Resistance 3 Pre-Order Incentives Announced May 27, 2011

Resistance 3 is still a few months away from release and we still don’t know if a collector’s edition is coming for the game, but we do know that preorder incentives are coming, and like with Mortal Kombat, they are being spread out with different incentives over all the major game retailers.

GameStop:    A physical necklace of Chimeran teeth worn by Joseph Capelli in the game, and a multiplayer booster which allows you to start Resistance 3 at level 5.  This is the only physical goodie offered by preorder, and if you’re more interested in getting something physical go with this option.  The ability to start at level 5 is not much of a boost, since if you play enough multiplayer you’re going to probably get to it eventually, but you will have access to more in game customization options.

Wal-Mart:  A set of five custom name titles (multiplayer tags), including Sentinel.  Looks like this will be a special badge of honor next to your name during matchmaking.

Amazon.com: No. 60 Fuel Grenade.  Exclusive SP item which will stick to any surface and explode into fire.

Best Buy: Nathan Hale skin and taunt ability.

UPDATE:  Other unnamed retailers are offering a Black Ops skin.  This traditionally has been a badge of great honor, the black ops skin was only playable by completing Resistance: Fall of Man on the highest difficulty.

Resistance 3 is coming September 6th, 2011 exclusive to the PS3.

Portal 2 Soundtrack Volume 1 Released for Free Download May 26, 2011

Video game soundtracks are a huge business.  With the huge production values it takes to score and compose a full priced video game, and the classic tunes that have been known to come out of it, these soundtracks, if they’re popular enough, will usually see a release to CD or paid digital download (iTunes, Amazon, etc).

Valve has decided to buck the current trends and instead have released the first volume of the soundtrack to Portal 2 for a free download.  More than that, they have already converted a few of the more popular tracks already to be compatible with your iPhone or Android, saving you the time of having to convert it yourselves.

If you like the tunes, feel free to give them a download.  Ownership of the game is not a requirement.  More volumes are promised!

Free Dead Space 2 Map Pack Coming May 24, 2011

EA has announced on their twitter feed and facebook pages that new downloadable content for Dead Space 2 is coming.  A new multiplayer map pack, called the Outbreak Map Pack, is coming, and best of all, it’s going to be released free of charge.  I’m sure the people who have been playing the multiplayer component of the game a lot are going to be happy over this news.

Two maps are going to be included in the map pack.  One is called The Academy and the other is called The Concourse.  One image has been released on their twitter feed, and it looks a lot like the creepy children’s school enviroment at the midpoint of the game.

The Outbreak Map Pack is coming May 31st, 2011 for Xbox 360 users and June 3rd, 2011 for PS3 users.  A copy of Dead Space 2 will be required.

Duke Nukem Forever is Done May 24, 2011

Over ten years ago issues of PC Gamer magazine would feature one off comic strips done by Scott Kurtz of PVP. They were short PVP strips which were made specifically for the magazine.

It didn’t have a super long run, only a few issues had them but these strips were my first exposure to PVP, which is a strip I now read daily.

One of the issues featured the office intern, Francis (who was a lot younger and a lot nerdier than he is depicted now) slowly growing a beard to ZZ Top length proportions. On the last strip, as an old man, he smiles and says “Duke Nukem Forever has gone gold.”

The longest and most infamous game of all time is finished. I never thought this day would happen. I don’t think many others thought it would either, especially after everything that happened with the shutdowns and the lawsuits in 2009. So much of my life has been tied into what the progress of this project was that it’s hard to even write this posting up. Like Francis, here I sit with my long beard in shock at what I’m seeing on my screen. A chapter in the history of the Internet is turning today.

I just got the official e-mail directly from 2K Games. Duke Nukem Forever has gone gold. For real.

Duke Nukem Forever will release June 14th, 2011 for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Hellgate: London Will Return May 21, 2011

Hellgate: London was a game that at release tried to be too much too fast. It was a full paid and free MMORPG along with a full Single Player game. There were paperback novels, manga and a full collectors edition which released with the game. This was planned to be one of the new major PC franchises…only it wasn’t.

The game suffered from poor initial reviews and while a lot of its problems were fixed after launch and content was being released on a steady basis, the costs to keep it operating did not match up with the income from the paid MMO component and sales of the game. Because of that, Hellgate: London was shut down some time ago.

Publishing rights in North America were in limbo for some time while the game was being maintained in other territories. Now the company who bought its rights plans to bring it back online for free in North America. Beta testing will be happening between June 3rd and June 5th.

