For one Reddit user, a hobby has turned into a full-time job at the developer of Destiny. Bungie has given the moderator of the Destiny subreddit a job as a community manager, meaning that he will now oversee an even bigger community of Destiny fans.
User Cozmo is the founder of the Destiny subreddit, creating the group when the game only had some leaked concept art. The subreddit now has close to 190,000 subscribers and thousands of people browsing it at any one time.
Bungie has brought Cozmo on to supplement the work done by the current community manager, Deej. In a post on Bungie's site, Deej explained that the Destiny community has grown too large for one person to manage. "The fact of the matter is that there are too many of you for me to handle alone," he wrote. "Sure, I have urk [community and marketing relations manager Eric Osborne] to lead the way, but we both get pulled behind the scenes more and more to make sure you're informed about the next evolution that Bungie will be hurling at you. But what about the front lines?"
As a result, Cozmo will be engaging with the community, most likely through social media channels and in the forums on Bungie's sites. Deej will still write the Bungie Weekly Updates.
Since he's now an employee of Bungie, Cozmo is stepping down as moderator of the subreddit.
This is likely a move to prepare for the upcoming release of Destiny's next expansion, The Taken King. The expansion launches on September 15 and will cost $40.
The Xbox One version of Frima Studio Inc.'s indie game Chariot has been updated to support a really cool-sounding new feature. Frima and electronics company Philips on Wednesday announced that the game now features integration with the Philips Hue connected lighting system.
How does it work? Basically, as you play through the adorable co-op platformer, the Philips Hue lighting system projects different color tones on your walls based on what's happening in the game.
"When enemies attack, Hue lights blink red. When colorful plants bloom, their colors are reflected in the room," Philips said, noting that the Hue system supports "hundreds" of different colors and variations.
Philips says Chariot is now the "world's first video game to be synched with home lighting."
Take a look at the video below to see how it works.
More information about Hue lighting systems, including specific models and pricing, is available on the Philips website.
Is this how we'll play video games in the future? Let us know in the comments below.
Forza Motorsport 6, the upcoming Xbox One-exclusive racing game, is getting several legendary racing cars.
Developer Turn10 announced today that two McLaren cars used in races during the 1960s are coming to the game. The McLaren M8B and M2B will be playable, headlining Turn10's offering of classic cars.
The M8B was used in 1969 during the Can-Am series, driven by Denny Hulme and Bruce McLaren. Either Hulme or McLaren won every race that year, and the two came in first and second in eight of the eleven races. The car is known as the "Orange Elephant" due to its orange color.
The M2B debuted in 1966, and it was the company's first foray into creating an F1 car. It had an iconic shape, but it did not perform well. Revisions of the car let Bruce McLaren finish well in later races.
Turn10 also announced around 40 other cars, including classics such as the 1969 Chevy Camaro and the 1984 Ferrari GTO. You can check out the full list of cars announced so far on the developer's website.
Keep an eye on GameSpot for more news about Forza 6 in the coming months. You can read our impressions from E3 here. The game launches on September 15 for Xbox One.
The prize pool for Valve's upcoming Dota 2 tournament, The International, has reached new heights.
It now stands at over $16.5 million. That's by far the biggest prize pool in The International's history--surpassing last year's $10.9 million--and it rivals or exceeds purses for traditional sports.
By comparison, the prize pool for the 2015 Masters golf tournament was $10 million. Importantly, however, The International's top prize will be split by a team, while a single golfer took home the Masters winnings.
Valve also announced today that, through a partnership with Fathom Events, you'll be able to watch The International in more than 400 movie theaters across the United States. More information about this promotion, including a list of participating theaters, is available here.
The International raises money for its prize pool through crowdfunding. Valve, the developer of Dota 2, sells an in-game collection of items, called the Compendium, for $10. Valve gets a 75 percent cut of each purchase, which means the developer is making a nice chunk of change for this record-setting year.
Now entering its fifth year, The International takes place at the KeyArena in Seattle August 3-8.
In a surprise move today, tech giant Apple has announced a refresh of its iPod Touch.
The new Touch has received a number of changes and improvements from its predecessor, including a better processor, camera, and motion sensor. The changes have made the iPod Touch pretty much equivalent with the iPhone 6 in terms of power.
The new processor, Apple's A8 chip that powers the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, will help the iPod perform faster and run more intensive games. It also helps extend the iPod's battery life. Its new camera lets iPod users shoot in slow motion and burst mode for the first time. Additionally, the new Touch includes a better motion sensor and a greatly improved Wifi receiver.
