After a few short days of rumors, Microsoft has released a new Xbox 360 controller, with a much improved, and much needed improvement of: the D-pad. By far the original controller’s biggest shortcoming. This time, the D-pad can be raised and lowered by twisting it, and the controller will be available on Nov 9 for $65, but it does include a play and charge kit as well. Here’s a video of Larry Hryb of Xbox Live explaining the new controller:

Like all game developers with an established franchise, Blizzard is looking to exploit StarCraft into a movie, the same way they’re doing with World of Warcraft. However, they’re not interested in working with anyone, and have turned down several offers, according to Blizzard’s Rob Pardo, who had this to say:

“We probably could have made a [StarCraft] movie or something on TV years and years ago, but it’s really important to us that we find creative people that are really talented but also really excited about our properties. That’s always been the challenge for us. I think if Jim Cameron came to us tomorrow and said, ‘You want to make a StarCraft movie?’ we’d probably sign that.”

To be honest, we’re not sure Mr. Cameron would be interested.

Developer Ruffian Games has revealed a released date for the first DLC for Crackdown 2, which we reported on earlier this month. The DLC will be released on Xbox Live on September 2, or Thursday. There will be a free version of the DLC and a $7 version which, obviously, includes a lot more goodies.

EA has released the “Ultimate Edition” version of Bad Company 2, which includes all the DLC released so far, plus a copy of Battlefield 1943, the downloadable online WW2 shooter. The Ultimate Edition is only available on the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Via Bad Company 2 Blog.

In what will certainly become unpopular move, Microsoft has raised the price of their Xbox Live subscription from $8 a month to $10 a month, a three months sub from $20 to $25, and a one year subscription from $50 to $60. It’s quite surprising that Microsoft has the balls to nickle and dime gamers even more, while still being the only console maker that charges money for gamers to play online.

Gearbox has finally revealed the Game of The Year edition of Borderlands, which includes all four DLC packs released so far, bringing you an extra 10 or so hours of gameplay, all for the same price of $50 on PC, or $60 on the Xbox 360 and PS3. ON top of that, Gearbox plans to release one more piece of DLC this year, wrapping up an impressive feat for Borderlands. Sequel, here we come!

Disney has revealed a Collector’s Edition of their upcoming game tie-in to the film Tron Legacy, called Tron Revolution. The bundle will include the game, a figurine Light Cycle with a display case and… that’s about it. Price: $130. Release date: December 7 (for the regular version as well), on Xbox 360 and PS3.

When Playdom acquired Acclaim, or what was left of the legendary developer/publisher, we sorta expected them to utilize Acclaim’s brand value, but now it turns out that Playdom has shut down all Acclaim games effective today, as evident by acclaim.com. Playdom itself was acquired by Disney last month.

Last week we reported that Rockstar had revealed that LA Noire was still scheduled for release this year. But no one really believed that, and it now appears that Evan Wilson, an analyst from Pacific Crest Securities, who had inquired with retailers about the matter. It turns out that LA Noire won’t be out until at least late-2011 — a realistic estimate is early 2012. And that’s and early estimate. In fact, Take Two hasn’t even shows the game to retailers, which usually happens before its shown to the general public. Australian developer Team Bondi has been working on the game since 2005, on a reported budget of $50 million.

Gran Turismo 5 developer Polyphony Digital has revealed that the required file install for the game is just 250 MB, with an optional 10 GB install to speed up load times a bit. The news was revealed by GT 5 director Kazunori Yamauchi via Twitter (in Japanese).