We hope you enjoy the show, and in it we divulge: - What exactly went down at Nintendo’s secret media summit - Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid Other M, and a whole host of release dates and other news. - Plants Vs Zombies - Biggest iPhone Launch - what do we see as the future of the platform? - EA starts a new studio in Salt Lake City to work on new Sims games - Oh, how the mighty have fallen - what happened to Maxis?

All this and more to look forward to in this edition of the GameSponge Podcast.

Remember to use the Contact Us button in the sidebar to… contact us. Listener Mail, Feedback, whatever you want.

Cheers,

Eddy and Declan.

In this episode we talk God of War III - when’s it coming, and how’s it looking. Sony’s certainly getting into abstract box arts now, aren’t they?

We also discuss the phenomenal success of Avatar - and also talk Avatar 2. When’s it coming, and what do we think about it?

Finally, we talk about Apple’s latest product the iPad tablet computer media playing thingamajiggy. Good news for gaming? Let’s see what Sony and Nintendo have to say about it.

Thanks for listening, be sure to contact us using the Contact Us button in the sidebar, and we’ll see you next week.

Thanks.

It took a good 6 months to find its roots.

Even now, infrequent podcasts jeopardize the operation.

Yet, here we stand.

Hi, it’s Eddy here, and we reached 10, 000 views. For a site with no marketing or any form of advertising, we consider this number impressive. Also, as I write this, it is New Year’s Eve in Australia. Look at that, we reached 10, 000 before 2010. 10, 10, see what I did there? Ooh, yeah.

Next year we plan to cover a lot more ground in terms of content and professionalism. We will record a podcast early January, and the regular schedule of a weekly podcast will begin once more, starting in February.

So, until then, I must bid our dear readers a fond farewell, as I wander off to stuff my face with chocolate and stay up past my bedtime, with little gain.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM GAMESPONGE 2009.

Eddy and Declan

Changing ideals

The GameSponge Podcast has always had a very rocky life. I clearly remember writing an update about the NSW School Spectacular a year ago two days previously, and reading it again today I realised, with a shock, that I had been extremely extremely harsh.

“You can tell that, although some of the performers have, admittedly, a tiny, small, diminutive amount of some form of talent, the songs they play are chosen by the teachers, and the teachers are trying to live some sort of double life by pretending to be the student’s they’re forcing to play the only songs they can remember from the late 70s.” - Original Nov. 2008 post

I ended the article with a plea for ABC Television to stop telecasting the show.

While at the time it may have seemed like a playful clip over the ears for the NSW Department of Education, albeit a very hard clip over the ears, a year later I have to say that I wouldn’t write the same thing. Instead, I would write that although the choice of music could be better, the acts were entertaining and the effort involved in presenting the show is commendable and the kids involved certainly do have talent.

For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, including those who live overseas and feel alienated by these Australian references, keep reading.

This time last year, and for the most part of this year, I wrote a number of articles on Nintendo’s Wii. While raising a number of important points, these articles were written from a blatantly ignorant and ‘casual gamer’ viewpoint, and I am proud to say that these articles would never have a home on GameSponge a year later. My outspokenness came from the fact that I had spent two years out of the loop - in fact I hadn’t even been in the loop until that point. When I owned the original Xbox console from 2003 onwards, I was largely ignorant of the industry and was what you could call a ’softcore’ - between casual and hardcore - player. I bought the core games but had no clue about anything other than the fun I had while playing them. When I started to gain an interest I had no idea about where I stood in relation to the industry itself, and wrote a bunch of Nintendo-oriented articles that attempted to give me a firm footing. They didn’t.

I don’t know what I was thinking when I wrote those articles, but I certainly didn’t see myself in a year’s time criticising them and regretting I even wrote them. But as I said earlier, I believe my opinion and viewpoint has changed for the better, to the extent that I wouldn’t consider publishing an article solely praising Nintendo in the current circumstances.

All that I just wrote then was largely a way of explaining what’s changed here. We no longer try and appeal to an audience using witty language and exaggerated criticisms, partly because that conveys an immature and undeveloped image, and partly because we have changed ourselves. Instead, we aim to gain an audience by providing factual, information based content and hopefully some more intelligent essays, rather than the “pirate games” and “casual is good” rubbish that I, personally, have been responsible for in the past.

