Diberdayakan oleh Blogger.

Popular Posts Today

Skullgirls DLC crowdfunding page hits $190K in a day

Written By Kom Limpulnam on Rabu, 27 Februari 2013 | 23.37

The developers at Lab Zero Games have opened a Skullgirls DLC fundraising page over on crowdfunding site Indiegogo, with the sole purpose of using the money to release DLC characters for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC fighting game.

The target goal is $150,000 with 30 days left before it closes. The page has so far raised $191,175.

Not only does the campaign page feature a breakdown on one the upcoming characters (the undead opera singer Squigly), but also a list of stretch goals if the campaign's target reaches beyond its goal. These include potential new DLC characters like Big Band and B.Dahlia, and new stages and story mode missions based on the DLC characters.

The perks for contributing varies: $5 will net gamers exclusive Skullgirls wallpapers while $400 will net contributors a limited edition of the game's soundtrack, a random postcard-sized sketch, a "booster" title in the contributors credits, a Steam code for the PC release, and other benefits.

Squigly will be available for free for a limited time if the campaign is fully funded. For even more information, check out the Indiegogo page.

Skullgirls was praised by critics for its fighting system, distinctive characters, beginner-friendly tutorials and GGPO network options.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

EA and Microsoft to announce content partnership on next-gen Xbox - Report

The latest round of next-gen speculation has suggested an upcoming partnership between EA and Microsoft. The rumoured collaboration, which suggests timed-exclusives for DLC as opposed to the idea of Battlefield 4 not coming to PlayStation 4, will allegedly be made public when Microsoft debuts its next Xbox.

Two anonymous sources reported the supposed deal to CVG, though neither knew exact specifics about what EA and Microsoft will announce.

EA was absent from the PlayStation 4 announcement last week outside of a brief flash of its company logo. Chief Financial Officer Blake Jorgensen last night explained the publisher's absence as EA's "timing of our own slate as well as trying to maintain a good balance of power with all the parties out there" during yesterday's Morgan Stanley Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference.

Microsoft is expected to unveil its next Xbox in April, ahead of a second showing of the machine at E3 in June.

EA and Sony have had a special relationship across many games on the PlayStation 3. Sony previously enjoyed a one-week exclusivity period for all Battlefield 3 DLC, and the announced-but-still-unseen Battlefield 4 will almost certainly be a major part of EA's plans for the next year. Microsoft, on the other hand, has had Call of Duty DLC all sewn up with exclusivity deals since Modern Warfare 2 launched in 2009.

Meanwhile, Activision announced as part of the PlayStation 4 unveiling last week that upcoming Bungie-helmed open-world shooter Destiny will contain exclusive content on Sony's next-generation console.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Final Fantasy Digital Collection out now in Asia

Set with download codes for Final Fantasy I to Final Fantasy IX to cost S$209($153); 2,000 units available.

Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong and Square Enix have announced that its earliest Final Fantasy games are now available in a digital collection exclusive to Asia.

The set contains nine codes for each entry of the game from Final Fantasy I to Final Fantasy IX; all of them are playable on the PS3, PSP, and PS Vita. Each of these codes will be on a card featuring artwork from Yoshitaka Amano and written prologues in Chinese and English.

The collection also has a "Masterpieces" soundtrack CD featuring highlighted tracks from Final Fantasy I to Final Fantasy IX, as well as an exclusive pamphlet from the Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary exhibition that took place last September.

Fans will have to shell out S$209($153). There will only be 2000 of these collections on sale within the Asia region. In related news, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan and Square Enix also announced a 25th anniversary collection that went on sale last December.

Jonathan Toyad
By Jonathan Toyad, Associate Editor

Born and raised from a jungle-laden village in Sarawak, Malaysia, Jonathan Toyad has been playing games since the early 90s. He favors fighting games, RPGs, and rhythm titles above every other genre, and occasionally spaces out like Pavlov's dog to video game music on his iPod.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Meeting The World's Fastest Gamer

Are racing games on the verge of becoming the next big thing in eSports? Joe Barron speaks to the iRacing grand prix world champion Greger Huttu to find out.

Whenever eSports are mentioned, specific games come to mind: League of Legends, Starcraft 2 and fighting games like Street Fighter IV that are featured in tournaments such as EVO. Professional gamers have flocked to these titles for sponsorship deals and the opportunities to win big money, but there's another genre that's growing in stature, and it has a much greater connection to real sport.

iRacing is a multiplayer-only PC racing simulation that recreates motorsport in meticulous detail. The game uses real-world rules and regulations in all of the major racing categories, from Formula One to NASCAR and sportscar racing. The tracks are the most accurate ever created for a game, using advanced laser scanning techniques to perfectly match the virtual tarmac to the real asphalt. Real racing drivers throughout the world use iRacing to practice, and the service has over 40,000 competing members.

The racing is brutally realistic. Drivers are punished for dangerous driving, encouraging a level of fair and clean competition that's unheard of in other racing games. The pinnacle of the iRacing scene is the Grand Prix World Championship and its greatest champion is Greger Huttu, a mild-mannered speed freak from the tiny town of Vaasa in Finland. He has won this prestigious title twice and he is the fastest virtual racing driver on the planet.

The tracks are arguably the most accurate ever created for a game, using advanced laser scanning techniques to perfectly match the virtual tarmac to the real asphalt.

"I guess I've always been interested in cars and especially driving, not so much the mechanical side of them," says Greger. "When I was a kid I wasn't that much into motorsport, instead I used to play football and sports like that. In the early nineties I remember reading a review of the Formula One Grand Prix game by Geoff Crammond and it seemed really interesting. It was one of the most realistic racing games back then and I was pretty much hooked the first time I tried it. I really enjoyed the challenge of what was needed to drive the car well. Of course if you look back at it now, it wasn't realistic at all, but the challenge of hitting a good lap was still there."

Greger's continued interest in racing was inspired by another flying Finn who was climbing up the ranks of real motorsport at the time, on his way to two Formula One World Championships: legendary McLaren driver Mika Hakkinen.

"Playing F1GP got me more interested in real motorsports and it didn't hurt that Mika Häkkinen was just starting his career in F1, so I started to follow F1 very closely. One nice thing with realistic racing games is that you can learn about real racing, and that makes it more enjoyable to watch the races. It can be something simple like just knowing the tracks inside out or something more complex like car setup and handling."

Though Greger was enjoying his first experiences with simulation racing, he had yet to take on the challenge of racing against human opponents. Once he did, he showed a natural talent for going very, very fast.

