During GameStop's latest earnings call, executive vice president Mike Hogan claimed Sony plans to release the PlayStation 4 not only in one region this holiday season, but across the world.

"We know that Sony will introduce the PlayStation 4 globally in 2013, but we are still waiting to see what Microsoft's final plans are," Hogan said (via Seeking Alpha translation). "We have scenarios with one console introduction, as well as with two."

When Sony announced the PS4 in February, it said the platform would be available during holiday 2013, but did not note if that date was for North America or other regions.

The PlayStation 3 did not have a global launch, releasing in North America during November 2006, before coming to Europe in early 2007.

Microsoft is rumored to have its next-generation platform also on store shelves this holiday season. Though the company has yet to reveal its official plans, Microsoft is believed to hold a one-off media event this month to announce the Xbox 720.

Atlus just launched a website announcing the North American localization of Shin Megami Tensei IV, the sequel to Shin Megami Tensei III that was previously on the PlayStation 2.

Cover yourself in gold while summoning demons this summer.

The sequel is slated for a summer release and will be launched for the Nintendo 3DS. Role-playing game fans of the series can preorder the title on the official site.

Players control a member of a futuristic samurai group who can control demons using a pair of special gauntlets. The player character is tasked with salvaging a post-apocalyptic Tokyo while figuring out which faction they should align with - Law and Chaos - to determine the fate of the earth.

Atlus has yet to mention if it will be bringing the Shin Megami Tensei special edition 3DS in the region.

To find out more about the last Shin Megami Tensei spin-off, head to GameSpot's coverage on Persona 4 Golden.

Capcom announced today that it is beginning work on a "major" cross-media initiative for children's content in Japan. The first part of this push will be Gaist Crusher, a new 3DS game that focuses on "armors, transformations, and collections."

Gaist Crusher is an action game that features "high-grade" multiplayer that is likened to that of the Monster Hunter series. Capcom said the knowledge it has amassed producing content for children through the Mega Man series will benefit Gaist Crusher.

Elementary school age boys are the primary focus of the project, Capcom said.

Gaist Crusher will not only be a 3DS title, but Capcom has partnered with other firms to expand the game to fields like comics, anime, music, and toys. The game will be promoted in Japanese magazines, through music from Avex Entertainment Inc., and with toys called "Gaimetal" from Bandai Co.

"Overall, this will be an expansive cross-media project," Capcom said in a statement. "With the number of children in Japan declining, Capcom plans to use this project to attract interest in new brands and firmly establish these brands by continuously launching a diverse range of content."

DayZ creator Dean 'Rocket' Hall has said a console version of the open-world zombie survival game is "almost certain" provided the upcoming standalone release of the game on PC isn't a sales disaster.

"Certainly I think if we don't, for want of a better word 'f**k up,' the PC release then I would say a console port is almost certain," said Hall in an interview with The Escapist.

"I know a lot of people get really hot and bothered about it. Like, I'm not a console gamer, I'm a PC gamer, but I don't think it necessarily has to hurt things."

Hall also revealed that he's been in talks with an interested Sony. "It appears to be the kind of game that Sony are interested in, I think we just have to wait and see," he said.

"We've talked and met with Sony, and they're very - you know, they're obviously interested."

DayZ is being worked on by a relatively tiny team at Czech developer Bohemia Interactive, and the oft-updated mod has become hugely popular on PC. Sony, meanwhile, has promised that the upcoming PlayStation 4 will be more open and friendly to developers.

The standalone version of DayZ has yet to receive a firm release date, but has been recently shown off by Hall in multiple video diaries.

BioShock Infinite has soared to the top of the UK chart this week, with the biggest selling opening week of any BioShock game in the series so far.

BioShock Infinite topped the week one sales of 2010's BioShock 2 by almost 9000 units to become the second-biggest launch of 2013 so far, but failed to beat Tomb Raider's week one sales record.

Tomb Raider is in second place, with Gears of War: Judgment holding on to third place despite a 63 per cent drop in sales.

FIFA 13 is in fourth place, with 3DS exclusive Luigi's Mansion 2 making its opening week debut in fifth.

