Gameztraffic News

famed composer tyler bates to score army of TWO: the 40th day

2009-10-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

The Ultimate Co-op Team Fight Through Ravaged City Streets of Shanghai Set to a Dramatic Score from Heralded Film Composer

Montreal, Canada – October 9, 2009 – EA Montreal, a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), today announced that renowned film composer Tyler Bates will be creating the impactful score for the highly anticipated third person co-op shooter Army of TWO™:The 40^th Day. The sought-after composer, best known for his work on the blockbuster films 300 and Watchmen, is crafting an immersive score that will highlight the epic co-operative battles gamers and their friends will face in the first major videogame release of 2010.

“Set in Shanghai in the middle of a major a disaster, ARMY OF TWO: The 40^th Day dials up the action through a series of powerful scenes where players have to work together as a team to survive and escape the city,” said Lewis James, Audio Director at EA Montreal. “Tyler examined every part of the game and how players will move through the world to craft a score that truly represents their actions and the chaos unfolding around them.”

“The 40^th Day is one of the most intense games I’ve seen,” said Tyler Bates. “The setting, characters and action in the game provided me the perfect backdrop to create an equally intense and dramatic score that compliments the gameplay.”

With more than 50 films and 15 years experience, Bates is one of Hollywood’s most sought-after composers. In addition to Watchmen and 300, he has scored hit films such as The Day the Earth Stood Still, Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Halloween 2, and Showtime's hit comedy series "Californication”.

“Tyler Bates’ score for The 40^th Day is not only a stellar addition to this tradition but takes the Army of TWO franchise to a whole new level,” said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Marketing. “Most of all, our collaboration with a composer of his caliber furthers EA's continued commitment to creating the most groundbreaking new soundtracks in the entertainment industry.”

In this sequel to the multi-million selling 2008 break-out hit, private military contractors, Salem and Rios must fight their way through Shanghai to survive a carefully orchestrated series of catastrophes that are dragging the massive city to the brink of ruin. Now, the Army of TWO are trapped and must work as a team to survive relentless enemy assaults and escape the city collapsing around them.

Army of TWO: the 40^th Day has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI. The game will ship on January 12, 2010 in North America and January 8, 2010 in Europe. The game will be available for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the PSP® (PlayStation® Portable),

For more information on Army of TWO: The 40^th Day or to pre-order the game please visit: www.armyoftwo.com. For more information on EA Montreal, please visit www.eamontreal.com or www.ea.com. Or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Army_Of_Two.

London Beefs Up Security

2009-09-28T15:58:00.001-07:00

London can feel a little safer with the arrival of five very special individuals, the Marvel comic superheroes. Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Thing and Human Torch took time out of their busy schedule to protect Londoners. The superheroes are in town to promote the new video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 out 25th September 2009.

The new video game which is based on the Marvel Civil War storyline enables players to assemble a superhero dream team from more than 20 of Marvel’s most dynamic heroes including Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk, Iron Man, Juggernaught and Thor. For the first time gamers can combine the powers of these fearsome characters to unlock over 250 astonishing new fusion attacks.

Gamescom 2009: Sony Announcements.

2009-08-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

Gamescom 2009 is well and truly underway, and here is a list of the Sony announcements:

- VIDEOS: ModNation Racers, God of War III, EyePet, Ratchet & Clank, Heavy Rain, Singstar, My Singstar Online Community share, Buzz, Billiards, DC Online, White Knight Chronicles, Uncharted 2.

- STATS: 138.8 million PS2s sold worldwide, 52 million in SCEE territories. PSP sales at 52.9 million worldwide, 17 million in SCEE territories. PS3 at 23.7 million worldwide, over 10 million in SCEE territories. PSN registrants at over 27 million, 11 million in SCEE territories. Global downloads from PSN has passed 560 million which has generated $280 million of revenue. Home has been downloaded 7.5 million times worldwide, 3.5 million in SCEE territories.

- NEW HOME GAMESPACES: SingStar includes The SingStar Rooms, Music Quiz, Video Jukebox, Interactive Dance Floor and more. Audi will release a gamespace by the end of 2009.

- WHAT’S NEW ANNOUNCED: You can view recently uploaded videos from the likes of the BBC iPlayer in the UK.

- PSN VOUCHER CARDS: No credit card needed in PSN store now. Vouchers can be bought for 20 or 50 Euros worth of PSN money.

- VIDZONE: The service will be heading to Scandinavia.

- VIDEO DELIVERY SERVICE: Includes Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, Batman and Terminator. Can be rented or purchased in SD or HD. Coming November 2009 to UK, France, Germany and Spain through PSN; rest of the world in 2010. Deals signed with Lionsgate, Paramount, MGM, Walt Disney, Fox, Universal, Universum, Warner Bros and Constantin.

PSP DIGITAL READER: Coming in December 2009. Can read multiple types of media and will be used to launch digital comics. Will include the likes of Spider-Man, X-Men, Transformers, Archie, Star Trek, Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man, Fantastic Four, Wolverine, Daredevil, and Thor. Has an “autoflow” that will make reading easy.

- NEW PSP-3000 COLOURS: Lilac Purple, Blossom Pink and Turquoise. Will be included in a Hannah Montana Bundle.

- FREE GT PSP: PAL users who register their PSPgo between the 1st and 10th of October will receive a free downloadable copy of Grand Turismo for the PSP.

- EYEPET PRICING: Will retail for 44.99 in Euros and will include the PlayStation Eye Camera.

- STAGE DEMO: Heavy Rain. Will include four different playable characters.

-PS3 Slim announced

-Minis on PSP

Gamescom 2009: Microsoft Announcements

2009-08-19T05:26:00.000-07:00

Peter Molyneux and Microsoft have a joint conference, and the revolutionary pictures have finally been revealed as teasers for.. you guessed it. FABLE 3!!!

Fable 3 for 2010 on 360. Milo and Kate also announced for "not too early in 2010".

Awesome...

PS3 Confirmed

2009-08-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

Sony confirmed the highly rumored PS3 Slim today at Gamescon. The new model will be available the first week of September at a price point of $299 dollars. It features 120 gb HDD and 34% less power consumption.

Gamescom 2009: Ea Announcements.

2009-08-18T07:24:00.001-07:00

Sat here watching the Live Stream from Gamescom, EA promise a good show, will it be true? As always, Foolish from Gameztraffic will provide his opinionated views on the proceedings.

They start with Fifa, presented by head of EA Sports, Peter Moore. talking about EA Sports sales, he claims Fight night round 4 is the best fighting game in the world, a very risky claim. Fifa 10 trailer shown, looks very good indeed, arguably the most fluid gameplay i've seen in a fifa game. 360 degree dribbling, and virtual pro face recognition promise a great end-user experience. Improvements to the defending and goalkeeping look impressive. In short, the game looks amazing.

Producer of Fifa 10, David Rutter, promises another video. Improved Online Matchmaking, based on location and skill, and different filters and a new Fair Play Ranking system look the headlining features. GameFace, where you put yourself in the game, looks amazing. Virtual Pro promises to make the game more personal, with accomplishments, unlockable celebrations, with a new online club mode, Regional and International leagues, and you can be poached to other clubs, sounds amazing. You can download your friends gamefaces into your game to. Santiago Bernabeu stadium is back in Fifa 10, as many fans complained of the lack of it. Live Season 2 will be announced in september. The practise arena has been updated to reinstate the practise matches from earlier games like fifa 99. A New urgency option means strikers get in better positions and commit more to games. Defenders also position themselves better, and perform spectacular blocks and clearances, doing anything possible. Secondary Saves and Goalkeeper positioning and animatons and desperation saves mean the game is pretty much identical to real football.

You can now create your own set pieces, which looks really innovative, allowing you to set player runs. You can trigger the set pieces in game to confuse the AI. As David puts in, the game feels more "organic". Momentum and lateral displacement looks very good indeed. PC and Wii benefit also from the 360 degree dribbling as well as 360 and ps3, meaning "total freedom for the game".

