Stardock games headed to Steam, starting with Sins of a Solar Empire

Remember Impulse?  They're no longer their own thing, after GameStop picked them up, but this is good news for Steam users who've always wanted to try Stardock titles.  Since Stardock's platform now belongs to GameStop, the company can begin offering their games through Steam and other digital distributors without any conflicts of interest.  The move begins with one of Stardock's most popular and long running series, Sins of a Solar Empire.  As of now, Sins of a Solar Empire: Trinity -- a bundle featuring the core game plus the Diplomacy and Entrenchment expansions -- should be available through Valve's distribution platform.   Stardock CEO Brad Wardell included a statement with the announcement: "With the sale of our former PC digital download technology to GameStop earlier this year, we no longer have any conflicts of interest in offering our titles to other digital distribution channels.  We are starting with Sins of a Solar Empire: Trinity, with other titles being made available over the coming weeks." Section: PC Games

Saints Row: The Third Ships

Spreading the good news today, THQ and Volition have announced that their highly anticipated open-world Action title, Saints Row: The Third, is now available in stores across North America. Here's the official word:

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 15, 2011-- THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and Volition, Inc. ® today announced that Saints Row®: The ThirdTM, the biggest, most over-the-top guilty pleasure in gaming, is available today on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

Saints Row®: The Third™ gives you control of the Saints at the height of their power, and you live the life to show for it. Now Steelport is ripe for the taking, and it’s up to you to make the city your own. Mold the skyline based on your choices, outfit your crew in classy gangster gear or furry costumes, and make life-or-death decisions that will change Steelport, and the Saints, forever. This is now your city. These are now your rules. Strap it on.

“There’s no way to describe Saints Row: The Third other than pure, over-the-top fun,” said Danny Bilson, Executive Vice President, Core Games, THQ. “In a sea of games that are doing the same thing over again, it’s incredibly refreshing to take Saints Row in a completely new direction, and incredibly satisfying to see the reaction from fans so far. Today, we all embrace the crazy.”

Media outlets too have embraced the crazy, as Saints Row: The Third releases to incredible critical acclaim, high review scores, and a number of editors’ choice awards. “One of the finest sandbox games ever made – 10” – GamesRadar "9.5" – Official Xbox Magazine "9.0" – Game Informer "The craziest game you'll ever play." – IGN "Wonderful, ridiculous insanity." – New York Post "Pulls no punches and makes no apologies." – Complex "Out GTA's GTA.” – Hyper Magazine

Today also marks the first day players will be able to import their created characters from the Saints Row Initiation Station into Saints Row: The Third and wreak havoc in Steelport as their favorite, crazed creations. Since November 1, the Saints Row community has created more than 1.5 million characters using the Initiation Station. Today, they are turned loose.

Saints Row: The Third is available today on Xbox 360 (SRP US$59.99), PlayStation 3 (SRP US$59.99) and PC (SRP US$49.99), and is rated M for Mature.

Saints Row: The Third is scheduled for release in Europe on November 18th.

The Secret World Screenshots

Treating us to a little eyecandy tonight, Funcom has released six new screenshots from their upcoming massively multiplayer online RPG, The Secret World. These latest screenies feature the Templar faction doing their thing. Enjoy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Secret World's release date is still TBA.

Gotham City Impostors Dated, Open Beta Next Month

Pinning down an exact release date for us this afternoon, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Monolith Productions have announced that their upcoming multiplayer shooter, Gotham City Impostors, will be available for purchase/download on January 10th, 2012. They also note that they'll be holding an Open Beta sometime in December. So if you're interested in helping squash some bugs, you can sign-up right here. Cheers! :D

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 sells over 6.5 million units in 24 hours

Once again, the Call of Duty series proves to be a valuable brand for Activision. It's estimated over 6.5 million units of Modern Warfare 3 were sold within 24 hours since its launch, bringing in more than $400 million in sales. The feat is more impressive when you consider Modern Warfare 3 was only sold in North America and the United Kingdom on its first day of sale. Modern Warfare 3 managed to significantly beat Black Ops' launch, which sold 5.6 million units in one day. Activision reports Call of Duty's life-to-date sales have exceeded worldwide box office earnings made by Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 has unlockable bonus item for Final Fantasy XIII players

With Final Fantasy XIII-2's release getting closer and closer, some fans might be worried about being left in the dark about the storyline. After all, it's been nearly two years since Final Fantasy XIII was released and you might have forgotten some important plot points. XIII-2 will provide some narrated scenes that detail what has happened to cast since the conclusion of XIII so you don't have to play through XIII all over again to get up to speed with the story. Also, XIII-2 has an unlockable item for those who played XIII and kept their save data all this time. Square Enix won't exactly detail what this item is though they do mention it won't break game balance, which may be a hint that this unlockable is meant for battle. Final Fantasy XIII-2 ships to retailers on January 31, 2012 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

SOE Planning EverQuest 2 Subscription Model Changes

Responding to community concerns about EverQuest 2's divided player-base, Sony Online Entertainment has announced plans to merge the standard edition of the game with the separate free-to-play "Extended" version. This new model should help make things a lot simpler by bringing everyone together under one membership structure. A Producer's Letter goes in to great detail about membership levels, what they include and the fees. Click here to learn more!

