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God Of War: Ascention announced by Sony

gazzara — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:34:38 +0000

Sony today announced plans to release God of War: Ascension, the newest instalment of the multi-million unit selling God of War franchise, exclusively for PS3.

Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios’ (SCE WWS) Santa Monica Studio, God of War: Ascension is a prequel that will show Kratos’ emotional path of redemption whilst detailing the rise of his rage to break free from Ares’ bond.

Epic cinematic storytelling, visceral battles, and blockbuster moments will all be present, along with various enhancements, including a revamped combat system and a brand new online multiplayer mode that combines the brutal gameplay and large-scale battels that God of War is known for to create a competitive experience like never before.

GAME British Academy of Videogame Awards shortlist announced

gazzara — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:20:17 +0000

With the awards season in full swing, excitement is growing around the games industry’s own blue ribbon awards, the GAME British Academy Video Games Awards, which celebrates and rewards creativity and innovation in the industry.

Today, the UK’s leading games retailer and British Academy Video Games Awards sponsor, GAME reveals the shortlist for the only publically-voted award of this prestigious event, the BAFTA GAME Award.

The Award recognises the best game of the year, as chosen by GAME customers and the general public. Selected by a panel of esteemed representatives and media experts including The Gadget Show’s Jason Bradbury, Johnny Minkley (Eurogamer), Jonathon Pile (Shortlist), Neil Long (Official Nintendo Magazine) and John Hicks (Official Xbox Magazine), the final shortlist was a tough decision after a bumper year of huge releases in 2011. Last year’s BAFTA GAME Award saw over 110,000 votes being cast by GAME customers across the UK and this year’s shortlist is guaranteed to get fans and customers voting in their thousands once again.

With heavyweights from 2011 including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, FIFA 12, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Battlefield 3 all nominated in the shortlist, the list also includes more niche titles such as Minecraft and Portal 2.

The much-hyped L.A. Noire, critic’s favourite Batman: Arkham City and Unchartered 3: Drake’s Deception, soon to be adapted for film, also make the list, while in its 25^th anniversary year, cult fans of the Legend of Zelda could have more to celebrate as Skyward Sword completes the line-up.

The shortlist of this top games accolade will be announced exclusively by internet sensation and the number one subscribed UK solo gaming commentator YouTube channel, The Syndicate Project, which has over 235,000,000 views to date. The overall winner, as chosen by the public at www.BAFTAGAMEAWARD.com will then be presented at a star-studded ceremony on Friday 16 March.

With such a stellar line up, GAME customers have a tough choice to make ahead of the ceremony on 16 March, but they can keep up to date on the latest news on the event and make sure their favourite game is in with a chance to win by voting at www.BAFTAGAMEAWARD.com.

Anna-Marie Mason, Marketing Director at GAME said: “The gaming industry is hugely creative and the GAME BAFTA Video Games Awards aims to recognise the talented and exiting figures and games that have set the industry alight over the past year. The BAFTA GAME Award is an award we are particularly proud of as it gives our customers the chance to make their opinion heard. This year’s shortlist is really exciting and we would like to encourage every GAME customer to vote for their favourite game – we can’t wait to see the final result!”

Full shortlist:

· Batman: Arkham City
· Battlefield 3
· Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
· FIFA 12
· L.A. Noire
· Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
· Minecraft
· Portal 2
· The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
· Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception

The BAFTA Panel:

· Guy Cocker – Gamespot
· Jon Hicks – Official Xbox Magazine
· Neil Long – Official Nintendo Magazine
· Johnny Minkley – Eurogamer
· Alex Simmons – IGN
· Jonathan Pile – Shortlist
· Tim Clark – Future Publishing
· Tom Cassel – The Syndicate Project
· Jason Bradbury – The Gadget Show
· Michael Underwood – TV presenter and tech enthusiast

DiRT Showdown announced and dated

gazzara — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:38:41 +0000

Set to deliver a brand new dive-in-and-drive rush of speed, style and destruction, today Codemasters announced that DiRT Showdown, an action packed extension of the award-winning DiRT series, will debut May 2012 for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.In DiRT Showdown, players will jump into a new world of competitive and combative racing, boosting, tricking and smashing their way to ‘Showdown’ finals on a chaotic tour of motorised mayhem. The first trailer capturing the unique atmosphere and high-octane thrills of DiRT Showdown is now playing at www.dirtgame.com.

“DiRT Showdown is not the sequel to the authentic rally-centric DiRT 3, but a brand new experience from the DiRT team,” said Julian Widdows, VP, development. “We’re building on Codemasters Racing Studio’s world-class strengths in track design, graphics, AI, damage and online to create a new theatre of racing with the emphasis on accessibility and fun from race one.”

