The Lost and the Damned is the name for the new DLC for GTA IV. For those of you that resisted the urge to trade in your GTA IV games, you will be rewarded with a new character, Johnny Klebitz, and a new story line to add to the GTA IV mythos. Expect plot points to intersect from time to time with the main story thread of the original game, however, what is noteworthy is the new missions, weapons and multiplayer modes available to make this foray an entertaining one. Rockstar even added some new music to spice things up. Expect the Lost and the Damned February 17, 2009.

- Ralph Tricoche

Stig Asmussen, Game Director for God of War 3, stated that although the recently announced God of War 3, will be the last in the series, he is supremely confident that the series will go out with a bang. Citing refined gameplay and jaw-dropping visuals, he personally guaranteed that he would send the series off with all the respect due to both the franchise and the fans. This time around Kratos will bring the pain in both Mt. Olympus and Hell itself. No one is safe from his revengeful bloodlust.

- Ralph Tricoche

Microsoft has launched its ‘Free your Avatar’ campaign. A new, exciting feature designed to export your Xbox avatars and share them with family and friends. You may use these exports in all of your favorite gaming and social sites/blogs. Just another way to spread the love.

Just type in your gamer tag and PRESTO! Your avatar appears. You have many backgrounds to choose from so you can get your creative thinking cap on. If you don’t have an Xbox avatar, no problem. This new service allows users to choose from pre-created avatars. Just choose the one that resembles you the most. You may also place more than one avatar in the same picture, so now you can have that group picture you always wanted.

To celebrate the ‘Free your Avatar’ campaign, Microsoft is running a competition. Make your avatar, post it on a popular social networking site, and if you have that certain pizzazz and creative flair you may have a chance to win some very cool swag, including a personalized statue of your Avatar. Head on over to official site for the complete 411.

- Ralph Tricoche

Midway Games Inc., maker of the popular Mortal Kombat video game series, will cut its head count by 180 people, or 25 percent of its work force, close a studio in Austin, Texas, and halt development of “noncore” games, according to a government filing today.

Midway expects to take a charge of $1.6 million in the fourth quarter for severance costs. The company said the job cuts will come at its facilities in Chicago and San Diego, in addition to Austin. The company posted a widening loss for the third quarter and expects another loss for the three months ending in December.

Billionaire media figure Sumner Redstone and his holding companies sold 80.3 million shares of Midway for less than a penny at a loss of hundreds of millions of dollars, according to securities filings this month. Midway shares fell 2 cents to 17 cents in midday trading today, down from a 52-week high of $4.20.

Source: CNN

“Legs,” in entertainment industry-speak, means movies that perform well at the box office for a while, instead of just doing some business on their opening weekend and then quickly fading. In the videogame business, legs are rare. Most games in NPD’s top 10 ranking came out that month or the previous month. Gamers, by and large, seem to know what they want and they buy it pretty quickly.

There’s one big exception, however: Nintendo. The continued presence of Mario Kart Wii and Wii Fit in the top 10 every single month since they debuted (eight and seven months, respectively) is simply astounding. Then there’s Wii Play which has been in the top 10 for 22 months, though more for the extras it comes with than the game.

The core gamer audience is still eager for the right titles, of course, as the huge launch of Gears of War 2 shows, but what any media company, whether it’s a film studio or videogame publisher, wants is legs. A big launch takes a big marketing budget, but when a game is still performing six months after debut, it’s mostly selling itself.

Nobody else has figured out how to do that. Sony couldn’t even keep LittleBigPlanet, which has plenty of mass appeal and replayability, in the top 20 for two months. Even the terrible Wii Music managed to sneak into the top ten during its second month. If it stays there in December and beyond, that’s officially scary.

Source: Variety

In the three years since Guitar Hero stole the video game stage, fast-fingered consumers have purchased more than 22 million units. Now, Activision and developer Neversoft are looking to kick the franchise up a notch with Guitar Hero: Metallica, due early in 2009.

The time is right for a Metallica game. The band is back atop the heavy metal world. Its latest album, Death Magnetic, has gone platinum after premiering at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart — its fifth consecutive album to do so. It also received four Grammy nominations that include best rock album, best recording package, best rock instrumental, and best metal performance. The band is also a 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee.

Source: USA Today

SCEA development boss, Michael Denny, emphatically states that their new game, Heavy Rain, can be played by both the casual and hardcore crowd. Itchy trigger fingers and greased lightening reflexes play no role in this venture. Only the mind can free you in this new game, so leave your Halo helmet home and pick up your Bat-utility belt for this one.

- Ralph Tricoche

Early next year expect to get some interesting DLC for Fallout 3. Jeff Gardiner, producer, explains what little treats Bethesda has in store for all you wastelanders.

Operation Anchorage will be the first DLC. What it is, is a “what if” scenario cooked up by the former U.S. government, which simulates a fictitious battle for Alaska with the Red Army of the People’s Republic of China. In this DLC the player will have access to new weaponry, art assets, have the ability to order an interactive strike team around, and a new perk called “Covert Ops”. The second DLC will be called The Pitt. Gardiner would not give out too much detail on this one, other than to say that among other goodies the level cap will be raised, and you’ll be pitted against nastier foes. Gardiner was tight lipped about the third one, but he did say that there was material lying around that the programmers had wanted to include in the original release, but were not able to for one reason or another.

Gardiner also mentioned that even though they’ve received a ton of email requesting it, no Dogmeat Armor is planned anytime in the future.

- Ralph Tricoche

Com2uS announced its December line-up of games this week for iPhone and iPod. The diverse line-up features a wide range of genres, from casual arcade to action horror, offering something for casual to hardcore gamers and everyone in between.

For casual players who enjoy easy controls and whimsical graphics, there is Crazy Hotdogs Tailgate Party, a business management-style strategy game capturing all the flavor of America’s favorite fall competitive sport: tailgating in the parking lot before the big game. It’s as simple as that: cooking and selling hotdogs. The national favorites tailgating, hotdogs, and football are woven throughout the engaging storyline.

For those who like a little strategic thinking with their games, Com2uS offers Trapped: Undead Infection, an action horror adventure game in which players control a scientist trapped in a disease-ridden bio-research laboratory filled with bloodthirsty zombies. Navigating through the lab to escape safely requires quick thinking and reflexes. Tools, maps and a variety of weapons aid players as they make their way through large, open-ended levels, and spooky sound effects and graphics create an eerie atmosphere.

For RPG gamers who want to play PC-style RPGs on the go, The Chronicles of Inotia: Legend of Feanoris, an action RPG, guides players through a rich fantasy storyline as they protect the beautiful land of Inotia. Players begin by creating a customized character with their choice of attributes, then set out on a journey to find the evil dragon Deathtaker, who disappeared after an epic battle. Villagers and vendors help along the way, and players can raise pets that enhance their attributes.

Today Ubisoft announced Family Fest, a new brand of games designed exclusively for the Wii. Available in North America, the first two titles in the series, Family Fest Presents Circus Games and Family Fest Presents Movie Games, are loaded with 20 mini-games each and are intended for the entire family.

Family Fest Presents Circus Games allows players to explore various areas of the circus, including the tight rope under the big top, the lions in animal alley and the dunk tank on the midway. With Family Fest Presents Movie Games, players have the chance to re-enact scenes from their favorite films on sets ranging from pirate ships to outer space.

Family Fest Presents Circus Games is rated E and has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $29.99. Family Fest Presents Movie Games is rated E10+ and has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $29.99.