Siren

In a gaming world where gamer stereotypes are abundant and the thought of being accused of not being a "hardcore" gamer would bring some to tears, you find a gem like this. An unidentified father threatened to "whoop" his young son over purchasing Mirror's Edge and a purple controller all of which was a gift from his older brother. This all unfolded at a gaming retail store right in front of the manager Kristin Wolfe. Kristin whoHuffington Post Click here to view the article

Fusible did a tiny bit of detective work regarding Activision's record breaking Call of Duty: Black Ops and discovered that not only was blackops2.com switched over recently to MarkMonitor which happens to be the privacy service that Activision is a client to, but also that in August Activision bought the domains blackops3.com, blackops4.com, blackops5.com, and blackops6.com making it appear that not only is Call of Duty Black Ops 2 is on the horizon but that there will be a total of 6 in the Black Ops series. This should not come as a surprise to anybody with the never ending supply of games that share the name Call of Duty, but Black Ops 6? Really Activision? via Fusible Click here to view the article

During Microsoft's CES 2012 keynote speech, it was announced that Kinect for Windows will be launching on February 1st. Amazon currently has the PC Kinect device listed at a sale price of $249.99. The Kinect for Windows supports voice commands and hand gestures and features an improvement over the Xbox 360 Kinect version when it comes to how well the Kinect picks up movements at a closer level which is something many Kinect gamers have been complaining about with some games including the popular workout regime, Your Shape Fitness Evolved series. I myself am one of those complainers and can vouch for the issue with the recently release Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012. One has to wonder with Microsoft implementing Kinect into what seems to be all of their major brands, what exactly is the end game plan for this motion controlled device that made the Wii look like child's play? via TG Daily Click here to view the article

It seems that Ubisoft's upcoming Ghost Recon: Future Soldier does not want to release. After originally being announced in 2009, the futuristic military third person shooter fell off the radar altogether, re-appeared, and then a week ago received a video that claimed it was releasing in March 2012. Ubisoft has again changed that date to May 22, 2012 in North America. Europe will be receiving it a couple days later on May 24th. Also announced is that the January mulitplayer beta has been pushed back until April and the might exist, oh wait cancelled in December, PC version has once again been given the green light and according to Ubisoft's press release will release at a later date. In Ghost Recon: Future Soldier gamers will take on the "future" of military warfare with things like active camo to make them invisible to the enemy and a highly customizable interface that allows for pre-testing in a simulated environment of weapons. Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is also Kinect enabled and allows gamers to use their voice to customize their weapons and use their hand as if they were preparing to engage in combat in real life. via Joystiq and Ghost Recon: Future Solider wiki Click here to view the article

Oh Mr. Payne, it appears that you are really turning out to be a pain. Take-Two has announced that Max Payne 3 has been delayed until May 2012. Reasons behind the delay were not revealed in the press release, however Take-Two stated Rockstar would give details later today. Take-Two also announced a net loss for the fiscal year. They were expecting to make around 1 billion in revenue from their products and instead are reducing that number to somewhere in between $120 million and $239 million. via Take-Two Click here to view the article

Max Payne 3 may have been delayed until May disappointing fans of the series, but Rockstar has released a new video to keep you all satisfied for the time being. The latest released video showcases the weapons and targeting system along with the series staple, Bullet Time. http://youtu.be/9FTvPSnkV5Avia Eurogamer and Click here to view the article

EA has once again proven that being the bigger man is not in their vocabulary when it comes to dealing with their Origin's competition, Steam. On a post in the Bioware forums for the upcoming Mass Effect 3, Bioware states that the RPG will only be available on Origin "initially" and not Steam. Why do you ask? According to Bioware's Chris Priestly it's because of Steam's "restrictive terms of service". "During initial release Mass Effect 3 will be available on Origin and a number of other 3rd party digital retailers, but not on Steam at this time. Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content. We are intent on providing Mass Effect to players with the best possible experience no matter where they purchase or play their game, and are happy to partner with any download service that does not restrict our ability to connect directly with our consumers." Apparently limiting your consumer base is a great way to ensure sales of your game! Go EA! via Bioware Click here to view the article

