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And now a little something for the ladies...of combat! If you're one of the millions of fans who picked up Capcom's excellent Street Fighter IV for either Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, chances are you're one of the millions who wasn't able to also pick up one of the extremely-limited Arcade FighterStick controllers released by MadCatz. The stylish, incredibly responsive sticks went fast and those looking to improve their world warrior skills were often forced to look elsewhere. But Capcom listened, and it looks like fans will get another chance to get in on the arcade-style action, only this time with a feminine twist!
The Street Fighter IV: Arcade FightStick: Femme Fatale version of the popular controller will feature some of the franchise's most popular leading ladies, including Chun Li, Cammy, Sakura, Rose, as well as newcomer Crimson Viper in fully-detailed, recognizable artwork and a distinct pink-colored scheme. The price will be $159.99, and as with the previous iteration of the stick, it will be first-come, first-served.
Says Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz:
"The Street Fighter community has demonstrated its enthusiasm for our range and has been vocal in requesting specific character-based designs. The female pugilists in Street Fighter IV feature some of the games most memorable and graceful imagery and we are pleased to honor these timeless characters with a limited edition FightStick which does justice to these iconic fighters."
Those looking to pick up this special-edition Femme Fatale Street Fighter IV FightStick may have to resort to mimicking their favorite game to do so, as only 1,000 of them will be produced (650 for Xbox 360, 350 for PlayStation 3) and availability is limited to attendees at the 2009 PAX Expo, MadCatz/GameShark and Capcom's own online stores. Limit is just two per customer, with sales beginning on September 4th. Fans of the PC version of the game should remember that their version is compatible with the Xbox 360 version.
With the knowledge that the highly-anticipated release of God of War 3 for the PlayStation 3 has been pushed into 2010, what's the next best thing for Kratos fans this year? Why, with God of War Collection, of course!
As most PS3 consoles don't support backwards-compatability, Sony helps ease the pain of a GoW-less holiday season with this special 2-game compilation of enhanced PlayStation 2 classics on one Blu-ray disc. God of War 1 & 2 get the full high-defintion treatment, complete with smoother visuals, 60 frames per second, and will run in 720p HD (1280 x 720 resolution). Also included in the package is full PlayStation trophy support, which should help give the older titles a new life in this age of online completion and (naturally) bragging rights.
While no specific release date is mentioned, look for God of War Collection to hit the PlayStation 3 in time for a lucrative holiday shopping season for the SRP of $39.99. All this is but a precursor to the release of God of War 3, which is still scheduled to render vengeance on PS3 consoles March 2010.
It looks like the PSP isn't the only platform to get in on the Grand Theft Auto action this shopping season, as Rockstar Games has announced their previously-exclusive Nintendo DS game, Chinatown Wars, is going more multiplatform than first thought will be debuting on the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch this Fall.
Says Sam Houser of Rockstar Games:
"Chinatown Wars is a perfect match for the iPhone and iPod touch...We are very excited to bring this incredibly ambitious version of Liberty City, with this level of detail and immersive gameplay on Apple's new gaming platforms."
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is also slated to hit Sony's PSP on October 20th, while the Apple iPhone/iPod Touch version is mentioned for release sometime this Fall. Rockstar also announced fellow PSP-release, the Timbaland-produced and starring Beaterator, will also be hitting Apple's platform as well.
Although first reports have the iPhone/iPod Touch retaining most of the PSP version's graphic fidelity, it will be interesting to see if Rockstar takes advantage of the Apple platform's inherent touchscreen controls to better approximate some of the Nintendo DS title's original control-schemes.
In expanding the critically-acclaimed game from its Nintendo DS roots, its likely that Rockstar is hoping to invigorate its somewhat disappointing sales performance. Since first launching in March of this year, the game has sold less than one million copies worldwide - a far cry from the 5+ million its console cousin Grand Theft Auto 4 enjoyed in its first week alone.
