The problem, which existed on PS3 only, was attributed to a glitch in the way save files were created and caused them to grow into uncontrollable sizes that prevented the game from running properly. The issue has recently been fixed with a patch, and now Bethesda is clinging to brighter news. Even games like Battlefield 3, Gears of War 3, or the new Uncharted game were not as successful as Skyrim.

The Elder Scrolls series has long been regarded as one of the most masterful and brilliantly designed game franchises in the current generation, but its reach had previously been very niche in scope. Apparently that has changed. Within its first month, more than 10 million copies of the game had been shipped, spanning the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. On the PC, it became digital distribution platform Steam’s fastes-selling game ever.

[via Eurogamer]

So says the latest study from customer research giant Nielsen. The group found that only 44% of US households are completely devoid of the current round of consoles, all of which have been on the market for more than five years. The Xbox 360 has been available since 2005. Because of the longer console life cycle, it’s possible for budget-conscious and non-gamer consumers to come in late in the process and still have the most up-to-date console available.

According to Nielsen, overall gaming activity increased by 7%, a number that also included smartphone and tablet games. That is what the company sees as a potential major trend for 2012. It also expects cross-platform connectivity between different devices to explode this year. And its last prediction for the future – in-game monetization will be a big trend. That is, get ready to start spending a lot more money on your games after you buy or download them.

[via Gamespot]

It’s pretty ridiculous in the first place to think of the classic board game being turned into a full-length feature film. But then again, the connection between the two really exist in name only, as the movie seems to be your standard popcorn action flick. What will be more interesting is to see how the video game version adapts and whether or not it will include odes the deacdes-old strategy game classic.

Here’s how a press release describes the game: “Combining naval strategy simulation with first-person shooter gameplay, players fend off the enemy beachside while ordering attacks against their marine counterparts. Seamlessly switching between battlefield and overview “Battle Command” map, the Hasbro game is brought to life as carriers, frigates, cruisers, destroyers, submarines and the legendary USS Missouri Battleship pummel the enemy in a race to strategic points that turn the tide of battle.” It doesn’t sound to us like there will be much dialogue like, “Hey, you sunk my battleship.”

[via Gamezone]

The study that revealed this information came from Parks Associates and is titled Trends in Digital Gaming: Free-to-Play, Social, and Mobile Games. Based on the title of the report alone, you can probably guess what the conclusion of the study was. It’s thanks to the explosion of games on new and non-barrier-heavy platforms on which to play video games like Facebook and cell phones. These are platforms that everyone has access to, as opposed to the old environment where gamers had to go out and buy a dedicated game system or piece of computer gaming software.

The research group found that among Facebook gamers who actually spend money, the average amount spent per month is $29. In addition, those who log into free-to-play games including freemium mobile games, and end up paying for in-game currency or items, are racking up an average of $21 per month in charges. These numbers are pretty low compared to what you might have considered a typical gamer just a few years ago, and it doesn’t even factor in those who are perfectly content playing the free games and never putting in their credit card number. We all knew the industry was expanding, but 44% of the country now defined as an active gamer? That’s a pretty big amount.

[via VentureBeat]

The storyline here is loosely based around the idea that Batman impersonators would certainly take to the streets if Batman ever went missing (it’s happened before!) and tossing in a whole clown-car full of Junior Jokerz, this game blows the top off of what was established in Gotham City and pours a bunch of hot sauce into it. Inside the game you’ve got the option of playing to your own skillset and are able to turn your character in to whatever you want it to be – hair, weapons, makeup and all!

If you’re unable to see this game in your download area for any of the platforms you’ve got right this moment, just wait! This game is slated for yesterday and today and is being rolled out to each system as they’re prepared to bring the fun! Meanwhile we’ve got the game here and are testing it out tonight – so get ready for some fun in the interim if you’re up for it!

The first few games that have been listed by Ubisoft that are certainly affected by the transition time are Assasin’s Creed, Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2, Might & Magic : Heroes VI, Splinter Cell Conviction, The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom, and The Settlers. While this list appeared at first to be the only set of games affected by the downtime, it’s not being reported from multiple sources and gamers emailing us directly that games such as Assassin’s Creed Revelations and Driver San Francisco are being knocked out now as well. In addition, all Ubisoft websites except for their Consumer Service and official forums have been guaranteed to be staying up during the transition, but we’ll see as the transition continues.

Uplay PC games are completely unplayable during this period, and players playing ANNO have been sent a guide which tells them to start off in offline mode, then once they’re in the main menu, to log in with their account data and they’ll be good to go. Try this out with similar games to see how they work as well! Meanwhile know this: Ubisoft currently has the servers nearly turned over at this point and are restoring what they can when they can as we speak. Everything should be back up by the end of today!

A video game debut at a toy show? That is certainly not the norm, and it goes a long way in describing why Skylanders became so successful. It managed to find that perfect blend of engaging gameplay and physical, real-world collectibility. The game uses actual toys that players can buy from GameStop or other stores, which are placed on a special peripheral connected to the game console that allows players to bring that toy to life. It doesn’t stop there, as players can then take their toys to their friends’ houses and retain all the customization and leveling up they’ve already achieved. That information is stored in the toy figure.

