News
Splinter Cell Blacklist Trailer Shows Off Cooperative Play
By GameInformer, published 20-05-2013
Sam Fisher won’t be alone in his upcoming adventure. The new trailer for Blacklist shows off the cooperative mission structure for the game, which includes four different mission types across fourteen maps. The trailer also touts the availability of both two-player online and split-screen play. The new cooperative game modes star Sam Fisher working alongside fellow operative Isaac Briggs, and the progress made in the cooperative missions will feed into each player’s larger game progress. Using the Strategic Mission Interface, Blacklist aims to pull the single player and multiplayer Splinter Call game modes together into a cohesive whole, uniting your progress in any of the game modes under a single profile. By completing cooperative missions, players gain access to new weapon...
Batman: Arkham Origins' Creative Director Shares Vision For DLC
By GameInformer, published 20-05-2013
The latest round of news about Batman: Arkham Origins revealed that the assassin Deathstroke will be playable in the game through DLC. While on the cover story trip for the game, we asked creative director Eric Holmes about his thoughts on and plans for incorporating DLC into Batman: Arkham Origins. These quotes are from before the Deathstroke DLC was announced, but they provide insight into the team's thoughts on the topic. "I think the challenge with DLC is finding something worth saying that you didn't say in the main game, something that adds to the story or universe. Without giving too much away, I think the DC Universe is a very expansive and exciting place and we're spoiled for choice as far as opportunities," says creative director Eric Holmes. Holm...
Capcom Has Been Working With Disney Since 2010 On DuckTales Remastered
By GameInformer, published 19-05-2013
The remastered version of DuckTales did not appear overnight. Capcom has been working with Disney on and off for more than the past two years to get the project off the ground. Christian Svensson, corporate officer/senior vice-president at Capcom, likes to speak up from time to time on Capcom's message boards. Last time we heard from him, he revealed that all of the original DuckTales voice actors were returning to act in the game. Recently, Svensson appeared on the message boards again, talking about how long Capcom and Disney has been working together on the project: It took more than two years (on and off) to do the deal even before any development started. The first conversations I had with folks at Disney about this were had at Dice in 2010 (Feb 2010).Initial proposals for greenl...
Microsoft's Hits and Misses With The Xbox 360 Hardware
By GameInformer, published 18-05-2013
With Microsoft revealing its next system on Tuesday, the time is ripe to explore what Microsoft did right with the Xbox 360 and where it could have improved. Whether or not the new console carries on the legacies of its predecessor, it's fun to reminisce about these hits and misses as Microsoft prepares to pass on the torch. Hits Controller Microsoft impressed many with its 360 controller; the trigger buttons were ideal for first-person shooters. The controller was not only much more comfortable than the original Xbox's S, it also sported superior button placement. Unfortunately, the d-pad was its weak point, but fixes are available, and Microsoft even released a 2010 silver controller with a twist-up d-pad to help the issue. While the issue was never completely dissipated, at l...
The Biggest Stories Of The Week (May 18, 2013)
By GameInformer, published 18-05-2013
Did you miss any of the big stories this week? Want to find out how the pieces fit together? You're in the right place. This week was filled with more financial news, more details on Silicon Knights and Precursor Games, and some more heavy-hitting previews. E3 needs to be huge for Nintendo This week was a bit tumultuous for Nintendo. The good news is that the company is one step closer to ridding itself of a nagging lawsuit from patent squatter Motiva. Courts ruled that Motiva had no intention of applying its patents and only sought to monetize infringement by others. Motiva has vowed to fight on. The bad news is that the house of Mario was dogged by flagging third-party support and a public relations nightmare of its own creation. EA confirmed this week that it current...
Indonesian and Moroccan Cultures Coming To Civilzation V in Brave New World Expansion
By GameInformer, published 18-05-2013
The Brave New World expansion pack for Civilization V will release on July 9. Today, 2K Games and Firaxis revealed two of the ancient cultures that will be added to the game in the pack. Here's the information on the two cultures direct from the press release. If you want to know more about Brave New World, check out our previous coverage. "Indonesia, led by the 14th Century Prime Minister of the Majapahit Empire of Indonesia, Gajah Mada, are granted unique bonuses for establishing a seafaring empire, as their first three cities formed on new continents are granted two unique luxury resources via their Spice Islanders ability. Their unique replacement for the swordsman is the Kris Swordsman, which gains a random upgrade after the first round of combat. Finally, their unique build...
Nintendo Bringing E3 To The People
By GameInformer, published 17-05-2013
Attending E3 is a thrill and a wonderful opportunity to get a sense for the coming year of new releases. As a viewer at home, you might be wondering how you can get in on the action. This year, Nintendo is giving you that opportunity. During today's Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo of America Reggie Fils-Aime announced that the company has partnered with Best Buy to bring exclusive demos to over 100 of its stores. Nintendo was quiet on which games would be available, but we're hopeful that some of the unannounced titles saved for E3 reveals will be on-hand. Nintendo continues to shift its E3 strategy. The public invitation comes after announcement that there won't be a traditional stage presentation. Fils-Aime and famed designer Shigeru Miyamoto will be available for pre...
Another Round Of Indie Games Get The Green Light On Steam
By GameInformer, published 17-05-2013
Valve has announced another half dozen indie games that will be joining the ranks of Steam. The creative titles run the gamut from a country-life RPG to a riot simulator. Steam Greenlight allows gamers to vote on software they'd like to see added to the digital distribution platform, and the latest batch of approved games proves Steam users have pretty good taste. Here's a list of the new games, along with descriptions from the developers. Bleed: "Bleed is an action-platformer focused on stylish, acrobatic dodging and fluid, challenging gameplay. Wryn wants to be the ultimate videogame hero, but the Greatest Heroes of All Time have already been chosen." Game Dev Tycoon: "Game Dev Tycoon Start your own game development company and replay the history of gaming in thi...
The Last Of Us Turns Our World Upside Down
By GameInformer, published 17-05-2013
Yesterday, during a pre-E3 event in Santa Monica, California, I played through a newly revealed section of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us. The survival-based game is a road trip story starring two survivors in a post-apocalyptic world. Joel and Ellie are looking for a man named Bill – a loner out in Lincoln, Pennsylvania that owes Joel a favor. During my hands-on time with the game I got a feel for combat against the infected, nasty traps set by survivors, and improvised navigation past environmental obstacles. Joel and Ellie find themselves in the woods on their way to the small town of Lincoln. Ellie is taken aback by the beauty of the woods, admiring the serene wildlife. Joel is less concerned with sight-seeing, and seems determined to find Bill before the sun sets. Thei...
NPD April 2013: Injustice On Top, New Game Sales Down 25% From April 2012
By GameInformer, published 17-05-2013
It's that time again. The April 2013 NPD report is now available, with Warner Brothers and NetherRealm Studios sitting atop the list of best selling titles. Sales continue on a downward trend, with significant losses over last April. Microsoft's Xbox is on top in the United States for the 21st consecutive month, selling 130,000 units according to the Redmond, Washington-based company. Spending on the platform across hardware, software, and accessories was $208 million, down from last month, which was almost double that. Total retail spending, according to the NPD Group was $495.2 million (compared to $630 million in the same period last year). Hardware sales represented $109.5 million ($187.8 million in 2012), and console, handheld, and PC software is on the decline again at $267....
Precursor Games Responds, Assets From Silicon Knights Converted To CryEngine3
By GameInformer, published 16-05-2013
After last week's announcement of Shadow of the Eternals, we had a number of questions about the relationship between Silicon Knights and new studio Precursor Games. As you might recall, Precursor Games is billing Shadow of the Eternals as a spiritual successor to Nintendo's Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem. We recently spoke with Silicon Knights' Mike Mays about the current activities at that company, and now a Precursor Games representative has responded to some of our questions. Game Informer: You’ve called Shadow of the Eternals a “spiritual successor to Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem.” Can you tell us what Nintendo’s involvement with your project is? Are they providing financial or in-kind support?Precursor Games: Shadow of th...
Google Introduces Cross-Platform Services For Its Play Platform
By GameInformer, published 16-05-2013
At yesterday's Google I/O event, the search giant announced the availability of new services for Android and iOS game developers. The new Google Play Game Services seeks to rival Apple's Game Center in the Cupertino company's own devices. Google Play Game Services introduces a leaderboard and achievement system closer to the now-defunct OpenFeint rather than Apple's Game Center, which functions as a separate app. Login is handled through Google+, which has the potential to significantly enhance usership. Google Play Game Services will also include enhanced piracy checks, addressing a major barrier to Android publishing. On Android, the service will include multiplayer and voice chat for up to four players. This includes Android-based devices like Nvidia's Shield and ot...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 05/16/13
By GameInformer, published 16-05-2013
The hot topic of the week seems to be about the next generation of video game consoles and despite a record low number of blogs submitted by the community, the good news is a majority of them were really good. It also marks another week of exceptional user reviews with a number of them being featured in this episode of Blog Herding. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: May 06 – May 12, 2013Number of User Blogs: 46Number of User Bloggers: 35Number of User Blogs Herded: 10 Community Blogs: This Generation Is Not Dead YetWith the next-generation consoles about to become the current generation, LetMeGetToACheckpoint isn't ready to dismiss the gaming goodness still being released on what we have available today. The Five Best Things About The PS4Many gamers are anxiously waiting to s...
Nintendo Opts To Earn YouTube Ad Revenue On Videos Featuring Its Games
By GameInformer, published 16-05-2013
Over the past 12 hours, the internet has been abuzz of news that Nintendo has started exerting claims on user generated YouTube videos featuring its properties. The news comes via YouTube user Zack Scott Games who states, I am a gamer/LPer at http://youtube.com/ZackScottGames, and I can confirm that Nintendo is now claiming ownership of gameplay videos. This action is done via YouTube's Content ID system, and it causes an affected video's advertising revenue to go to Nintendo rather than the video creator. As of now, they have only gone after my most recent Super Mario 3D Land videos, but a few other popular YouTubers have experienced this as well. Scott also posted his thoughts on his Facebook page. I just want to express my feelings on the matter of Nintendo claiming not just my...
Dissecting Delsin: A Profile On Infamous Second Son’s Protagonist
By GameInformer, published 16-05-2013
After the events of Infamous 2, the series needs a new hero. Learn all about Second Son’s protagonist. Earlier, we explained the events that took place between Infamous 2 and Infamous Second Son, but since Infamous 2 left the series without a main protagonist, developer Sucker Punch had to go back to the drawing board and create a new hero for the third entry in the series. The studio came up with Delsin Rowe, a 24 year-old Native American male who is struggling to find his place in the world as he deals with his newfound superpowers. At the beginning of the game, Delsin doesn’t even know he has superpowers, but after saving a man from a wreck, Delsin discovers that he has absorbed the man’s smoke-based Conduit powers. But who is Delsin, and what makes him tick? Before...
Show Off Your Accomplishments With Steam Trading Cards
By GameInformer, published 15-05-2013
If achievements, trophies, and badges aren't enough for you, you'll be happy to know that Valve has introduced a new type collectible. Steam Trading Cards is now in beta, and you can start earning them in a number of Valve titles. You can start earning them now in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, DOTA 2, Portal 2, Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2, and Don't Starve from Klei. Collecting a set will allow players to convert the cards into badges, which will randomly unlock an in-game emoticon, Steam profile background, a discount for a different Steam game, or 100 XP to increase your Steam Level. Badges can be upgraded by collecting another full set of cards, earning players 100 additional XP. Levels translate into increased friend list size and additional showcase slots for favorit...
Ubisoft Marks Close Of Fiscal 2013 With Increased Sales, Operating Income
By GameInformer, published 15-05-2013
Ubisoft's performance in its most recent fiscal year evidences a strong position going into the new generation. The publisher announced today that sales jumped 13.5 percent (adjusted for currency fluctuation) to 1.256 billion euros ($1.6 billion)and non-audited operating income nearly doubled from 56 million euros last year ($72 million) to 100.3 million euros ($129 million) in 2013. Assassin's Creed and Just Dance are firmly in the top 20 best selling franchises, with the former sitting at number five and the latter in the twelfth spot. Last year's Assassin's Creed III sold 12.5 million units between retail and digital, with Far Cry 3 moving an impressive 6 million copies. Just Dance 4 continues to carry the series forward with 8.5 million units, though revenue declined f...
Watch the Google I/O conference live feed right here
By GSMArena, published 15-05-2013
Google's annual I/O event, a forum for developers where everything Google is discussed, is about to start. In years past, Google has taken the opportunity to announce exciting new devices and Android developments at I/O, so we're eager to hear what they have in store this time around. We've got the live stream for you right here: While you wait, be sure to check out the I/O...
DICE Forming LA Studio, 'People Stood Up And Cheered' At News Of Upcoming Star Wars Work
By GameInformer, published 15-05-2013
Update: An EA representative has told Game Informer that some DICE LA employees are from the Danger Close team, which is located in the same EA Los Angeles building. With Medal of Honor taking some time off, other Danger Close staff members have moved on to other opportunities. Today marks a big step for EA on its path to new games based on its newly acquired Star Wars license. The publisher has revealed that it's Stockholm-based DICE studio has opened up a Los Angeles office to work on the franchise. Locating in southern California was no accident according to DICE general manager Karl-Magnus Troedsson. "It's no secret that our main competitor is there," he told the Wall Street Journal. This should certainly heat up the competition between Battlefield and its chie...
Samsung ships 6 million Galaxy S4's, breaks own record
By GSMArena, published 15-05-2013
There was never any doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S4 would be a runaway success in the market. The only question was would it be able to beat the record of its super popular predecessor. The Korean company has managed to ship over six million units of its flagship smartphone by last Friday - just two weeks after the handset got its launch. As was to be expected, the majority of those sales (4...
Might & Magic Heroes VI: Shades of Darkness Review – New Army, Same Problems
By GameInformer, published 14-05-2013
Ubisoft’s latest attempt to make something of its Might & Magic Heroes franchise follows in the footsteps of the original Heroes VI release. I still mostly approve of the changes to the core design. Units are grouped together into armies with wonderfully distinct identities and playstyles, especially the fantastic new dark elf faction. The campaigns, however, are badly wounded if not outright killed by the free armies the AI continually spawns in some of the worst cheating the strategy genre has ever seen. This expansion requires the core game to play, and as such, has few surprises. Mines ship their resources to your stores every day, cities produce troops every week, and ever more powerful heroes lead them across fantastical landscapes to conquer rival kingdoms as others defe...
Sony Xperia ZR won't launch in the UK, Germany and France
By GSMArena, published 14-05-2013
The recently announced water and dust resistant Sony Xperia ZR won't be getting the global release many were hoping for. The smartphone won't be hitting the United Kingdom, Germany and France according to new information. The news for the French users is quite certain as it was delivered by Sony France itself. As for the UK we've only heard that the Xperia ZR won't be available from an online...
Lunch War Is An Homage To Atari Greats (With Better Music)
By GameInformer, published 14-05-2013
As Kill Screen's Two5Six conference wound down this Saturday, I was stretching my legs and mingling with some of the other attendees. As I moved across the room, two young men appeared before me. I've been pitched by email thousands of times, but this was different; Matt Guido and JP Yunque (together, The Automatic Gentlemen LLC) asked if I would play their game then and there. They were clearly nervous, but they didn't need to be. Their game, Lunch War, is an addictive and enjoyable homage to the titles of my youth, including Centipede and Space Invaders. As the lunch lady at the bottom of the screen, it's the player's job to protect the ice cream pops from the approaching high school stereotypes. In the level I played, the enemies were different types of mathletes, w...
Kill Screen's Two5Six Explores Intersection Of Gaming And Other Disciplines
By GameInformer, published 13-05-2013
On a rainy day in Brooklyn, New York, Kill Screen Magazine assembled an eclectic pool of speakers befitting its erudite approach to the video game medium. Gathered on the third floor of the Invisible Dog Art Center (originally home to the factory responsible for the eponymous novelty toys), Kill Screen founder Jamin Warren welcomed us to a full day of moderated talks, two of which caught especially caught our attention. Jeffrey Yohalem, lead writer of Far Cry 3 on Inspiration and Interpretation During the first talk of the day, we had a chance to hear from Far Cry's lead writer, Jeffrey Yohalem. He opened up about his influences and intent behind Far Cry 3. "Disneyland is a huge influence for me," he said. "Games are curated galleries. Even if you only see pieces, you ...
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified Demands Smart Play And Agile Minds
By GameInformer, published 13-05-2013
In a way, we have the Russians to thank for our survival. We expected it would be the Commies who would be trying to march through New York and Washington. We never would have guessed the invaders would be coming from much further away. The year is 1962. John F. Kennedy is president of the United States, and we our relationship with the USSR is at its coldest. Formed in secret to react immediately to a foreign invasion, The Bureau stands ready to clandestinely protect the American public. When the aliens arrived, the organization had to quickly adapt. Agent William Carter and his team are all that stand between sovereignty and slavery. The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is a squad-based, third person shooter with heritage in great genre titles, including Ghost Recon, SWAT 4, and Brothers in Ar...
The Biggest Stories Of The Week (May 11, 2013)
By GameInformer, published 05-11-2013
Did you miss any of the big stories this week? Want to find out how the pieces fit together? You're in the right place. This week was filled with financial reports, the strange tale of Silicon Knights, and a diverse body of previews. 'Tis the season for financial reporting. Bear with me, because this is important stuff. This week saw a number of publishers report on their finances for the period ending March 31, 2013. EA, Capcom, and Sony wrapped up their fiscal years with varying degrees of success, and Activision is off to a strong start at the end of its first quarter. The biggest story here is the stark difference between EA and Activision. EA set the stage well for its call on Tuesday, announcing a major deal with Disney to exclusively produce core market Star Wars gam...
Primal Carnage: Genesis Pits Man Versus Dinosaur
By GameInformer, published 05-10-2013
Lukewarm Media is following up last year's multiplayer-only action game Primal Carnage with a single-player, episodic prequel that reveals how the series' doomed island ended up in the claws of reptilian inhabitants. In addition to being single-player only, Primal Carnage: Genesis will introduce a wider variety of gameplay experiences, including stealth, exploration, and puzzle-solving sequences. Each episode will introduce new environments and dinosaurs, as well as new features. So far Lukewarm Media has only released a few teaser trailers and screenshots of the game, but the positive reception of Primal Carnage and our own unabashed love of Jurassic Park have us eager to see more of the project. In the meantime, we spoke with Lukewarm Media founder Ashton Andersen to find out ho...
Blacklight: Retribution Brings Free-To-Play Action To PlayStation 4
By GameInformer, published 05-10-2013
When Sony announced the PlayStation 4, the company promised support for a wider range of monetization methods used by modern-day developers. Zombie Studios is the first independent studio to take advantage of Sony's new publishing options with its free-to-play multiplayer shooter, Blacklight: Retribution. Blacklight: Retribution launched on PC a year ago to generally positive reviews, and Zombie Studios has been updating the game ever since with new missions, maps, and gameplay modes, including the popular co-op survival mode, Onslaught. In addition to the extensive weapon customization options (which can be purchased via microtransactions or earned by playing the game), Blacklight: Retribution shakes up the typical sci-fi shooter formula with a visor ability that allows players to te...
Over 300 million smart devices shipped in Q1 2013, Canalys says
By GSMArena, published 05-10-2013
Smart mobile device shipments for Q1 of this year have reached a record 308.7 million units, according to the latest report by Canalys. The number represents a growth of 37.4% compared to Q1 2012. As is usually the case, Android has the lion's share of the market, with some 59.5% of devices being part of Google's Open Handset Alliance. Apple and Microsoft follow with 19.3% and 18.1%,...
Next-gen Oppo Find rumored to sport Snapdragon 800 CPU
By GSMArena, published 05-10-2013
Rumors are floating around of the next-generation Oppo Find smartphone, predictably dubbed the Find 6. According to "trusted sources over in China", Oppo's next smartphone is going to pack the nerdgasmic quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM. Other features that are speculated at this stage are a screen that matches the one of Oppo 5 (5" unit of 1080p resolution) and a 13MP...
Zombie Tycoon II Available Now (And Free For PlayStation Plus Members)
By GameInformer, published 05-10-2013
It's an age old zombie debate. Which make for a better undead experience, slow-moving shamblers or fast-moving terrors? In Zombie Tycoon II: Brainhov's Revenge, players will have the opportunity to pit the lumbering corpses against the rage-fueled runners. The title from Frima Studios is currently available and, for PlayStation Plus members, completely free for a limited time. The real-time strategy features cross-play and cross-save functionality, and for those that aren't subscribers to Sony's service, a $9.99 purchase for either PlayStation 3 or Vita nets you access to both copies. The title features a full single-player campaign and competitive play for two. In honor of the release, the original Zombie Tycoon, a PlayStation Mini, is available for only $2.99 for a...
Defiance Getting First Substantial DLC Update With Free And Paid Options
By GameInformer, published 05-10-2013
Trion Worlds is getting ready to roll out the first major batch of added content for its open-world shooter, Defiance. The tentative offerings were announced today, giving players multiple options for expanding their experiences. Included in Patch 1.020 will be new television tie-ins, which we haven't seen since the game's early days and prior to the premiere of the SyFy Channel show. This time, the connections will be in the form of a new "Siege" game type, though producer Nathan Richardson (whom we had the opportunity to interview a few weeks back) isn't quite ready to share details. This year, Richardson and his team are planning five DLC packs, each of which will have a store update, a paid component, and something for free that will keep people playing together ...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 05/09/13
By GameInformer, published 05-09-2013
Blog Herding features a diverse collection of posts this week, many of which examine the intricacies associated with video game design and those who actually design them. This week's user reviews feature a couple of unimpressive titles you might want to avoid and some you may enjoy. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: April 29 – May 05, 2013Number of User Blogs: 60Number of User Bloggers: 46Number of User Blogs Herded: 9 Community Blogs: Next-Gen Talk: Longer Runways, Better PlanesIf understanding the mechanics involved in letting you experience the video game you're playing interests you, then you might like this blog from Tren Frost discussing video game engines. Sleeping In The Post ApocalypseAn interesting blog from LetMeGetToACheckpoint exploring a particular design fe...
Ouya Gets $15 Million In New Funding
By GameInformer, published 05-09-2013
As Ouya's official June 25th retail release nears, the company has secured $15 million in additional funding to "meet increased demand" among other things. The money comes from the investment firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) with help from other sources, including Nvidia, and Ouya says that it will be used to help with the retail launch as well as support the Android gaming console's development community. Interestingly, not all the pre-release Kickstarter backers have gotten theirs yet. The company also announced that KPCB general partner and former longtime Electronic Arts executive Bing Gordon will join Ouya's board of directors. For more on the Ouya, check out Bertz's hands-on impressions with an early version of the system. Press relea...
Sony Posts Profits For The Year, But Not Because Of PlayStation
By GameInformer, published 05-09-2013
In its 2012 fiscal year end report (ending on March 31, 2013), Sony reported a profit even though the PlayStation sector declined in both hardware and software sales. The company's sales and operating revenue increased from last fiscal year by 4.7 percent at 6.8 trillion yen ($72.3 billion), and it posted a net income of 42 billion yen ($435.6 million). Sony says this was due to factors such as corporate restructuring and favorable financial exchange rates. It's also better than last fiscal year's report. However, the games division showed some declines as compared to last year. Sales decreased 12.2 percent from fiscal year 2011 to $7.52 billion, and it posted an operating income of 1.7 billion yen ($18 million) – a decrease of 27.6 billion yen from FY 2011. The company ...
EA Outlines Future For Sports Slate
By GameInformer, published 05-08-2013
Sports has been a huge part of Electronic Arts success, and not surprisingly, it will remain so for the foreseeable future. During yesterday's earnings call the company talked about what's in store for some of its sports franchises. The call referenced fiscal year 2014 (as opposed to the calendar one), which we are currently in and which ends on March 31, 2014. As it's a forward-looking statement, some things could still move around or be announced in the future. For instance, the company's next-gen sports slate currently lists Madden, NBA, and FIFA as the only titles to appear for the upcoming consoles until the end of the fiscal year. However, EA says that more announcements will be made regarding next-gen at E3 in June. FIFA – EA has re-upped its licensing ag...
T-Mobile US Q1 results: 500K iPhone 5 sales, user base grows
By GSMArena, published 05-08-2013
T-Mobile USA has been undergoing a lot of changes recently - the company launched its new UNcarrier model, started unrolling a 4G LTE network and merged with MetroPCS - and it just released its Q1 results. There's some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the carrier sold about 500,000 iPhone 5 units after the April 12 launch (plus an undisclosed numbers of older generation...
Apple iPhone Fuels T-Mobile's First Branded Customer Growth in Four Years
By HotHardware, published 05-08-2013
T-Mobile USA began selling Apple's iPhone 5 device on April 12, 2013, becoming the last of the four major wireless carriers in the U.S. to splash the iPhone party. Despite the late start, or perhaps as a result of it, T-Mobile wasted no time moving iPhone 5 models off of store shelves, selling approximately 500,000 units to new and existing...
Sony Xperia SP goes up for pre-order in the United States
By GSMArena, published 05-08-2013
Sony quietly opened the pre-order books for the Xperia SP in the United States. The capable mid-ranger is available in Sony's online store with a price tag of $489.99 for an unlocked, unbranded device. Along with the already familiar set of specs, the US bound Sony Xperia SP will also come with category 3 LTE support. The handset will therefore play nicely with AT&T's speedy 4G network....
Two New Screens Offer An Impressive Look At Battlefield 4
By GameInformer, published 05-08-2013
The Battlefield games have always looked great, but developer DICE has fine-tuned its Frostbite 3 engine for the fourth entry in the series. EA just released two new screens for the game and you can check them out for yourself. These new screens show off the extraordinary amount of environmental details that DICE has been able to cram into Battlefield 4's locals. Check out the new screens above and below. Battlefield 4 is coming to PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 sometime this Fall. Click here to read everything we already know about the game and don't miss the 17 minute long trailer of the game here.
First Five Indie Games You Should Buy On Sony's Indie Store
By GameInformer, published 05-07-2013
Today, Sony announced that it would be adding an Indie category to its online PlayStation store. There have been so many great indie games over the years that there is already a wealth of great gaming content available on the store, but if you've stayed away from the indie scene for the last several years you might not know which games to play. Here is the short list of games you shouldn't miss. LimboPlaying Limbo is like stepping into a dream. Thankfully this boy's nightmarish journey is thrilling as well as thought provoking. Along the way you encounter one puzzling situation after another, each challenging you to think in a new ways, fend off a giant spider, survive encounters with dangerous tribesmen, and play with the world's gravitiy. The whole game presenting in a...
June Cover Revealed: Infamous Second Son
By GameInformer, published 05-07-2013
This holiday will mark the release of the PlayStation 4, and gamers can't wait to learn more about Sony's jump to the next generation. In anticipation of this big event, Game Informer set out to create the definitive PlayStation 4 issue. Starting with a 10 page feature on Sucker Punch's Infamous Second Son (the cover star), our massive feature doesn't stop there. We explore the future of PlayStation 4 including Sony's new indie agenda, discuss Media Molecule's upcoming project, and reveal new information and screens for Destiny, Knack, Killzone: Shadow Fall, and DriveClub. On top of all that, we also interviewed Sony's Shuhei Yoshida and got our hands on the Dual Shock 4 controller. But enough about our 30-page PlayStation 4 cover story, let's get back to ...
Overstrike United In Fuse Demo Trailer
By GameInformer, published 05-07-2013
The demo for Insomniac Games' first multi-platform title Fuse hits today, and if you're curious, you can check out its trailer before diving into the demo – which packs a punch itself. The demo takes place halfway through the game, and true to the game's conceit it gives you the chance to play with four people online or off (via splitscreen), and with Fuse's drop-in/out co-op. Fuse comes on for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on May 28. For more on the title, take a look at this trailer detailing the motivations of the game's bad guys, Raven. (Please visit the site to view this media)
New Saints Row 4 Trailer Shows Off Super-Powered President
By GameInformer, published 05-07-2013
Volition's Saints Row: The Third was one of the most absurd, over the top experiences of this generation. When THQ bumped a planned super-powered, alien infested expansion pack in favor of waiting for the next retail installment, there was much lamenting. Thankfully, it seems like it's been worth the wait. New publisher Deep Silver has upped the insanity for Saints Row 4. As you'll see in the brand new trailer below, the President of the United States is well endowed... with super powers. It's only about a minute and a half long, but the video gives us a good look at what's in store when Saints Row 4 arrives on August 20 for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Rumor: Nintendo Eying Smartphone Devs To Bring Games To Wii U
By GameInformer, published 05-06-2013
The Wii U hasn't been the sales phenomenon that Nintendo was expecting when it was first announced. Nintendo cut sales projections by 1.5 million units at the start of 2013, and the company's most recent financial disclosures revealed that sales failed to meet the revised mark as well. Now there are rumors that Nintendo is turning to an unlikely market to help change course – mobile gaming. According to sources at the Japan Times, Nintendo is in the process of creating conversion tools that would allow developers to bring their smartphone and tablet games to the Wii U. It should be noted that the Wii U uses a different touchscreen technology from the majority of tablet devices, which could prove problematic. The Wii U's resistive screen doesn't support mul...
Resident Evil: Revelations HD Developer Diary Stresses The Importance Of Viruses
By GameInformer, published 05-05-2013
The latest developer diary for the high-definition port of Resident Evil: Revelations explains why viruses are scary, and why they're important to Resident Evil. This is the follow-up to Revelation's first diary where the developers spoke of Resident Evil's heritage. Resident Evil: Revelations is coming to PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii U on May 21. (Please visit the site to view this media) [Source: Capcom Unity]
Atlus Launches North American Shin Megami Tensei IV Website
By GameInformer, published 05-04-2013
Shin Megami Tensei IV is coming to the United States, and Atlus is starting promotion process with the launch of the North American website. You can head here to check out the website, where you will find assorted screens and videos for the game, as well as an overview for the story and profiles for the assorted characters. Shin Megami Tensei IV is coming to the 3DS on July 16. [Via: NeoGAF]
One Million Defiance Players Equals A Lot Of Squished Hellbugs
By GameInformer, published 05-03-2013
Defiance has been out for just over a month, and already the MMO open-world shooter has racked up some impressive user numbers. Trion Worlds is touting the success of the game side of the trans-media initiative. Over 1 million players have created accounts, taking to the San Francisco Bay Area to hunt mutants, raiders, and more. You've probably seen or heard us joking about Defiance's creepy, crawly monsters, the Hellbugs. Over 500 million of them have been shot, punted, and disintegrated. This is probably helped by the fact that the starting region's arkfalls (large and random community events) are focused on the burrowing buggers. Speaking of the debris showers, over 1 million have been completed. These net players useful resources (one of the game's currencies) for buyi...
80s and Dubstep Sound Packs Heading To Sound Shapes
By GameInformer, published 05-03-2013
Sounds Shapes is getting more DLC in the form of Sound Packs later this month. The official Sound Shapes Twitter account is teasing a May 14 release date for the Sound Packs. The nature of the packs actually leaked online when they were accidentally released in Asia last month, and Trophy details leaked early as well. Something something new Sound Shapes DLC... May 14th. — Sound Shapes (@soundshapes) May 2, 2013 For more on Sound Shapes, you can check out our review, as well as our impressions of the last batch of DLC, the Car Mini-Album & Creator Pack and Community Milkcrate. [Source: PSNStores via Joystiq]
DreamRift Originally Approached For Castle Of Illusion Remake
By GameInformer, published 05-03-2013
Not long ago Sega revealed a downloadable HD remake of the Sega Genesis classic, Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, is on the way. Last year, developer DreamRift partnered with Disney to create an Epic Mickey-flavored homage to the game, Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion. In a past interview about Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion, creative director Peter Ong said the original Sega Genesis Castle of Illusion cemented his taste as both a gamer and developer. We recently asked Ong what he thinks about his favorite game getting an HD remake. Ong says DreamRift was originally approached to develop the game and that he’s jealous his company couldn’t accept at the time. “As an obsessive fan of the first game, I just can’t wait to see how the upcoming remake pays tribute...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 05/02/13
By GameInformer, published 05-02-2013
One of the popular topics of the week among the bloggers and reviewers was Injustice: Gods Among Us. If that doesn't interest you, there were certainly quite a few other interesting posts with some of the best ones featured here. Help support the Game Informer online community by reading and commenting on content provided by your fellow users. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: April 22 – April 28, 2013Number of User Blogs: 57Number of User Bloggers: 45Number of User Blogs Herded: 8 Community Blogs: All In The Name Of ProgressMarco Polo shares an interesting perspective on advances in technology, the impact it is having on the video game industry, and what we might expect from the next generation of gaming consoles. The 3DS Is Totally Worth ItIf you still haven't purchased...
Madden NFL 25 Skipping Wii U
By GameInformer, published 05-02-2013
It was conspicuous that EA Sports wasn't talking about a Wii U version of the latest Madden game, and now it's official that the game won't appear on the Nintendo console. Nintendo World Report has a statement from a company representative that reads: "We will not be releasing a Wii U version of Madden NFL in 2013. However, we have a strong partnership with Nintendo and will continue to evaluate opportunities for delivering additional Madden NFL products for Nintendo fans in the future." The series put out a title for both the Wii and Wii U last year, but there were reports that the Wii U version didn't fare well. Although Madden is one of the biggest sports series EA has (behind only FIFA worldwide), this latest move isn't that surprising given that so far, ...
Soul Sacrifice Review – Trading Your Time For Tedium
By GameInformer, published 05-02-2013
Soul Sacrifice seems designed to fill the void for Vita owners who want a Monster Hunter-style experience. The two games undoubtedly share some similarities, and Soul Sacrifice even attempts to streamline the experience by minimizing busywork. It steps out of Monster Hunter’s shadow with fast-paced combat, but technical issues and repetitive missions keep it from taking the crown. Soul Sacrifice’s setting is steeped in macabre fantasy. Sorcerers hunt ghastly creatures and sacrifice them to increase their own power. You play as an imprisoned slave of one such sorcerer. Soon to be sacrificed yourself, you come across a journal that allows you to relive the previous owner’s story, thus unlocking secrets, knowledge, and power. The chronicle of this sorcerer’s tale...
Zero To Sixty With Grid 2
By GameInformer, published 05-01-2013
The wait is almost over for the return of Codemasters' Grid series, and recently the company sent along a demo featuring the opening races as well as some later events to give us a hands-on taste of the title. CAREER RACES (all screens are from races throughout the final game) Chicago Riverside This race is similar to the first one in the original Grid (it's a quick urban race with some tight turns), and I attack it with the Mustang Mach 1 Twister Special, a powerful drift car. At the end of the race, Patrick Callahan of World Series Racing contacts me and is impressed with my efforts and the attention I'm drawing. Indianapolis Infield Circuit Callahan sets up a test drive at this road course back behind the wheel of the Mach 1, but it's less a time trial and more of a nom...
[Updated] Platinum's Hideki Kamiya Probably Fooled Us About The Wonderful 101
By GameInformer, published 05-01-2013
[Updated] Apparently, we fell for a classic Hideki Kamiya troll. We're still waiting to hear back from Nintendo, but the chance of The Wonderful 101 coming to the United States next week? Pretty slim. You win this round, Kamiya. [Original Story] Outspoken Platinum Games designer Hideki Kamiya surprised a fan this morning with a startling announcement. According to him, The Wonderful 101, one of the original titles showcased as a Wii U exclusive, is coming to the United States next week. We've reached out to Nintendo of America for confirmation or clarification, but if true, this would be a startling move. Nintendo certainly needs unique and exciting titles like The Wonderful 101, but successful releases require preparation and promotion (and it's a good idea to sh...
Capcom Warns Dragon's Dogma Players To Back Up Saves Before Updating Dark Arisen
By GameInformer, published 05-01-2013
Capcom is urging players to be careful when downloading the title update patch for Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen. Some players have run into issues with corrupted save data. Capcom is recommending that players make a backup of their saves in a separate location, or play the game offline until Capcom is able to sort out the issue. [Source: Capcom Unity]
TCL S606 low-cost WP handset goes on sale in China
By GSMArena, published 05-01-2013
A low-cost TCL S606 Windows Phone 7.5 smartphone went quietly on sale in China. The handset is a product of the joint venture between TCL and Alcatel. The TCL S606 packs a modest spec sheet to go with its clean design. It features a single-core 1GHz CPU and 512MB of RAM. There's 4GB of non-expandable storage on board. A 4" WVGA display, 5MP main camera, and a VGA front-facing unit...
Anomaly 2 Going On The Tower Offense In May
By GameInformer, published 05-01-2013
Tower defense is a well worn genre. There are fantastic tweaks and twists on the concept (Plants vs. Zombies and Sanctum come to mind), but none is as bold as 11 bit studios' Anomaly series. Putting players in the role of attackers rather than stationary towers creates an experience that feels fresh and different. The sequel to Anomaly: Warzone Earth and its expansion Anomaly: Korea were both well received. The full sequel, Anomaly 2, professes to include more of the gameplay fans crave and new multiplayer that puts one player in the traditional defender role. The developer is offering two special deals for those interested in pre-ordering. Not only can customers get 10% off the standard $14.99 asking price, but those that purchase directly from 11 bit studios will get a second copy t...
How Grand Theft Auto Revolutionized Game Soundtracks
By GameInformer, published 30-04-2013
The Grand Theft Auto series is responsible for making the open-world genre one of the staples of the gaming world. However, Rockstar Games' ambitious soundtracks and superb use of licensed music also changed game soundtracks. With today's new GTA trailers, which feature tracks by Queen, L.A. rapper Jay Rock, and country legend Waylon Jennings, it seems like a good time to look back at the legacy of Grand Theft Auto's music. As video games moved towards optical disc formats in the 1990s, many developers began to realize that - instead of the relatively primitive MIDI and "chiptune" music of the 1980s - the CD-ROM format offered the opportunity to use high-quality digital soundtracks featuring recorded tracks by popular music artists. Some early examples include Road ...
Win Defiance Ultimate Edition From Us And A Special TV Appearance From SyFy Channel
By GameInformer, published 30-04-2013
As you might have heard, a few of us have been defending the San Francisco Bay Area (circa 2046) from mutants, raiders, and our favorite critters, the hellbugs. We've got two different contests to tell you about that will help you get into both the game and the show. Trion Worlds and SyFy Channel have announced a new contest that will see an intrepid Ark Hunter rendered in an upcoming episode of Defiance. Trion and SyFy are being cryptic about how and where the winner will be featured, but it's very clearly not a walk-on role. In order to enter, players must enter a special code into their account (code and instructions here), complete a player-vs-enemy and a player-vs-player "pursuit" (in-game goal set), and work to accumulate the most battle-won salvage. Full instructi...
