Satoru Iwata's story is one laced with unbelievable risks, bright thinking in dark times, and a bold ambition to make a difference. For all that can be said about his charming mannerisms, his warm smile, his unquestionable love of video games, it should not be overlooked that Iwata was a visionary businessman who saved Nintendo by reinventing it.
He was a radical force; a revolutionary figure who commanded a century-old company as though it was his own start-up. Foreseeing a bleak future in retreading old ground, Iwata took Nintendo down the uncharted path, often with its future hinging on little more than his peculiar ideas. Those who believed in him were rewarded with the most prosperous period in the corporation's proud history.
Even Iwata's appointment to the head of Nintendo, in 2002, was unconventional by nature. He was the company's very first elected president who had no blood ties to the Yamauchis; the family that had founded and managed Nintendo across three generations.
His promotion came at a bleak hour for Nintendo, with the GameCube languishing in the shadow of the PlayStation 2, with retailers and publishers abandoning the console. Little more than a year into his tenure, Iwata had to warn investors the corporation had begun losing money.
But in the same speech where he announced Nintendo's half-year fiscal loss, Iwata revealed plans for a new system that would take the company on a bold new direction. The Nintendo DS was to be his first major gamble; a bizarre-looking handheld that housed two separate screens in a clamshell design. It was the first mainstream games platform to use a touchscreen and stylus, and one that clearly prioritised how it felt over how it looked.
The secret to the DS's record-breaking sales was neither how it played or looked, however. A key part in its success was down to Iwata's belief that he could ignite interest in people who didn't typically play games. So for every New Super Mario Bros. and Mario Kart DS released for the handheld, there was also a Brain Age (pitched as a daily mental workout companion) and Nintendogs (a virtual pet simulator). The popularity of these unique games spread by word of mouth, with commuters playing them on buses and trains like walking billboards.
Iwata revealed the Wii Remote at the Tokyo Games Show in 2005. It was perhaps his defining moment at the company.
The DS, which underwent several revisions throughout its ten years on the market, sold more than 150 million units. Nintendo's handheld business, which some felt was doomed by the arrival of Sony's PlayStation Portable, was more prosperous than ever.
Even before the reveal of the Nintendo DS, at E3 2004, Iwata already had bigger and bolder plans in place. He said the handheld "should serve as a hint towards our next-generation console," but few would have predicted how far Iwata was prepared to go. His second major gamble, the Wii, was so radical, so implausibly different, that it belongs in a league of its own.
At the Tokyo Game Show in September 2005, Iwata took the stage and held up a bizarre, one-handed game controller. This was perhaps the defining moment of his career; a wild and arguably reckless break from more than thirty years of tradition.
It was a concept that triggered internal controversy and resistance too. George Harrison, a marketing boss at Nintendo of America during this period, was flown to Japan in early 2005 and shown the motion controller for the first time.
"To be honest, at first I was sceptical," he said in a recent interview. "I think a few of us were. You look at that remote, after years of standard controllers, and you don't quite know what it is."
"Nintendo, like all creative companies, will stumble again and again throughout its lifetime. That is a natural flaw of any person or business that dares to innovate."
What followed TGS 2005 was a frenzy. A fever of debate, speculation and unforgettable excitement. "It was as though the audience didn't know how to react," Mr Iwata said of his Wii controller reveal. While there were significant reservations from some fans, the sheer enigma of the Wii had captured the imagination of the gaming world. The console became the fastest selling in history, brought games to entirely new audiences, and ushered in a new age of motion control.
Iwata would never reach that same height again. The 3DS initially struggled with a lukewarm reception to its stereoscopic 3D, as well as a declining market for handhelds, while the Wii U is a more clear-cut failure; another brave idea certainly, but one that did not connect with the masses.
Nintendo, like all creative companies, will stumble again and again throughout its lifetime. That is a natural flaw of any person or business that dares to innovate. That dares to expose itself. But Nintendo is undoubtedly standing on far more solid foundations now than it was thirteen years ago. Iwata's legacy serves as a reminder of how far one can go if they never give up on their ideas.
