Village Gamer

Electronic Arts Inc. and Paramount Digital Entertainment today announced a distribution agreement that will catapult an upcoming Paramount property into the hands of gamers worldwide. Rango The Video Game is an action-adventure title inspired by the upcoming animated feature film starring the voice of Johnny Depp.

In development at Artificial Mind & Movement, Rango The Video Game invites players to continue on Rango’s wild journey through new adventures inspired by the movie. The game is set in the Old West town of ‘Dirt’ where players romp through a gritty, pint-sized, Wild West filled with wild rides, off-color characters and frantic shoot-outs. Rango is Paramount Pictures’ first full-length animated feature film; both the film and the video game will be released in March 2011.

“We are thrilled to be working with Paramount and the upcoming release of the video game version of its first animated feature,” said Sinjin Bain, Vice President of EA Partners at Electronic Arts. “Rango is a one-of-a-kind character that we know kids will love. We’re excited to give families worldwide the opportunity to take the humor and fun from the big screen into their living rooms.”

“We are pleased to team up with EA to deliver an exciting, action-packed adventure game that captures the spirit of the film and puts the fate of Dirt in players’ hands,” said Tom Lesinski, President of Paramount Digital Entertainment. “We’ve added exciting twists and turns in the video game that will challenge players of all levels on their adventures as Rango.”

Rango The Video Game will be available on console platforms including the PlayStation®3, Xbox 360®, Nintendo Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ in March 2011. Rango The Video Game has not been rated by the ESRB.

Sales of EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer franchise titles has surpassed 100 million units lifetime during the launch of FIFA Soccer 11, according to EA internal sales data. The best-selling sports videogame franchise in the world, now in its 18th year, sold a record-breaking 2.6 million copies in the first five days after launching FIFA Soccer 11 to become the fastest selling sports videogame of all time. Counting the first four weeks of sales, FIFA Soccer 11 sales are up 20% versus last year on a comparable basis with sell-in approaching 8 million units. Read the rest of this entry »

Wow – one day away and so much went on yesterday! Of course, catching up with yesterday has put me behind for today, but I’ll get all caught up eventually – even on all those games I’ve been trying to get to for reviews. I had a non-digital project to complete and ended up in a very demanding crunch time, because my time line for delivery did not match the deadline that my Mother implemented, and we all know that Mom’s always right…

For those who aren’t already aware, Ubisoft has acquired Longtail Studios’ Quebec City location, and will absorb most of its staff into their own studio. Longtail had contributed to Ubisoft’s Michael Jackson: The Experience, and while this means that Longtail Quebec is no longer in operation, both of Longtail’s maritime studios – Charlottetown and Halifax are still open for business. The Halifax studio recently launched its latest title, Dance on Broadway. By the way, the Halifax studio is currently looking to fill four career positions, including that of Game Tester.

EA Mobile put several of its titles on sale for 99 cents yesterday – if you live in the USA. The only exemption to the USA location restriction is Reckless Racing, which was put on sale worldwide. The other titles currently on sale in the US App Store are:

Tiger Woods PGA Tour – Skate It by EA – Command & Conquer Red Alert – Yahtzee Adventures – Trivial Pursuit – Boggle – Clue – Spore Creatures – Boggle for iPad – Snood – EA Sudoku – Spore Origins – Star Trek – Lemonade Tycoon Read the rest of this entry »

Transgaming Inc. has launched a brand new web site for its game development studio. Transgaming Studio features information about its launched titles, In The Mix Featuring Armin van Buuren, G-G-Goal, and the recently released PuzzleQuest: Challenge of the WarLords for iOS. Also featured is news about its latest game in development, Garage Inc. for the Mac, PC, iPhone and GameTreeTV. Garage Inc., a time management game set in 1928 Chicago, is based on an original IP by Global Fun and is being produced through a partnership with Breakthrough Entertainment. Players will guide recent Italian immigrant, Angelo Marito, as he tries to manage and grow a car garage. Game play features include the ability to diagnose and fix cars, hire workers, and try to steer clear of the ever-present mob while pursuing the American dream.

