Marvel Universe: First Details Announced

Gazillion's second Marvel MMO on the way.

Gamers who didn't dive into DC Universe Online or simply didn't enjoy it now have an alternative on the horizon. Gazillion Entertainment, the publisher of LEGO Universe and the in-limbo Jumpgate Evolution are hard at work on Marvel Universe. In fact, they've been working on it for over a year, according to President and COO of Gazillion, David Brevik.

At an event last night to promote the upcoming superhero-themed MMO, the studio revealed that famed Marvel Comics author Brian Michael Bendis is the head writer on the project. Gazillion, who recently launched another massively multiplayer online game with the Marvel License (which they obtained in early 2009) -- Marvel Superhero Squad Online -- also revealed that, like SHSO, Marvel Universe players will be playing as well-known heroes and not as heroes of their own creation.

Life as an Imperial Agent in Star Wars: The Old Republic

Stolen identities and betrayals are all in a day's work.

My name is Windoryn -- Imperial Agent Windoryn. I'm Chiss, which means I'm rocking blue skin and reddish eyes. I also have a British accent (though I can quickly switch into an American accent when I need to) and a sarcastic sense of humor. If I do say so myself, I am kind of a badass.

As an Imperial Agent, I'm a spy in The Old Republic, and while I'm officially on the side of the Empire, I'm mostly interested in looking out for myself. In the primary quest chain on Hutta, I meet up with my keeper via hologram, where he gives me the stolen cover identity of the Red Blade. Then he sends me off to interfere in the shenanigans between two competing Hutt crime lords, Nem'ro and Fa'athra (apostrophes apparently being the must-have name accessory for Hutts here).

Imperial Agents are a cover class, which means that for the first several levels, I have to keep a close eye out for rocks and walls and crates I can duck behind. I can hit control to see nearby cover spots, and then select Take cover, although occasionally I found myself on the wrong side of a crate, and there didn't seem to be a way to slide over -- I had to stand up and then take cover again after moving to the next space. Certain moves can only be executed when you're in cover, plus it's good to have the protection from enemies.

Sony: PSN Trophies Safe, Company Planning to "Make Good" with PS3 Gamers

Second PSN outage Q&A puts the focus back on the games.

With the threat of identity and/or credit card theft looming in the wake of the PlayStation Network security breach, numerous posters to PS3 forums appeared more concerned with their gaming history than their credit history, asking a common question: are my Trophies safe? Yes, Sony revealed today, yes they are.

Posting the second installment in its PSN outage Q&A on the PlayStation Blog, Sony said PS3 gamer settings, friends lists, and trophies are all intact and will be re-synched once the network is back up and running, possibly as early as Tuesday.

As for subscribers to MMOs like DC Universe Online and Free Realms, Sony said it plans to "make good," though it did not reveal specifics. And PSN and Qriocity users as a whole should also expect some form of digital apology:

"We are currently evaluating ways to show appreciation for your extraordinary patience as we work to get these services back online," Sony stated.

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Organized Chaos in Gatling Gears

A hundred and one ways to die (or live).

Chaos.

Games deliver this element in various forms with varying levels of success in a hundred different scenarios. Chaos can be a frustrating demoralizer that makes you want to shut a game off and never return to it again. Otherwise it can be a cleverly paced series of events that make you still feel in control amidst a cacophony of confusion that leads to both pride and sighs of relief when it's over. After sitting through a session of Gatling Gear's Survival mode, I'd like to tell you about just how well this downloadable shooter delivers chaos.

We first previewed Gatling Gears back in February and explained clearly how this twin-stick shooter looks great, controls well, and is definitely something to keep an eye on. Experiencing this new game mode furthers those initial impressions.

In Survival, two players work together to survive 10 waves of enemies. Along with the soldiers, tanks, and machines trying to destroy you, each of the three available Survival maps have a specific task amidst your basic "staying alive" goal. Tempest, the map I played, requires players to protect two water towers from approaching, explosive mine carts.

 

Star Wars: The Old Republic Sith Warrior Progression Trailer

Get an idea of how you'll be able to build your Sith Warrior into a Jedi-killing machine.

It's a safe bet hundreds of thousands of gamers will embrace the Dark side in EA's anticipated Star Wars MMO, The Old Republic, and developer BioWare does nothing to dissuade would-be Darth Vaders today with a class progression overview for Sith Warriors.

Fear, anger, hatred -- these are the emotions the Sith Warrior channels to purge weakness from his body and become a cold-blooded, Force-wielding wrecking machine. See for yourself below:

 

Star Wars: The Old Republic is being developed for Windows PCs. The game's release date remains TBA, but the latest reports indicate EA is prepping the MMO for a September launch.

