Good Old Games gives away free Good Old Games

GoodOldGames.com, the online gaming store that specialises in old PC games, has announced that it is giving away two free games for Christmas to all users who have or create an account on the site.

GOG.com has proven a hit with PC gamers, offering classic and hard-to-find PC games in an online store akin to Valve's Steam. Where GOG.com has the edge though is that each game sold is guaranteed to run on all modern OS' thanks to some re-coding and DOS box emulation tweaks. The best thing about it though is that the games are cheap too, fitting into either $9.99 or $5.99 price bands.

Midway closes studio, cancels games

Midway has taken further efforts to reduce costs and minimise losses today with the closure of its Austin studio and the cancellation of all its projects that were projected for a 2010 or 2011 release date, all of which were unannounced.

Midway has announced redundancies across all territories also, losing staff in San Diego, Austin and Chicago according to GamesIndustry.biz. The move sees the total workforce of the company being decimated with more than 25 percent of the publishers total employees being terminated.

EA and 2K Games license Nvidia PhysX technology

Electronic Arts and 2K Games have both announced that they will license Nvidia PhysX technology across all of their worldwide studios.

This follows on from Nvidia and EA’s joint announcement earlier this month regarding the PC version of Mirror’s Edge, which is claimed to be the first game to truly exploit PhysX technology.

"PhysX is a great physics solution for the most popular platforms, and we're happy to make it available for EA’s development teams worldwide. Gameplay remains our number one goal, with character, vehicle and environmental interactivity a critical part of the gameplay experience for our titles, and we look forward to partnering with NVIDIA to reach this goal,

Reports claim FCC head has anti-cable bias

A new US House Committee on Energy and Commerce report (PDF) published today accuses current FCC chairman Kevin Martin of unfairly biasing policy against the cable industry. The government body head is specifically accused of overriding others' views and is said to have reversed a finding that exempted cable providers from offering à la carte rules as well as attempting to force through a report that would have accused the cable industry of greater than 70 percent control of the market, allowing Martin and the FCC to regulate the field.

ARM, Sony Ericsson, more join Open Handset Alliance

The Open Handset Alliance today said it has added 14 new members to its group in a move that will bolster support for Google's new Android operating system. The new roster includes phone manufacturers such as ASUS, Sony Ericsson and Toshiba as well as prominent chipmakers like ARM and Atheros as well as carriers Softbank and Vodafone. GPS device maker Garmin is also included in the list.

Yang claims No. 1 Year-End Ranking

Top seed Tsung-Hua Yang (TPE) has won his first round match of the 2008 Orange Bowl to claim the year-end number one ranking spot after a gripping three set match against unseeded American Matthew Kandath. Yang made heavy work of his first round match, winning the first set in a closely fought tie-break before losing the second and then finding form in the third set to see off Kathman 76 46 62. This first round win now sees him secure his position as World Number one at the end of the year.

DirecTV announces end of HDPC-20 HD tuner project

A DirecTV spokesperson recently announced the company has discontinued any and all development work on the HDPC-20 tuner that promised to link DirecTV's high-definition content with Windows Media Center. The HDPC-20 was first introduced at CES in 2006, or nearly three years ago. The decision to end the project was reportedly made after DirecTV missed the August 2008 update for Windows Media Center software and timing of the next release.

GeForce 9400M coming to Intel Atom soon?

NVIDIA is in the process of porting the technology behind the GeForce 9400M to mainboards meant for Intel's Atom processors, alleged sources from PC builders claim. The MCP79 chipset, which sits at the heart of both the 9400M in newer MacBooks and the lower-powered 9300M, is said to be in conversion for the mini PC platform with the aim of improving graphics over Intel's existing but relatively limited GMA video. NVIDIA would first focus on hardware for nettops but would potentially expand to netbooks later on.

Tidal technology

UK-based Aquamarine Power has announced that it has made a significant investment in Ocean Flow Energy to secure a new technology to produce energy from deep water tidal resources.

The investment complements Aquamarine Power’s existing technologies and will further strengthen its position in the marine renewable energy sector.

Aquamarine Power already boasts a diverse portfolio of marine energy converters.

Oyster, its hydro-electric wave power device, is due for installation at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) next year, while its tidal stream energy converter Neptune is currently the world’s largest under development at 2.4MW.

Tidal technology

UK-based Aquamarine Power has announced that it has made a significant investment in Ocean Flow Energy to secure a new technology to produce energy from deep water tidal resources.

The investment complements Aquamarine Power’s existing technologies and will further strengthen its position in the marine renewable energy sector.

Aquamarine Power already boasts a diverse portfolio of marine energy converters.

Oyster, its hydro-electric wave power device, is due for installation at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) next year, while its tidal stream energy converter Neptune is currently the world’s largest under development at 2.4MW.

Top 10 torrented games of 2008

TorrentFreak has posted a list (via Kotaku) of the top ten games which were copied and shared over BiTorrent alone this year and if you're one of those piracy-deniers who thinks the number of pirates can't be all that big then the figures below make for some interesting reading.

Interestingly, the number one torrent title of this year is Spore - a game which drew much criticism for having invasive DRM and copy-protection systems.

XNA dev: "Downloadable games are too cheap"

According to Weapon of Choice developer Nathan Fouts the vast majority of games on Xbox Live Arcade are underpriced and should be dramatically more expensive.

"I want to go on the record and say I feel like most downloadable games are under-priced," the indie developer told MTV.

Fouts, who had worked on Resistance: Fall of Man before turning independent, said that the pricing structure was controlled solely by Microsoft and that the situation was ridiculous.

Commodore lands MLB-skinned gaming PCs

Commodore today seized on the holidays to launch a new set of MLB custom skins for its gaming PCs. The initial lineup lets buyers of any of the company's existing systems choose a theme based on the Boston Red Sox, New York's Mets and Yankees, or the Philadelphia Phillies that covers nearly the entire outer surface of the mid-tower case. The company's assembly process applies the artwork directly to the case and so is more scratch-resistant and permanent than a sticker or vinyl cover.

Only 20 percent of games make a profit

Granted, this bit of rather shocking news only caught our attention thanks to Forbes magazine making a mistake, but it's still worth reporting that apparently only 20 percent of games ever turn a significant profit.

The information, which is based on data gathered by the Electronic Entertainment Design and Research analyst firm (EEDAR, originally showed that only 4 percent of games ever make a profit but EEDAR has now issued a correction to those figures.

Marantz Japan intros Bluetooth iPod dock

Marantz Japan on Friday has introduced a new wireless dock for the iPod and iPod Touch personal audio and multimedia players. The system is composed of a receiver and multiple docks that will also charge the Apple devices and supports Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR A2DP and Bluetooth AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile). The system will allow users to play the content of their iPods via their home theater systems and control them via their home theater remote.

ELSPA claims BBFC downgraded 22 adult-rated games

In a report released by the ELSPA, the company claims that the BBFC downgraded 22 adult titles that were given an 18 rating by PEGI. This follows recent criticism targetted at the BBFC for being too harsh with games ratings.

"The BBFC's downgrading of games opens up the potential of unnecessary risk for UK children and teenagers when playing games against other non-UK players online," ELSPA said.

"Last year, of the 50 games that PEGI rated 18+ and passed to the BBFC for classificiation, the film rating board downgraded 22 of them - almost 50 percent.

ELSPA claims BBFC downgraded 22 adult-rated games

In a report released by the ELSPA, the company claims that the BBFC downgraded 22 adult titles that were given an 18 rating by PEGI. This follows recent criticism targetted at the BBFC for being too harsh with games ratings.

