GDC – Game Developers Conference for those not in the know – is going on right now in San Francisco.

Want to know what “blockbusters” Microsoft’s got planned for the Xbox 360 this year? Check it out, straight off the press release.

·“Gears of War 2” (Epic Games) – ETA: November

“Gears of War 2” is the sequel to the 4.5 million-selling blockbuster that redefined the third-person tactical action game genre. “Gears of War 2” continues the story of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad in an epic saga of survival, loss and retribution.

·“Fable 2” (Lionhead Studios) – ETA: “later this year”

In addition to the dynamic co-op mode unveiled onstage, Peter Molyneux also announced that Carbonated Games is bringing the “Fable 2” experience to Xbox LIVE Arcade. Before the game’s launch, gamers will be able to get an early taste of the “Fable 2” experience and gain a head start on earning currency for use in “Fable 2” by playing “Fable 2”-themed pub games that will be downloadable via Xbox LIVE Arcade. The currency earned in these Xbox LIVE Arcade titles will enable players to purchase items in “Fable 2.”

·“Ninja Gaiden II” (TECMO/Team NINJA) – ETA: June

Tomonobu Itagaki debuted several tantalizing new Xbox LIVE features of “Ninja Gaiden II,” including the ability to capture and share videos of a player’s glorious battles via the Ninja Cinema feature and upload them to Xbox LIVE.

·“Too Human” (Silicon Knights) – ETA: unspecified

Microsoft also showcased the epic action game from renowned Canadian developer Silicon Knights, “Too Human,” at a media event before today’s keynote address. In “Too Human,” players are treated to a nonstop barrage of action powered by the seamless integration of melee and firearms combat, plus deep role-playing elements fueled by breathtaking visuals enabled by the power of Xbox 360.

Xbox Live titles

·“Braid” (Number None Inc.) – ETA: Spring

Developed by Independent Games Festival Winner and experimental game designer Jonathan Blow, “Braid” is a platform experience that bends all the rules with the manipulation of time.

·“Castle Crashers” (The Behemoth) – ETA: Summer

“Castle Crashers” is the second title currently in development by award-winning independent developer The Behemoth, creator of “Alien Hominid HD.” The role-playing game (RPG) adventure will let up to four players hack, slash and smash their way together through a visually stunning hand-drawn landscape.

·“Defense Grid: The Awakening” (Hidden Path Entertainment LLC) – ETA: Summer

“Defense Grid: The Awakening” is the definitive tower defense game experience designed specifically for Xbox LIVE Arcade.

·“Go! Go! Break Steady” (Little Boy Games) – ETA: Summer

An Xbox LIVE Arcade exclusive, “Go! Go! Break Steady” is the debut title from independent developer Little Boy Games. The combination music and puzzle game combines break dancing with novel gameplay.

·“Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness” (Hothead Games) – ETA: Summer

The first video game collaboration between Penny Arcade creators Mike “Gabe” Krahulik and Jerry “Tycho” Holkins and legendary game designer Ron Gilbert, “Penny Arcade Adventures” is an RPG-adventure game set in a highly stylized 1920s universe filled with bizarre characters, outrageous combat and adult humor.