http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Sun, 27 Apr 2014 22:37:13 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-dev-explains-how-its-multiplayer-mode-is-really-a-seamless-online-experience/1100-6419247/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418467" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418467/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/watch-dogs/">Watch Dogs</a> developer Ubisoft Montreal doesn't think of the game as having traditional multiplayer, but rather a "seamless online" experience.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We don't talk about it in terms of single-player and multiplayer," Lead Gameplay Designer Danny Belanger said in a post on <a href="http://blog.ubi.com/watch-dogs-multiplayer-guide/" rel="nofollow">Ubisoft's blog</a>. "It's all online. It's seamless. You continue your game. That aspect, for me, is crucial because otherwise it's a break in the experience."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As you've probably seen in the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-multiplayer-explained-in-9-minute-developer-walkthrough-video/1100-6419161/">recently released 9-minute video</a>, you can play Watch Dogs online with other players in a variety of modes, but you don't just choose these from a menu as you do in so many other games.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Other players can invade your game at any time as long as you're not doing anything that could be disrupted (a story mission, for example), and Watch Dogs will also try to learn how much of an online experience you're looking for.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We have a shield," Belanger said. "So if someone comes into your game and hacks you, you're protected. It can't happen. The less you partake in the multiplayer, the longer the shield. If you're not hacking people and you're not into that gameplay, the game will recognize and acknowledge that you're not into that. That's fine." If you want, you can also toggle off the online multiplayer options completely in the game's menu.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another cool way in which Watch Dogs keeps this online experience seamless is that you never play as anyone but the main character, Aiden Pearce. Even online, you'll always see yourself as Pearce, but to every other player you'll look like a "fixer," whose appearance is chosen from a pool of NPCs.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Watch Dogs launches <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-release-date-announced-for-everything-except-wii-u/1100-6417977/">May 27</a> for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. The Wii U version, which is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-for-wii-u-definitely-not-canceled/1100-6418164/">definitely not canceled</a>, is coming sometime later. You can read more about Watch Dogs in <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-what-can-you-do-besides-hacking/1100-6419140/">GameSpot editor Shaun McInnis' recently published preview</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 16:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-dev-explains-how-its-multiplayer-mode-is-really-a-seamless-online-experience/1100-6419247/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-8-best-buy-preorder-comes-with-10-coupon-for-real-gas/1100-6419246/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517390-2511104120-20425.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517390" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517390-2511104120-20425.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517390"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517390-2511104120-20425.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Preordering <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-8/">Mario Kart 8</a> from Best Buy will get you a $10 coupon for real gas.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">That should probably cover the drive to the store. If you're picking the game up there when it comes out, a code will be printed out on your reciept, which you can then enter at <a href="http://www.revupyourkart.com/redeem" rel="nofollow">www.revupyourkart.com/redeem</a>. That will get you your $10 in Gas Cash, which can be redeemed at any gas station in the United States that accepts MasterCard. If you preorder online, you'll receive the code by email within 24 hours of the game's release.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">You can find the offer on <a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/mario-kart-8-121399?ref=199&loc=FKSJxY2VJAk&siteID=FKSJxY2VJAk-.I_5u0vb5NKylR8ddVWKYQ" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Best Buy's website</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Mario Kart 8 launches worldwide on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-8-gets-release-date-and-7-new-koopa-racers/1100-6417729/">May 30 </a>exclusively for Wii U. The game includes <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-8-has-32-total-courses-16-are-new-and-16-are-remakes/1100-6418742/">32 total courses</a>--half are brand new and the other half are remakes of previous courses. Mario Kart 8 also includes <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-8-it-s-not-all-about-luck-two-rainbow-roads-confirmed/1100-6418730/">two Rainbow Road courses</a>. For more, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-8/">GameSpot's previous coverage of Mario Kart 8</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 14:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-8-best-buy-preorder-comes-with-10-coupon-for-real-gas/1100-6419246/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-exclusive-driveclub-to-reveal-release-date-full-game-details-new-videos-in-coming-weeks/1100-6419245/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517378-2617348359-20513.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517378" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517378-2617348359-20513.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517378"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517378-2617348359-20513.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Developer Evolution Studios said that we can expect an official release date, full game details, and new videos for the PlayStation 4's exclusive racing game Driveclub in "the weeks to come."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We are going to bring you up to speed with a full Driveclub update soon, because we are immensely proud of how the game is developing and we're confident you'll see why when we show you more," Evolution Studios said in a post to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/driveclubofficial/posts/626525860765111?stream_ref=10" rel="nofollow">the game's Facebook page</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">With E3 2014 only six weeks away, it's safe to assume Evolution Studios will have something prepared for the show. In response to a question from a fan, it also said that we can "expect more info in the weeks up to E3."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Last month, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-racing-game-driveclub-making-spectacular-progress-release-date-coming-soon/1100-6418567/">Sony said</a> that Driveclub was making "spectacular progress" despite <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-s-ps4-racing-game-driveclub-loses-its-director/1100-6418552/">losing its game director</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-layoffs-hit-driveclub-killzone-and-the-playroom-developers/1100-6418519/">layoffs at Evolution Studios</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We have full confidence that the game will deliver on its PS4 promise to be the first truly socially connected racing title and we are very pleased and excited by the calibre of work from Evolution Studios," a Sony representative said.</p><p style="">For more on Driveclub, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/driveclub/">GameSpot's previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 13:26:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-exclusive-driveclub-to-reveal-release-date-full-game-details-new-videos-in-coming-weeks/1100-6419245/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/what-we-d-like-to-see-in-the-next-portal/1100-6419230/ <p style=""><i>Warning: This editorial contains spoilers for <a href="/portal/" data-ref-id="false">Portal</a> and <a href="/portal-2/" data-ref-id="false">Portal 2</a>. If you haven't played those games yet, you should download them instead of reading this anyway.</i></p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Portal 2 doesn't need a sequel, and I wouldn't even want a Portal 3.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Making a sequel that's able to compete with the nearly perfect original Portal was already a nearly impossible task as the game's writers discussed during 2012's <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/164930/GDC_2012_Portal_2_Making_a_sequel_to_a_perfect_game.php" rel="nofollow">Game Developer's Conference</a>. And chances are, Valve still has no plans to jump directly into another Portal sequel. But just because I don't want to see a Portal 3, that doesn't mean I don't want to see more from the Portal universe.</p><p style=""> </p><h3>Continuing experiments</h3><p style=""> </p><p style="">The magic of Portal hasn't ended completely yet anyway. Fan-made mods aren't held to the same standards as the in-canon adventure, so even if they might not be quite as good, you can escape into Portal's world by either further exploring the game's fan fiction or facing even more ridiculous puzzle challenges.</p><p style=""> </p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2517113-6020041856-Porta.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517113" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2517113-6020041856-Porta.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517113"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1534/15343359/2517113-6020041856-Porta.jpg"></a><figcaption>Was that me behind me?</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style="">The time travel hinted at in a portion of Portal 2 has been covered through a mod called <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/286080/" rel="nofollow">Thinking with Time Machine</a> [sic]. Other fans made a prequel that sets up the events of GlaDOS' creation in <a href="http://www.portalprelude.com/" rel="nofollow">Portal: Prelude</a>. And the Portal 2 map editor pretty much ensures that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/free-portal-2-level-editor-arrives-may-8/1100-6373635/">any time I just want to flex my brain against challenges that surpass even Valve's creation</a>, I can find a map to play.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Of course, things have been kept vague enough in Portal's story that Valve could always potentially return to the game and its characters. GlaDOS is still alive. The main character Chell is somewhere out free in an unfamiliar world. And we have no reliable way of knowing how much time actually passed between the events of Portal 1 and Portal 2. Another Portal game could take place pretty much anytime, including well after the culmination of the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/search/?indices%5B0%5D=game&q=half-life/" data-ref-id="false">Half-Life series</a>.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Aperture Science in Portal and the Black Mesa facility in Half-life have already been explicitly linked in both series. And having Chell explore the world long after the events of the alien Combine invasion from <a href="/half-life-2/" data-ref-id="false">Half-Life 2</a> could provide an interesting narrative way to bridge the gap between the two franchises and give us insight into what happened after <a href="/half-life-2-episode-two/" data-ref-id="false">Half-Life 2: Episode Two</a>.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">But could that be called a Portal game? Portal is more about combining comedy and puzzles, in contrast to the seriousness and shooting gameplay of Half-Life's world. Any time spent exploring the world outside the facility makes the "Portal" moniker sound out-of-place. I think we're still going to see GlaDOS, Chell, and the portal gun, but as cameos in a Half-Life game proper.</p><p style=""> </p><h3>Those wonderful toys?</h3><p style=""> </p><p style="">The portal gun is such a clever tool, and while it has obvious limitations on what types of surfaces can be used to make its dimensional portals, creating short chapters that use the technology in a limited way makes more sense at this point than trying to craft another entire game around the tech. And that's where I'd most like to see the continuation of the main Portal story extend anyway.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6265921" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6265921/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style="">While Half-Life's Gordon Freeman probably wouldn't run through a full Aperture testing lab with the gun, it's possible that more of the devices exist somewhere in the world, and who better to explain the device than Chell?