Siren

Two major British retailers are threatening to ban the selling of games tied to Steam and are demanding that publishers remove Steam from their game or suffer the consequences. According to MCV, the two retailers who are unknown at this point are claiming that Steam is ruining the PC market and that Valve has created a monster. One of the bosses even had the following to say. "If we have a digital service, then I don’t want to start selling a rival in-store... “Publishers are creating a monster ­– we are telling suppliers to stop using Steam in their games.” What do you think? Has Valve created a monster and in doing so, have they begun destroying the market of PC games? Click here to view the article

The numbers are in and Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops has sold a combined 5.6 million copies on it's opening day in the US and UK, making Activision not only $360 million, but also very happy. As reported on Eurogamer, Bobby Kotick, Activision's CEO was extremely pleased with Black Ops first day numbers. "The game's success underscores the pop culture appeal of the brand. Call of Duty: Black Ops is the finest game that Treyarch has ever made and raises the bar for online gameplay by delivering the deepest and most intense Call of Duty experience yet." Black Ops has already outsold Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2 who managed to make $4.7 million on day one. Click here to view the article

Faery: Legends of Avalon Developed By: Spiders Studios Price: 1200 MS points "Magic, battles against fearsome monsters, original creatures, colorful characters, a great story to support the main quest and many side quests, for 10-15 hours of gameplay..." ~ Faerythegame.com Guwange Developed By: Cave Price: 800 MS points "The story of Guwange is set during the Muromachi period of Japan. During this time, increasing numbers of people suffer possession by shikigami. Although the shikigami grant great spiritual powers, the strain inflicted on the host causes them to die exactly one year after possession. However, a legend has sprung up regarding Guwange, the malevolent god trapped in Mt. Gokumon (i.e. Hell Gate). If one possessed by a shikigami can gather talismans of the five Chinese elements--wood, fire, earth, metal, water--from five demons serving Guwange, then infiltrate Gokumon and slay Guwange, the shikigami will be destroyed and the one possessed will not suffer a premature death." ~ Guwange The UnderGarden Developed By: Vitamin G Studios Price: 800 MS points "The Undergarden is a casual zen game that challenges players to explore underground caverns filled with strange life forms, sound, music and plenty of hidden secrets. Players traverse the Undergarden world in search of members of their musical band. Along the way they encounter physics based puzzles to be solved, strange life forms that must be befriended or avoided, and magical plant life that reacts to the music created around them." ~ Vitamin G Studios Click here to view the article

As ghouls, ghosts, and goblins are preparing for their adventures on everyone's favorite undead holiday Halloween, I am counting down my list for bone chilling games that terrified me so bad, I had to keep glancing over my shoulder everytime I heard the wind blow. Alan Wake In May 2010, Remedy and Microsoft finally released long awaited and very overdue survival horror title, Alan Wake. You take control of Alan Wake who is a best selling author. Unfortunately he has been suffering from writer's block and has been unsuccessful in writing another novel. Alan and his wife, Alice travel to the small, but beautfiul town of Bright Falls to help him reopen his mind and let his imagination flow through his fingers and into another novel. Upon entering Bright Falls, you are to assume that this sleepy little town surrounded by beautiful landscapes and never ending mountains, is well, normal. You quickly learn that is not the case as you find yourself looking for answers as to what exactly happened to your wife at the cabin on Cauldron Lake. Did she really fall into the merky waters surrounding the small cabin or has Alan simply lost his mind and living in a fantasy world of one of his best selling novels? As Alan tries to work through it all, he is armed with a flashlight while being chased through the dark and deadly woods by "The Taken" which have taken over the townspeople and controlling vehicles and machinery around Bright Falls. So what made Alan Wake so scary? Siren Says: Alan Wake is almost a total package. While it is missing some classic survival horror mainstays, it makes up for that in story and being able to make the gamer get so engrossed in the game, that they forget where they are and in that instant are actually living Alan Wake's life. The sound effects and the constant feeling that you are alone while traversing through the dark and lonely woods of Bright Falls makes Alan Wake one of the most bone chilling games I ever played. In fact, I was never able to beat it, because of that. Everytime I go to put it into my 360, I stop, because all I can hear is "The Taken" in my head. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem Originally developed for the N64, Silicon Knight's Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem later found it's way onto Nintendo's tiny console, the Gamecube in late 2002. This mind freakingly extraodinary entry into the survival horror genre won quick praise from gamers and the media. Throughout Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem you play as the Buffy resembling, Alexandra Roivas who is attempting to figure out why her grandfather was murdered. Alexandra arrives at her grandfather's sprawling mansion and discovers a book titled, "The Tome of Eternal Darkness". Upon reading the book, you find yourself reliving the stories in the book. There are many characters throughout different time periods that you must play as in order to discover the secrets behind Alexandra's ancestors. During the gameplay, Eternal Darkness incorporates the "Sanity Meter". The "Sanity Meter" represents the character's overall sanity. When certain events are triggered in the game, the character's meter will start to go down causing the player to experience some sanity effects. Some of the sanity effects are bleeding walls, the volume appearing to be turned down on your television and a fake volume meter is displayed on your screen, and the appearance of monsters that upon being attacked, disappear into thin air as if they were never there. There are a host of other sanity effects besides the one's mentioned. So what makes Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem frightening? Siren Says: Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem is perhaps one of the most underrated games of it's time. This game had it all, along with the ability to cause the gamer to question their own sanity when the sanity effects began. I remember playing this game at night and having to turn the light on, because I thought I heard a woman's voice and here it was from the game's sanity effects. Resident Evil Sony's Playstation was the first console to show off Capcom's new and unforgettable zombie loving series, Resident Evil. One of the truest forms of the survival horror genre to ever be released, eventually showed up on the Sega Saturn and received an incredible graphic makeover for the Nintendo Gamecube. The one that started it all, Resident Evil introduced zombies so terrifying that one undead beast was enough to make gamer's find themselves sitting in a warm yellow puddle and dogs so shockingly disturbing, that it left gamer's gripping their controllers out of sheer terror. Gamers found themselves taking control of either the powerhouse Chris Redfield or the smaller, but faster Jill Valentine while they were investigating the mysterious murders within Raccoon City that led them to a seemingly harmless abandoned mansion. Upon entry, Jill and Chris along with the other members of STARS Alpha team quickly discover that something more sinister and deadly has begun taking over. With every door that needed to be opened and the creeking that followed, Resident Evil showed signs at the very beginning that this game mastered everything a survival horror game should be and then some. Siren Says: Crows, dogs, zombies, and breaking glass. This game terrified the sh*t out of me and still does. I can't even gather the words to describe how bone chilling this game is to me. Silent Hill 2 James Sunderland is lured to Silent Hill to figure out why he received a letter from his deceased wife Mary in Team Silent and Konami's Silent Hill 2 for the Playstation 2 and Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams for the Xbox. When entering the dreary and foggy town of Silent Hill, James meets a young woman who looks strikingly like his dead wife, Mary. Maria is killed by the towering and freakishly scary Pyramid Head, but later reappears not knowing what James is talking about when he tries to figure out why the woman he just saw die, is sitting in front of him in a locked cell. As he sets out to try and free Maria who begins to talk about his life with Mary, James comes across disturbing nurses and of course the huge knife wielding Pyramid Head. One sound of the knife sliding across the floor as Pyramid Head loomed closer sent gamers running for the closest door. While wondering through the many creepy places of Silent Hill, James discovers a radio that seems to locate enemies when they are within close range. One sound of static and gamers find themselves fumbling to switch off their flashlight and wondering which direction the enemy is coming from. Silent Hill 2 boasts six different endings depending on your actions taken throughout the game. So what makes Silent Hill so creepy? Siren Says: It's not exactly the scariest game out there, but it is definitely one of the creepiest with the game's overall sound. Silent Hill 2 has the ability to get into one's head with just the sound of Pyramid Head's knife scraping across the floor. That game still makes me shudder and I could never finish it, because of that. There you have it. That is the list of games that are so bone chilling I will never play them again. Here are what Gamerciders had to say about their most bone chilling played games. "Condemned: Criminal Origins. Scariest use of an abandoned mannequin warehouse EVER. Playing that game always puts me on edge. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem. That game was da SHIZNAT back in the day. I can't believe how awesome the "Sanity Meter" was and the weird and effed up stuff the game would do to you" -CoyAndChris "Fatal Frame 1 and 2. My wife and I played Fatal Frame 2 while we were house sitting for a friend out in Penn. He lived in a very nice gated community with a huge deer population/problem. We played it at night with the lights off and there were deer wandering around the yard and looking into the windows. Scared the hell out of both of us so we shut the game off." -Super Kev 1000 " Not much of a Horror genre gamer but Dead Space made me jump a few times." -Chinese Baboon "Dead Space puts me on edge more than anything, and the latest game to give me a scare was Alan Wake. That stupid old woman pops up in your vision when you're not expecting it. I think I have a video clip of that somewhere." -Dateranoth "Just playing Dead space now and it has made me jump, the splicer in Bioshock that would show up right behind you would get me every time. " -Dubl Duece "This is a game another member of Gamercide can relate to as well, since we both played it together at the same time. Condemned 2 was the game that I have gotten quite a few scares out of. The lights off and the TV very loud makes this a truly horrifying experience. David (Bacon V3) and I would start the game at the exact same moment and go through the game simultaneously while we chatted in party chat. There were a lot of screams to be heard. I think I probably screamed my loudest due to fear because of that game. Needless to say, neither I nor David have finished it yet." -SycoYAFF " Fear. Nuff said." -MajorWhiteBoy "The beginning of Bioshock was pretty creepy, but not the entire game. Dead Space however... I never completed the game, lol" -Skylark95 " The only game I can really recall making me jumpy was Condemned: Criminal Origins. The way the game was pretty much always dark, as well as focusing heavily on close combat and tight spaces to navigate in made the experience a lot more creepy. Not to mention the mannequin level, and the way the enemies would pop out at you constantly when you least expect it." -Elite Effect "I don't think there's been a game that has truly ever scared me, but there are plenty that have made me jump. When the berserker made its appearance in Gears of War was a memorable moment for me. I literally jumped when it busted through the wall the first time. Other games like Bioshock, the Resident Evil series and a few others have done that to me too, but it wasn't a lasting or deep scare that went beyond being surprised and caught off guard." -Pogre "The Suffering and Amnesia: Dark Descent.The Suffering is just plain creepy. The enemies are made up of different things, like hypodermic needle fingers, and blade arms. With Amnesia, it's all about the immersion and the fact you can't defend yourself. There are no weapons. You must use a cool head, and find other ways through the game without dying or losing your sanity." -PeeKnuckle " The scariest game I've ever played was Max Payne. That dream sequence was too creepy. Next on the list would be The Darkness. As soon as I got my darkness power, I got a pit in my stomach and got scared as hell." -eminutia "I don't realy play scary games lol.... cause i know ill just turn it off. Last game that made me do that was Doom 3..... I know..I'm a sissy." -Kira Onime "I know this may sound weird but a level in Banjo Kazooie scared me. The one with the big metal shark, you swim through a tube and you can see his face at the end, I couldn't finish it because I couldn't get close enough. Around the time Golden Eye came out I started having a fear of first person shooters and it took me years to get over it. I'm really not sure why but just sitting an anticipating an enemy coming around the corner made stuff leak down my leg." -Green Grenades " The game that scared me the most was the original Resident Evil. There were so many moments where you would get attacked unexpectedly. You approach a door to open it it, only to have a zombie break it down just as you get there. The moment where the dogs crash through the hallway windows was another one. The only game that could even come close to Resident Evil for me was Bioshock, but having preceded that game by almost a decade Resident Evil holds a place in my heart as the first and best horror game I've played. Another had to be in metal gear solid. The fight with Psycho Mantis has to be one of the first gaming moments to break that barrier between game and reality. The way it seemed to know things (by way of reading the memory card) was the freakiest moment for me. For a game like MGS to actually get me to shut the game down because i was so freaked out is a a feeling i'll never forget, and what is a developers purpose but to create a game that will create a lasting impact that won't be forgotten. " -LGWyant "Resident Evil was the first, Fear was the second, then Condemned came along and topped them all. The atmosphere in that game was intense and nothing is scarier than your own imagination. They used both those elements to make the ultimate scare factor. If you have not played the first Condemned, try it with ALL the lights out and surround sound. On Halloween. In a empty house. At night." -towncryer " Condemned 1 (not 2!) and RE1. RE1 I think was the scariest. I never beat it, sh*t just kept flying out of closets at me and I couldn't take it lol." -Banstyle " Bioshock 1 gave me a chill, I remember I was doing something one time in a corner and out of no where I turn around (after I thought I killed everyone) i saw a damn clown looking dude. I was like confused and actually jumped in my seat." -UND3RxOATH Click here to view the article