EVO Founders Playing In The Kickstarter Sandbox With Stonehearth
By GameInformer, published 30-04-2013
Brothers Tom and Tony Cannon are not household names for many gamers. To the fighting game community though, they are two of the most important people in the genre. If you've ever watched an EVO tournament, you have the Cannons to thank. The twin brothers have been important contributors as part of the initial wellspring of the e-sports movement. Their work on Shoryuken.com, a fighting game news and community hub, has thrived over the years. The pair are also adept programmers and are responsible for GGPO, network middleware software that is the underpinning of a number of fighting games, including Skullgirls and some titles from Capcom and Namco Bandai. Now, the two have quit their programming jobs in order to pursue another passion. Yesterday marked the first day of Radiant Entertai...
Nintendo's Refurbished DS, 3DS Sales Risky Move
By GameInformer, published 30-04-2013
Nintendo has recently started selling refurbished DSi XL and 3DS units on its website. This might seem like an insignificant change, but the pricing scheme in place disrupts a cardinal rule of direct to consumer sales. In the days before the Internet, there were hard and fast understandings between manufacturers and retailers. Chief among them was, "do not undercut retailers." Mail order was no substitute for shelf space, because it was the primary way to get products in front of consumers. It was acceptable to sell directly to consumers, but the prices had to remain equal or higher in order to preserve relationships. Things have changed. Manufacturers are able to communicate directly with customers, and many have their own online stores. People have become more accustomed to wa...
Reader Discussion: Have You Ever Pirated Games?
By GameInformer, published 30-04-2013
This morning’s story on the developers over at Greenheart Games and their unusual approach to punishing pirates got us thinking about the practice of pirating games and its prevalence, as well as the changing attitudes towards the practice. We're curious about the experiences of the Game Informer community, and their attitudes towards the practice. Growing up in the 1980s, I can recall that many friends at the time considered it common and acceptable practice to pass around floppy disks that contained the latest Apple and PC games without a second thought. As a result, many higher-end computer games of the time had aggressive and unusual methods to maintain copy protection, such as looking up lines of text in the instruction manual, or using strange code wheels to answer a ques...
David Cage On Player Behavior, His Role As Director, And Violence In Beyond
By GameInformer, published 29-04-2013
This weekend, Quantic Dream's Beyond: Two Souls became the second video game featured at the Tribeca Film Festival (L.A. Noire was the pioneering piece), and the first platform-exclusive to earn the honor. After the 35 minute gameplay demonstration and subsequent panel meeting, we had the opportunity to sit down with writer and director David Cage. Game Informer: You've talked about the 12 months of performance capture, and we've seen the prop versions of the 2,000 page script. On a single play through Beyond: Two Souls, how much is the average player going to see? David Cage: It is very difficult to assess, actually. It can vary. We don't really have that statistic, but it never mattered to me so much. When we started, people were saying, "You do all that work, and y...
[Updated] Layoffs Hitting Square Enix In Europe
By GameInformer, published 29-04-2013
[Update] Square Enix has provided us with the following statement regarding the layoffs. “We are reviewing our [Square-Enix] business in Europe to ensure we have the right structure, content and skills for the changing entertainment landscape. We do expect changes to the UK office, which will affect personnel. We will update you when the time is right, but our priority right now is for the people within the business.” [Original Story] The month of April has been filled with news of job loss and studio closures from across the industry. Square Enix has placed themselves back in the spotlight today, confirming to MCV that there will be cuts to the UK operation. Square Enix laid off a number of employees in the United States earlier this month, citing missed sa...
Indie Dev Aims To Beat Pirates At Their Own Game
By GameInformer, published 29-04-2013
Indie developer Greenheart Games released its first title yesterday, a game-development sim called Game Dev Tycoon. In the game, players found their own indie studios and do their best to make it in the competitive world of game production. Greenheart saw an opportunity to teach pirates a little lesson, too. As an experiment, the developers released a version of their game onto torrents sites just after opening their online store. Players who downloaded the supposedly cracked version saved $7.99, and they even got a little bonus content in the process. Unfortunately for them, the new content was a revenue-sucking simulation of the effects of piracy. As time goes on in the game, pirates begin downloading players' games. That affects the amount of revenue players can count on, leading t...
Meet The Elf In The Latest Dragon's Crown Trailer
By GameInformer, published 28-04-2013
The latest Japanese trailer for Dragon's Crown highlights the elf and her bow skills. Even if you don't speak Japanese, you should never pass on an opportunity to see Dragon's Crown in motion. All of Vanillaware's games have looked incredible, and Dragon's Crown is no exception. We recently learned that the game will be heading to North America on August 6. The game will be available on PlayStation 3 and Vita, but will not be taking advantage of Sony's cross-buy program. If you want the game on both systems, you will have to buy it twice. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Beyond: Two Souls Corrects Heavy Rain's Character Flaws
By GameInformer, published 28-04-2013
Heavy Rain offered a great deal to players looking for a deep tale of love and loss. The narrative was well-woven, moments of tension were masterfully orchestrated, and player agency was so thorough that any two people might have had completely different character interactions and dialog opportunities. The title did have its detractors, though according to director David Cage, 75% of players that started Heavy Rain reached its conclusion (compared to a 20% average completion rate across the industry, according to him). One of the biggest barriers to enjoyment was the largely stilted acting, especially as it often failed to pair well with character movements. After seeing a 35 minute screening of Beyond: Two Souls at the Tribeca Film Festival, it was clear that something had changed. The a...
A Look Back At The Big Stories Of The Week (April 27, 2013)
By GameInformer, published 27-04-2013
Did you miss any of the big stories this week? Want to find out how the pieces fit together? You're in the right place. More layoffs at EA, Partners division closed We had a bad feeling that the bloodletting at EA wasn't over. Cuts started two weeks ago with EA Montreal's mobile operation, flowed through Playfish (after canceling three Facebook titles), and ended up with an additional 50 jobs cut at the publisher's studio in India. This week, things got even worse. We received a tip late Wednesday night that EA Partners, the contract-based publishing arm responsible for bringing Rock Band, Brütal Legend, Syndicate, Kingdoms of Amalur, and the Crysis series to market, was going to be closed. Over the next few hours, we confirmed with multiple sources inside. The next d...
Double Fine Talks Adventure Game Mechanics And Kickstarter
By GameInformer, published 27-04-2013
Last month I had the opportunity to visit Double Fine’s San Francisco studio for some hands-on time with its upcoming Kickstarter-funded adventure game, Broken Age. During my visit (read our in-depth preview here), I chatted with producer Greg Rice and point-and-click adventure legend Tim Schafer about the highly publicized upcoming downloadable title. We touched on the inspiration for the game, cherry picking the best elements of adventure games, and what the pros and cons of working publisher-free. Where did the idea for Broken Age come from?Schafer: I had these concepts I’ve been interested in for a while. I wanted to do a story about a girl that fights her way out of her own sacrifice. And I wanted to do a story about someone alone on a spaceship. I’ve always been i...
Broken Age Preview: Breaking Tradition With A Modern Adventure
By GameInformer, published 27-04-2013
Whether or not you’ve played Double Fine games like Psychonauts and Brütal Legend, you’ve probably heard of the company’s outrageously successful Kickstarter campaign. Last year Double Fine shattered its crowd-funding goal of $400,000 by raising an unprecedented $3.3 million of publisher-free money from fans over the course of a month. Double Fine received the cash on good faith that it would deliver a classic, 2D adventure game like the ones the company’s founder, Tim Schafer, worked on at LucasArts in the ‘90s. Games like The Secret of Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle. Up until now, the only public glimpses of Broken Age have been reserved for backers of the project. A documentary team, 2 Player Productions, has helped Double Fine maintain tr...
Final Fantasy Tactics Getting Free To Play Makeover In Japan
By GameInformer, published 26-04-2013
Square Enix has adopted a mobile strategy that that has been slow to adapt to consumer expectations. As many publishers are pushing toward universal apps that work on all iOS devices, Square Enix has only recently moved away from multiple purchases. Prices have traditionally been low in the mobile space, but the company's titles (many of which are re-released classics) cost more than some Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network offerings. Worst of all, the most recent adaptation of the long-running RPG series was quite terrible. It could be that Final Fantasy Tactics S, just announced in Japan as a free-to-play title, could take the company in a new direction for phones and tablets. The description doesn't offer much hope, though. According to a translation of the official websit...
Assassin’s Creed III: The Redemption DLC Impressions
By GameInformer, published 26-04-2013
Despite mixed feelings I’ve had about parts one and two of The Tyranny of King Washington, I was looking forward to seeing how the story wraps up. This week, Ubisoft released the final piece of the puzzle, making this an ideal time to hop in and play the whole experience in one pass. Is this third part fun, and more importantly, is the whole three-part saga worth your time? The Tyranny of King Washington gets full marks for original ideas and breaking free of the mold. Rather than offering us more content in the story we already finished, the three DLC packs present a largely independent alternate history story. By positing that George Washington is driven power-mad by the Apple of Eden and becomes king of America, the premise moves in some curious directions. Moreover, the story c...
Valve Rewards Community Map Makers With 'Operation Payback'
By GameInformer, published 26-04-2013
Custom mods and content used to be a tricky business. There weren't always simple ways to integrate the work of intrepid community members, but with the rise of Steam Workshop, fans of Skyrim, Civilization V, and other games have found a way to get their creations out to the public. Now, a few of the best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive map-makers are about to see their efforts rewarded monetarily. Valve has released the first of their time-limited updates featuring the best of the community's map-making efforts. "Operation Payback" features seven top-voted, user-made maps (out of over 1,400 designs) playable on low-ping dedicated servers. Access requires the purchase of a $5.99 pass (currently discounted to $2.99), with some of the proceeds going to the featured creato...
Samsung extends smartphone lead in Q1, LG climbs to third
By GSMArena, published 26-04-2013
IDC has come out with its report on the global smartphone market and the cellphone market in general in the first quarter of this year. The numbers show that smartphones continue to pick up speed and have finally managed to outsell feature phones. The total number of shipped phones was 418.6 million units out of which 216.2 million were smartphones or 51.6%. For comparison's sake last year's...
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified Detailed And Described
By GameInformer, published 26-04-2013
It was the game no one wanted. When it was announced in 2010 (after four years of speculation), 2K Marin's XCOM was slated to be a first-person shooter, borrowing familiar foes and firearms from the classic series. The title drew the ire of strategy fans desperate for the return of their favorite alien invasion simulator. Perhaps it was the fate of two other "re-imagined" franchises (2007's Shadowrun and 2012's Syndicate, neither of which were overwhelming hits with critics and players) that kept staying publisher 2K Games' hand. The title met delay after delay until fans received the best possible news: Not only was a faithful XCOM strategy title coming, but genre champion Firaxis was at the helm. The game received abundant critical praise (Metacritic: 89) and c...
Red Barrels Talks Mainstream Horror And Outlast's Influences
By GameInformer, published 26-04-2013
Red Barrels’ Outlast has raised a ruckus of fright-fueled excitement since being shown at trade shows like PAX East. We previously spoke with studio co-founder David Chateauneuf about his thoughts on the recent Evil Dead film – a remake of the cult 1981 horror film that launched his obsession with the genre. This time we invited along another co-founder of Red Barrels, Philippe Morin, for a broader discussion about Outlast, its influences, and the current state of mainstream horror games. In recent years Capcom’s popular Resident Evil series has exchanged horror for action, leaving EA’s Dead Space series as the poster child for big-budget horror games. EA president Frank Gibeau previously stated Dead Space 3 wo...
Nintendo's Decision On E3 Keynote Is Penny Wise, Pound Foolish
By GameInformer, published 25-04-2013
Last night, Nintendo surprised fans and pundits with a startling announcement. At June's Electronic Entertainment Expo, there will be no grand display on the stage of the Nokia Theatre. The live orchestra will not be returning, and Shigeru Miyamoto will not magically pull a Pikmin from his pocket in front of hundreds of onlookers. Nintendo is trading up the pomp and circumstance of a stage presentation with opportunities both intimate and focused. Make no mistake. Nintendo is saving a lot of money by eschewing the traditional E3 keynote format for smaller, more targeted events. The news that the company is drastically shifting its approach to North America's largest video game trade show came just hours after further financial troubles were revealed. It's hard to believe that ...
Tactical Motorcycle Gang Battles Coming This Summer
By GameInformer, published 25-04-2013
Ride to Hell: Route 666 is bringing unusual biker-gang strategy clashes to PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade this summer. Check out the cartoony action in the announcement trailer below. (Please visit the site to view this media) This downloadable strategy title from Black Forest Games and Deep Silver lets you recruit, equip, and command a gang of bikers as you battle for supremacy over the iconic Route 66 highway through the southwestern United States. Two more installments, titled Ride to Hell: Retribution (a larger action/adventure title for home consoles) and Ride to Hell: Beatdown (a brawler for mobile platforms, will expand the franchise as well later this year.
Blog Herding: Community Edition 04/25/13
By GameInformer, published 25-04-2013
The community's blogging activity is cyclical, with periods of high and low output. Despite another week of relatively low yield, there are still some great blogs and user reviews for you to enjoy. If you're at all interested in writing about video games, this is a perfect time to join the team of GIO bloggers. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: April 15 – April 21, 2013Number of User Blogs: 50Number of User Bloggers: 41Number of User Blogs Herded: 8 Community Blogs: Nintendo Direct 4/17/13: My ImpressionsApricot responds to the latest episode of Nintendo Direct with discussion focusing on the Nintendo 3DS and upcoming titles featuring some of your favorite characters like Mario and Donkey Kong. Why Journey Is One Of My Favorite GamesJourney was released nearly a year ago ...
Samsung Galaxy S4 delayed in the US, blames high demand
By GSMArena, published 25-04-2013
USA's T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon won't have the Galaxy S4 stock as scheduled. As it seems Samsung can't manufacture enough units of its flagship to cope with the demand. That's right, the unexpected global demand for the Samsung Galaxy S4 is the reason why some US carriers (and probably other markets too) will premiere the flagship with a few weeks delay. Sprint and T-Mobile have already...
Nintendo Will Not Have A Traditional Keynote At E3 2013
By GameInformer, published 25-04-2013
Nintendo announced today that they will be choosing a different method than in years past to showcase their products to the media at this June's Electronic Entertainment Expo. At past events, Nintendo has joined Sony and Microsoft in holding a separate keynote address. In his presentation to investors today, global president (and new CEO of Nintendo of America) Satoru Iwata cited the Nintendo Direct presentations as a successful tool in distributing information to the public. While the company is still investigating how they will communicate with home audiences in North America and Europe during the show, Japanese audiences will be informed via additional Nintendo Direct streams. In Los Angeles, there will be an event for distributors and a hands-on opportunity for media, but th...
Take A Walk Through The Future With Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon's Dean Evans
By GameInformer, published 24-04-2013
If you've been wondering why Blood Dragon carries the Far Cry 3 name, the game's director, Dean Evans, is here to make it abundantly clear. Fans of Ubisoft's open-world jungle adventure will recognize the liberation of the enemy outpost and the opportunities for indigenous fauna (translation: dragons) to play a role. Not only is the commentary pretty amusing, but the video provides a good look at the weaponry and over-the-top combat. The action is set to the original music provided by Australian group Powerglove, which we shared with you earlier. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon arrives on May 1, 2013, for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Defiance: An MMO Co-op Shooter With Perks And Flaws
By GameInformer, published 24-04-2013
Trion has finally released its long-in-development MMO shooter, Defiance, which coexists alongside the SyFy cable series of the same name. Though it's not the first shooter we've seen with a massively multiplayer infrastructure, Defiance offers two things you can't find elsewhere: console versions and lots of cooperative content. Those are two mighty big features for a lot of players, and make up for a lot of Defiance's less thrilling features. [Editor's Note: Game Informer does not assign traditional review scores to MMOs given their constantly updating and changing nature. This column examines the game with a critical eye, and takes the place of a standard review.] Dropped into a post-apocalyptic San Francisco and its environs, Defiance players are faced with a dizzy...
The Future Is Hazy For Darksiders, Red Faction, And Other IPs Acquired By Nordic Games
By GameInformer, published 24-04-2013
Yesterday, Game Informer had the opportunity to interview Nordic Games Publishing about the acquisition of almost all remaining THQ intellectual properties. During our interview, we asked about the publisher's plans for the future of some of the biggest franchises now in Nordic's hands. There is a great deal of uncertainty, and frankly, significant reason for concern. During our conversation, CEO Lars Wingefors made it very clear that his company had no interest in development. Rather, we should think of Nordic Games as a "middle man." In addition, he was quite clear that the reason they didn't bid in February was that acquiring the IPs would have cost too much and, in there was no desire to absorb Vigil Games. For comparison, Saints Row and Volition were purch...
LG Q1 report is in: smartphone sales on the rise
By GSMArena, published 24-04-2013
The LG mobile division was able to ship some 10.3 million smartphones in Q1 of this year, resulting in a sales growth of some 30% compared to Q1 of 2012. This is especially impressive considering that this includes an almost a 15% sales increase over the previous holiday quarter. Phone unit profitability more than doubled in this time period as well, which was reflected by an increase in...
Nintendo Operating Income Shortfalls, Leadership Changes, And Wii U Sales Numbers Disclosed
By GameInformer, published 24-04-2013
This morning brought expected news from Nintendo of continued financial shortfalls. Earlier this week, we reported analyst predictions of operating income losses amounting to 18.7 billion yen. As it turns out, these estimates were conservative. Actual operating income shortfalls amounted to 36.4 billion yen ($365 million), which is only slightly better than fiscal year 2012. Nintendo has pinned the loss on missed sales projections for the Wii U, which sold 3.45 million units worldwide (and only approximately 400,000 consoles in the last quarter). By comparison, the Nintendo Wii sold approximately 5.8 million units between November 2006 and March 31, 2007 (the same relative period of that hardware's life cycle). The 3DS, which is largely regarded as successful, saw lower than anticipat...
Samsung sells almost a third of all smartphones in Q1
By GSMArena, published 23-04-2013
According to DRAMeXchange, a division of the TrendForce market analysis group, first quarter smartphone shipments in Q1 were up to 216.4 million units globally, with almost 30% of those being made by Samsung. Things aren't as bright over in Apple's camp, as the iPhone 5 didn't gather as much interest as new Apple flagships usually do, which has resulted in a dip in the company's predicted...
'We've Been In Conversation With THQ Since January,' Says Nordic Games CEO
By GameInformer, published 23-04-2013
Yesterday's announcement regarding the second of THQ's intellectual property auctions yielded surprising results. Not only did Gearbox take home fan favorite real-time strategy franchise Homeworld, but out of seemingly nowhere came Nordic Games Publishing to scoop up almost everything else. Game Informer had a chance to speak with Nordic CEO Lars Wingefors about his company and the future of beloved series including Darksiders and Red Faction. In order to understand the decision to pursue these vastly different properties, it's critical to know about Nordic Games Publishing's history. "I've been in the industry for 20 years. I've been doing everything from mail order to retail and trading with a lot of THQ products over the years," Wingefors told us. &quo...
BBC Hopeful For Increased Cross-Merchandising In Next Xbox
By GameInformer, published 22-04-2013
If you've ever wanted to go right from watching an episode of Doctor Who to playing a game starring the Time Lord to purchasing your own sonic screwdriver, the BBC wants to make that happen. Speaking with GamesIndustry International, the network's executive vice president, Robert Nashak, spoke about the value of Microsoft's platform. During the conversation, Nashak lauded Microsoft for its efforts so far, but expressed his hope for an even more seamless experience in the next generation. From his perspective, improvements to the Xbox Live service would allow easier cross-merchandising opportunities and "more frictionless billing" (which is a nice way of saying that he would like faster and easier transactions across apps for impulse purchases). Nashak also had kind w...
Gearbox Acquires Homeworld From THQ
By GameInformer, published 22-04-2013
The first news of the THQ intellectual property auction is trickling in. Gearbox has just announced via its forums that they have acquire the Homeworld series. The following statement was issued, and should give fans of the franchise hope. Gearbox Software has prevailed as the highest bidder in the acquisition of the Homeworld franchise from THQ. Brian Martel, Gearbox Software's Chief Creative Officer, has great love and respect for Relic's brilliant, fun and innovative game and personally spearheaded the acquisition. Brian intends as first priority to direct Gearbox's interest to preserve and assemble the purest form of the original acclaimed and beloved games, Homeworld and Homeworld 2, with the intent of making them accessible on today's leading digital platforms. Pleas...
Capcom Showcases More Of Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen's New Enemies
By GameInformer, published 21-04-2013
Last week Capcom showcased a few of the new enemies for Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen. This week, it's back with more. Capcom's Grega Man takes us through some new enemies and offers a few hints on how best to tackle them, often literally. If you want the new enemies to be a surprise, you might want to pass on this video. (Please visit the site to view this media) Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen releases April 23 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. [via Capcom Unity]
Mother 3 Fan Translators Offer Their Work To Nintendo For Free
By GameInformer, published 20-04-2013
Mother 3, the Earthbound sequel that never made its way to the United States, was translated by fans. Those fans are now offering their translation to Nintendo for free. The translation was released in 2008, and it was completed over the course of many years by dedicated fans, lead by FUNimation translator Clyde Mandelin. To date, it has been the only way for non-Japanese speaking players to experience the sequel to Earthbound. If you're confused by the naming conventions of the game, the Earthbound series is called Mother in Japan. Mother was an NES title, Mother 2 was a Super Nintendo title that was renamed Earthbound for North America, and Mother 3 released for the Game Boy Advance. You can find out more about the translation on the project's blog. Mandelin is openly offering t...
A Look Back At The Big Stories Of The Week (April 20, 2013)
By GameInformer, published 20-04-2013
Did you miss any of the big stories this week? Want to find out how the pieces fit together? You're in the right place. This is the News Informer Recap (back by YOUR demand). Leading the way are two big business-related stories. Disposition of THQ's remaining IPs to be announced Monday The next (and possibly final) chapter of THQ's sad tale will play out on Monday. The bidding process for the six lots of titles concluded earlier this month, and we have learned through a disclosure filing that the sales will net between $6 million and $7 million. 17 bids were accepted, and all we can say for sure is that the Homeworld series has a new home. TeamPixel was hoping to acquire the franchise for a new title, but has since revealed that they were outbid. I suspect that Cry...
Weekend Warrior 04/19/13
By GameInformer, published 20-04-2013
Some Game Informer editors will visit the dangerous world of Defiance with anyone brave enough to join them. New releases and a classic PlayStation role-playing game are also on the to-do lists this weekend. Mike Futter: Injustice has captured my attention with its solid story mode, interactive backdrops, and brutal (but still T-rated) combat. I’m certain I’ll be spending more time with it this weekend. Most importantly, Game Informer's executive editor and I will be hosting a community Hellbug-fest this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, join us for Defiance on Xbox 360. Complete information is available here. Ben Hanson: This weekend I'm looking forward to sitting back and relaxing with a couple of games. I just started playing Tomb Raider and am curious to see where ...
Free To Play Action MMO Lost Saga Set For Relaunch In May
By GameInformer, published 19-04-2013
Fans of arena fighters will be pleased to know that Lost Saga is set for a relaunch on May 2. The title by WeMade was previously hosted by OGPlanet in the United States, and it's set to return with more content and characters. Lost Saga takes concepts found in titles like Power Stone and blends them MMO mechanics. Each of the more than 50 character types has different abilities that operate on cool down timers. Players can swap out fighters, creating teams of cowboys, soldiers, knights, space troopers, and more. With the relaunch, new premium heroes (remember, this is a free to play title) will become available for purchase. WeMade promises guest appearances from popular fighting games, the ability to claim opponents' equipment in battle, and a variety of modes for up to 16 player...
[Updated] NPD March 2013: Xbox, Bioshock Infinite On Top
By GameInformer, published 19-04-2013
The full March 2013 NPD sales report is in, with Bioshock Infinite taking top spot on the retail software list. The Xbox 360 was the top selling console for the 20th month in a row in the United States. 261,000 units were sold in March, with retail spending totaling $402 million. This includes all revenues from hardware, software, and accessories made at retail. Unit sales in March 2012 were 371,000 (a drop of approximately 30 percent). According to the NPD analysis, overall hardware sales are down 32 percent, with portable hardware falling shorter. Interestingly, sales of the 3DS are up over March 2012 by nine percent. Software sales for the 3DS saw a 50 percent increase over last March thanks to Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, in particular. March is becom...
Galaxy S4 expected to ship 10 million units in first month
By GSMArena, published 19-04-2013
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is close to hitting retail and we are already seeing some big predictions regarding the demand for Samsung's newest flagship smartphone. According to DigiTimes, supply chain is predicting shipments of around 10 million units in the first month itself, with close to 30 million for the second quarter of 2013. The phone will be launched in 50 countries worldwide by the end...
NPD March 2013: Xbox, Bioshock Infinite On Top
By GameInformer, published 19-04-2013
The full March 2013 NPD sales report is in, with Bioshock Infinite taking top spot on the retail software list. The Xbox 360 was the top selling console for the 20th month in a row in the United States. 261,000 units were sold in March, with retail spending totaling $402 million. This includes all revenues from hardware, software, and accessories made at retail. Unit sales in March 2012 were 371,000 (a drop of approximately 30%). According to the NPD analysis, overall hardware sales are down 32%, with portable hardware falling shorter. Interestingly, sales of the 3DS are up over March 2012 by 9%. Software sales for the 3DS saw a 50% increase over last March thanks to Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, in particular. March is becoming a hot month, with eight of ...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 04/18/13
By GameInformer, published 18-04-2013
The number of blogs posted this week dipped slightly but the good news is the community posted so many outstanding blogs and user reviews that we have a slightly higher than normal number being featured here. And as you might expect, gamers are still enamored with BioShock Infinite so there was no shortage of that content devoted to the game. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: April 08 – April 14, 2013Number of User Blogs: 66Number of User Bloggers: 49Number of User Blogs Herded: 13 Community Blogs: Top 10 Female ProtagonistsNo doubt the new Tomb Raider, featuring Lara Croft like we've never seen her before, reinvigorated the topic of video game heroines. Thegodofwine7 lists his favorite female protagonists. The Wiiu Miiverse "Hack" Or "Mock-Up" Is Better T...
Report: Team Bondi's Next-Gen Game In Trouble
By GameInformer, published 18-04-2013
The fate of L.A. Noire developer Team Bondi's next-gen title, Whore of the Orient, seems to be up in the air following reports of layoffs and investment troubles. MCV Pacific reports that multiple sources have told it that there have been layoffs among the former Team Bondi team that was absorbed into KMM (Kennedy Miller Mitchell) after L.A. Noire, although the unit has not been shut down. The site has a quote from KMM's Doug Mitchell that says the multimedia production company is "still actively pursuing the right investor to partner with." KMM owns the rights to the property. A story at Kotaku also from multiple sources says the planned 2015 title lost its publisher at the end of last year, which was rumored to be Warner Bros. There was also a jobs posting for the game...
ZTE N988 is a 5.7" Jelly Bean droid possibly powered by Tegra 4
By GSMArena, published 18-04-2013
ZTE is looking to expand its portfolio with a new huge device, according to a leaked image from China. Codenamed N988 the smartphone is said to be running on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, has a mammoth-sized 5.7" display of 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, 2 GB of RAM and could be running on either a Snapdragon or Tegra 4 chipset. The front-facing camera is a 2 MP unit while the back one is said...
Nokia Q1 report: 5.6 million Lumias sold, ?150 million loss
By GSMArena, published 18-04-2013
Nokia has just released its financial report for Q1 2013, and things aren't as rosy as the Finns might have hoped for. Despite making ?5.9 billion in net sales, the company Nokia Group still reported a loss of ?150 million. On the brighter side, Lumia handset sales have gone up by 27 percent quarter-over-quarter to 5.6 million units in Q1 2013. The report shows an overall device volume...
Nokia's 5.6 Million Lumia Sales Helped Trim Losses
By HotHardware, published 18-04-2013
Nokia shipped 5.6 million Lumia smartphones in the first quarter of 2013, up 27 percent compared to the previous quarter and reflective of "increasing momentum," the Finnish phone maker said. Its overall smart device shipments totaled 6.1 million units, a point that underscores how heavily invested Nokia is in Microsoft's Windows Phone platform....
3DS XL Circle Pad Pro Sneaks Onto Nintendo's U.S. Store
By GameInformer, published 18-04-2013
The XL version of the 3DS Circle Pad Pro has quietly appeared for sale on Nintendo's online store for U.S. consumers. The accessory adds a second control stick to the 3DS handheld, something very useful for games like Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Resident Evil: Revelations, and Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance. The accessory has been available for some time for the original model 3DS, but this is the first time we've been able to purchase the XL version here in the United States. [via NeoGAF]
Sixth Set Of Titles Joins The Steam Greenlight Club
By GameInformer, published 17-04-2013
Cue Pomp and Circumstance. A new class of titles have graduated from the Steam Greenlight program. The sixth group of inducted titles includes adventure title Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey, zombie apocalypse RPG Dead State, and Mode 7's Frozen Endzone. In total, eighteen games and two other pieces of software were given Valve's blessing. This brings the total number of titles that have found success in the Greenlight program to more than 90. Note that the titles below are in varying stages of completion, and will be available in final form over the coming months. Software titles: PlayClaw GamePlan Games: Agarest: Generations of War Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures Battle Worlds: Kronos City of Steam Cradle Dead State Dead Trigger Death Inc. Dreamfa...
Telltale Details Poker Night 2 Unlocks In New Trailer
By GameInformer, published 17-04-2013
Telltale Games' next poker venture doesn't let you win real money, but some of the unlocks you earn can be used in other games like Borderlands 2. By completing gambling related challenges in Poker Night 2, players can earn new heads and skins for their favorite characters in Borderlands 2. Depending on which platform you are playing on, you can also earn Team Fortress 2 items for Steam, avatar props for Xbox 360, or new themes centered on the Poker Night 2 guest characters for PlayStation 3. Other challenges give you the opportunity to win in-game items like themed poker chips, cards, and felts. Watch the trailer below for a sneak peek at the new goodies: (Please visit the site to view this media) Poker Night 2 is coming to PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, and Mac later this month. ...
Nintendo Direct: Wii U System Update Brings Virtual Console And More Next Week
By GameInformer, published 17-04-2013
Starting next week, it's going to take a little less time to navigate your Wii U. During this morning's Nintendo Direct presentation, president Satoru Iwata shared details about next week's planned Wii U system update. A number of convenience improvements and features are on the menu, with faster loading and transition times coming. Additionally, Wii U owners will soon be able to move data between external USB drives, automatically install downloaded software (currently requiring manual intervention), update software automatically, and put the console into standby without terminating downloads. The Wii menu will be accessible directly upon booting up by holding the B button on the GamePad, but those that access that emulation for the virtual console will be glad to know that a...
Nintendo Direct: The 3DS Library Getting Huge First Party Push
By GameInformer, published 17-04-2013
During this morning's Nintendo Direct, the house of Mario gave 3DS owners even more reason to celebrate. The presentation led off with more news about Mario & Luigi Dream Team. Unsurprisingly, Princess Peach is in trouble, and the brothers need to rescue her. The title's hook is that Mario must enter Luigi's dreams, which, based on footage shown, are fairly disturbing. The title arrives on August 11. Next up was Mario Golf: World Tour. The familiar cast of characters will hit the links this summer. Players will be able to compete wirelessly with other duffers around the world through direct play and asynchronous tournaments. Community features will allow 3DS owners to find the right fit for their play styles. Mario will be throwing another party, this time on 3DS. ...
What Happens When Your Beta Testers Don't Keep Quiet? Carbine Has An Answer
By GameInformer, published 16-04-2013
Beta tests draw a great deal of excitement, even in an era where they are more accessible to the average gamer. Of course, casting a wider net means that developers have to trust more players to honor their commitments. If one or more carefully selected game testers decide to break their non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), developers have a couple of choices. Most opt to sweep the offending material (screenshots and video most often) under the rug as quickly as possible. Unpolished media can tarnish the game's image, especially later on if viewers aren't clear that the footage in question is from a pre-release build. Others, like Wildstar developers Carbine, have opted to level the playing field by taking their leak public. Rather than simply obliterate all mention of recently leake...
40 New Screens From Suda 51's Killer Is Dead
By GameInformer, published 16-04-2013
Killer is Dead is the next game from Suda 51 and Grasshopper Manufacture. The most recent collection of screens from publisher XSEED gives you plenty of opportunity to examine the game's stylized aesthetic. Along with plenty of shots of combat, you also get a good look at new character Natalia Gigolo, whose relationship with protagonist Mondo Zappa is ambiguous. The gallery below gives you a good sampling of all the new screens, but to see all 40, you will have to head here. Killer is Dead is planned for release this year on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but it does not currently have a solid release date. For more on Killer is Dead, click here to check out the latest trailer.
Respawn Entertainment Files Trademark For "Titan"
By GameInformer, published 16-04-2013
After promising to finally bring their first game to E3 2013, Respawn Entertainment has filed a trademark for something called "Titan." The filing was discovered by NeoGAF user Sn4ke_911. As you might recall, Respawn was founded by Jason West and Vince Zampella of Infinity Ward. Zampella was CEO and co-founder of the studio, and West had served as president. The two found themselves in conflict with Activision, ultimately resulting in a lawsuit. The dispute between Activision and EA was settled first, followed by a final end to the legal wrangling when the Call of Duty publisher reached an agreement with West and Zampella. Prior to the conclusion of their case, we had the opportunity to interview the pair about their legal dilemma. In March, it was revealed that Jason Wes...
Analysts estimate Sony sold 4.6 million Xperia Z phones in 40 days
By GSMArena, published 16-04-2013
The Sony Xperia Z got the jump on other 1080p flagships and it's paying off handsomely. The water-resistant phone was announced and went on sale before its chief competition and analysts are estimating Sony has sold 4.6 million units sold in 40 days. The HTC One experienced delays and its launched got pushed back, while the LG Optimus G Pro launched this month and the Samsung Galaxy S4 launch...
Capcom Aiming For Stronger Single-Player Content, Story Modes In Their Fighting Games
By GameInformer, published 16-04-2013
When NetherRealm's Mortal Kombat reboot arrived in 2011, expectations of the fighting genre were redefined. Now, on the eve of Injustice: Gods Among Us' release, Capcom has commented on one of the biggest discrepancies between their titles and NetherRealm's: story. The conversation about improved single-player content has been an active one for years. Today though, fans of Street Fighter and brethren were given hope. In a reply on the Capcom Unity forums, Capcom senior vice-president Christian Svensson shared this, Maybe we'll finally learn why Ryu solves all of his problems with violence (and if he ever washes that red headband). I've always wondered what kind of product Guile uses in his hair. Finally, the biggest mystery of them all will be solved. What does the &q...
Design The Shield That Won't Save You From The Horrors Of Dark Souls II
By GameInformer, published 16-04-2013
If there is one thing I've learned from Demon's Souls and Dark Souls it's that death is an inevitability. If you're going to get smacked around by monsters though, you can at least do it in style. Starting today, fans of FromSoftware's brutal adventures will be able to create their own shield designs for potential inclusion in the Dark Souls II. Using one of three templates available through a Facebook app, designers can submit their creations for community vote through May 13, 2013. From May 14 through May 20, no additional designs will be accepted, but voting will continue. Top community contenders will go on for a final selection by the development team at FromSoftware. The six winners will be announced by Namco Bandai at San Diego Comic Con in July. Winners (and ev...
Phantom Compass Combines Pinball and RPGs With Rollers of the Realm
By GameInformer, published 15-04-2013
The new studio, staffed by some ex-Silicon Knights employees, hopes to add some RPG depth to an engaging pinball game with Rollers of the Realm. In theory, it's a great combination. We've seen how games like Dungeon Raid have added RPG elements to familiar game mechanics like "match three," and Zen Studio's Pinball FX series has proven to be a huge hit in the downloadable space. The game basic premise it to recast pinball by adding the puzzle and combat mechanics of an accessible RPG experience. As you progress through the main story mode, you'll unlock different character types, like rogue and mage, to join your party. Once they join, you can swap them in and out at any time. Each character is represented by a unique pinball that has special properties and abili...
Ouya’s Tech Is A Generation Old
By GameInformer, published 15-04-2013
When the Ouya Kickstarter was revealed, the Android console immediately gained traction thanks to its open-source nature and reasonable $99 price tag. Now that the system is out, graphics firm Futuremark ran a benchmark test on the new device and discovered its innards are a generation old. The tests earned the Ouya spot 73 of 257 on the company’s list of most-powerful Android devices. It outperformed the Nexus 7 tablet, but couldn’t keep up with newer phones the Nexus 4 or Samasung Galaxy S IV. Worth noting is the price difference – those phones cost upwards of $300 compared to the Ouya’s humble $99 asking price. Check out Futuremark’s video below to see the Ouya benchmark test in progress. (Please visit the site to view this media) What this means for...
Shovel Knight Kickstarter Ends Quadrupling Its Funding Goal
By GameInformer, published 14-04-2013
Shovel Knight, the Mega Man/Castlevania/Duck Tales inspired platformer seeking funding on Kickstarter, has more than met its funding goals. Developer Yacht Club Games opened its Kickstarter seeking $75,000, and it ended yesterday with a grand total of $311,502 pledged by backers. Shovel Knight is planned for release on PC, Linux, Mac, Wii U, and 3DS, and you can head here to vote for the game to appear on Steam as part of its Greenlight program. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Snuggle Up With This Mega Man Mega Buster Pillow
By GameInformer, published 13-04-2013
That Mega Man mega buster arm cannon pillow that you've been dreaming about, can finally rest under your head while you dream about it.[Except] Or at least it will soon. Capcom is taking pre-orders for the plush arm cannon pillow and matching helmet right now on its Japanese site. It will cost ¥6,090 which is approximately $60 in United States currency. You might have to import it from Japan, because it's unclear if it will officially be made available in the United States yet. [via Joystiq]
A Look Back At The Big Stories Of The Week (April 13, 2013)
By GameInformer, published 13-04-2013
Did you miss any of the big stories this week? Want to find out how the pieces fit together? You're in the right place. This is the News Informer Recap. "Always On" is the latest buzz word in gaming. Arguably the biggest story of the week was the departure of embattled Microsoft designer Adam Orth. Orth stepped into the spotlight due to impolitic comments regarding rumors that the next Microsoft console would be "always on" (the newest buzz word in the gaming world). While his statements definitely didn't strike the right tone, the bigger surprise was his adamant defense of gaming hardware that is rumored to require a constant internet connection. The question that has been asked by pundits and consumers alike is simple. "How could Microsoft think t...
Weekend Warrior 04/12/13
By GameInformer, published 13-04-2013
Minnesota received a hearty amount of snow this week (not a surprise at this point, really. We'll just skip spring and go straight to summer), so there isn't a more perfect reason to stay inside and play video games. Ben Hanson: This weekend I'm dreaming of playing some more Guacamelee while listening to podcasts. Other than that, I have Tomb Raider sitting on my computer but I'm hoping to get an RTS pseudo-LAN party going with either Heart of the Swarm or Age of Empires 2 HD. Have a good weekend! Mike Futter: If you had told me I would be eager to dive back into Defiance last week, I would have laughed. Surprisingly, the game has its hooks sunk in deep. I want to make sure to get my episode missions completed before the pilot airs and the opportunity vanishes. I also wan...
