Theancient sagaof PS3 cross-game chat has a new chapter today, with a man from Sonyalmostconfirming it, before being shut down. The bean-spiller is PSN product manager James Thorpe, responding to fan demand on thePlayStation Blogafter the latest Firmware details failed to mention any cross-game chat. “I wish I could just give you a date, I really do,” Thorpe told the howling fans. “Trust me when I say that as soon as I hear from ‘up top’ I will be shouting about it and making myself the most popular person on the blog....

The PlayStation 3 is more about downloading and installingFirmware(two separate processes, becausewhy not?) than playing videogames, and thanks to the console’s crappy infrastructure, there’s a whole lot of sitting around, watching a green bar slowly fill. Sony has admitted this is bad form, and promises the PS Vita won’t ruin your gaming plans quite so badly. “It’s very annoying when you only have one hour in your busy life to play a game, and when you have to spend thirty minutes out of that one hour to update the hardware,” offered Sony’s Shuhei Yoshida....

Announced at this year’s E3 as an Xbox LIVE Arcade exclusive, some details on Doublesix Games’ South Park title have been revealed. Well, two details at least. According to a listing on Xbox.com, theSouth ParkXBLA game will be a strategy game. While I’m not sure how that’s going to work, it’s good to hear that it won’t be a party game, a kart game, or — God forbid — another first-person shooter game....

For those awaiting the next installment of theBanjo-Kazooieseries, ithas been confirmedby Microsoft thatBanjo 3is “still on target” for a 2008 release. Microsoft expects the Rare platform game (about a bear that gets a bumming off a bird, I’ve been told) to be a holiday hit for the Xbox 360. Hopefully it adds a dab more color to a console full of gritty shooters and gritty industrial cities full of grit....

I’ll admit it, I don’t really know much aboutStreet Fighter Online. Hell, I don’t know much aboutStreet Fighterbesides what I’ve played ofSFIIand the characters who are inMarvel vs. Capcom. But I do know perverted Japanese things. You can rest assured on that one. What we’ve got herefrom Famitsuis a couple of items from theStreet Fighter Onlineitem shop. Available in the store are twp “Super-Exciting Rare Items” — otherwise known as barely-visible clothing for Chun-Li and Baichoufu....

When it comes to multiplayer shooters, there is always that one guy. You know the type: he’s been playing the game for a criminally long time, and all he does is camp out in some spot and snipe people from across the map. Sneaky jerk. I’ll admit it, however, sniping is one of the most satisfying ways to make a kill in videogames. It is that all-powerful feeling, knowing you are the god that rules over the battlefield, parsing out judgment to those who dare waddle before you — albeit halfway across the map....

Back in the good old days, games developers were bespectacled, hairy monstrosities that kept themselves safely locked away in perpetually dark bedrooms, their only relationship in life being a loyal devotion to endless streams of code for the latest Commodore 64 hits. While Jeff Minter does his best to keep those days alive, it cannot be denied that the birth of the Internet gave rise to a new breed of game developer: One with a captive audience, an opportunity to say whatever he or she felt like, and the 24 hour online access that made them feel as famous as The Brad Pitts....

I will have to echo myKotaku counterpart’sfeelings on this video and wonder how it took a week for us to find it. Unless of course I’m totally blowing up Hamza’s spot right now for theWeekend Destructainmentbecause he’s been waiting all week to show this to everyone. Well if I show up with a black eye at the next NARP and say I fell down the stairs, you’ll know the real story....

I absolutely love the Ace Attorney series, so I made sure to stop by Capcom’s booth to sample their latest entry,Ace Attorney Investigations 2. The booth itself was pretty fantastic, adorned with a giant inflatable Steel Samurai set against a backdrop designed to appear exactly like the opening sequence of the game. While I waited in line to play, I was treated to an interesting trailer, complete with voice-acting. Needless to say, it immediately got my hopes up....

Back in February, the Internets was blessed with a very humorous song called“How to kill a brand”by Doc Adams. That song was about how Sony has been (and pretty muchkindaishstill) isscrewing thingsup with the PlayStation 3. No doubt everyone was thinking that Doc Adams was just some littleXboxor Nintendofanboyspewing hishataradeon Sony. Well, Doc Adams is back and this time, the hatarade is targeted towards theXbox360. His new song is called“Ring of Fire”which is a parody based on the classicJohnny Cash songof the same name....

Those who argue against so-called “hardcore” games on the Wii have some fresh justification,with newsthatThe Conduitfailed to break into the top five Wii games for June and shifted a mere 72,000 copies. While some in our comments argue that the game was only released on June 23 (a fair point), it’s still not a glowing success for the game’s launch week. “In terms of top SKUs,The Conduitplaced at number 25,” said a spokesman for NPD....

If you haven’t checked it out yet, this PC case mod is straight outta Rapture.BioShockexcelled at creating a really deep, immersive experience. I can’t blame people for wanting to copy its aesthetic. Today on the Dtoidz, we have a review ofDisgaea 4, as well as previews of the PC version ofL.A. NoireandPixelJunk SideScroller. Destructoid Original:Art Juice: David Cage and the Serpent of Dawn Community:Community Blogs of9/29Forum thread of the day:Dark SoulsReviews:Review: Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten...

SighI have a god-awful f*cking memory. Yet again, I forgot to do a recap of Friday’s posts. I’m usually not this forgetful, but I’m just going to go ahead and blame my severe depression at the fact that I’m not celebrating down in Miami with the Dtoid staff. Ugh. You’ll get Friday’s posts below; as usual, today’s and tomorrow’s posts will be gathered together for Sunday night’s Weekend Hotness. [Editor’s note: This post originally went up on Saturday night, but then I just moved it back because of thelive streams of the three-year anniversary parties....