GC 09: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Landing In March

“When Battlefield: Bad Company 2 ships in March, it will deliver the best online multiplayer experience ever.” Those were the words of Karl Magnus Troedsson, Battlefield: Bad Company 2’s executive producer, at this week’s GamesCom in Cologne Germany.

Even if only half of that statement turns out to be true, we either have a new sequel to the Battlefield series this coming March, or we will have an experience with multiplayer that goes far beyond what gamers have enjoyed in Activision’s own Call of Duty 4.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is planned to be available to consumers for the PlayStation 3, PC and Xbox 360 on March 2 In the United States and March 5 in Europe.

Mass Effect 2 Box Art Stares Right Through You

The box art for BioWare’s upcoming sequel to Mass Effect has hit the curled up ball of interconnected wires we call the internet. The first thing to be seen is Shepard staring right at you, which is very, very intimidating. The “2” has bullet holes, and it appears that Shepard and cre have decided to go on a rather slanted rock climbing adventure.

And then of course there is the PC version, which does not stand out as much as the Xbox 360 version:

So where is the PlayStation 3 version? Oh that’s right, sorry PlayStation Nation.

Army of Two: The 40th Day San Diego Comic-Con Trailer

Army of Two: The 40^th Day, an upcoming shooter from Electronic Arts, was shown at the San Diego Comic-Con this week. It appears that to help promote their upcoming game and Comic-Con booth, EA has decided to release a new trailer for Army of Two: The 40^th Day.

The 40^th Day is a sequel to the original Army of Two, and takes place in a post-destructed Shanghai. Interaction with your single player or co-op teammate has improved in this sequel, allowing the player(s) to fake surrender (to outflank the enemy), automatic covering, and human shields. Can you say meat shield? The 40^th Day also gives the player more abilities such as picking up a max of four weapons and storing them in your arsenal, more control over your teammate, and upgrading your weapons with new add-ons and options.

Army of Two: The 40^th Day hits store shelves in late 2009 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable.

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Need For Speed Nitro races onto shelves Nov. 17

Electronic Arts will release their upcoming racer on the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii this November 17^th.  Nitro is designed to offer “fun and intense competition for every type of gamer”, and is specifically made for the casual-gamer side rather than the hardcore-gamer fan base. This new addition to the Need for Speed series adds the police to the scene to make it just a little bit harder for you to finish your race. Too bad there is no Dunkin’ Donuts to use as bait!

There are different race types in Nitro, such as circuit, sprints, and knockout. Races feature up to 12 players, and have many feature icons such as repairs for your car, or increasing an opponent’s wanted level.

Need for Speed: Nitro is being developed by EA Montreal, and will hit stores on November 17^th for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii. Nitro is currently priced for preorder at $39.9, but is subject to change.

Xbox 360 Community unlocks Coral Sea Map from Battlefield 1943

After six days of non-stop gaming on the Xbox 360s version of Battlefield 1943, the Xbox community has unlocked the Coral Sea map.

Having achieved 43 Million kills, the Xbox 360 community has made a major achievement together. They get the Coral Sea map, which features mainly dog fighting between airplanes on both sides of the game.

There is a trailer featuring the new map, and here is a release by Electronic Arts and Dice, creators of Battlefield 1943, about the new map:

Coral Sea is the ultimate online multiplayer dog fighting map ever released! With two aircraft carriers supplying your team with all the F4U and Zero fighters you’ll need as your conquest to control the skies and make your place in history as an Ace Pilot of Battlefield 1943. Use the volcanic island terrain to your advantage and flank your enemies or weave in and out of the low arches to avoid enemy fire. Stay with your wingman, practice the Thach Weave, and soon you’ll dominate the skies of the Pacific! The choice is yours once you’ve helped achieve the 43,000,000 kills.

The Sims 3 – New Screens

Some new screens of Electronic Arts upcoming addition to one of the best selling virtual life games have appeared. The Sims 3 will be EA’s third actual full release game in the Sims series and is expected to hit store shelves for PC on June 2nd.

