Newsfeed: Release Date Fangasm

Release Dates:

The busy gaming season is almost here and pretty much every game has their dates chiseled in. Here's a roundup of release dates for the big titles coming this season. Note: handheld games don't count.

September:

• 6th: Resistance 3

October:

• 4th: RAGE
• 18th: Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One
• 18th: Batman: Arkham City
• 24th: Kirby's Return to Dreamland
• 25th: Battlefield 3

November:

• 1st: Uncharted 3
• 1st: Sonic Generations
• 8th: Modern Warfare 3
• 11th: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
• 15th: Rayman Origins
• 15th: Need for Speed: The Run
• 15th: Assassin's Creed: Revelations
• 20th: Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Here's some pros and cons going into the season.

• Resistance 3's campaign looks solid and the multiplayer beta is reportedly great, however, Resistance 3 will be Sony's first title to bare the PSN Pass requiring used game and rental customers to pay to unlock multiplayer. If you buy new then you'll be largely unaffected but I caution everyone that this is a slippery slope. If you want to play the campaign just rent it or buy used. If you're desperate to play the multiplayer then prepare to bend over.
• Rage looks incredible on every level. Unfortunately, they're going to be carving out pieces of the campaign for players who don't buy new. Why they decided to do this is beyond me but we all feared the online passes would eventually come to this. As much as I personally want to play this game I can't in good conscience recommend it after hearing that. Rent it or buy it used and tell id to go fuck themselves if they want to take away single player content. If you're a PC gamer go ahead and buy it on Steam because you'll definitely get everything and it includes Steamworks which is proven to make good games better. Personally, I'll probably be going for the PC version.
• Ratchet & Clank looks like a fun co-op only game but I fear will have a much different feel than previous entries. Hopefully Insomniac knows what they're doing here and hopefully you have three buddies.
• Batman looks like a solid game of the year prediction. The first game was incredible and this one looks to improve and expand it on every level. It's also probably the last Joker performance by Mark Hamil so don't miss that one.
• Last year's Kirby game was okay but didn't feel like a true Kirby game. Kirby's Return to Dreamland is the long awaited console Kirby game that was announced during the early days of the Gamecube and has since been a ghost regularly appearing on Nintendo lists with a TBA. This will be the first true Kirby console game since Kirby 64 and it looks fantastic. Added bonus, it has 4 player co-op much like New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
• Battlefield 3 will be EA's premiere 2011 shooter and looks to take the flagship franchise to all new levels as it hopes to take a shark bite out of Modern Warfare 3's practically guaranteed billions in sales. Fanboy or not keep an eye on this one. If you're a console player you won't be surprised to know this will probably include EA's signature online pass. PC players be warned this will be exclusive to the Origin 'service' which is the most hated name in gaming right now (behind Kotick). My advice to PC players is to pack it up and find a new game or just stick with Bad Company 2 until EA learns to not act like cunts and invade your privacy and steal your games.
• Uncharted 3 will rock us like a hurricane.
• Sonic Generations takes the old and new and puts it together in a 20th anniversary celebration. You can expect Sonic 4 and Sonic Colours style gameplay. For those wondering, Sonic 4 Episode 2 is supposedly coming forth once this game is out. The gameplay for this looks solid but we're all aware of the Sonic cycle, keep your expectations in check. Personally, when I played the demo it gave me headaches from eye strain.
• Modern Warfare 3, a.k.a. the Big One. You don't need me to explain the significance. 
• Skyrim is the sequel to 2006's Oblivion which took console RPGs to a whole new level. This time around it's bigger and better with a whole new, hopefully bug free engine and countless refinements. Like Oblivion, Fallout 3 and New Vegas, Skyrim is guaranteed to host hundreds of hours of content. If you're the type who only wants to buy one or two games a year this will probably be your game.
• Rayman brings back the platforming mascot to his 2D roots. The game looks every bit as good as a Nintendo product declaring they're not the only ones who can make classic platformers anymore.
• The Run takes the arcade racer on a cross country race. While the racing looks fine there seems to be plenty of action scenes which are nothing but quick time events. Personally, I'd say take them all out and just give me cutscenes. No one has ever said, "this game needs more quick time events!"
• Assassin's Creed keeps rolling on with the 3rd annual installment in a row. This is also the 3rd and final chapter for Ezio D'Auditore, the protagonist of the last two Assassin's Creed titles. While the franchise is one of the most beloved today it's a dangerous prospect to produce major installments every year like Call of Duty. Will the momentum continue or will people start to get burnt out? Both prospects are highly probable.
• Skyward Sword should be the Wii's swan song. The first (and last?) true Legend of Zelda title designed for the Wii will also come in a special edition version. The special edition includes the game, a Zelda orchestra CD, and a limited edition golden Wiimote+ for $70. Given that the Wiimote+ is a requirement for Skyward Sword and I, like many I assume, never procured one, this looks to be a delightful announcement. This may very well be the last great Wii game from Nintendo before the official launch of the Wii U. Already most of Nintendo's man months are being focused on 3DS content so don't expect many surprises next year.

This game doesn't come out until Valentine's Day (how fitting!) next year but it's my all time favorite gaming franchise and I can't help but share the latest trailer. There's a series of trailers for it as well as trailers for many of the titles above floating about the intertubes and youwebz. This trailer wins out because it has Murderballs...doesn't get much better than that. Enjoy!