While the file contained “user names, email addresses, encrypted billing addresses and encrypted credit card information,” it reassuringly did not include password data. No evidence suggests the encrypted contents were compromised either, which is good news. Transactions from 2004-2008 were listed in the file.

While Valve believes your credit card data is safe, it still suggests to remain cautious by keeping an eye on statements and activity. Turning Steam Guard on is recommended for added account protection.

According to the filing, Blizzard claims Valve has no rights to DOTA mark, pointing to “more than seven years of goodwill” that it has backed the DOTA name with.

Despite having no “official” ties to Warcraft itself, Blizzard asserts the trademark registration will not only damage them, but the “the legions of Blizzard fans that have worked for years with Blizzard and its products, including by causing consumers to falsely believe that Valve’s products are affiliated, sponsored or endorsed by Blizzard and are related or connected to Warcraft III.”

As evidence, Blizzard lays claim to its strong ties to the DOTA mark, noting that it has distributed DOTA mods directly from Battle.net and associated websites. Moreover, Blizzard points out that it has advertised DOTA at several gaming conventions, including its own BlizzCon.

Further, Blizzard says it has “licensed third-parties” to exploit the DOTA mark in cross-promotion with Warcraft on various fansites such as dota-allstars.com, playdota.com, and getdota.com. These arrangements were made “subject to and consistent with the terms of the Warcraft III EULA,” the company says.

DOTA had very strong ties to Blizzard — and still does — but unofficially, a key point that certainly dilutes Blizzard’s arguments from a pure legal standpoint. In any case, we’ll have to wait and see how it plays out.

“As we continue to strengthen our leadership position in interactive entertainment, our proven management team and talented employees delivered another extraordinary year of outperformance. With better than expected net revenues, record earnings, record operating margins, and having generated nearly $1 billion in operating cash flow, Activision Blizzard continues to set the industry success bar,” commented CEO Bobby Kotick in a statement.

In other fun-facts, Activision says Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 players logged more than 639 million hours of online gameplay through December 31, 2011, topping the previous outing Black Ops in total unique gamers by 12 percent.

According to a Wired report, Itagaki was given only two and a half months to port Dead or Alive 2 on PS2, so that it could be ready in time for the Japanese hardware launch.

“All of the staff, led by me, fought for a victory with all their energy,” noted Itagaki. “But unfortunately, the result wasn’t what we expected.”

In the interim, a Tecmo Koei staffer asked to borrow a copy of the current build to playtest it. Days later, without Itagaki’s consent or knowledge, the build was sent to a disc-pressing factory for production. Not long after, Itagaki hit rock bottom,as  seeing his work treated in such a manner drove him into depression. He even thought about leaving the industry.

“I thought I would quit making games,” said Itagaki. To cope, he reportedly started drinking constantly and watched repeats of Armageddon with his three-year-old daughter while listening to Aerosmith’s theme song “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.”

Obviously, Itagaki eventually got over it – releasing Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore, which he said matched his vision what the initial product was supposed to be.

While it’s purely a PC exclusive affair for now, a Wii U release is also on the cards. Entirely free-to-play, the tactical squad-based shooter promises extensive weapon customization, backed by an always-connected social experience. Additionally, the company has sent over a new trailer that gives an overview of the game’s diverse classes. Hit the break to see it.

Psychonauts developer Double Fine is out to breathe new life into the rather dormant genre of point and click adventure titles. In a bold move, the studio has turned to fans for funding by launching a Kickstarter goal of $400,000.

Backers will gain exclusive access to a Steam beta of the project by pledging at least $15. That includes a finished copy once it is officially released. There are other incentives if you’re willing to pitch in even more, from autographed posters to a personal mini-portrait illustrated by artists on the development team.

All supporters will be given the opportunity to start a dialogue with developers by sharing ideas and feedback on a private forum throughout the course of development, which is estimated to last six to eight months.

As of writing, it looks like the Kickstarter is attracting a sizable amount of attention. So far, a whopping $284,000 has been pledged, that’s around 71 percent of the target fulfilled in just a few hours. Entirely free from creative limitations and deadlines imposed by publishers, it’ll be interesting to see how the project takes shape over the coming months.

