'Gears of War: Judgment' OverRun demo publicly available March 19

Gears of War: Judgment will showcase its new OverRun mode in a public demo beginning March 19. COGs who pre-order the prequel from GameStop will gain access to the demo on March 15. Those who previously pre-ordered at GameStop will also be grandfathered in.

A nice bonus of playing the demo is that multiplayer XP earned will transfer over to the final game for those who purchase Judgment in the first week after launch.

If you enjoy Gears on any level, you'll definitely want to try out OverRun when it's publicly available. The class-based team was a standout feature of Judgment when we played it.

PRESS RELEASE:

Get Early Access to "Gears of War: Judgment" OverRun Mode Through GameStop Pre-Order
Pre-order your copy of "Gears of War: Judgment" online or at any GameStop location nationwide to get exclusive three-day early access to the most anticipated blockbuster of this spring beginning March 15; demo available publicly to all Xbox LIVE Gold members on March 19

GameStop, Microsoft and Epic Games are thrilled to announce that "Gears of War" fans across the United States will be able to join the fight against the Locust Horde early through the signature new multiplayer mode in "Gears of War: Judgment," OverRun. Early access on Xbox LIVE begins March 15 exclusively to GameStop PowerUp Rewards™ members who preorder "Judgment" online or at any GameStop location nationwide, and the demo will be accessible to all Xbox LIVE Gold members worldwide once the game launches on March 19.*

The "early access" experience for PowerUp Rewards members who preorder at GameStop will be available from Friday, March 15 at 11:59 p.m. PT to Monday, March 18 at 11:59 p.m. PT. This offer also applies retroactively to members who have previously preordered the game at GameStop.

As an added bonus, multiplayer experience points (XP) earned will carry over to the final game for players who purchase and play "Judgment" in the first week following its U.S. release, allowing them to get a jump on the competition and begin unlocking special rewards, like new weapon skins, medals and achievements.

OverRun is a thrilling new class-based competitive mode that pits Locust and COG soldiers in a head-to-head battle unlike anything "Gears" fans have experienced yet. An objective-oriented mode that lets five-player teams alternate between playing as Locusts and COG soldiers, OverRun marks the first time that a class-based, competitive multiplayer experience has been introduced in the "Gears of War" series. Check out a video tutorial of the new mode at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvdf8tuBrI8.

On top of the "early access" experience, fans who preorder "Judgment" from GameStop will also receive two exclusive pre-order bonuses for use in competitive multiplayer modes:

· "Young Marcus" character skin – Decorated war hero Marcus Fenix is the legendary leader of Delta Squad, a small group of COG soldiers responsible for saving mankind from destruction at the hands of Locust and Lambent forces. This exclusive character skin takes Marcus back in time, six weeks after the end of the Pendulum Wars, and during the chaos of Emergence Day – a time before he was hardened by his long imprisonment.

· Lambent weapon skin – This exclusive weapon skin lets you show off your grub-slaying exploits and customize select weapons with the emulsion of your fallen Lambent foes.

Additionally, everyone who preorders "Judgment" from any retailer worldwide will receive the Classic Hammerburst, a fearsome and effective weapon that served as the standard-issue assault rifle of the Locust Army.

For more details about OverRun early access and other GameStop-exclusive preorder bonuses, please visit: http://www.gamestop.com/xbox-360/games/gears-of-war-judgment/105966#bonusFeatures

Developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by Epic Games and People Can Fly, "Gears of War: Judgment" delivers a riveting campaign featuring new characters, weapons and enemies, and new multiplayer experiences. The "Gears of War" series is one of the most popular franchises in Xbox history, having sold more than 19 million games worldwide, and spawning New York Times-bestselling novels, toys, collectibles, graphic novels, and more. To learn more about "Gears of War: Judgment" and the "Gears of War" franchise, please visit: http://gearsofwar.xbox.com "Gears of War: Judgment" will launch worldwide on March 19, 2013.

*Xbox LIVE Gold membership and 2GB of storage space required to participate. Qualifying GameStop PowerUp Rewards members will receive full redemption instructions via e-mail closer to launch.

Press only:
For "Gears of War: Judgment" assets, including the OverRun tutorial and screenshots ("Screenshots" and "Videos" tabs), please visit: http://press.xbox360.com/products/p206/gears-of-war-judgment.

