Source: The forums of modder-friendly mecca Modmywhat.com.

What we heard: When Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City went on sale on October 29, the game was already at the center of a hype storm. However, the game soon was sucked into a speculation maelstrom, courtesy of a very small--and very fake--advertisement on one of the last pages of its manual.

The ad in question was for a nonexistent film, Liberty City, It's Over, a parody of the anthology New York, I Love You. In its center, the ad shows the cover art from Grand Theft Auto IV inside a torn-asunder heart--a sign some are taking to mean that the Ballad of Gay Tony is the last title of this GTA generation set in Liberty City. Then, below the title, are the words "Next Stop" above a rip in the poster--which shows another image underneath, as though the Liberty City, It's Over poster had been pasted over it.

The image inside that rip has become the subject of fierce debate. Is it a blue-gray and yellow hillside from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas? Or does it bear the pastel color palette of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City? Now, Modmywhat.com user "Lysergio" claims to have solved the mystery by producing a screen of a fake poster from Vice City. Modmywhat.com moderator "Gunner" went one step further, overlaying the two posters in an animated .gif to show an exact match when the parody poster is mirrored.

True to the hard-M-for-Mature ratings of the series, the suggestive poster uses a volcano surrounded by two tree-covered hills to advertise an erectile dysfunction drug. It was apparently on the wall of a porno shop in the game, or possibly the adult movie studio InterGlobal Films. The porn studio was at the center of several Vice City missions, which saw mobster protagonist Tommy Vercetti (voiced by actor Ray Liotta) assist erotic filmmaker Steve Scott (Dennis Hopper) and adult-film actress Candy Suxxx (real-life porn star Jenna Jameson). It is unclear if any of those characters would return, were Vice City to be remade using the Grand Theft Auto IV engine.

The official story: Rockstar reps had not responded to requests for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: Though the existence of the Vice City poster could not be confirmed firsthand as of press time, the comparisons are awfully compelling--or an elaborate hoax. However, analysts are already predicting only a two-year gap between 2008's Grand Theft Auto IV and a full-fledged sequel--twice that between 2001's Grand Theft Auto III and 2002's Vice City. With the alleged teaser/fake film ad mentioning the month of March, news of the next GTA could be less than five months away.

Source: British industry site MCV.

What we heard: When it unveiled Project Natal at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June, Microsoft did not announce a release window for the new camera-based, controller-less motion-sensing technology. However, with Sony saying it will launch its rival LED-controller-based system next spring, it was widely assumed that Microsoft would also be targeting a 2010 release.

Today, MCV announced with typical self-promotional enthusiasm that it has learned details about Project Natal's launch. It cited unnamed sources who attended a behind-closed-doors meeting with Microsoft, which is apparently making the rounds at British developers and publishers to lay out its plans.

Project Natal will reportedly ship next November. But how much will it cost?

Unsurprisingly, those plans call for Natal to go on sale during November, the month when Microsoft traditionally launches new initiatives like the upcoming Twitter-ific, Facebook-friendly, and Last.fm-loving Xbox Live fall update. Microsoft also plans a sizable initial shipment of 5 million units, about one Natal for every seven of the nearly 34 million Xbox 360s that have been sold to date.

One thing that is surprising about Microsoft's reported plans is Project Natal's price. While early analyst guesses were in the $100-$150 price range, MCV's sources claim that Microsoft is pushing to make the add-on just £50 (approx. $83). The company is allegedly "trying to get as close as possible to [an] 'impulse buy'" price point for the add-on, despite it packing such complex features as voice recognition, facial recognition, and three-dimensional real-time motion sensing.

The official story: "Microsoft does not comment on rumors or speculation."--Microsoft rep.

Bogus or not bogus?: Given Microsoft's history, the November window seems likely. The confident-but-cautious initial shipment number also appears to be in the ball park.

That said, the "impulse buy" price point seems questionable. Microsoft is infamous for its inflated accessory prices, which it just reinforced by locking out all third-party 360 memory units. Would a company that charges $150 for a 120GB hard drive, $100 for a wireless network adapter, and $40 for a 512MB memory unit sell something as advanced as Natal for under $100?

