Linkin Park 2010 Wrap Up

2010 has been a great year for me and my band.  Here are some 2010 year-end stats for the LP record books:

We released “A Thousand Suns”, which debuted at #1 in 15 countries.

The album debuted with an amazing contest called “Linkin Park Featuring You” on MySpace where fans were given pieces of our first single before it was released.  They remixed the tracks, and we picked a winner named NoBrain–and included his work on our album.

We got a chance to play in a number of places we’ve never visited before, including the U.A.E. and Israel.

At home in the U.S., our first single, “The Catalyst” was the first #1 debut in the history of the Billboard Rock Songs chart.

“The Catalyst” and “Waiting For The End” both went to #1 on the Alternative radio chart, bringing our career tally to ten #1 songs thus far.

LP won an EMA for “Best Live Act,” and we’re in the running for the upcoming People’s Choice Awards, Japan Gold Disc Awards and German Echo Awards.

We released 8-Bit Rebellion for iPod, iPod Touch, and iPad, which debuted at #1 on the iTunes music app chart.

“A Thousand Suns” went to #1 on Nielsen Soundscan’s Best Selling Rock album of 2010

Chester made an appearance in Saw 3D, which also saw a #1 debut at the box office

We held our first LP Underground Summits, in London and Sydney, which quickly became one of the most memorable experiences for LPU members who attended.

As the year comes to a close, we’ll be crossing 20 million Facebook fans (more than Starbucks, Disney, or McDonalds–but still catching up to Michael Jackson at 26MM!)

Following the earthquake in Haiti, the band organized Download To Donate (downloadtodonate.org) where supporters and fans of over a dozen bands could come to download tracks for free, and donate funds to support relief efforts in Haiti.  This effort is ongoing.

“A Thousand Suns” was a risky album–one that veered off a more predictable path into territory that definitely got fans and non-fans talking.  It’s been fun to see how perceptions and opinions have swelled and changed.  As we move into the next year, we’ll be looking forward to the next leg of the world tour, another single, another video, and whatever else comes next.  A huge “thank you” is due to everyone who has helped make 2010 a successful year for the band.  We appreciate you.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas 2010!

Merry Christmas everyone! This year my family and I are going to celebrate Christmas with my grandparents. We always change each year.

I'm excited to see what I will get this year, my brother and I always get many Christmas presents. I've wished for PlayStation Move, and I really hope I will get it. Otherwise I will buy it myself. I always get money because I don't now what to wish for.

This year I've bought all my gifts online. It's good because I don't have to stand in line with all the other stressed Christmas shoppers. I even got them wrap for a small fee.

The weather this year is perfect with a lot of snow, just as I've always wanted! However, it doesn't happen that often that it comes snow for Christmas.

I hope everyone will have a great Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Wishes

Mattias (24Xero)

Video Game Awards 2010

What happened at today’s Spike TV Video Game Awards? New game announcements, first look trailers (some with actual gameplay), release dates, and Neil Patrick Harris. Catch up on the most important news right here if you missed anything.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Bethesda Game Studios reveals the sequel to Oblivion, the role-playing game known as Skyrim, via short teaser. The game is also given a release date — November 11, 2011. [HD trailer]

Mass Effect 3

BioWare’s next shooter space opera is formally announced as a battle for Earth and given a release window of Holiday 2011. [HD trailer]

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Naughty Dog brings back Nathan Drake for another adventure, this one set in the desert and beyond. The PlayStation 3 game also gets a release date of November 1, 2011. [HD trailer]

SSX: Deadly Descents

EA unveils its next SSX, in which video game snowboarders “explore the story of a team who seek to be the first to descend the faces of the most treacherous mountain ranges on the planet.” [HD trailer]

Resistance 3

We get our first peek at gameplay in Resistance 3 and a release date for the PS3 game, September 6, 2011. [HD trailer]

inSane

Director Guillermo del Toro teams up with THQ and Volition Inc for inSane, a horror game that’s quite far off. The teaser trailer definitely looks like a game that won’t hit until 2013. [HD trailer]

Prototype 2

Developer Radical Entertainment officially unveils the next Prototype game. It won’t go head to head with Infamous again, because Prototype 2 won’t be released until 2012. [HD trailer]

Kratos Comes To Mortal Kombat

The God of War joins the fray in a PlayStation 3 exclusive. Kratos wins! [HD trailer]

Batman Arkham City’s New Bad Guy

Dr. Hugo Strange knows Batman’s biggest secret in Arkham City, which delivers a cool new trailer. [HD trailer]

Forza Motorsport 4

The Xbox 360 racing series doesn’t have much to show, with a mostly-live action teaser trailer formally announcing its existence. [HD trailer]

Portal 2

Valve releases a new Portal 2 trailer. It looks like a Pixar movie. [HD trailer]

Thor: The Video Game

Hey, there’s a Thor video game! [HD trailer]

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception uncovered!

No need to scan that headline twice and make sure you read it right – UNCHARTED 3 is real. This morning, Entertainment Weekly revealed the next chapter in the critically-acclaimed, top-selling UNCHARTED franchise – UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception.

UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception continues to evolve all of the core principles we laid out for the UNCHARTED franchise, most important of which is creating an unmatched and extremely compelling interactive cinematic experience. In addition to having a compelling story and authentic characters that all of our fans can relate to as key facets to creating this type of experience, we push ourselves and the capability of the PlayStation hardware through constantly refined gameplay mechanics and technology innovation. Our dedication to creating the best interactive cinematic experience can be seen in our last two games – UNCHARTED: Drake’s Fortune and UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves. We’re especially honored and humbled that both titles have been so successful, selling nearly 8 million units combined and earning more industry awards and accolades than we can keep track of. We’ve set the bar very high for us to outdo the past successes of our previous UNCHARTED games. We’re looking forward to taking on this challenge to top ourselves and create a truly unforgettable interactive cinematic experience that everyone can enjoy.

So, if you’re wondering what UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception has in store for you, we wanted to share some early details.

UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception features the return of famed fortune hunter Nathan Drake and follows him through a gripping, action-packed storyline that will take you all over the world. In his search for the fabled “Atlantis of the Sands,” Nathan Drake and longtime friend and mentor Victor Sullivan set off on a daring trek into the heart of the Arabian Desert. But when terrible secrets of this lost city are uncovered, their journey becomes a desperate bid for survival that will force Drake to confront his deepest fears.

Throughout UNCHARTED 3, you’ll be taken to spectacular new locations around the globe that will showcase all of the work we’ve taken on to take acclaimed physics, particle and visual effects to a new level.

Competitive and co-op multiplayer will return as a key ingredient to the UNCHARTED 3 package, where all of the new features we have planned will combine with our signature single-player cinematic gameplay to create a unique action-adventure multiplayer experience that can only be found in the UNCHARTED universe.

Oh, and there’s one more thing – UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception fully supports high-resolution Stereoscopic 3D.

We’re looking forward to exploring it all with you in the months to come. Be sure to hit up your local newsstand tomorrow and pick up a copy of the December 17 issue of Entertainment Weekly – you’ll find a ton of additional details on UNCHARTED 3 and the new art shown above in glorious, full color print. Enjoy!