SCEA hardware marketing boss John Keller predicts this year’s E3 to be one of the biggest in some 11 years for Sony. If this is indeed true, we have some very anxious months ahead of us in anticipation of E3
Think about some of the staggering, earthshaking announcements in the past… and then consider that this year could be better than those? Wow. Many are already speculating about some long awaited sequels *cough* Legend of Dragoon 2 *cough* and maybe Zone of the Enders 3? Not to mention many people are waiting for White Knight Chronicles footage and date announcements. GT5 is also on the horizon, as is God of War 3. Yep, sounds like some good possibilities for this year.

Whatever the case, I will be here providing all the gaming news and updates you can handle, including PS3 release dates which are announced at E3.

The long awaited patch for World of Warcraft has arrived, and some very welcome changes have come.

Some of the highlights include:
Dual Specialization
Ground Mounts can swim now
Ulduar Raid
Queueing from BGs from any location
Mounted Combat daily quests (Argent Tournament)
Many huge class balance changes

Now obviously this patch addresses some long standing concerns with the player base. Of course what most hardcore raiders were waiting for was Ulduar, and so far it hasn’t disappointed. Arena season 6 will be coming out in the next few weeks as well.

SCEE president to step down on April 30; will be replaced by Sony’s chief marketing officer Andrew House. Read the rest of this entry »

Megapublisher accused of acquiring 7 Studios in order to halt work on DJ Hero rival; “substantial damages” sought along with return of software assets, Numark turntable controller.

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Wow what can I say about this gem? I had heard nothing but good things about it for so long, but put off buying it until it went on sale. Well it was essentially half price at Gamestop the past week and I took the plunge.

Man, this game is beautifully put together. The story, the characters, artwork… all of it intertwined into an amazing experience. Sure, I haven’t beaten the game yet, but it is getting better and better as I go. I can’t see why anyone who enjoys strategy games and RPGs don’t have this already. This game makes me wonder how many other gems have slipped past me?

Anyway, this game is a must have for anyone who appreciates artwork, story, and tactical RPGs. I won’t reveal any more because I don’t want to spoil it

Activision’s compilation rhythm game featuring 48 four-piece-enabled tunes from previous frachise installments warms up for 360, PS3, PS2, and Wii show in late spring.

Following its reveal during a postearnings conference call in February, Activision made official Guitar Hero: Modern Hits last month. The game–later renamed Guitar Hero: Smash Hits–offers 48 master tracks previously released for Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero II, Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, and Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. However, more than just a compilation of previously released songs, Smash Hits reworks the tunes to accommodate the vocal and drum parts introduced with Guitar Hero World Tour last year.

Today, Activision attached a date to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and Wii editions of the game, saying they will ship out on June 16. The news comes by way of Smash Hits’ latest trailer, which also offers a glimpse at a handful of the songs that will be available for play.

As was first seen in Guitar Hero World Tour, Smash Hits will include the Music Studio song-creation and sharing mode. The rhythm game will also include offline and online play modes for both single- and multiplayer rocking. Eight new venues will be packed into the game, including concert halls set in the Amazon, polar ice caps, and the Grand Canyon.

A complete list of thus-far-announced playable tracks is listed below, as well as the most recent trailer. For more information, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage of Guitar Hero: Smash Hits.

Guitar Hero

“Killer Queen” - Queen

“I Love Rock ‘n Roll” - Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

“Bark at the Moon” - Ozzy Osbourne

Guitar Hero II

“Them Bones” - Alice in Chains

“Killing in the Name” - Rage Against The Machine

“Message in a Bottle” - The Police

“Carry on Wayward Son” - Kansas

“Free Bird” - Lynyrd Skynyrd

Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s

“I Wanna Rock” - Twisted Sister

“Nothin but a Good Time” - Poison

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

“Barracuda” - Heart

“Through the Fire and Flames” - DragonForce

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Much of gaming discussion when speaking about Xbox or Playstation immediately turns in to a flame war where bias and misinformation wins the day.

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My Personal Favorite ^^

Ok folks, this is my first ever contest/giveaway on my blog… so let’s make it a good one! Entering is as simple as posting a comment below (don’t forget your email address). You should tell me, in however many words you would like, what’s your favorite game EVER. Be creative with your writing, make sure to mention why you loved it so much.

On May 1st, I will pick the winner who met the criteria and also showed passion for gaming in general. I don’t have too much to give away, but I will let the winner choose between the following. (You just get one)
1). Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
2). Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (PSP)
3). Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3)

Thanks, and good luck!

It has been nearly a year to the day since Bungie last updated its top-rated sci-fi shooter Halo 3 with the Legendary Map Pack, a download that introduced a trio of arenas to the Xbox 360-exclusive’s acclaimed multiplayer component. Now, those still enamored with the 19-month-old shooter have the option of picking up a few new playgrounds, as the Halo 3 Mythic Map Pack has been added to the Xbox Live Marketplace today.

Like the Legendary Map Pack and its predecessor, the Heroic Map Pack, the Mythic Map Pack adds three new multiplayer maps to Halo 3. Assembly is an open arena situated inside a massive Covenant structure designed for two to eight players. Accommodating 4 to 12 players, Orbital presents a corridor-filled space station. Lastly, Sandbox is an open map designed to be customized using Halo 3’s Forge level editor, and it also supports 4 to 12 players.

The Halo 3 Mythic Map Pack is available for MSP800 ($10) and will also be included in the spin-off Halo 3: ODST this fall. For more on the maps, check out GameSpot’s hands-on preview, as well as the below video.

[ Watch Video ]

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