Articles: Announcements

Kinect Launch Titles Announced

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 08:44:36 +0000

The Kinect which launches on November 4, is set to change the way Xbox 360 gamers use their 360 to play video games. Have you been wondering what controller free games Microsoft will have available for Kinect's release? If you have, wonder no more. Microsoft recently announced the upcoming 17 titles that will be available for Kinect's launch.

Kinect Adventures - included with every Kinect sensor purchase
Kinectimals - $49.99 - $59.99 depending on the version

Game Party in Motion - $49.99

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1 The Video Game - $49.99

Your Shape Fitness Evolved - $49.99

Dance Central - $49.99

The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout - $49.99

DanceMasters - $49.99

EA Sports Active 2 - $99.99

Zumba Fitness - $49.99

Kinect Sports - $49.99

MotionSports - $49.99

Deca Sports Freedom - price TBA

Kinect Joy Ride - $49.99

Adrenalin Misfits - $49.99

Fighters Uncaged - $49.99

Sonic Free Riders - $49.99

It should be noted that Major Nelson announced that if you have yet to pre order your Kinect and games to do so now, because many retailers are sold out of their pre order allotments for the next step in controller free gaming.

Gamercide's "Get Your Ghoul On" Contest

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 10:31:02 +0000

Gamercide's Grim Reaper is counting down the days until Halloween and has decided to celebrate his favorite undead holiday by giving away prizes every Sunday leading up to Halloween.

On Sunday October 17, the Grim Reaper will be giving away one copy Plants vs Zombies for the PC.

Captioned images for Plants vs. Zombies must be received no later than Saturday October 16.

On Sunday October 24, the Grim Reaper will be giving away one copy of the latest installement in the Castlevania series, Castlevania: Lord of Shadows for the Xbox 360.

Captioned images for Castlevania: Lord of Shadows must be received no later than Saturday October 23.

On Sunday October 31, the Grim Reaper will be giving away one copy of Dead Rising 2 with a t-shirt for the Xbox 360.

Captioned images for Dead Rising 2 must be received no later than Saturday October 30.

All you have to do to participate is caption the following photos for each game and submit them either in the thread this post appears in on the forum or send the captioned images in an email along with the subject being "Get Your Ghoul On" to siren@gamercide.org. If you send an email, please include your gamertag. If you do not know how to caption images, but still want to participate, you can either email me or post your captions along with what photo they belong to in the forum.

Photos to be captioned:

Plants vs. Zombies

Castlevania: Lord of Shadows

Dead Rising 2

Trixie360 Says Farewell to the Xbox 360 Community

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:06:37 +0000

Trixie360 has announced on her Windows Live Spaces blog that she is leaving behind her title as Community Manager for Xbox Live and moving on to her new responsibility which is Xbox Live for Windows Phone 7.

"This is a heartbreaking post for me.

When I first came to xbox in 2002, people didn't talk about 'Community' in gaming. Oh, community existed of course, but no one called it that. My first forays into building community began with an interview with a customer. The term "Gamer Spotlight" I pulled out of my ass in a meeting one day. What was the point of it? To give a customer a moment of attention, and to let the nascent community learn more about someone who was also playing games on the new Xbox LIvE service. Back then we called it Live. Cause italics = futuristic.

Over the following eight years I managed the Xbox.com forums, recruited moderators (they're all volunteers), doled out forum icons, banned forum jerks, managed the Community channel on Xbox.com, hosted a weekly show on Inside Xbox, covered events, nominated Xbox MVPs, created (and branded, and managed and promoted) Community events like Frag Doll Friday (with Ubisoft and Major Nelson), Xbox All-Nighter, Family Game Night, Music Monday, Co-op Night (with Co-Optimus), Play the Pros (with CGS, RIP), Mystery Gamer (with Major Nelson), Community Playdate, Ladies Night, Arcade Afternoon, Cross Platform Clash (RIP), and Indie Games Night.

The challenges (read: miscreants) of Xbox LIVE led to the creation of two "Social Programs". The Xbox Ambassadors and GamerchiX (with co-founders Dirty Diva and PMS Kitty). With zero budget and next to no support the programs thrived...because of the amazing people who signed on.

