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A limited quantity pre-order is now open for Star Wars: The Old Republic. All versions come with the pre-order perk of early game access and a "Color Stone" which will change your weapon effect. The order in which you redeem your Pre-order Code is the order in which you will gain Early Game Access before the game’s official release.

Topics: Games, MMORPG
Related Games: Star Wars: The Old Republic (PC)

DICE Kicks Off Invite Only Battlefield 3 Alpha Test, Leaks Spring Up

12:05 AM - -

Remember our story yesterday about the Battlefield 3 beta confirmations going out to those who bought Medal of Honor Limited Edition? Well, forget September because DICE kicked off a semi-public Battlefield 3 "alpha trial" just this week. According to one tester I spoke with (who wishes to remain anonymous) an email invitation was sent his way randomly with word of the alpha along with a link to this web page. Once at the page he was allowed to grab his unique Battlefield 3 alpha key, and the alpha build download link. Anyone else that tries to get in receives a rejection related to criteria not being met.

Of course the lack of specifics on how testers were chosen has some fans up in arms, especially those who spent their hard earned cash on Medal of Honor right out the gate. Additionally, some fans who took part in the Battlefield Veterans and Gun Club programs were promised early access opportunities too, but neither program seems to have a hard link to alpha invitations at this time. As a result there's speculation that it's all a marketing stunt, but no one really knows.

While fans spend their time trying to figure out what the deal is EA has been busy playing whack-a-mole with fan made Youtube videos containing alpha footage. Despite very fast takedowns by the EA legal team Battlefield fans have been creating mirrors of the videos almost as fast as EA can react. DICE Community Manager Daniel "Zh1nt0" Matros has been trying to deter testers from committing further NDA violations with the threat of loss of access to the alpha build if caught, but it doesn't appear to be having much of an impact.

Since gameplay footage captured from the Battlefield 3 alpha is considered unauthorized we're unable to post local copies, but be warned if you do go looking for any. There are reports of at least one Call of Duty fanboy that has been releasing screenshots of Battlefield 3 at the lowest possible graphics settings, one of which even shows in-game chat text which declares Battlefield 3 ugly.

Feel free to poke around the official DICE Battlefield 3 alpha test access portal to verify that you're not l33t enough to get in just yet. You can also scope out the alpha test FAQ, and system requirements at PlanetBattlefield. Are any of you guys in?

Topics: Gossip, Games, FPS
Related Games: Battlefield 3 (PC), Battlefield 3 (Limited Edition Physical Warfare Pack) (PC), Battlefield 3 (Limited Edition) (PC)

The Morning Juberish

12:01 AM - -

So, who's using Google +? To be honest, I don't even fully know what it is. A new Google social network I reckon. This shit is getting out of hand. I admit that I'm on Facebook all day. But I use it to follow games, because developers like to make all of their announcements on FB and Twitter. I don't use it as a social medium. As a general rule I don't like people. You, of course, are the exception to the rule!

So what was up with The Ohmwrecker posting Jersey Shore shit in the morning post yesterday? In his defense, he had heat stroke, but still... egads. Here's the latest teaser for Walking Dead. Gruesome alert!

Topics: In-House, In Other News...

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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

End of Nations Factions Videos

4:57 PM - -

4 Comments

Trion Worlds and Petroglyph have released a new gameplay video / developer diary for the upcoming MMORTS, End of Nations. The video goes over the different Factions fighting against the Order of Nations, as well as some of the available units in the game.

Topics: Games, Real-Time Strategy
Related Games: End of Nations (PC), End of Nations (Collector's Edition) (PC)

QuakeCon 2011 Event Schedule

4:11 PM - -

2 Comments

I posted the QuakeCon 2011 Official Tournaments the other day, and they've now got the schedule of presentations and panels ready. It's a tad long to dump on the frontpage, so you'll have to smack the Read More for your dose. Of note is the Carmack Keynote, the 20 Years of id Panel and the First-person Perspectives Panel. Prey 2 and Skyrim also have presentaions, so check it out if you plan on being in Dallas from August 4th to the 7th. (The pics below are from my trip to QuakeCOn 2005. The guys at id figured out how to make me stick around, and the other shot is my dinner with Splash Damage)