The iPod will continue to have a 4-inch screen. It has a similar metallic body to the iPhone 6. It comes in six colors: space gray, silver, pink, gold, blue, and, exclusive to the Apple Store, red. It'll cost you $199 for a 16 GB model, $249 for 32 GB, or $299 for 64 GB. A 128 GB model is available for $399 only through the Apple Store.
Apple has also changed the iPod Nano and Shuffle lines to have the same colors and look, although their internals have stayed the same.
The new iPod ships with iOS 8 and is on sale now. Will you buy a new iPod Touch? Let us know in the comments below.
Have you ever wondered what Sonic the Hedgehog would look like running around a gorgeous open environment created using the Unreal Engine 4? Wonder no more.
YouTube user CryZENx's latest video shows Sega's speedy creature zipping around the environment from the Unreal Engine's "Boy and His Kite" tech demo.
Watch the video below--and be sure to select 1080p/60fps to see it in full-HD glory.
The character roster for Blizzard Entertainment's free-to-play PC MOBA Heroes of the Storm is growing.
The developer this week released the game's next playable character, King Leoric, who comes to the game following the release of the Eternal Conflict update in June.
King Leoric, known as The Skeleton King from Diablo III, has a number of unique and devastating-looking abilities. These include Skeletal Swing, Drain Hope,and Wraith Walk. You can see all of these in action through the overview video embedded below.
Rather than deal damage, King Leoric can impair his enemies and, in the process, reduce his death timer so that he can get back into the action more quickly. When he does respawn, he'll do so at the location of his wraith.
King Leoric becomes the third character from the Diablo franchise added to Heroes of the Storm as part of its Eternal Conflict update. The others are Johanna the Crusader and The Butcher.
Amazon's "Prime Day" sales event is being held today, offering "more deals than Black Friday." Not everyone is impressed with the deals, but there are some good ones to be found.
One of the best offers is the Halo: Master Chief Collection Xbox One bundle with a free copy of Batman: Arkham Knight for $350. Get it here.
See all of the Prime Day deals here. They come and go very quickly, especially the Lightning deals, so be sure to check back frequently to get the best deals.
You can preorder a number of games through Dell and receive either a $15 or $25 gift card: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ($25), Mad Max ($15), Rory McIlroy PGA Tour ($15), and Until Dawn ($15).
Gamers Club Unlocked members can save $20 or more on a few PS4 games at Best Buy right now, including MLB 15: The Show for $16, The Order: 1886 for $16, and Bloodborne for $32.
Walmart is selling the Halo Master Chief Collection Xbox One bundle with a free second controller for $349. You also get a free copy of Watch Dogs or Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, or you can pay a bit more to replace it with Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition ($5), Need for Speed: Rivals - Complete Edition ($5), Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare ($20), or Batman: Arkham Knight ($30).
Get a free copy of Assassin's Creed: Unity with the purchase of an Xbox One at the Microsoft Store (500 GB/1 TB).
This week's Deals With Gold include offers for games like Battlefield 4, R.B.I. Baseball 15, and Call of Duty: Black Ops II.
The first episode of Telltale's Game of Thrones series is free on Xbox Live, and the subsequent episodes are on sale as part of the aforementioned Ultimate Game Sale.
The new Humble Weekly Bundle features Bohemia Interactive games like Arma 2 and its many mods (including DayZ), all of which you can get for just a few bucks.
If you have a free Green Man Gaming account, you can access the VIP area of the site where you can find some nice deals, including SimCity for $10, Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin for $25, and Project Cars for $35.
The PlayStation TV is available for $40 at Best Buy and GameStop .
The PlayStation Store's superhero sale also includes some Vita games, including Injustice: Gods Among Us for $12, Mega Man Maverick Hunter X for $4, and Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate for $10.
Free Silver Headset with purchase of any PS4 console (Best Buy)
Save $10 on a PS4 DualShock 4 controller when you buy a new PS4 console (Best Buy)
Save $10 on an Xbox One controller with the purchase of a new Xbox One console (Best Buy)
Save $10 on an Xbox One controller with the purchase of Rory McIlroy PGA Tour (Best Buy)
Amazon prices are accurate as of publishing, but can fluctuate occasionally throughout the day.
GameSpot's gaming deals posts always highlight the best deals we can find regardless of retailer. We also occasionally use retailer affiliate links, which means that purchasing goods through those links helps support all the great content (including the deals posts) you find for free here on the site.
