‘Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3′Gameplay Trailer» MTV Multiplayer

WATCH THIS POST FOR THE"CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 3"GAMEPLAY TRAILER, COMING MONDAY, MAY 23 AT 9PM EST.

Two weeks ago, a huge amount of"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3"content leaked, revealing story details, screenshots and settings. And while the leak had plenty of juicy content to digest, it was lacking one thing: actual gameplay footage. There were screenshots, and even voice overs from the game's actors, but no gameplay footage, which makes tonight's premiere of the first gameplay trailer a pretty big deal, even if you've already dug through all of the leaked info.

Just what the trailer will include is still a bit of a mystery. My bet? Some scary people speaking Russian and blowing up landmarks all over the world. We'll be sure to update this post the moment the trailer is live, so stay tuned.

Source

Microsoft Offers Free Xbox 360 With Windows 7 PC Purchase» MTV Multiplayer

Are you a college student? Are you in the market for a new Windows PC, and also enjoy console gaming? Well, then, does Microsoft have a deal for you. The company has just announced a new promotion where college students will receive a free Xbox 360 with the purchase of a new PC from participating retailers. Now it's easier than ever to blow off sitting in front of your computer doing homework, opting instead to sneak in another"Battlefield: Bad Company 2"multiplayer match.

Posting on the WindowsBlogthis morning, Kristina Libby announced the new Microsoft promotion that puts Xbox 360 consoles in the hands of students shopping for computers before heading off to college this fall. You're going to need an .edu email address when purchasing your computer online, or a student identification card if you're planning to walk into a storefront.

The only catch appears to be in the price of said Windows 7 PC. The computer will have to cost a minimum $699, although if you're already in the market for a computer, that's a fairly reasonable price. The Xbox 360– the promotion is offering a 4gb S-model – is currently priced at $199. Again, I don't know that this will have anyone rushing out to buy a 700-dollar computer, just to get a free Xbox, but if you're already in the market, not a bad deal.

Microsoft is clearly attempting to stay engaged with college students as Apple's MacBooks and desktop computers become more commonplace in dorm rooms across the country. Last year, Apple ran a promotion where college students would receive a free iPod Touch with the purchase of a Mac.

It's worth mentioning that this promotion feels like another instance where Microsoft is detaching itself from PC gaming, encouraging you to move away from the computer, over to the console. Why not offer a promotion where college students receive discounts for purchasing gaming laptops or desktops?

The Xbox 360 promotion runs through September 3.

Source

‘Infinity Blade’Getting Huge Multiplayer Update On Thursday» MTV Multiplayer

The folks at Chair Entertainment promised that they would be supporting"Infinity Blade"long after the game's launch, and thus far they've made good on that promise. We've seen new weapons, items and even story-revealing segments of the castle added to the game, but this Thursday the title may be seeing its most important update yet: Multiplayer.

When"Infinity Blade"was first demonstrated during an Apple press conference, multiplayer was the primary focus, with players being able to send invites and duke it out with friends over Game Center. Unfortunately that feature has taken a little while to make it to the final release, but this Thursday's free update will include what the developers are calling"Infinity Blade: Arena."It's the much-promised multiplayer mode but, in a surprising turn, it appears it'll involve one player controlling one of the game's many monsters, while the other plays as the heroic adventurer. Fascinating!

If you're not the multiplayer sort, Thursday's update will include a bunch of additional content. The announcement mentions that two dozen items will be added to the game. There will also be a new Boss Rush feature, which lets hardcore players take on the most challenging monsters, one after the other, in the hopes of securing a slot on the Game Center leaderboards.

It'll be interesting to see whether this is the last big push for"Infinity Blade."Recent updates have hinted at a grander, sci-fi-themed scope for the future of the franchise, but with the arrival of multiplayer, Chair will have fulfilled all their promises. Who knows, maybe they'll end up going back and making"Shadow Complex 2"now!

Source

Exclusive Concept Art Of‘Jurassic Park: The Game’s’Nedry Clearing» MTV Multiplayer

Back in February, I ventured to San Francisco to check out a TellTale Gamespress event. The studio announced a number of upcoming titles–"The Walking Dead,""King's Quest,"etc.– but I spent the most hands-on time with the developer's upcoming"Jurassic Park: The Game."Today, on the TellTaleblog, the studio announced that we can count on more information surfacing about the game at E3, and showed off some new concept art.

The first piece of concept art (above), shown on the blog, depicts the"Jurassic Park"island's docks. Want to see more? Lucky for you, we have an exclusive piece of concept art below, right after the jump.

This particular scene depicts Nedry's Clearing, an iconic location from the first film, and it plays an integral role in the upcoming game's plot. As I mentioned in my preview for"Jurassic Park: The Game,"Nedry's foibles in attempting to remove a Barbasol shaving cream can stuffed full of dino-babies essentially creates the story behind TellTale's new title. Following Nedry's death, a mercenary by the name of Nima starts scouring the island in search of the lost DNA. Her story becomes intertwined with the escape of island veterinarian Gerry Harding and his daughter, Jess.