Comic book and video game nerds unite! DC Direct announced a new lineup of action figures based on 2009's hit Batman Arkham Asylum and 2011's followup, Batman Arkham City. These highly detailed and gorgeous action figures include Titan Joker who is due out in November and Killer Croc and Mr. Freeze who are both hitting retail shelves in June. Also announced were The Penguin, Batman, Clown Thug, Ra's al Ghul, and Azrael which are all releasing in September. via Game Informer Click here to view the article

Falling into the ugly, "game gets DLC before releases" category, Namco has announced that next week's release Soulcalibur V, will be getting custom character creation packs to the tune of €1.99 or 160 Microsoft points each. The first pack will release on Soulcalibur's release day February 3rd, and include 9 customization options like bikinis, wings, and face paint and also original music from the very first Soulcalibur. On Valentine's Day, February 14th, Namco will be releasing 9 "fearsome" custom options that include a breast plate, kimono, and animal heads along with music from Soulcalibur II and Soulcalibur III. On February 28th, the last day of DLC releases you can get your hands on 9 more customization items that include masks, facepaint, and camo and music from Soulcalibur IV and Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny. No American release date has been announced, so if you live in Europe have fun spending the extra dough and if you live here in the states, lucky us. via Joystiq Click here to view the article

You silly Playstation 3 gamers. Just because you buy a Call of Duty Elite subscription does not mean that you get the DLC first, those only who have the Xbox 360 get if first. Confused? Activision's Dan Amrich took to his blog to explain why this is going on after PS3 gamers started complaining that they are receiving the DLC last. "Back in 2010, Activision and Microsoft entered a business deal to release DLC on Xbox 360 earlier than other platforms; this contract is valid through the year 2012. This business deal was very widely reported by the games media when the announcement was made at E3 in 2010, and the DLC releases for both Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops was released in accordance with that contract. All DLC for MW3 will follow the terms of that deal as well, because it’s still 2012. I wondered where people would have gotten that idea — had someone actually promised that, or said something at XP 2011 that I missed? — so I researched it. What I found was that you can’t prove the non-existence of something. I can find no evidence of “buy Elite, get PS3 DLC same time as 360″ ever being so much as suggested by any official source. It was never one of the things listed in the official benefits chart; it was never promised by any representative of Activision, Call of Duty, Elite, or its developers. Honestly? I think gamers just convinced themselves that it would happen because they wanted it to happen. That makes sense, but it doesn’t make it true. So…that’s where we are. The deal from 2010 is why DLC comes out on Xbox 360 first. I’m seeing people scream “rip-off” and stuff like that, but nobody’s going to get ripped off; every gamer will get everything they were promised and everything they paid for. It’s unfortunate that people assumed things about Elite that turned out to not be based in fact, but I hope the truth is clear now. Unpopular, I’m guessing, but clear." There's more to that blog post then just my little snippets, but let's be honest here. All that this comes down to is a bunch of whiny PS3 gamers who are complaining about spending extra money for a subscription to a game where the multiplayer is technically free? Did I sum that up right Mr. Amrich, because I think that's what you really wanted to say. via Dam Amrich Blog Click here to view the article

Perhaps one of the most interesting rumors surrounding the still rumored and not confirmed next Xbox is a recent rumor that the next console will not allow the useage of used games. This nasty little rumor began on Kotaku when they cited their sources that claimed that whenever the Xbox 720 is released, the console will automatically say a big fat no when the user puts a used game into the tray. Before the subscribers of Gamefly and lovers of used games at Gamestop get their panties into a bunch, the Xbox 720 itself hasn't even been confirmed or mentioned by Microsoft, let alone this little rumor. So take a big deep breath and go back to playing. via IGN Click here to view the article

