Target is offering up pre-sale cards for LittleBigPlanet that claim an October 21st release date for this eagerly awaited game. We've known it would be coming (hopefully, keep your cute little fingers crossed) in October of this year, and hopefully this date won't be changing. Plus we're still itching to get our hands on a demo before then so we can practice our sponge-collecting skills.
There's still no definitive word if Sony will be offering this up for download as well as the retail Blu-ray version. In this Gamespot video at about three minutes in, they say "We're hoping to have it on the Playstation Network Store as well." Maybe Sony's planning on releasing a trimmed-down version of the game for download, and opening up the full game to retail customers, similar to what EA has done by putting out the Spore Creature Creator as a free download in advance of the full Spore game coming later? Either way, October can't get here fast enough. Free candy and LittleBigPlanet? Sold.
Hopefully we're not in danger of providing Fallout 3 overload, and if you haven't gotten the idea yet, we're really looking forward to this game. It's literally a cool science fiction series skin slapped on top of Oblivion, but we're not complaining about that. Blowing away mutants in the wasteland? Yes, please.
Here's the meat and bones from our time with Bethesda's Todd Howard, and you can listen to the full audio interview below. After the break, find out some tidbits like the size of the world, how many radio stations are in the game, and why you won't be dual-wielding or buying horse armor. Oh, and be sure to pay attention to the exploding pants achievement.
If you've been able to make it out to any of the i am 8-bit exhibitions in the past, then you've seen some incredibly cool artwork from the 8-bit movement. If you haven't, then just check out the scads of pictures from their past two shows, or pick up their book featuring high-quality photos of the pieces.
If you're in the Los Angeles area from August 14th through September 7th, then stop by the World of Wonder storefront gallery at 6650 Hollywood Blvd. They're having an opening night party, and we'll be on hand to get plenty of pictures of the new art to pass along like we did last time. Hopefully, we'll have more Evil Mario this year.
One of the most overlooked aspects of E3 is a chance to look at the Into the Pixel selections from each year. These are huge pieces of art inspired by and created for different video games. They often feature much deeper looks into the games they represent, just check out this piece from Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood as an example.
Our favorites are probably the simple yet fun Mokeskine-notebook from Rayman Raving Rabbids, or the Little Big Planet-esque Puzzle World Twilightlandscape painting. Check out our gallery below of images from the 2007 and 2008 shows and pick out your favorite. There's some really good desktop wallpaper fodder in there if you click the high rez button.
For more Into the Pixel art, check out the galleries on their site. If you're in the Los Angeles area, the exhibition will be open to the public during this year's E for All, from October 3rd through the 5th.
One notable absence from LucasArts E3 room was any presence of Indiana Jones whatsoever. While they were highly touting Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and Fracture, they didn't even have a poster featuring a silhouette of Indy and the Hat anywhere to be seen. Not only that, but LucasArts employees visibly bristled whenever we asked about it. "No comment" stung us like a whip several times.
Matt Shell, marketing manager at LucasArts, finally let us know that yes, they're working on something. However, they didn't want to talk about it at all. It just seems odd that they have one of the highest grossing movies of the year, based on one of their most iconic properties, and they don't even want to show us a photo of a whip and say "It's in the game." Jump on that opportunity, Lucas! Especially after you were honking your Euphoria physics engine so loud in 2006.
The poor guy must have been tuckered out from carrying that whip around all day. The last three press events we've been to that he was at, he was wearing the same white shirt, cowboy hat, boot and whip getup. Do you think he opens his closet in the morning and just has dozens of duplicates of that outfit all lined up and ready to go?
We just hope he's not tired from all the Castlevania Judgement Wii-mote shaking action. That can really take quite a toll on the body.
When the doors of the E3 showfloor first opened, herds of eager game industry denizens rushed inside to set up stations at kiosks to try their hands at the new wares. One small gaggle of gaming journalists from a world where women must not exist gawped and said "Check out all these girls playing games!" Keep in mind, this was after seeing two women playing games at one console.
Two girls, one console. Yes, apparently women play games.
Pete Hines from Bethesda shattered our crystalline dreams yesterday when he told us that the Vault-Tec 800 number for Fallout 3 means... absolutely nothing. He and Todd Howard had argued about it, and Pete wanted it to actually have something hidden inside for fans, but he got vetoed.
Although Bethesda would love for rabid Fallout fans to kick down the door of a 68 year old woman's house in Texas in search of hidden editions of the game, it just ain't happenin'. Listen to the actual audio dialogue below which busted up our hopes for a Rain Man level math secret hidden in the phone message.
If you're interested in getting your hand on some of our over 200 lbs. of schwaggage, imbibing in free food and drink, and oh, meeting your favorite damn video game bloggers in the blogosphere, then get yourself to our Second Post-E3 Joystiq Meetup and Schwag-Off™. Find out how to get there after the break, and set your GPS to FUN.
Our very own Ross Miller, in his bubbling excitement over tonight's Joystiq reader meetup, was overheard commenting on the Nuka Cola from Bethesda & Fallout 3 that we'll be bringing. "Get nuked at the Joystiq meetup!" We're planning on it, Rosco.
Writing about video games can often expose you to those heartbreaking stories of things in development that almost made it, but never appeared. Things like the Phantom game console, Shenmue Online, and the years-in-the-making Duke Nukem Forever.
We spent time with Bethesda's Todd Howard beyond locked doors and found out about some of the dark secrets behind Fallout 3, including the massive real-life Pip-boy that would have had a screen built into it to allow you to interact with the game. Or possibly hold your PSP on your wrist to become a PiPSP-boy. Find out more after the breakage.
Universal and GRIN are working on a Wanted game, and we got to take a peek behind the scenes during E3. Faster than you can say "rushing a movie title into development" our cynical preconceptions were shattered. Not only were we impressed with the gameplay they showed us, we also were bolstered by the fact that one of the developers cared enough to drop the f-bomb several times during our appointment.
Find out more about this upcoming title after the break. If you haven't seen the film, watch out for spoilers and don't come crying to us later.
After an extremely long day of liveblogging, keynotes, booth appointment, trawling the show floor, writing stories, taking photos, and recording podcasts, an evening of cocktails and parties sounded like an ideal way to unwind. However, we were smacked in the face with a tidal wave called "tired" and we just couldn't keep our eyes open. Next year: portable energy drink IVs.
We vacated Activision's fairly swanky reception and party early last night, with our destinations set on "Bethesda." Jetting from downtown Los Angeles to the Sunset Strip in mere minutes, we arrived like rockstars only to leave like geriatric mall-walkers a short hour later. However, we did witness some things we'd like to share. Check 'em out after the break.
Activision might have dropped out of E3, but that didn't stop them from having a huge party, complete with tiny hamburgers, pork buns, sushi, and other things we couldn't pronounce. We liveblogged it, then got some chow on. Head after the jump to find out the kinds of things Activision has been spending their money on, besides Blizzard.
Rumors have been flying left and right all day that The Who would be gracing the stage at the Rock Band party tonight. Well, we decided to visit the The Who's website to see if we could glean any clues. Yes, there's a huge clue right there in left hand news feed. "According to REUTERS, The Who are playing a private show at a historic theatre in Los Angeles this evening to help promote the "Rock Band" video game..."
It makes a lot of sense, because The Who's Rock Band content just dropped this week, so they should just change that to "according to our official website," but hey, The Who. Live in town to promote Rock Band 2. Now you're talkin' bout my generation. Rock on. Maybe Roger Daltrey isn't so bored by the game anymore. Or maybe all it takes to excite him is the smell of a paycheck.
We'll have a full report tonight, or tomorrow, depending on how coherent we are later. If we're lucky, it'll even have video and audio goodies in it.
If you've been able to make it out to any of the 
Pete Hines from Bethesda shattered our crystalline dreams yesterday when he told us that the 
Our very own 
Rumors have been flying left and right all day that The Who would be gracing the stage at the Rock Band party tonight. Well, we decided to visit the The Who's website to see if we could glean any clues. Yes, there's a huge clue right there in 
