PlayStation Orbis?

Orbis, that is the codename given to the PlayStation 3's successor, and it is currently planned to be released in 2013. You might be thinking, why is it being called Orbis? Orbis is in fact Latin for the word "circle", and it is probably not by chance that Sony's newest handheld system is called Vita which is Latin for life. Put them together and you get "Circle of life". This might be Sony hinting towards the synergy between the two devices. The current specifications are: AMD x64 CPU, AMD Southern Islands GPU, which is capable of displaying games at a resolution of 4096 x 2160.

Am I excited? Definitely. Will I be getting it at launch? Probably not. The first releases of new consoles has never been very good, it'll be more then likely that Sony will be releasing the "lite" version of Orbis with better specs and performance, much like the PlayStation 3 Lite. I'm really looking forward to seeing how well Orbis will be able to handle games, since the current specifications are already extremely capable of running most modern games. Will you be getting the PlayStation Orbis?

Image source: http://kotaku.com/5896996/the-next-playstation-is-called-orbis-sources-say-here-are-the-details

Minecraft makes $80 MILLION!

It's official, Minecraft has made over $80 million in revenue in a little over 15 months. This has been confirmed when Mojang filed their finances in Sweden. Minecraft first began to be available for purchase during its Alpha stage which was in Octorber 2010, and in no time, it has managed to have 25 million registered users, and 5,366849 games sold and counting. This is extremely impressive for a game that hasn't finished developing until last November.

I was one of the people who bought Minecraft when it first became available. I tried the game out during a Free-To-Play weekend and I instantly knew I had to buy it. Minecraft is already being ported to other platforms, such as Android and Xbox  360, and Mojang has also been working on multiple projects such as Scrolls, and Cobalt. I really hope all the other game will do as well as Minecraft did.

Image source: http://game-online-reviews.com/minecraft/

Path of Exile Open Beta Weekend!

Path of Exile is a dark fantasy themed action Free-To-Play MMORPG that is being developed by a New Zealand indie game studio, Grinding Gear Games. The game has heavy influences from Diablo II, but don't be fooled by just its appearance. Path of Exile has a very unique feel to it, alongside with the extensive 750 passive skill tree as well as its money system. The game will be open for beta testing for the public this weekend, starting from 30th March to 1st April. Throughout the weekend, Path of Exile will include the first two acts of the game, Default and Hardcore leagues, 5 character classes, more than 55 active skills and 40 support gems, and hundred of different item types.

If you've been looking for an MMORPG to play, make sure to try out Path of Exile during the open beta weekend. I personally have been playing it for quite a while in the closed beta, and I must say it has the potential to be a solid competitor to Diablo II and maybe even Diablo III. You can check out their website for more details, and they already have a countdown timer so that you can sit and wait.

Image source: http://gamelist.mmogamesite.com/mmo/path-of-exile.html

The Humble Bundle for Android 2

Humble Bundle has yet released another indie game bundle, this time titled "The Humble Bundle for Android 2", and as you can probably see for the title, the games are targeted at Android devices. That doesn't mean that you can't purchase the game if you don't have an Android device since you will also receive the PC versions of the games. As usual, Humble Bundle allows you to pay whatever price you so desire, but you will get a bonus game if you pay more than the average.

Here is the list of games featured in this bundle:

• Canabalt
• Zen Bound 2
• Cogs
• Avadon: The Black Fortress
• Snaggle Truck
• Swords & Soldiers (If you pay above the average)

 

The games in this list certainly do not disappoint, and if you bought all the games separately it would cost around $57, so these six indie games are definitely a steal,  The bundle will continue to be on sale for six more days, if you've been looking for a couple of games to play, be sure to check out this game bundle.

You can purchase the Humble Bundle for Android 2 here: http://www.humblebundle.com/

Audiosurf Air

I'm sure quite a number of you would have played or at least heard of Audiosurf, it is a music based puzzle racer where you can use your favorite songs to determine your experience, with each track being customized by the song you choose. A new sequel has been announced and it will be called Audiosurf Air. This title will is being built in the Unity3D game engine, and it appears to be taking a Tron style feel to the game. Since Audiosurf Air is being built using Unity3D, it means that there is a chance of it being ported to the iOS as well, so Apple fans rejoice!

I've clocked over 12 hours on Audiosurf and I absolutely love the game, it's probably the only game I would play to relax. I'd definitely be getting this sequel, and I hope to see what they have done to improve and add to the original title. And by the way, beta sign-ups are open so I suggest you head on there and try to get yourself a chance to try out the game before it releases.

