First up, details surrounding the next PlayStation, codenamed Orbis, have reportedly leaked. The technically minded and reputable Digital Foundry claims that the "PS4" will have an eight-core AMD CPU, running at 1.6GHz, and a custom Radeon GPU, with 18 compute units at 800MHz. Next, zany bosses are a hallmark of the Metal Gear series. A new Japanese trailer from publisher Konami shows off a selection of the bosses Raiden will be cutting up, including a very handy lady, a pre-sliced chap, and some big fella wot hit things wiv swords. Finally, what's coming out this week? A respectable slate of new releases, including the Ghiblicious RPG Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, Ron Gilbert and Double Fine's adventure game The Cave, mecha space shooter Strike Suit Zero, the PC edition of DmC: Devil May Cry, and loads more.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 21, 2013 »

As the political dialogue on video game violence continues in the wake of the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, state representatives are starting to propose and draft legislation that would place restrictions on the game industry. Then, SimCity isn't coming until March 5, so you'll have to wait for the flowers to bud before you can start your urban layouts. But you might get your chance to play a snippet of the game as early as next weekend, when the beta kicks off. Finally, the long-coming indie game Antichamber has scored a release date. The game is coming January 31 on Steam. The title is a "psychological exploration" game, in which perception can't always be trusted.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 18, 2013 »

First up, Pikmin 3, Game & Wario, The Wonderful 101, and Wii Fit U have all been moved to the nebulous "first half of the year" and miss the launch window for the Wii U. Today's release announcements covered Nintendo's slate through March, so the movement of these titles to a more vague time frame pushes them out of that line-up. Pikmin had previously been called a spring release. Next, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is a radical departure from the previous two games in the Fabula Nova Crystallis series. In fact, by moving to a new "Amazing ATB" battle system, Lightning Returns may represent the boldest change for a mainline Final Fantasy game ever. Finally, Sony wants to give you reason to dip a toe into the PlayStation Mobile market, and has figured out that people love grabbing free games. Starting right now, it's offering a free PS Mobile game, and will continue to offer one new title every Wednesday for the next six weeks.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 17, 2013 »

Disney worlds are on a collision course in Disney Infinity. Like Activision's Skylanders, you'll be able to buy real-world figurines to use in the virtual world. Then, the next Splinter Cell game is coming in August, Ubisoft has just announced. Blacklist, the first entry in the franchise to come from Ubisoft Toronto and producer Jade Raymond, is due for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC on August 20th. Finally, following Vice President Biden's round of meetings with various industries, President Obama has unveiled his list of proposals for legislation and executive orders to curb gun violence. Among them is an order for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to research the causes of gun violence, including violent media and video games.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 16, 2013 »

First up, the superhero fighter Injustice: Gods Among Us finally will be battling its way to consoles on April 16, publisher Warner Bros. has announced. It has also revealed a new special edition of the game with an arcade-style controller for fighting game aficionados who have an extra $150 lying around. Next, Konami released the Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance demo ages ago exclusively to people who bought the Zone of the Enders HD Collection, but now has a pegged a firm date for its proper release. Come January 22, all and sundry on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 will get to enjoy the demo of the stab-happy Metal Gear Solid spin-off. And finally, the two Bohemia Interactive developers who arrested in Greece on charges of espionage in September have been released on bail. The two are now free to return to their homes in the Czech Republic.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 15, 2013 »

"Return to Ravenholm," aka "Half-Life 2: Episode 4," was a Half-Life 2 episode set in the spooky abandoned town. It's been canceled for a few years now, but we've gotten a better look at the game that could have been. Then, Warner Bros has registered a variety of URLs that suggest the next Arkham project could be called Arkham Universe. Finally, this week's new releases.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 14, 2013 »

