38 Studios let go of all its employees on Thursday

Blast Magazine has confirmed from industry sources that 38 Studios, the video game company founded by former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling laid off all of its employees Thursday and shuttered Baltimore arm Big Huge Games.

The financial difficulties of 38 Studios, which recently put out its first game, Kingdom’s of Amalur, have been well documented in recent weeks.

News of the closing of Big Huge Games, which was integral in creating the action RPG released earlier this year, came first, followed by a rumor, which Blast quickly confirmed, that 38 laid off its staff.

RI Gov. Chafee spoke to the press recently and said that an investor could rehire the 38 Studios staff, however he is “not here to share good news.”

In an email sent to employees, 38 Studios said that ”the company is experiencing an economic downturn. To avoid further losses and possibility of retrenchment, the Company has decided that a company-wide lay off is absolutely necessary. These layoffs are non-voluntary and non-disciplinary.”

Charles Dane, 38 Studio’s Lead Community Manager has also tweeted: @Historian Yup and now on the market. I had an awesome run with@38Studios but this dream is now ending.

Big Huge Games has been shut down

Sean Andrew Murray, Principal Concept Artist for 38 Studios and Big Huge Games has taken to Twitter as well to say his goodbyes: @Muttnhead: “In other news: I am now actively seeking fulltime and/or freelance employment!” … “Thanks, Big Huge Games, for 5+ amazing years. Hope everyone lands on their feet.”

Earlier this month it was reported that 38 Studios missed a $1.25 Million payment on its $75 million state-backed loan, leaving the company in default. The studio attempted to make a payment, only to have their check bounce, the loan was paid later, but not without having to let go of a number of employees.

Big Huge Games was no stranger to near death experiences, thee studio was close to being shutdown by former owner THQ before being bought by 38 Studios.

Blast has contacted both 38 Studios and Big Huge Games for comment, we’ll update this story if we hear anything.

Ivan Favelevic, John M. Guilfoil, and Giancarlo Saldana of the Blast Staff contributed to this report.

If you’ve always wanted to a visual tour of what awaits you in Square Enix’s upcoming open-world title, then this Sleeping Dogs 101 trailer is for you.

The video features actual in-game footage, so not only does it provide you with a guide of all the game’s features and story, but it also teases all the fun you will have once the game launches August 14. Our preview with the game’s producer highlights many of the game’s features showcased in the trailer, so if you want to know how the game feels, give a read.

For a more visual treat, check some new screenshots of the game below.

Kinect games have taught us to dance and to move our hands in the air like inflatable arm flailing tube men, but can they teach us the fluid and precise art of kung fu? Indie developer Kinesthetic Games thinks we can, and its upcoming game Kung Fu Superstar hopes to make us feel like action movie stars too.

Kung Fu Superstar follows the story of Danny Cheng, an up-and-coming martial artist, as he rises through the ranks of fame and stardom. “Aided by his trusted Sifu, Danny will discover the secrets of kung fu and become the most popular martial arts stuntman Hollywood has ever known.”

Using the Kinect, players will use their whole bodies to perform kung fu moves on-screen and take down various different opponents in distinct sets and environments. Past self-defense Kinect games like Ubisoft’s Training Camp just felt awkward because there isn’t another opponent in the same room as you, so it will be interesting to see how Kung Fu Superstar teaches you martial arts and also makes a game out of it without feeling too diluted in asynchronous motion controls. Not only that, but let’s hope the Kinect sensor can keep up with our lightning-fast reflexes.

Kinesthetic Games was founded by former Lionhead developer Kostas Zarifis and is made up of employees from other gaming studios including Codemasters, EA, and Climax.

Kung Fu Superstar is currently being marketed for just the Kinect, but its trailer also contains tags for Wii and PlayStation 3, so it looks like the game may be released on multiple platforms. With Jackie Chan having announced his retirement from the action film scene, who knows if this game will give us the next martial arts superstar.

Released back in 1967, Moonraker saw James Bond heading into outer space to foil the plans of a mad terrorist bent on poisoning the world. Fans of the film can now relive those moments including the many battles with Hugo Drax’s henchmen in the upcoming 007 Legends video game.

Releasing on October 16 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, 007 Legends will intertwine six separate Bond movies together into one game. Sticking true to tradition, the game will feature classic Bond gadgets, espionage missions, and an assortment of sleek vehicles and weapons.

Skyfall, the upcoming James Bond film out this November, is the other film revealed to be featured in the game, so that just leaves four more spots open.

Firaxis and 2K Games this morning announced the release dates for its upcoming real-time strategy game XCOM: Enemy Unknown. The game will be will be hitting US shores on October 9 and internationally on October 12.

While previously announced as an FPS title two years ago, 2K games decided to keep with the franchise’s traditional real-time strategy mechanics and give fans what they’ve been craving for years. We also ranked it one of our Top 10 Games of PAX East 2012.

“As we reimagine XCOM, one of our goals is to evolve the experience while recognising what made X-COM one of the greatest PC games to date,” said Sarah Anderson, senior vice president of marketing for 2K. “It’s important to create an experience that is appealing to both existing fans and newcomers to the world of XCOM, which is what we’re doing with XCOM: Enemy Unknown.”

