New Games |
- Warm up with remix album Mario Kart: Bonus Beach
- Minecraft sells 10 million on Xbox 360, plus a DLC sale
- Forza 5 unlikely to get night racing or weather
- The Ys buyers guide
- Live show: Warframe (PS4)
- New trailer overviews this month's Pokémon Bank
- Build your own digital bundle in GameFly sale
- Rogue Legacy patch adding bosses, rooms, and more
- Friday Night Fights: It's getting cold out there
- Valve has tidied up its Steam Mobile app for iOS
- Behold the breathless beauty of Teslagrad
- Allez cuisine! Double Dragon hits Wii U, 3DS eShop
- No Man's Sky has me excited for the next gen
- flOw releasing on PlayStation 4 next week
- Pokémon X/Y patch stops Battle Analyzer and Instacheck
- Four Alien: Isolation screenshots have surfaced
- Grimy Daylight screens make me wan' go home
- Impressions: Awesomenauts' Ted McPain
- Microsoft says Xbox One was fastest selling console
- Steam Early Access: Dungeon of the Endless looks awesome
- 3DS surpasses 10 million sold
- No one wanted to help Rhode Island be ostriches
- Oculus Rift gets $75 million in funding to move forward
- Do you prefer Strider's retro tracks or the new remixes?
- Dead Rising 3 gets a demo, and first DLC announcement
- Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty could still come to Xbox One
- GTA: San Andreas iOS rocks, especially with a controller
- Kirby becomes a big bad beetleborg in Triple Deluxe
- Warframe's first PS4 update is quite large
- You can have Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in your pocket
- Rock and roll with this week's Humble Weekly Sale
- Blockbuster closing all its UK stores by December 16
- MLG viewership up, outpaces March Madness
- A new champion appears: Yasuo joins League of Legends
- Turn 10 wants to turn around fan perception of Forza 5
| Warm up with remix album Mario Kart: Bonus Beach Posted: 13 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST Are you suffering from one of the winter storms that recently hit, burying your home in feet of snow? If so, this won't technically help you, but it may remind you of some of the classic beach tunes from past games in the Mario Kart series. Remixed by Benjamin Briggs, the three tracks here are available on BandCamp for however much you want to pay, even if that means you just want to grab the songs for free. You can give them a listen below, and if you like what you hear and are feeling generous, you're welcome to toss a donation Ben's way. Ben Briggs presents Mario Kart: Bonus Beach [GameChops] |
| Minecraft sells 10 million on Xbox 360, plus a DLC sale Posted: 13 Dec 2013 12:00 PM PST Damn. 10 million copies of Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition have been sold to date. I'd say the person responsible for initiating the deal that would eventually lead to this version coming about deserves a raise, or a pat on the back -- or something! -- but such a milestone speaks for itself. If you came for the discounted DLC and not to hear about Mojang's continued success with everything Minecraft, here goes: the promotion is only good for Saturday, December 14. Skin Packs 1-5, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack 1 and 2, Festive Skin Pack, Plastic Texture Pack, Natural Texture Pack, and Fantasy Texture Pack are half price. In other words, everything but those comparatively much more interesting mashup packs are being discounted. That's a Lot of Blocks: Minecraft Creeps Past Ten Million on Xbox 360 [Major Nelson] |
| Forza 5 unlikely to get night racing or weather Posted: 13 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST Speaking to IGN about the possibility of Forza Motorsport 5 getting night racing or weather effects, creative director Dan Greenawalt emphasized the amount of work that would need to go into such additions to the game. "When we do things, we do it all the way," he said. "That means physics, that means changing conditions, that means everything. So that is not the sort of thing that is easily undertaken in a patch." Continuing, he explains that "To build a new track that would work at night and in wet would mean a bespoke track ... If we wanted to make one of those tracks work with the added particles or projected shadows, and of course adding the physics to do something like night and wet, it means re-engaging those tracks. I’m not trying to give an excuse, I’m trying to give context as to why this is an order of magnitude higher than something like Drag and Tag, and other things we're looking at from the community." The creative director did note "it's fair that people ask for the features they want, and we're here to make fans happy," but, don't count on this stuff winding up in Forza 5. "It's not where we chose to put out investment," he said. "We chose to be 1080p and 60 frames per-second, and have that solid performance." Forza 5: Night Racing and Weather is 'Not a Minor Thing' to Add [IGN] |
