Modern Warfare 3 limited edition Xbox 360 set ushers in last wave of marketing hype

Call of Duty certainly knows how to wear out its merchandising welcome. After announcing a line of eye strain-reducing glasses and a series of branded headsets, Activision’s juggernaut franchise is steamrolling its pre-release hype all over a custom Xbox 360. The limited edition 320GB console comes bundled with two similarly bedecked wireless controllers, a requisite copy of Modern Warfare 3 and even includes franchise-specific boot sounds. You can snag this video gaming swag on November 8th for a cool $399, or grab the headset and controllers separately. It’s your call and your paycheck, after all. Official presser awaits you after the break.

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Modern Warfare 3 limited edition Xbox 360 set ushers in last wave of marketing hype originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 08:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG’s ‘Dual Play’ TVs let gamers share a single screen, different perspective

Challenging Sony’s PlayStation 3D display, LG’s new LW980T “Dual Play” TV lets Xbox users see two different views on the same screen — ditching the standard split gaming view. Spotted this week at IFA, the technology requires a pair of snazzy all-right / all-left passive specs and a compatible 3D Xbox game to get two different 2D perspectives on one TV. Compared to Sony’s $499, 24-inch active-shutter offering, the 47-inch and 55-inch passive ‘tubes are significantly larger and more expensive, rumored to retail for £1799 (or $2915) and £2499 (or $4050), respectively. According to sources, this feature will join LG’s lineup of Cinema 3D displays sometime in September — offering gaming as well as LG’s SmartTV and 3D movie support. Hey gamers, since we’re not splitting up anymore, is it safe to say we can stay “in a relationship” on Facebook?

LG’s ‘Dual Play’ TVs let gamers share a single screen, different perspective originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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London Philharmonic Orchestra goes cover band with tribute to video game themes

If you’ve ever caught yourself humming the Angry Birds theme song, then perhaps you should check out tonight’s London Philharmonic Orchestra’s video game tribute concert. The group will play more than 20 songs made famous by games like Tetris, Zelda, Call of Duty and of course, Mario Bros., as part of London’s annual music festival. When asked to create the ultimate gaming remix, composer and arranger Andrew Skeet vowed to keep it old school, while giving folks the best bits of music. It’s not the first time someone’s paid tribute to these hits, and we’re hoping it’s not the last. Check out the full setlist and video after the break.

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London Philharmonic Orchestra goes cover band with tribute to video game themes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Creative doles out Sound Blaster gaming headsets, Recon3D audio platform / sound cards

Creative isn’t nearly the aural force it once was, but it’s still a respected name when it comes to headsets and — gasp! — sound cards. Here at IFA, the outfit has busted out a new range of Sound Blaster (yeah, seriously) gaming headsets for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC and Mac platforms. The 360-friendly Sound Blaster Tactic360 Sigma is being revealed with a steel core headband design and 50mm audio drivers, not to mention separate voice and game audio controls. Moving right along, the Tactic360 ION slims down with a pair of 40mm drivers, while the Tactic3D Wrath Wireless caters to Mac / PC users who’d rather not sweat the whole “cable” thing. The Tactic3D Omega Wireless does likewise for console gamers, and for those infatuated with three-dee, the outfit’s new Recon3D audio platform / sound cards sound give you reason to celebrate. Full details are posted up after the break, for those who find themselves strangely intrigued.

Continue reading Creative doles out Sound Blaster gaming headsets, Recon3D audio platform / sound cards

Creative doles out Sound Blaster gaming headsets, Recon3D audio platform / sound cards originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Razer BlackWidow Stealth keyboards keep the mechanical keys, ditch the noise

Razer BlackWidow Stealth Edition

You know what’s great? Mechanical keyboards — what with their satisfying clicks. You know what’s less awesome? Having to listen to that obnoxious racket all day. Razer claims you can have your cake (in this case, tactile feedback) and eat it too (blessed silence!) with its BlackWidow Stealth Editions. These are, more or less, the same boards that debuted last August, but with quieter switches and a matte finish. Both models are available now, with the same programmable keys and on-the-fly macro recording, while the Ultimate version adds “extreme anti-ghosting” to its already impressive noise pwnage. The standard model will run you a cool $80, while the Ultimate weighs in at a hefty $140. Check out the gallery below, as well as the PR and video after the break.

