Sony's security problems continue to mount, as Sony Online Entertainment reveals that the personal information of 24.6 million SOE accounts and more than 12,700 credit card numbers may have been compromised in the massive attack that brought down the PlayStation Network late last month.

According to a Sony Online Entertainment statement, the company believes the data theft took place between April 16 and 17, which is around the same time as the cyber attacks that compromised the PlayStation Network. This particular data theft was discovered early this morning during Sony Corporation and Sony Computer Entertainment's investigation into the PlayStation Network attack.

Attempting to visit the home pages for popular games like Free Realms, DC Universe Online, and massively-multiplayer online role-playing game granddaddy EverQuest continues to result in the following down for maintenance message:

We have had to take the SOE service down temporarily. In the course of our investigation into the intrusion into our systems we have discovered an issue that warrants enough concern for us to take the service down effective immediately. We will provide an update later today (Monday).

According to Sony Online Entertainment, user information that has been compromised includes names, addresses, email addresses, birthdates, gender, login names, and passwords.

The credit card data stolen, however, comes from an outdated database from 2007. That database contained 12,700 non-U.S. credit or debit card numbers and expiration dates, along with the direct debit information for 10,700 customers in Austria, Germany, Netherlands and Spain.

SOE will be offering subscribers to its massively-multiplayer online games a free 30-day subscription, as well as compensation for each additional day the services are down. It's also working on a "make good" for players of its PlayStation 3 MMOs Free Realms and DC Universe Online.

Update: Sony Online Entertainment has issued a notification assuring customers that current credit card information has not been compromised. "There is no evidence that our main credit card database was compromised. It is in a completely separate and secured environment."

PlayStation Network Breach Could Carry A $24 Billion Price Tag (In Some Crazy Fantasy World)

While the financial ramifications of the PlayStation Network's "external intrustion" on Sony, PlayStation developers and consumers likely won't be known for many moons, a data-security research firm and the mathematicians at Forbes have put a worst-case scenario price tag on the breach: More »

Sony Comes Clean: PlayStation Network Hackers Have Stolen Personal Data

A security breach in the Playstation Network by still unidentified hackers resulted in stolen personal information, Sony confirmed today.
Sony says while personal information was likely stolen they don't believe credit card numbers were and that they hope to have the Playstation Network service... More »

FBI Cybercrimes Joins 22 States In Sweeping PlayStation Network Investigation

The Federal Bureau of Investigations today confirmed to Kotaku that it is looking into the security breach that brought the Playstation Network down and exposed millions of users' personal data to cybercriminals.
The FBI is joined by nearly two dozen state attorneys general and possibly the Federal... More »

Sony Says 10 Million Credit Card Accounts May Have Been Compromised

It's a good thing Sony warned people to be vigilant about their credit cards, because as part of the company's Tokyo press conference yesterday PlayStation boss Kaz Hirai said that up to ten million customer's account details could have been compromised.
That's not the personal details on their PSN... More »

Xbox 360 owners looking to use their Kinect controller to do some hands-free killing may want to pay attention to what young Microsoft Game Studios Vancouver is currently working on—a new "core AAA shooter experience using Kinect."

That's the description of MGS Vancouver's new game from one of its senior artists who says the developer, also known as Zipline Studios, as spotted by a NeoGAF forum member.

Artist Shawn Woods writes on his personal site that the year-old was originally focused on creating "social microtransaction games" but "our studio strategy has changed and now focuses on developing a core AAA shooter experience using Kinect."

Microsoft Game Studios Vancouver says on its site that it is "dedicated to making games for 'core' gamers" with a mission "to push the limits of proven and unexplored game development and show the world what's possible on Microsoft's game consoles."

According to some currently active job listings for the Vancouver-based team, the studios is "focused on bringing high quality, highly experimental gameplay to Xbox 360 and Kinect." That same listing describes its project as "an original IP that uses Kinect in new and unique ways." So, probably not that Gears of War Kinect experience we'd heard about, despite the above mock-up image.

MGS Vancouver also says it's working on "Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Kinect, and future gaming platforms."

Silicon Knights, the creators of Xbox 360 game Too Human, says it still "intend[s] to finish the trilogy" despite meager sales, middling critical reception and a very long development cycle. Studio founder Denis Dyack tells Industry Gamers it has no further comment, noting "You know, there's very public litigation around that." We know!

Ten years ago the original Red Faction gave PlayStation 2, PC, and Mac gamers their first taste of the future of humanity on Mars. Developer Volition explains how the three games before led up to next month's Red Faction: Armageddon.

We've come a long way since Red Faction came out back in 2001, haven't we? Back then the PlayStation 2 version of the game was either the bee's knees or the shit, depending on your praise of choice. Nowadays the original doesn't hold up quite as well, but playing through it does convey a strong feeling of how we've gotten from the fledgling franchise of a decade ago to what we're getting next month.

Red Faction: Armageddon hits the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on June 7.