Then again, Microsoft has shown no qualms in the past about taking deep losses to introduce new hardware. In its rush to bring the 360 to market, the company accepted a hardware failure rate that ended up costing it over $1 billion in warranty extensions and widespread criticism from consumers.

Also, if Natal is priced too high, third-party developers may be reluctant to get on board. "I think they said they were going to ship Natal with every Xbox when they actually launch the thing, so everybody will have one," declared Epic Games vice president Mark Rein last month. "And then they are going to sell it to everybody who doesn't have one. Or try."

Source: The Grand Theft Auto IV enthusiasts at Gtaforums.com.

What we heard: Last month saw the launch of the second Xbox 360-exclusive expansion for Grand Theft Auto IV, The Ballad of Gay Tony. The add-on was released as both downloadable content and a likely bestselling boxed retail product, Episodes from Liberty City, which also includes the first expansion, The Lost & Damned. Now, evidence has apparently surfaced that indicates the elder expansion will soon be available to owners of the PC version of Rockstar's crime-spree sim.

Lost & Damned achievements Found & Screen-capped.

The revelation came as part of the latest patch (v. 1.0.0.4) for the PC GTAIV, available at the Rockstar Games Web site. Besides fixing assorted graphics issues, adding anti-cheating measures, allowing controls to be double-mapped to keyboards, and combining region-specific SKUs into one, the patch apparently added a list of Games for Windows Live achievements for the Lost and Damned (pictured).

The official story: Neither Microsoft nor Rockstar responded to requests for comment.

Bogus or not bogus?: Likely not bogus. While Microsoft paid Rockstar some $50 million to keep the GTAIV expansions exclusive to the 360, both companies would obviously love to make as much money as possible. A staggered release for The Lost and Damned would let Microsoft and Rockstar glean further coin from both DLC products and a PC Episodes from Liberty City retail collection while still shutting out the PlayStation 3.

Source: UK-based gaming site CVG.

What we heard: Microsoft is expected to launch its camera-based motion-sensing device currently known as Project Natal in 2010. As software support will factor heavily into the success of the Xbox 360 add-on, the publisher has already signaled its intent to have its internal studios heavily back Project Natal. Last month, Peter Molyneux confirmed that Fable III will make use of the device, and Microsoft has indicated through a host of job listings that it is building out an all-new studio dedicated to Project Natal development.

Of course, Banjo-Kazooie developer Rare, which Microsoft purchased in 2002, is also at work on Project Natal software. However, according to CVG, the studio's Natal development has apparently come at the expense of a sequel to the Xbox 360 launch title Kameo: Elements of Power. Citing unnamed sources, the site reports that Microsoft also ceased Kameo 2 development due to disappointing sales of the critically praised original.

It looks like things aren't all sunshine and rainbows for Kameo.

CVG's sources went on to note that Kameo 2 was taken out of the development pipeline around the time that the publisher restructured Rare earlier this year. At that time, Microsoft Game Studios reps declined to comment on whether the restructuring effort would affect any in-development projects. However, the publisher did indicate that it would be "implementing a new approach to current projects in the pipeline."

The official story: Microsoft had not responded to a request for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: Looking not bogus. According to the NPD Group, the original Kameo has sold just over 300,000 units in the US since its November 2005 launch despite being offered at a lower price point than normal 360 titles. That figure is markedly lower than even Rare's other launch title, Perfect Dark Zero, which has moved some 655,000 units over the same period of time, according to NPD.

Source: See below.

What we heard: An increasing number of gamers paging through the manual of the critically acclaimed Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City are noticing something eye-catching in its third-to-last page. It's a small mock ad (pictured) for the fictional film, Liberty City, It's Over, an apparent parody of the metropolis-focused short compilation movies Paris, J'taime and New York, I Love You.

In its center, the ad shows the cover art from Grand Theft Auto IV inside a torn-asunder heart--a sign some are taking to mean that the Ballad of Gay Tony is the last title of this GTA generation set in Liberty City. Then, below the title, are the words "Next Stop" above a rip in the poster--a phrase some are taking as a cue to the franchise's future direction.

Random joke or hint at GTA's future?

