The second expansion pack for Blizzard's so-successful-it-hurts PC MMO World of Warcraft is due out in the second half of 2008, according to studio owner Vivendi.

In financial documents released today, Vivendi twice specified that the Wrath of the Lich King expansion pack would arrive in the second half of 2008. Developer Blizzard had yet to provide any sort of release estimate.

Vivendi further revealed that, as of March 31, 2008, World of Warcraft's subscriber base had grown to 10.7 million since it hit the 10 million mark in January.

For more on Lich King, check out the latest details as well as our hands-on preview and a look at the new Death Knight class.

Every time that EA DICE's free multiplayer shooter Battlefield Heroes (PC) is mentioned, someone always brings up its similarity to the artistic stylings of Valve's multiplayer shooter Team Fortress 2.

You'd think it would get a little grating after a bit, but Heroes producer Aleksander Grondol sure doesn't mind. In fact, he seems proud of the comparisons between Heroes and Valve's J.C. Leyendecker-inspired efforts.

Battlefield Heroes (Left), Team Fortess 2 (Right)

"If they want to keep comparing it to TF2, I think that's perfectly okay," Grondol told Shacknews in an interview. "It's an honor to be compared to a great game like Team Fortress 2, and I think the art style in TF2 is awesome."

"We're obviously not trying to take anything from TF2 in terms of... Read more

It's been so long since I've invoked any hostility in defending PC-centric control schemes over console counterparts—I guess Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare changed me, or made me soft, or something.

But with Mass Effect's somewhat limited Xbox 360 control configuration transitioned to its reworked form on the PC, I'm on the cusp of becoming an elitist jerk again.

Sure, Mass Effect certainly looks great on the PC, but veterans and newcomers alike ought to be most interested in how it plays. Utilizing familiar FPS controls, the game allows you to pull up the tactical HUD by holding the space bar at... Read more

Battlefield Heroes was one of the more popular games at Electronic Arts' Spring Break event, held recently in downtown San Francisco.

EA DICE producer Aleksander Grondol was lording over a bank of the popular demo stations when I ran into him. The busy man was kind enough to step away from his duties, allowing me to pick his brain on Battlefield 1942 similarities, Team Fortress 2 comparisons, wing-riding, and more.

Shack: Every time we cover this game, we get a number of comments from people remarking on how it reminds them of Team Fortress 2. How do you guys feel about these comparisons?

Aleksander Grondol: First of all, it's an honor to be compared to a great game like Team Fortress 2, and I think the art style in TF2 is awesome. If they want to keep comparing it to TF2, I think that's perfectly okay. I think once you actually start playing it and see the difference for yourself, then it becomes quite apparent that it's not TF2. We're obviously not trying to take anything from TF2 in terms of gameplay.

... Read more

Real battlefield heroes have flashbacks to moments of horrifying combat. Halfway through a round of EA DICE's Battlefield Heroes, I was having flashbacks to World of Warcraft raids. Not quite the same experience, but almost as scary. After shooting my first enemy soldier, strange numbers popped out of his head: -20, -3, -25. There were more clothing options than weapons, more time spent slotting pirate hats than strategizing. People were ditching their medic packs for area effect heals, and waiting longer for sprint cool-downs than for vehicle respawns. And did I get killed by an Ornery Arathi Nazi, or was that just my imagination?

I went into my hands-on time thinking that Heroes was essentially a pared-down version of Battlefield 1942, and in many ways, it is. From the speed of the jeeps, to the slightly sluggish feel of the infantry controls, I was instantly at home, feeling pleased with the game's clear nod to the first--and still my favorite--entry in the ... Read more

Fresh from EA's Spring Break event are a bonanza of screenshots from the publisher's lineup, including Mass Effect PC, Warhammer Online and more.

Be sure to scope out the full post, as there is simply far too much media to contain on the front page, and don't forget to check out the whole of our EA Spring Break coverage.

Left 4 Dead (PC, X360)
Valve, Turtle Rock Studios / November 2008

Battlefield Heroes (PC)
EA DICE / Summer

Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3, X360)
EA DICE / June 23, 2008

... Read more

Between spurts of not-work-safe media, developer Gravity has claimed its Havok-powered MMO Requiem: Bloodymare (PC) represents "a world where living nightmares take players by the throat...and never let go."

Starting May 15, the gaming public will have its chance to figure out what, if anything, that actually means. The free-to-play game's open beta begins this Thursday, with registration now available over at PlayRequiem.com.

Publisher Gamecock sent over three new screenshots from Replay Studios' World War II-era stealth action title Velvet Assassin.

The screenshots further prove validity of creative director Sascha Jungnickel, who famously claimed that the female lead is not "a tits monster or an ass monster."

Formerly known as Sabotage, Velvet Assassin is due out on Xbox 360 and PC this fall.

