Shin Megami Tensei IV's release may not seem like a big deal to the typical gamer. A bit of perspective might help. Shin Megami Tensei III was released over ten years ago. Yes, despite the release of several Persona games, Devil Summoners and Devil Survivors this will be the first Shin Megami Tensei in quite some time. It would only be more surprising if they released a main franchise Megami Tensei sequel.

Now that it's here, it's time to figure out exactly what Shin Megami Tensei IV is actually about. Something related to samurai and demons, I think? Sounds rather Japanese. Knowing Shin Megami Tensei and Atlus, I expect things are much more of a drug trip than they first appear. To be honest, Shin Megami Tensei IV's latest trailer, "The Samurai Way," doesn't clear things up very well. 

Shin Megami Tensei IV was released today in Japan and will be released in North America starting July 16. It's exclusive the the 3DS, which means a pretty broad audience should be able to pick it up. I think I'm in. I think a lot of fans have been waiting for this day.

Randomosity is one of Saints Row's defining elements now, so why should Saints Row IV be any different? With August just a few months away, Deep Silver and Volition have started a video series proving that point. That the game is hilarious and random. Hey, THQ did the same thing for Saints Row: The Third.

This is just the first of many in an ongoing series, "Hail to the Chief," where Volition do something "weird" in-game, then show it off to the world. Seems like business as usual for the Saints, really.

The video basically shows the leader of the Saints lifting a robot with... telekinesis and then throwing it into the distance. And then everyone dances in terrible outfits.

Hail to the Chief #1 - YouTube

Saints Row IV will be released August 20 to Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. No next-gen.

Hey have you guys heard about this development studio named Ninja Theory? They're pretty solid. Back in 2007 they made Heavenly Sword and just this year they released DMC: Devil May Cry, which sold over a million copies ridiculously fast. Makes you wonder what they're working on now, huh? Well, maybe, just maybe, we'll find out tomorrow.

Ninja Theory put out the following tweet this morning:

There you have it. Something. Ninja Theory has something to show tomorrow. To be honest, I feel pretty stupid posting a news story about a five word tweet, but it is E3 time and everyone else seems to be announcing games right about now. I think it has to do with both of the big next-gen consoles having been announced already. Suddenly developers have the freedom to announce their own games, as opposed to keeping Microsoft's secret.

Anyways, yeah. Ninja Theory. Tomorrow. It could be DMC 2, or Heavenly Sword 2, but almost definitely isn't Enslaved 2. It may be a coincidence, but Capcom is currently throwing a DMC: Devil May Cry sale for the game and all of its DLC over on their site. Hmm! Still, that sounds like something Capcom would announce and not Ninja Theory themselves. Something new, perhaps?

Rockstar likes giving players choices, which is why it announced the Special and Collector's Editions for Grand Theft Auto V. Both offer a wealth of items, physical and digital, for players to drool over, and the best part is pre-orders for each one start today. Anyone who pre-orders any version of GTA V, including the regular edition, gets access to the Atomic Blimp for all your leisurely joyride needs.

The Special Edition packs in a ton of gear, although most of it translates to in-game content:

• Full retail copy of Grand Theft Auto V
• Collectible SteelBook with Exclusive Artwork
  
  • This special SteelBook features double-sided, never-before-seen artwork of Michael, Trevor and Franklin. Custom color and metallic treatments bring out the detail of the artwork created exclusively for this SteelBook.  
• Blueprint Map
  
  • This exclusive, additional 21.5” x 26.75” map displays a blueprint view of Los Santos and Blaine County. Cryptic markings indicate locations for fast cash and other points of interest for the up-and-coming entrepreneur.  
• Special Ability Boost
  
  • Michael, Franklin and Trevor each have a unique special ability. With this boost, the special ability bar will generate 25% faster.
• Stunt Plane Trials
  
  • Single player Stunt Plane Trials let you take on additional aerial challenges spread throughout Los Santos and Blaine County.
• Bonus Outfits, Tattoos and More
  
  • Michael, Franklin and Trevor get bonus outfits in their wardrobes, character specific tattoos at tattoo parlors, and special deals from shopkeepers across Los Santos and Blaine County.
• Additional Weapons
  
  • When visiting Ammunation stores in single player, merchants will have special weapons in their inventory available for free: the Pistol .50, Bullpup Shotgun and melee Hammer.

