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Tag: E3

  • Star Wars 1313 Video Game Announced

    E3 is beginning next week and already some big game announcements are being made. Game companies are releasing collector edition pre-orders and bawdy trailers at hyperspeed. Speaking of hyperspeed, LucasArts made what could be the biggest pre-E3 announcement yet. The company has officially announced Star Wars 1313, a new Star Wars video game franchise that will officially debut at E3 next week.

    Details about the game are sparse, though GameTrailers.tv was able to interview developers at LucasArts’ San Francisco studio about what players can expect. Players will take on the role of a bounty hunter in “the most dangerous place in the galaxy, 1313.” According to LucasArts, 1313 is located somewhere below the surface of the planet Coruscant. The way the developers talk about it, 1313 is a very dark place filled with crime and gangs. It will be interesting to see whether LucasArts will really make a Star Wars game as mature as they are intimating.

    As for the gameplay, 1313 is a third-person “cinematic” action adventure game. The bounty hunter main character (whose identity is being kept secret, for now) will use an “arsenal of exotic weaponry” to track bounties and uncover a criminal conspiracy. LucasArts states that the game will feature “epic” set pieces and fast-paced combat. Also, the player will have little connection to the force, meaning players will be using bounty hunter gadgets rather than sorcery. A visual effects supervisor at LucasArts stated that the developers are trying to unify cut-scenes and gameplay, meaning from a player’s perspective there should be no difference between the two.

    “We’re excited to share one of the projects LucasArts has been hard at work developing,” said Paul Meegan, President of LucasArts. “Star Wars 1313 dives into a part of the Star Wars mythos that we’ve always known existed, but never had a chance to visit. We are committed to bringing the best gameplay experience and visual fidelity to life and I truly believe the work we are showcasing at E3 will speak for itself.”

    From the look and feel of Star Wars 1313, as well as the bounty hunter protagonist, I’m thinking the game might be something similar to Shadows of the Empire. Could the game be a sequel or prequel to that classic Nintendo 64 game? Could Dash Rendar be the mysterious figure in the picture above? We will have to wait until E3 next week to find out. In the meantime, the first segment of the GameTrailers video below will fill you in on everything there is to know about the game so far.

    (via GameTrailers.tv)

  • Sega Reveals Its E3 2012 Lineup

    Sega Reveals Its E3 2012 Lineup

    Sega is always a safe bet at E3. They never really try to hide anything and they are usually pretty open about what they’re going to show at the industry’s biggest trade event. To start up the hype, the company has announced the games that they will be showing at E3 2012 next week.

    Since Sega has to show off a Sonic game every year, they have apparently chosen the sequel to the best kart racer this generation – Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. We previously covered the game back during its initial announcement. It looks like more of the same while adding in some new mechanics like transforming vehicles. It’s definitely one to watch for at the show.

    Next up is Aliens: Colonial Marines. The oft-delayed title is finally coming out, but will be missing out this year in favor of a February 2012 launch. Gearbox says it’s for quality reasons, but I think it’s more about not wanting to compete with themselves. Gearbox will be launching the much anticipated Borderlands 2 later this year and Aliens: Colonial Marines could clash with that.

    Sega hasn’t forgotten the Vita as the company will be showing off Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz for Sony’s new handheld. The title is reminiscent of Banana Blitz which was a Wii launch title. It’s looking a new title, but the developers seem to be pushing the Vita’s gyroscope for controls. You can thankfully play the game with the analog sticks though.

    Even thought it was only recently announced last week, Sega will be showing off The Cave at this year’s E3. From our previous report on the title, you’ll know that it’s the new game from Ron Gilbert, creator of Monkey Island and general funny man, and Double Fine, Tim Schafer’s studio that’s currently also working on its Kickstarter funded adventure game.

    One of the less known titles coming from Sega is Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit. If this game has not been on your radar, shame on you. It’s looking to be one of the most stylish 2D action/adventure games ever made. The name itself should automatically sell you on how awesome the game is.

    Rounding out the list are two rereleases coming to Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. The first is Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown. For those who have already played more VF5 than you care to admit, this game will probably do nothing for you. For people new to the franchise, there’s never been a better time to jump into the most technical 3D fighter ever made.

    As for the other rerelease, Sega will be showing off its HD remake of Jet Set Radio, one of the gems that really made the Dreamcast something special. Fortunately, Jet Set Radio will be coming to not only Xbox Live Arcade and PSN, but also PC and the Vita.

