Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Left 4 Dead 2

The new mutation for Left 4 Dead 2 has arrived! This week, the developers invite you to discover the "Chainsaw Massacre" Survivors have a simple chainsaw with an unlimited supply of fuel to get rid of the Infected. This transformation is available in the Campaign mode.

Results from the previous survey, which was "what is your favorite season?" Have also been reported. Once again, the Xbox 360 and PC players have hoisted the same answer to the first place and thus Dark Carnival, which receives public favor. Side joystick, the campaign gets 33% of the votes against 27% on the side of the aficionados of the mouse and the keyboard.

This result has been put into perspective with the percentage of games played on each campaign last week. If players XBox 360 are consistent, Dark Carnival season was the most played with 27% parts, PC gamers have them more often vented on Dead Center (26%), Dark Carnival arriving only a second with 21% . However, we must draw any hasty conclusions, here it is just a beautiful example of "inaccuracy" of this type of surveys: those who responded were simply not be representative of the community .

The new question this week is this: if you were to remove an object Survivors Versus mode, which would it be?

inally, the three favorite videos of developers following week "Last Man On Earth" have been revealed. As a reminder, the team of Left 4 Dead 2players invited to post a video of the 60 best seconds of survival in this game mode relatively oppressive.

Software developer plays WoW

Gabe Newell is among the most accomplished software developers in the world, plays WoW on a 42" TV

The scariest PC games ever

Monsters, mayhem, blood and guts - all elements of good horror, and good video games. The people at IGN have compiled a list of what they consider to be the scariest PC games ever. In chronological order:


* Alone in the Dark (1992)
* X-COM: UFO Defense (1994)
* Resident Evil (1997)
* Half-Life (1998)
* Aliens vs. Predator (1999)
* System Shock 2 (1999)
* American McGee's Alice (2000)
* Clive Barker's Undying (2001)
* Silent Hill 3 (2003) (not yet released for the PC)
* DOOM III (2004) (the scariest game we may never play)

Tags: The scariest|PC games|horror|video games

A Nintendo DS for every student!

A ten elementary and middle schools in the Osaka area will begin plans to distribute Nintendo DS consoles, plus educational software, to their students; though the kids won’t get their hands on them until January. Surprisingly the Osaka Board of Education approved of this teaching method.

Tags: Nintendo DS, japan, study, Osaka, teaching, edu-software

Penny Arcade commemorated by the State of Washington

Penny Arcade founders Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik have been honored in a formal bill, which was approved by the home state of Washington. For a period of ten years, and they serve as industry commentators unprecedented, strong vocabulary enthusiasts, and supporters of citrus assault robots.

The draft law, which does not serve any purpose other than to give it a legally recognized to the pair, and was approved on the recognition of their contribution to the economy, charity and the internet funnies.

This move prompted by the recent anniversary of comic ten years, and Penny Arcade Expo, which pull in about 58,500 visitors to the Washington Convention Center and the Department of Child's Play charity to raise $ 4.5 million dollars for children's hospitals across the United States.

