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2K Sports has released some in-game footage of the upcoming NBA 2K9 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360). The video shows off the graphical improvements they’ve made to the game, and it certainly does look pretty good.

Here’s the video, featuring the early stages of a match between the Hornets and the Bulls:

Check out the articles we’ve linked below for more on NBA 2K9.

• New NBA 2K9 info: Shot Stick functions, new post moves, better AI, more
• NBA 2K9 first trailer stars The Big Ticket

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Polyphony Digital and French car manufacturer Citroen have joined forces to bring a new car to Gran Turismo 5 Prologue: a new Citroen concept car that’s set to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show.

No details were given out about when the car will be making its appearance in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. The 2008 ParMotor Show starts early next month, though, so this new car will probably make it in time for the next update, currently scheduled for this Fall.

You can check out a teaser video of the car below:

CITREON GT CONCEPT - GRANTURISMO 5 - MONDIAL DE L’AUTO
by svgibson

• GT5 Prologue GTTV update starts August in a big way
• E3 2008: Yamauchi on expanding GT5 Prologue; GT5 and GT4 Mobile release after 2009

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Piracy in the Asian region have undoubtedly been one big problem in the industry. However, Nexon CEO Joonmo Kwon believes that there is something else that should be blamed for the poor sales than piracy.

As he observes, other markets that are also hit by the piracy problem, like movies and music, continue to thrive in the region, despite the prevalence of piracy. Therefore, citing trends and numbers, Kwon believes that it is not the piracy per se that is the reason why consoles aren’t performing as well as in other territories.

Instead, it is because the games are not suited to the tastes of the Asian market. Not that Asia doesn’t have a lot of gamers. In fact, online games have been very dominant in the past decade, particularly in Korea.

In almost all parts of Asia, excluding Japan, online games have been leading the market growth since the very early stages of the games industry, which is something that indicates users have a strong preference and attachment for the common characteristics and typical features of online games.

So for the console game industry to succeed in Asia, unlike in North America or Europe, it’s extremely important to set strategies that are specifically suitable for the local market. Most Asian games are far more used to and attracted by interactive games via network connections, and they’ve been long enjoying the unique convenience that online games offer - such as being able to download and play a wide variety of games for free with a single account from any PC.

For the full interview, click on the source link below.

• Music industry on game devs fighting illegal file-sharers: you’re on your own
• Piracy in China: rampant, and so efficient that it’s impressive

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Out of Grasshopper Manufacture’s recent Foreign Video Game Unlawful Assembly 2K8 event comes word of another original PlayStation title that’s scheduled for a PlayStation network appearance.

The game is The Silver Case, one of Goichi “Suda51″ Suda’s earlier PlayStation titles. This adventure game was originally released only in Japan and revolves around a series of bizarre murders that occurred in an area called the 24 Districts.

Nothing was mentioned about The Silver Case’s PSN release date, so we’ll have to wait a while longer for the official announcement. The game, along with its side story-slash-sequel Silver Case, 25 Ward, is also being remade for the Nintendo DS.

• EA Partners to work with Grasshopper and Epic on new action titles
• Suda 51 talks Xbox 360 Project, No More Heroes, Project Zero on Wii

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A series of lawsuits filed by Activision has led to speculation that the publisher is now employing tactics similar to those employed by the RIAA to crack down on file sharers.

Speculation was further fueled by Activision’s choice for lead attorney: Karin Pagnanelli, who has worked on quite a few file sharing cases for clients in the music business.

Pagnanelli, though, has recently told GamePolitics that the Activision lawsuits did not involve file sharing. In an email, Pagnanelli said that they “have never filed any litigation against a file-sharer on behalf of Activision.”

With file sharing discounted as a possible reason, it looks like outright selling of burned copies of pirated games is the most likely one at this point. The settlement statements of the defendants mention that they “distributed and/or reproduced a copyrighted video game”.

Activision filed six lawsuits in total, with the earliest dating back to 2007. Five were settled after the defendants agreed to pay Activision sums ranging from US 1,000 to US 100,000. The most recent case, filed against James R. Strickland, is still active.

• David Jaffe and SCEA sued: God of War story was stolen?
• Reggae man sues Rockstar, Take-Two for music copyright in GTA IV
• Nintendo, 54 companies slap lawsuit on Japanese R4 distributors

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Ubisoft has finally released the launch trailer for their World War II action title, Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC). Get yourself transported back in time, all the way to 1944, with this video. It’s certainly got that “Saving Private Ryan” feel to it, especially in the last scene with the sniper.

Oh, wait. But you have to see it first before you know what am talking about. Just click on play and you’re set to go. There’s only one way out of hell. Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway comes out but a few days from now, September 24th.

• Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway hits gold; release date and video
• Steam offers free Road to Hill 30 for every Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway pre-order
  
• Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway interview, trailer video

Buy: [Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway (PC)]
Buy: [Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway (PS3)]
Buy: [Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway (Xbox 360)]

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Even while the next-gen race currently going on right now has yet to reach its peak, Crytek is already preparing for the next cycle. Speaking at the Games Convention Asia, Cevat Yerli talked about their proprietary technology, the CryEngine, as well as their predictions as to when the next round of consoles race will begin.

