By Anonymous on Mar 26, 2015 11:11 pm With $11 billion in total lifetime revenue, the Call of Duty franchise is one of the biggest in all of gaming. But how many copies of the series have been sold to date? Activision clued us in today, announcing via a new infographic that, since the series debuted over a decade ago, it has sold 175 million Call of Duty games. That comes out to around one copy sold every two minutes, Activision said. By comparison, Take-Two's Grand Theft Auto series has sold more than 185 million copies. Other franchises to have sold more than 100 million units include household names such as LEGO, Mario, Pokemon, Need for Speed, Final Fantasy, and FIFA. Meanwhile, Microsoft has sold 60 million Halo games while Konami has shifted 33 million Metal Gear Solid titles, according to each publisher's latest count. Going back to the Call of Duty infographic, over 100 billion multiplayer matches have been played so far, while players have chucked more than 300 billion grenades. On top of that, players have earned 579 billion in-game awards, which is more than five times the number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy. The next Call of Duty game, in development at Black Ops creator Treyarch, will be released later this year. Activision announced the title during an earnings call earlier this year. Little is known about the game, but Activision historically blows the lid off new Call of Duty games in May, so gamers may not have to wait much longer to learn more about it. By Anonymous on Mar 26, 2015 09:30 pm Bloodborne is tough as nails, but From Software has crafted the game in such a way that it feels more accessible to players who may have been off-put by previous Souls games. By Anonymous on Mar 26, 2015 09:30 pm In stopwatch mode attackers and defenders skirmish to beat each others objective completion times. By Anonymous on Mar 26, 2015 09:25 pm Following yesterday's surprise announcement, the first trailer for free-to-play PC Halo game Halo Online has now surfaced. In it, we get a look at the game's graphics, gameplay, and weapons, as well as its extensive customization and monetization systems. Halo Online runs on a "highly modified" version of Halo 3's engine and has been optimized to run well even on lower-end machines. The game looks pretty great in the trailer above, but of course, we don't know the specs for the PC rig it's running on. Expected to launch through a closed beta later this spring, Halo Online is in development exclusively for Russia. Microsoft has not ruled out a release for the game in North America, but made no promises. After taking a look at the game, what do you think? Would you be interested in playing it if it were released in the United States? For me, it would come down to the pricing model. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! By Anonymous on Mar 26, 2015 08:52 pm Microsoft on Thursday announced April's free games for Xbox 360 and Xbox One owners with an Xbox Live Gold membership. The company is going big next month, offering double the number of free games, including titles like Child of Light, Gears of War: Judgment, and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. Below is a breakdown of the free games available to subscribers in April. Xbox One (all month long):Xbox 360 (April 1-15)- Gears of War: Judgment (normally $20)
- Terraria (normally $15)
Xbox 360 (April 16-31)Microsoft also announced that, since it launched the Games With Gold promotion, gamers have downloaded more than 100 million free games and achieved over 5 billion Gamerscore. By Anonymous on Mar 26, 2015 08:30 pm Square Enix recently released a demo for Final Fantasy XV titled Episode Duscae, for fans who pre-ordered Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, a high-definition remake of 2011's Final Fantasy spin-off game. Both games are directed by Hajime Tabata, who also led development on Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. GameSpot sat down with Tabata to discuss why he wanted to feature an all-male party in Final Fantasy XV, the three pillars that comprise the game, and why Square Enix finally decided to give Final Fantasy Type-0 a Western release. Lifting The Curtain on Manly TimesLike Type-0, Final Fantasy XV is thematically centred on war and a part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis series. However, the similarities end there. For starters, Final Fantasy XV's playable cast is much smaller. Main character Noctis is flanked by companions Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto to form an all-male party which Tabata felt was key to making it feel more accessible. "Speaking honestly, an all-male party feels almost more approachable for players. Even the presence of one female in the group will change their behaviour, so that they'll act differently. So to give the most natural feeling, to make them feel sincere and honest, having them all the same gender made sense in that way," Tabata said. The game certainly doesn't shy away from the theme of male intimacy, with the party sharing a tent, protecting each other in battles, and holding no qualms about showing open concern for one another. For Tabata, the journey will have the cast adopting what he dubs a "boys will be boys" type demeanor. "It was the story we wanted to tell and what we wanted to show players," he explained. "The world might be ready to see the curtain lifted on what boys do when girls aren't around, when they come out of the tent all prim and proper. That's kind of the idea behind it… we think, male or female player, that everyone will feel a certain connection and bond with the four characters." Hajime TabataThe Three Pillars of Final Fantasy XVBack in February, Tabata revealed that development on Final Fantasy XV was 60 percent complete. He followed this up by saying it would not take long to reach 80 percent completion, and that the last 20 percent of the project would "fall into place in a relatively smooth and timely fashion." While the game is probably closer to 80% completion, the Episode Duscae demo represents the previous, 60% done version. "To clarify on that 60 percent figure, it's the playable demo that represents the 60 percent, which is what [I] was referring to in February. The main challenge right now is taking all the lessons we learned from making the demo and turning them into something positive to bring to the full game," he said. For Tabata, there are three pillars to Final Fantasy XV which he had in mind. "In the demo, we were able to focus on one of those pillars and really bring that across to players--you'll be able to