SENATE RESOLUTION
8640
By Senators Jarrett, McAuliffe, and Fraser
WHEREAS, The greater Seattle area is home to over 45 video game companies, making the
video game industry in Washington one of the largest in the nation; and
WHEREAS, Jerry Holkins, a comic writer, and Mike Krahulik, a cartoonist and artist, both
originally from Spokane, Washington, collaborated to create an online comic about video games
called Penny Arcade in the fall of 1998; and
WHEREAS, Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik recently celebrated the comic’s 10th anniversary;
and
WHEREAS, In 2004, Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik launched the first annual Penny
Arcade Expo, a gaming festival in Bellevue, Washington; and
WHEREAS, By 2008, the Penny Arcade Expo has grown to become the largest game
convention in the United States, with over 58,500 video game enthusiasts attending the Penny
Arcade Expo at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in August 2008; and
WHEREAS, The Penny Arcade Expo attracts thousands of tourists from around the globe
to visit the city of Seattle while attending the convention, and has served to further reinforce Seattle’s
status as a leading locale of the game industry; and
WHEREAS, In 2003, Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik created the Child’s Play Charity, an
organization which raises contributions of money and toys to donate to Children’s Hospitals
worldwide; and
WHEREAS, Child’s Play Charity has raised over 4.5 million dollars for sixty different
Children’s Hospitals since it was established, including Washington’s own Seattle Children’s and
Sacred Heart Children’s Hospitals;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate officially
recognize the accomplishments of Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik in becoming widely accepted
leaders in the computer and video game industries, encouraging industry growth through
scholarships, and advancing Washington State as a hub of the gaming industry through the presence
of Penny Arcade Expo; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate honor Jerry Holkins and
Mike Krahulik for their hard work and dedication to improving the lives of hospitalized children
worldwide through their creation and continued work with Child’s Play Charity; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted
by the Secretary of the Senate to Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik.
I, Thomas Hoemann, Secretary of the Senate,
do hereby certify that this is a true and
correct copy of Senate Resolution 8640,
adopted by the Senate
March 5, 2009
THOMAS HOEMANN
Secretary of the Senate

Tags: Penny Arcade, Washington, Jerry Holkins, Mike Krahulik

The next Need For Speed Screenshots

Electronic Arts has released some of the first screenshots from their upcoming racing title, Need for Speed: Shift.



These latest shots give us a quick look at the game's detailed environments and a handful of different vehicles.

Need for Speed: Shift combines impressive real-world locations and cars, solid simulation gameplay, and some interesting additions to help immerse you in the racing experience. It's currently set for an autumn 2009 release on the PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PSP. In the meantime, stay tuned to Gamer box for more on Shift as it approaches. As someone who is a big fan of everything from Burnout to Gran Turismo, I can say that I was not only pleasantly surprised by what I saw of Shift, but I'm also now very excited to get my hands on the full release later this year.



As someone who is a big fan of everything from Burnout to Gran Turismo, I can say that I was not only pleasantly surprised by what I saw of Shift, but I'm also now very excited to get my hands on the full release later this year.

Tags: NFS, Need For Speed, Screenshots, Shift

World Of Warcraft More than cocaine addiction, teenager suffering convulsions after a match that lasted 24 hours

Online computer game Condemned as addictive as cocaine, after a teenager suffered convulsions after playing 24 hours non-stop

World of Warcraft has been hugely successful in capturing the imagination of players by drawing them into the world of virtual battles.

However, it is at the centre of a growing problem of computer game addiction.

Highly addictive: World of Warcraft has been described by experts as the crack cocaine of the gaming world

A lot of players will sit in their rooms alone for hours at a time, immersed in the lives of their fantasy character creations or Avatars.

Some milions around the globe play World of Warcraft making it the world's most successful 'MMORPG' - massively multi-player online role-playing game.

A report from Sweden's Youth Care Foundation describes it as "the most dangerous game on the market".

The author of report Sven Rollenhagen said: 'There is not a single case of game addiction that we have worked with in which World of Warcraft has not played a part. 'It is the crack cocaine of the computer game world. Some will play it till they drop.'

The Swedish National Institute of Public Health has backed the report, adding: 'Computer game addiction is becoming more widespread across the world.'

The warning comes after a Swedish boy of 15 collapsed after playing it for for 24 hours earlier this month.

Hospital doctors diagnosed an epileptic type seizure brought on by sleep deprivation, lack of food, and too long a stretch of concentrated game playing. He has made a full recovery.

The Pediatrics' American Academy recommends no more than one to two hours per day of 'screen time'.

Psychiatrist Dr Richard Graham of London's Tavistock Centre said: 'Some of my clients will discuss playing games for 14, 16 hours a day at times, without breaks and without attending to their physical needs.

'For those, the consequences are potentially severe.

'Such prolonged gaming can produce a sort of socially withdrawn figure who may be connecting with people in the game, but is largely dropping out of education and other social opportunities.'

Tags: World Of Warcraft, cocaine, addiction, teenager, suffering, convulsions, A match that lasted 24 hours

Nintendo New Controller

Take a look at the new Classic Controller Pro.


