games news

• Unreal Tournament: Classic Map Gets Next-Gen Facelift

  10-03-2016 23:59
  
  Epic Games has released a new build of Unreal Tournament, including a "visually polished" version of the popular 'DM-Chill' map.
  DM-Chill is an arena set in a frozen Nordic castle on a snowy mountain range, and is going to be used to test out a new multiplayer game mode known as "Showdown."
  In Showdown, players are given one life and 200 health at the start of each match. Additionally, they can choose their spawn points to strategically determine the weapon locations they'd prefer to start
  
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• Epic's Tim Sweeney argues for keeping Windows an open platform

  10-03-2016 23:59
  In a new opinion piece, the Epic Games founder explains why he thinks Windows 10 is heading toward being a closed space -- and how he'd like Microsoft to open it up....
  
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• DICE Talks Gameplay In This Dev Diary

  10-03-2016 23:50
  EA and DICE have revealed the latest developer diary for Mirror's Edge Catalyst. In it, the team discusses the details of how the gameplay of Mirror's Edge has evolved in the upcoming game.The embedded video shows how DICE has updated and refined the game's movement system throughout development. They also share some info about how combat will work without guns, and the many opportunities that the game's free-roaming structure will provide. The sound team also explains how the player's actions
  
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• Game Scoop!: Fable & Other Mismanaged Games

  10-03-2016 22:56
  
  Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game talk show. This week we're discussing Fable Legends, Mass Effect Andromeda, Broforce, and more. Watch the video above or download the podcast below.
  Download Game Scoop! Episode 381
  Or subscribe in iTunes and never miss an episode.
  
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• Exclusive Screenshots Carve Fresh Powder With New Features

  10-03-2016 22:45
  Snow is a free-to-play winter sports game that entered open beta in late January. The open-world game is adding a fresh layer of features to the game with the inclusion of snowboarding and snowmobiling.The additional options of snow traversal are coming soon, and they enable the player to explore the backcountry by scaling mountain ridges via snowmobile or carving down hills with your snowboard. You’ll be able to scout out the environment around you by using drones to discern the best are
  
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• Rhapsody and Nintendo team up to put tunes on your Wii U

  10-03-2016 22:28 via news.yahoo.com
  
  When it comes to their respective spots in game consoles and music streaming, Nintendo’s Wii U and Rhapsody are decidedly B-squad. For Nintendo, it’s Playstation and Xbox that get all the glory, while Rhapsody is continuously overshadowed by Spotify, and now, Apple Music. So it sort of makes sense these two “underdogs” would team up. Announced today on Rhapsody’s blog, the subscription streamer has landed on Wii U, available via a new app from the Nintendo eShop. Rh
  
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• Alt.Ctrl.GDC showcase: Killigan Industries' Operator

  10-03-2016 22:17
  
  "It's a game in which players use a touchtone telephone to connect with a customer support line to simulate the convenience and fun of navigating an automated phone menu for several minutes at work."...
  
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• Get a job: Nintendo's Retro Studios is hiring a Tools Engineer

  10-03-2016 21:59
  
  Austin-based, Nintendo-owned developer Retro Studios (Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze) is looking for a coder with game tool development chops to join its ranks as a tools engineer....
  
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• In the wake of The Division, Ubisoft is all about games-as-a-service

  10-03-2016 21:51
  
  The state of game development at Ubisoft, at least for the foreseeable future, is all about "live ops" and games-as-a-service, according to comments made by execs in a new Polygon feature. ...
  
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• A GDC survival guide for indies and first-timers

  10-03-2016 21:38
  "Game Developers Conference in San Francisco is the most important industry event of the year; everybody is there. It also demands so much mental and physical resources from you to both prepare and shine at the event." ...
  
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• Don't Miss: Developers recommend 7 horror games worth studying

  10-03-2016 20:40
  
  A handful of game developers from across the industry (and the world) to get their recommendations on what horror games designers should play -- and why -- in this timeless feature. ...
  
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• Making Zelda into a darn good roguelike

  10-03-2016 20:38
  "It takes something like the Zelda Randomizer to demonstrate how meticulously the game is instructed, really. You only need a scant few items to complete the game." ...
  
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• Troubled studio Two Tribes says its next game will be its last

  10-03-2016 20:16
  
  Dutch game studio Two Tribes published a lengthy blog post today explaining why it plans to stop developing new games after it releases its current project, the 2D shooter Rive, later this year....
  