"I'd say I started sim racing properly when Grand Prix Legends was released in 1998 and I was winning races pretty much from the beginning. There were guys at the time that I thought were better than me but I had just gotten my first wheel and pedals back then. As I got used to them I started winning more regularly. I never could have imagined what would happen in the future when I bought my copy of Grand Prix Legends on a rainy autumn evening. I was still doing my real driving school back then! I never thought I'd be as successful as I have been or that sim racing would be what it is now. I had never done any online racing or online gaming before either, so just doing that was magical itself. It's pretty funny to think about it all now."

Greger's first online races showed promise, but he was still entering into the unknown. Today, getting started in a title like iRacing can be incredibly intimidating for new players. The level of realism is far more intense than in console racing games, even when compared to Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo.

It's all the more difficult in tournaments like the Grand Prix World Championship, which puts all of the drivers in the type of same car, the Williams-Toyota FW31 from the 2009 Formula One season. Sharing the same machinery makes for incredibly close racing, which makes Greger's wins all the more impressive. In the 2012 season he had an intense battle with 2011 champion Hugo Luis. The two drivers dominated the season, winning all but two of the sixteen races between them. Luis managed six wins, but Greger took the title with eight victories. In fact, Greger was so consistent that by round eleven he was in a position to take the championship, even if he finished behind his rival at every one of the remaining five races.

The key to victory, Greger says, is understanding the physics system, and good old-fashioned practice. But, he admits, some decent racing gear helps too.

"Definitely get a steering wheel and pedals. You can get a decent set for $100 but if you want something better the new Fanatec Clubsport Wheel offers great force feedback and you can buy different wheels for it which resemble steering wheels found in real race cars."

"You can learn a lot by just watching replays of faster drivers and analysing what they're doing differently. I wouldn't worry about car setups at first. The main thing is to have an easy setup and slowly working on your driving. We're also hoping to have a driving school in the near future on our Team Redline website."

"The school is still in the planning phase but there will be different stages and options. A lesson could start with the basics of setting up the wheel and pedals and other settings and then move on to analysing a student's replay and comparing telemetry. Finally, a live online session could be used to teach some finer details and race-craft. Nothing is set in stone at the moment and I'm sure things will change even after we get this going as we learn how to do things most effectively."


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gabe Newell to receive BAFTA Fellowship award

Valve's Gabe Newell will be the recipient of this year's BAFTA Fellowship award.

"It is an honor for myself and everyone at Valve to be presented such an award by one of the world's most respected and recognised organisations," said Newell.

Newell is one of the most prolific figures in gaming today, establishing Valve in 1996 after breaking away from a career at Microsoft which started in 1983. Valve's output includes Half-Life, Portal, Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead and Counter-Strike. The developer is also behind digital distribution service Steam, and is currently working on Dota 2.

After being informed of the latest trophy which will soon adorn Valve's well-stocked cabinet, Newell thanked his UK fans and saw fit to namedrop Garry Newman, the creator of Source engine playground Garry's Mod.

"Valve owes a tremendous thanks to many in the UK--to those who have played our games, to the great support of the UK press, and to UK-based creative contributors such as Garry Newman. I look forward to accepting this prestigious honor on behalf of everyone in our community."

"Awarded annually by BAFTA, the Fellowship is the highest accolade bestowed upon an individual in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to games," said BAFTA.

Newell will join the BAFTA Fellowship ranks alongside previous recipients Peter Molyneux, Shigeru Miyamoto, Nolan Bushnell, and Will Wright.

The BAFTA awards take place on March 5, and you can check out a full list of nominees here.

The awards ceremony will be livestreamed on Twitch.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag details emerge

After a poster for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag leaked yesterday, more rumored information about the game has emerged.

The Examiner reports that the main character in Black Flag is Edward Kenway, the father of Haytham Kenway from last year's Assassin's Creed III. Edward is described as a privateer, assassin, and "occasional" pirate.

The report further claims that Black Flag will be set in the Caribbean. Players will reportedly get to travel to multiple islands, including Jamaica, Cuba, and the Bahamas.

The Examiner also suggests Black Flag is presently running current-generation technology, though Ubisoft has plans to release the game on future platforms.

Darby McDevitt, whose previous credits include a host of Assassin's Creed titles, is said to be Black Flag's lead scriptwriter. His LinkedIn profile states he is currently working on "unannounced stuff."

Writing on Twitter yesterday, McDevitt said, "Is it that time again? [Assassin's Creed] fans getting all apoplectic 'n' stuff. Squirming and squealing. Love it."

Earlier this month, Ubisoft confirmed it was developing a new Assassin's Creed game for release during its fiscal 2014 (April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014). According to CEO Yves Guillemot, this game will take place in a new setting and star an all-new hero.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Splinter Cell: Blacklist coming to Wii U?

Multiple employee resumes suggests Ubisoft action game coming to Nintendo's latest home console.

Sam Fisher may be sneaking onto Wii U. Multiple Ubisoft developer resumes (via GoNintendo) indicate Splinter Cell: Blacklist is in development for Nintendo's latest home console.

Blacklist was announced during the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo only for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

An Ubisoft representative was not immediately available to comment.

Blacklist was recently delayed to August 20 after being originally planned to launch this spring

Development on the game is being led by Ubisoft Toronto, with Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Shanghai assisting. For more, check out GameSpot's latest preview of Splinter Cell: Blacklist.

Eddie Makuch
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

ACLU against game regulation bill in Connecticut

A lawyer representing the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut has opposed a video game regulation bill that would restrict access to certain games in the state.

As reported by The Hartford Courant, ACLU lawyer David McGuire voiced his opposition for the bill during a public hearing this week, citing the landmark 2011 Supreme Court decision as precedent.

He argued there is no causal link between violent games and real-world violence, and that games are protected free speech, similar to movies and books.

The proposed bill would restrict those under 18 in Connecticut from playing point-and-shoot games in public spaces, such as arcades and movie theaters. The legislation would also create a task force to examine the effects of violent games on those who play them.

McGuire was met with opposition during the hearing. State representative Whit Betts (R-Bristol), said the Supreme Court's decision was misguided. "I know what the law says, but to me, it lacks common sense," he said.

Video games have been a much-discussed topic for lawmakers since the December 14 schoolhouse massacre in Newtown, Conn. that left 20 children and six adults dead.

A recent Harris Poll found that 58 percent of American adults believe video games contribute to real-world violence. On top of that, former Federal Bureau of Investigation profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole said recently that violent video games do not cause violence.

Parents Television Council president Tim Winter agreed that video games do not--by themselves--cause violence. However, he argued the topic is especially important to address today, when media has become a 24/7 activity for children.

