Bad Company assaulted by DLC, free weapons, update

IGN reports a veritable cornucopia of news regarding Battlefield: Bad Company. The leaderboards have been expanded to include 500,000 players (up from 50,000), which should give more gamers a chance to see their names up in lights. Also, two of the campaign levels -- Acta Non Verba and Par For The Course -- are being retooled for multiplayer and will be available in an upcoming map pack (no word on when it will release or how much it will cost). Along with the map pack, an update is being prepared that should fix server and Dog Tag lag. Finally, and perhaps most interesting, codes are being given out to unlock three of the five (somewhat controversial) weapons that were only available to those who took part in the game's launch promotions. To unlock the different weapons, simply enter the codes below in the unlock section in Bad Company.

* Recon Kit - QBU88 - your3mynextt4rget
* Special Ops Kit - UZI - cov3r1ngthecorn3r
* Support Kit - M60 - try4ndrunf0rcov3r

The remaining weapons can still be unlocked by checking your stats on the Bad Company website and joining the EA Veteran's Program.

BioShock demo dated for October 2nd

A new news item has been posted on the official BioShock website, The Cult Of Rapture. It's short and sweet and says only what we need to know. That being the date when we can expect to grab a vertical slice of the upcoming atmosphere-em-up, BioShock. The demo will be made available (worldwide, no less) on October the 2nd. So you don't have too long to wait before you adventure in Rapture begins. And to think that this time last year we were to-ing and fro-ing between rumors that the game was coming PS3wards and developers who swore it wasn't. We're glad that PS3 owners get an opportunity to experience one of the most impressive games of 2007, even if it is a year later.

If you plan on building (or upgrading) a PC around the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto IV, the official Games For Windows web site has a helpful rough estimate for what kind of hardware you're gonna need. To make it look as pretty as the version we saw, which ran just shy of 2560 x 1600, expect to bring some serious computing power to the table. While the minimum system requirements for the Windows version of GTA IV are still a mystery, the recommended requirements are yours for the studying. Recommended operating system? Windows XP SP2, natch. For the hard stuff, make the jump.

Processor: Dual core processor (Intel Pentium D or better)
RAM: 2GB
Hard Drive: 18GB free hard disk space
Video Card: 512MB Direct3D 10 compatible video card or Direct3D 9 card compatible with Shader
Drive: DVD-ROM dual-layer drive

18 gigabytes, eh? In the age of the terabyte home storage solution, Grand Theft Auto IV spreading out across that much platter isn't shocking, just a tad hard to absorb. (Ask me about my 80GB drive some time!)

We're checking in with Rockstar to make sure these figures are on the up and up, but until someone says otherwise, we'd think it's safe to start trolling NewEgg for whatever your needs may be.

Thanks to Mikko for the pointer.

Wii Music Gets More Cowbell

We had our doubts about Wii Music after the "dog incident," but we're skeptics no longer. Nintendo, you had us at "dink dink dink dink dink dink DOONG! dink dink dink dink dink dink DOONG! dink dink dink dink dink dink DOONG!" See you there on day one.

Man Steals Cheque, Kills Parents, Buys Xbox

Sad story. In 2007, Russell Bramlage killed his parents, Dr. Terry Bramlage and Lynda Bramlage, after they confronted him when he stole two cheques from them. Shot them both in the back, with a shotgun, in cold blood. Three days after the murders, seemingly without a care in the world, he cashed one of the cheques in and bought...an original Xbox. Bramlage was later arrested by police, and pleaded guilty to murder charges, for which he'll face up to 20 years in prison without parole.

Battle of the Rock Bands Tonight on SPIKE

Disturbed, Judas Priest and Cheap Trick (pictured) are challenging the top three user bands in the nation tonight on SPIKE TV's "30 Minutes to Midnight," the official countdown show for the launch of Rock Band 2. The three bands challenge the users to play their songs, among the hardest in the game, with other competitive twists. There will also be a guy who can finish a song playing all four instruments at once. If you're one of those people transfixed by watching others play this game really well, you might want to flip over.

