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Epic Games Has Equally Epic Schedule For 2012 D.I.C.E. Summit

Curt Hutson — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:30:14 +0000

Epic Games is in the mood for some celebrating and has decided to kick off the festivities at the 2012 D.I.C.E. Summit with all of its all-star, game industry buddies. Let the jealous feelings commence.

What are they celebrating exactly? Well, most don’t realize this, but Epic Games has been around for (drumroll, please) 20 freaking years! Founded by Mr. Tim Sweeney, Epic had released a myriad of games, many of which no one has ever heard of, way before Gears of War and Infinity Blade entered the scene — an admirable achievement.

Epic is starting with a lecture titled, “Technology and Gaming in the Next 20 Years”, then Epic president and AIAS board member Mike Capps will lead the panel, “Staying Around, Playing Around.” Here he will be joined by Blizzard Entertainment EVP of product development, Frank Pearce, and Insomniac Games founder and CEO, Ted Price, where they’ll give some solid advice on how to be successful, something they obviously have experience with.

Sweeney will be inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame and Epic Games will most likely sweep most of the awards their games are being nominated for. The awards gala will proceed the ceremony, but, let’s be honest, everyone will be waiting for Epic Games’ after-party — which, with so much to celebrate, could last a fortnite.

It seems the the Epic Games crew will be heading to the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas next week carrying bags packed with extra swagger… but they’ll leave some room for those awards.

Will The PS4 and Next Xbox be Announced at E3 2012?

Catherine Cai — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 07:54:35 +0000

Nintendo’s response to slowing Wii sales was to announce the Wii U at E3 last year, hoping to leapfrog both Microsoft and Sony with the next generation of consoles. When they announced that their intentions of having the Wii U out by 2012, everyone shook their head amusedly and with a sarcastic smile said, “Oh Nintendo.” Sure enough, the Wii U’s release has been delayed.

MCV reported today that Microsoft and Sony will both announce their next iteration of consoles at E3 this year. The new reveals would the outshine Nintendo’s announcement of the Wii U’s final specifications and price point, effectively nullifying Nintendo’s plans to leapfrog its competitors.

Since both Microsoft and Sony are announcing their new consoles so soon, assuming that this rumor is true, I don’t expect to see much beyond some pretty pictures of the PS4 and Xbox 720 boxes and maybe some “gameplay footage” that they’d dig up. Still, if this rumor does prove true, E3 2012 will be an exciting time, indeed.

[Via MCV]

That Nolan North Skit from the IGAs Was Hilarious

Dave Oshry — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:30:16 +0000

Most people don’t associate Nolan North with funny. Most people associate him with his numerous video game voice roles (he’s in everything), especially the one and only Nathan Drake of Uncharted fame.

Well, the guys at Machinima and Nolan teamed up to produce this skit that aired before their Inside Gaming Awards, and in case you missed it, it’s rather hilarious.

Poor Nolan, he don’t get no respect.

Then again, BIG BEWBS!

For the full list of winners, CLICK THIS BLUE TEXT.

SOPA Is Terrible, Let’s Stop It Together

Aaron Alexander — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:56:56 +0000

Our friend Ian Miles Cheong of Gameranx wrote an informative piece about the upcoming SOPA bill, and we’ve decided to share it here as it relates to games in significant ways. SOPA, or “Stop Online Piracy Act” may not sound nefarious at first glance, but the bill can actually change the internet as we know it – and not for the better.

As I write this article, the US House Judiciary Committee prepares to meet to mark up a bill that threatens the internet as we know it. That bill is called SOPA, which is short for the “Stop Online Piracy Act,” a misnomer if ever there was one.

You may not be a resident of the United States, but the effects of the bill will be felt throughout our borderless internet.

What is SOPA, exactly? SOPA is a ham-fisted plan to “get rid” of all piracy online. In reality, the law will shut down entire websites for a small infractions. It would also hold advertisers accountable for the content of these websites. A website based on user-generated content like YouTube and Reddit could not possibly exist in this climate. The bill would also prohibit search engines like Google from linking to many websites. The only websites unaffected by the law would belong to the larger industries—the proponents of the SOPA bill.

Due to the way SOPA is written, we are not simply looking at an internet with no silly videos of cats (heaven forfend it should pass). We’re also looking at an internet in which everything is accountable to censorship. A similar law was passed in China in 1998 and put into effect in 2003, which resulted in the creation of the so-called “Great Firewall of China,” or the Golden Shield Project. The law has since been used by the Chinese government to clamp down on political speech and arrest “difficult” citizens for infringing the broadly written law.

