Modders can certainly do some impressive things. Code tinkerer XVermillion got Baraka, Sindel, and Rain working in the Mortal Kombat X training mode. You can see those first two in the video above, and Rain below.. The trio have been Mortal Kombat staples for years, but as of right now they only appear in the campaign as opponents.
XVermillion explained how he got the characters up and running in a Reddit post.
There are other files you can change to get stuff like Rain's name under the health Bar but the only files I modded are in the "Assets" folder I believe; there should be 2 associated with Rain (Rain_A.xxx and another one I can't remember but you can just search the folder for Rain). Anyway, I backed up the files for Shinnok (the character I'm replacing) and renamed Rain's files to match those associated with Shinnok's 1st costume slot (CHAR_Shinnok_A.xxx and one other, the one that matches Rain's other one) and moved 'em to the folder and overwrote Shinnok's old files with the newly renamed Rain files. What you see is just me playing in training mode with what the game thinks is Shinnok but is using Rain's model and moveset.
Mortal Kombat X was released April 14th on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on April 14. For more of our Mortal Kombat X coverage, you can check out our fatality guide. We also have a review in progress that we'll update over the next few days as we test out the game's online modes.
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As promised, Electronic Arts and DICE released the first full-length trailer for Star Wars: Battlefront today at the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California.
The video--captured on PlayStation 4--is quite impressive, showing off planets such as Endor and Hoth, as well as speeder bikes, AT-ATs, and even the Millennium Falcon, all of which players can use in the game.
It's clear that the team here at GameSpot is filled with avid Star Wars fans (and those who aren't are just stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf-herders). The Star Wars Celebration has evoked strong feelings in us all, and to join in the jubilation, we've rounded up a collection of some of our favorite Star Wars features. Enjoy!
Ever since The Empire Strikes Back's theatrical release, Star Wars games have been obsessed with re-creating the Battle of Hoth. Though the Rebel Alliance's tactical retreat from the icy planet may not be as iconic as the Death Star trench run, or Luke Skywalker's lightsaber duel with Darth Vader, the battle contains more than enough moments that could make for thrilling action.
Whether you want to be a snowspeeder pilot tripping up Imperial walkers with harpoons and tow cables, a parka-clad private fighting the war on the ground, or the stoic commander of an AT-AT itself, the Battle of Hoth is the one Star Wars skirmish where all of those roles engage in the same place, at the same time. Can a single Star Wars game even capture this complexity, or does each one need to pick and choose which aspect of the battle to depict? Does the Battle of Hoth work best as a side-scroller, a rail shooter, or a multiplayer game? Find out.
Memorable movie characters from that galaxy far, far away are as plentiful as womp rats on the desert world of Tatooine. But what about the best ones that only appear in video games? Star Wars games have a history of bringing to life awesome and iconic (although non-canonical) characters, so here's our list of the 15 greatest Star Wars characters that came from games. Featuring HK-47, Starkiller, Zaalbar aka "Big Z," and more.
Speaking of awesome crossovers, Square Enix and Lucasfilm revealed new Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and Stormtrooper figures designed by the Japanese game publisher. Feast your eyes on these epic Star Wars collectibles.
The name TIE Fight might immediately bring to mind the space combat game series, but it also serves as the title of the exceptional fan film featured above. Now to convince Disney to revamp the TIE Fighter series with this stylish mashup of Macross, RoboTech, and Star Wars.
The 1,200 pound Star Wars: Battle Pod arcade machine, which was created by Lucasfilm, Disney Interactive, and Bandai Namco, lets players experience iconic moments from the original Star Wars trilogy, including flying an X-wing in the Death Star trench run, a Snowspeeder in the Battle of Hoth, and a speeder bike through the forests of Endor. See how this gargantuan game came to be.
Sandbox game Minecraft now has a downloadable Star Wars skin pack that's exclusive to the Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles. The Star Wars DLC skin pack contains 55 skins from the Star Wars movies Episode IV through to Episode VI, including character skins for Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Yoda. Take a look at the full list of Star Wars skins you could be roaming the world in.
In the cavernous halls of Star Wars Celebration, amidst the countless cosplayers and merch peddlers and chipper attendees, there is a circular room. Inside this room is a small amphitheatre modeled after the white briefing room on Home One, the rebel command ship from Return of the Jedi. You might recognize it as the place Admiral Ackbar hosts all his pals when they come over to plot, or you might tell me that the ship is a Mon Calamari Star Cruiser (and until some recent Googling, I would've thought you were making that up). Or you might not know it all.
