Siren

Fans who have anxiously been waiting on a remake of Square Enix's 1997 Final Fantasy VII are going to be waiting tad bit longer. Speaking to Famitsu, Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura told the Japanese magazine that a FFVII remake is not a priority at this time. While Square is focusing on their current release, FFXIII-2 with followup DLC and a possible rumored FFXIII-3, they are also working on Final Fantasy X HD remake which makes their statement regarding FFVII seem a bit confusing. via IGN Click here to view the article

Matt Firor, Game Director of the Elder Scrolls Online has told Game Informer that the Elder Scroll's newly announced MMO main story will be single player only. Their reasoning behind the decision is to have your individual character feel like the only hero in the game and also to avoid the awkardness that is seeing other gamers waiting to beat the boss you are currently fighting. Not sure how fans will react to that considering that they have been beating down Bethesda's door for years requesting an Elder Scrolls MMO that can play with their fellow gamers including co-op main story play. via Game Informer (Video Interview) Click here to view the article

Take Two has announced that the return of the originator of video game Bullet Time, Max Payne 3 has sold over 3 million copies since it's release on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on May 15th. Take Two also announced that they are planning on releasing seven DLC packs for the game beginning on June 1st. The DLC appears to cater towards the multiplayer aspect of Max Payne 3 which some fans have said is lacking and needs work. June 1st's DLC release is titled, Local Justice Map Pack. via Side Mission Click here to view the article

http://youtu.be/R75tsSiGVzA Click here to view the article

Microsoft has managed to secure another "first" in the battle of the console peeing contest. Just announced at E3, Xbox 360 users will receive the downloadable content before the other guys for the out next year reboot, Tomb Raider. Seems kind of silly announcing DLC before the game releases, but I guess that "my stream last longers than yours" is the real battle here. Click here to view the article

Interested in transferring movies back and forth from your Xbox 360 console controlled TV and a mobile device? Not really, but Microsoft has announced that you will now have the ability to use the function all without missing a single moment from your favorite movies thanks to Xbox Smartglass. Microsoft also included the long overdue announcement that gamers will now be able to browse the internet via the Internet Explorer. These new features will go live this coming Fall 2012. Click here to view the article

Splinter Cell: Blacklist has been announced, sans Sam Fisher’s staple voice actor, Michael Ironside. Instead Candian actor Eric Johnson will be voicing Fisher. Johnson was in the Flash Gordon remake and also appeared in Smallville. http://youtu.be/YuhfD48VRGE Click here to view the article

EA UFC Announces Partnership with EA Dead Space 3 Gamplay Shown; Release Date Confirmed for February 2013 Crysis 3 Releasing February 2013 Sim City Social Coming to Facebook Need For Speed Most Wanted Releasing October 30th, 2012 FIFA 13 Will Be Able To Connect To Tablets, Smartphones, and Consoles UBISOFT Rayman Legends and Zombie U announced for the Nintendo Wii U Just Dance 4, Watch Dogs, and Shootmania Storm Officially Announced Far Cry 3 Gameplay Footage Shown MICROSOFT Halo 4 Gameplay Revealed Xbox Smartglass Announced; Windows 8 Compatible Gears of War 3 Judgement staring Baird and Cole Announced and Trailer Shown Splinter Cell Blacklist Shown without Michael Ironside voicing Sam Fisher FIFA 13 and Madden 13 Kinect enabled Nike Kinect Trainer Announced IE Browser Announced Fable The Journey Trailer Shown Forza Horizon Trailer Shown SONY Games Announced For The Vita Include; Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified, Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation, and All Star Battle Royale Beyond Staring Ellen Page Announced HTC Partners With Sony For Mobile Related God of War: Ascension Releasing March 13, 2012 JK Rowling Wonderbook Collaboration Announced Playstation One Classics Releasing On The Vita Gameplay Footage from The Last of Us Shown Final Thoughts: Overall the stars of E3 Day One were both EA and Ubisoft with the overall winner being the showing of the insanely gorgeous Far Cry 3. Microsoft and Sony were huge disappointments. Microsoft's conference felt rushed and did not have any announcements that made me excited to be an Xbox 360 owner. Where were the "now available" Xbox Live Arcade titles that they usually release the night of their conference? No dashboard update talk for this coming fall? It seemed that all they were worried about was the timed exclusive DLC that gamers do not really care about which is something that these companies need to understand. Sony's press conference was about the same dull showing, except that they didn't have Usher and dancers in spandex twirling around on stage and totally not matching Dance Central 3 in the background. (Not sure if anybody else took notice to that or not when they had dancing to the game towards the end) Both Microsoft and Sony need to seriously rethink their awful conferences this year, because E3 Day One for the console owners was a complete and utter disaster on their behalf. Click here to view the article

