Xbox 360 Controller

The folks over at Gearbox Software have been busy with a lot more than designing fancy collector’s editions, according to Borderlands 2 producer Matt Charles. Answering fan-submitted twitter questions on the PlayStation Blog, Charles addressed several technical problems suffered by Borderlands – by and large, the news is positive.

Voice chat issues that plagued the first game, for instance, are currently being worked on and the system “will be working for everyone when the game launches.” Charles also said that while it’s “too early for me to give any final numbers,” Borderland 2‘s framerate will “see an improvement over the first game.”

He also mentioned the upgraded user interfaces we’ve talked about before, and that players will now automatically pick up ammo and currency dropped by felled villains: “There’s a lot more useful data for gear comparison and also more descriptive text on the item cards as well. Having said that, the best way to know what a gun does is to use it.”

EA Sports Canada recently announced the feature set for NHL 13, which is due for release on September 11 in North America and September 14 in Europe on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Among the more noteworthy features listed are the additions of “True Performance Skating” and “EA Sports Hockey I.Q.”

True Performance Skating is the latest in EA Sports’ apparent efforts to introduce physics-based engines to player movement. Much like FIFA 12‘s Player Impact Engine, True Performance Skating promises to deliver the “explosiveness, momentum and top end speed displayed by today’s NHL players,” while utilizing over a thousand new player animations. The result, according to the team, should allow for more realistic and creative player movement.

NHL 13 also features EA Sports Hockey I.Q., and unfortunately it isn’t a sports-themed quiz show. EA Sports elaborated on the shortcomings of the computer A.I. in last year’s game, saying that “players were only aware of skaters in their immediate proximity and goalies could only react to the player in control of the puck.” EA Sports Hockey I.Q. is expected to encourage, you guessed it, more intelligent decisions by computer-controlled players, who will now “read the whole ice.”

The series’ Be a GM mode, traditionally a single-player feature, will allow players to pit their teams against one another in a full 30-team online league in NHL 13. EA Sports Canada says there will be a “companion mobile app” for players to connect to their online leagues as well.

EA Sports also listed details on collector’s edition versions of the game, which mostly includes Hockey Ultimate Team card packs. Both the standard and collector’s editions of the game are available to pre-order now from the Origin store.

Spider Man games are, generally speaking, made or broken by how satisfying it is to traverse New York City as your Friendly Neighborhood Spider Man. Slingin’ webs is the essence of that fantasy, second only to being an accomplished journalist. That’s why everyone likes Spider Man, right? The journalism?

Beenox‘s solution for The Amazing Spider Man, the “Web Rush,” pulls double duty as both locomotive and combative solution by slowing down time, thus allowing the player to select their next web-oriented target of interest. Slowing down time will also be helpful for making J. Jonah Jameson’s incredibly strict deadlines, which we know you’re also concerned about. No one ever said the life of a genetically enriched photojournalist would be easy.

Game of Thrones, the latest RPG from Cyanide, is set to take over the UK and Ireland on June 8 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Based on the world first penned by George R.R. Martin, players guide two playable characters through locales both new and familiar to the series.

Players land in Riverspring, a new location to the Game of Thrones world and the home of Alester Sarwyck, who seeks to put a stop to his sister’s marriage. Also starring in the game is Mors, a brother of the Night’s Watch that guards the wall.

Those wanting to seize the iron throne while living across the sea (you silly Targaryens!) can check out our review of the game and then try for themselves in June.

Way, way more Master System and Genesis games are on the way to PS3 and Xbox, including the long-awaited release of Monster World IV. Sega announced the next few “Vintage Collections,” which will be sold individually on PSN and in bundles on XBLA.

For XBLA, the Monster World Collection brings together Wonder Boy in Monster Land (arcade) and Wonder Boy in Monster World and MWIV for Genesis on May 23. On May 30, Golden Axe’s arcade original joins Golden Axe 2 & 3 on Genesis, concurrent with a three-volume Streets of Rage Collection. The collections sell for 800 MSP each.

Meanwhile, PSN will see all of those Wonder Boys, Super Hang-On (arcade), Revenge of Shinobi, and Alex Kidd in Miracle World on May 22, for $5 each.

