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CES 2009: 'Real' Pip-Boy revealed, Vault-Tec stock soars
In the bowels of CES, Engadget discovered the first sign that the nuclear holocaust foretold in the Fallout series is approaching. Yes, what you see above is a Pip-Boy prototype. Sure, Universal Display Corporation hasn't given a name to its 4-inch, flexible, wrist-worn OLED display (designed for the Brotherhood of Steel military), but we know exactly what we'll be using this handy thing for in the future -- well, those of us who survive, at least.Perhaps we can put this in a way that'll convey the seriousness of this situation:Step 1: Pip-Boy invented.Step 2: ???Step 3: Nuclear holocaust.Check out a video of the device after the break. Start saving for your vault cot now!
Fallout 3: New 'Operation Anchorage' screens, 'Broken Steel' level cap revealed
Click to embiggen. Bethesda released new screens today for Fallout 3's Operation Anchorage DLC, along with word on how high it'll raise the game's level cap with the third DLC pack, Broken Steel, planned for March. The new Operation Anchorage screens (which can be viewed in the gallery below) reveal a ninja suit, a snowy lake landscape and a commie Chinese bunker. The DLC pack is scheduled for release later this month at 800 ($10, 50 caps or 100 pieces of scrap metal).Bethesda also informed Eurogamer that Broken Steel will raise the player's level cap to 30. We'd previously known that the bump was coming, but had no idea how high. Patient folks may care to wait and see if a discount happens on the packs down the line. As for us, well... that ninja armor looks like it might be worth $10. %Gallery-39191%
Amazon nukes Fallout 3 bundle prices today
Today's Amazon "deal of the day" bombs the prices on several limited edition Fallout 3 bundles. For starters, the Fallout 3 "Collector's Edition" for the Xbox 360 has its price melted by 40% and is being sold for $50.For those who really want the Vault-Tec goods, Amazon's exclusive "Survival Edition" has been reduced by $20 for all available platforms ($110 for X360 and PS3; $100 on PC). The main difference between the two bundles is the Survival Edition's life-size replica of the Pip-Boy 3000. Sadly, it doesn't feature built-in GPS or a real-time medical readout like the one in the game.
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2008: Fallout 3
<< BACK (5) COMMENT NEXT (3) >> There was a point -- maybe three hours in -- when we were half convinced that Fallout 3 was intentionally trying to make us not like it. Here we were, in what is probably one of the most stunningly realized game worlds ever designed, feeling like we'd been duped. The pace was plodding, the voice acting was dreadful, and we actually preferred engaging in face-to-face dialog with the ghouls than most of the human characters, who were, in a way, more ghoulish in appearance. Someone had us running fetch quests and the whole experience seemed nothing like the deeply engrossing adventure we'd imagined.
Fallout 3 increases global distribution; more will feel Atom's glow
Brothers and sisters in the Church of Atom, thank you for joining us on this historic day. We bask in the glow of Atom's nourishment as we learn that Fallout 3 will irradiate more corners of our planet. Bethesda Softworks and Connect Entertainment have fused an agreement to bring the title to "emerging markets."Core to this distribution deal is that Fallout 3 will now explode in 19 new countries (listed after the break) on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. It appears Eastern Europe and the Middle East will be the main benefactors of this game fission pact. May Atom keep us together, go in peace.
UK's Telegraph names Fable II best game of 2008
The Daily Telegraph has thrown two pence in with its own "best of" video game round up, naming its top 50 games of 2008. Like X-Play before it, the conservative UK newspaper named Lionhead's Fable 2 as the best game to come along in the last 12 months, romancing the crown out from under near-winners, Fallout 3 and LittleBigPlanet. Other games sitting atop the heap included Rock Band 2, Gears of War 2, Spore, Grand Theft Auto IV and No More Heroes, with Left 4 Dead and Professor Layton rounding the publication's top ten. Check out the rather comprehensive list and let us know if your favorites made the cut.
Fallout 3 PS3 patch adds Trophies, squashes bugs
Bethesda has released a patch for the PlayStation 3 version of Fallout 3 that not only adds Trophies, but manages to fix a particularly irksome bug that caused the game to hiccup whenever you received a PSN Notification (i.e. "SnakeFan292 signed off"). Our Sony-centric friends at PS3 Fanboy have a list of Trophies for your perusal. Seeing as Operation Anchorage is destined for Xbox 360 and PC only, this is probably the only Fallout 3 download PS3 owners can expect to receive for some time.
