On top of providing "further clarity" to Mass Effect 3's ending, some more details regarding the upcoming "Extended Cut" DLC have come out. "Extended Cut" will include cameos from both Admiral Hackett, who is played by Lance Henricksen, and EDI, voiced by Tricia Helfer.

"I just did another session with them. They were saying there's a little bit of a problem with the abruptness of the ending," Hendriksen told G4 during a press junket for a new animated series called Tron: Uprising that he's involved in. "So we did a whole series of things to add to the end of the game, to live up to the quality they've been doing." Helfer, also part of the show, confirmed EDI would make an appearance.

Hackett, EDI confirmed for Mass Effect 3 'Extended Cut' DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2012 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brothers in Arms: Furious 4 may be in trouble. Some lapsing trademarks for the its title intimate the Gearbox-developed game is all but abandoned (or the name is changing), and our inquiries into Gearbox Software have yet to be answered. "We don't have anything to share at this point in time," an Ubisoft representative told Joystiq.

Brothers in Arms: Furious 4 was announced at last year's E3 ... and then that was it. We didn't hear a single thing after that preliminary announcement, even though the game was given a tentative 2012 launch window. Right now a cancelation isn't confirmed, but it's looking like these four will have something to be really furious about soon enough.

Expiring trademarks suggest trouble for Brothers in Arms: Furious 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2012 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA's request to dismiss a class action lawsuit from former NCAA athletes has been denied, meaning the trial will movie forward and EA stands to lose more than $1 billion if found at fault.

The former NCAA athletes claim EA conspired with the NCAA and the CLC to have players sign away their likenesses and names to be used in video games without compensation. The players allege that in order to participate in NCAA sports they were required to sign a form allowing EA their likenesses in games, even after their college sports careers ended.

The federal judge previously dismissed other claims in the lawsuit, but denied EA's attempt to have an antitrust claim thrown out.

EA is facing more than a few lawsuits at the moment, but it did recently settle a two-year-old lawsuit with Activision, with as-yet undisclosed concessions from either side.

Former NCAA athletes' lawsuit against EA is so on originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2012 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The "Maiden Epics" pack of Iron Maiden tunes coming to Rock Band next week has things that sound like they wouldn't be metal, but are, in fact, totally metal.

Like "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." Sounds like some old epic poem, right? Well, it is epic in that sense, as well as in the sense of being thirteen minutes long.

Continue reading Rock Band Weekly: Iron Maiden

Rock Band Weekly: Iron Maiden originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2012 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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38 Studios's $1.125 million check to the state of Rhode Island has cleared, governor Lincoln Chafee announced during a press conference this afternoon, thus fulfilling the first required payment on the studio's loan from the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation.

Rhode Island is changing its legislation on tax breaks, closing loopholes pertaining to state funds being used for motion-picture endeavors, Chafee said. The state's interest lies in protecting the taxpayers, balanced with keeping 38 Studios solvent, since "taxpayers have had a very generous deal for 38 studios," Chafee said.

"It's time for them to go out and get private capital funding," Chafee said. "That's the deal. It's a generous deal, but stick to it."

Rhode Island officials believe that the total of the $49 million loaned to 38 has been spent. Chafee said that until late April, meetings with 38 suggested that they would make their May payment. "I want to make sure we're doing everything possible to make sure 38 doesn't fail," Chafee said. "We're in deep." Everything possible except giving them more money."There's not going to be any money from the state. They're not coming here for easy money."

According to Chafee, "Basically, the access to private capital hasn't materialized."

38 Studios' next payment is a debt service payment due November 1 of $2.6 million, and Rhode Island officials believe the studio will have the capital to cover it.

38 Studios will then owe $12.6 million in full annual debt service in 2013, and "that's on their dime," officials said.

Chafee said he recognized the risk involved in starting a new gaming studio, but the state would have benefited greatly from the studio's "huge success" had it done well.

"I said from the beginning that it was a risky enterprise," Chafee said. Regarding how 38 Studios will function if it doesn't have the funds to pay its employees, Chafee reiterated, "Again, these are the ramifications of being in a risky business."

