#executivedecisions
After a two-year stint as chief executive officer of GameStop, Dan DeMatteo slides over into the executive chairman position, with new CEO J. Paul Raines stepping in to guide the company to new heights of marketplace dominance. More »
At a recent press event in LA, Sony Online Entertainment revealed a November release window for PlayStation 3 and PC MMO DC Universe Online (the company declined to comment on the possible effects of bridging our universe with DC's). When we pressed for a more solid release date, an SOE rep kept mum, but reiterated that both PS3 and PC iterations of the title would arrive at retail simultaneously later this year.
With a release window finalized -- falling right in line with Sony's promised timeframe, might we add -- Sony will assuredly trot out the title in a more open fashion come E3 (read: we'll see more than just Metropolis, we hope). As for The Agency? Apparently that PS3/PC MMO from SOE is still hiding in the shadows for now.
#e3
Nintendo cannot escape our promise-checking. Last year the world's top video game game company promised some cool stuff for the next year or so in gaming. What came true? Was any of their hype was wrong? More »
In one of the most entertaining PR missives we've received recently, an Aperture Science memo (via Valve) has revealed that the Portal 2 event originally scheduled during E3 at Los Angeles' Regal Theater has been canceled. The game itself will still be showcased at Valve's booth, but whatever shenanigans that may have been planned for the event have been put on the back burner.
Of course, E3 won't be completely devoid of Portal 2-themed monkeyshines. The memo promises, "the event will be replaced by a surprise," adding, "the cancellation of the event is not THE surprise," and furthermore insisting, "the time, date and content of the actual surprise will only become available as you experience the surprise." After a build-up like that, whatever this surprise might be, it better be awfully surprising.
#republished
Much like telling an erotic story within a Victorian backdrop seems ever so sexy, human depravity juxtaposed against a seemingly golden age of good, moral values is darkly comic and that much more disturbing. More »
[Nintendo]
With the 3DS right around the corner, buying a DSi or DSi XL seems a bit foolish. Now, in Japan, it'll at least be a more cost-effective foolish decision, as Nintendo of Japan has announced price drops on both iterations of the DSi. The regular-size DSi drops in price on June 19 from ¥18,900 ($205.55) to ¥15,000 ($163.13), while the DSi XL drops from ¥20,000 ($217.51) to ¥18,000 ($195.76). The DS Lite is now "open price," meaning retailers can price it at their discretion.
In addition to the price drop, there will be three new colors of DSi XL available in Japan on June 19: blue, yellow, and green. These are a lot more fun than the previous luxury car colors for the giant handheld.
#clips
This New Japan Pro-Wrestling video shows off the Street-Fighter inspired moves of Canadian wrestler Kenny Omega. Among his arsenal is a hadouken and an ultimate atomic buster. Enjoy? [Thanks Jamie] More »
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is as different as a game could be from Batman: Arkham Asylum. That's in keeping with the source material (the intentionally campy Brave and the Bold cartoon currently airing on Cartoon Network) and with the team behind it (A Boy and His Blob developer WayForward).
The trailer after the break -- courtesy of IGN -- reveals a 2D, side-scrolling brawler featuring Batman and a rotating cast of sidekicks, including Hawkman, the Blue Beetle, and the beefiest Robin ever. Also, Batman turns into a panther creature for some reason! The cartoon's colorful universe and WayForward's 2D expertise make a pretty good team. The Brave and the Bold will be out on both Wii and DS in September.
We reported on EA's plans to reboot its basketball franchise last week and, sure enough, the company has announced NBA Elite 11 today. Set to hit the retail paint in October, NBA Elite 11 boasts "an all-new technology base, a new control scheme and a real-time physics system."
It's currently only in development for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and the new physics system means that players can now move around the court independently without being tied to another player. There's also going to be a new skill-driven shooting system that will require "accurate user input" and have its success tied into player orientation on the court -- no longer will there be "random dice rolls" to determine successful shooting. Finally, EA details a new "Hands-On" control scheme, which promises 1:1 movement, doing away with those long, annoying animations of the past.
Overall, it sounds like EA Canada is rebuilding things from the ground up for NBA Elite 11. But if you're going to do that, why not call it Hoop McGee and the Spalding Boys 11 or Slam Dunkerstein: The Legend of Curly's Gold 11? Why not get a bit more creative, you know?
Microsoft has added two more popular Xbox 360 titles to the console's Games on Demand system -- Medal of Honor Airborne and SoulCalibur IV are now available for download, priced at $19.99 each. Those of you overseas (or in the US with amazing memories) will know that MoH Airbourne actually appeared internationally back in February, but now everyone can enjoy the relentless slaughter of WWII soldiers from above.
Oh, and playing a fighting game as Yoda is fun, too.
Xbox.com: Add Medal of Honor: Airborne to your Xbox 360 download queue ($19.99)
Xbox.com: Add SoulCalibur IV to your Xbox 360 download queue ($19.99)
#design
In this day and age, logos are a fickle thing, companies going through them like clean underwear in the constant search for "reinvention". This week, one of the oldest developers in the industry has broken down and joined in. More »
#pokemon
Daisuke Yamashita, 33 years-old, has been arrested for two counterfeit stickers in an online auction for ¥3,160 (US$36). That's right two. More »
#southkorea
Being locked in a room to play Starcraft all day might sound like fun, but for those interned in South Korea's gaming "Chicken Coops", it's far from it. More »
#mediamolecule
If you've ever wondered how much crap it takes to fill a game development studio, wonder no more, as LittleBigPlanet developers Media Molecule are more than happy to show you. More »
#toys
Hot Toys has gone ,ad for Prince of Persia, revealing an action figure based on the movie that's not $100. Not $200. It's $300 worth of plastic Chesty Jake. More »
#hollywood
The Metal Gear Solid movie isn't happening. Solid Snake voice actor and Hollywood screenwriter David Hayter dishes what he's heard went down. More »
#gameface
Photographer Jason Travis has a neat idea: grab people off the streets of Atlanta and take photos of whatever's inside their handbags or backpacks. More »
A portion of a Nintendo Life review…
It doesn’t just settle for flinging a large quantity of similar puzzles at you, although it does include 500 of them, which is more than we can say for a lot of other downloads. For a meagre 200 points, it’s a no-brainer for number fans.