Take a look at Fallout 3's 'Operation Anchorage' DLC
click to enlarge, Wastelander Feeling like a feral ghoul? Buck up, because Bethesda has dropped a mini-nuke's worth of screens from its first Fallout 3 downloadable episode, Operation Anchorage. As we reported yesterday, the DLC is a virtual reenactment of the US offensive against Chinese forces in Alaska from Fallout lore. What can we tell from these shots? Well, for one, Metal Gear Solid 3's Shagohod is in there. (Okay, just a sort-of-look-alike.) Oh, and there's a new weapon, the Gauss Rifle. Neat! Also: a guy looking at a map and – could it be? – an oil pipeline. Dear heavens. Sadly, there's still no official word on when we'll be able to get all cold and frisky in pre-Brotherhood of Steel power armor.%Gallery-39191%
Fallout 3 G.E.C.K. mod tools now available on PC
With just 8.47MB to spare, you can create a whole post-apocalyptic world on your PC. Bethesda has followed through on its not-quite promises from Penny Arcade Expo and released the aptly-titled Garden of Eden Creation Kit, a set of mod tools. According to the description, everything in the game can be modified, so feel free to go LittleBigWasteland, and please, let us know how it goes. Download Fallout 3 G.E.C.K.
Bethesda unveils first Fallout 3 DLC, will lift level cap
Fallout 3 was great, but it was lacking in one important facet: Battling the forces of communism. Expect this to be rectified in the game's first DLC pack: "Operation Anchorage," which Bethesda recently detailed for IGN. The four to five hour, 800-point ($10) campaign is a simulation of what producer Jeff Gardiner calls the "famous liberation of Anchorage from Fallout lore." That's right, virtually simulated red Chinese: Your days are numbered. In the stealth/action focused mission, you'll fight your way into a Chinese base with new tools and perks at your disposal that will be exclusive to the DLC. IGN's got a lot more info, including Bethesda's plan is to increase the level cap with the third piece of DLC, Broken Steel. The wait for next year just got a little longer.
MTV beats some Fallout 3 DLC deets out of Bethesda
Not content with just the details Bethesda was willing to part with about the upcoming Fallout 3 DLC, MTV's Stephen Totilo grabbed his brass knuckles, donned his fedora with the "Press" card tucked under the band and pounded on the e-door of PR man Pete Hines until he gave up some answers.In terms of scope, it looks like you'll want to (sadly) think smaller than Oblivion's massive Shivering Isles and more along the lines of Knights of the Nine, which ran $9.99. Also, it looks like you'll access the new stuff in-game rather than through a menu (à la Oblivion.)That's pretty much all Totilo managed to get out of Hines, even though he tuned the poor guy up pretty good. Where'd he learn to fight like that? Why, from the best, of course.
Three content packs coming to Fallout 3 beginning in January
After waiting a few months for the dust to settle on the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout 3, Bethesda announced today that it would be returning in January with the first of three new DLC packs for the game. As you likely know, they'll be coming to the 360 and PC, with no PS3 plans in sight. Straight from the company's release: Operation: Anchorage: Enter a military simulation and fight in one of the greatest battles of the Fallout universe – the liberation of Anchorage, Alaska from its Chinese Communist invaders. An action-packed battle scheduled for release in January. The Pitt: Journey to the industrial raider town called The Pitt, located in the remains of Pittsburgh. Choose your side. Scheduled for release in February. Broken Steel: Join the ranks of the Brotherhood of Steel and rid the Capital Wasteland of the Enclave remnants once and for all. Continues the adventure past the main quest. Scheduled for release in March. PC gamers that just can't wait for new content will be happy to hear that they don't have to: Bethesda also revealed that content creation tools for the game, dubbed the Garden of Eden Creation Kit, will arrive on PC next month.You've come a long way since horse armor, baby.
Google map to the Fallout 3 Wasteland
Oh, Google, whatever would we do without you? Well, for one, we wouldn't have the exhaustively annotated map that Planet Fallout has created for the Capital Wasteland from Fallout 3. Or, more aptly, the site's users have created.A constant work-in-progress, the fully interactive map displays major locations, quest objectives, and plenty of other spoiler-rific goodies – so be warned. We're especially fond of the potential for players to contribute interesting miscellany and Easter Eggs. Plus, if you do, you get credit for it. As a Vault-Tec recording might say, "That's just swell!"[Via ars technica]
ESRB game descriptions contain minor spoilers
While the newly expanded descriptions of recent titles on the Entertainment Software Ratings Board site often serve as a pure source of unintended hilarity (See: Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe's "exaggerated breast proportions and movement"), a recent news post on Gamespot points out another side-effect of the ESRB's newly developed long-windedness -- certain descriptions for titles, such as Fallout 3 and Resistance 2, contain a few minor plot spoilers.There's no revelations of Keyser Soze-esque proportions in the descriptions for the titles listed above -- though they do reference specific moments in the game that prospective players may want to remain in the dark about. Consider yourself warned.