Chafee doesn't plan on taking a gamble of this nature again: "Never, never ever. Not under my watch," he said.

38 Studios successfully pays $1.125 million to Rhode Island originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you've somehow managed to get your fill of Trials Evolution's dusty peaks and valleys already, Techland's latest, Mad Riders, may be perfect for you. And hey, the game is set to launch on May 30 according to the latest trailer. That's pretty soon!

Like Trials before it, Mad Riders is a digital-only title, but unlike Trials, it's not limited to a single console (Mad Riders is headed to PSN, XBLA, and PC). It'll be available one day earlier for PSN users on May 29, and May 30 on XBLA and PC, but it'll cost the same on all three: a cool $10. Techland describes that as "an awesome game for the price of a pizza," though we'd warn the studio against devaluing its games as such. What kind of pizza are you gonna get for $10? Terrible pizza, that's what!

Techland's Mad Riders touches down on PSN May 29, XBLA/PC on May 30 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2012 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The IMDB page for PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale reveals some more all-stars appearing in the game as some form or another. Listed in the voice cast are Nolan North as Uncharted's Nathan Drake, David Hayter as Snake, Eric Ladin as Infamous's Cole McGrath, and ... Jerry Lambert as fictional executive Kevin Butler.

It's tempting to imagine Kevin Butler's in-game stint as the VP of Special Attacks, but these characters aren't necessarily playable. The game is full of cameos, like Captain Quark in the background of a Ratchet & Clank level. We're asking Sony to clarify this information. Kevin Butler would tell us, if he existed.

Update: For its part, Sony said it didn't set up the IMDB page. And since IMDB listings can be edited by users, it's entirely possible it was fabricated by a dreamy-eyed fan hoping to will this into existence.

IMDB: Kevin Butler, Cole McGrath, Drake, Snake voice actors in Playstation All-Stars cast originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Having made a lifelong profession out of pocketing items of high value, Sly Cooper should feel right at home on the PlayStation Vita. Sony and developer Sanzaru Games, which updated and packaged Sly's PS2 adventures in an HD trilogy collection, have announced that Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time will also launch on Vita, day-and-date with the PlayStation 3 version.

In addition to being portable and cross-save compatible with the PS3 version, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time will offer a few augmentations specific to the Vita hardware. When Sly dons an archer's outfit, for instance, his arrows can be steered into their targets - and connect Sly to those areas via a rope bridge - by tilting the Vita. (Sixaxis? What's that?)

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time is due on both PS3 and Vita sometime in Fall 2012. When questioned, a Sanzaru representative told Joystiq that it had not yet been decided whether purchasing one version would grant you complimentary access to the other.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time snatches a spot on Vita originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2012 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poor Harley Quinn. First the Joker breaks her mind, and then The Batman breaks her heart. It's nice to see that she's not wallowing in self-pity, though, and that she's got the initiative to get back out in the world and make a name for herself. Granted, she's using homicide to do so, but still, good for her.

This latest trailer for Ms. Quinzel's starring role as an Arkham City DLC antagonist gives us a look at the various brow beatings Batman and Robin will dispense to the citizenry of Gotham's beating lunatic heart, as well as somewhat unsettling introduction from the man in white himself.

Harley Quinn is still really upset in the latest Arkham City DLC trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2012 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Who has time to accumulate cash then wait for a game to launch before actually paying for it? In this work-a-day world, we need to prepare for such things; we need lead time. And if you're of a similar mind, it may please you to know that Sorcery will be the first game to kick off a new pre-purchase feature on PSN.

Right now, you can log onto PSN and pay for Sorcery, triggering a download granted you have auto-download enabled. Once you have the game pre-loaded, you can play as soon as Sorcery launches next week on May 22.

Sorcery is the only game you can pre-purchase through PSN right now. We've inquired with Sony about future games.

Sorcery kicks off new pre-purchase functionality on PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Previously, Konami's FMV-esque trailers for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance have given us weird, disorienting looks into the surgical processes involving Raiden's robo-arm and cyborg eye, but this latest episode is a little more ... theatrical, let's say.