Capcom released details regarding their upcoming entry into the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil 6. The game will be set in 2013 and will have fan favorite with amazing hair Leon Kennedy traveling to a fictional town in China called, Lanshiang. Also making a return to the Resident Evil series will be Chris Redfield who Capcom revealed decided to rejoin his fellow BSAA members in China, because six months prior to the events in Resident Evil 6, Redfield went through a personal trauma. Joining Leon and Chris will be newcomers Helena Harper who happens to be a government agent that caused the incident in Resident Evil 6, Ingrid Hunnigan who has worked with Leon for an extended period of time, the President of the United States Adam Benford, and a mystery third protagonist who is told that he will be the man that saves the world. Capcom did not confirm if another blonde headed character who appeared in the trailer for Resident Evil 6 was Ashley Graham the president's daughter from Resident Evil 4 who Leon Kennedy was in charge of protecting. Capcom briefly spoke about the return of real zombies and said that they will run, jump, and be able to use weapons against you. Zombies will not be the only enemies featured in RE6. J'avo B.O.W. will be introduced as enemies who are slightly evolved than their brain eating zombie cousins and that they can still function using human thinking. The J'avo B.O.W. name comes from the Serbian word for "demon" and these new enemies origin comes from the conflict zone of Eastern Europe which happened six months prior to the RE6 storyling. Could Chris Redfield be tied to these new enemies? Other news on the Resident Evil 6 front is that the control scheme will be changing vastly and you will now be able to shoot while running, slide, roll in any direction to take cover, and they are adding an additional melee attack. Resident Evil 6 is set to release this coming holiday season on November 20, 2012. via CVG and Now Gamer Click here to view the article

Assassin's Creed 3 has gotten an official release date of October 30, 2012. Ubisoft's Yves Guillemot made the announcement this morning during a call to investors and stated that Assassin's Creed 3 will be the biggest launch in Ubisoft's history, that they spent more on this title than any other entry into the Assassin's Creed series, and that the game has also been in development for three years. via Eurogamer and Joystiq Click here to view the article

Watch Max Payne fight for survival has he tries to find his boss's trophy wife who was kidnapped in the latest trailer from Rockstar that features all in game footage showcasing some gorgeous scenery and character design. http://youtu.be/JTPRPr15sW0via Click here to view the article

The upcoming Final Fantasy XIII-2 downloadable content will be about baby chocobo loving Sazh. The "Sazh: Heads or Tails" DLC releases on February 28th at 400 MS Points for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 users will get it on February 29th. The DLC continues the story of Sazh and will also add Serendipity Poker and Chronobird to the Serendipity Casino. On February 21st for the 360 and February 22nd for the PS3, Square Enix will be releasing two additional costume packs for Noel and Serah. They will put you back 240 MS points. via Eurogamer Click here to view the article

BAFTA's nominees for the 2012 video game awards have been announced and apparently we live in an alternate universe where games that suck or fail miserably at trying to be different (yeah you LA Noire) deserve to come out on top. Batman: Arkham City and LA Noire faired pretty well receiving most of the nominations including Best Game, Game Innovation, Artistic Achievement, and Action. LA Noire also scored a nomination in the Debut category. Other titles receiving their share of nominations include Modern Warfare 3, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, FIFA 12, Portal 2, and Assassin'c Creed' Revelations. For the complete list of where these games and other games fall, please visit UK's Guardian. Do you agree with BAFTA's decisions this year? Click here to view the article

Incase you missed it lastnight during the season premiere of AMC's The Walking Dead, Mass Effect 3 debuted the full CG launch trailer titled Take Earth Back. Not to be confused with last weeks tiny little bite sized trailer Take Earth Back, this is the full CG trailer that looks absolutely spectacular and will get your panties in a uncomfortable wad. March 6th cannot come fast enough! http://youtu.be/Vs7kix6_8Ksvia Bioware Mass Effect Youtube Click here to view the article

