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Black Ops 2 Revolution DLC – Peacekeeper SMG Q&A With Treyarch Developers

  by   David Veselka  
January 24, 2013 5:48 pm in News

Treyarch Combat Designer Anthony Flame and Lead Artist Murad Ainuddin detail Call of Duty’s first DLC weapon ever, the Peacekeeper SMG, in preparation for Black Ops 2’s first downloadable add-on, Revolution.

In a recent Q&A session on the Call of Duty Elite website, both Flame and Ainuddin talk about the design and balance philosophy behind the Peacekeeper SMG, saying, “It has the lightweight design of an SMG, but with better range and accuracy at the cost of close quarters firepower.”

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Read on for the full Q&A.

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Weapon Choice

There’s a lot of excitement around the Peacekeeper SMG, as it’s the first time Call of Duty has ever offered a bonus weapon with DLC. Why did you go with an SMG?

Anthony:  First we began thinking, what will get the most people excited – what is something that people haven’t seen before? The conversation quickly gravitated to the fact that our two most popular weapon classes are SMGs and assault rifles, so we thought it would be cool to create a hybrid of those. Having a weapon in DLC is new, having this type of weapon is new and it speaks to the choices that players make – we loved the idea.

Design Inspiration

The Peacekeeper is an original design by Treyarch. What inspiration did the art team take for the weapon’s look?

Murad:  Based on Anthony’s direction of creating a hybrid assault rife and SMG, we designed the Peacekeeper to have a compact rifle look. We also wanted to give a base white finish to provide a stark contrast from all the other weapons in Black Ops II, but also in Call of Duty history. We chose a lot of synthetic polymers and lightweight materials to make up the surface look to represent that near-future “hotness.” We want players to feel like this is a familiar weapon, but one they’ve never seen before.

We typically start out with some side profiles, not worrying about detail – getting the big ideas down first. After the profile is approved, that’s when we internally start breaking up components inside the silhouette.

Early Silhouettes

1_Peacekeeper-sihlouette

Balancing

How does balance factor into the Peacekeeper to ensure that it falls in line in terms of stats with other weapons?

Anthony:  The Peacekeeper is a Submachine Gun-Assault Rifle Hybrid. It has the lightweight design of an SMG, but with better range and accuracy at the cost of close quarters firepower. It’s a great weapon for objective modes like Hardpoint, where you need to quickly get into position and cover objectives from a safe distance.

Backstory

Is there any kind of backstory to the Peacekeeper? How does it fit into the lore you’ve created for Black Ops II?

Murad:  The idea is, this is the weapon that is issued to special ops forces of the future to deal with counter-terrorist threats and for VIP protection. It reaches out far, yet compact enough for concealment, and easy to carry and operate in vehicles.

Diamond Camo

For our Diamond Camo fanatics, how will the Peacekeeper affect SMG Challenge progress?

Anthony:  The Peacekeeper does not affect diamond progression for the 6 core submachine guns – they will function exactly as before. If you earn Diamond Camo on the core 6 SMG’s, when you earn gold for the Peacekeeper you will then get Diamond for it as well.

Impressions

Any last words from the team in regard to its use?

Anthony:  We’re very excited for the opportunity to give players a DLC weapon for the first time in a Call of Duty game. This has allowed us to evaluate how the fans are playing the game, and offer new content that improves the online experience. For the Peacekeeper, we wanted to give players a high mobility weapon that wasn’t just meant for close quarters, which will open up more medium and long range firefights. Internally, the team has been having a blast with the Peacekeeper on the new maps. We look forward to the community getting their hands on the Peacekeeper, and seeing how this affects the meta game of Pick 10 selection.

That concludes the interview. We’d like to thank Anthony Flame, Murad Ainuddin, Will Huang, Mark Manto and the rest of the design and development team at Treyarch for their work on the Peacekeeper and taking the time to walk us through its creation.

Tags: PC Featured Black Ops 2 Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Weapon DLC Revolution Black Ops 2 DLC Peacekeeper SMG Xbox 360 PS3

David Veselka

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Origin Sale – Get Battlefield 3 Or Crysis 2 Maximum Edition For $12, And More

  by   David Veselka  
5:06 pm in News

Origin is holding yet another sale, putting some notable first-person shooters at a discounted price, along with many other titles.

Both Battlefield 3 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 are now more than half off, while both Crysis and Crysis 2 see some heavy price cuts as well. The sale lasts until January 28 at 9:59 AM PST, so make sure to check it out before the weekend is up. All prices in US dollars.