February 26, 2009 - Normally we'd scoff at the idea of Nintendo releasing yet another new controller hell, we've already got the Wii-mote, nunchuk, zapper shell, wheel shell, balance board, classic controller, and GameCube controller, not to mention third party offerings like the Hori sticks and alternate pads) but in this case, we're on board

Behold the new Classic Controller PRO from Nintendo

As seen above, Nintendo's Japanese website has been updated with a new Classic Controller PRO model, and while it's got no release date or price just yet, we're already more than intrigued at this larger, more form-fitting design.

If you want to game on Virtual Console, your best bet right now is the Classic Controller or a GameCube pad. Still, while the Wii's throwback offering has the look of the Super NES pad from the golden era of gaming, it doesn't exactly feel form-fitting in its design. The back is oddly slanted, the finish on the controller feels a bit slick, and the sticks are too close together to really feel comfy.

From the info we've already got on the PRO, we know it's a larger controller, not only in thickness, height, and width, but it also makes use of one of the more well-received concepts out there, which is the extension grips, which gives it a GameCube, Xbox Controller S/360 look. As you can see, the Z buttons (Z/L and Z/R) are larger now, and placed like the R1/R2, L1/L2 setup found with Sony controllers. The PRO even borrows from the Nyko Classic Controller and Click Grip, shown below.

Above, Nyko's Classic Controller and Grip. Pretty similar.

We'll have more on Nintendo's controller as news breaks. As for price and strategy from here on out, Nintendo hasn't commented but we'd estimate a worldwide release by the end of 2009 (a slow move from Japan to Europe, US, and beyond, with no real fanfare for the switch), and a price tag of $24.99, five bucks over the current Classic Controller, at least until the old model is worked out of retailers. The Pro makes use of a Wii-mote for power, and we're hoping Nintendo makes use of a back-mounted cradle system for the Wii-mote, though of course nothing has been mentioned yet on that.

Tags: Nintendo, New, Controller, Classic, Unveils

A Lesbian suspended from XBOX Live

Teresa says that she was harassed by other players and later banned from XBOX Live because she identified herself as a lesbian in her profile. When she appealed to Microsoft, she says they told her that other gamers found her sexual orientation "offensive."

Teresa says:

Only my account was suspended because I had said in my profile that I was a lesbian. I was harassed by several players, 'chased' to different maps/games to get away from their harassment. They followed me into the games and told all the other players to turn me in because they didn't want to see that crap or their kids to see that crap.

As if xbox live is really appropriate for kids anyways! My account was suspended and xbox live did nothing to solve this, but instead said others found it offensive.

Today I received a message from another gamer calling me a fag. I am a lesbian, so they aren't too smart if they cant get their anti-gay slurs right.

Microsoft does nothing to stop this or prevent it, but instead sides with the homophobes. No one will help me get the word out about Microsoft's anti-gay policy. Not even the HRC who says Microsoft has a positive image with them. Not to me it doesn't!

We've heard of gamers being suspended for identifying themselves as gay in their GamerTag, and even one case of a guy whose name was actually "Richard Gaywood" but his tag was suspended anyway because apparently the word "gay" is so offensive that it doesn't matter if its actually your name.

As far as we know, Microsoft is unwilling to reconsider this position.

Tags: Gaming, Lesbian, Xbox, Xbox Live, Microsoft, Top

Sony starts shipping to Latin America

Now anyone in 13 Latin America countries can purchase a PS3.
Today, Mark Stanley, SCEA's Director and General Manager for Latin America, announced the arrival of the PlayStation brand in 13 Latin American countries.

This means if you live in a Latin American country you might want to run to your local game shop or any place that sells electronics to see if there all three Sony consoles, accessories, peripherals, and game are available for purchase.

Mark Stanley in his excitement of this event had this to say:

This is such an exciting opportunity and we’re looking forward to providing social entertainment and gaming experiences you can share among your friends and family around the world. This expansion is the direct result of feedback we received from you and we’re proud to deliver PlayStation products and services to enable you to easily connect, play and communicate with one another.