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Electronic Arts Announces Need for Speed: The Run

Black Box designing the cross-country racer with DICE's Frostbite 2 engine.

Electronic Arts and Criterion Games downshifted and punched it in last year's back-to-its-roots racer, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Now the publisher is putting Black Box behind the wheel and DICE's Frosbite 2 engine under the hood for Need for Speed: The Run.

The Run puts players into a high-stakes, cross-country race from San Francisco to New York, and with Frostbite 2, the same engine powering DICE's upcoming shooter Battlefield 3, EA is promising to make it a stunning visual journey. Check the reveal trailer:

Gate Five Suing Beyonce Knowles for $100 Million Over Dancing Game

Gate Five claims singer broke contract, ruined studio.

Beyonce Knowles just got served. The pop star was issued a summons on Tuesday notifying her that she's being sued by developer Gate Five for more than $100 million. In a contentious legal filing, the studio alleges Beyonce single-handedly derailed in-development motion-sensing dance game, Starpower: Beyonce, and ruined Christmas for more than 70 devs.

New York Magazine obtained a copy of the summons, which serves as a prelude for what will surely be a scathing full complaint.

"Gate Five seeks to hold Ms. Carter, the iconic pop star known as Beyonce, along with her company, Beyonce, Inc., accountalbe for a bad faith breach of contract so callous that, on what appeared to be a whim, she destroyed Gate Five's business and drove 70 people into unemployment the week before Christmas," the summons reads.

Bounty Hunting in Star Wars: The Old Republic

I'm all about the credits.

Any MMO player will tell you that there is a world of difference between reading a list of character abilities and actually using them. This is especially true of the Bounty Hunter in BioWare's upcoming MMORPG, Star Wars: The Old Republic. A heavy armor-wearing, rocket-shooting, laser-gun-wielding character whose main motivation – at least when I play him – is credits.

When most people think of bounty hunters in Star Wars, Boba Fett comes to mind. He was one of many, though, in a universe where criminals can make good money, people hunting those criminals can too. My Bounty Hunter begins his story in a room with three strangers. They are, as I quickly learn, his backup Bounty Hunting team. You see, in the Star Wars universe, the more famous a Bounty Hunter is, the more they can charge for their services, and the quickest path to fame is winning The Great Hunt, an annual contest for the best hunters out there. My team is there to help me qualify for and win.

However, things don't go according to plan, and after being sabotaged my team falls to pieces. My first ten levels on Hutta, the homeworld of the Hutts (like Jabba), are then spent investigating who was behind the sabotage and trying to gain a new sponsor for my entry into the Great Hunt. This is done by appealing to one of the local crime lords called Nem'ro and helping him eliminate a rival.

5 New Things in Madden NFL 12

Smarter defenses, authentic NFL presentation, and custom playbooks.

EA doesn't care if there's an NFL football season -- it's still set to release Madden NFL 12 on August 30. And the team at Tiburon is looking to bring some big improvements this year.

Here are five things new to Madden this year (or better than last year).

Presentation

If the devil's in the details, then Madden NFL 11 is going to be pretty devilish this year. The presentation hasn't just been revamped, but completely remade from top to bottom to provide a truly authentic gameday experience. EA used NFL Films cinematographers to capture virtual versions of various football situations. The result is authentic camera angles and movements. It looks like the real deal you'd watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Tiburon gave added attention to detail, right down to the green dot on the mic'd helmets of the QB and defensive play caller. Head sizes are more properly scaled, the ball size is correct (it used to be purposefully enormous), and helmets get scratches that block out reflections.

Sony Confirms PSN Credit Card Data Encrypted, Personal Information Was Not

Sony starting to open up about PSN attack, provides consumers with Q&A forum.

If you can manage to step around the elephant in the room that is the biggest theft of consumer data ever, Sony has some good news about PSN: your credit card data was encrypted and appears safe, and some services of the online network will be restored by Tuesday.

As we enter day nine of the PSN outage, Sony has upped its PR game, providing more thorough answers to the most frequently asked questions consumers have via an ongoing Q&A on the official PlayStation blog.

"We are reading your comments. We are listening to your suggestions. Please keep them coming," Communications Director Patrick Seybold stated.

Sony: PSN Back Online Next Week

"Some services up and running" by May 3rd.

Sony has confirmed that it hopes to restore some fuctionality to the PSN service by next Tuesday in a new statement on the PlayStation Blog.

"Our employees have been working day and night to restore operations as quickly as possible, and we expect to have some services up and running within a week from yesterday. However, we want to be very clear that we will only restore operations when we are confident that the network is secure."