"Rambo does not kill his enemies, Rambo explodes them." That's a line from our review of the last time Sylvester Stallone revived his classic terrorist-killing icon in the amazing (and amazingly violent) Rambo. While many thought the Italian Stallion was looking to close the chapter on yet another cinematic icon, it looks like the forces of freedom will continue as reports are coming in that Nu Image/Millennium Films have begun to assemble a 5th Rambo film, with Stallone once again handling writing, directing, and acting duties.
Stallone will also handle human traffickers on the US/Mexico border, or more appropriately, explode right through them with a storyline that could have easily been ripped straight from today's headlines...or ripped from the cold, dead hands of a generation of hoity-toity action 'stars' who wouldn't know how to handle a mini-gun if their lives depended on it. Rambo 5 will continue the career revival of Stallone, who at age 63 is kicking more cinematic butt than ever before and is currently preparing The Expendables, which is being touted as 'the ultimate guy movie'. Twilight, it ain't!
Rambo thanks Variety.com!
Inspired from their own internet-only Flash music mixing application, Rockstar Games is entertering the highly combative videogame console music genre in a unique way with Beaterator, exclusively for the PSP. Of course, a high-profile mix game be without a celebrity endorsement, and for that the developer went straight to the top of the charts. Musical-maestro and hip-hop beat czar Timbaland is listed as the game's co-producer and will provide many new loops and sounds for users to play with, as well as create and manipulate their own.
So what do we know right now? Gleamed straight from the official website:
"Beaterator for PSP system and PlayStation Network puts a world-class mixer at your fingertips - enabling easy, powerful and innovative creation. Featuring original music and a sound-kit which includes thousands of loops and sounds produced by Rockstar and multi-platinum producer and entertainer Timbaland exclusively for Beaterator. Beaterator will be arriving on shelves on September 29th, 2009 in North America and on October 2nd, 2009 in Europe."
While Beaterator won't be the first mixing game on the market (KORG, anyone?), the addition of producer Timbaland and the Rockstar branding certainly make it one of the most high-profile yet. The official website is hosting a number of demo videos and trailers of the upcoming game played on the new PSP-Go, and promises to flesh out more details in the coming weeks. Until then, would be mix-masters can head over there and check out Beaterator for themselves and see if they've got what it takes.
Just days before chief videogame rival Sony plans to offer a slimmed-down, less expensive hardware revision of their PlayStation 3 console to the public, Microsoft beats them to punch by drastically reducing the cost of their higher-end Xbox 360 console to the comparable price of $299. To compensate, the current Pro bundle will be phased out and (temporarily) price-reduced to help make way for the less-expensive Elite bundle.
Keep reading for even more Xbox-tastic details!
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So ask yourself this question - were you one of the 4 million souls who managed to catch the debut trailer of James Cameron's Avatar over at Apple's Quicktime site? If you were, than consider yourself part of history (for now) as 20th Century Fox has announced the first public look at the Titanic director's first non-documentary film in 12 years has broken the company's download record.
The company was quick to pounce on the news, as the 4 million streams for Avatar's trailer easily bested the previous record-holder, Star Trek, who's 1.7 downloads seem positively anemic in comparison. But to be fair the debut was more than just a trailer, as Fox also hosted a technology-sampling Avatar Day Experience across the country, showing 16 minutes of the film to help viewers have a taste of what to expect when the film launches in December. Of course, the internet nerds have already pounced on the trailer and have directed their negative screed at both Cameron and the film's effects, but with such a tremendous showing at both Apple and various locations nationwide, who wants to bet they're first in line December 19th? Heck, we all know they'll be at the midnight shows.If you were one of the lucky fans who lapped up the debut trailer for James Cameron's upcoming Avatar film, than chances are you've already made up your mind if you're going to be in line to experience the director's first cinematic effort since 1997's Titanic. Thank goodness developer Ubisoft (who also helped craft some of the film's digital effects) is readying their videogame version as well, because it's likely fans are going to want to continue their adventures in this brand-new fantasy land after exiting the theater.
