Siren

"The problem was, the Spartans couldn't take their fight into space. Every minor victory on the ground turned into a major defeat in orbit. Soon there would be no more colonies, no human settlements-and nowhere left to run...." -Eric Nylund "The Fall of Reach" One of the most epic series in video game history is set to reach a conclusion on September 14, 2010. Halo: Reach follows Noble Team as they battle the Covenant on planet Reach. The fate of those on Reach are already known and for that reason the Remember Reach monument has come to be. Once entering into the monument you can "send your light" if you have a Facebook account. You can then pick which Spartan from Noble Team that you want your "light" on. Besides sending your light, you can also watch videos that show what the people of Reach were doing the day that the conflict began. Halo: Reach releases at a video game store near you on Setember 14, 2010.

"I usually don't think about it. I know I probably play a few games that people like my parents may find offensive, but it really doesn't bother me. I just play them for what they are meant for... entertainment. Now while I can see many games that are debated by people as being offensive, media and other really don't mention the fact that these things deemed "offensive" can be avoided. In Mass Effect, you can avoid the sex scene, and in Modern Warfare 2, opt out of playing the airport mission, or just do what I did and not have the heart to shoot anyone. Honestly, in these days, almost anything can be deemed "offensive," but does that mean it really is?" -Skylark95 Of-fen-sive causing resentful displeasure; highly irritating, angering, or annoying unpleasant or disagreeable to the sense repugnant to the moral sense, good taste, or the like; insulting pertaining to offense or attack characterized by attack; aggressive Con-tro-ver-sial of, pertaining to, or characteristic of controversy; polemical subject to controversy; debatable given to controversy Did anything in a video game ever cause you to stop playing and question if what you just saw or heard was offensive? Maybe it was the scene in Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2 where you walked through the airport slaughtering innocent civilians. Or was it an openly gay flamboyant character who thinks of himself as a female like Makoto in Ubisoft's RPG Enchanted Arms? Regardless of what you may have seen or heard, gamers are on the fence when it comes to what makes a game offensive. "In my honest opinion, people are WAY too sensitive. I have never been offended by a Video Game. That's like the big uproar over Resident Evil 5. Everyone thought it was racist. People have a right to be offended, but I think it gets a little out of hand. Games are meant for fun. When I was playing through Limbo, I didn't even think once about how the main character was a child, and he could die in graphic ways. So I wasn't offended by Limbo either. Maybe its just me, but I feel adults shouldn't be so up in arms over Video Games, they are there to be enjoyed." -Elite Effect Rac-ism a belief or doctrine that inherit differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. a policy, system of government, etc., that based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination hatred or intolerance of another race or races Capcom's Resident Evil 5 was one of the highly publicized cases of possible racism in recent years. The sight of a video game character that is white, dressed in military clothing, shooting and killing black parasite infected humans caused such an uproar that many took to their blogs to debate it. Kym Platt - Black Looks (article has been taken down) "This is problematic on so many levels, including the depiction of Black people as inhuman savages, the killing of Black people by a white man in military clothing, and the fact that this video game is marketed to children and young adults. Start them young... fearing, hating, and destroying Black people." This is just one example of the many heated arguments regarding Resident Evil 5. Some bloggers tried to depict Resident Evil 5 as promoting racism against blacks and that the white man is superior. While others in defense of the parasitic shooting game brought up points about the zombies in past Resident Evil games being white or spanish like in Resident Evil 4. Mark Methenitis - Law of the Game " ...As has been pointed out many, many times, the Resident Evil series is part of the larger zombie genre, in which the zombies are typically white. Resident Evil 4 took the traditional zombie concept in a new direction by crafting a storyline where the traditional "zombie" was replaced by a faster, smarter zombie-like infected human. That game was set in Spain, and all of the enemies spoke Spanish..." Siren says: "Resident Evil 5 was hardly racist. Let me think....Hitman Blood Money has a black character calling Agent 47 who happens to be white a cracker, but I can't complain about that now can I? Back to the case of Resident Evil 5, I guess every video game ever made is racist because you shoot at different races and species. I recently played Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. I guess