Thumbstick Gamer

So a little while ago, a post showed up on CAG detailing a contest from Lipton/Brisk where you can win Microsoft points, swag and even dance central and Gears of War Judgement. I figured why not so I started texting the number 5 times a day (the limit) well two weeks ago I got a winning text back saying I had won, and to expect a confirmation email. It never showed up, so i went to the website and contacted support. I sent them a screenshot of the text I sent and time I received the wining notification. I got an auto-response say thanks and one of their agents would contact me soon. Two weeks pass and I gave up all hope. Well finally yesterday I received an email saying I was put back on resend email list, and Id be receiving it in 6-8 weeks. Today though I received an email saying that they had got to this sooner rather than later, and I had my confirmation code. So I rushed to the website and entered my confirmation code, filled out details for shipping then was granted wit

Good news for all of you out there who love throwing money at games. EA CFO Blake Jorgensen recently informed listeners at a Morgan Stanley conference that all future games will include the ability to buy items during playthrough. "The next and much bigger piece [of the business] is micro-transactions within games," Jorgensen explained. "We're building into all of our games the ability to pay for things along the way, either to get to a higher level to buy a new character, to buy a truck, a gun, whatever it might be. "Consumers are enjoying and embracing that way of the business." If you have played the recent Dead Space 3, which upon release, met with day-one purchases which made the game easier and harvesting items quicker. Whos ready for a Battlefield 4, where you start with a BB Gun and no shielding, and in order to advance you have to pay 80 MSP or $1 per each gun, attachment, grenade, etc. you want. Its coming....

Yesterday, a few images leaked out to Kotaku, giving us a glimpse of what the next Assassin's Creed entry could bring us. AC3 took place during the American Revolution and gave us a new protagonist Connor Kenway. From the images we have seen it looks like the next entry could be a prequel. AC: Black Flag leaked poster shows an assassin amongst some swash-buckling pirates. On the back of the poster it was revealed that there is a map of the Caribbean and other locations like Jamaica, Cuba, and even Florida. After some other detailed leaks, Black Flag, will put the player in control of Edward Kenway, Connors grandfather, who appears the be a very successful pirate in the 1700's. More about Black Flag is suppose to be unveiled later today. Personally, I'm excited. I visited the Caribbean last year and loved it, just imagining an assassin in that time period in those locations, just beautiful. I can see this entry bringing us all very lush environments and beaut

So tomorrow Microsoft will be having a huge sale on marketplace discounts up to 85% some of the games listed: Assassins Creed Assassins Creed 2 Batman Arkham Asylum Batman Arkham city Bioshock Borderlands Borderlands 2 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Call of Juarez Call of Duty 2 Call of Duty 3 Call of Duty: Black Ops Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Call of Duty: World at War Code Veronica Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements Dead Island Dirt 2 Dishonored El Shaddai Ascension of the Metatron Fable III Fallout 3 Fallout 3 New Vegas GRID Halo 3 Halo 4 Halo Reach Halo Wars Kane & Lynch Dead Men Left for Dead 2 Max Payne 3 Metal Gear Solid HD Metal Gear Solid Peacewalker Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat vs. DCU Orange Box Portal 2 Raccoon City Rainbow Six Vegas Rayman Raving Rabbids Resident Evil 4 Resident Evil 5 Resident Evil 6 Red Dead Redemption

Slow week this week. A good time to catch up for those of us not been able to play for awhile (me). Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus (VITA) This week the Vita gets a remake of an old PS2 game with added touch controls. Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 originally came out on the PS3 back in 2009. It was a enhanced port of Ninja Gaiden on the original XBOX. The Vita version comes complete with a lower difficulty mode and integrates touch controls. Must buy? Halo 4: Majestic Map Pack (360) Forgotten about Halo 4 yet? Yeah us too, this week though we will be once again loading up some Halo and bang out some more Infinity Slayer on new maps. The Majestic map pack brings us 3 new maps and a new multi player mode called Infinity Rumble. The three new maps - Landfall, Monolith and Skyline - are all mid-sized levels for close quarter combat and on-foot shoot outs. Along with new maps Majestic gives us 10 new achievements, additional 250 Gamer Score. The Majestic Map Pack drops in at 800 Mic

     Time for another corvo mask give away from Dishonored.  Giving everyone another chance at one since I had an extra. To enter just tell me the game or system you are looking forward to this year.  Only one comment per person please and leave your email or Gamertag so I can send you code if you win. I will pick a winner Feb. 27th.  Thanks and hope you win. Good Luck!

Been giving the PS4 alot of time on TSG here lately. Guess that's what happens when we get a glimpse at the next gen. Late yesterday we got news that the PS4 can play used games. That good news right? that's basically what is going to determine which console I go with this next gen. We also got word that the PS4 will not support PS3 controllers. I honestly don't see how anyone would expect it to support PS3 controllers. I mean the 360 didn't support The Duke and I don't think the PS3 support PS2 controllers (not a PS3 guy could be wrong here). But the Used games thing is a relief though right? Well it doesn't settle my thought that it wont play them. If you look at how it was worded of course the PS4 can play used games. The real question is WILL it play them. Maybe I'm just looking to far into it... This industry will do that to you.

