Gaming News

POST-MORTEM: Two months after he helped bring God of War to the PSP, Ready of Dawn's Ru Weerasuriya looks back on the literally epic game's reception and development.

The man behind MTV's gaming coverage about the state of game journalism and its evolving role in mainstream media.

Action-packed comic adventures should fit gaming like a spandex jumpsuit, so why do so many of them turn downright villainous?

Take-Two brings back Konami's big-headed baseball series for a double-header on the Wii and PS2 this July; DS version bats clean up in the fall.

Dual retail/online launch of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue puts Polyphony's 10-year-old racing series past milestone.

Gears of War 2 (X360)Chainsaw duels and massive battles! This in-game footage will blow your stack.

Seitoushi Saint Paradise (Sega CD)Seitoushi Saint Paradise

Seitoushi Seiya: Ougon Densetsuhen Perfect Edition (WSC)Seitoushi Seiya: Ougon Densetsuhen Perfect, Wonderswan Color

Doraemon: Nobita's Dinosaur 2006 (DS)Doraemon: Nobita no Kyouryuu 2006

Captain Tsubasa J (SNES)captain tsubasa j

Update: Eleven more screenshots have surfaced to accompany the original two. Original Story: Two supposed but rather legitimate-looking screenshots of Rare's upcoming Xbox 360 action-adventure title Banjo Kazooie began making rounds on the internet today. Representing the first media of the ...

The good news is that there are new games coming out this week on PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS. Scope out the full list for all the details, or look below for the highlights. The bad news? Most of this week's games are just different versions of The Chronicles...

As promised, Microsoft and Epic Games have delivered the first in-game footage of the cover-heavy action sequel Gears of War 2 (X360), which can be viewed below or downloaded from FileShack. Introduced by series creator Cliff Bleszinski, the trailer is said to pack "chainsaw duels, large sc...

Sure you know that human battle fleets have engaged the deadly Bydo Empire in the latest R-Type Command for PSP, but why take our word for it? So together with Atlus, we called upon Shackers to ghost write reviews of the demo, but given the new territory we decided maybe an outside perspective from ...

Howdy Shackers, shall we take this to a fresh chatty? So last night we got the latest installment of the Gibson-Goldstein Index, giving you our lowdown on the week's events, for better or worse. And then I've got the results for our latest contest, that being for R-Type Command so give that a look t...

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. released Grand Theft Auto IV on April 29th, and since then, I have logged numerous hours on the game. The gameplay is much smoother, missions are more tedious, and the overall experience is FANTASTIC! Apparently I am not the only one who feels this way because the game raked in $500 million in first week sales, making it one of the most lucrative entertainment launches in history.

San Francisco’s Mission Bay Community Church is taking the Buddy Christ concept to a whole new level with their introduction of a Mii Jesus to encourage Easter Sunday mass attendance. Many Nintendo Wii followers have heralded the church’s radical “My own personal Jesus” campaign (or Miisus) as ground breaking in an attempt to think different.

Gary Gygax, co-creator of the hugely popular Dungeons and Dragons, died today at the age of 69. D&D has attracted an estimated 20 million people worldwide since its inception in 1974, with over $1 billion spent on game equipment and books. Expect many memorial gaming nights to follow.

Introduced in the arcades in 1987, Street Fighter and its subsequent sequels were hugely popular in the gaming world. Actors Kristin Kreuk, Michael Clarke Duncan, Chris Klein and Rick Yune have inserted their quarters for the big screen version of the arcade game. The advancement of technology promises to catapult the quality of this film version, unlike the one starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. (All the top celebrity gossip.)

If you have an interest in playing poker online or if you are interested in preserving American freedom, check out an interesting article about the top Presidential candidates and their views on the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act. Which candidate has a royal flush and who’s just BSing with a pair of twos?

It's OK, America. You're not braggers. You're unique! Despite tossing a waggly cat amongst the dual-sticked pigeons with it's Wii console, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto says that when it comes to games, Japanese companies aren't quite as outside the box. "I think America has always been better at creating unique products", he says. Why? "In Japan, the technology required to create videogames tends to be concentrated in the bigger corporations", the Nintendo talisman told Wired's Chris Kohler. Lucky Nintendo's a big corporation! Nintendo Taps U.S. Talent in Search of WiiWare Hits [Game|Life]

No, no, no! When Hideo Kojima said the MGS4 graphics on the PS3 weren't to his "satisfaction" or that he realized there were lots of "restrictions" the PS3 posed, he didn't mean it. He was just trying to be humble, you know! He's not disappointed with the PS3 at all. He is totally happy with it. The PS3 is awesome. Says Kojima: On the internet, there's stuff saying "Hideo Kojima" isn't satisfied with the PS3. I'd like to talk about that today. I just got back from Paris and did 15 interviews and everyone asked me about it, did I say that. The meaning of what I said has totally been changed,…

To: Ash From: Owen Re: Poker, The Redemption So the realboss at the realjob is in Hawaii all week which means, woohoo, work-from-home with impunity! Oh shit, do they have the Internets in Hawaii? Did they stretch ethernet across the Pacific? Oh dammit!. Hi Steve. I hope you are having fun, sir. I will be productive all week, I promise, sir. Seriously, work's a 15-minute bike ride away. And plus I'll be going that way to grab some Okami sushi for lunch. Anyway, here some highlights from the weekend report. Kids Won't Listen? Sic BOB on 'Em Academics vs. 'Gaming' Academics: Let the Snark Begin…

