Red 5 is known as the studio comprised mostly of former Blizzard employees that had worked on World of Warcraft, along with the lead designer from Tribes. There was a lot of fuss a few years ago about their big campaign to hire other prominent developers from around the industry, but it wasn't until this year's PAX that they've shown what they had been working on:

FireFall is an online, team-based action game that people have described as Borderlands meets Tribes meets Starship Troopers, all in a persistent world. You can decide for yourself as you watch this 10-minute gameplay video they showed last week:

All I know is, I've been itching for a new MMO shooter since Tabula Rasa bit the dust... and I love the ability to switch to first-person (as well as how snappy the aiming is). 2011 can't get here fast enough!

Spotted on Kotaku.

EA has stated that their racing MMO based on the Need For Speed franchise has attracted more than a million players since its launch in July. They've also announced plans for new features including new cars, performance customization, a new region, and co-op pursuit mode.

In response to community feedback, it was also decided that the game will become completely free-to-play, enabling all players to access all content and reach the level cap of 50. Before today, free-loaders were limited to level 10 and would have had to pay to unlock further game areas and functionality.

Need for Speed fans have played a critical role in making Need for Speed World a success. Fan feedback has helped shape every aspect of the experience – whether it’s the creation of a new feature or improving polish and progression.

We’re excited to open the gates so that every Need for Speed World player now has free access to all current and future content including new modes, cars, features and more.

Spotted on Blue's News.

Ubisoft has announced that PlayStation 3 owners that have pre-ordered the new Assassin's Creed title will be able to access its exclusive beta test beginning on October 4th. It will feature two maps and two multiplayer modes, each with up to 8 assassins running around at the same time.

Additionally, Ubisoft confirmed a delay of the PC version of the game into the first quarter of 2011. No reason was given, but it was previously scheduled to be released the same day as the console versions, November 19th.

Spotted on VG247.

In an interview with Rock, Paper, Shotgun, Cryptic Studio head Jack Emmert explains what they have in store for their D&D game and how it differs from their previous MMO ventures:

RPS: So what’s the philosophy for this new game? You’ve mentioned in other interviews how differently the company is approaching Neverwinter, so how does that manifest in the design?

Emmert: We want to make an old-school tactical Western RPG. We want to get back to the roots of Neverwinter and we want to taste the strategies of those D&D games where you have to manoeuvre around, select your abilities carefully, and so forth. It’s not turn-based, and it’s not isometric, but that old school model was our focus to start with. Secondly we wanted the game to be immersive, so we want the experience to be inspired by games like Oblivion and Dragon Age, and to take a cue from fantasy products that created incredible worlds to delve into. Thirdly we wanted it to genuinely represent a D&D experience! We looked at the 4th Edition rules and tried to make sure that we could bring that alive as much as was possible with our tools.

---

RPS: Anyway, what I’ve been trying to process here, and it’s tough to articulate in some ways, but this isn’t an MMO in the traditional sense. It’s more like the co-op RPG of old that spilled out onto the net with some persistent bits…

Emmert: I want to clarify that. It’s an online multiplayer game, an OMG. But what makes it unique in the industry is that we’re putting it out there like any other fantasy RPG, like Dragon Age or Oblivion, but we’re going to be supplementing it with content, month after month. Maybe with these other games you will get a DLC here or there, but it’s not continual and there is no persistence. What we’re doing is taking the living, growing elements of an MMO, and attaching that onto a traditional RPG experience. That’s why this OMG model is relatively unique. A sustained effort to grow the game like in an MMO.

Spotted on VG247.

After so many delays that EA actually canceled existing pre-orders, the stand-alone Battlefield spin-off has finally made its way onto the PC. BF 1943 has been available on Xbox LIVE and PlayStation Network for months (and supposedly became the best-selling download on both services), but now you can buy it on the EA Store for $14.99.

