Daily Wrap-Up 6.30.08
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Monday, June 30, 2008 6:08 PM
Here's what went on today in videogames, popular culture and technology.
- Rock Band 2 has officially been announced.
- Entertainment industry trade publication The Hollywood Reporter is Hollywood reporting that Microsoft will cut the price of the 20GB Pro by $50 to $299 in the coming weeks.
- On July 15th, a slate of songs by seminal, legendary rock band The Who are dropping for Rock Band.
- The next update for the PS3 software will include trophies and XMB changes. Read all about it!
- The average tv viewer has reached a median age of 50 years old.
- Just in case you were sleeping in your cave all weekend, we've got some new screens and artwork from Blizzard's Diablo III.
- Eidos and Funcom are happy to announce that "more than 700,000 gamers have now signed up for an Age of Conan account."
- A super hacker was caught.
- Here's a new batch of combat footage and trailers of Soulcalibur IV courtesy of Namco-Bandai.
- Rhapsody is killing DRM!
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TAGS: Daily Wrap-Up, Videos
New 'Red Faction: Guerrilla' Developer Video
Posted by Jeffrey Kanjanapangka - Monday, June 30, 2008 4:33 PM
Volition and THQ take us into the development of the backstory for Red Faction: Guerilla. This iteration of the series sees a switch from FPS to third-person shooter and will be out for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 sometime before the end of the year.
Red Faction: Guerrilla - Backstory Video
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TAGS: PC Gaming, PlayStation 3, Videogames
No StarCraft 2 For 2008?
Posted by John Manalang - Monday, June 30, 2008 4:30 PM
Blizzard has pleased Diablo and World of Warcraft fans during their recent Worldwide Invitational event, but Starcraft fans may be in for a disappointment. According to Executive VP Rob Pardo, StarCraft 2's campaign mode is 'about third of the way' complete while developers are currently focusing on the cinematics and story.
Also, Pardo noted that Blizzard hopes to show something impressive by the end of the year. You know what's impressive Blizzard? A complete game by this year. But that's just us having no patience.
Blizzard still has to make an official statement on the game's release. However, recent reports stated that some retailers have the game under a December 3rd release. Again, it's just us having no patience...
ShackNews: StarCraft 2 Not Arriving In 2008?
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TAGS: PC Gaming, Videogames
New 'Diablo III' Cinematic/Gameplay Trailers
Posted by Jeffrey Kanjanapangka - Monday, June 30, 2008 3:54 PM
We here at TheFeed are committed to making sure YOU aren't the last person in the world to see these. Diablo III of course was announced for Mac/PC to great fanfare over the weekend, courtesy of Blizzard... dim the lights and for the few of you left watch them for the first time.
We don't know when this eagerly awaited role-playing game will be released, but it's Blizzard, so the real answer is "When it's ready."
Diablo III Cinematic Teaser Trailer
Hit the jump for Blizzard's video featuring twenty minutes of Diablo III gameplay.
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TAGS: Apple, PC Gaming, Videogames
Open Source: Submit Questions for G4 President, Neal Tiles
Posted by Brian Leahy - Monday, June 30, 2008 3:30 PM
Every month Neal Tiles, G4's President, answers your questions about G4 submitted by you, our community of viewers and readers. Head on over to the Open Source page to submit your burning questions about G4.
Neal is here to answer all of your questions, and to prove to you that he puts his pants on exactly the same way that you do, except that his are better pants, and that he could conceivably hire someone to put them on for him. Ok, bad example. Let's move on.
There are, however, rules for Open Source, so listen up. First and foremost, no flaming. If you're disgruntled, put it nicely, and you'll have a much better shot of having your question answered. So, get that laundry list of questions ready, and let the answering begin.
Also, be sure to check Neal's previous posts to make sure your question hasn't already been answered.
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TAGS: G4, G4 Web Exclusive
Sure, 'GTA IV' Is Fun, But Is It ART?
