Contents
Page 1 – Some Pre Show Rumours, Xbox Cirque de Soliel Event and Official Keynote, Conferences from EA, Ubisoft and some Activision News

Page 2 – Sony Press Conference, Nintendo Press Conference, More from the show

June 13th – June 14th

Confirmed below - Kinect is Project Natal. Picture of Slim leaked through Italian Ad
Source – Playfire.com, Twitter, Italian Gaming Ad
Microsoft’s tightly concealed plans for E3 may just have had the lid blown off them from a simple image from an Italian gaming website. Not only does the ad show the picture for the slim redesign of Xbox 360, but the ad goes on to say that the system will have a 250gb harddrive out of the box, inbuilt wi-fi and be compatible with ‘Kinect’, which is now rumoured to be the name for Project Natal.

Oops Microsoft…

Apparently the new Xbox Slim!

Confirmed - Cirque de Soliel confirms Kinect and a host of other things.
Source – CVG, Joystiq, Xbox 360 Achievements
It appears the Italians were bang on the money as Project Natal has now been officially renamed to ‘Kinect’ and will ship this November! During the extravagant Cirque de Soliel event, Microsoft went on to demonstrate new ways to video chat, Facebook support and an opening line up of titles to ship with the peripheral. The titles are

• Joyride – remastered for Kinect
• Kinect Sports (surprising title!) – Includes Beach Volleyball, Bowling, Boxing, Track and Field, Soccer and Table Tennis. This one is being made by Rare (obviously their super secret title they’ve been working on … )
• Kinectimals (WTF?) - The advanced form of tamagotchi has you training and playing with 20 different types of cat including tiger, cheetah and lion
• Kinect Adventures – Includes the River Rush game we’ve seen a lot of and an obstacle course for up to four players.
• Dance Central – In development with MTV games, a dance-a-thon spectacular. This must be the one from the Rock Band devs!
• A yoga title was also revealed which appears to be a first party game. Word from the show was that some Tai Chi has been added as well.
• Star Wars – A lightsaber game from Lucasarts! Demoed showing you fighting against Darth Vader! Oh yes, this is a launch day buy for me!
• A USA newspaper also outed that there will be a project featuring Disney Characters but not much else is known at this point!

Confirmation of price is scheduled to be announced later today during Microsoft’s major keynote, along with some more big announcements.

Here’s a finished picture of Kinect below.

KINEEECT ... is K-NEW!

Confirmed - Plushie Pets given out at Cirque de Soliel event will have compatibility with Kinect
Source – Joystiq
Joystiq have revealed that Plushie Kinectimals (that really doesn’t roll off the tongue does it!) given out at Microsoft’s special attraction event last night have a tag on them that can be scanned by Kinect and will make the very same animals cuddleable (is that even a word?!) in the upcoming Kinectimals game later this year! Microsoft have issued no statement as to whether we will be able to purchase such creatures so we can get in on the exclusive club, yet it does give you some idea as to where Microsoft can take the device in the future! Move over Barcode Battler, I say…

Rumour - Two different types of Kinect at launch?
Source – VG247

A source close to the Kinect project states that upon launch, there may be two different types of Kinect to choose from and one will be more expensive than the other. The report says the more expensive version of the camera features a motorised base, suggesting the cheaper version lacks that function. It will be interesting to see if Microsoft announce this during their keynote tonight!

Confirmed - Timeframe given to two AAA titles this year
Source – CVG
Confirmed via their developers and trailers, both Fallout New Vegas and Assassins Creed: Brotherhood have been given release windows. Fallout New Vegas will drop on October 19th in America and October 22nd in Europe (just a few short months away!) and Assassins Creed Brotherhood will ship on November 16th! Christmas is certainly shaping up this year and we haven’t even got into the meat of E3 yet!

Rumour - Zelda details leaked ahead of Nintendo Conference?
Source – CVG, Zelda Fansite
By no means a confirmation, but a Zelda fansite has reportedly gotten hold of some juicy details about the upcoming Zelda game due to be showcased at Nintendo’s press conference. For starters, the game seems to be a prequel to the events of Ocarina of Time set several hundred years previous and will be titled ‘The Legend of Zelda’. They say the events will be focused on the origins of the Master Sword.

The site goes on to say that a new character will be introduced to the series called Zordiana, a fairy that plays an important part in the story. It also states that the hookshot will be back and will be similar to the grappling hook used in Wind Waker.

The site also says that you will have to draw symbols on doors with your sword in order to open them and that using the bow will play very much like the archery in Wii Sports Resort.

Finally, they say that Nintendo will unveil an Ice Level at E3 and won’t be a dungeon in the typical Zelda sense of the word.

This has not been confirmed nor denied, but this does seem quite detailed and so close to the announcement at the show, its hard to believe that at least some of this isn’t true. Keep your eyes peeled folks!

Confirmed – Janes Addiction, Usher, Black Eye Peas and Eminem to perform at Activision Event as well as a mystery headline act!
Source – Twitter, CVG, VG247
Eminem has confirmed via his Twitter that he will be performing at the Activision event, presumably to promote DJ Hero 2. Confirmation below …

RT @Eminem Yes, I will be performing at the Activision event…

Pretty straightforward and to the point, eh?

The Black Eyed Peas are also confirmed to be playing at the Activision show by one of their entourage as they were on a flight to LA. They also confirmed that more stars known Worldwide will be at the show! Seems like Activision have big things planned for us this year.

In addition to that, VG247 has said that Janes Addiction and Usher will ‘definitely’ be featured at the Activision press conference as well as a mystery headline act. The current rumours floating around are that it will be between Lady GaGa and Beyonce (wow!).

Activision have also brought in the ‘Worlds best strippers’ for the event and are said to have spent $6 million on this conference alone. This is what your MW2 money has gone on folks!

Rumour – Retro Studios readying a new Donkey Kong for E3?
Source – IGN
The word doing the rounds at the moment re: Nintendo’s super secretive press conference, is that Retro Studios, the team responsible for the phenomenal Metroid Prime series, may be working on a new game in the Donkey Kong franchise. DK is certainly due a new game as his last effort was Jungle Groove and that was certainly a deviation from the incredible Donkey Kong Country series and the original 1980′s classic. Think this one has any validity? Would you want to see it happen?

Confirmed – Tales of Monkey Island coming to PSN on June 15th
Source – Joystiq
Currently only slated for US Playstation owners, the entire first season of Tales of Monkey Island is coming to PSN on June 15th and will set you back only $19.99. This is an absolute bargain for five episodes which were released by TT last year and will allow players the opportunity to continue the further adventures of Guybrush Threepwood as he does battle with the demon pirate Le Chuck. So, avast ye scurvy landlubbers and prepare yer wallets for piratey goodness.

Arrr..

Confirmed - XBLA Deals of the Week are reductions on last years Summer of Arcade games!
Source – Major Nelson
It has been confirmed that from June 14th the Deals of the Week will be on all of last years Summer of Arcade Games! The reductions are shown below…

Confirmed – One Week E3 Sale on XBLA Games
Source – Major Nelson
Between June 16 – 22 – XBLA will be cutting the price of many of its classic Arcade titles. The full list is shown below.

• A Kingdom for Keflings – 400 Microsoft points (50% off).
• Alien Hominid HD – 400 Microsoft points (50% off).
• Banjo Tooie – 800 Microsoft points (33% off).
• Bionic Commando Rearmed – 400 Microsoft points (50% off).
• Bomberman LIVE – 400 Microsoft points (50% off).
• Braid – 800 Microsoft points (33% off).
• Castle Crashers – 800 Microsoft points (33% off).
• Castlevania Symphony of the Night – 400 Microsoft points (50% off).
• Contra – 240 Microsoft points (40% off).
• Crystal Defenders – 400 Microsoft points (50% off).
• Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 – 400 Microsoft points (50% off).
• Magic the Gathering – 400 Microsoft points (50% off).
• N+ – 400 Microsoft points (50% off).
• Panzer General – 400 Microsoft points (50% off).
• Portal – 800 Microsoft points (33% off).
• TMNT: 1989 Arcade – 240 Microsoft points (40% off).
• Uno Rush – 400 Microsoft points (50% off).
• Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment – 800 Microsoft points (33% off).
• Zombie Apocalypse – 400 Microsoft points (50% off).

Confirmed – Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age 2 will NOT be at E3
Source – EA Spokesman
Despite several swirling reports, it has been confirmed by an EA Spokesman that neither ME3 or DA2 will be present at E3. This isn’t entirely surprising as we haven’t seen much in the way of story DLC for ME2 which is only half a year old and there has been talk of further DA content for the original game. It is felt that Bioware will be focusing primarily on Star Wars Old Republic at this years E3, although don’t rule out another surprise announcement!

Rumour - 500gb Playstation 3 bundled with Move to be announced?
Source – CVG
There are insider sources claiming that a whopping 500gb hard drive could be bundled into a slimline Playstation 3 and will also ship with Playstation Move later this year! The word is that it would also have improved internal wi-fi out of the box. Considering the Italian ad from last night is touting the 360 to have inbuilt Wi-Fi in the rumoured slim-line model, this could be Sony’s counter punch and would certainly make a lot of sense! More as we get it…

Confirmed - de Blob 2: The Underground announced by THQ
Source – THQ Press
A THQ press release has confirmed that de Blob 2: The Underground will be making its way to Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS in Spring 2011! In a series first, de Blob 2 will also be available in 3D! The press release goes on to say the game will feature ‘new moves, more friends, and free-form painting activities’.

‘We are thrilled to expand the world of de Blob into high definition and 3D gaming with an entertaining and immersive experience that brings back the adventures of the fun-loving, free-spirited hero,’ says Danny Bilson, Executive Vice President, Core Games, THQ. ‘In addition to the release of de Blob 2: The Underground, THQ will extend the reach of its most colorful owned intellectual property with an upcoming Syfy partnership and de Blob-branded consumer products.’

More as we get it!

~CHANGE IN PERSONNEL! Andy here to cover the MS Conference while Ray is playing out. Starts fairly soonish. OOOH are we all excited?!~

Just so you know, I won’t be commenting on footage on games we know about, just on news announcements.

Confirmed – COD Map Packs now timed exclusives for the next three years.
Source – MS Press Conference
Not really big news as that’s how it’s been for the past few years, but there you.

Confirmed - Metal Gear Rising not a stealth game.
Source- Konami
Judging by the trailer, Metal Gear Rising will be a hack and slash game where you can literally cut anything in half. Showed some nice slow-mo stuff. Looks like the most interesting thing to be added to the franchise for years.

Confirmed - Gears 3 to have new mode called ‘Beast’.
Source- Cliffy B
No news on what this entails yet, just it’ll be on the show floor.

Confirmed - Fable 3 ships 26th October
Source- MS E3 Conference
What it says on the tin. Trailer just looked like Fable 2 if I’m honest.

Confirmed - New Crytek IP ‘Codename Kingdoms’, 360 Exclusive.
Source- MS E3 Conference.
Just a trailer of a gladiator. Interesting.

Confirmed - Halo looks to have flight-based space combat sections.
Source- MS E3 Conference.
The trailer shows the Spartans attacking a building, then entering ships, taking off, and then engaging in combat Star Wars stylee. Looks pretty impressive…

Confirmed - Kinect has voice recognition.
Source- MS E3 Conference.
As it says. Allows you to control media playback.

Confirmed - Video chat, and movie watching capable through Kinect.
Source- MS E3 Conference.
Set up a video chat, can start movies for you both to watch. Kinects Camera will also follow you around. It looks pretty amazing without games. Will be able to video chat with people on Windows Live Messenger.

Confirmed - ESPN Exclusive Partnership Announced.
Source- MS E3 Conference.
Live events and on demand sports events. Pretty sure that will just be for the US Audiences… Including College Basketball and American Football, NBA and ‘Soccer’ (sigh…). Voice recognition on Kinect works on all these features BTW… You can watch together too, and they made a joke about Robert Green. Stats and facts available while watching. Impressive. IT’S FREE. WOW. No mention of UK access.

Confirmed - Six kinect games announced.
Source- MS E3 Conference.
Ray’s already detailed these up there! ^

Confirmed - Kinect Dated.
Source- MS E3 Conference.
America November 4th with Fifteen launch titles.

Confirmed - FORZA 3 will have Kinect compatibility.
Source- MS E3 Conference.
Can drive with a ten-to-two motion, and can walk around and look at your cars.

Confirmed - New Slim 360 announced. Same price as current models. Shipping now in US.
Source- MS E3 Conference.
Leaked info is true. Built in Wi-fi, 250gb hard drive, ready for Kinect, and will be at the SAME PRICE as the current models, and being shipped now. Will be hitting the UK 16th July. Audience members got them for free. Sodding twa…

~That’s it for the 360 conference and from me for now. Hopefully Ray will be about later to tell you the rest.~

~Thanks for covering for me Andy. Wow, free Xbox slim for all the crowd and that Kinetic looks cool, I want one! Anyway, Ray here again to bring you news from EA, Ubisoft and Activision press conferences~

Confirmed - EA MMA Dated and given new mode
Source – EA Conference
EA’s UFC rival has finally been given a release date of October 19th and will introduce something called Live Broadcast which enables you to go online, select an EA Promoter and have people around the World see your fights! Sounds pretty nifty!