The man most known for not his heavyweight boxing talents, but an unfortunate ear biting incident in a 1997 fight with Evander Holyfield where he bit both of Holyfield's ears and led to him being banned from the sport, Mike Tyson is headed to WWE 13 as pre order downloadable content. No word on if an ear biter move was added to his wrestling skills in the game. http://youtu.be/aYS0jLHPYWQ Click here to view the article

Cloud Streaming Service Gaikai has been acquired by Sony for a staggering $380 million over the weekend. Gaikai allows gamers to play console and PC games from a webpage or any device that is connected to the internet. "By combining Gaikai's resources including its technological strength and engineering talent with SCE's extensive game platform knowledge and experience, SCE will provide users with unparalleled cloud entertainment experiences SCE will deliver a world-class cloud-streaming service that allows users to instantly enjoy a broad array of content ranging from immersive core games with rich graphics to casual content anytime, anywhere on a variety of internet-connected devices." stated Andrew House of Sony Computer Entertainment. What this means for the the future of Sony with a new console device like the Playstation 4 remains to be seen or talked about. However rumors are already running rampent that Sony will use this aquistion to allow backwards compatibility of previous PS0ne and Playstation Two titles. via The Escapist Click here to view the article

http://youtu.be/QNfNlj9hKCs Click here to view the article

Like a politician, Square Enix has flopped their opinion on a Final Fantasy VII remake and instead they are now stating that a Final Fantasy VII remake will happen when another Final Fantasy title can exceed the quality of Final Fantasy VII. I personally can think of one Final Fantasy that has already done that a long ago, but that's beside the point. This announcement comes one month after Square said that a Final Fantasy VII "is not a priority" and that "new titles take precedence" despite the fact that a Final Fantasy X HD remake was confirmed back in 2011's Tokyo Game Show. I believe someone needs to cast Esuna on Square Enix because they are completely blind to the bigger picture. via UberGizmo Click here to view the article

While Ubisoft has kept mum on a specific release date for their recently E3 2012 unveiled Splinter Cell: Blacklist, it appears that Amazon UK has spilled the beans for them. A keen eye over at VideoGamer spied the next entry into the series on the Amazon UK website with a release date of March 29th, 2013. Ubisoft has only mentioned Spring 2013 which falls in line with the now rumored March 29th release date. Also appearing in the ad for the game was the "Upper Echelon" Limited Edition version of the game that comes with loads of extra content including different armor, goggles that actually shine gold, a bonus mission, and a map that showcases all of the conflicted zones across the world. We are going to chalk this one up to rumor until Ubisoft confirms the release date and the limited version, but in the meantime I do have a question though regarding the limited edition if it does exist. Is there a DLC code to unlock the replaced Michael Ironside's voice of Sam Fisher? Pretty please? Click here to view the article

A few days ago, Vivendi made the announcement that they were interested in selling their 60% of Activision-Blizzard shares for $8.1 million dollars and of course the internet lit up with rumors as to who was interested in buying the company. Thoes rumors include industry giant Microsoft and that they are in discussion with Vivendi to make that very special purchase that would not only impact the future of Microsoft's Xbox franchise, but also Sony's Playstation brand. What would this mean for Sony if Microsoft were to go through with their rumored purchase? Sony could be saying "buh-bye" to seeing a Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, James Bond, or Crash Bandicoot (just to name a few) game on their console again if Microsoft would turn the tables and make these games an Xbox exclusive. Keep in mind that one of those series that happens to be the cash cow Call of Duty series brought in $1 million dollar worth of profits worldwide to Activision with it's latest entry Modern Warfare 3 all with the first 16 days of it's release. Questions have also been raised regarding Blizzard's PC series World of Warcraft, Diablo, and StarCraft. What would Microsoft do with those popular franchises especially with Diablo III being rumored to eventually be releasing on consoles. Microsoft would have the opportunity to make a console release of Diablo III an Xbox exclusive giving Sony the very frosty cold shoulder. There are endless possibilities of the "what ifs" if this turns out to be true, but keep in mind that there other takers showing an interest in purchasing Activision-Blizzard such as Time Warner and China's Tencent so it could go either way. However if Microsoft happens to buy Activision-Blizzard it will be interesting to see what will happen with these franchises under Microsoft's eye. via Reuters Click here to view the article

The final DLC for Modern Warfare 3 has been given a release date and minor details. The September 6th release of the last DLC on the Xbox 360, Collection 4: Final Assault will include new maps Gultch, Boardwalk, and Parish along with the release of De-Commision and Off Shore to non Elite members. On August 9th, you can get your hands on the Collection 3: Chaos pack which includes new Spec Ops missions and the Spec Ops mode Chaos which is based on chaining kills together to get the highest score possible. Also included in that pack are two previous Elite maps Vertigo and Intersection. Both packs will put you back 1200 MS points. via Gaming Age Click here to view the article