Coffee Stain Studios' wacky game Goat Simulator, in which you play as a goat with the goal of causing as much destruction and mayhem as possible, is finally coming to PlayStation platforms.
Swedish outfit Coffee Stain Studios created Goat Simulator and developed the previously released PC edition, before handing off development duties to Double Eleven for the console versions. Goat Simulator is also currently available on Xbox One and Xbox 360.
Goat Simulator on PS3 supports two-player local split-screen, while up to four people can play couch co-op for the PS4 edition.
A special Goat Simulator mode called GoatVR will also debut through the PlayStation editions. Presumably, this is some kind of virtual reality mode, though the official announcement was light on hard details.
"GoatVR is the most authentic 'simulated GoatVR experience' that doesn't require a helmet or anything. Although it's not quite ready yet, we felt it better to stay ahead of the crowd and let it out into the wild," Double Eleven explained. "We still need to do that part where it connects to an actual headset but for now you can enjoy a simulated GoatVR experience without it."
For a closer look at Goat Simulator for PlayStation consoles, check out some images in the gallery below.
Following Mike "Wickd" Peterson's departure from long-time team Elements, the top player found a home on challenger team Denial eSports as part of the EU Challenger scene. His former LCS organization is currently ranked eighth in the standings while Fnatic continues their undefeated streak.
I caught up with Wickd to discuss his new team, his thoughts on Elements, and the strength of Europe's LCS teams.
GameSpot: How have you been these past few months, Wickd?
I've been pretty good. I've decided to join a challenger team because I feel like there weren't many opportunities in LCS I had to go from because I want to be in the top of the league. The offers I had weren't going to be in the top of the league so I thought it would be better to go from the bottom all the way to the top rather than start from the middle and help them go to the top.
How do you feel about your new team, Denial eSports?
Since it's a very young team it's very important after a winning a tournament you don't let it get to your heads and you continue working hard. You see a lot of teams who are doing well who let it get to their heads and then start losing. It's important everyone understands that we're not that great, that we won a tournament but we have to put in more effort than before.
What do you think are your chances of the team entering the LCS in the future?
I think our chances are really good but it depends on the effort we put in. We beat every single challenger team recently so we just need to keep going.
What do you think of the Elements situation in the EU LCS?
I think as a team they are playing better together, but Elements as a team—I think every single role that they got a different player for is worse, but they are doing fine because they are playing better as a team, which is important
What are the problems preventing them from being a better team?
I think they weren't working together properly and there wasn't the necessary leadership. Without the leadership it's impossible to be successful in my opinion. Right now they will have problems at Worlds because they are not good enough to beat the top 3 teams based on player skill.
Do you think they will need to make roster changes in the future?
Well if they want to be the top team, yes I think they have to make roster swaps. In my opinion I think it's impossible for the current team to be on top. For example Fnatic and Origen and H2k are doing well, and unless the players become insanely good I think they will have to make changes.
What do you think about Fnatic's 14-0 record?
It has a lot to due with Yellowstar being a great leader.
Well, I think you have a lot of great teams with a lot of great players. Fnatic always works well together. They always have a really good sense of direction and they keep improving every single week, which is a problem for a lot of teams. You can see, for example, Elements had a lot of really good players that just all sucked together. So I think it has a lot to due with Yellowstar being a great leader and the support staff of Fnatic being extremely good. All the players are good as well but it's important to note that Yellowstar and Fnatic's support staff are doing a lot for the team.
Besides Fnatic, are there any other teams that you're impressed with in the EU LCS?
I think H2K and Origen are both roughly the level Alliance was the split we made it to Worlds. They can do really well at Worlds. Fnatic's obviously outclassing everyone. But it's going to be super great to see how they'll do at Worlds. Since S2, this'll be the first season that you'll have a team in Europe have a chance to win the whole tournament. Like, at Worlds last year, Alliance could've won the tournament but that's very unlikely. If we faced Samsung White, we'd probably lose. We scrimmed against them and we won two scrims and lost eighteen.
What do you think about the strength of Europe vs. North America?
I think Fnatic's obviously better than all NA teams as well.
It's difficult to say because I think Fnatic's obviously better than all NA teams as well. That goes without saying. But if you take the Korean league last year and deleted Samsung White at Worlds, then I think Europe would've had a chance to win Worlds. I think NA could've had a chance to win Worlds. I think Korea and China both could've had a chance to win Worlds. I just think Samsung White was too powerful of a team. I think NA is not too far behind Europe at all, but it's just that Fnatic is too strong and because of Fnatic, Europe is better. But without Fnatic, I think Europe would be pretty close. Slightly better, but not a big difference.
