Gearbox is slowly releasing high-res screenshots of their next game to the public. The catch? The community has to work at answering BiA-releated trivia questions to unlock parts of the screenshots. See the screenshots that are already available for viewing here: http://www.hellshighwaygame.com/index.php?p=screens

San Francisco, CA — April 12, 2006 — Today Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers and Gearbox Software, one of the world's best video game developers announced that Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway is in development for next generation video game platforms, including the PLAYSTATION3 system and the PC. Scheduled for a holiday 2006 release, Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway is the third game in the multimillion-unit selling and critically acclaimed Brothers In Arms franchise.

Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway brings the critically acclaimed squad-based WWII shooter into the next generation of gaming with amazing graphics and sound, new cutting-edge gameplay features and a completely redesigned online component. Delivering on the franchise's compelling story, unrivaled authenticity and intense squad-based action, Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway drops you into Operation Market-Garden, the largest airborne operation of World War II. Lead Matt Baker, Joe Hartsock and the rest of the 101st Airborne Division as they fight to open "Hell's Highway" in a daring bid for a quick end to the war.

Gearbox prez, Randy Pitchford, was intereveiwed recently by gamercc.com. A few highlights:

"[Earned in Blood] is actually both bigger and better than we originally had planned."

"I've seen the Call of Duty 2 stuff and look forward to playing it, but what we're doing is a far step ahead of that."

Q: "When will Gearbox do something else besides war themed games?"
A: "Yes! We're working on some new things, but are not ready to announce them at this time."

Gearbox Software's original games on next generation consoles and PC to use Unreal Engine 3 exclusively.

PLANO, TX - September 22nd, 2005 - Gearbox Software, L.L.C. and Epic
Games announced today that they have entered into an a long-term
agreement that will see Epic's Unreal® Engine 3 technology be the
exclusive technology Gearbox uses for next-generation console and PC
games for Gearbox-owned intellectual properties. Gearbox has previously
licensed the Unreal Engine for the hugely successful Brothers In Arms
Road to Hill 30, and upcoming sequel, Brothers In Arms Earned in Blood,
on PC, Xbox and PlayStation2. Along with other original, unannounced

UBISOFT and Gearbox Software have released the 630MB demo of the Brothers in Arms Earned in Blood for PC. The game is due for release on October 6th. Thanks, Wingasaurus55.

COVERAGE:

http://www.dailygame.net/news/archives/004640.php
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/09/21/news_6134026.html
http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/652/652590p1.html
http://www.borsa-italia.net/article22945.html
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/press_release.php?aid=11673
http://gamesfirst.com/?id=714
http://www.pro-g.co.uk/news/nid/1237/1515/
http://download.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=9293

Brothers in Arms 3 is coming to a next generation console and UBISOFT is ready for the world to know. More details will pour out in the coming days about this sequel to Earned in Blood.

COVERAGE:

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3144000
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/652/652516p1.html
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/news/news_story.php?id=126009
http://ps2.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=9300
http://addict3d.org/index.php?page=viewarticle&type=news&ID=10700
http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/652/652497p1.html
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=26332

botman posted some great information on getting your PC ready for BiA. You should give those things a try before claiming to have a problem with BiA.

Gearbox Software is looking for a few COGS. Gearbox hiring? Looking for more help? But BiA has already been released. I wonder what they have up their sleeves.

Randy Pitchford hopped on the forums to clear a few things up about the Brothers in Arms patch that popped up on a few download sites last night.

[quote=Randy Pitchford]Someone got their wires crossed somewhere when we were testing the auto-update system with Ubisoft and the patch was placed on a public access server. This normally would've been fine as the location and nature of the update was not communicated publicly. But, some other person (who must be an incredibly hardcore fan) must have been pinging random URL's on the Ubi server until they found this update.

It's been taken down now and the news sites we have noticed that have referenced the update have been notified.

Note that there is very likely going to be an update that appears near the retail launch of the PC game. The update will make a few things nicer for people who play on-line. The version number of the update will be something larger than 1.01. We'll release details for that update very soon.

Thanks![/quote]

The Gearbox Software forums have gotten a major overhaul. Go check them out!

"We wrapped up PC production last week" said Reichert, a Gearbox employee on the GBX forums. He's already playing the game from home. Maybe we'll get our hands on the PC version in the next few weeks.

Reichert is also answering other PC questions.

About PC downloadable content:

[quote=Reichert]I can't comment on future additions, but we have an auto-update system that could accomodate such things more readily than the XBox version. [/quote]

About PC vs XBOX:

[quote=Reichert]- Increased texture resolution across the board
- Anisotropic filtering options, up to 16x (or whatever your card supports)
- An option for true reflections in water
- Configurable draw distance for grass
- Projected character shadows

All of these are optional, and will have to be adjusted to suit your hardware. [/quote]

Also,

[quote=]The MP game is consistent with the XBox version, with the addition of team chat. You can also chat it up in the lobby with everyone before a match. [/quote]

About a PC dedicated server:

[quote=Reichert]The nature of the multiplayer does not demand a dedicated server.[/quote]

Shacknews has interviewed Hellface (a.k.a. Matt Armstrong - the man behind BiA's multiplayer). Give it a read.

[quote=Matt Armstrong]Assaulting is cool, teamwork wins, and if you ask the question "Where am I getting shot from?" It means you just got your ass flanked.[/quote]

The new Gearbox Software website hosts a short interview with Randy Pitchford. Not much new info for the hardcore fan, but Pitchford does discuss some of the roots of Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30.

dat-guy points out that Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 has gone gold! The XBOX version of the game will be available on March 1, 2005. The PC and Playstation 2 versions of the game will ship "shortly after". Thanks to everyone who sent emails and submitted the news posts. Update: Coverage here: DailyGame, IGN, Ve3d, Boomtown, Total Video Games, Gamesindustry.biz, Gaming Horizon, Gamespot, Shacknews. Click read more for the announcement.

Randy Pitchford gaves us a status update on the BiA demo on the GBX forums. Here's a summary:

[quote=Randy Pitchford]Every resource spent on a demo means that the game would either take more time to complete or would have less quality when it was completed (or both).

These are unacceptable trade-offs to us. So, here we are. There will be a demo. We will release it when we can. If it's ready before the final game reaches shelves - great. You can try before you buy. If it's not ready before the final game reaches shelves, you can always wait until the demo is ready before you buy. That's your choice as a customer.

We made the decision that was best for the game because we feel that is the best decision for our customers and for us.[/quote]