Filed under: Betas, FPS, Multiplayer

Normally we wouldn’t bother giving attention to the latest email scam but the community manager for Infinity Ward decided to put the Call of Duty fans on alert for an email that has apparently been spreading out among the tubes of the Interweb.

Basically some folks have gotten an email saying they have been selected to join the multiplayer beta for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 the soon-to-be-officially announced next game in the shooter series. “Fourzerotwo” states any such email should be deleted immediately as it is almost certainly a way to transmit a virus or trying to get you to download a nasty file.

He states, “For the record, there is no beta. Believe me, if we were having a beta, I’d be screaming it from every internet rooftop from Twitter to Forums. We have yet to even officially announce our next project, let alone a beta for it.” Technically Modern Warfare 2 has in fact been revealed (although Activision quickly tried to get the cow after it escaped the barn) but we are pretty sure no such beta would be released until at least a couple of months before the game’s ship date.

[Via Joystiq]

That Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 email beta invite? Fake. originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Etc.

There are lots of people here in Detroit for the NAIAS, and there are lots of moments that have little to do with the cars themselves. So we figured we’d do a roundup gallery to show you some of the personal moments from this year’s Detroit Auto Show. Some of the faces you’ll undoubtedly recognize, while others you’ll probably hope to get to know better. Check out the gallery and you’ll see sports announcers, execs, kids, even a model or two. As always, we appreciate the tireless work of the booth professionals who have to stand in heels all day and pretend to be happy to see another camera shoved in their faces. Many have mentioned that they are fans of Autoblog, but we suspect they say that to everyone. Still, we know some will be viewing this post so please be civil and keep your comments clean.

Photos copyright (C)2009 Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc.

Detroit 2009: Motor City guys and dolls….but mostly dolls originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ah, yes. Nothing like some robotics to shake all that pesky quaintness out of a well-loved, time-tested game. In this case, some folks from the Cowtown Computer Congress used a couple of servos and the ever so useful Arduino to connect a wooden Labyrinth game to a Wii Fit, which appears to up the difficulty of the game while still requiring as little exertion as possible. At just $60 total (not including the Wii Fit), the project is also relatively inexpensive, and it seems that it’s a fairly simple process to swap out the Wii Fit for the controller of your choice. Head on past the break for a video of the setup in action, and hit up the link below for the necessary details.

[Thanks, Steve]

Continue reading Wii Fit and Arduino bring wooden Labyrinth game to robotic life

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Gaming

Wii Fit and Arduino bring wooden Labyrinth game to robotic life originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Detroit Auto Show

This year’s North American International Auto Show is a different beast entirely than year’s past. Thanks to a number of absences from this year’s show, the 2009 Detroit Auto Show began to run out of steam sometime during Day 2. The second day has traditionally been as equally as exciting as the first, but today’s big reveals were confined to just the 2010 Toyota Prius and Fisker’s debut of the production 2010 Karma series hybrid sedan and Karma S concept. Nevertheless, we kept ourselves busy scrounging every nook and cranny of Cobo Hall in Detroit for vehicles to write about. Below you’ll find the fruits of our labor, and there’s still more to come on Day 3, so stay tuned

Motor City guys and dolls… but mostly gals

Toyota
2010 Toyota Prius

Detroit 2009: Day 2 Wrap-up originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: News

In an interview with G4TV, Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg had quite a lot to say about the Xbox 360′s performance in 2008 as well as what’s in store for the future. Greenberg began by trumpeting the 2008 numbers that were released last week, also noting high sales for Gears of War 2, Call of Duty: World at War and Left 4 Dead. He then clarified that the Xbox 360 has at least a 1 million unit lead over the PS3 in Europe (by install base, not sales). When asked about the runaway success of the Wii, Greenberg stated that the two machines offered different experiences and that he saw no reason why both couldn’t successful. “I look at retail outlets and car companies and airlines… you know there’s more than one,” said Greenberg, adding, “I think what we’re finding is that there are two platforms that are clearly having success.” Greenberg also reiterated his belief that Sony will have to reduce the price of the PS3 “sooner, rather than later” if the company wishes to remain competitive.

Perhaps most tantalizingly, Greenberg spoke to Microsofts still nebulous lineup for 2009. He noted that while 2009 is “a big year for Halo fans” thanks to Halo Wars and Halo 3: ODST, Microsoft still has plenty up its digital sleeve. Greenberg said that Microsoft prefers to “under promise and over deliver,” explaining that the company likes to save announcements until a product is close to launch. He cites the NXE as an example, saying that the company kept it under wraps — well, mostly — until E3 2008, which preceded the November launch in the same year.

And before you ask, no, he didn’t drop any hints as to what said projects might be. Our guess: Alan Wake and Duke Nukem Forever will both launch this year exclusively on Xbox 360 … on the same day.

