Microsoft updates Xbox D-Pad controller

Mafia II now shipping for PS3, Xbox and Windows

Published by 2K games, Mafia II is now available for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows PCs. The third-person action/shooter game was announced in August 2008, and is a sequel to Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven. Mafia II was developed by 2K Czech, previously known as Illusion Softworks. Full Story

Halo: Reach review copy hacked into

Hackers who claim to be from the Game-Tut.com website were able to hack into the downloadable review copy of Halo: Reach. The Xbox 360 title scheduled for full release on Sept. 14, 2010 was made available to early media reviewers who could enter a unique code to access the digital copy. The hackers (referred to as modders), were able to remove that access code requirement and play the game. Full Story

Blockbuster now renting video games by mail

4GB Xbox 360 Arcade now shipping for $199

The new 4GB Xbox 360 “Arcade” is now shipping and features built-in Wi-Fi (802.11n), reduced power consumption, and less noise than previous models. The model is basically the same as the 250GB elite, except with a 4GB Flash Drive. The 4GB model is also Kinect ready (Kinect controller-free accessory will ship Nov. 4, 2010). Full Story

Michael Jordan Challenge to release for NBA 2K11

2K Sports will release The Jordan Challenge, a new game mode for NBA 2K11 which will release on October 5, 2010. The new game mode will let players relive 10 historic games from Michael Jordan’s career — giving sports gamers the chance to do what Jordan did on the court. Is the likeness close enough for ya? Full Story

Mafia II Gets Detailed

Mafia II is a hotly-anticipated open world crime game that casts gamers as a member of the Sicilian Mafia, familiar territory for any fans of The Godfather. Director of Creative Production Jack Scalici recently spoke about the game to the Official Playstation Blog, and we gleaned the most interesting bits from the interview. Full Story

EA Announces Medal of Honor Limited Edition For PS3, Xbox 360, and PC

EA announced that a “Limited Edition” of their upcoming Medal of Honor will be available for all major consoles with the game’s release this October. For $59.99, the same price as the regular edition, gamers will get early access to three weapons: two shotguns, the TOZ-194 and 870MC2, and the MP7 submachine gun. In a nice addition, PS3 users are getting an exclusive bonus, as that version includes a remastered version of the PS2 classic MOH: Frontline. Full Story

Rockstar Announces Details For 4 Red Dead Redemption DLC Packs

Rockstar Games announced pricing and details today for the four remaining DLC packs for their best-selling western game Red Dead Redemption, one of which brings zombies into the game. These paid content packs, available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, follow the free “Outlaws To The End” DLC released on June 22nd. The first, “Legends and Killers Pack,” hits in August for $10 and the rest will come starting in the fall. Here’s details on each of them from the PR: Full Story

Microsoft’s Xbox Live Gold Family Pack Unveiled

Microsoft unveiled today a new subscription plan that gives families that have both gamer parents and children a great bargain. The Xbox Live Gold Family Plan features four one-year Xbox Live Gold Memberships for $99.99, the price of two regular subscriptions (and a savings of $100). Full Story

Leaner Xbox 360 250GB now shipping

The new Xbox 360 from Microsoft is now officially shipping. The leaner Xbox (also being referred to as “Slim” but officially going by “Xbox 360 250GB”) features a 250GB removable hard drive, built-in Wi-Fi (802.11n), reduced power consumption, and less noise than previous models. The new model retails for $299. Full Story

Medal of Honor Frontline remastered in HD

Originally released in 2002, Electronic Arts’ Medal of Honor Frontline will be available in a special edition of Medal of Honor (2010) exclusive to the PS3. This will be the first time ‘Frontine’ will be available for Playstation 3, which released as the fourth installment of the Medal of Honor franchise. EA says the exclusive edition has been re-mastered in HD with improved graphics and all the “heart-wrenching battles” of the original. Full Story

Dead Rising 2 Gets Full-Blown Prequel On Xbox Live Arcade With Dead Rising 2: Case Zero

“Dead Rising 2″ is one of the most anticipated games of the summer, so gamers should be happy to hear that they’ll be getting a prequel to the game before it’s released in the Xbox Live Arcade title “Dead Rising 2: Case Zero.”

Case Zero takes place two years after Dead Rising and three years before its sequel. Gamers play as Chuck Greene, the sequel’s protagonist, as he explores the small town of Still Creek, an environment completely different than the Las Vegas-like setting of Dead Rising 2. Greene, an ex-motocross rider, must traverse Still Creek in search of parts for his broken motorbike so that he may escape the town with his daughter. Full Story

Alan Wake DLC Episodes Priced & Detailed

Alan Wake, the Xbox 360 exclusive developed by Remedy that hit stores in May, left many fans hungry for more after completing the game’s main story. Now, two episodes of the game’s DLC (downloadable content) that further the game’s creepy storyline have been announced and detailed. Full Story

Dead Space 2 Limited Edition to include ‘Extraction’

This week’s E3 convention brought a slew of gaming announcments, one being an upcoming exclusive Limited Edition of Dead Space 2 which includes Dead Space Extraction in HD with support for PlayStation Move. The prequel to the Dead Space saga, ‘Extraction,’ will be sold as part of Dead Space 2 or as a standalone edition for PS3. Full Story