</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">In Portal's conception as the game <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narbacular_Drop" rel="nofollow">Narbacular Drop</a>, it may not have been originally intended to fit into the Half-Life universe, but the two series are inextricably linked, and I'd liked to see that connection extended even further. Trying to make a full Portal 3 in the same testing facility with yet another battle against rogue AI, it would be almost impossible to capture the same sense of newness and surprise that made the previous games so good.</p><p style=""> </p><h3>A handheld Aperture Science Testing Device</h3><p style=""> </p><p style="">So how could GlaDOS and the testing chambers continue without overreach into the Half-Life lore or just rehashing similar stories and ideas? The answer's simple: A mobile game.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Portal has always been more about the puzzles and humor than anything else, and I'd rather any efforts towards a full 3D release go towards Half-Life. But there's always room in my life for a great mobile puzzle game, and that's something Valve could easily fit into the Portal universe.</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/hitman-go/" data-ref-id="false">Hitman GO</a>, a recent mobile title with a board game aesthetic, provides an excellent example of staying true to the feel of a series' source material while simultaneously taking the gameplay in a completely different direction. And what is GlaDOS' ultimate goal if not to pit able-minded test subjects against one another in a set of grueling mental trials?</p><p style=""> </p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2517114-3097347073-anima.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2517114" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2517114-3097347073-anima.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2517114"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1534/15343359/2517114-3097347073-anima.gif"></a><figcaption>All hail the Turret King!</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Portal's iconic turrets would fit perfectly into a standalone mobile outing. And at the end of Portal 2, they had even created their own form of civilization--singing an operatic farewell to Chell. Slides in the science facility revealed a massive <a href="http://theportalwiki.com/wiki/Animal_King_Turret" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Animal King turret</a> that's able to command the worship and fear of entire governments, who would make a great comic character to expand on through short games.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Valve isn't known for making mobile games, but neither was Blizzard, a company that recently spun off their popular <a href="/hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">Hearthstone</a> game to mobile. Fan reaction to a mobile Portal game would be initially negative, but I think it'd be possible to make a really great, novel experience that way that doesn't have to be called Portal 3.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">But then again, given how effectively Blizzard is able to siphon money out of my wallet through Hearthstone and how Valve empties my accounts through their regular Steam sales, maybe I shouldn't give them more ideas on how to make me go broke.</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 11:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/what-we-d-like-to-see-in-the-next-portal/1100-6419230/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-s-siri-like-cortana-service-doesn-t-talk-to-kids/1100-6419244/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517347-9230726462-24485.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517347" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517347-9230726462-24485.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517347"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1535/15354745/2517347-9230726462-24485.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Microsoft Cortana, a voice activated virtual assistant for Windows Phone 8.1 named after Halo's AI character, will not talk to kids.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Like Apple's Siri on iPhone, Cortana's speech recognition allows users to ask it questions and perform specific tasks. Cortana also collects data on users in the process in order to improve the experience over time, meaning it is subject to the US government's Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).</p><p dir="ltr" style="">COPPA's policies insure that children under the age of 13 can't share information online without the approval of a parent. According to GameSpot sister site <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/cortana-doesnt-talk-to-kids/" rel="nofollow">CNET</a>, at this point in development Cortana doesn't have any parental controls, so if you're listed as being younger than 13 on your Microsoft account and try to use Cortana, she'll respond with, "I'm sorry, you'll need to be bit older before I can help you."</p><p style="">Cortana is currently available in beta to developers on Windows Phone 8.1. Support for other Microsoft devices like Windows computers and Xbox consoles could come later.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 11:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-s-siri-like-cortana-service-doesn-t-talk-to-kids/1100-6419244/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-gauging-players-interest-in-another-diablo-3-expansion/1100-6419243/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517310-diabloexpansion2q.png" data-ref-id="1300-2517310" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517310-diabloexpansion2q.png" data-ref-id="1300-2517310"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517310-diabloexpansion2q.png"></a><figcaption>Image credit: NeoGAF user Nirolak.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Blizzard is asking <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/diablo-iii/">Diablo III</a> players how interested they would be in playing a second expansion to the game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The question popped up in a survey Blizzard sent to some Diablo III players. Most of the questions were about the player's gaming habits, but a <a href="http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=109617775&postcount=1" rel="nofollow">NeoGAF</a> user grabbed a screenshot of the relevant part of the survey, which asks players to rate their interest in another expansion on the scale you can see above.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another Diablo III expansion certainly sounds logical given the success of the recently released first expansion, Reaper of Souls, which shifted <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-3-reaper-of-souls-sells-2-7m-in-one-week-that-s-about-a-fifth-of-all-d3-owners/1100-6418745/">2.7 million units in its first week on sale</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Diablo III itself has racked up over 15 million sales since its launch in 2012, with that figure including the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions alongside the Mac and PC. That means roughly a fifth of all Diablo III owners have purchased Reaper of Souls, and the expansion will make its way to consoles later this year.</p><p style="">For more on Diablo III, make sure you read <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/diablo-3-reaper-of-souls-review/1900-6415713/">our Reaper of Souls review</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 10:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-gauging-players-interest-in-another-diablo-3-expansion/1100-6419243/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/spider-man-2-daylight-child-of-light-new-releases/2300-6418514/ This week sees the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Daylight, Child of Light, Kirby Triple Deluxe, Mario Golf: World Tour, and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle. Sun, 27 Apr 2014 10:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/spider-man-2-daylight-child-of-light-new-releases/2300-6418514/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oddworld-new-n-tasty-will-be-30-to-cross-buy-on-playstation/1100-6419242/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517298-1251557457-nnt10.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517298" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517298-1251557457-nnt10.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517298"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517298-1251557457-nnt10.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/oddworld-abes-oddysee-new-n-tasty/">Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty</a> will release on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita for $30 as a cross-buy title, meaning buying it on one platform will make it available on all of them.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a post to <a href="http://www.oddworld.com/2014/04/oddworld-new-n-tasty-pricing-cross-buy-release-date-update/" rel="nofollow">its official blog</a>, publisher Oddworld Inhabitants said that it is "really close" to releasing the game, but didn't give a specific release date. It said it will announce when the game will be available to buy before E3 2014 starts on June 9.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game will also have cross-save functionality, allowing you to take your progress from the console version on the go with your PS Vita.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">New 'n' Tasty is a remake of 1997's PSOne classic <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/oddworld-abes-oddysee/">Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee</a>, a 2D adventure with a great setting and a heavy emphasis on puzzles. The game spawned a direct sequel, Abe's Exoddus, and its universe was also the home of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/oddworld-munchs-oddysee/">Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee</a> and Stranger's Wrath.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Eventually, Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty will also release on PC, and Wii U, but Oddworld Inhabitants didn't have an update on when we'll hear more about those versions.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In March, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/want-a-new-oddworld-game-new-n-tasty-needs-to-sell-500-000-first/1100-6418373/">Oddworld series creator Lorne Lanning said</a> that development on a brand new Oddworld title can begin if Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty shifts 500,000 copies.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 09:17:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oddworld-new-n-tasty-will-be-30-to-cross-buy-on-playstation/1100-6419242/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/3-reasons-the-xbox-one-may-struggle-to-catch-the-ps4/1100-6419160/ <p style="">The Xbox One is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-is-top-selling-console-for-third-straight-month-according-to-march-npd/1100-6419067/" data-ref-id="1100-6419067">lagging behind</a> the PlayStation 4. This has been true since the two consoles launched last November, and the distance has been widening with every month that passes. Microsoft corporate vice president Phil Harrison already spoke at length about the Xbox One's unenviable position, brushing aside many concerns as he brought up the old "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-talks-xbox-one-and-ps4-sales-marathon/1100-6418450/" data-ref-id="1100-6418450">marathon, not a sprint</a>" analogy. Although I do agree that it's too early for Microsoft to throw in the towel, there are serious detriments to getting off to such a slow start. And if the Xbox One doesn't gain ground soon, the problems could snowball so quickly that there's no hope of catching up.</p><h3><b>Dwindling third-party exclusives</b></h3><p style="">Microsoft doesn't rely on its first-party studios nearly as much as Sony and Nintendo do. That disparity hasn't been a concern in the last decade, since Microsoft has secured exclusive deals with external teams to bolster its lineup. Look no further than <a href="/gears-of-war/" data-ref-id="false">Gears of War</a> to see how smart strategic partnerships can boost the popularity of a system. Did it matter that Microsoft didn't develop Gears? Of course not. Most people were focused more on fending off the nasty locusts than worrying about who put a chainsaw on a gun. Epic agreed to keep Gears off Sony's and Nintendo's systems, and even <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-buys-gears-of-war-from-epic/1100-6417361/" data-ref-id="1100-6417361">sold the franchise rights to Microsoft </a>earlier this year.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2515401" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2515401-255828-sunset_overdrive.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2515401-255828-sunset_overdrive.