Five Nights at Freddy's 4: The Final Chapter will launch for PC on August 8, developer Scott Cawthon announced on Monday. This is earlier than expected, as the indie horror game was previously slated to debut on the appropriate-sounding date of October 31--Halloween.
Cawthon made the announcement through various YouTube channels, including Razzbowski.
August 8 is not a random date; it's the one-year anniversary of the release of the original Five Nights at Freddy's. Cawthon plans to "keep the Halloween date special" by releasing a free update for the game with extra content on that date. In addition, a new trailer for The Final Chapter is coming next weekend.
When it's released, Five Nights at Freddy's 4 will be the fourth Five Nights at Freddy's game launched in the span of one year.
Five Nights at Freddy's 3 is the most recent entry in the series and was released in March this year. The original Five Nights at Freddy's was well-received in GameSpot's review, praised for its dark humor, ability to invoke "heart-pounding terror," and story delivery.
A film adaptation of the game is also in the works with Roy Lee (The Departed, The LEGO Movie) and Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg of KatzSmith Productions (the upcoming Beetlejuice sequel) signed on as producers.
Disney's 2012 animated video game-themed movie Wreck-It Ralph is getting a sequel.
That's according to the movie's lead voice actor John C. Reilly, who said in a new interview with Irish radio show RTE Arena that he has "signed on" for Wreck-It Ralph 2.
One of Moore's ideas, according to a December 2012 interview, is for Nintendo's Mario to feature in a sequel. The first movie featured appearances from Bowser, Dr. Robotnik, and Pac-Man, among others.
Wreck-It Ralph follows the titular Ralph--played by Reilly--a villain in a retro Donkey Kong-style arcade game. After decades of being the bad guy, Ralph decides he's fed up with being hated for doing his job and quits to embark on a journey to reveal his true qualities.
The movie was a big success. It made close to $50 million during its first weekend, outperforming Walt Disney Animation Studios' previous record-holder, Tangled. To date, the film has generated more than $470 million at the global box office against a $165 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.
Wreck-It Ralph was generally well-received by critics and also featured the voicework of other actors such as Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch, Jack McBrayer, and Mindy Kaling. The movie was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, but ultimately lost out to Pixar's Brave.
What would you like to see from a Wreck-It Ralph sequel? Let us know in the comments below.
Amazon has a new (partially hidden) discount program for Prime members. At least a few games are currently included, such as Batman: Arkham Knight for $50 (Xbox One/PS4), Madden NFL 16 for $50 (Xbox One/PS4), and Splatoon for $53. You won't see the lower price until you add the item to your cart and proceed to checkout.
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).
If you think Rory McIlroy PGA Tour might inspire you to play the real sport, Target is offering a 15-pack of golf balls with the purchase of the game.
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).
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.
Sega will release the first-ever gameplay trailer for Total War: Warhammer this coming Friday, the publisher announced today. The video will offer an in-engine look at the upcoming turn-based strategy game. But you don't have to wait until Friday to see something new from the PC title.
Ahead of the video's release, Sega launched a new video series for Total War: Warhammer, the first episode of which is available now. Installments will offer a first look at the game's battlefield units, beginning today with the Demigryphs. You can watch the video below.
"Part lion and part eagle, these noble monstrous cavalry are ridden by only the most renowned knights of the Empire," Sega said in a statement. "Clad in ornate plate armor, their densely muscled frames enable them to thunder into combat, tearing their foes limb from limb and spreading fear among the enemy ranks."
For a closer look at the creature, check out the image below.
In a press release, Sega said Total War: Warhammer will deliver "hundreds of hours" of gameplay--and two additional expansions will follow. Total War: Warhammer is the first in a three-part trilogy, Sega said, noting that two standalone installments--as well as further DLC packs--will be released later.
This all combines for the "single largest Total War experience ever," Sega said.
No release date for Total War: Warhammer has been announced.
In the market for a New 3DS XL? GameStop has announced a special deal you may want to consider.
Now through July 26, GameStop will give you a $100 credit toward the purchase of a New 3DS XL when you trade in a 3DS XL, 3DS, 2DS, or PlayStation Vita.
With the New 3DS XL retailing for $200, that means you can get a system for just $100. Not bad.