Anyone who clearly remembers and is still somehow able to comprehend Raiden's background as outlined in Metal Gear Solid 2 will be able to piece together what's happening in this video, though we're still not entirely sure why you'd hand a sword to someone during surgery, even if that surgery's purpose is to turn them into a milk-powered electro-ninja.

Metal Gear Rising's live-action vignettes continue with 'Sword' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Let's face it: Street Fighter X Tekken just wouldn't be Street Fighter X Tekken without at least one game-breaking bug. This was probably Capcom's thought process when it launched the latest patch, which introduces a glitch that freezes the game whenever Rolento's knife hits an opponent's fireball.

The above video demonstrates the bug, which affects Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games that have been updated to version 1.04, Shoryuken reports. The patch does fix a few problems, such as hit box issues.

Patch breaks Street Fighter X Tekken in new and exciting ways originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sure, we already had a post earlier today detailing the lavishly equipped Deluxe Vault Hunter's Collector's Edition and Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition of Borderlands 2, but what about us average Joes? What about everyone who wants to look at Borderlands 2 packaging, but doesn't want to waste time daydreaming over ornate collector's editions that won't fit in our tiny efficiency apartments? Where's that post?!

Shhhhh, it's okay. It's right here, friend. This is that post. Behold, the regular retail packaging for Borderlands 2.

Borderlands 2 box art deserves its own post originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quantum Conundrum's more than just fluffy pillows and super heavy stuff. It's also all about ripping apart space and time itself at your whim, with the helpful aid of a glove-enabled "shift device," as demonstrated in the trailer above.

Quantum Conundrum's latest trailer blows the doors off time, our minds originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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38 Studios was unable to make payroll this week, but is in the process of making the $1.125 million payment that set off the company's crisis earlier this week. WPRI reports that a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) did confirm that former Red Sox player Curt Schilling's video game company was unable to pay its employees.

A source tells Joystiq that beyond not making payroll, all temps and contractors at 38 Studios were let go this week.

At the same time, Governor Lincoln Chafee's office stated 38 Studios is in the process of making the overdue payment to the state. The head of the RIEDC, Keith Stokes, who approved the $75 million loan to 38 Studios in 2010, resigned late last night.

If 38 Studios does close, Rhode Island taxpayers will have to repay the $75 million bond (plus interest) through 2020, but they'll own the intellectual property of the developer, which would likely be sold at auction.

If the company does make the payment to the state, the next round will be owed in 2013. Of course, there won't be a 38 Studios much longer if it isn't paying employees.

Update: The hand-delivered check for the overdue $1.125 million payment has been returned by the EDC to 38 Studios after the company's chief financial officer said there were insufficient funds to cover it.

Continue reading 38 Studios doesn't make payroll, can't pay state either [update]

38 Studios doesn't make payroll, can't pay state either [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Director Guillermo Del Toro's THQ project, inSane, "is not cancelled" according to THQ's Executive VP of Core Games Danny Bilson. The executive went to Twitter last night to make the declaration.

The statement comes a couple days after THQ, which reported a loss of $239.9 million in the previous fiscal year, announced during an investor call it was looking to unload Tomonobu Itagaki's Devil's Third for a few extra bucks.

During that same investor call, the company also reiterated that the Turtle Rock Studios (Left 4 Dead) FPS and Patrice Désilets' game, speculated to be 1666, are still in production.

THQ reaffirms existence of inSane, other games originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GameStop PowerUp Rewards members who pick up Ghost Recon: Future Soldier on May 22 at, well, GameStop, will receive a code to participate in a planned closed multiplayer beta for Far Cry 3, Ubisoft announced today. The beta will kick off this summer and last two weeks on the PS3 and Xbox 360.

If you don't want to buy Ghost Recon, Ubisoft will also be giving away 500 codes through Facebook. It sounds like this is going to be a pretty big beta, so best of luck to those looking for entry. Ubisoft will announce the specific window for Far Cry 3's closed beta at a later date.

