Local Gaming News

Few folks can sport purple and be menacing. Death himself apparently can.

No mass layoffs from local gaming studios! That's not really news, but it is nice to hear. Read on for links to local AAA trailers, news on the hibernating Game On Austin event, a primer on the tech-industry love connection, and Kevin Pereira's LeetUp event coming to the Paramount.

Get ready to control Death himself as Vigil Games prepares to unleash Darksiders II on the public this Tuesday. Until then you can check out this trailer if you think being Death is a drag, because it looks pretty liberating. Not that I think you had any problem carving up otherwordly baddies prior to this.

Speaking of upcoming local releases that invite you to kill, Dishonored's release is still a few months away, but Arkane keeps the video content coming. Check out some of the more clever ways to dispatch your foes in their most recent video. While I don't like the idea of possessing a rat, the fact that I can strap a bomb to one, take over its body, and blow it up right at my enemies' feet gives the varmints a reason for being if nothing else. By the looks of it, our character is pretty unstoppable, however I'm sure the folks at Arkane will come up with creative ways to kill us right back.

Despite a complete lack of popular demand, the Chronicle and SXSW Gaming (formerly SXSW Screenburn) are bringing back the Game On Austin event this year (Here's info on 2010's event in case you missed it). Can't really call it the third annual event since we missed last year, but it's the third nonetheless. The event's main goal is to bring local developers out of their offices or basements to show their work and hopefully bring a bit of visibility to the Austin gaming scene. Details are pretty sketchy at this point but it's looking like the date will be in early November. Game On is free for the public. It's also free for developers, but with a few thin strings attached. If you're a developer and think you might want to participate, feel free to email me at gaming@austinchronicle.com.

Path.To is coming to Austin (and Dallas and Houston) on Aug. 14. Not sure what Path.To is? I didn't either until a few days ago. Apparently it's "eHarmony for jobs." Tech and IT jobs to be exact. How it works is you post a profile – including as much info about yourself (including links to your social networking pages) as you feel comfortable divulging – and companies looking for employees set up similar accounts. Then, as if by magic, Path.To finds a job that suits your interests. The service just started in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston and will be spreading to other tech-loving locales in the months to come. If anyone tries this out, let me know how it goes.

It was recently announced that LeetUp will be coming to Austin on Sept. 28. It's a live podcast with internet stars and other nerd celebrities and hosted by the "charming" Kevin Pereira, formerly of G4's Attack of the Show. For me, seeing a podcast in person is like seeing a DJ play live when no one intends to dance. Hell, I listen to most podcasts while doing something else anyway, so unless they let me bring my kitchen with me so I can cook dinner while I listen, I probably won't be there. We do know that Oprah Winfrey's fair-weather friend, local web personality Zach Anner will be on-hand. There are also off-stage antics like tech demos, a retro arcade, cosplay, and more to keep you amused during any lulls on stage. The promo video makes the event look like my worst nightmare: large crowds, competitive eating, and people with microphones yelling at the crowd. The sheer volume of geeks in this town should assure that the Paramount sells out.