A job listing on Next-gen.biz indicates that developer Criterion Games is working on a new game for the PlayStation Vita. The opening is for a software engineer, and after different mentions of both Burnout and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, it’s more than likely that the game in question will be a racer.

According to self-proclaimed internet extraordinaire Superannuation, the listing originally stated that the game was to be released on the Vita specifically. Now, however, there’s no mention of Sony’s portable, and the job post instead mentions “new” and “other” platforms. Considering the Vita was the latest device to hit the market, it could be the new platform the listing is referring to.

Last year, Criterion released Burnout Crash! via digital download, and before that, the developer worked on Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Of course, that was back in 2010, so it makes sense that the studio is planning a new game. The likely candidate is the next Need for Speed title, which would definitely be a good racer to take to the Vita.

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan’s PlayStation Vita Heaven event in March brought a wealth of announcements for the company’s new portable, including the revelation that Phantasy Star Online 2 was in development. Unearthed by this week’s issue of Famitsu, it’s been revealed that Sony is prepping another Heaven event in June. A specific date wasn’t mentioned, though it’ll likely take place sometime after E3.

Viewers of the last Heaven event enjoyed several game trailers, including that of Persona 4 The Golden. It’ll be interesting to see what Sony has in store for us the second time around. For Japan, it’ll be hard to top the Phantasy Star announcement, but we’ll see.

The Q-Games-developed PixelJunk 4am has landed on the PlayStation Network. The sad news is that this means the awesome PixelJunk sale that kicked off last week is officially over. Did you snag all of the PixelJunk games for cheap? I sure as hell did!

Sad news aside, there’s also some happy news! That happy news is that there’s a new PixelJunk game, which is great. PixelJunk 4am provides an experience unlike previous games in the series, focusing highly on visual and audio elements that utilize the PlayStation Move controller.

If you take a look at the comments section on a PlayStation Blog post by PixelJunk 4am lead designer Rowan Parker, you’ll find a lot of individuals who don’t seem too keen on the game based on their experiences with the beta. As has been explained in that same comments section, the PixelJunk 4am beta didn’t allow gamers to play the game and instead only allowed them to listen to other players’ (press and friends of the devs) performances.

It may take a while for some good content to come from other players now that the game is available on the PlayStation Network, but in the meantime, why not create your own mixes? PixelJunk 4am is available now for $9.99.

The PlayStation 2 is one of the most successful video game consoles of all time. Not only did it sell like crazy, but it had a library that was practically unmatched. That’s not to say that the GameCube and Xbox didn’t have some stellar games, but as far as the sixth generation in video games is concerned, the PlayStation 2 was king.

That’s why it’s strange to see how Sony has fallen from its throne with the PlayStation 3, a platform that former Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division President Robbie Bach states helped the Xbox 360 manufacturer reach great heights. “Some of the success of Xbox was due to the fact that Sony did some really not so smart things,” Bach told GeekWire. “They mismanaged their 70 percent market share. It’s a long conversation. The transition to PlayStation 3 was really, really bad. And really hard. They mismanaged their partners, they mismanaged their cost structure. They made their next platform so complicated that developers couldn’t develop for it.”

I’m a fan of Sony’s gaming platforms, so it goes without saying that it was a bit distressing to see the PlayStation 3 fail to perform at the same level as its predecessor, which easily qualifies as many gamers’ favorite console. The PlayStation 2 is certainly one of my favorites, and though I game a hell of a lot on my PlayStation 3, I would still say I’ve had far more fond memories with Sony’s previous machine.

Despite some bad failures, though, Sony continues to stay in the console race, capitalizing on its brand name and incredible exclusive IPs. Here’s hoping the company stays in the game, learns from its mistakes, and continues to give gamers content to look forward to, all the while avoiding making the same errors.

Looks like you’ll be hearing more about Silent Hill Book of Memories at this year’s E3, rather than playing it. Konami’s confirmed that Silent Hill Book of Memories has been moved to October, according to a Game Informer report.

Although it was supposed to release next week, the abrupt delay isn’t too surprising, considering the company has been dead silent regarding the title for months.

In particular, Amazon is specifically listing an October 31 release date now, though in all likelihood that’s a placeholder. We first caught wind of the title at Sony’s pre-E3 presentation last year, before the NGP was officially known as the Vita. Since then, the title was revealed as a co-op focused horror title with plenty of action elements and Diablo-style corridors. Needless to say, it hasn’t exactly won over the fanbase.

The used game market is easily one of the strongest aspects of video games, and it’s also pretty damn important. Not only do gamers get the chance to save a few bucks on big titles, but used games also allow folks to become familiar with a new series, play a game that may be hard to find new, or just increase their ever-growing backlog (because we’re all guilty of taking advantage of sales despite the fact that we have too much to play as it is).