Visit their website here: http://air.audio-surf.com/

Baldur's Gate coming to the iPad

Remember the good old classic RPG, Baldur's Gate? It will be arriving to the iPad this summer, alongside the PC release. The port to the iPad comes along with all the improvements and enhancements that are implemented in the PC version of Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, plus various UI changes to make the interface much more user-friendly so that it can be played effectively with the use of a touch interface. What's even better is that the game will be playable on all three iPad models, so it doesn't matter which one you own, you'll be able to play Baldur's Gate!

I'm pretty interested to see how the game will play out on the iPad, there might be a couple of control issues as using the touch screen only is kind of like trying to play Baldur's Gate with only the mouse, which is pretty challenging, but not impossible. It would be great if the game turns out to be successful on the iPad, more game developers might actually start to bring back their old classics onto the iPad.

Image source: http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/03/23/pc-classic-baldurs-gate-is-coming-to-ipad/

Adventure Time: On the DS!

I know there are a number of you out there who watch Adventure Time religiously, and if you happen to own a NDS, good news! An Adventure Time game is being developed by WayForward Technologies for the Nintendo DS, and the game will be released later this year. The news was broken by Adventure Time creator, Pendleton Ward on his Twitter account, alongside a NDS flailing his arms around:

I'm pumped for this release, and I wonder how they're going to make Adventure Time into a game. One thing I'm still surprised about is that the game is being released for the NDS, and not the 3DS, which is really odd to me as Nintendo should really make use of popular games to attract potential 3DS customers. Not much has been revealed yet, but I'm sure more will be revealed soon enough!

Image source: http://gamerant.com/adventure-time-ds-jeff-139889/

Zynga buys over OMGPOP

If you have an Android or an iPhone, this picture above might be very familiar to you. Draw Something is the smash hit game made by OMGPOP, a somewhat popular online casual games website. You've probably have heard or seen your friends play or talk about Draw Something. Zynga has apparently caught wind of how popular it is, and how fast it is growing, so they did the only logical thing- They bought it, for over 200 million dollars. All current OMGPOP employees will be joining Zynga and they're company will still be operational, just that it will be part of Zynga now.

It blows my mind to think how a small game company with only a little over 40 employees are able to make such a trending game, so much so that Zynga could see the potential in it and buy their company over for such an absurd amount of money. OMGPOP has existed for quite a while now, and nobody really knew of it until recently. I'm really surprised that Zynga would go out and buy over their company. This is good news for the current employees, with $200,000,000 they could spend their entire lives without working anymore!

Image source: http://hypebeast.com/2012/03/zynga-to-buy-omgpop-makers-of-draw-something/

Guild Wars 2: Microtransaction Explained

Much like any other MMOs that does not require a subscription fee, Guild Wars 2 will feature a microtransaction system that will allow players to purchase Gems, which can be used to purchase cosmetic items or temporary conveniences. Many players were worried that Guild Wars 2 will turn into another Pay-to-Win MMO, so ArenaNet has come up with a detailed explanation on how microtransactions will turn out.

Guild Wars 2 will have three currencies: gold, karma, and gems. Gold is the standard tradable currency that can be earned by all players in the game. Karma on the other hand, is not tradable but is rewarded to players for completing events. Lastly, gems are the tradable currency that is bought with real money. ArenaNet has made it very clear that it will not affect the playing field for all players. Players who do not wish to spend real money can still obtain cash shop items by trading for gems with gold, and ArenaNet believes that this will allow players to create and decide the market.

I personally have nothing against microtransactions, as long as they do not give other players an unfair advantage. I think what Guild Wars 2 is trying to do is the same as Team Fortress 2. Think of gems as keys and gold as refined metal in Team Fortress 2, it's pretty much the same thing. I, for one, welcome the microtransaction system.

Image source: http://www.ikogamer.com/2012/03/21/guild-wars-2-micro-transactions-explained

Dark Souls coming to PC?

Dark Souls may very well be arriving on the PC in the near future. There has recently been a new post on Dark Souls' Facebook page stating that "an announcement is coming", and with that comes along a reveal page that will be unlocked upon achieving a certain amount of "Likes" from its Facebook fans. Apart from this, there was also another teaser for PCPowerPlay, an Australian magazine, which simply says, "You Died.", an unmistakable message from Dark Souls. All of this kind of adds up to the fact that there will be a PC port for Dark Souls.

If you can recall, earlier this year there was a petition with over 66,000 signatures for Dark Souls to be ported to the PC, and Namco did reply saying that they know of its existance. This is really cool, seeing a big game company actually listening to the fans and doing what they've requested. It would be so awesome if more game companies would do more favors for its gamers. I look forward to playing Dark Souls on the PC when it arrives.

Image source: http://gotgame.com/2012/01/13/namco-notices-dark-souls-pc-petition/

Kingdoms of Amalur MMO?

