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Steam Hacking Update: Hackers Obtained Credit Card Info, But Not Passwords

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:06:00 -0800

Game company Valve has just sent more information about the hacking attacks against its Steam service.

According to Valve's president Gabe Newell: "It is probable that the intruders obtained a copy of a backup file with information about Steam transactions between 2004 and 2008. This backup file contained user names, email addresses, encrypted billing addresses and encrypted credit card information. It did not include Steam passwords."

Valve says it has no evidence that the information has been "compromised," so, presumably, the encryption is still in place. The company advises Steam users to "watch your credit card activity and statements. And of course keeping Steam Guard on is a good idea as well."

The full text of Valve's email is under the "Read More" tag.

Dear Steam Users and Steam Forum Users

We continue our investigation of last year's intrusion with the help of outside security experts. In my last note about this, I described how intruders had accessed our Steam database but we found no evidence that the intruders took information from that database. That is still the case.

Recently we learned that it is probable that the intruders obtained a copy of a backup file with information about Steam transactions between 2004 and 2008. This backup file contained user names, email addresses, encrypted billing addresses and encrypted credit card information. It did not include Steam passwords.

We do not have any evidence that the encrypted credit card numbers or billing addresses have been compromised. However as I said in November it's a good idea to watch your credit card activity and statements. And of course keeping Steam Guard on is a good idea as well.

We are still investigating and working with law enforcement authorities. Some state laws require a more formal notice of this incident so some of you will get that notice, but we wanted to update everyone with this new information now.

Gabe

Gamer Dies While Playing League Of Legends In Cafe; No One Notices For 9 Hours

Mon, 6 Feb 2012 11:04:00 -0800

According to Chinese media, a 23-year-old gamer named Chen Rong-yu died a terrible, lonely death last week. He had been playing Riot Games' League of Legends in a Taipei gaming center and dropped dead, most likely of a heart condition. None of the thirty or so other gamers in the cafe noticed the corpse in their midst for nine hours.

Reportedly, Rong-yu was sitting upright in his chair with his hands still on the keyboard. While his death was most likely caused by an underlying condition, according to the Chinese media, extenuating circumstances may have included the cold temperatures in the building and a lack of movement from Rong-yu -- staying perfectly still for long periods of time can cause blood clots.

This is a PSA for all gamers: Get up and stretch your legs every once in a while; go grab a Hot Pocket or something. Also: maybe check in on your fellow human beings every so often. Don't make a huge effort or anything, but make sure they're not, you know, dead or anything.

Source: Sky News

All of the best people are following Stephen Johnson's twitter feed. Also, email me if you wanna.

THQ President Brian J. Farrell's Salary Cut In Half

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:17:00 -0800

I'm getting just a little tired of posting bad news about THQ, but I am bound to a sacred oath to provide you gaming news -- good or bad. Anyway, THQ's President and Chief Executive Officer Brian J. Farrell has had his salary cut in half.

Farrell's salary has been cut to $359,250 for a one-year period beginning February 13, 2012. The THQ prez won't be alone in the soup line, though. The company's board of directors have "elected" to receive 50% less cash compensation for a year too.

This salary cut revelation is only the latest in a string of bad news for the company, including (but not limited to):

For more in-depth THQ news, tune in to G4TV.com tomorrow afternoon. The company will be hosting its quarterly financial call, and will no doubt reveal what it plans to do.

All of the best people are following Stephen Johnson's twitter feed. Also, email me if you wanna.

Resident Evil: Revelations Box Art Typo -- Capcom Botches Packaging Once Again

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:33:00 -0800

Unfortunately for Capcom, it seems as though the company has mistakenly botched the Resident Evil: Revelations box art packaging. The company accidentally put Resident Evil: Revelaitons on the spine of their upcoming Nintendo 3DS game.

I'm not going to say that I never make typos. In fact, many of you point them out to me on a daily basis. But this is a game that has already been sent out to retailers as it has a February 7th release date, which means it's definitely too late to fix.

