Our development tools allow us to be platform agnostic while at the same time maximize the power of the Cell processor. The zombies are handled by the SPUs, allowing us to throw tons of them onscreen while still managing their movement and AI. We also have have lots of cool processing effects going, something that was also made possible by the PS3′s SPUs. We have tons of stuff to mess around with in Dead Rising 2, and having a huge amount of disc space to use really allowed us to get everything we wanted into the game. Installing the game definitely speeds up load times, something that made developing for the PS3 a great experience.

We also have some cool DLC coming up that we got a kick out of making. We really liked the idea of customizing Chuck, so we came up with some ways to not only look different, but get some cool weapons and abilities. For example, the Psychopath theme pack not only gives you a crazed horror outfit, but you are stronger and deadlier with classic horror movie weapons like the chainsaw, cleavers, axes, and machetes. The Psychopath theme will hit the PlayStation Network on October 12th.

We also have a Soldier of Fortune theme that decks you out as the ultimate action hero with increased deadliness for all firearms. Be sure to note the cool face paint — super 80′s action hero! The Soldier of Fortune pack due out on PSN a week later, October 19th.

There is a Sports Fan pack that lets you be the ultimate sports party animal. Drink as much as you want and not get sick! You are also more deadly with any sporty weapons. e sure to gamble…’cause you will likely come out a winner more often. The Sports Fan pack will arrive on PSN October 26th — just before Halloween!

And finally the Ninja theme….my personal fave. I love ninjas, and what better way to live out that fantasy than in a zombie-filled world? You are virtually undetectable to the undead and you are more deadly with swords and thrown weapons. You are a ninja, after all! The Ninja pack will hit PSN on November 2nd.

I hope that fans of zombie killing will enjoy some of the new gruesome ways that you can dispatch of the undead coming soon to Dead Rising 2. It’s great to finally be on the PS3 and to have the chance to spread the zombie infestation to an all new audience. Cheers!

After you’ve added the Dead Rising 2 items to your collection, be sure to shoot on over the Estates store to pick up the newest addition in our line of luxury personal spaces – the Lake House. This spacious, extravagant, and modern waterfront estate comes complete with awe-inspiring views and is arguably the hottest space on the proverbial block for hosting your next party. Check it out for yourself in this quick fly-through video we made for you.

 
If you want to take your personal space into the 22nd century, our friends over at Lockwood are offering you a full-on teleportation device that you can place at will in the personal space(s) of your choice. With the Sodium Telepad, you can zap yourself hither and thither with ease. Pick up this next generation relocation device come this Thursday from the Sodium store.
 

 
AlphabeTees fans will be stoked to learn that new additions to this wildly-popular social trivia game will be released later this week. The CalculaTees expansion pack includes numbers from 0-9 (plus a decimal point) and will add more options for the ongoing AlphabeTees/CalculaTees contests where PlayStation Home users and their friends answer daily trivia by spelling out the answer with their clothing, taking a group photo, and then uploading directly to the AlphabeTees competition entry portal (located under the Central Plaza Jumbotron). The winning entry is then shown on the Central Plaza Jumbotron screen the following day. You can grab the CalculaTees expansion pack this Thursday, September 23rd from the Threads store (just look under the VeeMee tile).

In other news, the PlayStation Home Theater will be hosting a behind-the-scenes/making-of Heavy Rain video starting this Thursday. Visit this screen to watch this awesome video and unlock a special Heavy Rain reward. When you’re done, head to the Costumes store in the PlayStation Home Mall and load up on our new, all-original costumes (the male and female 8-bit costumes are personal favourites).

See you in Home!

Tomorrow Tonight we’re hosting an awesome community event in Los Angeles where Dead Rising fans can attend (for free!) and get their hands on the game. In addition to being able to play Dead Rising 2 prior to release we’ll have prizes, food, music, contests and more. Be sure and get there early as we’ll be giving away some cool, exclusive Greene’s Hardware t-shirts too (created by iam8bit). If you’re in the SoCal area, here are the specifics for tonight’s event:

What: Greene’s Hardware Super Sale (Dead Rising 2 Community Event)

Where: 2147 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

When: Friday 8PM – 12 Midnight

If you haven’t heard about the game yet, here’s my 30 second elevator pitch….

Dead Rising 2 takes the zombie survival horror franchise to Fortune City, America’s latest and greatest entertainment playground. It features a new storyline, a brand new cast of characters, two online multiplayer modes (two-player co-op campaign and a four-player “TV show”-themed Pay-Per-View event that pits humans against zombies), thousands of on-screen zombies and more. As Chuck Greene, you have 72 hours to save your infected daughter, clear your name and survive the hordes of hungry zombies before the military comes in and nukes the city. To ensure your survival, you can combine everyday objects to create deadly combo weapons to use against the zombie horde. The weapon combos in Dead Rising 2 have to be seen in order to be believed and are the true “stars” of the game. There are loads of them in the game and besides being deadly they’re hilarious! My favorite is probably the Freedom Bear.