Do you feel like rewinding a few years or so ago? Bethesda has announced that they are releasing a double pack of games that include Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The pack will release on April 3rd and will cost you $29.99 for the Xbox 360 versions and $19.99 for the PC. If you are planning on purchasing the pack ignore the front of the package that says, "2006 and 2008 Game of the Year Award winners", because it does not contain the Game of the Year editions of both games that contain all of the DLC. You still have to fork out the coin for that. via G4TV Click here to view the article

If you are staying playing Saints Row: The Third and need a fix of new content for Steelport then raise your Zimos styled pimp cups, because new downloadable content is headed your way tomorrow, February 21st. "Gangstas in Space" will be featuring the Saint's Row gang starring in their first movie that is being used for promotional purposes. This story based DLC will cost you 560 MS points or if you purchased the season pass when the game released, you get it for free. via Games Radar Click here to view the article

Meet Date A Gamer. This is UK's newest dating website geared towards hormonal gamers who need a quick fix of sexual healing before a late night gaming session! The website was founded by UK entrepreneur and TV presenter Tom Thurlow. According to Eurogamer, Thurlow says that "with dateagamer.co.uk gamers can make friends, have fun and find Mr or Mrs Right. It sure beats giving the eye to an avatar all evening". The UK's "#1 dating site for gamers and geeks" lets anybody create an account for free and claims that over 150,000 gamers use their site to help in the love department regardless of it's just bed bumping or tender cuddling on the couch. via Eurogamer Click here to view the article

Bioware's Michael Gamble announced that the Mass Effect 3 downloadable content "From Ashes" will be available as a separate download for gamers who choose not plunk down the change for the Mass Effect 3 Collector's Edition. The extra DLC that was leaked prematurely onto the Xbox Live Marketplace yesterday includes a Prothean squad member, side story, and new outfits for your squad, and a new weapon. It will cost non-CE buyers an extra $10.00 or 800 MS points. Gamble said that Bioware and EA wanted to make sure that everybody got the chance to play the DLC, because the collector's edition has been sold out at most retailers. via Bioware Forums Click here to view the article

Fans of the Mass Effect series will be happy to know that they surpassed the number of pre orders for Mass Effect 2 with Bioware's upcoming entry into the series, Mass Effect 3. EA product manager Will Graham said that the pre orders for Mass Effect 3 have "broken the targets set" and are " well ahead of where we were at the same point with Mass Effect 2". EA has been heavily advertising to get the Mass Effect brand out there for Mass Effect 3's release on March 6th. Besides commercials, collectable items, and trailers, EA has also launched copies of Mass Effect 3 with GPS devices attached into space so that gamers can track the copies and hunt them down when they land. via MCV Click here to view the article

Someone has leaked the Mass Effect 3 live action trailer onto Youtube that was originally suppose to go live during tonight's episode of AMC's The Walking Dead. Clever marketing trick by EA or was this an actual leak? The world wil never know. http://youtu.be/XOLxwmmQNjA via and Joystiq Click here to view the article

EA's online download system Origin has been accused of placing a form of tracking software onto your computer to get your personal information, but EA has always denied the claims that gamers had made. After a post in the forum Day One Patch and the responses that follow, is there finally proof that Origin is reading information off of your gaming machine? User forsayken claims that when he booted up Origin to play Battlefield 3, he took notice that Dead Space 2 appeared, however he claims that he downloaded Dead Space 2 four months ago off of Steam. Turns out from the responses, others have taken notice to the same thing happening to them with other Steam purchased games appearing on Origin. What do you think? Origin trying to get the upper hand and to each their own or has EA shown that they will do anything to get personal information from their users like installing rumored tracking software onto your PC? via Day One Patch Click here to view the article

343 Industries takes you behind the scenes to see the first in game footage of Halo 4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6UL63Zo-uo via Halo Waypoint Youtube Click here to view the article