Stronghold Kingdoms Announced

Grabbing out attention this afternoon, Firefly Studios has officially announced the development of Stronghold Kingdoms, an MMO based on their popular castle-building series. Scheduled for release in 2010, the game has you starting out as a humble peasant, completing tasks to earn research points which you can use to specialize in various areas including trading, diplomacy, warfare, farming and much, much more. As your character grows, you'll be able to expand your kingdom, participate in a country-wide war for the Crown, join medieval social networks, overthrow tyrants, pillage your neighbour’s resources and even gain notoriety for your accomplishments via the game's global stats/rankings. Head over to the official website for more details and some early screenshots!

Steam Weekend Deal: 50% Off Assassin's Creed & Splinter Cell

Attention bargain shoppers! Valve has announced that Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell and Splinter Cell: Double Agent are 50% off through Steam from now until Sunday, May 31st. So if you're looking for some stealthy fun, you may want to check them out!

Update: Looks like FLOCK!, the Bone-Breaking Racing Pack (Trials 2 and Monster Trucks N 214d itro) and all MumboJumbo titles are on sale through Steam this weekend as well. Don't miss out on these deals! :D

Electronic Gaming Monthly resuscitated

Ziff Davis Media, as you may recall, sold the 1UP Network to UGO last year, to much fan rage. The long and short of it is this: 1UP would either go under or be sold to a network that actually cared about it and its staff, contrary to your average acquisition.

Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM), part of the network, was even less fortunate, as it was a print magazine with higher production costs and a readership that was dropping more all the time. As such, it got the cut. A sad day, indeed.

Fans can rejoice though: today an agreement between Ziff Davis and EGM's founder Steve Harris has been made to bring the magazine back. After all the economic turmoil and such especially, this is beautiful news.

The press release states Harris has "[re-acquired] certain assets, including trademarks and publishing rights, with plans to re-launch EGM in the second half of 2009."

“The re-launch of Electronic Gaming Monthly represents a welcome opportunity to continue delivering quality content to gaming enthusiasts,” said Harris. “I feel honored to once again be associated with this respected magazine. The talented writers and designers who built upon EGM’s original vision have left behind a publication that is uniquely positioned to be successful.”

“Electronic Gaming Monthly is and always has been one of the most respected publications among the gaming enthusiast community,” said Jason Young, CEO, Ziff Davis Media Inc. “We are pleased that EGM is now in the hands of its original creator, Steve Harris, and wish him and the publication the best of success in the future.”

“We have exciting plans for the evolution of what will once again be a leading independent voice for the gaming community,” Harris continued. “The twenty year success of the EGM brand has always been built upon a commitment to its readers who I believe will enthusiastically embrace the changes we are planning to introduce.”

More details and future announcements are assured to be coming at E3 and posted on the magazine's new website -- www.EGMNOW.com.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Shipping In August

Pinning down an exact release date for us this afternoon, Eidos Interactive and Rocksteady Studios have announced that their upcoming Action-Stealth title, Batman: Arkham Asylum, will begin shipping to stores across North America on August 25th and Europe on August 28th. The game was previously scheduled for release in June, but was recently pushed back to "the end of summer 2009" to allow for more polish time. I can already hear the fanboys planning a "sick day" for the launch. ;)

Wolfenstein Gets North American Release Date

According to an update on the official Wolfenstein Twitter feed tonight, Raven Software's highly anticipated World War 2-based FPS will begin shipping to stores across North America on August 4th for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The European release date is still TBA, but they promise pass along that info as soon as possible...so stay tuned! :)

Plug being pulled on the Matrix Online

The Matrix Online, after a fairly long, mildly successfull and partially profitable run, is going to cease existing on July 31st.

Following the storyline after the trilogy of films, The Matrix Online attempted many things and got some of them right. The game tried to focus on storyline and interactive, global events, but beyond a first few good chapters after launch, these quickly became infrequent and sporadic.

On the technical side of things, the game looked quite good for its time -- but on the other hand, it required unreasonably high-end hardware to run smoothly.

The game was made by Monolith Productions, but after a few months after release, Sony Entertainment Online bought it out. SOE seemed to have reduced the staff and funding for the game, and most of the community was dissappointed by this (if my memory serves me correctly, having played the game around that time).

The Matrix Online was one of the few (if only) big MMORPGs of the time that allowed for player characters to swap skills interchangabily, allowing for instance, you to play as a Hacker guy one day, then a Combat Operative the next.

With the excessive supply of MMORPGs on the market featuring the same tired cliched fantasy world (Y.A.M.F.R.I.E.S.!), fans of science fiction and cyberpunk might miss The Matrix Online. But then again, probably not, as the game had a very low player base near the end, and promising new MMORPGs are set to take this game's place.

R.I.P, The Matrix Online.

DOSBox 0.73 released

For those still playing DOS-based games, today is a good day as DOSBox 0.73 -- a tool which can emulate but also assist in running legit copies of these old titles on non-native DOS systems -- has been released.

It's actually a pretty big step up from 0.72, with highlights including improved Vista support, heaps of compatibility fixes, increased speed and stability, and lots more.

For Good Old Gamers, the installers there should be updated shortly; if you're too eager to wait, simply install this version and copy the exe to each game's folder as appropriate.

Full changelog is below.