| Posted: 13 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST [In honor of the newest Ys game's release, I thought it appropriate to promote JoyfulSanity's wonderful series buyers guide. Want to see your own blog appear on our front page? Go write something! --Mr Andy Dixon] I've been seeing a lot of people ask "what the heck is Ys" recently. As an avid fan who can hopefully take a step back and look at these games from a newcomer's perspective, I hope to answer the most common questions while offering my insight into what these games are like and whether they'll be a good match for you. I've also included Metacritic links so you can check out what other critics are saying about these games, but as usual with Metacritic, I'd recommend taking the scores with a grain of salt and looking at the actual words in the reviews. Having said that, if you're lazy and/or don't feel like reading my in depth analysis, then here's my TL;DR: Buy them all! Except maybe Chronicles. |
| Posted: 13 Dec 2013 09:30 AM PST [Mash Tactics airs Monday through Friday at 4p.m. Pacific on Dtoid.TV. Watch Rick 'King Foom' Olson play a variety of games, each day with its own theme. With a heavy focus on community and viewer interaction, you can be as much a part of the show as anything else.] The weekend is almost upon us, so that can mean only one thing -- that's right, another round of community gaming shenanigans. This week, we'll be doing our part to promote Friday Night Fights over at Dtoid.TV by getting together, and playing the extremely fun and addictive free-to-play shooter, Warframe, for the PlayStation 4. Now, while I absolutely adore Warframe, a lot of the reason for busting this game out tonight, is to test out the onboard streaming capabilities of the PS4. You see, Sony kind of slipped up, and forgot to remove its HDCP lock-out for games, so the only way I can broadcast anything through this machine (for now, Sony stated that it will remove the HDCP in a future patch) is by using the streaming software it came with. If you've been curious about how all of this works, or just wanted to check out the game, be sure to join us for Mash Tactics tonight and see it all in action for yourself. My apologies in advance for any quality issues. QotD: What are some F2P games that you feel have 'done it right'? |
| New trailer overviews this month's Pokémon Bank Posted: 13 Dec 2013 09:00 AM PST It'll be a wonderful day when Game Freak's application for storing Pokémon online, Pokémon Bank, is finally available. Thankfully, the wait isn't too much longer -- the launch of the Bank and the Poké Transporter is set for December 27, 2013 in North America and Europe. Players who download from the eShop and activate them before January 31 will have a free 30-day trial; otherwise, there's an annual charge of $4.99. With these apps, it's possible to move your Pokémon from Pokémon Black/White and Black 2/White 2 into Pokémon X/Y. I'll be able to get my beloved Feraligatr at last! I'm sure we all have a favorite that's unobtainable right now. Be sure to follow that first link, as it's got detailed information about the Bank. For instance, it's possible to earn either Poké Miles or Battle Points; entire boxes can be transferred; and there's a short window of time after a Bank trial ends where you'll still be able to withdraw. |
| Build your own digital bundle in GameFly sale Posted: 13 Dec 2013 08:30 AM PST GameFly is offering a bundle-based promotion of digital releases this week, where customers can select a specific publisher and then build a bundle of three to five games from a selection of that publisher's titles. Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Valve, 2K, Square Enix and Rockstar are participating in the sale, each with a decent variety of offerings. There are some solid savings in here, but there's at best two games I would want out of any one publisher's titles in the sale, so I'm going to skip this one. But do take a look at 2K's offers at the very least, as there are some rather solid (and still higher priced) titles such as BioShock Infinite, XCOM: Enemy Within and Mafia II in their part of the sale that might be worth saving on. Build Your Own Bundle [Gamefly] |
