[PC, PS3, X360] Australian Saints Row IV discs can't co-op with international copies

Saints Row IV finally secured an MA15+ classification in Australia after the Classification Board [url=]confirmed[/url] that they would be sticking with their original verdict concerning the unedited version of Saints Row IV.

However, more unfortunate news has now bubbled to the surface concerning the Australian edition of Saints Row IV and it concerns the compatibility of the game's online co-operative mode.

A statement on the Saints Row Facebook page has revealed that the Australian version of Saints Row IV will not be able to play online with international versions of the game because of the changes that were made.

"While we are very proud of all our different missions, we do feel that Saints Row IV on the whole remains largely the same without this single optional mission, and we also feel that you deserve to know what you are getting in Australia," reads the statement. "Due to the changes we were forced to make, this version is different to the version rated by rating boards like the ESRB, USK, and PEGI, which is why it will be incompatible with those versions in co-op."

This news will disappoint many fans who were hoping to play the game with friends internationally after the game finally managed to secure release. Of course, there are those who probably will be unaffected by this announcement because they either only play with their buddies locally or because they are importing the international version of the game.

I find it interesting that the team is being very open about the situation, and the decision to say they were "forced" to make changes is interesting as well. Personally, the board's decision disappointed me, but I'd be even more interested to hear what they think about people who plan on importing or picking up CD keys from other countries. Because, just quietly, I know a number of people who will be pursuing this option.

Saints Row IV will be released in Australia later this month for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Volition has previously labelled Saints Row IV as a "love song" to their fans.

Thanks for the heads up, Kotaku AU.

Writtne by: Kyran Morrison

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Disney Infinity's first 20 Power Discs come in blind packs of two at launch

Disney Interactive Announces Wave #1 of Disney Infinity Power Discs

20 Power Discs Available on August 18 in Blind Packs of Two

Disney Interactive today announced its first wave of the Disney Infinity Power Discs, additional play pieces that give gamers the opportunity to enhance and transform their experience. By placing either the Circular or Hexagonal Power Discs on the Disney Infinity base, it allows them to unlock special powers, classic Disney gadgets, themes and vehicles.

The Circular Power Discs grant characters special power ups that can be used in both Play Set and Toy Box modes. Hexagonal Power Discs unlock special gadgets, vehicles and themes to allow for even more personalization and customization opportunities within Toy Box mode. Players can stack up to two Circular Power Discs or up to three Hexagonal Power Discs to optimize all the add-ons. There will also be three rare discs, designated with a special lenticular design.

Starting at launch, the power discs will be available in blind packs of two for $4.99, making these collectable and tradable discs, a must have to enhance your Disney Infinity experience. Below is the full list of the Power Discs and additional information on Disney Infinity.

Circular Discs

Bolt's Super Strength – Character that you're playing with does 10% more damage
Fix It Felix's Repair Power – Character you're playing with has 20% more health
C.H.R.O.M.E's Armor Shield – In-game character receives -10% less damage
Pieces of Eight – In-game character gains 10% more loot

Hexagonal Discs

Mickey's Car – Drive Mickey's Jalopy in the Toy Box
Cinderella's Coach – Drive Cinderella's Carriage in the Toy Box
Kahn– Ride Kahn the Horse from "Mulan" in the Toy Box
Stitch's Blaster – In-game character gets Stitch's blaster from "Lilo and Stitch"
Carl Fredericksen's Cane – In-game character gets Carl's cane from "Up"
Sugar Rush
King Candy's Dessert Toppings Texture Set– Adds a "Sugar Rush" theme from "Wreck-it-Ralph" to Toy Box terrain objects
Sugar Rush Sky Skydome – Adds a "Sugar Rush" theme from "Wreck-it-Ralph" to the Toy Box sky
Alice in Wonderland
Alice's Wonderland Texture Set – Adds an "Alice in Wonderland" (animated film) theme to Toy Box terrain objects
Tulgey Wood Skydome – Adds an "Alice in Wonderland" (animated film) theme to Toy Box sky
Finding Nemo
Marlin's Reef Texture Set– Adds a "Finding Nemo" theme to the Toy Box terrain objects
Nemo's Seascape Skydome – Adds a "Finding Nemo" theme to the Toy Box sky
Tangled Lantern
Rapunzel's Kingdom Texture Set – Adds a "Tangled" theme to Toy Box terrain objects
Rapunzel's Birthday Sky Skydome – Adds a "Tangled" theme to the Toy Box sky

Rare Hexagonal Discs

§ Dumbo the Flying Elephant – Adds the Dumbo ride from the Parks in the Toy Box

§ Abu the Elephant – Adds the elephant version of Abu in the Toy Box

§ Astro Blasters Space Cruiser – Adds the Astro Blaster vehicle from the Buzz Lightyear attraction in the Toy Box

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Wii 2 rumors: Only 8GB of storage, 25GB discs, and 1080p isn't a definite

by Christopher Grant on May 3rd 2011 2:45PM

Citing unnamed (and un-numbered) anonymous sources (plural), Kotaku is reporting a handful of notable, albeit predictable, details about Nintendo's upcoming Wii successor, codenamed Project Café. For instance, in lieu of a capacious hard drive, Nintendo will buck industry trends and offer a humble 8GB of flash-based memory augmented by SD card support. If rumors are true and Project Café offers a graphical experience at least competitive with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, we're not sure what the storage solution for DLC (Red Dead Redemption's Undead Nightmare was over 1.5GB) or larger downloadable games (Comic Jumper is nearly 2GB) will be. With that constraint, digital distribution of retail titles would seemingly be off the table.

Speaking of retail games: Also rumored is the disc format for Project Café. It's said to hold 25GB of data which is roughly three times the size of a dual-layer DVD and over five times the size of the single-layer DVD that most Wii titles use. Also 25GB? A single-layer Blu-ray disc, though it's not clear if Project Café will use that standard or, even if it did, if it would enable movie playback. Despite using DVDs, the Wii famously doesn't support DVD video playback.

Speaking of Blu-ray video playback, the magic number usually tossed about by high-def home theater enthusiasts (and Sony marketing goons) is 1080, as in 1080p video resolution. That's one-thousand-and-eighty progressively scanned lines of resolution. Less popular: 1080i, which, yes, has one-thousand-and-eighty lines of resolution, but they're interlaced. If that doesn't sound familiar, that's because it's been somewhat absent since 1080p-compatible televisions and devices have filled the market. Kotaku reports it's heard "mixed things" as to whether Nintendo plans on offering 1080p (or, as Sony would put it circa 2006, "True HD") or 1080i.

As much as we want to believe every Project Café rumor we hear, we can't forget the delta between the console that Nintendo announced at E3 2006 and the one sitting on the shelf: DVD playback! USB hard drive support! Between now and Café's 2012 launch date, it's anyone's guess.

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