24Xero's Blog 10 Year Anniversary!

Today is the 10 Year Anniversary of 24Xero.com, my blog. I posted quite a bit the first years. But then I began to have more drafts than posts. My last post was on February 21, 2013. I can't believe that over 6 years have went! My only excuse is the lack of motivation. I mainly post on Twitter and Instagram. So search for me there (@24Xero).

Hopefully I will get back and this site will probably change. I have a few ideas for new logos. The overall layout will stay the same most likely. If I find a new cool theme, then I might change to that. Change is good, even though it's hard sometimes.

That's all for now. And happy 10 Year Anniversary to my blog! 😍

PlayStation 4 Officially Revealed!

There's been many rumors about Sony's nextgen video game console. They invited us to "See the Future" on February 20th and everything pointed to that PlayStation 4 would make its first appearance. And I was very excited and a little nervous for the PlayStation Meeting 2013. It's always a special feeling when a new video game console is announced. I remember the last times it happened, and it's a wonderful feeling.

Today was the day everyone's been looking forward to. It was an exciting day for gamers everywhere. And it didn't take long before Sony revealed PlayStation 4 live to millions of gamers across the world. This next-generation console will deliver breakthrough gaming experiences for fans starting this holiday season.

PlayStation 4 is centered on all the gamers. It redefines rich and immersive gameplay with powerful graphics and speed, intelligent personalization, deeply integrated social capabilities, and innovative second-screen features. When Sony designed PlayStation 4, they focused on building an architecture that will allow the greatest game developers in the industry to push boundaries and dig deep within their imaginations to create the most immersive and unique games for gamers to enjoy.

The PS4 Games

The future of PlayStation is all about great games and entertainment, and at PlayStation Meeting 2013, Sony brought some of the brightest and most creative minds from the development community on stage to unveil the games that will define PS4. A partial initial lineup for PlayStation 4 includes first-party games from Guerilla Games (Killzone: Shadow Fall), Sucker Punch (inFAMOUS: Second Son), Evolution Studios (DriveClub), and Japan Studio (Knack), as well as titles from partners such as Activision/Bungie (Destiny), Blizzard Entertainment (Diablo III), Capcom (Deep Down), and Ubisoft (Watch_Dogs). PlayStation also reinforced its commitment to self-publishing and the independent development community by having Jonathan Blow onstage who gave a sneak peek of his upcoming title The Witness. Finally, the incredible minds at Media Molecule and Quantic Dream gave glimpses of their conceptualization process and the future of gameplay with some remarkable footage. Sony only scratched the surface at the event, and will have many more exciting titles to come.

With so much amazing content in development for PlayStation 4, the fans will get every opportunity to check out virtually any PS4 game when it becomes available. In the future, when a gamer sees a title of interest in PlayStation Store, they can immediately start playing a portion of the actual game.

DualShock 4

The new DualShock controller to PS4 has been redesigned and now features a more rounded form factor as well as what appears to be a slightly rubberized grip. The new, built-in sensor provides a highly sensitive motion controller. You can interact with games like never before thanks to the touchpad on the controllers' front panel. Sound effects are played back through a built-in speaker, and headset jack. You can both hear the game sound and chat with friends. The dual analog sticks on the controller have improved and got better precision. With the new, curved L2 and R2 buttons, you get even more control.

You will instantly be able to share images and videos of your favorite gameplay moments on Facebook with a single press on the DualShock 4 controller’s new SHARE-button. You can also broadcast while you play in real-time through Ustream, allowing friends to comment or jump into your game in new ways. This new feature will change the way you interact with friends while you play.

An LED Light Bar on the controller's top matches the color of the characters in the game so that players can keep track of each other. You can, for example, also see when a character has been damaged. The new Light Bar isn't just a way to identify your player number. It also works like a PS Move. Another reason that the Move functionality was incorporated into the DualShock 4 is to enable the console to know where you're sitting in relation to the TV, and your on-screen character. 