I am racist against the Flea Men because I killed them after they attacked me." "I was only offended once by a video game, and it was just an idea for a video game I heard about quite awhile ago. I don't think it ever actually made it into development. The idea was a sandbox game where you play a rapist or something. Horrible!" -Nomadik Kitty "Agreed with Kitty. Games like that shouldn't be made: RapeLay" -CoyAndChris Dis-taste-ful unpleasant, offensive, or causing dislike unpleasant to the taste showing distaste or dislike While a game like RapeLay deserves to be considered distasteful or offensive, what about a video game that tells the true story about a squad of Marines from the 3rd Battalion 1st Marines during Operation Iraqi Freedom? The marines battled terrorists during a six day span in Fallujah, Iraq hence the title "Six Days in Fallujah". Atomic Games was given permission to use the Marines names and likeliness in the game. If the Marines the game is based on fully support the effort, than why did some gamers and the media say this game should tossed in a burn barrel, never to be seen again? The controversy surrounding the Iraq War is something that is still debated and protested to this day. Images of soldiers crying tears of sorrow for their fallen brothers and sisters, Iraqi children dead in the streets, and blood splattered on the ground on tv and magazines are images that are all to familiar to the loved ones that have been affected by the Iraq War. Naturally an announcement about a game based on those very same situations would bring emotion out of the nation, but what exactly are people saying and was this the reason that Konami, the original publisher behind the title decided to drop it? Soldier's respond to Six Days in Fallujah - G4TV (For full opinions from the soldier's click the link) http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/694612/soldiers-respond-to-six-days-in-fallujah-controversy.html' target="_blank">Sgt. Casey J. McGeorge (Served three tours in Iraq) "As a combat veteran and as a gamer, I have no problem whatsoever with the game...As long as it's made as realistically as possibly, I believe that this could be a good thing for both combat veterans and for the war in general." Former Army Sgt. Kevin Smith "Let it be made, and hopefully it will bolster support for military veterans by giving civilians insight into what this war was actually like for them." Tim Collins, Former Colonel of 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment "It's much too soon to start making video games about a war that's still going on, and an extremely flippant response to one of the most important events in modern history. It's particularly insensitive given what happened in Fallujah, and I will certainly oppose the release of this game." Gunnery Sergeant Mundy "If someone doesn't agree with the game, they can spend their money elsewhere." Siren says: "While a game that simulates raping others deserves to be considered distasteful and has no point of existing whatsoever, I do not believe that Six Days in Fallujah should be thrown in that category. After all, we have seen movies, tv specials, etc...about the war in Iraq (Generation Kill for one) and nobody says anything then. So why can't we see it in a video game? Is it the fact that you have the opportunity to play a part in the war like other war based video games or are people just using this as one more excuse as to fuel the the war protestor's mind? After all I don't see people complaining about killing Germans or Confederates in a game based on those wars." "Whenever I hear or read a news story about violence in games, I think back to Bugs Bunny and friends, Popeye, The Three Stooges etc. I was raised on those shows as a kid, and I turned out fine. I'm sure if I started hooking up 3 ton weights above the neighbors dog, my parents would have stepped in. They knew I didn't take it seriously. The same applies to videogames. There are ratings for games, just as there are for TV shows and movies. It's our jobs as parents, to decide what is okay for our children to watch and play." -PeeKnuckle Art imitates real life. So can we really blame video game developers for something being controversial when most of the time the developer's art is depicting something involving real life or close to it? The sight of a woman breastfeeding her child in a video game might not seem so offensive, but in real life that heated topic is still viewed as either a natural act or something that should be done in private. What about the images of children dying on television in an infomercial? Those aren't considered to be offensive, but yet the sight of a child dying in a video game like Limbo is considered to be controversial or offensive. From the topics mentioned above, to others such as homosexuality, spanking a child, or legalizing marijuana, controversy exists in all forms of life, real or not. "The only time I've been offended while playing games is while in chat with pk... and that really had nothing to do with the game at all. He also made me cry once... from being a damn bearded bunny." -sedington86

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.