Confirmed - Bulletstorm given release date
Source – EA Conference
Bulletstorm, that cool FPS that awards you points for creative kills will hit store shelves on February 2nd 2011! This appears to be one to watch for the new year and certainly raises the bar for Q1 2011!

Confirmed - Need for Speed Hot Pursuit announced
Source – EA Conference
The first of the Need for Speed games has been announced as Hot Pursuit and is being developed by Criterion! The game seems to follow the cops and robbers route again and really seems to have cat and mouse style gameplay with Police having EMP to mess up the opposing driver or can call for backup if they’re getting too far away. Sounds very cool!

Confirmed - EA Sports Active 2 is compatible with Kinect
Source – EA Conference
The next installment in EA Sports Active will indeed fully support Xbox Kinect and will ship later this year!  It will also support Nintendo Wii and Playstation Move. Unique to the Kinect version, players will be able to navigate the workouts by voice and gestures. Sounds like devs have gotten an idea of how to use it already, then!

Confirmed - Date for Medal of Honour Beta revealed
Source – EA Conference
On June 21 (which is like, next week!) you’ll be able to get your first look at Medal of Honour as the Beta goes live! To add to that, the game has been given an official release date of October 12! Time to start saving.

~And now a little something from Ubisoft!~

Confirmed - Children of Eden announced for Kinect and Move
Source – Ubisoft Conference
The creator of Rez (you remember that game on Dreamcast, PS2 and XBLA) has decided to create a spiritual successor by the name of Children of Eden for Kinect and Move! The game, once again, is a rhythm-action shooter and looks very very slick! More details when we get them.

Confirmed - Battle tag laser kit from Ubisoft
Source – Ubisoft Conference
Now here’s one I bet ya didn’t see coming! Ubisoft unveiled a real-life laser tag (bit like Quasar for you Brits) that actually, shock horror, takes you away from the computer screen and has you competing against one another! Although, it’s not entirely distancing itself from the computer, as tthe Battle Tag kit comes with blasters and sensory vests that players wear, and the scores from your game are beamed back to your console. No platforms or pricing announced but this sounds very cool!

Confirmed - Ubisoft claim they can make you sleep with Innergy
Source – Ubisoft Conference
Ubisoft has revealed Innergy, which is now the first pulse-sensing game unveiled to the masses (sorry Nintendo!). This piece of software makes use of a finger sensor. Its not a game as such, but Ubisoft claim it can help you get to sleep (wow, what CAN’T they do!).  They also feel it can help improve self confidence, and prepare your mind for stressful events.

Confirmed - That Michael Jackson game is real!
Source – Ubisoft
Yeah, remember there was talk of an MJ game in development that MJ himself was co-ordinating? Well its real and its out this holiday for all formats INCLUDING Kinect! Ubi unveiled it at the press conference, showcasing that its a dancing title (move over Harmonix!)  that also allows you to sing. The game will feature all of the classic MJ tracks such as ‘Beat It’ and ‘Billie Jean’. Sounds very cool! I guess ‘This Wasn’t It’!

Confirmed - Rayman Origins
Source – Ubisoft
A new Rayman platform game, finally! Ubi announced a 2D platform with co-operative play which focuses on the origins of everyone’s favorite arm and legless … thing. If this is anything like Great Escape, then this will be absolutely brilliant! Cannot. Wait.

Confirmed - Project Dust
Source – Ubisoft Conference
Finally, from Ubisoft (they’ve been busy!) is a game called Project Dust, which appears to be a modern day representation of the classic Populus. Not much more is known at this stage aside from the developer is responsible for classics Another World and Eternal Darkness and this will be his first project in 12 years. Wow!

~Now for some more news before Sony and Nintendo give their conferences.~

Confirmed - Goldeneye IS being remade for Wii and DS
Source - Activision Conference
File this one under d’uh obvious. Activision have lifted the lid on the remake of Goldeneye exclusively for Nintendo Wii by releasing a trailer. Things seem to have kept intact from the original game but remade for up to date systems. So yeah, it’s coming and will feature Daniel Craig and not Mr Brosnan. Interesting. Wonder whether they’ll remake the film with him in it. I really shouldn’t give Hollywood ideas…

Confirmed - I Am Alive Trailer to be shown during Sony’s Conference
Source – CVG
Apparently Jade Raymond’s vehicle ‘I Am Alive’ is going to have some footage shown at Sony’s conference a little bit later today. Interesting indeed. Stay tuned.

Confirmed - Summer of Arcade 2010 lineup for XBLA announced
Source – Microsoft, CVG
In an ongoing tradition, Microsoft have announced five new games for their third annual Summer of Arcade lineup. There are currently no prices or dates in place for the releases of these games, although we can expect them in July. However, we can tell you what they’re going to be!

I guess that means the Castlevania game is official then?! We’ll keep you posted when we hear more about these games.

~That’s all from me for now but stay tuned as my BFF Andy K (Our World Famous Podcast host!) will be covering both the Sony and Nintendo conferences later on today. All you have to do is click next page below as we reveal just what the house of Playstation and Wii have in store for us gamers! Thanks for staying with This Is My Joystick, we appreciate your loyalty and we hope you’re enjoying the coverage!~

This week, Sonic gets colourful, Apple take the top spot, Snoopy finally flies on XBLA, and a AAA Sony Franchise gets a threequel.

Killzone 3 to include four player co-op, jetpacks and 3D
Credit: CVG
In unsurprising news comes an announcement from the Sony camp that Killzone is indeed alive and a threequel will be coming to Playstation 3 in May 2011! This one, however, is a little bit different. Not only will it implement the 3D TV technology that Sony are touting for release this Summer, but it will also feature four player co-op, presumably over PSN and will include jet packs with guns attached. The game will also feature multiple landscapes, including snow caps and basking heat. The game has also been confirmed to support Playstation Move. More details are set to be unveiled at E3.

Sonic Colours for Wii and DS
Credit: Joystiq
An unusually named Sonic Platformer will be making its way to Wii and DS exclusively this Autumn. It’s clear the days of the Nintendo/SEGA rivalry are long since dead then as this will be third exclusive Sonic game to reach the Wii format. Colours sees Sonic and Tails once again doing battle with Dr Eggman across a sci-fi amusement palace that makes use of 3D technology. Sounds very interesting so far. This coupled with Sonic 4 due for release later this year signifies that the future of the Blue Hedgehog franchise is colourful indeed!

Virgin return to gaming
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
Come E3, Richard Branson will have officially rejoined the gaming World, bringing Virgin back with him. Details are very thin on the ground with more to come at E3, however, what we do know is that the project will be online only and be focused on digital downloads. They will be working with games networks and third party content providers. Assumedly they will have involvement with XBLA, PSN and WiiWare, perhaps even Steam, but that is all speculation. We, as will the rest of the World, will find out on June 15th. Stay tuned…

Insomniac Games and EA do a deal and go multi-platform
Credit: CVG
Another PS exclusive developer has gone multi-platform as Insomniac Games (responsible for Resistance) have just signed up a deal with EA and will be producing a new intellectual property for both Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. This is the second developer that has worked exclusively on one format in as many months to sign on with a big name publisher and go multiplatform to produce new games. It will be very interesting to see how this partnership will be handled over the coming months.

Mark Hamill didn’t want to do Arkham Asylum 2
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
Mark Hamill, better known as the son of Darth Vader, has said that he was extremely hesitant to sign on for the Batman Arkham Asylum sequel. Known to gamers and viewers of the cartoon as the voice of the Joker, Hamill reportedly told Rocksteady Studios that they ‘Couldn’t top AA’ and that ‘He wanted to go out on a high’. However, with a little bit of persuasion (assumedly money was involved in there somewhere) Hamill has indeed signed on to be the voice of the Joker for Rocksteady’s next Batman game, although has gone on record to say this is it, and will not be doing any further Rocksteady Games as voice of the Joker.

Whether there are any further games after AA2 from Rocksteady isn’t known, but it would appear that if there are, the Joker (or at least Hamill) will not be involved.

Duke Nukem Manhattan Project official for XBLA
Credit: CVG
While details are scarce, it has now been confirmed that another Duke Nukem game will be coming out on XBLA entitled Manhattan Project. While there is no release date or pricing confirmed, what we do know is that the game is due this year. We don’t know whether this will be a homage to Duke 3D or whether this will pay its respects to the days of platforming Duke Nukem. One thing is for sure, more Nukem, is good Nukem!

Apple is Number 1
Credit: CVG, BBC
With the continued success of the iPod, the iPhone and now the iPad, Apple has now surpassed Microsoft as the biggest technology company in the World. This happened with a change in share prices on Wednesday 26th May, with Apple’s stock at $222bnn (£154bn) compared to Microsoft’s on $219bn (£151bn).

While Microsoft is still making more profit with its most recent annual net profit being $14.6bn (£10bn), compared with $5.7bn (£3.9bn) for Apple, it appears that Apple’s success is no longer possible to ignore for the former technology kingpins.

Microsoft’s chief executive Steve Ballmer told the BBC, “It’s a long game, we have good competitors… we too are a very good competitor.”

“We are executing very well and that is going to lead to great products and great success.”

Resurgence Pack for MW2 available this week
Credit: CVG
The second map pack for Modern Warfare 2, the Resurgence Pack, will be available on XBLA next week for 1200 points, which will feature three new maps and two more recreated maps from COD 4. This is a timed exclusive for Microsoft once again and will eventually be available for PC and PS3. This will also tie up with the forthcoming Double XP weekend. Time to saddle up marines, hoorah!

Alan Wake DLC named ‘The Signal’ and ‘The Writer’
Credit: CVG
While there is no word on how these packs will further the story, the names of two pieces of DLC for Alan Wake have been revealed, being ‘The Signal’ and ‘The Writer’ respectively. ‘The Signal’ will be available for free for anyone who purchased Wake but ‘The Writer’ will come with a charge at a later date. More details as we get them…

Google PacMan absorbs many hours of our lives
Credit: Google
In celebration of thirty years of PacMan, good old google made their logo representative of the classic maze complete with ghosts and pills on May 21st. Because of this, Google reportedly cost five million hours of work time, roughly losing 120 million dollars in lost productivity to employers across the globe. Apparently, it could have been a lot worse as a lot of people didn’t realise that the logo was playable.

Luckily if you missed your chance and fancy a round of PacMan, Google have kept it open right here.

On XBLA This Week
Credit: Major Nelson
Summer of Arcade gets into full swing this week, with a Movie Special up as Deal of the Week. You can now get Prince of Persia Classic (a re-mastered version of the classic original platformer), Transformers 2 Character and Map Pack for the retail release and Watchmen: The End is Nigh for half price.

Also, releasing this Wednesday will be Snoopy Flying Ace for 800 points. This game was originally going to be a full retail release but was instead ported to the XBLA format and features the World-recognised white dog flying a plane. This will feature online multiplayer, leaderboards and a single player experience. This game shows great potential for being a contender to an XBLA Game of the Year. At 800 points, this is practically unmissable!

I’m back once again, providing you with the latest news digest of the gaming world every week. This spread will cover all the major formats; Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, DS, PSP, iPhone, PC and more. We explore the big news, the major announcements and even some that sneak under the radar.

This week, Bungie and Activision announce a new partnership; the Halo Reach beta finally goes live; Fallout New Vegas introduces a radical new mode; and Left 4 Dead gets cuddly.

I’m back once again, providing you with the latest news digest of the gaming world every week. This spread will cover all the major formats; Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, DS, PSP, iPhone, PC and more. We explore the big news, the major announcements and even some that sneak under the radar.

This week musicians accidentally reveal AAA Sony titles, Gears of War 3 gets bigger, two old classic PC franchises seem ready to rise from the underworld and Square think they’re going to shock and stoke us with an upcoming announcement!

X-Com brought back from the murky depths for Xbox 360 and PC exclusively
Credit: CVG, Joystiq, OXM
In a move reminiscent of rebooting Fallout 3, 2K Australia, who had a hand in helping to create the rather excellent Bioshock 2, will be bringing X-Com back to our screens but from a first person perspective and exclusively to Xbox 360 and PC. The game puts players in the shoes of an FBI agent tasked with identifying and eliminating the growing threat from an unknown enemy.

A small section on the games website goes on to say. “True to the roots of the franchise, players will be placed in charge of overcoming high-stake odds through risky strategic gambits coupled with heart-stopping combat experiences that pit human ingenuity, and frailty, against a foe beyond comprehension. By setting the game in a first-person perspective, players will be able to feel the tension and fear that comes with combating a faceless enemy that is violently probing and plotting its way into our world.”

No word on a release schedule as yet, but OXM will apparently have a full spread on the game in June.

Gears of War 3 to have four player co-operative campaign and double-barrelled shotgun
Credit: Joystiq, CVG
Finally, the Gears franchise will make the storyline compatible for up to four players to team up together and combat the Locust. This is a long requested feature for the franchise and will be a very welcome addition come April 2011. This will allow someone to control Marcus, Dom, Baird and Cole from the previous instalments and according to the blurb, there will also be the capacity to control additional characters. One can assume that Anya would be one of those based on her appearance in the recent Ashes to Ashes trailer.

