I feel like I’m missing some seriously vital information on this one because it seems way too good to be true. XBox Live is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary. If you’ve been a member since the beginning, Microsoft is reportedly sending you a free commemorative edition XBox 360. This special edition of the console has different colored vents – one XBox green, the other bright orange – and a nice logo decal as well. I have no idea what the hard drive or any other variable specs may be, it does come with a matching controller and a year of free Gold membership. I’m probing for more information, but my sources seem to confirm the offer. I’m guessing the actual number of members who’ve maintained a solid tenure with the service since day one must be extremely limited. If any of our readers actually receive this offer, let us know in the comments section. We’d love more details.

Even if you’re not a 10 year veteran of XBL, the 10th Anniversary has something special for other players as well. To celebrate this milestone, XBLA is having a sale. The sale started earlier this week and if you want Wreckateer for free you should pick it up now. That special ends today! The other items in the sale are available at the discounted price through Wednesday. Those items and their sale prices (after 50% discount) are:

• Bastion – 600 MSP
• Battlefield 1943 – 600 MSP
• Castle Crashers – 600 MSP
• Fruit Ninja Kinect – 400 MSP
• Full House Poker – 400 MSP
• Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved² – 400 MSP
• Peggle – 400 MSP

I’ve been a little late to finish Episode 4 of The Walking Dead but I finally did it on Wednesday. Wow! That surprise (half-assed spoiler alert) bit(e) at the end was absolutely shocking. I may have half-expected it, but I thought it wouldn’t come until the final episode. I’m more excited than ever to see how it all ends now. Which is why I’m glad to hear that Episode 5: No Time Left is coming next week. Seems like a solidly disturbing way to spend the big feast day on Thursday. As usual, it’s $4.99 for the single episode – not sure if the season pass is still available for the discount. If you’ve refrained simply because of hard drive space, the retail version is hitting on December 4th for $29.99.

Ubisoft’s film projects seem to have found their mark, in the talent selection at least. It was recently announced that Michael Fassbender would be taking the lead role and production responsibilities for Assassin’s Creed. Capitalizing on that star power, they’ve now locked in Tom Hardy for the role of Sam Fisher in the film adaptation of Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell. They’ve also tapped Eric Singer (The International) to write the script. Still no information on a plot or release date, no surprise, but at least they’ve got a star with some chops. Hardy’s recent successes with The Dark Knight Rises, Lawless, Warrior, and Inception have made him a household name and earned him plenty of Hollywood respect (and Hollywood dollars). His current project is Mad Max: Fury Road, filming now. Everest is up next.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution may not have sold as many copies as a typical Tom Clancy title, and Scott Derrickson (Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose)may not have as much name weight, but it doesn’t make their news any less exciting. Derrickson is now signed on to direct the film adaptation of Deus Ex. He will also be co-writing the screenplay with C. Robert Cargill (Sinister). Casting, release date, and the other vitals are yet to come. This game seems an odd choice for adaptation because of its emphasis on player choice. Then again, film is a different medium.

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is coming next week and the biggest criticisms I’ve heard so far are that a few characters from Sony’s history aren’t making an appearance. Sony may have heard some of those complaints, but if the two planned DLC characters are their answer then they’ve missed the point in the worst kind of way. Starhawk‘s Emmett and Gravity Rush‘s Kat will be free additions (for two weeks after their release) at an unspecified future date. So when is Crash Bandicoot coming?

The next DLC package for Borderlands 2 has been confirmed as “Mister Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage.” Other than the confirmation, not much is revealed. The only “source” we have for now is Mister Torgue himself, who has apparently taken over Gearbox’s ECHOcast Twitter, where he obnoxiously uses CAPS Lock, since “LOWER CASE IS FOR PUSSIES.” From what I can gather, he’s basically a “dudebro” that looks a little like Capcom’s Haggar (Saturday Night Slam Masters, Final Fight). It’s apparently slated for November 20th (unconfirmed) and is included with the season pass.