Topics: QuakeCon
Related Games: Prey 2 (PC), Prey 2 (Xbox 360), Prey 2 (PlayStation 3)

Star Wars: The Old Republic Rumoured Pre-order Opening This Week [Updated]

4:07 PM - -

25 Comments

Will Star Wars: The Old Republic begin pre-order this week? Here's the 411:

Speculation is running high on neogaf where fans of Star Wars: The Old Republic are guessing that SW: ToR will be released sooner rather than later. Putting some puzzle pieces together, they have determined that there will be a big announcement at San Diego Comic-Con; and Based on some imagery found, they believe that Star Wars: The Old Republic pre-order will be announced and subsequently opened this week.
Massively / G4 report that Polish retailer Empik.com released what appeared to be Star Wars: The Old Republic pre-order information and assets. The entry for the order was pulled from the page. Pre-order launch date was (possibly is) Thursday, July 21.

Nothing has been confirmed at this time, but according to the images below, the collector's edition will contain the following:

Exclusive Gentle Giant Darth Malgus statue
Star Wars: The Old Republic game discs in collectible metal case
The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural annotated by Satele Shan
Old Republic galaxy map
Custom Security Authentication Key (i.e. Authenticator)
Exclusive Music of Star Wars: The Old Republic CD
High-Quality Collector's Edition Box

The Collector's Edition will also include seven digital items:

Flare Gun: Fire flares into the air
Training Droid: Hovers at your side for combat assistance
HoloDancer: Project your own holographic dancer
HoloCam: Keep visual records of in-game adventures
STAP: Sleek and unique in-game vehicle
Exclusive Mouse Droid: Spun-ky droid to join your adventures
Exclusive Collector's Edition Store: Unique in-game vendor with a dynamic assortment of items

Update: Another image has been added showing a brief conversation with EA support, who also states that SW:ToR pre-order begins on July 21st.

Topics: Games, MMORPG
Related Games: Star Wars: The Old Republic (PC)

PROTOTYPE 2 Dated and Comic-Con Playable

3:38 PM - -

The launch timing for PROTOTYPE 2 has just been announced as April 2012 (you know, when we're all dead from thanks to the Aztecs or something!), and they've got a couple of surprises in the meantime as well. It looks like those lucky fraggers that make it to San Diego Comic-Con (July 21-24, 2011) will have a chance to get their claws on some PROTOTYPE 2 at the Activision booth. For the moment they should have some new media (CGI Trailer) posted through the PROTOTYPE 2 site and Facebook, but all I get is the 'Protothingy' where you get to build a creature or something. Sorry but I didn't have time to muck about, so you can scope it out yourself from the PROTOTYPE 2 site. Below I've got the full Press Release at ye old Read More and the last video they released, "The Power of the Tendrils". I'm going to try this game on the PC, and I didn't play the first one, so any advice in this area would be helpful, so chime on in!

"We know our fans have been clamoring to find out when they would be able to get their hands-on PROTOTYPE 2, and the whole studio is excited that we can finally reveal the timing," said Ken Rosman, Studio Head, Radical Entertainment. "We're also thrilled to be at the point where we can show the game directly to our fans. It's always rewarding to see those first time reactions to what we've been working on for the past couple years, and we can't wait for them to see some of Sgt. James Heller's amazing new shape-shifting abilities at San Diego Comic-Con."

Topics: Games, Action
Related Games: Prototype 2 (PC), Prototype 2 (Xbox 360), Prototype 2 (PlayStation 3)

Battlefield 3 Beta Reservation Emails Hitting Inboxes Now

12:26 PM - -

15 Comments

Thanks to our buddy Helstrom for sending over his Battlefield 3 beta reservation confirmation email. I've snapped a screenshot of the confirmation itself, which is of course tied to his purchase of the Medal of Honor Limited Edition. The Battlefield 3 multiplayer beta is scheduled to begin sometime this September.

Topics: Games, Gossip, FPS
Related Games: Battlefield 3 (PC), Battlefield 3 (Limited Edition Physical Warfare Pack) (PC), Battlefield 3 (Limited Edition) (PC), Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand (PC)

New Tropico 4 Screenshots

11:57 AM - -

Here we've got a new batch of screenshots from Tropico 4. The new images provide a closer look at Tropico 4’s interface, environments and graphics. In the upcoming city-builder / strategy game I will make my rise to power once again as the best damned El Presidente there ever was!

