Zynga shutting down Street Racing game, offering credit for in-game purchases

by JC Fletcher on Jul 31st 2010 3:00AM

Casual giant Zynga is shutting down its Street Racing game on August 2, immediately rendering void all the in-game items players bought with real money. Zynga offered no explanation in the announcement, simply suggesting that players try other Zynga games. Naturally, people whose fake worlds have crashed around them are upset, starting a petition in Zynga's forum to stop the game from disappearing.

Zynga told Develop that it wouldn't be offering refunds on the money spent in-game, opting instead to give credits equivalent to the cost of any purchase made in the last 90 days, plus an extra 100 units of virtual currency, all usable in other Zynga games. Which is really going to satisfy the people planning to stop playing Zynga games when Street Racing goes away.

View the original article here

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Inactive Aion accounts reactivated for double XP weekend

Over on the official Aion message boards, NCsoft has announced a "Double Your Fun" weekend, during which all players will receive double experience points.. In addition, all inactive Aion accounts will be reactivated for the weekend in order to entice lapsed players. If you've had an inkling to revisit the world of Atreia, this looks like the weekend to do it. Find the double XP schedule for each server after the break. Siel & Vaizel: Friday, July 30, 8:00am PDT until Monday, August 2, 3:00pm PDTIsraphel & Zikel: Friday, July 30, 8:00am EDT until Monday, August 2, 3:00pm EDTNezekan: Friday, July 30, 8:00am AEST until Monday, August 2nd, 3:00pm EDT

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Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions' other costumes revealed

You didn't think that Peter Parker's wardrobe would only contain four outfits in his upcoming outing, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, did you? No, no sir. Revealed during Marvel's Comic-Con panel were a handful of new costumes which will be unlockable in-game, and offered as pre-order bonuses at select retailers. Gamestop - Cosmic Costume Amazon - Iron Spider Costume Kmart - Scarlet Spider Costume Best Buy - Negative Zone Costume Unlockables - Spider Armor Costume, Mangaverse CostumeNote that the slides announcing the retailer bonuses mention that pre-orders will "get a code to unlock

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Irrational Games event on August 11th in NYC, game reveal probable

We don't know much about "Project Icarus," the still-codenamed and much-anticipated new game from Irrational Games, the Boston-based dev behind BioShock. While BioShock 2 has come and gone out of spinoff 2K Marin, and we've already gotten our hands on 2K Marin's followup, XCOM, we still don't have a shred of information on what Irrational's been working on over the last three years.

That's all likely to change on August 11th when Ken Levine and company are holding an event in New York City. We received the above invitation today and, while it's short on details, it promises that "details and formal email invitations" will be arriving shortly. Until then, peruse the above image for any hidden secrets it might hold. New York City, is that a clue? August 11th? That's the 223rd day of the year but what does it mean? It's Hulk Hogan's birthday ... are you seeing what we're seeing? It all makes sense now!

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See how the other half lives in Gears of War 3 'Beast Mode' footage

We didn't think there was anything slower in the whole, entire universe than one of Gears of War 3's lumbering, impossibly muscle-bound protagonists. We were wrong -- as evidenced by the two GameTrailers videos posted below, that honor goes to the new Beast Mode's "Berserker" character.


Source: GameTrailers "

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The Force Unleashed 2 dev diary certainly does unleash the force

We knew the Sithdi (Jedith?) known as Starkiller had some serious Force-wielding prowess in the series' first installment, but if the dev diary for The Force Unleashed 2 posted below is any indication, we haven't really seen anything yet. Force Push is great -- but Force Disintegrate is better.

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Street Fighter X Tekken (and vice versa) revealed at Comic-Con

According to Event Hubs, Capcom producer Yoshinori Ono recently dropped a fairly sizable bomb on attendees of the company's "Street Fighter Mania!: SSFIV and Beyond" panel at Comic-Con: Street Fighter X Tekken. The oft-rumored project will be developed by Capcom using the Street Fighter IV engine (only with two-fighter tag team battles), and will feature a number of fighters from Namco's similarly successful fighting franchise, including Kazuya and Nina Williams.

But that's not all! Ono also revealed that Namco Bandai would be developing Tekken X Street Fighter, which will be developed in-house at Tekken, and spearheaded by long-time franchise producer Katsuhiro Harada. Both titles will be released for 360 and PS3, though according to a cheeky slide at the end of the presentation, the current release window is "not for a while!" Source: Event Hubs "

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Rock Band 3 adds Tears for Fears, Marilyn Manson, The B-52s and Def Leppard

The Rock Band Twitter account has been a real beehive of activity as of late. No wonder, considering Harmonix has slowly been teasing new artists coming to Rock Band 3. So far, Tears for Fears, Marilyn Manson, The B-52s and Def Leppard have been confirmed for the game.

Harmonix promises to slowly trickle out more artists as Comic-Con progresses this weekend, so we'll be sure to relay the info as it's made available. In the meanwhile, we suggest you grab your hot pants and celebrate!

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Breaking Benjamin, Weezer and more added to Guitar Hero iPhone store

"Hello, Apple Customer Support, this is Janice speaking. How may I help you?"

"Does my iPhone replacement plan cover ... um, if I accidentally jammed my thumbs through my screen?"

"If you jam your -- sir, I have to ask ... were you attempting to play 'My Name is Jonas' on Expert on the Guitar Hero App?"

"How on Earth did you know?"

"Sir, you're the twentieth person to call with that issue today. Oh, and the answer to your question is of course not."

Click past the jump to see all the tracks from Breaking Benjamin, Coldplay, Rise Against and Weezer which were recently added to the Music Store on Guitar Hero for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Also, be gentle with those thumbs, okay?

Breaking Benjamin Song Pack ($1.99, includes the three songs listed below) "Breath" "So Cold" "Give Me a Sign"Coldplay Song Pack ($1.99, includes the three songs listed below) "Clocks" "Viva la Vida" "Yellow"Rise Against Song Pack ($1.99, includes the three songs listed below) "The Good Left Undone" "Audience of One" "Prayer of the Refugee"Weezer Song Pack ($1.99, includes the three songs listed below) "The Good Life" "My Name Is Jonas" "Pork And Beans"Show full PR textContinuing to bring great bands and hot tracks to the popular and successful Guitar Hero App for iPhone and iPod touch, Activision Publishing, Inc. announced today four new song packs. Available for purchase through the app's in-game store, gamers can now experience the music stylings of Breaking Benjamin, Coldplay, Rise Against and Weezer. The song packs will contain the following tracks:


Breaking Benjamin Song Pack

"Breath"

"So Cold"

"Give Me a Sign"


Coldplay Song Pack

"Clocks"

"Viva la Vida"

"Yellow"


Rise Against Song Pack

"The Good Left Undone"

"Audience of One"

"Prayer of the Refugee"


Weezer Song Pack

"The Good Life"

"My Name Is Jonas"

"Pork And Beans"


"Guitar Hero is an absolute phenomenon and we are so excited to have our music included in the new app!" said Zach Blair, Rise Against guitarist. "Guitar Hero introduces kids to a well of music they never would have heard otherwise. I wish they had this around when I was a kid. It's just amazing!"


In addition to these four song packs, Activision has also released a free song pack featuring two rock-inspired national anthems – "God Save the Queen (GH Version) and "The Star-Spangled Banner (GH version)" – recorded exclusively for Guitar Hero by Steve Ouimette. Additionally, the song pack will include two in-game guitars with flag-inspired designs patterned after "Old Glory" and "Union Jack" for players to select for their avatar.


Published by Activision and created by Guitar Hero veteran developer, Vicarious Visions, Inc., and built exclusively from the ground up for the iPhone and iPod touch, the Guitar Hero app takes full advantage of the platforms' functionality and features all-new, innovative gameplay that will keep players rocking out as they strum, tap, slide and whammy to the hottest tracks from bands they know and love. The game also features a robust avatar customization mode that lets players personalize their game; built-in social integration so gamers can share their scores with their friends on Facebook, check leaderboards and get updates through in-game news feeds; intuitive new mechanics that challenge fans to tap, strum and whammy their way to the top of the Rock Ranks; and the ability to download new tracks from an in-game music store; wannabe rock stars will be shredding on guitar or ripping it up on bass whenever, wherever they want.


