Gamescom2010
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Next gen PSP to have touch controls -- on the wrong side?
Touchscreen controls are nice for some applications but, until someone invents transparent fingers, they're a real bother for gaming. Many, including Apple, have toyed with the idea of putting the touch sensitive sections on the back of the device, and we have strong rumors coming out of Gamescom this week that this is the path Sony is taking for its next-generation PSP. Now, we've been hearing various rumors about this thing for just about as long as we've known about the first-gen PSP, but Sony is said to be quietly showing off a prototype unit about the size of a PSP-3000. While everyone agrees about the touch-sensitive portion 'round the back, it's unknown what (if any) physical controls will go along with it. A release date for the thing is also unclear, with some saying next year and others saying it'll be later than that. Whenever it ships we hope it'll do the right thing and finally put the UMD format out of its misery.
Razer BlackWidow Ultimate mechanical keyboard offers backlit, programmable keys
There are mechanical keyboards, and then there's Razer's newest duo. For the past three years, the gaming accessory company has been toiling in a back room trying to figure out how to really get mechanical keyboards right; according to it, the vast majority of the options today "feature stiff keys that cause key actuation fatigue," and it has sought to remedy said issue with the BlackWidow and BlackWidow Ultimate. Launched today over at Gamescom, these two keyboards offer key actuation that feels much like a mouse click, with an actuation point that's actually halfway through the full travel distance. The company claims that its power-packin' pair has one of the lightest actuation forces for all keyboards, making it ideal for hardcore gamers who can't be bothered with missing a single keystroke. The standard BlackWidow offers up fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording as well as five additional gaming keys, while the Ultimate edition adds individually backlit keys with five levels of lighting, 3.5mm audio and microphone out jacks as well as an additional USB port. Both 'boards are due out next month for $79.99 / $129.99, respectively, and you can peek the full specs list in the press release just past the break.
Rock Band 3 gets 10 more songs: Bob Marley, Slipknot, Roxette and more
Eurogamer has revealed 10 more songs that we'll be playing in Rock Band 3, and the list is all over the place -- Bob Marley, Roxette and Slipknot join eclectic groups like Mexico's Maná and Germany's Tokio Hotel. The music game series is definitely stretching the limits of its title, although "rock" as a genre can be pretty widespread anyway. You can find the full list of new songs after the break. These 10 tracks bring the list of known songs in the game to around 40, about half of the 83 to be included on the disc. And if that's not enough, you'll also be able to import songs from all of the previous Rock Band games, including the Rock Band Network and LEGO Rock Band. So there'll definitely be no shortage of music to play when the game comes out on October 26 this year.
Waging WAR: Gamescom and Mythic's anti-hype
In light of Gamescom coming next week (August 18th - 22nd), this week WagingWAR looks forward to what could be coming for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. But beware: Since Mythic has been so secretive about the future of WAR, we've been forced to compromise and offer mere conjecture. Unchained by reason or fact, we follow in the wake of that terrible beast known only as "Greg's Imagination." With less than a week left until Gamescom, I find myself more and more excited by the potential of what Mythic could be set to reveal, regardless of the fact that it's given me nothing to chew on. I am hyped by the anti-hype. What follows is the result of that hype. There are no facts, rumours, hints, or tips to back up what amounts to totally unbarred speculation. I have organized the aftermath of my brainstorm in terms of what would excite me, from most to least, followed by why I believe these additions could make sense, and how they might be implemented. Keep in mind that some of what follows could simply be passed off as madness; it might be totally unfeasible, even by the most adept and well-financed of development teams. I'm fully aware of that. The point here was to just "let it go." And I did. Crazy, or uncanny -- you decide. Follow along after the break.
New Xbox 360 Arcade unit revealed by Amazon Germany?
Looking for a new, slinky Xbox 360 but don't have 250GB worth of stuff to archive on there? Sprechen Sie deutsch? Sehr gut! Amazon Germany has posted up what appears to be solid details about the cousin of the new Xbox 360 revealed at E3. Where that model has a 250GB HDD stuffed up inside, this one appears to have 4GB of some sort of flash memory and a price listed as €148.99 -- about $190. It's also listed as being a "bundle," meaning it's likely there's a game, extra controller, or novelty hat included as well. And, the thing is said to be shipping on August 20, which just so happens to be when Gamescom 2010 takes over Cologne. Finally, Cologne just so happens to be in Germany. Another surprise unveiling and announcement of units shipping immediately? We wouldn't bet against it -- except for the "surprise" bit.
