January came to a swift close, and 2010 is now in full swing. Last month marked a number of important events, including CES, the Rockstar San Diego fiasco, the first successful PS3 hacking, and, most recently, the release of Mass Effect 2. Join us as we take a look at the most important moments that opened up the new year.
The Games
So let’s start with what you probably care about most, the games. January saw a number of games, but none quite as big, nor as good, as BioWare’s epic space adventure Mass Effect 2. EA revealed that the game sold over two million units within its first week of release. Army of Two: The 40th Day released as well, but it didn’t quite live up to its expectations, even if it was an improvement over its predecessor. Bayonetta was pretty well-received, gaining a bit of a cult following. Darksiders proved that the apocalypse can actually be a jolly good time, and Dark Void ended up being quite the disappointment. MAG released to very little fanfare, ending up being a hit or miss with most gamers and critics. Devolver Digital released Serious Sam HD onto XBLA. The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 PC beta and Xbox 360 demo kicked off last week, but will the game be enough to take hold of Modern Warfare 2’s fanbase? Lastly, one notable Wii title released in January was No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle.
CES
There was some pretty cool stuff shown off at CES this year, but nothing stirred up as much discussion as Sony’s new 3D-gaming initiative. Gran Turismo 5 was shown in its 3D glory, as were a few other titles. Some are for it, and others aren’t. CES attendees were ready to leave their opinions.
Notably missing from CES, aside from a brief appearance in their press conference, was Microsoft’s Project Natal, although it was reportedly shown behind closed doors. There was also a ton of discussion surrounding Natal, with both developers and gamers weighing in.
Microsoft unveiled the Xbox Live Game Room at CES, which allows gamers to experience classic retro gaming all over again.
Also seen at CES, was Razer’s new line of console gaming peripherals, including its Xbox 360 controller and headset, as well as its motion controller for PC games.
Rockstar Feels the Heat
January was not the greatest month for developer Rockstar. Aside from rumors that development on Red Dead Redemption and L.A. Noire was hurting, some controversy surfaced regarding the company’s San Diego studio. An alleged open letter from the spouses of Rockstar San Diego employees accused the company of unethical work conditions and called for a change, to which the International Game Developers Association responded. Eventually Rockstar itself responded, more or less calling the allegations untrue.
Leet Hax0r Breaks the PS3
Just a couple weeks ago, hacker extraordinaire George Hotz, of iPhone jailbreak fame, reported that he successfully gained access to the PlayStation 3’s read/write functionality, and he achieved HV-level access to the system’s processor.
Initially, Hotz said he would not publish the details yet, but not more than three days later, he spilled all the beans, detailing his exploit.
On Tap for This Month
January was an all right month for gaming, but February looks like it’s going to be vastly better. Some of the games lined up for this month include Heavy Rain, BioShock 2, Dante’s Inferno, and Aliens vs. Predator. February also marks the revitalization of Microsoft’s Xbox event, this year being X10.
For our full look at February’s games, check out what’s hot.
