First Look: The Hunger Games Bonus Features

In anticipation of the August 18, 2012 home video release of The Hunger Games (details here), Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment have unveiled a trailer for the disc's bonus features. Check it out:

Here's a breakdown of all the bonus features:

• The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games: An eight-part documentary covering the "making of" the film in all aspects from the pre-production process all the way through the theatrical release and fan reactions


• Game Maker: Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games Phenomenom


• Letters from the Rose Garden featurette: Insights from Donald Sutherland on the development of his role as President Snow


• Controlling the Games: Stories and concepts behind creating the control center


• A Conversation with Gary Ross and Elvis Mitchell


• Propaganda Film (in its entirety)


• Marketing Archive


• Both the DVD and Blu-ray include a Digital Copy


• Preparing for The Games: A Director's Process (Blu-ray Exclusive)

Suggested retail for the Blu-ray is $39.99. You can pre-order the Blu-ray on Amazon for $22.96. The DVD suggested retail is $30.98. Amazon's pre-order price for the DVD is currently set at $18.96.

Stay tuned for more news, and look for a Blu-ray review of The Hunger Games in August!

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Source : ign[dot]com

Mojang to release Minecraft 1.3 on 1st August

In a blog post, Mojang announced Minecraft 1.3 will be available on the 1st of August.

Version 1.3 will include many sweeping changes to the popular game.

“The most dramatic change is that we’ve kicked out single-player, and made it a shell on top of multi-player. There are two major benefits to this: first, it’s required for the modding api if we don’t want to have multiple implementations of every mod, and second, if we fix a bug in single-player, we know the bug is fixed in multi-player, too. Previously we had to fix bugs both in relation to single-player and multi-player.”

Other changes include adding emerald ore that can be used for currency in villages to purchase and sell goods, the ability to write in books, the addition of trip wire to create contraptions, “added new stairs, new half-slabs, cocoa plants and tweaked dispensers, leaves, cauldrons, levers, gravel, pressure plates, cookies, buckets, boats, minecarts, ice, furnaces… Plus you get magic orbs from mining and smelting (and not just killing monsters)!”

Also added is a bare bones “adventure mode,” which is promised to be more fleshed out in version 1.4.

There is one glaring problem caused by the restructuring of multi and single player modes, however, resulting in an increase of computing power needed since “…the game needs to be able to both simulate and emulate the world, which take many more CPU cycles. We’re working on optimizing rendering, but those improvements will not be included until Minecraft 1.4.”

Furthermore some features and bug fixes that were supposed to be in 1.3 have been pushed back until version 1.4. Notably they failed to fix a lighting glitch that makes some blocks appear black, and failed to provide the user with an API for modding due to time constraints.

Version 1.3 brings about a ton of changes that should prove to keep Minecraft players very busy, until version 1.4 is released sometime in the future.

A list of all the changes between versions can be found on Reddit.

Source : ign[dot]com

Nintendo 3DS XL - First Images

Nintendo has released official images for the 3DS XL. The new system, which was announced during today's Nintendo Direct broadcast, will be available to purchase on August 19 (the same day as New Super Mario Bros. 2). In addition to larger screens, the new system will also sport a longer battery life, and will sell for $199.99.

And now, without further ado, the 3DS XL...

 

For more on the 3DS XL as its launch date approaches, keep it here on IGN.



Source : ign[dot]com

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Release Date Announced

If you've been anxiously waiting for your chance to play Valve Software's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, then you'll be happy to learn that it comes out August 21st for PC, Mac, Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. Today's press release stats that it will be "approximately" $15 on all platforms, and will have new maps, modes and leader boards.

For our latest impressions on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, as well as detailed breakdowns of how the maps have changed, check out our exhaustive coverage of the Beta.

 

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/04/counter-strike-global-offensive-release-date-announced

Darksiders 2 Release Date Announced Ads By Google » Blog Tags Today's Most Popular Videos »

The release date of Darksiders 2 has been announced by THQ. You'll be able to play with Death as he journeys to save his brother's name on August 26,2012. 

THQ has a lot riding on the success of Darksiders 2, as the company recently layed off a slew off employees and the company's president took a 50 percent pay cut, signaling to investors a desire to be a lean, more focused company that puts out successful games.

THQ also announced that the game's been pre-ordered five times more than Darksiders, which is great considering the state of THQ right now.

Once we hear more news on Darksiders 2, we'll be sure to update you with the latest info. To make the wait go by faster, check out our latest Darksiders 2 hands-on preview.

Source : http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/722915/darksiders-2-release-date-announced/