Weekly Wrap Up Oct 30

Dishonored DLC

            Bethesda has announced three DLC packs for the recent game from Arkane Studios, Dishonored.  The first will be coming out this December, while the latter two are scheduled for release next year.  The first piece of DLC is titled Dunwall City Trials.  This pack introduces challenge maps to the game, of which there will be ten.  Each map will have ten challenges such as, arena battles against waves of enemies, drop assassinations and time trials.  The pack will cost $5US or 400MSP and will be released on the PS3, 360 & PC simultaneously.

Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault

            The latest Ratchet & Clank game is returning to the downloadable space, but this time for both the PS3 and Vita with Ratchet and Clank: Full Frontal Assault.  The game is modeled differently from past games in the series as it now includes some tower defence like elements and will support co-operative multiplayer both through online and split-screen (always nice when the latter isn’t forgotten).  The game is also said to features cross-play support between the PS3 & Vita for its competitive multiplayer component.  In addition to cross-play the game also supports Sony’s new cross-buy deal, which means that if you purchase it for the PS3 you will receive the Vita version for free.  The game is coming out on November 27^th for $20US and even though it is basically a downloadable title (by that I mean a smaller project then the regular retail versions of Ratchet & Clank) there will be a retail version released at the same time.

Exclusive 3DS XLs

            Back on September 15^th Nintendo released a limited edition Pikachu themed 3DS XL in Japan exclusively at Pokémon Centre retail stores for those who had pre-ordered it.  Europe is now set to receive the system variant later this year for £179.99.  There is no word yet on whether it will be as limited as it was in Japan or if it will be exclusive to any set retailer.  To follow up Nintendo is now releasing another exclusive Pokémon variant 3DS XL only available in Japan, for the time being.  The new Charizard 3DS XL will be released in Japan on December 15^th for ¥18,900 ($237) and will once again only be available at Pokémon Centre stores (I’d like to take a moment and point out how crazy it is that Japan has Pokémon Centres, I mean it should totally be called PokéMart).  However, this time not everyone who pre-orders will receive this product.  Potential buyers will have to fill out an order form and submit it for a chance to win the opportunity to purchase a Charizard 3DS XL, which is freaking nuts!  Nintendo has already made this product and they have fans who want it and they won’t even sell it to them all?  Why?  Also how arrogant must you be to decide that buyers of your product should consider themselves lucky to have the chance to buy said product, especially when it is the exact same product that is available everywhere in large quantities just with a different paint job?  If Nintendo was smart they would make enough of these to satisfy all the crazy fans who want one in Japan and quickly release it in both Europe and the US, which is totally getting shafted here, before they lose tons of money on the Wii U.

Contests to remember

            Capcom has two contests going on to help include fans in their new (and really cool looking) IP called Remember Me.  The first contest is meant for those with some artistic talent as the goal is to design a billboard that would fit into the game’s world set in 2084 around at least one of the following five types of products: fast food, alcoholic beverages, sports, dating service and lastly children’s toy.  The winner will have their billboard displayed somewhere in the game.  This contest ends on November 5^th so if you are interested you had better start working now.  The second contest involves sending Capcom a photo of a precious memory of yours along with a brief description of what makes it so special to you.  Capcom will then select memories at random and incorporate them into Memory Overload sequences, which are triggered by one of your special attacks in the game.  The closing date for that contest is on November 29^th.  Remember Me comes out in May of 2013 so keep your eye on it because this is one you won’t want to forget.   

GameStop Kids Stores

            GameStop is opening a series of stores that will specifically target kids called, quite simply, GameStop Kids.  The first store is already open in Texas and the plan is to have 80 locations opened by November 15^th.  Currently these new shops are only being opened inside malls alongside the original stores so there is no need to worry about going to regular GameStop locations and not being able to find the games that you usually would.  The GameStop Kids locations will only stock games with ratings lower than T and intends to cut in on the business of toy stores by not just selling kids games but all types of merchandise pertaining to those brands.  Hopefully with this all the parents who are too dumb to look at the ESRB ratings and take responsibility in deciding what their kids should be playing, will finally start buying age appropriate content because it will tell them right in the stores name that it has the games that are actually meant for kids.  Unfortunately 8 year olds will probably still be getting Black Ops 2 for Christmas.

For all the latest updates on the blog be sure to follow me on Twitter @Aeonofdoom360 and be sure to let me know what you think in the comments section below no sign up or registration needed.