You know the date, now you should go pre-order it at your retailer of choice. We’re currently working on an English demo (Btw, that is the link for the Japanese demo, for those who can read the Nihongo) of the game, so watch this space to get your first taste of the game.

So you’ve heard about Gladiator Begins, the latest in Roman arena simulation. Oh, you haven’t? Well, there’s a press release here, and a video here. But that’s not what this is about. This is about an interview!

We recently did an interview with Siliconera about Gladiator Begins, wherein we discuss the battle system in greater depth than ever before, as well as some…other things. Things like tigers. So I strongly recommend you go read the interview if you are interested in learning more about Gladiator Begins. Or if you want to read a somewhat graphic depiction of a man getting killed by an elephant, because it has that too. Also some tiger facts.

Swing on over to our YouTube and check out our tutorial for Tsubaki! Stay tuned, because we’ll be uploading new tutorials in the weeks to come.

Tsubaki Tutorial Parts 1 & 2.

Aksys Games, in partnership with the World Cyber Games Inc. (WCG), is proud to announce the second season return of WCG Ultimate Gamer to Syfy on August 19^th at 11 pm ET/PT. WCG is the organizer of the largest international video game competition and festival, and works in partnership with Samsung to produce the only show that combines reality TV drama, competitive gaming, and exciting real-world challenges.

IGN called Season 1:

“Great edge of your seat television… The Season 1 conclusion might have claim to the most epic heads-up gaming event of all time.” -  IGN, April 29, 2009

Viewers raved about Season 1:

“I believe this show is a great way to show people across the world that gamers are in and we are here to stay.” – Season 1 Viewer

If America thought Season 1 was good, then wait until Season 2 hits the airwaves. This season, WCG Ultimate Gamer is bigger and better than ever, featuring hard-core Real Life Challenges, intense drama, multiple consoles and an Aksys Games title that takes the competition to a whole new level.  Tune in to Syfy each week to find out which Aksys Games title will be featured this season.  Watch as the contestants compete in the battle of a lifetime on one of your favorite games!

More information about the cast and show is now available at the newly relaunched experience, www.WCGUltimateGamer.com.

About WCG Ultimate Gamer

In WCG Ultimate Gamer a dozen top gamers from around the country are invited to a posh loft space to live and battle together in a series of competitions that take them “beyond the game.” From real-life challenges inspired by top-selling games to head-to-head elimination matches before hundreds of screaming spectators, the last gamer standing after eight grueling weeks will have survived gaming’s ultimate test and will be dubbed the best all-around gamer in the US taking home $100k, the ultimate Samsung Electronics prize package, Alienware’s high-performing gaming desktop, the Aurora, and the chance to be the face of the WCG, representing them at events around the world.

Gamesugar asks Aksys Games about their mysterious new visual novel…The answers you seek are right here, Check it out.

We can’t let Pixeljunk win this poll! Visit this link and rock the vote for Bit.TRIP!

UPDATE: SOLD OUT!

“How long have you had these Nendoroids?”

“About three of four seasons.”

“They’re for sale if you want them.”

“Let me see your identification.”

“You don’t need to see his indentification.”

“We don’t need to see his identification.”

“These are not the Nendoroids you are looking for.”

“These are not the Nendoroids we’re looking for.”

“He can go about his business.”

“You can go about your business.”

“Move along.”

If you haven’t bought BIT.TRIP Runner here’s your chance at redemption. The soundtrack is now available on CDBaby for the paltry sum of $5.99 and features a couple of songs from Anamanaguchi. The complete list of songs is below complete with their individual pricing, which I guess you could buy them piecemeal but why would you do that?

1. Blackout City (feat. Anamanaguchi) 3:24 $0.99
2. Impetus 2:18 $0.99
3. Strength 2:58 $0.99
4. Tenacity 3:09 $0.99
5. Conviction 3:29 $0.99
6. Triumph 3:37 $0.99
7. Fortitude 4:03 $0.99
8. Mermaid (feat. Anamanaguchi) 7:51 $0.99
9. Inspiration 0:15 $0.99
10. Bravery 0:20 $0.99
11. Anticipation 0:20 $0.99
12. Admiration 0:15 $0.99
13. Support 0:30 $0.99

For those of you wondering the what and when for the BlazBlue Continuum Shift DLC, this is the post for you. Here is the pricing for both Xbox and PS3 users. Xbox 360 BBCS DLC  has been out for the past week and the PS3 DLC is available as of today.

Complete list after the jump.

