GameStop has produced a unique marketing strategy for the release of Modern Warfare 2. Flying in the face of professionalism, and risking a probable blacklisting by Activision, GameStop has uncharacteristically grown a huge set of brass ones and broken street date.

This is no new news. Joystiq, IGN and Kotaku have all reported on small mom and pop stores violating the official release date. This reportedly led to GameStop’s decision to break the street date as well. Here’s the catch: only certain locations are participating, and to varying degrees.

While all three previously mentioned sites virtually reported the same story, I’m pained to admit that Kotaku followed through and actually tracked down the actual GameStop locations that are participating in these street date shenanigans.

From reader tips and follow-up phone calls, Kotaku knows that stores in Bowie, Md., Bowling Green, Ohio, Reading, Pa., and New York City were involved.

GameSeizure.com can confirm that all these locations are still currently selling MW2 prior to the release date at the time of this post. However, while the Bowling Green and NYC (687 Broadway) stores are only releasing copies to customers that have pre-0rdered the game, the Bowie and Reading locations are shilling copies of the standard edition to anyone walking in the door. “Tell all your friends,” said a Bowie GameStop employee. He has no idea.

Unfortunately, my local GameStop locations are not so generous. The ten nearest stores to my location all reported that this was an “internet rumor” a “myth” and is “illegal”. Perhaps they didn’t get the corporate memo. Perhaps they have gun envy. The world may never know.

It will be interesting to see Activision’s response to GameStop’s blatant mishandling of the release date. With online sales and digital distribution becoming larger and larger factors in the gaming industry, could GameStop’s desperate move signal the beginning of the end for brick-and-mortar video game stores?

Doubtful. But it may be safe to say that there will be no pre-order bonus at GameStop for Modern Warfare 3.

One of the small silver linings one finds oneself with when recently relocated and stranded offline is an abundance of free time to go through old crap. One piece of crap was a $5.00 scanner from a yard sale. The power adapter didn’t work, but a “quick” search of the big green duffel bag of random cords provided one that did. Score. Combined with a small surviving remnant of my comic book collection this afforded the unique opportunity to waste time in a new and semi-constructive manner.

"If you can't say something nice..."

Now, as someone who owned over 5,000 comics before a structural fire, sorting through the hundred-or-so newly rediscovered survivors was painful. But the pain was shouldered for the sake the greater good. The result? Over a dozen scans of video game advertisements from comics of yore and a kicker for any X-Men fans out there. Check out Mario before side-scrolling, Mortal Kombat’s debut, and the Freedom Stick.

In my defense, that’s the condition X-Men #2 was in when I received it…

According to today’s press release, Exspect’s new wireless charging systems for the Xbox 360 and Wii controllers are now available for purchase. Simply place your controller on the pad and the electricity is transmitted via radio frequencies to your battery pack. As the RF method does not require a metal-on-metal connection, gamers can leave the battery pack attached. Wii enthusiasts won’t even have to take the condom off their remote to charge up.

Only transmitting an electric current when a compatible battery pack is placed on the mat, the Drop ‘N’ Charge offers gamers a completely safe way to charge their wireless gaming accessories. It is also a highly energy efficient system as the charge induction stops the moment the battery packs reach full capacity, so you can leave them on the pad for as long as you like, without wasting energy.

The Drop ‘N’ Charge Range eliminates the need to buy and replace regular batteries, which can be costly in the long term – just plug-in a rechargeable Exspect battery pack and Drop ‘N’ Charge. For those that want to know the minute their devices are fully charged, the pad comes with LED indicators to illustrate the charge status by either a red/green glow.

An added bonus for those with multiple consoles: the Exspect charging pad can service batteries from various devices simultaneously, so the 360 controller and the Wiimote can now charge together in blissful harmony. While there’s no mention of future PS3 love in the press release, Exspect currently produces more conventional PS3 chargers and the potential is certainly there if this product succeeds.

Exspect’s release states the devices are now available at Tesco Direct, but at the time of this posting, that wasn’t true. A follow-up on rumors the pads were available at Amazon UK also proved unfruitful.

[via gamesindustrynews.biz]

Borderlands’ Achievements follow your standard meat-and-potato fare, however, there are more than a few humorous nods to various genres. Front and center we have the “My Brother is an Italian Plumber” award for killing an enemy by stomping on its head. Earn a million bucks and claim the “Pandora-dog Millionaire” Achievement for 50G. And who can forget my personal favorite, “Can’t We Get BEYOND Thunderdome?” for winning your first arena match. Now it they just have the man-sized rubber bands, then, then I’ll be happy.

