As Independence Day is drawing near, online retailers have already kicked off their weekend sales, with the highlight thus far being Steam's half-off sale on Fallout 3.

Usually $50, a digital download of Bethesda's acclaimed post-apocalyptic PC RPG can temporarily be yours for $25. However, this doesn't include any of the $10 downloadable expansions, so the more frugal of you may want to wait until October, when the game and its five downloadable add-ons will be sold together in a $50 Game of the Year bundle.

Other standout deals include the X-Com Complete Pack for $7.50 at GamersGate and Call of Duty: World at War PC for $35 at Direct2Drive. Impulse also has several noteworthy sales going on, including a $30 Sins of the Solar Empire/Expansion Bundle and free copies of Red Faction 1 and 2 with a pre-order of RF: Guerrilla.

Oh, and don't forget that with Street Fighter IV PC coming out next week, both Steam and Impulse are offering 10% off pre-orders, making the fighting game $36.

Fallout 3's swamp-bound 'Point Lookout' downloadable content has been released, with the PC edition receiving a new patch to support the accompanying new achievements.

Fallout 3 patch 1.6 is now available on FileShack in US, UK and German flavours, each weighing in at 50MB and bringing no changes beyond the achievements.

Point Lookout adds an open area of Maryland swamp with new quests, enemies and weapons. PC and Xbox 360 post-apocalypteers can venture into Point Lookout today for 800 Microsoft Points ($10), while PlayStation 3 players have a wait of several months.

Bethesda has released new screenshots of upcoming Fallout 3 downloadable content Point Lookout, showing the answer to most problems in the swamp: a hefty axe.

During E3 we had a gander at the delights Point Lookout brings to Fallout 3, including a new open environment, several fresh weapons, and a sinister plot by mutated cultists.

A new developer diary from Point Lookout's lead designer and lead artist details the swampland's aesthetic development and gameplay design challenges the area raised.

Point Lookout arrives June 23 on PC and Xbox 360, priced at 800 Microsoft Points ($10). A PlayStation 3 release is expected once the previous three DLCs have hit the console.

As the ferry docks in the decrepit amusement park, complete with the ruins of ferris wheel poking above the rows of run-down and long-shuttered booths, I find myself already facing one of those tricky moral conundrums Fallout 3 is known for. Do I explore this fascinating post-apocalyptic wonderland, or head off to that mansion on the hill?

Fortunately, in this instance, it really doesn't matter. At roughly one-fifth the size of Fallout 3's initial game world, the entirety of the new landmass that the June 23-due Point Lookout DLC adds to Bethesda's action-RPG is open from the start, enabling you to ignore that quest about the ghoul in the mansion and just explore the wetland.

That lighthouse out in the distance? That cathedral on the hilltop, ever-so-slightly obscured by the murky haze that permeates the swampy area? Go for it... Read more

This murky trailer and several screenshots and give the first peek at Point Lookout, the latest Fallout 3 downloadable content pack, set in the swamps of Maryland.

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Point Lookout is released June 23 for PC and Xbox 360, then in a retail bundle with previous DLC Broken Steel in August. Point Lookout will come later to the PlayStation 3, which Bethesda recently announced will receive all of the Fallout 3 DLC.

Two more downloadable expansions for Fallout 3 will arrive over the summer, developer Bethesda announced today, along with word that, beginning in late June, the PlayStation 3 will start to receive all of the Fallout 3 downloadable DLC announced thus far.

"Operation: Anchorage will be released for PS3 in late June, followed by the release of The Pitt and Broken Steel 4-6 weeks apart," said Bethesda. "Release dates will be forthcoming." Previously, that DLC was exclusive to the PC and Xbox 360.

As for the two new downloadable episodes, here's what we know:

• Point Lookout (Late June for PC and Xbox 360 - 800 MS Points / $10)
  Explore a massive new swampland area filled with new quests and content.
• Mothership Zeta (Late July for PC and Xbox 360 - 800 MS Points... Read more

Following a shaky release that saw the Fallout 3 Broken Steel DLC pulled from the PC Games for Windows Live Marketplace, the content has now been restored and is again available for purchase.

