Advertisements  Via our send us news page comes word of a massively multiplayer online browser game (MMOBG) called Pardus, which is free to play with no downloads necessary, all you need is a web browser:Located in a technologically well evolved but war-torn universe you play an adventurer who travels around in his spaceship and tries to make money and obtain power - as do many others. By Rob
 Slashdot links to a deathmatch first-person shooter called Nexuiz that has just been released under a GNU General Public License (GPL). The game was developed on an advanced version of the Quake 1 gaming engine, and the screenshots look pretty good: It is a 3d deathmatch game made entirely over the internet. The purpose of the game is to bring deathmatch back to the basics, with perfect weapon balancing and fast paced action, keeping itself away from the current trend of realistic shooters. It uses HFX textures by Evil Lair, and currently has 17 maps to frag in. With an advanced UI, the user can select between 15 different player models to use, with an average of two skins for each, and can connect to our master server to play people from all over the world. 200mb of hard drive space High Quality - Realtime lights and shadows on, bloom on, high detailed maps, 1024x768 or higher res - A 1.5-gigahertz Intel Pentium 4 chip or AMD Athlon 1500 - 9600ati or 5700fx - 256 mb of ram Low Quality - no realtime lights, no bloom - 800mhz - Geforce Video card min - 256 mb of ram Discussion >> By Rob
Idlethumbs.net has come across a curious article on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcast News, in which it reports on America's new "social scourge", video game addiction. It paints the grimmest picture of gaming possible, even referring to the PS3 and Xbox 360 as "new generation weapons": A neglected baby cries alone. Crazed by lack of sleep, a young boy threatens suicide. A marriage crumbles over a lone obsession. By Rob
 Earlier, Apple posted a downloadable countdown widget for Mac user who are anticipating the release of the Xbox 360. The release date is of course only an estimation based around the Mountain Dew Every 10 Min Giveaway. If the date changes, Apple will release a version 2 of the widget to coincide with the new release.Major Nelson is reporting on a Windows version of the countdown widgtet reportedly compiled by someone in Visual Basic. You can get more details of the windows widget here. Related: MS: £400 Xbox 360 Just Speculation J Allard: Xbox 360 in the neighbourhood of $300 Xbox 360 over 600 dollars? Xbox 360 Accessories Images Say hello to Grandpa's Xbox Discussion >> By Gary
A new restaurant is planned by Nolan K. Bushnell, creator of the Pong video game and Chuck E. Cheese chain of restaurants, which will attempt to mix gaming with eating out. Diners at the restaurant will be presented with touch-screen monitors at every table and barstool, allowing them to play seventy different types of video and trivia games as they eat: Video games today "are about social isolation," Mr. Bushnell said. "There needs to be a place that brings a little more balance and brings people together." Discussion >> By Rob
 Extreme Tech has a nice summary of the features expected in ATI's upcoming multi-GPU technology, Crossfire. They discuss the technology in both the hardware and software aspects of the setup.This brings up another interesting point. ATI claims greater flexibility for the CrossFire solution. In other words, you don't need to buy a pair of identical cards for CrossFire motherboards, unlike Nvidia's SLI technology. So if you already have a PCI Express X800 XL, then you can get either an X850 CrossFire Edition board or X800 CrossFire edition board. However, if the boards aren't identical in performance, the faster board will be throttled back dynamically in order to maintain synchronization. ATI's Crossfire gunning to oust Nvidia's SLI Discussion >> By Gary
 As the release Call of Duty 2 is upon us, it is interesting to look back at the recent history of Infinity Ward, since release of the original COD in 2003. The game since then has received numerous Game of the Year awards, praised by critics and cherished by fans as one of the most realistic and engrossing WW2 shooters to hit the PC in years.Gamespy has a very interesting writeup in which they summarize COD's success, its expansions and the anticipation that is building for the long awaited sequel, that will be using an entirely revamped graphics engine. So what do you do for an encore? For Infinity Ward, it was back to WWII, but not just for a rehash of the original game. After getting a first look at the game a few weeks ago, the company offered a sneak peek at two more very different levels in the chaos surrounding this year's E3. From the looks of things, it appears Call of Duty 2 may not only live up to its predecessor, but potentially eclipse it. Call of Duty 3 Planned CallofDuty.com Call of Duty 2: Big Red One Preview Call of Duty 2 - Lead Designer Q&A Discussion >> By Gary
 New legislation passed in the State of Illinois stipulates that clerks who knowingly sell adult video games to minors could be fined $1,000. The bill was proposed last year by Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich after hearing about the video game "JFK Reloaded," which puts the player in the role of President Kennedy's assassin.In today's world, parents face unprecedented challenges in monitoring and protecting their children from harmful influences. This bill will make their job easier, said Blagojevich, praising the new bill.The legislation leaves it to stores to determine which games are too violent or sexually explicit for minors, and retailers have argued it turns them into violence and sensitivity police. U.S Game Bans Come Closer to Reality The Educational Aspect of Computer Games Discussion >> By Gary
 U.K Resistance.co.uk shines a spotlight on Play.com's half-hearted Xbox 360 pre-ordering campaign; first it was the posting up of a ridiculous price and a release date that Microsoft itself dismissed as speculation, but now they've taken to creating their own designs for the game boxes, which consist of a random screenshot from the game with an Xbox 360 logo pasted onto it:We'd just like to say a quick and extremely sarcastic "Well done!" to whoever made these pretend game boxes for play.com's ludicrous Xbox 360 pre-ordering campaign. It's almost like seeing the actual shop shelves come November. Related: MS: £400 Xbox 360 Just Speculation J Allard: Xbox 360 in the neighbourhood of $300 Discussion >> By Rob
 The pack-shot and two new Game-watermarked screenshots of Perfect Dark Zero for the Xbox 360 have cropped up on Rare-Extreme.com:Oh my face its two PDZ single player screens! via Computerandvideogames.com Related: Official Xbox.com site for Perfect Dark Zero Discussion >> By Rob
 Some reports have been coming out that Sony wishes to offer a cheaper non-value pack of their Playstation Portable. The initial price for the launch was 250 USD which did not see the PSP sell out within days of its launch. However, the new price is a lot more digestible and all it means is you have to do without a case (boo-hoo) and the Spider-Man 2 movie on UMD (that's a downside?)At $199, consumers could see a stand-alone PSP unit for sale, similar to the one offered in Japan at launch. The stand alone PSP includes only the hardware, battery pack, and charger, leaving out cases, headphones, and memory. PSP's UMD on the offensive Make Your Own PSP Docking Station Tons of Movies Coming to PSP PSP Hacks and Mods List PSPMag Discussion >> By Gary
 The sheer amount of detail Bethesda are pouring into Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is impressive, as explained in a new first impressions on Shacknews:For starters, over 9,000 objects are being created for use in the game. There are 400 books to read. Every character will have spoken dialogue, amounting to over 50 hours of speech. All the characters will be lip synced with the dialogue. The world is comprised of sixteen square miles of land to explore, half of which is dynamically generated forests which are populated with various forms of wild and plant life. Related: Bethesda Softworks The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Screenshot gallery Official Oblivion Trailer The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion E3 Interview/Screens (17 May) Discussion >> By Rob