Zombie Sandbox State Of Decay Coming In June To Xbox Live and PC
By GameInformer, published 13-04-2013
There is always room for another zombie game, especially one as ambitious as Undead Labs' State of Decay. In a new trailer released today, we get a good look at some of the elements that separate this shambling corpse-filled adventure from every other. The open world allows for players to band together and build themselves a home. That lovely domicile will even have windows, which you can jump through in case of undead invasion. The trailer also spends a generous amount of time on vehicles, showcasing the different types of automobiles (and related carnage) available to players. The team at Undead Labs seems to have a wonderful rapport with the community, having recently answered more than thirty questions posed by fans. In addition, there is a wealth of detail about the differe...
Samsung looking to sell over 1 million Galaxy Mega 5.8 units
By GSMArena, published 04-12-2013
Samsung announced the big-boned Galaxy Mega duo and according to industry sources plans to manufacture at least a million of the smaller Mega 5.8. Reportedly Samsung contacted several Taiwan-based display manufacturers to order one million 5.8" screens. This optimism about the Galaxy Mega 5.8 sales stems from the good performance of the mid-range Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos. Sources state that...
Namco Bandai Announces Free-To-Play Ridge Racer Game
By GameInformer, published 04-12-2013
This new racing title will be coming to PlayStation 3 and PC sometime in 2013, and will be free-to-play, with the usual focus on in-game microtransactions. The news came in a press release from Namco Bandai, which contains scant details about the project, entitled Ridge Racer Driftopia. As you might expect, the game features a lot of...drifting, and will seek to monetize the experience through unspecified in-game purchases. Obviously, in a racing game, new tracks, cars, and upgrades seem to be logical choices. Calson Choi, vice president of marketing and digital sales at Namco Bandai, said, "The free-to-play and digital gaming space presents an incredible opportunity for Namco Bandai Games to offer its illustrious roster of titles to a new and ever expanding audience. We're e...
Grid 2 Multiplayer Details Hit The Track
By GameInformer, published 04-11-2013
Multiplayer is one aspect of the Grid series that has come a long way since the original game came out in 2007, and publisher/developer Codemasters has chosen to keep the mode separate from the single-player experience in Grid 2, making it all the more special. From better matchmaking, to rivals, to RaceNet, Grid 2's multiplayer looks to compete in the connected world. Similar to rival Electronic Arts' use of Autolog for the Need for Speed series, Codemaster's RaceNet serves as the online infrastructure for the company's race games, from F1 to Dirt: Showdown to now Grid 2. Grid 2 not only tracks your accomplishments via a profile, but the evolved version of RaceNet launching with the game features a free browser through which you can see your progress in myriad ways as wel...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 04/11/13
By GameInformer, published 04-11-2013
There are some really unique and interesting blogs being featured this week that you don't want to miss out on and many of them are highlighted here, leaving you no reason not to read and enjoy them. If that wasn't enough of a treat, the community has also been turning out some quality user reviews too. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: April 01 – April 07, 2013Number of User Blogs: 78Number of User Bloggers: 58Number of User Blogs Herded: 10 Community Blogs: XCOM Team GIO VIII: Ashes Of Memories PastThis is the latest chapter in Noobtubin8er's XCOM-themed fan fiction starring various Game Informer Online personalities as the main characters struggling to survive the alien invasion. Under The Columbia Big TopEven though Bioshock Infinite is receiving overwhelming prai...
Windows 8 Reportedly to Blame for Worst PC Sales Drop in History
By HotHardware, published 04-11-2013
PC sales are slumping in a big way and there's plenty of blame to go around. Before get into that, let's have a look at how bad things really are. According to new data released by the International Data Corporation (IDC), global PC shipments totaled just 76.3 million units in the first quarter of 2013, down nearly 14 percent compared to the...
Metal Gear Rising's Jetstream DLC Is Completely Terrible
By GameInformer, published 04-11-2013
Jetstream Sam is the closest thing to an actual character in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, so I was looking forward to seeing what new tricks he brings to battle, and how this DLC expands on his backstory. Unfortunately, Jetstream is a disappointment on every level. Setting my issues with the Rising’s core gameplay (of which I have several), Jetstream is just a shameless cash-grab. Here’s why: Sam the SameThe main reason to play Jetstream is to experience playing as Sam, who has a slightly different approach to combat than Raiden. For instance, he has a regular dodge roll, can charge his heavy attacks, and has a double-jump. While these are neat additions, they don’t drastically alter your approach to combat. Sam is a badass, and his quick draw moves are cool, but that...
HTC One is available in the US on Amazon, costs an arm and a leg
By GSMArena, published 04-10-2013
The HTC One launch was delayed in most countries, but several units have made their way to the US, it's currently available for purchase on Amazon at prices starting from $850 (though prices as low as $800 have been seen). The seller offering the One for $850 lists it as backordered and promises to "provide estimate shipping date soon". Two other sellers are offering the HTC flagship at $900...
Splinter Cell Blacklist Announced For Wii U
By GameInformer, published 04-10-2013
Splinter Cell's Fourth Echelon may be a secret special ops unit, but Nintendo and Ubisoft are shouting from the rooftops that Splinter Cell Blacklist is officially coming to the Wii U in August. The game comes out on August 20th, along with the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 versions, but will naturally feature special GamePad controls. With it you can operate drones, mark enemies, use the sticky cam, and more. For more on Splinter Cell Blacklist, take a look at this latest trailer (from the other consoles) featuring gameplay in an abandoned mill.
Google to be sued by Fairsearch coalition in Europe
By GSMArena, published 04-10-2013
The Fairsearch.org coalition, a group of 17 companies, which includes the likes of Microsoft, Nokia, and Oracle, have united under the common banner of fair competition in online and mobile search, or, by extension, against the undisputed search leader: Google. Fairsearch accuses Google of violating several criteria for transparent and ethical search, including the ability to let consumers...
Shadowrun Set To Return In June With Steam Workshop Support
By GameInformer, published 04-10-2013
Man, magic, and machine will come together this June as Harebrained Schemes' Shadowrun Returns will make its debut on Steam. It's not too late to pre-order the collector's edition, which includes a nifty dog tag-shaped USB drive. You'll need to get those orders in before April 28, though. Physical goods will ship approximately three weeks after launch, but anyone expecting them will also have access to a digital version of the title. Backers should also be aware that contrary to earlier expectations, Harebrained Schemes has opted not to include the digital version of the game on the USB drive. Delivery times would have been severely elongated, delaying delivery of all physical goods. You can still copy the DRM-free version (available to eligible backers via the Hareb...
Reader Discussion: What Did You Think Of BioShock Infinite’s Ending?
By GameInformer, published 04-09-2013
Our spoiler-heavy conversation is here to elicit your opinions on the game’s intriguing conclusion. [Hopefully needless to say, this discussion includes spoilers about BioShock Infinite] Earlier today, I offered up my opinion on one of the messages I took from BioShock Infinite and its ending. However, I'd be the first to point out that it is only one of many angles on the game or its final moments. At Game Informer, we love having a community of readers on our site that is interested in discussing games, and not just shouting profanity at one another online. With that in mind, I bet a number of you have some interesting thoughts to share on what you got out of the BioShock Infinite ending. What did you take from the game’s conclusion? Is it happy, sad, or bit...
Capcom To Slow Down On HD Fighting Remakes
By GameInformer, published 04-09-2013
Fans generally love it when a company re-releases one of its titles with snazzy HD graphics and extras, but Capcom says that this practice can't continue for every game. In a thread on the official Capcom forums, senior vice president Christian Svensson explained some of the company's plans for digital re-releases of old titles, HD remakes, and the digital release of titles from the current generation. Speaking specifically about more Capcom HD remakes, Svensson said, "Sadly, I think we've probably run the course of feasible titles here given the drop-off we've seen in sales with each new introduction. It seems the novelty of such projects is wearing off even within just the fighting game community based upon the sales data of our last two launches." Capcom's...
Irrational's Rod Fergusson Departs Studio Following Release of BioShock Infinite
By GameInformer, published 04-09-2013
Only two weeks have passed since BioShock Infinite arrived to critical acclaim. As the world whispers about the fates of Booker DeWitt and Elizabeth (so as not to spoil the ending for others), another surprise twist has emerged. Vice president of development, Rod Fergusson, announced today that he'll be departing the studio in the near future. Fergusson, who spent over seven years at Gears of War developer Epic, joined the Irrational team to see Bioshock Infinite finished. The title's development cycle had a number of bumps in the road, including the departure of key staff members, multiple delays, and the elimination of multiplayer. We reached out to Irrational and 2K Games for more information, and they provided this statement from Fergusson, “Obviously this is not somethi...
How BioShock Infinite’s Elizabeth Makes Her Mark
By GameInformer, published 04-09-2013
When I heard Booker DeWitt would always have the lovely and energetic Elizabeth at his side during BioShock Infinite, I was worried. Not because I didn't find Elizabeth magnetic (I did), but whenever you are tasked with escorting a character through danger, that companion can become a burden. Often characters regulated to a role like Elizabeth's stand off to the side, while each encounter relies on your powers and skills. I can't tell you how many times I've just wanted to scream at characters, "A little help here?" The developers at Irrational Games read my mind, because Elizabeth is an asset in battle, not just some character standing on the sidelines afraid to get her hands dirty. Elizabeth saved my life so many times in battle. Whether I was running low on a...
DayZ Origins Might Tide You Over Until Dean Hall's Standalone Game Arrives
By GameInformer, published 04-08-2013
The zombie-loving community has been anxiously awaiting Dean Hall's standalone version of popular Arma II mod, DayZ. Though that project has been delayed for significant improvements, a team of more than 32 developers has implemented some oft-requested features. DayZ Origins 1.6 introduces mining and crafting that allows survivors to team up and stake out a plot of land to build up and defend. Players can also create vehicles for land, sea, and air, including quad bikes, helicopters, and rafts. Survivors will also have a persistent level (capping out at 24), and progression will make available different outfits depending on actions. Bandits will look different than altruistic players, which might help unwitting wanderers survive just a bit longer. The biggest change that DayZ Or...
Jurassic Park Recreated In Minecraft (Raptors Not Included)
By GameInformer, published 04-08-2013
There is no end to the creativity of the Minecraft community. This latest labor of love comes to us from Josh Collin, who goes by the name An Angry W0lf on Xbox Live. In commemoration of Jurassic Park 3D arriving in theaters on the 20th anniversary of the film's original theatrical release, Collin has loving recreated the island of Isla Nublar in Mojang's sandbox title. Set to John William's sweeping score, the six-minute video takes viewers from the helipad, through the visitor center, and around the key landmarks featured in the film. Alas, there are no dinosaurs populating the park, nor is there the Minecraft representation of Samuel L. Jackson featured at the 2012 VGAs. Feel free to hold onto your polygonal butts, though. Minecraft has taken the entire gaming world b...
Defiance Developers Address Launch Issues, Patches On The Way
By GameInformer, published 04-08-2013
Defiance, the shooter MMO/SyFy television show hybrid released recently, and it has had some issues out of the gate, most notably the Xbox 360 version of the game. Nathan Richardsson, Defiance's executive producer has posted a message to let everyone know that they are aware of the issues, and are working to get everything working properly. The team's first priority is getting the Xbox 360 version working. This is version that is suffering the most issues. There is a patch planned for the game on April 15, with another in the works for approximately two weeks later. The team is also hard at work with assorted server experiments to get the game to stop its game-breaking lagging. Richardsson also talked about the game's planned DLC. There are five planned DLCs for the year which...
Download The Left 4 Dead 2/Resident Evil 6 Crossover Now
By GameInformer, published 04-07-2013
The previously announced Left 4 Dead 2/Resident Evil 6 crossover that adds Left 4 Dead 2 characters to Resident Evil 6, and Resident Evil 6 enemies to Left 4 Dead 2, is available now. The additional content is free for the PC versions of both games. Left 4 Dead 2's cast becomes playable in Resident Evil 6's mercenary mode, and you will see some of Resident Evil 6's enemies show up in Left 4 Dead 2. You can check out the trailer for the crossover below. (Please visit the site to view this media) [via Capcom Unity]
Mega Man Soundtrack Now Available From Capcom
By GameInformer, published 04-07-2013
Capcom is in the process of officially bringing all of the Mega Man soundtracks to North America, and it all begins with the original Mega Man's music, which is available now. You can head to Capcom's official store to grab 28 original and remixed tracks for $8.95. Soundtracks for Mega Mans 2-10 should be available soon. [via Capcom Unity]
Miyamoto Wants Gamers To Give The Wii U More Time
By GameInformer, published 04-07-2013
It's been a rough road for the Wii U since its launch in November 2012. Starting with the reveal of their latest living room hardware, Nintendo's communication strategy has bred confusion. The company has failed to penetrate the casual market, which was a segment that contributed much to the success of the Wii. Sales of the new console have been tragically low, and the company's financial position has deteriorated to the point where CEO Satoru Iwata has hinted at stepping down should the company not reach the ambitious goal of a 100 billion yen operating profit in the next fiscal year. In an interview with CNN, famed creator of iconic characters Mario, Zelda, and more, Shigeru Miyamoto, spoke about the challenges facing the Wii U. Specifically, he identified making the platfor...
Weekend Warrior 04/05/13
By GameInformer, published 04-06-2013
Editors are starting to dive into new games like Defiance now that some of them have finished up BioShock Infinite. Well, they will if the game actually works this weekend. Mike Futter: After an amazing first week at Game Informer, I feel on top of the world… so I'm going to conquer it. Civilization V is in my future. I'll also be diving back into Dead Island to prepare for the upcoming release of Deep Silver's sequel. Finally, I need to get my hands on WWE 13. Wrestlemania is this weekend, and if Dan Ryckert taught me anything, it's FAN-DAAAAN-GOOOOO. Jeff Marchiafava: This week I’ve got two huge games on my plate: Tomb Raider and BioShock Infinite. Hopefully I can finish up Lara’s latest adventure tonight, and then devote some serious time to BioShock...
Update: Our BattleBlock Theater Contest Has Ended
By GameInformer, published 04-06-2013
Update: Our BattleBlock Theater contest has officially ended. To see if you won, check your message box by clicking the "Conversations" link next to your name at the top of the page. Didn't win? The good news is that BattleBlock Theater is worth the $15 asking price. Just read our BattleBlock Theater review to find out more. ----------------------------------- Original Story: If your weekend plans don't involve playing a copious amount of The Behemoth's quirky new platformer, BattleBlock Theater, we're giving you a chance to correct that shameful mistake. We're still working our way through BattleBlock Theater's staggering amount of content (our review is coming soon!), but it's safe to say we're enjoying the game. It's got pre...
Senator Feinstein Warns That Congress Might Intervene To Reduce Guns In Video Games
By GameInformer, published 04-05-2013
The topic of gun violence and its relationship with video games continues to be a pressing topic as the United States government works to grapple with daily tragedies. Following the unthinkable events in Newtown, Connecticut last December, the issue of gun control and violent media has been in the spotlight. Numerous studies have been unable to determine correlation between video games and violent tendencies, but one senator is prepared to throw the weight of Congress against the gaming industry. Earlier this week, California’s Dianne Feinstein spoke to the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on a number of topics, including gun control. The senator is known for her firm stance against firearms, but in this latest appearance, she had some strong words for the video game industry.&nb...
Sources Say Next Xbox Requires Always-On Internet Connection
By GameInformer, published 04-05-2013
[Update] Microsoft has released a new statement, which apologizes for the comments made on Twitter yesterday. This new statement was released by official Xbox blogger Major Nelson. Here is the statement in full: "We apologize for the inappropriate comments made by an employee on Twitter yesterday. This person is not a spokesperson for Microsoft, and his personal views do not reflect the customer centric approach we take to our products or how we would communicate directly with our loyal consumers. We are very sorry if this offended anyone, however we have not made any announcements about our product roadmap, and have no further comment on this matter." [Update] We received an official statement from Microsoft, via the company's PR firm Edelman, concerning the tweets se...
Reader Discussion: Will You Ouya?
By GameInformer, published 04-04-2013
The Ouya made waves last year for blowing past its $950,000 funding goal, eventually raising more than $8.5 million on Kickstarter. The console’s creators promised to bring developer-friendly gaming back to the living room, thanks to both its low cost of entry (about $100) and its Android-based architecture. Now, backers are starting to get their units, and the reviews are trickling in. What are your thoughts on the system? The system isn’t officially launching until the beginning of June, and backers are getting their units early for their support. The early impressions aren’t great, with critics blasting its cheap-feeling components and dearth of exclusive content. That may explain some of the rough edges. We haven’t received our evaluation units, though managing...
Skipping A Generation: What We Missed This Console Cycle
By GameInformer, published 04-04-2013
Sometimes genetic traits skip a generation. The same goes for video games. These are the games that decided to sit this generation out, but we'd like to see make a return for the PlayStation 4 and the next Xbox. Ape Escape – Sony’s dual-analog stick mascot made an appearance in a way with PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, but otherwise we haven’t seen much from Ape Escape since the third game released on the PlayStation 2. We also saw the apes make a random appearance in Metal Gear Solid 3 in a bonus game. The Apes keep appearing, so it seems like Sony is not ready to forget about them just yet.Likelihood of Return: Medium Dino Crisis – Dinosaurs will never go out of style, but action games built loosely around outdated Resident Evil engines stopped being c...
HTC First gets unveiled for AT&T in the United States
By GSMArena, published 04-04-2013
After making a couple of appearances prior to its announcement, the Facebook-centered HTC First got officially unveiled. The Android smartphone will be available exclusively on AT&T in the United States from next Friday, April 12 for $99.99 with a two-year contract. Pre-orders for the handset kick-off today. Naturally, the most important feature of the HTC First will be the integration of...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 04/04/13
By GameInformer, published 04-04-2013
No doubt history was made last week with the release of Bioshock Infinite, a game some are calling the greatest game ever created. The community took note with dozens of user reviews resulting in an impressive aggregate score somewhere between 9.5 and 9.75 out of 10. If reading about an obvious Game of the Year contender doesn't interest you, perhaps one of these blogs from a variety of different topics will. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: March 25 – March 31, 2013Number of User Blogs: 86Number of User Bloggers: 61Number of User Blogs Herded: 11 Community Blogs: Duck Walking aka Stealth GameplayHaving completed a handful of stealth games recently, LetMeGetToACheckpoint discusses the fine art of slinking around in the shadows and how some games are more successful with thei...
Remembering LucasArts
By GameInformer, published 04-04-2013
We're saddened by the news that Disney closed LucasArts today. A lot of us at Game Informer grew up with LucasArts' games and have fond memories playing them. From its kooky adventure games to continuing to churn out interesting Star Wars titles, the company will be missed. As an appreciation for all the games the company has given us over the past 30 years, we reflected on what LucasArts has meant to us and some of our best moments with its games. Matt Bertz: LucasArts will always hold a special place in my heart. Growing up a PC gamer, I spent countless hours dog fighting TIE Figthers in X-Wing, writing Kyle Katarn's legacy with a lightsaber in Jedi Knight, recovering ancient artifacts with Indiana Jones, and barreling down the open road in Full Throttle. Whenever a new Luc...
Corporate Restructuring Leads To Layoffs At Square Enix Los Angeles
By GameInformer, published 04-03-2013
Following reports that key Square Enix titles fell short of internal expectations, the publisher has today announced "corporate restructuring" that leaves an unknown number of individuals out of work. Game Informer received the following comment from a company representative. "We can confirm that Square Enix's Los Angeles office has eliminated a number of positions as part of the corporate restructuring announced last week. This is an unfortunate situation and we are offering assistance and severance packages to any employees affected by this, we want to thank them for their hard work and sincerely wish them well in the future." Game Informer has received a briefing document in Japanese, which carries more detail than its English counterpart. Our internal translati...
Implications For Gaming Industry In Court MP3 Resale Ruling
By GameInformer, published 04-02-2013
In a ruling filed on Saturday, March 30, 2013, U.S. District Court judge Richard Sullivan struck a blow to consumers hoping to assert ownership rights over their digital purchases. Weighing in on the case of Capitol Records and digital music reseller ReDigi, Sullivan stated that digital purchases can only be resold with permission from the license holder. ReDigi was by all accounts careful in its business practices. Their service only permits listing of files acquired from iTunes or other ReDigi users. Music acquired illegally or ripped from compact discs is ineligible. Whether Sullivan's ruling will stand an appeal is unknown, especially since it seems to directly violate the United States Supreme Court's stand last month in the case of Kirtsaeng v. Wiley & Sons. In that case...
HTC One hits AT&T network on April 19, costs $200
By GSMArena, published 04-02-2013
AT&T has just announced the pricing and availability of HTC One high end Android smartphone. The carrier will offer both 32 and 64 GB models on two-year contracts. HTC One pre-orders start on April 4 (a day earlier than expected), while the actual units will become available on April 19. The smartphone will cost you $200 for the 32GB model and $300 for the AT&T-exclusive 64GB one with a...
Inafune Reflects On Ninja Gaiden Memories
By GameInformer, published 04-02-2013
I recently chatted with the creators of Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, Comcept founder Keiji Inafune and Team Ninja lead Yosuke Hayashi about their experiences with each other’s respective legacies. Inafune reveals an interesting rivalry with former Team Ninja lead Tomonobu Itagaki, and Hayashi explains his Mega Man fandom. I started by asking Inafune about his history with the Ninja Gaiden franchise. “First came the Nintendo experience, called Ninja Ryukunden in Japan,” says Inafune. “I approached the game as a player and I really liked the game. As for the reboot, it’s a good story involving [Tomonobu] Itagaki-san. Itagaki used to run Team Ninja. We were in good relation back in the day when I was creating Onimusha. He came to me and said he really liked the Onimus...
Your April Fools' Day Round-Up
By GameInformer, published 04-02-2013
April 1 is a magical day where anyone can be a comedian, no matter how unqualified they are. Here are some yuks from the video game industry, some of which are actually pretty darn clever. Click on the title of each entry to see the full story. Minecraft 2 AnnouncedMojang wrote up a lengthy announcement of Minecraft 2, complete with a ton of goofy changes coming to the game, plus some community-made trailers. Deus Ex Human Defiance RevealedThe new project Square Enix was teasing this weekend turned out to be nothing more than a prank. For the record, we would totally play this game! Journey Adds Rocket Deathmatch DLCThatgamecompany gets my vote for best April Fools' Day joke with its video of a new rocket deathmatch mode for Journey. Sega Adds Goat Processing To Sonic GamesOn th...
Jade Raymond Wants More User-Created Content In Triple-A Games
By GameInformer, published 04-01-2013
Ubisoft Toronto’s managing director sees a different future for triple-A titles, and it's one that moves away from action-heavy titles currently churned out year after year. Jade Raymond, who worked as a producer on the Assassin’s Creed series, doesn’t think games need to become bigger and cost more to develop – and that they also need to provide more opportunities for the community to create things. "No, no. It's got to stop," Raymond told Gamasutra at the Game Developers Conference this year. "To give you an overly-simplified answer, I do think games and franchises need to include more user content. And by user content, I don't mean that all of a sudden, every game is going to have a level builder, because not everyone wants to s...
Guild Wars 2 Goes Back To The Eighties With Super Adventure Box
By GameInformer, published 04-01-2013
What started out as a slight April Fool's Joke by Guild Wars 2 developer ArenaNet has turned into an optional three-level adventure. Super Adventure Box is an '80s retro gaming mode available this month for free in Tyria. Complete with appropriate graphics, music, and pixelated rabbits, the Super Adventure Box can be accessed by visiting Moto in the asuran city of Rata Sum. Super Adventure Box is a free update that will be available for the entire month of April. Players can solve platforming puzzles and frolic around the environment while collecting baubles for killing varmints. These can then be traded in for weapons and skills usable in Super Adventure Box. "Originally, we were going to have a laugh with a fake 8-bit update," said Colin Johanson, ArenaNet game direct...
HTC DROID DNA back on Verizon's website without a word
By GSMArena, published 04-01-2013
Verizon seems to have changed its mind about the DROID DNA. A couple of days ago it was taken off the carrier's site with sales reps saying it's been retired in favor of an upcoming project (presumably the HTC One). And now it's back. And not just back on the site, there are available units. According to GottaBeMobile, the SKU has changed pointing to a slightly different unit (though the specs...
Immigrant Proves US Residency With Xbox Live Records
By GameInformer, published 31-03-2013
Jose Muñoz came to the United states illegally 25 years ago when he was a one year old, and thanks to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and Xbox Live, Muñoz is now an American citizen. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program allows young children who came into our country illegally to apply for residency, but it requires that you prove that you have been living in the United States for the past six years. Muñoz was able to do this by showing the court his Xbox Live records, which included play time, games purchased over the years, etc., and the courts accepted. Muñoz is now an American citizen living in Wisconsin, and he can thank his love of video games. [via Yahoo Games]
HTC One with 64GB will be an AT&T exclusive in the US
By GSMArena, published 31-03-2013
It looks like prospective HTC One buyers in the United States might not be able to choose a carrier if they want to enjoy the smartphone with 64GB of built-in memory. The aforementioned version will be sold exclusively by AT&T Wireless. AT&T delivered the word quietly via an HTC One promo video, uploaded on its official YouTube channel. See it below. There is no information...
Retro City Rampage Developer Shares Sales Numbers
By GameInformer, published 30-03-2013
Update: Retro City Rampage's developer has reached out to us to clarify some of the sales numbers referenced in this story.The numbers seen below were apparently, "extrapolated from an undetailed bar graph," and as such do not fully represent the sales of Retro City Rampage. He also wanted to clarify the sales of the Wii version of the game. "The numbers in revenue and units are much lower on Wii, much higher on other platforms. Sold ~100,000 units total." ------------------------------- Retro City Rampage has performed well for its developer, Brian Provinciano, and he shares where the game had its most success, and which platform he would have skipped in retrospect. You can see the breakdown of copies sold on which platforms, and how much he made below: 35,...
JB ROM in testing for Xperia P, flash at your own risk
By GSMArena, published 30-03-2013
If you own an Xperia P and are eager to flash it to Jelly Bean, now is the time. An Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean ROM with Firmware 6.2.A.0.399 has leaked. It's meant for internal testing on developer Xperia P units but has been found to work on production units. Sony Xperia P on Jelly Bean The ROM isn't final yet and there are things missing or not working on it. Therefore, we advise you to...
Kicking The Tires On The Ouya
By GameInformer, published 29-03-2013
The console isn't even out yet, but it's already been a wild ride for the Ouya. Since this Android based platform announced its Kickstarter campaign last July, more than 60,000 backers have contributed $8.6 million for an open platform that gives developers the autonomy to build what they want when they want. We recently sat down with CEO Julie Urhman, who showcased the console, controller, and slick user interface. The Console The diminutive chassis is less than the size of a softball, packing in a Nvidia Tegra 3, 1.7Ghz quad-core ARM A9 chip, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal flash memory. One modestly sized fan keeps all these pieces from overheating while operating at a quiet 20 decibels. The back of the unit features an HDMI port, USB and micro USB ports, an Ethernet port, an...
GI Show 150: BioShock Infinite, Halo 4 Castle DLC Interview
By GameInformer, published 29-03-2013
BioShock Infinite creator Ken Levine headlined last week's podcast, and this week we're coming back with another Infinite-heavy show. It's just that good. This time around, we do our more traditional review impressions and discussion of the game, which will stand as one of the greatest games of the year, if not this generation. The world that Irrational created in Columbia is amazingly creative and immersive, and the game is grounded in one of the most affecting relationships we've seen in a video game. There's also a ton of finely crafted combat powers and gunplay to go around. All in all, it's a masterpiece, and host Matt Helgeson, Joe Juba (who reviewed the game), Dan Ryckert, and Andy Reiner will tell you why. In the second segment, we welcome some special gues...
Anomaly 2 Preview: New Mech Units Add More Strategic Depth
By GameInformer, published 29-03-2013
Mechs are cool. Whether it be the transforming beasts from Power Rangers or hulking Gundams from the countless anime series out there, one thing is clear: machines outfitted for war are powerful – especially if they can transform into something totally different at a moment’s notice. Anomaly 2, a “tower offense” game, has such mechs thanks to new unit-morphing feature. Morphing units allow players to change their long-range, chain gun-totin’ Assault Hound tanks into a closed-quarters terror – aptly named the Hell Hound – containing flamethrowers on each arm. Another unit, the Sledge Hammer, is one of the most powerful weapons of war acquired early on. It changes from a vehicle limited to utilizing a 30-degree firing range into the frog-like...
Exotic Dancers Cause IGDA Resignations
By GameInformer, published 28-03-2013
The employment of female exotic dancers at an International Game Developers Association at a party during this week's Game Developers Conference has caused high-profile members of the trade group to resign in protest. Most notably, Brenda Romero, an experienced and respected game developer whose resume stretches all the way back to Wizardry and Jagged Alliance, resigned her position with the IGDA this afternoon in response to the organization's use of scantily clad female dancers at an industry party in San Francisco. "I went home last night to work on my Friday GDC talk feeling super uplifted by the turnout and support for the #1ReasonToBe panel," Romero told Polygon. "I woke up to DMs, texts and links to news of the IGDA party. It really saddens me. I have been a ...
Diablo III Director Admits Auction House Mistakes
By GameInformer, published 28-03-2013
Jay Wilson of Blizzard, director of Diablo III until he transferred to a different project within the company in January, said in his GDC talk that he feels both the gold and real-money auction houses "really hurt the game." While the auction houses reduced the fraud and effectively killed grey-market transactions between players and item- and gold-farming companies that hurt the online Diablo II community, Blizzard did not expect players to use them on the scale that they started to as soon as the game launched. Almost every player uses one or the other, according to Wilson, and nearly half use them regularly. Interestingly, Wilson pointed to the gold auction house as more damaging to the game's health than the real-money one, simply because far more people use the in-game ...
Sony Developers Weigh In On PlayStation 4
By GameInformer, published 27-03-2013
We had the opportunity to ask the heads of some of Sony's most high-profile in-house development studios, including Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch, what they thought of the PlayStation 4. Their answers speak to their enthusiasm for a system that should give developers a lot of power and flexibility. Evan Wells, Co-President, Naughty Dog (Uncharted Series, The Last of Us) What's your initial reaction to what Sony announced about its new console? What is most exciting to you as a game developer? Of course, it's likely that you'll consider me a little biased but I was very excited by what Sony had to announce with PS4. As a developer, the best thing about it is the simple but powerful architecture of the hardware. Being built like a high-end PC means that development is going ...
Luftrauser’s Intense Air Battles Will Keep Your Heart Racing
By GameInformer, published 26-03-2013
Luftrausers may not have a name that’s easy to say (or spell), but it sure is fun to look at. The designers behind the hit iOS game Ridiculous Fishing developed this frantic shooter. You are a lone pilot trying to survive in a world of ever increasing dangers and impressive pixelated explosions. You’re able to make you own ship out of over 125 different combinations, give your plane laser cannons, a chassis that survives underwater, and an engine that propels you into the sky with bullets, are just a few customization examples. If the 100 missions aren’t enough content for you then maybe the community made some to satisfy you. The best part of this game is watching the pixelated art and listening to its synth soundtrack, both of which you can experience for yourself in ...
Behind The Scenes With The Aperture R&D Web Series
By GameInformer, published 26-03-2013
Fan culture has come a long way from recreating gaming scenes in Legos on top of cakes. In 2010, the video company Wayside Creations produced a web series called Fallout: Nuka Break about a Vault 10 Dweller on the search for an ice-cold Nuka Cola. We chatted with Wayside creation director Vince Talenti and writer Zack Finfrock about their newest series Aperture R&D and the challenges of creating a fan service project of this scale. Where did the idea for Aperture R&D originally come from?Finfrock: When I'm a fan of a game and its universe, I enjoy creating new stories that fit inside it. It's a way for me to show my fandom, just like I did when creating Fallout: Nuka Break. I'm a huge Portal fan, so needless to say, when Machinima approached us about creating a new se...
Tough Times, Low Sales Numbers Force Square Enix's Wada To Resign
By GameInformer, published 26-03-2013
Square Enix president and CEO Yoichi Wada has stepped down in the wake of a disappointing fiscal year forecast, lower-than expected sales of some of its big hits, and a changing industry environment. A major restructuring is now underway. Wada's departure still has to be ratified via a shareholder's meeting in June and a subsequent board of director's meeting according to Joystiq, but with a forecast for the current fiscal year ending on March 31 of a 13 billion yen loss (approximately $138 million) – a turnaround from the originally expected 3.5 billion yen profit – the die is cast. The company's revised forecast is being blamed on the lower-than-expected sales of Tomb Raider, Hitman: Absolution, and Sleeping Dogs in the west, and the subsequent company reorga...
Huawei is working on a quad-core Cortex-A15 1080p flagship?
By GSMArena, published 25-03-2013
Today some interesting rumors originating from China have surfaced. The local manufacturer Huawei is reportedly working on a direct Galaxy S4 competitor with a 4.9-inch 1080p display and a quad-core 1.8GHz ARM Cortex-A15 processor. The rest of the rumored specs include 2GB of RAM, Mali T604 GPU, a 13MP snapper and a 2600mAh battery unit. The mysterious device is supposed to be only 6.3mm thick...
Snapdragon 600 to power 70% of the first Galaxy S4 batch
By GSMArena, published 25-03-2013
Latest reports suggest Samsung will use Snapdragon 600 chips in 70% of the first Galaxy S4 batch. This was already confirmed by the leaked list showing the availability of the two Galaxy S4 versions around the globe. In case you need a refresh, the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be sold in two flavors - the Exynos 5 Octa-powered I9500 and the Snapdragon 600-powered I9505. The "octa" units are reserved...
Samsung Galaxy Note III rumored to launch in US with 5.9" display
By GSMArena, published 25-03-2013
Samsung Galaxy Note III, the potential successor of the popular Galaxy Note II phablet was said to come out with a whopping 5.9" display. Now, an executive from one of the main parts suppliers for the company has confirmed the screen size. According to a report from Korea Times, the next generation Galaxy Note will launch in the United States as confirmed by the local suppliers. The report...
DuckTales Remastered Will Feature All The Original Voice Actors From The Show
By GameInformer, published 23-03-2013
Capcom took fan questions on its online message board and confirmed that the show's original voice actors have returned to work on the game. The confirmation comes from Capcom's corporate officer/senior vice-president Christian Svensson who said, "We have ALL the original voice actors from the show. Scrooge's voice actor [Alan Young] is now 94 years old but he still came into the studio and did his thing like a pro. The voice work really adds a lot to the package." For more on DuckTales Remastered (including a trailer) head here. [via Reddit]
Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles Of Mystara Announced
By GameInformer, published 22-03-2013
Capcom has announced the return of two RPG classics being remastered and refined for Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara. The game is a collection of the two classic titles, Tower of Doom and Shadow Over Mystara (one of those made our Top Ten Dungeons & Dragons video games list), now with HD graphics and more enhancements including the new House Rules feature that allows for customized gameplay. For more information and more official screenshots, check out the blog announcement. The game is slated for a digital release in June on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC. Check out the announcement trailer below. (Please visit the site to view this media)
HTC One delayed to late April everywhere but in UK, DE and TW
By GSMArena, published 22-03-2013
HTC has just issued another official statement regarding the HTC One delayed launch. A few markets will get HTC One on time after all - the United Kingdom, Germany and Taiwan will be lucky enough to get the HTC flagship next week. The rest of the world will have to wait though. HTC promises to bring the One to Europe, North America and most of the Asia-Pacific countries before the end of...
Sony Xperia Z gets an update, fixes sudden-death issue
By GSMArena, published 22-03-2013
Sony is now seeding the first update for the Xperia Z (C6603) flagship. Its build number is 10.1.A.1.434, the Android version stays 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and the Kernel seems to be the same - 3.4.0. Even though there is no official change log for this unexpected update, rumors have it the new release addresses the sudden-death issue plaguing random Xperia Z (C6603) units. So, while it doesn't add...
Richard Garriott Clarifies Comments On Game Designers
By GameInformer, published 22-03-2013
Over the last few days, Richard Garriott (the Ultima creator also known as Lord British) has been taken to task for his comments in an interview in which he said "most game designers really suck." Garriott made the controversial comments in an interview with PC Gamer. As you might expect, he then experienced a rather high degree of criticism both from gamers and other game designers on Twitter and on various blogs, forums, and websites. Today, he released a statement that attempts to clarify, but not completely back away from his controversial statement in PC Gamer, which was: ""But other than a few exceptions, like Chris Roberts, I've met virtually no one in our industry who I think is close to as good a game designer as I am. I'm not saying that because ...
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct Review
By GameInformer, published 22-03-2013
Daryl Dixon is one of the most unpredictable, flawed, enigmatic, and loved characters on AMC’s The Walking Dead. He is fueled by emotional turmoil – often ignited by his brother, Merle. What show-watchers may soon learn, however, is that most of his unrest probably originates from a moment in his past. More specifically, it comes from the fact that he had to be involved in Terminal Reality’s The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct. Aptly billed as an “unforgiving prelude to the TV series” on the back of the box, Daryl’s journey in this zombie apocalypse is punishing. Those of you who are brave enough to see his origin story through to the end are in for one of the roughest rides of this gaming generation. I didn’t start begging the game for mercy unti...
AMD Radeon HD 7790 Review: Affordable DX11 Gaming
By HotHardware, published 22-03-2013
A few weeks back, the enthusiast community was abuzz after news broke that AMD’s Radeon HD 7000 series would remain “stable throughout 2013” and would be the company’s focus “for quite some time”. The wording of the initial news made it sound like AMD wouldn’t be releasing any new GPUs for the rest...
Star Wars: The Old Republic Subscriber Base Growing
By GameInformer, published 21-03-2013
A frank letter from the game’s executive producer talks about how The Old Republic can still improve, but also touts 2 million new active players since going free-to-play. The prevailing sentiment in many gaming circles is that The Old Republic is struggling to find players, but info from the developer seems to counter that idea. Executive producer Jeff Hickman posted an open letter to the community today, in which he discusses the state of the game. “Last spring, there was some uncertainty surrounding Star Wars: The Old Republic as we were starting to lose subscribers and players were growing frustrated,” says Hickman. “In fairness, many of the complaints and worries were justified. In an effort to try to address everything, we just weren’t sufficient...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 03/21/13
By GameInformer, published 21-03-2013
The central theme for many of the blogs featured this week focuses on growing up as a gamer and the relationships forged along the way. Enjoy this week's collection of blogs and the heartwarming personal testimonies from a few of the community members. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: March 11 – March 17, 2013Number of User Blogs: 77Number of User Bloggers: 54Number of User Blogs Herded: 10 Community Blogs: Hard Moments In Gaming – In MemoriamTheora Craft shares a glimpse of the profound impact video games can have on our personal lives with this tale of encountering real people online and the bonds that were forged in Myst Online: Uru. Other Tales From The Alien InvasionKyle Wadsworth chronicles his battlefield experiences in X-COM and debriefs the after-action report...