There was also a “Face Melter” Achievement that was sadly not what I expected and instead dealt with the use of corrosive weapons.  Live and learn. The full list is available at X360a.org, along with a comprehensive gallery. For even more Borderlands information, check out the gameplay trailer, the reason why Borderlands > Fable II, and the man behind No Heaven.

The “Villains Theme Pack” features static shots of Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Bane and Killer Croc. Noticeably absent is our favorite prankster, the Joker. Perhaps he’s a PS3 Home exclusive.

For a direct download link right now check here.

Daniel Larsson and Tomas Redigh, aka Rymdreglage, spend over 1500 hours shooting individual photographs and stringing them together for the final product below. The video is seeing some serious YouTube action, and their personal webpage has already crashed from the increase in traffic. Retro gamers will love the NES imagery, and the funky euro-beat isn’t half bad either.

If that’s not enough Lego lunacy, check out Plasticdudes for a seriously WTF experience.

"Of course they're real."

While unclear whether it was Ayane, Momiji or Rachel’s ample virtual clevage, more than a few had to check the goods. Hit the jump to watch grown men awkwardly grope a wall.

The Tecmo team also has an interesting and original “Shadowgraph” advertisement on their YouTube page.

[via ThatGirlsSite.com]

After speaking with Playlogic last week, it sounds like the achievement’s on the chopping block waiting for the axe to fall, but the children and the you killing them parts, those will definitely be served in the final dish.

Fairytale Fights was already pushing the “edgy” boundaries with its unique blend of cartoon sprites and buckets of blood, but it seems as if Playlogic just can’t get enough word of mouth advertising. They are definitely subscribing to the “any news is good news” philosophy. Hit the jump for a quick new trailer (it’s not the one showing Red Riding Hood wandering aimlessly for two minutes).

[via GamePolitics.com]

One item at a time, Avatar Dude.

Apparently Microsoft hasn’t been told that there’s a recession ’round these here parts.

I’d been avoiding the new avatar marketplace since its inception, partly because I had vowed not to drop my hard-earned space bucks on virtual goods, and partly because I know what a sucker I am for impulse buys. But a tip from the latest X3F Fancast got me curious. Dustin Burg reported that there was a Halo ring to be purchased. A ring celebrating the deadly laser. A red ring celebrating the death weapon. A… Red Ring of Death! Microsoft is hawking RRODs for 40 MS points and most likely doesn’t even realize it.

One digit short of a sale.

It was a stretch, but the irony was delicious and I was intrigued. Unfortunately, while the ring is bargain priced at 50 cents, even a 40-inch HD screen isn’t enough to appreciate all the detail and splendor that Microsoft most assuredly packed into those pixels.

But now Pandora’s box had been opened and the avatar marketplace was laid open before me. For those that haven’t checked it out yet, the marketplace is extremely user-friendly, showcasing clothing from various games and sponsors.

You gotta rock the wife-beater to pimp the Big Daddy.

But it wasn’t time for clothes, it was all about the props. After all the talk on podcasts and game sites it was time to settle a standoff in my mind: Giant Q-tip or Lightsaber? I had seen screenshots of both in action, but stills couldn’t convey the quirky comedic animations that accompany the props. The RC Halo Warthog, for example, has your avatar dancing over the mini-hog as it spins in circles. I hesitate to use the word “cute” with positive connotations, but…

Initially the clear winner seemed to be the Q-tip. First he prods at the screen with it in a semi-suggestive manner before finishing up with a Bruce Lee-esque defensive pose with the earwax wrangler at the ready. The lightsaber animations are just a couple of flourishes and a force-push, but in the end I just couldn’t get over how gosh-darn happy my little guy looks firing up that Jedi pig-sticker.

Deja vu.

I was briefly tempted to drop a paltry 80 MS points on a Yoda T-shirt, until I noticed it was also listed in the “Most Popular” section. That just won’t do. If the Most Popular listings are to be trusted, it seems we shall shortly be seeing a steady influx of Sam Fishers, Clone Troopers and UNSC Marines.

Once again, the Bentley Compu-Vision’s enormous impact on the gaming industry was overlooked.

[via Geeks Are Sexy]