Source: videogamesblogger.com

Microsoft has announced that Halo Wars, the upcoming Ensemble-developed Xbox 360 exclusive real-time strategy entry in the million-sellers series, has been delayed by a week from February to an exact date of March 3rd.

It will launch in four days earlier in Japan an Asia on February 26th and a day later in Europe on February 27th. It will also launch in South America as well as North America on March 3rd.

Halo Wars is rated T for Teen and will retail in the U.S. for an MSRP of $60 for the regular edition and $80 for the Halo Wars – Special Edition. The special edition of Halo Wars will include the Halo 3 Mythic Map Pack, an extra in-game vehicle called the Honor Guard Wraith, six trading cards describing the game’s leaders, a starship Spirit of Fire crew patch and the Halo Wars: Genesis graphic novel.

Halo Wars is the first real-time strategy title in the series which originally was in development as a real-time strategy game (the original Halo). And like those games it will have troops of the United Naions Space Command (UNSC) facing off against the alien Covenant, a multiracial empire of religious fanatics hell-bent on wiping humanity from the cosmos. The game will feature several units from the Halo series and features an in-depth storyline and weapons, vehicles, music and more from the Halo franchise, including stuff lifted from the Halo novels.

Halo Wars is the final game from developer Ensemble Studios (who also developed the Age of Empire series) which Microsoft is shutting down.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Electronic Arts today announced the The Sims 3: Collector’s Edition PC game is now available for pre-order at select North American retailers including GameStop, Best Buy, Circuit City, Fry’s Electronics, GameCrazy, EB Canada, Amazon.com, Gogamer.com, Target.com and Walmart.com. Worldwide pre-order opportunities outside of North America will be announced in the coming months at which time fans can look to local retailers in their market for more information.

The Sims 3 Collector’s Edition, in stores on February 20, 2009, for $69.99 (at $20 more than the normal edition) it will include the full game along with an additional collectable 2GB The Sims Plumbob USB drive, tips and hints guide and a bonus in-game European-styled sports car unavailable elsewhere. In addition, those who pre-order the product now will receive an additional exclusive in-game vintage sports car, and a collectible poster that is a first look at the neighborhood, all available while supplies last.

The Sims 3 Collector’s Edition will include:
* The Sims 3 Game for PC
* The Sims Plumbob USB Drive with matching Green Carabiner
* Exclusive In-Game European-Styled Sports Car
* Tips and hints guide
* The Sims 3 Plumbob Stickers

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Midway Games is expecting Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe to be on store shelves and available for purchase on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 throughout North America on November 16th, 2008, and Europe on November 21st, 2008. On those days, gamers and comic book fans can enter their favorite retail outlet and purchase the highly-anticipated pairing of some of the iconic characters from the DC Universe, like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and The Joker, battling against video game icons Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Liu Kang, Sonya and more.

Midway released the final box art along with details of the North American Kollector’s Edition, which will come in special packaging and feature an exclusive removable print designed by Alex Ross, one of the world’s most pre-eminent and respected comic book artists, as well as bonus video content. That’s if at $69.99 you’re willing to pay $10 more than the regular edition. — In addition, John Tobias, co-creator of the Mortal Kombat franchise, returns to sketch a 16-page comic book to be published by DC Comics that chronicles the shocking, universe-shattering events that lead up to the in-game story mode.

See live how the Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe Collector’s Edition cover art (click link for huge image) was designed by the legendary Alex Ross.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Electronic Arts has announced a Red Alert 3 Special Collector’s Edition, which they are calling the Premier Edition, for the launch of the World War III real-time strategy game on October 28th in North America and October 31st in Europe. The PC version’s Premier Edition will set you back $64.99 or £44.99. No plans were announced for an Xbox 360 version. You’ll be able to pre-order the Premier Edition’s both at retail and online.

