It’s been a few weeks since Medal of Honor launched, and thanks to our fantastic PlayStation fans, things have been a great success. Now that you’ve had time to get used to the game’s multiplayer offering on the PlayStation Network, I think it’s time we let you in on a little secret: there’s more. While you may already know that Clean Sweep is coming on November 2 (free for everyone who activated their Medal of Honor Online Pass), what we didn’t tell you is that a whole new mode dubbed Hot Zone is coming to the PSN on the same day.

Coming to the PlayStation Network for $9.99, Hot Zone is a king of the hill-type mode where two teams tussle over a single objective within a map. As long as you hold the Hot Zone, you gain points which go to your final score. Unlike other game modes, maintaining control on the Hot Zone is the only way to earn points, so while laying down suppressing fire and taking out enemies coming your way is certainly a good thing, these kills won’t earn you any extra points.

The pacing and overall feel of the new mode is different as all players will be surrounding a single point on the map, making for some frantic and fun firefights in this new multiplayer mode. But what about the maps themselves? This is why the Hot Zone content pack also comes with four maps: two new maps, Hindukush Pass and Korengal Outpost will add a new flair to the proceedings, while redesigned versions of the Shahikot Valley and Helmand Valley maps will bring a fresh angle to some familiar environments.

If that’s not enough for you, we’ll be hosting a Game with Developers session on Sunday, November 7 from 1pm to 4pm PST where you’ll be able to chat with the Medal of Honor development team, ask questions and let us know what you think of the new modes. All you’ll need to do is send a friend request to any of the following PSN IDs and join our sessions in progress. We’ll be accepting any and all friend requests until we run out of room, so be sure to send your request early!

PSN ID:

• Eagamers0
• Eagamers1
• Eagamers2
• Eagamers3
• Eagamers4
• Eagamers5
• Eagamers6
• Eagamers7

Our friends over at Heavy Water kick things off this week with their Heavy Ink line of body art. Choose from full-body, back and arm tattoos – including animated and glow-in-the-dark designs. Check out this video for a sneak peek at some of the wild tattoos releasing this Thursday in PlayStation Home.

The Heavy Ink line will be expanded in the future. The developers over at Heavy Water encourage you to reach out to them with any comments or suggestions: communityinput@heavyh2o.com. And if you have a specific tattoo design that you’d like to request, go ahead and give ‘em a shout at: mytattoo@heavyinked.com.

Lockwood brings even more Halloween content into PlayStation Home with the new Cauldron of the Sunless Kingdom. Toss ingredients into the boiling pot and, if you manage to get the right mix, you’ll unlock some uber-exclusive rewards.

The newest additions to our line of Superhero costumes will be available this week from the Exclusives store. Check out this video for a sneak peek at these hot new costumes – including my personal favorite: the Fire Elemental.

Come this Thursday, you’ll be able to purchase a special Medal of Honor Tier 1 outfit from the Costumes store and celebrate this critically-acclaimed title properly. And if you pick up Namco Bandai’s Time Crisis: Razing Storm, you’ll be able to unlock special rewards in PlayStation Home. Here’s how:

• Boot up Deadstorm Pirates from the Title Selection Screen and receive a DeadStorm Pirates t-shirt.
• Boot up Time Crisis: Razing Storm from the Title Selection Screen and receive a Razing Storm shirt.
• Boot up Time Crisis 4 from the Title Selection Screen and receive a Time Crisis 4 shirt.

Scion’s “Take on the Machine” activity returns to the Central Plaza this week. Log in to PlayStation Home this Thursday to join the challenge and unlock special rewards. Then head to TakeOnTheMachine.com for additional information on the all new Scion tC and to find a dealer near you.

Finally, be sure to head to the Threads and Furniture stores to pick up the new LocoRoco clothing and furniture items – from Doonga Doonga hats to Loco Sofas for your personal space.

See you in Home!

Edit: Below, Sid Shuman from the PlayStation.Blog interviews Medal of Honor Executive Producer Greg Goodrich about the differences between the Danger Close-developed single-player campaign and the DICE-led multiplayer mode, the PS3-exclusive Medal of Honor: Frontline HD campaign included on the Blu-ray disc, and more.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Medal of Honor, it’s a modern reboot of the venerable franchise that has existed for ten years. Operating directly under the National Command Authority, a relatively unknown entity of handpicked warriors are called on when the mission must not fail. They are the Tier 1 Operators.

Over two million Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines wear the uniform. Of those, approximately 50 thousand fall under the direct control of the Special Operations Command. The Tier 1 Operator functions on a plane of existence above and beyond even the most highly trained Special Operations Forces. Their exact numbers, while classified, hover in the low hundreds.

They are living, breathing, precision instruments of war. They are experts in the application of violence. The new Medal of Honor is inspired by and has been developed with Tier 1 Operators from this elite community. Players will step into the boots of these warriors and apply their unique skill sets to a new enemy in the most unforgiving and hostile battlefield conditions of present day Afghanistan.