Guitar Hero for iPhone and iPod touch is available for $2.99 from the App Store at http://itunes.apple.com/app/id374801345 and features Queen, Rise Against, The Rolling Stones, Vampire Weekend, Weezer and The White Stripes. Song packs are only available through the Guitar Hero app and cost $1.99 each. For more information about Guitar Hero for iPhone and iPod touch, please visit GuitarHero.com. "

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Stroke of genius: Okami's Amaterasu in Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Joining the mighty Thor in Marvel vs. Capcom 3's character lineup is Amaterasu, sun goddess, white wolf and star of Capcom's Okami. She may be the smallest fighter on the roster, but, as you can see in the video after the break, she's as fierce as she is amazingly rendered.

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Browse these new details and screens from Battlestar Galactica Online

Our MMO-centric sister site Massively received a whole mess of gameplay details and screenshots from Bigpoint's promising browser-based MMO, Battlestar Galactica Online. Players will be able to choose between the Human and Cylon factions, will be able to create their own out-of-ship avatars, and will progress through individual quests and story-based missions exclusive to their own factions. For instance, Cylons might be tasked with preparing a fresh slice of toast. (Because Cylons look like toasters. Obviously.)

For more details, check out the info Massively managed to glean from Bigpoint. For visual images you can see with your eyes, check out the gallery below. Battlestar Galactica Online (7/23/10)

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New Halo novels to continue Ghosts of Onyx story

Tor Books has announced that a new series of Halo novels are on the way. Not to be confused with the upcoming trilogy by Greg Bear, these will be penned by Karen Traviss, author of the Gears of War novels as well as the short story "Human Weakness" from the 2009 Halo Evolutions collection.

The first new novel to be penned by Traviss will serve as a sequel to Ghosts of Onyx, and will reveal the fate of its team of Spartans. The series promises to "explore the Halo Universe in the wake of the final events of Halo 3." Presumably, the novels will also contain a heavy does of alien murder. We've contacted Tor in hopes of pinning down a release window for the new novels. Meanwhile, Bear's trilogy is set to debut this year.

Find the press release after the break.

Show full PR textTor Books announces new Halo novels with #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Traviss

Veteran author of bestselling Star Wars and Gears of War novels to follow up her contribution to the "Halo: Evolutions" story anthology with an all-new series set in the Halo Universe

New York, NY – July 20, 2010 - Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC-the largest publisher of science fiction in the world is excited to announce that Karen Traviss, who has penned number one bestselling novels in the Star Wars universe, as well as bestselling novels for the Gears of War franchise, will be writing the successor novel to Halo: Ghosts of Onyx in the first part of a multi-book deal to explore the Halo Universe in the wake of the final events of Halo 3. Halo novels published by Tor have sold over a million combined copies to date, and in 2010 Tor will also publish the first in a new Halo trilogy by science fiction icon Greg Bear. The highly-anticipated Xbox 360 video game "Halo: Reach" is scheduled to release September 14.

Traviss, whose first foray into the Halo Universe came with "Human Weakness," a short story from Fall 2009's New York Times bestselling Halo: Evolutions anthology, says of the opportunity:

"When I was invited to write Halo fiction I already knew it'd be right up my street; not just because military fiction is my specialty, but because there's also huge unexplored depth, grey areas, and really uncomfortable moral dilemmas that underpin the Halo story, and that's like catnip to a writer like me. I write what's known as tight third person – that is, I get right inside each character's head and see the world as they see experience it – and Halo offers some terrific chances to explore some fascinating psyches caught in complex situations."

"Halo fiction fans are incredibly passionate about the fate of the Spartans of Onyx and the state of the Halo universe in the aftermath of the game events," adds Frank O'Connor, 343 Industries Director of Franchise Development. "We know that Karen has the talent, skill and passion to not only bring those stories to life, but also bring her experience a fresh new perspective too."

#1 New York Times best-selling author KAREN TRAVISS has received critical acclaim and award nominations for her Wess'har series, as well as regularly hitting the bestseller lists with her Star Wars and Gears of War novels. A former defense correspondent and TV and newspaper journalist, she lives in Wiltshire, England.

The Halo franchise is an award-winning collection of properties that have grown into a global entertainment phenomenon. Beginning with the original "Halo: Combat Evolved" for Xbox in 2001, the rich fiction of the franchise has since inspired a series of blockbuster Xbox and Xbox 360 video games, New York Times best-selling novels, comic books, action figures, apparel and more. To date, sales in the Halo franchise have eclipsed $1.7 billion. The newest game in the franchise, the highly-anticipated blockbuster prequel to the award winning Halo trilogy, "Halo: Reach," is due out in the fall. With a fully fleshed-out universe of heroes, villains and epic scenarios, the novels expand the universe to give fans a grander view of the game environments and characters they encounter.

About Tor Books
Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, is a New York-based publisher of hardcover and softcover books, founded in 1980 and committed (although not limited) to SF and fantasy literature. Between an extensive hardcover and trade-softcover line, an Orb backlist program, and a stronghold in mass-market paperback, Tor annually publishes what is arguably the largest and most diverse line of science fiction and fantasy ever produced by a single English-language publisher. Books from Tor have won every major award in the SF and fantasy fields, and for the last twenty-two years in a row the company has been named Best Publisher in the Locus Poll, the largest consumer poll in SF. "

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North Carolina to provide tax breaks for game companies

North Carolina is going to provide some epic tax breaks to video game developers. According to the ESA, a bill signed by Governor Beverly Perdue will provide a 15 percent tax credit on "wages and compensation for employees involved in digital media production, or the creation of a platform or engine to run such media." Of course, the big winner here is North Carolina-based Epic Games, which swims in a lake of Unreal Engine money and develops games in its spare time. However, other benefactors of the tax breaks include Electronic Arts, Ubisoft and another dozen or so developers in the state. The incentives take effect January 1, 2011.

Publishers, developers and governments use tax breaks like Ezio wields the hidden blade. It's a weapon, either for financial defense (which seems to be the case in North Carolina) or aggression. With Canada's relentless siren call of tax incentives, if other countries and states don't step up their game, The Great White North will continue its Tim Hortons-fueled march to eventually developing most of the world's video games. Source: ESA "

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Mass Effect PC is this weekend's EA Summer deal, on sale for $5

If your cash flow has been irreparably dammed by some unknown stoppage, yet you're looking for a meaty action-RPG to chew on this weekend, EA's offering a deal which seems right up your alley. For this weekend only, you can grab the original Mass Effect on PC for five American dollars.
Should you find the plight of Commander Shepard to be particularly gripping, you can also invest in the PC version of the game's sequel for the discounted price of $24. We're Joystiq.com, and this is our favorite weekend discount on the Citadel. Via: Thrifty Nerd Source: EA Store "

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Company of Heroes CD keys to unlock unspecified bonuses in Company of Heroes Online

The free-to-play Company of Heroes Online won't fully replace that disc copy of Company of Heroes you have, as there's still at least one important piece of content for which you'll need the disc -- even if that piece of content is a Company of Heroes Online extra.

"We are urging people to hang onto their CD keys," producer Greg Wilson told PC Gamer. "We don't have the details yet, but we really appreciate our current retail CoH fanbase, we love them and we recognise that they helped us get where we are today with this franchise. We want to make sure they feel appreciated, so there will be something special for people who are retail owners. News of that will come." So if you were going to shatter your disc in rage about the freemium followup, keep the CD key. Just in case.

As for people who haven't yet discovered Company of Heroes, and who play other free-to-play stuff on Facebook, Wilson hopes that some of the millions of players participating in social games will "get tired of that fast food style of gameplay, and they'll want to graduate to something a bit more – whether that's a triple-A PC title or something in between." Company of Heroes Online

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WRUP: Joystiq iPhone, iPod Touch reminder edition

This is a friendly reminder that our free Joystiq iPhone / iPod Touch app is now available -- it's real purdy. Also, even if you don't have one of the compatible iDevices, it's still important to rate the app on iTunes and/or leave a comment requesting it for other mobile doohickeys (like Android) on our announcement post. See, apps are made by developer fairies and they are fed with wishes and praise. So, you understand, it's important to do both for the current app.

What's everyone playing this weekend?