    On a final note, Sega, like Nintendo, is really embracing the social media movement this year. That’s why the company has set up an Instagram account for E3. During the show, they encourage anybody that’s taking pictures of their games to post them to Instagram with their Twitter hashtag – #SegaE3.

    The company has also created a foursquare account. Why foursquare? Sega claims they know food and want to help those in LA for E3 find the best food in town. If you check out their foursquare account, you’ll see Sega’s recommendations of the best food one can get while running around checking out the wares for the big show.

    While we wont be in LA for E3, you can bet that we’ll be bringing you the biggest news from the show. Expect big things from all the major players and maybe even Sega will have a surprise or two. I doubt it, but I’ve been wrong before and I’m ready to be wrong again.

  • Battlefield 3 Premium Confirmed By Sony For June 4th

    Oops….It looks like Sony may have just made a fairly major boo boo. On the update for the European PS store, They have the Close Quarters DLC pack listed for June 4th. What they also have is a listing for the until now unconfirmed Battlefield 3 Premium. It has a release date of June 4th which is the date of the EA press event at E3.

    All you have to do is go to the European Playstation Blog and check out this weeks Playstation Store update to see the oopsie.

    So now that the speculation of “IF” is gone, we can now speculate on “WHAT.” What exactly is the Battlefield 3 Premium going to be? Judging by the name being Battlefield 3 Premium and not Battlefield Premium that this will just be for Battlefield 3 and not a COD Elite clone.

    The price is also an eye opener. Previous rumors have had it as a discount program. That instead of paying $20 – $30 going forward, you only pay $10 for each DLC after you buy BF3 Premium. That is a stretch now. With 4 announced expansions, I could see EA/DICE make a discount program that has us paying $50 now, and we get all future DLC. Kind of like an insurance policy for them so they know that they will make money on this game more than a year after its release which is when the 5th and final expansion is set to be released.

  • Far Cry 3 E3 Teaser Trailer Released

    Far Cry 3 E3 Teaser Trailer Released

    Fans of the Far Cry series may not have waited for as long as Diablo fans, but it has been four years since Far Cry 2 was released. And since the Far Cry series is always known for pushing the boundaries of PC graphics, many fans are excited to test their machines against Far Cry 3. A gameplay trailer already surfaced earlier this year, but fans will get the chance to see even more footage at E3 in a few weeks. Today a teaser trailer for the E3 reveals has been released, and it portends a surreal presentation come June. You can see the trailer for yourself below, but be warned that it does contain some very strong language:

    The graphics, of course, look amazing. And, from what I can glean from the trailer, the story looks to be interesting. Or, if not interesting, at least an adult, novel-style story with a few twists and turns. Far Cry 3 is scheduled to be released on September 4 in the U.S. and September 6 in Europe.

    With Far Cry 3 and Assassin’s Creed III coming out later this year, Ubisoft might just have the most anticipated conference session at this year’s E3. Luckily for video game fans, Ubisoft will be live-streaming their 2012 E3 presentation. Fans can view the press conference at either youtube.com/ubisoft or uplay.com. The presentation is on June 4 and will start at 3 pm PDT or 6 pm EDT.

  • Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Outed By Teaser Site Source Code

    One of the more interesting rumors that has come about this week said Konami was working on a sequel to their excellent Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Those rumors gained a bit more traction this week with the launch of a countdown Web site.

    The Web site has the simple URL of TheDragonReturns.com with a date of May 31. It’s pretty innocuous, but it looks very Castlevania-like. The real proof comes from looking at the source code. Under og: site_name it says “CLOS Teaser Page.” Unless I’m missing something, CLOS obviously stands for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.

    The source code also comes with a description that is not visible on the main page:

    “Dare you face the evil darkness? It is written that the creatures behind that door will return very soon to claim the souls of your loved ones, and send you straight to hell! Be aware!”

    Not only does that sound exactly like Castlevania, but it’s also a call back to the story of the first Lords of Shadow. In it, Gabriel Belmont is fighting to resurrect his dead wife. Needless to say, he fails in that quest, but the sequel could see Gabriel fighting for another chance.

    The previous rumor pointed to Lords of Shadow 2 seeing release on the PS3, Xbox 360, Vita and Wii U. The Wii U version is of more interest since it’s rumored to connect in some way with the new 3DS Castlevania game being developed.