Said Yerli, because the consoles provide a more fixed window of constraints than the PC hardware for the developers, they have to start designing for the future as early as now. Noting that the GPUs and CPUs “are on a collision course”, it thus becomes important for technology producers and game developers alike to have an informed decision for the development of new products.

“The risk of ‘uncanny valley for content is increased. As the more realistic graphics become the animation may not adapt,” he said. Furthermore, “Games will differentiate more and more in artistic styles, physics, and AI, to be different.”

As for his predictions, he said that the next wave of consoles will probably be out in about three or four years. “Sony knows but they wouldn’t tell us,” Yerli revealed. “But our estimate is 2011, or 2012.” As for Microsoft, he says they’ll most likely release another Xbox a year earlier than Sony.

“The future, in our terms, starts next year. Next year we start researching our 2012 engine,” he further disclosed. More interesting to note, though, is this statement of his: “Frankly we are lining ourselves to the PS4.” And although Sony has not given them full details on their new baby, he recognizes it as a “driving beacon” for Crytek. “That’s probably the most important information that our company is missing.”

A PlayStation 4, you say? Well then if that’s the case, Sony’s got only but a few years left to really prove what their PlayStation 3 has to offer. With all the talks on how big the potential for this system is, it’s time they actually start fulfilling them, don’t you think?

• Crytek looking for PlayStation 3 programmer
• Crytek’s Harald Seeley: PS3, 360 CryEngine 2 to look near high settings on PC

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We’ve heard a lot about the possibility of cross-platform play in Sony Online Entertainment’s The Agency (PlayStation 3, PC). This time, it’s senior game designer Kevin O’Hara’s turn to sound off on the matter. Long story short, he thinks that contrary to what they say on Internet forums, gamers don’t really like cross-platform play.

“We’ve been doing a lot of research on it though and we’re finding that players actually don’t like it. They say that they want it because it sounds cool to play with your PS3 buddies with your PC,” said O’Hara. “But in practice no matter how balanced you make it there’s a perception that inherently it’s unfair.”

This echoes some of executive producer Matt Wilson’s earlier statements. Talking about the problems that SOE is facing with regards to cross-platform play, Wilson said that “there’s always a dynamic of ‘It’s not fair!’ for whatever reason.”

There’s still a bit of good news for those who really want to try some cross-platform action in The Agency, though. Even though the feature is not likely to make it to the game’s final release, they’ll still try it out during the beta phase.

“In beta we’ll try it a little bit and see how we like it but if nothing else the majority of servers will be either PS3 or PC, maybe with some crossover servers,” said O’Hara.

• The Agency may still get cross-platform play support

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The first downloadable pack for Codemasters‘ Race Driver: GRID (Xbox 360, PS3) was dated and detailed today in a press wire sent out by the company. The pack, dubbed 8 Ball, will feature 8 new cars and two new online events. Here’s a list of the new cars in the 8 Ball DLC:

• McLaren F1 GTR
• TVR Cerbera Speed 12
• Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
• Honda S2000
• Nissan GT-R (S-G2008)
• VW Nardo
• Pontiac Firebird Trans AM (1971 racing edition)
• Volvo C30

All of the cars above will be playable in both the Race Day mode and in online races. The new online multiplayer events weren’t detailed, but they’ll be set on existing Race Driver: GRID tracks. Xbox 360 gamers will also be getting four new achievements:

• Jack Of All Trades - Win an online race in each of the 8 Ball pack cars (25pts)
• Drift Master - Achieve a 99x combo in the Honda S2000 (25pts)
• Gas Guzzler - Clock up over 250 miles in your favourite 8 Ball pack car (25pts)
• Clean Passing - Win a clean race in an 8 Ball Pack car from last position (25pts)

Pricing for the 8 Ball pack will be confirmed when it launches this autumn on Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Network. More DLC, including a V8 Supercars pack featuring Ford and Holden cars and the Bathurst circuit, is expected to be released later this year.

• Race Driver: GRID PC Patch v1.1 now ready
• Race Driver: GRID being localized for Japan, Shibuya screenshot

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Unfortunately, you won’t be getting your hands on a downloadable demo for Ubisoft’s Far Cry 2. Yes, it’s a sad bit of news, it is. But this is what Louis-Pierre Pharand, producer, revealed in a LiveText chat with Eurogamer.

Said he, “It became too complex to do a demo of an open world game. We decided to put those efforts into the game so everyone can enjoy a better, more polished experience.” However, the good news is that he confirmed the inclusion of four multiplayer modes for the game.

Apart from the obligatory Deathmatch and Team Deatmatch modes, they’ve also added in Capture the Diamond, and Uprising, which Pharand describes as “a modified version of a VIP.”
In these modes, you’ll be able to upgrade within classes, and “will allow you to be more tactical in your progression, depending of the type maps you play.”

See, it’s not so bad after all. While there’s no demo, there will be more multiplayer modes for you to enjoy. Besides, you won’t have to wait long for the release, anyway. Far Cry 2 arrives for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC next month, October 24th.

Just hang in there.

• Far Cry 2: new gameplay trailers
• Far Cry 2 to be best shooter of 2008?
• Ubisoft: PS3’s technical specs ‘fit in’ for Far Cry 2 despite difficulties

Buy: [Far Cry 2 (PS3)]
Buy: [Far Cry 2 (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Far Cry 2 (PC)]

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