World of Warcraft loses 800,000 subscribers

World of Warcraft has been steadily losing large amounts of subscribers over the past year, first 600,000 between late 2010 and early 2011, then 300,000 more following the release of Cataclysm this past July. Now, a massive 800,000 players have dropped their subs, most on this side of the world. As of September, the subscriber count sits at 10.3 million, down over last year's 12 million peak. Blizzard is touting the popularity of the game in China and its still reigning championship as MMO king, but is finally saying they "know there are improvements [they] can make [to] in game content." The company says it expects the Mists of Pandaria expansion to up subscription numbers, but at this point we wouldn't be surprised to see former players jump back in, play through the new content, then leave again, as happened with Cataclysm.

PC Batman: Arkham City Delayed A Week

Moving right along, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Rocksteady Studios have announced that the PC edition of their Action-Stealth title, Batman: Arkham City, has been delayed a week for unspecified reasons. Previously scheduled for release on November 15th, the game is now expected to hit stores in North America on November 22nd and Europe on November 25th. So be sure to update your calendars!

The Legend of Zelda concert series kicks off in Dallas, Texas

Nintendo is ready to begin The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses nationwide concert tour by making its first stop in Dallas, Texas. On January 10, 2012, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will perform select songs from the Zelda series' 25-year run, accompanied by video content. Tickets are on sale right now with prices ranging from $19 to $115. Club Nintendo members can get a 15% discount on their ticket purchase if they order before November 30. Further pricing information and future announcements about additional concert locations can be found in the source link.

Steam Weekend Deal: 33-66% Off Tropico Series

Getting us geared up for the weekend, Steam is offering a 33-66% discount on the entire Tropico series (+ DLC) from now until 10AM PST on Monday, November 7th. So if you enjoy city builders and Caribbean music, you may want to pick one of these up. ;)

 

 

Tribes: Ascend Closed Beta Starts Friday

Spreading the good news today, Hi-Rez Studios has announced that the closed beta test for their upcoming free-to-play shooter, Tribes: Ascend, will be going live on Friday, November 4th. Word is the beta will include a total of twelve classes, three drivable vehicles and two game modes. They also note that there will be no character wipes during the beta, so all your character progress will carry over in to the Open Beta and the official release. If you haven't already signed up, you can do so right here.

DmC screenshots surprisingly colorful, shows off crazy Boss creatures

Curious to see more of the new DmC Devil May Cry?  Yeah, the one where Dante was smacked with the parallel universe stick.  More interesting than emo-Dante, however, is the world itself and its Bosses, both of which look much more impressive than our protagonist. The images are incredibly vibrant, bursting with more color than a pack of Starbursts, and we get a close-up look at two Boss creatures, including Madam Sunshine above.  That's not her official name, but it suits her, somehow.  Gross. Aside from Lady Maggot, we've got a much more interesting-looking entity as well, appearing as a monstrous figure wrapped in red and bound to floating buildings (or what remains of them) by chains.

Serious Sam 3: BFE 'Weapons' Trailer

Keeping us on our toes tonight, the Croteam has released a new gameplay trailer for their upcoming first person shooter, Serious Sam 3: BFE. Clocking in at just over two minutes long, this video focuses on the game's weapons. Some pretty sweet gear! Check it out:

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

GamersHell FileShack ActionTrip

Serious Sam 3: BFE is scheduled for release on November 22nd.

Battlefield 3 launch week sales hit 5 million

EA gets the jump on Modern Warfare 3 with Battlefield 3's release last week, and what a launch it was.  From its own internal estimates, unit sales for Battlefield 3 have already reached 5 million since it hit store shelves last Tuesday.  That's a milestone and a new record for software sales over at EA, which is also beaming at the 2.5 million Facebook "Likes" and some 200,000+ Twitter followers on the respective BF3 social pages. If you're ready for relevant stats, by EA's reckoning you folks were responsible for committing no less than 3 million savior kills and 48 million revives, as well as destroying some 67 million vehicles in BF3 this past weekend.  While EA boasts of "solid" server stability 98.9 percent uptime, it did acknowledge some "intermittent disruption" due to "high volume."

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 'Weapon Proficiencies' Trailer

Finally tonight, Infinity Ward highly has released a new gameplay trailer for their highly anticipated first person shooter, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Clocking in at just over three minutes long, this video focuses on weapon proficiencies and the value it adds to your gameplay experience. Check it out:

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

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is scheduled for release on November 8th.

RIFT 'Water Saga' begins, new quests cater to solo players, small groups

The next saga in RIFT pits players against the infamous Abyssal Cult yet again, as the "Water Saga" brings back creatures of the watery depths to inflict lunacy upon Telara's residents.  Being Ascended, clearing the land of these creatures is definitely your responsibility. The new quest chain for the Water Saga is designed to accommodate both solo players and folks who prefer small groups, a trend Trion appears to be sticking with.  According to the developer, these quests will bring level 50 Ascended "face to-face with Akylios's fiercest lieutenants and shoulder-to-shoulder with legendary heroes." Folks can snag these quests from the Faceless Man in Abyssal Precipice and Cardinal Visc in Sanctum.  In terms of rewards, the Water Saga yields some new armor, and returning from the Abyss grants you a Crocnard mount.  Because what's so silly about riding a giant mutant crocodile?  The new content should also shed more light on the Abyssal Cult, for lore-buffs out there.  Apparently these cultists have no faces under those featureless masks of theirs -- meaning the Faceless Man is, quite literally, faceless. You can read more about the Abyssal here.

