Downloadable Jimi Hendrix and The Raconteurs tunes will hit the just-launched Guitar Hero World Tour next month, publisher Activision Blizzard has revealed.

Following the R.E.M. Track Pack on October 30--a two-week Xbox 360 exclusive--and Oasis Track Pack on November 6, the Jimi Hendrix Track Pack will arrive for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 owners on November 13, while November 20 will see the release of The Raconteurs Track Pack for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii.

While The Raconteurs tracks will be available on all three platforms for individual purchase, the announcement indicates that the Hendrix tunes will only be sold in bundle form and will not be available on Wii.

Jimi Hendrix Track Pack - November 13 (440 MS Points / $5.50)
• If 6 was 9
• Little Wing
• Fire (Live)
The Raconteurs Track Pack - November 20 (440 MS Points / $5.50)
• Salute Your Solution - 160 MS Points / 200 Wii Points / $2
• Hold Up - 160 MS Points / 200 Wii Points / $2
• Consoler of the Loneley - 160 MS Points / 200 Wii Points / $2

Rock Band developer Harmonix has lifted the veil off the upcoming week's downloadable tracks for the music-rhythm series.

From the It's About Damn Time department, Blink-182's "Dammit" shows up to the party. Also arriving are a track from The Psychedelic Furs, two from Silversun Pickups, and three from Siouxsie and the Banshees.

• Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Hong Kong Garden"
• Siouxsie and the Banshees - "The Killing Jar"
• Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Kiss Them For Me"
• Blink-182 - "Dammit"
• The Psychedelic Furs - "Pretty In Pink"
• Silversun Pickups - "Melatonin"
• Silversun Pickups - "Well Thought Out Twinkles"

All tracks are masters and retail for 160 Microsoft Points ($2). The three Siouxsie and the Banshees songs will be available in a pack for 440 Points ($5.50).

As always, they'll be available for both Rock Band games on Xbox 360 on Tuesday, October 28 and PlayStation 3 on Thursday, October 30.

Another Thursday, another update to Sony's online store for downloadable products of all shapes and sizes.

This week offers real variety with the PS3 debut of Penny Arcade Adventures, Yoda coming to Soul Calibur IV, Mega Man 9 DLC, new Civilization Revolution DLC, and a Valkyria Chronicles demo getting opened up to the masses who don't want to buy Sony's Qore video magazine.

Another Thursday, another full listing of downloadable content... Read more

Ending the tyranny of system exclusive characters, Star Wars icons Darth Vader and Yoda make the leap to the other versions of Soul Calibur IV today, with Yoda hitting PS3 and Vader arriving on Xbox 360 as a $5 downloadable add-on.

The two join an existing array of downloadable content for the 3D fighter, including new costumes, many of which are commemorated in this new trailer from publisher Namco.

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Midway's cult-classic fighter Mortal Kombat II was one of the top-selling downloadable games in the PlayStation 3's online store, that is, until it mysteriously disappeared in the wake of last week's PlayStation 3 v2.50 firmware update.

Now Sony has weighed in on the vanishing act, promising that Mortal Kombat II will return after being updated to resolve an unspecified issue with the latest PS3 firmware.

"A Mortal Kombat II specification is being upgraded in connection with the release of the latest firmware update," the company told 1up. "This is one of our top titles on PlayStation Network, we are working diligently to get this back up."

Curiously, Sony offered no advice to those that already have the purchased the game and updated to the latest firmware. Priced at $4.99, the PlayStation 3 edition of Mortal Kombat II was released on April 12, 2007, published by Sony Online Entertainment.

Independent developer Hothead Games announced today that its downloadable turn-based RPG Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One will hit the PS3's online store this Thursday, October 23, for $15.

Inspired by the Penny Arcade web comic, the humorous game--the first of four planned episodes-- was originally released on PC and Xbox 360 back in May for $20.

The second episode, likewise priced at $15, has gone gold and will arrive as a PC and Xbox 360 download later this fall, with the PlayStation 3 release due before Christmas.

The second batch of downloadable content for IntiCreate's downloadable Mega Man 9 will arrive this week, bringing new modes and stages to the 8-bit-style platformer.

While the last set of downloads sold for $2-3, this round will sell for $1 per pack, and will be available later today for Wii owners, tomorrow for Xbox 360 players, and Thursday, October 23 for PlayStation 3 gamers.

