'PlayStation Play' Program Offering Downloadable Gifts With Select Titles

Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced "PlayStation Play," a new program that offers downloadable gifts to players that download any or all of four titles to be released later this summer. Games in the program -- and the rewards for each -- include: *Street Fighter III Third Strike Online Edition (August 23): Unlock boss character Gill without beating the game with all characters. *The Baconing (August 30): Co-op character "Roesha – One Bad Mutha". * BloodRayne: Betrayal (September 6): BloodRayne-themed PlayStation Home avatar item and dynamic system theme. * Renegade Ops (September 13): Vehicle & Character Pack with two new vehicles and special weapons. All four titles, none of which are exclusive to Sony systems, will be sold for $14.99, but PlayStation Plus subscribers will receive a 20 percent discount on each game. In addition, customers 18-and-up who purchase all four titles by September 19 will also receive a download code for Payday: The Heist, a $19.99 value. Pre-ordering titles in the Play program starting August 9 also earns purchasers a free downloadable PlayStation 3 theme. Sony's announcement comes as Microsoft undertakes its fourth annual "Summer of Arcade" promotion, offering a free download of Crimson Alliance to customers that purchase five weekly, exclusive Xbox Live Arcade releases. Ubisoft recently announced that From Dust, released as part of the Summer of Arcade promotion, had become the company's fastest-selling digital release.