While there was never an official release date, we expected the game to land in 2011, which never happened. Then we heard the game would launch this month, and now we learn again that the game is delayed yet again. Activision announced during its financial report that there are no games to be delivered in Q1 of 2012. It looks like the soonest we will see Diablo III will be Q2 2012 – sometime between April and June. While you wait, sit back and enjoy opening cinematic from the game – which you won’t be playing any time soon:

Diablo III is still expected to launch this year, but the reality is that even that Q2 2012 launch date is unconfirmed at this point. Activision did state that two games are expected to launch from Blizzard this year. Diablo III is one of them, but the other title we aren’t sure of. It is expected to be Starcraft II, but there are other projects in the works at Blizzard as well.

[via Gamespot]

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

It looks like they really went all out and put a lot of thought into this feature. You can zoom in and out of the maps, find the best way to get from point A to point B, weapons videos that act as hands on guides to each weapon and a whole lot more. Combine this feature with the rest of Elite’s features and you are getting one hell of an upgrade. You can’t say that these guys don’t go all out to give you an awesome gaming experience.

[via Call Of Duty]

Here’s what you really want to know. Elite membership will cost you $49.99 (USD) a year, and will launch on November 8 along with MW3. That’s not too bad right? You sure are getting a lot for that price.

[via PC Gamer]

That is the reason I have never purchased a collector’s edition video game before, to put it simply, they usually suck. Activision has found and pressed my buy button though with an epic collector’s edition I want to buy just for the extras. It’s not the medal or free DLC that gets my attention.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

It’s not even the game, and I love me some CoD. No, what I want is that awesome RC car with a built-in security camera built based on a car in the multiple player game. This thing has a color camera that shoots audio and video to a little screen on the remote control up to 200 feet away.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Prestige Edition ships on November 9, 2010 and is available for pre-order over at Amazon for $149.99 (USD). Santa had damn well better get me one or I’m peeing on his cookies next year.

By moving all of the electronics out the body of the guitar and into the neck,  you’ll be able to swap outthe bodies to personalize your guitar to your own liking. While the new designs don’t change the functionality of the controllers in any way, they sure look purty.

I can also imagine that with a standard neck design that 3rd parties will start making all sorts of guitar bodies you can swap out too. Or better yet, I’m hoping for some cool homebrew mods that really take the guitars to the next level.

The game and controllers ship September 21, 2010, and you can pre-order Guitar Hero: Warrior of Rock over on Amazon.

The games singularity weapons allow players to quickly bend time, making buildings crumble on top of opponents as they deteriorate from age. Or move backwards through time and reinvigorate old structures. Or better yet, use time for real evil, instantly turning young soldiers into old men, then a pile of bones. Sweet. Check out the gameplay snippet below to get a small taste of what will be possible:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The game hits Xbox 360, PS3 and PCs on June 29th, and you can pre-order over at Amazon now.

Is anyone else waiting (hoping?) that Activision will expand beyond music? What about, say, Baking Hero? Accounting Hero? I mean, if we’re trying to make sure we appeal to all interests here, maybe we should think about expanding. Just a notion, Activision. You don’t have to thank me.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m just kicking back and waiting for the YouTube videos of kids playing DJ Hero, Guitar Hero, and Drum Hero all at the same time through creative use of appendages not typically employed for playing music. It’s gonna be epic.

[via Joystiq]

DJ Hero is packing in an awful lot of variety here, from classic rock to all sorts of hip hop and pop music, to some really unexpected tracks.

