Between the bad boys Alex Mercer and Cole MacGrath, who takes the cake? EEDAR weighs in and the results are a mix of official estimates and personal choices. On the official estimates, EEDAR declares Prototype (PS3, Xbox 360, or PC) as the winner, with Alex Mercer "expected"  to outsell Cole MacGrath's inFamous by a stellar 90% -- that is thanks in large part to the combined sales of the game's multiplatform releases.

While Beowulf from Ubisoft is shaping up into its own brand of hack-'n-slash goodness for the Sony PS3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Windows PC, and PSP, it's inevitable that it'll be compared to similar games in the genre, such as SCEA's God of War. This doesn't appear to worry Beowulf scriptwriter Gabrielle Shrager, who stated that the game would be darker, grittier, and more interactive then even the PS2's premier Greek adventure.

As Shrager elaborated during an interview:

Not to tout my own horn, but I think the writing is better and the narration is more profound in Beowulf than in God of War, which is a great story also, but more traditional. You have a level, you get to the end of the scene, there's a character that's standing there, gives the spiel and then you go to the next mission, and then you get to the end of that and then you get the spiel. We tried to make it a lot more dynamic. Our script is completely dynamic. You're getting minute by minute feedback according to what your status is, the state of your being as a player. You don't have that in God of War. So maybe it's more interactive in Beowulf.

Shrager further elaborated that compared to GoW, Beowulf would carry a tighter camera system. This is expected to give players a more up-close-and-personal encounter as they navigate both Beowulf (your character) and his fellow thanes through the fields of combat.

For the guys who'd like to see if Shrager's indeed on the mark with her statements, you'll want to wait for the game's scheduled launch this November. Make sure to see the movie too.

The latest in EGM's rumor mill is hot on God of War 3, Gears of War 2, and the revival (from god knows where) of Sega's classic RPG Skies of Arcadia. Mentioned games are supposed to be in development, and will see the light of day by next year.

Given the huge success of God of War, it's not exactly surprising if there's another title in the works. According to rumors, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) Santa Monica is already working on the next bloody action game for the Sony PlayStation 3, and it's scheduled for release next holiday season.

Another almost inevitable game is believed to be in development by Epic Games. When you look at how Microsoft Xbox 360 owners embraced Gears of War, missing out on easy bucks by not making a sequel doesn't sound too smart. This too, is hoping to be on shelves late next year.

What really sent our eyebrows into orbit is the mention of a sequel for Skies of Arcadia. It has been years since the original was released, and Vyse's pirate adventures on the GameCube was nothing more than a port. If there'll really be Skies of Arcadia 2 for whatever next-gen console, one of the items on this blogger's Sega wishlist would be met.

Previous rumors from the mill have turned out to be true, like Capcom revealing Street Fighter IV and Bionic Commando's remake, Square Enix dishing out Dragon Quest IV remake on the DS, and even Samus not talking in Metroid Prime: Corruption if that counts. Rumors are rumors, but if something like Street Fighter came back from the grave, we're hoping Skies of Arcadia would.

Despite hitting some snags in the form of Sega, SCEA, Capcom, and Microsoft backouts, it appears E for All is gaining steam after getting big boosts from dozens of other movers in the gaming industry who have confirmed participation. To prove that E for All is going smoothly as planned, IDG World Expo is now announcing that Future US, Inc. will be publishing the official show magazine for the said event.

This is big news especially for those who are familiar in the ins and outs of attending conventions like this. Why? Event magazines not only provide attendees with a good source of show floor guide, exhibitor and product information, special features and interviews, it's also a great souvenir - it goes right beside event press IDs and pictures with booth babes. Anyway, IDG World Expo CEO Mary Dolaher expressed the same enthusiasm after saying:

We're thrilled to team up with Future to create "E for All Magazine," the event’s official show publication. Given Future’s experience producing publications such as Official Xbox Magazine, PSM: Independent PlayStation Magazine, PC Gamer, Maximum PC and Next Gen, we’re greatly anticipating the creation of a top-notch magazine and commemorative keepsake for this inaugural event.

