This week's PlayStation Store update features new content for Harmonix's Rock Band (X360, PS3), a new demo and the final update of Game Republic's Folklore (PS3).

As announced earlier this week, PS3 Rock Band owners can look forward jamming out with "Siva" by the Smashing Pumpkins, "Working Man" by Rush, and a cover of Coheed and Cambria's "Ten Speed (of God's Blood...)" priced at $1.99 per download.

Folklore fans can savor the title's final downloadable content update with two new add-on packs. "Nightmares" and "Visions of the Tower" each include four additional side quests, an extra Folk to capture and an alternative costume for your heroes. The packs are priced at $3.99 individually, or $5.99 for a bundle.

Finally, a demo for Pivotal Games' Conflict: Denied Ops (PC, PS3, X360) is now on the PlayStation Network for free download. A PC version of the demo was released late last week and is available for download at FileShack.

Steel Penny Games today revealed itself to the general public, announcing its intent to focus on digitally distributed titles. The developer represents the latest studio centered around digital distribution, a category that includes Blazing Lizard, the Kuju-owned doublesix, Wideload Shorts, and many others.

The first release out of Steel Penny, which was formed early last year by ex-Naughty Dog tools engineer Jason Hughes and background artist Andrew Gilmour, is a puzzle game starring the cat-dog duo Bruiser and Scratch (pictured above). It is slated to arrive on WiiWare in mid-2008.

Said to launch in early 2008, WiiWare marks Nintendo's latest addition to the online Wii Shop Channel. Unlike the Virtual Console portion, which sells straight ports of old games, WiiWare will focus on original titles.

Thus far, Virtual Console sales have brought in almost $32 million, and many are hoping for a repeat of that success with WiiWare. Advocates of digital distribution argue that such a model--recently introduced in the realm of consoles via Xbox Live Arcade, WiiWare, and PlayStation Network--allows for more creativity, lower project costs, shorter development time and higher returns.

Capcom sends along word that the promised demo of its anticipated slash-em-up sequel Devil May Cry 4 will be downloadable on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network this Thursday, January 24.

"The demo consists of a sampling of sections from the full game, chosen to showcase Devil May Cry 4's varied locales and allows gamers to familiarize themselves with Nero's unique abilities," said the company.

Capcom expects the Xbox 360 demo to arrive on Thursday around 2AM PST, with the PS3 version coming in a bit later, around 2 or 3PM PST. The full game, meanwhile, is slated to hit PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on February 5.

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A remake of Capcom's original NES classic Bionic Commando, entitled Bionic Commando Rearmed, is being developed for Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network, Capcom revealed today.

Not to be confused with the series update announced late last year, Rearmed is a reimagining of the original title, upgraded with 3D graphics a la many previous ports of its kind.

In addition to enhanced visuals, Bionic Commando Rearmed will also feature two player offline cooperative play, new uses for the bionic arm—such as tossing objects and enemies—and a reconstructed story that better resembles the original Japanese version; Nazis will be now called "Nazis," not "Badds".

Capcom expects to release Bionic Commando Rearmed this spring. Check back tomorrow morning for screenshots, artwork, and other media.

The first user-created content for the PlayStation 3 version of Epic Games' Unreal Tournament 3 has been released--but users still can't freely create their own. As reported, the tools to create PS3 content are still unavailable. Hobbyist designer Thomas "Setheran" Browett this week released a small deathmatch map named Spire (FileShack: PS3/PC) for PC. Epic then took the map and exported it to PS3 itself.

The good news is that Epic is almost ready to release the editor to the public. "We're waiting on some paperwork from Sony that will allow us to release an editor update so mod creators can do this cook process for themselves," Rein wrote in a forum post. "We expect to have that very soon."

Several more user-made pieces of content have been exported to PS3 by Epic then released; check out UT3 FileShack directory for both PS3 and PC versions of warby's DM-Elevation (PC/PS3), Kantham's VCTF-Slax (PC/PS3), Hourence's DM-Krodan (PC/PS3), and Kalcorp's Autoshields mutator (PC/PS3).

For usage instructions, continue on: ... Read more

With Harmonix's Rock Band (PS2, PS3, X360) officially headed to stores in the great white north today, Xbox Live director of programming Larry Hryb reports that all of downloadable content released thus far is now available through Canada's Xbox Live Marketplace.

Included in the deluge of new songs are offerings from David Bowie, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Wolfmother, The Police, Weezer, Radiohead, Ramones, and many more. Individual tracks sell for 160 Microsoft Points, whereas a pre-selected three-song bundle runs 440 Microsoft Points.

While Microsoft held off on releasing the content until the game was officially released in the country, Canadian PlayStation 3 owners have been able to purchase... Read more

Activision has detailed an upcoming song pack and single songs arriving as downloadable content on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 version of Neversoft's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PC, PS2, PS3, Wii, X360). Billed as coming "in time for the holidays," it's likely the songs will hit Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network sometime next week.