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• Daisy Ridley May Play Lara Croft in Tomb Raider Reboot

  10-03-2016 19:54
  
  Daisy Ridley could take over as Lara Croft in Warner Bros. and MGM's Tomb Raider reboot. The British actress is reportedly is among "one of a number of actresses" being considered for the role.
  Played by Angelina Jolie in the original films, Croft is an archaeologist and adventurer who originated in the Tomb Raider video game franchise. The project, which has been in development for years, is said to have been reinvigorated after Square Enix rebooted the franchise with Tomb Raider and its follow
  
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• Alt.CTRL.GDC Showcase: Alejandra Molina's Ziff

  10-03-2016 19:53
  
  "Ziff is a physical toy that you can build and then play with on screen. By configuring the toy, you define the abilities your character has in the game, helping her adapt to the environment." ...
  
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• Two weeks in, Stardew Valley has sold nearly half a million copies

  10-03-2016 19:42
  
  According to its creator, as of yesterday the $15 Steam darling (which launched less than two weeks ago) had sold more than 425,000 copies across both Steam and Gog....
  
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• So what about the men?: A deeper look at Firewatch and Catherine

  10-03-2016 19:34
  
  What would more compelling, more human male characters look like? Atlus' Catherine and Campo Santo's Firewatch provide elements of an answer. ...
  
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• Watch Nathan Vella & Robin Hunicke host the IGF & GDC awards next week

  10-03-2016 19:03
  
  Double Fine's Tim Schafer returns to host this year's 16th annual Game Developers Choice Awards at GDC 2016 alongside Capy's Nathan Vella, who returns to host the 18th annual Independent Games Festival awards. ...
  
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• Pinball FX 2 Recreates Outlandish Tables in Virtual Reality

  10-03-2016 18:57
  
  Pinball FX2 is aiming to blend the physical and digital pinball experiences with the use of virtual reality.
  Typically, Zen Studios' Pinball FX series creates entirely new, digital tables with special effects not possible in the real-world. The Force Awakens table for Pinball FX 2, for example, sports TIE fighters and the Millennium Falcon dog-fighting overhead.
  The accurately named Pinball FX 2 VR sounds like it will simulate that experience in a "virtual play space," while at the same tim
  
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• New Pokemon Mobile Game Announced for Japan

  10-03-2016 18:50
  
  Pokemon Co-Master is a new mobile game coming to iOS and Android this spring.
  Right now, the "strategy battle board game" has only been announced for Japan by The Pokemon Company. It is being developed in collaboration with Heroz Japan, a company which specializes in artificial intelligence that has beaten professional shogi players.
  The Pokemon Company (with translation from Kotaku) says Pokemon Co-Master is "Pokemon meets jinkouchinou," which means artificial intelligence in Japanese.
  Con
  
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• Japanese mobile industry in hot water over players' spending sprees

  10-03-2016 18:44
  
  There's a sense of unrest surrounding Japan's mobile industry after Cygames allegedly used false advertising to encourage players to spend thousands of dollars to unlock rare characters in GranBlue Fantasy....
  
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• First Look at Street Fighter 5's Alex

  10-03-2016 18:28
  
  Capcom has provided an update on Street Fighter V’s Alex and changes coming to the game later this month.
  Alex, first seen in Street Fighter III, is the first DLC character coming to Street Fighter V and will inflict big damage with his grappling moves and long limbs, according to Capcom.
  He is expected to excel in close quarters with burst damage and have a strong midrange game. Alex’s V-Skill is called Overhaul, which gives Alex’s next attack a counter hit property if it hits
  
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• PSA: Know your GDC Code of Conduct!

  10-03-2016 18:08
  
  The 30th edition of GDC is happening next week, so GM of GDC events and all-around Boss Lady Meggan Scavio stops by to detail the official code of conduct for GDC and all of its related events. ...
  
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• Halo, Destiny Composer Announces Golem 'Musical Prequel' Album

  10-03-2016 18:00
  
  Original Halo and Destiny composer Marty O'Donnell has announced a Kickstarter to help get a "musical prequel" album made for Golem, the new PlayStation VR game in development at his own Highwire Games.
  "Echoes of the First Dreamer is not the soundtrack to Golem," Highwire says on the Kickstarter page. "it is a musical prequel; composed, arranged and recorded as an independent work. It will be released before the game and introduce you to the world and themes of Golem."
  So why does it need backe
  
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• The Witcher Developer Plans To Release an Unannounced Game in 2016

  10-03-2016 17:32
  
  During the Polish studio's 2015 financial results conference, CD Projekt president, Adam Kiciński announced that the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt developer plans to release "a new type of video game format previously unexplored by the studio" in 2016 - before new RPG Cyberpunk 2077 is released in 2017.The presentation slide that revealed the new game.As reported by DualShockers, Kiciński refused to explain what that might mean, but said that the studio was "experimenting" and doing t
  
