Valve has shared some new insight into the speed with which it handles Steam support requests, even launching a new tracker to let you see how things are going.
A new blog post from Valve discusses the ongoing efforts to improve Steam's support operations. And while it didn't provide much new information about specifically how it continues to evolve its customer support, it does highlight just how big the task is. Valve currently sees an average of about 75,000 help requests every day, and recently it's averaged just under 10,000 requests per day that were left awaiting a response. That's a big decline from the 50,000-plus that fell in that category in January and February.
"Our goal going forward is to keep the backlog of requests shrinking and to be able to respond to all requests as quickly as possible," Valve explained.
Coinciding with this blog post, Valve has launched a stats page for support requests. This shows both the number of submitted requests on any given day and the number that are waiting for a response from Valve.
The page also breaks requests down into specific categories. This reveals how many refund requests or account security questions have been submitted over the past 24 hours, along with the typical response time. As of this writing, the last day has seen just over 48,000 refund requests, which were typically answered in 1.35 to 1.99 hours.
Support is just one area of Steam that Valve has worked to overhaul in recent years. As with all online stores, discoverability is major problem due to the massive number of games released on it. A store redesign launched late last year, though, like all of Steam, it remains a work-in-progress.
Sony has begun sending out invites to the press for its E3 press briefing, confirming the event's time and date.
The PlayStation E3 Media Showcase, as it's officially called, will take place on Monday, June 12, at 6 PM PT/9 PM ET (2 AM GMT on June 13). Sony is headed back to the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, the same location as last year's event.
Sony didn't provide any word of what it'll be showing, but you can expect it to be the usual array of upcoming games for PlayStation 4 and (hopefully) PlayStation Vita. There's no indication that it'll talk about new hardware amidst a recent rumor that it will introduce a next-gen PlayStation system in 2018.
As always, GameSpot will bring you all the news from Sony's conference--and all of E3--in June.
There's a new Titanfall game in the works, but it's not another first-person shooter. Developer Respawn today announced Titanfall: Assault, a real-time strategy game for iOS and Android devices.
Respawn is working with mobile publishing house Nexon and developer Particle City to create the game, which requires players to build up armies of Pilots and Titans. In a press release, the developer stated that it's a player vs. player, "strategic objective-based" experience.
It states that players will have to create a "deck" of Titans, Pilots, and Burn Cards, the one-time-use perks that were in the original Titanfall. One of the screenshots released by the developer shows what looks like an inventory, where different units are stored before being deployed in-game.
"The PvP matchups play out across different maps across the Frontier War and will require opponents to create and deploy their custom squad on the battlefield in order to outmaneuver enemy forces and win valuable rewards on the leaderboards," the statement reads.
You can check out some screenshots from the game below.
It's unclear at this time when Titanfall: Assault will be released, but you can pre-register on the game's website which will get you a Prometheus Titan card reward at launch.
May has no shortage of new games to get sucked into. From bigger releases like Prey and Injustice 2 to smaller experiences like TumbleSeed and Rime, there's plenty to play. Below, you can see the biggest May releases as well as a list of some of the most notable games coming out this month. You can also see this week's major releases in the video above.
Prey is a reimagining of the 2006 original made by a team from Arkane Studios, who gamers will recognize as the developer of the Dishonored series. The new title is seen by some as a spiritual successor to the 1994 game System Shock.
Injustice 2 is the follow-up to NetherRealm's Injustice: Gods Among Us. It introduces loot, character customization, and items to its fighting system. It also continues where its predecessor's narrative left off, focusing on the aftermath of Batman's successful insurgency against Superman's tyrannical empire.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is a remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden, which is the second installment in the Fire Emblem series and was never released outside of Japan. It consists of elements that differ from other games in the series, including a world map and 3D areas you can wander around.
A pair of store-exclusive Amiibo figures are now available for preorder ahead of their respective releases this summer.
In the US, Best Buy is the only retailer where you'll find the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask figure and the Bayonetta "Player 2" figures. The Zelda figure features a young Link holding a Goron mask, while the Bayonetta one shows the eponymous character striking a pose with her handguns. They each cost the standard $13 price, or $10.39 if you're a Gamers Club Unlocked member.
