According to the image below, which was teased on the Bethesda blog, Skyrim will be the featured game covered in PC Gamer.

From the image it appears PC Gamer will reveal all races, and address companions, vampires, and crafting in Bethesda’s upcoming game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.  Skyrim is set to hit store shelves on 11/11 and is easily one of the most anticipated games of the 2011 holiday season.

From the looks it, the December issue will also include articles about Borderlands 2, teasing a “Fight four-armed apes!” headline on the cover.  The cover mentions a hands-on preview of Firefall which likens it to “WoW + jetpacks”, along with the ridiculous FPS Serious Sam Double D, where they ask “Are you serious?” about “Guns on top of guns!”

The 2011 holiday season is shaping up to be one of the largest ever, highlighted by games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, Zelda: Skyward Sword, and PC Gamer cover story The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Yesterday, the banged-up Dallas Cowboys played host to the Washington Redskins in a hard-hitting, close game that came down to a 4th quarter comeback drive led by Tony Romo.  Romo, who was recovering from a punctured lung was playing with fractured ribs, played through the pain to lead a very sloppy Dallas Cowboys offense down the field for a total of 6 field goals. 

With that, I expect an overall boost to Dallas Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey who nailed 6 kicks in 6 attempts for a perfect evening.  He made the short kicks, long kicks, and clutch kicks.  Dan Bailey, who currently sits at a 62 overall should get a boost high enough to surpass former Cowboys kicker who was nowhere to be seen, David Buehler.  Buehler, who has been the Cowboys kickoff specialist didn’t even make an appearance last night, and I would suspect a drop in his 67 overall, if not a change to the roster position.

Other than Bailey, much of the Cowboys team should remain the same.  No one on offense particularly stood out.  Except for new Center Phil Costa, who almost single-handily lost the game for the Cowboys with not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 botched snaps in which he hiked the ball when Romo wasn’t looking.  I’m not sure who was entirely at fault, but I’m sure Costa’s overall will feel the brunt of it.  Expect his 68 overall to take a hit.  Other than him, the rest of the Cowboys offensive line should remain safe for now.  Aside from a few untimely penalties, they were pretty decent.  Well, decent for their current overalls.

Running Back Felix Jones had a solid evening rushing for for 115 yards, but don’t expect a change here as he’s been sub-par for the majority of the season.  Until last night, the Cowboys had yet to have a run for over 10 yards.  I think we need a few more weeks of solid play out of the Cowboys running game before we see some changes to his 80 overall.  Overall, the Cowboys offense was a mess and aside from a clutch catch from Dez Bryant, they were shut out for most of the night.  With Miles Austin out with a hamstring injury, the receivers struggled to get open.  The young receivers had mostly mental issues, not knowing the routes or the plays.

Although, a stingy Cowboys defense helped lead them to a victory.  Ware continued to dominate picking up his 5th sack on the season.  You might see a slight bump in Anthony Spencer’s overall who notched another sack under his belt and had a forced fumble, which ended the Redskins comeback drive and sealed the victory.  The only other Cowboy to stand out on defense was Sean Lee who had a crucial interception and seemed to be in on every play.  Overall, it was a solid performance by the entire defensive unit.

Don’t expect many changes to happen to the Redskins this update.  They played pretty mistake free, aside from a Grossman interception and last minute fumble.  Their main problem was just lack of sustainable drives.  There were no big mistakes and I don’t predict any big changes.

The Redskins team overall after the last update was 77, and I think they played to about that level.  There wasn’t any real negatives, but not a whole lot to be positive.  Granted, they are 2-1 on the season, but last night they looked very mediocre.  There was just no big plays.

Last update Grossman had his overall boosted to 77, but I don’t think he played any worse or less than Madden NFL 12 has him rated.  He threw for 250 yards and 1 TD against a very difficult Cowboys defense.  Santana Moss had a respectable 5 catches for 70 yards, but no real game-breakers as the Cowboys kept him in front of them all night.  TE Chris Cooley who dropped a point in overall last update from 85 to 84, had 4 catches for 41 yards.  I don’t expect any more changes for him.

