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Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Confirmed, Is This A Good Thing?

Gary A. Swaby — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:58:18 +0000

For weeks rumors have been circulating of Bioware’s secret multiplayer addition to their popular space opera RPG Mass Effect 3. When I first heard of this rumor I was praying with all hope that it would stay a rumor, as I would much prefer Bioware to pour all their resources into making the ultimate single-player experience. Many will not agree but in my opinion this type of franchise should stay single-player, but of course gamers have been spoiled this generation with online play, even when unnecessary.

Well it seems that there is indeed truth to the rumor as an Australian magazine has confirmed the multiplayer in an upcoming issue of their magazine. The cover of the magazine in question is below, along with a quote from the article itself.

“That’s right – Mass Effect 3 is getting multiplayer! We travel to BioWare’s office in Edmonton for hands-on time with the series’ first foray into online gameplay, and chat with Mass Effect Series Producer and Mass Effect 3 Project Director Casey Hudson about the decision to go multiplayer in the epic battle for the galaxy,” it says.

Also note that the cover reads ““Multiplayer comes to Mass Effect 3. Fight alongside your friends, as the Galaxy goes to war!” – Which may suggest that the multiplayer will be in the form of Co-op only. I for one would hope that the multiplayer wouldn’t include a ‘Deathmatch’.

I’m pretty sure they’ll be mixed reactions on this concept, so we would love to hear some of your personal thoughts on this. Is this really a good direction for both the series and Bioware? Speaking as a fan who is passionate about Bioware’s recent work, I think they should just stick to the MMO’s when it comes to multiplayer. Multiplayer and role-playing only mix well in an MMO environment, but hey it seems as though they’ve been steering Mass Effect away from the RPG category anyway.

Apple Mastermind Steve Jobs Dies At 56 Years Of Age

Gary A. Swaby — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:20:28 +0000

I’m currently shocked by this news and kind of speechless. It’s so crazy how this happens the day after the iPhone 4S announcement. This man was undeniably a mastermind, revolutionizing the way we access various forms of media today.. on behalf of the whole Koalition team I would like to say R.I.P to Steve Jobs and send my condolences to his family and friends.

Steve Jobs, the mastermind behind Apple’s iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac and iTunes, has died, Apple said. Jobs was 56.
“We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today,” read a statement by Apple’s board of directors. “Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve. His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.”
In 2004, he beat back an unusual form of pancreatic cancer, and in 2009 he was forced to get a liver transplant. After several years of failing health, Jobs announced on Aug. 24, 2011 that he was stepping down as Apple’s chief executive.
“I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know,” Jobs wrote in his letter of resignation. “Unfortunately, that day has come.”
One of the great minds of this time. Jobs truly revolutionized consumer technology as we know it. He will be missed.
source: abcnews.go.com

Apple

Battlefield 3 Physical Warfare Pack Gameplay Trailer

James G — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:17:17 +0000

EA and DIce have released a new trailer for Battlefield 3 that showcases the Physical Warfare Pack pre-order pack. The video also features a bit of new multiplayer footage, including a scene from a new area set inside some sort of cave/underground base.

More on the Physical Warfare Pack
The physical Warfare Pack contains the DAO-12 semi-automatic shotgun, Type 88 Light Machine Gun, flechette ammo for the DAO-12, and a flash suppressor for the SKS sniper rifle.
This pack is available as a pre-order bonus at select retailers and at Origin for the PC digital download version of Battlefield 3: Limited Edition. At a later date, we will unlock all of these items to all players of Battlefield 3 at no extra charge. You can pre-order Battlefield 3 directly from Origin at Origin.com

Get Some Hands-On Time With Skyrim’s Character Creator At PAX Prime This Weekend

James G — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:15:00 +0000

Good News Skyrim fans heading out to PAX Prime this weekend. Bethesda Softworks have just announced the appearance of the The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim character creator at the event. This will be your first chance to see in person all the work Bethesda have done with the brand new engine, you will even have the chance to build your own character way before the game ships. Unfortunately you wont be able to import what you have created at the show into your own game, but it should give you a quick glimpse at the character you will play as when you have the game in your hands at home.

Bethesda Softworks also released a bunch of screenshots showcasing the character variations for the 10 races found in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. You can check them out below.