If you’re interested, this is an article I wrote a year ago today, and demonstrates exactly what I’m talking about: http://gamesponge.podbean.com/2008/12/23/wii-its-almost-christmas/

Changing expectations

No-one can be entirely accurate when talking about the future. We, at GameSponge, are no different - we’re no more prophetic than similar sites. Let’s take a look at some of the things we expected to happen in 2009.

Eddy wrote an article entitled “2009: Looking Ahead” written in January this year. In it, he listed a number of games to look forward to in the coming year, and there were a number of games that failed to materialise. Heavy Rain, Diablo III, Starcraft II, and God of War III were all game that we predicted for this year, but have not been released. Heavy Rain and God of War III are due in March 2010, whereas Diablo III and Starcraft II are subject to Blizzard’s we’ll-release-them-whenever-we-damn-well-want mantra. Starcraft II even made his Top 5 of 2009 list. My list comprised of one game - The Sims 3 - which was released this year, and ironically I wasn’t all that impressed by it.

Our 2008 Game Of The Year last year was Metal Gear Solid 4. Our 2008 GOTY awards were done largely without my involvement, as I had demonstrated my lack of capacity for intelligent thought with the rubbish I had been writing up ’til then. This year’s GOTY awards - won by Uncharted 2, but closely followed by many others - were equally prepared by both Eddy and myself, and this time around I had the knowledge and the judgement to choose the games that I honestly thought were best.

What will our game of the year be next year? Heavy Rain, God of War III, Gran Turismo 5, Yakuza 3 or 4, Final Fantasy 13 are all contenders, and are all due in March. Then there’s Starcraft II and Diablo III, which we may or may not catch a glimpse of next year. On top of those, there are the plethora of games that we do not even know exist yet, many of which are probably of a high enough calibre to be nominated for our 2010 list.

Changing motivations

Ironically, the time during which I most enjoyed creating content for the GameSponge Podcast was the year I spend inadvertently destroying it. Even then I showed contempt for the podcast itself, and dreaded writing the several pages of notes to take to the recording room. However since then, it’s been largely in decline. I know I’m probably not meant to say this on the website but we’ve lost a lot of motivation for updating the website, let alone recording the podcast. A number of times this year the quality and regularity of the podcast has slipped dramatically and we’ve revived it a few times - first with a series of new segments, which for the most part worked, and second with a dramatic culling of podcast attendees. Michael Laetsch and Tom Jackson have since been given the opportunity to re-join the podcast, so hopefully we’ll see them again next year.

Overcoming this lack of motivation requires a new direction for GameSponge. We’re working to see what we can do to re-invigorate the podcast and the website, and we know we’ve shovelled about 4 or 5 versions of GameSponge on you in the last year and a half. But there’s something we’ve got to do to get GameSponge back on it’s feet. In this vein we’d also like to apologise for the lack of episodes recently. We realise it is unacceptable, and as this paragraph has hopefully made clear, we intend to do something about it. You’ve given us so many chances before so another one is all we ask.

Changing efforts

I think it’s safe to say that in our first year-and-a-half of operation, GameSponge would have collapsed without Eddy at the helm. I think its also probably true to say that about GameSponge currently. Without the constant, applied effort he has made to create quality content and push the site and podcast in the right direction, GameSponge would be dead in the water.

If he had been dented by my stupid opinions and the abhorrent way in which I contributed to the podcast (I’ll leave it at that) then we would never have got past episode 10. So everything you’re reading now, is, in effect, only here because Eddy persisted. It’s thanks to him that we got this far.

Because of this, I’m going to try and make as valuable a contribution as I can, and although I won’t be able to match the dedication with which he has established the podcast and site, I will work as hard as I can to ensure the quality and content are stepped up.

Changing predictions

Now that 2009 is almost complete, where will 2010 take us? In terms of games, March looks to be the most amazing and fully packed month for gaming in years. In terms of GameSponge, if we can change this much in 2009, we surely can change for the better in 2010 and gain a wider audience.

If you’re reading this now, stop. What do you expect from GameSponge? Please tell us using the links near the top of the page. We need your input to survive, otherwise we have to keep trialing new versions to see how you respond. We don’t want to screw you around, and we know that doing that constantly, does.

