Tuesday, May 29, 2018

News:: In face of controversy, Battlefield V developer states female characters 'are here to stay'

Last week's Battlefield V reveal showcased a pretty exciting, solid looking game, the latest in a long line of titles from the Electronic Arts/DICE shooter franchise. However, a contingent of the Battlefield community took serious umbrage at the game's emphasis on female characters, both playable in game, and featured on the game's cover.

This led to the startup of the internet hashtag #NotMyBattlefield, with said fans complaining that the proliferation of women in the newest entry was "historically inaccurate," some stating that it was an insult to the memory of the millions who died fighting in WWII.

DICE General Manager Oskar Gabrielson took to Twitter this weekend to address the recent reactions to the game so far, first taking the opportunity to clearly state that the ladies of Battlefield V are going nowhere. "Let me be clear about one thing," begins Gabrielson. "Player choice and female playable characters are here to stay."

"We want Battlefield V to represent all those who were a part of the greatest drama in human history, and give players choice to choose and customize the characters they play with," continues Gabrielson. "Our commitment as a studio is to do everything we can to create games that are inclusive and diverse. We always set out to push boundaries and deliver unexpected experiences. But above all, our games must be fun!" The DICE chief then ends with his own hashtag, stating that Battlefield V is "#everyonesbattlefield".

In face of controversy, Battlefield V developer states female characters 'are here to stay' screenshot

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/in-face-of-controversy-battlefield-v-developer-states-female-characters-are-here-to-stay--505117.phtml

News:: Far Cry 3 Classic Edition is out for season pass owners

If you bought into Far Cry 5 but find yourself longing to go back to simpler times, Far Cry 3 Classic Edition might just hit the spot. The re-release is available today for Far Cry 5 season pass holders ahead of its standalone release on June 26. It looks exactly like I'd expect it to, which is to say: alright.

The pass costs $30 and also includes access to three Far Cry 5 side stories -- Hours of Darkness, Dead Living Zombies, and Lost on Mars -- the first of which is set to launch on June 5.

I'd have a much easier time falling back into Blood Dragon than Far Cry 3, but I know a lot of you still love messing around on Rook Islands. I'll be curious to see Classic Edition put under the microscope.

Far Cry 3 Classic Edition is out for season pass owners screenshot



via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/far-cry-3-classic-edition-is-out-for-season-pass-owners-505160.phtml

News:: The fantastic The Wolf Among Us just caught a delay for its second season

Telltale took on a lot in a short amount of time and it showed. Somewhere after Tales from the Borderlands the developer went into overdrive, and kind of just picked up every license they could get their hands on. Some of them were great, some weren't, but out of all of them in the past five years or so Wolf Among Us probably stuck with me the most.

It concluded all the way back in 2014, and unbeknownst to a lot of you out there, it's getting a second season...that was just delayed to 2019. Yep it was originally slated for the back half of 2018, but due to "fundamental changes" (read: they just shifted a lot of positions around recently) it's getting pushed back.

As always, delays are fine, and studios should take all the time they need to get a project right. I'm just happy Wolf Among Us season two exists at all -- but if there's little hope of a third, please wrap things up and don't leave us hanging, Telltale.

The Wolf Among Us 2 Coming in 2019 [Telltale]

The fantastic The Wolf Among Us just caught a delay for its second season screenshot



via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/the-fantastic-the-wolf-among-us-just-caught-a-delay-for-its-second-season-504900.phtml

News:: Celebrate the launch of Sega Genesis Classics with music by Electric Method

The ultimate Sega compilation, Sega Genesis Classics, launches today for PS4 and Xbox One (with the previous Steam release getting a free update). The package includes 50 Genesis titles with the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog, Vectorman, and Streets of Rage being represented. While it isn't dramatically different from the similar collection on PS3 and 360, it does give you the chance to relive these classics on your newer hardware.

To celebrate the launch of this compilation, Sega has teamed up with remix artist Electric Method to create an original song based on 16-bit sound effects. It is seriously cool as hell and the video accompanying it is full of Genesis goodness. I may just download my Steam copy to see how cool this package is.

Celebrate the launch of Sega Genesis Classics with music by Electric Method screenshot

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/celebrate-the-launch-of-sega-genesis-classics-with-music-by-electric-method-505149.phtml

News:: Bethesda is teasing something Fallout related ahead of E3

With E3 just around the corner and Bethesda confirmed to be having another conference, it was only a matter of time before they began teasing what that conference might have in store for us.

Now, it seems that time has come, as Bethesda Game Studios tweeted and pinned a simple message on their page saying “#PleaseStandBy” along with the iconic broadcast interruption and test pattern image that so many Fallout fans know and love.