Dead Space 3 launch trailer is as cold as ice

Dead Space 3 will chill the spines of many a space engineer when it launches into the retail atmosphere on February 5. Not that a wee bit of cold scares Isaac Clarke, as demonstrated by him taking off his helmet at sub-zero temperatures just so he can give the camera some fierceness.

Call of duty Black Ops 2 retakes top spot as Devil May Cry tumbles in UK charts

This week's UK charts feature a very familiar face at the summit. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, the country's best-selling game of last year, is back on top for the first time in 2013 thanks to a 20 percent bump in sales from the previous week. 

Despite it being a relatively quiet January - Ni No Kuni doesn't arrive in Europe until February 1 - DmC: Devil May Cry wasn't able to retain top spot this week. Ninja Theory's reboot fell from grace to No. 4 after a 64 percent drop in sales. Meanwhile, Assassin's Creed 3 went on a climb up to No. 5, ascending on the back of promotional discounts.

Otherwise it's the same ten games doing the limbo, lazily relaxing backs and limply looking over shoulders as they wait for the big hitters of February and March to take to the dance floor. You can boogie on past the break for the UK top ten.

Top 10 UK Software Sales (All Formats); week ending January 26:

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
2. FIFA 13
3. Far Cry 3
4. DmC: Devil May Cry
5. Assassin's Creed 3
6. Need for Speed Most Wanted
7. Just Dance 4
8. Football Manager 2013
9. Skyrim
10. Hitman Absolution

APA trying to determine if gaming addiction is a mental disorder

If you tend to go overboard when playing your favorite video game, meaning spending abnormal number of hours playing, then you might just have a gaming addiction - maybe. The problem is that scientists aren't sure if there is even such a thing as gaming addiction.


NEWS

Back in 2012 the American Psychiatric Association released the final draft of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; otherwise known as DSM, which is the bible of psychiatry. In Section 3 appendix of the DSM-V, the APA describes concepts that need further study before they are classified as actual mental disorders and one of those concepts is "Internet use gaming disorder".

 What this means is that some psychiatrists in the APA believe that there is such a "behavioral disorder" that covers gaming addiction, but more studies will have to be done before it can be moved into the working classifications of mental disorders.

 Most psychological evaluations can be difficult if you can’t study the person's life. This is an example of one such survey that is already being used to evaluate people and the possibility of them being addicted to gaming: (It should be noted that this survey was geared to school-age children)

In the past year:

• Has your schoolwork suffered because you spent too much time playing computer- or video-games?
• Have you ever skipped your studies or co-curricular activities to play more computer- or video-games?
• Do you need to spend more and more time and/or money on VGs to feel the same amount of excitement?
• Have you played VGs to escape from problems, bad feelings, or stress?
• Are you thinking about computer- or video-games more and more?
• Have you stolen a VG from a store or a friend, or stolen money in order to buy a VG?
• Have you tried to play VGs less often or for shorter periods of time, but are unsuccessful?
• Have you become restless or irritable when trying to cut down or stop playing computer- or video games?
• Have you ever lied to family or friends about how much you play VGs?
• Have you ever needed to borrow money so you could get or play computer- or video-games?

 The scoring for the survey; based on yes and no answers, with yes being 1 - or sometimes .5 - and no being 0, went like this. If the person's score added up to 5 they are considered as being pathological for the study. This scoring is based on the DSM's criteria for pathological gambling. The 5-point requirement for classification is a DSM standard.

 While gaming addiction may not officially be a mental disorder, the fact that it has even made the appendix section of the next DSM is important and means that we will start seeing more studies on the subject in the near future.

Gameloft releases trailer for Blitz Brigade, coming soon to iOS and Android

Looks like someone at Gameloft left their scanner on again and out comes another clone of a popular game. Called the Blitz Brigade, Gameloft has now turned to Valve’s highly popular Team Fortress 2 as a source of inspiration for their next game. 

The company has released a trailer for this game, which, although does not show any in-game footage, does show two teams of red and blue color battling it out over a large open map. It also shows just how similar the game looks to Team Fortress 2, including the game characters. 

That may not necessarily be a bad thing. After all, Team Fortress 2 is one of the best games of all time and Gameloft does have a knack for churning out enjoyable games. Still, it would be nice if for once Gameloft released a major title that wasn’t based off of existing console or PC games.

Mass Effect 3's 'Operation: Ballistic' weekend goes for the gold

By now, we are surely all familiar with how this whole Mass Effect 3 multiplayer weekend thing is supposed to work: "Hey N7 Marines, something about the state of the galaxy, something about the Reapers/Geth/Cerberus, perfunctory lore justification, etc, go kill stuff and we'll give you stuff."