"Jurassic Park: The Gameis an incredibly authentic take on theJurassic Parkuniverse,"Alan Johnson, TellTale's manager of public relations and social media, told me today."Fans will see spots in the park they recognize from the first film while running into totally previously unseen locations that make sense in the biological preserve theme park setting. Of course, that also means there are more places for the dinosaurs to kill you."

I'm interested to see other locations from the film depicted in the game's world, particularly the large museum lobby where we last saw T-Rex near the end of the first"Jurassic Park."

The game was recently delayed, pushing its Mac, PC, and Xbox 360 release back from April to this fall. I'm actually fine with that, if it means I'm able to spend my time outrunning dinosaurs in a more polished game. Based on what I saw back in February– a blend of TellTale's adventure game experience with a new action aesthetic – my hopes are still high.

Source

Crack The First‘L.A. Noire’DLC Case June 21» MTV Multiplayer

Listen up, gumshoes: if you've already made your way through"L.A. Noire's"assortment of cases, you're probably chomping at the bit to get your grubby mitts on some new sleuthing missions. Lucky for you, Rockstar has posted a site that lists the first"L.A. Noire"downloadable-content as having a June 21 release date. If you managed to snag a code at Best Buy on release night, you even get the case gratis.

As wereportedearlier this week, the first 16 people in line at Best Buy to pick up their copy of"L.A. Noire"on Monday night received a free code for the game's first downloadable-content case,"Nicholson Electroplating."The download adds an additional opportunity to slam the cuffs on a perp– I think I've been playing too much – through the game's arson desk.

We're not sure what the Nicholson Electroplating case is all about yet, but it clearly involves some foul play at the old coating-metal-objects-with-more-metal factory. Regardless, we're not really going to know the true story until June 21.

The Rockstar site currently lists two entry forms, one for those lucky enough to receive the free download code, and one for those of us who would like more information on when the downloadable-content actually launches. The site instructs people in possession of a Best Buy code to return on June 21, when they'll receive the appropriate download code for their console. I'm not sure why you would need an email notifying you when the downloadable-content releases, since we know it's June 21 now, but to each his own.

There's no indication as to how much"L.A. Noire"downloadable-content will cost– including the"Naked City"and"Slip of the Tongue"pre-order bonus cases– but I'm confident that information will become available in the coming days. Rockstar had previously announced that a"Rockstar Pass"would launch with"L.A. Noire,"but currently, it's no where to be seen on either console's marketplace.

Source

PlayStation Websites Exploited, Hackers Use Previously Stolen Information (Update)» MTV Multiplayer

UPDATE:Sony's senior corporate communications director, Patrick Seybold, has commented on the exploit issue via the PlayStationBlog.

"We temporarily took down the PSN and Qriocity password reset page. Contrary to some reports, there was no hack involved. In the process of resetting of passwords there was a URL exploit that we have subsequently fixed,"Seybold writes."Consumers who haven’t reset their passwords for PSN are still encouraged to do so directly on their PS3. Otherwise, they can continue to do so via the website as soon as we bring that site back up."

So, no"hack,"but there was an exploit; seems like a matter of semantics to me. As of this writing, the web-based network login is still"down for maintenance."

ORIGINAL STORY:Well, it looks like the hackers are not quite done with Sony, just yet. Sign-in capabilities on PlayStation websites has been disabled, and according toEurogamer, this isn't just routine maintenance. The site claims to have seen video evidence that an exploit has been discovered which allows anyone with a PlayStation Network user's associated email address and birth date to take over the account; the exact same information compromised during last month's data breach.

Eurogamer apparently watched the demonstration viaNyleveia, wherein a user was able to gain access to a PlayStation Network account, merely by having possession of an email address and birth date. The site has refused to elaborate on how exactly the exploit works– for obvious reasons – but after contacting Sony, all web-based login forms have been placed into"maintenance mode."While it's still possible to login through your console, those looking to change their password via emails sent out from Sony will be unable to do so, for the moment.

This possible account exploit comes only days after Sony beganrolling outPlayStation Network and Qriocity services, following an external attack that left user data– including credit card information – vulnerable. The company had previously stated it planned to have all services restored by May 31.

Attempting to login toPlayStation.comcurrently brings up a"site maintenance notice,"and urges users to"try again later."

"A lot of people are saying that we should not have posted this information and simply contacted Sony, and you’re right in thinking this, however we contacted SCEE as soon as we had confirmed that the exploit was in fact real,"the Nyleveia post reads,"The problem was that at the time there was a good 8-9 hour stretch where SCEE would not see our messages and given the rate at which the exploit method was spreading in the dark corners of the internet, we felt as though we needed to publicize the exploit advising users to change the emails used for their PSN accounts..."

Hopefully, this is just a matter of Sony easily fixing an error, but one has to question how something like this happens after recent events. How does Sony, after spending a ludicrous amount of money on three security firms, purchasing user identity theft insurance, and losing nearly a month of lost profits, allow something as simple as knowing the STOLEN email addresses and birth dates of its users to slip through? Clearly, we don't yet know the extent of the issue, or precisely what happened, but we'll be sure to update you with any clarification.

In the meantime, think about possibly creating a separate email -- just for PlayStation use -- and using it when changing your account password.