Alexander Sliwinski (

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Activision unleashes Cabela's North American Adventures this September

When we're closest to death, that's when we feel most alive. We're pretty sure somebody said that once. What better way to truly feel alive than to fight ferocious animals to the death? Too bad all of those guns and vests and airfare really add up.

We've got a relatively safer and cheaper solution: Cabela's North American Adventures. It's the newest entry in the Cabela line of titles, Activision announced today -- set to grace the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP and Wii systems this September. The Wii version will ship with the Top Shot gun peripheral that debuted with Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010.

Cabela's North American Adventures will ship with a custom gun utility that allows players to create their own weapons from a variety of different receivers, stocks, barrels and scopes, and also provides players with their own in-game cameraman. He should come in handy should you run out of ammo and need something to distract the bears while you make your escape.

The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game will allow up to four players to connect via the internet and engage in group hunts. Performances will then be added to an online leaderboard to find out who's best at killing Bambi's mom.
Cabela's North American Adventures

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Rumor: Disney eyeing Playdom acquisition

TechCrunch and VentureBeat both have sources claiming Disney is ready to purchase social gaming developer Playdom for over $600 million. There are currently obscene amounts of money being invested in the social gaming arena; just last year EA purchased Playfish, another big player in the space, for $300 million.

Disney Interactive Media, which continues to have annual losses, has been working on making or buying a mega-money maker. Split/Second obviously isn't panning out, but Club Penguin seems to be doing fine. There's also the question of how the company will eventually incorporate the Marvel properties, unless it opts to continue licensing those out. The Playdom purchase, if true, would give the company access to a demographic that its current mouse house of studios doesn't directly service. Source: TechCrunch, VentureBeat "

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Scott Pilgrim vs. the World price, pre-order bonus announced

While it's unlikely Scott Pilgrim vs. the World will be sold out when it launches on the PlayStation Store's virtual shelves next month, you may still want to pre-order the game. Ubisoft's official online store is throwing in a special bonus: a free "Sex Bob-omb" t-shirt for your PlayStation Home avatar.

Okay, this may not be the most exciting pre-order bonus ever concocted, but there's still good reason to be excited. The Ubishop has Scott Pilgrim listed at $9.99, bucking the recent trend of $15 downloads. We definitely approve. Scott Pilgrim vs the World (Comic Con)

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Lara Croft Avatar items and premium theme coming to Marketplace

If your anticipation for the co-op treasure-plundering action of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is so strong that you're seeking for outlets through which to give Crystal Dynamics money, here's your chance. A handful of Avatar items based on the XBLA title will arrive on the Xbox Live Marketplace July 29. The particulars and prices of these items have yet to be revealed, though a handful of images posted in the gallery below indicate costumes for Lara, her partner-in-raiding Totec, a Tomb Raider-themed T-shirt, a hideous matted wig and ... some kind of ... demon suit.

The background featured in these images is actually available on the Marketplace today for 240 MSP, under the title "The Lava Tomb." It's perfect for those who think their menu navigation experience could use a bit more molten rock and ugly statuettes.
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light Avatar items

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Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter clawing its way to PSP/PS3 Minis in August

Sure, you could pick up a Cabela game and go hunting for some helpless deer. Or, you can man up and start hunting dinosaurs.

Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter is the second "minis" game from developer Beatshapers, who previously worked on NormalTanks. You'll be tracking down fifteen different dinosaurs in five different levels, using a variety of weapons, including sniper rifles and crossbows.

Don't expect an arcade-style game in the style of Turok, though. According to the press release, you'll have to take into account "wind direction" and use a "special dinosaur call" to successfully track and locate dinosaurs to hunt. That probably sounds something like this: "Oh my god, please don't eat me!"

Carnivores will be available for PSP and PS3 next month. Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter

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Burn Zombie Burn sets the PC ablaze in early August

We're getting closer and closer to a PC launch of Burn Zombie Burn, the dual-stick shooter from Doublesix. Currently available on PSN, the game will be available for download on Steam in early August, according to the developer.

Burn Zombie Burn places players in the shoes of Bruce, whose date with sweetheart Daisy is ruined one night by a pack of hungry undead. The PC version of the game adds a new Extreme difficulty and Survival mode, the latter of which pits Bruce against relentless waves of the undead.

Show full PR textBurn Zombie Burn will be published by P2 Games on Steam in early August 2010. The game casts players as Bruce, an average guy who only wanted to spend time with his girlfriend Daisy before their Saturday night was ruined by packs of zombies. It's up to Bruce to shoot, burn and blow up as many undead as possible before he succumbs to their attacks. The PC version of the game will feature the standard Freeplay, Defend Daisy and Timed modes, as well as a new Survival mode, which packs an ever increasing number of ghouls onscreen to test your accuracy. Additionally, a harder Extreme difficulty mode will demand a player's best shooting and dodging skills, as you face off against hardier enemies. All zombie hunters will also receive a strategy guide and comic to help instruct them in how to eliminate shambling corpses.

Other features within Burn Zombie Burn are:

· Six levels inspired by American horror movies: The Woods, Graveyard, Suburbia, Drive-In, Military Base and Secret Lab.
· Ten custom Challenge levels including: 'My Exploding Zombie Head!' (kick your Exploding Zombie Head around the map, shoot to detonate); Zombie Zapper (trick those zombies into running into your brand new zombie disposal device); 'Zombies Ate My Teddy!' (zombies are after your teddy, you must stop them!) and 'Lawn of the Dead!' (a lawnmower and a lot of zombies).
· Eight zombie types to burn, each with their own behavioral patterns, strengths and weaknesses: Normal, Exploders, Crazies, Dancers, Rushers, Riots, Noxious and the Super Zombie!
· Choose from a fantastic range of classic horror-movie weapons to dish out some zombie hurt including: the baseball bat, the shotgun, the chainsaw, the lawnmower and some new additions: the Dance Gun and Brain Gun!
· Then eviscerate some more undead with your explosives. You can upgrade your Timed Explosives to Proximity Mines or Remote Explosives for your zombie-blasting convenience!
· Set fire to zombies to net a big score multiplier. The more zombies on fire, the bigger your multiplier and the quicker your score rises.

"It's unfortunate that P2 Games is stoking the flames of anti-zombie sentiment with this release," commented Bubb. "Don't we have enough of that wanton destruction in movies? Please, join with B.R.A.A.A.I.N.S. to protest this game. After all, destroying an undead brain is a terrible waste when it can be fed to starving zombies everywhere!"

Burn Zombie Burn is rated by the ESRB as M for Mature (Blood and Gore), by PEGI as 18

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Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions cast loaded with Spidey veterans

Activision has announced that Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions will play host to a cavalcade of Spidey-related voice talent. The Spider-Men of each universe will be voiced by actors who have played the web-slinger in the past. Neil Patrick Harris, Josh Keaton, Christopher Daniel Barnes and Dan Gilvezan will voice the Amazing, Ultimate, Noir and 2099 variants, respectively. Harris originally voiced the wall-crawler in Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, Keaton had the role in The Spectacular Spider-Man, Barnes played the part in the 1994 Spider-Man animated series and, finally, Gilvezan voiced ol' web-head in Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends way back in the early 1980s.

If that's still not enough for the true believers out there, Stan Lee himself will serve as the game's narrator. Meanwhile, Jim Dooley, composer for several games and films (The Da Vinci Code, inFamous), will provide the soundtrack. Now, if only someone at Beenox could find a way to squeeze in Bruce Campbell ...

Find the press release after the break.

Show full PR textNEIL PATRICK HARRIS TO REPRISE HIS ROLE AS SPIDER-MAN™ IN ACTIVISION'S SPIDER-MAN™: SHATTERED DIMENSIONS

Activision Reveals Spider-Man Voice Cast at San Diego Comic-Con

Santa Monica, CA – July 23, 2010 – Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) and Marvel Entertainment (NYSE: MVL) announced today that Neil Patrick Harris will reprise his role as Spider-Man in Activision's upcoming Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, which is currently being showcased at San Diego Comic-Con. In the game, players traverse through four unique worlds from Spider-Man lore and take on the role of four distinctly different Spider-Men – Amazing, Ultimate, Noir and 2099 – which will be brought to life by Neil Patrick Harris along with Josh Keaton, Christopher Daniel Barnes and Dan Gilvezan, respectively.

