GamerNode: Latest Game and Console News

The Incredible Machine chugs back to life

Those gamers who pine for the halcyon days of simplistic and intellectual gaming, take heed: one of the most influential games ever made for the PC has made a return in all of its hair-tearing glory. That's right; The Incredible Machine is back.

Considered to be the forerunner of physics-based puzzle games, The Incredible Machine was released by designer/coder Kevin Ryan and producer Jeff Tunnell during the early 1990s for the (then) fledgling PC gamer community. The game was an instant smash hit with its mind-boggling puzzles and intricate gadgets; who knew that causing a basketball to sail into a hoop via bowling balls, treadmills and mouse wheels could be so fun?

Unfortunately, the property for The Incredible Machine was bounced around in abandonware limbo after publisher Dynamix was clos...

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Sony claims newest PS3 issues not firmware-related...

Sony is holding their ground in the midst of new issues being reported by PlayStation 3 owners based on the newest Firmware 3.01 update affecting their consoles. Sony claims these recent problems are "not an issue with the firmware."

The issues that have taken up several pages on the US PS Blog have stated that Blu-ray movies and games have frozen after the firmware update was installed and could not continue. The majority, if not entirety, of these claims say that there had been no previous issues with the consoles prior to the update. These are all coming on the heels of complaints and issues reported after the Firmware 3.0 update a few weeks back.

Sony has told customers suffering from these issues that they will have to send in their PS3s for repair, which will cost them $150 if the one...

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Latest Wii update killing consoles

The latest update for the Nintendo Wii, update 4.2, is causing terrible problems for owners of the console both modded and non-modded. The Nintendo support forums are flooded with reports of these problems from customers.

Most reports claim that the update freezes halfway through and the update giving system errors informing customers that their console has been modified and then fails to start. There are also reports of random disk read errors after the update is installed. The reports can be attributed to modified systems, but customers are reporting issues with consoles that are fresh out of the box.

Nintendo tech Jane posted a message in the forums, letting customers of un-modded Wii consoles know that they can send their units in for repair.

Here is the message:

"Some of you have reported...

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Dead Space 2 starting production in "next few mont...

LinkedIn has provided a look into the future of the Dead Space series, as a recent job posting on the networking site is looking for a Lead Combat and Controls Designer for the franchise. The posting was created by EA senior recruiter Jeff Ballard.

"The previous installment in the Dead Space franchise received numerous awards for gameplay, visuals, and sound design, and the same core team is in place to create an even better follow up," said the posting. "The game is in the later stages of pre-production, ready for production in the next few months, with many of the navigational and combat mechanics in place."

It appears that EA and Visceral Games are already set working on the true sequel to the original Dead Space with the spin-off, Dead Space: Extraction, being released on the Nintendo Wi...

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Ubisoft developer confirms sex in Assassin's Creed...

It would appear that controversy loves company, as BioWare's Dragon Age: Origins won't be the only game releasing this year to have sex scenes. Assassin's Creed II director Benoit Lambert confirmed that the upcoming sequel will have Desmond Miles' latest ancestor doing the nasty in the pasty.

"Ezio is a womaniser," said the developer. "There's a bit of sex. I can't say more."

This will likely send a shockwave into the mainstream news, as sex in videogames always send up alarms. Just how graphic these scenes will be will most likely determine how loud the alarms will sound.

[VG247]

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Uncharted 2 multiplayer demo now available

If you didn't get into the Uncharted 2 multiplayer beta a few months back, now is your chance to run, gun, and pillage with the rest of the lucky players. Playstation Blog has updated that Naughty Dog has released the multiplayer demo to the PSN Store for download.

The demo is a beefy offering with four different maps, four modes, and two cooperative modes. You can also access the Cinema, a Halo 3 Theatre type offering that allows you save multiplayer replay data and a special Stage Map that allows you to mess around in. 

Go download it and get a taste of Uncharted 2 before its October 13th release date

[Playstation Blog]

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Square Enix wants more blockbuster IPs

Not content with ruiling the RPG genre with their Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises, Square Enix has set its eyes on more popular IPs. In an interview with Reuters,  Square Enix president Yoichi Wada said that he hopes the company can amass at least eight new IPs and that they will sell at least two million copies each. Square Enix considers the Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and Kingdom Hearts franchises to be the "three pillars of software," and they want to add more.

