Gamernode: Latest Game and Console News

GTA IV ads go big. Really big

There's a saying that goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words." If this adage is true then the campaign for Grand Theft Auto IV is reaching mammoth proportions as far as the size of ads are concerned.

In downtown Los Angeles, the Hotel Figueroa sports three gigantic murals on the sides of its buildings proclaiming the word that Grand Theft Auto IV is truly coming. The scope of the murals is truly amazing--the artwork spans at least 12 stories high.

Thousands of commuters pass these murals daily and no doubt, there will be at least a few gamers driving by that will pick up the game because of the ads. For a peek at what they look like, look below.

[via nextgen]

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Modder adds motion control to his Xbox 360

A modder has taken it upon himself to add motion controls to his Xbox 360 controller. Specifically, he bestows upon his controller the gift of tilt and motion sensitive capabilities.

The modder said, "The mod uses a two-axis accelerometer that measures the left/right and up/down tilt, which is determined by measuring the force of gravity on the axis. The only part of the left analog stick that works after the modification is the button."

Certainly cool, but there's just one question: is this really needed? Wii motion control certainly adds to the experience and is fun and unique enough. However, those games are specifically designed and built around the Wii remote.

The 360's games are designed to be played with standard control methods. There is the case of the PS3, but no one I know actual...

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Age of Conan pricing revealed

Developer Funcom has revealed the pricing structure for their MMORPG, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, which is scheduled to hit store shelves on May 20th. An Aprill 22nd investor update states:

- The standard game SKU will have a Suggested Retail Price (SRP) of 59.99 USD in North America and 49.99 Euro in the European Markets.

- The subscription fee will be priced at 14.99 USD in North America and 15.99 Euro in the European Markets (plus VAT where applicable).

This monthly rate seems to be in line with other MMORPGs, but the retail box cost matches up more closely with Xbox 360 pricing than with current PC offerings (these are usually far less expensive than Funcom's SRP).

To make things more confusing, GameStop lists the PC version at $49.99 and the 360 version at $59.99, flying right i...

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Boom Blox: Best use of physics of any video game?

Last year Steven Spielberg signed a contract with EA to produce videogames and the resulting collaboration between the big-time movie director and big-time game publisher is Boom Blox for the Wii, scheduled for release on May 9. 

The game is described as a "high energy" game for the entire family. It will feature more than 300 levels, 30 plus characters, and include an in-game editor that will allow players to generate their own worlds of fun.

Amir Rahimi, senior producer of Boom Blox believes that the game has the best physics that have ever been seen on any game console to date.

"I certainly have not seen any game out on the Wii that uses... you know what? I might even be so bold as to say I haven't really seen another game that uses physics as well and as much as Boom Blox...We spend the ...

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BBFC says MGS4 will have "child rape"

The controversial and oft-deemed unnecessary British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has gotten their grubby paws on the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 4, and what they have to say about the game is quite interesting, indeed.

According to the BBFC, MGS4 features the "generally undetailed" violence that gamers have come to expect from the series, befitting the '15' rating that the board has classified it under. What might be surprising is the following line, lifted from the BBFC website:

"The game also features one use of strong language and references to suicide and an implied child rape."

Child rape, huh? Somehow that phrase seems like a trolling device devised to get the general public's attention and generate some ill-will towards the title, rather than being an honest description of the ...

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Devil May Cry 4 headed to PC this summer

Capcom announced today that Devil May Cry 4, released earlier this year for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, will be coming to the PC sometime this summer.

According to the press release, the PC version will feature "new modes, enhanced graphics options and some additional content." Capcom will also be releasing a demo version of the game before the final retail package is shipped, allowing potential customers to test out their PC's performance before blindly diving into a regrettable purchase.

Hopefully DMC4 doesn't suffer the same fate as the shoddy port of Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition, which disappointed PC gamers back in 2006.

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Are videogames destroying your life? No.

"What is it about games like 'World of Warcraft,' 'EverQuest' or 'Call of Duty' that turns good people into bleary-eyed zombies who forget to pay the gas bill? And do game developers design games to be addictive?"

When MSNBC starts off an article on their site with the above paragraph I do two things. I pause, taking a deep breath. And I make sure there is nothing too sharp near my desk that could injure a roommate if thrown in their direction.

Kristin Kalning, whose title is "games editor" for MSNBC.com, brings up the guy in South Korea that played Star Craft until he died and the couple in Reno Nevada that neglected their kids to play D&D Online. It gives me reason to be suspicious. To give her credit, she does go directly to a game developer and a doctor to get the answers to her above...