Source

‘PlayStation Phone’Costs $200, Launching In US May 26» MTV Multiplayer

On Thursday, you'll finally have the chance to pre-order the long-rumored (and subsequently delayed) Xperia Play, a.k.a. the PlayStation Phone. While the device received a European launch early last month, it will arrive on American shores May 26 through Verizon. The phone will also come pre-loaded with a number of games.

In February, wereportedthat the Xperia Play was rumored to cost£519.99 – that's a whopping $740 – and would receive a March release, according to a European retailer. Well, the good news is that the phone is only going to cost you $200, but that's with the understanding that you'll also accept a two-year contract with provider Verizon. Verizon's data planstarts at $30.

Sliding the multi-touch screen of the Xperia Play upwards reveals a PlayStation Portable-like interface, a d-pad and the familiar PlayStation buttons flanking two touch-sensitive analog controllers. The device runs on Android 2.3, and you'll therefore have access to all of the applications currently available on the Android Marketplace. Of course, what's supposed to set this phone apart is the ability to play PlayStation titles, but according toGamasutra, none of those games have moved more than 1,000 units to date.

The phone comes pre-packaged with seven games:"Madden NFL 11","Asphalt 6: Adrenaline","Tetris,""Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior,""The Sims 3,""Crash Bandicoot,"and"Star Battalion."

I'm not so sure the Xperia Play will replace my iPhone anytime soon, but I'm definitely taken with its control interface. One of the most frustrating factors to current iOS gaming is attempting to use the touch screen to interact with classic, formerly analog-input controlled games; my fingers are always in the way. Still, I'm not so sure the controls are enough to draw me away from the excellent gaming selections currently on the App Store. I don't think this is going to be another N-Gage flop, necessarily, but I think it has a hard row to hoe.

Source

Ubisoft In Talks Over‘Assassin’s Creed,’‘Splinter Cell,’‘Ghost Recon’Movies» MTV Multiplayer

Earlier this month, theinternetwent all aflutter that Ubisoft was entering the film business with the founding of Ubisoft Motion Pictures. This was at least partially true, as the French company was in fact looking to secure deals with American studios to produce movies based on their gaming franchises. That said, the company had no plans to actually start producing motion pictures on their own. Now, it looks like the company may already be in discussions to release 3D versions of"Assassin's Creed,""Splinter Cell,"and"Ghost Recon."

Speaking toVariety, Ubisoft Motion Pictures' division head, Jean-Julien Baronnet, and vice-president of distribution, Jean de Rivieres, claim that the projects have drawn great interest from American screenwriters and studios. The pair are apparently flying out to Los Angeles in June– which conveniently coincides with E3 – to meet with"studios and agents."Who these U.S. film executives are, exactly, is unclear.

"We want to keep ownership, retain control over the film content, and we're open to work with studios on the development of our projects, and eventually collaborate on the pre-casting, pre-budget and script,"Baronnet told Variety.

None of this seems to scream,"we have a deal,"or give any notice that films are entering pre-production, but it certainly seems as though Ubisoft is fully committed to having their hottest franchises thrown into the film mix."Assassin's Creed"and"Splinter Cell"make perfect sense to me, as both titles are already rather cinematic-based game franchises."Ghost Recon,"though? I guess you never know.

"We will have a script ready by the end of the year,"de Rivieres noted. Based on that comment, it sounds like these movies are quite a ways off from seeing release (if they even do).

Ubisoft's film arm is also seeking a partner in producing a CGI-based"Raving Rabbids"series. Baronnet said the company has already been in talks with an American network and French broadcasting company in regards to that title.

This isn't the first time an Ubisoft-related game has seen a film adaptation; remember"Far Cry?"Sure, they were only the publisher, but that movie may have actually caused me to go temporarily blind at one point. Hopefully, Ubisoft Motion Pictures' intention to keep"ownership and control"also means"no Uwe Boll."

Source

‘Brink’Review - A Problem With Execution» MTV Multiplayer

Splash Damage has been making multiplayer games for a decade now, starting in the days of"Quake 3."In recent years, the scope and scale of their games have expanded, with titles like"Enemy Territory: Quake Wars,"which features massive maps and requires intra-team cooperation. Although the scale of their latest game,"Brink,"is not quite as massive, it's just as ambitious. And while it impressive conceptually, and quite fun when it works, there are serious concerns which hinder it from being a threat to games like"Battlefield: Bad Company 2"and"Call of Duty: Black Ops."

THE BASICS

"Brink"is a multiplayer game where-in two teams of eight battle it out over objectives scattered across a futuristic, floating city known as The Ark. Teamwork is mandatory here, as players select from four different classes, each with their own special abilities and objectives. For example, only the soldier can plant C4 and only the engineer can repair mechanical devices. The classes can be fully customized with a wide variety of options.

The game is set across eight different maps, with cutscenes filling in the story blanks as to why you're blowing up a bridge or attempting to hack a mainframe.

THE HIGHS

Teamwork Works
As I mentioned,"Brink"requires teamwork. What's rather neat about the game is that it never feels like a chore to help out your squadmates. Every action you take, whether it be to revive a downed partner or repair a friendly turret, earns you experience points and helps you to level up your character. The end result is that, when dropping into a multiplayer game with random players, people are automatically helpful. You don't get the standard selfish players, just looking to get the most points in a round. Instead you get cooperation, everyone working to complete the same goal, all without the need for voice chat.