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Monday, June 30, 2008 3:22 PM
This article in today's Wall Street Journal eerily mirrors some discussions we've been having around our office about Grand Theft Auto and the nature of Art.
The WSJ's Junot Diaz points out that while Grand Theft Auto IV is a great game, it does not (as some critics have said) rise to the level of great Art from other genres. It is not the Godfather. It is not Ragtime.
Junot focuses on the game's plotline, drawing attention to the difference between the story and great stories from other genres. He (rightly) concludes that the game's story is "more an example of our evasions as a culture, more of a fairy tale, more of a story of consolation than a shattering cultural critique or even, dare I say it, great art." It is pulp. Well-done, compelling pulp, but pulp anyway.
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TAGS: Grand Theft Auto IV, Videogames
Rumor: PS2 Games Come To PS3?
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Monday, June 30, 2008 2:59 PM
The above image, posted on Max Console, purportedly shows a PlayStation 2 title available for download on the PlayStation 3.
Supposedly, we'll hear more at E3...and you'll hear more if you watch our E3 coverage, live, July 14th through 17th. Check it out.
MaxConsole: Rumor: PS2 titles heading to PSN
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TAGS: E3, PlayStation 3, Videogames
Nugget From The Net
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Monday, June 30, 2008 2:46 PM
Check out the below video: It's GLaGPS--GlaDOS from Portal in GPS form. Passive-aggressive directions are yours to enjoy.
(via Kotaku)
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TAGS: Videogames
New 'Metal Slug 7' Screens, DS
Posted by Jeffrey Kanjanapangka - Monday, June 30, 2008 2:38 PM
We've got some new screens of Metal Slug 7. SNK Playmore is making the first in the series that is lacking an arcade counterpart. The Nintendo DS will be the lucky recipient of this baby and she'll be available state-side later this November.
Click the image below for the Metal Slug 7 screenshot gallery.
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TAGS: Nintendo DS, Videogames
BitTorrent Seeder Plants 10 Years In Jail
Posted by John Manalang - Monday, June 30, 2008 1:58 PM
 Sharing is caring. Sharing $&^#! that's not yours is not.
26-year-old BitTorrent seeder Daniel Dove faces 10 years of jail time after being convicted of copyright infringement last Friday as announced by the US Department of Justice.
According to the DoJ, Dove was the head honcho of a small seeder group called - get ready - the 'Uploaders' who recruited members with high speed connections to seed illegal digital loot. Investigators found 'massive amounts' of software, video games and music that proved enough evidence for a trial. Dove did not plead guilty during the trial, hoping that one of the jury members would somehow recognize him for giving them a copy of Microsoft Office.
The MPAA has been on this case since 2005 when investigators took over Elitetorrent.com where Dove was one of the administrators. The site was fresh blood for leechers back then, having blockbuster movies available before their release such as Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Two other site admins, Scott McCausland and Grant Stanley, pleaded guilty in 2006 which lead to a five month jail sentence. Oddly, McCausland's probation officer requested him to utilize Windows rather than Linux (zomg government/microsoft conspiracy!).
Dove will be sentenced on September 9, 2008, thus concluding the pirate crusades of the 'Uploaders'.
Ars Technica: BitTorrent seed farmer found guilty, faces 10 years in jail
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TAGS: Internets Culture, Other People's Misfortune
EA Talks To 'Bad Company' Problems
Posted by Patrick Roche-Sowa - Monday, June 30, 2008 1:45 PM
Did you buy Battlefield: Bad Company? Did you try getting online this weekend? Were you successful? Are you proud of yourself?
EA posted a statement on the official Battlefield: Bad Company website this weekend assuring gamers that they know there are connectivity problems with the online multiplayer aspect of the game, and that they are hard at work on a fix. Two things struck us as interesting about this statement. First of all, it was written in the language of the Bad Company universe, as if it were an order from a superior officer. Hit the jump for the details.