 Early reports coming in suggest that Tomb Raider: Legend may be making its way to the Xbox 360. Lara Croft's new adventure was showcased behind closed doors at E3 and boasted a higher polygon count than her previous titles. The latest edition of ECG magazine suggest, TRL may very well debut on Microsoft's Xbox 360 having been moved from the 'heavily rumoured' category by EGM to 'in the works'. Lara Croft (hereafter referred to in this article as Still Game) is now under the care of acclaimed Soul Reaver developers Crystal Dynamics and bared all at this year's E3 Expo in Los Angeles, albeit behind closed doors. Still Game showcased a higher polygon count, sported new moves and endorsed Eidos' claims of restoring the original properties of Lara Croft as ardent Tomb Raider - procurer of all things ancient - much to the delight of fans of the series. Tomb Raider: Legend Trailer Official website Discussion >> By Gary
 4 new screens of Quake 4 have surfaced and are making the rounds today. Gamershell have them posted up on their site. Ok, it's not exactly much to go on but at least Quake 4 has been steadily dropping little fixes to keep us occupied until the release, unlike some games that spring to mind.Check out the 4 new screenshots Related: Quake IV scheduled for Christmas launch? Raven Software id Software Will Quake 4 Run On Your Machine? A Look Into The Design Of Quake IV Quake 4: Storyline Details Emerge Quake IV multiplayer for QuakeCon in August Discussion >> By Gary
Brandon Erickson started playing Star Wars Arcade at 8 AM on May 16th and didn't stop until 2.10 PM on the 18th, raising $800 for the Portland Schools Foundation. Using a single quarter, he broke the previous 1984 record of 49 and 1/2 hours for the game, though he ran into problems 35 hours in when the controls started to malfunction: 35 hours after he started playing, however, the machine's controls started malfunctioning, forcing Erickson to quickly adaptor his playing style or kiss his record goodbye. Despite his fear of imminent doom, Erickson managed to survive for another 20 hours. By Rob
 Square Enix have updated the teaser website for the Final Fantasy VII spin-off Dirge of Cerberus, which is described as a gun-action RPG and centers around the Vincent Valentine character.The new look website is now completely made in Flash and includes the information that another character from the original Final Fantasy VII, Cait Sith, will make an appearance in the game. Dirge of Cerberus is due for release on the fourteenth of November for the Playstation 2. Dirge of Cerberus | Final Fantasy VII Related: Gamespot E3 Preview: Dirge of Cerberus Dirge of Cerberus screenshots Discussion >> By Rob
 Having been announced Gold, details of the Battlefield 2 demo have made their way to an EA Australia messageboard. The post claims that the demo will be available in little over a week and will feature One map, 16-player single player, 16 and 32-player multiplayer with a time limit per round.Although final dates for the Battlefield 2 demo have not been locked down we understand we will be allowed to make it available in little over a week. Battlefield 2 Gold, on course for June 21st release Battlefield 2 Q&A with EA's Ben Smith Rumour: Battlefield 2 Demo in mid-June Battlefield 2: Modern Combat Announced For PSP Battlefield 2: Preview Battlefield: Modern Combat Details Emerge Battlefield 2 engine demonstration Official website Discussion >> By Gary
More often than not, media coverage of computer games has been biased, blaming many educational shortcomings of children on the negative influences of gaming. So I was somewhat surprised when I hit upon The Guardian's article Playtime in the classroom that deals with the beneficial effects of computer gaming. In the UK, media attention has focused more on Johnson's observations that modern computer games require concentration, forward planning, lateral thinking and sustained problem solving - and, as such, offer a "cognitive workout" that can benefit overall mental development. [...] "Civilisation is a good example; it teaches about material and geographical contingency in the progression of history. Nintendo's Animal Crossing is another - my five-year-old learned almost everything he ever needs to know about long-term debt by figuring out how to pay off his home mortgage in the game." This didn't make parental supervision redundant, of course, but over time games might evolve into yet another tool teachers could use in classes.Related info: Guardian Unlimited Discussion >> By Chris
 Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi has once again put the boot into Microsoft as the next-generation console war rumbles to life.In an article in the Friday edition of Japanese newspaper Asahi Shinbun, Kutaragi stated "Microsoft is trailing behind us and is not a threat", before going on to dismiss a brief period last Christmas when the Xbox sold more units than the Playstation 2 by saying "beating us for a short moment is like accidentally winning a point from a karate master and Microsoft is still not a black belt". He then went on to compare the Microsoft's achievements in the console arena to their operating systems: "Just like with their operating systems, they might come out with something good around the third generation of their release". Microsoft's Robbie Bach was also interviewed for the article, and shot back that the Xbox 360 would lead the market of next-gen consoles, saying that some features of the PS3 such as the ability to use seven controllers and connect to two high-def TV's would be difficult to imagine owners having any use for. Partial translation of Asahi Shinbun article on Gamespot Related: Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo attack one another Next-gen bigwigs trade blows Sony Boss Slams Microsoft Xbox 360 = Xbox 1.5? Kutaragi trashtalkin’! (25 May) Discussion >> By Rob
 After the Xbox 360 appeared on Play.com with a very specific launch date of 29 November and a huge pre-order price of £399 sterling (€529, $725), Eurogamer contacted Microsoft itself for the official word, who dismissed Play's information as speculation:The stories currently running on some retail sites regarding Xbox 360 launch price, launch timings and launch line up are pure speculation," said a representative. "We have not yet announced any specific launch details. J Allard: Xbox 360 in the neighbourhood of $300 Xbox 360 over 600 dollars? Xbox 360 Accessories Images Say hello to Grandpa's Xbox Discussion >> By Rob
 The official website for Jaws Unleashed has been launched by Majesco. The Xbox, PC and PS2 game based on the classic Spielberg movie is expected for release in August, and the website gives us a screenshot gallery, news, the list of features and a pre-order option. The storyline takes place in the same location (Amity Island) as the Jaws movie and players take the role of the shark, striking terror into the community as marine biologist Michael Brody, son of Martin from the original movies, gives chase: Amity Island is growing, making corporate connections with prestigious companies like Environplus to improve the Island’s economy. Unfortunately the increased population around the Island and recent industrial activity has also attracted YOU--one of Earth’s most fearsome creatures--a Great White Shark. When the Environplus CEO’s son falls prey to your deadly attacks, the CEO hires renowned shark hunter Cruz Ruddock to track and kill you. Meanwhile, Marine Biologist Michael Brody tries to capture you for research. Can Ruddock and Brody stop you from causing havoc and killing more people before the 4th of July celebration? Related: Majesco Entertainment: Jaws Unleashed Gamespot: Jaws Unleashed E3 2005 Hand-on Discussion >> By Rob
 A game launched by the U.N has reached an impressive one million players in six weeks, according to a press release sent out by the organisation.Food Force is an educational game aimed at kids, the object of which is to try to race against time to feed thousands of people on a fictitious island alongside a team of emergency workers: They pilot helicopters while looking out for hungry people, negotiate with armed rebels blocking a food convoy, and use food aid to help rebuild communities. Along the way, they learn about the real world where over 800 million people are plagued by hunger each day. Related: Download Food Force for the PC and Mac BBC: UN video game makes hunger point Water Cooler Games: "Finally! An educational game that rocks!" Discussion >> By Rob
