PC Gaming Roundup - February 5, 2009

The roundup is back now that we've scored a bucket of fish for our news seal, and now he's burping up PC gaming goodness like there's no tomorrow. Today's regurgitation includes Bad Company 2 heading to the PC, and mention of new Left 4 Dead content.

Left 4 Dead Critics Choice Edition, DLC, and SDK 4 U
This afternoon Valve Software revealed a series of content and development releases for its latest title, Left 4 Dead (Xbox 360, PC). According to the company, the first downloadable content pack, dubbed the L4D Survival Pack, is set for mass consumption this spring, adding the new Survival multiplayer mode and two complete campaigns for Versus mode. The Critic's Choice Edition also will be available this spring, and will include the L4D survival Pack. Valve also plans to unleash the SDK for PC gamers and developers, also set for a spring release. The SDK will be free for owners of the game.

Virtua Tennis 2009 in May
Sega is back with its popular tennis franchise, Virtua Tennis, slated to release the 2009 edition this May for the Xbox 360 and as a downloadable PC game. Players can take on the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer or play as Maria Sharapova against Venus Williams in some of the most realistic courts found on gaming platforms. Sega also said that a few new players have joined the 2009 roster including Andy Murray and Ana Ivanovic. "Player stumbling adds a new dimension to matches, while improved volleying," the company added, "serving and net play allow you to express yourself on court like never before."

Happy 2nd Anniversary Vanguard Saga of Heroes
SOE says that the MMORPG Vanguard Saga of Heroes is celebrating its two-year anniversary with new quests and a user-generated content contest. As stated by the company's press release, players can participate in the “It Takes Two” contest to win an in-game portrait named after themselves among other prizes. Players will also get to experience a series of in-game events, including three new quests, limited edition arena tickets and special items created just for the anniversary celebration. The three new quests involve helping the Winter Court acquire Dreams, then Reflections and lastly, Memories, from the lands and waters of Telon. The reward includes a new pet (Snuggles, the winter wolf), a new fishing pole and a unique enchantment. The 2nd anniversary celebration is currently underway.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Battlefield 1943  Heading to PC, PS3 and Xbox 360
The original Bad Company rocked the console world last summer with incredible gameplay and visuals, and after many complaints from PC gamers, DICE and EA have announced that PC gamers too can join in the WWII love in the next installment, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, slated to hit store shelves this winter. “Bad Company 2 takes everything that players liked in the original and ups the ante – more vehicles, more destruction and more team play,” said Karl Magnus Troedsson, Executive Producer Battlefield Franchise, DICE. “Battlefield 1943 is a new take on a blast from the past classic coming to life with brand new technology that we’re eager to get into players hands.” DICE also reports that Battlefield 1943 will be available this summer, a multiplayer-only game that will offer 24-player support across three classic and tropic locations: Wake Island, Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. Battlefield 1943 will be a downloadable game for the PC, the PlayStationStore and Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

Sega Snags 2010 Olympic Winter Games Rights
Sega sent out a short-n-sweet PR announcing that it scored the rights to publish games for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. SEGA secures the sole rights to publish console, PC/Macintosh, handheld, arcade, and mobile games worldwide. Under this exclusive license, SEGA will publish a wide variety of games with winter sports and events including skiing, skating, and snowboard bearing the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games emblem.

Burnout Paradise The Ultimate Box Now Available
As the heading states, The Ultimate Box is now in stores exclusively for the PC for $39.99 in North America, with a free "Try Before You Buy" trial version available at the online EA Store. This special edition includes Burnout Paradise game, the previously-released Burnout™ Paradise Cagney and Burnout Paradise Bikes downloadable content updates, plus the brand new Burnout Paradise Party Pack.

Warhammer Online Heads to Russia
Mythic Entertainment's MMORPG Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is now available in Russia, giving Russian gamers the chance to take part in epic Realm vs. Realm (RvR) battles on regional servers with fully localized gameplay and customer support. Russian gamers have a choice to acquire one of three different packaging options in the Russian market: Collector’s Edition (2499 Rub), Limited Edition SteelBook (899 Rub), and Jewel Case (499 Rub). WAR subscription options also include monthly @ 349 Rub, 3-Month Subscription for 949 Rub, and 6-Month Subscription for 1799 Rub.

Alex Evans To Speak At D.I.C.E. Summit
Apparently Media Molecule's co-founder Alex Evans was chosen to speak at the upcoming 2009 D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit. The event will be held at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, February 17-20, 2009 and feature a line-up of industry leaders, visionaries, and decision makers that are shaping the future of interactive entertainment. Media Molecule is the developer behind the insanely perfect PlayStation 3 console game, LittleBigPlanet.

Evochron Legends Heads to GamersGate
Evochron Legends, a freeform mercenary space-sim that focuses on 'lone-wolf' survival gameplay, is now available for purchase on GamersGate. Developed by Starwraith, gamers can play the space-sim in a variety of ways and complete many activities including buying, trading, negotiating, bribing, spying, racing, escorting, transporting, mining, exploring, cleaning equipment, clearing paths through asteroid fields, recruiting, protecting, hiring crew members, fuel harvesting, and designing your ship