If you've played Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and enjoy playing MMOs, then you'll love this piece of news. Kingdoms of Amalur comic book artist and designer, Todd McFarlane, has revealed that the development team is working on the MMO, codename "Kingdoms of Amalur: Project Copernicus", and it is supposed to be released later in the year. With a already solid single-player game, adding the MMO element is perhaps one of the best ideas. Not much detail has been made known about the project, but much more information will definitely be made known at E3 later this year.

I've played Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and I loved it, but there was just one thing missing from it, and that is having a friend to play alongside with. I remember saying this exactly in my mind, "This would be awesome as an MMO", and guess what, Kingdoms of Amalur is indeed being made into an MMO! I'll be keeping an eye out for this game.

Image source: http://www.justpushstart.com/2012/03/amalur-mmo-coming-later-in-the-year/

Borderlands 2: Love Letter from Claptrap

In a mushy love letter from Claptrap, the iconic character from Borderlands, Borderlands 2 promises optimization for the PC version. It took the feedback from the players of Borderlands and decided to implement many features for the PC version of Borderlands 2. 

Here is the list of things that Claptrap has promised:

• FOV slider
• Fully mouse-compatible menus with wheel scrolling
• Remappable keys
• PC Specific UI
• Native Matchmaking
• Push-to-Talk
• Logitech Keyboard support
• LAN support
• Controller support
• Integrated v-sync option
• Support for higher resolutions
• Mouse smooth options (especially complete disablement)
• Cloud saves
• Achievements
• Friends Lists
• No port forwarding needed

I love the delivery from 2KGames, how they used Claptrap, and how they listened to the players' feedback. This love letter has done nothing but made me even more excited for Borderlands 2. Personally, I didn't think that the controls and UI was that bad in Borderlands, but if they are promising so many things, it's definitely going to be much better.

You can read Claptrap's Love Letter here: http://www.borderlands2.com/loveletter?x

Elder Scrolls MMO?

The rumors of an Elder Scrolls MMO have been circulating for quite a while, but it has been revealed by Tom's Guide that Bethesda will be officially announcing Elder Scrolls Online in May 2012. The game is supposedly set at a full millennium before Skyrim, which is at least a few hundred years before any of the Elder Scrolls Series. Little is known about the MMO yet, but we do know that there will be three factions, each represented by either a dragon, a lion, or a bird. More information should be made known in the near future.

Elder Scrolls MMO? I'm sold, as long as they don't screw things up. Just imagine, thousands of players in town screaming "Fus Ro Dah", that would be quite the sight. This is yet another game I'm looking forward to in 2012, and I just hope that Bethesda will deliver.

Image source: http://www.gamezone.com/products/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/news/is-an-elder-scrolls-mmo-in-the-works

Indie Royale: St. Patrick's Day Bundle!

In celebration of St. Patrick's day, Indie Royale has released yet another pay what you want game bundle which features five independently developed games for an awesome bargain. This bundle includes the following games:

1. Hard Reset
2. Jolly Rover
3. Vertex Dispenser
4. DLC Quest
5. BONUS: Lair of the Evildoer (Available if you pay more than the minimum.)

For less than 5 bucks, this bundle is a steal, especially due to the fact that Hard Reset is one of the bundled games. The minimum price will continue to rise as more people purchase the bundle, so if you have been looking for games to play and have a spare $5 sitting around somewhere, this bundle is perfect for you.

You can purchase the bundle here: http://www.indieroyale.com

Diablo III release date announced!

15th May is the magical date where Diablo III is finally ready and will be released for all Diablo fans to enjoy, finally! It will be coming to stores internationally on 15th May, or you can pre-order it online on Battle.Net. There is however, no mention of the release date for the consoles, which probably means it will be arriving to the consoles in the near future. 

If you're a hardcore fan, there is the collector's edition you can purchase for $99.99. It includes a behind-the-scenes blu-ray documentary, a 208 page art book, a soundtrack CD, a 4GB USB drive that comes with Diablo II and its expansion, Lord of Destruction, as well as various cosmetics bonuses for your characters in Diablo III.

So finally, Diablo III is ready, despite having various features such as PvP to be cut out from the game at the last minute. The core campaign and co-op should be solid, seeing how much time Blizzard has put into this game. What I'm interested to find out more is the real-money auction house, and whether it will make or break the game. I guess we'll find out on 15th May.

Image source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5680/diablo-iii-coming-may-15

Star Wars: The Old Republic Free-To-Play Weekend!

