It will still be a while before we start seeing the stickers on store shelves, but the long-awaited R18+ category for videogames is now officially part of Australia's National Classification Code, having come into effect nationally from January 1st 2013.

The new rating does not apply retroactively, so only games actually submitted for classification (or re-submitted) from the beginning of this year will wind up in the new category.

New South Wales, The ACT, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory have passed legislation to govern the proof-of-age sale restrictions and penalties, but Queensland is still going through the motions, with the QLD Attorney-General's office recently confirming that "This means R18+ computer games cannot be publicly demonstrated, made, or sold until the law is amended in Queensland". The QLD State Government is expected to revisit the matter in February following a mandatory committee review process, but it is generally expected that they should still have things sorted before the first R18+ rated games hit Australia shelves.

Players hoping for recently refused classification games such as Syndicate or Mortal Kombat to finally see local release, or games like Left 4 Dead 2 to now be uncensored are likely to be disappointed, as that would require their publishers to formally submit the games for reclassifaction and wear the costs associated with that process. Even then it's possible that they would still be RC'd as the new R18+ category is not significantly more lenient than the former MA15+ tag.

We'll start to get a better idea of what this means for Australia's adult gamers once the first R18+ ratings are declared by the Australian Classification Board.

Rumours are floating around thanks to a picture snapped by user Splurs on Reddit (thanks Joystiq) that the first DLC for Treyarch's recent Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 will be titled "Revolution" and include five maps, one of them being zombie themed. The image is from an in-store promotional poster, which also dates the DLC on January 29th and touts it as an Xbox 360 timed exclusive like previous Call of Duty DLC.

The five maps included are Hydro, Grind, Downhill, Mirage and the zombie map Die Rise. What also seems to be a first for Call of Duty DLC is a bonus "Peacekeeper SMG" weapon unlock, though no real info on that. Currently Activision has not yet confirmed the rumoured DLC.

Independent developer Archive Entertainment has revealed a free Player versus Player update is now available for their 8BitMMO title, where users can build houses, castles, even entire cities in a retro-style construction sandbox. The update will enable players the chance to create their own PvP arenas to fight in, including a new "Bounty" mode.

A major update to the game was just released which enables Player vs Player gameplay, rewarding users for engaging in combat in specified arenas. As the world is 100% player-built, any player can create a PvP arena. Arenas can be marked for simple PvP gameplay or for a more advanced 'Bounty' game mode in which players compete for the highest consecutive kill count. Alternatively, players may build their own Dungeon areas, which will allow for Player vs Environment gameplay.

8BitMMO is available only on PC and can check out the free game over at the official website, including a run down of recent updates over here.

The people behind the recent surprise announcement the resurrection of defunct Steampunk action game Edge of Twilight have released some new details on their plans for the game, as well as confirming to AusGamers that none of the project's original Australian developers are involved.

As much we like to have the original team to work on Edge of Twilight. Unfortunately we have decide to complete the project with a new team. We have no plan to re-establish our office in Australia currently, but certainly Edge of Twilight is still very much of an Australian made title.

The previous announcement suggested that development was picked up in 2011 by studios in Japan and Taiwan, and further comments on the game's new Facebook page indicate that some of Edge of Twilight's original creators had expressed concern about being credited for their efforts, prompting the new PR team to clarify a few things:

To the previous employees of Fuzzyeyes and all previously involved in the development of Edge of Twilight,

We, the new Fuzzyeyes, the Fuzzyeyes with different management and shareholders, are not affiliated with the old Fuzzyeyes. We have decided to renew the development of Edge of Twilight while retaining the name "Fuzzyeyes" for the developer.

That said, we sympathize with those of you worried that you will not be getting credit for your work on the game. We assure you: you will be listed in the credits.

Simon Neech, don't worry about your cameras.

Anyone else with concerns may address them here. But please stop with the negativity and misinformation. We haven't released all the info on the "new" EOT yet.

A new press release reveals that an iOS title "Edge of Twilight - Horizon" is currently awaiting App Store approval, and that an Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 title is confirmed, with Facebook comments revealing an expected late 2013 launch on the consoles.

In bringing back the once-thought-dead “Edge of Twilight,” Fuzzyeyes has garnered a remarkably supportive reaction from fans of the project. To give back to the fans, Fuzzyeyes is designating “Edge of Twilight – Horizon” a free game in the App Store. Players of “Edge of Twilight – Horizon” will gain access to production news about and new screenshots of “Edge of Twilight” for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. New announcements and trailers regarding “Edge of Twilight” will also flow through the “Edge of Twilight – Horizon” app to keep fans up-to-date.

