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Out two weeks after Xbox 360 version. Ubisoft has revealed that Splinter Cell: Conviction on the PC will now be released on 30th April, two weeks after the Xbox 360 version. That's according to the publisher's latest release schedule issued this afternoon. Ubisoft has had some PR difficulties with PC gamers lately, stemming from its controversial DRM system, which has become a target for hackers since it launched with Assassin's Creed II and Silent Hunter 5. Read more...

Out two weeks after Xbox 360 version. Ubisoft has revealed that Splinter Cell: Conviction on the PC will now be released on 30th April, two weeks after the Xbox 360 version. That's according to the publisher's latest release schedule issued this afternoon. Ubisoft has had some PR difficulties with PC gamers lately, stemming from its controversial DRM system, which has become a target for hackers since it launched with Assassin's Creed II and Silent Hunter 5. Read more...

Out two weeks after Xbox 360 version. Ubisoft has revealed that Splinter Cell: Conviction on the PC will now be released on 30th April, two weeks after the Xbox 360 version. That's according to the publisher's latest release schedule issued this afternoon. Ubisoft has had some PR difficulties with PC gamers lately, stemming from its controversial DRM system, which has become a target for hackers since it launched with Assassin's Creed II and Silent Hunter 5. Read more...

Key Ubisoft titles are no longer available on Steam in what has been rumoured to be a move by Valve in protest of the publisher’s restrictive DRM. The digital distributor is not offering Assassin’s Creed 2 or Silent Hunter V and the root cause could be an objection to the use of DRM.

It goes without saying that we love Plants vs. Zombies here at Ars Technica, especially the pocket-sized iPhone version of the game that was just released. If you haven't played it, you can download the free demo here and even get 10 percent off if you decide to buy the full game. It's a bizarre, funny, and addictive strategy title with a quirky art style, but the most surprising thing about it is that it was originally supposed to be an entirely different game. What many gamers don't realize is that Plants vs. Zombies started out as a sequel to Insaniquarium, a strategy game that involves growing an aquarium's population while simultaneously protecting the fishes from an alien invasion. PopCap recently shared some original concept sketches for with us, and the evolution from sequel to fully original title is fascinating. Read the comments on this post

It's Friday, and if you're like me there is some question of what game you're going to play over the weekend. Or maybe you're looking forward to playing with your children or spending time with your wife? You should scuttle any plan you have of going outside into the daystar, because we have something very special to give away. You see, Blizzard has invited us to, well, invite a friend to the StarCraft 2 beta. I could slam that code on eBay and make a few hundred dollars, but instead I am choosing to share it with you. Why? Because you're my friends, right? Here's how you win: simply send an e-mail to giveaways@arstechnica.com with the subject line "Beta rush kekekekeke," and inside answer a simple question: why couldn't I go to visit Blizzard to play the single player portion of the game when Ars Technica was invited to do so? We'll choose one e-mail at random, and check it for the correct answer. If it's incorrect, we'll simply draw again.

A court has ruled in favour of Sony Computer Entertainment America and David Jaffe in a lawsuit brought by screenwriters who claimed that God of War was based on their original work.

PSP is this week's best-selling machine. There are five new games in Media Create's Japanese top 10 this week, including Battlefield: Bad Company 2 in seventh (PS3). But the stampede couldn't shake last week's champion Pokemon Ranger: Tracks of Light from the top spot, nor old-timers Friend Collection (DS) from second or New Super Mario Bros. Wii from third. The newcomers start with Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman in fourth (PSP), and continue through Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2 (PSP) in fifth, Zettai Hero: Modification Plan (PSP) in sixth, BFBC2 in seventh (PS3) and RPG Maker DS in eighth. Read more...

PSP is this week's best-selling machine. There are five new games in Media Create's Japanese top 10 this week, including Battlefield: Bad Company 2 in seventh (PS3). But the stampede couldn't shake last week's champion Pokemon Ranger: Tracks of Light from the top spot, nor old-timers Friend Collection (DS) from second or New Super Mario Bros. Wii from third. The newcomers start with Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman in fourth (PSP), and continue through Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2 (PSP) in fifth, Zettai Hero: Modification Plan (PSP) in sixth, BFBC2 in seventh (PS3) and RPG Maker DS in eighth. Read more...