Launch Primer

Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Guides: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released. Get all the info you need to know about Killzone 3 below!

Killzone 3
PlayStation 3
MSRP: $59.99
ESRB Rating: M

All Killzone 3 Content

Videos   |    Review   |   Screenshot Galleries   |   Previews

What kind of game is it?

Killzone 3 is an immersive first-person shooter, with both a robust single-player campaign and a myriad of multiplayer modes. KZ 3 is the highly anticipated next installment in the Killzone series, and Sony has pushed the game hard because of its 3D and PlayStation Move support.

Who's the Developer?

Amsterdam -- the home of coffee shops not famous for anything in particular and jugglers -- is also the home to Killzone developer Guerrilla Games. Guerrilla Games was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2005 and is best known for their work on the Killzone series.

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Guides: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released. Get all the info you need to know about Marvel vs. Capcom 3 below!

Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
MSRP: $59.99
ESRB Rating: T

All Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Content

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What kind of game is it?

At its core, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is 2-D fighting game, but what makes it unique is the three-on-three tag team gameplay. Using famous faces from both the Capcom universe and the Marvel canon, players assemble teams using a vast array of characters, all with different strengths and fighting styles. With strong tutorials, MvC3 can help ease new players into the arena, as well as help veterans fine tune their gameplay. Once you've mastered your moves by playing through the offline Arcade mode, you can take your skills online and battle other players.

Who's the Developer?

Venerable fighting game veterans, Capcom is the leading name in the genre. Based in Japan, Capcom is known for the Street Fighter series, as well as Resident Evil, Dead Rising, and Mega Man.

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

LittleBigPlanet 2
PlayStation 3
MSRP: $59.99
ESRB Rating: E

All LittleBigPlanet 2 Content

Videos   |    Review   |   Screenshot Galleries   |   Previews

What kind of game is it?

LBP 2 is a puzzle platformer where you guide Sackboy through colorful and fun levels. As a follow up to the original LittleBigPlanet, LBP 2 expands the universe and gives you the opportunity to build your own game with more robust customization options and improved level building tools. Adorable to its core, LBP 2's focus on user-generated content means that the world is constantly being updated. 

Who's the Developer?

British-based Media Molecule. Founded in 2006 by ex-Lionhead Studios employees, LittleBigPlanet was MM's first release as a studio. Building off the success of the indie game Rag Doll Kung Fu, which was developed by the team while they were still at Lionhead, Media Molecule hit a home run with the creative world of LittleBigPlanet and thankfully, they're giving us much, much more.

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Our Halo Reach Launch Guide will give you all the info you need to know (except the spoilers) about one of this year's hottest releases.

Halo: Reach
Xbox 360
MSRP: $59.99
ESRB Rating: M

Halo: Reach is the sixth game in the Xbox's most popular and well known franchise to date. Chronologically, Reach is actually a prequel to Halo: Combat Evolved, the first Halo game, which came out on the original Xbox. Reach is a first-person shooter -- with third-person vehicle sequences -- where you play a futuristic space marine defending an entire planet. There's an in depth single-player campaign, a robust online multiplayer offering and the ability to make your own maps with Forge, the game's incredibly feature-rich level creator.

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

Crackdown 2
Xbox 360
MSRP: $59.99
ESRB Rating: M

All Crackdown 2 Content

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What kind of game is it?

Crackdown 2 is an quirky hybrid of platforming, third-person action, and open-world gameplay. It's the sequel to 2007's surprise hit (at least, a surprise to those who picked it up solely for access to the Halo 3 beta). In a turn seldom seen in other open-world games, Crackdown 2 aims to recreate the city of the first game and all of those familiar landmarks that you traversed a few years back in search of that one last power-up.

Who's the Developer?

This is Ruffian Games' first title. The Dundee, Scotland-based studio is comprised of former members of the Crackdown team at Realtime Worlds, including creative director Billy Thomson and studio head Gaz Liddon.

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

Green Day: Rock Band
Xbox 360, PS3, Wii
MSRP: $59.99, $49.99
ESRB Rating: T

All Green Day: Rock Band Content

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What kind of game is it?

Green Day: Rock Band is the latest full-band game in the popular music game franchise. It features the stylings of SF Bay Area punk band Green Day.

Who's the Developer?

Cambridge, MA-based Harmonix Music Systems has been in the business of developing music and rhythm-based games on major platforms for nearly a decade, including cult classics like Frequency and Amplitude, top-selling franchises like Karaoke Revolution, and ultimately genre-defining titles such as Rock Band.

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
PSP
MSRP: $39.99
ESRB Rating: T

All Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker  Content

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What kind of game is it?

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is the latest chapter in the espionage-driven Metal Gear Solid series. Unlike 2006's Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Kojima Productions touts Peace Walker as an official sequel to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. As far as gameplay, the developer has often fused hot genres in handheld gaming with Metal Gear's presentation. Just like Metal Gear Ac!d emulated the card game trends of 2004, Peace Walker takes after the Monster Hunter series. Bring a friend.

Who's the Developer?

Kojima Productions is the long-time developer of the Metal Gear franchise. Though team members have worked on the scope of Metal Gear from the dawn of the series, Kojima Productions -- as a designated division of Konami -- formed in 2005 following Metal Gear Solid 3.

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

Alpha Protocol
Xbox 360, PS3, PC
MSRP: $59.99
ESRB Rating: M

All Alpha Protocol Content

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What kind of game is it?

