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MotorStorm RC, coming to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita as a PlayStation Network download this week, will rely on leaderboards and ghost players for online multiplayer competition. Split-screen local multiplayer will be available on the PS3 version, but all competitive play on the PS Vita version will be asynchronous.

You'll receive notifications while playing the game when someone beats one of your records, and one button press will let you jump into a race on that particular track up against a ghost of that particular player to try and beat their time. You'll also see other lines indicating your previous best time to beat on the track, according to a video explaining how competitive online play works.

The upcoming launch of PlayStation Vita will be accompanied by a third game in the ModNation Racers franchise, and this one is planning to capitalize on many of the handheld's features to bring a strong set of asynchronous gameplay features as well as community unlocks. The developer, in a post on the PlayStation Blog, addressed concerns that the game won't have a WiFi infrastructure mode for competitive play by citing a desire to innovate instead of simply replicating features from their PS3 and PSP offerings before it.

The PlayStation Portable ID launched in 2008 and it hasn't changed significantly since then. The passive nature of it, requiring you to log into the PSN website and click a button to update it, along with the complete lack of customization options makes it far less useful than it should be. As a read-only form of user information, a means of bragging about what you're playing and how much you've accomplished in a given game, there really is no threat to the PlayStation Network by opening up access to that information and adding customization options. It should really follow the impressive example of user data sharing in secure ways that has been set by EVE Online.

EVE recently did an impressive revamp to their API key system, going from a two-step system where you could create either a limited or full API key per character and share either some or all information, to a diverse set of options where you generate not only a key with specific limited information in it, but you can also set a verification code, or password, required to access that key. Up to 10 keys can exist at once, and you can revoke any one of them from being used simply by keeping the key's settings and changing its verification code. The picture above gives you a small sample of what can be shared in an API key, just 9 of the 28 different choices available. The full set is available here.

Verizon's exclusivity on the Sony Xperia Play, known informally as the PlayStation phone, ends on September 18th when a 4G or HSPA+ version of the phone lands on AT&T for just $50 with a new data contract. This version of the phone comes in a new "stealth blue" color as well. Seven games will be preloaded on the device to start with, and the Android phone will be running a version of Gingerbread, Android 2.3.3.

For the full details check the press release below.

With my kids off to bed on the night before they start school for the Fall, I sat down next to my wife this evening, she smiled warmly and put her hand on mine, I leaned in close to her ear, and screamed like an attacking Chimera.

Well, all that happened except that screaming part. She wouldn't get it, she doesn't know that the alternate history of the Resistance universe's 1950's Earth is launching its third installment today. Reviews coming in are good, and I'm hoping the humans can finally do something to halt the relentless attack that's decimated them across two other games already. Gamers may say they like dark endings, but a third one in a row might be too much to take. The hero has a family, for Pete's sake, let's let this guy win their survival at least, ok?

For more information hit up the PlayStation Blog which will give you a look at the 3D and Move-enabled game along with its Doomsday Edition.