The God of War collection smashes onto the PS3 in less than two months featuring the full version of the first two games in the series. While that was enough to make me run out and preorder it (I actually powerwalked), the pot has just been sweetened: the collection will also come with a voucher to download the E3 God of War III demo. That’s right! There is a God. Of War. And he’s on his way.

Scribblenauts, the fantastic-looking DS game that went big after an appearance at this year’s E3, is coming to the UK on September 25, following a North American release of September 15. I’ve embedded the above video to give you a look into what the game is all about- you can write almost anything and have it appear on screen. It’s rapidly becoming one of the most hyped DS games this year, and is even causing bouts of “I need a DS just to play this game” syndrome.

I love the kooks behind Adult Swim and this just reminds me how awesome they are. It also re-confirms that all cool people like video games. Hit the jump for their thoughts on the show.

This just in, Microsoft has bought the PS3 with intentions of turning Sony’s next gen console into an Xbox 360 exclusive….ok not “really” but they might as well.

Ok, it’s been a crazy day for me. Running around and just now getting a chance to sit down for a moment. I’ll just talk a bit about the Microsoft keynote. Nothing really took my breath away. Watching Cliffy narrate a side scrolling action game with bosses that turn into invisible platforms was cool (not really). Left for Dead 2 was the highlight of the show for me prior to seeing the Milo’rific finale.

If you missed it, Microsoft tore out the hearts of PS3 owners once again by showcasing some meaty FFXIII footage and washing it down with a tall glass of “MGS is coming to the 360 too”.

But that wasn’t the show stealer. My prediction before the event was that “Microsoft would blow the casual doors off the place”, and while they didn’t announce an easy bake oven adapter (darn it!), they did announce what some have already begun to call the Wii Killer … a motion sensing/capturing device named “Natal”.

I quickly coined it “Not-at-all” when I first saw it, because I was pretty confident it was nothing more than a played up concept, no where near functional, but boy was I wrong. After about twenty minutes of on stage demonstrations capped off by a video feed of Peter Molyneux’s creation “Milo” I could practically hear Mario scream as the nails began pounding into the Nintendo Wii’s coffin.

Not sure who it was exactly, but one of the MS speakers said something along the lines of “this is better than waving some piece of plastic in a predetermined pattern.” Way to take the high road!

Overall, the biggest reveal is yet another option for casual gamers. Neat yes, but I think I am going to hold out for games in pill form. The day is closer than you think.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below. I must get some sleep.

In one of the most exciting rumours in a long time, Destructoid has received info that LucasArts will possibly be reviving an old franchise, and note Grim Fandango and The Secret of Monkey Island as possible candidates. In case you didn’t know, I’m a big fan of both. Perhaps it’s a little sad that I’m so optimistic about games being announced that I’ve already played, but I don’t care. I love them both, even with my cold, dry heart.

Today the ESA announces that the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2009 has sold 90 percent of its available exhibitor space with over 100 exhibitors to attend. Furthermore, the expo is reaching its projected number of 40,000 attendees, which includes industry professionals, general attendees, and members of the media.

“E3 Expo is back, and that’s a very good thing. The conference is being held at just the right time, with June late enough in the year for the publishers to feel confident about game quality, and early enough in the year to generate retail buzz,” said Michael Pachter, analyst with Wedbush Morgan. “The show’s format is a return to the great E3 Expo’s of the past, and there is tremendous interest from investors, publishers and media. I expect buzz about the show to build every week until June, and expect many breaking announcements the first week in June. E3 Expo will re-establish itself as the preeminent North American computer and video game show, and also will likely be considered the preeminent computer and video game event globally.”

After two years of trying to be restricted to fewer than 5,000 attendees, this year’s E3 is back with a blast as it returns to the glory days as the world’s best videogame industry event.  This has event brought the excitement to many developers.
“If you have a career in games or just love to play them, get out your calendar and circle the first week of June,” said Jeff Brown from EA. “The E3 Expo is bigger and better this year and for EA, the expanded format means we’ll have more demos, announcements, promotions and blockbuster games than ever before.”
“It is very exciting for the videogame industry to once again have a global platform from which to report on the trends, innovations and exciting new games that are fueling the growth of our market,” said Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of publishing at THQ. “We look forward to meeting with press and retailers from around the world, as well as the investment community to share several key titles from THQ’s portfolio at the E3 Expo in June.”
Personally, I am excited for this event as I am already registered and confirmed and will be attending as media. However, if you want to attend yourself, you do not have to be part of the media to enjoy three days of videogame ecstasy. Just head over here and find out how you may attend. All you have to do is fill out an online registration form along with a $400 payment (Goes up to $500 after May 1st) and you are pretty much guaranteed to be in. This is a very relaxed process compared to that past two years. So in a since, E3 2009 is open to the public, you just need to be 18+ and $400. Members of the media and industry receive free attendance, granted they provide the proper credentials proving that they are part of the media or industry.

If you cannot attend, no worry as I will be there to cover the event from all possible angles. So follow Ripten throughout E3 and we will keep you on top of everything.

