Xbox Live Prices Increasing Starting In November

Microsoft announced today that subscription rates for Xbox Live will be increasing beginning on November 1st, 2010.  The service, whose price has remained the same through out its lifetime will be increasing rates as follows: 

One month:  Previously $7.99, now $9.99
Three Months:  Previously $19.99, now $24.99
One Year:  Previously $49.99, now $59.99
*Source:  Email from Microsoft

Though anyone that pays full price for a year of Live is a sucker, this will likely have a small increase in the price that you can find for a 12 Month card out there online.

Public Service Announcement - PSN Down

Sony announced via Twitter yesterday in the middle of the night that the PSN would undergo maintenance today between the hours of 12:00 AM PST and 12:30 PM PST.  This can prevent access to the Playstation Store, prevent sign in to the PSN at all, prevent online gaming from operating properly, and cause a maintenance page to appear when trying to access the PSN on the web.  The maintenance is reportedly to complete a "major database upgrade". 

Here's hoping the database upgrade somehow speeds up PSN downloads.  Sure would be nice to get a little more advance notice, as well as more conspicuous notice, considering the magnitude of the reported work.  The average gamer trying to use the PSN today likely has no idea why they can't game online right now.  I know I don't recall seeing any notice of this while using my PS3 even as late as 11:30 EST last night.

Two Months From Supreme Court Hearing

We're slightly more than two months away from the Supreme Court hearing the case of Schwarzenegger v. EMA.  If you're unfamiliar with this case, it stems from California's long time assault on video games in the state.  The state of California contends that the ESRB ratings system is not enough, and that more regulation is needed for mature video games, while the courts have told them to get bent on numerous occasions citing the First Amendment.  This will be the first time in history the Supreme Court has heard a case related to gaming, and is a landmark moment in history for gaming.  If the Supreme Court sides with the lower courts, legal precedent is set that games are treated as any other form of media and are protected by the First Amendment.  If they differ, gaming will certainly change as we know it.  All manner of new regulation may be imposed, restricting the creativity of those making the games we love.  Books, music, TV, and movies all enjoy unrestricted freedom of creativity during creation.  There are ratings systems for all of these mediums except for books.  These ratings systems have come to be the standard for regulating the respective industries with respect to access to materials by those who weren't the target audience.  Gaming is no different than any of these other mediums.  It can evoke emotion.  It can be violent.  It can be sexual.  It can be positive.  It can be negative.  Yet it is the only one of these mediums that is continually assaulted criticized with the ferocity we see in California.  The Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA) is submitting an amicus curiae brief to the court on behalf of the gaming public.  This briefing will contain the (electronic) signatures of the gaming public supporting EMA.  If you wish to sign this petition and help defend gamers' rights, head on over to the petition page and get to signing!

Need a New 360? Now's the Time

Dell is running one of their console specials, this time for the new 250GB 360 S model.  Pick one up for $279.99 and get free shipping, saving $20 over normal price.

Motorstorm 3D Rift coming to PSN Tomorrow

Motorstorm fans will be able to get their fix 3D style starting tomorrow when Sony drops Motostorm 3D Rift onto the PSN.  Sony announced the $9.99 downloadable will feature 10 tracks from Pacific Rift "3Dified" for those fortunate enough to own a 3D TV.  If you still want to partake and don't have a 3D TV, the game has a 2D mode for those of us not on the bleeding edge.

Lair of the Shadowbroker Mass Effect 2 DLC Announced

Via their Twitter account, Bioware announced today that more DLC is coming for Mass Effect 2.  The Lair of the Shadowbroker content will arrive September 7th for 800 MS Points.  The content returns you to Ilium and will feature new research, the addition of the "Shadow Broker Intel Center", and adds 5 new achievements to the game.

Portal 2 Serves Up More Cake On February 9th, 2011

IGN reported today that Valve has announced a release date for everyone's favorite game including a homicidal computer.  Portal 2 makes its way to PS3, Xbox 360 and PC on 2/9/11, delighting cake lovers and gamers alike!

Mass Effect 2 Lands on PS3 This January

Bioware announced today at Gamescom that their flagship console RPG would be making its PS3 debut this January.  PS3 owners rejoice, you'll get to enjoy this year's likely game of the year for many publications early next year.  Does this mean that Mass Effect 2 can potentially win game of the year two years in a row?  If any game could, it sure can.

