via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174273/gta-5-delay-positive-for-grid-2
Friday, February 15, 2013
News::GTA 5 delay 'positive' for GRID 2
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174273/gta-5-delay-positive-for-grid-2
News::Gamertag Radio's Top 10 Best Love Stories In Games
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174072/gamertag-radios-top-10-best-love-stories-in-games
News::Ace Of Spades Valentines DLC Inbound
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174050/ace-of-spades-valentines-dlc-inbound
News::Massive Everquest patch goes live
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173899/massive-everquest-patch-goes-live
News::New War of the Roses patch
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173895/new-war-of-the-roses-patch
News::GTA V vs Modern Warfare 4: Battle for Supremacy and Billion Dollars, Who Will WIN?
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173887/gta-v-vs-modern-warfare-4-battle-for-supremacy-and-billion-dollars-who-will-win
News::The Art Of: Gears Of War 3
To appreciate Gears Of War 3 is to know the limitations of the Xbox 360 hardware. It is understanding the constraints of its tiny parcel of RAM, the old GPU, and the pitiless expectations of players regarding what a console should be able to do now, as opposed to seven years ago, despite no change in specs. Gears Of War was an Epic game; Gears 3 is also an epic one. But how? Wyeth Johnson explains over the page.
The post The Art Of: Gears Of War 3 appeared first on Edge Online.
via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/features/the-art-of-gears-of-war-3/
News::Blast From The Past | Aliens vs Predator 2
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173865/blast-from-the-past-aliens-vs-predator-2
News::The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct Rated by the ESRB, You Have the Option to Kill Zombies Close-Up
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173850/the-walking-dead-survival-instinct-rated-by-the-esrb-you-have-the-option-to-kill-zombies-close-up
News::WildStar: A Big MMO With A Big Personality | IGN
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173788/wildstar-a-big-mmo-with-a-big-personality-ign
News::5 Great mini-games you have to play
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173706/5-great-mini-games-you-have-to-play
News::Starwraiths Shawn Bower Discusses the Evochron Mercenary Expansion [Just Press Start]
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173608/starwraiths-shawn-bower-discusses-the-evochron-mercenary-expansion-just-press-start
News::PixlBit's Karateka Review
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174160/pixlbits-karateka-review
News::Original Gamer Review - Omerta: City of Gangsters
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174119/original-gamer-review-omerta-city-of-gangsters
News::In Defense Of That Aliens: Colonial Marines Level Everyone Keeps Making Fun Of
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174254/in-defense-of-that-aliens-colonial-marines-level-everyone-keeps-making-fun-of
News::Putting In The Hours
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174246/putting-in-the-hours
News::Antichamber Review - The Refined Geek.
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174106/antichamber-review-the-refined-geek
News::Proteus Review by The Black Panel
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174252/proteus-review-by-the-black-panel
News::IBTimes Aliens: Colonial Marines Review
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174249/ibtimes-aliens-colonial-marines-review
News::Artist Interview: Noisia on the DmC: Devil May Cry Soundtrack
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174280/artist-interview-noisia-on-the-dmc-devil-may-cry-soundtrack
News::DMC Devil May Cry review | The Adrenaline Vault
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174276/dmc-devil-may-cry-review-the-adrenaline-vault
News::Developers Insight - Serious Brew
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173561/developers-insight-serious-brew
News::Castlevania and Romanticism
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173898/castlevania-and-romanticism
News::Review: Proteus | GamingUnwrapped
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173523/review-proteus-gamingunwrapped
News::Steam for Linux launches to public
The Steam for Linux client has left beta and can now be downloaded from the Ubuntu Software Center. To accompany the launch, Valve is holding a Steam sale, discounting over 50 Linux games until February 21.
Valve has been increasingly critical of Microsoft’s Windows OS, which it says has become too closed in its most recent iterations, and confirmed that it was working on the client last July.
Valve’s upcoming Steam Box will, of course, also run on Linux, but the client will open up a broader market to Steam developers straight away.
“The introduction of Steam to Ubuntu demonstrates growing demand for open systems from gamers and game developers,” said David Pitkin, director of consumer applications for Ubuntu parent Canonical.
“We expect a growing number of game developers to include Ubuntu among their target platforms. We’re looking forward to seeing AAA games developed with Ubuntu in mind as part of a multi-platform day and date release on Steam.”
The Linux client also includes Big Picture Mode, which means intrepid – and impatient – Steam users will now find it even easier to build their own Steam Boxes.
The post Steam for Linux launches to public appeared first on Edge Online.
via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/news/steam-for-linux-launches-to-public/
News::Edge presents: SimCityNights
GameCityNights turns into SimCityNights on February 28th as the final after-dark celebration of game culture comes to Nottingham.
SimCityNights will feature six teams battling against each other to win an array of prizes from sponsor Maxis. There will also be the usual mix of entertainment, food and drink.