This would seem to lend some credence to the possibility of the Bad Company 2 Ultimate Edition coming to PC, though that depends on if they've made any headway with that "problem" of making Onslaught work, as well.

On a related note, stay tuned for more details on the Vietnam expansion for BF:BC2 as they're revealed at the Tokyo Game Show next week.

Sony released new firmware for the PlayStation 3 today in response to the throngs of users attempting to jailbreak their systems and enable back-up copies of games to be played. Version 3.42 requires 168MB of disk space and addresses only the issue of "security vulnerability in the system software."

Though some people are impressed to see Sony's swift reaction to this threat, others fear that they'll be forced to download a decent-sized patch every couple weeks as holes in the security dam are plugged up. This would be especially unfavorable if they continue to be devoid of any other fixes or added features...

Last week, Sony won the court case in Australia, making jailbreak devices illegal in the land down under. (They were awarded all profits retailers gleaned from their sale, as well as other damages.) In addition, they brought suit against another online retailer in California, no doubt hoping to meet similar success in the United States.

It may be too late to nip this in the bud, however, since the jailbreak source code has already been released. As a result, people are cracking their console with their own flash drives, cell phones, and, well, anything that can be connected to the PS3 via USB:

In response to the rumor that Stardock has had to lay off some of its developers recently, CEO Brad Wardell not only confirmed it to be true, but blamed it on worse-than-expected sales of their new game, Elemental: War of Magic:

Elemental's revenue was anticipated to provide the revenue both for our main games team's next project as well as a second team. Unfortunately, that is unlikely to happen so we've had to start laying people off.

No one is being fired. None of these people did anything wrong. Stardock is a small company and each person here is truly amongst the best and brightest. So you can imagine how much it sucks for all of us to lay off anyone. We haven't had to lay anyone off since our migration from the OS/2 market in 1998. It would be great if we can bring as many of these people back over time if the studio can afford it.

No one involved on the core components of Elemental is affected.

Elemental's rocky launch can be summed up (IMO) as follows: Our QA process was insufficient to handle a brand new platform (Elemental = Kumquat 1.0 versus say Galactic Civilizations II was using Pear which was the same engine, modified, from 1997's Entrepreneur) + my own catastrophic poor judgment in not objectively evaluating the core game play components.

He went on to explain that they were planning to have a second development team on staff, probably to work on a new game while Elemental continues to be updated. The company is not in danger, they just can't afford to expand like they were hoping to.

Spotted on Blue's News.

As expected, 2K announced today that Gearbox has been working on DNF since last year (presumably soon after 3D Realms shut down) and the game will be ready for release on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 sometime next year. Gearbox head Randy Pitchford says that they just took over where 3D Realms left off, so the spirit and vision of the Duke's latest adventure remain intact.

From the PR:

New York, NY – September 3, 2010 – 2K Games and Gearbox Software announced today that forever is nearly here, as Duke Nukem Forever® will officially make its long-awaited debut for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC in calendar 2011. Duke Nukem, the interactive entertainment industry’s most irreverent and quoted character of all time, will bring his signature brand of babe-lovin’, cigar-smoking, beer-chugging and ass-kicking action as he once again saves the Earth and our babes from hordes of invading aliens. In other shocking news, Duke Nukem Forever will be playable right now for all attendees 17 and older of this year’s Penny Arcade Expo at the 2K Booth (booth #3417), giving the first hands-on experience with the game that was originally announced during the tail end of the Clinton Administration.

"All great things take time... a lot of time," laughs Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. "After a hiatus from the video game world, Duke Nukem is back and better than ever. The return of the King from the glory days of shooters will satisfy our patient, die-hard fans, as well as a new generation of bubble gum-chewing, flat top and shades-wearing bad-asses. Make no mistake about it - Duke Nukem Forever is a testament to the era of when shooters were bodacious and fun."