| Rogue Legacy patch adding bosses, rooms, and more Posted: 13 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST An excuse to pump more hours into Rogue Legacy will present itself soon enough. Cellar Door Games has teased what's to come in patch 1.2, which should be going live any day now:
A little something for everyone, then. If you've yet to try Rogue Legacy, you should -- though I have a feeling it'll end up being discounted in a holiday sale before long here. Patch 1.2 Preview [Cellar Door Games] |
| Friday Night Fights: It's getting cold out there Posted: 13 Dec 2013 07:30 AM PST "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere I go" Hey everyone. Happy Friday! Today's post is going to be pretty short. I've been slammed with real life stuff lately and my job has my head spinning. I haven't had a whole lot of time for games lately and it's really starting to get to me. Life. What're you gonna do, right? Oh, I did pick up a PS Vita the other day though. Glad I took the plunge, Tearaway is an absolute joy to play and PS+ is an absolute amazing service, wish I would have done this sooner. Anyway, have fun tonight, stay warm and good gaming! |
| Valve has tidied up its Steam Mobile app for iOS Posted: 13 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST Out of fear that Steam would take over my life more than it already has, I never bothered to grab the Steam Mobile app. Valve has updated the iOS version with added functionality and the more I read about it, the harder it is to resist downloading. Good thing my phone isn't within reach. As of v1.3, Steam Mobile now supports the sending and receiving of messages to offline users, and the option to view your chat history. The storefront has also undergone design changes, and the user interface for friend requests and group invites has been streamlined. It's also now possible to see which platform (mobile, desktop, or Big Picture) a friend is on. Lastly, the app has push notifications for offline messages and friend/group invites, so be sure to go to the Steam Preferences page in the settings to adjust which notifications you'd like to see. Steam Mobile Updates [Steam] |
| Behold the breathless beauty of Teslagrad Posted: 13 Dec 2013 06:45 AM PST Teslagrad, a 2D platforming adventure game, has arrived today on Steam and I find it to be absolutely stunning. With puzzles based around magnetism, a beautiful animated style and a melancholy tone, it's become one of my favorite games in recent months. We'll have a full review for Teslagrad coming soon on Destructoid but, in the meantime, check out this video where I demonstrate the game's opening areas to you (and my lovely wife). |
| Allez cuisine! Double Dragon hits Wii U, 3DS eShop Posted: 13 Dec 2013 06:30 AM PST The original Double Dragon, the game that started it all, is now available on the Wii U and 3DS eShop. I don't know if it still holds up. I can tell you the movie starring Iron Chef America's Chairman does not. I can bet the cartoon doesn't, either. But, in the words of my uncle: that music is still balling. I've looped the trailer a few times already just listening to it. |
| No Man's Sky has me excited for the next gen Posted: 13 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST The highlight of the VGX, aside from Joel McHale's unrelenting irreverence, was the unexpected, unlikely No Man's Sky from the creators of Joe Danger. Much of the afternoon centered around content that was not particularly new or different. A Borderlands game in Telltale's signature style. A PS4 and Xbox One port of Tomb Raider, which came out early this year. Cranky Kong's reveal for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which was supposed to already have been out this year, before a delay. More trailers for games we've already seen. Was there anything new in that Destiny trailer? I couldn't tell. "I think the bikes are new," Max Scoville said. I must have blinked because I didn't see them. No Man's Sky was exciting. It's new. A new IP. It has an apostrophe in its name. Even the name feels slightly antagonistic set against the backdrop of the hollow, sterile, sheet-metal sound stage that was the show. The title has multiple words. It's shows you the sky, but is clear you have no claim to stake. I sat down with developer Hello Games before the reveal and got a lot more context on the ambitious project -- an infinite space fantasy. |
