Treyarch: No Black Ops Campaign Co-Op

Previous Treyarch press releases and interviews have confirmed that Black Ops will feature four-player cooperative play... but apparently they were being very literal with their wordplay when they said that it would feature "singleplayer, co-op and competitive multiplayer". Speaking with MTV, Treyarch head honcho Mark Lamia has confirmed that the Black Ops' campaign will be a strictly solo affair (conflicting with several earlier reports).

“Single-player is the epic, cinematic, seat-of-your-pants thrill ride that you star in. Co-op is for when you want to have a blast with your friends, just sitting on the couch and having an awesome experience. We’re crafting unique co-op modes around that experience, but it is different than what people think.”

Considering that the trailers promise us a blockbuster-style cinematic experience, this isn't a particularly surprising move; and the smart money's on a standalone SpecOps mode. However, this is Treyarch we're talking about...and they have everything to prove. Personally, I'm secretly carrying a torch for Vietnam zombies. [MTV Multiplayer]

LOTR Online Goes Free-to-Play This Fall

This one's half news, half deal and all good. Turbine's three year old MMORPG has been languishing behind its competitors- and with Bioware's Old Republic just around the corner, they've elected to completely revamp their pricing structure.

Lord of the Rings Online will be free to download and play this Autumn- and will make its money through microtransactions for premium content. Hopefully this will give the Turbine's RPG a new lease of life, and frankly, it'll be a lot better than many of the other free MMOs out there. [LOTRO]

XIO Exoskeleton will Debut at E3

As you know, the motion control war is well and truly on. Microsoft and Sony are going head to head in order to get us off the sofa, with Nintendo gradually digging into an uncomfortable defensive position. However, independent company Forcetek has come out of nowhere with all guns blazing... bringing us what they believe to be the next logical step in MoCon controller technology: a Full Body Exoskeleton.

Recently featured on an episode of Channel 5's Gadget Show, the XIO (pronounced zee-oh, in case you were interested) Exoskeleton is a lightweight device that straps to the user's and provides force feedback for the entire body. Originally designed to aid in physical therapy, the XIO has been adapted for videogame applications. Forcetek's Ryan Christoff explained the full story to 1UP:

"If you're punching somebody [in a boxing game] and you make contact with the other boxer, you would actually be able to feel it. You're going to feel it stop. Our resistance modules are going to engage and you're going to be able to feel that." -Ryan Christoff to 1UP

Apparently the XIO's shoulder unit will be debuting at this year's E3 linked to a playble PC demo- and it's likely that the greaves and chestplate will follow depending on the interest Forcetek manages to attract.

Christoff promises that the XIO's price will be "very competitive with what's out there already"... but considering that Natal will offer full-body motion capture without the need to strap into a restrictive suit, it'll be exploiting a very niche market. E3 will [1UP]

Okay...so we've got a glorified EyeToy, a Wiimote ripoff and a suit of armour vying for our money and attention... but I'm not convinced that Motion Control will genuinely offer us a gaming revolution. Processing power has typically been the primary driving force behind gaming innovation, after all. Would you buy the XIO...or any Motion Control peripheral for that matter? Let us know in the comments!