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October 2010 - Posts
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Get Three Games for the Price of Two!
This Sunday, retailers Target and Amazon are offering a Black Friday worthy deal on Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii, PS2, DS, and PC and Mac video games...
Through Saturday, November 6th, buy three games from the list below (over 800 titles) for the price of two at Amazon or Target!
Add three titles from the list below to your cart and the third game of equal or lesser value will be discounted at check-out. One free title per order.
Offer good while supplies last, so get picking now before the selection thins out!
Check it out: Amazon - 3 for 2 Game Promo
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Call of Duty: Black Ops Release Date is almost here!
The highly anticipated release of Call of Duty: Black Ops is Tuesday (November 9th) on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Nintendo Wii, DS!
Call of Duty: Black Ops is a first-person shooter with stealth and tactical play aspect that puts players in the role of a shadow soldier fighting in a variety of historically representative fictional Black Ops missions of the Cold War era. Created with the input of actual Black Ops soldiers from the time, the game mixes traditional Call of Duty tactical shooter gameplay with new gameplay options designed to expand the players' experience. Additional features include extensive multiplayer options, along with new vehicles and explosive new weapons.
If you have been procrastinating getting your pre-order in, you still have time to take advantage of the many retail special promotions and coupon codes.
Check out the full run down of current Call of Duty: Black Ops deals and midnight launch details:
Amazon has all editions (regular, hardened, & prestige) available a free $20 Amazon Video Game Credit plus an exclusive Black Ops Wallpaper.
Finally, they have $0.99 release day shipping or free super saver shipping.
No taxes in most states saves you as well....
Steps:
Buy.com is currently discounting Call of Duty: Black Ops with free shipping:
- Regular Edition:
- Xbox 360 - $53.99 (Save $6)
- PS3
 - $53.99 (Save $6)
- PC - $53.99 (Save $6)
- Wii - $44.44 (Save $5)
- DS - $28.99 (Save $1)
- Hardened Edition:
- Prestige Edition:
No taxes in most states saves you as well...
 
BestBuy is currently offering Call of Duty: Black Ops at full retail price.
If pre-ordered, you will receive a bonus 500 Reward Zone points, though.
Order online, and select In-store pickup to get the game on release day.
Steps:
BestBuy.com - Black Ops Promo
- Select 'In-Store Pickup'
Midnight Store Openings:
Don't miss a minute of the latest Call of Duty. Find out if there's a Best Buy store opening at midnight in your area.
Check it out:  BestBuy Black Ops Midnight Opennings
Gamestop is currently offering the title for full retail price.
Also, they are offering this title w/ their overnight street date guarantee option as well:
Pre-order Call of Duty Black Ops by November 8 at 11am CST with overnight shipping and get guaranteed delivery on the street date of November 9!
Steps:
Midnight Openings:
- Gamestop is having Midnight Launch Events for Call of Duty: Black Ops.
- Details to be announced shortly...
Kmart In-store Deal:
Kmart is pleased to announce that with the purchase of Call of Duty: Black Ops (Xbox 360, PS3) on November 9th through November 13th, Shop Your Way Reward members will receive 25,000 points for a future purchase at Kmart.
Walmart.com has the following versions of Call of Duty: Black Ops discounted:
- Regular Edition:
- Xbox 360
 - $53.96 (Save $6)
- PS3 - $53.96 (Save $6)
- PC - $53.96 (Save $6)
- Wii - $43.96 (Save $6)
- Prestige Edition:
Guaranteed release day shipping to home is available for a low $0.97 as well...
Steps:
If you happen to run across other deals, by all means send us a deal tip!
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UPDATE: NOW $20 CREDIT!
The anticipation for the latest Call of Duty installment (Black Ops) is heating up, and the retail pre-order deals keep rolling in!
If you happened to miss out on Amazon's previous Black Ops offers, you may want to jump on the latest...
They are currently offering Call of Duty Black Ops for retail price, but are now throwing in 100 pre-order bonus points.
So what are 100 200 pre-order bonus points worth you may ask...
Pre-order Bonus Points are redeemable for any item in the Amazon.com Video Games store. 200 Pre-order Bonus Points are worth a $20 promotional credit toward the purchase of any item from the Amazon Video Games store shipped and sold by Amazon.com. Your points will be automatically converted to promotional credit, and will be automatically added to your account with a qualifying purchase.
So in a nutshell, it is a $20 Amazon Video Game credit! This offer is available on all editions (regular, hardeneed, and prestige) on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, and DS.
Combine this with $0.99 Release Day Delivery, and you are good to go for the November 9, 2010 release!
Check it out: Amazon - Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops is a first-person shooter with stealth and tactical play aspect that puts players in the role of a shadow soldier fighting in a variety of historically representative fictional Black Ops missions of the Cold War era. Created with the input of actual Black Ops soldiers from the time, the game mixes traditional Call of Duty tactical shooter gameplay with new gameplay options designed to expand the players' experience. Additional features include extensive multiplayer options, along with new vehicles and explosive new weapons. 
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This weekend, the BestBuy Sunday Ad debuted the week long 'Buy 2, Get 1 Free' promotion on select new video game releases. The sale was available both online with free shipping, and in North American Best Buy stores.
Today, Amazon has matched the deal with a similar online promotion:
Through Saturday, October 30th, buy three games from the list below for the price of two. Add three titles from the list below to your cart and the third game of equal or lesser value will be discounted at check-out. One free title per order.
Offer good while supplies last. Eligible product must be sold and shipped by Amazon.com. All items must be added to cart; discount will be applied at check-out. Shipping and taxes may apply. Amazon.com reserves the right to terminate or modify this promotion at any time.
Xbox 360, PS3, and Nintendo Wii games included in these promotions include Fable III, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, Medal of Honor, and more...
Deal ends Saturday, October 30, 2010!
Check it out: Amazon - 3 for 2 Promo
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The anticipation for the latest Call of Duty installment (Black Ops) is heating up, and the retail pre-order deals keep rolling in!
If you happened to miss out on Amazon's previous Black Ops offers, you may want to jump on the latest...
They are currently offering Call of Duty Black Ops for retail price, but are now throwing in 100 pre-order bonus points.
So what are 100 200 pre-order bonus points worth you may ask...
Pre-order Bonus Points are redeemable for any item in the Amazon.com Video Games store. 200 Pre-order Bonus Points are worth a $20 promotional credit toward the purchase of any item from the Amazon Video Games store shipped and sold by Amazon.com. Your points will be automatically converted to promotional credit, and will be automatically added to your account with a qualifying purchase.
UPDATE: NOW $20 CREDIT!
So in a nutshell, it is a $20 Amazon Video Game credit! This offer is available on all editions (regular, hardeneed, and prestige) on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, and DS.
Combine this with $0.99 Release Day Delivery, and you are good to go for the November 9, 2010 release!
Check it out: Amazon - Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops is a first-person shooter with stealth and tactical play aspect that puts players in the role of a shadow soldier fighting in a variety of historically representative fictional Black Ops missions of the Cold War era. Created with the input of actual Black Ops soldiers from the time, the game mixes traditional Call of Duty tactical shooter gameplay with new gameplay options designed to expand the players' experience. Additional features include extensive multiplayer options, along with new vehicles and explosive new weapons.
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Exact revenge with a machete and a 40 oz. in-hand.
Shank has attitude. It fulfills all the prerequisites needed for the vibe: lewd, crude language; over-the-top violence; a beefed-up protagonist; buxom babes of the night; and sex appeal (of the literal and innuendo sort).
All qualities set on the outskirts of Mexican pueblos where the 40 oz. malt liquors -- left behind by downed enemies as a handy health boost -- and ferocious guard dogs run freely.
Klei Entertainment, with Shank, further cements downloadable titles as a viable, gaming source with great production values and a fighting system as deep as it is ridiculous. Chainsaws, kitanas, machetes, portable Gatlin guns, flamethrowers? All the crowd-pleasers are there to fill out your arsenal.
The lack of restraint from the developers is immediately visible as soon as the story begins with blood splattered all over the wallpaper at a run-down bar and everyone either turns a blind eye to the carnage or joins in on the rumble.