Topics: Games, Strategy
Related Games: Tropico 4 (PC), Tropico 4 (Xbox 360)

Ubisoft Launches Castle Empire Into Closed Beta

11:47 AM - -

2 Comments

Web games are all the rage lately, and Ubisoft gets in on the game with a new entry called Castle Empire, a free-to-play, browser-based, multiplayer strategy game, which is known as The Settlers Online in Europe. North American players can get early access to the game by hitting the official site and registering for closed beta. Those who sign up for closed beta will receive an exclusive in-game item.

“The game has had an excellent initial Beta phase in Europe, adding to Ubisoft’s growing list of top-notch free-to-play, browser-based games, and we’re excited to begin rolling it out to new territories,” said Chris Early, Vice President of Digital Publishing at Ubisoft North America. “Castle Empire is a highly entertaining game that highlights Ubisoft's strategy to bring enjoyable experiences to their players while expanding its gaming expertise.”
Developed by Ubisoft’s Blue Byte studio, Castle Empire will allow players to turn their simple plots of land into mighty empires by producing and trading valuable goods with friends, building towns and villages, journeying into the wild to discover new areas, and engaging in battles with anyone that stands in their way.

Topics: Games, Web Games
Related Games: Castle Empire (Web Games)

Catherine Gameplay Video

11:43 AM - -

Messed up shit as always.

Topics: Games, Consoles
Related Games: Catherine (PlayStation 3), Catherine (Xbox 360), Catherine (Love Is Over Edition) (PlayStation 3), Catherine (Love Is Over Edition) (Xbox 360)

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North "Fellowship" Trailer

11:39 AM - -

Topics: Games, RPG
Related Games: The Lord of the Rings: War in the North (PC), The Lord of the Rings: War in the North (Xbox 360), The Lord of the Rings: War in the North (PlayStation 3)

Cars 2 "Pixar Perfect" Video

11:32 AM - -

3 Comments

Topics: Games, Racing
Related Games: Cars 2 (PC), Cars 2 (Wii), Cars 2 (PlayStation 3), Cars 2 (Xbox 360), Cars 2 (Macintosh), Cars 2 (Nintendo DS), Cars 2 (TV game systems), Cars 2 (PlayStation Portable)

Sword 2: Revelations is Live

10:47 AM - -

GamersFirst has done it again, and by "done it" I mean they've gone live with another Free-to-Play, online MMORPG, Sword 2: Revelations. They're making some pretty loud noises about the game's new features, areas and more, so give it a peek and a poke at your liesure. I've included some base info, the game's trailer, and of course the full Press Release at the Read More. Anyone that plays the game, don't forget to post your thoughts here for others.

A leading publisher of Free2Play® massively multiplayer online games, GamersFirst (www.gamersfirst.com) today announced Sword 2: Revelations is now live and ripe for the Pioneers of Granado Espada to continue the never-ending struggle for power within the New World. Sword 2: Revelations introduces the world of Granado Espada to three brand new expanded skill systems, a new area for questing and exploration, a new unique playing character and pet to both drive the continually evolving story of Sword 2.
“One of the most exciting things about working on a living, breathing MMO like Sword 2 is that they are evolving and growing worlds,” says Myra Widodo, associate producer for GamersFirst. “We have taken great care in seeking the advice of our community, and as such, they have directly molded much of the new content and features, particularly the new skill systems within Revelations.”

Topics: Games, Free2Play

The Hard Part

10:11 AM - -

It's another short stack fellow geekoids, but there's some juicy nuggets in the bag today to be sure. Make sure to check out the Unreal Engine 3 news about the new Enlighten Integration and some of the other off-beat gems in the 'Other' section. Dig it!

Gaming

Graphics

Visiontek Radeon 6950 2GB @ PureOverclock

Cases

Motherboards & CPUs

ASRock H61iCafe @ PureOverclock

Cooling

Other

Topics: Hardware

Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition - Features Trailer

9:00 AM - -

Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition is coming August 24th to the PS3 and Xbox 360, so to get people ready to rumble, a new "Features Trailer" has been released. Check it out below.