 Medal of Honour: European Assault has already been announced Gold and is shipping to coincide with D-Day, June 6th. If you still cannot wait and need something to tide you over until then, gamespy has an interesting write up in which they examine all the different weapons expected to be in European Assault. From the Sten Submachine Gun to the Model 12 Trenchgun, weapons are examined and also tactical gameplay and how you can snatch the enemies weapons if you come across an unguarded corpse.Like any good first-person shooter, Medal of Honor European Assault has guns. Lots of them. As you run through the game, you'll get weapons from your fellow OSS squadmates, find them scattered on the ground, and even pry them from the cold, dead hands of your enemies. There are a variety of weapon types, too, including pistols, machine guns, grenades, and even a few kinds of rocket launchers. Medal of Honor: European Assault turns Golden Discussion >> By Gary
 As Capcom yesterday celebrated their 50th anniversary party, held in Yokohama prefecture, Capcom officially made its way into the Guinness Book of World Records. Namco's ultra classic coin-op Pac-Man has been listed as the "most successful coin operated game" in history.There is no question that Pac-Man was a revolution in computer gaming. It not only showed what could be done with very little processing power to the world, but it also brought computer technology to the attention of many young people Selling 293,822 units of the arcade machine during the seven-year period from 1980 to 1987, when the arcade game was still being manufactured by Namco. David Hawksett, science and technology editor at Guinness World Records, Namco's 50th to present the official Guinness plaque to Namco founder Masaya Nakamura and the man who created the little Yellow hero, Toru Iwatani.I'm extremely honored," commented Nakamura. "I'm used to being called the 'Father of Pac-Man,' and he's like a son to me. He's smart, he's courageous, and he's tough enough that there's an M&A term called 'Pac-Man Defense' named after him. I hope that Namco will continue growing strong like Pac-Man for its next 50 years. Pac Man's 25th Birthday, And We Salute Him Discussion >> By Gary
 More next-gen console speculation. Latest rumour making the rounds is that an in-built harddrive for the PS3 is not a given, after Sony's chief technology officer Masayuki Chatani made unfavorable remarks over a HDD's inclusion in the initial launch package expected in spring 2006.Chatana is reported to have told Famitsu that nothing had been finalized on this front and that gamers, as far as he was concerned expected the option of upgrading the storage capacity of the Playstation 3 HDD. Does this suggest that some form of disk drive might be omitted from the basic system? Possibly. It is believed that a laptop size HDD may be made available as a detachable extra for the PS3, and that it will hook up to a port on the base of the new unit. Even more Ps3 images, plus video Sony CEO Slams "XBox 1.5" Microsoft talks up Xbox, says fuss about PlayStation 3 is 'a moment in time' Q&A with Sony's Kaz Hirai on the PS3, online gaming and the competition PS3 May Launch Outside Japan First? Under $500 Pricetag on PlayStation 3? Technical demos illustrate PlayStation 3's power Discussion >> By Gary
 Worth1000.com recently held a photoshop contest in which contestants had to merge modern technology with vintage machinery. From transistor radio hybrid Ipods through to pulse dial faced mobile phones, every avenue of the creative mind was explored. The winner of the competition was "Grandpa's Xbox" (featured above). As the song goes ' everything old is new again 'An advanced photoshop contest was held on www.worth1000.com recently where the requirements for entrants was to create a composite image which merges images of modern day technology with vintage machinery. From transistor radio hybrid Ipods through to pulse dial faced mobile phones, the entries pushed the envelope in every sense. The winner was the Grandpa XBOX come retro radio which was seemlessly composited and totally believable. The artists described as photoshopping mad scientist, the work described as modern art masterpieces. Pimp my Xbox, 24crt Gold style Discussion >> By Gary
 Twisted Monkey caught up with Capcom's Joe Willis to discuss the development of Final Fight. The revamped version of the classic arcade brawler titled Final Fight: Streetwise and is being developed for the PS2 and Xbox.Fans of the arcade Final Fight (that's me) will be happy to know that some of the original characters are being kept. Hopefully they will bring Haggar, Cody and Guy back for a reunion. TM] What are some things that players will see in the new Metro City that will remind them of the original Final Fights? Capcom announce Classics Collection Discussion >> By Gary
 5 new screenshots of Far Cry Instincts have been added over at gamespot. The Long-delayed console version of Crytek's next-gen PC shooter is set for an Autumn release. Check out the new screens here Related: Ubisoft Release Far Cry Instincts Movie Far Cry Goes 64-Bit, Will You? USE YOUR INSTINCTS: NEW FAR CRY SCREENS Far Cry 64 Bit benchmarks and 32 bit comparison Discussion >> By Gary
 More and more entertainment companies seem to be recognizing the potential of producing movies for Sony's Playstation Portable. Two more companies have signed up to produce UMD titles, Eagle Rock and Geneon announced that U.S. PSP owners can look forward to a selection of music and anime titles.Eagle Rock Entertainment are expected to release a range of music videos for Sony's portable, including Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, Nirvana's Nevermind, Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland, Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast, Marilyn Manson's Guns, God and Government and Metallica's self-titled album. On the flip side of that coin, rap fans can also look forward to Busta Rhymes' Everything Remains Raw, Boozed, Broozed and Broken Boned from the Black Label Society, Snoop Dogg's Puff Puff Pass Tour and the Up in Smoke Tour, featuring Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre, Ice Cube and Eminem. Eagle Rock is also offering one-minute MPEG-4 song clips, from artists including Alice Cooper, The Cure and Dio, on its website. Make Your Own PSP Docking Station Tons of Movies Coming to PSP PSP Hacks and Mods List PSPMag Discussion >> By Gary
As was expected sooner rather than later, EA announced via the Battlefield 2 website that the long awaited Battlefield 2 has gone Gold and will begin shipping in PC format under the EA GAMES brand starting Tuesday, June 21, 2005. In the game, developed by Digital Illusions CE (DICE) players will choose to fight for one of three military superpowers: the United States, China, or the newly formed Middle East Coalition.Armed with the latest modern weaponry, players can take control of any of the game's 30+ vehicles. Players can also hone their skills against improved enemy intelligence in the new single-player campaign before competing online with up to 64 players in some of the most intense battles on the PC. Battlefield 2 Q&A with EA's Ben Smith Rumour: Battlefield 2 Demo in mid-June Battlefield 2: Modern Combat Announced For PSP Battlefield 2: Preview Battlefield: Modern Combat Details Emerge Battlefield 2 engine demonstration Official website Discussion >> By Gary
 What can a publisher possibly do to pique the community's interest if a game's release date is still shrouded in mystery and development seems to be dragging on indefinitely? Publisher THQ has now taken a slightly different approach in this regard by publishing fictitious diary entries from a team of scientists reporting about their experiences in the radioactively contaminated zone of Chernobyl. Here's a zone story excerpt from a guy called Simeon Graphor:On May 2nd 1986, a decision was made to evacuate the inhabitants of a 30 km area within Chernobyl APP zone and of a number of built-up areas within it. Subsequently, until the end of 1986, 116 thousand people were evacuated from 188 settlements (including the town of Prypyat). Related info: THQ S.T.A.L.K.E.R. website Stalker dx9 trailer - The toughest enemy (16 May) 17 New S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl Movies (21 April) Discussion >> By Chris
 Botros News has some images of the Xbox 360 accessories, including the memory unit, the Wifi 802.11a/b/g adapter and the play n charge controller kit. Botros also reveals the information on what exactly you get in the package bundle: With the console you get one wireless controller (without the play n charge kit). You also will get the HD Component cables and power cable in the box. No word on a demo disc or what kind of manuals will be included, but the big news is the HD Component cables in the box. At launch, the only other cables that will be available are S-video and VGA cables, no DVI scheduled. Related: Xbox 360 Pre-orders £400 on Play.com Pittsburgh girl gets sneak peak at Xbox 360 invoice What TV will I need for my Xbox 360? Discussion >> By Rob