PlayStation 4 Eye

A new camera has been developed in conjunction with the controller, and it tracks the position of the DualShock 4 via the LED Light Bar. The PlayStation 4 Eye comes with a pair of 1280x800 cameras, four microphones and an 85-degree field of view. The two lenses are designed to be used in a variety of ways, including triangulating the 3D space, gesture recognition, Kinect-style body tracking, and in conjunction with accessories like the Wonderbook or DualShock 4 controller. The original PlayStation Eye camera only has one lens, and it had to do everything. With the new unit, one camera will concentrate on capturing the action and ensuring good picture quality, while the other is dedicated to motion tracking. Sony is also aiming to enable users to take 3D pictures and video and store it on the console. As for the microphones in the new PS Eye and how that'll impact interaction with the PlayStation 4 on a system level isn't known at this time. Though it'll be incorporated into games using voice commands.

The PlayStation Move controller will also work on PlayStation 4. Media Molecule, the creators of LittleBigPlanet, introduce on-stage what the company's been creating for the nextgen game system. They showed a video where they sculpted a digital clay and created their own characters and environments using the Move controller. You could then control the characters with the Move controller and act as puppeteers. Media Molecule didn't announce an actual game title, but is certainly working on a new game for the PS4.

With PlayStation 4 you will be able to access your games quicker than ever before. PS4’s “suspend mode” eliminates the load time on your saved game and allows you to immediately return to where you left off by pressing the power button. PlayStation 4’s background downloading and updating capability also allows you to immediately play digital titles as they download, or update the system when the hardware is powered off.

PS4 will make it easier for you to play your favorite games and access content wherever you are by leveraging PlayStation Network with Gaikai technology. Sony sees the PS Vita as the ultimate companion device for PS4 and it’s their long-term vision to make most PS4 games playable on PS Vita, so you can bring your favorite games from the big-screen TV to your PS Vita over Wi-Fi. They're also introducing a “PlayStation App” for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices that acts as a second screen, allowing for unique gameplay possibilities such as viewing maps during an adventure game or remotely watching friends play during an epic battle—right from a smartphone or tablet.

LP Underground 12 has launched!

Linkin Park has launched the 12th year of their official fan club, the LP Underground! You can choose from two different membership packages. Read further down for details.

And as always, the new LPU12 CD is available for order, both as physical CD and digital download. You can find the tracklist for LPU12 below. 

The $25 LPU Pass includes:*

- Annual membership to the LPU
- Membership laminate and lanyard
- Access to the newly redesigned LPUnderground.com
- Opportunities for Meet & Greets with Linkin Park
- Early entry at Linkin Park shows
- Access to pre-sale tickets
- $5 credit to the LPU store

The $60 Plus Pass includes:*

- ALL of the LPU Pass benefits
- PLUS LPU merchandise package including:
- T-shirt
- Water bottle
- Guitar pick
- Carabiner key chain
- Access to special LPU events including LPU Summits

FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY, the LPU12 CD featuring 10 never before released Linkin Park demos is available for just $1 when you purchase an LPU12 membership. As always, worldwide shipping is FREE. In addition, if you join LPU12 between now at December 1, you will be entered to win a guaranteed meet & greet with Linkin Park at a future show. 2 runner ups will receive a Linkin Park prize pack.**

Take advantage of these special offerings now. Join LPU12 today.

*Some restrictions apply. Offer subject to change and based on availability

**Subject to official rules

LPU12 Tracklist:

01. "Homecoming" (MTM Demo)
02. "Points Of Authority" (Demo) 
03. "Clarity" (MTM Demo) 
04. "Asbestos" (MTM Demo)
05. "Bunker" (MTM Demo)
06. "So Far Away" (Unreleased 1998)
07. "Pepper" (Meteora Demo)
08. "Debris" (MTM Demo)
09. "Ominous" (Meteora Demo)
10. "Forgotten" (Demo)

Linkin Park: LOST IN THE ECHO (24Xero Remix)

This is my version of "LOST IN THE ECHO" which I think is one of the best songs from LIVING THINGS. I'm happy that Linkin Park decided to do another remix contest, because it was fun to remix "The Catalyst" last time.