Burnout Crash – Crashing into your XBLA and PSN

David Jagneaux — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:28:15 +0000

A few months back I posted a story about a little something called Burnout Crash. I noticed a story had been posted about a game by that title receiving a rating, and after doing some research, EA described it as:

“An action arcade style game set in the fictional world of Crash City. The aim of the game is to cause as much damage as possible to traffic and buildings by crashing a car into them.”

Well, now we know the full truth. Starting next month (August), we can all get our hands on this new game. I was wrong, however, in my hope/guess that it would be a new Crash Team Racing game, but at least this actual game seems pretty cool. Instead of a new Burnout game with a crash mode, we get the crash mode separately in its own little game! The game is a top down arcade-style game and it will be sporting a total of three different game modes, six unique locations and 18 different crash junctions. The game also has gesture support for the Xbox 360 through Kinect. Overall, it looks like it will be full of lots of destruction and good times. Unfortunately there is no word on a price point yet, but expect more details on that soon enough.

Check out the trailer and let us know what you think!

Duke Nukem Forever Takes Shots At Halo and Gears Of War

James G — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 06:33:51 +0000

So, I was playing through the campaign in Duke Nukem Forever and came across this little dig at both the Halo franchise and the Gears of War franchise. Lucky I had the capture card running and managed to get a recording of the scene in question.

The Gears of War diss is the first one to crop up and comes from a fake ass Marcus Fenix at the start of the video. The Halo diss is pretty much unmissable, there’s even a fake Halo theme played in the background for added comedic effect. Check it out below.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Escalation DLC Xbox 360 Code Giveaway

James G — Tue, 03 May 2011 15:34:52 +0000

Activision and Step-3 have hooked us up with a bunch of codes for the the highly anticipated Call of Duty: Black Ops Escalation map pack, you know the one with the George Romero zombie map.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of getting one is like our Facebook fanpage and then leave a comment on THIS post when it appears on our wall. Only people who do both things will be eligible for the giveaway.

We will then choose the winners sometime early tomorrow morning. Also, please make sure you allow private messages on Facebook or we cannot send you a code if you win. Thanks and good luck.

Here is a little reminder of what you will win if you are one of the chosen.

EA’s FY11 Strategies Formed Through The Successes Established In FY10

Lester Solomon — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 04:49:13 +0000

MCV reported on EA’s Showcase event held in West London on April 15th for retail and media partners to highlight their upcoming releases for the year and speak on the strategies they will employ for this year.

In his opening speech, EA’s UK marketing director Stuart Lang presented 4 key principles that the company will follow. They are as follows:

1. Fewer and bigger brands
2. Increased digital activity, both in terms of content delivery and consumer engagement
3. Expansion of direct-to-consumer/free-to-play offerings
4. An ongoing commitment to new IP and new genres

Lang cites several games as evidence of their success and commitment to their strategy. Medal of Honor helped to double EA’s market share in the shooter genre, from 8 to 16 percent in 2010. In 2011, EA is looking to expand even further, starting with strong releases in Bulletstorm and Crysis 2. Lang also touted that Battlefield 3 will be the biggest release in the shooter genre this year.

Beyond the shooter market, EA has also found success in the driving genre, with a rebirth of its Need For Speed franchise coming from the success of it’s Hot Pursuit and Shift 2 releases. Lang claims both games “re-invigorated the racing category and put the Need For Speed franchise once again at the forefront of the genre, commercially and critically.”

To squash the thought that their strategy would lead to a safety first approach, he refers to American McGee’s Alice: Madness Returns, Kings Of Amalur: Reckoning and Shadows Of The Damned as proof of EA’s commitment to new IPs.

Across the board, EA appears to be making all the right moves to have a prosperous year. Hopefully other companies can follow their example. 2011 has been a year marked with so many new games and new IPs, making a gamer’s next purchase a difficult one. If the industry as whole can inherit a similar strategy, then gamers could potentially look forward to number of quality titles and give them the attention and time they deserve.

Original Source: MCV

Portal 2 Can Be Unlocked Ahead Of Time With The Help Of YOU

Lester Solomon — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 04:57:57 +0000

As reported earlier today in Edge, Portal 2, which is set for a U.S. release date of April 19th, could be released earlier on Steam through a promotion requiring gamers to play an indie game bundle detailed in a Portal 2 ARG storyline.