This move seems to marry up well with the support Epic recently gave to Capcom’s Lost Planet 2, allowing Marcus and Dom to be playable characters in the campaign which also has a four player co-operative campaign.

Coincidence perhaps? Doubtful, says I…

Additionally, Gears 3 will début the double-barrelled shotgun to the series making close range kills a feast for the eyes!

On XBLA this week
Credit: Major Nelson
In addition to new Gears 3 clothing for our avatars, XBLA is coughing up a decent deal of the week. For those that don’t yet own it, the first add-on for the brilliant Borderlands, The Zombie Island of Dr Nedd, has now been dropped from 800 points to 400 points for one week. This is a rather excellent add-on and while fairly short, does offer a nice spin on the brilliant Borderlands formula. Plus, it’s got zombies in it!

This weeks game will be a remake of a SEGA Classic, After Burner Climax! For those that never played it, you obviously weren’t around in the Golden Days of gaming. Following on from last weeks Final Fight Classic, it seems we’re being treated to yet another classic arcade title that is sure to bring back many great joyful memories. After Burner Climax will retail at 800 points.

Additionally, the first piece of Left 4 Dead 2 DLC drops in the form of ‘The Passing’ which features a cross-over between the characters of the first and second game. The DLC will be charged at 560 Microsoft Points, but aside from that, we know little else. Keep your eyes peeled to Valve’s official blog for the game and the Xbox Live Marketplace for more details.

Details on First Natal Launch title revealed through Hollywood script writer’s blog
Credit: Joystiq
It appears the first details on a Natal launch title have hit the interweb. River Rush is compatible for up to two players who will play the game side by side, controlling a raft. The player on left need only tap their foot to the left to tilt the raft left and so the player on the right does the same by tapping his or her foot to the right to tilt the raft right. Also, when both players jump simultaneously, the raft launches upwards!

Now while this game may not sound worthy of all the hype being invested in Microsoft’s very special camera, one cannot jump to conclusions too quickly and ask what’s the point. One way or another, it certainly sounds as if between this and the volleyball type game being demoed everywhere, Microsoft wants to get us fit!

European PSN Updates
Credit: PSN Europe Blog
PSN has some excellent updates this week and has some special offers on until April 29th.

• Gravity Crash (was – £6.29/€7.99 now – £3.99/€4.99)
• Prince of Persia Classic (was – £7.99/€9.99 now – £3.99/€4.99)
• Thexder Neo (was – £7.99/€9.99 now – £3.99/€4.99)
• Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X – US Eagles Pack (was – £3.99/€4.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
• Shaun White’s Snowboarding – Hard Pack (was – £3.99/€4.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
• James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game (PSP) (was – £23.99/€29.99 now – £15.99/€19.99)
• Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars (PSP) (was – £11.99/€14.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
• SEGA Mega Drive Collection (PSP) (was – £11.99/€14.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
• Astonishia Story (PSP) (was – £7.99/€9.99 now – £3.99/€4.99)
• Street Riders (PSP) (was – £15.99/€19.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
• Dracula – Undead Awakening (mini) (was – £3.99/€4.99 now – £1.99/€2.49)

They are also offering some Permanent Price Reductions on some of their products (take note Microsoft!) They are as follows …

• Trine (was – £11.99/€14.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
• Red Faction: Guerilla – Demons of the Badlands (was – £7.99/€9.99 now – £6.29/€7.99)
• Saints Row 2 – Ultor Exposed (was – £6.29/€7.99 now – £3.19/€3.99)
• As for playable games, here’s what PSN is offering this week.
• Final Fight: Double Impact (£7.99/€9.99)
• After Burner Climax (£7.99)
• Section 8 (£19.99/€24.99)
• Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee (£3.99/€4.99) (PSOne Classics)
• Sam and Max – The Devil’s Playhouse Episode 1: The Penal Zone (trial free, unlock key for the full season £19.99/€24.99)

There are also some new add-on packs for Little Big Planet called ‘The Temple’, a Euro Spots Quiz for Buzz and Uncharted 2 Siege Pack!!

Uncharted 2 Siege Pack drops this week
Credit: PS3 Trophies, PSN Euro Blog
Uncharted 2 is already many people’s game of 2009 but the ‘Siege Pack’ DLC dropping this week may knock the remaining fence-sitters onto the other side. Priced at £4.79, gamers will get new maps for the new co-operative mode, 11 new trophies (10 bronze and 1 silver) and an Uncharted take on Horde mode entitled… ‘Siege Mode’! Very nice! There are also some new skins and new some new multiplayer maps included in the bundle. This seems a very stacked add-on and well worth the price tag. This drops on the PSN store on April 22nd.

Little Big Planet 2 accidentally confirmed
Credit: IGN, Twitter
Much like Microsoft and Epic’s worst kept secret of Gears 3, it appears Media Molecules and Sony have a poor secret of their own. It appears work is indeed underway on a sequel to Little Big Planet as confirmed by musician Christopher Leary (Ochre) through his Twitter. Apparently one of his songs has been optioned by Sony to be used in the new game as this Tweet, clearly and concisely says;

‘Pleased to announce the licensing of ‘Infotain Me’ to Sony for Little Big Planet 2 on PS3′.

Talk has been volleyed around of some large DLC in store for the game, but also that it will have 3D and Move compatibility in the future, although this isn’t the first time a sequel to LBP has been mentioned either. Conveniently, the tweet has since been removed and Sony have refused comment.

Too late Sony, methinks the cat is already out of the bag.

Syndicate due for a reboot?
Credit: CVG
It seems X-Com isn’t the only classic franchise set for a rejig in the coming months. Classic Bullfrog game Syndicate could also be due a re-evaluation if some draft papers of a licensing agreement are to be believed. As owners of the original IP, EA seem to have gone into partnership with Riddick and Darkness creators, Starbreeze Studios for a project entitled Syndicate. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard Syndicate talk either and surely with a franchise with so much potential and appeal, development of a game with this brand seems a foregone conclusion.

Now when are we going to get that Magic Carpet and Dungeon Keeper remake, eh? Anyone else imagining the awesomeness of flying a carpet with the abilities of Natal or slapping around your imps with some swish and flick hand gestures on Wii and Move?! Brilliance in a box…

Square working on a new game that will have us ‘shocked and stoked’
Credit: CVG
Square Enix have long since distanced themselves from being just the people who make Final Fantasy, however if this latest Tweet is anything to go by and the latest swirl of rumours is to be believed, we may hope and pray that’s the only thing on their mind when they say they’re going to make a new game that will have us ‘shocked and stoked’.

Posting on Twitter, a Square rep said: “Oh and working on stuff for an unannounced game. Think people are going to be shocked and stoked.”

Could this be the long awaited and rumoured remake of Final Fantasy VII that every gamer on this planet seems to want? Who the heck knows, but you can guarantee we’ll know more as we get closer and closer to E3.

Marvel v Capcom 3 is coming
Credit: Mr Pointy Head
The trend of poorly kept secrets is becoming all too familiar in this post, yet once again someone has let a big detail slip out of the bag. Marvel v Capcom 3 is coming, which isn’t so much of a surprise considering the popularity of last years MvC2 reboot. The new beat-em-up is on its way and is going to boast a huge range of characters including Hulk, Wolverine, Spidey, Storm and Magneto. Further stories go on to say that the game is going to borrow elements from Street Fighter IV, making the game a sort of 3D experience. What’s more, early details point to an end of year release! The official word on this is imminent and surely more details to come alongside, including platforms and availability.

Update:  The game has been officially announced by Capcom, and a teaser trailer has been released. More on this later folks.

This week Microsoft roll the red carpet out for Gears 3 a little early, Konami enter the rap game, Green Day Rock Band gets a full set list and Lionhead let us make virtual babies over Xbox Live

The trilogy will conclude as Gears of War 3 made official!
Credit: Xbox Dashboard
In what will come as no big surprise to anyone, Epic Games have confirmed they are indeed working on the third instalment in the Gears of War franchise and are aiming for an April 2011 release date. It is believed the confirmation was to be made by Cliffy B during his appearance on the Jimmy Fallon show, however when the appearance was rescheduled from Thursday 8th April to Monday 12th April, it appears nobody informed Microsoft’s dashboard people because Thursday evening a picture came up on the main page of the famous red skull telling everyone the game had already been announced…

Oops…

If that wasn’t enough of a groan for Epic, it is believed the first details on how the game will play have also been revealed through a leak on Edge Online. Apparently, the game is set to feature a series first; underwater levels. If that’s true, it would tie in nicely with the ending of Gears 2 when we learn the fate of Jacinto. Also, COG operatives will be able to use explosives that travel underground and can explode underneath an enemy, forcing them out of cover. Additionally there will be a Locust with tentacles that apparently have ‘Anything you can do, I can do better’ slapped on their forehead, and are able to wrap themselves around your character of choice, yanking them away from the sandbags you’ve been nestling up against for cover! The game is also due to feature a heavy duty mech warrior which you can take control of, enabling you to stomp all around the map, whether you’re looking to cause all out carnage, or shield yourself from a flurry of bullets.

The best part? All of the aforementioned will apparently be playable in multiplayer, shame we have to wait a full year to experience it! More details to come soon…

Fable 3 to allow co-op buddies to make babies together… really!
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
Apparently, Lionhead’s quest to make Fable as realistic as possible continues. Adding to the rather meagre co-op system in Fable 2, the third game in the series will allow two players to get together in-game, get up to some fun and frolics under the sheets and… produce offspring. I promise this news did not get posted on April 1st and is not a joke, Fable 3 is officially going the route of the Sims.

It makes one wonder whether this particular feature of the game is the element configured to work with Project Natal. Certainly gives a whole new meaning to voyeur, doesn’t it…

Full track list for Green Day Rock Band revealed.
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
For Green Day fans, the announcement of a Rock Band game dedicated to the band was surely music to your ears. Details about the game have been quite scarce up til now, however, this week the full list has been offered up and looks a little something like this…

The Warehouse
Dookie (1994)

• “Burnout”
• “Having a Blast”
• “Chump”
• “Longview”
• “Welcome to Paradise”
• “Pulling Teeth”
• “Basket Case”
• “She”
• “Sassafrass Roots”
• “When I Come Around”
• “Coming Clean”
• “Emenius Sleepus”
• “In the End”
• “F.O.D.”

Milton Keynes
American Idiot (2004)

• “American Idiot”
• “Jesus of Suburbia”
• “Holiday”
• “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”
• “Are We the Waiting”
• “St. Jimmy”
• “Give Me Novacaine”
• “She’s a Rebel”
• “Extraordinary Girl”
• “Letterbomb”
• “Wake Me Up When September Ends”
• “Homecoming”
• “Whatsername”

Warning (2000)

• “Minority”
• “Warning”

Nimrod (1997)

• “Hitchin’ a Ride”
• “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”
• “Nice Guys Finish Last”

Insomniac (1995)

• “Brain Stew”
• “Jaded”
• “Geek Stink Breath”

The Fox Theater, Oakland
21st Century Breakdown(2009)

• “Song of the Century”
• “21st Century Breakdown”
• “Before the Lobotomy”
• “Last Night on Earth”
• “Peacemaker”
• “Murder City”
• “¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl)”
• “Restless Heart Syndrome”
• “Horseshoes and Handgrenades”
• “The Static Age”
• “American Eulogy”
• “See the Light”

Downloadable Content (not included)

• “21 Guns”
• “Know Your Enemy”
• “East Jesus Nowhere”
• “Last of the American Girls”
• “¡Viva La Gloria!”
• “Christian’s Inferno”

Pretty extensive list and one that seems to have a lot of modern representation for the band in the track list. Regardless whether you love it or hate it, Green Day Rock Band is scheduled to drop this Summer!

This week on Rock Band
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
The tunes keep coming in for Rock Band and this week will certain appeal to those who like the rather distinct vocals of former System of a Down frontman, Serj Tankian and ‘that song from Shrek’.

The list goes as follows…

The Used Tracks – 160 Microsoft points each

• The Used – “Blood on My Hands”
• The Used – “Born to Quit”
• The Used – “The Taste of Ink”

Also available as “The Used Pack 01″ for 440 Microsoft Points.

The rest – 160 Microsoft points each

• Serj Tankian – “Empty Walls”
• Serj Tankian – “Sky is Over” (also playable with LEGO Rock Band)
• Smash Mouth – “All Star” (also playable with LEGO Rock Band)

These will all be available from April 13th on the Xbox Live Marketplace and on PSN later this week.

F.E.A.R 3 announced
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
After some speculation raised from a picture posted in a Spanish Gaming Magazine, Warner Bros finally decided to come clean and officially announced F.E.A.R. 3. However, after the disappointment some lobbied at F.E.A.R.2, this threequel is shaping up to have some seriously awesome bite to bring back to the franchise.

