Upsetting society with my closed minded views
Brad Shoemaker, formerly known as a regular hear at Gamespot.com, is now a freelance journalist for 1up.com. Can't get enough of Brad and his slow entrancing voice? Join me at 1up and subscribe to the 1UP Yours podcast at iTunes where you'll get to hear what he's been up to.
Wow, this website is a bit empty now. Isn't it? Hmph. Yeah why bother just tear it down?
Speaking of Army of Two I was disappointed with how EA developed the game. Gameplay feels more like Mercenaries than to a game that utilizes a cover system like Gears of War. The story is completely forgettable, the aiming is difficult than it really should be, and the AI for both the partner you'll play with in the single player game and the enemies, as they just often times sit there and do nothing while they're being shot, are too dumb. I'm tired of being dragged around (literally) in circles by my partner trying to find cover to heal me that ultimately gets me killed because the AI for him is too stupid. Gah! And the online portion of the game isn't any better. Just rent it and find out for yourself. But even with it's frustrations and annoyances Army of Two is still an alright game if not for it's customizations. To tell you the truth if it wasn't for the achievements on the Xbox 360, Army of Two would of been an after thought for me. I give AOT 6 out 10.
And for the people on Gamespot that is my friend on Xbox Live, I won't be on the service coming this June. The Playstation 3 bundle deal with Metal Gear Solid 4 at $499 is just too good to pass up. And since PSN is free online I'll be using that more than Live. Realistically it wouldn't make sense to pay-to-play on XBL when I can play for free on PSN.
So this wraps up my not-so-daily blog post. Have a great weekend guys!
Just a couple of days ago, Sony announced plans for a Metal Gear Solid 4-bundled PlayStation 3. At the time, rumors ran wild around the internet pointing to June 12 as the new release date for the much-anticipated title, but Konami would not confirm this... until now.
As part of the Destination PlayStation event, Konami has revealed that Metal Gear Solid 4 will in fact be arriving on June 12. Konami CEO Kazumi Kitaue compared the release to a blockbuster movie premiere, which he called "a tradition of the summer."
Kitaue also revealed new details about Metal Gear Online. As had previously been revealed, the 16-player online extension of the Metal Gear universe will feature a "Starter Pack" in MGS4, with the implication that a full game disc or download pack will need to be purchased to access all the MGO content.
If that leaves you a bit uncertain, take heart that you'll be able to test things out for yourself a bit in advance. Anyone who pre-orders Metal Gear Solid 4 beginning in April will receive a bonus pack that will include free beta access to Metal Gear Online. Said beta test will begin on April 21, but it will run for a mere two weeks. The pre-order bonus also features a Metal Gear Saga 2.0 DVD. This disc has a full recap of the series up to now, a retrospective, character bios, and a collection of MGS4 trailers.
Further information on Metal Gear Solid 4 and its big PS3 debut is available via an FAQ posted at the PlayStation Blog. If you're done salivating for the moment, you also might want to take a look at 1UP's previews of both Metal Gear Solid 4 and Metal Gear Online.
Article by: 1UP.com
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I'm glad to hear that Konami won't full on charge people for another game just to play online. And since I already have Metal Gear Saga vol 1 from pre-ordering Subsistance 4 years ago, I'll definantly be picking up 2.0!And as a side note I won't be on Gamespot that often anymore. The online community is dwindling, the content that they bring isn't as great as in months past, and users don't have enough freedom to speak their minds without being harassed by the moderators. So I'll be spending most of my time at 1up.com since they're site is growing. If your interested hit me up there. I'm under the same name as here.
Competition ahoy! Even though CEO Sir Howard "young people don't like advertising very much" Stringer is skeptical of in-game advertising, that hasn't stopped Sony from pursuing that path with some determination. After appointing Darlene Kindler to head up their in-game advertising efforts last October, AdAge is reporting that Sony will be "opening up" the PlayStation 3's advertising platform, allowing in-game advertisers Double Fusion, IGA, and Google's AdScape to sell dynamic ads.