Have you been wanting to try out Star Wars: The Old Republic, but didn't want to risk paying for a game you wouldn't like? Now here's your chance to try out SWTOR over the weekends. The Free-To-Play weekends starts from 15th March, 12:01 A.M. CT and will last till 19th March, 2:00 A.M. CT. As a free trial, of course there will be certain annoying restrictions:

1. Characters are restricted up to level 15
2. Players are restricted to certain zones
3. Will not have access to various chat channels
4. Unable to send or reply to mail
5. Not allowed to trade with other players
6. Restricted skill levels

Sure there are a lot of restrictions, but you don't have to pay a penny to get a taste of the game, and if you do enjoy SWTOR, then you can buy the game. At any point in the future if you decide to purchase SWTOR, your trial character will be saved and you continue playing your character without any restrictions. I will definitely be giving SWTOR a go, just to see what all the hype is about.

You can sign up for the Free-To-Play weekend here: http://www.swtor.com/weekendpass 

Image source: http://my.mmosite.com/c474ec58b84b30d1637236df32241f59/blog/item/ecd063b9e452c9fc53cf86fff7da9604.html

Guild Wars 2 Pre-order date!

Turns out my post yesterday was somewhat accurate, ArenaNet has revealed the pre-order details for Guild Wars 2! You can start pre-ordering on 10th April, and if you do, you will have access to ALL Guild Wars 2 beta weekend events, three day headstart access, and an in game equipment to boost your stats. The price of the Digital Edition, and Digital Deluxe Edition have not been made known yet, but the Collector's Edition is priced at £129. Below is the list of items you will receive if you pre-ordered:

1. Digital Edition
• Guild Wars 2 Game
2. Digital Deluxe Edition
• Guild Wars 2 Game
• Summon Mistfire Wolf Elite Skill
• Rytlock Miniature
• Golem Banker
• Chalice of Glory
• Tome of Influence
3. Collector's Edition
• Everything in the Digital Deluxe Edition PLUS
• 10-inch figurine of Rytlock
• 112 page Making of Guild Wars 2 book
• Custom Art Frame
• Art Portfolio and 5 Art Prints
• Best of Guild Wars 2 Soundtrack CD

I am so excited for this game, and I probably will only purchase the Digital Edition. The extra items that you receive in the Digital Deluxe Edition are mostly temporary and not very significant, and I wouldn't want to pay almost triple to get the Collector's Edition. ArenaNet is doing this well as there is no advantage in purchasing the Digital Deluxe and Collector's Edition, and it's probably only for the hardcore fans. April 10th, here I come! 

 

Image source: http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/03/13/guild-wars-2-pre-orders-come-with-beta-access-130-collectors-edition-comes-with-big-cat/

Guild Wars 2: Thank You Video

If you have signed up for Guild Wars 2's closed beta during that short 48 hour time frame, you probably have received an email from ArenaNet thanking you for signing up for the beta. This doesn't mean that you didn't get into the beta, but more of a reminder that it is indeed coming soon. Coupled with the email is this brand new "Thank You" video that ArenaNet has released which features never-before-seen in-game footage.

I was so excited to see an ArenaNet email in my inbox, but it turned out to be an email thanking us for signing up. I'm still stoked for the closed beta nonetheless, and I wish anyone of you who signed up for the closed beta good luck!

PvP removed from Diablo III for launch!

Blizzard have recently decided to remove PvP from Diablo III so that it can be released earlier. They stated that the PvP game and systems were not living up to their standards, and hence decided to hold it back an release it at a later time as a patch and hopefully not a DLC. Cutting features off Diablo III to push it out quicker probably means the release date is just around the corner, but Diablo fans probably will not be too happy about that

For a game that has been in development for so long, not being able to nail down PvP really says something about the development team. And so much for being a "We'll release it when it's ready" company. This announcement probably means that Blizzard is just removing certain features just so that it can be labeled as "ready". Oh Blizzard, what a disappointment. 

Image source: http://mygaming.co.za/news/news/33947-blizzard-removes-pvp-from-diablo-iii.html

Mojang and Bethesda trademark dispute settled!

Here's a little background information. You may have heard, earlier this year, Bethesda filed a lawsuit against Mojang for trying to trademark the word "Scrolls" for their upcoming game. Mojang's application to trademark "Scrolls" conflicted with Bethesda's existing trademark "The Elder Scrolls". In Bethesda's defense, they stated that if Mojang managed to trademark "Scrolls", it would be possible for him to sue anyone who uses the word "Scrolls", hence the lawsuit.

Earlier today, Notch announced on Twitter that the trademark dispute has finally been settled after months of arguments. Basically, Bethesda gets the trademark, but Mojang is allowed to keep the name, as long as they don't make an Elder Scrolls competitor game using that name. I guess Bethesda's not in the wrong for trying to protect their franchise, but I still think that this whole thing is kind of silly. At least, no game progress has been compromised by this issue.

Tribes: Ascend Release Date!