Being your community manager has been an amazing experience, and I am grateful to all of you (yes even the jerks) for being so passionate about Xbox LIVE, for always being excited for what comes next, for letting me know in no uncertain terms when we make mistakes, for never being boring. On this community journey I've traveled the world, met the love of my life, live-streamed my wedding, tweeted my water breaking, and blogged my ridiculous foibles such as driving away from the gas station with the pump still in the tank, spilling two drinks on a CTO when I snuck into the Sony E3 party, putting together a bookshelf with a can of corn because I didn't have a hammer.

Community, to me, is the lifeblood of Xbox LIVE and YOU are the reason it works. I have learned so much from you, and hope that you've had fun and met cool people during my stint as Community Manager. I'm very sad to say that the time has come for me to pass the community torch. I have been asked to focus my attention on Xbox LIVE for Windows Phone 7. I will continue to write the Gamer Spotlight (so keep those nominations coming!), but will hand off management of my Xbox LIVE community events to Eric Doty who can be reached at xlmail@microsoft.com.

Thanks for a great ride. See you on the phone

-Trix"

We here at Gamercide would like to wish Trixie all the best and a huge thank you for all of the work that she did while the XBL Community Manager.

Remember Halo Winner

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:42:12 +0000

Before I announce the winner of the Remember Halo personalized prize pack, I want to say thank you to everyone who participated. We had a great response from the Gamercide community.

The winner of the personalized Halo pack was decided by an old fashioned hat drawing of the names of the gamertags that participated. The winner of a personalized custom wireless controller and a personlized framed Halo photo done by myself is.......

STEALTHY SHADOWS

Congratulations go out to Stealthy and again many thanks to all those that participated in Remembering Halo.

Reminder - Remember Halo Closes Tonight at Midnight

Sat, 11 Sep 2010 13:11:06 +0000

Just a friendly reminder for those of you who have yet to submit your "Remember Halo" memories. Any replies received after midnight tonight will not be used. Everyone who has participated in "Remember Halo" will have their messages along with their gamertag sent to Bungie and 343 Industries. There will also be a drawing for those that have participated to receive a personalized Halo prize. For more details please check out the link below.

Remember Halo Details

'Devil Kings' Returns as Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:12:51 +0000

Despite incredibly oddball Japanese games like Katamari Damacy making it over to shores, some Japanese games don't receive the same following. Sengoku Basara was released in North America on October 25, 2005, but with many significant changes. Whereas the original Japanese game was a fictionalized telling of the Sengoku period in Japan, the localization removed all historical references in favor of a pure fantasy setting, altered various gameplay modes and designs, and renamed the game "Devil Kings". This was a misguided effort, as the game failed miserably outside of Japan. While sequels, spinoffs, and anime have flourished, the series was all but ended overseas...until now.

Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes will be released on October 12 and October 15 in the US and Europe, respectively.

From Capcom's Press Site:

The producer of Devil May Cry

4, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, brings you the newest installment to the BASARA series, Sengoku BASARA: Samurai Heroes, on the PlayStation

3 and Wii. A fun, action-packed and accessible title set during a tumultuous period of Japanese history, Sengoku BASARA: Samurai Heroes follows players as they fight their way to the dramatic battle of Sekigahara. Players will take control of more than a dozen samurai heroes, each wielding their own unique weapon, in huge battles against hundreds of opponents that grow ever more challenging. On their journey to the final battle, players will learn how to unleash spectacular BASARA Arts and utilize Hero Time to wipe out as many enemies as possible.

Victory in battle will not only deliver new territories but the natural resources of that region, which can be used to create various accessories that make heroes and their weapons more powerful. Each unique playable character is aided by a supporting general who makes it easier to lead the player’s army. Players will see the battle from the perspective of each hero with the ultimate goal of re-writing history to rule all of 16th century Japan.

In the dynamic new “Heroes’ Story” mode player’s decisions impact history. Based on choices made by the player, friends become enemies and enemies become friends, creating a whole new history. This new strategic element to the game forces players to fight for control of the battlefield and ultimately for the fate of the nation.