This deal is the latest offer from GameStop as part of the retailer's "Summer of Savings" promotion. This week's other offers include Mortal Kombat X for $40 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, as well as Far Cry 4 for $20 across all platforms. Those offers are good through July 19.
Unofficial footage of the IO Interactive's upcoming Hitman game has leaked.
The video offers an early look at a double assassination mission, as well as some of the equipment Agent 47 will have at his disposal.
The video does clearly state, however, that the footage "May contain placeholder assets."
Travis Barbour, community for IO Interactive, has said Hitman "looks and plays a lot better than" than what is shown in the video.
"Proof to come, of course," he added.
In an attempt to clear up confusion about the game's release schedule, developer IO Interactive recently clarified the game is not episodic, nor an early access game, contrary to earlier reports. However the studio did confirm an eventual disc release "at some point in 2016," following the game's initial digital-only release.
IO also assured fans that the apparently substantial content updates--including new missions, locations, and even gameplay mechanics--will all be free, and that there will be no microtransactions.
As well as the free content updates, there will also be "live events," where designated missions will appear for a short time, giving players just one chance at the assassination contract.
Last week, Amazon announced a new sale period called Prime Day that the online retail behemoth claimed would offer more deals than Black Friday. The one catch, however, is that promo was only for subscribers to Amazon's $100/year Prime service.
Now, Walmart has responded with its own deal, taking a shot at Amazon in the process.
"We've heard some retailers are charging $100 to get access to a sale," reads a statement from Walmart.com CEO Fernando Madeira. "But the idea of asking customers to pay extra in order to save money just doesn't add up for us."
"We're standing up for our customers and everyone else who sees no rhyme or reason for paying a premium to save."
Walmart will roll out special deals "with no hidden costs or admission fees" this coming week through its website. And unlike Amazon's Prime Day, which will be held for one day only on July 15 to mark the retailer's 20th anniversary, Walmart's sale period will run for multiple days.
"Our customers will see thousands of great deals on Rollback beginning this week along with some special atomic deals (more on that in the days to come)," Maderia said. "In addition, we're rolling back our free shipping minimum order to $35 from $50."
Walmart did not say what items will be discounted, but you can pretty safely assume video games will be on sale.
Upcoming Xbox One exclusive action game Scalebound, developed by Japanese studio Platinum Games, is making "good progress," according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer.
In a tweet, Spencer said, "Scalebound is making good progress; my first game with Platinum Games. I always learn working with new studios."
As for when we'll get to see it next, Microsoft previously confirmed that Scalebound will be one of the company's featured games for its Gamescom briefing next month.
"Scalebound is very real and very awesome," he said back in January. "And I think when people really understand what it is we are building, they're gonna be shocked. It is definitely big, AAA."
Reports of the issues first surfaced in a much-upvoted post on Rockstar Games' support site.
Rockstar has now responded by stating, "We have received reports of lower frame rate in GTA V and GTA Online after Title Update 1.28 on PC, and we are looking into these reports now."
In a Facebook post, creators of the popular GTA V mod LCPD First Response said the sources of the problems were side-effects of new anti-modding measures, allegedly introduced by Rockstar in the recent 1.28 patch.
The update has resulted in frame rates as low as 3-frames-per-second when running the LCPD First Response mod. However, performance issues are being reported even with no mods installed.
These supposed anti-modding measures would indicate a dramatic change of heart from Rockstar, who, as recently as May this year, had said, "You should not worry about being banned or being relegated to the cheater pool just for using single-player PC mods."
However, in a Rockstar Newswire Q&A, the developer did go on to say, "Our primary focus is on protecting GTA Online against modifications that could give players an unfair advantage, disrupt gameplay, or cause griefing."
It's possible, then, that the limitations to single-player modding are unintentional side-effects of efforts to clamp down on GTA Online modifications. In the meantime, you can subscribe to the support thread for updates on the frame rate issue.
Harmonix on Monday confirmed eleven new tracks for its upcoming music game Rock Band 4.
As with previous reveals, there is quite a lot of variety on display here. Among the newly confirmed songs are classic rock tracks such as Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" and Aerosmith's "Toys in the Attic," as well as newer, more pop-focused cuts such as "Still Into You" from Paramore.