Battlefield 3

  • $39.99
  • $12.00

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

  • $19.99
  • $6.99

Crysis 2 Maximum Edition

  • $39.99
  • $12.00

Crysis

  • $19.99
  • $10.00

Sale also includes Batman Arkham City: Game of the Year Edition, Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age: Origins – Ultimate Edition, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit, and other titles.

Check out the full list and make your purchase here.

What are you going to be picking up?

Tags: Battlefield 3 BF3 Crysis Crysis 2 Sale PC Origin Featured Origin Sale

David Veselka

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Battlefield 3 Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 Servers Set to Migrate, Downtime Expected For 8 Hours

  by   David Veselka  
4:45 pm in News

This Monday, January 28, Battlefield 3 servers on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 will undergo maintenance for the duration of eight hours.

Both console servers are expected to be unavailable starting at 22:00 PST. To find out exact times in your location, click here. During this time, DICE will be migrating Battlefield 3 servers “to optimize our online service. If you’re a regular Battlefield 3 plater, this will have no impact except for some downtime during maintenance,” they write on the Battlelog.

Messages will be sent once servers are starting to spin back up.

There are, however, a few notes to be taken for those renting servers in the “South US” region:

  • Your current lease period will run its full course with no change whatsoever
  • After the server migration you will not be able to extend your current lease or start a new lease in the “South US” region – we recommend that you use the “East US” or “West US” region instead

As a reminder, Premium members on all platforms can still participate in Battlefield 3’s January Premium Competition until the 27th. Click here for more details.

Thanks, DRoc, for the tip.

Tags: Battlefield 3 BF3 DICE Xbox 360 PS3 Maintenance

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Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Update Adds Team Deathmatch and Weapon Recoil Changes

  by   David Veselka  
3:07 pm in News

Yesterday, Valve and Hidden Path made a number of changes to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive on the PC, adding a brand new Team Deathmatch mode, as well as adjusting the recoil patterns for a number of weapons in consultation with pro players.

“After gathering feedback from pro players around the world, we’ve made significant changes to weapon balance with global changes to recoil that affect all weapons, as well as specific adjustments to rifles, pistols, and the P90,” writes the CS:GO team in the latest blog entry.

“To try the weapon changes out for yourself, we’ve also added a new game mode to matchmaking and offline play: Deathmatch.”

In addition, the private beta for the Map Workshop was also launched yesterday. You can link your shipped maps or maps in progress that would be suitable for the workshop to csgo_sdk@list.valvesoftware.com with the subject “Map Workshop Beta,” including your Steam ID in the message.

Check out the full list of major and minor changes below:

MAJOR CHANGES

  • A new game mode has been added to matchmaking and offline play: Deathmatch.
  • Weapon balance and recoil were adjusted with pro community input ( Thanks to J3Di, NiP, VeryGames, ESC, 4NOT, mTw, and FM TOXiC )
  • In addition to global changes that affect all weapons, specific adjustments have been made to: rifles, pistols, and the P90.
  • Weapon purchasing changes:
  • The AWP’s kill reward was increased from $50 to $100.
  • The Glock is now a Terrorist only weapon.
  • The FiveseveN is now a CT only weapon.
  • The Terrorists’ molotov price has been reduced to $500. The CT’s incendiary grenade remains $850.
  • Note that the pistol arrangement has changed in the buymenu.
  • The messaging system has been converted to protobuf.
  • Demos recorded with previous versions of CS:GO will not be compatible as of this update. In order to view old demos, set your ‘beta’ to ‘demo_viewer’ in the CS:GO betas property panel, in Steam. Don’t forget to set it back to ‘NONE’ when you want to play online again.
  • If you are running SourceMod on your server, you will need to update to the latest version. For details, see: http://www.sourcemod.net/index.php

MINOR CHANGES

  • Added some performance improvements for low-end clients.
  • Fixed some fence materials that were allowing players to see through smoke grenades.
  • GOTV spectator UI will now correctly show kevlar and helmet information for players.
  • Avatars will now correctly load for all players when connected to a GOTV server or when watching a demo.
  • Added support to notify players during servers maintenance downtime.
  • Fixed a dedicated server exploit where community dedicated servers could masquerade as official and get players searching for official game modes connected to them (saigns.de)
  • Fixed a rare problem when clients matchmaking for Classic Competitive game could be stuck on green Accept screen
  • Fixed a rare problem when clients could connect to a Classic Competitive game and then later be disconnected for failing to accept the match.
  • Improved algorithm pinging whitelisted dedicated servers when searching for Classic Competitive games, pinging less addresses fixes occasional problems for some customers where address translation tables on their routers would fill up and their routers would fail to route required packets to display the green Accept screen.
  • Added support for mm_dedicated_search_maxping to restrict client’s ping when matchmaking for Classic Competitive games. ( Matchmaking algorithm will still be prioritizing best servers to minimize ping of all party members. )
  • Fixed a rare server crash when bots attempted to shoot the bomb defuser.
  • Fixed a client crash when downloading a lot of custom assets from community servers.

