‘Bit.Trip Saga’On 3DS To Include All Six‘Bit.Trip’Games» MTV Multiplayer

If you've yet to experience a"Bit.Trip"game (really, what's wrong with you?), Aksys Games is about to offer you a great incentive to get on board. The increasingly addictive, retro-inspired adventures of CommanderVideo have now spanned over six titles:"Bit.Trip Beat,""Bit. Trip Core,""Bit.Trip Void,""Bit.Trip Runner,""Bit.Trip Fate,"and"Bit.Trip Flux."The games have primarily existed in the realm of PC, but have seen recent releases to WiiWare and the iOS App Store. Now, Aksys has announced an all-new way to get your"Bit.Trip"on with the release of"Bit.Trip Saga"for Nintendo 3DS.

"Bit.Trip Saga"actually combines all six of the currently released games into one single package. Even better (or worse depending on your viewpoint) all six games will be presented in the 3DS' glorious glasses-free 3D. Unfortunately, besides letting us know that the compilation exists, Aksys isn't giving out a whole lot of details. Six"Bit.Trip"games, one cart, 3D. That's really about it for now. There's no mention of how the controls will transfer over to 3DS, either, but one has to assume some correlation between the iOS releases.

Each"Bit.Trip"game features CommanderVideo attempting to make his way through various levels, but there are a few sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle differences between each of the games. What really makes this series shine for me are the retro soundtracks, and the way the developers have always managed to bring me back thanks to a genuinely old-school look and feel. I even enjoy using CommanderVideo in a"Super Meat Boy"level play-through; he's so floaty!

None of the"Bit.Trip"titles are particularly lengthy, so it makes sense to put out a compilation like this. Honestly, even if you're not entirely sold on the whole 3D fad, it would be worth turning that slider down to"off"just play through all six games in such a convenient format.

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Sony Says Your Trophies Are Safe And They Have A‘Make Good’Plan» MTV Multiplayer

Over the past ten days, most PlayStation gamers have dealt with some unknowns: Is your credit card data for sale on the black market? When is PlayStation Network coming back online? Why are you suddenly getting emails referring to you as some dude from Nigeria? Well, if you've spent any number of years collecting PlayStation trophies– especially those hard-to-reach platinum trophies – Sony may actually have a small consolation for you. When the PlayStation Network kicks back on, eventually, you'll still have all those wonderful trophies you collected; I said a small consolation.

Senior corporate communications director, Patrick Seybold, posted a brief"Q& A"on thePlayStation Bloglast night answering some questions in regards to possible saved data loss. Besides the trophies, you can also expect your download history, friends list, and settings to remain intact whenever the PlayStation Network is actually able to come back online. If you're a PlayStation Plus subscriber, saves made to the cloud will also be restored.

Seybold also addressed the concerns of Sony Online Entertainment massively-multiplayer online games, such as"DC Universe Online"and"Free Realms."Subscribers to those titles have, understandably, been wondering if they will receive any compensation for the downtime. It's one thing to feel frustrated by the inability to play games online, but when you're paying a monthly subscription fee, it's clearly a little more infuriating. Seybold quoted a recent SOE statement, which reads in part:

"We apologize for any inconvenience players may have experienced as a result of the recent service interruption… To thank players for their patience, we will be hosting special events across our game portfolio. We are also working on a “make good” plan for players of the PS3 versions of"DC Universe Online"and"Free Realms". Details will be available soon on the individual game websites and forums.”

It's not immediately clear what Sony is implying with the Neanderthalian sounding"make good"plan, but it should probably involve more than just"special events."The reality is, these people paid actual money to use this service, and it's been down for nearly half a month. As Seybold writes, in regards to the inconveniences shown to all PSN and Qriocity users,"We are currently evaluating ways to show appreciation for your extraordinary patience as we work to get these services back online."

One has to imagine it's going to take a great deal of time and work to win back trust in the PlayStation brand after this debacle, and plans to insure those affected (asproposedby Senator Blumenthal), are beginning to appear like the most realistic route.

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Apple Rejects‘Smuggle Truck,’Developer Decides To‘Snuggle’Up» MTV Multiplayer

So, here's the basic premise for"Smuggle Truck,"an iOS game that was intended to launch in March: You drive an old truck (its bed filled to the brim with illegal immigrants) across the desert, trying to cross though the American border. Unfortunately, the path is paved with dangerous hills, animals, and giant boulders. Each bump has the potential to throw your hapless passengers off the truck, in turn decreasing your score once you cross the border. Yes, it's pretty messed up.

Which is probably why Apple rejected the game from its App Store, and the developer has now been forced to make some slight changes to both the game's title and content.

Once the game started circulating around the internet earlier this year, it was met with both bemusement and criticism. Civil rights groups and immigration advocates clearly weren't impressed, claiming that the game trivializes the current debate over immigration and the very real dangers that immigrants face when trying to enter the country illegally.

"Last year, 170 human beings died crossing the border,"Eva Millona, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrants& Refugee Advocacy Coalition, said in statement to AP back in February."It's disgraceful that anyone would try to make money out of this tragedy by making light of it in a game."

Alex Schwartz of Owlchemy Labs, the developer behind"Smuggle Truck,"disagreed with the negative attitude towards his game. He stated that the idea for the game had actually occurred to him after watching so many of his friends deal with the stringent, and sometimes frustrating, legality of immigrating into the United States.

"We felt like this issue was kind of a bit taboo for games and popular media ... we wanted to build something ... about this struggle that we could put into our work and our passion, which is making games,"Schwartz told the AP.

Well, obviously, Apple did not agree with Mr. Schwartz's sentiment, and the game was quickly rejected from admittance to the App Store. So, what's a developer to do? You've spent a great deal of time and capital on a game that may not come out now, thanks to its controversial content. Owlchemy Labs had an idea: change the name to"Snuggle Truck"and replace the immigrants with lovable cartoon animals.

"The changes made to the game consist only of minor art changes and some swapped sound effects. Gameplay remains exactly the same,"Schwartz toldJoystiq."Essentially, instead of smuggling immigrants over the border, you're now bringing animals from the wilderness into the comfort of a zoo, where they are provided plenty of food, water, shelter, and state of the art health care."