When I found out that it was "LOST IN THE ECHO" that we were going to remix, I immediately started to think in what ways I could change the song. I struggled a bit with the beginning of my remix. After a few variations, I decided to make an intro that started before the actual song began. I wanted my remix to have a lot of heavy beats and electronic sounds. I continued in this direction the entire track. I incorporated some of the original stems in the remix as well.

I put a lot of hours into this remix, and the result became something that I'm very proud of. Listen to my remix of "LOST IN THE ECHO" that you can find below. And if you like what you hear, I'd be happy if you voted for my remix.

LINKIN PARK: LIVING THINGS REMIXED (Cover Art)

This cover is for the LIVING THINGS REMIXED subscription that you get when you Pre-order the LIVING THINGS album from linkinpark.com.

I made the picture in Adobe Photoshop CS6. I mixed the "BURN IT DOWN" cover art with the LIVING THINGS cover. I layered the picture a few times to get this look with the colored fractions. I also put some scan lines in the background and added a little noise.

You can use this cover when you add the songs to your iTunes album. It always looks better to have a digital album cover rather than just a picture of a music note.

Linkin Park: "BURN IT DOWN" Cover Art

I've put together all the 16 pieces into one high resolution picture (2400x2400). And that includes the missing 15th piece (white area).

Before burnitdown.linkinpark.com went down I downloaded the scrambled 15th puzzle picture and put together all the small pieces in the correct order. When that was done I still missed one piece, the black one. So I figured that the opposite side must be similar, and it was. I was now able to fix the missing piece.

You can see the high resolution 2400x2400 picture below.

"Burn It Down" Coming April 16, 2012

Linkin Park is currently shooting a music video for the first single from their upcoming fifth studio album. Mike announced today from the set that the single will be called "Burn It Down" and will be released on April 16. He also mentioned that we will soon be able to unlock pieces of the song at linkinpark.com.

This has become a tradition for all Linkin Park fans to figure out puzzles and get teased with bits of the song. I remember how exciting it was when you got news about the upcoming Linkin Park album. When the single and album title was released and to find out the release dates. And the exciting feeling when you for the first time heard the newest single. When the track listing was released, I immediately started to think what the songs would sound like. It was always very overwhelming with lots of Linkin Park news. I didn't know what to do with myself. However, it wasn't too long before we got new stuff from Linkin Park because the music video was released, and it was always fun.

You can find the video from Mike below.

Resident Evil 6 coming November 20, 2012

Capcom has confirmed that Resident Evil 6 is in development and is coming this November.

The game is being released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 20, 2012. A PC version is coming at a later date. Capcom describes the game as a "blending action and survival horror" and is "the most ambitious, immersive and feature rich title of the series to date and promises to be the dramatic horror experience of the year."

The Capcom developers say Resident Evil 6 has been in development in secrecy for a number of years and has the largest team working on the game in the series' history. The staff currently sits at about 150 people, but if you include contributing parties, the total could reach as high as 600.

Resident Evil 6 will follow Leon S. Kennedy and Chris Redfield who will be "joined by new characters, each with their own unique perspective and involvement, in this relentless dramatic horror experience enacted on a global scale." The game's story between Chris and Leon will progress simultaneously. Leon's story is set in America while Chris' is in a city in China.

Leon S. Kennedy and Chris Redfield will star as the main protagonists, but Capcom says there's an additional main character, an unnamed male who's described as "the man who's told to save the world."

Executive producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi also confirmed zombies are returning for the sixth game, and noted that there are "many secrets" still surrounding them. A new enemy was also revealed, the Javo.

He also said that the game is being made to be the "ultimate horror entertainment" and highlighted two key concepts: "The fear the lies ahead" and "everything is overwhelming."

Here's a synopsis of the game's plot:

It has been ten years since the Raccoon City incident and the President of the United States has decided to reveal the truth behind what took place in the belief that it will curb the current resurgence in bioterrorist activity. Due to be by the President’s side is his personal friend and Raccoon City survivor, Leon S. Kennedy, but when the venue suffers a bioterrorist attack, Leon is forced to face a President transformed beyond recognition and make his hardest ever decision.