Continue reading Razer BlackWidow Stealth keyboards keep the mechanical keys, ditch the noise

Razer BlackWidow Stealth keyboards keep the mechanical keys, ditch the noise originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Switchblade Adroit controller for gamers with disabilities

The Razer-sharp “Switchblade” was first pulled on us at CES, and since then we’ve been prodded by a new product under the same sharp name from Evil Controllers and AbleGamers. Released as part of the “Adroit” line for gamers with disabilities, the 19-port controller comes standard with two joysticks and allows for personal positioning of sticks, buttons and rumble packs dependent on individual need. Originally designed for Xbox 360, it can be adapted for playing on PCs and PS3s, as well. Although there’s no official launch date or price, Thrifty Nerd says the device will set you back “a few hundred dollars” — probably a value compared to calling Hack-King Ben Heck.

Switchblade Adroit controller for gamers with disabilities originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft confirms 3D support in Halo: CE remake for Xbox 360

Microsoft has been slower than Sony to jump on the 3D gaming bandwagon — not surprising considering it isn’t the one desperately pushing the televisions needed to experience them — but today the company confirmed rumors that Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary will be playable in 3D. Joystiq experienced a demo at Gamescom in Germany, and reports that it only works with the game’s updated graphics mode, and that the game’s producer claims the framerate will stay consistent even in 3D. While there are already a number of Xbox 360 games that support 3DTVs, this is the first one we’ve heard developed by Microsoft, although Epic revealed earlier this month that the Microsoft-produced Gears of War 3 will support 3D. that’s good news for gamers that have made the extra dimensional jump already, while those of us playing in 2D can hopefully still see performance improvements, especially while playing co-op — we always bring a wingman / shoulder to cry on for The Flood.

Microsoft confirms 3D support in Halo: CE remake for Xbox 360 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS MARS II gets reviewed, deemed the fastest single graphics card on the market

ASUS MARS II

Well, that insane ASUS MARS II card we got to feast our eyes on back in June has finally started rolling off the assembly line. That means it’s time for the hardware fanatics and gaming freaks to start putting them through their paces. HotHardware said the dual GTX 580-packing card was “quite simply the fastest single graphics card we have ever tested, bar none.” And everyone else seemed to agree. Now, obviously there are drawbacks — the 3GB card is an absolute power hog (requiring 600-watts all by itself) and insanely pricey at $1,499. You could even buy three separate GTX 580 cards for slightly less, use the same number of slots and get better performance, but the MARS II has one other thing going for it — status. Only 999 of these beasts will be made. After they’re all snatched up you’ll have to head to eBay, and pay a hefty premium over it’s already absurd price. But, if you absolutely have to have the best performance you can out of a single card solution, this is the clear choice. If you need more detail about just how badly this spanks the competition check out the reviews below.

Read – HotHardware
Read – PC Perspective
Read – techPowerUp
Read – TweakTown

ASUS MARS II gets reviewed, deemed the fastest single graphics card on the market originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Aug 2011 10:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I Can’t Believe It: The Razer Blade Might Not Just Be the Future of PC Gaming—It May Be the Future of PCs

Does PC gaming need to be saved? It’s a question so arrogant it upset gamers for weeks after gaming peripheral manufacturer Razer posed it. More »

Holy Christ. Is the Razer Blade the Most Badass Laptop In Existence?

I can’t think of the last time I was blown away by a laptop. But this. The Razer Blade. It’s 0.88 inches thin. Aluminum chassis. Inside? A 2.8GHz Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 2GB Nvidia GeForce GT 555M video card. And it’s got Razer’s touchscreen Switchblade built in. Oh, it’s $2800. More »