Continue reading Far Cry 3 kicks off a two-week closed beta this summer on PS3, Xbox 360

Far Cry 3 kicks off a two-week closed beta this summer on PS3, Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darksiders 2's Death is apparently not good at the maths. A man runs at 10MPH. A horse can trot at 30MPH. A colossus lumbers along faster than both. Don't kill the colossus, Death! Put out a picnic near the back of one of its shoulders and casually relax to your destination.

Continue reading Darksiders 2: Death in the shadow of the colossus

Darksiders 2: Death in the shadow of the colossus originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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---

Standing amongst fallen leaves in an unknown forest, a face stares at me from the side of a tree. It's not a real face, of course, only a mask. Expending considerable effort, I pry the mask from the tree, revealing a hollow behind it. Housed within the hollow is a small pickaxe. Upon grasping the handle, I black out.

I wake up in the middle of a frozen wasteland. Crawling along the hard surface, I clear away some snow with my forearm, exposing the ice underneath. It's not a wasteland at all; it's a lake. Beneath the ice is a golden chalice. A noise from behind prompts me to clear away more snow, exposing a horror underneath: A woman is trapped below the ice, and she's still alive.

The pickaxe still rests in my hand, so I immediately go to work, chipping away as the woman squirms against the surface. My heart pounds as the axe falls again and again, slowly cracking the ice. Finally, the ice gives way - directly beneath me - and I tumble into the chilly abyss, sinking down as I watch the light of sky recede into nothingness. Again, I awake in the forest, the mask in my hand, which I quickly discard.

This is a moment pulled directly from Datura. Did I do something wrong? Something right? I haven't got a clue.

Continue reading Snapshot: Datura (PS3)

Snapshot: Datura (PS3) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just a reminder, because there's no way you'll get this from the trailer: This cel-shaded, unmistakably anime game about a plucky teen and his robot ... is a Lost Planet spinoff. The PS3/3DS action game E.X. Troopers is even more implausible in motion than when all we had was a text description.

Stare in disbelief at EX Troopers' first trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Walking Dead's critically acclaimed game adaptation has sold over a million episodes across platfoms in its first two weeks. The game takes Heavy Rain-inspired mechanics and weaves them into an intense and morally ambiguous experience.

"The most exciting aspect of getting off to such a great start is that this is just the beginning of the five episode series. The Walking Dead fans are going to experience some really great moments in the months ahead that are uniquely influenced by the choices they make throughout the season," said Telltale Games CEO Dan Connors.

The second episode of the five-part series will be available in June. We are currently following up with the developer to find out if having "sold over one million episodes" means the first episode sold a million units or if those who bought a season pass of five episodes were counted five times.

Continue reading The Walking Dead sells a million episodes [update]

The Walking Dead sells a million episodes [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Good day, vault hunters. Today, 2K Games announced two special editions of Borderlands 2 for optional acquisition for the game's launch in September.

The $100 "Deluxe Vault Hunter's Collector's Edition" includes the game, Marcus Kincaid bobblehead, art book, stickers, digital comic and some unspecified DLC. There's also the "Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition" (pictured), which includes all items previously mentioned, along with actual red loot chest box and other goodies.

Pre-ordering the game in any edition (even the plebby "standard") at "participating retailers" will also net access to the Borderlands 2 Premiere Club, to download the Gearbox Gun Pack, Golden Key, Vault Hunter's Relic and the Mechromancer character class when the game's out.

Continue reading Borderlands 2 special editions revealed

Borderlands 2 special editions revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What's better than being able to fly in Gotham City Impostors? Looking good while you do it, of course - and you'll be able to do both with the upcoming Steamy Punk DLC pack.

Gotham City Impostors 'Steamy Punk' DLC adds jetpacks, general dapperness originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The next DLC for Mass Effect 3 won't be the "Extended Cut" DLC planned for this summer, if a pulled listing on Sony's Hong Kong site is to be believed. The next piece of content will apparently be focused on multiplayer and available for download tomorrow.