Enjoy the debut trailer for Avatar, which is likely culled from the higher-end versions of the game and (unlike most videogame trailers) actually features in-game footage. What a concept! Word has it the Xbox 360 version will, like the film, sport actual 3D imagery via HDMI/1080p displays. Let's hope both products live up to their massive hype, but for now gaze upon one of this year's most highly anticpated releases!
BlizzCon 09 is now underway, and already things have gotten off to a bang. In what's fast becoming a national holiday for fans of Billzard's ever-popular online sensation, the developer announced the next chapter in the franchise with World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.
Activision has finally started filling in the details, which are as follows:
"In Cataclysm, players will witness the face of Azeroth being altered forever, as the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing awakens from his subterranean slumber and erupts onto the surface, leaving ruin and destruction in his wake. As the Horde and Alliance race to the epicenter of the cataclysm, the kingdoms of Azeroth will witness seismic shifts in power, the kindling of a war of the elements, and the emergence of unlikely heroes who will rise up to protect their scarred and broken world from utter devastation."
Building on the foundation established in World of Warcraft and its first two expansions, Cataclysm will add a variety of new content and offer players the opportunity to rediscover Azeroth and experience the game from a whole new perspective. New features coming with the game's third expansion include:
* Two New Playable Races: Adventure as the cursed worgen with the Alliance or the resourceful goblins with the Horde.
* Increased Level Cap: Advance to level 85 and earn new abilities, tap into new talents, and progress through the path system, a new way for players to customize characters.
* Classic Zones Remade: Quest to level 60 as you never have before. Familiar zones across the original continents of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms have been reforged by the cataclysm and updated with new quests and content.
* Flying Mounts in Azeroth: Explore Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms from a whole new perspective.
* Guild Advancement: Progress as a guild to earn guild levels and guild achievements.
* New High-Level Content: Explore newly opened parts of the world, including Uldum, Grim Batol, and the great sunken city of Vashj'ir beneath the sea, and enjoy even more high-level raid content than in previous expansions.
* New PvP Zone & Rated Battlegrounds: Take on PvP objectives and daily quests on Tol Barad Island, a new Wintergrasp-like zone, and wage war in all-new rated Battlegrounds.
* Archaeology: Master a new secondary profession to unearth valuable artifacts and earn unique rewards.
* New Race and Class Combinations: Explore Azeroth as a gnome priest, blood elf warrior, or one of the other never-before-available race and class combinations.
Look for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm to hit sometime in 2010. Until then, check out the official debut trailer and screenshots for your anxious selves by clicking right HERE!
UPDATED with mini-gallery, so keep reading to check out the goblin-flavored screenshots! Tasty!
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Eagle-eyed reader and Popzara fanatic Paul Clinton Lyons spotted a curious thing while playing through the Wii version of the Ghostbusters videogame, which appeared on the Staypuff Marshmallow-featured level 'Going Up'. The game's buffed-out, muscular spoof may have been intended to poke fun at Capcom's original Mega Man cover, but it doesn't take much to see just how similar the character's coloring, design, and...well, everything else is an EXACT lift from Popzara's own Mr. Universal editorial avatar - which, incidentally, is copyright 2007!
The image makes several appearances throughout the level, and if true than Popzara joins an impressive cast of parodied video-celebrities featured in the game (although nowhere as charming as the Super Mario Bros. rip "Fungus Dudes"), as well as an entire level (complete with arcade machines) that poke fun at some of the more popular 8-Bit videogames and their glorious box-art. Of course Atari would never admit such a lift (intentional or otherwise), but who are you going to believe, a mega-publisher or your own lying eyes? Then again, flattery will get you everywhere...
James Cameron returns to hard, hard science-fiction this December with the release of Avatar, a mind-bending 3D journey that puts the Titanic director back into the genre he helped define. One of the most anticipated films in recent memory, the first real trailer is here, in full HD glory and ready to bend your minds into puddles of alien goo. If the final product can match the trailer, than ladies and gentlemen, we may have ourselvs a winner.
What are you waiting for? Check out the official trailer for Avatar in Quicktime and HD for yourselves right HERE!
