I am a voice-acting nerd, so I was really happy to see this Face Time segment from X-Play focus on the VO aspects of both Black Ops and MW3. It aired earlier this week, but I’m happy to say that that it’s now available on G4TV.com:

Gaming’s voice actors, directors, and technicians don’t get enough credit.

Pre-order Prototype 2 from Best Buy, and you’ll get access to Heller’s Hardened Steel vehicle armor boost. It makes a tough tank even tougher and vehicle joyrides last longer. See for yourself:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Full preorder info is here. Now, along with the Bio-Bomb Buttkicker, you have two pre-order perks from which to choose.

So, you’ve paid for your Call of Duty Elite premium membership, you know all your MW3 DLC is prepaid for the next nine months…now what? Now, you enjoy that DLC hassle-free! The Call of Duty Elite team has put together a video that explains the whole download process in case you’re a little fuzzy on how it works:

Click here to view the embedded video.

This will be the same for all the content drops on all consoles, so learn it once and you’ll never need to worry about it again.

Still not quite sure what Call of Duty Elite is all about? Look, listen and laugh:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Hello, was that Air Force One in pieces on the ground? I think someone’s teasing us with content to come. First I’m seeing it.

This video’s appearance is no coincidence, of course. The first content drops — two of 20 coming in the next nine months — hit Xbox Live tomorrow, Tuesday the 24th. It’s not too late to sign up for a premium membership.

PS3 Elite will be getting their shot soon thereafter (this is why there’s a delay — full source if you want it), but I don’t have a date on that yet.

I-Wei Huang is a fascinating guy — like, Leonardo Da Vinci fascinating, with the ability to cross between the worlds of art and engineering at will. In addition to projects like steam-powered R/C tanks and hamster-powered walkers, he’s primary designer at Toys For Bob for all the characters for Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure. If you’ve played it, he’s drawn and sculpted it.

I will have I-Wei on my podcast later this week to discuss his works, his influences, and his awesomeness at greater length, but until then, check out this excellent video of him speed-drawing all 32 Skylanders:

Click here to view the embedded video.

He has also created character drawings that you can download, print out, and let your kids color. And by kids, I mean you, too.

You can thank him in person this weekend. I-Wei will be showing his steam-powered robots as well as some of his work on Skylanders this Saturday afternoon at the Open MAKE: Toys event at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, as part of  The Tinkering Studio. If you’d like to attend, information is here and directions are here.

There was a tease before the holidays, but now we have some firm details about the first two pieces of content for the 2012 “content season” for Modern Warfare 3. Robert Bowling, Mark Rubin, and Chacko Sonny explain it all:

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you are not an Elite premium member, you can still sign up and get the whole content season for one price now and never worry about it again for the rest of the year. Or, as promised, you will be able to buy the maps later in bundles, via the traditional DLC method. And while this Xbox 360 exclusivity deal from two years ago is still in place, this content will also be coming to PS3 Elite members, but they haven’t named a date yet. When they do, I’ll pass it along.

As an ex-New Yorker, I love the location of Liberation, but I think I’ll be sniper fodder there; for gameplay, I prefer the close quarters of Piazza, since I’m using a lot of SMGs lately. What are your thoughts?

Hey, sicko — look, I know you’re already interested in Prototype 2, but here’s a fun incentive to get you to lay down some preorder cash early. Preorder the game from GameStop for PS3 or Xbox 360 and you’ll get the Bio-Bomb Buttkicker attack, seen below.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Yes, you infect the guy, turn him into a living bomb, and launch him into harm’s way with the tip of your mighty boot. Insult, meet injury. The game ships April 24.

Doing the rounds for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Gary Oldman was on Conan O’Brien’s show this week, where Conan brought up his performance in Call of Duty: Black Ops. Gary had some reminiscences of his work as Viktor Reznov, and…they were loud.

Thanks to sharp-eyed 1oS clanmate @Kailon791 for the tip!

I promised video of Brandi Miller’s visit to Activision to pick up the Jeep she won from Call of Duty XP, and here it is! It was great to meet Brandi and obviously her enthusiasm is off the charts.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Huge congrats, and I’m thrilled to see that the winner was major COD fan.

The Prototype 2 team has been keeping fans up to date with short videos on a regular basis, and the latest segment gets into the hunting mechanic.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I got to see this demoed live at PAX and NYCC; I think it’s both very useful and pretty stylish.

This reminds me — have you downloaded ProtoSlice yet? It’s free. And it’s kinda tough.

I did not realize Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies had a trailer until just now. So here it is!

Click here to view the embedded video.

I say it often but I mean it: If my younger self could see what you can do on mobile devices today, he’d freak out.

You’ve seen the first trailer for Transformers: Fall of Cybertron — now see what the team at High Moon Studios was thinking when they put it together in this behind-the-scenes look:

Click here to view the embedded video.

“We wanted to do something that made you look twice.” Mission accomplished, guys.

Wow. Wow wow wow. If you missed the VGAs tonight, you missed the debut trailer for Transformers: Fall of Cybertron. Thankfully, the game’s official YouTube channel has it posted now:

Click here to view the embedded video.

And for those asking, the song used is “The Humbling River” by Puscifer.

Fall seems like a long way away.

So. Many. Memories.

