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Kotaku
| Here's Your 2009 Consumer Electronics Show Coverage [Ces09] - 01/08/2009 09:00 PM |
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Even though we're only one day into the show there have already been some interesting news shaking loose from the show. Here's a break down of our coverage: Peripherals and Accessories Games Culture Sony Computer Entertainment Press Conference Microsoft Press Conference |
| The EA PlayStation Home Sports Complex In Motion [Playstation Home] - 01/08/2009 08:30 PM |
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Here's the trailer to go along with EA's official announcement of their first venture into PlayStation Home support, the activity-filled EA Sports Complex. My first reaction to the news that EA was building an interactive sports complex within PlayStation Home was basically, "Great, more places to stick ads". Having seen some of the mini-games they've got lined up for the massive sports playground in the video here, I have to say that it actually looks like there might be fun to be had. Certainly more fun that Home currently boasts. The download times might wind up being a bitch, but it could just be worth it. |
| CES 09: Razer Bringing High-Grade Expensiveness To CES [Accessories] - 01/08/2009 08:00 PM |
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The Mamba, a sleek, "lag free" gaming mouse with the "world’s fastest 5600DPI Razer Precision 3.5G Laser sensor." It's got Teflon coated feet! All that coolness comes with a price tag, $129.99 USD to be exact, or €129.99 if you're on the Euro. It's available starting February. The other thing we'll be going body parts-on with at CES this week is the Razer Carcharias, a professional grade gaming headset that we'll get pronunciation details on soon. Read on for pretty pictures, prices, technical details and much, much more.
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| Barack Obama Backs The Wii [The First Console] - 01/08/2009 07:40 PM |
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In an article in the New York Times in which our soon-to-be President predicts a Florida win over Oklahoma in tonight’s BCS championship game, it is revealed that Barack Obama's daughters received a shiny new Nintendo console when Santa Claus visited this year. Mr. Obama said he’d have his hands full attempting to rescue the American economy. But he has gotten in a little practice in bowling lately on the Nintendo Wii his daughters received for Christmas. Mr. Obama, who famously struggled in bowling during last year’s Democratic primaries, said he performs better in the video game. I don't know much about politics, but it gives me an amazing amount of warm fuzzies knowing there's going to be a game console in the White House. Obama Predicts a Florida Victory [The New York Times via GameCulture] |
| CES 09: MTV Bringing Its Goods To PlayStation Store [Playstation Network] - 01/08/2009 07:30 PM |
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While you may lament that that means nothing but an opportunity to pay for episodes of The Hills and Real Chance At Love, it also includes content from MTV's other properties. The PlayStation Network will soon have access to content from MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Spike, Nickelodeon, TV Land and more. Yes, more South Park and Spongebob Squarepants on your PS3 are not a pipe dream! Read on for the full release.
* Kotaku will not be held responsible for mental anguish incurred by watching Flavor of Love, Rock Of Love Charm School or any other Celebreality branded programming. |
| CES 09: EA Moves Into PlayStation Home [Playstation 3] - 01/08/2009 07:20 PM |
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The EA Sports Complex is part of Electronic Arts' "initial plans" for the PlayStation Home beta, bringing "exclusive new EA Sports multiplayer games" and an opportunity to hang with fellow virtual sports fans. There's also going to be a good chance you'll get to stare at some banners for FIFA 09, if the first glimpse of the EA Sports Complex is anything to go by. EA plans to launch its Home presence this Spring. With Home having seen 3.4 million downloads to PS3 owners and an astounding $1 million spent on virtual goods (seriously?) it certainly makes sense for EA to want some of that exposure and income. Read on for the full release.