Peter Moore is back, talking about EA active, claiming its better for weight loss than Wii Fit. risky. Unveiled is the new Ea Active expansion pack, Ea Active: More Workouts. Boasting new stretches, ab exercises and fitness activities, with a new 6 week challenge. Looks good for those looking to lose weight. Peter Moore is back to show EA Active himself. A german guest, Katarina Witt, a 2 time olympic champion figure skater blatantly plugs the game, but she joins Peter Moore on the stage to do some exercises. Peter is pretty rusty at the game, but not too bad. Katarina gets on everyones nerves, with doing nothing whatsoever. Peter squatting reminds me of a bear in the woods. Katarina seems full of herself. Peter is out of breath, doesn't really make me want to play EA Active. Peter Moore is off the stage.

Johann is back. Talking about The Sims, with some impressive sales figures. Julie Turner, the service director from The Sims 3, talks in german to the crowd, making them happy. Plugging the Sims 3 expansion pack, which we at Gameztraffic covered earlier this month. 3.7 million sims 3 copies sold, with 2 million members using Sims3.com. Showing some impressive custom objects, it makes me wonder why they are playing the game, and not creating stuff for a career.

The sims 3 is the number 1 site on twitter, with high ratings on youtube and other social sites. If you want to know about World Adventures, check the earlier post. Indiana jones lookalike alert on the video. Recording songs in simlish include Stefanie Heinzman,, Matt and Kim, Pixie Lott, Young Punx and grammy award winning Nelly Furtado. Video shown about Simlish Recordings of songs like Mama Do,. Interesting, but why no heavy metal? Additional artist to be announced, please be Metallica.

Worldwide Premiere trailer for World Adventures, featuring Simdiana Jones. Graphically it looks nice, but not great. The Locations are all very well made however, with the Egyptian tombs looking awesome.

Johann is back, and is introducing DICE studios, makers of the Battlefield series. Patrick Soderland and Karl-Magnus Troedson are now on stage, talking about Battlefield 1943, a fantastic game past the 1 million user mark. Battlefield Bad Company 2 will be released on March 5th 2010, a slight delay, boasting better multiplayer gaming that Modern Warfare 2. Risky, but if they pull off the battlefield hallmarks of destruction, vehicles and squad gaming, they could well beat Modern Warfare 2. New vehicles include Transport Helicopters and Quad bikes. Boasting great squad gameplay like Battlefield 1943, with exclusive achievements, sounds amazing. An improvement to the Frostbite engine looks amazing, meaning there is literally no place to hide. A trailer from the DICE team showing Battlefield Bad Company in a desert enviroment for the first time looks incredible. The homing rpg squad feature is debuted, loooking incredible. This Game really could be the game of the year for 2010. Multiplayer looks fantastic, and the Batllefield 1943 music is back again.

Johann is back, introducing Brutal Legend. The lawsuit is mentioned, and the lawsuit is in EA's favour, Gamers rejoice. Tim Schaffer is on the stage, promising multiplayer gameplay footage. Brutal Legend, in his words, is an action game battling through a heavy metal world. The world is based on falling into an album cover. Looks a great world, not fantastic, just great. Three main weapons, an axe called the Seperator, boosting Tim Schaffer's ego. Upgradeable weapons sound awesome. The 2nd weapon is a guitar called Clementine, with the power of the world amplifying the stage effects such as pyro and lightning meaning he kill groupies with it. Looks pretty awesome tbh, although i still have a feeling the game will be a disappointment. The third weapon is the car, called the Deuce/ Druid Plow, built by eddie, the main character himself. Armed with guns, upgradeable as are the other weapons to a pretty much awesome vehicle with a devestating arsenal. Mission by mission, you unlock allies and minions meaning you can do double team attacks. Very awesome attacks such as Mosh pits and Lighter waving means the game is a game of a metal concert, and thus will be incredible. A demo of the game will be out September 17th..... sounds incredible. i can't wait.

Johann is back, introducing Justin Lambros to show Dante's Inferno, an action game. First i've heard of this game, based on a poem or story. Typical karma system based in the 6th circle of hell, where Hereses is. Game looks pretty cliched, meeting heretics and deciding their fate, very much like the little sister options in bioshock, deciding whether the people can stay in hell, or you free them from hell. Finsihing moves also decided, where you can kill the demons, or absolve them. The game is out on 360, PS3 and PSP on February 9th 2010 in USA, and February 12th 2010 in europe. New trailer shown, looks pretty awesome with some pretty cool enemies and graphics being shown.

Bioware are up next, showing 3 games, introduced by Dr Ray Muzyka, starting with Dragon Age- origins. Ray looks like a supply teacher. Dragon Age is a traditional rpg, following on from games like Neverwinter Nights, however they break the mould by picking 6 classes, each completely different. Also the heroes are anti heroes. In the game, every choice has a consequence, with no experience for a player being the same. Collector's edition boasts some awesome add-ons, making me want to play it, with bloodwarrior armour for both this and Mass Effect 2. Trailer for Dragon age shown, looks very cliched, but with good graphics and fantastic blood effects. Cliched Fantasy Story however means the game may get very tedious, very quickly. Ray is back on stage, talking about Mass Effect 2, released in 2010. Sheppard is back, leading a team on a suicide mission. You have to figure out why humans are disappearing. This game promises to be even better than Mass effect, and the game is playable at Gamescom. Mass effect 2 seems very similar to the original, just the 2nd game in the trilogy. What decisions you made in the original will effect the 2nd game. Seems pretty awesome. A new character is shown, an awesome bodyguard-style dude. The game looks like its being published by EA this time, not Microsoft. The gameplay looks fantastic, but as i wasn't a fan of the first game, i'l wait for a demo before i make my mind up. Gabriel Rodriguez from lucasarts is on to talk about Old republic, boasting to be the first MMO to be entirely voice acted, with over 40 novels worth of dialogue. This game is intended to be worldwide compatibile, with german, french and english localizations.

Pretty optimistic i think you'd agree. First ever public demo of the game is at Gamescom, i wish i was there. German Localised trailer for old republic being shown. Understand it all, its the same as the E3 trailer. Looks incredible too, even to someone like me who isn't a fan of MMOs or Star Wars.

Last up is Jesse Abney, and Stephen Viljoen, talking about Need For Speed Shift. Promises a true driver experience, redefining the racing genres. Cockpit view for the first time in Need for Speed, with Live Gameplay video. On the Spa track in belgium, driving a Pagani Zonda R. Looks and sounds amazing, with added telemetry features. Stephen's a fairly bad driver. Points are added to driver level for sticking to the racing line. The cars and sounds look and sound authentic. The Cars literally shake at high speed, and with photo-realistic tracks, this game could finally make need for speed decent once more. Ends with a spectacular crash. Driver profiles are in the game, shows what driving style, badges and rewards you have. Very similar to Barracks mode of Call of Duty, but for a racing game. Screenshot of london teasingly shown. Game ships September 17th, and the presentation ends with a fantastic trailer, highlighting just how far need for speed has come.

Well that was the EA conference. In conclusion, nearly every game shown looks to be at the top of it's respective genres. A very powerful showing for Electronic Arts, certainly giving us food for thought

Find out more here

Uncharted 2 Graphics rival Real Life,

2009-08-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

^^ that is all there is to it. Uncharted 2, released this fall on PS3 exclusively, looks like it could be the first game to truly utilize the PS3's immense power. Gamers everywhere are waiting with bated breath for this one.

For more comparisons, here is a large picture of them all.

Valve still hate the PS3

2009-08-14T06:41:00.000-07:00

Valve Boss Gabe Newell has never got along with the PS3, and unfortunately for PS3 owners that doesn't look like it's going to change any time soon. In an interview with GameTrailers Tv, tonights episode talks about the new Left 4 Dead 2 campaign and weaponry (here), and Gabe Newell was interviewed by the presenter of GameTrailers Tv, Geoff Keighley.

Here is a transcript of the interview

Keighley: Are you guys working on PlayStation 3 here now, trying to understand it, trying to get better at it?

Gabe: Uh,no. Not in any real way.

