A confined group of Modern Warfare 2 owners will get to see the fruits of this collaboration on March 30th in a map pack for the game. What’s more interesting though is that gamers will probably have more reasons to dislike Activision, considering the details of this pack. Titled the ‘Stimulus Package’, the map pack contains 5 maps, 2 of which are remakes. The price? 1200 MS Points, which equals $15. You could say that’s a lot of money for a map pack. So far no word has come on a Playstation Network date. Additionally, Activision has not released any details on the maps or which will be remade.

Meanwhile, many of us are hopelessly hooked on the multiplayer and are drooling over anything they want to toss us.

Seeing all of this, Electronic Arts and DICE are wanting to come out of the gate with all guns blazing. For starters, upon the game’s launch in North America (March 2nd), two massive multiplayer maps will unlocked and downloadable. These are the Laguna Alta map playable in Conquest mode and the Nelson Bay map playable in Rush mode, which raises the game’s multiplayer map library to 10. Later in March though, DICE will be releasing a free map pack which includes the Arica Harbor map for Conquest mode and the Laguna Presa map for Rush mode. Codes for this map pack will be in the game’s launch case.

“Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will redefine online modern warfare on March 2. We are deeply committed to the FPS community and Battlefield fans worldwide,” said Patrick Bach, Senior Producer for Battlefield: Bad Company 2. “These first two map packs are just the beginning. We’re planning ongoing support for the community by always keeping the experience fresh and ensuring the best possible gameplay experience.”

Hmm, I don’t think it is any coincidence that they mentioned ‘modern warfare’. Anyways, Battlefield Bad Company 2 will be in stores March 2nd in North America and on March 4th for Europe on Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC. As an added bonus, those that reserve the game will get a free upgrade to the Limited Edition of the game (while supplies last).

For more information on Battlefield: Bad Company 2, visit http://www.badcompany2.ea.com.

• Thank You Gift: Xbox LIVE would like to say thank you for coming to our party! Buy all three House Party titles and download the free “Game Room” app and receive 400 Microsoft Points back to your account**! And for Xbox LIVE Gold members, the deal gets even sweeter, by purchasing all three House Party titles and downloading the “Game Room” app for free, you will not only be credited with 400 Microsoft Points, but you’ll also get an extra month of Gold membership absolutely free**!
• Extra Tickets: We don’t want anyone to miss out on the great multiplayer action House Party will bring you and your friends! From 1700 GMT March 26 – 1700 GMT March 29, House Party is making it easy for you to play together with a special Xbox LIVE House Party Multiplayer Unlock weekend! For this weekend only, we’re unlocking the online multiplayer features of all House Party titles for Xbox LIVE Silver Members to play for free.
• Attire for your Avatar: Starting on March 3rd, stop by Xbox LIVE Avatar Marketplace to ensure your avatar is decked out in the best House Party attire! From cola hat dispensers and plaid shorts, to plastic jelly shoes, your Avatar will party in style this March. You can even pick-up a BBQ grill so your Avatar won’t go hungry over the course of the month-long party.
• Guests of Honour: Most parties only have one star of the show, but Xbox LIVE Arcade House Party has four blockbuster guests we’re celebrating them in style!

Uh, so who are the Guests of Honour? Don’t know. I hear Betty White is a hot item these days.Maybe she will be there.

Oh, wow. Silver members got invited to something!

Starting on March 4th, the Blink-182 tracks “First Date,” “All the Small Things,” and “Adam’s Song” will be the available. For the next week on March 11th, the Grammy-award clenching alternative rock group OK Go is delivering “Here it Goes Again,” “Do What You Want,” and “Get Over It.” Next are the tunes of the Irish group Flogging Molly, giving us “Requiem for A Dying Song,” “(No More) Paddy’s Lament,” and “The Seven Deadly Sins” which will be delivered on the 18th.

The 80’s will be returning on the March 25th for one week and only for Guitar Hero. There will be plenty of neon purple and pink with “Girls, Girls, Girls” from Mötley Crüe, “We Got the Beat” from the Go-Go’s, and “Sister Christian” from Night Ranger. Wow. Scenes from Paul Thomas Anderson’s movie Magnolia are flashing through my head this very instance.

