In case you have not logged on to your favorite console yet to see, Battlefield: Bad Company 2’s 5^th (yes, 5^th) VIP Map Pack is now available for download.

If you were hoping that this, the 5^th (again, the 5^th) VIP Map Pack would finally be the one with new maps, consider your hopes mostly destroyed.  VIP Map Pack 5 (5) follows the same formula as VIP Map Pack 1, VIP Map Pack 2, VIP Map Pack 3 and VIP Map Pack 4 where old maps are combined with old game modes to create a… new-ish experience.

Also, as with the first four VIP Map Packs, this one is 100% free—as long as you have the VIP code that came with all new copies of the game.  If you bought the game second-hand, you’ll need to download the VIP code for $15, which will give you access to all of the VIP content.

The yummy bits this time consist of being able to play White Pass in Rush Mode and Nelson Bay in Conquest Mode.

Hey, at least EA and DiCE continue to release free content on a pretty regular basis!

After seeing the image of that *alleged* special edition Halo: Reach controller on the internet earlier this week, it should come as no surprise that Microsoft announced a whole Reach console bundle yesterday.  The limited edition Xbox 360 bundle will include all the goodies that the newly released slimline version has (Kinect ready, WiFi, 250GB HDD, etc.) but all in a silvery UNSC paint scheme.  It also comes loaded with sounds from the Halo universe (like a charging energy shield when you open the disk tray!).  The bundle comes with two of those silver controllers, a special edition Reach headset, limited edition Elite armor, some other media and a copy of Halo: Reach.

The Reach bundle will be available September 14^th for $399.  The limited edition controller and headset will be available separately in late August for $59.99 and $49.99 respectively.

Just in case you haven’t heard enough hype over Gran Turismo 5, Polyphony Digital is once again pumping the loooong overdue game saying that the level of detail and precision is way too good to be considered current-gen.  Kazunori Yamauchi (Polyphony Digital Boss) claims that GT5 will be so awesome it would “… actually [be] more suited to the next generation of machines.”

Mr. Yamauchi’s statement means nothing, of course, because GT5 will be released with the PS3’s current-gen limitations—but it’s good to hear that he’s excited about the game he’s been working on for the last 5-years.  Hell, with GT5’s alleged 1000 realistically rendered car models, true-to-life damage, weather effects and a track editor; we should all probably be that excited!

So, are you?  Let me know.

Maybe it’s just my git ‘r done philosophy, but I’m really eager to get my hands on the NASCAR portion of the game.  That November 2^nd release date has me reaching for my SpeedFreeks already!

Happy E3 2010 everybody!  After seeing Microsoft’s big unveil of the new, Kinect ready Xbox 360 yesterday, we thought, wouldn’t some Stealth on Stealth FPS Freeks look super-tight with that shiny new skin?  We certainly think so!  And that’s why we’ve decided to give you a chance to win 1 of 10 ULTIMATE KontrolFreek GamerPacks.  Each ULTIMATE GamerPack includes a KontrolFreek GamerPack and a NEW Xbox 360!  That’s right, the brand new, glossy black one Microsoft JUST announced at E3!  All you have to do to enter is become a fan of our Facebook page – that’s it.  Oh, and the contest will end in 72 hours; so that should make for some pretty good odds!

All Facebook fans, new and old are eligible to win.  After 72 hours, we will randomly choose 10 fans from our list.  You guys who have been with us for a while know that we love doing stuff like this.  It’s our way of saying “thanks” to all of you KF veterans and “welcome” to all you new fans.

Thank you “I Play COD” for supporting us and good luck to everyone!

Kisses and Headshots,

KontrolFreek

Enter “KFE3DEAL” at checkout for 10% off anything in our store!

MAG was [is] one of those games that you either loved in spite of its shortcomings or hated because, shortcomings or not, it was pure trash.  I’m still not 100% sure which side I’m on.  I love the massive amounts of action taking place on-screen but loathe most of the rest.  Well, no matter.  Enough people out there on PSN still play enough MAG to warrant its first batch of paid DLC.

On June 22, you (apparently) thousands of really quiet MAG fans will be able to download the “Interdiction” expansion pack from the PlayStation Network for $9.99.

From Zipper Interactive:

“But what’s in it,” you say? Well, for starters, we’re introducing a brand new gametype that we’re calling (what else?) “Interdiction.” Built for up to 128 simultaneous players, Interdiction challenges two rival factions to be attackers and seize control of three command posts with the aid of several heavily-armed convoys on three brand new maps (Lake Bayano Spur, Sovot Motorway, and Iron Cree Quarry). To make it even more interesting, we’ve made all three maps completely faction neutral – allowing all sides to play any map whenever they want – in addition to supplying every squad with their own APC vehicle (that’s 16 APCs on the map at once!). To win, players must capture and hold as many objectives as possible to increase their score while concurrently depleting their enemy’s. In short, Interdiction mode = crazy battlefield mayhem.”

Zipper is also including in the Interdiction pack a new “Heavy Improved” armor set and some new medals, ribbons and trophies.

Since I mostly play Conquest and Rush, I’m only a little excited about this.  But BF: BC2’s VIP Map Pack 3 will be available tomorrow.  VIP Map Pack 3 will unlock Squad Deathmatch for Nelson Bay and Squad Rush for Laguna Alta.

Although this is the 3^rd round of “Map Packs” without any new maps, it’s still pretty cool that EA continues to make new content available for a game that’s already so good out of the box.

Really, though, a true map pack would be greatly appreciated some day soon.  Some new unlocks would be nice, too—you know, for all of us that unlocked everything a week after release.

Oh well, at least all three of the map packs have been free for those of us who bought new copies of the game.

For those of you who saved $5 by buying a used copy at GameStop, you will need to purchase a VIP code for $15 from EA’s in-game store in order to access the new modes.  It’s a bummer, but at least at this point you are getting some worthy content.

Sometimes you don’t know about stuff until someone that does know stuff about stuff tells you about it.  I guess it's the nature of getting older and more intelligentier.

Yesterday, I found quite possibly the best 2D Super Mario Brothers game that has ever existed—and it’s free to download!  Super Mario Bros. X v.1.2 is a homebrew Mario game that takes all the best things about the 2D Mario games and packages them together for an experience that’s so good it has to have Nintendo pissed-off.

This newest version of Super Mario Bros. X features an exceptional co-op mode that seamlessly splits the screen.  So when the person you’re playing with decides to go all rogue-like and leave your ass behind, it won’t matter a bit.

The new version also features a level editor that works in real-time, so if you don’t like the obstacles ahead, you can just change them to better suit your mood.  All of your favorite power-ups, characters and music are here, too, so everything feels like it actually came from 1990 Nintendo.  This is not a cheap rip-off.  The people who created this game obviously love Mario and gave him the royal treatment here.

If you want to play it for yourself and see what I’m talking about, just click here!