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TAGS: Videogames, Xbox 360
Poll Says 1 in 5 Canadians Game Naked
Posted by Patrick Roche-Sowa - Monday, June 30, 2008 1:34 PM
God bless the Canucks. They gave us Mike Myers, Pamela Anderson, and apparently nude gaming. Microsoft recently commissioned a gaming poll in Canada that asked gamers if they had ever played a game in public, at work, in the bathroom, in the bedroom, or in the nude. Makes us wonder what Microsoft is planning.
The statistical breakdown is as follows; Half (50%) of Canadian gamers had not played games in any of the listed locations, while 30% have played at work, 27% in the bedroom, 19% in public, 7% in their bedroom, and 17% of men and 9% of women had button-mashed in the buff. That's 1 in 5 Male Northerners that were fully prepared to teabag you while they were teabagging you. There are some other statistical numbers from the study, but none as titillating. Let the "joystick" jokes commence.
Digital Home Canada: Poll Finds Number of Canadians Playing Video Games Naked
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TAGS: Videogames
Eddie Murphy Retiring From Film; Back To Standup?
Posted by Frank Meyer - Monday, June 30, 2008 1:27 PM
 Comedy legend Eddie Murphy recently told Extra that his upcoming movie, Meet Dave, is one of his last.
"Fifty years (old) I'll have been making movies thirty years and I have close to fifty movies and it is like why am I in the movies,’ Murphy commented. “I've done that part now.”
But here’s the real news. He also said that he will be returning to standup comedy!
Yeeeeaaaa!
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TAGS: Movies
Wrath Of The Lich King Updates From WWI08
Posted by John Manalang - Monday, June 30, 2008 1:00 PM
For all you Azeroth dwellers who missed out on Blizzard's Worldwide Invitational in Paris this year, quickly hearth back to you inns and read some of these updates for the upcoming World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King expansion pack:
- The new non-instanced battleground, Lake Wintergrasp, will feature destructible environments such as bridges, buildings and towers. Also, this new zone will allow players to mount on vehicles such as the Demolisher for some pwnage on wheels.
- For players bearing a great deal of PvPness, new arena maps will be implemented with the new expansion, ranging environments from Ogrimmar to the new area, Northrend.
- For the purple-fiending raiders, Wrath Of The Lich King will be adding more non-linear elements to dungeons that WoW veterans have been yearning for.
Blizzard still has yet to announce a specific release date for this eagerly awaited title. So for now, people of Azeroth, continue working your way through the Sunwell Plateau until the day finally comes.
Joystiq: WWI08: New WoW arenas, nonlinear dungeons and goodie bags
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TAGS: PC Gaming, Videogames
DualShock 3 Gets A European Date
Posted by John Manalang - Monday, June 30, 2008 12:05 PM
We've shook hands with Sony's DualShock 3 controller since its North American debut this past April. Now it's time for it to meet Europe. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced in a press release that the DualShock 3 will be arriving in Europe this July 2nd.
The device was first announced in last year's Tokyo Game Show, following its debut in Japan on November 11, 2007. SCEE main man David Reeves stated on the press release:
"We are delighted to confirm that DUALSHOCK 3 will be released in SCEE territories in early July. We hope this will add to the intense gaming experience for our fans, as we continue to evolve PS3, its software and its peripherals."
Click the jump to read the rest.
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TAGS: PlayStation 3, Videogames
Modified Camera Ruins Other People's Pictures
Posted by Ty Colfax - Monday, June 30, 2008 11:56 AM
Julius Von Bismarck, a German artist and our first nominee for Name of the Week, has created a camera that puts images into other people's pictures. The 'Image Fulgurator,' as he has named it, is triggered by a nearby camera's flash. In that brief moment when the unsuspecting camera is recording the image, the fulgurator sends out an image of its own through the front of its lens to be recorded along with the flashed image.
