EA taking long list of multiplayer games offline this June

EA’s Online Services Updates page has added a long list of games that will all lose online functionality June 30. So get your multiplayer gaming in now for games such as Battlefield 2 (PC), Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (PC, Mac), Crysis 2 (PC) and Star Wars: Battlefront II (PC, PS2) now before they get taken offline for good.

This is following GameSpy’s shutdown on May 31.

“Since GameSpy’s announcement, our teams have been working to evaluate options to keep services up and running. Unfortunately, due to technical challenges and concerns about the player experience, we do not have a solution at this time. Online services for EA games on the GameSpy platform will be closed down at the end of June,” EA said in a statement released on their website.

Here’s the full list of EA games losing Online Services on June 30:

• Battlefield 1942 for PC and Mac (including The Road to Rome and Secret Weapons of WW2 expansions)

• Battlefield 2 for PC (including Special Forces expansion)

• Battlefield 2: Modern Combat for PlayStation 2

• Battlefield 2142 for PC and Mac (including Northern Strike expansion)

• Battlefield Vietnam for PC

• Bejeweled (r) 2 for the Wii

• Bulletstorm for PlayStation 3

• Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars for PC and Mac (including Kane’s Wrath expansion)

• Command & Conquer: Generals for PC and Mac (including Zero Hour expansion)

• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 for PC and Mac

• Crysis 2 for PC

• Crysis for PC

• Crysis Wars for PC

• Dracula – Undead Awakening for the Wii

• Dragon Sakura for Nintendo DS

• EA Sports 06 for PC

• F1 2002 for PC

• FIFA Soccer 08 (KOR) for the Wii

• FIFA Soccer 08 for Nintendo DS

• FIFA Soccer 09 for Nintendo DS

• FIFA Soccer 10 for Nintendo DS

• FIFA Street 3 for Nintendo DS

• Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers for PlayStation 2

• Global Operations for PC

• GREEN DAY: ROCK BAND for the Wii

• James Bond: Nightfire for PC

• Madden NFL 08 for Nintendo DS

• Madden NFL 09 for Nintendo DS

• Master of Orion III for PC

• Medal of Honor: Allied Assault for PC and Mac (including Breakthrough and Spearhead expansions)

• MySims Party for Wii

• MySims Racing for Nintendo DS

• MySims SkyHeroes for the Wii and DS

• NASCAR Sim Racing for PC

• NASCAR Thunder 2003 for PC

• NASCAR Thunder 2004 for PC

• Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 for PC

• Need for Speed: ProStreet for Nintendo DS

• Need for Speed: Undercover for Nintendo DS

• Neverwinter Nights 2 for PC and Mac

• Neverwinter Nights for PC, Mac and Linux (including Hordes of the Underdark and Shadows of Undrentide expansions)

• SimCity Creator for Wii

• Skate It for Nintendo DS

• Sneezies for the Wii

• Spore Creatures for Nintendo DS

• Spore Hero Arena for Nintendo DS

• Star Wars: Battlefront for PC and PlayStation 2

• Star Wars: Battlefront II for PC and PlayStation 2

• THE BEATLES: ROCK BAND for the Wii

• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 for Nintendo DS

New images for Transformers: Age of Extinction

Excited for the next Transformers movie instalment? Three new images for Age of Extinction have been released of everyone’s favourite Autobots Bumblebee and Optimus Prime.

Transformers: Age of Extinction will be released in cinemas July 10 and stars Kelsey Grammer, Sophia Myles, Stanley Tucci and John Goodman amongst others.

Change of title for The Hobbit part 3

Earlier today, director Peter Jackson announced on his Facebook that the title of the final instalment in The Hobbit trilogy has changed to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

The film was originally meant to be titled The Hobbit: There and Back Again but as Jackson states on his Facebook post:

“There and Back Again” felt like the right name for the second of a two film telling of the quest to reclaim Erebor, when Bilbo’s arrival there, and departure, were both contained within the second film. But with three movies, it suddenly felt misplaced – after all, Bilbo has already arrived “there” in the “Desolation of Smaug”.

Further on in his statement, Jackson talks about how the team are beavering away on editing the final film and also that the extended version of Desolation of Smaug will feature over 25 minutes of new scenes.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will release in cinemas on December 12.

 

CoD 2014 : First Image revealed

Check that out.