In Sengoku BASARA: Samurai Heroes it’s not just samurai heroes you will compete with on the battlefield. Each enemy has other means of attacking, including some gigantic weapons such as The Rising Sun machine, Motochika’s latest devastating weapon that crushes everything in its path and the Death Carriage which uses its blazing fast maneuverability and fire launcher to bring enemies crashing down.

Key features

• Fight your way through hundreds of enemies across many exciting battlefields using cool combos and over-the-top special moves until all heroes have gathered at the decisive battle of Sekigahara.

• Features more than a dozen playable samurai heroes, each with their own unique battle styles.

• Upgradeable weapons allow players to improve or add special abilities.

• Battle against Gigantic enemy weapons such as The Rising Sun, Tiger, Drillatron and Death Carriage.

• Team up with a friend in offline co-op play to crush opponents.

• Dramatic “Heroes’ Story” mode alters history based on the player’s decisions.

Does Carmine Live or Die?

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:11:19 +0000

The fate of Clayton Carmine in Gears of War 3 was in the hands of Gears fans during the "Fate of Carmine" campaign. Will he meet a horrific end like the Carmine's before him or will he live on and support his fellow Gears? We will have to wait until the game releases in 2011 to find out, but in the meantime check out the thank you message from Epic below. They raised over $150,000 for Child's Play charity with the help of gamers like you.

Xbox 360 Games - E3 2011 - Gears of War 3

G4tv

Telltale Games Announces The Great Adventure Bundle

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:22:04 +0000

Classic Collection of PC Adventure Games Available for One Week Only

Partial Proceeds to Benefit Five Worthy Causes

SAN RAFAEL, CA – September 3, 2010 – Telltale Games, the leading independent digital publisher and developer of episodic interactive entertainment, today announced the release of The Great Adventure Bundle 2010, a collection of six current and classic PC adventure games assembled into a single bundle for one low price of $19.95. Beginning September 3 and available for one week only, players can purchase The Great Adventure Bundle 2010 which includes: Hothead’s Penny Arcade Adventures, Episode 1, Daedalic’s The Whispered World, Activision’s King’s Quest Collection, Deck 13’s Jack Keane; plus Telltale Games’ own Puzzle Agent and Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space.

In addition, Telltale announced that 25 percent of each purchase of The Great Adventure Bundle 2010 will be set aside for five charitable causes, including: Childs Play, Electronics Frontier Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Nyota e.V.

As an incentive to participate, Telltale’s will build in bonus games that will “unlock” and become available for play as soon as certain unit-goals have been met.

States Dan Connors, CEO of Telltale Games: “The release of The Great Adventure Bundle signals the launch of our third-party publishing program, and is not only a great value for our fans, but also a great way to support five great causes.”

The Great Adventure Bundle is available from September 3 through September 10 for $19.95 at http://www.telltalegames.com/adventurebundle/gab2010

New Xbox 360 Controller Design Announced

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:04:52 +0000

Major Nelson released a video showing the new Xbox 360 controller that is slated for November 9th. It sports a newly improved D-Pad and new more comfortable triggers, as well as newly colored face buttons.. The D-Pad twists and becomes an actual D-Pad instead of the disc based pad of the current design. The new controller will sell in a Play And Charge Kit for $64.99. It remains to be seen how well it performs, so I'll reserve judgment until I get my hands on one.

Take a look at the video below and let us know what you think in the comments or on the forums.

Quick edit: The video with Major Nelson doesn't show it well, so here is a closeup of the new D-Pad in both positions.

New Xbox Live Gold Pricing

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:55:25 +0000

As many Xbox Live Gold members probably have, I received the following email today in reference to the new pricing structure that takes effect for new and renewing Gold members on November 1st. Amazon is offering 12 month cards for $40 right now, so stock up if you don't want to pay the new price.