Who said print media was dead? Not if Blizzard and Future Publishing has anything to do it, as the two media giants are teaming up to bring fans of the world's most popular role-playing experience to ink and paper with the launch of the appropriately titled "World of Warcraft: The Magazine", which also appropriately is set to begin publication on the fifth anniversary of the game's launch.
Need more details and where to subscribe? Keep reading for all that and more!
Read More »One of the strongest titles Nintendo showcased during its 2009 E3 show was New Super Mario Bros. Wii, a significantly expanded take on its earth-shatteringly popular DS game that was released back in 2006. The latest trailer showcases all people loved then and more, with newer suits, enemies, and locales that should send the legion of Mario loyalists into frenzies of goomba-stomping, flower-boppin' ectasy.
With almost twenty million copies sold for its DS predecessor and no signs of slowing down, New Super Mario Bros. Wii looks to keep the fireballs burning and mushrooms hopping when its released (possibly) this November. Until then, enjoy the bops and hops of true Mario multiplayer mayhem!
Few can argue that of all current-generation gaming consoles, Microsoft has taken great pains - both financial and otherwise - to help make their Xbox Live the most cohesive, consistant online gaming ecosystem currently available. But while largely consistent online match-making and a plethora of multimedia content should be enough for most users, it appears that the service's more inclusive nature may be holding it back from one of the industry's most interesting options: user-generated content.
A developer for RedLynx, the developer of Xbox Live Arcade title Trials HD and released just last week exclusively for the Xbox 360, has posted (via the game's official forums) his take on how Microsof't console measures up, which despite its progressive nature in many areas, in others sounds positively Nintendo-like.
Keep reading for everything else!
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Mike Judge fans have been salivating over his upcoming (live-action) project, Extract, and as its September 4th release date draws near, the film is receiving a healthy dose of advertising support. Our own Wolf Man showed off a string of neat character posters a few weeks back, and it looks like the final one is now available to complete your digital set. Snag the one listed above for yourselves with a little right-click action (or whatever it is you Mac-people do) and get ready to see if the next adventure from the creator of Office Space, Idiocracy, and Beavis and Butthead measures up!
Those who have been following Sony's somewhat disjointed advertising efforts (to put it mildly) will probably agree that some of the company's most creative spots have featured situations and characters people wouldn't ordinarily associate with mainstream videogames. With the recent introduction of the PlayStation Slim and its sooner-than-expected September release date heating up, here come the first wave of PS3 Slim related ads that help showcase what Sony has learned over the past three years - apparently nothing.
Keep reading for all the seedy details...
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LittleBigPlanet remains, inarguably, one of the most important releases for the PlayStation 3 game console. Apart from allowing users to create and share their own levels and creations, its real treasure was allowing full interaction between players to fully immerse themselves in the worlds of their own creation. When word came that Sony would be porting the game to their PSP console, many questioned whether the smaller hardware could handle the frantic action of the original. Turns out, it couldn't.
Speaking to Eurogamer, the game's senior producer Mark Green explained that when the PSP version of LittleBigPlanet is released this year, multiplayer won't be part of the package:
"It's a trade-off. The system is physically capable of doing multiplayer, but perhaps not with the full physics system. On the technical side of things you lose a third of the processing power or a third of the system memory just to do multiplayer at all. With those limitations we couldn't achieve it."
While nobody was expecting the smaller, portable version of the smash-hit PlayStation 3 title to include each and every feature, the loss of multiplayer options is one that will likely be missed. Here's hoping the developers are able to keep the rest of the original game's exceeding charm and personality, which is definitely something the world could use more of.
PlayStation 3 fans are well used to Firmware updates, most of which seem designed to add and fix misplaced ideas left by previous Firmware updates. I kid, but I do know that my PS3 sees plenty of them, but it looks like the upcoming Firmware 3.0 is one I'll be on the look-out for.
