• Grand Theft Auto IV has broken just about every sales record imaginable. Not only the day-one and first-week records for video games, but also for any entertainment, including movies and books. Take that, Harry Potter, you sniveling twat!
• A trusty forum poster, while snooping about in the Rockstar Social Club website, came across what may be a clue about future GTA IV DLC : A photo of an airline ticket from Liberty City to San Andreas. Really? Now, that would be cool!
• Sony execs say GTA IV DLC "probably" coming to PS3. Also a tantilizing nugget of rumor.
• The Parent Television Council, attempting to drum up some opportunistic publicity, accuses GTA IV of "giving points" for drunk driving and soliciting prostitues. A reporter for the Arizona Daily Star who has actually played the game, takes on the spokesperson about these ill-informed and innacuracies. Very funny.
• EA loosens DRM on Spore and Mass Effect. What? Two weeks before Mass Effect's release you're removing code? Something tells us it was never in there in the first place.
• Stop the presses! There will be Call of Duty 5 and Doom 4! I'm shocked!
• Trailer out for up coming title Mirror's Edge. OOhhhhhOOOhhhhh... Pretty.
• Bioshock movie confirmed, with Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) at the helm, according to Variety. Let's hope it goes better than the Halo movie.
• Atari is delisted from the NASDAQ stock exchange. Everybody say awwww.
• Playstation Home is "definitely" coming this Fall, says SCEE president David Reeves. Not before Peter Moore laments how long it's taken and how it's hosing his schedule.
• Sorry, but no open beta for LittleBigPlanet, according to multiple sources at Sony.
• Two members of the House of Representatives introduce the Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act. Is it a reasonable piece of legislation or a step in the right direction. We argue.

• Blizzard tells legendary purveyor of crap Uwe Boll to go schtup yerself.
• Xbox Live goes down Monday morning for "Spring cleaning." Is that what they call getting rid of all that leftover racial epithets and obscene mail?
• New York Times story laments how Wii owners aren't buying games. Let's face it, I guess the causal gamer is not the Holy Grail of Gaming after all.
• Developers Epic and Bethesda announce that neither Gears of War 2 nor Fallout 3, respectively, won't have demos. Hey, if they make good product, we're willing to wait.
• Metal Gear Online beta put on hold until April 25 due to massive global demand. Again, better to do it late and right than on-time and wrong.
• EA extends its buyout-acceptance deadline for Take Two and lowers its price for Take Two's stock by about a quarter per share. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Federal Trade Commission wants to know more about this fishy deal, but EA isn't talking. Oh, and Luke and Laura are lost on desert island and Cricket thinks she's pregnant with Brad's baby.
• Rockstar Social Club opens for pre-registration and cuts lose with a few tasty features of GTA IV's in-game cel-phone not otherwise noted up to this point. Just makes us want it more.
• In other GTA IV news, a Playstation 3 GTA IV bundle has been announced for Europe for 299 GBP. No such love for the Yanks.
• Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is koming to a konsole near you in Fall 2008. And k-k-k-Ken is k-k-k-koming to k-k-k-kill you (Thank you, John Cleese).
• Infinity Ward breaks all kinds of records with Call of Duty 4 and the new DLC maps. Nine million copies sold. One million downloads of the maps in nine days. I don't think even they had any idea.
• Girl buys Xbox 360. Xbox 360 breaks. Girl sends Xbox 360 back for repairs. Microsoft keeps Xbox 360 and when she pleads to send it back, Microsoft calls her a thief. This would be funny if it weren't true.
• Note to listeners: If your Xbox 360 gets RRODed and you keep it in a small, poorly ventilated area, please unplug it. Or else it could burn your house down.
• This week's game releases: Something for every platform, but nothing good. Smells like a week before GTA IV.
• From the forums: Is the Wii Wheel worth it? Why can't we get better Xbox Live friends-list organization and slots for more than 100 friends?