Let’s not take anything away from the Redskins defense by blaming the Cowboys problems on injuries and lack of age.  They kept the Cowboys out of the endzone all night, resulting in 6 field goals.  Their bend, don’t break defense was stingy all night as soon as the Cowboys got in the Red Zone.  They came to play, and although the Redskins didn’t come out victorious, their defense definitely made a statement last night with 3 forced fumbles and 1 interception.  They did everything they could to secure a win for the inept offense.

LaRon Landry, who particularly stood out to me, was all over the field and laid a big “Welcome to the NFL” hit on Cowboys WR Laurent Robinson.  I still think Robinson was feeling the hit this morning.  The defensive backs of the Redskins, for the most part, played a solid game led by FS Oshiomogho Atogwe.  But when the game came down to the line, CB DeAngelo Hall, who earlier in the week told reporters he was “targeting Romo’s ribs” was the victimized target of Tony Romo and Dez Bryant.  On 3rd and 21 Dez Bryant just outplayed Hall for a crucial 1st down that eventually led to a game winning field goal.  In my opinion, Madden NFL 12 should detract from a player’s overall for trash talking during the week and then blowing the game.  Hopefully, he’s learned from his mistakes.

Watch as Landry lays the smackdown on Laurent Robinson.  How is this not a defenseless receiver?

As expected, the rivalry game lived up to expectations as it was filled with big hits and smack talking.  In the end, Hall may have gotten the first words out, but Romo got the last laugh as the Cowboys pulled it out in a squeaker, 18-16.  Check back later this week for the official Week 4 Roster Update changes coming to Madden NFL 12.  Tune in next week as we breakdown the MNF matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover model Irina Shayk and popular Swimsuit model Chrissy Teigen play guest starring roles in Need for Speed the Run.  The models star as best friends and rival racers competing against Jack, the protagonist and “man on the run”, in a race of a lifetime across the country to New York City.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Sports Illustrated to deliver the biggest, fastest, and sexiest entertainment event of the holiday with Need for Speed The Run,” said Steve Seabolt, Vice President of Global Brand Partnerships at EA. “With a global reach and a quality standard that’s comparable to what we achieve in our games, Sports Illustrated makes the perfect partner. Gamers, racers and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit aficionados alike will love seeing Irina and Chrissy transform from the physical to the digital world, playing lifelong friends competing in a heart-pounding race from San Francisco to New York.”

As part of the partnership, Sports Illustrated and Electronic Arts are producing “The Making of Need for Speed The Run” DVD which will be included in a Sports Illustrated subscription offer whereby new subscribers will receive a six month All Access subscription to SI, Need for Speed The Run video game, and the DVD (for $49.95).
“There are only a few companies that deliver upon the promise of excitement and innovation with every new product launch and EA stands at the top of that list. This is why it is very exciting that SI Swimsuit will be part of the latest edition of the Need for Speed franchise,” said Frank Wall, Vice President and Publisher of Sports Illustrated. “I’m sure that the millions Swimsuit fans will be excited to see Irina and Chrissy behind the wheel and millions more will be introduced to franchise in a fun and unexpected way.”
Need for Speed The Run will be available November 15, 2011 in North America and November 17, 2011 in Europe for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Wii, and Nintendo 3DS.

Developed by Ubisoft Reflections under the direction of the creators of the original title, Driver San Francisco marks the return of the established video game series that has sold 14 million copies worldwide. Gamers will play as Detective John Tanner on a relentless manhunt for crime lord Charles Jericho through the hills of the City by the Bay. Thanks to a groundbreaking gameplay feature, players can now seamlessly SHIFT between well over a hundred licensed vehicles, keeping them constantly in the heart of the action.

All of GameFly’s games are lightly used, and come with case and manual.

(360) Brink $9.99 (GameZone Score: 8)

(PS3) Brink  $9.99

(360) Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit $9.99 (GameZone Score: 7.5)

(PS3) Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit $9.99

(360) Duke Nukem Forever $9.99 (GameZone Score: 4.5 - Ouch!)

(PS3) Duke Nukem Forever $9.99

Simon and Lewis describe Yogscast as “Comedy gaming coverage with Lewis and Simon, two inept Brits who get into all sorts of zany scrapes.”