Capcom has announced that the Dead Rising 2 Ninja Theme Pack is now available on Xbox Live, Games for Windows Live and the PlayStation Network. With the new ninja pack, Chuck gains a “stealth mode” that allows him to evade zombies by making it harder for them to detect Chuck’s presence. Sword-type weapons (broadswords, katanas, etc.) have their attack power increased and will allow Chuck to perform new special attacks. Stackable items and throwing items such as nails, plates, gems, etc. will also do more damage and Chuck’s throwing speed is increased. The Dead Rising 2 Ninja Theme Pack is available for 160 Microsoft points, or $1.99 on the PlayStation Network.

AudioKinetic’s Wwise 2010.1.2 platform has been nominated for a Game Developer magazine 2010 Front Line Award in the Audio Category. Also named as nominees in this category are FMOD Designer 4.32 (Firelight Technologies), Miles Sound System 8 (RAD Game Tools), ProRemote 2.0.1 (Far Out Labs) and ProTools 8.0.4 (Avid Technology). Read the rest of this entry »

Netflix, Inc. has announced that Netflix members in Canada can now instantly watch thousands of movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix to the TV via Xbox 360. There is no additional monthly fee for Netflix members who are also Xbox LIVE Gold members.

“Xbox 360 is a significant addition to a growing number of consumer electronic devices that are capable of streaming from Netflix in Canada,” said Greg Peters, vice president of product development for Netflix. “Netflix members in the United States enjoy instantly watching movies streamed from Netflix on Xbox LIVE and we think that our Canadian members will equally enjoy this enriched experience and the convenience and value that it offers.”

Starting today, Xbox LIVE members will be able to sign up instantly online for a free trial of Netflix, connect to the Internet on their Xbox 360 and simply click on Netflix in the Video Marketplace on the Xbox 360 Dashboard and follow the easy steps to start streaming thousands of movies and TV shows. In addition, Xbox LIVE subscribers will be able to access the Netflix movie and TV library through Windows Phone 7.

“Canadian Xbox LIVE members asked for more entertainment content and features and now Netflix provides an exciting new way for our members to get the entertainment they love wherever and whenever they want,” said Glenn Purkis, Xbox LIVE product manager, Microsoft Canada. “We are thrilled to offer Netflix to Xbox LIVE Gold members in Canada, and we are confident the service will provide our members with tremendous entertainment value.”

Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Studio and YTV are pleased to announce the return of the classic children’s book character in the new CGI animated series Babar and the Adventures of Badou, featuring the voice of Gordon Pinsent and premiering in YTV’s Playtime block on Monday, November 22 at 11 a.m. ET/PT.

“Corus and Nelvana have a long history with the Babar brand and we are delighted to continue our relationship with this world-famous elephant, to once again bring this popular literary character to life on television with new storylines, a new generation of characters and with CGI technology for today’s audiences,” said Ted Ellis, VP, Kids/Family Programming, Corus Entertainment.

Produced by Nelvana Studio and TeamTO, in association with The Clifford Ross Company, Babar and the Adventures of Badou is based on the bestselling children’s book collection and follows eight-year-old Badou and his famous grandfather King Babar. Badou has an appetite for adventure and a tendency to get caught in some tricky situations along with his colourful friends Chiku the monkey, Zawadi the zebra, Jake the scruffy little fox and Munroe the deviant and brave porcupine. Navigating the ups and downs of growing up in Celesteville’s royal palace, Badou never forgets that his grandfather King Babar will always be there to offer guidance and support.

In episode one, Babar and the Adventures of Badou: Kite Flight/Zoomerblimps, premiering on Monday, November 22 at 11 a.m. ET/PT (r) Friday, November 26 at 11 a.m. ET/PT, Chiku volunteers Munroe for a kite flying contest against the Crocs. She promises to build him the best kite ever but keeps getting distracted by newer, better design ideas. Badou tries to help her focus so Chiku can deliver on her promise. Then, the kids are competing for their Zoomerblimp Junior Pilot wings. Badou and Rhudi are the favourites but when Dilash sabotages both their ships the two have to team up – and learn a little about sportsmanship – in order to compete.

Beginning on Wednesday, November 10, viewers can visit YTV.com to immerse themselves in Badou’s adventures online with 10 new customizable web games, nine exclusive web animations, visits to four neighbourhoods in Celesteville, as well as clips of the show. The online fun doesn’t stop there as fans can also access 23 different colouring pages and printable stickers, and download their very own customized adventure storybook.

