Let’s roll things back to E3 2011, in which we were treated to some very generous, gaming goodness. My brother, his friend and I decided to hook up the computer to my HDTV so we could enjoy the event. When the EA press conference started, we weren’t sure what to expect,...]]>

Let’s roll things back to E3 2011, in which we were treated to some very generous, gaming goodness. My brother, his friend and I decided to hook up the computer to my HDTV so we could enjoy the event. When the EA press conference started, we weren’t sure what to expect, then through the subwoofer began the bass of the Battlefield 3 music. The screen went white, we saw a soldier holding a toy, then he looked up and our jaws hit the floor. The room just went silent as the visuals were so good; they nearly wrapped our faces back around our faces. The level of detail, the clarity of the textures, as well as the sound were amazing. I do consider myself to be a bit of a graphics whore, so the prospect of playing a game that looked this good could only be a positive thing. When I later found out it was PC footage we were seeing, I was a little sceptical about the visuals we would be getting on the consoles.  When I did finally see Battlefield 3 on PS3, it didn’t look as impressive as what was shown at the EA press conference.

It’s now the case that if the gameplay footage for a multiplatform game is shown, I wonder if what we are seeing is footage for consoles or PC. This makes me a little dissappointed as I feel like I’m missing out on the best of the games I am looking forward to. Even now as I play Battlefield 3 on my PS3, I search for videos of the game running on a PC as it simply looks amazing. I have thought about getting myself a gaming PC, but then it gets put to the back of my mind; which can be quite annoying when I think that there is also Star Wars: The Old Republic waiting for me to conquer the galaxy.

I think we will continue to see the PC set the benchmark for video game visuals. There have been visual tweaks to GTA IV since its release and already there is a graphics mod for Skyrim being worked on [Click here to see, it looks gorgeous].  If we don’t get the next generation of consoles within 18 months, the PC may become the primary platform for developers as their games will have the potential to look the best they can. We may even see a partnership between video game developers and those who make graphics mods. If the developers partner with the mod community, the games visuals could be constantly tweaked and updated. The advantage of this would be less cost to the developers and a rewarding experience for gamers.

With consoles and their motion controls becoming the preferred platform of casual gamers, hardcore players may turn to the PC where they can get a more pure gaming experience; if they can afford it. It makes sense to me, that those who consider themselves to be hardcore gamers will want to get the most from the video games they play. On the opposite end of the spectrum, casual gamers will be content with a console. These offer satisfying gameplay with varied ways of interacting such as Kinect, Move or the Nintendo Wii.

From where I’m sitting, the platform where you can get the most out of your games is the PC.

What do you think? Cry Havoc and let your voice be heard…(I always wanted to say that)

With Microsoft’s display of indecent obsession with Kinect and a more casual market at E3 this year, hitting the PC audience may be the company’s deus ex...]]>
Microsoft’s release of Fable III for PC may signal a stronger push toward computer games in the company’s future, according to an internal Q&A discovered by Kotaku.

With Microsoft’s display of indecent obsession with Kinect and a more casual market at E3 this year, hitting the PC audience may be the company’s deus ex machina before it is requiescat in pace. The Q&A, prepared for Microsoft spokespeople, reads like a used car salesman trying to sell you a 1970 Ford Pinto (thus the above pic…), but it does affirm that Microsoft acknowledges its lack of presence in the PC world.

Q: Does “Fable III” on Windows signal a larger reinvestment by Microsoft in PC gaming? How is this different from the previous times you’ve announced a reinvestment in PC gaming and not quite come through with a robust offering?

A: In terms of revenue, Windows is far and away the largest gaming platform in the world, so it’s an incredibly important part of Microsoft’s business. From core games like “Fable III” to casual, social and Facebook titles, more gaming happens on Windows than anywhere else. Windows 7 is a world-class gaming platform, and you can bet Microsoft has a vested interest in using it as a platform for amazing first party content. “Fable III” on Windows as well as Xbox 360 this holiday is a great first step, and we’ll have more news for you later this summer.