“Simon and Lewis have been a big part of the Minecraft community through their successful YouTube channel and we are thrilled to have them attending MineCon.”

Minecraft fans can celebrate all things Mineraft this November at MineCon in Las Vegas.  Tickets to this popular indie game are now on sale for $99.  MineCon is taking place in unison with the official Minecraft launch on November and will continue it’s celebration into November 19.  The lineup includes keynote speeches from creator Markus ‘Notch’ Persson, classes about “all different Minecraft topics,” build and costume contests, exhibits “by leading gaming and Minecraft related companies,” and buying commemorative merchandise.

If you are hoping to see Yogscast, or Notch, or everything else Minecraft related, you should grab your tickets now, as prices are set to rise to $139 after October 1.

Now, onto the MineCon swag.  Last week, Mojang revealed that MineCon attendees will receive a Minecraft Cloak.  Fans can “receive the cloak before MineCon and be able to keep it even after the event is over.”  As far as what type of cloak was given away, that was up to fans.  Minecraft fans could vote for their cloak of choice, out of a selection of 8.

After opening up the vote to fans, a winner has chosen.  The fans have spoken, and the Minecraft Cloak Swag will be:

The film DEAD ISLAND is currently in the early development stage with producers attached.  Sean Daniel (THE MUMMY, TOMBSTONE, DAZED AND CONFUSED) will spearhead production through his Sean Daniel Company.  A veteran producer with global franchises under his belt, Daniel is to be joined in producing by Stefan Sonnenfeld, who has been a pioneer in the post production field, using the process as a platform to create a unique visual brand with directors including J.J Abrams, Michael Bay and Gore Verbinski.  Jason Brown of The Sean Daniel Company and Missy Papageorge for Sonnenfeld’s Sunny Field Productions are executive producing, with Sarah Perlman of Sunny Field Productions serving as co-producer.”

A movie based on a game. I know what we’re all thinking, and trust me, I’m thinking it too. Though if that first trailer was any indication (which brought a lot of tears to a lot of gamers) then maybe we might have a successful movie on the way after all. Sound off if you’re looking forward to a zombie paradise, or if you think it’s a complete waste of time.

Three months after the total destruction of Raccoon City, Claire Redfield is still in search of her missing brother Chris. While investigating an Umbrella facility in Paris, Claire is captured and transported to the remote Rockfort Island, where she awaits her death. Claire is thrust back into the world of survival horror once again when an inexplicable air raid hits the island, freeing Claire and accidentally releasing t-virus samples and B.O.W.s.

Beginning October 4, Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition will join Resident Evil CODE: Veronica X on PSN.  Chris Redfield returns as the Resident Evil hero and heads to Africa where the latest bioterrorism threat is literally transforming the people and animals of the city into mindless, maddened creatures. Joining forces with a new partner, Sheva Alomar, the two must work together to discover the truth behind this evil plot.  This special edition contains the full retail game along with two additional episodes (“Lost In Nightmares” and “Desperate Escape”), two costume packs, and “The Mercenaries Reunion” mode.

Resident Evil CODE: Veronica X is rated “M for Mature” by the ESRB and is available for purchase for $19.99 or 1600 Microsoft points. Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition will be available on PSN starting October 4th for $29.99.  Resident Evil 5 is currently available on Xbox LIVE Games on Demand with additional “gold” content available as DLC. The game is rated “M for Mature” by the ESRB.

Resident Evil CODE: Veronica X and Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition will be available alongside the PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE Games on Demand version of Resident Evil 4 which launched September 20th.

If your the proud owner of a 3D TV, using stereoscopic 3D you can experience hardcore bullets and brain matter so real you’ll need a damp towel.  SEGA is kicking it old school, announcing if you’re more of a retro gamer at heart then you can don your paper 3D glasses and enable anaglyphic 3D for the full 1970s grindhouse experience!

“The House of the Dead: OVERKILL – Extended Cut on PlayStation 3 now features anaglyphic and stereoscopic 3D! So whether you have a state-of-the-art 3D TV or a 1970s home cinema system you can enjoy the most gruesome mutant mayhem in 3D! Bring your own popcorn,” said Gary Knight of SEGA.