Additionally, legendary creator and comic book icon Stan Lee will guide players through the storyline of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions as the game's narrator, and Emmy Award-winning composer Jim Dooley has created an original orchestral score for the game.

Each of the actors voicing Spider-Man in the game has portrayed the web-slinger in previous Spider-Man animated television series. Neil Patrick Harris voiced the wall-crawler in "Spider-Man: The New Animated Series" in 2003; Josh Keaton was the voice of Spider-Man in "The Spectacular Spider-Man" from 2008-2009; Dan Gilvezan starred in "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends" from 1981-1983; and Christopher Daniel Barnes voiced the iconic Super Hero in "Spider-Man," the 1994 series.

Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, which will be available September 7th, allows players to engage in nonstop heroic action as they traverse four unique worlds from Spider-Man's lore – Amazing, Noir, 2099 and Ultimate – within one unique storyline. Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions transports players to a variety of locations, from lush jungles and dusty deserts to a futuristic NYC, and allows them to use unique gameplay styles for each Spider-Man, including stealth moves in Noir, gliding maneuvers in 2099, black-suited tendril attacks in Ultimate, and innovative web combat in Amazing.

Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions has been rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB. Beenox is developing the game for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Wii™, and PC, and Griptonite is creating a Nintendo DS™ version. Fans can learn more about Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions by visiting www.SpiderManDimensions.com.

About Marvel Entertainment, LLC

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics). Marvel's strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including feature films, consumer products, toys, video games, animated television, direct-to-DVD and online. For more information visit www.marvel.com.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com. More coverage: Preview: Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions (Noir and Ultimate) "

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Final Fantasy XIV's XVIII different classes revealed

The full list of Final Fantasy XIV's peculiar, discipline-based classes was recently outed by Famitsu (as translated by fansite FFXIV Core). If your idea of an MMO class roster boils down to Wizards, Warriors, Rogues, etc., you're probably going to be perplexed by the game's profession-centric composition. Don't get too bogged down in thought, though -- you'll be able to switch between these jobs at will once the game drops for the PC in September.

For a full breakdown of class distribution between the combat-focused Disciples of War, the wizardly Disciples of Magic, the gathering-adept Disciples of the Land and the crafty Disciples of Hand, just click past the jump.

Disciples of War Pugilist Gladiator Marauder Archer LancerDisciples of Magic Conjurer ThaumaturgeDisciples of the Land Miner Botanist FisherDisciples of the Hand Carpenter Blacksmith Armourer Goldsmith Leatherworker Weaver Alchemist Culinarian Via: Eurogamer Source: FFXIV Core "

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Atlus to maintain Demon's Souls servers until 2011

This is your lucky day, masochists! Atlus has announced that it will extend support for Demon's Souls' online servers until "at least" March 2011. When the game shipped in April 2009, the Demon's Souls user agreement made it clear that online functionality would be sponsored for "no less than six months". Now it would appear that the game's surprising success has led Atlus to extend that commitment significantly.

In celebration, Atlus is flipping the Demon's Souls World Tendency to Pure White, which will knock the controller-snapping difficulty down a few notches. The change should last for "a couple weeks," just long enough to lull newcomers into a false sense of security.Show full PR textATLUS EXTENDS NORTH AMERICAN ONLINE SUPPORT FOR DEMON'S SOULS, 2009 GAME OF THE YEAR

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Mafia 2 adds Steam support, serves up Mafia 1 for digital pre-orders

Take-Two sent over a press release announcing a partnership between 2K Games and Valve, whose Steam platform will power the PC version of Mafia 2's online multiplayer and bestow upon those who pre-order a free copy of the original Mafia game -- available to download and play immediately prior to the sequel's August 24 launch date. Don't use Steam? No matter – the deal is good through "select digital retailers" including Steam and applies to both the standard and collector's edition, so you've got some say in the matter. Talk about an offer you can't refuse!

Steamworks will help our friend Mafia 2 through its unique feature set, including auto-updates, Steam Achievements, and all of the other data provided by the latest version of Steam. Mafia 2 (7/21/10)

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Netflix on PS3 going disc-less by October

Tired of popping slotting a disc into your PS3 every time you want to watch a streaming Netflix movie or TV show? Soon you won't have to, as the online video rental service has plans to make Netflix Instant Streaming a native PS3 application by the end of October.

In delivering his company's Q2 2010 financial results, CEO Reed Hastings stated, "Before our next

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Existence of a secret master timeline for the Zelda universe confirmed

First and foremost, that headline is the most skin-crawlingly nerdy thing we've ever committed to virtual paper, and we write about video games professionally on a daily basis. Moving on.

In an interview with Official Nintendo Magazine (as transcribed by ZeldaDungeon), Eiji Aonuma commented on the placement of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword in the oft-speculated timeline of the franchise. More notable than the game's positioning was Aonuma's confirmation of an overarching Zelda timeline -- though he explained that it's a "confidential document" to which only "myself, Mr. Miyamoto and the director of the title" have access.

Aonuma revealed that Skyward Sword comes before Ocarina of Time in said timeline, but wouldn't comment on whether it's the first game in the chronological series. He explained, "for us to add titles to the series, we have to have a way of putting the titles before or after each other," hence the secrecy. That makes sense -- as long as they're all comfortable with the swirling, black morass of insanity that's surfaced due to their reticence. Via: GoNintendo Source: ZeldaDungeon "

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Tactics Ogre being remade for PSP by original staff

Square Enix is remaking the original Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, for PSP, under the (non-Queen lyric!) title Tactics Ogre: Wheel of Fortune. According to Siliconera's summary of the Famitsu article announcing it, it's more than a simple port, with many of the original Quest staff returning to work on it -- including director Yasumi Matsuno, who basically disappeared after leaving Final Fantasy XII's development, only to show up as a writer for MadWorld in 2009.

Akihiko Yoshida, most recently behind the character designs forFinal Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, is doing new design work for Tactics Ogre, and composers Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata are once again providing the soundtrack. The game is being expanded and redesigned, with new characters, storyline elements, and upgrades to the battle system. The ten-on-ten battles can now support up to 12 party members against 18 enemies.

Siliconera notes that the English title "Wheel of Fortune" was trademarked in Japan, suggesting plans for an international release. Source: Siliconera "

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Final Fantasy Legends announced for Japanese mobile phones

For those of you wondering why the Final Fantasy franchise has seemingly betrayed its roots, you're probably about to encounter some seriously mixed feelings. According to Andriasang, Square Enix recently announced Final Fantasy Legends: Hikari to Yami no Senshi (Warriors of Light and Darkness), a retro-style entry into the franchise featuring all the crystals, job systems and 2D sprites which fans of the company's classic RPGs could ever hope for.

Unfortunately, the game will be distributed episodically through Square's Final Fantasy Mobile platform for Japanese cell phones later this year. However, it is being developed by the team behind Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, which started as a mobile title before making it to the much more accessible WiiWare platform. We've got our fingers crossed that Legends will get a similar treatment. Source: Andriasang "

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See Batman's chums in action in Brave and the Bold footage

New footage of WayForward's Batman: The Brave and the Bold for Wii introduces three of Batman's brave, bold pals. Green Lantern Guy Gardner, seen here as a playable co-op character, is given many opportunities to hit things with various bludgeons, cudgels, clubs, and other heavy things created with his power ring (and his mind) -- even, at one point, encasing himself in the shape of a giant hard-light person.

Captain Marvel and Aquaman both appear in this footage as summonable partner characters, who appear to help out with a screen-clearing attack. Marvel (commonly referred to as The Big Red Cheese) uses his ability to punch stuff really hard, and Aquaman floods the entire world on demand. A bit of overkill, perhaps, but it's not The Meek and the Measured. Batman: The Brave and the Bold (Wii)

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Front Mission Evolved pushed back to September 28, 2010

When we announced Front Mission Evolved's September 14th launch date we joked that Square Enix had neglected to check the calendar. You know, because September 14 is also "International Halo: Reach Day," a notable religious holiday. Also there's another video game coming out that day.

Now Front Mission Evolved has been pushed back two weeks, to September 28. The funny thing is, other high-profile games are arriving on that new launch date -- sometimes you just need to mecha decision, we guess. Update: Check out pre-order bonuses after the break.