What are your opinions on the coaching staff working in Europe right now?
I'll start with the basics of coaching. Coaching is good but the problem is not every team is going to improve from having a coach. Some teams actually get worse because they don't know what to do. A coach might be new to the team—might be new at coaching. He has a huge responsibility and might not know what to do with that. I think some teams get worse. For example, Elements this first split.
But on the other side of the coin, if you find the right coach, and he knows what to do, and he does the job right—for example, Fnatic—they're winning every game and still improving. It all depends on the coach. You have the right one. If you find the wrong one, you're going to have a bad time. If you find the right one, you're going to have a really good time.
What is the relationship between you and former Elements/Alliance players? Are you on good terms with them?
It depends what you mean by "good terms." I'm talking to Elements staff quite often. We have no problem at all. We just knew that it wasn't going to work with the players we had. So we had to change something. So that's good—we figured that out. With the players, I talk to Nyph once in a while. I haven't talked much to Froggen. We scrim against them but there's no bad blood or anything.
Anything to say to your fans?
Thank you guys for supporting me even though I'm in the challenger series right now. I know it's not as exciting, but hopefully it's only for a couple more months before we're in the LCS. I'll make a good showing for you guys.
Avalanche Studios on Wednesday released an interactive trailer for its upcoming open-world game Just Cause 3 that lets you choose how you want the scene to unfold.
It's meant to highlight Just Cause 3's sandbox environments and non-linear gameplay, two central pillars of the overall Just Cause franchise. Part of the reason why the Just Cause franchise continues to be popular comes down its non-linearity, and it appears that spirit will carry forward with Just Cause 3.
The video prompts you to make decisions, and the mission will play out differently depending on what you decide. Once it ends, you may want to go through it again to see how things could be different.
The majority of game fans in the UK still prefer to buy boxed software over digital downloads, a new study has claimed.
Of about 2,000 people surveyed, only a quarter said they preferred to download their games.
In a survey conducted by Broadband Genie, about 39 percent of 2,000 UK gamers said they preferred to buy physical software over digital. By contrast, a quarter said they preferred to download their games. The remaining 36 percent said they had no preference.
The report corresponds with a GameSpot poll which found that more than half of respondents said they preferred physical games, while only 25 percent said they choose digital downloads over a boxed game.
The survey also asked about 1000 gamers how often they experienced lag when playing online, with 59 percent claiming to notice it occasionally or frequently.
However, the survey did not distinguish between problems due to ISPs, or due to platform holders' networks, or for other reasons.
Bethesda on Wednesday announced that The Elder Scrolls Online's first DLC expansion, Imperial City, will launch on August 31 for PC/Mac and on September 15 for Xbox One and a day later on PlayStation 4.
Imperial City introduces "hours" of new gameplay to the fantasy MMO, spanning new areas, quests, enemies, and items. In terms of story, the Imperial City has been overrun by Daedric Prince Molag Bal, and players must fight the new Daedric forces and also each other.
The expansion is included with an ESO Plus Membership or can be purchased separately for $20. For a closer look at some of the new content coming to The Elder Scrolls Online, check out the video below.
Below is a rundown of Imperial City's "key features," as written by Bethesda.
All content is available to players that are level 10 and up
A brand new PvP/PvE space, including the six Imperial City Districts
New quests and key characters within the Imperial City
One new Imperial City PvP Public Dungeon: The Imperial Sewers
Two new PvE Imperial City group dungeons with Normal and Veteran versions: White-Gold Tower and Imperial City Prison
The Tel Var Stone system
23 completely new Veteran Rank 16 item sets, only available in Imperial City
Treasure Vaults that contain new Veteran Rank 16 set jewelry and a chance for even rarer finds
Xivkyn racial motif style
New collectibles only available in Imperial City (pets, polymorphs, and a costume)
Accompanying Imperial City's release next month will be a base-game patch for everyone. In all, there will be "hundreds of fixes and improvements" for areas such as combat, classes, quests, dungeons, and more. Some of the key takeaways are below.