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2515401"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2515401-255828-sunset_overdrive.jpg"></a><figcaption>Who knows how many games other than Sunset Overdrive will be exclusive.</figcaption></figure><p style="">You can see why Microsoft has been so keen to establish these types of relationships. <a href="http://www.totalxbox.com/65227/you-dont-need-to-own-studios-to-make-great-games-argues-xbox-one-boss/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Microsoft Studio boss Phil Spencer</a> spoke about their tactics last year, saying, "I think to some out there there's a fixation with which studios you own, which studios you work with, and for better or worse I'm not fixated on that." Microsoft has to either pay a first-party studio to make a game or contract an outside team, so either way it's shelling out money, right?</p><p style="">Unfortunately, this mindset that could spell trouble for Microsoft. If a game is being kept away from other platforms, that developer has to be compensated for lost potential sales. When the Xbox 360 shot out ahead of the PlayStation 3, it established itself as the leader in the high-definition race, so it was easy for Microsoft to convince publishers to partner up with them. And the same was true early this generation, when no one was sure how the chips would fall. But now that the PlayStation 4 is much more popular, Microsoft will have to pay more and more money to keep games away from Sony. And that price will only rise as the gap widens. It's not easy to negotiate when you're no longer in a position of power. That means we'll see more games land on multiple platforms, and there will be added pressure on 343 Industries, Turn 10 Studios, and Lionhead Studios to carry the load.</p><p style=""><a href="/titanfall/" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall </a>is already being kept away from the PlayStation 4, as are <a href="/sunset-overdrive/" data-ref-id="false">Sunset Overdrive</a> and <a href="/quantum-break/" data-ref-id="false">Quantum Break</a>, but who knows how willing those teams will be to do the same with their next games knowing that they're ignoring a huge part of their potential audience.</p><h3><b>Follow your friends to the end</b></h3><p style="">Remember when you could play games in your basement for hours without ever encountering another person? Well, the days of video games being an escape from social commitments have evaporated, and it's not as bad as my teenage self would have thought. Games are now digital hangouts where friends, strangers, and enemies square off, so even when there's no one else inside your house, there are still people playing with you somewhere in the world. It's kind of scary, kind of magic, and has dramatically changed how I play games.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2507386" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2507386-trialsfusion_061.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2507386-trialsfusion_061.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2507386"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1197/11970954/2507386-trialsfusion_061.jpg"></a><figcaption>Leaderboard racers are the best part of Trials Fusion.</figcaption></figure><p style="">As more people purchase a PlayStation 4 in favor of an Xbox One, the communities of multiplayer gamers will subsequently gravitate toward Sony's console. So when you're figuring out which version of<a href="/evolve/" data-ref-id="false"> Evolve</a> to get later this year, part of that decision process will involve which system has a larger player base. It makes sense, right? If you buy a multiplayer-centric game, you're going to want as many people as possible to play with. That idea extends further when your friends play games as well. Once one friend decides to buy <a href="/destiny/" data-ref-id="false">Destiny</a> on the PlayStation 4, the others will invariably follow suit. It takes only one domino being pushed to start a chain.</p><p style="">Maybe you're like me and prefer playing alone. Well, if you have friends who also play games, you'll still have to make the same choices as those people who crave multiplayer. Last week <a href="/trials-fusion/" data-ref-id="false">Trials Fusion</a> came out, and my colleagues and I have been vying for leaderboard supremacy. High-score chases are my favorite part of the game, so having as many times to chase as possible exponentially improves my fun. That's just science. Well, just about every person in the office is chasing my ghost on the PlayStation 4. And as more people jump on the PlayStation 4 train, that will soon become the default choice for any game with a with a connected environment. If Microsoft doesn't turn things around, <a href="/call-of-duty/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty</a>, <a href="/madden-nfl-25/" data-ref-id="false">Madden</a>, and every other competitive game is going to sell better on the PlayStation 4, making it even harder for the Xbox One to come back.</p><h3><b>Words speak louder than actions</b></h3><figure data-ref-id="1300-2515402" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2515402-2387550-xboxonelaunch.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2515402-2387550-xboxonelaunch.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2515402"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2515402-2387550-xboxonelaunch.jpg"></a><figcaption>All of the Xbox buildings in the world can't change how people feel.</figcaption></figure><p style="">There are many reasons why someone would purchase a video game console. Price is a large part of the equation, and everything else related to that system either makes the cost seem reasonable or much too high. What's the current library of games look like? And what are you interested in buying in the near future? Are there enough streaming apps for when you'd rather watch a movie? Do you have friends who favor one system over another? We take a look at all of this stuff. But there's one other element that could be the biggest factor of all.</p><p style="">Word of mouth matters. Any discerning person out there probably rolls their eyes at marketing. Sure, we may like some commercials, but we're never felt compelled to buy an energy drink or specific toilet paper brand just because we've been inundated with billboards, right? No one would admit that ads sway their buying habits (even though they totally do), but word of mouth isn't so easy to disassociate yourself with. It's been proven to be far <a href="http://kotaku.com/5428141/word-of-mouth-sells-the-most-video-games" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">more effective than traditional marketing</a>, and once popular opinion slides in one direction, it can be difficult to change that momentum.</p><p style="">This is a dangerous situation for Microsoft. As the PlayStation 4 becomes more and more popular, it will become the default console. Remember last generation? The Wii exploded in large part because every mainstream publication was talking about it. It graced the covers of magazines and found its way into popular sitcoms, and eventually, it became the thing that everyone wanted. Even Microsoft admits they've been <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-admits-it-was-definitely-a-challenge-to-get-the-xbox-one-message-across-early-on/1100-6418959/" data-ref-id="1100-6418959">struggling with messaging</a> since the Xbox One reveal last year, and even though they've <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-changing-xbox-one-policies/1100-6410472/" data-ref-id="1100-6410472">backtracked on many of their restrictions</a>, it's much harder to change people's minds.</p><p style="">Microsoft is right in that the race is still in the early going. But they have to realize that once you fall too far behind, it gets incredibly difficult to come back. There are just too many elements the second and third place platforms have to fight against to remain relevant. We'll see how things play out, but Microsoft has to start making a move sooner rather than later.</p> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 08:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/3-reasons-the-xbox-one-may-struggle-to-catch-the-ps4/1100-6419160/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-games-make-more-money-than-console-games-analyst-says/1100-6419241/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517281-9660309464-24839.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517281" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517281-9660309464-24839.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517281"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517281-9660309464-24839.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">PC games now make more money than console games, according to industry research company DFC Intelligence.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In an interview with UK PC and tech website <a href="http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/read/pc-games-have-surpassed-console-games-globally/033849" rel="nofollow">PCR</a>, DFC Intelligence owner David Cole said that the big difference now is that consoles are a luxury item, while PCs, which can also play games, are a necessity. "Just a few years ago the reverse was true," he said. "This means PCs have the broader audience."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to DFC's recently published quarterly report on PC gaming revenues and usage, MOBA is the most popular genre on the platform. "The MOBA games <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/league-of-legends/">League of Legends</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/dota-2/">Dota 2</a> dominate everything else by an order of magnitude in terms of more usage than other products," Cole said. "In the first part of 2014 we saw some signs that may change with the introduction of new titles and some increased play of games outside the MOBA category."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Cole added that the popularity of free-to-play PC games in Europe helped drive this recent growth, and that we're more likely to see paid, AAA games for both console and PC come from the US.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Despite this recent change, Cole believes that the new consoles from Sony and Microsoft should increase revenue for console games in the future.</p><p style="">Does this mean free-to-play is going to take over consoles and PC? <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/is-free-to-play-going-to-take-over-consoles-and-pc/1100-6418934/">GameSpot's editors tackle the question in a recent feature</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 07:52:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-games-make-more-money-than-console-games-analyst-says/1100-6419241/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-realms-subscription-hosting-service-launches-in-north-america/1100-6419240/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517270-8575564653-realm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2517270" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517270-8575564653-realm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2517270"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1535/15354745/2517270-8575564653-realm.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/minecraft/">Minecraft</a> Realms, a paid subscription service for online multiplayer hosting, is now available in North America, developer Mojang has announced.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The service, which costs $13 a month, makes it easy to set up a server, and also automatically backs up the world at regular intervals so the host can restore realms to previous save points. Up to 20 players can be invited to a Realms server, and up to 10 of them can play at any one time.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The service is aimed mostly at parents, who can use it to easily setup a server for their kids and restrict access to insure a safe online experience. It's also available in other countries listed on <a href="https://mojang.com/2014/04/minecraft-realms-is-now-live-in-north-america/" rel="nofollow">Mojang's website</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Last year, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-subscription-service-revealed/1100-6405253/">Mojang CEO Carl Manneh said</a> that if the Minecraft Realms service catches on, it could be the company's biggest source of income.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We have about 10 million paying PC gamers [<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/think-the-minecraft-craze-is-cooling-off-think-again/1100-6418880/">now 14.7 million</a>] and, soon, as many mobile gamers [<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/think-the-minecraft-craze-is-cooling-off-think-again/1100-6418880/">more, actually, at 21 million</a>], there's definitely potential," he said. "And yes, if we look ahead, I do think [Realms will] be the biggest source of income in the future, and to bring in more money in total than the game itself."