"

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Stick Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep into and onto your PSP

Square Enix's pre-order bonus for Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep might not be extravagant, but it is ... adhesive. Putting money down at Amazon, GameStop or Best Buy will net you the system-bestickering decals shown, in light and dark variants so as to stand out on any color scheme. "

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Phantasy Star Universe updated on Xbox 360, expansion now free

Sega has announced that an update is now available for the Xbox 360 version of Phantasy Star Universe (the PS2 and PC versions are kaput, remember). Entitled "GUARDIANS Advanced Content," the update includes new items, new missions, a new character customization system and tweaks to existing classes and abilities. The update is free for all subscribers and will be applied automatically on login.

Sega also reminded players that the Phantasy Star Universe expansion, Ambitions of the Illuminus, is now available free of charge. Originally costing 800 MSP ($10), the expansion features its own set of additions including new weapons, locations, enemies and more. If you grab the update and the expansion and squint your eyes, you just might be able to trick yourself into thinking it's a real Phantasy Star sequel.
Phantasy Star Universe (Guardians Advanced Content)

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NPD: PC retail and digital distribution sales reaching parity

The NPD's "PC Games Digital Downloads: Analyst Report" states that in 2009, 21.3 million "full-game" PC titles were downloaded through digital distribution networks, while 23.5 million physical units were purchased at retail. Yes, despite the explosion of digital distribution in the PC space, retail is still important.

Overall, digital distribution "accounted for 36 percent of dollar sales," but the initial cost of a PC product -- if it even has any upfront cost -- doesn't really give the full picture of the financial potential.

The top five "frontline" digital retailers (those who have the games that are also typically offered in stores) were: Steam (SURPRISE!) Direct2Drive Blizzard.com EA.com Worldofwarcraft.comWe've listed the top five casual digital retailers after the break. NPD notes that casual distributors have lost market share due to the rise of "social network gaming" (Facebook) and free, inexpensive mobile titles.
Top 5 Casual Digital Retailers – 2009 (based on unit % share) Bigfishgames.com Pogo.com Gamehouse.com iWin.com Realarcade.comShow full PR textFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PC GAME DIGITAL DOWNLOADS REACHING PARITY WITH
IN-STORE PURCHASES

ACCORDING TO THE NPD GROUP, IN 2009, 21.3 MILLION PC GAMES WERE DOWNLOADED IN THE U.S. VERSUS 23.5 MILLION PURCHASED AT RETAIL

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, July 21, 2010 - According to the PC Games Digital Downloads: Analyst Report, from leading market research company, The NPD Group, in 2009, 21.3 million PC Game full-game digital downloads were purchased online in the U.S. compared to 23.5 million physical units purchased at retail during the same period.

While NPD's point-of-sale research shows that PC physical retail sales experienced a year-over-year revenue decline in 2009, it was still slightly larger than PC digital download sales on a unit basis. PC digital downloads represented close to half of unit sales across digital and retail at 48 percent in 2009, and accounted for 36 percent of dollar sales.

PC Games Digital Downloads: Analyst Report segments the PC full-game digital download landscape into two Web-based 'retailer' segments (offers games for download, and with no physical storefront): Casual Digital Retailers, which often focus on smaller, easily accessible games that typically utilize try-and-buy or advertising revenue models; and Frontline Digital Retailers, which often focus on titles that are also offered in retail stores as physical purchases.

Top 5 Frontline Digital Retailers –2009 (based on unit % share)
1. Steampowered.com
2. Direct2drive.com
3. Blizzard.com
4. EA.com
5. Worldofwarcraft.com

Top 5 Casual Digital Retailers – 2009 (based on unit % share)
1. Bigfishgames.com
2. Pogo.com
3. Gamehouse.com
4. iWin.com
5. Realarcade.com

Frontline Digital Retailers increased their share of the PC full-game digital download market in the second half of 2009, at the expense of the Casual Digital Retailers.

Free Gaming Vs. Digital Retailers

One of the most significant factors contributing to the decline in share captured by Casual Digital Retailers is the increase in popularity of free social network gaming and free mobile gaming.

"The popularity of social network gaming increased from Q3'09 to Q4'09 as 4.8 million more people played games on a social network in the U.S.," said Anita Frazier, industry analyst, The NPD Group. "This demonstrates how consumers can now experience casual types of games through myriad vehicles, broadening the competitive landscape."

Free mobile gaming is also capturing the attention of gamers, illustrated by the 30 percent increase in usage of the iPhone and the iPod Touch as gaming devices from Q2'09 to Q4'09. Furthermore, 97 percent of those who downloaded a game app in Q4'09 downloaded a free version of a game.


Methodology:
Information contained in this press release sources from two of The NPD Group's ongoing consumer services covering the games industry:

- Games Acquisition Monitor
The NPD Group's Games Acquisition Monitor is a quarterly tracker which measures both digital and physical forms of games acquisition activity, volume, awareness and usage of retailers and services, as well as other technology and entertainment activities that could influence game acquisition trends. It is based on online survey responses from over 8,000 members of NPD's online consumer panel. Data is weighted and projected to be representative of the U.S. population ages 2 and older.

- NPD Consumer Tracker
NPD collects data on PC game purchases via its weekly video games consumer survey. Each week, over 180,000 individuals are selected from the NPD online consumer panel to participate in one of four weekly studies. The responding sample is demographically weighted and projected through a series of steps to represent the Total Adult (18

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thatgamecompany's flOw recreated in StarCraft 2

It's been a while since we've seen a really unique application of the dark magic-fueled creation tools behind StarCraft 2, so we're glad the video posted below could come along and decisively end our dry spell. Behold: Origins, a recreation of thatgamecompany's microcosmic PSN title, flOw.

The game, created by Battle.net user Malu05, follows the familiar "eat or be eaten" structure of its inspiration, allowing players' organisms to grow and gain new abilities as they consume smaller prey. It looks pretty neat and, with any luck, will be available to download when StarCraft 2 launches next week. Source: YouTube "

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Gaikai gets Intel, Limelight backing

As the September launch of game streaming platform Gaikai draws ever-closer, the company has announced its latest business win: investments from Intel and Limelight Networks. This news (for which the full press release can be found after the break) comes just over a month after Gaikai inked a multi-year deal with EA to provide its titles via in-browser streaming.

Gaikai isn't disclosing the nitty-gritty, dollars and cents details of the investments, but we know that the company was already at work building its servers utilizing Intel's "overkill is not a word" six-core CPUs and solid-state drives. Which, essentially, makes Gaikai a showcase for Intel's most cutting-edge tech; tech that will be installed at "key nodes" within Limelight Networks' infrastructure. (We also hear it'll give Gaikai a fresh, citrus-y smell.)
Show full PR textINTEL CAPITAL AND LIMELIGHT NETWORKS MAKE STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS INTO GAIKAI
Technology Innovators Join Forces to Bring Cloud Based Game Streaming to the Masses


LOS ANGELES, July 20th, 2010. Gaikai Inc., the innovative cloud-based game streaming service, today announced Intel Capital and Limelight Networks (NASDAQ: LLNW) as investors in the company.

"Intel's mind-blowingly fast CPUs have had a profound effect on our business model, allowing us to stream more games simultaneously while offering users a premium experience. Having Intel Capital buy into our vision as much as we buy into their processors makes this a great deal for both companies," said David Perry, CEO of Gaikai Inc.

"Partnering with Limelight to leverage their globally distributed, high-performance platform will help ensure that the fidelity of our cloud-based gaming service is as graphically rich and responsive as a traditional console experience," said David Perry, CEO of Gaikai Inc.

"Innovations in both content delivery technologies and the supporting data center architectures are transforming the future of gaming by enabling the distribution of leading edge games on a wide variety of connected devices to internet users worldwide," said Lisa Lambert, Vice-President, Intel Capital. "Gaikai's innovative interactive content network positions the company as a leading provider in the emerging area of cloud-based gaming and we look forward to working with Gaikai to provide new data center capabilities to support their technologies."