Take a look at the email below:

Rock Band 3 Full Set List Revealed

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:33:36 +0000

With the newest rhythm games edging closer and closer to released, Harmonix has released the full set list for the game. When the game comes out we will get the standard guitar, drum, and vocal parts but we will also have the new keyboard instrument as well. Not only that, but the 3 part vocals that were first introduced in Beatles Rock Band are also present. There are quite a few tweaks that Harmonix has made to the game as well, but most of that is window dressing for the set list. Take a look after the break and let us know what you think.

2000s:

• Amy Winehouse, "Rehab"

• At the Drive-In, "One Armed Scissor"

• Avenged Sevenfold, "The Beast & the Harlot"

• Dover, "King George"

• The Bronx, "False Alarm"

• The Flaming Lips, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1"

• HIM (His Infernal Majesty), "Killing Loneliness"

• Hypernova, "Viva La Resistance"

• Ida Maria, "Oh My God"*

• Juanes, "Me Enamora"

• Metric, "Combat Baby"*

• Paramore, "Misery Business"*

• Phoenix, "Lasso"*

• Poni Hoax, "Antibodies"

• Pretty Girls Make Graves, "Something Bigger, Something Brighter"

• Queens of the Stone Age, "No One Knows"

• The Ravonettes, "Last Dance"

• Rilo Kiley, "Portions for Foxes"*

• Riverboat Gamblers, "Don't Bury Me...I'm Still Not Dead"

• Slipknot, "Before I Forget"

• The Sounds, "Living in America"

• Tegan & Sara, "The Con"

• Them Crooked Vultures, "Dead End Friends"

• Tokio Hotel, "Humanoid"*

• The Vines, "Get Free"*

• The White Stripes, "The Hardest Button to Button"*

1990s:

• Faith No More, "Midlife Crisis"*

• Filter, "Hey Man, Nice Shot"

• Jane's Addiction, "Been Caught Stealing"*

• Maná, "Oye Mi Amor"

• Marilyn Manson, "The Beautiful People"

• The Muffs, "Outer Space"

• Phish, "Llama"

• Primus, "Jerry Was a Racecar Driver"

• Rammstein, "Du Hast"

• Smash Mouth, "Walkin' On The Sun"*

• Spacehog, "In the Meantime"

• Stone Temple Pilots, "Plush"

• Swingin' Utters, "This Bastard's Life"

1980s:

• Anthrax, "Caught in a Mosh"

• Big Country, "In a Big Country"

• The Cure, "Just Like Heaven"*

• Def Leppard, "Foolin'"

• Devo, "Whip It"

• Dio, "Rainbow in the Dark"

• Dire Straits, "Walk of Life"

• Echo & the Bunnymen, "The Killing Moon"

• Huey Lewis and the News, "The Power of Love"

• INXS, "Need You Tonight"*

• J. Geils Band, "Centerfold"

• Joan Jett, "I Love Rock N' Roll"*

• Night Ranger, "Sister Christian"*

• Ozzy Osbourne, "Crazy Train"*

• The Police, "Don't Stand So Close to Me"

• Roxette, "The Look"*

• The Smiths, "Stop Me if You Think You've Heard This One Before"

• Tears for Fears, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"

• Whitesnake, "Here I Go Again"*

1970s:

• The B-52's, "Rock Lobster"*

• Blondie, "Heart of Glass"

• Bob Marley, "Get Up, Stand Up"

• Chicago, "25 or 6 to 4"

• Deep Purple, "Smoke on the Water"

• Doobie Brothers, "China Grove"*

• Elton John, "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"

• Foreigner, "Cold As Ice"*

• Golden Earring, "Radar Love"

• John Lennon, "Imagine"

• Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Free Bird"

• Queen, "Bohemian Rhapsody"*

• Ramones, "I Wanna Be Sedated"

• Steve Miller Band, "Fly Like an Eagle"

• T. Rex, "20th Century Boy"

• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, "I Need to Know"

• War, "Low Rider"

• Warren Zevon, "Werewolves of London"

• Yes, "Roundabout"*

1960s:

• Beach Boys, "Good Vibrations (Live)"

• David Bowie, "Space Oddity"

• The Doors, "Break on Through (To the Other Side)"*

• James Brown, "I Got You" (I Feel Good) - Alternate Studio Version*

• The Jimi Hendrix Experience, "Crosstown Traffic"*

• The Who, "I Can See for Miles"

Capcom Names Kazuhiko Abe Ceo And President Of Capcom Usa And Europe

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:25:21 +0000

SAN MATEO, Calif. – August 23, 2010 – Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced the appointment of Kazuhiko Abe to CEO and President of Capcom U.S.A., Inc. and CE Europe, Ltd. Abe is responsible for the overall management of North American and European business operations and will oversee the activities between the U.S. and European offices in order to promote efficient international operations.