At the same time, Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance member Chris Redfield arrives in China, itself under threat of a bioterrorist attack.  With no country safe from these attacks and the ensuing outbreaks, the entire world’s population is united by a common fear that there is no hope left.

“Resident Evil 6 represents a giant stride forward in the evolution of the series,” commented Katsuhiko Ichii, Head of R&D and Global Marketing. “The development team, led by Hiroyuki Kobayashi, is working tirelessly to deliver the most impressive Resident Evil title ever both in terms of scope and production values.

"We are all genuinely excited by the title and cannot wait to share it with the world.”

Alan Wake on PC in 2012

Remedy Games is getting ready to launch Alan Wake on Steam this February -- the developer's first self-published title -- with a hefty FAQ session on its forum. Steam's Alan Wake will not be available on Mac, won't use Games for Windows Live and won't have a demo. It will use Steamworks, support keyboard and Xbox 360 controller input, and will include 'The Signal' and 'The Writer' DLC packs with the game.

Alan Wake on Steam can support stereoscopic 3D through NVISION 3D, although it is performance-intensive, Remedy warns. For normal gameplay, the expected system requirements are fairly standard.

Remedy says it is "still finalizing the optimizations and graphics scalability, so some details can still change," but these are the minimum specs for Alan Wake on PC:

• OS: Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
• PROCESSOR: A dual core processor is required:
• AMD: Athlon X2 2.8GHz
• Intel: Core 2 Duo 2GHz
• MEMORY: 2 GB
• HARD DRIVE: 8 GB
• VIDEO CARD: DirectX 10 compatible or later with 512MB RAM
• AMD: ATI Radeon 3650, 4450, 5550, 6450 or higher (per series)
• NVIDIA: GeForce 8600GT, 9500GT, GT120, GT430, GT520 (per series)
• SOUND CARD: DirectX 9.0c compatible
• INPUT: Mouse and keyboard, Xbox360 controller also supported

For max settings, Remedy suggests the following:

"For a solid performance, Remedy recommends a modern quad-core CPU and a graphics card with around 2000 in 3DMark Graphics Score as seen here. For max settings and high resolutions, a top of the line graphics card and CPU is needed."

Video Game Awards 2011

At tonight's Video Game Awards, Sony and Spike finally quit teasing us and formally announced The Last of Us, the next game from Uncharted developers Naughty Dog. Set in an America ravaged by a horrifying fungal infection that has left a few survivors in a desperate struggle for survival.

The trailer indicates a very Uncharted-looking bunch of people running from some very 28 Days Later looking infected. The Last of Us is due exclusively for the PlayStation 3 in 2012.

Konami's Metal Gear Solid: Rising is now Platinum Game's Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Raiden, apparently channeling his unstoppable child soldier roots, has gone fully cyborg ninja in order to hack, slash and grotesquely dismember every single thing that exists.

Before this year's Spike TV Video Game Awards properly started, the event's pre-show debuted a live-action, non-gameplay trailer for Tekken Tag Tournament 2. Aside from being well choreographed and remarkably stylish, the trailer offers little insight into the title other than the fact that it will be coming to unknown consoles sometime during the 2012 holiday season.

Winners of the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards

GAME OF THE YEAR

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

STUDIO OF THE YEAR

Bethesda Game Studios

CHARACTER OF THE YEAR

The Joker – Batman: Arkham City

VIDEO GAME HALL OF FAME AWARD

"The Legend of Zelda"

