Nine episodes. We made it to a landmark so celebrate by kicking back and listening to Xav and Kyle talk all about the upcoming Penny Arcade Expo! Xav also drops his thoughts on Microsoft's X'08 event in Toronto, Canada, by discussing some of the awesome games at the show, including: Fallout 3, Far Cry 2 and Call of Duty: World at War. This week we forgo our usual schedule of features, downloads and news to bring you an hour's worth of us talking random nonsense. Because nonsense is our middle names ... it doesn't need to make sense because this, is the BigCast!

Question? Round-Table Idea? Email us: podcast [at] bigdownload [dot] com

Join Our Steam Group: Big Download Official Steam Community Group
Find Us On Facebook: Big Download Fan Page

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[RSS MP3] Add the BigCast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[MP3] Download the standard BigCast MP3 directly.

Hosts: Xav de Matos and Kyle Horner

Produced by Xav de Matos

Music: Intro/Outro: "Am I Awake" by They Might Be Giants.

When it was released in 1988 on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Bionic Commando continued the story of the arcade game released in the Spring of '87; which only shared the same name of the original outside of Japan. In the home version of Bionic Commando, players took on the role of Radd Spencer a soldier tasked with rescuing Super Joe - the protagonist from the Capcom title, Commando. What separated Radd from other heroes was his bionic arm that was used to navigate through the world by swinging in lieu of the ability to jump.

As years progressed Bionic Commando became a staple of quality in Capcom's back catalog alongside other classic franchises as Street Fighter and Mega Man. More than 20 years since its debut, Capcom has returned to the classic franchise with two titles, a big budget release on consoles and PC this fall and a complete overhaul of the NES classic as a downloadable title for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. While all versions share a similar experience overall, each release offers bonus content that Big Versus felt required an explanation. Swing into action because this is Big Versus: Bionic Commando Rearmed.

While the popular assumption was Blizzard would showcase the Wrath cinematic at BlizzCon in October, word around the camp fire says that the developer will showcase the cinematic as early as this week. Multiple sources are reporting that Blizzard will reveal the Wrath of the Lich King opening cinematic at the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, on August 21 at 1PM. While we haven't been able to confirm the cinematic will debut at Leipzig, maybe if we all join hands and hope really hard it will happen!

[via WoW Insider]

In an interview with Develop, Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack broke his silence regarding the legal battle his company is tangled in with developer Epic Games.

"The trial is proceeding, we feel really good about our claims, and we're hopeful that justice will be done," Dyack commented to Develop. "We all feel really strongly that they have defrauded us, and a major portion of the industry."

In July 2007, Silicon Knights filled a lawsuit against Epic Games - developers of Gears of War - alleging that the developer's Unreal Engine 3 code was inadequate and has "caused serious damage to not only Silicon Knights, but a number of other developers in the industry," as reported by GameDaily. In August of the same year, Epic Games filled a counterclaim stating that Silicon Knights had copied its technology when a new engine was developed for Too Human.

It appears the heated battle rages on and considering the amount of licensees Epic Games has for its Unreal Engine 3 tool set the outcome could largely impact the games industry.

[via GameDaily]

Deciding to take a break from the grueling process that is developing a game for the last decade, Duke Nukem "himself" will be on hand during the Leipzig Games Convention in Germany to promote the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP release of the Duke Nukem Trilogy. We sure hope the Duke impersonator is a burly German man who spews out 90's era one-liners through a thick accent.

Want to take a picture with a gaming icon? Well, we don't know who else will be on hand but if you'd like to snap a picture with Duke in the meantime by all means!

After a few tech hiccups, some of which are still obvious in the show, we finally got down to recording an epic and emotional edition of The BigCast. From our thoughts on the logistics of a Star Trek MMO to the quick exit of an Indie developer the crew throws it all on the table. This week Xav is joined by Akela and James (Kyle's connection kept dropping the call -- check out the outtakes for more!) and a special new segment we've teased in the past. Our resident Hardware Guru, Rafe Brox, jumps in with his own quick segment touching on AMD's 790GX chipset. We're changing the format around just to keep you on your toes -- like a Gnome at a urinal. Jump in and be counted ... this is the BigCast!