Check out the newly releases retro 3D screenshots.  Be warned: These screenshots are in RED-CYAN anaglyphic 3D. That means you’ll need paper glasses with a red lens and a cyan lens to see them correctly. House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut supports RED-CYAN and GREEN-MAGENTA Anaglyphic 3D as well as active and passive Stereoscopic 3D.

Xerath’s abilities include:

Locus of Power: The cornerstone of of his long range abilities, Locus of Power makes Xerath immobile, but gives his spells a massively increased range and defense penetration.  This allows Xerath to “set up and barrage an area before becoming mobile again to perform the more standard mage role.”

Arcanopuls: His bread-and-butter ability, Arcanopuls shoots a short-delay beam at an area, zapping anyone hit for significant damage (sounds very similar to Lux’s laser).

Mage Chains: Used more as a defensive spell to protect himself, Mage Chains is a single-target spellt hat will allow Xerath to stun an enemy if he htis him with a subsequent spell.

Arcane Barrage: Xerath’s ultimate allows him to launch up to three massive explosions at a long range, both doing area denial and good team damage.

Riot further explained Xerath as “something we liken to a Howitzer or artillery piece. He should really appeal to people who enjoy very long ranges and like aiming skillshots and leading targets. We’re excited to offer a new mage paradigm to League of Legends, and will be continuing to add new ways to play existing roles into the game.”

What I feared the most with the launch of Dominion looks to be coming true.  It looks like Riot is beginning to focus on creating champions specific to certain game modes.  While I’m sure he has his usefulness in Summoner’s Rift, it seems the majority of his abilities were designed with Dominion in mind, by giving him long range, global disruption.

With the recent launch of Dominon game mode, it looks like Riot will be attempting to bang out some characters with global abilities.  If there are two things that dominate on Dominion it’s speed and range.  If you’ve yet to play a Dominion match, you should know that you can interrupt an enemy from capturing a point by simply hitting him.  Giving Xerath these “long range barrage” abilities, makes him a perfect character for Dominion.  He can poke at enemy champions and delay their capture just long enough for your teammates to defend to the point.

Like I said, I’m sure he is useful in 5v5, but I don’t expect him to be of much use in 3v3.  His long range will allow him to stay away from receiving brunt of the damage, but will still let him dish it out.  Your best chance of beating Xerath will be to find him when he’s immobile and take him out.  I suspect it will take a while for him to go from being immobile to mobile.

What do you think of Xerath, the Magus Ascendant?  Will he dominate Dominion?

For those eager to get into the Battlefield 3 Beta, early access codes have been sent out over the past few hours on all platforms.  If you haven’t received yours, the best you could do is be patient.  Don’t bother hassling EA support either.

“EA Customer Support can´t help you “get” you a key since they are being rolled out from another instance,” says global Battlefield community manager Daniel Matros. “I see the line to EA Live Chat is huge and there are other people with other issues that might need more assistance.”

As most everyone knows, DICE is beginning Battlefield 3 Beta today, giving early access for those who pre-ordered on Origin or pre-ordered Medal of Honor Limited Edition.

Unfortunately, the launch isn’t going as well as intended, “The EA Online servers are experiencing issues and we’re working to get them back up ASAP.”

EA and DICE aren’t the only ones who are benefiting from Battlefield 3 Beta tests.  For many gamers with average PC builds, they will use this open Beta as a chance to see if their current rig can handle the hi-res graphics that Battlefield 3 offers.

It was known that Battlefield 3, at its highest setting, would require a powerhouse PC to run the game at full-res, smoothly.  But when DICE had revealed both the minimum and recommended specs to run Battlefield 3 on the official Beta site, many had believed they could achieve the highest settings by simply meeting those recommended specs.

It wasn’t until a tweet by DICE’s community manager Daniel Matros a few days later that revealed “recommended is usually medium”, that many gamers realized they might actually need to upgrade their system to get those fancy graphics seen in so many Battlefield 3 trailers.