Rocksteady more than proved themselves with Arkham Aslyum, so we’re not surprised to see it doing so well. Still, it’s always great to see a licensed effort not take the quick cash-in route.

Players take on the role of undercover cop Wei Shen, setting out to take down an organization deeply rooted in criminal activity, which is none other than the Hong Kong Triads. The city of Hong Kong is realized through its neon-lit side streets and sprawling street markets. A tale of loyalty and betrayal unfolds during Wei’s investigation, leading him to question his own motives.

Sleeping Dogs features a combat system that allows players to pull off an extensive set of martial arts moves, including “bone-crunching kicks and combos, vicious counters and a cinematic set of environmental takedowns making use of countless real-world items from circular saws to phone booths, incinerators to refrigerator doors.” 

“From the moment you pick up the controller and experience the blend of driving, close combat and shooting you know you’re playing something fresh and a bit special,” said Square Enix GM Lee Singleton.

“Sleeping Dogs has one of the best melee combat systems out there – it’s super brutal with devastating takedown moves, and when added to UFG’s proven heritage in driving games, a first class story and the vibrant backdrop of the Hong Kong underworld we get a fiery recipe with fun written all over it.”

Sleeping Dogs is due out Q2 2012 on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.

Significant strides have been made to increase browser performance and accuracy when viewing web pages. Some sites that previously did not render properly are now supported under the new firmware, we’re told.

Additionally, much like the just-released Vita firmware, this update rebrands PSN to SEN on account detail pages. Users will be asked to accept a revised TOS on sign-in as well, reflecting the name change.

Download PS3 firmware 4.10

Download PS Vita firmware 1.60

A Sony representative broke the dismal news to Kotaku today. No reasoning was given for the decision. While this likely isn’t a huge blow to your Vita purchasing plans, it definitely knocks another worthy bullet point off the list, which is a shame. Here’s hoping Sony can make up for it by running frequent deals on PSP content, but we’re not holding our breath.

Additionally, in a surprise drop, Bethesda has made a high-res texture pack available as free DLC on Steam. Weighing in at around 3.1GB, you’ll need a beefy PC to run it. Specifics weren’t given, only to “make sure your system requirements exceed Skyrim’s recommended specs before attempting to install.” We can’t wait to see what it looks like in motion.

For those who haven’t picked up Bethesda’s mammoth RPG yet, the company is running a 33% off midweek madness sale on Steam as well, bringing the total damage down to $40. Alternatively, you can grab the entire Elder Scrolls Collection pack – which includes Morrowind and Oblivion – for $50.

“He’s excited to go into the casual space as well,” said co-founder Steve Campbell. “He’s got some projects that he’s excited about. So we’re kind of going down two separate paths.”

While the report suggests Jaffe is going down the casual route, he’s denied this on Twitter. He also makes mention of starting a new game company, further noting that he will remain at Eat Sleep Play for the next few months.

“Another 1.5-3 months). Still being paid with ESP paycheck,etc. But I WILL be leaving2start new game studio. Talking2peeps,” tweeted Jaffe.

No details on the open world effort were provided, though unless on the off-chance it’s a new IP, we’re placing our bets on a sequel to Red Dead Redemption. Given the enormous success of the first title, a follow-up seems like a no-brainer. The only question is: will it land on current or next-gen platforms?

In terms of less noteworthy changes, users can also expect to see the rebranding of PSN to SEN on account sign-in pages. The firmware is due out later this week on Wednesday. We’ll let you know when it’s live.

Outside of minor TOS alterations, the change is in name only, PSN as we know it will stay the same. Sony says the move will help further establish “a global comprehensive network platform of services across games, movies, music and more, all accessible from one convenient account.” That said, the company has been beating the integration drum for awhile now, so we’re not too surprised to see this happen.

Here’s the email in full:

On February 8, 2012, your “PlayStation®Network account” will be renamed a “Sony Entertainment Network account” or a “SEN account” in conjunction with Sony Computer Entertainment’s PlayStation®3 system software and PlayStation®Vita system software updates. (Note, this change will not be applied to the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system at this time.)