Customizability And Character Art
Splash Damage clearly wanted players to feel like they were unlocking something meaningful by leveling up their characters, as"Brink"constantly rewards you with new customization options. A wide range of player outfits and abilities can be unlocked over time, letting you create an extremely unique-looking character. The heavily stylized character art only helps this, as the unique soldiers feel charming, almost like they were ripped from a mature Pixar movie.

Free Running
One element that I'll definitely hope to see in other games is the addition of a parkour button in"Brink."Holding down the button and running into obstacles causes the player to automatically vault or climb over those objects. Considering the number of times that I've died after getting stuck on the geometry in a multiplayer map, it's really pleasant to have a dedicated escape button.

THE LOWS

The Lag.
For a multiplayer game, you would think there would be a dedicated team focused solely on ensuring a smooth online experience. Unfortunately that team was apparently asleep at the wheel, as the lag in"Brink"ranges from annoying to downright unplayable. In most multiplayer games, you might experience lag in the form of a teleporting enemy. In"Brink,"the lag feels more like performance issues, slowing the game to, at times, 3 frames per second. Imagine trying to shoot someone who is running past you like a cheaply-made flip book. Over the course of a week, I never played a single match that wasn't at least marginally hampered by lag, and that includes matches with just me and a single other player who lives 5 miles away from me. It's simply inexcusable.

A Question Of Value
If you're not really paying attention, you may think that"Brink"has sixteen multiplayer maps. It doesn't. In truth, the game splits its multiplayer maps by attack and defense, so really you're looking at just eight maps, which can be played from the attack side or the defense side. Considering the game's single-player campaign simply involves playing these maps with bots (that have terrible AI), it's not exactly a robust amount of content compared to similar offerings like"Black Ops,"which has a dedicated single-player campaign.

THE VERDICT

Were it not for the technical issues, and if it offered a bit more content,"Brink"would be a rather enjoyable experience. The game does offer some of the best teamplay I've seen in a multiplayer-specific release. Unfortunately, at least on the Xbox 360, the lag makes playing through matches an absolute chore. It basically feels like you're attempting to play a modern, PC FPS on a computer that's five years too old for it. Unless the promised day-one patch miraculously fixes the performance issues, there's no reason you should subject yourself to this game.

Source

‘Modern Warfare 3′Multiplayer, Co-Op And Singleplayer Details Leak» MTV Multiplayer

Well, it looks like the cat's out of the bag.Kotakuis reporting that"Modern Warfare 3"is set for a November 8 release date. There were plenty ofrumorsbefore, and the November release date isn't a huge surprise, but the site has somehow managed to gain access to just about anything you would want to know (or not, in the case of spoilers) about what's sure to be one of the biggest games of 2011.

"Modern Warfare 3"takes place directly after the final moments of"Modern Warfare 2."As you'll remember, the game concluded with an injured John"Soap"MacTavish being dragged into a helicopter by Captain John Price and Russian pal Nikolai. The United States is still attempting to thwart a Russian attack, and madman Vladimir Makarov is still on the loose.

The three heroes escape to India, where a firefight soon ensues, and the rest of"Modern Warfare 3"will have you bouncing all over the world– to Manhattan, Mogadishu, Paris, and Hamburg to name a few – attempting to stop the delivery of weapons of mass destruction and basically keep the world from imploding. I won't say much more, as to avoid spoiling the game for anyone and having them track me down like a dog. Kotaku has essentially posted the entire plothere, but I'm warning you, I am desperately wishing I hadn't read it now.

What I will mention, however, is that the game brings back some of our favorite"Call of Duty"characters, introduces a few new faces, and ultimately seems as though we'll end up following a new band of heroes in future"Modern Warfare"titles. Most importantly, the names"Frost"and"Sandman"will soon become rather important to fans of the series. That's all I'm saying.

Multiplayer, perhaps more important to some of you than the franchise's crazy Red Dawn plot-lines, will of course make a triumphant return. Kotaku has named two new Spec-Op modes called"Survival"and"Mission."Previous rumors have claimed that the maps in"Modern Warfare 3"will be larger and more destructible, likely as an attempt to compete with shooter rival"Battlefield 3."

The game will also feature a number of vehicles, apparently, returning you to the AC-130 gunship (a personal favorite) and placing you in command of tanks.

All of this, of course, is unconfirmed by Activision or developers Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games, and Raven Software. We're sure to hear more about"Modern Warfare 3"at this year's E3 in Los Angeles, so stay tuned right here for more in June and the weeks leading up to gaming's biggest event.

Source

Followers In‘Diablo 3′Get A Much-Needed Makeover» MTV Multiplayer

"Diablo 2"introduced the concept of followers. They were basically AI mercenaries who would follow you blindly into battle, dealing out damage every once in a while, but generally just hanging out and getting paid. You could customize your follower with a weapon or an item, but that was about it. In"Diablo 3,"followers are getting a lot more attention, as evidenced in anew trailerfrom Blizzard.