NOTES TO MAPMAKERS

  • DEATHMATCH:
  • Deathmatch uses the nav mesh to create spawn points. Make sure that your nav is contained within the bounds of your map to ensure that players aren’t spawned outside of it. Use map_showspawnpoints to see where spawn points were generated.
  • If you want to use mapper-placed spawnpoints instead of the randomly generated ones, place an info_map_parameters in your map and set usenormalspawnsfordm (“Use Normal Spawns in Deathmatch?) to true.
  • WORKSHOP:
  • We’re launching the private beta for workshop maps. If you’re a map maker, mail csgo_sdk@list.valvesoftware.com with the subject “Map Workshop Beta” and your steam id in the content, with a link to maps shipped ( or maps in progress ) suitable for the Workshop.
  • Please use the CSGO SDK list for discussions about Deathmatch and Workshop.

Have you already fiddled around with Team Deathmatch or any of the new weapon tweaks?

Tags: CS:GO Featured Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Hidden Path PC Valve

David Veselka

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Next Week’s Halo 4 Playlist Update Is Full of Griffball

  by   David Veselka  
12:35 am in News

As per usual, a slew of new updates will make its way to Halo 4 this Monday including more Spartan Ops, new War Game playlists and some other features as well.

This Monday, January 28 marks a rather specialized playlist update with the introduction of a Griffball-only playlist. 343 Industries writes, “we’ve worked closely with GrifballHub to create several different Grifball experiences in this new Matchmaking playlist . If you’ve never experienced Grifball, read on, because you’re in for a treat. If you HAVE experienced Grifball, then you probably just peed your pants with excitement and aren’t reading anymore.”

grifball
A Spartan-IV soldier, just striking a pose.

As previously mentioned, a brand new set of multiplayer specializations will also be unlocked for the use of all Spartans. This week, we got the Engineer and Stalker paths to choose from.

Engineer

Spartan optimization for the subversion, repair and reconstitution of a wide range of technology, including Covenant and Forerunner complex networks. The Drop Recon Armor Mod allows users to predict the location and time of an Ordnance Drop through an external suborbital monitoring system.

Stalker

Spartan optimization for target shadowing missions which require tactical invisibility despite operating at an extremely close range to the target itself. The Nemesis armor mod allows users to target and track down previous attacking enemies, highlighting them on the armor’s passive sensors.

Remember, the recently implemented “Community Forge Test” playlist is still live until February 4. If you’re anxious to give feedback, you can do so right here.

Tags: Featured 343 Industries Halo 4 Playlist Update Xbox 360

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Gears of War: Judgment – The Guts of Gears Trailer

  by   David Veselka  
12:27 am in News

Epic Games and People Can Fly have enlisted the help of Lt. Damon Baird to demonstrate what the latest entry in the Gears series is all about.

“The Guts of Gears” shows off some of the many new game mechanics you’ll get to play around with in Gears of War: Judgment releasing this March 19th on the Xbox 360.

[youtube id=”ZeiQ8EoZ1Dg” width=”618″ height=”378″]

What do you guys think? Are you welcoming all of the changes being made to the series so far, including some of the multiplayer tweaks detailed earlier by designer, Quinn DelHoyo?

Tags: Xbox 360 Epic Games Featured People Can Fly Gears of War: Judgment

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THQ Is Shutting Its Doors, Homefront Sold Along With Other Assets

  by   James Lara  
January 23, 2013 4:18 pm in News

After months of struggling, THQ, publishers of the Saint Rows, Homefront, Darksiders, and other franchises has officially announced today to its employees that they will be closing their doors in the coming weeks.

After a 22 hour auction that occurred yesterday, THQ has finally revealed which of their assets have been sold so far:

  • Sega agreed to the purchase of Relic
  • Koch Media agreed to the  purchase of Volition and Metro
  • Crytek agreed to purchase Homefront
  • Take 2 agreed purchase Evolve
  • Ubisoft agreed to purchase Montreal and South Park

These are just the assets that were not apart of the Chapter 11 Case, in which THQ will make an effort to find appropriate buyers.