The Potato Sack Bundle, name for the potato references found in the Portal 2 ARG, consists of the following 13 games:

The Ball
Aaaa! A Reckless Disregard For Gravity
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Super Meat Boy
The Wonderful End Of The World
Audiosurf
1… 2… 3… Kick It!
Bit.Trip Beat
Toki Tori
Rush
Cogs
Killing Floor
Defense Grid: The Awakening

There are counters tallying the number of times these games are booting up Steam, so it is up to players to expedite the process and unlock Portal 2 early. This is a great promotion in that not only will Portal fans play the hotly anticipated sequel early, but this is also a chance for indie developers to gain more exposure and promote their games. When players pick up the bundle, they will also unlock a special potato hat that can be used in Team Fortress 2. If you already own one of the games in the bundle, you have the option to give it to one of your friends. Finally, the bundle costs only £27.22 ($44.29), a savings of 75% from the total cost of all these games at retail price. So, what are you waiting for? Go pick up the bundle now and get your game on!

Original Source: Edge

Achievements and Trophies can finally be worth something with ‘Kiip’

Anthony Frasier — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:02:09 +0000

What is Kiip? Kiip (Keep) is an ad network that likes to reward gamers at their best moment, the achievement. Many gamers have criticized earning achievements and trophies on games as a waste of time. For Xbox you get a higher numerical standing, and for Playstation you get a color graded virtual trophy that is essentially worth nothing. Regardless, gamers have become addicted because that feeling of earning such an achievement is satisfying.

Kiip wants to reward you for reaching that moment. Kiip Founder, Brian Wong explains in an interview with TechCrunch:

“The achievement itself isn’t the cool thing, it’s the moment. We realized that the moment was worth something. The natural evolution is to put something there that actually matches the achievement.”

What are Kiip rewards? So far they have partnered with brands such as: Sephora, popchips, Homerun.com, Sony Dash, Vitamin Water, 1-800-Flowers, Dr. Pepper, GNC, Carl’s Jr and Hardee’s. And they all offer vouchers, free samples, and more. All of this for beating a level on a game? Sounds to good to be true, but it’s true. And more brands will be on the way as they grow.

The issue I have so far is, its just for mobile games for now. But I asked Brian via Twitter about Kiip being available for console based titles, and he hasnt ruled it out. “who says we can’t do console” Brian tells me via Twitter. With rumors of Microsoft lurking into the ‘Free To Play’ business, programs like Kiip may actually be the future of achievements and trophies.

For more info on Kiip visit TechCrunch or Kiip.com

Twisted Metal Trailer Confirms October 4th Release Date

Richard Bailey Jr. — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 22:45:47 +0000

Fans of the Twisted Metal series were treated to a new trailer of the upcoming reboot today. In addition to revealing gameplay and story segments, a release date of October 4, 2011 was also shown at the end. It’s uncertain if this is the US or European date, but we can expect further news on this matter soon enough. The trailer comes exclusively from GameTrailers.com. Feel free to check out the Trailer below and leave your comments on the title.

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-broken-twisted-metal/712641

Socom 4 Single Player Campaign Detailed In New Video

Richard Bailey Jr. — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 03:16:04 +0000

With the Socom 4 beta currently up and running, Sony decided to push anticipation for the game further by releasing a behind the scenes video on the single player campaign mode. Here is a brief description that Sony provided to describe the video.

The single player mode tells a cinematic narrative through the eyes of a NATO operations commander trapped in a civil war in South East Asia, giving an authentic experience of not only his story, but that of the entire squad. The five-person squad allows for varied gameplay options and styles, letting the player decide how to best complete a mission given the objectives, the skills of the team, and the information they have at hand. Tactical teamwork is more often the path to victory than simply blazing your way through. You’ll need every skill these operatives offer to complete the mission…and to extract yourself from battle.

While many Socom fans will spend most of their time playing multiplayer, the campaign seems like a good addition providing that it does something unique to separate itself from the competition. Are any of you guys planning on picking up Socom 4 when it drops on April 19th? Feel free to leave your comments and thoughts on the video below.