Way, way more Master System and Genesis games are on the way to PS3 and Xbox, including the long-awaited release of Monster World IV. Sega announced the next few “Vintage Collections,” which will be sold individually on PSN and in bundles on XBLA.

For XBLA, the Monster World Collection brings together Wonder Boy in Monster Land (arcade) and Wonder Boy in Monster World and MWIV for Genesis on May 23. On May 30, Golden Axe’s arcade original joins Golden Axe 2 & 3 on Genesis, concurrent with a three-volume Streets of Rage Collection. The collections sell for 800 MSP each.

Meanwhile, PSN will see all of those Wonder Boys, Super Hang-On (arcade), Revenge of Shinobi, and Alex Kidd in Miracle World on May 22, for $5 each.

Double Fine’s Ron Gilbert has revealed another character from his puzzling new title, this one called “the time traveler.”

She is one of “three playable characters” that Gilbert has unveiled in three days on his personal gaming blog, Grumpy Gamer. Yesterday and the previous day Gilbert revealed the monk and the hillbilly.

The time traveler’s silhouette is visible in the background of the puzzle Double Fine sent us earlier this month. We have to admit, she looks way cooler with glowing blue (we assume time-travel-inducing) accessories than as a vague, whispy shadow.

The plot, and the question, thickens: What do a hillbilly, a monk and a time traveler have in common?

On top of providing “further clarity” to Mass Effect 3‘s ending, some more details regarding the upcoming “Extended Cut” DLC have come out. “Extended Cut” will include cameos from both Admiral Hackett, who is played by Lance Henricksen, and EDI, voiced by Tricia Helfer.

“I just did another session with them. They were saying there’s a little bit of a problem with the abruptness of the ending,” Hendriksen told G4 during a press junket for a new animated series called Tron: Uprising that he’s involved in. “So we did a whole series of things to add to the end of the game, to live up to the quality they’ve been doing.” Helfer, also part of the show, confirmed EDI would make an appearance.

Brothers in Arms: Furious 4 may be in trouble. Some lapsing trademarks for the its title intimate the Gearbox-developed game is all but abandoned (or the name is changing), and our inquiries into Gearbox Software have yet to be answered. “We don’t have anything to share at this point in time,” an Ubisoft representative told Joystiq.

Brothers in Arms: Furious 4 was announced at last year’s E3 … and then that was it. We didn’t hear a single thing after that preliminary announcement, even though the game was given a tentative 2012 launch window. Right now a cancelation isn’t confirmed, but it’s looking like these four will have something to be really furious about soon enough.

38 Studios‘s $1.125 million check to the state of Rhode Island has cleared, governor Lincoln Chafee announced during a press conference this afternoon, thus fulfilling the first required payment on the studio’s loan from the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation.

Rhode Island is changing its legislation on tax breaks, closing loopholes pertaining to state funds being used for motion-picture endeavors, Chafee said. The state’s interest lies in protecting the taxpayers, balanced with keeping 38 Studios solvent, since “taxpayers have had a very generous deal for 38 studios,” Chafee said.

“It’s time for them to go out and get private capital funding,” Chafee said. “That’s the deal. It’s a generous deal, but stick to it.”

Rhode Island officials believe that the total of the $49 million loaned to 38 has been spent. Chafee said that until late April, meetings with 38 suggested that they would make their May payment. “I want to make sure we’re doing everything possible to make sure 38 doesn’t fail,” Chafee said. “We’re in deep.” Everything possible except giving them more money.”There’s not going to be any money from the state. They’re not coming here for easy money.”

According to Chafee, “Basically, the access to private capital hasn’t materialized.”

38 Studios’ next payment is a debt service payment due November 1 of $2.6 million, and Rhode Island officials believe the studio will have the capital to cover it.

38 Studios will then owe $12.6 million in full annual debt service in 2013, and “that’s on their dime,” officials said.

Chafee said he recognized the risk involved in starting a new gaming studio, but the state would have benefited greatly from the studio’s “huge success” had it done well.

“I said from the beginning that it was a risky enterprise,” Chafee said. Regarding how 38 Studios will function if it doesn’t have the funds to pay its employees, Chafee reiterated, “Again, these are the ramifications of being in a risky business.”