Nazi Zombies to Return to Call of Duty: Black Ops

IGN reported late Friday that one of the best parts of Treyarch's last CoD game would be making its return in the latest iteration of the franchise.  Nazi Zombies, the 1-4 player co-op mode pitting you and your friends against the horde of undead was a favorite in my circle of gaming friends, and this announcement will certainly be met with cheers.  There is, however, a catch to this.  In order to get your zombie fix, you have to purchase the "Hardened" or "Prestige" versions of the game.  This means the price of entry will set you back at least another $20.  It has not yet been confirmed whether purchasers of the standard edition will be able to pick up the mode via the PSN or Xbox Live DLC.  The mode will come with the same 4 maps that appeared in World at War, and nothing has yet been confirmed that there will be any DLC to add new maps.

Venturing into pure speculation mode here, but I can hardly believe that this won't be DLC for those purchasing the standard edition of the game.  And for those on the PS3, you can lessen the blow via PSN sharing, allowing you and your friends to get your zombie on for a paltry $5 each.

This is an interesting move by Treyarch.  I can't blame them for wanting to monetize the zombie mode, but they've went about it in entirely the wrong way.  The better model is certainly to include the mode and one map for all players and then to pick up the extra coin through DLC maps.  Going about it in this way is extremely short sighted, as now you have splitered the community by requiring a purchase to get in the game.  Hopefully they see the light before the game's release on November 9th.

UPDATE - After posting, found the actual tweet by the Treyarch Community Manager quoted by IGN:

"All 4 existing #CoDWaW Zombies maps will be included in Hardened & Prestige Editions of #CODBlackOps as callback co-op levels!"

Reading this tweet, it seems more to me that the Zombie mode will be included in all versions, but those purchasing the premium versions of the game will be granted all the World at War maps.  I have a tweet out to the Community Manager for confirmation.

Amazon DotD: Fight Night Round 4 - $13

If you've yet to pick this one up, this is probably the time.

Irrational Games Lifts the Curtain on Bioshock Infinite

In a unique announcement last night, Irrational Games announced the existence of Bioshock Infinite.  Publisher 2K Games is on a roll with me now, as previously mentioned yesterday they announced new DLC for another fantastic game, Borderlands.

The game focuses on a new story, but with similar underpinnings from what was described in releases from multiple media outlets.  Irrational essentially decides to pull Rapture out of the sea, lift it into the sky, and rename it Columbia.  The major difference from the information we've been given though, is that the city is in far better shape than Rapture.  Splicers don't run rampant, and apparently there will be a little more NPC interaction this time around.  Scheduled for release some time in 2012 on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, it looks to be an exciting new story in a brand new setting.  Looking forward to getting my hands on this one!

2K Announces New Borderlands DLC - Claptrap Style!

Via their Twitter account, 2K Games linked to a Kotaku article officially announcing the DLC that some already knew was coming.  "Claptrap's New Robot Revolution" pits you against the little guys you've always wanted to shoot but never could.  Led by the Interplanetary Ninja Assassin Claptrap found elsewhere in the game, these guys are out to break their enslavement to the corporations and rule all.

As a friend of mine and I are nearing the end of the General Knoxx DLC, this announcement couldn't have come at a more perfect time.  One of my favorite games for sure, looking forward to all the claptrap inspired enemies to come.  Look for the DLC in September for $9.99 on PSN or for 800 MS Points.

Welcome one and all!

Welcome to what eventually will be veteran-gamer.com!  A little about me, your host, first!  I'm an early thirties father, and have been married 5 years.  I decided to start this site because I think that those of us gamers that are a little beyond what might be considered the target demographic for gaming are a little missed when it comes to perspective from most gaming sites.  Not to knock other sites at all, cause I love me some IGN and Joystiq, but I think that they're certainly geared to the teenage to late 20's crowd.  Those of us that may be a little older still love our games!  We still love talking about our games!  We just may not get to play as many games as we used to, and that's where I'm coming from.  You can catch major news here when it happens, occasionally a review or two as I'm able to finish games, and when I'm set up for it, a podcast recapping the week that was in gaming.  So sit back, grab yourself a refreshing beverage, and welcome to Veteran Gamer!