 We've collected a list of links to Xbox 360 information and resources as we've come across them on the Web: Official sites/ resources
By Rob
Play.com have begun to accept pre-orders for the Xbox 360, with a listed price of a whopping £400 sterling (€529, $725).If the price is lower than this when the console is released, buyers will only be charged the official price, but it would be interesting to know why they're taking orders for so high a price after J Allard said in an interview that it would cost ~300 USD at launch. Play.com: XBox 360 Console via totalgaming.co.uk Related: 24 Carat Gold-Plated XBox What TV will I need for my Xbox 360? X360 invoice reveals games available 2 Nov for $59.99 Discussion >> By Rob
 psp-ita.com has a nifty HOW-TO for making a docking station for the PSP from a DVD case, at a cost of only $3 USD:I've found that on the net there are many PSP docking stations, even for a few USD. but why pay if you can get one for free? Related: Tons of Movies Coming to PSP PSP Hacks and Mods List PSPMag Discussion >> By Rob
 Alawar Entertainment have launched a new competition for the 3D arcade game Magic Ball 2 (which you might have noticed on Yahoo! Games), with 20 pretty cool prizes to be won, including a Kodak Easy Share digital camera, a Pocket PC, an iPod Mini or a portable DVD player.The winners will be picked simply on the highest score, which can be viewed online here. To enter the competition, you need to buy the current version of Magic Ball 2 (available here for $19.95), or if you have an older version you can compete by upgrading to the new version. The complete prize listing follows, and the top scores will only be accepted until 1 July: What you could win: Alawar Entertainment Magic Ball 2 official website Discussion >> By Rob
 Gamespot are reporting that new multiplayer maps for Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory are on the way, one versus and two cooperative levels almost ready via Xbox Live. Announced by Ubisoft, the new maps for the Xbox version of Tom Clancy's Chaos Theory will be ready for download "soon".Ubisoft had originally said the first map would be available by the end of May. The three new maps will be released intermittently over Xbox Live, with one versus level, Squat, becoming available first, and two cooperative levels, Nuclear Plant and UN HQ, following shortly thereafter. Chaos Theory, DS Screenshots Chaos Theory: Dublin Invasion Review: Splinter Cell:Chaos Theory Chaos theory splintered Discussion >> By Gary
 Lionhead Studios have updated the official site for Black & White 2 with new screenshots and a Q&A with fans that reveals some more tidbits about the game, including the factoid that the same voice actor will provide his talents for the good and evil parts of the players conscience, and more than sixty different buildings will feature in the game:Hello, my question is: Will you need only wood to build buildings? If so, will trees grow back, because I always ran out of wood in the first B&W? Also can you also build statues? Also what kind of buildings will you be able to build? And can you turn soldiers back in to citizens? Thanks Michael. Black & White 2 screenshots Black & White 2 New Features Peter Molyneux previews Black & White 2 Gamespot E3 2005: Black & White 2 first impressions Black & White Creatures Coming to Nintendo DS (12 May) Discussion >> By Rob
 With all the chatter recently of violent games and the selling of violent/ or sexually explicit gaming to minors, I got to thinking of something interesting. I was wondering if the current rise in online gaming is having an impact on this generation's health.Personally, I play roughly 6-7 hours of online gaming each week. Now that number itself is not exactly startling but there was a time when I would spend at least 4-5 hours per day completely engrossed in a reality I thought had some kind of relevance to my life. I was noticing a total lack of a decent sleeping pattern and found it harder and harder to put the mouse down. While mine is not exactly a hardcore case, I have come to know lots of gamers over the years, some that spend literally upwards of 8 hours every single day in front of their monitors fighting wars, managing guilds, heading into battle. Perhaps it gives people a sense of purpose where before they had none. Either way, more and more young people seem to be taking to MMORPG's and online FPS's with a warm embrace. For some it's a harmless and even healthy habit in which people with similar tastes and interests can get together for some recreation and fun however, in some cases the person does not know where to divide the line between where their life starts and online the online gaming World ends. Please let us know what you think, do we play too much online gaming? Just when does a person need to draw the line? Related: Boy falls 24 stories to his death, to join friends in Heaven Discussion >> By Gary
 New screenshots have been made available for the first and only MMORPG based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Previously titled Middle Earth Online, the game is due to be released next year under the new name The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, and will let players experience the story of the Fellowship of The Ring from a different perspective - that of the peoples of Middle Earth: They will witness and participate in the tumultuous impact of the War of the Ring and feel the chaos stirred by the passage of the Fellowship. Official site for Shadows of Angmar Gamespot: Shadows of Angmar E3 2005 Impressions Shadows of Angmar screenshot gallery Letter from the exec producer about the name-change Ferrago: Middle Earth Online renamed Discussion >> By Rob
 Will Wright's Spore has scooped four nominations at this year's Game Critics Awards, which picks the cream of the games shown at the E3 Expo.Spore was the sole game to get four nominations; the categories it was nominated in were Best of Show, Best Original Game, Best PC Game and Best Simulation Game. The full list of nominees is viewable here, and the winners of the awards will be announced next Tuesday, 7 June. Related: Spore leads Game Critics Awards Best of E3 2005 Nominees Spore website Joystiq: Will Wright Can Do No Evil Spore headed to X360, says Ballmer? (27 May) Will Wright's Unveiling of Spore Video Discussion >> By Rob
 Just when you thought the graphics card wars between Nvidia and ATI had got a little sour, ATI has announced Crossfire, its answer to Nvidia'a SLI technology where 2 graphics cards perform the gaming workload instead of one.ATI is pushing Crossfire out as the most flexible multi-gpu setup available. If you have an existing X850 Radeon card, it can be paired with the Radeon X850 CrossFire Edition card. Likewise, any Radeon X800 series graphics card with 128 Mb of ram can be paired with the Crossfire equivalent. Of course, you will need a capable motherboard and ATI has also announced the Radeon Xpress 200 CrossFire ready motherboards from partners such as ASUS, DFI, ECS, GIGABYTE, MSI, PC Partner, Sapphire. No prices mentioned as of yet but either way it's certain not to appeal to the casual gamer. From the press release: Customers will have plenty of options and flexibility in choosing graphics cards for their CrossFire systems. The Radeon X850 CrossFire Edition cards, with 256MB of graphics memory can be paired with any standard Radeon X850 based graphics card. The Radeon X800 CrossFire Edition graphics cards, which come with either 128 MB or 256 MB of graphics memory, can be paired with any Radeon X800 series graphics card. The standard Radeon X800 and Radeon X850 cards can be purchased new or can be ones the customer already has. Insane gaming with a 4 graphics card capable motherboard XFX SLI Benchmark Setup Breaks Records Discussion >> By Gary
