Gadgets and Video Games

We already broke out the news you’re looking for: Each of the Windows Phone 7 Xbox Live-infused games will offer its players 200 Gamerscore points. You’ll be able to boost your Xbox rep in significant chunks without having to hunker down in front of a big screen for long stretches.

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GDC Impressions: Gaming on Windows Phone 7

Heads up, dear readers — we know you’re excited to check out the recently released Assassin’s Creed 2 DLC, Bonfire of the Vanities , but before you blindly snatch up the new content from your console’s designated online marketplace, make sure you check the descriptions. There are actually two different versions of the Bonfire DLC: one that includes the new Bonfire of the Vanities game sequence and the three secret Templar lairs which were included in the game’s “Black Edition” (560 / $6.99); and one that only comes with the new sequence (320 / $3.99).

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Assassin’s Creed 2 ‘Bonfire’ DLC and ‘Black Edition’ content out today

Hot on the heels of the recently released Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter , Croteam and Devolver Digital have announced that Serious Sam: The Second Encounter will also receive the HD treatment. The serious sequel is slated to arrive on PC and “home console” in early 2010 and, like The First Encounter , it will receive a graphical overhaul to make all the carnage ever so smooth . In addition to the resolution upgrade, Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter will feature a new co-op tournament mode that will “allow teams to compete with one another.” Shocking, we know.

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Serious Sam: The Second Encounter getting HD treatment

According to comments made to Edge by EA Montreal general manager Alain Tascan, you can expect more big action titles like Army of Two: The 40th Day from the studio. While previous Wii games, including Skate It , Boogie Superstar and the recently released Need for Speed: Nitro , have enjoyed acceptable levels of success, Tascan believes that targeting HD consoles with “fewer and bigger things” might yield improved results. It’s a prudent approach, no doubt stemming from the publisher’s recent layoffs . Tascan explains that the Wii market is “a little bit unpredictable these days,” further encouraging a shift to additional “big, blockbuster-type titles.” We probably don’t need Tascan to point out that Army of Two is “the most successful original IP EA has had in the last few years,” since it’s the first to get a big, blockbuster sequel ahead of Dead Space and — can we dream?

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EA Montreal shifting focus to ‘big, blockbuster-type titles’

According to comments made to Edge by EA Montreal general manager Alain Tascan, you can expect more big action titles like Army of Two: The 40th Day from the studio. While previous Wii games, including Skate It , Boogie Superstar and the recently released Need for Speed: Nitro , have enjoyed acceptable levels of success, Tascan believes that targeting HD consoles with “fewer and bigger things” might yield improved results. It’s a prudent approach, no doubt stemming from the publisher’s recent layoffs . Tascan explains that the Wii market is “a little bit unpredictable these days,” further encouraging a shift to additional “big, blockbuster-type titles.” We probably don’t need Tascan to point out that Army of Two is “the most successful original IP EA has had in the last few years,” since it’s the first to get a big, blockbuster sequel ahead of Dead Space and — can we dream?

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EA Montreal shifting focus to ‘big, blockbuster-type titles’

We thought the Haggar billboard and Metro City license plate in the new car-smashing bonus stage would be the only Final Fight nods in Super Street Fighter IV . Scans from Famitsu show that Final Fight ’s two shirt-wearing protagonists, Cody and Guy, will appear as playable fighters in the game. The appearance of Adon, along with Cody’s striped prison getup, means that the fighters are appearing in their Street Fighter Alpha incarnations.

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Famitsu: Cody, Adon, and Guy join Super Street Fighter IV

“In recent years, we failed to put adequate resources behind the franchise and, as a result, quality suffered ,” EA Games label president Frank Gibeau said of the Need for Speed franchise, currently in the midst of a reboot with the well received Need for Speed: Shift , the recently released Need for Speed: Nitro , and the we’re-not-sure-that’s-going-to-work Need for Speed: World Online . But there’s a fourth post-reboot Need for Speed title in development at Criterion Games , the devs behind the excellent Burnout series. Removing any doubt that the series will miss an opportunity for annual exploitation (again, the massively multilpayer online racing of World Online doesn’t count!) Gibeau said “Next year’s Need for Speed has been under development now for some time at our award-winning Criterion Studio.” We’re not sure what type of Need for Speed Criterion is creating, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it was heavy on the crashing. Criterion-developed Need for Speed coming ‘next year’ originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:10:00 EST.

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Criterion-developed Need for Speed coming ‘next year’

Speaking to Joystiq, Microsoft’s Frank O’Connor, creative director of 343 Industries , said that he worries “constantly” about the possibility of the market being oversaturated with Halo . When asked about the amount of Halo products out there (namely ODST , upcoming books , more comics , Halo Legends and the recently released encyclopedia), O’Connor said, “I worry about that constantly.” Regarding the various Halo products, O’Connor said, “All of that stuff has existed in the past, and it exists because of one simple reason, which is demand. We wouldn’t make it if we weren’t continually being asked for it.” He added, “We obviously turn down almost infinitely more stuff than we actually produce, but when we produce it there’s a good reason and a good plan and a strong demand.” As an example, O’Connor noted Halo Wars Risk , saying that the two games “had a natural connection” and that board game manufacturers actually received requests for a Halo strategy game. Still, he said that 343 has also had requests for things that “don’t make any sense.” Even if there is a demand, said O’Connor, “If it doesn’t actually make sense and it’s completely crazy, we won’t do it.” Keep an eye out for the full interview later this week

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343 Industries worries ‘constantly’ about Halo oversaturation

Split/Second isn’t like most racing games — this much you already know. Like most racers, it has the super-fast cars, tight turns and limited slip differentials, but you can’t take down whole buildings mid-race in most games in the genre. In fact, you can’t blow up huge boats, either. Basically, it’s like Burnout , except the world around you is the thing that gets smashed into bits . All of that (and more) happens in the very brief glimpse of gameplay above

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Latest Split/Second trailer blows up buildings, gigantic boats

When celebrities get on board for a game, the inevitable pitfall is the dreaded interview where said celebrity awkwardly tries relating to the “gamer” crowd (trust us, we know all about it .) With DJ Hero dropping this week, celebrity sponsor Jay-Z sat down with MTV News to talk about how much of a gamer he is (hint: not so much) and his support for the cultural awareness opportunities inherent in the recently released turntable title. “Immediately, of course, with the success of Guitar Hero , you know, [DJ Hero] piqued my interest, and then on top of that it was something from the hip-hop culture. So, anytime you can, you know, I can expand the genre and introduce it to new audiences and widen it — you know, the reach of what hip-hop can do — you know, I’m interested in that,” Jay-Z explains in the video interview (embedded after the break). As far as Jay-Z’s gaming roots, that’s another story altogether.

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Jay-Z is a gamer; likes Madden and, uh, you know, stuff like Madden