    We don’t have many details on either game yet, but the confirmation of this new teaser site verifies at least one part of the rumor. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a dual announcement for both games at E3 this year.

    As a final word to Web site designers, keep telling us what the game is in the source code for teaser pages. It makes our jobs so much easier.

    [h/t: TrendyGamers]

  • Ubisoft Live Streaming Its E3 Press Conference On YouTube

    Ubisoft is poised to have an interesting showing at E3 next month. They have traditionally been one of the strongest partners with Nintendo and the Rayman Legends leak proved that they’re doing some impressive things with the Wii U. There is plenty more to look forward to as well.

    Ubisoft confirmed today that they will be hosting their regular press conference to kick off E3 on Monday, June 4 at 3 p.m. PDT. Like usual, it will feature demonstrations and trailers of all the new games the publisher has coming out this year. They are also promising a few surprises, perhaps some news about Beyond Good and Evil 2.

    The games that are currently confirmed to be shown at E3 this year are Far Cry 3, Rayman Legends, Rocksmith and Assassin’s Creed III. The publisher will obviously have more, but we’ll have to wait till the show to see what they have planned.

    “This year’s E3 promises to be one of our biggest and best yet,” said Yves Guillemot, Founder and CEO of Ubisoft. “We’re showcasing the strongest, most competitive collection of core titles we’ve had in years, innovative new games for new platforms and a broad lineup that has something for everyone.”

    Ubisoft is also using its intrusive DRM gaming service Uplay for the first time this E3. Players will be able to pose questions to the teams at Ubisoft which will be asked on stage during the press conference. The publisher will also be sending eight of its Uplay members to E3 to talk to the teams behind games like Assassin’s Creed III and Far Cry 3.

    Unfortunately, E3 is invite only and so is Ubisoft’s press conference. For us lowly peons who aren’t important enough to attend such an event, Ubisoft will be streaming it live via their YouTube channel. Uplay will also be host to videos and exclusive content similar to what Nintendo will be doing with their own E3 coverage.

    My only hope is that Ubisoft gets Mr. Caffeine back. He was simultaneously the best and worst thing to ever happen at E3. Here’s a recap of what last year was like:

  • New Castlevania For 3DS, Lords of Shadow 2 Coming To Wii U [Rumor]

    The Paul Gale Network is back at it again. After being right in the past and recently dropping the bombshell of a rumored Metroid-Star Fox crossover, the Web site now has the details on two new Castlevania games making their way to E3 2012.

    The first rumor is concerning the new Castlevania for the Nintendo 3DS. The game is rumored to be called Mirror of Fate with the title working into a new gameplay mechanic that uses the front facing camera on the system. Before you get all worried that it’s going to be some kind of gimmick, the game is said to be a true 2D Castlevania experience.

    Besides that, other details include the game starring two playable characters and some kind of connectivity with the Wii U. But wait, what is the Wii U doing here? Are they announcing a new Castlevania game for Nintendo’s new home console as well? According to the rumors, a Wii U version of Mirror of Fate was in the works, but that project has since been canceled. Now they’re making Lords of Shadow 2 for the Wii U alongside the PS3, Xbox 360 and Vita.

    The reason behind the change is that an established sequel was much safer on the Wii U. Considering how awesome the first Lords of Shadow was, I think they made the right decision. Apparently, the game will still feature some form of connectivity with the 3DS title. A built from the ground up Wii U Castlevania game is still very much a possibility though.

    According to Paul Gale, these two games will be available and playable at E3 2012 in a few weeks. He seems pretty confident in his source and we have no reason to doubt Gale yet. He has been right for the most part on all of these rumors. It’s now just a matter of waiting for Konami to reveal these titles at E3.

    The most interesting part about this rumor was the idea that Konami was playing around with making a Wii U version of the 3DS Castlevania title. It shows that developers are thinking of the Wii U as a giant DS of sorts with the TV being the top screen and the controller being the bottom screen. I don’t exactly know how I feel about that approach to development yet, but I’m sure somebody will make it work.

    I’m pretty excited for the rumored 3DS title, but Lords of Shadow 2 is clearly going to steal the show as far as Castlevania is concerned. The first title was a bold new take on the franchise and I can’t wait to see what Spain’s MercurySteam does next.

