News::Playdate: taking on The Taken King in 'Destiny'

We're officially in "year two" of Bungie's connected shooter Destiny and what better way to celebrate than by streaming its first big expansion pack, "The Taken King" ? Both Sean Buckley and myself are lapsed Destiny players who've largely stepped away from the game in pursuit of other, not-grindy experiences. But Bungie's been touting the changes it's made as being more welcoming to new folks and those who've been overwhelmed by what it took to get the best gear and weapons previously. So join us at 6 pm ET / 3 pm PT for two hours of hot new Guardian action as we discover how accurate the developer's claims are. As always, you can check out the broadcast right here on this post, the Engadget Gaming homepage, and, if you want to join us in chat, head over to Twitch.tv/joystiq.

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News::Konami calls it quits on AAA console games, reports say

Konami is shutting down much of its AAA console-game development for the foreseeable future, according to a report on French site Gameblog (as translated by Eurogamer). The only two franchises on Konami's AAA plate are Metal Gear Online and Pro Evolution Soccer 2016. Otherwise, there are no plans to develop additional Metal Gear, Silent Hill, Castlevania or other AAA games at Konami, the site says. An additional report on Gameblog claims that Konami Worldwide Technical Director and head of the studio's Fox Engine, Julien Merceron, has left the company. We've reached out to Konami for clarification. These reports play into recent rumblings of unrest at Konami and a shift toward mobile-game development, following a series of odd events at the studio.

Source: Eurogamer, Gameblog

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News::'Dragon Quest Builders' is a shallower, more polished 'Minecraft'

It's like a very, very well done mod. In Dragon Quest Builders, Square Enix has taken the thrill and almost tangible joy of building your own world, and coated it in a deep, glossy layer of Dragon Quest paint. If you don't know Dragon Quest, it was the sworn rival of Final Fantasy in the Japanese RPG golden age. Then Squaresoft (FF) and Enix (DQ) became the same company. Oh, and if you don't know Minecraft, where have you been, you monster?

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News::The only way to win a gold PS4 bundle is to eat a lot of Taco Bell

If you like to fill your pie hole with Big Boxes from Taco Bell, you could leverage your habit for a new console. Starting September 24th, the fast-food chain is giving away 6,000 limited-edition gold PlayStation 4 bundles. To get a chance to win, though, you'll have to have to suffer through enjoy any of the restaurant's Big Boxes before November 4th. One bundle will be given away every 10 minutes, and the package includes a gold DualShock 4, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, and one year of PlayStation Plus. Of course, if you really want to win one, you'll have to buy a lot of fourth meals.

Via: Forbes

Source: Sony

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News::The Uncharted 4 beta launches December 4th

Uncharted 4 won't arrive until 2016, but the forthcoming Nathan Drake Collection should keep you happy until it does. The remastered versions of the first three Uncharted games are launching in the first week of October, but if that seems like an eternity away, then help is at hand. The PlayStation Blog has revealed that the single player demo for the title will land on the store a week earlier, on September 29th. Of course, the key reason to buy the product is that you'll be able to take part in the Uncharted 4 multiplayer beta that's scheduled for December 4th through the 13th. Sony has also revealed to Eurogamer that European Nathan Drake fans will be able to snag a 500GB and 1TB PS4 bundle with the collection thrown in, the former setting you back £299.99 and the latter priced at £329.99.

Source: PlayStation Blog

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News::Xbox 360 cloud saves prep you for Xbox One backwards compatibility

Microsoft has done right by Xbox 360 users lately, making their games backwards-compatible on Xbox One consoles and introducing Windows 10 game streaming. A new update gives users of the last-gen console cloud storage, albeit a tiny amount -- 2GB. Still, the idea is to give you enough to port your Xbox 360 game saves over to an Xbox One for any compatible titles you decide to port over. The new feature is a good sign that backwards compatibility is coming out of preview soon, so you may want to get the update and upload your game saves forthwith.

Source: Major Nelson

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News::Soothe your soul with 'Panoramical,' a game of musical manipulation

Panoramical doesn't fit into an existing game category. It's not an action game, simulator, point-and-click, FPS or any other traditional gaming genre -- but it is magical. Panoramical offers a form of musical meditation, allowing players to manipulate gorgeous 3D landscapes with a gamepad, keyboard and mouse or MIDI controller, all backed by music from David Kanaga (Proteus, Dyad) and overseen by Argentine designer Fernando Ramallo. Plus, it features a host of guest musicians, including LittleBigPlanet 2 co-composer Baiyon, Samurai Gunn composer Doseone and Luftrausers composer Kozilek.Slideshow-321017

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News::The Windows 10 Xbox app is getting a preview program, too

Microsoft is launching a Preview Program for its Windows 10 Xbox app, similar to what it has on the Xbox One console. The Xbox Beta app will let fans "provide early input on features and enhancements coming to the Xbox app on Windows 10, helping us shape the product based on fan feedback," according to Xbox Wire. That's not as exciting as previewing early games, of course, but the Windows 10 Xbox One companion app has gradually become pretty handy, especially if you're into features like online gaming, achievements and console streaming.

Source: Xbox Wire

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News::'Star Fox Zero' barrel rolls into next year

Longtime Nintendo fans are used to delays, but that won't make the news of Star Fox Zero not releasing this year any easier to swallow. Legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto took to Facebook to announce the delay (embedded below), saying that the Wii U game's technically ready to hit the initially promised November release, but the company is putting it back in the oven to sand off rough edges on level design and to perfect the tone of its cutscenes. Oh, and Nintendo is also putting more time toward working on the "unprecedented discovery" innate to Zero's unique two-screen control scheme. Miyamoto says that the game isn't far off though and that his team is shooting for a release in the first quarter of next year.

Via: Kotaku

Source: Nintendo Console Gaming (Facebook)

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