Shank's visual consistency would have it no other way. When everyone is, admittedly, a different shade of the same meathead character, why not? The game will never win any awards in the story department, but it contains a serviceable B-rated movie narrative thread that aptly encompass your violent acts towards avenging your girlfriend's death.
Snappy, ridiculous one-liners are littered throughout the single-player campaign and follow suit in the separate (slightly more difficult) co-op mode that dishes out the back story to Shank. Remember, only after completing single-player will you unlock new, more powerful weapons to aid you in both game modes -- making it a bit easier to blast through co-op with a friend.
Sure, while Shank's creative battle system reminiscent of the melee-plus-gun combos in Devil May Cry make its 2D side-scrolling wish fulfillment enjoyable...it is Klei's ingenious boss encounters that really steal the show. Unlike most games (even those in sixty-dollar boxed copies) where developers are happy to bombard you with generic end-level bosses that just so happen to be unfair, stronger, and, relatively invisible, Shank takes another route. It provides creative bosses that require some experimentation and definite cooperation in two-player mode.
About the only thing I can think to complain about Shank are its -- some times -- imprecise controls that force you to use the left analog stick with no option to go with a more accurate d-pad setup. It's not such a big deal once you get used to it, but there were definitely some times where it became bothersome to keep fighting the controls when the gameplay asks you to be more surgical with your movement and attacks.
The length of the game seemed perfect to me (finished both single- and co-op modes in under seven hours), but I can also see that as a point of contention for some people. Ultimately, the value is there. And for $15, it is one of the shining examples of excellent downloadable titles that forego incredible development costs for a more streamlined, focused, and thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Score: 9.2
Presentation: 9.0
Gameplay: 9.5
Value: 9.5 
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Konami announced today that the PS3 version of critically-love/retail-panned Wii title No More Heroes, titled No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise will indeed be headed to North America. The title will adapt the controls for Sony's Move controller (standard control pad play available, should you choose), and add a couple new features, including the ability to replay bosses or re-watch cut scenes. Interesting to note that Konami names the title as a PS3 exclusive (Japan saw a 360 release). Also of note, the previous two titles were published through Ubisoft in North America, making the Konami publishing a ship-jumping arrangement for SUDA 51 and Grasshopper Manufacture.
Travis Touchdown will be hitting Playstations sometime in 2011--more as details evolve.
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This weekend, the BestBuy Sunday Ad debuted the week long 'Buy 2, Get 1 Free' promotion on select new video game releases. The sale was available both online with free shipping, and in North American Best Buy stores.
Today, Amazon has matched the deal with a similar online promotion:
Through Saturday, October 30th, buy three games from the list below for the price of two. Add three titles from the list below to your cart and the third game of equal or lesser value will be discounted at check-out. One free title per order.
Offer good while supplies last. Eligible product must be sold and shipped by Amazon.com. All items must be added to cart; discount will be applied at check-out. Shipping and taxes may apply. Amazon.com reserves the right to terminate or modify this promotion at any time.
Xbox 360, PS3, and Nintendo Wii games included in these promotions include Fable III, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, Medal of Honor, and more...
Check it out: Amazon - 3 for 2 Promo
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Online retailers Amazon.com and Gamestop are going head to head this Halloween with competing offers on the latest video game releases.
Gamestop.com is offering a 15% off coupon on any video games (in-stock) priced $29.99 or more. Free shipping is also offered with this deal. The Gamestop offer expires on October 31, 2010.
In response, Amazon began offering a 15% discount promo code on select game titles as well. Over 300 games are featured as part of this online sale.
Check it out:
- Amazon Steps:
- Gamestop Steps:
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Earlier this week, Amazon sold out of the suddenly scarce Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect!
The Kinect is retailing for $149.99 and comes bundled with Kinect Adventures. As the base unit is sold out, it appears that the new Xbox 360 Kinect console bundles are also seeing some traction on the best seller charts. The Kinect bundles have surpased the base Xbox 360 console units as of this morning. Will these console bundles also be in short supply as well?
Check it out:
Last week, the device was featured (and given away) on Oprah. Perhaps all of the soccer mom's are ditching their Wii's in favor of the Kinect? Anyway, the 'Oprah effect' and hype is steadily gripping North America as Microsoft appears to have a holiday hit on it's hands...
The Xbox 360 Kinect is set to release on November 4, 2010.
About Kinect:
Coming this holiday 2010, Kinect will turn YOU into the controller for games and entertainment, and it will work with every Xbox 360. Unlike 2-D cameras and controllers, Kinect tracks your full body movement in 3-D, while responding to commands, directions, even a difference of emotion in your voice.
You are the controller. Kinect provides a whole new way to play. It uses a sensor to track your body movement and recognize your face, even listen to your voice. If you know how to move your hands, shake your hips, or speak, you and your friends will be able to jump instantly into any Kinect experience.
Full-body play. Kinect provides a new way to play where you use all parts of your body — head, hands, feet and torso. When you're the controller, you don't just control the superhero, you are the superhero. Full-body tracking allows the Kinect sensor to capture your movement, from head to toe, to give players a full-body gaming experience.
Personalized play. Kinect provides an in-game experience in which the player’s face and voice are recognized. Greet and speak to characters in the game, or simply step into view of the sensor to log into Xbox LIVE and connect with friends. Kinect is smart enough to remember voices and faces. Fun has never been so personalized.
Off-the-couch play. Kinect provides gameplay that gets you off the couch, on your feet and in the fun. Each Kinect experience is designed to get players moving, laughing, cheering and playing together. Kinect makes social gaming off-the-couch fun.
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Superhero MMORPG Champions Online will be headed to the Free-to-Play space during the first quarter of next year, according to a press release from developer Cryptic Studios. The game will branch off into two subscriber formats, free Silver membership and pay-to-play Gold service. Silver players will have access to the full game, with Gold members getting access to extra characters slots, customization, and social options (many social options will be blocked to Silver players until they log 20 hours of gameplay). The free-to-play service will go into Beta November 9, though the exact date for full release is still to be determined. You can head over to Champions Online's site for more details on the Gold-Silver member service breakdown, or to scan their FAQ.
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Gamer's Guide to Black Friday
Black Friday
"Black Friday" was originally so named because of the heavy traffic on that day, although most contemporary uses of the term refer instead to it as the beginning of the period in which retailers are in the black (i.e., turning a profit).
[via Wikipedia]
With every year that goes by, the Black Friday hype machine continues to grow exponentially. It's you against the soccer mom's, and trust me... you need every advantage over those vixens! These moms were once the girls that started school yard fights where no rules applied - biting, scratching, eye gouging... etc...
The competition is tough as nails, and you can throw all the rules of society and law out the window.
You have to have a plan, a back up plan, and a back up to the back up plan...
Black Friday Organization Structure
The first order of business is deciding if you want to go it alone on Black Friday or assemble a team. Here are the pro's and con's to these various individual and team structures...
- Lone Wolf
- Definition: The Black Friday 'lone wolf' is a single individual who goes it alone on Black Friday. Like a Halo Swordsman, you could give a damn about teamwork!
- Alias: Ninja, Rambo, Halo Swordsman, Splinter Cell
- Favorite Quote: Who cares if there is no 'I' in 'TEAM'!
- Recommended Equipment: Warm clothes and an iPad with Angry Birds
- Advantages: You da man
- Disadvantages: Lack of contact/intelligence could make or break your mission soldier
- Team
- Definition: The Black Friday 'Team' consists of more than one (1) individual working together to collaborate on Black Friday. Proper planning and communication is critical to divide and conquer the amazing deals out there.
- Alias: Zero Company, Counter Strike
- Favorite Quote: 'I love it when a plan comes together'
- Recommended Equipment:
- Bluetooth Headset: Annoy the hell out of soccer moms by wearing your bluetooth cell phone headset at all times. Constant communication is key, soldier!
- Camouflage pants: might freak people out a bit, but screw it!
- Advantages: Divide and conquer
- Disadvantages:
- Fog of war, friendly fire, etc...