Consider this article an apology of sorts, on my half. An apology for not only the rubbish I wrote and the way I behaved in the podcast, but an apology for actually having to change - I should have been this way in the first place.

Consider this article also a reminder that although we try and do our best, there’s always better we can do, and next time we miss an episode or leave the site empty for a while, just remember that we DO try as hard as we can, on most occasions, to bring you quality content.

With all that said, 2010 should be a good year, with great games. We’ll be hard at work getting the ‘latest’ news and information as well as intelligent articles and reviews across the Internet to you, and remember to check back often.

With all that said, on behalf of GameSponge and everyone else we know, have a very merry Christmas, a happy New Year, and take care.

GameSponge

—GAME GENRE AWARDS—

BEST ACTION GAME

Nominees: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Assassin’s Creed 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, inFamous.

Winner: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

BEST FIGHTING GAME

Nominees: BlazBlue, Tekken 6, Street Fighter IV, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD

Winner: Street Fighter IV

BEST MUSIC GAME

Nominees: The Beatles: Rock Band, Guitar Hero V, Rhythm Heaven, DJ Hero

Winner: The Beatles: Rock Band

BEST PLATFORMER GAME

Nominees: The Maw, ‘Splosion Man, LittleBigPlanet PSP, New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Winner: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

BEST PUZZLE GAME

Nominees: PixelJunk Monsters: Deluxe, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, Scribblenauts, Braid

Winner: Scribblenauts

BEST RACING GAME

Nominees: Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box, Forza Motorsport 3, Need for Speed Shift, Excitebots

Winner: Forza Motorsport 3

BEST ROLE-PLAYING GAME

Nominees: Fallout 3 (Game of the Year Edition), Demon’s Souls, Dragon Age: Origins, Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story

Winner: Fallout 3 (Game of the Year Edition)

BEST SHOOTER GAME

Nominees: Killzone 2, The Conduit, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Halo 3: ODST

Winner: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

BEST SPORTS GAME

Nominees: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, Wii Sports Resort, Fight Night Round 4, FIFA Soccer 10

Winner: Wii Sports Resort

BEST STRATEGY GAME

Nominees: Warhammer 40: Dawn of War 2, Fire Emblem, Empire: Total War, Halo Wars

Winner: Empire: Total War

—GAME DESIGN AWARDS—

BEST VISUALS:

Nominees: Flower, Muramasa: Demon Blade, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Forza Motorsport 3

Winner: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

BEST SOUND:

Nominees: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, DJ Hero, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, GTA IV: Episodes from Liberty City

Winner: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

BEST STORY:

Nominees: inFamous, Dragon Age: Origins, Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Winner: inFamous

—GAME EXPERIENCE AWARDS—

BEST FAMILY GAME

Nominees: Wii Sports Resort, Boom Blox: Bash Party, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Band Hero

Winner: Wii Sports Resort

BEST MULTIPLAYER GAME

Nominees: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Killzone 2, Borderlands

Winner: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

BEST DOWNLOADABLE GAME

Nominees: Flower, Fat Princess, Shadow Complex, Battlefield 1943

Winner: Shadow Complex

— BEST OVERALL GAME OF THE YEAR AWARD —

Nominees:

Assassin’s Creed II Batman: Arkham Asylum Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Dragon Age: Origins Empire: Total War Forza Motorsport 3 Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Killzone 2 Left 4 Dead 2 MadWorld Muramasa: The Demon Blade New Super Mario Bros. Wii Patapon 2 Silent Hill: Shattered Memories Street Fighter IV Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Winner: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

It truly has been a stellar year for games, full of great titles across the board and 2010 is shaping up to be even greater. Agree with our decisions, or disagree, be sure to let us know with the Contact Us button at the top.

Thanks,

Eddy and Declan

Gamesponge

Thanks for listening to the GameSponge Podcast, we’re aware that standards have slipped slightly, and we appreciate your patience while we try and rectify the situation.

