By popular demand, we have brought the Siren: Blood Curse space over from Japan (this space will appear in the European region at a later date). The basic overview is this: The Siren Home space is broken up into three basic zones. When you first enter the Siren space, you’re outside the Ward of Despair, in what looks like an old, rundown carnival space. The entrance to the Ward is just a few steps away. Upon entering it, you’ll find yourself in the mini-game’s lobby. Inside you’ll see video screens on the walls and places to sit and mingle with other players waiting their turn to enter the Ward of Despair mini game. When you’re ready to play, simply approach the receptionist and she’ll send you into the Ward (assuming that the background downloading is complete, which begins upon entry to the lobby scene and can take a few moments).

The Ward of Despair is the Saiga Hospital stage from this PSN downloadable game, recreated as a mini-game for Home, and playable with up to 5 players. Everyone is tasked with objectives that must be completed within the 5 minute time limit. If a Shibito, or zombie, catches you, it’s game over. Also, if you can’t complete the game before the time limit runs out, it’s game over for everyone. Successful completion of all objectives presents the player(s) with reward items in the form of some super creepy costumes.

Take time over the weekend to visit this space and earn these reward items, as we’ll be throwing a special event for those of you that manage to successfully complete the Ward of Despair mini-game. See, on Tuesday, May 12th, between the hours of 4:00pm and 7:00pm PT (6:00pm and 9:00am EST), we’ll be throwing the Siren: HorrorBowl bowling tournament. Users that show up for this bowling tournament outfitted with the Siren reward items will qualify for a random giveaway of the first Siren: Blood Curse bundle (episodes 1-4), which we’ll be passing out via PSN vouchers throughout the event.

In coordination with this space launch and event, the PlayStation Store will be offering a special sale on the full game and the episode bundles. The full game is now only $29.99, and each of the 3 episode bundles is only $10.99. So now’s the time to head over to the store and pick up the game if you haven’t already, or to snatch up those last remaining episodes to complete your collection. There’s even a demo available on the PS Store, so you can try it out before you buy it.

By now, you’re probably well aware of the Patapon 2 event/t-shirt launch also going on in Home on Thursday, May 7th. But I’m here to tell you that we have even more in terms of exclusive vids playing in-world for you this weekend. The fine folk behind the hilarious upcoming PSN multiplayer game Fat Princess have given us an exclusive “behind-the-scenes” developer diary video, delving into the inspiration behind this comic medieval battle royale, to air for one week in the Theater. This video will only be up for a limited time—one week only—before it makes its way to the PS Store later this month. So make sure you log in to Home and head over to the Theater to check it out before anyone else.

Moving away from this week’s events and into the realm of apartments, we are pleased to announce two new premium areas coming your way this Thursday. These two apartments are a new “Log Cabin”-themed area and the Living Room Stage Set.

The Living Room Stage Set will go on sale in the PlayStation Home Mall and will be loaded with interactive lights, cameras, backdrops and movie-related equipment to simulate a real-life studio production environment. The versatile lighting and camera systems allow for a wide range of desired angles, movements, transitions, cuts and lens set-ups that allow you to take control of the technical and artistic aspects. Combined with 12 props that come with the space to decorate the set, you’ll have access to the tools necessary to create your own film. Priced at $4.99, the Living Room Stage Set will be available at the Estates store in PlayStation Home Mall for your directorial debut.

On top of all this, we have a metric boatload of virtual items coming down the pike including Tekken costumes and figurines and 14 Killzone 2 shirts (plus a bunch of other gear in the Threads store). We also think you’ll pleased to find that the inFAMOUS pre-order and reward outfits will begin unlocking right on time.

There’s more stuff to do in Home than ever before, so come on in and give it all a spin. We’ll be looking for you.

WHAT WAS THE SURNAME OF THE FAMILY WHO MOVED INTO THE HAUNTED HOUSE IN ‘THE AMITYVILLE HORROR’?
* LUTZ
* JONES
* MICHAELS
* WILLARD

WHO DIRECTED THE ORIGINAL 2004 ‘SAW’ FILM?
* JAMES WAN
* DARREN LYNN BOUSMAN
* DAVID HACKL
* LEIGH WHANNELL

IN ‘THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT’, THE FILMMAKERS BECOME LOST AFTER MIKE DOES WHAT TO THE MAP?
* KICKS IT INTO THE RIVER
* EATS IT
* RIPS IT UP
* THROWS IT ON THE FIRE

Just to provide a little added incentive to get you into the spirit, we’re announcing a costume contest. The rules are simple: dress up as one of your favorite Sony Computer Entertainment characters (e.g. BUZZ!, the game show host from the BUZZ! games, Sackboy, Kratos, Sly Cooper, Jak, Daxter, Ratchet, Clank etc.) and submit a photo of yourself in costume holding up a PlayStation branded controller or PSPsystem. Email your photo to psbloghalloween@gmail.com by 5:00 PM PST on November 3, 2008 (that gives you all of Halloween weekend to capture an image of yourself in costume).

Your favorite Social Media Manager, Jeff Rubenstein, will use his good judgment based on 50% originality of costume and 50% likeness of character to select the top FIVE costumes out of all of the submissions. We’ll then post the final five on the blog on November 5, 2008 on or about 9:00 AM PST and allow you, the readers, to vote. The three submissions with the most votes win. Vote by clicking on the radio button that corresponds with your selection. We’ll close voting at 5:00 PM PST Friday, November 7, 2008 and announce the winners on the Blog that following Monday, November 10, 2008.

The costume that receives the most votes will win a PLAYSTATION® 3 80 GB system. The second place costume will receive a PSP® 3000 system. The third place costume will receive PlayStation Network vouchers valued at $50.00 USD.

