David Wong

Writer and journalist for almost a year. Doing this for fun. Learned a lot along the way. I'm interested in businesses and the moves they make, tech and how it changes the world, and of course, enjoy playing some video games! I enjoy console and PC, but mostly RPGs, FPS, and League of Legends.

Devil May Cry 5 PC system requirements released

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Devil May Cry 5 PC system requirements released 1

Capcom released some details about the PC system requirements for their newest AAA title Devil May Cry 5. The system requirements were posted on the game’s store page on Steam. From this, we can gather some details on how demanding (and visually impressive) the game will be.

DMC5 is using a new game engine to render, so players will need a modern PC to run the game smoothly. If you want the best of the best, you’ll need a very beefy PC in order to maximize the game’s settings. Surprisingly enough, the game is only a mere 35GB in space, which is relatively small compared to how demanding the reqreuiments are.

Here are the Devil May Cry 5 PC minimum system requirements:

  • OS: WINDOWS® 7 (64-BIT Required)
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-4770 3.4GHz or better
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX760 or better
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 35 GB available space
  • Additional Notes: *Controllers recommended *Internet connection required for game activation.

And the recommended system requirements:

  • OS: WINDOWS® 7 (64-BIT Required)
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-4770 3.4GHz or better
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX960 or better
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 35 GB available space
  • Additional Notes: *Controllers recommended *Internet connection required for game activation.

Judging from the posted specs, most gamers will be okay with a current or previous generation graphics card. However, the game does require an Intel i7 CPU, which is pretty much the top-of-the-line processor that’s widely available. Even though the i9 is out, it’s not practical given its steep price point and non-adapted technology.

The i7 is affordable enough but is still top tier compared to its i5 and i3 counterparts. Enthusiasts can argue about specs, cores, and cache sizes, but generally, the i7 is superior due to the sheer number of cores available compared to the i5 and i3. Modern games and applications can utilize multiple (or all) cores that the i7 offers.

DMC5 is a CPU-demanding game from the looks of it so far. You can get more details about the game here on Steam.

Telltale Games shutting down (confirmed)

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Telltale Games shutting down (confirmed) 2

Earlier today, we reported that Telltale Games was rumored to be shutting down based on a post from Kevin Bruner, a co-founder of the company. Telltale Games specializes in the narrative, story-driven games such as The Walking Dead, Minecraft: Story Mode, Tales from the Borderlands, and The Wolf Among Us.

Now, Telltale has gone out and confirmed that the company will be shutting down after its final project: The Walking Dead: The Final Season. An official statement reports that the studio has faced financial obstacles in a year “marked by insurmountable challenges” and thus will “being a majority studio closure.” Telltale mentions that the majority of the company’s staff were fired today as a result of the shutdown with only a skeletal staff remaining to finish their last project.

CEO Pete Hawley explains:

“It’s been an incredibly difficult year for Telltale as we worked to set the company on a new course” and that the company “ran out of time to get there.”

Hawley says that even though the company is struggling, they’ve released some of their best content this year and “received a tremendous amount of positive feedback.” He hopes that the staff will spread their “brand of storytelling across the games industry.”

Telltale then said the further info is available regarding their current and other projects will be released in the coming weeks. The statement can be seen on their official Twitter account @telltalegames:

They’ll be releasing more information for the fans who were expecting other titles and wondering what will happen to them soon. For now, it just seems like Telltale will be telling its last tale due to low sales.

 

Devil May Cry 5 new key art, pricing, and Deluxe Edition goodies revealed

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Devil May Cry 5 new key art, pricing, and Deluxe Edition goodies revealed 3

Capcom is surviving its Devil May Cry fans. After the DMC5 trailer was released earlier yesterday, Capcom then went on to reveal some major details regarding the Deluxe Edition of the upcoming entry into the long-running series.

For starters, a new piece of key art was shown off for the Deluxe Edition of Devil May Cry 5. The art looks similar to the standard key art- it contains Dante, Nero, and the newly revealed V all standing next to each other with Nico and the Devil May Cry van in the background. This is some pretty awesome key art and gives that “badassery” the game deserves.

The Deluxe Edition will contain a few extra goodies, namely the following (taken from the Microsoft Store page):

  • Devil Breaker weapons: Gerbera GP01, Pasta Breaker, Sweet Surrender, Mega Buster
  • Dante weapon: Cavaliere R
  • Battle music: 3 tracks each from Devil May Cry, Devil May Cry 2, Devil May Cry 3, and Devil May Cry 4
  • Alternative voices: Style Rank Announcers, Title Calls
  • Live Action Cutscenes

And for pre-orders, players will receive:

  • Alt Hero Colors (Nero, Dante)
  • Alt Heroine Colors (Nico, Lady, Trish)
  • Buster Arm Early Access (new weapon for Nero)
  • 100,000 Red Orbs

The Deluxe Edition retails for $69.99, which is just a measly $10 more than the base game price at $59.99. Hey- it’s cheap for a Deluxe Edition compared to other AAA titles. Fans will likely opt for the Deluxe Edition for the extras. The physical version of Devil May Cry 5 isn’t available for pre-order yet but will be available soon considering that it’s already available for digital retail.

