All three of these characters will be available to use in the campaign and in versus mode.

That is the question after a recent statement that was made by Activision's Bobby Kotick after the rumor mill has been swirling about Activision making a Call of Duty MMO that would require a subscription to play online.

"If you think about the success that we've had in other product categories on subscription, you can get a sense of the direction that we want to take that franchise,"

Quick to show that they are not down with that decision if it happens, Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling released a statement.

"This rumor has absolutely nothing to do with Infinity Ward or our games, including Modern Warfare 2. We would never introduce such a system for Modern Warfare 2 so don't worry. Multiplayer will always be equal and free for everyone as always."

What does this mean for all of the parties involved if Call of Duty turns into a subscription based service?  Not really sure at this point, but what I do want to know is if the people in charge at Activision and EA are drinking the same water.

Joystiq

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is on the horizon and it appears from the teaser trailer below that the game will be launching sometime in Fall 2010 with a multiplayer beta out in the Summer.

The new DLC pack, Survivor Missions, will have you fighting for your life while reliving key events from Dark Void, where the main goal is try to survive wave after wave of increasingly difficult enemies.

While the enemies attack from the ground and air, you will be able to receive upgrades for your weapons and collect points with the ultimate goal being able to survive all 10 rounds.

Survivor Missions will be availabe for download on XBL on February 10th for 400 MS Points and February 11th on PSN for $4.99.

Also announced is the Dark Void soundtrack that will feature a special 8-bit Dark Void theme song and 80 minutes of hand picked score.  The Dark Void soundtrack is available for purchase on Feburay 9th.

The Behemoth has released an official trailer for the upcoming XBLA title which has an official name, BattleBlock Theater.  There is also a sliver of information about the game via the Development Blog.  "Having shipwrecked on a mysterious island you find yourself both betrayed by your best friend Hatty and captured by the locals. All of this is happening while being forced into deadly performances. This however, is just the start of your problems."

There has been no announced release date or information about whether BattleBlock Theater will eventually make it's way to PSN.

"In Perfect Dark XBLA news: the game will be playable at the X10 event next week, widespread coverage to ensue. Have some of that!"

Perfect Dark will not be the only game being shown at the event.  MCV has reported that Lionhead confirmed that Fable III will be making an appearance.  Alan Wake, Halo Reach, and Natal are expected to be shown as well.

What IS a bit of a surprise is that Sonic 4 will be episodic.  Hopefully, Sega will take their episodic gaming cues from Telltale Games rather than Valve.

With traditional game mechanics and a few new ones, Sonic 4 Episode 1 looks to be the long-awaited return to form for Sega's mascot, whose recent full 3D outings has diluted the brand with mixed results.  Of course, 2D Sonic titles have been proliferating on the handheld Nintendo DS, but this will be the first time since Sonic and Knuckles on the Sega Genesis/Megadrive that an original 2D traditional platforming Sonic the Hedgehog game has been released on the consoles.  The graphics also seem to be taking a nod from Street Fighter IV, putting high definition 3D graphics and character designs on 2D field.

Surely a rebirth for Sega's answer to Mario, but is it too little too late?  Or is the recent nostalgia trend the right time to bring back the blue blur? (Answer: YES!)  Find out when Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Episode 1 is released on XBLA, PSN, and WiiWare.

via Gamespot

“This is a video game in which users watch grown women dressed in G-string bikinis jiggle their breasts while on a two-week vacation. Women’s breasts and butts will sway while playing volleyball, while hopping across cushions, while pole dancing, while posing on the ground, by the pool, on the beach, in front of the camera. There are other activities: Users can gamble inside a casino to win credits for shopping; they can purchase bathing suits, sunglasses, hats, clothing at an island shop; they can "gift" these items to eight other women in hopes of winning their friendship, in hopes of playing more volleyball. And as relationships blossom from the gift-giving and volleyball, users may get closer to the women, having earned their trust and confidence: users will then be prompted to zoom-in on their friends’ nearly-naked bodies, snap dozens of photos, and view them in the hotel later that night.

Parents and consumers should know that the game contains a fair amount of "cheesy," and at times, creepy voyeurism—especially when users have complete rotate-pan-zoom control; but the game also contains bizarre, misguided notions of what women really want (if given two weeks, paid vacation, island resort)—Paradise cannot mean straddling felled tree trunks in dental-floss thongs.”

This “creepy”, “cheesy”, game full of “misguided notions” was naturally given an M rating.

via siliconera

Available on the 360, PSN, and the PC via Steam the demo allows gamers to play as all three species which include the Colonial Marine, the Alien, and the Predator.  Gamers will also get to play Deathmatch on Refinery.