Even if you count yourself among that latter group of people, you'd have no trouble following what I saw in that small room: the first gameplay demo for Star Wars Battlefront. Though Battlefront is a series with some history set in a universe positively bursting with history, the first scenes of Battlefront in action didn't rely much on referencing the past. Even if you haven't seen a battle on the forest moon of Endor before, it was easy to follow the progression from skirmishes on the fringe of a battlefield, to firefights fought between elevated terrain and pitched positions, to lopsided clashes as lumbering vehicles crashed through the undergrowth and sent soldiers scrambling. This wasn't the debut of a bold new direction or innovative new features; this was Battlefront reintroducing itself to the world.
So let's get the familiar out of the way first. Battlefront is, on a broad level, Battlefield set in the Star Wars universe. The player starts as an infantry soldier on the Rebel or Imperial side, fighting in one of the iconic locations from the movies. In this early demo, the forest was looking particularly lush. There was eye-catching texture detail everywhere, from the trunks of the redwood trees to the ferns covering the forest floor. My eyes were even drawn to the fallen needles that covered logs long since fallen to the ground. It was immediately impressive, and I found myself noticing environmental details throughout the demo; light caught in a babbling brook, shade and sun varying with the density of the trees. This slice of a pre alpha PlayStation 4 build of Battlefront was certainly a looker.
The demo followed a rebel soldier walking through the forest en route to where the fighting was fiercest. Over the next few minutes, the camera changed on the fly between first- and third-person views, an ability that Battlefront veterans will no doubt appreciate. Given that this session was scripted and pre-recorded, there were more than a few happy circumstances when the player happened to come upon an enemy patrol after walking the right path through the right stand of trees. But though the demo was linear, the level design seemed varied enough to allow for surprises. Trees varied in density from tight copses to scattered glades, and the uneven ground created ridges and valleys that could be used to gain an advantage. Bunkers seemed to offer shelter below ground, while rope bridges and wooden platforms suspended above the forest floor created elevated spaces whose normal trade-off of height for exposure was disrupted by the sheer amount of trees on the map. A broad stream served as the encounter zone for the vehicles on the map and also raised the question: what exactly is the point of a speeder bike in a battle that is underway in a specific area? It's hard not to picture people just joyriding in those scout vehicles until they smash into a tree. Which I obviously want to do.
Speeder bikes, AT-STs (the gunboxes on two legs), and an AT-AT (the gunbox on four legs) were the vehicles shown in action during the demo. Light arms fire from the soldiers damaged the AT-STs, and in the trailer, a rebel rocket launcher polished one off in a jiffy. Vehicles in Battlefront are meant to be powerful weapons issued as a reward for exceptional or sustained performance, weapons that can turn the tide of battle. This doesn't mean they will, of course, and the rebels battering an AT-ST with sustained fire from the cover of the trees proved to be its undoing.
The AT-AT, however, required a tougher takedown, one that was delivered from on high, eventually. At first, the lumbering war machine stomped up the streambed, blasting rebels with powerful salvos from its cannons. With some quick maneuvering and unerring focus, the player found a small communications box on a hillside and, after holding down the square button for a short amount of time, radioed in a bombing run from a couple of Y-wings overhead. Some tense moments later, during which the player made a flashy run through the AT-AT's towering, stomping legs for our viewing pleasure, and the beast was blown to bits. The deveopers have said you'll be able to pilot AT-ATs, but in this case, I wonder. There was only a narrow stream going through the forest; the broad icy plains of Hoth this was not. Would it really be fun to drive the AT-AT down a narrow corridor, hemmed in by trees? Or perhaps you are simply manning the turret while the vehicle walks an appointed path, and bailing out at the last moment?
The answer might be found in the name of a new mode: Walker Battle. These are the largest conflicts in Battlefront, hosting a maximum of 40 players, and the name implies that the walker is the focal point of the conflict. Perhaps the Imperial team has to accrue enough points to spawn the walker, and then escort it for a short while so it can use its heavy ordnance to destroy a rebel outpost? The developers are still holding back a lot of details about Battlefront's modes, including how many there are, what they will be, what air battles will look like, and what interplay there will be between air and ground forces.
They did, however, clarify that Battlefront will not be an online-only multiplayer game. So-called Missions will be playable not only solo, but also in two-player cooperative mode, both online and in offline splitscreen. Missions sound like more-directed experiences that take place within the settings of the multiplayer maps. Again, the devs were short on details about progression, length, and how many missions will be available, but it's good to know there will be options for offline play.
Sticking with the two-player theme, developer DICE also talked about the partner system, which is a kind of reimagining of the squad system from the Battlefield series. Players will be able to choose a partner in battle (just one), and will always be able to see that partner on their mini-map, as well as spawn on their location. Furthermore, there will be some kind of inventory sharing between partners, allowing a player with more unlocks to share them with a less-experienced ally, or for two players to mix and match their kits so they form a complementary fighting force. There was a neat moment in the trailer that demonstrated this, with one partner popping a shield to protect them from AT-ST fire, and the other jetpacking up out of the shield to kill the AT-ST with a rocket launcher. There will likely be XP bonuses from fighting alongside your partner, given the amount of +XP indicators that popped up during the demo for killing an enemy, killing a nemesis, earning killstreak bonus, doing vehicle damage, and so on. Will this incentive be enough for you to get up the guts to ask someone to dance?