As a native of Costa Rica with many years working directly in the region, I know Latin America holds much promise of growth for SCEA. Muchas gracias to all of you in Latin America and around the world for your support!

As VGChartz Corporate Relations Manger, I would like to congratulate Sony in this expansion into the Latin Markets.I would also like to announce today on the behalf of Brett and the VGChartz Team that with Sony's expansion into new markets VGChartz will follow providing our tracking services. While the Latin American markets won't be the easiest to track sales data we look forward to this challenge.

Tags: Sony, shipping, Latin America, PS3, playstation 3, SCEA

Xbox 360 gamers suffering DoS attacks from malicious hackers

Microsoft is investigating problems with gamers being booted off Xbox Live by malicious hackers.

Hackers are using data flooding tools in revenge attacks on fellow Xbox gamers. Chris Boyd, director of malware research at Facetime Communications told BBC News: "There's been a definite increase in the amount of people talking about and distributing these things over the last three to four weeks."
"The smart thing about these Xbox tools is that they do not attack the Xbox Live network itself," Boyd said, noting that the hackers are able to identify the IP address of the Xbox 360 hosting a game, then hit it with a Denial of Service (DoS) attack.

Data flooding woes

Boyd explains that hackers "get your IP address, put it in the booter tool and they attempt to flood the port that uses Xbox traffic. Flooding that port prevents any traffic getting out."

Microsoft said in a statement: "We are investigating reports involving the use of malicious software tools that an attacker could use to try and disrupt an Xbox LIVE player's internet connection." "This problem is not related to the Xbox Live service, but to the player's internet connection. The attacker could also attempt [to] disrupt other internet activities, such as streaming video or web browsing, using the same tools."

Tags: Xbox 360, gamers, DoS attacks, malicious, hackers

Real Crimes Inspired by Grand Theft Auto

"Grand Theft Auto IV" was arguably 2008's best game. It's also America's touchstone, the game that continues to inspire the awe and ire of violent deadbeats, washed-up lawyers, dumb gangs, sexual predators and news-hungry journalists fearful of gaming's effects on the poor wee tots. And once in a while, it inspires a little bit of good, too.

In preparation for the "GTA IV: The Lost and Damned" download, there's no better time to take a look back on "GTA"'s considerable rap sheet. After reviewing the evidence, we believe you'll agree that "GTA" is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the world's most notorious video game.

Tags: Crimes, Grand Theft Auto, GTA, lost and damned, xbox 360

Buy Left 4 dead and save 50% this Weekend

Left 4 Dead [PC] Weekend Deal! Save 50% off this weekend only.

About the Game

From Valve (the creators of Counter-Strike, Half-Life and more) comes Left 4 Dead, a co-op action horror game for the PC and Xbox 360 that casts up to four players in an epic struggle for survival against swarming zombie hordes and terrifying mutant monsters.

Set in the immediate aftermath of the zombie apocalypse, L4D's survival co-op mode lets you blast a path through the infected in four unique “movies,” guiding your survivors across the rooftops of an abandoned metropolis, through rural ghost towns and pitch-black forests in your quest to escape a devastated Ground Zero crawling with infected enemies. Each "movie" is comprised of five large maps, and can be played by one to four human players, with an emphasis on team-based strategy and objectives.

New technology dubbed "the AI Director" is used to generate a unique gameplay experience every time you play. The Director tailors the frequency and ferocity of the zombie attacks to your performance, putting you in the middle of a fast-paced, but not overwhelming, Hollywood horror movie.

Left 4 Dead will be released worldwide on PC and Xbox 360 this November.

Download from Steam.

Tags: Buy Left 4 dead save 50% Weekend deal

The First Left 4 Dead DLC Pack will Be Free

Straight from the horse's mouth comes word that the upcoming DLC pack for Valve's Left 4 Dead is will be free of charge. That means that you and your fellow survivors can have fun with the new 'survival mode' as well as the two new campaigns for no charge. In case you did not catch on yet, this is excellent news! Now go blow away some zombies and get ready for the new content, which will release in the Spring on the PC and Xbox 360.