Amiibo availability has improved since the early days, but collectors will likely want to ensure that they get their hands on them by preordering.
If you've been wanting to try Tom Clancy's The Division before you buy, this weekend is your best chance. The full game will be available on a free trial from Thursday, May 4, until Sunday. The current trial, which allows you to play until you reach level 8 or 6 hours of game time, will be suspended and instead the full game will be playable.
The start and end times vary depending on which timezone you're in and which platform you're playing the game on. Here they are:
The Division takes place weeks after a devastating pandemic sweeps through New York City. The Division, an autonomous unit of tactical agents leading seemingly ordinary lives, is tasked with saving society. It is an open-world RPG with multiplayer elements, and it has now entered its second year.
In March, Ubisoft announced The Division would be getting three more free DLC expansions throughout 2017. The first DLC expansion of the year, expected soon, includes limited-time events that pay out rewards for participation, completion, and competition. The second expansion includes loadouts, and the third will add an in-game achievement rewards system.
Starting during the free trial this weekend, you will also be able to buy the full version of The Division at special promotional prices across all platforms until May 15. You can get the latest details on the new DLC content as they come out by following our full coverage here on GameSpot.
By Anonymous on May 03, 2017 10:23 pm The Lobby crew discusses news about Breath of the Wild's DLC, and their hopes for the recently announced Darksiders 3.
Nintendo describes the upcoming Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia as a "massive" game, but those who want even more to do will have no shortage of DLC to further bolster the experience.
Nintendo today outlined its DLC plans for Echoes, with a total of five packs on the way. These will add new dungeons, maps, story content, and classes. The first one will be available on launch day, with three more due out by June 1. Details on the fifth pack have not yet been specified.
Here's how Nintendo describes them all:
DLC Pack #1 -- Fledgling Warriors Pack (May 19, $7.99/£7.19/€7,99, three pieces of content): Ideal for early- to mid-game adventurers, this pack includes a new dungeon (The Astral Temple) and two new maps, great for gaining more items, money and experience points.
DLC Pack #2 -- Undaunted Heroes Pack (May 25, $9.99/£8.99/€9,99, three pieces of content): In addition to a new dungeon (The Inner Sanctum), this pack also includes two challenging new maps that stronger, more seasoned heroes will want to tackle.
DLC Pack #3 -- Lost Altars Pack (May 25, $14.99/£13.49/€14,99, 10 pieces of content): The mysterious dungeons included in this pack hold the power to upgrade characters to exclusive classes that don't appear in the main game.
DLC Pack #4 -- Rise of the Deliverance Pack (June 1, $12.99/£11.69/€12,99, four pieces of content): Discover the previously untold history of Valentia in this Prologue pack. Complete with new story content and additional voice acting that details the rise of the Deliverance in Zofia, this collection of challenging maps includes new support conversations between selected heroes, as well as the ability to take command of a character players won't be able to control in the main game.
DLC Pack #5 ($5.99/ £4.49/€4,99, two pieces of content): More information about this final DLC pack will be revealed in the future.
Those interested in all of this can pick up a season pass, which consists of all five DLC packs, for $45/£39.99/€44,99. That saves you about $7 over buying each pack on its own.
Another alternative is to only buy specifically what you want. Nintendo says all of the "individual components" can be purchased separately, although pricing wasn't shared.
Alongside this paid content, free DLC is also on the way, but only for a limited time. This starts with "a special gift from Goddess Mila" that will be available starting on launch day. The DLC trailer above suggests this may be as simple as an in-game item.
A short video showing off the Project Scorpio developer unit has been posted online by Windows Central's Jez Corden.
The video provides a look at the front of the unit, which includes a small screen that displays technical information such as the current game's framerate.
Above it are buttons which can be programmed to adjust what is shown on the screen. Both features will no doubt be very useful for developers. In terms of the overall form factor, the Project Scorpio dev kit looks very similar to the Xbox One S, as noted when images of it were previously released.
The open beta for Paladins, the new free-to-play shooter from the developer of Smite, is now available on both PS4 and Xbox One.
Paladins is a team-based first-person shooter that has drawn no shortage of comparisons to Overwatch. It features 24 different characters (or Champions, as Paladins calls them) but allows them to be customized using a card loadout system. You can check out the cinematic launch trailer above.