The new iteration will include eight new collectible toys, and they’ll be more high-tech. The new Skylanders figurines will light up when they come into contact with the so-called “Portal of Power” peripheral that brings them into the game. Of course there will also be a new story and brand new gameplay, and Activision also promises deep integration between different channels – console, mobile, and online. “While it was still in development, we recognized the potential that Skylanders had to connect with our customers due to its unique merging of physical and digital play,” said Toys R Us CEO Jerry Storch.

[via VentureBeat]

Shown off back in July last year, the bundle – and the game – has been a long time coming. Originally, Microsoft promised to have the console and title on sale by the 2011 holidays, but plans changed in August when the firm began telling eager gamers that it would instead drop in 2012 giving the developers time to fettle it to its “full potential.”

That game tweaking looks to be at an end, and the promo bundle is finally ready for primetime. Kinect Star Wars itself is priced at around $50, and allows you to hold lightsaber fights, pilot Speeder Bikes and other vehicles, and navigate various puzzles, all using gestures tracked by the Kinect.

There’ll also be a “Jedi Destiny Mode”, Microsoft’s Major Nelson reveals, allowing gamers to duel with Count Dooku and Darth Vader, while those looking for more Lucas-style whimsy can take part in the ‘Galactic Dance Off” mode. That includes a Star Wars-themed pop playlist, and if you have the limited edition console you can also unlock an exclusive C-3PO Dance Mode.

Durall, who was a designer on Red Faction: Armageddon, was quoted as saying, “There’s another big rumor about the next Xbox console that could really start to shake things up… it won’t play used games at all. Personally I think this would be a fantastic change for our business.” The way such a system would work would be for every Xbox 720 game to require registration from the console, and at that point there would be a one-to-one relationship between game and system. If you popped it into another Xbox 720, the registration would fail.

Obviously this has a huge cascade of effects, including preventing someone from playing a game at a friend’s house, renting games from sources like GameFly, or re-authenticating games if your Xbox 720 breaks and you buy a new one. But Durall says those issues can be ironed out. “I could see Microsoft implementing their own rental service which would maybe give them a code that activates the game for X days and they are charged a small amount,” he said. Sounds like a lot of work to us, but who knows? We’ll see what happens.

[via CVG]

In this game created by some of the most notable names in gaming and comic book fantasy you’ll be not only diving into a story so thick it’d take you days and days upon days to read the entire text included in the game without even playing. Inside you’ll find yourself so deep in the world of Amalur that you’ll often forget that the objective includes some of the most action-packed sequences since Skyrim. And let’s face it: this game will be compared to Skyrim one way or another, so it’d better stand up strong right up unto it!

And it shall, as Rolston lead design teams behind Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind as well as Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, these both coming right behind the Skyrim masterpiece of 2011. The only thing you’ll not be selecting is the shape of your face, as Reckoning cuts a bit more to the chase than Skyrim does, with basic faces, hair, and a few trinkets around you before you jump right in. And jump right UP you shall, as you begin this game in a pile of corpses, you yourself having been dead before the game began.

This story is no ordinary monster, even though your quest is indeed to destroy all evil and save the future of the world you’re on. As you advance, you choose your skills and shape your person, costume and epic weapons included. Make this your next deep dive after you’ve completed your months of food and water-less nights of Skyrim – soon!

My issues with motion gaming have prompted me to turn my back on the Wii. In fact, I haven’t even seen my Wii in well over a year, since it’s been sitting in my closet with the rest of the obsolete and boring consoles I’ve bought over the years.

[Image credit: Cha già José]

Sony’s PlayStation Move is similarly useless to me. The wands add no value to my gaming experience and as far as I’m concerned, should be relegated to the junk heap in the PlayStation 4.

And now, we move to the Kinect. I’ve said here before that while the Kinect comes with a really cool technology, I’m not a fan of the peripheral. I do, however, acknowledge — like the Wii — that there are some people out there that see some value in a product like the Kinect.

But what saddens me is that Microsoft’s motion-gaming peripheral is, well, the next big thing in gaming.

Microsoft is doubling down on the Kinect. A software development kit that allows PC software developers to take advantage of the device’s technology is in the wild, and there is a very good chance that it might also become the go-to device for laptops.

In the beginning, that might mean PC gaming will be enhanced, but I can also see the device becoming a useful accessory for those developing other programs across a wide array of industries, including medical, manufacturing, and retail.

But it’s that gaming element that keeps holding me up.

According to the latest rumors, it’s possible Microsoft will launch the Xbox 720 with a Kinect camera built into the console. What’s more, there is some speculation that Sony might try to find a way to come close to matching the Kinect’s controller-less functionality.

Add that to the fact that the Kinect is selling exceedingly well and it quickly becomes clear that it could very well be Microsoft’s ticket to gaming dominance in the coming years.

I hate to say it, but the Microsoft Kinect is the next big thing in gaming. It’s already changed how console makers think, and it’s well on its way to transforming Windows PCs. But it’s the fact that it might play an even greater role in the next generation that’s enough to make me cringe.

Just when I hoped you would be out of my life, Kinect, you’ve found a way to become a part of it for the next several years.

Maybe it’s a good thing I own a Mac, eh?

The Xbox Live bonus for the upcoming demo is perhaps a realization of just how crazy the two-tiered online system is. Just for players to access a demo requires a service that costs $60 per year. By comparison, the PS3, which will also have its own version of Mass Effect 3, has never once charged a single player for the ability to play a game online against others. The Xbox Live infrastructure was put in place in 2005, when online gaming was still a niche concept.

