There won't be a full Replay Couch this week, but we did want to pass this one video along.

PSN user jjmusicman rick-rolled the LittleBigPlanet community yesterday, and the result is a pretty amusing example of machinima.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

PS3fanboy is reporting that a bug affecting many users of LittleBigPlanet can lead to the deletion of the game's save data. The glitch appears to be related to a user's profile data. Players are reporting that accumulating too many community objects can cause the game to delete anything from level progress and saved costumes, to both user-created and official levels.

In any case, LBP users note that the only current solution to the problem is the manual deletion of community content. Developer Media Molecule has yet to issue a comment on the matter.

A double shot of updates for LittleBigPlanet (PS3) have arrived across the past day, making the game's moderation policies more clear and adding an in-game store.

Following through on developer Media Molecule's vow to improve the moderation of user-created levels, creators can now learn why their level was removed, providing them with the opportunity to resolve the issue and republish the level.

The unexplained removal of user-made LittleBigPlanet levels had led to outcry from players and creators alike. In response, Sony offered a series of suggested guidelines while Media Molecule readied the improved feedback system.

In addition, the updates also brought an in-game store for downloadable content, and more search options for the wealth of user-created levels, as first reported by Kotaku.

Offical patch details courtesy the official PlayStation.Blog follow:

Patch 1.06

Moderation
Good news on this front - The latest update (1.06) brings in some much requested changes to LBP's moderation system. While... Read more

Sony has announced that Media Molecule's adorable physics-based platformer LittleBigPlanet (PS3) will next week gain the long-awaited variety of downloadable outfits and levels inspired by Kojima Productions' stealth-action series Metal Gear Solid. No price was named for the Metal Gear Solid Level Pack, which features 5 new story levels, 1 challenge level, 12 new trophies, and a variety of Metal Gear Solid-themed level parts and stickers along with an exclusive Gurlokovich Soldier outfit.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

Shackvideo users can use the HD Stream.

A new weapon, the Paintinator, is also included in the level pack. However, those who don't buy the pack will still be able to experience it, either by joining... Read more

The upcoming Metal Gear Solid-themed level pack for LittleBigPlanet will feature a new paintball gun gameplay mechanic, according to a report by ps3fanboy based on leaked images of the pack's additional trophies.

The new trophies also reveal that the pack will include a LittleBigPlanet version of Metal Gear REX.

LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule has teased that the upcoming level packs will include "shocking" new gameplay elements.

"I don't think that people are expecting what it's going to be and I'm so excited by that," said Evans of the Metal Gear pack. "The surprise element is just a big part of it."

This week's PlayStation Store update has gone live, making available the long-awaited free Santa costume for LittleBigPlanet, as well as the festive holiday level pack for $2.99. Downloadable game highlights include the side-scrolling action platformer Crash Commando ($9.99), and the RPG Penny Arcade Adventures: On The Rainslick Precipice Of Darkness: Episode 2 ($14.99).

Castlevania Chronicles ($5.99) and Rayman 2: The Great Escape ($5.99) are also available for download, and can be played on either the PlayStation 3 or the PSP.

Finally, a pair of PS3 demos were added: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Online Network Demo, and the Sonic Unleashed Demo.

Upcoming level packs for LittleBigPlanet will introduce "shocking" elements to the game, starting with the upcoming Metal Gear Solid level pack, according to developer Media Molecule's Alex Evans.

"What I said to the team is that each of these packs that we do over the next year or so has to be shocking," said Evans to 1UP. "These aren't little add-ons or side tweaks. These are like serious, game changing, massive--how can we really mess with peoples' heads and change what they think about LBP."

Evans hinted that the Metal Gear Solid pack will include far more than just the already-revealed MGS-themed costumes.

"The first example of that is the Metal Gear Solid pack, which we just finished," he said. "I don't think that people are expecting what it's going to be and I'm so excited by that. The surprise element is just a big part of it."

The Metal Gear Solid level pack has not yet been dated, though the Hong Kong PSN site briefly listed the release date as December 18.

Sony today announced a new form of LittleBigPlanet downloadable content: level packs, which group thematic content into a single priced package.

Level packs don't actually include levels. Instead, the first pack--the Festive Level Pack--will feature two costumes, one create material, two objects, six decorations, and multiple stickers. For that, users will be asked to fork over $2.99.