DMC5 is scheduled for release on March 8th, 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Stay tuned for updates.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown: Pre-order goodies, pricing, season pass, and Deluxe Edition revealed

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Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown: Pre-order goodies, pricing, season pass, and Deluxe Edition revealed 4

Bandai Namco Entertainment finally revealed the pre-order goodies player will receive for pre-ordering Ace Combat 7: Skies Uknown. Fans of the game who have been long-time players will be delighted with the special exclusives that are included with this next-gen aircraft dogfighting simulator title.

Producer Kazutoki Kono was giving a presentation about this reveal at Bandai Namco Entertainments HQ in Tokyo. He noted the following points:

  • All players who pre-order Ace Combat 7 on PS4, Xbox One, or via Steam for PC will get the special, limited edition F4-E Phantom II aircraft and three special exclusive aircraft skins to deck it out.
  • PS4 players will also get a free digital copy of Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  • Xbox One players will get a free digital copy of Ace Combat 6: Fires of the Liberation.

Kono then goes over the pricing and editions for Ace Combat 7:

  • The Deluxe Edition includes the base game, season pass content, eight emblems, and will retail at $84.99.
  • The season pass itself will include three planets, three levels, and a special music player (sound test) and retails for $24.99. Players can buy each item individually at $4.99 also.

Regardless, pre-orders will get their respective goodies whether or not players choose o buy the Deluxe Edition or basic season pass. If you buy it on PS4, you’ll receive Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War, which is regarded as one of the best Ace Combat games ever. Ace Combat 6: Fires of the Liberation is also a strong competitor and is on-par with AC5. Players can argue all day over which is the better Ace Combat game. But they’ll be getting one or the other for free- as long as they’re on a console.

Bandai Namco also released a new trailer showing off some of the visuals and adrenaline-fueled gameplay. The game will be released on January 18th, 2019 for PS4 and Xbox One. PC players will get the game on February 1st via Steam. Ace Combat 7: Skies Uknown is the latest entry into the long-running Ace Combat series and features a new VR mode, fast-paced strategic gameplay, and amazing graphics.

Darkstalkers Costume DLC bundle coming to Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition

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Darkstalkers Costume DLC bundle coming to Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition 5

Capcom has announced earlier today that they’ll be using the theme of the Darkstalkers universe in an upcoming costume DLC bundle for their Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition title.

Given that they’ve been teasing Darkstalkers fans long enough, they’ll shed a small sliver of light by including costumes into their newest fighting title. It’ll include six costumes that replicate some characters in Darkstalkers using their Street Fighter counterparts. Urien is Donovan, Chun-Li is Morrigan, Juri is Lili, Ed is Demitri, and the weirdest combo is Menat getting Felicia and Khaibit.

The DLC costumes pack will retail for $14.99 and rolls out September 25th. Capcom released a trailer showing off the new costume counterparts, which you can check out below. Fans of the Darkstalkers series will be gleeful no doubt.

Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition is currently available for purchase on PS4 and PC.

Diablo III Eternal Collection on the Switch: New video and release date

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Diablo III Eternal Collection on the Switch: New video and release date 6

Diablo III Eternal Collection will be released on the Nintendo Switch on November 2nd, 2018. Blizzard released a press release and a recent announcement video confirming the game’s release.

Diablo III came out a few years ago, and with the recent talks about a new Diablo project in the works (or, rather multiple projects), fans got excited.

The Diablo III Eternal Collection takes all of the original game’s content, with the Reaper of Souls expansion and the Rise of the Necromancer content pack into one giant game. The Switch version will be getting its piece of the action in just about two months from now.

The game will be able to be played single or co-op with up to three of your buddies onto one Switch using Joy-Cons or Pro Controllers. The game will be able to be played docked or portable, or even both if you have friends at your place.

The game will include the full five-act campaigns and special random dungeons or Seasons mode to keep the game going. It was revealed in August of this year, but it was only a rumor.

Now, it’s confirmed.

This is the first Blizzard game on a console in 15 years. The Switch version will include some exclusives: a Cucco companion pet, a Triforce portrait frame, unique cosmetics, and even a Ganondorf transmogrification set. Diablo III Eternal Collection is currently available for pre-order on Nintendo’s eShop.

NES Classic controllers coming out exclusively for Switch Online subscribers

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NES Classic controllers coming out exclusively for Switch Online subscribers 7

Nintendo is coming out with a classics NES controller as part of the Nintendo Switch online service. The controllers are modeled after the original NES controllers and can be attached to the Switch. They have the same control scheme as the original controller and plug in to recharge just like the Joy-Cons.

With these controllers, you can “play the classics they’re meant to be played!”

This special controller is likely for the huge library of NES games that’ll be available for players as the online service will release a ton of classic games.

Each controller can be used separately for the co-op NES games. Shipments will begin in mid-December 2018 and will run you $59.99 USD for a pair. To order them, you’ll have to be on the lookout as they’ll be available for order as a special offer for online subscribers at a later date that’s yet to be announced.

Their sales page currently says “New offers will be added, so be sure to check back regularly” and that they’re “Exclusively for Nintendo Switch Online members.”

If you’re a fan of the NES classics, you’ll want to look into these controllers.

Image: Nintendo.

CoD: 4 Blackout Beta spawns hotfix; Increases player count

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CoD: 4 Blackout Beta spawns hotfix; Increases player count 8

Treyarch released a list of improvements they’ll be focusing on in the next patch. This was largely due to the community feedback they received on the first day of the Blackout Beta event. The developer has rolled out the first hotfix for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and it’s a pretty significant update.