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No Gears 2 demo, says Epic

It looks like Epic Games will not be offering a demo version of Gears of War 2 prior to its release this November. This is the same route the developer took when the first Gears game was released back in 2006.

Associate producer Tanya Jessen revealed this decision to the gaming press:

"[There are] no plans for a demo. The reason being that it's been such a fast turnaround. A two year production cycle, for a game of this caliber, is really short.

Our focus is always on putting out the best possible game we can. Whenever you do a demo, you have to basically ship a whole separate product. As far as our plans after we ship, I can't really speak to that."

To add to that, I think it's safe to assume that anyone who hasn't been living inside an anorexic's refrigerator for the past two years know...

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GTA IV ads pulled in Chicago due to Fox newscast

Where would we be without Fox telling us how to live? Over the years, they've attacked numerous aspects of the gaming world--from blowing a non-explicit 5-second sex scene in Mass Effect out of proportion by reporting false information, to advocating that gaming teaches you to kill and nothing more.

Now, in Chicago, they are telling the gaming industry how to advertise.

Fox, reacting to recent shootings in Chicago, questioned the CTA why advertisements for the "unapologetically violent" Grand Theft Auto were popping up on buses and train platforms. In their report, Fox spoke of the game as if it caused the shootings and was altering children into mindless killing machines.

Their dreadfully lopsided report contained three street interviews, only one of which said they didn't care, statin...

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GTA IV: Which version will dominate?

April 29th. On that day the long awaited blockbuster title, Grand Theft Auto IV, will be unleashed upon the gaming world. From recent reports, GTA IV will have no problems selling out.

What some people are wondering about is which version of GTA IV will be more popular...the Xbox 360 version or the PS3 version of the game?

Microsoft and Sony aren't taking any chances and are actively promoting their versions of the game so as to gain as much market share as possible. Over in the UK, retail outlet HMV is offering 1000 Microsoft Points to sweeten the deal for those who opt for the Xbox 360 edition.

The PS3 version of GTA IV is outselling the 360 version by a large margin at UK's Asda stores. "Both titles have generated great interest on the Asda website, with strong pre-orders, and the PS3 ver...

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You can't go "Home" yet. Public beta delayed again...

When Sony first announced the user interactive program "Home" for the PS3 there was an immediate buzz surrounding the new program.

It promised to offer users a virtual community where PS3 gamers could meet each other in a virtual world, interact with one another, have virtual apartments to live in, and live in a digital realm free of charge.

You can't go home just yet because the open beta for Home has been pushed back from Spring to the Fall of this year.

Kaz Hirai, president of SCEA said, "We understand that we are asking PS3 and prospective PS3 users to wait a bit longer, but we have come to the conclusion that we need more time to refine the service to ensure a more focused gaming entertainment experience than what it is today."

Hirai emphasized the point that Sony would rather delay the ...

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Heavenly Sword developer working on a new game

If you ask Ninja Theory co-founder and chief developer Nina Kristensen about the videogame development landscape, she will tell you that it is a "brutal environment" for an independent studio. Lucky for Ninja Theory, however, they have been pardoned from that brutality, and have already signed with an unnamed publisher for an upcoming multiplatform title.

"It's a brutal environment out there for an independent, particularly considering the size of the games that we're developing," said Kristensen, "but we've now signed up the new game and the future looks pretty rosy for us."

Unlike Heavenly Sword, this new game will grace the Xbox 360 as well as the PlayStation 3, so the publisher won't be Sony Computer Entertainment this time around.

"Yes, our new game is going to be PS3 and Xbox 360. We ...

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Mechner trademarks "Prince of Persia Prodigy"

About one week ago, Prince of Persia creator and franchise rights owner Jordan Mechner registered a new trademark for "Prince of Persia Prodigy" in relation to "game software and electronic game programs..."

Given Mechner's trademarking history (Prince of Persia; Prince of Persia The Sands of Time; Prince of Persia Warrior Within; Prince of Persia The Two Thrones) this is likely the title of an as of yet unannounced piece of software - maybe even a tie-in with the upcoming Prince of Persia film.

When Mechner was questioned about possible movie-related Prince of Persia games back in December, he refused to comment, leading many to believe the tie-in speculation.

[via Trademork, Gamasutra]

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The Witcher enhanced edition delayed

Bummer, I was pretty pumped for May to roll around to check out the swank re-release of an enhanced edition of The Witcher for PC. But according to this news post on the game's official site, the enhanced edition has hit a delay; a revised release date will be posted in a few days.

