Much to the delight of motorheads here at QJ.NET, demos for Codemaster's Race Driver: GRID (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC) is now available for download. In case you want to find out more about the demos, head on over to the full article by clicking on the "read more" link below.

We've finally gotten something official from Capcom regarding the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 demos for Devil May Cry 4 (PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360). Capcom has also released a bunch of screenshots featuring Dante's Lucifer attack and a new enemy for newcomer Nero. More details along with all the screenshots at the full article.

 

And the revelations keep flowing from Sony Computer Entertainment's press conference, led by CEO Kaz Hirai. Up on the heels of updates for DualShock 3 and PlayStation Home is the new PC portal for PlayStation Home, which will soon allow users to connect to the service over their PCs.

In a short demonstration, Sony showed a Windows laptop sporting a PlayStation Store interface created for PC users. Of course, Hirai couldn't help but boast virtual shelf numbers during the process: 30 PlayStation 3 games, 300 add-on items, 100 game titles on archive, and a slew of game demos all underline what's served at the portal currently.

Mechanics are still slightly unclear, however, including details as to whether the PlayStation Store was accessed via browser or a stand-alone application. But some customers are beginning to appreciate the fact that they will be able to access the PlayStation Store through PCs for their PlayStation Portables, without needing to own a PlayStation 3.

More details on this and more as they develop.

 

A report from Xbox360 Only has claimed that Codemasters will be releasing a playable demo of Clive Barker's Jericho (PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360) sometime this August. Andrew Wafer of Codemasters told Gaming Only that three versions of the demo will be simultaneously released over Xbox Live, the PlayStation Store and over major download sites for the PC.

Fans of the author-slash-director will get to see the paranormal horror action title up close and personal soon. Plenty more details on the game has been spilled during the interview, but it has yet to be published into streaming video as of press time.

But Clive Barker himself has confirmed that the game harbored the same traits that define his stories back in an exclusive interview at the Hollywood & Games Summit 2007. He said, "...With Jericho I think there’s really some Barker there." And if his mention of the game plot involving "an assassination attempt upon a creature that gives the devil the shivers" is any indication, Jericho could very well be Clive Barker's next crowning glory in the horror game genre.

  

Well, Christian Svensson was right. One of Capcom's latest post-Capcom Day press releases is something that isn't within the expected parameters of Resident Evil or Devil May Cry. That's because they're all on broadband. Following up on XBLA's Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting, Capcom has announced four digital-distribution titles that will be available on Xbox Live Arcade (via Marketplace), PlayStation Network (via Store), and PC (via Jill Valentine-knows-where...).

Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PSN, XBL) takes the original game, tosses in new redrawn artwork by Udon Entertainment, and sharpens everything up with 1080p graphics. This title will come with online and offline two-player combat.

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PSN, XBL, PC), just like the other Turbo HD Remix, brings HD-quality graphics to the original game, but this Super Puzzle Fighter Turbo II also carries new game modes, improved game balance, new stage background artwork (also from Udon), and online play.

From the styrene and tabletop to broadband, WizKids' constructible Rocketmen: Axis of Evil (PSN, XBL) gets turned into an up-to-four-player arcade shooter through the solar system as the Alliance of Free Planets battle the evil alliance of Terra and Mars (oh, that Axis of Evil...).

Finally, another real-world-to-digital conversion, the Games Workshop board game Talisman (PSN, XBL, PC) turns into a four-player online/offline RPG. The game world's a 3D and animated reproduction of the board game itself, so that should be extra geek points for those who enjoy the hybrid board/RPG game.

 

Let's get down to business. Shacknews has an interview with Telltale Games' Dan Connors, who's decided to be a little tattletale on Sam & Max on the 360. Well, make that on all consoles.

Well, we're hoping to get on to both consoles, with Live Arcade and Virtual Console - I'm sorry, on all three consoles! But we're starting with Wii and Xbox, on both of their online services and retail as well. We want to open as much distribution as possible and reach as many people as possible, so when we go out and talk to a license holder we can say, "Hey, we can get your license in front of all these people. Come with us and we'll make sure it's a great product." The distribution channel drives a lot of that, especially if you're independent and you're an emerging media publisher. I think there's some room for us to grab a stake.

Online truly is the wave of the future, isn't it? And the episodic format being used for the PC releases is a perfect fit for Xbox Live Marketplace, PlayStation Network/Store, and Wii Shop/Virtual Console (just no microtransaction holdups, please). Of course, it always begins as hope, until the programmers can nail together something ready for the Sam & Max download. We're just waiting for the press release on that one.

Oh, and nice save on the "all three consoles" on that one, Dan.

CVG has... qualms about the idea of Unreal Tournament 3 mods for consoles. They report an interview between Epic Games Mark Rein and Team Xbox, and Mark had this to say:

• Epic going to take PC UT mods and help devs make them available for PS3, and
• Epic doing "something like that as well" for the Xbox 360 (In other words, repeat what was just said, replace PS3 with Xbox 360).
• "The big thing we're excited about bringing to console are mods." In other words, Mark repeats himself.

There have been shadows of doubts among some people about PC mods working on consoles, but Epic must be firmly on board the program if its VP will say this - and repeat himself - in an interview. There, that's it. Come hell or high Locust, UT3 mods will come to PS3 and Xbox 360 until Epic says otherwise.

So why does CVG have issues? "But should the mod scene launch in earnest on console, would it really have any ramifications for the same on PC?" they ask.

CVG's hypothesis: what if mods, traditionally free on PCs, are SOLD on Marketplace and PlayStation Store with dollarmental value? (Uh-oh, we hear a groan coming from a motherboard somewhere) While microtransactions are a temptation for third-party coders, we would like to believe that it might not get to that. Hey, Epic gives its Gears of War multiplay maps on Marketplace away for free.

Now if third-party coders would like compensation for their mods console or PC, that's their business, but really, in a game with a tradition of free mods, what are the risks that these guys might rediscover the value of cha-ching, just because they get to play in PS Store and Marketplace? Why not ask the modders themselves what they think?