There is even some good prog rock from Dream Theater in the mix. You can hear snippets of some of the songs in this video, while the full list of just-announced tracks is below.
Rock Band 4 July 13 Confirmed Songs:
Aerosmith – "Toys in the Attic"
The Cure – "Friday I'm In Love"
Dream Theater – "Metropolis - Part 1 'The Miracle And The Sleeper'"
Foo Fighters – "The Feast and the Famine"
Judas Priest – "Halls Of Valhalla"
Live – "All Over You"
The Outfield – "Your Love"
Ozzy Osbourne – "Miracle Man"
Paramore – "Still Into You"
St. Vincent – "Birth In Reverse"
Van Morrison – "Brown Eyed Girl"
These tracks add to Rock Band 4's existing soundtrack, which includes songs from Avenged Sevenfold, The Killers, Elvis Presley, Jack White, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, and others. Check out the Spotify playlist below to listen to all the Rock Band 4 songs confirmed so far.
Harmonix notes that the game will support more than 1,500 songs from the Rock Band DLC store, as well as exported songs from past games. If you're more into Guitar Hero, the next game in that series also arrives in October featuring a pretty excellent soundtrack, too.
The Tony Hawk series of skateboarding games helped introduce the extreme sports to the masses, but the legendary skateboarder himself and namesake for the franchise didn't originally set out to do that. The franchise's mainstream appeal was a "happy accident," Hawk told GameSpot in a recent interview.
"When we first released the game, I just thought it would be something that skaters would enjoy," he explained. "And maybe that it would inspire skaters to start playing video games. First and foremost, I wanted the skaters to be happy with it. So it's definitely just a pressure I took on myself."
Talking about the origins of the Pro Skater franchise, which debuted in 1999 for the original PlayStation, Hawk said he wasn't satisfied with the way in which skateboarding was depicted in other games. Hawk, a lifelong gamer himself, wanted to make a game that authentically represented the culture, lifestyle, and music of the skateboarding scene.
And out of that desire, the Pro Skater franchise was born. But Hawk said he never anticipated the series taking off in the way that it did.
"The idea that it inspired a generation to start skating or to get interested in skating was kind of a happy accident."
Jade Raymond, the co-creator of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise, has founded a new EA studio called Motive, and will be working on the Visceral's in-development Star Wars title.
"I'm happy to announce that I'm joining Electronic Arts and opening Motive, a new development studio in my home town of Montreal, Canada," she announced.
According to Raymond, Motive will "work in close quarters with the BioWare team," suggesting the studio may have some hand in developing Mass Effect: Andromeda.
"Yanick Roy and the BioWare Montreal team are doing some new and exciting things with Mass Effect: Andromeda and it's clear that there is already so much talent to collaborate with on site," she added.
Motive will be incubating "entirely new IP and taking on some amazing projects," including the new Star Wars game from former Uncharted writer Amy Hennig, and developed by Dead Space studio Visceral.
"I've known Amy for years and have admired her work on the Uncharted games! I'm thrilled that the first big project that we will work on in Montreal will have Amy as Creative Director.
"An opportunity to work with her and the Visceral team, and to play in the Star Wars universe, is once-in-a-lifetime stuff."
Raymond will also oversee the Visceral studio in California.
Speaking about Raymond joining, Patrick Soderlund said he "couldn't be more thrilled."
"Jade and I share the same passion for amazing games with huge imagination, and a drive to create that next big thing that everyone will want to play," he added.
After more than a decade, Raymond left Ubisoft in October 2014, calling her decision to leave the company "one of the hardest decisions of my career."
Little is known about Visceral and Hennig's Star Wars games. According to voice actor Nolan North--who voiced Nathan Drake in the Uncharted series--the game will bear similarities to Star Wars: 1313.
North also said EA and Visceral's game is modelled after Naughty Dog's Uncharted series. Rumours have suggested it may also be an open-world game, though EA has yet to provide any concrete details on the game.
Developer Robomodo president Josh Tsui announced the news today in a post on the PlayStation Blog. The content comes in the form of three character heads: Ratchet, Sweet Tooth, and Sackboy.