see it. But there still remain two pillars that players may not fully appreciate from the demo. As we head towards release of the full game, promotion wise, how we can show this to users what's coming up, and conveying that to our fans, is one of the challenges," he said. Framing a game based on three pillars is nothing new to Square Enix, as the method was also mentioned by Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn director Naoki Yoshida in an interview. Yoshida listed them as "the great story, the great graphics, and a great game experience." Still, Tabata remains positive about launching a new journey in the Final Fantasy series. He is confident that bringing the game to the PS4 and Xbox One offers new opportunities to create an immersive experience. "We really think that the feeling of the journey, adventure, and bonding that no other Final Fantasy has been able to do before, we'll be able to achieve that in Final Fantasy XV." Bringing Type-0 To The West At LastIt's been four years since Final Fantasy Type-0 first launched for the PlayStation Portable in Japan, so why bring the game to the Western market now? According to Tabata, a number of pieces fell into place that made the launch of a remastered version possible. "Soon after the Japanese version was completed the market for the PSP kind of switched over. We did want to bring it over but it wasn't an option at that point," Tabata said. The market change he referred to was likely the Japanese launch of the PlayStation Vita in 2011, the same year Type-0 was released in the country. In response to the lack of a Western release, fans in the West formed "a large movement" in the hopes of seeing a launch of the game, but Tabata said the idea of a remake only really took hold while the team was making Final Fantasy XV. "We were underway with FFXV development and got some knowledge of the [PS4 and Xbox One] hardware and realised it was our chance to release Type-0 with a HD remaster," he said. Making a More Mature Final FantasyType-0 adopts a different, grittier tone than other Final Fantasy games as of late, telling the story of a class of students forced to experience the horrors of war. The opening scene in Type-0 features a lot of blood and death, setting a darker tone than what is usually expected from games in the Final Fantasy series. "It's definitely a more mature experience than the Final Fantasy games that you see now," Tabata explained, and added that he was "curious how it'll be received by the fans." For him, the theme spawned from the idea that the player would fight beside characters who were born into "a cruel world" that was torn by conflict. "That was kind of the departure point for the project, and it demanded a more mature treatment. We didn't want it to feel as though there was a wall on the screen and the player was just controlling the characters in the world, but that the player was in the world. To achieve that immersion, it had to take on a more mature tone," Tabata said. The playable cast spans fourteen characters, a number that had originally been thirteen when the game was still titled Agito-13. According to Tabata, the inspiration for such a large cast came from the traditional Japanese war dramas that were popular and featured several characters. "The idea was that if you had thirteen characters, each one capable of being the lead, that you would have made a game filled with personality by having that many lead characters present," he explained. Having more characters makes them no less important, though, with Tabata insistent that the game's story was themed around the "fragility of life." "I'm wondering how the [players] will receive it," he said. Regardless, the Tabata was happy to be able to bring the game to the Western audience at last. "It's really fulfilling to meet the fan wishes," he said. For more on Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, check out GameSpot's review. By Anonymous on Mar 26, 2015 08:30 pm Well it's getting weird in Evolves new DLC. There's a creepy rock lobster frog thing, a bug medic that deals heavy damage, and a guy that's more machine than man. Find out what you get in the latest DLC from Evolve. By Anonymous on Mar 26, 2015 08:30 pm Check out some footage from Evolves new DLC featuring viewpoints from both the Behemoth as well as the new medic Slim. By Anonymous on Mar 26, 2015 08:24 pm Warner Bros. and Maxim Russia have teamed up for the latest Mortal Kombat X trailer. Released today, the video offers a new look at the fighting game, and confirms that Liu Kang will return as a playable fighter. The trailer also spotlights Kung Lao and Kung Jin. In addition, it offers some new details about Mortal Kombat X's story. According to the description, it reveals that "Raiden's champions of Earthrealm from the past have risen from the dead, under the control of the sinister former Elder God, Shinnok." The Mortal Kombat X release date is April 14 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions, however, have been delayed. Check out GameSpot's roundup here for a full list of Mortal Kombat X's confirmed (and rumored) characters. For a closer look at the game's roster, check out the image gallery below. NEWS: IMAGES: By Anonymous on Mar 26, 2015 08:00 pm Language learning software company Rosetta Stone has launched its latest product, but it might not be what you expect. The company has released a free Rosetta Stone Xbox One app called "Discover Languages" that aims to help people learn English or Spanish from the comfort of their couch. "Playing video games is great cognitive exercise; it helps improve your focus, memory, and ability to multitask," the company said on its blog. How does it work? The app leverages what Rosetta Stone calls "immersive simulation." Basically, you'll virtually travel to a variety of locations and talk with the characters you find there. This gives you the feeling of real-world interaction, but in a venue where you probably won't be embarrassed if you screw up. The Xbox One Rosetta Stone app also comes with study recommendations, cultural tips, phrase books, and games to help you hone your skills. Would you be interested in trying something like this out? Let us know in the comments below! By Anonymous on Mar 26, 2015 05:09 am We show off what the different armor sets look like in Bloodborne. Which one is your favorite? By Anonymous on Mar 26, 2015 04:30 am A new Halo game is coming to PC (but don't get too excited), the PS4 gets a massive update, and, Steve Wozniak says we should fear the future. Recent Articles:
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