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It was recently announced that the Xbox 360 has topped all consoles in worldwide sales last year for the first time since 2006. This would have been huge news just a few years ago. What happened to the console war?
"When MAG launched back in January, developers Zipper Interactive often commented that the game was a "growing platform" and since it has spawned numerous downloadable expansions and has been subject to several makeovers. We reported during Gamescom that Zipper were opening a beta packed with new features, and today they confirmed that all of these add-ons are now available to MAG players across the globe in title update 2.0:"
"It’s not uncommon for a retailer to let slip a game’s existence by listing it for sale before it’s formally announced. It’s also not uncommon for retailers to be totally and completely wrong. Wal-Mart’s online store lists MAG 2, the sequel to this year’s PS3 FPS, as coming out in January of next year."
"DS writes, "I’m upset Zipper Interactive didn’t see all of this potential much sooner and complete these features before launch. It took 9 months to deliver this to the community, and for a great deal of players that proved to be too long (which is evident by the diminishing player-base the game has). I guess like the labor and delivery of a newborn baby, these features will all bring beautiful miracles to the MAG gaming experience. And for that I thank Zipper Interactive, Sony Computer Enter..."
"Fans of MAG have been clamouring to get onto the new MAG beta launched last week but just what is the beta all about? Well rather than just a ploy to bring in new players, the new Beta is only for experienced players who already have the original disk to test out some new ideas before they are thrust onto the community by being implemented into the full game. Also as with all beta’s its used to work out any bugs and gain valuable feedback on the game. As there is quite a bit of new stuff bei..."
New MAG feature allows players to get more out of their game. Find out exactly what this means to your gameplay experience in this DualShockers report where three classes come under one umbrella.
The top 10 best-selling premium Playstation Network avatars so far on the North American Playstation Store, according to the latest Playstation Pulse episode.
"Zipper Interactive has released MAG v1.07 update. But one funny detail concerns Playstation Home personal space. Updated today, MAG gamers will have the possibility to gather their soldiers and plan next battles in Playstation Home new Raven’s personal space."
Playstation 3 gamers have plenty of great new releases to pick from the first-half of 2010, especially when it comes to exclusive games on the system.
"Over the years we have seen many amazing games that have been coupled with great names. However, from time to time, there will be the occasional game that offers you a great gaming experience at the expense of horrible and undesirable names."
"February was an incredibly busy month for video games, considering it’s only the beginning of the year. This episode, the guys from GamesCastLive chat about Mass Effect 2, Dante’s Inferno, Heavy Rain, MAG, MX vs ATV: Reflex and Aliens vs Predator. Find out what they had to say about these titles, as well as look forward to what March has to offer."
Jeremy Dunham of Zipper Interactive (the developer behind MAG and the SOCOM series) comments about the possibility of his team developing a non-shooting game in the near future.
All Age Gaming's Danny Yee takes a look at the huge multiplayer shooting game, exclusive to the Playstation 3, MAG (Massive Action Game). With huge maps and either 64, 128 and 256 players online per map, does this bold online shooter succeed? Find out after the jump.
"MAG doesn’t spend a lot of time fleshing out a deep story for players. It’s pretty simple and it works though. It’s the near future and instead of the world being dominated by governments, corporate entities have taken control and battle one another for all-out economic control. There are three different corporate militias including a Russian-esque coalition, UK/US group and a Western European group."
"‘256 Players Online Simultaneously’ – Quite a self-proclaimed statement from Sony’s new online-only FPS frag-fest, MAG, which pits the incredibly large amount of said players in all out warfare. But is this shooter of gargantuan proportions too good to be true?"
Zipper Interactive outlines the future fixes for the several prominent glitches in MAG, including a bug that prevents respawning and S.V.E.R. players disarming explosives through doors from the inside.
"On this weeks episode WildBillYurkas from Twitter joins Ronnie and Andreas to talk about January NPDs, Halo: Reach beta starting May 3rd, Ghost Recon: Future Solider announced and a lot more in the news section. And for what they have been playing its Bioshock 2, Mass Effect 2 and MAG. Also make sure you listen to the end for an all out spoiler-riffic review of Mass Effect 2."
