• Uncategorized

  America’s Army Announces America’s Army 3

  Six years after the first Army-branded game took the country by storm, the U.S. Army is ready to roll out sequel number two, announcing America’s Army 3, due out later this year. So how does the U.S. Army make a sequel? “In AA3 we’ve taken all of the best features in AA2, incorporated feedback from…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Venetica Enters The Twilight World

  We’ve not seen much of the daughter of death since Venetica was announced back in May, so dtp has sent along some new screens depicting the sort of on-the-job hazards she’ll be facing. Scarlett’s journey in her upcoming action RPG for the 360 and PC takes her into the Twilight World, where she can communicate…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Rumor: Announced EA Layoffs Coming to Blackbox

  Today we hear word that more of the 1,000 cuts announced back in December at Electronic Arts are about to hit. The latest rumor is that Blackbox, the folks behind the Need for Speed franchise and others, are next on the chopping block, with the layoff axe cutting into the studio as early as this…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  “Happy Inauguration”

  To: Crecente From: Bashcraft RE: Not A Pretty Dat Note Sorry to hear about the dogs. Hope they’re all doing much better. I hadn’t heard the phrase “Happy Inauguration” before today — someone wrote that to me in an email. Is that a new phrase? Have people used it before? During the weekend I was…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Your Mario-Themed Laptop Looks This Good…In Your Dreams

  Reader Chris had his laptop laser-etched last night. He figured it’d look good with every level of Super Mario Land on the Game Boy laid out sequentially. He figured correctly. Chris writes: Last night I laser-etched the top of my Eee PC with the complete level maps of Super Mario Land ( on the Game…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 20, 2009
• 

  Uncategorized

  Watch Every Second Of Killzone 2’s Intro

  You don’t have Killzone 2 yet. Be patient. Hungarian mag Gamestar do, though, and to keep you busy have recorded the game’s entire introductory sequence and posted it for viewing. Needless to say, this’ll spoil the experience if you like your games to have that “new game smell” while playing on your mum’s expensive flat-screen…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Rent 15 Movies That Influenced Metal Gear Solid

  That’s Hideo Kojima. He makes Metal Gear Solid games and really likes movies — that last part is hard to believe, we know. Kojima has teamed up with video rental shop Tsutaya and wants to recommend 15 flicks that influenced the Metal Gear Solid series. The campaign is taking place at Tsutayas in Tokyo, Osaka,…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Say Hello To Ruffian Games

  Sure, their cover was blown the other week when those Crackdown 2 rumours popped up, but that was an unofficial unveiling. Tonight, Ruffian Games have officially unveiled themselves. Hello, Ruffian Games! Fronted by Gaz Liddon and made up of devs who have worked on games like Crackdown, Fable II and Project Gotham Racing, Ruffian are…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Wii Is The New PS2, PS3 Is The New…

  …GameCube. Website VentureBeat crunched the NPD numbers and has turned up the following results: • Based on the console’s first 26 months of availability, the Wii is on its way to become the best-selling console of all time — a title currently held by the PS2. (The Wii has been outselling the PS2.) • During…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Let’s Look At The Valkyria Chronicles Anime

  Like we’ve told you, A-1 Pictures are doing the smart thing and are making a Valkyria Chronicles anime. Until now, we’ve only heard about the project, so today, let’s take a look at it. These are some pieces of character art for the show. The costumes check out, and look great, but the faces? Little…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  How Much Would You Pay For This Broken Xbox 360?

  Some guy in Wasilla is selling an Xbox 360. He’s selling it for $250. That’s a steep price at the best of times, but when you read his pitch, it reads a little steeper. Aim high, Wasilla Xbox Craigslist seller [Boing Boing]

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Sony Exec Says Xbox 360 “Lacks Longevity”

  It’s 2006 all over again! Sony Computer Entertainment boss Kaz Hirai smacktalks the Xbox 360, but not the Nintendo Wii. Let’s cut to the chase, here’s Kaz talking to the Official PlayStation Magazine: It’s difficult to talk about Nintendo because we don’t look at their console as being competitors. They’re a different world and we…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  What The Final Fantasy XIII Demo Will Let Players Do

  The 1/23 issue of Famitsu rings in 2009 with interviews with 21 developers who are slated to shake things up this year. The meatiest stuff comes from Yoshinori Ono about the FFXIII demo. Final Fantasy XIII producer Yoshinori Kitase hopes to ramp up FFXIII production and that the PS3 gains more ground. The PS3, Kitase…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  PC Sales Charts

  Definitely a mixed bag in this week’s edition of the PC sales charts. Lich King sits atop the NPD charts, while on both Steam and Direct2Drive, EA games are punching above their weight. Example: Mirror’s Edge, which came in third on Steam (and second on D2D), and LotR Conquest, which tops the Direct2Drive charts. Mirror’s…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Did Japanese People Buy Game Consoles During The New Years?

  Sales are abound during the New Years holidays in Japan. Here’s a list of the most popular items purchased — including game hardware. On January 4 of this year, a little over 1,200 members of RealWorld RealResearch were polled about their New Years shopping. Here’s the sample breakdown: 59.1 percent were male, 8.7 percent were…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  The 2008 Mod Of The Year Awards

  It’s time for the last of 2008’s significant awards to be handed out. This time, it’s Mod DB doing the handing out, naming what they believe to be the 100 best mods for the year. From that 100, readers will have until February 28 to vote for the winners, who aside from INTERNET FAME will…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  SEGA Sees Wii As Hardcore Opportunity

  The Wii’s ratio of hardcore games to casual titles is low. SEGA doesn’t see that as a bad thing, but rather, an opportunity. SEGA Europe’s Alan Pritchard explains cites the success of both Resident Evil 4 and Red Steel on the Wii. “But since then, many publishers have migrated towards the more mass-market family titles,”…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Jaleco Holdings Is Leaving The Video Game Business

  Jaleco Holdings is leaving the industry. As of January 15, 2009, the company transferred 100 percent of ownership in subsidiary Jaleco, best known for Bases Loaded, to an online game company GAME YAROU. Jaleco has been struggling for the past decade, and Jaleco Holdings was created in 2006 with Jaleco spun off into a separate…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Left 4 Dead Shirt Avoids Tacky Zombies, Arrives Safely In Tasteville

  Most gaming shirts are awful (though not all!). Most riffs on the classic “John Paul Ringo George” shirt are awful (though not all!). This shirt is both of those, but is not awful. Designed by bigdukesix over at Zazzle, and lemon colour scheme aside, it’s pretty neat. It’ll also be gone by the time you…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 20, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Sony Releases v5.03 Firmware

  The latest PSP firmware update, v5.03, is hitting. According to Sony, it’s a small update that improves system software stability during the use of some features. What exactly those feature are, Sony’s PlayStation.Blog would not say. So here’s a picture of Tim Curry. PSP 5.03 Update [PlayStation.Blog]

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009