While this is a super embarrassing mistake, Capcom also is known for publishing early copies of Okami for the Wii with an IGN watermark on the cover.

Who knows, maybe the Revelations cover will become a collector's item or something? Even though many people love to make fun of people for their mistakes, we feel awful for Capcom and we'll let you know if they release an official statement on the mixup.

Source: Eurogamer, NeoGAF, Twitter

THQ Lays Off Employees

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:07:00 -0800

We've been writing a lot about THQ lately. Yesterday, we detailed the game-makers plans to drop their kid-focused games in order to focus on "core" titles, and today we've learned that a round of layoffs have hit the company. Right now, we don't know how many people have faced pink slips.

“THQ confirms a reduction in force to the company’s administration and publishing organization," the publisher said in a statement. "As recently announced, the company is exiting the kids’ licensed games category, and is focusing on its core game franchises and developing its digital initiatives.

We'll learn more about the reorganization during THQ's financial conference call being held on February 2, so make sure you check back then to learn the fate of this company.

Source: Game Informer

Street Fighter X Tekken Could Have Had Xbox Exclusive Character Like Master Chief And Marcus Fenix

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:47:00 -0800

Street Fighter X Tekken could have had Xbox 360 exclusive characters. The PS3 version of SFxT will have Cole McGrath from InFamous and Sony cat mascots, Toro and Kuro. According to the game's producer Yoshinori Ono, Capcom was in discussions with Microsoft but they ultimately never came to an agreement.

"We do have the exclusive characters for the Sony platform. We have Cole, the two Sony cats, Kuro and Toro. But basically for the Xbox 360, we were in discussions with them [Microsoft] for which character to put in as an exclusive, but we weren't able to decide on a character because of differences in timing and things like that," Ono told Xbox360Achievments.com.

"So unfortunately for Street Fighter X Tekken, only the PlayStation family will be getting the exclusive characters, but it's something we wish could have happened. It's just too bad, basically."

"In terms of characters we wish we could have put in the game, Master Chief or Marcus Fenix from Gears of War would have been really cool, but it was just really difficult," Ono said. "We have Cole from inFamous on PS3, which is really cool, but that's just the way it turned out."

This reminds me of what happened with Mortal Kombat. The PS3 version had Kratos while the Xbox 360 version didn't have any exclusive characters. These seem like missed opportunities to promote a platform, sell a game, and to pay fan service to your playerbase. Hopefully Microsoft will see the error in their ways and finally just add Horstachio from Viva Pinata to fighting games.

Source: Xbox 360Achievments

Hot Pocket Extruding Xbox Controller Invented

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:03:00 -0800

This is the most important news story of our times: Technology modder Ben Heck has created an Xbox 360 controller that extrudes Hot Pockets. This means your controller will dispense a hot pocket to you... and you won't have to use your hands at all to eat it.

As you can see in the video below, it's a low-tech solution, all-told, but still... it's a damn Hot Pocket extruder. This is the end of all civilization.

Inspired by Heck, I've begun working on a mod that is essentially a large bucket attached to a tube. The bucket is mounted onto the ceiling, above your easy chair, and The tube is placed down your throat and into your stomach. The bucket contains stainless steel blades that liquify Hot Pockets. While gaming, you pull a chain and delicious Hot Pocket slurry is delivered right into your stomach. You don't even have to chew!

The Worst Video Games Of 2011: X-Play Presents The Golden Mullet Awards!

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:19:00 -0800

It's that time of year again, gamers: Golden Mullet time! That's X-Play's annual celebration of the worst games of the year. Whether it's the horrors of Thor: God of Thunder, the terrors of MindJack or other awful titles, 2011 provided mullet-lovers with a bumper crop of terrifically bad interactive entertainments. Below are some highlights from this important X-Play show...

Because the Golden Mullets are prestigious awards, please enjoy our pro-tips on how to earn your game a Mullet.

Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version

For the rest of the mullets check after the break.

We kicked things off with a parody of Dead Island's amazing backwards trailer...

Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version

Duke Nukem Forever took home a lifetime achievement award...

Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version

Thor recieves the award for most outstanding achievement in soul-crushing.

Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version

Finally, because if you're going to dish it out, you'd better learn to take it, X-Play presents an examination of its own worst inclinations in the form of the 2011 lowlights collection you see below:

Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version

For even more worst-of-the-year fun, check out X-Play's page... but first, leave a comment below with your pick for 2011's worst video game.

The Last Guardian Feared Cancelled After GameStop Calls Customers; Sony Assures Gamers It's Not

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:05:00 -0800

UPDATE: Rest assured, this rumor looks like it's false. According to Kotaku, Sony has addressed these reports by saying, "This is not true."

Panic is setting in as reports that The Last Guardian has been cancelled are popping up. Before you look for your inhaler, nothing has been confirmed by Sony at this time. The bad news stems from reports GameStop has removed The Last Guardian from their database as an upcoming game. If that wasn't damming enough, some customers are even claiming they received phone calls letting them know the game had been cancelled. One blogger even recorded the message.

Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version

Many suspected The Last Guardian's future was in jeopardy when Fumito Ueda left the project. The game was also notably absent from this past Tokyo Game Show.

Of course all this could mean is that since The Last Guardian doesn't have a release date, GameStop would rather not make promises about the title. After that phone call, you may invest that five dollar pre-order on something that will come out in 2012. You may even drop $60, which is exactly what GameStop wants. They probably don't have any privileged information.

My theory isn't very exciting however, so I take it back; this title is as good as dead. Where's my pitchfork?

If any of you see Morgan Webb or Leah Jackson, please don't tell them about this news story. Their little griffin-baby loving hearts can't take it.

Source: Joystiq

Tips? Suggestions? Find me on Twitter.

The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword Fix To Be Issued Via Wii Channel

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:23:00 -0800

A game breaking bug has been plaguing Zelda fans who are playing The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Nintendo was quick to acknowledge the problem but a fix was not issued. Nintendo has issued "patches" for Wii games in the past but it's certainly not something they do often.

Today, Nintendo Japan has announced how they plan on fixing this problem. They are going to release an entire Wii Channel to repair the damage this bug has done to people's saves. The "Zelda Data Restoration Channel" (rolls off your tongue, doesn't it?) will be available via the Wii Shopping channel. A release date has not been announced.

Luckily, I did not encounter this issue. The internet would know my wrath if it did. For those who did run into this issue, are you satisfied with Nintendo's response? I don't think they're doing enough. It's 2011, there are ways to get content to gamers in a timely and convenient manner.

Making gamers go to the Wii Channel, to download a new channel, to, I assume, download the patch and follow a series of instructions, is asking a lot of gamers who bought a game and can't play it. It just seems like too many steps when the Xbox 360 and PS3 would be able to patch it upon popping the disc in.

Tips? Suggestions? Want to complain about how I'm a Skyward Sword hater? Find me on Twitter.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 "Temporary" Ban Lasts 13.5 Years

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:16:00 -0800

They're going to find out if you've been naughty or nice. Infinity Ward, that is. The company is apparently giving away 13.5 YEAR bans for those caught doing something bad in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The bans last 5,000 days, and Infinity Ward Creative Strategist Robert Bowling confirmed that they're serious with these decade-long bans, saying that they're essentially a permanent ban for those caught cheating, boosting, or doing anything malicious, really.

NEWS: Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: User-Created Modes To Be Added To Multiplayer Public Playlists

So here's a PSA: be nice whether you're the one getting shot in the head, or shooting someone else in the head. Personally I wouldn't mind giving out some 13.5 year bans for some of the jerks that I've encountered while playing first person shooters online. That hilarious trash talk could get you in to a lot of trouble, you little cheater, you.