Breaking E3 09 news just hit our overflowing inbox here at Ripten. If the previous X-Play E3 09 announcement regarding the event’s return to its roots, as well as the LA Convention Center, had you reaching for your gaming stash (don’t pretend you have no clue what I mean), then prepare to light up again tonight at 8PM EST.

Tonight’s episode of X-Play on G4TV, welcomes the ESA, and promises answers to the following E3 09 questions available after the jump.

• Who will be able to attend?
• Will there be Booth Babes? Yes or No?
• What made the ESA decide to return to the “old E3″ format, and away from the smaller, more “personal” E 3?
• What’s the response been like so far from fans, press, and the game companies involved?
• Will the general public be allowed to attend?
• How will you be able to decide which sites and bloggers receive credentials?

That last one is toughie. So remember, tons more information on the next E3, tonight at 8PM EST on X-Play. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. As for the unemployed booth babes, wait for it …. wait for it … *ring-a-ling-a-ling* … “hello?” … *click* … Oh well, sit tight Bambi.

Remember E3 2008? No, neither do I. It’s not worth the space in my memory. In the future, though, it seems that E3 will become something to look back fondly upon! E3 is being renamed and remodeled back from the E3 Media and Business Summit to the old name, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). The ESA had this to say on the matter:

After conducting both qualitative and quantitative research, ESA officials stated changes were necessary to better meet the needs of both exhibitors and attendees— these changes include increased booth sizes, increased qualified audiences, and an intensified focus on reinforcing the high-octane growth, innovation, and capitivating entertainment that are driving the computer and video game industry.

Back to the ‘old’ E3? Well, I should certainly hope so. Even if it does go back to that, will it surpass PAX (The Penny Arcade Expo) ? I wouldn’t say so. PAX is ever-growing, and E3 crippled itself in these last few years. Nevertheless, it’s good news to hear that E3 is actually trying to better itself.

Nintendo’s fall press conference brings us confirmation of a cornucopia of new games and announcements. Some are even saying it was what E3 should have been. Chad already posted news of a new Punch-Out title, but that is just a tiny slice of the cake that Nintendo so generously handed out to us all. Hit the jump for the full list!

The Nintendo DSi is the updated DS model, reports Shacknews. While it lacks a GBA slot, this is compensated by:

- the larger 3.25 inch screen
- two 640×480 pixel cameras
- audio enhancements
- an SD card slot
- and internal memory.

Not only this, but DSi owners will be able to download games for points on Nintendo’s website, for prices from free to 800 points, and the DS web browser will be built-in. Surprisingly, the DSi launches November 1 in Japan, for around $180, with a US release scheduled for sometime in 2009.

Nintendo also played two trailers featuring plenty of new games, for both Wii and DS, including the much anticipated Punch-Out. Here’s a list of everything shown:

Wii:
- Let’s Tap (Sega)
- Karaoke Joysound (Hudson)
- Klonoa (Namco)
- Taiko no Tatsujin Wii (Namco)
- “Start with 100 Words!”
- Punch-Out! (Nintendo)
- Another Code (Nintendo)
- “Kensakusu”
- “Cosmic Walker”
- “Spawn Smasher”
- “Dynamic Combat”
- “Wand of Magic”
- Sin and Punishment 2 (Treasure)
- “Forever Blue 2: Beautiful Ocean” (sequel of Endless Ocean)
- “Line Attack Heroes”
- Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time (Square)
- “Samurai Warriors 3″
- New ‘Tales of’ game.

DS:
- “Wagamama Fashion Girls’ Mode” (Nintendo)
- Aruite Wakaru Seikatsu Rhythm DS (Nintendo) (Features a pedometer!)
- “Sekai no Gohan Shaberu! DS O-Ryouri Navi”
- “Taboo: The Sixth Sense 2K9!”
- “Tomodachi Collection” (Nintendo) (Featuring Miis!)
- Mario & Luigi RPG 3 (Nintendo)
- Made in Wario/WarioWare (Nintendo) (Unconfirmed to actually be a WarioWare game)
- 3D Picross (Nintendo)

(Courtesy of NintendoWiiFanboy and DSFanboy)

Not only have all of these games been confirmed, but Destructoid reports that Nintendo will be porting GameCube games to the Wii, complete with waggle controls, starting with the original Pikmin.

You never really appreciate something until it’s gone — or in this case, chased from a city by angry gaming press with torches and pitchforks.

As E3 showed up, sputtered, then crept out of Los Angeles — hanging its head in dejected embarrassment — industry bloggers and reporters of every stripe began panning this years offering from the Electronic Software Association. Some pontificated on the trade show’s demise, stating that this year’s incarnation was merely its death-throes, and that it had become a weary, tired beast, in desperate need of being tied to a tree and mercifully shot.

Puzzlingly, the ESA seems to be the favored whipping boy when I believe that it is the developers who showed up ala the Emperor, wearing nary but a smile.

There is no doubt that E3 has been suffering from a degenerative illness as of late, but one that can hardly be blamed on the substantive lack of booth-babes with dual-side airbags. The truth is that the offerings from the Big Three have been mediocre at best, and at worst, a bloviating scrum of corporate narcissism.

