Monthly Archives: October 2009

Microsoft has announced that you can now sign-up for the Xbox Live Update Preview program.

It’s to preview features such as Zune, Facebook and Twitter.

To get in on the fun, you have to sign-up with Microsoft Connect and fill in the appropriate information.

It’s open to all Xbox Live Members in regions where it’s available whether they be Gold or Silver members, but priority will be given to Goldens.

Once the Xbox team reviews all of the applications, if you’re selected, you’ll be sent an email notifying you of your acceptance in the program.

Loads more information can be found via the Major.

Oops. Looks like Naughty Dog has outed cross game voice chat for the next PS3 firmware update.

Over on the official PlayStation messageboard, a Naughty Dog developer going by the PSN handle “ReklissAbandon” let the cat out of the bag before having his reply deleted.

Here’s what was posted, thanks to Wearetheinternetz:

I think they wanted people to have fun and ejoy[sic] the show since all dead players can talk to each other no matter what team you are on. But I will suggest it anyway. Not to mention that the next PS3 firmware update is going to allow cross game chat. So if players use that instead of in game communication then they would also be able to communicate enemies[sic] positions.

See, didn’t we say it was gonna happen? Er um, well our source did, rather.

Thanks, Mescalineeyes.

Rockstar has revealed the first look at multiplayer for The Ballad of Gay Tony.

There’s tanks, attack choppers, new weapons, and, of course, parachutes which are making their multiplayer debut alongside new Deathmatch arenas, kill streaks, and assisted kills.

We have pics of it for you below. A new video featuring the multiplayer in action is expected to be released soon. Meanwhile, for more information on the MP, check out the official site.

Gay Tony is out at the end of this month.

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Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers for Xbox Live Arcade will get an update next week on October 21.

This is the first update for the title, and will include the following:

• Three new playable decks; including Tezzeret’s “Relics of Doom” Planeswalker deck
• Three new unlockable cards for each of the eight original decks
• New Two-Headed Giant co-op levels
• Three new puzzling challenge levels

There is also to be a new single-player campaign and and the ability to unlock Sarkhan Vol and Jace Beleren’s new Planeswalker decks.

The expansion will run you 400 MS Points ($5.00).

Thanks, Evil Avatar.

Creat Studios has announced its bringing Mushroom Wars to PSN this week.

The real-time strategy game will run you $9.99.

There’s a video of it on past the break. It looks rather cute.

Head on over to the US PS Blog to find out more about it.

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Activision feels that DJ Hero can help the music game genre grow due its focus on users who don’t necessarily play Guitar Hero.

“With the kind of diversity DJ Hero offers, we expect it to appeal to people who may not have yet discovered the Hero franchise,” senior brand manager at Activision Ian McClellan told MCV.

“The key is that the music – which comprises of over 90 mashups that are unique to DJ Hero – is still very accessible. This game will grow the category, so retail should expect this title to bring even more music-lovers into their stores – some of which may not have bought a music game before.

“Again, the investment behind this title will be at the level that they have come to expect from the Hero franchise. We believe trial is going to be very important. We are planning some heavyweight ways to introduce people to DJ Hero.”

Big Bossman Mike Griffith has said pretty much the same thing
once before.

Game’s out at the end of the month.

Hideo Kojima said during an interview over on the EU PS Blog that as far as a new Zone of the Enders game is concerned, it’s not a question of “if” one will be released, just “when”.

“A lot of [people] love Zone of the Enders, and we love the title as well, especially at Kojima Productions and we always want to create one for the next gens as well,” he said.

“Of course, Kojuma Productions has a long list of things we want to bring out, and of course Zone of the Enders is one on the top of the list.

“However, we have to manage staffing and work around projects so it’s not going to be out too soon, but we are really considering it.”

You can watch the full thing through the link there.

Codemasters has unveiled The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood digital expansion deals, which start today.

Set to launch December 3, here are the different offers available:

Siege of Mirkwood Standard Edition £14.99 / 19.99 €

• Siege of Mirkwood expansion
• Harbinger’s Cloak (8% speed boost) for FREE!

Siege of Mirkwood Special Edition £19.99 / 27.99 €

• Siege of Mirkwood expansion
• The Adventurer’s Pack
• Harbinger’s Cloak (8% speed boost) FREE!
• New, unique mount FREE!

Platinum Edition £29.99 / 39.99 €

• The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™, Mines of Moria™ expansion and the Siege of Mirkwood expansion
• Harbinger’s Cloak (8% speed boost) FREE!

Platinum Special Edition £34.99 / 49.99 €

• The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, Mines of Moria expansion and the Siege of Mirkwood expansion
• The Adventurer’s Pack
• Harbinger’s Cloak (8% speed boost) FREE!
• New, unique mount FREE!

Further packages will also be available including:

• The Adventurer’s Pack £4.99/ 6.99 € Includes two character slots and one shared storage providing 20 additional slots that allows players to share items with all of their characters on the same server.
• The Loot Bag £4.99/ 6.99 € – Includes ten special in-game items especially selected from all items ever released

For more information and to pre-order the game please go here.