“The freedom of The Sims 3 will inspire you with endless creative possibilities and amuse you with unexpected moments of surprise and mischief. Create millions of unique Sims and control their lives. Customize their appearances and personalities. Build their homes – design everything from exquisitely furnished dream homes to quaint cottages. Then, send your Sims out to explore their ever-changing neighborhood and to meet other Sims in the town center. With all-new quick challenges and rewarding game play, The Sims 3 gives you the freedom to choose whether (or not) to fulfill your Sims’ destinies and make their wishes come true.”

Mass Effect iPhone: Jacob’s Story to be told

When Bioware, creators of Mass Effect and Star Wars RPG titles, released the original Mass Effect, everyone was taken back by the beauty and depth of the lengthy interactive-storyline RPG. Before the highly-anticipated sequel Mass Effect 2 is released, fans of the series may have another title to quench their gaming needs.

With the always increasing popularity of games and apps on Apples iPhone, more and more companies have decided to take part in creating games such as Konami, Electronic Arts, and Sega. Today, Bioware announced that a new game out of the Mass Effect series would be debuted on the iPhone.

This game, titled Mass Effect: Jacob’s Story, will no doubt feature and tell the story of Jacob Taylor, “a biotic-powered super-soldier who stumbles across a plot to terrorize civilization’s greatest beacon of hope.” The game will be top-down, such as Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, and will fit in as a 2-hour prequel of sorts to Mass Effect 2 for only $2.99.

A description of the game was released in an online survey by Electronic Arts:

The award-winning Mass Effect game universe has now arrived on your iPhone and iPod Touch! Tales of human courage and individual human achievement resound throughout the galaxy. Here is your opportunity to play the story of Jacob Taylor, a biotic-powered super-soldier who stumbles across a plot to terrorize civilization’s greatest beacon of hope. Can you prevent a heinous attack that threatens to knock humanity off the galactic stage?

* Gripping story line that enables you, playing super-soldier Jacob Taylor, to prevent galactic chaos

* Stylish art presentation delivers an animated graphic novel experience

* A blend of nuance story telling with gripping top-down shooter combat

* Experience the back story behind some of the main characters in the upcoming Mass Effect 2 (for Xbox 360 and PC)

* 2 hour story-based experience with stunning graphics, animated presentation and top-down arcade-style combat

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Need for Speed: Shift Release Date Revealed

Electronic Arts, developer of the controversial racing series Need For Speed, has released a Press Release detailing one of their three upcoming games titled Need For Speed: SHIFT. In the Press Release, it was revealed that Need For Speed: SHIFT will show up on store shelves on September 17 in Europe and on September 22, 2009 in North America. The new Teaser Trailer is below the Press Release.

“Need for Speed: SHIFT from EA Races into Retail This September

Delivering a True Driver’s Experience, Need for Speed SHIFT Pushes Authentic Racing Genre to the Next Level
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Mar 23, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced today that Need for Speed(TM) SHIFT, the all-new authentic racing game in the Need for Speed series, will hit stores in Europe on September 17 and North America on September 22, 2009. Need for Speed SHIFT brings a true driver’s experience to some of the world’s most iconic racing tracks, including the storied Brand’s Hatch in the UK. The game also features the largest roster of high-performance cars in Need for Speed history including race cars such as the Pagani Zonda F, Porsche 911 GT2 and Lotus Elise.

“With Need for Speed SHIFT, we set out to create a racing game that pushes the genre and delivers something never before seen in a Need for Speed title,” said Patrick Soderlund, Senior Vice President at EA Games Europe. “By focusing on the driver’s experience through the first-person view, we are able to capture the high-speed intensity and gripping emotions of racing.”

Players are thrust into the loud, intense, and athletic experience of racing a car from the driver’s perspective through the combination of perception based G-forces, the hyper reality of the cockpit view, and the all-new brutally disorienting crash dynamic. Need for SpeedSHIFT features an accurate, accessible physics-based driving model that allows you to feel every impact, every change of track surface and every last bit of grip as you push yourself to the edge.