• Hard Mode (100 Wii Points / $1) - Dubbed Hero Mode in Japan, this mode enables you to play the entire game on an increased difficulty level with alternate enemy distribution and spawning points. Hard Mode is not compatible with Rankings or Challenges Modes.
• Expert Mode (100 Wii Points / $1) - Dubbed Super Hero Mode Japan, this mode represents the apex of Mega Man 9 difficulty settings and is not for the novice Mega Man 9 player. This mode triples the level of difficulty from the default Mega Man 9 game. Expert Mode is not compatible with Rankings or Challenges Modes.
• Special Time Attack Stage (100 Wii Points / $1) - This DLC gives you an additional stage for Time Attack Mode, complete with an all new level and Robot Master Boss, "Fake Man." Similar in difficulty to the Willy Stages, players will have a fun time tackling this time sensitive competitive stage. Special Time Attack Stage is not compatible with Challenge Mode.

Developer Harmonix has announced next week's batch of downloadable content for its multi-instrument music games Rock Band and Rock Band 2, which brings:

• "Breed" - Nirvana
• "Lounge Act" - Nirvana
• "On a Plain" - Nirvana
• "Polly" - Nirvana
• "Something in the Way" - Nirvana
• "Stay Away" - Nirvana
• "Territorial Pissings" - Nirvana

All seven songs are master track recordings, and will be available in a 880 Microsoft Point ($11) bundle or on a per-track basis for 160 Microsoft Points ($2).

The tracks will be available on Tuesday, October 21 for Xbox 360 users, with the PlayStation 3 release following on Thursday, October 23. The PlayStation 3 release of Rock Band 2 arrives this Sunday, October 19, with the Xbox 360 version already out.

Adding to the already announced downloadable content for Guitar Hero World Tour, publisher Activision has revealed another batch of tracks that PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii owners will be able to acquire following the game's launch on October 26.

Arriving November 6 is the Oasis Track Pack, which includes:

• Bag It Up
• Waiting for the Rapture
• The Shock of the Lightning

In addition, the new Oasis album "Dig Out Your Soul" will arrive as Guitar Hero: World Tour content in early 2009, marking the music game's second full-length downloadable album--the first being Metallica's "Death Magnetic," which hits at launch.

The Oasis songs will be released as a bundle pack and individual downloads, a departure from past bundle-only GH DLC offerings. Pricing has not been announced.

Today's PlayStation Store update was a little delayed by some unexpected downtime, but the wait appears to have been worth it.

The full release of Slant Six's SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation drops for digital purchase, and along with it comes a demo for Evolution Studios' MotorStorm Pacific Rift that doesn't require a magazine subscription.

As usual, the full list of this week's downloadable goodies follows:

Downloadable Games

SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation ($39.99)
Alone I am Lethal. As a Team I Dominate. SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation deploys you online into intense and unpredictable 32-player battles ... Read more

Certain functions of the PS3's online PlayStation Network service--specifically account registration, management and PlayStation Store access--have been taken offline for "temporary unscheduled maintenance," Sony has revealed on the PlayStation Blog.

Fortunately, online gameplay is unaffected by this downtime--something that wasn't available during Tuesday's maintenance period--though it may affect the weekly PlayStation Store updates, which generally hit on Thursday afternoons.

A specific reason for the downtime was not provided, though the offline functions seem to coincide with the revisions made in this week's PS3 and PSP firmware updates.

The PlayStation 3's online service for multiplayer and digital downloads will be down later today for maintenance purposes, Sony has confirmed with Joystiq.

The service will be unavailable today from 2PM - 7 PM EDT / 11AM - 4PM PDT.

It is unknown exactly what the maintenance entails, though PSP owners will soon gain direct access to the online PlayStation Store via a new firmware update due this month.

Rock Band developer Harmonix has bestowed more DLC upon us from on high. This week's DLC is the full album from metal outfit Motley Crue, "Dr. Feelgood." The ten-song album can be purchased collectively for 1280 Microsoft Points ($16) or with individual tracks for 160 Points ($2) each.

Per console marketplace traditions, the tracks will hit the Rock Band Store on the Xbox 360 on Tuesday, October 14 and the PlayStation 3 on Thursday, October 16.

The full listing of tracks--all master recordings--is as follows:

1. Dr Feelgood
2. Slice of Your Pie... Read more

It's Thursday, and with that comes Grey's Anatomy the PlayStation Store update, bringing PlayStation 3 owners more gaming goodness for just a few dollars.