Arguably, the law would be fine if rightsholders didn’t abuse it, but as we’ve seen, rightsholders are more than capable of abuse even with existing laws. Just yesterday, Viacom ordered YouTube to take down an official video belonging to game developer Naughty Dog simply because it was first shown at the Viacom-owned Video Game Awards. Likewise, Universal Music Group ordered YouTube to take down an original videoproduced by Megaupload simply because it featured popular artists who spoke in favor of going independent, away from the RIAA.

The bill, which uses language to target “piracy” is effectively an act of censorship, as it prevents websites from (legally) linking to “foreign” websites deemed with content deemed illegal by the US Government. Harvard law professor Lawrence Tribe argues that the SOPA bill violates the First Amendment.

As a gamer, here’s what you stand to lose if SOPA passes:

* Mods
* “Let’s Play” videos
* Video replays
* Video reviews and commentary
* Unofficial game guides
* The taking, hosting, and sharing of screenshots, artistic or otherwise
* Image forums (Reddit, 4chan)

Tech titans like Facebook and Google understand the ramifications of the bill, and have aggressively opposed it since its very inception. However, the sway they have over Congress is limited compared to that of the entertainment industry, who are leading the charge. In short, they need our help, and our voices to speak to Congress.

Needless to say, gaming marathons for charity and other organized events such as the Evo fighting game tournament will potentially be taken off the internet completely. It’s no secret that the internet is a gamers paradise – we have all the information, video content, guides and discussion avenues that are second nature for us. Without sounding melodramatic, life for us could change completely. If you’d like to help, be sure to sign the petition and make your voice heard.

Original article published at Gameranx

E3 2012 Early Registration Has Begun

Chad Lakkis — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:51:44 +0000

Early registration for the 8th wonder of the gaming world, also known as 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), has begun.

Just how much will it cost to traverse the halls of the three day event? Well, if you dip into your pocket right now you’re looking at $795 with early registration … wait until April 24 to get in on the extraveganza and the price double jumps two bills up to $995. That’s a big meat-a-ball!

Is it worth your time? Better yet, is it worth your dime? We’re most likely looking at a large playable lineup for the Wii U, possible new system announcements from Microsoft and Sony, a saucy sampling of fully nude booth babes, crack cocaine as far as the eye can see, and creamy rivers of chocolate pudding. One can only dream.

My fat man feet are already in motion, pouncing like cheetahs in heat across the virtual treadmill that spins through my head. You can bet your candy ass I’ll be ready for all the huffing, puffing, … and even the occasional walking I’ll to have to do.

So pocket your cash, and tune into our coverage of the event. Your feet and wallet will thank you.

Follow me on Twitter @themadgamer or shoot me an email at chad@ripten.com.

The Full List of VGA 2011 Winners

Dave Oshry — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 01:30:34 +0000

There’s a good chance you caught some of the Spike TV video game awards on Saturday night.

However, there’s also a good chance you missed a lot of the awards that were given out because… well… they didn’t actually give them out…

So, here’s the full list, in case you missed it:

GAME OF THE YEAR

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

STUDIO OF THE YEAR

Bethesda Game Studios

CHARACTER OF THE YEAR

The Joker – Batman: Arkham City

VIDEO GAME HALL OF FAME AWARD

“The Legend of Zelda”

GAMER GOD AWARD

Blizzard Entertainment

BEST XBOX 360 GAME

Batman: Arkham City

BEST PS3 GAME

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

BEST Wii GAME

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

BEST PC GAME

Portal 2

BEST HANDHELD/MOBILE GAME

Super Mario 3D Land

BEST SHOOTER

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

BEST ACTION ADVENTURE GAME

Batman: Arkham City

BEST RPG

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

BEST MULTI-PLAYER

Portal 2

BEST INDIVIDUAL SPORTS GAME

Fight Night Champion

BEST TEAM SPORTS GAME

NBA 2K12

BEST DRIVING GAME

Forza Motorsport 4

BEST FIGHTING GAME

Mortal Kombat

BEST MOTION GAME

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

BEST INDEPENDENT GAME

Minecraft

BEST ADAPTED VIDEO GAME

Batman: Arkham City

BEST SONG IN A GAME

“Build that Wall (Zia’s Theme)” by Darren Korb – Bastion

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Bastion

BEST GRAPHICS

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN MALE

Stephen Merchant as Wheatley – Portal 2

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN FEMALE

Ellen McLain as GLaDOS – Portal 2

BEST DOWNLOADABLE GAME

Bastion

BEST DLC

Portal 2 Peer Review

MOST ANTICIPATED GAME

Mass Effect 3

GAMETRAILERS.COM TRAILER OF THE YEAR

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations – E3 2011 Trailer

So, did they get it right?

