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PS3 Launch Titles See Delays
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Action, First Person Shooters, Role Playing Games, Rumors, SEGA,
It is looking like Sony’s Playstation 3 launch may be missing a few titles; Bethesda Softworks recently announced that Elder Scrolls: Oblivion has been pushed back to 2007, according to a report from GameSpot. In addition, rumors have Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog also being delayed to 2007 along with Vivendi Universal’s F.E.A.R. Other titles could potentially miss the launch window at this point, but with so few consoles shipping software availability would seem to be the last thing on Sony’s mind.
Read More 
| Gamespot
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More Reason To Drool Over The Optimus Keyboard
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Accessories, First Person Shooters, Hardware, PC, Rumors,
You all remember the Optimus, right - that keyboard where every key’s a little screen that would make FPS gaming oh-so-much sexier? Well, if it ever makes it out in to the wild, it sounds like it’s going to be amazingly sweet. Slashgear notes some interesting tidbits from Optimus’ livejournal:
... the 103 will appear to whatever computer it’s plugged into as a mass-storage device. That means it shows up as a drive volume in Explorer, needs no drivers and, best of all, can store all of the custom layouts you slavishly create on-board. Got two PCs you want to use it with? No problem, the layouts come with it.
Of course, the issue of price is still up in the air - how much can I expect to spend on a keyboard that’s got nearly as many pixels as a 15 inch monitor, and more bells-n-whistles to boot? Similarly, it doesn’t bode well that the Optimus website recently changed the release date of the keyboard from “Late 2006” to “Concept”. Sigh….we need to get SOMEONE to build this thing. Hey Dell - don’t you think you’d be able to charge quite the pretty penny if you bought these folks out and started bundlying the Optimus with your Alienware PC’s?
Read More | Slashgear
Resistance: Fall of Man Won’t Use PS3’s Online Service
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Accessories, Action, First Person Shooters, Internet, PlayStation 3,
Now before you go screaming bloody murder at me yet, calm down… Resistance most definitely WILL feature an online component. The game’s online features have been well publicized before, supporting some pretty nifty features like 40-player maps and buddy lists. What’s NOT cool is that Resistance won’t be using the Sony’s PS3 network. Instead, the developers will be creating their own protocols for PS3-to-server connections.
That’s according to Insomniac boss Ted Price, who was speaking to Eurogamer’s Rob Fahey earlier this week in an interview for the ThreeSpeech blog. While the decision to make the game run its own buddy list and so on is a blow to Sony’s claims of an integrated online service - and in fact, it harks back to the bad old days of the PS2 online system - Price apparently left the door open for the possibility that the two systems could be reconciled in future, saying that “it is definitely possible to update the game via online.”
What does this mean for Joe Gamer? Well, for one, Resistance‘s online component won’t be as tightly integrated with the PS3 network features. This also brings up a question of precedent - while Sony has stated that they won’t charge for their online services, does this mean that in certain cases Sony may let other studios host online matches, who COULD presumably charge for them? It is indeed sounding more and more like the PS2 system, which compared poorly with Microsoft’s tightly-integrated Xbox Live.
Read More | MaxConsole.net
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Halo Movie Postponed
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Culture, First Person Shooters, Xbox, Xbox 360,
While Microsoft and Wingnut Studios had previously strongly committed to making a Halo movie a reality, despite losing financial backing from Universal Studios and Fox, today the two issued a joint statement claiming that the feature would be postponed. Gamasutra reported on the press release, which in part states:
We are fully supportive of Director Neill Blomkamp’s vision of the film. Neill is a tremendously gifted filmmaker and his preliminary work on Halo is truly awe-inspiring. While it will undoubtedly take a little longer for Halo to reach the big screen, we are confident that the final feature film will be well worth the wait.”
While disappointing for Halo fans, the stalling of production is not unusual in the film world. Neither Microsoft nor Wingnut Studios discussed how this would affect Peter Jackson’s Halo tie-in game for the movie, but it would be safe to assume that this would be delayed as well.
Read More | Gamasutra
Playfeed Review: Battlefield 2142 by EA for PC
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: First Person Shooters, Internet, PC, Reviews, Strategy,
A week ago, EA was nice enough to give us a review copy of their latest tactical squad-based FPS, Battlefield 2142. Following in the footsteps of Battlefield 2, 2142 features well-balanced strategic combat with a ton of depth and near-infinite replay value. These are the hallmarks we’ve come to expect from the Battlefield series (as well as its competitors, Counterstrike and Team Fortress among them), but does 2142 have the stuff to rise above the rest? Click the jump for our full review!! 😊
Click to continue reading Playfeed Review: Battlefield 2142 by EA for PC
Halo 3 Details Start To Surface
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Bungie, First Person Shooters, Xbox 360,
Halo 3 details are finally starting to show up in magazines and online media, and 1up has a quick preview of a few of the things discussed in the December issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1up drops some hints about new weapons, new vehicles, and what form Halo 3 will take at retail. According to 1up, consumers will be able to either purchase a standard, collector’s edition, or a Legendary edition (that should include some insane collectibles in the package). Further, Bungie has apparently been tweaking the controls to take advantage of the Xbox 360 controller and also tweaking existing weapons. 1up promises that the next three weeks will bring more Halo 3 content online, but the new details released today already raise interest.