It's completely bizarre, but what's that old saying? When the going gets tough, replace all your problems with cuddly creatures? Something like that.

Mac and PC players can actually still play the original"Smuggle Truck,"a game which Tim Schafer (viaTwitter) claimed made him"totally offended by how fun it was to play."

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In‘Dark Souls,’Offline Allies Become Online Friends» MTV Multiplayer

"Demon's Souls"had an interesting online concept: as you're playing through the game, your actions are recorded, and the ghost of your character can appear in someone else's game. For example, say you're trying to defeat an enemy (and probably dying repeatedly) your bloodstain could appear in a friend's game, then they can click on the bloodstain and figure out what you did wrong (or right). It's a neat idea, and probably one of my favorite features in the game.

The game's spiritual successor,"Dark Souls",will integrate online play in a new way: the alliances you make in the offline game will affect your interactions while playing online.

According to Japanese magazine Dengeki PlayStation,"Dark Souls"will supply you with a number of opportunities to enter pacts with non-playable characters. These alliances are scattered throughout the game world, and the decisions you make in regards to these pacts will decide your allies (or foes). This is as true for offline play as it is for online.

This sounds like an intriguing idea. Imagine strategically forging alliances with one particular group, gaining an advantage thanks to their supplies, for example. Of course, showing favor to one side means losing favor with another. It's a tactical addition that could really enhance Dark Souls' overall experience.

Developer From Software is remaining rather tight-lipped with new details on the game, as they're apparently quite interested in allowing players to discover new elements at release. They did, however, mention that items, such as ones used for recovery, will be carefully placed throughout the world. Instead of constantly searching for an herb, for example, it's possible to craft recovery items using a bonfire; important in a game that's rumored to be even more difficult than its crushingly hard predecessor.

You can start forming your alliances in"Dark Souls"this holiday.

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‘Soulcalibur V’To Be Revealed In May…Hopefully» MTV Multiplayer

There's a new"Mortal Kombat"on store shelves now, and the word is thatit's pretty damn good. Between that and"Street Fighter 4"its been a good couple of years for fighting games. That said, the"Soulcalibur"series has been notably absent since 2008, when the fourth game in the series was released. Although it was great (and featured"Star Wars"characters!),"Soulcalibur"really peaked as a series with its third installment,"Soulcalibur 2."Can it recapture that former glory as"Street Fighter"and"Mortal Kombat"did? It looks like we'll get our first glimpse of the possibilities sometime next month.

Daishi Odashima, the director of"Soulcalibur 4,"has updated hisTwitterfeed with the following comment:"Hopefully I will be able to announce something mid May."Since Odashima is a member of Project SOUL, it really doesn't get much clearer than that. Some kind of"Soulcalibur"reveal is coming soon, perhaps as early as the middle of next month.

As far as details go, keep waiting. That's all Odashima had to say. Hopefully Team Versus mode will return, after being absent from the last two games. There will almost certainly be one or more unlockable fighters from another franchise (or more than one), and you can probably count on not seeing any repeat appearances from"Star Wars."

Beyond that, what was really missing in"Soulcalibur 4"? What would you want to see more of? The last game was the first to feature online play, so that frontier's been explored and conquered. The character creator introduced in the third game only improved in the follow-up. Do you just want more fighters to play with? New environments? Can you see any advancements made in recent fighters that could work or be improved upon in a new"Soulcalibur"game?

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‘Phantasy Star Online 2′To Feature Random Encounters, Shooter Style And Jumping!» MTV Multiplayer

It's okay if you can't keep up with the many twists and turns that the"Phantasy Star"series has taken over the years. All you need to know for today's news is that"Phantasy Star Online,"which was the series' first step into an Internet-connected world as a year 2000 Dreamcast release, has a numbered sequel in the works. The multiplayer action-RPG is said to be coming to Windows PCs later this year, and today brings a few new details about what the gameplay might entail.

Japanese language website4Gamer.net(viaAndria Sang) has the info, thanks to a reveal at aSega-hosted fan appreciation gathering for"Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity"in Tokyo's Akibahara. There's not a huge amount to sort through, but fans will certainly welcome any news on a game that has so far been kept pretty well under wraps.

The story will apparently involve some kind of invading alien force known as Arcs. It sounds like your hero character is a member of a roving ship fleet called Oracle, and that it'll be up to you to stop the invasion. All in a days work for a video game hero.

A number of new features were gleaned from a video shown at the event."PSO2"will feature"random fields"-- Which presumably means hunting areas with random encounters? Fans, a little help? -- some third-person shooter elements, a weather system,"Something will happen every time!? Interrupt Events"and"Jump Action,"which hopefully means that this sequel will allow your characters tojump, a series first.

More details will be coming soon, reportedly before the game's alpha test kicks off this summer.

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Experience The Making Of‘Portal 2′On Your iPad» MTV Multiplayer

A handful of years ago, Geoff Keighleywrote of his first-hand experienceinside the halls of Valve Software as the finishing touches were being put on"Half-Life 2."The piece, titled"The Final Hours of Half-Life 2,"is a fascinating look into a company which has, traditionally, dodged the media spotlight. Keighley has since gone on to do a number of other things, including being the host ofGameTrailers TV, but he apparently hasn't forgotten his roots or the familiar folks at Valve. Keighley returned to the company this year for a new feature,"The Final Hours of Portal 2,"in which he documents the process of creating what I would consider to be one of the best games ever made.

Unlike his"Half-Life 2"feature,"The Final Hours of Portal 2"isn't available for free on the web. Instead, it's being sold on the iPad App Store for $2, available only to those with Apple's tablet.

The feature is a mix of text and multimedia, with details on some of the major changes in"Portal 2,"including its origins as a prototype called"F-Stop."There are even some amusing minigames tossed in to show some of the title's features, such as the degradation of the test chambers and how portals are designed in the game.