- You may be waiting in line for something you don't want.
- Central Command & Control
- Definition: The Black Friday 'Central Command & Control' takes the 'Team' structure to the next level. One member typically stays at home to collect Black Friday intelligence and shop all of the online deals, while the other members fan out and shop the brick and mortar stores. Communication is typically through the central command member.
- Alias: Hub & Spoke, Taxi Cab Service, KGB
- Favorite Quote:
- Soldier: 'They have just run out of the Rock Band Keytar vouchers five soccer moms ahead of me'
- Central Command: 'Abort the mission, repeat... Abort!'
- Recommended Equipment:
- Brick and Mortar Soldier:
- Two Bluetooth Headsets: because you are a bad ass...
- iPad with Wifi loaded with weather, shopping, and the new Victoria's Secret app (so sweet)...
- Central Command:
- High performance PC with high speed connection
- Phone with caller id, call waiting and three way conference call (probably the only time you will ever use these local phone company 'bundled' features).
- Advantages: Online and Brick and Mortar Deals are all covered
- Disadvantages: If Central Command goes down, you may end up with lost Splinter Cells...
General Black Friday Tips
After you have decided what organization structure works for you, here are a few pretty straight forward tips to optimize your day:
- Start Early
- You know this drill... Like a console launch, the early bird gets the worm. BestBuy and Walmart are typically slammed early these days (3:00 a.m.). Don't be the person that drives up, sees the long line and then drives back home pissed off.
- Money
- It takes money to snag all of these good deals. First, make sure you have plenty of credit available on your credit cards. If cash is your thing, make sure to have more than enough available. Black Friday only comes around once a year, and if you have regrets, you can always return items. If carrying cash, make sure to get a hidden money belt. Criminals and thieves have been known to target shoppers during this time, so be prepared.
- Dress Warm
- Don't be the moron with a wind breaker in sub 50 degree weather. The soccer moms feed off of this stuff...
- Make Friends
- When you are not confiding with your team members or central command via your kick ass bluetooth headset(s), strike up a casual and friendly conversation with your fellow line standers. You might need them to hold your place in line if your Starbuck's Venti Mocha reminds you that your kids need to be dropped off at the pool.
- Strength in Street Knowledge
Good Luck from your buddies at the Gamerdeals.net Network!
  
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Welcome to the New Video Game Releases List for the Week!
As the end of the year approaches, the AAA video game titles start to release.
The video game release highlights include Fable 3 (Xbox 360), Rock Band 3, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, The Sims 3 Late Night, WWE Smackdown vs. RAW 2011, plus a few more gems...
Current Amazon Pre-order Deals:
Our recommended new release of the week will go to Fable III...
Fable III is the latest installment to the action-packed and critically acclaimed Xbox 360 exclusive franchise that has sold more than six million copies. Fans new and returning will now embark on an epic adventure, where the race for the crown is only the beginning of your spectacular journey.
Be the hero and forge your own destiny. Storytelling comes to life as Fable III puts you and your hero in the center of an epic journey that traces your rise from revolutionary to ruler and beyond, along with all the action, drama and humor. Interacting with the world of Albion has never been easier or more rewarding. The Expressions system offers an ingenious new Dynamic Touch feature that allows your hero to reach out and embrace a loved one, or exact retribution against those who have betrayed you. Your hero, your faithful canine companion and even your weapons now also evolve to extremes mirroring your morality and personal style of combat. The emotional connections players will develop in the world of Fable III will lead to some of the most memorable moments ever experienced in a game.
Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of October 25, 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC! As always, release dates are subject to change, slip, slide, and be fairly unpredictable.
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The Rock Band 3 reviews are starting to stream in, and it looks like the sweet new 'keytar' is a hit!
In fact, Joystiq claims "this is the only rythm game you will ever need"!
Pre-order deals are still availble including a discounted price of $53.99 (Save $6) on the Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, and PS3 versions w/ free shipping over at Buy.com!
Alternatively, you can snag it for $59.99 w/ a $10 Gaming Credit + $0.99 Release Day Delivery over at Amazon!
Rock Band 3 Releases on October 26, 2010.
Check it out:
About Rock Band 3:
Rock Band 3 is the third main release in the iconic video game series that challenges gamers to live out their Rock & Roll fantasies together in a band situation, both locally and online. The game features an ever expanding song list from every era of Rock & Roll history, easy to pick up yet challenging addictive Note Highway gameplay, compatibility with earlier releases in the series and all platform-specific instrument controllers including most Guitar Hero controllers, extreme in-game character and band customization, and a slew of new features. These new features include: new setlist search functionality, the addition of 3-part harmonies and a keyboard peripheral and expanded play modes, including the advanced Pro Mode.
The Rock Band 3 disc soundtrack contains 83 tracks by the best bands from around the world, including bands that have never appeared in a music game, as well as support for existing Rock Band tracks (Rock Band and Rock Band 2 discs, downloaded songs, track packs, AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack, LEGO Rock Band and Green Day: Rock Band). Additionally, Rock Band 3 gives players immediate access to a music library approaching 2,000 songs by launch, with new content added regularly. With a selection like this, it is clear that Rock Band's gigantic music selection dwarfs that of any other music game on the market. The full track list includes:
- Amy Winehouse, "Rehab"
- Anthrax, "Caught in a Mosh"
- At the Drive-in, "One Armed Scissor"
- Avenged Sevenfold, "The Beast & the Harlot"
- Beach Boys, "Good Vibrations (Live)"
- Big Country, "In a Big Country"
- Blondie, "Heart of Glass"
- Bob Marley, "Get Up, Stand Up"
- Chicago, "25 or 6 to 4"
- David Bowie, "Space Oddity"
- Deep Purple, "Smoke on the Water"
- Def Leppard, "Foolin'"
- Devo, "Whip It"
- Dio, "Rainbow in the Dark"
- Dire Straits, "Walk of Life"
- Doobie Brothers, "China Grove"
- Dover, "King George"
- Echo & the Bunnymen, "The Killing Moon"
- Elton John, "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"
- Faith No More, "Midlife Crisis"
- Filter, "Hey Man, Nice Shot"
- Foreigner, "Cold As Ice"
- Golden Earring, "Radar Love"
- HIM (His Infernal Majesty), "Killing Loneliness"
- Huey Lewis and the News, "The Power of Love"
- Hypernova, "Viva La Resistance"
- Ida Maria, "Oh My God"
- INXS, "Need You Tonight"
- J. Geils Band, "Centerfold"
- James Brown, "I Got You" (I Feel Good)
- Jane's Addiction, "Been Caught Stealing"
- Joan Jett, "I Love Rock N' Roll"
- John Lennon, "Imagine"
- Juanes, "Me Enamora"
- Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Free Bird"
- Manà, "Oye MI Amor"
- Marilyn Manson, "The Beautiful People"
- Metric, "Combat Baby"
- Night Ranger, "Sister Christian"
- Ozzy Osbourne, "Crazy Train"
- Paramore, "Misery Business"
- Phish, "Llama"
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- Phoenix, "Lasso"
- Poni Hoax, "Antibodies"
- Pretty Girls Make Graves, "Something Bigger, Something Brighter"
- Primus, "Jerry Was a Racecar Driver"
- Queen, "Bohemian Rhapsody"
- Queens of the Stone Age, "No One Knows"
- Rammstein, "Du Hast"
- Ramones, "I Wanna Be Sedated"
- Rilo Kiley, "Portions for Foxes"
- Riverboat Gamblers, "Don't Bury Me...I'm Still Not Dead"
- Roxette, "The Look"
- Slipknot, "Before I Forget"
- Smash Mouth, "Walkin' On The Sun"
- Spacehog, "In the Meantime"
- Steve Miller Band, "Fly Like an Eagle"
- Stone Temple Pilots, "Plush"
- Swingin' Utters, "This ***'s Life"
- T. Rex, "20th Century Boy"
- Tears for Fears, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
- Tegan & Sara, "The Con"
- The B-52's, "Rock Lobster"
- The Bronx, "False Alarm"
- The Cure, "Just Like Heaven"
- The Doors, "Break on Through (To the Other Side)"
- The Flaming Lips, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1"
- The Jimi Hendrix Experience, "Crosstown Traffic"
- The Muffs, "Outer Space"
- The Police, "Don't Stand So Close to Me"
- The Ravonettes, "Last Dance"
- The Smiths, "Stop Me if You Think You've Heard This One Before"
- The Sounds, "Living in America"
- The Vines, "Get Free"
- The White Stripes, "The Hardest Button to Button"
- The Who, "I Can See for Miles"
- Them Crooked Vultures, "Dead End Friends"
- Tokio Hotel, "Humanoid"
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, "I Need to Know"
- War, "Low Rider"
- Warren Zevon, "Werewolves of London"
- Whitesnake, "Here I Go Again"
- Yes, "Roundabout"
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Hey, “Hardcore” gamers, I know you’ve been spending the past couple years fighting to the death over what defines hardcore gamers, but I’m here to tell you your efforts have been for vain. “Hardcore Gaming”, whatever it is, has lost the battle. Casual Gaming, whatever definition the internet’s message boards have decided for that, has won.