How else could anyone characterize the Nintendo conference? Microsoft was a little better, and Sony continued to march merrily, if not obstinately, off a cliff called “denial.”

Is it the ESA’s fault that Nintendo showed up without a new Zelda title, and instead focused their press conference finale on a rhythm game that requires no rhythm?

Is it the ESA’s fault that Microsoft stepped on its own shoelaces, face-palming a developer, in order to keep the press focused on a rivals lost exclusive, instead of announcing one of their own?

Is it the ESA’s fault that Sony eagerly tried to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic, instead of coming to the Big Show with the same magic they wielded in their glory years, when the PS2 was the King of the Virtual Jungle?

These are not failures of the ESA or E3, but instead the failures of publishers who are more interested in the realm of public perception, than providing the public with what they truly want — fun.

We in the gaming press must also shoulder a measure of culpability for laying so much failure at the feet of the ESA, when it’s the offal rendered by others that is responsible for the stench we cannot stomach.

With a different pair of eyes you can see that, if anything, E3 has somehow garnered more mainstream corporate and political credibility. While the keynote was attended with as much fervor as a Foghat reunion tour, it was interesting that the speaker was the Governor of Texas. While this may not lend any interest to the gaming media echo-chamber, the presence of Gov. Rick Perry is important. As the industry is facing attacks on multiple fronts can it really afford to cast off E3 as it gains much-needed political capitol for not only itself, but for the rest of us?

I agree that E3 is need of change, but I believe that change must be brought about by developers; prepared to show up with exciting titles and technical surprises that make us sit up and take notice.

The ESA is doing its job by providing a venue for an industry to show up and show off, it is then up to the industry to impress us. Blaming the ESA for a tepid E3 is folly. If you have succumbed to that line of drivel you might as well blame the ESA for global warming, or killer bee’s from Argentina.

In 2009 developers will have the chance to relegate the unwashed masses, as it has been rumored that the public will be able to attend in all their fanboy glory, and perhaps that would be for the best — a novelty that the public would be able to hiss in disapproval or clap in delight, undiluted by the jaded – and complicit – gaming press.

Perhaps then developers will take E3 more seriously as the very people they depend on will be there, hovering expectantly for the latest and the greatest.

In the end, those culpable for the death of E3 will not be the ESA; it will be the developers holding the smoking gun.

Reports confirm that E3 is slated to return in 2009, however it may be the event’s swan song. Gamespot’s Brendan Sinclair stated the following:

” … there are plans for at least one more E3. A representative with the event’s organizers at the Electronic Software Association affirmed that much for GameSpot today …”

The aforementioned ESA associate was then quoted saying:

“As we do every year, we’re beginning the process of surveying exhibitors and attendees to determine potential changes to the Summit … Once this is completed and shared with the ESA’s Board of Directors, we will make an announcement about the specifics of the 2009 E3 Media & Business Summit, which will occur.”

It appears that the once proud event may be on its last leg, and it is unclear just how much more verbal punishment the ESA is willing to tolerate before closing E3’s doors for good.

Source: Gamespot

When the Shake King of the Shake Dimension captures the all the cute little Merfles, he misses one. If only that poor guy could’ve run into Mario instead, because Wario could care less about the plight of these beings from another world.

That is, until he learns that the King also has a big bag of gold coins waiting to be snatched away as well. So, Wario gets embroiled in Wario Land: Shake It!, a 2-D platformer instead of a mini-game collection, and we all smile as he stuff himself down a pipe via awesome hand-drawn style animation.

It’s just been a while since we saw something this classic-feeling, right? (Well, aside from Mega Man 9.) The Wii is perfect for games like this, since it’s lacking in the hardcore graphics department. Even the shaking and tilting of the remote (to pull of special moves like shaking sacks of coins or steering vehicles) can’t take away from the old school design.

Range got his hands on it while I took notes, so here are his thoughts on the controls:

I actually got to play a little bit of Wario Land: Shake It! at E3, and to be honest, it’s a much needed revival of the classic 2D platforming games Wario was first known for.

No more WarioWare and all his frantic micro-games– this time Wario’s going back to his roots. Expect side-scrolling action with tons of jumping, dashing and– gasp– a lot of shaking.

You play the game by holding the Wii Remote sideways (NES style) and when you shake the Wii Remote, Wario shakes the hell out of his enemies, frees coins from treasure bags, and even punches the ground, causing an earthquake. Wario’s got some crazy moves in this game, that’s for sure.

The controls were easy to learn and very responsive, only using a few buttons to control Wario and his actions. Like Emily was saying, Wario Land: Shake It! has a classic-feeling, but the addition of the Wii Remote motion controls gives the game a fresh feel.

I’m definitely excited for Wario Land: Shake It!, which will be one of the best games to hit the Wii this fall.

Really, the only thing I wasn’t too keen on was that it sounded like there would be a lot of backtracking, like a race back to the start of a level once you found a Merfle. With five worlds of at least four levels each, that’s just too much. Everything else looks great, though, so maybe there is some kind of gimmick that will make the backtracking interesting.