To kick things off, a new Fallout thing is happening. Erik Todd Dellums, voice of Three Dog from Fallout 3, recently proclaimed that "there may be more of the Dog coming!" While noting the cruelty of the tease, he added that he was "given permission to release that tease," whatever that means. Next, Double Fine's The Cave is right around the corner, even with the still-nebulous "January" release listed. But it's close enough to be available for pre-order on Steam, and Valve has partnered to promote it the best way it knows how: Team Fortress 2 goodies. Finally, The Walking Dead's retail release has been less than stellar on the Xbox 360. Players have complained of severe hitching that has prevented them from completing some of the game's quick-time events, which could just halt progress completely. Telltale has started offering a solution: just take the digital version.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 10, 2013 »

First up, the previously-leaked details for Black Ops 2's first DLC pack have now been confirmed. Activision has officially announced the "Revolution" add-on, which adds four new multiplayer maps, one new zombie map, a new zombie game mode, and a new weapon. Next, Bluehole Studio's Tera is switching to a free-to-play model, barely 10 months after launch. Come February, anyone who fancies will be able to download and play the fantasy MMORPG for free, though optional subscriptions will live on in a $15 monthly 'Elite' membership. Finally, Tomb Raider is getting multiplayer, whether you want it or not. Eidos Montreal is tasked with introducing online competitive gameplay to a traditionally single-player franchise, and a new video released by Square Enix shows us the fruits of its labor.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 9, 2013 »

Valve has invested in Xi3, and the pair are working on a mini-PC aimed at living rooms with the codename 'Piston.' Designed to plug into your living room screen and run games in Steam's Big Picture mode, Xi3's thing is modular computers which you can upgrade by switching modules out. Then, Nintendo's catch-'em-all series Pokémon is finally making the jump from the DS generation to 3DS. Pokémon X and Pokémon Y boast a new story, new Pokémon to poach, and new camera perspectives. Pokémon X and Y will also see the series embrace simultaneous worldwide launches. Finally, in a new video for Remember Me released by Capcom today, memory hunter Nilin gets her kicks in, facing off against the oddly-named Kid Xmas who runs a hacking channel in Neo-Paris called Channel Fear.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 8, 2013 »

Nvidia has tossed its hat into the mobile gaming ring. The graphics card manufacturer yesterday announced its Project Shield, an Android-powered handheld that resembles an Xbox 360 controller with a flip-up touchscreen. Curiously, as well as playing Android games, it can play PC games streamed over WiFi from your gaming rig. Then, The Walking Dead has been one of this year's surprise critical hits, but how much has Telltale's zombie-adventure game sold? CEO Dan Connors says the game has sold 8.5 million episodes. Finally, you could press A to revive your pal in Dead Space 3's co-op mode, but wouldn't it be quicker and easier to say "Revive partner!" to your Kinect? No, of course not. Still, Visceral's scary shooter supports that Kinect jiggery-pokery, as a new video shows off.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 7, 2013 »

Publisher 2K today announced the BioShock: Ultimate Rapture Edition collection, which bundles the first two games together with all their DLC. Super keen BioShock fans may be interested too, as it introduces a new virtual museum level filled with BioShock history. Then, Age of Empires Online has ceased active development and is now shifting into a "support" phase. That means no new content or features are coming, other than a few remaining minor updates that will be released over the next few weeks. Finally, if the recent recession impressed one thing on the American subconscious, it was a healthy distrust for old money and bankers. Capcom's Devil May Cry series is probably the last you'd expect to make reference to the issue, but a new story trailer for DmC confronts it the only way it knows how: by punching it in the face.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 4, 2013 »

Minecraft for Xbox 360 continues to rack up the number of copies sold since its release in May, surpassing the 5 million mark on the last day of 2012. Then, those afraid that the recently-confirmed multiplayer mode for Tomb Raider will interfere with development of the single player game can relax. Like many games before it, Square Enix has handed off online duties to another studio so the main game doesn't suffer. Finally, much-beloved spin-o-jump 'em up Fez is shedding its Xbox Live Arcade exclusivity and coming to unspecified "other platforms" in 2013, creator Phil Fish has announced.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 3, 2013 »