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| CES 09: Kaz Says LittleBigPlanet Has Sold 1.3 Million, PSN Accounts At 17 Million [Sony] - 01/08/2009 07:10 PM |
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Hirai also revealed that more than 300,000 user created levels have been made for LittleBigPlanet, with over two years of game play time racked up in the PlayStation 3 game. That's over 17,000 hours by our calculator. Kaz also noted that some 17 million PlayStation Network accounts are in the wild, with 2.1 million of those created in the month of December. Hey, that's the same number of Xbox Live users! How convenient. The final number that the Sony folks wanted to throw out was 330 million. That's the total number of things downloaded from the PlayStation Store. Great success! |
| Creating Fable II's Knothole Island [Video] - 01/08/2009 07:00 PM |
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Earlier today Lionhead Studios announced that Knothole Island is coming to the Xbox 360 on Jan. 13 for $10. Here's a chance to check out all of the hardwork that goes into earning your two fins. |
| EVE Online: Acpocrypha Expands Horizons This March [Expansionism] - 01/08/2009 06:40 PM |
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Using the tried and true giant wormhole mechanic, Apocrypha will open up unexplored areas of the universe to adventurers brave enough to explore them. With new regions of space comes new technology, enabling the crafting of what they are calling the most dynamic ships ever - "Tech 3 modular ships with an astounding amount of customizability that can fill any role from skirmish muscle to industrial support". They are also redoing the new player experience completely in order to give newcomers a better idea of how to survive and prosper in the vast, oftentimes confusing universe, which makes me think that maybe I should start over again for the fresh experience. Hmm. Eve Online: Apocrypha will be available for free in March, coinciding with the Atari-aided retail release. EVE Online: Apocrypha Uncovers a New Version of the Universe Itself Reykjavik, Iceland January 8, 2008- CCP, one of the world’s leading independent game developers, today announced the launch of the tenth free expansion for EVE Online, its popular science-fiction massively multi-player online game (MMOG). EVE Online: Apocrypha is the most ambitious EVE expansion in the game's over five year history and it coincides with the March 10th, 2009 release of EVE Online as a boxed product through a partnership with Atari. The fabric of space itself will be transformed as vast, unpredictable wormholes open to connect previously unexplored regions of the universe to the stars of New Eden. The seeds of advanced new technology await inside of these cosmic anomalies for those brave enough to explore them. This infusion of technology will enable production of the most dynamic vessels ever – Tech 3 modular ships with an astounding amount of customizability that can fill any role from skirmish muscle to industrial support. Furthermore, NPC agents in EVE Online: Apocrypha will be authorized to assign Epic Mission Arcs to the pilots of New Eden. These branching, far-reaching mission strings are full of meaningful stories and more intelligent and deadly adversaries. In addition, we are offering an entirely reworked New Player Experience for those joining (or rejoining) the game – giving them better insight into how to thrive in a truly limitless universe. We’ve already launched EVElopedia—a great repository for information on all things EVE where our players are also building their own living history of the previous five years of Alliance warfare, political intrigue and nostalgic recollection “Just this past week we broke our concurrent user record with 45,186 people flying unbound in the same game world at the same time—a huge percentage of our quarter of a million current subscribers and a true testament to EVE in our sixth year of operation,” said EVE Online Senior Producer Torfi Frans Olafsson. “Today is an unprecedented time to start playing, as you can get ahead of the curve before Apocrypha releases in stores and our hard work hits the server cluster. It’ll be easier than ever to get ‘lost in the wormhole’ that is EVE with what we have planned for the future of our expanding universe.” Leading up to the release of EVE Online: Apocrypha and the boxed version of EVE Online in stores, we’ll be revealing more features on www.eveonline.com. Availability: Visit the EVE website now to sign up for a free 14-day trial account or to reactivate your account to get ahead of the curve. |
| GameStop Claims Triumph Over Recession, Holidays Sales Up 22% [GameStop Triumphant] - 01/08/2009 06:20 PM |