Firmware 3.0 adds plenty of substantial (i.e. visible) changes to the PS3's navigational features, including the addition of actual animated themes, premium avatars, a new friends list (complete with status updates), new Trophy concepts, as well as a host of other bits all designed to help you guide your console's XMB a little less painfully. Looks good, but it also looks as if there's still entirely too much clicking around to get where you want to go...any chance of favorite menus and more streamlining in the future, Sony?
So real confirmation about when Firmware 3.0 will hit the PlayStation 3, but given the recent (and mighty fine) announcement that the PS3 Slim would be hitting retailers early September, the timing couldn't be better. Enjoy the video tour!
Easy to love, absolutely impossible to hate (just try), one of the smaller gems revealed by Sony at the 2009 GamesCom in Germany was one of the best. LocoRoco: Midnight Carnival is less a true 'sequel' to arguably the PSP's best franchise, and more a collection of (you guessed it) night-themed levels that should appeal to the most stalwart Loco-fans out there. New colors, cooler themes, and even a bouncy new move ("the boing") that should help cure the sugar cravings left after the full completion of the excellent LocoRoco 2.
Of interest should be how the game is being sold, or how its not. LocoRoco: Midnight Carnival takes a cue from fellow musical PSP game Patapon 2 and will be digital-distribution only, timed to release alongside the PSP-Go and exclusive to the PlayStation Network. Of course standard PSP consoles can share the fun, because what's a portable PlayStation without a little bounce?
Chalk one up for the inevitability of swift action for copyright infractions, as a particularly brazen Nintendo DS-clone App has been removed from Apple's iTunes App Store for being, well, too similar to a certain dual-screened portable console.
The DS DoubleSys App, which bears an uncanny resemblence to Nintendo's DS console, promises to give the look and feel of the popular handheld - virtual stylus included - for Apple's iPhone platform. The official website touts the App "popular the world over," listing sales stats from across the globe with (they claim) #1 status in Nederland. No mention is made specifically to the Nintendo DS, but given how closely the DS DoubleSys mimics the look, feel, and function using the software to play copied games probably isn't that far-fetched.
Curiously, when trying to access the App from the company's website, the message "The item you've requested is not currently available in the US Store" teases that perhaps non-US residents are still free to download the software. Although this hasn't been confirmed, the deletion of the DS DoubleSys App follows in line with other mentions across the board, including the removal of a YouTube clip demonstrating the useful functions of the DS DoubleSys in action. Youtube's removal cites copyright claims from Nintendo itself, which also shouldn't come as any real surprise.
Of course, the DS DoubleSys could be just as advertised, a remarkably uncanny look-alike of Nintendo's DS console for curious iPhone users, and nothing else. Anyone having traveled down the toy isle of your local superstore will remember that similar, physical items that virtually copy (at least visually) the Nintendo Wii remote abound, yet have managed to escape possible retail explusion from Nintendo. Only time will tell how the DS DoubleSys fares, but don't look for it to reappear in Apple's notoriously fickle App Store anytime soon.
The worst-kept secret in modern gaming history has officially been confirmed by Sony at this year's GamesCom convention in Germany, and despite our complete lack of surprise, is still more than welcome. Sony's own Kaz Hirai has not only confirmed the existance of the fabled PlayStation 3 Slim hardware, but that its coming much sooner than anyone expected - the first week of September. The new unit will sport a larger 120 GB HDD, streamlined surface, and all the features of the existing PS3 hardware.
Keep reading for more details on PS3 Slim, as well as Sony officially dropping the PS3's price to $299! Read More »
More Spore? You bet your moldy bottom, as EA continues their dream to turn Will Wright's "other" simulation sensation into the multi-platform craze as the creator's other ubiquitous franchise, The Sims. To help this along, the publisher is releasing two new titles for both Nintendo Wii and DS platforms in October, the strangely appropriate arena-based fighting Spore Hero (Wii) and Spore Hero Arena (DS).
So what does EA have to say for both titles? That and more after the jump!