Tribes: Ascend will be officially released on the 12th of April. This Free-to-Play, sci-fi, online multiplayer first person shooter is finally out of beta and will be free for everyone to play. Players currently participating in the open beta need not fret, all stats, unlocks, and progress will be carried over when Tribes: Ascend is released.

If you can't wait that long, you can sign up for the open beta right now: http://tribesascend.com

While you're at it, check out this awesome trailer they released to promote their game. You know a game is good when make parodies other games.

Image source: http://lorehound.com/news/tribes-ascend-more-gameplay-footage/

Blizzard's desperate attempt!

If you still do play World of Warcraft for whatever reason, you should have already heard of this news. Blizzard is offering players with incentives to bring their old WoW friends back, if a player successfully brings a player back and gets him to get more WoW game time, they are both rewarded with the following benefits:

• Sender
•  Spectral Gryphon for Alliance characters
• Spectral Wind Rider for Horde characters
• Receiver
• A level 80 character
• Free upgrade to Cataclysm
• Free character move
• 7 free days of game time

This really is Blizzard's cry of desperation. Is World of Warcraft finally dying? Or are they just trying to get people hyped for their new "Myst of Pandaria" expansion? Either way, it's probably due to the declining subscribers and they've finally decided to do something about it. If you've been wanting to get back to WoW, now is probably the right time! 

Image source: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/4539329/Earn_Legendary_Rewards_with_the_New_Scroll_of_Resurrection_-3_6_2012#blog

EA set to release three Battlefield 3 expansions for 2012!

EA and DICE has revealed at GDC, three Battlefield 3 expansions that will be coming throughout 2012. Coming this June, is the first expansion: "Close Quarters", then "Armored Kill" in fall, and last but not least, a fitting "End Game" for the winter. These are not just map pack releases but are actual and proper expansions which will introduce new environments, weapons, vehicles, assignments, and what is said to be the biggest map in Battlefield history.

It's good to see that DICE is actually delivering good content, and by good content, I don't mean just map packs like a certain other FPS which I shall not name. I also like how each expansion is themed and promises to give the players a new and different experience. Information about the last expansion "End Game" is still tightly guarded, but this is a good thing as it feels like a surprise almost. Once I get my gaming PC, I'll be sure to get Battlefield 3. 

Image source: http://www.slashgear.com/three-battlefield-3-expansions-announced-for-2012-07217385/

SimCity 5 confirmed!

It's been nine whooping years since SimCity 4 was released, and SimCity 5 has just been confirmed by Maxis and EA during this GDC. It is slated for a 2013 PC release, and the game will finally be truly 3D, with awesome animation and even curvy roads. Not much information is made known yet, but all we do know that it will be coming out on the PC only for now, and it will be made using EA's GlassBox game engine.

With almost a decade to work on SimCity 5, I'm sure that the developers have got plenty of time and work-power to get this game going. Apart from the new and improved graphics, I'm looking forward to other new features that they will come up with. SimCity 5 is definitely a title worth looking out for! 

Image source: http://www.thevine.com.au/life/tech/simcity-5-revealed20120307.aspx

Counter Strike: Global Offensive confirmed for Summer launch!

Earlier this week at Microsoft's showcase event, Counter Strike: Global Offensive developer has confirmed that the highly anticipated CS:GO is set to launch this Summer for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. Hurray! Now for the bad news, cross-platform play is dropped from CS:GO. So many things could be explored with cross-platform play, and it would have been one of the first FPS games to support it, but it probably would just take too much time, work and effort, even for Valve developers.

I'm not too bothered about not getting any cross-platform love from the developers, since I am, and will be playing anything on the PC. However, it would still be really cool to be able to play with other peoples who are on their consoles, and to see how the game-play will turn out. I guess this is kind of a good thing since the developers would be able to focus more on the development for each platform.

Sign up for the beta for CS:GO here! 

Image source: http://www.evilsourcegaming.com/2012/02/csgo-beta-opening-up-to-more-players-today/

Final Mass Effect 3 Launch Trailer

Mass Effect 3 will be released tomorrow in the US! BioWare has recently released a new dramatic launch trailer for this game to get everyone pumped up for Mass Effect 3. Every moment of the 3 minute trailer is full of awesome action, chaos, and explosions, it's so amazing that it could very well become a movie on its own.

You can really see how much time and effort BioWare has put into the trailer, I've got goosebumps all over from watching that trailer. Let's hope that BioWare will not let us down.

New F2P 3rd-person MMO shooter: Loadout

Coming this Summer is yet another Free-to-Play MMO 3rd-person shooter, Loadout. It emphasizes heavily on players being able to customize your outrageous weapons, equipment and accessories, as well as the over-the-top effects and cartoony graphics. Loadout promises this one thing, "The more you play, the more you can customize."