Abe joined Capcom in 2003 as General Manager of Management Planning and in 2006 became the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Capcom in Japan. Prior to joining Capcom, Abe worked for various institutions such as The Mitsubishi Bank and telecommunications service provider Hikari Tsushin, Inc. before taking the role of Executive Officer at Intuit Kabushiki Kaisha.

Bionic Commando Rearmed Jumps Back into Action!

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:50:55 +0000

Video Games | Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 | Captivate 10: Debut Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Captivate 10, Capcom's game showcase, has already thrown down the gauntlet to itself with the announcement of the decade-long anticipated Marvel vs. Capcom 3. However, they were only just getting started, as Capcom has followed up that exciting announcement with the debut trailer of Bionic Commando: Rearmed 2.

While Nathan 'RAD' Spencer's swing into the true 3-D realm with Bionic Commando was met with lukewarm sales and even more dismal reviews, the 2.5D revamp of the NES classic that served as a prelude to the next-gen sequel was warmly received by both critics and gamers alike. So it's no surprise that the XBLA/PSN hit of 2008 is the one receiving the sequel.

Those who were put off by the "claw-only" method of aerial mobility will be jumping for joy, as Spencer has been give the innovation of a jump maneuver to go along with new weapons, attacks, and arm enhancements. One can only hope that the game will also have a way to feature Hitler's Master D's exploding head once again.

Press Release from Capcom After the Jump

Release Date: Q1 2011
Genre: Platforming
Platform: PSN, XBLA
Rating: Pending
Developer: Fat Shark
Publisher: Capcom
Price: TBD

Capcom unveils the next evolution in 3D side-scrolling action with Bionic Commando Rearmed 2. Nathan Spencer returns as the daring elite soldier equipped with special bionic abilities. Spencer will have to face his greatest challenge yet as General Sabio, a new technologically sophisticated foe, is on the brink of launching a deadly missile attack.

Nathan Spencer will make use of his trademark tool – his bionic grappling hook – to grab, swing and leap through series of lush new environments. He’ll be met by plenty of gun-toting soldiers and mechanized threats ready to give him a hostile greeting. Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 improves upon the visual achievements of its predecessor with the addition of more detailed character models, textures, and vibrant colors. New player mechanics will add another strategic layer of platforming to the overall experience and the famous bionic arm will be getting a major makeover delivering a more dynamic bionic experience to the player.

Key features:
Sequel to the popular downloadable title on PSN and Xbox LIVE, Bionic Commando Rearmed

New Weapons, attacks and enhancements for the the all-purpose Bionic Arm

New platforming mechanics provides more freedom and challenges. Now the impossible is within your “leap!”

New physics-based puzzles will take the platforming experience to another level

2-player co-op is back and better than ever.

Enhanced graphics and better camera functionality.
All new musical score inspired by NES-era sound effects, produced by the same creative mind behind the original Bionic Commando Rearmed soundtrack
Cut-scene art designed by cutting-edge art studio Massive Black, whose previously worked on Infamous, Bioshock 2 and,God of War III

Bionic Commando: Rearmed 2 is currently set for a Spring 2011 release on PSN and XBLA.

Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Premieres PlayStation® Network, PC and Mac!

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 06:38:55 +0000

First Episode of the Epic Five Game Comedy Saga Now Available

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – April 15, 2010 – The curtain rises today in Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse with the premiere of the first episode, entitled The Penal Zone, on PC, Mac, and PlayStation® Network, exclusively for the PlayStation® 3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. Telltale’s landmark series returns for the biggest, best looking, most bizarre installment yet as the dog and rabbit detective duo battle an onslaught of fearsome villains bent on acquiring the source of Max’s newfound psychic powers. With new episodes releasing monthly, season passes are available now for the full five game series for $34.95. The PC and Mac version can be downloaded at http://www.samandmaxgames.com/thedevilsplayhouse.

