Monthly Archives: September 2009

IGN’s handing out Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Beta keys through Fileplanet.

To get one, all you have to do is register with FilePlanet, own a PS3, live in Europe, and have an active PSN account.

Your key will appear on screen, not through email, so that’s nice and fast right there.

Get over there now, as they’re likely to go rather quickly.

Via IGN.

The GT PSP embargo just went up. We’ll add the scores below as they come in. Looks as though there might be a bit of a shock result here.

The game’s out alongside PSP go on October 1. If you have a review and want your score added, just drop a link into the comments.

• Eurogamer – 7/10
• IGN US – 6.8/10
• Videogamer – 9/10
• Loot Ninja – 4/5
• PocketGamer – 8/10
• Play.tm – 80%
• CVG – 6.7/10
• Arstechnica – “Buy”
• NowGamer – 8.5/10
• Joystiq – No score

A reported bug over on the Batman: Arkham Asylum forums has led Eidos to reveal that there’s not an actual bug in the game, but a code to make the game virtually unplayable if the copy has been pirated.

Apparently, a user complained that the glide function within the game – which is extremely important – fails to function.

“When I…jump from one platform to another, Batman tries to open his wings again and again instead of gliding,” the user wrote.

“It’s not a bug in the game’s code, it’s a bug in your moral code,” replied the Eidos community manager, who explained that the glide function was disabled in pirated versions to “catch out people who try and download cracked versions of the game for free”.

Adding insult to injury was the fact that the game had not even hit shelves yet when the gamer complained on the forums.

Via BBC News.

Thanks, Roybott.

EALA’s Sam Decker has said that while approximately 40 percent of Command & Conquer players have gone online, it will never hit complete saturation as a large section of the player base prefers solo play.

“Right now the majority of our players play single player, but when they’re done with the game about 40 percent go on and play online,” he told the site. “So I think you need to respect both of those – and first-person shooters have the same thing. The vast majority of people would finish the campaign, and then about 40 percent of players would go online.”

With Command & Conquer 4, the company is doing its best to try and motivate a higher number of players to take their game online.

“The consoles have done a great job of online… Xbox Live, you can collect everything you’ve ever done, and it’s super-easy to connect – just give us your line and your accounts and go from there. We need to get to that level of accessibility for people [on the PC] and find more reasons for people to play.

“When you think about the reasons people play, there are so many – there are very competitive people, there are people who are co-operative and want to play with their friends, there are people who are collectors who want every achievement and award… and everybody has different things to motivate them to go online, and the question is, can you provide what that person wants?

“So far we’ve provided some of those elements, but not all – and that’s what we’re going to try and do.”

More through the link.

Nintendo has told CVG that there are “no plans” at present to reduce the cost of Wii.

“We currently have no plans to cut the price of Wii,” a Nintendo spokesperson told the site. “Current talk of price cuts is rumour and speculation. This is rumor and speculation as Nintendo have made no announcements on price.

“Furthermore this is most likely retailer led much in the same way retailers in the UK offer price promotions on our products.”

The comment was in reaction to the Toys R Us add sporting a $50 console reduction in North America.

Guess it’s just a sale at the retailer, then.

More through the links.

Guinness World Records has announced that Italy set a new record for the largest number of participants to play a single Guitar Hero session for 24-hours.

This happened during the Guitar Hero 5 : Jump In Jump Out Challenge, where 594 people turned up at the Italian event, to be part of the record-setting activity. Players spanning all ages were prompted to jump in or drop out, or switch difficulty level at any time without interrupting the session through Guitar Hero 5’s Party Play Mode.

“I’m thrilled to see this many fans come together en masse to rock out to Guitar Hero 5.” said Michael Sportouch, senior director ,Guitar Hero Europe. “Achieving this new world record is the perfect celebration for the release of the new installment of Guitar Hero, which promises consumers the ultimate interactive gaming experience.”

Press release is below.

More »

HBO has filed a trademark for a game based on its hit vampire series, True Blood.

According to the trademark, it’s for: amusement apparatus and games adapted for use with television receivers or with video or computer monitors, video games, computer games, game programs, video game discs, video game cartridges, video game CD-ROMs, video game cassettes, handheld video game devices, games, online games and electronic games.

No word on release or developer or any of that was included in the filing.

Another vampire game. Hmmmm.

Thanks, Superannuation.

Wish you were an insane dictator on a hot island? Today’s a fine day for you, moonbeam. A demo of Kalypso’s Tropico 3′s up on Steam now, giving you an idea of what absolute power feel like. That and bananas.

The sim’s Steam version comes with extra maps and stuff, so you may do well to buy it there. It’s out later this month.

Thanks, Grimrita.

EA’s FIFA Street 3 has been added to the Games on Demand service for Xbox Live.

The “street” football/soccer title allows co-op for up to four players, and online play for up to eight.

Also added was Sega’s Virtua Fighter 5, although it’s currently only available in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan through the service a this time.