President Obama recently announced a $500 million, 23-point plan that directs the Centers for Disease Control to conduct further research into the relationship between virtual violence and real-world violence. Separately, Utah representative Jim Matheson has introduced a bill to Congress that would make Entertainment Software Rating Board ratings legally enforceable.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Screens

Written By Kom Limpulnam on Rabu, 20 Februari 2013 | 23.37

  • BNET
  • CBS Cares
  • CBS College Sports
  • CBS Films
  • CBS Radio
  • CBS.com
  • CBSInteractive
  • CBSNews.com
  • CBSSports.com
  • CHOW
  • CNET
  • Find Articles
  • GameSpot
  • Help.com
  • Last.fm
  • MaxPreps
  • Metacritic.com
  • Moneywatch
  • MovieTome
  • MP3.com
  • mySimon
  • NCAA
  • Radio.com
  • Search.com
  • Shopper.com
  • Showtime
  • SmartPlanet
  • TechRepublic
  • The Insider
  • TV.com
  • UrbanBaby.com
  • ZDNet

About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy (UPDATED) | Ad Choice | Terms of Use


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

GameSpot Writers Round Table - Meet the Justicars

Introducing the newest ranking GameSpot volunteers. The few, the proud, the prolific, the Justicars!

You might be asking yourself what exactly is a Justicar? First and foremost they are the authority of the GameSpot Writers Round Table, a union dedicated to written contributions by the GameSpot Community. A GameSpot Justicar is also trusted member of the site, as well as a user who has also proven their writing skills to the GameSpot community. They have a solid grounding on advanced writing skills and are in regular practice. Some of you may already know the following to be amazing writers, but we thought we should take some time to get to know them a little more.

About me: I've been a member of Gamespot for the last 6 years now and slowly making towards my 7th year on Gamespot. Over the years I've learned a lot from writing reviews and blogs on Gamespot and it is nice to hear feedback from everyone. I do try and make my blogs and reviews good for anyone to read and view online. I do try and keep myself busy outside of Gamespot by taking on voluntary work, doing course work and finding a paid job on office/admin.

How long have you been gaming?: I've been gaming for the last 13 years now from the Sega MegaDrive to the PS3 and 3DS.

What is your favorite subject to write about?: I always liked to talk about what games I've been playing and what have been my favourite games over the year. And of course I do special blogs on various Anime Conventions I've been to like SUNNYCON and Nemacon.

Share your favorite editorial piece that you've written? I've got at least 2 favourite pieces- this one and this one

Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumbler, or Deviantart? Of course Twitter- LegendHeroBen

Deviantart- www.benleslie5.deviantart.com

What is your "Golden Rule" for aspiring writers? Be as creative as you can, try and surprise your friends and fans on Gamespot when it comes to making blogs.

About me: Name's Callum Rakestraw. I started writing back in 2007 because it seemed easy (man, was I wrong). Always wanted to work in the games business, and writing about them seemed like the best option. Since then, I've begun writing for a couple of small sites you've never heard of while also perfecting my craft here at GameSpot. Currently unemployed, keeping myself afloat however I can while I try making something out of this writing thing.

Share some of your writing strong points: Descriptive, succint, critical.

How long have you been gaming? For 17 years.

What's your favorite subject to write about? Music is a subject that fascinates me, mostly because it's such a difficult subject to talk about. Love me a challenge.

Share your favorite editorial piece you've written? Haven't written too many here, actually. Though this piece on Demon's Souls and its music is one of my favorite works.

Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumblr, or DeviantArt? I'm on Twitter (@c_rakestraw). Don't use it as much as I ought to, though.

What is your "golden rule" for aspiring writers? Don't be afraid to use I in your work -- or just seem human, for that matter. Too often I see reviews or articles that sound like they were made by robots or printed off a production line. All because people are too often afraid to mention themselves in their work. Don't let that happen to you. Oh, and clutter -- root it out. Don't use fancy words because you can; use them because they have meaning.

About me: Born in New York, moved to Virginia, where I now live and work. Currently claiming to be an IT professional, I also enjoy the occasional movie, book or game to eat the time away. I am aspiring to succeed, in something.

Share some of your writing strong points: I read a lot, so my vocab is pretty impressive most of the time. The more you read, the more you learn and understand how certain words work better than others.

How long have you been gaming? Since the mid-1990s…fifteen years or so What is your favorite subject to write about? I love writing fiction, making up people, places, things that happen, and inspiration for that is truly everywhere. Here on Gamespot, I like to post topics that are polarising to get a good range of feedback

Share your favorite editorial piece that you've written? This one was funny and flippant, and about Cool Whip!

Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumbler, or Deviantart? orangeyHina on twitter, I'm not on the other two.

What is your "Golden Rule" for aspiring writers? Proofread! The easiest errors to find are those you read after writing!

About me: Budding games journalist from the UK, PC enthusiast and all round creatively minded. Has a strong passion for the written word and respects the English language. Has been known on occasion to appear outside. Could be Batman (so clichéd but I love it)

Share some of your writing strong points: Great with sentence structure and descriptive language. Alliteration aficionado. Have plenty of experience with creating engaging opinion pieces as well as more investigative articles.

How long have you been gaming? 17 years

What is your favorite subject to write about?: anything that requires heavy research, journalistic approaches or in depth looks into 'hidden' themes and sub plots. Current events are a close second.

Share your favorite editorial piece that you've written?: This one

Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumbler, or Deviantart?: @SuperMassive20 on twitter, supermassive20.tumblr.com, search SuperMassive20 into just about anything and it should be me.

What is your "Golden Rule" for aspiring writers?: Don't stress, write in peace, concentrate on putting one word in front of another and keep going. Always have a general message and make sure you stick to it.

About Me: I'm a thirty-four year old CSULB alumni with a Studio Art Bachelor's Degree. My main goal is to one day find a career in character design for video games and other media. I also have a deep love for writing, drawing, art and art history. And I have a profound love for video games, a hobby I've enjoyed since I was about five years old. I wouldn't call myself a hardcore gamer, but I enjoy gaming to have fun, indulge in escapism every once in a while and find inspiration.

Share Some of your Strong Writing Points: My strongest writing points involve thinking objectively, and using as much of the English vocabulary as possible without complicating my message. I also refer to the Rogerian argument style because I typically try to avoid bias, as I want to convey my opinions and acknowledge the points of the other side as well. The goal of my writing is to invite both sides to the table for a legitimate, healthy debate.

How Long Have You Been Gaming? I've been gaming for thirty years, from the time of the Atari 2600 my older brother owned.