More details, plus exclusive screengrabs from the show (taped live before a studio audience, like "Cheers") on the jump.

"30 Minutes to Midnight" airs at, well, 30 minutes to midnight US Eastern time tonight. The user bands are from the Xbox 360 community (Earth Wind and Centaur! Die! In a Fire, and Here Comes a New Challenger). In addition to playing straight up, there will also be a challenge mode in which they have to play the notes from memory with none on the screen. So we'll see if Rock Band really has taught anyone to rock out.

Game characters that time forgot .

There's one thing more annoying than a game character that outstays their welcome, and that's a game character that vanishes too quickly. They may live on in memory, or eke out an existence on XBLA, Virtual Console or old-school compilations, but they are caught in the curious predicament of staying forever young while ageing horribly in today's hyper-fast world of mega-power gaming.

This article is dedicated to some of the game characters that deserved more (except Croc), but were, for whatever reason, left behind. Forever frozen in the past like 16-bit popsicles. These are the game characters that time forgot.






Memory dump: Monkey-a-like bouffant sporting one-hit-death generously eared snubbed in favour of Sonic cheeky cherub-faced rice-ball munching wielding fists of 'Shellcore' rock-smashery couldn't save the Master System II pro paper-scissors-stone player definitely-not-a-Mario-beating Sega contender.

Best Game: Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Master System, 1986)

Current status: Recently dusted off for an 'unlockable character' appearance in Sega Superstar Tennis. Has also joined the swollen ranks of retro has-beens on Virtual Console.





Memory dump: Dream-bothering elemental magic casting dungeon-sacking mute murderer of demons casino patronising bastard-haired solver of bastard-hard puzzles top-down 2D loyalist from 3D obsessed 32-bit era cheaply disregarded as a Legend of Zelda clone typically effeminate elf-eared elf boy completely absent from the nothing-to-do-with-the-original Alundra 2.

Best (and only) Game: Alundra (PSOne, 1997)

Current status: Completely forgotten. It's like everyone who ever owned a PSOne was spiked with amnesia pills.



Memory dump: Ninja Turtle bandwagoning skin-condition based moniker fun-poking enemies of the hot looking for a 2D-sprite Dark Queen side-scrolling heavy-fisted pork punching stars of a never made it past the pilot cartoon show amphibious ambassadors of incredo NES graphics and snot-gobbling sadistic gameplay.

Best Game: Battletoads (NES, 1991)

Current status: Recently enjoyed an internet-inspired renaissance. See the evidence here. XBLA is probably the best bet for a bonafide revisiting seeing that Battletoads developer Rare is now on the Microsoft payroll.



Memory dump: Once-upon-a-time fictional face of Capcom 15 minutes of fame in underrated Final Fight-a-like punch and kick them down brawler energy glove fitted sunglasses in outer space enemy burning Blanka-style electricity attacks protector of Universe against Scumocide best boss name ever more famous for Marvel Vs Capcom cameos undisputed narcissistic Captain of Commandos.

Best game: Captain Commando (SNES, 1995)

Current Status: Last seen 2002 trading blows in Marvel Vs Capcom 2.

Sold out: PS3 Survival Edition

Just a head’s up, we’ve received word from the folks at Amazon that the Fallout 3 Survival Edition for PlayStation 3 has sold out. So if you’re looking for it on their site, now you know why it’s not there. For those wanting to order the Survival Edition on Xbox 360 or Games for Windows, we’re told these are expected to sell out soon as well.

f you missed it, the Survival Edition includes:
-Fallout 3 (yes, it has the game)
-A life-size replica of the Pip-Boy 3000, the wrist-mounted device worn by characters in the game.
-Vault Boy Bobblehead: Your very own Vault Boy collector’s item is direct from Vault-Tec.
-The Art of Fallout 3: Features nearly 100 pages of never-before seen concept art and commentary from Bethesda Game Studios artists.
-The Making of Fallout 3 DVD: An exclusive, inside look at Bethesda Game Studios and the team behind the game.
-Vault-Tec Lunch Box: A fully customized metal lunch box.