Back in the day, I use to be a big Dragonball Z fan.  I still remember getting home, finishing my homework up real quick (or not doing it at all) and finished watching the last few moments of Reboot, Then engaging in the newest episode of Dragonball Z. It was kind of an awesome fad for most. Carrying around DBZ folders and trapper keepers, wearing DBZ shirts in the hauls and even making Kamehameha movements back and forth at each other. Yeah we were all in high school, but it was still pretty awesome, and played testament to our nerdiness. We were always talking about it (much like video games) it was a topic item and something easy to debate amongst each other. Anyway, I'm getting carried away with yesteryear.  My DBZ days came to an end somewhere in my senior year. I don't know if it was because the series got so confusing to me after Majin Vegeta sacrificed himself to save earth and we were introduced to what felt like 5 different versions of Buu, a magic sword an

Alright Sony fans, now is the time to get pissed. The PS4 is getting backwards compatibility thanks to its Gaikai service, But all your current PSN purchases and saves will be gone with the wind on the next gen system. SCEE exec Shuhei Yoshida while speaking to Engadget stated that your PSN purchases and saves will not make the transition to PS4, because of the architectural differences between the PS3 and PS4. So you spent a butt ton of money on previous content that will be re-released on PS4 Gaikai service, be ready to shell out another butt ton of cash to buy back those previous purchases. Who's pissed?

Bungie looked more than uncomfortable.

Some people may have been super excited about the PS4 reveal today. Unfortunately investors arent feeling it. Ouch... Now let's just see if the invisible console can gain some financial ground.

So what we got so far: *Release date holiday's 2013 *It has a X86 CPU, 8GB OF MEMORY *A local hard drive *APU TECHNOLOGY *GDDR5 memory which is reserved for to off line video cards *social integration that makes sharing with friends better. * Blizzard is coming with Diablo 3 * Bungie is coming with Destiny What we haven't got yet: * What it looks like * Will it play used games? * Price? Guess we will have to wait for all that info, on the other hand watch dogs looks good. Thoughts?

It looks like Microsoft's latest and probably last major exclusive of this generation has been heisted by pirates and currently being shared across the interwebs a month early. Suffering the same fate as Halo 4, which also leaked a month ahead of time, Gears of War: Judgement is the latest victim to walk the piraty planks of theft. We haven't gotten any tips or sources of the leak (even though it was probably someone who took a review copy), Microsoft is investigating the leak, so hopefully they find the source and deal with it. Along with leaks though thumbers, comes allot of info, data and spoilers about the said game.  So if you were looking forward to GOW Judgement, and wanted to keep your first play through pure, avoid the Internet at all cost. Myself being someone who has little to no interest in GOW judgement will remain right here. But you all can find solace and peace of mind when visiting here. We will keep this website free of all spoilers we hear while br

    It's been awhile since I have gave anything away on here so time to start again.   I will be randomly giving away a Dishonored Corvo Mask code on the Feb. 20th.  All you have to do to enter is just leave a comment below telling me what you like or dislike (or both) about either one of the new consoles set to be released. PS4 or XBOX 720. The winner will be picked using a random number generator so please only leave one comment.  This code is only good for XBOX Live.   Leave your gamertag or email address in your comment and I will pick a winner on the 20th.  Thanks, good luck, and hope you keep stopping by.   More Giveaways will be happening in near future so bookmark and stay posted.

This is going to be a big week for us gamers. Wednesday could possibly bring us the first look into the next generation of gaming with Sony's Press conference. We will either see the PS4 or a Vita Armageddon (Vita owners can only pray).  But there is more than just that, this week we get Crysis 3, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance for us in the US. Europe finally gets Persona 4 after a long wait, and we finally get to find out if the first AC3 DLC lives up to its expectations. Crysis 3 Release Date: Feb 19th (US) / Feb 22 (EU) Platforms: 360,PS3,PC Crysis 3 brings us to an New York City that's encased in a "nanodome" which has caused a natural environment among the city including rain forest, swamplands and rivers to this monster of a city. Also did we mention that the city is alien infested? Crysis 3 Multiplayer on the other hand pits 2 players in nanosuits along with bow and arrows against 14 heavily armed and superior soldiers. Metal Gear Rising:

          Wow if not yet another feature of the new Xbox is going to require the Kinect to be fully operational at all time's. I dont know about you all but no used games, and now a Kinect which all new Xbox system's will have with them, will be required to be on at all times.....Here's what Scott Lowe from IGN has to say........... The next-generation Xbox may not only be accompanied by a new and improved Kinect, but may actually require the sensor to function. Kotaku has published an exhaustive report about Microsoft's forthcoming console, lending credence to many prior rumors about the system's performance and features, but revealing new information about how the system may interact with Kinect, as well as its capacity for running multiple simultaneous games and apps. According to the site's source, SuperDaE, who you might remember as the source of PlayStation 4 devkit rumors last month and attempting to sell a Durango devkit on eBay last year ,