Head on over to the Major’s blog to check for pricing and availability for your region.

The FCC has revealed through recent filings that its currently testing a wireless 802.11N Wi-FI adapterfor Xbox 360.

According to testing from the FCC, wireless speeds will be faster and a second antenna is included on the gadget to improve reception and is attached to the console through a USB port.

While no announcement has been forthcoming from Microsoft on the matter, the FCC filing has occurred within a few weeks of the 360 fall update which will bring 1080p Zune video compatibility along with the existing Netflix HD.

The full details from the FCC can be found through the link.

Via Gizmondo.

Tor books has announced that the second novel based on Dragon Age: Origins is to be released on October 13, for $14.99.

Dragon Age: The Calling, written by David Gaider, takes up where The Stolen Throne left off with King Maric allowing the Grey Wardens to return to Ferelden after two hundred years of exile.  However, one of them has run off and aligned himself with the darkspawn, and the Wardens need Maric’s help to find him.

Cool.

The game’s out in November, and both novels help fill-in the backstory for the game.

Full press release is below the break.

More »

NPD has revealed that Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box sold 67,500 units in the US during its seven days of availability for the month of August.

According to Gamasutra, the first Layton game, The Curious Village, was the top-selling DS game in the US during its first three weeks of availability. The September NPD figures should reveal more on just how well the game has sold, come October.

Three games in the series have been released so far in Japan, and a fourth one is in the works.

More through the link.

More action games than anything else are to be show at TGS next week, the show confirmed today. Like, by a mile: 115 titles will be on hand.

Puzzlers and RPGs are the second and third most popular choices for the event, with 59 and 52 games on show respectively.

Full break-down below. Get more info on TGS here.

8monkey’s time traveling shooter has a demo up on Xbox Live.

Darkest of Days will take you through Tannenberg, Antietam, Little Bighorn an other battles in world history as you travel through time saving individuals that were never supposed to die in these events.

You get to use futuristic weapons, which should make things fun.

More information can be found over on the Major’s blog.

It’s out now for 360 as well as PC.

Speakers were announced today for the third annual NY Games Conference, which takes place September 30 in NYC.

The themes for this year’s event include digital distribution, social and connected gaming and game monetization.

Confirmed speakers include: Ben Feder, CEO of Take-Two Interactive; Tom Akel, supervising producer, MTV Networks; Vicarious Visions; Michael Klotz, games business, senior manager, The NPD Group; Cindy Cook, former chief strategy officer and CMO, Vivendi Games; and many others.

“We’ve seen terrific interest in this event from the games industry itself, as well as professionals in other areas of media and entertainment looking to learn from what the games industry has done to become the favorite medium of the millennial generation,” says Jay Baage, event director, NY Games Conference.

“A big topic of conversation at the event this year will be the fact that sales of video games are actually dropping off a bit in the last few months after years of explosive growth. The games industry is now facing many of the same issues as the music and film industries, which have been struggling as distribution moves from sales of plastic discs to digital distribution.”

The press release along with the full list of speakers is past the break.

More »

A vidoc detailing “the vision” behind Halo 3: ODST is now up on Live, says Mr Major.

Blurb:

A Covenant warship dominates the sky over New Mombasa. The evacuated city burns below. You are an ODST, one of the few soldiers ready and willing to drop in and put up a fight. But before you head feet first into the city and experience Halo from a fresh perspective, get an inside look at the creative process behind Halo 3: ODST straight from the strike team at Bungie that got the job done. To complete their mission, they had to explore some dark and uncharted territory of their own. Download this VIDOC and get briefed on the vision, technology and tactics it took to bring the city of New Mombasa and Halo 3: ODST to life.

Game’s out next week.

Get the first SKATE 3 trailer after the break.

The footage shows off the game’s social aspects. It’s all about “crews” and co-op this time out.

EA announced the title today. Expect to be playing this next May on PS3 and 360.

More »

SCEE has sent word that sign ups for the MAG beta are open, but there are only 16,000 spots available.

Once the 16,000 SCEE consumer vouchers have been given away, the beta will be open for six hours a day, Monday to Friday from 5pm to 8pm and midnight to 3am, GMT.

It officially starts September 17 and runs until October 9, so head on over to the EU PS Blog and sign up so you won’t miss out.

Update: The announce trailer’s here.

EA’s just confirmed SKATE 3 for a May 2010 release.

Online and offline co-op’s included this time. This, apparently, will allow you to create the “ultimate skate crew”. It’s set in Port Carverton, a new locale.

Black Box is doing it, obviously. PS3 and 360. PR after the break.

More »

According to an official TGS 09 information sheet, only 37 Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 games are to be shown at the Japanese show later this month.

This morning’s rumoured MS line-up, listed 18 360 games as playable, while the TGS data says 17.

DS will be by far the most supported console of the show, with 41 games on hand. PSP will see a mere 11 games on the showfloor.

TGS runs from September 24-27. You can see the break-down in the image below. Thanks, Lutz.