These days it seems like companies will do anything to squeeze a buck out of gamer's already tight pockets. With limited edition console themed versions of video games releasing to answer every fanboys undying pleasure, it appears that video game themed consoles bundles are beginning to take the place of limited and special edition versions of video games. Are these overpriced bundled consoles swaying the gamer's opinions to buy not only the game, but the console or more importantly are gamers even taking notice? "i stray away from them. after the novelty wore off, you'd be wanting for a classic look." -MajorWhiteBoy Microsoft is one of those companies that tend to put out a video game themed console bundle everytime they get a whiff of money to be made. Are all of these different consoles necessary? Let's take a look at a few that have released since the Xbox 360's release. Resident Evil 5 was undoubtedly a disappoint in many hardcore Resident Evil fan's eyes, but what about the limited edition Resident Evil 5 console? Did fans buy into one of the most ugliest looking console bundles ever to grace the video game market? Soon after the announcement of the Resident Evil 5 LE Bundle, sales for the console on Amazon.com shot up to #17. Currently the console bundle is sitting pretty at #21 on the bestsellers list for consoles sold on Amazon.com, but was this console worth the $399.00 price tag it came with? The red LE Elite bundle came with the 120 GB HDD, one matching wireless controller, the standard edition of RE5, Xbox 360 headset, HDMI cable/ethernet cable, and the free downloads of a premium premium dashboard theme and Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, but no other Resident Evil items. Siren's Verdict: This console is hardly worth the price. With the lack of Resident Evil items and the ugly red color of the console that makes my eyes bleed for days, I say this console was just a way for Microsoft and Capcom to make a quick buck. "They definitely do not sway me into buying the game. If I'm interested in a console bundle, then that means I plan on purchasing the game in the first place. One reason I'm not interested in console bundles; they give you the regular edition of the game...." -Elite Effect Enter the Modern Warfare 2 LE Xbox 360 console bundle. When the bundle was announced on September 15, 2010 Modern Warfare fans everywhere wanted a piece of this Modern Warfare inspired designed console as much as they wanted to just experience the game. Fans finally got their hands on the bundle on November 10, 2009 and made it the #12 selling console on Amazon.com's bestseller's list for consoles. The $399 bundle came with a special designed Modern Warfare 2 console and was the first Xbox 360 console bundle to get the 250 GB HDD. The bundle also included the standard version of Modern Warfare 2, two black wireless controllers, one black headset, one A/V cable/ethernet cable, a one month Gold subscription to XBL, and a free Netflix trial offer. Siren's Verdict: Call of Duty is one of the best selling series ever to grace the Xbox 360 with it's addiciting presence so this was one of the smartest marketing ideas that Microsoft could have done. Add in the 250 GB HDD with this package and it's pure gold. Definitely worth the money if you are a hardcore Call of Duty fan and/or looking to upgrade your HDD. "They have never really swayed me much before until the new Halo Reach console came out. I will say out of all the bundles that they have released before, the think the thing that always would attract me a little bit is the extra hard drive space (250 GB). Now that the new console has come out, I can get 250GB without getting a bundle, however the Halo Reach Console is tempting because of my desire for the new console as well as my interest in the game (something that the previous bundles have not done)..." -Skylark95 Arguably one of the reasons that the original big black box survived was because of Halo. The Halo series became Microsoft's flagship for moving consoles and making money. Taking advantage of the outrageous number of fans, the Xbox 360 has seen one Halo themed console bundle and one newly announced Halo themed bundled console among other Halo accessories and items easily making the Halo series one of the most successful series in video game history. The $399 Halo 3 SE themed console bundle was designed with Halo fans in mind. The 360 itself was Master Chief green with Halo inspired designs and a matching wireless controller, headset, and Play & Charge kit. It also featured a 20 GB HDD, HD A/V cable/ethernet cable, HDMI connection, a detachable faceplate, a standard edition of Halo 3, and exclusive gamer pics and dashboard theme. The Halo 3 console bundle is currently #13 on the Amazon.com list of bestseller's for a video game console. "In all honesty, I think it's ugly. It looks like a cheap toy, and not a next gen console. With that said, if there was a Lilith(Borderlands) or Joker 360, I'd be all over 'em." -PeeKnuckle Halo ReachThe newly announced Halo: Reach LE console bundle has Halo fans everywhere wishing the release date was yesterday. The console will release on September 14, 2010 to the tune of $399. Included in the silver Halo: Reach designed bundle is the newly redesigned Xbox 360 that features built in Wi-Fi and five USB ports. It also comes with matching two matching Halo: Reach inspired wireless controllers, 250 GB HDD, black headset, A/V cable, one month XBL Gold membership, and a one year limited warranty. It is already ranked #9 on Amazon.com's bestseller's list for consoles. Siren's Verdict: Hands down either of these Halo inspired console bundles do the Halo fan justice. Each features unique Halo designs and matching accessories. Pure marketing gold for Microsoft. Halo is by far one of the biggest money makers for Microsoft and I have no doubt that the Halo: Reach bundled console will sell well because of the new redesigned look of the 360, built in Wi-Fi, and Halo theme-age." "I think many games that have come out with a console bundled are not really worth it, yes I understand it's a valuable thing for most die-hards and I could see myself getting a Gears of War 3 themed one if they weren't so expensive or if I had money to spend. As for this Halo Reach one, it's a lot better than all the other Xbox 360's that have been "limited edition" so I must say if I didn't already own a Xbox 360 Slim and was in love with the Halo: Reach Beta (which I was not) I would purchase it because I needed a new console." -UND3RxOATH Final Fantasy is another epic series that has seen video game console themed bundles on both the Xbox 360 and the PS3. The PS3 version of the bundle was released in Japan only and features a white console with a pink design of Lightening, one of the characters in the RPG. It came with a matching white controller, a 250 GB HDD, and a copy of FFXIII. Was a 41,600 yen ($458) price tag worth it? "Normally i dont buy the themed ones, i figure my current one is working fine now so why replace it....." - StealthyShadows What about the 360 bundle? It only featured a standard white console with either a plain white faceplate or a Lightening faceplate (limited numbers) that was designed by Tetsuya Nomura. Included with the bundle is a 250 GB HDD that is labeled "Final Fantasy XII", two white wireless controllers, an avatar item, and a standard edition copy of FFXIII. It retailed for $399 on it's release. Siren's Verdict: While the PS3 version looks better than the 360's version of the bundle, both are a waste. This is just another excuse for fanboys to argue over who has the best looking FFXIII console. "I'm happy with my Elite. Never needed more nor wanted more. Besides my console is an entertainment center. I'd never really see what makes it different...." - Nomadik Kitty When it comes down to it, the companies that put out these video game themed console bundles know what they are doing. They know what games will sell and for that reason these overpriced behemoth packages will move not only games, but consoles which means more money in their pockets. The real question is, are you buying it?