The signs are all around us. World of Warcraft recently touted they've reached a subscriber base of over 12 million. Xbox Live claims over 20 million subscribers. Social media add-on Mafia Wars? Over 21 million unique users a month. Mafia Wars developer and scourge of the ‘Hardcore Gamer”, Zynga, boasts over 65 million players a day amongst their family of Farmville, Vampire Wars, Café World, and more.
We’ve all started to finally become numb to our friends’ and families’ Facebook games antics, and I can bore you with listing the efforts of Disney and Nickelodeon and other major media outlets digging into casual markets, but none of that is news to anybody. The real proof of Casual’s domination can be found attached to the television in your living room.
Console gaming is bending over backwards to the casual market, they just don’t want to come right out and say it. After all, it’s been the Core Gamers supporting the industry for decades, and no one wants to alienate them. But the swing towards the Casual is undeniable.
 Nintendo started the charge for Console Casual, but looking back at their history, Nintendo’s usually been ahead of the curve on predicting the future of the industry--they did it with the NES, the Game Boy, the DS, and the Wii. The only time they’ve really suffered long term as a brand was in the N64 and Gamecube era, where they were more focused on just creating a new console than they were trying to lead the industry. Even in those days, though, they saw the multiplayer future that would eventually inspire online play, though Nintendo saw multiplayer as a more location based event, encouraging the 64 player to take their controller and memory card to their friend’s house with them, and going so far as to build the Gamecube with a carrying handle, encouraging it to transfer from location to location.
Back to the Casual infusion, the Wii is practically moist with it. (Yes, I did use the word ‘moist’ just to upset people.) Wii Play and Wii Sports have been named amongst the most successful titles in console gaming history. The ease and low cost of piecing together a bundle of mini-games has started the “shovel-ware” trend that’s so popular on the Wii.
But how did Wii become the harbinger of Casual? Two reasons: First, it was launched, out of the gate as being a machine for all ages and all walks of life, thanks to some carefully thought out advertising and publicity on Nintendo‘s part. The second factor is ease of use--a Wii-mote is essentially a mouse pointer, and the concept of point-and-click is easily understood enough to make the learning curve for the software nearly non-existent. On the scale of gaming literacy, the Wii has a low bar of entry, meaning a larger potential market, and with a large, mostly gaming-illiterate market, the easily-played/little-required-investment game is going to be king.
But Wii (and to a perhaps even larger degree, the DS, but the handheld/phone market is a whole ‘nother kettle of fish) is not the only offender. Sony’s Move is trying to push into the realm of easy access the Wii has enjoyed for so long (though with a perhaps-too-cautious attempt to not alienate the Hardcore audience). Microsoft, for their part, has slowly been gearing their audience towards the casual without their knowledge. Remember when XBLA added Diner Dash and Tower Bloxx, popular cell phone titles, to their libraries? How about the XBLA launch catalog, with light web-browser-based gaming fare such as Feeding Frenzy, Zuma, and Bejeweled 2?
The biggest show of Microsoft’s turn to the casual side can best be summed up in this tweet I saw today by Game Informer Associate Editor, Annette Gonzalez:
“Parade Mag gets Kinect. Oprah's studio audience gets Kinect. CNN gets Kinect. Games press? No Kinect for you.”
That’s right. In case you hadn’t heard, as yet the Kinect is largely untouched by the Games Press community. But Microsoft hasn’t been sitting on their haunches about it. Oprah, Parade Magazine, CNN, Cirque du Soliel, Macy‘s--mainstream media has been plastered with information about the Kinect and what it can do.  Why is the enthusiast press, the folks who have been supporting the industry since Pong, being left out in the cold for so long? It’s not a plot against gamers, as I’m sure many knee-jerk reactions would like to claim--it’s simple business sense and planning. Kinect is not being made for the “Hardcore” gaming audience, it’s being made for the Casual audience. A glance at the launch library is proof enough of that. With mini-game collections and fitness trainers galore and a controller-free interface (removing yet one more hurdle for the game console illiterate), they might as well called it “Xbox Casual”. But how does that explain the low games press support? It’s not going to be a surprise to anyone that most games press outlets aren’t likely to be kind to such an array of Casual offerings, and the more Hardcore credit a site or publication is fishing for, the more vicious they’re likely to end up being. Millions of dollars are being funneled into the marketing of the Kinect to the Casual audience, and there’s bound to be some overlap with the Hardcore audience so long as PR remains positive. If the games press begins trashing the product before a good mainstream groundswell can be obtained, it could be disastrous to the marketing strategy. I don’t blame Microsoft for holding off contact with games press on the Kinect; in fact, as a fan of business strategy and planning, I have to applaud them for carrying out their business model so well. Now I’m not trying to preemptively claim the Kinect is bad or its titles garbage (personally, as a gamer with a toddler and a non-gamer wife I’m looking forward to the non-gamer’s games). I just see where allowing the Kinect into the game media’s hands preemptively could brick wall the efforts their attempts at mainstream exposure. And at the end of the day, Microsoft wants to be in the same market any electronics manufacturer wants to be in--“consumer electronics”, not “game machines”. Ideally, Microsoft (and Sony and Nintendo and OnLive and all the rest) want their console to be as much a staple of the home entertainment system as much as the VCR and DVD have been in previous generations. The only way to attain that goal is to make your product be usable and appealing to everyone.  Now, just because Casual Gaming is becoming the new champ is no need for the Hardcore Gamer to worry, it’s just evolution, and we can look at the film industry for some comforting parallels. Sure, the geek audience was upset that The Expendables beat Scott Pilgrim at the box office because it showed that the majority of America still really wants shlock, popcorn selling, lowest common denominator entertainment more than thoughtful artistic films. But good news, both for fans of thoughtful movies and of Hardcore games--Hollywood and its independent offshoots still make art house films, and the gaming industry is still going to make Hardcore games. The shift to the crowd-pleasing Casual is a sea change, but one that will diversify both the Causal and Hardcore spaces, ultimately blurring the lines as more markets open up and filling more niches of personal preference. I know it’s been said before, but it really is true that what’s good for Casual Gaming is good for all of gaming.
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Nintendo is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. game on the NES this year!
To celebrate the occasion, Nintendo is offering limited edition Red Nintendo Wii Bundles and Nintendo DSi bundles.
Red Wii Bundle: This limited-edition Wii hardware comes in beautiful red to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. game. The bundle includes New Super Mario Bros. Wii and a new red Wii Remote Plus controller, in addition to all the other included items, like Wii Sports™ and a red Nunchuk™ controller. It will be available while supplies last at a suggested retail price of just $199.99.
Red Nintendo DSi XL Bundle: This special-edition Nintendo DSi XL bundle is also red in honor of the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. and features three iconic Super Mario Bros.-themed graphics. The bundle comes with Mario Kart DS, which looks gorgeous on the extra-large screen. That's in addition to the pre-loaded software of Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters, Brain Age Express: Math and Photo Clock. It will be available while supplies last at a suggested retail price of just $179.99.