"The BBFC's downgrading of games opens up the potential of unnecessary risk for UK children and teenagers when playing games against other non-UK players online," ELSPA said.

"Last year, of the 50 games that PEGI rated 18+ and passed to the BBFC for classificiation, the film rating board downgraded 22 of them - almost 50 percent.

The 14 most influential arcade games of all time (Wii)

TechRadar have gone all retro with a list of classic arcade games that were the foundation of the multi-billion dollar videogame industry that we have today.

No surprises that iconic monochrome bat and ball game Pong tops the list, but there's a few lesser known cabinets in there too like Atari's simplistically titled Fooball and Amstar Electronics' Phoenix, picked out for being one of the industry's first full-colour coin-ops.

The 14 most influential arcade games of all time (PlayStation 3)

TechRadarhave gone all retro with a list of classic arcade games that were the foundation of the multi-billion dollar videogame industry that we have today.

No surprises that iconic monochrome bat and ball game Pong tops the list, but there's a few lesser known cabinets in there too like Atari's simplistically titled Fooball and Electronic Art's Phoenix, picked out for being one of the industry's first full-colour coin-ops.

Check out the full list on TechRadar: 14 arcade machines that led to a misspent youth

Zune 3.1 adds like minded listener feature, games

Microsoft this afternoon launched an uncharacteristic mid-cycle Zune software update that adds new features in addition to usual fixes. The 3.1 upgrade now has a significant visual overhaul for the Zune Social feature and should be easier to navigate. It also adds a "like minded listeners" feature that shows users other Zune Social members that tend to play similar music. Three new Zune games, Checkers, Sudoku and Space Battle, will also be loaded on to Zune hardware with its next sync.

Study finds video games increase heart rate

Research recently published by the Swedish Research Council (and reported by Science Daily via Wired) into the effects of violent video games on teens has found that playing violent games affected subject heart rate variability not only during gameplay (no surprise there) but also when they were sleeping that night.

A group of boys aged between 12 and 15 were asked to play two different games in the evening, one focused on violence, while the other had no violent features. Heart rates were monitored both throughout the gameplay, then during the rest evening and finally while they slept.

Games for Windows Live redesigned

Quietly, ever so quietly, Microsoft has released a revamp of the entire Games for Windows Live service on PC and begun hinting at future expansions and enhancements to the service.

The update, which was rolled out yesterday, does away with the ill-advised and clunky Xbox 360 interface and replaces it with something more suited for mouse and keyboard control. The new interface for the service now pops down out of the top of the screen and include a more streamlined and much faster loading set of menus.

Epic: Second hand games are a huge issue

Dr. Michael Capps, President of Epic Games, has called for developers and publishers to try and find some way to combat the second hand games market which he says is a huge issue for the industry.

Capps also said that piracy was a huge issue for PC games specifically, pointing to Crysis as an example. According to Capps the ratio of pirated to non-pirated versions for Crysis was a staggering 20:1. Capps says that's why Epic has no intention to release

Fallout 3 outsells all previous Fallout games

Fallout 3 is doing pretty well for itself it seems. According to recent sales figures from GfK Chart-Track Bethesda's foray into the post-nuclear genre has sold almost 60 percent faster than the studios last title, Oblivion.

What's more, Fallout 3 is currently topping the sales charts on all platforms it was released on and has outsold all of the previous Fallout games combined, including the lack-lustre spin-offs

11 percent of gamers have unopened games

You'll have to chalk this news story up under 'matter of mild interest' rather than 'exclusive and amazing news story', but what the hell. According to recent survey figures, around 11 percent of gamers have games that they still haven't opened after six months.

The news comes from Gamasutra, who have reported that according to figures from the NPD sales-tracking group, around 11 percent of gamers have games that they haven't opened after six months.

Good Old Games goes to open beta

Good Old Games, the digital download service for classic PC games has finally reached open beta stage and is ready for business according to the latest announcement.

The Good Old Games service is similar to Valve's Steam platform in many regards in that it allows users to download and play old PC games on modern systems for a fraction of the usual prices. The service, which is backed by Polish developer CD Projekt, has won the adoration of many fans too for being completely free of DRM. Once you buy a game from Good Old Games, you own it forever and it's yours to take responsibility for.

Boris Johnson decides games are good

Boris Johnson, the semi-hilarious mayor of London, has had a change of opinion and decided that games are a good thing now.

While the much-ridiculed politician who has appeared on shows like Have I Got News For You may have previously said that games are to blame for "ignorance, underachivement " and "poverty", and turning children into "blinking lizards", it seems he's had a change of heart.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Entrenchment - Preview

Sins of a Solar Empire was one of the best strategy games on the market last year.  It took the strategy and civilization building of Galatic Civilizations and put it into a powerful RTS game.  If you liked the original, then I have some good news.  They’ve officially announced an expansion pack to be released around November 18th.  It will only cost $10 and add a lot of balancing features to the gameplay.  The main focus is on defensive options.  Minefields and extremely powerful star bases are now available alongside superweapons to lead your fleets and destroy said star bases.  It should really mix up the gameplay and make for a better, more challenging, game.

Prince of Persia Update

You may or may not know about this new addition to the Prince of Persia series.  Ubisoft released a hands on preview at the Tokyo Game Show to reveal a bit of the play style that the new game will feature.  The biggest change is that it seems to be a return to form.  The controls are simple and seem similar to the fluid controls of Assassin’s Creed.  There is a button for jumping, another for the sword, and another for his gauntlet.  There’s a little room for accidents, but it seems to work pretty well so far.  The fighting seems more stylish, but still boring though.  Another interesting focus is an attempt to make the new female lead, Elika, more involved.  The feel is reminiscent of a two-person game.  Elika will develop magical abilities that you can call on later and the early reports seem to show that they’re really building up her character.  If all goes well, this should be a nice boost for the struggling series.

Church of England: Games are a force for good

In a recent round table discussion between the Church of England and a collection of some of the leading charity groups in the UK, the Church of England came to the surprising conclusion that games can be a force for good in the modern world.

The discussion, which was organised by Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), included the experts from the computer and video games industry as well as those from the Church of England. ELSPA organised the talk to investigate why some groups fear that children can be negatively affected by videogames and to try and dispel the myths that all violent video games are bad.

Church of England: Games are a force for good

In a recent round table discussion between the Church of England and a collection of some of the leading charity groups in the UK, the Church of England came to the surprising conclusion that games can be a force for good in the modern world.

The discussion, which was organised by Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), included the experts from the computer and video games industry as well as those from the Church of England. ELSPA organised the talk to investigate why some groups fear that children can be negatively affected by videogames and to try and dispel the myths that all violent video games are bad.

YouTube to start selling games

Google has announced that it is to start selling games through YouTube soon thanks to a partnership with Amazon.com, as well as MP3s through a deal with Apple's iTunes store.

YouTube, which is owned by Google, is one of the most popular sites on the internet thanks to the plentiful amount of LOLcats, faceplants, sneezing pandas and other truly fantastic videos, but has so far not managed to turn a single penny of profit.

DSi games to be region locked

In a move that's sure to annoy many Nintendo fans, the company has just revealed that games for the new DSi will be region locked. While the standard DS games will not be, the DSi cartridge games and those which are to be made available through the DSi's new online functionality will be.

Nintendo announced the new DS a short while ago, revealing that the new model will have two cameras built into it, improved WiFi and online downloads and a new SD card slot. The GameBoy Advance cartridge slot however will be absent.

300 Director to make games with EA

In a move similar to the deal between Steven Spielberg and Electronic Arts, Zack Snyder has announced a three game deal with EA which will see the director of 300 and Watchmen teaming up to work on three new videogame IPs.