It's a good system, so why mess with it? This weekend's Operation: Ballistic challenge charges individual soldiers with earning a gold weapon medal for assault rifles, heavy pistols, shotguns, sniper rifles, or submachine guns. As per usual, the reward for successfully completing the task set before you is one brand-spankin'-new Commendation Pack. 

METAL GEAR RISING: REVENGEANCE - CYBORG NINJA GAMEPLAY TRAILER

Pre-order, get a cool costume, feel like the robo-man you always wanted to be. 

Via IGN.

Logitech to phase out production of console gaming accessories

The third quarter of fiscal 2013 wasn't especially awesome for Logitech, despite the fact that I personally spent 30 of my own dollars on a wireless keyboard within that time frame. Whereas the same period last year saw a net profit of $55 million, Logitech posted a net loss of $194.9 million in its most recent earnings report.

As a result, some of Logitech's divisions will be scaled back, while others will be discontinued altogether. "We have initiated the process to divest our remote controls and digital video security categories, and we plan to discontinue other non-strategic products, such as speaker docks and console gaming peripherals," said Logitech president/CEO Bracken P. Darrell.

While Logitech's console peripheral business will disappear, the company's PC gaming offerings will remain unchanged. We've also been able to confirm that Logitech console accessories that have already been purchased will continue to exist, and will not crumble into piles of dust. These cost reduction measures are expected to take place "by the end of Calendar Year 2013." 

Resident Evil 6 PC ships with new Mercs mode; Siege mode DLC for consoles in March

The PC version of Resident Evil 6 will include a new mode, sort of. The Mercenaries: No Mercy (unofficial name: "The Naries") is based on the existing Mercenaries mode, but with "more enemies on screen than ever before." Ada Wong's campaign will be available when you start the game, playable in co-op, and you will be able to "fine tune the in-game camera," features that were added to the console versions in updates.

Sometime next month, in advance of the March 22 launch of RE6 for PC, Capcom will release a free benchmark test. We'll warn you: regardless of how well your computer handles it, it's still going to be Resident Evil 6.

In addition to the PC news, Capcom also revealed a March release window for Siege Mode on PS3 and Xbox 360, a $4 add-on for two to six people to play online. One team attempts to kill a rookie (AI-controlled) BSAA agent as monsters, while another team controls the living human characters from RE6 as they try to protect him.

PRESS RELEASE:


We're pleased to confirm that the PC version of Resident Evil 6 will contain a new and exclusive mode as The Mercenaries: No Mercy takes fan favorite The Mercenaries and ramps up the gameplay to 11. More enemies on screen than ever before will provide a greater challenge, but also the opportunity for players to use their skills to rack up even higher combo scores.

Resident Evil 6 PC will be available as a digital download in North America from Friday March 22, 2013, with European PC gamers able to purchase both the digital version and a disc based version from the same date. Both digital and physical versions will include the following features, which were added to the console versions in post-launch title updates: access to Ada Wong's campaign from the outset along with the option to play this campaign with a co-op partner, and the ability to fine tune the in-game camera. As with the console releases, players of the PC version will also be able to take advantage of ResidentEvil.net.

Coming in February, PC owners will be able to check out how the game will run on their machine thanks to a free benchmark test. The digital version of Resident Evil 6 PC will be available in North America for $39.99 and in Europe for €29.99/£19.99.

Owners of Resident Evil 6 will be able to further expand their gameplay experience with the release of a fourth additional mode, Siege. An online multiplayer mode for two to six players, Siege sees a lone AI-controlled rookie BSAA agent in trouble and in need of help. Players will split into two teams with one assuming control of enemy creatures who are trying to take down the rookie, while the other team selects playable characters from the main game and must keep him alive. Each game consists of two rounds with teams switching between the human and enemy roles. The human team wins a round if the BSAA agent survives, while the enemies win if they can defeat him. Siege Mode will be available in March for Xbox 360 and PS3, priced at 320MSP/$3.99/€3.99/£3.19.

It has also been confirmed that Survivors, Predator and Onslaught game add on modes will be available for PlayStation 3 owners this February, with each individually priced at $3.99/€3.99/£3.19.