You can view the full letter sent to Kotaku below.

To All THQ Employees:

We now have the answers we’ve been seeking through our financial restructuring and
Chapter 11 case. While much will be written, here are the facts of the bids and auction
that occurred t:

  • Yesterday morning, we received a competing bid for the operating business,
    along with Clearlake’s offer, and numerous offers for separate assets.
  • During an auction process that lasted over 22 hours, the final conclusion was
    that the separate-asset bids would net more than a single buyer for the majority
    of the company.
  • Shortly, we will, present the results to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, which must
    concur with our assessment.
  • The proposed sales of multiple assets is as follows :
  • Sega agreed to purchase Relic
  • Koch Media agreed to purchase Volition and Metro
  • Crytek agreed to purchase Homefront
  • Take 2 agreed purchase Evolve and
  • Ubisoft agreed to purchase Montreal and South Park

We expect these sales to close this week.

Some assets, including our publishing businesses and Vigil, along with some other
intellectual properties are not included in the sale agreements. They will remain part of
the Chapter 11 case. We will make every effort to find appropriate buyers, if possible.

What this means for employees

We expect that most employees of the entities included in the sale will be offered
employment by the new owners. However, we cannot say what these owners may
intend, and there will likely be some positions that will not be needed under the
new ownership. You should receive notice this week or early next week if the new
owners intend to extend employment to you. Please note that the terms of your new
employment, including pay and benefits, may be different from the current terms of
your employment with THQ.

If you are an employee of an entity that is not included in the sale, we regret that
your position will end. A small number of our headquarters staff will continue to be
employed by THQ beyond January 25 to assist with the transition. THQ has sufficient
resources to pay these employees for work going forward, and we will be contacting
these employees immediately to ensure their continued employment during this
transition period. We are requesting the ability to offer certain severance pay to
minimize disruption for employees of non-included entities as they determine the next
steps in their careers.

We know you will have many questions about this news. We’ll be meeting tomorrow
when we return to talk through this announcement and to answer any questions you
have. You will receive a benefits fact sheet and FAQs with answers to some questions
that may be on your mind. Please review these materials closely.

A personal note

The work that you all have done as part of the THQ family is imaginative, creative,
artistic and highly valued by our loyal gamers. We are proud of what we have
accomplished despite today’s outcome.

It has been our privilege to work alongside the entire THQ team. While the company
will cease to exist, we are heartened that the majority of our studios and games will
continue under new ownership. We were hoping that the entire company would remain
intact, but we expect to hear good news from each of the separate entities that will be
operating as part of new organizations.

For those THQ employees who are part of entities that are not included in the sale, we
are confident that the talent you have displayed as part of THQ will be recognized as you
take the next steps in your career.

Thank you all for your dedication and for sharing your talent with the THQ team. We
wish you the best of luck and hope you will keep in touch.

Sincerely,

Brian Farrell
Chief Executive Officer

Jason Rubin
President

At the current time, there is no news whether this would affect any of the ongoing titles announced in terms of production delays.

Reports on the sales figures:

Studios like Infinity Ward and Naughty Dog have already offered support in the form of potential employment opportunities.


While this has been anticipated for quite some time now, it’s still sad news to hear. We wish all employees the best and hope their talents don’t go unnoticed.

Tags: Crytek Homefront Featured THQ
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James Lara

A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.

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Battlefield 3 January Premium Competition Detailed

  by   David Veselka  
2:25 pm in News

Battlefield 3 Premium members can look forward to yet another competition as we near the end of the month.

This time, DICE is looking for the best team player. Your task is simple but noble: help out your teammates with actions like healing, revives, ammo resupplies, repairing and spot assists.

In order to be eligible, you need to be a Premium member and have downloaded Battlefield 3’s latest expansion, Aftermath. The competition will take place on all Aftermath maps in the mode Conquest on password protected servers. Passwords will be given to all who have read the terms and conditions. Servers will be named “January Premium Competition,” which you can search for in the server browser.

Participants will be monitored for the duration of 72 hours. The top five players on each platform will win a limited edition, signed and numbered lithograph featuring artwork from Battlefield 3. To win, simply perform as many of these actions as possible:

  • Revives
  • Savior kills
  • Heals
  • Ammo resupplies
  • Spot assists
  • Squad attack orders
  • Squad defend orders
  • Repairs

The competition begins this Friday, Janary 25 and runs through to Sunday, January 27. Click this link to see exact start and end times in your time zone. Winners will be notified via email and will also be posted on the Battlelog shortly after the competition ends. Prizes arrive in the form of a code that can be redeemed at the DICE Store.