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Is the gaming industry recession proof? Maybe not as far as development studios are concerned, but from a retail perspective things are looking just peachy. Retail gaming giant GameStop, in a press release titled "GameStop Rises Above Recession", have announced that the period between November 2nd and January 3rd saw an increase in sales of 22.3% over last year, with same store sales increasing 10.2%. Good for them. Along with the good financial news, GameStop also informs us that new software sales were up an impressive 23.5%, with Call of Duty: World at War, Guitar Hero World Tour, Gears of War 2, Wrath of the Lich King, and Wii Fit making up the top five sellers of the season. Good for them. GameStop Rises Above Recession Same Store Sales Increase 10% GRAPEVINE, Texas—(BUSINESS WIRE)—GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME), the world’s largest video game and entertainment software retailer, today reported record sales results for the nine-week holiday period, November 2, 2008 thru January 3, 2009. During the 2008 holiday period, total sales were $2,856.0 million, a 22.3% increase from the prior year of $2,334.6 million. Comparable store sales for the period increased 10.2%. New video game software sales were outstanding, growing 23.5% with many titles selling in record numbers. The top five video games sold during the holiday period were Activision’s Call of Duty: World at War and Guitar Hero World Tour, Microsoft’s Gears of War 2, Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, and Nintendo’s Wii Fit. Hardware sales, led by Nintendo’s Wii and Microsoft’s Xbox 360, were also robust, dramatically increasing the installed base of new users that should drive software demand in 2009 and beyond. Daniel DeMatteo, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “As expected, the consumer saw great entertainment value in video games in one of the most challenging holiday shopping seasons ever. In fact, in the midst of a serious recession, our average transaction was higher this year than last. In addition, our proprietary inventory management systems allowed us to maintain a great in-stock position during the busiest season we have ever experienced. A major highlight of the period was that GameStop’s sales grew in every worldwide territory in which we operate; a clear indication that the GameStop model works everywhere.” J. Paul Raines, Chief Operating Officer, noted, “Our store associates did a tremendous job of making sure all of our holiday shoppers found the right systems, games, and accessories to fill their wish lists. Their hard work and knowledge of our wide assortment of game products was critical in serving a record number of GameStop customers. Of note this year, gift card sales during the nine-week period rose 15% over last year and the day after Christmas was the third highest sales volume day in GameStop’s history.” Updated Guidance In a very challenging retail environment, we successfully managed our business to achieve our forecasted earnings. While sales significantly exceeded forecast, gross margin rates were lower than anticipated as a result of a higher mix of hardware sales and the success of our value messaging and promotions during the holiday period. Therefore, we are increasing our fourth quarter 2008 comparable store sales guidance to +9.0% to +9.5%. We are also raising the low end of our previously announced fourth quarter 2008 diluted earnings per share guidance by $0.02, resulting in a range of $1.31 to $1.34, which represents a +15% to +18% increase over the prior year quarter. Full year diluted earnings per share are now forecast to range from $2.37 to $2.40, an increase of +32% to +33% over the prior year. Comparable store sales are projected to increase between +12.0% and +12.5% for the full year, with total sales growing between +24% and +25%. Note that guidance does not include debt retirement costs or merger related expenses. Full year 2008 sales and earnings results and fiscal 2009 earnings guidance are expected to be released in mid-March 2009. |
| Play Wii Tennis With Australian Open Champion [Nintendo] - 01/08/2009 06:00 PM |
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To be eligible to enter you must be able to travel to Melbourne any day during the first week of the Australian Open, which runs from Jan. 19 through Jan. 23... on your own dime if you don't live in Australia. If you're OK with that, or live in Oz, than just hit up the link to submit 25 words or less explaining why you should get the chance to play tennis on Wii against the pro. The good news is that even those who don't get to take on Djokovic can try their Wii Tennis skills out on professionals if they make it to the open. Lacoste's sponsored athletes including Tatiana Golovin and Richard Gasquet, and tennis legend Mats Wilander will be at Lacoste Centre Court, located at Melbourne Central Shot Tower Square on Level 1 to take on challengers. Nintendo At the Australian Open |
| Snowy Fallout 3 DLC Screens, Now With More Ninja [Anchored Down In Anchorage] - 01/08/2009 05:40 PM |
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Bethesda is back to their old three screenshots at a time tricks, delivering three chilly new screenshots from their upcoming Operation Anchorage downloadable content for Fallout 3. The three appropriately snowbound screens are helpfully titled as what they depict. The water screenshot depicts your character staring out over the water; the base screenshot shows off a base; and the ninja screenshot features a guy who is going to die so I can wear his armor. Dressing for success in the world of Fallout 3 is a dangerous game, and a guy in a ninja outfit isn't going to last very long. His death is a moral imperative. The DLC will be available later this month for 800 Microsoft points, or $9.99 in real money.