That's quite a nice assortment, but the Collector's Edition steps it up even further with a couple more physical items. You get everything in the Special Edition along with the following in a "premium outer box featuring a foil embossed Grand Theft Auto V logo on the top, finished with a matte, scuff-resistant film lamination":

• Grand Theft Auto V Security Deposit Bag with Logo Key
  
  • Inspired by the heists in Grand Theft Auto V, this custom 10.75” x 8.5” money bag features a pop-up style lock and laser cut logo key to secure important items. The reverse side features a pressed Rockstar Games logo on the security mount with a framed ID window.
• Grand Theft Auto V New Era 9FIFTY™ Snapback Cap
  
  • This exclusive New Era 9FIFTY™ cap features an embroidered Los Santos logo on the front, a stitched, black Rockstar Games logo on the wearer’s left side, a Grand Theft Auto ‘V’ logo applique on the opposite side, and snapback closure for an adjustable fit.
• Custom Characters for Grand Theft Auto Online
  
  • Get classic Grand Theft Auto characters to use within the Grand Theft Auto Online Character Creation System.
• Unique Vehicles and Garage Property
  
  • Players will instantly receive a garage to store custom vehicles. In single player, the garage will be stocked with the 1930’s style Hotknife hotrod and the CarbonRS sports bike. In Grand Theft Auto Online, players will get the high-end Khamelion electric car.

Whew, that's a lot of stuff. Rockstar looks to be going all out with the goodies on the Special and Collector's Editions, with a little bit of everything being included for good measure. The prices for each were also revealed, although the CE may put a bigger dent in the wallet. The GTA V Special Edition is priced at $79.99, while the Collector's Edition comes in at a ripe $149.99.

Grand Theft Auto V arrives on September 17 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. There's still no word on a PC edition, but hopefully we hear something on that one way or the other before long. Pictures of the Special and Collector's Editions, along with the Atomic Blimp, can be viewed below.

Techland today announced Dying Light, a new survival horror shooter published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Talk about good timing. Remember our little chat about how unscary mainstream horror games are these days? That was just a few weeks ago.

Okay, so we don't know enough about this new IP to guarantee how scary or good it'll be, but the screenshots are worth a look. Set for release in 2014 for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3, and PC, Dying Light transports players to an urban setting "overrun by a vicious outbreak," and you'll need to scavenge for supplies and craft weapons to defend yourself against a growing population of rabid infected. When the sun goes down, things just get worse, too. Definitely sounds more like a survival game than Techland's other zombie game (a rather successful one, mind you) Dead Island.

Techland CEO Pawel Marchewka remarked:

"The next-gen technology allows us to create a truly dynamic open world that features a game-changing day-night cycle. Inventive free running mechanics also allow for nearly unrestricted exploration and weapon-crafting to further enhance the action survival experience."

So what do you guys think? Are the pictures scary enough?

Somewhere during the Xbox One reveal a brief image was captured of the console's HUD, with the "Games" tab selected. This image, discovered by AllGamesBeta, could be a rat's nest of teasers for Microsoft's unannounced games. Of course, it could also be nonsense, a red herring as to what Microsoft actually will be announcing at E3. Nevertheless, this is what E3 is all about. Rumors and speculation, followed by disappointment and depression! 

