As with previous rumors on the game, it goes without saying that you should read the following information with a pinch of salt as it hasn’t been confirmed by either Rockstar or Take Two yet. Also, the following information could be spoilers overload, so look away if you don’t want to know the plot or main characters.

According to the blog, the main character will be a man known as Chico Vialpando – a 20 year old who is successful in life and has no problem ‘getting all of the ladies’. It is when he is tempted to join a local street gang and is introduced to Tony Cipriani when things start to spiral out of control. Cipriani should be ringing your alarm bells immediately, as he’s one of the main characters in Grand Theft Auto III.

Also featured in the game is Leo Johnson who is the son of Carl Johnson, otherwise known as CJ from GTA: San Andreas. Leo and Chico are cousins and Leo is apparently all that is left of CJ’s legacy, prompting him to join street gangs as well.

All this sounds very believable and according to the source has come directly from a Take Two employee. You can read the rest of the details including a more in-depth storyline through the blog link here. Wow, what are your immediate thoughts on this new character Chico? Bringing Tony and CJ’s son back into the game is a brilliant idea and we have a feeling that this is going to be one of the best plots seen in a GTA game to date.

Just to remind you, this is still a rumor until confirmed by Rockstar at E3. It obviously looks very promising though and we’re starting to get excited ourselves.

More About: e3 2012, gta v, r, rockstar

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In recent months though, anticipation has been building for the game’s next global showing at E3 2012, and this week Konami has sent excitement levels through the roof by confirming that the game will be playable at the event in Los Angeles next month.

To build up the next appearance of Metal Gear Rising, Konami has released a very short teaser clip, showing the introduction to the playable demo that will be available to play for lucky attendees of the event. As you can imagine, not a lot is shown in the clip but we do get to see Raiden on the title screen, which is fairly exciting in itself.

At the moment there is no set release date for the game, but we fully expect Konami to announce some kind of Fall 2012 release for the game during their pre-E3 conference. Will it end up being a live event though, or a pre-recorded one like last year? One game that will definitely be making an appearance is Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 which was leaked for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PS Vita earlier this week.

What are your thoughts on Metal Gear Rising at the moment? Is it still a game that you are very interested in buying, or are you waiting until the series returns to its stealth roots?

More About: e3 2012, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

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Polyphony Digital are a company well known for taking their time with games. Gran Turismo 5 owners had to wait four years between an announcement and a eventual release, but just like previous games in the franchise, the game delivered.

There’s a lot of expectation on Sony and Polyphony Digital to once again deliver a quality game for GT6, especially with the likes of Forza breathing down their necks with every new release. There’s also no word on what development stage the game is currently at, but Brian Dunn, Sony’s Associate Brand Manager has stated on his LinkedIn account that development is apparently already under way.

Earlier on we told you that another Sony employee had outed a PS Vita version of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, but the information on his account still remained public. Dunn on the other hand has swiftly moved to remove all evidence of the GT6 mention, but thanks to that magic tool known as Google Cache, you can still view it here.

We doubt that the game is so far ahead that Sony can make this a PS3 release though. A much more likely scenario is that Gran Turismo 6 could indeed be one of Sony’s launch titles for the PS4. If Polyphony Digital want another four years to get the game finished, then 2016 is obviously well in the realms of PS4 territory. What about E3 this year though, is it possible that Sony may now be forced to mention the game? If we were to really stretch things, we would say that some sort of ‘tech demo’ for GT6 may be shown from Sony soon, to let everyone know at least that a new game is coming.

If you’re a die-hard Gran Turismo nut, what are you hoping to see from the next game? Presuming that this is a next-gen title we’re looking at, do you think 2016 is a realistic launch window for the game, or do you need something similar in the mold of GT5: Prologue to keep you busy?

More About: e3 2012, gran turismo 6, sony

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We have a feeling that the QA tester at Traveller’s Tales Games is going to be in for a fair amount of punishment for somehow failing to contain his excitement at having the new controller in his grasp. Traveller’s Tales Games if you didn’t know are responsible for the vast collection of LEGO xx games, so we can only presume that they were testing the new hardware for an upcoming LEGO game on the Wii U.

The image seen here is the real story though as there are actually a number of visible differences between the controller seen here and the one shown at E3 last year. For starters, there are now dual analogue sticks! Before we just had dual ‘nubs’ similar to the PSP, but now Nintendo has scrapped them in favor of actual sticks which are similar to the ones on the DUALSHOCK3 and also the PS Vita.

The start and select buttons have also moved position, from below the touchscreen to the right side of the pad close to the game buttons. There’s also a mystery new square button next to the power button on the bottom and perhaps even another one directly below the d-pad.