DC Universe Online finally goes free-to-play on November 1

Guess what?  October is nearly at an end, and DC Universe Online still isn't free.  Sony Online Entertainment originally estimated that the MMO would make its transition from paid to free this month, but that never happened.  On the bright side, we do finally have a date. Starting next Tuesday, November 1, DC Universe Online will offer a free-to-play option to the community, alongside two paid versions of the game.  The free membership allows players to access the game and play to their hearts' content, but you'll be restricted to two character slots, a 28-slot inventory, just 12 slots in the bank, and no auction slots.  Additionally, you won't be able to trade, and your in-game currency maxes out at 1500.  Communication with other players is restricted to text, at six messages every 30 seconds, and you can't form your own Leagues (guilds).  Extra slots, for whatever purpose, can be purchased, but other limitations require a membership upgrade. The two other membership options are "Premium" and "Legendary."  The former is awarded to players who spend $5 or more toward the game, and the latter requires a $15 monthly subscription, with free access to DLC -- something both free and Premium members must pay for separately.  For a breakdown of the three different membership tiers, check the official site.

Demos and download content coming to 3DS eShop

Nintendo's eShop will be getting a good deal of additions when the 3DS firmware update is released this November. The big feature every 3DS owner will look forward to is downloading demos and add-on content for supported games. Plus, you'll be able to complete downloads in sleep mode. In the future, PC and mobile device users will be able to browse the eShop. You can't make purchases without your 3DS but QR codes will be provided so you can go directly to a product's page on your handheld. The ability to buy eShop content with your PC or mobile device will come at a later time.

Nintendo of America thought Zelda: Skyward Sword's graphics were lacking at first

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's roundtable discussion with the EAD (Entertainment Analysis & Development Division) planners and developers behind The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword continues in his latest "Iwata Asks" column. We're reassured of how "exploration and discovery" will continue to be a major theme for Skyward Sword. One of the key points behind the game's overall design is making areas more densely populated, so that there is actually more to see and do in spaces that aren't necessarily large for the sake of being large.  Environments and terrain will be much more varied and "three dimensional" in Skyward Sword, encouraging exploration.  In this way, backtracking will be made more rewarding.  Players can also look forward to little touches while exploring that they can even interact with, like bug and bird catching.  And boy will there be a lot of bugs to catch. Turning to the overall art direction, we also learn that the "watercolor" graphics for Skyward Sword didn't originally impress Nintendo of America itself when the title was first showcased at E3 2010.  At the time, EAD was still experimenting with what sort of direction it could go with the visual design that fell somewhere in between cel-shaded and "realistic", but NoA felt the graphics were too "featureless" and "lacked something."  EAD's goal from that point was to make things more distinctive and expressive, so that the graphics would ultimately look more alive. The sword movements too were further tweaked so that the player would get a better feel that they have greater freedom when it comes to swinging their weapon around with Wii MotionPlus.  EAD explains that the end result was to make battles expressive as well.  Indeed, Link himself will be more mobile than his character was in previous Zelda titles. Of course, Link will still need to do more than sword slinging to defeat Skyward Sword's bosses.  EAD in particular teases a gigantic enemy dubbed "The Sealed One" who will continue to harass Link throughout his latest adventure, because it can never truly be defeated at the outset, only sealed away until the next encounter where Link will need to leverage new tricks to survive.

Vita won't have support for PSone Classics, Flash at launch

Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu compiled a FAQ covering all sorts of details about Vita's functions and features. We'll tell you the bad news first: at launch, Vita cannot play PSone Classics nor does the web browser support Flash content. Wording from the FAQ suggests these two features will be available at a later time. Regarding battery life, Sony will offer an external battery that has twice the capacity of Vita's built-in battery. Screen brightness can also be changed though it's worth pointing out Vita's brightness setting is not step-based; users have fine control over how bright they want the screen to be. A quick tap on the power button will activate sleep mode if needed. Games can be suspended by pressing the PlayStation button, allowing you to use other applications like the PS Store, Twitter, or photo viewer. You must quit out of the game entirely if you want to play something else or use the video player. What kind of connectivity does Vita have with PlayStation 3? With Remote Play, you can stream videos and music from your PS3, possibly some games too. You can also share trophies and manage save data stored on your PS3. If you pick up a Vita with 3G, you'll have an extra application available to monitor your 3G usage. Also keep in mind 3G Vitas will try to connect to the internet through Wi-Fi before using 3G. GPS can be used without 3G but location information can be retrieved faster with a 3G connection. PSP users will be pleased to know Sony is looking into carrying over save data from your PSP to Vita. PSP game visuals can be smoothed out by toggling a filter. PlayStation Vita launches worldwide on February 22.