Dust off your copies guys. I’m going to London!

History of Duke Nukem Part 2 May 20, 2011

Gearbox Software has released the second part of their history of Duke Nukem series to the web.  (My guess is they didn’t want to be upstaged by my contribution.)  Part 1 mostly focused on the first two Duke Nukem sidescrollers, this part focuses on Duke Nukem 3D, which released in 1996.

Another part is coming, which will focus on Duke Nukem Forever.

Duke Nukem Forever is coming June 14th for Xbox 360, PC and PS3.

Gears of War 3 Campaign Teaser May 20, 2011

Epic has released the first footage from the Gears of War 3 SP Campaign, and points the way to just what the story of this new game could be (and what that post-credits teaser at the end of the credits in Gears of War 2 alluded to).

The full version of this trailer will be made availble on May 28th.  They intend to premere the trailer during two sporting events…okay seriously?  Are they kidding me?  Do the people who do marketing know anything whatsoever about gamers?  If you want gamers to have a chance at seeing your new game trailer play it on something they’ll actually watch!

Gears of War 3 is coming September, 2011 exclusive to the Xbox 360.

Nintendo Wii Price Drop Confirmed, Wii Now $149 May 19, 2011

This is a bit bleated news, especially given the fact that many were speculating about this for the past few weeks, and a few retailers probably started jumping the gun in anticipation for this happening, but Nintendo has confirmed that the Nintendo Wii’s official MSRP is now $149US, and has lowered the price of many of it’s first party games to $19.99 US including Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Super Mario Sluggers, Animal Crossing City Folk and Wii Sports.

The Nintendo Wii is now being bundled with copies of Mario Kart Wii, come in the color black, and include a Wii Racing Wheel.

I have to admit, this is pretty great news. Obviously this price drop is in anticipation for the formal reveal of Project Cafe (the Wii’s successor) at E3 this year, but more than that the Wii has a fantastic library of first party titles as well as some great third party titles that have cult status. Maybe I should do a list of my personal favorite Wii games for people interested in it.

Gears of War 3 Epic and Limited Editions Detailed May 17, 2011

Epic announced that the highly anticipated Xbox 360 exclusive Gears of War 3 would have two Collector’s Editions in a similar style to Halo Reach.  Gears of War 3 will ship with a Limited Edition and Epic Edition.  However, now we know exactly what will be in those Collector’s Editions, straight from Epic.

• Limited Edition ($79.99 US)—A must-have for fans who want to celebrate the
  culmination of the trilogy, this edition includes:
  • Octus Award Display Box and Octus Service Medal—Replicas of the honors
    bestowed on Adam Fenix, Marcus’s father, for his work on the Hammer of Dawn.
  • Unlockable Adam Fenix Multiplayer Character—Each Octus Service Medal replica
    is engraved with a unique Xbox LIVE code that unlocks Adam Fenix in multiplayer.
  • Fabric COG Flag—Proud colors that once flew above the House of Sovereigns.
  • Personal Effects of Adam Fenix—Includes his “Last Will and Testament,” the
    initial Hammer of Dawn schematic, and other Fenix family mementos.
• Epic Edition ($149.99 US)—The ultimate collection for hardcore fans who
  can’t get enough Gears of War 3, this edition includes:
  • Collectible Marcus Fenix Statue—The collaborative work of Chris Perna and
    the artisans at Triforce, this fine PVC collectible makes an evocative living
    room conversation piece for any true Gears fan.
  • The Art and Design of Gears of War by Tom Bissell—Through unprecedented
    access to the Epic Games team, acclaimed author Tom Bissell (Extra Lives) gives
    readers an incisive behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the most celebrated
    sagas in video game history with 96 pages of interviews, photos, concept
    artwork, and more.
  • The Gears of War 3 Limited Edition—Nuf said!
  • Infected Omen Weapon Pack — Custom multiplayer skins for the game’s five
    starting weapons; Lancer, Retro Lancer, Hammerburst, Sawed-off Shotgun, and
    Gnasher Shotgun.

I am a huge fan of Collector’s Editions but I have to admit I realy don’t like this growing trend of EXCEPTIONALLY expensive releases.  Fortunatly this has been tempered with only one or two of these released a year, but this year has major console releases with the top properties across the board getting releases, my wallet is going to kill me.  Why oh why does it have to be so awesome?

Gears of War 3 will release September, 2011 exclusive to the Xbox 360.