Sledgehammer Games has revealed the above image from this years Call of Duty – showing us a taste of promised in-game characters. The company revealed the image at their Game Developers Conference 2014 panel, Quest for Quality: Maximising the Relationship between Creative and Production.

The next Call of Duty game is currently due to be released Autumn 2014.

 

 

 

Chewie is back for Star Wars: Episode VII

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Peter Mayhew is reprising his role as our favourite Wookiee Chewbacca for Star Wars: Episode VII.

 

Following cancellations of appearances at various conventions, including the Texas con for ‘filming’ commitments, THR reports that Mayhew will indeed be putting on the Chewie costume again and returning alongside the character R2-D2.

Disney’s Alan Horn revealed that filming has already started, earlier than the previously announced May, and although the original trio have  yet to be confirmed as also returning, he has stated that “a lot of them” (original cast members) will be appearing.

Star Wars: Episode VII will be directed by J. J. Abrams and is set to release December 2015.

 

GoT’s Gwendoline Christie joins Mockingjay – Part 2

Fans of Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games will be pleased to know that Gwendoline Christie has signed up for the last planned film in the series; The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.

Christie will be playing as Commander Lyme – leader of the rebellion in District 2 against the sinister Capitol. Lyme is a former victor of the Games and is a key part of the assault against President Snow and his empire. Currently, Christie is best known for her role in Game of Thrones as the awesome Brienne of Tarth, everyone’s favourite female warrior from the show.

Director of Catching Fire, Francis Lawrence will be working on the two remaining films, which will star Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 is due to release November 2014, with Part 2 set for the end of 2015. Game of Thrones meanwhile returns to UK screens tonight and US screens last night.

 

Xbox and Channel 4 creating new sci-fi TV show

UK’s Channel 4 are teaming up with Xbox Entertainment Studios on new TV project Humans.

Currently slated for a 2015 release, Humans is based on the Swedish drama series Real Humans and will be written by Sam Vincent and Spooks alum Jonathan Brackley.

Eight 60 minute episodes are planned and will air on Channel 4 here in the UK and via Xbox in North America. At the moment it hasn’t been confirmed if UK Xbox owners will be able to watch the show on their consoles as well.

The synopsis reads, “Set in a parallel present where the latest must-have gadget for any busy family is a ‘Synth’ – a highly-developed robotic servant that’s so similar to a real human it’s transforming the way we live. When a rushed-off-his-feet suburban father of three buys a refurbished second-hand Synth, he hopes it will relieve some domestic pressure and paper over the cracks of his marriage. But sharing their life with a machine has far-reaching and chilling consequences – for this Synth, the cuckoo in the nest, is harbouring an extraordinary secret.”

As of yet no casting news has been announced but filming is expected to start this summer in the UK.

 

 

Source: Eurogamer

 

 

New trailer for X-Men: Days of Future Past

A new mutant packed trailer for X-Men: Days of Future Past has been released. Possibly even more exciting than the one released in October, May is getting closer and closer.

X-Men: Days of Future Past will release May 22.

Star Wars: Episode VII time period revealed

Lucasfilm has confirmed that Star Wars: Episode VII will be set roughly 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi.

StarWars.com has ‘revealed’ that the film is star “a trio of new young leads along with some very familiar faces” – confirming what everyone already knows so far. Shooting will start this May at Pinewood Studios, yet cast members are yet to be officially confirmed by director J J Abrams or Disney and Lucasfilm.

The 30 year time difference allows for the original three to return and it will be interesting to see which other faces and characters make a return – if they do announce it ahead of the planned shoot’s start date.

Star Wars: Episode VII is set to release December 18, 2015.

X-Men: Days of Future Past new pic (& new trailer soon)

Just to wet your appetite even more for X-Men: Days of Future Past, check out the latest picture from the upcoming movie.

With thanks to Total Film for the below image, marvel at the glory of three of our favourite mutants in what looks to be a stand-off. Something or someone has clearly pissed off Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Beast (Nicholas Hoult) and ‘Young Magneto’ (Michael Fassbender)…and we’re not fancying their chances to be honest. (Although we must ask, why does Magneto need to hold the gun at all?)

Geek Tyrant has also news that a new trailer has been rated by the BBFC and is due to hit online very soon – we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled and sharing as soon as it’s available!

X-Men: Days of Future Past is set to release May 23 and will also star Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry and Peter Dinklage amongst many others.