After Viacom President and CEO Philippe Dauman let the cat out of the bag, Rock Band developer Harmonix updated its Facebook page to reveal that the third, “revolutionary” installment in the mega-popular franchise will be heading our way this holiday season.

From the post:

Harmonix is developing Rock Band 3 for worldwide release this holiday season! The game, which will be published by MTV Games and distributed by Electronic Arts, will innovate and revolutionize the music genre once again, just as Harmonix did with the original Rock Band, Rock Band 2 and The Beatles: Rock Band. Stay tuned for more details!

Also, as IndustryGamers points out, Dhani Harrison, son of the late Beatles great George Harrison who also helped sell the idea of The Beatles: Rock Band to rights holders Apple Corps, said that he was working to make the instruments for Rock Band 3 “more real so people can actually learn how to play music while playing the game.”

Hmmm…Interesting.

Of course, we’ll keep you posted on any new Rock Band 3 details as they emerge.

Empowering the EBA Community with a voice to collaboratively review the industry’s hottest titles, the EpicBattleAxe.com uREVIEW (about) delivers real insight from real gamers about The GOOD, The BAD, and The UGLY pertaining to the biggest games in the world. This is the EpicBattleAxe.com uREVIEW for Final Fantasy XIII. Let’s get started:
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Ubisoft announced today that its new real time strategy IP, R.U.S.E., is now available for public beta on Steam. According to the press release:

“In the public beta, players will have the opportunity to choose one of the 6 unique factions available in the game (US, UK, GER, USSR, FRANCE, IT) and train themselves against the artificial intelligence on the “Blitz” map before entering the multiplayer challenge.”

Ubisoft calls R.U.S.E. “a one-of-a-kind real-time strategy (RTS) game [that is] set to reinvigorate the strategy genre”. In the words of Ubisoft, R.U.S.E. allows players to “use their brains as the ultimate weapon to fight a war of perception where the ability to deceive and mislead the enemy determines success.”

R.U.S.E. is scheduled to release on June 3rd, 2010 for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC. Check out the beta and let us know what you think!

EA Sports announced via a press release today that the upcoming Tiger Woods PGA Tour® 11 will feature support for the Playstation 3 motion controller. Interestingly, this particular announcement was a very small portion of the press release. However, according to the announcement, including support for the PS3 motion controller will “give gamers an authentic interactive swing experience.” While the game will release on the PS3 on June 8th (along with the Xbox 360, Wii, and iPhone), there is no indication if the Playstation motion controller will be supported (read available) at launch. No idea why EA seems to be playing down the PS3 motion controller, but if it works anywhere near as good as the Wii Motion Plus does with this game, it should be interesting.

Also included in the press release, and truly the main focus of the document, is the inclusion of The Ryder Cup Tournament in this years version of the franchise. The Ryder Cup is an annual tournament that pits the best European and American golfers against each other in team competition format. EA is so excited about the inclusion of The Ryder Cup in the game that they decided to add Rory McIlroy (along with Tiger) to the cover of the game as representative of the European team. The addition of The Ryder Cup event impacts the online play as well. According to the press release, having The Ryder Cup “will allow up to 24 players to compete head-to-head as members of team.”

Now if we can just get players to be able to play head-to-head through an entire season together, we’d be set. Hit the EBA Gallery to check out 16 brand new screens from Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11!

Today on IGN the final warrior to compete in Super Street Fighter IV was revealed. Complete with combat details and an insane trailer, Hakan the Tukish wrestler was born unto the world. He is big, he is orange, and man is he slick.

No, I mean he is literally slick. The blue-haired whirling dervish likes to prepare for each match by dumping a barrel full of oil over his hulking Turkish frame, making him literally slick. Apparently the greasening doesn’t only occur before matches. It seems Hasan can re-lubricate throughout a fight as well. And don’t let his size fool you. Once this guy gets his sheen on, he can move.

If you are even remotely a fan of the Street Fighter franchise, head over to IGN for the full details. You’ll be glad you did! Super Street Fighter IV is releasing April 27, 2010

A few hours ago Robert Bowling, community strategist extraordinaire for Infinity Ward, posted a link on his Twitter feed that leads to a website which all but says that Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will be getting its first Map Pack on March 30, 2010 – if you own an Xbox 360. A few minutes later, the good Mr. Bowling Tweeted that the DLC will be released on the PS3 and PC at ” a — yet to be announced — later date.”

It is unclear why the developer thinks that this odd ad does a better job of announcing this DLC than – say – a press release but, while the ad offers no details regarding the maps, it does say to check back soon for more information. So perhaps there is more than meets the eye to this not so sly reveal and the Mapathy website will offer more info in the future. Either way, for you Modern Warfare fans out there, go ahead and get excited – new content is on the way!

