GamerNode: Latest Industry News

Full track list revealed for DJ Hero

The full track list for DJ Hero has been released by Activision, showcasing 93 different tracks from all different genres of music. Check out the full list below.

DJ Hero releases on October 27 in both the standard $120 edition and the $200 Renegade Edition which comes with a stand for your turntable controller and an exclusive CD featuring Jay-Z and Eminem.

* 2Pac - "All Eyez On Me" vs. The Aranbee Pop Orchestra - "Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)"

* 50 Cent - "Disco Inferno" vs. David Bowie - "Let's Dance"

* 50 Cent - "Disco Inferno" vs. InDeep - "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life"

* Afrika Bambaataa - "Zulu Nation Throwdown" vs. Freedom Express - "Get Down"

* Beastie Boys - "Here's A Little Somethin' For Ya" vs. DJ Shadow - "The Number Song (2009 Version)" (Produced and mixed by DJ Shado...

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Nintendo named World's Best Company

If ever there needed to be any more evidence that videogames are mainstream, this recent announcement from Business Week is it. The magazine has announced its 2009 list of the World's Best Companies/Global Top 40, and Nintendo took the number 1 spot.

The article in Business Week gave Nintendo credit for staying strong throughout the recession. "Its sales have risen 36% annually over the past five years, while its value growth averaged 38%," wrote Esmé E. Deprez. "Despite the hard times of the past year, Nintendo's continued emphasis on innovation has helped the company develop must-haves such as the DS handheld game machine and the Wii console, which outsold rival offerings from Sony (SNE) and Microsoft (MSFT)."

The top five was rounded out by Google, Apple, Doosan Heavy Industries, and Hyu...

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Activision trademarks Call of Duty for film adapta...

Imagine the epic scenes from the Call of Duty series being played out in a theater near you, because they may very well be in the next few years. Activision recently trademarked the popular first-person shooter series centered on war for a film adaptation.

The trademark details the filing for "pre-recorded movies featuring comedy, drama, action, adventure, music, theatrical performances and/or animation."

This isn't the first hint as of late for a film version of Call of Duty, as Robert Bowling of Infinity Ward recently tweeted, "Grabbing lunch with Xavier Gens, director of the Hitman film while in town. Talking game films." It would appear that film audiences will be getting a dose of Call of Duty sometime in the eventual future.

[Joystiq]

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Rocket Knight Adventures soaring back in action

Retro gaming fanatics rejoice! Konami's 16-bit mascot Sparkster, star of a trilogy of action platformers, is making a return to PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 courtesy of developer Climax. Rocket Knight (as it is tentatively named) will be a sequel to the last game in the series and will take the awesome possum on a 2.5D adventure. Climax, who also developed Silent Hill Origins and the upcoming Wii-make Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, will take over development duties.

Sparkster, the brain child of frequent Contra director Nobuya Nakazato, starred in his own trilogy of games, starting with Rocket Knight Adventures and ending with Sparkster. The games put you in the boots of the titular Sparkster as you jumped, slashed, and flew around your pig enemies in order to save the kingdom of Zephyros.

[Joys...

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Brutal Legend multiplayer detailed

Yeah, hacking, slashing, and destroying your opponents' faces with rock is one part of Brutal Legend's gameplay, but another big chunk of the game is made up of the RTS and multiplayer elements. Tim Schafer has stated that the single-player is more or less practice for the game's ambitous multiplayer, but we've been left in the dark about how the game's RTS elements would work and how the said multiplayer would play out. Well, Double Fine has released a multiplayer tutorial trailer that details how matches will go down. 

Players will have a "stage" which will act as their base, and must summon fan towers to gather resources, summon units, and lead them into battle to take out other opponents' stages. There are also three factions with differing attributes and abilities. Think of it as Defen...

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Bowie, Styx join Band Hero

The music genre craze has worn out its welcome for most gamers, but that isn't stoping Activision from releasing their family oriented Band Hero this holiday season. Activision has revealed more tracks that will be included in the game and adds that Taylor Swift will be a playable character. Joining Ms. Swift are David Bowie, Styx, and Fallout Boy, among others. Check out the full list below:

-The Airborne Toxic Event - "Gasoline"-Big Country - "In a Big Country"-The Bravery - "Believe"-Cold War Kids - "Hang Me Up To Dry"-Counting Crows - "Angels of the Silences"-Dashboard Confessional - "Hands Down"-David Bowie - "Let's Dance"-Devo - "Whip It"-Evanescence - "Bring Me To Life"-Fall Out Boy - "Sugar, We're Goin' Down"-The Go-Go's - "Our Lips Are Sealed"-Hilary Duff - "So Yesterday"-Jesse McC...