Nick, admin of TheGamerAccess.com, is back again with Nick's Gaming View Episode #3. He covers the latest news and happenings in the gaming industry as well as educates gamers how the PS3 and HDMI 1.4 will work together to bring 3D gaming. He also brings up what grinds his gears.
All Age Gaming's Phong Nguyen bring's us the 29th AAG "The Week That Was". This week he discusses the overall sales figures for the Gran Turismo series, Nintendo's fining of an Australian man, Wii sales figures, Microsoft's X10 event, Alan Wake and more.
256 players in an online first-person shooter. And it works for the most part. Will the Zipper Interactive title revolutionize gaming by combining fast-paced action with a gigantic amount of players at the same time? We dive in the PS3 title.
Mike David has provided his full review on MAG and came away unimpressed and disappointed with Zipper Interactive and Sony's latest shooter for the PlayStation 3.
"Well, congratulations Playstation 3 owners, MAG has finally been out for a bit and admittedly, I’m still not sure how I feel about it. The prospect of games totaling 256 players is intriguing, but should we as 360 owners catch a case of the Green-Eyed Monster and feel some kind of envy? The short answer is no, at least for now."
If enjoy shooters but they aren't really your thing, this is an interesting look at why MAG might be for you. On the surface, a 256 player game is probably what attracts most players MAG, but there are some other features that might be of interest (like the fact that "every second person I meet isn’t a giant douche"). Of course, this is for those that aren't as into the Call of Duty franchise as some might be.
Famitsu recently reviewed three big upcoming titled - Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition, MAG and Dante's Inferno... and they enjoyed all of them, giving them all scores in the 30s (out of 40).
"MAG can be an addictive race to earn as many experience points as possible and upgrade your online soldier to the max. Saving allies from having to respawn and shrewdly using skills points on upgrades are this game’s strong features. Its main drawbacks can be remedied with DLC, specifically the lack of maps and game types. As it stands MAG is a technical feat because it boasts 256 console players in an online-only environment, but doesn’t offer anything else that’s truly exceptional for the F..."
"MAG (an acronym of “Massive Action Game”, being that as it is) features the option for 256 players to gather in a single battle, though of course it takes suitable measures to prevent players from becoming overwhelmed. Along with the fantastically huge battles, Zipper Interactive has provided a structure to keep play in an orderly fashion, and it is one that encourages extended play with similarly experienced teammates. The total number of players in each team, which varies depending on the m..."
"Michael Lafferty of GameZone writes "Gamers don’t care. Doesn’t matter if it is sunny or cold outside – there is the warmth of the television screen or computer monitor, reveling in the glow of White Knight Chronicles, or Mass Effect 2. So what if winter is a bit longer. Six more weeks of winter is all the excuse needed. "You still gaming?" Don't scramble for a response - blame it on the groundhog.""
"After having reportedly shipped two million units to retail worldwide, Mass Effect 2 has taken the top spot in the UK, knocking Ubisoft’s Just Dance down to second place, according to GfK Chart-Track data. The chart applies for the week ending January 30th, which means BioWare’s latest managed to become the biggest selling game of last week with just it’s first days of sales."
Icrontic's amicable CB Droege brings us this week's interesting new releases in gaming. We get a look at Escapee GO!, MAG, Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans, and Mass Effect 2.
"Since late Summer 2009, the MAG beta went through various stages -- both public and private -- to get where it is now, with the developers confident the final version surpasses the earlier build. Here is an extensive list of upgrades made:
Gameplay
· Added ability for player to use knife during a reload animation.
· Applied significant tuning adjustments for all weapons and armor.
· Increased sprint duration before tiring by 30%.
· Lo..."
"Senior designer Scott Rudi doubted whether it was even possible for PS3 exclusive MAG to be a multiplatform game.
“I don't even know if it's possible for multiplatform,” he said.
“We're using so many architectural features unique to the PS3, like the Cell system, that I would be hard pressed to – and I'm not a programmer or anything – but from what I've been hearing, this is what the PS3 can do and few others can.”
So it might not be possible for MAG to work on Xbox 360?