Put on your sunglasses and prepare to step into the boots of Duke Nukem, whose legend has reached epic proportions in the years since his last adventure. The alien hordes are back and only Duke can save the world, again. Pig cops, alien shrink rays and enormous alien bosses won’t stop our hero from accomplishing his one and only goal: to save the world, save the babes and to be a bad-ass while doing it. The King of All Shooters is back with over-the-top weapons, massive aliens and unprecedented levels of interactivity. This game puts pedal to the metal and tongue firmly in cheek, among other places. Shoot hoops, lift weights, read adult magazines, draw crude messages on whiteboards or ogle one of the many beautiful women that populate Duke’s life; that is if you can pull yourself away long enough from kicking ass and taking names. Duke Nukem was and will forever be immortalized in gaming history, and this is his legend.

“Hail to the king, baby! It's unbelievable, it kicks ass and it's totally going to happen!” said Randy Pitchford, president of Gearbox Software, "Gearbox has enabled die-hard key Duke Nukem franchise builders and skilled veteran game makers to stand together and deliver. All gamers deserve a happy ending and after all of us gamers feeling the full range of emotions about Duke Nukem Forever, I am thrilled to be in a position with the trust, power and means to make it happen. Am I crazy? Balls of steel, baby, balls of steel!”

Duke Nukem Forever is currently in development for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Windows PC and is not yet rated by the ESRB. 2K Games has the exclusive, long-term publishing rights to the game. To catch your first glimpse of the Duke Nukem Forever experience please visit www.dukenukem.com.

Spotted on Shacknews.

There's a giant rumor going around (with some truth to it, apparently) that 2K Games and Gearbox will be unveiling the rebirth of Duke Nukem Forever this morning/afternoon, depending on what time zone you're in.

Even if it's not DNF, it must be something big, because 2K will be streaming it live over the internets. Keep your eyes on the video feed below starting at 10AM Pacific (1PM Eastern)!

At a press event in LA last night, Treyarch revealed lots of information about Black Ops' multiplayer. Plenty of the features are brand new to the series, here's a brief overview:

• Combat Training mode allows solo or co-op play against AI opponents
• Improved Create-a-Class that changes how your character looks depending on what abilities you choose
• Some weapons can only be found in care packages, such as the explosive R/C car, a minigun, grenade launcher, and SAM launcher
• Introduction of COD Points, an in-game currency earned while playing that is used to purchase unlocks and other stuff (might be a replacement for XP?)
• Mercenary Contracts are timed challenges that you purchase and complete (mid-match? for points?)
• New custom game mode called Wager Match, with four different play types: One in the Chamber, Sticks and Stones, Gun Game, and Sharp Shooter (see trailer below)
• Extensive weapon customization, not only with upgrades, but visual flair like camo and decals

Spotted on CVG.

As you recover from your spit-take, read what Capcom's global head of R&D told Eurogamer:

The goal for Dead Rising 2 is to replace the Resident Evil franchise and become number one IP within Capcom.

As a creator, the sales and marketing part aside, unless you have a big goal to strive for you can't create a good game.

Speaking of the future of that franchise:

Until Dead Rising 2 sells we probably can't start talking about spin-offs.

If it's received pretty well, yes we would consider a sequel. But at the moment we just don't know.

It seems somewhat contradictory to say they want Dead Rising to be bigger than Resident Evil, and then describe a "wait-and-see" approach as far as sequels, but hey, what do I know?

Spotted on VG247.

Apparently this is the second part of "The MOH Experience," a series of videos that show uncut gameplay. The first part was released last week and I missed it, so I included that below.

Fan website ArkhamCity.co.uk reports that some sort of multiplayer component is in the works for Rocksteady's upcoming sequel, as revealed in PlayStation 3 Magazine. There are no details yet, but they speculate that it might be some sort of co-op mode where Cat-Woman joins the Caped Crusader in the ass-kicking.

Oh, right, if you haven't seen the new screenshots, apparently Cat-Woman will be in the game -- check those out here.

Spotted on VG247.