What is Your Favorite Subject to Write About? The Golden Age of 16-bit gaming is something I love discussing, as I've lived through it and had the most fun during that time. Outside of gaming, I like writing about Art History and often delve into creative storytelling.

My Favorite Editorial Piece? "The art of Stealth in Gaming". One of my first Soapbox entries. I'm very proud of that.

Can I Follow You on Twitter, Tumbler or DeviantArt? I currently do not yet have either of those accounts, but I do have Coroflot and Facebook. Yes, you can follow me once I start said accounts, however.

What is your Golden Rule for Aspiring Writers? Always write from your heart. Don't worry about being perfect -- nobody is. The important thing is to convey your message loud and clear, be objective and avoid bias so as not to arouse hostility--regardless of how strongly you feel on an issue. Work hard to hone your craft, and never give up--even when it gets hard or if you suffer writer's block every now and then.

About Me: Whenever I get away from my busy lifestyle, I like to spend my time on GS and games. I've been a Ranger since 2007 and still have a strong interest in games, despite my time for them being squeezed. This is why I find reviews, not just from the professionals, but probably even more importantly from all gamers, whoever they may be, to serve a common interest we all have: to find out which games are good and which games are bad. We don't have an infinite amount of time and money, so this is why we need to spend it wisely on games we perceive to be worthy of it.

Strong Writing Points: Always critical and skeptical, even of my favorite games - I detest fanboyism. Never take anything for granted and appreciate a well made game for what it is, even if I don't like it.

Favourite Subject to Write About: Underrated Games

Share your favorite editorial piece that you've written?Could it be the end of Koei's Warriors series?

Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumbler, or Deviantart? You can follow me on GameSpot - I write blogs and use Fuse to disseminate useful GS information.

What is your "Golden Rule" for aspiring writers? Think outside of the box - don't parrot what's already out there.

About me: I was born in the UK and now I'm living in the Kansas with plans to move to San Francisco by the end of 2013. For my full time job I am a lead developer for a major group of websites but the gaming industry is where my heart lies. I love all types of games, writing reviews and creating videos. For a while I was even making video reviews for the popular Android website AndroidSPIN.com

Share some of your writing strong points: Because I have such a vast experience with gaming I can talk about just about any game or genre with experience.

How long have you been gaming? My parents bought me a ZX Spectrum +3 when it came out, but before that I was derping around on the Commodore 64, so I'd say at least 28 years.

What is your favorite subject to write about? I love to review games, any game, good or bad.

Share your favorite editorial piece that you've written? Most of the things I'm the most proud of are videos, although in their own way they were written. I was humbled by the popularity of my Grow review, even though I believe I have written better: You can see it here

Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumbler, or Deviantart? I'm madelk on Twitter, but you'll find me on GameSpot's Fuse site just as often.

What is your "Golden Rule" for aspiring writers? Enjoy writing for the enjoyment of writing, not the popularity.

-Share some of your writing strong points: I have a decent grasp of grammar, even though I'm an engineer! I had a solid technical writing background and appreciate critical thinking beyond the nuts and bolts of most standard essays or editorials.

-How long have you been gaming? I have been gaming for over 26 years now, since I was 7 years old.

-What is your favorite subject to write about?: I enjoy writing emotive vignettes that are more about describing a state of mind or stream of consciousness than an essay or editorial.

-Share your favorite editorial piece that you've written? This one here (I tend to write emotive pieces more informally with no capitalization.)

-Can I follow you on Twitter, Tumbler, or Deviantart? I'm not an active member of any social networking, pictorial or artsy sites, sorry!

-What is your "Golden Rule" for aspiring writers? Write what YOU would like to read and stay true to your style without letting your writing get bogged down by grammatical errors. Using big words simply because you think it makes you look smart is rarely successful; if you can explain your message well to an 8-year-old I'd say you have an excellent grasp of your message and are quite effective in its delivery!

All are welcome at the writers round table simply stop by and create a topic including the phrase "evaluation" that lets the Justicars know that you are looking to have your work critiqued. If you are interested in becoming a Justicar you can send an email to community@gamespot.com with the subject "Justicar Application" for your chance to join the ranks.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Daily Digest - PlayStation Rumor Mill

Remember to tune in tomorrow for Sony's big announcement!

To-Do List

- TUNE IN Super Awesome PlayStation Announcement!
- WELCOME The GameSpot Justicars
- WATCH Escape from Mount Stupid - PlayStation 3
- JOIN GameSpot's Official Steam Community

Tip: Rumor Mill PS4

With less than 24 hours standing between you (the gamer) and Sony's new announcement it's time to get the rumor mill turning. Comment below on your favorite, fictitious, or famed PlayStation 4 rumor for a boost in profile points. If we get over 50 comments we will choose our favorite 3 rumors to be the Rumor Mill Champions those winners will get this nifty poster!


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Wishful Thinking: Predicting the PlayStation 4

GameSpot staff from around the globe sound off on their hopes and dreams for Sony's new console.

With the hours rapidly ticking down to Sony's New York event, rumour and speculation are running wild that the company is preparing to announce new console hardware. GameSpot's global editorial team weighed in on their thoughts on the expected features, games, and services that the next PlayStation may offer, and the reality of what's likely to be unveiled.

If I had to go all-out bonkers with my predictions, I'd say that its supposed codename, Orbis, will be used for the actual device. Given the trend of branding consoles with less-than-unique names, this is a huge stretch, especially since marketing a console is dependent on how relatable your device's name is. The PS4 controller will be exactly the same as the current DualShock 3, only with the ability to be split into two and used as independent motion controllers.

Sony hasn't always let customers play their old, physical games on its brand new systems

As far as software predictions go, Vivendi will team up with Naughty Dog, paving the way for a new, next-generation Crash Bandicoot title with touchscreen functions and PS Vita cross-platform goodness. Additionally, Square Enix will get out of its creative slump and make Final Fantasy Versus XIII a launch title for the PS4. Just to up the ante in bizarreness, how about a gritty reboot of Tomba!, one of the most underrated characters to be on a Sony gaming platform?

Of course, since we're living on planet Earth, and expectations are usually beyond the reality we're given, the PlayStation 4 will unimaginatively be called that: the PlayStation 4, complete with the 2002 Spider-Man movie title font for its name. Used games will still be playable, but will require a surcharge to activate.

The usual franchise culprits will be announced: a new Uncharted, a new Killzone, more teasing of The Last Guardian, and a new Infamous. Sweet Jesus, the latter announcement would make my day. Other potential surprises include Metal Gear Solid 5/Phantom Pain/whatever Kojima Productions is working on to be a PS4 exclusive. For a year. As much as the Metal Gear Solid brand is synonymous with the PlayStation, Konami still needs to make money.

