Next week, it’ll be back to the older stuff, as Harmonix will be bringing us the “Classic Rock Pack 01”. I guess their definition of “classic rock” includes any music that uses guitars and was made before in or before 1980. But frankly, I wouldn’t really consider The Police or Blondie as part of that genre; when I think of classic rock, I usually begin humming songs from bands like The Who, The Rolling Stones, and Eric Clapton.

However, Harmonix doesn’t give a damn about my thought, unlike you guys (…right?). So they’ve lumped in those two bands with a classic rock staple, Lynyrd Skynyrd. The three songs on tap are Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” (1973), “Message in a Bottle” by The Police (1979), and Blondie’s “The Call” (1980). Like Nick, I lament the continued lack of Journey, but I’m perfectly happy with these three master tracks.

This will all be available on Xbox Live next Tuesday, April 15th, and since the PlayStation Store will finally be updated next week, PS3 owners can get these three songs, along with the last two weeks of Rock Band DLC, on Thursday, April 17th. Each song will cost 160 Microsoft Points ($1.99), though as usual, you can pick up the three-song pack for 440 MS Points ($5.49). The press release is after the jump.

Via Destructoid

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In case Nick Chester’s fantastically detailed “GTA IV Week” posts haven’t titillated you enough, Rockstar ratcheted up the anticipation for GTA IV today with a flood of information. The update comprises a broad variety of new features on the game’s official Web site:

New multiplayer modes and details
Two new videos
Two new radio stations/DJs
A mess of flash sites for in-game features
A ton of new screens

Nick already gave you a preview on the expansive multiplayer aspect of the game. Now you can find some information on all of the game’s team modes in the Web site’s Multiplayer section, which was previously shut with a “Coming Soon” tag. The new radio stations are Electrochoc (pronounced “Electroshock”), which features dance music, and L.C.H.C. (“Liberty City Hard Core”), which plays hardcore rock. Try them out in the widget above!

I’ve included the details of the new update after the jump, straight from the News page on the official site. Check it out, and then head over to www.rockstargames.com/IV/ to see it all for yourself.

[Editor’s note: For some reason, the widget won’t work in Firefox for me; I had to view this post in World wide web Explorer to get it to work. Weird, I’m not even using the beta of Firefox 3.]

Via Destructoid

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Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online

Rockstar unloaded a mess of new information and time-wasters onto the Grand Theft Auto IV website today. Most notable are full details of two out of the four major subsets of the game’s definitely-not-tacked-on multiplayer component, Team and Race, while the Co-op and Competitive breakdowns are promised to be “coming soon.” (Aw heck, the game’ll be here in just 18 days … We say, let that hype wave come crashing down already!) Here’s the skinny so far:

Team modes

• Team Deathmatch - “Rub out” other teams and loot opposing players’ dead bodies for money. The team with most cash at the end wins.
• Team Mafiya Work - Work as a team to finish “Mafiya” contracts before time expires; missions include: escorting wanted men, picking up MacGuffins and stealing vehicles. Teams must “scupper” opposing crew’s work too, as it’s the team with the most cash at the end of the round that wins.
• Team Automobile Jack City - Teams must collect cars that spawn around the map and take them to drop off points for cash; the condition of the vehicles when dropped off determines the amount of cash, except for bonus cars stuffed with drugs (these have a set value). Teams must deliver the cars ordered by the “boss.” The team with the most cash at the end wins. (Are you sensing a pattern yet?)
• Cops n’ Crooks - The crook team must get its boss to safety. The cop team has to take him down or simply destroy the getaway automobile (see sub-modes below).
• All for One - Crooks win by getting their boss to a getaway vehicle and escaping. Cops win by killing the Boss before he gets away.
• One for All - No boss, just plain crooks trying to escape. Cops win by killing all of the crooks (there’s no respawning in this mode). Crooks win by filling up the getaway car, which holds up to four players.
• Turf War - Timed capture-the-base. A number of bases are scattered across the map and can be captured by standing in the appropriate area for a short time; bases can be captured more quickly with multiple teammates, but can’t be captured if opposing players are on the base (you know what to do). Captured bases earn money. The team with the most cash at the end … wait for it … wins!

Race modes

• Race - Checkpoint races with the capability to respawn at the last checkpoint passed; numerous courses for vehicles, boats and helicopters — laps and car class/type are adjustable (see sub-modes below).
• Free Race - Point-to-point races; first one to the finish wins.
• Cannonball Run - Traverse several checkpoints anyway you can.
• GTA Race - Checkpoint races with the added element of combat; weapons spawn throughout courses. Players can also exit their automobiles during road races.

