News:: Scalebound trailers are being snuffed out online

Whether or not Scalebound looked like your cup of tea, Microsoft wasn't gelling with the project. There is a lot of speculation on the why, but the game has been officially cancelled, so any potential fans are left in the cold. At least they can relive the memories of E3 presentations and hype reels on YouTube. Well, any YouTube account that isn't Microsoft's.

A quick look on YouTube reveals that Microsoft has set all trailers for Scalebound to private, effectively erasing the game from the public eye. Polygon has managed to preserve the old trailers on its site, thankfully. I don't agree with Microsoft's behavior in this matter. This kind of stunt reminds me of a high school student after their first break up; you feel like deleting the memories will make the pain go away.

I also have a fondness for looking back on cancelled projects and imagining a what-if scenario. What if Resident Evil 4 stayed in the older, more classic style? What if Zelda went the route of that 2001 Spaceworld demo instead of Wind Waker? There are valuable lessons to be learned from older titles, even if their treasures aren't readily apparent.

This could be a simple mistake on the part of Microsoft's YouTube account, but I'm guessing the full story of Scalebound's unfortunate fate will never be known. Much like how Konami and Kojima butted heads and parted ways with barely a trace to be found, it seems Platinum and Microsoft are going to be tight-lipped on the matter.

Scalebound trailers disappear from YouTube following cancellation [Polygon]

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News:: Holy hell, you can kill the Big Boos in Super Mario World

The last time my mind was this blown by a piece of video game trivia, I had just learned that clouds and bushes in Super Mario Bros. were the same sprite, only recolored and masked with clever placement.

As pointed out by Supper Mario Broth, you can take out Big Boos in Super Mario World by sliding down stairs. The same trick, courtesy of NeoGAF, also works on those green Ghost House bubbles. And if there aren't any stairs nearby, you could alternatively land a well-timed cape slide instead.

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News:: Yep, Taro Yoko most definitely approves of your lewd NieR: Automata fan art

A little over a week ago, a (probably NSFW, depending on your occupation) Tweet started to float around that showed that PlatinumGames may or may not have added a butthole to the character model for protagonist of NieR: Automata; YoRHa No.2 Type B (or 2B, for short).

The reason why I say it “may or may not” be in the game is because there has been some speculation of the original image being faked. With that said, I can tell you with the utmost confidence that I have been replaying the game’s free demo so I can do my absolute best to verify the veracity of these claims for myself. For journalistic integrity, I can assure you.

Sadly, I haven't been able to get a good enough look to provide some sort of definitive closure to this hot topic of debate. I will strive to investigate further into this pressing matter. Of course, it could even be argued that the existence of 2B's visible anus in-game is somewhat irrelevant at this point. After all, 2B's butt has already become far more iconic than Aiden Pearce's cap could ever hope to be.

Well, now the director of NieR: Automata, Taro Yoko, has weighed in on this vitally important subject of discussion. While he neither confirmed nor denied the rumours of the existence of 2B’s anus in-game, he did at least share some thoughts on the matter:

２Ｂのお尻騒動でケシカラン感じの絵とか沢山アップされてるけど集めて回るの面倒だから zip にして毎週届けて欲しい。

— yokotaro (@yokotaro) January 8, 2017

According to Kotaku, this roughly translates to:

“Because of the brouhaha over 2B’s butt, there are loads of rude drawings and whatnot being uploaded [online]. And since going around and collecting them is a pain, I’d like it if I could get them sent in a zip file every week.”

Considering that this is the Internet, Taro’s replies were immediately inundated with a torrent of fan art of 2B’s butt. Taro was even sent the zip file containing a vast wealth of NieR: Automata porn that he so desperately craved. His response to this most generous offering? “The Internet is amazing.”

You heard the man. You should head on over to your favourite repository of smut for the sole purpose of acquiring a vast collection of lewd NieR: Automata fan art for Taro Yoko's viewing pleasure.

On a related note, if 2B is an android, why would she even need an anus? I guess it could always be like some kind of charging port. These are the questions that keep me up at night, my dear Destructoid readers.

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News:: Heroes of the Storm's full roster will be unlocked this weekend

Before you spend any more gold on a character purchase in Heroes of the Storm, know that Blizzard is planning a promo this weekend that could sway your decision. From Friday, January 13 at 10:00am Pacific until Monday, January 16 at that same time, the full hero roster will be open to all.

Even if you're set in your ways with specific character picks, this event should prove interesting in terms of team comps and folks potentially playing as heroes they wouldn't normally go for.

I'm unsure which of the last few heroes is the best fit for me, so I should take advantage of this promo.

