Archived News:

Wednesday, Feb 27, 2013 Dominican Republic Independence Day - Pokémon Day - National Retro Day (USA)

Blizzard Planning PAX East Reveal

Blizzard seems to be planning an announcement for PAX East, according to Ars Technica, who share details of an invitation to see something "new" at the show, which kicks off in Boston, MA on March 22nd. "We've been working on a little something, different from our other games, and we're pleased to invite you to be the first to see it," reads the invite. "It's not a sequel, expansion or that rumored next-gen MMO, but it's something we're excited for you to get your hands on." They offer their speculation that this might be Blizzard All-Stars, their MOBA first announced as Blizzard Dota before a trademark scuffle with Valve.

Just Cause 3 Reveal at E3?

Avalanche Studios' Christofer Sundberg tweets about an Instagram photo that looks an awful lot like Just Cause protagonist Rico Rodriguez, adding the hashtag #e32013 to a subsequent tweet. It's widely assumed that Avalanche is working on Just Cause 3, and this suggests a third installment in the open world action series will be announced at this year's E3. Of course, a year ago Sundberg stated they would announce a licensed game at E3 2012, but this announcement never came to pass, so maybe he's playing with us, you know... just 'cause. Thanks VG247.

War of the Roses Free Weekend; Patch

The War of the Roses Website announces a new "Outside the Law" update is live today in War of the Roses, adding a new map, mew weapons, and new armor to Fatshark's melee combat game. They also announce this weekend the game will be free-to-play on Steam, and Paradox Interactive is holding a live streaming session tomorrow on Twitch at 2:00 pm EST where Executive Producer Gordon Van Dyke and others will demo the game, show off the new content, and kick off the free weekend.

New AMD Catalyst Beta

AMD support now offers a new AMD Catalyst 13.2 Beta 7 driver for Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista. This includes all the beta performance improvements in the previous betas, while resolving "an intermittent hang seen in Crossfire configurations with the new Crysis 3 patch." Thanks HARDOCP.

World of Warcraft Version 5.2 "Imminent"

A new trailer from Blizzard Entertainment offers a look at what they say is the "imminent" release of the new version 5.2 "The Thunder King" patch for World of Warcraft, their MMORPG. They also offer this post with a round up of informative links about the new version. Continue here to read the full story.

Panzer Corps Grand Campaign '45 West Released

Matrix Games announces the release of Panzer Corps Grand Campaign '45 West, the final DLC pack for Panzer Corps, the World War II turn-based strategy game. Here's an outline of the DLC, which requires a copy of either Panzer Corps or Panzer Corps: Afrika Korps:
The DLC contains 5 new units including the V1, V2 and advanced jet aircraft such as the Gotha, 18 all-new scenarios that utilizes the new features implemented with the release of Panzer Corps: Afrika Korps as well as the latest content updates. Players can use their core forces that completed previous campaigns as it gains experience and new equipment, or alternatively use a preset core force and play each of the campaigns on its own or jump in at any year.

Divinity - Dragon Commander Website; Trailer

A revamped official website is now online for Divinity - Dragon Commander, Larian's upcoming strategy game using the setting of their Divinity RPGs. The site has information and media to help keep up with the project. Speaking of media, the game also has a new trailer to help introduce the game. Here's word on that: "Just as the team embarks on a global media tour to give press their first hands-on opportunities, the new trailer gives gamers a glimpse into Larian’s upcoming PC strategy title set in the Divinity universe, showing off all the hard work that has gone into further polishing the game in recent months. The team has focused not only on fine-tuning the deep tactical and strategic options in this dragons-with-jetpacks experience, but also on enhancing the game engine to make one of the best-looking strategy games around." Continue here to read the full story.

Evening Patches

On Sale

  • articy- draft SE on Steam. Save 15%.
  • Borderlands Collection on Gamefly.com. Save 66%.
  • Borderlands Game of the Year Edition on Gamefly.com. Save 75%.
  • Borderlands 2 on Gamefly.com. Save 50%.
  • Dear Esther on Steam. Save 75%.