There you have it. No Movement at all from Valve

Team Fortress 2 Classless Update upon us

2009-08-14T06:34:00.000-07:00

Yep it's finally here. including all of the news yesterday, here is the update list. Also CTF Sawmill variation has been released, meaning that sawmill seems to be the warhorse map for TF2

New Content:

Added King Of The Hill game mode.
Added custom animations played by the losing team during the post-win state. They are moved into third person camera to enjoy them.
Added lots of new hats.
Added koth_Viaduct.
Added ctf_Sawmill
Added community map Arena_Offblast
Added community map Cp_Yukon

Additions / Changes:

Added "Auto Reload" option to the multiplayer advanced options.
Clip-based weapons that reload a full clip at a time can now have their reloads aborted by firing.
Pistol now fires at a fixed rate, not based on the speed at which you press the firing button.
Added a color blind option to add a Jarate icon above enemies who are busy accepting a terrifying existence where they have no dignity.
Significantly reduced the amount of network traffic being sent.
Capturing the flag in a CTF game mode gives the entire capturing team 10 seconds of critboost.
Sappers attached to a teleporter automatically place another Sapper on the other end of the teleporter, if it exists.
Engineers wrenching a teleporter will repair the other end as well, and remove Sappers from both if they exist.
Disguised Spies no longer trigger On-Hit effects (like the Blutsauger's heal).
Removed self-inflicted minicrits. Fixes Jarate'd Soldiers/Demomen having ineffective rocket/grenade jumps.
Added an item panel to the spectator cam that shows non-standard items being carried by the player you're spectating.
Added an "Inspect" key that allows you to look at items being carried by your team mates.
Backpack improvements:

- Added drag & drop to move items around. Item positions are maintained on the backend.
- Added multi-select, allowing you to delete multiple items at once.
- Added a new key to the key binding page that opens your inventory directly to your backpack.
- Fixed mouseover panel being incorrectly position when the backpack first appears.

Cloaked Spies standing in valid backstab positions no longer raise their knife.
Added current map name and gametype to the bottom right of scoreboard.
Added class icons to tips on the loadout and loading screens.
Improved visuals around flags when they're being carried by a player.
Improved critboosted visuals, making it much clearer when an enemy has critboost.
Updated the loading panel to show the game type under the map name during level transition.
In-game chat dialog now supports full Unicode characters.
Added BLU main menu background.
Added response caching for some server queries to help reduce the CPU load from DOS attacks.
Teammates no longer block friendly radius damage. Prevents nearby teammates causing rocket/grenade jumps to fail.

Map Changes:

Update PLR_Pipeline

- Increased the starting advantage in the third round if a team has won the first two rounds.
- Fixed carts not continuing to the second round if they're capped at the same time in the first round.
- Fixed being able to shoot pipebombs over the starting gates in the first round.
- Fixed being able to open the doors in the first round before the setup time was finished.
- Fixed players getting stuck in some doors.
- Fixed players being able to get onto rooftops and out of the map boundaries.
- Fixed other minor bugs and exploits.

Update Arena_Sawmill

- Fixed DirectX8 bug where some models would not be visible.
- Fixed exploit with building teleporters outside of the map.

Updated CP_Granary

- Made a few changes to improve balance based on competitive community feedback.

Item Reworks:

The Force of Nature

- The enemy knockback now only `works in close range and behaves more like the Pyro's air blast.
- Enemies cannot be juggled by the FaN's effect.
- The self-knockback has also changed to respect the firer's view angle. Looking up while shooting will no longer propel the enemy upwards.
- Knockback is now scaled by damage done.

The Sandman

- A Scout will receive 1 point for stunning an enemy and 2 points for a long range stun.
- Stunned players now take 75% of all incoming damage instead of 50%.
- Übercharged players can no longer be stunned.
- Heavies spinning their mini-guns will continue to spin when stunned (whether the left or right mouse button is pressed).
- The minimum distance to stun a target has been reduced.
- The negative attribute has changed from "no double jump" to "-30 max health".

Fixes:

Fixed various issues around layout & presentation of items inside the Backpack and "X is carrying" item dialogs.
Fixed an exploit that allowed players to work around sv_pure.
Particle files are now protected by sv_pure.
Fixed critboost effect getting stuck on when you die while critboosted.
Fixed Timer HUD element backgrounds not being the correct color if you change teams during waiting for players.
Fixed a couple of issues with the way critboosts affected The Huntsman and the Spy's knife.
Fixed an exploit where you could reload The Huntsman faster than intended.
Fixed Heavy "civilian" exploit.
Fixed a set of exploits using the DXSupport config files.
Fixed r_screenfademinsize and r_screenfademaxsize exploits.
Fixed sentries firing at a fully cloaked Spy if they're still the closest target.

Community requests:

Added a HUD element for hybrid CTF & CP maps.

- Supports 1 or 2 flags, and any number of CPs.
- Mapmakers need to place a "tf_logic_hybrid_ctf_cp" entity in their map to enable it.

Added custom kill server log text "train" and "saw" for deaths caused by these environmental hazards.

Format: "%s<%i><%s><%s>" committed suicide with "world" (customkill "%s") (attacker_position "%d %d %d")

Added new "medic_death" event for server logs

Format: "%s<%i><%s><%s>" triggered "medic_death" against "%s<%i><%s><%s>" (healing "%d") (ubercharge "%s")
- healing is the amount the Medic healed in that life
- ubercharge (1/0) is whether they died with a full charge

Added "func_respawnflag" trigger entity. It will remove & return the flag if a flag carrier touches it, or if the flag falls into it.

Team Fortress 2 Classless Update #1

2009-08-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

A first for Valve, the new update doesn't update one specific class, instead choosing to update them all. Day 1 announced some new hats for all the classes, and a new arena map, Offbeat. Day 2 has announced a new game mode, King of the Hill, and three maps for it, one new in Vladuct, and two converted maps, nucleus and sawmill.

Stay Tuned for more updates as they come :)

Football Manager 2010 dated

2009-08-13T12:51:00.000-07:00

Sports Interactive’s Football Manager 2010 will hit PC and Mac on October 30th, alongside Football Manager Handheld 2010 on PSP.

Last year’s entry in the series spent 22 weeks at the top of the ChartTrack PC charts and sold well over 1 million copies, and for this year’s games Sports Interactive has announced a series of new features and improvements – including a new user interface, a better looking 3D match view, a tactics creator and much more.

“We have worked very hard with the Football Manager community to target not only the areas of the game that needed re-working but also what we could add to improve what’s already there," said Sports Interactive studio director Miles Jacobson.

"We’ve also conducted extensive usability studies which has led us to overhaul the whole presentation of the game, which we’re really excited about.

"There has been a lot of polish to existing areas of the game but it’s also driven us to introduce changes to answer some of the feedback. We’re very confident that having done that we will deliver the very best Football Manager to date in October.”

THQ publishing Blood Bowl in UK

2009-08-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

THQ have just announced that they will be publishing Games Workshop's upcoming wargame/sports game Blood Bowl in the UK.

The game is essentially a combination of sports, and brutal tactics. The aim is to get the ball into the opponents end zone and it doesn't matter how that's achieved. The end justifies the means and you can even bribe the referees!

Although there was an Xbox 360 version released in North America, THQ are only publishing the PC, Nintendo DS and Sony PSP versions, which are scheduled to come out on the 18th of September, 2009.

Lionhead Studios making a game with Che Guevara in?

2009-08-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

Lionhead Studios, run by gaming god Peter Molyneux have released a new teaser page on their official website.It sports an iconic image of the Argentine Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara in addition to the following quotation with a 'thumbs up' or 'thumbs down' selection made available underneath:

"At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love."

A number 6 or a single quotation mark is featured in the background. Get your deerstalker on, because choosing 'thumbs up' takes you to 'followers' and 'thumbs down' to 'subjects'. Every news item then leads back to this teaser flash image.

The Number 6 is an odd choice, possibly to do with the fact it is six days to Peter Molyneux and Microsoft's joint conference at GamesCom. We will update you tomorrow if the number changes.