Sony notes that the holiday-themed pack will be removed on January 8, 2009, so if you're keen to slap bells and bows to your online victims, line up at the PlayStation Store this Thursday.

The full pack details follow:... Read more

The typical Thursday afternoon PlayStation Store update has struck, though today's priced objects are largely overshadowed by Sony's release of the oft-delayed PlayStation Home open beta, which launched earlier today. In addition to Home, the Store nets Christmas and Street Fighter 2-themed LittleBigPlanet costumes--an odd combination, we admit. The usual Rock Band and Guitar Hero songs are accompanied by the slick downloadable shooter PowerUp Forever.

And for those original Resistance owners, all map packs have now been reduced to $0, a real steal. The full list of merchandise follows: ... Read more

Rumors of Street Fighter-themed costumes for LittleBigPlanet have been confirmed by Sony's official PlayStation.Blog, which revealed that Sackboy's latest threads will be released through the online PlayStation Store this Thursday, December 11.

Available as individual $1.99 downloads or a $5.99 bundle, the four costumes bring recreations of classic Street Fighter characters Ryu, Chun-Li, Zangief and Guile to the Media Molecule-developed PlayStation 3 platformer.

Developer Q Entertainment has revealed that, when it arrives later this winter, the PS3 version of its music-centric puzzle game Lumines will include a LittleBigPlanet nod.

Made in conjunction with LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule, the LBP Lumines skin shows protagonist SackBoy running the background while players create squares same-colored blocks. In all, the game sports a total of 40 Challenge Skins.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

Lumines Supernova is slated to hit PlayStation 3 as a digital download later this winter.

Following fan complaints that LittleBigPlanet level moderation is too strict, marketing manager Mark Valledor has said that the moderation process is evolving, but stopped short of responding to specific points of contention.

"The level moderation process is something we're continually improving," said Valledor. "The small percentage of levels moderated have been done so after the community has reported them using the Good Grief tool. We never moderate levels that have not been reported in this way."

Reports of moderators deleting levels that contained no objectionable or copyright-infringing material have been consistent since the game's release in late October. Sony responded to the allegations by issuing a set of content guidelines for level creators to follow.

"The vast majority of moderated levels were due to offensive material," added Valledor. "However we are evolving the way moderation happens to ensure that creators are made aware of why their level was blocked. More to come shortly."

Valledor also noted the team is working to improve the game's online servers, as well as the search function for user-created levels.

The "little" PlayStation 3 surprise Capcom recently teased looks to be downloadable Street Fighter-themed outfits for Media Molecule's PS3 platformer LittleBigPlanet.

The above images recently surfaced on Spanish PlayStation fansite PSN!, but were quickly removed at the request of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. Fortunately, Ripten and 1UP were able to archive the pictures before their removal.

If legitimate, and it certainly appears so given the SCEE-mandated removal, Street Fighter's LittleBigPlanet appearance mark the latest set of game-referencing outfits. Other promised costumes include Final Fantasy 7's Sephiroth and Metal Gear Solid 4's Old Snake, with a Resistance 2 Chimera costume recently added... Read more

Sony marketer John Koller has spoken up on speculation surrounding a PSP version of Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet (PS3), and while he confirmed little, he did concede that the roll-your-own platformer is a likely candidate for expansion within the Sony family.

"LittleBigPlanet is so expansionary," said Koller to MTV Multiplayer. "We certainly look at [the] LittleBigPlanet franchise as a going forward franchise for us, and that speaks to the PlayStation brand overall," he added.

Koller confirmed that the game has a future, though he was mum on what shape that future might take: "We're watching the UGC [user generated content] and seeing how that's playing out. But for the future, I think certainly, we'd look at a wide variety of opportunities. Whether that's the PSP or not, I can't really say."

Media Molecule posted a pair of job openings in early October seeking PSP programmers and specifically mentioning "exciting new LittleBigPlanet projects," leading many to suspect that a littler LittleBigPlanet is in the works.

Switching gears, the Sony rep expressed an interest in the budding portable music-rhythm genre after the runaway success of Vicarious Visions' Guitar Hero: On Tour (DS).

"It's of huge interest to us," Koller asserted. "For us, we look at the music area as being critical for PSP and the social area of interest as well," adding that music is the number-two use for the PSP behind portable gaming. "So, the marrying of those two concepts is of huge interest to us."