Here are the additions to the Xbox Live Marketplace for the week of July 18th incase you missed it. Deal of the Week Assassin's Creed II Sequence 12: Battle of Forli - 400 MS points Sequence 13: Bonfire of the Vanities - 240 MS points Sequence 13: Bonfire of the Vanities and Secret Locations - 240 MS points Da Vinci's Flying Machine - 160 MS points Guard Armor - 240 MS points Avatar Items Avatar Marketplace Halo Reach T-Shirt - 80 MS points (male and female) Headshot T-Shirt - 80 MS points (male and female) Firefight Hoodie - 160 MS points (male and female) UNSC Boonie Hat - 80 MS points (male and female) Noble Six Armor - 400 MS points (male and female) Legion of the Dead Armor - 320 MS points (male and female) Darkspawn Staff - 240 MS points (male and female) King Calian's Armor - 320 MS points (male and female) Duncan's Armor - 320 MS points (male and female) Legion of the Dead Helmet - 160 MS points (male and female) King Calian's Helmet - 160 MS points (male and female) Blood Dragon Helmet - 160 MS points (male and female) Joining Goblet - 240 MS points Xbox Live Arcade Limbo - 1200 MS points (Just a reminder, if you buy all of the Arcade games that are slated for release during the Summer of Arcade, you will receive 1200 MS points) Destination Arcade - Free download that is only available during the Summer of Arcade event. Comes with two avatar items. Games on Demand Stuntman: Ignition - $19.99 (Not available in Japan) NFL Tour - $19.99 (Not available in Asia) FaceBreaker - $19.99 (North America only) Game Add Ons BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Additional Character Pack #1 - 320 MS points Additional Character Pack #2 - 320 MS points Additional Character Pack #3 - 320 MS points Additional System Voice Type-K - 400 MS points Additional System Voice Type-M - 400 MS points Additional System Voice Type-C - 400 MS points Unlock Unlimited MU - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Hazama - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Tsubaki - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Lambda - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Haku-men - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Ragna - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Carl - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Bang - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Arakune - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Litchi - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Tager - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Taokaka - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Rachel - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Noel - 40 MS points Unlock Unlimited Jin - 40 MS points Unlock All Unlimited Characters - 400 MS points Unlock Playable Character Mu - 160 MS points Guitar Hero 5 Disturbed Track Pack - 440 MS points (songs can be purchased seperately for 160 MS points each) "Down With The Sickness" "Indestructible" "Stricken" Lips Lips Music Store "If You're Not The One" - 160 MS points "Kingston Town" - 160 MS points "Respectable" - 160 MS points "If I Could Turn Back Time" - 160 MS points Ninety-Nine Nights 2 Map Pack - 320 MS points Record of Agarest War Unlock Voices - 800 MS points Unlock Gallery - 800 MS points Additional PP Pack 2 - 800 MS points Rebellious Pack - 320 MS points Playful-Cat Pack - 320 MS points Ultimate- Equipment Pack - 320 MS points Rock Band Rock Band Music Store The Stooges Pack 1 - 440 MS points (songs can be purchased seperately for 160 MS points each) "1969" "I Wanna Be Your Dog" "No Fun"