Have a Happy New Year with a Full Hero Roster! [Heroes of the Storm]

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News:: Room-flipping puzzler Shift returns on 3DS this week

Whoa, this one brings me back. Remember Shift? The monochrome puzzle title started out as a web game eight years ago before proving popular enough to warrant a full series and ports to other platforms. Now it's back and heading to 3DS with Shift DX by way of publisher Choice Provisions.

Shift DX has every level from the first two games, 100 new levels, a level editor with QR code sharing, a new Shift Challenge mode, and also some unlockable characters like Bit.Trip's Commander Video.

The game's out real soon -- Thursday, January 12 in North America and Europe -- and will cost $5.

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News:: HP is selling a VR-ready gaming desktop for only $599

No longer wishing to sit on the VR sideline because that favorite "game" of yours now has VR support? Been thinking of picking up a new gaming desktop but budget and time are limited? You're in luck this week as HP is selling a specific Pavilion Desktop configured to be VR Ready without breaking the bank.

HP currently has the HP Pavilion 560 decked out with a Radeon RX 480 video card for only $599.99 after a limited-time $150 off coupon. Coupled with the current $50 instant savings that runs until January 14, you're look at a pretty sweet price-to-performance ratio.

HP Pavilion 560 Deal

• HP Pavilion 560-p015hvr Core i5-6400, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD, Radeon RX 480 — $599.99  (list price $800)
• Use coupon code: HVR150
• Coupon expires Jan 31 but $50 instant savings expires earlier on Jan 14

The gaming desktop comes with a Core i5-6400 CPU (3.30Ghz Quad Core); 8GB of RAM; and a 128GB SSD paired with a 1TB hard disk drive. While you won't exactly wow that hardcore PC "master race" friend of yours, you'll be able to play quite a few VR titles at this price point (of course, you have to invest another equivalent amount in the VR headset of your choice).

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News:: This custom Famicom Pocket was a good idea

Can you cram a Famicom Mini inside a Game Boy? Yes. But should you? Hell yeah!

Well, maybe not you you, but Kei Studio sure managed the feat with an impressive "Famicom Pocket" build. This 25-minute-long video gets into the specifics, as does the creator's accompanying step-by-step article, in case you'd rather just quickly flip through some photos and call it a day.

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News:: A GameStop description indicates there will be a Pokemon game on the Switch

For the entirety of its existence, Pokemon's main games have been on portable systems. Sure, some offshoots like Pokemon Snap and Pokemon Stadium were on home consoles, but this series' roots are in the likes of the Game Boy and the DS. So, where does that leave Pokemon if Nintendo's next system is a hybrid?

According to a description from GameStop, Pokemon will be playable on the Nintendo Switch. "Nintendo Switch games will include new title offerings from Mario, Splatoon, Zelda, the NBA and more! You will even be able to play Skyrim on the go, or Pokemon at home with the Nintendo Switch," the listing reads.

There's the ever-persistent chance that the description is a fluke, that some copywriter at GameStop just inserted whatever popular Nintendo franchise they could think of. But, there's a better chance that this comes to fruition.

It's likely that Nintendo plans to phase out the 3DS so it doesn't cannibalize Switch sales. If that's true, with the Switch acting as a hybrid (as both a home and portable system), it'll be the only current Nintendo hardware on the market. Given that scenario, it's not tough to imagine Nintendo developing a Pokemon game for the Switch, even if it is partially a home console. It's even more likely when you consider how well Pokemon Sun and Moon sold.

Nintendo has a big Switch event on January 12 where we could very well learn if this is true. There are usually a few years between Pokemon games, so maybe it's not time for a reveal yet. However, given how popular Pokemon is right now, maybe Nintendo has found a way to cut down on that gap in order to release what could be a system-seller shortly after the Switch's debut.

Nintendo Switch [GameStop via NeoGAF]

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News:: The best games of 2016 you didn't play

I said it about 2015 and I feel as if it's even more true of 2016: this was a great year to play video games. The general landscape of the industry seems to be trending in a positive direction, with more and more things to love. However it's also a time, for better or worse, that has so many games being released to the public, especially on PC and Steam. 

Thus, many games go unnoticed throughout the year. Some perhaps deserve that treatment, but others are simply overlooked due to factors unrelated to the game like release date or lack of marketing. We've rounded up seventeen such titles that you may not have heard people talking about this year, but could be right up your alley.

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News:: Mega Bloks Halo: The triple-A Lego ripoff that never came to be

Back in 2010, Microsoft and Mega Brands teamed up to release Halo Mega Bloks, a set of construction toys based on Xbox's flagship shooter. That wasn't the extent of the partnership, though. While Halo was delving into the toy world, Mega Brands planned to enter the video game market.

