Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Half-Life, Portal, Team Fortress, and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced the first game add-on for its co-operative zombie thriller, Left 4 Dead 2 The Passing, is due for release Thursday, April 22 exclusively for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PC.The first game add-on for Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2) brings the original Left 4 Dead (L4D1) Survivors down south for a meeting with the L4D2 cast, while delivering new single-player, multiplayer and co-operative gameplay for the PC and Xbox 360.

The Passing also introduces a series of weekly game mode events dubbed “Mutations.” These week-long runs of new gameplay modes range from “Realism Versus” mode to “Chainsaw Massacre,” which gives all players chainsaws with an unlimited supply of gasoline. There are over 20 Mutations planned, each playable on all L4D2 Campaigns. Mutations are exclusively available to owners of “The Passing” DLC.

This week’s guest co-host Justin Radeka and Stevie talk about hardware, mobile games, and every high tech-er’s best friend: Vodka (OK, maybe that’s just Justin).

This guest for Episode #4 of Stevie FTW is Doug Dyer, President at AFK Interactive. Doug dropped in to reminisce on the good old days — and his are storied. After a stint at Microsoft when gaming was but a glint in Bill G’s eye, Doug gives us the scoop on Jace Hall’s early days,  the founding of THQ Wireless, his industry family connection, and time at Warner Bros. where he was Stevie’s boss. He claims to have all the  good dirt on our host, so tune in to get the goods at www.stevieftw.com!

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Industry newcomer, Rude Gameware, today introduced two new products in their line of gaming peripherals. The Primal PC Headset, a force feedback audio headset, and the Fierce 3200 DPI Laser Gaming Mouse, were both designed by gamers for gamers.

The Primal PC Headset works on any PC or portable audio/gaming device with a standard analog 3.5 mm audio jack. Experience it with your MP3 player (including iPod), portable game device, or even your home theater. Plus, a bonus battery pack adapter is included so you can power the force feedback feature and experience home theater bass sensations and increased situational awareness on the go.

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As spring emerges EA has announced that their Skate 3 demo is now available as a free download at the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and on the PlayStation Network. The demo lets players attend Skate School with Coach Frank, and take on a series of single and multiplayer challenges including Domination, Own the Lot, and the bone-crushing Hall of Meat. Players can also film their crazy skate lines for a chance at winning a copy of Skate 3 when it is released.

Fans must upload their videos to Skate on Facebook in order to be eligible to win a variety of prizes including an all-expense (flights and hotel and $1000 cash) paid trip for three to see the Maloof Money Cup in June in New York City. For more details and complete contest rules visit the title’s Facebook page.

Skate 3 hits retailers in North America on May 11 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Not satisfied with the Gears of War 3 release news? Fear not, as there are even more treats in store. Epic Games design director Cliff Bleszinski has announced that the third installment in the series, will double the number of players in prior installments’ two-person co-op mode.

Bleszinski posted in a recent Tweet, “also, [Epic Games executive producer] Rod [Fergusson] confirmed and I’m posting it here: 4 player integrated story co op in the campaign!“

Bleszinski also revealed who the mysterious blond woman in the trailer is: Anya Stroud. She was previously a non-combatant communications officer, and series hero Marcus Fenix’s love interest. Presumably, she will be one of the four characters a player can control in co-op mode. There will also be a new titanic taloned tentacled terror (trying saying that quickly on a Friday morning) as well as a new double barreled shotgun.

Gears of War 3 will arrive in North America and Asia on April 5, in Japan April 7, and in Europe and all other territories April 8. Like Gears of War 2, it will be an Xbox 360 exclusive.

Focus Home Interactive has just unveiled Pendulo Studios’ new adventure game, The Next BIG Thing. After having breathed some life into the adventure game genre with the Runaway trilogy, Pendulo Studios is back with an original, adventure title. The Next BIG Thing revisits some classic movie styles with a modern and hopefully funny adventure packed with hints and references about popular movies and TV shows. The story involves Dan Murray and Liz Allaire in a crazy adventure, full of twists and comedy, and Pendulo Studios attempts to stay faithful to their unique graphic style.

Atlus U.S.A. has finally revealed a previously unannounced gameplay mode, Zeno Rush, for their upcoming XBLA first-person brawler, Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition. Zeno Rush mode lets players compete against themselves and each other (via online leader boards) in trying to complete select scenarios from the single-player campaign in the shortest time possible. The mode also includes the Timehammer, a new weapon with the ability to shave seconds off a player’s time.