An example of parenting skills at their finest. A mother was forced to call an ambulance after her 15 year old son collapsed from a possbile four to five day Modern Warfare 3 marathon on his Xbox 360. Speaking to NBC4 news out of Columbus, Ohio, Jessie Rawlins mother of 15 year old Tyler Rawlins said that her son emerged from his bedroom after a possible four to five day continous gaming session looking pale and his lips appeared to turn blue. "I was very scared. I thought he was going to die. He just fell over three times." explained Jessie Rawlins to the local news. The mother who cannot confirm if it was four or five straight days that Tyler spent in his room engrossed in Modern Warfare 3 did say that her son came out of his room one time to get snacks, use the restroom, and take a shower. Tyler was diagnosed as being severely dehydrated and was immediately given an IV with fluids during his transport to the hospital. Tyler has since been released and Ms. Rawlins says she and her son learned a lesson the hard way and that Xbox is now gone. Click here to view the article

An update for Netflix on the Xbox 360 rolled out yesterday adding a new section that is "Just For Kids". This new update is perfect for a family with small children who are looking for more family friendly oriented television shows and movies. The "Just For Kids" section not only seperates Netflix's standard movie and television genres, but also allows the user to search by characters which can be found without having to type in the character's name and is located on the main area of the new section. This feature makes it easy for young children who cannot read yet to shout out the names of their favorite characters that they want to watch. Case in point, my living room lit up like it was Christmas morning when my two year discovered the character icons that were for "Thomas The Train", "Spongebob Squarepants", and "Dora The Explorer" would take him to his favorite shows without mommy and daddy having to choose for him allowing him to be feel a bit more independent. David Watson, Director of Product Innovation for Netflix on the kids and family friend end stated on his blog that the "Just For Kids" area of Netflix is very "popular" among their users on the PC, PS3, and various other devices so they "are sure it will also be a hit on Xbox 360". This update has been met with criticism with some Xbox 360 users saying they don't need it and wish they could disable it, others wishing for back to back play features instead of a kid only section along with various other updates and the addition of new shows and their episodes, and there is also the simple fact that this feature has been available to PS3 users since March 2012 and Wii users since November of 2011. Ouch! What do you think? Was this a necessary update that Netflix needed for families with young children or was this just a waste of time when Netflix should have been concentrating on refreshing their content and adding options to make it easier for the user to use the app? Click here to view the article

Game Politics is reporting that video games sales saw a decent sales decrease of 20% during the month of July. This has been the eighth consecutive drop since November 2011. One console did manage to make a buck during the month of July. The Xbox 360 remained on top of the console market for the 19th consecutive month moving 230,000 units. Both Nintendo and Sony did not release figures for the month of July. Is this decrease in sales another sign of economic times taking a toll on the gaming industry or just the long summer video game drought that gamers face in the rather boring summer months? Click here to view the article

The BitBag is reporting that Hideo Kojima may have possibly been hinting about another entry into the Silent Hill series. BitBag spied the two questionable tweets, “Silent Hill” movie that I borrowed from Murashu as the next sequel is coming out. It would be a scary game if we make Silent Hill game on FOX engine.?(?_?;)" and “Silent Hill” is in closed room setting and doesn’t require full action so that we can focus on the graphic quality. Enemy doesn’t have to be a lot or move fast. It only requires scariness by graphics and presentation. As being a creator making action game in open world, such game is very enviously attractive. Wish someone could create this on FOX engine." and now there is speculation that Kojima might be looking into developing a Silent Hill of his own using the newly developed FOX engine which will be showcased in the next Zone of Enders release. Click here to view the article

Nintendo has made a disappointing announcement regarding their upcoming console, Wii U. The console will be region locked. Nintendo confirmed the news to Famitsu which was later translated by NeoGaf user Cheesmeister3k who translates gaming events in Japan on Twitter; "That can be played on the Wii U is restricted by a region-lock feature; software not sold in the same region cannot be played". This should really come as no surprise considering that the Wii and 3DS are also region locked. Click here to view the article