- Add two new opl2+opl3 emulators. (better speed, different implementation
approach)
- Improved DRO recording/better file structure.
- Add EGA emulation.
- Add special vga machine mode. Supports more of the exotic tricks like
changing the palette during screen updates, 9x16 fonts etc.
- Added special machine modes for the following svga cards:
- S3
- Paradise
- Tseng
- Fix problems with the vga split line feature.
- Improve vesa emulation.
- Add optional selection of old vesa mode for games that don't work
with certain vesa features.
- Improve video BIOS emulation to behave more like a real bios.
- Fixes for emulated 4bpp graphics modes.
- Fixes to paging system.
- Various fixes and improvements for the recompiling core.
- Add arm backend for the recompiling core.
- Add some mscdex quirks when dealing with files that are exactly 8.3 long.
- Small fixes to batch file handling.
- Small fixes to the XMS memory handling.
- Various fixes for aligned memory on hosts that want it.
- Various improvements to the mouse.
- Fixes and small speed ups to the debugger.
- Fix and improve lot's of compilation problems. (curses detection,
GCC 3.4 and GCC 4.X fixes)
- Added some basic auto keyboard layout handling. (windows only currently)
- Add basic support for evdev keyboard driver.
- Various fixes to the timer. (improve mode 2 timer changes,
implement mode 1, improve gate2 handling)
- Add audio extraction and mci audio support. Should enable CDROM audio
for Vista and adds volume control.
- Improve the directory cache speed a lot, especially with mounting slow
media like network paths.
- Various fixes to the create temporary file call.
- Don't keep batchfiles open during execution. Allows rewriting of the
active batchfile. (menu programs use this trick sometimes)
- Fix problems with filenames with 2 extensions.
- Add some more lowlevel dos tables.
- Fixes to hercules emulation.
- Fix flag handling for special case of ROR.
- Make the batchfile handling in regard to IF more flexible.
- Fixes to scrolling/panning feature.
- Add prefetch queue emulation.
- Make the emulated cpu type selectable. This is mainly the
identification commands and the way paging works.
- Some special EMS functionality added. (OS handles, zero-page handling)
- Improve support for EMS when booting a different OS.
- Improve cdrom speed detection by games.
- Improve stability of cycle guessing code, when there is background
activity.
- Fix various mscdex and cdrom detection schemes.
- Added Coremidi support on Mac OS X.
- Improve support for DOS devices when used to detect the existance
of directories in various ways.
- Add IRQ 2 emulation on VRET. (ega only)
- Added video parameter table and video state functionality.
- Increase default freespace to 250 MB.
- Some fixes to the fat filesystem handling for disk images.
- Some soundblaster fixes and command additions.
- Fix mixer 16bit direct transfers on bigendian hosts.

Prototype PC System Requirements Revealed

Activision has published the minimum system requirements for the PC version of Prototype . Here is what you need for the game;

Operating System: Windows® XP (with Service Pack 2) and DirectX® 9.0c or (Windows Vista® with Service Pack 3)Video Card: 256 MB 3D hardware accelerator card required - 100% DirectX® 9.0c with Shader Model 3 support*Processor: Pentium(R) Intel Core® 2 Duo 2.6 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ or betterRAM: 1 GB of RAM for Windows ® XP / 2 GB Windows ® Vista systemsHard Drive Space: 8 GB of uncompressed hard dis 228c k space (Plus 500MB for swap file.)Sound Card: DirectX 9.0 –compliant sound cardPeripheral: 100% Windows(R) XP/Vista - compatible mouse, keyboard and drivers, 100% Windows(R) XP/Vista - compatible 4X DVD-ROM drive or better (600K/sec sustained transfer rate) and drivers

*Supported Chipsets for Windows(R) XP and Vista
All NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7800 256 MB and better chipsets
All ATI® Radeon™ X1800 256 MB and better chipsets

No recommended system was specified so that's all. Not sure if your system meets the requirements? The YouGamers Game-o-Meter can help - you can use it to compare your system to the Prototype requirements here

Thanks to FM/YG Community member 'get_loud' for pointing out the Activision forum post detailing the specs.

Lord of the Rings Online: Volume II Book 8 Shots

Breaking out the eyecandy this afternoon, Turbine has sent over six new sceenshots from their upcoming Lord of the Rings Online content patch "Volume II: Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dum". These latest shots give us a sneak peek at the Water Wheels that will be added with update. Check 'em out:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Volume II: Book 8 - Scourge of Khazad-dum is scheduled for release in June.

PC gaming revenue up 18% for 2008

The PC Gaming Alliance, a sort of pro-PC gaming lobby consisting of hardware manufactures and few game companies, released what they call the Horizon Report today, for 2008. In the report, the state of PC gaming is investigated, and sales are measured.

The major conclusion drawn in the report is that PC gaming is in great shape, and growing at a very healthy rate. They peg gaming software revenue as gaining 18% in 2008 over 2007. In 2008, this revenue was worth about $13 billion dollars. On the hardware side of things, the situation is even better -- at least in 2008 anyways, before the whole global economic collapse thing happened. In 2008, there was an estimated 228 million game-ready PCs in the world, with this number expected to surge to over 600 million by 2013.

The PC Gaming Alliance measured game revenue from store sales, digital sales, things like subscription fees for games, and online advertising.

“We are excited about the continued growth in online PC gaming,” said Randy Stude, president of the PC Gaming Alliance. “The downturn in the economy has driven people to play more at home and online. The PC platform enables ongoing innovation with many new exciting games launching with online alternatives to retail that are attracting large audiences," said a press release.

The Alliance also found that the fastest growth is in -- surprise, surprise -- China, and that digital delivery services are expected to grow far faster than PC game box sales.

Firefly Studios announces Stronghold MMO

FireFly Studios, the folks behind the classic PC RTS series Stronghold (and the upcoming Dungeon Hero) announce today a new iteration: Stronghold Kingdoms.

This will be the first game in the franchise in about four years, and with it comes a twist: it will be an MMO, effectively making it the world's first castle-based game of this nature.

As with previous entries, you'll beseige even unbeseigable castles, overthrow tyrants, pillage resources, and/or just peacefully raise sheep, this time in an online environment against thousands of other players. All raising sheep...

The press release says Kingdoms will be a "unique hybrid of web and PC based gaming". We're not exactly sure what that means, but we'll let you know once FireFly gets back to us.