XCOM fans who pre-order the game will receive an Elite Soldier pack containing several in-game extras like an original XCOM soldier recruit, a deco pack including a Hyperion and Reaper soldier armor kit, and color customizations for their squad. Participating retailers will also be selling a special edition of the game that comes with an art book, poster, XCOM insignia patch, and a collection of digital bonuses such as desktop wallpaper, soundtrack and more.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is headed to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC this fall.

Dante won’t be slaying any monsters this year. Capcom today announced that DmC Devil May Cry is hitting consoles on January 15, 2013.

The game gives the Devil May Cry franchise on a more contemporary feel and follows a younger Dante and his journey through Limbo City as he fights his way through the city’s dangerous monstrosities. Players can play as Dante’s human form but can also shift into his more demonic version granting him access to angel and demon powers.

A PC version is also scheduled for next year, but it is still in development.

Having broken records for the most units sold in a single day and being the highest rated Xbox 360 game on Metacritic this year, it’s no wonder Trials Evolution has already been played by over 500,000 players a month after launch.

One of the reasons the game has drawn so much attention (aside from its great reviews,) is that the game offers an engaging sharing system called Track Central that lets players upload their own custom levels and download new ones. The game’s leaderboards have also been keeping players busy.

“To date, players have created more than 60,000 custom tracks and skill games, using the exact same editor we used to build our own levels within the game,” said Tero Virtala, Managing Director of RedLynx. “Those same players have recorded more than one million entries on custom Leaderboards associated with user-created tracks, they have given more than 800,000 reviews of UGC within Track Central.”

Trials Evolution is out on Xbox Live Arcade. Check out our review for the game and find out why this game’s so popular.

While you’ll need to wait just one more day until the launch of Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Ubisoft is letting players partake in some of the action a bit early right on Facebook.

Announced last month, Ghost Recon: Commander is a game that made for both fans and newbies to the franchise. The game lets players create their own team of “Ghosts,” customize them, and train them enough to send on missions. The 10 replayable missions involve sending killing terrorists, retrieving information, or rescuing hostages by clicking targets and locations on-screen.

Ghost Recon: Commander lets players save their game anytime and also engage in “asynchronous” co-op missions. Playing the game also unlocks special content in Ghost Recon Online Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, which hits consoles tomorrow.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I was a good attempt at giving players a continuation of the original Genesis titles, but its wonky physics and gimmicky stages kept it from achieving true potential. It looked like a classic 2D Sonic game, but the game lacked that special essence that made its 16-bit predecessors so much fun. Luckily, Episode II is the better of the two installments and gives fans a Sonic they’re more familiar with, even if does come with a few misses.

One of the biggest additions to Episode II is the inclusion of Tails, who now brings two-player co-op to the table. Like in the classic games, Tails can pick up and fly Sonic to places he can’t reach for a short amount of time, but players have a lot more control over him this time. By simply pressing a button, the action will pause, and Tails will teleport to where Sonic is and help him out. I found this too convenient sometimes because while it gets you out of sticky situations right away, after a while, it becomes too easy to press a button and save Sonic from a misstep. Tails and Sonic also have another combo ability that turns them into a giant ball, faster and stronger than the average spindash. The duo will always be joined by one another, so levels integrate these two abilities in unique ways that create a different experience. The game may feel like Sonic the Hedgehog 2, but this is a new game, after all.

Co-op mode lets two people play together offline or online, but it does come across a few problems, one of them due to the game’s fast-paced action. If you fall behind your friend, the game will respawn you right behind him, but you’ll need to press a button to pop out of your protective “bubble” like in New Super Mario Bros. The problem here, though, is that this happens a lot when going down slopes or slides, even when you don’t intend to leave someone behind. Another thing I noticed is that the person playing as Tails will have an advantage and can easily exploit certain situations by flying; this is especially evident during boss fights. Let’s just say, playing with someone else is easier than playing solo.

Controlling Sonic and dashing through the many colorful worlds feels quite good. Episode I’s physics engine has been overhauled, and the blue hedgehog runs a bit more like he did back during his Genesis years. Sonic’s homing attack is back, but aiming feels more accurate and is easier to pull off. He is also less shiny and doesn’t look out-of-place amid his colorful backdrops, which have layered textures that often give the game a great pseudo 3D effect. Considering the game is supposed to feel like Sonic 2, it’s great that controls and graphics don’t distract you from the game’s speed, a problem that often plagued Episode I.

Stages, too, are a lot more reminiscent of the original games and are designed to keep you always in motion. While it’s a bit apparent that the themes of past stages have been recycled into “new” zones – expect to see a sky fortress and a snowy amusement park, for example – the game does have its unique charm that is complemented by its soundtrack reminiscent of Sonic’s 16-bit days. There is, however, one section of an underwater level that requires you to swim past enemies that freeze the way forward. If you’re too slow or your aiming is off, you’ll be blocked from all sides, and all you can do is wait until Sonic and Tails drown to try again. Frustrated, I tried (in vain) to find a solution, and can only wonder why the developers wouldn’t provide one that doesn’t require losing a life.