SARPBC, left; Linger in Shadows, right

It's a week for the avant-garde, as Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars brings indie-developed vehicular combat to the PS3. Linger in Shadows is pushing the envelope: it's the first "demoscene" program--not a game, really--to make it to consoles. Also available is a demo for WOW Entertainment's Valkyria Chronicles--if you've got the cash to subscribe to Sony's downloadable video magazine Qore.

Following tradition, the full list is below. Be warned, this week's list is particularly long:

Qore

Qore Episode 5 ($2.99 for episode / $24.99 for Annual Subscription)
Episode 5 celebrates Halloween with a scary game roundup... Read more

Rock Band developer Harmonix has announced nine new tracks for next week's downloadable content update for its Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 stores. The Offspring are headlining next week with a three-track pack, available as a bundle for 440 Microsoft Points ($5.50) or individually for 160 Points ($2):

• Gone Away
• Pretty Fly
• Self Esteem

Supporting the Offspring are six artists ranging from pop-rock to heavy nu-metal, with tracks only available a la carte for 160 Points ($2)... Read more

Following up Wipeout HD and Mega Man 9 is a tough thing to do if you're a PlayStation 3 digital marketplace. Thankfully, five demos including Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway, BioShock, and Eternal Sonata have stepped in to do their thing.

Other notables include add-ons for two EA Sports games and the relaxing PixelJunk Eden soundtrack. For the full list, read on:

Game Demos (Free)

Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway Demo
Check out the free demo for the game that IGN.com praised as "A World War II the likes of which you've never seen". Experience the amazing graphics... Read more

The entirety of Motley Crue's album "Dr. Feelgood" is coming to Harmonix's multi-instrument music seres Rock Band on October 14, according to the band's blog.

"All you fans of Rock Band will want to check back on October 14th to download the entire Dr. Feelgood album through your console's online marketplace," the entry reads.

Based on past Rock Band DLC releases, Xbox 360 owners will receive the content on Tuesday, October 14, followed by a PlayStation 3 release on Thursday, October 16. No price was named, though such downloads have been priced between $11 and $20.

Both Rock Band and Rock Band 2 owners will be able to purchase and play the content. The track listing for Motley Crue's "Dr. Feelgood" follows... Read more

Infinite Interactive's addictive puzzle-RPG effort Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords will receive a downloadable PlayStation 3 release this fall, publisher and studio owner D3 has announced.

The PlayStation Store version will bundle the original Puzzle Quest, along with the Revenge of the Plague Lord expansion, for an undisclosed sum. The original game initially sold for $15 on Xbox Live Arcade, butdropped to $10 prior to the arrival of the $8.75 expansion pack.

The PlayStation 3 marks the last major console to receive Puzzle Quest, with the game having already hit PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP. PS3 owners can already buy and download the PSP version from the PlayStation Store, though they must transfer it to a PSP in order to play.

A sci-fi sequel, Puzzle Quest: Galactrix, is expected to release on PC, Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS early next year.

Developer LucasArts has revealed that it will bring a new mission and new playable characters to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed as downloadable content, though pricing has yet to be decided.

The new playable characters, due next month, will include Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Kit Fisto. The additions are "based on what we heard from fans," executive producer Haden Blackman informed Kotaku.

Meanwhile, the new campaign level will take place in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and is set to arrive later this year. The stage was one the team had hoped to include in the initial release, but was among those axed before the action game entered production.

A different version of the level is said to have appeared in external developer Krome's PS2, Wii and PSP editions of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

"I wouldn't rule out any future content on The Force Unleashed," Blackman concluded. "There's easily another two dozen we could make into levels. This is a good way to continue the story."

Rock Band and Rock Band 2 owners will be able to download the bulk of Red Hot Chili Peppers' album Blood Sugar Sex Magik next week, developer Harmonix has revealed.

Only excluding one track--"Give It Away," which is on the Rock Band 2 disc--the BSSM bundle will be priced at 1600 Microsoft Points ($20), with individual tracks going for 160 Microsoft Points ($2).

Per usual, Xbox 360 owners will be able to access the downloads beginning next Tuesday, September 30, while PlayStation 3 owners must wait until next Thursday, October 2.

Come next week, gamers will be able to play along with the following... Read more