Left 4 Dead 2 has become pretty famous in the gaming world for begin a "quick" sequel, but does it really make sense to petition against it? We argue that L4D2 will be worth it's price and even more.

"The service is due to launch this Autumn, and rumours have already begun to suggest that a total replacement of Sky Set-Top Boxes may well be on the cards. With Xbox 360’s retailing for only slightly more than a standard Sky Set-Top Box, it’s not out of the question to suggest that both may be offered to new customers as perhaps standard and premium options, aside the current standard, Sky+ and Sky+HD boxes. Of course, it’s not too difficult to figure out the benefits for both parties s..."

"Infinity Ward is arguably the king of first person shooters. After producing the stunning Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, they are hard at work getting there latest game, Modern Warfare 2 ready for release in November."

"With the announcement of Battlefield 1943 being released next week, we here at AnalogHype would love to share this unique game to several of our users. We are giving away Battlefield 1943 for the PS3 and the Xbox 360. How to win? Easy! Become an AnalogHype member and join the Battlefield 1943 group. As easy as that.Spread the word its the Summer of Hype!"

"There were rumors recently that Microsoft would be releasing a new Xbox bundled with Natal as their new controller. These rumors were quickly quashed, but I think that is rather unfortunate as I believe Natal is unlikely to succeed otherwise. In fact, I am pessimistic about all three of the new motion peripherals."

"Do you smell that? It’s the scent of hogwash. It’s coming from an interview with Sony’s product planning group head, Naoya Matsui at GameBusiness.jp (via Joystiq). Matsui revealed that Sony had always planned for its PlayStation Portable to go UMD-less, and that its new PSP Go is the end result of that vision."

"London's Monster Hunter Gathering Hall is almost ready to be opened to the public. We've got some pictures showing off the cool art all over the inside and outside of the building. Above is the outside (obviously), and below is the amazing art you can expect to see on the inside."

"Why vote? It matters to... something fun. I can't tell you exactly what that is YET, but if you like these characters or this game, take the time to tell us who you like best.

We're looking to see your very favorite character from the current Tatsunoko Vs Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars lineup, so pick one from the Tatsunoko side, and one from the Capcom side."

Oh that analyst Michael Pachter. He makes many many (many) claims about the gaming industry, but what do we know about him? Well here are 57 facts about the man you may not know.

This week's Soapbox sees X-Play host Adam Sessler contemplating gaming on the iPhone -- are fully featured games something to be taken seriously on Apple's technology, or is it fair to say we should leave it at "casual" games?

Hit the source to hear Adam's thoughts.

"What can other developers learn from this? How to keep gamers happy. I understand not every game can have added Live Vision Camera support (I have seen enough testicles playing UNO), but something like avatars support should be done without saying on most newer games. It doesn't hurt to be able to put one more line on your list of features.

With older games though, it comes down to .. "Why not?" Just looking at the XBLA games I own, I could easily see 3D Ultra Minigolf and Bomberman LIV..."

"The PlayStation brand has always been seen as pioneering in the UK. From the first system pushing 3D boundaries, to Dual Shock, to the PlayStation2’s DVD Playback capabilities to the sheer horsepower of the PLAYSTATION 3; whatever the brand may mean to gamers, these have been the unique selling points the system has been benefit to on the high street. For a brand that’s television coverage had previously been unrivalled in the videogames industry, the PlayStation’s success was thanks ju..."

"t’s been over five years since we last saw a Max Payne game, and fans have been been eagerly awaiting a return to the gritty film noir world presented in those games. Most people were initially pretty excited when the game was announced back in March, but since then some people have started to feel a little bit concerned that Max Payne 3 won’t live up to it’s predecessors. While the game does retain a lot of signature elements of the series, it does also break tradition in a lot of ways..."

This holiday is going to be bigger then ever with the all new racing line up starting this fall. Whether it'll be on a track, on the street, in the dirt, in the air, with ammunition or avoiding falling obstacles LVLONE has the run down of what consumers can expect in the up coming months. Here is part 1 for all the wheel burning goodness fans can expect.

"For example, Ocarina of Time forever changed the way we play Zelda. It was the first time gamers were able to immerse themselves in a three-dimensional Hyrule; fight enormous, impressive bosses; interact with characters with emotional depth never before seen in a Zelda game; and hear “Hey!” every twenty-five seconds. That can’t be duplicated.

“We’re under great expectations to exceed Ocarina of Time. . . There’s a feeling that we absolutely can’t ‘lose’ to Ocarina.” –..."

""How many times have you walked into an arcade to check out what’s the latest in arcade hits to play just to find the DDR master ramping up 230+ Perfects on something like the cruel, cruel song The Legend of Max? Or to stretch your eyes to the sight of Street Fighter champion Justin Wong single-handedly (he might as well) pummel every single opponent daring enough to challenge him.""

Penumbra series creator Frictional Games have a two-part blog post online detailing the history of violence in horror games, as well as film, and how each implementation impacts the "scare factor" we all love so much.

A great read!

It is the opinion of Neoseeker writer Lydia Sung that Nintendo has in recent years fallen a bit off the wagon, so to speak. Okay, a lot.

Citing her experiences at E3 this year, some of the company's contradictory statements and actions, and support of the mature audience (or lack thereof), she divulges on how Nintendo has missed the mark in a lot of ways, and touches on how they can fix it.

Have a read if you feel so inclined!

"The chief focus of this piece, is the perception of ‘gamers’ as a unified whole. This is far from the truth, as gaming culture is very much segmented, and in many ways similar to the average high school, although there are some key differences. Within the broad generalization of ‘gamers’ exist a vast number of cliques and factions."

"Something which I like to do on a regular basis is thinking about future game titles and franchises. It can range from looking at released (or leaked) screenshots, videos and other media and anticipating gameplay or thinking about the different vehicles, tracks and modes which the developers will have on offer. Something particular which came to mind though was the upcoming simulation racer Need For Speed SHIFT, due for release this November by developer Slightly Mad Studios."

"Dialogue. You can find it in any game. Whether they are seen or read, every game has quotes; some are memorable, some are easily forgotten. Maybe we experience it while obliterating our friends on Xbox Live, or while we’re being chased by ghouls down a dark hallway with only a baseball bat for defense. Sometimes it waits, hidden in the depths of a game’s menus, quests, inventories, narration–or as easter eggs to be discovered and enjoyed. Any gamer who has ever laughed, wanted to break ..."

"If there is something this recession has taught me, it is that life is cyclical. What goes up must come down. You reap what you sow. What goes around comes around. Insert any other clichés you can think of, but the point is, this isn’t the first financial crash we’ve seen, and it probably won’t be the last.

In 1983, the video game industry crashed. Warehouses were full. Stores had shelves and shelves of games they could not sell. Boys and girls did the unthinkable; they went outside..."

""Most top ten video game character lists are pretty typical. You have Mario, Master Chief, Link, Sonic, Megaman, Solid Snake, etc. People love these characters either because they’re attractive to play as, or because they’re simply part of long running franchises or nostalgic throwbacks that are difficult to criticize...my list of great characters takes a step away from the norm.""

With Epic disappointing many Gears of War fans with the multiplayer mode in Gears of War 2, should they re-release the original Gears of War as a stand alone multiplayer game with updated Graphics and new maps? It would certainly be a good seller!

"You may have heard about this epic MMO in development by the name of Cities XL. Well AnalogHype has truck full of beta codes so you the fans can get your hands on this game before everybody else does. All you have to do is join the Cities XL Beta Group and your entered to win! Spread the word"