Obviously it's strongly recommended that you play through"Portal 2"first before giving the feature a read. While it's relatively light on spoilers, you probably won't understand many of the references until you've completed the game. The same goes for the in-game commentary track, which is free with all copies of"Portal 2."

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‘Portal 2′DLC To Include Pneumatic Diversity Vents?» MTV Multiplayer

At the launch of"Portal 2,"some members of the internet through a hissy fit over the game's collection of day one downloadable content (even though it was just a bunch of hats for your co-op robots). It did make some wonder whether we'd be seeing anything more substantial by way of DLC for the game, and Valve might be answering that question in just a few hours. The developer sentthis letterout to members of the press which is basically written as a memo from the offices of Aperture Science. The letter points to yet anothermysterious ARG sitewith a countdown clock.

In the memo, there's a mention of pneumatic tube system in the Aperture office, which is offline due to"unforeseen events."Pneumatic tubes, huh? Funny! We actually remember Valve showing us something called a Pneumatic Diversity Vent at E3 which would be one of the game's many puzzle elements. As a matter of fact, you can see the vent in action for yourself inthis official video. Seems odd that Valve would go to all the trouble to make such an awesome doodad and not put it in the player's hands, right?

The hope is that the countdown clock (which runs out in less than three hours) is counting down to some forthcoming DLC which will feature the Pneumatic Diversity Vent prominently. And if that is the case, it does beg the question how the DLC would be presented? Co-op or solo? Story-based? Will it be free? So many questions, so few answers! Thankfully we needn't wait long...

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‘Minecraft’Gets A Real World Twist In This Sweet Art Installation» MTV Multiplayer

"Minecraft"is one of the most inexplicably successful games of the modern era. That's not a negative comment on its quality -- if the game weren't awesome, it wouldn't be huge right now -- but rather the fact that it's a PC-only release that is technically still in beta and features graphics that would have felt a little outdated 10 years ago. It's great though, and it's popular as a result. So much so that one pair of fans were inspired to create a board game adaptation as part of an art project.

Jeffrey Kam and Cody McCabe created"Meatcraft"for an exhibit featured at San Jose University in March, as detailed in pictures and text on theproject's website(viaRock Paper Shotgun). The installation, guarded by a Creeper, 'natch, was broken into two crafting tables, complete with pixelated tools and working torches. No animals or minecarts, however, due to time and budget restrictions.

Visitors were encouraged to stop at the tables and use the 1,500 pieces to build whatever caught their fancy. What's interesting is, Kam and McCabe noted that the creative focuses of the various people who stopped to play with art in many ways lines up with how different players interact with the PC game itself.

There are players who like to mine, some who like to build structures, and even some who simply stand around and watch the awesome things people do in game. In the gallery, those who were familiar with Minecraft began digging for ore, specifically the very rare diamond(we only had 4). They exchanged them for the mini tools we had at the crafting which they were able to walk away with. Some visitors simply gathered blocks and built structures to the side (inevitably there were annoying 1-block wide skycrappers), while others simply watched the mayhem and awesomeness happen. It was interesting to see the relation between Minecraft players and our gallery visitors. All the visitors, both those whom had played Minecraft and those whom hadn't, seemed to reflect a type of Minecraft player.

These two did some really nice work, as you can see in the image up top. There are plenty more to look at on the official website, so be sure to check it out.

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‘Mass Effect 3′Visits New York And London, Brings Back Loot Collecting» MTV Multiplayer

You knew this was coming."Mass Effect 3"was the featured cover story in the latest issue of Game Informer, so it was only a matter of time before officially released screens made their way to the Internet.BioWaredoesn'twant you judging the look of the game based on blurry magazine scans posted on fansites, after all. Check out one screen up top and the other, featuring Commander Shepard trading fire with a Cerberus lackey on the Salarian homeworld, after the jump.

These images come fromGame Informer, as the watermark clearly informs you. There's also some new detail out there on the gameplay in"Mass Effect 3,"thanks to a preview in a Spanish games magazine (viaCVG). There isn't much in the way of spoilers, as the content is mostly focused on how the game will play.

The only story point discussed is Shepard's connection with Cerberus at the beginning of"Mass Effect 3."Previous reports had indicated that the pro-human organization would be gunning for the game's protagonist when the story opens; the new preview confirms this, revealing that the reason will be explained at the start of the game as well.

In terms of Shepard specifically, players will have some new abilities to take advantage of, including a dive for cover, a"SWAT turn"and a wider variety of melee attacks. The magazine mentions a new class, called Heavy Melee. One of the other new skills is specific to Engineers, allowing them to build turrets.

The previously confirmed weapon customization will offer five variants in each section, though exactly what the sections are and how many there are isn't specified. There will also be more items to loot, which should please fans who were put off by the previous game's de-emphasized loot collecting. Visited locations will include New York, London, a Krogan moon, the Salarian homeworld and Mars.

There's a bit more besides, including details on how enemies can now take body location-specific damage and confirmation that vehicles seen in the previous games won't be returning.

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‘Dawn Of War 2: Retribution’Has One More Release For You» MTV Multiplayer

You don't have to know the Warhammer universe to love"Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War 2 - Retribution."Youdohave to be a PC gamer, but provided you fulfill that requirement, there is an excellent real-time strategy game waiting to be played. The game came out last month, andRelic Entertainmenthas concocted an nifty way of generating additional interest in the game, with the standalone release of one of its multiplayer modes, The Last Stand.

"Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War 2 - Retribution - The Last Standalone"-- that's the full title -- is a co-op mode for up to three players, though you can solo it as well. As you might have already guessed from the name, The Last Stand is a survival mode in which players face off against multiple waves of enemies. There are six heroes to choose from and experience points to earn, which lead to ability and gear unlocks as you level up.

The Last Stand is one of the multiplayer modes in"Retribution"proper, and it is now also available independently on Steam for $9.99. TheRelic press releasealso reveals that those who pick up"The Last Standalone"will be able to buy all of"Retribution"at"a reduced price."

"Retribution"producer Jeff Lydell had this to say in a statement:"We saw this as a unique opportunity to introduce new players to the 'Dawn of War' franchise as well as expanding the player base for the already popular Last Stand mode."