Unlike the faceless mercenaries of"Diablo 2,"the followers in"Diablo 3"have names and back stories. There are three individuals you'll encounter, a Templar, a Scoundrel and an Enchantress, and each has entirely different abilities and benefits to help your player character. The Templar, for example, is ideal for ranged classes who need a bit more melee support to keep the hordes at bay. The Enchantress, on the other hand, can create illusions to distract your enemies.

While you'll meet all three in your journey (they play a part in the main storyline), you can only choose one to travel with you at a given time. This means picking the right follower for the job, which can be tricky.

Since the followers are meant to compliment your main class, you can further personalize them with items, weapons and skills. It's somewhat similar to the pet system in"Torchlight,"where your pet could be taught basic spells. In"Diablo 3,"though, it's a lot more complex, as each follower has 12 unique spells, and you'll have to narrow that down to 4 chosen spells.

Blizzard is saying that followers aren't meant to be a big part of game's strict balancing system, as they become somewhat unnecessary in multiplayer games. In singleplayer, however, followers allow you to fill in the blanks where your primary class might be a bit lacking.

Player customization has always been a major part of"Diablo,"and it's great to see the follower system getting the same sort of attention. Will the followers be making an appearance in this summer'sexternal beta for"Diablo 3"? Here's hoping.

Source

‘Dark Souls’Dropping In October, Collector’s Edition Detailed» MTV Multiplayer

"Demon's Souls"was regarded as one of the more difficult– ok, broken controller inducing – games in recent years. Based on initial impressions, it sounds like"Dark Souls"will have you pulling your hair out even more than the first game. Namco Bandai released a new trailer today, revealing the game's October release date, and showing off a few of its wild enemies. The mere site of giant knights and swinging blade traps has me excited for what will surely amount to my character dying– frequently.

Check out the new trailer right after the jump.

Namco Bandai also gave out some details about"Dark Souls"collector's edition via press release today. The collector's edition can be pre-ordered from your favorite retailer, and as an incentive, you'll receive all the bonus' contained within its special metal case for the same price as the standard edition, ($59.99). Inside that metal case you'll find a limited edition art book, a mini strategy guide, behind-the-scenes videos, and a digital download of the game's soundtrack. Not a bad deal for plunking down five bucks.

"Dark Souls"will find your character banished, after unfortunately becoming afflicted with the curse of the undead. In search of the Eternal Flame, you'll have to fight your way through brutal dungeons, traps (like the"Indiana Jones"style rolling ball in the trailer), and giant enemies. The game also features a new onlinecomponent, using your actions in offline play to affect online character interaction. We've only seen bits and pieces of the game so far, but I'm getting the impression that"Dark Souls"could be a great, enjoyably frustrating, role-playing game.

Luckily, you'll have that metal case for when you've died for the 100th time and decide to throw something.

Source

Zynga Bringing Lady Gaga To‘FarmVille’with‘GagaVille’» MTV Multiplayer

There's no denying that Zynga, the company behind hit social games like"FarmVille"and"CityVille,"have staked out a considerable claim in the game market. With over 135 million monthly players logging into those two titles alone, Zynga's games are a veritable marketing gold mine. So, what other kinds of properties can utilize the developer's incredibly massive audience? How about equally popular, mega-celebrities likeLady Gaga?

That's right, fans of Zynga social games and the"Born This Way"diva can look forward to some cross-promotion.

According to an article inThe New York Times, Zynga has entered into a partnership with Lady Gaga, giving you early access to the singer's music just by playing some work-productivity-killing Facebook games.

"I want to celebrate and share 'Born This Way' with my little monsters in a special way that's never been done before,"Gaga stated via press release."Zynga has created a magical place in 'FarmVille' where my fans can come play, and be the first to listen to the album."

Starting on May 17, Lady Gaga will apparently show up as a new neighbor next to your"FarmVille"plot. The Times article states that Gaga's farm ("GagaVille") will feature"crystals, unicorns, and leather-clad sheep riding motorcycles."That sounds fine, but I'm personally holding out hope for the ability to raise cows and turn them into meat dresses. Completing certain tasks will unlock early access to tracks from Lady Gaga's upcoming album,"Born This Way,"a full week before its public release date of May 23.

If"FarmVille"isn't your thing, there's a similar promotion happening within the Scrabble-esque"Words With Friends."The game will feature a Gaga-themed word of the day, which you'll be able to utilize during your matches. Doing so enters"Word With Friends"players into a contest to win autographed copies of"Born This Way."

This isn't the first time Zynga has used a huge musical celebrity to promote one of their social games. Last year, the company had Snoop Dogg out in the middle of the desert,blowing uparmored trucks in the name of"Mafia Wars: Las Vegas."

"Every week we work very hard to introduce new features and new ways for our players to be socially engaged,"said Zynga's Owen Van Natta,"By bringing Lady Gaga, her creativity, her voice, her music, it has given us a great way to extend that. This is a massive opportunity for you to be entertained in ways that you have never had before."

Source

‘Dead Rising’Dev Had To Defy Capcom To Make Original Games» MTV Multiplayer

Back in the days before breakthrough franchises like"Lost Planet"and"Dead Rising,"Capcom had taken on a rather conservative approach to the development of new properties. The company, apparently facing tight budget restrictions, had adopted a policy that almost entirely restricted the implementation of original titles. According to former Capcom development guru Keiji Inafune, he may have actually saved the company by breaking those very rules.

