May 31, 2018 | Game ON news

Thursday, May 31, 2018

News:: Esports betting just got a whole lot easier. Now what?

On May 14th, the United States Supreme Court eliminated a 26-year-old law prohibiting states from sponsoring sports gambling. Today, states are free to establish their own sports-betting laws, and a few governors are acting fast. New Jersey, the state at the heart of the Supreme Court decision, should have sportsbooks live any day now, while Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and Mississippi have already passed bills allowing gambling. A handful of other states have legislation in the pipeline, and meanwhile, the NFL, NBA, NHL and other national leagues are calling for some form of federal regulation in sports betting.

"In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision, the volume of sports betting in the US is poised to explode -- and esports betting will inevitably follow suit," says Bryce Blum, attorney and founder of Electronic Sports and Gaming Law.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/31/esports-betting-gambling-legal-supreme-court-sportsbooks/

News:: Overwatch's Sombra in Nendoroid form is already my favourite aspect of 2018

Fine toy purveyors Good Smile Co. gave me another reason to decry my life as a penniless scribe this week, by announcing that Overwatch's sexy-sneaky hacker, Sombra, is coming to a tabletop near you in Nendoroid form.

Sombra, real name Olivia Colomar, is the next Overwatch hero to receive the cuterification process, following previous Nendoroids Tracer, Mercy, D.va, Hanzo, Genji and Mei. Sombra stands a dinky 100mm in height and comes with a range of interchangeable parts and accessories. This includes face-plates, mid-air hacking effects, pieces to recreate her emotes, a special "Boop" hand and the most adorable little Uzi you ever did see.

Sombra is priced at ¥4,537, or around $41, not including shipping or any potential customs charges. Pre-orders open today and will remain open until July 12, ahead of her scheduled release in January 2019. You'd think that'd give me enough time to save up for her. You'd be wrong.

Sombra is the next Nendoroid in Good Smile Co. Overwatch range [Official site]

Overwatch's Sombra in Nendoroid form is already my favourite aspect of 2018 screenshot

News:: 'Overload' revives the cramped combat of classic shooter 'Descent'

Back in 1995, Toy Story wowed audiences with sophisticated computer-generated animation. That same year, games studio Parallax released Descent, blowing players away with some of the first truly 3D, omnidirectional gameplay. Things have moved on a lot since then, but the classic game's creators, Parallax co-founders Matt Toschlog and Mike Kulas, are ready to stage a revival. Today, they've released Overload, a spiritual successor that brings back the zero-g combat that redefined first-person shooters (FPS) two decades ago.

Source: 'Overload' (Steam), 'Overload' site

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/31/overload-game-revival-classic-shooter-descent/

News:: Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection delayed until Fall in Japan

This week saw the release of Capcom's excellent fighting game compilation Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. Although the game was supposed to launch worldwide, Capcom have announced that Japan won't see the game until later in the year, when it will be released as Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection International. .

The original plan was to release the same version of the compilation worldwide. This upset Japanese fans who wished to have the original, localised versions of the classic arcades. This would include using the Street Fighter Zero roms over the Street Fighter Alpha roms, and the rearranging of Shadaloo bosses' names to their original iteration.

This, of course, is completely understandable, it'd be pretty odd to pick up a collection of classics from your youth, only to find them appearing as they were in other territories. Capcom could have avoided this by including both the Japanese and U.S. roms in the collection, something I bemoaned in my review this week. But at least Japanese fans will get the experience they remember, even if they will have to wait a little longer for it.

Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection is available on PS4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch. It will arrive in Japan in Fall of this year.

Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection delayed until Fall in Japan screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/street-fighter-30th-anniversary-collection-delayed-until-fall-in-japan-505490.phtml

News:: Review: PixelJunk Monsters 2

It feels like it's been ages since Q-Games dabbled in tower defense with the original PixelJunk Monsters. The studio has taken quite a few detours since then, all of which have have been interesting in their own right, but the time has finally come for a sequel. Tikiman's back! And he's gone 3D!

I was surprised and delighted when I first laid eyes on PixelJunk Monsters 2. It seemed to have the same familiar components, albeit presented with a new, almost clay-like aesthetic. It's a significant departure from the old hand-drawn art, but it feels like the next logical step after the developer's last major release, The Tomorrow Children, which similarly used fancy real-time lighting to great effect.

Despite the eye-catching new visuals, Monsters fans are still going to feel right at home. On that note, things might actually be a tad too familiar for my tastes.

Review: PixelJunk Monsters 2 screenshot

News:: Rumour: Keyring photo confirms Assassin's Creed Odyssey as next title in series

It yet another unearthing of an announcement ahead of time, a photograph of a promotional keyring has apparently confirmed that Assassin's Creed Odyssey will be the next entry in Ubisoft's long-running, wall-running Assassin's Creed series.

