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. So sit back, enjoy and prepare to fill your head with the biggest stories of the week.

Obsidian’s next project after Fallout: New Vegas to be Wheel of Time?
Credit: Joystiq, CVG
You may not have heard much about the Wheel of Time books yet. However, if Red Eagle studios have their way, it will be the biggest fantasy event since Lord of the Rings. In addition to acquiring the license to create films for Robert Jordan’s masterpiece, Red Eagle have also collaborated with Obsidian Studios, famous for Knights of the Old Republic 2, Neverwinter Nights 2 and Fallout: New Vegas to create games for the high fantasy epic for Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. This will not be the first game made from the Wheel of Time saga, a PC game was released by Legend Entertainment back in 1999.

While no timescale for a game has been set, it’s difficult not to imagine that plans are already underway to digitise Aes Sedai for our playing pleasure.

Miyamoto working on new Motion Plus game that is NOT Zelda
Credit: CVG
Shigeru Miyamoto has revealed that he is developing a new Wii game that will use MotionPlus. Speaking at the 13th Annual Japan Media Arts Festival where he received a Special Achievement Award, Miyamoto is reported to have told the audience that he is working on a new motion based game. So far the only Nintendo game that uses MotionPlus is Wii Sports Resort, although Miyamoto is also working on the forthcoming Legend Of Zelda Wii game which will only work with the accessory.

Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars Announced
Credit: Joystiq
If you thought you’d seen the last of Master Yoda as a little green block of studs, then Lucasarts and Travellers Tales have news for you; this fall, Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars will shipping to retailers. This time the action will be based on the animated series featured on the Cartoon Network and is focused on Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi fighting against the clone armies of General Grievous. To put things in perspective for people who don’t watch the show, the timeline will place you somewhere between Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The game will make some notable changes to the series, along with maintaining some of the features we know and love. More details to come.

This week on XBLA
Credit: Joystiq, Major Nelson
The weekly deals seem to be getting better and better which is really inconsiderate as we have enough goodness in Q1 as it is. This week, we have Battlefield 1943 for 800 points. This was already the New Years Eve deal a few weeks back, so it is surprising to see Microsoft bring the price down again so soon. However, if you can’t get enough of WW2 warfare, then this is as good as it gets!

To top that off, this Wednesday, The Misadventures of P.B Winterbottom  comes to the Arcade for 800 points.

Plants vs Zombies on iPhone February 15th
Credit: Joystiq
As of Monday, Plants vs Zombies will be available on iPhone for you to purchase. Popcap games are looking to expand their empire as ever, and this game is certainly attracting a lot of attention.

Need more convincing? Check out our review here.

Ubisofts big announcement is Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. BETA prior to release!
Credit: CVG
Ubisoft said they had a big announcement to give us and they certainly did not disappoint. The highly popular Ghost Recon series is about to get another instalment entitled Future Soldier. With the release date scheduled for the fall, Ubisoft have also announced that they will be releasing a BETA prior to release for public consumption. To top it off, we have a teaser trailer to show you right after the jump.

BAFTA Game nominations announced
Credit: IGN
The BAFTA GAME shortlist has been announced and it will be up to the British public to determine who comes out on top. Last year, Call of Duty Modern Warfare was crowned the winner and while its sequel has a chance to replicate the success this year, it certainly faces some solid opposition.

Here is the complete line-up.

• Assassin’s Creed 2
• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• The Beatles: Rock Band
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• FIFA 10
• Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars
• The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
• Street Fighter IV
• Uncharted 2: Drakes Fortune
• Wii Sports Resort

The results ceremony will be conducted on March 19 where Dara O Brian will be doing hosting duties. Time to get voting!

Final Fantasy XIII not getting DLC after all
Credit: Xbox 360 Achievements
Contrary to my news feed last week, it seems Square Enix have no plans for DLC for FFXIII after all as confirmed by the game’s producer and director.

“Regarding the DLC content, we feel that the final product is 100% enjoyable… it’s the complete package. So we’re not planning any DLC at this time” the duo told the US PlayStation Blog.

As for the cut content from the game, that also seems to be a pipe dream.

“In regard to the rumoured cut content, we feel it was taken out of context,” said Kitase and Toriyama. “There are a lot of ideas that are brought to the table, and then the team takes the best ideas out of those, and the final product is polished that way. There was content that were ‘ideas’ that didn’t make the final content, but the team isn’t looking to release that as downloadable content.”

Despite pictures from the box art which state the game will have content download and earlier reports that report further expansion for the product, it appears that the people who would know most about the game’s future development are saying no.

Street Fighter IV on iPhone?!
Credit: Joystiq
Believe the unbelievable. Capcom are porting Street Fighter IV to iPhone and they’re doing that before creating a port for PSP, DS or even on the Wii! The news itself is quite surprising and enough to make some people’s blood boil. How Capcom can bring a game of this quality to iPhone before considering other formats, could very well be a telling sign of the power Apple’s little touch screen has garnered on the gaming market. How this will come out is anyone’s guess, but expect for it to be quite heavily priced and to sell pretty darn well.

Microsoft ending Xbox Live support for older games
Credit: Joystiq, Neil’s Deals
It’s official. Microsoft will no longer be supporting original Xbox titles via it’s Xbox Live service after April 15th. This includes the ultra-popular Halo 2, which many fans still play religiously, some instead of the even more popular Halo 3. Microsoft’s Marc Widden has this to say re: the change.

“This isn’t a decision we made lightly, but after careful consideration, it is clear this will provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox Live community” Whitten said. “And as we look down the road, we’ll continue to evolve the service with features and experiences that harness the full power of Xbox 360. To reach our aspiration, we need to make changes to the services that are incompatible with our original Xbox v1 games.”

Whether this update was necessary to prepare for the launch of Natal later this year or just to simply increase a person’s friend list remains to be seen. Either way, get in as many games of Halo 2 as you can, it’s nearly time for you to move on.

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