15% decrease in the amount of XP it takes to gain a Veteran Rank
100% more XP for all public dungeons
50% more XP for all Veteran Rank quests
20% more XP in Craglorn
Veteran Rank increased to 16
Racial Passive improvements
Mundus Stone buff improvements
Glass racial motif style
Improvements to existing item sets
The ability to hide mount visual upgrades
New crafting skill line passives
New Undaunted pledges
Tons of combat and gameplay balance changes
Improved end-of-campaign Alliance War rewards
The Elder Scrolls Online was originally released for PC in April 2014 as a subscription-based MMORPG. In January 2015, the game transitioned to a pay-once model and was renamed Tamriel Unlimited. The console versions launched in June 2015.
The Warcraft movie trailer shown behind closed doors at Comic-Con over the weekend has leaked.
As is often the case for videos of this kind, the quality is not the best. Still, the video offers an exciting tease for the long-in-development fantasy movie based on Blizzard's gaming franchise.
Take a look at the video below. It might get pulled, so you may want to watch it right away.
Van Helsing and King Arthur developer NeocoreGames on Wednesday announced Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor - Martyr, which the Budapest-based studio describes as a "persistent sandbox action-RPG."
According to IGN, the game is currently scheduled to launch in 2016 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
Neocore has high hopes for Martyr, saying in a statement that, even after you complete the campaign, the narrative will continue to unfold by way of its "colossal sandbox." This should allow players to continue to enjoy "years of constant entertainment" through regular add-on content and more.
The developer is working with Warhammer license-holder Games Workshop on Martyr. Neocore producer Zoltan Pozsonyi also assured hardcore Warhammer fans that the studio is right there with them.
"There's a reason why we chose the world of Warhammer 40,000: it's intense, brutal, visceral---a perfect material for an action RPG," he explained. "We're huge fans as well, so we care deeply about this game."
It's July 15, which means today is the last day that Xbox Live Gold members can download PopCap's Plants vs. Zombies for free on Xbox 360. The tower defense game is the first of two Xbox 360 games that will be free for subscribers in July as part of Microsoft's Games With Gold promotion.
Starting tomorrow, July 16, members can download Epic's 2011 action-shooter Gears of War 3 for free.
In advance of fighting game tournament EVO 2015, Sony has launched a fighting game sale on PlayStation Network, offering discounts on a number of classic and recent titles. for PS3, PS4, and PS Vita.
Sony is also offering discounts on a number of movies including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Enter the Dragon, The Fighter, Foxcatcher, and more. You can find the list of movies here.
Take a look at the full list of discounts below.
Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- (PS4): $34.99 (PS Plus price: $29.99)
Kickbeat (PS4): $5 (PS Plus price: $4)
Mortal Kombat X (PS4): $44.99
Mortal Kombat X Premium Edition (PS4): $67.49
Towerfall Ascension (PS4): $7.50 (PS Plus price: $6)
WWE 2K15 (PS4): $35.99 (PS Plus price: $23.99)
Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!! (PS3): $12.50 (PS Plus price: $10)
BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma (PS3): $15 (PS Plus price: $12)
Capcom Fighting Evolution (PS3): $5 (PS Plus price: $4)
Cartoon Network Punch Time Explosion XI (PS3): $10 (PS Plus price: $8)
Darkstalkers Resurrection (PS3): $7.50 (PS Plus price: $6)
Digimon All-Star Rumble (PS3): $23.99 (PS Plus price: $19.99)
Girl Fight (PS3): $5 (PS Plus price: $4)
Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- (PS3): $27.99 (PS Plus price: $23.99)
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle (PS3): $25 (PS Plus price: $20)
Kickbeat (PS3): $5 (PS Plus price: $4)
Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection (PS3): $4 (PS Plus price: $2.50)
Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition (PS3): $8 (PS Plus price: $5)
Pocket Fighter (PS3): $2.40 (PS Plus price: $1.50)
Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers (PS3): $30 (PS Plus price: $24)
SoulCalibur V (PS3): $10 (PS Plus price: $8)
SoulCalibur 2 HD Online (PS3): $10 (PS Plus price: $8)
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition Complete Pack (PS3): $8 (PS Plus price: $5)
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition (PS3): $6 (PS Plus price: $3.75)
Street Fighter X Tekken (PS3): $15 (PS Plus price: $12)
Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix (PS3): $4 (PS Plus price: $2.50)
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (PS3): $14 (PS Plus price: $8.75)
Ultra Street Fighter IV (PS3): $20 (PS Plus price: $16)
Under Night in-birth Exe: Late (PS3): $27.99 (PS Plus price: $23.99)
WWE 2K15 (PS3): $35.99 (PS Plus price: $23.99)
Street Fighter Alpha (PS3/PSP/PS Vita): $2.40 (PS Plus price: $1.50)
Street Fighter Alpha 2 (PS3/PSP/PS Vita): $2.40 (PS Plus price: $1.50)
Street Fighter Alpha 3 (PS3/PSP/PS Vita): $4 (PS Plus price: $2.50)
Def Jam Fight For New York: The Takeover (PSP): $4 (PS Plus price: $2.50)
Sony's PlayStation Mobile platform is soon to be no more. As announced previously, the platform, essentially a framework for PlayStation Vita and Android indie games, will close Wednesday.