GAMER GOD AWARD

Blizzard Entertainment

BEST XBOX 360 GAME

Batman: Arkham City

BEST PLAYSTATION 3 GAME

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

BEST Wii GAME

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

BEST PC GAME

Portal 2

BEST HANDHELD/MOBILE GAME

Super Mario 3D Land

BEST SHOOTER

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

BEST ACTION ADVENTURE GAME

Batman: Arkham City

BEST RPG

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

BEST MULTI-PLAYER

Portal 2

BEST INDIVIDUAL SPORTS GAME

Fight Night Champion

BEST TEAM SPORTS GAME

NBA 2K12

BEST DRIVING GAME

Forza Motorsport 4

BEST FIGHTING GAME

Mortal Kombat

BEST MOTION GAME

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

BEST INDEPENDENT GAME

Minecraft

BEST ADAPTED VIDEO GAME

Batman: Arkham City

BEST SONG IN A GAME

"Build that Wall" (Zia's Theme) by Darren Korb – Bastion

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Bastion

BEST GRAPHICS

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN MALE

Stephen Merchant as Wheatley – Portal 2

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN FEMALE

Ellen McLain as GLaDOS – Portal 2

BEST DOWNLOADABLE GAME

Bastion

BEST DLC

Portal 2 Peer Review

MOST ANTICIPATED GAME

Mass Effect 3

GAMETRAILERS.COM TRAILER OF THE YEAR

Assassin's Creed: Revelations – E3 2011 Trailer

EA SPORTS NFL BLITZ DIGITAL COVER ATHLETE

Ray Rice

LP Underground 11 is here!

Linkin Park has launched the 11th edition of their fan club LP Underground. They have changed the entire website with many new features that the fans have helped shape thanks to all feedback from last year. The LPU has gotten a brand new members-only online community, an exclusive merchandise package and additional benefits, including LPU members' request for early admission into Linkin Park shows.

And the annual LPU CD will also be available for all the members to hear. You can buy the new LPU11 music on both digital and physical format. The LPU11 CD is filled with unreleased demos from Hybrid Theory to A Thousand Suns. Some of the songs on this CD are early versions of familiar songs, such as the “In The End” demo. Other songs on this CD never made it on a Linkin Park album and remained unfinished and in a raw form. All the songs represent the journey it takes to create an album as a whole.

The LPU11 $60 Annual Membership includes:

-A brand new website and online community EXCLUSIVELY for LPU members

-Membership package including a t-shirt, membership laminate and lanyard, LPU flag, and an earplug case and earplugs

-FREE worldwide shipping for LPU11 Annual merchandise packages

-New benefits including early entry to Linkin Park shows and downloads of LPU-TV episodes

-All existing benefits are still included such as access to meet & greets, presale tickets and invitations to LPU Summits, exclusive downloads and more

To celebrate the launch of LPU11, when you purchase the $60 LPU11 Annual membership package during the next 11 days (until Friday, November 25), you can add on the physical LPU11 CD for just $1.11 with FREE shipping. Just select the Annual Membership + LPU11 CD option in the dropdown on the purchase page.

CURRENT LPUX MEMBERS: Your LPU account is active until 1 year after you joined. Your LPU Password has been temporarily set to match your email address. Please login to your account and reset your password by going to "Manage Account", then clicking to "Account Settings". You may now specify your desired password.

If you already have an account on a different site that is powered by ground(ctrl), your password will be your usual password to login.

Linkin Park Underground Eleven (track listing)

01. "YO" (MTM Demo)

02. "Slip" (1998 Unreleased Hybrid Theory Demo)

03. "Soundtrack" (Meteora Demo)

04. "In The End" (Demo)

05. "Program" (Meteora Demo)

06. "Bang Three" (What I’ve Done Original Demo)

07. "Robot Boy" (Test Mix, Optional Vocal Take)

08. "Broken Foot" (Meteora Demo)

09. "Esaul" (A Place For My Head Demo)

10. "Blue" (1998 Unreleased Hybrid Theory Demo)

To learn more, visit LPUnderground.com.

Grand Theft Auto V debut trailer

The trailer for Grand Theft Auto V is finally here! I noticed a lot of familiar environments in the trailer, but all centered around Vinewood, a stand-in for Los Angeles. We're definitely getting back into some of the places we visited in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Our hero is a dad who says he's trying to be a good guy, but, well, it's a Grand Theft Auto game, so you can guess how well that works out. There are also a lot of images of financial ruin, so we're guessing the current economic crisis is going to play a big role.

Watch the debut trailer for Grand Theft Auto V below.

Grand Theft Auto V is officially announced!

Rockstar Games has finally announced the long rumored Grand Theft Auto V on it's official site. It was just a matter of time before they announced this. We weren't given any news about the next installment in this very popular franchise. 