The Xbox One and Xbox 360 versions Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 will also receive exclusive content, but this will be announced later, an Activision representative told GameSpot.
In addition, Robomodo today confirmed that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5's online mode uses dedicated servers to power its multiplayer freeskate mode that supports up to 20 players. You can read more about the game's online mode through GameSpot's coverage from E3 2015.
Microsoft's Halo series, one of the company's crown jewels, has reached a new sales milestone. The sci-fi shooter series, which debuted in 2001 on Xbox with Halo: Combat Evolved, has now sold more than 65 million units, Microsoft announced.
The Halo series continues this October with Halo 5: Guardians. Looking beyond that, Xbox boss Bonnie Ross recently said that there are still "hundreds" of stories from the Halo universe to be told.
For a closer look at Halo 5, including its Warzone mode, check out the video above.
Konami on Monday announced its plans for Europe's big gaming convention, Gamescom, confirming that it will bring Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 to the show. What's particularly noteworthy here is that this will be the first time both games are playable to the public.
In a statement, Konami general manager Martin Schneider said Gamescom represents the "most important consumer exhibition in the world." Unlike E3, Gamescom is open to the public.
Gamescom is absolutely massive. Last year, more than 335,000 people attended the show. This year's event is scheduled for August 5-9 in Cologne, Germany.
The Phantom Pain release date is set for September 1, while PES 2016 is slated for September 17. Both games will be playable at Konami's booth on the show floor, while additional plans for the event will be announced later, the publisher said.
There is some amount of controversy surrounding The Phantom Pain. According to GameSpot's sources, Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima will leave Konami after the game ships. Just recently, a voice actor for the series claimed that the game's developer, Kojima Productions, had disbanded.
Microsoft has released the first trailer for Halo: The Fall of Reach, an upcoming animated series that explores the origins of Master Chief and Blue Team. Watching the series should help players better understand the story of Halo 5: Guardians, as Chief and Blue Team are at the heart of the narrative.
The Fall of Reach is based on the 2001 Erik Nylund novel of the same name. It's a three-act series that is set both before and after the Covenant attack. It's meant to provide new details on the SPARTAN-II program and members of Blue Team.
You can watch the visually striking trailer below--there is even a glimpse at young John's face.
A "Canon Fodder" post on the Halo Waypoint blog dives much deeper into Halo: The Fall of Reach. Halo franchise development director Frank O'Connor explains that there may be some differences between the novel and the animated series, but the spirit of the book will be kept intact.
"Without getting into the weeds, we've been careful to align with the novel where it makes sense, but in visualizing the universe--which has evolved so much in the intervening years--we were presented with a few challenges, but also a lot of opportunities," he said. "So you'll see a few differences, choices of Covenant ship, weapons and so on, but it adheres tightly to the core canon, with a few flourishes here and there to fill in gaps or smooth over previous errors."
Executive producer Kiki Wolfkill goes on to explain how Halo 5 players may benefit from viewing Halo: The Fall of Reach.
"The theme of family and the bonds that exist between soldiers (and even AI) has always been intriguing for us. We left the Master Chief at the end of Halo 4 contemplating a future without Cortana. Who can the Master Chief trust? In Halo 5: Guardians, John is reunited with Blue Team who represents a different kind of family for him--what is their bond and how was it forged? Halo: The Fall of Reach explores not just John's origin story but also that of Blue Team itself."
Halo: The Fall of Reach is included with the Halo 5 premium versions. Everyone else can buy it separately a week after Halo 5 launches on October 27. Standalone pricing has not been announced.
Codemasters' new racing sim F1 2015 has entered the UK all formats sales chart in pole position after its release last week.
According to UK sales monitor Chart-Track, launch week sales of the game were up 367% on F1 2014's first week last year.
The game has managed to knock Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's Batman: Arkham Knight off its perch, pushing the Dark Knight into the No.2 spot.
The games industry has offered its tributes in the wake of the shock news that Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has passed away "due to a bile duct growth".
The Nintendo chief executive had been dealing with health issues and was notably absent from E3 2014 in order to have surgery to remove a previous bile duct growth.
In the hours following Nintendo's announcement of its CEO's death, fans and peers have paid tribute to one of the industry's most respected and adored figures.