Of course, it also caused many gamers with lower-end PCs to worry if they could even run the game at it’s lowest setting, smoothly.  Even the required settings, which probably means the game will probably run at “low”, are pretty demanding.

Now, I have no worries that my “at-work” PC can handle the grueling demand of Battlefield 3, but I’m not so certain my leisure computer at home is up to specs.  Unfortunately, many people are in the same boat as I am.  Normally a console player, I really wanted to try the PC experience, and Battlefield 3 looked to be the game that would get me to switch.  It doesn’t look good so far, at least not without an upgrade.  And that is the same problem many lower-end PC owners are facing. 

Do they get Battlefield 3 on PC and risk it potentially running like crap?  Or do they upgrade their PC to get it run smoothly?  Or do they settle for the console experience?  All of these are looming questions for gamers unsure of their current rig.

Many hope their computer won’t have ‘99 Problems’ running Battlefield 3

Luckily, DICE is providing an open Beta for all gamers.  Beginning today, those who pre-ordered will have early access to Battlefield 3.  Open Beta for the rest will being September 29th.  But EA and DICE aren’t the only ones who benefit from Open Beta.  In fact, I’m sure many gamers, like me, will use this Beta as an opportunity to test their PC.  This is the perfect opportunity to download Battlefield 3 and see if it runs on your computer.

Heck, even if you have a higher-end computer, you might be shocked to notice the game doesn’t run as smooth as you thought.  Maybe you’ll realize you need an upgrade.  Matros went on to say that if you were aiming to run the game at Ultra Settings, then you’ll probably need two GeForce GTX 580s in SLI configuration.  Those are some pretty specific demands to run Battlefield 3 on Ultra.  Of course, you could just settle for the dreaded “Medium” settings.

While I’m not fond of console play for Battlefield 3, at least I won’t have to worry about it not performing well on my 360 or PS3.  I will use this Open Beta as an opportunity to determine if Battlefield 3 will run smoothly or if I need upgrades to run it at a suitable setting.

Are you worried Battlefield 3 won’t run up to your standards on your current PC setup?  Are you looking to upgrade or waiting to test it out through Beta?

Almost as ridiculous as the news that Minecraft creator, Markus ‘Notch’ Persson just shared via Twitter:

“The Scrolls case is going to court! Weee! :D”

Judging by the smiley face at the end he doesn’t seem too worried about Mojang taking on big, bad Bethesda for the right to retain the name for their upcoming fantasy trading card game.  Earlier this year, Bethesda opened up a case claiming that the word “Scrolls” infringes on their The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim trademark.

Notch’s at first hoped “this is hopefully just lawyers being lawyers”.  Apparently that’s not the case as it seems Bethesda are very serious about getting Mojang to change the name of their new game.

I still don’t understand how a company can trademark a simple word like “Scrolls”.  It’s not like Mojang is blatantly ripping them off with something like, “The Elder Cards: Scrolls”.

Here’s an idea.  Give each individual Miami Heat player the best overalls in the game, but then make the team overall something mediocre because they don’t know how to play together.  Enough ranting, Kobe Bryant checks in with the 3rd highest overall at 94, followed by Chris Paul (93) and Dwight Howard (93).

These ratings come from several YouTube videos posted by a fan who appears to have received a copy of the game early and posted to YouTube under the name NBA2K12stuff.

If you’re wondering where Dirk Nowtizki is, you know, the guy that beat James and Wade in the NBA Championship last season, he is rated a pedestrian 85 overall which is good enough for 14th highest overall.  Talk about lack of respect.

Check out the other overalls from some notable players around the league.

  LeBron James - 98
  Dwyane Wade - 96
  Kobe Bryant - 94
  Chris Paul - 93
  Dwight Howard - 93
  Kevin Durant - 92
  Derrick Rose - 92
  Carmelo Anthony - 91
  Deron Williams - 90
  Amar’e Stoudemire - 88
  Russell Westbrook - 88
  Rudy Gay - 86
  Pau Gasol - 86
  Dirk Nowizki - 85
  Blake Griffin - 85
  Kwame Brown - 59
  Stephen “Captain Jack” Jackson - 83
  DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans - 99
  Ron Artest - 71
  Gilbert Arenas - 77
  Jason Kidd - 77 (not his age)
  Kris Humphries - 70
  Kenyon Martin - 76
  Toronto Raptors - Nobody in the starting 5 rates higher than a 69

Of course, if you want to play with the real greats, NBA 2K12 Legendary Teams will also be playable online, via DLC.