“With The Penal Zone launching on four separate game platforms, the new season of Sam & Max is the biggest episodic premiere in Telltale’s history,” said Telltale CEO Dan Connors. “This series has been about pushing boundaries, from humor and story to episodic gaming as a whole. The Devil’s Playhouse continues that tradition, and it’s easily the deepest, most visually stunning season to date. We can’t wait for players both new and returning to dive in.”

Also available on the iPad, The Penal Zone was a launch title for Apple’s new tablet device and is available now for the introductory price of $6.99 on the App Store.

As Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse begins, Max’s latent psychic abilities emerge after discovering ancient and arcane artifacts coveted by the universe’s most despicable villains. In The Penal Zone, Sam & Max investigate the root of Max’s new powers in the shadow of an invading gorilla warlord that is stomping around the city – searching for the artifacts, taking prisoners and spreading chaos.

Sam & Max is Telltale’s longest running series to date and a prime example of the company’s unique expertise in storytelling and cinematic production. The franchise’s latest installment has some of the best animated character performances in a game, presenting an experience on par with today’s feature theatrical releases.

For more information please visit http://www.samandmaxgames.com/thedevilsplayhouse

GoW3 is Coming...No, the OTHER GoW3

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:34:24 +0000

Now that the Sony GoW3 has come and gone, Microsoft has announced that its GoW3 will be arriving to finish the fight. Gears of War 3 is in development for a release date of April 2011.

According to Kotaku, the official first announcement of Gears of War 3 was to take place on Cliff Bleszinski's appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon April 8th, but his appearance was postponed to the 12th at the last minute, supposedly to "polish what we're showing". Unfortunately (or fortunately if you can't stand Jimmy Fallon), your XBox 360 was tired of sitting on the news and decided to go ahead and announce it anyway.

Despite the leak, expect more details, as well as footage, to be shown on Cliffy B's appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Monday, April 12th (check your local listings).

Telltale Announces Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:43:54 +0000

TELLTALE ANNOUNCES SAM & MAX: THE DEVIL'S PLAYHOUSE
EPIC FIVE GAME COMEDY SAGA DEBUTING ON PLAYSTATION® NETWORK

A psychically empowered lagomorph battling unusual and fearsome villains can mean only one thing: Freelance Police Sam & Max are coming for a new series of monthly episodic games. Telltale Games' Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse premiere episode The Penal Zone will release April 15th. This series will be Telltale's first for the PlayStation® Network, exclusively for the PlayStation®3 (PS3 TM) computer entertainment system. The games will also release on PC and Macintosh.

As Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse opens, Max has been bestowed with a set of powerful psychic abilities from an unusual ancient source that he'll wield against the strongest and strangest foes the Freelance Police have ever faced. Join gaming's greatest dog and rabbit sleuths as they investigate the source of these powers, with manic Max exercising new and amazing abilities with each episode. Max's shape shifting, teleportation, mind reading and future sight powers prove particularly useful as intergalactic simians, eldritch gods, under-dwellers and an arcane scholar ruthlessly hunt down these powers for their own evil ends. The teaser trailer released today at www.samandmaxgames.com/thedevilsplayhouse gives a peek at the skewed humor of The Devil's Playhouse. The very first in-game screenshots and new concept art are also posted at the site.

"Telltale continues to excel at channeling Sam & Max's extremely peculiar sensibilities," said Sam & Max creator, Steve Purcell. "For each subsequent season they somehow manage to toss ever more mind-addling scenarios at the Freelance Police. The creative team inhabits these characters so well that if I were their parents I'd be worried about them."

The PC pre-order for the series which begins today at www.samandmaxgames.com/thedevilsplayhouse includes a FREE game episode from the Telltale library along with exclusive membership in the Freelance Police "Elite Forces" -- all for just $34.95. Freelance Police Elite Forces members will gain access to a private forum for scheduled chats with Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell and Telltale designers along with first look posts about upcoming episodes before they release. Additionally, these customers will get special deals at the Telltale Store over the course of the season, as well as custom forum avatars and desktop wallpaper downloads. The pre-order for PlayStation users is expected to begin March 18th on the PlayStation Network.