The PS3 does still monetize its online network, but only for users who want access to exclusive content and special features. Online gaming should be a standard feature in today’s world, and hopefully in the Xbox 720 this will be the case. For now, though, if publishers want to be able to demonstrate their games’ online features, they’ll have to hope Microsoft is willing to offer a free month of Gold to anyone who wants.

[via 1UP]

That concent ranges from full-length movies to music concerts, short films, and TV show episodes. It has all the major licenses including Disney, Sony, Warner Bros, NBC Universal, etc, etc, etc. Unlike Netflix or Hulu, CinemaNow charges users per movie or TV show, and with most titles users have lifetime access to their content on any device that has CinemaNow support. The service is available on computers as well as Internet-connected TVs, Blu-ray players, and set-top boxes. Everything is stored in the cloud so buying a TV episode on the Xbox 360 means you can watch it on your PC later.

This of course is just the latest addition in the growing library of video streaming apps on the Xbox 360. There’s nearly too many to count at this point. Another recently announced addition is Crackle, a Sony Pictures-centric free streaming service that offers Kinect-powered voice control through the app. As always, Xbox Live Gold is required.

[via Multiplayer Blog]

The first thing you should know here is that Final Fantasy XIII-2 is a time-traveling game with plotlines that fit in several places after the original XIII. There’s one timeline 700 years into the future, one 100 years into the future, and one just 10 years into the future, each of them after XIII. Reviewers seem to have mixed feelings on this installment of the game for a variety of reasons, but one thing seems clear: everyone who has reviewed this game has played several Final Fantasy games before.

“Final Fantasy XIII-2 feels less like a standalone sequel than a concerted effort to bring back fans disappointed by the last game. Somewhere within the bowels of Square Enix, there’s a memo that details every major criticism of XIII. The sequel addresses enough of those points to make it feel different from FFXIII, but without making the game as a whole all that much better.” – Garrett Martin of Ars Technica

The story for this game, to be fair, will give any new person to the series quite a run for their money – but like every single Final Fantasy game before, this is part of the whole project. Final Fantasy games are sort of like chapters in a book series – not necessarily a series that’s meant to go together, but one told many times in the same sort of tenor. The greatest part of this series is still in-tact here as well: the combat system.

“I found “XIII-2″ more absorbing than its predecessor, in part because I’ve gotten used to its “paradigm”-based combat. Instead of controlling all three characters in your party, you control just one — though you can switch the paradigms used by the other two so they concentrate on physical attacks, magic or defense. Boss battles force you to constantly adjust your paradigms, so while the fights are fast-paced, they require strategy.” – Lou Kesten from AP for ABC News

So what this game really adds up to is a rattlingly difficult to follow storyline littered with entertaining bits of combat and fabulous graphics. There are loads of entertaining cinematic segments, the whole game feels good to play, but in the end it comes up short – unless you compare it directly to its predecessor.

“Weirdly enough, on a piece by piece basis Final Fantasy XIII-2 manages to one-up itself in almost every department. At the same time, you get the distinct feeling that Square Enix has lost its way with the franchise, especially in the story telling department. The game is littered with moments throughout that just don’t add up. For a game that starts out as strong as Final Fantasy XIII-2 ,with Lightning battling through Valhalla, it immediately squashes all hopes of a exciting journey by beginning to loosely explain what is transpiring, and what your ultimate goals of the game are to be.” – Bill Hess of Attack of the Fanboy

You’ll be able to pick up Final Fantasy XIII-2 for your Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 for the cool price of $59.99 from all great places sweet games are sold. If you’re a Final Fantasy fan, this game is of course not to be missed – unless you’d rather spend the cash on several iterations of the game from years past. Never played Final Fantasy VII? Maybe a quick dash to the store and $10 later you’ll have the greatest RPG experience of your life in your hands instead!

BONUS: You can also download the demo direct from your Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 today – go grab it and test away!

The biggest irritant to PS3 gamers is that the Xbox 360 gets Call of Duty add-on content months before they do, but this time the timed exclusivity bit happens before the base game is even released. The RE6 demo will go live for Xbox 360 owners on July 3, while anyone wanting to sweat through the preview with a DualShock will have to wait until September 4. That’s the way the cookie crumbles.

A Capcom spokesperson was quoted by GamingTarget.com as saying, “This was a strategic business decision.” As a footnote, this demo will only be available to gamers who purchase the other Capcom title Dragon’s Dogma, which launches on May 22. Those who have no interest in Dogma will have to wait until September 20, when it will be generally available to both platforms.

[via GamingTarget]

Despite its name, Halo 4 will be the eighth title in the Halo franchise, but it will pick up with the legacy that Halo 3 left. There had been speculation before E3 that Halo 4 would be developed for the Xbox 720 (or whatever the next Xbox happens to be called), but those rumors were quickly quashed. As far as game mechanics are concerned, players will once again actually play as Master Chief.

The official description of the game is as follows: “Set in the aftermath of Halo 3, Master Chief returns to confront his own destiny and face an ancient evil that threatens the fate of the entire universe. Halo 4 marks the start of a new trilogy that begins with its release in 2012.” Previous reports have pegged the game’s target launch window at the holiday season at the end of this year.

