Free Gears 3 Map Pack on Thanksgiving

5 Free Maps, available on XBOX Live Marketplace Thanksgiving Day

Free maps? Yes, you heard me.  On Thanksgiving (Nov 24 2011), Epic has announced they will be releasing another map pack DLC, the Versus Booster Map Pack, which will include a total of five maps; three from Horde Command (Azura, Blood Drive, Rustlung), and two others (Bullet Marsh, Clocktower) from the original Gears of War.  

Unfortunately, even though the new free DLC will include all the maps from the latest Horde Command Pack (released yesterday on XBOX Live), it will not include all the other goodies.  So if you want the new fortification upgrades, characters and weapon skins, you'll have to shell out the 800 MS Points for the Horde Command Pack.  

SSX Delayed till Feb 14 2012

SSX was expected to hit store shelves in January 2012 but has now been delayed.  It will launch in the US on Feb 14 2012 with a UK release expected for the 17.

Ratchet & Clank All 4 One Trailer

Available in stores now!

Gears of War 3 'Horde Command' DLC

New playable Characters - Dizzy, Onyx Guard, Bernie (left to right)

The first Gears of War 3 DLC has just been announced, titled, 'Horse Comman Pack; and will launch on the XBOX Marketplace on Nov 01 2011 for 800 Microsoft Points.

The DLC includes new maps (playable in Horde, Beast and private versus), characters, weapon skins, horde fortifications and an additional 250 Gamerscore to earn.

The Maps include:

• Blood Drive - The Jacinto Medical Plaza was overwhelmed by evacuated citizens after the Hammer Strikes, the area is no longer a safe haven.  An abundance of high ground and funneled choke points will make this a great addition to Horde.
• Rustlung - Once the pride of the Roayl Tyran Navy, the foredecks of this decommissioned battleship are now riddled with bullet holes.  The central torpedo bay has a battle-ready Silverback mech suit, if you can hold the exposed area.
• Azura - This island resort was once the exclusive domain of Sera's educated elite, but the tranquil water gardens and lush foliage have become a heavy combat zone.  Dual snipers overlook the area and a defensive platform may be a last place of retreat.

Fortification Upgrades:

• Command Center - A brand new type of fortification that allows you to call in fire support from sniper teams, mortar strikes and Hammers of Dawn.
• Decoy Upgrade - A new fortification level, turns your decoy into an Onyx Guard bot that will fight in your defense.
• Sentry Upgrade - A new fortificaiton level, adds a fire bolt sentry that deals much more damage and is effective against Berserkers.
• Silverback Upgrade - A new fortificaiton level, add rockets and extra level repair cost reduction.

New Characters:

• Onyx Guard
• Big Rig Dizzy
• Bernie

New Weapon Skins:

• Team Plasma
• Jungle Camo

Rage TV Spot

Battlefield 3 "Operation Guillotine" Video

Torchlight II priced, adds Embermage class

Torchlight II coming to PC this year

Torchlight II, the sequel by Runic Games to the 2009 RPG dungeon-crawler, has been priced for $20, same as the original.

Runic Games has also announced the addition of a new - fourth and final - class, the Embermage, joining the previously announced classes, Berserker, Outlander and Engineer.  Embermage is "highly-trained spellcasters renowned for their skill, dedication, and arcane power" according to the official game site.

Torchlight II will be a digital release for the PC, later this year.

Borderlands 2 Official

Game Informer's latest issue, covers Borderlands 2

Very quickly after the rumors circulated around a potential Borderlands 2, the developer Gearbox has made the sequel official.  The game will launch during Take-Two's fiscal year 2013, which begins on Apr 01 2012.

"Combining invention and evolution, Borderlands 2 features all-new characters, skills, environments, enemies, weapons and equipment, which come together in an ambitiously crafted story... Players will reveal secrets, and escalate mysteries of the Borderlands universe as they adventure across the unexplored, new areas of Pandora." 

Gamescom in Germany will release a first look later this month (Aug 17 - 21 2011), and even more will be announced at PAX Prime (Aug 26 - 28 2011).  For now, the latest issue of Game Informer has exclusive first looks at the new title.

Borderlands 2 in 2012?

The sequel to Gearbox's 2009 Borderlands, an artistic styled RPG set on a planet called Pandora, a loot-laden land (also full of lots of bad guys and crazy bad guys), is rumored to be scheduled for a 2012 release.

According to a Eurogamer source, the game is deep in development as we speak and folks from Gearbox have constantly expressed an interest in continuing the franchise (THANK YOU because this has got to be one of my personal favorite games), not to mention the 3 million + copies sold.

Formal announcements are expected soon, perhaps at Gamescom?

Dragon Age II DLC "Legacy" out July 26th

EA and BioWare have announced their first DLC for Dragon Age II, "Legacy", will be launching on PC, Mac, XBOX360 and PS3 on Jul 26 2011 for $9.99 or 800 Microsoft Points.

The expansion, which can be accessed at anytime during the campaign, leads our hero Hawke outside the walls of Kirkwall and into an ancient Grey Warden prison as well as several other mystery locations.  The DLC takes you on an adventure to reveal the truth about the Hawke lineage and battle new darkspawn, including the most powerful darkspawn of them all.