GamerNode: Latest Game and Console News

Final Fantasy XIII launch dates revealed

A spectacular new trailer for Square Enix's Final Fantasy XIII harbored a surprise for those eagerly awaiting word on the game's release in the West -- launch dates for the US and EU versions appear near the end of the video.

Naturally, Japan gets to romp around the sky city of Cocoon before anyone else when the game hits shelves there on December 17. The rest of the world will just have to be patient until March 9 of 2010, when the game will be concurrently released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 systems in North America and Europe.

Final Fantasy XIII is the first iteration of the successful RPG franchise to be rendered in full HD, while telling a "dramatic story" focusing on bringing the emotional developments of the protagonist to the forefront. Along with an emphasis on vibrant visual imagery ...

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MSNBC talks Modern Warfare 2 civilly with Kotaku e...

A day after Fox News aired a piece on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 that appeared aggressive and biased against the game, MSNBC aired their own segment about the popular FPS from Infinity Ward and Activision. The guest for MSNBC was Kotaku deputy editor Stephen Totilo.

The piece was done very civilly, with the interviewers never cutting off Totilo and asking questions in a non-aggressive, curious manner.

The segment centered on the famous controversial scene in the game where the player, as an undercover agent infiltrating a terrorist organization, is forced to witness and/or join the terrorists he is with in slaughtering civilians in a Russian airport.

"What's happening in this mission is extremely unpleasant," said Totilo when asked about the scene. "You don't have to shoot the civilians b...

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Facebook and Twitter coming to Xbox on Nov. 17

If you feel that your precious Twitter and Facebook time is wasted by playing videogames, or you have the need to keep tabs on all your friends all the time, then you're in luck. Xbox Live general manager Marc Whitten has officially announced that the long-awaited Twitter and Facebook integration will arrive on November 17.

Microsoft has previously shown the update as being released on November 17 on their Xbox.com UK site, but the announcement was quickly removed and shown as "to be announced," leading many to wonder when the features would be available.

The update will be available to all Xbox Live subscribers and will download automatically. Now if only we could get an update that clothes and feeds us, we'll never have to leave the house.

[Fast Company]

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Gamestop combating digital distribution with DLC k...

One of the advantages of the coming digital distribution of videogames is bypassing brick-and-mortar stores altogether. In response to this, GameStop has been looking for ways to combat digital sales. Looks like they have the first salvo ready in their war on digital distribution. At the BMO Capital Markets conference, GameStop COO Paul Raines stated the company is planning to place DLC kiosks in their stores so that shoppers can buy additional content along with their game.

This doesn't bode well at all for consumers. I can only imagine a future where shoppers go and buy Halo 4, only to be offered a DLC map pack, special gun, and mutliplayer skin as well as a pre-order and magazine subscription. You will literally never leave the store.

[The Cut Scene]

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Diablo III to release in "next few years"

A savvy reporter over at Kotaku managed to snap a photo of a slide presentation during a Blizzard press conference that displays Diablo III's release within the "next few years," possibly delaying the hotly anticipated dungeon crawler to 2011 or beyond.

Other projects grouped under the near-future category are Starcraft II's inevitable expansion content and Blizzard's mysterious new MMO that is still being kept tightly under wraps.

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Modern Warfare 2 criticized on Fox News

It shouldn't come as any surprise to many gamers out there after the Mass Effect sex scene controversy, but Fox News and its "fair and balanced" reporting have criticized Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, game creators, retailers, and the industry as a whole once again. It occurred on the program "Fox & Friends" during a segment on Modern Warfare 2 titled, "A game that lets you play as a terrorist?"

The story headline was followed by a pre-commercial quip: "Is the game going too far? We're going to have a fair and balanced debate to find out."

Fox & Friends had Jon Christensen of Slash Gamer and Common Sense media CEO Jim Steyer discuss the issue with the show's host. The following is a transcription of the segment:

Fox Host: Jim, you got some problems with this game?

Jim: It's mainly for adults...

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Modern Warfare 2 sets new record with 7 million sa...

The trend-tracking aficionados at VGChartz have released their initiatory figures for the launch of Modern Warfare 2. Unsurprisingly, the game has obliterated day one sales numbers with a whopping 7 million copies sold and is set to nab the throne of the most successful game launch of all time.

The Xbox 360 emerged on top with roughly 55% of sales, followed by 33% on the PS3 and the final 12% going to the PC. The lopsided numbers may be due to Infinity Ward's infamous decision to yank dedicated server support (along with other crucial multiplayer features) from the PC version of the game; apparently, PC gamers are still miffed about being short-changed--as online game scores and reviews can attest.