The package will be exclusively for Amazon.com

The Complete Guitar Hero World Tour Set List

ctivision has released the entire track listing for their upcoming upgrade to the Guitar Hero franchise, Guitar Hero World Tour. Rock Band 2 might have shown their hand a bit early, as Activision trumps their 84 songs on disc by two, delivering 86 master recordings, the largest selection of on-disc music in the genre until the next iterations come out. While many of the songs on the list we've heard about over the past few months, trickling out in various press releases or in news articles, it sure is impressive to see the complete list all at once. See for yourself, after the jump!

ACTIVISION UNVEILS FULL GUITAR HERO® WORLD TOUR SET LIST

Featuring 86 Master Tracks, Game Delivers The Biggest Selection of On-Disc Music In The Music-Rhythm Videogame Genre To Date

Santa Monica, CA – September 12, 2008 – Delivering unparalleled depth and diversity featuring some of the most prolific artists of all time including Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Van Halen, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Michael Jackson and more, Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today revealed the highly-anticipated full set list for Guitar Hero® World Tour, the definitive rock ‘n’ roll music videogaming experience. Spanning over 40 years of rock history and featuring 86 tracks, comprised entirely of master recordings, the game will deliver Guitar Hero® fans the largest selection of on-disc music in the music-rhythm videogame genre to date. The complete Guitar Hero World Tour on-disc set list available on October 26, 2008 will include:

* 311 - “Beautiful Disaster”
* 30 Seconds To Mars - “The Kill”
* Airbourne - “Too Much Too Young”
* The Allman Brothers Band - “Ramblin' Man”
* Anouk - “Good God”
* The Answer - “Never Too Late”
* At The Drive-In - “One Armed Scissor”
* Beastie Boys - “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”
* Beatsteaks - “Hail to the Freaks”
* Billy Idol - “Rebel Yell”
* Black Label Society - “Stillborn”
* Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - “Weapon of Choice”
* blink-182 - “Dammit”
* Blondie - “One Way or Another”
* Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - “Hollywood Nights”
* Bon Jovi - “Livin’ On A Prayer”
* Bullet For My Valentine - “Scream Aim Fire”
* Coldplay - “Shiver”
* Creedence Clearwater Revival - “Up Around The Bend”
* The Cult - “Love Removal Machine”
* Dinosaur Jr. - “Feel The Pain”
* The Doors - “Love Me Two Times”
* Dream Theater - “Pull Me Under”
* The Eagles - “Hotel California”
* The Enemy - “Aggro”
* Filter - “Hey Man, Nice Shot”
* Fleetwood Mac - “Go Your Own Way”
* Foo Fighters - “Everlong”
* The Guess Who - “American Woman”
* Hush Puppies - “You're Gonna Say Yeah!”
* Interpol - “Obstacle 1”
* Jane's Addiction - “Mountain Song”
* Jimi Hendrix - “Purple Haze (Live)”
* Jimi Hendrix - “The Wind Cries Mary”
* Jimmy Eat World - “The Middle”
* Joe Satriani - “Satch Boogie”
* Kent - “Vinternoll2”
* Korn - “Freak On A Leash”
* Lacuna Coil - “Our Truth”
* Lenny Kravitz - “Are You Gonna Go My Way”
* Linkin Park - “What I've Done”
* The Living End - “Prisoner of Society”
* Los Lobos - “La Bamba”
* Lost Prophets - “Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)”
* Lynyrd Skynyrd - “Sweet Home Alabama (Live)”
* Mars Volta - “L'Via L'Viaquez”
* MC5’s Wayne Kramer - “Kick Out The Jams”
* Metallica - “Trapped Under Ice”
* Michael Jackson - “Beat It”
* Modest Mouse - “Float On”
* Motörhead - “Overkill”
* Muse - “Assassin”
* Negramaro - “Nuvole e Lenzuola”
* Nirvana - “About a Girl (Unplugged)”
* No Doubt - “Spiderwebs”
* NOFX - “Soul Doubt”
* Oasis - “Some Might Say”
* Ozzy Osbourne - “Crazy Train”
* Ozzy Osbourne - “Mr. Crowley”
* Paramore - “Misery Business”
* Pat Benatar - “Heartbreaker”
* R.E.M. - “The One I Love”
* Radio Futura - “Escuela De Calor”
* Rise Against - “Re-Education Through Labor”
* Sex Pistols - “Pretty Vacant”
* Silversun Pickups - “Lazy Eye”
* Smashing Pumpkins - “Today”
* Steely Dan - “Do It Again”
* Steve Miller Band - “The Joker”
* Sting - “Demolition Man (Live)”
* The Stone Roses - “Love Spreads”
* Stuck In The Sound - “Toy Boy”
* Sublime - “Santeria”
* Survivor - “Eye of the Tiger”
* System of a Down - “B.Y.O.B.”
* Ted Nugent - “Stranglehold”
* Ted Nugent’s Original Guitar Duel Recording
* Tokio Hotel - “Monsoon”
* Tool - “Parabola”
* Tool - “Schism”
* Tool - “Vicarious”
* Trust - “Antisocial”
* Van Halen - “Hot For Teacher”
* Willie Nelson - “On The Road Again”
* Wings - “Band on the Run”
* Zakk Wylde’s Original Guitar Duel Recording