</p><p style="">Last week, Mojang also said it expects to launch the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-ps4-and-vita-expected-by-september/1100-6419199/">PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita version of Minecraft by September</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-realms-subscription-hosting-service-launches-in-north-america/1100-6419240/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/street-fighter-assassin-s-fist-teaser-introduces-ken/1100-6419238/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsXeTKQRtj4" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FwsXeTKQRtj4%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DwsXeTKQRtj4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FwsXeTKQRtj4%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist, a live-action series based on Capcom's fighting game, has released a new teaser trailer which introduces Ken.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist tells the coming of age story of Street Fighter's most iconic characters, Ryu and Ken. Over the course of the series we will see them train in the martial art of "ansatsuken," and how their past, present, and future are intertwined.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The series is directed by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1438275/#director" rel="nofollow">Joey Ansah</a> who appears as Akuma as well. You might also remember him as one of the agents in The Bourne Ultimatum.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist was approved by Capcom. It will debut on Machinima's YouTube channel in May 2014, and Content Media will later distribute it on TV, On-demand, and DVD and Blu-ray.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Machinima also distributed the live-action series based on the Mortal Kombat fighting games, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-legacy-hits-november-8/1100-6328269/">Mortal Kombat: Legacy</a>.</p><p style="">You can head over to <a href="http://www.streetfighteraf.com/" rel="nofollow">the series' official website</a> to watch the previously released trailer that introduces Ryu, and Street Fighter: Legacy, the short film which preceded Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 26 Apr 2014 16:47:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/street-fighter-assassin-s-fist-teaser-introduces-ken/1100-6419238/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-adds-microtransactions-to-plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-next-week/1100-6419237/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517060-4841620293-25062.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517060" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517060-4841620293-25062.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517060"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1535/15354745/2517060-4841620293-25062.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">As we've long expected, Microtransactions will be added to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare/">Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare</a> next week, Electronic Arts has announced.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to a post on <a href="http://www.ea.com/news/play-plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-zomboss" rel="nofollow">EA's website</a> from Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare Producer Brian Lindley, starting next week, players will be given the option to purchase coins from the Sticker Shop, which allows players the ability to access new packs and character content more quickly. The same content can be earned through regular gameplay, but now you can pay for a shortcut.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Now you have the choice to play your way," Lindley said. "You can play to get new packs and content via earned coins in the game, or you can purchase coins to get more of the packs and content you want right away."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Lindley previously said that Garder Warfare <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/plants-vs-zombies-shooter-has-no-microtransactions-at-launch-probably-doesn-t-run-in-1080p/1100-6417864/">wouldn't feature microtransactions at launch,</a> and it didn't, but he never ruled out the possibility of adding it later.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Garden Warfare's packs contain randomized items, so you're likely to buy a lot of them before you get any one particular item you want. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-threat-of-microtransactions-looming-over-plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare/1100-6418013/">As GameSpot editor Carolyn Petit wrote back in February</a>, it seems like this system was designed with in-app purchases in mind all along:</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The potential for player disappointment and frustration in this randomized system is significant, and it seems to me that the developers of the game must have been aware of it, and could easily have designed around it. Which makes me suspect that maybe they didn't want to design around it. Maybe they want you to get a little frustrated. Why? So that you can alleviate those frustrations by spending a little money, once microtransactions are introduced."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">On the other hand, developer PopCap is at least being generous in other ways, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-won-t-charge-for-dlc-but-what-about-microtransactions/1100-6418115/">releasing the game's DLC for free</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">For more on Garden Warfare, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-review/1900-6415676/">GameSpot's review</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417376" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417376/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 26 Apr 2014 14:51:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-adds-microtransactions-to-plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-next-week/1100-6419237/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-ps3-owners-can-try-call-of-duty-ghosts-onslaught-dlc-for-free-this-weekend/1100-6419236/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517026-4397752919-onsla.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517026" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517026-4397752919-onsla.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517026"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517026-4397752919-onsla.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">If you own Call of Duty: Ghosts for the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 3 you can try the game's Onslaught DLC for free this weekend.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The free trial period started yesterday, and will last until Monday, April 28 at 10 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Onslaught DLC pack contains four new maps--Fog, Bay View, Containment, and Ignition--and the Maverick dual assault rifle/sniper rifle. Fans of the co-op alien-fighting Extinction campaign, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/call-of-duty-ghosts-review/1900-6415523/">such as GameSpot's Shaun McInnis</a>, will also be able to play the first chapter of the four-part DLC campaign.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">If this offer sounds a little familiar, it's because Activision, which has an exclusivity deal with Microsoft, gave Xbox One and Xbox 360 owners the same free trial <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-ghosts-onslaught-dlc-free-to-try-this-weekend-but-only-on-xbox-one-and-360/1100-6418428/">back in March</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Onslaught DLC costs $15, but you can also get the Season Pass for $50, which includes three more pieces of DLC.</p><p style="">For more on Call of Duty: Ghosts, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/call-of-duty-ghosts-review/1900-6415523/">GameSpot's review</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6416807" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6416807/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 26 Apr 2014 12:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-ps3-owners-can-try-call-of-duty-ghosts-onslaught-dlc-for-free-this-weekend/1100-6419236/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/buried-copies-of-failed-movie-game-e-t-have-been-found/1100-6419235/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517068-5686796909-25030.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517068" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517068-5686796909-25030.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517068"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517068-5686796909-25030.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">[UPDATE] A post to <a href="http://news.xbox.com/2014/04/ent-atari-dig" rel="nofollow">Xbox Wire</a> details what a team of filmmakers and excavators searching for long-buried <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial/">E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial</a> cartridges found at the Alamogordo Landfill in New Mexico today.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The findings started out very promising, with an old, dusty Atari 2600 joystick buried in the landfill," Xbox Wire Staff said. "Then an 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' cartridge. A box. An instruction manual. And the confirmation of 'a lot more down there.'"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">At this point it's not clear how many more cartridges of the game are left to dig up, only that they are "100 percent there."</p><p style="">The post to Xbox Wire also revealed the working title for the documentary which inspired the search, <em>Atari: Game Over</em>.</p><p style=""><em>The original story is below</em>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It seems like the search for millions of copies of failed movie tie-in game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial/">E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial</a> buried in a landfill in Alamogordo, New Mexico has finally turned something up.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The dig, which begun in earnest today, has turned up copies of the game you can see in the picture below. The crew operating the excavators are saying there are many more.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2516992-7099294840-BmK1D.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2516992" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2516992-7099294840-BmK1D.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2516992"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2516992-7099294840-BmK1D.jpg"></a><figcaption>Image credit: Larry Hryb.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Apparently E.T. wasn't the only game buried at the site. Here's a picture of another copy and also the Atari 2600 game, Centipede:</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517000-0967143473-BmK4ITJIAAAIuOz.jpg%3Alarge" data-ref-id="1300-2517000" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517000-0967143473-BmK4ITJIAAAIuOz.jpg%3Alarge" data-ref-id="1300-2517000"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517000-0967143473-BmK4ITJIAAAIuOz.jpg%3Alarge"></a><figcaption>Image credit: Larry Hryb.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Whatever else the search turns up will be captured on film for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/did-atari-bury-millions-of-e-t-copies-in-a-landfill-in-new-mexico-we-ll-soon-find-out-if-it-s-fact-or-fiction/1100-6418772/">a documentary Microsoft commissioned</a> about the dig. It will debut as a multi-part documentary series <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/first-original-xbox-shows-launching-in-2014-microsoft-hires-amc-exec/1100-6416732/">exclusively on Xbox platforms later this year</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The final excavation of the site is a long time coming for Microsoft. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/documentary-aims-to-unearth-millions-of-et-copies/1100-6409193/">Alamogordo city commissioners approved the search in June</a>, but the project was later <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-exclusive-documentary-about-buried-atari-cartridges-put-on-hold/1100-6418477/">put on hold </a>because a waste excavation plan needed to be finalized before the digging could begin. Microsoft <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/did-atari-bury-millions-of-e-t-copies-in-a-landfill-in-new-mexico-we-ll-soon-find-out-if-it-s-fact-or-fiction/1100-6418772/">got that approval</a> just earlier this month.</p><p style="">We'll keep updating this story with any new details from today's dig.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 26 Apr 2014 11:33:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/buried-copies-of-failed-movie-game-e-t-have-been-found/1100-6419235/
