Commander Fury

On September 10 20, 2011, you will be able to buy Gears of War 3 for $60. But maybe that’s not enough for you. Maybe you’ll want more Gears in your life than a boring game disc. Maybe you’ll want some Gears paraphernalia. And an artbook written by a smart man. And a statue. And a flag. And maybe you’ll want to be able to play online as hero Marcus Fenix’ dad. All that and more will be available in two special editions of Gears of War 3, announced by Microsoft today: Limited Edition ($79.99 US) – The must-have for fans who want to celebrate the culmination of the trilogy, the Limited Edition includes: • An Octus Award Box with Octus Service Medal – A 1:1 match in size and weight, this zinc-alloy cog-shaped medal replicates the award given to Adam Fenix in recognition of his work on the Hammer of Dawn. [Dimensions: 77 mm (3 in.) x 10 mm (0.4 in.) • Exclusive Unlockable Adam Fenix Multiplayer Character – Each Octus Service Medal replica is engraved with a unique Xbox LIVE code that is the only way to unlock Adam Fenix in multiplayer. • A fabric COG Flag – Proud colors that once flew above the House of Sovereigns. • The personal effects of Adam Fenix, including his “Last Will and Testament,” the initial Hammer of Dawn schematic, and other Fenix family mementos. Epic Edition ($149.99 US) – The ultimate collection for hardcore fans who can’t get enough “Gears of War 3,” the Epic Edition includes: • A Limited Edition Marcus Fenix Statue – Designed by Epic Games Art Director Chris Perna and expertly crafted by the artisans at Triforce, this fine PVC statue collectible makes the ultimate living room centerpiece for any true “Gears” fan. [Dimensions: height 285 mm (11.2 in.), diameter 225 mm (8.9 in. Weight: 1.7 kg (3.7 lb.) • The Art and Design of Gears of War by Tom Bissell – Through unprecedented access to the Epic Games team, acclaimed author Tom Bissell ( Extra Lives ) gives readers an incisive behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the most celebrated sagas in video game history with 96 pages of interviews, photos, concept artwork and more. • Infected Omen Weapon Pack — Custom multiplayer skins for the game’s five starting weapons; Lancer, Retro Lancer, Hammerburst, Sawed-off Shotgun, and Gnasher Shotgun. • All the contents of the “ Gears of War 3 ” Limited Edition. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Now that the PlayStation Network has respawned across various parts of the globe this past weekend, Sony is saying sorry in the form of free PlayStation 3 and PSP games. The PlayStation maker has outlined its “Welcome Back” offering for Europe and North America. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe’s head of communications Nick Caplan writes today that PSN users will get up to four free games for the PS3 and PSP from a select list. PlayStation Network account holders will be able to claim them from the PlayStation Store when that goes live—”just a little while longer,” Caplan writes—provided they have access to the Store in their country. Sony Computer Entertainment America has revealed its version of the PSN make-good plan, which is almost identical to SCEE’s. Here’s whats on offer. Two PlayStation 3 games from the following list: LittleBigPlanet Infamous Wipeout HD/Fury Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty (Europe only) Dead Nation Super Stardust HD (North America/Germany only) And two PSP games from the following list: LittleBigPlanet PSP ModNation Racers PSP Pursuit Force Killzone Liberation That list is a bit different for PSN users in Germany, which swaps Dead Nation and Infamous for the less violent Super Stardust HD and Hustle Kings on the PS3. German PSP owners will get Everybody’s Golf 2 and Buzz Junior Jungle Party instead of Pursuit Force and Killzone Liberation on the PSP. On top of that, PSN account holders can expect 30 days of free PlayStation Plus membership if they’re non-subscribers, 60 days of free subscription for those currently enrolled in the program. In North America, Sony will also offer a selection of to-be-announced “On Us” movie rentals “available to PlayStation Network customers over one weekend, where Video Service is available.” PlayStation Home fans will also receive “100 free virtual items” and an “exclusive game,” Ooblag’s Alien Casino, in North America. More details on additional make-good attempts at the European arm of the PlayStation.blog and its North American equivalent. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Late last year, rumors circulated regarding a Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection remastered in HD and stereoscopic 3D for the PlayStation 3. A box art to the game and a listing on GameStop surfaced, adding credence to the story. Plenty of time past, and the new Mortal Kombat released without even a peep about the “Arcade Kollectionâ€. But now, it’s finally been confirmed by Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Games UK official Twitter account just released the following tweet: Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection takes gamers back to the arcades! Iconic arcade games will be available on XBLA, PSN & PC #mortalkombat Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection will cost $9.99, and will feature online multiplayer and leaderboards. Warner Bros. is shooting for a release sometime this summer. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Square Enix has issued a statement confirming that hackers have launched an attack and gained access to their Eidos Montreal website as well as two other as of yet unnamed product sites. All three affected sites were reportedly taken offline by Square Enix*when the breach in security was uncovered, however not before the hackers made off with at least some personal information. As many as 25,000 e-mail addresses appear to have been stolen by the hackers and up to 350 resumes may also have been accessed. The resumes are those of interested applicants who have applied to*Eidos Montreal with aspirations*of joining the studio. The e-mail addresses are*those supplied when registering to receive product information updates. The statement claims that Square Enix is in the process of writing to each of the affected job*applicants but makes no mention of contacting the possibly 25,000 stolen e-mail addresses nor does it mention how to find out if yours was an affected address (we recommend being vigilant of any suspicious emails that claim to be from Square Enix). The statement also clearly states that eidosmontreal.com does not house any credit card information or code data. Square Enix officially absorbed Eidos Interactive on April 22, 2009 and Eidos Montreal is currently working on the high profile Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Eidosmontreal.com is*already*back online with the claim of increased security. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Even though the game was “accidentally†leaked earlier today by two major video game outlets, the official reveal wasn’t supposed to happen until later in the evening on GameTrailers TV. Which has now happened, and we can confirm that it was indeed Dylan Jobe and Lightbox Interactive’s Starhawk. Starhawk is coming exclusively to the PlayStation 3 and will take place in an area called “The Frontier.†It will include a single player story, unlike Warhawk, which focuses on a war over “Rift Energy†or “Blue Gold†to between the two factions Outcasts and Rift Miners, as well as the usual multiplayer modes. Rift Energy plays a big part in both multi and singleplayer, with gamers rewarded with energy for kills and actions and able to spend it as an in-game currency. Ditching SixAxis for good, Jobe promised a whole new game experience that will be very different to Warhawk, with the first stand out difference being the RTS-like ability to be able to create turrets, structures and even troops. “We wanted to make creating units as easy and visceral as pulling the trigger on a weapon†said Jobe, explaining troop spawning. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