The Rebellion Multiplayer Expansion is a series of multiplayer maps and other goodies. "The Rebellion Multiplayer Expansion opens two new fronts against the Reapers: Firebase Jade's jungle reservoir and Firebase Goddess on Thessia," Kotaku reports. "In-game reinforcement packs now include three new weapons as well as equipment, consumables, and six new classes: Quarian Engineer and Infiltrator, Vorcha Soldier and Sentinel, Phoenix Adept and Vanguard." The listing has since been pulled from Sony's site, so we're unable to confirm the contents of the listing.

Update: BioWare community guy Chris Priestly hit the forums to debunk the rumor - at least, about it launching tomorrow. Priestly does say we'll learn more on multiplayer DLC in the future, but doesn't specifically address Rebellion. "We will have more information on ME3 MP DLC in the future, I hope later this month, but nothing more to be said now." [Thanks, JustinSaneV2]

Rumor: Mass Effect 3's next DLC is the Rebellion Multiplayer Expansion [Update: BioWare responds] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA and Activision have reached a settlement in a lawsuit that began two years ago, pertaining to the departure of Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella. EA had been accused of secretly recruiting the pair while they were still at Activision.

No details about the settlement are currently available, but both companies said today that they will file a settlement agreement in Los Angeles' California state court.

Former Infinity Ward developers Jason West and Vince Zampella sued Activision in 2010 after being fired, claiming damages of $36 million from unpaid royalties associated with Modern Warfare 2, which launched in 2009. After leaving Activision, the pair began their own studio, Respawn Entertainment, and inked a publishing deal with EA. Since then, West and Zampella's claim rose to $1 billion and Activision countersued with EA as a defendant.

Activision recently paid out $42 million to the Infinity Ward Employee Group, though not as a settlement; IWEG said it would pursue litigation and is still scheduled for trial May 29.

The settlement news comes the same day as a report on Activision's "dirt"-digging tactics has surfaced, stating that Activision launched an information-gathering IT spree on West and Zampella just before the launch of Modern Warfare 2, intended to see them both fired. Activision called it "Project Icebreaker."

No joke.

In Project Icebreaker, Activision's George Rose asked the IT department to access West and Zampella's email, voicemail and computer without anyone's knowledge, a court filing given to Giantbomb by West and Zampella's attorneys shows. The orders reportedly came from Activision CEO Bobby Kotick. Activision attempted to use third-party security specialists and threw around the idea of staging a fake fumagation to get into West and Zampella's offices, the report says.

But now the case is settled -- any verdict on the level of sanity of gaming companies is, however, still out.

EA and Activision settle in Call of Duty lawsuit originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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To get a real sense of the severity of the situation between 38 Studios and the state of Rhode Island, here's a package by the Providence Journal. The events shown immediately follow today's "emergency meeting," where officials decided they didn't know what to do about the studio.

The scene following 38 Studios' 'emergency meeting' with Rhode Island officials originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Despite being a huge bummer for everyone involved, the end of the world can at least be counted on as a magnanimous source of drama and spectacle. Naughty Dog's latest game, The Last of Us, aims to leverage the studio's sophisticated technology and credible presentation to forge a more intense connection between players and their on-screen avatars. If it succeeds, your actions will stem from the same paranoia, hesitation and fierce bravery coming from Joel and Ellie, two survivors of modern civilization's mysterious closure.

Continue reading The Last of Us demo offers a first look at Naughty Dog's direction

The Last of Us demo offers a first look at Naughty Dog's direction originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic Mickey's first foray was a Wii-exclusive affair. This time around, Junction Point is bringing Mickey's epic-ness to what it's calling "next-gen consoles." We might call them "7-year-old consoles," but, well, Mickey's best bud is from 1920, so we can appreciate the anachronism at play here.

Epic Mickey 2 and 'The Power of Next Gen' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We assume while everyone was waiting for the Diablo 3 servers to boot back up yesterday, they played as much Max Payne 3 as the downtime allowed. So, since everyone has finished the entire Max Payne 3 campaign, Rockstar is mixing up multiplayer gameplay with a free DLC pack for Xbox Live and PSN, titled "Gorilla Warfare."