All new products go on sale in North America on Nov. 7, and will be available while supplies last.
Amazon is taking pre-orders now...
Check it out: Amazon - New Nintendo Wii DSi Bundles
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Oh Amazon... how you tempt us so...
The great deal temptress, otherwise known as Amazon.com, is back with some sweet... sweet... dealness this Wednesday.
I was greated with the following email from message from her:
As someone who has shopped video games at Amazon.com, you might like to know that on Wednesday, October 20, 2010, the Amazon.com Gold Box will feature video game products for gamers all day long.
The video game deals will start flowing promptly at Midnight and features one deal of the day, in addition to lightning deals every few hours...
Hopefully the selection will be very good based on previous Amazon video game deal events, but be quick with the mouse as the good ones can go quick (especially as the word spreads)!
Check it out: Amazon - All Video Game Gold Box Event
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Black Friday 2010 Ads!
The anticipation for Black Friday is already starting to build as Black Friday ad leaks slowly trickle over the next few weeks.
Historically, Walmart has held their Black Friday cards close to their chest through cease and desist posting notifications, and it appears that this year is no different. Expect to see the Walmart Black Friday ads on Sunday, November 21st this year. This is the date the organization has identified as the first date that we can post images and information via Walmart's ads.
What deals are you looking for this Black Friday?
Make sure to check GamerDeals.net full Black Friday and Cyber Monday coverage...
About Black Friday:
Black Friday is the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Because Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States, Black Friday occurs between the 23rd and the 29th of November. According to Reuters, in 2007 135 million people participated in the Black Friday shopping rush.
Black Friday is not an official holiday, but as many workers have the day off as part of the Thanksgiving holiday, this increases the number of potential shoppers. Retailers often decorate for the Christmas and holiday season weeks beforehand. Many retailers open extremely early, with most of the retailers typically opening at 5AM or even earlier. Some of the larger retailers (depending on the location) such as Sears, Best Buy, Macy's, Toys "R" Us, Walmart, and Target have been reported to open as early as midnight on the start of Black Friday in localized areas and remain open for 24 hours throughout the day until midnight the following Saturday. Upon opening, retailers offer doorbuster deals and loss leaders to draw people to their stores. Although Black Friday, as the first shopping day after Thanksgiving, has served as the unofficial beginning of the Christmas season at least since the start of the modern Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, the term "Black Friday" has been traced back only to the 1960s. 
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The library for the upcoming launch of Xbox 360's Kinect was posted up on Major Nelson's blog today. The full list is as follows: Unsurprisingly, the majority of the games are "waggle" sports and fitness programs (i.e. Wii clones), with a couple holiday store shelf pleasers like Harry Potter and Sonic. What is surprising is how it appears Microsoft is blowing the whole wad in one go--other than a couple titles just announced last month at Tokyo Game Show, there really doesn't seem to be anything left up Microsoft's sleeve. Just about everything we've heard bout is hitting at launch. Most likely a strategic decision (what's the point of holding back a game when you don't even know if Kinect will survive past the holidays?), it still is going to put a bad taste in the mouth of hardcore gamers still wondering what Kinect has to offer them.
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Welcome to the New Video Game Releases List for the Week!
As the end of the year approaches, the AAA video game titles start to release.
The video game release highlights include Fallout New Vegas (Xbox 360, PS3, PC), Pro Evolution Soccer 2011, Vanguish, Arcania: Gothic 4, DJ Hero 2, NBA 2K11 (Wii), plus a few more gems...
Current Pre-order Deals:
Our recommended new release of the week will go to Medal of Honor...
Experience all the sights and sounds of fabulous New Vegas, brought to you by Vault-Tec, America's First Choice in Post Nuclear Simulation. Explore the treacherous wastes of the Great Southwest from the safety and comfort of your very own vault: Meet new people, confront terrifying creatures, and arm yourself with the latest high-tech weaponry as you make a name for yourself on a thrilling new journey across the Mojave wasteland.
Welcome to Vegas. New Vegas. It's the kind of town where you dig your own grave prior to being shot in the head and left for dead...and that's before things really get ugly. It's a town of dreamers and desperados being torn apart by warring factions vying for complete control of this desert oasis. It's a place where the right kind of person with the right kind of weaponry can really make a name for themselves, and make more than an enemy or two along the way. As you battle your way across the heat-blasted Mojave Wasteland, the colossal Hoover Dam, and the neon drenched Vegas Strip, you'll be introduced to a colorful cast of characters, power-hungry factions, special weapons, mutated creatures and much more. Choose sides in the upcoming war or declare "winner takes all" and crown yourself the King of New Vegas in this follow-up to the 2008 videogame of the year, Fallout 3. Enjoy your stay.
Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of October 18, 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC! As always, release dates are subject to change, slip, slide, and be fairly unpredictable.
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Oh Amazon... how you tempt us so...
The great deal temptress, otherwise known as Amazon.com, is back with some sweet... sweet... dealness this Wednesday.
I was greated with the following email from message from her:
As someone who has shopped video games at Amazon.com, you might like to know that on Wednesday, October 20, 2010, the Amazon.com Gold Box will feature video game products for gamers all day long.
The video game deals will start flowing promptly at Midnight and features one deal of the day, in addition to lightning deals every few hours...
Hopefully the selection will be very good based on previous Amazon video game deal events, but be quick with the mouse as the good ones can go quick (especially as the word spreads)!
Check it out: Amazon - All Video Game Gold Box Event
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| List Price: |
$59.99 |
| Price: |
$54.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. |
| You Save: |
$5.00 (8%) |
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Pre-order Price Guarantee. |
Pre-order Call of Duty: Black Ops (Xbox 360/PS3) for $54.99 w/ $0.99 release day delivery over at Amazon!
In addition, receive an exclusive Limited Edition Laser Cell & Wallpaper. The Laser Cell will be included in the shipment.
Call of Duty: Black Ops is set to release on November 9, 2010.
Check it out: Amazon - Call of Duty Black Ops
About Call of Duty: Black Ops:
Players take the role of a Black Ops operative who will be involved in missions behind enemy lines. Missions will take place in a variety of locations, including Cuba, the Arctic, and Vietnam. The game is the seventh installment of the Call of Duty series and the fourth game in the series to be developed by Treyarch after Call of Duty 2: Big Red One, Call of Duty 3 and Call of Duty: World at War.
Inspired by the experiences of real Black Ops soldiers of the era, the missions of Call of Duty: Black Ops take the player to a wide variety of settings, ranging from snowbound mountain strongholds in historical Soviet held territories, to the jungles and urban settings of Vietnam War era SE Asia. Throughout all, care has been taken to maintain the traditional essence of Call of Duty style combat, while also introducing new types of player action that add to the gameplay experience. Additional features include co-op, versus and team-based multiplayer options, new vehicles like the SR-71 Blackbird and lethal new weapons such as explosive-tipped crossbows.
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EA is offering Dead Space Ignition free to anyone that pre-orders Dead Space 2 at participating retailers in North America.
Pre-order customers receive a single-use code to download Dead Space Ignition free for PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. Participating retailers include Amazon and GameStop.
In Dead Space 2, Engineer Isaac Clarke returns for another blood-curdling adventure in the sequel to the critically acclaimed Dead Space. After waking from a coma on a massive space city known as "The Sprawl", the lone survivor of a horrific alien infestation finds himself confronting a catastrophic new nightmare. Battling dementia, hunted by the government, and haunted by visions of his dead girlfriend, Isaac will do whatever it takes to save himself and dominate the gruesome onslaught. With an arsenal of tools to dismember Necromorphs and new determination, an engineer will bring the terror to space.
Dead Space Ignition releases October 12 on PlayStation Network, and October 13 on Xbox Live Marketplace for 400 MS points ($5).
Dead Space 2 releases January 25, for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.
[EDIT - This deal is LIVE now @ Amazon!]
Check it out: Amazon - Dead Space 2
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Amazon is back again with another All Video Game Gold Box Event Today!
The Gold Box Events kicks off today, Wednesday, October 13, 2010 and features one deal of the day, in addition to lightning deals every few hours...