While the E3 demo of the online shooter, The Agency, wasn’t playable or live, just a walkthrough of a pre-recorded video, Sonly Online Entertainment did assure us that they have gotten to the point in the office where they are having fun with the pre-alpha builds.

You may have heard of The Agency as an MMO for PS3, but they have gotten away from calling it that, since MMOs have that time-sucking stigma attached to them. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the gamers they are going after don’t spend hours and hours in Halo or Call of Duty.

The first stop in many online games is character creation, and we see that is is here as well. There are two main factions that don’t necessarily oppose each other, but just have different styles. UNITE (stands for UN Intelligent Tactical Experts) are the suave, James Bond, suits, whereas Paragon are the “rough ‘n tumble” mercenary type who “drink cheap beer” and “use explosives to do all their talking.”

Most of the demo centered on UNITE, and we began by entering their secret HQ, through a florist’s. In the lobby, they showed off a Q-Bert arcade machine, fully playable as a flash mini-game, but explained that the same technology can be extrapolated to baccarat and poker at an in-game casino. The scenario of purposely losing money to make enemies think you’re a noob sounds a little complex, but they envision it as part of the final game.

The Agency takes a “you are what you wear” approach (a similarity to SOE’s other upcoming online game, Free Realms) so that rather than picking a class, your character can rank up in any job (weapon specialist, medic, etc) depending on what outfit you’re in. No need for alts.

More good news is that the entire game will be soloable from start to finish in any role. You may only get bronze medals, but for the casual player, it’s good to know you don’t need a guild behind you to see all the content. Silver and Gold medals will require either exceptional skills or a group, possibly both. For example, in a mission to protect a German embassy, there are four pillars about to be bombed–if even one goes, you’ll lose the gold medal. That will be impossible without some teammates. At the climactic end of a mission, party members compete in what sounds like maybe a quick-time event to see who stars in the quick cut-scene.

Probably the most exciting feature of The Agency, is the Operative system. This is where the “Agency” part really comes in, as you’ll be building your own out of “living loot.” You can recruit up to 100 NPCs at max rank, but there are over 400 in the game, so you’ll have to specialize according to your style. You can employ up to five in a single mission, but note that they don’t necessarily accompany you. In fact, their most interesting uses are during time you may not even be in the game.

For example, you can send them on side missions or give a scientifically minded operative the schematics for a gun, which he will build in real time. (Could take, say, three days.) The game will also somehow sink up with your cell phone, so that if a scout of yours gets trapped in enemy territory during a side mission, you’ll be given the option right away to either pay ransom, abandon him, or return to the game later to try to save him. If you’re away from the game, your operatives can even be used to help out your guild with big crafting projects or be assigned to assist specific friends.

So far a subscription model hasn’t been decided on, although they know shooter fans aren’t the type to plunk down their credit cards every month (but then again there is Xbox LIVE, so a certain amount of recurring fee seems tolerable…) Add support is a possibility, as long as they are appropriate for the setting, but they are going to be looking at how Free Realms (a family friendly MMO we’ll discuss later in the week) does with it’s free-to-play/premium account format first. The release date hasn’t been decided, but The Agency will be available on PC and PS3–sooner is better if you ask me!

New from Ubisoft’s Imagine line up of games aimed squarely at the tweeny girls comes Imagine: Party Babyz for the Wii. It’s a mini-game collection for four players where there are fresh challenges for every season, and all the characters are costumed toddlers.

First we put together a jigsaw puzzle. Not terribly difficult– you just point and click with the A button, slave driving little babies to carry the oversized pieces to their outlined resting places. The babies wore outfits like a purple magician ensemble or piggy suit (I imagine the costumes are unlockable as you progress).

Bottle feeding was more involved. First you have to shake the Wiimote to prepare a bottle. Then, hold it up as if you were sucking the warm milk yourself, but watch to see when Jr. is finished. No baby meal is complete without a satisfying burp, but then for some reason the object is to see how many bottles you can down in the time limit. Go figure…

Playtime wound down with a quick balance game, where the tykes try to walk across an inflated area without falling down. Once you make it a few steps you’ll charge a jump move that can destabilize the other babies.

During all of these activities, I tried to visualize myself as a 12 year old girl. Of course, when I was 12 I was playing Star Fox and Mario Kart 64 (Such a Nintendo kid! There were so many good PlayStation games that year, sigh…) when I wasn’t running my brains out on the soccer field. Obviously this isn’t something I would play– now or then– but it was certainly playABLE.

Something good to bring on a babysitting trip, perhaps? Don’t ask me what to do with these girl games other than try them out on some girls– I honestly don’t know. Ubisoft has said that they’ve been surveying around, and the Imagine brand has been selling like crazy, so either there is something to this or a lot of parents don’t know what to buy for their kids.

We can expect the Party Babyz entry in the series sometime soon, but look out for Imagine Teacher on DS shipping August 12.