“As a gam..."
Various MAG pre-order unlockables and trophies are listed in one overview for Zipper's grand scale, Massive Action Game, MMOFPS exclusively on the PlayStation 3.
Amazon has discounted some of the biggest upcoming games for the Playstation 3. Notable titles include Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Final Fantasy XIII, God of War III, Gran Turismo 5, Heavy Rain, MAG and more.
Until January 26th (the day of the release) Amazon.com continues to offer $10 video game credit with pre-order of the following titles: MAG (PlayStation 3), Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360, PC) and Tatsunoko VS Capcom - Ultimate All-Stars (Nintendo Wii).
"Next Tuesday, Zipper Interactive will be unleashing the industry’s first and only 256 online multiplayer shooter game, MAG. We know there’s tremendous appetite for this game as you’ve downloaded more than a million MAG beta clients worldwide during the last open Beta period. So, as a special treat to MAG fans, we’d like to give you an exclusive sneak peek of the TV commercial airing this weekend, here. The commercial depicts a job applicant asking Kevin Butler whether his MAG platoon leadersh..."
"Customers at GameStop locations where it's safe to be outside that late can expect a tank building challenge, a commando dress up contest, a grenade launch, and more, while those who frequent seedier stores will instead stand outside until around midnight, huddled together for safety."
"Zipper Interactive's Ben Jones has said that he believes Xbox Live is "more juvenile" than PlayStation Network, and that MAG "definitely fits more" to the PlayStation audience "because of the things that are being said over Xbox Live".
Speaking to GamerZines at an event held in London yesterday to celebrate the imminent launch of PlayStation 3's upcoming online multiplayer shooter MAG, Jones said:
"I actually consider Xbox Live the more juvenile of the two," blaming "the things that are..."
"Bronze
* Angel of Mercy – 25 enemies killed in their in incapacitated state over a career
* Boom Town – Earn the Mortar Demolition, Total Blackout and AAA Demolition Ribbons
* Close Call — Earn three Bomb Squad Ribbons
* Clown Car – Awarded when a player destroys an APC or a Bunker, killing two players
* Commandon’t – Awarded when a player kills 50 of a certain specialty: Commando"
Walmart.com significantly expanded the list of soon-to-be-released games that are eligible for the free $10 gift cards with purchase. At this moment the list of games that are available includes Star Trek Online God of War 3, Final Fantasy XIII, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Mass Effect 2, MAG and many more. There are more than dozen games in total that are eligible.
The PS3-exclusive MAG is an MMOFPS in which up to 256 players can fight at one time. VGB takes a look at the classes and factions that you will find in this Massive Action Game.
Many expect 2010 to be one of the biggest years ever for the gaming industry. It is off to a strong start with several big video games slated for January.
"Gamemakers aren't wasting any time in 2010 and have made the January-February-March quarter a kind of Christmas Part 2 with a wide variety of big releases across all genres and platforms. Dark Void, MAG, Mass Effect 2 and BioShock 2 only scratch the surface of what 2010 has to offer. To dig deeper you can find an expanded list of many of this year's releases right here."
Amazon.com put out an updated list of soon-to-be-released games for which it's giving out free $10 future game credit with purchase. Games eligible include MAG, Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2, Army of Two: 40th Day, Dante's Inferno and several others.
"Of course, the best news about MAG Beta 5 is that you’ll be able to download the client in North America starting tomorrow, December 22! Additionally, PS3 owners in Asia can start downloading the file on December 25, while the European store will make it available on January 4. Check back for details on Japanese PSN store access in the near future.
Now that you know where to get the MAG Beta, your path to playing it is a simple three-step process:
1. Log on to the PlayStation Store (..."
"We’ve been exceedingly grateful to those of you who participated in our MAG beta tests over the last several months and couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out.
Naturally, with the end of our beta cycle, comes the countdown to our final release on January 26, and what better way to start that countdown than to reveal the final, “official” box art that you’ll find in the United States and Canada. Have a gander!"
