Rock Band Album: Judas Priest
Since Rock Band was unveiled last year, EA promised that in addition to the game having a downloadable song here and there, aficionados would also be able to download entire albums from big rock artists such as the Who and Metallica. People were stoked.

But nine months later, and not a peep had been uttered in regards to whole albums. Until this week, that is! And it’s a doozy…

Judas Priest’s metal masterpiece, Screaming for Vengeance, will be the first downloadable album for Rock Band, and is set to appear this week on both Xbox Live (4/22) and the PlayStation Network (4/24) for $14.99.

The album’s 10 tracks, featuring such classic Trans-Am-thems (get it?!) shredders as “Electric Eye” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin,'” are also available individually for $1.99.

But Priest isn’t the only thing in the pipe, as May will see the Rock Band release of the Cars’ debut album and June will deliver the Pixies’ Doolittle.

If nothing else, Rock Band has allowed me to re-live the college experience (mostly just the drunken guitar noodling portion) and feel like a much better musician than I actually was at the time.

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
This week’s Midway Gamer’s Day brought to light a new chapter in the Mortal Kombat canon, and this time, the characters from Outworld will be taking on the DC Comics Universe this fall.

Taking a page from the Marvel vs. Capcom series (albeit about 10 years later), Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is confirmed to feature DC characters Superman and Batman, as well as MK characters Scorpion and Sub-Zero.

The only other detail is a curious one–Ed Boon, one of the original creators of the series, was overheard stating that the game will feature NO fatalities, the gameplay feature EVERY Mortal Kombat title to date has touted, and was really the only reason most people cared about MK in the first place when it debuted in 1992.

While a ninja ripping off Superman’s head does seem a bit silly, that’s what the game has been all about for years! Why change now? And what else can they do to make the defeat of your opponent both humiliating and gruesome?

You can check out a trailer of frosty ninja, Sub-Zero duking it out with the Dark Knight at worldscollide.com.

GTA IV Downloadable Content to Include Full Cities?
A recent rumor on British site CVG is suggesting that the exclusive Xbox 360 content that has been promised for Grand Theft Auto IV won’t just be a new car, clothes, or even missions.

They are hinting that perhaps the new content will include entirely new cities.

Check this excerpt from their recent GTA IV article:

“…GTA IV is set to completely redefine the idea with expansions that are to GTA IV what Vice City or San Andreas were GTA III. Yes, Rockstar is clearly hinting at new downloadable cities…GTA IV‘s Liberty City is the beginning. Think about that and be excited.”

Oof! If true, this seems a bit… overwhelming. But still, better too much than too little in this case. One more week until we find out if GTA IV lives up to the hype!