Legendary game designer David Jaffe, known best for his work on Twisted Metal and God of War, has updated his blog with details of his work (confirming that he’s still with Sony) and a not-so-surprising bit about the God of War franchise: A GOD OF WAR TRILOGY!!!!

I CAN tell you that God of War 2 is shaping up very, very nicely. I played a bunch of levels last week and it’s really, really fun. The art and music is much better than the first game and there is some damn fine level design going on in the new game. As Cory and I have said to the press, this is the second act of a bigger story. And when you are making a game, you never really know if the game will turn out good enough to merit another one in the series. But after last week, I can say I am very confident of our chances to be able to complete the GOD OF WAR trilogy. You never know, but that’s me just putting it out there.

It’s obvious that nothing is set in stone yet, but the popularity of the original God of War and the hype surrounding the upcoming sequel will make sure that it’ll be flying off store shelves once it hits stores February 2007, thus ensuring the third (and most probably final) game in the violently-gratifying series.

Epic’s Mark Rein had a lot to say during his speech in the Develop Conference in Brighton. First up, he bashed Intel for promoting integrated graphics on the motherboard, saying that the processor company is “killing PC gaming”.

He also talked about episodic gaming, calling it a “broken business”; he believes companies should focus on working on cohesive, complete games. According to the report, these remarks were met with boos and hiss from the audience, accusing him of being a “dinosaur” and “self-serving” (referring to Unreal Engine 3).

On IGN is word that Nintendo will release the DS Lite Jet Black version in Japan on September 2 for a retail price of 16,800 yen. The system will be the fifth color variation of the popular handheld, following Ice Blue, Emerald Navy, Crystal White and Noble Pink (not released yet).

The site also reports that Square Enix will release the Final Fantasy III Crystal Edition limited edition package (pictured) to coincide with the August 24 release of the game. The package will include a copy of the game and a Crystal White DS Lite covered in FFIII character artwork and logo. It will retail for 22,780 yen.

Although the Final Fantasy DS Lite is not expected to be released anywhere outside of Japan, the Jet Black version of the handheld may very well be launched in other regions.

Following up on the controversial Dutch PSP ad, Reuters reports that Sony has removed the ad and cancelled the advertising campaign for the new white PSP in the region; the company has also apologized to anyone who was offended by the advertisement.

Most interestingly, Sony had received only one complaint from within Netherlands, where it was advertised.

In a huge press release, EA announced its Summer 2006 lineup, showcasing 20 new titles on 11 (yes, eleven) platforms. Below is the list; full details after the jump.

• Madden NFL 07
• NASCAR 07
• NBA LIVE 07
• NCAA Football 07
• NFL STREET 3
• NHL 07
• Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 07
• The Godfather (Xbox 360)
• The Godfather: Mob Wars (PSP)
• Need For Speed Carbon
• Battlefield 2142
• SUPERMAN RETURNS: THE VIDEOGAME
• Downtown Texas Hold’em 2
• Fight Night Round 3
• Madden NFL 07
• NBA LIVE 07
• Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 07
• Orcs & Elves
• SimCity
• Tetris

(more…)

Sony has switched to plan B for movies on the PSP: bundle movies with Memory Sticks! In a somewhat smart move, the company plans on launching two Memory Stick Entertainment Packs that will allow users to transfer specially optimized movies to the memory stick to be viewed on the PSP.

They will be available in 1 and 2 GB packs, with an installer DVD. Using the DVD, users will have to use the given unlock code to transfer one of four Sony movies to the Memory Stick. The lineup of movies includes Hitch, SWAT, The Grudge and XXX: State of the Union.

The 1 GB and 2 GB entertainment packs will be available starting next month for about $60 and $100, respectively. There is no word whether this will be launched outside of North America.

Giving even more incentives to stick with its premium online network, Microsoft has announced Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays, a new program that will let gamers enjoy a new classic retro game each week for a whole month. It has already started – July 12 saw the release of Konami’s 1981 classic Frogger which will subsequently be followed by these titles:

• 19th July – Cloning Clyde
  
• 26th July – Galaga
  
• 2nd August – Street Fighter II’ Hyper Fighting
  
• 9th August – Pac-Man

Sony has recently been under a lot of fire for its tactics with the PS3: high price and the inclusion of Blu-ray technology. However, the company is not without its supporters – Midway boss David Zucker, in a video interview to Eurogamer, has reinforced his support for the company, dismissing fears that the high price tag on the PS3 will discourage potential buyers.

