Well, The Escapist has reported that the last player has been logged out of the final Halo 2 lobby on the Microsoft dedicated servers, officially ending the game's popular run since 2004. Despite Microsoft officially ending Live support for the original XBox on April 15th, a handful of dedicated Halo 2 fans refused to log off until the last one, with the handle Apache N4SIR was forcibly booted at 1:28 EDT this morning. Despite your feelings on the Halo franchise, it is pretty cool that even a game that is six years old is (well was) still supported by a committed fan base. Think about how many great games have come and gone out of our memories and minds in the last six years. Read More...

This past Friday we were able to join in on the conference call for Split/Second, the upcoming game from Disney and Blackrock Studios. Split/Second is releasing next week (5/18/2010) and we had the honor to have our questions answered by Nick Baynes, Game Director for Blackrock Studios. So why should you pick up this racer? Well give it a listen and you can judge for yourself on why you would want to pick up this racer. If for some odd reason you don't want to listen to over fifty-six minutes of the conference call than let me give you some of the key points for Split/Second. Read More...

Well there's not much else to report here except go here to get your hands on one of the best PC-exclusive action titles ever released. Nothing streamlined or dumbed down for the console, just pure 30 button action at its best. There have been some reports of server issues, but they seem to have been resolved. I personally think this is an awesome move that will have a short term loss, long term gain for Microsoft (who has finally released one of my favorite IP's), as well as Smith and Tinker - a new developer who has taken the reins for Mechwarrior 5. There are no profits to be found by doing this, but what they will get is the love and respect of the huge Mechwarrior fanbase. Read More...

As I woke up this morning and logged-in to my Twitter account only to find shocking news of the day. If you do not know by now, Bungie has signed a ten year partnership with Activision. Despite everything that is going on with Infinity Ward and Activision, Bungie went ahead and pulled a fast one on everyone. Activision will have exclusive, worldwide rights to publish and distribute all future Bungie games based on their new intellectual property on multiple platforms and device. So 360 fans, you will have some company when it comes to future Bungie games. Read More...

I've never tried to hide the fact that I was not the biggest Splinter Cell fan. The exploits of one Mr. Fisher never struck me as the most engaging, no matter how polished the series might have been. There was nothing about the character that made me want to be a part of the world, so imagine my surprise when I discovered that what made me want to explore the game’s mythology was the dehumanization of Sam Fisher. I think the cover definitely serves as a metaphor for the changing of style and approach with this title. Fisher has lost his daughter and along with her, he’s lost his fragile grip on the world around him. Read More...

Today, Disney Interactive Studios announced today that the demo for their upcoming action racer Split/Second is now available for download on XBox LIVE. Developed by the award winning Black Rock Studio, Split/Second will be exclusively for XBox LIVE until May 11th. After the 11th, it will be available for the PlayStation Network. The demo will allow players to experience the Airport Terminal level where players will race through a fictional airport terminal taking out opponents by triggering events, such as bringing down the air traffic control tower and piloting a cargo plane remotely. Split/Second will be released on May 18th and May 21st in North America and Europe, respectively. Read More...

It's an exciting time to be a gamer because there is definitely a lot of pivotal stuff going on in our industry right now. Today I want to go on about a reasonably new development of an old concept. Expansion packs have been around since the mid 90's in the PC world. Back when the PC dinosaurs ruled the video game landscape (and just about any game could be played on any computer without a video card that costs more than a PS3), if there was a successful game, a half a year or so later we would see an expansion pack. People who enjoyed a game could purchase more content for around $20 to $30-ish. Don't quote me on this, but the first expansion in my memory was the level add on pack for Doom II released in 1995 called "Doom II Master Levels. Read More...

Just when you thought that Dante's Inferno was over and done the next major DLC for the title is hitting digital shelves. You know, the one that adds co-op play and the ability to create your own challenges for other people who are still playing Dante's Inferno to give a play. If there are still people who have not forgotten Dante's Inferno for God of War III that is. You know, those few Christians out there that refuse to play a "Pagan" title for a just as violent "Christian" version of the game. Jokes and pokes aside, the Trials of St. Read More...