[via CVG]

In regards to how they plan on countering the oncoming release of the next generation Nintendo Wii console, still tentatively called Wii U, Delmas said that they weren’t there to fight Nintendo, and that they were simply on a different cycle from the other manufacturers. There’s nothing like a good console war, but it’s simply not time for a new Xbox to be released, basically. His translated words read like this:

“We’re in an industry that talks a lot, that likes telling stories. I am not convinced that things will happen this year. The Xbox 360′s cycle is not over at all. The proof is that we haven’t price cut this year. Afterward, what will happen at E3, it’s still too early to say. What’s certain is that there will be nothing new in 2012. If we wanted to counter Nintendo, we would have to be in a position to release something immediately, and that is not at all the case.” – Delmas

With the Wii U set to be released somewhere in the second half of the year, more than likely inside the area that would lend itself to a holiday gift across the world, Microsoft is looking more towards a reveal at E3 with a release in 2013. Word is that Microsoft will be revealing two consoles at the same time, one a “pared down machine” that’ll be much closer to a set-top box for HD TVs complete with Kinect built-in. The second will be a “more fully-featured” machine with hard disk, backwards compatibility, and the all-powerful optical drive. Kinect will likely be either built-in or bundled with both versions of the future Xbox devices. Nintendo had better bring the fury with Wii U, that’s for certain:

We’re not here to counter Nintendo and they’re not here to fight the other manufacturers. Nintendo has put itself in a different cycle, it’s going forward to its own rhythm, with success as we have seen with the Wii, and now it’s their turn to present their innovation.” – Delmas

Sony, on the other hand, will likely be the last to reveal a console when considering the three titans. No word has yet been confirmed on any Playstation future devices.

[via Eurogamer]

Groups such as Filesonic are cutting out file-sharing publicly to stopper up Megaupload-related mishaps. Conspiracists have an idea on why Megaupload has been targeted. Megaupload’s CEO’s home has been raided. Meanwhile the supreme court has ruled warrantless GPS tracking illegal. Pirate sharing websites have upgraded to 3D. A judge has ruled that the Fifth Ammendment does not cover hard drives. There’s a battle going on involving the ex-Megaupload users and the FBI. And Dotcom has been denied bail. Guy Fawkes has been called upon again to defend piracy, this time in Poland parliament.

We got a Spectrum by LG in the house and have reviewed it in full. The Samsung Galaxy S III has been tipped, confirmed, and considered for release at Mobile World Congress 2012. Samsung’s iPhone burn ad series continues. We’ve been slapped in the face. We’ve got a review of the ASUS Transformer Prime with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. We’ve got an unboxing and hands-on of the DROID RAZR MAXX with a review on the way. We’ve got a fight going on between Speck, Logitech, and Cygnett for the iPad 2. We got a hands-on look at Qualcomm AllJoyn.

Star Wars: The Old Republic gets a major update. You might want to get your tissues out again because Diablo III is getting more pre-release tweaks and a producer change. Good luck seeing that inside the first couple of quarters here in 2012. Saddest days!

There’s a brand new Xbox 720 in the works with an AMD 6000 GPU and an inability to play used games. A Windows 8 based Kinect notebook has been spotted. Both Microsoft Xbox Live and Steam are coming to iOS and Android. Nintendo will be releasing the Wii U fabulously. We’ve got a review of the V-MODA Limited Edition Crossfade LP2 super deluxe over-ear headphones. We went hands-on with a Mercedes-Benz DICE interior concept as well as the new Mercedes-Benz mbrace2.

Facebook Timeline is now fully live and mandatory. Wikipedia is in works to become the world’s free mobile website. Philip Berne wrote a lovely column about Booth Babes. Chemists have created the first envelopes for artificial life.

Evi turns up as a surprise hit in the Siri alternative world. Over 350,000 iBooks textbooks were downloaded in the first three days they existed. Half a million iPhone 4S users downloaded and loaded the brand new jailbreak that broke this week. Apple’s secret packaging testing room has been revealed. More iPads than HP PCs have been sold in Q1 2012. Some fabulous new iPhone 5 specs have been leaked by a Foxconn worker. Chris Davies calls Apple TV an embarrassment while Don Reisinger spoke on what Apple TV needs to become more than a hobby – he also noted how he’d much rather have an Xbox 360.

We disprove Lytro on iPhones. On how well Nokia did this past quarter, Chris Davies noted that they bought time, That Clock Is Ticking. In the Windows Phone world we’ve got a Nokia Lumia 710 review while the much more fantastically spec’d Nokia Lumia 900 comes closer and closer to an LTE UK release. There’s also a Nokia Lumia 910 coming up soon as well. The 2012 version of MIX for Microsoft Developers has been nixed for the year. So has BlizzCon 2012. There’s also that teeny tiny Raspberry $25 PC edging closer and closer to reality. Alienware’s 2012 lineup has been revealed.

Financial results came in from Verizon and the folks at Apple (complete with the most fantastic quarter for iPhone EVER.) There’s a few Nokia financial results plus Netflix dropped their numbers down and AT&T jumped in too. Nvidia let loose their earnings as well.

The first question I ask when I field the question is, “do you own an Xbox 360?”

Time and again, if they say yes, I tell them to skip the Apple TV. If they tell me that they don’t have an Xbox, I’ll tell them that they should buy one if they want to be entertained. Only if they tell me that they have no interest in gaming or don’t want to spend the extra cash to buy the Xbox will I tell them to get their hands on the Apple TV.

Now, I’m sure that there are many Apple fans out there that are appalled by that advice. Those folks use their Apple TVs each and every day, and they’re generally quite pleased with the experience.

