The Game Informer

Portable SNES Might Be Better Than Nintendo's 3DS

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 19:55:00 +0000

If you're taking a road trip anytime in the next rest-of-your-life, you need one of these portable SNES systems.

Check out these shots of a portable SNES system that one crafty Reddit user put together.

Bug robotairz for the details on how he did it, and check out more action shots at Imgur. Have you been productive with your holiday break?

Get Ready To Die Again: Dark Souls II Revealed At VGAs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 19:54:00 +0000

Namco Bandai's beloved Dark Souls series is getting a sequel. Dark Souls II debuted tonight as a CG trailer during Spike's Video Game Award show.

The footage shows armored knights working through hostile terrain, and taking on an army wearing masks similar to those worn by the Court of Owls in New 52's Batman. We also see a dragon skeleton that looks to be the size of Godzilla. I really hope we get to fight one of those!

VGA Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 19:53:00 +0000

Even if you watched the show, you didn't catch the winner for every category. Here's the full list.

Game of the Year
The Walking Dead: The Game

Studio of the Year
Telltale Games

Best Xbox 360 Game
Halo 4

Best PS3 Game
Journey

Best Wii / Wii U Game
New Super Mario Bros. U

Best PC Game
XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Best Handheld / Mobile Game
Sound Shapes

Best Shooter
Borderlands 2

Best Action Adventure Game
Dishonored

Best RPG
Mass Effect 3

Best Multiplayer Game
Borderlands 2

Best Individual Sports Game
SSX

Best Team Sports Game
NBA 2K13

Best Driving Game
Need For Speed Most Wanted

Best Fighting Game
Persona 4 Arena

Best Adapted Video Game
The Walking Dead: The Game

Best Independent Game
Journey

Best Graphics
Halo 4

Best Song in a Game
"Cities" by Beck

Best Original Score
Journey

Best Performance By a Human MaleDameon Clarke as Handsome Jack (Borderlands 2)

Best Performance By a Human Female
Melissa Hutchison as Clementine (The Walking Dead: The Game)

Best Downloadable Game
The Walking Dead: The Game

Best Social Game
You Don't Know Jack

Best DLC
Dawnguard – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Most Anticipated Game
Grand Theft Auto V

Character of the Year
Clap Trap (Borderlands 2)

Best Game of the Decade
Half Life 2

What do you think? Do you agree with the winners?

Is Phantom Pain A New Metal Gear Game?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 19:52:00 +0000

The most talked about game at this year's Spike Video Game Awards show was The Phantom Pain, a game we were led to believe was being created by new developer Moby Dick Studio.

It didn't take NeoGAF users long to throw on their Sherlock Holmes attire to investigate this new game and its developer. What they found first was Moby Dick Studio's website, which doesn't offer much in terms of content, but does detail the company in its "about" section. Here's what it says:

Moby Dick Studio is a game developing company operating out of Stockholm, Sweden. Moby Dick Studio was founded by CEO Joakim Mogren who after years of working for a major American developer brought together people out of various game studios from around the Scandinavian area to start something new.

Our goal is to deliver an uncompromising, exciting and touching game experience to people all around the globe.

We will shortly be disclosing information regarding our first major release.

The CEO, Joakim Mogren, has an interesting name. "Joakim" is actually an anagram for "Kojima." Neogaf then dissected the footage, revealing many links to the Metal Gear series, including a scar on the protagonist's face that matches Snake's from Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. The character emerging from the fire looks a lot like Volgin. The lines above the Phantom Pain logo supposedly also spell out Metal Gear Solid V, if you use the Metal Gear font.

We'll have to wait for confirmation to know for sure, but I have a feeling Neogaf uncovered the truth behind this game. My guess: It'll be called Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain.

Check out NeoGAF for all of the other hidden secrets in Phantom Pain's trailer.

2013 Video Game Release Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 20:38:00 +0000

We've put together a list of games with confirmed release dates for 2013. If a game only has a loose release date, such as a specific quarter or month, it won't make the cut. It needs to have a date.