Inside the rip is part of a blue-gray and yellow image that somewhat resembles the color palette of Los Santos, the Los Angeles facsimile in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. It could also be that of Vice City, the Miami clone featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The fact that the poster also mentions the film is "coming in March" has some people wondering if that's the date when the next GTA will be announced.

Yes, the leap is pretty tenuous, and could just be another example of the random, wacky humor that is the GTA series' trademark. However, it has been shown that Rockstar loves to hide clues of its future plans in advance. One example is the Impossible Trinity achievement in Grand Theft Auto IV, where the protagonists of the two Xbox 360 expansions--Johnny Klebitz and Luis Lopez--meet the main game's protagonist, Niko Bellic.

Another reason the ad is getting so much attention is that Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter said he expects the next installment in the GTA series next year. In a note sent to investors in early September, he said he expects the next full GTA game to arrive by the 2010 holiday season. He also expects Episodes from Liberty City to sell between 1 and 1.5 million units domestically, a prediction that--if realized--shows that demand for GTA games is as strong as ever.

The official story: Rockstar did not respond to requests for comment.

Bogus or not bogus?: Too little to go on. However, there's no doubt Rockstar is making a new GTA. And with San Andreas and Vice City being two of the best-selling games of the decade, Rockstar founders Sam and Dan Houser would be foolish not to revisit those locales as they did Liberty City.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated at the bottom.

SPOILER WARNING: The story below contains information that reveals major plot details about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The game's developer, Infinity Ward, is recommending a total media blackout for those who wish to play the game without any prior knowledge of its story.

Source: Leaked video viewable (for now) on CNN's user-submitted iReport section and on Mapmodnews.com. The same video has been pulled from YouTube "due to a copyright claim by Activision Games Inc," indicating its authenticity.

What we heard: In every trailer released for Modern Warfare 2--including the almost image-free teaser released at the 2009 Game Developers Conference--one event has loomed large. Each trailer depicts a group of Russian ultranationalist terrorists massacring civilians at an airport with assault weapons.

Now, footage has leaked that appears to show the game will indeed depict the massacre, reminiscent of last year's mass killings in Mumbai, India, which left nearly 200 people dead. In a move sure to ignite controversy, the footage indicates the game will cast players as one of the killers, having them shoot civilians en masse from a first-person view.

Several sites have posted footage showing the same group of five terrorists (including the player), wearing body armor over business suits, as has been shown in every trailer for the game. (See screen comparisons, which have leaked, lower-resolution footage on the bottom.) The killers first emerge from an elevator, as the sound cues in the very first trailer portrayed. Once out, they open fire indiscriminately into a crowd by the security lines before moving up a series of body-draped escalators shown in the "Infamy" trailer released earlier this month.

From there, the terrorists move through a shopping level--with the player dispatching wounded civilians squirming on the ground--before moving down another escalator. Then, the scene shifts to the airport's tarmac where they encounter a group of security personnel under a large passenger jet with red, white, and blue stripes. The same jet appears to be shown in the "Infamy" trailer but from the opposite viewpoint of the security personnel moving to stop the killings.

At that point, the leaked footage ends. However, despite being of low quality, the footage bears several telltale signs that indicate it is authentic--or an extremely elaborate mod. First is the fact the terrorists shown look identical to those in the last two official Modern Warfare 2 trailers. Second is the fact the blurry subtitles appear to show the name "Makarov"--the last name of the game's primary antagonist, Vladimir Makarov.

Third is the onscreen heads-up display, which appears to be the same as that in preview versions of the game shown to the press. Fourth are indications that the footage came from the same European source that posted video of a third-person multiplayer mode in Modern Warfare 2. Reflections on the screen showing another monitor and PlayStation 3 menu cues are the same as footage that appeared on YouTube before being pulled.

That same yanked third-person footage was confirmed as being legitimate in Twitter postings by Robert Bowling, director of communications for Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward. In a tweet today, Bowling also indicated that footage from the game's campaign had leaked out. In response to a message from a user asking "Do you think the leaked SP footage is too much?" he responded, "I know man. Media Blackout! I'll keep this Twitter feed and the official Infinity Ward YouTube spoiler free. Singleplayer leaks suck."

