With SOCOM: Confrontation just about 2 months away from its October 14th release date, developers Slant Six have made a smart move in announcing an open-beta to strengthen the multiplayer only title.

This isn’t your typical open-beta mind you, as you will still need a key to gain access. The one and only way to gain entry on the betas first day (September 1st) is to preorder the game through Gamestop, be it online or in person, which will not only include your key but 2 keys to give to friends as well. Other ways into the beta include snagging a key from the June issue of Qore, or subscribing to Sony’s premium service, but that won’t get you into the beta until September 8th.

Come October 14th, PS3 owners will be able to pick up the special edition of the game which includes a Bluetooth headset along with a ‘making-of’ featurette. Those looking to go the cheaper route will be able to pick up either a physical or digital copy of the game for $39.99.

Last year was touted as the best year for gaming. There was an unusually high amount highly anticipated games such as Halo 3, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Bioshock, just to name a few. The idea was that after Halo 3, the would be a steady flow of triple-A titles that would keep gamers occupied for the rest of the year, and then some. So what happened? The article will examine several reasons why 2007 didn’t quite live up to the hype and why 2008 will take the title as best year ever for gaming.

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A scene group known as iCON has already released a PAL version of Grand Theft Auto IV onto various torrent sites, despite the game’s arrival onto store shelves being only a few days away. It is confirmed to be real, and works on European Xbox 360 systems. An NTSC version has been uploaded, as well, but it is unclear if it’s the real deal. The group advises players not to log on to Xbox Live with the game until the retail release date has passed.

It’s unlikely that this will have a major impact on Take-Two Interactive’s sales of the flagship title, as many gamers have already pre-ordered the game, and many are planning to purchase it. Everyone is hyped for the game’s release and many are patiently waiting for the official release.

Read (Yahoo! News)

Capcom’s popular hack-and-slash adventure series, Devil May Cry, will be heading to the PC on June 2nd with its fourth installment. However, the game itself won’t be a basic port of the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions.

Instead, this version will include two new modes, Legendary Dark Knight Mode, which means more enemies to fight, and Turbo Mode, which will make things a lot faster. The game will also run at a blazing fast 120fps, compared to 30fps on the console versions, and will support both DirectX9 and DirectX10. A demo will also be available before the full retail release of the game.

Playing a game like this on the keyboard isn’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea, so maybe a use of a 360 controller would be handy.

Read (gameinfowire)

Konami Digital Entertainment has dubbed the sixth installment of survival horror series Silent Hill, Silent Hill: Homecoming, and is expected to be in stores by the end of September in Europe. While the name could have been better, the game itself looks spectacular, and looks pretty promising. The title will be release on both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 and is being developed by Foundation 9 studio. Some new footage has also surfaced, showing off the combat system and Alex Shepherd’s new design.

Read (GamesIndustry)

Ask any game developer what sort of feature that the title in question includes, chances are the first thing they mention is the “next gen” graphics, or physics, etc; Of course, it has not taken long for people to start to ask whether features can be next gen or not. After all, all three platforms have been out for over a year. Speaking of which, what about the Wii? Is it truly a “new gen” console? What is “next gen”? What is “new gen”? These questions and more will be answered after the jump.

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