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| Nyko Waves Their Wand At CES [Ces09] - 01/08/2009 05:20 PM |
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Nyko's The Wand is a Wii remote alternative that features the company's all new Trans-Port technology. While current attachments to your standard Wii remote use mechanical triggers, and therefor cannot vibrate, The Wand can carry over electrical signals as well, meaning that peripherals attached can enjoy a whole-new level of control. In the gallery below you can see a pistol grip attachment they use as an example of the technology, which uses electrical signals to replicate key action buttons on the remote. Interesting. Can't say I care for the color-scheme, which they've carried over from the recently released wireless classic controller, but functionally it sounds like a winner. The Wand should be hitting stores this April. Check out the press release below for Nyko's full CES line up! CES 2009: Nyko Technologies Unveils Full CES Product Lineup The Wand, Charge Station EX and Kama Charge Kit Make Their Debut LOS ANGELES - Jan. 8, 2009 The premier videogame accessories manufacturer, Nyko Technologies®, today debuted its full lineup of new products at the Consumer Electronics Show 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to the previously announced Metal Pedal™ and Charge Station™ Quad, the following lineup of brand new videogame accessories for the Nintendo® Wii™ will be on display for an exclusive hands-on demo: The Wand™ The Nyko Wand is the world’s most advanced alternative to the Wii Remote™ and has been designed from the ground up for superior functionality, comfort, and value. The new controller maintains all of the control functions Wii gamers expect with full motion-sensing capability, pointer functionality, vibration feedback, and a built-in speaker, while offering a variety of new features. The Wand contains Nyko’s all-new Trans-Port™ technology, which enables control and vibration feedback to be electrically replicated on a compatible attachment accessory, providing for faster and more accurate input response. Current attachments made for the Wii Remote can only access buttons through use of mechanical triggers and provide no vibration feedback. One of the many potential uses of Trans-Port technology is a pistol grip that connects to the Wand and electrically replicates key action buttons, providing controls not currently accessible with attachments for the Wii Remote. In addition, enlarged 1 and 2 buttons make the Wand an exceptional choice for classic gaming control when turned sideways, complete with Nyko’s signature rubberized battery cover to ensure maximum comfort and grip. The Wand will be available at select retail stores nationwide in April, 2009. Charge Station™ EX The Charge Station EX is the latest iteration of North America’s best-selling third party videogame accessory, the Charge Station™ for Wii. Also a 2-port Wii Remote charging and storage solution, the Charge Station EX adds LED battery level indicators to the front of the device and a new sleek look. Now users will be able to determine not only when a controller is charging but also the charge level of the battery based on the LED indicators. The Charge Station™ EX will be available at stores nationwide in April, 2009 and will retail for an MSRP of $34.99. Kama Charge Kit™ The Kama Charge Kit is an all-in-one charging solution for the Wii. The device simultaneously stores and charges both the Wii Remote™ and the Kama controllers in one convenient unit. Included with the Kama Charge Kit is a Kama Wireless Controller, a rechargeable battery pack, and a rubberized battery cover for both the Wii Remote and Kama controllers to allow for seamless drop-in charging. The Kama Charge Kit will be available at stores nationwide in April, 2009. For those who are attending CES and would like to personally visit with Nyko for a hands-on demo of the new accessories in their hospitality suite, please contact Quinn Wageman at the following email address to schedule an appointment: quinn@triplepointpr.com For more information on these and other Nyko products, please visit: www.nyko.com. |
| Time Warner Intrigued By Video Gaming, Prepares Poking Stick [Time Warner] - 01/08/2009 05:00 PM |
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"The games area is an area that intrigues us," said Martin at an investor conference in Arizona. "That said, I don't see anything right now of any scale that we're going to go out and acquire. I think it's going to be done incrementally." Well, it is a buyer's market right now. I'm sure Time Warner could pick up Free Radical for a song, and I can't imagine Midway would be too adverse to a White Knight either. If the quality of recent TT Games, I'm looking at your LEGO Batman, is any sign of how Time Warner runs purchases, I for one would love to see a Free Radical richly-backed and plugging away at that Time Splitters sequel we've all been waiting for. UPDATE: Time Warner CFO: Video Gaming 'Intrigues Us' |