All four post launch game add on modes – Survivors, Predator, Onslaught and Siege – will be available for PC owners to download and purchase shortly after March 22, with any future title updates for the console version also being made available free of charge for PC owners.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist collector's edition includes a remote-controlled plane

The arms race taking place between publishers of military action games continues to heat up. Ubisoft is one-upping the Call of Duty: Black Ops spy car by including a working radio-controlled plane with a special edition of Splinter Cell: Blacklist. The $170 "Paladin Multi-Mission Aircraft Edition" includes a radio-controlled Paladin airplane, just like the one Tiny Sam Fisher uses as his base in-game (or, if you prefer, a scale model of Regular Size Sam Fisher's plane).

The bundle also includes two co-op maps, in-game items, and a Splinter Cell Echoes graphic novel. See footage of the new content, and that plane, on IGN.

Resident Evil: Revelations on Consoles Looks Better but Still Sounds About the Same

On one hand, this is the first trailer for Resident Evil: Revelations on consoles and PC. That lets you see the game (which released on the 3DS a year ago) as you've never seen it before.

On the other, that means you're seeing something that looks like BioShock, starring Davy Jones' bad guys from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest with some Dead Space thrown in.

It gets here in late May, on Wii U, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Watch Far Cry 3’s Vaas Tear Up Liberty City On A Snowcross Bike

Sure, Jason Brody is also featured here—he's the protagonist of Far Cry 3—but who cares? He's riding in the back anyway.

This bizarre video by insanegaz proves that the main characters from Far Cry 3 can be just as cool outside an island paradise as they are inside of it. Well, not Jason. He just kind of falls over at some point and them mysteriously, another one appears to take his place. Creepy.

Go away, Jason. I want to play a game as Vaas. Open world game like Grand Theft Auto or, yes, Far Cry 3 would do. Blissful soundtrack optional.

• GRAND THEFT AUTO IV VAAS & JASON ON SNOWCROSS BIKE HD [insanegaz]

Dr. Halsey lays the smack down in this Halo 4 Spartan Ops episode 7 trailer

If Halo 4's Spartan Ops has proved anything, it's that Dr. Halsey is not to be trifled with – and as the trailer for episode 7 above proves, she's not above smacking a fool.

Below, we've got some screens from the sixth episode in the Spartan Ops saga released this week, in case you haven't had a chance to drop some Covvies or wish to relive your conquests through still images on a website.

GameStop, Amazon offer killer discounts on Assassin's Creed 3

Even members of clandestine orders with a strict dress code can appreciate a good deal. GameStop is offering the PC version of Assassin's Creed 3 for $30, while Amazon is discounting the romp through alt-history to $35. Neither retailer has stated when the offers will expire.

Ubisoft has announced the first episode in the three-part Tyranny of King Washington DLC pack – dubbed "The Infamy" – is launching on February 19. The add-on will be available simultaneously on PC, Xbox 360 and PC for $10 as a standalone download or included within the $30 Assassin's Creed 3 Season Pass.

Half-Life now runs on Mac OS X and Linux, we assure you

Now with a Steam page that doesn't expressly list Mac as a supported platform, we understand your skepticism regarding the headline to this very post. Indeed Half-Life has been ported to both OS X and Linux today.

We tried it on OS X and it totally worked, though we've yet to try it on Linux. Odds are if you have a Steam account, you probably already own Half-Life – but if for some reason you need to purchase this iconic shooter, it'll set you back $9.99 on Steam right now.

Assassin's Creed 3's Tyranny of George Washington DLC

Ubisoft has unveiled the official release date for the first part of Assassin’s Creed III’s Tyranny of George Washington DLC.  When is it? Less than a month away.

The Infamy is the first of three parts to the Tyranny of George Washington DLC, and it will become available on February 19th for the PC and Xbox 360.  PlayStation 3 owners will be able to access the content on February 20th.  Here’s a description of the DLC from the Assassin’s Creed III official site:

“It’s 1783 and the American Revolution is over, our hero, Ratonhnhaké:ton, awakens from an unsettling dream to find that despite his efforts to deliver justice in the newly-founded United States of America, a new king has been crowned – George Washington. Blinded by a thirst for unlimited power, Ratonhnhaké:ton must dethrone the tyrant and return freedom to the land.”

The Tyranny of King Washington: The Infamy will cost $9.99, or 800 Microsoft Points, and can also be purchased at Best Buy or GameStop.  The DLC will be free if you hold the Assassin’s Creed III Season Pass, which costs $29.99, or 2400 Microsoft Points. 