However, the more objective among us might quickly determine that when it comes to a full-fledged entertainment experience for the living room, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to choose an Apple TV over a game console, like the Xbox 360.

Let’s face it: the Apple TV is hobbled in many ways. You can’t store content on the device, and the iTunes content library is limited. Plus, I just don’t see what’s so unique about it. The device features Netflix streaming, which is great, but I can find that elsewhere. And although its $99 price tag is great and all, I can get a Blu-ray player, complete with Netflix integration, for about the same price.

The Xbox 360, on the other hand, delivers a far more well-rounded experience. It has Netflix, Hulu Plus, and all the other desirable streaming options consumers expect to find, but it also lets me stream my content to it. Even better, I can play games or pop in a DVD if I so desire.

We also can’t forget about Microsoft’s desire to make the Xbox 360 a more television-focused hub in the living room. Currently, dozens of television content providers have signed up with Microsoft to offer content, and over the next several months, I think we’ll quickly find just how desirable that offering is.

I’m a firm believer in owning the best gadgetry in any market. And although the Apple TV is a solid set-top box that probably bests those from Roku and Boxee, among others, it’s no match for today’s game consoles.

At the end of the day, living room entertainment is about finding products that solve the many needs customers have. The only issue is, the Apple TV doesn’t do that – yet, anyway. The Xbox 360, on the other hand, does.

Activision has a very well-known, iron-clad contract with Microsoft that guarantees Call of Duty add-on content will be released first on the Xbox 360, and then trickle down to other platforms later. Microsoft paid Activision a whole bunch of money for this privilege. But then Activision launched a service called Call of Duty Elite, which gives gamers exclusive access to special in-game events, content, and more. One of the biggest selling points is that Elite members are the very first to access new DLC packs – but only on Xbox 360. That is exactly what happened this week, when Modern Warfare 3′s first DLC pack was released.

Some PS3 gamers believed that Elite benefits were universal across both platforms because in the literature about Elite, it does not distinguish between Xbox 360 players and PS3 players. Nevertheless, Activision’s Dan Amrich wrote in a blog took the counter position – the literature also never specifically says that the benefits are the same.

“It was never one of the things listed in the official benefits chart; it was never promised by any representative of Activision, Call of Duty, Elite, or its developers. Honestly? I think gamers just convinced themselves that it would happen because they wanted it to happen. That makes sense, but it doesn’t make it true,” said Amrich.

[via One of Swords]

Certainly it does seem like a bit of madness to attach to your gaming controller a Hot Pocket, the choice food of super slobs and refined gamer ladies and gentlemen everywhere. But when you see this guy actually use the whole setup, it actually seems sort of convenient. On the other hand again, should I ever see anyone I know using one of these, I will personally slap them in the back of the head when they’re taking their first bite.

Watch as Ben Heck takes on this task with masses of plastic and a construction period that can only be described as insane. This fellow makes his living making such objects, you should know, so who are you to call him crazy? Truly Ben Heck is a king of the couch amongst men. Truly there’s been no greater definition for this gamer culture than this.

[via Laughing Squid]

“We’re not going to stop our support of the game after launch,” said CD Projekt Red level artist Marek Ziemak. “We’re launching the Xbox 360 version, but we’ll continue to work on both titles parallel, creating some extra stuff and trying to give some extra stuff to players. We never fire and forget; it’s against our philosophy.”

The Witcher 2 for Xbox 360 will initially include four hours of new playable content along with 30 minutes of additional videos and cutscenes. The new missions introduce new locations extra characters, and dialogue. CD Projekt Red will continue to develop new content for the game based on player feedback. The game for Xbox 360 is expected to launch on April 17.

[via JoyStiq]

Each week a new game will land from that start date until March 7. Microsoft is now offering the pricing details on the download content and gamers that buy all the House Party on Xbox Live titles offered during that time frame will get a special bonus of 800 Microsoft points. That is like getting one of the titles free.

The coolest of the games to me is the second title called Alan Wake’s American Nightmare. It will sell for 1200 Microsoft points and will hit on February 22. The first game will be WARP on February 15 for 800 Points. It’s a puzzle game where you play an alien that needs to escape from a facility. The Game Nexuiz will hit on February 29 and will sell for 800 Points. This game is an arena-based FPS title. The final title is I am Alive launching on March 7. It will sell for 1200 Points and has the player looking for his wife and daughter after a global event wiped out most people.

The source tips that by the end of the year all transactions on the Xbox will be moved over to normal currency. The money that players need to spend to get their downloadable content will be based on whatever their local currency is. Gamers that have points left at the time that the system converts will be granted the monetary value of their Points stash.

Microsoft has offered up no official statements other than saying it doesn’t comment on rumors or speculation. Microsoft has been using a confusing mix of Points and real money for a while now and moving to all cash is a good thing I think. Will you miss Points for any reason?

[via Insidemobileapps

[Image credit: Tai Chiem]

Therefore, many people reason, Sony will be offering up its console within the next 24 months.

I hate to be the guy who comes in and gives those hopeful folks the bad news, but I just don’t see that happening. Sure, Nintendo is launching the Wii U this year and there’s a good chance it’ll appeal to many consumers, but that device is far more of a catch-up product to match the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, rather than a console that can set a new standard in gameplay.

What’s more, if we examine Sony’s sales over the last several years, it becomes abundantly clear that the company’s claim that the console really is a ten-year device might just hold up.