Yes, you read that correct. Cliff Bleszinkski has departed from Epic Games after 20 years with the company. Epic's CEO Tim Sweeney confirmed Bleszinkski's departure with a statement posted over at Epic. "In 20 wonderful years with Epic, Cliff Bleszinski has grown into a true design luminary, and his contributions to the ‘Unreal’ and ‘Gears’ series have helped shape the game industry into what it is today. Cliff leaves Epic with our gratitude for his many contributions, and our wishes for continued success in the next chapter of his life!” Bleszinksi has released his since released his own statement stating, "I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager, and outside of my sabbatical last year, I have been going non-stop. I literally grew up in this business, as Mike likes to say. And now that I’m grown up, it’s time for a much needed break. I will miss the projects, the playtests, the debates, and most importantly, the people. Epic only hires the best of the best, and it has been a joy working with each and every one of you on a daily basis, whether you were hired weeks ago or decades ago. I have been fortunate enough to collaborate with a variety of disciplines, from code to art to marketing and PR – it’s been one big, rewarding learning experience. I’m confident that each project that is being built, whether at Epic, Chair, PCF, or Impossible will be top notch and will please gamers and critics alike." No word on what or if any effect this will have on the upcoming entry into the Gears of War series, GOW: Judgement. via Epic Click here to view the article

On September 11th, Sony launched a lawsuit against Bridgestone and Wildcat Creek Inc. Actor Jerry Lambert who plays Sony's fake executive Kevin Butler in television commercials is the president of the one of the companies featured in the lawsuit; Wildcat Creek Inc. Sony is claiming that Bridgestone and Wildcat Creek Inc. are both in breach of contract over the Kevin Butler character who Sony believes is being used in another form of advertisement for Bridgestone tires. Keep in mind that the tire brand is not using Lambert's actual Kevin Butler character, but rather just the actor in a series of promotional ads for Bridgestone. http://youtu.be/C_X3mVnuB10 Speaking to GamesBeat, Sony issued a statement regarding their lawsuit. "Sony Computer Entertainment America filed a lawsuit against Bridgestone and Wildcat Creek, Inc. on September 11. The claims are based on violations of the Lanham Act, misappropriation, breach of contract and tortious interference with a contractual relationship. We invested significant resources in bringing the Kevin Butler character to life and he’s become an iconic personality directly associated with PlayStation products over the years. Use of the Kevin Butler character to sell products other than those from PlayStation misappropriates Sony’s intellectual property, creates confusion in the market, and causes damage to Sony." What do you think Gamercide? Is Sony's lawsuit justified by the actor appearing in other ads for a tire company or has Sony lost their minds and need to find something better to do with their time? via GamesBeat Click here to view the article

A UK newspaper out of Norfolk, England has blamed the Resident Evil series for a vicious murder that transpired back in May. Their reasoning behind the comparison of the murder and the zombie franchise is because the three murders who the media has dubbed the "Resident Evil Killers" tortured a 44 year old man to death by using a pool cue, burned his body with boiling water, slashed his body up, and then carved the letter "J" on the victim's face. A claw hammer and boning knife were among the weapons found at the scene. The trio of killers also mentioned the series while on the stand. The judge sentenced Ricky Roys; age 20, Andrew Brown; age 42, and Helen Cooke; age 19 to only 23 years in jail and said that the "alcohol fueled crime" was "sadistic" in nature that the disturbed individuals clearly had intent on the killing the 44 year old victim who suffered more than 104 cuts and different injuries on his body. The trio who appeared in court compared the murder to the Resident Evil series as they attempted to defend themselves on the stand. Upon hearing of their defense, the British media took to the "comparison" like flies buzzing around the anus of a cow who is preparing to shat in an open field. Apparently, I must have missed the gameplay somewhere in the survival/horror series where you violate someone with a pool cue, boil them in water, and carve their face up like it was a jack-o-lantern. Can the British media please show me where those scenes take place? I didn't think so. via Crave Online Click here to view the article

Activision had to pull the multiplayer map Favela out of the map rotation after the finding of a painted portrait that appears in a bathroom in the map offended some in the Muslim community. The offending portrait features a painted tree and the words "Allah is beautiful" and "He loves beauty" inscribed around the frame of the portrait which happens to be situated above a toilet. Activision released a statement apologizing for the image and said that they are working on an update to remove the wording from the map. We apologise to anyone who found this image offensive. Please be assured we were unaware of this issue and that there was no intent to offend. We are working as quickly as possible to remove this image and any other similar ones we may find from our various game libraries. "We are urgently working to release a Title Update to remove the texture from Modern Warfare 3. We are also working to remove the texture from Modern Warfare 2 through a separate Title Update. Until the TU is ready, we have removed the Favela multiplayer map from online rotation. "Activision and our development studios are respectful of diverse cultures and religious beliefs, and sensitive to concerns raised by its loyal game players. We thank our fans for bringing this to our attention." via Eurogamer Click here to view the article

Consider yourself warned if you choose to let stupidity rule your life when it comes to playing pre-release copies of Halo 4; Microsoft has their eye on you and you will be perma-banned from their services. Microsoft issued a statement regarding the perma-bans after Halo 4 related content began showing up around the internet. For those of you choosing not to act like a bunch of jackasses, Halo 4 releases in a few weeks. November 6th to be exact. via Gaming Blend Click here to view the article