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Gearbox gifts Borderlands 2 to its PAX panel attendees, you want ours?
In an undeniably generous gesture, Gearbox gave a voucher good for a free copy of Borderlands 2 to all of the more than a thousand attendees of its PAX Prime 2011 panel. Yes, you read that right. Free. For everybody. If you weren't among the lucky hanging out in the Pegasus room, we're continuing the Oprah spirit by passing on our code to you. Yep, that's ours up there. Go ahead. Take it. Oh, and let us know in the comments that you got it. (Update: Looks like it's been used!)
Brothers In Arms franchise will return to Sgt. Baker
Though the slightly more light-hearded Brothers In Arms: Furious Four may be the next step in the franchise, Gearbox says it isn't done with franchise star Sgt. Matt Baker. Company boss Randy Pitchford confirmed at PAX Prime 2011 that another game is in the works involving Baker, the lead in previous Brothers In Arms games Road to Hill 30, Earned in Blood and Hell's Highway. Here's the twist: No shooting. ... No, no, we're kidding. There will probably be shooting.
Aliens: Infestation hits DS on October 11
Hope you're not "bugged" by a little news this late on a Sunday but Gearbox just announced that Aliens: Infestation would arrive on the DS on Oct. 11 in the US and on Sept. 30 in the EU. It's a little bit of a delay from the previous loose window of "September" for the WayForward-developed title. Also, we're supremely sorry about that "bugged" part. We're in a room with like a thousand sweaty dudes and all we've eaten today is a low-fat muffin. %Gallery-128779%
Cobalt preview: Chaotic and robotic
There's a lot going on in Cobalt. Like, a lot. In fact, as much as I detest "it's like this but this," I feel like that's the best place to start. The best way I can describe Cobalt (the first third-party release from Minecraft's Mojang) is as a curious mix of John Woo, Super Meat Boy, Contra and (most prominently) Super Smash Brothers. Like I said ... a lot going on. %Gallery-131035%
New Final Fantasy XIII-2 trailer has everything you'd expect
Final Fantasy games are universally known for certain things, and even with a brand-spankin'-new trailer like this one, it's easy to guess what you're getting into. Moogles? Got 'em. Gorgeous pre-rendered cutscenes? Yup, got those too. Metal horse? You'd better believe it.
PAX 2011: SWTOR Alderaan PvP session captured on video
Darth Hater has posted a new Star Wars The Old Republic clip direct from this year's Pax Prime. The clip was captured on a hand-held camera, so the quality isn't the greatest, but we do get a good long look at the Alderaan warzone PvP (as well as some dancing Sith Inquisitors, if you're into that sort of silliness). The video runs for around 10 minutes, and we get to see quite a lot of action as well as a good bit of the layout of the Alderaan warzone. Also of note is TOR's unique take on respawning after death. There's no annoying countdown timer like in your standard online PvP match. Instead, you'll spawn on your ship and have to fly a speederbike back to the battle zone in real time, which gives you a tactical view of what's going on as well as the feeling of still participating in the game as opposed to watching a clock for several seconds. Check out the clip after the cut. Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 26-28, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about SWTOR, Guild Wars 2, City of Heroes, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
Seen@PAX: Jerry Holkins just dances
Snicker all you want at this footage we captured of Penny Arcade godfather Jerry Holkins playing Just Dance 3 on stage at PAX, the fact of the matter is this: The guy's got moves. Also, is that Quail Man at his side? Trick question, we were there: It's totally Quail Man.
Guild Wars 2 preview: Common sense
Of the many -- so, so many -- MMOs represented on the PAX Prime 2011 show floor, ArenaNet's long-in-development Guild Wars 2 easily presents the most outside-the-box thinking. Where other entries in the genre tend to look at their contemporaries and attempt to iteratively repair their rough edges, Guild Wars 2 throws out baby, bathwater and tub, starting with a base that's altogether unprecedented. Take, for instance, this core conceit: Why do other MMOs require you to stand still to use most of your character's abilities? Why not allow them to fire off powers while ducking and dodging through salvos of enemy attacks? Why not let heroes use their powers, regardless of whether or not they're targeting an enemy? Why not put some action in your MMO, or vice versa? ArenaNet seems to have noticed most developers' proclivity for sacrificing streamlined gameplay for staple MMO characteristics, and repeatedly asked that very question: Why?