Spike TV announced the nominees for VGA Ten yesterday. This will be the tenth year of Spike broadcasting the Video Game Awards. Samuel L. Jackson is hosting. The event will take place on December 7th and they aren’t being stingy with providing ways to watch. It will obviously air live on Spike TV (check your local listings). But it will also be simulcast on MTV 2, MTV Tr3s, Xbox LIVE, Spike.com and GameTrailers.com. Besides the awards themselves, world premiers are planned for Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us, Epic Games’ Gears of War: Judgment, and Obsidian’s South Park: The Stick of Truth. Tenacious D will be performing at the event for their second time. A few titles (Borderlands 2, Halo 4, Assassin’s Creed III, Mass Effect 3, Journey, Dishonored, and The Walking Dead) really stand out with at least five nominations. Here’s a partial list (full list at VGA.spike.com) of categories and nominees:

• Game of the Year
• Assassin’s Creed III (Ubisoft/Ubisoft Montreal)
• Dishonored (Bethesda Softworks/Arkane Studios)
• Journey (Sony Computer Entertainment/thatgamecompany)
• Mass Effect 3 (Electronic Arts/BioWare)
• The Walking Dead: The Game (Telltale Games)
• Best Action Adventure Game
• Assassin’s Creed III (Ubisoft/Ubisoft Montreal)
• Darksiders II (THQ/Vigil Games)
• Dishonored (Bethesda Softworks/Arkane Studios)
• Sleeping Dogs (Square Enix/United Front Games)
• Best Shooter
• Borderlands 2 (2K Games/Gearbox Software)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Activision/Treyarch)
• Halo 4 (Microsoft Studios/343 Industries)
• Max Payne 3 (Rockstar Games)
• Studio of the Year
• 343 Industries
• Arkane Studios
• Gearbox Software
• Telltale Games
• Most Anticipated Game
• BioShock Infinite (2K Games/Irrational Games)
• Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar Games)
• South Park: The Stick of Truth (THQ/Obsidian Entertainment)
• The Last of Us (Sony Computer Entertainment/Naughty Dog)
• Tomb Raider (Square Enix/Crystal Dynamics)

I’ve got my own opinions about some of these, and they probably won’t match with actual winners. Mass Effect 3 is probably my personal game of the year. But the controversy with the ending and the director’s cut will probably eliminate it from the running. The Walking Dead is amazing, but I’m not sure it should get top honors (though Telltale definitely deserves Studio of the Year). I’m actually more interested in what our readers think. Who do you think should win? Who do you think will win? Comments below!

We have a new robot working on stuff for us by the name of Strider-Bot. He’s a video game and Star Wars enthusiast who sometimes goes by the name of Wayne Chamberlain. You can follow him on twitter here.

In the meantime, he’s given us a review of the video game Dishonored:

Bethesda has become an industry darling and fan favourite in recent years, thanks in large part to its open world role-playing games, such as Fallout 3 and the Oblivion and Skyrim Elder Scrolls titles.
And gamers can enjoy a double-dip of Bethesda fun at the moment, as the publisher has released a pair of titles: Dishonored and Doom 3: BFG Edition.

Dishonored is a fantastic steampunk romp through a dystopian world in which you play as Corvo, a former bodyguard of the Empress of Dunwall. You stand falsely accused of her murder and the kidnapping of her sole daughter and the legitimate heir to the throne.

On the eve before your date with the state executioner, you are given means to escape prison and meet up with a group of loyalists. These men and women, a diverse group that includes former military and political heavyweights and a somewhat demented scientist, offer you a chance to restore your name by turning assassin. You are tasked with eliminating military and political targets in an effort to find the young heir to the throne.

The streets of Dunwall are filled with death. A plague spread by rats is killing the citizens and the military has instituted martial law. Under these grim circumstances, you must find a way to sneak into heavily guarded areas, deal with a ruthless street gang and dispatch the traitors who were responsible for the assassination of the Empress.

The story is first rate, with twists and turns worthy of a novel treatment. And thankfully the action matches it. At first glance, Dishonored looked to be an Assassin’s Creed clone. But it’s more than that. There’s a supernatural element at play, as well as a type of internal scoring system that judges you based on how little or how much blood and chaos you create. The story and its epilogue change to reflect your actions and overall approach, giving gamers a reason to dive back into this engaging world.

Doom 3: BFG Edition (which stands for Big – shut your mouth – Gun) is a retooled, overhauled version of its predecessor, timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the release of the original Doom on PC. It also contains the first and second Doom games.

Id, the creators of Doom, have upgraded the visuals for Doom 3, tweaked some of the controls to make them more console friendly and added in a ‘lost mission’ that adds eight new single-player levels to the overall experience, giving franchise fans a reason to dive into an eight-year-old title.

Is it a wise investment? Well, the gameplay is largely unchanged. While the visuals are indeed enhanced, the game’s overall creepiness factor, a combination of lighting and chilling sound design, remains the same. Shooters have changed dramatically since Doom 3 launched in 2004. And there’s none of those major advancements on display here. So, the teenaged Call of Duty, Battleground and Halo fans may find the survival horror hook an interesting concept for a while, but there’s little reason to keep them engaged beyond the campaign’s final curtain.

