| Double XP Gears of War 2 Weekend Coming |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 6:14 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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Gamespy:In order to kick this Independence Day off Gears of War-style, Epic Games' Rod Fergusson has informed Gears of War 2 players via the game's official forums that a double XP weekend will begin Friday July 3rd.
Running through until Monday July 6th, players will be able to grab Title Update 4 before the proceedings start which adds in multiplayer experience to the Horde mode. Watch out for a massive increase in those exploding Tickers too
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| Blizzard Files Three Trademarks Around 'Cataclysm' |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 6:09 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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Gamespy:Around 12 hours ago the Internet exploded with breaking news stating that Blizzard Entertainment had quietly filed three new game-related trademarks last Friday. All three pertain to the name "Cataclysm" and while speculation is currently off-the-charts, we do know that they broadly cover computer game software, online gaming and paper products.
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| If a Pirated Song = $80K, What is the Value of a Pirated Game? |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 6:04 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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GamePolitics.com:In a recent, highly-publicized court decision, music industry lobbying group the RIAA won an eye-popping $1.92 million verdict against Jammie Thomas-Rasset (left) of Minnesota. That works out to $80,000 per song for each of the 24 tunes that the 32-year-old mother of four was accused of sharing.
How might such a case work out for someone accused of file-sharing video games?
Not well, according to gamer/attorney Mark Methenitis. In his Law of the Game column on Joystiq
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| Everyone Will Burn: Dante's Interview |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 6:00 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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Jonathan Knight, Executive Producer at Visceral Games, is a cut above. Such glittering credits as Lead Producer on The Sims 2 and Senior Producer for all six versions of The Simpsons Game make up only the iceberg's tip of a career which encompasses fine art, academia and theatre. When we meet the guy to chat about Dante's Inferno, EA's stupendously over-the-top attempt to transform a medieval Christian poem into a modern-day action game, it's all Kikizo can do not to bow.
We haven't been quite so complimentary about the title in question, numbering it among our six games that won't be worth the hype in April, but the sight of Visceral's demo churning out a crisp 60 frames per second of apocalyptic eye candy is hard to sniff at. Read on for Knight's thoughts on the Seven Deadly Sins, why gameplay ranks above graphics, killing Death, and how one goes about constructing a virtual Hell.
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| Microsoft's Kim: Metal Gear Solid For Xbox 360 Shows 'Level Playing Field' For Third |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:55 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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Microsoft VP Shane Kim has told Gamasutra that the company has "effectively" reached a "level third-party playing field" for exclusive titles with the announcement of Metal Gear Solid Rising for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.
Xbox veteran Kim was talking as part of an in-depth new Gamasutra interview conducted at the recent E3 Expo in Los Angeles. When asked about how vital exclusive games and content were to any console's success, Kim commented:
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| Analysis: Getting Roguish In Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:52 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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GamaSutra:The greatest challenge in writing a column on the relationship between video games and culture is being familiar with the cultural norms and practices of communities from around the world, and then being able to draw on this information at will.
Within my own sphere of cultural knowledge, I'm personally well acquainted with Australian and Chinese culture, less so the rest of the world. Given my familiarity on the topic, it's only fitting that I take a squiz at a game that features an Aussie bloke.
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| Interview: The Return Of... StarForce? |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:49 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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GamaSutra:If you’ve heard of StarForce before, odds are it wasn’t in favorable circumstances. The Russian anti-piracy software company found itself in the spotlight early in 2006 when several websites and PC users criticized StarForce’s copy-protection measures, even stating that the software damaged computers.
StarForce’s response was a public-relations train wreck: the company threatened to sue one website, and a StarForce representative, hoping to show the importance of copy-protection, later posted links to pirate sites offering downloads of Galactic Civilizations 2. The backlash against StarForce was unflattering, to put it delicately.
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| Analysis: The U.S. Game Industry - How Bad Is It? |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:46 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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GamaSutra:In this article, we'll show how the U.S. game industry's current peak was between January and February of this year, but for the moment, let's get some perspective on the industry's slump.
Here are three reasons that could have contributed to the startlingly lower year-on-year sales -- 23%, to be specific -- in May 2009, irrespective of the current economic conditions.
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| Midway sale approved, 10 days until completion |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:41 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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GI.biz:The sale of Midway Games to Warner Bros. has been approved by a court in the US, with the deal expected to be completed within ten days.