The growing list of expensive games that are being added to the XBLA are lacking creativity and not worth the amount of points that they are releasing for. Sure there are some downloadable worthy titles that will keep you busy for hours like Braid, Kingdom for Keflings, Limbo, and Shadow Complex, but what happens when you grow tired of repeatedly playing the same games over and over and want a new arcade game? You are faced with 1200 MS point buys that are not worth even a discounted price of 400 MS points. Here are a list of games that could revamp and save the XBLA from disappearing into the ugly dark hole that it is slowly digging for itself with out of control prices and lack luster games. Oregon Trail Hands down, Oregon Trail would be an instant hit. How many of you remember fighting your classmates in elementary school just to play this game for 15 minutes? Or racing home to your PC just to make sure that your latest enemy in school got a case of dysentary, because they laughed at you for wearing that knit shirt that your grandma bought you for Christams? In Oregon Trail, you take on the role of a leader that is trying to get his group of settlers to Oregon's Willamette Valley from Independence, Missouri in 1848. Along your trek you face different types of diseases, wagon breakdowns, animal deaths, and settler deaths. When one of your settlers died in your party, you could write an epitaph that would show at the brief funeral ceremony. Another key part in Oregon Trail was the ability to hunt. Little PC gamers could hunt big and small game with bullets and weapons that were purchased throughout the game. All of this added to the educational benefits that children and adults (yes you) received when they sat down to play the game. Siren Says: Oregon Trail should release for 400 MS points on the XBLA. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Broderbund Software first unleashed this addictive detective style game in 1985. It's main purpose was for educational use, but it became a huge success spawning sequels and a television show. Carmen Sandiego led young PC gamers across the globe trying to track down her whereabouts by gathering clues and finding her henchmen. The ultimate goal was to issue an arrest warrant for Carmen Sandiego and put her behind bars before the deadline was up. If you missed the deadline, you lost the game and the villian escaped. Siren Says: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego would be a great family friendly game for the younger generation that are playing XBL. 400 MS points and I would be sold. Myst This first person point and click adventure was one of the most successful games during it's time and paved the way for many point and click adventure games like Myst and not to mention a host of sequels in the Myst series and spinoffs including Uru and Riven. In the original Myst which debuted in September 24, 1993 for the PC and later for the Sega Saturn and Playstion, you play as a person who finds a book called, "Myst". Upon reading the book, you are taken away to the world of Myst where you have to discover what happened to Atrus who leaves clues around the island. As you walk around the island you find a library which introduces Atrus's sons, Sirrus and Archer. One is trapped in a blue book, while the other is trapped in a red book. Both are asking for you to bring them their red or blue colored pages. As you travel across the "Ages" and bring the pages back and stick them in their respective books, the plot is uncovered and you must decide who you want to help. The game has several different endings depending on the choices that you make. Siren Says: If this game were to ever release on the XBLA I would wet my pants. Seriously....I still play this game on my PC. I say this is one of those games that would be worth 1200 MS points. Voodoo Vince This little voodoo doll was easily one of the best platform games that came to the original big black box on September 23, 2004. As Voodoo Vince, you found youself playing through the monster infested streets of New Orleans in order to rescue your maker Madam Charmaine, who owns a voodoo store in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Along your adventure, Vince uses classic voodoo doll style attacks like sticking yourself with needles to take down enemies and bosses. Vince also has standard attack moves that involve punching and kicking. Voodoo Vince gives gamers an authentic New Orleans experience with southern New Orleans accents and heavy jazz soundtrack. Siren Says: Voodoo Vince was one of the best games that I ever played. Release it for 800 MS points on the XBLA. Bottom line, I am sick of seeing the countless number of anime and classic games that I can play at the local arcade for a cheaper price. Give me something that I will want to play repeatedly instead of something that I want just for 12 lousy achievements to boost my gamerscore up 200 points and then is forgotten about and sits among my other 100 something arcade titles collecting dust. Gamerciders, do you agree or disagree? Is the XBLA digging itself a hole with it's high prices and "forget me" games? Or do you think the XBLA is doing just fine and will continue to plunk down the moolah on future titles and what titles would you like to see come to the arcade? Click here to view the article