That’s a missed opportunity to build on the brand and position it to compete in the shooter genre going forward.

The score: Dishonored earns 4 stars, Doom 3: BFG Edition gets 3.

Both titles are rated M.

Wayne Chamberlain has covered the gaming industry since 2003. Follow him on Twitter @ChamberlainW. He is also co-host of the Star Wars Book Report podcast, available on iTunes.

We all know today is the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. For those that enjoy the series this is a landmark day. But, even for gamers who couldn’t care less about the game, it’s still an important release. The franchise has set ridiculous records for several years and it’s expected this one will be no different. Year-to-date, Halo 4 has the biggest sales record, $220 million in 24 hours. Players committed 31.4 million hours in the first five days. Big numbers, but not as big Halo 3 or Halo Reach in their day. What are the odds I’ll be opening next week’s VGQH with similar stats from CoD: BlOps2? We’ll see, in the meantime, news:

As you’d expect, more information is still coming about Grand Theft Auto V. This flurry will probably keep going another week or so, then die down until January or February when they get a lock on the release date and start hyping again. We’ve already seen that players will be taking the roles of three separate characters, but Dan Houser of Rockstar has let slip a little bit of what that means. Apparently players will be seeing the story from the perspectives of both the hero and the villain. But who’s who? According to Houser, “It felt like it was going to be a real narrative strength: you get to play the protagonist and the antagonist in the same story.”

He also made a good point about why the game is set in America again, instead of a different country, “You could make a great game set in Amsterdam. Would it be GTA? I don’t know. We haven’t done it, so I can’t really offer a comment or an opinion on it. We’ve avoided it because we think that part of the experience of GTA is its engagement with America, or American media, American movies, American culture.” Which makes a degree of sense; certainly the spoofing of Americana is a vital part the franchise, which may or may not translate well into Swedish or South African culture. But, am I the only one who remembers GTA London on PSOne?

The last update for GTA V relates to the size of Los Santos. Last week we learned it would be larger than the worlds in Red Dead Redemption, GTA IV, and San Andreas combined. That’s now been clarified to mean at least five times larger than RDR alone. They’ll definitely be needing to bring back the taxi function again, as traversing that world would just be ridiculous.

Bioware’s new studio director, Yanick Roy, somehow managed to talk about Mass Effect 4 without actually saying much of anything at all. Apparently the team behind ME3‘s multiplayer will be driving development, with Bioware Edmonton supporting. Casey Hudson will remain “the Executive Producer, but he will have a Project Director under him, working in Montreal, leading [the] development team and making day-to-day decisions for the game.” As for story and gameplay, they’re “exploring new directions,” but “expect the pillars the franchise is known for to be fully intact… including diverse alien races, a huge galaxy to explore, and of course rich, cinematic storytelling.” On the technical side of things, it is being developed on EA’s Frostbite “as its foundation, enhanced by many of the systems that the Dragon Age III team has already spent a lot of time building.” No word on story, characters, or release date of course.

According to Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli, the Crysis series will end with the third game, which will conclude Prophet’s story. But, much like Mass Effect, the franchise isn’t complete. The next game hasn’t even entered pre-production, but it won’t be Crysis 4. Yerli indicates the new game will be so “radically different” that calling it Crysis 4 would be misleading. Of course, this is the same guy that said all of their games would go free-to-play after Crysis 3. Does that mean this radically different game will be him putting his money where his mouth is? Maybe not. He says they “do have a plan for a F2P version of Crysis, but how this looks and when this will be done, whether this is the next one or the next next one, is to be decided…. But we have a very clear picture of how this will look in a transitional period where retail and free-to-play can coexist for one title.” Interesting. Crysis 3 is coming in February. I doubt we’ll hear much more about this until after the release.

Square Enix has revealed the collector’s edition for the Tomb Raider reboot and this one looks pretty good. The packaging will be a tin box, made to appear as salvage from Lara’s ship, the Endurance. It also comes with a Paly Arts Kai Lara Croft figure, featuring over forty points of articulation and four sets of hands (bow and arrow, shotgun, handgun, and climbing axe). You’ll also get a map of the game’s island with a cover art poster on the reverse side, a 5×7 lithograph, three iron-on badges from in game icons, a CD soundtrack, and a DLC weapon pack. See, that’s a pretty thorough collector’s edition. It comes at a price though, $100. Both editions are available for preorder and scheduled for release March 5, 2013.