    Are you excited for Mirror of Fate, Lords of Shadow 2, or both? Either way, we’ll hopefully find out more once E3 rolls around. We’ll keep you up to date on all the leaks and rumors before the big show. There’s bound to be more leaks before the g

  • Nintendo’s E3 2012 Presence Will Be Televised (And Tweeted)

    It’s pretty obvious by now that I look forward to E3 like a kid looks forward to Christmas morning. It’s the most exciting time of the year and you’re probably just as hyped as I am. One of the more interesting shows this year will be coming from Nintendo as they have to prove to the world that the Wii U is something worth getting excited over.

    Nintendo is in a good position to make that possible as they are brining back their All-Access Programming from last year, but in some new ways. The most important element is the press conference that will be taking place on June 5 at 9 a.m. PST. The press conference will be live-streamed via Facebook, and for the first time ever, Nintendo will be partnering with Viacom to broadcast the press conference commercial free on MTV2 and Spike TV.

    “We don’t want anyone to miss the energy and excitement of this year’s E3 Expo,” said Cindy Gordon, Nintendo of America’s vice president of Corporate Affairs. “By offering different ways to tune in and follow all the Nintendo news, we aim to make fans all over the world feel like they’re right there with us at the show.”

    It doesn’t just stop at Facebook and television as Nintendo is taking advantage of every social network available to them. They will be using YouTube to post updates from the show floor during the entire convention. It will include looks at upcoming software and hardware as well as interviews with developers.

    Twitter will also play a big role with Nintendo of America’s Twitter account tweeting details all throughout the show. It will also be live tweeting announcements during the press conference for those who can’t watch it on Facebook or television.

    Lastly, Nintendo has opened its E3 Web site for all the world to see. It wil feature all the latest updates from the show floor. I assume it will also feature the same kind of videos from last year with Satoru Iwata interviewing developers working on 3DS/Wii U software.

    If anything, Nintendo is shaping up for this year to be something big. We’ll hopefully get all the major details on the Wii U this time around and be able to see some truly mind-blowing things. I’m already excited just by thinking about it.

  • Wii U Details And Launch Titles Emerge From Amazon

    I love retail outlets. They always get information before the press when it comes to new console launches. One of the more mysterious consoles has been the Wii U with Nintendo remaining tight-lipped regarding their next console’s launch later this year. Barring a leak from Ubisoft last month, there hasn’t been much in the way of details, until now.

    Amazon.com has an updated Wii U page with more details about the console itself. Under the details, we now know the final size of the Wii U – 1.8 inches tall, 6.8 inches wide and 10.5 inches long. It’s much smaller than what I originally anticipated, but I’m not complaining.

    The tablet-based controller is also detailed as having a 16:9 display at 6.2 inches. The controller also features a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope, rumble, camera, microphone, stereo speakers, sensor strip and a stylus. While we knew most of those features, it’s still nice to have them confirmed by a retail outlet.

    For those concerned over the Wii U’s ability to play games and media in high-definition, the listing says that it supports all screen resolutions up to 1080p. It’s compatible with everything from HDMI to composite video. It can also output audio either through AV or six-channel PCM through HDMI.

    Now here is where things get interesting. We always knew that the Wii U would allow users to expand its onboard memory with SD cards, but Amazon confirms that the Wii U will also have an external USB hard drive. The CPU is listed as an IMB multi-core processor while the GPU is an AMD Radeon-based HD graphics card. All in all, it should be on par, if not a little more powerful, than current generation consoles.

    The Amazon listing also reveals the current Wii U launch line-up. The games included are New Super Mario Bros. Mii, Darksiders II, DiRT, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Ghost Recon Online, Metro Last Light, Tekken, Ninja Gaiden 3 and other unnamed Mii-based software. The only problem with this list is that Metro Last Light was announced as delayed until 2013 back in February. Unless Amazon knows something that we don’t, the Metro 2033 sequel probably won’t make the Wii U launch. Everything else is entirely plausible though.

    Amazon is also listing Wii U games as being only $49.99. That’s extremely good news for those concerned that Nintendo would join Sony and Microsoft in the trend of charing $60 for new games. Since the development costs for this generation have gone down since its debut five years ago, it makes sense to keep the prices lower. It will also make people more likely to buy more games.

    Sure, a lot of the information here was already assumed, but retail information is more than assumptions. Nintendo and other hardware manufacturers regularly meet with retailers to provide the most up-to-date information about their consoles. We can assume that Amazon isn’t just assuming things, but rather got this information from Nintendo themselves.