Translation by Cheesemeister: "Extinguish all the lamps in the world. Make a pitch-black night. With that powerlessness. Can you please do that for me?"
Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo, passed away on Saturday due to ongoing health complications. He was 55 years old.
Nintendo announced that the widely respected chief executive died on July 11 "due to a bile duct growth." Two representative directors remain at the company: Genyo Takeda and Shigeru Miyamoto.
Iwata was first appointed as the director of Nintendo in June 2000. He was promoted to the position of president and representative director of Nintendo in 2002, following the resignation of Hiroshi Yamauchi. He also assumed responsibilities as chief executive of Nintendo of America in 2013.
In related matters:
Shigeru Miyamoto has issued a statement: "I am surprised at this sudden news and overcome with sadness."
Nintendo of Europe President Satoru Shibata released a statement addressing the passing of his colleague. "It is difficult to put into words the sadness we feel at this time," he said. "He was a visionary in every sense of the word and we will miss him dearly. Just as Mr. Iwata challenged us to always push forward, we will ensure his legacy lives on through our ongoing work to always surprise and delight our fans."
Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has said "it will be years before his impact on both Nintendo and the full video game industry will be fully appreciated." Speaking to Benzinga, Fils-Aime added: "He was a strong leader for our company and his attributes were clear to everyone: Intelligence, creativity, curiosity, and sense of humor. But for those of us fortunate enough to work closely with him, what will be remembered most is his mentorship and, especially, his friendship. He was a wonderful man. He always challenged us to push forward, to try the new, to upset paradigms--and most of all, to engage, excite and endear our fans. That work will continue uninterrupted."
The Entertainment Software Association has released a statement: "Iwata-san's passing affects us all deeply," president and CEO Michael Gallagher said. "He was a true visionary who expanded our understanding of the amazing art of video games. We offer our condolences to his family, friends, and Nintendo colleagues."
In the wake of Iwata's shock death, Nintendo must begin a new search for its next chief executive. The corporation has told GameSpot that succession plans have "not been decided at this point."
But it adds that the two acting representative directors, Genyo Takeda and Shigeru Miyamoto, have already taken on the task of managing the business, and as such is hoping for a smooth transition.
The company states: "Other than Mr. Iwata, we have two representative directors (Mr. Takeda and Mr. Miyamoto). Even by now, these representative directors have been together discussing and managing to operate the company, so we anticipate no issue in the near future."
Prior to joining Nintendo, Iwata worked at HAL Laboratory as a programmer and designer. During his time there he worked on several games including the Kirby, Earthbound, and Balloon Fight series. He would go on to become president of HAL in 1993.
Iwata garnered the adoration of fans and the industry as a whole through his candid demeanor and willingness to embody the playful nature of Nintendo's games, even as CEO of the company. Last year he took a 50 percent pay cut to apologise for the company's disappointing financial results, following lower Wii U sales than was projected.
In addition to his regular Iwata Asks column, in which he would interview key members of various upcoming games, Iwata was also the face of the company's Nintendo Direct events. These streams, while primarily designed to make game announcements and provide updates on ongoing projects, became something more thanks to weird and wonderful skits, many of which Iwata would participate in.
"On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer."
DICE's upcoming Mirror's Edge: Catalyst is a re-imagining of the original Mirror's Edge; we'll hear a different version of protagonist Faith's tale, and although we'll see familiar faces and hear familiar names, they may not be in the forms we remember. But perhaps the biggest change is the way DICE is presenting Faith herself. According to narrative director Christofer Ermgard--who is also working on the prequel comic Mirror's Edge: Exordium--she'll be less an "empty vessel" for players to control and more fleshed out, due to a richer narrative and supporting world.
"We are doing something that is new; it's different and separate from the first game," Ermgard explained. "You will recognize maybe the names of some characters, but they will be different characters in this one. Sometimes we even have the name and the look, but the character, what they do is still different, so there are some carry-overs in terms of ideas.