Chafee doesn’t plan on taking a gamble of this nature again: “Never, never ever. Not under my watch,” he said.

If you’ve somehow managed to get your fill of Trials Evolution‘s dusty peaks and valleys already, Techland’s latest, Mad Riders, may be perfect for you. And hey, the game is set to launch on May 30 according to the latest trailer. That’s pretty soon!

Like Trials before it, Mad Riders is a digital-only title, but unlike Trials, it’s not limited to a single console (Mad Riders is headed to PSN, XBLA, and PC). It’ll be available one day earlier for PSN users on May 29, and May 30 on XBLA and PC, but it’ll cost the same on all three: a cool $10. Techland describes that as “an awesome game for the price of a pizza,” though we’d warn the studio against devaluing its games as such. What kind of pizza are you gonna get for $10? Terrible pizza, that’s what!

Starting May 20 in “participating” US retailers and today in their Canadian equivalents, college students have the opportunity to get a free 4GB Xbox 360 with purchase of certain Windows 7-based PCs. Microsoft didn’t announce specific models, but you can ask at the retailer instead of blindly assuming you’ll get a free Xbox. Don’t forget to bring your student ID.

“Together, a Windows 7-based PC and an Xbox 360 console provide students the functionality they need for school while also helping them stay connected to friends and family far away,” Microsoft noted in the announcement, giving students a hint as to the angle they should use to make an Xbox 360 sound like a totally necessary, responsible thing to have for college.

Omerta – City of Gangsters Coming to Xbox 360

Kalypso and Haemimont gang up to bring their 1920′s mobster title to Microsoft’s Console

Ridgewood, NJ, May 17. 2012- Kalypso Media is pleased to announce that their highly anticipated criminal empire building game, Omerta – City of Gangsters, will be coming to the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in autumn 2012. The game, previously announced for Windows PC, is in development by Haemimont Games, creators of classic strategy titles including the most recent Tropico titles — Tropico 3, Tropico 4 and Tropico 4: Modern Times.

Omerta – City of Gangsters for both Xbox 360 and Windows PC will place players in 1920′s Atlantic City, where they’ll spend their time building a criminal empire in an attempt to dominate the city. Players will construct, buy or take over buildings to turn them into speakeasies, distilleries, illegal boxing rings and much more, as they work to generate income. With dirty money come dirty jobs – and the game switches to a turn-based tactical RPG during blazing gunfights and elaborately planned and executed heists. Unique playable and non-playable characters will perform jobs for you, including spying on, fighting with and even fire-bombing the buildings of enemy gangs.

For more information about Omerta – City of Gangsters, please visit http://www.kalypsomedia.com or https://www.facebook.com/OmertaCityOfGangsters

Omerta – City of Gangsters is a simulation game with tactical turn-based combat. Taking the role of a fresh-off-the-boat immigrant, with dreams of the big life, the player will work his way up the criminal hierarchy of 1920′s Atlantic City, New Jersey. Starting with small jobs, his character recruits a gang and expands his empire by taking territory from other gangsters. Eventually he establishes his own crime syndicate and becomes the de facto ruler of Atlantic City.

The player strategically manages his business and his minions in a real-time format, slowly but steadily increasing his influence over the city. The player sends his henchmen out on missions ranging from assassinating an informant, to raiding a warehouse, springing a friend from prison, robbing a bank or attacking a rival gang’s hideout. Nobody is above the law in Atlantic City, so it always helps to have a little cash handy to bribe a policeman or pay off a politician.

The turn-based combat in Omerta – City of Gangsters focuses on the tactical command of “The Boss” and his henchmen. Cover and stealth are essential parts of any shootout in the game. Finding the best vantage point to gun down an enemy, while taking cover from a hailstorm of bullets, can be just as satisfying as sneaking quietly behind a foe and taking him down.

About The Kalypso Media Group

Founded in 2006 in Germany by industry veterans Simon Hellwig and Stefan Marcinek, Kalypso Media is a global, independent developer, marketer and publisher of interactive entertainment software with 120 employees world-wide.