We'll be updating this throughout the year as more and more dates get confirmed. See any that we missed? Sound off in the comments below.

January

Anarchy Reigns – January 8
DmC: Devil May Cry -- January 15
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 – January 15
The Cave – January 22
Naughty Bear: Double Trouble – January 22
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – January 22
Hitman Trilogy – January 29

February

Fire Emblem: Awakening – February 4
Dead Space 3 – February 5
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time – February 5
Brain Age: Concentration Training – February 10
Aliens: Colonial Marines – February 12
Omerta: City of Gangsters – February 12
Crysis 3 – February 19
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance – February 19
Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan – February 26
Rayman Legends – February 26

March

South Park: The Stick of Truth -- March 5 (DELAYED)
Major League Baseball 2K13 – March 5
MLB 13 The Show -- March 5
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 – March 5
Tomb Raider – March 5
SimCity – March 5
Castlevania Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate -- March 5
God of War: Ascension -- March 12
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm – March 12
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 – March 12
Gears of War: Judgment – March 19
Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel – March 26
BioShock Infinite – March 26

April

Injustice: Gods Among Us – April 16
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner – Soul Hackers – 4-16
Dead Island Riptide – April 23

May

The Last of Us – May 7

January Cover Revealed: Top 50 Games of 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 20:38:00 +0000

With the year's biggest releases in our rearview mirror, we spent the better part of a month arguing about which games, characters, publishers, and developers rose to the head of the pack. The result of those heated debates is our 20-page Top 50 Games of 2012 cover story, which looks back at the biggest success stories and disappointments.

Once you've read our take on 2012, tell us yours by weighing in on the Reader's Poll. Later this month we'll publish the results and compare them with the editor picks.

In addition to our celebration of 2012, the January issue has several other features worth reading. Matt Helgeson digs into the history of developer Crystal Dynamics and finds a studio rich in high-end talent. Kimberley Wallace speaks with Telltale Games about the creation of The Walking Dead's Clementine, one of the most emotionally impactful characters of the year. We also report on the first three hours of Tomb Raider, deliver a verdict on the Wii U, and dive into Marvel Heroes, an MMO take on the popular Ultimate Alliance series.

Check out the full cover art below, which was created by the talented Sam Spratt:

Print subscribers should start receiving the issue in the next two weeks, but why wait that long? Digital subscribers can access the PC/Mac, iPad, or Android editions later today, and the issue will be available on Zinio and Google Play tomorrow. Not a digital subscriber yet? Convert your print subscription here or start a new subscription here. You can also purchase individual issues or subscribe via the appropriate apps.

Meet The Official Face Of BioShock Infinite's Elizabeth

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 20:37:00 +0000

Irrational Games has hired Anna Moleva, the talented cosplayer with an uncanny resemblance to Elizabeth even without the costume, to represent the character in all of BioShock Infinite's marketing material.

Moleva will be representing Elizabeth from BioShock Infinite on the game's box art, at assorted events, and in an upcoming television commercial. You can find out more about Moleva and her Elizabeth costume at Irrational Games' official website.

Battlefront III Was 99 Percent Finished

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 20:36:00 +0000

We were THIS close to getting a third Battlefront game. Free Radical co-founder Steve Ellis said the game would have been a turning point for the company after falling into development trouble with Haze.

"We were making a game with very high ambition," Ellis said in an interview with gamesTM magazine. "You could start a battle on the ground, jump into a ship and fly into space, continuing on to dock in a capital ship and continue the battle there."

An early version of the game leaked this past April. An hour of additional footage leaked the following July.

"We'd had to build all kinds of new tech and overcome numerous technical challenges and limitations but we had done it. We had a 99% finished game that just needed bug fixing for release," he added.

"It should have been our most successful game, but it was cancelled for financial reasons. I'm happy that people did at least get to see what we were working on and share the team's enthusiasm for it."