Dated April 27, the update posted by Patrick Seybold (Sr. Director, Corporate Communications & Social Media), would put the estimated return date for PSN services as May 3, meaning that the service will have been offline for two weeks.

Although which services will be coming back online next week is unclear, Sony has stated they are working on new security measures for the future, as well as seeking out those responsible for the breach, confirming they "are working closely with a recognised technology security firm in order to find those responsible for this criminal act, no matter where in the world they might be located."

Hackers - lock your doors. Sony's coming after you.

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World of Warcraft: Ragnaros Returns

The Firelord makes his big comeback in Patch 4.2.

While most World of Warcraft: Cataclysm players are eagerly adventuring through Patch 4.1 which just hit Blizzard Entertainment's servers, Blizzard is hard at work making sure that there is always plenty more content in the pipe. We caught up with the developer to talk about what comes next -- patch 4.2.

With World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, Blizzard set up many new enemies for players to eventually face, and brought back a couple older ones. In particular, most people's first-ever big-bad-raid-boss Ragnaros is returning. Many players may let out a collective disappointed sigh and complain that Blizzard is recycling content again, but Blizzard's Lead Systems Designer Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street assures us that that is not the case. Ragnaros, for players who never faced the flaming behemoth, is the leader of the elemental plane of fire. Players who defeated him in Molten Core may recall that they only faced an Avatar of the true foe. It's pretty likely that players will be facing the real deal when they set foot in the upcoming Firelands raid.

Firelands won't solely be the home of Ragnaros. He is the final boss of a family of seven. The raid is designed in such a way that players can tackle the first four bosses in any order they wish, but need to slay them all to be able to move onto the final three. Those last three will need to be tackled sequentially.

The rewards for extinguishing the leaders of the Firelands are well worth it, though. The raid is home to a brand new Legendary Staff designed for damage-dealing casters. It's the first DPS Caster Legendary since Atiesh during the original World of Warcraft, and that item was only relevant for a couple months before The Burning Crusade wiped the slate clean. Obtaining the Legendary will involve a long quest chain where the staff takes on a series of forms, similar to the Shadowmourne legendary quest chain. It will also require groups to kill unique bosses in the Firelands (though these bosses are purely for the benefit of the weapon-holder and won't give the rest of the group loot).

WoW's Noblegarden Feast Still in Full Swing

Hunt colorful eggs and nab items until May 1.

The best part about real-world holidays? Their virtual world counterparts, of course. The pastel apocalypse that is Easter may have already come and gone in the real world, but spring holiday festivities are still hopping in the realm of Azeroth. The feast of Noblegarden runs through May 1, which means you have a few more days left to get in on the treasure hunting action. Rather than cracking open the skulls of your enemies to reveal their creamy insides, why not try your hand at tracking down virtual chocolate eggs and smashing them for goodies instead?

Colorful eggs can be found hidden around the starting towns of the realm throughout the remainder of the festival. These chocolate filled treats can be scarfed down or spent at event vendors. Some also contain buffs and quest items, so it's worth giving it a go. If you've already checked it out, what's the coolest thing you've found?

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The Sims 3: Generations Reverts to Childhood

Sims players finally have a dream fulfilled.

True story: When I was in third grade, I ate so much candy on Valentine's Day that I felt terrible, so when I climbed in my bottom bunk that night, my mom gave me a bucket and told me to use it if I felt sick. Sure enough, in the middle of the night, I woke up, stuck my head over the side of the bed, and threw up. Unfortunately my sister, who was in the top bunk, chose that exact moment to do the same thing, and I ended up with a head full of puke.

The experience left me permanently traumatized by bunkbeds, but that's apparently not something I share with most Sims players, who have been clamoring for bunkbeds since the game launched. Well, Sims players, your wish is finally being granted.

Kids in The Sims 3 are also getting a lot more ways to stay entertained. In addition to imaginary friends in Sims 3: Generations, kids will be getting treehouses, which come in three different flavors: castle, kids' clubhouse, and sci-fi hideaway. Each type of house has a special pretend action that's associated with it as well, such as holding a feast in the castle treehouse or fighting off pirates in the kids' clubhouse.

Who Should be on the Cover of NBA 2K12?

You pick the best baller in basketball.

NBA 2K12's release date hasn't even been announced yet (expect the game to drop in early October), but we're already wondering who will grace the cover. Making the NBA 2K12 cover is sort of like being voted MVP of hoops video games. So who should be on the cover? We gave you a chance to vote and the results were pretty conclusive.

While we can't tell 2K Sports what to do, your voice can be heard loud and clear. You spoke loudly and 2K Sports needs to take notice.