Square already has two to three potential blockbusters that are scheduled for a 2010 or 2011 release, and should be cooking up more. The recent acquisition of Eidos may also prove fruitful and expand them out of RPGs and into other genres more successfully than their past efforts. We're looking at you Driving Emotion ...

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Star Wars: The Old Republic opens testing signups

LucasArts and developer BioWare have opened up signups for pre-launch testing of their highly anticipated MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic. But not everyone will be able to get in.

Anyone hoping for a chance to get in will need to register at the game's website, select the pre-release testing option from their account page, then fill in the necessary details and "submit a system scan."

However, LucasArts states that the testing itself will not be as open as the signups. "Testing will be an ongoing process, and spots are limited, so people need to sign up early to give them the best possible chance of getting selected," said the publisher.

At press time the official site was so overloaded with signups that it has undergone maintainence and informs visitors to check back in a few hours.

The ...

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LOTRO gets Mirkwood expansion date, lifetime membe...

The latest expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online will arrive for Tolkien fans before Christmas. Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood will be available for digital purchase starting December 1.

The new expansion will raise the game's level cap to 65, add a new skirmish system for randomized instances, feature an improved mount system, and of course introduce the forests of Mirkwood to the game world.

The release date is not the only news for LOTRO fans, as several pre-launch offers have also been announced that are available starting today. The biggest of all is the new lifetime membership offer for $199.

Other offers include the expansion for free to any current or former subscribers who sign up for a multi-month subscription, special items and character slots for subscribers who...

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Super Street Fighter IV confirmed, not a full pric...

Just like its retro brethren Street Fighter II, Street Fighter IV is receiving the expansion pack treatment. Super Street Fighter IV was recently revealed by Capcom, and is an expansion to revived fighter released earlier in the year. The game will rebalance the current roster, while adding 8 new characters to the fray. T-Hawk, Dee Jay, and newcomer Juri have been confirmed, but the other 5 still remain a mystery.

According to Capcom, the update was planned as a DLC option, but the changes are too drastic to add to the existing code of Street Fighter IV, and was changed to a disc release which will not carry the standard $60 dollar price tag. The game will also not support cross game matches with SFIV. Super Street Fighter IV is due out in spring 2010 on Xbox 360 and PS3.

[Gamespot]

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New video of Frank West covering the war in Tatsu...

By now you know photo journalist extraordinaire Frank West is going to make an appearance in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars, but did you know about all his crazy, zombie-infested moves? Capcom's Seth Killian demonstrated Frank's insane and surprisingly useful move set at the Tokyo Game Show.

In the video we see Frank summoning zombies to grab an opponent or knock them over, striking with an assortment of weapons such as a baseball bat and golf club, and capping it all off with a super move that involves a Servbot head and a bad day with more zombies. All in all, Frank West looks like an interesting addition to the crazed fighter.

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars is a crossover fighting game that pits the Capcom roster of charaters against anime production house Tatsunoko. P...

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This week's releases: 9/27 - 10/3

As Sony looks for a successful launch of its PSP Go on Thursday, the big software releases this week will focus on sci-fi horror, ninja hack-'n'-slash action, and portable racing. Dead Space Extraction will be terrifying the Nintendo Wii as Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 will cut up the PlayStation 3 and Gran Turismo will be speeding its way onto the PSP. SquareEnix fans will also have Kingdom Heats 358/2 days hitting the Nintendo DS. Here's the full list of software releases set to hit up game stores this week.

DS:

Battle of GiantsDream DancerFabulous FindsFamily FeudHidden Mysteries: TitanicImagine Salon StylistJust in Time TranslationKingdom Hearts 358/2 DaysMySims AgentSideswipedSmart Boys Game Room 2Smart Girls Playhouse 2Smart Kids: Mega Game MixThe Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick RoadDrea...

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Subject Zero unveiled as Mass Effect 2's newest ch...

A new character was recently revealed for Bioware's Mass Effect 2, in addition to Thane and Grunt.

According to the trailer, her name is Subject Zero, and she appears to be an aggressive character in almost every way, including sexually.

"She's dangerous, powerful, and extremely violent... exactly what I'm looking for," says Commander Shepard in the trailer.

It's hard to tell if the foul-mouthed and volatile Subject Zero is a human character or not, but she looks to make an interesting addition to Shepard's party, regardless.

Also interesting at the beginning of the trailer is a "Mission Roster" screen, with ten character slots. The three new characters for Mass Effect 2 (Grunt, Thane and Subject Zero) are displayed in their respective slots, leaving the seven other slots empty and "classifie...