These Are The Best Video Game T-Shirts Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 02:29:00 +0000

Demon's Souls and Dark Souls are two of the best video games ever created, so by default these are the best t-shirts ever. The folks over at Meat Bun released six new designs based off of From Software's titles as part of the new "Demons'n Darkness" line.

Each design and description have been posted below. Head over to the online store to pick one (or all) of them up.

Brave knight, watch the hell out for that dragon! And that demon! And that pile of slime with the spear!! And that reaper!!! Oh my lord, you are so screwed.

Back in high school, I used to listen to nothing but Ceaseless Discharge on cassette. Their earlier stuff was way better, but the Daughters of Chaos tour was the most metal show I've ever been to.

Take your covenant promises seriously. Remember forest dwellers: Take only souls, leave only corpses.

Show the world what a rotten, murderous soul you've become by proudly displaying your character tendency.

Don't open that chest! It's actually a horrific thing that's hungry enough to eat you, armor and all. But ever wonder what's inside that horrific thing? The kaiju anatomy of a Mimic explains everything.

And this card means that strength will be granted so the world might be mended. That, or you'll be dead in six months.

The Injustice: Gods Among Us Roster

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 02:28:00 +0000

NetherRealm Studios is releasing their DC-based fighter in the spring, and we expect a steady stream of character reveals as the months roll on. As we've been doing with Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale, we'll be updating this story as NetherRealm and WB pull the curtain back. Keep an eye on this story to keep up to date on the latest reveals in the Mortal Kombat developer's upcoming title.

(Click for full-sized version)

NEW - DeathStroke: A trailer showing off DeathStroke's gunplay and sword fighting skills has shown up online.

Green Lantern: No details yet. Creator Ed Boon confirmed via Twitter that Green Lantern is in the game after the box art appeared online.

Joker: No details yet. Creator Ed Boon confirmed via Twitter that Joker is in the game after thebox art appeared online.

Green Arrow: Oliver Queen brings his bow skills to the fight. He comes packed with a number of different arrow types to annoy your opponents from afar.

Batman: It wouldn't be a DC fighter without the Caped Crusader, and he's here in full force. He features the typical assortment of gadget-based projectiles and attacks, and his Batcave stage features plenty of environmental hazards.

Harley Quinn: Joker's main squeeze has some gadgets of her own, including a pistol, a massive hammer, booby-trapped gift packages, and a deadly birthday cake.

Superman: The Man of Steel can attack with his iconic assortment of powers, but he can also knock an enemy into orbit (and back) with his ridiculously over-the-top super move.

Wonder Woman: Most fighters in Injustice fight from only one stance, but Wonder Woman can switch between her lasso and her sword/shield combo. Her moveset will change significantly depending on which stance you're currently in.

Catwoman: Batman's on-again, off-again love interest can attack with her whip and bladed claws, and looks to be one of the quickest characters in the game based on her debut trailer.

Flash: This superhero features one of the more useful abilities in the game, as he can essentially slow down time. With his enemies moving in slow motion, it's far easier to get in a flurry of attacks. Oh yeah, and he can sprint around the world to build up a massive punch to the face.

Solomon Grundy: This unfortunate Gotham resident has a particularly brutal super move. He pulls cleavers out of his back, slices his opponent with them, and then pulls a tombstone out of his own chest. Of course, he proceeds to crack it over his victim's skull.

Nightwing: Robin's alter-ego is one of the more agile fighters in the game, and can combine his dual sticks into a large staff. He also comes equipped with bladed projectiles that can be tossed from the ground or air.

Cyborg: This half-robotic fighter is deadly from any range with his laser-guided missile attack, and can pull out a massive cannon that emits a devastating laser blast.

Details On Bungie's Next Game Leak Online

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 02:27:00 +0000

A number of details regarding Bungie's next game, Destiny, have leaked online and Bungie has confirmed that they are accurate.

The leak comes from IGN, where details of the game's story are revealed as well as a number of art assets. In response to the leak, Bungie officially released the image above along with the following information:

"Go ahead. Take a peek. It’s alright. We weren't quite ready, but we will be soon, and we can’t wait to finally show you what we've really been up to. Stick around, we haven’t even started yet."

