Square Enix has announced that the demo for their upcoming action-RPG, Dungeon Siege III, is now out on the Xbox 360 platform. The demo will be available to both Windows PC and PlayStation 3 gamers come June 7th, 2011. Dungeon Siege III will feature co-op multiplayer as well as customizable character classes as they rebuild the once-great “10th Legion” in an attempt to thwart the evil forces that have besieged the Kingdom of Ehb.
Rockstar Games has announced its DLC content plans for crime-thriller video game, L.A. Noire. The company plans to release additional cases, challenges, and content packs over the course of the next couple months. Additionally, Rockstar has announced that starting today gamers can purchase the L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass which, for a retail price of $10, will essentially pre-order all of the game’s paid DLC packs at once. This price is basically a 50% discount when compared to buying all of the DLC packs separately.
“With its blend of real crime influences and noir atmosphere, L.A. Noire contains boundless potential for new stories and new cases,” said Sam Houser, founder of Rockstar Games. “The four new cases are strong standalone stories that sit perfectly alongside the main game.”
Creative Labs has announced a new sound and voice processor which will be integrated into third-party motherboard manufacturers. The new processor, called Sound Core3D, was designed by Creative’s in-house team and powers DSP algorithms to drive CrystalVoice™ processing, THX TruStudio Pro™ playback enhancement and an additional advanced audio toolbox of algorithms. Motherboard maker Gigabyte will be the first to adopt the new chipset.
“We designed a sound and voice processor that will enable our OEM partners to deliver the highest quality Sound Blaster audio ever available for a motherboard while also bringing a new level of quality to sound and voice processing to consumer electronics products. With Sound Core3D we deliver a versatile chip that can deliver the highest performance voice processing and audio playback from a single chip,” said Steve Erickson, VP and GM of audio and video products at Creative. “This expands our opportunities with OEM partners, who can implement Sound Core3D in their own products to achieve the clearest possible communications and phenomenal-sounding audio playback.”
EA Sports has revealed the official cover for their upcoming Madden NFL 12, which features Cleveland Browns running back, Peyton Hillis on the cover. EA Sports has also unveiled the game’s special, Limited Hall of Fame Edition, which will include special packaging as well as an additional team pack and Panini trading card. Madden NFL 12 is due out on August 30th for multiple platforms.
Viva Media has released the official launch trailer for its new 3D adventure game, The Rockin Dead, which is available now for the Windows PC platform.
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NZXT has announced two new gaming/enthusiast level PC case fans with the FX fan series. Available now, the FX series comes in both 120mm and 140mm sizes and features three levels of air flow with a max performance of 98.3 cubic feet per minute. NZXT did not announce a firm release date, but one gets the idea that it will be soon.
“The NZXT community of gamers and enthusiasts places a high priority on powerful airflow” said Johnny Hou, Founder and Chief Designer at NZXT. “We’re ecstatic to deliver even more horsepower to get the job done with the FX Fan Series.”
LINK: NZXT FX Fan Product Page
Codemasters has released another trailer for their upcoming shooter, Operation Flashpoint: Red River, which is due out on the Windows PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 platforms on June 7th.
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The ESA has announced the opening of the E3 Insider website, a site which will cover the goings on at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo and offer real-time video, etc. The site will also feature interviews and other pieces of daily E3 events.
“E3 is the leading computer and video game event in the world. Millions of enthusiasts who want to attend will now be able to have the same incredible experience as the attendees on the exhibit floor,” said Rich Taylor, senior vice president for communications and industry affairs at the ESA. “We’re proud to offer this opportunity to gamers and look forward to their enthusiasm for the innovative and remarkable entertainment that will be unveiled at E3.”
As if it were not hard enough to get our coverage out there in the sea of competitors – now the expo itself is a competitor, lol!
Link: E3 Insider
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has released a new multiplayer trailer for their upcoming shooter, FEAR 3, titled ‘Soul Survivor’. FEAR 3 is due out on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC platforms on June 21st.