ASSASSIN CREED 3WALLPAPERS:

You Can Pay For Weapons In Dead Space 3 Because Of Mobile Gamers, Apparently

Many Dead Space fans were disappointed this week after hearing that Dead Space 3 would feature microtransactions—or, the ability to buy in-game goods for real money. Today in an interview with CVG, Dead Space 3 producer John Calhoun stated that microtransactions exist because they intend to court mobile gamers.

There's a lot of players out there, especially players coming from mobile games, who are accustomed to micro-transactions. They're like "I need this now, I want this now". They need instant gratification. So we included that option in order to attract those players, so that if they're 5000 Tungsten short of this upgrade, they can have it.

We need to make sure we're expanding our audience as well. There are action game fans, and survival horror game fans, who are 19 and 20, and they've only played games on their smartphones, and micro-transactions are to them a standard part of gaming. It's a different generation. So if we're going to bring those people into our world, let's speak their language, but let's not alienate our fans at the same time.

 

Would a typical mobile gamer be playing Dead Space 3? I don't think so, but maybe some. I think it's more likely that the people taking advantage of microtransactions in Dead Space 3 will just be impatient Dead Space players.

Patience is not platform-exclusive, after all. Mobile just happened to capitalize on it early; it hasn't weaned players to suddenly expect to be able to pay for things in a game. Having that luxury is just plain attractive (to some.) No conditioning necessary.

Regardless, everyone is free to abstain from purchasing anything if they want, instead opting to earn things the good ol' fashioned way.

• Dead Space 3 producer on micro-transactions and keeping the horror alive [CVG]

God of War: Ascension includes early access to The Last of Us demo

The Blu-Ray of Total Recall came with a God of War: Ascension demo. Now the chain of demos continues: when you buy God of War Ascension, it will in turn come with a demo for The Last of Us.

The demo won't be on the disc when Ascension comes out May 7, but it will enable early access to the one-chapter sample of The Last of Us at a later date. "Just load the God of War: Ascension disc into your PS3 and find The Last of Us listing on the main menu," Eric Monacelli, Naughty Dog Community Strategist explained on the PlayStation Blog. "There, you'll find details on how you can obtain The Last of Us demo for free as soon as it becomes available." 

Game Developers Choice Awards nod to Journey, Dishonored, FTL

Finalists for the 13th annual Game Developers Choice Awards represent the broad swath of modern game development, featuring indie and mainstream games side-by-side and in perfect, competitive harmony. Journey, a game that we thoroughly enjoyed, leads the pack with six nominations in Best Design, Best Downloadable Game, Best Audio, Best Visual, Innovation and Game of the Year. Dishonored follows with four nominations in Best Narrative, Best Visual, Best Design and Game of the Year.

The Walking Dead gets three nods, for Best Downloadable Game, Best Narrative and Game of the Year. Rounding out the Game of the Year category is Mass Effect 3 and XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Mark of the Ninja, FTL: Faster Than Light, The Unfinished Swan and ZombiU join Journey in the Innovation category. The Best Debut category features Polytron Corporation with Fez, Fireproof Games with The Room, Humble Hearts and Dust: An Elysian Tail, Giant Sparrow and The Unfinished Swan, and Subset Games with FTL.

Take a peek at the entire GDCA lineup in the press release below, featuring finalists in 10 categories. The awards ceremony is scheduled for March 27 in San Francisco, during GDC 2013. 

PRESS RELEASE:

JOURNEY, DISHONORED, THE WALKING DEAD LEAD
2013 GAME DEVELOPERS CHOICE AWARD NOMINATIONS
Halo 4, Mark of the Ninja, Assassin's Creed III and Others Garner Multiple Nominations in Industry's Most Prestigious Peer-Based Awards to be Given Out at GDC 2013

SAN FRANCISCO - Jan. 24, 2013 - Organizers have revealed the finalists for the 13th annual Game Developers Choice Awards, the leading peer-based video game event celebrating the industry's top games and developers. Winners in all categories will be honored at the Game Developers Choice Awards ceremony, taking place on Wednesday, March 27th at 6:30 pm at the Moscone Convention Center during the 2013 Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco.

Independent titles are heavily represented across multiple categories this year, with games from that segment of the industry being nominated alongside some of the year's biggest mainstream releases. Overall, Thatgamecompany's visually-and-aurally stunning emotional adventure Journey leads with nods in six categories: Best Design, Best Downloadable Game, Best Audio, Best Visual, Innovation and Game of the Year. Bethesda Softworks' and Arkane Studios' historical revenge epic Dishonored is recognized in four categories, Best Narrative, Best Visual, Best Design and Game of the Year.

