Want to get your hands on Guilty Gear creators Arc System Works' latest fighting game? Aksys Games has announced that they'll be performing the first North American locations test for the BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger arcade cabinet at the Anime Expo in Los Angeles. Combining 2D characters with 3D backgrounds, the game is being touted as the spiritual successor to Guilty Gear. Blazblue The arcade cabinet will be available in the sweaty, smelly console gaming room for the full run of the convention, July 3rd through the 6th. As if you guys needed more incentive to get dressed up and spray your hair interesting colors.

Anime Expo [Official Webpage]

UFC 2009 Undisputed: Trailer, Details, Screens

So yesterday we had the announcement that THQ would be releasing UFC 2009: Undisputed sometime in the spring of 2009. Gametrailers has the above debut trailer up and, from other sources, Voodoo Extreme has culled 10 screenshots and some fun facts about what the game has to offer.

Not my cup of tea, but I know how bent-out-of shape MMA enthusiasts get when you suggest the sport is anything less than the fastest growing sport in the world (I always imagine John Cusack in Say Anything: "Kickboxing: Sport of the future,") to say nothing of that "human cockfighting" label that never seems to go away. Still if you like squatting over another guy and jackhammering his skull off a virtual canvas, looks like it'll accommodate you nicely. And you don't have to do it as someone in the stable of UFC combatants. A deep "create-a-fighter" and career mode will make this almost a (wait for it ... wait for it) MMARPG.

Hit the jump for more details from Voodoo Extreme:

After years spent perfecting the more theatrical side of arena fighting, THQ is ready to step up to something a bit more brutal. Today they've announced their first title based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship license, UFC 2009 Undisputed. In development for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Undisputed will feature an entirely new game engine to help bring more than 80 of the top UFC fighters to life, along with a robust create-a-fighter mode so you can watch yourself get beaten to a pulp by thugs.

“UFC offers the fighting videogame genre a fresh and innovative look inside today’s most exciting live sporting event in the world,” said Dana White, president, UFC. “UFC 2009 Undisputed represents a significant opportunity for us to expand our growing, global audience and allow fans to step into the virtual Octagon™ to compete against the world’s most prominent mixed martial arts fighters.”

UFC 2009 is slated for a Spring 2009 release. I've generally been put off by the generic feel of previous UFC games, so here's hoping THQ delivers something unique enough to hold my attention for more than 15 minutes at a time.

What more appropriate setting to see the premier of Midway's This Is Vegas than Vegas itself? True, were a fifty dollar cab ride from the strip, but we got to see it virtually in the game so I suppose that's something. This Is Vegas is a balls out parody done in the tongue in cheek GTA/Bully style. Your character can explore all the parties, gambling, driving and fighting that Vegas has to offer. On display for the Gamer's Day were the fighting, partying and gambling mechanics which we checked out poolside in true Vegas style.

The fighting mechanic was pretty basic and what you would expect from this type of open world, mission based game. You can fight everyone form the local yokels and thugs to the mascots of the various casinos. I got particular pleasure out of beating the crap out of one mascot who looked suspiciously like my arch nemesis, The Burger King. By pressing X to attack, you can build up your BuzzBomb meter which, once it's filled, will give you an special move that will send your enemy flying through the air. Beating enemies down yields casino chips that can be used later to buy more clothes, cars and other goodies.

Remember that super move I kept trying to pull off in the Arcana Heart video I posted the other day? Where I fail, the screenshot folks for Atlus succeed. Behold the glory of the puppy girl pile-on, as well as several other scenes from the upcoming PlayStation 2 fighter that I could never have dreamed to achieve with my mediocre skills. I've actually playing the game a little bit each day to improve my game, and I'd say that by the time it hits store shelves in April I will still have no chance at beating anyone, but I might be a bit more cocky about it nonetheless.

An Arcana Heart-Breaking Defeat

Arcana Heart is a new 2D fighting game coming April 8th for the PlayStation 2 courtesy of Atlus. Developed by Examu - formerly Yuki Enterprise of Samurai Showdown V fame - the game features a cast of adorable female anime archetypes beating each other senseless, with a twist. Players select a character and then select an Arcana, which is an elemental being that grants the character special abilities and super moves depending on which is chosen. Atlus sent me an early copy of the game, which as you can see I have hardly managed to master. In my defense, this video was plagued by interruptions, and I won in every take except this one. Rather that redo it to show myself in a more flattering light, I decided to let you witness just how badly I can fail. Look for a more complete look at the game as we get closer to the April release. For now, please be gentle.

Adam Laatz over at Wired's Game|Life blog attended Jump Festa 2008 late last month, and returned with impressions on Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Square Enix's Final Fantasy fighting free-for-all featuring fan-favorites from all titles in the FF franchise for the PSP. Along with extended impressions (better than Ergheiz, which isn't really saying much), Adam also brought back a short list of characters confirmed for the game, including:

The Warrior of Light, Garland (FFI)
Firion, Emperor Palamecia (FFII)
Sephiroth (FFVII)
Squall, Ultimecia (FFVIII)
Zidane, Kuja (FFIX)
Tidus (FFX)

Hands-On With Dissidia Final Fantasy [Game|Life via Destructoid]

Godzilla: Unleashed's Mothership

EA Confirms EA Chicago is Closing

EA Chicago has gone down for the count. I can exclusively report that EA is closing the studio effective immediately. Word is that EA is working hard to place many of the 150+ employees at its other studios around the world. What does this mean for the future of the Def Jam fighting franchise and the forthcoming Marvel fighting game? I'm still looking into that, but it sure seems like those games won't be coming anytime soon.

A source has also leaked me with the surprisingly honest memo sent to EA employees from Frank Gibeau, President of EA Games. In it he says:

"Within the EA Games Label, we are committed to running each franchise and facility as a city/state, teams with unique creative identities as well as responsibility for product quality, ship dates and profitability....Unfortunately, EA Chicago hasn't been able to meet that standard....Closing EA Chicago is the toughest decision I've made in my career - one that in no way reflects on the talent and dedication of the people who work there."

Read the full memo from EA after the jump...

Dipping My Hands In Bleach

The NEOGEO Triple Play

SNK's Neo Geo Titles to Hit VC Tomorrow

First Look At EA's Marvel Fighter Tonight On Game Head

Smash! Boom! Plat! It's another huge Game Head World Exclusive! Tonight, EA Chicago pulls back the curtains on its new Marvel Fighting Game for the first time anywhere. See Juggernaut versus Captain America and so much more! And watch as EA puts Game Head host Geoff Keighley right in the middle of the action. From the team behind the Def Jam and Fight Night titles, EA Chicago brings massive destruction and whole hearted fun to the next generation.

Xbox 360 HD DVD Sales Jump 1,000%

Since Microsoft's $20 pricedrop, Amazon has sold 1,000% more Xbox 360 HD DVD players (today the figure reads 200%, while might even mean double the 1,000% figure). Maybe it was the allure of five free HD DVD movies, or maybe it was the possibility of an extra twenty spot in consumer wallets. Either way, this example proves my ultimate theory on consumer economics.

People like cheaper shit.

Xbox 360 HD DVD player sales rise 1000% rise due to price drop [maxconsole]