GamerNode: Latest Game and Console News

Fable 3 Natal support confirmed

To the (un)surprise of everyone, Fable series designer Peter Molyneux has announced that Fable 3 will support Microsoft's Natal technology during a lecture at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Gamesbrief founder Nicholas Lovell was on hand at the lecture to tweet about the announcement:

"Fable 3 will have Natal support. Is that an announcement? #molyneux"

Short, sweet, and to the point. No official word from developer Lionhead Studios yet, but expect one soon.

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Q-Games discouraged from future PixelJunk ports be...

While PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe debuted to great fanfare and good reviews, developer Q-Games sees things in a different light. President Dylan Cuthbert has suggested that the rampant piracy of his game and other games on the PSP may deter them from future PSP development. Cuthbert stated in a tweet on their Twitter page: "I don't think we'll port anything else to the PSP, we have to see how PJMD does as there's a *lot* of piracy," following with, "because Monsters is such a good fit it is being pirated I think."

It's always bad news to see a developer consider steering away from a platform because of piracy, but PSP pirates are so rampant it seems it's the only way a developer might see to combat the piracy. The final comment from Cuthbert explains it: "unfortunately the pirates could just ...

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God of War 3 DLC may include challenge rooms

It would be crazy to think a huge release like God of War 3 wont have DLC content, but according to director Stig Asmussen, they are only considering the option. In an interview with GamePro, he said the game will of course ship with series standard challenge rooms, with the possibility of more for download. They have a few ideas, including  "riding a Cyclops to get through a certain type of hazard or area or something like that."

We should expect the DLC rooms considering the popularity of the God of War franchise, and hopefully there will be a steady trickle for fans to keep interested come the game's March 2010 release date.

[Gamepro]

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Infinity Ward unyielding on dedicated server fiasc...

When Infinity Ward announced that the PC version of their upcoming Modern Warfare 2 will lack dedicated server support, the gaming community was in an uproar. Roving bands of disgruntled gamers called for the immediate boycott of the game, along with fervent threats of cancelled pre-orders and server sit-outs. Infinity Ward responded in kind, with many threads being deleted and quarrels silenced. Today, the besieged developer has released a final statement that evidently affirms their decision.

Infinity Ward co-heads Vince Zampella and Jason West sought to justify the yanking of dedicated servers with this statement:

"We're just prioritizing the player experience above the modders and the tuners. We thought maybe it would be cool if the fans could play the game."

When asked about the possible...

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September NPD report is the best in months

The NPD delayed the release of its monthly reports on the gaming industry because it wanted to double-check its figures. The reason? The industry as a whole posted its first positive year-to-year sales report after months of decline.

Since this year's report was over a five-week period instead of last year's four, the NPD ruled the difference essentially flat as a whole. But the results still stop a six-month skid that erased the industry's label of "recession proof."

"The industry managed a modest increase over September 2008, and generated the second bestselling September on record after 2007 when Halo 3 released and sold over 3 million copies that month," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier. "On a unit sales basis, the industry was flat. The increase in revenues is driven by a rise in average ...

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This week's releases: 10/18 - 10/24

A FPS/RPG hybrid, a game on a sport everyone in the world but the US calls football, portable GTA, and some good old squared circle wrestling highlight the releases for the upcoming week. Gearbox's Borderlands tops a list that includes FIFA Soccer 10 by EA, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the PSP, and WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW 2010. Here's the full list of what's coming to game retailers this week.

DS:

Astro Boy: The Video GameBakugan: Battle BrawlersCharm Girls Club: My Fashion Mall/Fashion Show/Perfect PromCooking Mama 3: Shop & ChopImagine: Fashion Designer World TourFIFA Soccer 10Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010Littlest Pet Shop Friends: Beach/City/CountryMarvel Super Hero SquadSecret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th SunSpace Invaders Extreme 2WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010

PC:

Tropico 3

P...

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Analyst: Borderlands on shaky ground

With the imminent onslaught of holiday shopping just around the corner, market analysts are issuing their predictions on which games will have the chops to survive throughout the end of the year. Many have looked to games that blend genres as a refreshing take on tried-and-true game mechanics -- say, Borderlands for example. One analyst, however, thinks the upcoming release of the FPS/RPG hybrid will be the final nail in the coffin.

Videogame analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities had this to say on the bleak future of Borderlands:

"I think Borderlands is the definition of a game that should have had its own window and not be up against all this stuff. It's absolutely the same audience. I don't think it's as much an RPG as they would like us to believe. If it's an RPG, Dragon Age ...

