Yesterday, EA announced that, after almost 15 years and 30 million games sold, EALA is bringing the award-winning Tiberium series to an epic conclusion with Command & Conquer: 4. Shipping in 2010, Command & Conquer 4 will introduce a multitude of innovations to the to the classic fast and fluid Command & Conquer gameplay, while retaining the core compulsions that fans have come to love over the series’ history. Command & Conquer 4 Introduces new class-based gameplay, mobile bases and persistent player progression throughout all game modes.


“We are thrilled to bring the dramatic Tiberium saga to a conclusion in Command & Conquer 4. This game is designed to give fans all the answers they’ve been looking for,” said Mike Glosecki, Lead Producer of Command & Conquer 4 at EA Los Angeles. “With its objective-based multiplayer mode, persistent player progression and all-in-one mobile base, players will experience Command & Conquer like never before.”

The story of Command & Conquer 4 takes place after the events of the critically acclaimed Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars. The year is 2062 and humanity is at the brink of extinction. With only six years left until the mysterious crystalline structure Tiberium renders the earth entirely uninhabitable, the two opposing factions – Global Defense Initiative (GDI) and the Brotherhood of Nod – inevitably find themselves in desperation for the same cause: to stop Tiberium from extinguishing mankind.

The unthinkable becomes reality and Nod’s enigmatic leader Kane takes off for GDI headquarters. What is Kane planning in the heart of his enemies’ base? Command & Conquer 4 draws the epic conclusion to the beloved Tiberium universe, where fans will learn the fate of Earth, Nod, Tiberium, GDI and most importantly, Kane’s motivations behind his decade-long plan.

In addition to the two campaigns on the epic battles of GDI and Nod, which players will get to conquer alone or in a cooperative mode, Command & Conquer 4 will also feature a new 5v5 objective-based multiplayer mode, promoting teamwork and cooperation and delivering a social real-time-strategy experience never seen before in a Command & Conquer game.

Below you will find out Top 10 Geek Moments contributed by the late great Michael Jackson. Some of these moments include on-stage stunts, guest appearances, unbelievable dance moves, movie scenes and unforgettable performances from his illustrious career.



10. Michael Jackson's Video Game Cameos

While the King of Pop was no stranger to appearing on television and film, during is career he also made brief appearances in several video games including “Ready to Rumble 2” and “Space Channel 5”. But, the title that will forever immortalize MJ in the gaming world was his starring role in the arcade and SEGA Genesis classic “Moon Walker”.

Ready to Rumble 2




Space Channel 5




Moon Walker Arcade Game




9. Michael Jackson Voices a Simpson’s Character

There’s a long list of celebrities that have made there way onto Evergreen Terrace, but the most famous of them all, was never listed in the credits. In the season three premier of “The Simpsons” Homer is admitted into a psych ward where he meets Leon Kompowski, a man claiming to be Michael Jackson. Just as Homer’s family and the town of Springfield refused to believe the large burly man was the iconic superstar, viewers did as well.

During the episode, when Leon talked, his voice was eerily similar to Jackson’s, but when he sang, there was no comparison. But to the surprise of many, Michael Jackson did indeed play the part of Leon Kompowski. However, because of contract obligations, his likeness could not be used and Jackson was not allowed to sing during the episode (Kipp Lennon provided the vocals). Although the song made famous by the episode was originally sang by an impersonator, below you will find Michael Jackson’s rendition of “Lisa it’s your Birthday”.

Michael Jackson as Leon Kompowski on the Simpsons




Michael Jackson’s Version of “Lisa it’s your Birthday”





8. Michael Jackson’s “Moonwalker” Transformation

This MJ geek moment takes place during the 1988 release of MoonWalker starring Michael Jackson and Joe Pesci. Completely surrounded and with no escape in sight, Jackson transforms into a large robot inorder to save captured children from the hands of Mr. Big and his minions. It’s certainly not Michael Bay’s work, but the scene was cool nontheless.





7. Captain EO: The Disney Epcot Center 3D Attraction

Combining the creative talents of Michael Jackson, George Lucas, and director Francis Ford Coppolo, the 3D attraction Captain EO opened at Walt Disney’s Epcot Center during 1986 and ran until 1994. The 3-D movie tells the story of Captain EO on a mission to deliver a gift to a wicked alien queen. However, during an encounter with the queen, EO and his crew are captured and sentenced to death. But through song and dance, the ragtag crew find a way defeate the alien queen and transform her dark planet into a peaceful society.