See the teaser here

New Assassins Creed Character Revealed

2009-08-13T07:45:00.000-07:00

Assassin's Creed 2 expands the saga of Assassin's Creed, introducing a new era, new gameplay and new characters. Today, one of those new characters is revealed, as is who will be voicing him!

I've already said too much. This is the link you want, discover the truth for yourselves!

OSCAR DE LA HOYA HEADLINES DOWNLOADABLE BOXER PACK FOR EA’s FIGHT NIGHT ROUND 4

2009-08-13T07:41:00.001-07:00

August 12, 2009 – Electronic Arts revealed that its first downloadable boxer pack for Fight Night Round 4 will be available in late August on XBOX LIVE and the Playstation Network for 800 Microsoft points and $9.99, respectively. The downloadable boxer pack will include Oscar De La Hoya, Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko, and alternate versions of George Foreman and James Toney. Named the Game Critic Awards “Best Sports Game of E3 2009”, Fight Night Round 4

has been winning over reviewers and fans since its release on June 23^rd.

In addition to the boxer pack, EA SPORTS™ will also be releasing a free downloadable game update at the end of August. The free update will include additional trunks, gloves and shorts, as well as a free button control scheme that will allow gamers to use face buttons on the Xbox 360 and PS3 game controllers to throw punches, hooks, uppercuts and haymakers. A new demo featuring the button controls will also be available on XBOX LIVE and the Playstation Network by early September. The 12 round demo will feature Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali as playable boxers.

“We are extremely excited to be able to add Oscar and the Klitschko brothers as part of our roster,” said executive producer, Dean Richards. “As three of the most globally recognized names in the sport, they are an important addition to the Fight Night Round 4 lineup.

Fight Night Round 4 is currently available for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game system from Microsoft. This game has been rated T for Teen by the ESRB, and 16+ by PEGI. For more information, log onto http://fightnight.easports.com. Media can find cover art, screenshots and videos at http://info.ea.com.

Developer GRIN forced to close its doors

2009-08-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

Swedish developer GRIN was forced to close this week after a 12 year run over recent financial troubles. In a statement from GRIN founders Bo and Ulf Anderson (available at http://grin.se/), the brothers blamed late payments from developers leading to a cash flow problem, resulting in recent layoffs and the eventual closing.

GRIN was named one of the biggest independent developers in Euorpe only a year ago, but recent sales of their big name releases, Terminator: Salvation, Wanted: Weapons of Fate and Bionic Commando fell far short of expectations.

Operation Flashpoint, Hardcore Mode Revealed

2009-08-11T03:50:00.000-07:00

CODEMASTERS® REVEALS NEW OPERATION FLASHPOINT®: DRAGON RISING™ ‘HARDCORE MODE’ DEVELOPER VIDEO

‘Hardcore Mode’ developer video launches at www.flashpointgame.com

Tuesday 11th August (FINAL 10am UK TIME) – Codemasters® today released the first in a series of videos featuring developer insight and explosive gameplay footage that takes gamers behind the scenes of the tactical shooter, available to view www.flashpointgame.com. Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising’s Executive Producer Sion Lenton, Chief Games Designer Tim Browne and Chief Level Designer James Nicholls explain how ‘Hardcore Mode’ has been developed with fan feedback to deliver the ultimate challenge in the authentic sandbox shooter.

“We take all of the HUD off, there’s nothing there at all, no cross hair, no compass, you’re all on your own other than a map. This is about as hardcore as it gets,” explains Executive Producer Sion Lenton. “I think the hardest thing that we set out to achieve, that I’m certainly most proud of, is putting the fear back into first person shooters, getting that element of tension as you’re creeping through the woods, not knowing where the next shot’s going to come from.“

“What makes an Operation Flashpoint mission special is that it’s so open world in nature. In most games you’re drawn through a very narrow corridor whereas in Operation Flashpoint you really are left open to translate your orders as you see fit,” says Chief Level Designer James Nicholls. “There’s a lot of room for manoeuvre and to adapt your tactics on the fly.”.

The video is available now at www.flashpointgame.com. Gamers can also receive the latest updates as they happen by signing up to Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/flashpointgame - or follow developments straight from the studio on Twitter - http://twitter.com/flashpointgame.

Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is the complete antithesis of the on-rails, run-and-gun shooter. Players are empowered with the freedom to handle military crisis situations on their own initiative, deploying the weaponry, vehicles and equipment of a contemporary fighting force. Objectives are set, it’s then up to the player to decide how they are achieved in exhilarating, unscripted missions. Armed with cutting-edge military hardware, players will need to balance brute force with intelligent use of tactics.

Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising will set the new standard for sandbox shooters when it arrives October 6th/8th/9th for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and PC. Go hardcore with the new developer video, now available online at www.flashpointgame.com.

Madden NFL 10 Gets released this week on Wii

2009-08-11T02:43:00.000-07:00

The wait is almost over for the all-new, redesigned Madden NFL 10 Wii! The game hits shelves this Friday, August 14^th.

Completely redesigned and built from the ground up, Madden NFL 10 introduces a unique art style that will define the look of sports games on the Wii. Plus, Madden NFL 10 Wii delivers the most social and dynamic experience from the franchise to date. Madden NFL 10 Wii offers an all-new visual style, two new modes—Madden Showdown and Road to the Super Bowl, a co-op feature called Huddle Up and even includes unlockables such as classic modes from Madden NFL 09 (favorites like Franchise and Superstar mode)!

Activision and Double Fine settle, Rocktober sill on

2009-08-09T17:01:00.001-07:00

Publisher Activision and developer Double Fine have finally reached a settlement that allows Tim Schaffer’s “Brutal Legend” to be released as planned. Activision, who initially had publishing rights to the game and later dropped it, was suing Double Fine to prevent the games release through publisher EA. Activision claimed they still owned rights to Brutal Legend following the merger with Vivendi that initially prompted the release of the game.

Double Fine claimed that Activision actually cancelled the game, giving Double Fine the right to shop for a new publisher, and they eventually were picked up by EA. They had claimed Activision was only trying to prevent release to leverage money out of a game they dropped prematurely. The settlement amount has not yet been released, but we do know that Rocktober is still happening.

Amazon price drops fuels more rumors

2009-08-09T16:52:00.000-07:00

Amazons listing for the 160gb PS3 Uncharted bundle was dropped from $499 to $449 last week, fueling rumors that a price drop could come as soon as next month. Sony also doubled the production order from its Taiwanese manufacturer for PS3’s. The order came after cost for manufacturing these parts was dropped by 70%. All of this has given even more legs to the rumor of the unveiling of a PS3 “slim” model hitting shelves in the near future, as well as a price drop on the current consoles.

The rumor of a PS3 slim has been running rampant for some time now, with numerous videos being leaked of the supposed console, although Sony has denied any production or plans for a slim model. Sony has been plagued by leaks this year, starting with the release of Team Ico’s new trailer for “The Last Guardian” and the leak of the PSP Go before the announcement at E3 this year. Whether the PS3 slim is the latest leak or not won’t be known for a few months, but analysts expect to see a major announcement from them in the coming months.

Modern Warfare 2 At HMV Comes With Nightvision

2009-08-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

You've seen the collectors editions of game releases before, a book no one reads, maybe a few postcards or a cheap action figure, but not Modern Warfare Oh no! Modern Warfare 2, the special edition or Hardened Edition which will retail at £149 comes witha fully functional pair of Night Vision goggles.

Sure MI6 or the FBI wont be knocking on your door to borrow a pair, as for that price they wont be military standard, but a fully working pair will be quality.

When it is released be sure the Daily Mail Brigade will see it as the work of the devil, with american press in Philadelphia stating it was "An Invitation for Mischief" but either way Ill be pre ordering my copy.

Assassin's Creed 2 Black Edition Revealed

2009-08-06T05:38:00.000-07:00

Play.com has revealed an exclusive collectors pack for Ubisoft’s upcoming Assassin’s Creed 2.
Entitled the Black Edition, the set features a copy of the game, unique packaging, three in-game bonus quests (entitled Palazzo Medici, Santa Maria Del Frari and Arsenal Shipyard Warehouse), a conspiracy book (featuring game art, story and background information), a variety of internet goodies, a soundtrack and a collectable Ezio statue.