For starters, they’ve increased the player count from 80 to 88 players. This follows Treyarch’s statement a few weeks ago that they’ll increase the player count based on how well the game runs. With this significant increase in player count, it shows that the game runs pretty smoothly even for a beta. Perhaps when the full game releases, it just may hit 100 players by launch day.

Item pick-up speed has also been adjusted. There’s no more stopping at an item just to stare it in order to pick it up. Now players can simply hold down the Square button while running over any item to snag it. This seems like something that should definitely improve quality of life experience and basic gameplay mechanics. Weapon reloading will be done independently without picking up an item by pressing the reload button.

Some game stat-tracking has also been improved.

Here’s the full list of changes:

  • General:

    • Changed Featured Playlist to DUOs.

    • Raised player cap to 88.

    • General stability and stat-tracking improvements.

    • Quick equip menu will automatically close if not used for 5 seconds.

  • Item Pickups

    • Increased the speed of picking up Items off of the ground – you will still be able to reload your weapon independently without picking an Item up by tapping the reload button.

  • Equipment

    • Reduced duration of Sensor Dart to 2 minutes

Xbox Australia unveils an extremely rare PUBG-themed grease-proof controller

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Xbox Australia unveils an extremely rare PUBG-themed grease-proof controller 9

The Australian branch of Xbox just unveiled a new PUBG-themed Xbox controller. But it’s not just another typical controller skinned with a game theme. This one is kinda special.

Too many times, I’m eating when I play games. Whether it’s during the loading screens, cutscenes, or even during mid-combat, I’ll take a bite of something and end up with some greasy or oily fingers. Occasionally, some of that food residue gets onto the controller, to which I’ll have to wipe off later. It’s not really an issue, but it does leave a nasty feeling to it.

This controller is said to be grease-proof. The solution to an issue all gamers have faced sometime or another. If it’s not grease, it’s probably sweat.

The PUBG controller features a gray/green design that’s glossy to the look. It’s line with a special coating that makes it grease-proof and any residue won’t collect on it. If it doesn’t, it’s easy to wipe off. This is something that’s actually useful for once, rather than those overpriced controllers that are just varying in colors and skins. This has an inherent functionality.

However, only 200 have been produced. And there’s no way to buy this thing. And you need to be in Australia. So it’s pretty limited if I had to say so.

Xbox One – Limited Edition Greaseproof Controller

Get ready to control the battleground with our limited edition Greaseproof controller celebrating the launch of PLAYERUNKOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS – Just reply below with your best ‘Winner Winner Chicken Dinner’ story for your chance to win 1 of 5 controllers. #Greaseproof

Posted by Xbox ANZ on Wednesday, September 5, 2018

However, if you don’t care about the theme and you just want the grease-proofing, you can get the two new black or grey/blue variations that were released a few weeks ago.

Black Ops 4’s Battle Royale “Blackout” trailer released

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Black Ops 4's Battle Royale "Blackout" trailer released 10

Call of Duty has been releasing some tidbits of details regarding their latest entry into the Black Ops lineup over the past few days. Fans have been demanding a more detailed look at Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Blackout mode. Just a few hours ago, Activision and Treyarch officially released their first ever full trailer for … Read more

The Binding of Isaac’s final DLC “Repentance” announced

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The Binding of Isaac's final DLC "Repentance" announced 11

The Binding of Isaac is getting its final DLC pack. Creator Edmund McMillen announced it over Twitter as the “FINAL (for real this time) DLC for Isaac.” It’ll be called The Binding of Isaac: Repentance and includes the popular fan-made Antibirth mod which adds a number of new rooms, enemies, and treasures to discover and a hidden end … Read more

Agent 47 goes to Columbia in Hitman 2

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Agent 47 goes to Columbia in Hitman 2 12

Warner Bros. and IO Interactive just released a new trailer showing off some footage and backstory for the next entry in the Hitman franchise- Hitman 2.

The trailer shows off the setting of the game which is the country of Columbia. Agent 47 has been sent to Columbia to take on a new series of missions and targets to assassinate.

This is pretty rare as the environment will be natural and probably heavily reliant on natural obstacles rather than buildings and structures. Jungles, forest, and other planted areas should be a refreshing take for players since this is one of the few times the game takes place in such an arena. New and veteran players will both be exposed to a new gameplay environment.

Sarner Bros. posted some more info about the new trailer via press release that was published earlier this week. The following is straight from their release:

“Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and IO Interactive released a new video at PAX West teasing the next destination featured in HITMAN 2 – Colombia. This new setting will put players directly in the heart of a dark and dangerous South American rainforest, providing a vastly different canvas for Agent 47 to carry out his deadly missions. Truly a living, breathing jungle environment with threats lurking around every corner, Colombia will feature a unique gameplay experience with multiple paths to explore, unparalleled game depth and countless interactive possibilities for players. Stay tuned on the HITMAN 2 channels in the coming weeks for more details on this exciting new location.”

Hitman 2 comes out in November for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

 

Anthem demo rolls out February 1, 2019

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Anthem demo rolls out February 1, 2019 13

Bioware announced at PAX West 2018 that their newest title Anthem will be getting a playable demo in February of 2019, which is right ahead of its official release date on February 22nd, 2019. The demo comes out on the first of the month, so the full game is right around the corner.

The Anthem demo will be playable on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. EA will release it to those who are subscribed to EA/Origin Access on Xbox One and PC. PS4 owners will get to play it if they pre-ordered the game already.