Two new releases sandwich Call of Duty: Black Ops II's seventh place finish: co-op shooter Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel launches in sixth, and this year's Tiger Woods PGA Tour lands at eighth.

Assassin's Creed III hangs on at ninth, with Crysis 3 rounding out the top 10.

Other new releases include LEGO City Undercover launching at 12, and Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time at 31.

The Top 20 UK chart for the week ending March 30:

1. BioShock Infinite
2. Tomb Raider
3. Gears of War: Judgment
4. FIFA 13
5. Luigi's Mansion 2
6. Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel
7. Call of Duty: Black Ops II
8. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14
9. Assassin's Creed III
10. Crysis 3
11. Far Cry 3
12. LEGO City Undercover
13. Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2
14. The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct
15. Skylanders Giants
16. SimCity
17. Need for Speed: Most Wanted
18. Halo 4
19. LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
20. God of War: Ascension

RPG Torchlight II has been updated with the inclusion of GUTS, developer Runic Games' custom editor for the game, and full integration with the Steam Workshop.

Interested modders can now create and distribute custom Torchlight II maps, quests, skills, and items. A mod manager is included, which gives players the ability to automatically obtain and subscribe to collections of mods.

When playing modded games, players can set the loading order of mods, view the mod history, and be told the potential impact of disabling any modifications before doing so.

Runic Games has put together a Wiki with tutorials and documentation for using the Torchlight II editor.

GameSpot awarded Torchlight II an 8.5 when it released in September 2012.

Warner Bros. has confirmed a free demo for the upcoming NetherRealm DC fighter, Injustice: Gods Among Us.

The demo--to be released on the Xbox 360 and PS3--will feature Batman, Wonder Woman and Lex Luthor in the Gotham City arena.

The demo will be available from April 4 on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Marketplace.

The publisher also announced Black Adam will feature as an in-game character when Injustice: Gods Among Us is released in North America on April 16. The game will launch on the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii U.

A new website and teaser video for Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon have emerged. The website does not feature any concrete information about Blood Dragon, but its "Story" section reads:

The year is 2007. It is the future. Earth has been ravaged by a nuclear war and new paths for peace must be found. A U.S. cyborg army may have found a solution: a powerful bioweapon on a distant island. A Mark IV Cyber Commando, Sergeant Rex Power Colt has been sent over to gather information and figure out what the hell is going on.

As Joystiq points out, entering the Konami code (↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A) transforms the cursor into a crosshair, which can be used to shoot the website's text and images. Doing so eventually leads to a mysterious .gif emerging.

As for the Blood Dragon video (below), this 49-second teaser contains not much more than the Ubisoft logo, the Blood Dragon text, and a colorful laser sequence.

No further information is available and a Ubisoft representative was not immediately available to comment.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon could be an April Fool's prank, but if were, it would be an elaborate hoax. The Brazilian classification ratings group has assigned a rating to the game, listing it as a first-person shooter for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in February that "fans certainly won't have to wait for more years for the next Far Cry."

In addition, Far Cry 3 lead writer Jeffrey Yohalem told Joystiq last month that the action-shooter is getting some sort of a continuation, though it's not clear if Blood Dragon is this rumored content.

"I'm working on something now that will be surprising, I think, when it's announced," Yohalem said at the time. "But it definitely is a 'strike while the iron's hot' thing, and we'll see."

Far Cry 3 has shipped 4.5 million copies to date.

The idea that someone other than longtime Snake voice actor David Hayter will play the role in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain does not sit well with the actor. In an extended tweet, Hayter claimed that not only did Konami never approach him for the role, but the publisher never explained why it was moving in a different direction.

Recapping the events, Hayter said in December he came home to Los Angeles after being away in Toronto shooting a movie and heard that recording sessions for Metal Gear Solid V were being put together. He said he hadn't heard from Konami, so he contacted the production team to find out if he would be needed or not.

"We got together for lunch, and he told me that they 'wouldn’t be needing me' on this game," Hayter said. "No reason, or explanation was given beyond that. And that was it."