The leak comes from a document created by an advertising agency that was put together as a presentation for Destiny and had the following description for the game:

“Our story begins seven hundred years from now in the Last City on Earth, in a Solar System littered with the ruins of man’s Golden Age. A massive, mysterious alien ship hangs overhead like a second Moon. No one knows where it came from or what it’s here for, but only that it’s our protector. Meanwhile, strange, alien monsters creep in from the edge of the universe, determined to take Earth and the Last City. We are young ‘knights’ tasked with defending the remains of humanity, discovering the source of these monsters and – eventually – overcoming it.”

The advertising document goes on to refer to the, "massive mysterious alien ship," as the Traveler, and says that Bungie is seeking to make Destiny as universally accessible as the Star Wars universe. Bungie's co-founder Jason Jones described Destiny saying it, "is designed for your inner seven year old. We want to make it feel like a mythic adventure.” Bungie has pointed out in that past that one of the reasons it decided to work with Activision was because of its impressive online infrastructure leading many to theorize that Bungie's next game may be an MMO. As part of the leak, the gameplay of Destiny is described as “social at its core,” and has “a world to explore with friends, both old and new,” which lends a little more ammunition to that rumor.

IGN has handful of images from the game on its site, but notes that many of the images are mock-ups from the advertising agency presumably based on Destiny that weren't necessarily created by Bungie.

Bethesda On Dishonored: 'We Clearly Have A New Franchise'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 02:25:00 +0000

Dishonored sold pretty well in the U.S. during its debut month. It seems like we'll see another game sometime in the future as Bethesda says, "We clearly have a new franchise."

Speaking to Destructoid, Bethesda VP of PR Pete Hines said the game saw a huge boost in sales during Black Friday last week and continues to do well in other territories."I can tell you that Dishonored is far exceeding our sales expectations, which is especially cool considering it’s new IP facing a host of well-established franchises this quarter," he said.

"We did terrific numbers again this past weekend, both in stores and on Steam, where Dishonored was listed as the #1 selling title over the holiday weekend. And Dishonored has really sold well overseas.

"So, we’re very pleased and appreciate all the fans that have supported Dishonored and Arkane. We clearly have a new franchise."

Xbox Creator Speaks On Ouya

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 19:16:00 +0000

Ed Fries started his career working for Microsoft, where he worked up to become the head of Microsoft’s Game Division. Now Fries is acting as an advisor on the Kickstarter-funded Ouyaproject – which aims to put a custom-based Android operating system into a console box. The system is set to release early next year, but we briefly chatted with Fries about his thoughts on the Ouya and how it compares to the release of the original Xbox.

You’re on the advisory board for Ouya. What drew you to that project?A lot of times why people want me to be an adviser these days is just cause I am pretty connected in the gaming business, so I can help hook them up with different developers who might be interested or maybe hardware companies who might also be able to help, or I can just give advice from my experience in working in the console business. I try to do all of those things with Ouya. It’s fun to be part of a small team, small project, that was Kickstarted. It’s a great example of something that just couldn’t happen a few years ago. You couldn’t build competitive hardware just like that using off the shelf parts; you couldn’t fund it through crowd-source funding. The big cool developers wouldn’t have been interested in that. All these pieces had to fall into place to make Ouya possible. So, to me it was more like an opportunistic thing, these guys saw, “Ah, all these little pieces that we need to do this are all lying out there, what if we just do it?” It’s not even risky really, it’s like, “We’ll put it up on Kickstarter and people will like it or they won’t, if they like it then we’ll make it.” It’s almost sort of a free-to-play attitude up around a console launch, put your game out there and see what happens early on, as opposed to building it in secret for years.

When you guys started working on the original Xbox, the concept was to put Microsoft Windows and Direct X in a stand along box. Now, Ouya is looking to put Android into a console box. Do you see that as a kind of spiritual successor in a way?I hadn’t thought of it that way. I think the thing about Ouya that’s interesting to me, there’s sort of this obvious need that’s not being met. There’s sort of this need for this open console that’s digitally distributed, and it’s just not there. Apple isn’t doing it, Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo aren’t really doing it. And so, Ouya is just kind of stepping into this opportunity for various historical reasons that no one else wants to go into. So I don’t know, Xbox was a little different than that I think.