The pack has a retail price of £69.99 and is available for Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 3.
The news follows a similar set for the US, which is available exclusively through GameSpot for $79.99. This Master Assassin Edition features just two in-game bonus quests, a metal case, DVD, art book and Ezio statue.

Assassin’s Creed 2 is one of the most anticipated games of the year, and is set for release on PC, PS3 and 360 on November 20th.

Purchase it here:

Xbox 360

PS3

2009-08-05T22:46:00.000-07:00

Dragon Age Details

Welcome to Orzammar

This week we will be focusing on the Dwarven realm of Orzammar. In Dragon Age: Origins, players will explore this expansive city as it is where the Dwarven Noble and Dwarven Commoner Origin stories will begin. Orzammar plays a key role in the core story as mysteries of this city of stone are revealed throughout the dark and epic adventure. This city is a maze of stone where discovery, reward and treachery are around each corner.

And now, the history of this great city:

The Land of Orzammar

History tells us that the dwarven kingdoms once spread across all of Thedas, and that the underground city-fortresses called thaigs were almost beyond counting. Kal-Sharok was the capital then, home to all the noble houses, and Orzammar was simply the home of the miner and smith castes. Upon encountering this ancient city, many are struck in awe by the sight of the great city of stone. Orzammar stands within a vast cavern, poised over a sea of molten lava. There, the sounds of the forges ring loudest as the finest smiths craft works that are the envy of all races. Countless thaigs were lost in the first Blight, when the darkspawn poured out of the Deep Roads of Orzammar like smoke. With each generation, due to the threat of the darkspawn, more of the Deep Roads has had to be sealed and more thaigs are lost forever. Now only Orzammar stands—the last bastion of the dwarven race and its finest creation.

2009-08-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

PSP BEING SOLD UNDER £200.00 AT TESCO

The new PSP Go system is a sleek and lightweight system that is more than 50 percent smaller and more than 40 percent lighter than the original PSP system that launched in 2005. The sophisticated and stylish design incorporates a sliding 3.8-inch display screen, delivering the same high resolution and vibrant visuals as the current PSP-3000 model. Leveraging PlayStation Network and digital content exclusively, PSP go system features 16GB of internal memory as well as expandable storage via Memory Stick Micro (M2) to store plenty of games, videos, photos, and music. The PSP go system is designed for the digital lifestyle, offering on-demand entertainment to consumers who want to download content directly to their device anytime, anywhere over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth!

Click here to see the full details

Crytek threatens to leave Germany

2009-08-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli confirmed, in a review with PcGames.dethat the game developer Crytek is going to leave Germany if action based games are banned by law. "A ban on action games in Germany is concerning because it is essentially like banning the German artists that create them. If the German creative community cant effectively participate in one of the most important cultural mediums of our future, will we be forced to relocate to other countries.", said the influential CEO

See the original article here (English)

Call of Duty Modern Warfare November 10th release set

2009-08-05T10:34:00.000-07:00

The record-setting and award-winning Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is coming to Nintendo. Activision will release Call of Duty: Modern Warfare on Wii™ on November 10 in conjunction with the launch of Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare 2.

Ported to Wii by Treyarch, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will bring to Nintendo fans the gripping modern-day action-thriller that won more than 50 combined 2007 Editors’ Choice and Game of the Year Awards.

Championship Manager 2010 announced

2009-08-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

Everyones second favourite management game has finally been announced.

Up until now, Eidos would only speculate that their next installment to the Championship Manager series would be coming out in September, 2009. However, they've now released a more specific release date.

Championship Manager 2010 is being developed by Beautiful Game Studios and brings many big name licenses to the fray. It's been in development for 2 years and offers 3D matches.

The official release date in Europe has been penned in for the 11th of September, 2009; just after the start of the new season.

2009-08-05T08:22:00.001-07:00

XBOX LIVE SUMMER UPDATE PUTS A WORLD OF ENTERTAINMENT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

LONDON – 5 August 2009: Less than a week from today, the Xbox LIVE summer update will arrive to more than 20 million Xbox LIVE members and with it will come the next evolution of connected entertainment on Xbox 360. Get ready to meet the many new faces of your Xbox 360; whether it’s new Avatar clothing and awards from Adidas or “Splosion Man”, or even a private home cinema, Xbox LIVE has something for you.

Movie night on Xbox LIVE

Browse, select and jump right into your favourite movies from the top genres: comedy, action, horror…even a tear-jerking chick flick. There are hundreds to choose from, with many in HD.

Avatars are people too!

Now thanks to Avatar Marketplace the options for customising your avatar are endless. With an ever-expanding selection of stores, full of premium outfits and accessories from your favourite games and fashion brands, you can express yourself through your Avatar like never before. Your Avatar’s one-stop-shop will launch with a growing collection from the top names in fashion and gaming including:

*Top Brands: Adidas, Quiksilver, Roxy, Tokidoki

-> *Unique Fashions: Steampunk, Recessionista

-> *Your Favourite Games: “BioShock 2,” “Halo 3,” “Halo 3: ODST,” “Gears of War 2,” “Fable II,” “The Secret of Monkey Island SE,” “Splinter: Cell Conviction,” “Star Wars Clone Wars: Republic Heroes”

You can also earn special Avatar clothes and items just by playing your favourite games, starting with a hot logo t-shirt from “Splosion Man,” the hit Xbox LIVE Arcade title that kicked-off off the 2^nd annual Summer of Arcade. And to keep your Avatars from getting bored, we’re giving them fun new props to play with; everything from a basketball to pompoms, even a mobile phone…just try to stick with nights and weekends.

Full Xbox 360 games at the push of a button

Xbox 360 games: Games on Demand. Launching with a library of 21 great titles, Games on Demand marks the introduction of digitally distributed full Xbox 360 games: the titles you want, when you want them, straight to your Xbox 360 at the push of a button. You’ll also have the option to easily purchase Games on Demand titles directly via credit card.

From award-winning hits like “Mass Effect,” “and “Assassin’s Creed,” to family favourites like “LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga” and “Sonic the Hedgehog,” Games on Demand gives you access to a growing catalogue of full Xbox 360 titles, updated weekly and available to browse and download 24 x7 from the comfort of your couch. Check out our line-up at launch:

Assassin's Creed(Ubisoft)	Need for Speed:Most Wanted(EA)
Burnout Paradise (EA)	Perfect Dark Zero(Microsoft)
Call of Duty 2(Activision)	Prey(2K Games)
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion	Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis (Rockstar Games)
Fight Night Round 3(EA)	Sega Rally (Sega)
Kameo: Elements of Power(Microsoft)	TEST DRIVE: UNLIMITED (Atari)
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga (LucasArts)	Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas
Mass Effect (Microsoft Game Studios)	Tomb Raider Legend (Eidos)
Meet The Robinsons (Disney)	Viva Piñata (Microsoft Game Studios)
MX vs. ATV Untamed (THQ)	Viva Piñata 2: Trouble in Paradise (Microsoft Game Studios)
Need for Speed Carbon (EA)

No more hide and seek

Now you can view, find and arrange your content on Xbox LIVE the way you want. Want to send a specific friend a message? Sort your friends list by Gamertag, status and even activity, so you can easily find the friends you want. There are also new options for viewing your Achievements and progress, improved matchmaking support and more.

Best of all, you can now rate every single piece of content on Xbox LIVE Games Marketplace using a five star system. Support your favourite XBLA game with a five star rating, or find the top-rated titles in the newly-updated Indie Games Marketplace – it’s never been easier to find the best and most beloved game content on Xbox LIVE.

Just the beginning…

The Xbox LIVE summer update brings all new ways to play games, and connect with friends or friendly rivals anywhere in the world. It’s another step toward realising the Xbox 360 promise of entertainment for everyone, and another reason why Xbox LIVE is hands down the best entertainment value in your living room. But this is just the beginning…

Coming soon, we’re bringing a whole new wave of partnerships and custom features straight to your Xbox 360 – instant on 1080p streaming video with 5.1 audio from Zune, personalised digital radio stations from Last.fm, and the biggest forces in social networking: Facebook and Twitter.

