PC gamers with a NVIDIA card in their machine can get their hands on a free taste of critics-choice Portal by heading over to Steam. Too easy.

Well, well, well.. Who would have thought 3D Realms would actually release a Duke Nukem Forever trailer? And here we were thinking that news regarding its development was just some inside industry joke. We now have to ask: if/when this gets released, will it even have the same politically incorrect charm of the original shooter now that the world has changed from the one it left 10 years ago?

via Game Videos

Last week my ears immediately perked up when they came across internet rumors suggesting a merging of the Command and Conquer series with the first person shooter genre. Today, a press release from EA has finally confirmed these rumors, along with the above screenshot as further evidence.

Hit the jump for details

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Steam will help out gamers wishing to avoid Christmas-shopping at the mall by launching their gift purchasing service. Now, once you’ve purchased a game for yourself on Steam, there is an option to gift the same item to a friend. The recipient will receive an e-card which guides them through the Steam download process. With an ever-expanding list of games to choose from, there’s bound to be something in there which will bring Christmas cheer to those around you.

via Joystiq

GSC Game World, creators of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. have said that they are “seriously considering” producing a MMO. I don’t know about everyone else, but the prospect of a vast MMO in a post nuclear meltdown world gets me excited. Having a factionless game that relies on tentative negotiation and bartering with fellow players could be a big hit on the MMO scene.

via CVG

Crysis may be a bit of a system hog but it’s all worth it once you see the level of reality it pumps out. Apart from allowing us to partially experience the thrill of seeing 3,000 barrels explode, this video showcases the amazing physics engine the game holds.

via Kotaku

Despite the huge amount of publicity Crysis has received, the title has not managed to convert this into performance on the sales charts. The title to date has sold a measly 86,633 units since its launch date of November 13th. Unreal Tournament 3 is doing even worse, selling only 33,995 since its November 19th release. Both games share the fact that a major system upgrade is needed for most people to get the best out of them.

Is this the consumer’s message to developers to throttle back the spec requirements of games, or a growing indifference toward the FPS genre?

via Joystiq

Infinity Ward have posted details for the upcoming COD4 patch, whose arrival date is yet to be announced. Changes which involve playlists will not be addressed in this particular patch, but in one released soon after. Check after the jump for the full (and very extensive) list of changes to expect.

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Don’t let the tacky promo material deter you: here is a peripheral that has the potential to deliver a new level of immersion to up-off-the-couch gaming. Digital Imaging company 3DV systems has spent the last two and a half years developing the ZCam - a camera for the PC which tracks motion in three dimensions.

The company claims the device will lend itself to a myriad styles of games. In an eyes-on interview with Reuters, 3DV Chief Executive Zvika Klier controlled an airplane by simply moving his hands from side to side, activating machine-guns and dropping bombs by raising his thumbs . He also demoed a boxing game, swinging in the air to deliver punches and ducking to avoid his opponent’s blows.

The ZCam is said to be ready for mass production in 2008, and should enter the market priced similarly to other gaming peripherals.

via MaxConsole

Australian gamers can breathe a sigh of relief as GTA IV has been given an MA 15+ rating, avoiding a repeat performance of the fiasco that was San Andreas. It’s the most restrictive rating in Australia, as no R18 code exists in the region. The corollary of this most pleasing news is that the game’s content is probably complete.

via MaxConsole