While it missed its original release date, Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition is still scheduled for release this spring. A release date will be made public soon.

Pac-Man Pizza Parlor is now open for business! This new addition to Namco’s PC library blends together the classic arcade icon with the familiar gameplay mechanics of a time management game.

Toru Iwatani created Pac-Man and his shape when he saw a missing slice from his pizza pie, so developing a version of Pac-Man that took place in a pizza parlor seemed an appropriate choice. Players help Cathy cook up orders for her hungry customers by guiding Pac-Man around the conveyer belt and collecting ingredients. The faster an order is filled, the higher the tip, providing players the option to purchase upgrades and customize their kitchen for speedier service. Players will advance to the next stage once they meet their daily goals, and will periodically play through mini-games between levels.

cdv Software Entertainment has released a statement citing Southpeak Interactive’s non-payment of a lawsuit settlement as the reason why it has been forced to file for preliminary insolvency. The company, now being run by a court-appointed administrator, is “proactively working on solutions to restructure the company,” while it has also entered into discussions with possible investors and purchasers. cdv continues to run as normal for the time being, and its US and UK subsidiaries remain unaffected.

Those hoping to dive into the 3D world of Pandora this summer will be out of luck. CVG reports that the upcoming firmware update will not include 3D Blu-Ray. Instead, the update will allow for a host of games that you can play in 3D. The first batch includes: Wipeout HD, Motorstorm Pacific Rift, PAIN and Super Stardust HD. Eventually, 3D Blu-Ray compatibility will arrive, but not until later in the year. It looks like we can officially dub 2010 the year of 3D.

- Benjy Ikimi

The Excalibur table has launched as the latest expansion table for ZEN Pinball and is available on the PlayStation Network for $2.49.

Excalibur follows in the footsteps of fellow expansion tables Ninja Gaiden Sigma II, Earth Defense and Street Fighter II in delivering a fast and exciting pinball experience. Participate in jousting tournaments for honor and defend Camelot against the Robber Knights! Earn and protect your seat at the Round Table and prove yourself to King Arthur!

Power & Prestige, will be the first major expansion to Flying Lab’s Pirates of the Burning Sea MMORPG, and is due for release this summer. Those brigands too impetuous to wait that long can apply to test out the game’s new features in advance during the expansion’s beta period.

Pirates of the Burning Sea features sea bound action and adventure in a colorful world of pirates and plunder. Set against the backdrop of the New World of the 18th century, players can choose to champion the cause of one of three nations (England, France or Spain), or become a Pirate and battle for glory and power. So blacken your teeth, buy a parrot and an eye patch, and set sail me hearty’s!

Age of Pirates 2: City of Abandoned Ships is now available on the easy to navigate oceans of the GamEssence store!

This next chapter in the Age of Pirates franchise, attempts to reinvent itself with a larger playing field and new content. Combat and trading have both been updated, and more options are available for character classes. Players have the option of going it alone in an attempt to become the most feared pirate on the seven seas, or they can choose to prove their loyalty and take the coin of one of the four different navies; French, English, Spanish or Dutch. As players navigate their own route through the Caribbean they can explore strange new countries and undiscovered civilizations, plunder merchant ships and even raid fortified ports and cities.

Jamie Cheng, founder of Klei Entertainment, is this week’s guest on Episode 74 of the Avault Podcast. Jamie dropped by to talk about Klei’s upcoming cinematic brawler, Shank, and how both the project and the company evolved. The conversation also veered into the realm of length vs. value in games, so this is definitely an episode that you won’t want to miss!

This was the week we had to say good-bye to Halo 2 multiplayer, so of course the guys had to spend some time reminiscing and sharing the game’s final moments on Xbox Live. There’s also some interesting discussion about Echochrome, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Ghost Recon, Just Cause 2, and the lack of stellar titles releasing at the moment.

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Ubisoft just received confirmation from Guinness (the world record people not the stout people), that Assassin’s Creed II now holds the Gamer’s Edition Guinness World Record for being the most cover-featured video game. The game was used as a lead cover story in 127 different publications in 32 countries, between April 2009 and April 2010.

According to Gaz Deaves, Editor of Guinness World Records, “the evidence submitted by Ubisoft was extremely thorough, with full details of every publication that featured the game. It’s been a pleasure researching this category and we were pleasantly surprised that Assassin’s Creed II took the record – I’m sure plenty of commentators (including myself) would have predicted another well-known game winning the title instead, and this achievement is even more impressive in view of the other 2009 releases that Assassin’s Creed II was able to beat.”