Gaming PCs: To Build or Buy?

By Phil Cameron Feb. 28, 2013

(photo from www.envizage.com)

Becoming a PC gamer has always been an investment. You’re not just throwing down a few hundred on a console that's potentially destined to sit under the television accumulating dust as soon as the cycle turns, and something new can always come along and replace it. There aren’t generations of PCs, where each one is a clear iteration and improvement on the last, giving you all the information you could ever need on when to upgrade, and how. Instead, you have to educate yourself, weigh up the pros and cons of this component over that component, and figure out whether you want to risk overclocking your CPU and squeezing every drop of power out of it or just leave things as they are, knowing that you’re not unlocking the full potential of what you’ve purchased.

But if you want to get yourself a gaming PC, you've got a choice in front of you: should you build one yourself, or buy one ready-made? There are pros and cons to each - so we thought we'd lay them out.

For more visit:http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/28/gaming-pcs-to-build-or-buy?utm_campaign=twposts&utm_source=twitter

Injustice: God's Among Us Trailer

Deals Of The Day -- Saturday January 26, 2013

THE GODFATHER COLLECTION (BLU RAY) - $17.99

Special Features
Featurette: “The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn’t”
Featurette: “Godfather World”
Featurette: “Emulsional Rescue: Revealing ‘The Godfather’”
Featurette: “….And When the Shooting Stopped”
The Family Tree/The Crime Organization
Montage: “’The Godfather’ on the Red Carpet”
Four Short Films on ‘The Godfather’
Audio Commentaries
Documentary: “The Godfather Family”
“Behind the Scenes” Featurettes
Storyboards
Additional Scenes/Historical Timeline

TAKEN 2 (UNRATED CUT) (BLU RAY) - $12.99

Normally $39.99. Great price!

TOMB RAIDER COLLECTION ON STEAM, $2.50 EACH + FREE SHIPPING

Save 75% 
You can buy individual games at $2.50 each or all nine for $15.

Includes 9 games:
Tomb Raider I
Tomb Raider II
Tomb Raider III
Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation
Tomb Raider V: Chronicles
Tomb Raider VI: The Angel of Darkness
Tomb Raider: Anniversary
Tomb Raider: Legend
Tomb Raider: Underworld

SAVE 50% ON THE ELDER SCROLLS V SKYRIM 

Deal of the day on Steam

Flying R/C Plane Highlights Splinter Cell Blacklist Collector's Edition

Our expectations for the Blacklist CE are, ahem, sky high.

by Ryan McCaffrey 1/25/13

(photo from ign.com)

Splinter Cell Blacklist publisher Ubisoft has revealed the Collector's Edition for the upcoming stealth game. The Paladin Multi-Mission Aircraft Edition for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 will be priced at $169.99 and be available on August 20 (in North America and Latin America only). The box will include a copy of the game, a copy of the 88-page Splinter Cell Echoes graphic novel, a poster, the "Billionaire's Yacht" co-op map, the Upper Echelon Pack containing the "Dead Coast" co-op map as well as the Gold Sonar Goggles and Upper Echelon Suit in-game items, and a radio-controlled version of the Paladin airplane that hero Sam Fisher and his Fourth Echelon team use as their aerial base of operations. The Paladin is, according to Ubisoft, a "custom three-channel, dual-motor plane modeled after the in-game mobile headquarters." Yes, it actually flies.

For a chance to win an autographed collectors edition visit: http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/25/flying-rc-plane-highlights-splinter-cell-blacklist-collectors-edition

Deals Of The Day - Wednesday January 23, 2013

80% OFF BLACK OPS COMBO: WATERPROOF CASE, TORCH LIGHTER & TACTICAL KNIFE

Clear the schedule, grab a handful of these, add to cart, and head for the exits, STAT. For 19 bucks, it's an easy call. Beyond easy. This combo deal ain't for the arts-and-croissants crowd. But it is tailor made for the likes of you and me. A tough Black-Ops drybox, a top-notch, reliable double-flame torch lighter, and a badass small folding knife. Overall this combo is north of a hundie in retail value....but all yours for sub-$20. Boys, listen: this stuff can't even be manufactured for that cost. I'm just hoping after you pick one up, you remember me later when you're ready to buy other stuff.