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Splinter Cell Conviction release date announced

From the floor of the 2009 Tokyo Game Show comes the news that Ubisoft's Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction will be hitting store shelves on February 23, 2010. The publisher has also released a new trailer to coincide with this announcement, which can be found in GN's video section.

The street date applies to both the PC and Xbox 360 versions of the game, which sees Sam Fisher embarking on a personal mission to rescue his daughter and diffuse a terrorist plot after being betrayed by his former employers, The Third Echelon. From what we've seen thus far, the game looks very promising, and features all-new gameplay mechanics that should make this addition to the franchise a very exciting one.

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Microsoft denies rumors of plans to purchase EA

Stocks for Electronic Arts and Microsoft rose today due to rumors that the latter company was interested in purchasing the former. However, Microsoft has shot down those rumors in a statement issued to Kotaku.

"Microsoft has no plans to purchase Electronic Arts," said the comment from Microsoft. 

The now debunked rumors had EA's stock rise 8.1 percent to $20.01 and Microsoft's rise 1.1 percent to $26.05. It wouldn't be a surprise if the stocks drop back down tomorrow now that this "unsubstantial chatter" has been put to rest.

[Kotaku]

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Xbox 360 Elite to have $50 rebate offer

Microsoft is now offering a $50 rebate for all Xbox 360 Elites in an announcement made by the console manufacturer. The promotion will be for consoles purchased from today until October 5, but the mail-in rebate form can be sent out with proof of purchase until November 20.

This will make the Xbox 360 Elite just $250 given the recent price cut and will give the console a momentary $50 price edge over the $299 PlayStation 3. It will also make the Elite the same price as the Nintendo Wii during the promotion. However, the Wii is heavily rumored to have its price dropped after this coming weekend to $200.

[1UP]

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Release date set for New Super Mario Bros. Wii

LiveWii is reporting that Mario and Luigi's latest adventure, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, now has an official release date for both Europe and the US.

The site reports that the Europe release date will be November 27 and, according to the site's math, a November 15 release date in the US.

The game will feature co-op for up to four players and is the first Mario-themed game to hit the console since Super Mario Galaxy.

[LiveWii]

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NCSoft to give Aion major update every year

The newest MMORPG to come from publisher NCSoft, Aion, is going to be getting "at least" one major content update every year. This according to an interview brand manager Christian-Peter Heimbach conducted with VG247.

"There will be at least one major update a year," said Heimbach. "You know this from our previous titles. We're currently adjusting on how we're going to make these available, but there will be free content updates for all players, and we're looking then at how big the major updates will be."

The game has already gathered over 400,000 pre-orders and will go live in the US tomorrow and Friday in Europe.

[VG247]

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Gaming marathon to fund pediatric cancer research ...

Gaming is not really something that people associate with charities or fundraisers for good causes, but Extra Life is looking to impact that come next month.

Extra Life is a 24-hour gaming marathon that will start at 8 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, and end the following morning at 8 a.m. Its purpose is to fund pediatric cancer research and treatment through the donations of participating members. Any type of videogame can be played according to the website, from PS3 games to poker on your phone.

Last year, Extra Life raised more $120 for this cause.

100 percent of the money sponsors donate goes directly to Texas Children’s Hospital. There is an interface for your sponsors to make credit card or check card donations, as well as a way for you to register gifts that you personally collect ...

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This week's releases: 9/20 - 9/26

The fall quarter is finally upon us as the UNSC Orbital Drop Shock Troopers look to lead the charge. Halo 3: ODST is the big attraction in this week's releases along with NCSoft's MMOG Aion, sci-fi MMORPG Fallen Earth, and Shin Megumi Tensei: Persona on the PSP. Without further adue, here is the full list of titles coming out to game retailers this week.

DS:

Fabulous FindsJust in Time TranslationHidden Mysteries: TitanicScooby Doo! First FrightsThe Price is Right 2010 EditionWhere's Waldo? The Fantastic JourneyWomen's Murder Club: Games of Passion

PlayStation 2:

Scooby Doo! First Frights

PlayStation 3:

AfrikaCabela's Big Game Hunter 2010Katamari Forever

PSP:

Shin Megumi Tensei: Persona

Xbox 360:

Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010Halo 3: ODST

Wii:

Animal Kingdom: Wildlife ExpeditionCabela's Big Game Hunter ...

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