Just a friendly reminder for all of you lancer loving, shotgun using Gears player's out there. From July 22 until July 25 at 8:00 pm est, Gears of War 2 is running the 20x multiplayer XP event. The event started over Epic Game's Rob Fergusson's tweet on Twitter where he stated that the more followers he gained, the more XP players would receive during the weekend of Comic-Con. He received over 11,000 new followers after that tweet. The 20x XP multiplier is for every multiplayer mode available for Gears of War 2. Horde mode was also revamped for the event.

Fans of motion capture sensors and cute little fuzzy animals that obey your every command can now rejoice. Major Nelson has confirmed the price and bundle for the upcoming Wii-box. Whoops I mean Kinect. On November 4th 2010, Xbox 360 users can get their hands on the Kinect for the price of $149.99. Included with the purchase of Kinect is Kinect Adventures. If that was not enough to blow everyone’s minds, there will also be a Kinect Holiday Bundle coming out for the holiday season. This bundle includes the Kinect, Kinect Sensor, Kinect Adventures, and the super matte and incredibly sexy Xbox 360 with built in Wi-Fi and a 4 GB internal flash memory. That’s right, a whopping 4 GB of memory for your tiny gaming pleasure. If you just wet your pants at that, be prepared to drop $299.99 for the bundle. If you don’t want the bundle and just want the super huge 4 GB internal flash memory Xbox 360, you can purchase the console on August 4th 2010 for $199.99. Don’t worry, we won’t judge you.

Modern Warfare 2's training level "The Pit" has made the jump from your television screen to real life. A British television show, The Gadget Show, built a complete mock up of the level all the way down to the amount of targets, civilians, and distance it takes to get to each target area. Why would a television show do this? To challenge a real life ex special ops soldier to take on the course while host Jason Bradbury plays the 360 version of "The Pit". Who do you think won? True/Slant

Japan has found a new a way to train employees working at the fast food chain McDonald's, making learning everyday life skills through trail and error and let's not forget common sense, a thing of the past. Two Nintendo DS's are being given to every McDonald's in Japan nationwide to help train part time employees. Each DS is fitted with eSmart software that McDonald's is claiming will cut down the amount of time that it takes to train part time employees to 20 hours. The eSmart software will show employees how to complete different kitchen duties including deep frying and how to speak with customers. The DS training program will cost McDonald's $2.2 million dollars. Fox News