Bioware and EA's latest trailer for the upcoming Dragon Age II was released for your viewing pleasure. The trailer gives gamer's a tiny taste to wet their appetite for game footage and there is plenty of blood, fire, weapons, and heroes with overused facial scars. Dragon Age II releases on March 8, 2011. Click here to view the article

What items released on the XBL Marketplace today? You can find the list below. Pinball FX2 - Free full game download. Tables purchased seperately. Free import of the original Pinball FX tables. 3D Ultra MinGolf Adventures 2 - 800 MS points Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Demo Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare Pack Add On - 800 MS points Majin and the Forsaken Freedom Demo Click here to view the article

Remember when Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light released before the promised co-op was added and the game was rendered useless? Gamers rejoice, because the co-op addition is coming to your Xbox 360 on October 27 for free via a title update. Eidos announced that gamers will also have 30 days to download the first DLC pack for free. The DLC introduces a "new area to conquer and features a combination of puzzle, exploration and combat experiences". No news on what the price will be after 30 days on the marketplace and if PS3 and PC users will have to pay for the content. Click here to view the article

THQ and Double Fine released Costume Quest on Wednesday for download on the XBLA and PSN. Here are the screens for the hilarious game that follows a group of friends on Halloween night as they try to get rid of the undead baddies that are taking over their once quiet neighborhood. Click here to view the article