For general purposes, this account change is a change in name only. Your username or password will not change, nor are we asking you to change them. In accordance with this transition, some necessary naming changes will be made to the TOS and Privacy Policy.

This transition is based on Sony’s goal to enhance its unique digital entertainment offering. As a series of these activities Sony started last September, PlayStation®Network will be aligned with “Sony Entertainment Network.” This helps us get closer to our goal of establishing a global comprehensive network platform of services across games, movies, music and more, all accessible from one convenient account.

Thank you for your continued loyalty and support during this transition.

Sincerely,
The Sony Entertainment Network Team

“The TF2 team is working on something brand new for 2012. We can’t tell you what it is, because they won’t tell us, but what they WILL say is that it isn’t a hat, it isn’t a map, and go away. From this we can only conclude that the TF2 team is working on some ungodly hat-map hybrid that you can wear on your head while you run around in it. You heard it here first. Also last, because they just told us it’s not that either. But it’s really cool, ” reads an update on the TF2 blog.

TF2: the game that keeps on giving.

Beyond that, THQ shed light on its schedule for 2013 and beyond, which is full of big-hitters. We’ll see Devil’s Third from Tomonobu Itagaki of Ninja Gaiden fame and a yet-to-be named title from Turtle Rock Studio, the studio behind the original Left 4 Dead. Crytek-developed Homefront 2 is also on the same roadmap.

Deets on each map are provided below. For screens, hit up VGIMG.

Liberation: a militarized Central Park in the heart of NYC, featuring a vast landscape ripe for long-range sniper and LMG kills. Mounted turrets on opposing ends of the map offer overwhelming firepower to anyone brave enough to man them.

Piazza: set in an idyllic seaside village, Italian getaway gone rogue, where blind corners and a complex network of branching pathways pose danger at every turn. Visceral close-quarters combat dominates in Piazza, and attacks from above and below are an ever-constant threat.

The late debut carries a budget price, with the standard edition priced at $29.99, which includes downloadable content scenarios The Signal and The Writer. A Collector’s Edition will also be on offer for $34.99.

Key PC enhancements include a “wide selection of customizable graphics settings,” the ability to change field of view settings and hide on-screen HUD elements for more immersive gameplay, as well as AMD Eyefinity 3D and NVIDIA NVISION2 3D support.

The Creation Kit will give PC modders access to official tools Bethesda used to develop the game. Perhaps even more exciting is a mod delivery network dubbed Steam Workshop that will launch alongside the kit, allowing hobbyist developers to share their creations via Steam. Bethesda has given a sneak peek at the effort in the video clip below.

Notable features include one-click installs and the ability to subscribe to mods for automatic updating. If you’ve ever strayed away from mods due to the hassle of setting them up, well, there’s seemingly no excuse with this.

Although well-deserved, the promotion isn’t all that surprising, given that Sony has been grooming Hirai for awhile now. In a statement, Hirai acknowledged that Sony is facing challenging times, thanking Stringer for his leadership over the past seven years.

“As challenging as times are for Sony now,” said Hirai, “were it not for the strong leadership of Sir Howard Stringer these past seven years, we would have been in a much more difficult position.

It is refreshing to see a new yet familiar face at the helm of Sony. Here’s hoping that Hirai stepping in will turn things around.

Available on iOS and Android platforms, the app mimics functionality of the desktop Steam client, allowing gamers to chat with friends, browse community groups and user profiles, view screenshots and user-generated content for their favorite games, read the latest gaming news, stay up to date on unbeatable Steam sales, and more.’

With sales now always in arm’s reach, we fear for our wallets.

“Steam has always been a great platform for indie games and I have admired the way they have supported non-traditional game development with titles such as Terraria, Bastion, World of Goo, etc,” said Q Games boss Dylan Cuthbert.

He added, “We like PSN a lot but Baiyon and I also simply want to allow more people to experience Eden as it is a truly unique game, even now almost 4 years on it is still fresh and new. We had a blast revisiting it to prepare it for Steam.”

Look for Eden to hit Steam next week. It’ll set you back $9.99 regularly, but in true Steam fashion – to sweeten the deal for eager purchasers – a 20% discount will be applied during the first week.

