Monthly Archives: November 2009

Just a reminder to everyone that Halo Waypoint launches today on Xbox 360.

The free application dubbed allows for easy tracking of Achievements, the Halo Legends anime (which is out on Blu-ray and DVD February 9) , progress through the games, screenshots, videos, news, and Avatar goodies like body armor, helmets, hoodies and t-shits.

We posted a schedule of happenings for it earlier in the week, but if you head on through the break, there’s the full Legends schedule through January.

So is the official press release.

More »

During the Q&A that followed Nintendo’s financial announcement this week, president Satoru Iwata answered a question regarding the online ratio for Wii and DS, and also revealed that he does not see digital distribution replacing retail for at least another 20 years.

“Most radical people even dare to say that retailers will be replaced by digital distribution in no time, but personally, I think it will still require a significant amount of time,” he said. “In other words, it will require many years and months for the majority of video game purchase to become digital. In short, in 20 years or so I might say it will have probably changed. But in five years or so, I do not totally agree with opinions that no one will purchase titles at retailers by then.

“Habits of life do not change such radically and quickly. Especially for the expanded audience of various people, to whom we are and will be trying to appeal, I believe their habits will change more slowly.”

Full transcript is through here.

Thanks, GoNintendo.

Gearbox president Randy Pitchford has called out Valve, in a sense, for ignoring PS3 as a development platform.

It’s not very pretty, but here it is anyway.

“I noticed something on the net not too long ago. Doug Lombardi had to take a swipe at the PS3 again, and I thought it was foolish,” Pitchford told OPM. “I read it the same way I read fanboys. Like there’s a guy who bought the Sony platform and he’s a Sony guy, so he decides he’s going to spend a certain percentage of his time bashing Microsoft. And there’s a guy on Microsoft doing the same thing.

“Those guys are childish and narrow minded, it’s the same kind of thing.

“Valve think their own stuff is the only stuff that matters, to the point where they have their own distribution platform. It’s like, I don’t care about retail, about Marketplace, or PSN, I’m going to have Steam.

“It’s cool, it’s good, and they’re doing a good job but at the same time they’re reliant on the rest of the world. They had to do that [Left 4 Dead] deal with EA. When I see the L4D ad on the television I don’t see a Valve logo, I see an EA logo, and when I bought it, I bought it at a store”.

Via GameInformer, AnalogHype.

Just as promised last night, Modern Warfare 2 Avatar goodies were released today on Xbox Live.

There’s shirts, caps, a fill GHOST outfit and even a UAV drone.

Prices range from 80 -240 MS Points.

Check ‘em out here.

Media Molecule has said that there are no plans for a LittleBigPlanet 2.

“We’d never want to do that,” level designer Danny Leaver told Critical Gamer. “That’d be the most counterproductive thing you could do I think.”

“I think what you’ve seen so far from LittleBigPlanet, that’s the way it’s going to continue,” added producer Martin Lynagh. “We have a lot of stuff coming out, especially next year.

“We can’t really talk about specifics for a lot of it at the moment, because a lot of it hasn’t been announced.

“We’re looking forward to some really good original content, and some really strong brands we’re working with.”

Via Joystiq.

BioWare has put a new video up on its YouTube channel, where you can learn all about what Commander Shepard is up against in Mass Effect 2.

It also shows off new creatures like the Collectors, praetorians, abominations and the geth.

Also in this video, there’s a geth stalking Commander Shepard.

Check it out through here.

Cryptic and Atari confirmed today that Star Trek Online will be released on February 2 and 5 in North America and Europe, respectively.

That means in three months time, you will be playing as either a Federation or Klingon starship captain and blowing shit up.

Life is good.

Thanks, Eurogamer.

Loads of folks got emails today from Netflix saying that their “free instant streaming disc for PS3 should arrive by Friday, Nov 06, 2009″.

That’s tomorrow.

Hooray. While you’re waiting, Netflix says that you can add TV episodes and movies to your instant Queue now so that you can watch instantly once the disc arrives.

If you signed up, check your email now.

Thanks, ffronw.

This weekend on Steam, Mass Effect is 50 percent off. That means it’s only $9.99/€7.99/£6.99.

Wondering how to get the Bring Down the Sky content? Look no further.

Go get it kids.

Thanks, EvilAvatar.

Kotaku has posted a Kmart sales flier for Black Friday.

Deal in the advert include DSi bundles for $170 with five free games and a $25 Nintendo coupon.

There’s also a deal on Left 4 Dead 2 for $40, a Xbox 360 Elite bundle with Pure, Lego Batman or Halo ODST for $299.

Check it out through here.

Gordon Van Dyke, associate producer for DICE’s Battlefield: Bad Company 2, has announced over on the US PS Blog that a multiplayer Beta for the game will land exclusively on PS3 November 19.

The Beta includes the Arica Harbour map where up to 24 players compete to secure crates in the Rush game mode.

Access to it differs from country to country, but here’s how you can get a key:

• DICE’s holding a special limited giveaway on the PlayStation Blog, details of which are TBA
• Preorder the game at a participating retailer
• IGN or GameSpot in North America.

There’s an announcement video below the break, and more information through here.

More »

Sony VP Michael Denny has told attendees at Develop Liverpool that new IP is worth the effort because it’s essential to the survival of the gaming industry.

