GamerNode: Latest Game and Console News

Holy Invasion of Privacy Badman! on UMD... if you ...

Even though most PSP games are going digital-only thanks to the fancy new PSPGo, some companies are willing to hold on to the ancient (in the tech world) UMD format. NIS America wants to do just that. The company released Holy Invasion of Privacy Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This? as a digital download earlier this year, but is looking to offer the game as a UMD release, provided you want it.

They are asking that prospective buyers to head over to their site and pre-order the game if they want the UMD. If at least 1,000 people pre-order it, they'll start production and ship them out by December. This is sure to be a collector's item due to the means of procuring it, so head over and drop your order if you want to guarantee a copy.

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Modern Warfare 2 on PC not delayed

If you've been following the juggernaut that is Modern Warfare 2 (and really, who hasn't), you might have heard that the PC version of the hotly anticipated shooter appeared be delayed according to numerous retailers who had pushed the release date back to November 24. Well dry your eyes PC gamer, Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling is here to set things straight.

On the company's Twitter feed, Bowling stated, "No delay on PC for Modern Warfare 2, you'll also have Prestige Mode in PC as well as lots of Steam support. Hopefully min specs will be soon."

So there you have it, Modern Warfare 2 PC will drop alongside its console brethren and carry all the bells and whistles. 

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SOCOM: Confrontation Cold Front DLC enlists for du...

Attention faithful SOCOM players! Playstation Blog reports that a new DLC expansion for SOCOM: Confrontation is set to release soon on PS3. Titled Cold Front, the DLC pack brings players to the snowy area of Eastern Europe with two new maps and three remakes from past SOCOM games.

The expansion also brings new gear, weather conditions, and a new game mode called Arms Race. Arms Race has teams fighting over missle launchers placed around the map. The special forces team must destroy them, while the mercenaries have to activate them. The new gear includes winter camo and a thermal scope that allows you to scope out enemies in the harsh conditions or at night.

A full list of features is as follows:

* New Russian / Eastern European Area of Operation* Snow setting complete with snow effects, new s...

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"Ridiculous" amount of customization for Modern Wa...

The original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare made gamers rethink the way multiplayer in first-person shooters can be played in terms of customization thanks to its perks and level system. According to Infinity Ward community manager Robert Bowling, Modern Warfare 2 is going to have a level of customization that is "ridiculous."

"The beta is really just the tip of the iceberg at this point, we're really just showing a little bit [of the game]," he said. "There's a lot more to come, whether it be customizable kill streaks, custom death streaks, equipment like tactical insertion, Semtex grenades -- all that stuff."

"What we're offering with Modern Warfare 2 is a ridiculous amount of customization. The lead-out is insane, you have all these attachments to choose from. It really caters to the hardco...

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Mass Effect 2 on Xbox 360 & PC only

Polish website PolyGamia reported earlier today of a possible PS3 port of BioWare's Mass Effect 2. Apparently, rumors of the game being released for the PS3 were taken from BioWare Community Manager Jay Watamaniuk while conducting a presentation in Poland. Following the report, BioWare has issued a response on the speculation of seeing a PS3 version of Mass Effect 2.

The initial report states that Watamaniuk mentioned "three platforms that Mass Effect 2 is targeted at. They were Xbox 360, PC, and 'probably PS3'." Watamaniuk was quick to place a disclaimer on his statement by explaining BioWare's hesitance to deal with rumors and speculations.

Gaming website IGN contacted Mass Effect 2 publisher Electronic Arts to clarify the situation.

Upon being shown a new forum post written by Watamaniuk o...

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Mass Effect 2 dated, pre-order gifts detailed

Rejoice, Mass Effect fans, BioWare has pulled back the curtain on when you will take the reins of Commander Shepard again. The second installment of the space saga will hit shelves on January 26th, 2010 in North America, and three days later in Europe.

Pre-order bonuses include weapons and armor, one set solely for GameStop, one set for the rest of the retailers. The GameStop-exclusive Terminus Armor increases running speed and personal shields, as well as adding extra ammo to every gun in your arsenal. GameStoppers will also get the M-90 Blackstorm heavy weapon, which "generates a high-powered localized gravity well, accelerating particles to infinite mass" according to the press release.

All other retailers will get the Inferno Armor, which increases Shepard's negotiation skills, running ...

