via Engadget


The rumors are true: iPhone exclusively on T-Mobile Germany starting November 9th just like in the UK. The 8GB model will go for €399 [or £279] (including V.A.T and 2-year T-Mobile tariff) and will be sold through Telekom Shops of Deutsche Telekom and the T-Mobile web shop. Yes, you still get access to the WiFi iTunes Store, Visual Voicemail, and, for better or worse, EDGE data. In fact, "by the end of 2007," T-Mobile will be the only provider in Germany to offer EDGE throughout its GSM network. Whoopee. Sorry, no mention of unlimited data or free WiFi hotspots but we'll update you as soon as we know. ...

via Computer and Video Games


The first Halo 3 review is in ahead of its touted record-breaking release next week, and it's scoring big.

In latest issue of Japanese Weekly Famitsu, one of the mag's four reviewing editors gave Halo 3 a perfect 10/10, with the other free issuing an almost-perfect 9/10.

That's a final score of 10/9/9/9 (37/40) - pretty damn good considering Japan's infamous hatred of all things Xbox/FPS.

We're still waiting for details of the review to trickle in from Japan, though we imagine it probably says something nice about the multiplayer and how much they love the Chief's kooky army customisation. Those crazy Japanese, ay?

As for Western reviews, those will start arriving at the tail end of the weekend, just ahead of the big day on Wednesday, September 26. Believe. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Seen the pics of those lucky shoppers who've managed to get Halo 3 early? Well don't feel too jealous as according to unconfirmed internet reports they're about to get a hefty Xbox Live ban.

According to various reports Microsoft will ban anyone found playing its shooter before the official September 26 release date next week - even if they're offline when they play it. Your Xbox will magically detect whether you've been playing it or not.

Microsoft recently dropped the ban hammer on two unlucky gamers who managed to sneak onto the Epsilon beta test, the cheeky buggers.

In an email to Next-Gen, Argos blamed an administrative error for the early sales of Halo 3, saying that it now intends to strictly honor the UK street date.

...

via Kotaku


Rumor has it that if you keep a close eye on the trailers being shown off during the Sony Keynote tomorrow you'll get a glimpse of the next title coming from That Game Company to the Playstation Network.

That Game Company signed a multi-game deal with Sony after their college creation, flow, caught the publisher's eye. No word on what the game will be specifically, but I hear it will be instantly recognizable as something by the people behind the ambient, motion-controlled game. ...

via IGN


We tend to hear about new cars when looking at Gran Turismo, but the focus of Famitsu's latest update is on a new course. The Daytona International Speedway will be making its first appearance in the Gran Turismo series through Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, the magazine reports. Players will be able to select from the oval course and road course variations of the track.

Also revealed in this week's Famitsu are first details on a demo download for Prologue. The demo will be available in Japan on 10/20. It will include the GT-R car and and the Suzuka Circuit.

As for the final release for the game, Famitsu lists 12/13 as the big date in Japan. Sony will make the title available both as a PlayStation Network download and as a packaged Blu-ray product. The Blu-ray version will cost 4,980 yen, up slightly from the 4,500 yen of the download.

That may seem a little steep for what is ultimately a sampler for next year's Gran Turismo 5, but Polyphony really is packing in the features here. The latest update from Famitsu reveals that Prologue will include a new GT.TV mode. This gallery lets you view car television programs from throughout the world, including BBC's Top Gear and Japan's Car Graphic TV. To view these programs, you'll have to pay about 200 yen per episode. Each program will have individual settings for viewing period.

Online play is going to be one of the big selling points for GT5 Prologue. As previously announced, the game will support 16 player online races, although producer Kazunori Yamauchi admitted to the magazine that he expects difficulties when reaching that maximum amount unless all players have speedy connections.

Unfortunately, Prologue will initially have some limitations to its online mode. On launch day, the game will support Arcade Free Battle mode only, where your opponents are chosen at random. Chat and friend list functionality will be added to the game via download at a later date. Yamauchi was unwilling to give a specific date.

We should be getting our latest look at GT5 Prologue at the Tokyo Game Show tomorrow. Stay tuned for a full report. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Metal Gear Online, the multiplayer spin-off of the Metal Gear Series, will come bundled with Metal Gear Solid 4, according Famitsu.

The online game lets 16 players enter an online battlefield and battle using all the stealth tactics of Snake's main quests to outwit opponents.

Kojima Productions said Metal Gear Online is "the ultimate online companion to MGS4", although Konami is yet to put a price on the package, or if we'll see the bundle on this side of the planet.

New details on some of the new characters in the game were also revealed. You'll apparently meet a female named Sunny, who "escaped the grasp of the Patriots", and the weapon laundering skills of a bloke called Trevin will be of use when Snake needs to erase IDs from weapons before further use. ...

via Games Industry


Nintendo has achieved over 700,000 unit sales of the DS Lite in Australia, with the Wii also continuing to "perform well."

Director of sales and marketing Rose Lappin also announced the company's software line-up for the rest of the year, which includes The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for the DS.

"This promises to be one of the most exciting times for the video game industry, I cannot remember a time when there were so many quality titles released that delivered to everyone."

Forthcoming Wii releases in the territory were also detailed, and include Big Brain Academy, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Super Mario Galaxy and Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles.

This news comes at a time when Nintendo products are enjoying significant success globally, both in the hardware and software sectors. ...

via Games Industry


Amsterdam-based independent publisher Playlogic has signed an agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment America giving the company full publishing rights in the US for titles on the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable platforms.

The move will enable the company to bring its games to market in the United States directly, without having to work through third parties.

Executive VP Rogier Smit expressed his delight at the new opportunities the deal will bring: "The United States is the largest single country market in the world for the PlayStation family and we are very proud to have joined the select few that meet the criteria to become a publisher for SCEA."

There is no confirmation as to whether or not the agreement covers potential PlayStation 3 titles in the future, but the company currently has no PS3 titles on its release schedule. ...

via Computer and Video Games


The latest trailer of EA's military shooter Army of Two, which will be released for PS3 and 360 on 16 November, opens with footage taken from the 9/11 terror attack, showing smoke bellowing from one of the World Trade Centre towers.

A 2006 press release stated that Army of Two "will throw gamers into hot spots ripped from current day headlines" and having the opening cinematic begin with the events of 9/11, it certainly seems intent on living up to that premise.

Considering that there have already been a number of films about the events of 9/11, it's not really a surprise that games would eventually use the sensitive subject matter as a basis for plot. However, with this being the first game to do so, it'll be interesting to see how gamers and the public react.

Take a look at the trailer here. ...