When the house lights go down this fall, a new generation of guitarists, drummers and fearless frontmen will come together and rock with Guitar Hero World Tour. The latest installment in the #1 best-selling video game franchise of 2007, Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero’s signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless controllers with new revolutionary online* and offline gameplay modes including Band Career and 8-player “Battle of the Bands,” which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online for the first time ever. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock ‘n’ roll anthems. Music creators will also be able to share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunesSM where other gamers can download and play an endless supply of unique creations.

Guitar Hero World Tour is being developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. The Wii™ version is being developed by Vicarious Visions. The PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system version is being developed by Budcat. The game is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB. For more information on Guitar Hero World Tour, please visit www.guitarhero.com.

Eternal Sonata PS3 Coming In October

While it might be old news to some of you, last we'd heard the long-awaited and greatly enhanced PlayStation 3 version of Eternal Sonata was scheduled for a release sometime in the fall. Well while we weren't looking, sometime in the fall became sometime in October, which then got narrowed down even further to October 21st. While it's only been a year or so since I played the original, the improvements made between that version and this one - new characters, extra cutscenes, new outfits, etc. - might just be enough for me to pick it up again. Besides, it will be novel to play a relatively high quality Japanese RPG on the PS3 for once.

First DJ Hero Details: Turntable Controller, Mash-Ups, Guitar Co-Op

Recent Activision acquisition FreeStyleGames is hard at work on DJ Hero, a music rhythm game that will let gamers scratch to the beat of popular mash-ups with a laptop turntable peripheral, informed sources tell us today.

The game, which has been in development for nearly two years, is expected to hit shelves next summer and will likely include the ability to use Guitar Hero guitars for versus mode face-offs.

The controller, key to the game's success, has been through nearly a half-dozen iterations.

In the latest form, the device looks a lot like a simplified DJ Deck. There is a platter for scratching which will act like the strum toggle on a Guitar Hero guitar. Above the platter are three buttons for sampling. The controller also includes a cross fader and a sound effects dial which will act like the whammy bar in Guitar Hero.

Instead of flowing the musical notes down a guitar neck, DJ Hero will flow the music down and around a virtual record in a half arc. Either left top to middle bottom if you are left handed, or right top to middle bottom if you are right handed.

To play you will have to either hold a sample button and scratch, just hold a button or just scratch as the neon icons flow around the virtual vinyl.

Currently the wireless controller has grooves molded into the bottom so it will sit comfortably in a player's lap, though the team is also looking into legs for the deck so gamers can play while standing up.

The game in its current form features all mash-ups, think Beyonce Vs Jimi Hendrix, 50 cent Vs Beastie Boys. If they can nail the interface and get licensing for the music this could be a mammoth hit. Then again I love mash-ups.