At EA’s booth at PAX West, lead producer Mike Gamble said that it’s “not a test or beta” and that it’s a full “slice of our game.” So the game is already complete and will play identically to the beta- well, at least that “slice” of it.

EA: Battlefield V delayed until November 20th

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EA: Battlefield V delayed until November 20th 14

EA just announced yesterday that Battlefield V has been delayed from October 19th to November 20th. The reason behind the delay is to make final adjustments to the game and deliver an awesome experience for players.

Fans that are pumped for this AAA title in the long-running Battlefield series don’t really seem to be disappointed, as they’re okay with the company fixing up the game so it doesn’t release with an unpolished finish.

While it may be disappointing for some fans looking forward to the game next month, it’s for good reason. I’m pretty sure EA has learned that it’s always quality over quantity.

Oskar Gabrielson, BF:V developer, says the following:

“Today, we’re announcing that Battlefield V will have a new launch date – November 20, 2018. I wanted to give you a little bit of insight into how we arrived at this new date.

Over the summer, we’ve had tens of thousands of players get their hands on the game during our Closed Alphas and at E3 and Gamescom – where we were honored to receive the awards for Best Multiplayer Game at both shows.

You have told us that you are seeing an increased focus on squad play come through, you are also feeling the difference in our revamped player movement and we are getting a lot of positive feedback for our improved weapons handling.

You’ve also spurred us to make some meaningful improvements to the core gameplay experience, including adjusting the gameplay tempo, improving soldier visibility and reducing player friction. You’ll see a lot of these reflected in our Open Beta that starts on September 6.

We believe we have one of the best Battlefield games ever on our hands. A game that will deliver on an emotional journey through the return of unseen single player War Stories, a deep multiplayer experience, Battle Royale, along with our new live service, Tides of War – a journey across multiple theaters of WW2 and designed to keep our community together.”

He then talks about the beta launching this month in just a few days:

“With the Open Beta just around the corner, we are excited about the millions of you who will join us and experience the game. And we fully expect to see even more feedback coming our way.

And that’s why we’re moving our launch date. We’re going to take the time to continue to make some final adjustments to core gameplay, and to ensure we really deliver on the potential of Tides of War.

We know moving the launch date means that we all have to wait a little longer. But we’re going to take our time to make sure we get it right.

Thank you for your continued passion and support. We can’t wait to see you on the battlefield in just a few days.”

Source: EA.

 

Subnautica: Below Zero officially annouced

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The standalone expansion to Unkown Worlds Entertainment’s Subnautica has been officially announced. It’s called Subnautica: Below Zero and the news comes from a post on their official page.

It’s the highly-anticipated expansion game that takes place in a similar setup to the original game. By concept, I mean it’s the same style of survival. It’s not DLC. It’s standalone. Let’s get that straight.

If you’ve never played the original game, it’s a survival game where you need to survive the depths of the ocean by collecting resources, exploring, and building a fully-functioning base. There are tons of fish, species, and creatures you’ll encounter in the ocean. The further and deeper you go, the more dangerous it gets.

Subnautica itself is a complete experience with survival mechanisms and a complete storyline. The game was in Early Access on Steam for a few years before becoming a full release.

The expansion has been in development for quite some time and has been discussed among fans of the game. It takes place on Planet 4546B and your character has been sent on a mission to study alien technology on the frozen arctic biome. The character is completely different than the previous one in the original game. It’s a different protagonist who’s been sent by Alterra.

The game already has some concept art floating around out there and even a dedicated Trello board which shows the plot (and spoiler).

The game will be released on Steam Early Acess before becoming a full game just like the previous game. You can get some more information on their official page and check out the progress of it.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: A developer’s perspective

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Marvel's Spider-Man: A developer's perspective 16

Marvel Entertainment released a new trailer showing off the new action adventure game Marvel’s Spider-Man. The video shows off some footage that depicts how Insomniac Games developed and created the game that was first shown in the E3 trailer. It’s more of a developer’s behind-the-scenes commentary look the new Spider-Man game.

They used Previz (previsualization) sequences rather than a storyboard like typical adventure games. And it shows how they captured the motion of the hero using stuntmen. The second video also shows some gameplay in action by the Japanese arm of the PlayStation.

Spider-Man rolls out on September 7th exclusively for the PS4. It’s available for pre-order right now on Amazon, and the physical release just came out yesterday. Fans are stoked. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting new entry into the series.

Image: Marvel

Blizzard removes loot crates in Overwatch and Heroes of the Storm for Belgium players

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Blizzard removes loot crates in Overwatch and Heroes of the Storm for Belgium players 17

Blizzard has just announced that paying for loot crates in two of their major titles has been removed for Belgium players due to a report from the Belgian Gaming Commission. It states that option falls under the “gambling” category according to local law, and thus, can’t be a feature in videogames. Blizzard has fought against this decision and expressed disagreement, but they’ve gone ahead and removed loot crates in Overwatch and Heroes of the Storm in order to comply.

To obtain the crates, players will have to play well by performing well in a game or leveling up, or even buying them with in-game currency. Content hasn’t been affected by this removal:

In April 2018, the Belgian Gaming Commission published a report that was endorsed by the Belgian Ministry of Justice in which they concluded that paid loot boxes in Overwatch are considered gambling under local law. While we at Blizzard were surprised by this conclusion and do not share the same opinion, we have decided to comply with their interpretation of Belgian law. As a result, we have no choice but to implement measures that will prevent Overwatch and Heroes of the Storm players located in Belgium from purchasing in-game loot boxes and loot chests with real money and gems.