Like classic Sonic titles, Episode II is great the first time you play it, but you may question playing through it several times. To extend playtime even further, the game includes chaos emeralds and red rings to collect in each act. As expected, collecting these emeralds lets you turn into Super Sonic, but it doesn’t really affect the game’s ending that much. Also, while finding each act’s red ring is supposed to provide a challenge, they are simply in areas you’ll explore anyway, and their presence simply serves to unlock an achievement. The developers did include a score attack and time trial mode for each act, so players can at least compete with each other via the game’s leaderboards.

While I didn’t particularly enjoy Episode I that much, Episode II rewards players who played the first game and unlocks Episode I stages playable as Metal Sonic. This feels almost like an apologetic thank you to fans that played through the first game, but this expansion gives you some backstory to the character and lets you play through the first game in a whole new way. Plus, it’s great to see Sega implement a similar lock-on technology it did back when Sonic & Knuckles came out.

Episode II has some obvious gameplay issues and provides a lackluster ending, but the experience playing through each stage is very nostalgic of the fun I had playing through the Genesis games. I also appreciate the improvements the developers made to the game and that they listened to and fixed what fans disliked about the first one. At this rate, let’s hope Episode III is made and becomes something truly worth raving about.

Brace yourselves, Halo fans. Microsoft today revealed the contents of Halo 4‘s robust, sleek-looking Limited Edition.

Available for pre-order now, the $99 game package grants players access to nine future DLC multiplayer maps, early access to six Specializations for their Spartan career character, and a UNSC Infinity Briefing pack, which includes some collectible documents and a neat blueprint of the game’s ship.

Players will also gain extra content through Xbox Live including,

• Unique in-game Spartan-IV armor skin
• Unique in-game weapon skin for the Assault Rifle
• An exclusive in-game emblem
• Xbox LIVE Avatar prop
• Xbox LIVE Avatar Spartan-IV armor set

Finally, the Limited Edition will also include lots of exclusive videos and featurettes including an extended 90-minute version of the live-action digital series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. Even the box for the Limited Edition looks like it means business.

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is all about teamwork. The game takes Mickey back to the Wasteland where he discovers that things are not as peaceful as he left them. The game will include new co-op features that will enable two players to venture forth in the Wasteland together. While one player controls Mickey and his magic paintbrush, the other can take on the role of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and use his remote controller to electrocute enemies.

In a new behind the scenes video, Warren Spector and his team discuss the making of The Power of Two and the important role of working together. The video below also showcases the game’s lush updated graphics coming to Xbox360, PlayStation 3, and Wii later this year.

Yes, we know Max Payne and Diablo III are out today, but Sega wants you to put down your AK-47 and gaming keyboard for a bit and take a minute to relive your childhood with Sonic the Hedgehog: Episode 2, which spindashes its way onto consoles and mobile devices this week.

Sega has been listening to fan feedback following the release of Episode 1, so expect to see some enhanced gameplay features such as two-player co-op, better physics, and the addition of the challenging red rings introduced in Sonic Colors.

Also, those who currently own Episode 1 will be able to replay the original game from the perspective of Metal Sonic and learn more about his backstory and how he survived the events at the end of Sonic CD.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Episode 2 is out today on PlayStation and Steam and will be out on Xbox 360 tomorrow. The game will also be available for iOS devices on May 17. Be sure to check out our upcoming review of the game once it posts!

EA knows watching a football game is a complete sensory experience and hopes to give Madden NFL 13 fans the closest experience possible to attending an NFL game without actually buying a ticket.

In its latest NFL playbook, EA highlights the game’s enhanced audio system including the new commentary team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, the award-winning broadcast duo who have worked together since 2004 as the top team of the NFL on CBS. The two have spent over 82 hours in the recording studio and have created over 9,000 unique lines of in-game dialogue, a majority of which were improvised on the spot.

The game also includes new dynamic sound effects and crowd banter as well as a newly orchestrated theme song by veteran composer Colin O’Malley. You can also check out EA’s website for videos and outtakes from Nantz and Simms’ recording sessions.

Madden NFL 13 hits stores August 28.

Ubisoft may be releasing Ghost Recon: Future Soldier on May 22, but if you’re someone who likes to get to know your characters on a more personal level, even those in FPS titles, you may want to check out Ghost Recon: Alpha, a short film that serves as a prequel to the game.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Alpha is a 25-minute film that follows the game’s four protagonists as they are dropped deep behind enemy lines after an attack on a European city. The plot plays an important role in the game and the film’s soldiers are the four protagonists you’ll play as in the game. There is also a special code in the film that gives access to an exclusive weapon in Future Soldier. The full film can be viewed below.

Crystal Dynamics is pushing back the release date of its upcoming Tomb Raider reboot to ensure your next adventure with Lara Croft is perhaps the best one yet.

One of the most common reasons companies delay the launch of their games is for quality purposes. It’s no surprise then, that Darrell Gallagher, Head of Crystal Dynamics, told fans on the Crystal Dynamics forums that their reasoning behind the delay is to ensure they “fully deliver the very highest quality game.”

