Commander Fury

Story by Mike Fahey @ Kotaku.com When it comes to blowing the roof off a video game genre, one couldn’t aim for a more low-hanging, flimsily constructed covering than that of the massively multiplayer online first-person shooter market. The concept is certainly a compelling one. Thousands of players battling in a never-ending struggle for control over vast amounts of territory, constantly plotting and planning new strategies to rob the opposing faction of just an inch of virtual real estate. It’s the sort of idea that made shooter fans drool uncontrollably back in 2003, when Sony Online Entertainment first introduced the original Planetside. Yet the genre failed to pick up steam, and today accounts for only a miniscule sliver of the total online gaming market. Is there any hope left for the genre? With a powerful new game engine, a strong foundation in the genre, and the lessons learned over eight years of high-quality first-person shooter releases, Planetside 2 creative director Matt Higby thinks the sequel to one of the original MMOFPS games “has a chance to be a juggernaut in the online market.” “We’re going to blow the roof off the MMOFPS market,” Higby told me during a roundtable interview yesterday regarding the newly announced sequel. Again it didn’t seem like a very difficult task. Even a modest modicum of success would be enough to shoot that particular ceiling into the stratosphere. The real question is why hasn’t the genre taken hold over the past eight years? “From a technical standpoint,” Higby explained, “Creating an MMORPG is way easier than creating an MMOFPS.” While a traditional massively multiplayer online role-playing game development team does have a ton of content to create, developing the initial game engine is relatively simple these days. Lag isn’t as much of a problem. Response time? Who cares, as long as something happens shortly after the mouse is clicked? An MMOFPS, on the other hand, requires creating a game engine in which thousands of players can enter a battle and still have the control and precision they would have if there were only one player and some bots. “Just getting the technology to work is a huge challenge,” Higby said. “Not many people can do it.” But Sony Online Entertainment can, thanks to its next-generation Forgelight MMO engine, a game engine designed to bring the best features of single-player gaming into the online multiplayer realm. Coupled with the power of NVIDIA PhysX, it sounds like Planetside 2 has a firm technical foundation to build upon. And of course it’s also got eight years of the original game to work from. Planetside 2‘s plot and gameplay are firmly rooted in the original game. The Terran Republic, New Conglomerate, and The Vanu Sovereignty still battle over Auraxis, with multiple battles being waged across the surface of the planet at any given time. With the same stage and players as before, original Planetside players should feel right at home, at least thematically. “It’s going to feel very similar to Planetside,” Higby says, “But we’re bringing the game up to a more modern level.” To that end the Planetside 2 team has applied lessons learned both from the original game and today’s popular online first-person shooters to the development of this new title. Players will be able to deploy to the front much faster, getting them into the action quickly rather than having them stand around waiting for the shuttle to arrive. In many instances players will be able to spawn directly on top of their squad mates, a convenience many of today’s popular FPS titles employ. Taking another cue from games like the Battlefield series, player classes in the game will be much more sharply defined this time around. Players can advance as Medics, Engineers, Heavy Assault, and more, switching between roles on the fly or focusing completely on one specific skillset, making a name for themselves at the top of their class. Indeed, customization is key in Planetside 2. Just about everywhere the player turns there’ll be skill-enhancing certification trees. Vehicles have them. Weapons have them. Want to become one of the game’s top pilots? It can be done. Hell, it can be done offline, thanks to an offline time-based skill development mechanic borrowed from CCP’s space MMO EVE Online, meant to ensure that players with busy lives can still progress alongside their less busy friends. “It’s all about letting players create a soldier that fits their play style,” said Higby. The certification tree concept even expands out to the Outfit (guild) level. An entire Outfit can specialize in one specific direction, say air support, to the point where when you see that specific group’s vehicles coming over the horizon you can almost hear “Ride of the Valkyries” playing in the background. In order to make their mark on the world of Auraxis, players are going to need resources. Resources act as a sort of currency in Planetside 