Participants and audience members will also be able to ask Maxis itself about the new SimCity game, which is released on Friday 8th March.
“We’re really excited to bring SimCity to Nottingham, it’s the first opportunity this year to get an in-depth look at the game ahead of its release and a great way to celebrate its return with GameCityNights,” said Maxis product manager Jacqui Ashworth.
Director of GameCity at Nottingham Trent University Iain Simons added: “We’ve had an amazing time on the road with GameCityNights, so we’re delighted to cap off the tour with an extra-special night. Whilst talk, games and plentiful food and drink have proved very popular elements of the gigs, people have always bemoaned the lack of attention we’ve given to pragmatic civic planning. Now is the time to put that right.”
You can get tickets and more information on the GameCityNights site.
The post Edge presents: SimCityNights appeared first on Edge Online.
via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/news/edge-presents-simcitynights/
News::360 and Call Of Duty on top in US
Xbox 360 and Black Ops 2 led the hardware and software sales chart in the US marketplace for January 2013, according to new NPD data. 360 has now been the top-selling hardware in the US for the 25th consecutive month.
The retail games market (including hardware, software and accessories) is down year-on-year by 13 per cent, says the report, and overall software is also down – a drop of 19 per cent compared to last year.
The top ten selling titles in the US for January 2012 are as follows:
- Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2 (Activision)
- Far Cry 3 (Ubisoft)
- Just Dance 4 (Ubisoft)
- NBA 2K13 (Take Two)
- Madden NFL 13 (EA)
- DMC: Devil May Cry (Capcom)
- Halo 4 (Microsoft)
- Assassin’s Creed III (Ubisoft)
- Skylanders Giants (Activision)
- FIFA 13 (EA)
The post 360 and Call Of Duty on top in US appeared first on Edge Online.
via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/news/360-and-call-of-duty-on-top-in-us/
News::Greenlight Spotlight: Real World Racing
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173741/greenlight-spotlight-real-world-racing
News::Medieval robots and navigation in Starbound
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173737/medieval-robots-and-navigation-in-starbound
News::Preview: Tekken Card Tournament | newbreview.com
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174251/preview-tekken-card-tournament-newbreview-com
News::Depression Quest Game Brings Awareness and Understanding
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173985/depression-quest-game-brings-awareness-and-understanding
News::The Most Romantic Moments In Video Games
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173874/the-most-romantic-moments-in-video-games
News::Team Fortress 2 is now on Linux
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174085/team-fortress-2-is-now-on-linux
News::Grid 2 and why Codemasters isnt waiting for the next generation
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174084/grid-2-and-why-codemasters-isnt-waiting-for-the-next-generation
News::Fancy A Zombie Themed Wedding? Deep Silver Have The Valentines Gift For You
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173643/fancy-a-zombie-themed-wedding-deep-silver-have-the-valentines-gift-for-you
News::An Open Letter To Everyone In The Game Industry
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174191/an-open-letter-to-everyone-in-the-game-industry
News::Weekend Bargain Hunter: PC Game Deals 2/14 2/17
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174054/weekend-bargain-hunter-pc-game-deals-2-14-2-17
News::GRID 2's narrative-led single player campaign revealed (VideoGamer.com)
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174116/grid-2s-narrative-led-single-player-campaign-revealed-videogamer-com
News::Grid 2 screenshots
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174189/grid-2-screenshots
News::Limbo puzzle designer's pet project, 140, is a polychromatic, pulsing platformer
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173966/limbo-puzzle-designers-pet-project-140-is-a-polychromatic-pulsing-platformer
News::Renaissance Heroes Goes Live
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173698/renaissance-heroes-goes-live
News::NPD: Wii U sold a paltry 55,000 units in January
It's no secret that the Wii U is in poor shape. No one is denying that Nintendo has failed to push the Wii U message adequately to either the enthusiast gamer or the mass market. And when Ubisoft moved back Rayman Legends to release alongside the 360 and PS3 versions, I think we all understood deep down that Ubi was nervous about the console's sales potential.
I just don't think anyone could have guessed it was this bad.
Looking at the stats from the January 2013 NPD, Gamasutra reveals that the Wii U during its first three months has sold 38% less than the Wii in the same span of time. Because no hard Wii U numbers we reported, we do a little arithmetic to arrive at a third month total of roughly 55K, lower than any of the previous generation's consoles' worst months with the possible exception of the Wii in the past year. In comparison, the 360 was able to hit a strong 281K.
But before we discuss what exactly this means, let's take a look at what games charted.