This is a cool thing, much more than a demo and well worth the $10 if you're into the game's more RPG-styled RTS action. There's almost a"Diablo"vibe going on in the"Dawn of War"games, though there's much more of a focus on tactical combat than on exploration. If you've been curious about the fuss that's made over"Dawn of War,"this is a great place to start.

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‘Sonic Generations’Green Hill Zone Gameplay Highlighted In New Trailer» MTV Multiplayer

After teasing an announcement with the release of anall-CG trailer,Segapulled the veil off of its latest effort to make the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise one you want to love again:"Sonic Generations."With the series hitting its 20th anniversary this year, this upcoming game -- which is set for an unspecified 2011 release -- will be a multi-generational Sonic adventure, bringing in characters from the Genesis era onwards. Today we've got the very first gameplay trailer for you, which you can check out after the jump.

The trailer pulls in footage from the same demos that have been making the rounds in the games reporting community over the past week. Russ got to gohands on with the game, so hit that link to read through his thoughts.

"Sonic Generations"is essentially two games in one, which each level getting 2-D and 3-D treatments. The 2-D isn'tstrictlytwo dimensional, as you'll see in the trailer, falling close to last year's"Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1."The 3-D also isn't strictly over-the-shoulder; the camera changes position dynamically depending on what part of the level you're running through.

Both the previews and the content in this new trailer focus on the game's level set in Green Hill Zone, which first appeared back in 1991 in the original"Sonic the Hedgehog"game. The level layouts are changed for this new game, and also differ depending on whether you're playing the 2-D or 3-D flavor.

Very little has been revealed so far about the story, though Sega has revealed that there is one which justifies bringing all of the various Sonic eras into a single game. The fast-running blue hedgehog and his friends are pulled into some kind of time portal by a mysterious power and there will presumably be some looming great calamity to be set right. More news is coming at E3, so you'll hear all about it soon enough.

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‘RAGE’Pre-order‘Anarchy Edition’Detailed, New Gameplay Trailer Released» MTV Multiplayer

"RAGE"is looking seriously sweet.Bethesda Softworksinvited a bunch of journalists out to see its upcoming slate of games last week, and as the embargoes start to lift this week we're seeing all sorts of new promotional content to go along with the previews. Such as the new trailer, embedded after the jump, featuring five minutes of gameplay pulled from a mission to...Dead City. (cue evil Vincent Price laugh)

Right? Just a whole lot of awesome going on there. Boomerang-y spinning blades, some kind of arrow-firing slingshot, a giant mutant-thing with a tire strapped to its back. Sweet.

Bethesda also released the first pre-order details for the upcomingid Software-developed game. Anyone who pre-orders in the United States will receive the"Anarchy Edition,"which packs in a ton of extra content in the form of weapons, armor, vehicles AND missions.

There are two weapons, one that fires and one that smacks: a one-handed double shotgun and spiked gloves called Fists of Rage that up your melee attack damage. Players will also get a set of Crimson Armor, which mashes together the rest of the game's armor boosts into one damage-reducing outfit, and a racing buggy called the Rat Rod.

On top of all of that,"Anarchy Edition"also packs in a set of Wasteland Sewer missions. Players will explore the old underground network -- hopefully it's all dried up down there by now -- and kill many mutants as they go.

That fact that this content comes free with a pre-order suggests that it will be sold at some point, though there's no mention of when nor is there any confirmation as to how this content will be released outside the U.S..

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Xbox 360 Netflix App Gets Kinect Support» MTV Multiplayer

Ever since theKinectlaunched last year,Microsofthas been slowly adding additional features and support for the device on Xbxo 360 consoles. The latest update arrives today in the form of the long-promised voice and motion control functionality for the console'sNetflixWatch Instantly application.

The news comes via a Microsoft press release, which touts the newly updated Netflix as the only place to enjoy the service in a"controller-free"environment. My iPad app begs to differ, but the point is clear enough. No one's going to complain about being able to tell their TV in a commanding voice to play the latest available episode of"Glee."

"By integrating Kinect into the Netflix experience on Xbox LIVE, we're continuing to transform the way people enjoy their favorite entertainment in the living room,"Xbox Live general manager Pete Thompson said in a statement."Since its launch, Netflix has always been one of the most popular services on Xbox LIVE, so we are excited to deliver a brand new way to control this experience in a way that can't be found anywhere else."

In case you're a newcomer to the Xbox Live-powered face of Netflix, a Gold membership is required along with a subscription to the popular video streaming and rental service to make use of the application and its features. The Kinect functionality will be added automatically via a 43MB update the next time you load it up. To activate the motion control features, simply say"Xbox play"at the main dashboard or wave frantically at the screen once Netflix is loaded up, just like you would to access the Kinect Hub.

The in-video controls work just fine, but the front-end support still needs a little bit of work. Accessing the Kinect side of the application is similar to accessing the Kinect Hub; a separate menu screen loads up with device-specific controls and access points. Unfortunately, this screen so far offers just a handful of movies and TV shows, picked seemingly at random. More updates will certainly improve the range of available options, but for now most will probably stick to selecting what to watch with a controller. Yelling at your TV to Stop and Play works beautifully though. Yelling is optional, but always preferred.

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‘MotorStorm: Apocalypse’North America Release Is May 3» MTV Multiplayer

One of the major release delays that popped up after a massive earthquake and resulting tsunami rocked the nation ofJapanlast month was for the PlayStation 3-exclusive offroad racer,"MotorStorm: Apocalypse."TheEvolution Studios-developed game was originally set to arrive on April 12, though that changed to TBA status almost immediately after the tragic events. Now Sony has nailed down and announced an official North American release date: May 3.

The game was reported to be pretty much ready to go when the earthquake struck, but the fact of what"Apocalypse"is all about meant that an on time release would be in poor taste. Unlike past games in the series,"Apocalypse"features a strongly narrative-driven solo play mode.

