Mid Week News: Leaking All Over The Place

...We're going to need a plumber.

It's Wednesday, and that means we've still got two days until the weekend. However, given what we've seen happen already this week, this could be a busy weekend. Quite a few of games are getting teased and leaked right now, so here's a few of the big ones.

Black Ops 2 Info Coming May?

Kotaku obtained a picture of a poster today that hints at the first details of the next Call of Duty title possibly coming on May 2nd. While the next Call of Duty title hasn't been confirmed to be a follow up to Black Ops, Activision recently acquired the blackops2.com domain name, and an Amazon listing in France had the game listed. The poster also looks somewhat similar to the cover art from Black Ops, though it's too blurry to be sure.


Turns Out Bethesda Doesn't Just Make Elder Scrolls

A few days ago, a screenshot surfaced from Bethesda surfaced with the caption "Tomorrow." Many immediately thought the screenshot was referring to upcoming DLC for Elder Scrolls V. Turns out, as Bethesda public relations man Pete Hines put it, "We (Bethesda) do make other games." Instead we got our first trailer of Dishonored. Make no mistake though, this game is shaping up to be one of the premier titles of 2012. The game is set in a massive steampunk-style city called Dunwall, and the gameplay is stealth-based action goodness. Defiantly have this game on your radar.


Halo 4 Dropping on Election Day/ First Gameplay Footage On Conan

343 Studious has announced that Halo 4 will be releasing on November 6th, 2012. For those of us in the US, that is better known as election day. I have a feeling quite a few votes will be left uncast because of this decision. Also yesterday evening, the first look at gameplay from Halo 4 was on Conan O'Brian. It lasted all of nine seconds and didn't really show off the game in any significant way, but still it's something. Am I the only one that wouldn't want Conan's voice as my Spartan's?


Crysis 3 Announced

After being accidentally leaked by EA's Origin service last week, EA has now officially announced Crysis 3. The game will once again be set in New York City, although you might not recognize it. Through the power of the Cell Corporation Nanodrome, New York City has been transformed into a city covered in rainforest, swamp, and other various types of environments that are segmented into seven distinct areas. Oh, and you'll also be able to use a bow. The game is set for release sometime in 2013, but you can already preorder the game through Origin. EA even has preorder bonuses lined up! Oh joy!


Thats all the news I've got for now. I'd also like to say whoever made that Best Buy photoshop picture about Half-Life 2: Episode 3 is incurring a lot of wrath around the web right now. What did you think was going to happen? Silly troll...


Image sources:
#1. http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17jzkqos96mw2jpg/original.jpg
#2. http://attackofthefanboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dishonored.jpg
#3. http://cdn.wegotthiscovered.com/wp-content/uploads/halo-4.jpg
#4. http://img.tgdaily.com/sites/default/files/stock/450teaser/crysis3.jpg

News: Shepard Can Lose, Skyrim Same-Sex Marriage, and more!

...investigative reporting without the investigation.

This week was filled with interesting information reveals for games coming out over the next few months, as well as a Warthog preview in Forza. Yes, the Halo Warthog as it will appear in Halo 4 (supposedly)was show off in Forza 4. No you can not drive it. Not in Forza anyway...

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Will Allow Same-Sex Marrige
In case you didn't hear already, Bethesda is taking a page out of Peter Molyneux's book and allowing you to marry NPC's and have relationships with them in Skyrim. Skyrim will allow men to marry men, and ladies to marry ladies, if they so choose. As far as I'm concerned, good on Bethesda for not restricting marriage to men and women only. I also like their response that it's not even that big a deal. The same-sex part not the relationship mechanic itself. That part is supposed to be very useful, partially because your partner can accompany you around the game world, offer you relationship-specific quests, and probably some other things we haven't seen yet.

You Can Lose In Mass Effect 3

As much as I didn't want to read this, I already kind of knew it should be possible. Bioware has confirmed that if you play Mass Effect 3 and have been screwing things up royally from Eden Prime to the final showdown with the reapers, you can fail to stop them. Bioware has already said there are many possible endings for Mass Effect 3 and that it all comes down to the choices you've made, so really this isn't so much a shocking reveal as it is a confirmation of our suspicions. Still, failing so bad the entire galaxy is wiped out. How many games can say you can even do that?

Turn 10 Shows Off Halo 4's Warthog in Forza 4's Showroom
Turn 10 has made on hell of a crossover with Halo at Halofest, showing off the first look at Halo 4's version of the Warthog in Forza 4's car viewing garage mode. You can check it out yourself when Forza 4 ships this fall, but the Halofest execs stressed that you can not race the vehicle in the game (they say because it's too slow, I say because it'd be too much awesome) , and even unlocking the vehicle to view will involve some dedication from players. They haven't said what it will take to unlock it, but they have said it won't be easy.

Man Sues Microsoft for $500 Billion Dollars

I really wish I was making that up. To sum the story up for those of us non-legal folk, David Stebbins found a loophole that allows Xbox consumers to amend the Terms of Service. Microsoft, by law, has to respond to the letter by either adding the changes or (as per Stebbins terms) cancel his account. If they didn't respond in ten days, Microsoft would be forced to submit to the new terms. Stebbins' added in a 'forfeit victory clause' that said Microsoft would have to pay him $500 billion dollars if they did not respond within 24 hours of the new Terms going into effect. Guess what Microsoft did not do? Now let me be upfront about this: No matter the legal implications of this, there is no chance that Microsoft will ever be forced to pay all that money to this guy. I can't even speculate what the hell is going to happen with this, but I can tell you right now, this guy has a better chance of being bit by a shark, hit by lightning, winning the lottery, and winning a Nobel Prize in the space of five minutes, then he does of getting that money.

Thats all for this weeks news. Check back next week to see if Half Life 3 has been announced! (spoiler alert: it won't be.)