upcoming live-action treatment of the legendary game. Bartkowiak’s past credits also include Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds and Cradle to the Grave, as well as contributions to Lethan Weapon 4 and Speed, among other films.

The site states that production on the film is set to begin early next year and that Fox is distributing. Justin Marks has penned the script; he has been involved in other videogame and comic book adaptations including Voltron and He-Man.

This marks the second film in the game’s long-run. The first was a complete disaster - starring Van Damme - and is widely considered to be the worst “video game film” of all time. This time around, they are focusing mainly on Chun-Li as she embarks on a “quest for justice.”

Want to rock? Harmonix, MTV and EA have heard you! The trio has announced that Rock Band will be hitting the road on a coast-to-coast tour to give consumers the chance to try out the upcoming music game. Additionally, they are also asking budding musicians to participate in a “Rock Off” audition for an opportunity to appear on MTV’s TRL. Two selected bands will participate in a live “Battle of the Bands” with the top group being asked to open for one of rock’s biggest bands at the Rock Band launch concert this Holiday season.

The tour will kick off this Sunday at Las Vegas during the “2007 MTV Video Music Awards” weekend. Rock Band outfitted tour rigs will spread across the country on a 24 city tour to give music fans the chance to play on a full concert style stage with all of the lights and sound systems they’re used to seeing in regular concerts.

As for the “Rock Off” auditions, participants will be asked to perform on the tour bus main-stage where they will be captured on video and viewed by MTV casting directors. Two bands will be chosen and flown to New York City to spend a day with a real rock band and receive rock star training. The auditions will culminate with the bands rocking on-air on MTV’s TRL, with one opening for the main band at the Rock Band launch concert.

Full details and dates of the tour just after the jump.
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With the game due out next month, Konami released further details regarding PES 2008, the highly anticipated entry in the football series. Here’s the whole deal:

Following the announcement of Cristiano Ronaldo as the European face of the new game, Konami has also extended the number of officially licensed national and club teams in the game. PES 2008 will boast more licenses than ever before, with Brazil, Portugal, Greece, Scotland and Ireland amongst the new officially licensed National teams on offer. Similarly, the roster of licensed club teams has also been bolstered, with Newcastle, Tottenham, RSC Anderlecht, HJK Helsinki, IFK Goteborg, Panathinaicos, Spartak Moscow, Fenerbache, NK Dinamo Zagreb and FC Basel amongst those added to the ranks.

The new licensed club sides join the likes of Juventus Turin, AC Milan, Celtic, Porto and more, and demonstrate Konami’s commitment to adding the world’s greatest teams to what is regarded as the most realistic football game for any system. The new teams also combine to ensure PES 2008 has over 3000 licensed players realistically replicated within the game, and over 250 teams.

PES 2008 will mark a quantum leap forward for the Pro Evolution Soccer series. An all-new AI system entitled Teamvision has been designed to actively monitor the player’s onscreen movements and adapt accordingly. This means players cannot resort to overly-familiar tactics, and forces them to change their movements if they are to pose offensive threats. New set pieces have also been implemented, with players selecting key players to receive free kicks, and tailoring defensive walls to their specific needs. Coupled with a massively enhanced aesthetic upgrade that includes facial animation and shirts creasing, plus an extensive edit mode, and PES 2008 is already shaping up to retain its footballing crown.

PES 2008 will be released for PS2, PSP, PS3, Xbox 360, PC and DS this October.

Long-in-development MMORPG Tabula Rasa has finally gotten a release date: October 19, with pre-order customers beginning their three-day head start on October 16.

Gaming legend Richard Garriott is behind Tabula Rasa, which combines a vast, persistent game world with a narrative and fast-paced action. It is set in the near-future, having players create characters that must fight to save humanity against hostile alien enemies while trying to gain control of the universe. The game features several unique elements like a Character Cloning System that allows players to explore different character classes without having to create a new character, and dynamic battlefields.

The game will be available in the two usual versions: standard and Limited Collector’s editions. Both versions will require a monthly subscription to play.

Hoping to cater to more gamers, Bethesda sent out a press release announcing their intentions of releasing the retail disc of Shivering Isles for the Xbox 360. Gamers will be able to play the award-winning expansion to Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion without having to access Xbox Live. It will also include the downloadable content, Knights of the Nine.

With more than 30 hours of new gameplay, Shivering Isles allows you to explore an entirely new plane of Oblivion - the realm of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness. Shivering Isles features a bizarre landscape split between the two sides - Mania and Dementia -filled with vast, twisting dungeons mirroring the roots of the trees they are buried within. Sheogorath himself looks to you to be his champion and defend his realm and its inhabitants from destruction as you discover all new items, ingredients, spells, and much more.

Knights of the Nine features an all-new faction and quests for noble characters and answers many of the questions surrounding the Ayleid ruins found throughout Oblivion. Players can join a new faction and found their own order of holy knights - leading them into battle against a sorcerer-king and his demonic minions while exploring massive dungeons and searching for legendary relics - the holy armor and weapons of the Divine Crusader.

The Shivering Isles disc will be available in stores this October.

Another title to hit Q1 2008 is Lost Empire: Immortals, a new 4X strategy game signed by Paradox Interactive. In development at Pollux Gamelabs, the game tells the story of six playable races as they vie for domination of a vast empire. There will be various technologies that can be researched from a multilevel science tree as well as use the leaders of the empire as diplomats, space engineers, archaeologist and more.

“Pollux Gamelabs have impressed us immensely in the past, and we are confident that this title will be well received in the strategy gaming community worldwide”, said Fredrik Wester, Executive Vice President.

“Paradox has vast experience in doing strategy games, as well as great knowledge of the strategy game market. Their track record as well as being trustworthy makes them ideal publishing partner for Pollux and our upcoming title Lost Empire: Immortals”, said Søren Bisgaard, CEO Pollux Gamelabs. “This will be our best work yet and we look forward to reaching a global market together with Paradox”.

Lighthouse Interactive and dtp Entertainment send word that Belief & Betrayal, their upcoming adventure game involving faith and conspiracy, has a new release date in North America, UK and other European territories. Originally set for release later this year, the game is now scheduled to hit stores during Q1 2008.

Apparently, the game is already available in some European countries where it has received “rave reviews”. It takes a page from The Da Vinci Code, a popular novel from Dan Brown, as players take on the role of Jonathan Danter, as he becomes part of a great conspiracy that involves Christ.

Those who like to listen to their music from the comfort of their own homes will be delighted to know that EMI Classics has collaborated with Video Games Live and IMG Artists to release a compilation album containing the best performances from the video game concerts. Simply dubbed Video Games Live: Greatest Hits - Volume One, the compilation will feature some of the show’s best segments exclusively created and uniquely arranged with the original composers, most of which have never been released before.

The CD is set to include medleys from big names such as Zelda, Mario, Halo, Sonic, Warcraft and many more. It is being compiled by the show’s co-creators Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall and will feature performances by the Slovak National Orchestra as well as the Crouch End Chorus and Martin Leung, the “Video Game Pianist.”

The album is set for release on October 15.