In the meantime, have fun with your Avatar, or download that classic Xbox 360 game you’ve been meaning to pick up. Sit back, relax and enjoy and stay tuned for the next evolution in connected entertainment, courtesy of Xbox LIVE.

2009-08-05T02:00:00.000-07:00

WARNE RETURNS TO ASHES CRICKET!

WARNIE SPINS ASHES CRICKET 2009™ AS HUNDREDS TURN OUT AT HMV

Codemasters’ Ashes Cricket 2009 got a promising innings underway on Tuesday as Aussie leg-spin legend Shane Warne wowed the Oxford Street crowds at HMV’s flagship store. The signing event drew massive crowds and witnessed a consummate display of bowling from Warne with the Wii remote, as lucky punters took ‘Warnie’ on at his own game!

Competition winners at the HMV event took England into bat against a Warne-led Australia side, but resistance was futile. Despite some brave shots, including a few spectacular boundaries which Shane sportingly greeted with high-fives, Warne applied the kind of pressure we’ve grown used to over the years and the England dismissals came thick and fast. How the Australians must wish the legendary bowler was lining up to take on Andrew Strauss , ‘Freddy’ Flintoff and co this summer as the series hangs in the balance.

“We were delighted to host the launch of Ashes 2009 and were genuinely 'bowled over' by the size of the crowds. Shane was a real star and was more than happy to spend a couple of hours meeting and chatting to fans of the game.” commented Tim Ellis, Head of Games, HMV. “Whilst he got a big cheer when he stepped up on stage, there was an even bigger one when he demoed the game and got smashed for four on his first ball. A great bloke and a great game.”

Shane Warne lends expert analysis and enjoys banter with England Ashes legend Sir Ian Botham from the commentary box in Ashes Cricket 2009, the game which lets players use the Wii Remote to perform batting and bowling motion like their heroes and decide the fate of this year’s Ashes themselves.

The most comprehensive cricket videogame ever, Ashes Cricket 2009 will also be released on PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and PC when it launches on the 7th August.

2009-08-05T01:54:00.000-07:00

EA released GI Joe today and sent us all the details regarding the title!

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., August 4, 2009— Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today released the G.I. JOE™ The Rise of Cobra™ video game for all major video game platforms as well as mobile devices unleashing an elite team of G.I. JOE characters to fight the evil forces of the COBRA organization. Releasing alongside its film counterpart, G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA from Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment, in association with Hasbro, the video game presents an all-new storyline that weaves in key elements from the film and, for long-time G.I. JOE enthusiasts, adds a layer of nostalgia inspired by the animated cartoon series, comic books and action figure toy line delivering the ultimate adrenaline-pumping, action-packed G.I. JOE experience. The accessible third person action-arcade shooter allows G.I. JOE fans to step into the boots of 16 playable characters as they battle through 20 levels of intense gameplay armed with high-tech gadgetry, weapons and vehicles.

“G.I. JOE The Rise of Cobra is one of those games that screams fun from the first shot due to its fast paced action that never slows down until you’ve taken out the last COBRA boss,” said Chip Lange, General Manager of EA’s Hasbro Division. “We expect the excitement to carry over from the theater to the living room as fans re-create legendary G.I. JOE action, tapping an arsenal of well-known characters, never-before-seen vehicles and futuristic weapons inspired by the iconic IP. Whether gamers choose to play solo or enlist reinforcements with our two-player co-op mode, forceful battles will unfold at every turn. This is big summer action at its best.”

Do You Have the Mettle to Join the Elite G.I. JOE Team?

G.I. JOE The Rise of Cobra picks up where the movie leaves off as the COBRA organization unfurls its deadliest plot to date. Players must counter the COBRA team’s every move over the course of 20 levels spanning four different environments including the snowy arctic and balmy jungles. As the high stakes battle begins to let loose, selecting the best-suited G.I. JOE characters and their accompanying gear and skillset becomes a pivotal strategic decision when facing the dark forces of COBRA such as STORM SHADOW, a soulless and powerful enemy. It may be a job for DUKE, a well balanced combat soldier or perhaps the mission should be handed off to SNAKE EYES based on his lethal martial arts skills. Better yet, co-op play lets players find the best combinations with any two characters for an over the top tag-team showdown.

When selecting a G.I. JOE team, players can handpick members from three units: Heavies, who can zero in and pick off specific targets from a distance; Commandos, who are Ninja-like and can eliminate the enemy at close range; and Combat Soldiers, who offer balanced skillsets at both distances.

Adding to the action, players are also challenged to find 75 file cards and various intelligence items that are buried deep within the game in order to unlock new characters, special missions, achievements and trophies. In addition, defeating each of the four COBRA bosses will earn the player the ability to unlock four of the classic 20-year old G.I. JOE Public Service Announcements (PSAs), other bonus content and the ability to play the game with the COBRA boss characters.

The G.I. JOE High Tech Edge

The G.I. JOE brand has long been known for its high tech gadgets, weapons and vehicles and the video game brings these futuristic wares to life for both new and long-time fans alike. The game offers up a mix of original creations by EA as well as historic classics built directly from blueprints unearthed in Hasbro’s toy line archives. Whether you’re hopping into the film-inspired Accelerator Suit for a lightening burst of speed, or behind the controls of the inimitable H.I.S.S. Tank, players will get a full-blown G.I. JOE brand experience all the way.

“G.I. JOE defined the action figure category 45 years ago and EA just defined how to re-imagine the powerful toy line to create a blockbuster video game experience for today’s digital consumer,” said Mark Blecher, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Digital Media and Gaming at Hasbro. “The video game tightens the grip that the G.I. JOE brand has on fans with a fresh and compelling storyline inspired by the film, cartoons, comics and toys combined with ‘pick-up-and-play’ gameplay mechanics that will appeal to gamers of all skill levels.”

Forza Motorsport Gameplay

2009-08-04T08:46:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Youtube User Bobbynus, the world has had it's first look at Forza Gameplay. See the video below, or follow the link here

GTA IV add-on going Multi-Platform??

2009-08-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

According to those over at Pcgameshardware, The German Rating Board, USK, has certified two trailers of The Lost And The Damned add-on, already released in February for the Xbox360, for the upcoming Gamescom show in Cologne.

Since the game has already been released on Xbox 360, it would seem Take Two are taking up part of their exhibition to show off Multi-Platform renditions of the add-on.

Gran Turismo will NOT be as cheap as chips

2009-08-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

Contrary to my previous post, Gran Turismo 5 will be retailing on Amazon at the amended price of £37.96. The £17.96 price tag on Amazon was a clerical error.

New FFXIII Screenshots excite RPG Fans everywhere

2009-08-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

Eighteen new screenshots have been released for FFXIII, due to ship in Japan later this year, and Europe and North America in Q1 2010. The new high-definition shots display a lot of Hope and Vanille, showing them in cut-scenes and in battle. They seem to have some sort of relationship with each other, although at this stage it is unknown what.

Check them out in this gallery, hosted by ScrawlFx

World of Warcraft Patch 3.2 today and tomorrow.

2009-08-04T08:25:00.000-07:00

World of Warcraft fans everywhere, Rejoice! Blizzard announced today that public testing of the patch has ended, meaning that it will be available on US Realms tonight, with the EU realms getting the patch tomorrow. Good news for MMO Fans indeed.

Mothership Zeta Review World First on N4G

2009-08-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

Excuse the shoddy picture but thanks to the hard work of the editor, Guesty81, and the reviewer, Foolish, Gameztraffic's review of Mothership Zeta was the first review of the add-on in the world, posted a mere 12 hours after the release. It is one of the most popular articles on N4G today, so check it out here

Gran Turismo 5: Cheap as Chips?