The Gorilla Warfare pack contains a gorilla mask, which gives players extra adrenaline for melee kills from behind; the lucky coin, giving players extra booty for looting bodies; and the booby trap item, which has players' corpses explode when they're looted.

The Rockstar Pass is also now available for download on Xbox Live and PSN. The Rockstar Pass gives players all of the Max Payne 3 DLC for a one-time price of $30. These offers will hit PC on launch day, May 29.

There's already some Max Payne 3 DLC, and it's free originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If 38 Studios does shutter, beyond Rhode Island taxpayers having to pay off the $75 million bond (plus interest) through 2020, it appears the state will also own the intellectual property of the developer as a parting gift. Reviewing updated documentation released by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) today, it appears 38 Studios put up all present and future IP by the company as collateral.

According to the documentation, 38 Studios' intellectual property rights and other collateral were pledged to the RIEDC and assigned to a trustee, which we've confirmed by pulling Uniform Commercial Code documentation. Any proceeds made from the sale of the collateral would go back to the bondholders. This covers "all rights, title and interest in any projects, including video game projects," such as Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and "Project Copernicus" - the title currently in development at 38 Studios.

"Based on what information I've been able to review on the 38 Studios situation, it appears that the funds they received from the RIEDC were secured by collateral that amounts to all of 38 Studios assets, including all of their intellectual property," attorney and Law of the Game editor Mark Methenitis told Joystiq this afternoon. "That would include all the rights to Kingdoms of Amalur and any other games they may have in development, even if no information about those titles has ever reached the light of day."

Continue reading Rhode Island owns Amalur, all other 38 Studios intellectual property if studio defaults

Rhode Island owns Amalur, all other 38 Studios intellectual property if studio defaults originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today's emergency meeting by Rhode Island officials to determine what they are going to do about Curt Schilling's 38 Studios has concluded with officials freezing like deer in headlights. Nothing happened.

Rhode Island's Economic Development Corporation will take no immediate action to aid the developer, following a closed-door meeting attended by Governor Lincoln Chafee and Schilling, who asked for additional help to save the company. Schilling refused to answer press inquiries and officials wouldn't declare how much money the studio is seeking.

"How do we avoid throwing good money after bad?" Chafee is quoted by the Associated Press as saying after the three-hour emergency meeting finished.

"The company still has the option to cure the existing default by paying the $1,125,000 guaranty fee that is past due," reads an official statement by the EDC board. "In the meantime, we will continue to talk with 38 Studios and develop additional information, and will resume the Board meeting at our regularly scheduled meeting on May 21. The members of the Board may not discuss the confidential information received and discussed today."

If the studio doesn't receive assistance, it appears Rhode Island taxpayers may very well be on the hook for the $75 million 38 Studios loan that, after interest, would require paying back $112.6 million through 2020.

Continue reading 38 Studios, Schilling ask Rhode Island for more money; state officials freeze

38 Studios, Schilling ask Rhode Island for more money; state officials freeze originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You see that dude above, straight chillin'? Yeah, you've seen him before - like, a few weeks ago, when the image leaked alongside several other Crysis 3 screens. Well here he is again, but this time he's got a whole bunch more totally official screens, straight from EA. Thrilling!

Continue reading Crysis 3 screens both new and 'new'

Crysis 3 screens both new and 'new' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Searching for the proper metaphor for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2, the best I can conjure is a glass of milk. There's nothing really wrong with it per se, but it's not exactly exciting either. It has some good qualities and is mildly refreshing, but when's the last you time you raved about a glass of milk?

Continue reading Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 review: Running in place

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 review: Running in place originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We certainly didn't expect a 3DS spinoff of Lost Planet ... and we definitely didn't expect a 3DS-slash-PS3 spinoff. EX Troopers, revealed in this week's Famitsu magazine, is also unexpectedly anime styled, featuring manga panel cutscenes and a theme by Jpop star May'n.