As you've likely already gleaned from the title, the game is set in the midst of an"end of the world"scenario. And even after civilization has been destroyed, people require entertainment. Enter the series' trademark racing meet, the MotorStorm Festival. The story unfolds from the perspective of three different characters, The Rookie, The Pro and The Veteran, who are all trying to make their way in this post-apocalyptic world. We don't know a whole lot more than that, but it's safe to say thatnotdelaying the release of a game set in a crumbling city would have been in rather poor taste.

Fortunately for you"MotorStorm"fans, the wait won't be too much longer now. Though why you're getting excited about once again having the opportunity to hurl your PS3 controller at the wall out of frustration, I have no idea....

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Wii HD Announcement Coming At Or Before E3, Sources Say» MTV Multiplayer

Nintendokicked off a revolution with its Wii console back in 2006. It wasn't the motion controls that did it, cool as they are. It was the audience it attracted. Here you had daily gamers lining up on launch day alongside mothers and fathers shopping forthemselves. Mobile platforms have since followed the lead and run with it, but the Wii was first on the scene to make the concept of"casual"cool. Now there's reliable word coming in that Nintendo is planning a reveal for this year's E3, a first look at a new console which will -- among other things -- correct one highly notable absence in the Wii's hardware specification: high definition visuals.

The news comes from"multiple sources"speaking toGame Informer. This new console, which we'll just call"Wii HD"for now, will reportedly be announced at E3,"if not sooner."

There are no hard details about how powerful the console is, though it"is capable of running games at HD resolutions,"GI reveals. Beyond that, there are conflicting stories as to whether or not it will exceed, match or fall short of what Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 can handle. Whatever the case is though, this Wii HD"will offer competitive specifications.

"Nintendo is doing this one right,"an anonymous source told GI."{It's} not a gimmick like the Wii."I would personally argue that the Wii is more than a gimmick, even if it didn't manage to meet a certain set of expectations established by a relatively small group of people. That said, Nintendo finally moving to embrace the HD generation with a console that can compete at the level of the Xbox 360/PS3, will certainly help with regards to Nintendo bringing higher-profile franchises and releases to the new console.

In fact, the console maker is reportedly already meeting with top publishers and showing off the hardware. This is a significant departure from the approach taken with the Wii, which came as a surprise to many -- including those in game development and publishing -- when it was first announced.

That's about all of the (admittedly rumor-ific) information there is right now, though the word is that Nintendo apparently hopes to get this puppy in stores sometime in late 2012. Just in time for the holidays.

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‘SSX’Set For January 2012 Release, New Screens Show Elise» MTV Multiplayer

Ubisofthas dominated the market for snowboarding video games in recent years with its popular Shaun White-branded series. The former top dog, the"SSX"series, hasn't had a console release since 2007's"SSX Blur"for Wii and there's been nothing yet for either of the high def consoles. That is all set to change with the release of"SSX: Deadly Descents,"which recently dropped the"Deadly Descents"from its title. Today brings some new screens along with the word that we'll have to make do with what's available until the game releases early next year.

News of the release date came atElectronic Arts' Season Opener preview event, where the game's creative director Todd Batty revealed that it would be coming in January 2012. It's a ways off for sure, but"SSX"will be playable at E3 in June, so you'll at least be able to read aboutotherpeople playing it before too long. Small consolation, I know.

To tease you even more, EA released a handful of new screens showing off the game's snowy mountain vistas and the return of snowboarder Elise.Joystiq's report from the EA event revealed some new details about the game's physics system -- avalanches will be something to worry about, apparently -- and a new game mechanic in the form of a deployable squirrel suit that can be opened in mid-flight to glide safely over otherwise unnavigable terrain.

As cool as all of this sounds, it's going to be quite awhile before you get to see it in action for yourself outside the Internet. Maybe it's time to dig out that old copy of"Shaun White"....

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‘Burnout Crash’Modeled After‘Paradise’Showtime Mode?» MTV Multiplayer

You might remember reading a little news blip earlier this month about a mysterious Australia ratings board submission from"Burnout"developerCriterion Gamesfor a game called"Burnout Crash."No details were revealed, but some additional sleuthing uncovered mention of the title on several Criterion staff members' LinkedIn profiles. Now there's a little more information to fill in the blanks with, which you can read about after the jump.

The good folks atJoystiqdid what any good reportershoulddo: they followed up. An inquiry was made to the Australia ratings board to tease out some more information, and lo and behold, those efforts were rewarded with a description, albeit an admittedly brief one:

"An action arcade style game set in the fictional world of Crash City. The aim of the game is to cause as much damage as possible to traffic and buildings by crashing a car into them."

"Paradise"had a similar mode called Showtime, though activating that one would essentially launch your car into the air and allow you to bounce it around the city, causing destruction along the way. It was and still is plenty of fun, but can you really imagine building an entire, multi-hour game aroundjust this.

Okay, stupid question.

In all likelihood, however, this"Burnout Crash"game will feature someactualdriving."Burnout"games prior to"Paradise"featured a Crash Mode, in which players rammed one car or another into a traffic-dense space to cause as much destruction as possible. These were all discrete setups though, with all cars positioned and timed in a specific way. Based on the description above, we can probably expect (hope?) that"Burnout Crash"is a fusion of the two ideas, an open space to drive and create wreckage in.

Joystiq also (probably rightly) notes that because of the seemingly limited nature of the gameplay described in the ratings submission,"Crash"will likely be a downloadable title. Really though, it's all just speculation at this point, and it will remain that way until Criterion steps up with a formal announcement.

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‘inFamous 2′Videos Show Off‘Space Invaders’UGC, Behemoth Enemy» MTV Multiplayer

Sucker Punchis only a few short months away from laying out a whole new chapter in Cole MacGrath's electrified adventures in"inFamous 2."The June 7-releasing PlayStation 3-exclusive offers a few improvements on the must-own 2009 original, including the addition of a user-generated content feature. A range of possible scenarios is highlighted in a newly released video fromSony, along with a second video that shows off one of the sequel's massive enemies, the Behemoth. Check them out after the jump.