For one, legendary horror director John Carpenter, the man responsible for the likes of ‘The Thing’, ‘Halloween’ and ‘The Fog’ will be a consultant on the game, offering his expert input into the franchise. In addition to that, the writer of the Vampire flick ’30 Days of Night’ has co-written the script!

But wait, there’s more…

For the first time in the F.E.A.R series, you will be able to co-op with two of the lead protagonists, the genetically enhanced Point Man and the undead Paxton Fettel, as they both team up to take down Alma. No word on how this gameplay mechanic is going to be implemented, though one hopes and prays for split screen in addition to system link/xbox live support!

Here’s the official word from Warner Bros

“Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is evolving the F.E.A.R. brand with top horror, co-op and first person shooter combat in F.E.A.R. 3″ said Martin Tremblay, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “Monolith Productions has passed the torch to Day 1 Studios to create a quality, powerful game that stays true to the roots of the F.E.A.R. franchise but takes players to a heightened level of gameplay”.

F.E.A.R 3 is currently slated for a Autumn 2010 release date. Dare we suggest a Halloween release date?

Hasbro Family Game Night getting 3 new games on XBLA this Summer
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
After its incredible success on the Arcade last year and claiming the ‘Best Family Game’ of 2009 award in the Xbox Live Arcade Awards, now seems as logical time as any to expand Family Game Night with three new games. So, that’s what EA and Hasbro have decided to do.

Joining the likes of Battleship and Sorry will be a new version of Connect 4, which doubles the grid spaces and adds a new ‘Super-Squares’ mode with power-ups. Players will also be able to get their hands on Jenga, a game based on block removal, which, in addition to the Classic mode, will also include ‘Chance Play’ that will require the player to deal with defusing bombs. The third and final game to be added will be Pictureka, a hide and seek game focusing on visuals, pitting players against each other in a race against time.

Yeah, I know, pretty lacklustre, huh? Tell you what EA, whenever you decide to let someone outside Canada have Scrabble, you may get some more of my points, deal?

Gears of War Movie budget has been slashed, development still moving forward
Credit: CVG
In more Gears of War news, the movie that you’ve either been following religiously or tried to forget about, received a harsh blow this week. According to the LA Times, the original $100 million budget that was presented to the film has been cut back to a considerably less figure that has not yet been disclosed. Also, the story has apparently been forced to undergo some big changes, going from a vast, overwrought epic, to a standard invasion story.

To make matters worse, Underworld and Live Free or Die Hard director, Len Wiseman who was previously attached to the project, has now diverted his attention onto the Apocalyptic Nocturne and appears to be ignoring a film adaptation for the time being.

Bet the idea of having “The Rock” star as Dom doesn’t sound so bad now, huh Epic?

This week on XBLA
Credit: Major Nelson, Xbox 360 Achievements
Interesting combination for this weeks Deal of the Week. Interesting but amazing! First we have Twisted Pixel’s initial entry onto Xbox Live Arcade, The Maw, dropping to a respectable and very worthwhile 400 point price. This is a fun game that bears the same quirky humour boasted in Splosion Man and really showcases the fun the team clearly have with their games. While the representation is very colourful and cartoony, the actual tone of the story is actually kind of sinister and is definitely work a look if you even casually enjoyed Splosion Man.

However, The Maw is not this weeks most sinister and astonishing deal as Valve’s excellent expansion to Left 4 Dead 1, Crash Course drops to an unmissable 320 points! This is a very well designed, fun package that may have had the misfortune of dropping just shortly before the release of Left 4 Dead 2 and when the internet cried controversy. However, as add-ons go, this is actually one of the best you can get, and is so ridiculously cheap you cannot afford to miss it. In fact one could argue it is one of the best campaigns playable in Left 4 Dead 1 as it boasts enough variety and entertainment for you to wade through. Frankly, as deals go, these are some of the best I’ve seen on the Arcade this year and neither should be missed!

With the unfortunate absence of a game last week for the first time since the inception of XBLA, the Arcade has a lot of making up to do. Fortunately, it appears Microsoft know just how to woo you back with alluring charms and have given us the gift of Final Fight Double Impact! A remastered version of the classic side-scrolling beat-em-up. For 800 points you can relive the twilight of your childhood by playing as Haggar swinging a two by four around your head, smashing up Andre the Giant’s skull for giggles! If that doesn’t make up for some half-hearted Easter deals and Stimulus Pack hiccups then you’d better get a stamp addressed envelope set up for the complaints department!

Also on the Arcade this week, you can pick up some Splinter Cell Conviction clothing for your Avatar on April 13th to celebrate Sam Fisher’s latest release.

Over on the Games on Demand service, you will find Devil May Cry 4 and Tomb Raider Legend, also on April 13th.

Bought Stimulus Package on Day one? Get a week’s free gold!
Credit: CVG
Well, if you were one of the first to slam down 1200 points without thought or feeling for Modern Warfare 2′s much publicised DLC, then Microsoft has a little something for you. One week free of Gold Membership.

A message was sent to all players (that’s a full one million Worldwide) who purchased the package within the first twenty four hours, saying… “To thank you for your loyalty to Xbox LIVE and for buying the Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus package on day 1, we will extend your Gold membership for seven more days of adrenaline-pumping action with your friends on LIVE. Your account will be updated by May 1.”

In addition to that and the Night Vision Goggles that were given away on the same weekend, surely you must have got your moneys worth?

Def Jam Rapstar Unveiled by Konami
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
Alright, so we’ve got Singstar and we’ve got Lips, we’ve even got Rock Band to sing along to our favorite songs. Yet, there’s a feeling that there is a certain music demographic that is being overlooked in all of these games. You’ve got your hits from the charts, you’ve got your rock ballads and even your country and western pieces.

Where’s the frickin’ rap, yo?!

Well check it, get ready to bust a groove as Konami has lifted the lid on Def Jam Rapstar due for release this Autumn. The game is being billed as “the ultimate MC experience” and the “first true interactive Hip Hop music game experience for consoles”.

From early impressions the game appears to play just like Lips and Singstar with music videos from your favorite artists playing in the background and the words coming up on the bottom half of the screen. There will also be forty licensed tracks in the game and you can also make videos of yourself freestyling and rhyming your way to a joint concert with Slim Shady himself with compatible cameras!

Konami have confirmed some tracks on the forty strong tracklist. Here’s what we got…

• 2 Pac – “I Get Around”
• 50 Cent – “I Get Money”
• Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg – “Nuthin’ But a “G” Thang”
• Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx – “Gold Digger”
• Lil’ Wayne – “A Milli”
• Notorius B.I.G. – “Juicy”
• Slick Rick – “Children’s Story”
• T.I. featuring Rihanna – “Live Your Life”
• Wu Tang Clan -”C.R.E.A.M.”
• Young Jeezy featuring Kanye West – “Put On”

Seems the big artists are supporting this package and it’ll be very interesting to see what other tracks are announced and/or if there will also be a DLC option!

Check it soon, ya heard?!

Duke Nukem Forever Demo finally hits the web!
Credit: FilePlanet
Almost fifteen years in development, a demo for the game long awaited by fans dropped on April 1st, of all days, April Fools Day. Hmmm… Ah, but don’t be sceptical because File Planet have given access to the 900mb file and allowed users to finally experience the game fans thought they would never see. Really, I swear!!

Well, let File Planet tell you how it is…

Duke Nukem Forever brings back the king of action in a highly anticipated game set to pummel players with unprecedented interactivity, variety, realism, and Duke’s special whoop-ass brand of humor. The first in-house Duke Nukem game by 3D Realms since Duke Nukem 3D, Duke Nukem Forever promises to deliver an intense and hysterical FPS experience, with stunningly detailed characters in expansive interactive maps. Motion captured animation and realistic area-sensitive damage take realism to scary new heights, and make picking off those alien bastards all the more fun.

The most ironic thing is that you’ll be waiting forever to download the demo, and God only knows how long you’ll be waiting for the retail to ship. Although, interestingly enough, new information has started leaking out onto the web regarding Duke Nukem Forever, including a new trailer with old and new footage and some extra screenshots.

3D Realms sure know how to tease…

Valkyrie Chronicles… the movie?!
Credit: SEGA
Surely one for our Editor in Chief, Senior Corrigan, SEGA have announced exciting plans to make a film based on Valkyrie Chronicles! I’d offer more details but unfortunately I don’t read Japanese. Suffice it to say, there’s concept art showing the vehicles considered for the movie and a picture of a very chuffed with himself director, surely leap-frogging Uwe Boll in terms of awesome in his attempt at a game to movie adaption!

Shame I can’t understand a word of it….

Ecco Water Wars 2
Credit: SEGA
SEGA felt it was time to revisit another one of the classic old franchises this year, not Comix Zone, not Kid Chameleon or DeCap Attack, but the World’s most famous dolphin (or is that Flipper?) Ecco! Only this time, Ecco is region locked to North America and he looks… a bit different. Actually, he looks a bit more bad ass than normal with a machine gun wrapped around him, looking ready for action.

Ecco... with attitude!

SEGA explain…

In the next chapter of the blockbuster ECCO: WATER WARS series, Ecco the Dolphin, now a master of time travel and innumerable other highly improbable porpoise plot devices, must lead his fellow Dolphins in a fight against all of humanity; including the elderly.

As the first F.P.S. (First Porpoise Shooter) ever on a console, ECCO: WATER WARS 2 sees Ecco trapped by humans and forced to perform tricks on a daily basis for pudgy, cash-bloated tourists and families. When his pod’s turf is infringed upon by lost Russian submarines searching for a legendary signed copy of SEGA BASS FISHING, Ecco has no choice but to break fre of his captors, steal their own technology, and hurl those weapons back with him into the seas.

Dive into intense multiplayer action with up to eighteen-and-a-half other dolphins, and fire rockets as a team at unsuspecting fishing vessels and tourist-laden cruise ships. ‘Dolphin Hunting’ takes on a whole new meaning as Ecco and his friends gleefully sink ship after ship into the shining, forceful waters of the deep blue sea.

“This game is totally even better than that one game with a similar name! …Er, well, I forget what the name is.” Commented Gil Rivers, a random person off of the street who was brought in for early focus testing. His completely professional opinion is proof that you not only need this game, but you actually needed it yesterday.

Water you waiting for? Don’t clam up on this summer’s biggest FS blockbuster; E.C.C.O.: WATER WARS 2: So good we didn’t even need a first one. Remember In Soviet Russia, Dolphins hunt you.

Certainly gives new meaning to underwater exploits.

Expect Ecco 2 to drop sometime… never!

Blizzard prank us again!
Credit: Blizzard
Blizzard are always up for a laugh and a joke come April 1st and this year is no different.  First up their mobile site confirms the release of not one, but two new games, one of which revisits a classic old Blizzard franchise. First up we have Queens Quest, a game reminiscent of the classic EGA adventures of old and more recognisable to those who’ve played the Kings Quest series. The game has been designed from the ground up for iPhone and is a spin-off of the Starcraft series.

Here’s Blizzard’s take…

In the wake of the Brood War, many are still struggling to find their way amid the swath of destruction left by the clash of the terrans, protoss, and zerg. One journey in particular will prove to be more harrowing, more challenging, and more epic than anything yet seen: the journey of the Queen of Blades.

To bring this story of betrayal, love, action, drama, comedy, life, death, destiny, freedom, war, peace, hope, despair, and epic adventure to life, you’ll have the power of written language at your fingertips. Our game designers spent years in order to harness the force of words with a simple yet powerful interface to immerse you in the StarCraft universe like you’ve never been before. The result of this momentous effort is the Adventuring Game Ingine. Using a revolutionary technology known as a TEXT PARSER, you will guide the Queen of Blades on a quest to save the Swarm from ultimate destruction. This cutting edge of natural human interface development will allow you to save the galaxy or destroy it… with your words.

• Sweeping saxophone soundtrack
• Literary consultation from “A Couple of Dudes from Mar Sara”
• Comes on 17 floppy disks
• A revolutionary new Digital Rights Management (DRM) scheme in 5 easy steps:
  • Open the Spin-A-Spacer DRM application on any smart phone*
  • Line up the spacer faces to reveal the page/word matrix value
  • Consult your player guide / lore manual, and turn to the appropriate page
  • Use the special 3d lenticular glasses to decode the margin text and find the keyword passphrase
  • Enter the special passphrase into the on-screen prompt
  • Speak “OK” clearly and audibly into the device’s audio input
  • ENJOY! (Occassionally, you may be asked to call a toll-free 800 number to verify your identity)

But that’s not all…

They also announced the sequel to Blackthorne. Blackthorne 2: Thorne Harder, also available for iPhone puts the player back in the shoes of the black-haired protagonist, Kyle Blackthorne on another platform adventure.

Here’s Blizzard for more …

Sixteen years have passed on Earth since Kyle Blackthorne returned to his homeworld, the futuristic planet of Tuul. There he rescued its inhabitants, the Tuulips, overthrew the evil Sarlac, and reclaimed his father’s kingdom. But now, a new threat stirs beyond a torn horizon, and only one man can stop the darkness closing in… on Earth.