Top 10 software chart (SKUs combined)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II (360, PS3, Wii U, PC)
- Far Cry 3 (360, PS3, PC)
- Just Dance 4 (Wii, 360, PS3, Wii U)
- NBA 2K13 (360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, PSP, PC)
- Madden NFL 13 (360, PS3, Wii, PSV, Wii U)
- DmC: Devil May Cry (PS3, 360)
- Halo 4 (360)
- Assassin's Creed III (360, PS3, Wii U, PC)
- Skylanders Giants (Wii, 360, PS3, 3DS, Wii U)
- FIFA Soccer 13 (PS3, 360, PSV, Wii, Wii U, 3DS, PSP)
What you don't see on this list is Ni no Kuni , which barely missed the cutoff and came in at #11. However, if you break down the SKUs individually, the Level-5 RPG actually came in at #7. Good news there! Ghibli magic is making waves the world over!
So, what of the Wii U?
As you can see in the chart above, software on the Wii U has consistently sold less than on its console brethren, in some cases even worse than the versions on Vita (about 35K for the month, if you were curious). The Wii U is simply not selling games at all, which makes it perfectly clear why third parties have been extremely nervous.
But wait a minute, the Wii U has barely been out three months! Every piece of software out there right now exists in the launch window, the larval stage of the machine's life before it truly comes in its own. That companies are already writing it off has to be chalked up to something more.
I don't believe for a second that any of these big companies seriously thought ports from the PS3 and 360 were going to make it big right out the gate. This is the first time some of these franchises are appearing on a Nintendo console -- at least in forms that can be considered equivalent to the other HD machines' offerings -- so the audience simply isn't there yet. Obviously, most consumers were going to purchase the sequels to HD heavy hitters on the same console they played the previous installments.
But this is surely the case of most platform launches. Typically, you'll have one or two breakout titles right from the start while rest of the library is rounded out with quickly developed software for the sake of getting into the front door. What even the low-performing launch games ought to demonstrate is a company's willingness to invest in a platform's future, at least for a short while to assess the market and general atmosphere.
Unfortunately, Wii U software is performing even worse than what we've seen in years past. Now companies are pulling back after one game, while others are so scared that they have canceled plans to support the Wii U. Mere months into its life.
As I said before, it's on Nintendo to properly showcase the necessity of having a Wii U in your life, but the anxiety exhibited by third parties is more indicative of their increasing focus on short-term gains, even taking into account the poor sales at the moment. This is not exclusive to Nintendo platforms but rather a portrait of the entire industry. The 360 and PS3 environments are so comfortable, so why risk developing on new hardware?
If the Wii U had more beef under the hood, would that have made a difference? The launch library would have undoubtedly included ports, albeit slightly touched-up ports, and we'd still have a situation where the audience of a game will stick to the same platform for the sequel. And if what Konami's Dave Cox said concerning the lack of Lords of Shadow 2 on Wii U is true, that a Wii U port would add significant cost, how much more expensive do you think it would be trying to port to an even more beastly machine?
The Wii U is in serious trouble, and Nintendo needs to do whatever it can to turn perception around. However, it'll be fighting against a wave that's washing over the entire industry, and I bet you a fat stack that Sony and Microsoft will be feeling the heat as well.
Everyone seems to be eyeballing the new PlayStation and Xbox as the true start of the new generation, but I have this sinking feeling that most are going to be disappointed. When a single misstep has the potential to sink an entire company, and considering the continued strong sales of the 360 in the States and PS3 everywhere else, third parties might want to stick to the old standbys for a while longer. Orbis and Durango will need to have a significant number of new third-party IPs that are greeted with immediate success, but I highly doubt the industry as a whole is adequately prepared for the big technological shift to pull that off.
But that's a discussion for another time. Right now, the focus is on Nintendo and what the Japanese gaming giant has to do. The Wii U doesn't need more Mario; it needs solid third-party support that will attract the kind of audience Nintendo lost over the past decade. And no, yesterday's Nintendo Direct isn't going to cut it.
I don't know what, but just do something.
January sales show continued rough tides for the Wii U [Gamasutra via NeoGAF]
NPD: Black Ops 2, Far Cry 3 Top U.S. Sales Charts for January [IGN via NeoGAF]
via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/npd-wii-u-sold-a-paltry-55-000-units-in-january-245028.phtml
News::Dead Space 3 review - ninemsn
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174079/dead-space-3-review-ninemsn
News::The Elder Scrolls Online armour concepts
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174185/the-elder-scrolls-online-armour-concepts
News::Aliens: Colonial Marines Review
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1174005/aliens-colonial-marines-review
News::Dead Space 3 Review: In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream | Gameranx
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173781/dead-space-3-review-in-space-no-one-can-hear-you-scream-gameranx
News::No Love In a Elevator | Spawnpointblog Dead Space 3 Review
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173798/no-love-in-a-elevator-spawnpointblog-dead-space-3-review
News::DmC's Vergil DLC About 3 To 5 Hours Of New Content | Destructoid
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173858/dmcs-vergil-dlc-about-3-to-5-hours-of-new-content-destructoid
News::Fantastic Neighborhood 52: Happy Birthday to Us
via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1173826/fantastic-neighborhood-52-happy-birthday-to-us