Sony has seen console sales grow year-over-year since the PlayStation 3 first launched. What’s more, with nearly 60 million consoles sold worldwide, there’s a strong possibility that Sony’s device could surpass the Xbox 360 in total sales within the next year.

Those that have been watching NPD release their sales figures each month with Microsoft’s hardware in the lead might find that surprising. However, it’s important to note that NPD’s figures are U.S.-only, making them a sub-par barometer of how all gamers actually feel about the consoles. Elsewhere around the world, especially in Japan, the PlayStation 3 is dominating the Xbox 360.

But that’s just sales. The fact is, the PlayStation 3 is still one of the best Blu-ray players on the market, and its graphical prowess is top-notch. As always, gamers would like to see even better graphics, but at this point, I’m not quite sure how much of an improvement we could actually get if Sony launches a new console this year or next.

So, I think it’s time we acknowledge that the PlayStation 3, while not perfect by any means, doesn’t need to be replaced anytime soon. The console is still commercially viable, it’s still delivering high-quality experiences, and it’s priced right for consumers. Stunting its growth now would be a mistake of epic proportions.

Don’t even think about launching a new PlayStation this year or next, Sony. You have something solid already in place — and you shouldn’t want to mess that up.

Resident Evil 6 is being called “the most ambitious, immersive and feature rich title of the series to date and promises to be the dramatic horror experience of the year.” Capcom went on to reveal the first official plot details:

It has been ten years since the Raccoon City incident and the President of the United States has decided to reveal the truth behind what took place in the belief that it will curb the current resurgence in bioterrorist activity. Due to be by the President’s side is his personal friend and Raccoon City survivor, Leon S. Kennedy, but when the venue suffers a bioterrorist attack, Leon is forced to face a President transformed beyond recognition and make his hardest ever decision. At the same time, Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance member Chris Redfield arrives in China, itself under threat of a bioterrorist attack. With no country safe from these attacks and the ensuing outbreaks, the entire world’s population is united by a common fear that there is no hope left.

As for the viral ad campaign for Resident Evil 6, which involved graffiti billboards across the world with the words “No Hope Left” that pointed folks to the website NoHopeLeft.com, Capcom doesn’t confirm its connection to the ad. However, some sleuthing by a gaming group, The Sixth Axis, has already confirmed that the ads were placed by Capcom.

[via PlayStation Lifestyle]

Fast, small PCs aren’t especially new, though it’s only now that processor and graphics technology has caught up that SFF models can hold a candle to the bulky PC gaming rigs of old. Sony and Microsoft fettle their dedicated consoles to pretty much a single purpose, delivering optimum gaming performance from a device that has to work as an predictable appliance; it also means their abilities are pretty much unchanged since their hardware was first announced. The X51, in its high-spec’d form at least, is likely to be capable of better graphics and handling more intensive games.

The tipping point will come when Windows 8 arrives. Microsoft has already said that it plans to support Xbox LIVE on Windows 8 PCs, hooking platform-specific as well as other titles into the social and ranking system. “Live has been successful on the Windows Phone. Live will be built into the PC” Microsoft’s VP of global marketing Mike Delman said back in June 2011. “It will be the service where you get your entertainment. We were talking about it – you will not just see consoles and handhelds at this show next year, this show’s going to morph into other devices.”

Now Microsoft’s not stupid. It knows it has a perfectly serviceable console platform in Xbox, and the likelihood of it doing anything that legitimately threatens the Xbox 360′s rising appeal – or the potential success of the next-gen Xbox – is low. Still, there are a lot of people out there who might not buy a dedicated console but could be swayed to pick up a compact box that delivers not only gaming but HTPC functionality.

That blurring of the distinctions between console and computer – and, indeed, phone – all fit in with something the company has referred to as “three screens and a cloud”; gaming, desktop and mobile platforms all interlinked, your entertainment following you on the most appropriate device at any one time. Microsoft has also been readying its Kinect for Windows kit recently, promising a February launch for developers at least. Still, when the motion-sensing bar makes it to broad availability – we’re guessing at around the time Windows 8 hits PCs later in 2012 – it will bulldoze through another differentiator between 360 and the desktop.

Pricing will remain the big differentiator, at least for the moment. The X51 kicks off at $699, though that’s with a Core i3 processor; figure on spending $1,149 upwards if you want a Core i7 chip instead, and we’ve a feeling most hardcore gamers will. That’s enough to buy six Xbox 360 consoles with spare change left over, or one console, a Kinect and a whole catalog of games.

Still, consoles as we know them are gradually being squeezed, with capable and compact PCs at one side and the rise of casual gaming on affordable Smart TV set-top boxes at the other. Just as has been the case in mobile, with dedicated portable consoles losing out in favor to gaming smartphones and PMPs like Apple’s iPod touch, the center of our living room entertainment is also evolving. Alienware’s X51 isn’t going to kill the Xbox 360 and PS3 today, but it’s further evidence the old guard of gaming needs to step it up if they want to remain relevant tomorrow.

Meanwhile, navigating through weapons is also made easier, with the ability to simply shout out which one you’d like to use. As each game character has its own set of special abilities – and in fact BioWare is promising an altogether more fleshed-out back story for each - they’re also controllable using speech commands, such as “singularity.”

