QuakeCon Coverage
8-6-2010 @ 8:22 PM by: sabrewulf
Live coverage of the tournaments at QuakeCon 2010 will be broadcast live over the internet via QUAKE LIVE and Quake-Live.tv when things get underway at id's gaming gathering next week. Word is:
"Quake Live TV has partnered with QuakeCon 2010 to provide complete coverage of the official QUAKE LIVE® tournaments and Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) events, in addition to interviews and community content. The Intel® QUAKE LIVE® Masters Championship will be hosted by world-renowned eSports commentators James “2GD” Harding and Joe "Joe" Miller. They will be partnering with Quake Live TV commentators Steve “GreasedScotsman” Huff and Alex “Jehar” Popa, who will be covering the Capture the Flag, Open Duel and BYOC tournaments. Together, they will capture all of the QUAKE LIVE® action, energy, and excitement."
http://www.quakecon.org/
http://www.quakelive.com/
http://www.quake-live.tv/ |
PC Hardware Outsells Consoles
8-6-2010 @ 8:14 PM by: sabrewulf
Just thought I'd share this little tid bid, according to PC Gaming Alliance Newest Horizons Hardware Research (that's a mouth full) they have data from the occasionally dormant PC advocates on PC gaming hardware sales outstripping all console hardware sales combined, using a discreet GPU as the criterion for a gaming rig. Here's an excerpt from their findings:
Among the key findings: Annual shipment volumes for the PC Gaming hardware market in 2009 were over two times larger than the combined Wii™, PlayStation® 2, PlayStation® 3 and Xbox 360® console units shipped in the same period. This trend for the PC Gaming hardware market to outpace all console shipments combined is expected to continue through the forecasted period of the research. In addition, revenues from consumer PCs capable of gaming that shipped with a discrete GPU (excludes Netbooks and integrated graphics-based PCs) totaled approximately $54.6 billion in 2009 and are forecasted to grow to $61.3 billion by 2014. These revenue figures are based on an estimated 61.5 million PCs (Desktop and Laptops) shipped in 2009 that can largely be associated with PC gaming as a key usage scenario.
The report also estimates the worldwide number of consumers gaming with discrete graphics solutions on their PCs (Desktop and Notebooks) to be 212.6 million for 2009 and expects this to grow to about 322 million by 2014. The report also includes detailed breakouts of various PC configurations (e.g. Basic, Mass Market, etc), by form factor and by geographic territory.
http://www.game-newswire.com/index.php/the-news/232.html |
QuakeCon '10 Tourneys
7-28-2010 @ 10:07 PM by: sabrewulf
The Bethesda Blog announces a whole bunch of tournaments to be conducted at QuakeCon '10 next month, saying there's a total of $50,000 up for grabs in both the Intel QUAKE LIVE Masters Championship and the QUAKE LIVE Capture the Flag Championship, and that there is also an Open Tournament giving "up to 128 amateurs a chance to compete for a respectable purse of $2500." Here's word on eligibility:
"Players with professional gaming experience or extensive QUAKE LIVE experience can pre-register by going to www.quakecon.org/tournament between July 27th and August 8th or register on site at QuakeCon from 9:00am to noon CST on Thursday, August 12. Competitors qualified for the Intel QUAKE LIVE Masters Championship and The QUAKE Live Capture the Flag Championship will be selected and seeded by a committee of experts at the close of registration. Players selected for the Intel QUAKE LIVE Masters Championship are not eligible for the Open Tournament."
http://bethblog.com/index.php/2010/07/28/quakecon-2010-tournaments-announced/ |
Steam Summer Blowout!
6-27-2010 @ 5:00 PM by: sabrewulf
Massive sales on PC games going on until July 4th over at Steam. Some VERY good pricing on some very good games. They are doing week end deals as well, and if you're a PC gamer you need to check these deals out.
http://store.steampowered.com/ |
BizzCon Ticket Sales
5-18-2010 @ 5:05 PM by: sabrewulf
Ticket sales for BlizzCon 2010 will be conducted in two batches on June 2 and June 5, with tickets selling for $150.00 USD.
The show, which is scheduled for October 22-23 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA, will once again feature a pay-per-view event on DirecTV, which will cost $39.95 USD. They will also offer a live stream on the internet for that same price (adding that "pricing may vary by region"), though limited coverage of the opening ceremony and certain tournaments will be streamed on the Internet for free. Once again, those who purchase this coverage will earn an exclusive World of Warcraft in-game item, which will be revealed separately.
The June 2 tickets will go on sale at 10:00 pm EDT (7:00 pm PDT) and the June 5 batch will go on sale at 1:00 pm EDT (10:00 am PDT). They add: "Those interested in attending BlizzCon can simplify the purchase process by registering a Battle.net account at www.battle.net before ticket sales begin." Here's word on the event itself:
"In addition to serving as a gathering place for the different Blizzard Entertainment gaming communities, BlizzCon will have an array of activities, including discussion panels, competitive and casual tournaments, contests, hands-on playtime with current and upcoming Blizzard Entertainment games, and more." |
Quakecon 2010
4-14-2010 @ 9:45 PM by: sabrewulf
QuakeCon is a free convention held yearly in Dallas, Texas brought to you by id Software, Bethesda Softworks and their parent company ZeniMax Media Inc..