Blizzard announced today that the first part of the StarCraft II trilogy is continuing to smash sales records:

IRVINE, Calif. -- September 1, 2010 -- Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced that StarCraft® II: Wings of Liberty™ has sold over 3 million copies worldwide in the first month of its release, building on the game's momentum as the bestselling PC game of 2010 and the fastest-selling real-time strategy game of all time.*

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty was released simultaneously in North America, Europe, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on July 27. With day-one sales topping 1 million copies, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty became the bestselling PC game of 2010 within its first 24 hours of availability. The game went on to sell more than 1.5 million copies in its first 48 hours, setting the record for fastest-selling strategy game of all time, and has won numerous critical accolades, including multiple editor's choice awards from major gaming publications.

"We appreciate all the enthusiasm that players around the world have shown for StarCraft II," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "It was important to us to deliver an overall gameplay experience that was accessible, balanced, and fun, and it's been gratifying to see how strongly the global community has already embraced the game."

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is the sequel to Blizzard Entertainment's 1998 hit StarCraft, which has been hailed by players and critics worldwide as one of the top real-time strategy games of all time. Sporting a vibrant 3D-graphics engine, StarCraft II once again centers on the clash between the protoss, terrans, and zerg, with each side deploying legions of veteran, upgraded, and new unit types. Unparalleled online play for StarCraft II is available through a new version of Battle.net®, Blizzard Entertainment's world-renowned gaming service. Battle.net has been redesigned from the ground up to be the premier online gaming destination for Blizzard gamers, with several enhancements and new features, such as voice communication, cloud file storage, leagues and ladders, achievements, stat-tracking, and more.

The solo campaign for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty continues the epic saga where it left off in StarCraft: Brood War®. The story line chronicles the exploits of marshal-turned-rebel-leader Jim Raynor and features both familiar faces and new heroes. Players are able to tailor the experience, choosing their own mission path and selecting technology and research upgrades to suit their playing style throughout the 29-mission campaign. Several challenge-mode mini-games are also included, with focused goals designed to ease players into the basics of multiplayer strategies.

For more information on StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, visit the official website at www.blizzard.com/games/sc2/.

CVG points us to an interview with Gabe Newell featured in the latest issue of PC Gamer, in which he says that we can expect at least three big surprises within the next year:

I can guarantee you people are going to be surprised at stuff we do. That isn't going to stop any time soon. I'm just laughing because... people will be shocked again. We have three pretty big surprises in the next 12 months at least.

The apprehensive anticipation is palpable. What do you think they could be?

Just when you thought they had run out of special edition copies of EA/DICE's latest shooter, they come out with a new version that proves they're really not very special after all...

The PS3 and 360 versions of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 have just been re-released as Ultimate Editions, which include all the benefits of the previously available Limited Edition, as well as the Onslaught DLC and Battlefield 1943.

There is no word as to whether the Ultimate Edition will make its way onto the PC (or Onslaught and BF1943 individually, for that matter).

Spotted on Shacknews.

If you're a fan of the standard Xbox 360 controller, but hate that clumsy and imprecise directional pad, you're not alone. Nearly 5 years after the launch of Microsoft's newest console, they have heeded community complaints and finally gotten around to redesigning the D-pad, specifically targeting fans of fighting games that need to be able to pull off those special moves.

Set for release on November 9th (bundled with a new Play & Charge kit for $64.99), these babies are matted in silver and feature buttons in shades of grey rather than gaudy primary colors. The most important feature, though, is the "transforming" D-pad, which changes from the regular disc-like thing to the superior raised cross with a 90-degree twist. Watch the demonstration below:

Spotted on VG247.

The Big 'N' today revealed that on September 12th, the MSRP of the DSi and DSi XL will each be reduced by $20, bringing them down to $149.99 and $169.99, respectively. The DS Lite will remain at its current price of $129.99.