A "huge" range of stats and rankings are assured, from "Beseiger of the month" to "Apple farmer of the day", plus factions, elections, liege lords and their vassals should provide plenty of long-term play value. As your power grows, eventually you're able to join in a country wide war for the Crown.

Research nuts should find lots to love here, too, as the research tree (pictured above) will offer opportunities to specialise if you wish, in areas like trading, diplomacy, warfare, farming and more.

Many more features will be announced in the coming months. Fret not for the wait, FireFly guarantees they'll soon "have you eating roast ox with the Sheriff of Nottingham!"

Mafia II Delayed

According to Take-Two Interactive's latest fiscal report, the publisher has decided to delay the release of 2K Czech's highly anticipated open-world shooter, Mafia II, to maximize the game's "full potential in terms of the quality of the player experience and market performance." Previously scheduled for release this Fall, the game is now expected to ship in the first half of Take-Two's 2010 fiscal year, which runs from November 1st, 2009 to April 30th, 2010. Hope they use the time wisely!

Dark Void Video Dev Diary

Taking us behind the scenes tonight, Airtight Studios have released a brand new video developer diary for their upcoming 3rd Person Action-Platformer, Dark Void. Running just over four minutes long, the video touches on the game's backstory and how they're designing the environments around the vertical cover system. Check it out:

Thanks to GameTrailers for the above stream. Prefer a manual download? Then look no further:

FileFrontFileShackWorthPlayingActionTrip

Dark Void's release date is still TBD.

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper Demo

Moving right along, the fine folks over at Frogwares have released a new singleplayer demo for their latest Adventure title, Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper. Weighing in at 872MB, the demo allows you to play through an early portion of the game, where you'll witness Jack the Ripper's first murder! You can grab this bad boy from any of the following mirrors:

GamersHellFileFrontFilePlanetFileShackWorthPlaying

Dig the demo? Then head over to The Adventure Shop to purchase the full game for just $19.99.

Team Fortress 2 Sniper vs. Spy Update Released

As promised, the fine folks over at Valve Software have released a major content patch for their hit multiplayer shooter, Team Fortress 2. This beefy update features a slew of new achievements, unlockable weapons and gameplay tweaks for the Sniper and Spy classes, four new maps, some scoreboard changes and a few other improvements. You can check out the full changelog right here or just relaunch your Steam client to start downloading.

To celebrate the update's release, Valve has announced that the extended Free To Play Weekend and a 50% off sale are now underway. So let the games begin! :D

New Mass Effect 2 rumors surface

Seems like the July issue of OXM magazine had some tasty morsels of information on Mass Effect 2 that were set to be released at E3, but have, miraculously and wonderously, been leaked onto the Internets through website NeoGaf.

Before we get to the Mass Effect 2 stuff, there was one thing about the first game: one more big DLC is apparently coming before the sequel.

It seems in Mass Effect 2, you do play Shepard, but there may be parts or segments of the game -- or perhaps an option given to the player -- of playing the game as different main character. Or playing without Shepard in your party. In addition:

There is a new species called the Drell, and the secondary races from the first game, such as the Volus and Elcor, will be gaining greater focus and backstory.One of the new dudes who can join your party is an assassain named Thane.Again there will be the real chance that if you make the wrong moves, some of your major characters, such as Garrus, could get zapped by space lasers.Planets: There will be a Krogan planet and Illium, an Asari planet, that is like Coruscant from SW. Also there is “Omega” with is like an anti-Citadel in that it’s huge and the bottom of the barrel, whereas the Citadel is the height of civilization. A Cerebus mothership is expected to act as a location of significance.Storyline: The ultimate story is still civilization fending off the Reapers, but this chapter will deal with this Cerebus corporation and it’s enigmatic leader. There are human civilizations disappearing and it’s up to Shepard to investigate, it’s termed as a “suicide mission” which may lead to the details of the teaser.New vehicle that controls better than the Mako…a “new” control scheme.Totally revamped inventory system Elevator system revamped where you will get the sense of scope of where you’re at and where you’re traveling.No more texture pop-in.Also on the story, they’re super-hyping the ending, saying that it’s much more grand meaningful in ME2.More weapons, more species, more/new team members.Returning team members, locations, weapons.

These are rumors that can't be validated for another little while -- but as someone who played Mass Effect and is a big BioWare fan, they sound all reasonable to me and seem like the real deal.

Batman: Arkham Asylum 'Poison Ivy' Trailer

Keeping things rollin' this afternoon, the guys over at Rocksteady Studios have released a new character trailer for their highly anticipated Action-Stealth title, Batman: Arkham Asylum. The minute-long clip introduces us to a familiar green-thumbed foe: Poison Ivy. Check it out:

Thanks to GameTrailers for the above stream. Mirrors are also available at the following websites:

FileFrontFileShackWorthPlayingActionTrip

Batman: Arkham Asylum is scheduled for release at ""the end of summer 2009".

Modern Warfare 2 Reveal Trailer

True to their word, the fine folks over at Infinity Ward have released a full "reveal" trailer for their highly anticipated first person shooter, Modern Warfare 2. Clocking in at just over two minutes long, the video features some tasty gameplay footage with a voice-over dropping a few storyline tidbits and introducing us to the new bad guy. Enjoy:

Thanks to GameTrailers for the above stream. Hit-up any of the following websites for a mirror:

GamersHellWorthPlayingActionTrip

Modern Warfare 2 is scheduled for release on November 10th.

Sunday Musing: How to Be a Successful Video Game Journalist

Were you recently rejected from a volunteer writing position at some big news website? Were you absolutely befuddled and enraged because they didn't recognize your potential for greatness? Bet you didn't just sit there and take it, oh no. After complaining on your blog, you probably went right into registering some unnecessarily complex or lengthy domain name vaguely referencing gaming culture (because all the good ones have already been taken). Inspired by rejection and self-importance, you dive right into this bastardized offshoot of online reporting.