Battlefield 3: End Game Impressions
By GameInformer, published 20-03-2013
Battlefield 3 came out nearly a year and a half ago, and the popular military shooter's multiplayer community is still going strong thanks to its 2.7 million Premium subscribers. Before everyone turns their attention toward the next installment in the series, which EA plans to reveal next week, developer DICE has dropped one last multiplayer map pack: the appropriately titled End Game. All of the previous map packs were built around specific themes. Back To Karkand took us down memory lane with a handful of classic Battlefield maps, Close Quarters unapologetically aped the tighter Call of Duty experience, Armored Kill introduced the biggest maps in series history and focused on vehicular battles, and Aftermath concentrated fights in urban spaces. With End Game, a theme isn't read...
The Best Manga And Anime-Based Games
By GameInformer, published 20-03-2013
Unfortunately for Japanese manga and anime fans, the majority of video games based on those two mediums don’t often make it to our shores. Reasons such as licensing and popularity get in the way, but every once in a while we’re lucky enough to get something based on our favorite franchises – and we’re even luckier if it’s not just a quick cash-in title banking on popularity to sell units. Below is the list of the best manga and anime-based games available. None are perfect, but they present the best of the bunch for different reasons ranging from nailing the comedic tone of a series, to mimicking the action perfectly. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 (March 5, 2013) Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 isn't just a good g...
Marvelous: Connecting Video Games And Comics
By GameInformer, published 18-03-2013
Marvel is one of the hottest brands in pop culture. Films like Spider-Man and The Avengers and games like Marvel vs. Capcom and Marvel Ultimate Alliance have proved that the company’s characters have a lot of appeal outside a comic book store. To better understand the fan crossover between video games and comics books, we talked with Marvel’s SVP Sales David Gabriel and SVP/GM of Marvel Digital Media Peter Phillips about some of the company’s recent initiatives like Marvel #1 and Project Gamma, which were designed to help more traditional comics appeal to the video game audience. Tools like Marvel AR – the Augmented Reality app that provides readers with bonus information in print comics – offer a unique way for Marvel to interact with its fanbase. Have you ...
Capcom Introduces New Ace Attorney 5 Character And Shows Apollo's New Look
By GameInformer, published 17-03-2013
On the official Japanese Ace Attorney 5 website, Capcom revealed a new character, Kizuki Kokone, and are showing what Apollo Justice will like in the upcoming Phoenix Wright sequel. Translation of the new information comes from Siliconera, which reports that Kokone is the newest member of the Wright Anything Agency. She studied law in the United States and uses a special device called the Heart Scope, which allows her to listen to a witness' heart and see their true emotions. Ace Attorney 5 has been confirmed for release in the United States, but Capcom hasn't announced a release date yet.
Super Replay: Luigi's Mansion – Episode 7
By GameInformer, published 17-03-2013
Game Informer's Replay crew has played a ton of crappy games. First there was Overblood, then Galerians, then Overblood 2, then Cyberia, and we just finished up Blue Stinger. While these games are unforgivably awful, I wouldn't trade my time with them for anything. From the statue falling on Raz Karcy in the first hours of Overblood to Dogs Bower's jean shorts, we've shared a lot of good memories with the Replay community. However, I've been jumping on the proverbial grenade by playing all of these stinkers to completion. To reward my gaming martyrdom, the rest of the crew let me choose a game I thought might actually be fun to play. What a novel idea. I chose Luigi's Mansion. The fact that this Super Replay lines up with the 3DS sequel, Luigi's Mansion: Dark M...
Weekend Warrior 03/15/13
By GameInformer, published 16-03-2013
It’s the weekend again, and that means it’s time to unwind. Some editors will finally take a stab at the new Tomb Raider game. Others are going back in time to play some Super Nintendo greats, and a Dragon Ball Z role-playing game. Jason Pfitzer: This weekend I will be trying my utmost to beat The Lion King for SNES. That, and I'm starting Chrono Trigger finally. Ben Hanson: This weekend I'm going to continue playing Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm. The mission design remains fantastic and, despite dopey writing, I'm curious to see where the story goes. Other than that, I just checked out Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans from our game vault. It's the DS RPG from Monolith Soft that I never finished. I’m looking forward to starting over and finishing i...
[Update 2] Dead Space 3 Tops NPD Charts, Xbox 360 Shows Strong Sales
By GameInformer, published 15-03-2013
[Update 2] Dead Space 3's chart-topping North American February sales figures clocked in at 605,000 units. The figure, obtained by GameSpot, tops juggernaut Call of Duty: Black Ops II and the 260,000 Crysis 3 sales that NPD also revealed, though Crysis was only on sale for two weeks out of the reporting period. [Update 1] Nintendo released some information about it strong sales for Fire Emblem Awakening for Nintendo 3DS, which sold over 180,000 units in the 28 days of February. This is in comparison to Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, which sold 250,000 copies in its lifetime. [Original Story] The February 2013 NPD sales numbers have been released, and EA's Dead Space 3 bests Activision's mega-shooter Black Ops II to nab the number one spot. The Xbox 360 also enjoyed it 19th straig...
Samsung Galaxy S III global sales reach 50 million
By GSMArena, published 15-03-2013
Samsung's golden run at the top, started with the Galaxy S smartphone and ever since then, the company hasn't looked back. Samsung's Galaxy S series have been the most popular Android devices in market and the South Korean company has reached another milestone with its third-generation Galaxy S smartphone. According to JK Shin, Samsung has managed to sell 50 million Galaxy S III units...
Galaxy S4 to come with wireless charging in some markets
By GSMArena, published 15-03-2013
As it turns out the Samsung Galaxy S4 flagship comes with support for the Qi wireless charging standard. Samsung said nothing about this at yesterday's event in New York, but some observant guys found wirelessly charging Galaxy S4 units at the stands after it. The charging tables match the Galaxy S4 paintjobs - the base is made of the same glossy plastic as the device, while the top has a...
[Update] Dead Space 3 Tops NPD Charts, Xbox 360 Shows Strong Sales
By GameInformer, published 15-03-2013
[Update] Nintendo released some information about it strong sales for Fire Emblem Awakening for Nintendo 3DS, which sold over 180,000 units in the 28 days of February. This is in comparison to Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, which sold 250,000 copies in its lifetime. [Original Story] The February 2013 NPD sales numbers have been released, and EA's Dead Space 3 bests Activision's mega-shooter Black Ops II to nab the number one spot. The Xbox 360 also enjoyed it 19th straight month as the best-selling video game system in the U.S. Software sales, especially at retail, were once again sluggish. New physical sales were $352 million, down 27 percent from the same month last year. While hardware sales were also down 36 percent from 2012, many systems did perform better than la...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 03/14/13
By GameInformer, published 14-03-2013
The bloggers were busy this week, with many focusing on the recently released Tomb Raider and Ubisoft's big Assassin's Creed Black Flag announcement. If those don't interest you, there are plenty of other exciting topics to choose from including some of the finest blogs from the week featured below. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: March 04 – March 10, 2013Number of User Blogs: 105Number of User Bloggers: 70Number of User Blogs Herded: 11 Community Blogs: A Pirate's Life For Me?Tim Gruver considers the life of a pirate as Ubisoft's recent announcement for the future of the Assassin's Creed series points to the high seas as a swashbuckling privateer. Is Life Or Death Gaming's Ultimate Moral Quandary?An interesting blog by LetMeGetToACheckpoint about th...
Report: Capcom Cancels Mega Man Online
By GameInformer, published 14-03-2013
According to a report out of Korea, you can add Mega Man Online to the list of cancelled games in the franchise. Kotaku has a report from Korean website This is Game which contains a statement from an official with the game's developer Neowiz that apparently says Capcom and the developer decided to drop the project last November. While it is believed that game was only intended for South Korea, fans can't like that there's another cancelled Mega Man game after Mega Man Legends 3 and Mega Man Universe. For a look at the game in happier times, check out this trailer, as well as take a look at Tim's cool celebration of the series' 25th anniversary.
Super Replay: Luigi's Mansion – Episode 6
By GameInformer, published 14-03-2013
Game Informer's Replay crew has played a ton of crappy games. First there was Overblood, then Galerians, then Overblood 2, then Cyberia, and we just finished up Blue Stinger. While these games are unforgivably awful, I wouldn't trade my time with them for anything. From the statue falling on Raz Karcy in the first hours of Overblood to Dogs Bower's jean shorts, we've shared a lot of good memories with the Replay community. However, I've been jumping on the proverbial grenade by playing all of these stinkers to completion. To reward my gaming martyrdom, the rest of the crew let me choose a game I thought might actually be fun to play. What a novel idea. I chose Luigi's Mansion. The fact that this Super Replay lines up with the 3DS sequel, Luigi's Mansion: Dark M...
Handcrafted SNK Neo Geo Constructed From Rare Woods
By GameInformer, published 13-03-2013
If the NeoGeo X Gold didn't satisfy your desire for classic video game systems, check out these handcrafted SNK Neo Geo systems made out of rare woods. Analog Interactive Black Label is a custom service that sounds like an alcohol, but really lets customers select any wood in the entire world to be shaped into a case for the Neo Geo. Check out its extensive list of woods here if you want to challenge them on that. Each system also includes: Analogue CMVS Slim (2) Analogue Arcade Sticks Solid Brass, Black Label Product Tags S-Video, Composite & Stereo Sound Cable Power Supply A Walnut system will run you $649, but the sets look incredible. Let's hope they move their production over...
The Bethesda Store Officially Opens For Business
By GameInformer, published 13-03-2013
Whether you're looking for a limited edition Skyrim lithograph or a Dishonored hoodie, Bethesda is finally giving us a place to spend your Nuka Cola caps. Yesterday, Gaming Heads announced this sweet Dragonborn statue, which you can pre-order at the new store, but we also dig these Vault 101 Sneakers and these Sugar Bombs Raglan. Check out the pictures below.
Purple Sony Xperia Z hits UK in early April
By GSMArena, published 13-03-2013
Sony Xperia Z is already available globally in black and white paintjobs, but the purple version is yet to be released. Clove UK has just announced it will receive purple Sony Xperia Z stock in early April and is already taking orders for it. The purple Xperia Z costs the same as the black and white units. Sony has announced the Xperia Z in three colors - black, white and purple, but there...
Samsung to update the Galaxy S III with a better screen and battery
By GSMArena, published 13-03-2013
Samsung might be working on a refreshed Galaxy S III edition with a better display, a bigger battery and wireless charging. Reportedly, the new battery capacity will be 2400 mAh - 14% more powerful than the original unit. There is no info on what "better display" means, while the wireless charging is self-explanatory. The information comes from Eldar Murtazin, who despite not having the...
Sound Shapes DLC Adds New Levels, Community Highlights, And A Vehicle
By GameInformer, published 03-12-2013
Sound Shapes is getting its most substantial DLC yet with new levels, new editing tools, a collection of community highlights, and a vehicle that looks like it will change the gameplay dramatically. The Car Mini-Album & Creator Pack will be $1.99 and it will add new campaign levels, new creation tools and sounds, more Beat School Lessons, and Trophies. The Community Milkcrate will be free and it adds six albums worth of the best community created levels, along with notes from the creators. All of this DLC should be available a little bit later this afternoon. (Please visit the site to view this media) For more on Sound Shapes, check out our review. [via PlayStation Blog]
Japanese Pikachu 3DS Makes Cameo Appearance In US Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Commercial
By GameInformer, published 03-12-2013
Back in August of last year, Japan revealed a region exclusive Pikachu 3DS XL with no indication that it was coming to the United States. The latest U.S. commercial for Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates To Infinity, however, shows a player using the adorable device. Does this mean we'll be getting the Pikachu 3DS XL here in North America? Even if it doesn't mean anything, you still get to see Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates To Infinity in action, and see what Santa Claus might look like if he decided to wear a hoodie instead of his typical garments. (Please visit the site to view this media) Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates To Infinity is heading to the 3DS on March 24. [via Siliconera]
Ron Gilbert Announces Double Fine Departure
By GameInformer, published 03-12-2013
Acclaimed game designer Ron Gilbert has announced that he is leaving Double Fine. Gilbert's most recent game, The Cave, was released a few months ago, but that isn't the last we'll be hearing from Gilbert. Gilbert broke the news on his blog. "I want to thank all the amazing people at Double Fine for all their hard work on The Cave. It was a true pleasure to work with every one of them over the past two years. So much fun. I will miss them all. And of course to Tim [Schafer] for creating the opportunity to come there and make The Cave." He also teased a project he's been working on with his Deathspank co-creator Clayton Kauzlaric. "It's called Scurvy Scallywags in The Voyage to Discover the Ultimate Sea Shanty: A Musical Match-3 Pirate RPG," Gilbert ...
Samsung Galaxy S IV I9502 video surfaces, reveals more secrets
By GSMArena, published 03-12-2013
The Samsung Galaxy S III was a master-class in secret keeping by Samsung, but its successor seems much harder to keep under wraps. Yesterday we saw the first live photos of the alleged dual-SIM version of the Galaxy S IV for China Unicom and now we get to see a prototype unit on video. Given the similarities between the leaked smartphone and the official image that Samsung teased earlier...
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Check Out Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate's Battle Trailer
By GameInformer, published 03-12-2013
Capcom Unity posted a Monster Hunter Ultimate trailer that shows off cooperative monster slaying on Wii U and 3DS. The video also highlights a sand serpent battle that should make Lost Planet 2 fans smile. Game Informer's Tim Turi recently played both versions of the game. He also put their cross-platform functionality to the test. Give his hands-on report a read to find out what he thought. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is scheduled to hit stores shelves and the Nintendo e-shop on March 19. Is this game in your future? (Please visit the site to view this media) [via Capcom Unity]
After Outcry, Sony Alters God of War: Ascension "Bros Before Hos" Trophy
By GameInformer, published 03-11-2013
Sony Santa Monica said today that it has changed the name of a Trophy in God of War: Ascension, which drew criticism for misogyny. The original Trophy in the game was entitled "Bros Before Hos." It was earned in the game after Kratos brutally beats a female Fury. Many, including Adam Sessler, had criticized the Trophy as misogynistic and for promoting violence against women. Now, Joystiq is reporting that, on Tuesday, the name of the Trophy will be changed to "Bros Before Foes" in a patch update to Ascension. Here's the statement released by Sony Santa Monica: "We have created and will soon push out a patch for God of War: Ascension that alters the title of one of the game Trophies. The text was offensive to some members of our community and impacted...
Hands On Need For Speed Most Wanted For Wii U
By GameInformer, published 03-11-2013
Need for Speed: Most Wanted is one of a handful of third-party titles for which the Wii U is its second home, but the game is trying to deliver a distinct impression on the system. We got our hands on the title and some of the exclusive Wii U features, and see how useful some of them are. Naturally, the Wii U GamePad is the great differentiator between the system and the home console competition, and developers Criterion have tried to use it to its fullest. For good or for bad, the studio has tweaked the gameplay experience for the Wii U with GamePad to the extent that it lets whomever wields the pad intercede with the game on the driver's behalf. Whether your friend uses the GamePad while you drive with a nunchuk/remote combo or Pro Controller, or you use the pad as it sits next to y...
Street Fighter X Mega Man Hits One Million Downloads, More Classic Mega Man Heading To 3DS
By GameInformer, published 03-10-2013
Street Fighter X Mega Man has surpassed the one million downloads mark, and the third Mega Man game is headed to the 3DS' Virtual Console. Capcom actually believes that Street Fighter X Mega Man has actually been downloaded more than one million times, when you factor in the fact that the game is free, so anyone could post it anywhere they please for download. Capcom can't track those extra downloads, but for the ones it can track, the game has been downloaded more than one million times. As far as Mega Man 3 goes, you will be able to download it for your 3DS on March 14. Capcom is promising the sequels 4, 5, and 6 during each subsequent month. Capcom also says that by the time Mega Man 6 releases in June, digital versions of the soundtracks for each game will be available for pur...
Super Replay: Luigi's Mansion – Episode 5
By GameInformer, published 03-10-2013
Game Informer's Replay crew has played a ton of crappy games. First there was Overblood, then Galerians, then Overblood 2, then Cyberia, and we just finished up Blue Stinger. While these games are unforgivably awful, I wouldn't trade my time with them for anything. From the statue falling on Raz Karcy in the first hours of Overblood to Dogs Bower's jean shorts, we've shared a lot of good memories with the Replay community. However, I've been jumping on the proverbial grenade by playing all of these stinkers to completion. To reward my gaming martyrdom, the rest of the crew let me choose a game I thought might actually be fun to play. What a novel idea. I chose Luigi's Mansion. The fact that this Super Replay lines up with the 3DS sequel, Luigi's Mansion: Dark M...
Maxis' Twitter Q And A Is Closed
By GameInformer, published 03-09-2013
Update: SimCity's Lucy Bradshaw has closed the floor for questions. ------------------------------------- For the next 30 minutes, Lucy Bradshaw, general manager for the Maxis label, will be taking over the official SimCity Twitter account in order to take your questions. The most recent Twitter post reads, "Today is about being open, answering your ?'s and letting you know we get it, we know we screwed up, now let's get you enjoying #SimCity." Bradshaw spoke up this morning about SimCity's problems, and it looks like she, Maxis, and EA want to continue that conversation. Jump in there if you want to find out why you can't play the game you've been waiting for, and we'll make sure to post any pertinent answers here on Game Informer.
Resident Evil 6 PC Preorder Comes With Resident Evil 5 And DLC
By GameInformer, published 03-09-2013
Did you miss Resident Evil 6 on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3? If so, the PC version of the game looks to be the best value for your money. If you preorder the game now, you get all sorts of goodies. The bonus preorder content includes a digital art book, soundtrack, free copy of Resident Evil 5 (or Devil May Cry 4 for non-Games for Windows Live territories), and a season pass for RE6’s DLC. The fully updated version of the game arrives on PC March 22 for $39.99. Is that price along with those incentives enough for you to check out the most polarizing entry in the horror franchise? Source: Capcom-Unity
EA Not Accepting Refunds For SimCity Games Purchased Digitally
By GameInformer, published 03-08-2013
Since SimCity's rocky release, the game has suffered awful server-related connectivity issues, which EA has tried to remedy by removing certain gameplay mechanics. The plot thickens with the news that EA is only refunding physical copies of the game purchased through its Origin store, not digital copies. EA's refusal to refund digital copies of the game falls in line with the company's past practices, but confusion started with a tweet from EA's community manager. According to Ars Technica, Tuesday's tweet said, "[i]f you regrettably feel that we let you down, you can of course request a refund for your order... though we're currently still in the process of resolving this issue." The tweet was later altered to say "please review our refund...
One Million Playing Tomb Raider Two Days After Launch
By GameInformer, published 03-08-2013
Crystal Dynamics' global brand manager, Karl Steward, has revealed via Twitter that one million people are playing Tomb Raider just two days after its launch on March 5. The previous installment, Tomb Raider: Underworld, took over a month to sell 1.5 million units. Tomb Raider looks poised to surpass that amount by the end of the week. [Via: Joystiq]
Opinion: Some Thoughts on SimCity
By GameInformer, published 03-08-2013
Disclaimer: This is an opinion piece by Minnnesota Viking punter Chris Kluwe, a.k.a. Chris Warcraft, and does not reflect the opinions of Game Informer magazine. Our review of SimCity will be coming in the following days. Hi. I'm Chris. I've been playing SimCity ever since the Super Nintendo version, and I've always been a huge fan of the franchise (SimCity 3000 is my favorite). Thus, when PC Gamer came to me and said, "Hey Chris! We want you to play the new SimCity with us in our Celebrity Sim City region," I wasted no time in responding with a resounding "Hell yeah!" I mean, what could go wrong? (Other than the inevitable giant lizards, meteor showers, and poor sewage planning that happen in every SimCity game.) Not only was this the first SimC...
Miyamoto: Wii U Interface Will Be Much Improved By Summer
By GameInformer, published 03-08-2013
In a new interview, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto discusses the Wii U's shortcomings and promises an improved UI is on the way. Speaking with Time, Miyamoto addressed user complaints regarding the Wii U's user interface. "Even during the testing phase, it's difficult to ascertain what facets of those interactions between the applications are resulting in inconveniences for the consumer until you have an opportunity for many people and lots of consumers to try these features out." Miyamoto said. "What we want to do is make sure that when we release [the update], that we address as many of the different opinions about how people would like to see the system improve as we can at once. We hope to cover a wide range of requests while simultaneously ensuri...
Update #2: SimCity Just Got A Whole Lot Slower
By GameInformer, published 03-07-2013
Update #2: The latest SimCity update disables a decidedly critical gameplay feature in hopes of alleviating EA's continued server woes. Earlier today, the SimCity team announced it was disabling some "non-critical" gameplay features to help resolve its network instability. These features included leaderboards, achievements, and region filters. The latest update, Patch 1.2, continues to address the city-building simulator's online issues – only it axes a rather vital function. In a post on EA's forums, SimCity's community lead states that the new update disables Cheetah speed, the fastest simulation speed in the game. Instead, Cheetah speed now runs at Llama speed. Or reviews editor Joe Juba is still in the process of playing SimCity for our review, and...
Sega Wants Your Support To Bring Hatsune Miku To The West
By GameInformer, published 03-07-2013
Fans of diva vocaloids take note: Sega is gauging interest in a western release of Hatsune Miku Project Diva F on Facebook. For those not versed in bizarre Japanese phenomena, Hatsune Miku is a virtual pop star voiced by a synthetic voice (also known as a vocaloid). She's also the star of her own line of rhythm games, the latest of which – Hatsune Mika: Project Diva F – comes out today in Japan for the PlayStation 3. Sega is contemplating bringing the virtual star to North America and Europe, but is looking to gauge interest via its Facebook page – simply Like and Share the page to pledge your support. Just don't come crying to us when Miku becomes self-aware and takes over the world. For more on Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F, check out these import rev...
AT&T HTC One X is getting Jelly Bean update today
By GSMArena, published 03-07-2013
The long awaited Jelly Bean update for the AT&T's HTC One X will launch today. That's nearly three months after the European HTC One X units got the Jelly Bean treatment and four months since the Asian One X users started getting update notifications. Meanwhile the refreshed HTC One X+ has made its way to the AT&T shelves. Thankfully, the loyal AT&T and HTC One X users were not completely...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 03/07/13
By GameInformer, published 03-07-2013
Stop the presses and bust out the trophies. After 80 consecutive episodes of Blog Herding, this was a record-setting week in terms of blogs featured in this series. 22 different bloggers posted a diverse and entertaining collection of content from the wonderful world of video games. If you can't find at least one blog you like, feel free to turn in your gamer card at the front desk. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: February 25 – March 03, 2013Number of User Blogs: 115Number of User Bloggers: 64Number of User Blogs Herded: 22 Community Events: In honor of the upcoming Bioshock Infinite, Microsoft is having a free Xbox Live Gold weekend with many games offering special incentives, including Halo 4, Far Cry 3, Borderlands 2, Assassin's Creed III, and an opportunity to play ...
Super Replay: Luigi's Mansion – Episode 4
By GameInformer, published 03-07-2013
Game Informer's Replay crew has played a ton of crappy games. First there was Overblood, then Galerians, then Overblood 2, then Cyberia, and we just finished up Blue Stinger. While these games are unforgivably awful, I wouldn't trade my time with them for anything. From the statue falling on Raz Karcy in the first hours of Overblood to Dogs Bower's jean shorts, we've shared a lot of good memories with the Replay community. However, I've been jumping on the proverbial grenade by playing all of these stinkers to completion. To reward my gaming martyrdom, the rest of the crew let me choose a game I thought might actually be fun to play. What a novel idea. I chose Luigi's Mansion. The fact that this Super Replay lines up with the 3DS sequel, Luigi's Mansion: Dark M...
Cell phone unlocking to be legalized in the United States
By GSMArena, published 03-05-2013
Back in October of last year, the Librarian of Congress decided to remove cell phone unlocking from the exceptions to the DMCA list, effectively rendering it illegal. The decision came into effect on January 26 of this year, forcing users to stay with a given carrier even after their original contract had expired. This, in turn, resulted in an online petition to overturn the decision, either...
Sony Xperia ZL to hit US soon, get a new color option
By GSMArena, published 03-04-2013
Sony Xperia ZL will soon be available in the United States as the smartphone has been officially listed on the company's local online store. The C6506 version of the Xperia ZL is said to support LTE in Band I, Band II, Band IV, Band V and Band XVII. Surprisingly, the Sony Xperia ZL will be made available in three different color variants, including the previously known Black and White as...
Retro City Rampage Developer Expects No Profits From WiiWare Release
By GameInformer, published 03-04-2013
Brian Provinciano recently said that after the many costs associated with bringing Retro City Rampage to the WiiWare service, he does not expect to recoup his investment, and he's okay with that. There are a few things that need to be done in order for Nintendo to send you a development kit to create WiiWare titles. One of those things is a legitimate office space, which is something Provinciano, as the lone developer, didn't actually need, but acquired in order to develop for WiiWare. Another issue is that you have to sell a certain amount of units in order for Nintendo to start paying you your share, and with the Wii U kicking the Wii out the door, and the low sales of WiiWare games in general, Provinciano doesn't think his game will cross that line. Provinciano told Nintend...
LG sells 10 million LTE smartphones globally
By GSMArena, published 03-03-2013
LG, one of the leading smartphone manufacturers in the current market, is reported to have sold more than 10 million LTE smartphones across the globe. LG's aggressive push into the 4G markets has helped the company achieve this milestone. LG's recent success relies heavily on its LTE smartphones and the company's early entry to popular LTE markets like United States, Japan, Germany and...
Super Replay: Luigi's Mansion – Episode 3
By GameInformer, published 03-03-2013
Game Informer's Replay crew has played a ton of crappy games. First there was Overblood, then Galerians, then Overblood 2, then Cyberia, and we just finished up Blue Stinger. While these games are unforgivably awful, I wouldn't trade my time with them for anything. From the statue falling on Raz Karcy in the first hours of Overblood to Dogs Bower's jean shorts, we've shared a lot of good memories with the Replay community. However, I've been jumping on the proverbial grenade by playing all of these stinkers to completion. To reward my gaming martyrdom, the rest of the crew let me choose a game I thought might actually be fun to play. What a novel idea. I chose Luigi's Mansion. The fact that this Super Replay lines up with the 3DS sequel, Luigi's Mansion: Dark M...
Keep All Your Important Digital Documents In Mega Man's Mega Buster
By GameInformer, published 03-02-2013
Capcom is preparing to offer the last USB flash drive you'll ever need. It's 8 GB, looks like Mega Man's mega buster, and it comes with a bunch of digital bonuses, including comic books and music. Unfortunately, the flash drive won't be available until next week. Keep an eye on the Capcom Store to pick up your own for $19.95. [via Capcom Unity]
Special Edition Podcast: The Witcher 3 Q&A
By GameInformer, published 03-02-2013
We answer the community's questions about The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in this special edition podcast. Adam Biessener and Ben Hanson, the Game Informer crew that visited CD Projekt RED's offices in Warsaw, Poland, mostly stay on task in answering questions and clarifying details about the upcoming open-world RPG coming to PC, PS4, and possibly other high-end consoles that may or may not be announced in the next few months. (Please visit the site to view this media) Be sure to hit up our Witcher 3 hub to view all the great bonus content we've put together for our March cover story.
How To Bring Linux Into Mainstream Gaming
By GameInformer, published 03-01-2013
An open operating system that you don't have to buy sounds like a win-win for gamers and developers, but many obstacles prevent Linux from moving past its current niche status. Here's what needs to happen to break Windows' dominance of computer gaming. As awesome as a Linux-driven future sounds, we gamers can do little to bring it about. Two things bind computer gaming to the Microsoft platform so tightly that the Linux and Mac ecosystems are still only sideshows at best: driver support from Nvidia and AMD, and low-level application programming interface (API) software like DirectX. Understanding these challenges, even if you're unable to address them yourself, is the first step to advocacy. Graphics drivers aren't just a way for Nvidia to annoy you by making you down...
Metro: Last Light Coming This May
By GameInformer, published 03-01-2013
Metro: Last Light was originally slated to come out this month, but the game was delayed. It's understandable, considering the upheaval that surrounded the game's development, including the collapse of publisher THQ. Now its new publisher, Deep Silver, has announced that the game is coming out this May. More specifically, Artyom will continue his subterranean adventures on May 14 in North America, and the rest of the world starting May 17. Publisher Deep Silver says the additional time will go toward adding an additional layer of polish. When developer 4A Games came to our offices a few months ago, they were quite vocal about THQ not providing the studio with the time and resources they needed to optimize the game in its final stretch. Here's hoping their relationship with Dee...
Microsoft Rings In Spring With New Xbox 360 Bundle
By GameInformer, published 03-01-2013
Microsoft has announced that its new "Spring Value Bundle" for Xbox 360 has begun shipping to select U.S. retailers. The package includes two great games - Batman: Arkham City and Darksiders II. The Spring Value 360 unit also comes with a 250GB hard drive, a wireless controller, and one month of free Xbox Live Gold service. It retails for $299.99 USD. Source: Major Nelson
Parody Or Reality? Game Infarcer Predicts Nintendo's Future
By GameInformer, published 28-02-2013
Game Informer's annual April Fool's Day prank comes in the form of Game Infarcer, a parody feature in the magazine that pokes fun at the games, events, and people in the industry. When we write these fake stories (which some people actually believe), we're usually just making stuff up. However, on more than one occasion, Game Infarcer has proven to be prophetic – especially when it comes to Nintendo. Just check out these examples, and remember that today's punchline may be tomorrow's Wii Fit. 2013 update: This year's Game Infarcer will be in readers' hands shortly, so we've added a new entry to our ever-growing list of ways the parody feature has correctly predicted the future. The WiiDS Parody: Instead of rectifying the problems that made the Wii fal...
Super Replay: Luigi's Mansion - Episode 2
By GameInformer, published 28-02-2013
Game Informer's Replay crew has played a ton of crappy games. First there was Overblood, then Galerians, then Overblood 2, then Cyberia, and we just finished up Blue Stinger. While these games are unforgivably awful, I wouldn't trade my time with them for anything. From the statue falling on Raz Karcy in the first hours of Overblood to Dogs Bower's jean shorts, we've shared a lot of good memories with the Replay community. However, I've been jumping on the proverbial grenade by playing all of these stinkers to completion. To reward my gaming martyrdom, the rest of the crew let me choose a game I thought might actually be fun to play. What a novel idea. I chose Luigi's Mansion. The fact that this Super Replay lines up with the 3DS sequel, Luigi's Mansion: Dark M...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 02/28/13
By GameInformer, published 28-02-2013
We're two months into 2013 and have already witnessed the unleashing of several exceptional games that are potential Game of the Year contenders. Speaking of exceptional, enjoy the latest round of brilliant blogs and user reviews, courtesy of the Game Informer online community. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: February 18 – February 24, 2013Number of User Blogs: 105Number of User Bloggers: 62Number of User Blogs Herded: 12 Community Blogs: Why We Game For Hundreds Of HoursThere are some video games we finish in a dozen or so hours, never to revisit again, but LetMeGetToACheckpoint considers the ones we invest hundreds of hours into and why. What I Want To See In A Mirror's Edge SequelOver four years ago EA took a risk with a new game called Mirror's Edge that starred...
Game Music Spotlight: Defiance Composer Bear McCreary
By GameInformer, published 28-02-2013
The composer for TV shows Battlestar Galactica, The Walking Dead, and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is at the helm for the music of the Defiance show and game. McCreary shares his thoughts on game scoring in our exclusive interview. Anyone who is a fan of speculative fiction television has probably had the opportunity to enjoy Bear McCreary’s innovative and evocative scoring. His background includes both game and television music, so it’s a great fit to have him crafting music for the upcoming Defiance project, which will roll out in both formats. Earlier this week, we offered a glimpse at the game through our interview with producer Rob Hill, and more about the show through our conversation with visual effects supervisor Gary Hutzel. Today we shine the ...
Thomas Was Alone Releasing On PlayStation 3 And Vita
By GameInformer, published 27-02-2013
Thomas Was Alone won’t be so alone when it releases for both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita with Cross-Buy (meaning if you purchase the title for PlayStation 3, you will also have access to the Vita version) in spring. "Which is, if we’re honest, ridiculous,” Developer Mike Bithell says on the PlayStation Blog. “I made a game about rectangles and friendship in my free time. I was lucky enough to find some incredible collaborators who made my script sound good, and my environments sound far more awesome than their humble rectangular graphics. I was shocked when a community formed and people actually played it.” Bithell’s game, previously released on PC and Mac, gives players one simple goal: get to the exit portals. Skills like flotation, j...
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Has A PSP And Vita Problem
By GameInformer, published 27-02-2013
Yesterday's PSN release of Persona 2:Eternal Punishment was exciting for many RPG fans, but disappointing for others. Players hoping to experience the game on PSP or Vita discovered that it would not download to those devices. The game was intended to be playable on PS3, Vita, and PSP, but the PS3 version is the only one working right now. Sony's Morgan Haro apologized for the inconvenience and explained that a fix is in the works, "worst case scenario…it may be a few weeks." Were you hoping to play this game on a handheld? Did this mistake affect you? (Source: PlayStation Vita forum via Joystiq)
Leap Motion Announces Mid-May Shipping For Gesture Controllers, Best Buy Availability May 19
By HotHardware, published 27-02-2013
Hot on the heels of the muscle-reading MYO armband gesture input device announcement, Leap Motion is reminding its fans that its own gesture input device will soon be on the market. In fact, the new controllers are going to start shipping the week of May 13. On May 19th, the units will be for sale at Best Buy. Image Credit: Leap Motion The...
StarCraft II: Heart Of The Swarm Global Launch Parties Detailed
By GameInformer, published 26-02-2013
Blizzard is hosting nine day-long launch parties for its new StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm expansion, giving fans a chance to enjoy some festivities. The US launch event will take place in Irvine, California at the Irvine Spectrum Mall, beginning at 9 p.m. PDT on March 11. Some of the events planned are live eSports matches between pro gamers from the US and South Korea, prize giveaways, and the chance to get your copy of the game singed by the developers. Launch parties from Australia, South Korea, France, and the US will be streamed online via Twitch starting at 3 a.m. PDT on March 11. Blizzard promises viewers will get exclusive content during the stream, including community-created videos. The game is set a couple years after Wings of Liberty, and follows Kerrigan&rsqu...
Diablo III For PS4 Won't Support Cross-Platform Play Or Battle.net
By GameInformer, published 26-02-2013
While it's still good news that Diablo III will be available to PlayStation 4 players, Blizzard has just confirmed that the game will not feature PS4/PC cross-platform play or support for Battle.net. In a thread on the official Battle.net forums, Blizzard community manager "Vaeflare" answered fan questions about the implementation of Diablo III on PS4. When asked about cross-platform play and Battle.net support, Vaeflare stated: "While we think cross-platform play would be awesome, there are currently no plans to allow connectivity between PlayStation Network and Battle.net (this is pretty standard for most games that have PC and console support). As a result, the characters on your Battle.net account and PlayStation account will also remain separate. In ter...
Steam Greenlights Fifth Set of Titles Today
By GameInformer, published 26-02-2013
Valve is announcing that its fifth set of games and software titles is proceeding to Steam Greenlight and will be distributed worldwide. Steam Greenlight launched in August of last year and has since then pushed out 70 different titles. Steam Greenlight is a new feature that allows the community to voice their opinions on what games should be greenlit next. Developers and publishers post information on their games and the community speaks back. The most recent software titles include Black Ink and Driver Fusion. The latest greenlit games include Anodyne, Distance, Evoland, Huntsman: The Orphanage, Kingdom Rush, Legends of Dawn, Oregon Trail: Director’s Cut, Receiver, Surgeon Simulator 2013 and War Thunder. Due to variable stages of completion, these games will see upcom...
Test Chamber – Tomb Raider
By GameInformer, published 26-02-2013
Lara Croft returns to gaming screens next week. Get a sneak peek at some of the action, and hear our thoughts on how the final game came together. It's been a long wait, but the Tomb Raider reboot is finally arriving, and we’ve had the opportunity to play the final game (click here to read our full review). Andrew Reiner, Dan Ryckert, Jason Oestreicher, and I sat down to play through a section that is part way through the game. We get to see some of the upgrade-focused base camp system, engage in some brutal fights, and learn first-hand that Lara’s death sequences aren’t for the squeamish. Tomb Raider enters the Test Chamber in the video below. (Please visit the site to view this media) Watch every episode of Test Chamber in our hub by clicking he...
Uncharted 3 Multiplayer Goes Free-To-Play
By GameInformer, published 26-02-2013
A new option lets new players try out the extensive and highly praised Uncharted 3 multiplayer component without the need to buy the base game. The new downloadable free-to-play option lets players advance up to level 15, playing in the same player pool as the base game. Once you hit level 15, you can continue to play with no time limit, but cease progress on your upgrades. That said, the game keeps track of your XP progress, and if you ever choose to purchase the full game, you retroactively gain access to the levels you would have progressed through for your time played. In the free-to-play version, players experience all of the base maps from the original retail release of Uncharted 3, but won’t immediately have access to any of the DLC maps. If you’re never interest...
The Music Of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
By GameInformer, published 25-02-2013
From Henry Hatsworth to Madden, Gene Rozenberg has had a wild ride through the gaming industry. After the recent closure of 38 Studios and the cancellation of that team's MMO, Project Copernicus, Rozenberg traveled to Poland to become the audio lead on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. While previous videos throughout our month of coverage have offered hints of the new game's soundtrack, this interview is a good opportunity to learn about the audio team behind the upcoming release. Watch the video below to learn who will be composing the game, the team's inspirations, and how the unfinished work of 38 Studios has helped inform the audio for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. (Please visit the site to view this media) To learn more about The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, stay tuned to our hub below for...
Valve’s Gabe Newell Receiving BAFTA Academy Fellowship
By GameInformer, published 25-02-2013
Gabe Newell is a popular man these days. The Valve co-founder was recently inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame, and will now be honored by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) with the Academy Fellowship at this year’s British Academy Games Awards ceremony on March 5. "It is an honor for myself and everyone at Valve to be presented such an award by one of the world’s most respected and recognized organizations,” says Newell. “Valve owes a tremendous thanks to many in the UK – to those who have played our games, to the great support of the UK press, and to UK-based creative contributors such as Garry Newman. I look forward to accepting this prestigious honor on behalf of everyone in our community.&qu...