Inafune spoke to a group of Kyoto film students recently, discussing his viewpoints on"creative leadership"during his two decade run with Capcom. As reported by Famitsu (viaAndriasang), the"Dead Rising"director wasn't afraid to break with company convention, and in turn, perhaps force the company's hand to develop his original property ideas.

The rule, as mentioned above, kept risky game production at a minimum. On the books, the company was allocating around 80-percent of its development budget to sequels, with only 20-percent reserved for new, original titles. According to Inafune, the reality was far more grim: making anything other than a sequel was actually forbidden. A designer might submit an original concept for that 20-percent budget, but they were always denied.

So, when Inafune approached Capcom management with the ideas for"Lost Planet"and"Dead Rising,"they were immediately rejected. He wasn't deterred, however; the director decided to proceed with development on both titles anyway.

According to Inafune, Capcom had a budget directly set aside for prototypes, and he hoped that if he continued developing the rejected titles (without permission), he would exceed the budget. Why would he want to exceed the budget? Well, his thought process was that Capcom would see the amount of money they had already spent on the title and decide go forward with it anyway. Risky, job-threatening stuff, but it obviously worked.

"Lost Planet's"prototype apparently went over by 400-percent. You might think this would get Inafune fired, but the fact is"Lost Planet"(as well as"Dead Rising") have gone on to sell millions of units all around the world. Keiji Inafune took a risk, and it paid off.

Personally, I'm glad he took those risks. Otherwise, I may have had to go through my life having never chopped a zombie in half with chainsaws strapped to the end of a boat oar. What kind of life would that be?

Source

‘Age Of Empires Online’Beta Sign-Ups Are Open» MTV Multiplayer

Do you want to play"Age of Empires Online?"Do you want to play it right now? Then head right overhereand sign up for the beta. Microsoft is allowing a ton of people in during the beta's final 48 hours, so if you're curious about this online real-time strategy game, now's a great time to check it out. Added bonus: if you play the beta this weekend, your Windows Live gamertag may end up in the game's end credits.

The"Age of Empires"games are historical real-time strategy titles. Since 1997, the series has released three main games, as well as a number of expansion packs. The setting for each game has varied slightly, tasking you with establishing a thriving civilization in Europe's Stone Age, the Middle Ages, and Asia to name a few. The franchise has always found relative success, and serves as a direct competitor to the similarly themed"Civilization"games.

"Age of Empires Online"isn't exactly rewriting the book– it still features history-based, resource management strategy gameplay – but it does feature new online co-op and a persistently online world. Apparently, your capitol city will continue to carry on with its regular activities, even if you're offline.

The new game's cartoony look, not to mention its free-to-play model, has made me a bit wary. I think it's obvious that the developers are looking to draw in new, casual players, but I'm hoping that the game doesn't abandon its series' roots.

A representative on the"Age of Empires Online"forumspostedsome information a couple days ago about how you can actually get your gamertag in the game's credits. You'll need to get into the beta first (obviously), then complete a few tasks like ten quests or twenty player-versus-player matches. After completing your tasks, it's just a matter of emailing the developers and your name will appear in the final game's credits. Now you can finally update that resume.

{Thanks,VG24/7}

Source

Smithsonian Announces Line-Up For‘Art Of Video Games’Exhibit» MTV Multiplayer

As wereportedback in February, the Smithsonian American Art Museum had previously announced that an"Art of Video Games"exhibit would run from March 16, 2012 through September 30, 2012. The museum was looking for input from the community on what titles should be included, and the voting ended on April 17. Today, the institution hasannouncedthe results of that poll, listing the broad range of games that will be featured in the exhibit.

"Video games use images, actions, and player participation to tell stories and engage their audiences. In the same way as film, animation, and performance, they can be considered a compelling and influential form of narrative art,"the Smithsonian's site read,"New technologies have allowed designers to create increasingly interactive and sophisticated game environments while staying grounded in traditional game types. The exhibition will feature eighty games through still images and video footage."

What do you think about that, Mr. Ebert?

The exhibit will also have five playable games–"Pac-Man,""Super Mario Bros,""The Secret of Monkey Island,""Myst,"and"World of Warcraft"– as well as video interviews with notable game developers, large prints of select game screenshots, and antique consoles. Apparently over 3.7 million votes were cast in the poll to select the entrants, spanning over 175 countries.

Glancing over the list of eighty games that will be exhibited, most of the titles you would expect ("Zelda,""Donkey Kong,""Doom II,"etc.) are are included. Sure, there's obviously going to be a few of your personal favorites missing (where in the hell are"Space Harrier"and"Beyond Good& Evil?"), but the list is generally a pretty decent representation of game history.

If you can't make it out to Washington, D.C. to see the gallery in person, the site does mention that the exhibit will be available for traveling shows after its closing.