Official Release:
The recently announced Left 4 Dead Downloadable Content (L4D DLC) will be delivered to Xbox 360 and PC gamers free of charge.

Due for release this spring, the DLC for 2008's best-selling new game property on the PC and Xbox 360, is dubbed the L4D Survival Pack and introduces a new multiplayer game mode entitled, Survival, plus two complete campaigns for Versus Mode (Death Toll, Dead Air). A Critic's Choice Edition of the game will be heading to retail stores this spring, and will include access to all the content introduced in the L4D: Survival Pack.

Tags: Left 4 Dead L4D DLC Pack

The Best games Of 2009

January is over, marking the official end of the Christmas/New Year period. Sadly, most of us are now back at work and have less time for screen play.

The good news is that game publishers are also starting to awaken from their slumber, and over the next few weeks will deliver some exciting new games.

There is already a lot to look forward to on 2009 release schedules, and no doubt some of the year's tastiest treats have not even been revealed to the public yet. New Zelda and Mario games would be nice, and I can't wait to see what Fumito Ueda (Ico, Shadow of the Colossus) has up its magical sleeve.

Today Screen Play lists some of the most highly anticipated games likely to be released in 2009. The games are arranged by format, and I am very keen to hear the games that you are most looking forward to this year.

Nintendo DS

Chrono Trigger
Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars
Don King Boxing
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Broken Sword
Blue Dragon Plus
Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades
Populous
Lost In Blue 3
Puzzle Quest Galactrix
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
Time Hollow
Bomberman 2
Eledees: Adventures of Kai & Zero
Enchanted Folk and the School of Wizardry
Grey's Anatomy
Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure
Suikoden: Tierkreis
Mini Ninjas
Dragonology
Wizardology
Blood of Bahamut
Professor Layton and the Last Time Travel
Pokemon Platinum

PC

Football Manager Live
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin
Street Fighter 4
Lord of the Rings: Mines of Moria
Tom Clancy's EndWar
Dawn of War 2
Red Faction Guerilla
Empire: Total War
Puzzle Quest Galactrix
The Sims 3
Codename Panzers: Cold War
Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
Tom Clancy's HAWX
Bionic Commando
Heroes Over Europe
Silent Hill: Homecoming
Grey's Anatomy
Damnation
Prototype
Wolfenstein
The Last Remnant
Battlestations Pacific
Championship Manager 2009
Demigod
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Fuel
Mini Ninjas
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising
Dragonology
Hei$t
Borderlands
Mafia II
BioShock 2
Wanted: Weapons of Fate
DC Universe Online
Rage
StarCraft II
Diablo III
Dragon Age: Origins
Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince
Need For Speed: Shift

PlayStation 3

Eternal Sonata
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin
Street Fighter 4
Killzone 2
Resident Evil 5
Silent Hill:Homecoming
Disgaea 3
SEGA Mega Drive Ultimate Collection
Rock Revolution
Tom Clancy's HAWX
The Godfather 2
Bionic Commando
SOCOM: Confrontation
Last Remnant
Red Faction Guerilla
Wheelman
Stormrise
Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
Sacred 2 Fallen Angel
Afro Samurai
Heroes Over Europe
Damnation
Prototype
Guitar Hero: Metallica
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Fuel
Mini Ninjas
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising
Hei$t
NBA 2K10
Borderlands
Mafia II
BioShock 2
Wolfenstein
Singularity
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
inFamous
Heavy Rain
WWE: Legends of Wrestlemania
Bayonetta
Wanted: Weapons of Fate
Wet
Yakuza 3
White Night Chronicles
DC Universe Online
Rage
Splatterhouse
God of War III
Rock Band 2
Colin McRae: Dirt 2
Dragon Age: Origins
DJ Hero
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince
Need For Speed: Shift
Brutal Legend
Dante's Inferno