Press releases are easy enough to come by for original content, but they are so cut n' dry that trying to reword them for your articles can be such a pain. Meanwhile, other websites simply cut and paste them in their entirety, making you feel as if all your hard work has been for naught. So what's a struggling wannabe-journalist to do when he's only got himself and a handful of friends (if he's lucky) to rely on? We certainly can't ask these gamers-turned-writers to abandon their hobby of video game writing and dreams of being invited to closed conferences at E3.

Now I'm not what you would call a certified expert or industry analyst, but waking up today and logging into Neoseeker's social game news site GameGrep, I was struck by a startling epiphany: "Duh!"

So if you've been at a loss for how to get more hits, here's a brief list compiled by yours truly, a bona fide self-declared game journalist. Just don't tell my co-workers I'm revealing trade secrets.

1. Sarcasm and malicious humor often adds flavor to an otherwise bland news article. And who wants to read boring, information pieces with unbiased content? Seems like no one, these days, so why should any budding video game journalist (often synonymous with "gamer") want to WRITE that stuff? First popularized by Yahtzee of Zero Punctuation, excessive swearing, scathing wit and sarcastic quips have now become tools of the trade. If you were attacked by sharks as a child and are no longer capable of intellectual banter, just try to sound like a really big jerk. Be sure to include irrelevant sexist / racist jokes!

2. Usually, press releases are readily accessible to anyone with a website and valid email. However, this means that just about everyone will be reporting the same news. No problem, just bookmark other sites and check them daily for quirky news; re-report what they wrote and cleverly omit your source so your readers think that you're the Upton Sinclair of video game journalism.

3. Spam social / community news sites like GameGrep and Digg with articles from your website. Better yet, encourage your readers to help out. Make sure to include very vague descriptions about your posted item so the readers are forced to visit your site in order to get all the relevant information. If the admins of said social site keep hindering your activity with their silly policies, just be rude to them -- that always works...

4. Be biased, especially if you're writing about the "Big Three" manufacturers: Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo. You will invariably draw fanboys like flies to a honey pot, and while the ensuing comment fights and personal attacks on the writer might annoy you, remember that their rage can help generate traffic. Don't limit this sort of thing to news, either; hell, feel free to devote your site completely to editorials and blog articles.

5. Get a Twitter account for your website and start following EVERY gaming company or big game site, if they also have accounts. Comment on their updates like they care about what you think. Seriously, websites and "escorts" do this on Twitter. It's a fishnet strategy -- cast a wide net by following everyone and their mother, and you'll snare at least a couple readers. Maybe.

6. Write lots and lots of "Top 10" lists. They don't necessarily have to have ten entries, but make sure there's at least five. These are highly subjective, especially when you get into topics like "The Best Multiplayer Game Ever" or "The Coolest Bosses from Nintendo," so you may be getting a lot of angry comments. Don't worry, just refer back to tip #4. If you run out of valid top list ideas, just go with stuff like "Best Breast Physics," "Tightest Thongs on a Female Fighter" or something just as tasteless.

So there you have it, six quick ways to jump start your website. Soon, you'll be invited to every gaming event on the planet, flown in on private jets chartered by Square Enix and EA, making out with booth babes, and earning the respect of fellow gamers everywhere.

Hey, what are you waiting for? Get to it! What else are you going to do with your Memorial Day weekend?

Disclaimer: Author truly believes GameGrep is an awesome site.

Young boy commits suicide over video games

No matter how many times we hear about this sort of thing, we never see it coming.

A 12-year-old boy in Bangkok commited suicide by leaping off a sixth floor veranda at his school. What drove him to take his own life this way? Being banned from playing video games. Apparently, the boy's parents thought he was playing too much and decided to intervene with the ban-hammer.

An investigation into the case revealed that the boy had used his cell phone numerous times, sending complaints about the his parents' decision to his friends. He even hinted at the suicide by texting, "Tomorrow is my last day."

His friends told police that the boy arrived at school normally, like any other day. But after putting his bag down at his desk, he went up to the sixth floor with a "grim" expression. And we all know what happened next...

Thailand's Ministry of Health, comprised of sensitive and sympathetic individuals, criticized the parents for improperly handling the addiction, thus driving their son to suicide. The Ministry stated, “For children addicted to gaming, the most effective approach is not to ban games but to regulate the time spent gaming.”

New Diablo III Shots Reveal 'The Fallen Ones'

Breaking out the eyecandy today, Blizzard Entertainment has released six new screenshots from their highly anticipated Action-RPG, Diablo III. These latest shots introduce us to The Fallen Ones. Some of the units you'll recognize, but there's a few new ones in there too! Enjoy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diablo III's release date is still TBD.

FUEL System Requirements Revealed

Hitting the message boards tonight, Codemasters Community Manager Ian 'Helios' Webster has revealed some official minimum and recommended system requirements for their upcoming open-world racer, FUEL. What kind of setup will you need to run this massive game? Here's the scoop:

Minimum Specifications

Windows XP/Vista. (if running Windows Vista SP1 is recommended)DirectX 9.0cPentium D @ 3.0GHz or equivalent Athlon 64 X2 CPU1GB RAMGraphics Card: GeForce 78 211a 00 / Radeon X1800 with 256 MB of VRAMDirectX Compatible Sound CardDual Layer Compatible DVD-ROM Drive6 GB Hard Drive Space

Recommended Specifications

Windows XP/Vista. (if running Windows Vista SP1 is recommended)DirectX 9.0cIntel Core 2 Duo @ 2.4Ghz or Athlon 64 X2 4200+ or better1.5GB RAM.Graphics Card: GeForce 8800 or ATI Radeon HD 3800 series with 512 MB of VRAM or betterSound Card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Sound Card.Dual Layer Compatible DVD-ROM Drive7 GB Hard Drive Space

Other Requirements:

Initial activation requires internet connection for Multiplayer; Online play requires log-in to Games for Windows - LIVE; requires disc in drive to play (unlimited installations); software installations required including Sony DADC SecuROM, Games for Windows - LIVE.