Topics: Games, Fighting, Consoles
Related Games: Street Fighter III: Third Strike -- Online Edition (PlayStation 3), Street Fighter III: Third Strike -- Online Edition (Xbox 360)

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings 1.3 Update Released

8:56 AM - -

8 Comments

Just the other day, OhmWrecker posted about The Witcher 2 v1.3 patch, and today it's been released! You can get the full list of changes in OhmWrecker's post, and they are many. I've included the hottest ones included in the Press Release for you at the Read More, including the scoop on the free DLC, “A Sackful of Fluff” that's packed into the patch. That kind of thing just doesn't happen enough, does it?. (The screenshots below are not of the new content, they're for those new to the game)

CD Projekt RED has released the huge 1.3 Update for The Witcher 2, bringing with it the free “A Sackful of Fluff” DLC and a long list of improvements for the RPG of the Year candidate. The update includes a plethora of fan-requested improvements, including difficulty adjustments for the game’s Prologue, support for a variety of aspect ratios and a host of other gameplay tweaks and fixes. The Witcher 2 1.3 Update is available at thewitcher.com and directly through digital distributors like GOG.com, Steam, Direct2Drive and others.

Topics: Games, RPG, Patches
Related Games: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (PC), The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (Xbox 360), The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (PlayStation 3), The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (Collector's Edition) (PC)

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary - Grunt Funeral Skull Video

7:02 AM - -

3 Comments

Halo fans can check out the new Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary video that show off the “Grunt Funeral” Skull mode. "Once the skull has been activated, every grunt’s methane tank will explode like a plasma grenade when killed. Watch out for the grunt chain reaction!"

Topics: Games, FPS, Videos
Related Games: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (Xbox 360)

The Guild Season 5 Trailer

6:54 AM - -

I know we have some fans of The Guild and fans of the creator, writer and star of the show, Felicia Day. The Guild is a series of short webisodes which follows a World of Warcraft guild. A rather awkward group, and if you're an MMO player then you'll probably appreciate the show all the more. You can watch The Guild online here, and past seasons are also available on DVD. Check out the trailer for The Guild Season 5, which begins on July 26th.

Topics: TV

GoldenEye 007: Reloaded is Coming This Fall

6:24 AM - -

23 Comments

He's bad, he's Bond and he's coming back in the upcoming classic flashback, GoldenEye 007: Reloaded! That's right gang, the man who killed The Man with the Golden Gun is coming back to the scene in a reboot of the now classic Goldeneye. The game will be released this fall for the Xbox 360 and PS3, with extra attention being paid to the PS3 side and it's "Move" technology and with HD graphics all around. I've got the full Press Release at the Read more along with a basket of screenshots and the announcement trailer. How many of you played the original, and how many are up for the reboot?

The world’s most famous secret agent is back! Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today declassified the existence of GoldenEye 007: Reloaded, which will make its grand debut on the PlayStation ® 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® for the first time ever. Built on a brand new engine that delivers striking visuals, blistering fast gameplay and the ability to play using the PlayStation ® Move with Sharp Shooter peripheral, GoldenEye 007: Reloaded is the complete James Bond experience shooter-fans have been waiting for and will launch in stores later this fall.

Topics: Games, Action
Related Games: GoldenEye 007: Reloaded (Xbox 360), GoldenEye 007: Reloaded (PlayStation 3)

Forsaken World 'Chains of Kluer' Update

6:09 AM - -

It's time for another update to the Forsaken World MMORPG, and things are going to get messy as you face the mentally messed up Kluer who now stands in the way of your ultimate success. You can check out the new story details below, along with the features the new content will bring to the scene, and we've got the announcement video as well to give you a peek. The new content will hit the game this August.

"With this latest Forsaken World update, players will have to go against one of Eyrda's most celebrated fallen heroes, Kluer. Tragically wiped of his memory, humanity and almost forgotten, Kluer is a violent shadow of his former self," said Clifton Chu, Product Manager for Forsaken World. "It will now be up to players to take down Kluer in one of the most heart wrenching stories that gives the game its name, Forsaken World, and as heroes, right the wrongs of Eyrda."
The Forsaken World 'Chains of Kluer' content update will include the following features:
Fight the legendary Kluer - Players level 70 and up can now battle against the legendary ogre, Kluer, in the new Forgotten Prison dungeon that resides beneath Freedom Harbor
Ever-changing world - New events including the revamped Eternal Faith, a Hunting Festival, and an advance pet catching dungeon
Build up your guild base - Guilds can now unlock level 3 for their guild bases, which includes higher construction buildings and lower maintenance costs
Train up - The character level cap is now raised from 70 to 80 and players can now master even more jobs as they train themselves to be the best fighter
A pet's journey - Free up your play time by having your pet help you do your daily quests and events
Faster kills with mounted combat - Take the fight to the next level with mounted combat as death comes swifter than ever in Eyrda