Ouya had a Kickstarter goal of less than a million, but it ended up raising over eight; did the response to the Ouya concept surprise you guys at all?I asked the CEO that, Julie Ehrman, the other day and she said absolutely, it absolutely surprised her. I guess I didn’t think about it enough at the time to have an opinion about whether it would work or not. It was kind of like, “Let’s just try it and see,” but it has been exciting to watch it grow and be part of it.

Do you feel that the process of launching a new console in the market has changed quite a bit in the last 10 years?I think it’s going to have an impact on the way consoles and developers interact in the future. It’s getting harder and harder for the traditional consoles to ignore the Apple kind of experience. Anybody can develop for the platform, certification is a relatively cheap and painless thing, and in the old days of consoles there are all sorts of myths and legends that say that’s a bad thing to do. That’s why the game business melted down in ’84, there was too much junk on the market, but now you’ve got guys who make games like Fez who can’t do an update to their game because it costs too much, if that game was on iOS that wouldn’t be a problem, but because it’s on XBLA it’s a problem. Those kinds of ideas have to go away in the next generation. They’ll go away in Ouya, they’ll go away if Apple brings some kind of product into this space, the console makers like Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, they have to respond to that, it’s just the future. Likewise they have to respond to the free-to-play game model, the world is changing, people want this free-to-play experience, game developers want to build free-to-play experiences and the console ecosystem has to adapt to that. It can’t just be $50 product in a box all the time.

Do you see Ouya as a direct competitor to Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony, or is it kind of like it’s own thing?No I don’t think they see themselves that way, I think they see a market niche opportunity, they don’t know how big it’s going to be, but it’s already big enough just through Kickstarter to make it happen. We’ll just see how it goes.

The Terrible Dangers Of Video Game Violence

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 19:15:00 +0000

Are you worried that video game violence can lead to real life violence? Maybe you should be. Here's a PSA.

Julian Smith takes a dark look at how video game violence can lead to trouble.

Nuketown 2025 Returns To Black Ops II Online Playlist

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 19:13:00 +0000

Update: The Nuketown 2025 map has returned to the online playlist, albeit in a slightly different way.

According to a report from Gamespot, Treyarch has returned the map to a new playlist called Chaos Moshpit, where it is mixed in with others like Slums and Standoff.

Original Story: Treyarch and Activision have pulled the Nuketown 2025 map from the game's multiplayer playlist. Design director David Vonderhaar said on Twitter it will be back for "special events."

"Double XP weekend is official [sic] over. That means Nuketown 2025 / 24-7 is as well. I know. RIGHT? Don't kill the messenger," he said. "Nuketown 2025 / 24-7 will be back for special events. You can always play it with your friends in Custom Games."

Nuketown 2025 was originally offered as a pre-order bonus. Game Informer has contacted Activision for additional comment.

Wii U Review Round-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 19:12:00 +0000

The Wii U is here, and along with it comes video games. And along with those video games come our opinions about which ones are worth your time. Check out all of our Wii U reviews and their corresponding Test Chamber videos where applicable below, and get ready for even more as we're able to spend more time with the system and its software.

New Super Mario Bros. U - "After playing through New Super Mario Bros. 2 on 3DS a few months ago, I was concerned that the “New” series had run its course. The levels didn’t feel as fresh and the coin collection gimmick didn’t make much of an impact. I feared this dip in quality signaled stormy skies for New Super Mario Bros. U on Nintendo’s next home console, but I couldn’t have been more wrong." - Bryan Vore

Nintendo Land - "The question for Nintendo Land really comes down to longevity. Although I had an absolute blast playing Mario Chase for a few rounds, I’m already bored with it. With only a few similar standout games, the collection doesn’t captivate as much as it could. Still, despite some control foibles and a few uninteresting minigames, Nintendo Land gives players a proper introduction to the capabilities of the Wii U and its GamePad." - Kimberly Wallace

