This trailer shows off an urban environment as drivers deftly maneuver their racing machines through crowded city streets.

New version of original game’s popular “Tackle Alley” mode exclusively hitting Microsoft’s online store this summer; price, release date TBA.

505 Games’ arcade style football game Backbreaker was released last summer to middling reception. The game was, however, lauded for its Tackle Alley game mode, which was later spun off into an iOS game. Now, that mode is getting a release all its own this summer exclusively on the Xbox Live Arcade.

The news stems from Backbreaker’s official Facebook page, which confirms Backbreaker: Vengeance and redirects players to a preview of the new game at Cheat Code Central.

If Vengeance replicates the Tackle Alley mode found in the original Backbreaker, in the game players will start 100 yards away from the end zone with the ball and must avoid a slew of oncoming bruisers by evading and effective juking.

Vengeance is powered by the Euphoria game engine, which was also used in hot Rockstar properties like Grand Theft Auto: IV and Red Dead Redemption.

Currently, Backbreaker: Vengeance is slated for a “summer” premiere on XBLA. Unfortunately, 505 Games has not placed a specific release date or price on the game.

EA’s car-mayhem franchise said to be “action arcade style” set in fictitious Crash City.

Early last week, the Australian Classification Board offered up tantalizing information that EA would soon be returning with a new, multiplatform installment in its vehicular carnage-heavy Burnout franchise. The listing was light on information, unfortunately, and it was not clear if Criterion Games would be returning to the franchise that it created, or what direction this new game would take.

While many of those questions remain, at least a few may have been answered, again courtesy of Australia’s game-rating board. Joystiq reports that it has received a summary of the game’s rating information that was submitted by EA to the ACB.

According to that breakdown, Burnout Crash will be “an action arcade style game set in the fictional world of Crash City. The aim of the game is to cause as much damage as possible to traffic and buildings by crashing a car into them.”

Given that description, Burnout Crash sounds as if it will be a return to the menu-driven challenges of 2004′s Burnout 3 and 2005′s Burnout Revenge. Prior to moving on to Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Criterion shifted to a more dynamic, open-world format for 2008′s highly regarded Burnout Paradise.

EA had not responded to a request for comment on the Australian rating summary as of press time.

Here’s the launch trailer for Section 8: Prejudice, available April 20, a sci-fi shooter featuring online team-based multiplayer.

Take a look at the brand-new launch trailer for Sniper: Ghost Warrior.

The trailer offers the first glimpse into the stylized world and jaw-dropping combat visuals designed by graphic-novel titan, Todd McFarlane, which players will experience as they embark on their journey to define their fate in Reckoning.

This making-of video features new gameplay footage and key insights from the development team tasked with creating the most polished, balanced, and action-packed “Gears of War” multiplayer experience to date.

Capcom spin-off reprises horror action game with Frank West in the starring role; Xbox 360, PS3, and PC title to feature new enemies, missions, combo weapons.

Capcom’s crossover fighters have shown it is no stranger to the Marvel Universe, but now the publisher is taking a page from the comic company’s “What If?” series. Capcom today announced Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, a stand-alone spin-off that answers the question, “What if Frank West had been present at the Fortune City outbreak?”

Set for release this fall on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, Off the Record offers an alternate storyline to last year’s horror action game, with photojournalist West–the star of the original Dead Rising–getting the scoop on a zombie outbreak in the Las Vegas-like Fortune City. In addition to the combo weapon feature introduced in Dead Rising 2, Off the Record will bring back the original game’s photography feature, where players gain experience for snapping pics that are judged for their horror, drama, brutality, and erotic content.

As for new features, Off the Record includes new missions, enemies, combo weapons, environments, items, and vehicles. The game will also feature technical improvements like reduced load times and better network performance for online play. Capcom is also promising “enhancements” to the save system and co-op modes.

Legendary skateboarder says fresh series entry “probably” coming sometime next year; developer/publisher not named.

In early February, Activision announced that it had put the Tony Hawk skateboarding series on hold, saying that no new franchise entry would arrive in 2011. However, the birdman will crash back onto the scene in 2012, if comments from Hawk himself prove accurate.

In an interview with PixelatedGeek, Hawk was queried as to whether or not gamers can expect more Tony Hawk games in the future. He responded, “We’re going to do something probably for next year but I can’t give too much away.” Activision officials have said they still see potential in the franchise, saying in December that Tony Hawk has the staying power of Michael Jordan.

The most recent Tony Hawk game–Tony Hawk: Shred–was developed by independent studio Robomodo and sold under 3,000 units in its first week. It was the second game, following Tony Hawk: Ride, to use the much-maligned skateboarding peripheral.

Meet John, he is a man with a mission who refuses to die!

Sony launches a very clever viral campaign about Little Big Planet 2 focusing on the actual people responsible for building & developing the game.

“What would be your dream job? How about designing video games that are exploring new creative possibilities and pushing the medium to its limits?

No other medium has the creative possibilities and imaginative potential of video games – right now we’re seeing new generations of game designers ripping up the rule book and using their energies and imaginations to stretch the platform’s capabilities and explore uncharted ground.

Gamers who honed their craft as hobbyists and invest their creations with great passion, wit and wonder. And who doesn’t want to play games like that?”