The difficult English in the new team's PR statements is certainly cause for apprehension, but we'll reserve judgement until we see the game itself.

More details on Edge of Twilight can be found in this earlier report on the game's revival.

Square Enix has revealed a new trailer for their upcoming revamp to MMO Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, this time showcasing the new instances players can expect. Designed for low level players, the Tam-Tara Deepcroft dungeon concludes the final alpha test video being released to the public while Square Enix begins preparations for closed beta, which is set to begin in mid-February next year according to a new roadmap.

Join our heroes as they take on the Tam-Tara Deepcroft in the eighth and final installment of our Alpha First Look video series. In this instanced dungeon, adventurers will meet with myriad opponents and obstacles to overcome before they may proceed further. The most spectacular spoils are granted only to those who venture into the deepest depths and emerge victorious.

* The instanced dungeon in this video is designed for low level players. Targeting and actions are demonstrated with the mouse instead of keyboard for greater clarity.

* The battle system is currently undergoing significant revision, including changes to all damage algorithms and the claim system.

The original Final Fantasy XIV launched late in 2010 amongst quite harsh criticism as many found it to be either too difficult or lacking in certain areas. This led to a full re-shuffling of the development team, and Square Enix are now working towards the new A Realm Reborn titled version. Players interested can find the full roadmap on the upcoming closed beta over here.

Blizzard has revealed that their action RPG Diablo 3 won't be gaining the highly anticipated Player verse Player Team Deathmatch mode that many were eagerly awaiting at the end of the year. A new post by lead designer Jay Wilson on the Diablo 3 website has revealed that the Team Deathmatch PvP mode has now been pushed to the drawing board amidst claims that "it falls short of our expectations for a high-quality Blizzard experience".

Our original intent with PvP for Diablo III was to provide more formal support for the duelling community that existed in Diablo II. We wanted to give players some kind of structure that would not only make it easier for you to duel with one another, but also allow you to have duels that were team-based. This is how our Team Deathmatch mode emerged, and it's been instrumental in making a lot of improvements to Diablo III. But in continuing to develop this mode, playtest it, and put it in front of other developers within the company, we've found that it falls short of our expectations for a high-quality Blizzard experience.

Putting people into an arena and letting them hurl fireballs and swing crazy-ass swords at one another always has an element of fun to it. I imagine it's no surprise to anyone reading this blog that people like battling each other in video games, so if you had the chance to play our Team Deathmatch at one of the BlizzCons where we featured it you might not understand why we'd say that we don’t feel the current mode is good enough.

Speaking to AusGamers earlier in the year, just prior to the game's launch, Jay Wilson had a very different projection for the PvP update's launch:

For the PvP patch, we definitely... I would say, we want to get it out within months after release. I would say, if it showed up close to the end of the year, that would be... I would say, almost a disaster. So I don’t see it slipping out of this year at all, and I think it’ll be much sooner.

However, we're not sure what the effects of that so-called disaster might be.

While the news is disapointing for those who were expecting the touted PvP mode before the end of the year, Blizzard has also revealed that a dulling system will be put into place in the early part of next year with patch 1.0.7, allowing those wanting to fight their friends in-game. While this is the first step to a proper PvP experience in Diablo 3, Blizzard has reassured that Team Deathmatch will find its way back once they are happy with it, something Blizzard strives for most in their long history of gaming.

You can check out the full PvP updated over at the official website and let us know your thoughts on this latest update in the comments below.

According to reports from Nova Crystallis, a new leak from Japanese magazine Famitsu has revealed details about upcoming Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, including a new "Active Time Battle". Other features include a 24-hour day cycle in-game, only controlling the Lightning character and monsters appearing both in and outside cities.

In LRFFXIII the player controls Lightning and Lightning alone, however, the game is not an action RPG. Weapons, shields, accessories, and abilities are formed into “Styles” which can be switched out during battle. The outward appearance and performance of these Styles will enjoy a great selection of customization. The act of defeating enemies will allow Lightning to earn points which will increase available world time and items to strengthen her equipment. Unlike the previous games, however, Lightning will be limited in the number of items she’ll be able to carry.

Monsters will appear both in and around the city. At certain times, black haze will appear in certain areas which signifies a new monster territory. Approximately half of the game’s monsters are new, so you’ll still encounter some familiar types from the previous two games.

The magazine leak has also revealed that the Final Fantasy game will not be featuring any DLC, with Game Director Motomu Toriyama saying that the "end of this title can be experienced within one singular package".

You can check out the full run down over at Nova Crystallis and you can also check out the latest trailer below for a glimpse at Lightning.