| flOw releasing on PlayStation 4 next week Posted: 13 Dec 2013 05:45 AM PST flOw, the first PS3 game released by thatgamecompany, will soon be making its appearance on PlayStation 4. In a post to the PlayStation Blog, Sony Santa Monica producer Eric Fong announced that the title will be available on Tuesday, December 17. Through Cross-Buy, players who have already purchased fl0w on PS3 or PS Vita will be able to download the PS4 version free of charge, while newcomers will be asked to cough up $5.99 for the game. Oddly, I don't think I actually got around to playing fl0w. I loved Flower (thatgamecompany's second release, which launched with the PS4 console) and I recall that giving me the thought that I should play fl0w, but I was likely then distracted by some other shiny object because I have no recollection of experiencing the game. Is it too late for me? Thatgamecompany’s Flow Comes to PS4 Tuesday [PS Blog] |
| Pokémon X/Y patch stops Battle Analyzer and Instacheck Posted: 13 Dec 2013 05:30 AM PST Game Freak has addressed an exploit in Pokémon X and Y with patch 1.2, available now on the 3DS eShop. A tool known as the Battle Analyzer allowed ne'er-do-wells to intercept online data and view an opponent's Pokémon and their chosen moves -- that and the Instacheck tool are no longer functional. As a result, ranked battles in the Battle Spot have been reactivated. There were previously issues with a bug causing Pokémon to not learn new moves after evolving through Wonder Trade, as well as one that led to captions for Trainer PR Videos not getting unlocked in Lumiose City, which patch 1.2 also fixes. [Via Serebii.net] |
| Four Alien: Isolation screenshots have surfaced Posted: 13 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST The Alien game rumored to be in development at Creative Assembly, Alien: Isolation, has gone through another leak following a pair of images getting out earlier this week. I hate to say it, but the disastrous Aliens: Colonial Marines is making me far more interested in the new title than I would be otherwise. And I feel far from alone in this regard. Thing is, Isolation, at least visually, doesn't look like a trainwreck. Four screenshots from the game have surfaced on Twitter -- two environmental shots, one of a pair of humans all suited up, and a final one featuring a motion tracker. I'd consider this a decent start. @lifelower [Twitter via Eurogamer] |
| Grimy Daylight screens make me wan' go home Posted: 13 Dec 2013 04:30 AM PST Zombie Studio's upcoming, procedurally generated PC and PS4 horror game Daylight just got some new screenshots, as well as a bit of backstory. It seems the abandoned hospital bit I played during my preview gives way to the sewer system as you try and make your escape. Great. Grate. Leave spooky for spookier. Where to next, spookiest? Apparently the hospital is mysteriously abandoned and left to rot in the 40's until 40 years later when some company tries to stake claim to the land. As to why your character ends up there, trapped, in the '83 -- that's still under wraps. Mummy wraps, perhaps? What I played of Daylight, even without the Oculus Rift, was pretty spooky. Hopefully the whole thing holds up. |
| Impressions: Awesomenauts' Ted McPain Posted: 13 Dec 2013 04:00 AM PST In case you haven't heard, Awesomenauts is launching its Starstorm expansion, which is bringing all new content to the game in 2014. As the game's first official meaty piece of DLC, the update will contain five new characters, more music, a new stage, replays, and a spectator mode. You can get a full look at what's planned in the official roadmap. Right now the first character, Ted McPain is available, as well as a new song, and team deathmatch mode. If Ted is any indication, Starstorm is going to be one awesome ride. |
| Microsoft says Xbox One was fastest selling console Posted: 13 Dec 2013 03:45 AM PST It's rather predictable that in the weeks following the launches of new consoles, the companies responsible would want to tout their machines as being the best and the brightest. Sony's already chimed in and said that the PlayStation 4 had the biggest console launch in history. Of course, Microsoft also had its two cents to throw in. According to a tweet from Xbox's Major Nelson, the Xbox One was the fastest selling console in North America. Having released on November 22, it sold approximately 909k strong before month's end -- a bit more than 101k per day. Obviously, the difference in the claims between the two companies stems from the fact that Sony had seven more days to work with. So, what does this all mean? Well, nothing really. It just confirms that both Sony and Microsoft are selling their systems, and that most retail outlets can't keep them on the shelves. Major Nelson later added "both next generation platforms are off to a great start." @MajorNelson [Twitter] |