Major League Eating comes to DS this week, so you can, I dunno pack your face using the stylus while you chow down at a McDonald's on a lunch break or something. Remind me to tell you all sometime about the abortive fried chicken eating match contest I nearly got into at West Wendover, Nevada back in 2001.Actually, that's about all there is to the story. A lawyer friend in Las Vegas, unintimidated by my claim to clean drumsticks in two bites, proposed we meet at middle ground (between Vegas and Denver) and settle up. But we couldn't get the International Federation of Competitive Eating to…

May 1st 1980 I came home from school to find my mother waiting there for me, a giddy smile on her lips. She always loved birthdays. Back then we were living in an apartment, my younger sister and I sharing one room, my older brother and sister sometimes sharing another, and birthdays were the one time my mother, taking care of four children on child support and a modest income from the dancing school she ran, would really get to splurge on her kids. Seven year-old me knew this, so I was nearly as excited as she was as she handed over a small wrapped package, my shaking fingers tearing at the…

While it's not Evil, gaming or truly news...today for most of our reading audience it's Mother's Day. So for our Mothers who brought us into the world (and at least in my case threated to take me out because I was being less than respective in my rebellious days :rolleyes: ) to wreck havoc, create families, play video games and whatever else...Thank You! So share what you did / got for your Mom/Mother of your childen or if you are an EvAv Mom what did this day have in store for you?

GameIndustry's weekly editorial (made public via sister site Eurogamer) takes a look at Call of Duty 4's success and what it may, and should, mean for developers working on MMOs. Quote: What was the biggest massively multiplayer online game of 2007 - and, indeed, of 2008 so far? Ignoring the obvious answer - "World of Warcraft, again" - I'd argue for a rather unusual answer to this question. Not Lord of the Rings Online, not Tabula Rasa. No, to my mind, the biggest massively multiplayer online game of 2007 was Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. -- What this industry should be striving…

I have in my hand....the official list of WiiWare titles to be available on day one. Quote: FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a King (Square Enix, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 1,500 Wii Points): FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a King takes a legendary franchise and launches it into the realm of simulation gaming. Players are challenged to rebuild a kingdom, leading its young king on a path of discovery through an adventure bristling with mystery and intrigue. LostWinds (Frontier Development, 1-2 players, Rated E for…

Chainsaws, Locusts, Blood, Big Fucking Monsters, Bullets, and a Beautiful Landscape. What more could you ask for in the Gears of War 2 first trailer?

According to Next Gen, Electronic Arts has managed to secure a $1 billion loan to assist in the proposed buy out of Take-Two. Quote: EA said in an SEC filing that it has had more than the amount needed to cover the Take-Two acquisition--valued at around $2.1 billion--set aside as early as March 31 this year. But EA still secured the new loan from Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., Morgan Stanley Bank, BNP Paribas, BNP Paribas Securities Corp., The Bank of Nova Scotia and KeyBank National Association. The funding organizations will be able to provide EA with up to $1 billion of senior…

We break down all the changes from Gears 1

No intro, just gameplay.

First look at actual gameplay in motion!

THQ's dev. diary on creating high speed off-road racing.

Patrick and Spongebob must get artistic to defeat DoddleBob.

Championship Gaming Series (CGS), the only worldwide professional video gaming league, announced the CGS 2008 Latin America Final event for its Mexico City Furia and Rio Sinistro teams will be held June 20. The winner of that competition will advance to the 2008 CGS World Final in Los Angeles this July.5 Vote(s)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVjw1m6mRVkA unique racing game experience developed for the Wii in part by the movie directing duo, the Wachowski brothers. The game is designed as a game that players can build their own racing track, and it also has a “choose-your-own-adventure” aspect that presents the experience as a series of choices that the player must make [...]5 Vote(s)

Don't feel left out, Americans. Despite how it may feel, Europe isn't the only region getting PSN Store updates this week and today's US update is rather tasty. Between the demos, trailers and PixelJunk Monsters Encore there's more than enough content to keep everyone happy. If you're intrigued about PlayStation Day, however, and want to check out the keynote then, sadly you're out of luck.5 Vote(s)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c3q9K4cHzYThe construction of the NES controller table and it in action.Fully functional controller/coffee table/storage deviceThis has nothing to do with the coffee table, but wow, Nintendo’s influence on pop culture runs deep.  So bad it’s good.Check out the full construction and photos of the NES controller5 Vote(s)

*Originally posted on WiiNintendo on March 21st*(Since the US launch date is next week I figured I should bump this)Like a lot of single/multiplayer games, this one is a lot more fun with a group of friends competing against each other (I just played single player in the video). The game variety is great [...]5 Vote(s)

Happy Mother's day! We were so happy to play ... by gaming hours on Earthbound on our dusty ol' Super Nintendo console. Wait ... wrong mother? Oh well. (Image credit: protozoider) Check out the highlights for today:JoystiqueryJapanese hardware sales, April 28 - May 4: Mothers in gaming editionThis Week in Review visits LittleBigPlanetWeekly Webcomic Wrapup looks up at the starsNewsGears of War 2 gameplay footage debutBioWare drops 10-day validation from Mass Effect PCEA wants you to "Skate It" on Wii and DSEA takes out $1 billion loan for Take-Two acquisitionFacebreaker trailers: Meet the…

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Business As today is a nationally recognized day of matronly appreciation, I thought it appropriate to recognize some of the prevalent mama's in video gaming in this edition of the JHS. No, not the real-life mothers of game industry icons, though we certainly appreciate the progenial contributions that Mrs. Molyneux and Miyamoto-san have made to the planet -- we're talking about the digital mommies of our favorite video game characters. So here's to you, Jenova. You may not have…