Previously, EA had announced a similar arrangement with Steven Spielberg which has so far resulted in the release of the hugely enjoyable Boom Blox, as well as two other unannounced titles.

300 Director to make games with EA

In a move similar to the deal between Steven Spielberg and Electronic Arts, Zack Snyder has announced a three game deal with EA which will see the director of 300 and Watchmen teaming up to work on three new videogame IPs.

Previously, EA had announced a similar arrangement with Steven Spielberg which has so far resulted in the release of the hugely enjoyable Boom Blox, as well as two other unannounced titles.

300 Director to make games with EA

In a move similar to the deal between Steven Spielberg and Electronic Arts, Zack Snyder has announced a three game deal with EA which will see the director of 300 and Watchmen teaming up to work on three new videogame IPs.

Previously, EA had announced a similar arrangement with Steven Spielberg which has so far resulted in the release of the hugely enjoyable Boom Blox, as well as two other unannounced titles.

GTA IV PC exclusively on Games for Windows

Microsoft has confirmed that the PC version of free-roaming violence-em-up Grand Theft Auto IV will be exclusively available under the Games for Windows brand, meaning that the multiplayer experience will be tied to the Games for Windows online system.

Which wouldn't be so bad of course, but the Games for Windows Live system has drawn flak in the past for being difficult to use and often unreliable - Gears of War PC

GTA IV PC exclusively on Games for Windows

Microsoft has confirmed that the PC version of free-roaming violence-em-up Grand Theft Auto IV will be exclusively available under the Games for Windows brand, meaning that the multiplayer experience will be tied to the Games for Windows online system.

Which wouldn't be so bad of course, but the Games for Windows Live system has drawn flak in the past for being difficult to use and often unreliable - Gears of War PC

GTA IV PC exclusively on Games for Windows

Microsoft has confirmed that the PC version of free-roaming violence-em-up Grand Theft Auto IV will be exclusively available under the Games for Windows brand, meaning that the multiplayer experience will be tied to the Games for Windows online system.

Which wouldn't be so bad of course, but the Games for Windows Live system has drawn flak in the past for being difficult to use and often unreliable - Gears of War PC

NPD reveals best-selling console games of 2008

The NPD figures are in and the top five best selling console games of 2008 (so far) have been revealed thanks to a new feature at Gamasutra which has based the announcement on figures from the games sales tracking group, NPD.

The results are an interesting mix of predictable, with Grand Theft Auto IV making an obvious appearance on the PS3 and Xbox 360 list, and surprising.

One thing which does seem interesting though is the growing trend in Wii game sales for games which have a controller attachment to sell very well - as evidenced by four of the top five game in the Wii category. Check out the lists below.

NPD reveals best-selling console games of 2008

The NPD figures are in and the top five best selling console games of 2008 (so far) have been revealed thanks to a new feature at Gamasutra which has based the announcement on figures from the games sales tracking group, NPD.

The results are an interesting mix of predictable, with Grand Theft Auto IV making an obvious appearance on the PS3 and Xbox 360 list, and surprising.

One thing which does seem interesting though is the growing trend in Wii game sales for games which have a controller attachment to sell very well - as evidenced by four of the top five game in the Wii category. Check out the lists below.

NPD reveals best-selling console games of 2008

The NPD figures are in and the top five best selling console games of 2008 (so far) have been revealed thanks to a new feature at Gamasutra which has based the announcement on figures from the games sales tracking group, NPD.

The results are an interesting mix of predictable, with Grand Theft Auto IV making an obvious appearance on the PS3 and Xbox 360 list, and surprising.

One thing which does seem interesting though is the growing trend in Wii game sales for games which have a controller attachment to sell very well - as evidenced by four of the top five game in the Wii category. Check out the lists below.

GTA IV PC exclusively on Games for Windows

Microsoft has confirmed that the PC version of free-roaming violence-em-up Grand Theft Auto IV will be exclusively available under the Games for Windows brand, meaning that the multiplayer experience will be tied to the Games for Windows online system.

Which wouldn't be so bad of course, but the Games for Windows Live system has drawn flak in the past for being difficult to use and often unreliable - Gears of War PC

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

Fable 2 Update

Alright.  It looks like Molyneux is actually staying realistic with the game in not promising the world with this game as it approaches its release.  He recently did a demonstration of the game at London and it looks fairly solid.  Basically it plays as Fable 1 except there are more quests, more items, and more properties.  The one significant feature was that good and evil actions would have a serious consequences with little reminders throughout the story, although I’m not convinced about the effectiveness of this after Oblivion’s shallow attempts.  The other weird addition is that rented properties will accumulate money even if the game is off.  This doesn’t sound like a good idea considering that a big complaint last time around was that everyone had millions in gold and nothing to spend it on.  It basically seems like this is a fancier version of Fable for the people who liked it before.  It looks like a solid RPG, but it just looks like it fell short of the target again.

The Sims 3

There isn’t a whole lot to be said about this sequel.  It’s the Sims.  It sounds like they are finally getting to expand it to the massive scale that they’ve always wanted.  You will no longer follow one individual Sim necessarily.  The massive neighborhood will run simultaneously as all your little Sims interact.  The focus has been taken off of micro management with everything being a bit simpler.  There are only four basic needs now (sleep, food, fun, and bladder) and general wishes don’t play as much of a role.  The one nice aspect is that it really seems to be a focus on having a Sim world.  Social interactions are more natural and all of the options have gotten some serious upgrades.   I just wonder if moving away from the family-focus idea is the right direction for the series, since watching a neighborhood might get old quick.

Fable 2 Update

Alright.  It looks like Molyneux is actually staying realistic with the game in not promising the world with this game as it approaches its release.  He recently did a demonstration of the game at London and it looks fairly solid.  Basically it plays as Fable 1 except there are more quests, more items, and more properties.  The one significant feature was that good and evil actions would have a serious consequences with little reminders throughout the story, although I’m not convinced about the effectiveness of this after Oblivion’s shallow attempts.  The other weird addition is that rented properties will accumulate money even if the game is off.  This doesn’t sound like a good idea considering that a big complaint last time around was that everyone had millions in gold and nothing to spend it on.  It basically seems like this is a fancier version of Fable for the people who liked it before.  It looks like a solid RPG, but it just looks like it fell short of the target again.

Dead Space Preview

This little beauty should be a great game for any fan of survival horror games.  Dead Space basically smashes Resident Evil 4 into System Shock and Bioshock for a freaky experience.  It’s already drawing a lot of controversy for its violence, so you know that’s going to be good.  The basic story has you exploring the remains of a navy ship overrun by…something.  It’s basically just a standard sci-fi story, but it is a good excuse to kill some stuff.  the best part so far is the promise of strategic dismemberment (also causing the controversy).  Zombies don’t die from headshots.  A number of the monsters have to be crippled by shooting and damaging their limbs to weaken their abilities.  Throw in some special powers and a few no gravity sections and you should have a fun survival horror game.

The Sims 3

There isn’t a whole lot to be said about this sequel.  It’s the Sims.  It sounds like they are finally getting to expand it to the massive scale that they’ve always wanted.  You will no longer follow one individual Sim necessarily.  The massive neighborhood will run simultaneously as all your little Sims interact.  The focus has been taken off of micro management with everything being a bit simpler.  There are only four basic needs now (sleep, food, fun, and bladder) and general wishes don’t play as much of a role.  The one nice aspect is that it really seems to be a focus on having a Sim world.  Social interactions are more natural and all of the options have gotten some serious upgrades.   I just wonder if moving away from the family-focus idea is the right direction for the series, since watching a neighborhood might get old quick.