As you can see in the above video (posted onPlayStation Blog), the UGC feature is pretty powerful. The one that most of us are going to fixate on -- I certainly am -- is the"Space Invaders"riff the comes in at the video's midpoint, complete with bonus point-awarding UFOs. Overall though, the scope of what's available for creating your own missions seems pretty impressive. Multi-stage missions, varying objectives, custom text... even if you can't build something cool yourself, you can bet there's a most talented geek out there who can. Provided the community rises to the challenge, it looks like there's a lot of potential here for long-term replay value.

As for the Behemoth, now check out this video. You see that big ice guy Cole fights roughly halfway through the video? That's not it. The Behemoth could eat that thing in one bite. Just keep watching.

So. That's a pretty big... thing, right? Hard to say how many of these puppies you'll be encountering in the game, but the city of New Marais probably can't handle more than one or two, given the level of destruction that's going on in the above clip.

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‘Call Of Duty: Black Ops’Escalation Map Pack Officially Confirmed For May 3» MTV Multiplayer

The most hardcore of the"Call of Duty"fans certainly didn't miss last week's long-awaited news of a second map pack for"Call of Duty: Black Ops."The reveal wasn't official though, coming instead from anaccidental website postingby the UK video game retailer, GAME. Not that there was any doubt, but we've got some good news for you today: it's official now!

Microsoft's Xbox Live community guy, Larry"Major Nelson"Hryb posted the news today onhis website. The Escalation map pack is set to arrive on Tuesday, May 3. As we learned last week, there will be four competitive multiplayer maps plus one as-yet-unnamed new map for the game's survival-based Zombies mode.

The press release says of the new maps:"In Multiplayer, battle it out in Hotel, on the roof of a Cuban luxury hotel and casino against the vivid backdrop of old Havana; Convoy delivers intense, close-quarters combat at the scene of an ambushed US military convoy; Zoo takes you on a wild ride in an abandoned Soviet Russian Zoo, with danger at every turn; Stockpile pits players in a remote Russian farm town housing secret WMD facilities."

True to form,Activisionoffers the least amount of information on the map that many of us most want to hear about, the new zombie map. All we have to go on is that this will be a"unique Zombies experience."You horrible teases!

We'll keep speculating what might make the new map so"unique,"but it won't be much longer. May 3 is the release date for the Xbox 360 version of the pack (no word yet on the subsequent release dates). Per Microsoft's previous arrangement with Activision, all"Black Ops"DLC comes to Xbox Live first. There's no price announced, but it's a safe bet that this release will follow the previously established 1200 MS Points pricing model ($15).

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‘Atari’s Greatest Hits’Comes To iOS With 100 Games» MTV Multiplayer

Atarireleased its Atari 2600 gaming console in late 1977, abeastof a platform with its 128bytesof RAM and single button joystick controller. The concept of a"D-pad"didn't even exist yet! The console stuck around until the end of 1991, when it was discontinued. A staggering number of game cartridges were released during the console's extended life cycle, everything from obscure titles like"Night Driver"to popular arcade hits like"Asteroids."The library is a huge and a good sized chunk of it -- nowhere near everything, however -- is now available as a universal iOS app via the App Store, under the name"Atari's Greatest Hits.

The giant-sized collection packs in 100 classic video games in all, 18 arcade games and 92 Atari 2600 games,TouchArcadereports. The site reports that the collection arrived in New Zealand first, and it has since been rolled out to the App Store in other parts of the world as well.

The app itself is a free download, and it includes a copy of the seminal video game,"PONG."The rest of what's available can be added to your library as in-app purchases. There are 25 individual packs, four titles per pack, available for $0.99 apiece. Alternatively, bargain hunters can opt to geteverythingin one big chunk, for $14.99. All games include original arcade cabinet/box art and certain titles even support multiplayer gaming via a Bluetooth connection(!).

Awesomely,"Atari's Greatest Hits"is designed to work with Ion'siCadedocking station, which turns your iPad into a miniature arcade cabinet. The iCade is currently open for pre-orders atThinkGeek, with a $99 value and a June release date. Head over to TouchArcade for the full list of games available in the collection.

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‘Uncharted 3′Desert To Introduce‘Dynamic Environment,’Story Still Being Written» MTV Multiplayer

Today is apparently the day for new information to emerge on top-shelf releases planned for later this year. Earlier we brought you thefirst word on"Mass Effect 3."Now there are new details onNaughty Dog's highly anticipated sequel,"Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception,"which hits stores on November 1.

The info comes from the upcoming issue of Official PlayStation Magazine (viaSystemLink). While the news is much more story-focused, there are a few new gameplay details as well. We already know that much of Nathan Drake's new adventure will be set in a desert, and Naughty Dog says that the moving sand there will create a"dynamic environment"as the terrain around you alters.

It is also confirmed that the desert won't be the only locale you explore; Drake will hit a number of locations around the world, including London and a jungle temple. There are also some strong hints that the game's driving sequences will be built around riding a motorcycle, though there's no confirmation of that.

The story revolves around Iram of the Pillars, also known as the City of a Thousand Pillars, a legendary lost trading center in the Rub' al Khali desert in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Lawrence of Arabia had a particular interest in Iram, and so too does Drake. Recently introduced villainKatherine Marloweis also interested in it, and we now learn that she is part of a secret society that has its roots in the days of Queen Elizabeth I.

Naughty Dog reveals that the team is still tweaking the game's story, but one thing that can be confirmed: this isn't the last adventure for Nathan Drake."Uncharted"was never planned as a trilogy. Thank goodness for that.

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‘Twisted Metal’Trailer Reveals October 4 Release Date» MTV Multiplayer

"Mario Kart"may be the old chestnut for many gamers when it comes to vehicle-based battle modes, but the more mature-themed"Twisted Metal"series is not without its dark, explosion-riddled and occasionally disturbing charm. The newly released trailer for the PlayStation 3 follow-up -- called simply"Twisted Metal"-- that was first announcedlast year at E3captures all of those things, and in the process it also delivers a release date for the long-awaited sequel from industry firebrand David Jaffe and hisEat Sleep Playdevelopment studio: October 4.