The Gamercide community would like to thank everyone who has worked on the Halo series. Everyone of you are responsible for providing us with unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime. So to every single one of you that have poured every bit of energy that you could muster into the Halo series over the years we raise our glasses and say, "Thank You". Without you, the following memories would not be possible. "I remember playing Halo CE over and over again with my friends. It was truly the first FPS I played and I fell in love with it. I played the entire campaign on Legendary from day one and we beat that game like it was nothing. I still remember the last lvl, The Maw, when the pillar is about to explode and you're driving like hell from the flood to get to the escape ship. That was where I finally figured out how to drive the warthog properly lol. Halo 2's first lvl was such a pain in the butt on Legendary, running into one of the first rooms the covenant landed in and getting mowed down by those two turrets. Nothing was more painful than that lvl, but I had a blast getting through it. Then there was the online. With out a doubt in my mind I can say if it weren't for the Halo 2 online I would not own an Xbox 360 or an Xbox Live account. The online had soo many glitches but they were alot of fun to mess around on. The sword sniping, sword canceling, that one time I saw a flying warthog in blood gultch, super bounces and so much more. I was never the best but I could damn well hold my own. The midnight launch for Halo 3. I'll remember sitting in Gamestop bs'ing with everyone for a long time to come. I was so happy when I got my spartan helmet out of the box at home. It was the first Halo game I could afford to purchase myself and I was able to get the special edition which made it all the better. I stayed up all night playing that game, even got the day off from school and work just so I could play it all day. I was the first one in my school to beat the game on Legendary." - Stealthy Shadows "First time playing Halo was when I was about 12, we were at a family friends party, and with no other kids my age around the adults just set me up with Halo and I played for almost the entire time I was there, but whenever I played a 1 on 1 with anyone they would destroy me. Later that summer I was staying at my friends house for a week, at this time I didn't have an Xbox original or 360, but my friend did and he had Halo CE, out of that entire week i must have logged over 72 hours on it. This was the only reason I decided to get an Xbox 360 on my 13th birthday and the only game i got with it was Halo 2. That was only a month and a half before the release of Halo 3 which i picked up on release day. Halo 3 was the game everyone had, and everyone played, yet I was addicted and in a very short time I became the best player out of anyone I knew. I near mastered almost everything to do with Halo 3, getting up to a brigadier in almost no time at all, while finding time to make kick-ass maps in forge I've logged over 3000 matchmaking games and over 4000 custom games." -InfernoParadox "I was a late bloomer to the Xbox experience. I was always a Sony girl and was told that the Xbox's graphics sucked and to not get one. Then one day [this was after Halo CE was a $20 game] we got an Xbox at my house. My brothers and I fell in love with the game. Even though our internet sucked and we couldn't play online with people at all for Halo 2, we played the hell outta the multiplayer for that game. Halo CE and Halo 2 made me fall in love with the Xbox and I bought my 360 pretty much just for the launch of Halo 3." -Mandy2610 "First time I played Halo: Combat Evolved I was a little kid at the age of ten years old. Basically fresh out of Chuck E Cheese. My best friends at the time and still to this day said they got this new system called an Xbox and Halo and they wanted me to come over. So I pleaded for my mom to let me play this game since it was rated 'M' and I told her I wouldn't go on a rampage packing heat at my elementary school since it was a videogame. It worked. Later that day, my mom dropped me off and I played Halo for the first time. I stayed the night over there and we had a Halo session all afternoon, all night, and the whole next morning. I remember Halo was the first game that the bullet rounds exiting the gun after being fired actually landed on the ground and rolled according to the terrain. I literally spent five minutes in a Warthog parked on top of a hill and shot the turret at the sky just to watch the bullets roll down the hill. I was amazed. From then on out, I'm what you can call a Halo fanboy and you guys and gals know how I am. I've only grown to love Halo more since Bungie is really the "lead" developer in community involvement. Online stats came out in 2004 for Halo 2 to check all the details of your games, weapons, etc. on Bungie.net...and there are still developers who don't do this to this day. I honestly don't get it. Theater and file sharing; done in 2007 and yet Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST are the only two games that still have this system. Bungie has honestly lead the way in community development I believe for the last ten years in the gaming industry, especially with Xbox. Matchmaking revolutionized competitive multiplayer and social multiplayer experiences. Friends could come over and you could all play online against other people from all around the world. Matchmaking, to this day, is the greatest innovation Xbox LIVE has seen. I have no doubts in my mind that without Halo 2, Xbox LIVE would definitely not be as successful as it is. I am deeply saddened that Halo: Reach is Bungie's last Halo title, but I think this is also a great note to end on. They haven't milked the franchise and have pumped out games every year to make a quick buck. They listen to the community, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and they are respected because of that. I have no grudge towards anyone who doesn't like the Halo games, but it's hard to deny the amount of community support they give. And with that, I will always respect Bungie and ten years down the road, I'm sure developers will be looking at Halo and still breaking it down to how Bungie could always make that "30 seconds of fun" repeat over and over. " -Bogeh "First time I played Halo, I was actually watching my neighbor's kids. They had an xbox and we played Halo all night lol, even though I did suck xD. I played Halo a few times after that, but then Halo 2 came out. I remember being grounded when my friends called me over to play it with them. I think I was nearly on my knees asking my parents to unground me for the day lol. Eventually worked, althought I'm not shure if I convinced them or if they where jsut tired of hearing me. Eventually got myself my own Xbox with some Christmas money, but couldn't get Halo 2, none left. But then came my birthday 2 months later, parents got me Halo 2 xD. TBH, I never had Live until the 360. So I never realyl played Halo 2 live, until I had the 360, but I did play the crap out of it with friends and so on. Then came the 360, oh joy, I was finally able to play Halo LIVE. I think I spent a hole damn week doing nearly nothing else but that. I remember the first game I played, ended with 20ish kills lol. Well, I played the crap out of Halo 2 until Halo 3 came out, or until I got the 3rd game." -Kira Onime "I played Halo: CE on my computer for the first time back around 2002. I hadn't played a lot of them, and never touched multiplayer. Though I almost finished the entire campaign, if it weren't for my impending drug habit and ultimate hiatus from gaming for 5 years. So yeah, that's my only memory of Halo, since I haven't played 2 or 3, or ODST. I don't want to be late to that party. The next time I played a game was back in Late 2008/Early 2009, when I got my Xbox 360 for Christmas." - eminutia "My first experiences with Halo were pretty random. The very first time I played Halo was the Halo: CE demo. It was an old PC demo I downloaded from Microsoft.com. I don't even think they have game demos on Microsoft.com anymore. I thought it was a neat game, but didn't think much of it because I only had a PS2. Later on I saw my brother playing Halo 2 and he handed me the controller. As soon as I started playing a guy jumped across some rooftops in front of me and I quickly shot him in the head a couple times with the Battle Rifle and he died in midair before he got to the other side, rag-dolling beautifully. That's when I first got hooked, and when I discovered what my favorite gun was. Afterward I played through Halo: CE and Halo 2's campaigns and was amazed. The games were way ahead of their time. I think one of my favorite parts of the series was actually the music. Marty O'Donnell made some amazing, beautiful music in the series. I never actually owned Halo: CE or Halo 2, I just played my brother's copies. But then Halo 3 was announced. I bought an Xbox 360 in early 2007 and got into high definition gaming, anticipating Halo 3's release later that year. Months before it came out, I had the $150 Legendary Edition preordered. I sort of justified it by thinking that I had never bought the first two games, and the Legendary bonus disc contained all of the cutscenes from them in movie format, and with optional commentary, which was awesome. Halo 3 quickly became the multiplayer game that I put the most time into, even beating out Star Wars Battlefront 1 and 2. I even managed to get all of the achievements in Halo 3. While many of them were done with a cooperating group, I still had to work for them because I was usually the one who organized the achievement matches. I am very proud of my 1750 in Halo 3 and my 1000 in ODST, because I love the series." -AudaciousKevin "I thought the X-Box was a joke. I never thought I'd own one or want one. It was Sony all the way for me. Halo CE changed everything the minute I saw it. I HAD to have Halo and thus had to own an X-Box. Thanks to Halo a whole new world in gaming was opened up to me and I never looked back." -towncryer "The first time I played Halo was combat Evolved around the year 2002. I had never seen an Xbox before and the huge old xbox controllers were intimidating but the game was so much fun. We beat the campaign between us in one night and the following night we had a huge LAN party. A few years later I bought my first Xbox and Halo CE and Halo 2 were staples between my friends and I for years to come. Halo to me has been more then just a game, when I reminisce about HS and past friends it's hard to separate those memories from this game that brought us so close together. I had so many LAN/pool parties at my house, countless nights of my Mom screaming at us cussing because my friend dropped the bomb instead of planting it or how we swore the other team was cheating because we couldn't capture the flag if our lives depended on it." -CHINESE BABOON "A freshman at Montana State University, through knowing a blockbuster employee I was able to show up at 11:50 pm, walk to the counter, grab it, and leave. Got back to the dorms, and there was people all over, heading and returning from picking up their copy. Now at msu, the way they had their network set up, it was like one giant LAN for everybody staying in a dorm room, so all night, people were yelling, screaming, and just celebrating the release all night long, and campus was about half empty the next day." -sedington86 "I remember Halo first when I would head over to Mike's, my childhood friend, house afterschool to play the original Halo on his Xbox. Normally, I would never go near that console. I was a diehard playstation fanboy and my friend and I would get into constant arguments debating which console was better. My argument would always be, xbox sucks and it's controllers are HUGE. He would rebute this by saying Xbox was built like a computer and had better graphics. Keep in mind we were in like 5th grade at the time. Our petty fighting would get resolved overtime when Halo: Combat Evolved came out. "You know I have to give it to you Mike, Halo is the only good thing Xbox has even though it has ginormous controllers". Eventually after countless hours playing over my friend's house, I would buy my own Xbox to play Halo. Then I went onto to play games like Fable and A Bard's Tale and I fell in love with the console." -JB410 "I remember the very first time that I played Halo was when I decided to get into the series before the 3rd game came out. But that is not my most memorable moment. That moment involves a couple of friends hanging out together, playing the Big Team Battle playlist on Halo 3, and Ramen Noodles. Lol While we were all waiting for the match to start, two of my friends were trying to cook eight packages of Ramen Noodles at once. Now the whole shebang started when one of them didn’t mute their mic to say that the ‘Ramen’ has been in the microwave for 8 minutes, after which someone immediately afterwards remarked that Ramen does not take 8 minutes to cook. Now the real fun happened once the match started. The entire team of eight people started talking nonstop about Ramen noodles saying remarks such as: “I love how the crap is really cheap, but starts to taste like crap too if you keep buying it.” “Ramen is good the first week, kind of good the second week, ok the third week, and absolutely sucks the forth week.” “I wonder if they have Ramen Therapy.” Now those are just a few of the comments that were brought up. Even though our team lost the match, it was ok because we all had a hell of a time talking about Ramen. I understand that this may not seem very funny just reading it, but if you were there, it was a blast. LOL." -Skylark95 "The first time I played Halo was the demo for the original Halo on the big black box. I was like, WTF is this? Popped it in with my dad watching eagerly beside me and oh my goodness. We both took turns playing it and we could not stop. This was the best thing next to a PB&J. Halo 2 online.....I first played online with my husband. I was a bit intimidated by the thought of playing this game online, but after my first match I was hooked. Team Swat and Team Snipers gave me bragging rights and you better believe I throw it in my husband's face every now and then. I say that with a huge grin on my face. Halo 3....I will admit I cried. I cried like a baby when I thought the Chief died. Of course my husband was laughing at me the whole entire time, but whatever. I On behalf of Gamercide, I would like to say that without this outstanding series, we would not be here today talking about what has made Halo one of the most outstanding series to ever grace a console. Bungie, you gave us a story with unforgettable characters, and we here at Gamercide give you our memories. -The Gamercide Community Click here to view the article

The countdown is complete and the sarcasm has returned. Who was the most fail-tacular in the world of all things games this past week? Cheaters, you filthy worthless beings who make gaming difficult for the rest of us receive the Fail of the Week Award. This week the cheaters of the gaming universe united in Bungie's swan song, Halo: Reach. Unfortunately for them, Bungie swung the banhammer resetting the credits of 15,000 losers who found an exploit to gain unlimited credit points and banning them for 24 hours. Bungie has hinted that there might be more punishment to come. On the PC side of things, Blizzard is also taking action against cheaters who are choosing to use hacks/cheats in Starcraft II. Blizzard announces that they are starting to hand out bans and suspensions to anyone caught using hack programs and/or cheating. So far 5,000 players have felt the swing of Blizzard's mighty banhammer. So what have we learned here cheaters of the gaming world? You can only manipulate the system for so long, before your insignificant self gets squashed like the little flea that you are. Click here to view the article