TCP/IP mode (2-16 players) Requirements

Broadband internet connection required (512kbps+ recommended)TCP/IP Network

Supported Graphics Cards

ATI Radeon x1800, x1900, x1950, HD2600, HD2900, HD3450, HD3650, HD3850, HD3870. HD4850, HD4870, HD4870X2

NVIDIA Geforce 7800, 7900, 7950, 8500, 8600, 8800, 9600, 9800, 9800GX2, GTX260, GTX280, GTX285, GTX295

Supported Controllers

FUEL™ can be configured to use almost any PC controller, however we recommend the following controllers for the best game play experience:

Xbox 360 Controller for Windows

FUEL is scheduled for release on the Xbox 360 and PS3 in North America on June 2nd and Europe on June 5th, with a PC edition to follow sometime after. We'll let you know when they pin down an exact date!

New Sword of Stars expansion DLC coming June 17th

Sword of the Stars, a 4x space strategy game by Vancouver game studio Kereberos Productions, is recieving a new DLC expansion pack on June 17th, on planet Earth in the Sol system.

The expansion is entitled "Argos Naval Yard", and is compatible with the original game or any of the latter stand-alone expansions.

The new goodies include:

19 new technologies, including advanced drones, over thrusters, two new satellite designs, defensive interceptor micro-missiles, and polarized plasmatics which will unlock a new weapon type
Over 75 new ship sections to build
10 new weapons, including the new inertial cannons, kelvinic torpedoes, and the fearsome rail cannon
3 new scenarios

And this comes with the relatively light fee of $8.99 USD. The expansion pack will be available through GamersGate, Impulse, Steam and Direct2Drive.

NPD: Games bigger than cinemas

Normally we don't put much faith in survey statistics, but the NPD Group is quite reputable and this survey happens to be pretty wide-ranging. Recently the research firm inquired to 11,000 US citizens about their cinema habits versus their gaming habits, and it turns out gaming is now a more popular activity than going to the silver screen show.

According to the data, 63 percent played a game within the last six months, with 53 percent having gone to the theater. Further on that, 10 percent played "social network" videogames, and five percent bought a game from a digital download service. NPD's video game industry analyst Anita Frazier stated games account for one-third the average monthly spending on entertainment (music, video, and games) for a US citizen.

“While a portion of that share stems from the premium price of console games," she says, "we’re also seeing an overall increase in the number of people participating in gaming year-over-year."

Of course, as noted in our Theaters trying moving seats in effort to lure movie-goers article yesterday, that old passtime is fading somewhat due to home cinemas, not to mention the higher cost of ticket prices and the recession. Nonetheless, it is impressive gaming seems to have 'overtaken' the cinema industry, if only for a time.

New Star Trek Online Screenshots

Fresh out of the oven, Cryptic Studios has released three new screenshots from their upcoming massively multiplayer online RPG, Star Trek Online. These latest shots feature a pair of ships and some adventurers...standing around enjoying the view. Check 'em out:

 

 

Star Trek Online's release date is still TBD.

Alpha Protocol Video Dev Diary #3

Giving us a peek behind the scenes tonight, Obsidian Entertainment has released a brand new video developer diary for their upcoming Spy-themed RPG, Alpha Protocol. Clocking in at just under four minutes long, the video focuses on the game's dialog system and how the choices you make can change the way characters respond to you. Check it out:

GameStop's Q1 09 sees subpar sales

Retail giant GameStop's same-store sales dropped significantly more than expected this past quarter; in turn, their full-year same-store sales forecast has been lowered.

For comparable store sales (those open at least one year), numbers dropped 1.5 percent, in contrast to the 2 percent anticipated hike; Europe's recession and a slowdown of console sales are blamed for the change -- up until now, GameStop had been able to weather the financial storm.

Wall Street's own share estimates for Q2 are higher than GameStop's revised numbers: 40 versus 28-33; same store sales are prediced by the corporation to decline 8-11%, higher than Janco Partners' four.

Fiscal Q1 net income and sales were up, however, rising to $70.4 million from $62.1, and 9.2 percent to $1.98 billion.

Team Fortress 2 free to play this weekend

Valve really does seem to be going off in their own direction when it comes to getting games to gamers. Instead of $50 or $60 dollar games, they are selling AAA $20 games (Team Fortress 2), and instead of offering late, crippled demos, they have been indulging gamers with free-play weekends.

In part celebration of the recent to updates to the Scout, Team Fortress 2 will be free to play, come Thursday (until Monday). You just need to get Steam installed and then go here for a pre-load.

If you never played Team Fortress before, or are into team-based FPS games, you should give it a check out for sure.

The Sims 3 Gameplay Trailer

Also available for download today is a new gameplay trailer for Electronic Arts' highly anticipated life-sim, The Sims 3. Clocking in at just under a minute long, the video features a montage of the different types of characters you can create and their unique lifestyles. Check it out:

Thanks to GameTrailers for the above stream. Prefer a m 214e anual download? We have you covered:

GamersHellFileFrontFileShack

The Sims 3 is scheduled for release on June 2nd.

3D Realms "Not Closing", Responds To Take-Two Lawsuit

Clearing up a few things for us this afternoon, 3D Realms has issued a statement regarding the status of their studio and the impending lawsuit by Take-Two Interactive. According to the press release (obtained by ShackNews), 3D Realms has let go the majority of their staff, but will remain open to license and co-create games based upon the Duke Nukem franchise. They also note that while Take-Two holds the publishing rights to Duke Nukem Forever, 3D Realms retains "certain rights to sell the game directly to the public". The twists just keep coming!