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No dedicated server support for Modern Warfare 2 P...

Hot on the heels of the announcement that Modern Warfare 2 will not be delayed on the PC, Infinity Ward dropped another bombshell on the MW2 PC community. On the podcast of Call of Duty fansite Bash and Slash, Robert Bowling revealed that there will be no dedicated server support in the game. Instead, the game will rely on Infinity Ward's server tech entitled IWNet, which won't allow users to host their own servers.

While automated matchmaking is pretty standard for consoles, hardcore PC gamers usually flock to their own servers or servers that they frequent with their friends. Dedicated servers also allow custom maps and modes, which is both standard and a big benefit for PC users. It'll be interesting to see how PC gamers react to the game now that they are shut out of the multiplayer mod...

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Holy Invasion of Privacy Badman! on UMD... if you ...

Even though most PSP games are going digital-only thanks to the fancy new PSPGo, some companies are willing to hold on to the ancient (in the tech world) UMD format. NIS America wants to do just that. The company released Holy Invasion of Privacy Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This? as a digital download earlier this year, but is looking to offer the game as a UMD release, provided you want it.

They are asking that prospective buyers to head over to their site and pre-order the game if they want the UMD. If at least 1,000 people pre-order it, they'll start production and ship them out by December. This is sure to be a collector's item due to the means of procuring it, so head over and drop your order if you want to guarantee a copy.

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Modern Warfare 2 on PC not delayed

If you've been following the juggernaut that is Modern Warfare 2 (and really, who hasn't), you might have heard that the PC version of the hotly anticipated shooter appeared be delayed according to numerous retailers who had pushed the release date back to November 24. Well dry your eyes PC gamer, Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling is here to set things straight.

On the company's Twitter feed, Bowling stated, "No delay on PC for Modern Warfare 2, you'll also have Prestige Mode in PC as well as lots of Steam support. Hopefully min specs will be soon."

So there you have it, Modern Warfare 2 PC will drop alongside its console brethren and carry all the bells and whistles. 

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SOCOM: Confrontation Cold Front DLC enlists for du...

Attention faithful SOCOM players! Playstation Blog reports that a new DLC expansion for SOCOM: Confrontation is set to release soon on PS3. Titled Cold Front, the DLC pack brings players to the snowy area of Eastern Europe with two new maps and three remakes from past SOCOM games.

The expansion also brings new gear, weather conditions, and a new game mode called Arms Race. Arms Race has teams fighting over missle launchers placed around the map. The special forces team must destroy them, while the mercenaries have to activate them. The new gear includes winter camo and a thermal scope that allows you to scope out enemies in the harsh conditions or at night.

A full list of features is as follows:

* New Russian / Eastern European Area of Operation* Snow setting complete with snow effects, new s...

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"Ridiculous" amount of customization for Modern Wa...

The original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare made gamers rethink the way multiplayer in first-person shooters can be played in terms of customization thanks to its perks and level system. According to Infinity Ward community manager Robert Bowling, Modern Warfare 2 is going to have a level of customization that is "ridiculous."

"The beta is really just the tip of the iceberg at this point, we're really just showing a little bit [of the game]," he said. "There's a lot more to come, whether it be customizable kill streaks, custom death streaks, equipment like tactical insertion, Semtex grenades -- all that stuff."

"What we're offering with Modern Warfare 2 is a ridiculous amount of customization. The lead-out is insane, you have all these attachments to choose from. It really caters to the hardco...

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Mass Effect 2 on Xbox 360 & PC only

Polish website PolyGamia reported earlier today of a possible PS3 port of BioWare's Mass Effect 2. Apparently, rumors of the game being released for the PS3 were taken from BioWare Community Manager Jay Watamaniuk while conducting a presentation in Poland. Following the report, BioWare has issued a response on the speculation of seeing a PS3 version of Mass Effect 2.

The initial report states that Watamaniuk mentioned "three platforms that Mass Effect 2 is targeted at. They were Xbox 360, PC, and 'probably PS3'." Watamaniuk was quick to place a disclaimer on his statement by explaining BioWare's hesitance to deal with rumors and speculations.

Gaming website IGN contacted Mass Effect 2 publisher Electronic Arts to clarify the situation.

Upon being shown a new forum post written by Watamaniuk o...

