GamerNode: Latest Game and Console News

Borderlands goes gold

Gearbox Software has announced that their upcoming sci-fi FPS/RPG hybrid Borderlands has gone gold, with a targeted late October release.

Set on the far-off planet of Pandora, Borderlands employs a unique mix of RPG elements -- quests, items, and PvP -- with traditional FPS fare like we've seen in games such as Fallout 3 (namely, a crapton of guns). A nifty four-player co-op mode sweetens the deal, allowing for some fun adventures with friends.

PS3 and Xbox 360 owners will be able to pick up Borderlands when it releases on October 20. PC gamers will have a bit of an extra wait with the the game arriving on October 26. Those gamers who reside across the pond will be able to nab the game on October 23 for consoles and on October 30 for the PC.

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Oddworld games coming to PSN, PC

The Oddworld games were some of the most innovative games in their respective genres. The last entry in the series, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath on Xbox, was a fresh shooter hybrid that told an amazing story, but didn't sell well unfortunately. If you were among the many who never experienced an Oddworld game, you'll soon get another chance to play them and hopefully show publishers that the Oddworld games need to return.

In an interview with Bitmob, Lorne Lanning revealed that the original "Abe" games on the PS1 are getting a re-release on the PSN Store "very soon," and that the entire series is going to be in a compilation package titled "The Oddbox" releasing this winter. It'll be nice to see these games get a second chance and a great way to get some portable Abe's Exodus on the go.

[Bitmo...

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Epic VP: We will support Natal

In a recent interview with the Official Xbox 360 Magazine, Vice President of Epic Games Mark Rein stated that the developer will have all its future Xbox 360 titles support in some way Microsoft's Project Natal, set to launch next year.

"Actually, we're just sitting down with them in the next two weeks I think, to bring our studio guys in to have a look," said Rein. "I have no idea what we're going to do from a game standpoint, but from an engine standpoint, it's definitely cool stuff and we will support it. I think any future Xbox games we make will have some Natal support. We always want to have something that exploits the unique capabilities of a platform."

He then went on to add that the support of Epic and its Unreal Engine will help to fuel further Natal support for developers looking ...

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Spider-man: Web of Shadows dev Shaba Stuidos close...

Shaba Games, who most recently developed Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, has been closed by Activison. Sources claim the decision was made due to the sluggish sales of Guitar Hero 5, leading to corporate downsizing. Thirty employees were laid off from the company, about half the company's workforce.

Activison has released this statement regarding the closing: "Activision continually evaluates the resources at our studio properties to ensure that they are properly matched to our product slate and overall strategic goals. As part of this process, we recently made the difficult but necessary decision to close Shaba Studios. We are grateful for the studio's contributions and wish this talented team success in their future endeavors."

Shaba Games started their development career with the PS1 release...

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Left 4 Dead 2 Scavenge Mode revealed

Left 4 Dead 2 is becoming more and more a game with its own distinct personality that is separating it from its predecessor. The new multiplayer mode recently revealed by Valve is a good example of this. Dubbed "Scavenge," this new mode looks to bring fast and frantic gameplay to players who don't want to invest in a longer standard multiplayer game. In Scavenge, four survivors must collect gas cans from smaller, confined maps and bring them to power a generator. They have two minutes to bring sixteen cans and gain twenty seconds for each successfully delivered can, while it's the Infected team's job to stop them.

The mode is well suited for players who want to get a quick game or are looking for a more tense experience than the normal Survival and Versus Modes. We'll see how the mode fares...

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New Super Mario Bros. Wii is super difficult

Russ Frushtick of MTV Multiplayer got a chance for some hands-on game time with the upcoming New Super Mario Bros. Wii, due out this fall. His conclusion? The game is freaking hard.

With the inclusion of a "Super Guide" feature -- essentially, computer-assisted gameplay via an AI-controlled Luigi -- the developers have free reign to crank the difficulty levels to previously unheard of heights. Apparently, the "Super Guide" is there to handle that tricky jump or nail that pesky boss--but only after a few humiliating deaths.

Releasing a reprisal of the classic Mario platformer may cause a lot of exasperated sighs with many gamers, but the boosted difficulty serves as a healthy wake-up slap in the face. Or something like that.

Frushtick elaborates:

"You remember those ghost house levels from ...

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"Epic Mickey" project not Wii exclusive?

A recent modification to the Game Informer website containing information about Warren Spector's "Epic Mickey" project has left many speculating that the upcoming title may not be exclusive to the Wii as was previously thought.

Reception among gamers for the title in development has been extremely well so far, as many fans of Disney's iconic mouse wish to see a darker take on the past of Mickey and the cast of Disney characters. Previous reports of the title being released exclusively for the Wii has dampened the excitement somewhat; evidently, the Wii still has a ways to go before being fully accepted.

Intriguingly, information about platforms have all but vanished from Game Informer's website.

Perhaps this change bodes a possible multi-platform release for the title; perhaps the folks at Wa...

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Project Natal will start high, drop eventually in ...