You’ve had your first unofficial look at this year’s Call of Duty, now let’s see what the official unveiling of Modern Warfare 3 looks like in this brief, but now familiar teaser trailer, “America Under Siege.” There’s no gameplay here, just a stylized tease that the war from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 continues in the United States, with a look at a raging battle in the New York City harbor. Locations from Manhattan to Brooklyn are mentioned in the voiceover in this Modern Warfare 3 clip, locations outed by today’s extensive leak of Activision’s big game. Some of the key visuals here match the concept art seen in our spoiler-filled breakdown of Modern Warfare 3′s single-player campaign. Robert Bowling, creative strategist at Modern Warfare developer Infinity Ward, says of the MW3 teaser: “Wasn’t planned, but you’re clearly hyped, so here is the 1st of many Modern Warfare 3 videos coming in hot today!” Earlier today, Bowling commented that “some” of the Modern Warfare 3 information leaked by Kotaku was “still accurate, some not.” Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Note: I was going to post everything that was leaked today about the next Modern Warfare, but not knowing what was true and what wasn’t, I’m instead going to post what Robert Bowling said about the leaked info. If you want to read everything that was leaked just click on the link below. What to make of the Modern Warfare 3 leak? Robert Bowling, creative strategist at Modern Warfare studio Infinity Ward said on Twitter today that ‘some’ of the information in the trove of images, level summaries and audio files, “still accurate,” but suggests that other details have changed, presumably during the course of the game’s development. On his widely-followed Twitter account, the man who has essentially been the chief online spokesman for the Modern Warfare games wrote: “A lot of hype & a lot of leaked info on #MW3, some still accurate, some not. To avoid spoiling the experience, I’d wait for the real reveal.” We’ve received no comment from Activision since publishing many of the details and images we were leaked. Bowling’s comments appear to be the first public reaction from officials involved with the game. He doesn’t note which details have changed. As we said in our initial report, the creators of Modern Warfare 3 have ample time to tweak details about their game prior to its planned November launch. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Back in January, City Interactive told the media that it was working on a sequel to Sniper: Ghost Warrior. The past four months have been pretty busy, we’re guessing, and the company is only now getting around to announcing Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2. The creatively-titled sequel is headed to PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, and is given a good shove in the right direction by the awesome CryEngine 3. Not too many details out about the game just yet, but we’re promised some “graphically stunning†missions, suitably challenging gameplay and, of course, more ghillie suits and bulls-eye precision. We’re hoping that it does at least a little bit better than the original, which wasn’t exactly welcomed with open arms when it launched mid-2011. Expect to hear plenty more about Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 at this year’s E3, where it will make up a key part of City Interactive’s showcase. Thanks to IGN. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Who wants a Modern Warfare killer? Ubisoft does. (And so do most other publishers aside from Atlus, but that’s not the point.) The head of Ubisoft, Yves Guillemot, said today that the company’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, long in development and showed in controlled demos at last year’s E3, won’t be released until the first three months of 2012. The Ubi CEO promised that the game will include top-flight single-player, co-op and competitive multiplayer modes that will “take Ghost Recon to the level of the biggest players out there.” But, he said, the game won’t come out until early 2012 in order to avoid the “crowded Christmas line-up.” Future Soldier has been shown off as a cutting-edge, graphically impressive third-person shooter. It appears to be less tactically-oriented than earlier Ghost Recon games and more of an aggressive shooter, in the vein of third-person Gears of War and first-person Modern Warfare games, presumably the sort of “biggest players out there” the Ubi boss was referring to. Modern Warfare 3, Gears of War 3 and Battlefield 3 are all expected for later this year, crowding Ghost Recon out to 2012. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

