I have no idea what Solid Snake is doing with an iPod, but here are some new screenshots from Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3) that show off all sorts of product placement.

To be honest, I'm just as confused as you are. Will these items actually be in Kojima Productions' finished game, which is due out June 12? Or are the shots merely some marketing thing? Kojima-created Photoshops?

Either way, we're likely to get more details tomorrow in the wake of publisher Konami's upcoming press event.

When Neversoft's Guitar Hero IV (PS2, PS3, X360, Wii) arrives this fall, it may compete with Harmonix's Rock Band (PS2, PS3, X360, Wii) for more than just retail dominance--the battle of the bands may very well extend into your living space.

As revealed earlier this week, Neversoft's Guitar Hero IV (PS2, PS3, X360, Wii) will bring drum, vocal, and music creation support to the franchise. Now it appears GH4 may not be compatible with the Rock Band drum kits that are already in the homes of many gamers.

A picture of the wireless Guitar Hero IV drum kit, located within the pages Game Informer magazine's June issue, reveals it to have three drum pads, two cymbal pads and a foot pedal. That gives the kit a higher number of inputs and a different physical arrangement than the Rock Band drum set, which has four drum pads and a foot pedal.

Given these differences, it does not appear likely that Guitar Hero IV will be compatible with Rock Band's drum kits, especially taking the companies' past feuding into account. Shacknews has contacted both Harmonix and Neversoft owner Activision for comment.

The PlayStation 3 hardware has sold over 12.85 million units worldwide since its 2006 debut, Sony has revealed. The figures were included within its results for the 2007 fiscal year, which concluded on March 31, 2008.

As both Nintendo and Microsoft have already chimed in with their worldwide sales figures as of March 31, 2008, the worldwide install bases of the three major home consoles are:

1. Wii - 24.45 million
2. Xbox 360 - 19 million
3. PlayStation 3 - 12.85 million

In its 2007 fiscal year, Sony's Game division had an operating revenue of $12.83 billion and posted a $1.24 billion loss.

Across that time, Sony sold 13.73 million PlayStation 2 units, 13.89 millions PSP units, and 9.24 million PlaySation 3 units. Lifetime sales were not available for PS2 and PSP, as this is the first year Sony reported sales figures instead of shipment... Read more

Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3) may not land until June 12, but don't let that get you down. Here, have a new trailer. It comes straight from publisher Konami!

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Not content to let Microsoft hog the media spotlight, Electronic Arts has released another character trailer for EA Canada's cartoony boxing title FaceBreaker.

The footage introduces the chubby and ninjastastic boxer Steve, who can be seen taking out his aggression on a young schoolgirl.

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Developed by EA Canada, FaceBreaker is planned to hit PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii in September.

Atari has issued new Alone in the Dark gameplay videos, showing facade survival and parking footage. Developed by Eden Games, the new Alone in the Dark will be released soon for PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 and Wii with a PlayStation 3 release following later this year.

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Neversoft's Guitar Hero IV (PS3, PS2, X360, Wii) will feature custom song creation and multiple instruments when it arrives this fall, according to the June issue of Game Informer magazine.

As relayed by trustworthy NeoGAF user SolidSnakeX, the fourth Guitar Hero title will expand the series' offerings to include drum and vocal gameplay in addition to bass and guitar. It is not known if the controllers for Harmonix's multi-instrument music title Rock Band will be compatible.

The song creation functionality will somehow allow users to customize everything but vocals, though the specifics of this remain unclear. Users will... Read more

Reversing today's trend of rumors and unofficial assets, publisher Atari has issued several flame-filled screenshots from Eden Studios' Alone in the Dark.

The reimagining of the classic survival horror franchise is set to hit PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 and Wii on June 24, with a PlayStation 3 version following later this year.

The first screenshots and artwork from Gothic 4 have surfaced, providing the first glimpse at the action-RPG sequel announced last August.

Handled this time around by Spellbound Entertainment instead of series creator Piranha Bytes, Gothic 4 is slated to hit PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Electronic Arts has announced that it is developing a direct sequel to EA Black Box's skateboarding title Skate (PS3, X360), referred to as simply Skate 2, along with separate Wii and Nintendo DS entries titled Skate It.

The Wii and Nintendo DS iterations of the series (both pictured below) are due out later this year. The Nintendo DS version will use the portable's touch screen to control tricks.

Along with motion-sensitive controls that "mirror actual skate flips and moves," the Wii edition of Skate It will support the Wii Balance Board that comes packed with Wii Fit.