It looks like the selection will be very good based on the lightning deal clues below, but be quick with the mouse as the good ones can go quick (especially as the word spreads)!
Check it out: Amazon - All War Games Video Game Gold Box Event
Deal of the Day:
   
Hourly Lightning Deals:
6:00 AM PST: Take on the world as both a U.S. Marine and a British S.A.S. Soldier on your PS3
9:00 AM PST: Redefining World War II Gameplay on your Xbox
12:00 PM PST: A Wii Game set in the Pacific Theater of World War II
1:00 PM PST: An incredibly realistic warfare experience on your Xbox
4:00 PM PST: Amazing special effects create dangerous and suspenseful action for your PS3
7:00 PM PST: Reverse a spot for Captain Soap Mactavish on your bedside table
8:00 PM PST: Employ authentic, advanced weaponry in the most treacherous hotspots around the world
9:00 PM PST: Power up your Wii to take on a rougue enemy threatening the world
Check it out: Amazon All Video Game Gold Box Event
About Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2:
Modern Warfare 2 is a first-person tactical shooter and the sixth entry in the popular Call of Duty series. True to its name and following the lead of its predecessor, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, it places players in modern combat settings, as opposed to the WWII environments of the earlier Call of Duty games. This modern approach brings with it new weapons, action and options. Coupled with a variety of gameplay modes including single player, multiplayer and the co-op Special Ops Mode, it is destined to be one of the most popular games of 2009 and a worthy addition to the Call of Duty series.
The latest release in arguably the most successful tactical first-person shooter franchise of all-time, gameplay in Modern Warfare 2 follows the same winning and time-tested structure of earlier games in the series. In the single player campaign players are aided by AI squad members as they take on a series of missions aimed at eliminating Ultranationalist forces. Each mission is built around a particular objective, with players utilizing some level of guidance from NPC characters, including "Soap" MacTavish, and aided in navigation by the game's heads up display (HUD). Along the way players will be able to utilize a wide variety of weaponry and and vehicles, as well as be able to customize weapons with gadgets attached to them.
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BestBuy's Chief Executive Brian Dunn recently told reporters to expect great things this Black Friday season:
"We know it's a tough environment," Chief Executive Brian Dunn told reporters at an event in New York, where the Richfield, Minn.-based company previewed its holiday products and game plan.
"Consumer spending is episodic. This is not an environment to scream out sales when people are still not interested (to buy.) Business is going to be hard-fought. Come Black Friday, you'll see smoking-hot deals."
What deals are you looking for this Black Friday?
Make sure to check GamerDeals.net full Black Friday and Cyber Monday coverage...
About Black Friday:
Black Friday is the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Because Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States, Black Friday occurs between the 23rd and the 29th of November. According to Reuters, in 2007 135 million people participated in the Black Friday shopping rush.
Black Friday is not an official holiday, but as many workers have the day off as part of the Thanksgiving holiday, this increases the number of potential shoppers. Retailers often decorate for the Christmas and holiday season weeks beforehand. Many retailers open extremely early, with most of the retailers typically opening at 5AM or even earlier. Some of the larger retailers (depending on the location) such as Sears, Best Buy, Macy's, Toys "R" Us, Walmart, and Target have been reported to open as early as midnight on the start of Black Friday in localized areas and remain open for 24 hours throughout the day until midnight the following Saturday. Upon opening, retailers offer doorbuster deals and loss leaders to draw people to their stores. Although Black Friday, as the first shopping day after Thanksgiving, has served as the unofficial beginning of the Christmas season at least since the start of the modern Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, the term "Black Friday" has been traced back only to the 1960s.
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Blu-ray Movie Release List for the Week of Oct. 12, 2010
Highlights this week include How to Train Your Dragon, Jonah Hex, Three Kings, Red Dragon, plus a few more gems!
This week's recommended Blu-ray movie title is How to Train Your Dragon...
A winning mixture of adventure, slapstick comedy, and friendship, How to Train Your Dragon rivals Kung Fu Panda as the most engaging and satisfying film DreamWorks Animation has produced. Hiccup (voice by Jay Baruchel) is a failure as a Viking: skinny, inquisitive, and inventive, he asks questions and tries out unsuccessful contraptions when he's supposed to be fighting the dragons that attack his village. His father, chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), has pretty much given up on his teenage son and apprenticed him to blacksmith Gobber (Craig Ferguson). Worse, Hiccup knows the village loser hasn't a chance of impressing Astrid (America Ferrera), the girl of his dreams and a formidable dragon fighter in her own right. When one of Hiccup's inventions actually works, he hasn't the heart to kill the young dragon he's brought down. He names it Toothless and befriends it, although he's been taught to fear and loathe dragons. Codirectors and cowriters Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, who made Disney's delightful Lilo and Stitch, provide plenty of action, including vertiginous flying sequences, but they balance the pyrotechnics with moments of genuine warmth that make the viewer root for Hiccup's success. Many DreamWorks films get laughs from sitcom one-liners and topical pop culture references; as the humor in Dragon comes from the characters' personalities, it feels less timely and more timeless. Toothless chases the spot of sunlight reflected off Hiccup's hammer like a giant cat with a laser pointer; Hiccup uses his newly found knowledge (and an icky smoked eel) to defeat two small dragons--and impress the other kids. How to Train Your Dragon will be just as enjoyable 10 or 20 years from now as it is today. (Rated PG: suitable for ages 8 and older, violence, some intense action and scary dragons) --Charles Solomon
Here is the full list:
How to Train Your Dragon Starring Jay Baruchel and Gerard Butler
Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones
Jonah Hex Starring Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, and Megan Fox
The Darjeeling Limited (The Criterion Collection) Starring Owen Wilson, Adrian Brody, Jason Schwartzman, et al.
Dollhouse: Season Two Starring Eliza Dushku and Harry Lennix
Arn: The Knight Templar Starring Joakim Nätterqvist, Sofia Helin, Stellan Skarsgard, et al.
Wolverine and the X-Men: The Complete Series Starring Woverine & X-Men
Lost Boys: The Thirst Starring Corey Feldman, Tanit Phoenix, Jamison Newlander, et al.
The Original Christmas Classics (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer / Santa Claus is Comin' to Town / Frosty the Snowman / Frosty Returns) Starring Burt Ives and Fred Astaire
Three Kings Starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, et al.
Leaves of Grass Starring Edward Norton, Susan Sarandon, Tim Blake Nelson, et al.
I Am Love Starring Tilda Swinton and Flavio Parenti
The Magician (The Criterion Collection) Starring Max Von Sydow and Gunnar Bjornstrand
Red Dragon [Starring Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, et al.
Dio: Holy Diver - Live Starring Ronnie James Dio
Sex and Lucia Starring Paz Vega and Tristan Ulloa
The Hangover (Extreme Edition) Starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, et al.
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings - The Complete Series Starring Johnny Yong Bosch, John Swasey, Robert McCollum, et al.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Starring Billie Mae Richards, Burl Ives, Paul Soles, et al.
Warren Miller's Dynasty Starring Jonny Moseley
All of these new Blu-Ray releases are currently available at 30% off over at Amazon.
Check it out: Amazon - Blu-ray Sale
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EA is offering Dead Space Ignition free to anyone that pre-orders Dead Space 2 at participating retailers in North America.
Pre-order customers receive a single-use code to download Dead Space Ignition free for PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. Participating retailers include Amazon and GameStop, but the deal is not live yet. We will update once this promotion goes "live".
In Dead Space 2, Engineer Isaac Clarke returns for another blood-curdling adventure in the sequel to the critically acclaimed Dead Space. After waking from a coma on a massive space city known as "The Sprawl", the lone survivor of a horrific alien infestation finds himself confronting a catastrophic new nightmare. Battling dementia, hunted by the government, and haunted by visions of his dead girlfriend, Isaac will do whatever it takes to save himself and dominate the gruesome onslaught. With an arsenal of tools to dismember Necromorphs and new determination, an engineer will bring the terror to space.
Dead Space Ignition releases October 12 for $5 on PlayStation Network, and October 13 on Xbox Live Marketplace for 400 MS points ($5).
