Update: Valve has announced that L4D2 will feature AI Director 2.0, which will procedurally change the weather, objects in the world, effects, sounds, and enemy population. L4D2 will also feature new weapons, items and boss zombies. Valve has stated that it will arrive with more content than the original, meaning more campaigns, Versus mode maps and Survival mode levels.
Today at Microsoft’s E3 keynote, Valve announced that they are currently developing Left 4 Dead 2 for the PC and Xbox 360. To make this announcement even better, Valve stated that L4D2 is slated to arrive Nov 17.
As the trailer shows, there are four new survivors in a variety of new locations. There also seems to be a focus on melee weapons, including frying pans and chainsaws. In the trailer there seems to be at least one new boss monster, however it could just be a new model of the tank.
You can be sure that I’ll post updates as new information arrives.
Today the first batch of DLC for Halo Wars arrived.
Dubbed the “Strategic Options” pack, the add-on comes with three new multiplayer modes and 100 gamer points worth of new achievements. According to Microsoft: “Keepaway Mode is the “Halo Wars” adaptation of Capture the Flag. Teams will battle it out to capture a free-roaming Forerunner Sentinel to score points before the other team. Capture three sentinels to claim victory.
Tug of War Mode is all about having a stronger army than the opponent. Defeating enemies is essential, but success is determined by a combination of the army, buildings and resources left standing in the end.
In Reinforcement Mode, all active battle units are provided in successive waves. Players must adapt their tactics and use the ever-changing set of units to outwit and outlast the enemy.”
Halo Wars’s “Strategic Options” DLC is priced at 800 Microsoft Points ($10) and can be found on Xbox Live Marketplace.
Read: Halo Wars ‘Strategic Options’ DLC Now Available.
Two days ago I wrote about the new Gears of War 2 DLC. Today Epic Games announced that they will be holding a special “First to Play” event in Seattle, Washington, where gamers will get a chance to try out the new maps.
The event will be held May 15, at the Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. The first 800 people to arrive will be admitted inside where there are 20 kiosks showcasing the new DLC.
The event will also feature a panel with Michael Capps, president of Epic Games, and Joshua Ortega, writer of Gears of War 2.
The new Gears of War 2: All Fronts Collection DLC is slated to arrive July 28 and will cost you $20.
Read: Xbox Live Holding Gears 2 Map Pack Preview Event in Seattle.
Today Epic Games announced that it will be releasing a retail disk that has all the current Gears of War 2 DLC as well as the upcoming Dark Corners DLC.
Dubbed Gears of War 2: All Fronts Collection, the $20 add-on includes the Flashback, Combustible and Snowblind Map packs, as well as a poster, Xbox 360 theme, strategy guide, and the Dark Corners DLC.
The Dark Corners DLC, which will also be available on Xbox Live Marketplace for 1600 Microsoft Points ($20), comes with 7 new multiplayer maps, plus a deleted campaign chapter where Marcus and Dom go back to the Locust Hollow.
The Gears of War 2: All Fronts Collection and Dark Corners DLC hit retail on July 28.
Read: Gears of War 2 Retail DLC Collection and New Map Pack Announced as Sales R Ceach 5 Million.
Microsoft has extended its 3-year Xbox 360 warranty to cover the elusive E74 error in which one of the 4 sections of the ring of light flashes red.
“We have determined that the E74 error message can indicate the general hardware failure that is associated with three flashing red lights error on the console,” Microsoft wrote on a support page.
The E74, or one segment of the dreaded red ring of death, error is described as being associated with a scaler chip or AV problem in this unofficial Xbox Scene FAQ.
It’s good to see MS step up to the plate with this addition to the warranty, hardware failures nothwithstanding.
Read: 3 Year Xbox 360 Warranty Now Covers E74 Errors, Repair Costs Being Refunded
In-game-advertising firm IGA is putting itself on the sales block due to economic circumstances.
While chairman Justin Townsend wants to raise a new round of funding for the troubled company, he admitted that selling the company is still on the table. IGA posted a hefty loss last year–$11 million, with $3 million in revenue.
One has to wonder if the business model ever had any merit to begin with. Why would publishers contract with an in-game ad network that could deliver ads detrimental to the user experience, when they could cut their own deals? For example, Microsoft runs its own ad network (Massive) already.
In retrospect, smaller and indie publishers should have been the target for IGA, but hindsight is always 20/20.
Read: Struggling in-game ad firm IGA Worldwide seeks investments or possible sale
PalTalk Holdings Inc. is suing software giant Microsoft over patents related to the Halo series of games, Bloomberg reports.
The patents relate to “technology for ways to control interactive applications over multiple computers,” a vaguely worded patent if I’ve ever heard one, but that seems to be the way of things. PalTalk bought the patents for under $200,000 (according to a Microsoft lawyer) from a company called MPath Interactive.
In the suit, PalTalk lawyer Max Tribble stipulates that Microsoft met with MPath numerous times, but ultimately decided not to license the technology. Microsoft claims the patents pertained to dial-up tech, which obviously isn’t used for Halo.
According to Law360, this suit is actually two years old and is just coming to trial now.
Read: $90 million sought from Microsoft
With the launch of Ensemble Studios’ and Microsoft’s Halo Wars, GGL has opened two multiplayer ladders for you to outsmart your opponents in brutal RTS combat!
If you want to display your 1v1 skills, join our Halo Wars 1v1 ladder.
If you’d like to form a party, join our flexible size Halo Wars ladder (both opponents can agree on team sizes, up to 3v3, before the match).
What are you waiting for? Join our Halo Wars ladders now at the GGL.com Halo Wars game page!
Today Telltale games announced that its acclaimed episodic Sam & Max adventure games will arrive on Xbox Live Arcade.
The first two season of Sam & max, previously released on PC, will be released under the titles Sam & Max: Save the World and Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space. They will be sold as full season bundles.
Unfortunately there has been no price or release date announced. As soon as more details arrive, you can be sure I’ll post them here on The Wire.
Read: Sam & Max’s first two seasons punning to XBLA.
Amped for Resident Evil 5 but don’t have an Xbox 360 or PS3? Today is your lucky day. Microsoft announced that they will be releasing a special Red Xbox 360 Elite bundled with Resident Evil 5.
Available March 13, the limited edition red Xbox 360, which comes with a 120 GB hard drive, Resident Evil 5, matching red controller and more. The bundle will cost you $399.
The full list of features include:
- xbox 360 Elite Console with Exclusive Red Finish
- Matching red wireless controller
- 120GB hard drive
- Resident Evil 5
- Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
- Exclusive Resident Evil Premium Theme
- Xbox 360 black wired headset
- HDTV-ready component HD AV, HDMI and Ethernet cables
Read: Red Xbox 360 Announced for Resident Evil 5 Bundle.
Today Capcom decided to get coy with gamers. It announced that it will unveil its next Xbox 360 title on Monday, Feb. 23.
On Monday, Capcom will release a trailer for the unnamed game on Xbox Live Marketplace.
As of right now there are no clues as to what the game might be. Capcom has not specified if the unknown game will be an Xbox 360 exclusive release or not. Personally I’m hoping for a new Powerstone. I guess I’ll have to wait until Monday to see. Once it is unveiled, you can be sure there will be a post here on the Wire.
This is just a reminder that the Halo Wars demo is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace.
The demo comes with two tutorial levels, the first two missions from the campaign mode, and a skirmish map that lets you test your skills against the computer AI. Both the Covenant and UNSC are playable.
What are you waiting for? Go download the demo and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below. The full version of the Xbox 360 exclusive RTS is due out March 3.
