E3 2011: E3 Updates; Xbox Live to Feature Youtube, Minecraft, and much more; PS Vita and Wii U News. Plus, some free stuff.

I told you guys I would post again soon. 🙂

Anyway, this week has been all about E3. From what I’ve saw and read, I’m pretty impressed with what’s coming out soon. So let’s get right into it.

First, let’s talk about game releases. The schedule for game releases looks INCREDIBLE. BioShock Infinite, Modern Warfare 3, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, Saints Row: The Third, Far Cry 3, Ghost Recon Future Solider, Battlefield 3, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Driver San Francisco, Tomb Raider, Gears of War 3, Mass Effect 3, Hitman: Absolution, and of course, Halo 4. Just to name some. Naturally, all of these games look and sound amazing. I have a feeling that I’ll be completely broke by the end of 2012. If you haven’t seen any of these games (or even knew that they’re being released), here are the links:
 BioShock Infinite E3 Trailer
Modern Warfare 3 E3 Gameplay
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
Saints Row: The Third
Far Cry 3
Ghost Recon Future Solider
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Halo 4
Hitman Absolution
Battlefield 3
For a full list of trailers and gameplay, check out this link.

Next, the two big device reveals were the Wii U and PS Vita.
Wii U Features:

The Console:
-45 nm processor

The Wii U Controller & Console

-Approx. 1.8″ tall, 6.8″ wide, & 10.5″ long
-Internal memory
-USB and SD memory card ports
-Slot-loading optical disk drive
-Sensor Bar port
-AV Multi Out port
-HDMI out port

The Controller:
-Built in accelerometer, gyroscope, speakers, front-facing camera, microphone, and a 6.2″ touchscreen
-2 circle pads, 1 digital pad
-Select, Start, Home, Power, A, B, X, and Y Buttons. L/R Bumpers and ZL/ZR Triggers.
The Wii U is reported to launch after April 2012.

Now for the PS Vita:

-5″ touchscreen

Say Hello to the PS Vita

-Rear touchpad
-Sixaxis motion sensing
-Three-axis electronic compass
-Standard Playstation buttons (circle, triangle, square, x, start, select), Home,  Volume, L, R, Power, 2 Analog Sticks, and 1 D-Pad
-Front and Rear facing camera
-Supports Bluetooth
-Will also feature Wi-Fi and 3G versions
The PS Vita is reported to launch during Holiday 2011. The PS Vita will cost $249.

Microsoft announced that a Youtube functionality and PC smash-hit Minecraft will be coming to Xbox Live. Xbox Live, Youtube, and Minecraft all together? That pretty much sums up my life. It couldn’t get any better than this.

In other news, you can download the Portal 2 soundtrack via the Official Portal 2 website for free. (Just click on “Official Portal 2 website”, which will then direct you there. Then click on ‘Download Volume I’). Additionally, you can download the individual tracks for your Android or iPhone by clicking the links underneath the tracks that say ‘Android’ or ‘iPhone’.
Also, Rockstar Games has released a free kindle version of L.A. Noire: The Collected Stories on Amazon here. Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can still view it on your computer by selecting [Your Name]’s Kindle for PC.
Yeah, you’re welcome.

Speaking of L.A. Noire (which is an awesome game, if you haven’t checked it out), the Rockstar Pass for L.A. Noire only has a few days left to get current and future DLC. The cost is 800 MS Points/$9.99 and includes: The Badge Pursuit Challenge, Chicago Piano Gun, The Naked City Vice Case, A Slip of the Tongue Traffic Case, Three Suits, and two future DLC’s: Reefer Madness Vice Case (release: July 12) & Nicholson Electroplating(June 21) Arson Case. This offer is only available until June 14th. Then the price will go up to $12/960 MS Points.

Thanks for reading and keep on playing,
–Taylor Paige

Sources:
Videos via Machinima
Wii U News Via Wikipedia
PS Vita via Wikipedia
Minecraft on Xbox Live via IFC
Rockstar Pass Info via 1up

Game News 5.15.10: Sony, DLC’s, & a Developer Diary or Two.

If you’ve heard about Sony’s recent idea to make a movie based off the PC game series, RollerCoaster Tycoon, then you probably had the same reaction I did. WTF. Sony obtained the license earlier this week and they plan to bring the game to the silver screen. I’m not sure how exactly they are going to base a movie off the game, but they claim it is going to be “”live-action/CGI hybrid.”” Personally, if and when this movie comes out, I am most likely not going to see this. Although I think that RCT is a fun game, but I think it should remain just that..a game. Comments?

This week in downloadable content(Prices and dates are for the X360):
-Forza Motorsport 3
-5.11: The Exotic Car Sample/Free/96 MB
-5.11: The Exotic Car Pack/400 MS Pts/96 MB
-Rock Band & Rock Band 2
-5.11: British Steel 30th Anniversary Album/1200 MS Pts/293 MB
-5.11: British Steel Individual Songs/160 MS Pts/20-41 MB
-Lost Planet 2
-5.11: Map Pack #1/400 MS Pts/63 MB
-Skate 3
-5.14: Time is Money Pack/400 MS Pts/172 KB
-BioShock 2
-5.11: Zigo & Blanche Characters/160 MS Pts/108 KB
-5.11: Rapture Metro/800 MS Pts/659 MB
-5.11: Kill ’em Kindly/Free/659 MB
Modern Warfare 2 will be receiving a new DLC June 3rd. It will include five new maps will debut on Xbox 360 first, then the Windows and PS3 add-on’s will be released later.

In other news, 2k Games has released another developer diary for Mafia II. This one discusses the games combat, cars, and explains the game a bit further. If you haven’t seen it, you can view it here:

And if you haven’t seen the first one, well here it is:

Additional videos:
BioShock 2 Kill ‘Em Kindly Trailer via IGNEntertainment

Lost Planet 2 Map Pack Trailer via SCRAWLfx

Rock Band 2 Breaking the Law(Live) via corporalgregg3

Forza 3 Exotic Car Pack via Machinima

Sony story info obtained from different resources.
DLC info obtained from marketplace.xbox.com
Developer’s diary and all other videos obtained from YouTube, credit is given to the users.
Modern Warfare 2 DLC info obtained from http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20005032-1.html

–Taylor Paige
© 2010 taylorpaige 09