Major Nelson has announced that the once bundled only 250 GB hard drive for the Xbox 360 is now available as of today as a stand alone purchase at you local stores and online at stores like Amazon.com If you are in need of making the upgrade to a bigger hard drive it will cost you $129.99. Offical Press Release via Gamerscore Blog Available in stores today, Xbox 360 introduces the 250GB Hard Drive, which offers more space to store your favorite game and entertainment content. Available at the incredible value of $129.99 (U.S ERP), the 250GB Hard Drive offers more freedom to download the latest demos, Xbox LIVE Arcade games, full game titles with Games on Demand, TV shows, movies and more straight to your Xbox 360 console. Xbox LIVE is the premier destination to download the best games and entertainment at the touch of a button, 24x7. With a growing library of more than 13,000 pieces of gaming content, and more than 25,000 movies, TV episodes and music videos available to download or stream instantly – you’re bound to find something you love. Want to express your personality and style on Xbox LIVE? With the added storage space of the 250GB Hard Drive, it makes it easy to download and save new Avatar clothes and props from your favorite clothing brands and games, including Roxy, Quiksilver, Adidas, tokidoki, “Halo,” “Gears of War” and more. Or, download a pet to keep your Avatar company. More detailed information can be found at www.xbox.com.

BioWare has released information on an upcoming DLC pack for Mass Effect 2. The DLC pack, "The Kasumi – Stolen Memory" will contain a new master thief character, Kasumi Goto. Kasumi can be recruited into Shepard's squad during new missions allowing Kasumi to be used throughout the entire game. "The Kasumi - Stolen Memory" is set to be available sometime in April for 560 MS points on XBL and $7 or 560 BioWare points on the PC. Official Press Release BioWare Unveils New Recruit in Massively Acclaimed Mass Effect 2 EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading video game developer BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), today revealed an all-new playable character to the Mass Effect™ 2 universe, a master thief named Kasumi. Coming this April in North America and Europe, the Kasumi – Stolen Memory PDLC pack will introduce Kasumi Goto, the galaxy’s most enigmatic and cunning master thief. In addition to being able to recruit Kasumi in all new missions, players will be able to utilize her special skills as a member of Commander Shepard’s squad throughout the entire game. The Kasumi – Stolen Memory PDLC pack will be available for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system at a cost of 560 Microsoft points, and on PC for 560 BioWare points or $7. “Mass Effect 2 is BioWare’s highest Metacritic game to date, and we are excited to be able to expand that experience by introducing another engaging new character in Kasumi” “Mass Effect 2 is BioWare’s highest Metacritic game to date, and we are excited to be able to expand that experience by introducing another engaging new character in Kasumi,” said Aaryn Flynn, Studio General Manager for BioWare in Edmonton. “Kasumi – Stolen Memory is a testament to our promise to continue to provide fans with new, compelling, high quality post-launch content.” Cerberus has procured the service of Kasumi Goto, the galaxy’s most enigmatic master thief. In return for her help, Kasumi has asked for Commander Shepard’s help on a dangerous heist to infiltrate the vault of a deadly master criminal named Donovan Hock. Players must gain Kasumi’s loyalty on the planet Bekenstein, where Hock is throwing a party for some of the galaxy’s richest and most deranged criminal minds. The mission: recover data of great importance to Kasumi, and to the galaxy at large. In addition to this new mission, players will also receive a new research upgrade, one new weapon, and a new achievement in this PDLC pack. Prior to the launch of Kasumi in April, also being released on March 23 through the Cerberus Network is the Firewalker DLC pack, which includes five heart-pounding missions taking place on five uncharted worlds. Players will be able to explore planets and engage in combat in the new Hammerhead hover-tank. Mass Effect 2 was released to worldwide critical acclaim on January 26, 2010, and is available for the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system and the PC and is rated ‘M’ for Mature by the ESRB and ‘18+’ by PEGI. For more information, follow the development team on Twitter at http://twitter.com/masseffect2 or visit http://masseffect.bioware.com/.

