If you’ve got a capable PC, it’s high time to re-visit Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV. A major update to ICEnhancer has been released to the masses, bringing with it improved performance, lighting and compatibility with all GTA IV patches to date.

While GTA IV was lauded for its visuals at release, this mod takes it to another level, arguably inching the closest we’ve seen to photo-realism. See for yourself in the video below. If you happen to notice sporadically flickering reflections, the author notes this is  a byproduct of Rockstar’s in-game video recorder, the actual game does not suffer from this. more »

Valve has provided an update on the Steam intrusion that occurred last November, notifying customers that new developments in the investigation suggest hackers obtained a copy of an old backup file – one that dates back to 2004.

While the file contained “user names, email addresses, encrypted billing addresses and encrypted credit card information,” it reassuringly did not include password data. No evidence suggests the encrypted contents were compromised either, which is good news. Transactions from 2004-2008 were listed in the file.

While Valve believes your credit card data is safe, it still suggests to remain cautious by keeping an eye on statements and activity. Turning Steam Guard on is recommended for added account protection.

Warcraft developer Blizzard has filed an opposition over Valve’s registration of the DOTA trademark back in August 2010. Yes, the two PC gaming titans are duking it out in a court of law.

According to the filing, Blizzard claims Valve has no rights to DOTA mark, pointing to “more than seven years of goodwill” that it has backed the DOTA name with.

Despite having no “official” ties to Warcraft itself, Blizzard asserts the trademark registration will not only damage them, but the “the legions of Blizzard fans that have worked for years with Blizzard and its products, including by causing consumers to falsely believe that Valve’s products are affiliated, sponsored or endorsed by Blizzard and are related or connected to Warcraft III.”

As evidence, Blizzard lays claim to its strong ties to the DOTA mark, noting that it has distributed DOTA mods directly from Battle.net and associated websites. Moreover, Blizzard points out that it has advertised DOTA at several gaming conventions, including its own BlizzCon. more »

Ubisoft’s pinned a date on the Ghost Recon Online closed beta, which will begin March 5 on PC. Those interested in signing up for the beta can do so over at Ubi’s site.

While it’s purely a PC exclusive affair for now, a Wii U release is also on the cards. Entirely free-to-play, the tactical squad-based shooter promises extensive weapon customization, backed by an always-connected social experience. Additionally, the company has sent over a new trailer that gives an overview of the game’s diverse classes. Hit the break to see it. more »

Update: Incredible: the fund just crossed the one million mark. History is in the making folks!

Psychonauts developer Double Fine is out to breathe new life into the rather dormant genre of point and click adventure titles. In a bold move, the studio has turned to fans for funding by launching a Kickstarter goal of $400,000.

Backers will gain exclusive access to a Steam beta of the project by pledging at least $15. That includes a finished copy once it is officially released. There are other incentives if you’re willing to pitch in even more, from autographed posters to a personal mini-portrait illustrated by artists on the development team.

All supporters will be given the opportunity to start a dialogue with developers by sharing ideas and feedback on a private forum throughout the course of development, which is estimated to last six to eight months.

As of writing, it looks like the Kickstarter is attracting a sizable amount of attention. So far, a whopping $284,000 has been pledged, that’s around 71 percent of the target fulfilled in just a few hours. Entirely free from creative limitations and deadlines imposed by publishers, it’ll be interesting to see how the project takes shape over the coming months.

Rockstar San Diego, the studio perhaps best known for Red Dead Redemption, is hiring for a new open world title. A number of job listings over at Gamasutra surfaced over the weekend, with vacancies open for programmers well-versed in networking and AI.

No details on the open world effort were provided, though unless on the off-chance it’s a new IP, we’re placing our bets on a sequel to Red Dead Redemption. Given the enormous success of the first title, a follow-up seems like a no-brainer. The only question is: will it land on current or next-gen platforms?

After several class updates, copious amounts of hats and the addition of the Mann Co storefront — what could possibly be next for the constantly updated Team Fortress 2? Apparently, Valve has big plans in store, as it has revealed that a top secret project is in the works. No further details were spared, only that it’s “brand new” and coming in 2012. Oh, and it’s not a hat or map.

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CD Projekt RED’s announced via the Good Old Games storefront that The Witcher 2 will receive an Enhanced Edition update come April 17. All existing and future owners will get the update free of charge. Here are the deets on what’s in store:

Additional hours of gameplay: New major adventures set in previously unseen locations, expanding the story and introducing new characters, mysteries and monsters.

New Game Introduction and Cinematics: All new animations and cut scenes, including a new, three and a half minute pre-rendered cinematic depicting the assassination of King Demavend of Aedirn. BAFTA Award winner and Academy Award nominee Tomasz Baginski brings this key historical event to life, setting the stage for the story told in The Witcher 2.

A pretty hefty update. Might be high time for another playthrough.

Update: According to a tweet from Ubisoft PR, retail editions of Rayman Origins on PC will ship without DRM.

Ubisoft’s announced that its majestic platformer Rayman Origins will arrive on PC March 29. Featuring beautiful hand-drawn visuals, the title retains the charm of Rayman’s original platforming romps, while introducing four player jump-in/jump-out co-op.

As a pre-order incentive, Ubi tells us that those who reserve the game now at “participating retailers” will receive a  downloadable copy of Rayman 2. Steam in particular was not mentioned, but we’d be surprised if it doesn’t turn up there soon.

We’ve included the system requirements, which look quite modest, after the break. more »

As Diablo III’s long-winded dev cycle continues, senior producer Steven Parker has announced via Twitter that he is no longer working at Blizzard.

“Hey Twitter, I’m no longer working at Blizzard or on D3. I’ve had a great 5 years there and those guys are going to kill it with Diablo,” said Parker. There’s no word on where he is headed.

What does it mean for the project? Probably not much, we certainly wouldn’t be concerned. High-level departures midway into development can be a blow, but Blizzard is way past that point as it would seem most resources have been diverted to simply polishing up the game and taking in feedback from the beta.