| Red Alert 3 Launches PC Uprising In March [Expansionism] - 01/08/2009 04:40 PM |
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Command & Conquer Red Alert 3: Uprising picks up where the original game left off, with the Soviets dealing with their utter defeat, the Empire of the Rising Sun trying to regain their honor, and the Allies dealing with corruption in their ranks. New in the expansion is the Commander's Challenge, which lets players take on nine different commanders in 50 unique challenges. Challenge mode, if you will. “Uprising is a game that in many ways reflects the feedback we have gotten from the Command & Conquer community,” said Amer Ajami, Senior Producer at EA Los Angeles. “We’re giving gamers more of what they want – more of the fast, fluid and fun gameplay, more of the story we began to tell in Red Alert 3 and more cutscenes featuring top-notch Hollywood talent. Speaking of Hollywood talent, EA plans to introduce new additions to the cast in the near future. Uprising will be available exclusively for the PC in March via digital download. EA’s Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 Returns With an Uprising LOS ANGELES—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced today that the third iteration of the Command & ConquerTM franchise’s beloved Red AlertTM series is returning with Command & Conquer™ Red Alert™ 3: Uprising exclusively for the PC. An epic single-player campaign expansion, the standalone title catapults players deeper into the Red Alert universe, giving them more of the action-packed gameplay they have been clamoring for, while offering a gauntlet of new and compelling challenges with the new Commander’s Challenge mode. Command & Conquer Red Alert 3: Uprising will be available for digital download this March. “Uprising is a game that in many ways reflects the feedback we have gotten from the Command & Conquer community,” said Amer Ajami, Senior Producer at EA Los Angeles. “We’re giving gamers more of what they want – more of the fast, fluid and fun gameplay, more of the story we began to tell in Red Alert 3 and more cutscenes featuring top-notch Hollywood talent. At the same time, we’re excited we’re going to be able to bring new things to the mix, including new units and the Commander’s Challenge, which is a great way for players to hone their skills and get deeper into the combat.” Command & Conquer Red Alert 3: Uprising takes players into the aftermath of the epic battles in Red Alert 3, with the Soviets still reeling from a crushing defeat, the Empire of the Rising Sun desperately trying to regain both honor and identity and the seemingly victorious Allies finding themselves in the midst of corruption and deceit within their own ranks. In addition to four mini-campaigns, one for each faction and one bonus campaign centered on the origins of the Empire of the Rising Sun’s commando Yuriko, Command & Conquer Red Alert 3: Uprising will also introduce the new Commander’s Challenge, enabling the players to test their skills against a set of nine commanders from different territories and difficulty levels in 50 unique challenges with their own special rules and unique conditions. In true Command & Conquer fashion, top Hollywood talent will be delivering the gripping story in full HD live-action cinematics. Fan favorites Gemma Atkinson and Ivana Milicevic will make their stunning return to the high ranks of the Allied and Soviet leaderships and will be joined by an all new set of stars, who will be announced soon. Command & Conquer Red Alert 3: Uprising is a standalone game and does not require Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 to play. This product has not yet been rated by the ESRB, PEGI or USK. For more information about Red Alert 3, please visit www.redalert3.com. Fans of Command & Conquer can continue to get their fix 24 hours a day, seven days a week at Command & Conquer TV, EA’s dedicated online Command & Conquer network that goes beyond the game and brings players all the latest news, tips and strategies. |
| Godfather II Ships In Late February, Pre-Orders Get Exclusive Mobster [Ships With The Fishes] - 01/08/2009 04:20 PM |