“For me the answer is clear,” said Denny. “Simply, we must support new IP creation to survive as an industry. Consumers crave new things. If we want to stay relevant in an increasingly competitive marketplace, we have to continue to produce new experiences.

“New IP is truly the lifeblood of the industry and Sony’s commitment to producing new IP will continue. We believe we have a promising line up of exclusive new IPs for the year ahead and one that is particularly special to me and reflects a growth of emotional connection and story-telling, is Heavy Rain.”

Heavy Rain, people. Ever heard of it?

Thanks, GI.biz.

Capcom has released a new video for Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles.

You’ll notice some rather familiar faces in it, and new characters Javier and Manuela.

It’s below the break for your viewing pleasure.

Game’s out November 17 for Wii.

More »

Valve’s Chet Faliszek has said that British gamers have a tendency to clam-up during online play, and just don’t chat enough, apparently.

He does, however feel that the Realism mode included in Left 4 Dead 2 will remedy the situation.

“One thing I wanted to add before I go for you Brits: communicate. Don’t be scared of a microphone,” reports CVG. “You guys are notorious non-talkers on both 360 and PC. Americans are just chattering away, working together as a team. If you want to work together as a team you’ve got to talk!

“You can go into a random 360 game on US servers and it’s crazy talk. It’s fun. I think a lot of people knock that community but again and again I’m surprised by how fun that is. I’ve played expert campaigns where by the end of it we’re best buddies.

“Realism mode will prod you – you have to talk. If you don’t talk you’re not going to make it. Instead of being harder Realism’s actually more challenging as a team because you have to communicate. When a Smoker pulls you off somewhere you’ve got to yell because nobody can see where you are.

“The first time you see people play, somebody will go in a house to get some stuff, turn around a be like ‘shit, I can’t see anybody’. It’s a scary feeling. We’ll see if that maybe stimulate the British sternness.”

OK stern ones. You heard the man. Get online and start shouting away. Throw some obscenities out there too, and while you’re at it, for good measure insult, your fellow gamer’s lineage. They’ll love you for it.

More through the link.

Nintendo’s financial briefing has been all over the news, and in it, Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned during the Q&A portion that the next Zelda will have “gorgeous graphics”.

“On developing the recent Zelda for DS, I found out that one of Zelda’s core appeals is its uniqueness,” he said. “Of course we are preparing gorgeous graphics for the sake of users’ anticipation for a grand role-playing adventure [on Wii].

“But what I believe is very important is the realistic, actual feeling players have experienced themselves; the feeling to have really been on an adventure, to have explored the unknown terrains, to have solved the puzzle through trial and errors, to have themselves grown through various experiences!

“In that sense, a personal sense of creativity is becoming important among us. We have assembled one of the most creative team for the recent Zelda for DS, and we want to be as creative as possible for upcoming Wii Zelda.”

Thanks, NintendoEverything.

Update: IGN has just confirmed that it is indeed a fake.

Original: In what appears to be a legitimate screenshot of IGN’s front page has popped up online, featuring a review for Modern Warfare 2.

While we can’t be too sure these days, what with photo doctoring software in everyone’s hands, someone posted a shot of it over on the PlayStation forums, and claims that the offending page was hastily removed from IGN.

If real, and just a posting mistake on someone’s, it looks as though the site gave it a 9.5/10.

Via MaxConsole.

Disney has released a new video for Split/Second showcasing its “fantastic graphics and explosive gameplay.”

It reminds us a bit of a car commercial, until the lovely auto is smashed by a building.

Hopefully, you’ll be quick enough to outrun stuff like that once the game is released early next year for PC, 360 and PS3.

Watch on below.

More »

Activision’s announced that DLC for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 has landed on XBL and PSN and is available until December 31.

There are five new playable characters in it: Black Panther, Carnage, Cable, Magneto and Psylocke along with four new challenge missions, new boss encounters, gauntlets and a bit more for 800 MS Points ($10.00/£6.80/€9.30) and the same monetarily on PSN.

Juggernaut is also available, and he will run you 160 MS Points ($2.00/£1.36/€1.86) and the same amount on PSN.

A demo is also to be made available. Go log in and check things out.

Valve’s Chet Faliszek has revealed that the number of preorders for zombie shooter Left 4 Dead 2 are “four times” that of the original.

“As we get closer to launch we see the reaction to the demo, preorders are four times what Left 4 Dead 1 was, people’s excitement, the boycott itself and how it’s changed… I think people are just excited now,” he told CVG.

Ad far as the complaints over a sequel being released so soon and the subsequent petition is concerned, Faliszek seemed slightly indifferent to the criticism.

“One of the weird things at E3 was we knew we weren’t showing the complete package, we knew there was a whole bunch of stuff we were holding back but we wanted to show something. Honestly I made the joke and it’s true: If you put $20 in a box and charge $10 for it someone would complain you didn’t put $50 in a box.

“Not to say some of the concerns raised aren’t valid, but you’re always going to have some kind of upset and that’s not how we work. We work at looking at the project and trying to get it out.”

Game’s out this month.

Runic Games has revealed that come January, Torchlight will hit retail outlets.

That means you will have another option should you decide digital purchases are not your thing.

Made developers who previously worked on the Diablo franchise, BigDownload has confirmed that the boxed version will be published by Encore Software and the first patch along with mod tools will be released in the near future.

Great to hear.

Hit the link.