Did You Ever Want Hot Chicks and Loads of Free Games?

Well This is not the place to find them. But If you Think you can do a better job of posting or reporting on news stories? Prove it. OLGn is searching for talented writers to assist in the site’s daily news writing duties.

We are looking for smart, capable freelance news writers to lend a hand in daily coverage of gaming news on OLGn.net. Here is the kicker: All of these positions are voluntary! *Gasp!* What, you don’t make a load of cash from the site? HAHAHA … don’t let the ads around this site fool you – OLGn is about as financially profitable as, ‘trying to hit Bill Gates up for a loan’.

Put simply, we’re looking to grow, and I’m going to need your help. I opened the doors at OLGn a little over 6 years ago now and it’s been just me working this site and I need some help. People have said in the past that “Hay, I will help” post 3 or 4 times and POOF! never to be seen again. It’s not instant fame or easy money you have to love games and writing about them.

The Basics:
You keep the copyright to your work posted to OLGn Under the site wide Creative Commons license. So feel free to post what you post on OLGn on your blog, just give a link back is all we ask.

1. You must search the internet for worthwhile news stories. Examples of news worthy material: Nearly everything having to do with Xbox, wii, PS3, PC, Apple, PSP, DS, Previews or Reviews of Games. You can write articles about games, computer, internet or technology in your life not just news.
2. Must have good grammar
3. Must be willing to devote time, not just posting once a month

Even though it’s voluntary, Please stick to deadlines or a schedule when posting.

You might Ask What Do I get from all the *Cough* Work! You’ll get your own @olgn.net email address and the smugness of being able to say you work in the “Gaming Industry” as a Free Lance writer. Occasionally you’ll get freebies from game publishers, but that won’t happen often unless pig’s can fly.

If you stick around and all work together, one day we might even be able to pay you or hell even pay for hosting! Sound good to you? Fill out the form below.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

New Battlefield: Bad Company Game Play Trailer

EA sends over a brand new trailer for the upcoming FPS game, Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3/X360).

St. Patrick’s day and Games Shipping this Week

Happy St. Patrick’s day! Here are the games expected to ship this week to a store near you:
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2: Head back to Sin City with this tactical shooter sequel from UbiSoft for the Xbox 360 and PS3 (The PC game has been pushed back to April some time)

Sega Superstars Tennis: The characters in the Segaverse play some tennis in this sports game for the Xbox 360, PS3, PS3, Wii, and DS
Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds: Sony release this latest game in the arcade golf series for the PS3
Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends: Koei releases their latest hack-and-slash action game for the PS2.
Singstar 90’s: Sony releases this latest game in their PS2 karaoke game series
Worms: A Space Oddity: Team 17 and THQ release this latest game in the long running turn based strategy series for the Wii.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008: Konami’s soccer game ships for the Wii platform this week.
Condemned 2: Bloodshot: Delayed for a week, Monolith and Sega’s melee based action-horror game ships for the PS3 platform this week.
Metal Gear Solid: Essential Collection: Konami re-releases the last three Metal Gear Solid games in a new collection for the PS2.

One more Gaming league Down the Tubes - The CPL has closed

Citing financial concerns the Cyberathlete Professional League has ceased operations and cancelled all future events, eleven years after being first launched:

Effective immediately, the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) will cease operations. Therefore, all CPL events currently scheduled for 2008 are hereby canceled.The CPL was launched in June 1997 with the pioneering mission of promoting and sanctioning video game competitions as a professional sport. For ten years the CPL events experienced increased growth - commencing with a small LAN event in Dallas, Texas, and culminating in world-class competitions across five continents.

However, the current fragmentation of the sport, a crowded field of competing leagues, and the current economic climate have prompted the CPL to suspend its pro-tournament operations. The CPL regrets that this news will disappoint those that were planning on attending the summer and winter events this year.

Many thanks to all of the sponsors and partners that helped CPL establish the groundwork for professional video game competitions. Their vision and pioneering spirit should always be remembered.

The CPL was in the process of developing Severity with Tom Mustaine’s Escalation Studios, and had planned to release it on all major formats. Severity was designed from the ground-up as a pro-gaming title and was to be used for many of the CPL’s major tournaments - with the CPL out of business it is quite possible that Severity’ll be canned, though we are attempting to contact Escalation to confirm its fate.

Activision blocks GHIII guitar compatibility with Rock Band, looks like douchebag

Harmonix was all set to release a patch for Rock Band for the Playstation 3 that would have made Guitar Hero controllers compatible, but at the last minute Activision blocked Sony from releasing the patch, according to a statement from Harmonix on Joystiq.