Interestingly, the footage shows a multiplayer icon over another terrorist's head, indicating the level could be played in the game's Special Ops co-op mode. One rumor circulating is that the player will be an undercover operative who is forced to participate in the massacre or blow his cover.

The official story: Reps for Modern Warfare 2's publisher, Activision, had not responded to requests for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus. Infinity Ward is known for taking major risks to surprise its audience, and comparisons between official Modern Warfare 2 trailers and the leaked footage leave little doubt of the latter's legitimacy.

The bigger question is will the sequence impact Modern Warfare 2 sales? Sure, players can commit similar mass killings at any time in almost every Grand Theft Auto game. However, the brutal nature of the airport massacre and the ever-sensitive subject of terrorism might prove a toxic mix, in terms of publicity, if the mainstream media decides to pounce on it.

[UPDATE] Though US Activision reps remain mum on the matter, a UK spokesperson confirmed the leaked footage as authentic to game site VG247. The spokesperson also offered the following statement from Activision:

"The scene establishes the depth of evil and the cold-bloodedness of a rogue Russian villain and his unit. By establishing that evil, it adds to the urgency of the player's mission to stop them."

"Players have the option of skipping over the scene. At the beginning of the game, there are two 'checkpoints' where the player is advised that some people may find an upcoming segment disturbing. These checkpoints can't be disabled."

"Modern Warfare 2 is a fantasy action game designed for intense, realistic gameplay that mirrors real life conflicts, much like epic, action movies. It is appropriately rated 18 for violent scenes, which means it is intended for those who are 18 and older." (The BBFC 18 rating in the UK is the equivalent of M for Mature in the US.)

[UPDATE2] Activision US has now issued the following statement. "The leaked footage was taken from a copy of game that was obtained illegally and is not representative of the overall gameplay experience in Modern Warfare 2. "

"Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2 features a deep and gripping storyline in which players face off against a terrorist threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse. The game includes a plot involving a mission carried out by a Russian villain who wants to trigger a global war. In order to defeat him, the player infiltrates his inner circle. The scene is designed to evoke the atrocities of terrorism. "

"At the beginning of the game, players encounter a mandatory 'checkpoint' in which they are warned that an upcoming segment may contain disturbing elements and they can choose not to engage in the gameplay that involves this scene. Consistent with its content, the game has been given an "M" for Mature by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. The rating is prominently displayed on the front and back of the packaging, as well as in all advertising."

Source: The Who lead singer Roger Daltry told Massachusetts paper The Republican that The Who will be getting its own Rock Band. When an interviewer brought up the recently released The Beatles: Rock Band, Daltry said, "The game, yeah, yeah, they're going to be doing a Who one next year. There is one planned."

Who's next in line for a dedicated Rock Band game, what's on second, and Idunno's on third.

What we heard: It makes some sense that The Who would be next in line for the Beatles treatment. In addition to being one of the biggest classic rock acts out there, The Who has been tied to the Rock Band franchise almost since day one. When Harmonix originally announced full album downloads, The Who's Who's Next was the first one revealed, even if technical difficulties forced it to be scrapped in favor of a sampler of the band's hits. And in a promotional push for the sequel, the legendary British rockers played a surprise set at Harmonix and MTV Games' big E3 2008 Rock Band 2 party.

On the other hand, the report contained no more details about the game, leaving some question as to whether Daltry spoke of a stand-alone title like The Beatles: Rock Band, a retail-exclusive offering like the AC/DC track pack, or simply another round of downloadable content. A dedicated Who Rock Band game would also raise questions as to which songs would be included in the setlist. Versions of many of the band's biggest hits are already available in existing Rock Band games, including "Won't Get Fooled Again," "Pinball Wizard," "Baba O' Riley," "My Generation," "Who Are You," and "Behind Blue Eyes."

There's a long history of loose-lipped musicians breaking Guitar Hero and Rock Band news in advance of official word, and a slightly shorter history of them flubbing the details in the process. When Joe Perry spilled the beans on Activision's plans for Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, he said it would be Guitar Hero IV, not a stand-alone spin-off to the series. Then there's the Guitar Hero Jimi Hendrix and Rock Band Green Day downloadable content packs, which were initially reported to be full games by Slash and Billie Joe Armstrong, respectively.