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Players will be able to act like a mobster and think like a Don come late February, as the Godfather II ships to North American stores on the 24th, with Europe following soon after on the 27th. Players who pre-order the game will be able to recruit Tommy Cipolla to their crew, a special multi-talented mobster who is both a medic and an arsonist, the two great tastes that taste great together. Tommy also comes equipped with a level 2 shotgun, whereas standard recruits only start with level one firearms. In the game, this means you gain a strategic advantage early on in your criminal career. In real life, Tommy would have just shot you and continued on with the game himself. Build Your Crime Family in EA’s The Godfather II REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) and Paramount Digital Entertainment today announced that The Godfather® II videogame will be shipping on February 24th in North America and on February 27th in Europe. The Godfather II allows players to both act like a mobster and think like a Don, by immersing them in a 1960’s organized crime world. As a Don, players can build a crew and grow their family in an effort to become the most powerful mob syndicate in America. Players will be able to choose how and when to use their Made men, either by commanding them directly in battle as part of their crew, or by sending them to do a job in another part of the world – bombing rival family rackets, attacking their businesses, or defending your own. Players who pre-order The Godfather II at participating retailers worldwide will receive an exclusive crew member, named Tommy Cipolla, to hire into their family. While the other soldiers at the start of the game come equipped with one specialty and level-one firearms, Tommy will be the only crew member to possess two specialties – arsonist and medic – as well as carry a level-two double-barreled shotgun. With Tommy in your family, players will have a strategic advantage in the game, using his advanced skills either directly in battle, or sending him to take over and defend rackets on his own. The Godfather II takes the open-world genre in an entirely new direction. Part of the fascination with The Godfather fiction is the feeling of power that comes with being the Don of an organized crime family – and The Godfather II game puts the control in your hands. While at its heart The Godfather II remains an action game, it also features deep new strategic gameplay mechanics never before seen in an open-world game. The strategic elements to the game allow you to extend the fantasy of building and running your own organized crime family. This means that you have to build and invest in your family, manage your businesses, and reach out to corrupt officials – all of which is done through the revolutionary Don’s View. The Don’s View is a 3D representation of your criminal empire in all three cities; it allows you to coordinate your strategy, plan hits on rival Made men, attack enemy rackets, and much more. The Godfather II delivers the ultimate organized crime experience by allowing you to call the shots. Developed at the EA Redwood Stores studio, The Godfather II will be coming to the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and PC. The Godfather II has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB and 18+ for PEGI. For more information about The Godfather franchise, please visit http://godfather2.ea.com and/or the EA press website at http://info.ea.com. |
| Fable II's Knothole Island DLC Hits Next Week [Fable II] - 01/08/2009 04:00 PM |
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Knothole Island will come with three new quests set in three new dungeons, a new range of outfits, six new weapons, dozens of new potions and new weapon customization. A free content updating hitting Live on Jan. 13 will also give players a collection of gifts from Knothole Island including Knight's Boots, Assassins Gloves, a special Weight Loss Potion and a collectible silver book. |
| Here Is American Money, Grandma [Night Note] - 01/08/2009 03:30 PM |
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To: Bashcraft Every night, we flip on the news — Mrs. Bashcraft listens to it while making dinner. Mini-Bash plays with his toys or makes something, but also tunes in, watches. This afternoon, he decided he wanted to send a letter to Grandma. Better yet, he wanted to send money to Grandma. "The economy is bad in America," he told me. He scribbled on some paper, asked me how to write "Here is money" in English, gathered up all the loose US coins he could find. The grand total? 83 cents. Let's hope grandma doesn't spend that all in one place. What you missed last night |
| The Men, And Women, Of Video Game Voice Work [Actors] - 01/08/2009 03:00 PM |
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The cheaters are using guys like John "Bender" Di Maggio, who have done voice work for tons of characters, and by listing characters like "Over the Hedge - Dwayne the Exterminator/Rat #2". Which aren't so great. But the rest? Interesting stuff! Esepcially the bit about Nolan North, aka Nathan Drake, aka the most mis-cast Prince of Persia imaginable. Did you know he even made it into Halo 3? Well, he did! 70 Great Game Characters Unmasked [Gameplayer] |
| This Is A New Prototype Clip [Clips] - 01/08/2009 02:30 PM |
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Check out this new video clip of the game in action. New Prototype video is incredible [VG247] |
| There Are 25 Million Copies Of Halo In The Wild [Ces09] - 01/08/2009 02:30 PM |
