Daily News Roundup: April 14, 2009

Today on TGR…

GameOn: Big Red Potion Episode 9: The Epic Handheld One
Warning: This week’s Big Red Potion lives up to its name… well, the big bit at least.

New Iraq War Game Invokes Controversy
Gold Star Families Speak Out issued a statement in spite of some troops’ support of the game.

inFamous Recieves New Release Date
Gamers still have to wait, they just have to wait less.

Valkyria Chronicles 2 Could Be Coming
In the meantime, a new anime series and some new DLC will have to do.

Elsewhere on the interwebs…

Patch 3.1 Drops for World of Warcraft
You have to give it to Blizzard. Even though they charge $15 a month to play their super popular MMORPG, World of Warcraft, they definitely do not skimp when it comes to adding new content to keep the game fresh and exciting. Patch 3.1 was released on North American servers this morning, adding a brand new dungeon for guilds to raid, the Argent Tournament, dual specs, new items, and much, much (and I do mean much -this is easily one of Blizzard’s largest and most ambitious patches ever) more.

 

Stardock Goes Extra Mile to Ensure Demigod Customer Satisfaction
Stardock, the developers of the soon to be released (or already released if you’re Gamestop) Demigod, takes bad news pretty well. According to their official forum, when they heard that Gamestop violated the release date for Demigod and started selling it early, they didn’t freak out. Well, maybe they freaked out a little. Instead of taking a well deserved rest before the game’s launch, the guys over at Stardock are now working over time to ensure their servers are prepared to handle the early rush. Not only does Stardock refuse to use invasive and inane copy protection, but they are also willing to go the extra mile guarantee customer satisfaction. Kudos.

Nintendo Admits Last Year’s E3 Showing Could Have Been Better
Bummed out by Nintendo’s showing (or lack thereof) at last year’s E3? Don’t worry. According to Play.Tm, Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime acknowledges that it could have been better and that they are taking steps to ensure Nintendo’s display of games and wares at this year’s E3 will be stronger. "We’re hoping to do a much better job this year. You’ll have to see for yourself." said Fils-Aime.

 
Microsoft Extends Xbox 360 Warranty
While Microsoft may have helped Xbox 360 owners fix their defective consoles with the RROD, one issue that they did not address was the less common (but still prevalent) E74 error message that would pop up on broken consoles. However, Microsoft posted on their website today that they have decided that the E74 error is associated with problems stemming from the RROD and, as a result, is also covered by their 3-year warranty.

Killzone 2 DLC Not Free
According to Tweakers.net, Sony has stated that any news source reporting that the Killzone 2 DLC "’Steel & Titanium Pack" would be free is mistaken. Though Sony has yet to determine how much gamers will have to shell out to play the new maps, they have never announced that it would be free of charge. After all, why provide gamers with new stuff for free when you can charge them for it? Right, Capcom?

Sony: Microsoft “writes cheques” for Exclusives

Sony and Microsoft certainly don’t have a history of playing nice with one another, and, in an interview with VG247, Sony’s head of marketing, John Koller, pours a whole barrel of gasoline into the fire. Essentially, he accuses Microsoft of writing big checks for exclusive titles, like the recent expansion pack Lost and the Damned for GTA4, to compensate for a weak first party lineup.

 

Author: mark_fujii