Filed under: Culture, Online, Polls Have you ever just looked up at the stars, trying to make your own constellations ... and suddenly everything becomes a star cluster of Pac-Man-related shapes? (Imave via The Librarianist) Here are our picks for the week's best game-related webcomics; voting after the break. Real Life Application (Sharcbate) Battle Fighter III: Hyper Edition (Truck Bearing Kibble) Starcraft Blues (Extra Life) p=mv (Digital Unrest) The Expected Result (Penny Arcade) Oh, you're choosing fire? (Super Effective) Options (CAD) Grand Theft Dinosaur (Dino Comics) Define Addiction…

Filed under: Mac, Nintendo Wii, Business Cal us crazy, but we think we've seen this before. An Apple patent filed in November 2006 has just been published, describing a 3D cursor system that's surprisingly similar to Nintendo's Wii remote. The patent is likely related to the company's Apple TV set-top device and, unsurprisingly, references applications to video games in its description.The patent describes using absolute and relative positioning of a pointer device in relation to two points positioned near a television screen (sound familiar?). According to the patent, this will allow the…

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, ActionWe know that a vast majority of the gaming media consumers out there have a fairly negative outlook when it comes to pre-orders for popular titles (did anyone really have a hard time finding Halo 3 last September?), but that's not why we're writing about the recent pre-order listings on Amazon and Gamestop for the next (Barlog-less) installment in the well-received God of War franchise. What we find intriguing is the March 2 release date listed on both websites -- three quarters earlier than the last rumored launch window for the title. Is this wishful…

The following Gears of War 2 trailer is now available on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

DICE, a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. today announced that a demo for its highly anticipated summer release, Battlefield: Bad Company will be available on the Xbox Live Marketplace on June 5th.

Codemasters today revealed it has acquired the Formula 1 license, ending Sony’s four year ownership of the franchise and paving the way for a new series of current generation F1 titles across all major formats.

Set your alarm clock: The first Gears of War gameplay trailer will arrive on Xbox Live Video Store tomorrow morning at 7am, Microsoft has revealed.

Take-Two has announced a deal with Universal Studios to bring hit Xbox 360 shooter BioShock to the big screen.

Though it currently has funds on-hand to close the deal, Electronic Arts has announced that it has secured up to $1 billion in additional funding from a number of banks for a potential buyout of Take-Two, should the acquisition happen by January of 2009. The funding comes from Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., Morgan Stanley Bank, BNP Paribas, BNP Paribas Securities Corp., The Bank of Nova Scotia and KeyBank National Association. Take-Two has continually maintained, ...

Following recent news that publisher 10tacle would be acquiring Berlin's The Games Company (Simon the Sorcerer) the companies have announced that, instead, the latter will move away from the former and maintain its autonomy. TGC says the deal fell through "due to the restructuring and new focusing of business activities at 10tacle" which meant the necessary capital to close the transaction could not be raised, and that TGC management instead will take over the shares ...

Following his Gamasutra feature on the subject, writer and researcher Neils Clark spoke at the ongoing Games for Health conference in Baltimore on game addiction. In his talk at the conference, he covered the perceived problems, a run-down on why people might get addicted, and some proactive measures that developers can use to combat addictive behavior in the future. "You could say that game addiction is all a joke... or at least based on one," ...

Toolset creator GarageGames has announced that its Torque engine for Wii and WiiWare development was chosen by developers Sabarasa to create the recently announced Ubisoft-published WiiWare shooter Prot?thea, due for launch with the WiiWare service. Built upon both the company's 3D Torque Game Engine and its 2D Torque Game Builder, Torque for Wii has built-in support for Wii's controller, making it a complete package for both disc-based and downloadable Wii games. Features in the Wii ...

Talking as part of an in-depth Gamasutra interview, FASA, 42 Entertainment, and Smith & Tinker founder Jordan Weisman (Shadowrun, Battletech) has been discussing the concept of 'planned parenthood' for game franchises in terms of developing a game universe - suggesting Tomb Raider as a franchise which had to fill back in story as the series grew. Weisman has a storied history in tabletop, ARG, and video games dating back to 1980, which includes a relatively ...

Last week GamePolitics reported on a controversial copyright protection scheme which Electronic Arts was planning to institute on the upcoming PC version of Mass Effect as well as on Will Wright’s long-awaited Spore. The proposed SecuROM scheme would require periodic re-validations following initial activation. PC gamers were not happy, to say the least. Apparently that consumer discontent got some attention, at least at BioWare. In a message posted on a BioWare forum, community manager Jay Watamaniuk announced the good news: There has been a lot of discussion in the past few days…

With the ESA facing defections from both its membership and the upcoming E3 Expo, Gamecock CEO Mike Wilson (left) has tossed his hat into the ring as a potential replacement for embattled ESA boss Michael Gallagher. It’s all tongue-in-cheek, of course. Wilson is known for his over-the-top P.R. tactics. Game Informer reports on Wilson’s remarks: I read last week that some… are not happy with the current administration of the ESA, and many of them apparently feel that I am the right man to right the ship, before it sinks entirely, due to my intimate experience with, or at…

Electronic Arts issued a press release late yesterday announcing that it had secured a line of credit of up to a billion dollars to fund its hostile takeover bid for Take-Two Interactive. The money will come from Morgan Stanley, the Bank of Nova Scotia and several other financial institutions. With GP challenged by balancing his checkbook, we turned to Wedbush-Morgan analyst Michael Pachter (left), who explained what EA is up to: It is something that should be expected.  After [the acquisition of] Pandemic/BioWare, EA has only around $1.7 billion in available cash… The Take-Two…

An exclusive GamePolitics interview with Rep. Lee Terry (R) demonstrates that the Nebraska Congressman, co-sponsor of a new video game ratings enforcement bill, has a grasp on some video game rating issues, yet a flawed understanding of others.  As reported earlier this week by GamePolitics, Terry and Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) introduced the Video Games Rating Enforcement Act. If approved, the bill would mandate that game retailers check IDs of mature-rated game buyers. The measure would also require that information detailing the rating system be posted in view of customers. Terry…