And because we are having so much fun testing each other with the BUZZ! Quiz TV Horror pack, we’re adding another little challenge to our costume contest. The individual with the best BUZZ! game show host costume (judged solely by Jeff) based on 50% originality of costume and 50% likeness of character will be awarded a PlayStation Network voucher for the horror quiz pack, in addition to a BUZZ! Quiz TV bundle.

So, get started on creating those costumes; we can’t wait to see what you come up with. Good luck and Happy Halloween!

No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Open to legal residents of the United States ages 13 and older. See official rules listed below for complete details.

OFFICIAL RULES

The following promotion is intended for viewing in the 50 United States and D.C. only and shall only be construed and evaluated according to United States law. Do not proceed in this site if you are not a legal resident of, and located in, the 50 United States or D.C. at the time of entry.

SCEA CHARACTER AND BUZZ!(tm) HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST
OFFICIAL RULES

1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. MAKING A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE CHANCES OF WINNING. Void outside the 50 United States and D.C. and where prohibited. To enter, email a photograph of yourself in costume holding up a PlayStation® branded controller or a PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) entertainment system to psbloghalloween@gmail.com between October 29, 2008 at 9:00 am PST and November 3, 2008 at 5:00 pm PST. Your costume must be a character featured in one of the games published by Sony Computer Entertainment America (the “Sponsor”) (i.e. BUZZ! (the game show host), Sackboy, Kratos, Sly Cooper, Jak, Daxter, Ratchet, Clank) To be valid, entries must be received no later than 5:00 PM November 3, 2008 (PST). Limit one entry per person and valid e-mail address for the duration of the promotion. All entries will be considered made by the authorized account holder of the email address. Subsequent entries will be disqualified.
Sony Computer Entertainment America (the “Sponsor”) is not responsible for lost, late, mutilated, illegible, incomplete or misdirected entries. Sponsor is not responsible for technical, hardware or software failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections or failed, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmissions which may limit an entrant’s ability to participate in the contest. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to modify, cancel or suspend this contest should virus, bugs or other causes beyond Sponsor’s control corrupt the administration, security or proper play of thiscontest. Sponsor reserves the right to reject any entries that it deems, in its sole discretion, to be inappropriate including, but not limited to, gratuitous depictions of violence or sexual behavior, or positive depictions of alcohol or tobacco.

2. Winner Selection: Five (5) costumes will be selected by Sponsor from all eligible photographs received by November 3, 2008.
Sponsor will also select the best BUZZ! costume from all eligible photographs received by November 3, 2008.
All photographs received will be judged by Sponsor based on the following criteria:
50% Creativity
50% Likeness of Character
The five (5) final costumes chosen by Sponsor will be posted on blog.us.playstation.com/halloweencostumevote on November 5, 2008 on or about 9:00 AM PST for judging by the readers of the blog. The readers will vote for their favorite and the three (3) submissions with the most votes win a prize. Voting will close at 5:00 PM PST Friday, November 7, 2008. Readers will enter their votes by checking the box next to their favorite submission on the Web site at the following url: blog.us.playstation.com/halloweencostumevote. The winners will be announced on Monday, November 10, 2008 on the blog.

The winner of the BUZZ! Game show host Costume contest will also be announced on the blog on November 5, 2008.

3. PRIZES: One (1) Grand Prize winner is the posted submission that received the most votes from readers of the blog. Grand Prize costume will receive a PLAYSTATION®3 80 GB computer entertainment system (ARV $399.99). The costume that receives the second most votes will receive a PSP® 2000 system (ARV $169.99) . The costume that receives the third most votes will receive PlayStation® Network vouchers valued at $50.00 USD. Choice of Voucher at Sponsor’s discretion. The winner of the BUZZ! Costume contest will receive a PlayStation® Network voucher for the Horror Quiz Pack and a BUZZ! Quiz TV bundle which includes a copy of the game BUZZ! Quiz TV and four wireless buzzers. (ARV $115.98). Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal value. Prizes are non-transferable and no substitutions allowed. Winners shall be notified by email and/or telephone. Once notified, allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of prizes.
4. ODDS OF WINNING: The odds of winning depend on number of valid entries received.

5. ELIGIBILITY: Promotion is open to legal residents of the 50 United States ages 13 and over. Winner(s) will be required to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release within seven (7) days of receipt. Return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqualification and an alternate winner will be selected. Failure to return Affidavit of Eligibility and Release within 7 days of receipt will result in forfeiture of prize. An alternate winner will be selected among remaining eligible entrants. If the winner is a minor, then prize will be awarded to winner’s parent or legal guardian. By acceptance of prize, winners agree to the use of their name and/or likenesses for purposes of advertising, trade, or promotion without further compensation, unless prohibited by law. Additionally, by acceptance of prize, prize winner agree to release Sponsor and its respective parents, subsidiaries, agencies, divisions, and affiliates from any and all liability, claims or actions or any kind whatsoever for injuries, damages or losses to persons and property which may be sustained in connection with the receipt, ownership or use of the prize or while preparing for, participating in, and/or traveling to or from any prize-related activity and/or sweepstakes activity. Employees of Sponsor and their respective parents, subsidiaries, agencies, and affiliates and each of their related companies and their immediate families are not eligible. Neither the Sponsor nor their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, agencies, divisions nor related companies are responsible for any damages, taxes, or expenses that winners might incur as a result of this sweepstakes or receipt of prize.

6. WINNER’S NAME: To obtain a list of winners, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: SCEA CHARACTER AND BUZZ! HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST winner’s list. 919 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City, CA. 94404. Winners’ list requests will be fulfilled within four weeks after all prizes have been awarded. Requests for winners’ list must be received by November 30, 2008.

7. RESTRICTIONS: Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

8. SPONSOR: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., 919 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City, CA 94404