VGChartz estimates that if Modern Warfare 2 continues its roll, the total amount of sales afte...

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NCSoft hints Guild Wars 2 beta in 2010, release in...

Guild Wars 2 has been an MMO without a release date since developer ArenaNet and publisher NCSoft first broke news of the sequel in PC Gamer back in May of 2007. After a recent investors' call, NCSoft CEO Jaeho Lee finally gave the game a release window. Kinda.

While speaking about the game (and other company game Blade and Soul), Jaeho discussed said release window. "I believe there will be certain public events in the year 2010 ... at least a closed beta test for those titles," he stated. "Commercialization will be expected, at this point, probably some time in the year 2011."

If Jaeho's estimates are right, Guild Wars fans and anyone anticipating the sequel should be expecting to get their fix in the world of Tyria in a year or two.

[Joystiq]

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24kt gold PS3 Slim brings the bling

The zany bunch at hardware modding company Computer-Choppers are at it again. Swapping the drab murkiness of a gaming console to something with a little more color is nothing new, of course--but how about a PS3 Slim encased in a glittering 24kt gold shell?

Like all things involving rare and overpriced metals, only a small amount of these aurelian systems will be available for purchase--five, to be exact.

Interested in depleting your wallet? Shoot an e-mail over to the fine folks at Computer-Choppers for further inquiry.

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Xbox 360 sales jump 400% at Walmart

This shouldn't be a surprise to those who got wind of Walmart's epic one-day sale that was held this past Saturday. For the unaware, Walmart had priced the Xbox 360 Arcade at a meager $199, but with the alluring addition of a $100 gift card to enhance the deal. As a result of the retail giant's shenanigans, Xbox 360 sales have surged to nearly 400% of projected sales calculated by website VGChartz.

As an initial estimate, VGChartz plotted the sale would pull in roughly 90,000 units sold during the week of the sale. Walmart shoppers outdid themselves (or were swayed by the admittedly clever marketing campaign) by blowing away the estimate with an amassed total of 170,000 units sold, a 90% increase from the previous week's sales.

Apart from being the highest aggregate total of console units so...

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1 vs. 100 second season starts Nov. 19

Xbox Live gamers who have been without their trivia fix since the end of 1 vs. 100's initial season won't have to wait much longer to get it. The popular Xbox Live game show will be starting its second season on November 19. The game show's return will be at 8:00 EST on November 19 and will go on for the following 14 weeks.

Becoming a member of the Mob or The One will be solely based on score, which is determined by correct answers, streaks of correct answers, and speed. Extended Play will also see a return this season as there will be sessions of it every single night.

New themes for Extended Play will include "Finish the Lyrics," "80's Night," and even "Vampires."

[Joystiq]

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This week's releases: 11/9 - 11/14

Despite some select GameStop stores beginning to sell the game this weekend, the big release this week is still the biggest release of the year. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has its official release on Tuesday, and eclipses every other game hitting the shelves this week. Here is the full list of games coming to retailers this week.

DS:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: MobilizedChaotic: Shadow WarriorsDragon Ball Z: Attack of the SaiyansDragonologyFairyland Melody MagicHarvest Moon DS: Sunshine IslandsHot Wheels: Battle Force 5JonasPetz NurseryPhantasy Star ZeroRingling Bros. and Barnum & Baily CircusSatisfashionSpectral Force GenesisStyle Lab Jewelry DesignStyle Lab MakeoverTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Arcade AttackWedding Dash

PC:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2Final Fantasy XI: Vana'diel Coll...

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Faliszek: 360 community "head and shoulders above ...

In a recent interview with CVG where he told of pre-orders for Left 4 Dead 2 being quadruple that of the original, Chet Faliszek had another big statement. Valve's projecct lead took a shot at the PlayStation Network when he said that the Xbox 360 community, lead by Xbox Live, is "head and shoulders above the PS3."

Faliszek stated that the community aspects of both the PC and Xbox 360 "really fit" Left 4 Dead. So PS3 owners should not be looking for a port of the game anytime soon.

"Right now for Left 4 Dead 2 we're looking at PC and 360 because the community aspects really fit the game - it's all about playing with your friends," he said. "But that's the short term. What we're looking at for the long term... if it works out, it works out. Right now don't not buy it on the 360 because you th...

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Imperial Agent class revealed for Old Republic

A week after the obvious reveal of the Jedi Knight class for Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare community manager Sean Dahlberg revealed another class today on the highly anticipated MMORPG's forums. That class is the Imperial Agent.

The inspiration for the Imperial Agent class, according to Dahlberg, was characters like Zam Wessel and Grand Moff Tarkin. They are people who will operate behind the scenes to do Sith Empire's dirty work.