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Already set to invade Japan on September 12th, Nintendo aims to once again conquer the hearts and minds (not to mention wallets and pocketbooks) of American gamers next year with the release of the next chapter of Pokémon games for the DS family of consoles - Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver! So says the company of their impending (and highly-anticipated release)
"Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version return players to the scenic Johto region first introduced in the beloved original Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver games nearly a decade ago. The richly detailed adventure of Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver is now enhanced for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems with updated graphics and sound, as well as new touch-screen features and a host of surprises. Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version bring dozens of Pokémon characters back into the limelight for a new Pokémon generation - and longtime fans - to catch, train and battle."
Nintendo is calling the Pokémon franchise of the top children's franchises in history, with more than 193 million copies of the critters (i.e. games) sold since its debut 13 years ago. They're touting even more statistical fun as Pokémon is the number one collectible trading card game of all time, with sales exploding over 374 percent just since 2005. Having one franchise cross two significant milestones must come as sweet irony for Nintendo, whose own roots run deep within both industries and whose Pokémon franchise is certainly showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Look for Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Versions to hit North American retail shelves in spring 2010!
Although its been available for a bit, for those who've yet to catch the debut trailer for the upcoming Amelia Earhart film starring Hillary Swank and Richard Gere, better late than never! Directed by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding) and overflowing with a talented cast most films would kill for, Amelia is the the dramatic retelling of one of the most recognizable figures in aviation history is definitely worth your two minutes. Also, our very own Wolf Man has the first theatrical poster (suitable for framing?) available at Popzara Press, so snag your copy today! Amelia hits theaters October 23rd!
Being on the receiving end of negative and hurtful language can be troublesome for anyone, but the growing epidemic of unintentional harm caused to the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered) community - particularly teenagers - has reached fever pitch in a world of mass-communication. Now GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is hoping a targeted campaign to help educate people about the negative effect of harmful language will get that point across. But by encouraging negative stereotypes to help combat negative stereotypes, is the organization setting themselves up for a zero-sum game?
Keep reading for all the details...
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Available for Japanese DSi consoles since last December, Nintendo has finally brought their popular animation application to North Americans in the form of Flipnote Studio for the irresistable price of - free!
Keep reading to see how to get your own animated masterpieces online today!
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One of the more interesting releases for the Nintendo DS has to be Renegade Kid's mind-twisting FPS adventure, Dementium. Not only was the game a technological showpiece for the aging handheld, but an artistic and playable one to boot. It was also psychotic enough to scare the willies out of most who played it, and judging from the final box-art to its recently-announced sequel, it doesn't look like they're changing the mood. Is anyone else thinking of the SAW films right about now?
Horror fans can right-click and save a much bigger version of the box-art to their computers, as currently there's no word yet on Dementium 2's release date, though we're told look for an early 2010 shipping. Until then, why now satiate your portable FPS cravings with the developer's equally-compelling science-fiction epic MOON?
The on-off again relationship Hollywood has endured with Microsoft/Bungie's Halo franchise has become nearly as legendary as the games themselves, as previous attempts to bring the space saga to the big-screen has attracted some of the biggest and most influential names in cinematic history, only to have these efforts dashed at the last moment. But now it seems a new campaign (no pun intended) to transform the saga of Master Chief into movie royalty is on once more, this time handled by none other than Steven Spielberg himself.
So will fans finally have the chance to see how the war between super-soldiers and the Covenent plays out on the big-screen? Keep reading to find out!
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Paypal, the Ebay-owned online monetary system used by millions of consumers and businesses for safe and secure transactions, is expanding its domain into the world of gaming consoles. Microsoft's Major Nelson has announced the digital currency system is coming to the Xbox 360 to help make purchases through the Xbox Live Marketplace that much easier.
Nelson was quick to point out that users can associate multiple PayPal accounts with a single Xbox Live account, and that users looking to purchase Microsoft Points will have to head over to xbox.com to do so, as purchasing direct through the Xbox 360 console is (for now) not available. Also, PayPal is available to Xbox 360 users in the United States. Those looking for instructions how to link their Xbox Live and PayPal accounts should point their browsers to the Major's direct site, located right HERE!