Thanks again,

Eddy and Declan

GameSponge

You see, this episode is intentionally stupid and comedic. For once we drop the attempts at professionalism, and sit back. Today, we have 3 very special guests from an indie developer based out in Sydney - Jactivision. The three members, Jack, Will, and Alex talk to us about their new projects, and game philosophy in general. To play the Beta of their latest title, Crazy Ghost - Origins, you can visit their website at http://scratch.mit.edu/users/Spagbutcher .

Before you download, be warned - whilst all swear words have been bleeped, it still contains a fair amount of sexual innuendo and inappropriate content. Please don’t listen if you are offended by this, and remember that this doesn’t represent the GameSponge Podcast properly. For that, you may listen to an older episode. If you do enjoy this comedic route, please be sure to let us know by using the Contact Us button.

Enjoy, and we’ll see you next week.

In this episode we talk about sequels, sequels, and just a couple more sequels - Bully 2, Guild Wars 2, and some other games with 2 in them. We also chat about the DSi XL - is it a complete waste? Finally, we attempt to restore some normality to the show with the usual shenanigans and mishaps you’ve come to expect from our professional show.

Remember, if you want any question answered live on air, you can do so using the Contact Us button on the side.

Enjoy, and we’ll see you next week.

Hopefully the long delay hasn’t scared you all away.

We’re genuinely sorry for our something-like-7-week-hiatus with no mention of anything on the blog or the website. The fact of the matter is there were a whole bunch of things that kept us from keeping to our normal schedule, and we apologise for that.

We DID record a few podcasts but none of them were deemed to be of the quality our listeners would expect, and we refrained from uploading them.

We also had important exams during this period, and to compound the problem the MP3 recorder we’re using is on its last legs and we were trying to record a podcast recently when it died completely. It’s back from the dead now, but only just, so we’ll see how it goes.

We’ll try and keep regular contact on the blog and we PROMISE we’ll have a new podcast for you soon - even if we have to resort to Skype again.

Anyone who’s been put off by the long break - we urge you to give us another chance, and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience we have caused our viewers in neglecting to record a podcast, or even update the blog.

Please keep an eye on this site for more news, and we hope to deliver a new episode to you in a short time. Thanks for staying with us.

Eddy and Declan

GameSponge

Hello chaps, Eddy here (if you hadn’t already ascertained by the vague attempts at humour) with, as the title would tend to suggest, an update. Yes, it’s the holidays, so we’re all off lying on beaches and kicking back with nuts of the salted variety, and a good game or two. Or maybe not, maybe we’re all studying hard for the yearly exams. I know which I’d prefer. Anyway, with Declan off cavorting god knows where, it falls to me to do a brief update so you don’t think we’ve abandoned you.

LEFT 4 DEAD 2 NOT ACTUALLY LEFT FOR DEAD IN AUSTRALIA

Work your head around that one, readers. Yes, earlier this month we reported that the zombie-splattering madness that is Left 4 Dead 2, was refused classification in Australia. As well as being made the laughing stock of the video gaming community, it again addressed the issue of an R18+ rating for video games, or the lack thereof. Luckily, Valve was able to fix the issue of classification by, yep, you guessed it, removing features of the game. Dismemberment, one would argue, a crucial feature of the game, has been completely removed. The OFLC (Office of Film and Literature Classification - the ESRB of Australia) seems to have forgotten that the original L4D has all this dismemberment action in it, yet is being sold. Another example that draws to light the many inaccuracies and general hopelessness of the OFLC.

RESISTANCE 3 PRETTY MUCH CONFIRMED

Big news on the Sony front, today. Well, decidedly average news, but with a pessimistic outlook like that, this news story is going nowhere. In 2011, a sci-fi film called Battle: Los Angeles (I’m drawn in by the title alone) will be coming out. This film, will have billboards in it. One such billboard, will have RESISTANCE 3 written on it. Confirmed, cries Sony fans. As this film will be coming out in 2011, ads need to be designed in advance, and the fact that the publishers of this film, Columbia Pictures, are owned by Sony, validity to this claim is strengthened. The little Statue of Liberty in the text would indicate the game is to be set in New York. The developers of Resistance, Insomniac Games, seem to be alternating between game franchises, and seeing as the latest Ratchet and Clank adventure, A Crack In Time is coming out in October, it seems the time will be ripe for a new Resistance game, come 2010/2011. An image, for you viewing pleasure - http://images.psxextreme.com/images/common/News/resistance3.jpg