Batman: Arkham City ships 4.6M copies worldwide during launch week

Warner Bros. Interactive today confirms it has shipped no fewer than 4.6 million copies of Batman: Arkham City globally since it first launched October 18th.  The shipment figure alone is double the amount of copies of Batman: Arkham Asylum sold during its week on the market back in 2009, so it's a pretty good bat-sign that the sequel is on its way to being a top seller. With over 4 million copies prepared for Arkham City's shipment, Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment are counting on Rocksteady's latest vision of the Dark Knight to be a big seller this year even amidst some serious competition in October alone.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 System Specs Revealed

Moving right along, Activision and Infinity Ward have announced some official minimum system requirements for their upcoming first person shooter, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. So what kind of setup will you need to run this bad boy? Here's the skinny:

Minimum System Requirements:

OS: Windows® XP / Windows Vista® / Windows® 7 Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E6600 or AMD Phenom™ X3 8750 processor or better Memory: 16 GB free hard drive space / 2GB RAM Video Card: Shader 3.0 or better 256 MB NVIDIA®GeForce™ 8600GT / ATI® Radeon™ X1950 or better Sound Card: DirectX® 9.0C or later

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is scheduled for release on November 8th.

Sonic Generations screens give another look at Sky Sanctuary, Emerald Coast

We've seen bits of the revamped Sky Sanctuary Zone in Sonic Generations but now it's time to stop and take a good look at the scenery. New screenshots show off some neat stills of Sky Sanctuary and Emerald Coast, the latter appearing in the 3DS version of Sonic Generations. Remember that mean-looking purple creature from the Bosses and Rivals trailer? That big guy is called the Time Eater and seems to be acting on its own, unlike other troubles caused by Dr. Robotnik. It's not often you see a Sonic foe work independently from the evil doctor. Sonic Generations releases on November 1 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The 3DS version of Sonic Generations goes on sale November 25.

Next Portal 2 DLC introduces in-game map editor

Now that Portal 2's Peer Review DLC has been released, it's time to look forward to the next piece of download content. In early 2012, Portal 2 receives an in-game editor that lets players create their own test chambers. Single-player and co-op test chambers can be designed and built with the editor then later shared with the community. Once a level is released to the public, other players can play and vote on these custom maps. There were some authoring tools released earlier this year but they can only run on PCs. This new editor should make map creation accessible to plenty more people.

Battlefield 3 Launch Trailer

Battlefield 3 is coming - the biggest PC launch of the year is just days away and DICE has rolled out the official launch trailer showcasing the single player campaign storyline.

Sweet video, like all the earlier Battlefield 3 videos have been. It is about time someone takes advantage of today's PC hardware and Battlefield 3, requiring DirectX 10 level hardware and Vista/Windows 7, could be the official watershed event where mainstream triple-A PC games finally leave Windows XP and DirectX 9 behind in large numbers. One thing is for sure - a lot of gamers are upgrading their PCs just so they can run Battlefield 3 properly.

Interested in seeing how your PC stacks up to the requirements of Battlefield 3? Give our Game-o-Meter a spin.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 Gets March Launch Date

Giving us a quick heads-up this afternoon, City Interactive sends word that their upcoming CryEngine 3-powered first person shooter, Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2, will begin shipping to stores in Europe on March 16th, 2012 and North America on March 20th, 2012. Don't forget to mark your calendars! ;)

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Screenshots

Treating us to a little eyecandy tonight, Bethesda Softworks has cooked up some new screenshots from their highly anticipated Fantasy-RPG, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. These latest screenies show off the game's environments, various enemy types, stealth kills and more! Enjoy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is scheduled for release on November 11th.

Costume Quest Hits PC

Spreading the good news today, Double Fine has announced that their hit RPG, Costume Quest, is now available for purchase/download through Steam for $14.99 USD. Unfamiliar with the game? No worries! Here's a brief description courtesy of the official product page:

Costume Quest is a Halloween adventure from Tim Schafer's Double Fine Productions. In this charming role-playing game, choose your hero and trick-or-treat through three beautiful environments full of Double Fine humor and story. Complete quests, build your party, and collect costumes along the way that allow you to transform into powerful champions and take down the evil Repugians. This heroic holiday tale will capture the imaginations of kids and kids-at-heart.

Continue the Costume Quest adventure with the Grubbins on Ice DLC pack, included free in the PC version! Face new enemies while collecting additional quests, costumes, battle stamps and creepy treat cards. Help the monsters overthrow Araxia to bring peace back to Repugia!

Really happy to see this title hit the PC...and just in time for Halloween! :D

Team Fortress 2 Manniversary Update Released

Keeping us on our toes today, Valve Software has released a major content update for their hit free-to-play first person shooter, Team Fortress 2. In addition to a slew of bug fixes and gameplay tweaks, the "Manniversary Update" features a new store interface, Steam Workshop integration, a new community map (Gullywash), loadout presets, new taunts, new hats, camera shake/slow-motion functionality and a whole lot more! You can find the full changelog right here or just relaunch your Steam client to start downloading. Cheers!