Need for Speed SHIFT is being developed by Slightly Mad Studios in collaboration with Black Box and Patrick Soderlund. Slightly Mad Studios includes developers and designers that worked on the critically acclaimed games GT Legends and GTR 2. The PSP version is being developed by EA’s Bright Light studio.

Need for Speed SHIFT will be released on PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system, PC and PSP(R) (PlayStation(R) Portable) in fall 2009. More information can be found at www.needforspeed.com. Press can download assets at http://info.ea.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS^TM, EA^TM, EA SPORTS Freestyle^TM and POGO^TM. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle, POGO and Need for Speed are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All rights reserved. “PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION”, and “PSP” are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Pagani, Zonda F and designs are trademarks and/or other intellectual property of Pagani Automobili and are used under license to Electronic Arts.Porsche, the Porsche crest, 911 and Carrera are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. Licensed under certain patents.Elise, Lotus and Lotus Round Device are registered trade marks of Group Lotus plc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.”

SOURCE: Electronic Arts

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New Rage Development Screens

Some new screens were released from id Software’s upcoming game Rage. This looks hot!

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Battlefield 1943 Details

Battlefield 1943, shown off at the New York Comic Con, is the newest addition to the Battlefield series. Taking place in World War 2, Battlefield 1943 gives the player three maps to enjoy with 24 players, a small, but surprisingly action-packed 12 versus 12 battle for survival. Players can choose to play as either a soldier of the U.S. Marines or a soldier of the Japanese Imperial Army.

In previous installments to the Battlefield series, players could choose from up to four different classes, but in 1943, players have the choice of up to three different classes, or kits. The first class, Riflemen, is best known for its mid-range weapons and abilities. The second class, Infantry, caters to the short-range, more run-and-gun type player. Using short-range weapons, Infantry players can battle in close-quarters combat with the opposing players. The infantry load-out also includes anti-tank/vehicle weapons such as a Bazooka to take down the pesky vehicles. The third and final class in Battlefield 1943 is for the long-range sniper oriented player. Named Scout, it includes Sniper Rifles and other various long-range weapons. Scouts also are equipped with demolition weapons, but it is unexplained as to which exact weapons these will be.

Battlefield 1943 will include one game mode titled Conquest. Originating from its former Battlefield counterparts, 1943 utilizes the flag-capture mode to gain territory and spawn points closer to the enemy. The game indicates which flag is the players by the color blue, and indicates the enemies’ flag by the color red. Unlike Battlefield Bad Company where “Double Assault” mode in which players could capture all the flags was used, 1943 features “Head-On Assault”, where each team has a locked base which cannot be captured.

Bomb Dropping from Rear View

Many changes have been made from Battlefield 1942 to Battlefield 1943, including the addition of parachutes. Bridges can also be blown-out, meaning you can blow up bridges to stop an oncoming enemy, but they can also find another route around to the other side. Also, Gordon Van Dyke of DICE Studios states “If you have played Battlefield 1942, you will recognize the maps included in the game, but also notice the many changes that have happened to them over the time between the two games.” Battlefield 1943 will also introduce a new form of game play, unlimited ammo and rechargeable health means no medics or support classes needed giving a reason for only being three classes in the game (stated above). The game will not feature any unlocks meaning that every player will have every weapon unlocked for them at the beginning of the game.

The mini-map, included in all previous installments of the Battlefield series did not appear in the pre-alpha build shown off at the NYCC, but is said to be added into the game by the time of its release. The spawn-in map shown at the beginning of the game is where the player can pick his or her class and choose a place to spawn in (represented by a flag). There are two systems for choosing a spawn-point, one named “Front-Lines System” in which the game automatically spawns the character in the middle of the action, while there is the “Regular Choice Spawn” in which players can choose where they spawn.

Classes and Spawn-In

Battlefield 1943 will feature the Frostbite Engine used by EA and DICE for Battlefield Bad Company, and will be released as a download-only game on Playstation Network (PSN), Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA), and the PC.