We know, we know -- you've spent the better part of today searching the internet for all those Namco classics no longer playable on the futurebox of choice in your living room. Thankfully, Namco Bandai just this morning announced intentions to "increase its digital distribution presence," effectively eliminating your wasted time problem.

Aside from the news that two Katamari-based titles are headed to Xbox 360 and PlayStation Portable (Beautiful Katamari in "Q1 2010" and Me & My Katamari on December 22, respectively), today's communication did little for news on what else we can expect from the Japanese publisher on the digital front. That being said, the company specifically pointed out future titles heading to not just Xbox 360, but also a bolstering of titles in the PSone and PSP catalogs on the PlayStation Network. It appears as though we won't be hearing about other titles just yet, though, as the company said, "More titles to be announced in the coming months." But hey, at least you can stop all that internet scouring now, right?

January's right around the corner and EA's PR department is in full assault mode. Enter: Mass Effect 2, a video game we've heard the kids talking about around the chocolate milk line. In its latest PR salvo, EA has unloaded a video showing off the Infiltrator class, a stealth-based attack unit in BioWare's upcoming RPG shooter. While the Infiltrator isn't the useful, jack-of-all-trades type the Sentinel is or like the wussy cautious, wait-in-the-back Engineer, we must admit we've always had a soft spot for the sneaky, assassin type.

If you're reading gaming blogs on a regular basis, Tetsuya Nomura needs no introduction. While Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep is by no means finished, Nomura is already talking about what's next. In the latest issue of Famitsu (via Siliconera; scan can be seen here), he confirms two additional projects: one that is already fairly far along in development and another unannounced project that's "not entirely new."

Aside from Birth By Sleep, Nomura's other known projects include Final Fantasy Agito XIII and 3rd Birthday, a new game in the Parasite Eve series. Keep an eye on Famitsu's site, where the full interview will soon be available.

French publisher Ubisoft is looking to expand in Japan. In an interview with Famitsu (translation by 1UP), Ubi Executive Director Alain Corre discussed the strategy of dealing with the region, stating that the company would like to produce "games on the same level as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest." The problem is, according to Corre, that Ubisoft has "never made any RPGs." We're guessing he means internally, otherwise Enchanted Arms is probably off crying in a corner somewhere.

Corre believes that if Ubisoft can get quality RPG-oriented developers that he'd "love to release one." He feels that if the company can work with Japanese developers that he's "sure [Ubisoft] can make a game that appeals to the Japanese audience." Ubisoft expects to announce what its Japanese development studios are working on in about a year. We're all for a JRPG starring the Rabbids.

Wired's piece on the events leading up to the end of Duke Nukem Forever's 12 year development cycle may not give the full story, thanks to the continuing legal issues between publisher Take-Two and developer 3D Realms, but it does a solid job of putting together the fragmented anecdotes of anonymous employees and people close to the events.

The feature is a cautionary tale of ego, ambition and failure. DNF's drama is a yarn that publishers, developers and the press will turn to for years (decades?) to come as the quintessential example of game development gone terribly wrong, terribly publicly. Definitely check it out if you've never gone down the rabbit hole of Duke Nukem Forever's distracted development.

[Thanks, Sean]

The final PSN update of 2009 is all about the sales, with PSN and Sega DLC getting price cuts. There will be no update next week due to the holiday. Also, for all you epic space-opera shooter fans, Wing Commander IV is available as a PSone Classic for $6 -- the thing weighs in at 2.25GB. Check out the full PSN update after the break.

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Shinobii Technologies has released the "Console Toolkit," which will kill your console's warranty faster than a failed liquid cooling mod, for a mere £20 ($32). The 19-piece toolkit comes with all one needs to take apart various generations of consoles, so that the humble consumer can "replace a defective drive, burnt out laser lens, scratched or cracked screen or any other defective part."