See how the voting shaped up in the end.

Sony Explains Delayed PSN Security Breach Announcement

Company says it simply didn't know user info was compromised until yesterday.

Even U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal wanted to know: Why did Sony wait nearly a full week after PlayStation Network was hacked to inform its reported 75 million users their personal information had been compromised? In far more timely fashion, Sony has issued a response.

Posting on the official PlayStation Blog, SCE Communications Director Patrick Seybold said it is the most frequently asked question he has fielded about the PSN outage. His response: we didn't know until yesterday.

"There's a difference in timing between when we identified there was an intrusion and when we learned of consumers' data being compromised," Seybold states. "We learned there was an intrusion April 19th and subsequently shut the services down. We then brought in outside experts to help us learn how the intrusion occurred and to conduct an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the incident. It was necessary to conduct several days of forensic analysis, and it took our experts until yesterday to understand the scope of the breach. We then shared that information with our consumers and announced it publicly."

The Witcher 2 Goes Gold, CD Projekt Red Talks Console Versions

RPG will make its May 17 release date for PC, console versions now being explored.

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings has gone gold, CD Projekt Red announced today, and now that the PC version is out the door, the studio is ready to start talking about the long-rumored console versions of the RPG.

Powered by the new REDengine, The Witcher 2 continues the story of monster slayer Geralt of Rivia. Along with the standard edition, both the Premium Edition and limited Collector's Edition of the game are now in production and will make the game's scheduled release date of May 17 for Windows PCs.

As for console players hoping to get in on the dark fantasy action, CD Projekt Red Senior Producer Thomasz Gop told Eurogamer today the studio is now looking at its options.

Xenonauts Preview

UFO Defence Force.

If you were among the purple-faced hordes of X-Com: UFO Defence fans who howled with fury at 2K Marin's heretical plans to remake the vintage favourite as an FPS, you'll be pleased to hear that someone's got your back.

"They couldn't have done me a bigger favour if they tried," says Chris England, head of Goldhawk Interactive. "I was pretty damn happy when I heard. I was sitting there thinking that's good news.

"But as an X-Com fan I was pretty appalled."

That's because he's making what many have dreamed of but none have delivered: a proper sequel to the beloved classic.

Xenonauts is a deeply affectionate re-imagining of the genre-defining strategy game, currently slated for a September release. It wears its influences proudly. As before, you will assume command of a secretive organisation tasked with defending the planet from the predations of an otherworldly foe, fighting them in the skies, on the ground and – more obliquely – in the hearts and minds of the donor states funding your outfit.

Red Faction: Armageddon Demo Coming May 3

PSN, Xbox Live get download next week, no demo planned for PC.

Red Faction: Armageddon takes the sci-fi action to the underground cities of Mars, and gamers will get a chance to discover what lurks beneath the surface of the Red Planet when the Armageddon demo launches on May 3.

THQ and developer Volition made the demo announcement via the official Armageddon blog, noting that while the test run will be available for download on PlayStation Network (hopefully) and Xbox Live on May 3, no demo is planned for PC.

Microsoft Issues Service Alert for Xbox Live, Warns of Phishing Scam

Company working to root out phishers linked to Modern Warfare 2.

Microsoft has issued a service alert to Xbox 360 Modern Warfare 2 gamers, warning of phishing attempts. The alert comes after MS appeared to beef up its Xbox Live security last night in the wake of Sony's PlayStation Network breach.

Posting on the Xbox Live Status website, Microsoft stated: "Users may receive potential phishing attempts via title specific messaging while playing Modern Warfare 2. We are aware of the problem and are working to resolve the issue. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your patience."

The issue has not been linked to any other games or Xbox Live services, and aside from the alert, it's business as usual on Live.

LucasArts enlists Unreal Engine 3

Star Wars publisher-developer signs long-term, studio-wide licensing deal for Epic's popular middleware technology.

Just over a month after Warner Bros. Interactive committed to Unreal Engine 3 through 2014, Epic Games has signed another major studio in a long-term commitment for its popular middleware software. LucasArts said today that it had entered into a long-term, studio-wide licensing agreement with Epic for use of its Unreal Engine 3 technology.

LucasArts did not indicate specific future projects that would incorporate Unreal Engine 3. For its most high-profile projects of late, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and The Force Unleashed II, LucasArts used its proprietary Ronin game engine.