    Thanks reddit

Join me Sunday February 17th and watch bungie unveil their next big game. Hopefully they can follow up well after halo. http:// www.ign.com /articles/2013/02/15/ ign -live-presents-the-reveal-of- bungies -destiny

            Black College Football The Experience has got to be the worst football game ever made in my opinion. I received this game from GameFly on February 5th, popped it in and decided I would get a quick 1000g and send it back. Wrong! I started a play now game 5min quarters and I'm guessing with the worst team on the game against the best. The game give's you no rating's on any team, or does not let you adjust slider's for easier gaming. All you have to pick from is freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior for difficulty setting.             I play through first game and only wind up with 6 achievements, which wasn't to bad for first game considering I still lost and my receiver's couldn't catch a basketball if it was thrown at them. So i set the game down for about a week, and pick it back up, Irate Drake stopped over for a visit so we decided to jump in on a 1vs1 match and see if we could boost cheevo's....hurray they start popping left and rig

Look's like a well known, and trusted source has released information on the New PS4 Controller .

It’s been a couple weeks since I last posted a restroom game of the week. I got a little tied up last week. But its back and this week’s pick is Angry Birds Star Wars. Angry Birds games are notorious for being hard and super grindy when it comes to achievements, but this one isn’t too bad and is the easiest of the bunch. This one doesn’t have the notorious Smash Maniac so you’re not grinding for a month or more over and over again. Wanting to throw up every time you hear their stupid squeals. This version of AB has the smash so many blocks with this bird and that bird, but following a guide on TA will net you all of these rather easily. I started out by just playing the game (not trying to 3 star entire game) just one star to progress. I basically completed the campaign, then went back to my list and pulled up TA for the rest, but there are a couple of tips I have that I’d like to point out. Walking Carpet - The guide tells you a level to get this on, but while watching E

    Now I don't know why and I don't know how, but Assassin's Creed and Earthworm Jim are free as of this posting on the Windows Phone store.   These games usually cost $3-$5 (if my memory serves right) so this is a killer deal.   Grab these now before the prices/glitch/error is fixed.

It's a safe bet to say that the Batman Arkham video game series has been well received by many. So what happens when you are wildly successful? You get milked. During an investment call last week Time Warner briefly mentioned the next entry into the Arkham series by saying, “And we also have a strong games release this year, which will include the next release in the Batman Arkham franchise. we expect Warner's to post another very strong year in 2013,” very little was given in regards to the game, its setting or who will be developing it. Anyone excited out there?

And to the surprise of no one, COD will be getting yet another installment this year. Activision has announced that they are planning for release fourth quarter of 2013. In a statement released by Activision “The Call of Duty franchise continues to set the bar for innovation and we expect the new Call of Duty game in development for 2013 to raise that bar even higher.” “There is increased volatility this year due to the ongoing console transition, which makes predicting the future more challenging than during normal years in the cycle. For Call of Duty, consistent with our past practices, we are planning for the mainline release in Q4 to be down versus 2012.” It looks like its going to be another entry into the Modern Warfare Franchise. ***Yawn*** I wasn't super impressed with BO2 even though i did enjoy the online (still enjoy COD online). But the campaign really let me down. I just wanna know when they can start putting the years date at the end of these an

The Ouya is a new console set to release in June. The system is android based and is supposedly easily hackable, which is one of their marketing points. System comes with 8 GB storage with a SD slot for extra memory. Not horribly priced at $99 w/ contoller (extra controller $50) if you are wanting to mess around with some third party stuff and do some none achievment gaming. The console offers some online gaming and is expected to be released with 200 titles including such titles as Final Fantasy and Minecraft.  Ouya plans to release a console every year. With emulators and tons of titles to be released should have plenty to do. Still at $99 unless your into the android scene I'm going to say not worth it.  But only time can tell so that could always change. Let me know what you think.

Today Ubisoft announced that a new Assassins Creed game featuring a new hero and time period will be coming in financial year 2014. That places next title anywhere from April 1st, 2013 - March 31st, 2014. I'm banking on it being a release title for next gen systems. I'm kinda saddened though that Connor only got one assassin outing. I haven't finished the game yet, so maybe i should leave my position to myself. Any speculation on where the next title takes place?

Those of you visiting the site today may have noticed that the banner above has changed.  I'm calling it the beta banner for now. I still have more stuff to add to it but i think it actually came out nice. Especially for a guy with little to no knowledge with image manipulation. After its finished, ill be changing out the stock tiles revolving above. Yay change!!!

Tonight should (if all works well) will yield some new things to the site. First im going to change the banner up top. Say bye to the stock Masterchief that came with layout. New im going to finally change those stock images that circulate to direct to other pages on the site that im going to create. Next I will be setting down and texting/chatting with Eric and Tony to get a format set for our first podcast. Its something we have all been discussing back and forth here lately and id like to get it up and going before AHPM starts. Yesterday, I applied for the Amazon Affiliate program. Still waiting to here back on that and will explain later if it actually happens. If I get time tonight I might set down and grab a guitar and start creating a TSG theme song. Good things are incoming...