New Modern Warfare 2 avatar fashions have landed on the XBL marketplace for you to download, that is if you want to pay the overpriced amount of points that it takes to get your avatar looking like he or she is ready for battle. For male avatars: "Your Squad Needs You!" tee - (80 MS points) Army green with Captain Price's face "Addict" tee - (80 MS points) Black with a skull emblem "Army Ranger" Uniform - (400 MS points) - Military styled Ranger uniform For female avatars: "Your Squad Needs You!" tee - (80 MS points) Army green with Captain Price's face "Addict" tee - (80 MS points) Pale pink with a skull emblem "Army Ranger" Uniform - (400 MS points) Military styled Ranger uniform Unisex: "Riot Shield" item - (240 MS points) "Gas Mask" item - (240 MS points) "Night Vision Goggles" item - (240 MS points)

It appears that BioWare has something up their sleeve. A countdown timer has appeared on BioWare's website earlier and it is counting down the days and minutes leading up to some kind of an announcement. Just what is the announcement? You can speculate that is has something to do with Mass Effect 2 considering that Shepard and Miranda Lawson are right above the timer and that when you click on the timer it takes you to BioWare's Mass Effect 2 page. However we all know that appearances can be deceiving, so your guess is about as good as mine.

Infinity Ward's first set of DLC for Modern Warfare 2 might be called, "The Stimulus Package", but there is nothing stimulating about the price. Confirmed today on Major Nelson's podcast is the rather large price tage you will be paying for only five maps. Are you ready for this? 1200 MS points. That's right folks, 1200 MS points is what you will have to pay up for Overgrown, Crash, Storm, Bailout, and Salvage. Are five maps worth a 1200 MS points price tag? I think not, but only you can decide that for yourself.

News Final Fantasy Fanboys Boo the 360 - For a launch party for a major title in the gaming industry, you would think that it would be filled with happy, cheerful people with a few drunk people running around making idoits of themselves. Well well. Enter the Final Fantasy XIII launch party..... Battlefield Bad Company 2 Rank List and Calculator - How long do you think it will take you to reach the highest rank in Battlefield Bad Company 2, General of the Army (level 50)? Thanks to a post on the Achieve360Points forum you can find out. Telltale Announces Sam and Max: The Devil's Playhouse - A psychically empowered lagomorph battling unusual and fearsome villains can mean only one thing: Freelance Police Sam & Max are coming for a new series of monthly episodic games. EA Takes a Stab at Activision and Infinity Ward - Infinity Ward announced earlier this week that the first of two DLC packs that they will doing for Modern Warfare 2 will be out on March 30th and EA has answered that announcement with one of their own all while taking a shot at Infinity Ward’s “Mapathy” ad for “The Stimulus Package” DLC. Return to Monkey Island This Summer - Guybrush & Company will be returning to Monkey Island this summer with Monkey Island 2: Lechuck’s Revenge Special Edition. Like last years surprise XBLA hit, The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition, Monkey Island 2 SE will feature the ability to switch between the classic graphics and SCUMM interface of the 1991 PC classic as well as enhanced HD paint style and full voice soundtrack. Untold Stories Bundle For Resident Evil 5 - Capcom has announced that the “Untold Stories Bundle” for Resident Evil 5 is available for download right now on XBL for 960 points. Modern Warfare 2 DLC Dated - One of the two DLC packs being brought to you by Infinity Ward for Modern Warfare 2 will be releasing on March 30th. Crackdown 2 to Feature Video Replays - In the newest addition of OXM set to hit shelves on March 11, Microsoft reveals their plans to add video replays into future DLC for Crackdown 2. Need For Speed Shift DLC - EA has announced that Need For Speed Shift is getting seven new cars and a new racetrack in the new DLC pack, Exotic Racing Series. EA Signs Publishing Deal with 38 Studios - Read the full press release here. New Iron Man 3 Trailer Now Online - This one has new footage that includes more Whiplash, suitcase armor, etc. Looks very very good. Gamercide Homegrown Originals Fail of the Week Award - Ladies and gentlemen, another week has come and gone and that means it is time for the Fail of the Week Award. Gamercide Member Corner Birthdays Happy Birthday CB and TK Happy Birthday Stardy Happy Birthday Von Jesse Game Discussions FFXIII Discussion Brink Trailer Mafia 2 Gameplay Best Sandbox Games on the 360 AO2 40th Day