Nintendogs + Cats sells 1.7 million, Pokemon Black & White top 11.5 million

Nintendo reveals Super Mario Galaxy 2 has moved 6.36 million; Donkey Kong Country Returns reaches nearly 5 million, Super Mario All-Stars hits 2.2 million.

owing its earnings report yesterday, Nintendo has released supplementary information that reveals sales of some of its biggest titles. Among the data are sales figures for Nintendogs + Cats, which is now officially the first platinum game for the 3DS with 1.71 million units sold. Of those, 460,000 were bought in Japan and 1.25 million were picked up in other territories. The game's three versions--French Bulldog, Golden Retriever, and Toy Poodle--are counted as a single title by Nintendo.

The information sheet also revealed sales for a number of new titles on Nintendo's other platforms. During Nintendo's last fiscal year, which ran from April 2010 to March 2011, the top DS games were Pokemon Black and Pokemon White. The twin titles, counted as a single game, sold a combined 11.51 million units globally.

Activision Announces Call of Duty: Black Ops Call of the Dead

George Romero, Sara Michelle Gellar, others join forces to battle Russian zombies.

We definitely didn't see this one coming. Activision and Treyarch finally pulled the curtain back on the new Zombies level included in the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops map pack, Escalation, revealing an all-star cast of horror stars: George A. Romero, Robert Englunc, Sara Michelle Gellar, Michael Rooker, and Danny Trejo.

In a press release announcing Call of the Dead, Treyarch said it set out to create a zombie experience gamers have never played before. The studio started by crafting a storyline inspired by iconic Night of the Living Dead writer/director Romero -- the Grandfather of the Zombie himself who will also star in the level.

"This is Treyarch's tribute to the legendary George Romero, who truly defined the zombie genre and whose incredible work has been such an inspiration to our team," Black Ops Director Dave Anthony said in a statement. "It was an absolute honor to work with such an amazing and talented cast whose passion and energy brought their characters instantly to life. Fans are going to love this."

Sony: PSN Information Compromised

Credit card data not ruled out. "Some services" back up next week.

Sony said today it believes personal identification information from registered PlayStation Network users has been compromised as a result of an illegal intrusion that has shut down the service for the past week.

Sony also believes PSN logins and password information may have been illegally obtained. Patrick Seybold, Senior Director of Corporate Communications at SCEA said the company has hired a "recognized security firm" to fully investigate the matter and has strengthened the network's security in the meantime for further protection.

Sony says it believes an unauthorized person has obtained the following personal information that you provided:

League of Legends: Rumble Released

Get ready to Rumble.

Fans of League of Legends may know that developer Riot Games likes to introduce new champions on a fortnightly cycle. This week's champion is Rumble, the Mechanized Menace, a fuzzy little critter inside a death-machine of doom.

Rumble is what Riot Games designer Phreak calls a "bully," designed to be tougher to kill than your normal damage dealer but with more damage output than your usual initiator. His skills allow for a lot of area-of-effect damage, and a couple of them have built-in snares that slow your opponent down.

Games Workshop, THQ Extend Warhammer 40,000 Deal

Two announced games on the way, more to come.

Space Marine ships this fall and MMO Dark Millennium is now in development, and those won't be the last video games set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe published by THQ. Games Workshop and THQ announced today that they have inked a multi-year extension to their ongoing licensing agreement.

THQ and developer Relic Entertainment have done well with the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, most notably with their Dawn of War real-time strategy games, which the publisher says have shipped more than 6.5 million copies since the first game in the series was released in 2004.

Portal 2 Takes Top Spot on U.K. Charts

Valve's Portal sequel makes impressive debut.

Valve's teleportation puzzler found its way out of the test chamber and onto the top of the U.K. charts in its debut week, making Portal 2 the first title from the Bellevue, Washington-based studio to claim the all-formats top spot.

GfK-ChartTrack announced its weekly top 40 video games this morning, noting that Portal 2 has already outdone The Orange Box, which only made it as high as the No. 3 slot on the U.K. charts when it was released in 2007. Warner Bros. Interactive's Mortal Kombat reboot also landed an uppercut, claiming the No. 2 spot ahead of perennial chart-topper, Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Blizzard Launches World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Content Patch, Rise of the Zandalari

New features, goodies, tweaks in Cataclysm's first major content patch.

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is getting a major overhaul with Patch 4.1, Rise of the Zandalari. New features, class tweaks, dungeons, items, and achievements are all ready for download today, and we've got an overview of what's in store for Azeroth.

Rise of Zandalari, the first major content patch for Cataclysm, features a new storyline that centers on tribes of Trolls joining forces in an effort to expand their territories. Check the trailer:

Report: Electronic Arts Preparing to Launch EA Sports Subscription Service

Early full game downloads, discounted DLC, more for annual fee.

Rumors have been circulating about a subscription service for EA Sports games for years, and now it appears Electronic Arts is ready to pull the trigger. According to multiple reports, the publisher is preparing to launch EA Sports Subscription Service, giving members access to a variety of digital benefits for anywhere from $15 to $35 per year.