Motion-Sense Features Possible With New PS4 Controller
By GameInformer, published 25-02-2013
Vice President of Sony Worldwide Studios Europe, Michael Denny, confirmed with PlayStation Magazine that motion-sensing features are going to be possible with the new Dualshock 4, but it will not be a full Move controller. “So it’s not a Move controller because the Move controller is different and will be compatible with PlayStation 4 and the new camera,” Denny said. The new PS4 controller also features a light bar on the front with unconfirmed specifications of its precise use, but Denny went into detail about the use of the light bar on the Dualshock 4. “The feature you’re talking about is the light bar and how that may interact with the camera. Obviously the new 3D stereo camera and HD feed [will] be a lot better with AR aspects, and it can track the...
Android once again on top of iOS in the US
By GSMArena, published 25-02-2013
According to Kantar Worldpanel, for the three-month period ending in January of this year, Google's OS has climbed back to the top of smartphone sales in the United States with a 49.4% market share. Apple had the No 1 spot until recently thanks to strong sales of its new iPhone 5, but Android has been able to make its way back due to competitive carrier discounts. Sprint's cut of the...
LG working on 8-core chip called Odin, Optimus G II bound
By GSMArena, published 24-02-2013
The LG Optimus G II is still a little far off with an expected unveil in Q3 next fall. But rumors are already in motion concerning its chipset, courtesy of KoreaTimes. It seems LG will go down the route of a home-brewed chipset much like Samsung and Huawei. Their first chipset, dubbed Odin, will essentially be an 8-core unit, not unlike Samsung's upcoming chip. LG is said to outsource...
Huawei Ascend P2 finally announced
By GSMArena, published 24-02-2013
The Huawei Ascend P2 uses a 1.5GHz quad-core processor similar to that of the already announced Ascend D2. It has 1GB RAM and 16GB storage, which unfortunately is not expandable as there is no microSD card slot. The 8.4mm thin Ascend P2 has a 4.7-inch 720p IPS screen with 312ppi ratio. This came as a surprise since all the previous rumors pointed to a 1080p display unit. The screen is...
Super Replay: Luigi's Mansion
By GameInformer, published 24-02-2013
Game Informer's Replay crew has played a ton of crappy games. First there was Overblood, then Galerians, then Overblood 2, then Cyberia, and we just finished up Blue Stinger. While these games are unforgivably awful, I wouldn't trade my time with them for anything. From the statue falling on Raz Karcy in the first hours of Overblood to Dogs Bower's jean shorts, we've shared a lot of good memories with the Replay community. However, I've been jumping on the proverbial grenade by playing all of these stinkers to completion. To reward my gaming martyrdom, the rest of the crew let me choose a game I thought might actually be fun to play. What a novel idea. I chose Luigi's Mansion. The fact that this Super Replay lines up with the 3DS sequel, Luigi's Mansion: Dark M...
Pantech Discover review: Unlikely hero
By GSMArena, published 22-02-2013
Launched during AT&T's developer conference at CES 2013, the Pantech Discover is the company's most capable Android smartphone to hit the United States yet. The LTE handset follows the same formula as its two predecessors, the Pantech...
Ubisoft Works To Repair Damaged Reputation With PC Gamers
By GameInformer, published 22-02-2013
With a history of over-aggressive anti-piracy measures and dangerous security holes in its services, Ubisoft isn't held in the highest esteem among a healthy portion of PC gamers. Now that the company is trying convince consumers to use its Uplay digital storefront instead of EA or Steam, however, Ubisoft is taking steps to mend that relationship. Earlier this week, the company added games from publishers like EA, Warner Bros, Telltale and Bohemia to its Uplay marketplace, a move Ubisoft thinks shows its matured approach to the space. “Announcing all these partners for Uplay and a wider choice of PC games, it shows our commitment to PC, and we want to improve out relationship with the PC community,” Uplay director Stephanie Perotti told MCV. “We ...
Assassin’s Creed III: The Infamy DLC Impressions
By GameInformer, published 22-02-2013
Leading up to its launch, I’ve been keen to learn how Ubisoft planned to integrate the alternate history storyline of its new DLC into the main game. The answer turns out to be more surprising and entertaining than I might have thought. The Tyranny of King Washington has its own menu entry when you start up Assassin’s Creed III, so it won’t tie into your main campaign at all. Launch this new, second single-player campaign, and you’re treated to a confusing jumble of initial images that indicate Washington’s corruption by an artifact of the First Civilization. Connor awakes from a dream, and you’re off to the races. The big difference is that you’re not Connor – in this world, Ratonhnhaké:ton never left his tribal heritage to mee...
Reunite With Your Entourage In Final Mass Effect 3 DLC
By GameInformer, published 21-02-2013
Commander Shepard's tale truly comes to an end in Mass Effect 3 with two final downloadable content packs for single-player and multiplayer. Citadel will thrust players into the center of a conspiracy targeting Commander Shepard. Players will visit the Citadel’s Wards, as well as the Council Archives, as they team up with the cast of the first two games – including fan favorite Urdnot Wrex – to figure out the mystery. The DLC also adds a casino to test your luck, the Armax Combat Arena, and the ability to furnish Shepard’s living quarters on the Citadel. BioWare also promises the chance to rekindle romances. Citadel releases on March 5 for 1200 Microsoft Points ($15) on Xbox 360, $14.99 for PlayStation 3, and 1200 BioWare points ($15) for PC. On th...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 02/21/13
By GameInformer, published 21-02-2013
It looks like the Game Informer Community took advantage of the long weekend to post and abundance of content, with a near record setting number of blogs and user reviews being featured in this latest episode of Blog Herding. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: February 11 – February 17, 2013Number of User Blogs: 114Number of User Bloggers: 67Number of User Blogs Herded: 17 Community Blogs: Why The Delay Of Rayman Legends Is A Good ThingYou may be surprised (or not) by the amount of attention generated by Ubisoft's decision to delay the release of Rayman Legends including all of the discussions about it, like this one from Chris Mrkvicka. Top 5 Videogame ClichésA cliché is anything that becomes commonplace through overuse. Mike weighs in on his top five list of vi...
Sony Xperia Z launches in Europe today, already sold out in France
By GSMArena, published 21-02-2013
More than 140,000 Xperia Z units were sold during the launch week of the smartphone in Japan. The Xperia Z hit the shelves in the country of the rising sun exclusively via NTT DoCoMo on February 9. The Sony Xperia Z is one of the six newly released high-end smartphones by NTT DoCoMo, along with Panasonic Eluga X, Sharp Aquos EX, LG Optimus G Pro, Huawei Ascend D2, Fujitsu Arrows X and NEC...
Nintendo Attending Gamescom This Year
By GameInformer, published 20-02-2013
Nintendo didn’t attend Gamescom last year, missing out on Europe’s biggest gaming trade show, but it is returning to this year. "Nintendo's return is an absolute highlight for our community, exhibitors and trade visitors from around the world,” Gamescom project manager Tim Endres told Gamesindustry. “We are also in very promising talks with other key players in the industry with regard to Gamescom 2013.” Nintendo will be joined by a plethora of other developers including Bethesda Softworks, Konami, Riot Games, and Ubisoft, just to name a few. Gamescom takes place on August 21 in Cologne, Germany.
Apple iPhone 5 and 4S top global smartphone shipments for Q4 2012
By GSMArena, published 20-02-2013
According to the latest report from the Strategy Analytics, Apple iPhone 5 was the best-selling smartphone in the world for the the fourth quarter of 2012. Surprisingly, the second spot was taken by Apple's iPhone 4S, leaving the Samsung's current flagship device in the third place. According to the report, Apple managed to ship 27.4 million iPhone 5 units during the holiday three month...
Acer Liquid Z2 is an entry-level JB droid with dual-SIM version
By GSMArena, published 20-02-2013
Acer made a quick pre-MWC announcement of a new entry level Android phone, the Acer Liquid Z2. Also, the company is expanding the availability of the more powerful Liquid E1 that it announced a month ago. The Acer Liquid Z2 is powered by a dual-core 1GHz processor with 512MB RAM and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The display is a 3.5" HVGA unit and there's a special Quick Mode, which simplifies...
Death Inc. Receives Demo
By GameInformer, published 20-02-2013
Indie developer Ambient Studios is pushing forward its Death Inc. title with a 10-minute demo, and the game's placement on Steam Greenlight. The title follows the exploits of Grim T. Livingstone, a freelance reaper who brings death to 1660’s England via plague, rats, and exploding livestock. The PC, Mac, and Linux title is scheduled to launch in October 2013, but has not yet reached its Kickstarter goal. Read our preview to learn more about the game. [Source: Polygon]
World’s Most Powerful Gaming GPU Costs $999
By GameInformer, published 19-02-2013
Next week NVIDIA releases the GeForce GTX Titan. The new graphics card is more powerful than any NVIDIA hardware before it. Despite being far more powerful, it is designed with the same cooling system as its predecessor, the GTX 690, and a sports a polycarbonate window. The Titan has 6GB of GDDR5 memory and 384 bits of memory bandwidth. Group three of them in a SLI formation, and it surpasses the power of a pair of GTX 690’s. The graphics card is supposed to go on sale as early as next week for the hefty price tag of $999. Check out the official announcement video below, and keep your eyes on NVIDIA's website for more info. (Please visit the site to view this media) Source: The Verge
HTC One goes official with 4.7" 1080p screen, quad-core CPU
By GSMArena, published 19-02-2013
Just as we expected, the HTC events turned out to be about the company's new flagship - the HTC One. HTC One features a 4.7-inch Super LCD 3 display of 1080p resolution (that's 469ppi). It should be able to match the image quality of the Butterfly's unit. The One is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 chipset (the same ticking inside the LG Optimus G Pro) utilizing a quad-core...
Obama Credits Video Games As A Reason To Introduce Programming Education
By GameInformer, published 19-02-2013
In a Google+ Fireside Hangout on February 18, President Obama stated that video games could be a good way to attract children to computer programming. President Obama said that introducing computer programming in elementary schools makes sense because children nowadays are knowledgeable about the internet and video games, and this would drive passion in the programming department. According to the President, an education and background in programming could benefit children in later years, making them “job ready.” “I think given how pervasive computers and the internet is now, and how fascinated kids are with it,” says President Obama, “I want to make sure that they know how to actually produce stuff using computers, and not simply consume stuff." ...
PS4 May Allow Cross Platform Gameplay With Phones
By GameInformer, published 18-02-2013
The new PlayStation may offer gamers a chance to try out cloud-streaming technology, allowing developers to run software on server systems and stream it off the internet. Kazuo Hirai, Sony Chief Executive, took lead in a deal to purchase Gaikai Inc., the game in development using the new “cloud-gaming” technology. As we reported last week, Sony's new console will stream old games over the internet using technology from a company called Gaikai Inc. Now, according to the Wall Street Journal, The new PlayStation will also allow players to share their gaming experience openly with social media including gameplay videos via YouTube and achievements. Cloud-gaming could eventually lead to the the capability of Sony smartphones and televisions tapping into the games that require ...
Telltale Games' Dan Connors Talks Episodic Gaming, Next Gen
By GameInformer, published 18-02-2013
Telltale Games' The Walking Dead was one of 2012's surprising success stories, racking up numerous Game of the Year awards (80 according to Telltale) with an interactive experience that made many gamers grab a Kleenex. I spoke with Dan Connors, CEO and co-founder of Telltale Games and executive producer on The Walking Dead, about storytelling in video games, The Walking Dead: Season 2, and what's coming next for the industry. Reiner: Has the success of The Walking Dead changed the way Telltale is looking at future projects? Is it becoming a mold for what Telltale hopes to accomplish with other games moving forward? Connors: The Walking Dead has captured a lot of what we were trying to do. As far as having a digital distribution network to publish into so that we control our o...
Epic Is Giving Away A Signed Copy Of Our Gears Of War: Judgment Issue
By GameInformer, published 16-02-2013
Epic Games is giving away a copy of our Gears of War: Judgment issue, signed by the actor that portrays Augustus "Cole Train" Cole, Lester Speight. There are a couple of ways to get entered to win the magazine. You'll have to head to Epic Games' blog for more information. Gears of War: Judgment is coming to Xbox 360 on March 19.
Wii U's Sales Were Rough In January
By GameInformer, published 16-02-2013
January's NPD numbers are in, and it was a historically rough month for Nintendo's new console. Gamasutra estimates that the system moved between 45,000 and 59,000 units for the month. These figures are especially noteworthy, as they mean the Wii U had a worse month than Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 have had in their entire existence. It's obviously not great news for Nintendo, but the publisher seems aware of the problem. Recent Nintendo Direct streams have addressed the lack of excitement, and they hope for a strong 2013 with new Virtual Console support and the announcement of big games like Mario, Mario Kart, and a Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker remake. Source: Gamasutra
PSN Version Of Jetpack Joyride Hits One Million Downloads
By GameInformer, published 15-02-2013
Jetpack Joyride has been a huge success for quite a while on mobile, and it appears that its PSN counterpart has also been doing well. Halfbrick recently announced that one million accounts have downloaded the game across the PS3 and Vita platforms. “We want to extend a massive thanks to the dedicated team at Big Ant for bringing Jetpack Joyride to Sony’s passionate and thriving online community,” Phil Larsen, CMO of Halfbrick said. “Our amazing fans continue to exceed expectations, paving the way for more exciting releases further down the line.” Source: VG 24/7
Angry Birds Trilogy Flapping Over To Wii And Wii U
By GameInformer, published 15-02-2013
The console release of Angry Birds has been a success, according to reps from Activision and the series' creator, Rovio. The game's publisher says Angry Birds Trilogy has sold more than one million units worldwide, and that the game will be coming to the Wii and Wii U sometime in 2013. "It was certainly satisfying to see Angry Birds gameplay adapt so well to other platforms in 2012,” said Petri Järvilehto, executive vice president of games at Rovio. “The features specific to the Wii U are very intriguing to us, so we’re excited to release this version to fans.” One million units shouldn't be dismissed, even if the mobile game was downloaded more than 8 million times on Christmas day alone. It seems as though the PS3, 3DS, and Xbox 360...
[Update] BioWare Offers Sneak Peek At Mass Effect 3 DLC
By GameInformer, published 15-02-2013
[Update] BioWare's community manager Chris Priestly recently said, via Twitter, that we may learn more about this upcoming DLC soon. Priestly tweeted: "We'll reveal details as soon as the team is comfortable it is locked and complete. Hopefully next week." We can't wait to hear more. [Original Story] Late last year we heard rumblings that BioWare was working on some epic DLC for Mass Effect 3, now the company has started to tease images of the content through twitter. Producer Michael Gamble recently tweeted the above pic stating "Does not look like a guy you'd want to mess with." While executive producer Casey Hudson tweeted the below picture stating, "Looks like a nice place for some R&R." This has us all the more eager to learn about t...
The Man And Story Behind I Get This Call Every Day
By GameInformer, published 15-02-2013
Every once in a while, gamers are regaled with the uplifting, rags-to-riches story of an indie developer who is successful enough to turn their passion for game development into a full-time career. David Gallant's story is decidedly different. As a customer-service representative for the Canada Revenue Agency, it was Gallant's job to help callers with routine tasks like changing their address, while dealing with the demands of his superiors and government red tape. Rather than being dejected by his day job, however, Gallant was inspired by it. He funneled his frustrations into I Get This Call Every Day, a short indie game he describes as a "personal tale of unwinnable realities." Shortly after the game's release, however, Gallant experienced the punch line of I Get T...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 02/14/13
By GameInformer, published 14-02-2013
Based on the number of user reviews and the handful of blogs submitted by the community, the hot game of the week was Dead Space 3, a game that Game Informer hailed as one of the best games of this generation. In addition to all of the Dead Space 3 chatter, there were some other great blogs posted including the ones featured below. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: February 04 – February 10, 2013Number of User Blogs: 102Number of User Bloggers: 56Number of User Blogs Herded: 14 Community Blogs: Rayman Legends DelayApricot takes a thorough look at the impact of Ubisoft's decision to delay Rayman Legends, the former exclusive Wii U title that is now releasing on the other consoles as well. Everybody Loves RaymanAnother fan annoyed over Ubisoft's decision to postpone Rayman ...
Micromax A116 Canvas HD sold out, limited stock to blame
By GSMArena, published 14-02-2013
Micromax A116 Canvas HD, the latest smartphone from the Indian manufacturer and the successor of the popular A110 Canvas 2 phablet went on sale last night. As expected, the Micromax A116 smartphone was sold out in less than 30 minutes, according to several of our tipsters, who tried to get a unit. Micromax has teamed up with snapdeal.com, one of the renowned e-commerce sites in India, for...
Devil May Cry's Bloody Palace DLC Arriving Next Week
By GameInformer, published 13-02-2013
We've known for over a month that Devil May Cry would be receiving a Bloody Palace DLC pack after launch, but a release date has now been confirmed. A new post over at Capcom Unity confirms that it will be hitting PSN on Tuesday the 19th and Xbox Live the next day. In addition to the 100-stage Bloody Palace gauntlet, the download will also contain a patch that addresses a variety of issues. For the full list of tweaks, check out the Capcom link above.
Evil Ryu's Life-Size Bust Costs $499
By GameInformer, published 13-02-2013
Pop Culture Shock is opening up pre-orders for its polystone busts of Ryu and Evil Ryu on February 18. The Evil Ryu bust stands in at 24" and features LED-illuminated eyes and a fabric headband and gi. The Ryu bust turns up the creep-factor to 11 with positionable acrylic eyes that will likely follow you wherever you go. Both busts carry a $499 price tag. Pop Culture Shock is only creating 300 units of Ryu and 120 of Evil Ryu. If you are interested in these busts, bookmark this page for next week's pre-order.
Media Molecule’s Siobhan Reddy Named One Of UK’s Most Powerful Women
By GameInformer, published 13-02-2013
A recent BBC list highlights the Media Molecule founder for her influential position in the game development world. Reddy is best known for her work as studio director at the UK development studio, which received tremendous acclaim for its creation of LittleBigPlanet. The 2013 Power List highlights important women in the United Kingdom, and includes everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to JK Rowling. You can investigate other entries on the BBC list by clicking here. To read Reddy's thoughts on women in gaming, check out her article in the Telegraph from a couple of months back. Via Develop
Virgin Gaming Presents $1 Million In Prize Money
By GameInformer, published 02-12-2013
Virgin Game and EA Sports partnered again for the annual EA Sports Challenge Series Feb. 9, one of the largest live gaming tournament in the world, and battled solely on the PlayStation 3. That Saturday morning, 1000 spectators entered Lagasse’s Stadium in Las Vegas to watch 640 gamers compete for one of the industry’s largest prize pools. “In 2012, when we launched the inaugural EA SPORTS Challenge Series, we set the bar high for video game tournaments by creating a truly groundbreaking event for gamers from all over the world”, said Billy Levy, co-founder and president of Virgin Gaming. “Now in its second year, we witnessed once again the best competition for FIFA Soccer 13, MADDEN 13 and NHL 13 all playing under one roof for their share of $1,000,00...
2K Sports Outlines New Changes To MLB 2K13's Perfect Game Challenge
By GameInformer, published 02-12-2013
MLB 2K13's release is fast approaching, which means it's almost time for another Perfect Game Challenge. This year's challenge introduces some new changes that will provide gamers with extra opportunities to grab some cash. In previous years, the $1 million Perfect Game Challenge cash prize has gone to a single winner, but not anymore. 2K Sports will award $25,000 to the top perfect game pitcher of all 30 baseball teams. The challenge ends on April 30, after which the top four overall players will compete for the $250,000 grand prize in New York during MLB All-Star Week in July. Check out the trailer below for more details, or to just watch a couple of professional ball players yuk it up. (Please visit the site to view this media) MLB 2K13 releases on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 36...
We Are Rebels: The Business Of The Witcher And CD Projekt Red
By GameInformer, published 02-11-2013
Based in Warsaw, Poland, CD Projekt Red has quietly become one of the most beloved studios in the gaming industry. The game development studio is housed under the larger CD Projekt company that also distributes Disney films in Poland and runs GOG.com. Based on the Polish novels, the Witcher license has given CD Projekt Red an opportunity to create mature RPGs that have garnered high critical praise and a devoted fanbase. Partnering with publishers like Atlus and THQ in the past only to help distribute their games across the world, the studio puts a strong emphasis on creative independence. Watch the video below to learn from the vice president of business development at CD Projekt Red how the studio acquired the Witcher license and how they are funding the massive project that is The Witc...
LG Optimus L3 II, L5 II, L7 II leak out ahead of announcement
By GSMArena, published 02-10-2013
LG's trio of second generation Optimus L-series smartphones has made an appearance before their official announcement. The LG Optimus L3 II, L5 II, and L7 II have received expected hardware upgrades over their predecessors, while keeping the same design language which lead to over 10 million units sold. The entry-level LG Optimus L3 II from the image above will feature a beefier 1GHz CPU...
Sony Xperia Z sales kick off in Japan, Europe holds its breath
By GSMArena, published 02-09-2013
Sony Xperia Z is one of the hottest smartphone right now and the good news is you are not too far away from the moment when you'll be able to get one of your own. In fact the smartphone is already on sale in Japan. The Sony Xperia Z is now available for purchase through NTT DoCoMo and the carrier has already shipped the units to those who pre-ordered the smartphone. Sony has a...
Sprint offers buy one - get one free deal on LG Optimus G
By GSMArena, published 02-09-2013
Sprint is offering a second LG Optimus G unit for free to everyone that purchases it for $199.99. Of course, both the smartphones would require two year contracts. The offer from Sprint is quite attractive, considering the fact that the quad-core powerhouse is still one of the most powerful smartphones in the market. For more information on the Sprint's LG Optimus G BOGO promotion and...
Weekend Warrior 02/8/13
By GameInformer, published 02-09-2013
More promises to play Far Cry 3 are made, with one editor clearing his schedule to jump back into Isaac Clarke’s RIG suit in Dead Space 3. Ben Hanson: I checked out Boom Blox from Game Informer's vault, so I hope to find some time to play it a bit. I'm also hoping to download Dead Space 3 on PC; I'm praying my laptop doesn't melt. On top of that, I should really play some more Fire Emblem: Awakening, and I've been meaning to check out Proteus. Have a good weekend! Tim Turi: This weekend I’m putting everything on hold to play through Dead Space 3 again. I’m really looking forward to running through the game again on a harder difficulty and diving deeper into the weapon crafting. I hope to squeeze in some co-op as well. Jeff Marchiafava: For the ...
Developers Can't Catch A Break As Impossible Studios Closes Its Doors
By GameInformer, published 02-08-2013
The Impossible Studios developers seem to be facing the impossible task of working at a studio that doesn't fold. Big Huge Games, developer of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, went out of business last year, and now some of that former team's veterans find themselves once again out of a job after Epic Games closed Impossible Studios. Tim Sweeney, founder of Epic Games, says in a post on Epic’s website that things just weren’t working out. “When former members of Big Huge Games approached Epic last year, we saw the opportunity to help a great group of people while putting them to work on a project that needed a team,” Sweeney recalls. “It was a bold initiative and the Impossible folks made a gallant effort, but ultimately it wasn’t worki...
Sony Admits It Needs To Do Better Promoting The Vita
By GameInformer, published 02-08-2013
Masaru Kato, Sony’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, has a confession: the PlayStation Vita is not being promoted well. "Now one thing clear for us that in terms of profitability, we have to do a better job in promoting the PlayStation Vita mobile product,” Kato said in a conference call with overseas investors. As reported yesterday, Sony cut its Vita and PlayStation Portable sales projection down from 10 million units to seven million. Kato outlines many issues with the Vita, citing the need for more third-party software support, marketing, and pricing of the handheld as key areas to improve in order to drive sales. If you haven’t purchased a Vita, what would sway you to? [Source: CVG]
One million Nexus 4 units already shipped according to estimates
By GSMArena, published 02-08-2013
The sales of the LG-built Google Nexus 4 have reached a million units, according to the owners of the smartphones. The members on the XDA Developer forum have worked a way out to make an educated guess on the smartphone shipments on the basis of its IMEI number. The XDA post, suggest that the 999,998th Nexus 4 was sold in Turkey and the device was produced on February 5. LG and Google...
Android on 37% of all phones shipped in Q4, iOS on 11%
By GSMArena, published 02-08-2013
Analysts at Canalys are done crunching the numbers and released a report on the state of mobile phones in the final quarter last year. Phone shipments (438.1 million units in total) were flat year on year, but that's at the expense of feature phones. Smartphone shipments went up 37% and made up half of all handsets sold. There were 216.5 million Android phones in the mix (69% of smartphones...
Age of Wonders III Announced
By GameInformer, published 02-08-2013
Triumph Studios’ announcement of Age of Wonders III may be a triumph for fans of the strategy role-playing game series. Age of Wonders III – the first iteration in the series since 2003 – will allows players to craft empires of their own design, and introduces RPG-inspired classes. “In Age of Wonders III, we extrapolate RPG style classes to be the leaders of fantasy empires,” says Lennart Sas, development director at Triumph. “For example: as a Goblin Theocrat you can build your own holy empire, recruit little goblin crusaders or cute winged goblin angels equipped with flaming weapons, and wage war on your heathen enemies. We want players to be able to choose between lots of different play styles, without being restricted by fantasy clichés, lik...
Warren Spector Shuns Talk Of Retirement
By GameInformer, published 02-07-2013
Disney may have closed the 57-year-old developer's Junction Point studio, but he still has the burning desire to create games. During his D.I.C.E. speech entitled "The Graying of Gaming," Warren Spector outlined how his perspectives, ambitions, and priorities have shifted from his time as a wide-eyed game creator in his 20s, an accomplished talent in his 30s and 40s, and into his current role as a senior member of the game development community. Though his passion for video game staples like space marines and iron-clad warriors has dimmed as his age has advanced, Spector was quick to dismiss the idea that he's ready to ride off into the sunset. "One of my programmers said, 'Why don't you just retire?'" Spector recalled of a conversation he h...
See Gabe Newell's D.I.C.E. Keynote
By GameInformer, published 02-07-2013
Valve CEO Gabe Newell took the stage with director JJ Abrams yesterday, where they had a tongue-in-cheek debate on whether films or games were the best way to tell stories. Newell was back today, with a solo talk. Gabe Newell's Keynote discussed structural changes going forward in the games industry. He announced up front it wouldn’t include any product announcements (sorry Half-Life fans), but instead wanted to focus on changing the way of how we think of a game. Newell addressed as more services emerge on the internet, the PC will have a natural progression into our living rooms and have to face the challenges of user integration. He also discussed how games are evolving and the questions that must be asked about what makes a good game and how to invest development resou...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 02/07/13
By GameInformer, published 02-07-2013
The final episode of Blog Herding for the month of January ends with a scattered collection of blogs focusing more on what's to come instead of what we're playing now, including a couple of posts from those members taking advantage of the public beta for Dust 514. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: January 28 – February 03, 2013Number of User Blogs: 123Number of User Bloggers: 75Number of User Blogs Herded: 11 Community Events: A number of GIO members completed their 31 blogs in 31 days project, including markus1142, xl9, Gaming Warthog, and Kate Willaert, whose daily blog spotlighted a different video game-inspired movie. Obviously all of their blogs couldn't be featured here, but they're still worth checking out. Community Blogs: Dust 514 Open Beta ImpressionsPle...
Sony Cuts PlayStation Vita & PSP Sales Projection
By GameInformer, published 02-07-2013
Reporting on its recent performance in the third fiscal quarter ending last year, Sony has once again revised its sales estimates for the Vita and PSP handhelds for the fiscal year ending in March. Both handhelds are now expected to sell seven million units worldwide. This echoes CEO Kaz Hirai's earlier comments that sales of the Vita in particular were on the "low end" of what the company was expecting. According to Gamasutra, this is not the first time the company has revised its outlook for the two portable units.
New Remember Me Screens Show Off Characters And Locations
By GameInformer, published 02-07-2013
Capcom has released a brand new batch of Remember Me screens that show off all kinds of unseen elements from the upcoming game. You will see new locations and new characters. The screens come from Capcom's Unity blog, which showcases even more screens than our gallery below, if you want more. Remember Me is headed to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC this year.
Unfinished Swan Finishes January As PlayStation Network Top Seller
By GameInformer, published 02-06-2013
Developer Giant Sparrow’s critically acclaimed title, Unfinished Swan, finished at the top of the PlayStation Network January sales chart for the top 20 PlayStation and PlayStation Network games. Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable was the surprise leader in the top 10 PlayStation Vita games, followed by Persona 4 Golden. You can find the complete lists of top selling games and downloadable content below: Top 20 PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Network games The Unfinished Swan LittleBigPlanet Karting Earthworm Jim HD Journey Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy Dungeon Hunter: Alliance Tokyo Jungle Machinarium Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Ratchet & Clank The House of the Dead: Overkill Extended Cut Mass Effect Warp PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale NiGHTS into dreams Mo...
Samsung to start mass production of the 5" 1080p display this month
By GSMArena, published 02-06-2013
We know that Samsung is working on a 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display for Q1 of this year - it was on a roadmap on its booth. Now DDaily is reporting some more concrete dates - according to industry sources, the display will enter mass production at the Samsung Display plants near the end of this month. The display units will reach Samsung Electronics in early March - just in time for an...
Noobz Director Blake Freeman Answers Our Questions
By GameInformer, published 02-05-2013
The gaming-themed movie Noobz is out in world to a mixed reception (our own Dan Ryckert did not particularly enjoy it). Director Blake Freeman was nice enough to chat with us before our review released and was more than willing to discuss all aspects of the move. This interview covers specific plot details including the ending, so watch out for spoilers if you haven't seen the film yet. It seems like one of the reasons that you wanted to chat was because some gamers are assuming the worst about Noobz. Why do you think that is? Oh no, no, no. For one, every time a game movie comes out, before it even has a chance to get out, it is beat to hell. We decided to not go with either of the studios that made a bid on the script because they were going to turn this movie into something that ha...
North Korean Propaganda Video Uses Footage From Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
By GameInformer, published 02-05-2013
A video showed up recently on North Korea's official YouTube page that features footage from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. It's a strange video that features a North Korean citizen dreaming of a nuclear attack on the United States, while a looping instrumental version of "we are the world" plays in the background. The video and its Call of Duty clips was first discovered by LiveLeak, which was able to translate some of the text flashing on the screen: "Somewhere in the United States, black clouds of smoke are billowing." "It seems that the nest of wickedness is ablaze with the fire started by itself." "Despite all kinds of attempts by imperialists to isolate and crush us... never will anyone be able to stop the people marching toward a final vi...
BlackBerry OS 10 devs can get a special edition red Z10
By GSMArena, published 02-05-2013
BlackBerry knows how important a rich app store is and it has been hard at work courting developers to bring their apps to BlackBerry World. The latest treat it offers is a special, limited edition of the BlackBerry Z10 - with a cool red paint job. The BlackBerry Z10 units for regular users are either Black or White, but if you submit a BlackBerry 10 OS app by the end of this month you can get...
Scott Pilgrim DLC Delayed
By GameInformer, published 02-05-2013
The 2010 game’s newest batch of downloadable content has been delayed once again. New Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game DLC was set to release on February 6 according to a Major Nelson post, but Ubisoft announced a delay, citing fine-tuning, and the need to incorporate feedback from the game’s community. The DLC, which includes Wallace Wells as a playable character and implements online play, is listed at 400 Microsoft Points ($5). No new release date has been given. [Source: Destructoid]
evasi0n, the first ever iOS 6 untethered jailbreak, goes live
By GSMArena, published 02-04-2013
The hacking community has been hard at work to crack Apple's defenses in iOS 6 and the A6 chip inside the iPhone 5 ever since their debut last year. And while the waiting was long, it's now finally over and the jailbreak is publicly available. (Update: It should be available for most people, but we still have reports of users not seeing the download links) The freshly released evasi0n...
Here Are Xbox Live Arcade's Best Selling Games In 2012
By GameInformer, published 02-03-2013
The Xbox Live Arcade is going strong with revenues estimated to have doubled 2011's according to fadellc.com. That probably has a lot to do with the game that was the best selling XBLA game in 2012. And I am going to predict that it might just be the best selling game in 2013 again when that list rolls around. You can check out the list below which features surprises and non-surprises alike. Castle Crashers, a game that released five years ago is still selling like crazy, and apparently I am Alive, a game with mixed critical reception, sold better than Tony Hawk's HD outing. I'm also disappointed to see that my personal favorite game of 2012, Fez, didn't break the top 10. Minecraft – 4,997,000 units/$97,388,000 Trials Evolution – 1,002,000 units/$14,298,000 Th...
Dark Secrets Of Gaming: Mickey Mouse Once Tried To Kill Himself
By GameInformer, published 02-01-2013
This week brought us the depressing news that Epic Mickey developer Junction Point would be closing its doors. While this is unfortunate news for Junction Point's employees, Disney, and Mickey himself, it's not the first time we've seen Mickey Mouse at the end of his rope. From October 8th through the 24th in 1930, Disney ran several Mickey Mouse comic strips in the daily papers that told the story of a depressed Mickey trying to commit suicide after Minnie left him for a peddler named Mr. Slicker. The book Death Becomes Them tells how the idea was conceived and pushed into production by Walt Disney himself. Mouse Planet notes how Disney likely got the idea when he saw a Harold Lloyd comedy entitled Haunted Spooks, in which Lloyd's character becomes so despondent that he t...
ASUS sells nearly 1 million Padfone 2 units
By GSMArena, published 02-01-2013
Asus Padfone 2 is one of the most innovative devices in the mobile market beyond any shadow of doubt. The second generation of the 3-in-1 smartphone, which can be converted into a tablet and later into a laptop with the help of dock has surely changed the way we look at buying smartphones and tablets. ASUS, the manufacturers of the multi-featured smartphone has reportedly sold nearly 1...
Sony Xperia Z gets officially priced in the United Kingdom
By GSMArena, published 02-01-2013
It looks like the highly anticipated Sony Xperia Z is inching even closer to the UK market. The company's Android flagship has appeared for with a "coming soon" status and a price in Sony's official online store in the United Kingdom. As you can see in the screenshot above, overly anxious users will have to part with £529 ($839; ?617). The price includes all applicable taxes. Customers who...
Guild Wars 2’s Living Story Explained
By GameInformer, published 02-01-2013
What is the Living Story in Guild Wars 2? Narrative designer Andy McCoy comments on the exciting features of the new initiative in a post on Guild Wars 2’s official website. The Living Story will include new story threads and dynamic events in order to bring the world to life and enhance the player’s gaming experience. “You’ll witness the citizens of Tyria living their lives, fighting their foes, making good and bad decisions, and paying the consequences for them; and if you choose, you can be the friend who sees them through their darkest hours and who joins them in their celebrations,” McCoy writes in the explanatory post. Story threads will introduce enigmatic plot twists, influential moments that affect the rest of the world, and fresh characters. Some of...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 01/31/13
By GameInformer, published 31-01-2013
There are some fascinating blogs to share after another productive week from the community, with discussions ranging from video game achievements to individual gamer behavior. There's even a chance to win a free video game in a random drawing hosted by one of the community members. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: January 21 – January 27, 2013Number of User Blogs: 113Number of User Bloggers: 55Number of User Blogs Herded: 13 Community Events: Video Countdown – Top 10 Of 2012Craigaleg not only provides another of his high caliber game videos, this time a Top 10 of 2012, he's also offering a free drawing where the winner will be able to choose any of the games from the video. Game Informer welcomes another group of interns to assist the staff with their day-to-day du...
The Skulls Of The Shogun Strategy Guide
By GameInformer, published 30-01-2013
Every general needs an advisor to help them to victory every now and again, so heed this advice if you want to become the shogun of the Undead in Skulls of the Shogun. The XBLA-exclusive game is a turn-based isometric strategy title without the grid. Skulls' free-ranging movement system not only lets you move before and after you attack, but also see where you can move before you commit to any actions. Overall, the game gives you a lot of tools to execute your plans, so here are some of the ways you can use them and other strategies to success. DO YOUR RECON When you select a character, you'll see their movement sphere which shows the area in which that unit can move. This changes in real time, shrinking and expanding according to how much movement is left. Use this feature to te...
Splinter Cell Blacklist Preview – Sam Fisher Takes Command In The War On Terror
By GameInformer, published 30-01-2013
Ever since an impressive debut last E3, details on Splinter Cell Blacklist have been strictly classified. A new year means new intel, as we witnessed live gameplay of two new levels and learned more about the universal upgrade system. For the uninitiated, Sam is pulled back into service personally by U.S. President Patricia Caldwell. She’s shuttered Third Echelon due to the corruption that came to light in the events of Splinter Cell: Conviction and devoted funding to a new off-the-books team with Sam at the helm (named Fourth Echelon, naturally). His close circle includes series mainstay Anna “Grim” Grimsdottir, hacker Charlie Cole, and CIA operative Isaac Briggs. Rather than holing up in a building, the team crisscrosses the globe in a mobile base/plane named the Palad...
PlayJam Reveals GameStick's Final Controller Design
By GameInformer, published 29-01-2013
PlayJam has revealed the final controller design for its upcoming GameStick, a game system designed to bring Android-based games to the big screen. The final design, pictured above, incorporates feedback from the Kickstarter community. Some of those changes include an expandable 32 GB MicroSD slot in the system's HDMI-based stick (which acts as the system and conduit between TVs and the controller) and retooled edges and contours. GameStick has been another success story for Kickstarter, raising more then $500,000 – more than 500 percent more than the initial funding goal. If you're interested in backing the project, you have less than 70 hours to go. You can get your own GameStick for $79, and systems are scheduled to start shipping this April. This is the second Andro...
Xperia Z demo units hit Japan retail stores, sales start February 9
By GSMArena, published 29-01-2013
Japanese retail stores have started displaying demo units of the hotly anticipated Sony Xperia Z. What's more, there's now an exact date when sales will start, and that's February 9. Mind you, that date counts only for Sony's home market, and not the European, where the device is expected to land in March or late February. The information comes from TalkAndroid, so take it with a grain of...
BioWare Offers Sneak Peek At Mass Effect 3 DLC
By GameInformer, published 29-01-2013
Late last year we heard rumblings that BioWare was working on some epic DLC for Mass Effect 3, now the company has started to tease images of the content through twitter. Producer Michael Gamble recently tweeted the above pic stating "Does not look like a guy you'd want to mess with." While executive producer Casey Hudson tweeted the below picture stating, "Looks like a nice place for some R&R." This has us all the more eager to learn about this upcoming DLC. Hopefully BioWare announces something soon, before our guts dissolve away from excitement. [Via: Joystiq]
Journalist Beats Pro Racer With Grid 2 Developer Advice
By GameInformer, published 28-01-2013
Codemasters’ first video in a series of three hyping Grid 2 features a twist – live-action footage of one of the game’s cars in action, as well as Brands Hatch race course. Automotive journalist Chris Harris, featured in the video, works with the developer to provide insights on vehicle selection for the game, and ensures cars drive realistically. “I’m thoroughly enjoying working on these videos for Grid 2, and adding a few pointers to help develop the handling on some of the key cars in the game,” says Harris. “It’s a great opportunity to explore the ever-closer relationship between real driving and the virtual world. As someone who spends so much time in the latest supercars, it’s been fascinating seeing the intricacies of th...