Next Generation is reporting GTA IV glitches on the PlayStation 3 version. Joystiq notes that, despite Take Two chairman Strauss Zelnick’s assertion that the game has no glitches, a PS3 patch has been released. Today’s Mirror reports: Internet forums dedicated to the game have been flooded with complaints from buyers. Hundreds of posts claim the £44.99 game does not work properly on the Sony PlayStation 3 console or on Microsoft’s Xbox 360. And a HMV stores spokesman said: “We have had people come back to us saying that their game has been freezing.” Others say…

"Doubles as a Power Pad!" Uploaded Friday, May 9 317 likes

May 1st, 1766 Independence, Missouri. Beautiful town, situated right between Harsh Dictatorship, MO and Dependence, MO (I wonder if one ever were to ever say something in the realm of "I will meet you in Dependence," would it lead to utter confusion? Ha! Thoughts such as these tickle my funny bone and will no doubt get me through the harsh fordings and pace-adjusting adventures that lie ahead!). This is where myself and my party of fellow manifest destiny-believing compatriots (Obadiah, Joanna, and Marvin) will begin our epic journey across the treacherous Oregon territory. There are several…

  KEEP READING Written Wednesday, Dec 31 by Scott  from Hofstra 247 likes

"Tetris and Wrestling join forces for the first time since the Cold War ended." Uploaded Wednesday, May 7 61 likes

This week’s show: Xbox NewsInterview: Michael Fahrny, Assault Heroes 2  (23:43–30:36)Interview: Mark Terrano, Wits and Wagers (30:38–47:44)Name the gameand more...Get the blogcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3) Listen in iTunes? Submit a review[RSS] Add the Major Nelson Blogcast feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically (MP3).  [MP3] Download the show Format:01:10;12, 32.1 MB, (MP3)Link dump (some of the things mentioned in this…

The following Gears of War 2 trailer is now available on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace Content: Campaign Gameplay Reveal Price: FreeAvailability: Not available in GermanyDash Text: [ESRB: RP (Rating Pending)] Get your first glimpse into Gears of War 2’s stunning campaign in this clip with introduction by lead designer Cliff Bleszinski. Released May 9, 2008. Size: 147.44 MB

Content: Muse Track PackPrice: 500 PointsAvailability: Not available in IndiaDash Text: [ESRB: T (Teen) MILD LYRICS,MILD SUGGESTIVE THEMES] “Exo-Politics”, “Stockholm Syndrome” & “Supermassive Black Hole” as performed by Muse. For all song credits please visit www.redoctane.com There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

If you’re watching TV tonight, tune in to Game Trailers TV with Geoff Keighley, where Geoff will have the world premere of the new GOW2 trailer. If you can’t pull yourself away from your console (or you have a hot date at that time) the trailer (in HD) will premiere on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace at 11pm PT (2a ET). As usual, I’ll make a post once the trailer is available for download. More details on Xbox.com.  

Content: GRID DemoPrice: FreeAvailability: All Xbox LIVE regionsDash Text: [ESRB: E (Everyone)] It's time to get on the GRID as this superb demo showcases racing in the three regions playable in the full game; Europe Touring Cars at Jarama Circuit, U.S Muscle cars at San Francisco and Japanese Drift Racing at Yokohama Docks. Compete online in the European and U.S races and check out the time trial competitions for the chance to win a car and other ace prizes.

We play this XBLA quiz show to see if its worth betting on.

How does Marvel's hitech hero fare in Sega's new movie tiein?

The best motherf***ing game weve ever played.

Midway's bball series returns, but probably should've stayed benched.

Finally, a card game Indiana Jones himself would have fun playing.

We are pleased to present you with the brand-newest trailer for Gears of War 2. ...

GamesRadar has bagged first dibs on revealing three new Ninja Gaiden II characters - Alexei, Muramasa and Zedonius ...

Mac manufacturer Apple filed a patent in November 2006 for a 3D remote control system for its Apple TV set-top box, it was revealed today.The patent describes a system that can detect the location of the device and what it's pointing at, according to Apple Insider. Wii Remote, anyone?"[The] remote control system also can include optional console," the filing apparently states."Console can have controller that can perform ...

Criterion is bringing its hit arcade racer, Burnout Paradise, to PC.The developer says that the new version is being "rebuilt specifically for the PC." Although it didn't specify exactly what changes would be made, it promises "expanded multiplayer, enhanced online features, and community driven content."Burnout Paradise "will combine all the open world racing, intense speed and action of the original game with new gameplay for ...

The next Call of Duty game may not delve back into familiar WWII territory after all, as Activision CEO Mike Griffith reveals that the fifth game will take the series to a "new military theatre."Despite rumours and strong reactions that the series would be returning to the over-used WWII era, Griffith revealed: "We'll bring the intensity of the recent Call of Duty: Modern Warfare title to a new military theatre to engage our ...