At Microsoft's "Open House" in New York yesterday, a roundtable discussion with Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division, produced some new bits of information surrounding Project Natal and its pricing structure when it launches.

Bach stated that the strategy with Natal will mirror that of the Xbox 360 console, where the price will start off high and eventually drop over time. "Relative to Natal, we'll see how the pricing cost works out," he said. "But people should expect that it will go through the usual price curve."

Along with the pricing, Bach was asked when the media can stop referring to Natal by its codename. In a joking manner, Bach simply answered with, "When we tell you to call it something else."

[Variety]

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Activision releases 30 from 7 Studios

Back in April, Activision acquired the developer of DJ Hero's competitor Scratch the Ultimate DJ. Today the publisher laid off approximately 30 people from the developer, 7 Studios.

Both the developer and Activision are in the middle of a lawsuit with Scratch publisher Genius Products and the turntable controller maker Numark Industries. The suit claims that Activision and 7 Studios conspired with one another "in an effort to delay the development and release of Scratch and to gain access to proprietary technology."

Activision has denied these charges brought on by the suit and states that the purchase of 7 Studios was designed to "bolster its development capabilities," and not delay DJ Hero's competition. Activision also said the acquisition occurred because it "provided the fledgling devel...

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GTA IV: Ballad of Gay Tony achievements strut in

Developer Rockstar Games has released the Xbox 360 achievements list for its upcoming GTA IV expansion, The Ballad of Gay Tony.

The list potentially reveals certain key plot elements of the new content, so avert your eyes if you wish to experience Ballad unfettered. Netting the entire gamut of achievements will gain you a total of 250 Gamerscore points.

Without further ado, the achievements:

Gone Down - 5

Complete all base jumps.

Diamonds Forever - 5

Complete the Trinity.

Four Play - 10

Hit a flag with a golf ball four times.

Bear Fight - 15

Win the L.C. Cage Fighters championship.

Catch the Bus - 15

Dance perfectly in both Tony's nightclubs.

Snow Queen - 20

Complete 25 drug wars.

Adrenaline Junkie - 25

Freefall for the longest possible time.

Maestro - 30

Finish the Ballad.

Past the Velvet Rope - 45

Score 80%...

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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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DotA developer joins Valve

IceFrog, the secretive developer behind the celebrated Warcraft III mod Defense of the Ancients: Allstars has been chosen to lead a new design team at Valve Software.

While not revealing any specific details on the decision to join Valve, IceFrog does remark that the move will be "great news for DotA fans."

"I finally have all the resources needed to do some very exciting stuff that you guys will love," IceFrog states. "As I've said many times in the past and especially after today's developments, I am very excited about DotA's future!"

It remains to be seen whether the newest addition to Valve's team will enable the company to branch out into game genres other than shooters. DotA fans are speculating wildly about a possible Valve adaptation of the Warcraft III add-on. Barney Calhoun, DotA he...

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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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Epic Mickey finally confirmed

After numerous steampunk-esque screenshots and anonymous tipsters, Epic Mickey has finally been confirmed by Game Informer.  The upcoming game from Warren Spector's Junction Point and Disney Interactive Studios will be featured in the next issue of Game Informer along with some stunning cover art. The game will be a Wii-exclusive action game, though not much is known other than this.

The game's rumored premise is that all the old, forgotten characters from Disney's past are coming back for revenge against Mickey for stealing all the limelight and are looking to get rid of him for good. The paintbrush on the cover could also point to a Wiimote gameplay mechanic a la Okami, and a possible defense against enemies.

[Game Informer]

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Modern Warfare 2 delayed on PC

A report from Electronic Theater is stating that the PC version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been delayed.

Originally intended to release alongside the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game as well as the Nintendo Wii's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex and the Nintendo DS' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Mobilized on November 10, the PC version will now release two weeks later on November 24.

Electronic Theater is sourcing the information on the delay to the new release schedule for Activision-Blizzard that lays out their Autumn/Winter line-up.

[Electronic Theater]

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Molyneux hints at Natal in Fable 3

The man in charge of the Fable series and creator of the Project Natal program "Milo" has hinted that the Xbox 360's motion device will be used in the next Fable game. Peter Molyneux said when talking about Fable 3 he is "leaving the most exciting gameplay stuff for later." He then added, "I am going to say it's going to use a controller, but I've never said it's not going to use Natal."

The man behind the series then gave a hint of just how tight-lipped anything involving Project Natal is. "And obviously what would probably happen if I started talking about this is you would see a little red dot appear moving on my forehead," said Molyneux. "And then as I would start to speak the words then there would be a shotgun fire, and I would be assassinated. Quite clearly, it is that sensitive."

Tha...

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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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Red Steel 2, Rabbids Go Home get cross-game preord...

Ubisoft is set to offer Wii owners some cool preorder bonuses for their upcoming releases. Pre-ordering Rabbids Go Home through Gamestop will net you two in-game rabbids dressed up as Sam Fisher and Altair, from Splinter Cell and Assassin's Creed respectively. Likewise, preordering Red Steel 2 through the retailer will get you two exlusive in-game swords. 

[VG247]

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