“When Crystal Dynamics first set out to reboot the Tomb Raider franchise, there were two goals that we were extremely passionate about,” wrote Gallagher. “The first was to create a modern Tomb Raider game that would surprise and excite gamers. The second was to make this the best game of our careers, something we would be really proud to be a part of.

“We’re doing things that are completely new to Tomb Raider in this game and the additional development time will allow us to put the finishing touches into the game and polish it to a level that you deserve. We believe this is the right choice and I guarantee it will be worth the wait. ”

Gallagher also gave us a sneak peek at what we might see at E3 with the inclusion of the above image titled “The Reach.” Last year’s demo showed Lara navigating some underground caverns, so perhaps this year’s playthrough will take her out into the wilderness.

Soure: Crystal Dynamics

Looking to save some cash by picking up Max Payne 3 from a Redbox kiosk when it releases this Tuesday?  Let’s just hope you’re playing on PS3, as the US based rental service has confirmed that they will only be renting out the first disc of the Xbox 360 version, meaning you’ll get half of the single player game and the multiplayer suite.

Redbox corporate policy is to carry only single disc games, but as a spokesperson told the consumerist, they’re taking a different tone with Rockstar’s latest. “Redbox kiosks are only equipped to rent out one disc per rental fee,” the spokesperson said. ”Since customer feedback has told us that many of our game customers like to test out titles before they buy them, we’ve decided to offer Disc 1 of Max Payne 3 for Xbox 360 so that renters can try it out for a low daily rate.”

There is currently no option to rent out disc 2 via the service.

“Disc 1 contains the entire online multiplayer mode and the first half of the extremely substantial single-player game. We think that’s a great deal for just a couple of dollars a day, and we’re excited to offer it! We’ve added a message on the website and on kiosk screens to let renters know about the limited game-playing.”

Would you pay $2 a day for what is essentially a limited demo? Let us know!

After you’re doing playing through Max Payne 3‘s campaign mode and before you check out the slew of online maps Rockstar Games has planned for the game, why not check out its Arcade Modes and unlock some goodies while you’re at it?

Making a return from Max Payne and Max Payne 2 is New York Minute, a mode that has you racing the clock to kill as many enemies as possible in 60 seconds. The game’s Score Attack mode is also similar, but gives you more time to enjoy each headshot you make and every kneecap you blow off. Your scores in both of these modes are uploaded to the Rockstar’s Social Club leaderboards and top scores will unlock exclusive multiplayer avatars and XP bonuses.

Max Payne 3 will be out on May 24. In the meantime, check out our preview from PAX East and stay tuned for our full review.

One of the first things we noticed when playing the Sleeping Dogs demo at PAX East was its great melee system, heavily inspired by Hong Kong films that often put protagonists, like the game’s own Wei Shen, against a mob of enemies unlikely to win.

The game’s new combat trailer shows off the undercover cop’s martial arts moves and also highlights different attacks and combos you can upgrade as you progress through the game. Also, because the in-game world of Hong Kong is huge and has plenty of things to interact with, you’ll also be able to use your environment to your advantage when in combat. Ever feel like throwing someone into a rotating fan? Well, now you can.

Sleeping Dogs is scheduled for release on August 14.

Do you want to be able to surf the web by simply gesturing to your Kinect? Sure you do. Sources tell The Verge that Microsoft is currently testing Internet Explorer 9 to run on Xbox 360.

While the Kinect peripheral will not be needed to use the internet browser on Microsoft’s console, but the browser is being “tuned” for full Kinect voice and gesture integration letting users fully surf the web in a whole new way.

Xbox 360 users currently can search on Bing using voice commands, but full console-based internet surfing that already exists on both Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii will be a first for Microsoft if these rumors hold true. It’s safe to assume Microsoft will be unveiling this and other announcements at E3 next month.

With Kinect gestures in play, it looks like Microsoft is being fashionably late to the web-surfing party.

Source: The Verge

Notch’s wacky world-building adventure has finally arrived on the Xbox 360, bringing sprawling open worlds, hissing anthropomorphic time bombs, and a menagerie of other beasts to a brand new audience with cooperative play, leaderboards, and a bevy of features that should delight fans, both new and old.

Bringing Minecraft to consoles was certainly a fantastic move — functions that may have seemed difficult to understand for new players before or gamers primarily enjoying console adventures, unfamiliar with PC controls, have been optimized and simplified for console play.

Both creating worlds and exploring them feels natural and much like the sandbox-adventure game hybrid was built for the console in the first place. Whereas Minecraft on PC was quite often an intimidating and confusing experience — asking friends for help, viewing YouTube tutorials, etc. was usually a given if you wanted to progress. The XBLA edition is a quicker, more streamlined beginning with tutorials, helpful toolbars, and plenty of assistance to get things rolling.

From there, it’s easy to predict the backlash: seasoned crafters will claim this port is simply a “watered-down” copy, when that couldn’t be further from the truth.