Warner had put in a USD 33 million offer for the ailing publisher, and emerged as the only bidder for the company and a majority of its assets.
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| Four million play Mafia Wars daily |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:38 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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GI.biz:Zynga's online title Mafia Wars is being played by over four million users every day, claims the company.
The game is playable over Facebook, Tagged, Yahoo and Myspace, and has most recently been ported to the iPhone as a free App.
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| Microsoft sued over Xbox Live |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:35 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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GI.biz:A court case in which Microsoft is accused of patent infringement with its Xbox Live service may soon reach a conclusion. Reports predict the hardware manufacturer could be on the verge of following suit with Sony - sued by the same people over its PSN service - and settling out of court.
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| Consoles could soon become niche products - Playfish |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:33 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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GI.biz:The current generation of games consoles could struggle to deliver the types of game experiences the majority of gamers want and end up as niche products within a couple of years, according to Playfish chief executive Kristian Segerstrale.
As the demand for social games distributed via Facebook and other social networking sites grows, he predicts that incompatible, prohibitively expensive games consoles could fail to compete with the more accessible and connected experiences online services can deliver.
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| Livingstone: It's all or nothing for new releases in 2009 |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:30 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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Industry veteran Ian Livingstone has warned that 2009 will be an all or nothing year for publishers, as new releases either climb high in the charts or completely sink at retail.
Speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz, the life president of Eidos said that publishers are pumping more money into developing and marketing bankable franchises, leaving smaller titles choked on store shelves.
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| PS3 Slim manufacturing contracts signed - report |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:26 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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GI.biz:Taiwanese website UDN is reporting that Sony has signed production contracts to begin manufacturing a new model 'PS3 Slim'.
Companies Foxconn and Pegatron are working towards delivery of the remodelled system for July, says the report, translated by Engadget.
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| Sega sees "land grab" opportunity with new motion controllers |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:24 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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GI.biz:Sega has said that there's a real opportunity for the publisher to make a "land grab" in the newly emerging motion controller space, ahead of rival companies.
According to European development MD Gary Dunn, the company already has extensive gestural gaming experience through its success on Nintendo's Wii, which can quickly be built upon for new products for Sony's PlayStation 3 wand and Microsoft's Project Natal.
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| Sega: It's not game over for mature Wii titles |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:20 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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Sega's recent targeting of a mature audience on the Nintendo Wii has been successful in the long-term, with the publisher telling GamesIndustry.biz it has more budget for similar adult content on the format.
Although The House of the Dead: Overkill didn't set the charts on fire on initial release, the company said that sales at a lower price point have made the game profitable, and the company is still willing to experiment with product despite the Wii being seen as the home of sugar-sweet games.
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| Numbers of female gamers are on the rise |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:18 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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GI.biz:The number of females playing console games rose five per cent in 2009 - a rise which is partly attributed to the popularity of the Wii.
The five per cent rise was recorded in a report by The NPD Group, which shows an increase in female console players from 23 per cent reported in 2008 to 28 per cent in 2009.
The rise coincides with a 19 per cent rise in the usage of Wii, suggesting many of these new female console gamers are playing the Nintendo console.
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| Companies pledge more openness about Web tracking |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:13 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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Yahoo!Tech/AP:Companies that track consumer behavior online for advertising purposes are vowing to make their practices more transparent and to give people a way to decline being shadowed.
It's unclear how much of an effect the new policies will have. One consumer group said the changes don't go far enough, and that extensive profiles of people still will be collected without their complete consent.
The new guidelines, which were due to be unveiled Thursday, represent the industry's attempt at self-regulation as Congress and the Federal Trade Commission have been examining online behavioral advertising.
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| Sears Tower unveils 103rd floor glass balconies |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:10 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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Yahoo!Travel/AP:Visitors to the Sears Tower's new glass balconies all seem to agree: The first step is the hardest.
The balconies are suspended 1,353 feet in the air and jut out four feet from the building's 103rd floor Skydeck. Their transparent walls, floor and ceiling leave visitors with the impression they're floating over the city.
"It's like walking on ice," said Margaret Kemp, of Bishop, Calif., who said her heart was still pounding even after stepping away from the balcony. "That first step you take — 'am I going down?'"