Considering Facebook games are comparable to Fable III may reveal more about Microsoft’s current mindset than anything they’ve so far demonstrated, but we can still hope for “more news” on the company’s PC plans over the summer months. What are YOUR hopes? Let us know below.

The game is set to feature a persistent online...]]>
The free real-time strategy game from Relic, Company of Heroes Online, is set to launch in North America this fall. Company of Heroes Online is an adaptation of the PC game Company of Heroes, and is currently being beta tested in the Chinese market.

The game is set to feature a persistent online world and tons of player customization via micro transactions (the game is free y’know?). Still sounds pretty nifty though.

Interested to see the game in action? Check here for the debut trailer!

Will you be on the lookout for Company of Heroes Online this fall? Report to the comment section below and give us twenty!…(letters minimum)

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The beta was originally supposed to end this upcoming Monday, May 31st, but a Blizzard representative broke the news through the game’s official forums.

StarCraft II is slated for release...]]>
Blizzard just gave StarCraft fans a little Memorial Day present today, announcing that the StarCraft II beta will now end on June 7th.

The beta was originally supposed to end this upcoming Monday, May 31st, but a Blizzard representative broke the news through the game’s official forums.

StarCraft II is slated for release on July 27th, with the few weeks after June 7th being the final tweaking stage. So, will this take up most of your Memorial Day weekend? Tell us your plans below!

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Blizzard just gave StarCraft fans a little Memorial Day present today, announcing that the StarCraft II beta will now end on June 7th.

The beta was originally supposed to end this upcoming Monday, May 31st, but a Blizzard representative broke the news through the game’s official forums.

StarCraft II is slated for...]]>

Blizzard just gave StarCraft fans a little Memorial Day present today, announcing that the StarCraft II beta will now end on June 7th.

The beta was originally supposed to end this upcoming Monday, May 31st, but a Blizzard representative broke the news through the game’s official forums.

StarCraft II is slated for release on July 27th, with the few weeks after June 7th being the final tweaking stage. So, will this take up most of your Memorial Day weekend? Tell us your plans below!

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The new EA racing MMO Need for Speed World is set to hit the PC on July 20, and will be available in both paid and free services.

If you are aiming to go for the free service, you will get ‘access to all races, pursuits and career progression up to level 10.” For...]]>

The new EA racing MMO Need for Speed World is set to hit the PC on July 20, and will be available in both paid and free services.

If you are aiming to go for the free service, you will get ‘access to all races, pursuits and career progression up to level 10.” For $20, however, you can purchase the ‘Starter Pack’ which gives you ‘full access up to level 50, a bundle assortment of power-ups…and an exclusive limited edition vehicle.”

But wait…there’s more!

Players who purchase the ‘Starter Pack’ will also be awarded $20 of ‘SpeedBoost’, the game’s currency, which will then allow you to purchase power-ups and rent cars. Not a bad deal at all…

If you want to know where you can pre-order Need for Speed World, you can check out GameStop, Impulse, Direct2Drive, or EA, all of which grants you early access starting July 13, as well as beta access and VIP tag in your profile.

Pretty sweet, eh? Let your voice be heard below, and tell us which version, if any, you will be getting of Need for Speed World come July 20.

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Some people will look anywhere for racist undertones. Houston Chronicle writer Willie Jefferson posted an article on Game Hacks, a video game blog with the Chronicle, earlier this month and accused the yet-to-be release Left 4 Dead 2 of containing racist undertones.

Jefferson points out that “players will have to fight their...]]>

Some people will look anywhere for racist undertones. Houston Chronicle writer Willie Jefferson posted an article on Game Hacks, a video game blog with the Chronicle, earlier this month and accused the yet-to-be release Left 4 Dead 2 of containing racist undertones.