YTV will be participating in Toronto’s 106th annual Santa Claus Parade – the longest running children’s parade in the world. Fans won’t want to miss the Babar and the Adventures of Badou float on Sunday, November 21 at 12:30 p.m. ET. YTV will air a repeat broadcast of the parade on Sunday, December 5 at 12 p.m. ET/PT.

Consulting-Portal, a leading IT Service Management (ITSM) process design and implementation company, is announcing the launch of an online social media community for Service Management practitioners.

This free online community provides a forum for ITSM practitioners to interact, share, collaborate and to expand their knowledge of IT Service Management processes and frameworks such as ITIL®, COBIT®, and ISO20000®. It also allows for members to connect at a personal level through private messaging, public posting and the ability to “friend” other members.

“The goal of the community was to create an online dialogue covering all aspects of IT Service Management. We are passionate about the practice of Service Management and we hope that this community will allow others to share our passion…we believe that social media and ITSM is a natural fit,” says David Mainville – CEO and co-founder of Consulting-Portal.

The community contains a number of resources including a blog, articles, podcasts, webinars and a variety of user forums on topics such as ITIL® training, ITSM Governance, Service Management tools, Process Design techniques, Configuration Management & the CMDB and much more.

Mood Media Corporation has expanded its casual games portfolio through agreement with iWin. Shoppers at popular retailers across the country can now sample a casual game such as Jewel Quest before they purchase it via an interactive display.

Lorne Abony, CEO and Chairman of Mood Media Corporation says, “we continue to expand our product range through partnerships with leading producers and distributors of popular PC based casual games. Mood Media has a large retail footprint and is dedicated to ensuring good media entertainment products are available for shoppers to enjoy”.

CEO at iWin, CJ Wolf comments, “seeing Jewel Quest for sale on the shelves at leading non-traditional retail chains is an exciting new move for iWin. We are happy to work with Mood Media to ensure popular games reach our target audience of females aged 35-50”.

Ubisoft® has announced that Assassin’s Creed® Brotherhood for the Xbox 360®  and the PlayStation®3 has gone “gold” and will be available at retailers in North America on November 16, 2010.

The critically acclaimed single-player experience of Assassin’s Creed is back and better than ever as Ezio returns for an epic struggle against the powerful Templar Order. Offering more single-player gameplay than Assassin’s Creed II, players now play as a legendary Master Assassin, and journey into Italy’s greatest city, Rome, center of power, greed and corruption to strike at the heart of the enemy.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iKMPruWVTc]

For the first time in the franchise’s history, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood offers never-before-seen multiplayer, awarded “Best Multiplayer Game,” by the prestigious Game Critics organization, at e3 2010. Players will have the opportunity to experience things from the Templar’s perspective when they step into the shoes of an elite Abstergo agent, hand-picked to undergo training in order to better fight the Assassins. Players can choose from a wide range of unique characters, each with their own signature weapons and assassination techniques, and match their skills against other players from all over the world in different game modes. The multiplayer suite coupled with an extensive single-player campaign makes Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood not only the best Assassin’s experience to date, but the best value as well.

“Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is the largest and most ambitious title we have ever created,” said Sebastien Puel, executive producer at Ubisoft Montreal. “Not only will players get a fully robust and upgraded single-player game that is larger than Assassin’s Creed II, but an award winning multiplayer component as well. Brotherhood is the biggest Assassin’s experience we have ever created.”

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is a worldwide production effort led by the Ubisoft Montreal Studio in collaboration with Ubisoft studios in Singapore, Bucharest, Québec City and Annecy. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB and will be available at the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $59.99.

Wild Games Studio Inc. has released the first trailer for Dhaila’s Adventures, featuring Dhaila, a young girl and her extraordinary powers. She can absorb the DNA of other creatures, making the heroine able to acquire its shape at any time.This is the first of 2 trailers that follow and form a story.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FTvgJ8MAbU]

Orphaned in the fantasy world of Martania, Dhaila possesses unknown extraordinary powers. She has special skills, including one which can absorb the energy of nature directly through its DNA. She can also absorb the DNA of other creatures, making the heroine able to acquire their shape at any time. Living in one of these valleys, the village seems protected by an unknown magical force, more powerful than in other villages. Dhaila will leave to research her origins, while trying to release Martania of the influence of Dysan, a tyrant who has subjugated the people, forcing them to labour under the threat of the dragons he also holds sway over.