XBOX 360 LIVE 12 MONTH GOLD MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION CARD FOR $34.99 + FREE SHIPPING

Cha-ching! Take advantage of the very best value for all the goodness of gold! Your Xbox LIVE® Gold Membership lets you connect and play with friends around the world and watch thousands of HD movies instantly from Netflix. In addition to Xbox LIVE features like available game add-ons, full Xbox 360® game downloads, Xbox LIVE Arcade games and unique fashions and props for your avatar, you’ll receive Gold-exclusive discounts like the Deal of the Week.

BELKIN CONNECT N150 150mbps WIRELESS-N 4-PORT ROUTER

Enjoy Blazing fast data transfers with this Belkin Connect N150 150 Mbps Wireless-N 4-Port Router!

This Belkin Connect N150 Router acts as the central connection point for your wireless network. With data transfer speeds of up to 150 Mbps you can stream, download, and send emails lighting fast. Integrated is a 4-Port 10/100 Switch so can also hard wire your devices directly to the router.

The Belkin Connect N150 F7D5301 packs plenty wireless security features like Wi-Fi Protected Setup, WPA,WPA-2, and WEP encryption so you can feel safe surfing the web. With its Web-Based Advanced User Interface and a slim design, the Belkin Connect N150 is a great addition to any home or office.
Don't wait grab your Belkin Connect N150 150 Mbps 802.11n Access Point 4-Port Router today!

50LBS DRAW PISTOL GRIP CROSSBOW W/ARROWS - $8.99

Pistol Grip Crossbow w/ 3 Arrows (Add more arrows at checkout!)
This Pistol Grip Crossbow is constructed of stainless steel with a black hard plastic overlay. Complete with a sight positioned at the end of the barrel for precision in aiming. Perfect for target practice and amateur competitions!

It has a 50lbs draw, cocking lever, adjustable sights, safety, durable fiber construction, and comes with three plastic bolts (arrows). Bolts fired travel at 200 fps+ (feet per second) with pinpoint accuracy up to 60 yards.

PlayStation 4 Dev Kit Specs, Controller, and Multiple User Accounts Detailed

Leaked developer documents offer new insight.

 (photo from examiner.com)

With E3 fast approaching, the floodgates for next-gen rumors are now open. Kotaku has secured new details about current PlayStation 4 development kits, offering insights into the system's potential power, controller, and unified user accounts.

According to 90 PDF documents reportedly secured by the site, the latest PlayStation 4 development kits issued for January 2013 include four dual-core AMD64 "Bulldozer" processors amounting to a total of eight CPU cores, an AMD R10xx GPU, four USB 3.0 ports, two Ethernet connections, a Blu-ray drive, a 160GB HDD, as well as HDMI and optical audio outputs. The information falls in line with recent rumors and prior development leaks. The site cautions that due to the fact that the specs are based on development hardware, the consumer-grade version of the system could differ.

The information comes by way of SuperDae, the same individual that leaked early images of Microsoft's Durango dev kits and even attempted to sell one on eBay last year.

For more visit: http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/23/playstation-4-dev-kit-specs-leak-controller-and-multiple-user-accounts-detailed

League of Legends is Getting a Mac Client

On the official forums and on Reddit it was officially announced that Riot has been working on a Mac client and it is starting public beta testing today. Have a mac and want to try the public beta now? Today is your only chance, sign up for a PBE account here, and then download the client once you're all setup.

Riot used to have a Mac client but it was buggy, to say the least, and it was pulled in September of 2011. Luckily the majority of Mac LoL players have been benefiting from the amazing iLoL client created by Boompje and his team. Other have used parallels or bootcamp, but as nice as any of these options are nothing will be as nice as a real client from Riot. The non-beta client can't come soon enough but Rioter Udyr has noted that it might still be a little bit until that will happen. Until then I'm going to use the beta, and if you miss the window get iLoL and get to playing.