Source: MP1ST

The Skyrim Murders: One Woman's Blood-Soaked Death Tour Of Tamriel: Part 2 -- A Pattern To The Carnage

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:30:00 -0800

Skyrim is a bloody place. Murder is commonplace, but not all slayings are created equal. My name is Tura Satana. I am The Dragonborn and a Nord serial killer in the making. Follow me as I cut a bloody swath across Skyrim and attempt to find my place amongst the land's most notorious criminals. I may not have what it takes. Read Part One to see how I began my bloody murder spree.

AGNIS

The old woman in Fort Greymoor is the only one I spare. “I just cook and clean and do whatever it is they ask of me,” she bleats while munching on a loaf of bread.

The bandits she feeds and mops up after are killers like me, so I cut them down to the last. But Agnis seems as blameless as straw on the floor of this shabby fortress. This kindness doesn't seem terribly becoming of a serial killer. I'm still trying to find my voice as a mass murderer. Random slayings don't seem my style.

KEMATU

The caves, forts and camps of Skyrim are brimming with villains that need ending. I go about my job happily – piercing their flesh with arrows and hacking away at the limbs of those hardy enough to withstand a bowshot.

In the far end of one cave I find Kematu – a Redguard thug scouring Skyrim for a woman I promised to help. He's surrounded by guards so I plan my attack with care. Rather than charge his mob blindly, I set bear traps in the shallow water between me and my quarry. I announce my intentions with a single arrow, and the fools run right into my trap. Soon a half-dozen bodies bob limp in the water.

I watch Kematu floating lifelessly and it occurs that a killer such as myself shouldn't just leave bodies in her wake. I should leave a message. I drag Kematu's body out of the water and position it next to a chest. The scenario, though gruesome, lacks power. So I hoist his corpse again and drape it across a large stone, allowing rays of sun to spotlight the body. I try to leave a flower – a piece of thistle – as a calling card. But the herb keeps tumbling to the floor. I'll get the hang of this eventually.

MIKAEL

It is in the Bannered Mare – an inn in Whiterun – where I find my calling. Mikael, the local bard, strums his lute smugly next to the fire. He thinks he's the gods' gift to women. I vow to bury this singer the way I did Sven, but I can't lure the man away from the crowded inn. He hovers between the bar and his favorite seat. I try to hide in the shadows, but the nosy Uthgerd the Unbroken keeps spotting me as I move to stab Sven in the back.

VIDEO: Skyrim survival guide

Undaunted I rent the big loft room for the night and retire to my quarters. From the balcony I can see Sven cozy up to the bar again and decide he'd look better with an arrow in the back. To my surprise the shot doesn't kill him. The singer runs to confront me, his dagger drawn. A single sword stroke puts an end to his womanizing ways.

LYNLY STAR-SUNG, LISETTE AND LURBUK

The Whiterun guard don't appreciate my murdering ways. I lead them in a game of cat and mouse, hiding in shadows only to be spotted again. My plan is to make my way to the main gate and muscle past the guards. But I'm stopped in my tracks and arrested for my crimes. I pay my bounty with coin I took from Mikael's pockets and leave Whiterun a free woman.

I have a plan now: I will visit every boarding house in Skyrim and murder every bard I find.

Executing my plan is harder than I thought. Many inns are too remote to support a musician. And more than a few of the singers I encounter into are women. I can't bring myself to put down Lynly Star-Sung – the barmaid in Ivarstead. Lisette, the resident bard at the Winking Skeever in Solitude, is both comely and friendly. I feel a kind of sisterhood with these women, despite their distasteful choice of careers.

My ill luck ends in the dreary town of Morthal. Lurbuk plays to an empty house in Moorside Inn. But when I speak to the orc he is friendly and polite. He doesn't leer and preen like the other men I killed. And he reminds of that first, nameless orc I killed so haplessly at the beginning of my spree. What if she was his sister? Or his lover? Empathy is beginning to put a real damper on my mayhem.

GUIDE: Our guide to all of our guides to The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim.

STORMCLOAK SOLDIERS

I take out my frustrations on a lone figure standing far away in the woods. I'm too far to see who they are. I can't tell if they're a man or a woman, friend or foe. I draw my bow, notch an arrow and hold my breath. The shot is true, killing my target instantly. My victim was a woman. But I feel nothing for her. I star coldly at her body, noting the way her neck has bent impossibly to the side.