“DiRT Showdown charges into the arcade racing space with a uniquely Codemasters feel,” said Mike Chapman, senior games designer. “Whether players are using nitrous to boost, smashing into their opponents or pulling off stunts, DiRT Showdown’s fresh handling system and super-charged damage engine embed excitement into every event.”

There are three broad categories to DiRT Showdown’s action-sport racing. Players will use nitrous to blast past rivals and negotiate courses filled with ramps, multiple routes and obstacles in full-contact Racing events. Gaming’s most advanced damage engine is unleashed in Demolition Derby themed events where players smash and crash their way to victory in bone-jarring style. Finally, in Hoonigan events, gamers will send fans wild in huge stunt parks where accessible new controls offer every player the chance to become a freestyle driving hero.

From San Francisco to Miami and London to Tokyo, players will dominate their rivals and wow the crowds. Pyrotechnics, lasers and thousands of fans give each venue a sports entertainment atmosphere, becoming the perfect stage for players to perform. Over 50 different events across four championships will challenge gamers in a variety of conditions – sun, snow and rain – through the day and under the floodlights at night.

DiRT Showdown will feature an exciting new line up of off-road machines. Ken Block’s all new Gymkhana FOUR H.F.H.V. Ford Fiesta debuts alongside an eclectic mix of vehicles across a range of classes. From saloons and muscle cars to pick-up-trucks, hearses and vans, players have a wide selection of custom cars to trick, race and destroy.

DiRT Showdown will be Codemasters’ most connected game ever – split-screen multiplayer, eight-player online racing, on and off-line quick-fire party games and YouTube integration all come as standard. Players will also be able to issue ‘Showdown Challenges’ to compete with friends whether they are online or not.

Powered by the award-winning EGO Game Technology Platform, DiRT Showdown will be uncaged May 2012 for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

OnLive goes mobile

gazzara — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:50:13 +0000

OnLive, Inc., the pioneer of cloud gaming, announced that it is bringing console-class gaming to tablets and phones with the revolutionary OnLive app for tablet and mobile platforms.

The latest, top-tier, high-performance games—previously limited to only consoles and computers—will be available for instant play via the free OnLive app on over 500 million mobile devices over Wi-Fi or mobile networks in the US and UK. A growing library of 25 console-class games have been adapted for touch-screen control, including the gritty, award-winning hit L.A. Noire from Rockstar Games and family titles like LEGO Batman: The Videogame, which will be given free to anyone who downloads the OnLive app. Additionally, almost all games in OnLive’s growing library of nearly 200 games are playable with the new Universal OnLive Wireless Controller, compatible with many tablets and smartphones.

OnLive harnesses the power of the cloud to instantly deliver high-end games on demand over the Internet with the simplicity of streaming video. OnLive’s breakthrough cloud gaming technology arrived in the UK in September, enabling UK gamers on PCs, Macs and TVs to instantly jump into console-quality games on demand, without discs or lengthy downloads, regardless of the performance of their local device. With today’s launch, gamers can now experience the same instant-play, top-tier games on tablets and smartphones, despite the fact that these games require vastly higher performance than is achievable on a mobile device.

“Today marks a major milestone: OnLive is now delivering the latest, console-class, top-tier games—literally to your fingertips—on tablets and phones for instant, on-demand play anywhere, anytime,” said Steve Perlman, OnLive Founder and CEO. “Through the free OnLive app, tablet and smartphone gamers can play top console and PC titles like Assassins Creed: Revelations and L.A. Noire—one of the most highly acclaimed, graphically sophisticated games to date—with exclusive OnLive Cloud Touch controls or with the new mobile-compatible Universal OnLive Wireless Controller. Tablets and smartphones, the fastest-growing consumer product categories in history, are now capable of running the hottest, highest-end games. Gaming and mobile devices will never be the same.”

Marking the most dramatic departure possible from the side-scrollers and 3D puzzlers that have defined the current tablet gaming marketplace, the award-winning L.A. Noire is now the first high-performance console video game developed specifically for touch-enabled play via tablet cloud gaming—with exclusive distribution on the OnLive Game Service. The release of a game this immersive and cinematically engaging heralds a new era—and new market—in high-end gaming.

Over 25 OnLive titles, including L.A. Noire, family titles like LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 and 5-7, and indies like Defense Grid Gold, will work with touch control on tablets and smartphones. And most of the nearly 200 games in OnLive’s growing library, including recent top-tier releases like Batman: Arkham City, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations and Lord of the Rings: War in the North, are immediately playable on virtually any device with the Universal OnLive Wireless Controller, which utilizes OnLive’s exclusive adaptive wireless technology to automatically find an optimal wireless connection for a given tablet, smartphone, PC, Mac, TV or Blu-ray player. The Universal OnLive Wireless Controller will be available soon for purchase in the US and the UK, for $49.99 and £39.99 respectively.