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Rockstar’s released the launch trailer for LA Noire ahead of its launch next week. The trailer shows some major action flashpoints in the game. This is definitely looking set to be just brilliant LA Noire releases on Tuesday in the US and next Friday in the UK for PS3 and 360. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

A post over on the Electric Hydra forums (via Destructoid) has what it claims are logos for Modern Warfare 3 and something called Call of Duty: Elite. Kotaku has also posted what looks to be the game’s cover art. Get all the images in the gallery below. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 getting an official reveal could honestly happen any day now, so if the logo posted is indeed the real deal, it’s really not so outrageous. The game is rumored to be called for the time being Call of Duty Project Colossus, at least according to the placeholder posted by Tesco earlier this week, and the game is*supposedly*also getting a full reveal in the next issue of OPM. However, what’s most interesting of all is the Call of Duty: Elite logo posted, which we’re going to assume, if real, is the Beachhead Studios online initiative Activision has been working on for the last couple of years, and briefly chatted about during its call to investors on Monday. Activision’s much-mentioned Call of Duty online system will, according to the firm, include “in-game integration†which will bring together console and PC play “for the first timeâ€. “On our last call, I told you that we had formed a wholly-owned development studio called Beachhead to lead the creation of an all new connected digital universe to the Call of Duty franchise,†said CEO Bobby Kotick on Monday. “This platform will include a suite of services and content plans that will unite and ignite the community like never before. The platform will support in-game integration and bring online experiences and console play together for the first time. “It’s been in development for almost 2 years and we’re very excited about this increased value and excitement we can bring to our community through this platform.†“It is the response to the passion people have for the game, the amount that people want to engage one another in a connected way,†added said games head Eric Hirshberg. “We want to create an experience that was amplifying enough to be able to be monetized.†Hopefully, we’ll hear more about this soon. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

After missing their return deadline of last week, Sony has been rather quiet about the PlayStation Network’s status, simply blaming the hack of Sony Online Entertainment for the delay. Patrick Seybold has now commented on when the Network will return – but still refrained from giving a specific date. Seybold, SCEA’s Sr. Director, Corporate Communications & Social Media, commented on the PS Blog: I know you all want to know exactly when the services will be restored. At this time, I can’t give you an exact date, as it will likely be at least a few more days. We’re terribly sorry for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work through this process. While there is still no concrete time, “a few more days†is preferable to a few more weeks, but with Sony having delayed the return before, several more weeks is not out of the question. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