PSP

Star Ocean: Second Evolution
Yu-Gi-Oh Tag Force 3
Patapon 2
Diabolik: The Original Sin
Midnight Club: LA Remix
Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce
Resistance: Retribution
Phantasy Star Portable
Duke Nukem Trilogy
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
Colin McRae: Dirt 2


Xbox 360

Race Pro
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin
Street Fighter 4
Resident Evil 5
Silent Hill:Homecoming
SEGA Mega Drive Ultimate Collection
You're in the Movies
Scene It: Box Office Smash
Rock Revolution
Tom Clancy's HAWX
The Godfather 2
Bionic Commando
Halo Wars
Last Remnant
Red Faction Guerilla
Wheelman
Stormrise
Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
Sacred 2 Fallen Angel
Afro Samurai
Heroes Over Europe
Damnation
Prototype
Battlestations Pacific
Guitar Hero: Metallica
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Fuel
Mini Ninjas
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising
Hei$t
NBA 2K10
Borderlands
Mafia II
BioShock 2
Wolfenstein
Singularity
WWE: Legends of Wrestlemania
Bayonetta
Wanted: Weapons of Fate
Wet
Star Ocean 4
Halo 3: ODST
Rage
Splinter Cell: Conviction
Splatterhouse
Rock Band 2
Colin McRae: Dirt 2
Dragon Age: Origins
DJ Hero
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince
Need For Speed: Shift
Brutal Legend
Dante's Inferno


Wii

Cooking Mama 2: World Kitchen
We Cheer
Dead Rising - Chop Till You Drop
Lost In Blue: Shipwrecked
House of the Dead: Overkill
Job Island: Hard Working People
Don King Boxing
Broken Sword
Guitar Hero: Metallica
Sonic and the Black Knight
Mad World
Wii Sports Resort
The Conduit
Tenchu: Shadow Assassins
Ready 2 Rumble Revolution
Castlevania: Judgement
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
Grey's Anatomy
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Dungeon
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Mini Ninjas
Dragonology
Wizardology
Boom Blox Bash Party
Monster Hunter 3
Spyborgs
Rock Band 2
DJ Hero
EA Sports Active - Personal Trainer
Grand Slam Tennis
Need For Speed: Nitro
Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince

Tags: The best games 2009 Nintendo DS PC Xbox 360 Wii PlayStation 3 PSP

Grand Theft Auto IV and Real-World Billions

The thousands of gamers rushing out to buy Grand Theft Auto IV were almost certainly heading back to their couches to get lost for hours in a vivid and seedy virtual world.

But in so doing, they also are playing a role in the real world – in an unfolding drama where hundreds of millions of dollars in actual money is at stake.


The frenzy of interest in GTA IV – both the early sales projections and strong game reviews – has given a modest boost to the stock of the game’s publisher, Take-Two Interactive. It closed on Tuesday at $26.63, up 16 cents from the day before.

In the previous few trading days, the stock has been climbing slowly from just under $26.

Those are pennies that could make an important difference in Take-Two’s future. And in that of its shareholders’ wallets.

The back story (that you likely already know) is that Electronic Arts, the video game behemoth, has begun a hostile takeover bid for Take-Two. Electronic Arts has offered $2 billion, or $25.74 a share, a price that Take-Two has rejected as insufficient.

Further, Take-Two’s management has said it would not negotiate acquisition terms until the introduction of Grand Theft Auto. Take-Two declined to say whether such negotiations have begun.

Given the current price of the stock – $26.63 – Take-Two obviously is not going to accept an offer for $25.74.

“The critical and consumer response to Grand Theft Auto IV vindicates our strategy of waiting until the launch with regard to E.A.’s offer,” said Strauss Zelnick, the chairman of Take-Two, in a statement.

So that’s that, then? Electronic Arts will have to raise it’s offer? Actually, not necessarily. The issue is going to be more complicated than that.

For its part, Electronic Arts has said all along that it expected a huge unveiling of Grand Theft Auto IV (industry analysts said it could sell 5 million copies in two weeks).

