GTX 460 FTW. If I didn't have already spent 350 on a CF, I'd buy that. :<

Radeon 5850 with 1GB VRAM slightly edges that card out doesn't it?

Yep, 5850 is more powerful. It's also 80-100$ more.

I love ATI but this card is a wonderful price/performance product of the moment.

I'm dieing for those damn pre-order numbers. Thought they were going to be out yesterday. :(

Americas - Pre Order Update - July 17th 2010

Final Fantasy XIV got another incredible boost this week with:

38,706 PC = 79,937

3,403 PS3 = 18,007

= 97,944 Total

That is fantastic! We are 11 weeks away from the PC launch as well. PC version is going up steadily. I would have considered a WW 100k Week 1 decent. Go Square!

Hey Gamers! Help us with our research and you'll be entered to win $60 from GameStop.
We're doing a study to help us better understand some of the qualities and attributes of gamers as well as what they look for in games.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/videogames_fall2010

Completing our brief survey will enter you to win one of two $60 GameStop gift cards. Also, you have the option of receiving our quarterly newsletter with updates on some of the hottest trends within the gaming community and analysis of new releases and anticipated titles. Thank you in advance for your help.

 - VG Metrics Team

What ever you do. Do not click that link above me!

Someone over there found a way to enable fullscreen/cf/sli on the benchmark. Glorious !

Yes ! 4822 @ low, 4532 @ high. Small improvement on low, big improvement (~2000 pts) on high.

That's a pretty good score. Perfectly able to play the game.

Various news!

"Pre-Orders Update"

Final Fantasy XIV has yet another decent boost in Pre-Orders.

The PC version gained 23,212 and is at spot #11 on the top 50.
.
The PlayStation 3 gained 2,324 and is at spot # 41 on the top 50.

PC 23,212 = 103,149.

PS3 2,324 = 20,331.

Total 25,536 = 123,480.

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"Manhood in the FORGE!"

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is, by its own definition, ” a non-profit, self-regulatory body” which “assigns computer and video game content ratings, enforces industry-adopted advertising guidelines and helps ensure responsible online privacy practices for the interactive entertainment software industry.” You know them. They are the organization responsible for all those pretty labels shown on the right there. While we will hold back and avoid comment on the ESRB’s role, its necessity, propriety or analysis – the release of the FFXIV rating is noteworthy, although not for the rating itself. The rating received by FFXIV is “T” – for Teen – which carries a generic description of:

Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older. Titles in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language.

But the real comedy is in FFXIV’s more, shall we say, descriptive rating – which is, as follows, in full:

This is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) in which players navigate a large cast of characters that engage in missions and fight the forces of evil. Players explore environments (e.g., cities, plains, caves) and battle human and fantasy creatures. Players use swords, spears, axes, firearms, and magic spells (e.g., fire balls, energy beams) to defeat enemies in real-time combat. Cutscenes depict a man being stabbed from behind, and creatures emitting splashes of purple or yellow blood when struck. Some female characters are depicted from low camera angles, with lingering camera views of their buttocks (i.e., up-skirt shots). Dialogue contains suggestive references; for example, “The netmaster’s probably up in his office polishing the mast just thinking about her,” “stick yer manhood in the forge,” and “You cheating little whore!” Several characters are referred to as drunk or drunken, while others sometimes talk about wine, rum, and grog. The word “shit” can be heard in the dialogue.

Honestly, we can’t do much better than to just quote the information on this one, but for all those considering the Miqo’te come September, well, watch out for yer buttocks.

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"Confirmation kill of Micro-Transactions chance of being in Final Fantasy XIV"

"The last bit of news to mention from the interview deals with micro-transactions. Tanaka says that games that have micro-transactions aren’t always good and that they have a short lifespan. “monthly subscription fees should be the mainstream – and this is a mainstream MMO”

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/29343/QA_Square_Enix_SVP_Tanaka_On_Developing_Huge_Mainstream_MMO_Final_Fantasy_XIV.php