• 2Pac – “All Eyez On Me” vs. The Aranbee Pop Orchestra – “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)”
• 50 Cent – “Disco Inferno” vs. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance”
• 50 Cent – “Disco Inferno” vs. InDeep – “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life”
• Afrika Bambaataa – “Zulu Nation Throwdown” vs. Freedom Express – “Get Down”
• Beastie Boys – “Here’s A Little Somethin’ For Ya” vs. DJ Shadow – “The Number Song (2009 Version)” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
• Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” vs. Blondie – “Rapture”
• Beastie Boys – “Lee Majors Come Again” vs. Daft Punk – “Da Funk” (Produced and mixed by Cut Chemist)
• Beck – “Where It’s At” vs. DJ Shadow – “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
• Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” Beat Juggle
• Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” vs. Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
• Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” vs. Cameo – “Word Up!”
• Benny Benassi – “Satisfaction” vs. Tiësto – “Elements Of Life”
• Billy Squier – “The Big Beat” vs. N.E.R.D. – “Lapdance” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Black Eyed Peas – “Boom Boom Pow” vs. Benny Benassi – “Satisfaction”
• Bobby “Blue” Bland – “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. 2Pac – “How Do You Want It”
• Bobby “Blue” Bland – “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. Connie Price & The Keystones – “Fuzz And Them”
• Boogie Down Productions – “Jack Of Spades” vs. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
• Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers – “Bustin’ Loose” vs. The Zombies – “Time Of The Season” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
• Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers – “Bustin’ Loose” vs. Young MC – “Bust A Move”
• Common – “Universal Mind Control (U.M.C.)” vs. Masta Ace – “Jeep A** Gutter (Aaron LaCrate & Debonair Samir ” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain” vs. Classics IV – “Spooky”
• Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain” vs. David Axelrod – “The Edge”
• Daft Punk – “Around The World” vs. Young MC – “Bust A Move”
• Daft Punk – “Da Funk” vs. N.A.S.A. – “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip”
• Daft Punk – “Megamix 1″
• Daft Punk – “Megamix 2″
• Daft Punk – “Robot Rock” vs. Hashim – “Al Naafyish (The Soul)” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• Daft Punk – “Robot Rock” vs. Queen – “We Will Rock You”
• Daft Punk – “Short Circuit” vs. Boogie Down Productions – “Jack Of Spades”
• Daft Punk – “Technologic” vs. Gary Numan – “Cars”
• Daft Punk – “Television Rules the Nation” vs. No Doubt – “Hella Good”
• David Axelrod – “The Edge” vs. Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President”
• Dizzee Rascal – “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. DJ Shadow – “Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)”
• Dizzee Rascal – “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. Justice – “Genesis”
• DJ Shadow – “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)” vs. D-Code – “Annie’s Horn”
• Eminem – “My Name Is” vs. Beck – “Loser”
• Fedde Le Grand – “Put Your Hands Up For Detroit” vs. Sandy Rivera and David Penn – “I Can’t Stop (David Penn Remix)”
• Foo Fighters – “Monkey Wrench” vs. Beastie Boys – “Sabotage” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Foreigner – “Juke Box Hero” vs. DJ Z-Trip ft. Murs – “DJ Hero” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
• Foreigner – “Juke Box Hero” vs. DJ Z-Trip ft. Murs – “DJ Hero” (DJ-Guitar mix, produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
• Gang Starr – “Just To Get A Rep” vs. Mobb Deep – “Shook Ones, Pt 2″ (Produced and mixed by J. Period)
• Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.” vs. Blondie – “Atomic”
• Grandmaster Flash’s – “Boom” vs. “Tap” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
• Grandmaster Flash, DJ Kool, DJ Demo – “Here Comes My DJ” vs. Gary Numan – “Cars” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
• Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl” vs. Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”
• Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl” vs. InDeep “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
• Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl” vs. Rick James – “Give It To Me”
• Herbie Hancock – “Rockit” Beat Juggle
• Herbie Hancock – “Rockit” vs. N.E.R.D. – “Lapdance” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
• InDeep – “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” vs. Cameo – “Word Up!”
• Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back” vs. Gang Starr – “Just To Get A Rep” (Produced and mixed by DJ Yoda)
• Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back” vs. Third Eye Blind – “Semi-Charmed Life” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back” vs. Third Eye Blind – “Semi-Charmed Life”
• JAY-Z feat. Pharrell – “Change Clothes” vs. 2Pac – “All Eyez on Me”
• JAY-Z – “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” vs. Eminem – “My Name Is”
• JAY-Z – “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” vs. Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back”
• JAY-Z – “Excuse Me Miss” vs. Rick James – “Give It To Me”
• Jean Knight – “Mr. Big Stuff” vs. Masta Ace – “Born To Roll”
• Jurassic 5 – “Jayou” vs. Billy Squier – “The Big Beat”
• Jurassic 5 – “Jayou” vs. Herbie Hancock – “Rockit”
• Kid Cudi – “Day ‘N’ Nite” vs. Black Eyed Peas – “Boom Boom Pow”
• Kool Moe Dee – “How Ya Like Me Now” vs. Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman – “I Like To Move It”
• Little Richard – “Tutti Frutti” vs. Shlomo – “Beats” (Produced and mixed by DJ Yoda)
• M.I.A. – “Paper Planes” vs. Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• M.I.A. – “Paper Planes” vs. Wale – “Lookin’ At Me”
• Marvin Gaye – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” vs. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance”
• Marvin Gaye – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” vs. Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”
• Motörhead – “Ace Of Spades” vs. Noisia – “Groundhog” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• N.A.S.A. – “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip” vs. Isaac Hayes – “Theme From Shaft”
• Noisia – “Groundhog” Beat Juggle (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• Paul van Dyk – “Nothing But You” vs. Sandy Rivera and David Penn – “I Can’t Stop (David Penn Remix)”
• Public Enemy – “Shut ‘Em Down” vs. Beck – “Where It’s At”
• Public Enemy ft. Zakk Wylde – “Bring The Noise 20XX” vs. Justice – “Genesis” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
• Public Enemy featuring Zakk Wylde – “Bring The Noise 20XX” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Q-Tip – “Good Thang” vs. Billy Squier – “The Big Beat” (Produced and mixed by J. Period)
• Queen – “Another One Bites The Dust” vs. Beastie Boys – “Brass Monkey” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
• Queen – “Another One Bites The Dust” vs. Daft Punk – “Da Funk”
• Rihanna – “Disturbia” vs. Kid Sister – “Control”
• Rihanna – “Disturbia” vs. The Killers – “Somebody Told Me” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Rihanna – “Disturbia” vs. The Trammps – “Disco Inferno”
• Shlomo – “Beats” vs. Billy Squier – “The Big Beat”
• Street Sweeper Social Club – “Fight! Smash! Win!” vs. Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Tears For Fears – “Shout” vs. DJ Shadow – “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
• Tears For Fears – “Shout” vs. Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President” (Produced and mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
• Tears For Fears – “Shout” vs. Eric Prydz – “Pjanoo”
• The Aranbee Pop Orchestra – “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)” vs. LL Cool J – “Rock The Bells” (Produced and mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
• The Scratch Perverts Beats and Pieces (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• The Killers – “Somebody Told Me” vs. Eric Prydz – “Pjanoo”
• Vanilla Ice – “Ice Ice Baby” vs. MC Hammer – “U Can’t Touch This”
• Vanilla Ice – “Ice Ice Baby” vs. Paula Abdul – “Straight Up”
• Wale – “Lookin’ At Me” vs. Black Eyed Peas ft. Tippa Irie – “Hey Mama”
• Weezer – “Beverly Hills” vs. Evidence, The Alchemist, Aceyalone, Rakaa & 88 Keys – “Fresh Rhymes And Videotape” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Wild Cherry – “Play That Funky Music” vs. Gang Starr – “Just To Get A Rep” (DJ-Guitar mix)

