Gamasutra reports that a native disc-free version of Netflix is coming to U.S. PlayStation 3s on October 18, nearly one year after the service originally arrived on Sony’s console. The introduction of the service next week puts PS3′s Netflix offering on par with that of the Xbox 360, which launched the service in 2008 with no disc requirement. The Nintendo Wii currently offers streaming Netflix that still requires a disc.

This updated disc-free PS3 version of Netflix will allow users to access streaming movies via the console’s XMB interface. The service will also support 5.1 channel surround sound on streamed movies and TV shows, a feature wholly unique to the PS3 version. Sony also said that the amount of time to start a video’s playback will be improved. The service costs as little as $9 a month to subscribe, which includes access to unlimited streaming videos and one DVD rental at a time.

Joystiq reports that Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned has been canceled. This comes from a statement released by Disney Interactive, in which they also announce that a restructuring of Propaganda Games (also working on Tron) will now take place. Tron: Evolution is still expected to release as scheduled.

Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauch tweeted that this latest delay for GT5 is “inexcusable” and explained that the game still has kinks which need ironing out.

Previously, the official Sony blog had also said the latest change in release date was down to last-minute polish. “We sincerely apologize to GT fans for the delay, however, creator Kazunori Yamauchi and the team at Polyphony Digital want to make certain they are creating the perfect racing experience, and we are confident that this ambitious game will exceed expectations when it launches.” Sony has promised that the game will be released worldwide during the holiday season.

Outerlight, the developer behind Bloody Good Time and The Ship, has lost its staff and premises within weeks of its latest release.

“Outerlight has all but been dissolved,” co-founder Chris Peck told Big Download. “The team and the office are gone, all that remains is myself working unpaid in the hope to recoup some royalties from the game. At the moment, the lifeline for the company is ongoing Ship sales, which have meant we can keep trading until we hopefully see some BGT royalties.”

Peck hopes that Bloody Good Time might yet earn enough royalties to put Outerlight back on its feet, and claims the studio remains a worthwhile investment prospect.

Southpeak Interactive has announced net losses of $5.8 million in its full-year financial results, which they partially attributabe to a settlement of its long-running dispute with CDV. CDV had blamed non-payment by Southpeak for its filing for insolvency in April, claiming to be owed $3.4 million.

GamesIndustry Biz reports that Southpeak CEO Melanie Mroz recently told investors, “I am pleased to report that we have successfully resolved our litigation with CDV and distribution dispute with Paradox. CDV in particular marked a substantial drain on our resources. Misguided media had a negative impact on our cost structure. We are pleased to put these matters behind us and continue to focus on our business and future growth.”

Dragon Saga (formally Dragonica Online) has entered its first open testing phase which will last through October 18, with a second testing phase to begin later this month. This will be the fourth title added to the WarpPortal.com list of free-to-play games. Dragonica players will be able to access their characters from the beginning of the second phase of testing. These players will also notice that many updates have been added since they last played, including elements of the Paris Strikes Back update, which will include a raised level cap to 70, and 4th classes.

Chris Avellone, the Senior Designer for Fallout: New Vegas, joins us this week for Episode #103 of the Avault Podcast, and reveals not only details of the the upcoming release (guzzling water out of toilets and an Evil Frank), but his genuine excitement about it. Chris can’t wait for the rest of the word to play New Vegas, so it was only fitting that he announce our giveaway winners!

It’s that time of the year, and in addition to New Vegas, some really great and wanna-be great games are hitting the market. Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Medal of Honor (fun?), and Call of Duty: Black Ops, are among the ones the guys get inside of and honest with this week.

Furthermore, the guys announce a new major giveaway for Call of Duty: Black Ops, staring Monday right here at the Adrenaline Vault!

( listen now… )

Hands up for everyone who remembers playing on the old Atari 2600. If you’re among us, then you’ll recall that one of the more memorable games was Star Raiders, a space combat sim that combined a strategic galaxy map with first-person shooting action. Those who go all misty eyed at retro gaming memories might get excited by this latest announcement.