GameSpot and IndustryGamers, among others, report they've obtained a leaked memo from EA Sports that describes the premium service in detail. According to the memo, EA Sports Subscription Service will be sold in tiers with more digital goodies available to those who pay the higher annual fees.

New Details on Mario Kart 3DS and Star Fox 64 3D

We have new information about two of the 3DS' most highly anticipated titles.

Following a lackluster launch lineup for Nintendo's newest handheld, Shigeru Miyamoto has finally broken his silence about a couple of highly anticipated 3DS titles that have been in the works. At a French press event last week, Miyamoto revealed that Mario Kart 3DS, the next entry in the popular kart racing series, will be hitting store shelves by the end of the year, as reported by VG247.

Nintendo Releases The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Opening

Nintendo updates official site with opening cinematic from game, details on 3DS version.

Link is getting a glasses-free 3D facelift in Nintendo's upcoming remake for Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and today fans get to see how the graphically overhauled opening of the classic adventure plays out on the 3DS.

As spotted by Andriasang, Nintendo finally updated the official Japanese website for Ocarina of Time 3D, providing details on new features the game will include as well as the serene horseback-riding opening. See it below:

As for those new features, along with the graphical overhaul and 3D visuals, Nintendo says it has added a touch-based inventory system to the 3DS' second screen for quick, easy switching of items. And courtesy of the portable's gyro sensor, first-person shooting elements can be controlled by shifting the 3DS itself.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is set for release on June 19.

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PlayStation Network Still Down, Sony Says Hackers to Blame

PlayStation 3 maker says its online network is being rebuilt, no timetable for return.

The PlayStation Network is down for the fifth straight day, and Sony says an "external intrusion" has forced it to completely rebuild the infrastructure of the PlayStation 3 online platform to make the system more secure. And while the company says it is working around the clock to get back online, there is still no word when games will continue on PSN.

What appeared to be a sporadic outage on Wednesday night turned into a full-blown meltdown on Thursday, and PlayStation Network has been down ever since. Communication from Sony on the issue has been minimal, but the company has confirmed that an "external intrusion" is what led to the shutdown of the service.

When the service first went down, Sony Communications Director Patrick Seybold said it would likely be a full day or two before the issues were resolved. Now in its fifth day and counting, the latest on the outage we have from Sony came via a blog post from Seybold on Saturday, a message that indicates PSN could be down much longer than anticipated:

New Nintendo Console Confirmed

Wii successor revealed and playable at E3 this June.

Nintendo Japan tonight confirmed it will release a new game console in calendar year 2012. It will be announced and playable at E3 this coming June.

"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," the company said in a brief statement. Nintendo did not reveal any additional details.

Multiple sources tell IGN the console - dubbed Project Cafe - will be "significantly more powerful" than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and be backwards compatible with current Wii software. The console will also utilize a new, tablet-shaped controller. Sources say it will have a 6-inch touch screen display, dual analog sticks, and has the ability to stream content directly from the console.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told Bloomberg News, "We would like to propose a new approach to home video game consoles" with the Wii successor. He added, "It's difficult to make 3-D images a key feature, because 3-D televisions haven't obtained wide acceptance yet."

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Nintendo's New Console Could Cost $400 and Have Two Distinct Controllers

"Stream" is reportedly one of the possible names for the new system.

Project Café may be the code name of Nintendo's next console but "Stream" is rumored to be one of the names in consideration for the final product.

New details being reported by IGN besides the possible name include its internal components -- it will carry a "revamped" AMD R700 GPU and a triple-core IBM PowerPC chipset with faster speeds than those of the Xbox 360's processor -- and its Xbox 360-like size. The system will resemble a modern-day Super Nintendo and, based on the estimated costs to produce it, could cost between $350 and $400. Of course, those prices could drop the longer Nintendo opts to wait to release the system. IGN also says the system will indeed have a touchscreen-equipped controller that can have games streamed to it from the console.

 

Crytek Releasing CryEngine 3 SDK, Crysis 2 Editor

Editor coming early summer, SDK in August.

Crytek wants to see what modders can do with CryEngine 3, and aspiring designers will have the chance to accept the challenge when the engine's free software development kit launches in August. Until then, modders can get a small sample of the development kit in action with the Crysis 2 Editor.

Posting on the CryMod forums, Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli broke the news, stating that though the studio has been knee deep in Crysis 2, it hasn't forgotten about its beloved modding community.

"We want to see what you guys can do with CryEngine 3 and we hope we'll be as amazed with the things you create as we have been over the past few years," Yerli stated. "This time around, we're going to do things in a different way -- offering you the right tools to achieve your vision."