The first DLC chapter for Capcom’s upcoming Devil May Cry reboot has been announced, despite the game not even releasing until January 15th. “Virgil’s Downfall” will add another playable chapter of the story and will cast the player not as Dante, but his brother, Virgil. He’ll have his own weapons and combos in this extra chapter. The official price will be $8.99, but preorders from GameStop will get the content for free. An official release date for the add-on was not announced, but it is expected soon after January 15th, possibly even day and date with the full game. If you have strong feelings about Capcom and on-disc DLC, this is probably your cue to air those grievances.

The long-awaited introduction of PS Plus to Vita will be happening next week on November 19th. This will come with the update to Vita firmware 2.00, which will also include an email app, upgrades to the browser, and wireless transfer from PC to Vita. Following the firmware upgrade, Tuesday’s store update will offer plenty of great content to PS+ subscribers (yes, one subscription works for PS3 and Vita). The very first titles to join the Instant Game Collection will be Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Jet Set Radio HD, WipEout 2048, Gravity Rush, Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack!, and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (PSP). Now I’m not quite sure how to read that, but my interpretation is PSP owning Plus members could actually get War of the Lions for their system even if they don’t own a Vita. I’m awaiting confirmation on that assumption.

Like Tuesday’s early edition, today doesn’t see a lot news, but what we have is about some of the biggest games in the business. Let’s get straight to it:

A new companion is apparently planned for Mass Effect 3‘s “Omega” DLC, coming November 27th ($14.99, 1200MSP). The new character will be a first for the series, a female turian. Shepard, the new turian, and Aria T’Loak will be teaming up to retake Omega from Cerberus’ General Petrovsky. It should be interesting to see the feminine side of the turians. And I can’t help but hope this the “flexible” female Garrus mentioned in Mass Effect 2. That could be an interesting wrinkle in two of my campaigns, as Garrus hooked up with Tali.

Are you a Halo 4 junkie yet? Are you a member of Microsoft Rewards? If you answered “yes” to the first and “no” to the second, better join now. Microsoft is going to be rewarding you with free MSP just for playing Halo 4‘s multiplayer. There are also bonuses for spending points on Halo 4 content. Playing 35 hours of multiplayer will net you an extra 100MSP. They’re upping the ante if you play even more, 70 hours equals 300MSP. You’ll also get a 100MSP rebate for every 1500MSP you spend on Halo 4 content. You can earn 800MSP through the combo program, play 35 hours plus spend 3000 points. Sure, that’s a lot of time for not many points, but if you’re playing anyway….

We’ve been slowly leading up to Game Informer’s big Grand Theft Auto V reveal and the moment is finally upon us. Their newest cover shows not just the two protagonists we’ve been expecting, but a surprise third. The early indication is that you’ll be able to switch between each of the three protagonists on the fly while exploring the vast Los Santos and surrounding areas. You really should read GI’s full coverage, but here’s the short version:

• Three Protagonists: Trevor (early 40s, career criminal), Michael (early 40s, retired bank robber), and Franklin (early 20s, repo man).
• Each character is unique and has their own motivations and skills.
• Vehicles: cars, trucks, bikes (BMX, mountain), dirtbikes, ATVs, helicopters, planes, and jet skis (but no mention of boats?).
• Los Santos in GTA V is bigger than the worlds of Red Dead Redemption, San Andreas, and GTA IV‘s Liberty City combined.
• Heists will be a dominant feature in GTA V.
• Character customization for appearance, but not RPG elements, a la San Andreas.
• Side-missions include yoga, triathlons, tennis, and golf.
• Random NPC encounters return with better development.
• The ocean floor is detailed and can be explored. Submarines? SCUBA suits? Remote-controlled sharks?
• More fleshed out missions, a la “Three Leaf Clover” from GTA V.
• Side missions and activities are more complex. Think Red Dead Redemption.
• Better driving controls. (Great, but they were already top notch.)
• Improved shooting mechanics. (Also already great, but always room for improvement.)
• Refined melee combat. (Definitely needed improvement.)
• Vibrant in-game economy, but no buying property.