The single-player, created by Danger Close, is an authentic, emotional and exhilarating look at the war in Afghanistan through the lens of a band of fictional characters. The multiplayer, created by world-class studio DICE, is an adrenaline-fuelled experience that will put your first-person shooter gaming skills to the ultimate test.

Also, the PS3 edition of the game comes with the re-mastered Medal of Honor Frontline. For the first time ever, you’ll be able to storm the shores of Normandy in full HD! Medal of Honor Frontline was a landmark title for the PS2 when the game was released in 2002. It helped pave the way for first-person shooter titles and defined and established Medal of Honor as a force to be reckoned with.

When we started to talk with Sony Computer Entertainment about the possibility of releasing an HD version, everyone familiar with the franchise was extremely excited and considered it a no-brainer; it had to be done! Visual aesthetics wasn’t the only thing to get improved, however. The team also managed to implement the “aim down the sight” mechanic into the game. Get ready to suit up as Lt. Jimmy Patterson once again and head back behind enemy lines for 15 missions based on real events that occurred during WWII.

Make sure you follow us on Twitter, fan us on Facebook, and visit us at the official website for up-to-the-date Medal of Honor news and information.

Another huge title is also featured in this episode: EA’s Medal of Honor, which advances the timeframe from WWII to the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. Veronica Belmont spoke with MoH Executive Producer Greg Goodrich about the extensive research that went into the title to pay tribute to the US military Tier One Operators.

Konami’s rebootin’ Castlevania, providing a fresh start to one of gaming’s most storied franchises. With input from the legendary Hideo Kojima, a new whip-wielding Belmont is introduced along with a huge array of supernatural creatures and sweet moves that maintain the game’s action/platformer legacy.

Our ‘On the Road with Qore’ series continues from Tokyo, home of GT5 creators Polyphony Digital. From Akihabara to a kitty café, Veronica experiences a very different side of one of the coolest cities in the world.

In the Episode 29 download center, it’s Audrey’s turn! She is featured in our latest Qore exclusive PS3 system theme. And on October 19th, for our Qore annual subscribers; the warped minds at Qore Labs bring you the Qore Ultimate Arqade! All of your favorite quirky Qore mini-games are now in one convenient package.

Look for Episode 29 tomorrow.

In this third installment, titled “High Value Target,” we’re giving you a look at Medal of Honor’s multiplayer.

The mode being played in the video is called Combat Mission. Coalition forces are tasked with clearing five consecutive objectives to win and the insurgents must stop them at any cost. As objectives are cleared, new areas of the map open up to reveal what the coalition must do next. The team health meter represents coalition reinforcements. If it’s depleted before the current objective is cleared, the match ends and coalition forces are stopped.

You may have also noticed the Bradley Fighting Vehicles as well. It can seat both a driver and gunner. This particular map requires that coalition forces use them strategically to break through certain points of the map and eventually achieve victory.

Combat Mission is just one of the ways you’ll step up to Tier 1 when Medal of Honor launches on October 12th, 2010 for the PS3.

Make sure you follow us on Twitter, fan us on Facebook, and visit us at the official website for up-to-the-date Medal of Honor news and information.

It is always great to do a true beta like this, because at the end of the day, this game is for you, the gamers. We received some amazing feedback and opted to extend the beta to make sure that we were able to hear as much of it as we could. Twitter, Facebook, and our forums have been blowing up with comments and we have been taking many notes.

We have learned a lot, and we wanted to take this opportunity to run down some of the major changes/fixes we have made to the game as a direct result of your feedback.

Improved Hit Detection

This was a very big issue and came up many times in the forums. We are glad to say that hit detection has been vastly improved. We really tightened up the mechanics and essentially, wherever the bullet hits on the body — that is where the hit registers. It is even possible to shoot and have the bullet go between someone’s legs – it is that precise!

Weapon Pickups

Out of ammo? No longer do you need to find an ammo crate. Find the nearest dead enemy/friendly and pick up their weapon. And remember, the knife knows no ammunition, so if you really want to be Tier 1 — pull out that bad boy and start slashing your way to victory.

Support Actions Balanced

We heard the outcry and we have made adjustments. The support actions were tweaked and are now more difficult to achieve. There is always a fine line between what is too hard and what is too easy, but we think we have balanced it pretty well. It is just not fun when you are getting nailed with rocket and mortar attacks every 20 seconds.

Unlock Tree Expanded and Balanced

Your ascension to Tier 1 status will now be even more eventful. The unlock tree has been expanded for every weapon, providing an extensive series of choices.

Crash Fixes

Every beta has its crashes and the Medal of Honor beta was no different. We know it is frustrating, but it is all part of the beta process. The good news is that we have fixed the crashes and resolved a number of connectivity issues.