    It’s less than a month until E3 and you can expect that Nintendo will reveal more about the Wii U there. For now, we can just look at the Amazon listings and just speculate what the company has in store for us come June. Just going off of this limited information, however, it looks like the Wii U will have one hell of a launch.

    [h/t: Daily Game Sales]

  • Microsoft Planning E3 Preview Of New Music Service

    Is Microsoft about to make a big push into the digital music space?

    Yes, Microsoft has Zune, but the only problem with Zune is that…wait, what’s Zune? We’re talking about a legitimate Zune successor here, and according to The Verge, Microsoft plans to give everyone a little taste at this year’s E3 conference.

    Back in February, we told you about Microsoft’s rumored music service. According to reports, the company was in talks with record companies to launch the new service on the Xbox 360 and Windows Phone. It was rumored that the new service would allow users to stream and download music, which would throw it in direct competition with services like iTunes, Google Play, and even Spotify.

    According to The Verge’s sources, the service is codenamed “Woodstock,” and will be compatible across multiple platforms including iOS and Android. Another key component is apparently deep Facebook integration, something we’ve seen Spotify capitalize on in recent months.

    Apparently we’ll get the sneak peek at E3, and it will launch sometime later in 2012. This will probably be Microsoft’s big 2012 release, as we’re all pretty sure that there’s not going to be any talks about a new Xbox anytime this year.

    The success or failure of this upcoming venture will be determined by Microsoft’s ability to penetrate a market where many users feel completely comfortable with what they have. Cross-platform or not, it’s going to be difficult to pull users away from iTunes and Google Play if Microsoft’s new service focuses heavily on buying music. If it’s more like Spotify, that will be a whole other thing.

    What do you think about Microsoft’s new push into digital music? Let us know in the comments.

    [Lead Image via Wikipedia]

  • No New Xbox Announcement in 2012!

    There is going to be no new Xbox announcement in 2012! according to unnamed sources. Since they are currently making a profit of $115 on every $300 Xbox sold, there is no real reason to rush out a new console that will lose money the day it is launched. “They’re still selling a lot of Xbox 360, and they’re making money,” said Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Securities Inc.

    David Dennis, a company spokesman, said earlier today that Microsoft won’t discuss new Xbox hardware at this year’s E3, quelling speculation that the device would be unveiled at the 2012 show. “There will be no talk of new Xbox hardware at E3 or anytime soon,” Dennis wrote today in an e-mailed statement. “For us, 2012 is all about Xbox 360.”

    With tons of rumors flying around, like that the new xbox won’t have a disc drive, or that it won’t have a hard drive and work completely on cloud gaming, it is a surprise that they aren’t even going to consider an unveiling of even some basic structure of the inevitable system.

    @BenKuchera
    BenKuchera    Microsoft announces no new Xbox at E3. Blogs vow to continue to make up rumors despite this unexpected set back. 17 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Wii U Footage Taken From Other Consoles

    What do you do if you are big time video game creator and your company is in a rush to debut their upcoming next generation console, only you don’t have the necessary game footage to give it a proper showing off to the public? Well, if you’re Nintendo and this is the E3 expo we’re talking about, apparently, you take footage from other, already available consoles and demonstrate it as your own.

    Apparently, decision makers for the Nintendo brand were so eager to show off the upcoming Wii U at E3, it didn’t matter if the footage being shown was even for the console being shown. From their perspective, the final product will feature graphics that look as good as the demonstration’s, so what’s the problem? In case you’re curious, Nintendo’s entire E3 presentation is available at the official site, and there’s a YouTube of the Wii U presentation:


    Apparently, even YouTube members were hip to Nintendo’s plan, something the most popular comment of the embedded video demonstrates, [sic]s remain in place:

    When the Wii, PS3 and 360 had their demos back in the day they showcased games like Super Mario Galaxy, Killzone 2 and Gears of War. Which far surpassed anything graphically that the PS2, GameCube, Xbox had to offer. While the WiiU showcased current gen games running on their competitors platforms. The WiiU’s press conference just seems like such a nonevent in comparison.