Ubisoft reportedly had a net loss of over 32 million Euro in the first half of their fiscal year (ending September 30, 2012). This isn’t unusual for game companies, due to the “summer drought” where virtually no major titles are released. All of the top shelf games are releasing now, in the Fall/Holiday window. Ubisoft’s flagship game for this time frame, Assassin’s Creed III, released on October 30th and has reportedly sold over 3.5 million copies. Still on the block is Far Cry 3, a game that Yves Guillemot (CEO) says is getting their highest play test scores ever. Ultimately, these two titles should more than make up for the early losses this year. The bigger question is why we’re still having a “summer drought” at all. Much like the film industry is slowly noticing that there are 12 months in the year, not just the three during the summer, gaming companies need to learn how to leverage income outside of November.

Still November, still playing Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation. I did get pretty frustrated with it a couple of times last night though. There are a few areas where navigation isn’t as clear as it should be, one mission in Mexico in particular. That same mission also saw a clue mini-game that makes very poor use of the Vita’s motion controls. Starting with memory sequence four, full synchronization has gotten a bit more complicated. I also had a severe setback in the shipping mini-game that sets up your basic economic system. I somehow lost two loads of cargo to pirates and one entire ship to hurricanes on the Bridgeport-Seville run. Only my light schooner loaded with steel survived unscathed. My money situation is now in shambles. Looks like I’ll be skipping trans-Atlantic voyages for a while. But enough about my news, you want gaming news:

Grand Theft Auto V is now available for preorder at Best Buy, GameStop, Amazon, and Rockstar Warehouse. The second trailer will be launched November 14th, hopefully including some kind of confirmation of some newly leaked details. While Rockstar has played this pretty close to the vest so far, they’ve been unable to prevent multiple leaks that have proven incredibly accurate. There is a huge reveal planned for December’s issue of Game Informer, but the highlights have also been leaked prior to the official drop. Once again, these bullet points are unconfirmed, just like all of the other totally accurate leaks we’ve seen so far:

• You play as 42 year old Albert DeSilva – half American half Puerto Rican, divorced, two kids.
• Breaking Bad has a little influence on the game. Albert is drawn to a life of crime at an older age for the money.
• You also play as Dougie Viejo, a younger criminal just coming up in Los Santos.
• Los Santos is the only large city, smaller towns round out the countrtyside.
• Grove Street is back. Carl and Sweet do not.
• Money plays a large part. Albert is broke due to a ponzi scheme.
• Property buying returns.
• The only customization for characters are clothes/hair/facial hair. No gym, no tattoos, no getting fat.
• One or more characters from GTA IV may appear.
• Car customization returns. Seems odd for Albert, but likely right up Dougie’s alley.
• Lovefist Lovefist! They’re back, but calling themselves The Jezzies. Sounds like the old school rockers turned to Christ.
• Partial soundtrack: My Michelle-Guns and Roses, Magic Power-Triumph, California Dreaming-The Beach Boys, and Beautiful-Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell.
• Confirmed mini games: golf, tennis, and surfing.
• GI played a mission called “Alimony.” It featured the jewelry store robbery scene from the trailer.
• Robbery returns but only for Dougie, dispensaries are a large source of cash income.
• You can switch between Albert and Dougie by holding down the back button (on 360). The game will autosave when you switch.
• Stinger returns.
• Unconfirmed: Aziz Ansari voices a radio DJ for a current hip-hop station.

The next hunk of DLC for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has been announced. “Dragonborn” will run the same price as “Dawnguard” (1600MSP) and is expected to be of similar scope. This addition will see you discovering that you are not the first Dragonborn. New enemies will also be arriving, so expect oil-spitting lizards, the undead, and floating demons. For long-time fans, it looks like you’ll be heading back to Morrowind, at least the Solstheim area. Expect this December 4th for XBox 360. Don’t expect it at all for PS3.

Dead Island: Riptide is starting to build some media momentum. Deep Silver recently talked more about the inclusion of water-based areas in the highly-anticipated sequel, and now they’ve revealed the newest character to join the cast. John Morgan is a Navy man with hand-to-hand expertise, currently serving as a cook on Navy ship. He’s joining forces with the original four protagonists: a rapper, a spy, a disgraced cop, and a past-his-prime footballer player. The game is scheduled for April 2013.

Financial troubles continue at THQ. Losses were expected for the last quarter, but $21 million is a heavy blow whether you see it coming or not. Jason Rubin, President, has made some tough decisions about a few titles, ones that were coming relatively soon. According to Rubin, “fourth quarter releases are the first titles that [he has] had the ability to materially impact, and experience told [him] that the games needed additional development time to be market-ready.” Delays cost extra development money, and no money comes in until they’re released, but his long-term strategy seems to be quality games, not just getting them to market. As such, Metro: Last Light and Company of Heroes, both scheduled for this year, have been delayed until March 2013. Additionally, South Park: The Stick of Truth is being delayed from March 2013 to “early fiscal 2014” (likely July 2013 at the earliest). Something definitely needs to turn around for the company, as equity sales and eventual bankruptcy are definitely on the horizon.