Additional Character Colors #1 – 320 MS Points / $4.99 PSN
Additional Character Colors #2 – 320 MS Points / $4.99 PSN
Additional Character Colors #3 – 320 MS Points / $4.99 PSN

Additional System Voice Type-M – 400 MS Points / $5.99 PSN
Additional System Voice Type-C – 400 MS Points / $5.99 PSN
Additional System Voice Type-K – 400 MS Points / $5.99 PSN

Gamer Picture Pack: Rebel 1 – 160 MS Points
Gamer Picture Pack: Rebel 2 – 160 MS Points
Gamer Picture Pack: Rebel 3 – 160 MS Points
Gamer Picture Pack: Rebel 4 – 160 MS Points
Gamer Picture Pack: Rebel 5 – 160 MS Points
Gamer Picture Pack: Rebel 6 – 160 MS Points
Gamer Picture Pack: Rebel 7 – 160 MS Points

Unlock Unlimited Ragna – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Hazama – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Mu – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Haku-men – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Lambda – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Tsubaki – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Carl – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Bang 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Arakune – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Taokaka – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Rachel – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Litchi – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Tager – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Jin – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock Unlimited Noel – 40 MS Points / $.59 PSN
Unlock All Unlimited Characters – 400 MS Points / $5.99 PSN

Unlock Playable Character Mu – 160 MS Points / $1.99 PSN

Makoto Nanaya Playable Character – 560 MS Points / $7.99 PSN

Here’s part 2 of BlazBlue Continuum Shift Core Mechanics. Enjoy!

The Wheel of Cuteness is Turning…

Rock ‘n shock ‘em fun with your favorite BlazBlue chibi characters!

Torrance, CA (August 2nd, 2010) – Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, proudly announces the BlayzBloo: Super Melee Brawlers Battle Royale, available for download today on the DSi Shop for only 500 DSi points! The petit pugilists duke it out in a free for all 4 player fighting spree! Revisit the newly interactive stages in Kagutsuchi!

BlayzBloo Key Features

• Two Modes Featuring Single-player or Free Battle!

Take on the computer or up to 4 friends. Set the rules, and select the stage and match type!

• Engage in Combat with Three Match Modes!

The good ol’ beat-’em-up Life Match requires fighters to put the smackdown on each other until your life meter is drained! Collect soba noodle points in a Point Match by attacking other fighters, or play snatch the panda in a Flag Match—whoever has the panda when time runs out wins!

• Play as Five Adorable Brawlers from the 2D fighting game smash hit BlazBlue!

Battle as Ragna, Noel, Rachel, Taokaka or Jin! Create mini combos with their normal and drive attacks!

Each character can equip special items like bunny ears and masks to boost their abilities!

###

About Aksys Games

Located in Torrance, California and founded in 2006, Aksys Games is well known for being a visionary within the fighting game sector while expanding into other genres such as RPGs, fishing, and family-style games. Some of their more popular games include the BlazBlue, Battle Fantasia, Hooked: Real Motion Fishing, and BIT.TRIP series.

Blayzbloo: Super Melee Brawlers Battle Royale is rated E10+ by the ESRB. More information about Aksys Games and BlayzBloo: Super Melee Brawlers Battle Royale can be found at www.aksysgames.com.

Exactly what you think it is. Yes, we are still trying to teach you how to play BlazBlue because we thought the tutorial mode in it just wasn’t enough.

“The first time I didn’t feel it, but this time I feel it, and I can’t deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me!”

If you want to see G4TVs words, check out the full review here.

Roger Ebert started some sh*t when he stated that games could not be art… The Cultist from the Miami New Times would like a word with you, sir. He cites 5 games that can be considered works of art, including our very own Bit.Trip BEAT.

“Famed movie critic Rogert Ebert recently said that video games will never be works of art. Overnight, he and his thumbs became major objects of ire for gamers across the globe. And although he later apologized and retracted his statement — no doubt due to internet trolls bombarding his website and uploading hate videos to YouTube — Ebert raised an interesting question: Can video games exist on the same cultural level as movies or literature?”

See the full article here.

What do you guys think? Can videogames be considered art? Discuss via our high-tech, web 2.0 commenting system below.

Just wanted to give you guys a heads up… For those of you who own the PS3 version of BlazBlue Continuum Shift and want to battle our friends across the pacific, you’ll have to wait until 8/5 since Japan won’t get their patch until that time. Sorry for the inconvenience. That is all.

…Rebel 1… FIGHT!

The ground-breaking High Definition 2D fighter BlazBlue makes its triumphant return

to home consoles! Do you have a ticket to Kagutsuchi, cuz the hype train is coming!

Torrance, CA (July 27th, 2010) – Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, proudly announces BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, shipping out to stores today!  The first BlazBlue Playstation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 versions were recently top 4 finalists for the VGA Awards, and Aksys Games is proud to announce we will be bringing the arcade sequel to the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation 3 system!