One more note about loadouts: there are no classes in Battlefront, so it'll be up to you how you want to kit out your soldier. Presumably there will be some preset loadout options or a basic array of gear that everyone can choose from, but there will also be some kind of progression system in place. Though our demo only showed playable human characters, the trailer gave us glimpses of a few other races that will like be playable, in the Battlefront tradition. There will also be hero characters returning, and the end of the demo saw two players effortlessly killed off by a force choke and lightsaber swipe from Lord Vader himself. With Boba Fett in the trailer and the Millenium Falcon mentioned by the developers, there are certainly more heroes yet to be announced.
The return of Battlefront is slated for November 17th of this year, with PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC the target platforms. That's about a month before the movie is set to launch, and indeed, the tie-in announcements have already begun. A free map for the Battle of Jakku, a pivotal battle that follows the events of Return of the Jedi and features heavily in The Force Awakens, will be made available for all Battlefront players on December 8th, while those who pre-order the game will get access on December 1st.
It's easy to see why they'd want to strengthen the connection between the new game and the new film, but the Battlefront I saw is one more interested in connecting with Battlefronts' past. It focused heavily on the original trilogy, so I saw a lot of the familiar building blocks that have defined the Battlefront series since its inception. What I saw looked good, albeit scripted to put its best foot forward and light on detail about how this Battlefront is branching out. What remains to be seen is how this Battlefront will fare when it comes to doing what Battlefront games have done best: making the player feel like a heroic soldier, an ace pilot, or a powerful Jedi during the chaos of a battle waged a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
DICE's upcoming first-person shooter Star Wars: Battlefrontwill not have a traditional campaign mode similar to the ones found in the developer's previous Battlefield games. Instead, Battlefront will include smaller, shorter missions that can be played solo or in split-screen co-op with a friend offline or online.
"The game is first and foremost a multiplayer game," producer Patrick Bach told IGN. "[The original Battlefront] was a multiplayer game. That's the game we wanted to create--to recreate the battles of the Original Trilogy."
In our own new preview of Battlefront, editor Chris Watters explains that DICE was not forthcoming with details about how these co-op missions would work. Developers said only that these missions will take place within the settings of the multiplayer maps. That would mean places like Hoth and Endor, among others.
Additional details about Battlefront's co-op mode will be announced at E3 in June.
[UPDATE] Watch the first full-length Battlefront trailer here.
The original story is below.
Today at the Star Wars Celebration, Electronic Arts made a bevy of announcements for its upcoming shooter, Star Wars: Battlefront. First, as suspected, Battlefront--developed by DICE--will launch on November 17 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. The game will be released in Europe on November 19.
EA also plans to debut the first full-length Battlefront trailer later this afternoon. The game is in development using DICE's Frostbite engine and the team says it has also benefited in the visuals department by way of its "unprecedented collaboration" with Lucasfilm.
This partnership of DICE and Lucasfilm means Battlefront will "deliver an incredibly authentic and immersive interactive entertainment experience featuring photorealistic visuals and epic action in iconic Star Wars locations."
"Wide range of modes tailored for different types of battles," including:
Larger 40-person multiplayer modes
"Crafted missions" that can be played alone, with a friend via split-screen offline, or cooperatively online
There will not be a traditional single-player mode, according to IGN.
Battlefront pre-order bonuses:
Pre-order to play the Force Awakens-themed Battle of Jakku mission on December 1, 2015--everyone else gets the free content on December 8.
"Taking place in the aftermath of the Rebel victory in the Battle of Endor, players will experience the events that created the massive, battle-scarred landscape of Jakku shown in Star Wars:The Force Awakens."
[UPDATE] The stream is now over, but you can see a new Battlefront full-length trailer here.
The original story is below.
Electronic Arts and DICE are holding a special panel presentation today at the Star Wars Celebration in Ahaheim where they will reveal a new Star Wars: Battlefront trailer and talk more about the game. The event kicks off at 10:30 AM PDT and can watch it through the YouTube live-streaming embed above.
Star Wars: Battlefront launches November 17 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. That's about one month before the new movie, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, arrives in theaters on December 18.
Check back soon for lots more on Battlefront. For now, you can see some images in the gallery below.
"Following a successful tenure as corporate vice president in Xbox in Europe, Phil Harrison has chosen to pursue business interests outside of Microsoft," a statement from Head of Xbox Phil Spencer reads.
"Phil has been a distinguished leader for our European Xbox team--overseeing production at our award-winning European studios and making a substantial contribution to the Xbox business globally," he added. "I want to thank Phil for his creativity and leadership over the past three years. Phil is a great friend of mine and I wish him the very best with his future endeavors."
For his part, Harrison told GamesIndustry International that he enjoyed his three years at Microsoft and wished the company continued success in the future under Spencer's leadership.
GamesIndustry International will publish an exit interview with Harrison this coming Monday, April 20, where Harrison is expected to speak about his time at Microsoft and what he plans to do next.
Harrison, a former longtime Sony PlayStation executive, joined Microsoft in 2012. In his role as corporate vice president at Microsoft, he was responsible for leading Microsoft Studios Europe, overseeing UK-based developers such as Lionhead Studios, Soho Productions, and Rare Ltd.
[UPDATE] These details and more have now been confirmed. Read GameSpot's in-depth coverage for lots more on Star Wars: Battlefront. Even more information about the game will be shared during a panel at the Star Wars Celebration today, which you can watch here.
First, the report confirms that Battlefront will launch on November 17 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. This date was rumored yesterday when it was discovered in the source code on the game's website.
Some other notable details for The AP's report include:
Multiplayer battles for up to 40 players pitting the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire
Locations such as Endor, Hoth, Taooine, and Sullust
Playable characters include Darth Vader and Boba Fett
Players can traverse the game on foot or speeder bikes, or even an AT-AT
You can even fly TIE Fighters, X-Wings, or the Millennium Falcon
Will offer a free DLC level called "Battle of Jakku" due to launch in early December. This content is based on the upcoming movie, Star Wars Episode VII - The Force Awakens
Read the full AP story about Battlefront for even more on the game.
EA is expected to announce even more details and release a trailer for Battlefront today at the Star Wars Celebration during a panel that begins at 10:30 AM PDT. Check back with GameSpot then for even more.
Swedish developer Mojang has released a new patch for open-ended sandbox game Minecraft that fixes "security issues" and more. The patch appears to be in response to a blog post last night from Pakistan-based coder Ammar Askar, wherein he outlined a major security exploit that he said Mojang had failed to address for almost two years.
"We have released a new version of Minecraft 1.8, called 1.8.4, which is now available for download in your launcher," Mojang said on its website. "This release fixes a few reported security issues, in addition to some other minor bug fixes & performance tweaks."
The update is optional. But Mojang said it is "still highly recommended" that players update to 1.8.4 right away.
Some of the notable fixes, courtesy of Mojang, are listed below.
In his blog post, which was first reported on by Ars Technica, Askar explained how anyone could--rather easily--crash a server hosting Minecraft. He even released a proof-of-concept video demonstrating how it works. Askar said he privately wrote to Mojang about this issue in July 2013. But he never heard back, and just this week decided to publish his findings in an effort to bring more attention to the issue. It worked.
Turtle Rock Studios on Friday released a new video called "Behemoth Plays Behemoth," wherein the bassist of metal band Behemoth--Tomasz Wróblewski AKA Orion--plays the Behemoth monster in Evolve.
"It's pretty much like being on stage," Orion says about playing Evolve. "It's the same feeling."
Joining Orion in his playthrough is George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, the lead signer of another metal band, Cannibal Corpse. Are they any good at the game? Watch the video and find out.
Postal 2 was released more than a decade ago in 2003, but developer Running With Scissors isn't finished supporting the first-person shooter just yet. The studio on Friday will release the game's latest expansion, Paradise Lost. It's due to arrive sometime today, though it's not available just yet on Steam.
Running With Scissors calls Paradise Lost a "full-fledged expansion pack" that sees the Dude returning to his former hometown on a journey find his lost dog. Of course, things don't go to plan.
"Not all is at it seems, as the once tranquil (relatively speaking) town and its citizens have been transformed in the wake of the nuclear destruction," reads a line from the expansion's description. "Dare to enter the varied Zones as you cross the Arid Desert, trek through the dense Rainy Foliage, freeze your nuts off in the Nuclear Winter, and roam under the Ashen Skies."
Paradise Lost also includes new weapons such as the Revolver and the Lever-Action Shotgun. There's also a new Weed Whacker weapon that players can use to "whack some weeds and perhaps other meatier subjects." Running With Scissors also notes that Paradise Lost features dual-wielding for weapons, full controller support, and voice acting from the original Dude actor.
For a closer look at Postal 2's Paradise Lost expansion, check out the video above and some images in the gallery below.
In other Postal 2 news, Steam is currently offering an excellent deal on the game, which is required to play the Paradise Lost expansion. It's available right now for 90 percent off, meaning you can buy it for just 99 cents. This deal expires Monday, April 20.
It's been a big week for exciting new movie trailers. Yesterday, Disney released the next teaser trailer for Star Wars Episode VII -- The Force Awakens. And now, a trailer for Zack Snyder's Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice has leaked, and you can watch the full video above--but be warned it's a bit blurry and was meant for an international audience so it has some subtitles.
But we do we get a closer look at Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman and Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman. It also teases some story elements and has a generally dark tone.
The trailer is set to hit IMAX theaters this coming Monday, April 20, according to Snyder. As for the full movie, it's due to hit theaters in March 2016. The Social Network actor Jesse Eisenberg will play Lex Luthor, while Amy Adams stars as Lois Lane.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
PC gaming company Razer has announced the latest addition to its Chroma series of gaming keyboards, the Razer BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma Keyboard.
Available now from the company's website for $140, the Tournament Edition Chroma Keyboard has 16.8 million customizable color options, a detachable USB cable, and all the keys you'd expect, of course. This is all packed into a "sleek, compact form factor," Razer writes.
"Users can define their own key zones, customize lighting effects, and add multiple effects layers on each zone for a personalized lighting display using Razer Synapse," the company explains.
Head to the keyboard's website to tinker with the color options to see what it has to offer.
The Tournament Edition Chroma keyboard also comes with mechanical switches that have "optimized actuation" and a "distinct tactile feel" that should help players have better reaction times in gaming sessions. Finally, the keyboard has been rated to withstand up to 60 million keystrokes, Razer said.
For a closer look at Razer's new keyboard, check out some images in the gallery below.
Not long after a modder showed us what Grand Theft Auto V would look like in virtual reality, someone else has gone even further with the concept. Virtuix, makes of the omnidirectional virtual reality treadmill Omni, has published a video showing off GTA V in virtual reality using the upcoming treadmill technology.
Watch as the player, wearing an Oculus Rift headset and wielding a gun controller, actually runs on the treadmill to virtually move around the world of Rockstar's Los Santos.
During this demonstration, he enters a convenience store and kills the clerk. After that he goes outside and guns down more people. Virtuix notes in the video's description that, "We do not condone the violence in this video."
Would you ever want to play GTA V in this manner? Let us know in the comments below.
Virtuix successfully crowdfunded the Omni treadmill on Kickstarter, raising more than $1 million. The Omni treadmill starts at $700, and you can pre-order one today from the company's website.
GameSpot's GTA V PC review praised the game's improved visuals and frame rate.
"It looked great on PS4 and Xbox One, but GTA V shines on PC thanks to 4K-grade textures, the availability of additional post-processing effects, and an unlocked frame rate," reviewer Peter Brown said. "Previous versions of the game played just fine at 30 frames per second, but you quickly appreciate the added fluidity of playing at 60 FPS (if not more) on PC."
Following its release last year for PC and iOS, wacky be-a-goat game Goat Simulator is now available for Xbox One. The game--developed by Double Eleven (Limbo ports) and original creator Coffee Stain Studios--launched Friday, and is available now for $10.
"You no longer have to fantasize about being a goat, your dreams have finally come true," reads a line from the game's official description."
In terms of gameplay, Goat Simulator has players causing as much mayhem and destruction as possible while playing as a goat. It uses a scoring system that bears a resemblance to the Tony Hawk skateboarding series. But, "instead of being a skater, you're a goat, and instead of doing tricks, you wreck stuff."
Double Eleven also warns that Goat Simulator for Xbox One contains "MILLIONS OF BUGS!" and other physics issues. The studio only plans to fix the major, game-breaking bugs--which makes sense, given that the bugs and oddities are part of the charm.
Goat Simulator won't take up much space on your hard drive, as it's only a 878.25 MB download. For a closer look at the Xbox One version of Goat Simulation, check out some images in the gallery below.
[UPDATE] We spoke with CD Projekt Red today and confirmed that all The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt digital copies will unlock at 1 AM CET on May 19. This translates to 4 PM PDT / 7 PM EDT on May 18 for gamers in the United States.
The original story is below.
Now that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has gone gold, the open-world role-playing game has been made available for pre-order and pre-load on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Developer CD Projekt Red is not only offering the game at a nice discount for people who pre-order, but PS4 and Xbox One users can start playing at 4 PM PDT / 7 PM EDT on May 18, a few hours before the game is scheduled to launch on May 19.
It's unclear if the PC edition of The Witcher 3 will also unlock on May 18 at 4 PM PDT. We've followed up with CD Projekt Red for clarification.
In addition to getting to play a few hours early, anyone who pre-orders The Witcher 3 on PS4, Xbox One, or PC now through May 18 will save 10 percent, meaning they can buy the game for $54 instead of $60.
We also now know the file sizes for the three versions of The Witcher 3. According to the game's product pages, the PC and PS4 editions weigh in at around 35 GB, while the Xbox One version is about 25 GB. It's not clear why the Xbox One version is a full 10 GB smaller than its counterparts.
For a closer look at The Witcher 3, check out some images in the gallery below.
[UPDATE] Dualshockers has obtained a user image that reveals that the Xbox One Witcher 3 file size--once installed--may actually be around 30 GB instead of 25 GB.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS -- 110,000 units in March; lifetime sales total 2.4 million units
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U -- lifetime sales of nearly 1.6 million units
Nintendo hardware sales, meanwhile--including Wii U and 3DS systems--jumped by 60 percent for the first three months of 2015 compared to the same time period last year.
For more on March NPDs, check out the stories below:
Julian Assange's Wikileaks on Thursday published thousands of files stemming from the Sony Pictures hack. In all, the group released more than 30,000 documents by way of a searchable database titled "The Sony Archives." Some of these files, mainly emails sent between staffers including former Sony Pictures executive Amy Pascal, even have ties to video games--specifically the Uncharted movie.
We've pored over the leaked emails and some of the most interesting findings are listed below.
Regarding the release of the documents--which were originally exposed last year reportedly by North Korean hackers--Assange said in a statement: "It is newsworthy and at the center of a geo-political conflict. It belongs in the public domain. WikiLeaks will ensure it stays there."
But Sony Pictures isn't thrilled. In a statement to TheLos Angeles Times, a representative for the film company said it was unfortunate that Wikileaks decided to release the documents today.
"The attackers used the dissemination of stolen information to try to harm SPE and its employees, and now WikiLeaks regrettably is assisting them in that effort," a Sony Pictures spokesperson said. "We vehemently disagree with WikiLeaks' assertion that this material belongs in the public domain and will continue to fight for the safety, security, and privacy of our company and its more than 6,000 employees."
With that out of the way...
The Uncharted Movie:
Comparisons to National Treasure:
In an October 2014 email sent to Pascal and other Sony executives, Columbia Pictures senior vice president Jonathan Kadin outlined how he thought the Nicolas Cage movie National Treasure was a "softer" and "sillier" movie than the script in the works for Uncharted.
"National Treasure is certainly a fun movie with an engaging historical mystery (and Uncharted can deliver on those elements), but the action sequences are softer, mostly wide shots and very little physical mano-a-mano fights, gunfire, or up close intensity," he said. "They aren't inspired. They don't feel real."
Kadin went on to say that that National Treasure's opening scene, which depicted Nicolas Cage and Sean Bean duking it out in a "dialogue-heavy scene," didn't have enough action. But Uncharted will, Kadin said.
"Compare this to our opening scene with Drake on the plane teetering on the mountain, taking on armed men as the plane slides soft the cliff," he said. "It should be intense and more engaging for adults, and of course young teens as well."
"Nathan Drake has a sense of humor and fun banter with Sully, or clever verbal sparring with Elena, but the script never feels goofy or silly," he adds.
Kadin also says that the Uncharted movie would have a better romantic story than National Treasure, which saw Nicolas Cage and Diane Kruger falling in love after Kruger's character initially shows no interest--and even disdain--for Cage's character, Benjamin Gates. "It's also worth noting that the Nate and Elena relationship is a lot sexier and more fun than the Nic Cage-Diane Kruger relationship in National Treasure. A lot more!! The romantic tension in National Treasure was pretty lame."
"National Treasure is fun no doubt, but Uncharted takes the action adventure movie to a more grounded, contemporary and visceral level, and we need to do that given what audiences have been exposed to since the National Treasure movies," he added. "So, we'll get the kids for sure, but we'll have a movie that can be strong enough--and 'cool' enough--for adults."
Early Thoughts on the Story:
Sony Pictures creative executive Adam North, in a November 2013 email, describes the Uncharted movie as a "really fun summer adventure film like the Lara Croft movies (with a little bit of Dan Brown thrown in)." Dan Brown, of course, is the author of The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, among others.
His thoughts on the script at that point: "Drake needs to have more aching questions about his past and where his family comes from so that this discovery that he's related to Francis Drake has personal meaning for him. Right now it's a surprise, but it doesn't feel emotional."
The Script:
Safe House writer David Guggenheim sent a script to Amy Pascal in July 2014. You can read the entire 124-page script here. It's fascinating, at least the parts I read. Check out one page below. But it's worth noting that The Hurt Locker writer Mark Boal has since come aboard to write a new draft.
Script Revisions:
In response to notes from Mark Wahlberg, at one point the frontrunner to play Nathan Drake, the script was updated with a number of changes later in July 2014, Kadin says in an email sent to Pascal and Columbia Pictures president Doug Belgrad. Chief among the changes were adjustments that dialed back the film's "buddy movie" nature to make it more clearly "Drake's story."
In addition, "We've added more to Elena's story with Drake so their relationship feels like the primary relationship in the story," Kadin said. There's loads more details to be found in the document here.
Uncharted Not as Big as Assassin's Creed, and Why That Doesn't Matter:
Belgrad openly admits in a July 2014 email to Pascal that the Assassin's Creed series--a multiplatform franchise--may be bigger than the PlayStation-only Uncharted series in terms of units sold--3X as big, according to his estimation. But he says this won't stop the Uncharted movie from being a success.
"Assassin's has sold like 3x more games worldwide on all platforms than Uncharted and had a more recent release that was huge," he said. "But we don't need to be bigger than Assassin's Creed to justify an Uncharted movie."
Belgrad writes in this May 2014 email that the company was pushing for Thor actor Chris Hemsworth to play Nathan Drake, with Wahlberg and Channing Tatum also in the running.
Money:
It's unclear if the offer was ever put in front of Wahlberg, but Sony discussed a $15 million package for the actor to appear in Uncharted, according to a June 2014 email from Columbia Pictures business head Michael Marshall.
Shooting Locations:
Kadin says in a June 2014 email to Pascal and other Sony Pictures executives that Australia and Mexico were potential filming locations for the Uncharted movie, in addition to a sound stage in Toronto.
"[Mark Wahlberg] said he doesn't want to do a lot of green screen," Kadin said. "He wants as much locations as possible. Wants NATE to feel more like Bourne than Indy and of course [director Seth Gordon] agreed."
The NPD today released physical sales date for the video games in the US during March. And much like February's top-selling games, last month had a varied assortment of titles covering the full range of consoles.
The ordering of consoles in the list below indicates which platform each game sold the most on. Thus, Battlefield Hardline and Grand Theft Auto V sold the most on Xbox One, while Bloodborne and Mario Party 10 were console-exclusives that performed strongly.
NPD Group's US Games Industry Sales (New, Physical Only)
The NPD Group's Liam Callahan noted in a statement, "March 2015 software sales showed growth across all three eighth generation consoles (PS4, Xbox One, Wii U), collectively increasing by 58 percent versus March 2014. This is a sign of the health of the eight generation console space; especially when considering the strong March 2014 software releases (as a comparison) such as Titanfall and inFamous: Second Son."
The NPD's statement also mentions that last month's number one title, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D "would make the top ten software list when ranked on a SKU basis rather than a title basis. "One thing that the list above does not take into account is the full range of digital sales. Retail giant GameStop mentioned last month that digital sales had risen 41%.
The momentum for Nintendo software and systems should continue over the next few months thanks to a strong lineup of software that includes the just-released Xenoblade Chronicles 3D (New Nintendo 3DS XL, April 10) and Splatoon (Wii U, May 29) games.
The NPD today released its regular report for the month of March, revealing the PlayStation 4 has returned to the top of the sales charts in the United States.
It was Nintendo's 3DS that came out on top in February thanks to the debut of the New 3DS. But that performance would last only a single month, as the PS4 is again number one, according to a Sony statement issued alongside the NPDs (which cover March 1 through April 4).
Overall, the month was not as strong as March of 2014 for hardware; sales of consoles and handhelds totaled $311.1 million this year, compared with $393.4 million last year. The NPD Group's Liam Callahan notes unit sales were down only 9 percent year-over-year, but lower prices account for the 21 percent drop in dollar sales.
"Console hardware was the primary culprit responsible for the March 2015 sales decline, with a 29 percent, or $104 million decrease, in spending while portable hardware rose by 71 percent over last year," Callahan noted.
Specific sales figures for each platform were not announced.
In a statement, Microsoft chose to focus on how Xbox One sales "continued to outpace Xbox 360 sales at the same point in its lifecycle."
As for Nintendo, it stated that total hardware sales of the 3DS in 2015 have increased 80 percent compared with the first three months of 2014. Likewise, total Wii U hardware sales are up 20 percent year-over-year during the first quarter of the year.
Electronic Arts today announced the release date for this year's football sim, Madden NFL 16: August 25, 2015.
EA delivered the shocking news that "Madden NFL 16 is in development" in a brief blog post, promising we'll start to learn something of substance in May. I put it that way because the company offered literally nothing beyond the release date and logo above--there are no screenshots, teaser trailers, platforms (the usual consoles seem like a safe bet, but that's no guarantee of continued Xbox 360/PS3 support), or indications of what developer EA Tiburon's focus will be on this year.
With only a week to go, Carmageddon: Reincarnation's release has been pushed back until May 21, developer Stainless Games has announced.