Bethesda is teasing something Fallout related ahead of E3 screenshot

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/bethesda-is-teasing-something-fallout-related-ahead-of-e3-505156.phtml

News:: There's a Megalodon lurking in Sea of Thieves

It's time to check out Sea of Thieves again.

Along with a big ol' shark to fight, the game's first big content update provides players with more ship-to-ship communication options like a speaking trumpet, pirate cosmetics like tattoos and scars, affordable (!) new ship gear, and some freshly-sewn clothing items. The Hungering Deep is here at last.

If you're at work or otherwise can't play Sea of Thieves right now and you're dying to see what the Megalodon looks like, here's a nice photo from reddit user MeshiiMitch and another from Spektronaut.

Half the fun of the encounter will be figuring out how to summon the creature on your own, so I'll leave you to it. Needless to say, your crew will need to make use of the newly-added drum.

There's a Megalodon lurking in Sea of Thieves screenshot

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/there-s-a-megalodon-lurking-in-sea-of-thieves-505154.phtml

News:: New Fire Emblem Heroes trailer brings Legendary Ryoma to the battle

Nintendo have released a new trailer for their popular mobile-battle Fire Emblem Heroes. The new video heralds the coming of Ryoma, one of the lead characters from Nintendo 3DS release Fire Emblem Fates.

Displaying the typical anime samurai trope of collected calmness at rest and deliberate expertise in battle, Ryoma has the ability to fell all who stand in his way with his expertly-honed sword skills. You can check out The Supreme Samurai in action below.

A selection of other characters will also return for this Summoning Event, including Tiki, Innes, Sigurd, Hardin, Fell Robin and others. The Summoning begins tomorrow, May 30, at 12:00 PT / 03:00 ET / 07:00 BST. Fire Emblem Heroes is available for download now on iOS and Android devices.

New Fire Emblem Heroes trailer brings Legendary Ryoma to the battle screenshot

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/new-fire-emblem-heroes-trailer-brings-legendary-ryoma-to-the-battle-505124.phtml

News:: Overwatch producer once again waffles on the possibility of a Switch port

Overwatch is currently thriving on three platforms, but 'can we make it four' is the question on everyone's mind. Blizzard has constantly referenced the Switch when asked, to the point where they're kind of tired of it, and slowly but surely they've whittled down their wording to a weaponized response of PR.

When asked by GameSpot about the chances of a Switch or even mobile port, Blizzard producer Matthew Hawley responded: "I think it is one of those things that we constantly evaluate. Where technology is going; where the industry is going. There are challenges in running on the platforms that we're not already on, otherwise we would probably already be on some of those other platforms. We'll see where things go. Certainly, there is a huge number of people out there who have Nintendo Switch and mobile phones, but right now, the core development team is focused on supporting the live game."

Just like Hearthstone -- it's another "we're going to see if the money is there" response. Blizzard doesn't like launching failures, and will go through any lengths to ensure every risk-reward scenario in the book or completely overhaul their games to save them. One day, if the original Overwatch is still around, we could see it. But not anytime soon.

Will They Make An Overwatch 2? Here's What Blizzard To Say About That And More [GameSpot]

Overwatch producer once again waffles on the possibility of a Switch port screenshot



via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/overwatch-producer-once-again-waffles-on-the-possibility-of-a-switch-port-504999.phtml

News:: 'Mega Man 11' hits consoles and PC October 2nd

Last year, Capcom announced that Mega Man 11 would be released sometime this year in celebration of the franchise's 30th anniversary. Today, the company announced the date for that release: October 2nd. It will be available on PlayStation 4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC.



via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/29/mega-man-11-release-date-capcom/

News:: Japanese TV show to reveal Pokemon news that will shock the world

This week, Japanese children's TV show Oha Suta will reveal new Pokemon-related news, so momentous, that it will shock the world, according to the show's synopsis.

"Worldwide shock!" begins the description. "We have obtained shocking information concerning Pocket Monsters! Witness the moment a new history of Pokemon is born!". Sounds like something pretty dang important for Squirtle and co.

The reveal comes at a time when there are already murmurs in the air concerning the hugely successful Nintendo franchise. We are not only in the pre-E3 period where companies like to jump the gun on their announcements, but recently developer Game Freak advertised a vacancy for a Nintendo Switch game designer, thought to be for their upcoming Pokemon RPG, announced at E3 in 2017.

Of course, this could all turn out to be much ado about nothing. But at least we only have a few days' wait to find out, as the "shocking" news will finally be unveiled when the next episode of Oha Suta airs on May 31.

Japanese TV show teases shocking Pokemon news.
[Gematsu]

Japanese TV show to reveal Pokemon news that will shock the world screenshot



via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/japanese-tv-show-to-reveal-pokemon-news-that-will-shock-the-world-505114.phtml

News:: One of A Hat in Time's free DLCs, which includes couch co-op, will be out this year.