EA is no stranger to controversy. Their push of making gamers pay for every little thing that they have to offer is just one example of the type of controversy that EA has been dealing with, but what about the heated controversy surrounding the upcoming Medal of Honor's playable Taliban characters? Is EA in the wrong with this one especially when they almost lost support from the US Army? According to Deseret News, military bases across the US reacted strongly to EA's announcement of having playable Taliban characters that can be used in the game to shoot at U.S. troops by banning the sale of the game on base. Families also protested to show their dislike for being able to play as the Taliban. One of the families that protested was Karen Meredith who lost her son in the current conflict. ""War is not a game, period, and the fact that they've already done games about World War II, that's far removed from our current history. And people aren't dying in World War II anymore, that's far removed. The families...it's not based on real people...." Meredith stated in a video interview with Fox News. She later states when asked why adults cannot make their own decision about playing video games like watching wrestling, "Well pro wrestling, nobody dies...." (*Pro wrestler Owen Hart tragically passed away right before his match after a malfunction of equipment) To make matters even worse, the US Army who has given EA it's full support on Medal of Honor did not know about it until the game was almost finished. 1up.com reported that Kenneth Hawes, the director of the U.S. Army's Public Affairs Office Western Region, stated that the Department of Defense was surprised and that after finding out about the playable Taliban characters the Army considered to pull out from supporting the military shooter. "We immediately contacted Electronic Arts and asked them to give us a demonstration of the game's capabilities, You have to understand I'm not a gamer. We provide support on major motion pictures, television, and video games, but I didn't grow up with video games. So personally I was a little disappointed they included that scenario." The United States Army is not the only form of military to show their dislike for the playable terrorists. According to PlaystionLifeStyle.net, the British Defense Secretary is urging retailers not to sell the game stating that, "It’s shocking that someone would think it acceptable to recreate the acts of the Taliban. At the hands of the Taliban, children have lost fathers and wives have lost husbands. I am disgusted and angry. It’s hard to believe any citizen of our country would wish to buy such a thoroughly un-British game. I would urge retailers to show their support for our armed forces and ban this tasteless product." After the protests and public outcry, EA has decided to change the name of the terrorists in their game. When you play the multiplayer, instead of playing as the Taliban, you will be playing as the "Opposing Force". Greg Goodrich, the Executive Producer on Medal of Honor released the following statement regarding the name change. "In the past few months, we have received feedback from all over the world regarding the multiplayer portion of Medal of Honor. We’ve received notes from gamers, active military, and friends and family of servicemen and women currently deployed overseas. The majority of this feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. For this, the Medal of Honor team is deeply appreciative. However, we have also received feedback from friends and families of fallen soldiers who have expressed concern over the inclusion of the Taliban in the multiplayer portion of our game. This is a very important voice to the Medal of Honor team. This is a voice that has earned the right to be listened to. It is a voice that we care deeply about. Because of this, and because the heartbeat of Medal of Honor has always resided in the reverence for American and Allied soldiers, we have decided to rename the opposing team in Medal of Honor multiplayer from Taliban to Opposing Force. While this change should not directly affect gamers, as it does not fundamentally alter the gameplay, we are making this change for the men and women serving in the military and for the families of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice - this franchise will never willfully disrespect, intentionally or otherwise, your memory and service. To all who serve - we appreciate you, we thank you, and we do not take you for granted. And to the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines currently serving overseas, stay safe and come home soon." With the above announcement many gamers took to the websites to show their disapproval of the name change. Many stating that EA should have stuck to their guns and kept the name Taliban in the multiplayer of the game. Will the name change affect the sales of EA's highly anticipated Medal of Honor or has this controversy given the game more buyable publicity? We will have to wait until October 12 to find out. Click here to view the article

Incase you missed what was added to the Xbox Live Marketplace for the week of October 10, you can find it all here in one little nifty recap. Deal of the Week - Mass Effect 2 (All deals are good for Gold members until October 18) Overlord - 400 MS points Kasumi Stolen Memory - 400 MS points Suit - 160 MS points Helmet - 80 MS points Demo Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2 Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 Game Add Ons Alan Wake: The Writer -560 MS points Dead Rising 2: The Psycho Skills Pack - 160 MS points XBLA Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 - 1200 MS points Dead Space Ignition - 400 MS points (If you preordered Dead Space 2 from certain retailers like amazon.com, you will receive a code to download this for free) Games On Demand Gears of War 2 - $29.99 (To celebrate Gears of War 2 being added to the Games on Demand Lineup, the All Fronts Map Collection is half priced for Gold and Silver members) Click here to view the article

The contest is over for the Plants vs. Zombies prize. Who did the Grim Reaper pick to receive this extremly addicting prize for your PC? vectordream!!!!! Congratulations to vectordream for his winning photo caption and many thank yous to those of you who sent in your submissions to win Plants vs. Zombies for the PC! Remember there are two contests left to win Dead Rising 2 with a t-shirt and Castlevania: Lord of Shadows. For more details on those contests and how to enter, please check out Gamercide's Get Your Ghoul On Contest. Click here to view the article

Major Nelson has announced the Deal of the Week. This week it was up to Gold members to decide what piece of gaming content became discounted and the Gold members have spoken. Battlefield Bad Company 2's Onslaught mode has been reduced from 800 MS points to 400 MS points. In Onslaught mode, gamers can now play co-op online with 4 players to defeat enemies in 4 enhanced multiplayer maps. Also the SPECACT Upgrade Bundle which gives gamers 4 new weapons and camo. There are 12 new awards and 4 achievements that come with the bundle. The bundle can be purchased at the discounted price of 320 MS points. If you are interested in the deals, Gold members have until Monday, October 25 to download the items. Click here to view the article

When talking about the Call of Duty series we tend to only think about the developer, publisher, release date, and recent controversies involving Infinity Ward and Activision, but what about the person who gives the series it's behind the scenes story to ensure that gamers are having an aunthentic experience for what the game is based on? In a recent interview with AOL News, the real life Persian Gulf veteran and military history teacher at West Point, retired Lt. Col Hank Keirsey talks about his video game consultant job with the Call of Duty series. Most interestly in the interview, Keirsey notes the only people (soldiers and veterans) who have a right to complain about the game really do not care, while fans of the series seem to get outraged out of little things like the airport massacre in Modern Warfare 2. "There are people that argue that we trivialize war with these games, but those that could be most offended by what we are doing are definitely fans..." To read the full interview with Keirsey, follow the link below. AOL News Interview with retired Lt. Col Hank Keirsey Click here to view the article