PS3 Exclusive “The Last of Us” Is Naughty Dog’s “Dead Island”

Catherine Cai — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 01:30:05 +0000

It’s confirmed, folks. Naughty Dog is developing the PS3-exclusive, Dead Island, starring Ellen Page.

The game looks great, but I’m going to have to kick back and sigh. Do we need another post-apocalyptic, zombie-esque game? Probably not. But hey, at least this time around I know this game will be done right. Ya know, Naughty Dog.

Get More: GameTrailers.com, The Last of Us – VGA 2011: Exclusive Debut Trailer HD, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Cliffy B Will Reveal a New Epic Games IP at the VGAs

Catherine Cai — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:00:17 +0000

In the following VGA teaser, Cliffy B tells you to tune into the VGAs… so you should n stuff. Oh, and since 2011 is the 20th anniversary for Epic Games, they’re going to reward VGA watchers with info about a new IP that’s been in the works. Huzzah.

Tune into Spike TV on Saturday, December 10th at 5pm PT / 8pm ET to check it out

BioWare Teases New Game With Teaser Trailer, What a Tease

Dave Oshry — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:30:02 +0000

Don’t you just love teaser trailers that show you nothing? I sure don’t.

Anyhow, BioWare will be revealing a new game at the VGAs and apparently it will have tanks n stuff.

SPIKE

The Next Game From BioWare

Stay tuned to RipTen when we finally find out what this game is.

Reggie Shows Off Life Sized Mario Kart 7 Karts At LA Auto Show

Justin Berube — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:30:10 +0000

Reggie Fils-Aime unveiled real life Mario Karts at the L.A. Auto Show and Nintendo is giving fans the chance to win one! All of this, of course, is to help promote the upcoming Mario Kart 7 game for the 3DS which is due out in North America on December 4th, 2011.

These karts were designed by West Coast Customs and one of them can be won by those that are part of the GameStop PowerUp Rewards Program. For more details on the karts, or how to win them, be sure to read the official Press Release below!

And if you happen to win one, be sure to send it to me for my Nintendo collection! Hey, I can dream!

Want to stay up to date on the latest Nintendo news, information, editorials, and more? Follow me on Twitter @KingNintendoFan or Like Me on Facebook. Be sure to let me know what you think about these awesome real life Mario Karts!

NINTENDO DRIVES HOME FUN AT THE LA AUTO SHOW WITH LIFE-SIZE MARIO KARTS

West Coast Customs Builds Karts Based on Classic Video Game Franchise

LOS ANGELES – Nov. 17, 2011 – Ever wanted to see a real-life kart from Nintendo’s hit Mario Kart™ series outside of the Mushroom Kingdom? Nintendo has teamed up with West Coast Customs to create life-size models of two karts – one for Mario™ and one for Luigi™ – from the upcoming Mario Kart 7 video game for the portable Nintendo 3DS™ system. These unique electric vehicles were unveiled today at the LA Auto Show, where they will be on display Nov. 18-27 in the lobby of the West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center. Visitors attending the show will be able to take photos of the karts, sample the Mario Kart 7 game before its Dec. 4 launch and participate in multiplayer game play.

Additionally, members of the GameStop® PowerUp Rewards™ program will have the opportunity to claim the Mario Kart as his or her own as part of the monthly Epic Reward Giveaway™ program. To be eligible for an Epic Reward Giveaway entry, members must make a purchase or trade at their local GameStop or on GameStop.com during the month of December. PowerUp Rewards Pro™ Members automatically get two entries with purchase. The lucky winner will be announced in February; for more information, visit http://www.poweruprewards.com.