Altogether there are eight images that could be teasers for announced or unannounced games. Keep in mind this is the "Games" tab, so each image should be related to a game and not, say, the Halo television series announced by Steven Spielberg. Here's a list of brief descriptions of each image:

1. Largest image, placed in the "Featured" section of the tab. Looks to be a crime scene investigation, which could imply that the game is Beyond: Two Souls, but that's a PS3 exclusive. Other possibilities? The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, or maybe Watch Dogs? Ah! Likely Quantum Break, as per Drogo_Baggins' tip.
2. Left most smaller image, placed in the "Featured" section. A green hexagon floating in the air with an icon of a man running in the center. Lots of glowing green hexagons floating around the main one. No doubt in my mind here, that's a Crackdown agility orb.
3. Left-center smaller image, placed in the "Featured" section. It's a sick car drifting on a track. While I'm not experienced enough in car games to tell if this is one or another, odds are this is Forza Motorsport 5, an Xbox One exclusive racing game announced at the event.
4. Right-center small image, also in the "Featured" section. It appears to be a small square section of jungle floating in the air with impressive, but cartoonish graphics. It's surrounded by glowing blue swirls, which are mildly confusing. My best guess? This looks like something Rare related. Perhaps it could be Viva Pinata or Banjo Kazooie? Could be something Lionhead related, too.
5. Right-most small icon in the "Featured" section. Halo logo. 'nuff said?
6. Top-most image in the "Popular With Friends" section. A figure standing alone with a sword, shield and cape. Either he's standing between two walls of darkness or he's exuding a giant ray of light in the midst of darkness. The darkness has eyes, appears to be smokey. Potentially a teaser for Ryze, which is about gladiators. Might be Dark Souls 2, but that's not an exclusive.
7. Middle image in the "Popular With Friends" section.  Looks like very high-end graphics showing off some... is it Roman? architecture, some ferns, other plants and fauna. My best guess would be that this is a cinematic for say, Civilization V or Total Rome. Seeing as neither of those make sense on the Xbox One, I'm drawing a blank.
8. Bottom-most image in the "Popular With Friends" section. A gentleman in armor holding his hand aloft, a sea in the background with several rock pillars rising out of the ground and water, each covered in plants. Beautiful setting. Perhaps most importantly, a Rare logo in the top right corner. If it wasn't for the Rare logo I'd say this could be Fable, but that's a Lionhead game. The man could be either a future or a medieval soldier. The low quality makes it unclear. Again, I'm at a loss.

Considering how piss-poor my guesses have been, does anyone have any other ideas? All I'm willing to bet on are the Forza image and the Crackdown agility orb. Oh, and Halo. There's got to be a Halo 5 teaser coming up, right?

The other question, beyond what games are these, is whether this is just a huge red herring or not. Do you think this image is actually a teaser for what Microsoft has planned to announce soon? Or is this all a joke at our expense?

Nintendo recently announced that they would not have an E3 press conference this year, instead going with an E3 Nintendo Direct event broadcast online. Today Nintendo announced the date and time of that Nintendo Direct event. What do you know, it's the exact same time they typically do their E3 press conference -- that is, way early in the morning on the first day of E3. Tune in on June 11 at 7AM PT/10AM ET for Nintendo's E3 Nintendo Direct.

What can fans expect during the Nintendo Direct event? Well, Nintendo has already teased a couple of reveals, including:

• New Smash Bros.
• 3D Mario
• Mario Kart
• ... other Wii U titles

All I can say is... damn it all, Nintendo! I was looking forward to having one less event to cover during E3 and instead you put an online broadcast event... during E3. The first day of E3! In the morning! I could have slept in! Ah well, I shouldn't expect anything else during the biggest video game convention of the year. 

Wii U and 3DS announcements and more at Nintendo's special edition E3 Nintendo Direct event, airing June 11 at 7AM PT/10AM ET.

Need for Speed Rivals has just been announced. Coming to current gen and next-gen consoles later this year, Need for Speed Rivals is said to "destroy" the line between single and multiplayer experiences with its all new AllDrive feature. Basically, friends will be able to drop in and drop out of a game at-will, allowing players to go from single player to co-op to multiplayer, perhaps without even realizing it. Also, Ferrari is back! Ferrari is back! 

