After the secret source code for its then-unreleased shooter Half Life 2 showed up on file sharing services in 2003, game-maker Valve Software cooked up an elaborate ruse with the FBI targeting the German hacker suspected in the leak, even setting up a fake job interview in an effort to lure him to the United States for arrest.
The gambit ultimately failed, and Axel "Ago" Gembe remained safely in Germany. He was indicted last month in Los Angeles on new charges of creating the Agobot malware, and sharing it with a crew of U.S. hackers who used it to stage denial-of-service attacks in 2003.
In September 2003, the source code for the much-anticipated Half Life 2 game turned up online, and Valve's managing director, Gabe Newell, revealed that the company's network had been breached. In a post to the company's Web forum, Newell asked for gamer's assistance in finding the hackers responsible.
"If you have information about ... the infiltratio... More »
Recently it was reported that if you were banned from the EA Forums you were also going to be banned from playing their games online.
Today EA Apoc has confirmed this initial statement was inaccurate and a mistake, to quote:
Hey everyone,
If you didn't notice, your C&C Community Manager, me, had a bit of a run-in with the video game blogging media today in reference to a direct quote I made on our forums here a few days ago in regards to how we handle bans and suspensions on the forums and in-game.
You all know how we are greatly trying to protect and serve you from those who wish to disrupt our C&C community by breaking ToS on our forums or in-game, and I know everyone appreciates when we take action on those that are the worst.
That said, the previous statement I made recently (that's being quoted on the blo... More »
The musician behind the song that caused the highly anticipated PlayStation 3 game “Little Big Planet” to get recalled just days before its release has defended his song in a statement issued to MTV Multiplayer.
Perhaps even more significantly, singer Toumani Diabate has explained what the song is about and why its inclusion of verses from the Qur’an is his “way to attract and inspire people toward Islam.”
Multiplayer received the statement late yesterday, following conversations with two Muslim experts who helped illuminate the reasons why Diabate’s song might trouble some Muslims and just how similar — or different — this situation is from the publication of the Danish cartoons that inspired deadly riots across the world.
They note the complication that there is no explicit rule in Islam prohibiting a song like Diabate’s.
Diabate’s song first was initially flagged on the official PS3 message boards by a M... More »
Notch another game on your Trophy-to-do list. For all you completists out there, here's the list of available PS3 Trophies for Tom Clancy's EndWar. There are 53 Trophies in total: 42 of them are Bronze, 8 are Silver, 1 Platinum, and 2 for Secret.
Huh, no gold, you ask? Actually, those two Secret Trophies are actually Gold Trophies.
Bronze Trophies (42):
* Communication Officer: Complete the Voice Command Trainer.
* First Command: Win the Warning Signs mission.
* Combat Chain Master: Defeat Tanks with Gunships, Gunships with Transports and Transports with Tanks.
* Veteran: Win one match in each game mode (Conquest, Assault, Siege, Raid).
* Road to War: Use Secondary Attack for the first time.
* World in Flames: Win 15 missions in the Solo Campaign.
* Weapon Master: Win a mission by deploying infantry units only.
* Hardened by War: Play 20 Single Player Skirmish matches.
* No Stone Unturned: Win 10 2 v... More »
Agetec sends word that their PSP title, Fading Shadows, is now shipping across North America to retail stores everywhere.
Fading Shadows is a puzzle title where gamers control a rolling orb via a magical beam of light.
Official Release: Agetec, Inc. today announced that its newest PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system game, Fading Shadows, has shipped to retailers in North America. Fading Shadows is an invigorating puzzle game that has players guiding an orb out of the pits of hell and back to the Castle of Heaven.
Fading Shadows takes place in a mystical world consisting of two sides – the joyful side and the dark side. Aira and her brother Erwyn have lived their whole lives on the joyful side of the world. Everything changed when Master Gardal interrupted their peacefulness by capturing Erwyn. The reason behind the brutal capture revolves around an ancient prophecy declaring that if Gardal wants to breach the gates of the Castle of Heaven to o... More »
There's apparently a big feature article in the upcoming issue of Japanese gaming mag Famitsu that talks Square Enix, Final Fantasy XIII and all that jazz.
While scans haven't hit the Internet yet, we've heard from several trusted insiders who have seen the yet-unreleased issue. It mentions that FFXIII is going to be out in Japan by next summer and in Europe/USA on both the Xbox 360 and the PS3 by the end of 2009 — which pretty much what we already know.
Here's the juicy bit: According to the Famitsu piece, Microsoft is footing the bill for Square Enix's FFXIII breach of PS3 exclusivity contract. No idea how much money that entails or the exact deal Microsoft worked out with Square Enix, but the fact there is not Xbox 360 version announced for Japan is telling. Square Enix does state how porting the game to the Xbox 360 should be easy.
More interesting tidbits: It's apparently hard to tell which looks better: Star Ocean 4 or Final Fantasy XIII.... More »
Per Grace Chen (Senior Manager, PLAYSTATION Store) today:
Hey, everyone. It’s time again for the PLAYSTATION Store weekly update.
Qore Digital Magazine:
Qore Episode 02: July, 2008 ($2.99 Issue, $24.99 Annual Subscription)
Episode 02 of Qore: Presented by the PLAYSTATION Network includes Part one of a three part series following the development of Resistance 2 and the exclusive release of the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm demo.
File size: 1.71 GB
Add-on Game Content:
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock July 4th 2008 Holiday Single (free)
FREE “Top Gun Anthem” as performed by Steve Ouimette. For all song credits please visit www.redoctane.com
File size: 14.9 MB
Rock Band
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.
Tomonobu Itagaki announced today that he has filed suit against Japanese-based publisher Tecmo, claiming damages in the amount of 148 million yen for unpaid bonuses.
In the suit, which was filed on May 14, Itagaki specifically calls out the company’s head honcho, Yoshimi Yasuda, for breach of contract and making demeaning remarks about him to fellow subordinates and colleagues.
To quote: President Yoshimi Yasuda chose not only to violate this agreement, but also turned defiant, telling me “if you are dissatisfied with the decision not to pay the bonuses, either quit the company or sue it.”
Itagaki further notes that the comments made by Yasuda has led him to formally announced his resignation from Tecmo. He will leave the company on July 1.
Statement: I, Tomonobu Itagaki, hereby announce that on the 14th of May 2008 I filed a complaint in the Tokyo District Court against Tecmo Co., Ltd. for unpaid completion bonuses, and... More »
(0) 