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• ‘The Division' sets new video games sales record

  10-03-2016 17:21 via news.yahoo.com
  
  The latest Tom Clancy-inspired action RPG title is the fastest selling game in Ubisoft's history. "We're extremely happy with The Division's record-breaking launch," said David Polfeldt, Managing Director, Ubisoft's Massive studio. The game's ambitious scale and scope -- it's a third person shooter, RPG, and a massive online multiplayer rolled into one -- means that development has been slow and launch dates pushed back, therefore it is little wonder that Ubisoft is being so quick to point to sa
  
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• PopCap Dives Into Collectible-Card Gaming With Plants Vs. Zombies Heroes

  10-03-2016 17:19
  PopCap clearly likes to move its Plants Vs. Zombies characters across genres. The Garden Warfare series shifted the action away from its real-time-strategy roots to a third-person shooter, and now Plants Vs. Zombies Heroes is transplanting the familiar characters over to a completely new place. Heroes is a collectible-card game that will give mobile players a chance to battle their rivals and collect hundreds of different cards – including some new heroes from Garden Warfare 2.
  The specif
  
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• Subversive humor in games

  10-03-2016 17:10
  "I am here to advocate on behalf of the ridiculous. To be more specific, I aim to show you that we need more subversive humor in games and why you don't actually have to be 'serious' to be serious." ...
  
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• What's Old Is New Again: Our Early Thoughts On The Reboot

  10-03-2016 17:00
  It’s hard to believe the Ratchet & Clank series is over 13 years old. The original Ratchet & Clank launched in 2002, and the franchise has been going strong as one of Insomniac’s most successful series. After over a decade, Ratchet & Clank is getting a reboot. Both a game and a movie are slated for release in April, retelling the origin story of the titular Lombax and his miniature robotic companion. We played the first few hours of the upcoming game to see how Ratchet h
  
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• Ratchet & Clank PS4 Is Living the Pixar Dream

  10-03-2016 16:58
  
  Mere minutes into Ratchet & Clank, I can’t help but appreciate its super polished look. The series always had lovely, far reaching vistas and good combat, but the shiny textures and lively character animation are on a new level of quality. Similar to the way The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker transformed Nintendo’s fantasy world into a fully-realized cartoon, this reboot feels like the closest thing to a playable Pixar adventure set in space. That’s a high benchmark for th
  
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• Infinite Air Is A New Approach To Snowboarding

  10-03-2016 16:54
  Snowboarding in a video game is about more than planting a rider in front of the screen and pushing him/her down a snowy mountain. Getting the feel right, from what it's like to carve through the snow to pulling off tricks, must be the foundation of a good experience. HB Studios – creators of The Golf Club – have announced Infinite Air featuring Mark McMorris, a PS4/Xbox One/PC snowboarding title that not only aims to give gamers unparalleled feel when out on the mountain, but also
  
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• Batman v Superman Content Coming to DC Universe Online

  10-03-2016 16:40
  
  Batman v Superman content is coming to DC Universe Online.
  Two swag bags were revealed in the latest DCUO stream. The first bag contains several Batman v Superman posters of varying sizes for use in player lairs or league halls, and will be made available through DCUO’s in-game online store, or as a reward for in-game currency.
  The second, however, is a first for DCUO. Bag two contains official logos; some based on the insignias used in Batman v Superman (which are colour-locked), as well
  
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• Nexon acquires Big Huge Games

  10-03-2016 16:36
  Nexon Korea, a subsidiary of free-to-play, social, and mobile publisher, Nexon, has agreed to purchase DomiNations developer Big Huge Games for an undisclosed fee....
  
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• Hitman's Full Physical Release Slips out of 2016

  10-03-2016 15:40
  
  UPDATE: In regards to the reasoning for the delay, a Square Enix representative offered the following statement to IGN.
  “This year is all about delivering the best episodic experience for Hitman and that takes us to Autumn/Fall. Releasing the disc version in January just makes sure we have enough time after the season concludes to dedicate to getting the best disc version of the game out.”
  Original story follows...
  The disc-based version of Hitman - originally scheduled for this year
  
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• Sheltered Release Date Announced