 Kotaku links to a new Slashdot-style gaming news site that recently launched in beta called Pikuru. In Pikuru, the community are the editors; all stories are submitted by the users, and readers choose which submissions make it to the top of the front page by voting for or against them, similar to StumbleUpon's thumbs-up system.It shares a similarity with del.icio.us in that the names of people who've "pik'd" a story appear below them, though there's no free tagging of stories, with only a set amount of topics users can add their stories to. The site is a spin-off of a feature from Gametab.com, a news aggregator for gamers, and like that site it's pretty cool, though it will need a large userbase to be effective: Pikuru is an extension of what was the "News Nexus" at GameTab. It's been moved off, turned it into its own site and expanded upon with new categories and features. And overall, given more room to grow. In order for the system to work as it's meant to, it requires a lot of people participating - sending in stories and +piking the cream of the crop. If you like the site, please help spread the word! The more people using the site, the better it'll work. By Rob
A 13 year old boy has jumped from a high-rise building in order to join his gaming friends in Heaven, falling 24 stories to his death and leaving behind some notes. The Tianjin boy'’s parents told reporters that their son was heavily addicted to gaming, and was behaving like somebody taking drugs. On one occasion his parents found him in a cyber cafe, having not eaten in 2 days. While I a’m sure computer addiction exists, I a’m equally as sure that the people who most suffer from it are missing something in their lives. It'’s sad to read about something like this, but worse to think that families around the world don'’t look beyond the symptoms to what may be really causing the problems in a young person'’s life. By Gary
 Joystiq reader Saurabh Agarwal sent the games blog in a tip that she was in her local games retailer when a friend working there (not sure if they will be now) showed her an invoice that revealed upcoming titles for the Xbox 360, including dates.The games she mentions are FIFA 2006 and Tiger Woods with the majority of the releases slated for 11/02/2005, also that most of the games were priced at $59.99. I was just at my local EBGames store here in Pittsburgh, PA, and the guy at the counter showed me this print out he just got with all the release titles, dates, and prices for the games for the XBOX360!!! 20 Things Gamers Want from Next-Gen Consoles Xbox 360 and PS3 dominates mindshare? What TV will I need for my Xbox 360? J Allard - XBox 360 to Cost About $300 PS3 To Have Same Launch Price as Previous Playstations? (25 May) Apple Powering XBox 360 Demos at E3? (20 May) PlayStation 3 technical demos U.S. Retailers Already Taking Pre-orders for XBox 360 XBox 360 User Interface Details Discussion >> By Gary
 IGN report on a wave of announcements from movie publishers of their support for the PSP's UMD format.Every major movie studio except Warner Bros. has committed to the new format, and owners can expect to see blockbusters, classic movies and even TV and direct-to-video content coming to the handheld soon. An extensive list of titles planned for release in the coming weeks and months can be viewed here, and that's only the first batch, with all the studios planning more releases in the future. One criticism IGN have for the publishers is the absence of extra content on most of the UMD discs. Despite the fact owners are paying as much as a DVD, in most cases they only get the movie and none of the extras for their money: Somewhat frustratingly, no publisher has committed to anything extensive regarding PSP extra content. The format is still being experimented with, and some publishers have already been able to cram some of the DVD extra features from the home video release onto the 1.8GB UMD Video disc. Buena Vista has, in the past, confirmed that it plans UMD Video extra features to provide portable watchers the full film fan experience (in fact, it was the first publisher to put extras besides advertising on its UMD Videos with Kill Bill Vol. 1), and most publishers are expected to follow suit where space is available. However, after the first set of UMD Videos came to market quickly and with none of the bonuses that make DVDs so cool, we're hoping publishers recognize that consumers are currently paying DVD prices for these PSP discs, and deserve DVD treatment whenever possible. Loads of UMD format movies announced Sony's UMD has hints of Betamax UMD Movie Rentals For The PSP? (26 April) About the Universal Media Disc (UMD) Discussion >> By Rob
Nintendo's European marketing boss Jim Merrick, in an interview with gamesindustry.biz discussed Nintendo's future in Europe stressing that "Europe is Nintendo's main growth market at present". In the interview he also said that Europe will be getting new Cube titles Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness before Christmas and that Wi-Fi download pods for DS would be coming to retail outlets in Europe soon. Merrick also touched on Nintendo's latest console, the Game Boy Micro, which was announced at E3 last week - saying that the company doesn't have a final plan for pricing, but that "I'd like to see the price between SP and DS, but exactly where, I don't know." Mew Pink Nintendo DS for Japan 20 Things Gamers Want from Next-Gen Consoles Source: Revolution To Hit PAL Territories in 2007 Nintendo announce Revolution Touchscreen Tech Sparks Another Revolution Rumour More Nintendo Revolution Details Before Year End Homebrew Games for Nintendo Revolution? (19 May) 20 Years of Nintendo Content with Revolution (17 May) Discussion >> By Gary
 Retailer Gamestop has listed Halo 3 on its website with an estimated time of release for June 1st 2006. Of course they do not have an image of the box posted and this date is more than likely to change in the coming months but it's still interesting nonetheless.Earlier speculation was that Microsoft were planning on releasing the 3rd iteration of the Halo franchise to coincide with Sony's PS3 release next year. Related: Halo 2: Auto-Update Halo 2 "Warlock" 3D Screenshot Halo, Fable Sequels Confirmed for XBox 360 Bungie Reveal Halo 2 Map Details More Details Emerge on Rumoured Halo 2 Expansion Using Halo 2 To Evangelize Christianity HowStuffWorks.com: The A.I. of Halo 2 dek's Halo 2 Review Discussion >> By Gary
Since the dawn of computer games, violence has always been an issue. After we've seen several recent initiatives to ban violent games in the US, Gamespot reports that even liberal-minded Japan is now going to crack down on allegedly harmful games for the first time. Although 350,000 units of Grand Theft Auto III have been sold in Japan since its release in September 2003, the Kanagawa region south of Tokyo will ban the game's sale to minors effective June 7. Last week, Kanagawa governor Shigefumi Matsuzawa told the press that his prefecture was planning to halt sales of the game to minors because "its setting is very similar to real society, and its level of violence and cruelty is extremely high." Rockstar Games Rockstar North Discussion >> By Chris
 Gamepro have a preview up of Funcom's new online-action RPG, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. The graphics impressed the reviewer, who goes so far as to say they rival the much lauded graphics of Guild Wars, and the advanced AI of the non player characters also gets high points; the NPC's have needs such as food, sleep and socializing.The combat system is obviously going to be a focus in a Conan game, and Gamepro say Hyborian Adventures lives up to its name as an Action-RPG, with sophisticated attack techniques used: There are six directions you can swing a weapon, and players will need to determine what swing sequences are most natural to connect combos. For example, when swinging from the upper-left toward center, players can then chain it with another swing that goes from lower right toward center. It's not going to be the simple click fest of past RPGs, having decidedly more twitch-based elements. Those swings can be done without any enemy targeted, so you can probably expect strafing and swinging to enter into the equation. Related: AgeofConan.com Funcom.com Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures Announced (20 April) Discussion >> By Rob
The NY Times has an article covering the real money that's being made through massively multiplayer online games, mainly focusing on the "virtual world" Second Life. One man they interviewed plays Second Life for four hours every day, using his expertise as a developer and contractor to run a virtual real-estate business. Renting out land in the game to other virtual retailers earns enough to cover his mortgage every month, while another lady playing Second Life was on track to make $100,000 in one year from a similar business. The article also gives an insight into why people spend their hard-earned cash in these virtual world's: Who buys this stuff? One Second Life resident, who asked to be identified only by her screen name, Diamond Hope, said she spent $10 to $15 a month on clothing and other accessories in Second Life, but would spend more if she could afford it. "With all the things you can buy in Second Life," she said, "it's hard not to want them, just like real-life stuff." Second Life commerce C|NET Video on Second Life Discussion >> By Rob