“It’s true that there are many rumors, but I couldn’t tell you anything,” he told Lepoint.fr.

“The Wii is pressed for time because it is in decline. In our case, we have a lot less pressure. We were the last to leave before releasing the PS3, so we will probably be the last to announce something.”

This comes despite a recent report from MCV, which claimed the PS4 was due for an E3 2012 unveil. We suppose that could still be the case — this isn’t an outright dismissal, but an E3 announcement is certainly looking less likely on the Sony front.

No platform specifics were announced either, though considering the Phoenix Wright and Professor Layton mashup is destined for 3DS, we imagine it’ll stay on home turf.

Not counting a pair of spinoffs that starred hardnosed prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, the fourth entry in the series hit DS back in 2008, introducing a new face – upstart attorney Apollo Justice. Suffice to say, it’s been a long wait.

During its extensive beta period, which is still on-going, Blizzard has removed several core features from the game after finding that they did not properly fit the play style or lore of the game. The two most recent casualties which have been removed from the game in the latest patch are the companion pets and reforging scrolls.

Blizzard’s Community Manager, Nethaera, has explained to the community that the removal of these features have been a result of their undeveloped state. Nethaera also commented on the “cutesy” nature of the companion pets being a take-away from the dark and gritty environment. To further develop these features would result in delaying the game even longer, something neither Blizzard nor its community would were ecstatic about.

Apparently, after weeks of negotiation, Capcom was able to pull a few strings over at Nintendo HQ to bring down the cost. Revelations ships on a 4GB game cartridge, which is more expensive to produce. Somehow, though, we have a feeling the vocal outcry from fans had something to do with Capcom’s proactive stance on this too.

For those keen on pre-ordering, it may take a week or so before retailers update their product listings to reflect the price drop. At least one retailer – GameStop – is already showing it at $39.99.

Revelations hits US retailers next month on February 7.

The tidbit was revealed in a recap of its third-quarter financial results briefing. Notably, the effort joins several other key titles destined for 3DS later this year, including Paper Mario, Luigi’s Mansion 2, Heroes of Ruin, Bravely Default, and Mario Tennis.

No further details were spared, though we’d wager a bet that it will make an appearance at E3 later this year. Nintendo hopes its broad software lineup will position 3DS as the dominant mainstream platform.

Additional hours of gameplay: New major adventures set in previously unseen locations, expanding the story and introducing new characters, mysteries and monsters.

New Game Introduction and Cinematics: All new animations and cut scenes, including a new, three and a half minute pre-rendered cinematic depicting the assassination of King Demavend of Aedirn. BAFTA Award winner and Academy Award nominee Tomasz Baginski brings this key historical event to life, setting the stage for the story told in The Witcher 2.

A pretty hefty update. Might be high time for another playthrough.

This means you’ll never miss another Steam sale, which could potentially be bad for your wallet, but hey, we’re grateful anyway.

“The Steam app comes from many direct requests from our customers,” said Valve president Gabe Newell.

“Seeing which of your friends are online and playing a game, sending quick messages, looking at screenshots for an upcoming game, or catching a sale – these are all features customers have requested. Mobile is changing way people interact, play games and consume media, and the Steam app is part of our commitment to meet customer demands and expand the service functionality of Steam to make it richer and more accessible for everyone.”

Those who wish to join the beta can sign-up for possible inclusion by hitting up this link from their mobile device. The app is also now available in the associated iOS and Android markets.

Ubisoft’s announced that its majestic platformer Rayman Origins will arrive on PC March 29. Featuring beautiful hand-drawn visuals, the title retains the charm of Rayman’s original platforming romps, while introducing four player jump-in/jump-out co-op.

As a pre-order incentive, Ubi tells us that those who reserve the game now at “participating retailers” will receive a  downloadable copy of Rayman 2. Steam in particular was not mentioned, but we’d be surprised if it doesn’t turn up there soon.

We’ve included the system requirements, which look quite modest, after the break.