There is one major cosmetic change as well and that is actual Wii U branding. There was considerable speculation that the Wii U name may even be changed by the time the device releases to market, but it obviously looks like Nintendo plan to keep the name after all. How does the logo look there in your opinion?

It’s fair to say that all the changes minus the debatable branding are positive changes. The inclusion of dual analogue sticks is of major importance to FPS fans, as it underlines the seriousness that Nintendo are obviously aiming for in trying to deliver a new console to get back a slice of the hardcore community. It now means that FPS developers are under no restrictions control wise when making the likes of Call of Duty or Battlefield, so this change by Nintendo could turn out to be a crucial one.

What are your thoughts on the new look controller? Does the change to analogue sticks prove that the Wii U is going to be a force to be reckoned with?

More About: e3 2012, nintendo, Nintendo Wii U

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We don’t want to raise the alarm bells just yet, but we’ve heard that Rockstar Games is nowhere to be seen on the E3 exhibitors list for this year’s event in Los Angeles. Considering after staying silent since their November trailer reveal last year, you would think that it would be at least common courtesy to give the masses another portion of GTA V info, to put a smile on faces after waiting eight months.

Scrolling down the list though, Rockstar Games are not there – but should this matter? It’s worth mentioning that Take-Two is there, so that may in fact be an indication that Rockstar could be there in some capacity. Also don’t forget that Valve wasn’t on the list when Gabe Newell decided to crash the party and announce Portal 2 on PS3, so it could still happen.

An eight month wait also reminds us of the length of time we’ve had to wait for new information regarding the Dawnguard DLC expansion for Skyrim. Thankfully Bethesda is included on the list though, so we’re guessing that we’re in for a treat with Skyrim DLC combined with an Elder Scrolls Online reveal.

Back to GTA V though, would you be shocked if Rockstar had nothing to show for the game next month? Eight months without a sniff of new information is a very long patience threshold you have to say. If they are not showing anything at E3, if remember – does that mean Rockstar will plan a separate event? Check out the E3 exhibitors list here and give us your thoughts on this.

More About: e3 2012, gta v, rockstar

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If you really enjoy your live gaming events, there is no worse feeling that having to deal with a major announcement via a live blog. Nothing beats a live announcement right there on stage and we’re pleased to see that Sony will be opening up their E3 2012 event to the masses.

To show how eager they are, they have even started a countdown site now, on their official E3 portal here. Just to remind you once again, the show kicks off at 6PM PT, or 9PM Eastern Time – so 2AM for those of you tuning in from the UK. Just to point out that link above to the countdown is where the live stream will be shown, so it is probably a good idea to bookmark it in advance so you are prepared for when the event is just about to start.

For those wondering, you’ll also be able to watch the live stream directly from your PS3 browser as well. In previous years, you would have to watch E3 from the virtual Home space, but that isn’t the case this year. We would still recommend using your computer though, especially if the stream happens to go down half way through – plus the PS3 browser isn’t exactly up to the standards of Firefox, Chrome or Safari is it?

So there we have it, a nice confirmation of a live stream in advance – just what we hoped to hear. Let us know what you are expecting to see at the event, bearing in mind that it is highly unlikely that we won’t see any next generation hardware. Perhaps no expectations this year is a good thing?

More About: e3 2012, sony

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Just like E3 2011, it seems like Microsoft are starting to follow a certain pattern. Last year the company were first to announce the latest and greatest involving the Xbox 360 and this year, history will repeat itself.

Microsoft has confirmed that their keynote will start on Monday June 4 at 10am Pacific Time. For those of you in the UK that relates to 6pm UK time so an ideal slot for most of you. However, those watching in Asia will have to stay up quite late as the event won’t start until 1am Hong Kong time or 2am in Japan.

Sony on the other hand will be much more accomodating for their Asia viewers. Their keynote will start on June 4th also, but will take place much later at 6pm Pacific Time or 9pm Eastern Time. That means that UK fans will have to stay until late for a 2am start, but those watching in Asia can enjoy a 9am (HKT) or 10am (JP) start the following morning (Tuesday).

While Sony and Microsoft have now both finalized their E3 conferences, we’re yet to hear from Nintendo as they look to have another crack at showing off the Wii U to the world. We’re guessing that their keynote will take place on Tuesday June 5th, but we’ll update this as soon as they have given the details officially.

What can we expect to see from Sony and Microsoft though at E3? They have both said that they are not going to show any new hardware, but do you think it is a sly move to divert attention away? Both the PS4 and the Xbox ’720′ have been rumored to death, so perhaps both companies want their eventual reveals to be a complete surprise since in previous E3 tradition, the major reveals are often leaked prior to the event.