Another leading nominee is Telltale Games' The Walking Dead, a post-apocalyptic adventure title based on Robert Kirkman's comic book series of the same name, honored in three categories for this year's awards: Best Downloadable Game, Best Narrative and Game of the Year. Rounding out the Game of the Year finalists are BioWare and Electronic Arts' action role-playing game Mass Effect 3, also nominated in the Best Narrative category and Firaxis Games' and 2K Games' tactical role-playing strategy title X-COM: Enemy Unknown, also recognized in Best Design.

Additional titles with multiple nominations include Ubisoft Montreal's Assassin's Creed III and Microsoft Studios' and 343 Industries' Halo 4, long-running franchises which are nominated alongside newcomers like Giant Sparrow's The Unfinished Swan and Subset Games' FTL: Faster Than Light.
 
The 2013 Game Developers Choice Awards are open to any video game that was initially released and made publicly available to consumers during the 2012 calendar year, irrespective of platform or delivery medium. Industry professionals participate in open nominations for the selection of this year's finalists. Winners will be selected by the Game Developers Choice Awards-specific International Choice Awards Network (ICAN), which is an invitation-only organization comprised of leading game creators from all parts of the industry.

The complete list of nominees for the 13th annual Game Developers Choice Awards is as follows:

Best Audio
Journey (Thatgamecompany/Sony Computer Entertainment)
Hotline Miami (Dennaton Games/Devolver Digital)
Sound Shapes (Queasy Games/Sony Computer Entertainment)
Assassin's Creed III (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)
Halo 4 (343 Industries/Microsoft Studios)

Best Debut
Humble Hearts (Dust: An Elysian Tail)
Polytron Corporation (Fez)
Giant Sparrow (The Unfinished Swan)
Subset Games (FTL: Faster Than Light)
Fireproof Games (The Room )

Best Game Design
Dishonored (Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks)
Mark Of The Ninja (Klei Entertainment/Microsoft Studios)
Spelunky (Derek Yu/Andy Hull)
Journey (Thatgamecompany/Sony Computer Entertainment)
XCOM: Enemy Unknown (Firaxis Games/2K Games)

Best Downloadable Game
The Walking Dead (Telltale Games)
Spelunky (Derek Yu/Andy Hull)
Trials: Evolution (RedLynx/Microsoft Studios)
Mark Of The Ninja (Klei Entertainment/Microsoft Studios)
Journey (Thatgamecompany/Sony Computer Entertainment)

Best Technology
Far Cry 3 (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)
PlanetSide 2 (Sony Online Entertainment)
Halo 4 (343 Industries/Microsoft Studios)
Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Treyarch/Activision)
Assassin's Creed III (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)

Best Handheld/Mobile Game
Gravity Rush (SCE Japan Studio/Sony Computer Entertainment)
Hero Academy (Robot Entertainment)
Sound Shapes (Queasy Games/Sony Computer Entertainment)
The Room (Fireproof Games)
Kid Icarus: Uprising (Sora/Nintendo)

Best Narrative
Spec Ops: The Line (Yager Entertainment/2K Games)
Mass Effect 3 (BioWare/Electronic Arts)
Dishonored (Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks)
The Walking Dead (Telltale Games)
Virtue's Last Reward (Chunsoft/Aksys Games)

Best Visual Arts
Borderlands 2 (Gearbox Software/2K Games)
Journey (Thatgamecompany/Sony Computer Entertainment)
Far Cry 3 (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)
Dishonored (Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks)
Halo 4 (343 Industries/Microsoft Studios)

Innovation
Mark of the Ninja (Klei Entertainment/Microsoft Studios)
Journey (Thatgamecompany/Sony Computer Entertainment)
FTL: Faster Than Light (Subset Games)
The Unfinished Swan (Giant Sparrow/Sony Computer Entertainment)
ZombiU (Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft)

Game of the Year
Dishonored (Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks)
The Walking Dead (Telltale Games)
Mass Effect 3 (BioWare/Electronic Arts)
XCOM: Enemy Unknown (Firaxis Games/2K Games)

Journey (Thatgamecompany/Sony Computer Entertainment)
The Game Developers Choice Awards also recognizes three Special Award categories: the Pioneer, Ambassador and Lifetime Achievement awards, which will be announced in the near-future. In addition, the first-ever Audience Award for the Choice Awards – open to all finalists for this year – will open for online voting in mid-February.

