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Id Software’s Rage unlikely to use dedicated servers

Hot off the heels on the whole Modern Warfare 2 PC dedicated server debacle, Id Software, long time PC developers and enthusiasts, have revealed that it’s unlikely that Rage, their new IP slated for 2010 release, will support dedicated servers on the PC, and this comes from Id head honcho himself, John Carmack, who revealed the news in an interview with Variety. We’ll see if this news is met with the same controversy and revolt as Modern Warfare 2 was.

GTA 4: The Ballad of Gay Tony review

The second and final episode of Grand Theft Auto 4, The Ballad of Gay Tony, has been released, and with it, Rockstar closes the curtain for GTA 4 with a bang. The episode is being released exclusive on the Xbox 360, either as a standalone download, or as a part of the “Episodes of Liberty City” retail expansion pack, which also includes the previous episode, The Lost and Damned.

In The Ballad Of Gay Tony, you play as Luis Lopez, a nightclub manager and Tony Prince’s — aka. Gay Tony — business partner. Gay Tony, who’s gay in the most extravagant fashion, owns a few nightclubs and the biggest gay club in town, and when a deal goes bad, he sends you to recover some stolen diamonds — the same diamonds that were mentioned in GTA 4 and Lost and Damned — making you progress through mission by mission, GTA 4 style, on a hunt. More »

Star Trek Online shipping on February 2

Star Trek Online has finally received a release date: February 2, 2010. The Star Trek based MMO is currently in closed beta to subscribers of Champions Online, and will receive an open beta in the upcoming months. The game allows you to join either the Federation or the Klingons as the commander of your own starship, go on missions and engage in combat with other ships.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story review

Mario & Luigi have offered a little diversity (very little, by some accounts) to the never ending Mario based platform games. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story is the third time Mario and his green dressed bro Luigi play as a team on the DS, this time, the story is weirder than ever, as the arch nemesis Bowser swallows the mushroom kingdom, including Mario, Luigi and all their buddies. Actually, the story is a bit more complicated, but we won’t ruin it for you here.

The gameplay is very similar to the last Mario & Luigi DS game, where you basically control both characters at the same time, with one button for Mario and another for Luigi. This time however, you control Bowser as well, and actually, you’ll spend more time in the game playing as Bowser than Mario & Luigi, which might seem odd at first, but it feel quite natural. Yes, quite natural, controlling the antagonist. More »

PC version of Modern Warfare 2 to support only 18 players

Well, this seems like the final nail in the coffin for PC gamers who are looking to get some decent multiplayer action on Modern Warfare 2: it seems that the PC version, already stripped of dedicated servers, will have the same multiplayer player count as the console counterparts: 18 players, or 9 vs. 9, developer Infinity Ward revealed.

Clearly another disappointment for the PC crowd, as 64 players have been the standard for most games, from Counter-Strike to Battlefield (even Modern Warfare 1 supported at least 32 players). It’s pretty much conclusive that Modern Warfare 2 PC version will simply be a port of the console editions, and as ports from consoles to PCs go, they’re always inferior.

Modern Warfare 2 launch trailer

That time is nearing, the time when Modern Warfare 2 hits the stores and millions of gamers snag a copy, stagger home and play the most anticipated game of the year. That’s on November 10, in 5 days. But until then, Activision released the launch trailer which you can indulge yourself in.

Mass Effect 2 Collector’s Edition announced

EA has announced the Mass Effect 2 Collector’s Edition (you knew it was coming, right?). The fancy edition contains everything you expect, an art book, a making-of DVD and issue 1 of the Mass Effect comic book, all neatly packed in a tin box. The Collector’s Edition will retail for $70 on the Xbox 360 and $60 on the PC.

First Tekken move promo spotted in magazine

Movie site comingsoon.net posted a magazine ad of the upcoming Tekken movie at the American Film Market Expo (where a ton of movies are bough and sold). The ad features the tag line “Survival is no game”. The movie, directed by Dwight Little, is set in the future and features sci-fi elements, while staying true to the Tekken characters and franchise. We’ll see how it turns out.

Serious Sam HD gone gold

Serious Sam HD developer Developer Digital announced via Twitter that Croteam’s Serious Sam high def re-incarnation has gone gold — however, as fate would have it, that particular tweet has since been removed. Another tweet reveals that you’ll be able to pre-order the digital copy of the game next week. We’ll see if that one sticks on Twitter or not.

Next Zelda game to use Wii MotionPlus

Wii’s Motion Plus accessory makes the Wiimote a lot more useful, offering a true 1:1 motion sense, meaning that everything you do with the controller is exactly replicated on the screen.

Nintendo legend Shigery Miyamoto has said in an interview with Wired that the next Zelda game, widely believed to be released next Fall, will use the Motion Plus attachment for more accurate sword play, among other things. However, he didn’t mention whether the game will require the accessory, or whether it will be optional.

Pre-order L4D 2, get a hat in TF2

File this under the “cheap-pre-order-tactics”; Valve is doing as much as they can to attract as many pre-orders of Left 4 Dead 2 as possible, this time, they’ll throw in a hat for your in Team Fortress 2. Players who already pre-ordered L4D 2 will get the hat unlocked as well, and can show it off, cartoon-style, in TF2.

Thor and Captain America games slated for 2011

After unveiling the games Thor and Captain America, SEGA has now announced that both games are slated for a 2011 release. The games are based on the anticipated moves which are set to be released in 2011, and the games will be released alongside, with Thor in May 2011 and Captain America in July 2011.

Assassin’s Creed 2 pre-orders up 10-20% over original

Analyst Mike Hickey of Janco Partners predicts that pre-orders for Assassin’s Creed 2 are up by 10 to 20% over the original. Ubisoft projected the original game to sell 3 million, but it sold a whopping 8 million copies to date. The analyst expect the sequel to outsell the original, which might be a tough task, considering Assassin’s Creed 2 is going heads to heads with Modern Warfare 2.

Ubisoft won’t release Assassin’s Creed 2 demo

Just like Activision won’t release a demo of the upcoming Modern Warfare 2, Ubisoft won’t release a demo of Assassin’s Creed 2 — the two games are the most anticipated launches this holiday season.

Sequels and games carrying established brands usually don’t carry demos, as players know what to expect, and in some instances, a pre-launch demo can lead to more harm than good, if it’s a lackluster title with a lackluster demo. Not that we imply Modern Warfare 2 or Assassin’s Creed 2 are lackluster titles.

Army of Two: 40th Day Extraction trailer

EA has released a new trailer for Army of Two: The 40th Day, showing off some footage from its new game mode, “Extraction”.