SOCOM 4 has ended its private beta and is now open to anyone with a PSN account. Beginning with today’s Playstation Store update anyone is free to download the beta client and participate in some SOCOM 4 multiplayer mayhem. The open beta will run from April 5th-13th. Each day the program changes a bit with what kind of game types are available. For a complete schedule and how to play each game type check out the PS Blog. SOCOM 4 is in stores April 19th.

“Given the high level of anticipation for SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs, we wanted to provide the most immersive offering to fans of the franchise, who seek to experience the next evolution of motion gaming. With the precision of the motion controller and the intuitive design of the sharp shooter, PlayStation Move delivers on that promise. When used in tandem with the stereoscopic 3D support for games like SOCOM 4 and Killzone 3, it results in an experience only possible on the PlayStation 3 system.”

Considering that separately buying all the pieces that come in the Full Deployment Edition will cost you roughly $200, this is a pretty good deal. However, will this deal be enough to get you to buy a PlayStation Move if you don’t already have one?

SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs and the Full Deployment Edition Comes out April 19^th for the Playstion 3.

Sony is officially dropping the price of the PSP to a mere $129.99 starting February 27. This is no doubt Sony’s attempt to clear out stock and make way for the recently announced NGP. Along with dropping the price, 13 games are being added to the Greatest Hits ($19.99) and Favorites ($9.99) lines.

From Sony:

As part of the PSP system’s extensive software catalogue are its “Greatest Hits” and “Favorites” collections. Available for $19.99 (MSRP), Greatest Hits titles have surpassed an impressive sales threshold and represent the highest caliber of quality software available on the PSP system. With nearly 70 titles to date, two of the latest additions include Assassin’s Creed® Bloodlines™ (Ubisoft), DISSIDIA® FINAL FANTASY® (Square Enix, Inc.), LittleBigPlanet (PSP®), METAL GEAR SOLID®: PEACE WALKER (Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.), Ratchet & Clank®: Size Matters,Resistance: Retribution™, and Toy Story 3: The Video Game (Disney Interactive).

Favorites titles, valued at $9.99 (MSRP), offer some of the PSP system’s most popular games at an incredible price. New PSP Favorites titles include CRISIS CORE® -FINAL FANTASY® VII- (Square Enix, Inc. ), Daxter®, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite™ (Capcom), Killzone®: Liberation, SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Fire Team Bravo, and Tomb Raider® Anniversary (Square Enix, Inc.).

No word on how the PSP Go will be affected. Now the only question remains of whether or not to rush out and buy a PSP at the new reduced price or just wait until the NGP and probably spend more than twice as much.

Back in March, Zipper Interactive announced the next installment of their popular third-person online shooter, SOCOM 4. Yesterday they happily revealed that the game will be available in North America on April 19^th for the Playstation 3. Those of you that pre-order SOCOM 4 from GameStop will get the exclusive map, “Abandoned” from SOCOM 1 and 2’s Suppression mode. Even though the SOCOM series was popular during the PlayStation 2 era, do you think it will be able to stand up against the strong following of games like Halo and Call of Duty when it comes out? You could probably play the beta to see for yourself.

Source: PlayStation.Blog

A day after the announcement that entry into the SOCOM 4 beta would be included in new copies of Killzone 3 for those of us in North America, we got word that our European pals would be getting early access just for being PlayStation Plus members. The PlayStationEU twitter account summed it up, saying:

Just to let you know, all PlayStation Plus members in Europe will have access SOCOM: Special Forces beta that starts in the coming months.

This might be a good enough reason to start threatening to move to Europe instead of Canada whenever I get upset. We’ll keep you updated on the date the beta kicks off when we get something more precise than “in the coming months.”

The final, final box art was revealed today for Killzone 3 and an interesting piece of info was added to it. Access to the SOCOM 4 multiplayer beta will be included with new copies of Killzone 3. Zipper Interactive will allow those with a voucher participate in 32 player battles. No date was given for the start of the beta, but we should know come February 22nd, the day Killzone 3 hits stores.

Via PS Blog