With Legendary Teams, you can compete with the greatest stars in NBA history (not you LeBron) in several online challenges including:

  2 vs. 2 Teammate Challenge
  3 vs. 3 Era Challenge
  Even 21, H.O.R.S.E. and more
  You pick the match-ups and rules

How do you feel about the overalls in NBA 2K12.  Do you feel James’ and Wade’s overalls are justified?  Did Nowizki get shafted in his rating?  Leave a comment below.

• Michael Hogan (“Battlestar Galactica”), who plays Imperial General Tullius, in charge of crushing the Stormcloak rebellion.
• Vladimir Kulich (“The 13th Warrior,” “Smoking Aces”) portrays Hogan’s nemesis Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm and charismatic leader of the Stormcloaks, who aims to make Skyrim independent of the Empire.
• Claudia Christian (“Babylon 5”) joins the cast as Legate Rikke, General Tullius’s chief lieutenant, a loyal Imperial officer as well as a Nord who firmly believes Skyrim must remain part of the Empire.
• Diane Louise Salinger (“Carnivale”), Renee Victor (“Weeds”), and Saturday Night Live-alum George Coe (“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”) round out the star-studded cast of more than 70 different voice actors delivering over 60,000 lines of dialogue.
]]> Bethesda today revealed the stage and screen legends lending their talents to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.  Skyrim will feature an ensemble cast of Academy Award nominees, including Christopher Plummer (“The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,” “The Insider”), Max Von Sydow (“The Exorcist,” “Minority Report”), and Joan Allen (“The Contender,” “The Bourne Ultimatum”). Christopher Plummer, a two-time Emmy Award winner, two-time Tony Award winner and Academy Award nominee, takes on the role of Arngeir, a powerful Greybeard elder. An order of philosopher monks who are masters of the Way of the Voice, the Greybeards live in silent isolation atop Skyrim’s largest mountain. Academy Award nominee, Max Von Sydow, stars as Esbern, a chronicler and agent of the Blades who has survived in hiding. Long obsessed with the foretold return of the dragon Alduin, the World Eater, Esbern will teach you how to confront this epic evil. Tony Award winner and three-time Academy Award nominee, Joan Allen, will be making her videogame debut as Delphine, one of the last remaining members of the Blades – an ancient warrior society once sworn to protect the Emperor. Like you, Delphine is trying to unravel the mystery of the dragons’ return. In addition, iconic actress and singer, Lynda Carter (“Wonder Woman”), voices Gormlaith Golden-Hilt, one of the Nord heroes who overthrew the dragons in ancient times. “It’s been incredible to have all these actors together,” said Todd Howard, Game Director. “When you start a project, you always make your wish-list of actors, and to actually hear them in the game, it’s amazing. We can’t wait for everyone to experience it.” Skyrim’s cast also includes: Michael Hogan (“Battlestar Galactica”), who plays Imperial General Tullius, in charge of crushing the Stormcloak rebellion. Vladimir Kulich (“The 13th Warrior,” “Smoking Aces”) portrays Hogan’s nemesis Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm and charismatic leader of the Stormcloaks, who aims to make Skyrim independent of the Empire. Claudia Christian (“Babylon 5”) joins the cast as Legate Rikke, General Tullius’s chief lieutenant, a loyal Imperial officer as well as a Nord who firmly believes Skyrim must remain part of the Empire. Diane Louise Salinger (“Carnivale”), Renee Victor (“Weeds”), and Saturday Night Live-alum George Coe (“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”) round out the star-studded cast of more than 70 different voice actors delivering over 60,000 lines of dialogue. Newegg ID: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 2011-09-27T13:33:00+00:00 http://pc.gamezone.com/news/item/bethesda_announces_voice_over_cast_for_the_elder_scrolls_v_skyrim/#When:13:33:00Z