Hayter said after this meeting, he was "bummed" about not getting to reprise the role he had come to enjoy since he began contributing to the series in 1998. He explained that he has spent a "huge amount of time and effort" into making sure Snake came across as a compelling character and that he will have a tough time hearing someone else's voice as Snake.

"If it were my choice, I would do this role forever," Hayter said. "To hear anyone else’s voice coming from Snake’s battered throat, makes me a little ill, to be honest."

At the same time, Hayter said he understands that at the end of the day, Konami and Hideo Kojima ultimately get to call the shots. "And that's fair," he said. "And I'll get by. I am not lacking for employment on any level."

"But I didn’t want anybody to think that I was intentionally abandoning them. And know that I will miss this job, and this character, very much."

Kojima explained last week that the decision to go with someone other than Hayter in Metal Gear Solid V was about reflecting the design of the game.

"It's a new type of Metal Gear game and we wanted to have this reflected in the voice actor as well," Kojima said at the time.

Neither Kojima nor Konami have revealed who will play Snake in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is due out for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, while Ground Zeroes will be a prologue and an entirely separate game.

An Entertainment Software Ratings Board listing has revealed a new PlayStation 3 combo pack that includes Fat Princess, Tokyo Jungle, Sound Shapes, and When Vikings Attack.

The Best of PlayStation Network Volume 1 compilation pack has not been announced and a Sony representative was not immediately available to comment.

No further information regarding price or a release date is available.

For more, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of Fat Princess, Tokyo Jungle, Sound Shapes, and When Vikings Attack

Profits are on the horizon for GameStop, according to Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia. In a note to investors today, the industry watcher said though 2013 may be a difficult year for the retailer, the company is well positioned to benefit from "significant console industry growth" in 2014 and 2015.

"While most investors are still skeptical about the long-term prospects of GameStop, we believe sentiment is beginning to turn positive," Bhatia said. "At a minimum, we believe the short-thesis predicated on structural concerns may take a back seat in the near-term, especially as next-gen 'used games block concerns abate."

Based on conversations with Sony executives, GameStop management said last week that it has a "high degree" of confidence that the PlayStation 4 will play used games. Microsoft's next-generation Xbox is rumored to block or in some way prevent gamers from playing secondhand titles, though this platform has not been announced.

As part of its fourth quarter and full-year earnings report last week, GameStop acknowledged the console business was "challenging" in 2012. The retailer said this trend will continue for the first half of 2013 as consumers hold off on console purchases until new platforms are available later in the year.

Not only will GameStop benefit from the upcoming console cycle, Bhatia argued, but the retailer also has two revenue streams in 2013 that it did not have during the past console transition: digital and mobile. Revenue derived from these sectors, combined with GameStop capitalizing on other opportunities, will lead to healthy growth, he argued.

"When combined with the company's focus on cost control, real estate optimization, and large stock buybacks, we believe it can show mid-to-high teens [earnings per share] growth in 2014 and 2015," Bhatia said.

The demise of traditional console gaming is not a reality the industry faces, according to Electronic Arts chief operating officer Peter Moore. Speaking with Bloomberg TV, Moore said even though the mobile space has grown, gamers still want core titles they can play on a big screen.

"The console business is still a core part of our business; it's the majority of our business. The demise of console gaming is very premature as far as we're concerned," Moore said.

"We still have thousands of people focused on developing current-generation Xbox 360 and PS3 games, as well as people focused now on the next generation when that finally arrives," he added. "And so, people still want core games. People want to sit back in their living rooms, take advantage of their HD TVs, and and play fully immersive games like [Battlefield 4]."

Also during the interview, Moore said he expects EA's digital sales--which includes mobile, downloadable content, and subscriptions--to possibly overtake its traditional packaged goods business by 2015.

"In two years we could be looking at the tipping point where digital becomes bigger than the traditional core,’ Moore said.

Moore is believed to be a leading candidate to take over as the next EA CEO. He would not comment on this conjecture, but praised John Riccitiello for leaving the company in "tremendous shape." Moore said one thing the new EA CEO needs to do is execute.