If you're a fan of iLoL and boompje, do not worry, he already has plans in the works once his first product becomes obsolete. The future plans include a Linux client, recording program across platforms, and other nifty little tools.






Rioter Udyr ended his post with this, and I have to agree:

Thanks to the Mac community for your extraordinary patience – and a very special thanks to a particularly astounding group of folks who helped many of you play League via an unofficial client over the past months.

P.S. Huge thanks to the Cross Platform team for their hard work!

Viz
Rioting
ShadowofGank
RiotBrentmeister
EspritDanseur
RiotYakaru

THQ Dissolved, Saints Row, Company of Heroes Devs Acquired

Koch Media, Take-Two, Ubisoft and SEGA acquire Volition and more

                                                                                                                                          (photo by postiar.com)

 Following THQ’s auction of its assets, the new homes of THQ franchises are slowly being revealed. Koch Media, Take-Two, Ubisoft and SEGA are among the potential new owners of THQ’s intellectual property and studios.

It's worth noting that all of these sales are pending approval from U.S. bankruptcy court and nothing is finalized yet. A hearing is currently underway in Delaware.

• SEGA has agreed to purchase Relic, developer of Company of Heroes and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War.

• Koch Media (owner of Dead Island publisher Deep Silver) has agreed to purchase Saints Row developer Volition as well as the publishing rights to the Metro franchise. (Update: According to a statement issued by Koch, "Deep Silver, Koch Media’s international publishing powerhouse, will lead all further development and marketing on the Saints Row and Metro franchises." The statement added that "Koch Media and Deep Silver will roll out future plans for each franchise in the coming months.")

• Crytek, who is currently developing Homefront 2, has purchased the rights to the Homefront franchise.

• Take-Two (parent company of 2K and Rockstar) has agreed to purchase Turtle Rock Studio's project condenamed Evolve. (Update: While Take Two was initially rumored to have acquired Darksiders publisher Vigil, it has since been revealed that this isn't the case)
• Ubisoft has purchased the rights to publish South Park: The Stick of Truth (pending any further objections from South Park Studios) as well as THQ Montreal, the current developer of Assassins Creed creator Patrice Desilet's project codenamed 1666.(Update: Ubisoft has confirmed the purchase, noting in a statement that "THQ Montreal will join Ubisoft’s development teams." Ubisoft also says that South Park: "The Stick Of Truth "is scheduled for release in calendar 2013.")

For more visit: http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/23/thq-dissolved-saints-row-company-of-heroes-darksiders-devs-acquired

The Elder Scrolls Online Beta Announced

Since the release of the Elder Scrolls Skyrim fans of the franchise have long anticipated the DLCs that come about every 2-3 months. It was announced late last year that there would be an Elder Scrolls Online component to be released sometime mid-late 2013. There has been some information released before on the races, guilds, and factions that will make up the game. Essentially the game will be a Guild Wars style experience.

With today's announcement of the Elder Scrolls Online Beta it appears we are hurtling full steam into a new game release this year. The below video previews a little of what to expect.

Deal Of The Day -- Tuesday January 22, 2013

Copyright ZuZo

ZuZo Powerbank iPhone 5 Rechargeable External Battery Full Protective Case with Apple new 8 Pin Lightning Charging Connectors - AT&T, Sprint, Verizon (White)

One of the first iPhone 5 Battery cases out, with amazing durability, rubberized texture, and a kickstand. The best iphone 5 battery case on the market so far.

Vizio 47" M470SL Razor Edge Lit LED HD TV Full HD 1080p 120Hz WiFi Internet Apps

Nintendo Wii White Gaming Console System - USA Version For $39.99 + $5.00 Shipping

Get a great deal on a game console featured in today's flash sale! We're featuring the Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii & portable gaming devices including the Nintendo DSi & Sony PSP. Prices start at $39.99 and up to $189.99. Get yours while supplies last!