As always, any game purchased on one OnLive app device (TV, PC, Mac, tablet or mobile device) can be played instantly on any other OnLive app device with full cloud save game data intact, allowing users to start play on one device, and continue playing on any other device, whenever and wherever they want. OnLive’s cross-platform capability extends to multiplayer gaming, enabling, for example, a tablet gamer to play with TV, PC, Mac and smartphone gamers. OnLive’s exclusive social features, such as international massive spectating and Brag Clip videos, are available on tablets and mobile devices, as well as chat and Facebook posting of videos, messages and achievements. And unlike downloaded games, OnLive games are streamed over the internet just like streaming music and video, never taking up storage on any mobile device.

The rollout of the OnLive app to UK gamers, occurring simultaneously with its US release, is the first of many groundbreaking initiatives overseen by OnLive’s new UK General Manager, Bruce Grove, who was previously the Company’s Sr. Director of Engineering. With more than ten years of engineering management for enterprise systems, software, gaming hardware and jet engines—including tenures at industry giants such as Dell and Sun—Bruce is uniquely qualified to understand the challenges of bringing an entirely new, revolutionary technology to an ever-increasing audience. “Having been a part of the OnLive team as it grew from a small handful of people to our first launch in a new country, I’m hugely excited to be taking on the role of GM here in the UK. Following our phenomenal reception at launch in September, it’s really important to maintain that momentum and keep growing this market. You can expect to see lots more great stuff in the future.”

The OnLive app is available for free download for tablet and mobile devices starting today (release dates and times subject to mobile app store certifications). The Universal OnLive Wireless Controller will soon be available for purchase in the US and UK through the OnLive web store at www.onlive.com/store and www.onlive.co.uk/store. As always, most OnLive games purchased on one device or through the OnLive website can be played on all devices, and L.A. Noire and other touch-adapted games will continue to work with controller and/or keyboard/mouse as they did before, including with the Universal OnLive Wireless Controller.

GTA V officially announced

gazzara — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:37:15 +0000

Today, Rockstar has officially announced its intention for the release of GTA V with a splash screen on the Rockstar.com website. Rockstar are offering no other details as yet but will release a trailer on November 2nd. Watch this space for more details. Related posts: First L.A. Noire trailer Rockstar giving away Microsoft points to [...] Related posts:

Battlefield 3 open beta announced and dated

gazzara — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:19:41 +0000

DICE, an EA studio, today announced that the Battlefield 3 multiplayer beta will open to all gamers on September 29, 2011.

Players from around the world will have a chance to experience the game that industry critics have hailed as the ‘Best Online Multiplayer Game’ before itships on October 28, 2011. The beta is set in Paris on the Operation Metro map, where players work their way from lush parks on the outskirts of the city to a dark, bombed-out metro station, to the vibrant streets around the Paris stock exchange. Two elite tactical units square off in the series’popular Rush Mode. One side takes the offensive by attacking M-COM stations while the opposing squad defends and protects. For more information about the beta, players should visit www.battlefield.com/beta or follow @Battlefield on Twitter.

The Battlefield 3 multiplayer beta will be available for the PS3, the Xbox 360 and PC. Gamers who pre-order the digital PC version of the game at Origin (powered by EA) will be granted early access to the beta starting on September 27, 2011. In addition, all customers that pre-ordered a Limited Edition of Medal of Honor will also receive early access to the beta starting on September 27, 2011.

Gamers in the beta can also log onto Battlelog, the game’s free social media network that allows gamers to communicate and compete with friends, track their stats and share their progress. Battlelog extends the in-game experience to be accessible anywhere, whether on a PC, console or handheld device.

Aliens: Colonial Marines finally dated for Spring 2012

gazzara — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:39:40 +0000

SEGA today announced that the highly-anticipated first-person shooter, Aliens: Colonial Marines, will be launching in spring 2012 on PC, PS3 and the Xbox 360.

In partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and developed by critically acclaimed studio Gearbox Software, Aliens: Colonial Marines will bring new levels of bone-chilling suspense and adrenaline-filled action to the renowned franchise. The game pits players against the universe’s ultimate alien killing machines, the Xenomorphs, in claustrophobic environments guaranteed to produce blood curdling thrills that the movie is renowned for. A first look of the game is presented in the South Hall at SEGA’s booth #2023, at this week’s E3 in Los Angeles.