The patch, which would have been released on Dec. 4, was approved by Sony and was all set to be released before Activisions’ guitarblock. In Harmonix’s statement, they said releasing the patch would be what’s best for the consumer, and if any other companies want to make their products compatible with Rock Band equipment they would have the full support of Harmonix and MTV.

The full statement to Joystiq:

“As we have said in the past, Harmonix and MTV Games believe in an open standard philosophy of hardware and game compatibility. We think that there should be interoperability between music instrument controllers across all music games. This is clearly in the best interest of consumers, game developers and console manufacturers and will only help to grow the music game genre as well as inspire innovation and creativity.

Two weeks ago, Harmonix created a software patch for the Sony PLAYSTATION 3 version of Rock Band that allowed for guitar compatibility and support for third party peripherals, including enabling use of Activision’s Guitar Hero III controller with Rock Band. The compatibility patch was submitted, approved and had been scheduled for release by Sony on Tuesday, December 4. Unfortunately, Activision objected to the release of the compatibility patch. The patch remains with Sony, but we have been told that it will unfortunately not be released due to Activision’s continued objection.

As is the case with the Microsoft Xbox360, we believe that Sony PLAYSTATION 3 users should be able to use the peripheral of their choice with Rock Band. We sincerely hope that Activision will reverse its decision and allow release of the compatibility patch and further, that Activision will allow Guitar Hero III to support Rock Band guitar controllers as well. We welcome all third party developers who wish to support our controllers and will provide any required support in order for them to do so.

We believe that when consumers have choice, everyone wins. Harmonix and MTV Games hope that Activision and others in the industry will also adopt this philosophy.”

Seriously, way to look like a money grubbing douchebag Activision. There’s no way to come out of this looking good except to allow the patch to be released. Of course, it would make Activision look even better if they took Harmonix’s suggestion and allowed the use of the Rock Band guitar with Guitar Hero. I can’t see how this wouldn’t be more profitable for them. I haven’t heard of anyone who prefers the Rock Band guitar to the Guitar Hero one, so they could probably sell more of their peripheral.

Also, I must praise Harmonix for their apparent interest in what’s best for the consumers. I suppose this just goes to show the different aims of developers and publishers.

DMC4 demo confirmed for early 2008

A downloadable demo of Devil May Cry 4 should be available over Xbox Live Marketplace and the Playstation Store in early 2008, Capcom announced in a press release today. The demo will showcase new protagonist Nero over a variety of locales before culminating in a battle against Berial. Players can use a variety of the new abilities bestowed by Nero’s devil bringer in the demo, including “the ability to slam creatures to the ground, cover great distances in a single bound or even grab enemies while on the ground or in the air and pull them towards Nero to continue the attack combo.”

Capcom also announced a new weapon, named Lucifer, which fires glowing red swords that pierce enemies and explode when Dante throws a rose, which he holds between his teeth. Kay. Capcom also announced a new boss, One Winged “Dark Knight.”

Keep in mind the game is scheduled for a February 2008 release, so it’s entirely possible the demo will come out in very close proximity to the game. The press release says players will have a chance to play the demo before purchasing the game, but whether that means the demo is coming out before the game or not is unclear.

Capcom also released a bunch of hi-res screenshots and some artwork, so look for those and the full press release after the jump.

Full Story »

Activision-Vivendi Games To Merge and Renamed Activision Blizzard

Game publishers Activision and Vivendi Games will merge their companies into one and be renamed Activision Blizzard. The result will create a company with revenues of $3.8 billion in 2007. The deal is expected to be made official in the first half of 2008. What does this say for Sierra only time will tell, but I am here to say I don’t think sierra will be around much longer.

Activision, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) and Vivendi (Paris: VIV) today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement to combine Vivendi Games, Vivendi’s interactive entertainment business — which includes Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft®, the world’s #1 multi-player online role-playing game franchise — with Activision, creating the world’s largest pure-play online and console game publisher. The new company, Activision Blizzard, is expected to have approximately $3.8 billion in pro forma combined calendar 2007 revenues and the highest operating margins of any major third-party video game publisher. On closing of the transaction, Activision will be renamed Activision Blizzard and will continue to operate as a public company traded on NASDAQ under the ticker ATVI. Activision, one of the world’s leading independent publishers of interactive entertainment, is best known for its top- selling franchises, including Guitar Hero®, Call of Duty® and the Tony Hawk series, as well as Spider-Manâ„¢, X-Menâ„¢, Shrek®, James Bondâ„¢ and TRANSFORMERSâ„¢. Blizzard Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Games, has projected calendar 2007 revenues of $1.1 billion, operating margins of over 40% and approximately $520 million of operating profit. Blizzard owns the #1 multi-player online role-playing game franchise, World of Warcraft, which currently has over 9.3 million subscribers worldwide. Blizzard’s World of Warcraft, Warcraft®, StarCraft® and Diablo® games account for four of the top-five best-selling PC game titles of all time. Vivendi Games also owns popular franchises, including Crash Bandicootâ„¢ and Spyroâ„¢. Pro forma for calendar 2007, Activision Blizzard expects to generate approximately 70% of its revenues from owned franchises. As a result of the business combination, Activision Blizzard expects to have the most diversified and broadest portfolio of interactive entertainment assets in its industry, positioning the combined company to capitalize on the continued worldwide growth in interactive entertainment.