The Nintendo DS family of video game systems is the best-selling in the history of the U.S. and worldwide. The new prices offer consumers tremendous value for their money while providing access to the best portable video game experiences possible.

Hopefully, this means that the release of the 3DS is not too far away. At the very least, we ought to be getting some more information on that in the next couple months. It could also be in response to the steady decline in DS sales we've seen throughout the summer.

Spotted on CVG.

Effective November 1st of this year, Xbox LIVE users in the US, UK, Canada, and Mexico will see about a 20-25% hike in their subscription fees. This was announced on Larry Hryb's (AKA "Major Nelson") Xbox LIVE blog. He also encourages players to renew their subscriptions ASAP to avoid the increase.

Xbox LIVE Gold Subscription Fees
Plans not listed will not be affected
	Current Price	Effective 11/01/10
US: 1 Month	$7.99	$9.99
US: 3 Months	$19.99	$24.99
US: 12 Months	$49.99	$59.99
UK: 1 Month	£4.99	£5.99
Canada: 1 Month	$8.99 CAD	$9.99 CAD
Mexico: 1 Month	499 Pesos	599 Pesos

The Electronic Entertainment Design and Research firm points to inflation as the likely reason for the increase:

When taking into account for [sic] inflation and the additional services available to Gold subscribers in 2010... a $10 price increase still represents an incredible value to consumers.

Spotted on Shacknews.

Anonymous sources have told X-bit Labs that the new logo AMD has designed for future Radeon graphics products will be devoid of the iconic ATI name:

The new logotype that will mark discrete graphics processors developed by AMD will only carry the "Radeon" sign on it, but the "ATI" mark, which has been around for 25 years now, will be missing, people who saw the new image, but declined to be identified, said. The new logotype is projected to appeal to both gamers, the group that acquires expensive graphics cards, and general consumers, potential buyers of performance solutions that are set to tangibly speed up their applications.

The loss of ATI letters from the logotype of Radeon graphics processors marks AMD's intention to unify the brands of products that are developed within it and emphasize the importance of the Sunnyvale, California-based company. However, end-users are likely to miss the ATI logotype since in general people associate the brand with high quality, performance, experience and so on. Besides, 25-years old trademarks like ATI are generally recognizable.

Despite predictions that it may be the worst marketing decision ever made, it would seem AMD is finally getting around to combining their name with the ATI graphics products they've owned since 2006. With the CPU+GPU hybrid chip Fusion on the way, it makes at least some sense for them to take that direction with the branding.

Obviously perturbed by the working PS3 mod-chip on a USB stick that has recently begun selling online, Sony sought and was granted a temporary injunction by an Australian federal court. This means that the device cannot be imported or sold there, and apparently Sony is able to take physical possession of the merchandise in order to enforce that edict.

Until the injunction ends on August 31st, Sony will be trying to get a ruling on the legality of the mod chip. If that happens, all PS3 mod chips and related unauthorized accessories will presumably be made flat-out illegal, and thus banned in that country. However, if it doesn't, Sony must relinquish the chips back to the e-tailers on September 1st, and they will continue to be sold.

Spotted on Gamasutra.

A major update has been released for Mount & Blade: Warband, TaleWorlds Entertainment's medieval action RPG. They're calling it free DLC, but this isn't the first time new features and content have been added in a patch. It focuses mainly on the multiplayer side, with 3 new maps and a duel mode, though there are general balance changes and bug fixes, along with some new horse armor. (Notice they don't charge $2 just for the latter...)

On top of that, they've added more than 70 Steam achievements, most of which apply to the single-player campaign. To celebrate, both Warband and the original Mount & Blade are on sale this weekend for 66% and 75% off, bringing their prices down to $10.20 and $7.50, respectively. Keep in mind that there's really no reason to buy the first one, since Warband has the same single-player game (improved, at that), as well as online multiplayer skirmishes and, now, the achievements.

