A pleasent surprise came from Capcom today with their announcement of Lost Planet 3. The Lost Planet series was created by Kenji Oguro, and never really reached the same popularity as Capcom's other franchises, such as Devil May Cry or Street Fighter. However, Lost Planet 1 and 2 were very solid games; the former was an early next-gen title that really showed off the power hardware. Lost Planet 2 came out years later, and focused on large scale coop battles and multiplayer. This time, the game is a prequel to the first one, and it brings back the original game's barren, arctic environments. In addition, Capcom has said that the series' mechs are returning, and that your character will be able to enter and leave his mech at anytime throughout most of the game. With an emphasis on story for singleplayer and a full multiplayer suite, it seems like Capcom is trying their best to make the biggest, most complete Lost Planet game. Lost Planet 3 is being directed by Kenji Oguro, and devloped at Spark Unlimited, a western studio. The game will be released in 2013 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

Good news for Phantasy Star fans. Phantasy Star Online 2, the sequel to the legendary online RPG, will be completely free to play. That's right, even the game itself will be free. Sega has announced that the game will have a cash shop instead of monthly subscription fees. Sega has also announced that the game will also be coming out for the Vita in 2013, and that a special version will be made for iOS and Android platforms. There is no word as to when these mobile versions will be released. Sega will be holding a closed beta for Japanese players sometime in the coming months, and the final version of the game will be released soon after. A North American release has not been announced yet. Check back for more PSO2 news!

Good news to RPG fans, Baldur's Gate I and II are being remade! Beamdog has announced that Overhaul Games, the team behind MDK2 HD, have acquired the source code and developers of the original games, and are making enhanced versions of both games, each including new graphics and content. Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition will be out this summer for PC, with Baldur's Gate II Enhanced Edition coming later. The Baldur's Gate series is widely considered to be some of the greatest RPGs to ever grace the PC, so we're very excited that they're being remade. Check back for more info as we approach the release date!

The wait is almost over for Diablo fans. Earlier today, Blizzard announced that Diablo III will finally be released in North America on May 15th, 2012, and the international versions will be released on June 7th. This extremely anticipated game will be available for Mac and PC, both physically and digitally. Rest assured, Diablo fans, we've played the beta and it's great.

For those waiting anxiously to get a taste of the highly anticipated Guild Wars 2, the wait is almost over. Arenanet has announced that, around March or April of this year, a public beta will begin. Arenanet says that before the public beta, select members of the press will receive invites first. As the public beta launches, anyone will be able to register. Guild Wars 2 is shaping up to be one of the most innovative MMOs of this generation, hoping to break the mold that WoW has set. Hit the jump to check out the beautiful gameplay trailer.

One of my favorite parts of New York Comic Con was the section maintained by Rockstar Games. Rockstar held giant booth located near one of the entrances, decorated in Max Payne artwork. In addition to playing their tablet version of Grand Theft Auto 3, we were given the pleasure of watching a press showcasing of Max Payne 3. I was very impressed.

The release date of the long awaited Star Wars MMORPG has finally been announced! Bioware will be releasing Star Wars The Old Republic on December 20th for the PC. Closed beta testing is still underway, with details of the beta are being kept as a tightly-held secret. I've tried the game out, and all I can say is there's a lot to look forward to. The Old Republic will cost $59.99 to buy, and $15.99 a month to play. However, there are some alternative subscription plans that make the price slightly cheaper. There's also a collector's edition for $149.99. The game will be released in limited quantities, so pre-order now!

In order to boost sales of Windows 7 in Japan, Microsoft made an anime commercial staring their Win 7's official mascot Madobe Nanami. Nanami is voiced by Japanese Voice Actress Nana Mizuki.

Will this new marketing really work? Only time will tell. But if you talk to Exile, he'll be sure to let you know that Nanami's computer most certainly will not. See if you can catch why by watching the video.

Note: That torrent going around in Spanish really is by us.