Humpday Bump: Angry German Edition

Posted By: Dave Bast In: Gaming News On: 02 May

On Wednesdays I spend my time looking for a digital buffet of gaming goodies – I post them here on the Humpday Bump.

Today’s bump features the angry antics of the German court, and their decision to pretty much prohibit Microsoft from selling anymore Xbox 360’s or copies of Windows 7. It seems more like a haughty threat more than anything else, apparently a U.S. court has granted an injunction in the matter so until this is all over Microsoft is free to sell whatever products it likes.

Apparently Microsoft and Motorola are having some sort of digital hissy-fit and the only way the German courts know how to handle it is to throw the ban-hammer at Microsoft. Apparently this isn’t new behavior as German has done this before. As Reuters points out, Germany prohibited Samsung from selling Galaxy 10.1 tablets earlier this year. While everyone in the media acts surprised, Microsoft apparently saw it coming, moving its European Software distribution from Germany to the Netherlands about one month ago. (Via: Kotaku)

This must be the edition of ‘No,’ because today Electronic Arts told those who purchased Rock Band for iOS that the game would no longer be available to them after May 31^st. Wait, what? Apparently you can sell software to consumers and then tell them they can’t use it? I’m no expert, but there has to be a law against this somewhere, right? (Source: RockBandAide – Via: Joystiq)

Dashing the hopes of die-hard Half Life fans everywhere, Valve owner Gabe Newell confirmed via e-mail to a fan that there will be no Half Life 3 news at E3 this year. Although it is interesting that Newell is now referring to it as Half Life 3, which is more than what we all thought with little old Episode 3. Still, perhaps this is Newell’s way of leaking info without leaking any info, if you know what I mean. (Source: PC Gamer)

GamesBeat over at VentureBeat has put together a pretty nice list of all the things players can expect in Black Ops II. Yes, yes before you ask, zombies are still in the game, and apparently so are horses? You know what? If it means doing something new with the CoD franchise I’m all for it.

The team at Maxis have posted part four of the never-ending teaser series for SimCity’s new Glass Box Engine. This one is about how fire behaves in the upcoming reboot of the series. Really? Even the fire in this game is cool? Can we stop with these videos already, they don’t make me want the game more, I’m just getting more impatient about it.