The magazine will be a 64-page collector's edition in support of the inaugural E for All. Contents will include feature stories, game reviews, product highlights, a full expo schedule, floor plan and exclusive features, interviews with acclaimed game developers, and a user-generated car art from Forza 2. E for All magazine will also carry a commemorative cover to give spice to the said event which will take place October 18-21 at the Los Angeles Convention Center - told you it's a keeper.

FiringSquad reports that Sony along with other major video game publishers will not be gracing the inaugural E For All Expo. Earlier reports had Sony pegged for at least some booth presence at the event.

Aside from Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), FiringSquad reports that Sony Online Entertainment (SOE), NCSoft, Sega and Capcom have also declined to take part in the event. Microsoft, meanwhile, has apparently not decided whether or not it will grace the event.

Back in March, Nintendo of America signed on as an anchor exhibitor for the event. Electronic Arts was also confirmed as an exhibitor earlier this week. FiringSquad also notes that the IDG World Expo website lists THQ, Konami and Namco as event exhibitor along with hardware companies Intel and NVidia.

The E For All Expo, which is being promoted by IDG World Expo as a replacement for the old E3 format, will take place in Los Angeles on October 18 to 21.

  

Now one of the biggest news that touched the PC bracket is the fact that Unreal Tournament 3 will be a timed exclusive for Sony's PlayStation 3, following Sony's press conference at the E3 Media & Business Summit in Santa Monica. Epic Games has entered a deal with Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) to optimize the Unreal Engine for the PS3.

In line with this, Sony has announced an November release date for the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3, with an engine specially optimized for rendering and playing on the CELL BE-powered console. Or so goes the official press release from Sony:

Midway and Epic Games will make the platform debut of Unreal Tournament 3, one of the world’s premiere first-person shooters, exclusively on PS3 this fall, unleashing the full power of Unreal Engine 3 with graphics, gameplay and challenges brought to a whole new level.

In contrast, the PC and Xbox 360 versions were targeted for an early September release. And as Mark Rein did clarify previously, all versions will be optimized for their respective platforms. However, questions have risen on whether the term "exclusively on PS3" only encompasses the next-generation consoles or also includes the PC.

And while Epic has yet to clarify the details, analysts have pegged the Xbox 360 delay as a logical and timely preparation for the release of Bungie's Halo 3 coming September. Speculations also bubbled up as to whether the PC version is also being moved in anticipation for Crytek's Crysis, another shooter claimed technologically superior to UT3, coming sometime in Q3 2007.

And the votes (and sales figures) are in! Here's the data from Amazon.com as of July 8 that gives us the latest list of the top 5 games in America all across your favorite platforms. With all three next gen consoles vying for your hearts and thumbs, let's see if you're favorite game made the list.

  

Top 5 Games in America per console:

Nintendo Wii
Pokemon Battle Revolution didn't manage to get into the top 5 and is not likely to catch up with Super Paper Mario which is also a hit in Japan.

1. Wii Play (Nintendo)
2. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition (Capcom)
3. Mario Party 8 (Nintendo)
4. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Nintendo)
5. Super Paper Mario (Nintendo)

Xbox 360
Although Forza Motorsport is still strong, sales are starting to drop.

1. The Darkness (2K Games)
2. Guitar Hero II Bundle (RedOctane)
3. Overlord (Codemasters)
4. Gears of War (Microsoft)
5. Forza Motorsport 2 (Microsoft)

PlayStation 3
There seems to be a revitalized interest to the PS3 thanks to Ninja Gaiden Sigma.

1. Ninja Gaiden Sigma (Tecmo)
2. The Darkness (2K Games)
3. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas (Ubisoft)
4. Resistance: Fall of Man (SCEA)
5. Transformers: The Game (Activision)

Click on the full article to get the top 5 games on the DS, PC, PS2 and PSP!