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim preview: Dovahkiind of wonderful
"Oh that? That's old man McElroy's house. People say he hasn't left since Nov. 11, 2011. I guess a video game came out that day -- it was on a disc, if you remember those -- called The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and he just never, ever left after he started playing it. It's very sad. But they say he warned everyone in a preview he wrote at PAX Prime 2011. They say he played an hour and knew right then that his time as part of human society was limited." %Gallery-131028%
PAX 2011: WildStar panel discusses playing with paths the Bartle way
Before Gamescom, WildStar was nothing more than a title without a hint of what the game would actually promise. But now that the game is being shown off, the combination of a unique aesthetic with a promise of uniquely focal gameplay has gotten a lot of people interested. The visuals, of course, have already been well-displayed by the trailers and preview shots, so this year's panel at PAX 2011 focused instead on the other half of the equation: the paths. The panel began with a brief viewing of the game's cinematic trailer to kick things off, followed by an explanation of the game's core design philosophy. As the team from Carbine Studios (Jeremy Gaffney, Eric DeMilt, and Mike Donatelli) put it, most games are built with a basic set of design assumptions that push players in a fixed direction determined by the designers. WildStar was built from the ground up to let players enjoy the game when they want to, with whomever they want, and most importantly however they want. The paths are the key to that system -- multiple overlaid playstyles that ensure you have your own play experience no matter what class or race you pick.
Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary preview: Like falling off a log
I haven't been particularly skillful at any of the Halo games that succeeded Halo -- a direct result of the fact that the original game possesses a language that the rest of the series eschewed. Perhaps it was a language of simplicity; after all, true success only demanded proficiency with one weapon, the pistol, which could take enemies down in a handful of well-placed headshots. Forget armor abilities, dual wielding and deployable items: There was only gun, and the manner in which you used gun. While playing Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary earlier this week -- in its single-player, multiplayer and multi-dimensional varieties -- I was struck by how quickly that language came sailing back to me. I probably didn't realize it until that moment, but in the ten years that have passed since the original launch of Halo, I've really come to miss Halo.%Gallery-130718%
PAX 2011: TERA producers reveal server vs. server endgame content
This year's PAX Prime doesn't feature an En Masse Entertainment booth for TERA, but the company did host an informational shindig for journalists and fans at its offices in downtown Seattle over the weekend. Producers Chris Hager and Stefan Ramirez ran the show, and the presentation focused heavily on the action MMO aspects as well as the game's depth. The show started with a repeat of the recent Castanic healer video, and from there Hager and Ramirez set about profiling the game's mechanical aspects (including the combat, glyph, and crystal systems). The presentation was geared towards folks who haven't really kept up with TERA, as there wasn't much discussed that we haven't known about for a while. Aside from the action talking points, we also got bits about story, the details on the political and vanarch systems, and some info on the argons. En Masse also trotted out the first mention of its plans for server vs. server combat. The system is designed to provide additional endgame content via PvE and PvP. "It's going to have players from other servers coming to your territory, on your server, and invading your space," Hager explained. He went on to mention how guilds will need to ally with one another to repel the invaders, and if the alliance proves strong enough, take the fight back to the invaders' home turf. En Masse was very coy about the details on this new system, and we expect more information will be forthcoming as we move toward TERA's spring 2012 release date. Finally, we managed some quality hands-on time with the game during the event, so check in with us periodically this weekend and we'll bring you a detailed report. Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 26-28, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about SWTOR, Guild Wars 2, City of Heroes, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
Penny Arcade Expo planning on branching out to third city
Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik -- the pair of minds behind Penny Arcade, which is the comic behind the major gaming convention that's happening right now -- have confirmed that PAX will soon find a home in a third location somewhere on the planet. "Yeah, there's going to be a third PAX," Krahulik explained in an interview with us earlier today. "Believe it," Holkins added. We do! The duo said they have a city in mind, but didn't divulge which one it is -- a shame, because there are a lot of cities to guess from. During last year's PAX Press Q&A, they hinted that a third PAX might come together, perhaps in an overseas locale they'd like to visit. Any international readers have a hometown they'd like to see wholly and completely overrun by gamingkind?
Spider-Man Edge of Time preview: Edge of glory
Like a vagabond Lothario who flees from a relationship the moment it turns serious, Spider-Man always seems to leave developers just short of something really special. Neversoft never quite cracked "the perfect Spider-Man" while it had the license, and Shaba Games came within inches of it before it was shuttered. Now, with Spider-Man: Edge of Time, Beenox is taking its second pass at the Web Head, and if the quality I saw at my PAX demo was any indication, it may be time to start getting nervous when Spidey "just runs out to buy some smokes real quick."%Gallery-120355%
Penny Arcade Adventures Episode 3 still alive, Zeboyd at the helm
After its abrupt cancellation last year, Penny Arcade Adventures: Episode 3 has risen from the ashes with developer Zeboyd Games taking control of the project. The studio is best known for its Xbox Live Indie Games and PC releases, Cthulhu Saves the World and Breath of Death 7.RPGamer reports that, given the retro nature of Zeboyd's titles, Penny Arcade Episode 3 will take on a similar graphical style (think: the 16-bit Final Fantasy games); Alex Mauer will be providing the soundtrack. This marks the first game in the series not developed by Hothead, which left the project last year and went on to develop DeathSpank.Episode 3 is set to be released in 2012 on "as many systems" as possible. More information will be revealed at PAX East next year ... but that won't stop us from harassing Gabe and Tycho for information all weekend.