Can you believe it’s been ten years of planting crops and milking cows in Natsume’s cute farming sim, Harvest Moon? We got to check out the two newest additions to the “stable”: Island of Happiness (DS) and Tree of Tranquility (Wii).

Island of Happiness (DS)

The latest portable Harvest Moon begins with four characters stranded on an Island– but it’s happy, since you’re all farmers. By building up exports (including some different types of crops than you might normally expect, like trees and soybeans) you can attract up to 100 characters who will open up shops or just be friendly neighbors.

Island of Happiness features a new quality rating system for crops, depending on how much sun and water they get. Casual players don’t have to worry about it much, but for the hardcore it’s an extra layer of strategy to deal with–if you use a better quality crop in a recipe, you’re more likely to win the cooking contest, for instance.

There is also a new system for upgrading tools. Seven different colors of “wonderfuls” exist, each with their own purpose–green lowers stamina cost, orange is a level up, indigo just adds extra slots so you can add more wonderfuls to a given item. They can only be bought in winter, but a cool way to win them anytime is to compete on the Wi-Fi leaderboards. Each week there are ten categories (5 fixed and 5 rotating) to see, for example, who racked up the most steps on the pedometer, or who shipped the highest quality tomato.

Tree of Tranquility (Wii)

The first Wii Harvest Moon game has more of a story than you might expect, dealing with the planting of a new Mother’s Tree so the Harvest Goddess will return. Of course, you’ll still be doing the traditional animal raising and crop planting, but you can also build a house with functional appliances, befriend a pet penguin (or other animal, including dog, cat, panda, bear cub, raccoon…), and make clothes from silk that your silkworms provide. Once you’ve completed the storyline, you can keep playing the open ended farming game, but there is also a new game + option that passes on your rucksack to your child.

Being a Wii game, Tree of Tranquility does incorporate quite a lot of motion control for watering your plants or harvesting, but if you get lazy it’s possibly to just use button presses. There are also mini-games for up to four players unlocked during festivals. We didn’t get to check any of them out, but look out for horse racing, stone skipping, mole bashing, and insect collecting, among others.

Both of these games ship August 26, and pre-ordering earns you a cute cow plushie (with the Wii game) or chicken plushie (with the DS game). They’re also releasing a special DS Lite case kit with seven different skins– the cow is pretty cute.

BioWare’s next big RPG, Dragon Age: Origins, has finally been shown to the world. So this is what Mass Effect would be if it took place a thousand years ago…

Okay, not really.  We actually have no idea whether or not it will be similar in any way to Mass Effect.  Considering it is a BioWare game, however, one would assume it will be heavy on the dialog and story aspects of the role-playing game genre.  Word is that Dragon Age is considered the spiritual successor to the Baldur’s Gate series.  Based on this trailer, though, it’s hard to tell what we’re gonna get, other than medieval ass-kickery.

What do you think? I personally threw up a little bit when I saw the EA logo at the end, but that’s just me.

As a longtime Fallout fan, the possibilities of Fallout 3 have me quite excited.  When I saw the first teaser for the game, I got goose bumps.  Now Bethesda unleashes this “new” trailer over a year later, and it is almost the same trailer all over again!

Here is the new E3 trailer for Fallout 3, just released today:

And now here is the original announcement trailer, released in June of 2007:

Do you see what I’m saying? The new trailer is basically the old trailer except a lot shorter and with a television instead of a radio. If this is the kind of “creativity” that’s going into this game, then I’m suddenly not very excited any more.

Hopefully Bethesda’s advertising skills are not indicative of their actual game design skills. I can’t say I’m looking forward to an open-world role-playing game that consists of a hundred hours’ worth of quests that all have me slowly backing away from a media device while listening to music from the turn of the century only to discover that the world around me is all blown up and shit.

I’m crossing my fingers that they show something that’s actually good at E3, like, I don’t know, some gameplay or something.

As E3 approaches and I find myself frantically trying to prepare by reaching out to as many publishers as I can before they simply insist that I stop calling, I found myself today spending a few minutes on Sega’s website. As I clicked around, taking it all in, I kept thinking to myself “GO SEGA!”

Back in 2006, brandchannel.com called Sega “played out” adding that their web presence was “dull and disappointing”. To be fair, the last time I remember seeing their site it was dark and not very appealing at all, but looking at it now from a pure design standpoint it is bright, clean, inviting, and has me genuinely rooting for their success. Sega bandwagon — here I come!

Yes, I grew up playing Sega games, so I may be a tad bit impartial when I say this, but in my opinion a video game industry with Sega cranking out blockbuster titles is a win for all gamers.

As a gamer with an extensive background in branding, I am glad to see the efforts of a successful rebrand paying off for Sega. Everything from their website, which changes themes as you cycle through their featured games on the homepage, to the company’s new logo animation and revamped audio branding — it all just seems to work.

Sega’s site with the Incredible Hulk skin applied

Of course they have room to improve in terms of their games, but with a promising Sonic Unleashed title on the horizon, a Marvel deal secured, and some potentially great original games lined up, I am excited about Sega’s future.

Forget about logistics for a moment and ask yourself this –  would you welcome a Dreamcast 2 into your home? I sure as hell would.

