Monthly Archives: June 2009

Valve has announced that Left 4 Dead is getting an update next week.

One thing to expect is the release of the Authoring tools/SDK, which has had a few additions and updates added since the beta.

Also, the matchmaking system will now support custom add-on campaigns, and content authors will be able to package up their new maps, along with posters, models, and textures, into a single .VPK file.

More over on the Left 4 Dead Blog.

GamersGate has some nice sales going on this weekend.

Kalypso games are 25 percent off until Sunday, and if you are a fan of the Imperium Romanum series and its expansion packs, or Grand Age: Rome, you’re in luck.

The site also has The Godfather 2 and Dawn of War: Soulstorm 50 percent off along with Flock, Dark Sector, and others.

Hit the links for the rest.

Some more Modern Warfare 2 shots have popped up online. You can check ‘em out over on Eurogamer Portugal.

Game’s expected sometime around November, and while you wait, you can check out CVG’s PC preview of it here.

The site says the game is “aimed squarely at fulfilling the Action Man fantasies of a generation.”

Sounds lovely.

Eurogamer’s Johnny Minkley told BBC News this morning that getting your details nicked online isn’t more likely to happen just because you’re a gamer.

His comments came after a research firm estimated that between 30,000-35,000 Live account details per year are being sold through avenues such as IRC rooms for as little as £3 a piece.

“There’s not a specific problem to videogames,” he said, noting that “huge teams” were involved in Live security at Microsoft.

The answer for consumers, Minkley said, was simply to be aware of the issue.

“You’re talking to people, you’re relating to people,” he added.

“You just have to be careful about the information you’re giving out.”

“Social engineering” – the art of essentially grooming people into giving out personal data – was mentioned, but it was noted that all financial information, such as credit card details, is often ghosted out on online gaming platforms even if others do gain access.

He’s on again at 9.10am BST on BBC1.

Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon has confirmed via Twitter that the next iteration of Mortal Komat will be a bloody one.

Here’s the series of tweets:

• Motion capturing special moves & fatalities today….they are kind of sick
• doin some kool fatalities. I hope we aren’t taking these too far
• @McCarron U r absolutely right. People want an M-rated MK….dammit we will give them an M-rated MK.
• still…they are sick

If you wanted blood, you’ve got it apparently.

More through Realm of Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat Online.

Deadline Games was working on three games when it declared bankruptcy in May, according to director Søren Lund.

Two were downloadable titles for consoles set to launch this summer, and the other was an original IP.

Lund wouldn’t talk too much regarding the unannounced title, due to the backlash he received while courting publishes for Faith and a .45.

“We took a chance with Faith and a .45 by letting the public know about the game before we signed a deal,” he told 1UP at the Nordic Game Conference in Sweden last month.

“And not every publisher is happy to do that, because they want to be in full control of when things get released to the press.”

Full interview through the link.

Unlike other MMOs that have had to merge servers, the same cannot be said for Lord of the Rings Online because the user base is expanding, according to Turbine.

We asked Aaron Campbell, live producer for the game, if the company had seen a drop off in player activity on certain servers or if there were plans to merge servers in the future.

“If anything, The Lord of the Rings Online is growing,” he told us. “We have no plans to merge servers.

“And please don’t mention it, it makes me twitch unpleasantly.”

Same here Aaron.

More of our chat with Turbine will be posted soon.

The BioShock & The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bundle will arrive in the UK July 10 for £29.99 on Xbox 360 and £19.99 for PC.

When it was announced Wednesday that BioShock and Oblivion would be offered together in the US, it left people wondering if it was heading to the UK as well.

Hooray.

Thanks, Eurogamer.

Looks like Shepard will be present in Mass Effect 3, providing nothing horrible happens during Mass Effect 2.

According to BioWare’s Casey Hudson, Shephard can be killed in Mass Effect 2, but will return for the third and final game – just not as you would think.

“If your Shepard dies in the end of Mass Effect 2, that’s the end of him/her,” Hudson told IGN. “In that case, you can play Mass Effect 3 as “a” Shepard – just not “your” Shepard. As in real life, not being able to keep living is really the main down-side of death.

“So if you care about playing the next game with your character, make sure you survive this one.”

More through the link.

Third-party controllers are coming to iPhone and iPod Touch.

Bluetooth and changes included in firmware update 3.0 have paved the way for the new peripherals.

Apple is on the case, and already chatting customers up about it via the firmware page:

Third-party Game Accessories: Connect fun new game accessories via the iPod touch 30-pin connector and Bluetooth.