There's not a whole lot more to say about the game at this point. The new trailer -- the bits of gameplay it features, anyway -- looks a whole lot more impressive than what was shownat E3 last year. There's also agiantblack marble in this one, which is immediately awesome for reasons that aren't entirely clear.

"Twisted Metal"is one of the oldest PlayStation franchises, but it has been notably absent in recent years. The last game in the series to be released was"Twisted Metal Head-On: Extra Twisted Edition"in 2008, which was itself a port of the2005release"Twisted Metal: Head-On"for PlayStation Portable. I think fans all over are in pretty strong agreement that some sort of follow-up is long overdue.

A fair few details have been revealed so far, including an assortment of returning characters/vehicles, a handful of new ones -- including the helicopter, Talon, seen in this trailer -- and a competitive online game called Nuke Mode, in which players must kidnap the opposing team's leader in order to turn it into a nuclear missile used to destroy a giant statue held by the opposition. I think that's how it works. Clearly, the same bizarre, dare I say eventwisted, (groans) sense of humor will be on full display in the October sequel.

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‘Sonic The Hedgehog’Game Outed In New Trailer, Featuring Classic Sonic» MTV Multiplayer

The current console generation has not been kind toSega's furry, blue mascot,Sonic the Hedgehog. It seems like every time the publisher announces a new adventure for the platforming speedster, fans who have been burned repeatedly by less-than-stellar offerings get their hopes up... only to have those hopes once again dashed. So with that in mind... ratchet those hopes up once again, because hey! There's a new"Sonic"trailer!

The trailer, posted exclusively onFacebookshows absolutely nothing. Seriously. It's a cinematic. There's one moment where itlookslike we're about to switch to some classic 2-D gameplay... and then it goes all pre-rendered again. The only possibly revealing element is an appearance from the old-style, out of shape Sonic.

The last game to star Sega's favorite rodent,"Sonic the Hedgehog 4,"offered a high-def return to the classic platforming gameplay that first hooked fans so many years ago. The game, the first in an episodic series, received mixed reviews. While the gameplay's old-school found its fans, some took issue with the design of the levels.

"Sonic 4"was also, sadly, the best release in the series since the current console generation kicked off with the launch of the Xbox 360 in 2005."Sonic the Hedgehog,"the 2006 release for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 traded 2-D platforming for a 3-D open world-ish adventure, and it was offensively bad. The decent"Sonic and the Secret Rings"for Wii followed, and that showed some promise, but every game that came after it seemed to only go further offer the rails.

There obviously isn't much to say about this new"Sonic"based on the trailer, but if you've got any thoughts on what we might except, please share them.

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Bizarre Creations Had A Chance To Buy Itself Before Activision Closure» MTV Multiplayer

The game industry suffered a major loss earlier this year whenActivisionmade good on aclosure recommendationissued to"Geometry Wars"and"Project Gotham Racing"developerBizarre Creations. Attempts were made to sell the flagging studio, but it was ultimately shuttered when no buyers stepped forward. It turns out that the Bizarre bosses were even given the chance to buy the company, though they ultimately turned it down.

"Without going into details, yes, there was {an opportunity},"former Bizarre creative director Martyn Chudley toldEdgein an interview."I generally thought there was far greater potential for the security and well-being of the company if a third party could come in."

Bizarre commercial manager and Martyn's wife, Sarah, added,"In any case, Bizarre had grown even more since Activision took over, and just didn't have the skills, capability or finances to look after over 200 people. Martyn and I were always small-company people, which is why we stepped aside when we realised it needed big-company skills to manage."

Martyn pegs at least part of Bizarre's decline to the studio's changing role at Activision after being taken over by the publisher. The corporate culture there remained intact for a time, but eventually the team there started to feel pressures from their owner.

"We weren’t an independent studio making 'our' games anymore – we were making games to fill slots,"Martyn said."Although we did all believe in them, they were more the products of committees and analysts. The culture we’d worked on for so long gradually eroded just enough so that it wasn’t 'ours' anymore."

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Electronic Arts Cancels‘Dead Space 2′Wii,‘The Simpsons Game 2′» MTV Multiplayer

It's always sad to see a game get cancelled. If it reaches the point that a cancellation needs to happen, then it's also gone far enough for some amount of hard work to have been put in on the project. Once it's canned, all of that effort turns out to be for nothing. So have a little sympathy for the frustration some of the folks atElectronic Artsmust be feeling today as planned releases of a Wii port of"Dead Space 2"and a sequel to"The Simpsons Game"are pushed aside to make room for more important projects.

The news comes from the LinkedIn accounts ofGary SakkasandMatt Spriggans(viaDestructoid). There's really not much more to be said about it; the games were happening and now they're not.

"Dead Space 2"seems like a strange one, not to cancel but to develop in the first place. A Wii version of the space-based survival horror sequel might have made sense when the game was first released earlier this year. To put one out even now would feel just a little too late, and it clearly wasn't ready yet.

As for"The Simpsons Game,"there's not much mystery here. The first game was helped by killer writing from the TV series' writers and contributions from the voice cast, but it really wasn't a very good game. EA would be better off putting that team on a sequel to the"Simpsons"-themed"GTA"clone,"The Simpsons: Hit& Run."or, you know, something else. Like that"Syndicate"revival we've all been waiting for.

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‘Super Mario Bros. 2′Interview Reveals A Strange, Vertical-Only Prototype» MTV Multiplayer

Most gamers are familiar with the saga of the North American release for"Super Mario Bros. 2."The game was originally released in Japan under the title"Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic"with a different cast of characters, a crew that was eventually re-skinned with Shigeru Miyamoto's beloved characters when it came out here in the United States. A new interview with Kensuke Tanabe offers further insight into the development of the original game, and the key piece of advice that came down from Miyamoto which ultimately led to the bizarre release that we know as"Super Mario Bros. 2."

"The idea was that you would have people vertically ascending, and you would have items and blocks that you could pile up to go higher, or you could grab your friend that you were playing with and throw them to try and continue to ascend,"Tanabe said of his original design in an interview withGame|Life. You can still see some of it at work in"SMB2,"both in the game's stackable blocks and overall sense of verticality.