Sudden Attack expands Nexon's FPS lineup, launching November

Most gamers know Nexon through the company's long list of fantasy-based MMOs, from the unbelievably successful MapleStory to the more recent (and grittier) Vindictus.  That said, the Nexon circle does offer more than just fantasy RPGs, from puzzle games to shooters. Come November, a new shooter will be joining the fold, stacking up alongside Combat Arms.  GameHi's online FPS Sudden Attack is launching on November 16 under the Nexon name, in North America, Europe, and Oceania. A teaser site launched today, where you can sign up early for in-game perks.  A few screenshots can be found below.

Shadowrun Online Announced

Kicking things off today, Cliffhanger Productions have officially announced the development of Shadowrun Online, a free-to-play MMO based on the popular table top RPG. Details are pretty sparse at the moment, but what we do know is that the game will be playable through a web browser and will feature an interesting mix of action, hacking and investigation work:

The game will feature two major parts – the action map, where you (and your friends) do missions from stealthily infiltrating a secret Renraku research facility to punching the lights out of a major Aztechnology outpost with guns blazing. Hacking, magic and gunfights are all part of that and will be done simultaneously (so nobody needs to go for pizza while your hacker battles Black ICE for two hours).

The second part will be the legwork and mission preparation. This will happen on a city overview map, where you can try and use your contacts, skills or resources to gain info on the mission goal, acquire blueprints, bribe guards or prepare the right soft or spell for your endeavor. This will be closer to rolling the dice on an action and getting a short narrated outcome. Each of those actions will cost action points (and if you want to get better odds you may want to spend more action points on a specific objective).

So if you don’t have the time for an extended session, you may just want to spend a couple of AP to prepare and make sure you get the most out of your mission when you actually want to tackle it.

Click here for more details and an early prototype screenshot!

[Update] Catwoman content in Arkham City requires online pass to access

Update:  Looks like online passes won't be an issue for gamers who do their used games shopping at GameStop.  According to Kotaku, the retailer has reached an agreement with publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to include the Catwoman DLC pack with used copies of Batman: Arkham City as well.  With these purchases, a code to unlock Catwoman's campaign and Challenge Mode content will be printed on the customer's receipt, granting the secondhand owner access to Catwoman's single-player missions and unlocking her for use across all Challenge maps.  The DLC also includes the Long Halloween and Animated Catwoman Skins. Batman: Arkham City is less than a week away from launch, and streams of the game have revealed something surprising regarding the Catwoman character: she's not free for everyone. Okay, that might require some explaining.  Even though Catwoman has been heavily promoted as being playable in the campaign, she is only available with new copies of Arkham City, which come with a Batman VIP pass.  The pass unlocks four story sequences featuring Catwoman as a playable protagonist, and though firsthand buyers get the pass for free, folks who rent or buy used games will need to fork over an extra 800 Microsoft Points or $10 to acquire it. The VIP pass also unlocks Catwoman for Challenge Mode.  Without the pass, she still shows up in the campaign as part of the story, but sections that have her as a playable character will be locked. Gamers first caught wind of this when streams of the game revealed the following message on the main menu: "Catwoman is a unique character with her own story, moves, and weapons.   Unlock Catwoman by redeeming the 1st purchaser included in the game case or by visiting Xbox LIVE Marketplace." Arkham City will be out on October 18 in North America and October 21 in Europe.  The PC version will be released shortly after in November.

Sony Online Entertainment, PSN accounts compromised in mass access attempts

Sony reported that a series of unauthorized account access attempts recently took place on Sony Entertainment Network, PlayStation Network, and Sony Online Entertainment services. 93,000 global accounts have been locked down as a preventative measure. PSN and SEN users affected by the lockdown will be sent an e-mail prompting them to reset their account password. SOE users must validate their credentials in order to have their accounts turned back on. Sony assures that any credit card information linked to the compromised accounts is not at risk.

Darkness II video introduces the Darkness' greatest enemy

While the Darkness is technically a protagonist in The Darkness, the entity is unmistakably evil.  Current host Jackie is questionable as a person, but he is, for the most part, good.  So you'd think that a secret society established to purse the Darkness would also be good, right?  Once upon a time, maybe, but this cult of protectors has since been warped by their enemy, and their hate became an obsessive desire.  Meet the Brotherhood, led by Victor Valente.  Though first established with the intent to combat the Darkness, their intent has since warped into the complete opposite of their original dogma.  As the nervous Johnny Powell notes, "There's only so long you can stare into the Void before you turn just as black." They still carry their expertise with them, which is bad news for Jackie.  In The Darkness II, you'll encounter a few Brotherhood types, which you can read more on after the video.  We have an alternate source here, in case the player doesn't want to work or you prefer a more HD alternative. Support Brotherhood The Brotherhood's long standing hunt for the Darkness has earned them insight into ways to weaken and attempt to defeat the Darkness and its host. Rather than just a head-on attack with standard bullets, the Support Brotherhood carry a light canon used to shine a blinding light on Jackie that debilitates the Darkness and prevents Jackie from regenerating or using his Demon Arms. Melee The Brotherhood's melee infantry always go in for the up close combat. Equipped with large shield gauntlets and specially designed clubs, these melee soldiers are quick to come in close, and will often close in behind you when you least expect. Shield The Brotherhood soldiers have armor specifically designed to fight The Darkness, that give added protection. The Shield Brotherhood soldiers carry a massive shield that blocks out physical attacks from bullets and Demon Arm attacks. The only way around these guys is to use a different strategy to flank from the rear, or utilize Darkness Powers such as Swarm to stun them and catch them off guard, then go in for the attack.  Jackie can also use his grabbing demon arm to pull the shield away from the brotherhood.  Whip Some Brotherhood soldiers wield a whip, and will lash out at Jackie from far off distances, and wreak hefty physical damage. Within a certain distance from Jackie, these whips can also disarm him as well. Rookie Rookie Brotherhood soldiers carry a variety of guns ranging from pistols, to submachine guns to assault rifles, and will do significant damage from afar. While they usually hang back in a gunfight, you'll often find them next to a Support Brotherhood, where the two will tag-team to take down Jackie using strategic flank tactics. In addition to a crach course on the Brotherhood, 2K also released a series of videos going through key abilities Jackie can perform thanks to the Darkness.  Like the Brotherhood video, you can see these here.   New screenshots can be found after the break, showing off these skills and the Brothel location.  Go figure, you get the Venus Gun from an employee there, it looks like. Black Hole Gun Channeling Swarm The Darkling Quad-Wielding Image Gallery Sections: Microsoft Consoles, Console Games, PC Games, Sony Consoles