A source close to Kotaku told the site earlier this month that the controllers were the real deal and “great for long trips”.

Now you’ll have even more stuff to pack around on your daily commute.

More through the link.

Kalypso Media has announced the formation of Gaming Minds Studios, which includes former Ascaron developers and titles.

Ascaron filed for bankruptcy April and Kalypso purchased parts of the troubled company, particularly the rights to develop The Patrician III.

“For Kalypso, this move is not just an expansion of our own studio capacities, but will also allow us greater independence in our games development,” said Kalypso managing director, Stefan Marcinek.

“We currently have four new titles scheduled for release in 2010 which are being developed in our Munich and Gütersloh studios.”

More through Kotaku and the translated press release after the break.

More »

Bohemia Interactive has released a launch trailer for ArmA II.

Standard trailer really, showing you the game, what to expect, and touting all the cool things you can do in it.

Watch it over on Eurogamer Germany.

The PC shooter is out today in Europe and expected to land in the states June 26.

SCEA has responded to ActiBlzz’s threats to stop supporting the company’s hardware if it does not cut the price on PS3.

“PlayStation has tremendous momentum coming out of E3, and we are seeing positive growth with more than 350 titles slated to hit across all our platforms, including many anticipated games from our publishing partners,” said a SCEA rep in an official statement.

“We enjoy healthy business relationships with and greatly value our publishing partners and are working closely with them to deliver the best entertainment experience.”

Earlier today, a representative from SCEE stated that while the company “respects our third-parties’ opinions”, it would refuse to comment any further on the statement.

Sometimes a cowboy just needs a little more tequila and a woman of questionable moral character.

Add in some shooting, mournful cowpoke music and loads of revenge and you have yourself a fun trailer for Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood.

Saddle up hombres, and burn the breeze.

Game’s out July 3 for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

More »

Infinite Space, the RPG from Sega debuted in Japan this week, knocking Kingdom Hearts 358/2 from its comfy number one spot.

Play On Wii: Chibi-Robo! was the other debut this week, and came in at number seven.

The top ten sellers are listed below, courtesy of Gamasutra.

1. Infinite Space – Sega (DS) (38,000)
2. Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days – Square Enix (DS) (28,000)
3. Sloan to MacHale: Nazo No Monogatari – Level 5 (DS) (26,000)
4. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth – Capcom (DS) (18,000)
5. Koei’s Shin Sangokumusou 5: Empires – Koei (PS3) (14,000)
6. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP the Best) – Capcom (PSP) (13,000)
7. Play on Wii: Chibi-Robo! – Nintendo (Wii) (11,000)
8. Wii Fit – Nintendo (Wii) (10,000)
9. Evangelion: Jo – Namco Bandai (PSP) (8,000)
10. Arc Rise Fantasia – Marvelous (Wii) (8,000)

Bethesda has released six new screens for Fallout 3 DLC, Point Outlook.

It’s scheduled to be released on Tuesday, June 23 for PC and Xbox 360.

We have the gallery posted after the break.

More »

Steam has Empire: Total War on sale this weekend for $29.99, which is 50 percent off the normal $49.99 price.

While you’re there, BigDownload has reported that 16 Novalogic titles have been added to the service as well.

Those who fancy playing all of the Delta Force games and any other titles in the Novalogic library, will get an additional 10 percent off for the next week.

Hit the links for additional information.

EA has released 46 Brütal Legend screenshots.

All of ‘em are new, according to CVG, so go have a look.

Game’s out “Rocktober” 13 for PS3 and Xbox 360.

Sony just issued a statement on Bobby Kotick’s threat earlier today to drop PS3 and PSP support.

“We respect our third-parties’ opinions and their right to express those opinions but we will not be commenting on this story,” said a SCEE rep.

The Activision boss said this morning that his company may drop support for Sony hardware in 2010 or 2011 unless PS3′s price is cut.

Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter has already branded Kotick’s comments as “bluffing”.

GameStop has started selling Fallout 3′s new DLC Point Outlook, which was supposedly not to be released until Tuesday, June 23 when it launches on Xbox Live.

The retail packaged version contains codes to download the content, and Bethesda says that the codes will not work until Tuesday.

However, some buyers are reporting that upon being entered, the codes unlock the DLC making it playable.

Look for Microsoft to put a lock on this soon, if it hasn’t already.

More over on Kotaku.