Feel free to tinker with the rest of the site’s new trappings embedded after the break!
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Continue reading GTA IV site update reveals all Team & Race multiplayer modes — and much more

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Filed under: Culture, On the internet, Business

The founders of Hitman and Kane and Lynch developer IO Interactive have left to form Reto-Moto, a Copenhagen, Denmark-based studio “committed to redefining the online multi-player space.” While the team isn’t speaking about its initial project, a press release announcing the company notes that Reto-Moto is in “active dialogue with strategic industry partners.”

In a rather incestuous twist, it turns out that Reto-Moto was actually established in 1997, and was the former parent of IO Interactive before it was handed off to Eidos in 2004 as part of a

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Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online, Rhythm

We’re sending out an SOS to the world to try and stop us from downloading the tracks in next week’s Rock Band update. We fear that $5.50 has already jumped out of our wallets, run over to the console and is attempting to push itself inside as a willing sacrifice for Blondie, Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Police.

Classic Rock pack (440 Microsoft Points / $5.50)

• “Call Me” - Blondie (160 MS Points / $2)
• “Simple Man” - Lynyrd Skynyrd (160 MS Points / $2)
• “Message in Bottle” - The Police (160 MS Points / $2)

Videos for this week’s Rock Band DLC are after the break per usual. The songs will be available next Tuesday on Xbox 360 and the last three weeks of songs featured on Rock Band Weekly will be available next Thursday with the new PSN store.

Continue reading Rock Band Weekly: Blondie, Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Police

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Filed under: News

Family oriented website What They Play recently took a poll on their site for parents asking which content they feel is most offensive in games. The results not only shocked What They Like Inc. co-founder John Davison to W.T.F. on his own personal blog, but they make us epically shake our heads and roll our eyes.

According to the poll parents found sexual content, such as the sex scene in Mass Effect, and two males kissing, which is possible in Rockstar’s Bully, more offensive than a sequence that involves a graphically severed human head. Really? Come on. Seriously folks, is it April Fools’ again?

[via Joystiq]

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Via Xbox360fanboy

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Filed under: News, Video Marketplace

Can you believe it? We survived the entire week, making it all the way through Friday with our sanity intact. Congrats! So, as a “you made it through the week kid” congratulatory gift, we’re offering up another edition of Video Marketplace Weekly. Lucky you! And wouldn’t you know, this week is extra, super, hydro (hydro?) special because we’re being treated to a high definition rental of the Oscar award winning No Country for Old Men. One of the most breathtaking films … like … evar! It’s so good, you’ll probably never want to watch another motion picture ever again, unless of course Javier Bardem stars in it. Click towards the break to see what other movies made it onto the U.S. Video Marketplace this week. You deserve it.

Continue reading Video Marketplace Weekly: no country edition

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Via Xbox360fanboy

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Filed under: News, Xbox Live Marketplace

Leaving behind memories of Bow Wow and Omarion, we’re heading into a new musical direction with Xbox.com’s Artist of the Month series where, for the month of April, Avenged Sevenfold has been awarded the monthly crown.

Avenged Sevenfold’s Artist of the Month honors come riding on the heels of the October 2007 “celebrated” release of their self titled Avenged Sevenfold album which ultimately results in, for a limited time, a free Avenged Sevenfold music video download off the Xbox Live Marketplace. That’s it children, Avenged Sevenfold is your April Artist of the Month. Enjoy.

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Via Xbox360fanboy

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Filed under: News, Xbox Live Marketplace

Getting back into the normal swing of making announcements, hmxsean just posted next week’s Rock Band downloadable content and we have a hunch that hardcore Rock Band‘ers will pleased.

Available next Tuesday, April 15th for 160 Microsoft points each or bundled together in a three pack for 440 points, will be new Rock Band DLC including “Call Me” by Blondie, “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd and “Message in Bottle” by The Police. And before you ask, these will all be master tracks. We also know a select few of you’ve been eagerly awaiting “Simple Man”’s release ever since the Rock Band March DLC leak so, come Tuesday, we’re happy to say that your wait is over. Rock on!

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Via Xbox360fanboy

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As you all (hopefully) know, Ikaruga launched on Live Arcade this week. As such, we will be rockin’ it co-op style for Friday Night Fights, so make sure you pair up with a buddy. Can you handle the heat? If not, no worries.

I apologize for a lack of front page FNF posts these last couple of weeks, but I’ve got a semi-good excuse: long vacation was long. No communication with the World wide web world is good for relaxation, but bad for consistency.

PlayStation 3, PC, and Wii owners: prepare yourself for a night of solid gaming. Xbox 360 players: we’re a tad bit short on hosts this week, so if you’re up to it, let me know in the comments and I’ll update the post accordingly.

Via Destructoid

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