A specific time for the shutdown was not announced, so if there are any games you want to pick up, you may want to do so quickly.
PlayStation Mobile will no longer distribute content after July 15, 2015, while in-app purchases and the ability to re-download previously purchased content will come to an end on September 10, 2015. The shutdown applies to both PS Vita and certified PlayStation Android devices such as smartphones and tablets.
Any previously downloaded PlayStation Mobile content will still be available after September 10, though users will need to activate their PS Vita or Android device using the instructions printed below.
How to activate your device:
For PS Vita users: You will need to complete the device activation process by performing the steps below between March 10, 2015, and September 10, 2015: Go to [Settings] > [PSN] > [System Activation] > [PlayStation Mobile] > [Activate] > [OK].
For PlayStation Certified device users: You will need to open up the PSM app and launch any purchased PSM content between April 10, 2015 and September 10, 2015 to complete the content authentication process.
Please ensure that you have downloaded all of the games that you want to keep. After September 10, 2015, you will not be able to re-download your purchased content.
Devices that are not authenticated prior to September 10, 2015 will be unable to access previously purchased PSM content after that date.
The former developer of Dead Island 2 has said a difference in vision between the studio and Deep Silver resulted in the decision to go its separate ways.
Timo Ulmann, managing director of Yager Developments, said in a statement that the project "fell out of alignment."
"Our team is made of the best creative minds and tech specialists, who all share a common identity. The team worked with enthusiasm to take Dead Island 2 to a new level of quality. However, Yager and Deep Silver's respective visions of the project fell out of alignment, which led to the decision that has been made."
The studio is also currently working on Dreadnought, a flight combat simulator with Grey Box attached as publisher. Looking forward, Ulmann said the studio will "focus current efforts on Dreadnout", along with "new projects."
The game will feature a heavy emphasis on melee combat and role-playing game elements. According to Deep Silver, it will also have "never-before-seen" handcrafted weapons. The game is powered by Unreal Engine 4, and will take players to places like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and Venice Beach.
Another previously touted feature is "seamless" multiplayer for up to eight players that can "cooperate, compete, or simply coexist." The publisher has described this as a "new-gen multiplayer experience."
Available now publisher Electronic Arts' Origin platform is a free trial that lets you play the open-world RPG's single-player campaign for a period of six hours.
If after the six hours are up you decide to buy the full game, your progress will thankfully carry forward.
Multiplayer, however, is "unlimited," according to the product page. Free trial players can also download Inquisition's free multiplayer packs and even play with people who own the paid game.
Gearbox Software is getting started on an all-new Duke Nukem game that the developer thinks has the potential to turn heads when it is finally released. The developer's president and CEO, Randy Pitchford, announced today that Gearbox--which owns the Duke Nukem franchise--has done early concept work for a follow-up to 2011's critically panned Duke Nukem Forever.
"I did not acquire the franchise merely so we could all experience Duke Nukem Forever. That was the toll to pay to give Duke a chance," Pitchford said during his keynote address at the Develop conference today, as reported by IGN. "That said, I liked that game. I got to see it from a slightly different perspective and it was marvelous to me."
Pitchford went on to tease that Gearbox has "done some concept development [for a new Duke Nukem game]," but warned fans that this game might not come soon and Gearbox may not even develop it.
"Gearbox is very busy," Pitchford said. "I think the faster way is that a correct developer can become interested and we can work with them. I think it's a challenging problem. But, I'll tell you one thing. When it does happen, there's no doubt that the whole industry will turn its head and look."
Texas-based Gearbox is currently working on the MOBA-like console and PC shooter Battleborn, as well as a third Borderlands game and possibly even a new Brothers in Arms. Pitchford did not name any studio candidates to develop a new Duke Nukem if indeed Gearbox decides to hand it off to an outside team.