If Team Fortress 2 and Borderlands had a baby, it would be this game. I'd even say that Loadout is really similar to FireFall.  Seeing how successful Team Fortress 2 has been after going F2P, it seems like many MMO shooters are also jumping on the F2P wagon. I just hope that it will not become another Pay-to-Win game, and that the cash shop will only sell cosmetics items. Other than that, Loadout seems like a pretty good game to get into.

Sign up for the beta here:  http://loadoutgame.com

Image Source:http://loadoutgame.com/media/

Valve's "Steam Box" gaming console

Valve is rumored to be developing their own console, currently known as "Steam Box". Steam Box is developed with the idea of a low-cost and micro-sized PC that would be able to play all of Steam's games. The baseline specs of Steam Box is reported to be a Intel Core i7 CPU, 8GB RAM, and an Nvidia GPU, which would run pretty much any PC games in high quality.

Maybe for once, I might consider getting a console. I mean heck, a console with specs better than what my PC currently have? Shut up and take my money! It's great to see Valve venturing into consoles, and not just sticking to the PC platform. Although Valve has not confirmed any of the reports yet, they should be making announcements in the near future. 

Image source: http://www.slashgear.com/valve-announces-15-million-steam-subscribers-0810151/

BioShock Infinite Release Date!

BioShock fans rejoice! 2K Games has recently announced the release date for BioShock Infinite. It is set to be released on 16th October in the U.S. for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, and 19th October for the international release. BioShock Infinite is one of the most anticipated titles of 2012, and it will be set in an alternate steam-punk universe in 1912, USA.

This title is quite a different feel from the previous BioShock titles which are set in the underwater metropolic, Rapture. With the floating sky-cities, I am sure that BioShock Infinite will be a promising title. I look forward to playing this game on the PC when it is released. 

Image source: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/12/bioshock-infinite-preview/

600 Blizzard staff getting laid off!

With the drop of World of Warcraft subscribers, from 12 million to 10.2 million, Blizzard is cutting 600 staff members globally. Most of the staff that are getting fired are not from game development departments, so all the on-going games in development, such as Diablo 3, Starcraft 2 expansions, and Blizzard DOTA, will still be in progress.

Losing your job is never fun, especially not when you were working at Blizzard. I hope that Blizzard will still continue to deliver promising titles. Could the massive drop in WoW subscribers be due to competitive title such as Star Wars: The Old Republic? Or is Activision behind this? Who knows? 

Image source: http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Blizzard_Entertainment

Microsoft Flight released for free!

The long awaited flight simulator, Microsoft Flight is finally released today. It can be downloaded from their official website and played for free. There will be however, downloadable content that you can buy and unlock from the Game For Windows Live Marketplace. Right now, the game is only limited to Hawaii, but more regions will probably be added on to the game in the near future. 

It's nice to see more games, or flight simulators jumping on the F2P wagon. One thing that still bums me out is that additional content usually means DLCs that we need to pay for. Hopefully, they'll find some payment model that will benefit both publishers and consumers without milking us dry.

Microsoft Flight's Official Website:  http://www.microsoft.com/games/flight/ 

Image source: http://flyawaysimulation.com/

Free 250 Tribes: Ascend Gold!

That's right! Free gold! And for once, it's not a scam! All you have to do is to visit Tribes: Ascend on Facebook, and click on the "Get 250 Free Gold!" application of the left side of the page to get your free gold. Make sure to like the page before you do so! Once you get the code, just plop it in the redemption menu inside the Tribes: Ascend game client to receive your free 250 gold.

This campaign will end on 31st March 2012, 11:59 a.m. (EDT), so you have no excuses to miss it.

Tribes: Ascend Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/tribesascend 

Image source: https://www.facebook.com/tribesascend?sk=app_143129555807414

Aion going Free-To-Play on 28th February

NCSoft has announced that their original Pay-To-Play MMORPG, Aion will be relaunching as a Free-To-Play title. The entire game will be open to free players, with some limitations such as trading, chatting, poorer rewards from quests, and a few other restrictions. Apart from the limitations, F2P players can do everything else in the game.

There will be three different player statuses depending on the payment model they choose:

1. Starter
• Free to play users
• Limited game features
2. Veteran
• Former subscribers
• Nearly full game features
3. Gold Pack
• Ongoing subscribers
• Full game features with bonuses

It's not the first time that a P2P MMO has gone F2P in the past few years, and I think that going F2P is definitely the way forward in the world of MMOs.

You can sign up for Aion here: http://www.aionfreetoplay.com/website/free2play/ 

Image source: http://www.gamefluke.com/f2p-news/aion-going-free-to-play-in-europe-in-february/

Pokemon Black and White 2 Announced!