Hi-Rez Studios Announces Smite

Mythical gods in action-oriented, session-based arena combat.

Hi-Rez Studios is preparing to re-introduce the Tribes franchise to the gaming world, and the busy studio behind Global Agenda announced today it has another project up its sleeve: free-to-play DoTA-inspired action game, Smite.

Featuring mythical gods in session-based arena combat, Hi-Rez says Smite will separate itself from the DoTA pack by focusing less on real-time strategy and more on action.

Sega Slashes Prices on Xbox Live Arcade Games

Nineteen games steeply discounted, many 50% off.

From Sonic the Hedgehog to Altered Beast to Streets of Rage 2, Sega is cutting the cost of every game ins its Xbox Live Arcade digital library. Going on now and running through Monday, Sega is slashing prices, with many titles 50% off.

It's Easter weekend and PlayStation Network is down. What better time for a Sega sale on XBLA? Nineteen games in all are steeply discounted. Get the full rundown below.

Streets of Rage 2 - 200 MSPoints ($2.50) - 50% off
Ecco the Dolphin - 200 MSP - 50% off
Happy Tree Friends: False Alarm - 400 MSP - 50% off
Phantasy Star II - 200 MSP 50% off
Gunstar Heroes - 200 MSP - 50% off
Crazy Taxi - 400 MSP ($5) - 50% off
After Burner Climax - 400 MSP - 50% off
Altered Beast - 200 MSP - 50% off
Comix Zone - 200 MSP - 50% off
Cyber Troopers Virtual On - 800 MSP ($10) - 33% off
Golden Axe - 200 MSP - 50% off
OutRun Online Arcade - 400 MSP - 50% off
Shinobi - 200 MSP - 50% off
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 - 800 MSP - 33% off
Sonic Adventure - 400 MSP - 50% off
Sonic the Hedgehog - 200 MSP - 50% off
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - 200 MSP - 50% off
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - 200 MSP - 50% off
Sonic & Knuckles - 200 MSP - 50% off

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Like Battlefield on Facebook, Help Unlock the Full Fault Line Trailer Early

Producers' commentary also up for grabs if 1 million fans Like Battlefield.

Electronic Arts and DICE want you to Like their Battlefield Facebook page, and they are dangling a digital carrot to get your mouse clicking: unlock the full 12-minute gameplay trailer for Battlefield 3 early as well as a producers' commentary. The catch? You need to be one of 1 million people to click Like.

The full 12-minute Fault Line trailer is set for release on April 17, but DICE promises to unveil it the minute fans rack up 1 million Like's on Facebook. The promo, which kicked off on Monday, has already surpassed the half-way point, with more than 600,000 Likes. Follow this link if you'd like to help speed up the process.

The last Fault Line trailer, Get That Wire Cut, debuted on March 30. Just in case you missed it, take a gander below:

Battlefield 3 is being developed for Windows PCs, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Speaking at the Ad Age Digital Conference in New York last week, EA CEO John Riccitiello mentioned that the game is set for release in November and will be backed by a $100 million marketing campaign.

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BlizzCon 2011 Ticket Sale Dates Announced

Two chances to nab your tix.

Mark your calendars, folks, because tickets for BlizzCon 2011 will go on sale next month in two batches. This massive annual shindig put on by Blizzard Entertainment to celebrate all things Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo-related draws big crowds of fans eager to scope out a glut of discussion panels, hands-on demo sessions with hot new games, competitive tournaments, and community contests. The convention is now in its sixth year, and attendance is growing steadily. If you plan on going this year, you've got two opportunities to secure your spot.

The first round of BlizzCon tickets will go on sale on Saturday, May 21 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. Round two of ticket sales launches on Wednesday, May 25 at 7 p.m. Pacific Time. Tickets cost $175 a piece and there's a limit of four per household. In addition to your BlizzCon badge, ticket purchases also land you a goody back with exclusive swag and a chance to participate in special online pre-event merchandise sales. Check out Blizzard's ticket page for more of the nitty gritty.

Who's planning on going this year? Who's been before? Feel free to share your stories in the comments section below!

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Final Fantasy VI Coming to PSN

One of the most beloved RPGs of all-time will now be a PSone Classic.

With Square-Enix, the classic hits just keep on coming. After their recent announcement regarding Final Fantasy V's release on the PlayStation Store comes another similar announcement that's bound to get many, many gamers very excited.

Final Fantasy VI, arguably the best game in the series, is coming to PlayStation Network. This news comes by way of the Japanese Square Enix Members Twitter, which states that Final Fantasy VI is coming to the PlayStation Network on April 20th due to the amount of requests they've received from fans.