I also hope that Sony makes the PS4 backwards compatible with PS3 titles, though I give it almost a year until it does so with a new hardware revision. Sony has inconsistently let its loyal customers play their old, physical games on their brand-spanking new systems, so I'm expecting them to make us pay for digital versions of the same damn thing they had eons ago.

Follow Jonathan on Twitter: @MrToffee


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

The State of PlayStation 3's Missing Exclusives

Ahead of the PlayStation 4 announcement, we look back on some of the PlayStation 3 exclusives that have gone MIA.

All signs are pointing to Sony announcing the next PlayStation at its PlayStation Meeting 2013 event in New York today, and with the unveiling comes the last days for the seventh-generation of video game consoles. Yet some of the PlayStation 3's most promising exclusives have yet to see the light of day, and while Sony has a track record of supporting its older consoles (see God of War 2 for the PlayStation 2) it seems unlikely that these titles will see the light of day on the PS3, if they ever see the light of day at all.

Some cancelled PlayStation 3 exclusives, like The Agency, Eight Days and The Getaway 3, were clearly never meant to be. But what about these titles?

The Last Guardian

After knocking it out of the park with both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus--two of the PlayStation 2's most celebrated exclusives--Sony's first-party developer Team ICO showed a trailer for The Last Guardian to some feverish excitement during E3 2009. The Last Guardian looked like some vintage Team ICO material: players took the role of a young boy and had to befriend a giant griffin named Trico in order to escape the confines of a bleak, gargantuan castle.

But The Last Guardian missed its original release date of 2011, and a rather large spanner was thrown into the works when director Fumito Ueda quit working at Sony to focus on his own projects later in the year. His departure was followed a week later with the exit of the game's executive producer, Yoshifusa Hayama. Sony announced Ueda would still be working on The Last Guardian in a freelance capacity, and western developer Sony Santa Monica was drafted in to help finish the game's protracted development.

In February 2012 Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida says development has been "tough" for the game, and that it was still in development despite its "slow progress."

The last we heard from Sony was that The Last Guardian would be released when it's ready, but a couple of weeks ago Ueda released a public statement saying to "keep an eye out" for the game. Will it be shown as a PlayStation 4 title today?

Final Fantasy Versus XIII

Easily the most elusive PlayStation 3 exclusive since the machine was unveiled in 2005, Final Fantasy Versus XIII was announced in 2006, along with Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Agito XIII, as part of a trio of games set in Square Enix's new Fabula Nova Crystallis universe.

Despite being set in the same universe as Final Fantasy XIII, there was to be no correlation between Lightning's tale and that of Versus XIII--the game was to feature its own world, characters, story, mechanics, and battle system. Final Fantasy Versus XIII would be a seamless experience, according to director Tetsuya Nomura, and would feature one constant flow of battles, maps, and event scenes. It was also going to feature the most realistic world ever seen in a Final Fantasy game.

After a few screenshots for the game were released in 2008 and 2009, Final Fantasy Versus XIII was never seen again. The first signs of trouble came in June 2008, when Japanese gaming mag Famitsu reported that development on Final Fantasy Versus XIII had stalled so that Square Enix could focus solely on the then-upcoming Final Fantasy XIII, though Square Enix fiercely denied this. Another report surfaced again in July 2012 claiming the game had been unceremoniously dumped, but Square Enix president Yoichi Wada took to Twitter to say that development of Final Fantasy Versus XIII had not been abandoned.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII has now been in development for over seven years, making it the lengthiest development process of any Final Fantasy game in the series' history. Work on the second direct sequel to Final Fantasy XIII--Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII--is still underway, with the game currently expected to ship in Q3 2013.

Agent

After the massive success of releasing Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City and San Andreas as timed exclusives on the PlayStation 2, a new PlayStation 3 exclusive title--later to be known as Agent--developed by GTA makers Rockstar North, would be announced by Sony in 2007.

"As part of our long-standing relationship with Rockstar, and the incredible success for both companies with the cultural icon that is Grand Theft Auto we've agreed to the PlayStation exclusive rights of the next great franchise from the Rockstar studios," wrote Sony way back in 2007. This was to be the game that would be unveiled as Agent two years later, when Rockstar promised an action game revolving around espionage and political assassinations at the height of the Cold War in the 1970s. Two years after that--we're up to 2011 now--an environment artist at Rockstar released a portfolio showing some of his work on the game.

And that's it. There's been nothing else. The game has been left mysteriously absent from Rockstar publisher Take-Two's earnings forecasts, and the last we heard of Agent was in August 2012 when Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said "we haven't announced anything about [Agent] yet." Other than the title, that is.

And that it would be a PlayStation 3 exclusive, of course. One that's been in development for over five years.

Warrior's Lair

Warrior's Lair, originally titled Ruin, was introduced in a big way at E3 2011. The game took a front seat as part of Sony's attempts to push the PS Vita and managed to see more stage time than many other titles. Ruin intended to be a Diablo-like action RPG which boasted interoperability between the Vita and the PlayStation 3, allowing players the chance to easily sync their progress across both platforms.

And then, well, Ruin just sort of disappeared. It was renamed to Warrior's Lair at the start of 2012, and then Sony announced at the start of April it was taking developer Idol Minds--who most famously developed Pain for PlayStation Network--off the project. The game was then left entirely absent from Sony's E3 2012 and Gamescom 2012 presentations, and nothing has been heard about it since.

What are the chances of The Last Guardian, Agent or Final Fantasy Versus XIII taking to the stage tonight as part of Sony's presumed PlayStation 4 unveiling? And do you think the time is right for these games to finally come out, or has their moment passed? And do you think there's much hope for any of them in an industry where games that have been in development for years and years tend to end up a little disappointing?

Sony's PlayStation Meeting will take place in New York on February 20 at 18:00 EST/15:00 PST/23:00 GMT. GameSpot will be in attendance and broadcasting the event live.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

GameStop: 60 percent of gamers would not buy console that blocks used games

Written By Kom Limpulnam on Rabu, 13 Februari 2013 | 23.37

If Microsoft or Sony--or both--decide to block used games with their next-generation platforms, the majority of consumers would not buy them. That's according to GameStop chief financial officer Rob Lloyd, who defended used games today during a presentation at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference this afternoon.

"It's really only about 4 percent of our used game sales are games that were games released in the last 60 days," Lloyd said. "So it does not have a big impact on the sale of new product. So that's why publishers understand how important the preowned business is to them. Sony has said publicly that they don't intend to block used games in their next console. Microsoft has refused to or has not commented on the rumors that have hit the marketplace."

