Monthly Archives: November 2009

Famitsu has some new Professor Layton screens up for The Devil’s Flute or Flute of Malevolent Destiny as it’s likely to be called when it leaves Japan – where it’s known as The Specter’s Flute.

OK, we’re confused now.

Moving right along, it’s the fourth Professor Layton game, and is the start of a new trilogy with The Devil’s Flute taking place three years before The Curious Village.

The screens are through the link above, and all looking at each one does is make us wonder when the hell The Last Time Travel will be released elsewhere.

Japan has had the third game in the series since 2008, and it’s high time it was shared with us.

Via GoNintendo.

Capcom has revealed that the new Resident Evil 5 DLC will not be released for PC.

At least “at this point”, a representative told G4.

No reason was given, but the representative didn’t say “never”, just that there were no plans at the moment.

Keep hope alive, PC folks.

Via D’toid.

In case you unaware, if your PS3 freezes or or does something else funky, you can report it directly to Sony through the console thanks to firmware 3.10.

This was discovered by PS3attitude, and confirmed by Sony to Joystiq.

Nice to know you don’t have to get on the phone and be on hold for ages, or shoot off an email. You can curse ‘em straight from the source now.

More through the links.

Valve has started banning Modern Warfare 2 access on Steam to customers who purchased keys through import resellers, per request from Activision.

The ban was brought to light after a user posted on the Valve forums that his key bought through G2Play.net no longer worked.

The response he received stated that such sales were “illegitimate” and the player should purchase the full game instead and seek a refund from the company that sold him the key.

VE3D, who broke the story, says that the keys being sold are legal in Asia and other territories, where they usually cost less than the full game, and publishers banning items like this is nothing more than protecting “their bottom line”.

More through the link, via Kotaku.

Those wanting to play the maps from Left 4 Dead in the sequel can now do so, because L4Dmods has figured out how to bring the game’s campaigns into Left 4 Dead 2.

There are some issues with it, but if you are dying to combine the two games, you may find it to be worth the hassle.

To use the mod, you have to own both Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2, edit/replace some files and do some other time consuming stuff, that we just can’t be bothered with.

Maybe we’re just not dedicated enough.

Via Kotaku.

Ironclad and Stardock announced yesterday that the Beta for Sins of a Solar Empire: Diplomacy will go live November 23.

Those who preordered Diplomacy or the game’s last expansion will get first dibs.

The Beta will include: New Envoy cruisers, Embassies, the “backbone” of the Diplomacy tech tree, Mission Generator, the beginnings of the Pirate changes, Faster gameplay options and more.

Diplomacy is slated for release on February 9 through Stardock’s Impulse service, and is available for preorder.

Thanks, Cinemablend.

Those who follow NASCAR may want to pay special attention today to the last race of the Nationwide Series today.

Joey Logano’s number 20 car will be sporting Modern Warfare 2-GameStop centric designs made especially for the race.

You can catch a glimpse of the car on ESPN2 at 4:30pm Saturday, which will be broadcasted live from the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Blame, BigDownload.

Next week’s offering of Nintendo downloads are gonna be great for fans of SNES, because the original Super Mario Kart will be released on Virtual Console for 800 Wii points ($8).

Hooray.

Also expected sometime around the holidays is Pilotwings and N64′s Super Smash Bros.

No date or pricing for those last two yet, but Nintendo is expected to reveal more soon.

Via IGN.

The second episode of Halo Legends, The Duel, premieres today on Halo Waypoint.

It will be free for 24-hours for both Silver and Gold members will have access to the anime.

Silver members should note that this is their last week to explore Waypoint for free along with the weekly episodes of Halo Legends.

The full worldwide schedule us up over on the official site.

Thanks, Joystiq.

Gearbox has updated the Borderlands website with loads of Zombie Island stuff, and creepy harpsichord music.

The new content is expected to last around six-hours once released next week on November 24.

We really want this game. More so now that it has zombies and a crazed scientist named Dr. Ned.

Hit the link for more.

The British Board of Film Classification has outed a Sonic Collection for possibly Blu-ray or DS.

Called the Sonic Classic Collection, it contains the original title, Sonic 2, Sonic 3, and Sonic & Knuckles and its subsequent “collaborations” with Sonic 2 and 3.

Also contained within it is a Sonic image gallery and a “History of Sonic” video, and a trailer for Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood.

While the listing is leading some to believe it is for DS, others cite a leaked SEGA document which mentioned a “Best of Sonic” Blu-ray for PS3 containing “all of the old Sonic games” for around $100.

We’ll mail SEGA for comment.

Thanks, Kombo.