Thanks for the comment on GameHounds Episode 11.

However, this is not our site anymore. It's just where our RSS feed goes.

If you actually want to comment where everyone else is, and where everyone else looks and reads comments on our podcasts, you need to go to the main GameHounds site.

• Raigan Burns and Mare Sheppard, the developers of N+, told Gamasutra that XBox Live Arcade is too full of "shit" games and needs to be cleansed.
• Microsoft wipes down personalized XBox 360, but apologizes with new replacement 360 signed by host of celebs, including Bill Gates.
• It seems that Sumner Redstone's acquistion of Midway isn't exactly a success. Actually, it smells more like a total failure.
• Analysts calls EA's claim that it's a "white knight" to save Rockstar Games "total bullshit." Actually, we prefer the phrase "complete, utter and total bullshit."
• Rock Band offers huge patch to fix lots of issues and debuts Rock Band Store, which... well.. rocks!
• In a double whammy of exclusive titles going south, Surfer Girl offers rumor that Sony is no longer funding L.A. Noire and Ubisoft backpeddles once again on PS3 exclusivity of Haze.
• Florida Supreme Court sanctions Jack Thompson and orders him to not contact the court directly again. If only it were that easy to get this guy to STFU.
• UPDATE: Electronics Boutique Canada retracts offer to refund Haze for a week after release. Yeah, we knew it was too good to be true.
• This is your last week to send in your entries for the Dinosaur contest, in which you could win a copy of Turok for the XBox 360. Tick, tick, tick. Time's running out!

• The San Jose Mercury News blog entry that questions why Super Smash Brothers Brawl merits a teen rating from the ESRB when its "crude humor" and "cartoon violence" is no worse than any Saturday morning kids' show. We have to agree.
• Valve announces classic Atari games for Steam. We don't mean to sound like your bitchy ex-girlfriend, but what have you done for me lately?
• Army of Two is region-locked. And not gay enough!
• We'd believe China's claims they're trying to contain software piracy more if the Beijing Olympics website hadn't ripped off a bunch of flash games.
• EB Games in Canada will let you return Haze after a week's play for a full refund. Who wants to run the border for cheap used copies? Anyone?
• Minnesota cans mature video-game "tax" due to that pesky First Amendment. Stoopid amendment.
• Europe gets a host of EU-exclusive Rock Band titles. Gratz... dammit.
• ABBA drummer dies in weirdest way possible, but you cannot deny the power of the ABBA.
• Win a copy of Turok for the XBox 360! How? Well just listen
Download at all the usual places.]]> podcasts Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:40:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=319066# gamehounds@gmail.com (GameHounds Podcast) 01:01:28 turok, psh, edie, thrillhouse, xbox, Army of Two, ABBA, talk, comedy, video, games, gaming, PS3, Rock Band Edie Sellers and Thrillhouse17 of PSH Radio No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=319066#http://media.libsyn.com/media/gamehounds/GameHoundsEp8.mp3 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/250590642/index.php
Actually, if you're looking for GameHounds Podcast, you're looking in the wrong place.

We don't live here anymore.

We live at our new site: GameHounds.net.

This site is now dead and will soon be completely gone.

Later, ladies.

]]> general Thu, 13 Mar 2008 06:23:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=316974# Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=316974# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/250421368/index.php
This is not the final site.

We are slaving behind the scenes, and we changed the template
to better facilitate our export of our old blogposts on this site
so that we can transfer them to the new site.

Trust me, there are no flowers on the new site.

]]> general Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=316828# Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=316828# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/249222119/index.php
You've been having problems with this website. I know.

And lord knows I have been having problems with it too.
You just have to read it.
Imagine me, completely inept when it comes to anything that has
to do with HTML, SQL, DNS, and
any other TLA (three-letter acronym) you can think of that
has to do with building a website.

But there is a reason it's been particularly wonky lately.

