As the PS One went the way of Old Yeller in the early naughties, the 64-bit PlayStation 2 system arrived with promise, and looked to take the gaming industry by storm when it arrived in 2000. The PlayStation 2 exploded onto the scene, besting it's predecessor with far superior hardware and graphics capabilities, allowing our favourite game developers to deliver vibrant and crisp visuals of which console fans had never seen before. Among its competition in and around its release were: SEGA's flagging Dreamcast console, Nintendo's hit-and-miss Gamecube and Microsoft's debut, all-singing-all-dancing Xbox system.

At the turn of a new millennium, PlayStation 2 games arrived on DVD format instead of the increasingly outdated and limited CD format, which were gradually being phased out thanks to advancements in digital media. Meaning, that as well as being an impressive and powerful games console, the PlayStation 2 also doubled up as a DVD player alternative - technology that was still expensive around the consoles release.

According to Gamespy, and the other links which follow, a Ubisoft employee may have inadvertently let the cat out of the bag regarding Sam Fisher's leap from exclusivity of the Xbox360 and PC and taking hostage of the PS3 in the future.

Electronic Arts has announced that it is developing a new version of EA Sports Active game for multiple platforms with one very notable exception, the Xbox 360 will *not* be getting a version. “Powered by new leg and arm straps with motion sensors, a heart rate monitor to capture intensity, and a new online hub to track and share workout data,” EA Sports Active 2.0 will launch for PS3, Wii, iPhone and iPod touch. Ouch, the 360 outgunned by a phone, that's gotta hurt. Read more »

Over the last few weeks, some of you may have received the odd chainmail message with reference to a protest against Infinity Ward, and the developer's alleged plans to release Xbox-exclusive maps for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. For those who have no idea what we’re talking about, the message read as follows:

‘On Saturday September 5th everyone who plays COD4 & 5 (on the PlayStation 3) will put their clan tag as [Mw2] as a complaint and a protest to INFINITY WARD because there will be exclusive maps available for Xbox, but not PS3 (pass this on to everyone who is your friend if you want the exclusive maps to be available for the PS3 too).’

Well, worry no more. It’s one big hoax, as per a recent tweet by Infinity Ward's Community Manager Robert Bowling:

‘Apparently a message going around on PSN claiming exclusive MW2 maps for Xbox 360. FTR [for the record] - it's false. Don't believe random chain messages.’

Now that's cleared up, we invite you to watch some trailer footage of Modern Warfare 2's Flag Runner multiplayer mode as our way of soothing any unease this ordeal might have caused you. Enjoy.