New Rock Band tracks, the PSP version of The Con, and a pair of PSP demos are the highlights of this week's PlayStation Store update. The complete list of new additions is available in the full article.

Looks like The Con's gotten a confirmation. In addition to a confirmation, this contest of fighting prowess and conflagration of butt-whooping skills is sure to delight fans, as SouthPeak Interactive mentions the game as having a March 30 release date in the UK.

The game's story chronicles your own rise to infamy in the mean streets, as both a brawler in illegal street fights, and a hustler on and off the squared circle. You can choose to throw fights stylishly, or have them thrown for you, just to get money for your own purposes. All those dastardly deeds are completely legit, because conning people out of their cash is the name of the game, and you want to be the master of it.

As part of the release date for the Euro version of The Con, the load times have also been shortened. Furthermore, difficulty levels have also been altered somewhat, increasing both your stakes and the potential payoff for your actions. Now, just wait ten days, and you'll get what's yours. Don't worry, that isn't a con.

Having a grand time with new The Con screenshots, eh? Well, seeing people beat the hell out of each other sure can be fun for some, but publisher SouthPeak Games reiterates that there is more to this game than good ol' street fights.

Obviously, The Con is all about taking home all the Benjamins and not exactly about honor or values. So in fights, as much as it is important to win, players must also think about incurring tactical losses.

This skewing of priorities is supported by a betting system that allows players to gamble on either side of each fight. Players may fake punches, lower guards deliberately, and even initiate dives on the floor to lose.

However, these acts should be done in a convincing fashion. If the crowd don't take the bait, you will definitely lose all your winnings. Take note that battles are not always a one-on-one affair as a maximum of three fighters on each side may be involved.

As if the complex fighting and betting systems aren't enough, The Con boasts other features such as:

• Player Customization: The player's team of three characters can be molded with an exemplary range of appearance-altering options. Physique, clothing, and accessories are all up for modification and the ability to import photographs allows for an infinite number of player faces – familiar, famous, or otherwise.
• Multiplayer Mode: Takes a traditional route of providing one-on-one matches. Single-UMD game sharing is included, but players with two copies of The Con get the added benefit of being able to place unlocked items as a stake in their victory.
• Refined Version: As part of the enhancements introduced for the European release of The Con, players will find loading times have been shortened and tweaks have been made to the overall difficulty level.

Up for some fisticuffs (sorry, I can't think of a more "hardcore" word right now)? If you are, check out the new screenshots from The Con below.

   

The Con is SCEA's fighting game for the Sony PSP, developed by Think and Feel Inc., The Con has you play the role of a thug fighting for money. Remember that old van Damme movie "Lionheart"? It's kind of like that, except there's no obligatory van Damme butt shot in this game. Each of your unsanctioned street brawls can go two ways: either you knock out your enemy or take the fall to get your cut. If you take the latter choice, just make sure the crowd doesn't catch on to you.

The refined version of The Con is slated for a March 2 release.

More people beating the hell out of each other after the jump!

Independent videogame publisher SouthPeak Games came up with a press release today regarding three titles that it will be launching in UK beginning March. There's one slated for the PSP and the two others are both for Xbox 360 and Windows platform.

Sometime around early March, our UK friends will finally get their hands on The Con. In case you are not familiar with this one - if that's even possible - it is actually a fighting game developed by Think and Feel Inc. and originally published by SCEA.

Aside from ol' school street fighting, The Con requires players to have tactical expertise, physical skill, and psychological guile to succeed. Betting is also very much part of gameplay as it will influence the outcome of the game.

Moving on, the other two titles are Monster Madness: The Battle for Suburbia and Two Worlds. Given the popularity of these two, no lengthy introductions are necessary. But for those who are not in the know, Monster Madness is somewhat a homage to B-movie horror genre with four college kids battling it out against hordes of the undead using homemade weapons. It was developed by Artificial Studios and will be released sometime in April.

Lastly, Reality Pump's Two Worlds came from the RPG genre which boasts of an innovative MMORPG mode. The main storyline is spiced with side quests, customizable combat options, and a beautifully crafted world. It should be expected by May both on the X360 and PC platform.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today the release of The Con, an innovative 3D fighting game exclusively for the PSP system. Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment America and Think & Feel Inc., The Con combines the excitement of underground fighting with the intrigue of high- stakes gambling. Players compete in an underworld setting where fighting skills are equally matched by street smarts. During the fight, players can bet for or against themselves to take advantage of the odds and work the Con for the big payoff depending on if they win or lose.

In The Con, players create and customize their characters by learning and training reprogrammable fighting combinations based on five different brawling disciplines -- Street Boxing, Wrestling, Kick Boxing, Tae Kwon Do and Jeet Kune Do .

"With The Con, we have created a fresh new approach to the fighting genre on PSP with a gambling twist," said Susan Nourai, director, online and product marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "The Con lets gamers experience what it's like to be an ex-con fighter in it for the money where the outcome is not based on wins or losses, but rather how much money you make from working the crowd."

The Con is Sony Computer Entertainments upcoming fighting game for the PSP. This game will feature five different fighting styles: Boxing, Wrestling, Kickboxing, Tae Kwon Do, and Jeet Kune Do. The Con will allow you to train up your fighter either one on one or in teams of three, thus increasing the strategic element of the game. Players will also be able to engage in head to head fights via a multiplayer mode supporting two players.

Two very interesting features of this game are that you can bet on your own fights, thus being able to lose a fight to win big money, and being able to upload a photo from a pc (via the mem stick) to add to your in game character. The Con is due to be released in October 2005.