Major Graphic Overhaul

The graphics have been overhauled and upgraded. We are happy to report that the game looks even more spectacular than before.

Weapons

The weapons are essential to gameplay, obviously, and we made sure to concentrate on getting them right. The list is long and the changes are many. From zoom spread to damage inflicted, rest assured that every weapon has been modified.

These changes and fixes are just the tip of the iceberg. As we move toward the game’s release, we continue to improve the game every single day.

Make sure you follow us on Twitter, fan us on Facebook, and visit us at the official website for up-to-the-date Medal of Honor news and information.

On the new content front, the impressively-bearded Greg Goodrich (you may remember him from our E3 interview) demonstrated a mission from the single player mode. As a sniper perched high above an enemy encampment in the Afghan mountains, he picked off a number of enemies, eventually drawing attention to his location. As the enemies let loose with mortar fire, the player switched over to reverse infrared imaging to spot the artillery operators and counter-snipers hiding in the brush and to put high-caliber rounds in their skulls from over a kilometer away.

The audio was a standout here; the crackle of your CO’s orders over the radio and your spotter’s instructions seemed as true to life as most of us will ever get to a behind-enemy-lines situation.

Other news: the Medal of Honor beta is being extended in both time and scope – those of you who purchased Battlefield 1943 should now also have access to the MOH beta. Check out Medal of Honor on Twitter for more details.

Beta access is reserved for those who pre-order the full version of Medal of Honor, EA and DICE’s modern-day war shooter that hits the PS3 this October. Luckily, we’ve got 18 beta code vouchers* to hand out to loyal PlayStation.Blog readers – keep an eye on the official PlayStation Twitter feed to find out how to win later today. To get a head start on the giveaway, watch the following video (very) carefully.

**Note: If you do win a beta voucher, you must redeem it on the official Medal of Honor site and specify PS3 to get a code you can redeem on the PSN Store.

At the 2010 E3 Expo last week, Medal of Honor executive producer Greg Goodrich and creative director Richard Farrelly gave us a primer on what’s new (modern-day Afghanistan with modern-day weapons), what’s unlockable (Tier 1 Operator status and…beards?!), and what’s planned for the final release of Medal of Honor this fall. Our E3 multiplayer session highlighted Medal of Honor’s extensive class customization. You can choose between the long-range Rifleman class, which excels at distance-based fighting; the Sniper class, which focuses on long-range marksmanship; and the Special Ops class, which packs grenades and faster-firing weapons for close-range domination.

The weapon modification system also stands out for its modular, ultra-customizable nature. For instance, the Rail slot can be equipped with a red dot sight, iron sights, or a combat scope; the Barrel slot can take a suppressor or muzzle brake. Each mod offers its own advantages and disadvantages, and when you factor in Medal of Honor’s variable ammunition types (hollowpoint rounds, shotgun slugs, extra mags), you’re looking at a highly personalized multiplayer shooter.

Peep the interview video, follow us on Twitter, and prepare to take a shot at a slice of Honor. Salud!

E3 may have come to a close, but we couldn’t be more excited by the plethora of great games and content available for PlayStation fans. Along with PlayStation Move and a host of exclusive titles coming from our first party developers, our publishing partners were out in force taking full advantage of everything PS3 and PSP have to offer.

One of the biggest surprises at E3 was Gabe Newell from Valve’s arrival on the stage at the press conference earlier this week. He acknowledged his appreciation for the PS3 as “the most open platform of all the current generation consoles.” He went on to not only announce that Portal 2 was coming to the PlayStation 3, but also to state that it’ll be the “best version on any console.”

EA also introduced several exclusives to PS3 including the special edition version of Medal of Honor that comes with the 2002 classic Medal of Honor Frontline, which has been updated and re-mastered with HD visuals. And those of you looking forward to Dead Space 2 can pick up the premium edition, which includes Dead Space Extraction. A prequel to the original Dead Space, Dead Space Extraction will be fully Move compatible and also offer trophy support. Offering these packed-in hits like Medal of Honor Frontline and Dead Space Extraction is something only possible on PS3 because of Blu-Ray.

Fans of Assassin’s Creed can look forward to an exclusive beta of the new multiplayer campaign within Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, with the beta hitting PSN in late summer. 2K Games’ Mafia II will also feature unique content for PS3, including exclusive day-one content including missions, story and gameplay. There’s also the much-anticipated shooter from Crytek, Crysis 2, which will sport 3D-compatible graphics on the PS3.

These along with other great titles, including Kojima’s recently-released masterpiece Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and Sony Online Entertainment’s much-anticipated MMO DC Universe Online, are expanding our library of titles and offerings for gamers, and help make our family of products some of the best of the industry.

Once you’ve digested all things E3, keep an eye out in the coming weeks and months for further news and updates from our publishing partners.