Increases in the realism of video games are limiting the ability of Japanese games to appeal outside of their home country, according to the president of Nintendo.

"Because the expressions in games are becoming more and more photo-realistic, I imagine that the cultural differences in acceptance have started to be reflected more clearly," Nintendo chief Satoru Iwata told a group of investors in Japan last month. "I think this is the reason why western users tend to prefer software created overseas than software from Japanese software developers."

Iwata said he has seen the influence of Japanese-made games decline in the past thrree or four years, since the decline of the PlayStation 2. "Nintendo is doing what overseas software developers do not do, so Nintendo's software is selling relatively well also in foreign countries, but for the software oriented to enthusiastic game players, such as Call of Duty, the ones created by overseas developers are more mainstream in the overseas markets."

While Iwata didn't name any games other than Call of Duty to explain his theory, it's true that, during previous generations of gaming hardware, Japanese-made games, be they Resident Evils, Metal Gear Solids, Final Fantasys or others, were more consistently topping sales charts. American and European-made games appear up there more often now, specifically the likes of Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed.

The graphics theory, which Iwata made clear is just one possible culprit, is interesting, but it doesn't seem like it will translate into Nintendo, say, making more realistic-looking Mario games. "Of course, Nintendo will continue to run a business by creating Nintendo-like games," he said, "but we will not be able to meet the various tastes of consumers by only doing this, so I feel that it will become necessary to reinforce the development resources in the foreign countries. Therefore, I hope we will be able to show you something like that at E3."

E3 is when Nintendo will show playable versions of its new 2012 console. What might be running on it? Iwata's comments let the imagination run wild and suggest that, if there aren't great-looking Western-made games on it, Nintendo's got a problem.

Financial Results Briefing for Fiscal Year Ended March 2011 [Nintendo]

Assassin's Creed fans have unlocked the second leg of the teaser for what might be called be Assassin's Creed Revelations. What does it mean? Follow the unfolding saga at the AC Reveal Facebook page.

IHeartChaos' Cranberryzero was so impressed with the Nintendo 3DS augmented reality cards that he decided to have one permanently stabbed into his skin. What could be better than this augmented reality tattoo? I have a few suggestions.

Since the release of the Nintendo 3DS, people have been putting images of its augmented reality cards everywhere, from t-shirts to the sides of buildings, all for the sake of making Nintendo characters and games pop up in bizarre places. This was only a matter of time.

Luckily for CBZ the tattoo AR card works like a champ, though there is at least one easily remedied problem.

Right now, the tattoo doesn't always work in really bright light, like sunlight, but it works fine in dim-ish light. I think I need to go back and get an outline around it, because I think the 3DS is looking for the edge of the card and can't find it in bright light. In the manual, it says to never obscure the white border around the card when you're using the 3DS, something I didn't notice til later.

You can see it in shaky action via the YouTube clip, demonstrating one of the key ways I feel this tattoo could be improved upon. Don't put it on your arm.

In order to play the augmented reality games on Nintendo's 3DS, you ideally want both hands free, something that's hard to do when the image you have to focus on is on one of those hands. My suggestion? Have it placed on your upper leg, just above your knee. That way wearing shorts becomes a wonderland of Nintendo magic, and you can get two of them to keep things balanced.

My other suggestion? Use one of the character cards instead. That way you are etching a permanent love letter to a Nintendo character on your body, and that's never a bad thing, plus you can put them in creative places for maximum effect.

I'll leave those places up to your imagination.

Nintendo 3DS augmented reality tattoo is awesome, real [IHeartChaos]

They might be at odds in the live-action Thor movie and its accompanying video games, but there is one thing Norse god of mischief Loki and earth goddess Sif agree upon, and that's Mario Kart.

GamerLive.TV has posted a series of interviews with the stars of Thor, asking the cast of this week's big comic book movie what it was like working on the Thor: God of Thunder video game with Sega. They've captured lovely Sif actress Jaime Alexander admitting she would have worked on the game for free, while Loki's Tom Hiddleston calls the experience of seeing himself as a video game character somewhat weird.

asked about their video game experience, both divine role-players admit a love for Nintendo's Mario Kart, while Thor himself (Chris Hemsworth) and Kat Dennings cite Donkey Kong as an early video game influence.

Thor hits theaters on May 6. The Thor: God of Thunder video game drops tomorrow.

Thor's Jaime Alexander Told Sega She'd Play Sif in the Video Game for Free [GamerLive.TV]

A game as sexy and strange as Catherine deserves a special edition that accurately reflects the game's exploration of the pleasures and horrors of love. So Atlus is stuffing underwear into a pizza box and delivering it to your local game store on July 26.

Giving Aksys' Really Naughty Limited Edition of Record of Agarest War a run for its money, the Love is Over deluxe edition of Catherine for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 at least aims at keeping gamers fully clothed. That's why it includes both a t-shirt and boxer shorts, attire acceptable at convenience stores around the country, at least they never say anything to me about it.