Next Tuesday, August 10th, Microsoft will begin offering full Xbox 360 games for your downloading and buying pleasure, straight from Xbox Live itself. While the company has made statements in the past that Day 01 releases are still 'aways off', the first helping of 21 distinct titles should help them work out the kinks and test their new distribution model thoroughly.
No pricing is available for any of the available titles, but as one of the biggest incentives touted for direct-downloads has been savings (particularly for publishers), let's hope Microsoft prices accordingly and helps make digital-distribution a welcome option for consumers opting to ditch boxes, manuals, and (most importantly) the lucrative resell factor downloaded games will never have. Here's the list, and don't forget to tune your Xbox 360 consoles in next Tuesday for the Fall Dashboard Update!
Keep reading for the full list of available titles!
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Better late than never! Activision has confirmed that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is (finally) slated to hit Nintendo's Wii console this November. Yes, we did say the original Modern Warfare, and not the upcoming sequel slated to hit the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC platforms.
Activision will release a version of the critically-acclaimed and enormously best-selling FPS for Nintendo's console, renamed simply Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, on the same day the sequel hits its HD-equipped console cousins. Developer Treyarch (the folks behind last year's World at War chapter) is handling the conversion, having previously handled both Call of Duty 3 and World at War versions for the hardware.
As we said above, better late than never, as Activision/Infinity Ward's ground-breaking shooter has available for most gaming platforms (including a respectible DS version) since November 2007, and last year's successful release of Call of Duty: World for both Xbox 360/PS3 and Wii showed there's plenty of interest in expanding the franchise. The publisher just yesterday announced a new version of Modern Warfare would be also be hitting the DS platform on November 10th, meaning just about anyone looking to get in on the action when the game(s) hit November 10th. Bring it on!
Those PlayStation 3 owners who were expecting a relatively stress-free session with their favorite futuristic, techno-throbbing racer yesterday probably weren't expecting the uproar caused the inclusion of in-game advertising in the form of video clips that delayed gameplay and increased loading times. Naturally, the fans were upset, and rightfully so as this surely wasn't what they signed up for when purchasing Wipeout HD, was it?
In an effort to thwart a growing online uproar in protest of these game-slowing intrusions, Sony was quick to respond and has pulled the offending adverts (which in one bizarre YouTube clip appeared to shill State Farm insurance), issusing the following statement...
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One of the most surprising announcements made by Nintendo during the 2009 E3 Show was the upcoming ability to upload and share photos via the DSi console and the popular Facebook community. At long last, it looks as if lucky Facebook-using DSi users will finally get their wish as the company has announced the service goes live...tonight!
Says Nintendo in their timely press blurb:
"While reviewing pictures they've stored in the Nintendo DSi Camera album, which includes photos taken by users and manipulated using the built-in interactive lenses, users can simply tap the Facebook icon on the system's touch screen to instantly transmit photos to the user's Facebook profile. The user's system must be configured to a wireless broadband Internet connection for the transmission of photos."
The DSi isn't the first videogame console to announce support and functionality for the Facebook service, as Microsoft also announced the Xbox 360 would also be gaining access to the social-networking service. But given the DSi's built-in digital camera(s) and WiFi service, giving the 7 million users of the third-generation DS hardware seems like a match made in heaven. Users can tune their consoles in after 5PM PST (Pacific Standard Time) and download the necessary software update directly from the DSi Store.
For those wondering if the next chapter in the Call of Duty franchise would once again be hitting the Nintendo DS, Activision has your answer - kind of. Although not officially sanctioned with the moniker "Modern Warfare 2", Nintendo's portable will be getting its own taste of the action come November 10th with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized.
The third entry in the portable franchise comes once again courtesy of developer n-Space (Call of Duty 4, World at War), and will no doubt continue the unique and optimized fight by taking full advantage of the DS's touchscreen controls. Says the Activision press blurb:
"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized will bring the epic Call of Duty intensity of Modern Warfare to Nintendo DS fans through a unique storyline and companion narrative. The title will also serve up a bevy of features, including a six-player online multiplayer mode that allows friends to host their own server, as well as the brand new Survival Mode, giving players a variety of weapons to hold off waves of oncoming enemy forces and an expanded six-player online multiplayer mode. Also, Arcade Mode will allow gamers to replay the game's single-player with a time limit and running score, with extra points awarded for specific achievements."