“We’ve seen a share price above and below our offer and it doesn’t change anything. We knew the game would be an extraordinary success,” said Jeff Brown, a spokesman for Electronic Arts. “All of that was factored into our offer of $2 billion.”

Also, E.A could make the case that the modest increase in Take-Two’s stock shows some caution on the part of Take-Two shareholders. After all, with a huge game like Grand Theft Auto IV hitting shelves, one could rightly expect a more considerable boost to Take-Two’s shares.

On one hand, the relatively modest increase in Take-Two’s shares could prompt E.A and Take-Two to act quickly. Take-Two would theoretically do so because it’s not sure how much more it can expect shares to rise in the short term, and would do so because Electronic Arts can justify to its own shareholders a price increase, given that its current offer is below market.

On the other hand, the increase in Take-Two’s stock could serve to greatly prolong talk of an acquisition. Take-Two might feel the market is just beginning to validate its business and that the stock is only just starting to rise. But E.A could be intent on sticking with its price and feel that the longer it waits, the more the enthusiasm spawned by Grand Theft Auto IV’s introduction will wear off.

The bottom line? The stock increase is a little bit like the results of the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania. The long-term impact depends a bit on the expectations you went in with, and the spin it will spawn in the ensuing weeks.

Tags: GTA IV buy price games

Gears of War DRM screwup makes PC version unplayable

Users on the Gears of War official forums are reporting that the digital certificates for the game have expired on January 28, 2009. Basically that means if you keep your PC's clock up to date, you can no longer play the game. The official Epic forum is ablaze with complaints about this issue, as the still-kicking community becomes enraged.

"I had this problem this evening, I had to change the date and time (from PM to AM) and I am able to get in just fine," one frustrated gamer posted. "I also changed it back to the current date and time and it didn't work. Change it back to yesterday AM and it works fine... EPIC games won't be on my list anytime soon...."

Unfortunately, DRM can sometimes feel like a rug that can be yanked out from under our feet at any moment.

Epic Games is aware of the issue, but don't expect much hard news about what to do about the inability to play the game. "We have been notified of the issue and are working with Microsoft to get it resolved," a super moderator posted on the forum. "Sorry for any problems related to this. I'll post more once we have a resolution." (Microsoft is the publisher, and GoW is a Games for Windows release.)

Until then? You can either fiddle with your computer's clock or not play. Neither choice is much fun.

Did Epic assume no one would be playing the title once 2009 came around? It's hard to understand why there would be an end-date hard-coded into the title's DRM, especially one that came less than three years after the game was released. Many PC gamers are leery of any kind of DRM that must dial into a central server to authenticate, wondering what happens if those servers are shut down. Now we know—in this case, the game shipped with DRM that was essentially counting down until the game would cease to work.

While it's not rare for games to ship with bugs every now and again, it's pretty shocking when one ships with an issue that causes the title to stop working for everyone who paid. Those who pirated the game, as usual, continue to play with no issues.

Tags: Gears of War bug resolved problem games

Dawn of war II For Free Download available now

Just a quick reminder that the Dawn of War II beta is now available to all people. With just a click, a little free time and 5.5 GB of hard drive space you could be well on your way to pitting orcs against space marines in the most stunning visual metaphor for the state of the video game industry ever.


System Requirements

Minimum:
o OS: Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista SP1
o Processor: P4 3.2 GHz (single core) or any Dual Core processor
o Memory: 1 GB RAM (XP), 1.5 GB RAM (Vista)
o Graphics: A 128MB Video Card (Shader Model 3) - Nvidia GeForce 6600 GT / ATI X1600, or equivalent
o Hard Drive: 5.5 GB of Hard Drive space

Recommended:
o OS: Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista SP1
o Processor: AMD Athlon 64×2 4400+ or any Intel Core 2 Duo
o Memory: 2 GB RAM (XP and Vista)
o Graphics: A 256MB Video Card (Shader Model 3) - Nvidia GeForce 7800 GT / ATI X1900, or equivalent
o Hard Drive: 5.5 GB of Hard Drive space

Download the game for free

Tags: Dawn of war II beta free download steam System Requirements