Source

‘Burnout Crash’Has A Cartoony Look, Giant Lobsters» MTV Multiplayer

Tell me if this sounds like a"Burnout"game to you: driving vehicles through an intersection at high speeds, attempting to ram whoever gets in your way. The more spectacular the crash, the more points you'll rack up. Sounds like"Burnout,"right? Well, what if I added cartoony graphics and giant UFOs? According to an ESRBposting, that's exactly what you're getting with the yet-to-be-officially-announced"Burnout Crash."

"This is an action game in which players earn points for creating traffic pileups. From a top-down perspective, players initiate crashes by driving 'cartoony' vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks, vans, buses) into busy intersections,"the ESRB description reads.

Getting past the cartoony visuals, this is obviously a very different"Burnout"game. Instead of racing along, the camera behind your realistically detailed car,"Crash"is apparently a top-down racing game. Actually, it doesn't even sound like it's a racing game at all. Based on the description, this has all the makings of a downloadable title. I can imagine the game as an arcade-style, score-based game where you're just trying to best your buddy's (via online leaderboard, I assume) high score.

That's not to say that you're only going to be plowing through the same intersection over and over again. The description also describes what may be a couple other modes in"Burnout Crash,"including a police chase scenario and the intervention of some other, more supernatural, foes.

"In some levels, players are instructed to crash into police cars (e.g., 'Crash them before they bust you!'); in other sequences,"the description continues,"oversized airplanes, tornadoes, lobster monsters, and UFOs slide across the screen, destroying any vehicles in their path."

Lobster monsters? Really? I guess it's pretty obvious this is going to be a completely different"Burnout."That's isn't necessarily a bad thing, the franchise has always had its tongue firmly in cheek, and"Burnout Paradise's"Showtime Mode was one of my favorite aspects to the game."Crash"may end up as a fun little destruction-derby arcade title.

Source

PSN Error: Sony’s Outdated Software, Anonymous Responds» MTV Multiplayer

I'm ready for this Sony situation to be over. It's been 16 days since the PlayStation Network went down. As recent as the end oflast week, Sony was telling us that they planned to have the service back up on Tuesday. Well, it's Thursday, and last I checked all of your Sackboys and Helghasts are still offline. I suppose there's no point in rushing it, though. According to Eugene Spafford, an information security professor at Purdue, Sony's unwillingness to slow down may have contributed to this entire mess.

During Spafford'stestimonyyesterday to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on
Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, he implied that Sony had been using outdated software on its servers. Worse, he also states that he believes the company had been warned.

"Presumably, {Sony is} large enough that they could have afforded to spend an appropriate amount on security and privacy protections of their data; I have no information about what protections they had in place, although some news reports indicate that Sony was running software that was badly out of date, and had been warned,"Spafford testified.

This all leads back to the assumption that Sony was unprepared, both in the effectiveness of their security system and their ability to respond to such a breach. While this sounds fairly damning, and many news outlets have covered Spafford's statements today, it's important to note that he is merely citing other sources, not his own personal dealings with the Sony servers.

For what it's worth, the Purdue professor also testified that the"majority of victims were likely young people whose sense of risk, privacy and consequence are not yet fully developed, and thus they may also not fully understand the full ramifications..."This is important, because even though the average age of a gamer is now around 34, your meager brains are still developing. Ouch.

Also, as wereportedyesterday, Sony has attempted to blame activist hacking group Anonymous for the data breach. Sony Computer Entertainment boss Kaz Hirai had penned a letter to the Congressional committee, claiming that the company had discovered a file on a Sony Online Entertainment server with the title"Anonymous."The file supposedly included the web organization's slogan,"We Are Legion."

Anonymous fired back today, viapress release, outright denying the accusation. The group stated that they have never been known to have involvement with credit card data theft and are completely transparent in regards to their operations.

"If a legitimate and honest investigation into the credit card {theft} is conducted, Anonymous will not be found liable,"Anonymous wrote,"While we are a distributed and decentralized group, our 'leadership' does not condone credit card theft."

The saga continues.

Source

‘Mass Effect 3′Release Date Gets Pushed To Q1 2012» MTV Multiplayer

The"Mass Effect"series of games was always planned as a trilogy, telling the story of Commander Sheppard and his battle against the nefarious Reapers. One of the cooler hooks is that the games allow you to carry your character and decisions from one sequel to the next, but if your Commander Sheppard didn't make it out of"Mass Effect 2"alive, the story ends there. For the rest of us (specifically those who know how to save and reload diligently),"Mass Effect 3"will continue his story, hopefully ending with his rescue of the entire universe. That culmination was originally planned for this fall, but a bit more patience will be required as the game has been delayed until the first three months of 2012.

On the"Mass Effect 2"Facebook page, the following statement was posted by Casey Hudson, the executive producer of the"Mass Effect"series:

"'Mass Effect 3' will be released in the first three months of 2012. The development team is laser focused on making sure 'Mass Effect 3' is the biggest, boldest and best game in the series, ensuring that it exceeds everyone’s expectations."

It's a bummer, to be sure, but a part of me is a little glad about the delay. First of all, BioWare, take your time. There's some feeling that"Dragon Age 2"was a little rushed, what with the constantly recycled map assets, and it'd be a shame to see that sort of thing with"Mass Effect 3."The other thing to consider is that this holiday season is already a minefield of really promising games."Skyrim,""Batman: Arkham City,""Gears of War 3"and"Resistance 3,"with plenty more sure to be revealed at E3. I'd much rather see"Mass Effect 3"drop in January, the same time"Mass Effect 2"released, when there's basically nothing else out.