Look for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized to hit the Nintendo DS November 10th, launching the same day as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.
Following up their promise to spread the love across the gender line, Sony finally begins their campaign to lure the fairer sex to their portable platform, eschewing the darker colors of the original PSP and going full lilac. Or should we say "OMG" Lilac, because it looks as if Sony plans on keeping the full tween-speak and attitude intact as they appeal to the ladies. Or in the parlance of the times, girlz.
The centerpiece of the show seems to be the lilac-colored Hannah Montana PSP Pack, which follows its masculine bundled cousins by offering fans of Miley Cyrus a PSP 3000 console, episodes from the hit show, 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo, and (wait for it) stickers to help spruce up the works all for $199.
Also onn full display is a healthy mix of old and new for new (and presumably feminine) PSP owners, with titles including Patapon 2, Locoroco 2, Hannah Montana, Petz, Pangya, and Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. While six titles may seem somewhat anemic (especially compared to that other portable console), Sony should be applauded for dropping their strict male-centric view of the gaming world and letting everyone in on the fun.
Those interested in introducing their special ladiez to the wonderful world of gaming via Sony's OMG Lilac PSP should point their browsers to www.girlzplaytoo.com, or by simply clicking right HERE!
On the list of anticipated music videogames for 2009, one title towers heads 'n shoulders above all others, and they name be The Beatles: Rock Band. Not that most of us haven't heard, absorbed, and had the Fab Four's music fused into our DNA, but in the right hands their legacy and filmography should lend themselves to some of the most wild and creative interactive scenery yet. Most would agree that Harmonix possesses those right hands, and come September 9th (or just9/9/09 for your numerologists) we'll find out.
But for those who just can't wait, Electronic Arts is releasing a few familiar tunes online, accompanied by the game's virbant visuals and chock-full of Beatle nostalgia. Because we care, you'll have to keep reading to check all four videos out for yourselves. The tunes are "Revolution", "Birthday", "Sgt. Peppers/With A Little Help From My Friends", and of course "Here Comes The Sun". By all means do, and make sure to turn the volume up!
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Although its been off the air for some 11 years, rabid fans and unending rotations in syndication have kept Seinfeld well entrenched in the public consciousness, leading some to ponder when (or if) the inevitable reunion episode would come about. Well, it looks like the 'if' has become 'when' as Larry David has officially announced the whole gang's coming back...sort of.
Look for the quasi-reunion 'special' to air during the final episode of the upcoming seventh season of HBO's hit comedy, Curb Your Enthusism. Not a true reunion in the traditional meaning, the core Seinfeld cast (including Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards) will reunite for a special show-within-a-show scenario that fans of HBO's meta-reality Curb should be more than familiar with. Says David of what fans should expect of bringing back the cast:
"You'll get an idea of what happened [to the characters] 11 years later...You won't see a show from beginning to end, but you'll see parts of it."
Reports have the original Seinfeld sets being recreated for the special, and no doubt we'll be seeing a few surprises and familiar faces pop-in. Non-Curb fans should note that Larry David is the co-creator of Seinfeld, having written and created many of the show's episodes, played the vocal (but largely unseen) Yankees boss George Steinbrenner, and returned to write the show's final episode.
Not that fans of Curb Your Enthusiasm will mind, as the comedy (which many fans consider Seinfeld's true heir apparent) has consistently been one of television's funniest and most talked about comedies since first launching in 1999. Various characters from the previous show have made guest appearances on the former, but this will be the first time since Seinfeld finale that everyone's been onscreen together. As fans will note, the melding of both shows seems like a perfect fit, and if done right could be ratings gold for the network. But why's it taken so long? What's the deal?
Yada, yada, yadas to The LA Times!