"We believe Gaikai is well-positioned to help innovative game publishers capitalize on recent advancements in cloud computing to drive more rapid game adoption across an expanding universe of game-capable devices. The hyper-connected gamer will now have even more opportunities to enjoy their favorite pastime. Limelight Networks is pleased to be serving as a key strategic enablement partner that is helping Gaikai build their business and capitalize on this substantial market opportunity," said Jeff Lunsford, chairman and chief executive officer, Limelight Networks, Inc.

Gaikai will launch in the summer of 2010, with servers powered by Intel's Six-Core processors and Intel Solid State Drives, running through the key nodes of the Limelight network.

This investment announcement follows the recent announcement of a partnership deal with Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) which will see a number of EA's top franchises including The Sims™, Mass Effect™ and Medal of Honor™ streamed over Gaikai.

Gaikai offers the ability to play any game instantly inside the web browser with just one click, no big game download, no game install and no patching. This frictionless server-based, cloud-gaming technology is designed to dramatically increase both reach, and audience participation, while bringing down acquisition costs dramatically. By playing games remotely from Gaikai servers around the world, players simply play wherever they are browsing, removing the need to pay for advertising clicks to move gamers around on the Internet. This freedom to play anywhere opens up exciting business models as you can play on any video game retailer site, any news site, publisher sites, or even inside Facebook.

About Gaikai Inc.

Gaikai Inc, the new cloud based streaming service for video games and applications headed by game industry veteran David Perry, is headquartered in Southern California and funded by Benchmark Capital, TriplePoint Capital, Rustic Canyon Partners and a fourth mystery investor. The underlying technology for Gaikai was created by co-founders Andrew Gault and Rui Pereira who met while working together in The Netherlands. For more information, please visit: http://www.gaikai.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/gaikai_inc

About Intel Capital
Intel Capital, Intel's global investment organization, makes equity investments in innovative technology start-ups and companies worldwide. Intel Capital invests in a broad range of companies offering hardware, software, and services targeting enterprise, home, mobility, health, consumer Internet, semiconductor manufacturing and cleantech. Since 1991, Intel Capital has invested more than US$9.5 billion in over 1,050 companies in 47 countries. In that timeframe, 175 portfolio companies have gone public on various exchanges around the world and 241 were acquired or participated in a merger. In 2009, Intel Capital invested US$327 million in 107 investments with approximately 50 percent of funds invested outside the United States and Canada. For more information on Intel Capital and its differentiated advantages, visit www.intelcapital.com.
About Limelight Networks, Inc.

Limelight Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: LLNW) provides on-demand software, platform, and infrastructure services that help global businesses reach and engage audiences online or on any mobile or connected device, enabling them to enhance their brand presence, build stronger customer relationships, optimize their advertising, and monetize their digital assets. For more information, please visit http://www.limelightnetworks.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/llnw. "

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GameStop CEO: 'Users still want physical content'

While bullish on the subject of our impending digital future, GameStop CEO J. Paul Raines isn't totally blind to the new options available to consumers purchasing games. "The world won't be all digital tomorrow," he told TheStreet.com in a recent interview, "even though that's what people are claiming. In this business, users still want physical content." He does, however, offer up one initiative that GameStop has loosely detailed in the past: a new in-store download option, spawning from a partnership with Microsoft.

"The strategy is to be a multi-channel aggregator for gaming. We want to be the destination for gamers, whether they are getting content via online, mobile, console or any other platform," he added, also championing the still nascent rewards card program as helping to keep customers returning to stores into the future. And just as Raines isn't worried about the disappearance of brick and mortar stores, he's similarly unphased by the competition in the used games space. "There is competition out there that likes to dabble in this segment, but I'd like to remind people that we have seen this many times before. Both Walmart and Best Buy have launched and canceled programs

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'The Dream Machine' adventure game looks clay-mazing

We're currently basking in the warm, soft glow that commonly surrounds us shortly after discovering our newest game-crush. Thanks to Rock, Paper, Shotgun, the latest object of our affection is The Dream Machine, a Flash-based adventure game from Cockroach Inc. (composed of developers Anders Gustafsson and Erik Zaring). The reason for our admiration? All of the characters and environments were handcrafted in a style reminiscent of The Neverhood. Only, well, prettier.

You can check out a trailer for the clay-and-cardboard indie title after the jump, or play through a brief demo on the developer's website. Should that snippet tickle your fancy, Cockroach is currently accepting applications to get in on a beta for the game's first complete chapter. We are so there.

Via: Rock, Paper, Shotgun Source: The Dream Machine official site "

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Electronic Arts opens new studio in Salt Lake City, Utah

EA has opened a new "state-of-the-art" facility in Salt Lake City, Utah to house its appropriately named EA Salt Lake team. The team has been working on casual titles under the EA Play label for franchises like Monopoly, Littlest Pet Show and NERF. Though EA had maintained a facility in Bountiful, Utah since 2006, "the entire staff" has been moved to the Salt Lake location. The new 20,000 square foot building currently houses 100 employees -- and appear to be hiring.

In attendance for the opening was Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert, who was lieutenant governor during the time Governor Jon Huntsman vetoed a Jack Thompson-authored game bill in the state. It would appear that Utah's hospitable stance toward the industry is paying off for its economy.
EA Salt Lake

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This looks like R-Type of iPhone shmup

It was last November when we first heard that DotEmu was at work porting Irem's classic 1987 arcade shmup R-Type to iPhone. Yesterday, EA Mobile made it official: it'll be publishing the game on the App Store "this summer," but couldn't get more specific due to the unpredictable nature of Apple's app approval process.

We had a chance to get our hands on the game at EA yesterday and we've got to say, the port has turned out great, with three control schemes (touch to move and shoot, tilt to move / touch to shoot or an overlaid d-pad and buttons) plus options such as autofire and the ability to switch between full-screen and the original coin-op aspect ratio. Cleverly, DotEmu has created separate on-screen buttons for charged shots and launching the "Force" pod away from the player's R9 fighter.

Check out the screens below and we'll let you know when the game hits Apple's virtual store shelves.
R-Type (iPhone)

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Watch this Ghost Trick footage, for dog's sake

Snippets of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective footage went up on various outlets, mostly focusing on a sequence in which Sissel has to save a young girl named Kamilla from the game's nearly-blind assassin. Sissel is assisted in this task by Missile, Kamilla's dog -- who, like Sissel, has recently been killed by the assassin. Sissel rewinds time, and the two have to work together to get Kamilla in a safe hiding place before the killer arrives.

After the break, see a clip from GameVideos in which Sissel and Missile manipulate Kamilla through the use of donuts. Find more at IGN and GameSpot (who has a clip of Missile's fateful showdown).

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Boy, have you seen this indie Terminator project?

Have you ever played a Terminator video game -- Terminator Salvation, perhaps -- and thought to yourself, "Man, I could make a better Terminator game than this." Apparently that's what Kevin Bryant and The Original Studios thought. Now, what started as a Gears of War mod titled FPS Terminator has become a full-blown indie project developed using Epic's free Unreal Development Kit.

Though the final campaign is expected to have nine chapters, a demo for the project is now available, which you can download from our compatriots at Big Download. It's only a proof of concept at this point, with Bryant hoping he'll be back ... with another demo this fall. Check out a video after the break.

Via: Big Download Source: Mod DB - FPS Terminator "

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Company of Heroes Online seeking beta recruits

Company of Heroes Online, Relic's freemium real-time strategy title, has opened up registration for its upcoming closed beta. To receive a code, applicants will have to make sure to check both "Receive News" and "Receive Offers" when making their account, as beta keys will be sent out using the opt-in mailing list. A post on the CoHO site states that a limited number of keys will go out in the first phase but that they'll "soon be announcing a partnership" to expand the beta.

For those uninterested in helping with the process of finding entrenched bugs, the full free-to-play title should be released this autumn. Via: 1UP, Blue's News Source: Company of Heroes Online "

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Preview: Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 2

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 aims to deliver what any sequel should strive to offer: expanding on the original game's strengths while diminishing its weaknesses. While the first Ultimate Ninja Storm was far from a perfect game, it delivered an incredibly polished (and most importantly, faithful) recreation of the first seasons in the Naruto series. With a number of significant enhancements being made for UNS2, there's good reason for hardcore fans to get excited.