I actually had a chance to visit the Captain EO attraction while on a Disney family vacation. I remember it the first time I saw a 3-D movie with “clear” (not red & blue) glasses. I also remember being absolutely terrified of the alien queen…….Give me a break I was six!

Although its not in 3D, you checkout the Captain EO movie below.

Captain EO (Part 1)



Captain EO (Part 2)





6. Michael Jackson Rockets off the stage

How does an iconic pop star finish a huge concert performance? By blasting off the stage of course! At the end of a concert in Bucharest, Michael Jackson appeared leaving the stadium on a jetpack, just after he did a little circle above the thousands in attendace. While we know MJ really wasn’t the pilot of the jetpack, it was a thrill to witness such a stunt performed live.





5. Michael Jackson’s Cameo in Men in Black 2

I clearly remember this geek moment when the king of pop appeared briefly as an agent in Sony Pictures 2002 “Men in Black 2” film. The audience erupted in laughter and then applauded. While the producers of MIB2 originally wanted him to appear as an alien, Jackson declined the offer, only to appear as an agent instead. You can checkout the funny clip below.





4. Rumors of Michael Jackson’s involvement with Sonic the Hedgehog 3


Urban legends and rumors have consistently surrounded Michael Jackson, but one rumor that has never been confirmed nor denied still remains. The rumor of Michael Jackson’s involvement with the production of the soundtrack for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 as been brought up throughout the years on various message boards and blogs, and still the question remains. Despite several interviews with former staff members, videos, music comparison samples, SEGA has yet to give a definitive answer.

Checkout the video below and decide for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbVM-l2Oku4



3. Michael Jackson’s “The Lean” defies the Law of Gravity

Simply called “the lean”, this move was made famous when Michael Jackson pulled it off during his music video for “Smooth Criminal”. The move depicts Jackson and his fellow dancers leaning forward in a 45-degree angle without falling over, seemingly defying the effects of gravity. The first time I witnessed the move I was completely blown away and figured “the lean” was achieved through trick photography. But when Jackson and company performed the move live on stage my curiosity peaked once again.

I finally researched and discovered how the move was achieved. And while the magician’s trick was finally revealed, the magic has yet to fade away. Checkout Michale Jackson's "The Lean" below.





2. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” Changes Music Videos Forever

I don’t think any music video can come close or even compare to “Thriller”. Featuring Michael Jackson, former Playboy centerfold Ola Ray, Vincent Price and coreographed zomibes, “Thriller” was more of a short film than a traditional music video. During the years of 1984 and 1985 “Thriller” won two Grammy Awards and in 1999 was voted MTV’s best music video of all-time.






1. Michael Jackson’s Death Almost Causes Major Internet Websites to Collapse

It’s no question that Michael Jackson achieved an unprecedented level of fame. But how famous was he? He fame grew to a level unreached before by any other entertainer, that the news of his death nearly collapsed major internet websites and serivices including Wikipedia, AOL Instant Messenger, Twitter, Google, TMZ, and Perez Hilton's blog. This was an internet media event unseen like anything before it. “CNN reported receiving 20 million page views during the hour the story broke and Google Trends rated the Jackson story as "volcanic."

Capcom has announced a playable version of the North American release of Tatsunoko Vs Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars will be available at the 2009 Anime Expo. While it's not the final build of the game, all of the characters gamers got a peek at during E3, including their epic supers, and some giant robots thrown in for good measure will be available during the hands-on demonstration.

The nation’s largest Japanese animation and manga (comics) convention, will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center July 2 - 5, 2009. The Anime Expo, celebrating its 18th year, emphasizes cutting-edge, creative thinking as it relates to the manga, anime, gaming and related industries.

“We are thrilled to be working with the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) and hosting Anime Expo once again in Los Angeles,” said Mark S. Liberman, president and CEO of LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Los Angeles is an ideal setting for this unique convention which brings in more than $24 million of revenue to the city, and serves as a key meeting place for fans and professionals to learn about the most up-to-date information in this creative field.”


During the convention, members of the anime/manga industry, along with the general public, will meet to discuss ongoing industry trends and speculate on how these trends will impact the U.S. and international markets. Panel discussions, industry awards and other events will take place throughout the four-day convention.

For more information visit: www.anime-expo.org.