Section: Features, Gift Guide, Exclusives, Consoles, Wii, Handhelds, DS For all the ghosts you’ve chased away, And collecting rare fruits every day, For bringing dots to eat while we play, We at Gamertell wish you a SUPER MOTHER’S DAY! Here are a few sites that have featured Games for Mothers types of articles: Gamestop via Gamertell This “mom-friendly” list is all Wii and DS games, including Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore, The Sims 2: Castaway, CSI: Hard Evidence and a few High School Musical titles. Wired via Joystiq This post puts some suggestions…

Section: News, Consoles, PS3, Xbox-360, Genres, Action, Updates, Playstation-Store, Xbox-Live I received this email yesterday (May 9, 2008) from Capcom and, well, just read it: Subject: New Rocketmen: It Came from Uranus Assets! Hey downloadable game junkies, We just uploaded new Rocketmen: It Came from Uranus screens and video featuring one of the new levels included in the new expansions pack. It’s more blasting than Uranus can handle. Cheers, Xxxxx and the Capcom PR team Yeah, they really went there. And then, so did I: Dear Capcom, Rocketmen: It came from Uranus sounds like an…

Section: News, Features, Opinions, Consoles, Xbox-360, PCs, Web-Sites It looks like the Bioshock movie we’ve all been awaiting is actually going to come to fruition. According to Variety, Universal and Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski will be bringing the dystopian world to the silver screen. John Logan, screenwriter behind Oscar-winning The Aviator will be penning the project. Verbinski had a few apt words about the game experience that bolster hope that the project is in the right hands. From Variety: “I think the whole utopia-gone-wrong story that’s…

Section: News, Web-Sites, Fan-SitesThe popular video game rumor blog run by the anonymous author known only as “Surfer Girl” is no more. On May 7, 2008 Surfer Girl posted her last entry, which consisted of a video of a performance of the French group Air’s “Surfing on a Rocket” and a final post. In the post she discusses her reasons for originally maintaining the blog and remarks on Doom 4 and Boom Blox. She also asks outlets not to devote coverage to her final entry. But of course people will and are. Whether you loved, hated or mocked her, she was somewhat of…

Section: News, Features, Japanese Imports, Handhelds, PSP, Game-Companies, Publishers, Genres, Action, Role-PlayingA very promising partnership has just been formed between Marvelous Entertainment and XSEED Games. The two companies have decided to band together to bring more of Marvelous’ amazing games to North America. The first game that will come from this partnership is the PSP game Valhalla Knights 2. It is the sequel to the first Valhalla Knights, which XSEED brought to North America in April 2007, and should be in stores before the end of fall 2008. Valhalla Knights 2 will…

Happy Friday Everyone, If you didn’t catch our last post or the news on other blogs like VGBlogger and Kotaku we are giving people who didn’t score cards last week another chance at Free Card glory. Just like last week, the same rules apply- One address per person. Repeat addresses will not be recorded. Confirmation emails will be sent next week once all entries are reviewed and cleared. Remember, winning addresses from last week will not be recorded so that more people have a chance to win. All you need to do is hit this LINK. Good luck to everyone and congratulations to everyone…

I kept it light on SOCOM.com this week, but I did manage to break you off with a gang of new screenshots. XPlay Replay and Reply- You’re going to have to pardon my pun, but here’s where we talk over the XPlay footage from last week. Stairways- Take a peek at a little of Urban Wasteland. Crossroads Screen!- Three on one is fair in SOCOM: Confrontaton. The proof is in the screenshot. Crossroads Panorama- Get some target practice in from this position on Crossroads. Be they birds or enemies, you can hit just about anything from here. Crossroads Re-Preview- Take a closer look at a familiar…

Hey, everyone. It’s time again for the PLAYSTATION Store weekly update. Downloadable Games Rocketmen: Axis of Evil ($9.99) Join Nick Sion, Alec Mink and the rest of the Alliance of Free Planets in their white-knuckled, frenzied struggle to free the Solar System from the tyrannical grip of Lord Invictus and the Legion of Terra! With its distinctive cel-shaded art style, engaging storyline, RPG elements and non-stop action, this shooter promises to keep players coming back for more! ESRB Rated File size: 124 MB Add-on Game Content PixelJunk Monsters Encore ($5.99) PixelJunk Monsters Encore is…

Hi all! In the most recent Metal Gear Monday post, I mentioned that we were working on a Metal Gear Online Beta-related surprise this week. As the Beta nears its end this weekend, we are pleased to be able to offer a very special, one-time opportunity to the top ranking participants. A select number of top clans will receive an invite to play the MGO Beta competitively against the Konami team. The invites will start going out tonight (Wednesday May 7, 2008) through tomorrow morning, via the MGO Beta in-game mail system, to the selected clan leaders. If you receive an invite, Konami will…

Wow. I think we knew that Free Card Friday was going to go over well, but we had no idea how well. The blog is used to taking in a good amount of traffic, but apparently it wasn’t ready for the EOJ community! We had an overwhelming response and we want to thank everyone who participated. Confirmation emails are going out today to the first 500 people that submitted their info, you should be receiving cards in the next 2 weeks. For those of you who have been hanging in suspense, sorry for the wait. Thousands of addresses were submitted and there were a “ton” of duplicate…

Featuring a special preview of MK vs. DC's milder fatalities.

We check out the demo in anticipation of next week's release.

We spend some hands-on time with the DS shmup. New screens.

Canvassing the tactical battlefield in this PS3 game.

Publisher reports record Q4 sales as revenues surge 92%.

The Gears of War 2 preview featuring some gameplay was released late Friday night and we think you'll like what you see. Check out our video after the break.

Kaos Studios is trying to keep Frontlines: Fuel of War from sliding further into the abyss with some screenshots of the new server browser that will be in the 1.1.0 patch. Three screenshots to be exact, and you need to go to three separate sites to see them. The status of the 1.1.0 patch remains somewhat of a mystery with Kaos posting periodic updates that sprinkle news such as in testing and soon...

The first real look at Gears of War 2 will be available on XBLIVE tonight at 11pm PST. This is not a tech demo like was seen a few weeks ago. This will be trailer that while still containing dev interviews (are they rock stars yet?) it will also provide a look at the expanded chainsaw capabilities and give everyone a chance to see how those new shaders are working with the Unreal Engine. For...