However, we got a first look at the new Grand Theft Auto V (Five) logo. And at the bottom of Rockstar Games' site is a text that says, "Trailer 11.02.11." 

So it's safe to say that on November 2nd, we will get to see where the next game will take place. Many believe that it will take place in San Andreas? However, in the end, it doesn't matter because it will be amazing wherever it will be.

This is very exciting news to me because I've loved the Grand Theft Auto franchise ever since the first game. And I loved it even more when it turned into the 3D third-person shooter we all love today. I'm going to buy Grand Theft Auto V on the release date, just like I did with Grand Theft Auto IV.

Syndicate officially announced!

EA and Starbreeze Studios' remake of PC gaming classic Syndicate has been one of the industry's worst-kept secrets. First unveiled as "Project Redlime," copyright filings fingered the actual product over a year ago. And this morning, after leaking details of the game on its own Origin service over the weekend, EA and Starbreeze are finally ready to "reveal" Syndicate to the world.

"We are excited to finally reveal what we've been working on the past couple years," Starbreeze CEO Mikael Nermark told a press release. "It's been a great experience working with EA, and an amazing opportunity for us to use our expertise in the first person shooter and action genres to bring back, and reignite, the signature action/espionage gameplay of Syndicate."

In Syndicate, you play "Miles Kilo, Eurocorp's latest prototype agent," tasked with navigating a "Machiavellian world run without government oversight with many syndicates vying for total dominance of their local market place," set in the year 2069. Helping you navigate that complex web of intrigue: GUNS!

"Our goal with Syndicate is to provide a challenging action shooter for today's gamers as well as fans of the original," says EA Partners' Jeff Gamon. But if you're worried you won't have enough guns, Syndicate offers "a separate and deep 4-player co-op mode featuring missions from the original cult classic." And while it may have taken EA and Starbreeze some time to officially announce the project, it isn't wasting time in getting it into our hands; Syndicate is expected to be released in "early 2012" for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Max Payne 3 coming in March 2012

Rockstar Games finally announced some news today about their upcoming video game Max Payne 3. We haven't heard much about this delayed game except for some few pictures and news that it's still coming. 

You can read a post from Rockstar Games official site below. They've also released two new pictures from the game and the box art.

Today, we're proud to announce that Max Payne 3 - the new dark, gritty action experience that continues the tale of former New York City detective Max Payne and is sure to satisfy both newcomers and veterans to the historic franchise alike - is expected to launch on the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in March 2012 in North America and Europe.

Still haunted by the memories of his traumatic past, Max begins a new life working private security protecting a wealthy industrialist and his family in Sao Paulo, Brazil. When gangs target the family under his protection, Max is forced to fight to save his clients and clear his name, in a bid to, once and for all, rid himself of the demons that have tortured him for far too long.

A true cross-studio collaboration between Rockstar Games’ global development teams that picks up from where series creator Remedy Entertainment's Max Payne 2 left off, Max Payne 3 utilizes cutting edge technology for a seamless, cinematic action experience, incorporating the latest advances in Natural Motion physics as well as a brand new iteration of the Rockstar Advanced Game Engine, resulting in highly-refined gameplay with an extensive range of realistic weaponry, an intelligent cover system and sophisticated Bullet-Time mechanics.

In addition to an expansive single-player campaign, Max Payne 3 will also be the first entry in the series to introduce a thorough and engrossing multiplayer experience. In a unique twist, Max Payne 3 multiplayer delivers a compelling experience that dynamically alters maps and mode progression for all players in a match. Along with traditional multiplayer modes, Max Payne 3 will also include a deep reward and leveling system, persistent clans and multiple strategic load-out options.

Stay tuned for much more news very soon and check out a pair of brand new screenshots from Max Payne 3 below.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive coming to PlayStation 3

It's now official that a new Counter-Strike game is coming in early 2012. Counter-Strike: Global Offense will be releasing on the PC (Steam), PlayStation 3 (PSN), and Xbox 360 (XBLA). Valve says the game, which is being developed by Hidden Path Entertainment, expands on the game's original action.

