Joystiq did a bit of digging this morning and found that three big retailer’s websites (Gamestop, Best Buy, and Circuit City) are all in agreement on a Starcraft II release date. December 3rd could be the day of sanctuary, if the game vending giants are to be believed. Of course, this is all pre-order posturing based on speculation. A December release does seem apt for a game that has held an iron grip on so many socially awkward people for so long.

Since I lack the bluster to contact Blizzard, I won’t even bother. On the bright side of things, I have some speculation of my own. Red meat is on the rise as a useable object in video games. A chart that I drew on a scrap piece of paper on my desk should be enough to prove this, but in the spirit of full disclosure allow me to show you my secret list:

Final Fantasy Legend 3 (1993) (Gameboy) – Consuming a monster’s raw meat allows players to gain their powers. It’s like Francis Dollarhyde from Red Dragon, minus that whole sociopathic thing.

Earthbound (1994) (SNES) - Hamburgers could be consumed cheaper than bread for life points. Take that carbohydrates!

Baldur’s Gate 2 (2000) (PC) – Dog meat was featured as a plot device

Fable (2004) (Xbox, PC) - Eating red meat could make your character fat and raise strength modifiers to astronomical levels. Even better, meat could be given as a gift to NPCs.

Considering that amazing allotment of meat going around in the past, that means that at least one game this year will feature red meat in some capacity. I’m definitely more excited about this than a sequel to a game that looks and will probably play just like its predecessor. I’ll easily lay off that early assessment if I read that the Terran can give each other red meat stims to enhance their battle capacity.

[Via Joystiq]