    Over at GameTrailers.com, one of their correspondents confronted Reggie Fils-Aime, the President of Nintendo America about the Wii U’s presentation, and that’s when we arrived at the “that’s what it’s going to look like when the Wii U is released” explanation, which is transcribed to read:

    “We’re talking a year away from when the system’s going to launch. The system’s going to be 1080p,” Fils-Aime claimed. “You’re going to see games that take full advantage of a system that has the latest technology and can push out some incredible graphics.”



    Of course, currently, there’s no way of knowing whether the Wii U’s graphical prowess is anything near the PS3 or the Xbox 360. Yes, the Zelda footage on the flat-screen television looks nice (at the 3:02 mark of the trailer), but, without knowing for sure, can you trust that the Wii U was responsible for the footage? Luckily for Nintendo, there’s another video that features the Zelda game, meaning it’s OK to take responsibility for the images.


    Reaction to the Wii U has been lukewarm as well — so much so, in fact, Nintendo’s stock took a hit after the announcement was made. Apparently, there are doubts about how successful the upcoming console/controller/please-get-rid-of-the-Wii-controller device will be.

    The demonstration of a prototype at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the gaming industry’s annual convention, in Los Angeles on Tuesday, appeared to leave investors disappointed and skeptical. Nintendo Co. shares closed at 16,970 yen ($212.44), down more than 5 percent.

    As far as the graphics of the device goes, the Wii U’s spec sheet indicates it will support the major resolutions, including 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p and 480i; and the screenshots of the obligatory Super Mario game that will undoubtedly be released when the Wii U launches don’t look bad either. Too bad Nintendo was too concerned with showing off instead of being honest. Besides, it’s not like the false boasting improved the company’s financial outlook.

  • Wii U, Lego City Stories Announced at E3

    The speculation surrounding Nintendo’s new console is over as the company unveiled the new device, entitled the Wii U, at their E3 keynote today.

    It turns out not to be the Wii 2, or “Project Cafe” or even simply “Nintendo” as some speculated. The Wii U looks to bring HD gaming to Nintendo staples while sticking true to its motion play roots.

    The huge innovation that comes with the Wii U is the touchscreen controller. It pretty much looks like we speculated, with a large screen and built in front-facing camera.

    Here are some specs of the console and controller, from the Nintendo E3 site:

    • Console is 1.8 inches tall, 6.8 inches wide and 10.5 inches long
    • Console supports 1080p quality with HDMI and Component outputs
    • Internal flash memory, with external USB hard drive or SD card memory expansion options
    • IBM power-based multi-core microprocessor
    • The controller has a 6.2 inch 16:9 widescreen touch screen, built in accelerometer and gyroscope, microphone, sensor strip, stylus, and front facing camera

    The controller can be used as a standalone gaming device or in congruence with a larger TV, though the latter is the preferred method of play. For instance, a game being broadcast on the TV screen can be fully transferred to the handheld screen mid-play.

    Nintendo announced some titles that will be coming out for the Wii U, including Batman Arkham City, Assassin’s Creed, Tekken, Ninja Gaiden 3, and Ghost Recon Online. One that has been rumored for some time that was also announced is Lego City Stories.

    Also available on the 3DS, Lego City Stories is a continuation of the very popular Lego games featuring plots from Batman, Star Wars and Indiana Jones. It is described as an “open world game packed with action, humor, and a city full of LEGO vehicles coming exclusively to Wii U and 3DS.” Sounds like Grand Theft Auto: Lego to me. Maybe with less prostitute killing, however. (Maybe not?) Image courtesy of the Lego wiki:

    The Wii U will be released sometime in 2012.

  • Halo 4, Kinect Integration Revealed at Microsoft E3 Keynote [Video]

    In their pre-E3 press conference, Microsoft discussed the upcoming Kinect integration of Xbox Live and outlined future titles that will incorporate the technology. The most buzzed about reveal, however, most likely happened at the very end of the address and lasted about 60 seconds.

    Microsoft announced that for those with a Kinect console, the Xbox live experience is going to streamline, adding voice controls. There will be a new voice search feature, powered by Bing. This search feature will cover Netflix content, Hulu Plus content, as well as games content. For instance, just say “Xbox, Call of Duty” and the search feature will pull up all COD related content.

    Also, Microsoft announced that YouTube will now have a featured channel on Xbox Live, bringing millions of videos directly to the console. The new Bing-powered search feature will pull content from YouTube as well.