MotorStorm 2 Demo Invites Going Out Via Email

Looks like Motorstorm: Pacific Rift's pre-release demo isn't strictly limited to the Qore subscribing elite. We've heard from many a tipster that Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has been sending out invites for the demo version of the Motorstorm sequel, freeing it from its shackles as a strictly pay-to-play demo. That means you should definitely check your inbox, your spam filter and get in touch with your friends across the pond. They might have a spare for you. Thanks to everyone who sent this in — Philip took the first place tip spot and gets the Kotaku no-prize.

So, Who Sells The Most Games in Japan & Europe?

Let's find out! As part of its annual report, published today, Capcom included a handy little chart that shows (as of the end of the last financial year) the breakdown of market share between software publishers in the Japanese and European markets. North American figures weren't included at the request of the NPD Group. The results may surprise you! While Nintendo's dominance in Japan is to be expected, Capcom's lowly 15th place finish in Europe is not. Nor is Sony managing to muster only a 2.8% share of its home market, nor is EA beating out Nintendo to the top spot in Europe. Just goes to show Wii Play and Brain Training can only do so much against the unstoppable force that is FIFA.

'Classic' PSP games coming to PlayStation Store

While it doesn't quite fulfill our wish list of PSP games we'd most want to purchase by download and run from a single Memory Stick, D3 Publisher's "classic" catalog is coming to PlayStation Store (the PC one) this September. Props for being ahead of the curve. Up for digital delivery will be:

* Cube ($9.99)
* Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords ($14.99)
* WTF: work time fun ($9.99)
* PQ: Practical Intelligence Quotient ($9.99)
* PQ2: Practical Intelligence Quotient 2 ($14.99)
* Dead Head Fred ($14.99)

Once a true PSP Store is in place, we'd love to see all publishers follow suit. Now tell us that wouldn't send a chill up your spine GameStop!

Yoshida - PS3 hardware, cost and pricing "now coming together"

It’s all happening. Speaking to VG247 at Games Convention, Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida said that Jack Tretton’s claim that 2008 would be the “year of PlayStation 3″ is coming to fruition.

“All the things are now coming together in terms of the right hardware, cost and pricing, and we are increasing our hard disc space as we are increasing the content we’re offering through the network and the big titles we’re working on, coming out this Christmas,” he said. “All that is coming together this year.”

And, obviously, next year’s plans are continuing apace.

“I definitely hope so,” said the dev chief when we asked if he believed 2009 would be another “PS3 year.”

“We are feeling very comfortable about the momentum we have on all PlayStation platforms, and especially the way things are going in Europe. It’s very, very encouraging.”

Yoshida wouldn’t be drawn on unannounced product for 2009, but assured there’s plenty we haven’t seen yet.

“That’s not to say we’re not working on product for next year,” he added. “We have some titles that we have announced this year for release next year, like Heavy Rain and MAG, our big 256-player online title.

“Also there are some titles that we are targeting to launch next year that we have not announced yet. We still have a lot to come.”

Sony stole the show in Germany this year with SKU announcements for both PS3 and PSP and a first showing of Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain.

More soon.

GET OVER HERE! over 8mins of new MK vs. DC footage.

Still think the upcoming MK vs. DC fighting game from Midway is gonna suck? Check out this video with over 8 mins of new footage showcasing some cool ass moves, destructible environments/clothing, brutalities,fatalities, and new combo system. Plus an explanation of just how much control you have over your character even while being grabbed or thrown! Midway has stated time and time again about how they’re going back to their roots with this latest iteration of Mk and it’s apparent from this video. Check it out below and peep the scene were old Bats gets burned by fan favorite Scorpion…GET OVER HERE!!!

GOT TROPHIES?