Since it was announced in August 2007, Blizzard has managed to keep very quiet about the Wrath of the Lich King expansion for World of Warcraft. Apparently the quiet period is over and they are dumping information left and right about it. There is a ton of coverage out there from Joystiq to Kotaku but the best we have seen is from WoW specialist Curse.com (http://wow.curse.com/articles/details/9634/) who scored a great interview that yielded a...

Bungie has announced the latest in the series of double XP weekends; the theme this weekend is sniperss of right this moment, this weekend's double exp playlist is now operational. The theme? Team Snipers. Range and reactions are the name of the game as the popular gametypes make their way from Team Slayer, and bring along a couple new friends for the ride. Team Snipers Weekend lasts from Thursday the 8th, until early morning on the...

I haven’t really had time to update the site lately as I have been on a whirlwind travel schedule. Between getting my wisdom teeth removed I have also found myself in Atlanta, NYC, DC, and Toronto.... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Since the launch of Blackbird, we have received numerous awards from many publications on our system. We shipped a mix of review systems, launching with ATI Crossfire, and some with Nvidia SLI... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Sorry for the lack of updates, I have been away on a number of trips. One of the trips I went on was not work related. I went with a bunch of friends from all over the world to Ensenada to do a Wide... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

I wrote this article for the latest issue of CPU Magazine just after we returned from GDC. Check out the latest issue over here! Last month in this space, I wrote about my own confusion surrounding... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

I wrote this article for Custom PC Magazine in the U.K. - it's the latest issue, and it's awesome. A warning though, this article is pure speculation! There's my disclaimer before people start... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

This week in Movers, Infogrames gets a new CFO, Empire Interactive hires a pair, Crave appoints a Senior VP, and Live Gamer adds a VP of Product Marketing.

If EA ever does reach a buyout agreement with Take-Two it'll have a sizable loan on hand to help finance the deal. Morgan Stanley and other banks are now committed to it.

Napster creator Shawn Fanning should be joining EA, as his latest start-up, a social networking site called Rupture, is expected to be acquired by the game publisher for a cool $30 million.

In response to gamers' complaints, EA/BioWare have changed Mass Effect's DRM solution from disc-based to online and periodic re-authentication has been scrapped.

Micro-transaction based MMOs are becoming increasing popular among teens who may not have ready access to a credit card. Because of this, Gala-Net is offering prepaid game cards at Target.

Ionstormsucks on our forums points out PC Games.de has the recently linked first Gothic 4: Arcania screens in higher quality as well as a couple of new ones.  Looks like another barrier, to me. 

GameTrailers has a cinematic trailer for Gas Powered Games' Space Siege with a little bit of gameplay footage for good measure. 

This is heavily spoiler-laden but if you've played Jade Empire, Twenty Sided's Shamus Young has an interesting perspective on the main character.  No quote, because I can't pick a bit that won't give something away. 

News at The Witcher site that a Russian version of D'jinni is available and they are seeking info on community mod projects:We are pleased to inform that the community which gathered around D’jinni Adventure Editor is constantly getting bigger and stronger....

Age of Decadence artist Oscar has kicked up a handful of screens showing a district in Teron for feedback. 

A fast-paced, single-player mouse avoidance game where your only goal is to survive as long as possible. Dodge angry red buggles and collect mysterious blue boxes to obtain a high score. Catch the little green buggles to become the mighty devourer, destroyer of red buggles! Eat them all! Muhahaha!

If you've ever longed for a game to bring it on with animal-on-animal warfare, as in the tradition of Red Wall, you've come to the right place. Brute Wars is a turn-based RPG tactical strategy game where you pit your team of six creatures against opposing squads. The placement and order of their attacks adds up to a highly nuanced and rapid game of tactics that you won't want to miss.

If something considered "retro" gets remade, is it still considered retro? Such is the question to ponder while playing Arcadia Remix, the juiced-up retro remake of Gamelab's multitasking classic, Arcadia. This newer version adds to the retro insanity with more mini-games and gameplay features to make your head explode in a neon rainbow.

This Mother's Day (through 5/16/08), save BIG on all casual game downloads from Big Fish Games. Take your pick. The whole inventory is on sale. Be sure to use the coupon code above when ordering to receive your discount.

Two heavy-hitting adventure games hit the casual scene this weekend, one a re-release of a classic point and click title, the other an exclusive from a seasoned adventure development studio. Each one spins an unforgettable tale using famous crime novel monikers everyone should recognize. Although the titles take strikingly different gameplay approaches, each one offers a deep mystery experience wrought with hidden agendas, misleading clues, and plenty of riddles to solve.

Oh, happy day, echochrome has arrived. In case you’ve been under a rock, echochrome is a delicious puzzle perspective game, which is simple and deceptive all at the same time. The graphics are simple, the concept is amazing, and we’ve been waiting for it since last year’s E3. It is now here, along with a few other pieces of content - like new Rock Band tracks - on this weeks PlayStation Store update. Games and Demos echochrome ($9.99) for PS3 echochrome ($9.99) for PSP Dark Sector demo (free) Expansions and Add-ons Rock Band tracks ($1.99 per track) - “Zero” by…

I’ve recently been playing the hell out of PixelJunk Monsters, a game that we feel is one of the shining stars of the Playstation Store. If you haven’t yet tried it, seriously, go download it. The 2D strategy game is something that we almost can’t stop playing once we start. This is why we are happy to hear that Q Games has made it known that the first expansion pack for the game, titled PixelJunk Monsters Encore, is set to drop on May 1. We can expect a new island, called “Toki,” which will feature an additional 15 levels, as well as a little bit of…