West Coast Customs is known for TV shows such as the classic Pimp My Ride on MTV and the current show Inside West Coast Customs on the Velocity Network. The company has re-created two vehicles from Mario Kart 7: the classic Mario Standard kart, complete with glider attachment for soaring through the air, and the Luigi Bumble V kart, which resembles a bumblebee and features a rear propeller for underwater navigation.*

“Mario karts offer more fun per mile than any other vehicle,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “Mario Kart 7 is a perfect example of the many great games Nintendo has lined up for the holidays.”

“We’ve played Mario Kart games for years, so it’s a dream come true to bring these karts to life,” said West Coast Customs CEO Ryan Friedlinghaus. “We think people will be blown away by seeing these cool video game vehicles in person.”

In early 2012, an episode of Inside West Coast Customs will show how West Coast Customs and Nintendo worked together to make these video game vehicles a reality.

For more information about Mario Kart 7, visit http://www.mariokart7.com. For more information about West Coast Customs, visit http://www.westcoastcustoms.com.

Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

*Note that while the gliders and propellers on the in-game go-karts let players soar through the air or drive underwater, these real-life karts do not. Trust us on this one.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.8 billion video games and more than 610 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

Nintendo World To Host Zelda: Skyward Sword Launch Event

Justin Berube — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:22:42 +0000

Nintendo World is hosting a Zelda: Skyward Sword launch event on November 19th, 2011. That’s right, Zelda fans can purchase the game a day early at the official Nintendo store in New York City. The launch event will start at 9:00 a.m. and last until 1:00 p.m. Anyone that purchases their copy of the game during event hours will also receive a limited edition poster while supplies last. (I’m jealous!)

If buying what will likely become the Wii’s game of the year a day early isn’t enough, the Nintendo World Store will also be hosing other Zelda themed events! At 10:00 a.m. the store will unveil a Master Sword replica. Additionally there will be Zelda trivia contests and a Zelda historical showcase to look at.

Super Mario 3D Land Events Coming to Austin and San Diego This Week

Justin Berube — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:42:31 +0000

Last week Nintendo announced that there would be a Super Mario 3D Land event in Times Square. Now it has been revealed that two more similar events will be happening for those that don’t live anywhere near New York! Nintendo claims that Tanooki ears and Tails will be handed out at each event. Other info is scarce but I’m sure there will be some playable demos or something. For dates, times, and locations look below!

San Diego, CA
Date: November 4th, 2011
Time: 12:30 p.m – 1:00 p.m
Where: Westfield Horton Plaza (near Broadway Circle entrance)
324 Horton Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101

Austin, TX
Date: November 7th, 2011
Time: 12:30 p.m – 1:00 p.m
Where: Republic Square Park (adjacent to North Congress Ave.)
422 Guadalupe St., Austin, TX 78701

If you do attend be sure to let me know about it through Facebook or Twitter. My info is below!

Super Mario 3D Land To Take Over Times Square

Justin Berube — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 01:02:26 +0000

On November 12th, 2011 starting at 10:00 A.M. Nintendo is planning to have Super Mario 3D Land take over Times Square! Anyone that visits Times Square on that date will have the opportunity to play a demo of the upcoming Super Mario 3D Land for the 3DS which releases in North America on November 13th, 2011. Those that attend the event will also be treated to the following:

A performance by a large number of Nintendo characters at the beginning of the event!
Free giveaways including a set of Tanooki ears and tails! (While supplies last).
Mushroom Kingdom Pizza Truck that will give out free slices to the first 1,000 people at the event that Tweet the #SuperMario3D hashtag.
The ability to buy the game a day early at Toys “R” Us in Times Square!

Sadly it appears as though I won’t be making an appearance, but my followers know that I would die for a set of Tanooki gear!

Golden Joystick Awards 2011: The Winners

Sam Naylor — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:28:38 +0000

The Golden Joystick awards is one of the biggest award ceremonies in the games industry, and certainly the largest in the UK.

Though the games are nominated by gaming media types, the winners are all voted on by the public- so it surely gives the strongest indication of what really makes gamers happy. It’s hardly the Oscars, but nevertheless I’m at the show this year reporting live on the winners and other goings on.

The nominees for each award are listed below and when the show finishes I’ll update this post with the winners in bold. Let us know what you think of the public’s (over 2 million of them- a world record) decisions in the comments.

Update 15:00- Awards are about to start. Stay tuned! Seann Walsh off of Mock the Week and that is hosting.

Update 15:08- Seann Walsh doing gaming jokes. “Blowing into cartridges! Remember that?!” I wonder when modern gaming tropes will make it into the routines of TV comics.