Here Are Japan's Best Selling Games Of 2012
By GameInformer, published 27-01-2013
It turns out the Japanese are still really into Pokémon. The list comes from Japanese gaming site 4Gamer.net, with helpful translations from Siliconera. It's always interesting to see what Japanese gamers are into compared to us over here in North America. For example, Taiko Drum Master: The Little Dragon and the Mysterious Orb sold better than Resident Evil: Revelations for 3DS. The list below contains the top 30 best selling games, and their units sold for 2012. Pokémon Black/White 2 - 2,919,977 Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 1,969,955 New Super Mario Bros. 2 - 1,743,791 Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry’s Wonderland 3D - 919,870 Resident Evil 6 - 833,012 One Piece: Pirate Warriors - 828,150 Mario K...
What's Next For Wii U?
By GameInformer, published 26-01-2013
The Wii U has gotten off to a bit of a slow start, with the release of new games slowing down to a trickle in recent months. However, Nintendo has plenty planned for 2013. We break down what new games and services players can expect as the second wave of Wii U software approaches. Note: This article originally appeared in the February issue of Game Informer magazine (issue 238), but has been updated with new information from Nintendo's Wii U Direct press conference. Pikmin 3 SpringPikmin 3 was one of the most celebrated showings at Nintendo's E3 2012 press conference. As in previous installments, players command groups of the adorable creatures to solve puzzles, traverse the environment, and defeat bosses. Curiously, Nintendo recommends playing Pikmin 3 with a Wii remote and nunc...
PlanetSide 2 Partners With Major League Gaming
By GameInformer, published 25-01-2013
Gamers looking for a more competitive bout of PlanetSide 2 are in luck: Sony Online Entertainment announced that the free-to-play massively multiplayer online first-person shooter will be a part of Major League Gaming. The year-long collaboration with the eSports league will produce new competitive gameplay features, original programming to air on MLG’s network (as well as on video game livestream site Twitch), and chances to play the game at MLG’s Pro Circuit events – the first one being held at the Winter Championship in Dallas on March 15-17. "PlanetSide 2 players are extremely loyal to their chosen Empires and when it comes to battling, they are beyond competitive and truly enjoy the in-game rivalries, so it was the natural next step for us to bring PlanetSide 2...
Welcome The Winter 2013 GI Interns
By GameInformer, published 25-01-2013
Between reviews, previews, interviews, news, podcasts, videos, and all the other stuff we do around Game Informer, it’s safe to say that we keep ourselves pretty busy. That’s why we’re always excited when a new team of interns arrives at the office, eager and ready to help carry the load. Louis Garcia and Kayla Herrera have opted to brave the frigid temperatures outside here in Minnesota right now to trek to our offices and give us a hand. Hopefully, along the way, they’ll get the chance to do some writing, share their love of gaming, and chat with our awesome community. You’ll be seeing these two show up all over the place in future weeks as they tackle news stories, game previews, and a wealth of cool features we have planned. Want to know a little m...
Huawei now in top 3 smartphone makers as Samsung extends lead
By GSMArena, published 25-01-2013
Samsung and Apple have posted strong Q4 numbers with smartphone shipments reaching tens of millions of units, but as IDC points out in its latest report they were the only winners in 2012. Two Chinese companies have now made it to the top 5 of the smartphone manufacturers, overtaking makers like RIM, LG, HTC and Nokia in the process. Huawei's smartphone shipments grew by 89.5% ...
Samsung teases with image of Exynos 5 Octa chipset
By GSMArena, published 25-01-2013
The Samsung Exynos 5 Octa chipset caused a lot of excitement and the SamsungExynos Twitter account is slowly fanning the flames with little teasing tidbits of info like this image of the chipset. It's a 3D render of the SoC rather than a photo of a production unit. In the same tweet, Samsung is talking up the energy efficiency of the chipset. Up close with the #Exynos 5 Octa mobile...
Don't Blame Tablets if Dedicated eReader Market Vanishes
By HotHardware, published 25-01-2013
A market research firm forecasts media tablet shipments around the world will reach 145 million units in 2013. New players, a wider range of lower cost tablets to choose from, and increased interest from business sectors will help media tablets to "continue to take the market by storm," ABI Research says. "The rate of innovation is slowing...
Independent Studio Seeks Funding To Save Homeworld License
By GameInformer, published 24-01-2013
THQ's demise is one of the biggest stories in the industry this week. As we watched many of its precious licenses and studios being sold off, we wondered about the future of some franchises. And we're not the only ones, studios are also taking notice. One independent studio, Team Pixel, wants to make sure the Homeworld license lives on by buying the rights, and they're asking for your help to get the job done. Team Pixel has since launched a campaign via Indiegogo, though they not taken on a project of this magnitude before. According to their Indiegogo page, they've been around for eight years, and are skilled in "web design, web development, desktop software, and mobile applications." The campaign page notes that it's been 10 years since we've se...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 01/24/13
By GameInformer, published 24-01-2013
After record setting numbers last week, the amount of activity from the community dipped slightly this week, but there is still plenty of great material for your viewing pleasure. It's also worth mentioning the long running Robot in the Corner podcast created by featured blogger born4this announced its official retirement. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: January 14 – January 20, 2013Number of User Blogs: 111Number of User Bloggers: 55Number of User Blogs Herded: 12 Community Blogs: Advertising In The Game IndustryA robust marketing campaign can certainly influence the reception of a game once it ships and markus1142 shares a few influential advertisements that helped persuade him into purchasing their products. Top 10 DualwieldersAkimbo is a term you seldom hear anymore to ...
SSD Market On Track For More Than Double Growth This Year
By HotHardware, published 24-01-2013
As more and more low-cost ultrabooks enter the market, the shipments of solid state drives could more than double in 2013. An IHS iSuppli Storage Space Market Brief suggests shipments of SSDs could rise to 83 million units this year, which is more than double the number of shipments in 2012. By 2016, iSuppli expects shipments will continue...
Nokia Drive+ Beta now available for all Windows Phone 8 users
By GSMArena, published 24-01-2013
Nokia's much awaited turn-by-turn navigation application, Drive+ is now available for free to all Windows Phone 8 users in United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The application is still technically a beta, but we have already had numerous chances to see that it's actually pretty great and little to no bugs. So as long as you live in one of the three countries above you now gain access...
Pakistan Bans Black Ops II And Medal Of Honor: Warfighter
By GameInformer, published 24-01-2013
The All Pakistan CD, DVD, Audio Cassette Traders and Manufacturers Association (or APCDACTAMA for fans of awful acronyms) has banned one of last year's most popular shooters. They also banned Medal of Honor: Warfighter. It seems that APCDACTAMACABADA isn't fond of games that make Pakistan look bad. "The problem is that there are things that are against Pakistan and they have included criticism of our army," said Saleem Memon, president of BANANARAMA. "They show the country in a very poor light." In a statement directed to Fox News, the association continued. "These [games] have been developed against the country's national unity and sanctity. [They] have been developed against Pakistan, and the Association has completely banned their sale. Shopkeepers ...
Will Patrice Désilets Be Returning To His Former Employer?
By GameInformer, published 24-01-2013
About two and a half years ago, former Assassin's Creed director Patrice Désilets left Ubisoft and later joined forces with THQ Montreal. In an odd twist of fate, today's auction has brought that studio under the umbrella of Ubisoft. What does this mean for Patrice? Polygon touched base with Ubisoft, and the publisher's response failed to clear things up. "It's too soon to say for certain, but we are very excited about THQ Montreal becoming part of Ubisoft," said a representative for Ubisoft. If Patrice does return to Ubisoft, it may make for some interesting dynamics around the company considering that Ubisoft obtained an injunction against THQ after his departure.
American McGee Apologizes For Negative EA Comments
By GameInformer, published 23-01-2013
Earlier this week, game designer American McGee had some negative things to say about EA's marketing techniques during an AMA on Reddit. He seemed frustrated by EA's apparent attempts to "trick" gamers into buying a hardcore horror game...something Alice: Madness Returns is not. Later, he posted an apology on his official blog. "Allow me to expand on my original post while at the same time making a correction (call it a retraction if you like)," McGee wrote. "'Tricked is the wrong word. I take that back. Apologies to EA and anyone else whose feelings were hurt. Electronic Arts doesn’t trick customers into buying things. They carefully apply proven marketing techniques to achieve the desired customer response. If they were bad at this sort of thin...
Microsoft Confirms Surface Pro Pricing, Expands Surface RT Availability
By HotHardware, published 23-01-2013
If the limited Surface RT wasn't up to snuff for you, hang tight -- Microsoft's Surface Pro will be on sale soon. The software giant today announced that the Surface Windows 8 Pro tablet will be available for purchase on Feb. 9, 2013, in the United States and Canada at all Microsoft retail stores, microsoftstore.com, Staples and Best Buy in...
Blizzard's Rob Pardo Responds To Celebration Over Diablo III Director's Departure
By GameInformer, published 20-01-2013
Jay Wilson, director on Diablo III, recently announced that he was leaving Diablo III to work on another project internally at Blizzard. In response, many Diablo fans on Blizzard's message boards were happy. In response to that, Blizzard's chief creative officer, Rob Pardo, jumped in to defend Wilson. You can read his full response by heading to the message boards, or reading the full quote below. The gist of Pardo's message is that Wilson is an excellent designer who knows what he's doing, and to see such celebration over his departure is upsetting. Pardo appreciates the "rough justice" frequently handed out on Blizzard's message boards, but doesn't believe that justice is being properly served in Wilson's case. This thread saddens me greatly. I know...
LG may be back as the second top phone manufacturer in the US
By GSMArena, published 20-01-2013
Yup, after years of poor performance in the mobile phone sector, LG may actually be back on track. We last heard that they've sold some 55 million handsets in 2012, even though their Optimus G was not doing terribly well, selling only 1 million units during the first 4 months of its availability. But hey, perhaps due to the incredible popularity of the competitively priced and...
Capcom Introduces Black Diablos With New Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Screens
By GameInformer, published 19-01-2013
With the newest collection of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate screens, Capcom shows off the menacing Black Diablos. It certainly earns the title Diablos with its gigantic horns. Apparently, this is a female Diablos that changed its color to black because it is in heat. It's much more aggressive during mating season, so it's a much deadlier foe than the average Diablos. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is coming to 3DS and Wii U on March 19. There will also be a demo for both versions of the game on February 21. [via Capcom Unity]
Street Fighter X Mega Man V2 Available Now, Adds New Challenger
By GameInformer, published 19-01-2013
The update to Street Fighter X Mega Man is available now, and along with bug fixes, it adds a new challenger. You can head here to get your hands on version 2. Here's the full list of fixes, as well as a trailer for the new update: Confirmation prompt before exiting (ESC) or resetting (F12) the game E Tank glitch and various other bugs fixed Improved controller support (Game defaults to keyboard on launch; make sure controller is plugged in prior to opening the file, then go into Options menu and set keys) Take screenshots using F9 M Bison buffed a bit A new challenger! (Please visit the site to view this media) Head here to read our review.
Gas Powered Games Hit With Company-Wide Layoffs
By GameInformer, published 19-01-2013
Dungeon Siege and Supreme Commander developer Gas Powered Games recently got hit by lay offs, but the company says that this should not effect its recent Kickstarter campaign to raise $1.1 million to make an action RPG called Wildman. The timing for these layoff is all the more unfortunate, because earlier today Gas Powered Game's CEO Chris Taylor released a video update showing off some of the tech behind Wildman. "These layoffs are substantial, but it's not everyone," Gas Powered Games CEO Chris Taylor told Polygon. "We still have a fully functioning company, IT, HR, Operations, etc. And have retained some key people." "The studio is still operating, but we had to slim WAY down to conserve cash reserves," Taylor added via Gamasutra. It really is u...
DmC DLC Brings Back Dante's Old Look
By GameInformer, published 19-01-2013
The new Devil May Cry is a great game, but if you were one of those people who complained about Dante's new look, then you're in luck. Some upcoming DLC will make you feel like a classic demon hunter again. Capcom Japan recently showed off the new costumes for Dante, which release in Japan on January 30 for ¥400/320 Microsoft Points. Unfortunately, Capcom hasn't announce when this DLC will be headed to other markets. We're happy to see the classic red jacket return, but what's going on here: [Via: Joystiq]
First Video Update For Wildman
By GameInformer, published 18-01-2013
Chris Taylor and Gas Powered Games have made their first video pitch for the upcoming action/RTS hybrid. Taylor answers questions from fans, and the company even shows off some honest-to-goodness gameplay. Taylor wastes no time pointing out how early and rough the gameplay being shown is, commenting that the final product will have an order of magnitude more units onscreen than in this brief demo. Additionally, Taylor comments that the studio’s focus is on single-player for the time being, with co-op multiplayer being the next step. (Please visit the site to view this media) Wildman, an unusual cross between real-time strategy and top-down hack n' slash action, was recently announced by Gas Powered Games. Should its Kickstarter campaign be successful, it's scheduled for a Ma...
LG sells 1 million Optimus G units and counting
By GSMArena, published 18-01-2013
LG just announced it has sold worldwide more than a million units of its flagship smartphone - the Optimus G. A similar recent announcement put their L-series sales in the range of 10 million. The LG Optimus G sale numbers come in a stark contrast with Apple and Samsung flagship sales, but then again, there's a reason these guys are high on the list of the top mobile phone...
Samsung set to unveil Galaxy Xcover successor at MWC 2013
By GSMArena, published 18-01-2013
Samsung could showcase the successor to its rugged S5690 Galaxy Xcover smartphone at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month. Going by the code name Skomer the S7110 Galaxy Xcover 2 is rumored to pack a bigger 4" screen of WVGA (480 x 800 pixels) resolution, whereas the old one was rocking a 3.65" HVGA (320 x 480) unit. The camera has been bumped from 3.2 MP to 5 MP and there's also...
Final Fantasy All The Bravest Is A Travesty
By GameInformer, published 18-01-2013
It’s rare that I have such a visceral and immediate reaction to a game as I have to Final Fantasy: ATB, which just released for play on iPhone and iPad. It's rarer still that reaction is so vehemently negative. However, as a longtime Final Fantasy enthusiast, the latest attempt by the franchise to dip into the mobile space angers me. All The Bravest has an intriguing premise. Take the visual presentation of the original sprite-based Final Fantasy titles and build a fast-to-play battle game rooted in the active time battle system that has appeared in many franchise installments. Instead of traditional battles, give the player a growing selection of between a dozen and forty characters of various jobs and throw them into large-scale battles filled with blasts of magic, swinging s...
Kongregate's Top Five Free Games: January 2013
By GameInformer, published 18-01-2013
We've got another batch of the best free games on Kongregate for January 2013. The selections and descriptions below have been provided by Kongregate's own Rebecca Francis. Check them out and tell us what you think in the comments section below. Dawn of Darkness (Above)Recruit heroes and strategically build battle formations to take on the forces of evil in this Adventure-RPG. The game art is a treat to look at, and powerful and upgradeable weapons are a treat to use. Take on a series of shadowy bosses, and enjoy the game's exciting story and excellent sense of humor! AntimatiereYou're the only 3-dimensional being left in a 2D world. In order to find out what went wrong, you'll need to navigate your way through many levels of puzzles. Enjoy the surreal experienc...
HTC Butterfly hits stores in Russia, rest of Europe to follow soon
By GSMArena, published 17-01-2013
Just ten days after the HTC Butterfly hit Australian shores, now the 5", 1080p smartphone is finally making its way to Europe's stores, specifically those in Russia. The device should make the Russians quite happy as they are the first in Europe to have the opportunity to purchase the first Android smartphone with a full HD display. The price however is a little steep at ?692...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 01/17/13
By GameInformer, published 17-01-2013
With an influx of posts from new bloggers, a number of blogs from the veterans, and even a couple of commentaries from Game Informer alumni, this is easily one of the best weeks in Blog Herding history with plenty of content for you to enjoy. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: January 07 – January 13, 2013Number of User Blogs: 114Number of User Bloggers: 62Number of User Blogs Herded: 16 Community Blogs: The PreOrder ConundrumLetMeGetToACheckpoint struggles with the internal battle over which new games to purchase in 2013, while analyzing the content of a couple of the collector's editions releasing in the next few months. What Exactly Is "Finishing A Game"?Oni no Tenshi questions what it means to finish a game completely, if finishing the main story is enough, and w...
You Will Soon Get To Play Aliens: Colonial Marines
By GameInformer, published 17-01-2013
We first revealed Aliens: Colonial Marines in Game Informer Magazine back in February of 2008. It's been a long road, but the game is finally done. Gearbox recently put up a blog post talking about how the game has finally gone gold. "All parties have examined the release candidate and signed off on the code as final and suitable for manufacturing, after which the game will be shipped to retail and propped to digital networks in time for launch on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 come February 12, 2013!" In anticipation for the games release next month, Gearbox recommends that you check out the game's latest trailer. We'll do the same. (Please visit the site to view this media) [Source: Destructoid]
Giving NRA: Practice Range A Shot
By GameInformer, published 16-01-2013
Much ado has been made over the recently released mobile game NRA: Practice Range. Some view it as hypocritical for the organization after it partially blamed video game violence for the recent shootings at Sandy Hook elementary school. Others defend it as an educational tool that promotes responsible gun ownership. Does either argument have merit? We decided to test the game to find out. What Is It?NRA: Practice Range is a free app available on iPhones and iPads by developer Medl Mobile. Its description claims that it is an official NRA licensed product, though the NRA's website makes no mention of the app. Initially, Apple rated the game as being suitable for ages 4+, but has since changed the rating to 12+, and has labeled the game as having "Frequent/Intense Violence." ...
Is A Fallout Television Series In The Works?
By GameInformer, published 16-01-2013
A new trademark filing by Bethesda Softworks suggests the possibility that the company is working on developing a TV series based on its Fallout RPG franchise. In a posting on The Vault, writer Conor Murton noticed the filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which seeks a trademark for "Fallout" for the purpose of "Entertainment services in the nature of an on-going television program set in a post-nuclear apocalyptic world." Obviously, companies file trademarks all the time, even if they don't intend to develop properties for those trademarks, sometimes only to prevent other companies from infringing on their IPs. However, a Fallout TV show would definitely be an intriguing project. Source: The Vault
Apple ships 52 million iPhones in Q4 2012
By GSMArena, published 16-01-2013
Last week we heard plenty of rumors about Apple having cut orders for the new iPhone 5 due to lower than expected demand. While it has gone as far as to affect Apple's stock prices, it may not have been entirely true. According to one analyst Apple were able to ship some 52 million iPhone units in Q4. While main product lines like the iPhone and iPad are expected to remain strong, specific...
Doodle 4 Google Invites Young Artists To Compete For Scholarship Prizes
By HotHardware, published 16-01-2013
Google's Doodles have become quite a hit over the years, adding interest and creativity to the search giant's otherwise simple homepage. Over the years, Google's team of doodlers has created over 1,500 doodles for Google's homepages around the world. Each year, Google invites K-12 students around the United States to draw a doodle for...
Physics Students Calculate What Hyperspace Travel Might Really Look Like
By HotHardware, published 16-01-2013
George Lucas may have sold his Star Wars franchise to Disney a little too soon, missing out on an opportunity to release yet another re-mastered special edition with authentic looking hyperspace travel. That's right folks, we've all been misled by Hollywood (shocking, but true!); traveling through galaxies at warp speed in real-life would...
Fusion-io Brings All-Flash ioScale To Webscale Customers
By HotHardware, published 16-01-2013
Fusion-io's ioDrive line has become an icon in its own right, proving that all-flash storage solutions -- while pricey -- do fit in our world. Now, the company is taking yet another swipe at the market (citing a target of "webscale" customers) with the introduction of ioScale. This unit was previously exclusive to Fusion-io customers outfitting...
Deep Silver Apologizes For Its Ridiculous Dead Island Riptide Collector's Edition
By GameInformer, published 16-01-2013
The UK version of Dead Island Riptide's collector's edition, the Zombie Bait Edition, has caused developer Deep Silver, to issue an apology on Twitter. I guess they were a little surprised that people were a little put off by the idea of owning a bloody, dismembered, beheaded, female torso. You can check out the full statement below: A statement on the Zombie Bait Edition:We deeply apologize for any offense caused by the Dead Island Riptide “Zombie Bait Edition”, the collector’s edition announced for Europe and Australia. Like many gaming companies, Deep Silver has many offices in different countries, which is why sometimes different versions of Collector’s Editions come into being for North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.For the limited run of the Zo...
The Steam Greenlight List
By GameInformer, published 16-01-2013
Valve’s Steam Greenlight is a community-focused publishing system that allows users to decide what independent games should be made digitally available. This list chronicles all the titles that have been made available via Valve’s new publishing method and will be updated as more are added. January 2013: Games: Akaneiro: Demon Hunters Asylum DLC Quest Eador. Masters of the Broken World La-Mulana Leisure Suit Larry MaK The Age of Decadence Unepic War For The Overworld Software Titles: articy:draft | Game Design Tool GroBoto - Modeling App November 2012: Games: Blackspace Darkfall Unholy Wars Dawn of Fantasy Dragon's Lair Euro Truck Simulator 2 Gear Up Kinetic Void - Space Adventure The Light No Time To Explain Primordia Sang-Froid : Tales of Werewolves StarForge Waki...
Street Fighter X Mega Man Update Confirmed For Friday
By GameInformer, published 15-01-2013
We had previously learned that Capcom planned on updating Street Fighter X Mega Man in January, but the publisher has confirmed the exact date. The update will arrive this Friday, and will address a variety of issues. Most notable is the inclusion of the grid-based passwords first introduced in Mega Man 2. The update also adds a screenshot function, makes M. Bison a bit stronger, improves controller support, and fixes "various other bugs." Look for the update to be applied around 8pm Eastern over at Capcom's Mega Man page.
Samsung Galaxy S series shipments surpass 100 million
By GSMArena, published 14-01-2013
It's no secret that Samsung's Galaxy S series of smartphones has been a game changer, for the company as well as for Android smartphones in general. Now the series has reached a new landmark, with the total worldwide shipments exceeding 100 million units since the first Galaxy S device shipped two and a half years ago. The Galaxy S III has been the biggest and fastest contributor so far,...
Capcom Introduces Plesioth In The Latest Batch Of Monster Hunter 3 Screens
By GameInformer, published 13-01-2013
Monster Hunter 3 is only a few months away, and Capcom has released a new batch of screens to make sure we don't forget. Above, and in the gallery below, you can meet Plesioth. Plesioth is a Piscine Wyvern, and you will be able to fight him underwater for the first time. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is coming to 3DS and Wii U on March 31, and will allow players to play the same save file between the the two consoles. [via Capcom Unity]
Capcom Offers Hints At Its Arcade Cabinet Platform
By GameInformer, published 13-01-2013
Details are still scarce as an official announcement isn't expected until next month, but Capcom has acknowledged the Capcom Arcade Cabinet, promised a western release, and offered a few hints about what's to come. Capcom's Arcade Cabinet is a platform heading to Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network that will feature downloadable ports Capcom's 8-bit classic arcade games. You can read more about the platform here with the original accidental announcement from Famitsu magazine. The two images below are from the Capcom Unity Blog and have been offered as a tease for what's to come.
The ESA Concludes Its Violent Video Game Discussion With VP Biden
By GameInformer, published 01-12-2013
The Entertainment Software Association, along with other representatives from the video game industry, have emerged from today's discussion of video games and their relationship to gun violence with vice president Joe Biden. After the recent tragedy in Connecticut, president Barack Obama appointed vice president Joe Biden the head of a task force that has been created to examine gun violence in the United States. Biden is putting together recommendations for curbing gun violence's prevalence in the United States, and presenting them to president Obama on Tuesday. In order to build these recommendations, Biden is having discussions with assorted groups and industries in order to see from every perspective. Today, Biden spoke with the video game industry. The Associate Press is repo...
How TT Games Began In A Galaxy Far Away
By GameInformer, published 01-11-2013
Starting with Lego Star Wars in 2005, TT Games has created a juggernaut in gaming. While visiting the Traveller's Tales studio in Knutsford, England for the Lego Marvel Super Heroes cover story we took the opportunity to learn the full history of TT Games and the popular Lego games. Watch the video below to learn how Lego Star Wars and the company began and how the small development team called Traveller's Tales became one of the most popular studios in the world. (Please visit the site to view this media) To learn more about Lego Marvel Super Heroes, click on the banner below to enter our content-filled hub.
December 2012's NPD Numbers
By GameInformer, published 01-11-2013
The NPD Group has just released December's list of best-selling games, and has also revealed the best-sellers for the entire year, as well as the hardware and software sales picture for the month. Unfortunately for the industry as a whole, dollar sales in the hardware, software, and accessories categories are all down from last year by double digits (none of the NPD figures here or below include used or downloadable game sales). In particular, software sales of console, portable, and PC titles are down 27 percent for the same time period last year. Liam Callahan, NPD analyst, noted that in the software category – apart from many of the expected hits – the "middle-tier games as well as catalog titles are suffering." NPD says that the Xbox 360 was again the best-se...
The Secret World Developer Funcom Restructures
By GameInformer, published 01-11-2013
Funcom, developer of the recent MMO The Secret World, is going through a tumultuous time with a massive restructuring. Games Industry International confirms the moves by Funcom, which includes "cost reductions through the closure and the consolidation of offices with the goal of creating a stronger unified organization that can take full advantage of the exciting opportunities that face the games industry as it steps into 2013 and beyond," according to the company. Amidst the bad news, Funcom will keep The Secret World, Age of Conan, and Anarchy Online up and running. In fact, according to some stock notices from the company, The Secret World has seen a massive upswing in activity since it dropped its subscription fee, and sales of the game are up 30 percent.
[Update] Video Game Makers, The NRA, And The Vice President Planning To Meet
By GameInformer, published 01-10-2013
Update: Until now, it wasn't clear who would be representing the video game industry in a series of meetings being conducted by Vice President Joe Biden's task force on gun violence. We now have confirmation that Entertainment Software Association CEO Michael Gallagher will be attending the summit to represent the video game industry. We emailed the ESA's vice president of media relations Dan Hewitt about whether or not the ESA would be appearing at the series of meetings and received the following response: "Just confirming that, yes, Mike Gallagher, CEO of the Entertainment Software Association, will be participating in tomorrow's meeting." [Original Story] After the recent shooting in Connecticut, gun control has become a volatile issue and many fingers have b...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 01/10/13
By GameInformer, published 01-10-2013
Featuring more blogs than we've seen in three months and the fourth largest amount for all of 2012, the latest installment of Blog Herding posts record numbers of entertaining blogs and demonstrates how the GIO community continues to grow and prosper. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: December 31, 2012 – January 06, 2013Number of User Blogs: 137Number of User Bloggers: 75Number of User Blogs Herded: 14 Community Events: Lunar Trace: A Story You Won't ForgetThis is more of a public service announcement than a community event, but video game developer in training Shotgun65 shows off the current status of his project featuring several GIO members. Community Blogs: What I'd Like To See In Fallout 4Rumors surfaced months ago that Bethesda Softworks may be working on a new ...
Xi3 Shows Off Beautiful Modular Computers at CES 2013
By HotHardware, published 01-10-2013
Although Xi3 made CES headlines for other things this week, the company has some tasty wares to show off in the form of its unique modular computers, and we got a firsthand look. There are just a handful of models in the lineup thus far, but despite their small size, these machines pack a wallop. The X7A is the highest end unit in the group...
Panasonic Launches Android And Windows 8-Based Toughpad Tablets
By HotHardware, published 01-09-2013
Tough tablets? Panasonic's got a couple of new ones to introduce at CES 2013. The Toughpad line of enterprise-grade tablets is gaining new models this week: the Toughpad FZ-G1 (a 10" tablet running Windows 8 Pro) and the Toughpad JT-B1 (a 7" Android-powered unit). Both of them follow the original 10" Android-powered Toughpad FZ-A1 which became...
10 Gaming Predictions For 2013
By GameInformer, published 01-09-2013
With the pending launch of new consoles, Kickstarter projects popping up left and right, and the rapid expansion of mobile and social gaming, 2013 promises to be a volatile and exciting year for the video game industry. What changes lay in store? Our staff pulled out the crystal ball to prognosticate. All New MMOs Go Free To PlayGuild Wars 2 proved that great MMOs can succeed without paid subscription plans, especially if the games are built from the ground up to support the model. Moving forward into 2013 (and beyond), MMO game makers will recognize the changing market, and allow players to dive into the massive worlds of their games without paying a monthly fee. Some of these games will continue to charge to purchase these initial client, but we think most new releases will do away wit...
Video Game Makers, The NRA, And The Vice President Planning To Meet
By GameInformer, published 01-09-2013
After the recent shooting in Connecticut, gun control has become a volatile issue and many fingers have been pointed towards video games and other similarly violent media. President Obama has created a task force to discuss the issue and it involves the Vice President Joe Biden, the NRA, and video game makers, along with a number of other groups and representatives. It's unclear who exactly will be representing the world of video games during these meetings, but they are planning to begin the discussion next next week. The task force is gathering in an effort to come up with a ideas and hopefully a solution to help end or at the very least curb gun violence in the United States. Reuters is reporting the story and said, "Biden's task force is examining legislation that would b...
Samsung expects to record best ever profits in Q4 of 2012
By GSMArena, published 01-08-2013
Samsung's accountants are still crunching the numbers for the final quarter of 2012, but the company does have a prediction - it will break its previous record in profits. The device that fueled that growth as it turns out is the Galaxy Note II and not the Galaxy S III. The Galaxy S III may have overtaken the iPhone 4S for the best-selling smartphone in Q3 with 18 million units, but its sales...
Samsung starts Jelly Bean rollout for the Galaxy S Advance
By GSMArena, published 01-07-2013
Samsung is releasing the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update for its I9070 Galaxy S Advance smartphone. The update is available over the air and through the KIES software, but has only hit Russian units so far. The update is also available for direct download if you want to flash it manually. Along with Project Butter's noticeable smoothness improvement the Galaxy S Advance will get the...
Iwata Says Wii U Sales Are Steady
By GameInformer, published 01-07-2013
If you braved the malls this past holiday season, you may have noticed that Wii Us were still on many shelves. Nintendo is certainly aware of that, but don't think the company is considering the system's launch a failure or even a disappointment. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata told Reuters that people shouldn't take that availability the wrong way. "At the end of the Christmas season, it wasn't as though stores in the U.S. had no Wii U left in stock, as it was when Wii was first sold in that popular boom," he said. "But sales are not bad, and I feel it's selling steadily." He declined to provide specific figures, but according to the Japanese magazine company Enterbrain, Wii U sales in Japan have exceeded 600,000 units in December alone.
Vizio Debuts 11.6" Windows 8-Based Tablet PC At CES 2013
By HotHardware, published 01-06-2013
Given that Vizio was already cutting thin the razor-sharp margins in the TV universe, it wasn't all that much of a shock when it introduced a PC lineup last year. But given that PCs are giving way to tablets in a major way, now the company has decided to go small. At CES 2013, Vizio is introducing its first Windows 8 tablet, and 11.6" unit...
SuperTooth Introduces $199 Disco Twin Speakers For Bluetooth Audio Streamers
By HotHardware, published 01-05-2013
Fancy a disco? Got a need to utilize Bluetooth a bit more? Then, listen up. SuperTooth has just introduced a set of $199 Disco Twin speakers, alongside an $89 HD Voice apparatus at CES 2013. The former is a pair of portable, rechargeable speakers featuring true right / left stereo, each unit equipped with 16 watts RMS audio power, double speakers...
Street Fighter X Mega Man Version 2 Coming This Month
By GameInformer, published 01-04-2013
Update: Capcom's Brett Elston tells us that the version 2 update should be releasing this month. The original interview referenced below may have published yesterday, but the interview was conducted in 2012. When Elston said "before the end of the year" he was referring to 2012. -------------------------------------------- It won't add any new content to the game, but version 2 will fix many of the "rough edges" that hindered Street Fighter X Mega Man. The news of the update comes from an interview conducted by The Mega Man Network with Capcom's senior community manager Brett Elston. Elston said, "We know there are a few rough edges left, even with a dozen people looking at this. To that end, we can say we’re working on a V2 that will release soo...
In The Box: If You Want Gamers To Use It, Include It
By GameInformer, published 01-04-2013
Often, seemingly small decisions have a profound impact. This is true in life, and doubly true for companies that manufacture video game consoles. Since the beginning of this generation, tech experts and journalists have spent thousands of words breaking down the difference between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 – their internal chipsets, graphical power, online functionality, and storage media. However, it recently occurred to me that one of the most important console hardware decisions of the past decade didn’t involve internal RAM, graphics cards, or Blu-ray drives; it was Microsoft’s decision to include a cheap little plastic headset in with each Xbox 360 sold. I should point out that there have been a couple of lower-priced bundles that did not include a headset, bu...
James Bond Licensed Games Removed From Steam
By GameInformer, published 01-04-2013
The recently released 007 Legends as well as the past Bond titles Quantum of Solace and Blood Stone have all inexplicably disappeared from Steam and Activision's online download store. Activision has yet to offer a reason for the games' disappearance. It may have something to do with the Bond license and its possible expiration, but we don't know anything for sure. We've reached out to Activision for more information. Here's our review of the most recent Bond game, 007 Legends care of associate editor Dan Ryckert. If our review is any indication, Legends may have been pulled for quality assurance reasons. [via NeoGamr and Joystiq]
Activision's Sing Hero Never Got To The Recording Studio
By GameInformer, published 01-02-2013
Who's cooler than a band's lead guitarist? Certainly not the singer. Maybe that's why Activision's Sing Hero never made it past the early development stages. [Except] Activision filed a trademark for Sing Hero back in 2009, but the game never got developed. As Siliconera reports, Pi Studios, which had made Wii ports for Harmonix's Rock Band series, was hired to make Sing Hero, but Activision decided to get out of the music business and cancelled the project. Sing Hero would have measured the number of fans a player had as their score. Check out some of these early images of the game that never was. [Source: Joystiq]
Warner Bros. Announces Lego: Legends of Chima
By GameInformer, published 01-02-2013
The next Lego game won't be based on an outside license, but on on Lego's own brand of fantasy-themed Chima sets. It also won't be one game, but three! Warner Bros. is working on three Chima games. One is a mini racing game called Lego Legends of Chima: Speedorz, which is available today on Lego.com and will release tomorrow for iOS. More importantly, Lego Legends of Chima: Laval's Journey is a full on Lego adventure, which will hit the 3DS and Vita this summer. Finally this fall, WB Montreal will release a free-to-play MMO called Lego Legends of Chima Online where players get to build weapons and structures while they interact with different Chima characters. "We are doing something innovative with LEGO Legends of Chima by making three distinct videogame experienc...
Ubisoft Is Pitching Hollywood On Ghost Recon Movie
By GameInformer, published 01-01-2013
Ubisoft has been on a push to turn many of its properties into big budget films. Splinter Cell, Assassins' Creed, and Watch Dogs are all in various degrees of development, but Ubisoft isn't stopping there; next up on the list is Ghost Recon. According to the LA Times, Jean-Julien Baronnet, chief executive of Ubisoft's Motion Pictures unit, is currently putting together a pitch for a movie based on the Ghost Recon franchise. Ubisoft's Ghost Recon games haven't always had the most involved stories, so it will be interesting to see how the company evolves this property into a film, and which Hollywood production company might pick it up. But for a glimpse of what a future film might look like check out this 25-minute prequel film put together for the release of Ghost Rec...
Sony Lays The PlayStation 2 To Rest In Japan
By GameInformer, published 28-12-2012
We'd almost forgotten that Sony was still selling its last-gen console, but the company has finally stopped shipping PlayStation 2 units to retailers in Japan. The system is nearly 13-years-old. It's time to move on. Japanese gaming mag, Famitsu, recently ran a story stating that once Sony runs through it's remaining stock of PS2 units, the company will will stop shipping those systems to the Japanese market. This looks like the beginning of the end for one of the best selling consoles in history. The PS2 first released in Japan in March 4, 2000 and has since sold over 150 million units. I remember being blown away the first time I saw Metal Gear Solid 2 in action and spending a couple late nights trying to finish up Final Fantasy X. R.I.P. old buddy! What are some of your f...
2012 Sports Game of the Year Awards
By GameInformer, published 27-12-2012
As we close out this console generation, most sequels are humming comfortably along by making minor adjustments to their base gameplay. Not sports games. While some of the best performing games got by with minor improvements, both Madden and NHL made wholesale changes to their franchise modes to varying results. Who rose to the top of our list this year? Read on to find out. Best Career Mode: NBA 2K13 Bottom line: This is the best single-player experience available to sports fans. By allowing users to gain Virtual Currency in any game mode, Visual Concepts made it much easier to create an impactful player out of the gate. Whether you set up in the post to dominate down low or hang around the three point line looking for an opportunity to strike from afar, the AI is finally s...
LG to show 5.5-inch 1080p screen, 324ppi 7-inch tablet screen at CES
By GSMArena, published 27-12-2012
LG is bringing a bag full of high-resolution displays to CES for the geeks who were good this year. Practically every size is covered - from 4.7" phone screens to 84" TVs - and they bet on thin bezels and high resolutions. The pocketable screens start with the 4.7" unit, which aims to impress with a bezel that's only about 1mm thick, so phones that use it should be more compact than current...
Discovering Pier Solar
By GameInformer, published 25-12-2012
You could be forgiven if you didn’t know much about Pier Solar and the Great Architects, and its unusual history. But with a planned HD release of the classic-style RPG headed to consoles in late 2013, we thought it was time to shine a light on this fascinating project. We talked with developer Watermelon’s president, Tulio Adriano, about the long-gestating game, and he shared details about the game’s birth, development, and future. For more on Pier Solar and its upcoming HD upgrade, watch for our article on the game in Game Informer issue #237. Thanks for chatting with us. Who are you, and what’s your connection to Pier Solar? I’m Tulio Adriano. I’m the president of WaterMelon. I manage the team and the project that we have going on. Magica...
Discovering Pier Solar
By GameInformer, published 25-12-2012
You could be forgiven if you didn’t know much about Pier Solar and the Great Architects, and its unusual history. But with a planned HD release of the classic-style RPG headed to consoles in late 2013, we thought it was time to shine a light on this fascinating project. We talked with developer Watermelon’s president, Tulio Adriano, about the long-gestating game, and he shared details about the game’s birth, development, and future. For more on Pier Solar and its upcoming HD upgrade, watch for our article on the game in Game Informer issue #237. Thanks for chatting with us. Who are you, and what’s your connection to Pier Solar? I’m Tulio Adriano. I’m the president of WaterMelon. I manage the team and the project that we have going on. Magica...