TURNS OUT PEOPLE LIKE PAYING LESS FOR CONSUMER GOODS

The PlayStation 3 Slim, or PS3, as Sony are branding it, was released in early September, and NPD figures are showing some, quite frankly, astonishing figures. ONE MILLION PS3 units were sold in the first two weeks of September, showing an increase in sales of roughly 30x those in August, and even greater sales than the original launch of the system. With the 299 USD pricetag, and 120GB HDD, the PS3 is now, finally, justifiably priced on the market, and in line with the 360 Elite, also 299 USD. Is PS3 going to catch the Xbox 360’s 5 million lead? Let’s wait and find out.

That’s your update for today, in fact, these past two weeks really… Rest assured we will be back sometime in the forseeable future with a new podcast, and back to a regular schedule in about two weeks. Til next blog update, readers.

You’ve probably noticed that there has been no podcast uploaded for the last couple of weeks. This is because of a) serious lack of time and b) technical problems with the recorder.

The next podcast will probably be another Skype-recorded podcast sometime after the end of this (coming) week, i.e. weekend after this one, OR if not, we’ll let you know.

We’re currently in a very busy period with lots of other work to do and unfortunately we can’t always make time for the GameSponge Podcast.

Stay tuned though because we’ll keep in touch through the blog and hopefully have some more stuff for you coming soon.

Thanks very much for being so patient; please bear with us.

Eddy & Declan GameSponge

In this episode, we have a very lengthy discussion about the banning of Left 4 Dead 2 in Australia and the censorship laws that surround the decision, as well as briefly touching on the BioShock 2 release date, and reiterating what I said on the blog post entitled “Feedback.”

In relation to the refusal of classification for L4D2 in Australia, we mentioned the OFLC’s report on the game. It is located in PDF format at this address: http://www.news.com.au/files/left%204%20dead%202-%20classification%20board%20decsion%20report.pdf

We would also like to draw your attention to our privacy policy. There is a lengthy section on what we do with your personal details that are given when you comment or fill out any form on the GameSponge Podcast or Network website. Believe us, its nothing out of the ordinary, but the publication of that errant commentor’s IP is STILL IN LINE with our Privacy Policy and we urge you to take a look if you’re in doubt about anything. It can be found at the “Your Privacy” section in the link list at the TOP of the page.

Please also note that we either record a podcast this Wednesday, OR not until the following week. We apologise for this uncertainty. However, be sure to check on Wednesday or Thursday for a new episode. Sometimes, due to a backlog of recorded episodes, they don’t get uploaded for up to a week after they were recorded.

Click play below to listen to this episode, enjoy, and thanks for listening!

In this episode, we discuss Microsoft’s Project Natal, the PlayStation PlayTV, and all our usual segments. We’re also joined by Michael Laetsch who we force at gunpoint (no, not really, but it sounds like it) to tell us about the iPod touch game he’s playing.

Click play below to play, and enjoy this episode!

In this episode, we talk about issues relating to the Xbox 360 and Natal, as well as covering aspects of the other current consoles. We also delve into the news, NPD numbers, and the usual stuff.

Click “Play” below.

Thanks for listening!

The “comment” feature is to be used for passive commenting, and is moderated. If you misuse this feature you will be reported to Podbean and barred from using the feature again. Even if Podbean takes no action we can, so please DO NOT use coarse, defamatory or otherwise offensive language, show disrespect for anyone’s opinion (other commenters or our own) or in any other way (believe me, we’ll let you know) abuse the comment feature of this website, you will have action taken against you. The following IP address was used to post an inappropriate and blindly critical comment recently:

110.33.193.175

If you do not wish to have your IP address publicly displayed on the Internet, then do not break our rules. Remember, your IP address identifies your computer. We do not impose these rules to make sure we do not get criticised or to make sure that no-one can express their opinion.

On the contrary, if you feel that we have a really bad podcast, then by all means fill out our survey! The link’s at the top left of the page. You can also send us an email, or comment below. Filling out the survey is a way to let us know how you feel without using your own words, however if you feel specific commentary is necessary then you can use any other method described above. DO NOT throw completely idiotic and unconstructive criticism at us using obscene language, in the public comment section of our website.