Update 15:18- Angry Birds devs not able to make it. Possibly too busy trying to kill pigs. Those cold bastards.

Update 15:20- Battlefield 3 trailer, looks good but is far too loud. I certainly won’t be buying it because of that.

Update 15:24- Now they’re showing a trailer for Inversion, which looks like a shooting game where you can invert gravity. In fact, that’s exactly what it is.

Update 15:31- Sonic Generations trailer. It’s a 3D Sonic game with 2.5D sections. Sonic unleashed was awful, wasn’t it? And all those other ones after Sonic 3? Poor Sonic. He’s won an “outstanding achievement” award this year, too, despite being in no good games since the ’90s.

Update 15:36- Notch from Minecraft is on the screen thanking everyone for the award. Well, in a way.

Update 15:37- Skyward Sword trailer now. Looks good, and from what I played earlier it certainly should be.

Update 15:41- Innovation of the year winner: the Nintendo 3DS.

Update 15:43- Outstanding Contribution award is given to Sonic.

Update 15:48- That’s it and Portal 2 has won GOTY.

Best Shooter

FEAR 3
Brink
Crysis 2
Bulletstorm
Killzone 3

Call of Duty: Black Ops

Red Faction: Armageddon
Homefront
Medal of Honour
Singularity
Vanquish
GoldenEve 007
Dead Space 2

Best Action/Adventure

InFamous2
Shadow of the Damned
LA Noire
Yakuza 4

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood

Amnesia: The Dark Descent
LEGO Star Wars II: The Clone Wars
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Dead Rising2
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
Deadly Premonition
Crackdown II
Mafia II
MGS Peace Walker
Epic Mickey
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Okamiden
Portal2
LBP2
Donkey Kong Returns

Best RPG [Role-Playing Game]

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
Dragon Age II
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn
Dungeon Siege III

Fallout New Vegas

Pokemon Black/White
Fable 3
Magicka

Best MMO [Massively Multiplayer Online game]

Rift

World of Warcraft (Cataclysm (Dec 2010))

Eve Online Incarna (Jun 2011)
Aion AION: Assault on Balaurea (Sept 2010)
Age Of Conan Updated May 2010
DC Universe Online (Jan 2011)

Best Fighting Game

Dead or Alive Dimensions

Mortal Kombat (2011)

Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition
Fight Night Champion
Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition
BlazBlue: Continuum Shift
Arcana Heart 3
EA Sports MMA
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011

Best Racing Game

DiRT 3
Motorstorm: Apocalypse
SHIFT 2 Unleashed
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit

Gran Turismo 5

nail’d
MotoGP 10/11 72/68
Test Drive Unlimited 2
F1 2010
Ridge Racer 3D

Best Sports Game

Top Spin 4
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D
MLB 11 The Show
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters
Virtua Tennis 4
NBA Jam

FIFA 11

NBA 2K11
NHL 11
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011
Kinect Sports

Best Strategy Game

The Sims Medieval
Total War: Shogun 2
R.U.S.E.
Pride of Nations
Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 2: Retribution
Civilization V

Starcraft 2

Ghost Recon Shadow Wars
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Best Music-based Game

Child of Eden
Dance Central
DJ Hero 2
Rock Band 3
Def Jam Rapstar

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock

Just Dance 2
Michael Jackson: The Experience
Singstar Dance

Best Free-to-play Game

Allods Online
RuneScape
Runes of Magic
Mythos

League of Legends

Dragonica
Black Prophecy
Bloodline Champions
Forsaken World
Zuma Blitz
Empires and Allies
Bejewelled 3
World of Tanks
EA Sports FIFA Superstars
Champions Online
CityVille

Best Mobile Game

Inifnity Blade
Game Dev Story
Backbreaker 2: Vengeance
Dead Space
Tiny Wings
The Heist
Hunters: Episode 1
Monster Hunter: Dynamic Hunting
Real Racing 2
Street Fighter IV: Volt
To-Fu: The Trials of Chi
Order and Chaos
Fruit Ninja
Cut The Rope
Feed Me Oil
NBA Jam by EA Sports
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
N.O.V.A 2 – Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance
Sonic & Sega All Stars Racing

Angy Birds Rio

Best Downloadable Game

Dead Nation
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
SEGA Rally Online Arcade
Auditorium HD
Outland
The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
Joe Danger
Frozen Synapse