Ladies and gentlemen, another week has come and gone and that means it is time for the Fail of the Week Award. Who proved to be more of a douchebag than the winner of last week's Fail Award, Activision? I present to you, your Fail of the Week Award winner for the week of March 7th. Fanboys represent the lowest of the low in terms of fans of either a series or console in the gaming industry. These trolls scan forums, news posts, and anything they can find to infect the interwebs with there immature one sided views of their beloved favorite game or favorite console. So what happens when you get a bunch of "hardcore" Final Fantasy fans in the same room as an Xbox 360? That's right. These self professed "hardcore" Final Fantasy fans booed the Xbox 360 Final Fantasy XIII Bundle that was being offered as a prize and they also booed the 360 logo that appeared on a trailer for the FFXIII all while in the presence of the producer and art director for Final Fantasy. This booing of a free prize and a logo proved that fanboys for any series or console are asshats and these Final Fantasy fans commited some of the most biggest asshattery that I have ever come across. For this reason, the Final Fantasy fanboys are receiving the Fail of the Week Award for March 7th. We here at Gamercide happily accept this award on your behalf.

For a launch party for a major title in the gaming industry, you would think that it would be filled with happy, cheerful people with a few drunk people running around making idoits of themselves. Well well. Enter the Final Fantasy XIII launch party in London Oxford Circus where the "hardcore" Final Fantasy fans booed the 360 Final Fantasy XIII Bundle when presenter Alex Zane announced it is a prize. Keep in mind that the art director and producer of Final Fantasy XIII were present at this lovely occasion. The Koalition

How long do you think it will take you to reach the highest rank in Battlefield Bad Company 2, General of the Army (level 50)? Thanks to a post on the Achieve360Points forum you can find out. One of the users came across a website that allows Battlefield Bad Company 2 players to enter their current rank and it calculates how many pins, kills, assists, insignias, and actions it will take them to reach level 50. At my current rank of Private, it will take me 50 insignias, 24,312 pins, 30,390 kills, 12,156 assists, and 100,612 actions for a grand total of 6,325,600 experience points. Chances are most of us will never reach a level 50, but one can dream right?

Infinity Ward announced earlier this week that the first of two DLC packs that they will doing for Modern Warfare 2 will be out on March 30th and EA has answered that announcement with one of their own all while taking a shot at Infinity Ward's "Mapathy" ad for "The Stimulus Package" DLC. EA announced that they are putting out DLC maps on March 30th that are free by stating on Battlefield Bad Company 2's website, " We’re dedicated to taking care of this product for a long time – helping you avoid “mapathy” without getting nickel-and-dimed". These so called "free" maps are only available for those that purchased the game new and have access to the VIP in game store or have paid to have access to the VIP in game store. The "VIP Map Pack 2" contains: Arica Harbor Conquest mode - US Command launches a break through action directly at the Russian base. Collateral damage is of no consequence. Capture and secure tactical positions in Conquest Mode across the vast Arica Harbor map. Laguna Presa Rush mode - The valley and surrounding mountains possess a strategic value in the battle for South America, and an infantry assault supported by light armor vehicles is likely by both armies as US forces defend the nearby Dam. EA also states that they are commited to stabilizing the online game experience after Battlefield users have been expressing issues with the servers and it appears that PS3 users are having problems accessing the VIP in game store. "While the core of the dev team here at DICE as well as all the back-end teams at EA are 110% focused on stabilizing the game experience...." So there you have it folks. EA is hard at work on fixing your gaming experience and making sure not to nickel and dime the gamer with the free "VIP Map Pack 2".

Capcom has announced that the "Untold Stories Bundle" for Resident Evil 5 is available for download right now on XBL for 960 points. It will be available tomorrow on PSN for $12.50. The bundle includes both Desperate Escape and Lost in Nightmares chapters and two alternative costume packs.