StarCraft + LEGO = this video

Considering a LEGO StarCraft video game would require some mind-bending collaboration (or buyout) between WBIE and Activision-Blizzard, we'll just have to experience the fantasy through some stop-motion animation. Created by Kooberz Studios, the animation uses audio from the original StarCraft over some brick-elated visuals. The four and a half minute...

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Please publish Fractured Soul on DS

This message is for the many Joystiq readers who are also in charge of business development at game publishing companies -- or for those few impulsive, wealthy Joystiq readers eager to start a new business venture at the drop of a hat. You see, there's this DS game Fractured Soul. It takes the "two worlds on two screens" concept (as seen in titles...

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Report: retailer lists 'Hardened,' 'Prestige' editions of Call of Duty: Black Ops

Last year's "Hardened" and "Prestige" editions of Modern Warfare 2 set a precedent -- a precedent apparently being reinforced by similar "limited editions" for Call of Duty: Black Ops, as spotted by IGN. The listing was seen over on Buy.com (it has since been pulled) for "Hardened" and "Prestige" editions of the forthcoming CoD sequel for the Xbox...

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Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 demo now available on Japanese PSN

Do you want to play some Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 before it comes out later this year? If you're a hardcore enough Naruto fan, you'll want to navigate the Japanese PlayStation Store to find the demo (under New Releases). If your kanji isn't up to snuff, don't worry. PSN Stores has recorded a video of the demo that you can watch after...

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Square Enix registers European trademark for 'Gun Loco'

If we were to place a single bet on what we thought Square Enix's recently filed European trademark for "Gun Loco" would end up being, we'd almost certainly be proven wrong within a few months. Instead, we've got three hypotheses, which we've ranked below in order of likelihood. Now all our bases should totally be covered. Gun Loco: A stylish, fast-paced...

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Valve offering parts of its Mac graphics code to Steamworks devs

Valve has singlehandedly reinvigorated the Mac gaming world by making its Steam content delivery service compatible with the Mac. It has been steadily populating the service with Mac-friendly versions of its mega-popular games; however, apparently that isn't enough. Now Valve is going to help other developers make Mac games, by releasing elements...

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Respawn Entertainment, Richard Garriott to appear at QuakeCon 2010

The official schedule has been announced for this year's QuakeCon, which is taking place August 12-15 in Dallas, Texas. In addition to the usual id gallery, none other than Jason West and Vince Zampella of the newly formed Respawn Entertainment will be in attendance. The ousted Infinity Ward heads will sit on a panel the Friday morning of the conference...

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Medal of Honor LE tied up with Battlefield 3 beta invite

EA announced today that, in addition to some generally underwhelming digital goodies like early access to shotguns, the Medal of Honor Limited Edition will come with an invitation to the Battlefield 3 beta, being developed by MoH's multiplayer team at DICE. As for when to expect that beta to begin, an EA representative tells Joystiq that the company...

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Virtual-On Force dashes to Japan in December, collector's edition announced

To love the Virtual-On series -- like really love it -- is to have some fantastically deep pockets. Sega has announced (via Siliconera) that 4-on-4 robot battle fest Virtual-On Force will arrive in Japan on December 22. While a casual player might plunk down the standard ¥6,090 ($70) for the regular edition, the true fan would undoubtedly fork over...

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Metro 2033 'Ranger Pack' DLC coming to Steam and XBLM next week

THQ and 4A Games have announced Metro 2033's minimalistic DLC, the "Ranger Pack," will launch on Xbox Live Marketplace and Steam next Tuesday, August 3. The update will allow players to traverse the game in Ranger Mode, which "dramatically" reduces the amount of ammo you'll stumble upon but increases the damage dealt by players and enemies alike....

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World of Warcraft currency becomes real-world coins

We can easily wrap our minds around the hobby of coin collection -- after all, coins are pretty awesome, and at the end of the day, you're really just spending money on money, making it a relatively low-cost endeavor. However, DC Direct's recently pressed World of Warcraft-themed currency -- which comes in a set of one bronze, silver and gold coin,...

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Medal of Honor beta ending tomorrow on PS3 and PC, August 9 on 360

All good things must come to an end, friends, but -- wait a second, is war really a good thing? We guess not. In that case -- hey, great news! The virtual streets of Kabul are about to become a great deal more peaceful, as the Medal of Honor beta is slated to come to an abrupt stop tomorrow on PS3 and PC, and August 9 on Xbox 360. We know you're sad,...

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Source: Best Buy offering $300 FF13, Splinter Cell Conviction Xbox bundles next week

On August 2, Amazon is having a pretty sweet deal on the Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 bundle, but if online retailers aren't your thing, Joystiq has just discovered from a reliable source that a new initiative at brick-and-mortar retailer Best Buy will discount both the Final Fantasy XIII and Splinter Cell: Conviction bundles to $299.99 permanently,...

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Rock Band Weekly: Blondie, Decemberists and many more

There will be no track packs in next week's Rock Band DLC update. Instead, eight individual songs will be released, demonstrating a wide array of artists. Several bands will even be making their Rock Band debuts, including The Decemberists and dc Talk. It's an eclectic group of singles on deck -- check out the full details after the break.Xbox 360...

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Red 5 Studios standing by to show team-based online shooter at PAX '10

After the fate of its Offset Engine-powered MMO was left in doubt when the Project Offset team at Intel left the building, Red 5 Studios -- founded by former Blizzard crew -- has confirmed plans to show off its debut effort, a team-based online shooter, at PAX Prime in September. We knew that the developer intended to forge ahead with its game using...

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Readers pick best webcomic: Off Track

Yeah, now that we think about it, Princess Zelda in Spirit Tracks wasn't exactly the most flattering portrayal of the titular heiress. In Ocarina of Time, she masqueraded around as this badass ninja, in Twilight Princess, she was a killer with a bow and arrow -- heck, in Wand of Gamelon, you actually get to play as Zelda. As Awkward Zombie points...

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Richard Garriott wins $28 million in NCsoft suit

Spacefaring game designer Richard Garriott has been awarded $28 million in his lawsuit against former employer NCsoft. The Austin American-Statesman reports that Garriott was seeking $47 million -- a much higher figure than earlier reports -- to cover the losses he incurred after being forced to quickly sell his stock in the company at a low point...

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Splatterhouse producer talks blood, guts and paying homage

Controversy is not new to games, but few tend to attract it as eagerly as the upcoming Splatterhouse remake. Following our E3 preview of the game, we were unsure if Namco Bandai's effort would be little more than fodder for your local news looking to stir up viewers. I chatted with producer Dan Tovar at Comic-Con last week to find out if there's more...

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Visit scenic Nar Shaddaa in Star Wars: The Old Republic

The Star Wars: The Old Republic website reveals a new world for the MMO: the "smuggler's moon" of Nar Shaddaa, orbiting the Hutt homeworld. It's a huge city full of fugitives and other criminals, and is host to an ongoing war between the Hutt Cartel and the Exchange Syndicate -- you know, the kind of thing that a Jedi pays no attention to because...

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WRUP: Stayin' cool edition

by Alexander Sliwinski on Jul 30th 2010 9:30PMHow does one turn a hot dog into a chili dog? Open a bag of ice on the floor! Speaking of, It's been pretty hot lately (northern hemisphere bias!), but thankfully we haven't noticed it with the embarrassment of riches that's been the summer release schedule. Check out our reviews section if you're looking...

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

by JC Fletcher on Jul 31st 2010 3:00AMCasual 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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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....

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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,...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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....

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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...

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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,...

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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,...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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....

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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"...

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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...

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