Far Cry 3 delayed three months, U.S. release is December 4

Although previously scheduled for a September 4 release, Ubisoft has announced it will delay Far Cry 3's launch date by three months. The official North American release date for the first person shooter on all platforms, including PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, is now December 4, 2012. Ubisoft states that the game will land on shelves November 29 for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Earlier this year, a Far Cry 3 trailer was leaked, ultimately making its way to YouTube. The video claimed a September 6 release date.

Additionally, a couple months ago, we also saw a five minute video which highlighted some of the multiplayer aspects of Far Cry 3. The footage originated from a pre-alpha build.

Based on the multi-player video demo, fellow news contributor Shawn Knight pointed out some of the similarities between Far Cry 3 and Battlefield or Call of Duty, namely experience points, levels, kill-cam and carpet-bombing air support.

Although FC3 definitely borrows some elements from other modern shooters, there were some unique aspects as well. Check out the multi-player video for yourself here. Multiplayer is also expected to feature a 4-player co-op mode, seemingly not unlike what Left 4 Dead offers.

Far Cry 3 E3 2011 Gameplay Demo -- Warning: NSFW - strong language and violence

Far Cry 3 will be based on Ubisoft's Dunia 2 game engine, the successor to Far Cry 2's original engine by the same name. Little is known about Dunia 2, but certain elements from Dunia have made it into other games, like Assassin's Creed II. Currently, Avatar (the game) is the only title based on Dunia other than Far Cry 2 itself. Assassin's Creed II uses its own "Anvil" game engine, however developers borrowed Dunia's excellent foliage and vegetation algorithms.

Microsoft SmartGlass SDK now available to select partners

Moving ahead with its Xbox SmartGlass project, which aims to use your smartphone or tablet as a second screen in the Xbox 360 experience, Microsoft is already providing access to the software development kit for select partners with “agreements to develop Xbox games or entertainment applications.”

The SDK, available on the Game Developer Network for registered partners and employees, includes the Xbox SmartGlass Studio environment for building "SmartGlass Activities" as well as a Javascript application programming interface designed to work across Windows, iOS, Android and Windows Phone. Microsoft also provided a library of sample code to get developers started with some guidance.

Although developers will be able to start tinkering with SmartGlass right away, users will have to wait until the fall when it launches as a new application for Windows 8, Windows Phone, iOS and Android.

SmartGlass will work wirelessly to connect your Xbox 360 to your portable device, and provide side content to a game or a TV show. During its E3 presentation, Microsoft showed how you could use a tablet draw plays on Madden while the actual gameplay happens on the TV screen, as well as an interactive map pinpointing where the action was taking place during an episode of Game of Thrones.

It can also be used to navigate videos and movies being viewed on the TV screen, stream videos from Xbox Live to a tablet or smartphone, or as a virtual keyboard while surfing the web on the TV screen.

In many ways SmartGlass is Microsoft's answer to the Wii U's upcoming tablet-equipped GamePad, only it offsets the costs by using touchscreen devices that players might already own. Ultimately its success will largely depend on how well developers make use of a secondary screen to enhance the gaming experience, while at the same time not degrading it for those without a tablet — or those who don’t care to use one.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations Ubisoft Game Review 2011

Assassin's Creed Revelations presents the most immersive experience available in the series to date and the culmination of Ezio's adventure. In Assassin’s Creed Revelations, master assassin Ezio Auditore walks in the footsteps of his legendary mentor, Altaïr, on a journey of discovery and revelation. It is a perilous path – one that will take Ezio to Constantinople, the heart of the Ottoman Empire, where a growing army of Templars threatens to destabilize the region.
In addition to Ezio’s award-winning story, the acclaimed online multiplayer experience from Assassin's Creed Brotherhood returns, refined and expanded, with more modes, more maps and more characters that allow players to test their assassin skills against others from around the world. The latest chapter in the Assassin’s Creed saga also includes revolutionary gameplay, allowing players to manipulate the construct of Desmond’s memories and the Animus to decipher the mysteries of his past and gain insight into the future.


BECOME DEADLIER THAN EVER – Wield the lethal skills of a wiser, more efficient and deadlier Ezio. Swiftly eliminate your adversaries by deploying a new arsenal of weapons and abilities, such as enhanced free-running and hook blade combat. Experience new levels of gameplay customization with bomb crafting, and use heightened Eagle Vision to overcome your enemies and the environment.


TEST YOUR SKILLS AGAINST THE BEST – A critically acclaimed multiplayer experience gets even better, with all-new team modes and infinite replay value.
EXPERIENCE REVOLUTIONARY GAMEPLAY – Explore the farthest reaches of the Animus as you uncover the mysteries of Desmond’s past while gaining insight into what the future might hold.