While the console editions of Slightly Mad's racer Shift 2 Unleashed received two downloadable content packs earlier this year, PC players were left in the lurch. However, good news! Publisher EA has announced that the Speedhunters packs are both coming to PC for free on June 30.

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AAA games flee before The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings and L.A. Noire, fearful to release in the same week as these two much-anticipated games. Smaller, cheaper, downloadable titles and downloadable content are unphased by this, though. On that front, we're getting Sega Rally Online Arcade, the Honest Hearts DLC for Fallout: New Vegas, and Terraria, which I shall lazily describe as "kind of a bit like an action-oriented 2D Minecraft."

If you're somehow not interested in any of those, there's a a colouring-in game on DSiWare and some Wii titles that'll teach you how to read. Read more »

The latest Xbox Live update teased a mysterious "Speedhunters" DLC pack for Shift 2 Unleashed, and now EA has been kindly enough to tell us what it actually is. Coming to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on May 17 for $10 (800 MSP), the pack pays homage to the auto enthusiast community at Speedhunters.com. The pack includes two new modes, two new cars, and 12 tuned Speedhunters vehicles.

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The next few weeks of Xbox Live Marketplace content have been detailed by Microsoft's Larry Hryb, including some anticipated XBLA games and discounts on 2K titles.

The twin-stick shooter Gatling Gears will be up tomorrow for $15 (1200 MSP), and Sega Rally Online Arcade will go up next week for a cool $10 (800 MSP). Hryb also tweeted separately that Star Raiders will be up this week as well. Read more »

[Update 04/20/2011 2:30pm: An EA spokesperson supplied this response to the subject of whether the PC would be receiving this DLC pack: "The Legends DLC is for Xbox 360 and PS3 and we'll have more release details in the future."]

Classic racing fans get a nice care package with the upcoming "Legend" DLC add-on for Shift 2 Unleashed. Due to be available on April 26 for PS3 and Xbox 360, the pack includes 14 cars and five racetracks from the 1960s and 70s. Some of the highlights include the powerful '74 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.0 and the iconic '65 Shelby Cobra "Daytona" coupe. A full listing of the cars and tracks follows below along with a video showing some highlights of them in action. Read more »

It's that time once again for the PlayStation Store Update, which this week means a few new games with a noticeable old-school slant.

The side-scrolling action game Moon Diver ($14.99) is available if you're in the mood for a Strider-like slasher. If guns are more your retro speed, Rush'N Attack Ex-Patriot ($9.99) is up too. Chime Super Deluxe ($9.99) scratches the puzzle itch, and FreeRealms marks the first free-to-play MMO on PlayStation 3. You can also grab the full game Split/Second ($29.99). Read more »

I'm getting ready to pack up and move my life to Los Angeles from Toronto, but before then I need to get some gaming time in. The last two games I've played at home were for review, so it would be nice to actually spend some of my personal time playing for fun.

In the meantime: What are you playing? (Click any editor's name to visit their Twitter page. Follow Shacknews on Twitter for regular updates and giveaways.) Read more »

Undaunted by the launch of the Nintendo 3DS this week, next week is offering a rather full slate of new video games. Racing and ruling, golfing and grooving, boogying and beating, and, of course, stabbing and shooting are all represented.

Here's what's coming:

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Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.

Today's Filter features Bulletstorm, Captain America: Super Soldier, Major League Baseball 2K11, Fight Night Champion, Total War: Shogun 2, Operation Flashpoint: Red River, Champions Online, Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime, Mortal Kombat, Valet Parking 1989, Shift 2 Unleashed, MotorStorm Apocalypse, Radiant Historia, SEGA Genesis Classic Collection Gold Edition, Natural Selection 2, Love & Order, Vindictus, Top Shot Arcade, and Virtua Tennis 4. Read more »

Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.

Today's Filter features media for Bulletstorm, LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, Killzone 3, Trials HD, Dead or Alive Dimensions, Dive to the Titanic, Breach, Guild Wars 2, Crusader Kings II, Swarm, Shift 2 Unleashed, and Rift. Read more »

Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.

Today's Filter features Dead Space 2, Shift 2 Unleashed, Anomaly: Warzone Earth, Two Worlds II, Black Prophecy, and Virtua Tennis 4. Read more »

Slightly Mad's Shift 2 Unleashed, the sequel to 2009 racer Need for Speed Shift, will be released in North America on March 29, publisher Electronic Arts announced today. European releases will come a little sooner, landing on March 24 and 25.

That gives you a touch over two months to pre-order and score three bonus cars for your trouble, if you're one to pre-order games without first playing them. If you need a little persuasion, you can read our preview from November. Read more »

Those of you that pre-order the new Need for Speed game Shift 2 Unleashed will get an automatic upgrade to the game's Limited Edition, which will include three exclusive cars: the Nissan Silvia spec.R Aero (S15), the Alfa Romeo Giulietta QV, and the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640.

"The 40 events include Single-Type race events where a driver's skill is pushed to the limits as each player competes in the same make of car; Old vs. New Challenge events in which classic cars go head-to-head against their modern counterparts; and Manufacturer Showdown events that pits some of the most iconic car rivalries against each other in an all-out-battle to prove which car is the best." Read more »

Electronic Arts announced Shift 2 Unleashed in mid-November, right around the time Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit came out. Not that the two have much to do with one another. Shift 2 follows as the sequel to last year's simulation racer, Need for Speed: Shift. And yes, they did intentionally drop the 'Need for Speed' from the title to reflect its orientation as a sim rather than an action game; though, it remains in the NFS "family."

Whatever combination of title words wind up on the box, the game looked to be already well along the way when I played it at a recent event. Yes, played it. The team felt good enough about their work--and eager enough for feedback--that they let attendees play the game at its debut with the understanding that it was still early in development and a lot of work remains to be done. Read more »

EA has today formally announced the the mysterious sequel to Need for Speed Shift that it had previously talked of in an August financial report. It's seemingly done away with the Need for Speed name as EA refers to the game only as Shift 2 Unleashed.

Developed by NFS Shift maker Slightly Mad Studios, Shift 2 Unleashed will boast "an all-new rendering engine with a massive graphics overhaul" as well as the 'Autolog' social suite seen in Need for Speed Hot Pursuit. And cars you can drive quickly. Read more »