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift inherits all the key features of its predecessor while adding a few twists of its own. Tsubaki, μ-12 and Hazama will join the ranks of the veterans, who will be reborn with additional moves to their arsenal. With new modes like Beginner Mode and Tutorial Mode, even fighting game beginners can pull off combos like the pros and dive right into the action.

“If you’re not on the hype train this time, you’re missing out on the latest greatest 2D game from Arc”, exclaims Gail Salamanca, Marketing Director of Aksys Games. “GET HYPE, CHOO CHOO”!

BlazBlue Continuum Key Features:

• New Modes featuring Beginner Mode, Tutorial Mode and Challenge Mode!

Beginner Mode encourages a wider audience with an easier control scheme, anyone can jump right into and play! Tutorial allows the novice and pros to practice everything from the basic mechanics unique to BlazBlue. Challenge Mode offers advanced players character-specific combos and missions.

• Take over Kagutsuchi by creating your own army in Legion Mode!

Defeat the enemy armies positioned at various locations on the map. The ultimate goal is to color the entire map with your color by defeating all the enemy hubs. Recruit enemy soldiers by defeating them!

• Brand new characters, stages, soundtracks and moves!

Welcome Hazama the mysterious performer, Tsubaki the valiant female knight and μ-12.

3D dimensionality and 2D visuals integrated seamlessly with every stage. Four completely new stages with composer, Daisuke Ishiwatari’s seven banging new songs for Continuum Shift!

• Online battling domestically and overseas!

Players can battle others from around the world via the PlayStation®Network and Xbox LIVE network. Players can not only search for matches, play games, and observe matches online; they can also chat with friends while playing.

If there ever was an opposite to yesterdays hate mail, and I do mean HATE mail, this review from Gamers Daily News would be it.

“When BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger was released it was hailed as the obvious successor to Guilty Gear, maintaining that series’ tradition for detailed character designs and a very in-depth engine. Unfortunately, what started as modest balance problems later became so severe that a major update was necessary. Yet instead of a balance patch, we’re getting a sequel in BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, and the result is quite good. $40 will net you a much improved version of the original game, with new characters joined by significant tweaks to the old cast and game rules, most of them for the better.”

Read the full review here.

We get alot of fanmail, but normally they’re the kind where people shower us with words of kindness and affection. The following is not one them.

“F@*K YOU F@*K YOUR MOTHERS F@*K YOUR SISTERS F@*K YOUR WIVES F@*K YOUR BROTHERS F@*K YOUR DAUGHTERS F@*K YOUR ENTIRE F@*KING FAMILIES YOU SONS OF F@*KING WHORES I WILL FIND AND RAPE EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF UR FAMILIES IF U RELEASE THIS GAME AS UTTERLY DISGUSTING AS IT IS IN THE US, I WILL F@*KING RAPE THEM MARK MY WORDS U PPL ARE THE WORST F@*KING GAME DEVELOPERS I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY F@*KING LIFE, MARK MY F@*KING WORDS SO HELP ME GOD I WILL SEARCH AND FIND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR C@*T DAUGHTERS AND WIVES AND I WILL RAPE THEIR GUTTS OUT TILL THE ONLY THING LEFT OF THEM IS THEIR ROTTEN FLESH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WILL BE SITTING THERE WITNESSING THIS TRAGIC EVENT WHILE FEELING JUST AS HAPPY AND EXCITED AS I AM, I WILL RAPE THEM SO HELP ME GODDDDDD I WILL MAKE IT MY LIFE’S GOAL YOU DESPICABLE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF WHORES YOU PEOPLE ARE DONNNNEEEE, I WILL MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF YOU TO ALL THE RETARDED DISGUSTING GAME COMPANIES OUT THERE U PEOPLE WILL ROTT FOR THE DISGUSTING MESS U HAVE DONE HERE”

Hate much, guy?

OH SNAP there is another Valeria pillowcase for sale on eBay! If you weren’t able to get your hands on the first one, this is your chance to get your hands on another, identical pillowcase. To celebrate, the picture above shows you the naughty side. How lascivious!

We sure like to toot our own horn around here but I think in this case this is a well-deserved honor for Commander Video.

“As a whole, the Bit.Trip series is an amazingly well designed throwback to the days of Atari and 1980s game design. Our favorite of the bunch so far, Bit.Trip Runner, features the franchise mascot, “Commander Video,” in a series of platforming levels that span over an amazing 50 challenges. It’s also a pretty fast-paced experience, as you’ll race through several worlds crammed with retro-styled enemies and obstacles, all set to an impressively catchy soundtrack supplied by famous chiptune punk band Anamanaguchi.”

See the full article here.