SolForge Impressions: A Mobile/PC Card Game With Huge Potential
By GameInformer, published 24-12-2012
This Kickstarted iOS/Android/PC card game has a surfeit of talent behind it. Gary Games made a name for itself with its excellent debut product Ascension (tabletop, iOS), and Dr. Richard Garfield is best known as lead designer of Magic: The Gathering. SolForge combines aspects of both of those titles and introduces a novel twist of its own that could only work in a digital card game. I was already on board (literally; I backed the Kickstarter day one) off of that sales pitch, and spending some time with the first rough-cut playable version (free to play right now on iPad only) has done nothing to dampen my enthusiasm. The core rules of SolForge are almost offensively simple. Draw five cards representing creatures and spells, play two, do battle, then discard and redraw. First player to do...
SolForge Impressions: A Mobile/PC Card Game With Huge Potential
By GameInformer, published 24-12-2012
This Kickstarted iOS/Android/PC card game has a surfeit of talent behind it. Gary Games made a name for itself with its excellent debut product Ascension (tabletop, iOS), and Dr. Richard Garfield is best known as lead designer of Magic: The Gathering. SolForge combines aspects of both of those titles and introduces a novel twist of its own that could only work in a digital card game. I was already on board (literally; I backed the Kickstarter day one) off of that sales pitch, and spending some time with the first rough-cut playable version (free to play right now on iPad only) has done nothing to dampen my enthusiasm. The core rules of SolForge are almost offensively simple. Draw five cards representing creatures and spells, play two, do battle, then discard and redraw. First player to do...
Update: Participate In GI's Hitman: Absolution Ax-mas Challenge
By GameInformer, published 21-12-2012
Hitman: Absolution players can compete against the GI community and gamers around the world in the Game Informer Ax-mas Challenge. You can view the leaderboards and stats in the update below. One of Hitman: Absolution's coolest features is the new Contracts mode, which allows players to create custom missions and share them with other players. I played around with Contracts mode when I reviewed Hitman: Absolution, but this week I created a new contract for the GI community to try out. The Game Informer Ax-mas Challenge is based on a contract that I created for a Game Informer preview a few months back, in which I tried to recreate the antics of Axe Cop in Hitman: Absolution's Chinatown level. First, you'll have to secure a policeman's uniform and find an ax....
Blog Herding: Community Edition 12/20/12
By GameInformer, published 20-12-2012
Regardless of whether you've been playing naughty or nice, the GIO community turns out an impressive amount of content this week for you to enjoy during the holidays. Now you better watch out, and go read them for goodness sake. Have a happy (and safe) holiday. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: December 10 – December 16, 2012Number of User Blogs: 127Number of User Bloggers: 73Number of User Blogs Herded: 13 Community Blogs: Welcome To The Jungle: My Late-Entry GotYAnother gamer blown away by Far Cry 3, AshaMan3000 pleads to rescind his previous Game of the Year vote, instead opting to cast it for the latest installment in the Far Cry series. The Elder Scrolls: Letters From A ThiefAn interesting personal narrative from Matt-boy chronicling his salacious behavior as a member of...
You Can Own Dante's Crimson-Stoned Pendant
By GameInformer, published 19-12-2012
Devil May Cry's release date is fast-approaching, and Capcom has what you need to dress for the occasion. Dante's pendant is included with any DMC purchases on the Capcom Store. The game is set to release on January 15, 2013, so get your demon-killing skills sharpened. Hopefully Capcom continues the trend of free collectibles in the future. A Mega Man Buster Canon or Leon S. Kennedy haircut would be awesome.
The Kickstarter Compendium
By GameInformer, published 19-12-2012
Our regularly revised feature keeps you up to date on the Kickstarter games worth watching, and helps you track projects both before and after they’re funded. Welcome to the Kickstarter Compendium, a gathering of games and game-related projects that we’ve come across that deserve your attention. The crowd-funding model for video games has resulted in some interesting new game ideas, and new projects are going up on a weekly basis that deserve your attention. The only problem is keeping track of it all – what’s worth watching, and what are these different projects about? As an ongoing feature, our Kickstarter Compendium is your guide to games seeking funding through Kickstarter. After funding projects are complete, this feature will also track what games (and...
Double Up On Experience This Weekend In Call Of Duty: Blacks Ops II
By GameInformer, published 15-12-2012
Regardless of what console you're playing the game on, you will be able to get double experience this weekend for your multiplayer shenanigans. The double XP weekend started yesterday, so you're already a day behind if you haven't started playing yet. [via Call of Duty: Black Ops II]
Sir Hammerlock Set To Appear In Next Borderlands 2 DLC
By GameInformer, published 13-12-2012
Following the appearance of new trophies on the PS3 version of Borderlands 2 after a patch, a Gearbox spokesperson told Polygon that Sir hammerlock's Big Game Hunt is indeed the next Borderlands 2 DLC. The trophies mention hunting missions, new named locations, and the "Fall of Nakayama." "There are still two add-on campaigns scheduled to release as part of the Borderlands 2 Season Pass and we are really looking forward to sharing news about our third add-on campaign and other downloadable content soon," the spokesperson said. "A recent update addresses many of the issues brought to our attention by the community, including a fix to restore lost Badass Rank. Full details of this patch are available at support.gearboxsoftware.com and further updates are in the ...
3DS Has Outsold PS3 In Only Two Years In Japan
By GameInformer, published 13-12-2012
According to the latest reports, Nintendo's 3DS handheld has surpassed the PS3 in lifetime sales in Japan. Media Create (via Nintendo Life), reported that 211,499 Nintendo 3DSs were sold between December 3 and December 9 making the grand total of 3DSs sold 8,799,378 since its debut two years ago. The PS3 has only sold 8,716,260 units since its debut in Japan in November 2006. The only platform to outsell the 3DS last week was the Wii U, which had 308,142 units sold in Japan. Check out Eurogamer for the full listing of sales.
Bryce Harper Is The First Candidate For The Cover Of MLB 13 The Show
By GameInformer, published 12-12-2012
The first rookie in nearly three decades to make the All-Star team may also live up to his dream of being on a video game cover. "When you're younger, you always dream of being in a video game, or being on the cover," Harper said "Winning a World Series would be the top-notch goal, but off the field, this is something very cool." MLB 13 The Show has a beginner mode that teaches players the ropes of the game through a detailed tutorial mainly focusing on pitching and hitting the ball. This year's installment also has new post season modes and new features that focus on the art of the game. "We're trying to refocus things back to on you and your player," said Ramone Russell, Sony San Diego's community manager for MLB The Show. "...
Microsoft Announces Over 40 New Apps Coming To Xbox Live
By GameInformer, published 12-11-2012
Even more entertainment options are coming to Xbox Live between now and spring 2013, as well as a few completely new ones this week. According to the Major Nelson blog, many of the following will be available today, although it may take a couple of days for the whole list to roll out considering the sheer volume: 1. All3M (United Kingdom, United States)2. Ameba TV (Canada, United States)3. ARTE (Germany, France)4. Azteca (Mexico)5. Canalplay Infinity (France)6. CBC’s Hockey Night (Canada)7. CrunchyRoll (Majority of Xbox Live Regions)8. Deezer (Majority of Xbox Live Regions)9. Eredivisie Live (Netherlands)10. Fightbox (Austria, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, United King...
Our Hands-On Time With Aliens: Colonial Marines
By GameInformer, published 12-11-2012
After a long development cycle, Aliens: Colonial Marines is set to launch on February 12th, 2013. Accompanied by new gameplay footage from the different multiplayer modes, we wanted to take an opportunity to fill you in on what you can expect when you finally get your hands on the finished game. Watch the video below as Game Informer's Jeff Cork and Tim Turi talk about their experience with both the campaign and the multiplayer of the latest game from Gearbox. (Please visit the site to view this media) Bonus: We also have the latest screens for your viewing pleasure in the gallery below.
New Metal Gear Rising Video Highlights Sewer Combat, Ponchos
By GameInformer, published 12-11-2012
Raiden shows us his graceful sewer glide and ability to slice up a Mastiff unit in Konami's newest Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance video. This three-minute clip also gives us a look at the outfits players can by with in-game currency. According to the shop's item description, Raiden purchased a mariachi outfit from a "souvenir shop south of the border in a misguided attempt to blend with the locals." Oh, Raiden. I don't think I need to say this, but...this game looks weird as hell. I can't wait to play it. Rising's producer, Yuji Korekado, didn't talk about ponchos in an interview earlier today. (Please visit the site to view this media) A special thanks go out to Game Informer reader linkchief13 for the news tip. Linkchief13 probably loves Zelda and Halo...
RIM quietly teases its upcoming BlackBerry 10 smartphone
By GSMArena, published 12-10-2012
With the official launch of BlackBerry 10 scheduled for January 30, 2013, RIM decided to cause some excitement by teasing one of its upcoming smartphones. The back of the company's yet to be announced product got partially revealed on its official website. The teaser image shows the textured back of what's likely an already leaked, touchscreen-only smartphone, its camera unit on the top...
Capcom Details The Street Fighter X Tekken Ver. 2013 Update
By GameInformer, published 12-10-2012
Capcom has released a video that details the many changes coming with Street Fighter X Tekken's 2013 update. In general, most of the updates serve to speed up the battles a little bit. (Please visit the site to view this media) [via Capcom Unity]
The Halo Series Has Sold 50 Million Units To Date
By GameInformer, published 12-07-2012
Since the introduction of the original Xbox, Halo has been the franchise that helped put Microsoft on the map in the console game market. Today, the company announced that the series has racked up 50 million unit sales to date. The strong sales of Halo 4, which now stand at over 4 million units sold, helped push the series' lifetime sales over the 50 million mark. Of course, given that Halo 4 raked in $220 million in its first 24 hours on sale, this shouldn't be a surprise. The 50 million units sold includes all the main entries in the series, as well as 2009's Halo: ODST, Ensemble's strategy title Halo Wars, and the Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary enhanced re-release. To celebrate, Microsoft announced the Halo 4: Infinity Challenge worldwide tournament, which begins on D...
Black Ops II, Halo 4 Lead November Sales
By GameInformer, published 12-07-2012
U.S. retail tracking firm NPD released its sales results for November 2012. Total video game sales at retail fell 11 percent compared to last year at the same time. For the month, Microsoft sold 1.26 million Xbox 360 consoles, which is down from the 1.7 million it sold last year during the same time period. Sony and Nintendo have not released November console sales data. “Despite an overall retail video game decline of 11 percent, November had the smallest year-over-year decrease we have seen for dollar and unit sales so far this year," NPD analyst Liam Callahan said. "This is a sign of momentum going into the December holiday period.” Below are the top 10 games sold at retail in the U.S per NPD: Call of Duty: Black Ops II (360, PS3, PC, Wii U)** Halo 4 (360)** Assa...
The Kickstarter Compendium
By GameInformer, published 12-06-2012
Our regularly revised feature keeps you up to date on the Kickstarter games worth watching, and helps you track projects both before and after they’re funded. Welcome to the Kickstarter Compendium, a gathering of games and game-related projects that we’ve come across that deserve your attention. The crowd-funding model for video games has resulted in some interesting new game ideas, and new projects are going up on a weekly basis that deserve your attention. The only problem is keeping track of it all – what’s worth watching, and what are these different projects about? As an ongoing feature, our Kickstarter Compendium is your guide to games seeking funding through Kickstarter. After funding projects are complete, this feature will also track what games (and...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 12/06/12
By GameInformer, published 12-06-2012
The Game Informer Online community ushers in the holiday season with the generous gift of video game-related blogs and user reviews. They probably won't leave you feeling merry and full of cheer, but they might remind you how much of a gamer you really are. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: November 26 – December 02, 2012Number of User Blogs: 91Number of User Bloggers: 61Number of User Blogs Herded: 8 Community Events: Erica's Monument-al Adventure!You may recall the recent success of Team GIO raising money in support of the Extra Life Marathon to benefit sick children. Zachary Pligge takes it one step further and shares his personal testimony. Community Blogs: Problems With BioShock Infinite's Box ArtAn interesting post from x-XMantisX-x addressing Kyle Hilliard'...
Ryback Discusses The Attitude Era And WWE '13's New DLC
By GameInformer, published 12-04-2012
Fans of WWE '13 have access to several new WWE superstars today thanks to a new DLC pack. Drew McIntyre, Tensai, Yoshi Tatsu, AJ Lee, and Natalya are included in the pack, but the headliner is the wrestling industry's newest main eventer -- Ryback. "Big Hungry" is now available, and I had a chance to speak to him recently about the opportunity to appear in his first video game. When did you first see what your character looked like in-game, and what was your reaction to it? It’s an unbelievable honor to be able to see myself in a WWE game. My goal is to be on the cover eventually. This is just one step towards that. I know a lot of fans are excited about it, to be able to play as Ryback and put me in match-ups with Attitude Era stars. CM Punk is on the cover, and t...
Uncover The Latest On Tomb Raider
By GameInformer, published 12-04-2012
On the list of most-anticipated games in 2013, few titles are higher on the list than Tomb Raider. The return of Lara Croft looks like one of the most dramatic reinventions of a game series ever, even while it maintains many of the features that originally popularized the series. We chatted with studio head Darrell Gallagher and global brand director Karl Stewart to learn more about how the game is progressing, and they had the following extensive details to share. From a development perspective, what has changed the most in recent months? Are there things that have changed in response to E3 feedback, or things that you as a team wanted to flesh out? Darrell Gallagher: I wouldn’t say it’s changed in response to the feedback at all. I mean, generally the feedback we&rsqu...
Planetside 2: A Triumphant Achievement
By GameInformer, published 12-03-2012
Going back to the tiny, limited world of a 64-player Battlefield match is tough after living through one of Planetside 2’s hour-plus base assaults. The latest free-to-play massively multiplayer offering from Sony Online Entertainment is a pure shooter, with no NPCs and few emplaced defenses to get in the way of player-versus-player action. Planetside 2 doesn’t pretend to do anything else, but this is a triumph of online first-person shooter combat once you get over the significant learning curve. [Editor's Note: Game Informer does not assign traditional review scores to MMOs given their constantly updating and changing nature. This column examines the game with a critical eye, and takes the place of a standard review.] Don’t be scared off by the “massively mult...
Fire And Ice Turn The Tides In Company Of Heroes 2 Trailer
By GameInformer, published 30-11-2012
The flames of World War II burn hot in this trailer showcasing battles on the eastern front. Allied forces clash with the Axis war machine on the frosty front lines to exchange blows with mortar launches, sniper ambushes, and flame-throwing tanks. Check out the trailer below to see a battalion of tanks rendered useless after defenders shatter the ice protecting them from the lake below. (Please visit the site to view this media) THQ's real-time strategy Company of Heroes 2 launches on PC in early 2013. Learn all about the game's collector's edition here.
Next Generation Xbox 720 Coming In Time For 2013 Holiday Season
By HotHardware, published 30-11-2012
Nintendo's Wii U jumped out to a fast start, selling 400,000 units during its first week of sales. It's become difficult to find the console in stock anywhere, that is unless you're willing to pay inflated prices on eBay or Craigslist. However, it's also the only new generation console in town, but for how long?. There have been plenty of...
New PS Vita Bundle Includes PS Plus
By GameInformer, published 29-11-2012
Sony announced a new PlayStation Vita bundle that includes a 3G Wi-Fi system, a 1-year PS Plus membership, a Unit 13 game voucher and a 4 GB Memory Card for $299.99. The Instant Game Collection currently features six PS Vita favorites, such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Gravity Rush, WipEout 2048 and more, Sony says. [Source: PlayStation Blog]
Dragon's Dogma Hard Mode Out Next Week
By GameInformer, published 27-11-2012
The upcoming Dragon's Dogma update that adds a new "Hard Mode" and a "Speedrun Mode" is available for free on December 4 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The update, dubbed A Trial for Adventures - Challenge Pack, contains the two modes as well as new unlockable equipment as a reward for completing those modes. Capcom Unity has pictures of the equipment.
Dragon's Dogma Hard Mode Out Next Week
By GameInformer, published 27-11-2012
The upcoming Dragon's Dogma update that adds a new "Hard Mode" and a "Speedrun Mode" is available for free on December 4 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The update, dubbed A Trial for Adventures - Challenge Pack, contains the two modes as well as new unlockable equipment as a reward for completing those modes. Capcom Unity has pictures of the equipment.
Capcom Details Replay And Tournament Modes For Darkstalkers Resurrection
By GameInformer, published 25-11-2012
Darkstalkers Resurrection is coming to Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network early next year, and Capcom has offered a few details about its new modes. Replay sharing was revealed when the game was announced, but now it has been revealed that you will be able to upload your replays to YouTube. Tournament mode has also been detailed which Capcom's Tomoaki Ayano outlines below: "Aside from the usual Ranked and Player Matches, Darkstalkers Resurrection will also feature an online tournament mode for up to 8 players. You can set the tournament for a sudden death 1 game takes all, or set it to best of 2 or best of 3 if you really want players to test their mettle against each other. Of course, non-combatants can watch the matches in progress." Darkstalkers Resurrection packages N...
GI Show 134: Hitman Absolution, Epic Mickey 2, Walking Dead Ep. 5
By GameInformer, published 23-11-2012
Enjoy a helping of the Game Informer Show for Thanksgiving, as we talk about a couple of big releases plus the conclusion of Telltale's The Walking Dead. First up is Hitman: Absolution. Host Matt Helgeson is joined by "The Jeffs" -- Jeff Cork and Jeff Marchifava -- to discuss the new reboot of IO Interactive's long-running Hitman series. The Hitman games have always been long on depth and spotty on execution, but this latest is the best and most polished entry to date. It's also got some very interesting community creation features, which we discuss as well. The second segment, which deals with Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two and the handheld Epic Mickey: The Power of Illusion, turns out a bit more contentious than we expected. Matt Miller is still a little miffed at...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 11/22/12
By GameInformer, published 22-11-2012
A couple of the year's blockbuster hits dominated the blogs and user reviews this week as gamers share their thoughts on Halo 4 and Black Ops II. If that doesn't press your start button, there are several other fascinating blogs submitted by your fellow gamers that should. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: November 12 – November 18, 2012Number of User Blogs: 100Number of User Bloggers: 66Number of User Blogs Herded: 15 Community Blogs: Beyond Compare: Borderlands 2, Black, & Project: SnowblindContinuing his series where he compares video games exhibiting a common quality, Kyle Wadsworth associates the similarities between three titles boasting a large arsenal of weapons to choose from. Bethesda's Bad ExampleJoyful Penguin discusses the fact that, despite having so...
2012 Holiday Buying Guide
By GameInformer, published 22-11-2012
The end of the year is rolling around, which means it’s time to start thinking about gifts. For the generous gamers, that means coming up with the perfect presents for your friends and family. For opportunistic gamers, that means scribbling out a list of gifts for others to buy you. We’re not here to judge; we just want to highlight the hottest gadgets, newest gizmos, and best games that 2012 has to offer. What you do with that information is up to you. Text by Ben Reeves & Jeff Marchiafava Nav: Under $30-$75 | $80-$200 | $200+ | Media Shelf Under $30 — Happy Holidays, here’s a thing Smart Art, $10.00-25.00 • monkeyminion.storenvy.com • Monkey Minion Press is a one-stop-shop for decorating your home in geeky style. The husband and wife team from...
Wii U Will Quickly Be Profitable
By GameInformer, published 22-11-2012
Traditionally a hardware developer takes a hit on hardware sales so that it can release their console at a reduced price, eventually making up for the loss in software sales. Nintendo's Wii U doesn't take much to turn a profit, however. If you buy one game with your Wii U, you've made Nintendo money. In an interview with Mercury News, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said that Nintendo was set to sell sell 5.5 million Wii U units this fiscal year, which means that Nintendo will be making a lot of money this year, because Fils-Aime also said, "The business model doesn't change dramatically, in that as soon as we get the consumer to buy one piece of software, then that entire transaction becomes profit positive." "In the end, the business model ...
GI Staff And Reader Interests, Dislikes, And Favorite Games: Issue #236
By GameInformer, published 17-11-2012
The Game Informer monthly staff page is a forum where we all come together and talk about what's cool right now. We'll get the ball rolling and would love to hear everyone's current interests, dislikes, and favorite games. Andy McNamara Profile E-mail Editor Interests: Off season bicycle and triathlon training (I need to learn to swim as I completely suck at it), Blackjacks Football (My nephew's team is heading to Minnesota State again. It is important to note, his team beat up on ex-GI writer Phil Kollar's home town in the process so double win), Vikings Football, Wolves Basketball Dislikes: When life gives you lemons and you are unable to make lemonade – it sucks, it really does, That Assassin's Creed III has one of the ...
Black Ops: Declassified Review – A Complete Embarrassment
By GameInformer, published 14-11-2012
Nine months after the Vita launched in North America, it still doesn’t have its killer app. We have enjoyable titles like Tales From Space and Gravity Rush, but nothing has made the portable a must-have for mainstream audiences. Vita versions of the Uncharted, Resistance, and Assassin’s Creed franchises proved to be lackluster, but Sony has one last big name to draw on in 2012. If Call of Duty can’t move units for mainstream gamers, what can? Unfortunately, Declassified is an absolute mess. Releasing on the same day as the solid Black Ops II, Declassified in no way resembles that game’s level of quality. Instead of an ambitious single-player campaign, this version offers gamers 10 standalone missions with no noteworthy story outside of the inclusion of Black Ops ch...
Call of Duty: Elite TV Trailer
By GameInformer, published 11-09-2012
A new season of Call of Duty Elite TV debuts on November 13, the same day the game releases on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Get the latest on community content, developer tips, strategy tutorials and more, Activision says. (Please visit the site to view this media)
The Kickstarter Compendium
By GameInformer, published 11-09-2012
Our regularly revised feature keeps you up to date on the Kickstarter games worth watching, and helps you track projects both before and after they’re funded. Welcome to the Kickstarter Compendium, a gathering of games and game-related projects that we’ve come across that deserve your attention. The crowd-funding model for video games has resulted in some amazing new game ideas, and new projects are going up on a weekly basis that deserve your attention. The only problem is keeping track of it all – what’s worth watching, and what are these different projects about? As an ongoing feature, our Kickstarter Compendium is your guide to games seeking funding through Kickstarter. After funding projects are complete, this feature will also track what games (and gam...
NBA 2K13 Leads October U.S. Sales
By GameInformer, published 11-09-2012
U.S. retail sales of video games fell 25 percent year-over-year for the month of October, according to research firm NPD. Sales dropped from $1 billion to $775 million. Hardware saw the biggest drop, nearly 37 percent from last year. “While we saw declines in hardware unit sales across all platforms year-over-year, when looking at average sales per week versus September, several consoles realized higher sales: the 360, PS3, NDS and 3DS," said NPD analyst Liam Callahan. "This is a sign of increasing momentum as we move into the holiday season.” Microsoft said sales of Xbox 360 reached 270,000. Sony and Nintendo did not disclose U.S. sales for October at this time. Bethesda's new title Dishonored sold 460,200 units while 2K's XCOM: Enemy Unknown sold 114,...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 11/08/12
By GameInformer, published 11-08-2012
The big news of the week, besides the fact the presidential election is over and we all survived, is Halo 4 shipped and is receiving an overwhelming amount of positive reviews. Now that you can breathe a sigh of relief, check out some user-submitted blogs and let life get back to normal. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: October 29 – November 04, 2012Number of User Blogs: 113Number of User Bloggers: 73Number of User Blogs Herded: 11 Community Events: Know Your Game Informer Editors QuizTim Gruver compiles a simple test comprised of 10 multiple choice questions to gauge how well you know (or think you know) the Game Informer editors. Community Blogs: They Have DifferencesPlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale hasn't even released yet but has already been compared to Smash Bros. B...
Super Replay: Mega Man Legends 2 - Episode 13
By GameInformer, published 11-08-2012
We had a ton of fun recording our Super Replay of the first Mega Man Legends. Cans were kicked, ruins were explored, and servbots were swooned over. But let's be honest: That playthrough had its fair share of rough patches. We frequently got lost and I may have accidentally sold all of our best equipment. That's why we teamed up with Capcom and Capcom-Unity for this very special Super Replay of Mega Man Legends 2. Specifically, Greg Moore, Capcom's community liason, hunkered down in the Game Informer office with us for the entire Super Replay. Greg's Mega Man expertise was invaluable, allowing us to have fun and stay on track. Go figure! We invite you to join our special guest Greg Moore, Andrew Reiner, Dan Ryckert, and myself as we embark on another PlayStation...
Lego Maniacs Launching Annual Vic Viper Fleet
By GameInformer, published 11-07-2012
Lego fans are assembling en masse to assemble another fleet of Vic Vipers. The builders are posting pics of their interpretations of the Gradius ship in what's become an annual November tradition. The ships are being created in memory of a Lego community member, Nate "nnenn" Nielson, who died in a car accident. The rules are simple, as you can see in the handy reference guide below. Check out the official Flickr group to submit your own creations or to check out what other builders are doing. Last year's fleet was pretty impressive, so you may want to take a little time with your ship before revealing it to the world at large. The event, known as Nnovvember, certainly beats growing an ironic mustache.
The Abbreviated Fiction of Halo
By GameInformer, published 11-07-2012
From the inception of the franchise in 2001, Halo’s fiction has only grown more complicated. Multiple games, novels, comic books, toys, animated features, and other media have created a rich tapestry of characters and storylines – but gamers new to the franchise could be forgiven if they felt a little lost at times. Without a doctorate in Halo-ology, what does a newcomer need to know? Last week, Jeff Marchiafava sent up the Halo franchise with an great funny recap of the Halo series for folks who don't especially care about the details of the story. You should check it out; it's quite amusing. For folks about to dive in to Halo 4, you may want a slightly more comprehensive summary of the story so far, so here we are here to help with an updated version of our Abbreviat...
Guess This Game – A Concept Art Challenge
By GameInformer, published 11-06-2012
Update: Find out if you guessed correctly in our concept art challenge. A game's concept art defines the artistic style of the game. But how easy is it to identify a game by its conceptual art design? Take our concept art challenge and find out. Leave your best guess for which games these pieces of concept art belong to in the comments below. We'll post the answers tomorrow. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Go to the next page for the answers. PaginateGrid();
South Park: The Stick Of Truth Delayed Again
By GameInformer, published 11-05-2012
THQ announced South Park: The Stick of Truth has been delayed. The game was originally scheduled for release on March 5, 2013. The game has been pushed to early fiscal 2014. THQ's 2014 fiscal year begins April 2013 and ends March 2014. [Update: THQ said the title has been delayed 2 months] Company of Heroes 2 and Metro: Last Light are both planned to ship in March 2013. Below is a statement about the delay from THQ president Jason Rubin: When I joined THQ the company made a public commitment to quality titles. We always expected that in some cases this would mean that more time would be needed to make sure that every title is of the highest possible quality. Our fourth quarter releases are the first titles that I have had the ability to materially impact, and experience told me that t...
New Gears Of War Judgment Art Released
By GameInformer, published 11-05-2012
(Click for full size) Epic Games released new key art for Gears of War Judgment depicting Damon Baird, Augustus Cole, Sofia Hendrick and Garron Paduk of The Kilo Squad. The game, which releases March 19, 2013, is a prequel to the original series. Full, high-resolution versions of the art can be found on Epic's website. If you haven't already, be sure to check out the coverage from Game informer's July cover story.
Guess This Game – A Concept Art Challenge
By GameInformer, published 11-05-2012
A game's concept art defines the artistic style of the game. But how easy is it to identify a game by its conceptual art design? Take our concept art challenge and find out. Leave your best guess for which games these pieces of concept art belong to in the comments below. We'll post the answers tomorrow. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Mega Man X's Zero And Vile Look Great In Plastic
By GameInformer, published 11-04-2012
Capcom recently unveiled a new set of figures from the Mega Man X universe. Zero and Vile have been figurized before, but I don't know if they have ever looked this slick. You can grab them both from Capcom's online store right now. They will set you back $49.95 each. Update: Turns out only Zero is $49.95. Vile will set you back $99.90. He is cooler though, so that makes sense. [via Capcom Unity]
Sony Game Division Posts Loss, But It's Getting Better
By GameInformer, published 11-02-2012
Sony's had a rough year so far, littered with bad financial reports and layoffs. In a new financial statement, the losses continue. Sony's posted a loss of $198 million in the its most recent fiscal quarter. Some of the loss was due to a slowdown in its games business. The company's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 sales were down compared to last year (3.5 million units sold vs. 4.9 million units sold in the same quarter of 2011). The Vita and PSP combined to sell 1.6 million units. There were some glimmers of hope. Though the $198 million loss for the quarter isn't exactly good news, it's better than the $312 million loss posted in the previous quarter. Also, Sony software sales were up, with PS3 and PS2 sales up 41.4 million from 40.2 million, while handheld sales w...
NHL 14 Wishlist
By GameInformer, published 11-01-2012
EA’s NHL series celebrates what makes hockey what it is: the competitive spirit. This year, the restructured skating mechanics makes it feel like you’re actually on the ice with speed bursts, enhanced physics, and realistic skating momentum. For the most part, these enhancements paid off, but regardless NHL 13's single-player modes still need work. With NBA 2K, FIFA, and Madden making improvements to their career and franchise experiences, NHL needs to step up. Below are some additions that would give this hockey game a clean sheet of ice. Be A Pro Needs To Feel Real Fans dream of experiencing the glory of being a professional hockey player. For most of us, this will never happen, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to know what it’s like. Part of w...
The Wrong Kind Of Scary - Worst Horror Games Ever
By GameInformer, published 11-01-2012
When done right, horror-based video games are just as thrilling as the latest scare-fest in theaters. When they go wrong, they are more laughable and unbearable than a low-budget student horror flick. With terrible pacing, cheesy moments, and lousy mechanics, these titles represent what happens when a game tries to be scary and fails spectacularly. Sure, they may send shivers down your spine or make your heart skip a beat...but for all the wrong reasons. (This story originally appeared on Game Informer on September 29, 2009) Friday the 13th (NES)Jason Voorhees is one of the most terrifying icons of horror, but even a resurrected walking death machine couldn’t inspire nightmares more terrifying than this game. Friday the 13th is ridiculously difficult, even by NES standards. The prob...
Borderlands 2 SHiFT Codes And Halloween Costumes
By GameInformer, published 31-10-2012
Update: Gearbox has sent out its SHiFT codes, and we've updated our story to include them. These codes should be redeemable until Sunday. For more information, check out our original story posting below. Siren's spooky "Fright of the Bumblebee" customizationPC: WTKBJ-XRHTW-C63BT-JTB33-J6C9TXbox 360: WJC3T-SS6S5-X9FTF-WRTB3-BT39HPS3: KTCTJ-ZHCKB-BKKW3-STCJT-3FZTW Gunzerker's spooky "Killer Bee" customizationPC: CTK3J-9XH3W-CRB3J-33TBJ-9JJHWXbox 360: WTK33-HFR95-RZRJX-KRBB3-CZ3KFPS3: C3W3B-5JX5J-3C55J-ZJWTJ-RH3HR Axton's spooky "Yellowjacket" customization PC: KT53J-36HBK-W6JJ3-BJJB3-WH95HXbox 360: KBKBT-WH6Z5-X96B6-WX3TJ-5J6J3PS3: CJ5T3-5H5KT-3KCKT-9JKBB-3SKHT Zer0’s spooky "Hornet's Nest" customization PC: 5J5JB-B9S35-W6J33...
What Star Wars Game Do You Want To See Next?
By GameInformer, published 31-10-2012
The big news in the entertainment industry yesterday was Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm, which brings with it the rights to future Star Wars video game. Disney chairman and CEO Roger Iger spoke about the video game side of things in yesterday’s investor call, implying that Disney would likely focus on mobile and social games for the series, but that they’d consider licensing Star Wars for game creation on consoles. LucasArts also stepped up to say that plans for Star Wars 1313 remain unchanged for the time being. Nonetheless, the new opportunity for Star Wars video games to break away in new directions in the coming years seems highly probable. What Star Wars game ideas would you like to see turned into real games? What developers and publishers would be the best potenti...
Grand Theft Auto V Release Date After March Says Analyst
By GameInformer, published 31-10-2012
Yesterday, Rockstar announced a spring release time frame for Grand Theft Auto V. Of course, this is intentionally vague, but industry analyst Colin Sebastian thinks he has a more precise release period for the game. In a brief email summarizing Rockstar parent company Take-Two's recent financial reporting, Baird Equity Research analyst Sebastian says that the fact that Take-Two has shifted almost $600 million in revenues from this fiscal year to the next points to Grand Theft Auto V coming out after the company's current fiscal year ends in March 2013. Sebastian expects the game to come out in May. Sebastian predicts Rockstar will ship at least 20 million units of the game through the end of 2013.
Activision Cuts 30 From Minneapolis
By GameInformer, published 31-10-2012
Activision confirmed the company cut 30 jobs from its Minneapolis branch today. The cuts only affected employees on the publishing side. "Like any successful business, Activision Publishing consistently works to align its costs with its revenues – this is an ongoing process," a spokesperson said in a statement. "In 2013, we expect that our Minneapolis division will release fewer games based on third-party licenses than we released during 2012. As a result, we are realigning the structure of our Activision Minneapolis division to better reflect our slate and the market opportunities. "We are working to redirect those employees that are impacted to other parts of the company where possible, as well as offering them outplacement counseling services." Some of th...
Unboxing: Assassin's Creed III Limited Edition
By GameInformer, published 26-10-2012
A limited edition set of Assassin's Creed III found its way into the Game informer offices, so we decided to give you a glimpse into the set.The entire limited edition costs $119.99. The box set includes the game, Connor figure, Assassin's belt buckle, embroidered Assassin's colonial flag, and George Washington's journal.The Assassin's logo is attached to almost everything in the box set, even George Washington's fictional notebook.The notebook includes concept art from the game, as well as notes from the in-game Washington. His fictional entries discuss his thoughts on events transpiring before and during the American Revolution, and the Assassin's involvement in both.For Assassins who feel the need to boast about their secretive allegiance, this belt buckle is...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 10/25/12
By GameInformer, published 25-10-2012
Miracle Network Hospitals are still tallying up all the donations received from the Extra Life 2012 charity event, with Team GIO raising nearly $11,000 from staff and community contributions. To celebrate, a round of blogs on the house. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: October 15 – October 21, 2012Number of User Blogs: 112Number of User Bloggers: 65Number of User Blogs Herded: 13 Community Blogs: The Age Old Question; How Old Is Too Old?Certainly not the first blog to discuss what age is too old to play video games, but Drop Dead's outlook is cleverly entertaining and suitable for all ages. Vigilo ConfidoKind of an unusual blog to be featured here and at the time of this posting it has gone mostly unnoticed, but AshaMan3000 pays his respects to something we've all looked...
Lower Nintendo 3DS Sales Prompts Fiscal Revision
By GameInformer, published 24-10-2012
Nintendo has lowered its forecast for the 2013 fiscal year to reflect lower-than-expected 3DS sales, among other factors. However, the company still expects a profit for the year. The company has lowered its profit forecast for the year from 20 billion yen (over $250 million) to 6 billion yen (over $75 million). Despite selling more than five million 3DS units in territories other than in Japan in the first half of this year (and over 19 million units of software for the handheld), this was lower than the expected numbers – which themselves were higher than the sales numbers notched last fiscal year. Nintendo anticipates to sell 17.5 million units for the full fiscal year, bringing the platform to almost 40 million in lifetime sales. In general, Nintendo's overall revenue expect...
Zynga Cuts Staff, Shuts Down 13 Games
By GameInformer, published 24-10-2012
In an effort to streamline operations, Zynga CEO Mark Pincus says the company is closing 13 games and reducing investment in The Ville. Zynga is also closing its Boston studio and proposing closures of the Zynga Japan and UK studios. In total, Pincus says 5 percent of the company's workforce is affected. Below is Mark's statement in full provided by Zynga: INTERNAL NOTE FROM ZYNGA CEO AND FOUNDER, MARK PINCUS Team,Earlier today we initiated a number of changes to streamline our operations, focus our resources on our most strategic opportunities, and invest in our future. We waited to share this news with all of you until we had first spoken with the groups impacted. As part of these changes, we've had to make some tough decisions around products, teams and people. I want to fi...
Stone Cold Steve Austin Intimidates WWE Games Community Manager
By GameInformer, published 20-10-2012
WWE Games Community Manager Aubrey Sitterson went into his interview with wrestling icon Stone Cold Steve Austin looking for information about THQ's WWE '13. We think he walked away looking for a new pair of pants. Stone Cold Steve Austin teaches us all about the meaning of Attitude. WWE '13, which releases on October 30. (Please visit the site to view this media) [Source: THQ]
Dragon Age III Wishlist
By GameInformer, published 19-10-2012
According to the announcement last month, Dragon Age III: Inquisition is coming in late 2013. For fans, this represents equal parts apprehension and hope; the game could correct some of the serious mistakes found in Dragon Age II, or it could stray even further from its roots. Before it was even announced, BioWare talked about the game bringing the "best from both games" together, but what does that mean? Here are a few areas where the upcoming sequel can learn from the past and look toward the future. Bustling Towns In an age where series like Assassin’s Creed and Elder Scrolls set new bars in presenting living, breathing cities, Dragon Age seems painfully out of date. Granted, Dragon Age doesn’t aim to deliver the same type of open-world experience. However, ...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 10/18/12
By GameInformer, published 18-10-2012
Before you check out the latest collection of video game blogs, take a moment to consider that on this day back in 1985 Nintendo released the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in the United States for the retail price of $125. Hail to the king. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: October 08 – October 14, 2012Number of User Blogs: 138Number of User Bloggers: 81Number of User Blogs Herded: 11 Community Events: THE Raffle Blog For Team GIOThe Extra Life 24 hour video game marathon is this weekend and if you're reading this and haven't donated yet but want to, it isn't too late. Sign up and be entered in the raffle to win cool prizes. Community Blogs: What The Heck Is Retro Studio's Next Game?The release of the Wii U is looming and The Invertroid wonders what Nintendo...
Call of Duty: Elite's Free Integration Into Black Ops II
By GameInformer, published 15-10-2012
Update: Activision has confirmed a season pass for Black Ops II, although the Elite features for the game will remain free. The season pass gets you four DLC map packs for 4,000 Microsoft Points or ($49.99). Each map pack will also run individually for 1,200 MP or $15. "What we have realized," said Eric Hirshberg, Activision CEO, "is that several of the Call of Duty Elite services which are currently only available to our premium members for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare® 3 are things that would further unite, engage, and delight our player community. So we are going to make them free for Call of Duty: Black Ops II.” The DLC will be available in 2013, with firm release dates to be announced later. Original Story: Activision has outlined some of the Cal...