As for why Gearbox is thinking about reviving Duke Nukem, Pitchford went on to say that the Duke Nukem brand is popular with the mainstream audience, probably more than Borderlands. But for Duke Nukem Forever, many only cared about the game because of its 14-year development schedule, he said.
This isn't the first time the topic of reviving the foul-mouthed action hero has come up. Following the game's release in 2011, the CEO of the game's parent publisher Take-Two Interactive teased, "You will see future Duke [intellectual property] coming from this company."
In his 3.5/10 Duke Nukem Forever review, GameSpot critic Kevin VanOrd wrote about the game, "The bland and ugly Duke Nukem Forever turns a famous gaming icon into an embarrassment."
What would you like to see from a new Duke Nukem? Let us know in the comments below.
For the first time since its release in May, Sony is discounting the price of the standalone version of The Last of Us: Left Behind. You can buy the game today for $5, a healthy 50 percent markdown from its normal price. This price applies to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 versions.
There is no word on how long the deal will last, so if you're interested, you may want to act quickly. What's more, you don't need a PlayStation Plus membership to enjoy the savings.
Left Behind is a prequel to The Last of Us that follows Ellie and her friend Riley. They sneak out of their boarding school and journey through an abandoned, post-apocalyptic mall.
"Left Behind is an excellent addition that gives further insight into the chilling world of The Last of Us and its most interesting character," reviewer Tom McShea wrote in his review.
Left Behind represents the first single-player DLC developer Naughty Dog has ever created. For more, read our Left Behind review here.
In addition, Sony has announced that the Abandoned Territories Map Pack, the Reclaimed Territories Map Pack, and the Double Map Pack are now available for the PS3 edition of The Last of Us for free. These map packs were included with the PS4 version of The Last of Us when it launched last summer.
A brand new trailer has been revealed for Ys Net's Shenmue 3, coming just days before the end of the game's Kickstarter campaign.
The trailer shows off a newly announced scene in the game, dubbed the Lake of the Lantern Bugs.
A new Kickstarter reward tier has also been added, allowing fans to appear in the game as an NPC in return for $6000. This tier also includes a voice message from voice actor Corey Marshall in character as Ryo, which alone usually costs $1000.
At the time of writing, the campaign sits at around $4,900,000, so this latest reward tier will likely push the pledge total over the $5,000,000 stretch goal, for which Ys Net promise an expanded Baisha Village and a "character perspective system."
At $5,100,000, the developers will commit to adding Portuguese subtitles into the game.
Epic Games has warned customers that their forums have been "compromised by a hacker" and advised users to change their passwords if they are shared with other websites and services.
A notice of the security breach was sent out to users via an e-mail, which states hackers may have "unauthorised access to usernames, email addresses, passwords, and the date of birth provided at registration."
It also details the specific forums that were hacked: "The affected forum site covers UDK, Infinity Blade, Gears of War, Bulletstorm, and prior Unreal Tournament games."
"We apologize for the inconvenience this causes everyone," the email continues. "To further understand what's happened and prevent it in the future, we're working with a computer security firm to identify the nature of the compromise. We will report further information on the forums when they reopen.
"It is possible that any information stored or sent by you using the forums may have been accessed. Since this is a public forum, we do not collect or maintain financial information, but we advise you to be alert for suspicious email such as phishing attempts."
Epic Games' Fortnite combines first-person shooting, base building, and tower defense. The title has been in a closed alpha state for months now, but no official release date has been announced.
In May 2014, Epic Games announced a new Unreal Tournament game was in development. Powered by Unreal Engine 4, the title will be free to players. The studio has stressed that it is not free-to-play, but will be supported by an in-game marketplace where users can create and sell content.
The New Horizons space probe which recently completed a flyby of Pluto and beamed new images of the planet back to Earth is being guided by the same CPU which powered the original PlayStation console. As reported by The Verge, the probe contains a MIPS R3000 CPU, repurposed to "fire thrusters, monitor sensors, and transmit data."
Credit: The Guardian / UPI /Landov / Barcroft Media.
The same CPU was used in the original PlayStation console, which was first released in 1994 and ran at 33.8688MHz. It was implemented by NASA scientists in the New Horizons Space Probe, which was launched in 2006 and has travelled more than three billion miles in its journey.
According to The Verge, NASA has always preferred hardware that has been "tried-and-tested" over newer technology, which may be riskier to use. Reliability is prioritised over power, which is why a 12-year-old CPU was used, with a few tweaks made to help with surviving in space.