Minimum configuration
OS: Windows® XP SP3 / Windows Vista® SP2 / Windows® 7 SP1
Processor: Intel Pentium IV 3.00 Ghz or AMD Athlon64 3000+ @ 1.8 Ghz
Memory: 1 GB Windows XP / 1.5 GB Windows Vista – Windows 7
Graphics: 128 MB DirectX®9 / Radeon X600XT or GeForce 6800GT
DirectX®: DirectX 9.0c or higher
Sound: DirectX 9.0-compliant sound card

Recommended configuration
OS: Windows® XP SP3 / Windows Vista® SP2 / Windows® 7 SP1
Processor: Intel Core2Duo E4400 @ 2.00 Ghz or AMD Athlon64X2 3800+ @ 2.00Ghz
Memory: 2 GB Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7
Graphics: 256 MB DirectX®9 / Radeon HD 2600XT or GeForce 8600GT
DirectX®: DirectX 9.0c or higher
Sound: DirectX 9.0-compliant sound card

What studio will pick up the mantle? Sony clearly has plans for the franchise, considering Nihilistic is working on Resistance: Burning Skies for the Vita. It’s likely we’ll see future mainline entries picked up by one of Sony’s internal studios, however.

Insomniac is currently working on Overstrike, a 4 person co-op action game funded by EA.

This comes amid the company’s “jam-packed” schedule, as both Diablo 3 and StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm are slated for a release later this year. Perhaps Blizzard doesn’t want to take the chance of delaying their arrival any further. That said, it isn’t the first time BlizzCon has taken a break, as there wasn’t a show  in 2006 either.

Still, the absence of BlizzCon comes off as a bit surprising, considering it’s like a mini-E3 for Bliz fans these days. The attendance numbers certainly prove it — around 26,000 people attended last year’s show.

No further details were spared, only that it’ll be “something different,” presumably to complement the portable format. There’s no word if we’ll see it on launch day, either, though we  suppose it could always be added in via a patch later. Who knows, if Sony is adding in multiplayer for the US release, perhaps we’ll see other improvements as well.

Fenix Rising, the third piece of downloadable content included in the Gears of War 3 Season Pass, was made available on January 17^th and we were given the opportunity to review it.  The new content includes five new multiplayer maps, a new “re-up” option similar to Call of Duty’s prestige option, four “new” character skins, and additional weapon skins achieved through re-upping.

The new re-upping ability allows players, who have reached rank 100, to reset their rank and proceed through the ranks again with a new wing color each time. In addition to the new rank color, players also unlock a new weapon skin each time, allowing further distinguishing of their progression.

Unlike the Call of Duty series, the re-up option introduced with this DLC does not bring with it any consequences other than a loss of your rank number. In Call of Duty the prestige option makes more sense, allowing players to unlock their weapons and attachments again. The system rewards re-upped players with distinctive colors and weapon camo, and with no consequences it’s win-win situation in the Gears universe.

The new character skins include “Recruit Clayton” and “Savage Marauder” as well as two that were previously reserved for the Limited Edition, the “Savage Kantus” and “Thrashball Cole” skins.

However the stars of this show are the new maps: Academy, Anvil, Depths, Escalation, and the Slab. This is primarily a map pack after all with five maps that allow more avenues for Versus, Horde and Beast mode carnage.

The biggest issue I had with the new content was the inability to select a playlist dedicated to just the new maps. There are some playlists/game modes online that require the Fenix Rising DLC but none that solely contain FR maps. As a result you might will find it difficult to get into a match with these new maps. In two hours of playing online our resident “gear-a-holic” only managed to get into two of the maps, something echoed by my own experiences.

Academy

Academy is the most open of this particular pack with an open layout and very low cover, leaving players exposed at nearly every turn. On the left and right sides of the map are two flanking routes which are separated from the center of the map offering increased protection (Horde players will most likely favor this area). Epic does an excellent job creating the maps in such a way that location call-outs such as “fountain” or “monument” are instantly recognizable without looking at the overhead map.

Anvil

Anvil blends the outside combat of Academy with more corridor-like areas that provide adequate coverage for advancing and fleeing. The symmetrical map distinguishes between the two opposing sides with the addition of foliage/growth on one side. The callout locations are not as obvious as in Academy but most of the fighting is likely to occur in the middle of the map where the two sides clash. The map’s corridor areas flank each side of the map with open areas in the middle.