ZombiU - "Gamers eager for a new experience tailored to the Wii U likely have their eyes on ZombiU. It shows off nearly every feature of Nintendo’s new hardware, but the sum of these parts is a horrifying Frankenstein’s Monster. Good zombie games are a dime a dozen these days, and I can’t recommend ZombiU above them despite being the only undead shooter on the Wii U." - Tim Turi

Scribblenauts Unlimited - "To push Scribblenauts Unlimited to the limits of its vocabulary is impressive, and seeing how objects interact with one another is always amusing. Scribblenauts Unlimited’s ability to blur the line between game and toy is one of its greatest strengths. Finding the more obscure and bizarre ways to solve puzzles is where the experience shines, largely because it’s the kind of fun you create for yourself." - Kyle Hilliard

Technically, our Epic Mickey review mainly covers the current console versions, but we do touch on the Wii U version. Also, our Wii U impressions of Ninja Gaiden are exactly that, impressions, but it doesn't mean it should be discounted from our round-up.

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two - "Attractive visuals only carry the game so far. Just when I finished one infuriating, monotonous boss fight I’d get thrown into another directionless, obtuse puzzle room. The discrete sections connect into an unbroken string of frustrating gameplay. I’m genuinely sad that a game rooted in the joy of Disney failed to evoke any in me, but Epic Mickey 2 is so disjointed and rambling, I was ready to escape Wasteland when the time came." - Matt Miller

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge - "While none of [the Wii U] tweaks and additions are unwelcome, the core material of the game is still the weakest in the series. Enemies are still brainless, combat doesn't require the finesse of previous titles, and the story is as incoherent and terrible as ever. I didn't enjoy my time with Ninja Gaiden 3 earlier this year, and what I've seen of Razor's Edge leads me to believe that gamers won't have any better of a time with this update." - Dan Ryckert

Rabbids Land - "Video games that ape board game concepts are an insult to board game players. Board game design has come a long way since Parker Brothers first started publishing Monopoly, but most Mario Party-like games still hold to the formula of rolling a die and circling a board while collecting baubles and trinkets. Some of the best modern board games on the market incorporate deep strategy with and interactive story and player cooperation, but these elements have been entirely lacking from the “board games” we play on gaming consoles. Rabbids Land is one of the worst offenders in years. Not only does Ubisoft’s Wii U launch title hold fast to a tired formula, it is also mind-numbingly boring." -Ben Reeves

Xbox Black Friday Deals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:28:00 +0000

With Black Friday looming just over the horizon it can be a challenge piecing together what deals each retailer will be offering. Well, Xbox Live’s Major Nelson has you covered with the official list of Black Friday Xbox deals. Will you risk being trampled by the ravenous hordes of consumers next week for any of these deals?

Select Xbox 360 consoles and bundles:

Walmart will offer an exclusive special edition glossy white Xbox 360 4GB console and controller with “Skylanders” and exclusive “Skylanders” figurine, for $149.99 USD (ERP).

Best Buy, Fred Meyer, Fry’s and Newegg will carry the Xbox 360 250GB console with “Skyrim” and “Forza 4: Essentials Edition” for $199.99 USD (ERP).

Target, Amazon, Sam’s Club, Meijer, Kmart and Microsoft Stores will offer the Xbox 360 4GB console with Kinect and “Kinect Disneyland Adventures” for $199.99 USD (ERP).