Madden, Borderlands 2 Top September Game Sales
By GameInformer, published 10-12-2012
U.S. retail video game sales declined 24 percent year-over-year in Sepetember 2012 from $1.11 billion to $848.3 million, according to NPD. Video game hardware saw the biggest decline, over 39 percent from last September. 2K Games' popular co-op shooter sold 1.48 million units for the month, though it wasn't enough to stop Madden, which had the benefit of a full month of sales tracking. New Super Mario Bros. 2 sold more than 295,000 units in its second month.“Borderlands 2, with its bazillion guns-a-blazing, exceeded the first month’s unit sales of the first game which launched in October 2009 by 234%," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier.Xbox 360 was the highest-selling console for the month with 270,000 units sold. Sony and Nintendo did not release hardware sales numb...
Resident Evil 6 Sees Big Sales In Japan
By GameInformer, published 10-10-2012
First week sales for Resident Evil 6 is Japan got off to a hot start. The game sold over 650,000 units, according to retail tracker Media Create. Combined sales for Resident Evil 5 in Japan during the first week in 2009 totaled 398,000 copies. Capcom announced earlier this month Resident Evil 6 shipped 4.5 million units to retailers worldwide. Below are the top 5 games in Japan for the week of October 1-7. 1 [PS3] Resident Evil 6 - 634.9332 [PS3] World Soccer Winning Eleven 2013 - 223.8843 [PSP] Summon Night 3 - 51.4534 [PSP] Sol Trigger - 42.0375 [360] Resident Evil 6 - 41.652 [Source: Gamasutra]
Valve Seeking Hardware Prototype Playtesters
By GameInformer, published 10-10-2012
Valve says it's looking for playtesters for released and unreleased video games and hardware. The company recently began hiring for its new hardware division. Below is Valve's full message: We're looking for folks to come to Valve and playtest both released and unreleased versions of our games as well as play around with some of our hardware prototypes. If you have interest in stopping by (most sessions last around an hour), please fill out the survey below. We're looking for people local to the Seattle/Bellevue area, but you're welcome to fill out the survey no matter where you live as we may have plans for remote playtests in the future.Thanks for your interest in helping us make better products!Click here to take the Playtester surveyUPDATE:We are looking to add int...
God Of War Ascension E3 Demo Included With Total Recall
By GameInformer, published 10-09-2012
How badly do you want to play the single-player demo for God of War Ascension? Willing to buy the new Total Recall movie? Sony announced a new promotion giving customers who purchase the upcoming Total Recall Blu-ray the opportunity to play the E3 2012 demo of God of War Ascension. Total Recall releases on December 18. The offer is limited, Sony says. God of War Ascension is out March 12, 2013. [Source: PlayStation Blog]
Capcom Partners With TwitchTV For Street Fighter Livestream Channel
By GameInformer, published 10-07-2012
Capcom is celebrating Street Fighter's 25th Anniversary with all kinds of products, events, and tournaments. To help interested fans track down the biggest tournaments, Capcom has partnered with TwitchTV to create a livestream channel exclusively for Street Fighter. Right now, the channel is rebroadcasting old tournaments, but on October 12, 13, and 14, the channel will be showcasing the qualifying rounds of the Street Fighter 25th Anniversary tournaments in Brazil. You can click here to check out the channel right now. [via Capcom Unity]
Blog Herding: Community Edition 10/04/12
By GameInformer, published 10-04-2012
The recent release of Borderlands 2 kicked off the fall season with near instant success, and with only three months left in 2012, there are still a handful of prominent titles on the way. To pacify your time in between games, enjoy this week's collection of blogs submitted by your fellow gamers. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: September 24 – September 30, 2012Number of User Blogs: 143Number of User Bloggers: 77Number of User Blogs Herded: 15 Community Events: The Extra Life charity event is only a few weeks away and quickly approaching. If you haven't contributed yet and you're interested, it isn't too late. Contact Mojomonkey12 or Noobtubin8er for all of the details. Community Blogs: ObjectificationInspired by one of Megan Marie's Cosplay stories and ...
AT&T and Sprint add LG Optimus G to their smartphone lineup
By GSMArena, published 10-04-2012
AT&T and Sprint Wireless will offer the LG Optimus G in the United States. AT&T will be selling the 8MP version of the smartphone, while Sprint will entice you with a 13MP snapper on the back of the Android powerhouse. Of course, both versions of the handset will feature LTE connectivity. The rest of the LG Optimus G's specifications are already quite familiar to us. They include...
FIFA 13 Boasts Biggest Launch of 2012
By GameInformer, published 10-03-2012
According to EA’s internal sales data, FIFA Soccer 13 is continuing to sell strongly with over 4.5 million games sold across all platforms worldwide in the past five days, making it the biggest videogame launch of 2012 thus far and the biggest sports videogame launch of all time. Sales for FIFA 13 were already going strong when the game released last week. About 1.23 million copies were sold in the United Kingdom within the first 48 hours of the game’s release, helping FIFA become the second videogame franchise ever to sell more than 1 million units in the U.K. within one day. Check out the FIFA 13 review here.
Video Games' Late Night TV Breakout
By GameInformer, published 10-02-2012
For decades, it's been customary for actors, directors, authors, and musicians to make the rounds on the late night talk show circuit. Video games -- an increasingly important part of pop culture -- were largely missing from late night, which was ruled by baby boomer icons like Jay Leno and David Letterman. However, in recent years, a new crop of younger late night hosts has begun to embrace video games. Just last night, Jimmy Kimmel introduced a new segment entitled "Celebrity Draw Something" -- a fairly amusing skit in which his staff drew pictures of celebrities in in OMGPOP's popular mobile game. (Please visit the site to view this media) It's something that's become common on late night television. Much of the thanks should go to NBC's Jimmy Fallon,...
Update: You Missed An Opportunity To Grab A SHiFT Code For Borderlands 2
By GameInformer, published 29-09-2012
Update: As of a few minutes ago, the codes are now expired. I hope you were able to register one! ----------------------------------- Gearbox Software's president just Tweeted a number of SHiFT codes for Borderlands 2 that should be active until 12 PM CDT. You can grab the codes below or by taking a look at Randy Pitchford's Twitter account, and you can find some instructions on how to create a SHiFT account and how to redeem the codes here. X360: WB5T3-JS3W6-JRXTX-KR333-FTXBZPC: CT5TB-H3ZX9-6TTBJ-JT33J-TFJRKPS3: WB5T3-JS3Z3-RSTWT-SJ533-FTXBT
FIFA 13 Launch Sales Up Over Last Year
By GameInformer, published 27-09-2012
FIFA 13 has a had a strong North American launch with 353,000 units sold on the first day for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, a 42 percent increase over last year’s sales, according to EA's internal sales estimates. FIFA also made EA history by being the biggest global launch of an iOS game for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. FIFA launched Tuesday in North America and will be available worldwide Friday. Check out our review here.
Blog Herding: Community Edition 09/27/12
By GameInformer, published 27-09-2012
The blogging community continues to thrive as demonstrated by this week's collection of posts featuring quite a few names relatively new to the Game Informer blog scene. Don't worry though because a few of the regulars are included too, culminating in a list you're sure to find entertaining. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: September 17 – September 23, 2012Number of User Blogs: 126Number of User Bloggers: 68Number of User Blogs Herded: 13 Community Events: The Game Informer staff said their goodbyes and parted ways with the last batch of intern alumni just in time to welcome a new round of future journalists in training. Read about them here: Jordan LaPorte, O'Dell Harmon, and Mike Mahardy. Community Blogs: Borderlands 2: Pandora RevisitedThe recently released s...
Behind The Wheel Of Grid 2
By GameInformer, published 27-09-2012
Grid 2 has been under wraps at Codemasters for years, and these two new gameplay videos show that the title is hitting the ground running. The game uses Codemasters' EGO Game Technology Platform, and the title has been in pre-production for two years. Judging by these videos featuring extensive lighting, hood reflections, and plenty of eye candy, the work seems to be paying off. Codemasters also promises a new car handling model that bridges the gap between sim and arcade racing, as well multiplayer features including offline split-screen and Codemasters' RaceNet community platform. Grid 2 comes out for the Xbox 360, PC, and PlayStation 3 in 2013. Along the California coast (Please visit the site to view this media) Through the streets of Chicago (Please visit the site to view thi...
Pro Evo 2013 Review: Another Solid Effort
By GameInformer, published 25-09-2012
Like other sports franchises in the past, Pro Evolution has already hit its stride as this console generation comes to a close. This year’s game doesn’t feature any big surprises. Instead it makes subtle changes around the edges that take the franchise in new directions. The changes to the Master League career mode are tactical: sticking to its strengths, minimizing weaknesses, and trying new strategies. Pro Evo 2013 highlights the club and player licenses it has by letting you start out your career with any club in the game, and not just fictional ones as in years past. It also bolsters its considerable player attribute data and progression/regression with equipment and training items you earn online and off I love this addition because, although it’s improbable that a ...
Left 4 Dead 2 Getting Steam Workshop Support
By GameInformer, published 23-09-2012
Steam Workshop allows users and modders to play and share creations, and now that service is coming to Left 4 Dead 2. Along with the traditional Steam Workshop tools, Valve is, "also going to try an experiment with the L4D2 Workshop that will allow content to appear in the L4D2 world even more seamlessly based on the community’s response." It's vague exactly what that means, but it sounds interesting. Steam Workshop implementation for Left 4 Dead 2 should begin next month. [via Left 4 Dead blog]
Going To Japan? Don't Miss The Capcom Restaurant
By GameInformer, published 22-09-2012
After touring the Tokyo Game Show, we took a night off to check out Capcom's Themed restaurant: Capbar. It turns out, it's crazier than TGS. All of the food and drinks at Capbar are named after the company's games. You can order a Resident Evil drink that comes with colored herbs to mix in, a giant hunk of dinosaur meat as seen in Monster Hunter, or a Ace Attorney tower of onion rings complete with a tiny gavel. Screens along the wall show trailers and game footage for Capcom's upcoming titles. But probably the crazies part of the experience is how the servers "entertain" you while you eat. If two people order Street Fighter-themed drinks at the same time, the servers pantomime a Street Fighter brawl when they deliver the drinks. Another waiter interrupted the...
Seen At Tokyo Game Show 2012: Day Two
By GameInformer, published 21-09-2012
Back by popular demand! You told us that you wanted more, so here is a look at more of the stupid Pokémon crap we saw at TGS 2012. Rockstar can't make it to E3, Gamescom, or PAX, but it makes a special trip to TGS to show off its most Japanese centric title More than any other show we attended, TGS's booths seem more elaborately decorated after the theme of the game they display. Many of them are a sight to behold. Literally you have to see them to behold them Down in the front row you can see that one of Kojima's fans came to see him speak A few people chill out at the Lost Planet 3 booth At the Sony booth, people jack into the matrix and play games with their mind Much like the game, the walls of the DmC booth attacked passersby, which brings new meaning to hitting ...
WWE '13 Offers A Promising Return To The Monday Night Wars
By GameInformer, published 20-09-2012
Fans of professional wrestling are likely familiar with the historic Monday Night Wars of the mid-to-late ‘90s. When Ted Turner used his billions to lure almost all of WWF’s top talent to WCW, it put Vince McMahon’s back against the wall. Though WWF’s Monday Night Raw lost to WCW’s Monday Nitro in Nielsen ratings for more than 80 straight weeks, McMahon eventually regained the lead with new stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and D-Generation X. Because of the period’s edgy material and more adult storylines, it became known as the Attitude Era. Pro wrestling was never more popular, and THQ hopes to recapture some of the era’s magic in the WWE ‘13 campaign. Taking place from Steve Austin’s rise in late 1997 to Wrestlemania XV...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 09/20/12
By GameInformer, published 20-09-2012
We witness another week of fantastic blogs courtesy of the user community. It's also worth noting with Game Informer's effort to continually provide quality content and an entertaining experience, a number of new moderators have been appointed, including a few that will focus on eliminating the spam posts that sometimes plague the blog portal. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: September 10 – September 16, 2012Number of User Blogs: 136Number of User Bloggers: 74Number of User Blogs Herded: 15 Community Events: A Stranger And Noobtubin8er Extra-Life Co-BlogNoobtubin8er discusses the inspiration and motivation behind contributing to the Extra-Life charity event that will witness gamers participating in a 24-hour gaming marathon. Community Blogs: The Often-Overlooked Aspects...
Seen At Tokyo Game Show 2012: Day One
By GameInformer, published 20-09-2012
The other day we woke up in Japan, so we figured we'd check out this cool curry place in the basement of the Tokyo Game Show. Here's the stuff we saw on the way to lunch. Outside of the convention center we saw some posters for a new Japanese boy band called PlayStation A shot of the show from above Look how advanced Japanese graphics are! Some dumb Pokémon crap Who? Gree is one of the worlds largest social networking companies with a focus on mobile gaming. Their booth is larger than Sqaure Enix. Crazy, we know Solid Snake is so old now that he thinks he's hidden as long as he doesn't move Some more dumb Pokémon crap This is Capcom's booth. We hope the covered wagon means that the company is working on an Oregon Trail-themed Monster Hunter A civil lib...
Unity Teams Up With Nintendo
By GameInformer, published 19-09-2012
Video game engine company Unity Technologies announce it's entered into a partnership with Nintendo to provide a version of Unity that supports the Wii U and its developers. The agreement provides Nintendo the right to distribute Unity to in-house, external, and third party licensee developers. Unity's Wii U development platform won't be ready until 2013. "The rapid growth of incredible games coming from the experienced and talented developers in our community makes Unity the new development platform of choice for AAA console developers," said Unity CEO David Helgason. "Nintendo's unfettered access to Unity will produce a wealth of insanely good games from knowledgeable Nintendo developers and the Wii U deployment add-on will create an amazing opportunity fo...
State Of Decay: Zombie Horror Goes Open World
By GameInformer, published 17-09-2012
Seattle-based game developer Undead Labs finally unveiled State of Decay, an open-world zombie apocalypse title for PC and Xbox Live Arcade due out next year. The project was announced last year under its code name Class3 and debuted at the Penny Arcade Expo earlier this month. After going hands-on with the game, we spoke to studio founder and executive producer Jeff Strain to get his thoughts on the popularity of zombie games and the challenges of creating a massive title for Xbox Live Arcade, ----------------------------------------------------------Game Informer: Zombie games are pretty popular nowadays. Why do you think that is?Strain: Funny how that works, isn't it? Some of us have been talking about making a zombie game for more than a decade, but we weren't in a position to...
Capcom Warns Fans To "Keep Expectations In Check" For A New Mega Man Game
By GameInformer, published 16-09-2012
Mega Man is celebrating his 25th Anniversary this year, but that doesn't mean we will see a new Mega Man game or an announcement soon. The quote below comes from Capcom's corporate officer Christian Svensson on the Capcom Unity blog message boards. In it, her says that there are events planned for the Blue Bomber turning 25, but basically don't get too excited. "In December 'some but not all' plans for the coming year of celebrations will be shared. There are many moving parts and not everything will be done and final come December. No one has promised a game or even an announcement of one at that time. Please do keep expectations in check." Thanks to Brian for the news tip! [via Rockman Corner and Capcom Unity Message Boards]
NHL 13 Be A GM Strategy Guide
By GameInformer, published 15-09-2012
Building a winning hockey club is a tricky proposition, especially when some NHL prospects (like future Wild defensemen Jonas Brodin) aren’t even in NHL 13 at this time (and likely won't be until the pending lockout lifts). To help stock your cupboards for a Stanley Cup run, we reached out to developer EA Canada for some tips and threw in a few of our own. Sure, you could exploit the foolish AI by trading a vet for high-round draft picks and picking him back up when the team immediately places him on waivers, but what’s the fun in cheating? Follow these guidelines, and your team can play fair and still be within arms' reach of the Cup. Fix The RostersNHL fans, be wary: In NHL 13, some of the highly rated prospects for your favorite teams many not currently be in the p...
Sega Consulting On Bayonetta 2
By GameInformer, published 14-09-2012
Yesterday's surprise announcement that Bayonetta 2 is coming exclusively to the Nintendo Wii U left many wondering what happened with Sega's involvement with the franchise. It turns out the publisher is working as an advisor on the project even though Nintendo is publishing it. It remains unclear as of now whether or not Sega had plans to publish the sequel originally on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Sega underwent a restructuring in June where the company said it would only focus on a handful of franchises. It's believed the publisher dropped Bayonetta 2 from its lineup. A number of Platinum Games executives issued statements about the sequel, which you can read below: Tatsuya Minami - President & CEO, PlatinumGames Inc. On September 13, 2012 Bayonetta 2 was announced as an...
Neo Geo X Gaming Handheld: So Much Retro Shipping December For $130
By HotHardware, published 14-09-2012
There's a price for pleasure, and if you're looking to grab one of the unknown gaming handhelds of the world and make it your own, that price has now been released. The Neo Geo X handheld promises to bring back that retro vibe that you once cherished, with the handheld shown here being priced at $130. The unit is slick, sleek and pretty simplistic,...
Game Informer Editors Respond To Wii U Launch Details
By GameInformer, published 14-09-2012
Are you looking for a crack team of professionals to contextualize the new Nintendo launch? You’re out of luck, but we’ll tell you what we think, anyway. Adam Biessener Good for Nintendo hitting the $299 price point, but that's still not enough to get me on board with the Wii U. There's no killer app short-circuiting my brain enough to make me spend the money, and the current-gen hardware under the hood is still significantly less powerful than the PC I'm playing games on right now. I'm following the Wii U closely, because Nintendo always has at least a few tricks up its sleeve (and if Pikmin turns out to be awesome, that may push me over the edge), but this is one launch I'll be sitting out. Jeff Cork I love Nintendo, because it’s so delightfully in...
CosBlog # 78: Meru by Dessi Desu
By GameInformer, published 13-09-2012
When I spotted Dessi Desu from across the hotel lobby at Katsucon – dressed as a character from one of my favorite RPGs – it was admiration at first sight. While it’s impossible not to marvel at the grandeur of Dragoon armor, I’m personally ecstatic to see Meru’s regular form brought to life, with Dessi embodying both the demure and dangerous aspects of the character. Also, I’m totally jealous of that giant hammer. Who: The CharacterThe character is Meru from the Legend of Dragoon in her regular form. Why: The DecisionThe Legend of Dragoon was my very first RPG, so constructing a costume from this game was a must on my cosplay to-do list. I decided on Meru for a combination of reasons. While playing the game, I ended up liking her quirky and fun persona...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 09/13/12
By GameInformer, published 13-09-2012
Before you check out this week's selection of user blogs, it's worth noting today is somewhat of a memorable day in the history book of video games. On this day back in 1993, Mortal Kombat was released for the Super NES, Genesis, Game Boy, and Game Gear game systems in the United States on what was dubbed "Mortal Monday". Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: September 03 – September 09, 2012Number of User Blogs: 151Number of User Bloggers: 89Number of User Blogs Herded: 19 Community Events: There are only 37 days left until the Extra Life charity event is upon us. If you're not sure what the occassion is all about or if you're interested in supporting it, contact Mojomonkey12 or Noobtubin8er for all of the details. Community Blogs: Walking With The De...
Update: Complete List Of Avatar Awards
By GameInformer, published 09-12-2012
The list has been updated with new Avatar Awards for Halo 4, Joe Danger 2: The Movie, Darksiders II, and Transformers: Fall of Cybertron. If you'd rather spend your hard-earned cash on games rather than clothing for your Xbox 360 Avatar, yet still like the idea of dressing him or her in video game garb, several games offer Avatar clothing and items as rewards when specific game challenges are completed. Below is a complete list of awards that are available so far, or have been announced for upcoming games. We'll continue to update this list as new avatar awards are unearthed. After Burner ClimaxAfter Burner T-Shirt – Unlock every EX optionGold Flight Helmet – Obtain one of every medal type in Score Attack Alan WakeJacket and Scarf – Play the Limited Collector...
WWE '13 Achievements Appear Online
By GameInformer, published 09-10-2012
The achievement list for WWE '13 is online. Spoiler alert: you have to win some matches. WWE '13 releases October 30. A winner is you! (10 points) - Win 10 ranked matches. The Streak Ends (50 points) - Beat The Undertaker at WrestleMania with a Custom Superstar on Legend difficulty (single player). King of the world (50 points) - Achieve the maximum rank on Xbox LIVE. Gold standard (45 points) - Earn the WWE, WCW, and ECW Championship belts with a single Superstar. Invincible man (40 points) - Win at least 20 matches on Hard difficulty or higher (single player). A man who wastes no opportunity (35 points) - Cash in a Money in the Bank and win using a Custom Superstar in WWE Universe (single player). Established veteran (30 points) - Achieve the rank 10 on Xbox LIVE. Berserker (25...
Darksiders II For PlayStation 3 Gets A Patch
By GameInformer, published 09-09-2012
The PlayStation 3 version of Darksiders II has gotten its first patch. The 33 MB patch fixes a number of bugs, and may even be preparing for some upcoming DLC. You can check out the patch noted below. A few crashes in Blackstone, including at the 2nd lever and during the Lilith cut-scene. A crash occurring when proceeding back to the Cauldron after completing it. The Custodian falling through the bridge in the Foundry when back-tracking through the dungeon. Spanish sub titles will be added to the North America version of Darksiders II. Players will be able to back up their save without having to use an online save Various fixes for the custodian getting fixed in the Foundry and the Scar Progression blocker with the Chancellor, reported after crashing or doing the Crucible before going t...
Breaking Down NBA 2K13’s Game Modes
By GameInformer, published 09-07-2012
Developer Visual Concepts has already revealed the changes it’s making to gameplay for NBA 2K13 and the inclusion of Dream Team. Now it’s time to dig deeper and learn what improvements the developer is touting for the various game modes. My Player In previous years, My Player was the name of the single-player career mode where you created a rookie player and tried to turn him into an NBA all-star. This year, My Player refers specifically to the player creation and customization. No matter what game mode you play in NBA 2K13, you earn Virtual Currency that allows you to purchase new apparel and skills for your created player. This year the apparel extends beyond what you wear on the court for practice or on the blacktop. If you want to dress up for press conferences, yo...
Darksiders II Leads August U.S. Sales
By GameInformer, published 09-07-2012
U.S. market research firm NPD released its latest video game retail sales figures for the month of August. THQ's Darksiders II led software sales with 247,000 units sold. Transformers: Fall of Cybertron from Activision placed 7th and sold 105,000 units. Overall game sales declined 20 percent year-over-year from $647.2MM to $515.6MM, according to NPD. Below is the top 10 list of best-selling video games in the U.S. for August 2012: Darksiders II (360, PS3, PC)** New Super Mario Bros 2 (3DS) Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (3DS)** NCAA Football 13 (360, PS3) Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (Wii, 360, NDS, PS3, 3DS, PSV, PC) Sleeping Dogs (360, PS3) Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (360, PS3) Batman: Arkham City (360, PS3, PC)** Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, NDS, Wii, PC)** Th...
The Standout Titles Of PAX’s Indie Mega Booth
By GameInformer, published 09-06-2012
Stepping onto the PAX Prime 2012 show floor, you’re immediately greeted with the huge, elaborately lit booths of major video game publishers like Microsoft and Sony. These spectacles cram huge statues and loud music in your face to promote their multi-million dollar, AAA titles. But tucked away just beyond the glitz and glamour is the Indie Mega Booth. What these booths lack in attention-grabbing gravitas, they more than make up for in originality and charm. Here’s a list of the best indie games we saw at PAX Prime 2012. Code HeroPlatform: PCDeveloper: Primer LabsRelease: TBA This ambitious PC game makes a game out of making games. Using the Unity game engine, Code Hero starts off with a tour of a virtual university. The first challenge involves editing lines of code so ...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 09/06/12
By GameInformer, published 09-06-2012
One of the most diverse weeks of contributions from the blogging community, here you will find posts on a variety of subjects ranging from football to comic books, but each with a unique approach and definitely relating to the world of video games. Enjoy. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: August 27 – September 02, 2012Number of User Blogs: 104Number of User Bloggers: 61Number of User Blogs Herded: 13 Community Events: The Extra Life charity event is just over a month away and quickly approaching. If you haven't contributed yet and you're interested, it isn't too late. Contact Mojomonkey12 or Noobtubin8er for all of the details. Community Blogs: The Allure Of The UnknownIs knowing too much about a particular video game detrimental to how you embrace it when i...
Valve Doing More Hiring For Hardware
By GameInformer, published 09-04-2012
The continuing speculation that Valve is going to create hardware just became more concrete with another job listing. This time it's for an industrial designer position, and Valve says it wants applicants to change everything. A job listing at Valve's official site is ambitious, if still vague about what the company's hardware product will actually be. "We’re frustrated by the lack of innovation in the computer hardware space though, so we’re jumping in," it reads. "Even basic input, the keyboard and mouse, haven’t really changed in any meaningful way over the years. There’s a real void in the marketplace, and opportunities to create compelling user experiences are being overlooked." The listing goes on to talk about Valve's...
Seen At PAX 2012: Day Three
By GameInformer, published 09-03-2012
That's a wrap for PAX Prime 2012. Game Informer attended all three days of the show, and this is our final collection of photos from the show floor. Check out some Resident Evil cosplay, glimpses at elaborate booths, and shots of exhibitors packing up. Tons of awesome board games and other nerdy things are available all over PAX. Decorations at Konami's 25th anniversary celebration for Metal Gear Solid. It's just a box. Tragedy strikes as the shoelace of Game Informer's Jim Reilly becomes untied. I froze. Didn't even know what to do. This truck will never win the war against fossil fuel consumption. The booth for quirky downloadable game Harold. I've been playing some Final Fantasy Dimensions during PAX Prime 2012. This dialogue weirded me out a bit. Bethesd...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 08/23/12
By GameInformer, published 23-08-2012
Today's episode of Blog Herding marks the one year anniversary and 52 consecutive weekly episodes of this feature since Andy McNamara agreed to turn over the reins to a member of the community. Thanks go out to the staff, the loyal readers, and the dedicated bloggers for your continued support. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: August 13 - August 19, 2012Number of User Blogs: 133Number of User Bloggers: 74Number of User Blogs Herded: 20 Community Events: GIO Fantasy Football 2012Football season (that sport you play outside with a ball) is a few weeks away from the official kickoff and Supersnake is coordinating the GIO Fantasy Football 2012 league. Read his blog for all of the details. Community Blogs: The Next-Gen Gameplan: NintendoJon Gregory aka JMan240 continues his series of ...
Assassin’s Creed III And Rock The Vote Come Together For Election Awareness
By GameInformer, published 22-08-2012
What better way to build awareness for the upcoming election than to get a younger audience interested by bringing the Assassin’s Creed series into the equation? That’s exactly the plan, as Ubisoft, the developer of Assassin’s Creed, announced today that they would be partnering with Rock the Vote, the nation’s leading non-partisan registration organization. Since Assassin’s Creed III is the first game in the series set in the United States, Rock the Vote and Ubisoft are going all out to get your attention on the election. As part of the incentive, Ubisoft has a traveling exhibit prepared called, “Art of the Assassin.” The showcase will feature original Assassin’s Creed III-inspired works by notable contemporary artists, such as Ariel Eresti...
Square Enix Presenting A "New Direction" For Lightning
By GameInformer, published 22-08-2012
Need more evidence that Final Fantasy XIII-3 is being announced? Square Enix said its September 1 presentation will show a new direction for the saga of Lightning, the main protagonist for Final Fantasy XIII. Lightning also made an appearance in Final Fantasy XIII-2. Square Enix says both games have shipped a total of 9.6 million units to date. "Key members of the Final Fantasy XIII development team including the Producer, Director and Art Director, are in preparations to present new information about the direction of Lightning's story," the company says. The announcement coincides with a planned "Experience Final Fantasy" event at the Penny Arcade Expo on August 31. [Source: Square Enix]
Wii U Press Event May Reveal Release Date And Price
By GameInformer, published 22-08-2012
Nintendo is holding a press event for the upcoming Wii U next month in New York, and Nintendo may take the opportunity to announce some long sought after details about the system. Nintendo used a similar New York press event to announce the North American release date of the 3DS, so it's fair to assume that this event may be serving the same purpose. The event will happen on September 13 at 10 a.m. EST and it will be hosted by Nintendo of America president and COO, Reggie Fils-Aime. It's going to be a six hour event, so there will likely be games to check out as well. You can be sure we will let you know all the details as they happen on Thursday, September 13.
Gamescom Pulled In More Than 275,000 Attendees
By GameInformer, published 20-08-2012
Gamescom's organizers have released official attendance tallies for the annual gaming show, which ended Sunday. More than a quarter of a million people crowded into the convention center in Cologne, Germany, which certainly explains the long lines. The organizers also broke down those numbers a bit more, saying that trade attendees arrived from 83 countries, and more than 5,300 games writers popped into town to cover the festivities. "The concept of Gamescom has borne fruit: as a leading international trade fair, it presents all types and aspects of games for all platforms," says Maximilian Schenk, managing director of the German Association for Interactive Entertainment Software. "We would like to thank most sincerely the gamer community, the visitors, exhibitors and p...
Our Favorite Gamescom Picks
By GameInformer, published 17-08-2012
Gamescom 2012 was hot and wild for editors Adam, Bryan, and Jeff. While the public days continue all weekend, we saw it all and got the hell out of there. Here are our personal favorites of the show. Remember Me- Bryan Vore - I tend to be impressed by new, shiny things. So when Capcom debuted the new title Remember Me, I was pumped. It’s a little mix of everything. It’s got the futuristic platforming vibe of Mirror’s Edge, the memory altering of Inception, and the mystery of Beyond Good and Evil. In 2084 Neo-Paris, huge corporation Memoreyes, offers to install memory recorders in the populace, enabling users to buy and sell memories easily. The story follows Nilin, a hunter who steals and influences memories to her advantage. All of that changes when her memories are era...
Your Game Studies Reading List
By GameInformer, published 17-08-2012
Once again, the school year is almost upon us. To celebrate (or commiserate) the start of another year of learning, we're featuring eight game studies books and academic journals that are scientifically proven to make you smarter. The first four publications in our list are books written or edited by scholars in fields like theology, gender studies, and music. Each one looks at issues in game studies through its own interesting framework and is available for purchase at most major online bookstores.The last four publications are peer-reviewed scholarly journals, meaning all their content is very competitively-selected, published anywhere from once or twice a year to bimonthly. The first three journals are open-access and free to the public, so no matter if you have access to a univers...
Take Another Look At Star Wars 1313
By GameInformer, published 15-08-2012
LucasArts got the Star Wars community excited earlier this summer when it revealed Star Wars 1313, and now the publisher is using GamesCom to highlight the title again. The trailer below contains a lot of familiar footage from previous showings, and the screens are just captures from the trailer, so it would be a stretch to call it brand new. However, that doesn't mean that Star Wars 1313 looks any less impressive. The game still has no release date, and though the PC is the only official platform, odds are good that it's coming to the next generation of consoles. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Ubisoft Unveils Might & Magic Heroes Online
By GameInformer, published 15-08-2012
Today at its Gamescom 2012 press conference Ubisoft announced Might & Magic Heroes Online, a new browser-based game will be a free-to-play MMO. Although there is no release date, we do know that the game has been designed by Blue Byte Studios using Flash 11. It will allow players to explore the world of Ashan in much the same way as the previous titles in the series. The game will be free to play and features strategy as well as the RPG elements known to the franchise. Until we get more info, enjoy the screens below!
25 Things We Know About NBA 2K13
By GameInformer, published 08-10-2012
At a recent visit to the Game Informer offices, Visual Concepts spilled the beans about everything NBA 2K13 has to offer, including My Player, Association, online plans, and a few new surprises. We’ll touch on all of this at later dates, but first and foremost we’re sharing details on our hands-on gameplay session. NBA 2K13 is building off a solid gameplay foundation, but that isn’t preventing Visual Concepts from shaking things up. Here are 25 things we learned during our meeting: PRESENTATION In past games Visual Concepts felt that after the whistle blew the presentation would often break the sense of immersion with flaws in the way players acted and reacted. The transition of seeing LeBron James make one of his signature dunks, but then stumble aimlessly around...
NCAA, 3DS Lead July Game Sales
By GameInformer, published 08-10-2012
It was another relatively slow month for video games sales, but Nintendo's handhelds bucked the trend. Anita Frasier, an analyst for U.S. retail tracking firm NPD, said, “Of the hardware platforms that were on the market last July, only one, the 3DS, realized a unit sales increase over last year. Both the DS and the 3DS, however, realized a month-over-month unit sales increase over June 2012 while the other platforms declined.” Physical game sales were down again, with a total of $260.7 million (compared to $338.5 million in 2011). NPD estimates that an additional $117 million was spent on physical product in the form of used sales and game rental. On the digital side, a total of $439 million was spent on downloads, microtransactions, mobile apps, and social ga...
Blog Herding: Community Edition 08/09/12
By GameInformer, published 08-09-2012
This edition of Blog Herding is rather special as it marks the 50th episode since its triumphant return after Game Informer allowed a member of the community to author it. It also breaks the record for the most blogs featured in a single week as the bloggers continue publishing exceptional content. Blog Herding Stats: Period Reviewed: July 30 – August 05, 2012Number of User Blogs: 126Number of User Bloggers: 77Number of User Blogs Herded: 19 Community Events: Team GIO is currently ranked 1st on the Extra Life top teams chart. If you want to help keep them there and are interested in contributing, contact Mojomonkey12 or Noobtubin8er. Community Blogs: The Importance Of A Good VillainHeroes in video games are often made heroes because of the adversaries they...
Dragon Quest X Tops Japan Sales
By GameInformer, published 08-08-2012
The newly released Dragon Quest X for Wii topped Japan software sales charts in its first week. Since going on sale last Thursday, the game sold 420,000 units, according to Enterbrain, a retail tracking firm in Japan. New Super Mario Bros. 2 for 3DS came in at #2 selling an additional 213,000 copies, bringing total sales in Japan up to 644,000 since releasing on July 28. Rounding out the rest of the top five are Pokemon Black & White 2, Demon Training, and Just Dance Wii 2. [Source: Andriasang]
Double Fine Brings Iron Brigade To PC
By GameInformer, published 08-07-2012
Double Fine released the cute tower defense/third person shooter hybrid for Xbox back in June of 2011. Now the company is finally bringing the game to PC. Originally called Trenched, Double Fine's bizarre but intense take on an alternate reality World War I is finally making it's way to PC and Steam on August 13. Check out Double Fine's Blog for more info, or learn about why the game's name was changed here.
Sick Of Farmville? Amazon Games Studios Has A New Game For You
By HotHardware, published 08-06-2012
Social game companies have been enduring plenty of negative press lately, but where the critics see a saturated marketplace, Amazon sees an opportunity. Today it launched Amazon Games Studios, which appears to be a direct competitor to the likes of Zynga. The new team, which has apparently been working in secret for awhile, also announced...
Weekend Warrior 8/3/12
By GameInformer, published 08-04-2012
This weekend, we're becoming Keyblade masters, high-jumping plumbers, and pro-football players. We'll also probably get around to doing our laundry and other boring things. Kyle Hilliard: I’ve been slowly making my way through Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. I wish I could fast-forward the dialogue sequences. I don’t want to skip them, I just want everyone to talk a little bit faster. I’m also very interested in Deadlight. Outside of video games, I’ll be washing clothes with my clothes washing robot, having gibberish conversations with a nine-month old, possibly looking at some zoo animals, and writing news for the website.Jeff Cork: My goal for the weekend is to try out a handful of games I never got around to playing. So far, my plans include Shad...
Ouya Announces A Special Edition Console For Kickstarter Donors
By GameInformer, published 08-01-2012
In a new email update to its Kickstarter backers, Ouya revealed that it will produce a special edition version of the Android-powered console for backers at the $140 level and above. The special edition (pictured above) features a new, darker color scheme selected by designer Yves Behar. You'll only be able to get this special edition from now until the Ouya Kickstarter closes on August 9. If you've already backed at a lower level, you're able to "stretch your bid" to the $140 level to get the new console. The company also announced a partnership with VEVO, the online music video service. Following is the full text of the update from Ouya: Project Update #8: VEVO music videos and a "last week of Kickstarter" special edition console and controller We&rs...
Twitter Reaches 500 Million User Accounts Worldwide
By DigitalVersus, published 08-01-2012
Twitter managed to clock up half a billion users by the end of June 2012, according to a recent study. The United States counts the largest number of tweeps,...
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A Close Look At The Halo 4 Xbox 360
By GameInformer, published 25-07-2012
Microsoft's special edition Halo 4 Xbox 360 console is coming this fall, and we have some new pictures showing off its detail. Halo Waypoint, the official Halo destination, posted an update revealing some information about the console's design. "We started off with a few different concepts, but most of them were Forerunner in direction," Microsoft said. "What was interesting about this process was looking both at our universe for inspiration – as well as the fabrication, material, and tech processes that had become available to us. Figuring out what we could do and how those manufacturing and painting techniques could apply to the unit was a completely organic, two way process." Microsoft notes there were "dozens of iterations with hundreds of changi...
Nintendo Releases A Rough Look At Its Upcoming Schedule
By GameInformer, published 25-07-2012
Nintendo laid out a rough idea of what it's planning to release in Japan, Europe, and the United States from July onward as part of its earnings report. There aren't any revelatory details in the document, but the list does provide a glimpse at the differences of both timing and release dates between the regions. In particular, it's a nice reminder that Japan and Europe are getting the 3DS XL a few weeks before it hits our shores. You know, in case you're interested in that kind of thing. Most of the interesting stuff is followed by the dream-shattering letters "TBD," including the upcoming 3DS Super Smash Bros., Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, and Animal Crossing. Here's the list: Japan3DSNintendo 3DS XL — 7/28/2012Animal Crossing (temp title) &md...
NHL 13 Overhauls Its Trade Interface
By GameInformer, published 24-07-2012
Any NHL general manager worth his salt will tell you that one of the quickest ways to shore up inadequacies on your roster is to make a quick trade. In NHL 12, making a smart trade was often tough thanks to strange AI quirks (teams would sometimes reject a proposal they just made to you), a lack of valuable feedback on trade offers from AI controlled teams, and an uncommonly even player value bar that made it tough to distinguish the true worth of different players. In NHL 13, a host of improvements make looking for that missing piece much more accommodating. The revamped trade block lets teams fine-tune what they are willing to give up and be more specific about what kind of player they are looking for in return. Instead of vaguely requesting things like athleticism, AI controlled ...
A Closer Look At Dead Space 3's Feeders
By GameInformer, published 20-07-2012
Feeders are a type of necromorph that are created when a human eats the corrupted flesh of a dead necromorph. The old colonists of Tau Volantis were isolated for so long that they eventually resorted to this sick form of cannibalism and slowly mutated into feeders. Get a closer look at these unique enemies in this exclusive screen gallery. The feeders that inhabit the Way Station have been trapped in the dark so long that bright lights hurt their eyes. They navigate through sound and attack in waves when startled. Isaac has a couple options when approaching a nest of feeders. If he has enough resources, he can attempt charge head first into their numbers and hope to come out ahead when the smoke clears, or he can try to sneak by, even throwing objects across the room to lead a feeder off...
