New PS3 model to cost Aussies A$699.95 ($629); no confirmation of 60GB price drop.

  Quartet of free samples arrive on Microsoft's downloadable service this week, including ACME Arsenal, Thrillville, and Bee Movie.

  University of Toronto study finds lasting benefits from just 10 hours of action-oriented gameplay.

  Film-industry rumor site IESB is reporting that a "ballooning" budget for Epic Games' high-profile shooter adaptation is giving New Line Cinema cold feet.

  Studio behind massively multiplayer Lord of the Rings and Dungeons &Dragons games gets a new-look management staff.

  New NCsoft studio's VP Kevin Beardslee, executive producer Jeremy Gaffney, and producer Eric DeMilt talk about their just-unveiled shop and direction of their first project.

  With Guitar Hero III tuning up in the background, the publisher exec talks about Wii online play (or lack thereof), downloadable content plans, and the company's approach to making Drum Hero.

  Sony makes two big announcements for its UK customers in a pre-Christmas bid to boost PS3 sales; revised hardware loses PS2 backwards compatibility.

  Flying Lab Software's long-in-development MMOG casts off on PCs in 2008; 'Pre-Boarding Party' ship out 15 days prior.

  Halo 3-maker set to "return to its independent roots" with MS retaining a minority financial stake in the company.