EA has confirmed to VG247 that it’ll launch the first map pack for Crysis 2, known as Retaliation, on May 17. The news follows a report which mentioned details of the DLC, but with no official word on the EA, Crysis or Crytek websites. The publisher’s since confirmed with us it’ll feature four maps: Park Avenue, Transit, Shipyard, and Compound. Trailer is below. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Activision confirmed in its Q1 2011 financial call that it would deliver a new James Bond title later this year. Referring to a number of licensed IPs it has in its release slate for 2011, Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg name-dropped a new 007 game, but didn’t go into specifics. “For the balance of the year, we plan to launch games based on the best-selling X-Men and Spider-Man franchises, James Bond and the toy phenomenon Bakugan as well as the latest release in the long-standing Cabela’s Hunting franchise, which we’re expanding this year to include new peripherals and an incredible Kinect experience,†he said. Raven Software is likely to be behind this one. Activision released two Bond titles last year on the same day in the UK: a reboot of FPS Goldeneye 007 for Wii from Eurocom and third-person actioner Blood Stone from Bizarre Creations for PS3, 360 and PC, the latter of which would turn out to be the last title Bizarre would ever create. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

While still unannounced, sources who have seen the game in action tell Kotaku that the next Call of Duty will be a Modern Warfare 3 that pushes the bar on what people have come to expect from the series. And it hits this fall. The yet-to-be announced sequel is under development by Infinity Ward, though a swath of those developers left the company in a civil-litigation uprising last year. The team is being assisted by newly minted Activision studio Sledgehammer Games, we’re told. We’ve also heard that Raven Software may be involved. The Call of Duty series has long alternated between two sets of stories and timelines. The games made by Treyarch have typically been set during the events of World War II, though last year’s Call of Duty: Black Ops moved the setting to the Cold War of the 1960s. Starting with 2007′s Modern Warfare, Infinity Ward’s Call of Duties all took place in a modern day setting. In the original Modern Warfare, a civil war breaks out in the Russia of 2011. The story continues in Modern Warfare 2, which has a terrorist attack in Russia erroneously linked to the United States. That leads Russian forces to invade the U.S. Some of the missions even feature rolling ground combat in the Washington, D.C. suburbs of Virginia and in the capital itself. Key to the near ending of Modern Warfare 2, was the detonation of a nuclear missile in the upper atmosphere above the Mid-Atlantic, something that creates an electromagnetic pulse that destroyed all electronic equipment on both sides of the raging war in D.C. Such an event would cripple the area in the short term, essentially removing the ability to use most technology in the region as the country tries to rebuild or bring in support from other parts of the country. It also seems that it could make the story a hard one to follow in a modern day shooter. But our sources tell us Modern Warfare 3 will continue along that storyline, delivering a “world in crisis” feel to the aftermath of the U.S. invasion. However, it looks like it won’t be another take on Red Dawn, a post-U.S. invasion storyline already explored by Homefront. While it’s unclear where specifically the game will be set, Modern Warfare 3 will have a urban setting, much like the U.S. missions in Modern Warfare 2, with military vehicles, including tanks, rolling through suburban streets. The story may also include prominent characters from Modern Warfare 2, like Captain John “Soap” MacTavish and Captain John Price. Modern Warfare 2 ended with Price, Soap and a Russian informant codenamed Nikolai on the run as international fugitives following their killing of Lieutenant General Shepherd. The biggest shift for the game appears to be in its breadth. We’re told that Modern Warfare 3 will take place on a much larger, epic scale. It appears the game will explore the lead up to a blossoming set of engagements that could pull in other countries, creating a potential World War III scenario. The game will also feature large, urban destructible environments. The focus on larger maps and destructible environments brings to mind competitor Electronic Arts’ Battlefield series which made a name for itself with those two keystones. Battlefield 3 is also set for a 2011 fall release, meaning the two games could in theory be vying directly with one another for gamers’ attention. Battlefield 3, as shown by EA in previous events this year, will take place in a modern setting and feature large maps and destructible environments. We expect to hear more about the Call of Duty series and Modern Warfare 3 this summer during the annual E3 trade show. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Microsoft’s announced that its bought VOIP chat service Skype for $8.5 billion. The press release just released by MS says that the program will support Xbox and Kinect, as well as “connect†Skype users on Xbox Live. “Skype is a phenomenal service that is loved by millions of people around the world,†said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “Together we will create the future of real-time communications so people can easily stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues anywhere in the world.†Microsoft says that it’ll continue to “invest in and support†Skype, which will fall in at the company under a new division known as the Microsoft Skype Division, on “non-Microsoft platforms.†The service was introduced for PSP back in 2008. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Square Enix just announced and released the first teaser trailer for Hitman Absolution. Watch it below. The clip is literally a tease, showing Agent 47 applying a suppressor as well as a snake wrapped around a gun. The latest chapter in the Hitman series has been teased since last year, with IO saying last week that it had “incoming shrapnel,†for this week. This was it, obviously. According to Square, Agent 47 will be taking on his “most dangerous contract to date.†Betrayed by those he once trusted, he is sought by the police, and has been thrust into the center of a conspiracy where me must embark on a “personal journey through a corrupt and twisted world.†“For the first time we are taking Agent 47 on a personal journey which allows us to explore other parts of the Hitman fantasy,†said Tore Blystad, game director at IO Interactive. “This is both a familiar and yet significantly different experience from other Hitman games; something our silent assassins will relish, as will all those new to the Hitman world.†Hitman Absolution was built using IO’s new proprietary Glacier 2 technology, and is scheduled for release in 2012 for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. Square will be showing the title at E3 next month, via an invitation only screening. Check out the teaser site here. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