Minecraft

Trenched
Gods Vs Humans
Hydroventure
DeathSpank
Bit.Trip Fate
Glow Artisan
Limbo
Stacking
Might and Magic: Clash Of Heroes

One to Watch

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
Saints Row: The Third
Battlefield 3
Modern Warfare 3
Bioshock Infinite
Far Cry 3
Mass Effect 3
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
Hitman: Absolution
Halo 4
Tomb Raider
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
Super Mario (3DS)
Metal Gear Solid: Rising
Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm
Guild Wars 2
Agent
Uncharted Golden Abyss

Ultimate Game of the Year

LA Noire

Portal 2

FIFA 11
Pokemon Black/White
Halo: Reach
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Bulletstorm
Killzone 3
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
Total War: Shogun 2
Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition
DiRT 3
Rock Band 3
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
Fallout New Vegas
Gran Turismo 5
Civilization V
Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty

Nvidia and DICE Kick off the GeForce LAN With a Bang (Video)

Dave Oshry — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 23:53:51 +0000

As a wise man once said – I’m on a boat, motherfucker.

A big boat. A really big boat. A really big bad ass boat actually.

This baby served in the WWII and went to Midway and back.

Now, the USS Hornet is home to the Nvidia GeForce LAN 6. A three day celebration of PC gaming and Battlefield.

I’ve already taken hundreds of pictures and have some cool stories in the works, but in the meantime, how about you watch this video of the keynote which Nvidia has put together so you get a better idea of just what’s going on around here.

Watch as Drew Henry, General Manager of the GeForce product line from NVIDIA and Johan Andersson, the Chief Architect at DICE jointly present the state of PC gaming as seen through the lens of the Battlefield franchise.

It all started in 2002 with the release of Battlefield 1942, a game that many us have fond memories of. When the vintage game was shown on stage, it sent the crowd into a roaring cheer; many continue to play 1942 even as they ready theirmachines for its ultimate successor, Battlefield 3.

When the camera cut to Battlefield 3, it was like fast forwarding ten years into the future. Except the future was the present. The blurry, cartoony world was replaced by an intense, gritty rendering of a refinery complex in the sun parched Middle Eastern desert. The map was Operation Firestorm, one of the largest in the game. All the signature vehicles of Battlefield was on offer, from tanks, jets to helicopters. This map was made exclusively available for play at GeForce LAN. The crowd was jubilant.

Graphics have come a long way since 2002. The flagship GPU at the time of Battlefield 1942 was the GeForce 4600 Ti. Today, it’s the GeForce GTX 580. “Ti” refers to a faster version, and today it’s still available on the GeForce GTX
560, the GPU that DICE recommends for Battlefield 3.

That’s right, we’re on a boat.

Check out the full details on Nvidia 3DVision 2 HERE and what we Love and Hate about Battlefield 3 HERE

Stay tuned to RipTen for continued coverage of the GeForce LAN 6 straight from the flight deck (press room) of the USS Hornet.

Highlights From The Gears of War 3 Launch Event In Times Sqaure

Chris Carlson — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:22:03 +0000

When it comes to games like Gears of War and Halo, Microsoft doesn’t fuck around. They go big, and I mean big. In case you couldn’t make it out to the huge launch event in NYC the other night, we got you covered.

Inside the Best Buy theater is where all the action took place, and some lucky gamers were able to make it inside and play Gears of War 3 hours before it launched. Below are some of the highlights from the event we hope you enjoy. And yes, be very jealous of that “Epic” chopper that was given away. Trust me when I say, the pictures don’t do it justice. If you’re actually reading this, chances are you haven’t picked up Gears of War 3 yet. What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you on the edge? You shouldn’t be, just check out Chad’s review and find out why!

Fans were lined up outside the Best Buy Theater all day anticipating the release of Gears of War 3

This Marcus statue stands well over 6 feet tall from inside the theater

It's the Cole Train baby! Woo!

Rod Fergussion, Cliff Bleszinski, and Paul Jr.

This lucky son of a bitch won a Gears of War 3 inspired chopper built by Paul Jr!

Yes, it's sexy. Be jealous.

Playing Battlefield 3 on PS3 at PAX Was Just as Glorious as on PC

Stephanie Gutowski — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 01:16:55 +0000

WARNING: The following content may induce fits of violent jealousy and an insatiable need to play Battlefield 3.