EA has revealed that a demo for upcoming action horror Dead Space 3 will be making its way to the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live on January 22nd, however a select few Xbox Live gamers will be getting access to the demo at the earlier January 15th date.

In the demo, players will be thrust into deep space terror when unwilling hero – Isaac Clarke – and all-new co-op companion – Sergeant John Carver – crash land on Tau Volantis, an unforgiving ice planet teeming with Necromorphs. Dead Space 3 takes the franchise’s core elements of suspense, horror, action and sound and introduces them to all-new elements – including co-op play - that allows players to work together to take down the most ambitious Dead Space experience yet.

Early access is being handed out over at the official website, however you will need to have an Origin account on hand to sign up. Codes for the early access will handed out "while quantities last" up until January 14th, with the code expiring on January 22nd.

EA has also revealed a new trailer for Dead Space 3 titled "The Story So Far", which you can check out below. It recaps the events that happened in the last two Dead Space titles, however not revealing too much in spoilers for those who have yet to play.

Recently BioShock Infinite developers Irrational Games held a contest for fans to help decide on a reverse cover art for the action RPG, with six different designs being up for voting. The results are now in and studio head Ken Levine has announced that the reverse cover art will be design number four, which can be found below.

The new cover art won a total of 38% of the total votes, clearly showing some quite tight results. The new art will be featured on the other side of the BioShock Infinite cover, one that has been receiving some quite negative feedback. Ken Levine has also revealed that while the chosen art will be officially printed, players will also be able to print out any of the freely available alternate covers when made available.

If you haven't yet, you can check out the first five minutes of BioShock Infinite over here, and also AusGamers recent interview with Ken Levine which has all the latest info any eager fan needs.

In a recent interview with 4Gamer (translated by NeoGaf), new director Tomohiro Shibuya has revealed that the upcoming Dark Souls 2 sequel will include several new features, however the most prominent is an entirely new graphics engine. Tomohiro Shibuya revealed that with the hope of capturing a more "global market" that "we would have to improve our graphics, so the decision to implement a new engine was made".

Along with the new engine comes the shift from director Hidetaka Miyazaki to Tomohiro Shibuya, a recent change that many players felt could be devastating to the franchise, however Hidetaka Miyazaki ensures shouldn't be a problem, and that the new director is "far more experienced than me as a developer, and he understands the idea and delicate nuance of Dark Souls, so I think it’s OK to trust him". Tomohiro Shibuya's most recent experience is with the mecha-action series Another Century Episode, with the 2010 R Episode release. Hidetaka Miyazaki also ensures that players can rest easy with the change of directors, explaining in the interview that concerns are to be expected when changing directors, however the path is still set on a brutal and unforgiving title.

Other features mentioned in the interview include the possibility of dedicated servers for multi-player, an entirely new location but in the same "planet", improved exploration and an easier transition into the game for beginners (however still containing the difficult gameplay).

You can check out the full interview over at the translated NeoGaf forum post, and check out the most recent concept art screenshots below (more at our game page).

A new trailer for City Interactive's Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 has landed as we break for the holidays, offering some new scenes from the fancy-looking, CryEngine 3-powered shooter.

Titled "Brutal War Crimes", supposedly due to the atrocities being committed by the forces of fictional antagonist General Mladic in Sarajevo, Bosnia, the clip features the player-character responding with some brutality of their own. Check it out below.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 is due on PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, and PlayStation Vita in January 2013.

Tecmo Koei has revealed new details (thanks VG247) for their upcoming 2013 release of Dead or Alive 5 Plus, a PlayStation Vita exclusive title, with features such as optional touch based attacking and vertical first-person play making use of the Vita's unique design.

Touch Play Mode: Experience battles in DEAD OR ALIVE 5 PLUS through two new styles of touch combat with the PS Vita held vertically in portrait mode to get a first-person, full-screen view of your opponent at maximum size. In Mode 1, tap the opponent to attack them in that spot. In Mode 2, touch, flick, and pinch the screen to attack your opponent with more finesse and options. Both methods offer players an instinctive way to fight while seeing their opponent in the highest graphic detail.

The fast-paced fighter also boasts a new "Training Plus Mode" that will help build skills but also help those like myself who aren't quite as talented in the fighting scene. The new Plus title will also feature Cross Play between the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 3.

Dead or Alive 5 Plus will be available on March 22nd 2013. You can check out the latest screenshots below that show off the vertical play and also the detailed frame data that apparently has three times the detail then console releases.

Tis the season once more, and as is usually the done thing this time of year, things will be a bit quieter on the site for the next couple of weeks as we enjoy a bit of the Australian summer and ring in another new year.