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That's across all three games across both platforms, so we're looking at an average of five million sales for each. Impressive! Even more so when you remember the PC games didn't sell anywhere near as many as the console ones, so the Xbox iterations are more likely averaging 7-8 million. A number that, with Halo 3:ODST and Halo Wars due this year, is only going to go up. CES 09: Liveblogging Microsoft's CES Keynote: Just The Games [Image] |
| Media Molecule's Metal Gear Solid 4 Posters, Box Art [Littlebigplanet] - 01/08/2009 01:30 PM |
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There are three sackified posters to ogle, along with a printer-friendly, high-resolution version of a replacement box art for Metal Gear Solid 4. Or LittleBigPlanet. Whichever tickles your fancy, or is in most need of looking sickeningly adorable. |
| "How Do I Change The Color Of SoulCalibur Female Underpants?" [Maximum Risky] - 01/08/2009 01:00 PM |
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According to the individual who supplied these pages to game site UK:R, "I have deleted the recipient's name for privacy, but it's a genuine fax." So, yeah, go on, read and remember: THIS IS SERIOUS. INTERNAL SEGA COMMUNICATIONS - SOUL CALIBUR PANTS-COLOUR CHEAT CONFUSION MADE GOOD [UK:R] |
| Aliens: Colonial Marines Due Before July [Aliens] - 01/08/2009 12:30 PM |
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A presser sent out by Sega Europe today has the game tentatively slated for a "Q1 2009" release. That's obviously not a calendar Q1, since then it'd be out before March, and is more likely to mean April-June, the first quarter of Sega Japan's financial year. Not too long, then! Six months, at the most (KNOCKONWOOD). SEGA confirms Aliens: Colonial Marines still alive [videogamer] |
| Asia Getting New PSP Colors [PSP] - 01/08/2009 12:00 PM |
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On January 15, SCE Asia is releasing PSP-3006s in "Radiant Red" and "Vibrant Blue." Each is priced at $1,380 HKD (US$177). The PSP, Now In "Carnival Colors" [Siliconera] |
| Sony To Bring In-House Racing Studios Together [Sony] - 01/08/2009 11:30 AM |
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In an interview with GI.biz, Sony's Michael Denny says that, while the two studios currently share the same management, the two will eventually be smooshed together to share the same building. Which, if even if they didn't officially merge the pair as something like SCEE Vroom Vroom, would result in enough movement of staff between the two that our last, thread-bare link to Psygnosis (as SCEE Liverpool were known as in a former life) would be gone forever. Sony's Michael Denny - Part Two [GI.biz] |
| Teacher Robbed At Game Center, Student Information Stolen [Arcade] - 01/08/2009 11:00 AM |
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The teacher's purse contained her class register, and that contained personal information about the students such as their names, personal info and a class photo. She is in charge of 34 second graders at Kandaiji Elementary in Yokohama. In Japan, teachers are prohibited from taking things like official documents outside school grounds. At around 10pm, the teacher stopped by a game center near Kawasaki Station. She put her purse down while, we assume, getting into whatever game she was playing, and within the span of 15 minutes, her purse was gone. The teacher has apologized, saying, "I feel truly awful about what happened." 女性教諭がゲームに熱中 その隙に学級名簿盗まれる [Sankei via 痛いニュース] |
| Kodu CES Presentation Clip [Clips] - 01/08/2009 10:30 AM |
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| Free Gears of War 2 Flashback Map Pack Now For Sale [Xbox 360] - 01/08/2009 10:00 AM |
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These maps were supposed to be available for free only to those who purchased the game new at Gears of War 2 Flashback maps hit XBLM for $5 [Xbox 360 Fanboy] |
| Believe, There Will Be New Ghost Recon & Rainbow Six [Rumor] - 01/08/2009 09:30 AM |
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Yes, after lacklustre, lazy previous outings for both brands, new games in the series are to be shown off this year. Far be it from us to play the prophet, but if both games don't turn up as reboots for the franchises, we'll eat our soft, purple prophet's turbans. Ubi readies new Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six [CVG] |
| No Men Allowed (For A Long Time Now...) [Purikura] - 01/08/2009 09:00 AM |
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According to the piece, "A growing number of arcade operators are banning men from areas around these machines—popularly known as purikura—to protect customers, such as high school students, from men trying to sneak camera shots, steal their belongings or e |
The 2009 Consumer Electronics Show officially kicked off today and our very own Mike McWhertor is feet down, hands-on at the show with an eye towards gaming do-dads, announcements and goodies.