Thousands of gamers gather in one location to play with their friends on a giant gaming network, see the latest in cool technology, hear about upcoming games and compete in world-class tournaments.
QuakeCon is returning for another year at the Hilton Anatole in downtown Dallas. The event is from August 12 to August 15 2010.
http://www.quakecon.org/ |
Supreme Commander 2 Demo
2-24-2010 @ 5:13 PM by: sabrewulf
Steam News announces the playable demo for Supreme Commander 2 is now available on Valve's digital distribution network, offering a sample of the real-time strategy sequel from Gas Powered Games.
The demo includes two levels of the tutorial along with two missions for the United Earth Federation (UEF), one of the three Colonial Defense Coalition factions.
Valve also announces that the demo and the upcoming full retail and electronic versions of the game will both include full Steamworks support for auto-updates, Steam achievements, Steam support for in-game DLC, and more.
Supreme Commander 2 is due in North America on March 2, and in PAL territories on March 5.
You can find the demo HERE |
Battlefield Bad Company 2 Beta/Demo
1-28-2010 @ 5:33 PM by: sabrewulf
The PC demo for Battlefield Bad Company 2 will begin today: "A PC beta would also be available to players that pre-order the game at participating retailers in North America, Europe and Asia, and through select community channels at 6pm CET today." 6:00 pm CET is noon Eastern Time.
http://www.battlefieldbadcompany2.com/beta
The PC beta involves similar content to the just launched Xbox 360 demo (word is the console demo will launch on PS3 on February 4):
"The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 console demo and PC beta will feature Port Valdez, a new vehicle focused map where up to 24 players (32 on PC) will compete against each other as either the US or Russian armies in the game's Rush multiplayer mode. Players will have access to five land and three air vehicles where the Russian side can use everything in their arsenal including Main Battle Tanks as well as the fast-moving Quad Bikes and Mobile Armored AA. The fight will also be packed with plenty of infantry combat fought alongside the waterline towards a great oil industrial landscape in the Alaskan mountains."
http://blogs.battlefield.ea.com/ |
iPad
1-27-2010 @ 5:29 PM by: sabrewulf
Apple has made their big announcement, as expected for a new tablet computer called the iPad.
Word is: "It's a half-inch thick and weighs just 1.5 pounds, with a 9.7-inch capacitive touchscreen IPS LCD display, and it's running a custom 1GHz Apple "A4" chip developed by the P.A. Semi team, with a 10-hour battery life and a month of standby. It'll come in 16, 32, and 64GB sizes, and it's got the expected connectivity: very little. There's a 30-pin Dock connector, a speaker, a microphone, Bluetooth, and 802.11n WiFi, as well as an accelerometer and a compass.
Here are some initial thoughts on the iPad:
•It's not light. It feels pretty weighty in your hand.
•The screen is stunning, and it's 1024 x 768. Feels just like a huge iPhone in your hands.
•The speed of the CPU is something to be marveled at. It is blazingly fast from what we can tell. Webpages loaded up super fast, and scrolling was without a hiccup. Moving into and out of apps was a breeze. Everything flew.
•There's no multitasking at all. It's a real disappointment. All this power and very little you can do with it at once. No multitasking means no streaming Pandora when you're working in Pages... you can figure it out. It's a real setback for this device.
•The ebook implementation is about as close as you can get to reading without a stack of bound paper in your hand. The visual stuff really helps flesh out the experience. It may be just for show, but it counts here.
•No camera. None, nada. Zip. No video conferencing here folks. Hell, it doesn't have an SMS app!
•It's running iPhone OS 3.2.
•The keyboard is good, not great. Not quite as responsive as it looked in the demos.
•No Flash confirmed. So Hulu is out for you, folks!
Check engadget's hands-on video which shows off some of the features and the iPad working in real time.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/apple-ipad-first-hands-on/ |
Star Trek Online Open Beta
1-12-2010 @ 5:38 PM by: sabrewulf
Atari announces that open beta testing of Star Trek Online is now underway, and will run through January 26. The open beta page is where to go for further information on how to get a beta key, how to get the beta client, and how to get up and running. Included is a FAQ making it clear that closed beta participants don't need to reinstall the open beta client, and open beta participants will not need to reinstall the game upon its release.
http://www.startrekonline.com/openbeta
You'll need a Fileplanet standard subscription to get a key and to download the beta client.
Here is the announcement:
STAR TREK™ ONLINE OPEN BETA BEGINS TODAY
Fans and Gamers Now Have the Opportunity to Explore the Vast Star Trek Universe Through Space and Ground Gameplay for Two Weeks Prior to Launch
New York, NY (January 12, 2010) – Atari, Inc., one of the world’s most recognized videogame publishers, and acclaimed MMO developer Cryptic Studios™, announced today that the highly anticipated Star Trek Online for PC has entered open beta, bringing fans one step closer to playing in the final frontier. The open beta runs through January 26, 2010. Fans with valid open beta keys can explore the Star Trek universe and play the first-of-a-kind massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG).