2009-08-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

In a bizarre turn of events, Amazon Uk is offering Gran Turismo 5 for a bargain £17.95. While it could be a misprint, you have nothing to risk plumping for it, as you will get a full refund if it is. If not, you bagged yourself a bargain

Purchase it from Amazon Uk Here

Forza Motorsport 3 Boxart Revealed

2009-08-03T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hot on the tails of the announcement that the first female Formula 2 driver, Natacha Gachnang would be the face of Forza 3 over here in Europe, Microsoft today released the boxart for Forza Motorsport 3, featuring an Audi R8

With over four hundred of the most popular cars on the planet and over one hundred different tracks, this Turn 10 developed Racer will be a direct rival to Sony's Gran Turismo 5. Who shall win the race of exclusives? Only time will tell. Forza 3 ships in October, with Gran Turismo 5 expected around the same time

Arkham Asylum Demo this Week

2009-08-03T08:23:00.000-07:00

Comic Book Fans and gamers alike- rejoice! The Long-awaited Arkham Asylum demo is hitting us this week.

Speaking on the game’s official forums, an Eidos moderator, posting under the alias of chip5541, made the announcement last Friday.

“I just got word that news concerning the demo will be coming next week.”

It could mean this friday, could mean anytime this week, but it is one thing to get very excited about.

EA announces Sims 3 expansion

2009-08-03T06:54:00.000-07:00

For all you PC-based control freaks out there, EA has catered once again. They announced today that the first expansion pack for Sims3, titled "World Adventures", will be shipping this november. The expansion will, as the name suggests, allow you to travel all over the world, to places like France, Egypt and China, where your Sims where they can improve skills, take challenges to find buried treasures and meet new cultures in their journeys.

There are few certainties in the Gaming world, but it was only a matter of time before EA announced a Sims 3 expansion,. The expansion pack will be released in November 16th this year for PC and Mac. An iPhone version will follow in early 2010.

Hackers getting their comeuppance in COD4

2009-08-03T06:45:00.000-07:00

In a recent Twittering, IW employee Robert Bowling talked about "“Doing some late night headhunting on PSN and Xbox Live. Taking down gamertags / PSN IDs exploiting the COD 4 UFO hack.”

This of course follows in the wake of IW's last Twittering where they claimed to be investigating the glitchers on the PS3. The word Gamertag would suggest that IW have shifted their attentions equally towards LIVE.

Hopefully Modern Warfare 2 won't have as many glitches, especially after the recent announcement of the price hike

Hidden Features of the New Dashboard Update

2009-08-03T06:35:00.000-07:00

As we all know, the new dashboard update has been rolled out in a preview scheme. Well i got to try out the preview, and here are some of the hidden features:

Remote Eject:
If you are too lazy to press the shiny metal button on the front of your xbox, you can go to the My Xbox blade, and hover over the game disk, you can now press X to eject the current disk inside, although you will still have to move to put a new disk in. No automatic disk changing... as yet.

Clear the Cache:
You can now clear the cache for your Hard Drive now without entering that long combo(X,X,LB,RB,X,X). All you have to do now is go to the Hard Drive and press Y, then select Clear Cache.

Improved Primetime Channel:
The primetime channel now is a lot faster and feels better. It now lists all of the shows in smaller more compact blocks. The showlist no longer glitches and shows the same show multiple times. In Europe, with only 1 vs 100 available at the moment, that wasnt a big problem, but good news for our American Cousins.

The Return of The Click:
Now when you enter a chat or party you hear a clicking sound through the headset similar to what you used to hear when you enter or leave a chat. Helpful for knowing whether you have joined a party, but it can get annoying.

Faster Gamertag Recovery:
I often go round to friends houses, and it used to take 20 minutes sometimes to recover my gamertag. No longer. It was noticeably faster in recovering, only taking a few minutes.

Smaller Game Install Sizes:
You may now install games that are smaller than the previous 3 gigabyte limit. This allows some bonus disks and smaller games to be installed onto your hard drive, as mentioned in a previous Gameztraffic Post

Mothership Zeta is out now

2009-08-03T04:36:00.000-07:00

The 5th and final DLC for Fallout 3 has been released today. Get it now on Xbox And Games for Windows live for 800 MSP

Foolish's review will be up in the week, so if you want to wait until then before making a decision, you won't have long to wait.

iD responds to Rage PS3 Concerns

2009-08-03T03:20:00.001-07:00

Following up on word that, at this stage in development, the Xbox 360 version of Rage runs faster than the PlayStation 3 build, new details have surfaced, indicating PS3 owners should have nothing to worry about when the game is eventually released.
"We are committed to ensuring that gamers on all platforms have a great RAGE experience," developer id said of the "ruckus" in a Twitter update.

Additionally, iD techie John Carmack, whose admission of lacklustre performance sparked the whole debacle, told Edge that "we expect [Rage] to be 60 hertz on every supported platform" and "the work remaining is getting it locked so there's never a dropped frame or a tear, but we're confident that we're going to get that."
No word yet on when Rage will hit PC, PS3, Xbox 360 and Mac, but 2010 looks likely.

Thanks to ShackNews for this

Has Final Fantasy 13 lost it's "oomph"?

2009-08-03T03:08:00.001-07:00

Some diehard Final Fantasy-ians over at UFFSite have noticed some pretty disconcerting news about the upcoming Final Fantasy game for PS3 and Xbox 360.

Two released screenshots are almost identical but are from different builds, giving fans a look at changes made to the game engine. The question on the lips of many fans will be why these changes have been made.

In short, several graphical changes have been made. But at the UFFSite, they have a theory that the original screenshots were doctored on PC, and now the actual screenshots are being shown. But either way, the game still looks AWESOME.

See the two screenshots here

Microsoft Ups The War On Cheaters

2009-08-03T02:55:00.000-07:00

The latest podcast by Major Nelson featured Stephen Toulouse, Xbox Live policy and enforcement chief, talking about the rules and regulations around using Xbox Live as well as letting us know that they are really ramping up the protection level thanks to an increase in phishing and hacking attempts.

According to Stephen, if you get caught hacking or phishing online now you will be banned from Xbox Live as well as your console receiving a life long ban and any other console you have used will also be included in that ban(although Microsoft can only ban a console if they have PROOF you used it illegally). He then continues to warn the violators that if the offense is serious enough then the punishment will not end there and the local Law Enforcement office would be informed...

Usage of other people's accounts for credit card details is Fraud, and the Law would be involved if you were caught.

Good News for fans of UNO: In other news he also stated that appearing in front of your Xbox Live Videocam nude is against Xbox Live policies and you will be banned for that as well, so hopefully no more having to stare at Nude Fat Guys with not a care in the world.

However he did mention you can set your video to be sent to friends only, so you can still play Strip UNO with your friends... if you really must.

Original Podcast here

Phantasy Star Portable 2 Announced

2009-08-02T15:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the guys at VGChartz, It has been shown that Phantasy Star Portable, one of the best selling PSP games in Japan, and the best selling game in Phantasy Star series, will soon get a sequel.

The translation from Japanese shows that "On 8th October 2009, SEGA will release "The Best" version of Phantasy Star Portable. It will come with special UMD that will feature opening movie for Phantasy Star Portable 2, due to be released this Winter in Japan."

Good News for Pocket RPG fans.

August 2009 Dashboard Update Changes Minimum Game Install Sizes

2009-08-02T11:51:00.000-07:00

Cheap Ass Gamer user 'dumlaox' has stumbled upon the fact that there is no longer a minimum game install size of 3.4 GB for games installed to your HDD. Anyone using the new dashboard update released a few days ago as part of the preview program will notice that games overall are appearing to be smaller. King of Fighters XII clocks in at 703 MB. What brought about the sudden change is unknown, and with no word from Microsoft at the time of writing, it is pure guesswork. But it seems alot of space could be saved with the new update

See the original post here

PS3 Sales Aren't As Bad As You Would Be Led To Believe...

2009-08-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

Psxextreme have always been noted to be Ps3 fanboys, obviously the name gives it away, but in amongst the "Playstation Propoganda" lurks an actual truth, and it's not one microsoft would like to hear.