    They also announced that many upcoming games are going to feature Kinect compatibility. Tiger Woods, Madden, FIFA, Mass Effect 3, and all future Tom Clancy game will support Kinect functions, but no extra detail was provided on exactly how.

    The biggest announcement for gamers, I presume, was the last minute reveal of a Halo 4 teaser trailer. The upcoming edition of the popular sci-fi shooter will be released during the “holidays” of 2012. It was also unveiled to be the first in a “new trilogy” starring the legendary Master Chief. Wait, did they just announce Halo 5 and Halo 6 as well?

    Below is the just revealed Halo 4 teaser trailer. Enjoy:

  • E3 Rumor: Nintendo Project Cafe’s Touchscreen Controller

    The Electronic Entertainment Expo is upon us, as the gaming conference will kick off today. As speculation grows about all the new hardware and software that will be revealed in the next few days, one thing is for sure: Nintendo will be unveiling its next generation console.

    Though Nintendo’s press conference at the event doesn’t begin until 12 pm EST on Tuesday, there might be some information on exactly what shape that new console is going to take – at least its controller.

    Of the many rumors surrounding the the Wii 2, or Project Cafe as it is said to be codenamed, one of the biggest and most resounding across the gaming world was the talk of a touchscreen controller.

    A Japanese source Nikkei (via Mashable) is confirming the new controller that will be unveiled Tuesday will sport a nifty touchscreen. They say is will be the “size of about 6 inches.” They also say that the new controller will have a built in camera.

    What could a 6 inch touchscreen controller mean for the new Nintendo console? Will gamers be able to play games directly on the small screen – basically making it its own handheld? Will the touchscreen be used to control various actions on your larger TV screen? Hopefully both? Or will the touchscreen have some other capabilities?

    And about the camera, one has to think that some sort of video conferencing capabilities may be a part of the new system. Imagine online gaming chat being a visual thing, instead the pure audio chat you get with a headset.

    The big rumor about the “project cafe” is that it’s going to go after hardcore gamers. It is supposedly upping the graphics and speed. If Nintendo is going to compete with Microsoft and Sony for the Call of Duty and Battlefield crowd, they have to provide something new and innovative. Video conferencing from the controller wouldn’t be a bad touch.

    I guess we will see on Tuesday afternoon exactly how the new controller will work on the system. GameInformer has said that its sources think the new console will not be called the Wii 2, or Project Cafe, but simply “Nintendo.” That would be the equivalent of a band coming out with a self-titled release as their 5th or 6th album.

    But hey, my mother has called every video game system I’ve ever had a “Nintendo,” so it wouldn’t be very shocking to hear it simply called that.

  • Wii 2 Confirmed, E3 Debut Announced

    Wii 2 Confirmed, E3 Debut Announced

    Though it has already been widely speculated, it is now official. Today Nintendo announced that the next generation Wii console will launch sometime in 2012.

    It will demo this June at the E3 gaming expo in Los Angeles.  From Nintendo:

    Wii’s successor system

    Nintendo Co., Ltd. has decided to launch in 2012 a system to succeed Wii, which the company has sold 86.01 million units on a consolidated shipment basis between its launch in 2006 and the end of March 2011.

    We will show a playable model of the new system and announce more specifications at the E3 Expo, which will be held June 7-9, 2011, in Los Angeles.

    Sales of this new system have not been included in the financial forecasts announced today for the fiscal term ending March 2012.

    No official details have been provided about the specs of the upcoming console, but there have been a plethora of rumors surrounding the Wii 2, or “Project Cafe,” as its purported codename would have it.

    Many speculate that Nintendo’s new console will be more powerful and more visually stunning that both the Xbox 360 and the PS3.  Low graphic resolution and slower performance were roadblocks that prevented the original Wii from becoming a hit with hardcore gamers.  If the new Wii console is serious about competing with the 360 and PS3 among loyal gamers, it is going to have to target more than casual gamers and children.

    Oh, yeah, and that controller.

    Rumors have the next gen Wii controller equipped with a 6 inch touchscreen display – which could totally change the way certain games are played.  Slashgear says that it is even possible that the Nintendo 3DS could be used as a controller on the upcoming console.

    The announcement comes shortly after a severe price cut for the original Wii.  Strong sales of the Wii in 2006 and 2007 have been steadily declining ever since.

    Are you excited?  Let’s hope the new Wii console is super-awesome, as I think I need some HD Mario in my life.