In general, BioWare has used speech where it saves gamers’ hands to focus on the control pad. On-screen buttons along with locked doors and even picking up objects will all support Kinect-recognized instructions; the sensor-bar’s indicator light turns blue when it recognizes a command, or red if you’re not making any sense.

Mass Effect 3 is expected to launch on March 6, while a demo will be released through Xbox LIVE come February 14.

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This “gritty action experience” will allow you to work with the New York City detective known as Max Payne, he being a drunkard from many years back, addicted to pain pills and in no condition to get up and drink a cup of coffee much less go capture some terrorists – but lo! He must! Thusly there is Max Payne 3, with our hero on the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil, taking an odd job with a real estate mogul by the name of Rodrigo Branco to save his own fortune and family. But all that aside, there’s some new effect to be had.

You’ll be working with a new version of Bullet Time and Shootdodge features, multiplayer action as well as single player storyline adventures, and a whole variety of different ways to play on both ends. The official site launch is set for “upcoming weeks and months” and their “Design and Technology Series” for the game can be seen in part here:

Enjoy, if you’re old enough, and kick it until then with the rest of the Rockstar games suite – GTA:III for Android is sweet!

[via Rockstar Games]

The exact nature of the Kinect media box’s connectivity is apparently yet to be finalized, but coax or an optical output for audio is also a possibility. Integrated WiFi would get the STB online, though there’s no word on wired ethernet as on the Xbox 360.

Navigation, unsurprisingly, would rely on voice commands and gestures, the Kinect tracking technology used to move viewers through menus and options. However the Xbox Companion app released recently for Windows Phone handsets would also be compatible. Unknown is whether existing Xbox 360 gamepads could be connected, or indeed if Microsoft will bundle a traditional remote for those turned off by voice/gesture and without a Windows Phone device.

Microsoft is supposedly aiming for a sub-$200 price tag, or more likely in the region of $150, to better compete with rival smart TV boxes such as the new breed of Google TV hardware. Previous rumors have also suggested the software company is shopping for an ex-TV exec who could help it create unique shows and other content.

Talk of a two-pronged next-gen Xbox attack was rumored back in November, and these new leaks seem to fit in with talk last year. Casual gaming, such as Fruit Ninja Kinect, would be supported on this STB Xbox version, though serious gamers would be expected to pick up the true next-gen console for more immersive play.

The breakdown shows that $2.1 billion was spent on the Xbox console in 2011, and the other $4.6 billion was on games. The entire video game sector in 2011 racked up $17.02 billion. That sounds like a huge amount of money, but it is an 8% drop from money spend in 2010. The total spent on the gaming segment in 2010 was $18.6 billion.

It’s worth noting that the numbers apparently don’t take into account digital sales like DLC on the consoles or digital only versions of games. These numbers come from NPD. The analytics firm knows that it needs to get more data on digital sales to get a real picture. It could be that digital sales grew significantly this year, offsetting that decline in retail.

[via AllThingsD]

Whatever the year, it’s clear that Sony will eventually launch a new console. Microsoft will do the same. And Nintendo is already planning to do so in the coming months.

But all this talk of consoles has me thinking: do we really need more hardware?

The fact is, we’re inching closer to the day where hardware connected to our televisions will be a thing of the past. Samsung and DirecTV at CES this week announced a “boxless” solution that lets users have the full DVR experience on their 2012 Smart TV without actually needing to hook the device up to the set. There’s talk of Apple wanting to include apps, iCloud, and other features into its own television.

And all that fails to mention we have downloadable games already available to us both on the PC and on game consoles. We’ve already come to the point of being able to enjoy content without being required to have a set-top box to do it.

So, how important will consoles be in, say, 2014 or 2015? Will broadband speeds be fast enough to accommodate downloading a big game, like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3? Will televisions come with application stores in them to allow us to access games without requiring that middleman?

It’s certainly a possibility. But there’s one major issue standing in the way of us finally detaching ourselves from the console life support: the hardware companies themselves.

Like it or not, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony all rely heavily upon hardware to make their businesses as big as they are. And there’s a good chance that they will be the first companies to denounce ideas of eliminating hardware and getting direct access to titles from game makers.

Microsoft and Sony might be especially outspoken about such a plan. Those companies have not done nearly as good of a job as Nintendo delivering first-party content consumers actually want to play. If television makers and game developers sync up, there’s a solid chance those companies’ game divisions will be marginalized, to say the least.

As for us? Well, we can only hope to get the best experience, regardless of whether that comes via consoles or downloadable content. But I suspect the latter will deliver a better experience at some point in the future.

Who’s with me?

Microsoft reportedly found that the protest had nothing to do with working conditions and was due to staffing assignments and transfer policies at Foxconn. PC World cited a Microsoft statement that said the transfer or voluntary termination offer was made due to “regular production adjustments.” Apparently, only 45 of those workers decided to resign and take the bonuses and pay due to them depending on how long they worked there. The remainder was to be sent to other production lines. No one jumped from the rooftop during the protest.

The part about this that jumps out at me is that the Xbox 360 is still selling very well and is generally the best selling of all three consoles on the market. If you have the best selling console on the market, why would you need to slow production? Could this be an indication that the new Xbox 720 (or whatever it will be called) could be closer than we think? Pure speculation mind you, but an interesting thought.

[via PCWorld]

Back in December, Microsoft had detailed its Xbox LIVE roadmap, revealing an impressive list of upcoming content partners. There were also talks about incorporating Microsoft’s Kinect voice and motion control capabilities into its TV service for navigating channels.

