Hitting all major console platforms, as well as the PC, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is currently in development over at Codemasters. It has a vague 2009 release date, but we estimate that'll change to some time during early 2010 (probably).

As we've reported during last year's E3 "the game puts players right smack in the middle of a conflict between the US and China. You'll be fighting on a fictional island in the Pacific Ocean and from what we've learned it's going to have plenty of wide, open spaces for combat. The developers are, above all, devoted to creating a down-to-earth combat sim and that relates to nearly every aspect of the game, from weapons and vehicles to the environment and characters that traverse through it. They've specified that the game contains 70 different weapons, 50 highly detailed vehicles, while the island itself stretches across 130 square miles of dynamic and meticulously created landscape."

To view three brand new screens from the game head over this way.

According to a Sony Computer Entertainment America exec, PS3 sales were up by over 130% during the holidays. "We've had a solid holiday season and have delivered consistent growth throughout this year," reveals sales vice president Ian Jackson.

"Early internal data points to an increase of more than 130 per cent of PS3 hardware sales for the holiday season - since Black Friday - and we're also seeing a growth of nearly 40 per cent in total PS3 hardware sales for the calendar year," Jackson continued. "We remain confident this momentum will continue into the new year."

So, while MS is content with its 28 million sold X360s, Sony isn't doing too bad either. Xmas helped obviously, but we'll see how it goes from here. You don't have to be a financial wizard to see that 2009 is going to be a tough year. Companies like Microsoft and Sony are already taking the necessary steps to cut costs.

Source.

The popular racing series from Microsoft and Turn 10 is likely to get a third installment pretty soon. During last year's E3, it had been uncovered that Forza Motorsport 3 is indeed in the works and that the developers plan to incorporate more than 100 tracks and 400 cars in the game.

As sweet as that sounds, we still haven't received an official confirmation from the folks at MS. Although Microsoft remains silent on the subject, another report just surfaced, pointing towards a few images that prove the game is in development. It appears that the Kaarbo Design, which provided numerous graphics for the well-known racing series, accidentally revealed images for Forza Motorsport 3. The pics have since been removed from the Kaarbo Design web site, which didn't stop fan site Forza Central to take a snap shot of what was inadvertently shown.

Take a look.

After disappointments such as Need for Speed: Undercover, this would be just what the doctor ordered. I'm also looking forward to DIRT 2.

Microsoft is boasting that the company sold more than 28 million Xbox 360s since the console's launch in November 2005, reports LA Times. According to MS execs, that means they overshot Sony's PlayStation 3, which shifted 20 million since its debut in November 2006.

"We're widening our lead against PlayStation 3," said Aaron Greenberg, director of product management for the Xbox, who noted that going into Q4, Microsoft's lead had been 5 million consoles. "This was the best year in the history of the Xbox, despite the tough economy."

Last year's growth was credited to platform exclusives such as Gears of War 2, Left for Dead and Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.

Microsoft also claims that online sales via Xbox Live -- movie rentals and downloads of TV shows and games -- jumped 84% in 2008 when compared to 2007. In addition, the industry giant said consumers spent over $1 billion on Xbox Live (without specifying how much of that impressive number was spent during '08).

Blizzard provides another dose of StarCraft 2 media. Check out the latest screenshots from the highly anticipated real-time strategy:

click to view full gallery

Our gallery now surpasses 100 SC2 screenshots. Man, it's the same for Diablo III. By the time, both games hit the market, we'll know what most of the areas look like and that sucks donkey balls in my book.

Epic's Mark Rein takes the opportunity to talk about the next update for the development studio's latest shooter Gears of War 2. Here's a snip from the Gears forums:

We’re fixing a whole bunch of online exploits. For example we’ve fixed the ability to wield an invisible shield, melee through some walls, gain infinite Lancer ammo and equip a shield and a two-handed weapon simultaneously plus many more.

We’re also making several small changes to improve the overall online gameplay experience. A few of the ones that might interest you are; increased penalties for quitting matches early, adding additional spawn protection against planted grenades and chainsaw attacks, and adding the ability to see the Submission flag carrier destination by using Tac/Com.

Read on.

Gears 2 was one of the best titles in 2008. I'm really looking forward to a potential sequel; whenever they decide to make it, that is. Given the success of the original and GoW 2, I doubt they'll wait long before they announced GoW 3.

In case there's still some small part of you that feels eager about going on yet another adventure through Tolkien's Middle-earth, then I guess you'll enjoy the latest trailer for Pandemic Studios' upcoming multiplatform title, Lord of the Rings: Conquest:

This pic takes me back. Gaming's not what it used to be.

Well, Capcom certainly doesn't waste any time. In addition to upcoming releases such as Bionic Commando, Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter 4, they're also planning to launch the Wii version of the zombie themed Xbox 360 game, Dead Rising.

Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop for the Wii is scheduled to hit stores on February 27. Here are some of the title's features:

• Utilizes the same engine as Resident Evil 4 Wii edition.
• New level of interaction – aim and fire guns, swing and throw weapons and shake off zombie attacks with added Wii Remote functionality
• Huge environment – expansive indoor and outdoor areas of the mall provide a variety of different locations to explore
• Improved save functionality allows for more seamless gameplay...

Read more about the game here.

They've also sent over a brand new trailer for the game. Have a look:

Sony Corp could be making an announcement early next month about further drastic cost cuts, which might result in closures of Japanese factories and "major divisions," as reported by Times (London). The corporation denied any such plan existed.

Times cited sources who claim otherwise. Sony spokesman Atsuo Omagari responded: "We do not plan to announce additional restructuring measures at this time. We don't have any such plan."

Sony already revealed its plans to slash company costs by cutting 16,000 jobs. At the same time, Sony expects its operating profit to nearly halve to 200 billion yen ($2.18 billion) in the year to March, albeit some analysts (according to Reuters) estimated it would go down to 45.8 billion yen.

Other analysts think Sony might face severe losses unless president, Sir Howard Stringer, is "given free rein to take on the company's old guard and erase many of its legacies."

Koya Tabata, analyst at Credit Suisse, says "The most important is that, to improve organisational strength in the areas of development, purchasing and marketing, it will be necessary to further concentrate power in the hands of [Sir Howard] and unless this is achieved we believe [Sony] will be unable to close the gap with competitors such as Apple and Nintendo."

Hm, something tells me the long-rumored PSP 2 won't be coming quickly as some are inclined to think.

Source.

While a great deal of development studios and publishers are forced to cancel their projects and close their doors in the face of the ongoing worldwide financial crisis, other companies such as Capcom have better prospects for the year ahead. Back in November 2008, Capcom shares were at their highest in 5 years. What's more, the well-known developer/publisher boasts a pretty good line-up for 2009, including the long-awaited survival horror game Resident Evil 5.

Meanwhile, Resident Evil 5 producer Jun Takeuchi expressed his concern about the company's home market (Japan) and the rising competition from Western developers.

"I'm worried about the movements of Western developers. Japan is now their target - it's the last big marketplace," says Tajeuchi. "The truth is that Western studios are making great games, and they're going to continue to do so next year too." This, of course, doesn't mean Japanese devs should to start creating western-style games. "It's not good if Japanese developers are making games that can't be enjoyed by Japanese people," states Takeuchi.

Capcom firmly believes it will shift 3.2 million copies of Resident Evil 5 as soon as the game hits the market. However, they also said they haven't revealed all their plans for this year. "2009 will also see Resident Evil 5 finally released, and it'll also then see us on to our next step. We haven't shown what Capcom has in store for 2009 yet, so I hope we can surprise you all soon," concluded Takeuchi.

Source.

I've been a good little boy last year and the year before that. And yet Santa always brings me cheap presents and he should suffer for that (btw, so far our voting poll shows many people feel the same way).

AT COMIC: The Xmas Ambush

Well, I'll be... It turns out THQ had an unannounced project under its publishing arm. The game was called Stormbirds and was supposed to arrive for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Unfortunately, this is not gonna happen.

"The game was in the same genre as Ace Combat and HAWX," says former Juice artist Greg Calvert. "THQ deemed the project too high risk, [and] as a result the entire team were made redundant on the 1st of December 2008."

Juice Games is owned by THQ. They've worked previously on games like the racer Juiced.

In addition to this scoop, a nice-looking CG trailer for the game surfaced:

Shame...

Major Nelson posted three charts, showing the most played titles on Xbox Live during 2008. The games were divided into the following categories: 360 Retail, 360 Arcade, Original Xbox. Check it out:

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles

1 Halo 3
2 Call of Duty 4
3 GTA IV
4 Gears of War 2
5 Gears of War
6 CoD: World at War
7 Guitar Hero III
8 Battlefield: Bad Company Demo
9 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Demo
10 Rock Band
11 Fable II
12 Mirror's Edge Demo
13 Madden NFL 09
14 BF: Bad Company
15 Rainbow Six Vegas 2
16 UNO
17 Castle Crashers
18 COD: World at War Multiplayer Beta
19 Forza Motorsport 2
20 Too Human - Demo

You'll find the other two lists here.

Perplexed. Utterly bewildered. That's me. I'm strictly speaking in relation to moral values. In this day and age one can hardly be governed by ethical codes such as "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." From a perverted geekish point of view, this is indeed very confusing. I've "loved myself" way too often in the privacy of my preferred sleazy corner of the Internet. The very thought that I should "love" my neighbor in the same manner as I myself is actually beyond disturbing. Why? Because my first neighbors are two pompous, constantly drunk college boys and a sad old woman with a pigeon fixation.

Which reminds me, I have to go pigeon hunting. It's one of my favorite sports these days.