The issue was rooted in "a games for Windows Live DRM Install error," according to Fallout 3 developer Bethesda.

The 800 Microsoft Point ($10) add-on extends the end of the original title, opening up new quests and allowing for ten more levels of character progression.

Update: Broken Steel's PC installation issues are "a games for Windows Live DRM Install error", a Bethesda representative has told Shacknews. "Microsoft is working on fixing it, and we'll let everyone know once we've verified it."

Regarding the Xbox 360 achievement anomalies, "The Xbox Live servers don't seem to be fully synched yet with the additional achievements," Bethesda explains. "This should fix itself automatically soon. People won't lose any achievements."

Original: The third Fallout 3 downloadable content pack 'Broken Steel' has been released for the Xbox 360 and PC, and many PC gamers are finding it is, well, broken.

The Bethesda forums bear reports from a number of PC users that Broken Steel fails to install, giving the error message "Not a cryptographic message or the cryptographic message is not formatted correctly. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8009200D)."

For now, Broken Steel has been pulled from the Games for Windows... Read more

With the last announced Fallout 3 DLC pack, Broken Steel, hitting Xbox 360 and PC tomorrow, developer Bethesda has issued a trailer for the 800 MS Point ($10) add-on.

Be warned that, as Broken Steel picks up where Fallout 3's ending left off, this video spoils some end-game elements for those that haven't beat the post-apocalyptic RPG.

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Retailer listings have suggested the existence of an unannounced Fallout 3 downloadable content pack named either "Point Look" or "Point Lookout."

Online retailers eStarland and Deep Discount list a pack containing upcoming DLC Broken Steel and the unnanounced other, joining recent listings for a retail bundle of earlier downloadable expansions Operation Anchorage and The Pitt.

"We have said there will be three DLCs for Fallout 3, for PC and 360," Bethesda marketing VP Pete Hines told Shacknews. "Beyond that we have no announced plans for additional DLC." The third DLC pack, Broken Steel, arrives next Tuesday.

"Announced" is key, as Fallout 3 lead designer Emil Pagliarulo said the company was "working on lots of DLC" during a Games Developers Conference panel in March.

Look at that robot there. That is one hell of a robot. Iron Giant-esque, wouldn't you say?

It goes without saying that Broken Steel, the last foreseeable DLC pack for Fallout 3, is looking like a must-buy for fans. For more on the content, check out our recent preview. It hits the PC and Xbox 360 on May 5 for the price of 800 Microsoft Points ($10).

Bethesda has revealed that its third bit of Fallout 3 downloadable content for Xbox 360 and PC, "Broken Steel," will arrive on May 5 at the usual price of 800 MS Points ($10).

That marks a slight delay from the previously stated April release.

The content was demonstrated at a press event yesterday, and Nick Breckon was on hand to provide his thoughts. Beware, his preview contains end-game spoilers for Fallout 3, but not the DLC, as "Broken Steel" picks up after Fallout 3's original ending.

In a nutshell, Broken Steel will remove the game's ending entirely, with Bethesda's Pete Hines saying simply to fans that called for an open-ended resolution, "We got the idea." Players will still have to make the final choice, but following that climax the game will continue, presenting... Read More

Following complaints of freezing issues, Bethesda has once again re-released the latest batch of Fallout 3 DLC, "The Pitt," for those players using an Xbox 360.

"If you haven't experienced any issues with freezing, there's no need to re-download," reads Bethesda's blog. After its March 24 debut, the Xbox 360 release of the 800 MS Point ($10) add-on was pulled and re-released due to problems with a corrupt file.

Instructions on deleting and re-downloading the content follow below... Read more

In an apparently overlooked tidbit from a GDC panel earlier this week, Fallout 3 lead designer Emil Pagliarulo revealed that the team at Bethesda is hard at work on more downloadable content for the post-apocalyptic action-RPG.

"I can say we're working on lots of DLC," he said. "Really fun stuff. Future Fallout, lots of stuff brewing up here...what famous landmarks can we destroy next?"