Do you have one of those friends that constantly goes on about getting trophies? Pretty much everyone has one and I am no exception. One of my friends kept talking about all of his trophies and how he got them and what he had to do. I often just called him a trophy whore and laughed it off. This week I got my first chance to get a trophy on Warhawk. I started getting off by getting one then another and I just kept going. Soon I found myself a full fledged trophy whore. Now I am planning to get games just for the trophies because I found myself so caught up in the excitement. If you haven't got a trophy yet get one. If you think that you won't get addicted to getting trophies then you are dead wrong. And just think all of the work you put into the trophies will pay off when Home comes out and you have a giant trophy room filled with all of you achievements.

square drops out of the tecmo bid

Less than 24 hours after Tecmo said no thanks to its $200 million offer, Square Enix has officially withdrawn it. Initially, the Japanese role-playing game giant didn't rule out a hostile bid for Tecmo. However, the day the Ninja Gaiden maker announced it was pursuing a union with Dynasty Warriors publisher Koei, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada threw in the towel.

"If they truly dislike Square Enix, there is no point," Wada told the Reuters news service. "All [game] creators would leave the firm the moment the deal was done. It would be the equivalent of buying a building."

But while the Tecmo takeover may be dead, that doesn't mean the minds behind Final Fantasy XIII aren't laying plans for other buyouts or mergers. "We are talking with quite a few companies in and outside of Japan," said Wada.

While Wada did not go into further detail, and downplayed any on going negotiations as "routine," the fact Square Enix is talking to non-Japanese parties raises an array of intriguing possibilities. First, that the Tokyo-based company might acquire a Western developer, as Sega did with Secret Level (US) and The Creative Assembly (UK). There's also the possibility of some sort of agreement with a Western publisher, such as the recent Grasshopper Manufacture/Electronic Arts deal.

WELL THAY BUY PS3 OR 360/THIS WINTTER

PS3 has always been more expensive than Xbox 360 Arcade and pro consoles and the PS3 still has outsold(By several thousand each month) the the Xbox 360 six out of seven months of this year and the one month it didn't the Xbox 360 only sold 900 more console than the PS3. From what I can tell the PS3 will have outsold the Xbox 360 in August as well and that's with the price reduction on the Xbox pro 20gig($299.95). The price cut for Europe didn't make much difference for the Xbox 360. Even with the Xbox 360 more than a year head start in Europe the PS3 and Xbox 360 are running neck and neck in the number of consoles sold.

With all the me too stuff and the price cut, just seems that Microsoft are a little desperate.

In my oppinion the PS3 80gig is a way better deal with its built Wi-Fi and Blu-Ray than any of the Xbox 360 models, and your guaranteed to have a hard drive with every unit. You can add hard drive(a overly priced hard drive) but then your not really saving any money and you still don't have the value that the PS3 has.

xbox 360 price cut

Microsoft said on Thursday that it was cutting the price of its Xbox 360 game console. Starting this Friday, its base model will now sell for $199, down from $279. That makes the 360 the cheapest of the new generation of consoles — and, pointedly, cheaper than the $249 Nintendo Wii.

The consoles, of course, aren’t interchangeable, and price is hardly the sole arbiter of whether a console sells. Among the other bits of context here worth noting:

* Microsoft also cut the price of the Xbox last year at this time, so such a cut is unsurprising. Console makers have traditionally cut the prices of their machines over time to expand the user base.
* Xbox, which jumped out to an early lead on its competition — Sony’s PlayStation 3 and the Wii — has struggled more recently. In July, Microsoft sold 205,000 units, which was less than both the PS3 (225,000) and the Wii (555,000), according to figures released two weeks ago by the NPD Group, a market research firm.

Aaron Greenberg, director of product management for the 360, said Microsoft’s decision to drop the price was partly in keeping with an effort to stimulate demand over the holidays. He noted that 75 percent of console sales happen in the fourth quarter.

He also said Microsoft’s research showed that 75 percent of the sales of the original Xbox and the PlayStation 2 happened after the price fell below $200.

“There’s a huge audience that aren’t willing to pay more than $200,” he said.

He argued that Wii sales don’t come at the expense of Xbox sales.

“We’re a complementary experience to the Wii,” he said.