Why run NES emulators on your hacked out PSP or Nintendo DS when you can play the actual NES game in the palm of your hand. The Retro Mini Handheld Nes System “plays all the classic 8-bit NES games you grew up with and looks pretty darn sweet with the old style giant cartridge protruding from the top.” You can purchase The Retro Mini Handheld Nes System from thinkgeek.com for $49.99.

Features:

- Handheld NES system plays original full-size NES cartridges
- 2.4" LCD TFT Screen
- Built in Speakers
- Headphone out jack
- Includes composite (NTSC) video/audio out cables for playing on a TV
- You need to supply your own NES cartridges
- Requires 4 x AA batteries (not included)
- Runs for over 8 hours on a single set of batteries
- Dimensions: 15cm x 9cm x 4cm deep

Checkout the security video footage below of a robber who is clearly “the master of disguise” robbing a Kwik Shop in Lincoln, Nebraska with a 12-pack beer box on his head and a towel draped over his hand. No one was hurt during the encounter and the masked man escaped with $50 worth of cigarettes.

Capcom has announced that Mega Man Star Force 3 for Nintendo DS has finally shipped to North American retailers. Mega Man Star Force 3 is a unique blend of an action and role-playing game , combining the high intensity combat that is the hallmark of Mega Man games with Star Force’s strategic battle system. By defeating enemies and boss characters, players earn “battle cards” that enhance and evolve Mega Man’s abilities and attacks.




New to Mega Man Star Force 3 are “Noise Changes,” random enhancements that change Mega Man’s form and unlock new abilities. The two versions of the game, Black Ace and Red Joker, each have over 100 unique Noise Types that can be combined with Mega Man to unlock elemental powers based on earth, air, water and fire. The new Noise feature will add an exciting randomness to battles, encouraging players to explore, collect and battle across the digital world of Mega Man Star Force 3.



In Mega Man Star Force 3, players travel between the physical world and the digital world via electromagnetic waves that form “wave roads.” Geo Stelar, the protagonist of the game, can see these wave roads by using his unique “visualizer” tool. Once in the digital world, Geo can merge with the electronic life-form known as Omega-Xis to become Mega Man. The wave roads are being overrun by mysterious “noise” that change the player’s environment and powers in different ways.



This noise is being generated by an approaching gigantic meteor that threatens both the physical and digital worlds of Mega Man Star Force 3, forcing Geo Stellar and his crew to fight the oncoming threat to save two worlds. Fortunately, Mega Man discovers that he can control the Noise, using the new “Noise Change” system to transform into many different forms, including the ultimate “Black Ace” or “Red Joker” forms.

Ok Watchmen fans, Warner Brothers has announced a one-week theatrical release of Zack Snyder's director's cut of the cult film phonemina Watchmen. Starting July 17, 2009 at four select theaters in Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and New York will host the unseen version of the film, containing 25 minutes of additional footage.


From Variety.com

“The theatrical run takes place during the week before Comic-Con, where Snyder is set to host a July 25 "BD Live" screening of "Watchmen." Owners of the Blu-ray version will be able to use the BD Live feature to watch the movie and discussion at Comic-Con simultaneously.”

Source

The video below takes you through the new area, Tarantia Commons, added in Update 5 which was launched for Age of Conan this week. It is narrated by game director Craig Morrison which explains the area, its story, and the gameplay within.

Have you ever been stuck in traffic and wanted a piping hot pizza to tide you over? While the idea sounds good, with the idiots on the road, I’m not sure I really want bubbling cheese and sauce cooking a few inches from my crotch. But for those who are willing to take the risk for “fine freeway dining”; I give you the portable pizza oven.

“This 12V portable oven and pizzeria plugs right into your dashboard. High and low settings for cooking and warming. Unique heating elements cook from top to bottom.” You can order yourself one from stupidiotic.com for $36.00.

Checkout seven minutes of kick ass StarCraft 2 multiplayer footage. Zerg, Terran or Protoss, which unit class do you think is the best?

Tired of annoying charging cables from your mobile devices cluttering your tabletop? Then simply hide them with the Grassy Lawn Charging Station. “The Grassy Lawn Charging Station provides you with realistic artificial grass to cushion your gadgets while they charge. A compartment underneath hides all of the power adapters and cables. Simply run a standard extension cable into the bottom of the base, plug in all your power adapters, then snake the charging cables up through the grass.”

You can order the Grassy Charging Station from thinkgeek.com for $24.99.