 Via Gamesblog's list of interesting stuff at E3 comes this curious form of game that's been hugely popular in Japan - the courtroom drama sim.Having initially been released as Gyakuten Saiban on the GBA in Japan, the Americanized Nintendo DS version will be called Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, and sees players take the role of a defense lawyer, scrutinizing testimonies of NPC's for discrepancies and trying to catch out people in their own lies. Nintendo DS: Gyakuten Saiban DS "I object!" "Overruled! And stop touching me." - Gamesblog - E3: the interesting stuff, part two Discussion >> By Rob
MMOGChart.com has a handy page with short previews of each of the 25 new MMOG's unveiled at this years E3, along with release dates and links to official sites: Well, another E3 has come and gone. I’m still working on a new version of my charts with the latest data gathered from E3, but in the meantime, I’ve prepared an exclusive E3 2005 MMOG Report of my impressions and expectations of some 25(!!) new MMOGs that will be coming out over the next 2 years. This industry is far from dead, folks; it’s just getting started! By Rob
 A new skin for the Nintendo DS has been unveiled at the Pokemon Centre in Japan. Coloured mew pink and featuring silhouettes of rare Pokemon, the Japan-exclusive skin will be available to pre-order in June for around 15,000 yen:The system is exclusive to Japan, being only available from the Pokemon Centre or their official Website. Age of Empires Coming to Nintendo DS (18 May) Sonic Rush for Nintendo DS Black & White Creatures For DS Freefalling Sky Divers Play Multi-Player DS Discussion >> By Rob
PointlessWasteofTime.com has posted up a list of twenty things they hate about video games, and are demanding some fixes with the next generation of consoles. For example: 7. Loading... By Rob
 1up.com has a very thorough preview of Lionhead Studio's Black and White 2, in which they discuss with Peter Molyneux the fusion of classic God game and real-time strategy genres, the different creatures in the game and also aspects of good and evil touched upon in the Black & White 2, which is (According to Molyneux) scheduled to hit the shelves for PC in Autumn. Peter Molyneux is a dreamer. This much is clear in the first five minutes spent with him. It just so happens those dreams are also the games he creates. He genuinely envisions bringing the audience every gameplay element he talks about -- no doubt many, many more, even. The good news with Black & White 2 is that it benefits from years of refinement of these dreams to help it become a cohesive overall product. Black & White 2 - New Screens Black & White 2 Lionhead Studios Black & White 2, first impressions (23 May) Black & White 2 Official Trailer (29 April) Discussion >> By Gary
 Just when you thought you might be getting a little old for gaming, along comes 80 year old Doris Self of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A self-professed fan of the classic video game Qbert since the 1980's.Doris was the Qbert champion in 1984 with a score of 1,112,300 points. At that time, I was the oldest video game champ in the world at 58 years old, a fact verified by Twin Galaxies' scorekeeper Walter Day. Over the years, however, her grip on these titles has slipped, mostly recently losing claim of oldest gamer to 72-year-old John Lawton of New Hampshire. If anything, these events have only fueled Self's desire to reclaim what was once hers. Nowadays, she's refining her Q*bert skill, with the hopes of eventually taking back her titles. Who Ever Said Gaming Is Just For Kids? Discussion >> By Gary
According to GamerMetrics, a stat tracking site, the Xbox 360 and PS3 had 60% of the mindshare at E3 this year. Sony's next-gen console took 34% leaving Microsoft's Xbox 360 with 26%, trailing close behind Bill's Xbox was Nintendo's Gamecube with 17% and 10% of the mindshare for PS2. Coming in last, the PC with just 5% of E3's mindshare. Despite coming out of the gate after the significant excitement about the Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation3 surprised some by garnering the lion's share of interest in the console war. IGN Entertainment's GamerMetrics, a leading videogame business intelligence tool analyzing awareness, engagement, and purchase intent of more than 20 million gamers, showed that the PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 were the buzz of the show, enjoying a more than 60% mindshare among the network's 2.1 million daily unique visitors. J Allard - XBox 360 to Cost About $300 PS3 To Have Same Launch Price as Previous Playstations? (25 May) Apple Powering XBox 360 Demos at E3? (20 May) PlayStation 3 technical demos U.S. Retailers Already Taking Pre-orders for XBox 360 XBox 360 User Interface Details Discussion >> By Gary
 A question that has been asked again and again. Major Nelson, in emailing Xbox 360 engineers has gotten a reply that should satisfy most of you out there who don't have a widescreen or high-resolution TV to compliment your Xbox 360.Q: What type of television do I need to use an Xbox 360? J Allard - XBox 360 to Cost About $300 PS3 To Have Same Launch Price as Previous Playstations? (25 May) Apple Powering XBox 360 Demos at E3? (20 May) PlayStation 3 technical demos U.S. Retailers Already Taking Pre-orders for XBox 360 XBox 360 User Interface Details Discussion >> By Gary
 Firing Squad managed to catch up with Bob Feldstein, ATI's VP of Engineering, in which he discusses to graphics power behind the Xbox 360. ATI's Feldstein goes into great detail when discussing the most technical aspects of the force to be powering Microsoft's next-gen bag of delights.We have 48 shaders. And each shader, every cycle can do 4 floating-point operations, so that gives you 196. There's a 192 number in there too, so I am just going to digress a little bit. The 192 is actually in our intelligent memory, every cycle we have 192 processors in our embedded intelligent memory that do things like z, alpha, stencil. So there are two different numbers and they are kind of close to each other, which leads to some confusion. J Allard - XBox 360 to Cost About $300 PS3 To Have Same Launch Price as Previous Playstations? (25 May) Apple Powering XBox 360 Demos at E3? (20 May) PlayStation 3 technical demos U.S. Retailers Already Taking Pre-orders for XBox 360 XBox 360 User Interface Details Discussion >> By Gary
 A new updated demo has been released for the popular Psychonauts game. The new demo features a patch that fixes some problems with the previous release bringing the game demo to version 1.02. If you experienced problems with the last demo, you are urged to download this new one right away.Download the updated Psychonauts demo here (400 Mb) Related: Psychonauts Game ships for PS2 Psychonauts XBox/PC Ships Psychonauts official website Double Fine - Company founded by Schafer Psychonauts PC Playable Demo Released (13 April) About Tim Schafer Discussion >> By Gary
 More screenshots, this time in the form of Battlefield 2. The much anticipated sequel to the futuristic war shooter developed at Digital Illusions uses a new sophisticated graphics engine to create realistic environments, and comes with advanced AI. In development at Digital Illusions CE, Battlefield 2 has players battling in modern times as one of three military superpowers: the United States, the Chinese, or a newly formed Middle East Coalition. The game will include over 30 vehicles to use, and multiplayer modes supporting over 64 players. Battlefield 2 will also include persistent character growth, allowing players to rise through ranks, shooting for the rank of General; as well as an all-new game engine, and soldier classes including: Assault, Sniper, Special Ops, Combat Engineer, Medic, Heavy Weapons and Anti-Tank. Battlefield 2 Q&A with EA's Ben Smith Rumour: Battlefield 2 Demo in mid-June Battlefield 2: Modern Combat Announced For PSP Battlefield 2: Preview Battlefield: Modern Combat Details Emerge Battlefield 2 engine demonstration Official website Discussion >> By Gary