We are in the process of making a completely
and wholly different site. As in differently hosted
and actually a fully functioning website.
Just like the old days, but... working properly.

So please be patient. These changes won't affect you being able
to download the podcasts. Just, for the moment,
you'll have a little problem reading this blog.]]> general Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:50:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=316163# Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=316163# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/248659249/index.php
On Episode 7 of GameHounds, Hawkes and Edie pile on topics, one after another. Hey, it was a big week in gaming, so let's not dilly-dally with the window dressing. On with the show!!

Starting off, Hawkes fills us in (pun intended) on exactly what comes between him and his Calvin Kleins (Eighty's joke alert!)

Then we hit on the tip-top topics of the last week, including:We

• The passing of Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons. What can we say about this maverick that hasn't already been said. You might even call him the great-grandad of video games. We'll miss you, Gary.
• Apple announces the release of the Software Developer's Kit for the iPhone and iPod Touch and $100 million in venture capital funds for developers. Will the iPhone be the next major portable gaming console?
• Another patent surfaces for the PSPhone. No, no, a thousand times no.
• Phil Harrison finds a new home at Infogrames. Yes, that's French for Atari.
• Rockstar piddles itself in grief over bugs in Bully: Scholarship Edition for the 360. Makes you realize how they make GTA look easy.
• Rumor: Microsoft in talks with Sony to create a Bly-Ray drive for the 360. In other news, poop stinks! Film at 11.
• Rumor: Microsoft will discontinue the 20GB XBox 360 in favor of 60GB version. How do you kill that which already has no life?
• Turning Point: Fall of Liberty isn't a bad game, you see. It's because you don't know a good game. UR Stopidz Gamrz, lawl.
• New Brit controller replaces rumble with electoshock. What won't you loony Brits do!?!
• Huxley is back! Plan for it at the end of the year on PC and six months later on 360. Seriously. I'd stake your entire Christmas on it. Really. Stop laughing.
• Saints Row 2 developers apologize in advance about the bugs. The guy who wrote the musical is tuning his piano as we speak.
• We introduce a new feature: Pub Chatter. What will Hawkes and Edie be discussing with their inebriated friends?
  
  All this and more is just a mouse click away. Go ahead. Touch my monkey.
  
  
]]> podcasts Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:13:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=315810# gamehounds@gmail.com (GameHounds Podcast) 01:15:23 Talk, gaming, video, games, xbox, sony, Gygax, SDK, Apple, talk, comedy, Cooper Hawkes, GamerEdie Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=315810#http://media.libsyn.com/media/gamehounds/GameHoundsEp7.mp3 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/248124803/index.php
Well, you'll have to wait a little to get it.

Because of Saturday's switch over to Daylight Savings Time, the editing and posting process for GameHounds this week will be shortened by one hour. While that doesn't sound like a lot, it's a precious hour of sleep for the GameHound who edits and posts the episode.

So, rather than creating a cranky Hound, we'll be posting Episode 7 early Sunday night rather than late Saturday night.

Don't worry. You'll still get all the regular amount of hilarity, you'll just have to wait a few more hours than usual to hear it.

Oh, and by the way, turn your clocks forward tonight before you go to sleep Saturday night. You'll thank me for it later.
]]> podcasts Sun, 9 Mar 2008 00:51:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=315339# Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=315339# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/247455554/index.php What the hell am I doing? I'm just crazy with deals the last couple days.

C-c-c-craaaaazy with deals.

Another one that's just not bad no matter how you slice it.

SonyStyle Store is offering a fairly sweet deal on a 40 gig PS3 with a Six Axis controller (ie: the non-rumbling one) for $399.99 with free shipping. But you can work an angle to knock a C-note off the price.

At the check out screen, you're offered a Sony credit card, and if you accept, you get a $100 credit. Apply for the card, and if you're approved (which is immediate as long as you have good credit), the price of that PS3 immediately drops to $300.

You can also pull the same trick with the 80 gig PS3, knocking the $500 price to $400 delivered to your door.