“To Gearbox Software and its peers throughout the industry, ALIENS is one of the most influential science fiction properties of all time,” said Randy Pitchford, President of Gearbox Software. “Aliens: Colonial Marines, designed as an interactive successor to the landmark films from Twentieth Century Fox, is a dream project about which our studio is deeply committed and passionate.”

“Aliens: Colonial Marines will be THE definitive ALIENS gaming experience,” said Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing at SEGA Europe and SEGA of America. “Gearbox Software are doing a brilliant job translating the thrill and horror that ALIENS stands for into an action-packed shooter experience with co-operative gameplay at its core.”

Gary Rosenfeld, Senior Vice President of New Media for Fox Consumer Products added, “It’s no easy task to take on one of the most influential films of all-time, but SEGA and Gearbox are not going to disappoint. This game will be a must-have for fans of the ALIENS franchise and gamers around the globe.”

Aliens: Colonial Marines begins with an ostensibly abandoned ship, the U.S.S. Sulaco, recovered in orbit around LV-426. Players lead a group of highly trained United States Colonial Marines as they board the deserted craft to uncover the fate of the crew. They will have to fight to survive unspeakable horrors and their own anxieties as they chase down the truth behind a galaxy-spanning deception that places humanity at the mercy of the most murderous and deadly species in the universe. Aliens: Colonial Marines features authentic environments, such as the surface of LV-426 and Hadley’s Hope, weapons inspired by the film series and is designed to provide an exhilarating and engaging new chapter in the Aliens universe.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will be available spring 2012 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Dirt 3 Competition Winners announced

gazzara — Sun, 29 May 2011 00:48:04 +0000

As many of you are aware, we had a little bit of a competition going on over the last couple of days and although some of you may have got your hands on a copy of Dirt 3 there were plenty of other little goodies to tease you into entering.

Unfortunately for us, but luckily for you we were a little bit slack on the question and was not really precise enough on the answer we wanted. We should have asked “How many manufacturers did Colin Mcrae drive for in the WRC?” but instead we were a little more generic with our question. We were looking for 4 (subaru, ford, citroen and skoda) but as we sort of screwed up we thought we needed to include everyone.

So without further ado our winners for the two grand prizes of copies of Dirt 3 games on the format of their choice plus signed dirt 3 posters from the dev team, t-shirt, badges and bottle openers goes to ……….

Sarah Buckley and Billy Withers.

We also have two runners up prizes of a Dirt 3 poster, t-shirt, badge set and a bottle opener. The winners for these are as follows ………

Marcus Webb and John Marr.

Congratulations to you all. We will be contacting you within the next couple of days for details which will be passed on to Codemasters directly.

If you didn’t win then fear not as I am sure we will have another competition coming to you all very soon.

Hitman Absolution Announced

gazzara — Wed, 11 May 2011 08:44:56 +0000

IO Interactive A/S, part of Square Enix Europe, is pleased to confirm Hitman Absolution, a new game from the Hitman franchise for Xbox 360, PS3 and Windows PC. Hitman Absolution follows Agent 47, a cold blooded assassin, who takes on his most dangerous contract to date. Betrayed by those he trusted and hunted by the police, he finds himself at the centre of a dark conspiracy and must embark on a personal journey through a corrupt and twisted world, in his search for the truth. “For the first time we are taking Agent 47 on a personal journey which allows us to explore other parts of the Hitman fantasy,” said Tore Blystad, game director, IO Interactive. “This is both a familiar and yet significantly different experience to any of the other Hitman games, something our silent assassins will relish as well as those who are new to the Hitman world.” Showcasing IO Interactive’s new proprietary Glacier 2 technology, the game has been built from the ground up, boasting a cinematic story, distinctive art direction and highly original game design, Hitman Absolution combines much loved classic gameplay with completely new gameplay features for the Hitman franchise. Scheduled for release in 2012, Hitman Absolution will be showcased by invitation only at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, California from June 7-9.

L.A. Noire short stories to be released

gazzara — Tue, 03 May 2011 14:31:25 +0000

In honor of L.A. Noire, Rockstar Games are proud to announce a special collaboration with Mulholland Books and eight of the thriller genre’s best writers, L.A. Noire: The Collected Stories – a brand new anthology of original short fiction inspired by the world of the game itself.

L.A. Noire: The Collected Stories features eight short stories from renowned authors Megan Abbott, Lawrence Block, Joe Lansdale, Joyce Carol Oates, Francine Prose, Jonathan Santlofer, Duane Swierczynski and Andrew Vachss, that revisit many of the characters and cases in the game, providing a new spin to tell the tales of emotionally torn protagonists, depraved schemers and ill-fated victims – with new stories appearing on the L.A. Noire official site leading up to and through the May 17th release of L.A. Noire.

The complete collection will be made available for digital download on June 6th through all major eBook retailers.