The Red Alert 3 Collectors Special Edition includes:
* Limited Edition collector’s tin
– Five exclusive multiplayer/skirmish maps
– Bonus DVD featuring the following:
– Full-length Raising the Iron Curtain making-of movie with exclusive interviews from the star-studded cast
– Concept art montage video “From Pens to Pixels”
– Bloopers and outtakes from the cinematics sessions
– Women of Red Alert 3 montage video
– An inside look into the future of Command & Conquer and Red Alert
– Tips on how to unlock the secrets of each side, directly from the developers
– Complete video walk-thru on one of the game’s most difficult missions
* Game Soundtrack including exclusive remixes of Hell March and Hell March 2 by From First to Last, plus the all-new Hell March 3
* Women of Red Alert 3 Poster
* Exclusive Beta Key to a future Command & Conquer game;
* An exclusive in-game item for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning – Korssar’s Helm Description: This magical Kislevite helm is imbued with the spirit of the wild North and will magically transform the wearer into a ferocious bear.

If you pre-order at Gamestop, these extras are included:
* Free copy of Red Alert 2
* GameStop Exclusive multiplayer/skirmish map with in-game Gamestop
* Red Alert 3 Bonus DVD

Need more incentive to get the Premier Edition? This video shows all the women and men of Red Alert 3.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Activision has announced a Call of Duty: World at War Special Collector’s Edition for the launch of the World War II first-person shooter game on November 11th in North America. The Xbox 360 version’s special edition will set you back $80, while the PC version costs less at $70. No plans were announced for a PS3 or Wii versions. You’ll be able to pre-order both Special Edition’s at retail and online.

The Call of Duty: World At War Collectors Special Edition includes:

* The Call of Duty: World at War game
* World at War branded canteen
* FG 42 Machine Gun available on Day 1 (Usually a Level 45+ weapon)
* One week of Double-XP goodness (Actual week unknown)
* Colored Clan Tag (In-game multiplayer character indicator)
* Stylish tin box to place the above-listed treats into

Here are the game’s system specs for the PC version:

* Processor: AMD 64 3200+ / Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz or better
* Memory: 8 GB free hard-drive space, 512MB RAM (XP) / 1GB RAM (Vista)
* Graphics: Shader 3.0 or better, 256MB Nvidia GeForce 6600GT / ATI Radeon 1600XT or better

Via X3F

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Electronic Arts has announced a Mirror’s Edge Collectors Special Edition for the launch of the first-person parkour action-adventure game on November 11h in North America. The Xbox 360 version’s special edition will set you back $129.99. You can pre-order it via the EA Store.

The Mirror’s Edge Collectors Special Edition includes:

* The Mirror’s Edge game.
* A handcrafted bag made out of heavy duty ballistic fabric by Timbuk2. The bag is a replica of the one the game’s protagonist Faith uses.

Source: videogamesblogger.com

Only 1,000 copies of the Dead Space Ultra Limited Edition will be manufactured by Electronic Arts for the launch of the survival-horror game on October 14th in North America. The Xbox 360 version’s special edition will set you back $149.99. You can pre-order it via the EA Store.

The Dead Space Ultra Limited Edition includes:

* The Dead Space game
* Special Ultra Limited Edition packaging
* Dead Space Downfall Animated Movie (DVD)
* Bonus content DVD
* Exclusive lithograph art
* 97-pg Dead Space art book written and illustrated by the development team
* 160-pg Graphic novel
* Ishimura crew patch

Source: videogamesblogger.com

For the ultimate Spore fan, Maxis & EA just announced the limited Galactic Edition. This special box contains:

* The ‘Making of Spore’ DVD,
* ‘The Art of Spore’ hardback mini-book,
* A fold-out Spore poster,
* A premium 100-page Galactic Handbook,
* A DVD documentary from the National Geographic Channel called “How to Build a Better Being”.

Spore: Galactic Edition for PC’s with Windows XP / Vista and Mac’s with OS X will be available in the U.S. for $79.99 (with the regular edition costing $49.99), in the UK for £44.99 (with the regular edition costing £39.99), and in the rest of Europe for €69.99 (with the regular edition costing €59.99). Versions of Spore will ship for the PC, Mac, Nintendo DS and mobile phones on September 5, 2008 in Europe and September 7, 2008 in North America and Asia.

Maxis, makers of The Sims, present the next big bang… SPORE. In the game you create your unique creature and guide it on an epic journey through a universe of your own creations. Play any way you choose in the five evolutionary phases of Spore: Cell, Creature, Tribe, Civilization, and Space. How you play and what you do with your universe is entirely up to you. Spore gives you a variety of powerful yet easy-to-use creation tools so you can create every aspect of your universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even starships.