Atari has issued new Alone in the Dark gameplay videos, showing facade survival and parking footage. Developed by Eden Games, the new Alone in the Dark will be released soon for PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 and Wii with a PlayStation 3 release following later this year.

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Registered users can use the HD Stream. ... Read more

Ubisoft has released a patch for the PC version of Assassin's Creed, updating the action adventure game to version 1.02. The update fixes a variety of bugs, adds support for 64-bit versions of Windows and fixes the broken post-effects on DirectX 10.1 enabled cards. ... Read more

The latest World of Warcraft patch is now available, updating version 2.4.1 of the game to version 2.4.2. A 15mb download, the patch offers more class and item balancing changes, as well as interface tweaks and bug fixes. ... Read more

Hothead Games has revealed that its webcomic-inspired downloadable RPG Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One will be available for PC and Xbox 360 beginning next Wednesday, May 21.

The downloadable game will sell for $19.95, or 1600 Microsoft Points. The PC, Mac and Linux editions will debut on Greenhouse, while the Xbox 360 version will be released through the console's online Xbox Live Arcade.

At FileShack you can find a LEGO Indiana Jones demo, offering you the opportunity to play a scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. The demo is a 464mb download. The full version of LEGO Indiana Jones: The Videogame will be released for PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PSP, and Nintendo DS next month.

With such renowned institutions as IBM and Harvard suggesting that many traits displayed by dedicated players of massively multiplayer games are key to successful business leadership, Massively reporter Cameron Sorden has a radical suggestion: put that experience on your resume.

As with any resume addition, the trick is to highlight the qualities that employers seek. Sure, raiding in World of Warcraft gives you sweet loot, but it also shows long-term planning, dedication, and the ability to work well with others. And if you're just getting into the job market and don't have a lot of relevant experience, this could be a huge help:

Guild Member, World of Warcraft
Participated as a member of a raiding guild over a two-year period. Consistently demonstrated punctuality, patience, good communication skills, and a team-oriented attitude to overcome shared challenges in a group setting.

"At the very least it makes your resume a little more interesting," Sorden noted. "It never hurts to stand out from the crowd when you're trying to get noticed." Just remember that, even in the virtual world, not everyone makes a good leader.

Reversing today's trend of rumors and unofficial assets, publisher Atari has issued several flame-filled screenshots from Eden Studios' Alone in the Dark.

The reimagining of the classic survival horror franchise is set to hit PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 and Wii on June 24, with a PlayStation 3 version following later this year.

Though LucasArts' physics-intensive effort Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is hitting every major system this fall except PC, the longtime PC developer has reassured fans that it is not abandoning the platform.

"We're not shutting the door on PC at all. For this project, it happens to be that we don't have a PC SKU," producer Cameron Suey told VideoGamer. "We do hear that complaint [that PC gamers want The Force Unleashed]. I definitely wish it had been possible."

While acclaimed PC developer Crytek has referred to piracy as "the core problem of PC gaming" and its reason to pursue multi-platform development, Suey attributed the missing PC edition of Force Unleashed to the platform's wide array of possible hardware configurations.

"[If we made the game for high-end PCs], someone with a low-end PC would have a watered down experience, they would have to turn all the settings down and it wouldn't be the same game," he continued. "On the other hand if we made that game for as many people as possible then it's not taking advantage of what those $4,000... Read more

The first screenshots and artwork from Gothic 4 have surfaced, providing the first glimpse at the action-RPG sequel announced last August.

Handled this time around by Spellbound Entertainment instead of series creator Piranha Bytes, Gothic 4 is slated to hit PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Product manager Erling Ellingsen returns once again, furthering his mission to "take you into the core of Conan." Fortunately, his execution still resembles a weather report.

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Funcom's mature PC MMO Age of Conan arrives on May 20 with a monthly subscription rate of $14.99. An Xbox 360 edition is expected in the future.

BioWare producer Derek French recently caused an uproar after announcing that copy protection on the PC editions of Mass Effect and Spore would require online validation every 10 days in order for the games to continue functioning.

In the face of increasing pressure, BioWare and publisher Electronic Arts today relented, updating the official Mass Effect PC FAQ to note that validation will now only be required when the player downloads new game content.

Q: If the game isn't going to require an authentication every 10 days, will it ever require re-authentication?

A: Only if the player chooses to download new game content.

Electronic Arts also released a statement mentioning that Spore's copy protection will be similarly changed to allow for offline play, only requiring validation on a patch or game content update.

The publisher further noted that the protection will still only allow users to authenticate each game on up to three computers. Approval of further authorizations... Read more

Following the release of a Race Driver: GRID demo for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, a demo for the PC version is available now as well. A 894mb download, the PC demo also includes three tracks and three cars. Race Driver: GRID will be released for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS next month.