-Source

Well, it’s time to jump back on the BattleCry train folks as we feature yet another Member created Cry pertaining to this week’s topic; the impact of delays in gaming. We’ve got some great feedback on the topic thus far and with the long-awaited and often delayed Final Fantasy XIII hitting store shelves today, I’ve decided to use Axe Head Ares‘ MBC to sum up how some long-time Final Fantasy fans feel about the game. Now, this MBC is of the negative variety, but keep in mind that this is just ONE SIDE of how FF fans feel and to be honest, I would really like to hear from fans that are pleased with how Square Enix has handled the delay and overall game design if you’re out there. So, check out today’s MBC after the jump and then sound off with YOUR thoughts in the comments section below.
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Well, GDC 2010 has started with a bang as Bigpoint and NBC Universal have announced Battlestar Galactica Online, a new browser-based MMO not-to-surprisingly based on the hit Battlestar Galactica series.

From the press release:

Battlestar Galactica Online, a tactical space combat and adventure MMOG based upon Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica series. The MMOG, inspired by one of the most popular science fiction series in television history, will launch worldwide exclusively this fall on Syfy.com for a 30 day period. The Unity co-developed MMOG will offer state of the art graphics that can be played directly in an Internet browser.

“Battlestar Galactica is a supremely gameable intellectual property, with compelling character classes, a fantastic array of ships and weaponry, multiple worlds, and a dramatic storyline,” said Bill Kispert, VP & GM, Digital Platforms, Universal Partnerships & Licensing. “We are excited to work with Bigpoint – and our partners at Universal Cable Productions and Syfy – to bring an epic, accessible, and ‘always on’ BSG experience to fans of the franchise and online gamers alike.”

“Cooperation between Bigpoint and NBC Universal is a very important strategic step for us,” explains Heiko Hubertz, CEO and founder of Bigpoint. “Battlestar Galactica has a huge and passionate fan base. We are proud to be able to publish such an internationally famous title as one of our online games. For the first time ever, we’re relying completely on Unity in order to offer our users fantastic game graphics right in their browsers.”

And here’s a bit more about the game:

Players will be able to choose to play as cylons or humans in a constant struggle to control the universe or just survive its perils. A blend of tactical space combat, exploration, and mission-based gameplay will provide a diverse experience. The dramatic missions will define the game’s overall storyline, enabling the player to delve into mysteries of the Battlestar universe. Battlestar Galactica Online will create a new standard for web games, with beautiful 3d graphics and innovative game mechanics bringing a new level of game play to browser based MMOG. Assets from the television production will be integrated into the game to deliver an even more authentic experience.

So, who’s excited about this??? Feel free to discuss below and as always, we’ll keep you posted on any new details as they emerge. Until then, you can check out this teaser site for the game.

EA has sent word of the all-new Exotic Racing Series pack for Need for Speed SHIFT which, come March 18th, will deliver access to seven new cars and a new track in the game. So, “What makes it so exotic?” you ask…Well, highlighting this exclusive pack of cars are the McLaren MP4-12C and the legendary BMW M1 and according to EA, players won’t find more brilliance, innovation, or drama than in these magnificent machines, each being a “potent mix of race car and road car.”

The Exotic Racing Series pack will be available worldwide on the PS3 for $10.00 or the 360 for 800 Microsoft Points. You can check out a TON of new photos featuring the new content right here.

In addition, over 50 new events have also been created specifically for these cars including time challenges, endurance and sprint races. The challenging and spectacular new Riviera track boasts four unique layouts, each with daring corners, multiple blazing straight-aways and a few hairpins that will push these cars to the limit. Players that complete the package will receive an additional 125 Microsoft gamerpoints or 5 PlayStation Trophies as a reward for undertaking various exciting challenges.

The Exotic Racing Series pack cars include:

1. Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
2. BMW M1 Procar
3. GUMPERT apollo
4. Honda NSX
5. McLaren MP4-12C
6. Maserati GranTurismo S
7. Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss

Nice.

For more info, hit up www.needforspeed.com.

EA today announced an agreement with 38 Studios, LLC to publish the company’s first video game, which is being referred to as “an epic single-player role-playing game” codenamed ‘Project Mercury’. For those that haven’t heard, 38 Studios is the creative enterprise of World Series MVP and avid gamer Curt Schilling. ‘Project Mercury’ is being developed at Big Huge Games, a wholly-owned subsidiary of 38 Studios, under the leadership of Ken Rolston, former lead designer of the critically acclaimed hits, Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The game marks the first entry into the universe created by New York Times best-selling fantasy author R. A. Salvatore, with artistic direction by Todd McFarlane, the creator of Spawn.

“From day one, 38 Studios has been focused on creating the next generation of entertainment experiences that embrace all mediums, including film, television, comics, novels, toys and, of course, games,” said Curt Schilling, Founder and Chairman of 38 Studios.  “We are creating an enormous world, with heroes and villains and a rich back story from the brilliant minds of R. A., Todd and Ken at its heart, and I can think of no finer partner than the global powerhouse that is EA Partners. Being able to leverage the expertise of EA’s publishing organization to bring our first product to market is a dream come true for 38 Studios.”
 
“We are thrilled to be working with 38 Studios. The world of RPG gaming is so rich and it is a perfect complement to our partners and title portfolio in EAP,” said David DeMartini, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA Partners. “Project Mercury is bursting with first-rate talent, with passion that spans across the board, from Curt to R. A. to Todd and Ken.  We look forward to collaborating with them to create an amazing game set in this incredible new world.”

Of course, no new information about the game itself was released, but we’ll hope to hear more soon and we’ll get you an update when we do.