Unfortunately, Tanabe came to realize that"the vertical-scrolling gimmick wasn't enough to get us interesting gameplay."It's a good thing then that his boss wasNintendolegendShigeru Miyamoto, who offered some instrumental advice that eventually went on to make gaming history.

"Miyamoto looked at it and said, 'Maybe we need to change this up,"Tanabe continued. He recalls the"Super Mario Bros."creator telling him,"As long as it's fun, anything goes."Miyamoto suggested introducing an element of side-scrolling gameplay into the mix, to"make something a little more 'Mario'-like."

You know what happens next. Tanabe did just that and the game eventually made its way here as"Super Mario Bros. 2,"by far thestrangest(and yet entirely entertaining) entry in the series.

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‘Gears Of War 3′Multiplayer Video Gives A Beta Sneak Peek» MTV Multiplayer

There's less than a month remaining until the multiplayer beta for"Gears of War 3"officiallylaunches. You can almost taste the Locust blood as it flecks across your face after a well-placed curb stomp, can't you? Aside from the beta letting you playnew"Gears of War"maps, you'll also get to sample some of the game's many new features, weapons and executions. All of which take center stage in a newly released gameplay video!

The video, narrated byEpic Games'"Gears 3"executive producer Rod Fergusson, is up now onGameSpot's YouTube channel. Running for just over a minute, the all-gameplay video offers a feast of new material that you haven't seen in action before.

The festivities kick off with an execution, as a momentarily stunned Locust takes a smack to the head from a digger launcher-toting human. You don't get to see the unique weapon, which launches a burrowing creature wired with explosives into the ground to act as a sort of living torpedo. Youdoget to see our poor Locust's head explode when a curb stomp follow-up to the initial face smack finishes the job. Also visible here is the gold retro launcher, which is one of the beta's unique unlockables.

You also get to see the new One-Shot sniper rifle in action, a heavy-class weapon that slows movement and acts as a third primary weapon when carried, though you drop it if you switch to another gun. This thing is a beast, no other way to shake it. Aiming down the sights props it up on the ground or a nearby piece of cover, much like the chain gun. This one fires only one bullet at a time... butwhata bullet. Enemies hit by this thing literally explode in a burst of blood.

The video closes with a glimpse of the"hopper"execution. Grab yourself a meatshield, stick a grenade to it and shove it in the general direction of a nearby group of enemies. You can probably imagine what happens next.

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Blizzard Entertainment Continues Its April Fools Reign» MTV Multiplayer

Today is April Fool's Day. The bane of reporters everywhere. An average day is already filled with too much"fake"news, in the form of rumors and incorrect reporting. On April Fool's Day though, we add flat-out falsehoods to the equation. And one thing that is true of just about all video game developers and publishers: These are people who make their living creating fictional worlds filled with oversized chickens and create-a-hostess minigames. This year's top prankster in the gaming world is"World of Warcraft"devBlizzard Entertainment, for basically just going all-out on its website.

Themain pageon Blizzard's official website is currently home to four"news"updates, touting a range of upcoming features to be added to"WoW,""StarCraft"and"Diablo."

"WoW"getstwoupdates, which together amount to the highlight of today's jokery. First up isCrabby, the Dungeon Helper. This is a nod to Microsoft's annoyingly omnipresent Office assistant, Clippy the helpful paperclip. Only long-time Windows users will get the joke, as Clippy has been banished to whatever hell tech blunders like Nintendo's Virtual Boy live in.

You'll need Crabby's help though if you hope to navigate theTomb of Immortal Darkness, a newly added instance in the land of Azeroth. The cave system, recommended for player levels 83 to 85, serves up one of the most challenging adventures"WoW"players have yet seen. Theentirearea is buried beneath a veil of darkness. At the heart of its depths is the dreaded Omgsogoth, the Dark Lord of Twilight. Does that mean Robert Pattinson appears as a surprise guest voice actor?

On the"Diablo"front, Blizzard recognizes that the long-awaited"Diablo 3"isn't out yet. That doesn't mean you can't start digging into its world though! Enter theHoradrapp, a Horadric Cube app! The key feature is Transmutation, which lets you combine multiple mobile apps together to create brand new ones. More exciting, however, is what's coming soon: a Translocation feature which lets you"open demonic portals to dimensions of nameless horror."FUN!

Finally... Blizzard is pleased to announced the long-awaited console revival for its"StarCraft"series. Ummmm... why don't you justwatch it?

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‘Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim’Director Explains Why There’s No Multiplayer» MTV Multiplayer

"Elder Scrolls"is not a series that is known for its multiplayer. No, that's not exactly accurate."Elder Scrolls"flat-outdoesn't havemultiplayer. People continue to ask for it though, because playing games online with friends is fun! In a new interview,"The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim"director Todd Howard discusses exactly why, despite fan requests, time and again the decision is made to skip multiplayer in favor of other features.

"The two most requested features we get are dragons and multiplayer. We got one of them this time,"he said in an interview withIGN."We always look into multiplayer, put lots of ideas on the whiteboard and it always loses. It's not that we don't like it. I can think of ways it would be a lot of fun."

Ultimately, assigning portions of the development team to work on a multiplayer component would just be too much of a drain on the available resources. Every"Elder Scrolls"game is MASSIVE. Think of"Borderlands"for a moment, a similarly large RPG-style game played from a first-person perspective and featuring multiplayer components. That world is not nearly as detailed as an"Elder Scrolls"game is, and still it needs to be broken up into discrete areas separated by load screens.

Do you really want that in your"Elder Scrolls"game? It's not to say the dev team couldn't work around such an obstacle, but it would undoubtedly take a considerable amount of effort, which could in turn detract from the rest of the game's features and functionality.

Howard also said that the new game's map is roughly the same size, geographically as the one in"Oblivion,"though it will feel a little bit different to players."Things like mountains change how that geography feels, and the time it takes you to get to and from places. It has a different flow when exploring."

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