Tokyo - Sony Computer Entertainment this week announced plans to launch its long-awaited movie and TV download service for the PlayStation 3 in the U.S. this summer, although "insiders at numerous studios" told Variety that they have not signed deals to license their content to such a service. Along with downloads directly to the PS3, sources involved in the discussions told Variety the deals could include transfers to the PSP handheld, and transfers from Blu-ray movie discs to the PS3 and PSP. The company has been working on the service since 2006.

New York - IGA Worldwide, a provider of in-game advertising services, has announced a partnership with Sony (NYSE: SNE) to provide in-game advertising on the PlayStation 3 in the U.S. and Europe, and also with publisher Electronic Arts (NASD: ERTS) to serve in-game ads on EA titles for the PlayStation 3.

Foster City, Calif. - Sony Computer Entertainment America announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with Future US, publisher of The Official PlayStation Magazine, to produce an original, monthly HD program that will be distributed exclusively through the PlayStation Store for its PlayStation 3 console. The interactive "Qore" episodes, available for $2.99 each or $24.99 annually, will feature multimedia news, developer interviews, in-depth game previews and behind-the-scenes, in addition to game demos, betas, add-ons and other downloadable and game-related content.

Redmond, Wash. - Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) has announced that its Xbox 360 beat out rival next-generation video game consoles from Sony (NYSE: SNE) and Nintendo to become the first to sell over 10 million units in the U.S.

Burbank, Calif. - Dreamer, a Korea-based interactive TV developer, said on Tuesday that it has opened an office in Burbank, Calif. to market its Biddle technology, a platform that lets content distributors deliver customized, interactive programming and services to networked Blu-ray Disc players or PlayStation 3 consoles. Dreamer said its Biddle platform is currently in use by over one million subscribers in Korea.

Dallas - Video rental giant Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) announced on Monday that it has begun selling video games, game consoles and accessories at all of its U.S. corporate-owned stores, as part of the company's broader plan to significantly expand its game business.

Tokyo - Sony (NYSE: SNE) has once again delayed the launch of its "Home" 3D virtual community for the PlayStation 3 console, now saying the service will launch for users in the fall. The service had initially been slated to launch last fall, but pushed the debut until this spring.

Foster City, Calif. - Sony Computer Entertainment America on Tuesday announced the launch of a redesigned PlayStation Store for its PlayStation 3, which is now a native application on the game console rather than a Web-based storefront. The store now features quicker navigation and an expanded library of nearly 900 pieces of content, including over 70 downloadable games, as well as game demos and videos, and HD movie trailers. Sony counts more than 3.6 million registered PlayStation Network accounts in North America.

Los Angeles - Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) is developing a set-top box that will deliver streaming films to consumers' televisions, and is expected to announce details on the plan sometime this month, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Taipei, Taiwan - Sony (NYSE: SNE) plans to increase distribution of its Blu-ray Disc players this year and hopes its share of the total DVD market can increase from 20% to 50% by the end of this year, Digitimes reports. Sony Electronics CEO Ryoji Chubachi made the projection at a press conference in Taipei last week.

Foster City, Calif. - Sony Computer Entertainment America said on Thursday that the next system software update for its PlayStation 3 will add BD-LIVE, a set of interactive features for the game console's Blu-ray player. BD-LIVE will enable features such as downloadable video content, ringtones and games. Sony said the update, due for release in late March, will also enable photo and music playlists on the PS3 to be copied to a PSP handheld.

San Francisco - Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) is not in talks to include Sony (NYSE: SNE) Blu-ray high-definition DVD technology in its Xbox 360 video game console, according to Aaron Greenberg, group product manager for Xbox 360. Microsoft will, instead, continue to invest in the Xbox Live online service, which lets users rent movies, including ones in high-definition, over the Internet.

Tokyo - Sony Japan (NYSE: SNE) has announced plans to discontinue both the 20GB and 60GB models of its PlayStation 3 game console in Japan, choosing instead to focus on a 40GB model introduced there in November, GamesIndustry.biz reports. The company is similarly phasing out its 60GB PS3 in favor of the 40GB model in Europe, and cut the price on the U.S. 60GB model when it introduced an 80GB model in the U.S. last August.

Foster City, Calif. - Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) (NYSE: SNE) said on Monday that it sold 1.2 million PlayStation 3 consoles during the holidays, along with 1.4 million PSP handhelds and 1.3 million units of the PlayStation 2. The holidays timeframe was defined as Nov. 23 through Dec. 31.

San Diego - DivX (NASD: DIVX), a developer of video compression technology and distribution services, announced on Tuesday that the PlayStation 3 now supports the DivX video format, with the upgrade to PS3 system software Version 2.10 released today by Sony. The PlayStation 3 is the first gaming system to officially support DivX video playback.

Tokyo - Sony's PlayStation 3 outsold rival Nintnedo's Wii console in Japan for the first time this month, Reuters reported, citing sales data compiled by Japan's Enterbrain.

Foster City, Calif. - Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced that sales of its PlayStation 3 are up 298% since Nov. 2, compared with October sales, which the company credited to availability of both the 40GB and 80GB models of the game console.

Tokyo - In a bid to woo additional developers, Sony Computer Entertainment has halved the price it charges for the software tools necessary to create games for its PlayStation 3 console, the Associated Press reported. The SDK will now cost $10,250 in North America. The price cut follows Sony's decision to cut the consumer price tag for the PlayStation 3 last month. Sony had sold 5.6 million PlayStation 3 units worldwide as of the end of September, company spokesman Daisuke Nakata told AP.

San Diego - Video game publishers would do well to take advantage of the online storefronts offered by next-generation video game consoles, as games with downloadable content sell 114% more than other titles, according to a report from market research firm Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR).