News::Microsoft's 'Project Spark' game creation tool will be completely free

Microsoft's Project Spark game creation tool has embraced the free-to-play model for a while, but that has still meant paying a fair chunk of change to build the experience you really want. However, even that cost is going away soon. As of an October 5th update, Project Spark is switching to a completely free model where all downloadable content will be accessible. You'll get refunds if you bought either content or a retail disc from July 28th onward. Microsoft is also handing over the keys, in a manner of speaking -- rather than focus on adding content and features, it'll spend more time on highlighting user-made material and opening things up.

Source: Project Spark (1), (2)

via Engadget RSS Feedhttp://ift.tt/1h59HcA

News::Konami's canceled 'Silent Hills' featured a horror manga master

Konami didn't just waste the talents of famed director Guillermo del Toro when it canceled Silent Hills -- it also tossed aside a legend of the comic book world. Del Toro has revealed that horror manga master Junji Ito (of projects like Gyo and Hellstar Remina, above) was supposed to be collaborating on the project. It's unclear just what he was working on, but his tastes for unnerving imagery and warped storylines are likely good clues as to what you were going to get. And that's a real shame: Ito's approach is a perfect fit for the psychological horror of the Silent Hill series, and he might have helped the new title escape the common tropes of the genre. Let's just hope that Ito shapes other games in the future.

Via: The Verge

Source: Guillermo del Toro (Twitter)

via Engadget RSS Feedhttp://ift.tt/1O57Ser

News::What's on your HDTV: 'Daily Show', 'Avengers' Blu-ray, 'Tony Hawk'

Tonight Comedy Central's Daily Show brings its first episode with Trevor Noah as the new host. While we wait to find out if he'll be able to fill Jon Stewart's shoes (and compete with a tech-focused Stephen Colbert), this is also the week Avengers: Age of Ultron arrives on Blu-ray, along with the Entourage movie, and a new release of Christine. There's a slew of new games dropping too, with the first new Tony Hawk game in years, NBA 2K16 and NBA Live 16, and Fallout Anthology on the PC. On TV, AMC's zombie spin-off Fear the Walking Dead wraps up to make room for the main show's return, and The Strain closes out its second season. Brand new shows include The Grinder, Grandfathered and Code Black, while others like Bones and The Leftovers are back for new seasons. Look after the break to check out each day's highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed)

via Engadget RSS Feedhttp://ift.tt/1VjCGMT

News::See an unreleased 'South Park' game running on the original Xbox

Legend has it that back in the early 2000s, Oregon studio Buzz Monkey was working on an officially licensed South Park game for the original Xbox. The game never shipped, but an incredibly early version appears to have made its way to an Xbox debug console -- and it's now on YouTube. The folks at HappyConsoleGamer unearthed the forgotten South Park game on an original Xbox and they've posted (extremely rough) gameplay, featuring a split-screen mode and Cartman walking around his house, driving a school bus and fighting a pack of dogs. Yep, this game has a combat system. Also included in the video is a taste of an unreleased Happy Feet game, which is appropriately adorable.

Via: Eurogamer

via Engadget RSS Feedhttp://ift.tt/1Jz00tM

News::Sony doesn't see a market for a PlayStation Vita sequel

You may be jonesing for a follow-up to the PlayStation Vita, but Sony isn't so sure that it's a wise idea. The company's Shuhei Yoshida told those at a recent developer session that the "climate is not healthy" for a Vita sequel. Simply put, he believes that smartphones have dampened enthusiasm for gaming handhelds. Why get a dedicated device and buy games when you can play free games on the device you already have? He hopes that the culture of portable gaming will live on, but he doesn't currently see Sony fostering that culture with new hardware.

Via: Geek

Source: Eurogamer

via Engadget RSS Feedhttp://ift.tt/1KLeKqv

News::The 'Halo 5' Warzone REQ system gives you a leg up in multiplayer mayhem

We're going to need a lot more time to properly judge the main story campaign in Halo 5: Guardians, but -- as with all Halo games -- the story mode is far from the only reason to play. Halo 5 will come with co-op multiplayer in the main game and the classic "arena" four vs. four deathmatch, but there's also a new mode this time around. The new Warzone is a vast 12-on-12 multiplayer matchup where your team fights not only other players but also computer-controlled AI as well.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttp://ift.tt/1KJ8fEt