Undoubtedly, the most noteworthy aspect of the first Naruto game on PS3 had to be its graphics. Many of the anime's biggest moments were recreated using the in-game engine, arguably besting the visuals found in the original series. While we haven't seen the Xbox 360 port in action, the PS3 sequel still retains the vibrant, authentic look of a hand-drawn cartoon. It's hard to say if the graphics have gotten better, but there are definitely moments in UNS2 that are simply jaw dropping.

The combat system has, for the most part, remained unchanged in UNS2. Hardcore fighting enthusiasts will still find it too simplistic. (It does, after all, have only one primary attack button.) However, Naruto fans will appreciate how true to the series fights feel. For the single-player story, it appears boss fights have gotten much more dynamic than before. My fight against Kakashi was lengthy, and moved from one arena to another. The enemy AI has a much-expanded set of moves that took advantage of the environment. For example, Kakashi would electrocute the water, forcing you to quickly find solid land to stand on. Now, fights involve more than just brute force -- there's platforming to think about as well.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 (PS3)

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Thor and Amaterasu descend into Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Marvel.com seems to have accidentally revealed two more Marvel vs. Capcom 3 characters ahead of time. Character art and screenshots depicting Thor and Okami's Amaterasu appeared in Marvel.com's gallery for the game, though it seems to have been taken down since.

However, because sites like Omega-Level saved the images, and because you can see one in this very post, and because the Thor character art remains in Marvel's gallery at this moment, it doesn't really take much faith to believe in these two gods. We'll probably learn more details during tomorrow's MvC3 Comic-Con panel. Via: Marvel Source: Omega-Level "

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Final, Ultimate Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions universe revealed

As deduced by our industry-leading experts on men who are also spiders, the fourth and final Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions universe will be Ultimate. That is to say, it will be set in the Marvel Comic Ultimate universe -- we can't vouch for its relative "ultimateness" quite yet.

So, what's different about this one? Well, according to IGN's Comic-Con preview, the world of the Ultimate universe is bright and cel-shaded -- a stark contrast to Spidey's pitch black Symbiote suit. Spider-Man (who's voiced by series veteran Josh Keaton in the Ultimate 'verse) will encounter large groups of SHIELD troops and Carnage Symbiotes, which they'll be able to deal with simultaneously using their suit's increased offensive capabilities. Whip swaths of enemies with your Spidey-tendrils, shoot web-spikes out of your chest, or summon black spikes from the ground to wreck enemies' shops.

So, he's basically like the guy from Prototype, only he's much less inclined to eviscerate every single civilian that wanders into his field of vision. How nice! Look for our multi-dimensional preview of the game later today. Source: IGN "

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Square Enix confirms Tactics Ogre remake for North America

We didn't have to wait long at all to hear about a North American release for the PSP Tactics Ogre remake. Square Enix has already announced a localized version, under the game's original title Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together.

Square Enix's announcement offers additional detail as to exactly what's new in the revamped version. 3D maps have been added, along with updated graphics and 15 new tracks from composers Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata. In terms of gameplay, there's a new "Battle Skill" ability that players can use alongside the game's existing magic and special abilities.

There's still some waiting involved with this game, as Square did not offer a timeframe for its debut. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (first screens)

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NBA 2K11 players to take on 'The Jordan Challenge'

2K Sports has announced an intriguing, star-powered mode for its upcoming pro hoops title, NBA 2K11: "The Jordan Challenge." As your brain probably discerned upon reading the words "hoops" and "Jordan" in the same sentence, the mode will place you in the comically large sneakers of Michael Jordan and task you with recreating 10 of the biggest games in the legendary athlete's career. These recreations must be perfect, or the time-traveling Jordan might just create a paradox, simultaneously destroying all matter at every point of time.

Only a handful of games have been revealed so far: There's his 69-point bout against the Cavaliers in March of 1990, his self-described best game. There's also his flu-ridden performance against the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Finals. And, of course, the collection wouldn't be complete without his climactic match-up against the Monstars, in which his physics-defying, game-winning slam dunk guaranteed the freedom of his animated teammates, and led to his recovery of the basketball skills of fellow ballers Barkley, Ewing, Bogues, Johnson and Bradley.

Source: Press Release "

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DJ Qbert joins DJ Hero 2 lineup

Though Qbert 2 featured zero DJ heroes, DJ Hero 2 will feature at least one Qbert: DJ Qbert, that is. Activision announced this morning that the California-based DJ will become a playable character in the upcoming scratch-em-up and add two "exclusive mixes" to the varied soundtrack (see the tracklist here).

You know, we might employ DJ Qbert's in-game avatar at one point or another ... if we get tired of sporting that giant mouse head. (Spoiler: We won't ever get tired of the giant mouse head.)

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StarCraft 2 trailer summons 'Ghosts of the Past'

The folks at Blizzard are pretty good at making pre-rendered cinematic sequences. It's kind of a thing they do. Indeed, the latest StarCraft 2 trailer -- unlocked by fans at the Dominion website -- is filled to the brim with awe-inspiring, dramatic stuff.

Entitled "Ghosts of the Past," it recaps some of the first game's plot (focusing on the fate of Sarah Kerrigan) and unveils what's at stake in the sequel. Get caught up after the break.

"

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Splinter Cell Conviction and Assassin's Creed 2 sneaking to Mac by September

Apple fans can expect two more games on their shiny Mac computers from Ubisoft in the coming months. Ubisoft updated its product lineup for its fiscal Q2, featuring Mac versions of the not-very-Microsoft-exclusive Splinter Cell Conviction and Assassin's Creed 2. Given the timespan of the fiscal quarter, that means these games will be available as early as July, or as late as September.

The Mac version of Assassin's Creed 2 is currently listed as an EMEA release, which means it's planned for release in Europe, Middle East and Africa. We'll contact Ubisoft to see if a North American release is in the works as well. Source: Ubisoft "

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Mass Effect 2 DLC ventures into 'Lair of the Shadow Broker'

BioWare has just announced the latest Mass Effect 2 DLC: "Lair of the Shadow Broker." If you haven't played ME2 , you may want to skip any details about this mission ... suffice it to say, in the intergalactic world of Mass Effect 2 there are shadows and sometimes, those shadows need to be brokered. Oh, and they have lairs.

Those of you who have played ME2 can probably guess how this is going to shake out. As expected, Shepard teams up with Liara T'Soni to "confront the mysterious and sinister Shadow Broker," the very same info-dishing individual (or group of individuals?) that aided Liara in recovering Commander Shepard's body. As BioWare so delicately puts it, "it's time to even the score."

After last month's exceptional "Overlord" DLC, all eyes are on BioWare to keep it up. All the info we've got is a "coming soon" release window and the three screenshots below.
Mass Effect 2 ("Lair of the Shadow Broker" DLC)

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Preview: James Bond 007: Blood Stone

Bond is back in Bizarre Creations' James Bond 007: Blood Stone. I got a first look at the game's opening act during an Activision media event in San Diego yesterday, where I also spoke with designer Sandy Lockie about the development of this original Bond adventure.

Primarily a third-person shooter, Blood Stone immediately drew comparisons to Bizarre's other shooter, The Club, when it was announced last week. Indeed, Lockie confirms that the new Bond game has its roots in the studio's previous effort. "It's basically the Club team," he tells me. "We rolled off on The Club and started working on this straight away." But while The Club was all about scoring points and more points, Bizarre is designing Blood Stone to be "a much deeper shooting experience."
James Bond 007: Blood Stone (first screens)

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Preview: Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (Noir and Ultimate)

With Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions' fourth and final locale out of the bag (it is "Ultimate" Spidey, as many surmised), Activision was showing off the first playable build of the game at a pre-Comic-Con event last night. I played both the newly revealed Ultimate Spidey, in his black symbiote suit, and the Noir version.

While I wasn't clued in to the game's multidimensional, overarching story (perhaps at the Comic-Con panel then?), I did get a feel for the combat, which is arguably the make-or-break component of the game. Though I only played within two of the game's four universes, I found the combat to be solid -- if a little shallow -- and in practice it came together better than I had expected after watching a developer play the game last month.
Spider Man: Shattered Dimensions (Comic-Con)

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Meet Majin, visit the Forsaken Kingdom on November 30

If, like us, you've been waiting patiently for your formal introduction to your giant, super-powered, super-huggable BFF Majin, now you can schedule your playdate for November 30. That's the date that Namco Bandai revealed for the North American release of Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom, Game Republic's new adventure about hanging out with the most wonderful stone giant guy ever (and also fighting or something).