The game is already available on PC, where it remains in early access on Steam. It's proved to be hugely popular there; developer Hi-Rez Studios claims it was the "most-played new Steam game of 2016." It still occupies a spot in the top 15 games on Steam.
With the beta kicking off today, GameSpot is giving away a limited number of codes for a skin that's usable on PC, PS4, or Xbox One. You can claim yours here.
We've teamed up with Hi-Rez Studios to give away 10,000 codes for Paladins' Sprocket Ruckus Skin redeemable on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. This is an instant win and you will receive an email with the code within 24 hours. Scroll down to enter below.
Paladins is a fantasy team-based shooter with strategy elements and deep character customization through its unique use of collectible cards. These cards amplify and augment a character's core set of abilities in many interesting ways.
PS4 action-RPG Horizon: Zero Dawn is getting a big update next week, and it adds a number of improvements to the game's Photo Mode. It also includes several new settings, such as more customization for the HUD and better sensitivity options.
In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Guerrilla Games' community manager, Jeroen Roding, detailed the options coming to Photo Mode. Players will have access to three new filters to place on images they take in-game, a grid overlay within the mode to improve spacing and framing, and a "greetings from" message that can be added to photos. Additionally, players will be able to choose different poses for the main character, Aloy. There's also an option to make her look at the camera.
The update also adds a lot more customization options for the HUD, including the option to hide quest and enemy markers. Icons on the map can now be filtered, as well.
The patch will be released sometime next week. You can see a list of feature patch notes below, while the full list of changes can be seen here. While you wait for the new features, check out our gallery of images taken with the existing Photo Mode.
Horizon launched back in February, and it's been a critical and commercial success. In our 9/10 review, GameSpot critic Peter Brown said, "For every minor imperfection, there's an element of greatness that recharges your desire to keep fighting and exploring Zero Dawn's beautiful and perilous world. Guerrilla Games has delivered one of the best open-world games of this generation, and redefined its team's reputation in the process."
Horizon: Zero Dawn Update 1.20 Feature Patch Notes:
Feature Improvements
Improved photo mode with new features
Added poses for Aloy
Added facial expressions for Aloy
Added 3 new filters
Added a "look at the camera" mode for Aloy
Added "greetings from" cards
Improved the camera controls
Added the option to hide Aloy inside settlements while in photo mode.
Added a sell stack option at merchants when double tapping the square icon.
Added filters and a legend to the in game map and the quest map.
Added several new custom HUD options.
Added an additional blue health bar on top of the player's health bar whenever the Shield Weaver Armor is equipped to indicate the amount of extra health points the armor is providing.
Added difficulty setting components to the Shield Weaver Armor's damage protection. On hard mode the armor received a 40% armor reduction, on very hard the armor received a 66.6% reduction.
Added the option to hide headgear for Aloy.
Added the option to categorize and sort your inventory.
Added categories in the crafting menu
Green check mark for categories that are finished
White icon for categories that have recipes that can be crafted
Grey icon for categories that have no recipes that can be crafted
Added the feature in the Sell menu at merchants, you can now press triangle to mark one or more items to sell items quicker.
Added gameplay time to the statistics menu.
Changed the timing of some tutorials that were repeatedly displayed, they are now less frequent.
Added the option to control the x and y axis sensitivity of the camera.
Added Spanish language support for North American copies of the game. Spanish subtitles can now be enabled, and Spanish audio is also now supported via a Spanish VO pack that can be downloaded from the North American PlayStation Store (in the week of 8th May).
Bethesda's sci-fi adventure game Prey is out on Friday, May 5, and its launch trailer has been released to celebrate.
The video shows off some of the abilities you'll be able to develop on board your spaceship, Talos I, as well as showcasing the numerous enemies that will be hunting you down as you go. Take a look at the full trailer above.
Today, we learned what's included in Prey's day one patch. The update includes a load of bug fixes, as well as support for English dialogue no matter which region your game is from.
Prey livestream with Arkane lead systems designer Seth Shain and lead level designer Rich Wilson.
The Lobby crew discusses news about Breath of the Wild's DLC, and their hopes for the recently announced Darksiders 3.
Welcome to the Realm. Play Paladins for free, now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC!
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