During the past couple of months we've been systematically reporting on some hefty reprisals from Blizzard levelled at Starcraft II cheaters. What gamers need to remember though is that these are cheaters in online multiplayer, an action which will have your account suspended.

 

It is however possible to legally use cheat codes in the single player game, with Blizzard recently releasing the full list of single player cheats, available here. All of the cheats are based on movie references, served with Blizzard's knack for comedy. Entering the phrase “HanShotFirst” for example, disables cooldowns on unit abilities, “IamIronMan” will allow all upgrades and South African sci-fi hit District 9 is also represented with the cheat code “CatFoodForPrawnGuns”, which enables units and upgrades to be built in seconds. 

 

Do note that using the cheats will disable future single player achievement earning until you either start a new campaign or load a save file before the use of the first cheat.

 

 

 

Some disgruntled PlayStation 3 owners of Activision and Treyarch's latest entry into the Call of Duty series, Black Ops, is so outraged with the title's performance on their console that a petition website has now been created demanding Activision refund them for the money they spent on the game.

 

At the time of writing a total of 6066 players had signed the petition, claiming a variety of problems with the game ranging from multiplayer lag to graphical issues to the exclusion of features and even straight up unplayability. 

 

 

A recent report by Reuters suggested that Microsoft may be in the process of introducing cable TV channels to its Xbox 360 console. The news agency reported that Microsoft is thinking of offering a new “virtual cable operator”, which will bring a wide range of channels to the console, for a monthly fee of course.

 

The company is also apparently in talks with cable providers to turn the Xbox 360 itself into a cable box (decoder) of sorts. However Reuters' sources said it would be at least 12 months until we can expect the new features.

 

 

Firefly Studio's Stronghold series of castle building RTS games is back for another medieval romp with the studio announcing that Stronghold 3 will be shipping sometime during Q1 2011. The game sees players take over the workings of a castle, and more importantly the people (or peasants) living in and around it.

 

With a drastically new updated fully 3D game engine, dynamic new building placement and physics that sees buildings crumble as they get picked apart, the game promises to bring the series back to its successful Stronghold 1 roots. Players will now also be able to siege enemy castles at night, under the cover of darkness, and a humorous new addition is coming in the form of animal ammunition, fired by trebuchets. Firefly is currently running a poll to see what the most popular animal to lob at enemies will be, offering a choice between a senile donkey, cage of rabid otters, retired dancing bear or a sack of diseased badgers. We personally can't wait to see what the innovative studio will bring to the new instalment. 

 

 

 

Fans of Blizzard's massively multiplayer online role-playing game, World of Warcraft, the most popular game in the world, is surely on the edge of their seats as the release of the newest expansion pack, Cataclysm, is right around the corner.

 

The third expansion pack to the popular game introduces Deathwing the Destroyer, the antagonist of the game, a monstrous dragon bent on the destruction of Azeroth, last seen in Warcraft II. With Deathwing's arrival much of the previously tranquil scenery in the game itself has been changed, turning once peaceful area's into burning hunks of ash.

 

Beyond cosmetic and storyline changes, the level cap has now been raised to 85 and two new playable races, the Worgen and Goblins, have been introduced. Blizzard has also made a lot of tweaks under the hood of the game, promising a more streamlined WoW experience running on the new Battle.net, Blizzard's online matchmaking service, introduced with the launch of Starcraft II. 

 

The new expansion is releasing on the 7th of December, with huge midnight launches planned around the globe. So pick up your gear, feed your steed, and prepare to face the greatest threat Azeroth has ever encountered.