"We did not executive to the level that we needed to in [fiscal year 2013] and [John Riccitiello] took accountability for that. And I think the future CEO will focus on pure execution because all the ingredients are there; we have the world's best developers, we have a tremendous publishing pipeline, and we've made the hard decisions about our platform.

Bethesda parent company Zenimax is seeking to trademark "Starfield." On March 22 (via Society & Religion), the publisher filed a trademark application with the United States Patent & Trademark Organization covering games for consoles and PC, as well as downloadable content.

Zenimax's trademark application for Starfield covers the following:

Entertainment services, namely, providing online interactive computer games; entertainment services, namely, providing information relating to electronic computer games via the Internet.

Computer game software for use with computers and video game consoles; downloadable computer game software offered via the Internet and wireless devices; computer game software for use with online interactive games.

A Bethesda representative declined to comment.

Bethesda's newest development team, the Austin, Texas-based Battlecry Studios, is currently working on a new free-to-play game that aims to "redefine" the free-to-play sector. This game has not been announced.

GameSpot parent company CBS CEO Les Moonves is a member of the Zenimax Media Board of Directors.

Sony has filed an application with the United States Patent & Trademark Office for "Destiny of Spirits." The March 26 application covers "computer game software; electronic game software for handheld electronic devices; video game software."

No further information is available and a Sony representative was not immediately available to comment.

Numerous high-profile game companies have filed trademark applications with the USPTO of late. Bungie recently filed bids for Glimmer, Hive, Fallen, Cabal, and Vex. Meanwhile, Microsoft wants to trademark Marlow Briggs and a Bethesda trademark suggests a Fallout TV show may be in the works.

The world of Torment: Tides of Numenera is coming to life. inXile Entertainment today released the first screenshot for its upcoming isometric role-playing game. The image was created using a 2D pre-rendered background technique, the company said in a statement.

The image (at right) is set within the Bloom, described as a "vast, semi-sentient predator" and a "monstrous, organic creation." The Bloom features numerous pathways that harbor good and evil beings, inXile said.

In addition, inXile announced today that fantasy author Pat Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle trilogy) will join the development team, while Obsidian Entertainment creative director Chris Avellone will come aboard if Kickstarter funding hits $3.5 million.

Currently, the campaign has raised $3.26 million from nearly 60,000 backers with four days remaining.

Torment: Tides of Numenera--due out December 2014--is set in Monte Cook's tabletop role-playing world of Numenera, which itself was successfully funded through Kickstarter. It will have an isometric perspective and runs on the Unity game engine.

InXile was clear that Tides of Numenera is not a sequel to Planescape: Torment, but rather a "completely new game" that has been designed to provide the same experience and feeling as the original. The game asks players: What does one life matter?

Electronic Arts will pay executive chairman Larry Probst an annual salary of $1.03 million while the Battlefield and FIFA publisher seeks a replacement for John Riccitiello, who resigned as CEO last month.

Federal documents also show that the EA Board of Directors may award Probst a one-time discretionary bonus at the end of his term, with the amount to be determined by the Board.

In addition to his new role at EA of executive chairman, Probst is a member of the Board. He abstained from the Compensation Committee's salary decision and will not receive any further cash retainer fees for his position on the Board while he is also executive chairman.

Probst has been in a leadership position at EA since 1991 and was CEO from 1991 to 2007. He is also the current executive chairman of the United States Olympic Committee and serves on the International Olympic Committee's International Relations Commission. Past positions include national sales manager at Activision and national accounts manager at Clorox.

Six-year EA CEO Riccitiello resigned from the company on March 18, citing a failure to meet financial milestones as his reason to move on. His separation agreement with EA includes 24 months of continued salary and other options worth an estimated $4.7 million.

Looking ahead, the EA Board will consider internal and external candidates to replace Riccitiello with the help of a "leading executive search firm."

According to one analyst, leading internal candidates for the position include current chief operating officer Peter Moore and EA Labels president Frank Gibeau. EA has set no timetable for when it plans to name a new top executive.