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Sun, 27 Apr 2014 22:37:13 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-dev-explains-how-its-multiplayer-mode-is-really-a-seamless-online-experience/1100-6419247/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418467" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418467/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/watch-dogs/">Watch Dogs</a> developer Ubisoft Montreal doesn't think of the game as having traditional multiplayer, but rather a "seamless online" experience.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We don't talk about it in terms of single-player and multiplayer," Lead Gameplay Designer Danny Belanger said in a post on <a href="http://blog.ubi.com/watch-dogs-multiplayer-guide/" rel="nofollow">Ubisoft's blog</a>. "It's all online. It's seamless. You continue your game. That aspect, for me, is crucial because otherwise it's a break in the experience."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As you've probably seen in the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-multiplayer-explained-in-9-minute-developer-walkthrough-video/1100-6419161/">recently released 9-minute video</a>, you can play Watch Dogs online with other players in a variety of modes, but you don't just choose these from a menu as you do in so many other games.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Other players can invade your game at any time as long as you're not doing anything that could be disrupted (a story mission, for example), and Watch Dogs will also try to learn how much of an online experience you're looking for.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We have a shield," Belanger said. "So if someone comes into your game and hacks you, you're protected. It can't happen. The less you partake in the multiplayer, the longer the shield. If you're not hacking people and you're not into that gameplay, the game will recognize and acknowledge that you're not into that. That's fine." If you want, you can also toggle off the online multiplayer options completely in the game's menu.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another cool way in which Watch Dogs keeps this online experience seamless is that you never play as anyone but the main character, Aiden Pearce. Even online, you'll always see yourself as Pearce, but to every other player you'll look like a "fixer," whose appearance is chosen from a pool of NPCs.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Watch Dogs launches <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-release-date-announced-for-everything-except-wii-u/1100-6417977/">May 27</a> for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. The Wii U version, which is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-for-wii-u-definitely-not-canceled/1100-6418164/">definitely not canceled</a>, is coming sometime later. You can read more about Watch Dogs in <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-what-can-you-do-besides-hacking/1100-6419140/">GameSpot editor Shaun McInnis' recently published preview</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 16:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-dev-explains-how-its-multiplayer-mode-is-really-a-seamless-online-experience/1100-6419247/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-8-best-buy-preorder-comes-with-10-coupon-for-real-gas/1100-6419246/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517390-2511104120-20425.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517390" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517390-2511104120-20425.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517390"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517390-2511104120-20425.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Preordering <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-8/">Mario Kart 8</a> from Best Buy will get you a $10 coupon for real gas.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">That should probably cover the drive to the store. If you're picking the game up there when it comes out, a code will be printed out on your reciept, which you can then enter at <a href="http://www.revupyourkart.com/redeem" rel="nofollow">www.revupyourkart.com/redeem</a>. That will get you your $10 in Gas Cash, which can be redeemed at any gas station in the United States that accepts MasterCard. If you preorder online, you'll receive the code by email within 24 hours of the game's release.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">You can find the offer on <a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/mario-kart-8-121399?ref=199&loc=FKSJxY2VJAk&siteID=FKSJxY2VJAk-.I_5u0vb5NKylR8ddVWKYQ" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Best Buy's website</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Mario Kart 8 launches worldwide on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-8-gets-release-date-and-7-new-koopa-racers/1100-6417729/">May 30 </a>exclusively for Wii U. The game includes <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-8-has-32-total-courses-16-are-new-and-16-are-remakes/1100-6418742/">32 total courses</a>--half are brand new and the other half are remakes of previous courses. Mario Kart 8 also includes <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-8-it-s-not-all-about-luck-two-rainbow-roads-confirmed/1100-6418730/">two Rainbow Road courses</a>. For more, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-8/">GameSpot's previous coverage of Mario Kart 8</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 14:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-8-best-buy-preorder-comes-with-10-coupon-for-real-gas/1100-6419246/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-exclusive-driveclub-to-reveal-release-date-full-game-details-new-videos-in-coming-weeks/1100-6419245/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517378-2617348359-20513.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517378" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517378-2617348359-20513.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517378"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517378-2617348359-20513.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Developer Evolution Studios said that we can expect an official release date, full game details, and new videos for the PlayStation 4's exclusive racing game Driveclub in "the weeks to come."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We are going to bring you up to speed with a full Driveclub update soon, because we are immensely proud of how the game is developing and we're confident you'll see why when we show you more," Evolution Studios said in a post to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/driveclubofficial/posts/626525860765111?stream_ref=10" rel="nofollow">the game's Facebook page</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">With E3 2014 only six weeks away, it's safe to assume Evolution Studios will have something prepared for the show. In response to a question from a fan, it also said that we can "expect more info in the weeks up to E3."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Last month, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-racing-game-driveclub-making-spectacular-progress-release-date-coming-soon/1100-6418567/">Sony said</a> that Driveclub was making "spectacular progress" despite <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-s-ps4-racing-game-driveclub-loses-its-director/1100-6418552/">losing its game director</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-layoffs-hit-driveclub-killzone-and-the-playroom-developers/1100-6418519/">layoffs at Evolution Studios</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We have full confidence that the game will deliver on its PS4 promise to be the first truly socially connected racing title and we are very pleased and excited by the calibre of work from Evolution Studios," a Sony representative said.</p><p style="">For more on Driveclub, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/driveclub/">GameSpot's previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 13:26:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-exclusive-driveclub-to-reveal-release-date-full-game-details-new-videos-in-coming-weeks/1100-6419245/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/what-we-d-like-to-see-in-the-next-portal/1100-6419230/ <p style=""><i>Warning: This editorial contains spoilers for <a href="/portal/" data-ref-id="false">Portal</a> and <a href="/portal-2/" data-ref-id="false">Portal 2</a>. If you haven't played those games yet, you should download them instead of reading this anyway.</i></p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Portal 2 doesn't need a sequel, and I wouldn't even want a Portal 3.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Making a sequel that's able to compete with the nearly perfect original Portal was already a nearly impossible task as the game's writers discussed during 2012's <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/164930/GDC_2012_Portal_2_Making_a_sequel_to_a_perfect_game.php" rel="nofollow">Game Developer's Conference</a>. And chances are, Valve still has no plans to jump directly into another Portal sequel. But just because I don't want to see a Portal 3, that doesn't mean I don't want to see more from the Portal universe.</p><p style=""> </p><h3>Continuing experiments</h3><p style=""> </p><p style="">The magic of Portal hasn't ended completely yet anyway. Fan-made mods aren't held to the same standards as the in-canon adventure, so even if they might not be quite as good, you can escape into Portal's world by either further exploring the game's fan fiction or facing even more ridiculous puzzle challenges.</p><p style=""> </p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2517113-6020041856-Porta.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517113" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2517113-6020041856-Porta.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517113"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1534/15343359/2517113-6020041856-Porta.jpg"></a><figcaption>Was that me behind me?</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style="">The time travel hinted at in a portion of Portal 2 has been covered through a mod called <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/286080/" rel="nofollow">Thinking with Time Machine</a> [sic]. Other fans made a prequel that sets up the events of GlaDOS' creation in <a href="http://www.portalprelude.com/" rel="nofollow">Portal: Prelude</a>. And the Portal 2 map editor pretty much ensures that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/free-portal-2-level-editor-arrives-may-8/1100-6373635/">any time I just want to flex my brain against challenges that surpass even Valve's creation</a>, I can find a map to play.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Of course, things have been kept vague enough in Portal's story that Valve could always potentially return to the game and its characters. GlaDOS is still alive. The main character Chell is somewhere out free in an unfamiliar world. And we have no reliable way of knowing how much time actually passed between the events of Portal 1 and Portal 2. Another Portal game could take place pretty much anytime, including well after the culmination of the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/search/?indices%5B0%5D=game&q=half-life/" data-ref-id="false">Half-Life series</a>.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Aperture Science in Portal and the Black Mesa facility in Half-life have already been explicitly linked in both series. And having Chell explore the world long after the events of the alien Combine invasion from <a href="/half-life-2/" data-ref-id="false">Half-Life 2</a> could provide an interesting narrative way to bridge the gap between the two franchises and give us insight into what happened after <a href="/half-life-2-episode-two/" data-ref-id="false">Half-Life 2: Episode Two</a>.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">But could that be called a Portal game? Portal is more about combining comedy and puzzles, in contrast to the seriousness and shooting gameplay of Half-Life's world. Any time spent exploring the world outside the facility makes the "Portal" moniker sound out-of-place. I think we're still going to see GlaDOS, Chell, and the portal gun, but as cameos in a Half-Life game proper.</p><p style=""> </p><h3>Those wonderful toys?</h3><p style=""> </p><p style="">The portal gun is such a clever tool, and while it has obvious limitations on what types of surfaces can be used to make its dimensional portals, creating short chapters that use the technology in a limited way makes more sense at this point than trying to craft another entire game around the tech. And that's where I'd most like to see the continuation of the main Portal story extend anyway.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6265921" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6265921/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style="">While Half-Life's Gordon Freeman probably wouldn't run through a full Aperture testing lab with the gun, it's possible that more of the devices exist somewhere in the world, and who better to explain the device than Chell?