You’re still able to choose which difficulty you’d like to submit yourself to, as well as variables that will determine the type of terrain rolled for your brand new adventure. The rules are still clear — as clear as they can be, anyway: keep safe from the various beasties that roam the landscape at night, and survive. All other rules and objectives come from you. If you wish to build an industrious empire that exists solely on a diet of pork and occasional delicacies, that’s your prerogative.  If it’s your goal in the world of Minecraft to create a gigantic slot machine powered by pigs, you can do that too.

For those with less “interesting” ambitions, living to survive is the basest of options, eventually culminating (if you choose) in a battle within the Ender to rival all previous scuffles. The world is literally yours to shape as you see fit. There’s no option now for creative mode, in which there’s no pressure to stay alive, but the main mode of play can still act as such, if difficulty is set to “peaceful.” Monsters won’t populate, and you’ll still be free to roam, build, and destroy as you see fit.

The only limits to what you can create are those you set for yourself. You can chop down trees for wood, shear sheep for their wool, mine for ore, and even reshape entire islands around your own personal whims. With the Xbox Live Arcade version, you needn’t even rely on guesswork.

Say you gather plenty of wood and cobblestone but aren’t sure of what you can do with it. An entire network of submenus is available that automatically lets you know which materials are needed for, say, a sword or a pick axe, out of the items in your inventory — even a crafting table, if you haven’t built it already, and it will be crafted for you. It’s a much simpler and less tedious process than stopping to consult a Minecraft wiki on creation and allows more time to assemble shelter and some semblance of a plan for survival. All potential options of possible equipment are laid out for you.

You know what you ned and what you want to work toward, giving you more time to explore and establish your own settlement. While it does, in essence, remove some of the trial-and-error exploration and pioneering veteran players were subjected to, in an avenue like Xbox Live Arcade where the focus has been shifted to accommodate new players and multiplayer sessions, who wouldn’t want to spend less time tooling around, confused, when they could be double-teaming creepers and Endermen?

But even still, it isn’t a perfect beast — there is still a fair amount of solo exploration and tinkering required before all the puzzle pieces start falling into place. You’ll likely still need to consult one of the many online Minecraft resources for ideas on what to try next, where to go, or how to react in certain situations. With all the assistance available, there could even stand to be more, coming from personal difficulties when getting started in the PC edition. A primer on what type of shelter best suits your needs or what certain beasts are capable of would have been welcome additions.

But the built-in toolbars and tips go a long way to make any player comfortable, and so does the interface. All, barring content (villages aren’t found in-game, as well as other Minecraftian content pieces,) is as it is in the PC version, save for some unusually sluggish rendering of blocks off in the distance. In a way, this port feels a bit more comfortable, like a modern Wolfenstein or similar game in terms of visuals. Camera work is smooth, as well placing blocks (mapped to the triggers) — it feels effortless. There’s the simple pleasure of not having to turn down the graphics to accommodate your laptop or older PC. Everything just works, and swimmingly.

So too does local cooperative and online play. It’s an absolute blast to erect new civilizations, power through stubborn rock, and team up on pesky monsters with a friend, as easy as inviting another Xbox Live user to play, or hooking up an additional controller. Local couch co-op with my father was particularly intriguing — something I hadn’t yet been able to try, and an absolute hoot. The situations that arise when tossing in another player to the equation always serve to improve the experience. You may have seen all there is to see in Minecraft before, but it’s always new again with friends involved, something this port does quite well.

This enhanced port may be devoid of some of the newer patched-in features (there’s more to come, the hints on the loading screens proclaim) and is intended to satisfy both new and old players, but it’s an excellent and full-featured version of Mojang’s smash hit that deserves all the praise its big brother gets, if not more, for bringing the phenomenon to a wider audience. Hopefully this means bigger and better things for the game in the future — and more for console players as well. Long live Minecraft!

Juliet Starling is a zombie slayer trying to save her town from an outbreak of undead monstrosities. But, she’s also a high school cheerleader, and like any teenage girl her age, deciding what to wear is a big deal. At least, that’s the impression you’ll get when looking at her costume selection in Lollipop Chainsaw.

You won’t need to do anything to get these outfits, as they will be unlocked as you make your way through the game’s campaign mode. Next time you find yourself facing zombies, remember to accessorize! Take a look at some of these costumes below, but expect to see a lot more including Japanese-themed costumes from various anime and manga series.

Lollipop Chainsaw comes out on June 12 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Check out our preview of the game and our interview with the game’s creator, Goichi Suda!

Hitman: Absolution is making its way to consoles and PC on November 20, but before you get your hands on Agent 47′s latest chapter, Square Enix wants to challenge your sniping skills first.

Available only for those who pre-order the game at GameStop, Hitman: Sniper Challenge is a downloadable taste of the game that also doubles as a contest. The game will put players behind a balcony and will task them with taking out Richard Strong, Jr., CEO of Stallion Armaments, and his staff of bodyguards. Your goal is to score as high as you can, discovering kill multipliers and added bonuses for hiding dead bodies. Online leaderboards will track everyone’s progress, and the top score by November 20 will win a trip for two to Copenhagen, Denmark where they will meet with the Hitman development team and have their likeness incorporated into the “next Hitman game.” Pre-oders for the game and the Sniper Challenge begin May 15.

