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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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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,...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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)...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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