Like most free-to-play games and massively multiplayer games in general, Mission Against Terror, published by Wicked Interactive, is serving up its own batch of Halloween goodies this year. New weapons, masks, costumes and items will be introduced for a limited time to spice up the battlefield and add a few tricks to everyone’s treats.

Halloween weapons include the “Hellfire Green” edition of the M134 minigun which is effective against hordes of evil mummies; the Mummy’s Talons which are replica mummy claws with real blades to slice and dice unsuspecting victims. Of course, what would a Halloween frag party be without Pumpkin Smoke Grenades. Permanent additions to gun shop include the M4A1 Silver and an urban-camouflaged AWP.

Players who enjoy getting their costume on will be able to don scary Halloween masks to strike fear into the hearts of their opponents. The Eclipse Mask, Goblin Mask, the Gothic Phantom Mask and the Keres Mask set the tone for a festive Halloween. Those that want to utilize the art of seduction from afar can dress up as the scary yet sultry Bloody Enchantress or the Obsidian Succubus, distracting their opponents before they go in for the kill. Festive taggers will be able to spray paint the “Demon Child” and “Witching Hour” images on the floors and walls.

Dreamcatcher Games has announced that it will be publishing two new PC game titles:

The Guild 2: Renaissance – Anno Domini 1400: The sway of the church and nobility are dwindling and the simple folks are acquiring more and more wealth and power. Immerse yourself into the world of the renaissance, choose your profession, enter politics and lead a dynasty to the height of civilization! This title is a stand-alone add-on for the popular Guild 2 game series.

Features:

·8 completely new professions: mercenary, grave digger, stonemason, juggler, innkeeper, banker, miller and the fruit grower
·New goods, buildings, ambient details and effects
·All new scenarios (“Transylvania”, “The Rhineland” and “The Alps”) & bigger world maps
·Improved AI, title and nobility system as well as new options (e.g. “God Measures”, levels of difficulty)

Jekyll & Hyde – London, 1894: A strange contagion has been sweeping through the population of the poor districts of the city but curiously, all the children seem to be unaffected. The young Dr. Jekyll is in search for a cure. Unfortunately, the serum he develops does not yield the desired result – as he tries the serum himself he uncovers the dark alter ego Mr. Hyde.

After he accidentally discovers an entrance to an extensive tunnel system, his investigations lead him deeper and deeper in a mysterious world underneath the city. Bit by bit he stumbles upon an ancient secret sect, who has a dreadful plan…

Features:

·Classical adventure with action and skill gaming elements
·Exciting storyline based on the well known “Jekyll & Hyde” novel
·Several sinister places to discover in and around London’s underground world
·Mysterious riddles and puzzles based on the Greek mythology
·2 playable characters with completely different skills
·Real 3D engine featuring a lot of different special effects
·Dynamic camera movements and suspense focused directing guarantees a high level of excitement
·Mini laboratory to mix special potions giving the characters new abilities

BAFTA award-winning composer Jesper Kyd has composed an original music soundtrack for Ubisoft®’s Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, the next iteration of the critically acclaimed, multi-million selling video game franchise. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is inspired by historical events during the occupation of Rome by The Borgias in 1503. Kyd’s new music score for Brotherhood draws influence and authentic instrumentation from this Renaissance period, immersing players in Ezio’s adventures to liberate Rome from a corrupt and tyrant regime. The Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood Original Soundtrack will be available for digital download from iTunes on November 16, 2010, to coincide with the North American release of the game on Microsoft Xbox 360® and the Sony PlayStation®3.

“Researching the history of the Borgia Family it became clear early on that Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood would require a very dark score in order to match the Borgias’ aspirations to become the rulers of Italy. The music reflects the compelling story of Ezio as a Master Assassin going up against the Borgias,” said Kyd.

Kyd’s globally acclaimed score for Assassin’s Creed® 2 continues to receive top honors for Best Original Music including the Gold Spirit Awards, Hollywood Music In Media Awards, GameSpot Readers’ Choice, GameSpy Editors’ Choice, Game Audio Network Guild Awards as well as recognition from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, International Film Music Critics Association, Golden Joystick Awards and Spike TV VGAs.

In Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood the critically acclaimed single player experience of Assassin’s Creed is back and better than ever as Ezio returns in an enduring struggle against the powerful Templar Order. Now a legendary Master Assassin, he must journey to Rome, center of power, greed and corruption to strike at the heart of the enemy. Defeating the corrupt tyrants entrenched there will require not only strength, but leadership, as Ezio commands an entire Brotherhood that will rally to his side. Only by working together can the Assassins defeat their mortal enemies. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is also the first time the franchise has featured a multiplayer gameplay experience, which has already received numerous industry awards.

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is a worldwide production effort led by the Ubisoft Montreal development studio in collaboration with Ubisoft studios in Singapore, Bucharest, Québec City and Annecy.

Join over a million fans and play EA SPORTS FIFA 11 Ultimate Team, a free game mode download for FIFA 11 on the PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360™ (FIFA 11 & internet connection required for online play. Restrictions and conditions apply) this November 3rd. Take on the challenge of building a squad of the world’s best football stars by earning, buying, selling and trading players with other Ultimate Team gamers around the world. Create and manage multiple squads putting together the best players with the highest chemistry and then take them into competition in online and solo single-player tournaments, all dynamically updated each week.

FIFA 11 Ultimate Team delivers a number of major changes as requested by gamers. Pit your ultimate team directly against your friends’ best squads in Play-A-Friend online matches—the No. 1 requested new feature. Build your dream team and match them against your friends’ best teams whenever you want by sending them an invite directly, making it easy to prove who has the best ultimate team.

FIFA 11 Ultimate Team now lives beyond the console. Access your Ultimate Team campaign from the web through an enhanced Ultimate Team web app which links your experience on your console. Access full trading and auctions, manage squads and the chemistry of your line-ups, show-off your best squad and rare in-form players to friends, and search for coveted players in the auctions ready for when you get back to your console.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvFbqY6BhdE]

Build your ultimate football club the way real-world coaches and managers build the truly great football teams. Choose how to manage your team—focus on creating one formidable squad, or manage multiple squads to match dynamic requirements for tournaments and competitions. Be strategic and tactical in preparing your squads for the various in-game competitions. A deep, strategic chemistry system built around player relationships on the pitch, means that managing teams and squads to their full potential is critical to success.

Key Features

* Play-A-Friend: compete head-to-head in online play with your friends, the #1 requested feature from FIFA 10 Ultimate Team gamers. Build your dream team and challenge others to do better.
* Ultimate Team Web App: Now Ultimate Team lives beyond your console with online web connectivity. Access your Ultimate Team, manage squads and your chemistry of your line-ups, show-off your best squad and rare in-form players to friends. Search for, buy and sell players and other items in the auctions ready for when you get back to your console—all from the web.
* Ultimate Team Generations: Now you can also access your players from FIFA 10 Ultimate Team and mix them with your existing FIFA 11 Ultimate Team on the web. Put together teams featuring all your players to show off your legacy to other gamers.
* Build Your Ultimate Team: Build your FIFA 11 Ultimate Team squad from a database of more than 8,000 players and all 30 leagues – including the addition of the MLS and Russian Premier League and the superstars from those leagues for the first time. Buy, trade and acquire star players item packs. FIFA 11 Ultimate Team makes acquiring players easier than ever with an intuitive store and item trading and auction system. Auctions also include the ability to track bids, and a comprehensive item search feature.
* Authentic Team Management: FIFA 11 Ultimate Team advanced team management feature delivers an authentic football gameplay experience. Choose the right squads for the right competitions as you seek the perfect balance of players on the pitch. With a chemistry system that takes into account nuances of real player preferences, teammates interact with each other as they would in real life, making your manager role all the more crucial.
* Competitive Tournaments: Enter one of 23 dynamic solo and multiplayer tournaments plus participate in new updated tournaments weekly to test your club-building skills. Every time you go back to your console, there’s a brand-new challenge.

Electronic Arts Inc. and Vancouver independent development studios Klei Entertainment and Hothead Games have announced that the acclaimed 2D action games, Shank and DeathSpank, are now available for download for $14.99 each via Steam.