Did Square Enix indirectly just confirm that another Hitman game is in the works? One thing’s for sure however, this pre-order incentive sure beats getting a code for an in-game weapon.

It looks like BioShock fans will have to wait a few more months to get their hands on Irrational Games’ latest title as BioShock Infinite has been pushed back to February of next year.

“When we announced the release date of BioShock Infinite in March, we felt pretty good about the timing. Since then, we’ve uncovered opportunities to make Infinite into something even more extraordinary,” said Irrational Games Creative Director Ken Levine. “Therefore, to give our talented team the time they need to deliver the best Infinite possible, we’ve decided to move the game’s release to February.”

Levine also stated that Irrational won’t be showcasing the game at E3 or Gamescom this year, as “preparing for these events takes time away from development, time we’re going to use instead to get the best version of Infinite into your hands in February.”

While a company has its own reasons for delaying a game – most of them are to improve it and polish it up as much as possible – one can only wonder if Irrational did this to avoid the holiday rush of some big name titles such as Assassin’s Creed III and the new Call of Duty.

Source: Take-Two

You might already like Assassin’s Creed III, perhaps you even love it by now, but Ubisoft’s latest marketing campaign wants you to officially announce it to the world (or your Facebook and Twitter friends, at least.)

Sure, this one minute teaser trailer looks amazing enough already, but if you want more, head on over to the game’s official Facebook page and join others who are on a mission to unlock the entire trailer full of Revolutionary goodness. Share links to it on Facebook; tweet about the game on Twitter. Everything you do online that involves Assassin’s Creed III will add to Ubisoft’s goal of 1,776,000 tweets, posts, and shares and will unlock the world gameplay premier of the game. Why that number? 1776 is when the Declaration of Independence was signed, of course.

The Unite to Unlock campaign has already started, and while Ubisoft could have simply unveiled the trailer like very other publisher usually does, this brings fans together and also lets them become video game marketing professionals.

Assassin’s Creed III will release on October 30.

Rising Star Games recently announced that it is releasing Cave Interactive’s Akai Katana, a Japanese arcade bullet-hell title, exclusively on Xbox 360 consoles. The game will feature HD graphics and a new scoring system, but it will also provide a classic 4:3 mode for fans who like some nostalgia with their games.

For those unfamiliar with arcade shooters, Rising Star has created a series of videos showing off the various features in Akai Katana and tips on how to survive your adventure. It may sound easy to avoid side-scrolling shots, but after taking a look at some of the levels in the game, you’ll get why they call it “bullet-hell.”

The publisher will also be releasing Akai Katana theme and picture packs starting today that will cost 240 and 160 Microsoft Points respectively.

Akai Katana will be available for Xbox 360 on May 11.

Harmonix hopes you’ll want to boogey into warmer weather with some new Dance Central 2 songs releasing over the next four weeks.

The first song coming out this month is an easy one to dance to and will take you back to the 90s when the Spice Girls rocked the charts. “Spice Up Your Life” comes out on May 8. Next, say “Hello Good Morning” to the beats of Diddy-Dirty Money on May 15. The following week, A Tribe Called Quest’s “Scenario” hits the Music Store. Finally on May 29, you better put on your apple bottom jeans when you bust a move to Flo Rida’s “Low.”

All these songs and a bunch of others are available for 240 Microsoft Points.

Remember that initial ruling Motorola Mobility won against Microsoft hoping to ban imports of Xbox consoles and other products? While that ruling is still waiting on a six-member commission for approval, Motorola has recently won a similar injunction in Germany.

The injunction prevents Microsoft from selling Xbox 360 consoles, Windows 7 system software, Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player in Germany, following a ruling that Microsoft’s products violate two patents regarding H.264 video coding held by Motorola.

However, because Motorola is waiting for a judgement hearing to be held in Seattle on May 7, the company can’t do anything at the moment. The judge may also hold this ruling at a later date. If Motorola were to win the injunction, however, Microsoft would have to pay $4 billion a year in royalties to the mobile giant.

At the moment, Microsoft is also planning to appeal against the German ruling and states that Motorola’s claims abuse Frand-commitments, “a promise to licence innovations deemed critical to widely-used technologies under reasonable terms.”

Source: BBC

Microsoft  today announced that it is ending its programming of first-party content under the Inside Xbox brand. Shows like Major’s Minute, Featured Videos, and Insider Moves will cease production in the US and subsequently be unavailable in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Mexico and Japan will still continue their own first-party content “via other media outside of the Inside Xbox brand.”

“We will be leveraging third-party news and video content available through a variety of existing and future partners,” commented Xbox Live’s Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb, “and supplementing this content with select first-party offerings.”

Inside Xbox may be gone, but not the Major. “Everything else I do is unaffected,” he told Joystiq.

Source: Microsoft
Source: Joystiq

Have you met Agent 47? If you’ve been a fan of his games, you might heard of the guy. He’s regarded by many as the world’s deadliest assassin, and this new trailer of Hitman: Absolution will showcase how skillful he truly is.