Even though “development is swimming along nicely,” 3D Realms has no intentions of showing Duke Nukem Forever at E3. Hit the jump to find out why.

“It’s just that we view E3 as irrelevant nowadays. In fact, I wasn’t even aware it was coming up.”

That’s a quote from 3D Realms chief Scott Miller. E3 may not be as “relevant” as it used to be, but it’s still relevant enough that I wouldn’t call it “irrelevant.”

And he wasn’t aware that it was coming up? How is it even possible to work in the industry and let something as big as E3 slip your mind? Again, not as big as it used to be, but still plenty big.

Source: Next Gen

With E3 fast approaching, we’ve decided to put this video up to demonstrate the awesomeness that we will never see there.  The following should be considered “not safe for work,” but it might be worth the risk to watch it right now anyways.

This video is from last year’s Games Convention in Germany.  I have no idea what the game is they are promoting, but we are officially giving it a 10.  E3 and it’s booth babe-itude has drastically reduced over the past few years, but at least the Europeans still have their heads on straight.  Okay, I’ll stop writing now and let the video speak for itself.

With just a few short weeks until E3 ’08, it looks like Microsoft has another trick up its sleeve.  Spurred from a few snapped photos of a K-Mart add for July 6th, it would appear that Microsoft is planning on dropping the Xbox 360 Pro Bundle from $349.99 to $299.99.

If this and the Xbox Avatars rumor turn out to be factual, it would seem that Microsoft is serious about grabbing some of the casual market from Nintendo.

Although this price cut could simply be a sales promo for K-Mart’s July 4th weekend sale, it is more likely to think we might see other retailers following suit in the near future. Here’s hoping.

Source: Shacknews, High-Def Digest Forums

Our source in France tells us God of War 3 will be at E3

I don’t care about what they say about the French, they’re okay in my book. They break NDAs, they’re the namesake of french fries, and on top of that they got a Sony representative to confirm God of War 3’s presence at this upcoming E3!

So, not all hope is a lost for this year’s E3. After the unprecedented recent Microsoft leaks I didn’t hold out much hope for anything exciting from Microsoft, but Sony sure is picking up the proverbial ball that Microsoft dropped, only fumbling it slightly on the way to score (I’m talkin’ about all these delays!).

Speaking with JeuxActu, a Sony rep seemingly inadvertently revealed that God of War 3 will be gracing our presence come E3 time. In what form or fashion it’ll show is still unknown, but let’s cross our fingers for a playable build!

Keep checking back the week of E3, starting July 15, 2008. Ripten will be present and we will be losing sleep for you. You’d better appreciate it or else I’ll turn this E3 around. I’ll do it!

Source: JeuxActu

Some features for the F-Zero Wii game include all tracks from F-Zero GX, an online multiplayer mode and a weapon system.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime noted a few months back that the line-up for the second half of 2008 would be announced at E3. He was quoted as saying:

“All I can tell you is what we announce during E3 is gonna be fantastic.”

Sounds like we’ll be getting a lot more from Nintendo than just a new F-Zero. Expect a number of huge titles from Nintendo to be announced next month at E3.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

If you haven’t heard by now, rumors are starting to fly around concerning Resident Evil 5 and an announcement at E3. The biggest (likely nothing more than the result of Xbox Fanboys) is that RE 5 will have some sort of exclusive time frame for the Xbox 360. Meaning PS3 owners will have to wait months if not years.

Sounds 100% bogus to me. Capcom did put on paper that there will be a “huge” announcement regarding their beloved Resident Evil Franchise, however if there was some sort of time frame, what does Capcom or Microsoft earn?

Yes Microsoft could be in a position to sell a “few” more systems. But they would shell out a pretty penny for it. Ask yourself, is it worth it for them? The answer is clearly no. Look at RE4 for the Nintendo Gamecube. If you forgot, Nintendo and Capcom also had a time frame before the PS2 version. Did that even come close to saving the cube from ending up being in third place in the console wars? Of course not.

Also what would Capcom earn? Yes they get money from Microsoft, but at the same time they really limit themselves in terms of units sold. Remember, at this point, no matter what MS really does, they have a hard time moving systems in Japan. Even having exclusives that appeal to a Japanese market hasn’t helped. In the end this scenario (if true) could hurt Capcom’s quarterly sales. Would it be worth it? Probably not.

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Update 6/19:
Capcom Corporate Officer and VP of Strategic Planning and BIZ Dev, Christian Svensson, issued two separate comments concerning the rumored “exclusive MS timed release” on the official Capcom blog which confirm my prediction and hopefully put the exclusive release rumor to bed.

The first comment was made on Jun 18, 2008 – 11:13PM stating:

“The assertion is false. RE5 is a multiplatform release that fits with our oft-stated crossplatform strategy.”

The second comment was made on Jun 19, 2008 – 09:32AM stating:

For the avoidance of doubt… simultaneous release.

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So then, what info could they have at this years E3? Honestly — I have no Idea. I do however, have a few guesses.