Such behaviour will NOT be tolerated. Regarding the post mentioned earlier (remember, their IP address was 110.33.193.175), Podbean HAS been notified, the IP address is plastered all over our website and they are now banned from using any features of our website.

Again, if you dislike (or if you LOVE) our content use the appropriate method of communication! That’s why they’re there, so that we can find out what you DO and DO NOT like! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the amount of work Eddy puts into this site and this podcast and the content that goes into this podcast is far to great to have it spoiled by the minority of internet users. If you’re thinking of posting such a comment, keep your mouth shut and remember you won’t ever be allowed back.

This may be the Internet but the same rules apply as in any public place in real life. Don’t swear, don’t use obscene language, don’t discriminate against or insult anyone else, and don’t do ANYTHING that an ordinary person would find offensive. I find it hard to believe I had to say all that, but obviously there are some people who just don’t know any better.

Again, that IP address - 110.33.193.175.

In this episode, we wrap up our thoughts on Gamescom specifically PS3 Slim and Fable 3. We also discuss the future of motion controls, what PS3 Home should be like, and other issues relating to the current generation of consoles.

Click “Play” to listen below, and remember, even if you don’t like THIS episode, listen to a few more - we constantly discuss different topics that may be interesting and engaging to different people. We’re always happy for feedback, so use the Contact Us button to let us know what you think about the show - your opinions form the show, and they really are important to us. Thanks for listening!

Diablo 3 Although the game is over a year away from release, first impressions are that it is highly polished and glossy, and runs well on the demonstration computers. The game has a solid, weighty feel to it, according to most news outlets, and the game is full of character, smooth, and highly glossy.

Assassin’s Creed II This game was also previewed at Gamescom. Coming in 2009, Assassin’s Creed II created a favourable impression, and the main missions will ‘flow more naturally.’ You can now blend in with any NPCs. 5 to 6 hours of the game will not feature in the main city, but underground in a Prince of Persia-style platforming challenge.

Demos of several other promising games Other games demoed at Gamescom today included New Super Mario Bros Wii, Heavy Rain, Uncharted 2 and Final Fantasy XIV. Heavy Rain appeared promising, with more details of gameplay emerging - which included an interesting movement control, whereby instead of moving your character with the thumbstick, you angle your character’s head in the direction you want, and press R2 to walk forwards.

Project Natal preview Microsoft’s Natal ‘peripheral’ may as well be a new console, thanks to the innovative way it changes the way people play a particular game. Notice I didn’t say ‘changes the way people play games,’ because I think Natal is gimmicky and eventually doomed to failure. Nevertheless, the technical demo was impressive show, consisting of a game called Ricochet (in which the player moved to deflect a flurry of coloured balls) and a re-worked Burnout Paradise demo. Burnout would have been better with a controller, most outlets state, as driving a car requires a tactile element.

Crazy flailing and no feedback are two reasons why I think Natal won’t go beyond appealing to casual players. Microsoft insists it will change everything - Steven Spielberg himself said “its not about re-inventing the wheel, its about no wheel at all” - but I have my doubts. Anyway.

Stay tuned for more of the latest news and info from Gamescom, from GameSponge!

So far, Sony, Microsoft, and EA have had press conferences. I shall try and keep this summary brief, as further information is available elsewhere, and this is after all a wrap-up, not a blow-by-blow account.

Sony

The worst kept secret in all the land, the PS3 Slim, was announced. It is around 30% slimmer (wow, really?) 30% less power-consuming, and has a 120GB HDD. If this wasn’t enough, the crucial price cut brought the system down to $299 US (or 249 pounds, 299 Euros, $499 AUD, $629 NZD and 29,980 yen). This price cut is retroactive, meaning the existing PS3 (which is being phased out) will also be $299 - anyone after the old model, get in quick. The PS3 Slim (actually just called PS3) will hit shelves September 1 (Sept 3 in AU, NZ and JPN). Anyone debating over whether or not to jump in and buy a PS3, there’s really no excuse now.

Sony’s conference also covered a host of new services coming to the PS3, such as VidZone. A majority of these were Europe specific, but there’s some good stuff for US residents too. Finally, PSPgo’s rumoured App Store thingami, called Minis, was announced. More information elsewhere on the internet.