"Counter-Strike took the gaming industry by surprise when the unlikely mod became the most-played online PC action game in the world almost immediately after its release in August 1999," said Doug Lombardi, VP of marketing at Valve. "For the past 12 years, it has continued to be one of the most-played games in the world, headline competitive gaming tournaments and selling over 25 million units worldwide across the franchise. CS: GO promises to expand on CS' award-winning gameplay and deliver it to gamers on the PC as well as the next-gen consoles and the Mac."

A version of the game was ported to the Xbox in 2003, but it's historically been a PC franchise. It should be interesting to see how console audiences who grew up with Call of Duty respond to the game.

Counter-Strike remains one of the preeminent competitive shooters around, even more than a decade since its release. If you go to any major eSporting event, you're bound to see the game in action. Elements of the game have even transcended the virtual world. While it remains popular, fans have been asking about a sequel for years now. And Valve has been dodging the subject for nearly as long.

The rumor about a new Counter-Strike game started when a post on eSports site ESEA had broken down some of the details, which was purportedly from pro players and others who recently visited Valve's offices to give feedback on the upcoming game's development. The game was supposedly called Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and it could be released as early as the first quarter of next year. It's said to be running on an updated version of Valve's Source engine, and it focuses on 5 on 5 gameplay. There are also obvious additions such as new guns, maps, and grenades.

Read the official press release below.

VALVE ANNOUNCES COUNTER-STRIKE: GLOBAL OFFENSIVE (CS: GO)

Next Gen Console, PC, and Mac Release Targeted for Early 2012

August 13, 2011 - Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Counter-Strike, Half-Life, Left 4 Dead, Portal, and Team Fortress) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO).

Targeted for release via Playstation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and Steam (for PC and Mac) in early 2012, CS: GO will expand upon the team-based action gameplay that it pioneered when it was launched exactly 12 years ago (CS beta 1, August 1999).

CS: GO features new maps, characters, and weapons and delivers updated versions of the classic CS content (de_dust, etc.). In addition, CS: GO will introduce new gameplay modes, matchmaking, leader boards, and more.

"Counter-Strike took the gaming industry by surprise when the unlikely MOD became the most played online PC action game in the world almost immediately after its release in August 1999," said Doug Lombard, VP of Marketing at Valve. "For the past 12 years, it has continued to be one of the most-played games in the world, headline competitive gaming tournaments and selling over 25 million units worldwide across the franchise. CS: GO promises to expand on CS' award-winning gameplay and deliver it to gamers on the PC as well as the next gen consoles and the Mac."

CS: GO is being developed by Valve in cooperation with Seattle-based Hidden Path Entertainment. The title is targeted for release in early 2012 and will be playable at this year's PAX Prime and London Games Festival.

For more information, please visit http://store.steampowered.com/app/1800/

Family Guy Online announced!

Fox has announced that Family Guy Online, a Family Guy MMO, is in the works. The free-to-play browser game will feature fully 3D graphics, a quest-based gameplay style and tons of crazy humor that has made Family Guy one of the most popular cartoons in the history of television. The open beta launches later this year, but you can build your character right here, on the Family Guy Online official site.

"We're going to deliver the essence of the show," said Gary Rosenfeld of Fox, "The development team includes two writers from the show, because we know that Family Guy has to be funny... I think we'll definitely attract core gamers, and we'll also attract a more casual gamer who's a fan of the show." 

The game features class-based gameplay, with different classes patterned after well-known characters from the TV-show. You won't be able to play as Peter Griffin, but you will be able to play as an oblivious slob who's like Peter Griffin. According to the game's creators, the Peter-type class will function like a tank in a traditional MMO, and the rest of the family's characteristics will be represented as well. "Stewie, for instance, is small and really good with gadgets, so he probably takes a lot of damage and likes to dish it out from afar with his smart weapons," said Ian Verchere of developer Roadhouse.

The game is built on the Unity engine, and aims to hit the sweetspot between a core game like Halo and casual games like Farmville. "It's a difficult balance," Verchere said. "We're really happy with how the Unity Engine makes the game accessible to basically anyone with an online connection but also delivers a good quality graphical experience."