Fallout 3 censored in Japan
According to our friends at Insert Credit, BethSoft Japan has announced that mega hit Fallout 3 will be toned down when it reaches the Land of the Rising Sun. As you could probably imagine, that means trimming some of the violent kills and head explosions. But it also means completely eliminating a mission that allows you to destroy the town of Megaton with a nuclear bomb, for reasons you can probably piece together.Usually, we're anti-censorship, but we kind of see where Bethesda's coming from on this one. What do you think?[Via Insert Credit]
Fallout 3 'Brotherhood of Steel' statue sold for $2,507
Following up on a previous story, we can now tell you that the bidding on the most virile lawn ornament this side of the Apocalypse ended last night. The Sam's Club auction for a 7'10" (2.38 meter) tall, 121 lb. (54.9 kilo), "Brotherhood of Steel" statue concluded with a winning bid of $2,507 (which includes free shipping).A part of us is curious as to who bought it, and another wants to see the statue once it arrives in its new home. But then, we start picturing it next to the winner's collection of life-sized Star Wars figures from The Sharper Image and the whole thing just gets creepy.
Joyswag: Fallout 3 (PS3)
Update: Y'all did it. You cleaned us out of our Fallout 3 Joyswag! How about a pat on the back?This is it folks! It's your last chance to win some Fallout 3 Joyswag. How can we possibly live up to the expectations set by our unprecedented Week O' Giveaways®, you ask? Answer: Simple -- we can't. All we've got left is one, already-opened-and-stained-by-McElroy's-dirty-mitts PlayStation 3 version of the game. (Maybe if you ask nice, he'll sign it for you.) Have at it! To enter this giveaway: Leave a comment demanding: "Fire Justin McElroy!" Limit 1 entry per person; entrants must be 18 years or older and residents of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) This entry period ends at 6:00 pm ET on Friday, November 7th. We'll randomly select one winner at that time to receive Fallout 3 for PlayStation 3 (ARV: $60) For a list of complete rules, click here
Fallout 3 irradiates homes globally with $300 million in sales
Bethesda Softworks announced this morning that Fallout 3 has dropped 4.7 million units on retail and (Geiger) counted sales of over $300 million. Initial retail data from the UK shows the game is a hit on every platform it was released on. Don't let the money fool you, the title isn't just a sales darling, it's been well received by critics as well.So, when do we get Fallout 4? We do know that Bethesda is "potentially" working on getting another Elder Scrolls out the door for 2010, but perhaps the hundreds of millions in Fallout dollars will convince the developer to hire some folks to work on another post-apocalyptic RPG at the same time.
Joyswag: Fallout 3 (PS3) + survival guide
Update: This Fallout 3 contest has expired. But there's (one) more to come!We're getting down to the dregs of our Fallout 3 Joyswag! It's not about choice any more -- it's about: Who wants Fallout 3 for PS3? We'll even toss in a handy (well, not really) survival guide. To enter this giveaway: Leave a comment telling us one thing you'd be sure to have with you if locked in a vault (hint: not a 15¢ pocket guide) Limit 1 entry per person; entrants must be 18 years or older and residents of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) This entry period ends at 4:30 pm ET on Thursday, November 6th. We'll randomly select one winner at that time to receive Fallout 3 for PlayStation 3 (ARV: $60) & "Vault Dweller's Survival Guide" (ARV: 15¢) For a list of complete rules, click here Check back tomorrow for our final Fallout 3 giveaway -- Phew!
Joyswag: Fallout 3 + survival guide
Update: This giveaway is closed. Luckily, there's another!It's not déjà vu. Look closely. See it? See what we did there? We swapped out the official game guide featured in yesterday's giveaway for a 15¢ pamphlet -- hey, times is gettin' hard! You still get your choice of Fallout 3 on PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, though.To enter this giveaway, follow these simple rules: In the spirit of Election Day, let's say the world of Fallout 3 had an election. As a recently escaped Vault Dweller, what is the most important issue concerning you? (Deathclaw infestations? Foreign policy? Bottle cap economy? You name it! Just leave a comment declaring your issue -- any issue -- to enter this giveaway.) Limit 1 entry per person; entrants must be 18 years or older and residents of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) This entry period ends at 5:30 pm ET on Wednesday, November 5th. We'll randomly select one winner at that time to receive Fallout 3 (ARV: $60) and the "Vault Dweller's Survival Guide" (ARV: 15¢); winner must choose game platform (PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 version) For a list of complete rules, click here Check back tomorrow for yet another Fallout 3 giveaway!
