June 2009
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Launch Trailer
Submitted By: Mike McMullan on June 30, 2009 - 2:39pm
EA has released the launch trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to coincide with the game's release today.
The newest Harry Potter game is being developed by EA's Bright Light Studio. The trailer shows off the game's story which follows the storyline of the sixth book in the Harry Potter series and the upcoming movie release.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is being released today for every major console available. Check out the trailer after the break.Read more...
PS3 Slim Shipping in July?
Submitted By: Mike McMullan on June 30, 2009 - 1:59pm
Another rumor pointing towards a possible PS3 Slim release this August has surfaced and may be one more bit of evidence that the new console does in fact exist.
Sony has reportedly placed a manufacturing order with two Taiwanese companies to build the PS3 Slim and they are expected to be shipping in early July. This gives more credibility to the rumors floating around that point towards a release in August or September.
There has been no official word from Sony about the story yet but this is just one more story of many that says this model is going to be a reality. The other major rumor floating around is that Sony will finally announce a price cut to coincide with the new slim model. We'll just have to wait and see how this all pans out in August or just wait a little while and the whole story will be leaked anyway.
Sony Patents PlayStation 2 Emulation Technology
Submitted By: Mike McMullan on June 29, 2009 - 10:33pm
Sony has patented a technology that possibly gives them the ability to emulate PlayStation 2 games on every PlayStation 3.
One of the biggest gripes gamers have with the PlayStation 3, besides the high entry price, is the lack of backwards compatibility. They originally included an actual PlayStation 2 Emotion Engine chip in each console but removed it to help with the cost. Sony then added software emulation to make up for it but it didn't work with every game. If Sony is able to finally add the whole PS2 library to the PS3's arsenal, that might give people a little more incentive to take the price leap.
No official word from Sony but the patent was filed back in December 2008. Rumors are swirling that they could announce the emulation along with the rumored PS3 Slim or if Sony decides to offer full PS2 downloads from the PlayStation Store.
Uncharted: The Movie?
Submitted By: Mike McMullan on June 27, 2009 - 2:05pm
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune will be making its way to the big screen apparently. Columbia Pictures is looking to make a feature film out the best-selling game.
The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Columbia Pictures is adapting the video game and that Kyle Ward is writing the script. Kyle Ward has already written the script for the upcoming Kane & Lynch adaptation and he is also set to write the upcoming Hitman 2 sequel as well.
We'll see if this movie is just another horrible video game movie or if it can become one of the very few to rise above the junk. Uncharted was amazing so they at least have that foundation to build upon, plus they also have the hype surrounding the sequel to help bolster interest in the movie. We will just have to wait and see how it turns out and keep hoping that Hollywood realizes that video games could be a viable source if done right.
New Max Payne 3 Details Revealed
Submitted By: Mike McMullan on June 25, 2009 - 3:26pm
Rockstar Vancouver has revealed new details on their upcoming sequel, Max Payne 3.
Max Payne 3 takes place 12 years after the events in Max Payne 2. Max is now addicted to pain killers and working in Sao Paolo, Brazil as security for a wealthy family. Bullet-Time makes an obvious return to the game that started it all. The mature themes and internal dialogue also make a return in the sequel. Max will be able to dual-wield a bunch of cool weapons too. Max Payne 3 will use the same RAGE engine that powers GTAIV.
No exact release date was given yet but it is set to be released this winter for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the PC.
God of War 3 Direct-Feed Gameplay Video
Submitted By: Mike McMullan on June 24, 2009 - 3:43pm
I'm sure most of you have seen the awesome God of War 3 gameplay video that was shown at Sony's E3 presentation. A new direct-feed version of that video is available now and it shows off a lot more of the game.
Hands down one of the best games shown at E3 this year was God of War 3. This highly anticipated game is set to be released in March 2010, which after you watch this video, will seem like forever.
Check out the extended direct-feed video after the break and then start checking the days off of your calendar with the rest of us. Just a word of warning first, the violence in the video is probably NSFW.Read more...
id Software Aquired By ZeniMax Media
Submitted By: Mike McMullan on June 24, 2009 - 12:49pm
ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, has acquired one of the most well-known game studios of all time, id Software.
The terms of the agreement were not disclosed but it was stated that there will be zero changes to how id Software develops their games and the studio will remain under John Carmack.
The CEO of id Software, Todd Hollenshead, stated that "This was a unique opportunity to team with a smart, sophisticated publisher like Bethesda Softworks where the interests of the studio and the publisher will be fully aligned in the development and marketing of our titles. In addition, we will now have financial and business resources to support the future growth of id Software, a huge advantage which will result in more and even better games for our fans."
All key employees have signed long-term contracts with ZeniMax Media so that will guarantee they will be around for awhile.
Official Best Of E3 Awards Announced
Submitted By: Mike McMullan on June 23, 2009 - 2:18pm
The E3 2009 Game Critics Awards have been handed out and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was the big winner.
E3 was back in a big way this year. Many announcements were made and many games were shown, but only a select few walk away with an award. Some of the notable winners were: Modern Warfare 2 won Best Action Game, Mass Effect 2 won the Best Role Playing Game, and Left 4 Dead 2 won the Best Online Multiplayer award.
The biggest winner though was Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. It came away with Best of Show, Best Console Game, and Best Action/Adventure Game. I think it goes without saying that Uncharted 2 is one of the most anticipated games of the year.
Lost Planet 2 Four Player Co-op Video
Submitted By: Mike McMullan on June 22, 2009 - 1:14am
GameTrailers posted a video from E3 that shows off some awesome four player co-op footage of Lost Planet 2.
The video is a great interview they had with Sean Baxter, the Community Specialist at Capcom. In it, he reveals some nice details of what we can expect from Lost Planet 2's co-op mode. He states that Capcom is focusing on teamwork in the upcoming sequel.
Lost Planet 2 looks amazing and this video shows off more of the game's awesome visuals. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish the cut-scenes from the actual gameplay. It looks like the game is going to feature some epic gun battles and the video gives you just a small taste.
Lost Planet 2's release date is still to be determined but Sean Baxter said that we should be able to get our hands on the game this winter. Check out the great video after the break.Read more...
Doom Resurrection Trailer Released
Submitted By: Mike McMullan on June 17, 2009 - 12:19am
We reported last week that John Carmack was working on an all new Doom game for the iPhone called Doom Resurrection. A trailer for the game has now been released.
The trailer for Doom Resurrection shows off the game's great looking 3D graphics on the iPhone. The game is sure to include Doom's usual assortment of jump out of your seat moments and should have the same creepy feel of previous games as well.
Some people may be disappointed by the following news though. IGN is reporting that the shooter will be of the on-rails variety. The player will be able to tilt and twist the iPhone to aim and then tap the screen to shoot, but they will not be able to move the player on screen.
Doom Resurrection should be released next week on the App store for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Check out the trailer after the break.Read more...