As for the Take-Two lawsuit, 3D Realms claim they received no advances, signing bonuses or any other funding related to DNF until July 2008, at which point they were given $2.5M, a far cry from the alleged $12M. The statement goes on to detail their side of the story, revealing an "unacceptable" last-minute proposal by Take-Two to acquire 3DR and the Duke Nukem franchise, wrapping things up with some comments on the lawsuit itself, calling it a "bully tactic" to obtain ownership of the Duke Nukem IP. And the saga continues...

Game publisher seeks male models for E3

Y'all remember our writer Lydia Sung's opinion piece this past Sunday? Perhaps not? In short, she called for conventions like E3 to have more equality in their objectification (i.e. booth babes and booth boys). As the collective unconscious would have it, the very day after, a publisher anonymously posted an ad on craigslist calling for just that.

An excerpt reads, "Video game publishing company seeking one Male model for the E3 Expo to help promote our booth. Looking for someone tall and athletic."

Hm. I'm tall and athletic (despite my boyish good looks, I am adept at soccer, baseball, and soccer baseball). Yes, your dear gaming reporter has submitted himself to the darkside in the form of a modeling gig application. Has the whole world gone mad? It has. It has.

Persistent-world, MMOFPS CrimeCraft enters closed beta

Venture-funded and independent game studio Vogster is getting near the final stretch of the journey that is their "persistent world next-gen shooter" CrimeCraft. After years in development the PC game has now entered closed beta testing.

The release date has also been confirmed for August 25th, 2009 -- beating out the primary competition such as Realtime World's A.P.B, but coming out a bit later than the close competitor Huxley, from Webzen Games Inc.

Here's CrimeCraft in a nutshell: you make yourself a character, choosing from some RPG elements. Players have been promised tons of options for clothing, and customizing their looks. You then take your character through a somewhat dystopian, urban gaming world, getting involved in twitch-based, third-person battles rendered in the Unreal Engine 3. You can join and form gangs, make custom weapons (and repair and sell them), and eventually, you gain dominion over your fellow street punks.

"“Our game promises a refreshing, gritty and fast-paced alternative to the current online gaming realm. Our goal is to launch the best hybrid of twitch shooter action and RPG gaming depth, set in a persistent world environment. This closed beta is a pivotal milestone to ensure that we deliver on the high expectations that we and our fans have for CrimeCraft," said Mark McEnerney, CrimeCraft's Executive Producer.

Will the Crimecraft combat be intense enough to keep people coming back? It'll be interesting to see how this next generation of MMOFPS games work out.

Team Fortress 2 Spy Achievements Revealed

For those of you looking forward to Thursday's big Team Fortress 2 Sniper/Spy update, Valve Software has released a full list of Spy achievements (minus the descriptions), including a special "Welcome to the internets" achievement referring to yesterday's leaked Meet The Spy trailer. Gotta love their sense of humor! Anyways, click here for the full list. :D

ArmA II Releasing A Week Early

Spreading the good news today, 505 Games and Bohemia Interactive have announced that their highly anticipated military shooter, ArmA II, will begin shipping to stores across Europe on June 19th, a full week ahead of schedule. No word on why they're bumping up the release date, but I'm sure fans of the franchise are just fine with it. :)

505 Games and Bohemia Interactive are thrilled to announce that the release date for the upcoming tactical military simulator ArmA II forward by precisely one week, to 19th June 2009. Fans eagerly awaiting their next foray into the world beating tactical action the ArmA series has become renowned for now have just over one mont 20be h to wait.

Featuring the most realistic warfare gameplay ever, ArmA II promises to build on the excellent features that have made Bohemia Interactive a respected name among both gamers and the US army, who use a modified version to train recruits for combat situations. Team-based combat, a comprehensive playbook of military tactics and an enormous battlefield to explore are just some of the features that will make this THE military simulation of choice this year.

ArmA II will be released on 19th June exclusively for PC. For all the latest information please visit www.arma2.com

Sadly, the North American release date is still TBD.

Two new Fallout 3 DLCs coming this summer

Bethesda released a bunch of information on future DLC plans for Fallout 3, today.

First up, two new (and perhaps final) DLC packs are coming for the popular wasteland RPG. The first is called Point Lookout, and is coming in late June for the PC and Xbox 360 versions. So far, this is all Bethesda is saying on the matter: "Explore a massive new swampland area filled with new quests and content."

The second DLC is called Mothership Zeta, and it is coming sometime in July (PC, Xbox 360). The focus of this DLC is on aliens, of all things. It appears that you will be actually on a alien spacecraft, experiencing "an alien abduction first hand." Interesting!

The next bit of Fallout 3 DLC news is on the PS3 situation. Apparently it was not as easy to bring the DLC to the PS3, but Bethesda has now worked it out. They will be releasing an update/patch for Fallout 3 PS3 that will enable use of the DLC, starting with Operation: Anchorage in late June, then The Pitt and Broken Steel next, after about 4-6 weeks between releases.

And that's not all -- a Fallout 3 Game Add-on Pack #1 will be released in the first half of June in retail stores, and will include The Pitt and Operation Anchorage on DVD. Game Add-on Pack #2 will follow with Broken Steel and The Pitt. It seems however that these two products will only be available in Europe however, and only for the Xbox 360 and PC.

And finally -- as you probably guessed it would -- Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition will be coming for October. It will pair the original game with 5 DLC packs, and will no doubt be a big seller for Bethesda.

Team Fortress 2 - Meet The Spy Trailer

Keeping us entertained this weekend, Valve Software has released a new character trailer for their hit multiplayer shooter, Team Fortress 2. Running just over three minutes long, the video introduces us to the Spy class in a humrous skit about defending the briefcase in 2Fort. Enjoy:

Thanks to GameTrailers for the above stream. Stay tuned for some mirrors!

