Final Fantasy XIV (PS3, PC) got a lot of cheers when it was announced at the tail end of Sony's E3 2009 presentation, but reactions were generally mixed when gamers spotted "Online" part in the title. Some have thought that it's essentially a better-looking Final Fantasy XI, only this time for the PS3 instead of the Xbox 360. Final Fantasy XIV producer Hiromichi Tanaka says that isn't the case at all.

The rain on Kojima's teaser site has lifted and the man behind it all made an appearance at Microsoft's E3 keynote with his long-awaited game. Many speculations have called it right - the blown-up looking dude at the teaser countdown was indeed Raiden, and he's gonna be the star of Metal Gear Solid: Rising. Details after the jump.

And finally, this is really it! There's no stopping E3 now! The committee for the E3 Expo 2009 has now released the floor plans for the said event. Posted over at their official website are the layouts for the West Hall, South Hall, and the 2nd Level Directory. Details after the jump.

Nothing major is really happening console-side this week. The console versions of Sacred 2: Fallen Angel are finally seeing a release after a few delays and the subsequent bankruptcy of game developer Ascaron. Wii owners, meanwhile, get Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus and Help Wanted. On the handheld side of things, the Sony PSP gets no love at all. The DS gets some, at least, but it's aimed mostly towards the 12 and under set. Strategy gamers on a budget should check out the PC releases, though. There are a couple of good games in there.

Nintendo does have a lot of celebrating to do cos the past couple of years have been really good for them. Not only did their gaming consoles (DS and Wii) give them much source of pride -- and profit -- they have also been just recognized as one of the world's most reputable companies, landing in at an impressive #6.

While this week's crop of new games doesn't really scream "Triple-A", it is noteworthy for having Patapon 2, the vanguard/forward scout for Sony's foray into digital distribution for the PlayStation Portable. Other picks this week include the release of the Wii version of Namco's PlayStation original, Klonoa. PC gamers also get a one-two-three punch from Crytek and EA with the compilation, CrysisCrysis: Maximum Edition. Read on for the rest of this week's video game releases.

A couple of Sony's massive online games -- Zipper Interactive's MAG and SOE's very own The Agency -- are rumored to be gearing up for beta releases soon. More after the jump.

Yes folks, the QJ Giveaway spree is well underway! SOE gave us a ton of beta keys so that people can try out their upcoming Free Realms MMORPG, and already, we've been able to roll out the first batch of keys to our lucky QJ.NET readers - congrats guys, you know who you are! More beta keys strung up on our belts and chains, meaning everyone's still more than welcome to join in on the fun! We've even included a full 10-minute dev walkthrough of the game in the full article, just to get you guys started. Have fun!

Good news, adventure fans. It turns out that Syberia 3 wasn't an April Fools prank after all! The PC release is a sure thing according to Microids prez Emmanuel Olivier, but there's still some questions about a possible PS3 version. Why? Because of Sony. In a press release, Olivier accused Sony of censorship and exorbitant royalty fees, both of which are keeping a PS3 release of Syberia 3 from becoming reality.

Everybody loves getting in on a game early, and what better way to do that than with beta keys? Since we love you guys so much, we're giving away the Free Realms  PC beta keys we have in our possession so that you can go and explore the game's extremely open world before anyone else.