</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">In Portal's conception as the game <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narbacular_Drop" rel="nofollow">Narbacular Drop</a>, it may not have been originally intended to fit into the Half-Life universe, but the two series are inextricably linked, and I'd liked to see that connection extended even further. Trying to make a full Portal 3 in the same testing facility with yet another battle against rogue AI, it would be almost impossible to capture the same sense of newness and surprise that made the previous games so good.</p><p style=""> </p><h3>A handheld Aperture Science Testing Device</h3><p style=""> </p><p style="">So how could GlaDOS and the testing chambers continue without overreach into the Half-Life lore or just rehashing similar stories and ideas? The answer's simple: A mobile game.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Portal has always been more about the puzzles and humor than anything else, and I'd rather any efforts towards a full 3D release go towards Half-Life. But there's always room in my life for a great mobile puzzle game, and that's something Valve could easily fit into the Portal universe.</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/hitman-go/" data-ref-id="false">Hitman GO</a>, a recent mobile title with a board game aesthetic, provides an excellent example of staying true to the feel of a series' source material while simultaneously taking the gameplay in a completely different direction. And what is GlaDOS' ultimate goal if not to pit able-minded test subjects against one another in a set of grueling mental trials?</p><p style=""> </p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2517114-3097347073-anima.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2517114" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2517114-3097347073-anima.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2517114"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1534/15343359/2517114-3097347073-anima.gif"></a><figcaption>All hail the Turret King!</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Portal's iconic turrets would fit perfectly into a standalone mobile outing. And at the end of Portal 2, they had even created their own form of civilization--singing an operatic farewell to Chell. Slides in the science facility revealed a massive <a href="http://theportalwiki.com/wiki/Animal_King_Turret" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Animal King turret</a> that's able to command the worship and fear of entire governments, who would make a great comic character to expand on through short games.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Valve isn't known for making mobile games, but neither was Blizzard, a company that recently spun off their popular <a href="/hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">Hearthstone</a> game to mobile. Fan reaction to a mobile Portal game would be initially negative, but I think it'd be possible to make a really great, novel experience that way that doesn't have to be called Portal 3.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">But then again, given how effectively Blizzard is able to siphon money out of my wallet through Hearthstone and how Valve empties my accounts through their regular Steam sales, maybe I shouldn't give them more ideas on how to make me go broke.</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 11:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/what-we-d-like-to-see-in-the-next-portal/1100-6419230/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-s-siri-like-cortana-service-doesn-t-talk-to-kids/1100-6419244/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517347-9230726462-24485.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517347" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517347-9230726462-24485.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517347"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1535/15354745/2517347-9230726462-24485.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Microsoft Cortana, a voice activated virtual assistant for Windows Phone 8.1 named after Halo's AI character, will not talk to kids.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Like Apple's Siri on iPhone, Cortana's speech recognition allows users to ask it questions and perform specific tasks. Cortana also collects data on users in the process in order to improve the experience over time, meaning it is subject to the US government's Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).</p><p dir="ltr" style="">COPPA's policies insure that children under the age of 13 can't share information online without the approval of a parent. According to GameSpot sister site <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/cortana-doesnt-talk-to-kids/" rel="nofollow">CNET</a>, at this point in development Cortana doesn't have any parental controls, so if you're listed as being younger than 13 on your Microsoft account and try to use Cortana, she'll respond with, "I'm sorry, you'll need to be bit older before I can help you."</p><p style="">Cortana is currently available in beta to developers on Windows Phone 8.1. Support for other Microsoft devices like Windows computers and Xbox consoles could come later.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 11:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-s-siri-like-cortana-service-doesn-t-talk-to-kids/1100-6419244/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-gauging-players-interest-in-another-diablo-3-expansion/1100-6419243/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517310-diabloexpansion2q.png" data-ref-id="1300-2517310" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517310-diabloexpansion2q.png" data-ref-id="1300-2517310"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517310-diabloexpansion2q.png"></a><figcaption>Image credit: NeoGAF user Nirolak.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Blizzard is asking <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/diablo-iii/">Diablo III</a> players how interested they would be in playing a second expansion to the game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The question popped up in a survey Blizzard sent to some Diablo III players. Most of the questions were about the player's gaming habits, but a <a href="http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=109617775&postcount=1" rel="nofollow">NeoGAF</a> user grabbed a screenshot of the relevant part of the survey, which asks players to rate their interest in another expansion on the scale you can see above.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another Diablo III expansion certainly sounds logical given the success of the recently released first expansion, Reaper of Souls, which shifted <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-3-reaper-of-souls-sells-2-7m-in-one-week-that-s-about-a-fifth-of-all-d3-owners/1100-6418745/">2.7 million units in its first week on sale</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Diablo III itself has racked up over 15 million sales since its launch in 2012, with that figure including the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions alongside the Mac and PC. That means roughly a fifth of all Diablo III owners have purchased Reaper of Souls, and the expansion will make its way to consoles later this year.</p><p style="">For more on Diablo III, make sure you read <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/diablo-3-reaper-of-souls-review/1900-6415713/">our Reaper of Souls review</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 10:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-gauging-players-interest-in-another-diablo-3-expansion/1100-6419243/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/spider-man-2-daylight-child-of-light-new-releases/2300-6418514/ This week sees the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Daylight, Child of Light, Kirby Triple Deluxe, Mario Golf: World Tour, and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle. Sun, 27 Apr 2014 10:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/spider-man-2-daylight-child-of-light-new-releases/2300-6418514/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oddworld-new-n-tasty-will-be-30-to-cross-buy-on-playstation/1100-6419242/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517298-1251557457-nnt10.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517298" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517298-1251557457-nnt10.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517298"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517298-1251557457-nnt10.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/oddworld-abes-oddysee-new-n-tasty/">Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty</a> will release on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita for $30 as a cross-buy title, meaning buying it on one platform will make it available on all of them.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a post to <a href="http://www.oddworld.com/2014/04/oddworld-new-n-tasty-pricing-cross-buy-release-date-update/" rel="nofollow">its official blog</a>, publisher Oddworld Inhabitants said that it is "really close" to releasing the game, but didn't give a specific release date. It said it will announce when the game will be available to buy before E3 2014 starts on June 9.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game will also have cross-save functionality, allowing you to take your progress from the console version on the go with your PS Vita.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">New 'n' Tasty is a remake of 1997's PSOne classic <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/oddworld-abes-oddysee/">Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee</a>, a 2D adventure with a great setting and a heavy emphasis on puzzles. The game spawned a direct sequel, Abe's Exoddus, and its universe was also the home of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/oddworld-munchs-oddysee/">Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee</a> and Stranger's Wrath.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Eventually, Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty will also release on PC, and Wii U, but Oddworld Inhabitants didn't have an update on when we'll hear more about those versions.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In March, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/want-a-new-oddworld-game-new-n-tasty-needs-to-sell-500-000-first/1100-6418373/">Oddworld series creator Lorne Lanning said</a> that development on a brand new Oddworld title can begin if Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty shifts 500,000 copies.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 09:17:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oddworld-new-n-tasty-will-be-30-to-cross-buy-on-playstation/1100-6419242/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/3-reasons-the-xbox-one-may-struggle-to-catch-the-ps4/1100-6419160/ <p style="">The Xbox One is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-is-top-selling-console-for-third-straight-month-according-to-march-npd/1100-6419067/" data-ref-id="1100-6419067">lagging behind</a> the PlayStation 4. This has been true since the two consoles launched last November, and the distance has been widening with every month that passes. Microsoft corporate vice president Phil Harrison already spoke at length about the Xbox One's unenviable position, brushing aside many concerns as he brought up the old "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-talks-xbox-one-and-ps4-sales-marathon/1100-6418450/" data-ref-id="1100-6418450">marathon, not a sprint</a>" analogy. Although I do agree that it's too early for Microsoft to throw in the towel, there are serious detriments to getting off to such a slow start. And if the Xbox One doesn't gain ground soon, the problems could snowball so quickly that there's no hope of catching up.</p><h3><b>Dwindling third-party exclusives</b></h3><p style="">Microsoft doesn't rely on its first-party studios nearly as much as Sony and Nintendo do. That disparity hasn't been a concern in the last decade, since Microsoft has secured exclusive deals with external teams to bolster its lineup. Look no further than <a href="/gears-of-war/" data-ref-id="false">Gears of War</a> to see how smart strategic partnerships can boost the popularity of a system. Did it matter that Microsoft didn't develop Gears? Of course not. Most people were focused more on fending off the nasty locusts than worrying about who put a chainsaw on a gun. Epic agreed to keep Gears off Sony's and Nintendo's systems, and even <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-buys-gears-of-war-from-epic/1100-6417361/" data-ref-id="1100-6417361">sold the franchise rights to Microsoft </a>earlier this year.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2515401" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2515401-255828-sunset_overdrive.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2515401-255828-sunset_overdrive.