The Blink-182, OK Go, Flogging Molly, and 80’s track pack will be 440 MS Points ($5.50) on Xbox 360, for Playstation 3 users the price will be $5.49, and Wii owners will be paying 550 Wii Points. The individual tracks will be 160 MS Points ($2.00) for Xbox 360, $1.99 on Playstation 3 and 200 Wii Points on the Wii. In addition to the in-game music store and the Xbox Live Marketplace for Xbox 360, Xbox 360 owners can expand their Guitar Hero music library using the Guitar Hero VIP Pass Music Store, available exclusively on Xbox LIVE online entertainment network.

More information about Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero can be found at http://www.guitarhero.com.

And without further ado, Night Ranger’s Sister Christian!!

Um, so the Third Eye Blind Track Pack features “Losing A Whole Year,” “Never Let You Go,” and “Can You Take Me,” with the last being from their newest album. Don’t you want to play songs with those names? As with anything full of beauty, it’ll cost ya. Xbox 360 users will have to dole out 440 MS Points ($5.50), Playstation 3 users will need to unload $5.49, and pricing for the Wii Shop Channel is 550 Wii Points. Individual songs are priced at 160 MS Points on Xbox 360, $1.99 on Playstation 3, and 200 Wii Points on Wii.

This pack is out right now and is playable on Band Hero as well. And if you are anything like me, chances are that you are not even reading this blog anymore and you’re downloading that pack as we speak. And don’t call me Shirley.

The demo also gives gamers a chance to perfect their pitching for a chance to win $1,000,000. This year, 2K Sports will give away this unprecedented cash prize to the first person who throws a verified perfect game in Major League Baseball 2K10. This special contest, sponsored by 2K Sports, is available for Xbox 360 through Xbox LIVE* and the PlayStation 3 system through the PlayStation Network**. For more information about the $1,000,000 Major League Baseball 2K10 contest, please visit: www.2ksports.com/perfectgame.

I bet YOU won’t get it! Seriously. You won’t. But you can try…

March 3rd: Toy Soldiers – 1200 MS Points

March 10th: Scrap Metal – 1200 MS Points

March 17th: Perfect Dark – 800 MS Points

March 24th: Game Room – Free to download with individual games priced between 240 to 400 MS Points.

Those that buy all three Block Party titles and download the free Game Room application will receive 400 free MS Points. Simplifying this, if you spend 40 bucks, you will get 5 back. If you are a Xbox Live Gold subscriber, expect one free month from Microsoft if you buy and download these games.

Silver subscribers will also get free online play for these games on the weekend of March 26th to the 29th.

When Major Nelson released these details, he also mentioned that Xbox Live users may see the ‘Block Party’ instead called the ‘House Party’.

-Rank Increase to level 50, with rewards for this rank

-New playable characters Louie McGraff and Oscar Calraca

-20 new trials*

-A third weapon upgrade for each weapon

-five additional masks*

*Some items are only available after a player attains a rank of 41 or higher

If you are surprised that the first DLC’s focus is multiplayer, know that future packs will add to the single player experience.

More information on BioShock 2 can be found at any of the game’s many websites: http://www.bioshock2game.com, http://www.cultofrapture.com, and http://www.somethinginthesea.com.

Senior Bungie programmer, Randall Newtson, said today at a press conference:

We are excited to announce Halo 5. We at Bungle count Halo: ODST as being Halo 3.78. Halo: Reach, of course, is Halo 4.2372. Our latest news is that Halo 5 will be called “Halo: Squat.”

We wanted to continue the new trend of naming our games in the Halo series with bland, uninformative,  unoffensive words that could be either nouns or verbs. We also considered “Halo: Lounge,” ‘Halo: Mumble,” “Halo: Chew,” “Halo: Stir,” and “Halo: Lag” as possible names for the game.

Bungie also announced today that they have made a deal with Cartoon Network, and the leading character of Halo: Squat will be Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s Master Shake:

Newtson added that he expected Halo fans to experience little cognitive dissonance with Master Shake’s integration into Halo gameplay, since Master Shake has about the same agility and speed as–if not a bit more than–his predecessor, Master Chief.

A new single-player level for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is available for download now for PlayStation 3 owners through the PlayStation Network. The level features The “Secret Apprentice” in an entirely new mission on Hoth that continues the story of The Force Unleashed in a new “Infinities” storyline that takes the Star Wars Saga in an entirely new and unexpected direction.

The new Hoth mission will be available for Xbox 360 owners through Xbox LIVE Marketplace on February 23.

The Hoth level concludes the “Infinities” storyline set up in the previously available Tatooine mission, as the Secret Apprentice is sent to the planet Hoth to crush the Rebellion once and for all. While on Hoth, players face Luke Skywalker himself while visiting iconic locations seen in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.