Gears of War 3 Chainsaws your Face on September 20th

After a long period in limbo, Gears of War 3 finally has a hard release date again.  Epic Games announced today that Fenix and Co. will be back in action on September 20th.  Epic had been saying that the game would be released this Fall since they retracted their original projected release date, April 5th.

If September feels like an unbearably long time to wait, then go pick up Epic’s newly-released shooter Bulletstorm.  It’s supposed to be a great game, (I’ve only played the demo, which I really liked) AND buying the game on Xbox 360 gets you access to the GoW 3 multiplayer beta.

Via Joystiq

Sesame Street Kinect Game Coming From Double Fine

Worried that Double Fine productions would never make a disc-sized console game ever again?  It’s been two years since Brutal Legend and studio head Tim Schaffer has said that enjoys working on DLC titles because there’s less pressure to be a major success and more room to take risks.  Double Fine’s last two games, Costume Quest and Stacking, were both considered great successes in DLC landscape.  What reason could they possibly have to make Psychonauts 2?

Two Words:  Cookie Monster.

Dance Central Survey Points to Potential New Features

A recent survey from Microsoft shows some of the types of features the studio is looking into for the sequel.  Dance Central 2 has supposedly been in pre-production since before the original was even released.

Some of potential features look to expand the game’s functionality; the ability to choreograph custom dances will appeal to core fans, while the addition of back-up dancers will add some Rock-Bandesque co-op gameplay.  Apparently there may also be a “fitness mode”, pushing the game even further into the casual zone.   There are also some technical improvements listed; the ability to replay specific portions of a dance and more helpful advice on how to improve.

343 Industries says no new Halo in 2011

343 Industries development director Frank O’Connor spoke to some of the many rumors regarding the future of Halo franchise.  Speaking with Official Xbox Magazine UK, O’Connor said that the studio “has nothing to announce right now,” but he did leave behind some clues, mostly to deny many popular rumors about their first Halo project.

Rumor: Microsoft Will Announce Hulu Service for Xbox 360 at E3

According to tech news site Gear Live, (Via Kotaku) Microsoft will announce at E3 that Xbox Live users will be able to stream television and movies from Hulu with a paid subscription.  The announcement wouldn’t be much of a surprise; rumors of a similar subscription-based Hulu service for the iPad, as well as a premium version of the video streaming site for PCs have been around for a LONG time now.

In addition to making Hulu Xbox Live-ready, the consensus is that the premium service would allegedly give members access to an expanded library of content:  For example, while current and future non-paying Hulu users are only able to watch the five most recently aired episodes of a TV show like “Glee”, premium members would be able to watch the entire season.  Another rumor alleges that premium subscribers would also see fewer ads while they watched.

The biggest mystery that remains is how much the premium and/or Xbox Live Hulu service will cost.  Also, based on what that price, will Xbox Live members be able to pay a smaller fee for access to content that would be free on a browser.  On that note, rumormongers have connected the Hulu-Xbox Live service to longstanding murmuring about a new “Platinum” level Xbox Live service.

Thats a lot of rumors.  Rumors contingent on other rumors.  Overall, however, there is a single consistent message that is clear and more than likely will occur – Hulu will be available on Xbox Live, and you will have to pay extra for it.  Knowing that, who you pay isn’t that important.

J Allard Walks Away From Microsoft

J Allard, the most iconic founding father of the Xbox, is leaving Microsoft after 22 years of faithful service.  As VP of design for Microsoft’s “Entertainment and Devices” division, Allard has had a hand in many of the company’s most recognizable hardware products:  In addition to both Xbox consoles, Allard helped design the Zune and the upcoming Kin smartphone.

The situation surrounding Allard’s transition is shrouded in rumor, with little concrete information being made public.  Rumors that Allard would be leaving the company started surfacing after Microsoft cancelled development on his last project, the “Courier” tablet.  Allard did tell Seattle-based tech site TechFlash that he does not plan to run to one of the Microsoft’s major tech or gaming rivals, such as Apple or Google.  Allard also said that his decision to leave was not based on either the “Courier” cancellation or the news that his friend and co-worker, Microsoft “Entertainment and Devices” president Robert Bach, is also planning to leave the company.

Halo: Reach Dated

Sad that the “Halo: Reach” beta is over?  Well, Bungie doesn’t plan to keep you hanging for too long.  According to the Associated Press, Halo: Reach will be in stores on September 14th.  Bungie and Microsoft had already said publicly that the game would be released in September – the announcement simply adds the day.

Then again, any news about “Reach” is big news, after the massive success of the beta.  2.7 million people played the “Reach” beta over the course of 18 days, racking up around 16 million collective hours of playtime and over a billion kills.  If those statistics serve as an indicator, “Reach” has a chance to be crowned “most successful Halo game.”  Not an insignificant title, to be sure.  “Halo 3”, the current high-flier, sold around 5 million copies in the first week.

Happy Halo: Reach Beta Day!

If you own an Xbox 360, but haven’t started playing the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta, then either you’re a very busy person or a very stupid person.  WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!

Go stab guys in the back!

Use a Jet-Pack!

Get Killed!

Ok, so maybe you avoid that last one.  Anyways, if you’re interested, but don’t have a beta code,  you can still get one by buying a copy of “Halo: ODST.”  The Halo: Reach beta starts today and ends on May 19th.  The full game will be released some time next fall.

Halo: Reach Beta Screens

So the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta opened up to a limited number of users yesterday.  For all of you out there drooling at the prospect of playing the game even a second earlier, here are some really nice screenshots.  The wide-scale beta opens on May 3rd.  The full game, however, won’t drop until some time in September.

Live Action Halo: Reach Ad – “Birth of a Spartan”

It seems like the best things to come from “Halo: ODST” were those live-action ads Microsoft made.  Well, they’re continuing the trend for Halo: Reach.  Titled “Birth of a Spartan”, the trailer shows how a Spartan III is made.  Halo: Reach drops September 1st, but for everybody who bought ODST,  the “Reach” multiplayer beta opens on May 3rd.

UPDATE:  Here’s the extended version of the trailer.  Frankly speaking, the longer version doesn’t add anything particularly interesting – the same event transpires, but with extra camera work.  That said, feel free to check them both out and see for yourself.