Looks like artist music is going to start becoming exclusive to specific brands, as it has been made public through Activision PR that all Aerosmith tracks are going to be exclusive to Guitar Hero. What this means is that, no matter how good the Rock Band Store gets (and it is very good), you will never see any more Aerosmith tracks appearing in that franchise. Sure, Rock Band owners do get one Aerosmith track, that being “Train Kept a Rollin,” but seriously, that is just a drop in the bucket. What we are wondering is, as these music/rhythm-based games continue to flourish, how…

Okay, so we’ve been graced with a copy of Mario Kart Wii a few days early by Nintendo themselves. We’ve played the game a bit, and will be will be reporting back with our initial thoughts, but for now, we wanted to hit you with an unboxing gallery. We have a bunch of images of the Wii Wheel for you to take a gander at, as well as the box, game disc, and the like. Just a little something to tide you over until Sunday. Go ahead and click on over to our Mario Kart Wii gallery for the images. Tags:

Now, we’ve seen custom wedding cake toppers before, but these Mii cake toppers are just...fantastic. I mean, who wouldn’t want a pair of Mii characters - which look vaguely like you - standing atop their cake on one of the most important days of their lives? The best part, to us at least, is that this is a way of geeking out a bit at your wedding, without going way over the top. Those who have no clue what a Mii - or even Wii - even is, will still “get” that you were simply putting a visual representation of yourself on your cake. They run for $140 USD and are…

An English demo for Bus Simulator 2008 has been released.

Codemasters has released a demo for Race Driver: GRID.

LunaKite has released a demo for Bee Oh Bee, an adventure casual game where you play as a God-bee, bees that live above in the sky to help homeless cute earth-dwelling honey-bees.

Legacy Interactive release a demo of The Lost Cases of Sherlock Holmes, a whodunit casual computer game of theft, espionage and murder in which the player must tap their own powers of observation to solve puzzles and identify the culprits.

Lights of Dreams : The Angelical Blade Demo V2.15

Twenty Sided has an article up on how have flawed main characters can be fun. The example used here is the lead character from BioWare’s Jade Empire. For those of you who have always wanted to play it but haven’t got around to it; you might want to skip this article. However for those gamers who understand the inside joke, this is a fun piece of truism. Personal, I like a little roughness in both my NPCs and player characters. It makes them more realistic and easier to relate to. It also helps to build tension in a story. If everything single obstacle is too easily surmounted, I…

Flashcube Studios has released a game trailer for it’s upcoming action platformer Spectraball. This game will have players navigating a series of platforms and traps in a variety of 3D environments. The physics-based gameplay footage is set to electronic music and colorful courses that one of my friends would describe as “trippin.” It’s no geometry wars but it looks like a reasonably challenging and entertaining diversion. Spectraball Trailer Spectraball is scheduled for release in 2008. via FileFront ---Related Articles at Gaming Today:E3 2007: Playstation Network E3…

Ever since the Windows Vista OS came out; gamers have been complaining about it and going to great lengths to get it to behave in the way they expected it too. The latest guide up on ExtremeTech shows PC gamers how to bypass Vista 64-bit limitations. The author gives gamers who haven’t already used this solution instructions on how to run 32-bit Vista on 64-bit Vista in a virtual machine. This solves a few known problems with 64-bit Vista including the author’s difficulties with Nikon RAW codec or getting VPN to work with older Cisco concentrators. The article is fairly technical,…

Namco Bandai has released a new Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 trailer for the PSP. The footage shows off the game’s unique combination of one-on-one combat and interactive storytelling. It’s all about team building using new jutsu, secret techniques and characters to defend the Hidden Leaf Village from the forces of the mysterious Phantom Fortress. The “extreme ninja action” is looking good on the PSP. Fans of the original shouldn’t be disappointed Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 Trailer (QT) Gamers can pick up Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: Phantom Fortress for…

Aside from World of Warcraft, the biggest MMO of 2007 and so far this year isn’t one you would name off the top of your head. According to the author of an article up on Eurogamer; it’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. The piece goes on to defend the position that although CoD4 isn’t an MMO in the strictest sense of the definition, it does share many of the same gameplay elements that typify an MMO. Call of Duty 4 proves that it’s possible to take some of the things that MMOs do right and distil them for a game that wouldn’t traditionally be seen as an MMO. The…

Happy Mother’s & Gamer Mom’s Day from U360!  Today is the day that I encourage every gamer out there to grab his or her mom and shower them with lots of love.  And if your mom is into gaming, grab her for some fun with The Bourne Conspiracy demo on Xbox Live.  Don’t tell her that I put you up to that. I just wanted to wish all the mothers and gamer moms out there a happy day today.  TriXie, Dangerdoll, kiki kat, Mocha Jive and all my gaming moms out there.  Game the day away ladies! “Game The Day Away” Suggestions Rock Band - grab the kids and have some…

I almost soiled myself a little bit when I got the word from Sierra Entertainment that they released some free downloadable content for TimeShift.  It’s called the Futures-Past Multiplayer Map Packand it features five new multiplayer maps for players to unravel while annihilating online enemies with time-bending chrono grenades and 2 new multiplayer modes.  Each map presented in the DLC package supports classic multiplayer modes: One-on-One, Deathmatch, and Team Deathmatch. And if you’re tired of the same old Deathmatch modes, it also includes two exclusive multiplayer…

Shortly after we’ve all wrapped up in the Unscripted Nights event tonight, Epic Games will unleash the very first look at actual gameplay from Gears of War 2.  The trailer is set to hit the Xbox Live Marketplace tonight following the 10PM PST / 1AM EST premiere on Spike TV’s “Gametrailers TV with Geoff Keighley”.  It’s supposedly a 2-minute trailer featuring a look at some insane chainsaw duels.  I’m really excited to see the new Unreal Engine 3 in action! It should be one hell of a night tonight with a little thuggin’ with Unscripted Nights…