How many of you are actually going to try and get tickets? Microsoft’s event is probably the one you want to attend, since the company has become notorious for handing out free goodies such as Xbox 360 consoles. We’re expecting to see a full reveal on Black Ops 2, while some gameplay for GTA V and The Last of Us would go down a treat as well.

Let us know how the timing of both events affects you. Will you be tuning in to both conferences, or is it too early or late for you?

More About: e3 2012, microsoft, sony

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On the topic of most wanted games for E3 2012 – we’ve received feedback in the past from PR readers on what games should be featured at this years event. The list includes the likes of God of War 4, Gran Turismo 6 (the Bathurst track has been scanned), Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Assassin’s Creed 3, Black Ops 2, Dragon Age 3, Doom 4, and Fallout 4. If you want to see details on another game at E3 2012 then share a comment, and let us know the name.

Other requests include using the gaming event as a launch pad for Skyrim DLC, although we’re sure certain fans would want the downloadable content much sooner than June. If it’s not a game you want to see at E3 but rather an expansion or DLC, then share your thoughts.

It seems like you can count the Xbox 720 out for this years event, which has been denounced by Microsoft on more than one occasion. Sony has also stated they are not focusing on the PS4 right now, although we do know that both of the next-gen consoles are being developed but are not ready for public viewing by E3 2012.

We know that Nintendo are likely to showcase the final design and features for the Wii U, although what else could we expect from Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony? It would be a good idea for Microsoft and Sony to showcase something special at this year’s event, and if they are not trying to throw us off the PS4/Xbox 720 scent, then what could pull the limelight from the Wii U?

Some other next-gen articles you might have missed – recently we looked at the graphics potential using CryEngine 3, and the importance of a graphics jump for the next-gen consoles, although these systems could lose disc support within a few years. Lastly we’d love to see Sony or Microsoft partner with this virtual reality technology for some FPS games that really put you inside the gaming world.

What do you want to see from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo at E3 2012?

More About: e3 2012

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We have heard before that both companies would be revealing new hardware at this June’s event, only for the claims to be shot down from a various sources. Now today there are new claims coming in from a UK gaming magazine PSM3, which as Sillegamer are reporting the existence of a new Sony console. This comes after Sony President Kaz Hirai saying there will be no PS4 reveal at this year’s E3.

Previously the same claims were made by other sources that a new PlayStation console will make its first appearance at E3. It has also been claimed that Microsoft won’t be left out of the picture either and will reveal new hardware. All this will come with more news on the Nintendo Wii U that should finally provide an actual release date.

These rumors come after Epic Games Mark Rein recently revealed that the company would reveal the Unreal Engine 4 later this year. Now Gamer are reporting that Rein said that “people are going to be shocked later this year when they see Unreal Engine 4 and how much more profound an effect it will have”.

He went on to say that the Unreal Engine 4 was already running on “”systems we can’t name yet”, which could be new hardware from Sony and Microsoft. Obviously he could mean the Wii U but this console is already known about so surely he could name it. Also Epic already has the Unreal Engine 3 that runs games such as Gears of War 3 and Batman: Arkham City, so the company would want Unreal Engine 4 working with all the latest platforms.

Do you think Sony and Microsoft will be revealing new hardware at E3?

More About: e3 2012, Epic Games, Sony PS4, Unreal Engine 4, Xbox 720

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According to CVG there is some fresh debate however, this time over whether the company will actually call their next-gen console the Wii U, as reports from a close source are suggesting Nintendo is contemplating changing the name in order to attract more attention, and will do so ahead of the E3 event later this year. It is believed that consumer confusion over the 3DS name and a disappointing E3 reveal are the reasons that the change is being considered.

After today’s news it is clear there is now a lot of pressure riding on the launch of Nintendo’s next console, whatever they decide to call it, which is why they must consider and discuss all aspects that could prevent the launch from being a successful one. The company claims they had trouble shifting 3DS units as consumers found it hard to differentiate from the older DS systems and as a result were forced to use bright red box stickers as well as the TV ad phrase ‘This is not DS, this is Nintendo 3DS’ just to be clear.

These are the kind of mistakes the company will be keen to avoid, hence the name change discussion. They also believe their E3 presentation could have been better as a lot of consumers were left wondering what the Wii U was meant to be, with a lot of attention being focused on the tablet part rather than the console itself. This year they will be looking to be clearer and hope for more of an impact amidst consumers. Will a name change be enough though?

What do you think they should call their next console?

More About: e3 2012, nintendo, Wii U

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