Unwilling to let another world he had called home be crushed in the wicked grip of the orc blight, Blackthorne abandons his (black) throne and uses the power of the Lightstone to travel back to Earth. What awaits him at the other end of the world portal is like nothing he could have expected, and the stakes are higher than ever before….

The bestselling action adventure shooter returns… and this time, it’s personal.

• Uncanilly lifelike AI
• 100% photorealistic graphics
• Epic hard rock soundtrack
• Magical, revolutionary gameplay that builds on Kyle’s signature no-look shotgun blast. Now he never looks where he’s shooting!
• Twitter and Facebook integration to automatically post updates for every single enemy you kill. Your friends will thank you.

I bet they will …

The iCade: An iPad Arcade Cabinet
Credit: ThinkGeek
File this one under things you never thought you could do with your iPad. The iPad Arcade Cabinet enables you to slot your touchscreen tablet into a shell which makes it appear as if you’re using a shrunken arcade machine!

Let ThinkGeek indulge you in their vision …

Enter the iCade iPad Arcade Cabinet! To use the iCade, gently slide the iPad into the docking cradle. The docking cradle uses a standard 30 pin connector to link the iPad to the professional-grade arcade controls. Once the iPad is in place, launch the iCade App (available free in the App Store April 3rd) and it’s game on! We didn’t want to take any chances you’d run out of juice during your favorite game, so we included a 10w USB power adapter so you can charge the iPad through any electrical outlet. Now you’re all set to make an uninterrupted run on the Dig Dug World Record!

** Please Note ** The iCade MAME Emulator App is already approved and will be in the App Store in time for the April 3rd iPad product launch. The app is free, but it does require the iCade Arcade Cabinet hardware to function properly.

Here’s how they did it …

Game Room eat your heart out!

Nice one ThinKGeek!!

Virtua Fighter Final Showdown
Credit: SEGA
It’s been a while since we’ve seen VF, but SEGA assure us that it’s back again in the new Virtua Fighter Final Showdown made all the more real by an excitable bear announcer. Surely the subject to numerous copyright-conscious bleeps, this unfortunately proves SEGA probably isn’t working on a title of this name.

Maybe there will be another Virtua Fighter from SEGA, but don’t bank your bottom dollar it’s gonna be this one!

‘Epic’ Sesame Street
Credit: IGN AU
Based on the excitement that Epic Mickey has generated, it appears Cliffy B is going ahead to work on a project based around Sesame Street, but not just any Sesame Street, but an Epic one! Epic Groucho, Epic Snuffy and Epic Big Bird all in one great game!

But don’t let me try to sell you this EPIC product, let Cliffy B, Mr EPIC himself tell you just how EPIC this game is going to be …

“I like to keep gamers on their toes. I like to make them question themselves while they’re playing, too. It adds a new dimension to the Sesame Street mythology and I think now’s the right time. People are ready for edgier content in games; concepts that take childhood memories and brands and feed them through a meat grinder.”

The game has been a childhood obsession of Cliffy’s, combined with Science Fiction so EPIC say and he can’t wait for the game to hit store shelves…

Big Bird is ready to do some EPIC damage!

More details to follow, I’m sure…

So, you’ve seen some of the best April Fools on the web, but it’s now time for This Is My Joystick to decree which one is their favourite. After hours of analysing, of blood, sweat and tears, we finally came to a decision!

TIMJ April Fools Win goes to… Blizzard:
Once again, the Mighty Blizzard have proved they are the masters of the practical joke, as me personally, I’m a sucker for any joke with a Kings Quest reference in it. So to Blizzard goes the prestigious, worldly regarded This Is My Joystick Prize for April Fools Champions 2010! Soak it up Blizz, relish the moment. Today you emerge triumphant!

Runner-up (honourable mention)… SEGA:
They really pulled out the stops this year, making a real stab at trying to bring a smile to our faces, but ultimately fell at the feet of April Fool’s masters, Blizzard! Still, the Ecco 2 and Virtua Fighter Final Showdown efforts were particularly memorable and definitely worth an honourable mention.

So that’s it for another April Fools Gaming News Round. Come back in 2011 where I am sure more hilarity will ensue. Thanks for reading, hope we raised a smile.

This week Nintendo announce a new handheld, the full Summer of Arcade Line-up for Xbox Live Arcade, more Kingdom Hearts and Major Nelson gets hacked!

3DS is official
Credit: Nintendo, CVG, Joystiq, Kotaku
In a very unconventional and unprecedented way, Nintendo have just announced their next handheld device, codenamed 3DS. Normally Nintendo are one of the worst companies to get information from and will hide things till the last second, yet it seems as if times may have changed. A very detailed letter has lifted the lid on this project and teases us that more is to come at this years E3. Speculation has been rampant for the past few weeks with developers saying they had dev kits in their hands to work on games for a new Nintendo Handheld and that Nintendo would reveal the handheld at E3. Well now we know…

The handheld will be the first gaming hardware that ships with 3D and without the need for 3D glasses. This sounds reminiscent of an experiment Nintendo tried a few years ago (see Virtual Boy) but didn’t pay off. However, with technology as it is now and Sony revealing work on 3D games, beginning this year, Nintendo are probably in a much better position to make this work and are looking to give it a try once again.

In addition to that, as already speculated, the new handheld will feature a variation on the iPod touch’s tilt functionality and will incorporate motion sensitive technology as we would have come to expect from the home that brought us the Wii.

This is quite a surprising announcement, due to the fact that this news is coming just a few weeks shy of the releasing of the NDSi XL and Nintendo are still making money on the many iterations of their handheld. Yet, it looks as if Nintendo are not resting on their laurels and are wanting to capitalise on the momentum of the DS while it is still on a high. The system is now six years old.

In addition to all the above information, the 3DS will also be fully backwards compatible with DS and DSi games.

More to come in June where the product will be fully playable.

Mass Effect 3 is in development… right now!
Credit: CVG, Twitter
You all know Mass Effect 3 is coming. Bioware have said it, the end of the sequel hints at it, EA want it but what you may not have known is that the game is actually being worked on right now!

Through her Twitter account, Bioware Senior Technical Designer Christina Norman said… ‘ME3 Trivia: Today I started work on “Project Wombat” for Mass Effect 3.’

After a mass of replies from the general public throwing out speculation and excitement, she later added …‘Wow, a lot of speculation on what Project Wombat is. Sorry I can’t say! I can say the name has nothing to do with the project.’

So, while we may not be seeing your custom made ME character fighting a horde of Wombats from a parallel dimension, we can tell you that Bioware are clearly putting some priorities on the third instalment in the massively successful Sci-Fi series.

Want more Mass Effect? Why not check out our review of Mass Effect 2 by our own Brian right here…

The Conduit 2 revealed
Credit: SEGA
After the success of the original, High Voltage Software have confirmed they are working on The Conduit 2 for the Wii and dropped a lot of details on the product.

• Set in Atlantis
• Other locations include Siberia, Agartha, Washington D.C.
• Team is focusing on art/story
• New gameplay types for online
• Bounty Hunter mode returning
• Different character classes, each has unique attributes
• Can unlock suit upgrades (ex: robotic legs that let you sprint farther)
• WiiSpeak support
• High Voltage, for now, has decided “to have one primary suit slot and two secondary slots where you can equip upgrades, but that may change in the final game.”
• Will be able to change character’s appearance
• 2-4 player splitscreen option for all competitive
• Co-op Invasion mode: Up to 4 players (online or local), has unique challenges
• New weapons: Vortex Cannon and Phase Rifle
• Vortex Cannon: Sends bullets back at enemies with a more powerful force
• Phase Rifle: Shoot through walls
• Old weapons will be returning
• Some old weapons are seeing a facelift
• About seven new weapons
• Big boss battles
• ASE also returning
• ASE used for more things other than puzzles (can do a lot of scanning, which is recorded)
• Can use TPC ammo as mines
• SEGA publishing again
• No release date

I’d say there are more details to come but that seems to cover pretty much everything apart from a price and release date wouldn’t you think?!

Half Life 2 actor dies
Credit: CVG, Kotaku
Unfortunately, Robert Culp, the voice of Dr. Wallace Breen in Half-Life 2, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 79.

In addition to his role as part of Valve’s masterpiece, Culp is known for his work on TV starring alongside Bill Cosby in the barrier-breaking I Spy.

Culp died after falling on a pavement by park in Los Angeles. He is survived by his wife, five children and five grandchildren.

Kingdom Hearts III in development
Credit: CVG, HeartStation
Series director Tetsuya Nomura has said that Kingdom Hearts 3 is under development. He has also stated that he’d like for the title to star “multiple main characters”.

“About the next title, Kingdom Hearts 3 depends on Final Fantasy XIII Versus, but development of the next title is already underway,” he explained in an upcoming guidebook, translated by HeartStation.org.

“There are two titles other than Kingdom Hearts 3 in conception, and I think I’ll release one within this year… As from next year, I want to put out a title with multiple main characters.”

He continued: “The series won’t end in Kingdom Hearts 3,” also adding: “It’s not the case that when Sora’s story is over another hero’s story will begin; Sora will be the hero until the end.”

Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings and details revealed
Credit: CVG
The next instalment in the Witcher franchise has been revealed for PC and is subtitled Assassins of Kings. A fact sheet released online gives us some first details on this eagerly anticipated sequel. The game will have a new engine and combat system. The game also has a new and improved system of flashbacks, and sex and eroticism apparently play a much more realistic role in the game.

Sounds like fun!

More details to come leading up to the games Q1 launch in 2011.

Major Nelson was hacked and then got his account back!
Credit: Kotaku
Proof that nobody is safe, Larry Hryb, better known as Major Nelson had his Xbox Live account hacked earlier this week. In addition to his name and location being edited, the speech bubble was changed several times. The issue was quickly resolved, however, as Larry confirmed via his Twitter account and Stepto and the Policy enforcement team are looking into the matter.

So there you have it, just because you were on the 360 Launch team, it does not mean your account is any the less under threat!

Xbox Summer of Arcade 2010 lineup unveiled at PAX East
Credit: PAX East, Gamingtarget.com
The Summer of Arcade line-up has been a source of intrigue for the past two years on the Xbox Live Arcade, birthing such hits as Trials HD, Shadow Complex and Castle Crashers. This year, it seems Microsoft have decided to pack it with another wide range of genres but with games of a larger size than ever before, some that even began their lifespan as full retail disc based games. The full line-up was unveiled at PAX East this week.

Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley
A 2.5D shooter with a comic book vibe from developer Twisted Pixel.

Hydro Thunder Hurricane
Hydro Thunder Hurricane is an all new, adrenaline pumping sequel to the legendary Arcade hit Hydro Thunder!

This XBLA title is bigger, better and more beautiful than ever. Dynamic water physics drives intense moment-to-moment gameplay on ever-changing, water-based tracks. With gorgeously rendered visuals and over-the-top themed environments, Hydro Thunder Hurricane delivers adrenaline fuelled water-based racing.

Hydrophobia
Hydrophobia is set in the near future when the world has become massively over-populated, and takes place onboard the “Queen of the World”, a city sized ship which sails the globe and is home to the wealthy elite.

As systems engineer Kate Wilson, you must use every tool lower decks of the great vessel. An epic back story reveals the rise of Malthusian politics as all eyes look to NanoCell, one of the Founding Fathers of the great vessel, who has vowed to develop the technology which will feed the burgeoning human population.

Limbo
Limbo, a black and white puzzle-platforming adventure, puts players in the role of a young boy travelling through an eerie and treacherous world in an attempt to discover the fate of his sister.

Monday Night Combat
Monday Night Combat is a class-based, third-person shooter and the most popular, lethal sport of the future! It blends intense combat, finishing moves, and gameshow-like challenges and rewards to produce an action experience. Players who drive the fans wild and catch the eye of corporate sponsors will win cash and prizes that can be used to upgrade their weapons and their defences. Why fight for “ honour” or “duty” when you can fight for the real American dream: cash, fame and endorsements?

Raskulls
Raskulls is a bone-shaking crazy action platformer for Xbox Live Arcade! Enjoy the adventures of the huge cast of mischievous characters in the single player Mega Quest and individual Grand Prix racing matches, or online around the world with Raskulls Multiplayer. Jump, fall, swim and bash your way through a massive variety of levels and enjoy every inch of the rich Raskulls world!

Snoopy Flying Ace
You can’t have aerial dog-fighting without the dog! Join Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the rest of the Peanuts gang in the premier online flight shooter on Xbox Live Arcade. With simple flight controls and a hangar full of customizable planes and weapons, all you need are nerves of steel to climb the leader boards and become a Flying Ace!

Snoopy Flying Ace takes addictive, fast-paced airborne combat to new heights, with fantastic solo and co-op challenges that will test your skills against the Flying Circus of the dreaded Red Baron. Remember, it ain’t the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog!

Fable 3 to be episodic, Jonathan Ross a confirmed voice
Credit: Twitter, Joystiq
It seems Peter Molyneux’s plan to make Fable 2 episodic had a purpose and the purpose being that much like Alan Wake, Fable 3 is going to be an episodic adventure. While no real details have been revealed, we know that there is a DLC plan in place post launch of the game.