This decision originated from the Battlefront II loot creates which allowed players to use cash on the game with the chance of getting gameplay boosts that gave unfair advantages to those not willing to spend on the game. Some players who don’t want to shell out their cash are forced to play on an uneven playing field.

EA has removed the paid option hours before its launch due to this blowback, but European courts began on investigating the issue across all games. blizzard has removed the option from Chinese players due to their gambling laws also.

Other countries haven’t really made a decision yet and are still deciding. The UK ruled that loot crates aren’t legally gambling and has kept them within their games.

Source: PlayStation Life.

Square Enix’s The Last Remnant being delisted from Steam

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Steam removes movies and videos.

Square Enix’s The Last Remnant, a nearly 10-year-old game, is being removed from the Steam store in just a few weeks. On the Steam News page, Square announced that it’ll be delisted from the DRM platform on different schedules for different regions:

  • Japan region: Wednesday 5th September, approximately 2:00 (JST)
  • NA region: Tuesday 4th September, approximately 10:00 (PDT)
  • EU region: Tuesday 4th September, approximately 17:00 (GMT)

For owners of the game, it’ll still be playable. But for those looking to buy it, it’ll be gone. The title was released for the Xbox 360 back in 2008 and a PS3 version of was never released. It wasn’t a flop by any means, but it is a pretty dated game.

It’s a JRPG developed by the same team behind SaGa and the Final Fantasy games. Get it on Steam for $9.99 if you’re interested in the PC version. The console version will be available used (or possibly new) and can easily still be had from various retailers that carry specialty or retro games.

Microsoft explains why they bought Ninja Theory

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Microsoft explains why they bought Ninja Theory 18

At this years’ E3 showcase, Microsft made some big announcements regarding the fact that they acquired five new developers. One of them happens to be a new team called Playground Games, based in Santa Monica and are best known for their Forza Horizon games. They also bought Compulsion Games (We Happy Few), Undead Labs (State of Decay), The Initiative, and Ninja Theory (Heavenly Sword).

This was pretty big news because although they’re not huge companies, they’re still pretty significant in the titles they’re known for. Seeing how Ninja Theory is now an in-house developer, people got excited about the future game lineup from this developer. Head of Microsoft Studios Matt Booty talks about the reasoning behind buying a studio like Ninja Theory in a recent interview:

“When you think about our existing content as it relates to Game Pass… you can see that we’re fortunate to have some really large franchises, with Halo, Gears of War, Forza, Minecraft, Age of Empires… these are all well-established franchises.”

“I use the world franchise deliberately, because these games are typically multi-platform, they have a presence off of Xbox, they have millions of players and iterations of the game going back a decade or more.

“An amazing thing about Ninja Theory is that it is very clear that the studio orbits around ideas and creativity, and the characters, storytelling, and settings really come first for them. That just meshes really well with our desire to provide our players, especially those in Game Pass, with content that is new, unique, has variety, and sits outside of the stuff we are doing with our bigger franchises.”

The main reason is Game Pass, which is Xbox’s subscription service aside from their Gold Service for online play. Game Pass allows players to unlock over 100 indie and first-party titles for just $10 a month with unlimited play. New games are always added and older games are rotated out. Some third-party titles are also in the mix- even some AAA titles like DOOM.

Square Enix’s game lineup for PAX West 2018 revealed

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Square Enix has announced its lineup for PAX West 2018. The publisher has an exciting list of games it’ll showcase at the event with plenty of panels for fans seeking more information.

The following titles will be playable at PAX coming straight from Square Enix’s official page:

  • Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
  • Kingdom Hearts 3
  • The Quiet Man
  • Life is Strange 2
  • Shadow of the Tomb Raider

There will also be plenty of panels fans can attend as well to get more information regarding their games. This was confirmed via press release:

“EXPANDING THE LIFE IS STRANGE UNIVERSE
Friday, August 31, 12:00 PM, Wyvern Theater
Join writer Christian Divine and key figures from the LIFE IS STRANGE 2development team as they take you behind the scenes of their most ambitious game in the series to date. Discover how they apply the core concepts of the LIFE IS STRANGE franchise to bring the relatable characters and realistic environments in the LIFE IS STRANGE Universe to life. Learn how they tackle the challenges of telling a branching story of education and brotherhood within an evolving episodic narrative adventure.

LIFE IS STRANGE 2 FAN MEET UP PARTY with What’s Good Games
Friday, August 31 from 6:00 – 9:00 PM at  Unicorn 1118 E. Pike Street
Relax at PAX with the team from What’s Good Games and developers from DONTNOD Entertainment to celebrate the upcoming launch of the first episode of LIFE IS STRANGE 2. Share your favorite moments from the series, enjoy refreshments and a chance to win games, SQUARE ENIX prizes and custom What’s Good Games items.  For additional information about the event visit: https://www.facebook.com/WhatsGoodGames/.

JUST CAUSE 4 SHOWCASE
Saturday, September 1, 11:30 AM, Hydra Theater
Join key members of the JUST CAUSE 4™ development team – Avalanche Studios – as they talk exclusively about the next game in the hugely popular, multi-million selling JUST CAUSE series. Set in the fictional South American world of Solis, JUST CAUSE 4 takes the incredible destruction and unique physics the series is known for to a whole new level with the introduction of fully simulated tornadoes and other Extreme Weather events. Rico Rodriguez returns in JUST CAUSE 4 with his trademark parachute, wingsuit and, of course his grappling hook, now enhanced with new functionality and fully customisable, making it the most powerful and creative tool the player has ever had.

SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER – Uncovering the Hidden City of Paititi
Saturday, September 1, 4;30 PM, Wyvern Theater
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is filled with many surprises and secrets. Perhaps the biggest discovery Lara Croft® will make is the hidden city of Paititi, a civilization untouched by modern culture and the largest hub ever created in a Tomb Raider® game. Moderated by Andrea Rene, join the team behind Lara Croft’s defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider. The panel will feature Dan Chayer-Bisson (Game Director), Mario Chabtini (Senior Producer), and Rich Briggs (Senior Brand Director).”

Fortnite 5.30 released – New items, gameplay modes, and the Blunderbuss AR

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Fortnite 5.30 released - New items, gameplay modes, and the Blunderbuss AR 20

Fortnite has just hit version 5.30, which brings some big additions to both the Battle Royale and Save the Worlds gameplay modes. The main features are the Rift-To-Go item, which was teased previously by Epic Games, and a new LImited Time mode dubbed “Score Royale.”

They work exactly as they’re named. Rift-To-Go is a place that exists in the player’s equipment which allows the player and their allies to fly out from the sky and make a surprise ambush. However, other players can also pull the same move and use the same portals. This adds a new level of complexity to the game and new strategies that will ultimately be centered around these portals.

Score Royale will be a new mode where players gain points for completing various tasks like collecting items, loot crates, and killing enemies. It scores you for doing things like opening ammo boxes, llamas, supply drops, treasure chests, using an apple/mushroom, and more.

Here’s the scoring guide from Epic Games:

  • Winning Score (Solo) 2000
  • Winning Score (Duos) 3000
  • Winning Score (Squads) 4500
  • Use an Apple or Mushroom 10
  • Open an Ammo Box 25
  • Open a Llama 50
  • Open a Supply Drop 100
  • Eliminate an Enemy 100
  • Open a Treasure Ches t50
  • Find a Bronze Coin 30
  • Find a Silver Coin 50
  • Find a Gold Coin 100

The Save the World campaign is last but not least. It has a new weapon called the Blunderbuss Assault Rifle (BAR) which does a hefty amount of damage with a giant clip to spare.

The patch is now available on all platforms and no issues have been reported so far.

You can check out the full details here.

 

Twitch Prime users now have to watch ads; Amazon rids 20% discount for pre-orders

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Twitch Prime users now have to watch ads; Amazon rids 20% discount for pre-orders 21

Twitch Prime users now have to watch ads like the rest of the internet now. And they won’t get the 20% discount off pre-order titles on Amazon anymore. Subscribers aren’t happy.

Twitch announced the new changes coming to the world’s most popular live streaming service, noting that they’ve “continued to add value to Twitch Prime,” yet they’ve also” re-evaluated some of the existing Twitch Prime benefits.” Twitch announced ad-free viewing for subscribers back in 2016, but now they’ve reverted back to the original plan of having all viewers watch ads.

Amazon announced that instead of the 20% discount off new titles, subscribers get a $10 promo credit for pre-ordering select titles starting on April 28, 2019.

It’s a pretty bleak time to be a subscriber to Amazon/Twitch. Twitch’s explanation for the purpose of reinstallation ads:

“Advertising is an important source of support for the creators who make Twitch possible. This change will strengthen and expand that advertising opportunity for creators so they can get more support from their viewers for doing what they love. We want Twitch to remain a place where anyone can enjoy one-of-a-kind interactive entertainment, and ads allow us to continue making Twitch the best place for creators to build communities around the things they love and make money doing it.”

Former Twitch VP, Justin Wong, explained that the reasoning behind it is “BS” in a tweet:

“Partners don’t see any direct benefit from the Twitch Prime ad-free removal. There are possibly indirect benefits depending on whether viewers will subscribe to avoid ads. In other words, the ‘benefiting creators’ shtick is BS.”

In retaliation, some streamers on twitch have been asking their viewers to block the ads, such as Rober Moran:

“Please install an ad blocker if you watch my content on Twitch/YouTube because ads are a waste of your time, and I have no interest building a business off ad dollars.”

This has led to increased usage of ad blockers on Twitch. These are some dark days for the streaming giant. What do you think will happen? Will Twitch revert? Or will the community just “deal with it?”

Super Mario Party River Survival co-op mode teaser released

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Super Mario Party River Survival co-op mode teaser released 22

Nd Cube and Nintendo are going back to a traditional setup with Super Mario Party. After many experiments with various game layouts in the long-running party franchise, it seems like it’s time to go back to the roots of the game. This new title will still feature many new features, such as exclusive dice, minigames, and setups that utilize the Switch’s capabilities. It’ll also have side modes, one of which is called River Survival. Perhaps it’s time to stick to what works.

In this mode, up to four players will have to work cooperatively in order to reach the goal at the end of a river before time runs out. Players will have to use the Joy-Con’s motion controls to row the boat before cop-op minigames pop up at specific time intervals.

If they’re completed successfully, more time will be added. It’s a pretty cool feature with multiplayer co-op. Players can work together kind of like Mario Party 9 and 10′s main modes. And it demonstrates the motion controllers, which show make it a good tech demo.