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First Borderlands DLC announced

2K Games has announced the first downloadable content to be made available for the publisher's upcoming shooter, Borderlands. No solid release date has been given, but Gearbox Software is already working on Borderlands, The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned, which will debut later this year on all platforms for $9.99 (800 MS Points).

The DLC will be the first in "a series of downloadable expansions" for the single- and multiplayer-blending title, and will revolve around the story of Dr. Ned, who has accidentally infected the workers of Jakobs Cove, turning them into zombies and other monstrosities in desperate need of a cure (or a bullet). 2K promises new enemies, new quests, and rare loot drops in the expansion.

Boderlands releases on October 20th for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and on October 26th ...

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New 250GB PlayStation 3 priced and dated for North...

Sony's new 250GB PlayStation 3 console has finally been given both a release date and a price for North America. The console is set for a November 3 shelf date and will retail at $349.99.

The console will feature the same "Slim" body of the newest 120GB PlayStation 3 and will perform exactly the same. The only difference will be the more than doubled size of the console's hard drive.

[PlayStation 3 Blog]

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Left 4 Dead 2 demo arriving early for pre-orders

Anyone who has pre-ordered Left 4 Dead 2 will be getting the demo for the game a week earlier than everyone else, as Valve announced the details for the demo today.

The demo will become available for everyone on November 10, with Xbox Live Gold members getting access to it on November 3, and anyone who has pre-ordered the game being allowed to get their hands on it on October 27.

The upcoming demo will include gameplay from The Parish campaign, which is set in New Orleans' French Quarter. It will allow one to four players to play together both online and locally for both the Xbox 360 and PC versions. The demo will include all the new boss infected and melee weapons, with the Xbox 360 version also offering split-screen play.

Left 4 Dead 2 is set for a November 17 release.

[Kotaku]

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Dragon Age flash game being developed

EA has announced that the company is developing a browser-based flash game titled Dragon Age Journeys, a collaboration between EA 2D and BioWare. EA 2D is a flash game development house that focuses on browser games. The game will be a "3 chapter, single player, tactical RPG," with the first part being titled, Dragon Age Journeys: The Deep Roads.

"The game will introduce you to the dwarven city of Orzammar and the Deep Roads surrounding it where the dwarves face a persistent threat from the darkspawn hordes."

EA 2D has worked with BioWare to feature character classes, talent trees, and other assets from Dragon Age: Origins and also has received feedback from BioWare founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk. 

No word on the game's release date or whether it takes place before or after the...

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PokePark Wii: Pikachu's Big Adventure announced

Pokemon fans have been feeling pretty starved on Nintendo's latest console, but looks like the Big N is getting ready to remedy that and deliver your Pokemon fix. Nintendo today announced PokePark Wii: Pikachu's Big Adventure, a Wii-exclusive title that focuses on the Pokemon mascot and is being developed by Creatures, Inc.

The game looks to be a cross between Pokemon Snap, Pokemon Stadium, and Mario Party. You play as Pikachu, competing against and cooperating with different pokemon as you travel through a theme park playing "tag, battle, and quiz mini-games." You can also photograph the pokemon you meet. The game releases on December 5 in Japan, and we can definitely expect a U.S. release soon after.

[Joystiq]

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Xbox 360 Twitter and Facebook update accepting pre...

If you can't wait to get to tweeting and updating your Facebook page right from your 360, Microsoft is offering players the option to preview the new Dashboard update. Major Nelson updated his blog saying the signup process for preview access has opened and is looking for "multiple thousands" to participate.

If you want to participate and throw your name in the hat, head over to Microsoft Connect and complete the survey. Keep in mind you need a Windows Live ID to participate. If you are selected, you will receive an email in about a week and Microsoft will push the update to your system.

[Major Nelson]

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Sucker Punch lacked guidance with inFAMOUS

When inFAMOUS was released earlier this year, it was expected to fare no better than the (then) ailing PS3 library of games that didn't meet gamer expectations. Much to everyone's surprise -- including Sucker Punch, the developer behind the game -- inFAMOUS was a huge hit that propelled the validity of the PS3 as a worthwhile gaming platform into the spotlight. However, the road to gaming glory was nothing short of rocky for Sucker Punch.

During an interview with the October issue of Game Developer Magazine, Sucker Punch co-founder Chris Zimmerman described the hardships the development team suffered while struggling to find some sort of guidance with inFAMOUS:

"For the first year of the project, we really didn't have much of an idea of what kind of game we were building. We were sure about ...