Jonathan Ross has also confirmed that he will be a voice in Fable 3, saying on his Twitter that he will be working on the game. Ross inadvertently said he was working on the game mid-last year by saying he would be doing voice acting, but at the time that was considered widely speculative and there was no concrete plans for working on Fable 3.

This week on XBLA
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
The Deal of the Week features a SEGA classic; Cyber Troopers Virtua On for 800 points, down from 1200. The game received mixed reviews mid last year but is certainly carrying a more appealing price point this week for those who looking to indulge in some classic SEGA action.

This weeks release on the Arcade equally gives a respectful nod to gaming in the golden age. Mega Man 10, recreated in its full 8 bit glory, hits the Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 points. This is following on from Mega Man 9 which was released last year to much critical acclaim and hair pulling as many described it to be one of the hardest games made in the last few years. Certainly worth a look if you’re even a passing fan of the franchise.

Deals on Xbox Live through April 1^st to April 7^th
Credit: AceyBongos, Major Nelson
From April 1^st to April 7^th, selected games on the Xbox Live Marketplace will be reduced up to 50% in an April Inventory blowout. Here’s a list of everything getting chopped in price.

• Age of Booty 400 points (usually 800)
• Defence Grid, 400 points (usually 800)
• Lumines LIVE, 400 points (usually 800)
• Mad Tracks, 400 points (usually 800)
• Rocket Riot, 400 points (usually 800)
• Schizoid, 400 points (usually 800)
• South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play!, 400 points (usually 800)
• Super Street Fighter II HD, 560 points (usually 1200)
• Track & Field, 240 points (usually 400)
• Wallace & Gromit Episode 1, 400 points (usually 800)

This week new Halo Reach multiplayer details, a new Spider-Man game, USB support coming to 360 and an Xbox 360 slim? Read on to find out more…

Xbox 360 Slim on the way?
Credit: CVG
With recent positions freeing up in Microsoft, staff for working on the innards of the Xbox, some apparent completed testing in Japan and some piccies, it appears that Microsoft is going the slim route with the Xbox 360. Honestly, it’s about time. The machine has always been a behemoth, it’s loud, clunky and with the technology now being a few years old, it’s probably cost effective to shrink it in size just a little bit.

They appear to show the console’s CPU and GPU combined in a single, small chip for the first time, Kotaku reports.

While there have been no official reports yet, this year would be as good as any to release a Slim Xbox 360, what with that Natal thingy coming out and all.

Sony was also in a similar position last year with the PS3 Slim and the news broke a few months before it was officially announced. Also, Microsoft have probably been closely observing how successful a venture this has been in the past for Sony (see Playstation 2 and 3), so it all sort of stands to reason.

My view, expect this to get announced during Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference and be bundled with Natal for Christmas.

Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions revealed
Credit: CVG, GamePro
As unveiled by the cover of GamePro magazine, it appears Activision’s next game in the Spidey line-up will be called Shattered Dimensions. There’s no other news on the title yet, other than a name, but we’re sure to receive more in the days to come. Stay tuned!

Xbox to get USB Storage Function in Spring Dashboard Update
Credit: Joystiq
In what seems to have taken way too long, Microsoft have finally decided to implement support for USB memory for Xbox 360. What’s more we can expect it soon in a Spring Dashboard update.

This update will allow users to download Arcade games, Indie games, Games on Demand, DLC and other updates to a USB storage device. You’ll also be able to install your games to a USB storage device and play them from the device, although you will still need to have the disc in the machine as per usual.

Apparently, the document was penned by a senior software development engineer at Microsoft, and reasons that due to “increased market penetration of high-capacity, high throughput USB mass storage devices, a 2010 Xbox 360 system update” will enable 360 owners to save and load game data from a number of USB devices when it hits in Spring 2010.

What else this Spring Dashboard Update will bring is anyone’s guess, perhaps the ability to add more friends to your list considering the upcoming shutdown of original Xbox Live support in April? Either way, this is overdue and a very welcome addition for Xbox 360 owners!

Some Halo Reach Multiplayer Details Unveiled
Credit: Joystiq, CVG, Xbox 360 Achievements
Halo 3 has one of the most complete, excellent matchmaking systems in the FPS business today. Truly, compared to other titles out there (yes, I’m looking at you MW2!), Halo 3 trumps them all. With that in mind, Bungie have come out this week and said they’ve got some improvements to make in the build up to Halo Reach, and believe it or not, they’re about to make a great game, greater! This includes improved matchmaking, an arena mode for hardcore players, seasons and an upgraded User Interface!

For starters, we have Arena which is a Slayer-only mode that is split up into seasons and has a unique scoring system that won’t penalise you if you’re the best player on the losing team. Reach is more focused on individual progress and will base your rating compared to the rest of the community in each of the game’s divisions. Your progress will be awarded in points merited from kills, assists, etc. Then, at the end of each season, all of your accomplishments will be fitted onto your very own ‘baseball card’ before the next season starts.

Seasons are likely to “line-up with calendar months” according to Bungie’s Tyson Green and during, or at the end of each Arena season, you might move up or down a division depending on how well (or not well) you did. The five divisions will be Onyx, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Steel.

Alongside Arena, there are improved matchmaking options which will include better options for Ranked and Social matches including the ability to choose your preferred playlists using the following listed categories:

• Teamwork – Team Player vs. Lone Wolf
• Motivation – Winning vs. Having Fun
• Chattiness – Chatty vs. Quiet
• Tone – Polite vs. Rowdy

There are also improvements in the lobby system, which will give players the ability to vote on games that could potentially come up in matchmaking and an auto-queue feature that will allow you to join up with your friends as soon as they finish their game. There is also an active roster screen which shows all of the people on your friends list that are playing Halo Reach!

Based on all this information, I hope Modern Warfare isn’t getting too comfortable with that crown at the top of the heap, because it sounds like Reach is coming for blood on May 3rd!

Bad Company 2 DLC gets delayed
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
Bad news for Bad Company fans, according to DICE’s official Bad Company 2 Twitter Account, the developer has delayed the Dr Pepper DLC, and is being ambiguous about a revised release date, only saying it will be released in the “near future.”

The DLC, which is due to come with new achievements and trophies was meant to contain new outfits, new camouflaged weapons and new awards.

An update from the company states … “Today’s DLC on the in game store has had a last minute delay, we are working with our partners to have this released in the near future.”

Being a sensitive issue for Bad Company fans, this probably isn’t the right time to ask ‘What’s the worst that can happen’ is it?

BBFC say Alan Wake is a 15
Credit: BBFC, CVG
The British Board of Film Classification has rated Microsoft’s Alan Wake as ’15′, which means if you’re 14 years old and you want to play this game, you’ll have to wait another year, bucko, hah! That or you could just play it and not tell anyone…

The BBFC also revealed that a ‘limited content edition’ will be released alongside the main game. According to the BBFC’s site, the full title was passed with no cuts made, and includes ‘linear elements’ (ie. Cut-scenes and non-gameplay extras) of two hours. However, the ‘limited Content Edition’ – also 15-rated – contains extra linear elements, making it a runtime of 2 hours, 35 minutes. The director’s cut, perhaps?

With the BBFC rating the game, it truly reinforces the idea in my head that this game WILL actually make its release date. Through all the delays and changes, Alan Wake is finally come out in 2010. Wow!

No Twilight means no money
Credit: CVG
Analysts think that developers have missed the boat and the lack of a video game based on the Twilight franchise is a wasted opportunity worth ‘millions’.

In MCV magazine, Games Investor Consulting analyst Nick Gibson said:

“Given how hot a property it is, it [a Twilight video game] could easily present a seven-figure exploitation opportunity, especially if publishers consider taking it beyond retail gaming and considers network gaming,”

“It may well be that the rights holders aren’t aware of the potential benefits because they haven’t explored the games market before.”

While the absence of a Twilight game isn’t entirely true, Konami have created a Scene It? Title dedicated entirely to the first Twilight Movie for Wii and DS, Gibson does have a point. The World is Twilight crazy and surely a clash between Sparkling Vampires and 17 year old Werewolves gives a good enough premise for any game. Just imagine the sporting possibilities for outdoor Wii Vampire Baseball or the role-playing possibilities in Twilight Online (wow, that one actually scares me!).

Of course, I’m sure there are a lot of gamers out there that would pay millions NOT to see developers do anything with the series but it’s doubtful that any of them are 40 year old mom’s who like it when Taylor Lautner takes off his shirt.

GTA IV Episodes delayed on PC and PS3
Credit: Joystiq, CVG
Seems PS3 and PC owners have to wait a little longer for that initially Xbox 360 exclusive GTA IV content. Rockstar has announced it will have to delay the release of Grand Theft Auto IV: Episodes From Liberty City on PC as well as PlayStation 3 following last minute requests by Sony Europe.

“Due to a last minute game submission request from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe to edit some of the in-game Liberty City radio station, television, and internet content, we are forced to delay the worldwide release of Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City for both PlayStation 3 and PC for an extra two weeks,” Rockstar explained on its blog.

“The new release date for Episodes from Liberty City,  and the two downloadable episodes The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, on those platforms is now April 13th in North America and April 16th in Europe.”

Rockstar further added “Unfortunately, with each round of changes comes fully re-testing the game and a full re-submission to PlayStation. This is the nature of the game submission process. Believe us, if we could expedite the turnaround any sooner, we would. We are dying to get this game in the hands of fans that’ve waited for it for so long in the first place.”

While the edits are only coming to the European PS3 versions of the game, Rockstar says it decided to delay all releases so that “everyone can experience multiplayer simultaneously, take part in online events together, be on level ground on leaderboards, etc” but admitted it was a “tough decision”.

I guess Americans have a reason to be pissy at us Europeans for once, eh?

Command and Conquer 4 controversy
Credit: PC Gamer, CVG
An awful trend seems to be appearing in modern PC games all of a sudden, more specifically, games requiring a constant connection to the internet. Command and Conquer 4 is the latest game to utilise this technology and follows on from Assassin’s Creed II a few weeks ago which had the same mechanic.

After some extensive tests, PC Gamer found out what happens to players if their connection drops while playing the game. Basically, you can continue to play the game, but your progress won’t be saved. If you attempt to reconnect while playing and try to continue the mission, you will be booted back to the main menu, all progress lost. Basically, if there is even a slight interruption in your connection while playing a mission, then none of it will be saved and all your efforts will be for nothing. So, if your connection is unsteady and inconsistent, this may not be the game for you.

PC Gamer advise “The only way to avoid losing progress is to save your game the moment you get that message, quit out, then start it again.”

Frankly, this is not the way that the PC is going to win back gamers, and this ridiculous and unnecessary system should be abolished before it becomes a trend.

Just saying …

Army of Two 40th Day DLC drops early – Game updated to 1250 GS
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
Despite the fact that DICE couldn’t fulfil their DLC release schedule for Bad Company 2, it appears that the Chapter’s of Deceit DLC for Army of Two: The 40th Day has dropped a few weeks earlier than anticipated and is available on XBLA and PSN right now! The DLC adds eight new achievements for an additional 250 gamerscore and costs 800 Microsoft Points. The game has two brand new co-op campaign maps bundled with it, Collateral and Assassination

On XBLA this week
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
The deal of the week is a familiar one but doesn’t make it any less cool. For 400 points each, you can claim each of the five Fallout 3 Downloadable episodes, awesome for those who haven’t already purchased or committed to the Game of the Year edition.

The final addition to Xbox House Party makes it out onto the Arcade this week and it’s the Game Room that Microsoft touted earlier this year, complete with 1,000 gamerscore and 56 achievements! The best part, you can download the Game Room free of charge. However, you will need to purchase the Arcade Games separately for 240 MS points on a single license or 400 MS Points to use on both Xbox 360 and Games for Windows Live. For the Retro gamer, this is the nirvana you’ve been waiting for, Jump in!

On PSN this week
In addition to the full Soundtrack from Heavy Rain, you can also pre-order Sam and Max Season 3 at a reduced rate on PSN from this Thursday! As a Sam and Max fan and a fan of all Telltale Products, I couldn’t possibly be biased enough to tell you to pre-order it now. Although, if I was allowed to have my say, I would advise you to pre-order it now, but that would be breaking protocol, wouldn’t it?!

Decision behind Playstation ‘Move’ name revealed
Credit: Sony, N4G
So apparently, Sony LOVE the name ‘Playstation Move’ (surely the only ones) and think it’s a name kids can easily say and identify with and perfectly resembles what the product can do.

Ok, that’s great Sony, but kids can also identify with the words Doggy, Crisps and Poop, but that doesn’t mean we should name our products after them, does it? Either way, we know it’s gonna sell a lot of copies and bring an ensemble of fanboys and girls saying it will be the death of the Wii and will outsell Natal.

New Lord of the Rings RPG revealed
Credit: Joystiq
The Lord of the Rings license has suffered in the gaming World, meriting only a few titles worthy of remembering. However, that could be about to change, as Warner Bros have announced an action RPG, developed by Snowblind Studios for PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 in 2011. The game will be faithful to both the literature and the film adaptations of the series and is being deemed ‘a mature RPG’ set in Middle-Earth with ‘innovative online, interdependent co-op play for up to three players who form their own Fellowship to fight Sauron’s forces in the North.’