Super Mario Party will launch on the Switch on Ocboeter 5th, and can already be pre-ordered Amazon, Best Buy, and other major retailers.

You can see River Survival in action in this trailer released by Nintendo earlier today, which has already garnered over 100K views at the time fo this writing:

Super Neptunia RPG delayed until 2019 for Westerners

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Super Neptunia RPG delayed until 2019 for Westerners 23

Super Neptunia RPG is now planned for a Spring 2019 release, according to a post by Idea Factory. The game was previously scheduled for 2018, but has been delayed since then. Idea Factory and Canadian developer Artisan Studios are still bringing Neptune to the 2D perspective for the first time ever. Super Neptunia RPG will be the first 2D Neptunia game and will also be released by a Western Studio- again for the first time.

The Japan launch is scheduled for September 27th while Westerners will have to wait until 2019.

The game takes the classic self-referential humor in a 2D sidescroller with RPG elements. Artisan Studios is well-aware that this is a challenge to build. In an interview with Digitally Downloaded, Mario Rizzo, head at Artisan, talks about the difficulties in adapting a Japanese title in a Western Studio. Staff at Artisan re no longer developing with Japnese developers and doing Neptune their own way with detailed artwork and splendid backgrounds.

The game has Neptune finding herself transported to a world without any memory. An organization called Bombyx Mori enslaves citizens and makes them develop game after game as a tribute. Anyone who tries to use tech beyond their means or makes a game tp subpar standards will risk imprisonment in the Trial Grounds. Neptune has an immense power and sets out to explore and save the world.

Player Housing demolished without warning in FFXIV; Investigation continues

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Player Housing demolished without warning in FFXIV; Investigation continues 24

Player-owned houses in Final Fantasy XIV are being razed without any warning. Reports across multiple servers warrant a warning on the FFXIV subreddit and a thread on their official forums. GMs have already acknowledged the issue by reimbursing affected players, but they’re not able to fully restore their lost properties.

The bug usually occurs after the owners visit the house- just days later. Housing works on a timer: if you don’t visit your house for a set period of time, it’s automatically reclaimed by the server. If it’s reclaimed, 80% of the land fees and 100% of the furnishing are returned to the owner. Square Enix has turned off the demolition timers before, such as during the heat and flooding in Japan. The North American servers also had it turned off last year due to the flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Harvey. However, it’s currently active right now even though numerous reports are surfacing while they attempt to fix the issue.

Players get a full 45 days before scheduled deletion- with two warning emails. However, there have been reports that the email system wasn’t working- all the way back since May of this year.

The housing crisis is something that Square Enix is definitely aware of. Directory Naoki Yoshida knows about the issue and changes were made earlier in 2018 so that players could only own one piece of land, which stop squatting. Smaller servers don’t really have much of an issue because land can be reclaimed due to lower populations. Populated servers are where there are problems due to competition between players for plots.

Diablo III: Eternal Collection confirmed for Switch; See details and pricing

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Diablo III: Eternal Collection confirmed for Switch; See details and pricing 25

A Forbes post published by Erik Kain was quickly removed soon afterward, but some swift Reddit users captured it and already started a few threads about it all too fast. The news is that Diablo III port for the Switch has been confirmed for release in 2018. With only a few months left, it’ll likely be ready for the holiday season.

After its rocky PC launch back in 2012 and a process of continuous updates and community feedback, the ARPG received console ports in 2014 and 2013 for Xbox and PlayStation. Now, the Switch is next in the lineup of games.

It’s called the Eternal Collection, which includes both the Reaper of Souls and Rise of the Necromancer expansions and some other additional content. It’ll retail at full price- $59.99. It’ll also have special Nintendo exclusive in-game content like a Ganondorf-esque cosmetic armor set, a Tri-Fore portrait frame, a Chicken pet, and even some Echoes of the Mask cosmetic wings. This content is pretty neat since it combines two different universes into one- especially for returning players who are already familiar with Diablo games.

The game allows returning players to explore the new content or new players who’ve never played a Diablo game to play it for the first time. It includes both docked and portable modes and up to 4 players on a single Switch console or separate Switch consoles linked wirelessly and without an Internet connection. The Nintendo Switch Online service will also allow online play with cloud-saving support.

So far, no release date has been announced. This will be the first time Blizzard’s released a game on Nintendo in 15 years, which is definitely something to be excited over. There have been a efforts to bring more exclusive Nintendo content to the Switch in terms of games released in the West, with Ubisoft announcing Starlink: Battle for Atlas at E3 which has exclusive Nintendo goodies.

As we near the holiday season, we should see more news about the Diablo III: Eternal Collection. Stay tuned for updates.

Source: TechRaptor.

Patrick Söderlund steps down as EA’s CDO

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Patrick Söderlund steps down as EA's CDO 26

Earlier this week, Electronic Art’s CDO Patrick Söderlund has stepped down and left the company. A memo shared by the current CEO Andrew Wilson, he states that Patrick was a “pioneer” with over 20 years of experience for EA. He was also known to be a great friend and an “inspiring leader” for EA as a whole.

Söderlund recently was promoted to the office of Chef Design Office back in April of 2018. Before that, he was the CEO of DICE. When he entered EA, he was appointed to the Worldwide Studios where he oversaw many franchises in EA’s household. He’s also credited for advocating the Frostbite engine and making it EA’s primary in-house game engine.

