A new Assassin's Creed mobile game will launch in December of this year for English and Japanese audiences. The title is being developed by Ubisoft and GREE. In the same breath, GREE is teaming up with Gameloft on Gang Domination, which will be available on various smartphone devices this coming June.

So, what's GREE? Beyond being a company with way too much money, it's a mobile publisher/platform that's huge in Japan and is moving into the global marketplace, launching the GREE Platform in the second quarter of 2012. The company bought mobile social network OpenFeint last year and has offices in Tokyo, San Francisco, London, Beijing, Sao Paulo and Dubai. The company states: "GREE will continue to aggressively expand worldwide."

"GREE will continue to focus on building relationships with third party game developers and publishers as it moves towards releasing its new platform."

So, if GREE wasn't on your radar before, it appears to be a company you're going to be hearing about a lot in the near future.

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Real-life guitar hero Slash was in Los Angeles last week promoting a new music game called BandFuse: Rock Legends. Speaking to Joystiq, he shared some insight on what it was like to work with Activision for the immensely popular Guitar Hero series. "A lot of kids tripped out," says the former Guns and Roses guitarist, "because they were under the impression that the character in Guitar Hero was just that character. So a lot of kids trip out that I was actually a real person."

Once they found out that he was an actual person who was in an actual band, however, Slash says Guitar Hero was surprisingly effective at winning new fans. "It opened up the doors of a demographic that was way younger than me," he says. "I had no idea that would happen." He couldn't speak to the lawsuit that claims the game took advantage of his GnR connection, but he does say the game has inspired a much younger generation to check out classic rock.

As for interest going the other way, Slash says he hasn't found the time for video games -- not even his own. "I couldn't play it," he says, "because I was actually in the game and it was too surreal."

Asura's Wrath is a pile of impossibilities. It is a myth made real. It is a meticulous construction of unflappable absurdity. Asura's Wrath is a glittering, golden starchild of incredulity, and I love it. I also wish I didn't have to review it.

The strictures of a review really aren't adequate to quantify the experience waiting for players in Asura's Wrath. Of course there are mechanics and systems and gauges, all of that, and I will endeavor to explain them, but understand that what follows falls well short of fully encapsulating the experience. About 380,000 kilometers too short.

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Over the last few years or so, the "guitar game" genre has had one of the craziest journeys in video game history. From the huge early success of Harmonix' Guitar Hero to the company's split into Rock Band and the final proclamation that Guitar Hero was finished, the epic story of plastic instruments and the games that came with them has gone from prelude to climax to quiet hum, all in the space of a few years.

And there have already been a few "post-modern" guitar games, most notably Power Gig: Rise of the Six-String and Rocksmith, which both involve real guitars rather than their plastic counterparts, and which suggest that strumming along with real songs and strings might actually teach real musical skill (a promise that neither was able to land with great success).

And so it's interesting that Realta Entertainment Group has chosen this moment to step out with its premiere product, called BandFuse: Rock Legends. It's a music game that uses a real, live electric guitar, plugged into a video game console, as its controller. We've ... we've been down this road before, right?

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Commander Shepard is a man? It was the greatest lie ever created in future history. BioWare sought to fix this, admitting the savior of Earth (and the galaxy at large) could be recast as female.

Well, it seems the developer has gone one step further and slipped in the female Shepard on the reverse cover of Mass Effect 3 (standard edition). Sure, she's not black yet, but we'll take a partial truth for the time being.

Check out BioWare's unboxing video after the break.

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The PlayStation Vita just got moderately more useful. A suite of apps is available today on the PlayStation Store including Flickr, Netflix, and "LiveTweet." That's the name of the Twitter app. No, we don't know why.

If you're a new Vita owner, you can get them all right now through the PlayStation Store. If you're a prospective Vita owner just waiting to see how the Netflix app shook out, you can see for yourself in this walkthrough from Engadget.

The power of two crowned indie developer darlings have joined together to form one team, set to bring the Amnesia franchise into a new era.

Speaking exclusively with Joystiq, Frictional Games and Dear Esther's thechineseroom have revealed their latest project, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs.

Developed by thechineseroom and produced by Frictional Games, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is planned for a debut on PC later this year. No firm date has been set, but internally the two studios hope to launch before Halloween. A recent alternate reality game has been teasing the the next Amnesia's reveal, sending fans into a frenzy.