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2515401"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2515401-255828-sunset_overdrive.jpg"></a><figcaption>Who knows how many games other than Sunset Overdrive will be exclusive.</figcaption></figure><p style="">You can see why Microsoft has been so keen to establish these types of relationships. <a href="http://www.totalxbox.com/65227/you-dont-need-to-own-studios-to-make-great-games-argues-xbox-one-boss/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Microsoft Studio boss Phil Spencer</a> spoke about their tactics last year, saying, "I think to some out there there's a fixation with which studios you own, which studios you work with, and for better or worse I'm not fixated on that." Microsoft has to either pay a first-party studio to make a game or contract an outside team, so either way it's shelling out money, right?</p><p style="">Unfortunately, this mindset that could spell trouble for Microsoft. If a game is being kept away from other platforms, that developer has to be compensated for lost potential sales. When the Xbox 360 shot out ahead of the PlayStation 3, it established itself as the leader in the high-definition race, so it was easy for Microsoft to convince publishers to partner up with them. And the same was true early this generation, when no one was sure how the chips would fall. But now that the PlayStation 4 is much more popular, Microsoft will have to pay more and more money to keep games away from Sony. And that price will only rise as the gap widens. It's not easy to negotiate when you're no longer in a position of power. That means we'll see more games land on multiple platforms, and there will be added pressure on 343 Industries, Turn 10 Studios, and Lionhead Studios to carry the load.</p><p style=""><a href="/titanfall/" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall </a>is already being kept away from the PlayStation 4, as are <a href="/sunset-overdrive/" data-ref-id="false">Sunset Overdrive</a> and <a href="/quantum-break/" data-ref-id="false">Quantum Break</a>, but who knows how willing those teams will be to do the same with their next games knowing that they're ignoring a huge part of their potential audience.</p><h3><b>Follow your friends to the end</b></h3><p style="">Remember when you could play games in your basement for hours without ever encountering another person? Well, the days of video games being an escape from social commitments have evaporated, and it's not as bad as my teenage self would have thought. Games are now digital hangouts where friends, strangers, and enemies square off, so even when there's no one else inside your house, there are still people playing with you somewhere in the world. It's kind of scary, kind of magic, and has dramatically changed how I play games.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2507386" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2507386-trialsfusion_061.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2507386-trialsfusion_061.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2507386"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1197/11970954/2507386-trialsfusion_061.jpg"></a><figcaption>Leaderboard racers are the best part of Trials Fusion.</figcaption></figure><p style="">As more people purchase a PlayStation 4 in favor of an Xbox One, the communities of multiplayer gamers will subsequently gravitate toward Sony's console. So when you're figuring out which version of<a href="/evolve/" data-ref-id="false"> Evolve</a> to get later this year, part of that decision process will involve which system has a larger player base. It makes sense, right? If you buy a multiplayer-centric game, you're going to want as many people as possible to play with. That idea extends further when your friends play games as well. Once one friend decides to buy <a href="/destiny/" data-ref-id="false">Destiny</a> on the PlayStation 4, the others will invariably follow suit. It takes only one domino being pushed to start a chain.</p><p style="">Maybe you're like me and prefer playing alone. Well, if you have friends who also play games, you'll still have to make the same choices as those people who crave multiplayer. Last week <a href="/trials-fusion/" data-ref-id="false">Trials Fusion</a> came out, and my colleagues and I have been vying for leaderboard supremacy. High-score chases are my favorite part of the game, so having as many times to chase as possible exponentially improves my fun. That's just science. Well, just about every person in the office is chasing my ghost on the PlayStation 4. And as more people jump on the PlayStation 4 train, that will soon become the default choice for any game with a with a connected environment. If Microsoft doesn't turn things around, <a href="/call-of-duty/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty</a>, <a href="/madden-nfl-25/" data-ref-id="false">Madden</a>, and every other competitive game is going to sell better on the PlayStation 4, making it even harder for the Xbox One to come back.</p><h3><b>Words speak louder than actions</b></h3><figure data-ref-id="1300-2515402" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2515402-2387550-xboxonelaunch.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2515402-2387550-xboxonelaunch.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2515402"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2515402-2387550-xboxonelaunch.jpg"></a><figcaption>All of the Xbox buildings in the world can't change how people feel.</figcaption></figure><p style="">There are many reasons why someone would purchase a video game console. Price is a large part of the equation, and everything else related to that system either makes the cost seem reasonable or much too high. What's the current library of games look like? And what are you interested in buying in the near future? Are there enough streaming apps for when you'd rather watch a movie? Do you have friends who favor one system over another? We take a look at all of this stuff. But there's one other element that could be the biggest factor of all.</p><p style="">Word of mouth matters. Any discerning person out there probably rolls their eyes at marketing. Sure, we may like some commercials, but we're never felt compelled to buy an energy drink or specific toilet paper brand just because we've been inundated with billboards, right? No one would admit that ads sway their buying habits (even though they totally do), but word of mouth isn't so easy to disassociate yourself with. It's been proven to be far <a href="http://kotaku.com/5428141/word-of-mouth-sells-the-most-video-games" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">more effective than traditional marketing</a>, and once popular opinion slides in one direction, it can be difficult to change that momentum.</p><p style="">This is a dangerous situation for Microsoft. As the PlayStation 4 becomes more and more popular, it will become the default console. Remember last generation? The Wii exploded in large part because every mainstream publication was talking about it. It graced the covers of magazines and found its way into popular sitcoms, and eventually, it became the thing that everyone wanted. Even Microsoft admits they've been <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-admits-it-was-definitely-a-challenge-to-get-the-xbox-one-message-across-early-on/1100-6418959/" data-ref-id="1100-6418959">struggling with messaging</a> since the Xbox One reveal last year, and even though they've <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-changing-xbox-one-policies/1100-6410472/" data-ref-id="1100-6410472">backtracked on many of their restrictions</a>, it's much harder to change people's minds.</p><p style="">Microsoft is right in that the race is still in the early going. But they have to realize that once you fall too far behind, it gets incredibly difficult to come back. There are just too many elements the second and third place platforms have to fight against to remain relevant. We'll see how things play out, but Microsoft has to start making a move sooner rather than later.</p> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 08:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/3-reasons-the-xbox-one-may-struggle-to-catch-the-ps4/1100-6419160/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-games-make-more-money-than-console-games-analyst-says/1100-6419241/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517281-9660309464-24839.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517281" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517281-9660309464-24839.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517281"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517281-9660309464-24839.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">PC games now make more money than console games, according to industry research company DFC Intelligence.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In an interview with UK PC and tech website <a href="http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/read/pc-games-have-surpassed-console-games-globally/033849" rel="nofollow">PCR</a>, DFC Intelligence owner David Cole said that the big difference now is that consoles are a luxury item, while PCs, which can also play games, are a necessity. "Just a few years ago the reverse was true," he said. "This means PCs have the broader audience."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to DFC's recently published quarterly report on PC gaming revenues and usage, MOBA is the most popular genre on the platform. "The MOBA games <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/league-of-legends/">League of Legends</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/dota-2/">Dota 2</a> dominate everything else by an order of magnitude in terms of more usage than other products," Cole said. "In the first part of 2014 we saw some signs that may change with the introduction of new titles and some increased play of games outside the MOBA category."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Cole added that the popularity of free-to-play PC games in Europe helped drive this recent growth, and that we're more likely to see paid, AAA games for both console and PC come from the US.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Despite this recent change, Cole believes that the new consoles from Sony and Microsoft should increase revenue for console games in the future.</p><p style="">Does this mean free-to-play is going to take over consoles and PC? <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/is-free-to-play-going-to-take-over-consoles-and-pc/1100-6418934/">GameSpot's editors tackle the question in a recent feature</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 07:52:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-games-make-more-money-than-console-games-analyst-says/1100-6419241/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-realms-subscription-hosting-service-launches-in-north-america/1100-6419240/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517270-8575564653-realm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2517270" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517270-8575564653-realm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2517270"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1535/15354745/2517270-8575564653-realm.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/minecraft/">Minecraft</a> Realms, a paid subscription service for online multiplayer hosting, is now available in North America, developer Mojang has announced.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The service, which costs $13 a month, makes it easy to set up a server, and also automatically backs up the world at regular intervals so the host can restore realms to previous save points. Up to 20 players can be invited to a Realms server, and up to 10 of them can play at any one time.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The service is aimed mostly at parents, who can use it to easily setup a server for their kids and restrict access to insure a safe online experience. It's also available in other countries listed on <a href="https://mojang.com/2014/04/minecraft-realms-is-now-live-in-north-america/" rel="nofollow">Mojang's website</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Last year, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-subscription-service-revealed/1100-6405253/">Mojang CEO Carl Manneh said</a> that if the Minecraft Realms service catches on, it could be the company's biggest source of income.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We have about 10 million paying PC gamers [<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/think-the-minecraft-craze-is-cooling-off-think-again/1100-6418880/">now 14.7 million</a>] and, soon, as many mobile gamers [<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/think-the-minecraft-craze-is-cooling-off-think-again/1100-6418880/">more, actually, at 21 million</a>], there's definitely potential," he said. "And yes, if we look ahead, I do think [Realms will] be the biggest source of income in the future, and to bring in more money in total than the game itself."