PSN Hacked: The Anatomy Of The PSN Outage MARCH 2010: SONY REMOVES THE ABILITY TO INSTALL THIRD PARTY OPERATING SYSTEMS (SUCH AS LINUX) ON THE PS3. WHILE MOST PLAYERS DON’T CARE (OR EVEN NOTICE). ANOTHER SEGMENT BECOMES EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED. JANUARY 2ND 2011: HACKER GEORGE HOTZ, A.K.A. GEOHOT, SUCCESSFULLY JAILBREAKS THE PS3….SO THAT IT COULD DO A NUMBER OF THINGS IT SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO DO. HOTZ THEN PUBLISHED THE PROCESS ON HIS WEBSITE, AND HIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL. JANUARY 11TH 2011: SONY SUES HOTZ FOR DISTRIBUTING JAILBREAK SOFTWARE TO THE PUBLIC. CLAIMING THAT HOTZ IS HELPING PROMOTE PIRACY…BY ALLOWING ILLEGAL COPIES OF PS3 GAMES TO BE PLAYED ON JAILBROKEN SYSTEMS. APRIL 2ND 2011: A GROUP OF HACKERS KNOWN AS “ANONYMOUS“, BEGINS “OPERATION:SONY“….AN ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT SONY WEBSITES. THE DEMAND IS…LEAVE HOTZ ALONE. APRIL 11TH 2011: SONY SETTLES WITH HOTZ. DETAILS ARE SCARCE, BUT HOTZ AGREES TO TAKE DOWN HIS WEBSITE, AND INFO ON HOW TO JAILBREAK THE PS3. APRIL 13TH 2011: IN A CREEPY VIDEO MESSAGE, “ANONYMOUS” CALLS FOR A DAY OF SONY PROTEST…AND WARNS OF AN INCOMING ATTACK. APRIL 16TH & 17TH 2011: HACKERS DIGITALLY BREAK INTO THE PLAYSTATION NETWORK & SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT. THEY STEAL PERSONAL PSN & SOE USER INFORMATION. ALONG WITH EUROPEAN SOE CREDIT & DEBIT CARD NUMBERS. APRIL 19TH 2011: SONY DETECTS A PSN BREACH. AN INVESTIGATION STARTS, BUT THE PUBLIC ISN’T TOLD. APRIL 20TH 2011: SONY SHUTS DOWN THE PSN, CITING TECHNICAL ISSUES. APRIL 22ND 2011: AS PUBLIC UNREST BEGINS TO MOUNT ABOUT THE PSN BEING DOWN…”ANONYMOUS” RELEASES A STATEMENT DENYING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PSN OUTAGE. APRIL 26TH 2011: SONY ADMITS THAT THE PSN HAS BEEN HACKED, AND CALLS FOR FBI ASSISTANCE. MAY 1ST 2011: SONY EXECUTIVES APOLOGIZE FOR THE PSN DATA BREACH AND OUTAGE. IN THE MEANTIME, SONY & INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER A SOE DATA BREACH, AND SHUT DOWN THE SOE SERVERS AS WELL. MAY 2ND, 2011: SONY REVEALS DETAILS ABOUT THE SOE DATA BREACH TO THE PUBLIC. MAY 4TH, 2011: SONY CHAIRMAN KAZ HIRAI TELLS CONGRESS INVESTIGATORS FOUND A FILE WITHIN THE PSN THAT WAS NAMED ‘ANONYMOUS‘, WHICH HAD THE GROUP’S MOTTO…”WE ARE LEGION”, ATTACHED. ALTHOUGH SONY DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY ACCUSE ‘ANONYMOUS‘ OF THE INTRUSION…THE COMPANY CLAIMS THE PSN WAS MADE MORE VULNERABLE BY THE GROUP’S EARLIER ATTACK, POSSIBLY KEEPING SONY’S I.T. SECURITY BUSY…WHILE OTHER HACKERS SNUCK IN, AND STOLE DATA. MAY 5TH, 2011: ‘ANONYMOUS‘ DENIES THAT IT HAD ANY PART IN THE CREDIT CARD THEFT. THE GROUP SAYS THAT IT IS ONLY AFTER LARGE & CORRUPT CORPORATIONS & GOVERNMENTS. ON THE SAME DAY… SONY RELEASES A STATEMENT SAYING IT IS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF TESTING IT’S NEW NETWORK, AND THAT THE PSN WILL BE RETURNING IN THE COMING DAYS. MAY 10TH 2011: THE PLAYSTATION NETWORK & SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT ARE STILL DOWN AS OF 2 AM, EASTERN STANDARD TIME. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Bethesda’s put out what promises to be the final Brink trailer before the Splash Damage shooter releases in the US tomorrow. Europeans will get the game on Friday. The near-future team-based game has been delayed by a year, but there’s no doubting a debut on PC, PS3 and 360 this week. Check out Johnny’s just-published chat with studio head Paul Wedgwood here. The video’s below. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