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Are you going to strut your stuff, help your team, and participate in Battlefield 3’s January Premium Competition this weekend?

Tags: Xbox 360 PS3 PC Featured Premium January Premium Competition Battlefield 3

David Veselka

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Crysis 3 Beta Arrives January 29, Nanosuit Gameplay Trailer

  by   David Veselka  
2:02 pm in News

Prepare for maximum testing. The official Crysis 3 multiplayer beta arrives this January 29.

Unlike the Xbox 360-exclusive Crysis 2 multiplayer beta/demo that took place in 2011, Crysis 3’s multiplayer beta will be available on all platforms and will run for two weeks (until February 12), giving you ample testing time, and developers Crytek a larger window to perfect Crysis 3’s multiplayer experience.

In the beta, you’ll be able to rank your nanosuit soldier up to level 10 and can equip him with various weapons, attachments and nanosuit modules.

You’ll be able to duke it out in two different game modes on two different maps:

Beta Game Modes

Hunter Mode

This multiplayer game mode is all about the survival of the fittest. There are two teams, initially comprised of two permanently cloaked “Hunters”, and up to fourteen CELL troopers awaiting extraction. Each trooper slain respawns on the Hunter team to prey on their former allies, building to a frenetic climax. If any of the troopers survive the round, the hunters lose. Whichever way you play, Hunter Mode delivers a heart-pounding test of strategy and survival.

Crash Site Mode

This multiplayer game mode is the ultimate King of the Hill type experience. An Alien dropship deploys a pod at random around the map. Players on each team must remain near the dropped pod in order to capture the zone and accumulate points. Each alien pod holds two shields players can utilize defensively as weapons. In addition, each Crash Site map will have a “Pinger”, a CEPH-constructed walking weapon of mass destruction. But be careful, other players can hijack the Pinger while you’re inside of it!

Beta Maps

Museum

Roam the dark ruins of the museum that’s located inf downtown Manhattan, and use the verticality to your advantage.

Airport

Close to the financial district, nature has taken over buildings and planes in this open fields area.

[youtube id=”o81ASgPghT8″ width=”618″ height=”378″]

In addition to the beta announcement, Crytek also treats your eyes to another spectacular Crysis 3 gameplay trailer, this time showing off the mystical, alien-enhanced nanosuit.

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Crysis 3 launches February 19 in North America and February 21 in Europe on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Tags: Crytek Xbox 360 PS3 PC Beta Crysis 3 Nanosuit

David Veselka

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Modern Warfare 3 Dominates Xbox Live Charts

  by   David Veselka  
January 22, 2013 10:49 pm in News

This week, Call of Duty earns not only the top spot on the Xbox Live activity charts, but the second as well.

Both this year’s Black Ops 2 and last year’s Modern Warfare 3 sit at 1st and 2nd place while Halo 4 sits closely behind and 3rd place, and Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition at 4th.

While still high up on the list of big boys, it seems Halo 4 is struggling to beat a shooter released last year. Battlefield 3 seems to have moved up slightly from last week’s position, beating Halo: Reach.

Check out the full list from Larry “Major Nelson” Hyrb’s blog. Any surprises?

Xbox 360 Top LIVE Titles (based on average UU’s per day)

  1. Call of Duty: Black Ops II
  2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
  3. Halo 4
  4. Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition
  5. Call of Duty: Black Ops
  6. FIFA Soccer 13
  7. FIFA Soccer 12
  8. Battlefield 3
  9. Halo: Reach
  10. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
  11. Borderlands 2
  12. Assassin’s Creed III
  13. Skyrim
  14. Madden NFL 13
  15. Gears of War 3
  16. NBA 2K13
  17. NBA 2K12
  18. Far Cry 3
  19. Grand Theft Auto IV
  20. Forza Motorsport 4
Tags: Black Ops 2 Halo 4 Modern Warfare 3 Xbox 360 Featured Minecraft

David Veselka

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Defiance – Requires No Monthly Subscription, Four New Editions Announced

  by   James Lara  
8:04 pm in News

Questions surfaced about whether or not Defiance would adopt a subscription-based model. While the micro-transaction in the game are still unknown, Sony revealed yesterday that the title will not have a monthly subscription.