Ghost Recon Online devs talk PC development, teamwork in new video

So Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is due out in March 6, and Ghost Recon Online... doesn't have a release date yet.  Still, development is coming along, and Ubisoft today released a video going behind-the-scenes to check up on how far along the team is. In the first "DEV SITREP" trailer, we're given a closer look at some of the design elements going into GRO, which as a free-to-play online shooter, will be exclusive to PC.  The original Ghost Recon, as GRO Creative Designer Theo Sanders notes, was on PC, and the community is still thriving.  As such, GRO is a return to the franchise's PC roots, despite the contemporary business model Ubi has gone with. The video also touches on some of the team-driven features you can expect to find in GRO, like its class-based gameplay.  The Assault unit, for instance, can bring out his shield and just steamroll his way through enemies, and what the GRO closed beta showed was that other players instinctively fall in line behind the Assault to "clean up" his mess (read: shoot survivors).  You can still sign up for the beta on the official website.  As always, you can check the video here if the player below is acting up. Section: PC Games

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 'Redemption' Trailer

Getting our adrenaline pumping this afternoon, Activision has released a new teaser trailer for their highly anticipated first person shooter, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Clocking in at a minute and a half long, this video features some intense scenes from the singleplayer portion of the game. Pretty hot stuff! Enjoy:

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

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is scheduled for release on November 8th, 2011.

Steam Weekend Deal: 66% Off Fable III

Getting us geared up for the weekend, Valve has announced that Lionhead Studios' hit Action-RPG, Fable III, is currently on sale through Steam for just $16.99 USD (a 66% savings). This deal runs from now until 10AM PST on Monday, October 10th. If you enjoy some British humor in your RPGs, you might want to pick this one up. ;)

Wondering if your PC can handle it? Then be sure to give our Game-O-Meter a spin!

Space Marine 'Exterminatus' co-op DLC coming late October

Everyone kind of figured Warhammer 40K: Space Marine would have some type of cooperative mode, just not when Relic would be adding it.  Well, the formerly announced "Exterminatus" co-op mode has been dated, and as promised, will be arriving this month. Relic and THQ confirmed today that Space Marine's first DLC -- which is free, by the way -- will be released on October 25.  In Exterminatus, players team up in four-man squads to fight off waves of Orks or Chaos agents, as any of the game's three existing Space Marine classes: Tactical, Assault, and Devastator.  Like with Firefight in Halo and Horde in Gears of War, your progression through Exterminatus will go toward your multiplayer ranking. Scoring depends on your overall performance, which can be amplified by various multipliers and dynamic challenges during the match.  At launch, players will have access to two Exterminatus modes: "Assault on Hab Center Andreas" and "Escape from Kalkys Facility." Relic has also confirmed that more Space Marine DLC is coming, and not all of it will be free, according to producer Andy Lang.  "There are some plans [for more]," he said.  "We're working on some other DLC." While details are scant at this point, he did mention "there will be a free component to them as well as some paid components."

More Blink-182 singles on the way for Rock Band 3

Pop and alternative rockers Blink-182 are coming back to Rock Band 3 with another batch of singles. This time, you can grab some songs featured in Enema of the State, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, and the just-released Neighborhoods. Also on the way is The Clash's popular new wave track from Combat Rock. Here are the four tracks for download on October 11; songs marked in blue have Pro Guitar and Pro Bass upgrades available: The Party Song - Blink-182 Stay Together for the Kids - Blink-182 Up All Night - Blink-182 Rock the Casbah - The Clash "Blink-182 Pack 03" can be purchased for 440 Microsoft Points, 550 Nintendo Points, or $5.49 / £2.49 UK / €3.99 EU from the PlayStation Store. Single track downloads are worth 160 MS Points, 200 Nintendo Points, or $1.99 / £0.99 / €1.49 from the PS Store. Pro upgrades cost 80 MS Points, 100 Nintendo Points, or $0.99 / £0.59 / €0.79 from the PS Store.