I don’t know what happened to October, but it’s November now and that means we’re diving straight into the Fall glut and holiday shopping season. Lots of gamers got started on the season with Borderlands 2, but my first Fall game released on Tuesday. I picked up the Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation bundle PlayStation Vita. Of course, of my first five hours with the thing, I only played about an hour with Aveline. The rest of the time I was playing with Welcome Park, downloading some of my cross-buy items I already own, and just generally experimenting with the device. This thing’s pretty awesome and I’m excited to see what all it can do. As for Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation? I’m enjoying it, but I have a few mixed feelings so far. The persona system is unique, but has disadvantages, especially the Lady persona who can’t climb. An assassin that doesn’t climb? Even in the swamps, where the second memory sequence takes place, the terrain just doesn’t seem as mobile. I think I’m adapting to it well, she just doesn’t feel as fluid as Ezio Auditore da Firenze.

But enough about that, I’ll have to save further thoughts for a full review. You’re here for news:

If you’ve been holding out on Mass Effect until you could get all three games in the Mass Effect Trilogy Bundle, I’ve got bad news. It’s going to miss its release date next week. The bundle, which includes the first three games (including the first title for the first time on PS3) and a motley collection of DLC, has been delayed by a month. The new schedule has it releasing December 4th, conveniently timed for my birthday. The first game will also be releasing as an individual PSN download at the same time. At press time, I’ve only confirmed this delay for PS3. XBox 360 may or may not be delayed as well.

I’m not sure what’s going on with LEGO Lord of the Rings. It’s already available on PS Vita, but the wide release hasn’t happened yet. The latest information has it coming November 27th. GameStop has stepped up their preorder bonuses. In addition to the Elrond minifig (real, not in game), they’re offering the Middle Earth Weapons & Magical Items Pack. It’s a pretty eclectic bundle, featuring party favors, double bearded whirlwind axe, Balrog helmet, Elrond’s Elven circlet, Barad-dur helmet, troll mace, helm of gemstones, Morgul blade, Nenya, Narya, and Grond helm.

A release date and pre-order information have also been announced for Dead Island: Riptide. Preordering nets you a few extra weapons options, which should come in handy now that they’re adding water to the terrain. There is also an extra costume available from “selected retail partners.” Unfortunately, those partners haven’t been announced. I’m sure we’ll know well ahead of time, at least before April 23, 2013.

Still in release date mode, the rumors from earlier this week about Grand Theft Auto V have been confirmed by Rockstar. Still not a locked down date, but Spring 2013 has been confirmed, and May is extremely likely. Apparently Target will be giving away a picture viewer when you preorder, starting November 5th. These picture viewers reveal several locations you’ll be visiting in the game, like the Vespucci Canals, Zancudo River, and Vinewood Hills. Strauss Zelnick of Take Two has also mentioned that they’ll be doing something “potentially groundbreaking” for multiplayer, and the planned DLC will be “interesting stuff.” I don’t know about groundbreaking multiplayer, but I should hope the DLC will be interesting at the very least.

With Crysis 3 on the horizon for February 2013, you may be looking a little more closely at downloading the original Crysis to your PS3 or 360. May want to wait. The preorder incentive for the third game will apparently be a free digital copy of the first one, valued at about $20.

It’s hard to talk any news this week without mentioning the giant bomb that dropped from Disney buying Lucasfilm and all of it subsidiaries. There’s very little to mention as it relates to gmaing, at least in regards to current projects. LucasArts did send a small press release confirming what should be obvious, Star Wars 1313 will proceed as planned and is still scheduled for next year. According to the announcement, “For the time being all projects are business as usual. We are excited about all the possibilities that Disney brings.” Nothing unusual. However, with the darker tone being promised for the game, how might this affect Disney’s future plans for the franchise? Ultimately, other than some pre-scheduled books and comics, and the current season of The Clone Wars, this game will be the first NEW Star Wars product released under the mouse’s stewardship. Its success, or failure, may help set the tone for new games in the series, the new movies, new cartoons, etc. I don’t know what that means, it’s just something to consider. Also something to consider, Grim Fandango. Disney, please bring him back!