While it’s not exactly a free-to-play title, it does follow the standard of pretty much every console multiplayer title out there, meaning that you’ll have to purchase the game at retail price. Lucky you, there will be four different editions to select from.

Sony announced yesterday that the Playstation 3 version (also available for Xbox 360) of the game will be receiving four different additions. The first edition is just the game, except if you pre-order it you’ll get additional items.

Defiance Pre-Order ($59) Bonuses Include:

  • Outlander outfit helps you blend in with the locals
  • Iron Demon title lets potential enemies know you are not to be messed with
  • Retailer Exclusive pre-order weapon that gives you a leg up out of the gate
  • 3-Day XP boost helps establish you on the battlefield
  • Beta Invitation – get in the game early!

Defiance Digital Deluxe Edition ($99) Includes:

  • Rare VBI Sentinel Shield helps you never let your guard down
  • In-game title: Badlands Drifter
  • Ark Infiltrator outfit – look good while crackin’ skulls
  • Hydra heavy weapon helps you bring the boom early
  • +5 Increased inventory space – don’t leave home without it
  • 30-Day scrip boost – more everything!
  • 30-Day XP boost – level up faster!
  • Lock Box – sweet random rewards!

Defiance Collector’s Edition ($99) includes the Digital Deluxe items and adds the following:

  • Unique Defiance Collectors Box
  • CD soundtrack – from legendary composer Bear McCreary
  • Exclusive Art of Defiance book – unique stills and never-before-seen renders
  • Exclusive Hellbug statue
  • An official Von Bach Industries contract
  • Defiance Post Cards and stickers
  • Bonus “Making of Defiance” DVD
  • 7-Day scrip boost
  • 7-Day XP boost

Defiance Ultimate Edition ($149, GameStop Exclusive) adds the following to the Collector’s Edition:

  • Defiance Messenger Bag
  • Game box and disc
  • Hellbug Statue
  • Art of Defiance Art Book
  • Defiance Soundtrack and Bonus DVD
  • VBI Contact
  • Two Defiance post cards
  • Digital Items:
  • 1,200 Bits
  • Ark Hunter Infiltrator Outfit
  • Hydra Heavy Weapon
  • Retailer Exclusive weapon
  • VBI Sentinel Shield
  • 7 Day scrip boost
  • 7 Day XP boost
  • Lock Box
  • +5 Inventory
  • In-game title: Badlands Drifter

Defiance just went live with a special beta event this past weekend for the PC. No news about if/when the Beta will hit consoles, but it can’t be too far off. For those who played the PC Beta, what are your thoughts?

Tags: Defiance Trion Worlds Xbox 360 PS3 PC Featured Pre-Order
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James Lara

A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.

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Report – Upcoming Black Ops 2 Patch To Include a New Game Mode?

  by   David Veselka  
7:36 pm in Videos

We don’t know much about the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 patch, but based on previous statements made by Treyarch Game Design Director David Vonderhaar, there’s a chance it may include a brand new game mode along with other big changes, as well as… dinosaurs.

[youtube id=”6b_xS6yTAN8″ width=”618″ height=”378″]

What do you guys think? Could a new game mode be a possibility in the upcoming patch?

Tags: PS3 PC Featured Black Ops 2 New game mode War Upcoming Patch Patch Treyarch Xbox 360

David Veselka

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The Elder Scrolls Online – The Alliances Cinematic Trailer, Beta Sign-ups Begin Today

  by   James Lara  
6:01 pm in News

Elder Scrolls fans who are looking forward to the Elder Scrolls Online, you’ll be pleased to know that today, Bethesda Software releases a brand-new Cinematic trailer titled “The Alliances”

[youtube id=”0jNT5cMwxw0″ width=”618″ height=”378″]

Tamriel is at war. Three alliances — the Aldmeri Dominion, Daggerfall Covenant, and Ebonheart Pact — square off for control of The Imperial City.

The time to vow your allegiance is swiftly approaching, as the official sign-up for The Elder Scrolls Online beta program begins today. If selected, you will be one of the first people to embark upon the newest Elder Scrolls adventure, and help us beta test The Elder Scrolls Online.

If you loved that trailer, then you’ll also love that, as of today, Beta sign-up for The Elder Scrolls Online have officially opened. You’ll be able to sign-up here, but please note that this doesn’t guarantee you a spot in the beta.

Now, who’s excited for this?