[UPDATE] Following the publication of this story, a website for Deus Ex: Human Defiance went live. It calls on users to "Like" the Deus Ex Facebook page if they wish to see an 8-bit Deus Ex game, though it appears to be an April Fool's prank.

The original story follows below

Deus Ex fans don't have long to wait for news about the next installment in the series.

The official official Deus Ex Facebook page has teased a "world's first look" at Deus Ex: Human Defiance today, a new game in the series. No exact time for the announcement was divulged.

Square Enix last month trademarked Deus Ex: Human Defiance. Domain names registered by CBS Films suggest this is the title of the upcoming Deus Ex film.

However, it is disclosed in the Facebook page comments that Human Defiance is a new game and not a movie.

CBS Films is a division of CBS, which is GameSpot's parent company

Free downloadable content for Halo 4 and Gears of War: Judgment is available today on Xbox Live.

Forge Island

Halo 4 gamers can now download Forge Island, a map that was revealed during PAX East last week. It spans three modifiable areas and features islands called "Great Anvils." Gamers can download the map via the Halo 4 in-game store or through the Xbox Live marketplace.

Gears of War: Judgment gamers can now pick up the Execution multiplayer mode and a new multiplayer map called Haven, which will be free only for a limited time. This content is sponsored by men's magazine Maxim.

On top of the new mode and map, special playlists for Haven and Execution will be available, offering up 200 percent experience boosts. Those who own the $20 Gears of War: Judgment VIP Season Pass will receive a 300 percent experience boost in their own VIP playlist.

Several members of the 343 Industries development team were "skeptical" about Halo 4's Master Chief-Cortana storyline. During a Game Developers Conference panel today, creative director Josh Holmes said Halo 4's "human elements" were controversial within the team and the studio was unsure if it could pull off a compelling drama.

Holmes explained that one of the main goals for Halo 4 from the onset was to focus on storytelling and to allow players to see the "human heart" of the game's campaign. This was a major focus for 343, Holmes said, because he felt this kind of storytelling was largely absent in past Halo games.

One of the ways 343 attempted to create a human story in Halo 4 was to dig into the relationship between Master Chief and aging artificial intelligence Cortana. Holmes explained that after seven years, AI tends to break down and lose its mind, similar to dementia in the elderly.

The game would not only focus on Master Chief saving the universe, but also his best friend. This kind of narrative was a new direction for the series, Holmes said.

"Telling a story in a game like Halo is incredibly challenging because it's a very action-oriented game. And as we started embarking down this path, there was a lot of skepticism from members of the team," Holmes said.

There was a turning point in Halo 4's development, Holmes said, when one of the game's writers approached him and said he was having a "crisis of confidence" and struggling to get the story right. It was at this point when 343 considered scrapping the Master Chief-Cortana "B story" and focusing only on pure action.

Holmes, however, was not going to let this story fade away. He explained that at the beginning of Halo 4, his mother was diagnosed with dementia. And so the Master Chief-Cortana relationship was no longer alien to him, but a reality of his life. This reality helped inform the writing in Halo 4 and the Chief-Cortana storyline was kept intact.

"Over the course of production of the game, I watched her deteriorate as a human being and become someone I couldn't recognize," Holmes said. "And that was really hard, but it was also an inspiration for me to want to tell a perfect story."

"For me, it was really important that we tell this story because this was the human heart of Halo 4's campaign," he added. "I was very adamant about wanting to deliver on that part of the story."

New Crytek USA CEO David Adams, who founded Vigil Games, wants to buy the Darksiders franchise from THQ. Writing on Twitter, Adams said the IP should stay with its makers.

"Going to bid on Darksiders IP," Adams wrote. "Put seven years of heart and soul into that franchise, and I think it belongs at home with its creators."

Vigil Games and the Darksiders series found no bidder during the THQ auction in January and thus the studio was closed and the future of the franchise left in limbo.

Some resolution came to light later in the month, when Crytek announced the formation of an American office led by Adams and 35 other Vigil Games developers. At the time, however, Crytek said its new North American office would not develop any new Darksiders games.

Darksiders II launched this summer behind a positive critical reception.