“Exploring unseen lands, story elements and characters from Middle-earth as well as elements familiar from past feature films, gamers will experience extensive character customization and development, expansive co-op gameplay options and upgradeable weapons, skills and special abilities,” says the publisher.

Snowblind Studios, which is developing the game, had this to say: “In The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Snowblind will deliver an action RPG for core gamers featuring authentic narrative and environmental locations from J.R.R. Tolkien’s original The Lord of the Rings,” said founder, Ryan Geithman.

“This game is a natural evolution of the acclaimed RPG gameplay that Snowblind has consistently delivered over the past years. Players and fans will experience an innovative approach to online co-op gameplay, woven throughout every facet of the game in a way that only Snowblind can deliver.”

Finally, a true RPG in LOTRverse! Now there’s a reason to rejoice and make elven babies.

This week, news from the Game Developer’s Conference, including first real details on Sony’s Motion Control Device, major announcements from Infinity Ward, Lucasarts and Telltale, first details on Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and Arkham Asylum 2 and a Doctor Who game?!

Playstation’s Motion Controlled Named ‘Move’ at Game Developers Conference – Semi Launch-Line up revealed including SOCOM 4
Credit: GDC, CVG, Joystiq
This is probably the biggest story to come out of the Game Developer’s Conference this week. Sony unveiled that their motion controlled device would be called ‘Playstation Move’ (dumbest name ever) and we were treated to how the device will operate with selected titles. It appears during its release schedule we will have a game called ‘Move Party’ filled with mini-games; there was also an as yet untitled beat-em-up game, some compatibility with Eye Pet and full compatibility with SOCOM 4! Sony also announced that the product would retail for under $100 dollars and bundles with the Playstation Eye will be shipping out at launch. Just like the Wii, there will also be a nun-chuck like accessory meaning both hands will be full while you’re waggling your way to victory!

In Sterling, I estimate that the Playstation Move will cost you between £65-£70 on its lonesome.

Gran Turismo 5 delays explained … it’s compatible with Move
Credit: CVG
So, like me you’re probably wondering why Gran Turismo 5 has been taking so long to come out. Initially confirmed to be a PS3 launch title, four years on, we’re still waiting. However, it appears as if a listing from the official US site for Sony’s new darling can finally shed some light.

It’s going to be compatible with Move.

Listings on the site also reveal compatibility for Disney’s upcoming Split/Second and ModNation Racer. With three big releases now partially confirmed to be involved with the device, it tends to suggest that there will be a big push to use Move as a racing wheel accessory when we come closer to launch.

Whether this confirms GT5 as a ‘Move’ Launch title or not has yet to be determined, but if this is true, Natal may just have a battle on its hands.

Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition to be released on Playstation Network and MAC
Credit: GDC, Joystiq, CVG
Finally, Lucasarts have confirmed a port of Monkey Island Special Edition is coming to both Playstation and Mac. Furthermore, the game is also making the jump to the Telltale games store as well as InstantAction.com. There are currently no details as to when the game will hit the services but this is a big plus to adventure gaming fans on both PS3 and MAC.

Lucasarts announce Monkey Island 2: Le Chuck’s Revenge Special Edition for Summer release
Credit: GDC, Joystiq, CVG
There is a God …

In addition to the above news, announced at GDC 2010, representatives from Lucasarts alongside series creator Ron Gilbert and former LEC employee Tim Schaefer came on stage during a pirate themed party to reveal they are working on Monkey Island 2: SE to be released this Summer on XBLA, PSN, PC and iPhone!

This isn’t simply the same ‘special edition’ treatment applied to last year’s edition; instead, fans can expect a new control mechanism. “In addition to the point-and-click interface, we’ve added the ability to move Guybrush around, so you feel more connected to him,” said LucasArts’ Craig Derrick, project lead on all Monkey Island products.

Also exclusive to this edition is never-before-seen art from Peter Chan and Steve Purcell and a developer commentary for fans of the series! Of course, that’s in addition to all the stuff you’d expect from the special edition treatment, including high-definition art, remastered music, full voiceover track, and the ability to swap between original and ‘special edition’ modes. Derrick even said they’ve “re-imagined” each character, citing fan displeasure with Guybrush’s hair in the first special edition.

Considering this is my favourite game of all time, I cannot wait!

Sam and Max Season 3 coming to PC, Mac and PS3 this April
Credit: GDC, Telltale, Joystiq
In a surprising move, Telltale have confirmed Season 3 of Sam and Max to be released on April 17^th on PC, Mac and Playstation 3! This is strange considering Telltale were not supporting MAC a month ago and had no plans to bring their products to Playstation 3. Yet, it seems they have skipped development (at least for the time being) on Xbox 360 and Wii, despite the fact that season 1 and 2 are on XBLA and Season 1 is on Wii, with Season 2 due out ‘shortly’.

Nonetheless, Sam and Max: The Devil’s Playhouse: Episode 1: The Penal Zone will be out on PC, MAC and PS3 on April 17^th. Details on pre-ordering the game have been revealed. You can obtain the whole season on PC and MAC for $34.95 including a free episode of Strong Bad, Wallace and Gromit or an episode from a previous Sam and Max season.

Also, Pre-orders for Sam and Max Season 3 on PS3 start on March 18^th. According to Telltale PR manager Chris Schmidt, pre-ordering the full pack will reduce the cost to $29.99, a minor but not unwelcome discount from the regular price of $34.95.

First Modern Warfare 2 DLC details revealed, due out March 30^th on XBLA.
Credit: Joystiq, SentUAMessage
Long awaited news on the first piece of MW2 DLC has finally surfaced. XBLA gamers will be able to experience five new maps in their playlists in just a few short weeks for 1200 MS points (no, this is not a typo, they really are THAT greedy). As far as we are aware, there will be no new achievements bundled with the maps, but if you’re any fan of COD, this news will bring a big smile to your face.

In addition to three brand new maps recreated for the game, two old school series favourites will be making a return from COD4.

The official listing goes on to say…

“The Stimulus Package delivers 5 additional action-packed multiplayer maps featuring a variety of locations: “Bailout,” a multi-level apartment complex; “Storm,” an open industrial park littered with heavy machinery; “Salvage,” a snowy junkyard fortified by stacked debris and crushed cars. Two legendary fan-favourites from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare return, including “Crash,” a war-torn urban environment; and “Overgrown,” which features a massive dry creek bed.”

Greenday: Rock Band coming out this Summer
Credit Joystiq
Seems the next band to get the Rock Band treatment following on from one of the biggest bands of the 20^th Century is… Greenday. Yeah, I know… don’t go there…

Anyway, Harmonix went out at GDC to confirm that Greenday: Rock Band will be out on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and just about every other format known to humankind this Summer.

Lady GaGa debuts on Rock Band this week
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
Well, it seems the Rock is going out of Rock Band faster by the day. Lady GaGa makes her Rock Band debut this week, alongside 3 Doors Down. Here is the full line up for this Tuesday…

• Lady Gaga – “Bad Romance”
• Lady Gaga – “Just Dance”
• Lady Gaga – “Monster”
• Lady Gaga – “Poker Face”
• 3 Doors Down – “It’s Not My Time”
• Mute Math – “Control”
• South Park – “Poker Face (Cartman version)”
• The Subways – “Oh Yeah”
• The Subways – “Rock & Roll Queen”

(All tracks are original master recordings)

Price:
£0.99 UK (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track
£3.49 UK (560 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “Lady Gaga Pack 01”
(200 Wii Points™) per track

Guitar Hero 6 Confirmed, Gene Simmons to Voice
Credit: GDC, CVG
Well, if you’re to believe the front-man of KISS then Guitar Hero 6 is happening, although that wouldn’t be the biggest surprise ever, right? While not officially confirmed by Activision (even though previous press-releases have announced Guitar Hero games this Autumn), Gene Simmons appeared on ITN’s Game-On Programme and said ‘I’m the Voice of Guitar Hero 6’.

Pretty straight forward and to the point. I’m sure a statement from Activision is forthcoming so that they can confirm the inevitable.

Shame we’re not looking at a Guitar Hero: KISS game, though. That would be pretty cool.

Aliens vs Predator DLC out this week
Credit: CVG
The first batch of DLC for two of sci-fi horror’s most feared entities drops on March 18, Sega has confirmed.

This Swarm Map Pack is set to include four multiplayer arenas originally offered for free to Special Edition purchasers; Docks and Machine (which work across all game modes), plus Hive and Outpost (which are Survivor maps).

The pack will cost 540 Microsoft Points (£4.60) when it hits Xbox 360 and Games for Windows and £4.79 on PS3.

First Ghost Recon Future Soldier Details land
Credit: CVG
Exciting times indeed. Future Soldier takes place 10-15 years after Advanced Warfighter and has the Ghosts out to stop an ultra nationalist group that has managed to depose the Russian President.

The Ghost team will also be packing lots of high-tech gear such as stealth cloaks, armoured ground drones and exoskeleton legs. With the exo-skeleton legs, the Ghosts can jump, roll and throw themselves over the battlefield.
Also, the big story is the game supports four player drop in/drop out co-op and controversially, the game features no squad commands like it’s predecessors. Character classes also play a pivotal role in the new game, with players receiving specific, unique bonuses for their chosen role (optical camo for Recon, heart sensors for Snipers, shoulder mounted missiles for Commandos).

The sounds almost like a complete reboot for the franchise which you’re either going to love or hate. More details are sure to land prior to the Beta.

Possible details on Batman Arkham Asylum 2 leaked through IMDB page?
Credit: IMDB, CVG
Part of me hates this, and part of me likes it. However, if an IMDB page listing is to be believed, the next Batman game from Rocksteady Studios will feature the Boy Wonder in tow with the Caped Crusader. The voicing for Robin is to be Vincent Martella, who is also scheduled to voice Robin in an upcoming animation called Batman: Under the Hood.
The IMDB page goes on to list a casting for Two Face (whose presence in future installments was teased at the end of Arkham Asylum 1) and will be voiced by Bruce Greenwood

Mark Hamill is still listed to play the Joker, as is Kevin Conrad as Batman. The game also hints at the return of Harley Quinn and Commissioner Gordon.

The IMDB page finally states that the game is scheduled for release in 2010!

Doctor Who game coming to Wii and DS this Holiday following $10 Million Deal
Credit: The Sun, CVG
While ‘The Sun’ isn’t the most credible source of information in the World, it appears they have stumbled across a gem of information with some confirmations from Dave Tennant and Nintendo. Apparently, Nintendo recently agreed to a contract said to be worth $10 million and will release games featuring the adventures of new Doctor, Matt Smith.

The game is set to feature familiar entrants into the series including the Daleks, the Cybermen and the Silurians.

An insider told the paper: “This has been in the pipeline for years. We’re delighted to have finally nailed down a deal. We went with Nintendo as they have huge appeal for families and Doctor Who is very much a family brand.

The Wii console is key for us as it’s something families play together.”

Former Doctor, David Tennant added: “The video game was quite actively developed, but it’s difficult to nail as the Doctor doesn’t blow things up. He’s not Batman, who goes around smacking people in the head.”

For more details, keep your eyes peeled on a telephone box near you!

Mass Effect 2: Kasumi’s Stolen Memory Out April 6^th
Credit: Joystiq
The next piece of Mass Effect 2 DLC has finally been given a release date of April 6^th for an undisclosed fee. This will add a new achievement, a new playable character and a 90 minute campaign which can be played during or after the main story of the game.

More details to come closer to release.

Mass Effect 2 has 700 Plot Hooks to Mass Effect 1
Credit: GDC, IGN
If you’ve wondered just how much your actions in Mass Effect 1 will affect your game in Mass Effect 2, a demonstration at the GDC from Bioware should give you some perspective. During a talk that was called ‘Get Your Game Out Of My Movie! Interactive Storytelling in Mass Effect 2’ Armando Troisi, Bioware’s Lead Cinematic Director for the Mass Effect franchise described Mass Effect’s built-in ability to read your game save files as the series ‘uber-feature’ and said there are roughly 700 “plot-hooks” in Mass Effect 1 that carry over one way or another into Mass Effect 2.

Without going into any further details, Troisi also said that Mass Effect 3 will place the same importance on save files and player actions.

Wow!

Natal full launch line-up to be shown at E3
Credit: CVG, Joystiq
While details are still a bit sketchy on the ground, Microsoft spokespeople have again confirmed that more details will be revealed at this years E3, including the full launch-line up for Microsoft’s camera, voice, body recognition system. With developers such as Bethesda (Fallout New Vegas support anyone?), Bioware, Lionhead and EA already developing titles for the system, we can already anticipate that the launch schedule will be big, but just how far it will go is anyone’s guess. One thing is for sure, this is the year the motion sensitive war begins and there will be no mercy shown in the run up to Christmas!