The trailer was created entirely from original gameplay moments, and hopes to show off  the richness, depth and possibilities surrounding the living and breathing world of the game. Each choice you make can truly change your gaming experience, so whether you play as a stealth ninja or a ruthless killer, you’ll be sure to learn why Agent 47 looks so angry.

Click here to watch Agent 47 in action.

Sources tell Verge that Microsoft is planning to launch $99 Xbox 360 bundles with a monthly subscription”as early as next week.”

The new bundles will include a 4GB console with a Kinect sensor, Xbox Live Gold subscription, a two-year warranty, and will cost $99 up front, and $15 a month afterwards. Additional content might possibly be included.

Like all other subscription based contracts, early termination would also result in fees. The full two-year completion of the contract totals $459 while it costs about $420 to separately buy a $200 4GB console and two years of Xbox Live. Though, if you decide to add in a Kinect sensor, you might save some money going with the bundle.

Stay tuned for more information as this story develops.

Source: Verge

Activision is concocting a new James Bond title featuring an overarching storyline that ties together six classic Bond movies. Developed by Eurocom, the game is expected to be released this fall for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Aside from the main campaign mode, Legends will include single-player Mi6 Ops Missions, similar to those seen in GoldenEye: Reloaded, and additional local and online multiplayer modes. Players will also be able to take control of Bond’s dastardly foes, reliving missions through their eyes.

Fans can also enter Activision’s “Get in the Game” contest to design their own villain that will appear in the game. Participants can submit a digitally altered photo or a picture of themselves dressed up as a bad guy, and on May 24, the community will vote on the top 10 entries. One winner will see his or her creation in the final game.

The latest James Bond film Skyfall will be included in the game, but the other five films remain a mystery. Expect to hear more in the coming months and perhaps at E3. If it were up to you, which films would you want to relive? The Spy Who Loved Me, anyone?

Rockstar today announced its plans to release seven DLC packs for Max Payne 3 starting this summer and ending in the fall. The DLC will focus primarily on the game’s multiplayer, adding new maps, challenges, and multiplayer avatar items.

Similar to what it did last year for L.A. Noire, the developer will also be releasing a Max Payne 3 Rockstar Pass, letting players take advantage of a 35 percent savings on all the planned DLC by purchasing them in advance and redeeming them when they become available. The Pass will be be available for 2400 Microsoft Points or $29.99 on PlayStation Network.

The Local Justice Map Pack will come in June and give players the Police Precinct map for Gang Wars, Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Payne Killer multiplayer modes. It will feature new maps for these modes as well as additional challenges.

June 2012
• Local Justice Map Pack

Summer 2012
• Disorganized Crime Map Pack
• Deathmatch Made In Heaven Mode Pack
• Hostage Negotiation Map Pack
• New York Minute Co-Op Pack

Fall 2012
• Painful Memories Map Pack
• Trickle Down Economics Map Pack

Max Payne 3 heads to consoles on May 15 and to PC on May 29.

Sega today announced Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed, an upcoming game featuring a cast of Sega favorites racing on land, air, and water.

Perhaps drawing inspiration from Mario Kart 7, the game will feature karts that will adapt to quick changes in the terrain as well as also offering dynamic changing tracks inspired by different Sega titles. The game will feature notable names like Sonic the Hedgehog and Dr. Eggman as well as new characters like Gilius Thunderhead of Golden Axe and Vyse of Skies of Arcadia.

Like in the previous Sega All-Stars Racing title, players can use a character’s All-Star Move and pick up offensive and defensive items as they race. The game will offer an “all new fair weapon system” that affects how your characters defend against an item depending on the skills at their disposal.

Offering a Grand Prix mode, online multiplayer, and competitive Battle Arenas, Sega hopes to change the rules of the race when its title hits consoles, handhelds, and PC late this year.

Source: Sega

Square Enix today announced it has  opened sign-ups for a special fan event to promote its upcoming title Quantum Conundrum.

The publisher is teaming up with iam8bit Productions to create the ultimate fan experience. Without going into much detail, Square Enix invites fans to volunteer for a “special, multi-dimensional production” in the Los Angeles area this May. That’s “all they can say.”

Participants must be at least 18 years of age, available during the days of Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12 in the Los Angeles area. You can sign up for the event by visiting this website. Only 50 fans will be chosen.

iam8bit is known for creating elaborate game-themed experiences and exhibits, so whatever it is might perhaps tie in with the game’s unique physics puzzles. Maybe fans will get to enter an anti-gravity chamber and compete to solve logic puzzles as fast as they can? Who knows!

Quantum Conundrum will release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC this summer.

Majesco today announced NBA Baller Beats, an upcoming basketball game exclusively for Xbox 360 with Kinect controls. While no screens are available yet showing actual gameplay, it sounds like NBA Baller Beats will be a rhythm game of sorts that will track your movements as you use an actual basketball to play.

Majesco states: “ The music is your guide as you master ball handling skills, dribbling, and baller moves with a real basketball as Kinect technology tracks your every crossover, pump fake, behind-the-back, around-the-world and more! Become the ultimate baller and increase your stamina in single player mode, break it down and practice different skills in Move School mode or show-off in multiplayer mode and go head-to-head against up to 8 players – the highest score wins bragging rights.” You will also be able to unlock additional music and over 100 posters and NBA trading cards.