Depths

Depths takes the fight under the great blue with a map located in an underwater hotel-like structure. Epic has paid very close attention to all the details within the map, including the environment beyond the glass that separates you from the deadly water depths. Even the ambient sound is altered to give you a sense of a pressurized environment that you would find underwater. You’ll find a central overlook point on the map, easy to pick off enemies due to the low cover.

Escalation

The only map of the DLC that is not entirely new is Escalation, a remake of the classic by the same name from Gears of War. The most vertical map in the Gears of War series, Escalation pits two teams against each other battling up and down a staircase. Teams who spawn on the bottom have access to more weapons than the team on the higher ground, evening out the playing field. For fans of the original map you’ll find yourself right at home although I honestly don’t remember a lot of people showing much love for this map.

The Slab

The Slab, a map within a prison, is a straight corridor-shooter with a lot of tight corners and an abundance of coverage. There is a slight opening in the center of the map but most of the fighting occurs outside of the center. If you are a fan of close-quarter combat and the shotgun is your friend, The Slab is definitely the map for you. For interested players there is a small Easter egg that is available, although I wouldn’t suggest looking for it while in an active match as it does require some finesse.

So is the third DLC for Gears of War 3 worth the 2400 MS points ($10) that is being asked? You’ll get the most bang for your buck if you’re a fan of Horde and Beast mode as you will find it difficult to get into a game with these new maps in the regular map cycle. The five maps all cater to different play styles and you are certain to find at least one map that fits you.

The addition of the re-up system, additional characters and new weapon skins though add even more value to your traditional map pack. For those with a season pass the choice is obvious, download the pack (through the game’s menus) and call it a day. Those without a season pass will find the $10 well spent if still an avid Gears fan. You’ll get most out of if you enjoy playing Horde and Beast modes since it’s nearly impossible to get these maps in a regular rotation.

According to a Gamasutra report, users can also look forward to offerings from Robot Entertainment, CD Projekt Red, Freebird Games, Recoil Games, Autumn Games, 1C Company, inXile entertainment, Paradox Interactive, Core Learning Ltd. and N3V Games in the near future.

There’s no word on what titles we’ll see specifically from the aforementioned publishers, but you can bet that majority of them will be bringing the bulk of their Steam catalog over.

Undoubtedly, it’s a slightly better value proposition if the paltry 250MB isn’t enough, but our thoughts on the 3G version haven’t changed. Too expensive of a premium for what it offers, especially when you could always use your phone as a mobile hotspot instead. The PS Vita goes on sale February 22 in the states, with pricing set at $300 for the 3G unit, $250 for WiFi only.

“Hey Twitter, I’m no longer working at Blizzard or on D3. I’ve had a great 5 years there and those guys are going to kill it with Diablo,” said Parker. There’s no word on where he is headed.

What does it mean for the project? Probably not much, we certainly wouldn’t be concerned. High-level departures midway into development can be a blow, but Blizzard is way past that point as it would seem most resources have been diverted to simply polishing up the game and taking in feedback from the beta.

Given the small version bump from the current official 4.0 firmware, which was released two months ago in preparation for the Vita launch, it is likely this update introduces some very minor changes or bug fixes. Time will tell if Sony rolls out an equivalent firmware for retail units. If that’s the case, we’ll likely see it later this week.

Hit the break for more details.

OS: Windows Vista or Windows 7 (see below for Windows XP)
PROCESSOR: A dual core processor is required:
AMD: Athlon X2 2.8GHz
Intel: Core 2 Duo 2GHz
MEMORY: 2 GB
HARD DRIVE: 8 GB
VIDEO CARD: DirectX 10 compatible or later with 512MB RAM
AMD: ATI Radeon 3650, 4450, 5550, 6450 or higher (per series)
NVIDIA: GeForce 8600GT, 9500GT, GT120, GT430, GT520 (per series)
SOUND CARD: DirectX 9.0c compatible
INPUT: Mouse and keyboard, Xbox360 controller also supported

Both The Signal and The Writer DLCs will be included in the PC release.