It has been a while since we have heard anything from Raven and Activision about the upcoming FPS Singularity. Their new Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, Hellboy and Call of Duty mash up title coming out just about a year after it was shown off for the first time at E3 2009. You know the game about the Russians using super natural technology to turn back time on anything that is a noun; All wrapped into the WWI FPS genre. You know what I am talking about. Well if you don't, below is the latest trailer for Singularity to hit the web. Read More...

So thanks to Joystiq for pointing out that Ubisoft will no longer be including printed, physical manifestations of user manuals with their games starting with the recently announced "Shaun White Snowboarding" title. This is done under the guise of "going green". I am glad that Ubisoft has made such a great and undying commitment to preserving our beautiful Earth by not spending money (which in America is also green, ironically) on printing user manuals. Guys I appreciate the sentiment but call a spade a spade. If you need a little better profit margin then just say so. Read More...

So first off I'm Brian and new to Aggrogamer.com (and also Pwned.com My user name is GooseyB please friend me so I'm not too lonely!). Aside from video game blogging I also play in this band. You may or may not have noticed my first few articles posted this week. I am a video game news junkie and very opinionated. I may like studying the industry and culture surrounding video games almost as much as I like settling in with a new nerdy PC strategy title and a bottle of whiskey (almost). I do enjoy a lot of mainstream titles and also spend plenty of time on my XBox 360. Read More...

You can not follow game industry news and not have noticed the countless reports of the drama currently going on between publishing giant Activision and successful Call Of Duty developer Infinity Ward. Even legitimate news sources have covered the huge lawsuit frenzy that has been going on. Today, industry analysts have suggested that as many as 20 more Infinity Ward Employees are projected to no longer be employed by the company in a month's time (source Gamespot). Even though strong sales of the Modern Warfare 2 map pack DLC suggest a short term financial positive for Activision, the stock has continued to go down. I may not be a business tycoon or an expert economist, but I do know this Activision. Read More...

SEGA, according to Eurogamer, has reported its intent to make use of the Uniloc DRM for its PC release of Alpha Protocol, despite past issues regarding the software. SEGA will be joining the growing group of publishers who have begun using intrusive authentication software in the name of protecting their PC releases. Since the inception of PC gaming publishers have been trying to find effective ways to balance protection against theft and unobtrusive gameplay experiences. How many people remember the funny picture wheel with older Lucas Arts games, or the frequently used “what’s the 4th word on the 9th line of page 36 of the manual” chestnut? Read More...

In an interview with Edge magazine Max Beland, new (as of 2008) Ubisoft Montreal executive describes how many people found the stealth based gameplay of previous Splinter Cell titles, mainly Chaos Theory and Double Agent, too much for the casual crowd. Despite high critical praise of past entries in the series, Beland feels that the way to more people's game libraries and to expand the Splinter Cell brand is to focus more on brutal action sequences and less on specific stealth, which he referred to as "good and fun stealth gameplay, but its hardcore." Refresh my memory but when did exciting, intense stealth based action games start being marketed to the Guitar Hero crowd? I enjoy my casual titles as much as the next person, but it sets a very dangerous precedent when major developers and publishers begin changing proven, unique, and popular gameplay mechanics to try and take a "hardcore" property to a more "casual", mainstream crowd. Read More...

Not long ago Activision "let go" the co-founders of Infinity Ward, Jason West and Vince Zampella. Well it looks like these two guys have decided to start a new gaming company and get a new publisher. Jason West and Vince Zampella are two industry leaders who brought the amazing Call of Duty franchise to homes everywhere. Now brushing off the dust from a rumor filled departure, Jason and Vince have founded Respawn Entertainment. The website is up and running, and probably the simplest website in the world. Read More...