With talk about the next Xbox and PlayStation consoles revealing that these platforms will supposedly block used games, it should come as no surprise that plenty of gamers and developers are kind of annoyed. After all, much like Twisted Metal co-creator David Jaffe has stated in the past, buying a used game allows gamers to become familiar with a franchise, which means that those gamers are likely to directly support the next entry by purchasing a brand new copy. As for those of us who play games, well, gaming is expensive, so if we can save a few bucks, we will.

Apparently, Sony President and CEO Jack Tretton is against the blocking of used games, reports That VideoGame Blog. In an episode of GameTrailers’ Bonus Round, analyst Michael Pachter said that he had talked to Tretton, who revealed that he felt blocking used games was “anti-consumer.” According to the Sony boss, the used game market is “great for consumers,” and he even went as far as to say that he was “opposed to blocking used games.”

Tretton explained that he was speaking only on his behalf, and that he didn’t represent any other Sony employee’s stance on used games. That said, it’s great to see someone so high up in the company making a bold statement against blocking used games for next-gen consoles. Because seriously, that would be pretty disgusting.

While the PSP may have been a great device with some outstanding games, it’s no secret that it hasn’t sold very well. Following the launch of the PlayStation Vita, the need for a PSP dipped exponentially. As a result, 25 percent of all GameStop stores in the U.S. will no longer carry games for Sony’s previous handheld.

The news comes courtesy of a GameStop rep, who told Kotaku, “The consolidation is occurring to maximize the merchandising space in the smallest 25 percent of stores. It will also provide a greater assortment in those stores that will continue to carry the category.”

Gamers with an itch for tangible PSP games will still be able to obtain them through larger GameStop stores, as well as on the retailer’s website. So if you still haven’t gotten those copies of Patapon 3 or Prinny 2, you’ll have the opportunity to do so. Which makes me wonder, why did you wait so long to get such great games?

This news should come as no surprise. The PSP isn’t all that popular, and with a new Sony handheld, it’s easy to see that PSP games go ignored at plenty of retailers. To be honest, that’s still kind of a mystery when you take into account the overall lack of Vita titles.

There’s no denying the fact that the PlayStation Vita is an impressive device. It’s a powerful handheld that can do some pretty cool things and includes awesome features. That said, it’s most certainly lacking in content, which is a shame, because Vita adopters desperately want to put their shiny handheld to good use.

While interest in the Vita in Japan has plummeted over the past several weeks, overall sales for the portable have hit the 1.8 million mark, figures that Sony CEO Kaz Hirai is content with, states Eurogamer. “About Vita, the last year, [we sold] 1.8 million units for US, Japan, Asia, and Europe,” he stated. “And as a starting phase, I think it was a good start.”

While 1.8 million sales certainly isn’t a bad thing, there’s an obvious lack of content that Sony needs to rectify. Hirai believes that more content will secure the Vita’s fan base and possibly even draw in newer fans. “A game platform, like Vita — the software is the key to success, how good the software is,” said the Sony CEO. “We have to reinforce the software area in order to improve the business, that is the basic line.”

The 3DS is a perfect example of a portable platform that got off to a slow and unpopular start due to a lack of games. Now, though, it’s been the top-selling system in Japan for quite some time. Sony needs to reward gamers who bought the Vita by releasing compelling content for the handheld. Additionally, the company needs to do exactly that in order to obtain new Vita gamers.

Originally scheduled for an October debut, publisher Take-Two has delayed BioShock Infinite by four months. It’s now scheduled to release next year on February 26.

“When we announced the release date of BioShock Infinite in March, we felt pretty good about the timing. Since then, we’ve uncovered opportunities to make Infinite into something even more extraordinary,” said Irrational Games creative head Ken Levine. He added, “Therefore, to give our talented team the time they need to deliver the best Infinite possible, we’ve decided to move the game’s release to February.”

In addition, the title is going on a media blackout through E3 and Gamescom this year. In Levine’s words, “the next time you see our game, it will be essentially the product we intend to put in the box.” A delay of this magnitude will no doubt ruffle feathers, especially since the title was announced way back in 2010, but having a high standard for quality is something we can’t argue with.

The latest edition of Pulse, Sony’s news roundup video feature, has revealed that I Am Alive topped the PlayStation Network charts in April. This is a bit surprising considering I Am Alive received mixed reviews.

While exact sales figures weren’t revealed, Ubisoft’s downloadable action-adventure title managed to beat out Journey, which is actually kind of surprising. The art game from thatgamecompany went on to become the fast-selling PlayStation Network game of all time, so to learn that I Am Alive, which didn’t fare as well among review sites, actually managed to top it comes as quite a shocker.

It’s worth pointing out that a single Vita game made the list. Escape Plan, which also received its fair share of mixed reviews, just made it onto the list, snagging the number 10 spot.

Other noteworthy games that made the list include Skullgirls, The Walking Dead, and Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES. All of these games have been held in high regard by gamers, so it goes without saying that their spots are well deserved. Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection, on the other hand, makes absolutely no sense. Seriously, who even wants to play that?