Xbox 360 | Dante's Inferno ignites Feb. 12, Bad Company 2 marches on March 2

GamesCom 2009: Electronic Arts firms up its first quarter release schedule with concrete dates for devilish action game, destruction-heavy military shooter.

Electronic Arts is planning for a packed first quarter of 2010. Last week, the publisher dated its upcoming mercenary action game Army of Two: The 40th Day, dropping the co-op-friendly sequel into stores January 12. Today, EA kicked off GamesCom in Cologne, Germany, by staking its claim to February and March as well, dating Dante's Inferno for February 9 (February 12 in Europe) and setting Bad Company 2 for March 2 (March 5 in Europe).

Dante will arrive just in time for Valentine's Day.

Like the epic poem it's based on, Dante's Inferno follows a descent through the nine circles of hell--limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, violence, heresy, fraud, and treachery--where a sinner's soul suffers for all eternity. Rather than seeing the protagonist as a passive visitor, the game reimagines Dante as a fierce scythe-wielding warrior who must slay all manner of demonic creatures to rescue his ladylove Beatrice. The first part of a six-issue comic adaptation of the game will arrive from DC Comics/Wildstorm on December 9, and an animated feature from Starz Media will accompany the game at its release date. Dante's Inferno is set for release on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PSP.

A direct sequel to last year's console-exclusive game, Bad Company 2 picks back up with the derelict B Company, which comprises a fictitious US military's expendable misfits and outcasts. Destructible environments, which were a core component of the original game, will again play front and center in Bad Company 2, thanks to further revisions to its proprietary Frostbite game engine. EA also promises a new special emphasis on vehicular combat, with 15 different rides from which to choose. Bad Company 2 is set for release on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

For more on GamesCom, check out GameSpot's continuing coverage live from Germany.

Dantes Inferno E3 2009 Trailer [HQ] (RATE THIS GAME)