Criterion Games is hard at work on another game, so EA had to put together an entirely new studio to keep Need for Speed games coming out every year. Introducing Ghost Games, whose first project will be Need for Speed Rivals. Marcus Nilsson, Executive Producer at Ghosts Games, had the following to say:

"The Need for Speed franchise has been an industry leader bringing social competition to the forefront in games. For the first time, players will have the freedom to seamlessly go from single player to co-op to multiplayer. In Need for Speed Rivals we are creating one game experience with one progression, where the freedom to play with friends is more fluid and accessible than ever before."

Basically, Need for Speed Rivals boils down to cops vs. robbers. Robbers run away and get points for escaping, while cops chase and get points for busting robbers. I'm sure there are many more details involved, as well as several trademarked terms and phrases, but yeah. Racing game about cops and robbers.

Here's a short list of features from the Need for Speed Rivals press release:

• Next-Gen Racing – Redview County is brought to life with stunning, next-generation detail
• Need for Speed Network Powered by Autolog – Gamers can compare stats and challenge their friends anytime, anywhere and then easily share their accomplishments with both friends and rivals.
• Personalization – Drivers customize their ride with fresh paintjobs, custom license plates, liveries decals and rims, as well as performance upgrades.
• Pursuit and Evasion Tech – White-knuckle racing explodes with 11 upgradeable gadgets including turbo boosts, jammers and EMPs for racers, and shockwaves, roadblocks and helicopters for cops.

Need for Speed Rivals is planned for release on Xbox 360 and PS3 November 19. It will also come to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 "later this year." We can probably assume the vagueness is due to the consoles not having a launch date yet. My best guess would be that the next-gen version will launch at the same time as the current-gen games. Expect more information soon! Like, E3 soon!

Arc System Works has released a new trailer for the PS3 version of BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasm. This latest installment of the BlazBlue fanchise was originally released for arcades in November 2012 in Japan. However, this latest clip shows off two new characters who were not included in the arcade version, Kagura Mutsuki (Is it just me, or does this guy look like Sol Badguy?) and Yuki Terumi.

To be honest, there doesn’t seem to be anything that we didn’t already expect from an Arc System Works fighter. The animation in the trailer looks really pretty and gameplay looks to be fast, furious and lots of fun to play. But what I’m more excited about is the second part of the trailer. The quick teaser for the new BlazBlue: Alter Memory anime. Considering the animation in both Guilty Gear and BlazBlue I always thought it would make sense for them to turn it into a series. And now they have!

BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasm is due to be released in Japan for PS3 on October 24 while BlazBlue: Alter Memory is due to hit Japanese airwaves in Fall of 2013.

Well, today has certainly been an eventful one for the industry. Microsoft finally unveiled the Xbox One, successor to the wildly successful Xbox 360.

While the reveal did showcase the new console's various functions, the gaming side fell short for many viewers. Microsoft, for their part, is asking gamers to be patient and wait for their E3 2013 conference. Fingers crossed.

In the meantime, here is a list of games confirmed so far for the Xbox One, with more popping up by the hour. Major publishers like Activision and EA have all hopped aboard the Xbox One hype train, and Ubisoft already announced plans to release "at least" six next-gen titles to the new Xbox within its first year.

Anyway, take a look at what we've got so far. Newest additions will be marked with an asterisk.

Activision

• Call of Duty: Ghosts
• Destiny

Electronic Arts

• Need for Speed Rivals *
• Battlefield 4
• FIFA 14
• Madden NFL 25
• NBA Live 14
• UFC

Microsoft Game Studios

• Quantum Break (Remedy Entertainment)
• Forza Motorsport 5 (Turn 10 Studios)

Square Enix

• Thief

Ubisoft

• Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
• Watch Dogs
• Six yet-unspecified titles

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

• Dying Light *