Wario Land: Shake It Preview

This looks like a fun little title from Nintendo.  Wario is back for some old side scrolling adventures and they are all centered around the Wii’s shake ability.  You basically do just about everything in the game by shaking or turn the wiimote.  Movement is still standard side scroller action, but Wario’s special moves are all shake-based.  The one really interesting aspect to the gameplay was the alarm system.  You grab a special being at a point in each of the five main levels and then have to race back to the start and beat an alarm.  It was a bit of a nice twist on the genre.  There’s also zany levels and bosses but that basically goes without saying in a Wario platformer.  If any of this sounds cool just keep an eye out for it’s release in a few days on the 22nd.

The Sims 3

There isn’t a whole lot to be said about this sequel.  It’s the Sims.  It sounds like they are finally getting to expand it to the massive scale that they’ve always wanted.  You will no longer follow one individual Sim necessarily.  The massive neighborhood will run simultaneously as all your little Sims interact.  The focus has been taken off of micro management with everything being a bit simpler.  There are only four basic needs now (sleep, food, fun, and bladder) and general wishes don’t play as much of a role.  The one nice aspect is that it really seems to be a focus on having a Sim world.  Social interactions are more natural and all of the options have gotten some serious upgrades.   I just wonder if moving away from the family-focus idea is the right direction for the series, since watching a neighborhood might get old quick.

The Conduit: A Preview

This title should make a nice addition to the Wii’s lineup.  It basically looks like they took the combat system of Metroid Prime and applied it to a Half-Life style of gameplay.  It looks great with some glimpses at exotic weapons and tactics.  The short story is that you’re a secret agent basically working for MIB (called “The Trust” for legal reasons).  Only an early build was on display so some of the intricacies are still under wraps, but there’s talk of some major multiplayer options to round out the package.  Keep an eye out for this one at the beginning of next year.

Lego Batman Preview

This one shouldn’t be much of a shock for anyone.  The Lego series is now going to pick up Batman for their line.  There’s plenty of missions where you play as Batman or one of his villains trying to do stuff.  You’ll grapple and punch through the plastic world and have a fun arcade time.  Everything so far shows a fun little romp through the world without a whole lot of changes.  If you liked the Star Wars or the Indiana Jones versions, then you’ll probably like this set.  It will be coming out next week on the 23rd, so keep an eye out.

Star Ocean: First Departure Preview

This new PSP title should be a nice boost for starved fans of action RPGs.  This new addition to the Star Ocean line should be a pleasant addition to the PSP’s lineup.  There isn’t anything too groundbreaking.  The combat is standard real time fighting with a mix of button mashing and special attacks.  The party system should be interesting though since you can switch into any character at any time in the fight.  The skill system also seems to be well made with tons of options for minor character specializations as cooks or smiths.  if you’re a fan of the genre, you’ll want to watch out for its release next month on October 21st.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky Preview

Well, any fan of the original probably knows that this sequel is about to have its main release in America on the 15th.  Some lucky people already have their pre-ordered version and the comments look pretty good.  If you haven’t looked at the game before, it basically added a bunch of features to the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R.  The biggest of these is the battle for the zone between the various factions.  This seems to have been pulled off well with various early release players confirming different accounts of the war on the sidelines based on AI decisions.  A lot of bugs have been reported though, so let’s keep our fingers crossed for a quick patch.

Lego Batman Preview

This one shouldn’t be much of a shock for anyone.  The Lego series is now going to pick up Batman for their line.  There’s plenty of missions where you play as Batman or one of his villains trying to do stuff.  You’ll grapple and punch through the plastic world and have a fun arcade time.  Everything so far shows a fun little romp through the world without a whole lot of changes.  If you liked the Star Wars or the Indiana Jones versions, then you’ll probably like this set.  It will be coming out next week on the 23rd, so keep an eye out.

The Conduit: A Preview

This title should make a nice addition to the Wii’s lineup.  It basically looks like they took the combat system of Metroid Prime and applied it to a Half-Life style of gameplay.  It looks great with some glimpses at exotic weapons and tactics.  The short story is that you’re a secret agent basically working for MIB (called “The Trust” for legal reasons).  Only an early build was on display so some of the intricacies are still under wraps, but there’s talk of some major multiplayer options to round out the package.  Keep an eye out for this one at the beginning of next year.

Star Ocean: First Departure Preview

This new PSP title should be a nice boost for starved fans of action RPGs.  This new addition to the Star Ocean line should be a pleasant addition to the PSP’s lineup.  There isn’t anything too groundbreaking.  The combat is standard real time fighting with a mix of button mashing and special attacks.  The party system should be interesting though since you can switch into any character at any time in the fight.  The skill system also seems to be well made with tons of options for minor character specializations as cooks or smiths.  if you’re a fan of the genre, you’ll want to watch out for its release next month on October 21st.

Wario Land: Shake It Preview

This looks like a fun little title from Nintendo.  Wario is back for some old side scrolling adventures and they are all centered around the Wii’s shake ability.  You basically do just about everything in the game by shaking or turn the wiimote.  Movement is still standard side scroller action, but Wario’s special moves are all shake-based.  The one really interesting aspect to the gameplay was the alarm system.  You grab a special being at a point in each of the five main levels and then have to race back to the start and beat an alarm.  It was a bit of a nice twist on the genre.  There’s also zany levels and bosses but that basically goes without saying in a Wario platformer.  If any of this sounds cool just keep an eye out for it’s release in a few days on the 22nd.

Dead Space Preview

This little beauty should be a great game for any fan of survival horror games.  Dead Space basically smashes Resident Evil 4 into System Shock and Bioshock for a freaky experience.  It’s already drawing a lot of controversy for its violence, so you know that’s going to be good.  The basic story has you exploring the remains of a navy ship overrun by…something.  It’s basically just a standard sci-fi story, but it is a good excuse to kill some stuff.  the best part so far is the promise of strategic dismemberment (also causing the controversy).  Zombies don’t die from headshots.  A number of the monsters have to be crippled by shooting and damaging their limbs to weaken their abilities.  Throw in some special powers and a few no gravity sections and you should have a fun survival horror game.

Fable 2 Update

Alright.  It looks like Molyneux is actually staying realistic with the game in not promising the world with this game as it approaches its release.  He recently did a demonstration of the game at London and it looks fairly solid.  Basically it plays as Fable 1 except there are more quests, more items, and more properties.  The one significant feature was that good and evil actions would have a serious consequences with little reminders throughout the story, although I’m not convinced about the effectiveness of this after Oblivion’s shallow attempts.  The other weird addition is that rented properties will accumulate money even if the game is off.  This doesn’t sound like a good idea considering that a big complaint last time around was that everyone had millions in gold and nothing to spend it on.  It basically seems like this is a fancier version of Fable for the people who liked it before.  It looks like a solid RPG, but it just looks like it fell short of the target again.

Lego Batman Preview

This one shouldn’t be much of a shock for anyone.  The Lego series is now going to pick up Batman for their line.  There’s plenty of missions where you play as Batman or one of his villains trying to do stuff.  You’ll grapple and punch through the plastic world and have a fun arcade time.  Everything so far shows a fun little romp through the world without a whole lot of changes.  If you liked the Star Wars or the Indiana Jones versions, then you’ll probably like this set.  It will be coming out next week on the 23rd, so keep an eye out.