Along with Headquarters in Worms, Germany, the company has offices in the United Kingdom and the United States. Kalypso Media also enjoys very strong global digital distribution through its Kalypso Media Digital Ltd. Subsidiary, and owns three development studios – Realmforge Studios GmbH, Gaming Minds Studios GmbH and Noumena Studios GmbH – and works with multiple leading independent developers.

Kalypso Media’s titles include the critically acclaimed Tropico 4, Sins of a Solar Empire, Dungeons and Jagged Alliance: Back in Action. Upcoming multi-platform titles include The Dark Eye – Demonicon and Port Royale 3 and Omerta – City of Gangsters, along with Legends of Pegasus PC. Further information about Kalypso Media is available at http://www.kalypsomedia.com.

Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox LIVE are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

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Developed by Rocksteady Studios, Batman: Arkham City builds upon the intense, atmospheric foundation of Batman: Arkham Asylum, sending players soaring into Arkham City, the new maximum security “home” for all of Gotham City’s thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds. Set inside the heavily fortified walls of a sprawling district in the heart of Gotham City, this highly anticipated sequel introduces a brand-new story that draws together a new all-star cast of classic characters and murderous villains from the Batman universe, as well as a vast range of new and enhanced gameplay features to deliver the ultimate experience as the Dark Knight.

Previously, Konami’s FMV-esque trailers for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance have given us weird, disorienting looks into the surgical processes involving Raiden’s robo-arm and cyborg eye, but this latest episode is a little more … theatrical, let’s say.

Anyone who clearly remembers and is still somehow able to comprehend Raiden’s background as outlined in Metal Gear Solid 2 will be able to piece together what’s happening in this video, though we’re still not entirely sure why you’d hand a sword to someone during surgery, even if that surgery’s purpose is to turn them into a milk-powered electro-ninja.

Finally – FINALLY – Time Warner and Bright House cable customers have a way to watch HBO on their televisions. The HBO Go app for Xbox 360 previously only worked for Comcast and a variety of other services, but not TWC, so even if you were an HBO subscriber, you couldn’t use the app. Which is terrible. Today, Microsoft announced Time Warner compatibility.

Celebrate by watching some Not Necessarily the News tonight, or some episodes of Fraggle Rock. Look, it’s been a while since we’ve had HBO, okay?

Let’s face it: Street Fighter X Tekken just wouldn’t be Street Fighter X Tekken without at least one game-breaking bug. This was probably Capcom’s thought process when it launched the latest patch, which introduces a glitch that freezes the game whenever Rolento’s knife hits an opponent’s fireball.

The above video demonstrates the bug, which affects Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games that have been updated to version 1.04, Shoryuken reports. The patch does fix a few problems, such as hit box issues.

Sure, we all ready had a post earlier today detailing the lavishly equipped Deluxe Vault Hunter’s Collector’s Edition and Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition of Borderlands 2, but what about us average Joes? What about everyone who wants to look at Borderlands 2 packaging, but doesn’t want to waste time daydreaming over ornate collector’s editions that won’t fit in our tiny efficiency apartments? Where’s that post?!

Shhhhh, it’s okay. It’s right here, friend. This is that post. Behold, the regular retail packaging for Borderlands 2.

38 Studios was unable to make payroll this week, but is in the process of making the $1.125 million payment that set off the company’s crisis earlier this week. WPRI reports that a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation did confirm that former Red Sox player Curt Schilling’s video game company was unable to pay its employees.

A source tells Joystiq that beyond not making payroll, all temps and contractors were fired this week.

At the same time, Governor Lincoln Chafee’s office did state that 38 Studios is in the process of making the overdue payment to the state.

[developing]

Director Guillermo Del Toro’s THQ project, inSane, “is not cancelled” according to THQ’s Executive VP of Core Games Danny Bilson. The executive went to Twitter last night to make the declaration.

The statement comes a couple days after THQ, which reported a loss of $239.9 million in the previous fiscal year, announced during an investor call it was looking to unload Tomonobu Itagaki’s Devil’s Third for a few extra bucks.

During that same investor call, the company also reiterated that the Turtle Rock Studios (Left 4 Dead) FPS and Patrice Désilets‘ game, speculated to be 1666, are still in production.