Lloyd further noted that GameStop has conducted internal research on anticipated consumer buying behavior and shared this information with platform holders. This research has shown consumers want control over the games they purchase, he said.

"Consumers want the ability to play preowned games; they want portability in their games; they want to play physical games," he said. "And to not have those things would be a substantial reason for them to not purchase a new console."

Asked for a specific percentage, Lloyd said, "I think it's approximately 60 percent of the customers who have said they wouldn't buy a new console if it didn't play preowned games."

"We'll be able to sell the new consoles that come from Microsoft and Sony regardless of what features they have or what they do or don't allow."

Even if next-gen platforms from Microsoft and Sony do block used games, Lloyd said GameStop will still be able to sell these consoles and adapt appropriately.

"We'll be able to sell the new consoles that come from Microsoft and Sony regardless of what features they have or what they do or don't allow," he said. "We'll have leading market share on the sale of those consoles. We'll adapt to what it does to the preowned business. And one of the ways we'll do that is through a continued healthy preowned business for today's generation of consoles."

If the majority of gamers would not be interested in a next-gen console that blocks used games, why has the rumor floated around for so long? Lloyd said the preowned business is a tough one to crack; both sides have compelling arguments, he argued.

"There's two constituencies that the publishers and the console-makers…have to consider. One is the retailer like GameStop that is moving their product through the chain. The second are the development firms that actually develop the games. Developers have historically not liked the preowned game business because they don't participate in the revenue streams."

"The publishers really get caught in the middle," he added. "[The publisher] understands that, but also understands the importance of the preowned game business to the overcall ecosystem of the video game business. And so, I think that as the console makers balance those needs, they consider, 'Is this an appropriate thing to do? Would we make more money by doing this in the future?' I think what customers have told them at this point is they view it as a very unfriendly thing to do."


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Showdown Effect Caption Contest

The Showdown Effect beta key caption contest. Fight to the death or die trying.

We are giving away beta keys for Showdown Effect, the new multiplayer action game from Arrowhead Game Studios. This quirky shooter celebrates action movie cliches from the '80s and '90s. Getting your beta key is easy: simply caption one of the following images with your funniest retro action hero quote for your chance to win.

Prizing: We will be giving out a grand total of 49 beta keys for Showdown Effect via this contest page, along with Facebook and Twitter.

Guidelines on GameSpot:
- You must be a GameSpot registrant.
- Winners will be announced after the deadline on this page.
- Enter your caption in the comments below, making sure to include the character name.
- Entries must be received by February 19, 10:00 a.m. PST.
- Captions should be no longer than 160 characters in length.
- Submissions must include the following:
1) The image that you are choosing to capture.
2) The caption.
- You can enter to win here on GameSpot, or on our official Twitter and Facebook pages. There is no limit to the number of times you can enter.

Synthia Weires
By Synthia Weires, Community Manager

Community Manager for GameSpot.com. Fan of all things gaming and a second generation gamer, she is a social butterfly and lover of bacon, Magic the Gathering, D20's and pie.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

GameSpot GamePlay Episode 28: Eat My Dead Skin

Destructoid reviews editor Jim Sterling stops by for a nice long talk about Killzone, Kinect, and how much he hates being called "nugget."

GameSpot GamePlay

This one's a doozy. Destructoid's Jim Sterling stops by again to get his nuggets and meatballs in order and join the GameSpot team on its first bug hunt. Tom Mc Shea takes little notice, however, given his preoccupation with the great anti-breast crusade of 2013. Meanwhile, Carolyn Petit makes 38 drops, simulated; Chris Watters makes spores in the creepy science lab; and host Kevin VanOrd considers the problems of scale between a mouse and a donkey.

Also, we talk about games. Be warned: mature language within.

You can access all previous episodes on GameSpot here.

Click here to subscribe to GameSpot Gameplay via iTunes.

Click here to subscribe to GameSpot Gameplay via Zune.

Subscribe to this RSS feed to receive new episodes of GameSpot GamePlay through your favorite RSS reader.

GameSpot GamePlay Episode 28: Occupy Animal Crossing

GameSpot GamePlay Special Edition Spoilercast: Ni no Kuni

GameSpot GamePlay Episode 27: Vibrate Your Molecules

GameSpot GamePlay Episode 26: The Soup is a Problem

GameSpot GamePlay Episode 25: Tap Tap-a-Roo

GameSpot GamePlay Episode 24: Rubbing the Cow Gently

GameSpot GamePlay Episode 23: Shame Stack

Kevin VanOrd
By Kevin VanOrd, Senior Editor

Kevin VanOrd is a lifelong RPG lover and violin player. When he isn't busy building PCs and composing symphonies, he watches American Dad reruns with his fat cat, Ollie.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mass Effect version of Risk shown off by BioWare

Latest video game-themed adaptation of Hasbro's board game coming later this year.

BioWare has announced its own Mass Effect-themed take on Hasbro's strategy board game Risk, scheduled to be released later this year.

The developer took to Facebook to show off the game's box. "Oh yes, it's real, and it's coming this Fall!" said BioWare.

The art used is the same as the cover for last year's Mass Effect 3, suggesting the board game adaptation will revolve around Shepard's last adventure. And the 'Galaxy at War' tagline is clearly visible on the box, too--Mass Effect 3's galaxy-wide resource management and conquest system would likely make a solid base for Risk's territorial objectives.

Hasbro is no stranger to video game adaptations of Risk, and has previously themed its iconic game around Metal Gear Solid, StarCraft and Halo.

BioWare is still teasing additional DLC for Mass Effect 3, with eagle-eyed data miners recently uncovering files that suggest the company will bring single-player data into the next wave of co-op levels.

For more information on Mass Effect, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

Martin Gaston
By Martin Gaston, News Editor

Has absolutely never at all had the song from Beauty and the Beast sung to him at any point during his life, ever.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

GameSpot UK Podcast - Music Special

Dara O'Briain did a funny stand-up bit about videogames. He apologiesed (humoursly) to audience-members David Seaman and Peter Shilton who appearantly had no idea what he talked about the half of the show. He also talked about the fact that "no grown-ups play games" and had some funny bits about games like Metal Gear Solid 4 (Snakke? Snake??! SNAAKKKE!) and the Rock Band-series.

I am pleased to see more adults take gaming seriously...or atleast as serious as me, and I believe that guy on the right is my new hero. I do believe that videogame music should be enjoyed by more people. Alot of people don't know how the medium has evolved and become more gronw up (Tom Mc Shea's article yesterday had some good points). Videogames present a fantastic interactive narrative with awesome music, emotional characters and great stories. Great pod cast.