“Remember me?  I made my official debut back at E3 2007 and got quite the reception.  I was supposed to hit the Xbox Live Arcade but I ended up on the back of a milk carton instead.  I have been kidnapped by the dreaded TBA & TBD clan.  I am Third Wave Games and Ubisoft’s War World.”  “Remember me?  I had quite a few heads turning nearly 3 years ago about my concept and design.  And yes, I too was suppose to hit the Xbox Live Arcade but then I was ambushed by the TBA & TBD Clan.  I am their captive.  I am Streamline Studios’ HoopWorld.”…

I just had what is easily the BEST TRIP EVER TO BLOCKBUSTER!  In fact, the trip was so amazing that it has essentially killed any desires I had for visiting Gamestop or EB Games again.  Let me explain. A few days ago I received some information that Blockbuster was getting into the hardware, games and accessories business.  It’s a new focus of theirs to tackle this crazy industry we all like to participate in.  I decided to visit my local Blockbuster with a few titles I had with the intention of trading them in.  I had previously attempted to trade these titles in at my local…

azuredrake writes "Gamasutra reports that Universal Pictures has just announced a completion of licensing negotiations to bring the game BioShock to the silver screen. For those unfamiliar with the property, it was the much lauded Game of the Year contender praised for its storyline which emerged through gameplay, not just cutscenes. The director for the project is to be Gore Verbinski, who proved himself on the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, and the current writer for the screenplay is John Logan, who is recently known for the also-creepy Sweeny Todd."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

An anonymous reader writes "In response to recent criticism, EA has decided to eliminate the periodic validation of Mass Effect and Spore. 'Specifically, EA's plan to dial in to game owner's computers every ten days to check whether they were running a legitimate version of their software has been scrapped, ShackNews reports. EA had planned to use the validation method for upcoming titles Mass Effect and Spore. EA now says that validation will now only occur when a user attempts to download new content for either game. Chief among the voices in opposition to this measure were members of the…

Barence writes "A PC Pro reader has received a demand for a £600 out-of-court settlement from lawyers claiming to have forensic evidence that he illegally downloaded a PC game on BitTorrent. The law firm, Davenport Lyons, is acting on the behalf of German games distributor Zuxxez, creator of the game in question, Two Worlds. The PC Pro reader was given no prior warning to stop file sharing, unlike the usual 'three strikes and you're out' approach adopted by the music industry. The reader says, 'To add insult to injury it [Davenport Lyons] didn't pay enough postage on the letter and I…

Alex writes "I've just uploaded the video of a piece of classical electronic music I wrote for 2 Guitar Hero controllers and software (which I created). More information about this piece, its software, and the notation involved in playing it is at alexwroten.com/works.asp and alexwroten.com/excuses.html. I just figured people might be interested in finding new ways to use their Guitar Hero mastery ... especially with the hot debate over whether or not it hinders people's musical instruction."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

a boy named woo writes "Tired of justifying your gaming addiction? Now you can really help accomplish something while you play... thanks to Howard Hughes Medical Institute researcher David Baker at the University of Washington." In collaboration with others, Baker has designed a game, called "Foldit," with a practical outcome: players manipulate on-screen images of protein chains and attempt to predict their folding patterns. From the article: "'Our main goal was to make sure that anyone could do it, even if they didn't know what biochemistry or protein folding was,' says [co-creator Zoran]…

Nintendo’s original downloadable games service WiiWare hits the US on Monday. Launch titles, info and pricing within.

Edge gives its verdict on 2008’s biggest game.

Electronic Arts has executed a commitment letter for up to $1 billion in debt financing to support its bid for Take-Two, the company said Friday.

10tacle Studios' bid to buy fellow German game publisher TGC - The Games Company has been mutually nixed.

Shares in Activision leapt over 12 percent in mid-afternoon trading Friday, after the company posted record fiscal year results and optimistic guidance.

Another great update on the PSN, games, demos and add-ons...woot! Hmm, another week, another phenomenal update on the good old PSN. Tons of content here; granted much of it is probably calculated to hit during the European PlayStation day, but still it is appreciated!First off in the game front we see a re-post(?) of Rocketman: Axis of Evil for download as well as the much anticipated PixelJunk Monsters Encore...

Looking at the Xbox Live service and how it needs to evolve to stay dominant. First off I want to say I am a huge Xbox 360 fan. I may be a bigger Sony fan, but I do love me some Microsoft console action. This article is the first of two parts; the second coming next week will look at the relevance issue in respect to the PlayStation 3, so before I get hate mail, I will be tagging each console with my thoughts on their...

Wait, there's actually news this week? Days left until WiiWare arrives in North America: 7If you're reading this, it can only be for one reason: you want to know what came out on the Virtual Console this week. Well, thankfully, I'm here to tell you just that. But first, some news:Europe gets another Hanabi Festival: Yes, that's right. European Wii owners get to experience another Hanabi...

Decent, but not as revolutionary as the critics might have you think. I'm sure I'll get flamed for this, but I have to be honest. I've played Grand Theft Auto 4 on the PS3 for several hours now. After all the ridiculously high ratings on Metacritic I thought, "How could they be wrong?" Well, in my opinion, they are. This might deserve a 7 or an 8, but not a 10/10. We do value originality,...

Probably the most fun you'll have with a game full of bugs. Insecticide, published by Gamecock Media Group and created by Crackpot Entertainment, is a game for the Nintendo DS that takes a bold risk, trying to straddle the gap between adventure and action games. It's a hard-boiled detective mystery containing both action and adventure elements, set in a futuristic city full of anthropomorphic bugs.The...