Alpha Protocol is an action role-playing game in which you take on the role of Michael Thorton, a government agent investigating a terrorist attack on an airplane full of dignitaries. Not unlike the pattern that developer Obsidian followed in its sequel to Bioware's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, comparisons have been drawn between this game and Mass Effect.

Who's the Developer?

Obsidian Entertainment, based in Irvine, CA, is a role-playing game developer responsible for hits such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, Neverwinter Nights 2, and the upcoming Fallout: New Vegas. Prior to forming Obsidian in 2003, many of the team members worked at Black Isle Studios on the original Fallout series on PC.

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

Blur
Xbox 360, PS3, PC
MSRP: $59.99
ESRB Rating: E10+

All Blur Content

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What kind of game is it?

Blur is a racing game that combines real-life cars from real manufacturers with the weaponized mayhem found in kart racing games. That means you can expect to chuck massive red fireballs at a real-life Lotus Exige as it attempts to shunt you for first place.

Who's the Developer?

Liverpool, UK-based Bizarre Creations has concocted a diverse range of games from Geometry Wars to The Club to its bread and butter, the Project Gotham Racing series.

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

UFC Undisputed 2010
Xbox 360, PS3, PSP (coming Fall 2010)
MSRP: $59.99
ESRB Rating: T

All UFC Undisputed 2010 Content

Videos   |    Previews   |   Screenshot Galleries   |   News Stories

What kind of game is it?

UFC Undisputed 2010 builds on the foundation established by last year's debut title, the first licensed UFC game since 2004's Sudden Impact. Like wrestling games, MMA titles occupy that nebulous space between sports game and fighting game. I'm of the opinion that they're sports games, and people who hate sports games tend to label them as fighting games. We'll all have to agree to disagree.

Who's the Developer?

Yuke's Media Creations, based in Yokohama, Japan. These hard-working folks have been tweaking, building and adjusting the WWE Smackdown! vs. Raw series for a decade and have brought their insight and expertise over to the realm of mixed martial arts.

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

ModNation Racers
PS3, PSP
MSRP: $59.99, $29.99
ESRB Rating: E

All ModNation Racers Content

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What kind of game is it?

ModNation Racers is a 3D kart racer that combines the whimsical fun of games like Mario Kart with the degree of depth in user-created content found in the likes of LittleBigPlanet. In other words, while you can race around in dangerous courses a la Mario Kart, you can also devise your own deathtraps and your own racer, down to some fairly minute details.

Who's the Developer?

Vancouver, BC-based United Front Games. This is United Front's first title; the team is also working on the True Crime reboot for Activision. Founded in 2007, the studio is composed of EA Black Box (Need for Speed) co-founders and developers.

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Wii
MSRP: $49.99
ESRB Rating: E

All Super Mario Galaxy 2 Content

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What kind of game is it?

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a 3D platformer that continues the standards set by its predecessor, 2007's Game of the Year runner-up Super Mario Galaxy and the likes of 2002's Super Mario Sunshine and 1996's Super Mario 64. The familiar tropes -- Mario must explore distant worlds to collect 120 stars -- are intact, but the world's favorite Italian plumber is joined by Yoshi, who makes his 3D debut. 

Who's the Developer?

Nintendo EAD Tokyo. Under Nintendo's structure, most of its internal studios are located in Nintendo's worldwide headquarters in Kyoto, Japan. The Tokyo studio is the only exception. The team has worked on Donkey Kong Jungle Beat in addition to Super Mario Galaxy. 

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PSP, Wii, PC
MSRP: $59.99
ESRB Rating: T

All Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Content

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What kind of game is it?

Even though Ubisoft seemed to leave Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time universe behind with the love-it-or-hate-it Prince of Persia reboot from late 2008, the upcoming theatrical adaptation pushed Ubisoft to return to the well once again for Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. This side-story doesn't deviate much from successful platformer-meets-puzzler formula established in The Sand of Time, which has players scaling massive structures and fighting off sand enemies along the way. You can still rewind time, but The Forgotten Sands introduces new powers for the Prince, however, including the ability to freeze water (turning them into usable platforms).

Who's the Developer?

This is in-house at Ubisoft, like the other Prince of Persia games. Jordan Mechner, the creator of Prince of Persia and who was heavily involved with The Sands of Time, didn't work on this.

What's the story?

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

Split/Second
Xbox 360, PS3, PC
MSRP: $59.99
ESRB Rating: E10+

All Split/Second Content

Videos   |    Previews   |   Screenshot Galleries   |   News Stories

What kind of game is it?

Split/Second is an action racing game that can be compared to the Burnout series (especially Burnout Revenge), although the emphasis on taking down competitors is based less on physically ramming them into a guardrail and more on using the environment and its many hazards to stop them.

It also features modes like Survival, in which you must gently steer your vehicle around a speeding 18-wheeler that spills explosive barrels out of its truck bed, and Elimination, in which you must race against the clock and your position to prevent yourself from an combustible conclusion.

Who's the Developer?

Brighton, England-based Black Rock Studio, the developers behind Disney’s last hit racer, the surprise sleeper PURE.

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Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

Skate 3
Xbox 360, PS3
MSRP: $59.99
ESRB Rating: T

All Skate 3 Content

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What kind of game is it?

Skate 3 is the continuation of EA Black Box’s series, which takes an unapologetically hardcore approach to skateboarding. Its analog-centric gameplay helped the series become the new champ of skateboarding games. It takes a serious approach to its highly intricate and technical gameplay and an irreverent approach to its humor and presentation.

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