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Splinter Cell Conviction Collectors Edition reveal...

No triple-A title is safe from the special edition treatment these days, and Sam Fisher's latest outing is getting a swanky package as well. Austrailian retailer JB Hi-Fi posted a listing to the Splinter Cell Conviction Collector's Edition featuring:

- "Exclusive" code to unlock in game content

- 32 page comic book that establishes the link between Double Agent and Conviction

- "Making Of" DVD

- Code to download Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory from Xbox Live Arcade

- A Sam Fisher figurine

While this doesn't confirm this specific edition being released here, it seems more than likely considering Splinter Cell's popularity and the hype surrounding the game. Another thing to note is that it says Chaos Theory will be downloaded from XBLA, even though this could mean Xbox Originals.

[VG247]

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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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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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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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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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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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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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BioShock 2 gets a February release date

Those upset over the delay of Bioshock 2 from October 2009 to early 2010 can take solace now that it has a solid release date. The game, which puts players in the shoes of the original Big Daddy, will be released on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC worldwide on February 9.

As the original Big Daddy, players will awaken in the undersea city of Rapture and be tasked with taking down the Big Sister, who has been abducting little girls and bringing them to the city as new Little Sisters. The multiplayer compoment of the game will be set as a prequel to the first game, as players will see just how Rapture was when everything went so terribly wrong.

The game currently is not rated, but is expected to receive an M for Mature by the ESRB.

[Gamespot]

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Valve responds to Left 4 Dead 2 ban

News yesterday announced that the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification had refused classification for Left 4 Dead 2, essentially banning the game from the country. This of course came as quite a shock to developer Valve.

"We were surprised to hear of this news yesterday," said VP of marketing Doug Lombardi. "Obviously, everyone at Valve is pretty bummed."

The game was denied classification due to "realistic, frenetic, and unrelenting violence" and the gore that comes with severing limbs, decapitating, and killing the infected in other graphic ways. This, by law, prevents the game from being sold as it now lacks a rating in the country.

"It would be a shame if folks in Australia, or anywhere else, are unable to purchase Left 4 Dead 2 because of a ratings issue," Lombardi st...

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This week's releases: 9/14 - 9/19

The releases for this week will be flying, web-slinging, skating, slashing, and driving their way into stores as the first big week of the fourth quarter hits. Featured are superhero RPG Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, NHL 10 from EA Sports, third person action bloodfest Wet, and racer Need for Speed: Shift.

DS:

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside StoryMy BoyfriendPrincess in LoveAnimal Planet: Vet LifeBleach: The 3rd PhantomCloudy With a Chance of MeatballsDreamer: Top ModelLearn GeographyMarvel: Ultimate Alliance 2Naruto Shippuuden: Ninja Destiny 2Our HouseScribblenauts

PC:

Age of Empires III: Complete CollectionBatman: Arkham AsylumCloudy With a Chance of MeatballsMajesty 2: The Fantasy Kingdom SimNeed for Speed: ShiftRed Faction: GuerillaResident Evil 5Runes of Magic Chapter II: The Elven Prophec...

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New Pac-Man world record set

In order to achieve the world record for highest score in Pac-Man, it not only takes a perfect score, but being the fastest person to get to it. David Race has become the fifth man since Billy Mitchell to get a perfect score in a faster time, setting the new Pac-Man world record. He beat Chris Ayra's time of 3 hours, 42 minutes, and 4 seconds by a mere 42 seconds with a time of 3 hours, 41 minutes, and 22 seconds.

For those curious to know just what it takes to get the perfect score alone, it means getting every possible dot, special fruit, and blue ghost in the game until it crashes out at level 256. To do this, let alone in under four hours, is close to impossible. Just think about that next time someone is heard complaining about the difficulty of Ninja Gaiden 2 or Devil May Cry 3.

[Destr...

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