"It's not a direct sequel, in terms of it doesn't follow on from the story of Amnesia. It doesn't involve the same characters," Dear Esther writer Dan Pinchbeck told me. Instead, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs will be set in the same "alternate history and set in the same universe." In short, the game will look to scare your pants off.

Set in 1899, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs follows the "wealthy industrialist" Oswald Mandus, who has returned home from "a disastrous expedition to Mexico, which has ended in tragedy." Struck by a destructive fever, Mandus is haunted by dreams of a dark machine until he mysteriously regains consciousness. Months have passed, unbeknownst to the industry tycoon, and as he emerges from his slumber the roaring engine of a mysterious machine sputters to life.

A detailed interview with Frictional Games designer Thomas Grip and thechineseroom's Dan Pinchbeck is coming later today, delving deeper into the darkness with Amnesia's next chapter. And yes, the two discuss what A Machine for Pigs means.

Today marks the actual launch date for the PlayStation Vita! Sure, you may have had one for a week, but let's act surprised nonetheless. We continue to update our launch guide, to help you find all the game reviews and features you need to know about.

Hardware

• PlayStation Vita review: "It offers the most power, the widest variety of input methods, and the most convenient method of getting new games, of any handheld system in history."

Games

• Uncharted: Golden Abyss: "... though Uncharted: Golden Abyss brings a little too much reality to Drake's day-to-day by making him polish artifacts in gimmicky touchscreen nonsense, there's still a good, if formulaic, adventure to be had." ★★★ 1/2
• Little Deviants: "So ... you get a virtual house filled with square-headed cats. You can't do anything with them. They just sit there. " ★★
• Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3: "Even with the trouble I had pulling off combos, and the frustration of feeling lost and alone in the lobby, I still think this is an amazing port in many respects. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a game I would consider far too flashy to fit on a handheld, and Capcom accomplished it." (no score given)
• Lumines Electronic Symphony: "I come out of a 45-minute session feeling rested and kind of euphoric. How's that for an endorsement?"★★★★ 1/2
• Touch My Katamari: "Touch My Katamari is the best portable Katamari ever made by default." (no score given)
• Shinobido 2: "I must have killed the same fat merchant hiding in the same castle half a dozen times so far. To be fair, one time the merchant was wearing glasses, so it might have been a different guy." (no score given)
• Escape Plan: "It might sound backhanded to praise the ability to skip content, but being able to get away from unpleasant situations is in the spirit of this escape-themed game." ★★★ 1/2
• Army Corps of Hell: "I actually wish I had stopped playing after about, oh, five hours. Up to that point, Army Corps of Hell is a novel experience. "★★★

Other features

• Ultimate Controller mode: Vita and PS3 team up to play Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
• We calculate the memory card space required by the launch lineup -- or what we have of it
• Welcome Park: Vita's built-in tutorial minigame collection
• How to apply an update to a Vita game

News

• Some American Vita games have Online Passes
• Vita deemed relatively easy to repair following teardown
• Wipeout, Ultimate MVC3, and Hustle Kings have nice cross-platform bonuses
• SF X Tekken will have 12 more characters on Vita when it launches this fall
• GAME won't carry Ubisoft Vita games at launch :(
• Retro City Rampage is going to be on Vita!
• Oh, and so is "Call of Duty," if you're familiar with whatever that is.
• Cheap games at Amazon, GameStop, and Target

Escape Plan makes a far better showcase for the PlayStation Vita's control methods than, say, Little Deviants. It makes logical use of the front and rear touchpads and the accelerometer, as you prod, swipe, tilt, and otherwise cajole two characters out of a series of deadly traps.

Interacting with Lil and Laarg shows exactly what the capabilities of the Vita's alternate control methods are, but unfortunately throws their limitations into sharp contrast as well.

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Kojima Productions is looking to do some Kojima Producing in the US, according to senior producer Kenichiro Imaizumi. Discussing a new brand manager position on Twitter, Imaizumi said "Yes, we plan to open a studio in CA. IF we can find the right people."

In what we hope is a coincidence, this comes right after our newly California-located editor-in-chief delivered his tongue-in-cheek pitch for a new Metal Gear game, while passing along news of Kojipro's impending development efforts. You can't have him, Imaizumi!