Hell’s Highway Update

This is just a quick mention for Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway.  A full four levels of gameplay were shown off at a pre-release demonstration.  With the September 30th release date approaching, it should be reassuring for you to know that everything looks on track.  It’s basically the same old style with new graphics, bigger battlefields, and better Ai.  The developers are also putting the camera to better use with a more cinematic cut to show off the devastation you’re causing.  Fans of the series should definitely seek this release out in a few weeks.

HMV: Games to trump music sales

HMV has been devoting increasing amounts of shop space to selling games lately as it believes that game sales will soon trump music sales, according to comments given to The Sun recently.

HMV Executive Simon Fox said that games sales already made up about 20 percent of all sales from the HMV chain, with a steady rise of 4.1 percent over the last three months. This trend has driven the company to devote more and more store space to the sales of games, while less and less space is being used to sell music.

The Conduit: A Preview

This title should make a nice addition to the Wii’s lineup.  It basically looks like they took the combat system of Metroid Prime and applied it to a Half-Life style of gameplay.  It looks great with some glimpses at exotic weapons and tactics.  The short story is that you’re a secret agent basically working for MIB (called “The Trust” for legal reasons).  Only an early build was on display so some of the intricacies are still under wraps, but there’s talk of some major multiplayer options to round out the package.  Keep an eye out for this one at the beginning of next year.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky Preview

Well, any fan of the original probably knows that this sequel is about to have its main release in America on the 15th.  Some lucky people already have their pre-ordered version and the comments look pretty good.  If you haven’t looked at the game before, it basically added a bunch of features to the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R.  The biggest of these is the battle for the zone between the various factions.  This seems to have been pulled off well with various early release players confirming different accounts of the war on the sidelines based on AI decisions.  A lot of bugs have been reported though, so let’s keep our fingers crossed for a quick patch.

Will Wright discusses the future of mobile games

Will Wright is big news right now, what with Spore being released tomorrow and all, but now the developer is setting his sights elsewhere - namely on mobile and handheld games, which he thinks will be an increasingly powerful section of the market.

Apparently ol' Will is a big fan of handheld gaming and can regularly be found scraping away at the touch screen of his DS - most likely playing the DS version of Spore, but he thinks that mobile games may have to change a little in the future.

Adobe Flash to deliver NFL games in full

The National Football League, NBC Sports, and Adobe have announced their collaboration on Sunday Night Football Extra -- full-length live streams of NFL Sunday night football games.

The Sims 3

There isn’t a whole lot to be said about this sequel.  It’s the Sims.  It sounds like they are finally getting to expand it to the massive scale that they’ve always wanted.  You will no longer follow one individual Sim necessarily.  The massive neighborhood will run simultaneously as all your little Sims interact.  The focus has been taken off of micro management with everything being a bit simpler.  There are only four basic needs now (sleep, food, fun, and bladder) and general wishes don’t play as much of a role.  The one nice aspect is that it really seems to be a focus on having a Sim world.  Social interactions are more natural and all of the options have gotten some serious upgrades.   I just wonder if moving away from the family-focus idea is the right direction for the series, since watching a neighborhood might get old quick.

Cities XL Preview

This looks like a surprisingly good release for the city building genre.  Cities XL tries to follow in the footsteps of the Sim City franchise by allowing an in-depth scenario with a solid interface.  They are being a little tight-lipped over the actual controls, but there are plenty of other cool bits to talk about.  The biggest draw is that it offers a huge multiplayer side.  You can choose to stick to single player and build your own city from 500 buildings, or you can go online and become part of the massive world.  You are able to do standard things such as negotiating for limited resources, but you can also jump into a chosen avatar and explore a friend’s city.  Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to come out until December 31st of 2009.  Let’s hope that they make good use of the time.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Madworld Update

Madworld has certainly been picking up a lot of controversy, despite the lack of gameplay footage.  We now have a good look at what we’ll be getting.  It looks amazing.  Everybody around the gaming world should know the basics.  You are a man fighting in Running Man style matches to please the masses in the cel-shaded universe.  Some new gameplay footage really shows off the extra bits that separate this from Manhunt or Mortal Kombat.  You can use your mix of punches, kicks, and chainsaw slashes to fight through the levels, but you can also pick up and switch to various other weapons besides the basic environmental stuff.  One basic runthrough showed the pace.  You kill off some goons and get into a chainsaw duel (which should be particularly good use for the Wii control) as a cheesy announcer cracks jokes.  The really impressive bits were the bonuses for environmental weapons.  You don’t just smack people with signs.  You can do some fairly inventive things for extra reputation and points.  One instance showed the ability to trap them in a tire and throw them into the water.  Basic vehicle fighting sections and non-fighting levels were shown.  These little extras should serve as a nice way to break up the gameplay.

Backbreaker Preview

This little treasure almost slipped past me.  The developers released a new teaser demo for this new football game.  It showed off this game’s star feature.  The tackle system is entirely physics-based.  There are no animations.  Any and all tackles will be carried out by the robust physics engine.  That’s actually about all they’re talking about so far.  It isn’t clear how they’re working around the EA monopoly or how the actual football will play out.  All that is clear is that the tackle system looks amazing and the running play looks great.  The testers said that the AI was unrelenting too, so fans of the genre should enjoy a nice challenge.  It’s at least a serious change from the Madden dominated market.

Valhalla Knights 2 Preview

This sequel is probably one of the biggest dungeons crawlers scheduled for release on the PSP.  Several writers from the Final Fantasy XII crew were picked up by the development team, so you can expect one big game.  Early estimates are that it will take more than 135 hours to beat every single side quest in the game, with 80 dedicated to the main quest.  The rest should be pretty standard for the series.  There is a lot of character customization with two jobs per race and seven races to chose from.  The party can be built or picked up along the way.  Battles are the same action sequences as before.  Overall, there it’s just a fun sequel for the PSP.  If you like action-RPGs, then you should love this one.

Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine

This new title for the Wii doesn’t need a big explanation.  It is basically just a more serious verious of the other cooking games available for the Wii.  The first demonstration was just at PAX and it was only a minor presentation.  That said, there have been plenty of statements concerning the features.  You will be able to pick your own secret ingredients for quick battles against friends through the multiplayer, or you can choose to fight your way to the rank of Iron Chef.  Your skill in the minigames is ultimately judged when you present the finished dishes to the panel.  The cooking looks fairly realistic with over 300 minigames promised in the finished game.  If you like this genre, then it should be an enjoyable addition to the Wii.  Keep an eye out for it when it’s released on October 21st.

Jumpgate Evolution Preview

This game’s release is far off in the future, but some nice details were released at PAX.  Jumpgate Evolution takes a view of space simulations similar to Freelancer.  You have a standard command system with a whole lot of options for combat.  The difference is that it will be an MMORPG with all the blessings, such as a complex economy and plenty of room for missions and combat.  The nicest touch seems to be a fully explorable environment.  Comets and asteroids have openings that allow for fairly free adventures for the interested pilot.  If nothing else, it should give EVE a good run for its money.  Keep an eye out for more developments on this new space simulation.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Savage Moon Preview

PAX was really the place to be when it came to fun releases for the online market.  This little title will be gracing the PlayStation Network later this year.  It’s basically just a really nice tower defense game.  If you don’t know what this is, then it is basically just a quick version of an RTS.  You put down defensive towers to stem back a nearly endless wave of enemies.  Savage Moon features a complex base defence against hordes of bugs.  Details are really sketchy, but one can only image what the multiplayer would be like.  If you enjoy the genre, then this nice title should be a great game for some quick fun.