Rumors suggested that Microsoft had more ambitious plans to completely replace cable TV for consumers and offer paid subscription packages similar to Netflix. But unlike Netflix, Microsoft wanted to also offer current shows and live networks on its service, which meant much higher licensing costs.

“They built Microsoft TV, they demoed it for us, they asked for rate cards but then said ‘ooh ah, that’s expensive,’” said one senior media exec involved in the discussions. Media sources say that the plan is being scaled back, but Microsoft is still working closely with TV companies and seeking content partners to extend its current Xbox LIVE service.

The XBOX 360 isn’t the only one that should be receiving applause for number of units shipped. Motion-sensing device, Kinect continues living up to its original hype with the sale of 18 million units, nearly double the 10 million units sold as of March 2011. The Kinect has been doing so well that it was featured in Guiness World Records. From November 2010 to January 2011 Kinect sold 8 million units, making it the fastest-Selling Consumer Electronics Device.

More good news for Microsoft comes in the form of their XBOX Live user base. There are currently 40 million people who use the service. Those in attendance at CES are expecting to hear more awe-worthy statistics from Microsoft’s Steven Ballmer.

[via Joystiq]

Where past video games surrounding the South park series have been, on the whole, absolutely terrible, this one looks like it’ll actually have a chance at being a genuinely good time as elements are not only taken straight from episodes in the TV series, the aesthetics look to be right on. In the past we’ve been “treated” to such gems as 2D and 3D environments on consoles and mobile platforms alike – now we’re back down to brass tacks.

Why playing as a fighter, mage, thief, cleric, or Jew in a game with gameplay looking exactly like the television show itself was never a reality before now is a mystery we might never know the answer to. The fact that we’ll be able to play as a Jew beating up gingers, hippies, and vampire kids, well, that’s something we’ll be sure to cherish for some time to come. Can’t wait for this game to drop!

ALSO: this game has been announced for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC thus far. We’re hoping for a mobile release as well, but wont hold our breath.

[via RockPaperShotgun]

Microsoft rolled out a big and prominent display on the Xbox 360 dashboards touting the fights for free to show off the UFC Live app for the UFC 141 events recently. The UFC Live app unfortunately didn’t come close to living up to the promises it made for free fights. Instead, those that tried to purchase the event with a free code ended up with a glitching app that left them unable to watch.

There are few things worse on fight night than having your pals over and not being able to watch the event. ArsTecnica reports that the app crashed repeatedly when trying to purchase the fight and then once the fight was purchased there were all sorts of glitches during the event. Microsoft admitted to the issues and suggested viewers find alternate means to watch the event. Microsoft has offered those that registered for the event and couldn’t watch UFC 141 access to an upcoming event for free.

[via ArsTechnica]

Crysis 2 was apparently downloaded 4 million times by the end of the year. The second most pirated game was Modern Warfare 3 with 3.65 million ripped off copies. Rounding out the top 5 are Battlefield 3, FIFA 12 and Portal 2. The most pirated games on the Wii include Super Mario Galaxy 2, Mario Sports Mix, Xenoblade Chronicles, Lego Pirates of the Caribbean, and FIFA 12.

On the Xbox, the most pirated game was Gears of War 3 followed by Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, Forza 4, and Kinect Sports: Season 2. The number of games pirated adds up really quickly. The cut off for these numbers was December 30, 2011.

You’ll be dunking down tubes and flipping over television boxes full of rings just far enough to accidentally smash into a trio of spikes, and all of it in style with NVIDIA’s set of fabulous systems on chips. You’ve got brand new character animations, a reworked physics engine for superior effect, and all of it tuned to perfection by the developers at Sega working with the specialists at NVIDIA. Can you imagine such a cool customer made specifically for your Transformer Prime?

Have a peek at the trailer above and note that this game will also be coming to iOS for your iPhone and iPad as well as the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. In other words, it’ll be difficult to find a platform this game is NOT on when it comes down to it. We’re feeling strongly that this game will be released inside the first quarter of 2012, but no guarantees yet! Stay tuned for more Sonic action!

Though it’s not entirely clear what constitutes a “quality” application in Microsoft’s mind, the contest is clear enough: depending on if you create 1, 2, or 3 of these so-called quality apps, you get sweet prizes. You’ve got between when you’ve signed up and May 20th, 2011, to get your business in order, and a sweet apps you shall make. Have a peek at the full prize list right here:

Publish 1 Quality app:

- Select a reward below:

- A Kinect™ Sensor for Xbox 360®

- 10,000 Microsoft Points

- Monster® Beats™ Headphones

- A 1TB External HD

Publish 2 Quality apps:

- Select a reward below:

- A Windows® Phone 7

- A $500 Gift Voucher

- 35,000 Microsoft Points

- An Xbox 360® with

- Kinect Bundle

Publish 3 Quality apps:

- Your apps will be considered by our judges for publicity across:

- The Xbox Newsletter

- The Xbox Live Dashboard

- MSDN Website

- MSDN Flash Newsletter

- Canadian Developer Blog

You’ve got to head on over to http://www.developermovement.com/ to get all the details, and know this: if you’ve never developed an application before, now’s the time to start. They provide you will a full toolkit and one whole big batch of inspirational materials to get you started and who knows? You might hit gold with that perfect combination no-one else had the time to think of!