Dead Rising 2 for the PS3 ships on September 28th. Be sure and grab a copy before the zombie apocalypse hits…

Hope to see folks on Friday night in LA for the community event!

In the two years since the release of Bethesda Softworks’ critically acclaimed Fallout 3, the team has been hard at work creating their latest post-nuke romp, Fallout: New Vegas. If big guns, mutants, warring factions and gambling are your thing, check out Veronica’s visit with Senior Producer, Jason Bergman, for an in-depth preview of what’s next in the Fallout franchise. Also, don’t miss a Fallout-inspired slot machine mini-game that reveals some very cool wallpapers.

Developer Blue Castle Games, has taken mowing down zombies to a whole new level in Capcom’s, Dead Rising 2. This thriller is packed with enough parasite infested ghouls and innovative ways to take ‘em out to satisfy even the most discriminating survival horror fan. One of the sequel’s cool new features allows players to slip into a maintenance room and duct tape up their own crazy tools of destruction.

In Qore’s look at Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Veronica Belmont chats with Ninja Theory’s, “Chief Creative Ninja” for an under-the-hood look at the developer’s approach to story-telling and production design. Best known for their PS3 launch title, Heavenly Sword, Ninja Theory has created a lush vibrant universe for Enslaved along with a storyline centered on the symbiotic relationship between the game’s two main characters, Trip and Monkey. The concept art gallery included with the feature story is gorgeous.

In this month’s “On the Road with Qore”, the team’s off to Las Vegas where Veronica shows us how to do Sin City – ‘geek-style.’ From The Pinball Hall of Fame which boasts the world’s largest exhibit of playable pinball machines to The Gun Store to actually shoot the real weapons found in many an FPS, you won’t want to miss Veronica’s experience with full recoil from – THE SAW.

And finally, this month in the Download Center – Warhawk. In celebration of the PlayStation 15th anniversary, Qore annual subscribers can flash back to 1995 and pick up this first generation PS one hit. Also included in this month’s episode for everyone, by popular demand, Veronica Belmont now has her own PS3 theme. And, our friends at Subway have made it possible for you to be the first kid on the block to cruise around PlayStation Home with a virtual Subway Fiery Footlong sandwich.

Episode 28 is now live.

Fortunately, the fact that he wasn’t starstruck allowed him to focus on the game itself. Have at it, James:

Dead Rising 2 is a zombie game with its tongue hanging out of its cheek. You control Chuck Greene, a motorcross champion trapped in a zombie apocalypse in the fictional Fortune City, which is loosely based on Las Vegas. After tearing through a few hundred zombies with a pair of chainsaws attached to a canoe paddle, I lurched over to Capcom’s Mike Schmitt and asked a few questions.

What kind of story is there in Dead Rising 2?

“Chuck is competing in a gameshow called Terror is Reality in order to earn some money and cure his daughter, who has been bitten by a zombie. That’s his main motivation but there’s also a conspiracy against him, with people blaming him for the zombie outbreak at the beginning of the game.”

Given that the story allows for multiple paths and endings, how many unique playthroughs are possible?

“I don’t know the final count but there are multiple endings and we definitely want people to go back and keep playing, because levelling Chuck up opens up new areas and things to do.”

I’ve had some fun here combining weapons; how many combinations are there?

“Again, we haven’t given out an exact number but it’s a lot – dozens and dozens. We want people to search for combo cards and just try putting stuff together at random. Combining weapons is some of the most fun that can be had in the game, as far as we’re concerned, and combination weapons give you double PP, allowing you to level up much quicker.”

What’s your favourite combination?

“My favourite is the Freedom Bear. If you take a jumbo teddy bear and combine it with a machine gun, it turns into a sentry with a Rambo headband that you can place in congested areas, and it will mow down zombies with machine gun fire for what seems like hours.”

Is the co-operative gameplay integrated into the story?

“Your friends can jump into your game at any point and if you want to play co-operatively from start to finish, then you can do that. The host player controls things like saving but whoever jumps in can carry PP and Combo Cards over to their own game. Playing with friends is particularly useful for things like boss fights and it is fun to just mess around.”

Do you also have competitive multiplayer?

“Yes, we have a four player versus mode which plays off the Terror is Reality theme. There are ten different events to play, including one where you’re all riding motorcycles with chainsaws attached to the handlebars and it’s a race to see who can kill the most zombies before the time runs out.”

Finally, what do you want people to feel when they play Dead Rising 2?

“Excitement… the feeling that you want to keep playing because you don’t know what to expect. I really want people to pick up on the humour. A lot of zombie games are so serious but Dead Rising 2 is about the ridiculous predicament Chuck finds himself in and the way that you’re able to humiliate zombies and use anything as a weapon makes it comical.”

Also, James, Group C champions! USA! USA!

Didn’t play the first game? We’ve got you covered. Capcom’s Mike Schmitt and Wes Phillips walk us through the sequel’s new multiplayer modes, and give newcomers a look at the delicious combination of goofiness and gore that summarize the Dead Rising universe.

We’ll have more Dead Rising 2 throughout the Summer. If you’ve got any questions, throw ‘em in the comments – we’ll remember them for next time.