Topics: Games, MMORPG
Related Games: Forsaken World (PC)

Homefront DLC: "The Rock" Coming Soon

5:52 AM - -

I've heard a lot of mixed reviews and opinions of Homefront, but there's got to be quite a few out there still playing it because according to the latest Homefront news, they're getting ready to unleash another DLC, "The Rock". Listed as "coming soon", the new multiplayer DLC maps will first hit Xbox LIVE, then go to the PS3 and PC. Check out the news below for details

Fall in soldier! Command has issued orders to capture two all new Homefront® Multiplayer maps - Alcatraz and Bridge, as well as new areas to dominate the enemy in Team Deathmatch. We’re going to take back San Francisco, one piece at a time:
Alcatraz - America’s most infamous prison becomes the site of fierce close-quarters fighting.
Bridge – A combined arms effort to secure the North Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge and surrounding area, large-scale warfare at its best!
Waterway – Wage war atop storefronts and in the streets of the Spillway, where every inch feels like a mile.
Overpass – Battle in a fan-favorite Ground Control space for the first time in Team Deathmatch!
This Homefront DLC offering will be available first for download on Xbox Live for the suggested price of 400 Microsoft Points, carrying you further into a war-torn occupied America. Ready the troops, “THE ROCK” is coming soon!

Topics: Games, Action, DLC
Related Games: Homefront (PC), Homefront (PlayStation 3), Homefront (Xbox 360)

EA's Fastest Growing Platform Is The iPad, Console Share Shrinks

1:41 AM - -

13 Comments

EA CEO John Riccitiello and IndustryGamers.com got together to partake in a little chit-chat relating to the direction the games industry is going at the moment. It just so happens that not only has the console platform's share of the games market shrunk from 80% in the year 2000 to 40% today, but mobile platforms such as the iPad are the fastest growing today. This is despite the fact that just a year and a half ago the iPad didn't exist! Here's a complimentary sample from the article, next one's gonna cost ya:

"I would argue that one of the least interesting things about the games industry was that every 5 years you’d see a new console or platform from everybody at about the same time with about the same or similar upgrades or services. You’d sort of harvest it and then it’d cycle back. We got used to it. It’s what seemed normal. But it’s not a particularly smart way to run an industry... bulges in technology investment followed by harvest. And let’s be realistic. Consoles used to be 80% of the industry as recently as 2000. Consoles today are 40% of the game industry, so what do we really have?
"We have a new hardware platform and we’re putting out software every 90 days. Our fastest growing platform is the iPad right now and that didn’t exist 18 months ago. So the idea that we’re categorizing the industry as being [cyclical]... Nintendo is off cycle with what? I mean, the point of reference is gone. And so Nintendo is bringing out a new platform that brings together some of what we’re learning from new media and new platforms like the iPad and then integrating that with a console. It’s the perfect time for that in the industry,"

First Carmack, now Riccitiello. Maybe ten years down the road we'll actually be using our mobile pads and phones as our consoles. Just sync up some wireless video to the TV, wireless controller / mouse / keyboard to the phone, then game on.

Topics: Industry News, Games, Hardware

Call of Juarez: The Cartel Launch Trailer Celebrates New Wild West

1:22 AM - -

2 Comments

As mentioned by the Jubinator yesterday, Call of Juarez: The Cartel is now available. To get things poppin' (on top of the screenshots already posted) Ubisoft sent over news of a fancy new launch trailer too. I reckon it'd be a good idea to check it out if you're on the fence.

Topics: Games, Action
Related Games: Call of Juarez: The Cartel (PlayStation 3), Call of Juarez: The Cartel (Xbox 360), Call of Juarez: The Cartel (PC)

Total Biscuit Explores Bastion, Interviews Supergiant Games

1:10 AM - -