If you've been pecking around with Minecraft: Pocket Edition these past few years, you've probably noticed one major feature has been missing: co-op play. Ok, so there are a lot of features missing from Minecraft mobile when compared to the desktop or Xbox 360 versions, but co-op is a key component to building things like a 1-to-1 replica of old Rome or a rollercoaster ride inspired by the Beetlejuice cartoon. Every grand project needs willing slave workers. Just ask the ancient Egyptians!

Here we are in Los Angeles, California! The Co-Optimus staff has descended upon LA to bring you all the latest and greatest co-op gaming news straight from E3 2013. Locke, Andrew, Mike and Nick are loaded up with cameras, laptops, microphones and energy drinks to bring you the goods. Here's what is on tap.

A new bundle recently rolled into the Indie Royale offices, bringing with it a fistful of games from the commanders of cool co-op titles, Arcen Games! The Arclight Bundle sports ten games in all, each one borne from the loving bosoms of the A Valley WIthout Wind creator, and each one featuring co-op play in one form or another. To summarize: Arcen Games stuff for cheap. Buy now.

Amazon has jumped fully into the independent game revolution. They've launched a dedicated section on their website to feature some of the best indie games available on PC and Mac. The good news for you? Lots of indie games at even cheaper prices.

The Co-Opticrew is planning to head out to Los Angeles, California for E3 2013. They'll be diving head first into the show to find all the latest co-op gaming news and info - and of course - get some hands on time with the Xbox One and PlayStation 4!

XGen Studios is a developer most known for their Flash based games, such as Stick RPG, Defend Your Castle, and Stick Arena Dimensions,  in addition to the occasional WiiWare title. They're looking to make a bigger splash in the console market this year as they release a sequel to one of their more popular games, Motherload, aptly named, Super Motherload. Slated to be release on PS3 and PS4, with PC and Mac releases at some point down the line, Super Motherload is a game that's all about digging in that lovely red Martian soil for valuables. Yet deeper, more sinister things lurk below Mars surface... which to me is kind of a "no... really?!" moment. I, mean, didn't a space marine already go through all this not once, not twice, but at the very least three times?!

I am sure more than a few of you have thrown your controller in frustration. Spelunky is one of those games that might cause you to do so, but that doesn't stop it from being an excellent rougelike/platformer. Many of us had always hoped that the game would reach other platforms, particularly the handheld ones. Well, it seems that our hopes are coming true, as Spelunky HD will be coming to PC, PS3, and Vita. It is an upgraded version of the game, and will feature extra music, visuals, and multiplayer options.

Tactical shooter Takedown was funded in March of this year on the hopes of bringing back the glory days of hardcore shooter fans who like their game with a bit of strategy. Today the game has been officially unveiled as Takedown: Red Sabre and is being published by 505 Games on the PC and Xbox Live Arcade.

As probably everyone expected, Activision officially confirmed today that Skylanders SWAP Force is in development for the next-gen consoles (namely the PS4 and Xbox One). This is in addition to the already announced versions for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, 3DS, and Wii U. Get ready to hide the wallet from the kids if you own pretty much any relatively modern console whatsoever.

Rich Knuckles is back with a retrospective looking at the Serious Sam series since its inception in 1996. Why is he doing that? Because the game is part of this week's Humble Bundle where you can get almost EVERY Serious Sam game ever created including the Indie game series games for a price you name.

It was just this morning we posted a giant editorial on the next generation of gaming and where things are headed. In a way, just the simple fact that I had to write that headline is a bit infuriating. The fact that games are being treated as software licenses, they are not protected under the first sale doctrine of the United States law, is sometimes hard to comprehend - but such is the legal mumbo jumbo that is US Law.

Being able to access and play a free version of Starcraft II is quite the gift from Blizzard to give, but what if you wanted to share your gaming experiences with a friend as well. Entering today is a thing called, “Spawning”; a brand new feature that essentially brings free co-op options to those who don’t own the full game themselves.