With its blend of classic side-scrolling action gameplay and stylized animation set, Shank was one of last summer’s most anticipated downloadable games, garnering a “10/10” from Electronic Gaming Monthly, a grade of “A” on 1UP, and a “4.5/5” on Joystiq. PC gamers will now be able to slash into Shank’s bloody story of revenge.

Rated M for Mature, Shank tells a classic story of gangland betrayal through a violent, pulp-fiction lens. Gamers play as Shank, getting their hands bloody as they uncover the secrets of Shank’s past and the reasons he is hell-bent on revenge. With a deep and intuitive combat system, players unleash a tremendous number of creative combinations as they take down waves of enemies standing in their path. Shank also features a special co-operative campaign, designed to be played with a friend locally, which tells the backstory of the revenge plot. This prequel mission allows players to play as Shank or his partner-in-crime, Falcone, with deadly double-team moves and gameplay that encourages teamwork.

Meanwhile, the T for Teen, critically acclaimed and fiendishly funny action RPG DeathSpank, will continue his search for Justice on computers around the world. Developed under the direction of industry veteran Ron Gilbert, DeathSpank combines unique humor and wit with fast, addictive, action-RPG gameplay. Recently awarded IGN’s Editor’s Choice for the PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360®, DeathSpank will take PC players on an epic adventure through crazy quests in a vast world filled with vibrant, eccentric and hilarious characters.

“We are thrilled to finally bring the crazy world of DeathSpank to the PC,” said Vlad Ceraldi, Director of Game Development at Hothead Games. “PC is the perfect home for DeathSpank. It’s charming, witty and whimsical and at its core, DeathSpank offers an extremely fun and compelling experience.”

Players who download the game will be placed in the boots of the mighty DeathSpank, “Dispenser of Justice,” “Vanquisher of Evil” and “Hero to the Downtrodden” and will embark on his lifelong journey to search for and find a mysterious artifact known only as “The Artifact.” Along his journey, DeathSpank will rescue orphans, defeat a local tyrant, help an aging adventurer and dive headfirst into an even deeper mystery. The game’s accessibility makes for a fun, addictive experience where players will find themselves fulfilling crazy quests, collecting massive amounts of loot and engaging in tons of hilarious dialogue. DeathSpank also features local co-operative gameplay, allowing friends to jump in and out of this adventure on the same computer as DeathSpank’s trusty, magical sidekick, Sparkles the Wizard.

Bioware has released its latest trailer for Dragon Age II. In Rise To Power you can see all new gameplay along with new characters Varric and Isabella, Kirkwall and the qunari onslaught. Dragon Age II is scheduled for release on March 8, 2011.

Dragon Age II is the sequel to the 2009’s “RPG of the Year,” featuring faster-paced action, striking new art direction and a gripping storytelling approach that allows gamers to experience the rise to power with the game’s key character, Hawke. A refugee who survives the destruction of his homeland, Hawke becomes the Champion of Kirkwall but the lore surrounding his rise to power is shrouded in myth and rumor. These mysteries are the driving force behind the all-new Dragon Age II story, which spans nearly 10 years in the Dragon Age universe. Players will experience how the legend unfolds by gathering the deadliest of allies, making tough moral choices, amassing fame and fortune and sealing their place in history.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWbIFihAzW4]

Earlier this month, Bioware announced the Dragon Age™ II BioWare Signature Edition. This limited edition of the highly anticipated action RPG will be available at no extra cost for gamers who pre-order Dragon Age II before January 11, 2011. Featuring over $20 of additional content, the Dragon Age II BioWare Signature Edition includes the full version of Dragon Age II, along with a download code for an additional playable character and new missions, the Dragon Age II digital soundtrack, an exclusive in-game digital armory featuring a variety of weapons and other digital items. The Dragon Age II BioWare Signature Edition will only be available for pre-order and online purchase on or before January 11, 2011 – after the deadline, it will disappear from the market.

That said, as of late last week, Dragon Age II was still not available for pre-order at our local EB Games outlet – the title was not listed at all in their computer systems. Hopefully when we visit the store to pick up a certain not-made-in-Canada title, Dragon Age II will be on the list so that our pre-order can be placed.

Dragon Age II will be available on the PlayStation®3, Xbox 360® and PC, and will most likely be rated M for Mature by the ESRB.