Last year, he was also given a bonus of $20M USD in 2017, based on a SEC filing and a report by Jason Schreier of Kotaku. His total salary for 2018 totaled to $48M. The median salary for the typical employee at EA is $96K. His position demands this level of pay and his expertise was priceless. This was to keep him working for the company.

Even with this level of pay, he’s left the company. Wilson noted that some teams within EA will definitely see changes following his departure. The SEED team which is currently led by Johan Andersson will join the studio’s group along with EA Originals and EA Partners Programs joining the Strategic Growth group.

No other news has been reported about the other executives at EA regarding changes. They’ll likely stay in their current positions. As for a when and who the new CDO will be and when this person will be appointed is TBA.

Chrome 68 adds native Windows notifications

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Chrome 68 adds native Windows notifications 27

Earlier this week, Chrome users using the newest version of Chrome on the Windows 10 platform began seeing notifications from the world’s most popular web browser in their Action Center. Chrome notifications will use the same design and style as the standard Windows notifications and will show up in the Action Center (the bottom-right corner of the screen on a traditional desktop layout).

Google is rolling out the new version in waves. The update was released on August 8th and 50% of users with the stable and most updated version of Chrome (Chrome 68) will be automatically opted-in to the new notifications system. Chrome users who don’t want to wait for the rollout and want the update right now can easily do so:

  • Update to the newest version of Chrome- Chrome 68.
  • Launch Chrome and type in “chrome://flags” in the address bar and hit Enter.
  • Turn on the “Enable native notifications” option.

This will force Chrome to enable the native alerts immediately.

This update will make Chrome’s notifications work with Windows settings.

For example, if you’re a user of Focus Assist (AKA Quiet Hours), which allows users to block notifications during a videogame or when the screen is being mirrored, Chrome won’t bug you with notifications and will respect your Windows settings. Users with lots of notifications from Chrome (Facebook, Twitter, Calendar, Slack, Stocks, Gmail, etc.) will have all their alerts silenced when needed rather than showing up when they’re not welcome.

Source: ArsTechnica

Hackers turn Amazon Echo into a spy device

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Hackers turn Amazon Echo into a spy device 28

With the push of companies launching their virtual assistants (VAs), security should always be a concern since these things are mass-produced on a large scale. A small security loophole could put thousands or even millions at risk, whether it be Google Home or Amazon’s line of Alexa-equipped devices. Since they’re all connected to the internet at all times, it enables hackers to potential siphon information about the data it collects and can be exploited.

A hack was demonstrated at Def Con 26, where hackers used multiple vulnerabilities to demo how the Echo could be used as an eavesdropping device:

“In this talk, we will present how to use multiple vulnerabilities to … remote attack some of the most popular smart speakers. Our final attack effects include silent listening, control speaker speaking content and other demonstrations. And we’re also going to talk about how to extract firmware from BGA packages Flash chips such as EMMC, EMCP, NAND Flash, etc. In addition, it contains how to turn on debug interfaces and get root privileges by modifying firmware content and Re-soldering Flash chips, which can be of great help for subsequent vulnerability analysis and debugging. Finally, we will play several demo videos to demonstrate how we can remotely access some Smart Speaker Root permissions and use smart speakers for eavesdropping and playing voice.”

For the plain-English person, this roughly translates to tweaking Alexa’s onboard firmware content in order to use it to spy on its surroundings. it can listen silently, be controlled to speak, and have the speech module overwritten from a remote location. this means a hacker could potentially hack into an Echo device and force it to speak or listen to its environment and relay the sounds back to the hacker’s computer.

As companies jump onboard the VA bandwagon, security is an issue that needs to be addressed. Simply having it in the household doesn’t mean it’s safe from hacking and vulnerabilities. Companies that are new to the scene like Facebook, who plans to launch their own version of a smart speaker very soon, will only create more demand for these types of products, which means a larger audience to safeguard from hacks and a more appealing target for hackers to bypass the security.

Although Amazon’s Alexa already listens to what its users say, it follows and purges in a timed interval (trailing five seconds after its name), unlike this hack which actually relays the information without a purge.

Amazon has fixed and patched the security issue that was demonstrated with a patch and quickly resolved.

Image via Amazon.

Blizzard confirms Diablo projects are in the works – keyword “projects”

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Blizzard confirms Diablo projects are in the works - keyword "projects" 29

Blizzard made headlines a few weeks back with a job listing for a Diablo dungeon designer. A Diablo game was confirmed to be in the works, but there was no other news. It wasn’t confirmed whether it’d be a new game or just a remake, but speculators say it had to be a new game because of the job posting’s details.

It’s been a whole 6 years size Diablo III came out and the community is stoked to see another title in the works. Now, Blizzard has finally released some more details about the long-running series. Brandy Camel, Diablo Community Manager tells the world in a recent video that multiple projects are in the works which will be revealed later this year. Camel also talks about the recent introduction of themed seasons in the latest game with the first season being Greed.

The ARPG genre has always been the game’s core mechanic. Blizzard ridding this would be very surprising, though they’ve done this type of move before with Warcraft.

For players who haven’t revisited the game, it’s a good time to get excited again and new content is still being pumped out while we wait for the next game. Blizzcon is coming on November 2nd and there will likely be an announcement then. How many projects? Is it a direct sequel? is it a new game? Will it be traditional or new? Fans are excited. Sit tight for more announcements.