It appears that Anonymous have trouble in their ranks – not that they had ranks to begin with, in fact that’s the problem. The following has been posted on a hacking site: ‘We regret to inform you today that our network has been compromised by a former IRC-operator and fellow helper named “Ryanâ€. He decided that he didn’t like the leaderless command structure that AnonOps Network Admins use. So he organised a coup d’etat, with his “friends†at skidsr.us . Using the networks service bot “Zalgo†he scavenged the IP’s and passwords of all the network servers (including the hub) and then systematically aimed denial of service attacks at them.’ Sony was targeted by a DOS attack and now Anonymous’ own members have used the same tools to bring down their IRC network. ‘We are profoundly sorry for this drama, and we can’t give you a an estimate on when service will resume normally,’ said Sony Anonymous. The Law Of Karma:`For every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first, and this second event will be pleasant or unpleasant according as its cause was skillful or unskillful.’ A skillful event is one that is not accompanied by craving, resistance or delusions; an unskillful event is one that is accompanied by any one of those things.’ Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

Are you tired of waiting on Sony to turn on PSN? I’m sure you are. We are too, but before your patience wear thin, allow me to comfort you with these words, when PSN returns, you’ll be pleasantly surprised and thoroughly pleased with the new, revamped PlayStation Network. Just recently, Sony announced for European gamers that they’ll get a chance to download four games for free as part of the “welcome back†program the company’s planned to deliver to every PSN member. But that’s not all. As Sony’s rebuilding the network, work being done doesn’t only entail security enhancements. Sony’s about to surprise us with features gamers have longed begged for, and while some won’t go live right away, expect things like cross-game chat and video chat to be part of the new PSN. “As we are rebuilding the network, we are taking into consideration implementing features such as cross-game-chat and in-game video chat to name a few. I cannot confirm any new features at this time but expect a massive update when the network is restored,†said a Sony representative recently. We should also expect to see a revamp of the XMB, and other related changes. Once the service comes back online, you should expect the following features to be available: • Restoration of Online game-play across the PlayStation®3 (PS3) and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) systems • This includes titles requiring online verification and downloaded games • Access to Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity for PS3/PSP for existing subscribers • Access to account management and password reset • Access to download un-expired Movie Rentals on PS3, PSP and MediaGo • PlayStation®Home • Friends List • Chat Functionality In the coming days: Expect PSN by early next week: “In the coming days, we will restore service to the networks and welcome you back to the fun. I wanted to personally reach out and let you know that we are committed to serving you to the very best of our ability, protecting your information better than ever, and getting you back to what you signed up for – all the games and great entertainment experiences that you expect from Sony,†said Sir Howard Stringer in a letter of apology to PSN users. The “new†PSN as Sony calls it, will definitely be more robust than what we’ve come used to, so bare patience just a little longer, because you’ll be pleased. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