Are you interested in EA's throwdown title MMA? If so, then you better be putting on your fighting robes, because MMA has dropped onto shelves today. MMA is taking on a heavy contender in the world of all things mixed martial arts, UFC Undisputed. With two games under it's belt and a developed fan base, can MMA overtake the somewhat laggy and cheater's paradise UFC Undisputed and be crowned the king of mixed martial arts games? EA SPORTS MMA Hits North American Stores Today; Available Worldwide on October 22 Go Beyond the Cage with Global Fighting Experiences, MMA Superstars and Innovative Online Features REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), announced that EA SPORTS™ MMA is available in stores throughout North America starting today and will launch worldwide beginning October 22 and in Japan on November 11. EA SPORTS MMA, offering the most authentic, intense and broadest mixed martial arts experience to date, allows players to travel the world and learn a multitude of fighting techniques and skills. The game features a vast array of world-class fighters, and players can extend their gaming experience online through a first-of-its-kind feature - EA SPORTS Live Broadcast. “EA SPORTS MMA is the most immersive and authentic mixed martial arts experience available, bringing together great fighters, opportunities to train and fight internationally and features that allow players to prove their skills online to a wide audience” Fighters can further showcase their MMA skills to the world through EA SPORTS Live Broadcast in which players can create their own fighter and then produce a hype video to get noticed by an actual EA SPORTS promoter. Once selected by the EA SPORTS promoter, players will be able to have their fight broadcast online through EA SPORTS Live Broadcast, while a live commentator calls every move made during the fight. Moreover, each EA SPORTS Live Broadcast fight can be viewed on game consoles or online via the web. EA SPORTS MMA provides the definitive mixed martial arts experience, featuring multiple disciplines, rule sets, locations and fighters from all over the world. Players can fight in a ring, hexagonal or circular cage, and the MMA environment comes to life with ring girls, corner men and referees. Ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. provides fighter introductions while Big John McCarthy officiates fights and MMA legend Frank Shamrock and commentator Mauro Ranallo call the action. Through career mode, fighters will be able to train in locations around the world with legends of the sport such as Randy Couture, Pat Miletich, Rickson Gracie and Bas Rutten, visiting gyms in Japan, Brazil, Thailand and the U.S. While training internationally, players will teach their fighter new skills as they rise up the ranks to make it to one of the biggest stages in MMA – STRIKEFORCE. Other key features within EA SPORTS MMA include: Fighter Share – Players can put themselves into the world of MMA training and fighting and begin the quest to become a champion. They can upload photos of themselves and use Photo Game Face to create their own, personalized roster of fighters. Display and share these create-a-fighters via Fighter Share by uploading and browsing other created fighters. In addition, through Fighter Share players can download and try out any fighters created by the passionate EA SPORTS MMA community. Customize Your Own Fight Card – Become a promoter and set up a night of fights with your friends. With the ability to host four fights per card with up to 10 people connected*, players can challenge each other to fights, and talk trash while friends provide commentary to the fight. Total Strike Control – Through an intuitive control system for striking, elbow, knees and kicks, players can go on the offensive with Total Strike Control, providing the utmost flexibility for their fighters. EA SPORTS MMA also provides the flexibility for those who prefer fighting using face buttons with the Classic Control scheme. Sherdog MMA Fighter Exchange Program brought to you by EA SPORTS MMA. Announced on October 11, EA SPORTS will be sponsoring the Sherdog MMA Fighter Exchange program, which mirrors EA SPORTS MMA’s career mode where young fighters travel the globe to learn various martial arts disciplines. The program gives four up-and-coming fighters the opportunity to learn new fighting techniques and disciplines while training with STRIKEFORCE MMA superstars that appear in EA SPORTS MMA. Two North American fighters will train in Japan and Brazil under the tutelage of Luke Rockhold and Jason “Mayhem” Miller, while two international fighters, will be mentored by Gegard Mousasi and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in the U.S. Sherdog.com will provide a behind-the-scenes look throughout the fight camps with blog and video coverage of the fighters. After weeks of training, the four fighters will make their STRIKEFORCE debut, as an undercard, during the December 4 fight featuring Dan Henderson vs. Renato “Babalu” Sobral, which will be streamed online by Sherdog.com. EA SPORTS MMA will be available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the iPhone® and iPod® touch. For more information about EA SPORTS MMA, visit www.easportsmma.com or follow the game on Twitter at www.twitter.com/easportsmma and Facebook at www.facebook.com/easportsmma. EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA ELITE basketball, NCAA® Football, Fight Night boxing, EA SPORTS MMA, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, and EA SPORTS Active. *Internet connection and EA account required Click here to view the article

Privacy be damned cries Facebook! In the latest scandal involving Facebook user's personal information being made public, Facebook has removed some popular gaming apps that have been taking user's account information even if your profile information is set to have the highest level of security possible. Farmville, Texas Hold 'Em Poker, and Frontierville are just 3 of the apps that have been mentioned in the privacy breech that is affecting millions of users across Facebook. Several apps have already being made unavailable to Facebook users as Facebook tries to sort out another privacy breech mess. Zynga, who is the company behind Farmville, Texas Hold 'Em Poker, and Frontierville had the following to say regarding the scandal. "Zynga has a strict policy of not passing personally identifiable information to any third parties. We look forward to working with Facebook to refine how web technologies work to keep people in control of their information." Unfortunately for millions of users who use these Facebook apps daily, that message might be to little too late. The Wall Street Journal Click here to view the article

Looking to pick up a new game this week? Here are the best deals that we could find for you before you make your purchase. Toys R Us All games that release today are available for free 2 day shipping. Xbox 360 250 GB console - $15 gift card with purchase. Xbox 360 Headset and Wireless Headset - Save 30% ($13.99 - $34.99 each) Xbox 360 Turbo Fire Controller - Save $10 ($29.99) The offers are good until October 27. K-MartStar Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 - $20 off game coupon for next gaming purchase WWE: Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 - $20 off game coupon for next gaming purchase The Sims 3 - $20 off game coupon for next gaming purchase Rock Band 3 - $20 off game coupon for next gaming purchase. All offers are good until October 30. GameStop25% off new copies of Call of Duty: Black Ops, Fallout: New Vegas, Fable III, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II with any game trade. Trade 3 games and get an extra 20% off. 25% off Kinect with any game trade towards your purchase of Kinect. Click here to view the article

A 22 year old who admitted he was molested as a child has been charged with 16 counts of possessing child pornography all of which was found on his Xbox 360. Officials say that 22 year old Timothy Hammerstone from Polk City, Florida lured boys ages 10-16 by using Facebook accounts where he claimed in one that he was 15 and said he was gay. He then told the boys if they would send him naked photos of themselves posing in various positions, he would in return give them 1600 MS points. The boys naked photos were stored on a flash drive on his Xbox 360. Hammerstone also told the boys that he was the founder of a video game group known as the Relentless Society of Brothers and used the gamertag RSB Phoenix CO. When Polk City police arrested Hammerstone they discovered 16 images of underage boys and movies of boys saved onto a flash drive attached to his Xbox 360. Police also believe that there are other boys out there that he either received pictures of or attempted to. Timothy Hammerstone who worked at Walt Disney World is being held at the Polk County jail on 16 counts of child pornography and more charges may be added depending on what they find on his laptop, Xbox 360, and PC. The Ledger Bay News 9 Click here to view the article