Madworld Update

Madworld has certainly been picking up a lot of controversy, despite the lack of gameplay footage.  We now have a good look at what we’ll be getting.  It looks amazing.  Everybody around the gaming world should know the basics.  You are a man fighting in Running Man style matches to please the masses in the cel-shaded universe.  Some new gameplay footage really shows off the extra bits that separate this from Manhunt or Mortal Kombat.  You can use your mix of punches, kicks, and chainsaw slashes to fight through the levels, but you can also pick up and switch to various other weapons besides the basic environmental stuff.  One basic runthrough showed the pace.  You kill off some goons and get into a chainsaw duel (which should be particularly good use for the Wii control) as a cheesy announcer cracks jokes.  The really impressive bits were the bonuses for environmental weapons.  You don’t just smack people with signs.  You can do some fairly inventive things for extra reputation and points.  One instance showed the ability to trap them in a tire and throw them into the water.  Basic vehicle fighting sections and non-fighting levels were shown.  These little extras should serve as a nice way to break up the gameplay.

Backbreaker Preview

This little treasure almost slipped past me.  The developers released a new teaser demo for this new football game.  It showed off this game’s star feature.  The tackle system is entirely physics-based.  There are no animations.  Any and all tackles will be carried out by the robust physics engine.  That’s actually about all they’re talking about so far.  It isn’t clear how they’re working around the EA monopoly or how the actual football will play out.  All that is clear is that the tackle system looks amazing and the running play looks great.  The testers said that the AI was unrelenting too, so fans of the genre should enjoy a nice challenge.  It’s at least a serious change from the Madden dominated market.

Valhalla Knights 2 Preview

This sequel is probably one of the biggest dungeons crawlers scheduled for release on the PSP.  Several writers from the Final Fantasy XII crew were picked up by the development team, so you can expect one big game.  Early estimates are that it will take more than 135 hours to beat every single side quest in the game, with 80 dedicated to the main quest.  The rest should be pretty standard for the series.  There is a lot of character customization with two jobs per race and seven races to chose from.  The party can be built or picked up along the way.  Battles are the same action sequences as before.  Overall, there it’s just a fun sequel for the PSP.  If you like action-RPGs, then you should love this one.

Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine

This new title for the Wii doesn’t need a big explanation.  It is basically just a more serious verious of the other cooking games available for the Wii.  The first demonstration was just at PAX and it was only a minor presentation.  That said, there have been plenty of statements concerning the features.  You will be able to pick your own secret ingredients for quick battles against friends through the multiplayer, or you can choose to fight your way to the rank of Iron Chef.  Your skill in the minigames is ultimately judged when you present the finished dishes to the panel.  The cooking looks fairly realistic with over 300 minigames promised in the finished game.  If you like this genre, then it should be an enjoyable addition to the Wii.  Keep an eye out for it when it’s released on October 21st.

Jumpgate Evolution Preview

This game’s release is far off in the future, but some nice details were released at PAX.  Jumpgate Evolution takes a view of space simulations similar to Freelancer.  You have a standard command system with a whole lot of options for combat.  The difference is that it will be an MMORPG with all the blessings, such as a complex economy and plenty of room for missions and combat.  The nicest touch seems to be a fully explorable environment.  Comets and asteroids have openings that allow for fairly free adventures for the interested pilot.  If nothing else, it should give EVE a good run for its money.  Keep an eye out for more developments on this new space simulation.

The Maw Preview

This will be a new game that will be available via the Xbox Live Arcade before the end of the year.  It’s basically a bit of a twist on a bunch of old platformer elements in a new way.  I couldn’t help but think of the first Oddworld games.  The player controls Frank.  Frank controls The Maw.  They are two aliens who are stranded on a pretty savage planet.  The Maw’s a little indestructible killing machine that is a bit chickenhearted.  Frank has him rigged up on a fancy leash, but he can only do so much with him.   Your goal will revolve around completing a level by convincing The Maw to overcome some challenge.  In general, you need to guide him to little animals he can eat to grow and gain special abilities.  It definitely sounds like an interesting concept that’s worth a second look when it comes out later.

Resistance: Retribution Preview

It looks like the PSP might finally get a good action game.  This spin-off from the Resistance series is due out next spring, but the early shots just look beautiful.  It’s amazing what the little handheld can do.  This obviously doesn’t matter if the gameplay’s awful, but Retribution seems to be pulling its own weight.  The game basically just sets up a story that lets you kill plenty of aliens and raid some Chimera Conversion Centers.  It should work fine as a plot device.  What’s cool is the way that the controls are intelligently divided.  You will automatically fire on any enemies once you center the target marker.  The only direct controls are for manual fire, movement, aiming, and switching to alternative fire modes.  They are also boasting a decent cover system, so it should have a nice tactical feel.  Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this will be a great title for the struggling handheld.

Rise of the Argonauts Preview

This looks like an incredibly fun game.  The game follows the struggles of Jason and his argonauts as they search for the Golden Fleece.  The big part is the combat, which is surprisingly brutal.  It will follow a more realistic style of combat where one’s position on the battlefield determines whether the slash is a decaptitating blow or a light scratch.  Reviews so far state that it has a visceral quality to it that is quite refreshing.  Throw in some great production values and level design to have one good action title.  Keep an eye out for more developments on this one later.

Spore: A Look at Space

There’s some new information about the role that space will play in the game.  Everyone interested in this game probably knows the basics.  You move through the stages from a single celled organism to a full-sized civilization.  The space stage was never well elaborated though, other than the fact that you could terraform planets and spread out more.  There’s finally some good news on that front.  Statements in recent interviews state that there will be a complex mission system for opening trade routes with new civilizations.  It will range from military operations to exploration and abductions.  The process sounds like a fun arcade-style addition to the end game that switches up the standard civilization parts before it.  There are also reports that 4 million stars will be in the game, so you’ll have a lot of exploration to kick start.

Spore: A Look at Space

There’s some new information about the role that space will play in the game.  Everyone interested in this game probably knows the basics.  You move through the stages from a single celled organism to a full-sized civilization.  The space stage was never well elaborated though, other than the fact that you could terraform planets and spread out more.  There’s finally some good news on that front.  Statements in recent interviews state that there will be a complex mission system for opening trade routes with new civilizations.  It will range from military operations to exploration and abductions.  The process sounds like a fun arcade-style addition to the end game that switches up the standard civilization parts before it.  There are also reports that 4 million stars will be in the game, so you’ll have a lot of exploration to kick start.

Godfather 2 Preview

This new game may actually be a pleasant surprise.  The development team has made several statements that they are moving away from being a GTA clone.  The focus is now shifting to a mixture of strategy and action.  They will be including total war screens as the “Don’s View” option.  You can then use this screen to carry out individual missions to harm rival families and earn rewards for your own.  It sounds like a really interesting concept that could be really cool if pulled off correctly.

Resistance 2 Preview

This sequel looks like it could really step up and be amazing.  The single player has been amped up a bit for more intense play, but they’re a little tight lipped about it for now.  The good news comes from the multiplayer arena.  There is a separate and full co-op campaign that can host up to eight players at a time.  That pales in comparison to the multiplayer, which promises up to 60 people in multi-level maps.  I hope that they can pull off Team Fortress’ success with the complex battlefields.

Games Con reveals 60GB Xbox Live Starter Pack

Microsoft's rumored Xbox Live Starter Pack has already turned up through a flyer advertising the bundle to guests at this week's Leipzig Games Convention, including members of NeoGAF's community. The pack is as predicted in earlier leaks and would include the 60GB hard drive otherwise available only with the new Xbox 360 Pro, an Xbox Live wired headset, and a three-month pass for Xbox Live Gold.

Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria Preview

While not as huge as the overwhelming favorite in the MMO world (WoW of course), The Lord of the Rings online has a pretty huge following and is know for nailing the atmosphere of the world of Tolkien’s imagining from the books. Apparently, this expansion is no exception. Your journey through the mines will take place after the fellowship stirred up some fighting in there (which leaves me wondering how your going to exit the damn place…), and is said to even include the Balrog. Interesting.

Playstation Spot Vid shows vids from DKΣ3713

Still kinda bummed out about the lack of anything tangible from Squares DKΣ3713 event? Well Cheer up, I got a video featuring all kinds of footage from the event. You get to see footage of Dissidia, Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, The 3rd Birthday (Parasite Eve 3), Final Fantasy Versus 13, Final Fantasy 13, Final Fantasy Agito 13, and Final Fantasy: Advent Children Complete. Now, to be honest, not too much of what is shown here is new, and you see the most out of Dissidia, but it’s something right?

Civilization IV: Colonization

There are some nice new screenshots and details released about this remake.  If you didn’t new, it is a re-envisioned gamed based on Sid Meier’s original Colonization.  It follows many visual aspects of the Civilization series, but it will be a stand-alone title.

The gameplay is effectively a really cool and well thought out expansion pack.  You play as one of the main nations colonizing the New World.  You’ll found your colony and do all the necessary build up.  This means exploring the countryside for reasons and Native American tribes.  Alliances and deals can be brokered with the tribes, but military might usually takes over at some point.

Positech Games reveals results of piracy survey

Cliff Harris, lead designer of Positech Games and semi-regular bit-tech.netcolumnist has been a busy boy lately. Not only has he been hard at work on the new Kudos 2 simulation game, but he's also been launching a survey into the causes of computer game piracy.

The question Cliff asked was simple; Why do people pirate my games? And yet the results that the indie developer recieved are not nearly as interesting as his own reaction to them as he takes the advice of the pirates on board and starts designing games with them in mind.

A Look at Overlord 2

Overlord and Overlord:Raising Hell were some of the most innovative games released last year.  If you ever wondered what a dark, fantasy version of Pikmin would be like, just look at Overlord.

I was personally a little worried.  The project for the sequel seemed to have dropped off the face of the Earth until a peek at the features was just released.  I have to say it looks really good.  They really seem to be improving the minion play.  The team is already showing the minions fighting in a new arctic environment as well as riding a their own versions of wolves.  There are also plans for the little guys to use siege machines and even take to the sea in some naval battles.

Skate 2 Preview

There’s more information about the sequel to the popular skateboarding game.  Last year, Skate redefined what a skateboarding game should be.  It looks like the sequel will do even more.  They’ve added a ton of features to the buttons to compliment the flick controls from the last one.  You can now grab onto objects in the environments for handplants and it’s possible to take a foot off the board.  This all opens up a ton of more room for tricks, especially with the early screenshots of the environments.   This looks like another good one.

Legendary Preview

You get to shotgun werewolves and shoot rockets at griffins.  Do I honestly have to say anything else?  This looks like a really cool first-person shooter.  It’s basically the same as Call of Duty in it’s interface.  You’ll just be fighting hordes of mythical creatures instead of the usual Germans.  This really looks amazing with a good variety amongst the enemies.  Early reports are that you’ll actually have to alter your gameplay.  For example, you must blow a werewolf’s head off to kill it for good.  This isn’t just some cheap game, they really seem to be playing up the monsters.  I’m hoping this is as good as it looks when it’s released on September 30th.

The bit-tech Winter Games Preview 2008

The Winter Games PreviewThere are a lot of good games coming up this year. Maybe not as many as last year admittedly where we had massive hits like BioShock and The Orange Box and Mass Effect, all of which managed to make it into our Top Ten Game of 2007, but big nonetheless.

So, we’ve scrawled down this tidy little guide to the best games coming out in the madness of the pre-Christmas rush.

We’d love to say that this article is for you – that we’ve lovingly created this article so you can be fully prepared to spend your hard earned cash, but that would be a lie. The truth is that Joe is just awful at remembering release dates, so hopefully this should help keep him on track.

Weight room keeps Murray in shape for Games gold

Boosted by his Masters triumph, the world No 6 is banking on gym work to lift him to higher glory

By Paul Newman in BeijingTuesday, 5 August 2008

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II Preview

This was somewhat overlooked in the flurry of E3.  This sequel to the amazing RTS game last year is radically changing the formula for the game.  The focus is shifted toward a tactical environment with little to no base building.  You will instead controlling a group of units while following a free-form campaign.  The whole process basically follows like a series of quests that let you level up your squad, but failure is an option in all of them.  It’s possible to lose a lot of the extra missions without too much of a penalty.  I have to be honest and state that I’m unclear whether this was a good move or not.  I’ll keep a close eye on this one as it nears it’s release in Q2, 2009.

Atlus Officially Bringing Eternal Poison over to the States

You guys love Atlus and there unique style of games? Me too. So you’ll be happy to hear that they are bringing over yet another Strategy RPG to the states, and it, just like upcoming Persona 4, is still showing the PS2 some love. Every copy of the game will come with an extra CD with select music from the game on it. Collectors may want to look out for this one. A CG teaser trailer was released, which can be seen below. In it, it gives the release date as a not so bad 11/11/08. Screenshots can be seen at the source below.

Perfect Dark and Killer Instinct Probably coming to XBLA

So Rare has already disappointed us before, what with the Goldeneye “announcement” falling through and everything, but they might be trying to make up for it. gamefocus asked Phil Spencer, the general manager of Microsoft game studios if they would be bringing other old titles to the Xbox Live Arcade, besides Banjo-Kazooie, he responded:
“We do have the rights of the complete Rare catalogue (except GoldenEye 007). We’re studying all the possibilities to bring classic games from the past like Killer Instinct and Perfect Dark,” said Spencer.

John Carmack: Steve Jobs hates games

John Carmack, lord of the geeks and Technical Director at id Software, has spoken out against Apple's policy when it comes to gaming over the years in a recent interview. Carmack reckons that the reason Apple hasn't strayed much into the games market is primarily because of company CEO, Steve Jobs.

"The truth is Steve Jobs doesn't care about games. This is going to be one of those things that I say something in an interview and it gets fed back to him and I'm on his s***head list for a while on that, until he needs me to do something else there. But I think that that's my general opinion. He's not a gamer

Squares DKΣ3713 Coverage

So, it has come and passed, and still no FF7 Remake announcement has been made. Still that won’t kill the hopes of many clamoring fans (like myself, haha). Still, much has been announced and it seems that Square (or maybe just Nomura) is going to be showing the PSP a lot of love. Officially, Both “Final Fantasy Agito 13″ and “The 3rd Birthday” (Parasite Eve 3) are coming to the PSP. Oh and that “Big FF7 related announcement”? Final Fantasy Advent Children Complete is coming out, in Japan, in March of 2009. Included will be a demo for Final Fantasy 13, as well as HD versions of trailers for the Fabula Nova Crystallis games. Other small details were released such as the tenative release dates of the Upcoming Kingdom Hearts games (Birth By Sleep: 2009, 358/2 Days: Winter of 2008, Coded: Winter of 2008), Dissidia Being Released in December, With a Bungle Pack and it’s own potion, Kefka, and Sephiroth are both going to be playable in Dissidia, Final Fantasy 13 Will be coming to Eastern shores in 09, and the fact that Versus will be getting a simultaneous world wide release exclusively on the PS3.

IOC puts Beijing Games highlights on YouTube

BEIJING--Clips and highlights of Olympic events are to be made available on the video-sharing site YouTube, owned by Google, under an agreement with the International Olympic Committee, the IOC said in a statement.