Now all you need is the right outfit, and you can be rocking (mixing?) out like this.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[via Joystiq]

Joystiq recently posted an “unofficial” full list of the songs from the game, a list that’s looking more and more un-unofficial all the time, considering that all 22 of the new songs were on that early list. But even if every other song is a mistake (unlikely), with half the tracks out in the open, there’s plenty of info available for anyone who might be on the fence over buying yet another Guitar Hero installment.

Here’s the list of the confirmed tracks, including the new songs:

• Attack! Attack! UK – “You And Me”
• Band Of Horses – “Cigarettes, Wedding Bands”
• Beastie Boys – “Gratitude”
• Beck – “Gamma Ray”
• Billy Squier – “Lonely Is The Night”
• Blur – “Song 2″
• Bon Jovi – “You Give Love A Bad Name”
• The Bronx – “Six Days A Week”
• Children Of Bodom – “Done With Everything, Die For Nothing”
• Coldplay – “In My Place”
• Darker My Love – “Blue Day”
• Darkest Hour – “Demon(s)”
• David Bowie – “Fame”
• Deep Purple – “Woman From Tokyo (’99 Remix)”
• The Duke Spirit – “Send A Little Love Token”
• Elliott Smith – “L.A.”
• Elton John – “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)”
• Face To Face – “Disconnected”
• Garbage – “Only Happy When It Rains”
• Iggy Pop – “Lust For Life (Live)”
• Jeff Beck – “Scatterbrain (Live)”
• John Mellencamp – “Hurts So Good”
• Kaiser Chiefs – “Never Miss A Beat”
• Kings Of Leon – “Sex On Fire”
• Kiss – “Shout It Out Loud”
• Love and Rockets – “Mirror People”
• My Morning Jacket – “One Big Holiday”
• Nirvana – “Lithium (Live)”
• The Police – “So Lonely”
• Queens Of The Stone Age – “Make It Wit Chu”
• Rammstein – “Du Hast”
• The Rolling Stones – “Sympathy For The Devil”
• Rose Hill Drive – “Sneak Out”
• Santana – “No One To Depend On (Live)”
• Sonic Youth – “Incinerate”
• Screaming Trees – “Nearly Lost You”
• Sublime – “What I Got”
• The Sword – “Maiden, Mother & Crone”
• Thin Lizzy – “Jailbreak”
• Thrice – “Deadbolt”
• Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “American Girl”
• Tom Petty – “Runnin’ Down A Dream”
• Vampire Weekend – “A-Punk”
• The White Stripes – “Blue Orchid”
• Wolfmother – “Back Round”