Question? Round-Table Idea? Email us: podcast [at] bigdownload [dot] com

Join Our Steam Group: Big Download Official Steam Community Group
Find Us On Facebook: Big Download Fan Page

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[RSS MP3] Add the BigCast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[MP3] Download the standard BigCast MP3 directly.

Hosts: Xav de Matos, Akela Talamasca, James Murff and Rafe Brox (Special Segment)

Produced by Xav de Matos

Music: Intro/Outro: "Am I Awake" by They Might Be Giants. Bridge: "Keep On" by MC Statistics

Realtime Worlds, developers of the successful Xbox 360 title Crackdown, are hard at work on its next title All Points Bulletin. While the title was absent from E3, Realtime Worlds community manager Chris Dye revealed that the game is preparing towards a beta test.

"...Things have moved on quite a lot over the past weeks, and testing has advanced to a very exciting stage internally, as such, we are preparing the initial steps towards beta."

No official beta launch date was given.

Dye also revealed Realtime Worlds would set up page for gamers to register their interest for game and studio updates when the APB Facebook page reached 500 members. As of press time the group currently sits at over 1,800 members. Gameplay details and beta plans are expected to be revealed later this year.

Earlier today Blizzard Entertainment announced plans to bring Starcraft II and various back catalog titles, including Warcraft III, to mainland of China. In the three-year licensing deal with NetEase.com, Shanghai EaseNet Network Technology Limited will bring the Battle.net Platform and various Blizzard titles to the Chinese gaming market.

"This partnership is a sign of our continued commitment to our players in China and to the local industry," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment.

In the terms of the agreement Shanghai EaseNet Network Technology Limited will bring the classic titles; Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, the Battle.net platform and StarCraft II -- when it is made available -- to mainland China.

In a world of gaming podcasts ... this is another one. The BigCast jumps back into the limelight with a few special announcements. First, Xav and Kyle eat crow and admit the info that dropped on id's RAGE post-BigCast 006 sounds awesome (Sorry Sokk!) and in the round-table we talk all about the Penny Arcade Expo!

That's right! The BigCast is taking this show on the road and we'll be in Seattle for PAX from August 29-31! Expect some special guests from in and around the network and hopefully more awesome surprises!

This week's episode runs on a little long (clocking in at an epic 2+ hours) while we tackle everything from selling out, the problem with Grimm, Canadian glaciers and much more! Download it today, why? It's the BigCast ... that's why!

Question? Round-Table Idea? Email us: podcast [at] bigdownload [dot] com

Join Our Steam Group: Big Download Official Steam Community Group
Find Us On Facebook: Big Download Fan Page

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[RSS MP3] Add the BigCast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[MP3] Download the standard BigCast MP3 directly.

Hosts: Xav de Matos, Kyle Horner and Steven Wong

Produced by Xav de Matos

Music: Intro/Outro: "Am I Awake" by They Might Be Giants. Bridge: "Nothing's Wrong" by Los Hories

If ever there was an episode that was described as Epic, this is it. The crew returns to its normal format this week finding the time to discuss all things QuakeCon, go on an anti-Gaming Store tirade and answers of pair of reader mail questions. Sit down, get warm and grab a whole thing of Chunky Monkey because this episode is sure to keep you entertained for a while.

Is Spore played out even before release? What will ActiBlizzard do with the classic Sierra brand? How much skill is required to be Todd McFarlane? All these questions and more answered this week ... on the BigCast!

Question? Round-Table Idea? Email us: podcast [at] bigdownload [dot] com

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[RSS MP3] Add the BigCast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[MP3] Download the standard BigCast MP3 directly.