 6 new screenshots have been made available of the upcoming Godfather game. Based on the novel and movie of the same name, in which players must rise through the ranks of the Corleone crime family. The game itself is scheduled for release to Xbox 360, Xbox, PS2, PSP and PC later this year. Check out the 6 screens here Related: The Godfather Game at E3 Official site Coppola No Fan of Godfather Game Sopranos The Game? Scarface: The World Is Yours, Delayed to 2006? Discussion >> By Gary
 Though Call of Duty 2 will not be released until this Autumn, Infinity Ward have plans for a third installment in the franchise already. Gamershell noticed a recruitment page on the Infinity Ward site is advertising for a senior next-gen programmer to work on a new intellectual property and Call of Duty 3: Infinity Ward, winner of over 80 Game of the Year and 47 Editors’ Choice Awards Worldwide for "Call of Duty," is currently developing the highly anticipated Call of Duty 2 for the PC and Xbox 360. In addition, we are ramping up teams for upcoming Call of Duty titles as well as new IP. To meet the challenge and expectations for these high-end development platforms, Infinity Ward is looking for seasoned console engineers to join its ranks. CallofDuty.com Call of Duty 2: Big Red One Preview Call of Duty 2 - Lead Designer Q&A Discussion >> By Rob
 We're unable to get our hands on a PSP here in Europe until September, but this looks like it would be useful for those in the U.S. or Japan where they're already available - a new magazine has been launched that's optimized specially for the handheld, with each issue containing articles, reviews, hacks, coming titles and more. The PSPMag can be viewed online here with the built-in WipeOut Pure browser (or any other browser), though to get the most out of each issue download the Media Content Packages, which also include music and/or video specifically formatted for the PSP. PSPMag Related: Ken Kutaragi: Sony not yet prepared to start selling PSP's in Europe €249 PSP Coming To Europe 1 September New Media Form For PSP: Sound Novels Classic Namco On PSP Later This Year PlayBoyStation Portable PSP Hacks and Mods List Discussion >> By Rob
 Famitsu, considered the most respected video game magazine in Japan has run a post-E3 poll asking which next-generation console interests its readers the most.Surprisingly, the Nintendo Revolution has garnered most of the interest, taking 42.2% of the votes. The Playstation 3 comes second at 39.8%, with the Xbox 360 trailing well behind at 18%. Listed below are the Famitsu readers opinions on each console: Nintendo Revolution Source: Revolution To Hit PAL Territories in 2007 Touchscreen Tech Sparks Another Revolution Rumour Aussie-Nintendo: New Revolution Design Mockups! 20 Years of Nintendo Content with Revolution Discussion >> By Rob
 The results of a new poll attempting to find out the top seven "sins of gaming" have been released. The poll is part of a promotion for the release of the over-18's only PS2/PC game 7 Sins, and has found the top sin admitted to by gamers is using cheats, with playing pirated games coming second:The Seven Gaming Sins admitted by respondents are as follows:
Digital Jesters - 7 Sins developers Digital Jesters Signs 7 Sins – A New Concept In Risqué Gaming (24 March) Discussion >> By Rob
 A conflicted reverend who loved games, but didn't feel right about coming home from church and playing the likes of Doom or Quake, started his own games company and founded the Christian Game Developers Foundation in an effort to bring Christian gaming into the mainstream:Rev Bagley began his mission back in 1996, when investors turned down his first-person Christian shooter, Catechumen. GamersGame: Here Come the Christian Games Christian Video Games set to make comeback? Christian Game Developers Foundation N'Lightning Software Using Halo 2 To Evangelize Christianity (20 March) Discussion >> By Rob
After the release of the JFK: Reloaded game in November of last year, a law was proposed in Illinois to ban the sale of violent or sexually explicit video games to minors. On Saturday, lawmakers in the state voted to implement the law by a huge majority of 106-6, and it now goes to the desk of Governor Rod Blagojevich, who proposed the law in the first place: "In today's world, parents face unprecedented challenges in monitoring and protecting their children from harmful influences. This bill will make their job easier," Blagojevich said, praising the House's 106-6 vote. The state Senate approved the bill earlier this month. Gov. Blagojevich poised to make Illinois only state in the nation to protect children from violent and sexually explicit video games California game-ban law comes closer to reality (10 May) JFK Reloaded released on 41st anniversary of assassination (Nov 2004) Discussion >> By Rob
 The video-gaming arm of Walt. Disney Studios, Buena-Vista Games has announced the acquisition of the rights to make further games based on Turok.According to Spong.com, we should expect "quite a change" in the gameplay when the new games are released for multiple consoles and handhelds, including next-generation consoles. Turok games were previously licensed by Acclaim, whose last release with the name was 2002's Turok: Evolution. That company went into liquidation last year, and the Turok license was taken over by Classic Media, whose properties include Frosty the Snowman, Mr Magoo, Casper, the Lone Ranger and Lassie. After acquiring the license from Classic Media, Buena-Vista handed the development of the as-yet-untitled Turok games to Propaganda Games, a recently established BVG studio: "Through compelling new technology, game design and graphics, it is our goal to take the Turok franchise to new heights," said Josh Holmes, vice president and studio general manager for Propaganda Games. "The brand's rich, prehistoric setting and ferocious monsters provide us an extensive palette of content to create the most intense, action-packed game play for next generation console systems." Related:Spong.com: BVG signs Turok – First artwork inside Gamespot: Disney digs up Turok GamesIndustry.biz - Buena Vista to rescue Turok from extinction Buena Vista Games Classic Media Turok on Wikipedia Discussion >> By Rob
 PlanetBattlefield SinglePlayer's Korben Dallas has scored an interview with EA's Ben Smith regarding the upcoming Battlefield 2. In the Q&A Smith discusses the single-player aspect of the next-gen shooter, what maps will be available in the demo, bot/AI abilities and more.1. Will the BF2 Demo include Single Player? Rumour: Battlefield 2 Demo in mid-June Battlefield 2: Modern Combat Announced For PSP Battlefield 2: Preview Battlefield: Modern Combat Details Emerge Battlefield 2 engine demonstration Official website Discussion >> By Gary
 Todd Holmdahl has been interviewed over at Extreme Tech on the Xbox 360. Holmdahl is responsible for the hardware development and manufacturing of the Xbox 360 (among other duties). Extreme Tech question Todd on things like 1080p support, what he thinks of the PS3 specs but more so on other hardware aspects aside from the usual CPU and GPU. ET: A lot has been said about the CPU and the GPU so far, but there really hasn't been much said about the rest of the system. Can you go into any detail about what the rest of the system is like? J Allard - XBox 360 to Cost About $300 PS3 To Have Same Launch Price as Previous Playstations? (25 May) Apple Powering XBox 360 Demos at E3? (20 May) PlayStation 3 technical demos U.S. Retailers Already Taking Pre-orders for XBox 360 XBox 360 User Interface Details Discussion >> By Gary
 GameDaily have an interesting interview with EA VP of marketing Frank Gibeau in which he predicts a lot of industry consolidation as mid-sized and small games companies get hit hard by a "brutal transition" to next-generation consoles.He also remarks on Nintendo's continuing success in the face of heavyweights Microsoft and Sony, and we're given an insight into how EA studio's are set up to keep development costs down: We have a single studio backbone, which we build off, which is our library systems. So when a team at Tiburon builds the physics for ball movement we can use that in other sports games or games that have balls... When somebody writes a physics engine for driving games, we can take it and adapt it from Burnout to Need for Speed or on to NASCAR. Now you customize it to each of the current games so they don't feel or play the same, but the base engineering and programming and physics work ... the fact that you do it once and you have a single library system means you do it once instead of three times or four times and that's vital. I've seen other companies where each team has its own physics engine and they end up wasting cycles. Electronic Arts on the Future of Gaming About EA Discussion >> By Rob