There is also a teaser trailer for the game, but, again, nothing is really shown aside from someone actually practicing basketball moves in his living room. Just be careful you don’t break anything or accidentally throw the ball at your television screen when the came comes out this fall.

Bloomberg reported today that Motorola Mobility won a U.S. International Trade Commission Judge’s initial ruling to block imports of Microsoft’s Xbox systems.

ITC Judge David Shaw stated that Microsoft was violating four of five Motorola patents: two patents that cover aspects of an industry standard for video decoding, two for Wi-Fi technology, and a patent on the way to establish communication between the Xbox and accessories. According to Shaw, “the second Wi-Fi patent wasn’t infriged, and one aspect of one of the video-coding patents was invalid.”

Motorola has demanded that Microsoft pay a 2.25 percent royalty on products that use its inventions. If Motorola’s demand are met,  Microsoft would have to pay $4 billion a year in royalties.

“We are pleased that the ALJ’s initial determination finds Microsoft to be in violation of Motorola Mobility’s intellectual property,” Motorola said in a statement. “Microsoft continues to infringe Motorola Mobility’s patent portfolio, and we remain confident in our position. This case was filed in response to Microsoft’s litigate-first patent attack strategy, and we look forward to the full commission’s ruling in August.”

Microsoft also released a statement saying: “Today’s recommendation by the Administrative Law Judge is the first step in the process leading to the Commission’s final ruling. We remain confident the Commission will ultimately rule in Microsoft’s favor in this case and that Motorola will be held to its promise to make its standard essential patents available on fair and reasonable terms.”

This ruling still needs to go through a six-member commission, and its final ruling will be issued in August, Reuters reports.

Anyone anxiously waiting for Capcom’s upcoming RPG title can get a taste of the action when the demo for Dragon’s Dogma hits Xbox Live and PlayStation Network tomorrow.

The demo lets players control a party of three Pawns and lets you design and control two of the game’s character classes, the Fighter and the Strider, and play through two unique encounters. As the melee professional Fighter, you’ll venture through underground tunnels until you battle the deadly Chimerain. Using your daggers and bows, you’ll then lead the Strider on a quest to defeat the mighty Griffin.

One of the neat parts about the demo is that you can take time customizing your characters using the in-game character creation tools, and then easily export them to the full game once it launches next month.

Dragon’s Dogma is headed to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on May 22.

2012 could, in fact, be the year of the bat – the Batman, that is. Not only is the next long-awaited Batman film coming out this summer, but Warner Bros. Interactive also just revealed that a Game of the Year edition for Batman: Arkham City is heading to stores next month.

Starting May 23, players can pick up the copy of the game that comes complete with all five previously released downloadable content including the Catwoman, Nightwing, Robin, Challenge Map, and Arkham City Skins Pack. The game will also come with a download of the Batman: Year One animated movie.

In addition, the GOTY edition also comes with the “Harley Quinn’s Revenge” expansion pack, giving players an extra two hours of gameplay. Playing as both Batman and Robin, players must utilize each of the characters’ unique combat and investigative skills to uncover Harley’s vengeful plan and shut the gates on the urban mega-prison forever. New environments and enemies will also be introduced.

If you already own Batman: Arkham City, you can still purchase the new Harley DLC individually starting April 30. Batman: Arkham City GOTY Edition will be available for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Steel Battalion Heavy Armor takes place in a future where computers are nonexistent and superpowers are at war for world domination. The United States military, however, has a weapon that might help determine the course of the war – the Vertical Tank – and the game puts you in the driver’s seat.

Today Capcom revealed three sets of extra armor you can use to suit up your Vertical Tank even more. You’ll get two different pieces of equipment depending on where you pre-order your game from, so choose wisely as each armor has different effects.

Amazon — Carbon Assassin Armory
Armour: Savannah — “Strike hard and fast with high-speed bullet velocity”
Armour: Storm — “Engage distant prey with increased shooting range”

Best Buy — Chrome Blitzer Armory
Armour: Impact — “Outmanoeuvre the enemy with increased turning speeds”
Armour: Tiger — “Tear down their defences with devastating destructive power”

GameStop — Iron Guardian Armory
Armour: Rock — “Shrug off enemy advances with reinforced defensive power”
Armour: Jaguar — “Outpace the attackers with accelerated travel speeds”

The game will also mix regular controls with Kinect voice commands to make you feel like you’re in the battlefield. Steel Battalion Heavy Armor comes out June 19 exclusively on Xbox 360.

Deep Silver just announced that Risen 2: Dark Waters will be coming out July 31 for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The pirate-themed RPG was originally planned to hit shelves next month.

To perhaps make up for making players wait a bit longer, both console versions of the game will now come with extra content including the episode “The Air Templar,” which gives players several hours of additional gameplay, taking them on a mission to explore an old temple and find the source of air magic.

The Special Edition of the game will still come with “The Treasure Island DLC Mission Pack,” adding five more hours of play time. Additionally, the game’s PC version is still on schedule and will be released next week on April 27.