Aspiring game studios take note: Russian ultra-nationalists are the new Islamic terrorists – who were themselves once the new Russian ultra-nationalists. The international showdown between a swaggering fundamentalist Christian and a sociopathic fundamentalist Muslim is over, and now America can get down to squabbling over how best to settle the machismo-heavy bill. It’s passé to fax in a combat zone analogous to Iraq or Afghanistan – this is gaming under the Obama administration.

But in the great American fiction, there must always be a “Them” for “Us” to overcome, and without a credible new threat, Tom Clancy’s old whipping boys are vogue once more.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier takes place in the near future and involves a clichéd Russian para-military faction who seeks to overthrow the Federation and re-establish the nation’s superpower status. It’s up to the Ghosts, a super-secret squad of American military clichés, to save us all.

 

Promotional copies of Resident Evil: Revelations sent to members of the US press include a typo on the game’s packaging.

The packaging spells the game’s name “Resident Evil: Revelaitons” down the spine.

The game is due out in the US on the 7th of February, meaning it's unlikely Capcom will be able to correct the mistake before release.

 

Valve has announced a Steam app for iOS and Android smartphones.

The App, currently in beta, allows users to chat with friends, browse the latest screenshots, read the Steam newsfeed, and keep abreast of Steam sales.

“The Steam app comes from many direct requests from our customers,” said Valve’s Gabe Newell. “Seeing which of your friends are online and playing a game, sending quick messages, looking at screenshots for an upcoming game, or catching a sale - these are all features customers have requested.”

 

An extensive investigation by The New York Times claims that Apple has knowingly overlooked labour violations by its Chinese suppliers as it seeks to meet demand for its products.

The Times report is based on the testimony of “three dozen current or former employees and contractors”, six of which are anonymous Apple executives with direct experience of the company’s supplier responsibility group.

According to both company reports and “advocacy groups that, within China, are often considered reliable, independent monitors,” the workers assembling iPhones, iPads and other devices work excessive overtime and live in crowded dorms. Under-age workers are employed, records are falsified, and hazardous waste is disposed of improperly.

 

Gameplanet has forty Chronicle double movie passes to give away. To be in to win, simply post in the comments below telling us who you'll take with you!

 

Blizzard Entertainment has announced a new global pro-gaming event to be held in Asia towards the end of 2012.

The Battle.net World Championship will host this year’s StarCraft II and World of Warcraft Arena World Championship tournaments. Blizzard gamers and eSports fans from around the world will be invited to attend and witness professional players battle it out for cash and glory.

In light of what Blizzard has described as a "jam-packed schedule", the next BlizzCon will take place at some stage in 2013. The California-based developers are currently working on Diablo III, World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm and a next-generation MMO referred to internally as "Titan".

 

According to sources close to Kotaku, the next Xbox console may ship with a Blu-ray optical drive.

In addition, Microsoft may be considering new technology to prevent used games from functioning on the upcoming hardware, which is currently referred to as the Xbox 720 by almost everyone but Microsoft.

It's not immediately obvious as to the legitimacy of these claims, however as the system is likely to be significantly more powerful that existing consoles it seems plausible that a shift to Blu-ray, which can contain more than five times the data of a DVD, may be necessary to keep pace with future gaming innovation.