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Activision has released additional details on their upcoming multiplayer pay service, Call of Duty ELITE, which is due out simultaneously with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 on November 8th. ELITE will allow players to refer to detailed analytics of their performance, get tips on their gameplay, as well as stay updated on upcoming tournaments and events. There is still no word yet on what price gamers can expect to pay for the ELITE service.
Santa Monica, CA – May 31, 2011 – The world’s most passionate online gaming community can now connect, compete and improve their Call of Duty® multiplayer experience through Activision’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) innovative new online service, Call of Duty Elite.
Developed from the ground up by Activision’s new Beachhead studio, Call of Duty Elite offers cutting-edge features that significantly enhance the franchises’ multiplayer experience and deliver a new level of social engagement that will unite more than 30 million players worldwide. Additionally, the service will offer exclusive, high-production value, original entertainment programming designed exclusively for the Call of Duty community.
“The average Call of Duty player spends 58 minutes per day playing multiplayer. That is more than the average Facebook user spends per day on Facebook. And yet, right now, there are very few tools to unite and super charge that social community,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “Whether it’s allowing you to connect with your friends, or people of a similar skill level, people who live in your city, people who share your favorite passions, join competitive clans or social groups, or upload, view and comment on the incredible mass of player-generated content, or watch and comment on exclusive created content, Call of Duty Elite will give people more ways to connect with fellow players than ever before. Elite will also allow players of every level to improve their game with an intuitive suite of tools, and compete in tournaments for both real and virtual prizes.”
Call of Duty Elite will include several industry-first innovations, and is designed to reset the bar for what players can expect from a multiplayer experience for this year’s most anticipated game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Elite will offer two-way communication between the service and the game, so that the choices and decisions that players make in Elite through the mobile and web interfaces will affect their in-game experience. The service will be fully integrated into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and will launch alongside the game on November 8, 2011.
Call of Duty Elite’s features and services engage the community in three key ways:
·Connect: Call of Duty Elite gives players unprecedented control over their multiplayer experience, transforming it into a true social network. Players can compete against friends, players of similar skill levels and players with similar interests, join groups, join clans, and play in organized tournaments. They can also track the performance, progress and activity of their entire network, both in the game itself, as well as through mobile and web interfaces. Elite will be an “always on” way for players to connect with the Call of Duty community.
·Compete: Call of Duty Elite establishes the most exciting, competitive environment in a multiplayer game. Players will have available a constant stream of events and competitions, tiered to group them with those with similar abilities. Both in-game and real-world prizes will be rewarded to all skill levels.
·Improve: Call of Duty Elite is like having a personal online coach. It provides players with a dynamic strategy guide that tracks their statistics and performances down to the most minute details. It can show gamers how they stack up against their friends or others in the community. Tools and information are provided so players can learn and up their game.
Carrying forward to future Call of Duty games, Elite will chronicle a player’s gameplay history in a cohesive career record, keeping track of every kill, every game and progress.
“Call of Duty Elite has been tailored for Call of Duty’s diverse base of players – hardcore gamers, casual weekend warriors and even beginners — and additional features will be revealed when we premiere Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer later this summer,” added Hirshberg. “Over 7 million gamers play Call of Duty online each day logging hundreds of hours of multiplayer per player per year. Of course, the out of the box Call of Duty multiplayer experience that gamers have come to love and expect will continue as is. However, for those players looking for more, Call of Duty Elite will supercharge their experience.”
Many key features of Call of Duty Elite will be available to Call of Duty players free of charge. Additionally, for players who want to up their game, Call of Duty Elite will offer a premium membership with a wide range of state-of-the-art services, exclusive entertainment programming and all-inclusive game content for less than the cost of any comparable online entertainment service currently in the market.
The service will be accessible on a number of platforms — via web browsers, mobile devices, through game consoles and within the game interface itself — so that players can connect with Call of Duty Elite whenever and wherever they want.
Call of Duty Elite will launch this fall with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. However, to test the scale of the service, Activision will hold a public beta this summer for Elite with Call of Duty®: Black Ops. For more information, go to www.callofduty.com.