It's fairly safe to guess that most of us have about as much ability to diagnose and repair what's wrong with our defective console as we do in finding Oklahoma on a map (it's above Texas, totally true). With that said, unless you're well versed, it's probably easier, cheaper and safer to just purchase a new console. For those who do decide to purchase this and go it alone, please remember to unplug the console first ... just sayin'.

It was hinted at again and again... and again, until it was finally confirmed. Dead Space 2 is officially a thing that exists, and the sequel will land on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC at some point. Until then, EA's Visceral Games is in full-blown tease mode. Today's tidbit of Dead Space 2 info comes in the form of a Game Informer-exclusive "3D" screenshot.

The image features the game's hero, Isaac Clark, fighting off a horrific childlike necromorph. Well, to be honest, we assume the pair are fighting. For all we know the two characters could be moments away from a beautiful holiday embrace. (Mistletoe may or may not be involved.) Check out Game Informer's dedicated Dead Space 2 site to see the shot in all its interactive glory.

We may still have a few more weeks before the hair-based weapon wielding Bayonetta arrives on US shores, but that doesn't mean that reviewers haven't gotten their hands on the region-free, fully translated PlayStation 3 Japanese release (and the lucky folks at Official Xbox Magazine seem to have secured an extra early Xbox 360 review copy). Regardless of the downright silly nature of the game's story and characters, Bayonetta has thus far received universal acclaim from the critics. Here's what some had to say.

• Edge (100/100): "A beautiful and graceful fighting game that lets imagination loose, and winks before slapping Dante, Kratos and every other hero back to the drawing board."
• Eurogamer (9/10): "It's in combat that Bayonetta's splendour is fully revealed ... a blast of creative brilliance, both technically accomplished, strategically deep and infused with rare imagination, Bayonetta represents the pinnacle of its chosen niche."
• Official Xbox Magazine (90/100): "Every one of these dazzling battles is thrilling without overstaying its welcome - and also challenges you without being cheap"
• Play.tm (95%): "Bayonetta could - and should - breathe fresh life into the ailing Japanese action genre ... an unrivalled showcase of imagination and creativity."

Source 1 - Metacritic PS3
Source 2 - Metacritic Xbox 360

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EA may have just gotten the exclusive on another sports league without paying a dime. On the most recent Take-Two earnings report, the next iteration of the NHL 2K series was conspicuously absent from a list of games slated for the rest of the company's fiscal year. The exclusion, noticed by Pastapadre, has lead some to surmise that the series has been canned, a fate that befell the College Hoops 2K series last year.

At the moment, 2K spokespeople are saying only "We are currently in the process of evaluating our sports portfolio and have not announced any new NHL titles at this time." We'll let you know what we hear.

[Via 1UP]

Sega has unwrapped a special holiday treat for PlayStation Network users today. Until January 7, all Sega downloads for PS3 and PSP from the PlayStation Store will be marked down 40 percent. Yes! That Sonic Unleashed DLC is finally within reach!

In all seriousness, this is a prime opportunity to stock up on some decent PSP games, like Crush ($9.59). Or, haven't nabbed the Valkyria Chronicles DLC yet? Now you have no excuse! The full list of discounted games and add-ons is posted after the break.

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Last week, we received word that Zachary Quinto, who provided the fresh face for Spock in this past summer's Star Trek relaunch, would do the voice of Star Trek Online's "Emergency Medical Hologram tutorial." Today, we received further Spock-based news for the title: According to an Atari press release, Leonard Nimoy will narrate the game's introduction, and can also be heard during cut scenes and other events throughout the game. For instance, he'll offer a brief congratulation when your first Seaman egg hatches.

Of course, this announcement has caused fans of the series anticipate the in-game appearance of "old Spock" -- just as Quinto's involvement brought murmurs of a "new Spock" cameo. The somewhat creepier fans began prophesying hot, hot Spock on Spock action. We generally try not to associate with this latter group, for obvious reasons.