Footage of Mega Bloks Halo has recently surfaced, a Lego-like game with triple-A ambitions. It was in development by n-Space, an Orlando-based studio that went out of business last March. While n-Space had a lot of titles to its credit, it never really had a standout hit. Most of its work was licensed stuff, a lot of it on 3DS. Mega Bloks Halo (while still a licensed property) reportedly had the scope to be n-Space's biggest undertaking.

Youtube channel PtoPOnline uploaded this prototype playthrough and detailed what was known about Mega Bloks Halo, which was codenamed "Haggar" at the time. It was in development for the majority of 2013, ran on Unreal 3, and was set for release on Xbox 360. The Lego influences are apparent in the aesthetic, the collecting studs, and the family-friendly semi-violence. But, there looks to have been plenty to set it apart, like the behind-the-back third-person view and fact that it's actually a shooter.

What's probably most interesting about Mega Bloks Halo was how much variation it's said to have had. Every weapon from Halo was usable, vehicles were present and fully customizable, there was local cooperative play, and there was even a Horde-like "Besieged" mode that was included independent of the campaign.

But, alas, it wasn't meant to be. No one can say with certainty why Microsoft scrapped Mega Bloks Halo. A leading theory is that it wanted to push Xbox One and releasing a Halo title on Xbox 360 would've been regressive. That's all conjecture, though. All that's really known is that Microsoft stopped production after almost a year of development. But if Microsoft wants to revive the project, the building blocks are already there.

Mega Bloks Halo | Unreleased by N-Space (2013) [YouTube]

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News:: 'Final Fantasy XV' out-of-bounds glitch reveals an unused open world

The world of Final Fantasy XV feels enormous, stretching out for miles across freeways, plains, lakes and mountains -- but in the game's closing act, that open world becomes incredibly linear. Instead of taking a road trip across a fantastic land, players in the third act can merely look out upon one. A newly discovered out-of-bounds glitch changes that, revealing a surprisingly fleshed out landscape with a frozen tundra, beaches, towns and a vast savannah. There's not much to do in the area, but fans are now wondering if its a hint at what's coming for the game's DLC.

Via: Verge

Source: YouTube (1), (2)

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News:: Pixie's favorite gaming memories of 2016

Given I finally jumped on the 8th gen bandwagon late in October 2016, I couldn't fairly say I've played each game released in 2016 to completion. For one thing, when I get a new PlayStation console, playing the latest Metal Gear Solid game is top priority and then after fixating on a game like that amidst a few 40+ hour weeks at work, I get really scatterbrained and indecisive. I'm not sure what to play next.

I tried a little Witcher here, some FFXV or Fallout 4 there and then I bought Overwatch on a PSN sale and all got pushed to the side. Things were easier when I just had a 3DS and a Vita. Portable games hold their value, while everything on consoles and PC plummets in price weeks after release, so I went a little crazy on buying stuff.

But there are still the memories. The little events that have or will stand out from games I got in 2016, so let's go with those. Ranking stuff is stressful.

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News:: Overwatch Valentine lines discovered

It seems Blizzard is ready to break some hearts this year by confirming the suspected Genji/Mercy relationship hinted at in the holiday comic. Reddit user /u/akhanubis has managed to find a few, as of yet, unused lines on the PTR that seem to confirm the Swiss doctor is sweet on the cyber ninja (and not the high-flying Pharah the community favors).

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News:: Microsoft cancels Xbox One exclusive 'Scalebound'

If you've been anticipating Platinum Games' Scalebound ever since it was unveiled in 2014, you're about to get some crushing news. In the wake of leaks from Kotaku and Eurogamer, Microsoft Studios has confirmed that the dragon action role-playing game has been cancelled. The company hasn't elaborated on why (you can read its statement below), but Eurogamer's sources describe it as the result of a rough development process that grew particularly tortuous in 2016.

Source: Kotaku, Eurogamer

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News:: SNK developing new mystery RPG

SNK isn't known for branching out and trying new properties on any given day, but that seems to be what they're planning this year, at least for one mobile project. The publisher that's back from the dead has announced that they're working on a new RPG for Android and iOS,

It'll combine "hero drama" with an academic setting, which doesn't narrow down what it's about at all if you watch anime. More info is coming in the spring, but for now it's slated for a 2017 release. At the moment, SNK is casting voice actors for the mascot, Usataro. With The King of Fighters XIV's decent tail and more projects in the works, we could be seeing more SNK in the gaming space for years to come.