Come Get Your Free Killzone 3, Gran Turismo 5 and inFamous 2 DLC

James G — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:28:36 +0000

Want some free downloadable content for one of your favorite Playstation 3 games? Well you are in luck because Sony and razor company Schick have got together to offer people free downloadable content with purchases of their shaving products, but as always someone has managed to find a couple of universal codes that let you get the downlaodable content for free.

All you have to do is point your browser at EdgeShave.com. Register, using real or fake info. Then once you have registered you will be asked to enter a promotional code and select your downloadable content.

Enter one of the codes below and select the content you want.

841058005209
841058005261

You will then get a PlayStation Network code, use this to download the content you selected. This can be done as many times as you want, but be quick because this will no doubt be blocked very soon.

NOTE: THE CODES ONLY WORKS ON US AND CANADIAN PSN ACCOUNTS

Source | SlickDeals

The Castlevania: Lords of Shadow DLC ‘Reverie’ Coming This Month

Jose' Luis — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:12:29 +0000

If you were like me and other gamers who enjoyed the Mercurysteam/Kojima Productions brand new vision for the classic Konami IP Castlevania, full of epic level design, constant variety and fun action gameplay lasting about 20+ hours, concluding in what has to be one of the best endings this generation.

Then get ready for more Gabriel Belmont action, as today Konami have revealed the date for the Castlevania: Lord Of Shadows DLC titled “Reviere” is coming March 30th, it is first of two planned DLC packs. Konami detailed that the pack is about three stages and connects into the next DLC pack. The pricing for the Gabriel Belmont adventure is 800 MSP on Xbox 360 and $10 (€7.99/£6.39) on PS3.

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Get A Code For The Socom 4 Beta Right Here

James G — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:13:42 +0000

UPDATE: We have been told that these codes DO NOT go live until March 29th We Will Still Choose Winners Tomorrow, But You Will Not Be Able To Play Until Then. Sorry.

As you should already know, The Socom 4 beta just launched and to celebrate the event, we though it would be nice to give you a chance to play it. So how do you get one of our codes. Well its pretty simple. All you have to do is head on over to our Facebook fan page, hit the like button, then comment on this post when it appears on our fan feed. We will then chose the winners at random sometime tomorrow morning.

I would also like to ask that you allow Facebook private messages. Why? because thats how we are going to distribute the codes. Thanks and Good Luck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir15lFAYM80

A Few Halo: Reach Defiant Map Pack Codes Up For Grabs

James G — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 14:41:43 +0000

Codes are all gone. Congrats to those of you who got one.

Its giveaway time again here at The Koalition. This time we have a few codes for the Halo: Reach Defiant Map Pack. All you have to do to get hold of one of these codes is like this post on our Facebook Fanpage. Yes, Its that simple.

Funny comments are also welcome, Why? because the best comments will help us decide who gets a code. So make sure your write something funny and original. Good Luck

Winners will be chosen tomorrow..

Quick N Awesome – RIFT

Anthony Frasier — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 22:25:39 +0000

Take a look at the first video in my new series called Quick N Awesome (QNA), where I give some insight about a game in around 3-5 minutes, starting with RIFT from Trion Worlds.

Site Update: Comments Now Support Video Embeds

James G — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 10:36:25 +0000

Morning All (UK Time). James here with yet another site update. I am pleased to reveal that you can now embed video from all the major video sites on the Internet simply by pasting a link. When you submit your comment, the site will take that link and convert it into an embed. Its that simple.

Here are some of the sites our new system supports.

YouTube
Justin.tv
UStream
Revision3
DailyMotion
College Humor
TwitVid
Break.com
Myspace Videos
MetaCafe
Blip.tv
Google Videos
Revver
Yahoo! Video
Viddler
LiveLeak
Livestream
WorldStarHipHop
GameTrailers
Vimeo
and More.

Hope you enjoy the new feature and look out for more new additions in the coming months.

Like Us On Facebook For A Chance To Win A Call of Duty: Black Ops First Strike DLC Code

Fergus Mills — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:46:45 +0000

In order to thank everyone that has joined the Koalition’s facebook page, we will be giving away a Call of Duty: Black Ops First Strike DLC code later today on the fb page. There is plenty of time to click the “Like” facebook button below if you haven’t done so already and be sure to like the post on facebook as well.