Her friends in the camp nearby don't know what I've done. I charge into their camp blindly – waving my sword at whoever stands in my way. I kill the lot of the but for one. Their leader, inexplicably, refuses to die. I cut him down and he stands right back up again. Rather than try to make sense of this impossible miracle, I steal a horse and flee.

I know in my heart that I'm a better killer than this. I just need the proper inspiration. I have a suspicion that I'll find it in Windhelm.

Part three is coming next week, so keep checking TheFeed for more!

– Gus Mastrapa has written about games for Wired, Edge, Kill Screen and The A.V. Club. Follow him on Twitter: @triphibian

The Skyrim Murders: One Woman's Blood-Soaked Death Tour Of Tamriel: Part 1 -- First Blood

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 15:01:00 -0800

When bad things happen to good people the first question they always ask is, “why?” My name is Tura Satana and I am The Dragonborn. I am also a mass-murderer. Join me on my dark journey through Skyrim where I will slip into the skin of a killer and try to make sense of the antisocial impulse. You may not like the answers you find.

THE ORC

My first murder in Skyrim is the result of a theft gone wrong. I found myself in the middle of an autumnal plain North of the Brittleshin Pass. A series of columns, surely a signpost towards adventure, lure me across the expanse. There I found a grating set into the ground. A treasure chest was beneath, but beyond my reach. And I don't know the combination to the puzzle pillars nearby so I decide to quit sniffing after the chest and move on.

That's when I spy a female Orc wandering around nearby. She's walking away, oblivious to me and the nearby treasure so I squat into hiding and sneak up on her. I idle up closely and peer into her pockets finding moon sugar, a strange substance called Skooma and a couple drops of sleeping tree sap. I reach out and try to pluck some of the stuff but I'm too clumsy. She turns around a puts up her fists, bent on pummeling me into submission.

It's an inauspicious start to my career as a Skyrim serial killer, but I figure you've got to start somewhere. I draw my sword and slash at the hapless orc until she crumbles to the ground. I take her all of her possessions leaving her naked but for her smallclothes and I leave her there concealed only by the low brush.

THE BANDITS

There's a fine line between heroism and wholesale slaughter in Skyrim. Killing in self-defense is most always justified in a world this dangerous. But is it right to kill your enemy before they have a chance to proclaim their intent? I don't waste too much energy mulling the dilemma when I find a bandit guard tower on my ascent to Bleak Falls Barrow.

Hidden on the snowy mountainside I draw my bow and put an arrow through the first guard, killing him instantly. His ally runs to his aid. “I'm going to find whoever did that,” he promises. But it is only moments before he wanders away and goes back to his patrol. I creep across the stone bridge and catch him with an arrow as well.

Atop the hill I find more of his kind. I pick at them from the shadows, piercing them from afar. A few try to raise the alarm but they're quickly quieted by a shaft. No one will miss these coarse men and women. They're killers. Every one of them. Not that different from what I'm about to become.

ARVEL THE SWIFT

Inside Bleak Falls Barrow I meet a coward of man called Arvel the Swift. He's tangled in the web of a giant spider, destined to serve as a meal for the arachnid and her spawn. I kill the monsters and free him from his bindings on his promise that he'll help me solve the riddles of Bleak Falls Barrow. But rather than stay and talk the greed man runs. I don't wait to see where he goes. I notch an arrow, pull and release catching the coward in the shoulder. A search of his corpse discovers The Golden Claw – the key to the secrets of Bleak Falls Barrow. I leave Arvel's body to moulder and dry in the caves, just another corpse in a place full of death.

SVEN

The Golden Claw is the property of a shop-owner in Riverwood so I make my way there to collect my reward. There I become caught up in a sorry love triangle. A jealous wood elf named Faendal begs me to deliver a forged letter to a fair girl called Camilla Valerus. The note is meant to make the town bard Sven look bad. I find the whole affair distasteful so the first chance I get I tell Camilla that Faendal is trying to cheat his way into her heart. Camilla thanks me and I wash my hands of the affair. That's until I actually meet Sven.