That's a mighty nice deal, if you have the credit rating.

 

]]> Sony Fri, 7 Mar 2008 15:30:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=314905# Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=314905# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/247251441/index.php
But this one deserves a little shout out.

Right now at NewEgg.com, you can get God of War: Chains of Olympus for the PSP for $36.99 with free three-day shipping.

True, that's only a couple bucks off what you'd pay at any other store, so it's not really a screaming-cheap deal, but with the free shipping, it saves you the hassle of turning off your console, driving, parking, and walking.

All things a true GameHound will avoid if given the choice.

]]> Sony Fri, 7 Mar 2008 07:44:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=314841# GamerEdie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=314841# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/247051364/index.php




















This is one story that I just had to post before the next podcast. It's a lesson in doing your homework. Or how sometimes how even the better sites can let their own tears get in the way of checking out a story.

Or maybe in how you can't trust the interwebs.

You may have already seen it, but circulating around the net via YouTube is a Christmas video of a young boy named Jonathan whose face lights up in that magical Christmas way when he rips open his gift to find an XBox 360.

It all goes horribly wrong when he opens the carton to find... winter clothes. The camera zooms in as the disbelief and disappointment set in.

While the adults in the room cackle wildly at the cruel and vicious hoax played on young Jonathan, he sits silent -- completely and utterly humiliated.

No decent person could look at this video and not cry a little bit with him, even if only on the inside. No decent person wouldn't be furious at parents who would play such a spiteful, hateful trick on a little boy at Christmas.

When this item showed up on tech site Engadget, so upset were readers that they flooded its editors with offers to donate an XBox to Jonathan, if only so that he could distract himself from the fact that his parents are complete and utter turds. Sister site Joystiq reposted the video and got even more readers in on the outrage and offers of charity.

At their behest, the editors of Engadget endeavored to locate Jonathan and his parents and give him an XBox. In fact, according an update, they think they had found the family and were working on how to send the lime-green fixer all bad things and report that the family is overjoyed because Johnathan really wanted the XBox.

However, if you go to the original YouTube posting, you'll find a description, reportedly written by Jonathan's brother, which explains the backstory -- a backstory that apparently Engadget and Joystiq failed to notice:

Jonathan had been caught the day before snooping into the Christmas presents, despite his mother's warnings. To teach young Johnny a lesson, mom removed the console from its carton and filled the box with clothes. That is what she filmed, no doubt to play next year as a reminder that cheaters never prosper -- and that when momma speaks, she means it.
Later that night, Jonathan received his coveted XBox.

And this kind of makes sense, otherwise, how did mom get the box to fill with clothes? Let's face it, everybody knows that, given the 360's stellar reliability record, it's not a bad idea to keep the box.

Call me the ultimate, cold-hearted cynic but, either Engadget has been scammed out of an XBox or the parents really are complete twats -- who are being rewarded for perpetrating unbelievable cruelty and public humiliation on their son with a new console.

And it makes you ask: If Engadget/Joystiq are really that concerned about poor children who've suffered at the hands of their parents, why aren't they donating that XBox to a children's shelter? Or an after-school program? It seems all very George Clooney-"let's make ourselves feel better," doesn't it? Or is it just me?