"Beta 4 is exclusive to GameStop pre-orders, and we’ve moved away from our limited pre-scheduled play times and are keeping the servers open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With the change in versions and the last phase now at its end, many of the testers who spent their evenings with us over these last weeks are moving on to other pastures. With that in mind, it’s with great respect that on behalf of the entire MAG team, I want to say thanks to each and every one of you who participated for yo..."
"Graphics and sound aside, MAG is shaping up beautifully. Playing through many of the Domination games and (even more) Acquisition rounds, I have yet to see any lags or server problems. I understand, however, that the BETA only has around 9,000 people (or more) playing at once. Still, to have a room with 256 people in it and have no lags is seriously impressive to me.
...
The command structure is amazing and executed near-perfectly, but your experience with it will depend on the squad yo..."
It looks like gamestores are not the only ones ready for the release of MAG. 7-eleven even has pre-order gifts to give away. The sad part is that only a few select stores will be doing this. It's luck for people who go there all the time
Following on from our Top 5 Xbox 360 list, All Age Gaming's John Elliott looks at the tough decision that PS3 owners face over the next few months in what game(s) to purchase by giving us his Top 5 games to get for the Playstation 3 this holiday season.
With all the talk about the PS3 Slim and the Xbox 360's price drop, All Age Gaming takes a look at the value of money of the consoles now and whether the 360 has the quality exclusives it needs to stop potential console buyers swaying towards the PS3.
"Two weeks ago invites went out to lucky PlayStation 3 owners inviting them to the MAG beta. Sadly I wasn't one of the lucky ones to get the invite but now myself and other folks will have their chance to check out MAG as the September installment of Qore will give current subscribers and those who subscribe by September 17 a beta code for the game."
Zipper Interactive has just released a list of unlockable Medals of Honor. This will be awarded for doing specific actions during a game, much like in Call of Duty. The list they revealed isn't the full list, and they have not stated what the total number of Medals will be, but since a key feature of their game is being "massive", you can expect the list of Medals to be quite long.
"When Zipper Interactive first announced their 256-player, online FPS, calling it MAG, many were skeptical - it was an unfeasible number of players... or so people thought. They've been proven wrong, and in spectacular fashion, as Zipper haven't only proven that they can handle that number of players, but that they can do it in style too.
The weapons list is looking pretty good too, with a well-rounded roster of weapons which allow for all sorts of different playing styles. The weapons for ..."
"Blend Games has now revealed that several thousand votes had been cast, and in a shocking revelation declared M.A.G. the undeniable champion. With nearly three quarters of all votes cast going in it’s favour, Zipper Interactive’s M.A.G. has obviously reached a boiling-point of anticipation."
"Back at E3 2008, Sony came out and announced MAG -- a massive online action game that would be open to 256 players. Since then we've gotten plenty of details in terms of how the first-person shooter handles, how the command structure breaks down, and more, but we haven't heard about when we can enlist with Raven, Valor, or S.V.E.R.
At least, not until today. MAG is officially storming U.S. PlayStation 3s on Jan. 26, 2010.
Hooray!"
Even though it has been rumored that MAG isn't coming out untill 2010, it looks like the MAG beta is coming out soon. Sony has been sending out emails to Playstation users asking them to be a part of the beta. However, it appears that if you should be lucky enough to receive the email, you are still not guaranteed a spot in the beta. Check your inbox and see if you got the special access code.
"I just signed onto the PlayStation Network planning to hop onto Killzone 2, when I noticed something very interesting while viewing my friends list. One of the users on my friends list was playing the MAG Beta. I will not release any information as to who this person is, but I will tell you that he/she is an employee for Sony. Because he/she works for Sony, this version of the Beta could be available only to a select few industry employees, but this could also mean that the MAG Beta is right ..."
"The staff from Electronic Theatre have joined us to break down which game deserves your vote: M.A.G or Halo 3:ODST. The entire thing will take place over the course of three rounds with one round per week. This week, we cover the topic of Multiplayer Versatility."
Today Nick McCandless from TheGamerAccess.com talks about MAG and its chance to potentially transform how we play first person shooters. Could this possibly trandform the FPS genre?
The possibly-revolutionary FPS MAG, which will support up to 256 players online, seems to have suffered a slight delay, pushing it back into early 2010. However, the game was really never given a release date, so it's not a huge blow to the PS3 line up for 2009.
