Hardware Geeks

In responce to a YouTube video by a user who claimed they found a glitch in the popular golf game Tiger Woods 2009, EA released a video of their own, showing that the supposed glitch was in deed not a glitch but the fact that Tiger Woods simply is that good.

Let’s roll the Video Tape!

Announced by Sony at Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, is a new PS3 configuration.  The limited edition Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune PS3 Bundle will include a 160 GB PS3, a copy of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, a voucher to download PAIN from the PSN, and a DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller.  The 160 GB PS3 is taking the same route as the current 80 GB model, and will not include PS2 backwards compatibility.  The Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune PS3 Bundle is set to be released in November for a retail price of $499.99.

Also announced is a Wireless Keypad attachment, similar to the Chatpad for Microsoft’s Xbox 360.  The new accessory will attach to the top of PS3 controllers and feature a full QWERTY keypad as well as a feature that turns the key area into a touch pad for cursor navigation.  The accessory also has shortcut keys for quick access to your friends list and messages.  The Wireless Keypad makes use of Bluetooth, so you will not only have the ability to use it with the PS3, but also with mobile phones or other devices with Bluetooth that support it.  A price has not been announced, but the Wireless Keypad will be sold starting in late November.

Today at Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, Sony announced a new PSP model.  Set to replace the current Slim & Lite PSP (PSP-2000), the PSP-3000 will include a built-in microphone, an enhanced screen designed to reduce glare outdoors, and enhanced video out with support for interlaced TVs.  Other notable changes include a slimmer metal ring on the back of the unit (probably to reduce scratches), as well as a PlayStation logo button which replaces the Home button (probably to match the PS3 and lessen confusion with Sony’s upcoming Home service).  The PSP-3000 will go on sale October 14th in North America, and October 15th in Europe.

There are times where you have to act like a mobster, but think like a Don.  That’s the theme behind the sequel to the 2006 game based on the movie The Godfather.  We got a chance to preview The Godfather II at EA’s 2008 Studio Showcase.  Unfortunately, they wouldn’t let us play the game.  Instead, Creative Director Mike Olsen walked us through a thirty minute demo of a very early version of the game.  Here’s the scoop.

With the next iteration of the Battlefield franchise, EA and DICE have decided to take on a completely different approach.  Unlike previous games in the Battlefield series, Battlefield Heroes is a cartoon-styled third person online shooter.  Set to be released for the PC, the biggest change of all is that this game will be free to download and free to play.  I got a chance to try it out at EA’s 2008 Studio Showcase, and it looks to be a promising game!

Pandemic Studios have been working on this title for a long time now. I finally got some hands on time with the Xbox 360 version of the game and I am happy to say it left me very satisfied. Check out the full preview with screenshots after the jump.

Criterion Games and EA have announced that Burnout Paradise will be available as an exclusive download from the PlayStation Network.  Priced at just $29.99, PS3 owners will be able to purchase and download the full game this coming fall.  The download will include everything the retail version of the game has, as well as all the free update packs that have been released so far.  We hear the download will be under 2 GB.  An exact release date will be announced soon.

Also coming this fall is another free update pack which will add bikes to Burnout Paradise.  Keep reading for details and screenshots.

Today EA announced that they will publish a new horror game by Grasshopper Manufacture. For those of you who don’t know, they are the minds behind Killer 7 and No More Heroes.  If anyone is worried about this partnership, don’t. The game will be directed by none other than Suda51 and be produced by the infamous Shinji Mikami, the creator of Resident Evil. The new title will be an action-horror game and it is slated to be released on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and PC.

In addition to the Grasshopper Manufacture announcement, a partnership with Epic Games was also announced. The new title will be an an entirely new intellectual property and be developed by People Can Fly, the developers behind the Painkiller game. The only detail released about this game is that it’s going to be an action game that will be released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. 

Today EA and Maxis have announced that the highly anticipated game Spore has gone gold!  Spore is an innovative new open-ended game that lets you take control of a species and watch it evolve from a mere single-celled organism all the way to an advanced, intellectual space-exploring creature.  In development for over five years, this game will finally be hitting store shelves.  Both PC and Mac versions of the game are scheduled to go on sale September 7th for North America and Asia Pacific, and September 5th in Europe.  Also available on September 7th will be Spore Creatures for Nintendo DS, and Spore Origins for mobile phones (including the iPhone).

If you haven’t seen it already, view the trailer after the break.