Free XBox anyone? ]]> general Mon, 3 Mar 2008 04:03:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=313197# gamehounds@gmail.com (GameHounds Podcast) joystiq, engadget, xbox, jonathan, YouTube, hoax Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=313197# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/244516533/index.php Including:
• Winner of last week's contest: FuNkYbOsS, whose expertise at constructing decidedly un-PC similies wins him a copy of Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga for the Wii!
• Lego Halo!? You're kidding! Please, tell me you're kidding. Or maybe not.
• Phil Harrison quits. Face it, Sony, I guess he just wasn't that into you.
• EA attempts to buy out Take Two. Yeaaaahhh.... riiiiight. You can do that right after you acquire Ubisoft.
• GDC attendance hits record, muses telling little guys to suck it next year.
• Headline: Men like games! Wait, no. Men and women like video games. Your tax dollars at work, my friends.
• Metal Gear Solid 4 hits stores June 12. Can you feel the love tonight?
• No demo for Grand Theft Auto IV. Does that make us suspicious? Naaah.
• Sony unveils a host of new hardware: The PS3 MGS4 Bundle pack, the Deep Red God of War PSP, and the Dualshock 3 controller, now with more rumble... Which means some rumble.
• On the heels of stupid game Major League Eating coming to Wiiware, even more stupid Homie Rollerz (note the uber-hip "z") brings you the best of racist stereotypes -- in Spanish! Little brown children everywhere rejoice.
• Got a spare old-gen console lying around? Trade it in for cash, or the nearest equivalent.
• Mass Effect coming to PC on May 6. Why did you buy that XBox anyway?
• Want a new HD-DVD add on for your X-Box? They're going cheap!
Enjoy, and remember, it's okay to make fun of Hispanic people if you do it en Espanol!
]]> podcasts Sun, 2 Mar 2008 06:58:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=312810# gamehounds@gmail.com (GameHounds Podcast) 01:08:10 video, games, gaming, XBox, PSP, PS3, Take Two, GTA, comedy, GamerEdie, Sellers, talk, Microsoft, Sony, Metal, Gear, Mass Effec Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=312810#http://media.libsyn.com/media/gamehounds/GameHoundsEp6.mp3 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/244516535/index.php

























Hi folks, Cooper Hawkes here.

One of my biggest complaints about the PS3 is that it always seemed like a work in progress.  Close, but no cigar, and a bunch of other euphamisms that I won't drain your brain with.

But now, it is a system worth owning.

On June 12th that is.

Here's the article courtesy of Kotaku.

Not ONLY is it the 80GB model with (Limited but..) PS2 backwards compatibility.  Not ONLY does it come with Metal Gear Solid 4 included in the bundle.  It ALSO comes with one Dual Shock 3 controller.

That's rumble to those out of the loop.

All for $499.99. 

Microsoft? You can't top that right now.  This is the bundle that beats you from a hardcore gaming perspective.

Game on guys and girls, this is shaping up to be the PS3 year indeed.