1. This could be the least interesting. It could be nothing more than a “limited edition” costing you 20-30 bucks more with some DVD extra’s that you’ll most likely never get the chance to watch. Although I doubt that there will be only one thing announced, I do believe this could happen.

2. Maybe, just MAYBE Microsoft and/or Sony will have some kind of exclusive downloadable content available, much like MS did with GTA IV. Unlike an exclusive time frame, this one is much less risky and cheaper.

3. I save my favorite for last. How about some ONLINE PLAY!?! This would be a win win situation for both 360 and PS3 owners. Imagine something as simple 4 on 4 RE online action. Four humans vs four zombies. Online play for RE could be fantastic, and when you come to think of it, it seems to be the trend these days. Some may say I am reaching a bit, but nonetheless this would be something all RE fans could get truly excited about.

We’ll all find out at this years E3.

Over the past few days there has been a relentless onslaught of unsubstantiated, but most likely true, leaks which have been released and spread like wildfire. I say “most likely true” because they’ve been taken from marketing and research company Intellisponse’s website. Intellisponse is responsible, to some extent, for Microsoft’s marketing. How else would they have this MASSIVE list of things taken from them?

Although, keep in mind that they also do research and the following may be nothing more than concepts or works in progress. That said, I don’t think there has ever been such a volume of things unintentionally released.

Microsoft has had particularly bad luck, with the bunch of Rare leaks from a few months back, but this is on a whole ‘nother level! There are so many that we’re just going to have to bullet point those bad boys. Caveats aside, it’s believed that the following were all planned for unveiling at E3 2008.

• Avatars: Think of them as the answer to Nintendo’s Mii’s and a possible replacement to the gamerpics that you fools have been nickel and dimed for.
• Forza Motorsport 3: 400 cars, 100 tracks, 2 discs (Gran Turismo 2, anyone?), and massive DLC rapage.
• Lips: Microsoft’s looking to take Singstar’s throne. Two wireless mic’s included, 30 songs on disc, ability to use any song.
• Motion controlled Tony Hawk: Surely it’s a shoe-in for the Wii, and Activision is publishing, so it’s almost a sure thing. Although, what about the 360/PS3? New peripherals incoming?
• Trioxide: This alleged piece of software/hardware/fantasy (okay, so I added that last one) will allow for “the ability to play the latest console games on your PC”. Sounds dodgy, to say the least, regardless there seems to be two SKU’s planned, $49 and $299. Why such a gulf in price? No clue. What are in the SKU’s? Your guess is as good as God’s. Does it even exist? Probably not!
• Silicon Knights’ possible next game: ‘Crucible’, uh guys, I thought Too Human was a trilogy? Finish that up, thanks. Anyways, gameplay footage embedded below. Resembles an unstable build from very early development – looks promising, if executed well.

Well folks it’s that time of year again, when the sun is high and E3 comes knocking. Hit the jump for the announced game lineup.

E3 is to be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, kicks off on the 14th July until the 18th and as always comes and goes too soon.

The lists below are correct at time of publishing but are subject to change.

As you can see below, while Microsoft has a good staple of games to show, none of them are particularly a surprise at present. Personally I would have liked MS to announce a new title or two, however it’s possible that we may still get to see some at the actual event.

• Gears of War 2 (X360)
• Too Human (X360)
• Fable 2 (X360)
• Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (X360)
• Halo Wars (X360)
• Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise (X360)

Capcom on the other hand has a few tasty treats in store with two untitled projects ready to show the world. There’s also some big titles to be shown such as Resident Evil 5, Street Fighter IV, Street Fighter II Turbo HD and the Bionic Commando’s. And finally one last tasty morsel is the fact that the previously announced MotoGP 08 has not had its formats set, platform exclusive?

• Bionic Commando (PC, PS3, X360)
• Bionic Commando Rearmed (PC, PS3, X360)
• Capcom Project #1 [untitled] (other)
• Capcom Project #2 [untitled] (other)
• Dark Void (PC, PS3, X360)
• MotoGP 08 (other)
• Neopets Puzzle Adventure (PC, Wii)
• Plunder (PC, PS3, X360)
• Resident Evil 5 (PS3, X360)
• Spyborgs (Wii)
• Street Fighter IV (PC, PS3, X360)
• Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PS3, X360)

Bethesda has confirmed that Fallout 3 will be the developers crown jewel for this years E3 presentation, Fallout 3 is set in a post-apocalyptic world filled with vaults, mutants, the Brotherhood of Steel and a f’ing huge unexploded nuclear device.

Speaking of f’ing huge, publisher EA also revealed it’s initial E3 lineup, which will surely be placing a huge amount of publicity on Dead Space. Has EA turned the corner and stopped beating dead franchises with a big stick? We’ll have to wait and see.

• Dead Space (PC, PS3, X360)
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (PC, PS3, X360)
• Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (PC, PS3, X360)
• Crysis Warhead (PC)
• Spore (PC)
• Mirror’s Edge (PC, PS3, X360)
• Skate It (Wii)
• The Lord of the Rings: Conquest (PC, PS3, X360)
• Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (PC)

Sony has also pushed the boat out and should be showing big hitters such as Killzone 2, LBP, Resistance 2 and SOCOM.