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Mass Effect 2 dated, pre-order gifts detailed

Rejoice, Mass Effect fans, BioWare has pulled back the curtain on when you will take the reins of Commander Shepard again. The second installment of the space saga will hit shelves on January 26th, 2010 in North America, and three days later in Europe.

Pre-order bonuses include weapons and armor, one set solely for GameStop, one set for the rest of the retailers. The GameStop-exclusive Terminus Armor increases running speed and personal shields, as well as adding extra ammo to every gun in your arsenal. GameStoppers will also get the M-90 Blackstorm heavy weapon, which "generates a high-powered localized gravity well, accelerating particles to infinite mass" according to the press release.

All other retailers will get the Inferno Armor, which increases Shepard's negotiation skills, running ...

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First Borderlands DLC announced

2K Games has announced the first downloadable content to be made available for the publisher's upcoming shooter, Borderlands. No solid release date has been given, but Gearbox Software is already working on Borderlands, The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned, which will debut later this year on all platforms for $9.99 (800 MS Points).

The DLC will be the first in "a series of downloadable expansions" for the single- and multiplayer-blending title, and will revolve around the story of Dr. Ned, who has accidentally infected the workers of Jakobs Cove, turning them into zombies and other monstrosities in desperate need of a cure (or a bullet). 2K promises new enemies, new quests, and rare loot drops in the expansion.

Boderlands releases on October 20th for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and on October 26th ...

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New 250GB PlayStation 3 priced and dated for North...

Sony's new 250GB PlayStation 3 console has finally been given both a release date and a price for North America. The console is set for a November 3 shelf date and will retail at $349.99.

The console will feature the same "Slim" body of the newest 120GB PlayStation 3 and will perform exactly the same. The only difference will be the more than doubled size of the console's hard drive.

[PlayStation 3 Blog]

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Left 4 Dead 2 demo arriving early for pre-orders

Anyone who has pre-ordered Left 4 Dead 2 will be getting the demo for the game a week earlier than everyone else, as Valve announced the details for the demo today.

The demo will become available for everyone on November 10, with Xbox Live Gold members getting access to it on November 3, and anyone who has pre-ordered the game being allowed to get their hands on it on October 27.

The upcoming demo will include gameplay from The Parish campaign, which is set in New Orleans' French Quarter. It will allow one to four players to play together both online and locally for both the Xbox 360 and PC versions. The demo will include all the new boss infected and melee weapons, with the Xbox 360 version also offering split-screen play.

Left 4 Dead 2 is set for a November 17 release.

[Kotaku]

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Dragon Age flash game being developed

EA has announced that the company is developing a browser-based flash game titled Dragon Age Journeys, a collaboration between EA 2D and BioWare. EA 2D is a flash game development house that focuses on browser games. The game will be a "3 chapter, single player, tactical RPG," with the first part being titled, Dragon Age Journeys: The Deep Roads.

"The game will introduce you to the dwarven city of Orzammar and the Deep Roads surrounding it where the dwarves face a persistent threat from the darkspawn hordes."

EA 2D has worked with BioWare to feature character classes, talent trees, and other assets from Dragon Age: Origins and also has received feedback from BioWare founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk. 

No word on the game's release date or whether it takes place before or after the...

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PokePark Wii: Pikachu's Big Adventure announced

Pokemon fans have been feeling pretty starved on Nintendo's latest console, but looks like the Big N is getting ready to remedy that and deliver your Pokemon fix. Nintendo today announced PokePark Wii: Pikachu's Big Adventure, a Wii-exclusive title that focuses on the Pokemon mascot and is being developed by Creatures, Inc.

The game looks to be a cross between Pokemon Snap, Pokemon Stadium, and Mario Party. You play as Pikachu, competing against and cooperating with different pokemon as you travel through a theme park playing "tag, battle, and quiz mini-games." You can also photograph the pokemon you meet. The game releases on December 5 in Japan, and we can definitely expect a U.S. release soon after.

[Joystiq]

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Xbox 360 Twitter and Facebook update accepting pre...

If you can't wait to get to tweeting and updating your Facebook page right from your 360, Microsoft is offering players the option to preview the new Dashboard update. Major Nelson updated his blog saying the signup process for preview access has opened and is looking for "multiple thousands" to participate.

If you want to participate and throw your name in the hat, head over to Microsoft Connect and complete the survey. Keep in mind you need a Windows Live ID to participate. If you are selected, you will receive an email in about a week and Microsoft will push the update to your system.

[Major Nelson]

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