Alien vs. Predator releases on February 16^th for North America and February 19^th for Europe.

via CVG

The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 demo features Port Valdez, a new vehicle focused map where up to 24 players can compete against each other in the game’s Rush multiplayer mode. Players have access to five land and three air vehicles including Main Battle Tanks as well as the fast-moving Quad Bikes and Mobile Armored AA. The fight is also packed with plenty of infantry combat fought alongside the waterline towards a great oil industrial landscape in the Alaskan mountains.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be in stores on March 2, 2010 in North America and March 4, 2010 in Europe for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation 3 and the PC. The Limited Edition can be pre-ordered now on all platforms at no extra cost, with participating retailers worldwide (while supplies last).

For more information on DICE, please visit www.dice.se. For more information on the Battlefield franchise please visit: www.battlefield.com. Or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/OfficialBFBC2.

* Internet connection required. Demo will end on February 25, 2010.

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Who Dat! The New Orleans Saints pull the upset and march to a victory over the Indianapolis Colts with a score of 35-31 at Super Bowl XLIV, according to the official Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) simulation run by the award-winning Madden NFL 10 on Xbox 360. The first three quarters display the offensive fireworks that both teams have become known for, with the Colts leading 24-21. A nail biting fourth quarter begins with a big play, courtesy of the Saints’ special teams, when Reggie Bush returns a punt for a 42-yard touchdown. However, with minutes left in the game the duo of Joseph Addai and Peyton Manning put the Colts back on top with a go-ahead touchdown pass. With the game hanging in the balance, Drew Brees hits David Thomas for an 11-yard touchdown and the game winning score. Drew Brees takes home MVP honors as the Saints earn their first Super Bowl Championship title in the franchise's 46 year history.

Utilizing each team’s current roster and the latest player statistics, Madden NFL 10 was able to accurately predict the outcome of both the NFC and AFC Championship games within a margin of three points for each game. EA SPORTS utilized this same simulation formula to predict the outcome of Super Bowl XLIII (Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals) with unprecedented accuracy – down to the final score and individual player statistics. EA SPORTS has correctly predicted the Super Bowl winner for five out of the last six years, since the official Madden NFL Super Bowl simulation began in 2004.

Super Bowl XLIV kicks off Sunday, February 7 in South Florida, and as a part of the Super Bowl week festivities, Xbox 360 and EA SPORTS will give Madden fans at home a rare opportunity to participate in the electrifying action. On Thursday, February 4 Cincinnati Bengals’ Chad Ochocinco, self- proclaimed King of Madden (gamertag: Ochocinco MBGwF) will face off against fans on Madden NFL 10 as part of the latest Xbox LIVE online entertainment network Game with Fame session. Be sure to keep an eye out for the session on Xbox LIVE at 6:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. PST) for your chance to battle one of the biggest personalities in football to earn ultimate Madden NFL 10 bragging rights.

Following the Game with Fame matchup, Xbox 360 and EA SPORTS will host the 16th annual Madden Bowl, the only official Madden tournament featuring some of the NFL’s brightest stars. Chad Ochocinco (Cincinnati Bengals), Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans), Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars), Jared Allen (Minnesota Vikings), Andre Johnson (Houston Texans), Patrick Willis (San Francisco 49ers), Miles Austin (Dallas Cowboys) and more who will go head-to-head in Madden NFL 10 on Xbox 360 in an eight-player, single elimination tournament. Who will walk away with the coveted EA SPORTS Madden Bowl Cup? Stay tuned to Xbox LIVE for exclusive coverage from the event.

Please visit info.ea.com for assets including player renders, screenshots and videos of the matchup.

NFL PLAYERS, the marketing and licensing arm of the NFL Players Association, provides Madden NFL with the rights to use player names and likenesses in the game and facilitates all player participation.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As the New Orleans Saints make their Super Bowl debut, so too does Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS). On Sunday February 7th, EA will air its first-ever Super Bowl commercial as part of the massive marketing program for the company’s newest videogame franchise, Dante’s Inferno. On Super Bowl Sunday, EA will invite 100 million football fans to join Dante on an adventure that spans all nine punishing circles of Hell; limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. The hell-raising 30-second spot entitled “Hell Awaits…” premieres during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIV broadcast on CBS on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010. Dante’s Inferno from EA will be in stores on February 9, 2010.

“Even within the spectrum of live sports events, the Super Bowl stands apart, almost as a national holiday”

EA – a leading interactive entertainment software company – will use the Super Bowl as a platform to expose nearly 100 million viewers to Dante’s Inferno within the coveted 18-34 year old male demographic. EA joins perennial advertisers Anheuser-Busch and Mazda as well as newcomers to the Super Bowl advertising scene such as Time Warner cable channel TruTV, Sprint Nextel's Boost Mobile and Kia Motors.