EX Troopers takes place on EDN-3rd, in some kind of academy. Bren Turner is new in school, and seems to jump right into the Akrid fighting in what producer Shintaro Kojima describes as a beginners' action shooter.

No official images have been released yet (above is Lost Planet 3), but expect to see a lot of this, as Capcom indicated plans to use this IP outside of games, like its other "Single Content Multiple Usage" initiatives.

EX Troopers: a Lost Planet spinoff for ... 3DS and PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Like the TARDIS, the PS3 is "bigger on the inside," capable of holding an entirely new Doctor Who adventure within its slim casing. The BBC announced today that Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock will be released "globally" on PlayStation Network Wednesday, May 23, and in UK retail the following Friday. "We really appreciate your patience as we've been making sure the game is perfect for all you eager fans," said executive producer Simon Harris, referencing the two-month delay of the game, which made the title unfortunately ironic.

The brief announcement on the PlayStation Blog did not offer any release dates for the announced PC or PlayStation Vita versions. It also doesn't tell us if the game will finally reveal the fate of the Doctor's daughter Samantha.

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock lands on PSN May 23 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The full PlayStation downloads list for April - as opposed to the sneak peek we got thanks to Pulse earlier this month, where the list is not segregated by platform - has been released and Ubisoft's I Am Alive was indeed the top download. On the PS3 and PSN list, thatgamecompany's Journey followed Ubisoft's long-awaited title. Reverge Labs' debut Skullgirls managed to snag the third spot.

On the PS Vita side, Escape Plan continued to dominate - no surprise since there's not much else for the PS Vita right now, though that changes today. Modern Warfare 3's Content Collection #1 drop on PSN also did well, topping out the PS3 add-on category. Finally, Final Fantasy VII was the top PSOne Classic, but then again you already knew that because it's always Final Fantasy VII.

I Am Alive tops April 2012 PSN downloads; Escape Plan still atop PS Vita list originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft is celebrating the gorgeous, inviting weather of May with a sale on PSN titles designed to keep you indoors for days. Today through May 22, a large Ubisoft lineup is 30 percent off for standard PSN users and 50 percent off for PlayStation Plus members.

Titles include Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Scott Pilgrim, Prince of Persia Classic Trilogy HD and Far Cry 2, among other full games and DLC packs. Check out the full list and prices below, you hermit.

Continue reading Ubisoft sale on PSN has some big titles at tiny prices

Ubisoft sale on PSN has some big titles at tiny prices originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capcom is revising its DLC strategy to include less content on-disc at launch, senior vice president Christian Svensson writes in a post in the Capcom forums. "We would like to assure you that we have been listening to your comments and as such have begun the process of re-evaluating how such additional game content is delivered in the future," Svensson says.

This introspection follows vicious complaints about Street Fighter X Tekken's on-disc DLC, to which Capcom responded that it sees no distinction between on- and off-disc DLC. A few titles currently in production will ship with on-disc DLC, including Dragon's Dogma, Svensson writes.

Capcom decided to add DLC on Dragon's Dogma discs "at the beginning of the game's development cycle as at the time this was determined to be the most efficient way of ensuring certain content was made available," according to Svensson. "You are being heard," Svensson concludes.

Capcom re-evaluating on-disc DLC, is 'listening' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even in the post-apocalyptic setting of The Last of Us, safety comes first when driving. Buckle that seat belt, Ellie!

Take the scenic route through this The Last of Us trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PixelJunk 4am drops its sick beats on PSN today, daring anyone to look cooler or make prettier sounds come out of a TV than mixmaster Baiyon. Seriously, launching this game is a dare in itself - to create something beautiful and share it with the world - so don't be a wuss. Today PSN also gets Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2, Prototype 2 and Rock of Ages for download on PSN.

PlayStation Plus members get Rock of Ages for free, Goldeneye 007 Reloaded for half price ($30) and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Complete Edition for 40 percent off ($15). The entire run-down of content, free, discounted and just-launched, is available on the PlayStation Blog.

PSN Tuesday: PixelJunk 4am, Sonic 4: Episode 2, Rock of Ages originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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