TrackMania2 and ShootMania on Steam; TM2 Stadium Open Beta

Ubisoft and Nadeo announce a partnership with Valve to bring all their ManiaPlanet games and services to the Steam platform. Steam news has word on the release of TrackMania² Canyon, preorders of TrackMania² Stadium and ShootMania Storm, and access to the current open beta testing of the latter two games, as Nadeo also announces TrackMania² Stadium has entered Open Beta (thanks Frans). Word is: "Purchase three outstanding titles from the team at Nadeo, TrackMania² Canyon, TrackMania² Stadium, and ShootMania Storm. Purchase TrackMania² Canyon and start playing right away. Pre-Purchase TrackMania² Stadium and/or ShootMania Storm today and receive a 10% discount and extras in the Open Beta that is running for both games." The related ManiaPlanet blog post offers a new TrackMania² Canyon Steam Trailer and a new ShootMania Storm Open Beta Steam Trailer.

PC Lead Platform for Watch_Dogs

An interview on Dutch site InsideGamer talks with Yves Guillemot, and the Ubisoft CEO reveals the new PlayStation 4 architecture allows them to develop games with the PC as a lead platform, since it will now be far easier to port to PS4 than the PS3 (thanks VG247 via Player Attack). Here's a Google machine translation of him explaining how the Xbox 360 being lead platform was a problem for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, and how their upcoming Watch_Dogs will benefit from being developed on the PC:
We have, in my opinion, but a game that had really had problems with a port and that's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. The PC project could be better managed. But with the other brands there is a lot of time and effort in which all platforms have the perfect game.

We also expect fewer problems with porting games to the PS4 than the PS3, which had a completely different infrastructure. It is now easier. Previously, we developed first games on the Xbox 360 and which were then translated into the PS3. It took a lot of time and money to make that port. Now we develop from the PC and which versions are translated into a console like the PlayStation 4.

Homeworld and Remaining THQ IPs for Sale

THQ announces plans to sell off intellectual properties that were not purchased during the recent bankruptcy sale of the company's assets. Word is that final bidding in the court-supervised sale will end in mid-April and sales will be completed by mid-May for the following IPs and assets:

  • Darksiders;
  • Red Faction;
  • Homeworld;
  • MX;
  • Other Owned Software, including Big Beach Sports, Destroy All Humans!, Summoner, and more; and
  • Other Licensed Software, including Marvel Super Hero, Supreme Commander, Worms, and more.

Deus Ex: Human Defiance TMed

TMView shows Square Enix has registered a European Trademark for Deus Ex: Human Defiance for computer games and related uses. This is a new entry (currently listed as "Application under examination"), for which no corresponding US Trademark seems to yet exist. Let the speculation begin. Thanks nin via Kotaku.

EA All-in on Microtransactions

Develop reports on comments from Electronic Arts during a Morgan Stanley Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference stating that the company is so pleased with its forays into the world of microtransactions, that they are bringing the support for these in-house, and that "all" their future games will feature microtransactions. "We are building into all of our games the ability to pay for things along the way; to get to a higher level," said EA CFO Blake Jorgensen. "And consumers are enjoying and embracing that way of business."

Guild Wars 2: Flame and Frost - The Gathering Storm Launches

The Guild Wars 2 website announces the addition of new content with the release of The Gathering Storm, the second installment in the four-part Flame and Frost series of updates for ArenaNet's MMORPG. This page has an overview, while the new Game Update Notes have full details on what this adds. This is a fairly enormous patch, offering balance changes, bug fixes, and new features such as the first trial pass at their event scaling system, in addition to the new content. The patch also adds two-team rated PvP play, a new PvP map, the choice of daily achievements, and more.