Razer, maker of all things gaming, shiny and precision-oriented, have a couple of new wares readied for CES 2009 — the Razer Mamba gaming mouse and Razer Carcharias a "circumaural" headset. Oh yeah, they're pricey!
Sure, 
Sony announced at its CES keynote today that the PlayStation Network will get a big boost from MTV. The network is bringing 2,000 hours of quality* programming to Sony's video service in February.
Electronic Arts has the keys to Home. SCE head honcho Kaz Hirai announced the mega-publisher's support of the PlayStation 3 virtual space at Sony's CES keynote, with EA backing 'em up with a formal announcement.
Sony Computer Entertainment boss Kaz Hirai had some fresh PlayStation data for the CES crowd today. Probably most important to Sony's PlayStation 3 fortunes are LittleBigPlanet sales, which Kaz says now total 1.3 million worldwide.
CCP draws back the curtain today on EVE Online: Apocrypha, the 10th free expansion for their popular space MMORPG, delivering whole new regions of the universe to explore. 
GameStop stands proudly in the snow, one foot atop the neatly decapitated recession monster as it proudly proclaims its triumph over the failing economy, with holiday sales up 22% over last year. 
Nintendo is giving one gamer a chance to take on Australian Open Champion, and third best tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic in a game of Wii Tennis. But wait, there's quite a catch.
Debuting along with a few Wii charge kits at CES 2009, The Wand is Nyko's answer to the Wii Remote, featuring the ability to electrically replicate vibration feedback and control in attached devices.
Time Warner's recent acquisition of LEGO-crazy game developer TT Games was "wildly successful", and has the media giant considering expansion into the video game industry, Time Warner Chief Financial Office John Martin told investors Wednesday.
The epic saga of Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 continues this March with Uprising, a PC-exclusive standalone expansion that takes the single-player campaign to a whole new level. 
EA and Paramount Digital have announced the official ship date for their second game in The Godfather franchise, with a multi-talented pre-order exclusive mobster joining the crew of those who join the family early. 
Fable II's Knothole Island hits Xbox Live worldwide on Jan. 13 for $10 (800MP). And the expansion isn't coming without gifts. Even gamers who don't purchase it will get some freebies next week.
There's a neat feature up on Gameplayer at the moment. It's pulling back the veil on the voice actors behind 70 of gaming's greatest characters (though they cheat on some, and others aren't so great).
Shape-shifting sandbox title Prototype is ready to morph onto consoles this summer. It's got superhero strength, stealth and even parkour. Something for the whole family!
Yup, more from Robbie Bach's 
Metal Gear Solid 4's promotional campaign was quite easy on the eye. But it was also serious. These Metal Gear Solid 4 posters by LittleBigPlanet creators Media Molecule are less serious.
This is serious stuff. Very serious. An interoffice Namco conversation regarding changing panty colors for the Dreamcast version of SoulCalibur. No, really.
Bit hard not to be excited about Gearbox's new Aliens shooter. But how can we plan our excitement schedule if we don't know when the game's coming out?
What better way to celebrate the New Year than with new PSP colors. Sony Computer Entertainment Asia is doing just that with not one, but two new PSP shades.
Sony have two in-house racing developers. Evolution Studios, who do MotorStorm, and SCEE Liverpool, who do WipeOut. Seems a bit silly having two teams doing the one genre, doesn't it? Does to Sony.
Be careful! As an elementary school teacher in her twenties found out, people do steal things at Japanese game centers. And sometimes it's worse than money.
That's Gears of War 2 Flashback Map Pack is now available on Xbox LIVE Markeplace. Remember 
According to sources speaking to CVG, Ubisoft are planning to release new versions of both Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six this year. Try and regain your composure from the shock of it all to read on.
Girls only. Japan's Asahi Shimbun has an article about how Japanese arcades are banning men from sticker picture machines. Why'd they do that?