New Project [SNK via Gematsu]

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News:: Reports surface indicating that Scalebound might be canceled

Originally revealed at E3 2014, PlatinumGames' Scalebound quickly became one of Xbox One's most highly anticipated exclusives. A lot of people pegged it as their personal system-seller, their biggest reason to eventually buy Microsoft's console. Now, it may never actually release.

According to Kotaku, Scalebound is in trouble and may be getting canceled. Kotaku has "several sources" who corroborate this development. Microsoft's official word is that "[it will] have more to share on Scalebound soon."

Eurogamer has its own report that Microsoft and Platinum have ceased development on Scalebound. This version of the story indicates that production was significantly delayed last autumn when "several senior members of the development team were forced to take a month away from the pressure of the project's heavy workload." When they returned, Scalebound was too far behind schedule and the decision was made to stop development altogether.

It seems like only a matter of time before Microsoft confirms that it has pulled out of Scalebound. After that, the big question is whether Platinum is allowed to salvage the game or if it's a treasure that Microsoft sits on forever, like a dragon nesting upon a pile of gold.

Rumors Swirl That Scalebound Is In Trouble [Kotaku], Sources: Microsoft and Platinum part ways on Scalebound, development ceased [Eurogamer]

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News:: Destructoid's most wanted games of 2017

A year ago, we were looking forward to some games. And how did they turn out? Well... But I'm sure that this year is going to be totally different! Everything is going to work out. Nothing will be delayed, or disappointing. No one's going to die. Nuclear war? As if! We're not going to die at all. All the games will be good. It's going to be awesome.

These are the games Destructoid can't wait to definitely play in 2017, the year that we are all going to live through, totally successfully, without so much as a speed bump on our way to Good-times-ville.

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News:: Indie game award finalists include 'Hyper Light Drifter' and 'Inside'

Now that media outlets have handed out awards to blockbuster games, it's time for the indies to shine. The Independent Games Festival has posted the finalists for its main competition's 2017 awards, and there are a few competitors who clearly stand out from the pack. Both the retro hack-and-slasher Hyper Light Drifter and bleak side-scroller Inside are nominated not only for the Seumas McNally grand prize, but also the audio and visual design awards. Other titles receiving multiple nods will definitely sound familiar if you've been following the scene, including the hacking-themed puzzler Quadrilateral Cowboy and the chaotic food hit Overcooked.

Source: Independent Games Festival, PR Newswire

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News:: The 2017 Independent Games Festival finalists are here

This is going to be an especially hard year to name winners at the Independent Games Festival.

The list of finalists is out, and even just looking at the Seumas McNally Grand Prize, I feel like we're being to asked to name our favorite child in a family full of angels. Like, how do you choose between Inside, Stardew Valley, Quadrilateral Cowboy, Event[0], Hyper Light Drifter, and Overcooked? Tough call.

The IGF awards ceremony isn't too far off. As always, it'll precede the Game Developers Choice Awards, and this year it's set for the evening of March 1, hosted by Nina Freeman of Fullbright and Cibele.

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News:: The script for the development hell-ridden Uncharted movie is finished

In 2011, David O. Russell was attached to an Uncharted film that started taking shape as a Mark Wahlberg-led "family comedy." Like most video game productions (and David O. Russell films, honestly), it went on hiatus, but is now back again with a vengeance. Sort of.

According to Joe Carnahan, the film's writer, the script is now "done and dusted." He calls the document a "beast" and an "monstrously cool action script," which only has me worried.  Shawn Levy, of Night at the Museum fame, is still set to direct. That has me a little less worried, as he's attached his name to some decent to stellar stuff in the past, like the watchable but not great Date Night and one of the best films of 2016, Arrival, respectively. There's hope that it won't be a flaming bag of poop, is what I'm saying.

It's crazy that Sony doesn't do more high quality productions based on their properties. I mean, they're Sony, they have that distribution arm already in place. But then again, they've tried, and it doesn't always work out.

Carnojoe [Instagram]

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News:: How did Destructoid's most anticipated games of 2016 turn out?

One year ago, before 2016 became a hackneyed punchline ("2016? More like 2000-sucks-teen!!!" the peanut gallery offered when Johnny Depp tragically fell into an active volcano while doing the "Mannequin Challenge" on its rim), we had hope.

Not a lot of it, and we all carry it in individual amounts, some more overburdened with it than others; but, at the very least, there were some video games we were looking forward to playing in 2016. Well, 2016 is over. So how'd that turn out for us, being hopeful for a thing, in the bad joke year of all years? Let's hold ourselves accountable -- even for our optimism.