Deal Of The Day -- Monday January 21, 2013

Starting today ACN will begin publishing a comprehensive list of the top deals making their way around the internet. To grab the deals click on their titles. Check them out below!

Registered Burger King

BURGER KING BUY ONE GET ONE FREE CHICKEN SANDWICH

Good on the Original Chicken Sandwich, The Italian Chicken Sandwich, or the new Philly Chicken Sandwich. 

LORD OF THE RINGS: THE MOTION PICTURE TRILOGY [EXTENDED EDITION] [15 DISCS] BLUE RAY DISC FOR $45.99 + FREE SHIPPING

MICROSOFT XBOX LIVE GOLD SUBSCRIPTION CARD FOR $34.99 + FREE SHIPPING

Sold by TigerDirect on eBay. You can stack memberships up to 3 years out, so if your XBL membership is due to expire even in the next year or two you can buy this and add 12 months onto your current subscription end date.

OLIVE GARDEN 20% OFF LUNCH MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY (1/24)

Good Mon-Thursday before 4PM. Excludes Alcohol. 

THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY (BATMAN BEGINS/THE DARK KNIGHT/THE DARK KNIGHT RISES) [BLU RAY] 2012

Copyright Valve

Batman "Dark Knight" trilogy (Batman Begins / The Dark Knight / The Dark Knight Rises) on bluray for 27.96. 5 Disks, includes bonus content for all 3 movies plus short version of the "The Art and Making of The Dark Knight Trilogy" booklet (64 pages). Free 2 day shipping with Amazon Prime, or free long-shipping without Prime.

PORTAL 2 ON STEAM FOR 75% OFF - $4.99

No explanation necessary. 

How Bungie Made The Day

Bungie Incorporated proves how awesome they really are

Today Bungie Incorporated, creator of the wildly popular Halo franchise, helped make one little boy's day that much brighter. 

In an effort to bring his spirits up after a long and trying experience Bungie decided to pay a visit to his hospital room. The boy appears to be 9-10 years old had just undergone a liver transplant. While the surgery went well, and doctors do everything they can, a lot depends on the good spirits of the patient to properly recover. His father reached out to his son's favorite game and it's creators. In just a short time Bungie came to visit. Attached are the amazing pictures detailing this amazing little boy. 

Day 1 - IEM Katowice

IEM Katowice is a three day tournament starting with two days of round robin play as teams vying for a place into the championship brackets. Day one had a lot of strong play with team Curse coming off their successful gamble to get back into Season 3 during the LCS last week. While this is Gambit Gaming's (GG) first tournament since they left M5 and were sponsored by Gambit, people were interested in seeing how this powerhouse from Season 2 would make there debut. But the real shining light in this group is Azubu Blaze, this #2 ranked Korean team has always shown strong in tournaments and they have been practicing non-stop in recent months. The lesser known Polish team, MeetYourkMakers, had quite a crowd turnout for them (due to the even being in Poland) but unfortunately did not show well against these strong teams from around the world.

At the end of the day Azubu Blaze went 3-0, while the rest of the group ended up going 1-2. The second ranked team also goes on to the championship bracket, and because of this tie the rule of shortest game play kicked into effect and Gambit Gaming was able to squeak into the next stage. The fans seems to be pretty upset that Curse didn't get to move on since they had beaten GG and thought to be a stronger team (at least by them), but Curse's captain Saint Vicious wasn't put down by this loss posting: "I feel confident if we had jacky and boot camped the days before we can take on anyone". Playing without there strong mid NyJacky, due to visa issues, definitely had an impact on there play. Overall these games were impressive but all of these teams will have more opportunities to get into the IEM World Championship over the coming months.

Part two of the round robin starts in just under two hours with SK vs Azubu Frost, and with some more big names about to play today will be another day of great League play, and I'll update you all tomorrow.