[Via VideoGamer.com]

Greenberg talks up MS strategy, 2009 lineup originally appeared on Xbox 360 Fanboy on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: News

In an interview with G4TV, Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg had quite a lot to say about the Xbox 360′s performance in 2008 as well as what’s in store for the future. Greenberg began by trumpeting the 2008 numbers that were released last week, also noting high sales for Gears of War 2, Call of Duty: World at War and Left 4 Dead. He then clarified that the Xbox 360 has at least a 1 million unit lead over the PS3 in Europe (by install base, not sales). When asked about the runaway success of the Wii, Greenberg stated that the two machines offered different experiences and that he saw no reason why both couldn’t successful. “I look at retail outlets and car companies and airlines… you know there’s more than one,” said Greenberg, adding, “I think what we’re finding is that there are two platforms that are clearly having success.” Greenberg also reiterated his belief that Sony will have to reduce the price of the PS3 “sooner, rather than later” if the company wishes to remain competitive.

Perhaps most tantalizingly, Greenberg spoke to Microsofts still nebulous lineup for 2009. He noted that while 2009 is “a big year for Halo fans” thanks to Halo Wars and Halo 3: ODST, Microsoft still has plenty up its digital sleeve. Greenberg said that Microsoft prefers to “under promise and over deliver,” explaining that the company likes to save announcements until a product is close to launch. He cites the NXE as an example, saying that the company kept it under wraps — well, mostly — until E3 2008, which preceded the November launch in the same year.

And before you ask, no, he didn’t drop any hints as to what said projects might be. Our guess: Alan Wake and Duke Nukem Forever will both launch this year exclusively on Xbox 360 … on the same day.

[Via VideoGamer.com]

Greenberg talks up MS strategy, 2009 lineup originally appeared on Xbox 360 Fanboy on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

Video game market prognosticator Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan sees a PS3 price-drop in April — to the tune of $100. Sound familiar? Pachter also believes that the Xbox 360 will be reduced in price shortly thereafter, while the Wii will likely keep its $249 price point for the duration of 2009.

In an email advisement reported on by GameDaily, Pachter said that Wedbush Morgan expects “sales of [PS3] will once again begin to grow” following the spring price reduction, something that the firm believes Microsoft will counter “with the feature-laden Pro model likely [coming] down in price to $249 at or before this year’s E3 show in June.”

As for the Wii, Pachter doesn’t see Nintendo marking its console down unless it “sees signs that demand is slowing, which means a price cut may not happen until late in the year, if at all.” We’ll see your year, Pachter, and raise you at least nine more months.

Pachter: PS3 price drop in April, 360 to follow, Wii staying put originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Tuners, Japan, Nissan, Suzuki, Tokyo Auto Salon

With the Detroit Auto Show finally winding down, we can turn our attention to the east (or west, depending on your continental perspective) to take in the motoring madness and engineering wizardry coming out of the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon.

Each year, Japan’s top tuners descend on the Makuhari Messe to show their wares to the public and press, and with over a year to develop, modify and produce components for the Mitsubishi Evolution X, Subaru Impreza WRX STI and the new darling of the aftermarket scene – the Nissan GT-R – this year’s show had the potential to trump anything we’ve seen out of Tokyo in the last decade. By many accounts, it did, and with the help of Autoblog Chinese and some of our favorite JDM-obsessed sites, we’ll be bringing you the best TAS has to offer.

Since we’ll be focusing almost exclusively on the products that make you go faster and stick harder, we’ll get the weird out of the way right now. Behold the NATS GT-K. Captured by our friends at LeBlogAuto, the GT-K is based on the Suzuki Cappuccino, and aside from the GT-R duds, the Kei car features a modified version of the 657cc DOHC inline-three equipped with a larger turbo and intercooler, along with a coilover suspension, upgraded brakes and a set of gloriously hideous 18-inch chrome wheels. We were able to keep our dinner down long enough to look at NATS’ 911-inspired Cappuccino, at which point we grabbed the nearest trash can and heaved away. Ambition: 1. Execution: 0. More to follow. Stay tuned…

Tokyo Auto Salon 2009: The best from TAS, but first… originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Culture, Business

IGN reports that “multiple sources” at LucasArts and “elsewhere” indicate that the developer’s next-gen Indiana Jones game has been canceled; however, Joystiq has contacted LucasArts for an official statement and things don’t appear so cut-and-dry.

According to a LucasArts representative, “LucasArts remains absolutely committed to the Indiana Jones franchise. While we are aware that fans have been eagerly awaiting additional information on the upcoming game, they can rest assured that details are forthcoming.”

Well, that doesn’t sound like the game is dead, although there’s certainly wiggle room in that quote to speculate that the long-in-development title has been killed with another taking its place. Of course, that would just be our old friends Rumor and Speculation stopping by to say hi.

Despite rumors, LucasArts is ‘committed’ to new Indiana Jones game originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Etc., Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM, GMC, HUMMER, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn

Seeing as this is the first post-bailout Detroit Auto Show, we figured it might be interesting to take a look at the display areas for the two automakers that are now taxpayer-subsidized. Would we find extravagant layouts, visible signs of austerity, or pretty much business as usual? First up is General Motors. For now, it’s still eight brands. But who knows what that number will be a year from now. Jump into the gallery below for photos and accompanying observations. And note that some of the cars shown here (like the Cruze and Beat concept above) are likely to be relocated when the show opens to the public.

Photos copyright (C)2009 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc.

Detroit 2009: Post-Bailout Booth Tour – GM originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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