Hawkes
]]> Sony Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:34:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=311525# hawkesnh@gmail.com Cooper Hawkes No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=311525# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/244516536/index.php It doesn't help that we go way off topic catching up with the GameHounds gang and making things up as we go along.
Off topic, we dish on what Edie saw at some of the GDC after-parties, what game Peter Molyneaux's 5-year-old plays, and we settle the age-old question: Does it matter of she swallows?
Let's just say, this is the most unsafe-sex episode we've ever done. We get the most out of our explicit tag this time.
More on topic, we discuss:
• The winner of last week's contest. Listener Major Malfunction is the new owner of a Canada Games Hockey Night t-shirt for his guess about the infamous "unfortunate grooming choice." His answer was wrong, but we gotta give props for style points.
• GDC Roundup, including lots of Fable 2 details, Ninja Gaiden and Spore Creatures for the DS, Street Fighter IV, Guitar Hero Moblie, the Zeemote, mind-controlled game controllers and impact vests, Fez, Crayon Physics, The Path, Super Smash Brothers Brawl, and many more.
• Dueling chainsaws in Gears of War 2? OMG! What a surprise!
• Indiana Jones Lego game won't have four-person multiplayer, only two-person. Lucas fanbois (like Hawkes) sigh relief as integrity of Indy ethos maintained.
• Jonathan Coulton isn't as good as singer as we thought! If he scores 95% on his own song, how do I have any hope of singing "Limelight"?
• Rock Band fans hack DLC file and discover huge list of yet-to-be-released titles. Do you feel ripped off by the $60 title price?
And too much more to list in one place. You'll just have to listen.
In addition, another opportunity to enjoy some GameHounds swag. We open entries to win a copy of Lego Star Wars for the Wii. How, you ask? We'll you'll just have to listen and find out.
Enjoy. We did.
]]> podcasts Sun, 24 Feb 2008 06:24:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=310460# gamehounds@gmail.com (GameHounds) 01:04:40 games, video, GDC, ninja, fable, gaiden, DS, XBox, sex, podcast, comedy, gaming, funny Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=310460#http://media.libsyn.com/media/gamehounds/GamehoundsEp5.mp3 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/244516538/index.php Sony Metreon in San Francisco.
We'd like to thank the folks at Ultizen, the ultimate game lab, for providing us the space at their press luncheon so that we could record these immediate thoughts on Microsoft's announcements and the food and alcohol that fueled it.
Discussed are:
• The extremely liberal expansion of XNA so that just about anyone with a good idea and the drive can make a game available on the XBox Live Marketplace for download. How will this affect the independent game developers? Will this mean that the Independent Game Developers Association will now include more console options? What wasn't said? Can Microsoft really let the reigns go and set developers free?
• Ninja Gaiden II: How did we like the look and feel of the gameplay demo? What do we think about the "save points" that allow players to save videos of their play and then allow the top players to have them available for others? What questions are we left with?
• Fable 2: Beyond being a Peter Molyneaux experience, which is all kinds of crazyfun, was the gameplay demo enough for us, considering we're supposed to see it this year? Do we think we actually will see it this year? What do we think of the Pub Games being available on XBox Live weeks before the game's release? What exactly does "multiplayer" mean? Were more questions raised than answered?
• Gears of War 2: Was the announcement of a November 2008 release date enough to merit the super treatment it received during the keynote?
• Unreal Engine improvements: How will this relate to complaints of poor support by other developers? Is it really what we wanted to see? How could this affect future games beyond GoW?
• CliffyB's grooming secrets.
• How many beers does it take to get a GameHound drunk by noon?
All this and more is contained within. Stay tuned for more off-the-cuff episodes from GDC.
]]> podcasts Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:14:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=309594# gamehounds@gmail.com (GameHounds) 00:58:10 GDC, Microsoft, Gaming, Ninja Gaiden, Fable, Cliffy, Gears of War, video, Unreal, XNA, XBL, GamerEdie, Spong, Chagan, Ultizen, Edie Sellers and Joe Chagan No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=309594#http://media.libsyn.com/media/gamehounds/GameHoundsEp4.mp3 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/244516540/index.php
Let me give you a mental image of what it was like leaving this morning's Microsoft keynote presentation.

Remember in the movie "Airplane!" when all the reporters run into the bank of payphones?

Yeah. Like that.

Bottom line: It's a very good time to be a 360 owner right now.

If you haven't already heard, MS has some big news for the next year. First and foremost, XNA is going to finally completely open up to the little people. Games will soon be easily accessible to homebrew developers like you and me, and they will be downloadable to not only the XBox, but also the Zune. All you will need is a peer-review process to give it a thumbs-up and it goes on Live to download it. Theoretically, there are four games up right now for you to download.

And no, Hawkes, there was no mention of how developers will get paid, how much MS will keep or any monitization info. That will apparently be filled in later.

Second, yes.... Ninja Gaiden II looks freaking amazing. Although I see a potential problem with it. And I will go into that in detail on my special GameHounds episode tonight. Yes. Tonight.

Third, the interwebs sometimes do not lie. Gears of War 2 coming November 2008 as an XBox exclusive. Cliffy B. said nothing else, and although there was a trailer, I really don't put much credence behind trailers. I can make a trailer of my mom's cellulite thighs and make it look good. Doesn't mean I want to play with them.