"Specializing in high-tech gear, the Imperial Agent always has the right tools at the right time," posted Dahlberg. "They use abilities of subversion and subterfuge to infiltrate and assassinate enemies of the Sith Empire with deadly efficiency. Players who choose to be Imperial Agents in The Old Republic (TOR) will see the underbelly of the Empire in a whol...

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Left 4 Dead 2 has "four times" the pre-orders over...

With the Left 4 Dead 2 boycott officially dead, Valve is completely focused on the upcoming zombie shooter sequel's release in two weeks. After all, the company has "four times" the amount of pre-orders for the sequel over the original.

"As we get closer to launch we see the reaction to the demo, pre-orders are four times what Left 4 Dead 1 was, people's excitement, the boycott itself and how it's changed... I think people are just excited now," said Chet Faliszek, Valve's project lead.

Looking back at the boycott and how Valve handled the situation, Faliszek said the whole series of events changed "how we talked about it and how we talked with everybody."

"Honestly I made the joke and it's true: If you put $20 in a box and charge $10 for it someone would complain you didn't put $50 in a box,...

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Battlefield: Bad Company 2 beta exclusive for PS3

A recent PlayStation Blog post written by EA DICE Associate Producer Gordon Van Dyke chalks up another victory to PS3 gamers by revealing the multiplayer beta for the upcoming Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be exclusively available on the PS3 beginning November 19.

The beta contains a solitary map, "Africa Harbor", that showcases the "Rush" game mode in which players battle over equipment crates. The map highlights fluid transitions between vehicular and infantry combat by featuring an assault on a military outpost followed by intense street-to-street fighting through an industrial harbor.

Interested in joining the fray? While each country will have differing methods of accessing the beta, North American players will be able to get the beta through pre-ordering the game from certain retaile...

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BlazBlue coming to PSP

Count one more awesome game for the PSP. Arc System Works is bringing the high res 2D fighter, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, to the PSP. Announced via Famitsu, the new version of the fighter will launch on February 25 in Japan and come packed with a few extra features. The game will include all the entire cast, ad-hoc multiplayer for up to four people, and a new Legion Mode that has players fight to gain territory on a board.

We haven't heard if the port will be a lower resolution or if any effects will be removed, but if you find yourself chomping at the bit for some portable BlazBlue, the PS3 game does support Remote Play. That should hold you over until the game's US release.

[Joystiq]

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Xbox 360 Arcade $199 sale at Walmart confirmed

As an attempt to alleviate the onslaught of shoppers that bombard stores during the dreaded Black Friday, retail giant Walmart will hold weekly and one-day sales of certain products leading up to the holiday shopping season -- starting with the Xbox 360 Arcade priced at a tantalizing $199 on November 7. Too good to be true? Evidently not.

Confirmed earlier today, the price-cut of the console will hopefully alleviate expensive or out-of-stock console shopping woes that betide upon parents and other holiday shoppers. A $100 gift card is also thrown in to sweeten the deal.

If gaming consoles aren't on your list this holiday season, consider the additional electronic items that are discounted this coming Saturday -- TVs, a Blu-ray player, a DVD player, and a laptop.

Check out Walmart's official s...

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Collector's Edition Roundup: Splinter Cell Convict...

Welcome to Collector's Edition Roundup! This is a new feature we're running where we detail all the new collector's editions of big profile games that are coming out! Okay, this isn't a new feature, but with all these collector's editions being revealed, it feels like we should start one for these goodie-infested versions.

The latest one to get the special treatment is Ubisoft's Splinter Cell Conviction, the latest installment in the stealth action series. This version will set you back $79.99 and will release the same day as the standard version, February 23, 2010. The set will feature a credit-card-sized usb drive with art and a making-of featurette, a prequel comic book, a DLC weapon and player skin, two stickers: a Third Echelon logo and stylsh bullet hole marks. The game also comes in ...

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MotionPlus to be featured in next Zelda

It's hard to get any info from Nintendo regarding its big franchise games, so count this one as a win for the fans. Nintendo and gaming guru Shingeru Miyamoto has let loose that the next installment in The Legend of Zelda franchise will feature MotionPlus control.

"In this [installment in the series], we're using MotionPlus to make you feel much more like you're actually fighting while holding a sword in your hand," said Miyamoto at a Q&A session that was translated by website GameLife. "In the previous game, you aimed at things by pointing at the screen, but this time we'll use MotionPlus to create a much more convenient targeting system and a more pleasurable playing experience."

No word on if the control is required or just an option, but it's good to know one of gaming greats is getting ...

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