As for Skate 2, it was only revealed that the sequel is due on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Released last fall, Skate and its thumbstick-centered control scheme outsold the competing Tony Hawk game by a ratio of 2:1, prompting Activision to halt its annual Tony Hawk iterations and rework the series. EA had previously noted that it planned more Skate games.

Several new screenshots of Slant Six Games' SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation have been released, showcasing a few of the game's urban battlefields.

The online multiplayer-only shooter will be available as a retail release and a PlayStation Network download on September 16.

Sony Computer Entertainment president Kaz Hirai (pictured left) said that the company is aiming to compete in a wider entertainment space than just console gaming, MCV reports.

Speaking at the PlayStation Day event earlier this week, the president stressed that that Sony's consoles compete with more than just Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii hardware.

"I think that PS3, PS2 and PSP are all entertainment platforms so I feel that our competition is not Microsoft or Nintendo, but basically any form of entertainment that is competing for the consumers' attention," Hirai said.

"So we need to make sure we offer the most compelling entertainment—not video game entertainment but in entertainment in general," he added. "I can't speak for [Nintendo and Microsoft's] strategy but I like to think that we've got a very well balanced portfolio with PS3, PSP and you can't discount the PS2."

Continuing its weekly tradition, developer Harmonix has revealed the three new downloadable tracks that will be available for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 editions of Rock Band next week.

All three songs are original master track recordings:

• "Hanging on the Telephone" by Blondie
• "Train in Vain" by The Clash
• "Kool Thing" by Sonic Youth

"I like Sonic Youth," commented aspiring comedian Reid Faylor, "but it's just noise."

Per usual, the tracks will be sold separately for 160 Microsoft Points ($1.99) and will be available from the Xbox Live Marketplace on Tuesday, May 13, followed by a PlayStation Store release on Thursday, May 15.

Coming this June for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS is Top Spin 3, the newest installment in 2K Sports' tennis game franchise. Here are new screenshots, and you can stream the debut trailer below.

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Wrapping up today's trio of trailers, Sony Computer Entertainment sent over a video of MotorStorm 2, showing off the game in its pre-alpha, 40%-complete state.

Retitled MotorStorm Pacific Rift (PS3), the island-based racer followup is due out later this year.

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Sure, Guerrilla Games' long-anticipated shooter Killzone 2 (PS3) may not hit until February 2009, but at least we have some new gameplay footage.

That is, assuming you make it past the first forty-and-some-odd seconds of logos.

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While Media Molecule's physics-happy platformer LittleBigPlanet (PS3) just suffered a little delay, this new trailer shows the game is just as jovial and cheerful as ever.

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LittleBigPlanet is expected to arrive in Europe this October. A specific North American release date has not yet been announced, though the game is planned for a global fall release on Blu-ray.

Sony Computer Entertainment announced today that Polyphony Digital's driving simulation series Gran Turismo has shipped over 50 million units across the world.

The franchise debuted in 1997 on the original PlayStation, and made the shift to PlayStation 2 with Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec in 2001. The series' first PlayStation 3 retail release recently arrived in the form of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, which is meant as a sample of the eventual Gran Turismo 5.

While North America has only received five Gran Turismo games so far, Japan and Europe have seen seven due to Gran Turismo Concept 2001 Tokyo (PS2) in 2002 and Gran Turismo 4 Prologue (PS2) in 2003.

Sony noted that of the 50 million units shipped, 2 million of those were Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. However, it was not clear if Prologue's contribution only referred to physical copies, or if it included digital downloads of the title through the online PlayStation Store.

Ubisoft has sent out five new screenshots from Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway (PC, PS3, X360), Gearbox Software's upcoming World War 2 action game. The third Brothers in Arms game is currently set for an August release.

The next entry in the Activision-owned wartime shooting franchise Call of Duty will take place in a "new military theater," according to Activision Publishing CEO and president Mike Griffith.

Speaking during a conference call yesterday, Griffith said that the unnamed sequel, which many unofficially refer to as Call of Duty 5, will arrive on PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, and Nintendo DS later this year.

The CEO did not elaborate further on the game's setting. His comments suggest that, contrary to past reports, the title may not return to the World War II setting featured in the first three Call of Duty titles.

As pointed out by Gamasutra, no details were provided as to which studio is developing the game. Job listings have indicated that Call of Duty 3 developer Treyarch may be returning to the franchise, with speculation that series creator and Call of Duty 4 developer Infinity Ward is already working on Call of Duty 6.