Champions Online Slips To September

Noting the importance of a rock-solid launch, Cryptic Studios has announced that they've decided to push back the release of their upcoming massively multiplayer online RPG, Champions Online, to implement some "important features" and add a little extra polish. Previously scheduled for release on July 14th, the superhero-themed title is now expected to hit stores on September 1st. Click here for some official comments on the delay.

BioWare shows a touch more of Mass Effect 2 in new pre-E3 trailer

While the first teaser trailer for Mass Effect 2 was suitably short, a new video was released by BioWare today showing a bit more of the upcoming science fiction RPG.

Trying to get people excited for the first live demo of Mass Effect 2 at E3 (which happens in the first week of June), in this new video some of the developers talk about a few of the improvements they are working on for the game.

Mass Effect 2 is set to touch down in the first quarter of 2010. If you played the first game, remember to keep those save files, as you can continue into the sequel with the same Shepard from the first.

Mass Effect 2 Prelude to E3 Trailer

Getting us hyped up for this year's E3, BioWare has released a short teaser trailer for their highly anticipated Sci-fi RPG, Mass Effect 2. Running just under three minutes long, the video touches on some of the improvements that they're including in the sequel, the darker tone and what they'll be showing off at the event. Very hot stuff! Check it out:

Thanks to GameTrailers for the above stream. Hit-up any of the following websites for a mirror:

FileShackActionTripWorthPlaying

Mass Effect 2 is scheduled for release "Early 2010".

Steam Weekend Deal: 50% Off Call of Duty: World at War

Giving us a reason to dust off our wallets this weekend, Valve has announced that Treyarch's hit World War 2-based first person shooter, Call of Duty: World at War, is currently on sale through Steam for just $24.99 US (a 50% savings). Included is the recently-released map pack and as luck would have it, it's double-XP weekend! What more could you ask for? The deal runs from now until Sunday, May 17th. So act fast!

Wondering if the game will run on your setup? Then give our Game-O-Meter a spin! ;)

Factor 5's San Rafael division closes

We knew something was up at developer Factor 5's studio in December, and now an official closure is annouced. Note the company's GmbH division based in Germany will be unaffected.

Factor 5 was well-known for its classic Mega Turrican series as well as its Star Wars: Rogue Squadron games, among others.

An excerpt from the German division CEO Achim Moller's statement:

We are sorry to announce the closure of the San Rafael-based Factor 5 Inc. studio, but the obstacles created by the sudden bankruptcy of Brash Entertainment for the continuation of operations have turned out too great to overcome in the current economic climate.

Bon voyage, Factor 5.

Take-Two sues over Duke Nukem Forever

Things just keep getting worse for Duke Nukem developer 3D Realms. First they had to close up shop, and now they're being sued by their own publisher, Take-Two Interactive.

After holding the $12 million publishing rights to Duke Nukem Forever for nine years, and signing a new, unspecified contract in 2007, Take-Two has decided now is a great time to sue 3D --incorporated as Apogee Software Ltd. and not to be confused with Apogee Software LLC, which is working on the Duke Nukem Trilogy-- having taken them to court yesterday.

“Apogee continually delayed the completion date for the Duke Nukem Forever,” Take-Two said in the complaint. “Apogee repeatedly assured Take-Two and the video-gaming community that it was diligently working toward competing development of the PC Version of the Duke Nukem Forever.”

Take-Two is also trying to prevent the revelation of any source code or assets related to the game, though to little success.

Mafia II Screenshots

Treating us to a little eyecandy tonight, 2K Czech has cooked up a fresh batch of screenshots from their upcoming open-world Action title, Mafia II. These latest shots feature a character close-up, a gun fight and a casual ride around town. Enjoy:

 

 

 

 

Mafia II is scheduled for release this Fall.

Dragon Age Screenshots & Artwork

Moving right along, the fine folks over at BioWare have released a fresh batch of screenshots and artwork from their highly anticipated Fantasy-RPG, Dragon Age: Origins. These latest images give us a sneak peek at the "vicious yet loyal" Mabari War Dogs in action. Enjoy:

 

 

 

 

Dragon Age: Origins is scheduled for release this Fall.

NVIDIA releases 3D Vision drivers for Windows 7

NVIDIA announced its GeForce 3D Vision product earlier this year at CES that combines a set of high-tech wireless glasses and advanced software to enable full stereoscopic 3D in supported games as long as you have an NVIDIA GeForce GPU and a 3D Vision ready monitor. Even if you have all right hardware, you'll still need the proper drivers to bring 3D gaming to life on your PC.

NVIDIA has released drivers for Windows 7 32- and 64-bit versions. The full Windows 7 install CD v 1.08 can downloaded here and includes both the GeForce driver v185.85 and the 3D Vision driver v185.85. Windows Vista users can get the latest drivers here .

NVIDIA 3D Vision already transforms hundreds of PC games into full stereoscopic 3D right out of the box without the need for special game patches and the latest release adds support for the following games:

AC-130: Operation DevastationBattlestations: PacificBattlestations: MidwayDark HorizonDark SectorDCS: Black SharkDeath Track ResurrectionDemigodElven LegacyEVE OnlineExodus from the EarthIgor the GameLegendaryLeisure Suit Larry: Box Office BustThe Lord of the Rings: ConquestMajor League Baseball 2K9Men of WarMonsters vs. AliensPerimeter II: New EarthRise of the ArgonautsSpider-Man: Friend or FoeSpider-Man: Web of ShadowsStormriseStreet Fighter IVTony Hawk's American WastelandX3: Terran Conflict (PC)

You can check out the complete list of supported games to see if your favorites can be enjoyed in 3D.

New video shows 9 mins of Bioshock 2 footage

2K Marin's creative director Jordan Thomas put together a lengthy new look at what's in the works for Bioshock 2.