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn wraps up today with episode 5, and wow what a way to lead into Halo 4. This episode has emotional ups and downs, lots of action, and cool nods to Halo fictions fans. The 2nd of this series was grim with everyone dying save for the cadets, yet by the end I didn’t feel any sadness, just excitement for Halo.

Master Chief really shined in this episode. His movement and actions were great, and I loved that there were deep thudding sounds when he was running. He came across like the heavy yet agile tank he is which really showed during the epic Hunter battle. I really did not think we’d see anything to that extent, so color me impressed. Its subtle, but one of the best nods to fans is the brief monk chant heard after the Hunter is defeated.

Both the sound effects and visual effects continue to be awesome in this episode. I hope you’ve watched while wearing headphones or some decent speakers like I recommend in the review of episode 1 as I think it the extra depth really adds to it. The visual effects for weapon fire, the Hunter itself and its fuel rod cannon fire are quite stunning against the black night, though the plasma grenade explosion during the Warthog drive was a bit underwhelming.

The ending Pelican flight scene felt awkward to me the first time I watched and I wasn’t sure of its meaning. After a 2nd watch it didn’t feel as weird though I don’t fully understand it. I believe it was to show the Spartans are human too and for the cadets to realize this while they stared in awe. Of course Master Chief kept his helmet on while everyone looked and waited for him to remove it but he was still busy keeping guard. Including Fred and Kelly was a nice touch though I think there was a bit of a missed opportunity there to show them fighting alongside the Chief and for them to have more then a few seconds worth of screen time.

When the news of a Halo movie was going around several years ago, it never really interested me. I worried it’d be done poorly and not live up to my expectations. I felt the same way for Forward Unto Dawn. I’m not sure what I expected of the web series, but it definitely surpassed them in every way. In a way, this was the Halo movie, at least in the way Master Chief is portrayed. A hero, but not the star. The video games are great to experience through his point of view, but I think he works better in film as a supporting character so that his mysterious and stoic personality is kept. Still, I’d love to see what Steward Hendler and friends could do with even more time and money. I’d want to see more set pieces, a wicked bad ass suit for Chief, and a lot more Covenant.

I do have a few gripes with the series. I feel it took too long for the invasion to start which left us with too little time with the Chief. I also felt the impact of the invasion didn’t quite hit the mark. How were the cadets the only survivors? How did the Covenant wipe out an entire planet in less than an hour? Why didn’t we see more Covenant? I wish these things had been different or stronger, but it hardly detracted from the experience for me.

I really enjoyed Forward Unto Dawn and I’m really looking forward to viewing it a one fluid experience and in higher quality when the Blu-ray comes out in December. I’m really excited for what this means for Halo and I think it was a great way to lead into Halo 4. I wonder if future if any other studios will attempt something similar to this scale in the future and I wonder if we’ll see more live-action Halo in this format. I hope so.

Checkout our reviews of the past episodes:

• Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Episode 1 Review
• Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Episode 2 Review
• Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Episode 3 Review
• Halo 4: Forward Unto Sawn Episode 4 Review

Let’s face it, games have a critical place in modern society. We play at home on our favorite gaming consoles. We play online games. We play free games online. We even download game apps to play on the go via our phones and tablets. When you add up the costs of all those games, you’ll be surprised at how much money you actually spend on gaming.

How do you know if you’re spending too much? Take a look at the figures and see how you compare.

A Billion Dollar Industry

Via Flickr by Images_of_Money

If you spend more money on games than movies, you’re not alone! In 2009, Americans spent $10.5 billion on video and computer games, accounting for about half of the game sales worldwide. Gamers come in all ages, but the average age of the most frequent shopper is 39. Both men and women contribute to this growing entertainment industry and nearly 70% of US households play games on a console system, a mobile device, or a computer. Moreover, the average person spends about $400 on games each year.

Where is all of that money going?

Console Games

Via Flickr by Ian D

With an average price tag of $50 for new releases, video games for systems like Wii and XBox account for most of the money spent on games – about $10 billion in 2009. The average person only buys 3 or 4 new games per year, but many are spending less by buying their games used. A used game can cost less than $10, depending on the title, but may cost $40 or more.

If you’re a console gamer, consider these tips to save:

• Buy used. Most stores guarantee their used games. You can usually find used copies of new titles shortly after their release.
• Trade. Game stores that offer used titles usually also accept trade ins. Get rid of a few old games to fund the cost of your new ones.
• Join a game club. These shops also offer incentive programs for frequent shoppers. You may have to pay for the membership, but the discounts, coupons, and other perks are worth it.