Tags: PC Featured The Elder Scrolls Online Bethesda Software
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James Lara

A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 – The Replacer Trailer and Double XP Weekend Incoming

  by   James Lara  
1:09 pm in News

If you’re like me, then that means you’re probably a very busy person – gaming, work, real life, etc. With the Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Revolution DLC on the horizon, I just don’t see how I’m going to keep up with with it all.

Luckily, today Activision revealed their latest tool, The Replacer who’s already and set to fill in our shoes.

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Also, check out these screens of new Peacekeeper SMG, included in Revolution.

Lastly, a new in-game message reads as follows:

You want it, and we have got it and are giving it to you – BAM! Starting Friday, January 25th (10am/PST) and running through Monday, January 28th (10am/PST) jump online to earn Double XP.

Mark your calendars: the Revolution DLC Pack drops January 29th to the Xbox Marketplace and the in-game Store. Better yet, pick up your Season Pass right now and get all 4 of this year’s DLC Map Packs at a discount.

We will see you online!

This also most likely means the return of yet another Nuketown 24/7 playlist. As game design director David Vonderhaar mentioned, “It will be back as a single map playlist for Double XP weekends or other events. It’s how we’ve always done it.”

Revolution is set to release later on the PS3 and PC February 28th.

Tags: Xbox 360 PS3 PC Featured Reverge Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
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James Lara

A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.

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StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Opening Cinematic Trailer And Gameplay

  by   James Lara  
12:25 pm in News

With more than two months left ’til release, Blizzard, the developers behind Starcraft and Starcraft 2, have released the opening cinematic video to Heart of The Swarm, the first expansion to Starcraft 2.

As always, Blizzard offers us some of the most stunning visuals for a cinematic trailer. Best known for their work on the World of Warcraft series, Blizzard isn’t holding back anything when it comes to wowing (no pun intended) viewers.

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About the expansion:

The Queen of Blades is gone. On the hellish planet Char, Jim Raynor harnessed the power of an ancient Xel’Naga artifact in a desperate bid to stop the Zerg Swarm from overrunning the Koprulu sector, and the artifact restored Sarah Kerrigan to her human form. Without their queen to guide and unify them, the Swarm has fractured into several broods scattered throughout the Koprulu sector. One of the greatest threats to the galaxy has been neutralized… or so it seems.

Sarah Kerrigan is on the loose. Even without the terrible powers of the Queen of Blades or the might of the Swarm at her command, the former Ghost remains a foe not to be taken lightly. But if the artifact really did set her free, then why is Kerrigan seeking out Zerg broods scattered throughout the Koprulu sector? Is she still pursuing her quest for vengeance, or has her transformation given Kerrigan a new purpose?

The expansion is set to hit both digital and store shelves for the PC on  March 12th, 2013.

Tags: StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm PC Featured
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James Lara

A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.

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Borderlands 2 – News Skins And Heads Now Available

  by   Joel Santana  
10:57 am in News

Ahoy vault hunters! Do you enjoy making your bad-ass vault hunter look more bad-ass with unique customization options such as skins? If so, the lovely folks over at Gearbox have just released a couple of new customization items for your favorite vault hunter, which you can see here.

For those of you who want these new skins and heads for your favorite vault hunter, you’re in luck, as each pack can be bought individually for 80 Microsoft Points, or $1 USD, on the market place of your platform of choice or in the Borderlands 2 in-game store. In addition, as soon as these packs are purchased, they will automatically be unlocked in the New-U customization station ready for use.

Sadly for you completionists out there, if you plan on getting all these new items, there’s no option at the moment to be able to purchase all of these packs at once at a discounted price. So you’re looking at paying a pretty penny, 1,200 Microsoft Points or $15 USD, to be exact.

For those who will be purchasing these new heads and skins for your vault hunters, which ones are you getting? Let us know in the comment section below!

Tags: Xbox 360 PS3 PC Mac DLC Featured Borderlands 2

Joel Santana

Gamer for the past 20 years who loves anything ranging from RPGs, Fighters and of course FPS games. Author

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Dust 514 Gathering Forces Trailer, Open Beta Officially launches Today

  by   James Lara  
10:35 am in News

After months of extensive testing, CCP is pleased to announce today that Dust 514 will be entering its open Beta stage.

To celebrate this announcement, CCP games has released a brand-new trailer called “Gathering Forces.” In this trailer, you’ll learn just what Dust 514 is all about.

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Now that DUST 514 has entered open beta, mercenaries will begin to shape their careers in earnest as there are no further character resets planned and every shot, every battle and every contract counts. Going forward, all skill upgrades, weapon choices, dropsuit selections and vehicle fittings will shape the fighting strategies and the battles of all mercenaries in DUST 514.