Join us in scouring the gallery below for any evidence of a Boy and His Blob-style hug button, won't you? We mostly see a lot of fighting in here. Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom (7/22/10)

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THQ announces Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet

THQ has revealed a sequel to last year's Marvel Super Hero Squad, entitled Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet. The sequel will follow the events of the second season of the Cartoon Network show, as players take on Doctor Doom and his Lethal Legion once again, in an altered version of the storyline used in the Marvel Super Heroes arcade game. Originally, the Infinity Gauntlet storyline involved Thanos killing half the universe, but this time, the bad guys are Doctor Doom and his "Lethal Legion." We gotta know: why the Lethal Legion? How about you rename 'em something a bit more positive, like the Perturbed Posse or Curmudgeon Crew?

The sequel will introduce a new puzzle element in which characters will need to use their individual powers to "move or destroy objects, traverse through certain environments, and summon specific strengths to overcome obstacles." Like its predecessor, it offers co-op gameplay and challenges, as well as the requisite roster of Marvel's most famous heroes and villains.

Infinity Gauntlet is currently in development for the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DSi and DS systems. No launch window has been announced, but as soon as we hear something through the superhero grapevine, we'll be sure to relay the info.
Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet

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Transformers: War for Cybertron DLC rolls out next week

If you lamented the limited availability of the retailer-exclusive Transformers: War for Cybertron characters, or if you simply want more War for Cybertron, you'll soon be able to solve both problems, using only the power of a small amount of money.

Next week's Map and Character Pack will include former pre-order bonus characters Shockwave, Demolishor, and Jazz, as well as new characters Scattershot and Onslaught, playable in Escalation mode, and with playable chassis in multiplayer. The pack will also come with four new maps: District and Forsaken for Escalation mode, and Havok and Fortress for multiplayer. Transformers: War for Cybertron (Map and Characters DLC Pack)

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Review: DarkStar One

If you're a fan of space combat sims like Elite and Colony Wars, I need to talk with you about DarkStar One. But I need to whittle down the crowd a bit first, so hang tight.

DarkStar One is a PC game from 2006 that's been ported as-is to the Xbox 360, with only an improved resolution to show for the jump. The dialog sounds like the worst community theater from every country was gathered to read a half-finished Babylon 5 script aloud, and everyone there was asked to switch accents with the person closest to them. The cinematics look like deleted scenes from a bootleg DVD of ReBoot. There are frequent graphical glitches, and it completely froze up on me no fewer than twice at wholly inconvenient moments. There are local furniture commercials with better special effects.

... Okay, are you still there? Because if you've hung on with me this long -- if you've read this far and haven't moved on to a different post -- I can pretty much guarantee you're going to love DarkStar One.

Our hero, Kayron Jarvis, has just received a pretty fantastic inheritance from his murdered father (which, honestly, is the least he could do after naming his kid Kayron Jarvis): the DarkStar One, a semi-organic, one-of-a-kind, armed-to-the-teeth cargo freighter. Sadly, before our boy Jarvis can go picking up space babes with it, he gets word that there's a suspect in his father's murder and an intergalactic chase ensues.

Though you'll need to hunt the murderer to advance, you're given a lot of leeway with regards to the speed at which the hunt moves forward. At any moment you can take stop to take a side job for one of the universe's many corporations, escorting their cargo from one system to another or even eavesdropping on a competitor's meeting. If you've had enough corporate espionage, you can search for one of 100 hidden artifacts that you'll use to upgrade the DSO's capabilities.

I can't promise you won't occasionally be irritated by mission and dialog repetition, but the quantity is definitely there.

If you want, you can blow the whole thing off and take up a career in smuggling, buying goods like machinery and fuel rods from poor systems that manufacture them and selling them off in wealthy systems where they're less plentiful. Just be careful: Certain types of goods are considered contraband in certain systems, so you may need to avoid the space cops, depending on the route you take.

There is a lot to do. I played for 18 hours (over the span of two days, mind you) and I managed to uncover just around half of the 300 star systems on the map. I can't promise you won't occasionally be irritated by mission and dialog repetition, but the quantity is definitely there.

No matter what course of action you take, you'll typically end up in a 360-degree space battle, which is where DSO goes from mediocre to hypnotic for me. I don't know what it is about seeing stars blur as I use the afterburners to close on enemies, switching power on the fly between shields and weaponry, or spinning wildly trying to get a missile lock, but I find space combat irresistible, and this is one of the only ways to get a fix on modern consoles.

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Watch the James Bond 007: Blood Stone opening credits

With Bond 23 canceled, Activision's James Bond 007: Blood Stone may be your only dose of Bond for some time. It's a good thing they're going all out with the production then, with Daniel Craig in the starring role (sorry, EastEnder) and siren Joss Stone stepping into the appropriately fancy shoes of Bond Girl. You can hear her pipes in the non-titular title song "I'll Take it All" in the trailer here, and see her doing her best Bond Girl impersonation in the gallery below.
James Bond 007: Blood Stone (Joss Stone)

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Increased 'visual density' led to a more linear Vanquish

In a recent developer blog at the Platinum Games website, director Shinji Mikami discussed the changes Vanquish has undergone during development. In the beginning, said Mikami, Vanquish was "an open battlefield type of game, where the goal was to move around crushing enemy positions." As development progressed, however, it became clear that an open environment hurt the game. The reason, according to Mikami, was an increased level of "visual density." There were so many things happening on screen -- special effects, loads of enemies, etc. -- that it was hard for players to focus on the objective.

"In an environment where we were doing whatever we pleased," noted Mikami, "it became pretty obvious that there was no good way of keeping your eye on the prize – the enemies you are targeting." As such, a more linear style of play helps keep players focused. Furthermore, Mikami also notes that the staple enemy, a robot called a Gorgie, was changed from white to red in order to make it stand out from the predominantly gray background.

If Vanquish turns out to be anything like Platinum's most recent action-fest, Bayonetta, then helping players focus on killing baddies is probably a good decision. Source: PlatinumGames Inc. More coverage: Preview: Vanquish "

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Report: $400 Halo Reach Xbox 360 bundle on the way

Ars Technica is reporting that Microsoft is on the verge of announcing a Halo: Reach Xbox 360 hardware bundle. The $399.99 package will contain a silver version of the new Xbox 360 S (equipped with a 250GB hard drive), a copy of the game (of course!) and two wireless controllers. The bundle was detailed by -- who else? -- the Ars Mole and would likely be released alongside the various retail editions of the game on September 14.

Further evidence of the Reach-branded hardware comes by way of Joystiq reader "killer rin," who sent us a link to this Xbox.com page (now removed), which had advertised a Reach-themed controller (captured above) for $60. The controller appears to reflect the design suggested in Ars' report.
Source: Ars Technica "

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Web sight: All four Shattered Dimensions Spider-Men in action

In case your Spider-Sense hadn't already alerted you to the fact, all four of the Spider-Men playable in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions have finally been revealed. (Peter Porker, a.k.a. Spider-Ham was, sadly, not among them.) We've even taken the fourth and final dimension -- the Ultimate Spider-Man universe -- for a spin (and a swing) at San Diego Comic-Con.

Now you can see all of the Spideys and their respective dimensions together in one video. We know, convenient, huh! See, we're all about the efficient delivery of Spider-Man information here at Joystiq. And, er, other stuff too, of course. But for now we're just focusing on Spideys plural. See 'em after the break.

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Dead Rising 2: Case Zero infects XBLA August 31

Better refill your Zombrex prescription: Capcom is letting Dead Rising 2: Case Zero out of quarantine and into Xbox Live Arcade on August 31 -- the original release date of the full Dead Rising 2 game (that's now dated for September 28). Capcom has also released a new trailer for Dead Rising 2, which you'll find after the break.

Case Zero, a standalone experience, serves as a prologue to Dead Rising 2. Chuck Greene fights to escape the town of Still Creek and obtain the Zombrex he needs to keep his daughter Katey from coming down with a case of finding human flesh yummy.

The prologue won't take a bite out of your budget: Capcom is pricing the XBLA-exclusive Case Zero at 400 Microsoft Points ($5).

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