PAX 2011: SWTOR video guides us through the Eternity Vault
Who lies at the bottom of the Eternity Vault? Thanks to the commentary in the latest Star Wars: The Old Republic developer walkthrough, we now know that an ancient Rakata warlord named the Infernal One is held captive in this ancient prison. Director of Production and part-time superhero Dallas Dickinson explains that it took an army to take down this being the last time he arose, yet for some reason a group of eight can do it now. Yes, our characters are really that awesome in TOR. In the video, Dickinson guides us through the first two encounters: battles against two massive defense turrets and a rocket-launching gigantic droid. The turret encounter employs intense raid mechanics, like dual-tanking and crowd control, whereas the giant droid requires stay-out-of-the-green-stuff maneuvers and line-of-sight avoidance techniques. Beyond those two encounters, the Operation is a mystery. However, we catch glimpses of a couple of giant monsters and the final boss using the Force to toss giant columns around the room! After the break, check out the 10-minute video walkthrough and let us know what you think in the comments. And of course, you know SWTOR is at PAX, where we have just barely started our coverage of the event. Stay tuned here as we will feature more impressions and interviews in the not-too distant future. Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 26-28, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about SWTOR, Guild Wars 2, City of Heroes, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
PAX 2011: Turbine lifts Rise of Isengard NDA, shows off LotRO and DDO
Turbine's two free-to-play star pupils are battling it out for their mother's attention at PAX this week, but mommy loves both equally. On one hand there's Dungeons and Dragons Online, which is releasing Update 11 on September 12th with the much-anticipated Artificer class; on the other hand there's Lord of the Rings Online, which has its third expansion, Rise of Isengard, coming out on September 27th. The studio is showing off both titles and their respective new content at PAX, and Turbine has announced that the NDA for Rise of Isengard has lifted as of this morning. So now beta testers can feel free to share their experiences and impressions of the expansion -- and we hope you do so in the comments section! We have several new screenshots from both Isengard and Update 11 in the galleries below, as well as a LotRO dev diary highlighting Dunland after the jump! %Gallery-9579% %Gallery-130189%
Torchlight 2 priced at $20, final class revealed
Torchlight 2, the cooperation-friendly sequel to the million-selling dungeon crawler, has been officially priced at $20 by Runic Games. That's the same price as the original Torchlight. which had a far lower profile. "Everyone who wants to play Torchlight 2 will be able to comfortably afford to do so, and they'll be able to play with their friend online or via a LAN, or play single player offline, all with no further purchase," said Max Schaefer, CEO of Runic Games. Runic also revealed the fourth and final class in the game, the Embermage, who will join the Berserker, Outlander and Engineer on an obsessive quest for better loot. We're sure they'll save the world along the way or whatever, but it's the loot that's important. Torchlight 2 is still targeting a 2011 launch. %Gallery-131770%
The Daily Grind: What are you looking forward to at PAX Prime?
It's something of a tradition here at Massively when there's a major convention just around the corner to ask our readers what they're looking forward to seeing. We like to know what other people are interested in, after all, and while we can certainly attest to our own excitement, that's nothing compared to what you'd like to see. Heck, if you're not quite sure what there is to look forward to, we've even got a handy-dandy guide to all of the stuff promised to be on display. So what are you looking forward to for this incarnation of PAX Prime? There's a heavy MMO lineup, ranging from current darlings Guild Wars 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic to the much-discussed newcomer WildStar. Which of the many exhibitors are going to have you watching the news, or possibly traveling all the way out to Seattle? Or are you just not all that interested in all the proceedings? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Xbox 360 PAX deserves, but not the one it needs: Custom Batman: Arkham City console
One lucky PAX attendee will be able to walk away with the custom console above. Warner Bros isn't saying much on how you can win this custom Batman: Arkham City Xbox 360 at Seattle's to-do, though the Facebook page announcing the promotion does offer hope to those who aren't Seattle-bound: Xbox will apparently be giving away the same console at an unspecified later time. Feel free to glide on into our gallery below to drool over the thing. On one side, Batman; on the other, Joker. Way in the back, envious that they can't win this thing for themselves: the Joystiq staff. %Gallery-131727%