Additional retailers will offer a variety of exclusive deals including:

GameStop: Xbox 360 250GB console with “Call of Duty: Black Ops 2” for $249.99 USD (ERP)

RadioShack: Xbox 360 4GB console with a wired headset for $169.99 USD (ERP)

Toys R Us: Xbox 360 4GB console with $50 gift card for $179.99 USD (ERP)

As far as first party game deals, we’ve got:

Dance Central 3 for $29.99 (MSRP $49.99, a 40 percent discount)

Kinect Sports Ultimate for $29.99 (MSRP $49.99, a 40 percent discount)

Fable: The Journey for $29.99 (MSRP $49.99, a 40 percent discount)

Forza Horizon for $39.99 (MSRP $59.99, a 33 percent discount)

Buy a copy of the recently released Halo 4 at Target (offer good Nov. 23 and 24), and receive a $20 gift card, or at Amazon (offer good Nov. 22 and 23) and receive a $20 gift card, plus $10 Amazon Instant Video Credit.

Feast Your Eyes On These Dragonborn Screens

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:27:00 +0000

Bethesda has released a slew of new screens for its upcoming expansion to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The Dragonborn DLC adds a host of new features and areas to explore.

Players will be able to journey to a new area, just off the coast of Morrowind, on December 4. At least, they will if they're playing on the Xbox 360. PC users will have to wait a bit for the exclusivity to wear off, and PS3 users will have to maintain their patience. Take a look at the gallery below to see some cultists, new towns, and some kind of floating turtle jellyfish thing. Yikes!

"Demo" Lego The Lord Of The Rings 360 Discs Are Actually The Full Game

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:26:00 +0000

Update: A demo-disc mixup with the newly released Xbox 360 version of Lego The Lord of The Rings is only affecting certain shipments and these discs are really the full retail game Warner Bros. relayed in a statement.

Read the full statement below:

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is recalling a small number of LEGO The Lord of the Rings video games that were released for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft to Walmart, Target and Toys ‘R’ Us in the United States with a disc labeling error. The discs in question are incorrectly labeled as demo discs, but those discs do contain the full game content and are fully functional. This error does not affect any other formats of the game. We are in the process of remanufacturing the discs and will get them to the stores as soon as possible.

Consumers who purchased a copy of the Xbox 360 version of the game with the disc labeling error can contact customer support via email at support@wbgames.com or phone at 410-568-3680 for a replacement disc.

--------------------------------

Original story: If you're picking up Lego The Lord of the Rings today for the Xbox 360, you're going to want to open the case before you leave the store. It appears that some of the game boxes contain a demo disc for the game instead of the actual game.

Our own Andrew Reiner went to buy the game this morning, and he was told by the clerk that it had been recalled. He headed to another store, and the case did indeed contain the demo disc. The clerk there then opened the cases for the entire shipment and they were all the same.

The issue doesn't seem to be affecting the PS3 version of Lego The Lord of the Rings.

We've reached out to Warner Bros. Interactive to see if this issue affects the entire pressing, or if it was caught before then. In the meantime, be sure to crack open the box and check before you head home.

BioWare Offers Free Copies Of Mass Effect To Call Of Duty Gamers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:25:00 +0000

Earlier today, it was reported that some copies of Call of Duty: Black Ops II for PC mistakenly included Mass Effect 2 discs. BioWare has responded with an interesting offer.

If you are one of the customers affected by a lack of Call of Duty: Black Ops II, currently suffering from a surplus of Mass Effect 2, send BioWare photographic proof. Here's BioWare's offer:

Rumor has it that about a thousand customers who purchased Call of Duty: Black Ops II for PC today were also treated to a surprise copy of Mass Effect 2. If you were one of the affected, chances are you thought it was a mistake, but we prefer to think that it was an omen, and when the universe talks, you should listen.

If the universe thinks that you should be playing Mass Effect right now, who are we to argue? In fact, we want to help! The first fifty fans affected by this phenomenon to send us a picture holding their special disc 2 will receive a code for a FREE PC copy of Mass Effect Trilogy.

Click here to find out how to get your free Mass Effect Trilogy.

Long-time Xbox Live Members Getting Free Xbox 360

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 19:16:00 +0000

The details aren't clear quite yet, but long-time Xbox Live members, those who have been on the service for 10 years, are getting a surprise from Microsoft.

Microsoft's Larry Hryb confirmed a report from Kotaku this morning saying "some" Xbox Live members are getting a commemorative console to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of Xbox Live. Hryb said he'll be able to share more details about this later in the week.

