Hasta La Gadget!

A lot of people are excited for Grand Theft Auto V, there’s no doubt about that, but it seems that a couple of retailers might be a little too excited. Retailers aren’t supposed to open up Grand Theft Auto V pre-orders until November 5, but today images of pre-order bonuses are popping up all over the Internet. One of these pre-order bonuses, a little photo viewer, actually gives away some of the new locations in the game, so in a roundabout sort of way, we’re actually learning more about the game itself through these leaks.

The photo viewer is small enough to fit on a keychain, and is branded with a “FlyUS” logo – likely one of the businesses found in Grand Theft Auto V. The viewfinder’s five slides show a handful of different locations, including Zancudo River, Del Perro Pier, Grapeseed, Vespucci Canals, and finally, Vinewood Hills. We have to say, this is one of handiest pre-order bonuses we’ve ever come across.

GTAGaming originally posted the first slides and the image of the viewfinder, while over at Joystiq, a poster for Grand Theft Auto V is being shown off. Those who pre-order the game starting on November 5 will get both a poster and the viewfinder, though it’s difficult to tell if the poster over at Joystiq is an actual pre-order bonus or if it’s promotional material. In any case, it’s certainly doing its part in getting us excited for Grand Theft Auto V.

Earlier this week, Rockstar confirmed that Grand Theft Auto V will be arriving in spring 2013. The studio didn’t give a specific release date, and we’re thinking that it will keep the exact launch date a secret until we’re into 2013. Keep it tuned here to SlashGear, and we’ll let you know if any new details leak out!

[via Official PlayStation Magazine]

Grand Theft Auto V pre-order goodies leak is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

It should be pretty obvious by this point that Halo is a huge franchise, but today Microsoft is giving us an idea of just how huge it actually is. According to the company, the Halo franchise has hit 46 million sales worldwide, which certainly isn’t anything to scoff at. Those 46 million sales have generated a whopping $3 billion in revenue, so don’t expect Microsoft to lay off the franchise anytime soon.

$3 billion in revenue might seem a little on the low side for a popular series that has been running for more than a decade (especially when held up against Call of Duty‘s insane numbers), but it’s important to remember that Halo has been exclusive to just one console for its entire run. When everything has been tallied up, Microsoft says that players have created 120 million pieces of content – maps, screenshots, machinima, gameplay videos – and the Halo community has spent a staggering 5 billion hours playing one Halo game or another on Xbox Live.

These numbers will probably begin another significant climb next week, when Halo 4 is released to the eager masses. If we’re not counting Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, which was an HD remake of the very first Halo game, players have been waiting since 2010′s Halo: Reach for a new entry in the series. Many are interested in seeing what 343 Industries can do with the Halo universe, but some are worried that 343 might not be able to deliver on the same scale that Bungie did.

Microsoft has to tread carefully moving forward, because fans are understandably hesitant about a Halo game that isn’t made by Bungie. To tell the truth, we’re pretty excited for Halo 4, and the best part is that we don’t much longer to wait before it arrives – Halo 4 will be launching next Tuesday, November 6. Are you picking it up on launch day, or are you going to wait for the reviews to come in?

Halo series tops 46 million sales worldwide is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Still not living up to its name, Evil Controllers is back with another invention that should be very beneficial to Xbox 360 gamers. The company has come up with an Xbox 360 controller with a built-in rechargeable battery, just like the PS3′s controllers.

I’m actually surprised that Microsoft hasn’t released a controller like this, although to its credit it has released external rechargeable battery packs that can last for an entire day of gaming. But as Evil Controllers mentions in its Kickstarter video below, a controller with an internal battery is more environment-friendly and much lighter. Plus, Evil’s version is a long-lasting Lithium-ion battery, so you can play for up to 10 hours straight without recharging. You can skip to about 1:10 in the video for the meat of the pitch:

Here’s a quick look at the controller:

If you watched the Kickstarter video then you know that Evil Controllers is very considerate with their reward tiers. Pledge at least $80 (USD) and you get an Xbox 360 controller with their custom backplate built-in, or just pledge $50 to get a DIY kit so you can install the backplate on your own controller. You know where to go.

[via Joystiq]

Well this certainly is interesting: earlier today, Amazon Germany outed a Skyrim Premium Edition. The listing stated that Skyrim Premium Edition will come with a number of bonuses, but strangely, it won’t include any of the DLC that has been released for Xbox 360 and PC. Bethesda then confirmed Skyrim Premium Edition to Eurogamer, revealing that the game will be launching in Europe shortly, with more details set to follow soon.

Bethesda didn’t confirm any other details, but the listing on Amazon Germany shows a number of goodies included alongside the base game. Those who pick up the Premium Edition will be getting a map of Skyrim, a T-shirt featuring the insignia of the Empire, a handful of postcards featuring Skyrim concept art, and an Elder Scrolls novel dubbed Hell City. If you’re buying on PC, you’ll be treated to a bonus disc that features all sorts of content, including trailers, walkthroughs, a copy of the soundtrack, and a 600-page eBook that we’re assuming is a strategy guide.

The listing gives Skyrim Premium Edition a launch date of December 7, and says that the game will be available for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. Hearing that, it’s no wonder Bethesda has opted not to include DLC, considering that PS3 players haven’t received any yet. Bethesda’s struggles with bringing Skyrim DLC to PS3 have been well documented, and at the moment it’s unknown if PS3 players will ever get Dawnguard and Hearthfire.

As far as we can tell, this release hasn’t been confirmed for the United States yet. We’ve contacted Bethesda to see if Skyrim Premium Edition will be coming to US shores, and we’ll update this post if we hear back. Keep it here at SlashGear for more details!

Skyrim Premium Edition confirmed by Bethesda is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

It’s time for the next generation for Microsoft in so many more ways than one, hitting right this moment on all cylinders with the first iteration of Xbox SmartGlass for Android. Of course this isn’t related directly to Windows 8, but the release day – today, of all days – has us rather certain it wasn’t a coincidence. Feel free to expect a continued barrage of news bits and releases from Microsoft as they keep their press boat afloat now that Windows 8 is rocking and rolling for real.

This app will allow you to connect to your Xbox with your Android device. This connection is made over wi-fi as you sit in the same room as your console on the same network. You’ve got all of your Microsoft account media ready to work with, including such easy-to-manage bits as purchased videos and game stats, and it all plays instantly on whatever giant display you’ve got your Xbox connected to. You can also connect with your avatar and update your social information from all angles, of course.

This app lets you play, pause, fast forward, rewind, and stop videos playing on your Xbox 360, allows you to search your full catalog of videos, music, and games, and brings on full stats and achievements listed between you and your friends. With this Android app you’ll also be able to bring up a full keyboard for use with Internet Explorer as it appears on your Xbox – lucky you! There you can browse the web at will, all from the comfort of your couch.

Your Xbox 360 will be able to be controlled by you via your Android device with swipes and taps galore, this giving you a whole new way to enjoy your whole media experience. You’ll need an Xbox membership to sign in, and your device must be working with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or higher – with a display thats WVGA resolution or higher. Installing and using this app has been hit-or-miss for us thus far, with less than perfect results on the Galaxy Note II and Google Nexus 7, but a perfect experience on the Galaxy S III.

Xbox SmartGlass makes Android app debut on Windows 8 day is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.