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| The CW's Promo of 'Vampire Diaries': Love Sucks |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:06 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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ACESHOWBIZ:A new promo of "The Vampire Diaries" is released by The CW, titled "Love Sucks". Containing metaphorical terms related to vampires, the clip is narrated by the main character, Elena, describing what 'love' means to her. Two male hands, which may as well be Damon and Stefan's, help to provide the tone of 'safe', 'hurts' and 'out of control'.
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| A Second Trailer for 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:02 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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ACESHOWBIZ:Another trailer of "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" has been uncovered. Posted at MySpace, the new promo video is narrated by pivotal character Flint Lockwood himself. Explaining that he is an aspiring inventor, Flint chronicles on how he finally comes up with the machine that makes food falling from the skies, and how his invention turns to be a disaster.
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| The Game, Potential B.A. Depicter in 'The A-Team' |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 4:59 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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ACESHOWBIZ:Casting is underway for the big screen adaptation of '80s TV series "The A-Team", and The Game's name has been thrown as one of the potential cast members. According to Black Film, the 29-year-old rapper who has received two Grammy nominations is among the leading candidates to take on the role of B.A. Baracus.
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| 'Resident Evil 4' Supposedly Arrives Late 2010 |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 4:56 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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ACESHOWBIZ:A year after director/scribe Paul W. S. Anderson said he is working on fourth "Resident Evil" movie, reports on possible release date are coming in for the fourth installment of the video game adaptation series. Shock Till You Drop (STYD) recently broke out that the studio eyes to release the movie in U.S. theaters by September 17, 2010.
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| Jessica Biel Reportedly In Talks to Join 'Thor' |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 4:50 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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ACESHOWBIZ:Jessica Biel could star in "Thor". Nuke the Fridge reported that their sources have claimed the actress is in talks to join the cast of Marvel's upcoming superhero film. It was also mentioned that Biel could be recruited to portray Thor's love interest.
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| 'Planet 51' Unleashes a Full Trailer |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 4:46 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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ACESHOWBIZ:A full length trailer of sci-fi animation "Planet 51" has been debuted via Yahoo! Movies. Presenting another take at the movie that offers a complete spin on the normal sci-fi tale, the two-minute promo video provides a look at the troubles Captain Charles "Chuck" Baker faces when he lands on Planet 51.
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| Bill Nighy Confirms Involvement in 'Deathly Hallows' |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 4:44 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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ACESHOWBIZ:Bill Nighy has been cast in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". According to a report in The Independent, the 59-year-old actor has recently spoken up about him joining the production of the adaptation of the last "Harry Potter" series. "I don't think I'm allowed to say it but I'm going to be in the next Harry Potter film," he said as quoted by the trades.
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| Nick Fury Won't Perform Action in 'Iron Man 2' |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 4:37 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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ACESHOWBIZ:Fans will not see Nick Fury in action when "Iron Man 2" hits the theaters. Met during an event commemorating the 20th anniversary of Spike Lee's film "Do The Right Thing", Samuel L. Jackson, who has portrayed the S.H.I.E.L.D. chief in "Iron Man", told MTV News that Fury won't be seen kicking ass in the sequel.
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| Ramon Rodriguez May Have Bigger Role in 'Transformers 3' |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 4:34 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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ACESHOWBIZ:Ramon Rodriguez has just joined the "Transformers" franchise in the second movie "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen", but he has made quite an impression to director Michael Bay. Speaking to Los Angeles Times few weeks before the sequel was released, Michael hinted that there could be a 'meatier' role for the new cast member should "Transformers 3" will be made.
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| 'Alvin and the Chipmunks 2' Welcomes New Teaser Trailer |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 4:31 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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ACESHOWBIZ:Another teaser trailer for "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel" has been put forth. Thirty seconds longer than the previous teaser, the brand new sneak peek comes from MTV and presents for the first time a look at the female counterparts of the harmony singing brothers, the Chipettes which consists of Eleanor, Brittany, and Jeanette.
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| 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' Debuts Extended Clip |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 4:26 PM - by Truth Seeker IV
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ACESHOWBIZ:An extended clip from "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" has been unleashed in anticipation of the adventure fantasy's theatrical release which is around two weeks away. Clocking in at 2:17, the snippet is put out via iTunes and opens with an introduction from the "Harry Potter" trio, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.
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