Game Name: Dofus 2.0 Co-Op: 4 player Co-Op Type/Multiplayer Type: MMO style drop-in-drop-out Publisher/Developer: Ankama Creative Solutions Release Date: 2010

As we noted in our review of Splosion Man for the Xbox Live Arcade, there was some issues with lag while playing online.  It seemed over time the game got de-sync'd and eventually would render it almost unplayable.   Good news as Twisted Pixel's Josh Bear confirmed to me today at PAX 2009 that a patch for the game is in certification and that it should fix these issues that have been plaguing it.

  Game Name: Halo 3: ODST Co-Op: Yes - 4 player Co-Op Type: Campaign or Firefight survival mode - 4 player online / 2 player splitscreen online Publisher/Developer: Microsoft (publisher) / Bungie (developer) Release Date: Sept 22, 2009

Bungie hosted a panel at PAX called -- what else? -- "Prepare to Drop", featuring some new Halo 3: ODST information and behind-the-scenes media. Bungie writer/author Joseph Staten stole the show, moderating and also providing the bulk of the information presented to an estimated 300 people in attendance.

Bioware on why Mass Effect 2 doesn't have co-op, yet how they recognize its importance.

Game Name: Borderlands Co-Op: Yes - 4 Player Co-Op Type: Full campaign, 2 player split with online.  Drop-in and drop-out Publisher/Developer: 2k Games (publisher) / Gearbox (developer) Release Date: Oct. 20, 2009

We're only one day into PAX 2009 and the Co-Opticrew is buried over their head in content!  To hold you over until the stories start showing up we've uploaded a bunch of our pictures from Day 1 on the show floor.  

Game Name: Army of Two: The 40th Day Co-Op: Yes Co-Op Type/Multiplayer Type: Full “organic” campaign co-op; on-line and couch co-op Publisher/Developer: Electronic Arts (publisher) / EA Montreal (developer) Release Date: Jan. 12, 2010 Jim “txshurricane” McLaughlin and Jason “OrigamiPanther” Love had a chance yesterday to sit down with the folks from EA Montreal to not only get a hands-on preview of Army of Two: The 40th Day, but to talk with the game’s producer, Matt Turner, and get a few exclusive reveals.  All of that and a few pictures from the event can be found after the break.

Game Name: The Saboteur Co-Op: No Publisher/Developer: Pandemic Release Date: December 8, 2009

Game Name: Splinter Cell: Conviction Co-Op: Not Yet Confirmed Publisher/Developer: Ubisoft (publisher) / Ubisoft Montreal(developer) Release Date: TBD (Q1 2010)

Game Name: Brink Co-Op: Yes - 8 Player Co-Op Type: Campaign co-op with drop-in and drop-out support.   Publisher/Developer: Bethesda (publisher) / Splash Damage (developer) Release Date: Q2 2010

The first of our PAX events yesterday was Microsoft's Pre-PAX Community event.  An exclusive event for around 100 VIPs, Microsoft invited folks out to check out their new campus, get hands on time with tons of games, and chat it up with developers and publishers about upcoming GFW Live and Xbox 360 titles.  So what did we see?

"Co-op is awesome, man! It offers a whole new level to the game where it’s not just about you beating the game and going through and killing enemies.  It’s also about the relationship between you and your buddy on the couch or over Xbox live… That’s what co-op is. Co-op isn’t about the characters interacting on the screen; it’s you and I playing on the couch or Xbox Live talking about stuff, engaging in dialogue, and working as a team to figure stuff out.  That’s what real co-op is." - Matt Turner, producer, Army of Two: The 40th Day