| Steam Early Access: Dungeon of the Endless looks awesome Posted: 13 Dec 2013 03:30 AM PST I don't think we've talked about Dungeon of the Endless. Let's. The self-described "roguelike-like" tasks you with exploring dungeons as you head to the planet's surface all while protecting the generator of your crashed space vessel. It's proper tense if this trailer is any indication. It doesn't look like you're terribly well equipped to deal with the endless horrors skittering around corners. It's also quite pretty. It's a neat departure for Endless Space developer Amplitude. The latter was a massive 4X title, after all. Those who access early can drop $15 for the Founder Pack, which comes with neat tidbits like half off Endless Space. Alternatively, $9.75 gets you the game and soundtrack. |
| Posted: 13 Dec 2013 03:15 AM PST Nintendo sends word that Super Mario 3D World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds helped push up hardware sales. This makes sense to me as both titles are in my top five for the year. Hardware sales for Nintendo are up 100 percent over last month, they say. They moved 770,000 3DS systems in November, which put lifetime sales over 10 million. Congrats, Nintendo! The Wii U increased sales by more than 340 percent over October. Again, Super Mario 3D World is fantastic. It sold more than 215,000 units in the first eight days. If you haven't played it yet, do it now. |
| No one wanted to help Rhode Island be ostriches Posted: 13 Dec 2013 03:00 AM PST Last month, Kyle called Rhode Islanders ostriches for wanting the state to simply not pay the $90 million owed to investors who purchased bonds used to fund Curt Schilling's now-defunct development house, 38 Studios (Kingdoms of Amalur). Incidentally, 38 percent said the state should pay the debt. Coincidence? According to Providence Journal, state lawmakers begrudgingly approved a starting, $2.5 million payment. They also budgeted 50 grand for "a robust" study on the financial and "reputational impacts" of, again, simply defaulting on the loan. Unfortunately, no financial experts even bid on the contract, despite lawmakers shopping it around. At least not until word got out, at which point former securities lawyer and investment banker Edward "Ted" Siedele stepped up to bat. Siedele believes there is no "unconditional obligation" to pay all debts. I believe Siedele got real happy when he saw there was no competition for this contract and that the state practically couldn't refuse. You messed up, Rhode Island. Pay your damn bills like the rest of us. No bidders for study of how 38 Studios loan default would affect R.I. [Providence Journal] |
| Oculus Rift gets $75 million in funding to move forward Posted: 13 Dec 2013 02:35 AM PST Virtual reality headset makers Oculus Rift have secured $75 million in funding, led by investment firm Andreessen Horowitz, making this the largest funding for videogame tech ever. For the handing over of this massive pile of dough, Mark Andressen will join the board at Oculus. Andressen is the co-author of Mosaic and a co-founder of Netscape, and is on the board of Facebook and eBay, among others. Andressen Horowitz has backed Twitter, Skype, Pinterest and more. "We believe Oculus will not only alter the gaming landscape but will redefine fundamental human experiences in areas like film, education, architecture, and design. Oculus is at the tip of the iceberg of its potential, and we're incredibly excited to help them change the world," said Andreessen. Oculus previously raised $16 million in funding, and $2.4 million through Kickstarter. Of course, this capital will be used to bring Oculus Rift to market. They say that they're hiring engineers to help out. As of yet, no release date has been set. |
| Do you prefer Strider's retro tracks or the new remixes? Posted: 13 Dec 2013 02:30 AM PST The original "Raid" has not been topped, but both "Siberian Tunnel" tracks make my ears sing. The Strider reboot is coming to PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC early 2014 for $15. C'mon, Double Helix. Don't goof this up or it's back to licensed Battleship games and Killer Instinct DLC forever. |
| Dead Rising 3 gets a demo, and first DLC announcement Posted: 13 Dec 2013 02:15 AM PST Amidst that "lack of demos" situation the Xbox One is having right now, Capcom has unleashed one for Dead Rising 3 -- should you care to try it out. It's basically a 20-minute demo that lets you play in the entire sandbox during two sessions. The limited boot-ups kind of sucks, but the trade-off is a full sandbox experience, giving you more than just a vertical slice of a piece of gameplay. Capcom also announced the first DLC for December 24, titled Operation Eagle. It'll put you in the shoes of Adam Kane, a Spec Ops Commander tasked with finding the President. It comes with six new weapons, a new outfit, and an extra vehicle in addition to the side story. Each DLC campaign will run you $9.99, and the Season Pass is $30. |
| Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty could still come to Xbox One Posted: 13 Dec 2013 02:00 AM PST "You know what? Oddworld wasn't built on selling out." That's what series creator Lorne Lanning had to say about Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty coming out on Xbox, prior to Microsoft's self-publishing 180. Now that Microsoft allows self-publishing, we could at least see New 'n' Tasty -- or perhaps future Oddworld games -- at least on the Xbox One. The 360 still doesn't have self-publishing methods. Oddworld Inhabitants didn't appear on the ID@Xbox list of registered developers, but a tweet from the developer offers a glint of hope: "We're still talking to Xbox. We shall see!" New 'n' Tasty is hitting PS4, PS3, and Vita spring 2014. I can't wait! PC, Mac, Linux, and Wii U versions are coming sometime after. Oddworld may still come to Xbox One, but probably not Xbox 360 [OXM] |
| GTA: San Andreas iOS rocks, especially with a controller Posted: 13 Dec 2013 01:30 AM PST GTA: San Andreas is out on iOS this week (with Android and Windows Phones coming soon), following up the previous mobile versions of GTA III and Vice City. Like those ports, San Andreas is basically picture perfect, all the way from the visuals on a high-end device, to the content. This is a fully featured GTA game with all the bells and whistles, which is a testament to how far the platform has come over the years. |
| Kirby becomes a big bad beetleborg in Triple Deluxe Posted: 13 Dec 2013 01:00 AM PST The colorful Japanese site for Kirby: Triple Deluxe saw some updates recently, lovingly compiled by NeoGAF's L~A. One of the videos on the site shows the player tilting the 3DS to pour a pot of water Kirby is floating in, in order to put out some flames. Some other tilt and tumble stuff was happening in another video. More importantly, though, we got a nice look at the new Beetle and Bell power ups, as embedded above. Ring my bell, Kirby. It's actually Kirb-een many years since I've played a Kirby game. I've somehow managed to avoid all the pink blob's recent releases. I sort of want to go find my Dream Land 2 cart. Hopefully this gets dated for Western release after its January 11 Japan release. Kirby Triple Deluxe : new details and gameplay videos [NeoGAF] |
| Warframe's first PS4 update is quite large Posted: 13 Dec 2013 12:30 AM PST Digital Extremes has rolled out the first update for Warframe on the PS4, addressing a multitude of issues ranging from missing sounds to players falling through elevators. On top of that, the update adds a whole bunch of new features, including a new Warframe, several weapons, prime gear, bosses, and a trading system to name a few. The full notes for the update (officially titled "Valkyr Unleashed") can be found here. Alright, now I'm curious, have any of you Warframe players experienced falling through elevators? Update 11: Valkyr Unleashed [Warframe] |
| You can have Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in your pocket Posted: 13 Dec 2013 12:00 AM PST A gussied up, remastered version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas hit the Apple Store yesterday. It's playable on the following devices: iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPod Touch 5th gen, iPad 2, 3rd and 4th gen, iPad Air, iPad Mini, iPad Mini with Retina Display. But, hey, who has a third generation iPhone, right? Not even poor people! Maybe micro bacteria and their dumb fingers don't work on touchscreens. Priced at a reasonable $7, something tells me this could blow up, riding the wave of Grand Theft Auto fever loosed by GTAV. It's an intravenous nostalgia hit to many smart phone owners, I'm sure. Not that Rockstar needs anymore money. Android and Windows Phone versions are dropping next week. Wow -- even Windows Phone! Anyone biting? With native controller support (if you have one of those peripherals), this could be the best way to play San Andreas, given the updates. GTA San Andreas available now on iOS [CVG] |