Bethesda has currently released two pieces of Fallout 3 DLC on Xbox 360 and PC. Each download is priced at $10 and each adds new quests, items and weapons. A third, "Broken Steel," arrives next month and picks up where the main game ended.

Thus far, the DLC has not made its way to the PS3 edition of the acclaimed game due to Microsoft's long-known PC and Xbox 360 exclusivity on "substantial" Fallout 3 DLC.

Following a tally of thousands of votes from various game developers and professionals, Bethesda's post-apocalyptic action-RPG Fallout 3 (PC, PS3, 360) was named Game of the Year at last night's Game Developers Choice Awards.

Bethesda's effort also came away with Best Writing award. Media Molecule's cutesy PlayStation 3 platformer was also heavily praised, coming away with four different awards for its Game Design, Technology, Innovation, and a Best Debut nod.

Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima was given a Lifetime Achievement Award, Harmonix co-founders Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy netted a Pioneer Award for their work on advancing music games via Guitar Hero and Rock Band, and Tommy Tallarico received an Amabassador Award "for helping to advance the game audio community."

In all, 13 awards were given away. The complete list of winners follows... Read more

Today's Game Developers Conference panel on "Evolving Game Design: Today and Tomorrow, East and West Game Design" wasn't just the folks behind Fallout 3, No More Heroes, Ico and Shadow of the Colossus talking about poop and new projects.

Moderated by Mark MacDonald, the all-star panel saw Shadow of the Colossus/Ico creator Fumito Ueda (Team Ico), No More Heroes creator Goichi Suda (Grasshopper Manufacture), and Fallout 3 developer Emil Pagliarulo (Bethesda) discuss storytelling, the way games change during development, and yes, cold medicine.

Rather than summarize any further, we've transcribed the notable bits. Be warned, however, that there are spoilers for some of the above games... Read more

After a corrupted file brought it down yesterday, Fallout 3's "The Pitt" add-on is once again available for purchase and download via the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Developer Bethesda encourages anyone that downloaded yesterday's problematic release to delete that content and re-download the file, which is free of charge.

The 800 Microsoft Points ($10) expansion brings new quests, items and a post-apocalyptic rendition of Pittsburgh to the action-RPG. A PC version of the add-on was also released yesterday, but was not plagued by floating exclamation marks.

Instructions on deleting and re-downloading the content, follow below... Read more

During a joint panel at GDC 2009, the developers of Shadow of Colossus, Fallout 3 and No More Heroes all spoke of their new projects.

Mark MacDonald moderated the panel between Shadow of the Colossus/Ico creator Fumito Ueda, No More Heroes creator Goichi Suda, and Fallout 3 developer Emil Pagliarulo.

After opening up the panel for questions, Suda took the chance to ask one for the crowd: what games are Ueda and Pagliarulo working on next?... Read more

It looks like the corrected version of the Fallout 3 "Pitt" downloadable add-on will arrive on Xbox 360 tomorrow, developer Bethesda has informed Shacknews.

"Finishing some tests but if all checks out we should have The Pitt back up and available by tomorrow afternoon," Bethesda marketing VP Pete Hines told us.

The $10 add-on, which brings new quests and a post-apocalyptic rendition of Pittsburgh to the action-RPG, arrived on PC and Xbox 360 early this morning. However, the Xbox 360 release was quickly pulled after a corrupt file brought about glitches and floating exclamation points. The PC edition of "The Pitt" is unaffected by such major issues.

Update: Fallout 3 developer Bethesda has issued a statement on the reported issues.

"As of now it looks like the file for the English version on Xbox Live was somehow corrupted," marketing VP Pete Hines told Shacknews.

"We are continuing to look into the issues people are experiencing with The Pitt for Xbox 360," he added. "We are currently working with Microsoft to remove the existing file off of Live to prevent any further downloads. Our plan is to replace it with a new file as soon as possible."

Original: Following today's release of the downloadable Fallout 3 expansion "The Pitt" on PC and Xbox 360, reports are popping up of severe issues with the Xbox 360 edition.

"It's completely broken," AuXoIs wrote over on Major Nelson, as noticed by VG247. "There are these box exclamation points all over...It's like not playable after... Read more