"I think what we [at DICE] felt was that we wanted a more fleshed out world, a larger world that was more detailed and textured than the original game had," he continued. "Also, we had new art direction--it had been eight years since the first game, so I think a lot of people felt that it was time to take the elements that we felt worked with the first game, and then use them to then expand upon that to do this game. People shouldn't expect to understand any sort of connection to the first game. This is its own thing."
As for the new version of Faith, Ermgard said the original game focused on providing a character players could fully imprint upon, stepping into her shoes and allowing them to experience the world as they wanted. For Catalyst, however, Ermgard said DICE was keen on creating a deeper narrative, which in turn led them scrapping the "blank canvas" character idea for Faith and bulking up her backstory and behavioral traits.
Catalyst is also far enough removed from the original Mirror's Edge that players who didn't play the first game won't feel dazed by the second.
"People who have played the first game will recognize some elements, but for Catalyst, the city is new, Faith herself is similar-ish, but we never really delved too much into her in the first game," Ermgard explained. "Her personality now is more fleshed out. The game is about her personal journey, I would say. Of course there's this big plot about getting involved against oppression and all that stuff, but the more important story is her journey, who she becomes and where she starts out and what happens along the way to make her into the person that she is."
There is a lot of affection among DICE's developers for Faith. Ermgard, who has been working on Mirror's Edge for three years, is personally attached to her, speaking of her like she were his own daughter. The game isn't just about the developers' journey to completion; it's about them giving Faith a rich world and story they feel will best help her grow.
"In the first game, there was not that much of her personality," Ermgard said. "I didn't myself feel like she went through any large change throughout that game, and so the person she is there is maybe more or less the person she is now... But now she's even more fleshed out, and there's more of her. There are more events in her life that explain who she is, and this is, in a way, a coming of age storyline, in that she will come to understand the impact that she has on the people in this society around her. She'll start out her journey a bit more careless, a bit more selfish, a bit more immortal and then realize along the way that's not the case, and I think that transformation people can hopefully relate to.
"She is a complex young woman," he continued. "I hope that she'll be relatable. I think she is, because she's very human, even though she does these things that would be considered superhuman. But she's no superhero. We're very clear about that. Her skills are skills that she acquired that all people could if they really dedicated themselves. But still, I think she is both someone to aspire to, and someone to empathize with."
Eager fans will be able to get a small taste of Faith's new story in Mirror's Edge: Exordium, a comic book series that will detail events leading up to the start of Mirror's Edge: Catalyst. The six-issue run will begin on September 9, with one issue releasing each month until the game releases on February 23, 2016.
"I think you see coming of age stories all the time, but I've got to say, I haven't really seen Faith's type," Ermgard said of Faith's story. "She's not a superhero. I think that in itself is different and she exists in a world that is in many ways similar to and inspired by the one we live in today. Of course, it's been beautified and taken to the extreme, but I think that combo is something special."
The Gears of War 4 beta is expected to begin on Xbox One in spring 2016, Microsoft has announced.
The announcement comes by way of the fine print of this landing page for the Gears of War: Ultimate Edition. People who buy that upcoming Xbox One bundle, due in August, can get "early access" to the Gears of War 4 beta if they login to Xbox Live and play the Ultimate Edition by March 1, 2016.
There is no word yet regarding what the Gears of War 4 beta will entail. The game itself was announced less than a month ago during E3. It is currently scheduled to launch in holiday 2016.
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, a remastered version of the 2006 Xbox 360 game, launches on August 25. Microsoft will also release a special $350 Xbox One bundle that day that comes with the game. In addition, the Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is coming to PC, but Microsoft has not announced a release date.
In a series of tweets, Spencer answered a range of fan questions about the new feature, which is currently in testing for Preview members and is scheduled to roll out for everyone this fall.
Among other things, he talks about bringing Microsoft's entire lineup of first-party Xbox 360 games to Xbox One via backwards compatibility, and also spells out some of the challenges, including licensing and save games.
He also teases that the Fable Trilogy--which includes Fable, Fable II, and Fable III--will be one of the Xbox 360 games supported on Xbox One by way of backwards compatibility.
Check out some of the questions and answers below. Not that Spencer refers to backwards compatibility as BC.
@CameronMines Some games, racing is most difficult, can have licensing issues (songs, logos etc) but we want to support BC completely.
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