It's also suitable attire for the bedroom, where you can take full advantage of the Catherine-covered pillowcase however you see fit.

All of this and the game itself are packed inside a pizza delivery box from the Stray Sheep bar, one of the game's central locations. It'll run you $79.99, $20 more than the standard edition, but then the standard edition doesn't come with underwear, now does it.

Fans preordering Catherine ahead of its July 26 release date will also receive a lovely art book and soundtrack CD, whether or not they opt for the more expensive edition.

Check out the gallery for shots of the preorder bonuses and Love is Over special edition of Catherine.

Sunday night a team of two dozen Navy SEALs killed Osama Bin Laden. If all goes as planned, you will soon be able to reenact that head shot in a video game this weekend.

Kuma\War Episode #107: The Death of Osama Bin Laden is planned for a Saturday release, Keith Halper, the CEO of Kuma Games told Kotaku today.

Kuma Games, are the people behind turning John Kerry's Silver Star mission and the capture of Saddam Hussein into a playable video game. They decided this afternoon to return to the mostly defunct series to create this last episode.

"I looked back at 106 episodes of Kuma War and understood it was a story without an end and so it was a matter of personal decision between myself and the development and writing staff to say we can't close the door on Kuma War 2 until we've told this absolutely critical last story," Halper said.

In Kuma Games' Kuma War missions, players take control of the real soldiers who fought through some of modern history's most publicized engagements. The game plays a bit like most modern day shooters, such as Call of Duty or Battlefield, with players controlling the movements of a soldier and where and when they fire.

Kuma Games vice president Joe Kressaty, confirmed to Kotaku that the company was discussing the possibility of a kill Bin Laden mission based on the weekend's events, but couldn't provide further details.

Founded in 2003, Kuma Games turned the notion of fighting reality into a blossoming business. The company creates games that allow players to take on the role of animal predators, World War II dogfighters and relive the lives of infamous mobster like John Dillinger and John Gotti. But perhaps the company's most known, most relevant marriage of reality and gaming comes with Kuma War.

The free tactical shooter puts players in the boots of different international military forces as they replay famous, often current battles in Afghanistan, Iraq, South Korea, Vietnam, Mexico and Sierra Leone. Past missions have included recreations of John Kerry's Silver Star mission, a battle between Mexican soldiers and drug cartels and the capture of Saddam Hussein.

The game has even created a past "episode" about Osama Bin Laden, examining the Battle of Tora Bora in Dec. 2001. Currently Kuma War features more than 120 of these episodes, each based on information pulled from news accounts, military experts and sometimes Department of Defense records. The missions often include briefings by military experts, soldiers and people who participated in the events.

Halper has likened what his company is doing to the work of news organizations.

While Kuma Games appears to be the only developer that may be turning the weekend killing of Bin Laden into a game, it's not the only game that includes a Bin Laden appearance.

Newsgrounds, popular home to a stream of free-to-play, ever-changing Flash games, often features games created by budding developers looking to make a name for themselves. Coincidentally, one of the top games on the site hours after news of Bin Laden's death hit, was one starring the founder of Al Qaeda.

In Mujahedin players take control of a suicide bomber who is targeting a U.S. Army base. The work of playable satire features a cartoon Bin Laden who offers to become a drinking buddy with the player if they succeed.

Monday morning, iPhone game developer Dedalord Games released an update to their Falling Fred, that allows players to control a perpetually plummeting "Ogama Ben Ladder" as you try to avoid dangerous objects... or hit them. The rag doll Bin Laden likeness bruises, loses limbs and bleeds as he hits objects during the fall, until he finally succumbs to his injuries.

My attempt at guiding Ben Ladder through the dangers of his perpetual fall ended suddenly on a tiled outcropping. Then a newspaper headline popped up on the screen that read "Terrorist Terrorized by Terrible Tiling." The newspaper article underneath accounted my virtual Ben Ladder's many injuries, including the number of fractures, amputations and blood loss. I was also given the option to replay the video of his plummet.

Ian Bogost, professor of digital media at Georgia Tech and co-author of Newsgames: Journalism at Play, calls these quick-to-hit reactionary bits of play "tabloid games."

"They are 'tabloid games' more than anything," he said. "Quickly created release valves that capitalize on this event for traffic or attention.

"That said, perhaps some of them may give us a sense of how the operation took place."

Kuma, he notes, tries to do that with their attempt at accurate recreations.

Bosost says that these tabloid games also give people a way to come to terms with a surprising event. For instance, a game popped up after soccer player Zinedine Zidane's head butt during the 2006 World Cup finals.

"That was so strange, 'Did that really happen?' was the question everyone was asking," Bogost said. "And the [Zidane] game, crude as it was, offered a way to ponder that question."

These Bin Laden games could also give some people a "welcome sense of false closure," Bogost added.

"See, Osama is dead. The 'war on terror' is over. See, I killed him myself on my computer.' Whether that's true or not, it doesn't matter," Bogost said.