"With Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse, we're bringing PlayStation fans five months of exciting episodic content and continuing our commitment to deliver exclusive, innovative gaming experiences to the PlayStation Network," said Rob Dyer, senior vice president of publisher relations, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "The unhinged humor, unforgettable cast and irreverent undertone of this enduring franchise are aspects we expect will resonate with our audience, and both Telltale and SCEA can't wait to deliver."

Return to Monkey Island This Summer

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:24:22 +0000

Guybrush & Company will be returning to Monkey Island this summer with Monkey Island 2: Lechuck's Revenge Special Edition. Like last years surprise XBLA hit, The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition, Monkey Island 2 SE will feature the ability to switch between the classic graphics and SCUMM interface of the 1991 PC classic as well as enhanced HD paint style and full voice soundtrack. This time, however, XBLA users won't be the only ones plundering the high seas: PS3 and Mac lovers will be able to help Guybrush Threepwood find the treasure of 'Big Whoop!' Even better: The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition will be released shortly on PS3 and Mac, so they too can learn what it takes to be a mighty pirate.

Via Kotaku

Halo Reach Multiplayer! (Update)

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:35:28 +0000

Bungie said they would have a "Multiplayer Bomb" to drop later this week, is this it? If so, it looks pretty great. This may or may not be Halo Reach, but if it's not, it should be. Take a look at the video below.

Edit: It appears this is the official trailer. Bungie's YouTube page has been updated with it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PK ! ! !

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:46:29 +0000

All of us here at Gamercide would like to wish our resident old man the best birthday ever!! PK, we love ya man . . .

The End of XBox Live...for XBox Games

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:13:16 +0000

April 15, 2010.

Mark it on your calenders, Original XBox fans. And get your gaming in while you still can, because on that date, XBox Live will be discontinued for all Original XBox games, including games available for download on XBLA. Insiders indicate that the closure of XBox Live for Original XBox games will help to serve the improvement of XBox Live for XBox 360, although the details of which have not been made explicit at this time. And sure, most XBox Live users may not mourn long or at all, and maybe even consider it about time, but for those who still rock the online multiplayer of Halo 2, Counter-Strike, or Forza, the loss will be felt like an old friend you thought would always be there, until you wake up one fateful morning and realize they are gone. Full statements from Kotaku after the jump.

XBox Live's Harry Hryb initial statement:

I wanted to let you know that on April 15, 2010 Microsoft will discontinue Xbox LIVE service for original Xbox consoles and games, including Xbox 1 games playable on Xbox 360. Our first step in this process will be to turn off auto-renewals for those members who only use Xbox LIVE on a v1 Xbox. While I can't comment on the specifics, this change will allow us to continue evolving the LIVE service with new features and experiences that fully harness the power of Xbox 360 and the Xbox LIVE community. We did not make this decision lightly, but after careful consideration and review we realize that this decision will allow us unprecedented flexibility for future features.

XBox Live's Mark Whitten more detailed statement:

Dear Xbox LIVE Members,

On April 15 we will discontinue the Xbox LIVE service for original Xbox consoles and games, including Xbox v1 games playable on Xbox 360 and Xbox Originals. I want to start by saying this isn't a decision we made lightly, but after careful consideration, it is clear this will provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox LIVE community.

Seven years ago we laid out our vision for the connected console when we launched Xbox LIVE. We believed then that the power of the Internet to connect people would revolutionize living room entertainment. It started with amazing multiplayer games, and we've since seen that bet pay off again and again with the launches of Xbox 360, Marketplace, Netflix and powerful social features like Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm. None of this would have been possible without the success of LIVE as a multiplayer gaming network.