Jefferson points out that “players will have to fight their way through hordes of zombies – with several of them who appear to be African-American.” He also accuses Valve of being insensitive to Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath, saying that having the game set in New Orleans so soon was a bad call and “the city has enough to deal with – Valve should have spared them, even if it’s a video game.”

Apparently including “several” black zombies in a video game deems the entire project racist in these turbulent times. Obviously Valve and the team behind L4D2 disagree and when Left 4 Dead writer Chet Faliszek was asked about the accusations by Destructoid, he called them “utter insanity.”

“There are mixed races of zombies” stated Faliszek, “there are all different races of zombies that you shoot, and since we placed it in New Orleans, that makes it racist? I honestly re-read the paragraph about five times … but when two of the characters in your game are African-American, it’s a weird thing to be accused of. We’re like, ‘how does this work’?”

“… As far as Katrina goes, if you go down to New Orleans, Katrina’s still going on. I mean, it’s messed up, it is crazy that the city is still in the state it’s in, and we treat that with the utmost respect. Our CEDA thing is not some subversive commentary on anything. This is a videogame, those are real people’s lives, we are not trying to make a statement with that … It’s a place we love, it’s dear to our hearts. We would not cheapen it. It’s not a brick-for-brick representation of New Orleans; it’s a fictional version, and I love that city.”

Left 4 Dead 2 is due to be released on Xbox 360 and PC November 17th 2009, racism free of course.

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Guess what…Gamestop is rolling out another exclusive deal to hit your wallet where it hurts, but for BioWare fans, this one may actually be worth it…

The mega retailer is releasing a Collector’s Edition set for the upcoming game Dragon Age: Origins and they want to pack in something a little extra. Besides the...]]>

Guess what…Gamestop is rolling out another exclusive deal to hit your wallet where it hurts, but for BioWare fans, this one may actually be worth it…

The mega retailer is releasing a Collector’s Edition set for the upcoming game Dragon Age: Origins and they want to pack in something a little extra. Besides the usual stuff you get in the box (soundtrack, cloth map, DVD, etc), fans who will also be picking up Mass Effect 2 will be given an unlockable item to use in the game if you purchase this set.

No word as to what the item is or it’s functionality as of yet, but for all you die-hard Mass Effect fans, we’re sure there’s not much else needed to say to convince you to get the CE version of Dragon Age: Origins if you were planning to buy both games anyways. Of course, the Mass Effect 2 bonus is only in the Xbox 360 and PC box’s of the game…leaving PS3 fans once again on the outside looking in.

We’ve got a full run down on what you can expect in the CE box after the jump for those of you that wanna check it out.

Full contents of the Dragon Age: Origins Collector’s Edition.

• Tin Case
• Bonus DVD including:
• • A making of documentary
  • Soundtrack
  • Trailers
  • Wallpaper
  • Concept art video
  • Strategy tips.
• Cloth Map
• 3 pieces of exclusive in-game content:
• • Bergens Honor
  • Grimoire of the Frozen Wastes
  • Final Reason
• The Stone Prisoner” unlockable bonus quest and unlockable character, Shale
• An unlockable exclusive in-game item for use in the upcoming title Mass Effect 2 (only for PC and Xbox 360 box’s)

The PC version will set collectors back $64.99 USD, with the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions going for $74.99.

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Eidos apparently thinks you’re not pumped enough though, as it has released this new trailer to get you psyched up even more...]]>
By now, you already know which killer villains will be making a showing in the upcoming Batman: Arkham Asylum game (Joker with his lovely assistant Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, and Bane).

Eidos apparently thinks you’re not pumped enough though, as it has released this new trailer to get you psyched up even more for the game’s villains. Hopefully you’ll think as I did, that this is by far the best trailer for the game to date. If you haven’t already pre-ordered the game as of yet, this trailer may in fact inspire you to do so…You’ve been warned.

The game is slated to be released on August 28, 2009.

Just hit the jump to watch the trailer.