Computer Games

Via Flickr by Sebastian Anthony

There are several options for gamers who prefer playing on their PC or laptop. Many titles made for consoles are also made for computers. Software games are the most expensive, typically ranging from $20 or less to as much as $75. Online games are a cheaper option and offer a variety of titles. Free Flash games can keep some gamers entertained for hours, but downloadable titles often feature better graphics and more enjoyment. You can buy a new game every month and still spend far less than you would on console games – typically less than $100 per year!

The best way to save on computer games is to join a game website. Many offer free accounts to play free solitaire card games and other free online games, but a paid membership is generally about $7 per month and includes one new downloadable game along with other bonuses.

Via Flickr by JD Hancock

Interactive gaming is quickly becoming the world’s number one form of entertainment. Whether you’re spending several hundred dollars a year on console games or sticking to free online games and apps for your iPhone, gaming gives us all a positive way to spend our time and money.

Today is American Assassin’s Creed Day – and that just tickles my emotion chip in all the right ways. I’ll be starting my foray into the American assassins with Aveline in Liberation on PS Vita. I’ll definitely be playing Connor’s adventure too, just not today. But, despite my excitement for that nice, white Vita and lovely leading lady, there are other games with big news this week.

First among them is Grand Theft Auto V. This is completely unconfirmed by Rockstar, but a couple of promotional posters have leaked to the internet at large. Nothing surprising about them, they’re just like every other GTA poster, including the PEGI 18 (European ratings sytem) logo. But it does advertise pre-ordering being open, and a Spring 2013 release date. The original announcement of the game indicated it would happen in 2012, but no one believed it. Rockstar has had a steady flow of releases in May (Red Dead Redemption, LA Noire, Max Payne 3) and it seems to be a good time of year for them. I’d still like a confirmation from the developer and/or publisher, but I’d put my reservation money on a May release. Any later and they could find themselves releasing a last-gen title.

No need to speculate on a release date for Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault, Insomniac has announced it will be available on November 27th. While it was previously planned only for a PSN release, they have revealed that a retail copy for PS3 is coming at the same time. Whether you purchase the disc or the download, you’ll get a digital copy for the Vita included. Two copies of a game for $19.99? That’s a steal. Sony also says they have a plan in place to prevent customers from buying the retail disc, cashing in the free Vita copy, then selling off the disc. I’m awaiting details on how that will work.

Now that Cliff Bleszinski has moved on from Epic and Gears of War, he seems to be looking for work. But he’s definitely going about it all wrong. Apparently not pleased with the Resident Evil franchise after the recent release of the sixth numbered title in the series, he tweeted “Hey, Capcom. Call me. We can fix Resident Evil. Together.” Not the most polite job application I’ve seen, even if he did add a smiley face emoticon. Capcom UK apparently saw some humor in the concept, replying with “bring Pizza.” Frankly, I’m not sure what elements Cliffy B thinks he can fix. The guy’s been working on one of the premier action shooters for 10 years. If anything is wrong with Resident Evil, the most vocal complaint is that they’re moving too far from the survival horror roots and making the series into a third person shooter. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great creative mind and I’m sure his talents can extend beyond guns with chainsaw bayonets. It just seems his influence on the industry has already done the classic franchise enough harm. Maybe I’m just taken aback by the arrogance. Had he made less public contact with Capcom, resume and concepts in hand, and said he’d like to be involved in the next game, I think I’d be happy to see his name in the credits during the reveal.

I normally close with a bit of an editorial, but I think my Cliffy rant there is probably sufficient. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to meet Aveline.

So…. I got an email today saying that Amazon and Gamespot had teamed up with something amazing. The deals truly are, but the rest of it is like HSN for gamers, and it’s painful, I mean really painful. Here’s the rub, if you choose to unmute the audio what you’ll see is two hosts discussing one of the 3 short deals available to you. During each deal, you have a limited amount of time to hit the link, and purchase the game on sale. The deals themselves are pretty amazing, today for example you could purchase Assassin’s Creed Revelation for $19.99, and if you hit the link after the time limit still get $10.00 off. They had a PC download of The Darkness II for for $5, and the Devil May Cry HD collection for $9.99.

As a gamer, it’s great opportunity to snag missing pieces in your collection at a great price, but seriously folks I’d recommend muting the audio, it’s painful. The show may get better as they progress, if I can continue watching.

You can check out the replay HERE.

Excited to save? Will your ears survive?