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  Rumor: Need For Speed PSP, EA Canada Staffers Axed

  Another batch of Vancouver area game developers are looking for work, as sources tell us that EA Canada‘s Burnaby location was the latest to be hit by Electronic Arts’ ongoing layoffs. The count numbered as many as 55 EA staffers, according to a regularly reliable source, one who tells us that the cuts might also…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 29, 2009
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  Get Secondhand Lands For Free

  There are two things everyone needs when the economy’s down: free stuff and a lot of laughs. Looks like you can get at least one of those from Secondhand Lands. Secondhand Lands is a fantasy satire MMORPG starring such parodies as the Sugar Prune Fairy, Princess Pwnies of the Apocalypse and cable trolls. Starting today,…

  By AJ Glasser Published January 29, 2009
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  Take A Closer Look At Halo 3’s Mythic Map Pack

  The official Austrian Xbox blog has posted a few screenshots of Halo 3‘s Mythic Map Pack, along with – for the first time – some names and descriptions to go along with them. The first map – Sandbox – has a variety of vehicles at your disposal, as well as allowing extensive modification via Forge.…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 29, 2009
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  Indiana Jones And The Staff Of Kings Revealed In New Nintendo Power

  We’ve already seen the trailer and been properly prepared by Nintendo Power‘s own teasing, so the cover treatment given to Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings isn’t exactly a shocker. But we’ll take it! The March issue of Nintendo Power promises the first (print, we assume) look at LucasArts’ next Indy adventure, in which…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 29, 2009
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  Yuusha 30: Turns Out Countdown Clocks Are Sometimes Warranted

  Marvelous Entertainment‘s PSP-bound Yuusha 30 looks clever. Clever enough for us to forgive them their use of a countdown clock teaser that led many to think it was The Legend of Zelda related. As already revealed by Famitsu, Yuusha 30 lets players save the world from evil “Demon Kings” thirty seconds at a time. It’s…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 29, 2009
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  PlayStation Store Update: Savagely Mooned & Bejeweled

  So much to see! So much to do(wnload)! Whether you need PlayStation Network original games or new Sackboy outfits, there’s a lot to like about this week’s North American PlayStation Store update. Let’s look! Savage Moon and Bejeweled 2 give PlayStation 3 owners something new to play, while the new Final Fantasy XIII trailer gives…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 29, 2009
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  We Require More StarCraft II Screen Shots

  The waiting for StarCraft II isn’t the hardest part. It’s determining which media is new. And these, we’re fairly certain, are new screen shots of StarCraft II. This one‘s definitely new. But this one? Pretty sure that last one is old. And by “old,” I mean internet old, possibly as ancient as three weeks under…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 29, 2009
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  Reviewing Flawed Code

  To: Ash From: Crecente Re: Golly, Pie With Cheese Is Good I know I’ve ranted about this before, but I just don’t get how so many people can write reviews of games using early builds and just ignore the issues. Sure they’re issues that will most likely be fixed for retail release. But what if…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 29, 2009
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  Disney Confirms Cuts, Consolidations

  Disney Interactive Studios has confirmed to Kotaku “restructuring” at its Propaganda Games studio in Vancouver, clarifying that about half of the number of employees we reported affected by layoffs were let go. Exact numbers weren’t provided, but we were told that approximately 35 or fewer Propaganda Games staffers were laid off, with two development teams…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 29, 2009
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  Is Your Copy Of Gears Of War PC Busted? Here’s Why

  Owners of the “Games For Windows” release of Gears Of War have found themselves unable to play the game they own today. The reason? An expired Windows digital certificate, which went digitally sour yesterday. Epic Games’ forum dwellers began kvetching about the issue within the past 24 hours, when presented with a warning that read…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 29, 2009
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  Prince of Persia’s DLC to Bring Three More Hours of Gaming

  That new Prince of Persia downloadable content planned for a Feb. 26 release will add three new hours of gameplay to the title, Ubisoft said today. The still-unpriced-content will continue the story of the Price and Elika through the Underground Palace. Other pack goodies include: New Power: Energize – Reconstruct destroyed areas of the environment…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 29, 2009
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  Guitar Hero World Tour Finds Oasis Today

  Guitar Hero World Tour owners thirsty for new content can drink in Oasis’ latest, as Activision has made Dig Out Your Soul available as downloadable content. What can you look forward to? In addition to the Oasis tracks already released for World Tour, fake rockers can now jam to “The Turning,” “I’m Outta Time,” “(Get…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 29, 2009
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  Deadly Creatures, Locked In Mortal Combat

  It’s a developer diary! It’s a nature documentary! It’s both! The developers of the upcoming Wii exclusive action adventure title Deadly Creatures talk up the combat abilities of the game’s two unique protagonists. From this installment of the Deadly Creatures development diaries, we learn that while the scorpion is a powerful brawler, the tarantula is…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 29, 2009
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  Update: Layoffs Hit Disney Interactive, Turok Sequel Canceled

  Disney is the latest in a long list of companies planning to pare down its workforce, with cuts and consolidations affecting Disney Interactive Studios. Layoffs are said to have already hit Turok developer Propaganda. Sources tell us that Vancouver based Propaganda Games is in the process of laying off approximately 70 employees. That reduction in…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 29, 2009
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  2K’s Prizefighter Gets A New Name For Nintendo Platforms

  2K Sports have just announced that they’ll be bringing the legendary hair of boxing manager Don King to Nintendo platforms this March with the release of Don King Boxing, complete with Balance Board Support. Developed by 2K China, Don King Boxing is the Nintendo version of Don King Presents: Prizefighter, renamed for the Wii and…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 29, 2009
• Reviews

  Star Ocean: Second Evolution Review: Calm Seas Ahead

  Square Enix continues its seemingly unrelenting stream of RPG remakes with the release of Star Ocean: Second Evolution for the PSP, an update to the classic PlayStation title Star Ocean: The Second Story. Second Evolution picks up the Star Ocean story 20 years after the first game, following the adventures of Claude C. Kenni, the…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 29, 2009
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  Perfect Balance Upends Your Productivity

  Looking for something to do that’s not work-related while at work? Kill your output with Perfect Balance, a brilliantly simple block-stacker that renders one useless as an employee. Yes, very sorry about that, Mr. Crecente. But this is a fantastic diversion if you’re stuck gazing into a monitor all day. Simply arrange the pieces on…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 29, 2009
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  New Wii Games Can’t Unseat Old GameCube Games In Japan

  Nintendo’s strategy of re-releasing classic GameCube games that have been Wii waggle-readied looks to be working, as least in the case of Mario Power Tennis. The “Play on Wii” version is still Japan’s favorite game. That includes the original Wii role-playing game Fragile: Sayonara Tsuki no Haikyo from Namco Bandai, one of two new debuts…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 29, 2009
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  Mythic’s Four-Month Plan to Drip Feed You New Ways to Play

  As Mythic readies the first major content update to their massively online game Warhammer Online, we spoke with Executive Producer Jeff Hickman about the upcoming free new content, new classes, and new dungeons in Call to Arms. Unlike a traditional MMO expansion, A Call to Arms is being delivered over the course of several months,…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 29, 2009
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  Blood Bowl: Skaven Versus Lizardmen

  The Blood Bowl battle continues, as Cyanide brings us yet another video for the fantasy football board game adaptation, this time featuring the reptillian Lizardmen and the ratty Skaven. Rats and lizards, living together, playing football. The giant, tough-as-nails Lizardmen might have the strength advantage, but no one can out-manuever the wily Skaven. Each new…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 29, 2009