2. Conquering and holding a territory grants resources. Participating in battles generates them as well. Those resources can then be used to advance skill certifications, enhance weapons and armor. This resource-based economy is what fuels the constant struggle between the three rival factions, and this time around the fighting covers more than just strategically placed facilities. “Every square inch of the game’s terrain is contestable, valuable real estate,” Higby said. The new world of Auraxis consists of completely handcrafted maps waiting for the right group to move in and set up shop. “It’s truly unrivaled how large the environment is in Planetside 2.” And in case the struggle for resources isn’t enough motivation, the game also features a robust mission system featuring both computer generated and player-created tasks. Using this new system, veteran players will be able to issue custom-built missions to their underlings, giving them the ability to easily coordinate large groups. And coordination will be a necessity, as Higby told me that the goal is for thousands of players to come together and fight in massive battles lasting for hours, days, and maybe more. Hundreds and hundreds of players flocking to their faction’s side in order to carve out their slice of the resource pie. That’s really what Planetside was all about in the first place. That’s what drew players to the debut MMOFPS debut back in 2003. That highly compelling concept hasn’t changed. What has changed is the knowledge and technology Sony Online Entertainment has to bring to the massively multiplayer table. Armed with this power and experience, I’ve got a feeling there’s a roof out there that’ll will soon no longer be a going concern. Planetside 2 is currently in development for Windows PC. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Shui Ta @ Examiner.com Insomniac Games recently provided several new details on their community forum regarding the party leader and private match systems in the multiplayer portion of Resistance 3. When a fan asked about the options available for a party leader (the abilities to kick, invite, etc), Tim Salvitti responded with the following explanation: Here is how it works: A game host sets up a private match (with whatever options they want).* The game host can invite/kick people out of the game. There are also party leaders.* If you are a party leader you can invite/kick people out of your party (which in turn kicks them out of whatever game you are playing).* The party leader can choose what superset or private game the party joins. </p> James Stevenson also chimed in to say that, like Resistance: Fall of Man and Resistance 2, private matches in Resistance 3 will be unranked: private games are unranked Resistance 3 will be released for the Playstation 3 in North America on September 6th. A multiplayer beta is scheduled in August. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Johnny Cullen @ VG247.com Bethesda’s lifted the wraps of Arkane’s first game under the publisher: a brand new IP called Dishonored. The publisher’s confirmed it for a 2012 launch on PS3, 360 and PC. The game, which is seen as a first-person stealth action-adventure game, is on the front cover of Game Informer’s next issue, and is all about “assassination where you don’t have to kill anyone,†according to the mag among other things. Morality and player choices will play a big part. Dishonored’s development is being led by Arkane co-founder Raf Colantonio and co-creative director – and co-creator of the Deus Ex series – Harvey Smith. Viktor Antonov, who designed City 17 in Half-Life 2, is also involved with the game. No release date or platforms as yet. The unveil comes nearly a week after it was discovered that Bethesda registered the trademark Dishonored. Arkane was bought by Bethesda in 2010, and was formally announced at QuakeCon the same year. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Johnny Cullen @ VG247.com Ubisoft’s released a 7 minute video of Call of Juarez: The Cartel, all of it featuring gameplay, with scenes set in alleys, nightclubs, highways and more within the clip. You can watch it below the break. Game’s out on July 22 for PS3 360 and PC. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Nikole Zivalich @ G4TV.com EA and Criterion Games have announced Burnout: Crash. The next installment in the Burnout series will be released on Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) and the PlayStation Network (PSN) later this fall. Crash! is taking the series back to its roots with the return of Crash-mode. New to Burnout will be the top-down style gameplay. Burnout Crash! will reward gamers for creating chaos. The press release for Burnout Crash! asked readers a question then posed a simple answer, “Traffic got you down? Blow it up!” As a resident of Los Angeles I appreciate that. Burnout Crash sounds like the racing game for me. Burnout Crash! will be a “crazy mix of pinball and game shows.” There will be three game modes, 18 crash junctions and six unique locations. It will also have Kinect compatible features which allows two teams to use motion controls to play on one television for a “party battle!” It will be the first EA title for XBLA to have Kinect features. Does Burnout CRASH sound like the game for you? How can a game with party battles not be for you? Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Battlefield3Blog.com Over the past few weeks, a ton of new details have emerged on the squad system in Battlefield 3. On first glance, it appears to share a lot of similarities with Bad Company 2 squads, but there are a number of key changes, including the way members spawn in a squad. Here is the full list of the confirmed and unconfirmed details regarding Battlefield 3 squads. Confirmed BF3 squad details Squads are limited to 4 members Squad leader can spawn on any member, while members can only spawn on squad leader The creator of the squad is the squad leader, and will be indicated by a star. On 64 player maps, a 32 player team will have 8 squads (8 x 4 = 32) Players will receive squad bonus points for helping the squad, much like in Bad Company 2. Players will receive bonus points for killing the opponent squad leader Unconfirmed / rumored BF3 squad details The best/most active member will get promoted to squad leader. Squads won’t be lockable (unlike in Bad Company 2) Squad tools (squad leaders get to lock the squad, invite members, kick members, etc.) Overall, the squad mechanics in BF3 appear to be refined and developed from the ones found in Bad Company 2, which overall worked pretty well. The new spawning structure will limit the amount of spawns and will give the squad leader a greater role to play. DICE still hasn’t announced all the details regarding squads and multiplayer, but we’d love to see some form of squad management, especially since teams in BF3 will support 32 players and up to 8 squads. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Jim Reilly @ IGN.com Resistance 3 requires input code to access online features. Yesterday, German website Konsolentreff published early photos of the Resistance 3 PS3 bundle box showing a new logo that says “PSN Pass.” The message read: “Network features only available in countries that have PlayStation Store.” However, no other details were provided. SCEA responded to requests for comment this morning to clarify, saying this program requires customers to input a one-time use code to access a game’s online capabilities, similar to EA’s Online Pass introduced last year. “We are always evaluating new programs for our online offering, and starting with Resistance 3 this September, we will be instituting a network pass program for PS3 games with online capabilities,” the spokesperson said. “This program will be game-specific. Games that are a part of this program will include a single-use registration code that grants the account holder redeeming the code full online access for that title. “This is an important initiative as it allows us to accelerate our commitment to enhancing premium online services across our first party game portfolio.” If you don’t have a code to input, say if you purchase the game used, you’ll have to buy one through the Store. It’s unclear how much one of these PSN Pass codes will cost, however. Sony said it will announce additional details at a later date. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

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Today we're announcing the availability of SOCOM Mobile HQ. This free Android Application helps you stay connected to the world of SOCOM even when you’re away from your PS3. Put your career, friends and clan in your pocket and experience the new SOCOM Challenge System available exclusively for SOCOM Mobile HQ users. Each challenge is tailored to your unique player experience, with tasks ranging from being the master tactician by getting the job done in all online modes, building your kill-to-death ratio (KDR) or always being the guy with the assists. SOCOM Mobile HQ keeps you connected and field ready: * Prove your tactical discipline and combat skills by accepting our challenges, gaining experience and badges that represent your cunning and perseverance * Plan and track your advancement by studying challenge history and leaderboards. Watch your experience climb as successive rounds push you further * Review your career profile to see vital SOCOM 4 stats and rank advancement potential. Compare your progress to those around you * Stay in contact with SOCOM 4 news and events by accessing the official Blog * Use our convenient clan and friends features to check stats and whereabouts of your friends in the PlayStation Network * Share your experience and progress via Facebook through our social networking feature The application is now available in the Android Marketplace. More...