Dead Space 2 releases January 25, for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.
Check it out: Amazon - Dead Space 2
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Welcome to the New Video Game Releases List for the Week!
The video game release highlights include Medal of Honor (Xbox 360, PS3, PC), Just Dance 2 (Nintendo Wii), Borderlands Game of the Year Edition, Lucha Libre AAA: Heroes of the Ring, DJ Max Portable 3 (PSP), plus a few more gems...
Current Pre-order Deals:
Our recommended new release of the week will go to Medal of Honor...
Medal of Honor is a first-person shooter from the makers of Battlefield Bad Company 2 that redefines the genre. For shooter fans and modern military enthusiasts, Medal of Honor is a way to experience today's authentic warfare, because unlike anywhere else in the world of video games, Medal of Honor can deliver intense modern warfare gameplay inspired by the actions of the elite Tier 1 Operators currently active in the military. Features include access to Tier 1 Ops and Army Ranger storylines, realistic weaponry and large-scale online multiplayer.
Operating directly under the National Command Authority, a relatively unknown entity of handpicked warriors are selected when it is crucial that a mission not fail. These are the Tier 1 Operators. There are over 2 million active soldiers. Of those, approximately 50 thousand fall under the direct control of the Special Operations Command. The Tier 1 Operator functions on a level above and beyond even the most highly trained Special Operations Forces. Their exact numbers, while classified, hover in the low hundreds. They are living, breathing, precision instruments of war, experts in the application of controlled violence. The new Medal of Honor game is inspired by and developed with actual Tier 1 Operators from this elite community. Players step into the boots of these warriors and apply their unique skill sets to fight a new enemy in the most unforgiving and hostile conditions of present day Afghanistan.
Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of October 11, 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC! As always, release dates are subject to change, slip, slide, and be fairly unpredictable.
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Massive ToysRus Video Game Sale!
ToysRus is back with their famous Buy 2, Get the 3rd FREE sale on:
Video Games
Video Game Accessories
Game Guides
T-shirts
This sale is available both online & in-store, and is available for Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DSi, PSP, PS2, and Xbox!
Free shipping on all orders over $100 as well, so get clicking before the game selection thins out!
Check it out: ToysRus - Buy 2, Get 1 FREE 
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 1up.com reported today that the 1992 classic 6-player X-Men arcade game was being prepped for an XBLA and PSN release, an announcement spilled to them by a representative of Marvel Comics at New York Comic-Con. The original story makes it sound like less than a real announcement, so details are nil at this time, but you can bet we'll be keeping an eye out on this story and awaiting confirmation from Konami.
Now, if we can just convince Konami port The Simpsons arcade beat-'em up and Data East to port The Real Ghostbusters arcade top-down shooter, I can safely recreate my life in the early 90's in the comfort of my own basement...
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Yesterday at New York Comic-Con, Capcom announced that Arthur and Nathan Spencer were joining the MvC3 roster, and this morning they revealed a couple of characters more appropriate for a Comic-Con reveal, the Mutant Master of Magnetism, Magneto, and the Sizable Turd of a Weeble-Wobble, M.O.D.O.K.
M.O.D.O.K.? Really? Not Doc Ock or Phoenix or Silver Surfer or freaking Shocker or someone? *Sigh* Okay. Fine. Check below for gameplay footage of them both, as well as the other four most recently announced characters: Arthur, Nathan Spencer, Spider-man, and Wesker.
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Is there anything more exciting than the lowest common denominator? That trite ability to appeal to as large and audience as possible by effectively appealing to none of it? Boy, Will Wright and Current TV are sure banking on it.
Current TV just announced the tentatively titled "Bar Karma", a show about 'a watering hole at the edge of the universe'. I'm guessing the bar you sit at waiting for your table to open at Milliways.The show is being powered by technology put together by none other than gaming role model Will "The-Reason-You-Play-Computer-Games" Wright, and will allow viewers, based on a rough episode outline provided by the producers, to craft, storyboard, and influence the show for airing.
I hate being a Negative Nancy...or Nick, I guess, a Negative Nick...why did I say Nancy in the first place? Anyway, I hate being a Negative Nick, but is there ANY WAY that this little venture could succeed? Now, granted, when it comes to open ended, choose your own adventure interactivity, Will Wright is king, no doubt about it. But there's a world of difference between creating your own Sims storyline, and being forced to read everyone else's Sims Story Blogs.
When you let the general populace decide what they want to see, you get what the general populace is willing to agree on. I don't know if you've been outside lately, but EVERYONE thinks they're a genius, and EVERYONE thinks they're a creative wizard. And generally the less creative and genius they are, the more they believe that are something special. Ask your boss.
So let's look at the lowest common denominator response to the past exploits or Wright's genius.
- SimCity - Open ended city simulator lets you be the mayor of your own Utopia.
- Lowest Common Denominator Response: Use the Million Dollar Code to boost your city up, then thrash it and watch the peons beg for their lives.
- The Sims - Virtual dollhouse allows you to create a family, guide their lives and careers
- Lowest Common Denominator Response: Find ways to torture and eventually kill your Sims through such lovely methods as fire, drowning, starvation, and not going to the bathroom.
- Spore - Evolve a race of beings from the stages of protozoic microorganism to space-faring galactic civilization.
- Lowest Common Denominator Response: Make as many ***-monsters as possible.
Now I have faith in Will Wright, and I have faith that Bar Karma won't be involving pool ladder removal or *** monsters, but what I don't have faith in is the general populace's reaction to entertainment. The general populace canceled Arrested Development and Firefly but kept renewing Two-and-a-Half Men and According to Jim. The general populace made The Expendables beat out Scott Pilgrim in the box office. The general populace likes The Da Vinci Code. The general populace buys Madden over again every year but can't be convinced to try Beyond Good & Evil on a dare. So considering the results that feeding into the general populace have given us, plus the reaction that audiences have had for interactive movies (remember in the mid-90's everyone thought we all wanted to vote on what would happen next in a film?), I'm not sure why anyone would want to try to create an entertainment media in this format. 
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As soon as the news yesterday that World of Warcraft Cataclysm would release on December 7th, 2010, pre-order's surged on Blizzards latest version of digital crack...
This morning, the Collector's Edition and Regular edition are topping Amazon's Video Game BestSellers List!
As Nick mentioned, the Collector's Edition includes goodies such as an artbook, soundtrack, 'making of' DVD, CCG packs, mousepad, and exclusive in-game Lil' Deathwing pet. This edition is available $79.99.
Check it out: Amazon's - World of Warcraft Cataclysm CE
Here are the Collector's Edition details:
- World of Warcraft®: Cataclysm® PC/MAC Game
- The full World of Warcraft expansion set on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM.
- Cataclysm Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes DVD
- Over an hour of developer interviews and commentaries discussing the game's development from early design through finished gameplay.
The Cataclysm intro cinematic and major content patch trailers complete with director's commentary.
- A special Warcraft retrospective examining the rich gaming history of the Warcraft universe.
- Collector's Edition Soundtrack
- Seventeen orchestral music tracks from the Cataclysm expansion, featuring exclusive bonus tracks.
- Cataclysm Mouse Pad
- A special-edition mouse pad depicting Deathwing menacing the ravaged continents of Azeroth.
- Art of the Cataclysm
- 176 pages of art, featuring never-before-seen images from the archives of the Blizzard Film Department and the World of Warcraft development team.
- Progressive visuals from every stage of development – from early concepts to finished, detailed art.
- Lil' Deathwing Pet
- He may not be a breaker of worlds... at least not yet... but Lil' Deathwing will still aid you in your titanic struggle to save Azeroth from his much, much larger counterpart.
- StarCraft II: Avatar Portraits
- Marines come in many sizes and shapes – including Goblin and Worgen. Download these two unique avatar portraits to represent you in StarCraft II.
- World of Warcraft: Trading Card Game – Starter Deck and Exclusive Cards
- One 60-card deck based on the new Class Starter Decks, including a rare loot card and visuals from several of fantasy's top creators.
Exclusive Horde and Alliance hero cards, featuring the new Goblin and Worgen races.