“Even within the spectrum of live sports events, the Super Bowl stands apart, almost as a national holiday,” said Frank Gibeau, president at EA. “The Super Bowl is a bull’s-eye in terms of cross-over to our core demographic and the reach is outstanding. Not only does it draw 100M viewers, but most people watch the Super Bowl live, a rarity in the world of DVRs. While digital outreach to Facebook, Twitter, and online bloggers is a core part of our marketing strategy, we felt that advertising during the Super Bowl is an excellent way to introduce this new game to a massive cross-section of people who are likely already familiar with the “Divine Comedy. Inspired by a classic, but perfect for today’s action gamer.   This is entertainment at its best.”

EA’s Super Bowl ad caps off a breakthrough marketing campaign crafted to cut through the noise and attract core action/adventure fans to this all-new videogame property. With a focus on engaging players, EA used digital media, bloggers and social networking to build the Dante’s Inferno marketing campaign. The company brought the tagline

“Go to Hell” to life using several innovative programs:

‘Go to Hell’ Facebook App – This free app takes the poem’s nine circles of hell, and brings them into everyday life. With the click of a button, anyone can send a friend, foe, place, product or brand to one of the nine circles of hell. Angry at your mom for grounding you? Send her to ‘Treachery’. Mad at your ex- for cheating? Send them to ‘Lust’.

Special Edition Book – EA is releasing a special edition of “The Divine Comedy” in partnership with Random House and Del Rey Books. The book features an introduction written by the EA executive producer Jonathan Knight, and a 16-page, full-color art insert showcasing the evolution of characters and environments from the classic poem to the video game.

Animated DVD Feature – EA is releasing a full-length animated feature developed in partnership with Starz Media, Film Roman, and Anchor Bay Entertainment. The movie features six unique art styles created by six of the best animation studios in the business (DVD/Blu-Ray).

Comic Book – An exclusive six-issue comic miniseries created by DC Comics/WildStorm Productions featuring the highly stylized artwork of Diego Latorre and written by esteemed comic book writer Christo Gage.

Collectible Action Figure – A collectible figurine of the hero Dante created by NECA, available as a pre-order bonus at select retailers and for sale beginning 2/9/10.

Dante’s Nine Circles Hit the Blogosphere – Beginning in June 2009 at E3, EA brought the game’s nine circles of hell to bloggers, one month at a time. “Limbo” was illustrated with a mock protest. “Greed” was illustrated by bloggers being asked to cash a check for $200. “Heresy” was demonstrated through a fictitious game called “Mass We Pray”. Each stunt set fans buzzing about the core themes of ‘The Divine Comedy’ and Dante’s Inferno, the game.

Hidden Messages – Dante’s Inferno online advertising will contain hidden source code and ASCII art, further bringing to life the world of Dante’s Inferno and the hell that lies beneath.

Inspired by the first part of ‘The Divine Comedy’ written by 13th Century Italian poet Dante Alighieri, EA’s Dante’s Inferno, delivers a unique visual representation of the nine circles of Hell, once only experienced in the pages of the timeless classic. Dante’s Inferno offers a fully animated experience in which players assume the role of Dante, who descends into Hell after returning home to find his beloved Beatrice murdered, with Lucifer seducing her soul into the underworld. As in the poem, players will descend through Dante’s unique nine circles of Hell: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. Each circle will showcase distinct environments, enemies and story elements befitting of the sins committed by their inhabitants.

Developed by Visceral Games™, Dante’s Inferno delivers fast, fluid and responsive combat at 60 frames per second -- a must-have for the action adventure genre.

Dante’s Inferno is available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system beginning February 4th in Europe and on February 9th in North America. Dante’s Inferno is rated M for mature and has an MSRP of $59.95. For more information on Dante’s Inferno, please follow Dante’s Inferno on Twitter at www.twitter.com/danteteam, and visit the game’s official web site at www.dantesinferno.com.

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced that PC gamers worldwide can get early hands-on experience with Command & Conquer™ 4 Tiberian Twilight by joining the open multiplayer beta before the game’s release in North America on March 16 and in Europe on March 19, 2010. The multiplayer beta gives players a unique opportunity to experience all-new RTS gameplay in the game’s new, fast-paced, strategic 5v5 multiplayer mode across four different maps. Gamers can get access to the beta by signing up at http://www.commandandconquer.com/news/get-cc-4-public-beta.

“We could not be more excited to give fans a taste of what’s in store for Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight with the new multiplayer beta”

"We could not be more excited to give fans a taste of what’s in store for Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight with the new multiplayer beta,” said Lead Designer, Samuel Bass. “Players can expect the fast-paced strategic RTS action they’ve come to know and love in the Command & Conquer franchise augmented with new gameplay elements that really ratchet up the intensity, especially in our 5v5 multiplayer modes.”

The Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight open multiplayer beta features four maps including the new Afflicted Arena. This new map features a once lush, Polynesian landscape transformed into a military dock by the Global Defense Initiative (GDI) and currently besieged by Brotherhood of Nod forces aiming to claim the tactically important location and take control of the Pacific Rim. Players in the roles of the Offense, Defense and Support classes will engage in strategic battles to win key vantage points across the map and secure a majority of the TCN Hubs to take control of this vital location. Experience earned through the new Persistent Player Progression system during the multiplayer beta period will be transitioned to the full game upon its release.

Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight brings the 15 year-long fan-beloved Tiberium saga to an epic and stunning conclusion, giving players a new innovative and compelling strategic gameplay experience through the epic battles between the GDI and the Brotherhood of Nod, with its enigmatic leader Kane. With its new experience and class-based systems that are persistent across all game modes, Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight sticks to the action-packed gameplay fans have come to love while offering them entirely new ways to play Command & Conquer. Whether conquering alone, in co-op mode or in an all-new 5v5 objective-based multiplayer mode, Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight delivers an innovative social real-time-strategy experience never seen before in a Command & Conquer game.

Pre-orders* are now available at http://www.commandandconquer.com/preorder and include the official soundtrack of Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight, as well as an exclusive bonus mission.

Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight is being developed for the PC at EA Los Angeles and will be available in North America on March 16th 2010 and in Europe on March 19th. The game has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI. For more information about the game, and the multiplayer beta please visit www.commandandconquer.com or follow the community and development team on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ea_apoc.

The Weekly Gamercide Recaps are back!  Each week this nifty little recap will contain every little piece of news, review, preview, interview, and everything in between that we post about.  So if you missed something from Sunday to Saturday, no worries! 

News

MotoGP 9/10 is set to race onto a tv set near you in March and already Capcom is announcing free DLC for the game.

The first DLC pack will feature the 800cc bike class with bike, riders, team liveries, and the new tracks for the 2010 season which are Silverstone and Hungary. The second DLC pack will include the 600cc and 125cc bike, riders, and team livery updates. Capcom says that both DLC packs will be available shortly after the game releases in March and that they are both free to download.

Capcom will also be releasing a demo for both the 360 and PS3 “about a month prior to launch”. In the demo, gamers can play on the Mugello race track and will have access to all three bike classes.

How does it all end? Fortunately, gamers won't have to wait too much longer to find out. Heavy Rain is set to hit game shelves near you on February 23.

Game Earns Rave Reviews, Sells 2 Million Units in Week One

EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--40 perfect scores. 2 million units. One pop culture phenomenon. BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), announced today that Mass Effect™ 2 has sold-in over two million units worldwide in its first week of release. Lauded for its intense shooter gameplay and deep, hand-crafted story, Mass Effect 2 has earned an average review score of 96 — making it the second highest rated game of all time on the Xbox 360® platform. Mass Effect 2 has earned 40 perfect scores, amassed over 30 editor’s choice awards and has donned the covers of 45 magazines worldwide. On launch day, the term “Mass Effect” was in the top 10 trending topics on Twitter and most searched on Google News. MSNBC.com said, “Mass Effect will go down as one of the most influential video game series of all-time."

“Mass Effect 2 is poised to be one of the biggest games of 2010. We could not be more proud of the game’s universal acclaim and early commercial success.”

Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder, BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group of EA said, “Mass Effect 2 is poised to be one of the biggest games of 2010. We could not be more proud of the game’s universal acclaim and early commercial success.”

Mass Effect 2 launched this week hot on the heels of BioWare’s Dragon Age: Origins, the studio’s dark fantasy RPG which shipped in fall 2009. Dragon Age: Origins has earned an average review score of 91, making it the highest rated original intellectual property from EA in the last year. Mass Effect 2 follows in BioWare’s tradition of delivering excellence on every front: gameplay, story, character development and visuals. Mass Effect 2 is an epic shooter/RPG set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, leading a crew of some of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense action, a rich storyline, space exploration and engaging character interaction, Mass Effect 2 delivers an unparalleled gaming experience.
Mass Effect 2 is available for the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system and the PC and is rated ‘M’ for Mature by the ESRB and ‘18+’ by PEGI. For more information, follow the development team on Twitter at http://twitter.com/masseffect2 or visit http://masseffect.bioware.com/.

If you answered no, then get ready to do a while lot of crying, kicking, screaming, and name calling.

If February 11 still seems like a long way off then you can wet your appetite by watching the new trailer below via GameTrailers