The biggest gaming franchise this generation, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 1 and 2 have sold countless millions, and are primarily responsible for Black Ops becoming the biggest entertainment launch in history. Two years after the release of MW2, Activision are finally ready to announce the third instalment in the smash-hit series, after blatantly teasing it in OPM. In the Official PlayStation Magazine, the publication has hinted at the cover feature with a huge “3 More...

Battlefield 2 Modern Combat, on Playstation 2 and Xbox 360 had clan support. This enabled someone to create a clan and then invite other players to join there clan. From there, the clan would go to the clan match lobby, find a lobby to play against someone else and then enter the lobby and play a match. They even had the option to create their own lobby on the map that they wanted, and then people would join. After the clan had won the match, it was automatically logged into the EA clan support system was a Win and when more and more wins were accumilated, clans’ rank would rise towards the top of the list. Of course, with more losses, you moved towards the bottom. Screenshot of BF2MC clan support on Xbox 360. Many users in Battlefield Bad Company, that were veterans of BF2:MC were dissapointed to not see a clan support system in the game. The game didn’t have private lobbies to even have clan battles through GameBattles, MLG or Urgent Fury. This was a huge dissapointment for gamers who wanted to have competitive play. Battlefield 1943 came around, and this too did not have clan support. For its advantage, it did have private lobbies that were able to be created to which you could invite other clans into the game to have a clan match. Clans would set up matches through Gamebattles and get invited by the host and when the match was full, the game could begin, and thus the clan match had begun. When the game was finally over, the results had to be reported. There was always problems with this method, because many clans would lie about the scores and say that they had won, and it would result in false results. After this had happened too often, people needed to start providing proof of their victory or loss. Battlefield Bad Company 2 did not have clan support like Battlefield 2 Modern Combat, but it had a similar system like Battlefield 1943. There are clan matches played on both PS3 and Xbox 360 currently, running through Gamebattles and other clan sites. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...

If you we’re expecting to go online with your PlayStation 3 or PSP this weekend, you might want to make other plans. In the latest update from Sony Computer Entertainment on the status of its currently offline PlayStation Network, it sounds like we’re in for a longer wait than we (or Sony) expected. Sony said on Sunday that it planned to bring some of its PlayStation Network and Qriocity systems back online by end of week. But a new message from SCEA’s senior director of corporate communications Patrick Seybold provides little hope that will happen. “We’re still working to confirm the security of the network infrastructure, as well as working with a variety of outside entities to confirm with them of the security of the system,” Seybold wrote this evening on the company’s blog. “Verifying the system security is vital for the process of restoration. Additional comprehensive system checks and testing are still required, and we must complete that process before bringing the systems online.” On Thursday, Sony said it was beginning “the final stages of internal testing of the new system.” The company’s CEO, Sir Howard Stringer, apologized to customers in an open letter at the time. Sony stressed in the past that it wouldn’t bring its PlayStation Network services back online unless it was confident in the strength and security of its system. Based on the following statement, it sounds like Sony may not have been aware of the scope or severity of its problems when it made promises to bring PSN back online in the time frame provided. “When we held the press conference in Japan last week, based on what we knew, we expected to have the services online within a week,” Seybold wrote. “We were unaware of the extent of the attack on Sony Online Entertainment servers, and we are taking this opportunity to conduct further testing of the incredibly complex system. We know many of you are wanting to play games online, chat with your friends and enjoy all of the services PlayStation Network and Qriocity services have to offer, and trust me when I say we’re doing everything we can to make it happen.” So, exercise more patience, PlayStation owners. It sounds like we’re going to be waiting even longer to see each other back online anytime soon. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) Urgent Fury Command: More...