I got my money's worth out of A Hat in Time (so to speak, as my edition was a review copy, though I bought one for a friend), and it looks like I'll have another reason to boot it up later this year.

While developer Gears for Breakfast has said that more DLC is on the way, some of which are free updates from the Kickstarter, we haven't gotten a full picture of when that's actually coming -- until this past weekend. According to the creator's blog, the first of two free DLCs is coming "in 2018," which could be as late as December 31, "until announced otherwise."

That update will include quite a bit -- couch co-op, a New Game Plus (NG+) option, and another entire chapter (which is supposed to be "smaller in scope." After that is the other DLC, naturally. Given that the similarly indie Shovel Knight has taken roughly four years to fully realize its complete Kickstarted vision, that timeline is about what I expected.

First DLC [Hat in Time]

One of A Hat in Time's free DLCs, which includes couch co-op, will be out this year. screenshot



via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/one-of-a-hat-in-time-s-free-dlcs-which-includes-couch-co-op-will-be-out-this-year--504924.phtml

News:: Shake-up in UK Charts sees Detroit: Become Human dethrone God of War

The King has been dethroned. After a solid five weeks stood atop the UK Charts, Sony's open-world epic God of War has been usurped by the chin-stroking drama of Quantic Dream's sci-fi soap opera, Detroit: Become Human.

Kratos and Boy came under heavy attack this week from a glut of debuts, with Microsoft's survival sequel State of Decay 2 and long-awaited re-release Dark Souls Remastered snapping up the number two and number three slots, respectively. Electronic Arts' FIFA '18 still holds fast at number four.

In another amazing move, Blizzard's arena-shooter Overwatch made an incredible leap from number 40 all the way up to number seven. This is no doubt thanks to the ongoing anniversary celebrations, which included a free weekend, and had retailers offering various discounts to celebrate the shooter's second birthday.

It's definitely been an interesting week, but I wouldn't count God of War down and out just yet. Tune in next week to see if David Cage's glass casket of emotion can hold on to the premier position, which is a very hotly contested spot right now.

Shake-up in UK Charts sees Detroit: Become Human dethrone God of War screenshot

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/shake-up-in-uk-charts-sees-detroit-become-human-dethrone-god-of-war-505116.phtml

News:: PlayStation’s annual sale includes a very blue PS4 and ‘God of War’

To celebrate E3 once again, Sony is doing another Days of Play promotion for PlayStation. From June 8th through the 18th, you'll be able to pick up a special edition PlayStation 4 console (assuming you're not one of the 75 million-plus who already has one), and deals on a handful of games, services and accessories. The limited edition 1TB PS4 this year is a little more tasteful than the last, trading an all-gold paint job for medium blue with gold accents according to the PlayStation Blog.

Source: PS Blog



via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/29/ps4-days-of-play-2018/

News:: How often do you play shoot 'em ups (shmups)?

I've been talking to a few friends quite a bit about the recent Switch release of Ikargua. It was kind of a turning point for the genre when it was released worldwide in 2003 on the GameCube, as it brought Treasure to the forefront in the west and rallied shmups (shoot 'em ups) into a new era.

Nearly everyone I've talked to that's remotely familiar with the genre outside of say, Galaga or Galaxian, has at least heard of or has played Ikaruga, possibly at the behest of a friend who owned a GameCube. That word of mouth wave that happened 15 years ago got me thinking: are people still that excited?

At this point Ikaruga, as timeless as it is, has been released on six platforms including the arcade original, which leaves less and less room for impulse buys all over the board. As for me I had to pick it up regardless, if only to give TATE mode a go (I also have a giant vertical swinging monitor just for shmups to use on other platforms). What about you?

How often do you play shoot 'em ups (shmups)? screenshot

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/how-often-do-you-play-shoot-em-ups-shmups--504899.phtml

News:: 'PUBG' creators sue Epic Games over 'Fortnite' battle royale mode

The developers of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds haven't been shy about accusing Epic Games of riding their bandwagon with Fortnite, and now they're taking legal action. Bluehole's PUBG Corp has confirmed that it sued Epic in South Korea this January for allegedly violating the studio's copyright with Fortnite's Battle Royale mode, particularly its interface and in-game items. We've asked Epic for comment, but it's safe to say the situation is... complicated.

Via: Bloomberg, BBC

Source: Korea Times



via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/29/pubg-creators-sue-epic-games-over-fortnite/

News:: World War 3 is a new shooter that's something of a mix between Battlefield and battle royale

One look at World War 3 and you can tell it's an ambitious project. It's rife with the kind of explosion-heavy action we expect from the best-selling shooters. But World War 3 is coming from a relatively unknown studio out of Poland. The Farm 51, who is most recognizable for 2012's Painkiller: Hell & Damnation and last year's Get Even, just might be on the verge of launching its biggest mainstream success yet.

