The PlayStation 3 has always been about more than just gaming; the functionalities, applications and services offered by Sony's console accurately reflect this ideology, and the future is looking very bright indeed...

We are pleased to inform you that media streaming service Netflix is coming to PS3. As announced yesterday by Netflix’s VP of Corporate Communications Steve Swasey, the company has partnered with Sony to grant PS3 users online access to thousands of films and TV programmes which can be streamed straight to their little black box via the PlayStation Network – ‘at no extra charge’, says Swasey.

The application will launch next month (presumably as part of a firmware update?) and will, like BBC iPlayer, integrate directly into the XMB for ease of access. You can find further information about Netflix here and, should you wish to kick-start the registration process immediately, we’ve kindly provided the appropriate link after the break. Just click ‘Read more...’.

How many of you remember Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee? The multi-award winning video game developed by Oddworld Inhabitants, published by GT Interactive? It was released on PlayStation in 1997? We clearly need to refresh your memory...

Abe was one of many Mudokon slaves who worked at Oddworld’s Rupture Farms meat processing factory, owned by Molluck the Glukkon. When Abe discovers that his race would soon become Rupture Farm’s new product range he flees the factory, embarking on a perilous quest to save the Mudokon civilisation.

This puzzle-based 2D platformer was globally acclaimed for its intelligent, innovative gameplay, engaging cut-scenes and captivating characters. So naturally, if it was made available to buy on the PlayStation Store someday, those familiar with the game would be delighted, yes?

We don’t want to give away too much too soon, but let’s just say it would be advisable to keep your ears to the ground on this one over the coming weeks.

It’s not every day word comes that a 1980s NES title is to grace the PS3, so now that we've learned one might we'd like to make a small song and dance about it.

The ESRB website it seems is pre-empting a re-release of Game Arts classic Thexder NEO, which may also reach the PSP. In this old school 8-bit side-scroller, players controlled a robot likened to a Transformer, tasked with battling persistent waves of enemies as they navigated a series of maze-like levels. It was popular enough to prompt a sequel in 1989, but disappeared thereafter.

ESRB states that Square Enix Inc. will be its publisher, ‘Fantasy Violence’ will be its genre, and ‘Everyone’ will be its target audience. There’s even a game summary, for the rare few who might find our above synopsis unsatisfactory.

Admittedly, there isn’t much to go on at present. Our guess is that this title will be available via the PlayStation Store, and will undoubtedly undergo a much needed HD revamp. Until we unearth more credible details, however, it would be wise to treat the above as rumour until proven fact.

After a ridiculously long wait, we may finally see PlayStation Network cards arrive in Europe. Asian markets have had them for ages, the US and Canada caught up months ago, but so far the poor Europeans have been left out of the loop altogether. Needless to say, PS3 gamers in the EU without the use of a credit card have been at a disadvantage; no PSN games or priced DLC for them.

However, as announced by Sony Europe Boss Andrew House at Gamescom, PAL territories will be getting PSN cards later this year. We still don’t have a firm release date, but there are a few predictions out there. Wikipedia.com writes that the cards will be released next month, though an article on PushSquare.com suggested back in July that they will hit shelves alongside the PSPgo in October.

Whatever the truth might be, an FAQ has recently surfaced on the UK PlayStation Network News site which leads us to believe that us Brits in particular won’t be kept waiting too much longer.

We hope to have further details on these pieces of plastic soon.