[via Joystiq]

To get in on the action, just type:

mail lozbeta@joltonline.com

Though, since such basic commands usually don’t work in the real world (alas), you might try sending an e-mail regarding your request in a more conventional manner. Legends of Zork is being billed as an online (non-MMO) game for casual, timewasting play.

[Game|Life via GayGamer]

DJ Hero has been on the radar for quite some time, ever since the trademark turned up last year. And while the title has yet to be officially announced, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick recently confirmed not only the game’s existence, but that it was due this year.

Gameplay in DJ Hero is said to be similar to that in Guitar Hero, and the game may even include sections in which players can use a guitar controller. That way, if you don’t already have one, you’ve got a reason to buy one. It’s brilliant!

[CNBC via Joystiq]

Philly textile artist NovellaMarie’s Pitfall laptop case is covered with an intricate needlepoint scene of Activision’s classic platformer.

Oddly enough, the featured scene comes from the Apple IIC version of the game, not the Atari 2600, but I won’t tell if you won’t.

Each handmade bag comes with a sturdy adjustable red shoulder strap, and offers a padded polka-dotted lining to protect your precious laptop (13-inch or smaller models only). You can find the Pitfall laptop bag over on Etsy for $150 USD.

This spiffy Guitar Hero necktie sports a set of colorful fret buttons which you can “play” with any time you like. While the only music you’ll hear is that damned tune that’s stuck in your head from last night’s marathon session, at least you can practice your expert mode chord progressions while your boss flips through his latest PowerPoint slides.

Made from “silky” black polyester, the Guitar Hero tie is available now from Zazzle for about $30. Rock on!

[via 4 color rebellion]

Guitar Hero: On Tour comes complete with an innovative button controller that plugs into the expansion port on the bottom of the DS Lite (I’m not sure if it works on the DS Phat yet). The game is controlled by turning the DS on its side, pressing the fret buttons and strumming on the DS bottom screen with an included guitar pick stylus. To keep your DS from flying out of your grip while you’re rockin’ out, the controller includes a sturdy guitar grip strap.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Developed for Activision by Vicarious Visions, the pint-sized version of the game comes with about 25 “monster” tracks, and a variety of different gameplay modes. There’s also word that the DS’ microphone comes into play (presumably to activate “Star Power” mode) as well in some whimsical mini games. The game will also support multi-player gaming, with both co-op and competitive modes using the local wireless capabilities of the DS.

Priced at $49.99, including the controller, Guitar Hero: On Tour will ship on June 22, 2008, and can now be pre-ordered on Amazon. So what are you waiting for?

Plans are to keep the Liverpool, England studio completely intact, along with its 160 staff members. They’ll continue to operate as a fully-owned subsidiary of Activision, and retain the Bizarre name. Games which are already complete or near launch such as PGR4, The Club and Geometry Wars Galaxies will be unaffected by the change.

According to Activision CEO Robert Kotick “Bizarre Creations is the leading independent developer with a proven track record in developing highly successful and influential original properties, especially in the racing field. They are one of the most innovative and creative studios in the industry, and we are very excited to welcome this talented creative team to Activision.”

Bizarre had already started to create versions of its popular Geometry Wars series for other platforms. The way I see it, this means that we’ll start seeing more of their titles pop up on other consoles too. They’re already “off to the races” (pun intended) developing a new racing game, along with a character game for Activision. Let’s hope that Activision really sticks to their word and keeps this talented development shop intact. I’ve seen enough mergers in my time to know that’s not always the case.

[via NEXT Generation]