“There’s a lot in the PlayStation 3; think about the fact that you get Blu-ray, the next-generational leap in DVD – you get a Blu-ray player in the machine,” he said, adding that the price of the console will lower through its life cycle. When asked about the important of next-gen DVDs, he said: “…if PlayStation 3 is huge, the gamer helping to drive that, that’s going to have a big impact in helping Blu-ray DVD technology. It’s going to work both ways.”

The rest of the interview has Zucker talking about the “dramatic turnaround in product quality” Midway has achieved, the company’s global ambitions and other related topics.

A new update on America’s Army website has announced plans for Overmatch, a new v2.7.0 of the game which is being described as the “biggest release ever” for the freeware military shooter.

Due for release sometime this Summer, the update will add a new mode allowing co-operative multiplayer play against AI opponents and asymmetric combat with mismatched numbers of enemies. Further details, including information on the AI, can be found on the game’s website.

The second content module for Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach, dubbed Twilight Forge, has been released. Second in a series of upcoming modules, Twilight Forge introduces a new story consisting of a series of adventures concluding with an “epic” encounter against the Warforged Titan.

Twilight Forge also offers other new features, including the introduction of the drow as another playable race, content for players of all levels, enhanced grouping tools, in-game mail system, and more.

The module is free of charge to all current DDO subscribers.

Physics software company Havok has officially announced the release of Havok 4, the latest in its modular suite of its physics tools for easing development of cross-platform games.

The new version enhances the suite by adding two new products – Havok Behavior and Havok FX – accelerating development of sophisticated interactive character behaviors and delivering an “unprecedented” level of physics based special effects. The company is also focusing more on next-gen cross-development, optimizing support for PlayStation 3 and Windows Vista.

Havok 4.0’s tools and SDK are designed to be modular and open – so they can be integrated easily into existing production pipelines, reducing the overall iteration time needed to create immersive game-play experiences and special effects. The Havok 4.0 suite is backed by expert support and professional services, leveraging the experience of over 160 commercially released Havok-powered game SKUs.

In the 4.0 release, Havok’s HydraCore™ technology has been optimized to distribute physics and animation even more broadly across specialized cell and multi-core processing units in today’s most advanced game and PC hardware configurations. This maximizes game-play responsiveness and overall performance, enabling literally thousands of game-critical, game-play objects and characters to interact in real-time.

Havok Behavior™ introduces an SDK and stand-alone composition tool that works seamlessly with Havok’s plug-in tools for 3ds Max, Maya, and XSI, enabling rapid creation of real-time blending and character performances that respond intelligently to other characters and the physical world around them.

Havok FX™ adds an unprecedented level of hardware-accelerated physical phenomena, by utilizing graphics processing (GPU) technology from industry giants like NVIDIA and ATI to simulate tens of thousands of objects that collide in real-time, to add eye-popping effects to games.

The announcement states that the first games making use of Havok 4.0 will be out this Fall/Winter.

Activision has answered the call of duty and revealed full details of Call of Duty 3, its upcoming WW2 action title in the venerable franchise. Set for release this Fall, and confirmed to be a PS3 launch title, the game will take players to fight in the Normandy Breakout, assuming the roles of four Allied soldiers – American, British, Canadian and Polish.

More details and screenshots below:

The Power of Next-Gen – Built from the ground-up for next-gen consoles, Call of Duty 3 brings the battle to life with advanced graphics, a new physics engine, a procedural environment and detailed ensemble animations that deliver the most cinematic war experience ever.

(Screenshots from the Wii version)

Battle Actions – An all-new close-quarters battle mechanic allows players to fight hand-to-hand, improvise explosive devices, disarm traps and execute a host of other battlefield situations that require cunning and rapid reflexes to survive.

Branching Mission Paths – Next-generation level design provides multiple attack routes that let players decide how to confront the enemy – flank an opponent, or hit him head-on. Each unique mission path requires special tactics, from sniping and demolition to all-out head-on clashes.

(Screenshots from the PS3 version)

Nowhere to Hide – Environmental physics allow players to destroy enemy soft cover hideouts, forcing foes out in the open. But be wary, opponents can eliminate your protective cover as well.

Team-based Multiplayer with Vehicles – Combined arms and team-based combat provides unprecedented depth and variety by allowing up to 24-players to battle it out online with the option of single or split-screen Internet play. Gamers have the choice to play as infantry or commandeer multiple-occupancy vehicles, including tanks, jeeps, and motorcycles with side-cars, leading to unique mobile combat roles for all-out, multiplayer mayhem. Call of Duty 3 also offers soldier classes, each with class specific abilities, and a ranking system for truly diversified squad combat.

(Screenshots from the Xbox 360 version)