The DUST 514 Open Beta is the next step towards CCP’s long-term vision for the EVE Universe. In the upcoming weeks, and for years to come, CCP will continually improve upon the overall DUST 514 experience, adding features, content, as well as deeper integration between the two games,

they said in a press release. Dust 514 Open Beta will be available to download later today once the Playstation Store does its weekly update.

For those who have been in the Beta, how are you liking it so far? Any tips you would like to share for the newcomers?

Tags: PS3 Featured Dust 514
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James Lara

A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.

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[Updated] Black Ops 2 Nuketown 2025 Easter Egg – Hidden Black Ops 1 Multiplayer Faction Emblems

  by   David Veselka  
12:13 am in News

Have you ever stopped to take a look at the pristine beauty that is Black Ops 2’s Nuketown 2025? Probably not, and taking any amount of time to do anything but shoot at your enemy will most likely get you killed in this classic, fast-paced Call of Duty map.

One Redditor who goes by the name leocooper managed to sneak a quick, relaxing gander at Nuketown’s backdrop and noticed something interesting: Black Ops 1 faction flags affixed to the poles along the street.

There’s always something to look for in a Treyarch game. They have been known to include numerous easter eggs in their work, including the uncountable hidden gems in their Zombies mini-game and even other multiplayer goodies like the previous Nuketown 2025 Atari easter egg. So, keep your eyes peeled. You never know what you might find next.

Speaking of factions, what is your favorite multiplayer faction from the Black Ops series?

Update

ChannelOlli also brought us some video footage of the easter egg as well. Thanks!

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Tags: Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Nuketown 2025 Xbox 360 PS3 PC Nuketown Featured Black Ops 2

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Grand Theft Auto 5 PC Version Suggested by Amazon France

  by   David Veselka  
January 21, 2013 9:41 pm in News

Excuse the re-post. Experiencing technical difficulties.

As of today, only Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Rockstar’s upcoming Grand Theft Auto 5 have been confirmed, with a PC iteration only “up for consideration.”

However, a PC listing, along with Xbox 360 and PS3, has recently been discovered on Amazon France, suggesting GTA V’s arrival on the PC a possibility.

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While likely hood of this listing being a mistake is certainly there, Amazon France has been known to get their dates right, according to IGN. Other leaks that turned out sincere included dates and platforms for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, the Killzone Trilogy and the European version of Assassin’s Creed Anthology.

Rockstar Games has yet to comment on the matter.

Thanks, Bosko, for the tip!

Tags: PC Featured grand theft auto 5 GTA V Rockstar Xbox 360 PS3

David Veselka

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Upcoming Black Ops 2 and Battlefield 3 Tournaments to Look Out For

  by   David Veselka  
4:42 pm in News

Need to scratch your competitive itch? Check out these two upcoming tournaments featuring today’s top shooters like Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Battlefield 3

Battle Bowl I – Urgent Fury vs FraggedNation

First up, Urgent Fury and FraggedNation are holding the first ever “Battle Bowl.” Sponsered by Elgato Game Capture HD, the Battle Bowl is a “series of tournaments where the top teams from each community will battle for the Championship Title on various multiplayer games.” Battle Bowl I’s line up includes Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 for the PlayStation 3. Two teams of four will battle it out in an open ladder on both FraggedNation and Urgent Fury starting the 1st of February until the 27th. The top eight teams from each community will move on to the championship bracket on March 2nd and 3rd. The winners take home an Elgato Game Capture HD device for all four members of the winning team while the Community gets to claim the Battle Bowl Trophy.

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Choose your community, set up your teams, and visit either Urgent Fury or FraggedNation for rules and more details. The Championship will be streamed with live commentary on Urgent Fury’s Twitch TV.

Kelevra Close Quarters Challenge

Meanwhile, Battlefield 3 fans can look forward to Kelevra’s “Close Quarters Challenge” on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. Hosted by FraggedNation, combatants can sign up with in a 5v5, Conquest Domination tournament based on Battlefield 3’s Close Quarters expansion pack. The top three teams will go home with great prizes from sponsors like GamerModz, TTeSports, SquidGrip and 4Processing.

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Sign ups on FraggedNations are coming soon. Meanwhile, those interested must sign up for the maling list at KelevraChallenge.com for more details. You can also follow Kelevra Gaming on Twitter.

Tags: Battlefield 3 Xbox 360 PS3 PC Featured Black Ops 2 Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Close Quarters

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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