The video starts off by Jordan stressing that this new chapter in the Bioshock series will continue to explore new avenues of game narration, involving the players in choices that will significantly alter their gameplay experience. You probably know the surprise in Bioshock 2: you play as a Big Daddy. Things definitely look like they will get a bit crazier when you have a giant mining drill for a hand, and some psychokinetic powers to boot.

The game looks like it is coming together pretty well; most fans are hoping for an overall improvement over the already-great first Bioshock game. This sequel also has a multiplayer component, which is also exciting.

The game is expected to arrive sometimes near the end of the year, for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

PC game sales, week of 4/26

The retail PC charts haven't budged much this week as usual, but the reason we're checking in is for one major surprise: the Fallout trilogy, a recently repressed package featuring Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout Tactics, Vista and XP compatible and with bonuses for $20, has come in at #7, outdoing Demigod, The Sims 2 Apartment Life, and Spore. Even considering how sweet this deal is, it's quite a feat.

On the digital distribution end, Direct2Drive is all shook up, with the Neverwinter Nights 2 expansion Mysteries of Westgate claiming the throne, followed by a host of Ubisoft titles thanks to a sale, and various others, including what seems to be the very promising looking Cryostasis.

Note for those that prefer the digital distribution route and are keen on Fallout, Ubisoft titles, and just PC gems in general, we recommend (on personal accord, mind you) Good Old Games, which always offers great deals, and future compatibility.

With that, here's the numbers:

NPD's Top Ten (4/26 - 5/2)

World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $32 The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20 Left 4 Dead / Valve / $29 World Of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $39 Empire: Total War / Creative Assembly / $50 World Of Warcraft / Blizzard / $20 Fallout Trilogy (Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics) / Interplay / $20 Demigod / Gas Powered Games / $39 The Sims 2 Apartment Life Exp. Pack / EA Maxis / $20 Spore / EA Maxis / $50

Direct2Drive's Top Ten (4/26 - 5/2)

Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate / Ossian Studios Assassin's Creed / Ubisoft Montreal Far Cry 2-Fortune's Pack DLC Bundle / Ubisoft Montreal Call of Juarez / Techland Final Fantasy XI Vana'diel Collection / Square Enix Civilization IV / Firaxis Games DCS: Black Shark / The Fighter Collection Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 / Ubisoft Montreal Cryostasis / Action Forms Rome: Total War Gold / Creative Assembly

Battlestations: Pacific 'Island Capture' Trailer #2

Catching our eye tonight, Eidos Interactive has released a brand new gameplay trailer for their upcoming Action-Strategy title, Battlestations: Pacific. Running a minute and a half long, the video gives us a quick look at the strategic depth available in the new Island Capture multiplayer mode. Check it out:

Thanks to GameTrailers for the above stream. Mirrors are also available at GamersHell and WorthPlaying.com.

Battlestations: Pacific is scheduled for release in North America on May 12th and Europe on May 15th.

Battlestations: Pacific Ships In NA

Hot off the presses, Eidos Interactive has announced that their highly anticipated Action-Strategy title, Battlestations: Pacific, has begun shipping to stores across North America today. Unfamiliar with the game? No worries! Here's a brief description courtesy of the official website:

Battlestations: Pacific is the sequel to the critically-acclaimed Battlestations: Midway, coming soon for the Xbox 360 and Games for Windows PC.

Experience one war through two epic sagas where you will be a part of history or change it. Feel the power of the historically authentic and decisive battles of the Pacific War. Relive some of the grandest and most critical naval battles of recent history and for the first time, choose to lead your fleet to a completely different ending to the war.

You will need intelligence and expertise to plan your moves and constantly remain one step ahead of the enemy. With both strategy and action at your command truly anticipate your opponent’s every move and turn the tide of war.

For those of you living in Europe, the game is due out on May 15th. Chee 225c rs!

Prototype Opening Cinematic Trailer

Keeping us entertained today, Radical Entertainment has released the opening cinematic for their upcoming open-world Action title, Prototype. Running just over three minutes long, the video introduces us to the main character and helps setup the game's storyline in stylish fashion. Very hot stuff! Check it out:

Thanks to GameTrailers for the above stream. Mirrors are also available at the following websites:

FileFrontFileShackWorthPlaying

Prototype is scheduled for release in June.

Dragon Age Violence Trailer

Spicing things up today, the fine folks over at BioWare have released a new teaser trailer for their highly anticipated Fantasy-RPG, Dragon Age: Origins. Clocking in at just under two minutes long, the video features a mix of gameplay footage and cinematic cutscenes set to a Marilyn Manson tune. Check it out:

Thanks to GameTrailers for the above stream. Mirrors are also available at the following websites:

GamersHellFileFrontFileShackStrategyInformerWorthPlayingActionTrip

Dragon Age: Origins is scheduled for release in Fall 2009.

Eidos announces Thief 4

Weeks of rumours were making the rounds online about a new game in the Thief series, with Edge magazine saying an announcement would be coming today, May 11. Happily, this wasn't just bullhockey, and Eidos has indeed confirmed the game's existence, albeit in its early stages.

Eidos-Montral will be developing the game, the same team resurrecting Deus Ex with a third installment, which also seems promising. For Thief 4, as it is aptly named, the studio has "recruited the very best core team", and are still looking to hire more "world-class developers".

“We’re in the early development stages for Thief 4, but this is an incredibly ambitious and exciting project for Eidos,” said Stphane D’Astous, General Manager at Eidos-Montral. “While it’s too early for us to offer any specific game details, right now we are focused on recruiting the very best talent to join the core team at the studio and help us make what we believe will be one of the most exciting games on the market.”

The word is the game's been in the conceptual stages for five or six months now, with the team currently working on the story.

No platforms announced as of yet, but we'd put our money on PC and PS3 (their new owners Square Enix have a tight relationship with Sony, after all), with Xbox 360 as a possibility.

In the meantime, fans are praying this turns out more like Thief and Thief II than Deadly Shadows. Do us good, Eidos.