Atari announced that they are working on a remake of the classic for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC to be released early in 2011. As well as having upgraded graphics, the new Star Raiders will have an all-new, episodic storyline, which may involve the Battlestar Galactica-ish Zylons of the original. Atari also confirmed that the new version will also add online play to the mix, allowing players to play through its campaign in co-op mode. The game will also have more standard multiplayer modes, including competitive team multiplayer.

The details surrounding Valve’s announcement of DOTA 2 are threadbare. “The game promises to take the unique blend of online RTS and RPG action that has made DOTA popular with tens of millions of gamers and expand upon it in every way,” says Valve. The only other information that gave was that it will be out for the Mac and PC in 2011.

Proclaimed by Valve to be “one of the most played games in the world,” DotA went on to become a huge success. It originally started life as a mod created using the World Editor tool of the Blizzard RTS Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos, and is essentially a tower defense game. Players aim to destroy their opponents’ buildings, which are positioned at each end of the map, using powerful Hero units. The original game mixed in RPG-style gameplay, where players were able to level-up their Heroes and use gold collected to purchase weapons and equipment. Since the sequel isn’t due out until spring, there’s time enough then to reboot DOTA 1 for some practice!

In Fable III you will be called upon to rally and fight alongside your people, ascend to the seat of power, and experience the true meaning of love and loss while defending your throne. In your quest to seize power and defend your kingdom, the choices you make will change the world around you, for the greater good or your own personal gain.

Who will you become when Fable III arrives October 26?

Gamasutra reports that automated kiosk company Redbox will expand its video game rental test program into more U.S. regions, offering game rentals for $2 a night alongside its movie releases. Participating Redbox kiosks will carry games for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. This expansion of services gives gamers another option for renting outside of disappearing brick-and-mortar stores, and rent-by-mail services.

Valve has announced DOTA 2, a sequel to the popular WarCraft 3 mod, Defense of the Ancients. The company has hired Icefrog, who currently maintains the most popular original DOTA mod, Allstars, to assist with the project, as their core game mechanics are similar. The full roster of heroes from Allstars will be brought over, along with items, upgrade paths, and skills, but the team is reworking the visuals. Community features will also be included in the sequel when it launches for both PC and Mac next year.

The Rock Band catalogue just hit the 2,000 song milestone, with the release of Are You Experienced from The Jimi Hendrix Experience. To help fans keep track of all the music available, Harmonix has created the Rock Band Music Finder, which shows all 2,000 songs in a variety of sortable ways, including by artist, song title, genre and decade.

( read more… )

The Mig Alley and Cold War DLC for Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2 are now each available for the Xbox 360 (320 MS Points) and PlayStation 3 ($3.99).

Go back in time with the Mig Alley pack and relive the first all-out jet fighter dogfights in the infamous Mig Alley with the F-86 Sabre and Mig-15 Fagot. You can set the time period and create Team Battle missions featuring just these two planes, or get to fight other players in the Trigger Happy Team Battle mission which features an intense naval battle. On top of that, bonus skins for the F-22 Raptor and for F-35B Lightning II become available.

Then in the Cold War pack, take to the skies in the Vietnam era’s F-4E-Phantom II and Mig-21 Fishbed. You’ll also have the opportunity to fight in a new Team Battle mission, Search and Destroy which take place in the Russian mountains, and requires careful maneuvering while attacking ground targets or dog fighting. Additionally, this pack includes two extra skins for the Eurofighter Typhoon and A-10A Thunderbolt II.

With multiplayer being new to the franchise, the folks over at Ubisoft wanted to make sure that they were prepared for every contingency.

Do you need to rebuild the trust with your friends after a session of Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood multiplayer? Here, a helpful counselor helps two friends overcome the trust issues they developed while trying out the upcoming title.