For more information about the 13th annual Game Developers Choice Awards, visit http://www.gamechoiceawards.com. For information about the 2013 GDC, visit http://www.gdconf.com.

Crysis 3 open multiplayer beta uncloaks on Jan. 29

On January 29, Crytek will issue an open invitation to sample the multiplayer side of Crysis 3. This two-week affair will conclude on February 12, giving PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 players a chance to sample two modes and two maps ahead of Crysis 3's February 19 launch.

The game modes in question are Crash Site, a team-based mode where players fight to capture and defend specifically marked location on the map for points, and Hunter, an asymmetrical mode where two cloaked guys with bows stalk and kill visible CELL soldiers – once a CELL soldier is killed, he respawns on the other team as a Hunter.

EA says the beta will be available to all players, though we should note that does not override the need for a Gold subscription on Xbox Live.

Latest Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance trailer covers the importance of electrolyte intake

Staying hydrated is key, and while sports drinks can be a good source of electrolytes, so too can the liberated spines of your enemies. 

DmC prequel comic 'The Chronicles of Vergil' unleashes first digital issue

The first issue of Titan Comics' DmC: Devil May Cry prequel, The Chronicles of Vergil, is now available for download through comiXology. You can purchase either through a computer browser or through the comiXology app on iOS, Android and Kindle Fire.

This first issue of the proposed two-book run, written by Guillaume Dorison (AKA Izu) and illustrated by Robin Recht and Patrick Pion, leads up to the events of Ninja Theory's DmC game. The print version drops on May 15, and the follow-up issue hits comic store shelves on June 19. 

PRESS RELEASE :

TITAN COMICS LAUNCH DMC: DEVIL MAY CRY TIE-IN COMIC SERIES!

Titan Comics release tie-in comics to the bestselling videogame franchise DmC: Devil May Cry!

Titan Comics is pleased to announce the launch of the DmC: Devil May Cry: The Vergil Chronicles Comic, based on the all-new reimagining of the world-famous Devil May Cry videogame saga. The first of two tie-in comics is available digitally from today, coinciding with the release of new videogame installment, DmC: Devil May Cry. The two issues will hit comic stores in print from May.

The Devil May Cry series has sold over twelve million copies worldwide, spinning off into an animated series, graphic novels, manga, action figures, statuettes, clothing and more. The franchise has also just been picked up for adaptation by Screen Gems, the studio that produced the blockbusting Resident Evil movies.

The first of two comics, released digitally today, takes place before the game DmC: Devil May Cry and reveals the unmissable backstory of Vergil and Kat; with never-before-seen revelations!

This gorgeously illustrated story features chilling and resplendent art that takes the characters into stratospherically blockbuster dimensions of hellish action and atmosphere.

Freshly translated for a simultaneous release with the French edition, this beautifully illustrated story, in the vein of Titan's thrilling Assassin's Creedgraphic novels, is written by Guillaume Dorison aka Izu (Omega Complex) and illustrated by artists Robin Recht (The Third Testament) and Patrick Pion (Tomb Raider: Dark Aeons).

The two-part comic series is available to read today on the iPad, iPhone, Web, Android and Kindle Fire, exclusively through the comiXology app and comiXology.com

In print, DmC: Devil May Cry: The Vergil Chronicles #1 is on sale May 15 and #2 is on sale June 19.

Retailers can order DmC: Devil May Cry: The Vergil Chronicles #1 from the February 2013 edition of Diamond PREVIEWS. For updates retailers can sign-up to the Titan Comics retail newsletter, here or follow @TitanRetail on Twitter.

To keep up-to-date with news from Titan Comics, visit www.titan-comics.com or join us on Facebook or Twitter.

Next Saints Row, Metro Games Will Be “Faithful To Their Franchises”, Say New Owners

Koch Media owns publisher Deep Silver (Dead Island). It now owns both the Saints Row and Metro franchises, along with the studios that made them. Fans have every right to be cautious about a management change, but while Koch said in a media release earlier today it "will roll out future plans for each franchise in the coming months", Deep Silver has since tweeted the following:

(@VolitionInc)

I mean, yeah, of course they'd say that. But in the absence of anything else, it's something for fans to hold on for while they await news of the future.