The Latest News from VideoGamesBlogger

From today, at 9AM GMT (2AM PDT), you can play EA DICE’s Battlefield 1943 on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360. Battlefield 1943 will be available worldwide for 1200 Microsoft Points (that’s US$15 / €14.40 / £10.20 / CAN$18.60 / AU$19.80).

In Battlefield 1943 you pick your own path — be it as a rifleman, a steel fisted tank commander, or ace fighter pilot dog fighting to protect the skies. Play as a lone wolf or with your friends, coordinating to turn the tide of battle. Whatever you choose, in Battlefield 1943 you get to enjoy the thrill of a fully featured online shooter.

Game features include:

Watch the Battlefield 1943 launch trailer:

Today on Xbox 360, tomorrow on PS3, and on PC due September 2009.

LucasArts will release a ton of classic PC games from their back-catalog onto Steam for your downloading pleasure (at a cost of course) tomorrow, June 8th.

According to the press release the company says how this is the beginning of a new initiative “in its effort to revive its classic and beloved franchises.” They claim this is a “new mission to revitalize its deep portfolio of beloved gaming franchises.” Whoo-hooo!

There will be several “rounds” of releases that will be made available, with the first set including ten fan-favorites.

Here is the complete list of games to be released on July 8 via Steam:

* Armed and Dangerous
* Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
* Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure
* LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventure
* LOOM
* Star Wars Battlefront II
* Star Wars Republic Commando
* Star Wars Starfighter
* The Dig
* Thrillville: Off the Rails

“This effort is going to make it possible to introduce a whole new generation of gamers to LucasArts’ classic games,” said Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts. “It also gives more people a chance to play our games by making them available long after they’ve disappeared from store shelves. We hope our fans are as excited as we are about our plans and we can’t wait to share what’s coming next. This is just the beginning.”

This follows on the heels of Tales of Monkey Island, a new epic episodic storyline in the classic Monkey Island franchise that is now available on PC, and soon on WiiWare, with the first episode. And on July 15th fans will get The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, a remake of the original game with high-definition graphics, a re-mastered musical score and all new voice overs. It will be available on Xbox Live Arcade and PC.

DLC for Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood has been announced via three new packs that are in development for the game on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Two of the packs will offer new multiplayer maps, the last will focus on expanding the single-player game.

Other than that there aren’t any details on what exactly this new content will entail, but it is certainly welcome news for those players who have picked up the Western first-person shooter.

And if you do own the game, don’t forget to check out our Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood cheats page.

Via VG247

Syphon Filter 5 and SOCOM 4 are in development currently according to digital content creation company PCB Productions as listed on their web-site.

As far as Syphon Filter 5 is concerned the game is apparently in development by Sony’s Bend studio and PCB Productions will be providing the facial motion capture that the animators will be using in the game to make it more realistic.

SOCOM 4 is mentioned as in development but no information on the game is revealed, and neither title has officially been announced at this point.

Along what PCB has done includes content for Bioshock, development on most of the Call of Duty games, development on Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 1 and 2 and other big titles.

Neither of these titles would be a surprise if announced, but take the news with a grain of salt for now.

Via CVG

Sega has announced “the first Pilates workout program for Wii” called “Daisy Fuentes Pilates”. The game is being developed by Collision Studios and will be released on August 18th.

Set at a lush tropical resort and hosted by Daisy Fuentes, longtime Pilates icon, the title supports the Wii Balance Board and features customizable workouts, fitness tracking, real-time coaching and interactive feedback.

Daisy Fuentes Pilates, the first self-titled Pilates endeavor, goes beyond the one-way, static workouts of traditional DVDs using the Wii’s controls to monitor movements and offer instant feedback, ensuring proper body motion so players get the most from every Pilates session. Players stay on track following the integrated, on-screen “timing bar” as well as the real-time feedback from Daisy Fuentes herself, whose voice guides the exercises. Players will be able to choose between English and Spanish.

The game is built around 10 fundamental exercises that players craft into individual workout routines depending on their level of intensity (Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced). Players can track their results -– mapping the total amount of exercise completed and how well each movement was performed. Daisy Fuentes also offers exercise and healthy diet tips throughout the program to encourage a full-body approach to health and well-being.

“This is a great way to get Pilates training that fits your schedule and lifestyle,” said Daisy Fuentes. “You can start out as an absolute beginner then move into intermediate and advanced levels — all at your own pace, in the comfort of your own home, and with responsive feedback that helps ensure you’re mastering core skills correctly before you advance.”

Developed by Joseph Pilates in the early twentieth century, Pilates has become the exercise program of choice for a growing number of enthusiasts on a worldwide scale.

“Pilates is like no other exercise,” Daisy Fuentes continued. “It makes your muscles long and lean – not bulky. It focuses on the connection between your mind and body, giving you smooth control over your movements. And the Wii is a great way to practice it – whether you’re getting started for the first time or looking for a more convenient way to integrate Pilates into your ongoing exercise routine.”

“More and more people are choosing to work-out at home,” said SEGA of America’s VP of Marketing, Sean Ratcliffe. “Daisy’s targeted program for the Wii is a very effective way for the millions of Americans who practice Pilates to bring the experience into their living rooms, without losing the value of a group class and an instructor.”

Cuban-born Daisy Fuentes became a household name as an international television star on MTV and MTV Latino; and the first Latin worldwide spokesperson for Revlon. In her storied career she has hosted numerous national television shows, including House of Style and America’s Funniest Home Videos. In 2004, Daisy launched a fashion line, which now includes clothing, fragrances, handbags, accessories, sportswear and more. Daisy Fuentes was the spokesperson for the best-selling Winsor Pilates DVD series for many years.

Activision has announced that they are developing videogames based on the toy line Bakugan, which has been a major breakout hit and spawned a popular action animated TV series that airs on Cartoon Network (and Teletoon in Canada). The first Bakugan: Battle Brawlers game will be released on October 20th, 2009 in North America for Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2 and DS.

Bakugan tells the story of Dan and his friends as they battle their Bakugan Brawlers to save the planet of Vestroia and, ultimately, Earth from destruction. The toy line, developed by Spin Master Ltd., brings action to the popular genre of collectible trading card games with marble-like Bakugan spheres that transform into “battle brawling” action figures when rolled onto special game cards. A genuine toy craze in the 2008 holiday season, Bakugan recently won three “Toy of the Year” awards from The Toy Industry Association: overall Toy of the Year, Boy Toy of the Year, and Property of the Year.

The videogame will render the elements that made Bakugan a worldwide phenomenon into “mind-blowing digital experiences”. Everything a Bakugan enthusiast and gamer would love is included such as intense battles, the ability to create your own Brawler, cartoon quality graphics and multiplayer combat.

The games will be brought to the U.S. in collaboration with Corus Entertainment Inc.’s Nelvana Enterprises and are developed in Japan by NOW Production.

“Bakugan’s success in 2008 speaks for itself and we’re confident it will be even bigger in 2009,” said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. “It is our goal to expand this proven property in a way that both fans and gamers will love.”

Here is an overall trailer for the game.

And here is a DS version trailer.