I was extracted from Seattle-Tacoma airport on August 25 at approximately 1800 hours. I then rendezvoused with the rest of my unit at the barracks, dubbed the “Seattle Westin.” We got some rack time and regrouped in the Grand Hyatt at o800 hours for a mission briefing. Operation: Battlefield 3 Community Event would take place later that night…

After a full day of appointments, PR, game-playing, and fan-girling, I returned to the designated meeting point and entered a room full of top-of-the-line gaming PCs, PS3′s, and tables laden with food. After stuffing my face and commiserating with the other chosen few, Seeson Mahathavorn, Battlefield 3‘s community manager, announced that we would not only be playing a two player co-op campaign mission on PlayStatyion 3, but that we’d finally get to experience the multiplayer Deathmatch and Rush mode on freakin’ PC. I wasn’t sure whether or not to explode into stars, or shut up and frag some derps.

Special thanks to Off Duty Gamers, Razer, ASTRO Gaming, and Gunnar for being swag-tastic and making this Battlefest possible. You guys. Seriously.

I went with the latter and took my place at the last console. I teamed up with my roommate for that weekend, Shanay Ross, a founding member of the Legion of Honor and a veteran of the Battlefield series. We donned our Astro headsets and began. Our objective was to rescue a hostage held within an apartment building and escort him from point A to point B further down the street, with several humvees in tow. This was the same portion of the game PAX attendees were playing at the Battlefield 3 booth. It was a night mission, but the cover of darkness would be no use to us. This part of our BF3 experience took place on PS3 and the controls were comfortably familiar to me. Shanay took point while I brought up the rear. I eventually grew accustomed to the feeling of not running and gunning like an idiot, and wielding my M4 with something akin to respect. It was a stealthier experience then I’d anticipated as we took turns opening doors and clearing out rooms on our way to the objective. We escaped the apartment complex fairly quickly, but ran into trouble once we took to the streets. With the hostage secure in the humvee, we pushed down the street in an attempt to suppress the terrorists trying to bomb our brains out. This is where we ran into problems. It wasn’t until Shanay started calling out targets and coordinating hits that we were finally able to push through the flaming barricades. There were explosions, loud pockets of gunfire, and more explosions. I found myself jumping in my seat a few times from the shock, forgetting momentarily that I need not fear the flying shrapnel, this war zone existed only on my screen. It felt real enough. Man, did it feel real.

We were eager to keep going when the EA/DICE crew announced that it was time to set aside our Dualshock 3 controllers and prepare for the PC Push portion, the highlight of our evening. We mingled and helped ourselves to a few ~~beers and mixed drinks~~ sprites and lemonades, then took our places once the PC demos were initiated. That’s when we hit the ground running and never looked back. What unfolded before me was one of the most intense, irreverent, and riotous matches I’d ever been apart of.

Oh god, I'm gonna die.

We began in an unassuming park, presented with point A, B, and C in the Rush objective. The three locations needed to be taken and we moved in as a unit to do just that. Easier said than done. The map just felt massive with large, terrifyingly open spaces. This was more so my struggling period. While other PC veterans took to the streets, I was desperately trying to learn how to move, crouch, aim, throw a grenade, defibrillate a man, tie my shoe, chew some gum, and win the damn game. Meanwhile, bullets. All up in my face. Needless to say, I ran into a few snags during this portion of the demo, but every issue I encountered was attributed to my own lack of skill. Otherwise, the equipment and game itself ran beautifully. The controls were responsive, uncluttered, and uncomplicated.

I eventually switched to more familiar territory: a team Deathmatch. This was the collective moment of glory. This was what I’d been waiting for. The Frostbite 2 visuals looked fantastic on PlayStation 3, but so damn good on that computer that I wished I could transcend my own glaring inadequacies and master the keyboard controls instantaneously, rather than do battle with my pinkie as I stared down the wrong end of a rifle barrel.

Borderlands 2 Explodes in Our Face (In a Good Way) at PAX

Stephanie Gutowski — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:00:41 +0000

My memories of Borderlands are lackluster, muddled by a haze of repetition- live skags, dead skags, big skags and bigger skags. Perhaps I’d been distracted at the time, but the original game never truly captured my attention. Borderlands 2 looks like it might just track me down, wait for me on my doorstep, and punch me out in retaliation for not persevering. What I saw in that guided demo at PAX Prime not only intrigued me, it had me earnestly excited for a sequel to a game that I thought I loathed.