The Warner/Reprise Track Pack will include master track versions of mainstream rap-rock group Linkin Park's "No More Sorrow," heavy metal band Mastodon's "Sleeping Giant," and screamo goth poseurs The Used's "Pretty Handsome Awkward."

For single track downloads, three European bands have offered up tracks: "So Payaso," from Spanish rockers Extremoduro, "Antisocial" from French rock outfit Trust, and "Ernten Was Wir Säen" from the obviously German hip hop group Die Fantastischen Vier.

Both the track pack and single track downloads will sell for an unspecified amount, likely to be in line with previous pricing schemes. But in the spirit of Christmas, a cover of "We Three Kings" by Guitar Hero cover artist Steve Ouimette will be available for download free of charge.

Pre-paid PlayStation Network purchase cards are likely to be available in stores in the near future. Shacknews today received a $20 PSN gift card, accompanied by a holiday greeting card. The greeting card came with the signatures of Sony's public relation team members, but without an explanation of the PSN credit. (The whole envelope was, bafflingly, addressed to one David Ellison of Shacknews. We are fairly certain we do not employ anybody by that name.) [Update: According to the PlayStation Blog, the cards will be available at retail in early 2008.]

The cards may be spent on any PlayStation Store purchases, via either the PlayStation 3 online store or the PC-based PSP store, accommodating gamers without access to credit cards. For impressions of the recently-launched full downloadable PSP games, head over to the blog.

The lack of in-game access to Sony's XMB overlay on the PlayStation 3 prevents any kind of meaningful communication with other PlayStation Network users during gameplay. But that should change in the future, as Sony told Shacknews in a ShackBlog Q&A that this feature is a high priority for future PSN functionality.

"We are looking at a number of enhancements related to accessing some of the XMB features during gameplay, including messaging your friends," PlayStation Network director of operations Eric Lempel told the ShackBlog. "While there's no timeline to announce at this point, we've heard loud and clear from consumers that in-game XMB access is one of the most requested PS3 enhancements."

Access to the in-game XMB would presumably allow inviting friends to online matches, like Microsoft has implemented in Xbox Live. Head over to the ShackBlog to read the full Q&A for info on additional PlayStation Network issues.

The three-song Rock Band Punk Pack hit PlayStation Network today, making The Clash's "I Fought the Law," The Ramones' "Rockaway Beach," and a cover of Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen in Love" available to PlayStation 3 owners. The pack sells for $5.49, and each track is available separately for $1.99. The pack was also made available via Xbox Live this week.

Criterion Games' Burnout Paradise demo, which hit Xbox Live today, is also available. It weighs in at 764 MB in its PS3 form.

A number of cars and car packs for EA Black Box's Need for Speed ProStreet are available for purchase, with pricing ranging from $2.49 to $9.99. Check the PlayStation Blog for details; all cars can be obtained free by progressing in the game.

Finally, new High Velocity Bowling characters are available for $0.99 each.

As promised, a demo of Criterion's Burnout Paradise (PS3, X360) is now available for download from Xbox Live Marketplace. The PlayStation 3 demo is expected to arrive in today's PlayStation Store update, which hits later this afternoon.

Allowing players to sample game's open-world structure and its online multiplayer, the Xbox 360 demo weighs in 835 MB. For a taste of the demo, check out the latest trailer from publisher EA.

The full version of Burnout Paradise skids to retailers on January 22.

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Known for developing games like Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Zombie Ninja Pro-AM (PS2), Creat Studios has been given approval by Sony to publish its own downloadable games on PSN as well as those of other studios.

"We are very excited to become a PlayStation Network publisher," said Creat CEO Vladimir Starzhevsky in the announcement. "Digital distribution is a key component in our strategy of becoming a global leader in creating and providing interactive entertainment."

Details of the studio's first PSN title will be revealed shortly, according to the Canton, Massachusetts-based studio's website. Creat also developed the sequel to Konami's Coded Arms PSP shooter, called Coded Arms: Contagion (PSP).

U.K.-based developer Kuju Interactive has added a fifth studio to its roster of development houses, this one focused on digitally distributed titles. The studio, called doublesix, will develop downloadable games for PC, Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade platform, Sony's PlayStation Network, and Nintendo's WiiWare digital distribution channel.

"We believe that the future of digitally-distributed games promises to be more diverse than ever in respect to the scale and genre of development and with respect to the business models," said newly appointed doublesix studio head James Brooksby.

The new studio is made up of Kuju staffers from the teams that crafted the PSN downloadable shooter Nucleus as well as the recently released Geometry Wars: Galaxies (Wii, NDS). The studio is also responsible for creating the Nintendo-published Battalion Wars 2 (Wii).

Chemistry, Kuju London, Zoë Mode, Rail Simulator (Kuju Surrey), and now doublesix comprise Kuju's five U.K.-based development houses.

