Blizzard Exec: Microsoft not doing enough for PC Gaming

Rob Pardo

It’s great that there’s a resurgence of PC gaming, or at least PC game development. Valve is already doing fantastic with promising stuff in Steam Cloud. Blizzard show their respect for the venerable platform by making pretty much all their games PC-exclusive (and they’re all big hits, too). I mention this because I believe that Blizzard has every authority of accusing Microsoft for not doing anything for Windows and gaming.

Ever since Microsoft dipped its feet into the console world, it’s never come back, devoting all of its gaming attention to the Xbox and Xbox 360. This is with good reason, as Blizzard COO Paul Sams notes, because it is where Microsoft Games’ bread and butter is, and it is their system, after all.

But they just can’t continue to ignore Windows.Certainly they have a lot in Windows. And Windows is a system that supports all the business applications as well as games.” he says. That’s true: active participation from Microsoft is what is necessary to bring forth the PC as a gaming platform. Windows is easily the most widespread platform right now, with more copies of Windows in this world than every other console combined.

Take heed, Microsoft, and mend your ways!

Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath For Xbox 360 Ships To Retail

The Dark Messiah is wreaking havoc on consoles again! Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath has shipped to retail outlets in North America and Europe for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. The standalone follow up to the award-winning, bestselling real-time strategy game of 2007, Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars 2, Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath for the Xbox 360 contains all of the key features from the PC version while adding exclusive enhancements including the revolutionary CommandStick interface, the all-new Kane’s Challenge mode and all of the units, structures and superpowers from Tiberium Wars giving you command over 100 deadly tools of destruction – all for only $39.99.

“Our team has been very passionate about delivering the same fast, fluid and fun gameplay that has defined the Command & Conquer franchise on the PC to consoles,” said Jim Vessella, Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath producer. “Each time we release a new RTS on consoles, we want to make sure we help continue to bridge that platform gap, and with the CommandStick in Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath we are giving players an unprecedented amount of control.”

Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath on the Xbox 360 features four gameplay modes, including the all-new and exclusive Kane’s Challenge – a grueling gauntlet of 90 matches against nine deadly armies, featuring exclusive cutscenes and taunts from Kane. Skirmish and multiplayer battles are available for up to four players over Xbox LIVE, with VisionCam support and over 50 maps to choose from. Players will also be able to enjoy a 13-mission story-driven campaign, told through over 40 minutes of high-definition, full-motion videos starring Natasha Henstridge (Species), Carl Lumbly (Alias) and, of course, Joe Kucan as Kane himself. The epic story spans two decades of Tiberium Lore, focusing on the rebirth of the Brotherhood of Nod after the Second Tiberium War through the dramatic events of the Third Tiberium War and beyond.

For more information about Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath, including a full list of the game’s achievements, or the Command & Conquer series, please visit the franchise’s official site at www.CommandAndConquer.com. And be sure to check out the latest news about Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath, Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 and all things Command & Conquer on Command & Conquer’s own dedicated online programming network, Command & Conquer TV.

Vader’s apprentice from Force Unleashed now in Soulcalibur 4

Force Unleashed screenshot

In what appears to be a somewhat disturbing trend of cross-overs and cameos, we now have one more outlandish addition to Soulcalibur 4’s roster: Darth Vader’s apprentice. Star Wars nerds will be quick to point that there has been only one apprentice to Lord Vader, and that is the guy from Force Unleashed. So yeah, apparently he’s coming into Soulcalibur 4.

Darth Vader and Yoda have already been included into the roster, and we thought they were pretty much the only ones. For all we can guess now, though – we might have the entire Star Wars cast in a few seconds.

While Vader and Yoda were exclusive to the PS3 and the Xbox 360 respectively, the Force Unleashed apprentice will have no such restrictions and will be available to both consoles, because yeah – the loser apprentice is always nerfed enough to not be exclusive.

Meanwhile, rivalling series Mortal Kombat has got the DC Universe as a crossover. Batman vs. Sub-Zero or Lord Vader vs. Ivy? Must have!

Soulcalibur IV will be releasing on the Xbox 360 and PS3 on July 29. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Nintendo DS will be arriving on September 16.

BioWare CEO: More Licensed and Original Games coming

Ray Muzyka

BioWare, pretty much a juggernaut in the RPG section of the games industry made waves with Mass Effect, and have no intention of stopping just yet. BioWare is already on a roll with several titles under development, such as the sequel to Mass Effect, their original IP Dragon Age and the unannounced, top-secret BioWare-LucasArts “interactive product” thing.

Ray Muzyka, CEO of BioWare talked in an interview about Mass Effect, working on original or licensed IP and what’s up with Mass Effect with a hint of Dragon Age in the mix. Hit the jump to find out the details!

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Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe!

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

While competing franchise Soul Calibur roped in Yoda and Darth Vader and roster, Mortal Kombat has decided to go extreme by tying in with none other than the DC Universe itself. While this was supposedly rumoured to be in the past, fansite Mortal Kombat Online has hard facts on this, as well as the poster you see above.

Amusingly, the site mentioned on the poster appears to be dead as of this writing.

Hit the jump for some extra info.

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Gears of War movie confirmed for 2010 release

Gears of War

The Gears of War movie, which has been floating around wistfully much like the Halo movie, has finally been confirmed for a hard on 2010 release. The news comes straight from producer Wyck Godfrey, so there’s no doubt about any of this now!

Hit the jump for more!
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