 Just when you thought Nvidia's SLI setup was for nobody else but the extreme/rich gamer, Tom's Hardware Guide are reporting on a motherboard in development by Gigabyte that will house 4, that's right 4 graphics cards.About half a year ago, we learned that Gigabyte was working on a graphics card that integrates two GeForce 6600GT graphics chips. While we were impressed with the out-of-the-box approach from Gigabyte, there was of course the question, whether two of those cards could be combined for a total of four graphics chips. Discussion >> By Gary
 No longer just a word for gamers, w00t has made its way into Merriam-Webster's list of top-ten favourite words that don't appear in the dictionary.Thousands of people submitted their favourite word, with w00t taking third place behind ginormous and confuzzled. The accepted meaning of w00t is an "exclamation of joy or excitement", though there is confusion about its exact origin: The definite origin of the term "w00t" is unknown. One theory claims that usage of this term dates back to the mid-1990s, when it was probably derived from the alternative spellings of whoomp and whoot. These spellings are variously used in the phrases, "Whoomp, there it is," or "Whoot, there it is" from two songs in 1993 from rap groups Tag Team and 95 South, respectively. Slashdot: w00t is 3rd Favorite Non-Dictionary Word Urban Dictionary/w00t Disussion >> By Rob
 Activision has launched a teaser website for Quake 4. The official site launch is set for Summer, but in the mean time they have left up a trailer on the main page plus email updates if you so choose.Visit the official Quake 4 website (flash req.) Related: Quake IV, 4 new PC screenshots Quake IV scheduled for Christmas launch? Raven Software id Software Will Quake 4 Run On Your Machine? A Look Into The Design Of Quake IV Quake 4: Storyline Details Emerge Quake IV multiplayer for QuakeCon in August Discussion >> By Gary
 Gamespot have a new gameplay trailer for Hitman: Blood Money, showing the various stealthy ways he can whack people (cheese wire strangulation, sniper rifle, the old poison needle trick and even with a barbell).Download the trailer, and also check out the recently-updated official site. Related: Hitman: Blood Money screens Worthplaying.com Hitman: Blood Money preview Discussion >> By Rob
 If you are looking for some answers to questions regarding Duke Nukem Forever, then why not check out this thread on the 3D Realms forum. George Broussard of 3D Realms joins in on a thread discussion with fans and answers some questions regarding DNF which is purportedly heading to an E3 booth next year. 1) Can you tell us what Video Card you guys are currently running it on? If not can you tell us if it is a new video card? Duke Nukem Forever Physics Engine SDK Free Trial (2 April) Download Meqon SDK free trial Demos and movies of Meqon tech in action Duke Nukem Forever Physics Pass HL2 Official site for Duke Nukem Forever Discussion >> By Gary
 Earlier we reported on an article that suggested Indiana Jones was heading for an adventure on next-gen consoles, this was expected to coincide with the release of Indiana Jones IV in 2007.More news coming in that Jeff Nathanson's scripts for Indiana Jones 4 have met with the approval of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Before the film can move forward one step into production though, the aging Dr. Jones must first give his John Hancock to the script, which Ford has reportedly not yet even read. Scheduling Indiana Jones 4 for a 2006 start will be tricky for Spielberg, who next heads to Europe to shoot his untitled drama about the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics for Universal and DreamWorks, and is expected to follow in January with a DreamWorks film about Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, to star Liam Neeson. Indiana Jones coming to next-gen Consoles? Scarface: The World is yours, Delayed? Sopranos The Game? Caan, Duvall join Brando to voice Godfather Discussion >> By Gary
 Relic have released an official trailer for Winter Assault, the expansion pack for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. Due out this Autumn, Winter Assault will include a fifth race for the game and an enhanced single-player experience. Download the trailer Related: THQ AND RELIC ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE WARHAMMER® 40,000: DAWN OF WAR – WINTER ASSAULT (3 March) Dawn of War: Winter Assault preview Official site for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War single-player demo Relic Entertainment Discussion >> By Rob
 A healthy batch of screenshots from the upcoming King Kong have been released. Gamershell are hosting 19 screens and a product overview of the game based around Peter Jackson's latest film, King Kong. The game itself will be released at the beginning of the holiday season on every platform. This will coincide with the theatrical release of Peter Jackson's King Kong in cinemas worldwide. The game is developed by Ubisoft and the team responsible for bringing us Beyond Good & Evil. Check out the screens here Discussion >> By Gary
 Ebay plays host to a lot strange and sometimes unbelievable items. Take this golden Xbox for one. Someone has taken a regular Xbox and turned it into a 24crt gold-plated console, with controllers to boot. If you wanted your Xbox pimped but just couldn't find that guy from MTV, then this might just be up your street. Xbox - 24crt - gold plated Xbox Related: J Allard - XBox 360 to Cost About $300 Midway Confirms Seven Xbox 360 Titles CNN: Don't Believe Next-Gen Console Hype Sony: XBox 1.5 "today's technology" XBOX 360 / PLAYSTATION 3 COMPARISON Xbox 360 vs PS 3 Blogcast (MP3), (WMA) Discussion >> By Gary
Archives
Sponsored links: Place a link here Igniq.com Archives
X CLOSE
April 4, 2004 June 13, 2004 June 20, 2004 July 4, 2004 July 11, 2004 July 18, 2004 July 25, 2004 August 1, 2004 August 8, 2004 August 15, 2004 August 22, 2004 August 29, 2004 September 5, 2004 September 12, 2004 September 19, 2004 September 26, 2004 October 3, 2004 October 10, 2004 October 17, 2004 October 24, 2004 October 31, 2004 November 7, 2004 November 14, 2004 November 21, 2004 November 28, 2004 December 5, 2004 December 12, 2004 December 19, 2004 December 26, 2004 January 2, 2005 January 9, 2005 January 16, 2005 January 23, 2005 January 30, 2005 February 6, 2005 February 13, 2005 February 20, 2005 February 27, 2005 March 6, 2005 March 13, 2005 March 20, 2005 March 27, 2005 April 3, 2005 April 10, 2005 April 17, 2005 April 24, 2005 May 1, 2005 May 8, 2005 May 15, 2005 May 22, 2005 May 29, 2005 June 5, 2005 June 12, 2005 June 19, 2005 June 26, 2005 July 3, 2005 July 10, 2005 July 17, 2005 July 24, 2005 July 31, 2005 August 7, 2005 August 14, 2005 August 21, 2005 August 28, 2005 September 4, 2005 September 11, 2005 September 18, 2005 September 25, 2005 October 2, 2005 October 9, 2005 October 16, 2005 October 23, 2005 October 30, 2005 November 6, 2005 November 13, 2005 November 20, 2005 November 27, 2005 December 4, 2005 December 11, 2005 December 18, 2005 December 25, 2005 January 1, 2006 January 8, 2006 January 15, 2006 January 22, 2006 January 29, 2006 February 5, 2006 February 12, 2006 February 19, 2006 February 26, 2006 March 5, 2006 March 12, 2006 March 19, 2006 March 26, 2006 April 2, 2006 April 9, 2006 April 16, 2006 April 23, 2006 April 30, 2006 May 7, 2006 May 14, 2006 May 21, 2006 May 28, 2006 June 4, 2006 June 11, 2006 June 18, 2006 June 25, 2006 July 2, 2006 July 9, 2006 July 16, 2006 July 23, 2006 July 30, 2006 August 6, 2006 August 13, 2006 August 20, 2006 August 27, 2006 September 3, 2006 September 10, 2006 September 17, 2006 September 24, 2006 October 1, 2006 October 8, 2006 October 15, 2006 October 22, 2006 October 29, 2006 November 5, 2006 November 12, 2006 November 19, 2006 November 26, 2006 December 3, 2006 December 10, 2006 December 17, 2006 December 24, 2006 December 31, 2006 January 7, 2007 January 14, 2007 January 21, 2007 January 28, 2007 February 4, 2007 February 11, 2007 February 18, 2007 February 25, 2007 March 4, 2007 March 11, 2007 March 18, 2007 March 25, 2007 April 1, 2007 April 8, 2007 April 15, 2007 April 22, 2007 April 29, 2007 May 6, 2007 May 13, 2007 May 20, 2007 October 19, 2008 October 26, 2008 November 9, 2008 November 16, 2008 November 23, 2008 November 30, 2008 December 7, 2008 December 14, 2008 December 21, 2008 January 4, 2009 January 11, 2009 January 18, 2009 January 25, 2009 February 1, 2009 February 8, 2009 |
||