While Daltry's statement about the game left room for interpretation, his endorsement of rhythm games was more concrete.

"Anything that gets nonmusical people interested in music is wonderful," Daltry said. "In my opinion, music is our last true great freedom. They can burn our books, they can burn our paintings, but they can't stop us singing and making music."

The official story: A Harmonix representative declined to comment.

Bogus or not bogus?: Plans change, and interviews with musicians are often as open to interpretation as the songs they perform. Another wave of downloadable content for The Who is a possibility. However, given some analysts' disappointment with The Beatles: Rock Band's sales and the numerous Who songs already available in Rock Band, the idea of a stand-alone game for the band looks less appealing than it once might have.

Source: A support page on Nintendo.com spotted by several outlets, including UK-based game site CVG.

The DSi is about to get chatty.

What we heard: Last November, Nintendo launched the Wii Speak peripheral both solo and bundled with Animal Crossing: City Folk. The peripheral incorporated a microphone to allow Wii owners to chat with up to three friends via the Wii Speak Channel, which features participants' Miis lip-syncing their conversations.

Though Animal Crossing: City Folk sold nearly a million units domestically, Wii Speak was not the sensation that Nintendo had hoped it would be. However, that appears to have not stopped the company from readying a portable version of the service. This week, several outlets spotted something strange on the Nintendo.com support page for an error encountered while using prepaid points cards on the DSi Shop.

The page read, "To redeem a Nintendo DSi Download Ticket number, such as for the Nintendo DSi Speak Channel, enter the number off the Nintendo DSi Download Ticket in 'Settings and Features' off of the main Nintendo DSi Shop page, then select 'Nintendo DSi Download Ticket.'" (Emphasis added.) Nintendo has since removed any mention of the DSi Speak Channel from the page.

The DSi Speak Channel might use the DS's headset.

The official story: US Nintendo did not respond to requests for comment, but a UK rep told CVG that "It's rumor, as nothing has been announced."

[UPDATE] "There are no plans for a Nintendo DSi Speak Channel at this time. The text for the error message in question was incorrect and has been removed." -- US Nintendo rep.

Bogus or not bogus?: Looking not bogus, given the number of reports and the clarity of the language. Given that the PSP has Skype, adding a VoIP service to the Wi-Fi enabled DSi seems like a no-brainer. Hopefully it won't force gamers to use the DS's notoriously uncomfortable headset, currently used for in-game chat on select titles.

Source: The Australian Classification Board, which rates game software Down Under in advance of its full release.

What we heard: Much has been made of Splinter Cell: Conviction's MIA status, but Ubisoft's Ghost Recon franchise has been off the reservation for what's quickly becoming just as long. With 2007's acclaimed Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 being the most recent installment in the franchise, Ubisoft said in January that a new Ghost Recon would arrive by the end of March 2010. However, it didn't take long before the publisher pushed that game to its next fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2011.

Not all Ghosts are the friendly Casper types.

However, it now looks as if Ghost Recon's delay may not follow the long and winding road of its Tom Clancy cousin. Yesterday, a listing for "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Predator" on multiple platforms appeared in the Australian Classification Board's online database.

Ghost Recon Predator received an MA 15+ rating from the Australian board, the strictest rating allowable before classification is refused and the game is banned. Australian's software rating board has developed a reputation for being notoriously strict with its ratings guidelines, having denied classification to a number of high-profile titles upon initial submission, including Left 4 Dead 2, Fallout 3, and F.E.A.R. 2. (Only films can reach the board's maximum R18+ rating.)

Beyond the subtitle, the Australian classification offers few clues as to the nature of Ubisoft's latest Ghost Recon effort. Thus far, the publisher has been mum on what gamers can expect from the new first-person shooter, saying only that it would not be a continuation of the Advanced Warfighter arc. The rating also did not specify which platforms Ghost Recon Predator would appear on.

Ubisoft had not responded to requests for comment on the Australian classification as of press time.

The official story: Ubisoft had not responded to requests for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: Looking not bogus, unless of course Ubisoft has a second new multiplatform Ghost Recon installment lurking somewhere in the shadows.