Peter Molyneux

It’s Declan here, hellooo!! In case you’ve been living in the engine compartment of a bus, or some other such secluded, dark and soundproof location, you won’t know that Fable III was announced. Peter Molyneux, head of Lionhead Studios and creator of the Fable, Black and White and The Movies franchises, announced that the new title will come in 2010 and will be bigger and more ambitious than the previous two games in the series.

New Gran Turismo details

Even though the latest Gran Turismo game didn’t make an appearance at Gamescom, Polyphony Digital has updated the Japanese website with some more info on it. As it’s the Japanese website, a translation was necessary and the translations doing the rounds on the Internet at the moment aren’t as accurate as everyone would like, however they’ll do. According to the translation, it appears that there will be 1000 vehicles in the game, 60 courses, and 170 of the vehicles will feature interior damage. Not all vehicles will feature damage modeling, however. It remains to be seen which do and which do not. Porshe will most likely not feature in the game.

Stay tuned, we’ll have more on these games & more throughout the following days.

In this episode, we discuss various issues relating to the upcoming Gamescom convention, as well as the current generation of consoles.

Clarifications Steam We talked about the Steam digital distribution service, and whether you needed to be logged in to play a game. As your games are associated with your Steam account - not your computer - you need to be logged into your account to access your games, let alone play them.

Gamescom We said we’d tell you whether Gamescom was open to the public, and yes, it is. You can visit Gamescom in Cologne, Germany from the 20th to the 22nd of August.

In case you wanted to know more, here are the times for all the conferences and events. Keep in mind a) the following events are open to the press only, and b) Cologne’s time zone is GMT+2.

————————-

8:10 a.m. Opening ceremony Outdoors in front of the North entrance

8:30 a.m. Opening press conference Rheinsaal, Sections 1 - 4, Congress Centre North

9:00 a.m. Press breakfast Electronic Arts At the trade fair stand, Hall 6, Stand A 071 / C 070

10:00 a.m. Press conference Microsoft Game Studios / Lionhead Press Briefing Konrad-Adenauer-Saal, Congress Centre North

11:00 a.m. Press conference German Association for the Protection of Children, State Association Bavaria [Deutscher Kinderschutzbund Landesverband Bayern e.V.] Conference room D, Congress Centre North

11:00 a.m. Press conference Turtle Entertainment At the trade fair stand, Hall 9.1, Stand C 061a

12:00 p.m. Press conference KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT GmbH Rheinsaal, Sections 1 + 2, Congress Centre North

1:00 p.m. Press conference Koch Media / Deep Silver At the trade fair stand, Hall 7.1, Stand B 041

1:00 p.m. Press conference ProSiebenSat.1 / SevenOne Intermedia Rheinsaal, Section 3, Congress Centre North

3:00 p.m. Press conference ASUS Rheinsaal, Sections 4 + 6, Congress Centre North

4:00 p.m. Press conference NAMCO BANDAI Partners At the trade fair stand, Hall 8, Stand B 040

5:00 p.m. Press conference Bethesda Softworks At the trade fair stand, Hall 6, Stand B 051

6:00 p.m. Press conference Ankama Games Rheinsaal, Section 3, Congress Centre North

6:30 p.m. Opening of gamescom (only for invited guests) Konrad-Adenauer-Saal, Congress Centre North

Thursday, 20 August 2009

12:00 p.m. Press conference Kalicanthus Rheinsaal, Sections 4 + 6, Congress Centre North

Tuesday, 18 August 2009

4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Press conference Electronic Arts Palladium, Schanzenstrasse 40, 51063 Cologne

6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Press conference Sony Computer Entertainment Europe E-Werk, Schanzenstrasse 37, 51063 Cologne

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EA’s conference will rival the size of Sony’s this year, and there are many new products and games expected to be announced. Among them is the PlayStation 3 Slim, which may finally be unveiled during Sony’s conference. Sony and EA will have the largest presence at Gamescom, however Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid series) and Peter Molyneux (Lionhead Studios) will both be in attendance.

For more information on Gamescom you can visit the official website at http://www.gamescom-cologne.com/ .

Thanks for listening to the show, and have a great week.