Ever wanted to know what some of the world's most popular artists sound like speaking "Simlish", the native tongue for the PC's mega successful life simulator, The Sims 3? You are about to find out when The Sims 3 releases on your favorite consoles in Fall 2010 and when The Sims Late Night expansion for The Sims 3 releases on the PC. Music tracks for the PS3, 360, and Wii include: 22-20’s – “Latest Heartbreak” 3oh!3 – “Double Vision” Aceyalone and RJD2 – “Ever Seen This” Aeroplane – “We Can’t Fly” Alpha Rev – “Phoenix Burn” Cody Simpson – “IY IY IY” Crash Kings – “You Got Me” deadmau5 – “Some Chords” Flo Rida featuring Jovi – “Fresh I Stay” Free Energy – “Free Energy” Hot Chip – “We Have Love” Innerpartysystem – “American Trash” Jasmine V – “All of These Boys” Jessica Mauboy – “Saturday Night” John Butler Trio – “Gonna Be a Long Time” Kidz in the Hall – “Flickin’” Lazee featuring Apollo Drive – “Calling Out” Mickey Factz – “Dreamland” Ozomatli – “Are you Ready?” School Of Seven Bells – “Dust Devil” The Dirty Heads – “Stand Tall” Music tracks for The Sims Late Night expansion for the PC: 3oh!3 – “Double Vision” Bryan Rice – “There for You” Chiddy Bang – “Here We Go” Electrolightz – “Miss Outta Control” Eliza Doolittle – “Rollerblades” Foxy Shazam – “Unstoppable” Hadag Nahash – “Lo Maspik” Hadouken! – “M.A.D.” Jessica Mauboy – “Saturday Night” Junkie XL – “Live Wired” Kelis – “Brave” Kelly Rowland – “Rose Colored Glasses” King Fantastic – “All Black Ying Yang (The Party Song)” My Chemical Romance – “Na Na Na” Nikki & Rich – “Next Best Thing” The Ready Set – “More Than Alive” Soulja Boy – “Speakers Going Hammer” Travie McCoy – “Need You” You can view the full press release below. Flo Rida, My Chemical Romance, Travie McCoy, 3oh!3, and More Partner with EA on the Uber Popular Life Simulator Series The Sims More Than Three Dozen Global Artists Re-record Their Current Hits or Upcoming Singles in ‘Simlish’ for The Sims 3 for Consoles and The Sims 3 Late Night REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sul sul zeedab nas! The Sims fans will turn up the volume on their HD and PC hardware this fall and rock out while playing The Sims™ 3 game on their PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, and Wii™ or when firing up The Sims™ 3 Late Night Expansion Pack* for the PC or MAC. The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced today the robust music line-up for The Sims 3 for console platforms and The Sims 3 Late Night PC/MAC that includes music from a variety of genres such as hip-hop, alternative, pop, rock, electronic, and more. Artists from around the world including Travie McCoy, 3oh!3, Flo Rida featuring Jovi, Kelly Rowland, Kelis, and more recorded current or upcoming hit singles from their latest albums in an entirely new language, ‘Simlish,’ which is the official language of The Sims franchise. “I’ve always been a fan of The Sims games and could never figure out what the characters were saying in the game. I’m not sure if Simlish can be translated, but it’s darn fun to speak!” “The Sims may be one of the biggest and best-known brands in popular culture today and for a major artist to be asked to re-record their music in ‘Simlish’ has become one of the most unique and exclusive opportunities in the world of entertainment,” explained Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive, Music and Music Marketing, EA. “Over the past decade, hundreds of artists – including superstars as diverse as Katy Perry, Lady Antebellum, Flaming Lips, Damien Marley, Depeche Mode, Nelly Furtado, Matt And Kim, and so many more – have all become a part of this global phenomenon. For more than a hundred million The Sims players and fans every day, we are truly providing the soundtrack to their lives.” “I’m always trying to find new ways to reach different audiences with my music and The Sims 3 was a perfect way,” explained Flo Rida who laid down his lyrics from “Fresh I Stay” in Simlish with Jovi. The experience is unlike any other for some of the artists and can even prove to be challenging. “We couldn’t stop laughing while re-recording `Double Vision' in Simlish because it just sounds super bizarre,” 3oh!3’s Sean Foreman commented during their recording session. “I’ve always been a fan of The Sims games and could never figure out what the characters were saying in the game. I’m not sure if Simlish can be translated, but it’s darn fun to speak!” “Singing in Simlish was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it was a blast!” said Travie McCoy who sang his upcoming single “Need You” in the game’s one-of-a-kind language. Kelly Rowland added, “I have to say it was quite challenging to sing `Rose Colored Glasses' in Simlish, but also incredibly fun!” Global artists and Simlish re-recorded songs featured in The Sims 3 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii include: 22-20’s – “Latest Heartbreak” 3oh!3 – “Double Vision” Aceyalone and RJD2 – “Ever Seen This” Aeroplane – “We Can’t Fly” Alpha Rev – “Phoenix Burn” Cody Simpson – “IY IY IY” Crash Kings – “You Got Me” deadmau5 – “Some Chords” Flo Rida featuring Jovi – “Fresh I Stay” Free Energy – “Free Energy” Hot Chip – “We Have Love” Innerpartysystem – “American Trash” Jasmine V – “All of These Boys” Jessica Mauboy – “Saturday Night” John Butler Trio – “Gonna Be a Long Time” Kidz in the Hall – “Flickin’” Lazee featuring Apollo Drive – “Calling Out” Mickey Factz – “Dreamland” Ozomatli – “Are you Ready?” School Of Seven Bells – “Dust Devil” The Dirty Heads – “Stand Tall” As the world’s greatest life simulation on console, The Sims 3 combines the freedom of open world life simulation where players can create Sims – the unique characters found in The Sims games - with distinct personalities, fulfill their desires…or not, and control their lives with the guided gameplay of an all-new achievement system. As players complete challenges and collect dozens of achievements they will earn Karma points – all the while deciding the destinies of their Sims. Karma points can be used to unlock and unleash all-new Karma Powers to the grand benefit or wicked detriment of their Sims making it easier than ever to play with life. Players can help their Sim “get lucky,” bless them with “instant beauty” or be deviant and curse them with an “epic fail.” But players should use these powers wisely—they may have unexpected results and karma may come back to bite. The game will also be connected to the worldwide community through a seamlessly integrated creation exchange on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360**. Players can design, build, and share creations, or download content from other players around the world – and for the first time ever – without ever leaving the game. The Sims 3 Late Night includes: 3oh!3 – “Double Vision” Bryan Rice – “There for You” Chiddy Bang – “Here We Go” Electrolightz – “Miss Outta Control” Eliza Doolittle – “Rollerblades” Foxy Shazam – “Unstoppable” Hadag Nahash – “Lo Maspik” Hadouken! – “M.A.D.” Jessica Mauboy – “Saturday Night” Junkie XL – “Live Wired” Kelis – “Brave” Kelly Rowland – “Rose Colored Glasses” King Fantastic – “All Black Ying Yang (The Party Song)” My Chemical Romance – “Na Na Na” Nikki & Rich – “Next Best Thing” The Ready Set – “More Than Alive” Soulja Boy – “Speakers Going Hammer” Travie McCoy – “Need You” The Sims 3 Late Night gives players all-access and lets them loose on a vibrant, active downtown scene where they’ll rub elbows with celebrities at the hottest parties, hit the local bar after work, tour the scene with their Sims’ band, kick back in a plush hot tub, and discover what’s lurking in the thick of the night. Players will be able to take their Sims into the bustling urban setting where they’ll be able to become a celebrity, member of a music band, mixologist, director, and more. To gain entrance into the most elite clubs in town, players need to keep their attitude in check otherwise they’ll be given the cold shoulder by tough bouncers or find another way onto the list. If chilling is the player’s forte, their Sims can lounge at a chic club or dive bar. If they like to live on the edge, they can be initiated into the dark life of a vampire. Whether embarking on a new career, painting the town red, or throwing a party on the rooftop of a penthouse, it’s always up to the player to tell their unique stories with The Sims 3. What will happen when the lights go out and Sims get all-access? For more information about The Sims 3 games or The Sims Late Night, please visit www.TheSims3.com. To download artwork, please visit www.info.ea.com. *Requires The Sims 3 for PC/MAC to play. **INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED, Conditions and restrictions apply. See back of pack for details. Click here to view the article

