In one of the slightly more oddball rumours that has come about lately, esspecially with Gabe Newell's recent insistance that VALVe are happy as ever being independant, The Inquirer has published a report stating that a Google takeover of Valve is imminent.

As unlikely as it sounds, Google are the sort of people who would strike me as the right type to buy out the company, if only for the established digital distribution service that is Steam.

Mirrors Edge is one of the games I am seriously, seriously looking foward to this year... I mean, running accross buildings and kicking ass with realistic hand to hand combat, how can it not be awesome?! As such, I am disapointed to hear the news that the game has been delayed until "sometime later this winter", compared to the 11th of November date for consoles.

Shafted by owning a PC again....

Via PR

Rockstar have let slip the system requirements for the upcoming PC version of GTA 4, although they have since been removed from the GamesForWindows site where they were spotted. Fortunatly, we've got them right here. You'll need a dual core processor, 2gb of ram, 18gb of HDD space, and a top end, 512mb graphics card.

They are hefty specs, but GTA is a very good looking game with a lot going on at once, so it makes sense.

The Official WoW website has confirmed that Wrath of the Lich King, the expansion to the already massive MMO, is set to hit stores on the 13th of November, still quite a way away, but I would expect fans are already rather excited about it all!

Stargate Worlds, the upcoming MMO based on, as the title suggests, Stargate, has had it's future plans set in stone. Firstly, in the next few weeks a closed beta will be starting, then followed by an open beta very close to launch, and finally followed by a solid product at launch, not one like Age of Conan, which required a massive patch to get everything working properly.

Via VG.com

After rumours started up yesterday (sorry, I was away from home all evening), Microsoft today confirmed that they do indeed plan to shut down Ensemble Studios, the makers of Age of Empires, after they complete console (and maybe PC) RTS Halo Wars. It's a shame to see it go, although a lot of the key members will stay at MS and form a new team...but still, they shaped the RTS industry into what it is now, it's hard not to feel sad.

Via Shack

Despite going through a community vote, and then many reassurances that they could not use the original name, Monolith have succeeded in bringing back the F.E.A.R name for the sequal, which will now have the Project Origin name as the subtitle.

I suppose it's a good thing really, keeping a brand constant can only be good for business!

Via IGN