We wrap up our look ahead to 2013 with even more games, including Planetary Annihilation, Wasteland 2, Shadowrun Returns, Company of Heroes 2, StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, and Sportsfriends. Then, purportedly leaked promo images for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 seem to have spilled the beans on the game's first map pack. The "Revolution" pack is set to include five new maps, and will launch on Xbox 360 first on January 29.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: January 2, 2013 »

We continue the look ahead to 2013 with even more games, from The Last of Us, DmC: Devil May Cry, Beyond: Two Souls, Pikmin 3, Star Trek, Nuclear Union, Dead Space 3, and Marvel Super Heroes. And, the whole first season of The Walking Dead is currently available on XBLA for only 10 bucks. For Xbox 360 players, this is probably preferable to the notoriously buggy retail disc.

This is our final show of the year. We'll be back on January 2nd, 2013.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: December 28, 2012 »

Ah it's the end of the year, time to get your game of the year list dwindled down, argue that 2012 was the best or worst gaming year ever and, of course, look ahead to 2013. Here at Shack we take our time bestowing our GOTY, so first, we look ahead to our most anticipated games of 2013. The list so far includes Grand Theft Auto 5, The Last of Us, Beyond: Two Souls, Deadpool, South Park: The Stick of Truth, LEGO City Undercover, Metal Gear Rising Revengeance, BioShock Infinite, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Star Wars 1313, and Rayman Legends citing "it might actually make meaningful use of the (Wii U) GamePad peripheral instead of simply using it as a second screen."

Watch: Shacknews Daily: December 27, 2012 »

The National Rifle Association has ended their week-long silence in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut elementary school shooting. NRA VP Wayne LaPierre argued that guns themselves are not the cause of gun-related violence in the country, choosing to deflect much of the blame on violent media. "Isn't fantasizing about killing people as a way to get your kicks really the filthiest form of pornography?" Then, one of the big mysteries of the VGAs this year was The Phantom Pain, a game that is more likely than not a cover-up for the next big Metal Gear Solid game. Supposed developer Moby Dick Studio has released yet another trailer, an "alternate" cut of their VGA debut. Finally, the original BioShock earned critical and fan praise for a host of reasons, including its haunting score. So good news, music fans. Irrational creative director Ken Levine has revealed that Gary Schyman has returned to pen the score for the upcoming BioShock Infinite.

We're taking a break for the holidays, but we'll return on December 27.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: December 21, 2012 »

The launch of zombie survival game The War Z has created a stir online. The original listing mentioned multiple worlds between 100 and 400 square kilometers, private servers, and the ability to spend experience points on new skills. None of those features were in the game, causing Steam to eventually pull the game. Then, the previously rumored Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt DLC for Borderlands 2 has been officially announced by publisher 2K Games, and players will indeed be heading to the new continent of Aegrus to stalk weird new creatures with the robotically enhanced big game hunter. Finally, Saber Interactive and its subsidiary Old School Games have announced God Mode, a third-person shooter set to come out in early 2013. The 4-player cooperative game has you taking the mantle of a child of Hades and shooting your way through the hellish landscape.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: December 19, 2012 »

Irrational Games has released a trailer of the first five minutes from BioShock Infinite. It's got a few spoilers, and lots of water, so don't watch if you want to wait for the game (or you get seasick easily). Then, TVii wasn't ready in time for the Wii U's launch and ended up slated to launch some time in December, which indeed it shall. The video-on-demand hub will hit the shiny new console on Thursday, Nintendo announced today. Finally, THQ is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The beleaguered company has seen tough times over the years, but the company says that its operations, including the ongoing development of its games, will be unaffected as the publisher has secured interim financing. Some noteworthy titles on THQ's slate include the upcoming South Park RPG, Metro: Last Light, Company of Heroes 2, Homefront 2, and the next Saints Row title.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: December 19, 2012 »