Also, if you aren’t lucky enough to win the code today, show Activision some love by buying the DLC to one of the hottest games around. Once again, thanks for the support and good luck.

What Did You Get For Xmas?

Carl Daniel — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 17:35:24 +0000

Christmas has gone and you’ve had all of Boxing Day to recover. Now its time to hit up the comment box and let us know what gaming goodies Santa left for you this year. Also let us know if you did any gaming on Xmas day… Did the whole family gather around to play Kinect? Did Sports Champion prove to be a Wii Sports Killer? or is the Wii still the best choice for family gatherings?

Let us know below, pictures are preferable.

Call of Duty: Black Ops “First Strike” DLC Headed to Xbox Live on Feb. 1

Fergus Mills — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:47:30 +0000

Microsoft made it known at E3 2010 that they will have timed exclusive DLC for Call of Duty games until 2012. Black Ops is the current COD game on the market and 360 gamers will be getting their first taste of DLC on February 1, 2011. The DLC is entitled “First Strike” and will add four new multiplayer maps (Discovery, Kowloon, Berlin Wall, and Stadium) and one new zombie map (Ascension) for everyones enjoyment. Be on the lookout for more details on what’s really good this DLC as we get closer to its release date.

Source: MajorNelson.com

Site Update: Images In Comments + Editable Comments

James G — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 12:29:13 +0000

Just wanted to let you know that I have added two new features to the comments area of the site.

The first new feature is the ability to embed pictures from any site on the Internet. All you have to do is click the “Add an Image to your Comment” button and paste the link. Simple

The second new feature is the ability to edit your own comments. This feature was requested by a few of our regulars visitors and as always we aim to please. I do however have to say that this feature is only enabled for registered users. Sorry.

You can register for the site at the following link, Register or by scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking register. Once you have signed up and been confirmed I suggest you go on over to Gravatar.com and create an account using the email you signed up here with. That will allow you to set yourself up with an avatar for this site and any other site that supports Gravatars.

Hope you enjoy the new features and please get in touch if you have any other ideas on how we can improve the site.

Win A FLUD Watch On The Koalition Now!

Gary A. Swaby — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 18:57:44 +0000

The nice folks over at Flud Watches has two very nice Wooden Big Ben watches to give away. Each watch comes with two interchangeable bands, a wood linked band and a faux wood leather stitched band. There are two different designs to be won, so to be in with a chance of winning one of these unique time pieces all you have to do is leave a tweet using the widget below and in a week we will pick two people at random.

How To Enter

1. Write an original tweet in the “Enter Here” link below. For every Twitter follower that enters through your link you get an extra entry.
2. Complete the entry form on page 2
3. You can also enter without twitter for those not on Twitter

ENTER HERE

This competition is open to both US and UK residence. Take a look at the prize in more detail below.

Tech Specs:
• 48mm Diameter
• $90 retail price
• Comes with two interchangeable bands (wood linked band, faux wood leather stitched band)

[nggallery id=450]

Further Details:
• Analog watch oversized wooden case
• Wood dials with applied roman numeral indexes and details
• Luminous hands

Dr. Dre Ft. Snoop Dogg x Akon – Kush [Music Video]

Gary A. Swaby — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 03:21:24 +0000

This song certainly knocks, as does anything made by Dr. Dre. Dr. Dre and his homies bring us some of that vintage westcoast sound with his new hit “Kush”. here is the video to accompany the song. I still can’t believe Detox is actually on its way. Let us know what you think of the video in the comments.

If DJ Hero Was Released 20 Years Ago…

Carl Daniel — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 06:30:42 +0000

Have you ever wondered what DJ Hero would be like if it was released on the NES 20 years ago? Me neither, but someone clearly has. A video on YouTube titled “NES DJ Hero” gives us a hint of what NES version DJ Hero would have been like and I have to admit, it looks pretty damn good! Not only did the creator do a great job replicating DJ Hero’s signature look, but the actually mash-ups are well crafted and seems like they would be fun to play. A “Cease & Desist” from Universal Music Group means that the game is no longer available to download but at least you can still witness the magic in video form.