Gravity are currently leading the standings at first place, looking to continue their winning streak and go on to take the first seed for World Championships.
Meanwhile, Team Impulse has been on a roll, going 2-0 for a second week in a row. Their current record seems like a similar reiteration of their Spring Split, breaking even each week before picking up the pace right before playoffs.
At the same time, Counter Logic Gaming also looks like they've snapped out of their slump this weekend. But the question is: Will they be able to find their footing during playoffs? Or are they doomed to falter once again, when it matters the most? Will Doublelift spend another World Championship watching from the analyst desk?
And lastly, crowd favorites Team SoloMid have been in a recent slump, losing both their games this week to Team 8 and Team Liquid. With team synergy issues plaguing them, they fall to third place. They look to return to form and fight for their spot at the top of the standings.
Sega has posted a snippet from Sonic Generations with the addition of what is titled the "Shia Lebouf DLC." The video was uploaded on the official Sonic the Hedgehog YouTube channel, and features snippets of actor Shia Lebeouf delivering a motivational speech that went viral.
In the tongue-in-cheek video, which contains spoilers for Sonic Generations, Sonic has been struck down by antagonist Doctor Eggman and is being encouraged by characters including Amy Rose, Knuckles, Tails, and Shia LeBeouf.
Sonic Generations was first released in 2011 and is available on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, 3DS, and PC. The game was positively-received in GameSpot's review, praised for how well it blended elements of old Sonic games with new mechanics.
"Sega in the 90s was known for its brand, but after that, we've lost trust, and we're left with nothing but reputation ... We'd like to win back the trust and become a brand once again," he said. Sega has revealed that it will announce "something for home consoles" at this year's Tokyo Game Show.
What do you think of the recent change in Sonic's American promotions? Let us know in the comments below!
Anime Expo, a convention that features film screenings, guest panels and gaming previews, took place last weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It's currently the largest anime convention in North America and it has a breadth of activities for its attendees, one being the Masquerade Cosplay Contest.
In fact Anime Expo has a history grounded in colorful cosplay, and since the League of Legends audience is growing bigger and bigger every year, it's only natural that there are more cosplayers dressing up as our favorite champions.
For starters, the convention had several foxy ladies cosplaying as Ahri, the fox spirit. And we even had a few cosplayers genderbend their champions.
Check out the rest of Anime Expo's League of Legends cosplayers in our gallery!
Following Dead Island 2's delay into 2016, publisher Deep Silver on Tuesday announced another major piece of news about the game. The zombie game's developer. Spec Ops: The Line studio Yager, is no longer working on the project.
"With Dead Island 2, Deep Silver has always been dedicated to delivering the sequel that Dead Island fans deserve," Deep Silver said in a statement. "After careful consideration, today we announce the decision to part ways with development partner Yager."
"We will continue working towards bringing our vision of Dead Island 2 to life, and we will share further information at a later stage."
Deep Silver did not announce which studio would be taking over development duties.
The game will feature melee combat, role-playing game elements, and "never-before-seen" handcrafted weapons, according to Deep Silver. In Dead Island 2, which is powered by Unreal Engine 4, you'll visit places like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and Venice Beach.
There's also "seamless" multiplayer for up to eight players. You can "cooperate, compete, or simply coexist," Deep Silver says. It's all part of this "new-gen multiplayer experience." Finally, Dead Island 2 features a handful of dedicated classes that offer unique gameplay, including the action-focused Berserker and the stealth Hunter.
Though it remains an important part of Microsoft's long-term goal for HoloLens, the first version of the augmented reality tech will not be focused on gaming. That's according to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who talked about the company's vision for HoloLens in a big interview with GameSpot sister site ZDNet.
Asked where he thought the initial demand for HoloLens would be, Nadella replied, "For sure in the first version, it's going to be more about developers and enterprise scenarios."
"I did buy Minecraft to create a new genre of gaming for mixed reality," he said. "We bought Minecraft for many reasons: because it's the number one PC app; it's the number one console app; it's the number one paid mobile app on iOS and Android. I wanted a hit game even for the new medium of mixed reality. And we will have that. Gaming will always be a scenario and there will be other entertainment broadly. But, with the V.1 of HoloLens, I want us to push a lot more of the enterprise usage."
Although Microsoft has not made any real HoloLens games to date, the company has conducted a number of experiments. We've already seen an amazing Minecraft tech demo (watch the video above), and at E3, we even got to try a special HoloLens experience based on the Halo franchise. It was stunning.
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