Filed under: Mac, Personal computer, Online, Puzzle

Hoping to make a comeback with that 365-point quixotry play in Scrabulous? US and Canadian Facebook users were likely dismayed to find out this week that Scrabulous has been disabled. The region-specific lock likely has to do with Hasbro’s license for all Scrabble video games, which is for US and Canada only (Mattel owns the rights for the rest of the world). In the interim, you can always play the official Scrabble Facebook app care of Electronic Arts, although it lacks the panache of …

Filed under: Personal computer, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online

When Microsoft recently flipped the switch to turn Games For Windows Live into a free-for-all, several cross-platform multiplayer games apparently brought their Xbox 360 denizens with them. That’s right, all three cross-platform titles (Shadowrun, Universe at War: Earth Assault and Lost Planet: Colonies) can be played online by any Xbox 360 user with a high-speed world wide web connection — freeloading Xbox Live Silver account holders specifically — according to a thread on Xbox Forums. Of course, the catch is you’ve got to …

Filed under: Personal computer, On the internet, RPGs, MMO

With the intergalactic cat already out of the bag this weekend, Cryptic Studios has officially announced Star Trek Online and unveiled a website for the in-development MMO. The developer has also released a handful of screenshots and promises to reveal gameplay footage at the Las Vegas Star Trek Convention on August 10 (there’s a countdown on the STO site if you need something to stare at for the next 13 days). For those who can’t make the convention, or decide …

Filed under: Nintendo Wii, On the web

A new system update for Japanese Wii consoles has introduced an intriguing new function to the Wii Shop Channel: bonus content. The feature, which prompts users to enter a 16-digit code when accessed, has so far been used to distribute the Wii Speaker Channel using a key included with Daigasso! Band Brothers DX for the Nintendo DS.Nintendo Everything and Wii Fanboy speculate that the Shop Channel’s new feature could potentially be used to redeem codes included with games for everything from free Wii Points …

Filed under: News

Shane Kim, former Microsoft Game Studios guru and recently appointed VP of the Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business, recently spoke to EDGE magazine on his company’s failed attempts at massively multiplayer online games. Specifically, MS canceled Marvel Universe Online earlier this year. Way back on the original Xbox, True Fantasy Live Online, once thought to be the original Xbox’s savior in Japan, was also canceled. On Microsoft’s trouble with MMOs, Kim said, “I’ll admit MGS has not had success in the MMO space,” also noting, “We haven’t been able …

Filed under: News
After dealing with a healthy does of confusion over the mysterious $130 Gears of War 2 Lancer bundle, we can finally state that we’ve this mystery solved. And you can chalk up all the bundle speak to large misunderstanding of words. Microsoft just informed us that:
“We have officially announced a Standard Edition ($59.99 USD) and Limited Edition ($69.99) for ‘Gears of War 2′, which will both be available on November 7th, 2008 worldwide. Retailers often create their own bundles to appeal to specific customers. The ‘Lancer’ bundle …

Filed under: News, Xbox Live Arcade
Guess who’s back? Yes, you guessed correctly and on your first try, it’s that adorable yellow alien from The Behemoth’s Alien Hominid HD and we just learned that he’ll be making an appearance in the August 27th release of Castle Crashers. As a playable character at that. Developer The Behemoth confirmed that the alien would be insta-unlocked as a playable character in Castle Crashers for those who already purchased the XBLA release of Alien Hominid HD, but can still be earned by those who don’t …

Filed under: News
Update: Mystery solved! Microsoft has informed us that there’s no MGS created $130 GoW2 Lancer bundle. Read more about it here.
This weekend, news trickled out of Comic-Con where Cliff and the Gears of War 2 panel enthusiastically “announced” a third Gears of War 2 retail edition that would include a Lancer replica priced at $130. Well, now we hear that this may not be the case and could be just a large ball of confusion. Let us explain.
During the panel, we’re hearing (from sources including Gearheads of War) …

Filed under: News, Xbox Live
With Microsoft’s Games for Windows reveal last week, where they announced all Games for Windows titles would be granted to access a fully functioning Xbox Live without the need for a Gold account, comes word that ALL cross-platform titles on the Xbox 360 will be allowed access multiplayer functionality as well. Though, only for a limited time.
Shacknews confirmed the news with Microsoft which ultimately means that anyone who owns Universe at War, Shadowrun or Lost Planet: Colonies Edition on the Xbox 360 can play multiplayer on …

Here’s a bit of news that’s been filed into the “things I wouldn’t anticipate EA to do until I remembered its EA” folder. According to a rep at the EA Comic-Con booth, the monolithic publisher has now decided to move into the pre-built Computer market. This is going to be based around the release of the upcoming “look at me I’m so pretty” Computer shooter Crysis Warhead.
It looks like EA is trying to attract gamers that might not know very much about Personal computer components by offering systems that are …