The cats out of the bag, sort of, in relation to the new 2K shooter scheduled to debut at the VGAs.

Apparently, it’s a new Special- Ops title, and the video has been available for viewing since August over on Adland.tv.

1UP says that the “sneak peek” is part of a longer version of the CGI video, which we have posted below the break.

If you don’t like Bjork, you may wanna turn your speakers down while watching.

More through IGN.

Thanks, SplatteredHouse.

More »

There’s a video up on GameTrailers for StarCraft II.

Just in case you haven’t seen it already, we’ve posted it for you below the break.

It’s full of Zerg Changeling gameplay, even though it’s a short video.

Game’s out, well, when we know you will too.

More »

Gameloft has “significantly cut” back on developing games and applications for Google’s Android platform, according to a report from Reuters.

Apparently, it’s not the only one cutting back on support, as the company stated that others are doing the same thing due to the “weakness” of Android’s application store.

“We have significantly cut our investment in Android platform, just like,” said company finance director Alexandre de Rochefort during an investor conference.

“It is not as neatly done as on the iPhone. Google has not been very good to entice customers to actually buy products. On Android nobody is making significant revenue. We are selling 400 times more games on iPhone than on Android.”

Games for iPhone generated 13 percent of Gameloft’s revenue in the last quarter.

More through the link.

NOA’s Denise Kaigler has revealed through an IGN Minute post that she has vacated her position as vice president of corporate affairs in order to spend more time with her family.

Here is her official announcement:

It’s a fact of life that job and family often pull us in opposite directions. As regular readers of this feature know, this has proved particularly challenging for me, as I’ve spent the last two years commuting almost constantly between San Francisco, Seattle, New York and my home in New England. It has been a fantastic adventure, but the time has come where I need to choose one over the other … and I have to choose my family.

During my time at Nintendo I have developed friendships with so many wonderful people, from my co-workers to people I have interacted with along the way, including reporters, bloggers and video game fans like all of you. Those memories simply can’t be replaced, and I will take them with me. What I leave behind is a great team that will continue to tell the story of Nintendo’s pipeline of wonderful products.

There are hundreds of people I hope I will run across again – and trust that I will. So instead of considering this “game over,” I look at my choice as really just finishing one level … and moving on to the next.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to answer your questions and talk so directly with Nintendo’s fans. For now, my “Minute” is up.

Nintendo’s response:

“Denise Kaigler has been a valuable part of the Nintendo of America team for the last two years. She’s made a personal decision to spend more time with her family in New England. We wish her all the best in this next chapter of her life, and we look forward to continuing to deliver great Nintendo experiences to people of all ages as we head into this holiday season”.

Wow. Good luck Denise. We’re going to miss your big friendly smile.

Via GoNintendo.

Sony’s putting out a new “it only does everything” PS3 commercial, just in time for Thanksgiving next week, toting the benefits of having Blu-ray,

The commercial also takes us back to the wonderful times we had as a kid in the old country, playing Hoop and Stick.

Good times.

Watch below the break.

More »

Harmonix and MTV announced today that a six pack of live tracks from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, as well as singles from Kelly Clarkson, P!nk and the Go-Go’s will be added next week to the Rock Band Music Store.

Tracks will land on Xbox 360 and Wii November 24 and on PS3 November 26.

Individual songs will run you $1.99/£.99/€1.49, 160 MS Points, or 200 Wii Points. The Tom Petty pack will cost $9.99/£4.99/€7.99, or 800 MS Points.

• Go-Go’s – Our Lips Are Sealed
• Kelly Clarkson – Miss Independent
• P!nk – Who Knew
• Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (all live) – A Thing About You, American Girl,Even the Losers,Here Comes My Girl, Mary Jane’s Last Dance,Refugee

Shame those are live Petty tracks, ya know. They’re all rather good.

A new video for ModNation Racers has popped up over on Kotaku, and it shows the massive amount of customization included in it.

Looks like the possibilities are almost endless.

It’s out next year, and is looking really fun. Hit the link for a watch.

LittleBigPlanet will get a bit blue, yellow, and red come December 17 when Sonic costumes are released on PS3.

This is according to PlayStation Asia, which has the date listed along with five Sonic costumes based on Sonic Unleashed.

There’s Sonic, Sonic the Werehog, Tails, Dr. Eggman, and Knuckles.

You can get each individually or in a pack.

No price yet, but expect it to run the usual.

Via Siliconera.

There’s a teaser video up on Kotaku showing a shooter that 2K has in the works.

What it has to do with Dubai, we have no clue.

Guess we’ll find out during the VGAs on Spike December 12 at 8:00pm EST.