On XBLA this Week
Credit: Major Nelson, Xbox 360 Achievements
We return to games on Deal of the Week, except this time, it is an Xbox Classic rather than a more up to date release. You can now purchase the original Fable for 800 points. This was a brilliant game and while there are elements that have not aged so well, this is still a lot of fun and an excellent price point for a classic. If you’re any kind of fan of the series, you should consider checking this out.

As for XBLA, another classic by the name of Perfect Dark comes onto our radars. Also being released for 800 points, this is the third release in the Xbox Live House Party and the third retro release that Rare have brought to the Arcade. Perfect Dark will feature single-player, multiplayer, co-op and enhanced visuals and sounds. From the N64 to the Xbox 360, Perfect Dark will surely be a popular talking point this Wednesday.

Thanks for reading another Weekly News Round with This Is My Joystick. If you have any news stories you’d like to report or if you have a game or product you’d like for me to look into and dig up the latest news on it, then you can send me a message on my Twitter @RayWillmott or leave a message on our facebook group then your news or request will be featured on the next News Round and you will be equally credited for it. If you are obtaining this information from another source, please ensure you give appropriate credit.

The Infinity Ward and Activision saga
Credit: CVG
Apparently the only people on the planet who didn’t want to see Modern Warfare 2 were Activision themselves! It was revealed this week that the two biggest advocates for another Modern Warfare title were evicted from the Infinity Ward studios by heavily armed security from Activision and fired from their positions due to ‘insubordination’. Vince Zampella and Jason West, now former bosses at Infinity Ward apparently had to fight Activision tooth and nail to make a sequel to CoD4! Wow, remind me not to oversee the most financially successful video game of all time, why don’t you…

In October of last year, Zampella and West discussed in length their differences of opinion with Activision. West said that Activision felt making another Modern Warfare title was ‘risky’ and ‘crazy’ West also claims Activision said. ‘They were doing Market Research to show us we were wrong the whole time’. Are they kidding? What kind of nincompoops are they employing over there?

Unsurprisingly, shortly after this both Zampella and West are seeking to take Activision to court for ‘breach of contract’ and other claims. Apparently, Activision owe some serious royalties to both men but fired them before they were due to give them their bonus. Here’s the word from their attorney…

“Instead of thanking, lauding, or just plain paying Jason and Vince for giving Activision the most successful entertainment product ever offered to the public” attorney Robert Schwartz said, “last month Activision hired lawyers to conduct a pretextual ‘investigation’ into unstated and unsubstantiated charges of ‘insubordination’ and ‘breach of fiduciary duty,’ which then became the grounds for their termination on Monday, March 1st.”

In addition to compensation, the suit seeks to return the contractual rights Zampella and West previously had to the Modern Warfare brand.

In the midst of this, it’s also unsurprising that Activision have been quick to announce replacements for the duo and Infinity Ward CTO Steve Pearce and head of production Steve Ackrick have assumed the top spots for an undisclosed period. Seems like Infinity Ward is now going to be run by Steve Squared!

Non-FPS Call of Duty Announced for 2011
Credit: CVG
In further head scratching Activision news, the next game in the Call of Duty franchise will not take place from a first person perspective! To make things even more interesting, they’ve added a third development team to the franchise alongside Treyarch and Infinity Ward and this new game is going to be developed by Sledgehammer Games, who are apparently looking to bring the franchise into the ‘action/adventure’ genre.

The title’s development is being headed up by Dead Space veterans and former Visceral Games bosses Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey. Activision made this statement regarding the bold undertaking:

“2010 will be another important year for the Call of Duty franchise” stated Mike Griffith, president and CEO of Activision Publishing. “In addition to continued catalog sales, new downloadable content from Infinity Ward and a new Call of Duty release, we are excited about the opportunity to bring the franchise to new geographies, genres and players.”

I wonder what the Market Research findings were for this release? Hmmm…

First Halo: Reach Gameplay trailer available – loads of new features!
Credit: Joystiq, Xbox 360 Achievements, Bungie

• Jetpacks!
• Assassination Moves!
• Load outs!
• New multiplayer modes!
• Is it May 3rd yet?

Check out the official trailer after the drop…

Valve confirms Portal 2
Credit: Joystiq, CVG
Valve have been putting PC players through the motions this past week. First they update Portal with a big patch through Steam with a new achievement. They’ve also implemented radio into each of the game’s levels. Apparently, if players listen to all stations, not only will they get a shiny Steam achievement but they will also get a big clue re: something Portal related when pieced together.

In addition to that, Valve released a new, extended ending for Portal a bit later on in the week, which introduces players to a whole new character.

Then, after a leak of a cover of a magazine, Valve came clean and told the World that Portal 2 is in development for PC and Xbox 360 and will be due out this Holiday Season. In addition to that, Portal 2 will also feature two new characters and an all new co-operative mode!

Seems that Zombie game really has been ‘Left 4 Dead’ for now…

Credit to Stephen Jacob for bringing some of this information to my attention.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light announced
Credit: Joystiq, Gamespot
It seems we’ll no longer associating Lara Croft with just being a simple Tomb Raider. Crystal Dynamics have been touting that Lara Croft is due a reboot and they’re about ready to supply us with the results this Summer. One of the big changes for this release is that the game will be available through digital distribution only. There are no confirmed platforms scheduled although it is safe to assume PC owners will be able to continue with the brunette’s latest adventure and probably XBLA and PSN owners. The game will also have a more arcade feel, have an isometric view and feature co-operative play. Seems to be a particular theme in this week’s round up…

More details to come closer to release…

Splinter Cell Conviction Xbox Special Edition Bundle incoming
Credit: CVG
Seems like Microsoft can’t get enough of packaging their Xbox with the latest games as a Splinter Cell Conviction bundle has been announced to co-incide with the game’s launch. They also seem to want to flaunt this new 250gb Hard Drive around and rub it in current owner’s faces. This new bundle will feature Splinter Cell: Conviction, a Black Xbox, a 250gb Hard Drive and two Wireless Pads. The package will retail at $399.99 in America. The bundle will also be released in Europe, Australia and New Zealand for an undisclosed fee. Expect to see this in early April.

Achievements for Splinter Cell Conviction now available
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
In addition to a nice fancy bundle, for those that are interested, the full achievement list for Splinter Cell Conviction has been posted and is now available for your perusal. For a total of 1000 gamerscore and 50 achievements, there certainly seems enough to keep you busy when the game drops next month.

Take a peek…

Batman: Arkham Asylum Game Of The Year edition playable in 3D?
Credit: CVG
We all know the awesome that is Batman Arkham Asylum here at This Is My Joystick. So much so in fact, that it became our overall Game of the Year in 2009 amongst all staff members due to majority vote. So, this official ad from India has certainly perked up interest. Apparently, in addition to all current DLC available and some exclusive to pre-orders and systems, the game of the year edition will also ship with Trioviz 3D technology and two sets of 3D glasses!

The Indian ad lists a late March release date, however there has been no direct confirmation from Eidos. What we do know is that the game will not be coming to North America but will be in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

American McGee working on creepy looking Red Riding Hood game
Credit: CVG
American McGee created a game about Alice nearly a decade ago and chilled the pants off most anyone who actually played it. The game had a sinister undertone and looked at the dark side of Wonderland, as opposed to colourful caterpillars that get high and playing cards that like piling on top of each other. Now, after some stumbling blocks along the way, he is hard at work on a sequel produced through EA, called Alice 2.

However, after a recent post on his blog, American McGee has given us a sneak peek at his next project. With some concept art and a heritage of several years behind it, American McGee discusses how he intends to twist and perverse another classic tale, Red Riding Hood!

I’m getting horrific visions of being chased through creepy woods by a rabies-induced wolf that’s hungry for blood! Eek…

Travellers Tales secure license to produce Lego games until 2016
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
Sick of Lego games? Hope they’re going to go away? You’ll hate this news. LEGO and Warner Home Entertainment have come to an agreement with TT Games to continue developing LEGO games until 2016!

TT’s LEGO licenses so far include LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Indiana Jones, LEGO Batman and LEGO Harry Potter, which have sold close to 50 million units to date.

Next up for TT Games’ LEGO range is LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, and LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars later this year.

NHL 2k11 now a Wii Exclusive
Credit: Xbox Achievements
So, it seems as if the once thought dead Ice Hockey Franchise is now being resuscitated. However, 2K have said that this year’s installment of NHL will no longer be on Xbox 360 or PS3 but instead will remain a Wii exclusive. The word from 2k is that they want to focus on making the best product possible for Wii and seem unable to do that while diverting their attentions on Microsoft and Sony’s formats. However, don’t fret, according to 2K, the Ice Hockey franchise will be back next year for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 owners and it will be bigger and better than ever!

Red Dead Redemption delayed a month
Credit: Joystiq
Rockstar’s upcoming GTA clone in a Wild West environment has been pushed back a month to May 18th in NA and May 21st in Europe. Some may argue that Rockstar did this to add more polish to the game, some may say it made more sense from a marketing perspective. There’s been no official word from Rockstar as to why there is a delay, but what we now know is that Red Dead is going to ship the same day as Alan Wake!

Good move or bad move by Rockstar? You be the judge …

Even more Borderlands DLC incoming!
Credit: Joystiq
Bored of lands? Either way, it seems as if the steady stream of content isn’t over yet, as 2k games have said to expect even more to come from the franchise over the coming months. So, if you’ve zapped all the Zombies, if you’ve mingled with Moxxi and grinded with General Knoxx’s Secret Armoury (Perv!) then fear not, your days of cel-shaded blood spilling are not over yet. No release dates or titles announced as yet…

UK Catalog Store Argos enter pre-owned games market
Credit: PS3 Trophies
Currently only in trial phase, Argos are the latest UK retailer to enter the pre-owned games market. Only 27 stores out of 735 in the UK are partaking in this and it seems to be only a small number of games, most specifically Assassins Creed 2 and Grand Theft Auto 4. However, the difference between Argos and other pre-owned game retailers is that Argos offer gift vouchers which can be spent on anything in store.

So if you’re done with Ezio’s exploits in Italy and would rather trade it in for a groovy lava lamp, Argos seems to have you covered!

On Xbox 360 This Week
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements, Major Nelson
This weeks deal of the week is a step up from the last, but not a big one. You can now pick up the entire collection of CoD World at War maps for 1600 points! Considering the World War 2 espionage epic is still ranking in the top five games playing over Live right now, there’s obviously still a market for it, although those that wanted the maps probably already have them. Either way, now’s your chance to get them at the cheapest possible price.

Also, Continuing the House Party trend on Xbox Live Arcade, Scrap Metal releases this week for 1200 points. Here’s a peek at what to expect from the official blurb…

• Drift around corners with guns blazing and take out legendary competitors in the fast-paced, top-down racing game Scrap Metal™.
• Fight your way through explosive, action-packed missions and defeat cunning bosses to add their vehicles to your garage.
• Customize your newly-acquired cars and then return to the track to blast through more enemies.
• Jump online with Xbox LIVE ® to race against your friends and crush their cars with the wheels of your monster truck in pulse-pounding online multiplayer matches.
• Racing action: It’s fast-paced, top-down racing action with beautiful HD graphics and fantastic racing physics.
• Story mode: Take on all the cunning villains and defeat the tricky bosses.
• Awesome, customizable vehicles: Drive everything from muscle cars to monster trucks to air boats and even tanks.
• Multiplayer: Try split-screen or Xbox LIVE multiplayer modes.
• 3-D support: Scrap Metal has full anaglyph 3-D support.

On Nintendo this week …
Credit: Nintendo Fanboy
Here’s the recent round up of all that is Nintendo. All listed below…

DSiWare

• Let’s Golf (Gameloft, 1-2 players, 800 DSi Points): Golf alone or in multiplayer (taking turns) in one of three locations.
• Globulos Party (GlobZ, player, DSi Points): 20 minigames including Funky-Soccer, Monster, Pinball, Sumo, and more.
• VT Tennis (Virtual Toys, 1-2 players, 500 DSi Points): Use the touch screen to control your rising star tennis player in Quickmatch, Tennis School, and World Championship.
• Flips: Terror in Cubicle Four (EA, 1 player, 500 DSi Points): In this e-book, investigate the mystery of the spooky haunted toilet.

WiiWare

• Mega Man 10 (Capcom, 1 player, 1,000 Wii Points): Time for more 8-bit madness as an old favorite returns for another installment
• Dart Rage (JV Games, 1-4 players, 600 Wii Points): Take the bull by the horns! Show some rage while throwing your darts!
• Happy Hammerin’ (Gamebridge, 1-4 players, 500 Wii Points): It’s whack a mole and it’s cute.

Virtual Console

• Fatal Fury Special (Neo Geo, 1-2 players, 900 Wii Points): An updated version of Fatal Fury 2 roughly timed to the Neo Geo’s 20th anniversary.

Thanks for reading another Weekly News Round with This Is My Joystick. If you have any news stories you’d like to report or if you have a game or product you’d like for me to look into and dig up the latest news on it, then you can send me a message on my Twitter @RayWillmott or leave a message on our facebook group then your news or request will be featured on the next News Round and you will be equally credited for it. If you are obtaining this information from another source, please ensure you give appropriate credit.