"Zipper Interactive's first next-generation title, MAG offers an extensive battle experience with a total of 256 players online. They recently showed off never before seen gameplay footage during Sony's E3 Press Conference roughly two weeks ago. Ever since this footage was shown, PS3 owners around the world have anxiously wanted to get their hands on this exclusive title. Read More to find out when you will be able to do so."
"On the back of the Go! announcement was the true reveal of the PSP version of the multi million dollar franchise; Gran Turismo. This game is not to be a port of one of the previous games nor that of GT5, but a fully fledged, from the ground up handheld racing gem. To be honest I can’t wait, the only PSP game I have ever got excited for. My fat PSP doesn’t really get much use; I might trade it in and trade it up for a Go! on release see if I can get more fun out of it, the UMD’s annoy me too m..."
"During E3 2008, Sony announced MAG as a game where 256 people could play online in a military shooter setting. This year, Zipper Interactive did a gameplay demonstrating that point.
I'm still not convinced the game will be a smooth experience when it comes out in the Fall. But here is the demo from E3 2009."
"The game will utilize new server architecture to support online battles with up to 256 players, with users divided into 8-player squads, with 4 squad forming a platoon, and 4 platoons forming a company. Each squad will be led by a player who has advanced through the game's ranking system. Character statistics and development will also increase with frequent gameplay. The players most advanced in rank will be able to either direct the battle or participate directly in combat."
This is a must download of The Bender this week. We preview EVERYTHING that will happen and E3 (and even things that might not happen). The show runs a little longer than usual and we cut the news down to a minimal as we all get excited for our trip to E3! Grab the MP3 by clicking here or load us up in iTunes by clicking here
"ID Software was once the king of the first person shooter genre. They started it all with their iconic game Wolfeinstein and later on down the track the Doom series. Rage will be using ID’s new game engine labelled “id Tech 5” and at this stage it will have a mix of the FPS genre along with racing. Not a lot is known about Rage but what we do know so far is that Rage takes place in a post-apocalyptic world similar to the Mad Max movies. Designer Tim Willits revealed that the game takes place ..."
Despite being shown at last year's E3 we still don't know much about MAG, beyond the basics that is. That's changed now however as a 12 minute long interview with VP Michael Gutmann and Lead Designer Andy Beaudoin of Zipper Interactive. There's too much to mention in the video, but a few things discussed are ranks, classes voice chat, factions, control issues and the online. Go to the source to view it.
A trailer showcasing the first every seen gameplay of MAG (Massive Action Game) has been released, letting us finally see beyond the CGI footage and screenshots. The graphics look solid for what the game is promising, with a great variety of vehicles and weapons to use to destroy your opponents across the map. See the video at the source.
"-2 to 256 Players
-'hopes' for 30FPS when all the action is going down at all times
-Dedicated servers with new network architectures to help reduce lag
-Streamline matches to reduce need to wait.
-All audio cues (planes flying by, air raid sirens) are actual players causing it or player triggered actions. This can happen in other regions and you can hear in distance.
-PunkBuster quality cheating detection. System tests for things like rate of fire/movement/damage to keep things in check..."
"At last years E3, Sony and Zipper Entertainment unveiled MAG: Massive Action Game. However, only a brief trailer was shown along with a commentary from one of the development team. All seemed pretty average until he mentioned MAG would be the first game to host up to 256 players online into one match, and sure enough, gaming forums boomed at the prospect of picking up one of the most promising looking titles PS3 owners had seen in ages."
MAG or Massive Action Game is the next big PS3 exclusive, apparently meant to have over 200 players partaking in each multiplyaer bout. Since its teaser trailer at last year's E3 it has been rather quiet, but we now finally have some screenshots of the game via Flickr, featuring character models, logo's and of course the levels.
![Box shot of MAG [North America]](http://i.neoseeker.com/boxshots/R2FtZXMvUGxheXN0YXRpb25fMy9BY3Rpb24vU2hvb3Rlcg==/mag_frontcover_small_pUPx8GHIYkMJUvq.jpg)