Earlier today, Game Freak director Junichi Masuda announced on the Japanese television show, Pokemon Smash, that Pokemon Black 2 and Pokemon White 2 will be released for the Nintendo DS in Japan this June. Despite the 3DS, Nintendo decided to make Pokemon Black and White 2 compatible with the original Nintendo DS, with the 3DS players having a few other exclusive features.

Much like all the other Pokemon titles, I'm sure that Pokemon Black and White 2 will be another success internationally. It almost seems to me like they were running out of colors to name their Pokemon game titles. There is no word on the international release date yet, but more news should be announced soon. 

Image source: http://www.1up.com/news/pokemon-black-white-2-backward-brilliant

Guild Wars 2 ONE MILLION sign-ups!

Remember the post where I mentioned that the Guild Wars 2 open beta sign-up was up for 48 hours? Well cross your fingers, because you will be competing with ONE MILLION other users who signed up for the beta in the short 48 hour timespan. Talk about being impressive. Guild Wars 2 is definitely one of the most hyped-up MMOs of 2012, and with the open beta underway, the release date is surely around the corner, waiting to reveal itself to all of the fans. I hope I get into the beta, and good luck to anyone of you who have signed up for it as well.

Twitter link: https://twitter.com/#!/GuildWars2/status/173130750747615232

Valve merchandise!

Toy company, NECA will be selling Valve merchandise to shops this summer! There will be various toys from the different Valve titles such as:

• Team Fortress 2
• Half Life
• Left 4 Dead 2
• Portal

Oh yes, there will be a life-sized Portal gun on sale for $130. Expensive? A little, but having a Portal gun hung up on your wall is definitely worth it. I would definitely be buying some of the action figures. Although  I'm not much of a toy collector, but if a company sells action figures of my favorite video games, my money is theirs.

Image source: http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/02/24/team-fortress-2-action-figures-and-life-sized-portal-gun-hitting-shops-this-summer/

Counter Strike: Global Offensive joining up the beta wagon

Joining the closed beta wagon today is CS:GO. Much like the DOTA 2 closed beta, all you have to do is fill in a survey and you could stand a chance getting into the beta. Once you get into the beta, you will of course receive beta keys to gift to your friends on Steam. They will be making their first selection from the survey next week, it will make up of 1.6 players, CS:S players, and players who have played neither.

To stand a chance to get into the beta, all you need to do is enter this into any Windows Explorer or browser address bar and it will open the survey through Steam for you: steam://takesurvey/2/

Image source: http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/08/12/valve-announces-counter-strike-global-operations-playable-at-pax/

Guild Wars 2 Open Beta Sign-up for 48 hours

Guild Wars 2 open beta sign-ups are open for only 48 hours, so if you want to get in, you better hurry! It does not guarantee you a spot, but you'll be notified of any future beta events. All you need to do is to submit your system information, which they do for you, and your contact information by 6:00p.m. (UK time) on 24th February.

ArenaNet has also posted an extremely detailed FAQ about the open beta. You can sign up for the open beta here. Go quick, you have less than 48 hours!

Image source: http://nerdtrek.com/pax-2011-guild-wars-2-panel/

Borderlands 2 Launch Date!

Borderlands 2, the sequel to the multi-million unit selling title, Borderlands, will be released on the PS3, Xbox 360, and the PC on 18th September in North America, and 21st September internationally. Borderlands 2 will return to Pandora, where playing will be discovering unexplored new areas, secrets, and mysteries. 2K Games had also released a launch date trailer promising 96.5% more WUB WUB, video link is down below.

I loved the first Borderlands and I can't wait to play this sequel. In fact, you can already pre-order it now on their website. Although 18th September is still pretty far away, Borderlands 2 is definitely a title to look out for.

Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAWM1vRSk44 

Image source:  http://www.shacknews.com/article/69555/borderlands-2-announced-new-classes-weapons

The Witcher 2 sells over 1.1 million copies in 2011

It's been a great year for The Witcher 2 as they have sold over 1,110,005 copies to the PC platform, according to Eurogamer. The digital version sold 270,000 through various digital distribution services, and 40,000 of which is through Good Old Games. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition will be arriving to the PC this April, and the new content will be made available automatically to all existing owners of The Witcher 2.

1 million is a pretty big figure to hit. I've played both the Witcher 1 and 2, and I can understand why it sold so well. If you have not played either one of the games, I highly recommend you to check them out!

Image source: http://onlivefans.com/news/the-witcher-and-the-witcher-2-will-be-coming-to-onlive-for-uk-and-us-users/4452/

Realm of the Mad God on Steam now!

