via Computer and Video Games


Gameplay footage? Nah, you're not interested in that. Check out this wicked CGI Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise video Microsoft's just released. It erm, shows off some new Piñatas at least, we suppose.

The follow-up adds the obligatory extra critters, new environments as well as something called Piñata Vision, which lets you pop to the shops to pick up Viva Piñata trading cards, and the slap them in front of your Vision Camera to put them in your game. Sounds like an idea to make money to us.

If you fancy seeing the actual game in action, have a gander at this earlier video, and you can read our hands-on impressions here.


Trailer ...

via Computer and Video Games


Halo Wars will feature a two online campaign co-operative mode and support up to six players on Xbox Live for versus multiplayer, according to US mag GamePro.

Aside from the now-standard options of co-op and multiplayer, we're also promised a shorter learning curve than traditional real-time strategy games. Don't make it too easy though or they'll be trouble on the forums, we can already sense it.

Maybe Ensemble has stripped out some of the more time-consuming resource-management parts of RTS games? For more information on Halo Wars, go read our most recent preview of the game, which alleviates some fears about transporting Halo into a RTS and putting a RTS on console. ...

via Kotaku




Poor, put upon Europe. You either had to pay exorbitant prices to import a Japanese or North American version of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII or simply wait patiently for the game's release on your continent on the 20th of this month. Well SCEE feels your pain, and they hope to ease it somewhat by offering a limited edition PSP Crisis Core game bundle, complete with the game and the silver engraved PSP the Japanese got when the game first launched there.

Of course those of you in the UK who already have a PSP they don't wish to replace with shiny silver goodness still get to benefit from the exclusive special edition, so while it might take a bit longer for you to get the games, Square Enix and SCEE definitely love you guys the best of all. ...

via Computer and Video Games


The first screenshots of new Wii game Wario Land: The Shake Dimension have found a way on to the internet. You can look at them below.

Details on the new title are sketchy, but we've been told that the game is an actual disc-based release (as oppose to our first assumption that it was WiiWare) and Europe should see it by the end of 2008.

The Shake Dimension looks like it's the continuation of the Wario Land 2D platforming series that was featured on the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance. If that is the case, it will be the first game in the series since 2001.

Nintendo of Europe hasn't officially confirmed it yet, so we're expecting a confirmation soon. Maybe out at E3.

And if this is the big new E3 announcement Reggie has previously hinted at, we'll cry.


One screenshot ...

via Computer and Video Games


The Cell chip that forms the brains for your slick black PS3 has been used to power the fastest supercomputer in the world.

IBM's roadrunner supercomputer has shot into the record books after having become the first computer to process one quadrillion calculations per second. That's like one of those numbers you make up after a billion and, in more technical terms, is a f**king lot.

It managed that with 12, 960 Cell processors combined with 6,948 dual core AMD Opteron chips. We'd love to get Crysis running on that bad boy.

The previous record holder, the Blue Gene computer, had many more processors - 212,992 to be exact - but only managed half the processing speed (around 478.2 teraflops, if you know what they are). You can go here if you want to geek out on more specifics.

What does that mean for games? Nothing. But you can rest in the knowledge tonight that your PS3 has a good brain in its box. ...

via Eurogamer


Electronic Arts has told us Command & Conquer 3 expansion Kane's Wrath will be out for Xbox 360 on 27th June in Europe.

The PC game was released back in April, but this version will feature extra treats specifically for couch-based commanders.

Chief among them is a radial menu interface that makes managing your army much easier on a console pad, with options spiralling out and selectable all with one stick, apparently.

On top of that are additions such as a Risk-like Global Conquest mode, more sub-factions, units structures and powers for GDI, Nod and Scrin forces.

Oh, there's a fresh campaign based around that Kane chap too, who we spoke to not so long ago and found him to be very chirpy and not at all like an evil maniac he portrays.

He said he usually gets cast as villains, though, and also reckons there's lots of snobbery from telly actors towards the videogame sector. ...

via Games Industry


Ubisoft has told GamesIndustry.biz that it still considers the PlayStation Portable as an important platform in the current videogames market.

"By way of further clarifying some recent statements made in the press, Ubisoft wants to reaffirm that it strongly supports the PSP, which holds a unique place in the market, addressing dedicated gamers and offering unprecedented power in a portable console," a spokesperson explained.

The statement comes after a GamesIndustry.biz interview last week with UK managing director Rob Cooper, in which he called for more direction from Sony with regard to its plans for the handheld.

However, while Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's own boss David Reeves recently admitted to GamesIndustry.biz that the platform did need more games, Ubisoft is keen to stress that it is looking to answer that call.

"We support the PSP with innovative game experiences and plan to publish around 12 PSP games this fiscal year, including titles for some of our top-selling brands."

Although sales of the PSP have fallen away in Europe, the platform continues to perform strongly in Japan, with lifetime sales of 9.5 million units and 2008 sales of almost 2 million, according to Media Create. ...

via Games Industry


Ready at Dawn, the US developer behind two of the biggest releases on Sony's handheld, has confirmed it will no longer be making games for the PSP.

The studio was responsible for God of War: Chains of Olympus, a title that was honoured with the release of a limited edition PSP in the US. The game is also the highest-rated PSP title according to Metacritic, with an average score of 91 per cent.

Daxter, the studio's first PSP title released in 2006, had sold over two million copies by February this year, helped by being bundled with the ceramic white PSP in Europe and the silver SKU in the US, and later re-released as part of the Greatest Hits range.

"With Chains of Olympus going gold in Japan, we're now officially done with PSP development," said the company.

"Today we sent all out devkits back and seeing all these boxes ready to be picked up definitely marks the end of an era here at Ready at Dawn," the company said in a recent blog post.

Ready at Dawn first mentioned it wouldn't be making any more PSP titles in March.

As a start-up studio, it was a developer keen to sing the praises of Sony's handheld, with president Didier Malenfant criticising other developers for making excuses for inferior games.

"Everything is compromised, and it bugs the hell out of me when you hear a lot of developers saying, 'Well, we can't do this that way because it's a handheld game,' or 'We can't do this because it doesn't have a second analog stick,'" he told GamesIndustry.biz in March, 2006.

But the future of Sony's handheld console looks shaky. In a recent interview, Rob Cooper of Ubisoft said that Sony currently lacks direction with its PSP strategy, although he was also keen to point out that the handheld is still a viable format, with the publisher stating it has 10 PSP titles scheduled for release this fiscal year.

Sony Europe's president David Reeves also recently admitted that the format lacks new titles in Europe and the US, where the company is introducing new applications such as the Go! Explore sat-nav application.

However, sales in Japan continue to outperform its rivals in the region. Last week alone the console sold 71,896 units, helped by new PSP releases from Konami and Marvelous Entertainment. ...

via Kotaku


It's official you can start downloading games to your iPhone starting in July with the launch of App Store.

The App Store will be part of the iPhone 2.0 firmware update that is free to iPhone users, but $10 for iTouch owners. That's right, Apple is charging for a firmware update.

Why should you care if you own an iPhone or iTouch? Spore, Trism, Galga, Pacman and maybe, just maybe Puzzle Quest. Also there are the games announced at the beginning of the conference.

Games can be downloaded by cell connection if they are less than 10 MB and via WiFi if greater than 10MB.

So far it looks like games will run for $10 a pop, though it will ultimately be up to the developers to set prices. Apple keeps 30 percent of the revenues. If the dev decides to give the game away there is no charge at all from Apple.

Stay tuned here for other gaming news coming out of WWDC today and if you're looking for a deeper, more in-depth look at the whole show make sure to catch Gizmodo's amazing live coverage of the conference. ...