Square Enix has revealed its latest Final Fantasy XIII character within the pages of Shonen Jump.

Looking like the gals we went to high school with, sans the spear, her name is Wolba (Oerba?) Yun Fang and her special power is the ability to summon Bahamut the massive draconian entity.

You probably noticed her in the TGS trailer for the game.

Also of note, is news that Sazh, also pictured in the mag, can summon Brynhildr who wields a might ax and he can also turn into a car.

It confuses us as to why Brynhildr is not a woman given the mythology behind the name – but who cares. He turns into a car, plus if we want to make Square nerdishly accurate, Bahamut should be a massive fish supporting the earth just like Arabian mythology says.

We’ll shut up now.

Via IGN.

Activision has just sent word that a demo for Wolfenstein on PC has hit the net.

Surely you can find this through your favorite file site, but we know for sure that it’s over on FileFront.

If you have been itching to try it out, now’s your chance.

Earlier it was announced that it had hit digital download sites.

Frontier founder David Braben has told Develop that those who think PSN, WiiWare, and XBLA games don’t take the same amount of effort to create really annoy him.

“One of the things that really annoys me is when people see XBLA, PSN and WiiWare as a dumping ground, in terms of ‘you don’t need to put the same amount of effort in’”, said Braben. Actually, it’s quite the opposite.

“It’s like how novelists approach short stories. It’s a way to try out a radical idea, and quite often a lot of those do become novels later on.

“What I don’t like, is the idea that people can scratch one out at the bus stop, which I’ve overheard at conferences.”

If it was really that easy, we’d be on it.

More through the link.

A report over on Fuzilla states that AMD / ATI has landed the GPU deal for the next generation Xbox console.

You all know that the GPU in the current 360 was made by the firm as well.

The report also states that the new console will be released in 2012 since the current economic crisis prevented a 2010 release, and that legacy games will be compatible with the system.

Keep all this filed as rumor until MS makes an announcement, folks.

Activision has released Wolfenstein on Steam and Direct2Drive.

It can be yours for $49.95.

If you want it, go get it.

Warner Bros. has confirmed that LEGO Rock Band will hit the UK on November 27.

Developers by Traveller’s Tales in conjunction with Harmonix, the game has loads of songs in it with the curses removed.

Nice track list there though.

Still, Short & Sweet is a bit innuendo filled, but maybe the kiddies won’t notice.

Via CVG.

Those interested in Tekken 6 should head on over to CVG and take a look at images for it.

There’s bound to be some you haven’t seen yet.

We still prefer the one of Alisa handing her head over. It says I love you like nothing else. So what if she’s a robot? Robots need love too.

It’s out October 30.

According to a couple bits of commenting over on Bethesda’s forums, PS3 owners in Canada are having issues importing save games for Fallout 3 to the GOTY edition.

It looks as though previous Capital Wasteland save files are not being recognized, and forum posters suspect that it’s due to either improper/outdated patching or the GOTY edition isn’t compatible with the version of the GOTY sold in the region.

Bethesda is aware of the issue and is trying to figure things out before making an official statement.

For more on this, hit the link.

Thanks, Joystiq.

EA has announced that Madden NFL Arcade will land on PSN and Xbox Live in December.

No exact date was given, but it will run you 1200 MS Points ($14.99).

It has pick-up-and-play controls, 32 team with home stadiums, five-on-five games, no field goals and no penalties. The first team that scored 30 points is the winner.

Also, it will support four players on a single console, has online modes, and the prerequisite leaderboards.

The full press release is below, and if you head on over to D’toid, they have some lovely pictures of it.

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According to the latest tweet from Graeme Boyd, Europe’s Xbox Community Manager, on October 27 you’ll be able to watch TV from Sky on your Xbox 360.

Looks like the channel line-up and pricing will be revealed at launch.

Here’s the tweet for proof:

October 27 – that’s the date when you’ll be able to watch TV from Sky on your Xbox 360. Channel line-up and pricing to come at launch

Good thing, that.

Activision has apparently pulled YouTube footage showing Kurt Cobain singing songs that are not his in Guitar Hero 5.

The videos were removed due to copyright claims, but the strange thing is, none of the other 300,000 Guitar Hero 5 videos have been pulled.

We have sent mails out to both Activision and Courtney Love’s attorney to see if we can get an explanation for any of this.

Hopefully, one or the other, or both, will get back with us soon.

Via D’toid (Kotaku).

Hideo Kojima has told Famitsu that he has a surprise in store for Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, one that will make people wanna stampede to their nearest retailer and buy a PSP, apparently.

“I’m putting everything I want to do on a portable console into this game,” said Kojima. “I haven’t announced this yet, but there’s another feature in here that will surprise people, to the point where they’ll want to go out and buy a PSP right now!”

It can’t be the addition of Yamaha’s Vocaloid software, because he discussed that in the same interview, nor the cutscenes, or the thick as a brick script. It has to be something else. Maybe Snake sings in it. Who knows.

Guess all will be revealed when it’s released.

More through 1UP.