I catch the man singing in the Sleeping Giant Inn. He's strumming on his a lute and singing in a way that instantly rubs me the wrong way. I can't put my finger on it, but there's something I don't like about this man. I notice Camilla in a nearby seat, fawning over the singer and it puts me over the edge. I decide then and there that I will kill Sven. But I'm not ready to commit a crime like this in broad daylight.

I interrupt Sven's song and tell him to follow me. To my surprise the fool comes along. I aim to lead him someplace remote and put him down there. I follow the path out of Rivenwood scanning my surroundings for someplace that feels right for a murder. That's when I stumble the site of the guardian stones – the place where I started down the path of the thief.

I tell Sven to wait there and walk away, leaving the chump looking out over the lake and distant mountains. I hike up the path a dozen or so paces and turn around. The idiot is still there, his back turned towards me. I squat, draw my bow and loose an arrow into his back. “Watch it!' he gripes. I put another arrow in him. “What are you doing?” he begs. The third arrow silences him.

HILDE

I return to Riverwood and pick the lock to Sven's home, hoping to rifle through his belongings. But his one-room dwelling isn't open. His mother, Hilde, is home. She's the old crone who I'd early heard babbling about seeing a dragon. I take pity on her at first – she's feeble and helpless. Then she opens her mouth. “Everywhere you look its cats, lizards and elves,” she blurts. “It sickens me.” The woman's xenophobia makes my skin crawl, but I press her on the subject. “Let's hear it,” she demands. “Let's hear it.” Over and over until I can't take it any more.

I'm halfway across the room when the urge to snuff Hilde comes over me. I turn around, kneel and pull out my bow. Hilde cowers by her bed as I loose my first arrow. My first shot clips a wine bottle, sending it spinning across the room. The second arrow flies true, spearing Hilde through the back. Mother and son are dead. There's no question now. I am now a murderer. And I aim to play the part.

--Gus Mastrapa has written about games for Wired, Edge, Kill Screen and The A.V. Club. Follow him on Twitter @triphibian.

(Check back here next week for part two of Gus Mastrapa's multi-part Skyrim blood-orgy.)

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Has A Game Breaking Glitch -- Nintendo Responds

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 17:17:00 -0800

A game-breaking glitch has been discovered in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The problem occurs during the Song of the Hero quest. If players get the song of the Thunder Dragon from Lanaryu Mine, speak with the Goron, beat the Thunder Dragon mission, and then speak to Golo the Goron again, an error somehow occurs. If players complete this sequence of events, it will be impossible to continue the game with that save file.

Nintendo is aware of the situation but sadly there is not a solution, nor is there any indication a patch will ever be issued.

Keep reading for Nintendo's response and words of advice.

"We have been made aware of the issue that results in being unable to progress in the Song of the Hero quest. If the game has been saved after completing the sequence of events, it will no longer be possible to proceed through the game on that save file. The only options at that point are to either start the game over or to use an earlier save file to continue.

The situation is caused by performing the following sequence of events during the Song of the Hero quest:
At the beginning of the quest, go to Lanayru Desert to retrieve the song of the Thunder Dragon.
In the Lanayru Mine, speak with Golo the Goron.
Complete the Thunder Dragon's event, and receive his song.
Before heading to the forest or volcano regions, speak with Golo in the mine again.
At this point, the forest and volcano events will no longer occur, making it impossible to continue.

Solutions:

This issue WILL NOT OCCUR if the Fire and Water Dragon songs have already been collected before collecting the Thunder Dragon's song. Talking to Golo in the Lanayru Caves will also NOT trigger this issue.

If the game has been saved after completing the sequence of events, it will no longer be possible to proceed through the game on that save file. The only options at that point are to either start the game over or to use an earlier save file to continue.