- One quick start guide to teach you how to play.
About World of Warcraft Cataclysm:
An ancient evil lies dormant within Deepholm, the domain of earth in the Elemental Plane. Hidden away in a secluded sanctuary, the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing has waited, recovering from the wounds of his last battle against Azeroth and biding his time until he can reforge the world in molten fire. Soon, Deathwing the Destroyer will return to Azeroth, and his eruption from Deepholm will sunder the world, leaving a festering wound across the continents. As the Horde and Alliance race to the epicenter of the cataclysm, the kingdoms of Azeroth will witness seismic shifts in power, the kindling of a war of the elements, and the emergence of unlikely heroes who will rise up to protect their scarred and broken world from utter devastation. 
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![The Exorcist (Extended Director's Cut & Original Theatrical Edition) [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ldazGF1YL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Blu-ray Movie Release List for the Week of Sept. 28, 2010
Highlights this week include Beuty and the Beast, The Karate Kid, The Last of the Mohicans, The Exorcist, plus a few more gems!
This week's recommended Blu-ray movie title is The Exorcist (just in time for Halloween)...
Director William Friedkin was a hot ticket in Hollywood after the success of The French Connection, and he turned heads (in more ways than one) when he decided to make The Exorcist as his follow-up film. Adapted by William Peter Blatty from his controversial bestseller, this shocking 1973 thriller set an intense and often-copied milestone for screen terror with its unflinching depiction of a young girl (Linda Blair) who is possessed by an evil spirit. Jason Miller and Max von Sydow are perfectly cast as the priests who risk their sanity and their lives to administer the rites of demonic exorcism. Ellen Burstyn plays Blair's mother, who can only stand by in horror as her daughter's body is wracked by Satanic disfiguration. One of the most frightening films ever made, The Exorcist was mysteriously plagued by trouble during production, and the years since have not diminished its capacity to disturb even the most stoic viewers. --Jeff Shannon
Controversial and popular from the moment it opened, The Exorcist marks its historic Blu-ray premiere in a 2-Disc Edition featuring Stunning Hi-Def Presentations of the Original 1973 Theatrical Version and the 2000 Extended Director's Cut. The frightening and realistic tale of an innocent girl inhabited by a terrifying entity, her mother's frantic resolve to save her and two priests--one doubt-ridden, the other a rock of faith--joined in battling ultimate evil always leaves viewers breathless. This greatest supernatural thriller of all time astonishes and unsettles like no other movie.
Here is the full list:
Beauty and the Beast
The Karate Kid Starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan
The Last of the Mohicans: Director's Definitive Cut Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Russell Means, et al.
The Exorcist (Extended Director's Cut & Original Theatrical Edition) Starring Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, and Lee J. Cobb
Grindhouse (Special Edition) Starring Rose McGowan, Bruce Willis, Freddy Rodriguez, et al.
A Nightmare on Elm Street Starring Jackie Earle Haley, Kyle Gallner, Rooney Mara, et al.
The Maltese Falcon Starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, and Peter Lorre
Splice Starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Starring Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt, and Bruce Bennett
Baseball: The Tenth Inning
The Mission Starring Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons
Mad Max Starring Mel Gibson and Tim Burns
Bones: The Complete Fifth Season Starring David Boreanaz and Thyne T.J
Peanuts Holiday Collection (A Charlie Brown Christmas / It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown / A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving)
The Human Centipede Starring Ashley C. Williams and Dieter Laser
RoboCop Trilogy Starring Peter Weller and Ronny Cox
The Secret of Kells Starring Brendan Gleeson, Mick Lally, Evan McGuire, et al.
30 Days of Night: Dark Days Starring Kiele Sanchez, Rhys Coiro, Diora Baird, and Harold Perrineau
Sgu Stargate Universe: Complete First Season Starring Robert Carlyle, Justin Louis, Brian J. Smith, et al.
Hard Candy Starring Ellen Page, Patrick Wilson, Sandra Oh, and Odessa Rae
Full Metal Panic FUMOFFU - The Complete Series Starring Luci Christian, Tiffany Grant, and Chris Patton
High Tension Starring Cécile De France and Maïwenn Le Besco
Bad Lieutenant (Special Edition) Starring Harvey Keitel
All of these new Blu-Ray releases are currently available at 30% off over at Amazon.
Check it out: Amazon - Blu-ray Sale
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The third annual Global Game Jam, a world-wide game design...well, jam, for lack of a better term, is looking for locations for next year's event the weekend of January 28th-30th, 2011. Global Game Jam, in case you missed my first rant about it, is a program put together by the International Game Developers Association where teams of designers get together and hash out an original game from scratch over the course of the weekend. Past submissions have been video game oriented, but this year's competition will add board games to the mix. Back to the matter at hand, organizing host locations across the world is a pain, and GGJ could use your help. If you have a location that you think would be suitable for a GGJ event, first compare it to the criteria listed below, then contact the GGJ via these instructions. - Physical space to comfortably seat participants
- Internet access (either wired or wireless) for all participants
- Access to common game development tools and/or ability to download and install software
- Local IT support in case of problems with computers or Internet connectivity
- At least one local official organizer to coordinate the event
- Access to all space and computing resources around the clock over the weekend of January 28-30, 2011 (preferably)
- Access to food (such as nearby food stores or restaurants, or you can provide food on-site)
- Presentation space (such as an auditorium) to do a post Jam presentation on Sunday, January 30.
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 Blizzard confirmed the rumors today that the newest World of Warcraft expansion, Cataclysm, will be hitting shelves and PC's on December 7th this year. Because Blizzard hates your family and wants to keep you away from them for Christmas.
Cataclysm feature a new level 85 cap, redesigned areas that have suffered the wrath of new arch-enemy Deathwing, and two new playable races--werewolf like Worgens and cheaper-by-the-dozen Goblins. Pre-orders are largely underway for both the regular edition ($39.99 MSRP) and Collector's Edition ($79.99 MSRP). For all you hardcore WoW players (he said as though there was another kind), the Collector's Edition includes goodies such as an artbook, soundtrack, 'making of' DVD, CCG packs, mousepad, and exclusive in-game Lil' Deathwing pet. So with a swag pack like that, do you really need presents from your family?
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Welcome to the New Video Game Releases List for the Week!
The video game release highlights include NBA 2K11 (Xbox 360/PS3/Wii/PC), Castlevania Lords of Shadows, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, NBA JAM (Nintendo Wii), Def Jam Rapstar, plus a few more gems...
Our recommended new release of the week will go to NBA 2K11...
NBA 2K11 is the latest installment in the best selling, and highest rated NBA videogame series. NBA 2K11 is the best way to plug into NBA culture. It's the most fun, authentic NBA videogame experience and is for any sports fan with that competitive fire who wants to play the best NBA simulation on the market. It's the NBA series that everyone is playing - from the most elite NBA athletes and superstars to the local court gym rats. NBA 2K10 delivered on its promise to TAKE OVER, and NBA 2K11 will build on that momentum by dialing up all of its features - gameplay, AI, presentation, visuals, audio, online and more - to deliver the best basketball videogame experience EVER.
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When you're the #1 selling NBA videogame two years in a row, the #1 rated NBA videogame 10 years in a row, and have collaborated with back-to-back NBA champions, Kevin Garnett (2K9) and Kobe Bryant (2K10) - what is NBA 2K11 to do for the next act? Simple: Michael Jordan. The greatest basketball player of all time debuts for the first time in this hardware generation and brings his passion for the game to NBA 2K11 with an all new Jordan Challenge mode, historic Bulls teams, and even a MJ: Creating a Legend mode offering gamers the chance to be a rookie Michael and craft a new career for him. This is on top of improvements to core gameplay elements - including an all-new IsoMotion™ dribbling controls, deeper My Player mode with new My Career feature, all-new breathtaking visuals, and much more. This year BECOME THE GREATEST with NBA 2K11.
Current Pre-order Deals:
Check out the full list of new video game releases (USA) for the week of October 4, 2010 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and PC! As always, release dates are subject to change, slip, slide, and be fairly unpredictable.
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