Read More | 1up
Could Microsoft Charge for a Halo 3 Demo?
Posted by Rob Stevens Categories: Action, Bungie, Editorial, Features, First Person Shooters, Rumors, Xbox 360, Xbox Live Marketplace,
My old friend Billy at Game Informer just posted a rumor that we could see a Halo 3 demo by mid 2007. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if that were the case, but I’d guess Q3 if it were me. But the more interesting part is that this could be the first demo to come with a price tag.
Pop Quiz: What’s the best way to raise the price for a game beyond the acceptable mass-market threshold without actually raising the price?
Answer…Hide the upcharge in something else that the customers will buy without a second thought. In this case, a chance to play a stripped down, early version of the game (probably multiplayer only) a few months early. My gut instinct is that Microsoft could charge 800 points ($10) for the demo and fans would pay it. That would effectively make the price for the full game $70.
Click to continue reading Could Microsoft Charge for a Halo 3 Demo?
More Japanese PS3 Software Priced, Dated
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Action, First Person Shooters, PlayStation 3, Puzzle, SEGA,
Famitsu recently released the pricing and availability information for a bunch of the Playstation 3 launch window titles in Japan, and Game|Life has a translation. The price list shows information for six of the launch day titles, and three launch window titles, ranging from 5040 Yen ($43) for budget titles to the high end of 8190 Yen ($70) for Armored Core 4. The other titles fall somewhere between the two, with first party titles like Resistance: Fall of Man and Genji 2 priced at 5980 Yen, about $50, and third-party titles like Ridge Racer 7 and Sonic The Hedgehog falling between 7140 Yen ($61) to 7329 Yen ($62). So, at least for right now, it looks like gamers in Japan can expect pretty standard next generation game pricing with only the occasional wallet buster.
Read More | Game|Life
X06 Webcast Video Download
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Action, Corporate News, First Person Shooters, Hardware, MMORPG, PC, Role Playing Games, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade,
Microsoft is making a download of their opening announcements for the start of X06 in Barcelona available at Xbox.com. Microsoft announced a new game in the Banjo & Kazooie franchise coming from Microsoft Game Studios. For Xbox Live Arcade, Microsoft announced that Doom would be available starting tonight on Xbox Live Arcade. Other Live Arcade games announced include:
- Sensible Soccer
- Contra
- Ultimate Mortal Kombat
- Small Arms
- Gyrus
- TotemBall
- Defender
- Assault Heroes
- Heavy Weapon
- Settlers of Catan
In terms of upcoming games, the Japanese RPG Blue Dragon will be available in the US and Europe in 2007. Bungie will have an announcement about Halo 3 by the end of the year. Project Gotham Racing 4 was officially unveiled. Rockstar announced that Grand Theft Auto IV will have two exclusive episodes available for download on Xbox Live. Ubisoft demonstrated Assassin’s Creed interactive gameplay for the first time ever. Bioshock was announced as an Xbox 360 and Windows exclusive. Lost Odyssey was confirmed for the US and Europe, with a trailer showing some of the battle gameplay. More than 500,000 gamers downloaded the Lost Planet demo, and both multiplayer and single player gameplay will be available on the show floor. Splinter Cell: Double Agent footage was shown, and the sequel will be exclusive to the Xbox 360 and on Windows.
The Xbox 360 HD DVD was confirmed to be available in Mid-November 2006 in Europe and the United States for $199.00 US, 199.99 Euros, and 129.99 British Pounds. The package will also include remote, and for a limited time King Kong on HD DVD. Moore also discusses Microsoft’s Games for Windows initiative, and indicates that Windows Vista is still on track for a January 2007 release. Moore also revealed the first preview of Marvel Universe: Online for the Xbox 360 and Windows.
Peter Jackson spoke at the presentation and announced that he has formed a partnership with Microsoft Game Studios. His first project will be an interactive entertainment title set in the Halo universe, apart from Halo 3 and the upcoming film, and Jackson will also be creating a new interactive game series based on original IP. Finally, the presentation wraps with a trailer from a Halo real-time strategy game from Ensemble Studios, called Halo Wars.
The video should be available online soon on Xbox.com at the link below, and should be available as a download via Xbox Live.
Read More 
| Keynote Summary at Xbox.com
Read More | Xbox.com
Epic’s Sweeney Talks PS3 Development, User Content At Tokyo Game Show
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: First Person Shooters, Mods/Hacks, PlayStation 3,
At the Tokyo Game Show, Epic Games’ Tim Sweeney discussed multi-core development, PS3’s Cell chip, and the possibility of user generated content on the Playstation 3, according to a report from Gamasutra.
Sweeney indicated that multi-threaded development takes “about twice the effort and development cost.” Speaking specifically about Cell, he claimed that development “required about 5 times as much cost and development time.” It seems like Sweeney accepts the fact that for CPU power to grow, they are going to have to go to a multi-core model, but the increased development costs are disconcerting.
Sweeney also mentioned that he was interested in bringing user-created content to the PS3. Sweeney’s comments indicated that Sony might be more favorable to providing user content on the PS3 Online platform than Microsoft. While it isn’t a lock that user mods and levels will be accessible to Playstation 3 Unreal Tournament 2007 gamers, this does seem to be a possibility at this point.
Read More | Gamasutra
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