I wish I had a better answer, but I'm afraid there currently is no other fix available. I can assure, however, that we are documenting all feedback we receive on this issue. Thank you for your patience and support.

Sincerely,

Sharon Matheny"

Needless to say this is an unfortunate situation for Zelda fans. I'm a little disappointed Nintendo isn't being more proactive to resolve this issue. I hope a patch is issued quickly. Having to delete your save file and start anew is not acceptable in my book.

What do you think?

Source: Zeldainformer

Tips? Suggestions? Find me on Twitter?

Gamers Report Skyrim Patch 1.2 Causing Bugs, Glitches, Tears, Moonwalking Dragons

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:05:00 -0800

The second patch for The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim was released yesterday for the PS3. It seems the frameate issues reported before the patch was released are still a problem, but now there's a new list of problems too. Some of the new bugs reported by gamers are, at the very least, comical. One new issue involves dragons flying backwards, basically dancing the moonwalk in the sky. Less hysterical bugs exists too, like the game no longer allowing magic resistance.

Video of a Skyrim dragon flying backwards is right under the "Read More" tag. I know you will click it.

If you've downloaded the Skyrim patch for the PS3 what are some issues you've come across, if any?

Source: Joystiq

Black Friday Deals Damage To Eager Bargain Hunters

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:10:00 -0800

It’s Black Friday again, and that can only mean one thing: numerous reports of violence amongst deal-lusting consumers! Of course, keeping track of all of these incidents would no doubt eat into your day if you tried to do it all yourself, especially if you are currently on line somewhere waiting to save big bucks/become the next blurb on a Black Friday violence round-up article like this one over at MSNBC.com.

So to stay abreast of on all things commendable, decent, and not head shake-of-disapproval inducing on this Black Friday, be sure to keep checking back on that post. You just never know what’s going to pop up next. For instance, the latest update involves a police robot being sent into a refrigerator department because someone left behind a mysterious, potentially deadly device. Other incidents (all of which occurred at various Wal-Mart stores across the country) include folks being pepper sprayed, a big brawl in an electronics department, and a non-lethal shooting outside a store in South Carolina. Happy Thanksgiving indeed!

Anyone out there witnessed any blurb-worthy Black Friday madness?

Source: MSNBC.com

I Am Alive Probably Won't Be Released On PC Due To Piracy Concerns

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:59:00 -0800

I Am Alive probably won't be released on the PC platform due to piracy concerns, according to the game's creative director, Stanislas Mettra. The Ubisoft dev is worried the PC market won't pay for the game.

"We've heard loud and clear that PC gamers are bitching about there being no version for them," he said. "But are these people just making noise just because there's no version or because it's a game they actually want to play? Would they buy it if we made it?"

"It's hard because there's so much piracy and so few people are paying for PC games that we have to precisely weigh it up against the cost of making it. Perhaps, it will only take 12 guys three months to port the game to PC, it's not a massive cost but it's still a cost. If only 50,000 people buy the game then it's not worth it."

I imagine this is a concern for most developers when they are deciding which platforms they should make their games for. I've never pirated a PC game, since I've always appreciated Steam's service, and I am happy to support the games I like. But if PC game piracy is as much of as a concern as this guys says, I get why they might be apprehensive to develop for the PC. While I may "get it" from a business stand point, it still sucks to alienate part of your audience.

If I Am Alive came out on the PC, would you buy it?

Source: incgamers

Man Buys Full Suit Of Master Chief Armor From Halo After Getting Dumped

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:20:00 -0800

After hopeless romantic Eric Smith custom designed an engagement ring to propose to his girlfriend with, she dumped him. Getting dumped is one of the worst things ever, especially if you're gamer, because finding a significant other that can put up with (and maybe even enjoy) your hobby can sometimes be hard.

Well, Eric took the dumping to the next level. Instead of drowning his sorrows in Skyrim and pizza like a normal guy, he sold the ring on eBay and commissioned an artist to create a full scale suit of armor modeled after Master Chief from Halo. Apparently it's something he always wanted and he had nothing holding him back (like a woman).

