I realize that most people go “ga ga” for Madden NFL every year, but to be honest I’ve always found college football far more exciting. Each year I look forward to EA’s incremental updates to their NCAA Football series just like the slavering Madden junkies do. Growing up in Columbus, Ohio and working at Ohio State has left me a bit numb to my hometown college team – The Ohio State Buckeyes because here college football is the second biggest thing next to God, but regardless there is something about playing college ball, racing for the Heisman that I just find more interesting. Maybe its the lack of professional polish, maybe its just the presentation and the crowd elements of the game that don’t exist in the NFL. This year EA is adding a number of needed defensive improvements as well as a TeamBuilder feature so players can completely create their own virtual college to compete against the best.

Its interesting to see how Madden and NCAA change and this years tweaks are bit different. You can find all the new features after the jump.

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The Beatles: Rock Band debuted at E3 with a star studded lineup. Surviving band members Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were joined by Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison for the premier. Here’s a look at the E3 2009 The Beatles Rock Band trailer.

EA also revealed a The Beatles: Rock Band Xbox 360 exclusive track, “All You Need is Love”. Proceeds from the DLC go to the Doctors Without Borders charity. “All You Need is Love” will be ready for download on Xbox Live June 9th.

For more details on The Beatles: Rock Band career mode and the new peripheral set styled after the instruments used by the band, see the press release excerpts after the jump. You can also watch the video of the E3 The Beatles: Rock Band Demo and see the new peripherals in action in case you missed the live streaming video coverage of E3 earlier today.
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This is the first time in 4 years that I’ve not been scrambling and hurrying to get things ready for my trip to E3. I wish I could say I was disappointed because there is the faint chance that this year E3 might be something more akin to a sane version of my first visit to the LA convention center in 2006.

However I can’t help wondering why E3 excites anyone anymore.

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In today’s installment of ‘Yes, we’re milking the hell out of this’ news, Activision has announced that players of the upcoming Guitar Hero 5 will be able to construct their bands however they like in the upcoming rhythm game.

According to a press release we received here in our Gaming Today Volcano Lair™, you’ll be able to have a band with three guitars and a singer, 2 guitars and two drummers, or any other combination you can think up (Or more importantly, any combination you can afford enough plastic instruments for). The release also mentions new game modes like Party Play, which lets players jump in and out seamlessly, and RockFest, which will feature five new head-to-head modes for both online and local play. as well as allowing you to play the whole setlist as soon as you get the game home.

The other interesting piece of news is that GH5 will support DLC from Guitar Hero: World Tour, proving that Activision realizes how stupid it was to partition our GH3 DLC off from World Tour. Well, some of the DLC. There’s a worrisome asterisk in the press release that says ‘Does not apply to a limited number of songs.’

Now, I’m obviously not someone who hates Guitar Hero. Heck, I have every GH game (except for for GH: Aerosmith, but then, who does have that one?). However, even I question the logic of their release ideas. GH: Metallica hasn’t been out that long, and they’re already dropping GH5? Look, I know World Tour was a letdown. It tried to be different with how it handled setlists and whatnot, and it just didn’t work. But GH: Metallica brought you back! It was a slick game that was fun to play again. Shouldn’t you give us some time to enjoy it?

(Read more ranting, and see new screenshots and the actual press release after the break)

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“… dogs and cats, living together… mass hysteria!!”

As I quote the fictitious, yet venerable, Dr. Peter Venkman, it seems Sony Entertainment is currently attempting a coup of sorts towards bringing the upcoming Ghostbusters: The Video Game within its exclusive ranks. With just over a month until the game’s imminent release, this bit of news will come as a shock to many anticipating its release via the “other” platforms – namely the PC, Xbox 360, and Wii.

According to gamesindustry.biz, Sony acquired the game from Atari and has simultaneously revealed (as of today) that the game will launch on the Playstation 2 & 3 platforms exclusively with a PSP version to follow later. Officially, there is no word as to the fate of the other platform versions that were originally to be launched the same day. Speculation has it that Atari will still retain the rights to publish the game for the remaining platform versions, albeit, launching at a much later time.

Personally, I’m not sure what to think of this bit of news. The game has certainly changed hands (both developer and publisher) more than I can recall. The project would surely have died if Atari had not stepped in and secured the publishing rights last year. However, I can’t help but view this recent acquisition as anything but “dealing under the table”. When first hearing this news, I was given a strong visual of Sony and Atari representatives touting trench coats; both exchanging a briefcase full of cash in some dark alley late at night. Am I overreacting? Perhaps. But I sincerely doubt I’m alone here. It just seems so last minute given all the teasing we’ve had from trailers, demos, etc. added to the knowledge that it would be coming to our favorite platform very soon. The candy dangling in front of us has certainly been yanked away.

Nonetheless, I am still hopeful and looking forward to playing this game on PC. For now, it seems, I will be watching this game from the sidelines. My new multi-core Intel processor was also looking forward to crunching away at some neato physics calculations powered by the Velocity physics engine.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game is still slated to hit shelves around June 19th. However, gamers will only see the box sitting in specific sections of «insert favorite game store here».

Update: It seems MCV has confirmed (from Atari) the game will be released for Xbox 360, DS and Wii “later this year”.

Update: Atari has just sent out a press release with clarification that Sony exclusivity is for PAL regions only. You can check it out after the break.

… and there was much rejoicing in the west.

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I talk weekly about the convergence of pen-and-paper gaming with the digital game space of video games but today I get to announce a convergence going in the opposite direction.. Green Ronin, publishers of the popular Mutants & Masterminds, True 20 and the current publisher of The Song of Ice and Fire RPG just announced that they will be taking the world of BioWare’s forthcoming Dragon Age: Origins and converting it into a traditional RPG.

Dragon Age, often referred to in hype releases as “the spiritual successor to Baldur’s Gate” (BioWare’s original Fantasy RPG based upon the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms settings), will be getting a “box set” release in the summer meant to introduce both the world of Thedas (Dragon Age’s setting) and the concepts of traditional role playing to video game fans.

“We’re delighted to be working with Green Ronin to explore more of the Dragon Age universe through a pen and paper role-playing game. We’re excited to deliver Dragon Age’s unique dark, heroic fantasy to our audience in a brand new way—a perfect complement to the landmark game we’re launching on PC, Xbox 360, and PLAYSTATION 3 this fall,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, General Manager and CEO, BioWare and General Manager and Vice President, EA. “Our development teams craft rich, deep worlds, and this is an excellent way to expand the franchise.”

This is not the first RPG setting to make the transition from video game to paper – previously Everquest, Diablo, Starcraft and World of Warcraft have gotten a conversion to traditional RPG products at Wizards of the Coast and with White-Wolf’s Sword and Sorcery imprint. While none of those settings are still in active development this is the first time I can recall that an in-development video game property is getting a tabletop treatment before its even been released.

Who knows, maybe if Dragon Age grabs its audience Green Ronin and BioWare can negotiate to bring Mass Effect to pen-and-paper RPGs as well. I’d be first in line for a game based on that setting. Dragon Age feel like more of the same Tolkien derivative fantasy at this point unfortunately. You can read the full details of the press release after the jump.

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The open beta for PlayStation Home starts today, and while not expected to launch completely until next year it has already drawn some raided eyebrows, especially from Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg– who as we all know is one to always speak his mind with no qualms about the reaction to it. His recent criticism of Sony’s PlayStation Home is no exception, and as a matter of fact he thinks it is outdated.

Speaking with Kotaku, Greenberg stated that Home looks like Second Life for hardcore gamers without broadening the players experience or inviting them in:

“What Home to me feels like is Second Life for hardcore gamers. It doesn’t feel like it broadens the experience and invites people in. When they unveiled it, it seemed innovative. I think what’s happened is now here we are a couple of years later and we feel beyond that. It feels like 2005 tech in 2008. I’m not sure that’s what people want.”

He also went on to say that he feels there is still a “huge gap” between what Xbox Live can offer gamers compared to Sony and while Sony’s service is free, Microsoft will not be cutting the subscription prices for member because they are “”willing to pay for the premium experience”.

Anyone else getting sick to death of Microsoft constantly trying to remind people that they are superior to Sony and berating everything they do? Between that and the back and forth between fanboys for each system, it sometimes makes me wish I did not own an Xbox 360.

Here is something for PS3 owners to get really excited about: Sony will be launching PlayStation Home tomorrow, December 11in all gaming territories. Will it be worth the wait? We will see, and while you are there you can check out Red Bull’s own little chunk of the virtual world by visiting their interactive island. Why does that sound a bit like Second Life to me?

Anyway, the press release (which you can view in full after the jump) states that the free download of Home will launch directly from the PlayStation Home icon on the PlayStation Network column of XMB (XrossMediaBar) on PS3. For those who have not been keeping up with the progress of Home or who do not own a PS3, Home will allow open interaction among users, business partners and Sony, and will evolve with additional features including dedicated game spaces, special events and exclusive themed items to (and I quote) “further enrich the entertainment experience on the PS3 platform.” Horay!

It sure has been a long time coming hasn’t it? If the press release posted after the jump is a bit confusing for you, I seriously suggest you head on over to Game Politics where you can get a better breakdown of what to expect, and read a Beta tester’s thoughts on it.

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Red bull is the first to grab a chunk of PlayStation Home. The energy drink company has created a tropical island as its base of operations within the virtual world. Players will be able to enjoy community and an airplane racing game modeled after the Red Bull Air Race.

John Beasley, brand marketing manager for Red Bull UK, told Revolut!on Home is the perfect platform for businesses to reach out to new customers, bring people together and create good memories which they will associate with Red bull.

Gamers can expect Home to be open for public testing before the end of 2008. Sony will also be announcing more on brand partnerships for Home.

It looks like in-game advertising should be fun. The Home virtual world set up reminds me of Second Life. I just hope that Sony figures out a way to keep the game clean, if you know what I mean.

EA is inviting gamers to practice their carving technique on Necrophages this holiday season with the new Dead Space Dismemberment Demo premiering Tuesday, November 25. The demo is going up on the PC, Xbox and 360 and PS3 in North America. Europe will have to wait until November 27th for the demo to hit the PlayStation Network.

You’ll be ripping into necrophages with 4 different mining tools. For all of you U.S. citizens celebrating Thanksgiving this Thursday, don’t try this at home on your turkey or the cook might retaliate.