Responding to the outcry that the moderation for user-made LittleBigPlanet (PS3) levels was getting out of hand, publisher Sony has issued a list of suggestions for creators to follow while it and developer Media Molecule improve the moderation policies:

• Ensure that the content you share with other users is suitable for all ages - everybody has access to your level if you publish it.
• Please respect other people's intellectual property rights. For example, don't use images, brands or logos that you're not entitled to use.
• If you come across any content that you feel the need to report, then please do it responsibly. Hoax reports will be considered inappropriate behaviour.

Along with the list, self-proclaimed "semi-official PlayStation blog" Three Speech was informed that over 84,000 levels have been uploaded for the physics-based platformer, with less than 0.5% of those drawing user complaints that required active moderation.

Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet (PS3) is no stranger to moderation, censorship and outraged users, and now that user-created levels are starting to be removed by game moderators, the users are angry once again.

"So many cases have no questionable content in sight, even ones with humorous light hearted violence have been taken down, like the popular [God of War-referencing] Demon Skull level," wrote a player named Robbie to Kotaku.

Said another user: "Some levels I've seen now unplayable due to moderation: Pacman, Batman, and Scrubs related level [sic]." Users are reporting that levels are being permanently deleted upon moderation, sparking forum members to advise one another to save copies of their work before submitting them to the online world.

The pattern among deleted levels appears to be references to various intellectual properties despite earlier reports of multitudes of levels with Sackboy-populated homages to games like Super Mario Bros. and Mirror's Edge. However, the deletion of levels based on the PlayStation 3 itself and one entitled "Failure to Launch"--which shares a name with a 2006 romantic comedy film--has raised eyebrows about the moderation system in place.

Media Molecule community manager Sam_Protagonist wrote on the PlayStation forums that the team is at work on a new moderation system... Read more

The official PlayStation Blog has word that the first downloadable content for LittleBigPlanet will be released November 6. Available until November 19, the free DLC allows you to dress up Sackboy with a Halloween Mask, or in a "Launch" Spacesuit.

Though these initial Sackboy costumes will be free, the blog outlines future costume DLC which will cost money. Other upcoming DLC will include, among other things, additional objects, materials and sounds for the game.

Update: Shacknews can confirm that the servers are back online, as of 12:45 PM CDT, allowing LittleBigPlanet residents to play online and grab user-created levels. However, some lag and hitching issues were still present during our brief online playtest.

Original Story: About eight hours after allowing LittleBigPlanet (PS3) owners to hop online, download user-created levels and play with one another, developer Media Molecule pulled the plug to address problematic "glitching issues."

The studio has yet to say when the servers for the adorable physics-based platformer will be back up, with the team telling Kotaku that online functionality will be re-enabled as soon as the issues are sorted out.

Update: Sony's official PlayStation Blog has confirmed that all levels created in the online beta will make the jump to the retail release.

Original Story: Hot off the news that LittleBigPlanet 2 is in the works, the first one has finally gone online, allowing players to play together online and share user-created levels.

After the customizable platformer's last-minute delay, players who sprung for the early Qur'an Edition of the game--featuring the later-censored stylings of Malian songwriter Toumani Diabate--inserted the disc only to find that Sony had pushed back the game's server launch until its official release, which is this week.

With the servers online, players can now join LittleBigPlanet's online community, often touted as the selling point for Media Molecule's PlayStation 3 exclusive. Shacknews has discovered that a great variety of levels are already available for download, including recreations of levels from gaming classics Super Mario Bros. and God of War, and even the not-yet-released Mirror's Edge.

Shacknews reminds aspiring creators to move past the religious "outcry" that delayed the game and make things that put smiles on the faces of Sackboys and Sackgirls everywhere.

Media Molecule has already begun crafting a sequel to its long-awaited PlayStation 3 platformer LittleBigPlanet, which makes its official retail debut in the US this week.

Speaking with BBC News, the studio confirmed that a sequel is in development for the game, which allows players to make their own levels and share them online.

Beyond the sequel, Media Molecule and publisher Sony are investigating various spin-offs, such as LittleBigPlanet-branded comics, cartoons, and action figures.

In addition, technical director Alex Evans noted that some of the user-created levels seen in the recent beta--all of which will be available for download when the servers switch on--were better and harder than some of those made internally by the team.