PlayStation Network PLAY hits Europe and it’s bringing Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition (brevity is completely lost on Capcom) with it.

Other highlights this week include puzzle-platformer Hamilton’s Great Adventure and a pair of demos for NHL 12 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2012.

Check it out.

This week marks the commencement of PlayStation Network PLAY. The first game out of the gate is Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online edition which begs the sarcastic question: how many Street Fighters do we really need?

The store this week also boasts the release of Hamilton’s Great Adventure and the 16-bit classic Comix Zone.

Not much new content to speak of on the European front this week (don’t worry this week’s North American update was one of the worst the store has ever seen). Instead a few of the PS3 more successful retail titles are now available via excessively long download.

Take a look.

There have been some pretty dry updates on the PlayStation Store but the dearth of content hitting this week seems especially vacant of intriguing downloads. No new games, publisher sales or particularly interesting pieces of DLC are newly available but hey maybe you’ll find something.

Continuing with their series of behind the scenes looks at RAGE the developers at id Software discuss the themes, inspirations and innovations that will hopefully make the world of RAGE one of the most awe-inspiring the industry has ever seen. They’d also like to let you in on how a certain character from The Big Lebowski made his way into the game.

EA’s Gamescom 2011 presentation is set to be one of the highlights of this year’s event, and you can watch the action unfold live on the EA website.

The final installment of the Metro: Last Light E3 demo is finally here. Roughly a month after the event it looks as if we can put E3 2011 to bed at long last.

This week the store boasts a very fine Ubisoft sale to go along with a selection of full game downloads including Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood and ModNation Racers.

Happy downloading.

As we’re sure you’re well aware, Raptr is giving away $25,000 worth of gaming merchandise including new consoles and some of the most anticipated games this year in their Summer of Raptr giveaway.

What you may not know is that the competition is ending August 31st, meaning you have just under a month left to follow eligible topics on the new Raptr community website and be entered to win.

What are the eligible topics you ask?

This week Warhammer 40K: Kill Team hits the store and it’s bringing Galaga Legions DX and Dragon Age: Origins with it. No significant sales this week as the end of July likely marks a discount hiatus for publishers specific discounts.
Head on in and check it out.

Phil Rogers, Sony Europe R&D Manager, has been explaining the various ways PS Vita could connect with the PS3.

Earlier this month THQ and 4A GAmes released part one of a three part series revealing the full demo for Metro: Last Light which was displayed at E3. This is part two.

The release of The Darkness II has been pushed out of this calendar year and into 2012.

Time to save some cash on the games you may have missed the first time around. Two separate sales hit the store this week so you’re more likely than not to find something that tickles your buying bone.

Don’t forget that this week also sees the awaited release of Limbo. Overall it’s a pretty hefty update so head on in and check it out.

At this point in the year unveiling formerly private E3 demos seems to be the thing to do. Big name titles like BioShock Infinite and RAGE have already displayed long-form gameplay cuts.

Now it’s Metro: Last Light’s turn.

One of the definite highlights of this year’s E3 was the rebirth of the Tomb Raider franchise. Crystal Dynamics’s unveiling of a younger, greener Lara Croft is easily one of the most visually pleasing trailers the industry has ever seen.

So how is it that a trailer for Deus Ex: Human Revolution integral in making this breathtaking trailer possible?

If you haven’t been paying close attention, id Software’s RAGE is fast approaching release. We’ll be descending into the post-apocalyptic wasteland this October (4th US/7th UK).

In perfect lockstep with the prototypical elements of the genre which id itself spawned in the early 90′s, RAGE will include a devastating array of weapons to arm yourself with. The development team would like to introduce you to the selection of tools at your disposal.

If you’ve ever had the distinct pleasure of attending a garage sale you know what it’s like to come upon a set of goods that isn’t particularly alluring. No TVs or sword collections to draw you in but the possibility of finding something to your liking always exists. That’s pretty much what we have in this week’s update.

Not much by way of new content but still worth checking out.

No new games this week people. Disappointing as that is there is a really nice Summer Sale currently running to draw your attention. So if you haven’t downloaded PixelJunk Shooter 2 or PacMan Championship Edition DX this is the time.