  10-03-2016 14:29
  
  Post-apocalyptic survival game Sheltered will be released on Xbox One, PS4, and PC on March 15.
  Sheltered comes from two-man developer Unicube, and focuses on a family who must find any way to survive in a deserted shelter. You'll have to combat claustrophobia, radiation, and mental exhaustion in a game where death is permanent.
  Over the course of the game, you will have to slowly turn this shelter into a home by venturing out into the wasteland to scavenge for supplies. Sheltered features a cra
  
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• Hitman Episode 1: Paris Review

  10-03-2016 14:12
  
  On his brief trip to Paris, this overhauled take on Agent 47 has successfully combined the best of his previous incarnations. Episode 1 of the new game, which will be released throughout the year and is simply called Hitman, contains a classic-style imaginative sandbox for lethal shenanigans, and the smoother movement controls of 2012’s Hitman: Absolution.
  There’s definitely the beginnings of something that may well emerge as a worthy successor to cult favourite Hitman: Blood Money h
  
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• LittleBigPlanet Studio Takes Over Development of Dead Island 2

  10-03-2016 12:45
  
  LittleBigPlanet 3 developer Sumo Digital has taken over the development of the beleaguered Dead Island 2.
  Talking to MCV, Koch Media's CEO, Dr. Klemens Kundratitz, said: “Sumo showed so much understanding of the brand, had creative ideas and an excellent, vision that was aligned with our own.
  “It just made perfect sense for us to move the project to them. We will reveal more details at a later stage, but for now I’d like to say that we are obviously super excited abou
  
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• Next Fallout 4 Patch Arrives on Consoles This Week

  10-03-2016 12:38
  
  Fallout 4’s next patch will arrive on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 before the end of the week, according to Bethesda.
  Patch 1.4 brings with it add-on support, extra art customisations, super mutant and raider clutter, new signs, more metal and wooden door options, as well as a host of bug fixes.
  More importantly for some, the patch also readies Fallout 4 for add-on content. March sees the release of the first piece of DLC, Automatron; next month comes Wasteland Workshop, and a larger, more s
  
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• This online emulator turns classic 2D Nintendo games into 3D remakes

  10-03-2016 03:45 via news.yahoo.com
  
  Have you ever tried to go back and replay classic games from previous generations? Whether they hold up or not, it's often difficult to adjust your expectations accordingly, especially when we live in a world where massive, open world games are the norm and the virtual reality revolution is just weeks away. But the 2D classics of yore aren't being left behind entirely. DON'T MISS:  Here are all the best VR headsets currently available to buy or preorder Meet 3DNes, an online Nintendo E
  
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• Unlocked: Is Fable Dead?

  10-03-2016 01:45
  
  DOWNLOAD UNLOCKED 236 (Audio version)
  On this week's Xbox show, we analyze the cancellation of Fable Legends and the apparent closure of Lionhead Studios. Could either have been saved? Can and will Fable continue on, or is it dead? Plus: our first impressions of The Division, Gears of War 4 continues to divide us, Doom multiplayer inches closer, Overwatch and Battleborn have a silly (albeit one-sided) feud, and more!
  Oh, and Unlocked now has its own snazzy new homepage! Bookmark this: go.ig
  
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• The Division Sets Ubisoft Sales Record

  10-03-2016 01:37
  
  The Division is enjoying the highest day-one sales in Ubisoft’s history.
  Ubisoft says the new game has sold more copies in its first 24 hours than any other game in its 30-year history.The company stopped short of providing actual sales numbers, though.
  CEO Yves Guillemot says: "The launch of The Division is a tremendous achievement for Ubisoft, and demonstrates our unrivaled capacity to create fantastic new game brands and transform them into entertainment blockbusters."
  The Division was
  
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• Chivalry Developer Shows Magical Mayhem In Announcement Trailer

  10-03-2016 00:13
  Torn Banner Studios, the developer behind Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, has officially announced the spiritual successor to its first-person multiplayer combat game set in medieval times. Blood-soaked magicians struggle to survive in Mirage: Arcane Warfare’s announcement trailer.(Please visit the site to view this media)
  Sorcerers teleport, dismember, and brutalize each other over colorful Persian-inspired maps. The heavily saturated dunes and bazaars are rendered in Unreal Engine 4, and wi
  
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• XCOM 2's First DLC Pack Detailed

  10-03-2016 00:09
  
  Firaxis has revealed details on XCOM 2's first piece of DLC, Anarchy’s Children.
  Anarchy's Children releases on March 17 and costs $5. The pack features over 100 new customization options ranging from new hair styles, to face paints, to helmets and armor, to decals, and more. The items are described by Firaxis as "post-apocalyptic"and "downright deranged." Check out how some of the options below:
  Anarchy's Children is included in the Reinforcement Pack, which
  
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