Story by Adam Rosenberg @ G4TV.com Someone had the brilliant idea of combining Call of Duty with Star Wars, the result of which is a newly released mod for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. You can check out the full release trailer below, but the footage doesn’t really start until roughly a minute in. It’s fitting that I get to close out my first day on the morning news beat for TheFeed with a post that combines two subjects that are very near and dear to my heart. On the one hand we’ve got Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the game that finally convinced me to put on a headset and shoot at people online. Then there’s Star Wars, which I could easily wax joyfully about for thousands of words. Let’s just leave it at this: I own actual Wampa fur. The mod is the work of the German blackMonkeys.de team, and it can be downloaded for free right here. It’s clear even in the brief look you get from this trailer that lots of time and love went into making this mod a reality. There are seven maps in all: Mos Eisley, Bespin, Bestine, “Not A Cave,” Jundland, Jundland Dusk and Anchorhead.*You’ll only be able to enjoy the mod if you’ve got a PC version of the game though, so console players will sadly just have to hope for another Star Wars: Battlefront game. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Adam Rosenberg @ G4TV.com The first of a series of “Battleblogs” has been posted on Electronic Arts’ Battlefield 3 website, with lead multiplayer designer Lars Gustavsson offering a few details on the October 25 release’s multiplayer. The underlying idea behind all of the team’s efforts is pretty simple: “We’re not telling you how to play the game,” Gustavsson writes. “You choose.” In the case of Battlefield 3‘s multiplayer, choice involves giving people a wider range of options to choose from when they want to shoot virtual people online. One example is the return of Team Deathmatch, a game type which has been absent from the series since Battlefield 1942. Players will also be able to opt for infantry-only matches, which cut vehicles out of the battlefield. The expected Conquest and Rush modes will be back as well, but that too ties in with the idea of giving players more flexibility. Gustavsson is careful to note that there’s more to come beyond confirmation of TDM and infantry-only matches. Additional Battlefield 3 multiplayer details are promised soon, with more multiplayer modes and “new features that change how you can play the game” still to be revealed. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Stephen Johnson @ G4TV.com Tolkien fiends have had an uneven road when it comes to video games. In a sense, every “high fantasy” RPG is based on Lord of the Rings to a greater or lesser extent, but games directly based on Tolkien have not always been outstanding, and there isn’t really one title that captures the unique majesty of JRR’s books. But I predict that this is about to change when Lord of the Rings: The War in the North is released. According to Warner Brothers, it will be coming this fall to a PC, PS3 or 360 near you. Along with the release window, we’ve got details on LOTR:WITN‘s special edition, and some retailer-specific incentives, too. There’s a sweet picture of the special edition’s quiver case as well. Physical content of the War in the North special edition: Ranger of the North Quiver Case War in the North art book featuring concept art of key characters in the game, various enemies and beautiful environments in Middle-earth Inside Look: The Music of War in the North—content includes: interviews and footage of legendary composer Inon Zur at Abbey Road Studios and the E3 2011 Concert event, along with three tracks from the game soundtrack Digital content: Ranger of the North Avatar for Xbox Live (Xbox 360 sku) – includes the Ranger armor set, helmet, quiver and bow War in the North Theme Pack (PS3 sku) – includes War in the North wallpaper, fonts, icons and much more! The Lord of the Rings: War in the North video game All of that can be yours for $129.99. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Jonathan Leack @ PlaystationLifestyle.net 2011 has already been chock-full of great games (LittleBigPlanet 2, inFamous 2, etc.) , and awesome surprises (Vita for $249.99 anyone?), and the best part is that we’re only halfway through. Electronic Arts has a huge roster, as usual, and according to one of their staff, some great announcements will be revealed in the short-term. In anticipation of some exciting news this week, Wendy Spander, Senior Events and Media Manager at EA, posted a Tweet sharing her excitement about the EA Summer Showcase. Looking forward to the 3 day weekend – then back to work preparing for the big EA Summer Showcase on Thursday. Big announcements ahead! The EA Summer Showcase is a small, yearly event that allows the company to show off their games to media. We already know that Battlefield 3 will be one of the hot ticket items there, but what might the big announcement be? Many anticipate that one of the major announcements will be Respawn Entertainment’s first game, and it’s likely that some news regarding already existing titles will be at the forefront of the event. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Brenna Hillier @ VG247.com Now in its second week, the Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception multiplayer beta has been updated with two new gameplay modes. As of an unspecified time on Tuesday in the US, the beta will be thrown open to the public, Naughty Dog reminds us on its blog, which means you no longer need a PS Plus subscription or entry code to try it out. Head into the PS Store and await it with glee. The client has been updated, too. New in 1.00.647 are two of the more unique game modes, Team Objective and Co-op Hunters. No word on fixes for the buggy invite system though! If only. Naughty Dog has also added new content to Uncharted TV, the neat video roll you can browse through while waiting for matchmaking – although with more players, those wait times will hopefully go down. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception releases exclusively for PlayStation 3 in early November. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Jordan Mallory @ Joystiq.com Hold on to your butts, Internet, because this party is going to get a whole lot worse before it gets any better. According to Game Informer, a Senate Bill has been introduced which, if passed, would make streaming unauthorized copyrighted material a felony, resulting in up to 5-years of jail time. Bill S.978 states that “10 or more public performances by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of 1 or more copyrighted works” will result in “not more than 5 years” of imprisonment, so long as the performance in question is valued at at-least $2,500 USD, or if the value of a license to legally “perform” the content is valued at $5,000 or more. These are, in essence, the same criteria that allow for DMCA take-down notices to be issued by copyright holders, however jail time and felony status are not currently associated with this particular flavor of copyright infringement. Should this bill jump through all the right hoops, its broadly worded contents could potentially cover everything from homemade gameplay clips (commonly referred to “Let’s Play” videos), to fan-made music videos, webcam cover songs, and anything else that involves copyrighted music or video. S.978 could also potentially cover cell-phone videos of concerts and press events, making 13-year-old Beliebers and jaded gaming journalists alike equally in danger of losing their right to vote. If accepted into law, these addenda will be attached to existing copyright laws and will not only apply to YouTube users, but to the sites that embed YouTube content as well. Internet activism group Demand Progress has set up a web-form for those who disagree with the legislation and wish to communicate their displeasure to their local representatives. We would be concerned about the bill’s implications as well, but fear not dear reader: the legislation doesn’t cover puppet shows as far as we can tell, so Joystiq Playhouse’s shadow-kabuki production of Battle Arena Toshinden should still be on track. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Johnny Cullen @ VG247.com PlayStation 4 will have motion controls on par with Kinect, according to a heavy DigiTimes rumor. The report claims that production on the machine will begin at the end of the year for a 2012 launch from Foxconn and Pegatron Technology. It also cites a shipment number of 20 million units for the launch. It follows several reports in the last couple of weeks of a E3 2012 unveil for the next Xbox, with Nintendo also prepping Wii U for a release next year. Kotaku had previously reported a 2014 launch at the latest for both the new Sony and MS machines, or 2013 at the earliest if shoved. Recently, however, SCEA boss Jack Tretton seemed to dismiss any talk of a next-gen PlayStation arriving soon. “What we’ve seen from the competition is trying to add features that already exist in PlayStation 3. … I wouldn’t look for any discussion of a next generation PlayStation for quite some time,†he said. Here’s the salt. There’s plenty of it. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Richard Mitchell @ Joystiq.com Some Mortal Kombat fans are willing to accept that Kenshi – available July 5 – is just another dude with a weapon and magical powers. Others, however, demand narrative justification for his participation in the tournament that will decide Earthrealm’s fate. For that latter group, here’s a trailer. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Delriach @ thesixthaxis.com NetherRealm Studios has released a new trailer for MK9 showing off the Klassic skins for Noob Saibot and Smoke. The DLC, which is free, will be released on July 5th for both consoles. All you need to do is either download the latest MK compatibility pack or purchase Kenshi. Check out the trailer below. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Cameron Teague @ PlaystationLifestyle.net Japanese website V-Jump recently played host to the debut trailer for the recently announced Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generation. In the trailer, we get a look at a young Naruto fighting it out with an older Naruto, as well as a few other fight scenes between other characters in the Naruto universe. While the clip is only 46 seconds long and is not the best quality, you can still figure out exactly what to expect from this game if you haven’t played any previous Naruto games. Lots of fast paced fighting with tons of interesting characters and fun moves to perform. In Ultimate Ninja Storm Generation, the game will include characters from both past and present. While not a lot of information is known about the game right now, we should know a lot more by this weekend. The game will be a part of Namco Bandai’s lineup at the Japan Expo in Paris. Until then, enjoy the trailer below and look forward to more news coming soon. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Andrew Groen @ VG247.com. There’s not a whole lot of meat to this story, but it’s a juicy tidbit nonetheless. Infinity Ward has stated that killstreaks will be reimagined in Modern Warfare 3. We have nothing more to go on than that, but you can thank Infinity Ward community manager Robert Bowling for sparking our curiosity. It doesn’t appear to be some kind of a small tweak either. “We changed the entire way the killstreak system works,†said Bowling. “I can’t go into detail yet, but I will share when I can.†Thanks, Destructoid. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Christopher Grant @ Joystiq.com. A smaller portfolio isn’t the only thing Activision Publishing is cribbing from its sister company, Blizzard. A major component of supporting massive brands like Call of Duty (and World of Warcraft and StarCraft) is fan service and Activision is ready to take its support of the heretofore nebulous Call of Duty community to the next level with Call of Duty XP 2011, a two-day gathering promising “total Call of Duty immersion” at a “secure 12-acre compound in the urban confines of Los Angeles.” Earlier this week, we had a chance to speak with Eric Hirshberg, Activision Publishing CEO, about the announcement. “Call of Duty XP is going to be the ultimate fan experience for Call of Duty fans. A two day, immersive live event for fans of Call of Duty,” Hirshberg told Joystiq. “We think it’s going to set a new bar for experiential live fan-based events.” That experience includes a first look at the multiplayer component of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, the “full feature functionality” of the still opaque Call of Duty Elite online service, a $1 million CoD tournament sponsored by Activision and “lead sponsor” Xbox 360, and a handful of other big ticket opportunities. “We are constructing a full-scale replica of one of our multiplayer maps as a paintball stadium for fans,” Hirshberg said. “We’re reconstructing the legendary level from Modern Warfare 2, The Pit, which fans can actually run.” More interested in what you’re going to be able to eat at an all-Call of Duty event? “You’ll be able to eat at Burger Town from Modern Warfare 2,” Hirshberg added, quite seriously. How does one fill a two-day event with just Call of Duty? “We’re going to have keynote speeches, press conferences, panels with all of the key developers, and the ability to get to the know the developers up close and personal,” Hirshberg explained. “We don’t have the full schedule of speeches, but it will be anything you want to know to get a behind-the-scenes look at the development process and the people responsible for creating the game and the franchise. Obviously we’re going to shine a big spotlight on our developers at this event.” Unlike BlizzCon, Call of Duty XP will be focused on just one game; don’t expect any other Activision properties to make an appearance here. “This is a pure experience to give back to the Call of Duty fan community,” Hirshberg said. “It is completely focused on Call of Duty.” But that doesn’t mean the team at Activision didn’t look for advice from Blizzard. Hirshberg told us, “We’ve learned everything we could from Blizzard with their experience with BlizzCon. They were very helpful giving us some of the cheat sheet and learnings from past experiences.” “More than 6,000″ tickets will go on sale on July 19 for $150 each. Considering more than 25K people attended last year’s BlizzCon, which still managed to sell out in minutes, not hours, the scale of the event seems conservative to us. “We wanted to have it be a size where everybody who’s there has an A+ experience,” Hirshberg explained. “We didn’t want to create a situation where people were standing too long in line, or having an experience where we couldn’t deliver an A+ experience for every single attendee.” And at around 6,000 attendees at $150 a pop, Activision is raising less than $1 million. “The event itself will cost far more to produce than the amount that we would receive in ticket prices anyway,” Hirshberg said. Regardless, 100 percent of the ticket sales will benefit the Call of Duty Endowment, the non-profit organization that Activision founded to help place veterans returning home into jobs. For Hirshberg, the event is not only about “raising money for a very good cause” but “it’s also to give back to the fans.” With that few tickets available, having a solid