If you're Japanese-English bilingual and California-local, however, and you're not my boss, you can swing by booth 1914 at the career pavilion at GDC to get in on this opportunity.

"Oh, God. You're killing me," Remedy Entertainment's Oskari Hakkinen groaned when I pressed him for details on PC plans for Alan Wake's American Nightmare. "I've got nothing to announce at this point," he moans softly into his headset. After a moment of silence I burst into laughter and he quickly joins me.

As Head of Franchise Development, Oskari -- or Ozz, as he asks people to call him -- he'd certainly know Remedy's plan for Alan Wake's XBLA title coming to PC. But American Nightmare wasn't the basis for my call to the Finnish developer. It was Alan Wake's original tale I wanted to discuss, a game many skimmed past due to what many in the industry infuriatingly refer to as an "embarrassment of riches."

On the same day Alan Wake's long development process met its ultimate ship goal, it was greeted by a host of quality competition. The adrenaline-fueled Split/Second landed on shelves. The Prince of Persia returned to his roots in The Forgotten Sands.

Red Dead Redemption happened.

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Today's Nintendo Direct presentation shot out trailers and gameplay videos fast and furious. Once the coffee kicked in and we had a little time to organize, we got them together for you (yes, personally, for you!) in this handy-dandy post. Check out videos for Kid Icarus: Uprising, Mario Tennis Open, Spirit Camera and Dillon's Rolling Western here.

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As part of the Nintendo Direct event, Nintendo has announced the surprise release of Dillon's Rolling Western, a new download for the 3DS eShop (first revealed at Nintendo Direct last year). The game stars the armadillo cowboy -- a cowboy who is also an armadillo, not an armadillo herder -- named Dillon, who defends poor towns in traditional gunslinger style. Except he doesn't use a gun at all, actually, preferring to roll his way to victory. Rolling Western features tower defense gameplay, in which Dillon must collect resources and repel the invasion of evil rock monsters -- monsters who are also rocks, that is, not Osbournes -- the Grocks.

About that surprise release: it's today, a full day before the usual Thursday eShop update. You can snag Dillon's Rolling Western for $10. If you're still on the fence, we'll have a Portabliss on it later today.

According to Nintendo of America head Reggie Fils-Aime himself, Xenoblade Chronicles will finally arrive in North America on April 6. Wait, but didn't that game already come out, like, two other times? Yes, friend, it totally did. First, in Japan on June 10, 2010 as just "Xenoblade," then in Europe once more on August 19, 2011 with its current name. The April 6, 2012 North American launch will mark its third such launch. But hey, check out that incredible box art!

The game's tumultuous journey from Japanese exclusivity to worldwide release has been a point of contention for classic console JRPG fans. After a group formed online named "Operation Rainfall," various loud messages were voiced to Nintendo about a trio of JRPGs that were at the time unannounced for North America (The Last Story, Xenoblade Chronicles, and Pandora's Tower). All three titles have since been announced for release (or released) in other regions, though Pandora's Tower is still not planned for a US release.

Of course, you could've been playing Xenoblade Chronicles all along by using our handy guide to making the EU version work on your North American Wii. But then you already knew that, right?

Check out Nintendo President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime get raw and uncensored in this Nintendo Direct presentation. It's all like "WHOA!" and "WOW!" and up in your grill faceplate! All these trailers are also available on the 3DS eshop for maximum in-your-face action.

The final surprise at the end of this morning's Nintendo Direct: The Last Story! The long-awaited action-RPG for Wii by Mistwalker will be out in North America this year, thanks to the stalwart RPG localizing staff of publisher XSEED Games.

Update: A press release from XSEED specifies summer 2012. You can read it after the break.

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Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata announced this morning a 3DS collaboration between publishers Capcom, Namco Bandai and Sega. The "impossible to predict" project also has a a teaser site.

Your guess is as good as ours...

Street Fighter x Tekken x Sonic & Friends?

The Nintendo Direct presentation from Nintendo of Japan brought news of Mario Tennis Open for 3DS, the latest entry in, you know, that series of games about Mario playing tennis. We learned that the sports game will feature online play and Mii customization -- and, most importantly, that it'll be available May 24.

The European translation of the same video informed us that the game will be out on May 25. And now we wait for 9AM EST, and the American Nintendo Direct, for potential news of a stateside release.

Update: Nintendo of America says Mario Tennis Open will arrive in North America on May 20.