Jean-Bernard Lévy, Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Vivendi stated: “This alliance is a major strategic step for Vivendi and is another illustration of our drive to extend our presence in the entertainment sector. By combining Vivendi’s games business with Activision, we are creating a worldwide leader in a high-growth industry. We are excited about the opportunities for Activision Blizzard as a broader entertainment software platform. We believe this transaction will create significant value for Activision Blizzard and Vivendi stockholders. In Activision, we have found a partner with a highly complementary business and strong operating team. Bobby Kotick and Brian Kelly are industry pioneers, well known for creating shareholder value. The combined strength of the existing management teams at both companies will set the stage for further profitable growth of Activision Blizzard. We look forward to being an active and supportive majority stockholder in a company that is poised to lead the worldwide interactive entertainment industry in the years ahead.”

René Penisson, Member of the Management Board of Vivendi and current Chairman of Vivendi Games, added: “We are very confident that by combining forces, Activision Blizzard will set the highest standards in quality, reputation and profitability, and will bring together the best creative teams in the industry. The combination of this unique product portfolio with highly professional employees gives us great confidence in the growth prospects for Activision Blizzard.”

Said Robert Kotick, Activision’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer: “This is an outstanding transaction for Activision and our stockholders, as well as a pivotal event in the continuing transformation of the interactive entertainment industry. By combining leaders in mass-market entertainment and subscription-based online games, Activision Blizzard will be the only publisher with leading market positions across all categories of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry and reach the broadest possible audiences. By joining forces with Vivendi Games, we will become the immediate leader in the highly profitable online games business and gain a large footprint in the rapidly growing Asian markets, including China and Korea, while maintaining our leading operating performance across North America and Europe. Activision stockholders will benefit from significantly increased earnings power and the recurring nature and predictability of subscription-based revenues, while also having the opportunity, if they choose, to receive $27.50 per share for a portion of their shares in the post-closing tender offer.”

Kotick continued: “Vivendi Games provides Activision with unique strategic and financial benefits and will allow us to leverage our franchises into emerging online opportunities as Blizzard has done so successfully. Activision has been very focused on margin expansion, and this transaction will meaningfully increase our overall operating margins as we expand our franchises online and in new geographies. Diversifying our revenue base among subscription-based online, console and PC formats, as well as wireless and casual emerging opportunities, gives us the broadest platform to capitalize on industry growth. With Blizzard’s successful franchises, such as World of Warcraft, StarCraft and an exciting pipeline of yet-to-be announced titles, Vivendi Games’ and Blizzard’s management team will join with Activision’s strong and experienced leaders to become an even more powerful force for innovation in online and offline interactive entertainment across a wide range of platforms. This transaction also provides a unique relationship with Universal Music Group – the world’s largest music company – which will benefit Guitar Hero and further extend our sizable leadership position in music-based games.”

Mike Morhaime, President and Chief Executive Officer of Blizzard, added: “Blizzard’s industry-leading PC games business, with a track record of nine consecutive bestsellers and a global subscriber base of more than 9.3 million World of Warcraft players, is an exceptional fit for Activision’s highly profitable console games business. From our interactions with the Activision team, it is clear we have much in common in terms of our approaches to game development and publishing. Above all, we are looking forward to continue creating great games for Blizzard gamers around the world, and we believe this new partnership will help us to do that even better than before.”

Xbox 360 Free With Your Pizza Order

As if Pizza and Video games did not go hand in hand, here comes Dominos and a new Xbox promo. I have never been a fan of any enter a code and win product tie-ins that most companies like to do, But this one really does not sound bad at all.

If you’re a gamer you most likely already eat your share of pizza like I do and you have a internet connection. So all you have to do wo win a Xbox 360 is order your pizza from Domino’s pizza on line.

Starting December 1st and running through the 12th, Domino’s Pizza is giving away Xbox 360 prizes to every customer who orders online. When your online order is placed during these “XII Days of Xbox” you will receive a free 48 hour Xbox Live Gold subscription automatically. Also every day, 10 random orders will win an Xbox 360 and a copy of Project Gotham Racing 4. Once your order is placed a window will pop up, telling you if you’ve won a console or a piece of crap subscription, with prizes shipping within two days of winning to arrive in time for Christmas.

I have already bookmarked the order page and I know what’s for dinner the first 12 days in December.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Nov. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Domino’s Pizza (NYSE:DPZ) and Xbox(R) are teaming up this holiday season to deliver the “XII Days of Xbox.” Every day, beginning Dec. 1 through Dec. 12, customers who place their order online at www.dominos.com will instantly receive Xbox prizes, and some entrants will win Xbox 360(R) consoles.

Every order placed online during the “XII Days of Xbox” will receive a gift with purchase -a 48-hour trial of Xbox LIVE(R) Gold, Xbox’s premier online multiplayer gaming and entertainment service that lets players connect their gaming consoles to the Internet and play games online. Best of all, every day during the “XII Days of Xbox,” 10 lucky customers will win an Xbox 360 gaming console and a Project Gotham Racing(R) 4 video game.

“We’re giving our customers some of the hottest gifts this season along with a hot, delicious meal when they place their order online,” said Ken Calwell, Domino’s Pizza chief marketing officer. “We’re delivering the convenience of online ordering and pairing it with the excitement of instantly getting great prizes from Xbox.”

Customers can order online Dec. 1 through Dec. 12 for more chances to play. Once an order is placed, a pop-up window will appear to confirm the order and announce instantly what prize will be received and if the customer has won the Xbox 360 console and Project Gotham Racing 4 video game. Prizes will be shipped within two days of winning to arrive in time for the holidays. Customers can visit www.dominos.com for automatic entry into the “XII Days of Xbox and for the official “XII Days of Xbox” contest rules. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Void where prohibited. Must be at least 13 years of age to enter. Contest ends Dec. 12, 2007.

GRID Officially Announced and First Screenshots

Codemasters announces GRID, the next game in their long running racing series. GRID will be released in mid-2008 for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 from the same development team which brought you Colin McRae: DiRT. Here is a release and first screens:

Coming mid 2008, GRID is set to capture every moment from the starting grid to the chequered flag and concentrate those moments into an intense and dramatic race experience. GRID is being developed for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Games for Windows®.

GRID will take players to beautifully realized and dramatic race locations over three continents to compete in an unprecedented variety of racing events. Packed with the most powerful race cars - new and classic, circuit and drift - players will compete to conquer the most prestigious official race tracks and championships and then go beyond to compete in challenging city-based competitions, through to road events and urban street races.

In Europe, race gamers will compete on the greatest official tracks in prestige Marques including Aston Martin, Koenigsegg and Pagani.

Iconic cities across the U.S. - including San Francisco, Washington DC and Detroit and each with their own atmosphere and events - play hosts to diverse street races. Here, high-performance V8 muscle cars set the pace in aggressive closely fought pack competitions.

In the Far East, Japanese racing culture sets the tone where night races, including Drift racing, take drivers through neon illuminated cities and to outlying mountain roads. There is also the opportunity to compete in races that operate on the fringes of legality in the back streets and industrial areas of Yokohama.

Now That’s a Home Arcade You Can Be Proud Of

Do you always have to have the Biggest and best toys and show them off to your friends? If yes, the “Dreamcade Vision 120” is the must have game system gift for you this Christmas.

The “Dreamcade Vision 120″ isn’t just a game system; it’s an arcade center. In fact, the Vision 120 comes complete and ready to play with more than 145 classic arcade games, including all of your favorite classic games from Atari, Midway, Namco, Digital Leisure, and Capcom as well more than 7,000 classic console games. What did you just say; you already have a Next-Gen game system? The Vision 120 also comes with Component and HDMI video inputs for your Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 or Nintendo’s Wii console with a wireless sensor bar built right in. Play all of this in high definition with a 120-inch portable screen.

All this for the small retail price of $3,999, but can you really put a price on playing 145 classic arcade games on one system with a 120-inch screen?

Dreamcade Vision 120 Features:

• High powered projector - Bright enough for daytime use!
• 120-inch Portable projection screen - makes it simple to set up, move, and store
• Dreamcade 2.0 Gaming PC - modern PC games can be played using authentic arcade controls
• More than 145 classic arcade games including Ms. Pac-man, Centipede, Dig Dug, and many more.
• Free year’s subscription to more than 7,000 classic console games via Console Classix, including games for Atari, ColecoVision, NES, SuperNES, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, Sega GameGear, and GameBoy.
• Component and HDMI video inputs for your Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii for the ultimate in modern gaming as well as classic arcade games.
• Arcade Control Panel Features:
• Lighted trackball - For authentic gaming action on games like Centipede and Missile Command
• Spinner - To play retro classics like Warlords, Breakout and Pong
• Full arcade control panel with additional side buttons allows playing nearly any game from Street fighter to MAME pinball as well as modern games and classic console games through Console Classix
• Removable control panel - Gives you the ultimate versatility