Fourth, looks like you'll be playing Fable2 a couple of weeks before the game comes out. The gambling mini-game, which allows you to increase your wealth in-game, is actually a separate XBox Live game and your coin is migrated into your Fable2 world. Peter "I Love You, You Crazy Bastard" Molyneux announced that the mini-game will be released to the XBox Live Marketplace a few weeks before Fable2 comes out, so be ready to start the game day one and find everyone is richer than you and completely tricked out in super-leet gear. Groan.

Keep yourself tuned today to GH, as I will be uploading a discussion between me and Joe Chagan of SPOnG talking about what happened this morning with Microsoft.
]]> general Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:59:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=309426# Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=309426# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/244516541/index.php This week Hawkes defies all odds and drags his feverish ass to the mic for installment 3 of GameHounds Podcast.
Listen as he hucks up a New Jersey-sized loogie. Rattle with him as he coughs, gasps and gags his way through the top stories of last week, while Edie speaks on at length about Canadian national food looking like puke in a basket.
In addition to catching up with the gang, we delve into news and listener questions.
• HD-DVD officially loses the format war after WalMart pulls the plug and Toshiba gives up. The PS3 doesn't look too bad now, does it?
• Sony Magazine says PSP could come as early as February. Is that a GDC announcement, or is Sony Mag smoking crack again?
• Microsoft doesn't know who SquareTrade is. Hint: They issue your XBox 360 warranties, jackasses.
• Listener Questions: Sea Puma asks about how we deal with XBox Live harassment. Major Malfunction wonders what's the best way to deal with networks fanning the flames of video-game controversy with erroneous information.
• Shoutouts to our listeners who've been inspired by us to start their own gaming podcasts! You go!
• And... last but not least (and not last in the podcast, by the way, win yourself a Canadian Games T-Shirt with the most creative answer to Edie's question. What question? Well, you'll just have to listen to find out.
As always, you can submit your questions, your thoughts, your dreams and your bile-infused hate male to GameHounds AT gmail.com. And don't forget to check out the the GameHounds website to find out about the latest dirt Edie's dug up at GDC.]]> podcasts Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:53:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=309284# gamehounds@gmail.com (Gamehounds) 00:52:48 XBox, video, gaming, Cooper Hawkes, Edie Sellers, PS3, Sony, Microsoft, PSP, gaming, SquareTrade, HD-DVD, Blu-ray, GDC, Canada Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=309284#http://media.libsyn.com/media/gamehounds/GameHoundsEp3.mp3 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/244516543/index.php  
GameHounds is officially up and running on iTunes. You can find our podcast at by clicking here.

 

If you haven't subscribed, you can easily do so now, as well as write stellar, awesome, fawning reviews of our great podcast.

 