World War 3 is built on a frighteningly simple and realistic premise: The world's strongest countries have engaged in global conflict. That's all the plot that's really necessary. Players side with nationalities of their choice. Cumulative successes edge their country closer to winning the war. Every match plays into the larger story of which side eventually emerges victorious. (It's currently unclear how long this will last, and if it'll be broken up into "seasons" which are reset so that everyone starts again with a clean slate.) Representatives of Farm 51 tell me that the game will launch with a certain set of nations, but more will be added over time through player-selected popular vote.

World War 3 is a multiplayer-only game that leans into two of the shooter genre's most emergent trends. The Warzone mode is constructed similarly to a Battlefield match -- 32 players (although it'll possibly get up to 64) competing in a large-scale and lengthy fight that employs vehicles, explosives, and firearms. It's a tried and true format, and feels like a staple of any big shooter.

World War 3 is a new shooter that's something of a mix between Battlefield and battle royale screenshot

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/world-war-3-is-a-new-shooter-that-s-something-of-a-mix-between-battlefield-and-battle-royale-505085.phtml

News:: Puzzle & Dragons is teaming up with Magic: The Gathering, gives us an anime Chandra

It's crazy to think a collectible card game is still around after 25 years, but when you're the first one and are created by one of the most prolific game designers of all time, you have a little help.

Yes Magic: The Gathering is going strong right now thanks to a boost from the much-loved Dominaria cycle, and it's about to cross over with another franchise: Puzzle & Dragons. As announced by behemoth publisher Gungho on their website, the collaboration is 'coming soon' and will feature evil Planeswalker Nicol Bolas, as well as Chandra Nalaar, and the Weatherlight vehicle.

Yep, the best part of this is that we get anime versions of these characters, especially when Bolas is allegedly going to bite the dust in the next arc in his "final battle."

Magic: The Gathering [Gungho]

Puzzle & Dragons is teaming up with Magic: The Gathering, gives us an anime Chandra screenshot



via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/puzzle-dragons-is-teaming-up-with-magic-the-gathering-gives-us-an-anime-chandra-504995.phtml

News:: The Morning After: The boring reality of the flux capacitor

Welcome back to work if you got Monday off. And, well, sorry if you didn't.



via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/29/the-morning-after-flux-capacitor/

News:: Review: Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection

It's easy, even obnoxious, to be the "You weren't there maaaan..." guy. No-one likes that guy. But it's hard to put into words what it was like when Street Fighter II exploded onto the arcade scene back in 1991. It was an absolute phenomenon, one that nobody saw coming.

Seemingly overnight, everyone was thirsty for info of this exciting new fighting title. You'd visit your local arcade weekly, desperately hoping they'd have installed the game. Then whole weekends were spent pumping coins into the cabinet, fueled by an expensive desire to become the most unstoppable in your 'hood. At that time in the schoolyard, Street Fighter II supremacy was everything.

Once the SNES release was announced, things went into overdrive. People were frantically looking into console mods and the (then-impenetrable) import scene, paying upwards of £200 to get hold of the Japanese release because Fuck PAL. The addiction spread hard and fast. Street Fighter II wasn't just a video game, it was the video game. In fact. People were calling it the best video game of all time.

It's been over two decades since then. Capcom's iconic fighting game has left a plethora of best-selling titles in its wake. Mainline releases, spin-offs, remakes. Hell, even great anime, comics and ill-advised movies and cartoons. Street Fighter is a globally recognised brand, a reputation built through a storied history of quality titles that never forgot the base pleasure of locking two rivals in battle, driven by the desire to become the greatest World Warrior.

Now, some thirty years since the launch of 1987's Street Fighter, Capcom have released a compilation of the franchise's mainline '90s releases. Developed by Digital Eclipse, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection presents a decade of fighting game excellence, all in one neat package. Let's knuckle up.

Review: Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection screenshot

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/review-street-fighter-30th-anniversary-collection-504870.phtml

News:: Latest 'Star Citizen' ship pack costs as much as a car

Just how committed are you to the perpetually unfinished Star Citizen? Committed enough that you'd be willing to take out a loan? If so, you're in luck. Cloud Imperium has introduced a Legatus Pack that gives you 117 ships and 163 extras for $27,000 -- you need to have spent over $1,000 on game content before you can even see the product page (without talking to customer service, at least). Unless you're buying this for a team, this is the kind of purchase you usually only make if you're either filthy rich or need an outlet for your mid-life crisis.

Via: MMOPulse, PC Gamer

Source: RSI Forum



via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/29/star-citizen-27000-ship-pack/