There's no greater example of the power of the Xbox LIVE community than the "Halo" franchise. "Halo 2" has had an amazing run on LIVE, with a dedicated community more than five years after launch and well into the next generation of consoles. It has fundamentally changed the way we play video games. And while it's difficult to see that run come to an end, the "Halo" franchise continues to act as the benchmark for multiplayer gaming in this generation, with "Halo 3," "Halo 3: ODST" and soon "Halo: Reach" on Xbox 360.

Your Xbox LIVE community has grown to 23 million strong. And as we look down the road, we'll continue to evolve the service with features and experiences that harness the full power of Xbox 360. To reach our aspiration, we need to make changes to the service that are incompatible with our original Xbox v1 games. We will contact the Xbox LIVE members directly impacted by this change and if this includes you, I encourage you to check your LIVE messages and associated e-mail account over the coming weeks for more details and opportunities. We view you as a partner in this process.

We'll share more details soon, but in the meantime I want to assure you that the best is yet to come for Xbox LIVE. I believe we'll look back on 2010 as a landmark year in gaming and home entertainment, and I couldn't be more excited about what we have in store with "Project Natal" and LIVE. The LIVE community is the driving force behind everything we do, and it's because of the community that ground-breaking experiences on Xbox continue to be possible.

See you on LIVE,

Marc Whitten

Borderlands 3rd DLC Announced - "Secret Armory of General Knoxx"

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:44:10 +0000

Gearbox just announced their 3rd DLC for Borderlands. No release date or price just yet, but the level cap will be raised and looking at the screens we'll get new vehicles and new enemies.

Gearbox Software and 2K Games are excited to announce the largest DLC for Borderlands to date: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx (coming to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC)! Get ready to face off with brutal, never-before-seen enemies in a huge new environment complete with tons of brand new missions. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to get guns (even more guns) to give you the firepower you’ll need as you discover entirely new weapons and items!

This DLC extends the Borderlands experience, providing new challenges and opportunities for growth for characters from around level 34 to level 50. Growth for characters at 50? Yeah, that’s right, we’ve raised the level cap; even players who think they’ve seen it all have tons more to do! The Secret Armory of General Knoxx offers hours of thrilling shooting and looting for Borderlands players!

Images Via: http://www.wouldyoukindly.com/

Dead Rising 2 Wants You To Think Creatively...To Kill Zombies

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:45:16 +0000

One of the highlights of Capcom's next generation zombie-killer (no, not RE5) was the ability to pick up just about anything in the Mall and use it as a weapon. Sometimes the results were incredibly lethal and effective, and sometimes they were just comedic, but the fact is that if you could pick it up, you could use it. So how could Dead Rising 2 possibly top that?

While it was hinted at in the announcement trailer, Capcom has officially revealed the ability to take two seemingly unrelated weapons and combine them into super weapons, the result being a better way to kill zombies, and a faster way to earn PP (the experience point system of the game). Begin speculation now over the possible combinations available to you.

via Capcom's Unity Blog

Happy Birthday Siren!!!

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:50:26 +0000

We here at Gamercide would like to wish our very own head writer Siren the best birthday EVER!!!

Left 4 Dead De-Make Now Available

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:09:00 +0000

Eric Ruth games has just released their de-make of one of the most popular Valve games to date, in Left 4 Dead. This 8-bit de-make is available for download over at Eric Ruth Games. Here's the description from Eric:

Pixel Force: Left 4 Dead is a retro de-make of Valve's hit zombie killing masterpiece. Lovingly recreated in a fashion that would have been acceptable in 1986 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, this de-make stands as the flagship title of the upcoming Pixel Force series from Eric Ruth Games. Go alone, or invite a friend for 2 player co-op against the zombie apocalypse in all 4 of the original game campaigns. 2 difficulties and all 4 of the survivors make a glorious 8-bit appearence, complete with first and second tier weapons scattered along your path to escape. So, grab your controller of choice and kick back with an award-winning retro take on the end of the world with Pixel Force: Left 4 Dead.

Weighing in at only 21MB, this one is a quick download and looks like a lot of fun. If you check it out, be sure to leave some comments on your thoughts. Check out the trailer after the break.

Happy New Year from the staff at Gamercide

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:20:00 +0000

From all of us here at Gamercide I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year!