Source

‘APB Reloaded’Open Beta Gives It Another Go On May 18» MTV Multiplayer

Massively-multiplayer game"All Points Bulletin,"or"APB"doesn't have the cleanest history. Shortly after the game was released, developer Realtime Worlds shut its doors, turning off the game's servers in the process. Those who had purchased the game were suddenly up the proverbial creek without a paddle, and were forced to acceptother offersin lieu of a direct refund from EA.

Then, in late 2010, publisher GamersFirstannouncedthat they had acquired the rights to"APB."The company planned to re-release the game in 2011. Well, the open beta for the allegedly new-and-improved"APB Reloaded"has been set.

"With the builds over the last week fixing most critical issues ... plus the items currently in the pipeline that addresses additional items, and the near completion of the US-East datacenter, we are now heading forward with removing all restrictions to joining the game on May 18, 2011,"stated Bjorn Book-Larssen, GamersFirst's COO, on the company's"APB Reloaded"blog.

Plagued with glitches, gameplay that many found redundant, and the obvious dissolving of Realtime Worlds, the original release of"APB"was a bit of a disaster. Its intentions, however, were exciting and advantageous. The brainchild of"Grand Theft Auto"creator David Jones, the game was meant to play out as a persistent online game of"cops& robbers."Players were tasked with joining either a law-abiding or criminal faction, and had the ability to align their highly (and I mean very highly) customizable characters within gangs.

GamersFirst has been reworking the game, turning"APB Reloaded"into a free-to-play title that will take advantage of micro-transactions to pay the bills. While there's few details on how much the game has changed, this open beta will obviously allow you the chance to see for yourself.

Book-Larssen also mentioned that the company will currently allow"most people"into the beta between now and May 18th, assuming you've met a few requirements. First, you'll need tomake an accountwith GamersFirst, then use the email you used for sign-up in the site's frontpage newsletterfield.

Are you currently participating in the beta? Let us know what you think about the game in the comments section below.

Source

‘Assassins Creed’Rumor Rumblings Continue» MTV Multiplayer

Late last week, rumors started circulating that Ubisoft was about to announce a new"Assassin's Creed"game, supposedly titled"Assassin's Creed Revelations."As reported byGiant Bomb, marketing materials for the game suddenly appeared on a Facebook page before disappearing just as quickly. Regardless,NeoGafhad already screen-capped the materials, and rumors about"Revelations"were already out.

Well, now it appears that maybe the marketing just went up a little too early. This"Assassin's Creed"Facebookpage is once again asking users to"Like"the page in order to reveal the next game in the franchise. Obviously, it's pretty obvious the game is"Revelations"now, but hey, I guess we can all play along anyways. Clicking that blue thumb enough times will at least probably reveal some more details beyond a title.

Once you've admitted your admiration for"Assassin's Creed,"there's also a new teaser trailer to watch right there on the Facebook page (or onGameTrailers).

Looking that the teaser closely, you'll notice– OK, you're probably not going to notice much of anything. It shows what appears to be an Animus booting up, followed by an obscured, watery screen displaying flashes of Arabic writing. I can almost make out what appears to be a distorted assassin in the background, but there's no telling if it'sAltair or Ezio (or someone brand new completely).

There's absolutely no details yet on what"Revelations"is about, or in which historic location it will likely be set. If the teaser trailer is actually relevant to the game, though, the Arabic lettering could mean this iteration takes you back to the Middle East. We'll keep an eye on the Facebook page to check out what develops.

Source

UK Retailer Leaks‘Need For Speed: The Run,’Trailer» MTV Multiplayer

UK retailerShopToappears to have leaked a new"Need For Speed"title via Twitter. Well, maybe they just mentioned it a bit too early, but they've since put a trailer for the outed title on their site. Either way, what little is shown of"Need For Speed: The Run"in the trailer looks great. Obviously, I'm taking some liberties in describing the action, but I'll do my best to simply pass on what trailer appears to convey, as I'm assuming EA will have the page taken down fairly quickly. Feel free to check out the trailer yourself at the retailer's site here (if the link actually stays up).

The video starts with a close-up of a man, presumably a protagonist who is later referred to as"Jack", dazed and upside down in his vehicle. He's flashing back to a series of car chases, the police in pursuit, and an attractive brown-haired girl. The chase scenes are interspersed with the names of various American cities: Denver, New York, etc. As an off-screen woman (maybe the girl from the flashback) yells Jack's name, he suddenly snaps out of it. Unfortunately, his vehicle is upside down on a railroad track with a locomotive bearing down on him.

The trailer ends showing the above title, and the phrase,"The Race for Your Life,"and a release date of November 18th, 2011.

At first glance, it looks like this"Need For Speed"game is all about a chase cross-country. Given the inclusion of Jack and the brown-haired girl, it's a safe bet there's actually a storyline running beneath the series' standard race fare.

We'll be sure to contact EA, looking for any information on the title.

Source