| Rock and roll with this week's Humble Weekly Sale Posted: 12 Dec 2013 11:00 PM PST You know the drill. You can have four games -- Zeno Clash, Zeno Clash 2, Killing Floor and Dwarfs!?! -- for whatever you want. A penny, if you're terrible and mad at the world (or broke). If you pay $6 or more, you can nab the deliciously weird Rock of Ages, as well as, Rising Storm. I think Rock of Ages is worth the $6. I mean, what did Def Leppard charge for Pyromania? Add in the weird Zeno Clash games and the fun cooperative multiplayer Killing Floor and it's not a bad haul, though I had something different in mind when I read Atlus was doing its first Humble Bundle (just five more releases of Persona 4: Golden, really). |
| Blockbuster closing all its UK stores by December 16 Posted: 12 Dec 2013 10:00 PM PST Last month we learned aged rental giant Blockbuster would draw its last breath on US soil by January 2014, when all 300 remaining locations would be shut down. Blockbuster UK is beating us to the punch, it seems. The 91 remaining stores will cease operations by this Monday, December 16. Stock will be discounted by as high as 90% if you can stand fighting shoppers over detritus while the 808 people losing their jobs look on solemnly as you wrestle a 73 cent Wild at Heart DVD out of some postal worker's hand. Onwards and upwards, I suppose. How about we convert these dessicated husks into something useful, like affordable, low-income housing? No? We're just going to throw some more Starbucks and Pottery Barns and Linens 'n Things in there? Okay. Fine. Whatever. Blockbuster to close remaining stores [BBC] |
| MLG viewership up, outpaces March Madness Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:00 PM PST While League of Legends creeps up on the National Hockey League in terms of numbers, MLG is quite happy to boast that its "[v]iewers consumed more than 54 million hours of MLG’s online video in 2013 vs. 14 million hours of video consumed by NCAA March Madness Live viewers." As a whole, "MLG online video consumption was up 262% over 2012 and 1557% since 2010." The eSports leader is clearly barreling forward. It recently announced its own premium streaming platform, MLG.TV, meant to circumvent the likes of Twitch and UStream. I wonder how long until the PS4 and Xbox One get MLG.TV apps. I wonder how long before I won't instinctively type "MLB" first. Hopefully never. One other fun tidbit of data: 90% of MLG.TV's audience is male. Maybe that accounts for all the growth. |
| A new champion appears: Yasuo joins League of Legends Posted: 12 Dec 2013 07:00 PM PST Mitsurugi Yasuo is the latest fighter to join the Real Sport that is spreading faster than boogie fever, League of Legends. He's trying to avenge a dead mentor or some such cliche and can be dressed as a cowboy. You might recognize his voice actor as Persona 3's Akihiko or any number of characters (Frisbee in Redline, David in Killer is Dead, and so on). His epithet, "The Unforgiven," reminds me that I really want to see that Japanese Unforgiven remake starring Ken Watanabe. |
| Turn 10 wants to turn around fan perception of Forza 5 Posted: 12 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST Dale dug Forza 5, but the Xbox One launch title has been met with the most varied reviews in franchise history. However, creative director Dan Greenawalt, in an interview with Eurogamer, said he is "not really driven by Metascore." Rather, he cites concern over negative player perception of how the game handles things like microtransactions. Its economy has already come under scrutiny and is seeing changes. "The biggest experiment was the acceleration - but that wasn't meant to be a paywall. The grind was not designed to be arduous, but I understand people perceiving it that way and that's why we're making the patch to change the grind," Greenawalt said. "We're changing it because that's how people perceived it, and perception is reality." Responding to criticism of the track list and relative size of the game, Greenawalt noted that the fastest track rebuild took the team nine months. "It was sad when I saw people's responses that this game seemed small to them. ... I was looking at how much work it took to make the tracks we made and all the cars we made, and the level of fidelity and immersion in the cockpit view, the physics. I wasn't looking at it relative to Forza 4, I was looking at it relative to every other racing game that's been launched alongside a console." Greenawalt also explained that things like microtransactions were in-studio ideas, not a Microsoft mandate from on high and claimed the team, having been built around a two year cycle, couldn't have used an extra 12 months development time to avoid console launch pressure. The latter seems wacky, given that they didn't even have time to press completed discs. Fixing Forza 5: How Turn 10 wants to win fans back [Eurogamer] |
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