You may have heard of or even played Realm of the Mad God on your browser before, but now it's going on to Steam for free! It is a co-op MMO bullet hell 2D shooter where you can basically team up automatically with players nearby and kill monsters and bosses together. There are 13 different classes that you can progressively unlock and play, each with its own unique stats and abilities.

My suggestion? Download it now! It's free, it's fun, and it will consume your soul. With a likely increase of player base, you can expect more content to be added to the game in the near future. Get it on Steam here.

Image source: http://www.tigsource.com/2012/02/18/coming-to-steam-realm-of-the-mad-god/

Retro City Rampage is coming on all platforms!

The developers of Retro City Rampage will be arriving on all platforms, specifically being PC, Wii, PS3, PS Vita, XBLA. Retro City rampage is a 2D top-down action game that has many elements of the classic Grand Theft Auto games in 8-bit goodness. There are over 50 story missions, as well as 30 challenges in Arcade Mode.

The developers are targetting for a May release for all platforms. In fact, you can even pre-order the PC version now for $14.99 here. Retro City Rampage looks like a pretty neat and nostalgic title, and I'm probably gonna get myself a copy when it is released.

Image source: http://www.shacknews.com/article/72529/retro-city-rampage-confirmed-for-pc-ps3-and-vita-too

Guild Wars 2 Closed Beta Footage

It's Monday, and the Yogscast has already uploaded new gameplay footage from the Guild Wars 2 Press Beta! This footage features the character creation screen, as well as the starting zones. 

Talk about being efficient, it's barely been a day and they've already gotten footage and uploaded it on YouTube for our viewing pleasure. Be sure to check the video out in the link below!

Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-YKm20rPQY

Buy 2 get 1 free PS Vita Games at Gamestop!

If you happen to own a Sony PS Vita, great news! Gamestop is currently offering a buy 2 get 1 free deal on select PS Vita titles. 

These titles include:

1. Uncharted: Golden Abyss
2. ModNation Racers: Road Trip
3. Little Deviants
4. Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational
5. Wipeout 2048

This deal will be running from today up to the 25th of February. So if you are a PS Vita owner, you should probably take advantage of this awesome deal to snag yourself one free game!

Image source: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/19/buy-2-get-1-free-on-select-vita-games-at-gamestop-starting-today/

2QWOP

If you thought playing QWOP by yourself wasn't entertaining enough, you now get the chance to play it with your friends with a two-player split-screen multiplayer mode. The top player uses QWER to move whereas the bottom player uses UIOP. This probably won't work very well with keyboards without anti-ghosting, since you do have 8 buttons to press.

If you don't have a friend to play 2QWOP with, you can always attempt to play both screens by yourself! That's something worth bragging.

Image source: http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/720897/2qwop-multiplayer-qwop-is-now-available/

Civilization V: Gods & Kings

2K Games has announced the first expansion pack for Civilization V. Titled "Gods & Kings", this expansion pack is targetted to be released in "late spring 2012". Gods & Kings will not only be bringing religion back into the game, it will also add 27 new units, 13 new buildings, 9 new playable civilizations and 9 new Wonders.

This is great news for Civilization fans. With this giant expansion pack, fans would be excited to get back into the game.

Image source: http://videogamewriters.com/civilization-v-gods-kings-expansion-pack-heralds-the-return-of-religion-and-espionage-39071/

Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Double Pack!

Bethesda just announced that they will be releasing a "Fallout 3 & Oblivion Double Pack" on April 3rd, for both the Xbox 360 and PC. The Xbox 360 version will set you back $29.99 whereas the PC version will only cost you $19.99. Despite having the "Game of the Year" title to them, they do not come with any of the DLC packs released.

If you've not played both Fallout 3 and Oblivion, this will be your golden opportunity to pick them up in a convenient bundle.  I will be posting the link to purchase the bundle when it is released, but for now, get your wallets ready.

Image source: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/02/17/fallout-3-amp-oblivion-double-pack-announced.aspx

Guild Wars 2 Limited Beta Testing!

ArenaNet recently announced that Guild Wars 2 has gone into press beta release. They've invited hunders of players and press from all over the world for a beta test over the weekends. Playing beside the beta testers will be the staff members at ArenaNet, guiding, and showing the game off to them.

The press is not allowed to release any information, or gameplay footage before Monday. So you can expect a massive amount of information for Guild Wars 2 really soon. Additionally, ArenaNet revealed that they'll have some very specific information about an upcoming Guild Wars 2 beta event. I'm taking my bet on public beta testing.

Guild Wars 2 is soon becoming ready to be released. This will probably be the game that will chip all my time away, but hey, who cares? It's Guild Wars 2!

Image source: http://www.arena.net/blog/guild-wars-2-limited-beta-test-begins-today