Dungeon Defenders Video Dev Diary #3

Giving us a peek behind the scenes today, Trendy Entertainment has released a new video developer diary for their upcoming Tower Defense Action-RPG, Dungeon Defenders. Clocking in at just over two minutes long, this video focuses on the game's combat phase. Check it out:

The above stream is courtesy of YouTube.

Dungeon Defenders is scheduled for release on October 19th.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations 'Life of Ezio' Trailer

Keeping things rollin' tonight, Ubisoft has released a new teaser trailer for their upcoming Action-Adventure title, Assassin's Creed: Revelations. Clocking in at two and a half minutes long, this video helps setup the game's storyline with a mix of cinematic cutscenes and in-game action. Check it out:

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

GamersHell FileShack ActionTrip

The PC edition of Assassin's Creed: Revelations is scheduled for release in December 2011.

2D Boy: Indie devs shy away from XBLA over strict quality control

Microsoft opened the doors to independent game development with Xbox Live Arcade, but 2D Boy's Ron Carmel goes indie with research to try and determine why fewer studios are willing to bite the hook nowadays given the how much more prevalent (and lucrative) development on competing platforms like iOS has become.  XBLA is hardly the only marketplace for digitally distributed titles, as most gamers will certainly be aware Apple's App Store and Valve's Steam service.  These platforms have managed to prove more popular with developers than XBLA, and Carmel believes he knows why based on correspondance with nearly a hundred indie developers. Apparently working with Microsoft to get stuff on XBLA has proven "excruciating" at worst, "so-so" at best.  Much of indie developer's disgruntlement stems from Microsoft's policies to ensure a higher standard of quality for XBLA software.  On the other hand, these policies only add overhead (and headaches) to developers.  Being hamstrung by such requirements will only gradually force developers away from XBLA, and Carmel explains Microsoft's approach to curating software must move away from centralized quality control and one-sided distribution contracts.  Some of his suggestions include: Create a fair contract that doesn't require negotiation. Solve the content discovery problem. Stop requiring independent developers to publish through MGS. Get rid of the exclusivity requirement for independent developers. Drop the greenlight process and open up development to everyone. Drop the ESRB in favor of a self administered rating system. Make avatar related requirements optional. The key is to foster a larger amount of better quality software, as opposed to ensuring that the average quality of all its XBLA titles are at a certain standard enforced through processes.

PlayStation Vita 3G download size restricted to 20MB at launch

Looks like Sony will be placing size limits on PlayStation Vita 3G downloads.  In an interview with Japanese news outlet ASCII, a Sony rep revealed that at launch, downloads made through the device's 3G connection will be limited to 20MB in size.  If you want to downloading anything of significant size -- like full games -- then you're going to have to find a Wi-Fi connection. The representative did note, however, that this would only affect the Vita at launch, and the size limit could change in the future.  Download size restrictions aside, users will still be able to access the PlayStation Store on either a Wi-Fi or 3G connection. Regarding concerns about the 3G's 128Kbps download and 64 Kbps upload speeds being too slow for certain games, the rep stated that Sony would be providing game studios with "support" to ensure that technical limitations aren't an issue.

Rage 'Jackal Canyon' Trailer

Moving right along, the fine folks over at id Software have released a new gameplay trailer for their highly anticipated first person shooter, Rage. Clocking in at just under seven minutes long, this video walks us through a mission in the Jackal Canyon. Pretty hot stuff! Check it out:

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

Rage is scheduled for release in North America on October 4th and Europe on October 7th.

Dark Souls scores 279K sales during launch weekend

September draws to a close, but it's been an epic month for PS3 titles in Japan.  First Namco Bandai's Tales of Xillia sells over half a million copies on launch day alone, and now industry research firm Media Create confirms From Software's Dark Souls is another blockbuster of a title. While it didn't quite reach anywhere close to 525,605 unit sales secured by Xillia in a single day, Dark Souls still managed to sell an 279,567 copies during launch weekend.  Seems like plenty of souls hungered for From Software's latest vision in cruel and unusual punishment, and right now those figures are for Japan alone.  Japanese players are also alone in having to sit through some patches which From Software is issuing as quickly as possible in order to address new issues which emerged since the most glaring ones involving game freezes while connected to the game servers. The weekly sales period ending September 25th also brought good things for plenty of other new titles, including the ICO/Shadow of the Colossus Limited Edition PS3 release which bundles high-definiition remakes of Sony's classic PS2 titles.  The Japanese release of Gears of War 3 also managed to break into the top five, letting the Xbox 360 shine once more with one heckuva title. Japanese Weekly Software Sales 2011/09/19 - 2011/09/25    Game   Publisher   Platform   Unit Sales   1.   Dark Souls  From Software  PS3  279,567  2.   ICO / Shadow of the Colossus Limited Box  Sony Computer Entertainment  PS3  91,902  3.   Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Tag Force 6  Konami  PSP  64,350  4.   Gears of War 3  Microsoft  Xbox 360  56,113  5.   Dragon Quest 25th Anniversary Collection  Square Enix  Wii  54,775  6.   Senran Kagura: Portrait of Girls  Marvelous  3DS  52,206  7.   Busou Shinki: Battle Masters Mk. 2  Konami  PSP  32,318  8.   To Heart 2 DX Plus  Aqua Plus  PS3  24,429  9.   Tales of Xillia  Namco Bandai  PS3  22,484  10.   Champion Jockey: Gallop Racer & G1 Jockey  Koei Tecmo  Wii  18,281  Source: Gamasutra Section: Console Games