The developer CD Projekt RED attributes additional polishing and tweaking required to ensure a steady worldwide release date -- attention was given to translations, especially changes to the English and German versions.

Don't forget, for you fans who already own the game, you'll be able to download all of the new enhancements and content for free! Here's a brief yet lengthy rundown of the new features in the enhanced edition of The Witcher:

"The Witcher: Enhanced Edition will be free of the majority of criticisms ...

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Metal Gear Online beta delayed till April 25th

Earlier today, eager Metal Gear Solid fans were all set to enjoy the launch of the Metal Gear Online beta that was supposed to take place but hopes were dashed when Konami announced a delay and suspended the beta. But in a subsequent update, Konami announced the beta will re-launch on April 25th and will run till May 11th.

So what attributed to the delay? According to the press release, there were simply too many people applying and hoping to get into the beta; in other words, they were hit with huge amounts of traffic. Konami will spend the extra days tweaking their servers and hardware to meet the demand around the world.

Here's the official word:

"We would like to thank all players for their keen interest in taking part in the beta test.

However, we regret to inform you that due to extraord...

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Earthworm Jim and others going Virtual Console

Following reports that Interplay will be reviving some of their old franchises, we now hear word that the company will be putting up their old Sega Genesis classics up on the Wii Virtual Console later this year.

The games Interplay will be bringing to the Virtual Console are Boogerman, Clay Fighter, and best of all, Earthworm Jim and its sequel.

Of course, the most exciting news for most of you (and for me) is the confirmation of Earthworm Jim coming to the VC. EJ and its sequel are two of the best games to ever grace the Sega Genesis and I'm elated to hear that the two games will be easily accessible on my Wii.

[via Gamasutra]

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Dev says there will be PS3/X360 graphics on Wii

High Voltage Software is developing a new graphics engine designed for the Wii called the Quantum3 engine and claims their engine is capable of producing graphics that are of PS3 and Xbox 360 caliber.

"Quantum3 is the result of 15 years development experience and enables developers to make use of advanced graphical features, including better dynamic bump mapping, light effects, glossing and other visual improvements. Additionally, Quantum3 uses a 16 TEV stage material pipeline that can blend up to 8 separate texture sources.

"The engine also uses advanced processing techniques to make gameplay smoother, examples including seamless resource streaming, projected shadows, morphing and much more."says High Voltage.

High Voltage's first title which will utilize the Quantum3 engine is called The C...

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Apparently, the PC (and gaming) is alive and well...

In response to earlier accusations that the PC is dying, Games for Windows boss, Kevin Unangst, has stepped up to the plate to announce that PC gaming is not kicking the bucket. Rather, PC gaming is fine, and is not going to pass on anytime soon.

Unangst declared recently that there is no physical obstacle that the PC must overcome. No more attention is needed by retailers and developers to boost sales. "The roadblock, if any, is the perception that there is a roadblock in PC gaming," Unangst wisely declared. He went on further to say that the idea of PC gaming death is near ludicrous, and those who believe so simply haven't looked at the facts.

However, when one does look at the NPD numbers, as Unangst recommends, it can be seen that for both 2006 and 2007, PC sales for The Sims and Wor...

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Bethesda says "no way" for a Fallout 3 demo

If you are a Fallout fan or someone who is curious in seeing how Fallout 3 will play like through a demo, Pete Hines of Bethesda Software has crushed your wishes. Hines said that there is "no way" to pull a piece of Fallout 3 from the main game code and have it functioning by itself.

"When you build it as one thing, there's no way to portion off a section and have it stand on its own without putting the whole game in the demo, which we're just not going to do. And it doesn't really capture the fun of a game like an Elder Scrolls or a Fallout, where you can go where you want and do what you want. So no demo, sorry."

Sorry indeed. With no demo slated for Fallout 3, Bethesda may be the one that is sorry because of possible lost sales because of the lack of a demo. While Hines' explanation of no...

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Web of Shadows um... web of site

Two days ago, during New York ComicCon, Activision and Marvel announced a new Spider-Man game coming to the PS3 and Xbox 360 (and DS and PSP and PS2 and Wii and PC... I heard it will be coming out on the ColecoVision also). Shortly after the announcement a trailer popped up and the official site went live.

Going to the site and clicking on your region immediately loads up the trailer, which was slightly annoying but easy enough to stop. The whole site isn't up yet, but there are two things to note. The first is a counter in the upper right. At the time of this writing it ends in about 9 days. It seems that is when the next trailer will be arriving... maybe.

What I find interesting about this game is that the community gets to decide what goes into it. The site actually says "Membership g...

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