• Killzone 2 (PS3)
• LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
• MotorStorm: Pacific Rift (PS3)
• PixelJunk Eden (PS3)
• Resistance 2 (PS3)
• SIREN: Blood Curse Episode #1 [PSN] (PS3)
• SOCOM: Confrontation (PS3)

D3 Publisher

• Naruto: Clash of The Ninja Revolution 2 (Wii)
• Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2 (DS)
• Puzzle Quest: Galactrix (DS, PC, X360)
• Bangai-O Spirits (DS)
• Ben 10: Alien Force — The Game (DS, PS2, PSP, Wii)

Deep Silver

• S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky (PC)

Disney Interactive Studios

• Pure (PC, PS3, X360)
• Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals (DS)

Evolved Games

• B-Boy (PS2, PSP)

Namco Bandai

• Soulcalibur IV (PS3, X360)

Natsume

• Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness (DS)
• Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility (Wii)

SouthPeak Interactive

• Mister Slime (DS)
• Monster Madness: Grave Danger (PS3)

Valve

• Left 4 Dead (PC, X360)

XSEED Games

• Little King’s Story (Wii)
• Valhalla Knights 2 (PSP)

Looking at this lineup it’s hard not to get excited as one things for sure, no matter what platform you follow there’s some corkers in store for everyone.

Source

Gamecock, well know for their hijinks and controversy, have announced that Mike Wilson, Grand Champion of Gamecock, will stand as a presidential candidate for the Entertainment Software Association, the body in charge of organising the E3 Media & Business Summit.

Several key members of the ESA, including Activision and Vivendi, have jumped ship in recent months and E3 has been under heavy criticism after it was made press-only a few years ago.

Wilson has vowed to bring the fun back to videogames and revive this seemingly dying organisation. Watch his mission statement below, filmed as he pees on a tombstone. Stay classy, Gamecock. You have my vote.

In an unexpected turn of events, industry giant Activision Blizzard has severed ties with the Entertainment Software Association, following reports that Activision Blizzard will not participate at this year’s E3 Media and Business Summit.

The ESA released the following statement:

“While the Entertainment Software Association remains the preeminent voice for U.S. computer and video game publishers, we can confirm that Activision and Vivendi Games opted to discontinue their membership. The ESA remains dedicated to advancing our industry’s objectives such as protecting intellectual property, preserving First Amendment rights, and fostering a beneficial environment for the entire industry. Our high level of service and value to members and the larger industry remains unchanged.”

Rumors of Activision and Vivendi rescinding their membership with the ESA surfaced as early as yesterday, when it was revealed that they are among six major publishers bowing out of E3. The ESA owns and operates E3. Gaming Nexus received a statement from the company, stating, “After careful consideration, for business reasons Activision has decided not to participate in any official E3 activities. We wish the ESA best of luck with the show.” Activision will be hosting its own press event to coincide with the first night of E3.

Activision is a prominent publisher in the gaming industry, with the rights to several highly successful series such as Guitar Hero, Call of Duty, and Tony Hawk. Vivendi-owned Blizzard Entertainment is known for the Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo series. In December 2007 Activision and Vivendi announced a merger, renaming themselves Activision Blizzard.

Source: Gaming Nexus

After months of speculation about E3 moving to another city, it has now been officially announced that it will be staying in Los Angeles. The world renowned summit will be back in it’s former home at the LA Convention Center after moving to a smaller venue last year.

It has also been announced the show will once again be keeping the revamped and more businesslike style. “While there will be opportunities for game demonstrations, the 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit will not feature the large trade show environment of previous years”.

Just to make sure you get the point that this will not be for your average gamer, the announcement goes on to say that “Attendance at all events, meetings, and demonstrations will be by invitation only”.

The ESA (Entertainment Software Association) do seem to have listened to some of the criticism from last year, putting the event back into a larger venue for example, but they haven’t changed their stance on who the expo is marketed for or what to expect from the stalls.

It’s looking increasingly likely that once again I will have to go else ware for my free pens and booth babes.

Read the full press release here.

In the process of interviewing a representative from EA Tiburon at this years E3 regarding Madden 08, one of our writers (who is a big Patriot’s fan) jokingly asked if Bill Belichick would again be absent on the sidelines this year.

As the representative began to explain the contractual reasons behind certain coaches being excluded from the game he slipped and mentioned that they are “going through” the same situation with NFL Head Coach.

I immediately said “going through?” He smiled and quickly tried to change the subject. I of course was having none of that and asked whether or not there was another Head Coach game in progress, at which point he politely said that he could not comment. We of course exchanged business cards and followed up with him again shortly after E3 concluded, but his response hadn’t changed. The game may never see daylight, however we know what we heard and stand behind this report.

While the first iteration of Head Coach was greeted with mixed reviews, we feel that the overall concept behind the game is still promising, and if handled properly a second time around, it just might stick. Apparently EA feels the same way, although they just can’t seem to remember mentioning it.