</p><p style="">Last week, Mojang also said it expects to launch the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-ps4-and-vita-expected-by-september/1100-6419199/">PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita version of Minecraft by September</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 27 Apr 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-realms-subscription-hosting-service-launches-in-north-america/1100-6419240/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/street-fighter-assassin-s-fist-teaser-introduces-ken/1100-6419238/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsXeTKQRtj4" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FwsXeTKQRtj4%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DwsXeTKQRtj4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FwsXeTKQRtj4%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist, a live-action series based on Capcom's fighting game, has released a new teaser trailer which introduces Ken.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist tells the coming of age story of Street Fighter's most iconic characters, Ryu and Ken. Over the course of the series we will see them train in the martial art of "ansatsuken," and how their past, present, and future are intertwined.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The series is directed by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1438275/#director" rel="nofollow">Joey Ansah</a> who appears as Akuma as well. You might also remember him as one of the agents in The Bourne Ultimatum.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist was approved by Capcom. It will debut on Machinima's YouTube channel in May 2014, and Content Media will later distribute it on TV, On-demand, and DVD and Blu-ray.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Machinima also distributed the live-action series based on the Mortal Kombat fighting games, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-legacy-hits-november-8/1100-6328269/">Mortal Kombat: Legacy</a>.</p><p style="">You can head over to <a href="http://www.streetfighteraf.com/" rel="nofollow">the series' official website</a> to watch the previously released trailer that introduces Ryu, and Street Fighter: Legacy, the short film which preceded Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 26 Apr 2014 16:47:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/street-fighter-assassin-s-fist-teaser-introduces-ken/1100-6419238/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-adds-microtransactions-to-plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-next-week/1100-6419237/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517060-4841620293-25062.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517060" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517060-4841620293-25062.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517060"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1535/15354745/2517060-4841620293-25062.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">As we've long expected, Microtransactions will be added to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare/">Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare</a> next week, Electronic Arts has announced.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to a post on <a href="http://www.ea.com/news/play-plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-zomboss" rel="nofollow">EA's website</a> from Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare Producer Brian Lindley, starting next week, players will be given the option to purchase coins from the Sticker Shop, which allows players the ability to access new packs and character content more quickly. The same content can be earned through regular gameplay, but now you can pay for a shortcut.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Now you have the choice to play your way," Lindley said. "You can play to get new packs and content via earned coins in the game, or you can purchase coins to get more of the packs and content you want right away."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Lindley previously said that Garder Warfare <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/plants-vs-zombies-shooter-has-no-microtransactions-at-launch-probably-doesn-t-run-in-1080p/1100-6417864/">wouldn't feature microtransactions at launch,</a> and it didn't, but he never ruled out the possibility of adding it later.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Garden Warfare's packs contain randomized items, so you're likely to buy a lot of them before you get any one particular item you want. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-threat-of-microtransactions-looming-over-plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare/1100-6418013/">As GameSpot editor Carolyn Petit wrote back in February</a>, it seems like this system was designed with in-app purchases in mind all along:</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The potential for player disappointment and frustration in this randomized system is significant, and it seems to me that the developers of the game must have been aware of it, and could easily have designed around it. Which makes me suspect that maybe they didn't want to design around it. Maybe they want you to get a little frustrated. Why? So that you can alleviate those frustrations by spending a little money, once microtransactions are introduced."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">On the other hand, developer PopCap is at least being generous in other ways, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-won-t-charge-for-dlc-but-what-about-microtransactions/1100-6418115/">releasing the game's DLC for free</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">For more on Garden Warfare, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-review/1900-6415676/">GameSpot's review</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417376" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417376/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 26 Apr 2014 14:51:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-adds-microtransactions-to-plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-next-week/1100-6419237/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-ps3-owners-can-try-call-of-duty-ghosts-onslaught-dlc-for-free-this-weekend/1100-6419236/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517026-4397752919-onsla.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517026" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517026-4397752919-onsla.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517026"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517026-4397752919-onsla.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">If you own Call of Duty: Ghosts for the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 3 you can try the game's Onslaught DLC for free this weekend.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The free trial period started yesterday, and will last until Monday, April 28 at 10 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Onslaught DLC pack contains four new maps--Fog, Bay View, Containment, and Ignition--and the Maverick dual assault rifle/sniper rifle. Fans of the co-op alien-fighting Extinction campaign, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/call-of-duty-ghosts-review/1900-6415523/">such as GameSpot's Shaun McInnis</a>, will also be able to play the first chapter of the four-part DLC campaign.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">If this offer sounds a little familiar, it's because Activision, which has an exclusivity deal with Microsoft, gave Xbox One and Xbox 360 owners the same free trial <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-ghosts-onslaught-dlc-free-to-try-this-weekend-but-only-on-xbox-one-and-360/1100-6418428/">back in March</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Onslaught DLC costs $15, but you can also get the Season Pass for $50, which includes three more pieces of DLC.</p><p style="">For more on Call of Duty: Ghosts, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/call-of-duty-ghosts-review/1900-6415523/">GameSpot's review</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6416807" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6416807/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 26 Apr 2014 12:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-ps3-owners-can-try-call-of-duty-ghosts-onslaught-dlc-for-free-this-weekend/1100-6419236/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/buried-copies-of-failed-movie-game-e-t-have-been-found/1100-6419235/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517068-5686796909-25030.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517068" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517068-5686796909-25030.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517068"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517068-5686796909-25030.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">[UPDATE] A post to <a href="http://news.xbox.com/2014/04/ent-atari-dig" rel="nofollow">Xbox Wire</a> details what a team of filmmakers and excavators searching for long-buried <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial/">E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial</a> cartridges found at the Alamogordo Landfill in New Mexico today.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The findings started out very promising, with an old, dusty Atari 2600 joystick buried in the landfill," Xbox Wire Staff said. "Then an 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' cartridge. A box. An instruction manual. And the confirmation of 'a lot more down there.'"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">At this point it's not clear how many more cartridges of the game are left to dig up, only that they are "100 percent there."</p><p style="">The post to Xbox Wire also revealed the working title for the documentary which inspired the search, <em>Atari: Game Over</em>.</p><p style=""><em>The original story is below</em>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It seems like the search for millions of copies of failed movie tie-in game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial/">E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial</a> buried in a landfill in Alamogordo, New Mexico has finally turned something up.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The dig, which begun in earnest today, has turned up copies of the game you can see in the picture below. The crew operating the excavators are saying there are many more.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2516992-7099294840-BmK1D.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2516992" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2516992-7099294840-BmK1D.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2516992"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2516992-7099294840-BmK1D.jpg"></a><figcaption>Image credit: Larry Hryb.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Apparently E.T. wasn't the only game buried at the site. Here's a picture of another copy and also the Atari 2600 game, Centipede:</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517000-0967143473-BmK4ITJIAAAIuOz.jpg%3Alarge" data-ref-id="1300-2517000" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2517000-0967143473-BmK4ITJIAAAIuOz.jpg%3Alarge" data-ref-id="1300-2517000"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2517000-0967143473-BmK4ITJIAAAIuOz.jpg%3Alarge"></a><figcaption>Image credit: Larry Hryb.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Whatever else the search turns up will be captured on film for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/did-atari-bury-millions-of-e-t-copies-in-a-landfill-in-new-mexico-we-ll-soon-find-out-if-it-s-fact-or-fiction/1100-6418772/">a documentary Microsoft commissioned</a> about the dig. It will debut as a multi-part documentary series <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/first-original-xbox-shows-launching-in-2014-microsoft-hires-amc-exec/1100-6416732/">exclusively on Xbox platforms later this year</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The final excavation of the site is a long time coming for Microsoft. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/documentary-aims-to-unearth-millions-of-et-copies/1100-6409193/">Alamogordo city commissioners approved the search in June</a>, but the project was later <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-exclusive-documentary-about-buried-atari-cartridges-put-on-hold/1100-6418477/">put on hold </a>because a waste excavation plan needed to be finalized before the digging could begin. Microsoft <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/did-atari-bury-millions-of-e-t-copies-in-a-landfill-in-new-mexico-we-ll-soon-find-out-if-it-s-fact-or-fiction/1100-6418772/">got that approval</a> just earlier this month.</p><p style="">We'll keep updating this story with any new details from today's dig.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sat, 26 Apr 2014 11:33:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/buried-copies-of-failed-movie-game-e-t-have-been-found/1100-6419235/
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