Idol Minds' injury-laden Pain will arrive in the PlayStation 3's online store this Thursday, November 29. Associate producer Jason Coker revealed the news on the official PlayStation blog, though he did not mention a price for the downloadable title.

The basic premise of Pain has players launching their avatars with a slingshot in an attempt to earn the most points through physics-based injury and destruction. The concept is similar to PopCap's Peggle (PC), only with a human avatar instead of a bouncing ball and a robust 3D cityscape replacing the colored 2D tiles.

SCE San Diego's intensely anticipated High Velocity Bowling may also arrive in the PlayStation Store this Thursday. Earlier this month, senior producer P.J. Snavely previously claimed the motion-controlled title could hopefully arrive this week.

A smorgasboard of downloadable content and on-sale items will arrive on the PlayStation Network today, joining the two already announced PlayStation Eye titles. Usually arriving on Thursday, the store received its update early due to the Thanksgiving week, as detailed in the official PlayStation blog.

Most notable are the Rock Band (PS2, PS3, X360) downloadable tracks, which are already available on Xbox Live and listed in our post earlier today. Every track from the Xbox update has made its way to the PlayStation Store as well, with prices of $5.49 for the three-song Police, Queens of the Stone Age, and Metallica packs. Individual songs are priced at $1.99.

For a holiday gift to PS3 owners, Sony cut the prices of three notable titles in half and reduced the cost of another, making each in the lot available for $4.99. The... Read more

Sony Computer Entertainment America has just launched the PSP version of the online PlayStation Store, allowing PSP owners to download everything from full-fledged PSP games to demos and themes.

PC users can access the online marketplace store.playstation.com. Those with an account for the PS3's online store can use their existing login, and downloaded content is transferred to an attached PSP via the PlayStation Network Downloader program available on the site.

Initial offerings include downloadable versions of SCE Studio Liverpool's already-released Wipeout Pure and Gangs of London, at $14.99 and $19.99 respectively, as well as the $9.99 PlayStation Store-exclusive Syphon Filter: Combat Ops multiplayer game and free demos of Slant Six's SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Tactical Strike and Sony Bend's Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow.

SingleTrac's Twisted Metal 2 and Insomniac's Spyro the Dragon, both of... Read more

Though new content usually arrives on the PlayStation Store every Thursday, at least a couple games will be coming early this holiday week, according to SCEA assistant producer Greg Lutton on the official PlayStation Blog. Both titles--Operation: Creature Feature and Aquatopia--make use of the PlayStation Eye accessory and presumably come from Sony's internal studios.

Operation: Creature Feature has gamers directing tiny monsters through levels with their hands using the PlayStation Eye and will cost $4.99. More of an interactive fish tank than a game, Aquatopia lets players interact via the Eye with a virtual school of sea creatures and will cost $1.99.

Both titles should be arriving on the PlayStation Network later today.

Though a lucky few managed to obtain Rock Band (PS2, PS3, X360) before its official Tuesday release due to negligent store employees, some of these pre-release buyers have experienced problems with the new guitar's strum bar. These problems may very well be fixed with a day-one patch for all versions of the game, according to multiple posts by a senior Harmonix employee on the SomethingAwful forums.

"For the two pre-release people that had issues with their guitar - I'd wait until Tuesday before sending your guitars back," writes Harmonix employee CptUnderpant. "I believe there may be a title update on day 1 that makes things happy for you again. Such is the life of retailers breaking street date and making life hard for us."

In another post, the employee goes on to specify the patch has been submitted to both Microsoft and Sony for automatic download from Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. The PlayStation 2 version retails later on December 18, giving time for the update to be included in the retail package.

"We've submitted it for both platforms along with our day 1 DLC, so exact times are now up to Microsoft and Sony," the second post reads. "The PS2 version includes the update on the disc."

This week's PlayStation Store update brings two playable demos to the PlayStation Network, both of which should be available for download some time today.

The update includes a demo of Ubisoft Montreal's air combat sim Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII (PC, PS3, X360) and a demo for Game Republic's upcoming downloadable toy car racer Toy Home. Blazing Angels 2 has already hit stores, while the full version of Toy Home has yet to be available for download.

The full version of Toy Home is slated to be available on the PlayStation Store some time this month. The availability of a demo for the title is somewhat unusual, as most PlayStation Network exclusive games have not been accompanied by playable demos.

Joining the newly available Foo Fighters and Velvet Revolver song packs for Neversoft's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PC, PS2, PS3, X360), the Boss Battle Track Pack is now available as a free download on Xbox Live.

The 72MB download contains the three boss battle songs from the career mode and allows gamers to play them as quickplay tracks or in multiplayer matches. The pack includes Steve Ouimette's cover of the Charlie Daniels Band's "Devil Went Down to Georgia", and the two original compositions by Tom Morello and Slash.

The three-song pack is not yet available for download on the PlayStation Network, though Activision said it should arrive this month as well.