Bethesda Acquires Id Software...Kinda

The parent company of Bethesda Games, Zeni-Max, has acquired Id Software and all the great games they produce. That does not mean that the house that Doom built will be expecting bunk mates from the Maryland company. Zeni-Max CEO Robert Altman had this to say on Id's continued independence:
"We, along with many others, consider id Software to be among the finest game studios in the world, with extraordinary design, artistic and technical capabilities. They have demonstrated, repeatedly, that rare ability to create franchise properties that are critical and commercial successes. Our intention is to make sure id Software will continue to do what they do best – make AAA games. Our role will be to provide publisher support through Bethesda Softworks and give id Software the resources it needs to grow and expand."
The co-founder of Id, John Carmack further elaborates on the relationship expected from the two game makers:
"We're really getting kind of tired competing with our own publishers in terms of how our titles will be featured,And we've really gotten more IPs than we've been able to take advantage of, and working with other companies hasn't been working out as spectacularly as it could. So the idea of actually becoming a publisher and merging Bethesda and ZeniMax on there [is ideal.] It would be hard to imagine a more complementary relationship. They are triple A, top-of-the-line in what they do in the RPGs. And they have no overlap with all the things we do in the FPSes." source
So there you have it. Id will gain it's own "in-house" publisher and Bethesda can expect a bump (or two) in graphics quality for future game releases using Id's superior technology. I hope this means that the BFG9000 will make an appearance in Elder Scrolls 5.

Alyssa Milano As Tila (Soul Calibur III)

I was fooling around with Photoshop the other day and came up with this. What do you think?

Click here or on the pic to embiggen.

Metal Gear Solid Goes 3D - & Maybe PS3 Too

Metal Gear Solid is coming to an arcade near you (providing you live in Japan) and it will be in 3D. That's right, the stealth action game has snuck it's way onto the 3D band-wagon that has so enamored Hollywood.
Installed in groups of two or more, the arcade units can be linked together for multiplayer "online like" battle. Judging from the trailer, it looks to be very similar to the online component of Metal Gear Solid 4.
The exciting part of this to us is the 3D component. Sony showed off some cool 3D tech at this past Consumer Electronics Show. Though Sony was quick to point out that "This is just a look at what 3D could look like if Sony decided to move in this direction", Neil Schneider , the head of the 3D advocacy group Meant To Be Seen stated in an interview that he's heard from insiders that "Sony "fully intends" to support stereoscopic 3D gaming and Blu-ray 3D on the Sony Playstation 3 in 2009" and "console support will only need a bios upgrade to work, and we are told that the ability to add this capability via bios may be unique to Sony PS3 versus the other console solutions." - source, source
We may be reading the tea leaves wrong here, but we feel it's just no coincidence that the release of the PS3's biggest title in a 3D format, coupled with industry insider rumor, and Sony actually showcasing the tech!, that the PS3 is setting itself up for the unveiling of Stereoscopic 3D display support like those offered by IZ3D. A great way to showcase such a feature to potential consumers would be to offer a 3D component or mode as part of a highly anticipated release - something like a Metal Gear Solid game...

Below are the trailer for Metal Gear 3D and the E3 Kojima announcement.





We anaglyphed and wiggled some of the screenshots to "see" how 3D they are. Click on one to enlarge them.

Zelda: Spirit Tracks Trailer & Gameplay Videos

Official E3 Trailer


Gameplay Video

Little Big Planet Get's Littler

Little Big Planet is making it's way onto the PSP this fall. It looks to be very similar to it's big little big brother...or something like that. Create and share levels, little puppet people, exactly what you would expect.

Announcement Trailer



Gameplay Trailer

New Xbox 360 Games On Demand Service

This service will not be available until sometime around August, but Microsoft has released this demo video to get you ready to never having to leave your couch again. Hopefully new releases will get the same attention rather than just the older games shown in the video. Also, if they intend for us to be downloading 6 GB+ games then the big M is going to have to come down on those hard drive prices or better still - give us the ability to buy any off the shelf HDD and swap it in.
The Xbox 360 already has the ability to rent movies for a set period of time, perhaps video games will be next. Blockbuster, GameFly, and even GameStop would feel aches and pains from that, and we could get more gaming for our $60.

ASCII SFII

Five University of Central Florida students designed this ASCII Street Fighter II game for a networked, text-based multiplayer game school project. And to think, all I did in college was go to Toga parties, smash acoustic guitars, and drive my car into the dean.

Real Band, Fake Guitars, Totally Cool

The Guitar Zeros have taken the Guitar Hero controller to the next level. With a laptop and some custom software, they've managed to turn these faux instruments into real ones. For a "novelty" band they rock fairly hard, even if it is only green, yellow, yellow, blue...

Visit them via: Theguitarzeros.com