Portal 2: Peer Review DLC Announced

Grabbing our attention this afternoon, Valve Software has announced that they're working on a new DLC pack for their critically-acclaimed puzzle game, Portal 2. Due out on October 4th, "Peer Review" will offer a new co-op test track, along with a new singleplayer/co-op Challenge Mode and leaderboards. To celebrate this news, Valve has released the final installment of the Portal 2 soundtrack "Songs to Test By". Grab it while it's hot! :D

Persona 4 anime heading stateside soon, available on home video in 2012

For those wondering if Persona 4 the Animation will ever show up in the U.S., we've got good news for you: Sentai Filmworks has acquired the rights to distribute Persona 4 in North America. Various digital outlets are set to premiere Persona 4 soon while DVD and Blu-Ray releases hit retailers in 2012. Persona 4 the Animation covers the same plotline from the PlayStation 2 game, retelling the story of several teenagers investigating a string of murders and kidnappings that are linked to a strange world found within televisions. Japanese voice actors from Persona 4 PS2 reprise their roles in this 25-episode series.

Fallout: New Vegas pre-order content now available as DLC

The Courier's tale wrapped up with Lonesome Road last week, but if you're still running around the Mojave Wasteland, Bethesda has additional content that might help you in your New Vegas travels.  The first is the Courier's Stash, available off Xbox LIVE, PSN, and Steam for 160 MP or $2.  This pack bundles together pre-order goodies from the Caravan Pack, Classic Pack, Mercenary Pack, and Tribal Pack, which includes weapons, armor, and other useful items.  Double that price at 320 MP or $4 is the Gun Runner's Arsenal, which introduces a new line of weapons, mods, ammo types, and recipes to New Vegas.  For a more detailed look at the GRA content pack, check the official blog.  Bethesda released a number of previews over the last week showcasing some of the new guns, including the GRA Tri-Beam Laser Rifle and Li'l Devil 12.7mm pistol.

Orcs Must Die! Video Dev Diary

Giving us a peek behind the scenes tonight, Robot Entertainment have released a new video developer diary for their upcoming Action-Strategy title, Orcs Must Die!. Clocking in at just over seven minutes long, this video gives us a general overview of the game. Check it out:

The above stream is courtesy of YouTube. Mirrors are also available at GamersHell and the FileShack.

Orcs Must Die! is scheduled for release on October 12th.

Diablo 3 Slips to 2012

Initially expected to appear for the holidays in 2011, Blizzard has now officially announced a delay - Diablo 3 will not ship in 2011 and is instead now targeted for early 2012. This also means that the beta test that started on 20th September will be extended and more people will be invited later this year.

This is not completely unexpected as the initial feedback over the beta seems to have been more harsh than on any previous Blizzard title - no, don't get me wrong, Diablo 3 (based on the current beta) isn't a bad game... it is just that it lacks some of that polish Blizzard is known for and features a couple of questionable design decisions that could still get tweaked with some extra time. It definitely looks already like a game that could have shipped this year, but it would have meant some compromises in quality.

2K Marin explains XCOM remake and origins in first developer video

Developing XCOM hasn't been easy for 2K Marin.  When the game first debuted at E3, the reception was unfavorable -- to say the least -- and the studio had to completely redo what they had already accomplished.  What we saw at E3 2011 was solid, but in July, the project's lead designer and art director left 2K Marin to form their own studio.  Yeah, talk about terrible luck.  Fortunately, the game is still going through, and the team has released the first in a series of developer diaries explaining the XCOM reboot.  The new XCOM is meant to be an origins tale, dropping in on the agency before it went international and recruited all those amazing agents of theirs.  The year is 1962, and the United States is being overrun by a terrifying enemy that seeks to completely transform Earth in an effort to colonize our planet.  These aren't the kind of aliens we typicall see in shooters these days, either. The terraforming process is a sight to behold, really.  On one side, you have Earth, organic and vibrant, but over time, the terraform spreads and morphs our world into something distinctly alien.  Dark crystalline formations pop up everywhere, and the result is a feast for the eyes.  The video also delves deeper into the strategic and somewhat RPG-esque gameplay elements of XCOM as well.  Definitely worth a look, whether or not you're familiar with the original. Sections: Microsoft Consoles, Console Games, PC Games, Sony Consoles

Red Orchestra 2 Patched

Also available for download today is a small patch for Tripwire Interactive's recently-released first person shooter, Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad. This latest update features a handful of bug fixes, gameplay tweaks, performance optimizations and allows you to enable webadmin through the commandline. You can find the full changelog right here or just launch the game's auto-updater to start downloading. Cheers!

Payday: The Heist Screenshots

Fresh out of the oven, OverKill Software have released six new screenshots from their upcoming squad-based first person shooter, Payday: The Heist. These latest screenies feature a street shootout. Check 'em out:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Payday: The Heist is scheduled for release on October 4th.