 

For every ground-breaking title out there, there exists an unsung hero. They – like soldiers and bad sitcoms of old – are the miserable underdogs who never receive the due credit they deserve for their work. We're not talking about the developers -  we're talking about specialists - the (fictional) guys who work behind the scenes to ensure that the elements in whatever genre you play will always remain in tip-top condition, whether its your resident androgynous antagonist 's script, or your unfriendly neighborhood mook's marksmanship scores.

These guys will be the topic of today's quick list - along with an explanation with that special thing they do just to make the game better for one special individual - you. On to the list!
 
1. Sephiroth's acting coach
Let's be honest - Sephiroth isn't that original. More than one anime, manga, and J-RPG can boast its own brew of silver-haired, bad-ass sword-wielding bishie hotness, with Sephie being just a part of this popular trend. What sets him apart, however, is execution (acting, not Aeris…).
 
Sephiroth's dark foreboding lines and steely glare will haunt many a gamer's dreams, and for this, we can thank the man's ever-capable acting coach. We're talking the drama-guru who made Sephiroth walk the walk, talk the talk - the dude who probably taught him captivatingly cheesy one-liners like "Shall I give you despair?"
 
I'm afraid you haven't, Mr. Sephiroth's Acting Coach. You did give plenty of fanboys/girls something to think about for their next few - err - dreams, though...
 
Special accreditation goes to Cloud's hairdresser.

The rest of the list is available in the Full Article

The creation of games publisher Detn8 Games Ltd. was recently announced, and spearheading this venture are the two video game industry veterans Ellen Fuog and Jeff Hill. What makes this different from other publishing companies? Well, for one thing, the two heads of the company have 52 years of experience between them, thus giving this company an edge.

So who are these two veterans, exactly?

Ellen Fuog has 28 years experience in the video game industry. She founded and served as president of UK-based Ignition Entertainment’s US operation from 2002 until 2006, and was also president (and founder) of AIA USA. On top of that, she also served as the vice president of sales and marketing for Jaleco USA, and the vice president of sales and marketing for Kaneko Entertainment. Before that, she held the vice presidency of sales and marketing for WICO, a joystick and peripheral manufacturer. She also started up her own sales rep company, Ellen Fuog Associates.

Meanwhile, Jeff Hill has been in the video game industry for 23 years. Starting in the video game business as a tester for Mindscape in 1984, he started and operated his own company, Black Sheep, Inc., since 1994. He was also the product development director for Kaneko Entertainment and Jaleco USA.

Detn8 has already acquired an all-platform licensee status with Nintendo and SCEA and is scheduled to publish its first release in June, 2007. We will have to wait and see whether the experience of both owners will be enough to bring this company to greatness.

There's much to expect in terms of gaming this week, and it doesn't have to start with  Sony Computer Entertainment America's (SCEA) God of War II, which will be making headway to the PlayStation 2 this March 13. For the PSP owners, we're happy to announce the upcoming release of Activision's Call of Duty: Roads to Victory WWII FPS. Lastly PC, DS, and Wii owners will be receiving Ubisoft's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on March 13.

Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg for this week's releases - feel free to browse the list for the other upcoming hotness for this week of March.

PSP:

• March 13: Call of Duty: Roads to Victory (Activision)
  

Wii:

• March 13: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Ubisoft)
  

Nintendo DS:

• March 13: TMNT (Ubisoft)
• March 13: QuickSpot (Namco Bandai)
• March 15: Spectrobes (Disney Interactive Studios)

PlayStation 3:

• March 13: College Hoops 2K7 (2K Sports)
  
• March 15: Mortal Kombat II (Sony Online Entertainment)

Xbox 360:

• March 13: Call of Duty 3 Gold (Activision)
  

PC:

• March 12: Runaway 2: Dream of the Turtle (Focus Home Interactive)
• March 13: IL-2 Sturmovik:1946 (Ubisoft)
• March 13: Ancient Wars: Sparta (Playlogic)
• March 13: TMNT (Ubisoft)
• March 15: Silent Hunter: Wolves of the Pacific (Ubisoft)
• March 15: FreeStyle Street Basketball (Sierra)
• March 16: UFO: Extraterrestrials (Tri Synergy)