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PS3 cross-game voice chat accidentally confirmed

Recently a Naughty Dog developer went and did something, well, naughty in accidentally confirming cross game voice chat for the PlayStation 3 on the official PlayStation 3 message boards. The developer's fitting user name, ReklissAbandon, has since edited the post to "deleted," but that didn't stop both word of the update and the quote itself from getting out into the internet.

"I think they wanted people to have fun and enjoy the show since all dead players can talk to each other no matter what team you are on," posted the developer on why it is possible to spectate an opponent when information on the opponents can be given out over Skype. "But I will suggest it anyway."

ReklissAbandon then dropped the unintended bombshell. "Not to mention that the next PS3 firmware update is going to allow...

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Uncharted prequel comic planned

Recently picked up Uncharted 2: Among Thieves? I hope you are enjoying it, but have you always wondered where Nathan Drake came from? Well if you have, Naughty Dog looks to answer your many questions in an Uncharted motion comic, titled Uncharted: Eye of Indra.

Naughty Dog's Travis McIntosh and Neil Druckmann recently spoke with PlayStation.Blog, announcing the project. They said that many of the game's voice actors are participating and that the story to be featured was formerly a part of Uncharted 2, but was cut from the game.

Here's hoping the motion comic retains the wit and humor from the games and is just as explosive.

[PlayStation]

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CryENGINE 3 released

Crytek has announced that their ambitious continuation of the successful CryENGINE software system is now available for license to all developers.

Dubbed CryENGINE 3, the new development toolkit promises next-gen uniformity across current and upcoming game platforms by allowing modifiable graphics and processing power to accommodate any new hardware iterations in the coming years.

In addition to supplying developers the means to crank out jaw-dropping visuals, the new engine brings along an updated version of the CryENGINE sandbox editor that allows modders to do their thing without having to muck through tiring code.

Finally, a new method of creating and editing games is possible with the arrival of CryENGINE 3 Create. This tool gives developers the choice of editing their game on a single P...

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Madden NFL Arcade announced for XBLA and PSN

EA announced today that an arcade version of Madden NFL 2010, appropriately named Madden NFL Arcade, is coming for XBLA and the PSN Store. The game will follow EA's previous arcade sports release, NHL Arcade 3 on 3, as a 5 on 5 arcade experience.

The game will have a "unique art style" and feature all 32 NFL teams for play. The game uses an altered set of rules for play: First team to 30 wins, each team only receives four downs to drive the ball down the 60 yard field, and there are no penalties or field goals. The game also featues "Game Changers," a la NFL Street and NBA Street's Gamebreakers, that will allow a team to try and turn the tide of a match or widen the lead.

Also featured is online play, four person co-op on one console, leaderboards, and achievements/trophies. Madden NFL Arcad...

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Joe the Condor and Zero revealed as last two Tatsu...

We've finally got the last two characters to be featured in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. Capcom has revealed that both Zero and Joe the Condor will join the cast. Zero comes from the Mega Man X series and was also featured in another crossover fighting game, SVC Chaos: SNK vs Capcom. Joe the Condor is another Gatchaman character, or as the series is know here, Battle of the Planets. This series paved the way for other shows such as Voltron and Power Rangers.

This completes the US cast of the game, which is getting far more content, characters, and modes than the Japanese arcade and console release. Check out the character videos over at IGN for the two new fighters and get those arcade sticks ready for the game's release on January 26, 2010.

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Queen: Rock Band may happen

Looks like Queen wants to get in on some of that Beatles action. In an interview with BBC, the Queen guitarist Brian May talked about all things Rock Band. He mentioned that a Queen: Rock Band is a possiblity and added that "yes, we're into it, I think it may happen."

Although Queen is a great band, I think they are confusing their inclusion in Lego Rock Band and their song packs in Rock Band for a band-specific title. I don't see them having the popularity of The Beatles for it to work. I could be wrong though, and a Queen: Rock Band could be coming. What do you think? Is Queen: Rock Band high on your list of games you want to see?

[Joystiq]

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Two years of Dragon Age: Origins content planned

BioWare recently told The Game Reviews that they have DLC planned for up to the next two years for Dragon Age: Origins. Executive Producer Mark Darrah said the content will likely be "item packs" and "larger quests that might last an hour or two, up to even fully fledged expansion packs."

He went on to say that the content should make it onto all platforms, though pricing is mum as of now. We'll see if BioWare can produce on this comment. They said roughly the same thing about Mass Effect, but the game only received two DLC packs.

[TheGameReviews]

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