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TAGS: Other People's Misfortune, Tech
Green Tesla Sedan Gets Cali/Arnie Endorsement
Posted by Frank Meyer - Monday, June 30, 2008 11:49 AM
 Cali Gov. Arnie Schwarzenegger and electric car makers Tesla Motors are holding a press conference today to announce a 4 door, 5 passenger sedan slated for release in 2010. The sedan is said to be as “green” and efficient as the Roadster, which costs about $109,000.
Tesla will manufacture the sedan in California, instead of New Mexico thanks to a $9 million incentive package, making it a partnership with the state of California.
Schwarzenegger once starred in Total Recall, where he lived on Mars and had nightmares that his head blew up (see above photo).
Techcrunch.com: Governator to Help Announce New Tesla Sedan Tomorrow
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TAGS: Cars, Tech
Nugget From The Net
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Monday, June 30, 2008 11:47 AM
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TAGS: Nuggets From The Nets
Two Hobbits On The Way From del Toro?
Posted by Frank Meyer - Monday, June 30, 2008 11:36 AM
 Director Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy II, Pan’s Labyrinth) spoke at the Los Angeles Film Festival over the weekend and revealed that a sequel is already being discussed.
"We believe there is a second movie," del Toro said. "If there isn't, there will not be. If we find it, we will shoot it, but by God, if we do not find it, we will not shoot it. I am anxious to shoot the book, and I'm willing and able to dedicate myself to shooting the [second film]."
So del Toro, producer Peter Jackson and MGM/Warner Brothers (i.e. New Line) are indeed tackling J.R.R. Tolkien’s Rings-inspiring tome Hobbit and plan on stretching it across two flicks as they only have access to “a select amount of Tolkien's prose.”
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TAGS: Movies
'Megaman 9' Hits The PSN, XBLA, WiiWare?
Posted by John Manalang - Monday, June 30, 2008 11:35 AM
Get your network ready for download because everyone's favorite Blue Bomber is loading up with Megaman 9. This latest installment from Capcom's beloved series will be the first game to simultaneously hit the Playstation Network, Xbox Live Arcade and WiiWare... at least, if you believe some scans purported to have leaked from Nintendo Power magazine.
Developed by Inti Creates, who also worked on Megaman ZX and Megaman Zero games, Megaman 9 will be rocking the classic 2D gameplay complete with old-school graphics. Imagine that great feeling you've experienced when you first played Quick Man's stage in Megaman 2 happening all over again...
Megaman 9 is currently under Capcom's E3 showcase and of course, G4 will have all the details for you in our in-depth, almighty E3 2008 coverage coming up. So for now, think of all the new colorful boss names you'll encounter: Aborigine Man, Silk Man, Man Man...
Ars Technica: Megaman 9 To Be The First Game To Hit WiiWare, XBLA, And PSN
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TAGS: E3, PlayStation 3, Videogames
Codename: Hancock Experiment
Posted by Frank Meyer - Monday, June 30, 2008 11:25 AM
If you own a Sony Bravia TV with a Web connection AND you love Will Smith, boy, has Sony Pictures got a deal for you!
In an industry first, Sony Pictures’ new flick Hancock, out this Wednesday and starring the Fresh Prince himself, will be available over the Internet to be directly fed to viewers’ television sets after its theater run...IF they own a Sony Bravia TV that is.
BEFORE it hits DVD!
And if this plan turns out to be a successful one, many other Hollywood films will use a similar media path, insiders say.
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TAGS: Movies, Tech, TV
DRM-Free Rhapsody!
Posted by Frank Meyer - Monday, June 30, 2008 11:14 AM
 Gone are the days of streaming and buying music from multiple partners such as iLike, MTV, Verizon Wireless and Yahoo, says Rhapsody.
GONE!
Yes, digital music retailer Rhapsody have stripped DRM from their catalogs today as part of its joint venture between RealNetworks and MTV Networks.
The recently re-launched Web-based store converted its e |