PS: Mark Walton needs to answer his GameSpot-messages :p


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Valve hardware developer Jeri Ellsworth fired

Jeri Ellsworth, a notable hardware developer on Valve's R&D team who, among other things, was prototyping controllers for the oft-rumoured Steam Box, posted on Twitter yesterday to say she had been fired.

"Yup. Got fired today. Time for new exciting projects," said Ellsworth.

Valve's forays into developing hardware, to tie into its ever-unfolding Big Picture and on-the-TV experiments, have included toying with biometric sensors. Ellsworth is a notable engineer with a popular YouTube channel.

Valve's non-standard approach to running its business has intrigued many. "It requires a commitment to hiring in a way that's very different from the way most companies hire," said its famous New Employees Handbook which found its way online last year.

Speaking earlier in January at the University of Texas, Valve founder Gabe Newell discussed the company's "sink or swim" culture and said it needed to be "aggressive" about firing people.

"You have to be really aggressive about firing people," Newell said. "We haven't done a really good job with interns or new hires, it's kind of a sink or swim thing. People have to take it seriously, right? It's an engineering problem in the sense of you have to make decisions, you have to measure outcomes, you have to make changes as a result of it. I would have trouble working any other way now, and I think most of the people at Valve would have trouble."

"There's something we, somewhat unkindly, call the beaten wife syndrome, where people come in from other industries and really struggle. the worst are people from the feature film industry where people are taught that anytime they show initiative somebody's going to leap out and smite them for doing that. It usually takes about six to nine months for people to internalise the working model of the company."


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Xbox 360 has been "painful to watch" says hardware founder

Nat Brown, a Microsoft engineer who helped start the Xbox project and claims to have named the device, has severely criticised the company's direction said the last five years of Xbox 360 have been "painful to watch."

"The past five years, and the last year in particular, have been simply painful to watch," said Brown on his blog, criticising Microsoft for allowing its focus on multimedia entertainment and partnerships with "dying media companies" to overtake its gaming roots.

"Coasting on past momentum. Failing to innovate and failing to capitalize on innovations like Kinect. Touting strategic and market success when you're just experiencing your competitor's stumbling failure (yes, Sony, Nintendo--you are, I'm afraid, stumbling failures). A complete lack of tactical versus strategic understanding of the long game of the living room. It culminated for me in recent coverage of interviews with Yusef Mehdi and Nancy Tellem and reports of the goals of a new LA Xbox studio to create interactive content."

Brown says a "trojan horse" push for the living room was always the goal of the Xbox, but criticises Microsoft's current strategy. "My gripe, my head-smack, is not that the broader content/entertainment business isn't where you want to go with a living-room-connected device. It absolutely is. Indeed, this was the point of Xbox, that was why it was the Trojan horse for the living room, where we could land and be welcomed by millions of console customers with more hardware and better software and network connectivity than the non-console devices (webtv, cable set-tob-boxes) we had been pursuing."

"No, more and better content was always the point and the plan," continues Brown. "My gripe is that, as usual, Microsoft has jumped its own shark and is out stomping through the weeds planning and talking about far-flung future strategies in interactive television and original programming partnerships with big dying media companies when their core product, their home town is on fire, their soldiers, their developers, are tired and deserting, and their supply-lines are broken."

Brown sums his argument up into two points: that the lack of a "functional and growing platform ecosystem for small developers" will hurt Microsoft in the long run, and that "the device OS and almost the entire user experience outside the first two levels of the dashboard are creaky, slow, and full-of-sh*t."

"Microsoft is living in a naive dream-world," concludes Brown. "I have heard people still there arguing that the transition of the brand from hardcore gamers to casual users and tv-uses was an intentional and crafted success. It was not. It was an accident of circumstance that Microsoft is neither leveraging nor in control of."

Despite his complaints, Brown says he is still thrilled to see the continued success of the Xbox. "Almost 14 years after the painful, pointless, and idiotic internal cage-match to get it started and funded, the hard selling of a compelling and lucrative living-room product to Bill (and then Steve as he began to take over), a product that consumers would want and love and demand, I am actually still thrilled to see how far it has come, how many installed units it has, how it is crushing its original console competitors, how the brand has grown and endured, and especially how great the games have become."

Nat Brown worked at Microsoft from 1990 to 2000, leaving the company before the original Xbox shipped in 2001.

Microsoft is widely expected to unveil its new Xbox hardware sometime this year, with the latest rumours for the machine indicating that it might attempt to block pre-owned software.

For more information on Microsoft's next-gen plans, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Awesome Free-To-Play Games To Watch For In 2013

Written By Kom Limpulnam on Rabu, 06 Februari 2013 | 23.37

Some of these games could have potential, if they are original enough.  But so many games on this list seem....like games that already exist.  I guess it depends on if they are fun and have a lot of appeal.

I don't think I'm gonna play any of them, but hopefully at least one of them is successful and gives people something else to play besides league of legends and wow.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Metacritic ranks EA as 2012's best major publisher

Metacritic has ranked Electronic Arts as the best major publisher of 2012, with the critic-aggregating service reporting that Mass Effect 3 was EA's best-reviewed title with a Metascore of 93.

EA has jumped up four places in Metacritic's charts since last year, overtaking Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo--second, third and fourth in the chart respectively.

Medal of Honor: Warfighter, which received a 6.0 in its GameSpot review, was EA's worst-performing title on Metacritic, with a Metascore of 53. EA has subsequently retired the series, though it maintains that critics were too harsh on the FPS.

Metacritic also calculated a chart for what it deemed mid-sized publishers, which featured Borderlands 2 publisher Take-Two, Hitman: Absolution owning Square Enix and the Skyrim-toting Bethesda Softworks, amongst others.

Metacritic calculated its placement based on attributing a number of points to each publisher, starting with 1.5 times the average Metascore of its 2012 titles. It then added up to 100 points based on the percentage of games which received a good (75-89 Metascore) rating, subtracting up to 100 points based on the percentage of games which received a bad (20-49 Metascore) rating, and adding a 10-point bonus for every game which received a great (90-100 Metascore) rating.