Linux Wargame: European Escalation

Steam now offers an update for Wargame: European Escalation to add Linux support to Eugen Systems' real-time strategy game. Here's word on the new version, and how the game supports cross-platform play between Windows, OS X, and Linux gamers:
After recently invading Mac computers all around the world, Wargame European Escalation, the explosive real-time strategy game developed by Eugen Systems, today arrives on Linux through Steam digital distribution platform!

Since its release on PC and then on Mac, the game has seduced hundreds of thousands of players... and now opens its doors to all Linux players! It is also worth to note that all current owners of Wargame on PC or Mac may, if they wish so, download the Linux version of the game for free.

Wargame players will also be happy to learn that a new update has just been deployed, enabling cross-platform multiplayer games! All players of Wargame on PC, Mac and Linux may now battle together in friendly or ranked matches!

Ravaged Free DLC

Though it's unmentioned on Steam, Reverb Publishing and 2 Dawn Games announce a second DLC pack is now available for Ravaged, their online first-person shooter. This and the previously released Apocalypse DLC Pack are both offered for free with the purchase of the game, and here's an outline of what the new DLC adds: "The new pack adds a monstrous arsenal of weapons, vehicles, and game modes to the popular 32-player, post-apocalyptic PC shooter, including the violent new chainsaw and flamethrower, the massive, moveable dump truck, and two new game modes, Team Deathmatch and Hijack, providing extra depth to the already deep experience."

Updated Retrobooster Demo

Really Slick now offers an updated version 0.6 demo for Retrobooster, offering changes from the upcoming release version of their 2.5D survival shooter/"cave-flyer." The new demo can be found on the Retrobooster Downloads page, and this blog entry outlines what's new.

Mars: War Logs Combat Trailer

A new trailer from Mars: War Logs shows off the combat system from Spiders Studios' upcoming cyberpunk RPG. Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? Well then you'll like how this primarily features melee combat, though a little gunfire and other special attacks are included amid footage of characters clubbing each other with science-fiction lead pipes. Continue here to read the full story.

Pressure Next Month

A new Pressure website is live, offering an official home base for Chasing Carrots' upcoming steampunk racing/shooting game. The site has details and media, and while it doesn't offer a release date, we have word from publisher TopWare Interactive that the PC edition is expected on March 26th, followed by the console editions a few days later:
"Pressure" sticks players into the driver’s seat in a fantastic steam punk themed universe, filled with strange characters and unique villains led by the diabolical Count Soap II. This greedy tyrant has a malevolent plan to steal all available water in the land, in a sinister plan based on his steam technology. To save his world, our hero must leap into the driver’s seat of his steam buggy, blast his enemies and keep an eye on his pressure gauge. An empty pressure tank is the end of all hope for a drying world. Fight your way through 30 levels of this comic book style steam punk world, and either take out Count Soap II, or lose your home. In “Pressure” it’s cut and dried; are you ready?

The game is currently in development for Windows PC, Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation Network® for PlayStation3®. The PC version will be available March 26th, the console versions will be out a view days later, the exact date will be announced at a later date.

Morning Mobilization

Game Reviews

Hardware Reviews

etc.

Out of the Blue

My mention of the ragù Bolognese yesterday inspired a couple of requests for the recipe, which is easy since it's Mario Batali's, and it is posted online. The reason this recipe helped get me on the right track, however, is that I watched this video of Mario making it, which for one thing changes some of the proportions, and for another, shows some nuances of how to proceed that differ from the printed version. There you go, bon appetit!

Nuanced Links: Thanks Ant and Acleacius.
Play: Swindler 2.
Stories: The people of Earth have spoken: One of Pluto’s moons should be named Vulcan.
Long-lost wallet returned, complete with cash.
Science: Japanese 'robot suit' to help disabled.
Dogs may understand human point of view.
One form of neuron turned into another in brain.
Images: Make the Worst Simulator Games.
Media: Zero Dark Fiddy.
Google Glass Parody.
Customer Service In Japan . . . Wait for it.
The Worst Taxi Driver in GTA History.
The Funnies: Dilbert.
Follow-up: The New Wilhelm Scream?
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