:

It was all about the games this week in PSPlandia. We heard updates upon updates from heavy-hitting franchise entries like Dissidia: Final Fantasy and Rock Band: Unplugged to the more niche titles like Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman: What Did I Do To Deserve This? and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (niche outside Japan, of course). And what's a Weekend Warrior without a dose of rumorlicious rumors? Yeah, the PSP2's been rumored for some time now but it just wouldn't die down. It's like the Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers of the rumor world.

Hardware:

• Another "insider source" has claimed that yes, dammit, the PSP2 does exist, it's coming this Christmas, and it has dual analogs, a touchscreen, and no UMD. No instant waffle-maker baking tray though. Link.
  

Software:

• This week in the Koller Report: Sony's first-party is as big as Microsoft and Nintendo's combined! Link.
• It's been a while since we've seen or heard of anything for CyberConnect2's upcoming .hack//Link for the PSP, but it made its presence known again this week via a new trailer. Link.
  
• The US website for Dissidia: Final Fantasy opened its virtual doors a while ago, but now it's giving gamers a glimpse at the game's projected release dates. Link.
  
• If you're still thinking that the Dissidia-like Tales of VS game from Namco Bandai was a late April Fools joke, then this official announcement should convince you that it's real. Link.
• Or maybe this character roster update will. Link.
  
• Or probably this trailer will, which, by the way, is in English. Hmm. Curious. Can anybody say "international release"? Link.
  
• Did GameStop just spill the launch date of LittleBigPlanet's PSP version? Seems that way. Then again, these are usually just placeholder dates. Link.
  
• Not to be outdone by all the publishers releasing PSP games this year, NIS America started teasing PlayStation Portable owners about a "unique and fun" title. Link.
• It turned out to be Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman: What Did I Do To Deserve This?, a remake of SCEJ's Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida. Link.
  
• With Monster Hunter Freedom Unite's launch only a couple of months away, Capcom's finally giving the game what it needs: promotion. Link.
• The US PlayStation blog's helping them out, too. Link.
  
• Electronic Arts finally dated Rock Band: Unplugged for the PSP. They went out for dinner, a movie, and a nightcap that ended with lots of acid and a bathtub. Link.
  
• Atlus has confirmed the addition of an auto-battle feature in the PSP remake of Persona. In the future, Persona 10 will play itself for you. Link.
• Square Enix's mysterious teaser screenshot finally showed up, and while it does come from the Official PlayStation Magazine, that doesn't automatically make it either a PS3 or PSP exclusive just yet. Well, like Journey said, don't stop believing. Link.
  

And now for something random:

• Imagine using your PSP as a controller for a toy car. Sony actually did that and more: they've even patented the thing. Stupid? Awesome? Both? You be the judge. I say "both", by the way. Link.

That's it for this week folks. Hopefully we get more game announcements and good news next week. Stay tuned!