I left my demo feeling a bit sheepish, uncertain whether or not I had the right to express my enthusiasm for Borderlands 2 after I’d just spent months ragging on it. The demo was narrated by Steve Gibson of Gearbox, whose contagious enthusiasm was greatly appreciated. We jumped about a third of the way into the game to rescue Roland, where we were introduced to the new blue-haired, playable siren, Maya. While we saw very little of her, we did, in fact, see plenty of new enemies, weapons, and what Gibson claimed was a “full, true sequel.” Five years have passed since the end of Borderlands and Handsome Jack has taken over the moon. That’s just not going to fly.

The core systems were either re-touched, or replaced, giving Borderlands 2 a whole new feel. The AI is smarter, learning about its environment. If you frustrate a bullymong, it’ll hurl a car at you. Shoot something and it’s going to do everything it can to take cover. With improved AI comes an even larger selection of weapons. Manufacturers have more themes, more weapons and throw-aways. Quests will change as you move, enemies will adapt and learn from you, and the co-op mode is much-improved. Missions will also now sync regardless of each player’s plot progression. Finally. Team up and go.

Dozens of psychos later, we came upon a boss fight. Nomad plus Midget, a goofy but effective means to display the gunzerker’s battle prowess. We saw some serious dual-wielding and watched as our hero was unceremoniously thrown off the cliff, flipping off the bastards as he plummeted to the ground. A fitting end.

Borderlands 2 looks like Borderlands on crack with more guns, blue-haired ladies, angrier bad guys, and I want some right now. It looks awesome and much more intriguing than the first. Enemies are smarter, more diverse, and there are a gajillion guns to keep the killing fresh. What more could you ask for?

Borderlands 2 will be rampaging its way onto store shelves sometime in 2012. Are you ready?

Bethesda Confirms That Skyrim Will Fit On One Xbox 360 Disc

Dave Oshry — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 04:25:13 +0000

This weekend, we sent our features editor Stephiroth Gutowski over to the Bethesda booth at PAX Prime to do a few things. Play RAGE, play Skyrim and get some questions answered. One of those questions that has been on the mind of many of our console gaming readers is, “Just how many Xbox 360 discs will it take to hold all of Skyrim?!”

Well, luckily, that answer is ONE.

There will be no disc swapping involved in the latest iteration of Bethesda’s flagship RPG franchise. This comes as a bit of a surprise seeing as Skyrim is such a large game, however Bethesda seems to have gotten it done. Kudos.

This confirmation came from Skyrim’s Art director Matt Carofano. Steph even double checked asking Matt, “Really? One Disc? on 360?!”

“Yes”, he said – Before running off to another interview. Sadly, he could not confirm or even speculate on the install sizes for Xbox 360 or PS3.

So there you have it. All of the all the majesty and grandeur of Skyrim, on one Xbox 360 disc. Nice.

Stay tuned for more of Steph’s adventures at PAX and for more on Skyrim be sure to check out our epic hands-on preview.

"I'm In Your Penny Arcade Expo - Getting Your Questionz Answered"

Ubisoft’s Reveals its Largest PAX Lineup to Date

Stephanie Gutowski — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 01:00:44 +0000

As we continue to pack our bags for PAX Prime, developers are releasing their much-awaited viewing lineups. Ubisoft will be there in full force with games spanning four booths. These are just some of the more popular titles you can look forward to seeing this coming weekend:

• Assassin’s Creed Revelations
• From Dust™
• Just Dance® 3
• Might & Magic® Heroes® VI
• Might & Magic Heroes Kingdoms™
• Rayman® Origins
• Rocksmith™
• Shoot Many Robots™
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Online
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier™
• TrackMania™2 Canyon

Ubi has also announced a handful of incentives for attendees who reserve these games while at the show. Pre-order at the conference to score these bonuses:

• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier: Exclusive PAX gun skin
• Assassin’s Creed Revelations: Altair avatar
• Just Dance 3: Neon watch
• Rayman Origins: Rayman T-shirt
• Rocksmith: Exclusive guitar strap

In addition to the extra in-game goodies, Ubisoft will be hosting several giveaways during the convention. You like prizes, right? Well, I hope you scored a PAX pass because Ubi might just be prize central this year. They’ll also host a special Assassin’s Creed panel on Friday from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Main Theatre in downtown Seattle. Be there, or be a templar.