Rage: Id’s New Game

This is a relatively interesting new title from Id.  Their new title is sort of like Fallout meets Mad Max.  Your character is an elite soldier sent forth by the remaining government of the world.  An asteroid wiped out most of the world, but a whole lot of mutants and hostile survivors made it through the nuclear winter.  You have to fight for order.  This doesn’t exactly break the mold for stories, but it looks like it should be a solid shooter that gives a cool experience. No luck on the release date though.  They aren’t saying a thing.

Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty

This should be a fun treat for fans of the series.  This isn’t a full sequel to Tools of Destruction.  Instead, it focuses on about 4 hours of solid platforming as Ratchet tries to find out what happened to Clank.  Clank’s absence means some serious changes for the gameplay.  More efforts have been put into acrobatics and wrench play.  The wrench now has the ability to act as a grappling hook or even a light gravity gun.  The best news is that it will be available for download through the PlayStation Network for $14.95 on August 21st.

A New Wolfenstein

This looks like a fairly interesting release from Id.  On the surface, it’s just another World War II shooter.  There’s the standard weapons and a bunch of tactical choices that are poor knock offs of Call of Duty.  The cool aspect is the use of the “veil.”  The story follows some Nazi scientists trying to break the veil and gain infinite power through an alternative dimension.  This matters to you, because you can already briefly cross it and utilize it’s power.  This is somewhat under wraps for now, but it looks like you can slow time, take shortcuts, and shoot giant explosive bees to kill soldiers.  I’m sold.  No release date though.

Riccitiello: "quality of EA games up sharply"

EA CEO John Riccitiello believes that the quality of EA games has risen sharply since he began his reign according to comments in The Mercury News.

Riccitiello believes that, while EA used to have a reputation for rushed games and endless sequels or NFL licenses, that has changed since he took over thanks to games like Spore, Battlefield: Bad Company, Mercenaries 2, Crysis and the latest Command and Conquer

Cooking Mama:World Kitchen

There isn’t a whole lot to say about this one.  It’s the new version of cooking Mama.  It will feature a lot of cooking minigames.  That’s about it.  This obviously isn’t for the action junkie crowd.  It should make a fairly interesting game for non-gamers though.  This version will have about 50 recipes overall and each of these contains a whole bunch of minigames.  If you know someone who really likes simple minigames, then this should be on your shopping list.  If all goes well, it will be released on October 6th.

Demigod

This game is the latest planned release from Gas Powered Games.  These are the geniuses who made the original “Dungeon Siege” and the more recent “Supreme Commander.”  This game will match the best features of both games to create a unique RTS.  The game follows your demigod’s fight to become the true god.  This is done through a series of battles with other demigods.  As the fight goes on, you’ll become more and more powerful in standard RPG fashion.  I think that this already looks like an amazing release.  The fights look epic and there is much talk about innovative multiplayer.  This should be another big hit when it comes out in February.

A Look at Raven Squad

We covered the announcement of Raven Squad earlier.  They’ve released some new gameplay footage showing their tactical options in action.  If you didn’t know before, Raven Squad has been getting a lot of buzz because of its promise to provide a mixture of FPS action alongside RTS gameplay.  The mission that they showed started off with the two four-man squads moving in for a rescue mission.  One has more offensive options with grenades and machine guns, while a support squad can use sniper rifles and smoke for tactical play.  The cool note was that a simple press of a button flips you into a top down display similar to the one used in Brothers in Arms.  This actually allows full orders though, making it more of a seamless switch than in-depth planning.  It should be a really interesting addition to gaming when it comes out sometime this winter.

Games for Windows Live - expanded and free

Microsoft has today announced that the Games for Windows Live Gold service will be completely free from now on and that many new features and expansions to the service are planned for the future.

The most immediate benefit of this announcement though is that PC gamers will no longer have to pay for a Live Gold account if they want to go online and try a spot of Xbox 360/PC crossplatform gaming - excellent if you're a fan of

Secret Files: Tunguska

There’s something new for owners of the DS and the Wii.  “Secret Files: Tunguska” offers a point-and-click adventure game for fans of the old school.  I’m surprised that there aren’t more point-and-click games for these consoles since they are particularly suited for the genre.  Regardless, this looks decent.  The story revolves around solving the mystery of the Tunguska Incident.  The good news is that DS users don’t have to go blind looking for pixels.  Clicking a magnifying glass highlights all of the objects that your character can interact with.  An interesting game for the adventure genre.  Keep an eye out for it this October.

Tomb Raider: Underworld Update

It seems that we have a new Lara Croft adventure to look forward to.  I won’t say that any of the new screenshots look groundbreaking, but it sounds like a good addition to the franchise.  The graphics look pretty good for a pre-build and the gameplay sounds interesting.  They’ve added a grappling hook to make for more acrobatics and the maps look a lot more non-linear than the previous incarnations.  It’s at least something to keep an eye on when it is released this November.

Microsoft turns to users for new wave of Xbox games

SEATTLE--Microsoft will turn to users of its Xbox 360 to create new video games and broaden the types of games available on its console, taking a page out of the strategy books of Facebook and YouTube.

Microsoft makes Games for Windows Live free, will sell game downloads

Microsoft announced late Tuesday that it would no longer charge Windows gamers to connect to one another for multiplayer gaming, and this fall will launch an online store for downloading PC games.

All users will be able to access the Games for Windows Live, which is similar to Microsoft's Xbox Live -- service at no cost. Microsoft said that the decision to remove the pay tier came after discussions with developers and fans led it to believe that multiplayer gaming should be free.

Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World

There isn’t too much to say about this one.  There are some new screenshots available of this new title for the Wii.  It serves as a branch off of the main game.  Their big announcement so far was the inclusion of various monster interaction.  It specifically featured a mixture of charming monsters to be allies, while playing enemies off of one another.  It should be a nice little addition to mix up the game while still staying true to past fans.  Keep an eye out for it’s launch near the end of the year.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Announced

Today is the day that fans of Rockstars GTA series can rejoice. It’s been officially announced the latest DS game is going to be Grand Theft Auto:Chinatown. This is a game that will deliver a rich, fast-paced and intense Grand Theft Auto experience that will be truly unique to Nintendo’s handheld platform, said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. Rockstar Leeds, along with the team at Rockstar North, has built upon a decade of progressive design on Grand Theft Auto, and has created something fundamentally fresh and immersive.

CD Projekt launches new on-demand games platform

CD Projekt, the Polish developer behind The Witcher, has announced that it will be launching a new on-demand games platform all of it's very own.

Best of all though is the news that the platform, which will run from website GOG.com will be focusing on older, arguably better games than the usual casual faff that populates such services.

In fact, GOG.com has already signed agreements with Codemasters and Interplay to sign classics such as the original

Endwar Voices Up

It’s time for another release from the mind of Tom Clancy.  This time it revolves around a global world war for precious resources.  Not exactly original, but you aren’t here for the story.  The new addition to the Clancy franchise is EndWar.  It will be an interesting addition to a growing genre.  This is the genre of strategy games for the consoles.  EndWar is certainly thinking outside the box.  They’ve adapted a new form of voice command to handle the controls.  You don’t have to worry much about actually uses the controller for precise control.  You can just order Alpha Squad to take Point X.  So far the system has been getting nothing but praise, so this may be a big step for the strategy world.  We should get some more pretty shots through E3 next week to tide us over until the October release date.

Yahoo to offer free games with in-game ads

NEW YORK--Yahoo said on Thursday it would offer its users hundreds of popular casual online games as free downloads backed by revenue from advertising integrated into the games.