Metacritic's 3rd annual rankings for major publishers (and average Metascore):

Major publishers:

1. EA (75.2)
2. Microsoft (73.0)
3. Sony (72.3)
4. Nintendo (71.2)
5. Capcom (70.4)
6. Warner Bros. (70.6)
7. Ubisoft (68.2)
8. Konami (69)
9. SEGA (69.9)
10. Activision Blizzard (64.4)
11. Namco Bandai (62.5)

Mid-sized publishers:

1. Take-Two Interactive (83.1)
2. Telltale Games (83.9)
3. Square Enix (75.2)
4. Bethesda Softworks (74.3)
5. THQ (73.7)
6. Atlus (69.8)
7. XSEED (66.8)
8. Paradox Interactive (62.1)
9. Focus Home Interactive (60.5)
10. 505 Games (53.3)

Note: Metacritic is owned by GameSpot's parent company CBS Interactive.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gamers won't wait for next-gen GTAV, says Take-Two

Rockstar publisher Take-Two believes releasing Grand Theft Auto V close to the rumoured launch of the next-generation Xbox and PlayStation won't negatively affect interest in the game from consumers.

Take-Two was asked during the company's Q3 financial call last night about the prospect of Grand Theft Auto V taking the same kind of cross-generational stance that developers like Bungie and DICE are said to be using. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick remained firm that Rockstar's latest game would do absolutely fine on current-gen platforms.

"Let's have a little gentlemen's bet," he said. "Bet there is not one gamer who's going to sit out of Grand Theft Auto V hoping that something down the road is going to come along that's better. Grand Theft Auto V is going to blow everyone away, and it will be in the market in September."

Zelnick didn't rule out the possibility of the series going next-gen, as one analyst predicted last week, and said the publisher was planning its future as well as it could. "In terms of strategy around current-gen and next-gen, we have to wait for the announcements," he said.

"Look, we're always looking over our shoulder. I'm a big believer that arrogance is the enemy of continued success. But we are planning as well as we can, and we think we are extremely well positioned."

GTAV will be released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 17.

Elsewhere in Take-Two's earnings call the publisher reported a 148 per cent rise in profits and that Borderlands 2 has now shipped six million copies.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Wii U message hard to convey says Ubisoft studio head

Xavier Poix, managing director of Ubisoft's Annecy, Montpellier, and Paris studios, has spoken out about the challenges of developing launch titles for next-generation hardware, using Nintendo's Wii U as an example.

Speaking with GameSpot at the annual D.I.C.E. summit in Las Vegas this week, Poix said the Wii U message is hard to convey, something he believes has greatly contributed to the console's slow start in the market.

"The depth of what you can do with that console is really hard to get across unless you play with it," Poix said. "It's different from the Wii, where seeing was believing. With the Wii U, people really need to experience it."

Poix and his team have been developing titles for the Wii U for the last two years, including survival horror title ZombiU. The game was released to a generally lukewarm critical reception, something which was noted by the game's developers.

Poix said looking back, he can see where Ubisoft went wrong.

"The whole idea of the asymmetrical gameplay and using two screens to do two very different things is not simple to explain to people. ZombiU was designed to be a game for core players launching with a new Nintendo console. We should have communicated better in this respect to let people know what kind of experience to expect. It wasn't obvious enough that there would be a new controller and new gameplay and a new skill set to develop."

According to Poix, the fact that the Wii U may have started slower than Nintendo expected is not indicative of its future success, especially as more players adapt to the multi-screen trend.

"We are at a new start in the industry, a moment where gaming is no longer just for geeks. We have consoles like the Wii to thank for that, and the rise in mobile gaming. It's all leading towards interconnectivity. What will you do on your phone in the future will impact what you do on your console back home, and so on. There will be different applications for different devices."

Responding to earlier comments by Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot that the lack of new hardware is stifling creativity in the game development industry, Poix said this isn't necessarily true; he believes that creativity is simply at its best around a new console launch, when developers have the chance to deal with both new opportunities and constraints.

"You've got a new toy to play with, and for the first time you need to think differently. It's hard to achieve but it's the best moment."

Looking forward, Poix pointed to technology like Microsoft's SmartGlass application as leading the way in the area of interconnectivity and multi-screen experiences.

Poix's team is currently working on upcoming Wii U title Rayman Legends, due out on February 26, 2013.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Trials Evolution: Gold Edition - Live Stream

Trials is returning to PC this year with the Gold Edition. Get a live sneak preview.

After becoming a major success on XBLA, Trials Evolution: Gold Edition sees the franchise returning to the PC. Bringing together Trials Evolution and Trials HD, this celebratory bundle won't be available until 22 March, but we've got the developers from RedLynx in to give you an advanced preview. So, start your engines and pop on a helmet: this could get violent.

Watch live video from gamespot's channel on www.twitch.tv

To follow our Twitch channel for more live videos, simply click here!.

Sarah Lynch
By Sarah Lynch, Associate Producer

When not busy curating her novelty t-shirt collection, Sarah can be found shouting endless streams of nonsense into the great void of the internets. Greatest life achievement: finally having her very own crocheted Link hat.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More

Xbox 720 to require Internet connection?

Additional alleged Xbox 720 details have come to light today. Sources speaking to Edge said the platform will require an Internet connection to function and that a new version of Xbox Live will be an "integral" component of Microsoft's new platform. Though Microsoft is reportedly "absolutely committed" to online functionality for its new machine, games will still be offered in physical form, the sources said.

In addition, the sources said games for the new system will ship with activation codes and "have no value beyond the initial user." This falls in line with a report from last year, which said the Xbox 720 could block used games in some way. Analysts do not believe this is likely.

These games will reportedly be manufactured on 50GB Blu-ray discs, an upgrade from the DVD drive the Xbox 360 currently sports. Sony's PlayStation 3 supports Blu-ray, and it has since it was first launched in 2006. Blu-ray disc capacity is significantly greater than that of DVD.

In addition, the sources said Microsoft will ship a new version of Kinect alongside the Xbox 720. No further information was made available, though a previous report said "Kinect V2" could support four-player full-body tracking and allow gamers to sit down while playing. In addition, this technology is believed to adapt to players' living room, meaning they will not need to move furniture for an optimal experience.

Lastly, Edge's source said the previously rumored Xbox 720's specifications will include an AMD eight-core x64 1.6GHz CPU, a D3D11.x 800 MHz graphics solution, and 8GB of DDR3 RAM. At present, the platform's hard drive capacity is still reportedly up in the air.

An Xbox 360 successor is, of course, still unannounced and Microsoft did not comment on this report. It may not be long before that changes, as the platform holder is rumored to announce the Xbox 720 during an Apple-style media presentation in late March, perhaps in conjunction with the 2013 Game Developers Conference.

Sony is holding a "PlayStation Meeting" February 20 in New York City where the company is rumored to announce the PlayStation 4. GameSpot will be in attendance.


23.37 | 0 komentar | Read More
techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger