EA's marketing machine is ratcheting up its efforts on Mirror's Edge – how else will it hit those sales numbers? The latest salvo in its ongoing campaign is the above "story trailer" providing some beautifully animated background on Faith's outlaw-courier origin and the oppressive government she's avoiding by running around on rooftops.

It's no secret that we're a fan of these trailers; in fact, the only thing we can really take umbrage with here is this: they're making us pine for a "cel-shading" option in Mirror's Edge. C'mon, DICE – how hard could it be? Just click that "cel-shading" box on your game-making tool. Done!

Sometimes, video games just aren't expensive enough. Sometimes, we'll think to ourselves, "Just $60? What am I going to do with all this money I make blogging about video games?" Sensing our dilemma, EA's offering a pair of extra-spensive Xbox 360 bundles for two of their highest-profile (and most promising!) fall releases. We've already filled you in on the $150 "Ultra Limited Edition" Dead Space bundle but also wanted to showcase this rather fetching messenger bag Mirror's Edge bundle.

$130 bags you the Xbox 360 release of the game along with a ME-themed Timbuk2 messenger bag (read: much nicer than GameStop's preorder bag), complete with Faith's face on the inside flap – just the sort of conversation starter we all want sewn directly into our baggage.

The folks over at 1UP have a nice feature about the making of Mirror's Edge. With a little under two months to go before the Parkour-inspired FPS runs free at retail, the site talks with developers at DICE about the title and many people's initial apprehensions about the game's concept -- including EA CEO John Riccitiello.

A video of the game's "proof of concept," which can be found after the break, shows just how much of the core mechanic remained intact, while changing the protagonist's gender and use of weapons. The article also covers how Faith was initially a multiplayer character before she took center stage and has several nice pieces of early concept art of the levels.

This might come as a shock to some of you – well, those of you that are easily shocked – but Mirror's Edge marketing cat Martin Frain says the game could sell as many as three million units across three platforms ... and that's his conservative estimate! Why such big numbers, Mr. Frain? He says, "We're being helped immensely, just by the look of the game ... You look at a screenshot of Mirror's Edge, and you know what it is."

There's another game from last year that immediately comes to mind: Assassin's Creed had an immediately recognizable look, was an unproven IP, had mixed reviews, and was released into an unusually busy holiday game season, yet still went on to sell over six million units. So, can EA spark the same interest in this unusually colorful parkour playpen, being released into a similarly frenzied gaming season?

EA has announced that its parkour, rebellion and delivery girl simulator, Mirror's Edge, will release November 11 for Xbox 360 and PS3. Giving credence to the rumors already floating around, the PC version of the game is now confirmed for "later in the winter."

EA also confirmed that a demo will be available featuring "the tutorial" and a scene from the single-player campaign. Those who pre-order at "select retailers" after September 26 will receive a code that unlocks "Time Trial" in the demo. Hopefully, the game will be delivered on time -- watch the rooftops!

[Update: Note that the pre-order incentive's staring date may not necessarily be the release date of the demo. Upon contacting EA for a specific date, Joystiq was told, "The pre-order initiative begins on September 26th and the demo will be out before the game ships, as the press release sent this morning states."]

As we've all come to learn, the industry's use of the word "exclusive" is about as persistent as a piece of cotton candy in your mouth. For all we know (which, admittedly, isn't a lot), the Xbox 360 and PC versions of Mirror's Edge could be receiving their own "exclusive" downloadable bits. Probably some designer gloves and elbow pads for our squirrely protagonist.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

Our first stop on the whirlwind tour of EA's heavy hitters was with our favorite running, jumping, sliding, wall-climbing, Faith. Mirror's Edge continues to impress, and we were lucky enough to get a few minutes on a kiosk with her. However, the best thing about it isn't in the game, it was the cheering crowd behind us. Head behind the break to get the full skinny on our PAX experience this data-running hottie.

Were you entranced by the E3 footage of DICE's highly acrobatic action-platformer Mirror's Edge, but wished you could have seen more of the title's totalitarian cityscape? A recent developer walkthrough, showcased yesterday at PAX, might be right up your alley, over your catwalk, and onto your adjacent roof. Pop some Dramamine, then check out the video after the break to see some of the more unconventional tactics one can use to deliver a package. We just wish our trusty FedEx guy could perform l'art du déplacement with such intrepidness and grace.

After seeing the same few minutes of Mirror's Edge footage ad nauseam, EA has seen fit to release three minutes of new parkour goodness from the game for Leipzig. In the newly released video found after the break, Faith works her traceur magic and attempts to escape from snipers inside some kind of warehouse/hydroelectric plant. Yup, we're still excited about this game and we can't wait to play it again.

This is it, folks. The winners of the official Game Critics Awards for E3 2008 – as chosen by 36 representatives (including yours truly) from most of the leading video game outlets – have been revealed. Leading the pack with two wins each are Fallout 3 – winner of "Best of Show" and "Best RPG" – along with LittleBigPlanet – winner of Best Console game and Best Social/Casual/Puzzle game.

The top publisher was EA (just like in our own awards) with five wins, while Sony took second place with an impressive three wins. In terms of platform concentration, the Xbox 360 barely edged out the competition with eight wins versus both the PC and PS3's seven (for those of you keeping track, the Wii only managed one win and that was for its version of Madden 09). We've got the full list after the break, or check out the Game Critics site for the breakdown by publisher and platform or refresh your memory with this list of nominees in the various categories.

Forgoing parkour in favor of teleportation, an inspired modder by the nom de éditeur of EvilWeevil has created a 1:1 replica of the Mirror's Edge demo level from E3 (or, if you'd rather, the initial gameplay footage of DICE's first-person platformer) using Valve's smash action-puzzler, Portal. As you can see in the video, there's no fancy climbing, leaping, balancing, or zipline action – this mod is all about using the portal gun to reach the (all-too-sudden) end of the level. Now to get a hold of the actual mod ... our time with Mirror's Edge at E3 was criminally brief, and we're always looking for an excuse to revisit Portal.

The gang at Silconera grabbed a copy of the Comic-Con 2008 teaser issue of WildStorm's Mirror's Edge comic, jumped across a few rooftops, performed a couple leaps of faith, then landed safely at the office to scan it. You have to admit that sounds cooler than "EA was handing it out and they scanned it."

Anyway, the site has indeed posted the comic in its teaser-short entirety. It contains dialog from the game, which was previously confirmed to be the work of Heavenly Sword scriptwriter and Alanis Morisette look-alike, Rhianna Pratchett. After reading it, we're left to wonder if we'll be hearing a lot of female protagonist Faith's inner dialog throughout the course of the game as well. We'll find out in November, which is when both the game and the comic book mini-series based on it perform somersaults and land on shelves.

Everyone likes to prepare for big video games in different ways. Some like to watch video walkthroughs or even trailers, both of which are very normal. But some people, get this, like to read. And not even normal internet reading like you or me, but reading from paper. Rather than scold this deviant subset, EA is actually encouraging their perversion with a six-part comic book series based on upcoming Mirror's Edge, on DC's Wildstorm imprint.

Here's the weird thing: After fans pick up the first issue at their local shop or at San Diego Comic Con, if they get bored while reading it, do you think they can just poke a different part of the page to read something else? No. No, they can't. They have to literally put the comic down and pick up something else to do. C'mon people, live in the now!

It occurred to us that despite all our passion for first-person parkour-inspired game Mirror's Edge, you probably still don't get the appeal unless you've seen it in action. "A girl running around on rooftops fighting crime?" you ask with a sneer. "I liked it better the first time, when it was a guy, and it was called Batman."

We understand distrust of the unknown (it's the reason we're still alive) so we'd like to present, for your edification, the Mirror's Edge demo. Now, if you can watch this and still not get excited we really have nothing more to talk about.

In case you're curious as to how DICE is planning to fight against simulation sickness in Mirror's Edge (not motion sickness, since you're not actually moving), an EA spokesperson provided a number of explanations during our hands-on with the game. For starters a little white blip is now placed the middle of the screen. It turns blue when it's charged for the slow motion action, but more importantly, it serves to focus the viewer's eyes.

The rep told us that they interviewed ballerinas to see how they perform spins without feeling sick. Their trick is to focus on a certain object or spot on the floor, which inspired the devs to add the dot. For those who find it distracting and obnoxious, there is an option to turn it off.

Also removed was the head bobbing found in the earlier GDC menu. The rep said they are now viewing the game from your eyes and not your head. Finally, the developers of the game told us that the use of the sides of the screens provides a sense of peripheral vision in the game. We were told they hadn't decided whether or not to use letterbox widescreen for 4:3-resolution television screens.