online component to the event is paramount. “We can really reach out to millions of people if they’re interested, millions of fans worldwide, who can feel like they’re there,” Hirshberg told us. “Obviously they won’t be having the same experience as the people who are there, but it will be a pretty good approximation of the live event, experiencing it through social media, through constant updates, through interviews, through photos, it will be like you’re there.” Where there is is still a mystery. All the company would say is that it’s at a 12-acre site in Los Angeles, but Hirshberg did provide some additional hints. “When you step into it, before we do a stitch of art direction or design to it, it feels like you’ve stepped into a scene from the game,” Hirshberg teased. The event will be two days long, on September 2 and 3, and Hirshberg says that prospective attendees will want to attend both days. “Every ticket will be good for both days and you won’t want to miss either one of them.” At the end of the second day, Hirshberg promised “AAA talent” would close out the show. “That will probably be worth the price of admission in and of itself,” he said, noting that they weren’t quite ready to reveal the talent just yet. If you’re interested in attending, you’ll want to sign up at callofduty.com/xp and await further instructions. It remains to be seen if the Call of Duty community will appreciate a fan event like XP 2011 but when asked about the apparently obvious future installments, Hirshberg told us, “We’ll have to see, but that’s certainly how we’re thinking about it now.” While the idea of bringing one of the web’s most toxic communities together in meat space is … troubling, we’re having a hard time being critical when the focus is split between fan service and charity. We’ll see how well Activision pulls it all off this September. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Andrew Groen @ VG247.com. In the midst of their upcoming announcement about a new downloadable content pack for Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar has announced that players will received quadruple experience points for RDR online until Monday. We’re left wondering if this could be a nonchalant cue that the DLC could actually be an multiplayer pack. Perhaps Rockstar wants players to get used to playing again before they make the announcement. Either way, while you’re waiting to find out the big DLC news you can sate your cowboyish desires and posse-up on Xbox Live. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Joseph Peterson @ PlaystationLifestyle.net Yes, it has already been an entire year since the paid service of PlayStation Plus launched, and it has been quite successful. This most likely is due to the high amounts of discounts and bonuses that users get with the service. One of the huge perks of the service is that PlayStation Plus users are able to store their game saves online so nothing happens to them. Now that PlayStation Plus is 1 year old, Sony has a great deal for users in celebration of it’s birthday – at least in the US. Sony is now offering a great addition of “Birthday Bonus Months†when purchasing PlayStation Plus. By purchasing PlayStation Plus for 1-year you then receive an extra 3-months as a bonus, and those that choose to get the 3-month package will receive 1 extra month as a bonus. Sony has some stats from the first year of the service and the amount of content given is amazing: More than 50 Free Games Over 100 Free DLC Items (Add-ons, Avatars, Themes) 170+ Discounts Over 100 Exclusives and Early Access items $800 + in Savings Below is the birthday flyer summarizing the deal: This deal begins today and is available through July 11th, be sure to check it out so that you don’t miss out on this great deal. Sony Europe has yet to announce a similar deal. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story by Jimmy Lara @ TheParanoidGamer.com Beginning this Friday around 10 AM PST (1PM EST) you will be able to rack up double XP on Call of Duty Black Ops. This promotion runs until Tuesday July 5th. Although usually this only happens for the platform that released the map pack, this time around it’ll be available on Xbox 360, PS3, and the PC version of the game. The popular gamemode Nuketown 24/7 will also be making an appearance this weekend. Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...

Story By Matthew Reynolds @ DigitalSpy.com Call of Duty: Black Ops may be given more map packs, Treyarch has teased. In an interview with Digital Spy, design director David Vonderhaar would not deny the possibility of more downloadable content for the first-person shooter. When asked whether Treyarch would stop at three map packs, Vonderhaar said: “I can’t talk to anything beyond ‘Annihilation’, but keep your eyes peeled…” ‘Annihilation’ features four new multiplayer maps – Hanger 18, Drive-In, Silo, Hazard – and Zombies arena Shangri-La. Call of Duty: Black Ops map pack ‘Annihilation’ is available now on Xbox Live. PlayStation Network and PC versions will be available next month. Read the full ‘Annihilation’ interview with Treyarch’s David Vonderhaar Score: 0 (0 votes cast) More...