There's no word on if or when Final Fantasy VI will come to the PlayStation Network outside of Japan, but considering Square Enix's recent track record with PSone Classics, there's good reason to be hopeful.

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Microsoft Gears Up for Halo 10th Anniversary Celebration

Upgraded Waypoint, motion comic, avatar gear incoming.

Master Chief turns 10-years-old in August, and Microsoft and 343 Industries are gearing up for the birthday party with some new Halo goodies, including a faster, more robust Halo Waypoint, a new Halo motion comic, and a fresh lineup of Halo-themed avatar items.

Microsoft and 343 made the announcement this morning, highlighting the upgrades being made to Halo Waypoint that will be available to the community beginning on Friday, April 15.

"Halo Waypoint, your source for Halo news, community content, and insight into the Halo universe, will receive an update with numerous new features –- and a significant performance boost for the entire experience, making Waypoint faster and smoother," MS said in a statement.

SSX: Coming Down the Mountain

Climb the world's highest peaks, then drop in and pray for your life.

EA's over-the-top snowboarding franchise, SSX, has been cooling on the shelf so long that many gamers probably haven't even heard of it. They'll know it soon enough. SSX takes the thrill and danger of dropping onto a mountain and amps it up with ridiculous, gravity-defying stunts.

What will it take to master the new SSX? Skillful artistry in navigating narrow paths, a sharp eye for spotting lines that lead to massive air, and fast fingers to pull off a half-dozen tricks while soaring over expansive chasms. If that sounds cool to you, I'd tell you to buckle up, but there's no safety belt on these mountains.

Usually, this would be the time for me to tell you about some of the different areas you'll see, giving the expectation that there's some small number of tracks and a handful of mountains to explore. But, at least from the mouth of the developer, it's pointless with SSX. The promise is that you can go anywhere you want on any of the mountains. And there are dozens of mountains, spread out across eighteen real-world mountain ranges. Basically, if you've heard of a snow-capped mountain, it's probably in SSX.

Ubisoft Announces PowerUp Heroes

Kinect-controlled superhero combat game set for June launch.

Ubisoft is stepping outside of the dance hall and into the ring for its next Kinect title. The publisher has announced PowerUp Heroes, a "full-body combat game" that allows players to transform their Xbox Live avatars into superheroes and do battle.

Designed specifically for Kinect, PowerUp Heroes tasks players with using their entire bodies to control each move in combat, launching projectiles, dodging strikes, and countering attacks. Get an idea of how it will unfold in the game's debut trailer:

The rundown from Ubisoft:

Players use their unique Xbox 360 avatars to create custom playable superheroes in the game and prepare their avatar for battle by infusing their super suit with deadly powers and special abilities. After the player's character destroys an enemy in battle, they will strip them of the super suit and wield their power for their next battle. There are 20 super suits to collect including the mighty Necromancer suit which allows the player to control a horde of skeletons, and the Mentalist suit that gives the player the ability to break into their enemy's mind.

PowerUp Heroes is an Xbox 360 Kinect exclusive. The game is set for launch sometime in June.

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Capcom Details Asura's Wrath

Upcoming action game will blend Asian mythology and sci-fi, take boss battles to a new level.

Remember that brief trailer Capcom released last year for Asura's Wrath -- the one where a really ticked off dude is about to be snubbed by a planetoid-sized finger from the heavens? Well, Asura is back, he's more pissed-off than ever, and we get to see what happens with that galactic boss battle.

Capcom chatted-up Asura's Wrath at its annual Captivate showcase, describing the upcoming title as a "fresh take on the action gaming genre." The publisher also provided details on who Asura is and why he could use an anger management class or two:

Once a revered deity, Asura was betrayed by his fellow gods and stripped of all his powers. Consumed by anger at the injustice he has suffered and swearing vengeance, Asura discovers he can use this fury to his advantage and turn it against his enemies. Cue relentless action as Asura finds himself facing off against numerous unique enemies, including planetary sized bosses, unleashing devastating and visceral attacks.

With the setup out of the way, check the new trailer:

Asura's Wrath is being developed by CyberConnect2 (Naruto series) for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game has not yet been given a release date.

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FIFA 12: First Official Screenshot Revealed

Let the FIFA 12 hype begin.

EA Sports have released the first official screen shot for the latest instalment of their all-conquering FIFA franchise, and it looks... like FIFA.

Featuring FIFA 11 coverstar Kaká, the first image reveals little of the "gameplay revolution" promised yesterday by FIFA 12's line producer David Rutter, but expect plenty more reveals before its September release.

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