We've had another terrific twelve months here at AusGamers in 2012, continuing to expand the scope our reviews coverage, bringing back more previews of the hottest upcoming games than ever before, and delving into some in-depth features on a wide variety of gaming-related topics --all aspects we hope to continue building on in 2013.

Fun fact: Steve has conducted over 30 video interviews this year, and even more text-only q&a's, with highlights including Irrational Games' Ken Levine, Crytek's Cevat Yerli, Arkane Studio's Harvey Smith, Blizzard's Jay Wilson, and Treyarch's Mark Lamia.

For those wading through the holiday season sales for new games, we have a solid year's worth of reviews written by our experienced contributors to help you decide.

On behalf of all of us here at AusGamers and Mammoth Media, we hope that you have a very merry Christmas/xmas/festivus/etc, a happy new year, and a safe and pleasant holiday period in general.

Valve has revealed that the upcoming Mecha update, which will see the introduction of more robots and a new map in the Mann vs Machine mode, has now gone live for Team Fortress 2 players. The new content update also includes the usual foray of hats that only an insane person would not want to collect, plus the Naught and Nice Crates.

So, you battle-hardened MvM vets think you've got that whole "stopping murderous waves of robots" thing figured out, huh? Well, re-check those figures, because the robot hordes just added a deadly new class to their clanking, soulless ranks: The Mecha-Engineer! And as the incredible art above this paragraph illustrates, it will be over one hundred feet tall! (It will not.) Not to worry, though, because it looks like Engineer will also be one hundred feet tall! (He also will not.)

The sprawling Big Rock is the largest MvM map yet, which means the attacking robot hordes will have an extra-long journey to reach the Mann Co. base you'll be defending. If that sounds like the easiest MvM map ever devised, you're right! Merry Smissmas everybody! Well, you would be right if Gray Mann hadn't invented the deadly new Mecha-Engineer class. These Grinch-like Smissmas cakewalk destroyers can skip huge areas of the path with their teleporting ability, and also teleport other robots forward instantly with their "telling other robots about the teleporter" ability.

The Mecha update also includes three new weapons; the Rescue Ranger Shotgun for the Engineer, the Loose Cannon Grenade Launcher for the Demoman and the Vaccinator Medigun for the Medic. You can find the full list of details over at the official website, plus the patch notes over here. Happy hat hunting!

Publisher Interplay has revived the defunct Black Isle Studios brand, announcing the development of a post apocalyptic strategy RPG codenamed Project PV13.

Using the whole end of the Mayan Calendar fiasco as a promo gimmick, the studio has launched a somewhat unique take on crowdfunding on their new official website, asking visitors for donations in return for insider access to the game's development process, and a memento or two.

Controversially however, the development team reportedly only features a couple of the members of Black Isle Studios that was acclaimed for the iconic 1990s RPG such as Fallout, Icewind Dale, and Planescape Torment --with key members of the old team long ago departed to found the likes of Obsidian Entertainment and InXile-- making it difficult to see justification in reviving the studio name.

Project V13 is the first planned Black Isle Studios release in years, a post-apocalyptic strategy RPG. You will create a character to represent yourself within the game world. Your character will be a hardy adventurer from a variety of backgrounds; one of the last remaining humans, a new breed mutant, or a technologically advanced cyborg. The choice is yours.

Once you have determined your character’s background, you will found your colony”. From a deserted city, a broken down military base, or even the ruins of an oil pumping station, the colony will be yours to rebuild and control.

Watch the pitch video below and share your thoughts in the comments.

Atlus, the developer for Catherine and the Persona series, has today revealed their latest creation in development with Old School Games studio, the co-op third-person shooter titled God Mode. Coming out for PC and consoles, God Mode is set to offer players a visceral shoot 'em up with elements of an RPG, all taking place in a humorously dark view of the afterlife.

God Mode combines non-linear gameplay, fast and frantic shooting, hordes of on-screen enemies, and stunning visuals. The game hosts a single-player mode, as well as online and offline (via LAN) co-op play with 1-4 players. In addition to accessing more than 11 different weapons for battle, players are also equipped with a special ability fueled by Rage, which is gathered by amassing kills. Players can choose from several different powers ranging from offensive, to defensive, to support; all of which can be upgraded.

A series of in-game modifiers known as Tests of Faith alter gameplay on the fly and ensure that matches rarely--if ever--play out the same way twice. Each character is fully customizable, both in appearance and equipment, which evolve throughout the game. Gold and experience are accrued by players in a reward system to unlock new weapons and unique, powerful abilities, both of which have the option for further upgrades.