Two years ago, Microsoft acquired in-game ad firm Massive which powers in-game advertising on the Xbox 360 platform. Sony's model is a "clear departure" from that - eMarketer's James Belcher says, "Making things open only makes things better for marketers or people who want to place ads because they aren't the mercy of a given network." With "baked in" ads, and competing dynamic services on the Xbox 360 and PS3 platforms, the reportedly $400 million game advertising business is going to become increasingly visible (for better or worse).
Article by: Joystiq.com
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In-game advertising can be a curse or a blessing depending on how it's done. If it's being displayed on the online service then I don't mind. But if the advertising is interfering with my play time then I say no, get rid of it. How Sony is handling it seems reasonable.It would be nice if I can order myself a delivery pizza or a sandwich from McDonalds through the service 
As Hideo Kojima's "final" installment in the Metal Gear Solid series, Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is uniquely positioned as one of the most heavily anticipated PlayStation 3 titles from a dying breed of third-party console exclusives. Today, Sony revealed via its PlayStation Blog that Metal Gear Solid 4 would arrive on the PS3 in late Q2 2008, which runs until June 30. The news comes as part of the Destination PlayStation retailer conference, which is currently under way in Arizona.
While Sony wasn't more forthright with an exact date, retailers, which sometimes leak release dates through online listings prior to publishers' actual announcements, seem to be under the impression that the game will surface in mid-June. According to listings on Amazon and GameFly, MGS4 will take to the streets on Thursday, June 12, while GameStop has the game slated for Tuesday, June 17. Publishers typically choose to release high-profile titles on Tuesday in the US.
To promote Metal Gear Solid 4's release, Sony also revealed the game will be available as part of an 80GB PS3 bundle. In addition to the game and system, the bundle will include a DualShock 3 controller and will retail for $499.99. Presumably, the DualShock 3 will replace the Sixaxis controller currently available in the $499.99 80GB SKU.
Similar to Microsoft's use of Realtime World's Crackdown to hand out keys for the Halo 3 multiplayer beta, Sony also said it will be guaranteeing access to Metal Gear Online's multiplayer beta test for those who preorder the game. The test is expected to commence in late April.
The Destination PlayStation conference also yielded an update on the DualShock 3, which Sony officially took the wraps off of during 2007's Tokyo Game Show. The much-requested rumble-equipped, motion-sensing wireless controller will arrive in North America in April at the price of $54.99. According to Sony, more than 100 PS3 games will be compatible with the controller, including Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank Future, and MGS4.
Article by: Gamespot.com
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If you don't already own a Playstation 3, like myself, then this is a good reason to pick one up. Metal Gear Solid 4, Dual Shock 3, and the 80GB PS3 itself all for $499.99? What more can you ask for?
Sony today announced that Phil Harrison, one of the founding members of Sony Computer Entertainment and one of the company's most public faces, has resigned.
Harrison's last day with Sony will be February 29, at which point Kazuo Hirai, currently the president and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment International, will take over his responsibilities.
Talking of his decision, Harrison said: "The past 15 years at Sony Computer Entertainment has been the defining journey of my life so far...I am so proud of everything PlayStation has achieved and will continue to support its future in every way I can."
Harrison has been with Sony since 1992, serving in senior positions across North America and Europe before being appointed the president of the newly conglomerated Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios when it was formed in 1995.
This role was pivotal in Sony's gaming business. Harrison's responsibilities included setting the global product strategy and managing the development operations of 16 studios in five countries.
As well as being president of SCE WWS, Harrison was corporate executive and representative director of Sony Computer Entertainment and executive vice president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.
Harrison was described by Sony as "a core member of the teams that successfully launched all of the PlayStation family of hardware formats and innovative software that have helped expand the market for computer entertainment worldwide."
In the statement announcing Harrison's departure, Hirai backed up this view, saying, "As one of the founding members of SCE, Phil played a key role in the development and growth of the PlayStation business and our industry."
No announcement was made relating to a long-term replacement for Harrison, or his reasons for parting ways with his long-time employer.
Article by: Gamespot..com
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Yes change. It's a part of life, unfortunately, and it's how we grow. There are movers and shakers in this world where they either help or create a product to it's full potential, but they can't stay in one place for long. I'm curious to know why he's moving on and to where. But in the end it really doesn't matter. He's moved on and I personally wish him well.
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