Hopefully his new suit will help him pick up new chicks. Good luck, Spartan. You can check out more pictures of the suit via Eric's Flikr page.

Source: Short List

Steam Hacked: Steam Accounts Compromised

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:31:00 -0800

We just received word that Valve's download service Steam has been hacked and credit card information has potentially been accessed. While the Steam forums were shut down last week, this is a hacking of the actual Steam service.

According to Valve, "intruders obtained access to a Steam database" that contained "user names, hashed and salted passwords, game purchases, email addresses, billing addresses and encrypted credit card information. "

Valve says they do not have evidence that encrypted credit card numbers or personally identifying information were taken by the intruders, or that the protection on credit card numbers or passwords was cracked, but the investigation is ongoing. Steam users should keep a careful eye on their credit card and bank account activity.

Steam Forum users will have to reset their passwords, but Steam accounts won't have forced password changes. Still, it's a good idea to.

Below you'll find the entire statement from Valve:

Dear Steam Users and Steam Forum Users,

Our Steam forums were defaced on the evening of Sunday, November 6. We began investigating and found that the intrusion goes beyond the Steam forums.

We learned that intruders obtained access to a Steam database in addition to the forums. This database contained information including user names, hashed and salted passwords, game purchases, email addresses, billing addresses and encrypted credit card information. We do not have evidence that encrypted credit card numbers or personally identifying information were taken by the intruders, or that the protection on credit card numbers or passwords was cracked. We are still investigating.

We don't have evidence of credit card misuse at this time. Nonetheless you should watch your credit card activity and statements closely.

While we only know of a few forum accounts that have been compromised, all forum users will be required to change their passwords the next time they login. If you have used your Steam forum password on other accounts you should change those passwords as well.

We do not know of any compromised Steam accounts, so we are not planning to force a change of Steam account passwords (which are separate from forum passwords). However, it wouldn't be a bad idea to change that as well, especially if it is the same as your Steam forum account password.

We will reopen the forums as soon as we can.

I am truly sorry this happened, and I apologize for the inconvenience.

Gabe.

All of the best people are following Stephen Johnson's twitter feed. Also, email me if you wanna.

Mass Effect 3 Beta Gameplay Video Leak Unveils New Story Mode Features

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 11:14:00 -0800

A 13-minute video of Mass Effect 3 gameplay leaked due to "human error" on Microsoft's end this past Friday. According to BioWare, ME3 content that was meant for internal beta testing was flagged incorrectly and sent to people who signed up for the beta of the Xbox Live dashboard update. While the leaked code was in a rough, unfinished state, a new story feature was one of the things that particularly caught our attention.

NEWS: Mass Effect 3 Demo Coming In January 2012 -- Will Feature Single and Multiplayer

It's not up anymore, but the video showed various areas and characters in the game, including Commander Shepard and Captain Anderson during the Reaper invasion on Earth and another part featuring Shepard, Liara, and Garrus escorting the quirky Mordin and a Krogan.

"One feature that was present in this early build is a set of game play modes that are in development. In the beta code they are referred to as “action mode”, “story mode” and “RPG mode," said BioWare's Jesse Houston on the Mass Effect 3 forums.

"We want to stress that these features are still in the early stages of development and will receive considerable iteration and refinement. These modes are designed to give players an even finer degree of control over their game experience than ever before," said Houston. "Whether it be someone who finds the combat difficult but wants to experience the amazing story, someone who wants to focus on the action and combat game play, or fans who want the rich, story-driven RPG Mass Effect experience they’ve come to love – Mass Effect 3 will support all of these options. We’ll have more info in the days ahead!"

DETAILS: Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Preview: Help Me Help You Help Us Help Shepard

I unfortunately wasn't fast enough to get to play the demo or to see the footage, but most of the ME3 community seems ecstatic with the demo. If you got to play it, what did you think?

Mass Effect 3 is coming out for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on March 6, 2012.

Source: Mass Effect 3 Forums, VG247

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