Star Wars: The Old Republic(Reuters) - Electronic Arts Inc plans to offer a big chunk of its online game "Star Wars: The Old Republic" for free, hoping to breathe life into a title that has floundered since its December launch.

Starting July, the company will offer 15 "levels" free to users, meaning gamers will be able to join and play the beginning phases of the massively multiplayer role-playing game without paying.

Xbox SmartglassKicking off the annual E3 video games trade show — by far the biggest week in the video games calendar -- market leader Microsoft took the stage at a star-studded Los Angeles press conference today to unveil its slate of video games for the year to come.

But despite showing off flashy demos of big-name upcoming releases like Halo 4, Madden, and Call of Duty, the best of the buzz went to a brand-new system that promises — yet again — to change the way you interact with your TV.

Wii UNintendo just couldn't wait for E3 to share some big news about the Wii U.

Scooping itself two days before its scheduled pre-show press conference, the company released a 30-minute YouTube video Sunday unveiling a revamped Wii U controller and divulging new details about its forthcoming game system.

The company will reveal the launch line-up and other details later this week.

Welcome to the Big Show!

E3 2012 kicks off Monday, June 4th, with a series of press conferences by the game industry's biggest players. And you can watch the news happen right here, courtesy our pals at Gametrailers:

E3 is usually the videogame industry's big party of the year — a chance to celebrate its strengths and showcase the titles it expects to drive sales forward for the rest of the year.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3But as the game makers gather for this year's event, a cloud hangs over the soiree. Retail sales are down 27 percent compared to this time in 2011. Mobile devices are stealing the spotlight from traditional consoles. And naysayers are openly questioning the long-term viability of the console industry.

Given the hard numbers, that's understandable, but there are a few other factors to consider before making such a declaration.

(Credit: LucasArts)LucasArts is turning to the Dark Side for its next Star Wars game.

Not the Dark Side of the Force, mind you. It's done that several times already. Nope, this time the publisher is hoping to explore a darker, more mature side of the sci-fi universe in a new game called Star Wars 1313.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Activision)What was threatening to be one of the nastiest legal battles in the history of the video game industry has ended peacefully.

Game publisher Activision and the founders of Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward, Jason West and Vince Zampella, have settled their legal differences at the very last minute. The case was expected to go to trial tomorrow.

Terms of the settlement are confidential, but reading between the lines, it looks like Activision might have paid a handsome sum.

A new Gears of War (Credit: Game Informer)Less than nine months after Gears of War 3 hit store shelves, the next installment of the series is set to make its debut.

Microsoft and Epic Games will formally reveal the next Gears of War on Monday, June 4^th, during Microsoft's annual E3 press conference. The big question is: What system is it for?

Game Informer, which will feature the title in its August issue and teased fans with an advance look at the magazine's cover on Thursday, says the game is coming to the Xbox 360. But it doesn't say when.