According to The Behemoth via their own forums, Microsoft has certified the Castle Crashers title update, and it will be available at 2:00 AM PST on Wednesday December 24th.

Even though Co-Optimus is a young site, we've been lucky enough to see a few holiday cards arrive at the HQ.  Today we got a card I just had to share with everyone.  Blizzard's card features original artwork by Sam "Samwise" Didier and showcases a cast of characters across all of their games.  Just look how Lord Diablo spreads the holiday cheer!  If that isn't co-op, I don't know what is!

This week, Santa Claus allowed himself to be captured on video burning through the streets of Paradise City in the upcoming DeLorean knockoff: the Jansen 88 Special. Sporting a fiery red paint job and twin trails of fire, he makes his final gift run hovering above the ground.

I get a kick out of low resolution pixel style graphic games, and the latest one I stumbled upon is no exception.  Called Left 4K Dead, the Java game takes up less than 4KB of memory yet still features some spiffy graphics.  As you might expect from the name, it's a play on our favorite co-op game around this neck of the woods, Left 4 Dead.

   Wow, what a year for co-op gaming!  With over 100 cooperative titles released across various platforms, 2008 was a great year to be a co-op gamer.  We take a look back at some of the stand out trends, games, and stories of the year in our 2008 Co-Op Retrospective.   ...

We're still trying to dig up some Halo Wars co-op info, but in the meantime we found two interesting articles out there.  The first comes from MTV Multiplayer where they interview the project's lead designer Graeme Devine.  

I bet you didn't know the original Halo had a subtitle of "Combat Evolved" did you?  Well now you can learn all about Master Chief's first mission for only 600 MS Points, that's $7.50 of your Earth money.  The game features 2 player local co-op play through the entire story so you and a buddy can team up to kick some Covenant butt.

Better grab a welding mask, because your face is about to melt.  Activision has released the official trailer for Guitar Hero Metallica and it's not for the faint of heart.  No ma'am, this isn't your average party game.   Promising Metallica's "fiercest songs" I wouldn't expect this game to be for anyone other than the greatest of Guitar Heros.  

When I first saw this press release come across my inbox I thought...eh.  Then I looked at the screens and I saw it supported co-op play for up to four people and suddenly the game had potential.

Remember when we told you that DJ Tiësto would is on board for a DJ Hero game from Guitar Hero publisher Activision?  Yeah...scratch that.  According to Kotaku, Tiësto's management released an official statement saying the rumors are "fictitious" and "fabricated."  "Tiësto has never given a quote regarding DJ Hero."  It appears the blog that started it simply...well...made it up.  Who would have thought?

The Co-Optimus staff is working away vigorously to determine the Co-Op Game of the Year, and we'll have that to you shortly.  But while you wait you may want to check out GamesRadar, who posted an article covering the same thing.  I'm not sure what gives them the authority to judge co-op, after all, they aren't the prime source of co-op gaming info - but we'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

We've gone from wish, to rumor, to more rumors to smack talk.  That's right, it appears Realtime Worlds is raising the pimp hand in regards to the recent rumors that the newly formed Ruffian Studios is working on Crackdown 2.  Realtime Worlds boss and GTA creator Dave Jones has this to say in an email to VideoGaming247.com.