In a recent article Psxextreme made this point: "In 32 months, the PS3 has sold about 24.6 million units while the Xbox 360 sold about 30.2 million units in 44 months. Mathematically speaking, the PS3 has been the faster selling console"

And i think they are on to something. Most of the news would have you believe that the playstation 3 only sold in small numbers. That isn't true. If both consoles had been released at the same time, The PS3 would be the market leader. Mathematically of course. In reality, the Xbox would still be the leader, purely because of Live.

Shigeru Miyamoto: "I dislike Digital Distribution"

2009-08-02T11:27:00.000-07:00

The much-revered developer, Shigeru Miyamoto has spoken, in an interview with MercuryNews of his dislike for Digital Distribution, and talks of how he feels "reassured" by physical media

Miyamoto, the brains behind Mario, The Legend Of Zelda and most of Nintendo's flagship games, has spoken about how although he believes Digital Distribution creates "opportunity for a lot of different developers", he doesn't believe it will kill off physical media.

Speaking with Mercury News, he says “Personally, I’m one of those guys who, even if I have all the songs from iTunes, I want the CD as well. I feel more reassured with that physical media.”

Going on, he tells how some entertainment experiences cannot be delivered digitally, citing the recent innovation WiiMotionPlus: “Entertainment is something that will not just become digital. If I look at Wii MotionPlus, this is something that you’re not doing via digital distribution.”

He then sheds light on what maybe Nintendo's policy: “The thing for us is we really don’t see the future of video games being merely confined to digital distribution or moving solely or even to a majority of our products being distributed that way.”

This is a very risky move by Nintendo, especially in this financial climate. As reported on IGN, that sales across the Steam PC download service saw a whopping 97 percent increase over last year. IGN’s own Direct2Drive performed 56 percent better and Microsoft saw a 73 percent increase in sales of downloaded content in the same time frame. These numbers came in the wake of NPD group revealing that there was the biggest decline in packaged game sales in 9 years.

Nintendo's WiiWare and DSiWare are performing well, but with Microsoft's Game-On-Demand on the horizon, are Nintendo going to get left behind?

Gran Turismo 5 Release Date Rumour

2009-08-02T11:21:00.000-07:00

GTplanet, an unofficial but very reliable source, have reported that the much delayed Gran Turismo 5 will be released in 2009 almost certainly, but go on to say that the December 29th release date stated on Amazon is incorrect. The official release date will be most likely be announced at GamesCom Cologne during Sony’s August 18th press conference.

Here's hoping that the rumours are correct.

Guitar Hero 5 Tracklist revealed.

2009-08-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

After months of speculation, and the odd song being confirmed, Activision have officially revealed
the 85 song tracklist. With it including everything from Indie to Heavy Metal, there is something for everyone. However, will it be "jack of all trades, master of none"? We shall have to see when it is released in October for all major consoles.

The tracklist:

· 3 Doors Down - “Kryptonite”
· A Perfect Circle - “Judith”
· AFI - “Medicate”
· Arctic Monkeys - “Brianstorm”
· Attack! Attack! UK - “You And Me”
· Band Of Horses - “Cigarettes, Wedding Bands”
· Beastie Boys - “Gratitude”
· Beck - “Gamma Ray”
· Billy Idol - “Dancing With Myself”
· Billy Squier - “Lonely Is The Night”
· Blink-182 - “The Rock Show”
· Blur - “Song 2”
· Bob Dylan - “All Along The Watchtower”
· Bon Jovi - “You Give Love A Bad Name”
· Brand New - “Sowing Season (Yeah)”
· The Bronx - “Six Days A Week”
· Bush - “Comedown”
· Children Of Bodom - “Done With Everything, Die For Nothing”
· Coldplay - “In My Place”
· Darker My Love - “Blue Day”
· Darkest Hour - “Demon(s)”
· David Bowie - “Fame”
· Deep Purple - “Woman From Tokyo ('99 Remix)”
· The Derek Trucks Band - “Younk Funk”
· Dire Straits - “Sultans Of Swing”
· The Duke Spirit - “Send A Little Love Token”
· Duran Duran - “Hungry Like The Wolf”
· Eagles Of Death Metal - “Wannabe In L.A.”
· Elliott Smith - “L.A.”
· Elton John - “Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)”
· Face To Face - “Disconnected”
· Garbage - “Only Happy When It Rains”
· Gorillaz - “Feel Good Inc.”
· Gov't Mule - “Streamline Woman”
· Grand Funk Railroad - “We're An American Band”
· Iggy Pop - “Lust For Life (Live)”
· Iron Maiden - “2 Minutes To Midnight”
· Jeff Beck - “Scatterbrain (Live)”
· Jimmy Eat World - “Bleed American”
· John Mellencamp - “Hurts So Good”
· Johnny Cash - “Ring Of Fire”
· Kaiser Chiefs - “Never Miss A Beat
· King Crimson - “21st Century Schizoid Man”
· Kings Of Leon - “Sex On Fire”
· Kiss - “Shout It Out Loud”
· Love and Rockets - “Mirror People”
· Megadeth - “Sweating Bullets”
· Mötley Crüe - “Looks That Kill”
· Muse - “Plug In Baby”
· My Morning Jacket - “One Big Holiday”
· Nirvana - “Lithium (Live)”
· Nirvana - “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
· No Doubt - “Ex-Girlfriend”
· Peter Frampton - “Do You Feel Like We Do? (Live)”
· The Police - “So Lonely”
· Public Enemy Featuring Zakk Wylde - “Bring the Noise 20XX”
· Queens Of The Stone Age - “Make It Wit Chu”
· Queen & David Bowie - “Under Pressure”
· Rammstein – “Du Hast”
· The Rolling Stones - “Sympathy For The Devil”
· Rose Hill Drive - “Sneak Out”
· Rush - “The Spirit Of Radio (Live)”
· Santana - “No One To Depend On (Live)”
· Scars On Broadway - “They Say”
· Screaming Trees - “Nearly Lost You”
· Smashing Pumpkins - “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”
· Sonic Youth - “Incinerate”
· Spacehog - “In The Meantime”
· Stevie Wonder - “Superstition”
· Sublime - “What I Got”
· Sunny Day Real Estate - “Seven”
· T. Rex - “20th Century Boy”
· The Killers - “All The Pretty Faces”
· The Raconteurs - “Steady As She Goes”
· The Sword - “Maiden, Mother & Crone”
· Thin Lizzy - “Jailbreak”
· Thrice - “Deadbolt”
· Tom Petty - “Runnin' Down A Dream”
· Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - “American Girl”
· TV On The Radio - “Wolf Like Me”
· Vampire Weekend - “A-Punk”
· Weezer - “Why Bother?”
· The White Stripes - “Blue Orchid”
· Wild Cherry - “Play That Funky Music”
· Wolfmother - “Back Round”

Be sure to stay tuned for more Guitar Hero news.

Fallout 3 5th and Final DLC Trailer Released

2009-08-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

Well that's it for Fallout 3. After the August 3rd release of Mothership Zeta, there will be no more DLC. The trailer for Mothership Zeta can be found here

Be sure to check out the website for Foolish's review of the add-on, which will be added next week.

And after all, Fallout:New Vegas will be out soon. So we won't be devoid of Fallout for too long. If you really miss it, play 3 again.

Will Gears Of War 3 feature a playable female character?

2009-08-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

Speaking to US 1 vs 100 host Chris Casham during the August 1st Live game, Epic Game's CliffyB was asked if gamers could ever expect to play as a female character. Cliff’s answer, in short, was that he could not comment on “possible aspects” of a game that “may or may not” be in development.

So the usual "we know nothing" routine, but he went on to say the female Gear that is sitting on the head of a slain Brumak (image above) for the cover of a Gears of War comic book "may or may not" be involved in any “as-yet-unannounced" Video Game projects.

G.O.W 3 is inevitable. it's all a matter of time, given the series's popularity

Welcome to the Gameztraffic News Blog!

2009-08-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

Hey there Gameztraffic Readers,

The Gameztraffic Staff are pleased to announce that the News Blog is now open! Stay tuned for all the latest video game news and rumours.