If you weren’t watching the Spike Video Game Awards today, you might have missed a big announcement: After teasing on Twitter, Tony Hawk revealed that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD is in development. It will feature the best levels from THPS1 and THPS2, rebuilt and remastered for modern machines by Robomodo. It’ll be a console downloadable expected to run in the $15 range and it’s on target for release this summer. The game will feature a mix of old and new pros, including Eric Koston, Andrew Reynolds, Rodney Mullen, Lyn-z Adams Hawkins (Pastrana), Nyjah Huston, Chris Cole, Riley Hawk, and you know, Riley’s dad. And yes — you use a standard game controller. If I’ve been reading the Twitters correctly, this is exactly what old-school fans have been asking for.

You’re looking at the only two images released for the game so far, but the game already has its own Facebook page, so I expect that’s where you will see more in the future.

I’m going to have designer Patrick Dwyer from Robomodo on my next podcast — I was going to talk mostly about Big League Sports, but now we have something else to talk about as well! Watch for Episode 099 to be posted next week.

Meanwhile, GameTrailers has posted the teaser trailer:

Click here to view the embedded video.

When I play online, I prefer objective-based games like Domination and Team Defender. I can’t think of a more qualified person to give me advice on how to play them than Infinity Ward’s Robert Bowling. He gave X-Play the scoop:

Crucial tip there for surviving a Bouncing Betty.

And now, an outtake from The Vet & The n00b MW3 commercial that debuted a few weeks back. This is NSFW. You can take that as a warning or an enticement, but know that the language is raw before you click play.

Now that Call of Duty Elite is running a lot more smoothly, the official trailer for the service has appeared. It’s all about togetherness, with some bullets in there too.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I like the service, and I like the message…but I miss TheLEGENDofKARL. Maybe he was too busy playing the game to chime in on this one.

And yes, the video shows the mobile apps. They’re coming. Promise. The team has said they will release them when they’re sure everything is super-stable and the system can handle the extra traffic from the extra clients. They learned that one the hard way.

The tone of voice, the ending kicker…perfect.

Click here to view the embedded video.

That LOL thing? I actually did it.

So why is the team at Radical Entertainment splitting Prototype 2‘s gameplay realm into three zones, collectively known as New York Zero? Glad you asked, because they answered with a very nice video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Recent podcasts have featured interviews with Dave and Chris from the P2 team, if you want to get to know the people behind the game.

Watch and learn.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sam Worthington, Jonah Hill and Dwight Howard. Oh, and AC/DC — “Shoot to Thrill” indeed.

Hyped yet?

The official Call of Duty YouTube channel just posted this very short, very cryptic video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The description: “An official sneak peek at the Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 live action trailer debuting on callofduty.com/mw3 on 11.06.11.”

Please note the file is called “Teaser 1.” Guess that means there will be more…?

UPDATE 11/4: Clearly, there is more. Here’s the second teaser, just released this morning:

Click here to view the embedded video.

2ND UPDATE 11/4: And wow, teaser the third:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Guess I should check it out Sunday.

One of the cool features of Modern Warfare 3 that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention yet is the Facebook integration. You have probably heard about some of the Elite functionality by now, but in this video, Beachhead Studio head Chacko Sonny shows off some of the MW3-specific stuff.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I have gotten a chance to see some of the Elite/MW3 integration that he talks about, and it works really well. I think people will get used to using it in a hurry.

More insider info from Infinity Ward‘s Mark Rubin and Sledgehammer Games‘ Michael Condrey. This video shows off Modern Warfare 3‘s new Kill Confirmed mode (which is Kat’s favorite, from her time playing it at XP 2011) as well as some of the things you can change as a player for your custom matches:

Click here to view the embedded video.

This time next week, you’ll be playing it yourself…

GoldenEye 007: Reloaded launches today, November 1, and the launch trailer is the final cherry on the marketing sundae:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Watch for a Playing With Swords MP session later this week!

So many games hitting store shelves today! Here’s one I admit I didn’t even realize was coming out, a family CAbela’s title promising “Summer camp fun for everyone.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cabela’s Adventure Camp is out now for Wii for $30, PlayStation 3 (with Move support), and Xbox 360 (with Kinect support) for $40.

In case you haven’t spotted it out in the wild, here’s a cute first-person ad to plug Mountain Dew’s Rank Up Your Game double XP promotion going on right now:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Available at your local Fast Stop Mini Market, too.

The MW3 team has posted a new video to the official YouTube channel — this one digs into the many new weapons you’ll see in the game, and how the new weapon proficiency system works. Infinity Ward‘s Mark Rubin and Sledgehammer Games‘ Michael Condrey explain it all:

Click here to view the embedded video.

So, in short? “Go earn it.” :) MW3 hits November 8.

Hans Zimmer — composer for Modern Warfare 2, not to mention big films like Rain Man, Crimson Tide and The Lion King, which earned him an Academy Award – has a new project: The main theme to Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure. I found this video featuring some interview snippets with him talking about how and why he tackled Skylanders.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The game’s out now, as is the soundtrack. And if you need to say “I’m getting it for my kids,” I will not rat you out.

Connect and Compete have been posted — today, we get part three of the behind-the-scenes narratives from the team at Beachhead Studio on Call of Duty Elite. This time, it’s the third pillar, Improve, and how Elite…will help you do that, obviously.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Several people have asked me if the premium subscription to Elite is available outside of the MW3 Hardened Edition — yes, absolutely. An Elite sub is a benefit in HE, not an exclusive element. There are pre-order links here.

Congratulations are in order to Treyarch and Call of Duty: Black Ops for its win at the Golden Joystick Awards this past weekend. Voting was by the public, so that’s a huge pat on the back from the people who bought the game. Here’s a brief interview with the UK Activision team (and here’s a link in case the embed doesn’t work):