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News:: Steam hits 14 million concurrent users in new milestone

In a new high for the marketplace that just can't be stopped, Steam has hit 14 million concurrent users, an all-time high. Yes, that's 14 million people logged in at one time, roughly the amount of US viewers the TV show Dancing With the Stars gets in a single night.

Of course DOTA 2 is still the top played game, followed by CS, Grand Theft Auto V, and ARK: Survival Evolved. There's a massive dropoff between the first two and the rest, so it's basically anyone's race to win outside of Valve's flagship titles.

Given how big Steam is I always expect them to hit any given milestone that's set, but this is still really impressive for something that had such a rocky start and still employs some form of DRM on its users.

Steam Stats [Steam]

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News:: There probably won't be another Warcraft movie, but here's what the director wants to tackle if there was

The Warcraft film is a huge phenomenon to unpack. On paper, it was successful -- it grossed over $433 million worldwide, more than twice its $160 million budget.

That's usually enough to cover marketing costs (double), but this one is an unusual case where Blizzard and Universal spent tons of cash on a marketing blitz for it -- to the point where some reported that they needed to gross $450 million to break even. Given the play it'll see from video sales and tradeshow viewings in the decades to come it should be okay, but everyone at the top clearly wanted it to be bigger.

So while they might not be rushing out to make a sequel, director Duncan Jones has some ideas, and shared them on Twitter recently. The gist is that Ogrim and the other Orcs would expand their foothold in Azeroth, and that the core focus would be on Thrall's imprisonment and subsequent escape. Dalaran would then land in the Alterac Mountains, expand magic throughout the world, and Varian, Khadgar, and Lothar would all have a role to play.

So no Illidan or Lich King/Arthas, it seems. But then again, that would naturally be "too many threads," which Jones says is the main problem from the first film. It's a shame they didn't do better out of the gate (quality-wise), because I can easily see a Warcraft film hitting theaters every so often, Star Wars style.

Duncan Jones [Twitter]

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News:: The last patch before the next Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn expansion looks dope

In this massive near 10 minute trailer, Square Enix goes over everything that's going to be present in the upcoming 3.5 patch, which is coming in two parts (the first on January 17, and the second in March) before the new expansion, Stormblood, launches on June 20.

There's a lot to take in -- a new trial, extra dungeons, more hairstyles, another 24-person raid, additional questlines, summon glamors, an expanded Diadem area, and more. While most of the high-end content is done (this patch is basically to funnel more people into the conclusion of Alexander), there's still plenty of role-playing and chill stuff to do before Stormblood arrives.

At this point the team has just added so many RP elements like housing improvements that you could spend months playing and never set foot in a dungeon. Cross-server regional cluster parties will help breathe new life into that scene though, starting in 3.5.

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News:: It feels like there's a new One Piece game every month! Thousand Storm coming to mobile

One Piece gives Dragon Ball Z and Naruto a run for its money.

I mean, when all is said and done, there might actually be more One Piece games around than any other series. It makes sense when you realize it's the best selling manga ever, but yet another Straw Hat Crew game is creeping up on us in Thousand Storm, which debuts soon this winter. It features real-time multiplayer battles, and seems to be themed around small micro-battles and loot acquisition.

There's no doubt that it'll be freemium oriented, and will probably make more money than Super Mario Run.

One Piece [Bandai Namco]

 

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News:: Red Ash, that disaster of an Inafune Kickstarter, still exists

Red Ash crashed and burned in July of 2015, after it sought funding amidst mutliple poorly handled Mighty No. 9 delays. And Mighty's rocky launch didn't really inspire any confidence in Inafune's team either, so it makes sense that Ash, what was originally billed as this giant multi-media franchise, has been dark for nearly two years. But we're still getting that anime from Studio 4C, who is actually giving us some sort of update, proving that it still exists in some form.

The anime project has been re-titled as Red Ash -Gearworld- and will be an OVA. The gist is that there's two forms of humans -- normal purebreds and enhanced nanomachine folks -- who like to cause strife with one another, X-Men style. I'll uh, watch this on some streaming service at some point.

Red Ash [Animetamago via Mega Man Network]

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News:: Review: Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone

If I didn’t know better and wasn’t aware that the timelines don’t quite add up, I’d say the subtext around the release of Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone feels aggressive, even adversarial.

The second Project DIVA release in less than six months, Future Tone might even be taken not just as a response to last year's Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA X, but as a rebuke to it.

It's as if Project DIVA Future Tone was released as an answer to anyone who looked at Project DIVA X, sighed, and asked "Where are all the songs?"

Here are the songs. Here are ALL the songs.

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