"[D]espite all our best efforts (and believe me, the dev team have been working around the clock 24/7 to achieve this goal) I'm announcing today that we're pushing that date out by what is technically referred to as 'a tad,'" reads an announcement on Steam from community manager Shane Smith.
"We've been making great strides on all fronts, and were within a metric smidge of releasing next week, but in our final 'Go/No Go' meeting we all agreed that the extra time was needed. The additional month gives us time to polish various areas of the game even further.
"I know that many of you have expressed the opinion that you'd rather we brought you a better game than release too soon. And we agree!"
It was less than a month ago that Stainless revealed Reincarnation would leave Steam Early Access on April 23. It's been available in that form since March 2014, allowing for people to pay to try the in-development version (as well as receive a copy of the full game upon release).
Fortunately for those playing the Early Access version who were expecting to get something more finalized next week, there will be an update coming before May 21 that makes "numerous improvements to the game."
Reincarnation is the product of a successful Kickstarer campaign back in 2012. It raised $625,000, far more than the $400,000 being asked for. At the time, the game's release was estimated to be February 2013, which has obviously turned out to be incredibly wrong. It was in 2013 that Stainless raised an additional $3.5 million, which doesn't include the additional revenue that's been generated in Early Access.
In addition to its release on computers, Reincarnation is headed to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, though no release dates have been announced.
Bloodborne is not the sort of game that explains everything to you, and that's part of its charm. But it's only just now, weeks after its release, that players are beginning to realize that they've probably been making the game harder on themselves.
Early in the game, you're given the opportunity to buy the Hand Lantern. This hangs off of your character and provides additional light, something that can be tremendously helpful in dark areas if you choose not to hold a torch in your left hand. There didn't appear to be any downside to carrying one; unlike the torch, it doesn't require you to sacrifice using a ranged or two-handed weapon. It's simply something you buy once and should equip after every death.
As it turns out, there is a downside: It reduces stamina regeneration, making it take longer before you're able to attack or roll away from enemy attacks.
This is the discovery of a number of Reddit users, including Lucky_Number_Sleven, TCSyd, and Xarius478. They've also found that this is true not just of the lantern, but any equipment--whatever you have equipped will weigh you down and cause your stamina to take longer to regenerate.
There's still work to be done to work out all the details, but the video above demonstrates the difference when the lantern is and isn't equipped (both with and without a rune that increases stamina regeneration). It's clear that the innocuous use of the lantern and other items has been making the game harder than it needed to be.
Shedding the lantern and extra weapons won't necessarily make Bloodborne a cakewalk, but at least now you have an excuse for that time where you were one hit away from killing a boss.
Australian independent developer Samurai Punk announced Thursday that the studio is bringing its "second-person" shooter Screencheat to PlayStation 4. The game will launch later this year on Sony's new console alongside the previously announcedXbox One edition.
No longer!
Haven't heard of Screencheat? Its concept is quite unique. In the split-screen multiplayer game, everyone is invisible, meaning you'll need to screencheat your way to victory. For once, screen-looking is not frowned upon, but celebrated.
The game supports four players locally, while up to eight can play in online, split-screen matches.
It's not as impossible to find and kill an invisible enemy as you might think. Screencheat offers a variety of assists, including color-coded maps that should help you locate enemies (ten in all), while structural elements and landmarks have been purposefully designed to stand out.
Once you do locate an enemy, it only takes one shot to bring them down with any of the game's ten weapons. However, when firing any weapon, your location is revealed. So spraying and praying probably isn't the best tactic in Screencheat.
Screencheat was released in October 2014 for PC, Mac, and Linux. For a closer look at the game, check out some images in the gallery below.
Disclosure: Former GameSpot editor James Kozanecki works for Surprise Attack Games, the publisher of Screencheat.
Star Wars: Battlefront's website appears to have leaked the game's release date: November 17.
When inspecting the source code for the site, you'll see the text, "The latest news and updates for Star Wars Battlefront. Available November 17, 2015 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC."
November 17 is a Tuesday, and it falls in the window where the game would be expected to launch, just ahead of Episode VII. We've contacted EA to see if it will confirm the date, but it's possible it wasn't planning on sharing this until tomorrow's showing at Star Wars Celebration, if not E3 or later.
Also located in the site's source code is the image above, which resembles the footage we've seen previously. It's unclear if it's meant to be a screenshot, an image from a cinematic, or something else entirely, but there's no denying it's absolutely gorgeous.
Along with that, we have the new shot of a Stormtrooper below. EA had been releasing sections of the image one at a time, forcing fans to put them together like pieces of a puzzle. We now have the full thing, which unfortunately doesn't contain the release date, as some were hoping. This was believed to be the case by some after community manager Vincent Vukovic tweeted earlier this week, "[I]t's an in-game asset rendered for the reveal, but you should dig deeper."
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