Additional photos of consoles showing up on people's doorsteps can be seen here.

Final Fantasy XIV End Of An Era Video Marks The Temporary End

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 19:15:00 +0000

Final Fantasy XIV shut down today, but not permanently. Square Enix is preparing to launch Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, which theoretically fixes the many problems that have plagued the MMO since its launch.

Below you will find the cutscene marking the game's finale. A Realm Reborn will be entering the beta stages Winter 2012, which is just around the corner.

Impossible Grand Theft Auto IV Escape

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 19:13:00 +0000

In honor of our recent GTA V cover story, here's a sweet video of how you should escape from every police chase in Grand Theft Auto. This would probably work in real life too.

Anyone ever have this happen to them?

December Cover Revealed: Grand Theft Auto V

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 19:11:00 +0000

UPDATE: The issue is now available on Mac/PC, iOS, and Android. Go get your copy!

The long wait is over at last. With the December issue, Grand Theft Auto V fans can pore over every detail we could get about Rockstar Games' highly anticipated sequel. Over the course of 18 pages (our biggest cover story yet!), we introduce the three main protagonists, discuss the groundbreaking way you use them, and explore the reimagined Los Santos – the biggest open world Rockstar has created to date. The massive feature also divulges and dissects many more aspects of the game fans won't want to miss.

In addition to our GTA V blowout, Joe Juba interviews Will Wright and others to tell the oral history of Maxis (celebrating its 25th anniversary this year), and takes the new SimCity for a spin. We also devote six pages to exploring the islands of Far Cry 3, discuss the impact of Cliff Bleszinksi leaving Epic Games, and share our top gift picks in the 2012 holiday buying guide. Check out the full covers below:

Print subscribers should start receiving the issue in the next two weeks, but why wait that long? Digital subscribers can access the PC/Mac, iPad, or Android editions around 2pm Central Time. To find out the exact time when the issue is accessible, check back for updates on this post or follow us on Twitter. In the meantime, update your apps!

Not a digital subscriber yet? Convert your print subscription here or start a new subscription here. You can also purchase individual issues or subscribe via the appropriate apps. If you prefer a physical copy of the magazine, contact backissues@gameinformer.com.

December Issue Featuring GTA V To Launch Digitally On November 8

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 03:31:00 +0000

We announced our new cover back on October 11, and today we can share with you the release schedule for our December issue featuring Grand Theft Auto V.

At 11am Central (5PM GMT) on November 8, we will reveal the cover art and give you a break down of the issue (hint: the story is huge - over 18 pages in print - and full of details and screens we can't wait to share). Then, in the afternoon (US Central time) we will release the digital edition of Game Informer to iPad, 10-inch Android devices, and PC/Mac. Print issues will already be in the mail and should arrive to subscribers in the weeks that follow. Print newsstand is November 16.

Game Informer Digital subscribers have access to all three digital editions, or you can purchase the individual issues on iPad or Android for $4.99 (or subscribe directly to those devices through the appropriate storefront for $19.99). Game Informer Digital is available worldwide if you have the appropriate credit card and email information.

The tablet app itself is free for iPad and Android and you can check it out now (including a free copy of the Gears of War: Judgment issue).

Digital subs can be purchased directly online through us (via GameStop) or by visiting a GameStop store location, but it can take up to 48 hours to process (we know it's dumb and are working on it). Please subscribe early if you want access to all the editions. This is the only way to access the PC/Mac editions. Otherwise, iPad and Android are available for purchase instantly. The issue will also be available through Google's Play Magazine app as soon as possible. This supports all Android devices, but currently isn't part of our Game Informer Digital subscription and must be purchased separately. If you are looking for single print issues internationally, please contactbackissues@gameinformer.com (rates depend on location).

So if you live in the US, go vote on the 6th, spend the 7th speculating and getting excited, and then grab your digital issue on the 8th! Everyone else in the world can skip the voting.

Update: Time added in bold.