Project Godus is to be a sandbox god game like you'd expect from Peter Molyneux of old. Becoming a god, you'll get to sculpt the landscape, control the elements, and, importantly, send your followers into war to wipe out infidels. If the game gets funded, that is. Then, have you ever watched Return of the Jedi and wondered how a race of repulsive and not particularly mobile space slugs became a powerful crime syndicate? Star Wars: The Old Republic has your answer next year with the first full expansion to the game, titled "Rise of the Hutt Cartel." Finally, with holiday shopping (hopefully) under your belt and finished, you probably have five or so bucks left to splurge on yourself. You may want to consider the Indie Royale "Xmas Bundle 2.0," which packages seven games with which to distract yourself during family gatherings.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: December 18, 2012 »

Robovampire Mega Man is squaring off against the fine men and women of Street Fighter today in Street Fighter X Mega Man, a free PC game made by fans with the blessing of Capcom. The official servers are, as you might expect, a little overloaded, so snag the 34MB download here at Shacknews. Then, a new Tomb Raider trailer delves into how Lara "uses her smarts to become a survivor." Finally, only two new games are physically landing on store shelves next week, but virtual shelves will groan under the strain of new digital releases.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: December 17, 2012 »

Splash Damage today released the first gameplay trailer for its new FPS Dirty Bomb and, as you might expect, it does look an awful lot like the class-based, objective-driven antics of Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory and Brink. Then, the iOS App Store has been updated with a "Best of 2012" feature, which declares Apple's picks for the best content throughout iTunes. According to the Cupertino electronics giant, you should be playing Rayman Jungle Run, its pick for iPhone Game of the Year. Citing "stellar control and stunning graphics," the $2.99 platformer ran away with Apple's top award. Finally, when Dead Space 3 made its E3 debut earlier this year, the early results didn't seem especially promising. But our preview says that the best thing that can be said about Dead Space 3 is that it continues to look ahead, take risks, and further the overall franchise.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: December 14, 2012 »

Fuse has the potential to be a very enjoyable multiplayer shooter, it's on Insomniac to follow through. If they do, they may have a surprise hit on their hands. Read our full preview. Then, here in modern times, we have realized that the best way to release DLC is to stagger it in multiple tiers according to platform, premium membership, eye color, and name. So, Xbox 360 owners of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 with a DLC season pass, you may now download the Nuketown Zombies map, provided you also have hazel eyes and are named June.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: December 13, 2012 »

Epic and People Can Fly aren't reinventing Gears of War with Judgment, nor do they need to. As the console lives on, this game feels like a natural evolution for the series. Read our full preview. Then, the ill-tempered fowl are getting their own film adaptation, as today Rovio announced an Angry Birds movie is due in 2016. Rovio itself is producing and financing the movie, presumably with its piles and piles of Angry Birds money. Finally, if Hitman: Absolution has made you curious to go back and take on Agent 47's greatest hits, you're just in luck. A retail listing, along with sets of achievements and trophies, indicate that an HD collection is on its way early next year.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: December 12, 2012 »

A new six-minute video shows how each SimCity can hook up with neighboring cities, run by you or your chums, to import and export resources like electricity and policing, or just to be friends. Then, Journey composer Austin Wintory is working on Leisure Suit Larry, citing he's written "sexy music" for film. Finally, after so many live action trailers, THQ has finally cut a gameplay trailer for Metro: Last Light. This two minute video shows off 4A Games' impressive engine, and how it renders the horrifying beasts that will kill you in the upcoming FPS.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: December 11, 2012 »

The Walking Dead was the big winner at the 2012 VGAs, taking home five awards for Game of the Year, Best Downloadable Game, Best Performance by a Human Female for Clementine, Best Adapted Video Game, and Best Studio for developer Telltale Games. The VGAs also packed plenty of new trailers and here they are in case you missed them. Finally, when The Phantom Pain debuted with a VGA trailer on Friday, something seemed suspicious. The award show had devoted a fairly lengthy amount of time (and Adam Scott hype) to an unknown game from an unknown studio. Before you could say "Big Boss," the Internet was digging in its heels to unwrap the mystery.

Watch: Shacknews Daily: December 10, 2012 »