So, you wish there was a way to enjoy on-demand video on your PSP without having to carry UMD movies around? European handheld owners need not wait too long for on the go video as Sony announces that its Go!View service in partnership with Sky will go full swing this summer. Details after the jump.

Yes, we can't wait for August 21 to come around, especially those of us lucky enough to receive advance holiday tickets for the Games Convention 2008 event. In anticipation of yet another high turnout this year, the folks at Leipzig are hard at work in making sure the venue will be a great (and safe) place to check out what's new in the gaming world. Details in the full article!

Along with the three Go! Services announced during the Leipzig Games Convention, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) also announced an exciting new feature for the PlayStation 3: a TV Tuner combined with a Personal Video Recorder. Called PlayTV, the service virtually transforms the PS3 into a game console/TiVo hybrid.

The service will be available in the UK, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain in early 2008. The service will be available to other PAL territories that support Digital Video Broadcasting in the future. PlayTV picks up Terrestrial video format (DVB-T) which is organized with the Electric Programme Guide EPG2.

Aside from being able to play and record High Definition format for the Sony PS3, PlayTV also has tutorial videos and can connect with the PSP to watch Live and recorded TV programs via Wi-Fi. The Programme Guide will also provide numerous information about the programs users watch and record. All these with the ease of use of the controller or the BD remote controller.

Crash may not be as iconic as Mario or Sonic, but he's one mean bandicoot. Plenty of fans should be delighted with his comeback in Crash of the Titans (Xbox 360, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS), and for a good reason. For everyone else alien to what this title is, here's a trailer that Vivendi Games showcased at the Games Convention '07 in Leipzig.

Doctor Neo Cortex is back with his evil schemes. In this video, he captures Crash in an attempt to make our orange hero suffer yet again. Things went sour with the mad scientist's evil inventions however, making everything backfire. Instead of doing some hurting, Crash just got stronger. Monsters under the doctor's control couldn't do anything to stop the escape.

From what we can see, quirky humor is still going to earn Crash of the Titans some laughs. Expect the game in North American shelves this October 2.

Buy: [Crash of the Titans (PSP)]
Buy: [Crash of the Titans (DS)]
Buy: [Crash of the Titans (Xbox 360)]

Roll out the red carpet! Leipzig Messe has just announced the winners for the "Best of GC" during the Leipzig Games Convention 2007. The awards span across all current generation platforms and other industry-related tidbits showcased during the event, all dispersed under ten respective categories.

Among the list of 85 hardware and software entries, a lineup of finalists have been revealed. And with those finalists, it seemed to be a tough call on which to choose as the winner. Each of the finalists had their own big plus to bring into the table, that's for sure. Regardless, the winners have already been announced.

Here's the full list of winners of the Best of GC, each in their own category:

• God of War: Chains of Olympus (Sony Computer Entertainment) - PSP
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami) - PS2
  
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami) - PS3
• BioShock (Take-Two Interactive) - Xbox 360
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega) - Nintendo Wii
• Eye Training (Nintendo) - Nintendo DS
• Crysis (Electronic Arts) - PC
• Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures (Eidos) - Online
• Wii Balance Board - Hardware/Accessory/Product

An award was supposed to have been given for the Mobile category, however, there weren't enough participants to have warranted the prize.

SCEE new Go!Explore feature for the PlayStation Portable is a powerful and fully functional Satellite Navigation system. In a partnership with TeleAtlas and NavNGo, the PSP is transformed into a state of the art GPS utility for in-car use or simple pedestrian walks.

The device offers 3D mapping that pinpoints various places of interest ranging from gas stations to restaurants. It even lets you plan out a route for you in advance, letting you "fly" over the city. In the demonstration featured here in the Leipzig Games Convention, the Go!Explore function is used to navigate from London's Houses of Parliament to Trafalgar Square. Check it out, it's pretty cool.

Unfortunately, like the PS3's PlayTV and the PSP video download service, this service is also, at least for now, exclusive to Europe.

Thanks to daspixel for uploading the demonstration in YouTube.

 

Organizers Leipziger Messe GmbH has preempted the opening of the exhibition leg of the Leipzig Games Convention (GC) with an official announcement. It has been revealed that there's a 34% rise in this year's GC exhibitor list, prompting an anticipated crowd of 200,000 or more to arrive at the trade fair grounds over the four day affair.

"This year I am convinced that we will have up to 200,000 visitors at the GC," said managing director Josef Rahmen. He reveals that 9,000 of the said number will be trade visitors, while 2,800 will be from the press and media from over 35 countries worldwide. As reported before, Leipzig has a starry lineup of 410 exhibitors, although Nintendo is not one of them.

In contrast, last year's Leipzig trade fair reeled in 183,000 people from the world over, with 2,600 from the media. The exhibitors peaked at 368, and the entire 2006 Games Convention bested the 2006 Tokyo Game Show in numbers. Will the turnout be as expected or exceed overall expectations? Since time is ticking closer to the exhibition's opening, we'll find out real soon.

More updates follow at the Full Article!

Level 5's latest offering to Sony's handheld is now on shelves, and some even already have their hands on Jeanne D'Arc for their PSPs. For those who've never heard of the game, or turned their backs after hearing "turn-based strategy," you may want to check out this trailer from Games Convention '07 in Leipzig that could change your mind.

Known for games with cutesy anime-esque characters involved in strong and engaging plots, it's pretty much safe to assume that Level 5 will recreate the story of French heroine Joan of Arc into epic proportions filled with strategy and RPG elements. This brief trailer introduces the game with a narrative, before showing off some insane gameplay footage.

Fans of the genre would love Jeanne D'Arc's graphics, throwing other pseudo-3D SRPGs out of the water. Special effects are also topnotch, with impressive audio to boot. Give it your verdict after watching the video below.

 

No matter what your game platform for this generation is, you've got a game lined up to be the most critically acclaimed at Leipzig. The Games Convention, very much like E3's Best of E3, will brand deserving games as the Best of GC 2007. But it won't be limited to just interactive entertainment: a Best of GC award will be pinned on a worthy hardware peripheral used in gaming.

Across 10 categories, there are at least two finalists queued up to win an award at the ceremony once it commences on August 24. And games from attending companies such as Take-Two Interactive, Konami Digital, Sony, Nintendo, SEGA, Namco Bandai, Eidos Interactive, Blizzard, and Crytek - among others - stand a chance to tout their creations as one of the best featured in the Leipzig Games Convention.

Get the full list of finalists at the full article!

Climax Studios CEO Karl Jeffery has something to say about the leaked demo of Silent Hill Origins that has been made playable on homebrew-capable PlayStation Portables. The game demo, initial reports mentioned, was smuggled during the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany.

Jeffery told online site Games Industry that the stolen demo didn't come from their studio because what was shown at the event belongs to Konami. The CEO explained, "All I can say is that code did not leak from Climax - 100 per cent guaranteed. The code that is out there is fingerprinted and was supplied solely to Konami for marketing purposes".

Karl Jeffery mentioned that the leak first appeared on torrent sites last August 19 and was literally devoured by PSP users. One unnamed site, according to reports, enjoyed more than 1,200 downloads during the outbreak. Why did this happen? Climax Studios doesn't know for sure but the CEO said that this has never happened to them before.

"At Climax we have strong and proven security procedures that protect all of our code, assets, and builds. We have developed over 100 titles in 20 years in business and have never had a leak or theft from inside the company", said Jeffery. Silent Hill Origins is expected to officially hit retail stores later this year.