The new title will priced at a quite low $10 and is set to release in the early part of 2013 for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. You can check out the official teaser trailer below or the latest screenshots here, but you can also swing by the official website for more information.

Following yesterday's news that the embattled publisher has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, THQ President Jason Rubin has taken to the web with open letter to fans of THQ games with words of hope that the company's best days are still ahead of them.

The most important thing to understand is that Chapter 11 does not mean the end of the THQ story or the end of the titles you love. Quite the opposite is true, actually.

Chapter 11 is a safety net for U.S. companies. American Airlines is currently in Chapter 11 restructuring, yet I flew back and forth on that airline when I visited Volition two weeks ago. Donald Trump and his companies have been in Chapter 11 four times. You can add to that list household names such as Macy’s, Eddie Bauer, the Chicago Cubs, Chrysler, Delta Airlines, General Motors, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Marvel Studios, and MGM, among many others.

MGM filed Chapter 11 two years ago, and this year it released “Skyfall” and “The Hobbit,” two of the biggest titles of the year. That’s what I mean when I say new start!

He further explains that their goal throughout proceedings has been to keep the band together so-to-speak, with the bidding process having been structured to preserve the remaining development teams and their projects.

Whatever happens, the teams and products look likely to end up together and in good hands. That means you can still pre-order Metro: Last Light, Company of Heroes 2, and South Park: The Stick of Truth. Our teams are still working on those titles as you read this, and all other rumored titles, like the fourth Saints Row, the Homefront sequel, and a lot more are also still in the works.

Read the full letter over on THQ.com, then go and buy their entire Steam lineup for US$24.99 in the Steam holiday sale.

Following recent discoveries through the PlayStation 3 trophies of a past update, Gearbox Software has today revealed that the next DLC for Borderlands 2 is indeed Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt as rumoured. The DLC will not only feature the very British Sir Hammerlock, but will also contain danger, excitement and of course moustaches.

What starts off as a relaxing hunting expedition with Sir Hammerlock soon takes a sinister turn as our Vault Hunters stumble across a new villain intent on restoring the legacy of Handsome Jack. Irresistible new loot, memorable new quests, a variety of challenging and exotic new enemies, a new vehicle and more await players as they fight their way through the never-before-seen lands of Aegrus to give this evil-doer the old one-two!

As per the previous DLC packs, individual costs are $15.95 or 800 Microsoft Points, however those who own the Season Pass will nab it for free.

ir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt is arriving January 15th for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. You can check out the release trailer below for a short glimpse at what to expect.

Hold on to your wallets again, because the annual Steam Holiday Sale has begun once more, offering an assortment of select discounts each day from December 20th - January 4 (PST).

Today's Daily Deals Include:

• Borderlands Franchise
  
• Hitman Franchise
  
• Prince of Persia Franchise
  
• Scribblenauts Unlimited
  
• Wargame: European Escalation
  
• Mirror's Edge

Further, flash sales are also promised to pop up throughout the day, and users are encouraged to vote on other select titles to go on sale, with a new vote to commence every 12 hours.

Head over to steampowered.com to purchase a whole bunch of PC games you probably won't get around to playing.

Good news for independent game developers in Queensland today with as Right Pedal Studios has announced they are open for business and now taking applications for their first round of submissions.

Created by Steve Baxter - one of the founders of PIPE Networks - Right Pedal Studios is a new accelerator for video games that has recently opened its doors in Brisbane. As an accelerator, RPS aims to help game developers make their game as great as possible by providing a variety of assistance - including funding, but also mentoring and advice from industry experts and resources from industry partners.

Brisbane gaming scene veteran John Passfield (a co-founder of Krome) has stepped up to manage the accelerator, with the focus at this stage being primarily on mobile games for iOS and Android, though they're open to people working on other platforms if they look like they'll be a good fit.

From the call for applications:

We want to support teams who have the passion and the skills to create the next worldwide smash. We have smart mentors to help you make your game shine, experienced investors to help build your company, available funding to free you up to do your best work, and a collaborative workspace to share ideas with peers. We want to build a community of successful developers who are making great games and taking on the world!

Being a Brisbane-based company ourselves we're obviously extremely excited to see this take place locally and we look forward to helping out wherever possible - I'll actually be helping John and the team process the applications and I'm very keen to see what great ideas the game development community here come up with.

If you're a game developer you'll certainly want to check this out - but I'd especially encourage you to look at the programme if you're an aspiring game developer. Now is an amazing time to be trying to do something new - the game development scene is in a pretty great place with the availability of awesome software development tools and the huge markets that are accessible to every developer in the mobile space.

Head over to the Right Pedal Studios website and apply now - there's also a handy FAQ with more information for potential applicants.