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  Escapism In The Time Of Layoffs

  The Wall Street Journal has a nice little article up about laid off employees getting into games and social media networks as a way to escape the grim reality that they’re out of a job. Internet games, gambling and other forms of online entertainment have seen significant surges in use in the several months since…

  By AJ Glasser Published February 3, 2009
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  More Battlefield: Bad Company On The Way

  Seems EA’s John Riccitiello didn’t get the memo that the “Battlefield Announcement Event” in the UK had been snowed out, because during this afternoon’s Q309 conference call, he went ahead and announced a new Battlefield game. Sadly for fans of the core series, it’s not one of those games. Instead, it’s a sequel to last…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 3, 2009
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  N’Gai, Totilo Take on Howard, Levine at Comic Con

  If you’re going to be at the New York Comic Con later this week, you might want to check out the panel hosted by Newsweek’s N’Gai Croal and MTV’s Stephen Totilo. The two will be talking with Fallout 3’s Toff Howard and BioShock’s Ken Levine in what they’re calling Vs. Mode Live. The one hour…

  By Brian Crecente Published February 3, 2009
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  Major Minor’s Majestic March Brings The Wii Music

  Who could use some brightly colored screen shots to perk up their day? Well, how about some new Major Minor’s Majestic March media? Majesco has 16 new, nearly identical new shots of the game. While the new screens don’t, in any fashion, illustrate any variety in the NanaOn-Sha developed Wii title, they show that creators…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  The Godfather II Gets Last Minute Delay From EA

  Electronic Arts big day of delays and disastrous financial news has claimed one more victim: The Godfather II. The sequel won’t make its previously scheduled February ship date, moving to a post-April release. Why? EA’s John Riccitiello says that its moving to Q1 of the company’s 2010 fiscal year, which runs April to June, to…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  Crytek Buys Free Radical

  Timesplitters and Haze developer Free Radical Design has found financial sanctuary in German developer Crytek, who is reported to have purchased the struggling Nottingham, UK dev for an undisclosed amount. According to 1UP, Free Radical scriptwriter Rob Yescombe confirmed the purchase of Free Radical by the developers of Far Cry and Crysis, saying that the…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  Mass Effect 2 Coming In 2010, Will Be “Multiplatform”

  EA’s John Riccitiello didn’t confine himself to announcing Wii ports during today’s Q309 conference call. He also gave a release timeframe for Mass Effect 2, saying that it’ll be out in early 2010. Interestingly, he announced the game would be appearing on multiple platforms, but didn’t get into specifics, leaving it unclear whether he meant…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 3, 2009
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  Why No Killzone 2 Review Yet

  To: Bash From: Crecente Re: Writing About Jobs We still have plenty of time before Killzone 2 official hits, but I’ve been receiving a lot of messages from people asking why we haven’t reviewed the Playstation 3 exclusive. The simple answer is, it’s not ready to be reviewed yet. Sure the on-disc experience is mostly…

  By Brian Crecente Published February 3, 2009
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  First Look At Uncharted 2: Among Thieves In Action

  Naughty Dog invited us to its Santa Monica studios on Monday for a look at Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, the PlayStation 3 exclusive that you should really be more excited for. How do we know? Seeing Uncharted 2‘s new “traversal gunplay” mechanics in real-time action, we couldn’t help but become overly excited about the prospects…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  Dead Space Wii Announced

  During Electronic Arts’ Q3 2009 earnings call earlier today, boss John Riccitiello mentioned a Wii game we’d previously not heard about. That game was Dead Space Wii. It’s due out later this year, and is part of a plan from EA to bring a more “core” experiece to the Wii. Riccitiello promises that, despite the…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 3, 2009
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  EA Loses $641M Over Holiday Quarter, Increases Layoffs, Closures

  Electronic Arts announced today that its quarter ending December 31 saw a massive loss, totaling $641 million. EA John Riccitiello called the lower than expected earnings “a clear disappointment,” announcing additional, extended layoffs. The company will increase the number of jobs cut to 1,100, up from 1,000, or 11% of its total workforce. It expects…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  The Sims 3 Given New, Later Release Date

  Virtual residents of the last version of EA’s popular life simulation get a stay of execution today, as the company officially pushes the release of The Sims 3 to June. The rumblings from last month prove true as Electronic Arts stamps a release date of June 2nd of the eagerly anticipated PC title The Sims…

  By Mike Fahey Published February 3, 2009
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  EA Delays Dragon Age: Origins Until “Last Half Of 2009”

  Followers of BioWare’s epic development cycle on Dragon Age: Origins probably won’t be surprised to learn that the game has been delayed. Again. Electronic Arts announced a new “last half of 2009” release date today. Dashing any hopes of the “early 2009” release date provided by EA late last year, the publisher now says the…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  Australian Police Minister Urges People to Report WoW Sales

  The New South Wales Police are asking people to contact them if they see retailers selling World of Warcraft or other massively multiplayer online games. Both the police and the attorney general’s office in New South Wales say that the New South Wales Classification Enforcement Act prohibits publishers and retailers from selling unclassified computer games…

  By Brian Crecente Published February 3, 2009
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  Master Chief Is The Batman Of The Future

  The latest video documentary for the real-time strategy game Halo Wars takes a look at the individual units appearing in the game, from hordes of Spartans to swarms of Locusts. Seeing the units in Halo Wars up close and personal like this, even a moderate Halo fan like myself can’t help but get a little…

  By Mike Fahey Published February 3, 2009
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  Accused Sexual Predator Finds Alleged Victim on Xbox Live

  A 27-year-old Missouri man was arrested for having sex with a 15-year-old he met on Xbox Live. Edward Stout faces federal charges of coercion of a minor over the Internet and traveling across state lines to engage in sex with a minor. Stout, a card dealer on a riverboat casino, met the teen last March…

  By Brian Crecente Published February 3, 2009
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  Tim Schafer To Don Tuxedo For Game Developers Choice Awards Hosting Duties

  Double Fine Productions founder and career funnyman Tim Schafer will again be required to Google search “how to tie a bow tie” this March, as he returns to host the 2009 Game Developers Choice Awards. While Schafer’s obviously very busy putting a spit shine on Brütal Legend for publisher EA, he’s taking time to dazzle…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009
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  Runes Of Magic Really Launches In March

  With the open beta attracting more than 450,000 players to the world of Taborea, Frogster Interactive has nailed down a March release date for their upcoming massively-multiplayer online roleplaying game Runes of Magic. While the servers are all up, the item store functions properly, and all character progression from here on out carries over, Runes…

  By Mike Fahey Published February 3, 2009
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  Zombies Invading Best Buy For Resident Evil 5 Launch

  Best Buy may be taking a page from Hollywood premiere events for big video game events in the future. The change is being led by a store full of ambling zombies and a chainsaw-wielding Dr. Salvador. On March 13, the Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania Best Buy will convert part of their store into a haunted house. They…

  By Brian Crecente Published February 3, 2009
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  Terminator Salvation Revealed In New GamePro

  If you weren’t completely turned off to the Terminator franchise after the cinematic sewage that was Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, the latest issue of GamePro might be of interest to you. The mag reveals the first concrete details on Terminator Salvation, the video game adaptation of the movie directed by McG and starring…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 3, 2009