Hosts: Xav de Matos, Kyle Horner and Steven Wong

Produced by Xav de Matos

Music: Intro/Outro: "Am I Awake" by They Might Be Giants. Bridge: "Don't you Wanna be Relevant" by The Cribs

Find Us On Facebook: Big Download Fan Page
Join Our Steam Group: Big Download Official Steam Community Group

That's right kids! The BigCast returns after a short hiatus. Dubbed "The Episode We Should Have Thrown Out," episode 005 is riddled with tech problems due to the addition of (what was supposed to be) an awesome new microphone -- which picked up every little noise in the room! While we were going to throw this one out to keep with our growing audio quality, some of you have emailed us requesting to hear it. So, keep in mind the audio quality in this episode is so bad it can fall in a well and die -- that said we hope you enjoy it!

For tech and time reasons the news portion of this episode has been cut (it was the worst sounding portion of the show anyway) but listen as BigCast regulars Xav, Kyle and Steven Wong chitchat about all things E3.

It's a little late to the party but let's be honest, it's only a party until the BigCast arrives. This ... is the BigCast!

Note: Come back on Monday for BigCast Episode 006! That's right, no need to wait a week for the next edition. You'll get another shot of BigCast love Monday afternoon with better audio quality. We swear!

Question? Round-Table Idea? Email us: podcast [at] bigdownload [dot] com

Join Our Steam Group: Big Download Official Steam Community Group
Find Us On Facebook: Big Download Fan Page

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[RSS MP3] Add the BigCast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[MP3] Download the standard BigCast MP3 directly.

Hosts: Xav de Matos, Kyle Horner and Steven Wong

Produced by Xav de Matos

Music: Intro/Outro: "Am I Awake" by They Might Be Giants. Bridge: "Gedgetron" by Gazaar

PC gamers quickly stood up in anger when Microsoft announced that Portal would see an exclusive expansion-esque release on the Xbox Live Marketplace with the upcoming Portal: Still Alive arcade game. That anger subsided when we found out what was in the Arcade title. As we recently reported, Valve's Doug Lombardi confirmed that the Xbox Live Arcade release of Portal: Still Alive would be comprised of the maps found in the Portal: Flash Version Map Pack which has been on the PC since May. Haven't picked up the completely free maps yet? Download them now to add to your collection. For free. Did we mention the price? It's 0MS points, which by our calculations equals to about FREE.

Download the Portal: Flash Version Map Pack now! (it's free!)

Red Faction: Guerrilla returns Volition Inc. to its dramatic shooter roots (with a political underbelly) after a near 10 year absence. After releasing the critically acclaimed first-person original in 2001, Volition immediately jumped back into the Red Faction series with a 2002 sequel and has left the series on the shelf since. Bringing the series back, albeit in the third-person perspective, Volition hopes to recapture interest in the dusty franchise. From what we've seen the game looks impressive, touting fully destructible environments and a continuing storyline (which takes place 50 years after the events of the original) we're interested to see where Guerrilla can take the series when it releases in 2009.

Download the Red Faction: Guerrilla E3 2008 "Destruction" Trailer now!

Looking for an open world game that has as much flare and humor injected into it as possible? Welcome to Saint's Row. While Grand Theft Auto IV took the serious approach to the sandbox environment, Saint's Row 2 turns the insanity and craziness upside down. From elaborate insurance scams to a ridiculous array of weaponry, The Row is sure to be one crazy place to visit when it lands this October. Looking for more on THQ's latest sandbox adventure? Download the E3 2008 trailer that focuses on the customization within Saint's Row 2, today.

Download the Saint's Row 2 E3 2008 trailer now!

Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway is an interesting game for a few reasons -- primarily its setting. While people are quick to knock World War II games, the latest Brothers In Arms focus on a battle that was historically unkind to the ally strategy is enough to forget we've seen it all before. The latest trailer for Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway also reminds us of another factor we forget all too often when playing games -- this happened. The characters themselves are based on the real men who fought for survival during Operation Market Garden and looks to pay homage to them and brave heroes who lost their lives during the epic encounter. Make sure to check out the latest footage for Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway by downloading the E3 2008 trailer, which clocks in at 111MB, today.

Download the Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway E3 2008 trailer now!