Ever wanted to know what some of the world's most popular artists sound like speaking "Simlish", the native tongue for the PC's mega successful life simulator, The Sims 3? You are about to find out when The Sims 3 releases on your favorite consoles in Fall 2010 and when The Sims Late Night expansion for The Sims 3 releases on the PC. Music tracks for the PS3, 360, and Wii include: 22-20’s – “Latest Heartbreak” 3oh!3 – “Double Vision” Aceyalone and RJD2 – “Ever Seen This” Aeroplane – “We Can’t Fly” Alpha Rev – “Phoenix Burn” Cody Simpson – “IY IY IY” Crash Kings – “You Got Me” deadmau5 – “Some Chords” Flo Rida featuring Jovi – “Fresh I Stay” Free Energy – “Free Energy” Hot Chip – “We Have Love” Innerpartysystem – “American Trash” Jasmine V – “All of These Boys” Jessica Mauboy – “Saturday Night” John Butler Trio – “Gonna Be a Long Time” Kidz in the Hall – “Flickin’” Lazee featuring Apollo Drive – “Calling Out” Mickey Factz – “Dreamland” Ozomatli – “Are you Ready?” School Of Seven Bells – “Dust Devil” The Dirty Heads – “Stand Tall” Music tracks for The Sims Late Night expansion for the PC: 3oh!3 – “Double Vision” Bryan Rice – “There for You” Chiddy Bang – “Here We Go” Electrolightz – “Miss Outta Control” Eliza Doolittle – “Rollerblades” Foxy Shazam – “Unstoppable” Hadag Nahash – “Lo Maspik” Hadouken! – “M.A.D.” Jessica Mauboy – “Saturday Night” Junkie XL – “Live Wired” Kelis – “Brave” Kelly Rowland – “Rose Colored Glasses” King Fantastic – “All Black Ying Yang (The Party Song)” My Chemical Romance – “Na Na Na” Nikki & Rich – “Next Best Thing” The Ready Set – “More Than Alive” Soulja Boy – “Speakers Going Hammer” Travie McCoy – “Need You” You can view the full press release below. Flo Rida, My Chemical Romance, Travie McCoy, 3oh!3, and More Partner with EA on the Uber Popular Life Simulator Series The Sims More Than Three Dozen Global Artists Re-record Their Current Hits or Upcoming Singles in ‘Simlish’ for The Sims 3 for Consoles and The Sims 3 Late Night REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sul sul zeedab nas! The Sims fans will turn up the volume on their HD and PC hardware this fall and rock out while playing The Sims™ 3 game on their PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, and Wii™ or when firing up The Sims™ 3 Late Night Expansion Pack* for the PC or MAC. The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced today the robust music line-up for The Sims 3 for console platforms and The Sims 3 Late Night PC/MAC that includes music from a variety of genres such as hip-hop, alternative, pop, rock, electronic, and more. Artists from around the world including Travie McCoy, 3oh!3, Flo Rida featuring Jovi, Kelly Rowland, Kelis, and more recorded current or upcoming hit singles from their latest albums in an entirely new language, ‘Simlish,’ which is the official language of The Sims franchise. “I’ve always been a fan of The Sims games and could never figure out what the characters were saying in the game. I’m not sure if Simlish can be translated, but it’s darn fun to speak!” “The Sims may be one of the biggest and best-known brands in popular culture today and for a major artist to be asked to re-record their music in ‘Simlish’ has become one of the most unique and exclusive opportunities in the world of entertainment,” explained Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive, Music and Music Marketing, EA. “Over the past decade, hundreds of artists – including superstars as diverse as Katy Perry, Lady Antebellum, Flaming Lips, Damien Marley, Depeche Mode, Nelly Furtado, Matt And Kim, and so many more – have all become a part of this global phenomenon. For more than a hundred million The Sims players and fans every day, we are truly providing the soundtrack to their lives.” “I’m always trying to find new ways to reach different audiences with my music and The Sims 3 was a perfect way,” explained Flo Rida who laid down his lyrics from “Fresh I Stay” in Simlish with Jovi. The experience is unlike any other for some of the artists and can even prove to be challenging. “We couldn’t stop laughing while re-recording `Double Vision' in Simlish because it just sounds super bizarre,” 3oh!3’s Sean Foreman commented during their recording session. “I’ve always been a fan of The Sims games and could never figure out what the characters were saying in the game. I’m not sure if Simlish can be translated, but it’s darn fun to speak!” “Singing in Simlish was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it was a blast!” said Travie McCoy who sang his upcoming single “Need You” in the game’s one-of-a-kind language. Kelly Rowland added, “I have to say it was quite challenging to sing `Rose Colored Glasses' in Simlish, but also incredibly fun!” Global artists and Simlish re-recorded songs featured in The Sims 3 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii include: 22-20’s – “Latest Heartbreak” 3oh!3 – “Double Vision” Aceyalone and RJD2 – “Ever Seen This” Aeroplane – “We Can’t Fly” Alpha Rev – “Phoenix Burn” Cody Simpson – “IY IY IY” Crash Kings – “You Got Me” deadmau5 – “Some Chords” Flo Rida featuring Jovi – “Fresh I Stay” Free Energy – “Free Energy” Hot Chip – “We Have Love” Innerpartysystem – “American Trash” Jasmine V – “All of These Boys” Jessica Mauboy – “Saturday Night” John Butler Trio – “Gonna Be a Long Time” Kidz in the Hall – “Flickin’” Lazee featuring Apollo Drive – “Calling Out” Mickey Factz – “Dreamland” Ozomatli – “Are you Ready?” School Of Seven Bells – “Dust Devil” The Dirty Heads – “Stand Tall” As the world’s greatest life simulation on console, The Sims 3 combines the freedom of open world life simulation where players can create Sims – the unique characters found in The Sims games - with distinct personalities, fulfill their desires…or not, and control their lives with the guided gameplay of an all-new achievement system. As players complete challenges and collect dozens of achievements they will earn Karma points – all the while deciding the destinies of their Sims. Karma points can be used to unlock and unleash all-new Karma Powers to the grand benefit or wicked detriment of their Sims making it easier than ever to play with life. Players can help their Sim “get lucky,” bless them with “instant beauty” or be deviant and curse them with an “epic fail.” But players should use these powers wisely—they may have unexpected results and karma may come back to bite. The game will also be connected to the worldwide community through a seamlessly integrated creation exchange on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360**. Players can design, build, and share creations, or download content from other players around the world – and for the first time ever – without ever leaving the game. The Sims 3 Late Night includes: 3oh!3 – “Double Vision” Bryan Rice – “There for You” Chiddy Bang – “Here We Go” Electrolightz – “Miss Outta Control” Eliza Doolittle – “Rollerblades” Foxy Shazam – “Unstoppable” Hadag Nahash – “Lo Maspik” Hadouken! – “M.A.D.” Jessica Mauboy – “Saturday Night” Junkie XL – “Live Wired” Kelis – “Brave” Kelly Rowland – “Rose Colored Glasses” King Fantastic – “All Black Ying Yang (The Party Song)” My Chemical Romance – “Na Na Na” Nikki & Rich – “Next Best Thing” The Ready Set – “More Than Alive” Soulja Boy – “Speakers Going Hammer” Travie McCoy – “Need You” The Sims 3 Late Night gives players all-access and lets them loose on a vibrant, active downtown scene where they’ll rub elbows with celebrities at the hottest parties, hit the local bar after work, tour the scene with their Sims’ band, kick back in a plush hot tub, and discover what’s lurking in the thick of the night. Players will be able to take their Sims into the bustling urban setting where they’ll be able to become a celebrity, member of a music band, mixologist, director, and more. To gain entrance into the most elite clubs in town, players need to keep their attitude in check otherwise they’ll be given the cold shoulder by tough bouncers or find another way onto the list. If chilling is the player’s forte, their Sims can lounge at a chic club or dive bar. If they like to live on the edge, they can be initiated into the dark life of a vampire. Whether embarking on a new career, painting the town red, or throwing a party on the rooftop of a penthouse, it’s always up to the player to tell their unique stories with The Sims 3. What will happen when the lights go out and Sims get all-access? For more information about The Sims 3 games or The Sims Late Night, please visit www.TheSims3.com. To download artwork, please visit www.info.ea.com. *Requires The Sims 3 for PC/MAC to play. **INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED, Conditions and restrictions apply. See back of pack for details. Click here to view the article

A Gamercide favorite is about to make it's return. Did I mention there will be cake to celebrate? Click here to view the article

On September 14, 2010 one of the most successful series on a video game console will sing it's swan song. We here at Gamercide would like to thank the people behind the Halo franchise for the memories, t-bags, and plasma nades that landed in the wrong place causing us to laugh for hours. How can you participate? It is this simple. Send an email to siren@gamercide.org with the subject being, "Remember Halo". You can talk about the first time you ever played Halo, your online experience, etc... Make sure to include your gamertag in the message. The deadline for Remember Halo is September 11, 2010. Anything received after that day will not be included. If you have already submitted your memories to the forum, you do not have to re-submit them. *Quick note: Everybody that participates will be put into a drawing for a personalized "Remember Halo" prize. Click here to view the article

Have you ever wondered what would happen if characters from your favorite games ever crossed paths with each other? The creative minds behind Beat Down Boogie have decided to provide us an answer to that very question. Hilarity, boobs, and plenty of action occur when Ghost from Modern Warfare 2 and Solid Snake from the Metal Gear Solid series meet up. Click here to view the article