Information about where to obtain open beta keys and where to download the open beta client can be found on the official Star Trek Online website at: http://www.startrekonline.com/openbeta
“We are thrilled to give open beta access to fans as we draw nearer to the official release of Star Trek Online,” said Craig Zinkievich, Executive Producer on Star Trek Online. “We are looking forward to the launch of our first-of-a-kind MMORPG with anticipation and excitement and we expect Star Trek Online to explode onto the scene, giving fans and gamers a Star Trek experience like no other.”
Taking place in the year 2409, Star Trek Online boasts extraordinary features and lets fans both new and old experience unparalleled adventures. Players will have the opportunity to become a high ranking Starfleet officer and will participate in missions that will take them into the depths of space, across exotic planets and even inside other starships. Star Trek Online offers total customization, where every ship players command can be customized, from color to construction. Additionally, anyone can create their own species in Star Trek Online, as well as customize the look of their avatar’s uniform.
Star Trek Online allows players to become a warrior in the Klingon Empire or join the Federation’s esteemed Starfleet and explore a never-before-seen, completely interactive Star Trek universe.
Star Trek Online is a licensed product from CBS Consumer Products. For more information, please visit: www.startrekonline.com and www.atari.com |
LG flat-screen TV gets skinny
1-6-2010 @ 3:14 PM by: sabrewulf
The product, which is so new it doesn't have a name, was brought on stage briefly during an LG press event at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. It looked to be not much thicker than a piece of posterboard.
A spokeswoman said the TV should be available late this year.
Previously, LG's thinnest TV was 23.3 millimeters thick, or about three times as wide as the new hyper-slim television, said Woo Paik, LG's chief technology officer.
"This is a brand new product, and it's very exciting," Woo said at the event.
Few details on the super-skinny TV were immediately available. LG announced a number of new television products in its Infinia line, and representatives said most of the company's TVs this year will be connected to the Internet and to other home devices, a trend the industry calls "connected TV."
Check out the pics here --> http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/TECH/01/06/lg.flatscreen/t1larg.jpg |
Battlefield Bad Company 2
12-16-2009 @ 1:55 PM by: sabrewulf
The Battlefield Blog has a new episode 3 of "Battlefield Moments" from Battlefield Bad Company 2, showing off gameplay on the Panama Canal map in DICE's upcoming shooter sequel. The clip features gunplay, tank combat, repairs and more. Here is some info on the Panama Canal map fetured in the game:
Panama Canal features a tight battle with abandoned industrial buildings, vehicles, large ships, and piles of debris everywhere with billowing smoke off in the distance as the surround forest rages of fire while the surrounding city is bombarded by enemy ballistics. The map has a four-flag setup, with two flags being more focused on vehicle warfare with IFVs and MBTs. The center flags are infantry focused and the team in control of either centre flag will get access to an attack helicopter or an AA vehicle, respectively.
Check out this gameplay preview and see both American and Russian forces fight for control of tactical points in the classic Battlefield "Conquest" Mode.
http://blogs.battlefield.ea.com/
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WoW Icecrown Citadel Patch 3.3
12-11-2009 @ 5:44 PM by: sabrewulf
As most already know the World of Warcraft 3.3 Patch has gone live on the servers offering a number of changes and fixes as well as the launch of the Icecrown Citadel, which includes three five-player dungeons. Patch 3.3 also brings the beginning of the end to the Lich King Arthas story line, a story line that has driven the Warcraft franchise since the release of Warcraft 3 in 2002 and one of a story line I personally don't want to see end, but hopefully Blizzard has a new and better story line in the upcoming expansion that will drive the franchise forward for another 10 years. More information on the patch and what it offers is located here:
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/underdev/implemented/3p3.xml |
First MW2 Patch "A Big One"
12-3-2009 @ 1:32 PM by: sabrewulf
Robert Bowling tweets about plans for the first patch for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, offering a status report with 18 characters to spare:
"First title update will be a big one. We've been taking notes since release and working. I'll post details before it ships."
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US PC Game Retail Sales Sag
12-3-2009 @ 1:30 PM by: sabrewulf
PC Game Retail Plummets reports on disappointing year-to-date sales figures in the US, including the following revelation from Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter about PC sales:
"PC game retail software sales in the U.S. were down 38 percent year on year to $27 million for October 2009, a previously undisclosed number." Though Wedbush failed to predict this level of decline, they offer new projections for the future: "While we expect software sales growth to return to positive territory in November, we expect a reversion to negative sales growth in December, as the music category appears to be down significantly. Once we’re past the holidays, we expect solid sales gains each month through October 2010. If we’re right, we think that multiples for the group will begin to expand, and we anticipate that the video game publisher group will outperform the market as a whole substantially during the first quarter of 2010." |
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