As for the most important question about a Family Guy MMO, "Will players fight a giant chicken?", the people behind the game are tight-lipped, but said, "Players will have to check in to find out."

Payday: The Heist announced for PS3 & PC

It seems that the folks at Overkill Software are fans of The Dark Knight, because their newly-announced Payday: The Heist greatly resembles The Joker's bank robbery from the film. We're not sure if clown masks are a necessity, but this squad-based team shooter will have you picking classes, robbing banks, and taking hostages.

Here are some features, as outlined by Sony:

• Six High-Intensity Heists: Whether you're blowing the roof off a building to extract a safe via helicopter or emptying the vault at the First World Bank, these action-packed heists will have players on edge and always checking their six.
• Interactive Co-op Gameplay: Whether AI or live, your crew of four must operate as one to bring get the "big score." Sharing extra ammo and med kits, helping regen wounded partners, guarding key positions, taking civilian hostages or cracking through various security measures - it's all for one and one for all.
• Endless Replayability: Dynamic environments, adaptive enemy behavior,shifting entry points, FBI agents repelling down on ropes through the skylights, SWAT teams crashing through the windows and special units crawling through the ventilation shafts makes each play-through of every heist a unique fight.
• Massive Character Progression Tree: Players choose a specialty - assault, sharpshooter or support - to gain weapons and equipment that fit their preferred form of violence. Unlock trip mines, silenced pistols, machine guns and much, much more.
• Shout Out Button: Players need to be vocal and shout commands and directions to the co-op crew, as well as hostages and the police if they want to survive to spend their cut of the take.
• Hostage Trading: Hostages can be a lifeline. If anyone in the crew is taken into custody, trade hostages to get crew members back and increase the odds of completing your objectives.
• PlayStation® or PC: For keyboard and mouse marksman, as well as handheld controller snipers, PAYDAY is the uber-FPS for a high intensity shooter fix.
• More DLC: Additional heists, weapons and equipment means PAYDAY - a digitally distributed AAA quality title for less than half the price of a retail game - is total OVERKILL.

Hopefully we'll get our hands on the game at E3 next week. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.

Konami Reveals HD Collections

In what's sure to be good news for Konami fans, the company announced in its pre-E3 press video that it will be releasing revamped HD collections of some of its most storied franchises: Metal Gear Solid, Zone of the Enders, and Silent Hill.

The Metal Gear collection features Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

The Zone of the Enders package will feature Zone of the Enders and Zone of the Enders 2.

The Silent Hill collection will include Silent Hill 2 and 3.

All the games included in these packs will receive full HD upgrades, including new art, textures, and sound. Also, achievements and trophies are being added. For Peace Walker, you'll be able to transfer your saves between the console and handheld version. These collections will be available for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

The Metal Gear Solid HD collection will be out this November, with Zone of the Enders to follow in 2012. No specific date was given for the Silent Hill HD collection.

Call of Duty: MW3 debut trailer!

You have been waiting for it to land for weeks, and after an entirety of anticipation it seems, we can finally bring you the very first gameplay trailer for Modern Warfare 3, Infinity Ward and Activision’s latest Call of Duty title which will land later on this year.

The trailer is pretty awesome too, just as expected. It picks up where the teaser trailers left off, only this time we see some actual gameplay and of course, the first look at the quality of graphics that will be featured in the new game.

And we’re pleasantly surprised – the game looks really good. We’re not quite sure if the graphics top Battlefield 3 just yet, but it’s clear that the guys at Infinity Ward have come up with a game that looks graphically superior to Modern Warfare 2.

The trailer itself shows off gameplay from the four countries mentioned in the teaser trailers, these are America, England, France and Germany. We have to say that we’re pretty blown away by the underground scene in London, that looks like a lot of fun and the graphics look amazing.

Watch the trailer below and see if you are impressed by what you have seen or not. Is Modern Warfare 3 now a day one purchase for you or not? The trailer also confirms that the game will release on November 8th, 2011.