Valve has posted the July 2010 results of their hardware (and now software) survey on a snazzy web page. Among a plethora of other interesting data bits, it is revealed that about 5% of all Steam users are on MacOS. That may not sound like much, but considering there are at least 25 million active users, that's well over a million Mac gamers that have come on board.

It's worth noting that the percentage was higher (8%) in June, the first month Steam for Mac was released. Some attribute that spike to the Portal give-away, but whatever the reason, the lower, stabilized figure seems reasonable enough. As long as Valve remains committed to churning out the Source ports and adding even more titles to the Mac Steam library, we're likely to see that user base grow to an even larger proportion.

Spotted on VG247.

Titled "Witch Hunt," the last DLC to be released for BioWare's epic RPG will answer all of your burning questions about the Origins storyline. At least, that's what we're hoping...

Available September 7th on the official website or respective console download stores, the add-on content will cost 560 Microsoft/BioWare points or $7.

The dreaded Archdemon has been slain and the advance of the darkspawn halted by a lone, heroic Grey Warden. The kingdom rejoices, but at least one question remains: what happened to Morrigan? The sorceress joined the Wardens cause, but it is said her true purpose was not revealed until the eve of the last battle. She vanished into the shadows, and while rumors claimed she crossed over the mountains into Orlais no trace of her path could be found. She was never heard from again... until now.

Nearly a year has passed since the Archdemon's death, and word has reached the Wardens that Morrigan has returned to Ferelden. She has been sighted in the southern wilderness where she was first encountered. Is it truly her? If it is, then why has is she here and what secret does she carry with her? The Warden heads into the forest to find out and tie up this last loose end once and for all.

Key Features:

• Confront Morrigan in this dramatic conclusion to the Origins storyline
• Earn powerful rewards that transfer into your Awakening and Origins campaign
• Import your character from Origins or Awakening or create a new, high-level hero!

Available for download on AMD's web site, the Catalyst 10.8 drivers include support for a handful of new features (including anti-aliasing in StarCraft II), as well as some performance improvements:

New Features

• OpenGL ES 2.0 support
  • ATI Catalyst™ 10.8 delivers full support for OpenGL ES 2.0 specification
  • Enables 3D accelerated graphics within a web browser that supports OpenGL ES 2.0
  • Supported on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7
• Video Quality default options
  • The Default video options for ATI Catalyst™ have been greatly enhanced to deliver the best quality video viewing experience. Users can also choose to apply these settings to Internet Video via a new checkbox control within the ATI Catalyst™ Control Center
• Performance enhancement for Eyefinity Quad ATI CrossFireX™ configurations
  • Performance has been greatly improved for users running with ATI Eyefinity on a Quad ATI CrossFireX™ configuration
• Anti-Aliasing support for StarCraft II
  • ATI Catalyst™ Control Center enabled Anti-Aliasing is now available for StarCraft II

Catalyst™ Application Profiles

The following application profiles are available with this release of Catalyst™ 10.8:

• Singularity – CrossFire™ profile update
• Mafia 2 – CrossFire™ profile update
• Final Fantasy XIV Benchmark – new CrossFire™ profile
• Lord of the Rings Online – new CrossFire™ profile
• Aliens Vs. Predator – CrossFire™ profile update

Performance Improvements

The following performance gains are noticed with this release of Catalyst™ 10.8:

• Far Cry 2
  • Performance increases 2-6% on ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 Series single and CrossFire™ configurations
  • Performance increases 2-4% on ATI Radeon™ HD 5700 Series single and CrossFire™ configurations
  • Performance increases 3-8% on ATI Radeon™ HD 4800 Series single and CrossFire™ configurations
• Left 4 Dead 2
  • Performance increases 3-5% on CrossFire™ ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 series and CrossFire™ ATI Radeon™ HD 5700 series configurations
• Stormrise
  • Performance increases 5-10% on ATI Radeon™ HD 5600 series and ATI Radeon™ HD 5500 series configurations