Please, don't hold back your adulation and unyielding love for the Edie and the Hawkes. Don't be shy. Love us! ]]> Random Begging Tue, 19 Feb 2008 20:18:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=309051# Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=309051# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/244516544/index.php The first day at GDC is pretty much like the first day of Burning Man. Most of the cool stuff is half built (the booths aren't even up and equipment to show demos aren't even plugged in yet), everyone's not quite in the swing of things. There's a few events going on, but the major stuff is due later in the week.
And, most importantly, nobody really gets in the mood until the first night of heavy-duty partying.
Yesterday, until about 4 p.m., things were pretty useless. Then the first official GDC free-booze-and-food-a-thon began, courtesy of Zeemote.
Now I make it sound like all we did (and by "we" I mean me and my trusty sidekick, Joe from SPOnG) was get hammered, puke in someone's lap and wander off.
In truth, we were some of the few journos who actually hunted down the Zeemote girl to ask her about the product.
While you'd think Zeemote would make sure the actual star of the Zeemote party would be, well... the Zeemote. But, in true GDC fashion, in fact the party's grande dame was a 3-foot-tall ice sculpture with the word "Zeemote" frozen inside and a tube down the center through which one could pour drinks. The drink of the night was Zeemotinis -- a wicked concoction of rum, cranberry juice and fairy dust.
Or so I was told.
Conveniently enough, once we had a good heater on, we wandered right next door to the Microsoft Casual Games party, which had almost exactly the same hors d'oeuvres and...
... a big ice sculpture with a big "Microsoft Casual Games" frozen in the center with a tube down the center, etc., etc., etc.
THIS frozen ice sculpture, however, dispensed vodka, Red Bull, and cranberry juice.
How trendsetting!!
The night finally ended with Joe dragging me probably 75 or 80 blocks (or at least that's what it felt like after six or eight drinks) to The Cellar, a classic, shabby-chic underground dive bar, for the Telltale Games party. Of course, it was by far the coolest. Zombie themed. Disco balls. And guess what? No ice sculpture! Score one to Telltale for breaking refusing to follow the pack!
Joystiq was at the Telltale thing as well, and took a bunch of pictures for your enjoyment. None of me getting sloppy with Joe, Chad from Destructoid, and a few others of the DToid team over at the Cool Kidz Bar, as we liked to call it.
Yes, I have photos, and I'll upload them later for your amusement.
Okay, back off to the Moscone Center. More later.]]> general Tue, 19 Feb 2008 19:39:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=309043# Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=309043# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/244516545/index.php And it's amazing how many of you are now doing your own podcasts!
How awesome is that. I feel like Betsy Ross or something!
If you're a fan of the old Edie and Hawkes days and you now have your own podcast, let us know. I'd like to give shout-outs on our podcast to all the fans who listened to us and decided (wisely), "Hey, if these two jackasses can do it, anyone can!"
Don't get me wrong. There's a certain amount of "I'm not afraid to throw myself off the cliff" mentality needed to start a podcast, and I want to pay tribute to all of you who are egotistical and crazy enough to put your opinions and voices out on the interwebs.
Send us your website details, or at least where we can find your podcast, to GameHounds AT gmail.com.
Now, I'm off to GDC.
-Edie]]> general Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:07:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=308657# Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=308657# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/244516546/index.php Hawkes was all ready to record Episode 3 and then came down with that horrible flu that no one is prepared for this winter.
He's bundled up in the House of Hawkes with 103 degree fever, which goes nicely with the matching fevers his wife and son have.
I just got off the phone with him and he's kinda delirious and sounds like ass.
So we'll all just have to wait for Episode 3. On the plus side, it will contain the latest from GDC, which starts Monday.
Sorry for the delay. We'll be back as soon as we can both stand up straight. ]]> podcasts Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:36:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=308365# Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=308365# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/244516547/index.php If you listened to Episode 2, you'd have heard Edie ask: What defines Mile High Club membership?

Your thoughts? You can add them as comments on this thread or you can email them to GameHounds@gmail.com.

]]> podcasts Sat, 16 Feb 2008 15:11:00 GMT http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=307893# Cooper Hawkes and Edie Sellers No http://gamehounds.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=307893# http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gamehounds/~3/244516548/index.php Available for your listening pleasure and your gaming edification is GameHounds Podcast 2: The Mile High Club.
I apologize in advance for the weird hum. I didn't realize my iMic has a grounding disorder until after we recorded.
This episode was recorded Wednesday, February 13. So grab your loved one, cuddle up close, and spend your Valentine's Day warming your tootsies to the hotest gaming talk the net has to offer.
Topics tonight:

Thus: Tonight is recording night.

Yes, episode two is about to explode into your ears!

The problem is that we know what we want to talk about, but what do you want to hear?

Got any questions for Edie or Hawkes? We will answer just about anything you ask, although let us take care of a few obvious ones right now:

1. Briefs
2. Betty... totally Betty. Wilma was a ho.
3. 16, in the backseat of a 1980 Toyota Corolla.
4. Only once, but Hawkes said he thought it was a girl.

So there you go. Any other topics/questions you want from us? Emails us at Gamehounds@gmail.com.