The photograph appeared on French website Jeuxvideo, and shows the keyring, in the shape of a Spartan soldier's helmet (I dunno, I flunked history) along with the with game's title and logo. Of course Homer's Odyssey is also a famous Greek poem, so that pretty much confirms the location for a new wave of stabby hijinx.

This, of course, is reminiscent of last year, where 2018's Assassin's Creed Origins was revealed early via a promotional T-shirt and other gubbins. Ubisoft are yet to comment on the reveal, but no doubt we'll be hearing more at E3, if anyone has anything left to reveal at E3.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey promotional keyring [Jeuxvideo]

Rumour: Keyring photo confirms Assassin's Creed Odyssey as next title in series screenshot

News:: Atari VCS pre-sale rakes in over two million dollars from 7000 backers to date

Yesterday, Atari Inc. announced that pre-sales were open for their new hardware, the Atari VCS, with the "retro-styled" new box pulling in an impressive opening volley of numbers.

Within the first couple of hours, the VCS already had around 5000 backers, paying some 1.6 million dollars for the Atari VCS Day One Edition, the Atari Onyx, and various peripheral packages. The Indiegogo site started to crack under the pressure, causing Atari to take to twitter to assure fans to stick around while the servers coped with traffic.

As of this writing, just under 8000 backers have amassed a very impressive $2,085,000 USD in support of the new device, which runs on Linux and is considered a "sandbox" platform by the developer. Considering there remains a month left in the crowdfunding period, with an initial goal of $100,000, it looks like the Atari VCS is very much a go.

The VCS is available in two forms: The wood-paneled Atari VCS Day One Collector’s Edition, which is exclusive to Indiegogo, for a limited time only, at $299 USD. Also available is the sleek Atari Onyx, designed in black and red and priced at $199 USD. If you wish to pre-purchase a unit yourself, or just want to check out more information, then you can do so at the official Indiegogo page.

The Atari VCS is scheduled to launch mid-2019.

Atari VCS pre-sale rakes in over two million dollars from 7000 backers to date screenshot

News:: Roblox tricks kids into coding with 'Jurassic Park'

Roblox is something of a mix between a game and a development platform. It allows users to play games developed by other people, as well as create their own games. Now, the company is introducing an education initiative for its 60 million-strong kid and teen user base. The aim is to promote learning through educational tools that are fun to use.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/31/roblox-education-initiative-jurassic-park-kids-coding/

News:: What to expect at Computex 2018

Computex marks the midpoint of the technology calendar, an oasis of new hardware in an otherwise barren summer. In the first week of June, Taipei plays host to PC makers and startups showing off what they think is the next big thing. Just before team Engadget sets off to sample everything the show has to offer, here's what we're expecting to see.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/31/computex-2018-preview/

News:: Magic: Arena is adding 24/7 drafts and placing Kaladesh/Aether Revolt into the mix

For a game that's in beta, Magic: The Gathering Arena has been moving along at a rather brisk pace. Wizards of the Coast has just announced that starting June 7 Kaladesh and Aether Revolt are going to be added in -- two sets that comprise a block that previously was not part of Arena.

This is rather important because a lot of popular standard (competitive play using recent blocks of cards) decks utilize that block, and players were finding it frustrating when brewing their own concoctions that a whole bunch of missing links just weren't in the game. As a bonus for waiting, ever Arena player will net two of every common and uncommon card from the block (so two Winding Constrictors right away, good news for fans of that archetype), as well as one of each rare and mythic rare, and "four of 15 pre-selected cards from both sets."

In the future Arena is also going to be adding in new events (including best-of-three), a welcome bundle, MMR updates, and most importantly -- 24/7 draft. Draft has been far and away the most contentious part of this adaptation of Magic, as it was only available sparingly at certain intervals. The pricing, another polarizing aspect of Arena drafting, is still intact at the moment.

Magic: Arena is adding 24/7 drafts and placing Kaladesh/Aether Revolt into the mix screenshot

News:: Mobile MOBA mega-hit Arena of Valor getting a closed beta on Switch

Tencent's Honor of Kings, known stateside as Arena of Valor, is arguably the biggest video game in the world. Last year, it grossed $1.9 billion according to SuperData Research. It has an estimated 200 million monthly users. It has Batman. It has a battle royale mode because it's 2018 and I'm pretty sure that's a law now. It has everything a game needs to succeed in the F2P marketplace, but will it be able to replicate that success on consoles?

The Switch port of Arena of Valor was announced last year during a Nintendo Direct and since then, there's been very little information on it. Europe got a closed beta earlier this year. Later this Summer, Switch owners in North America will get their turn to try it out.

If you have a Switch and you want to see what it's all about for yourself, you can register today for a chance to test the game during its upcoming closed beta. Exact dates haven't been announced, but once it's live, those selected will get access to the game for as much as they want during the test period.

Mobile MOBA mega-hit Arena of Valor getting a closed beta on Switch screenshot

News:: Nunchaku-swinging pirate Maxi returns for Soulcalibur VI

Bandai Namco have revealed the next warrior returning to battle in fighting sequel Soulcalibur VI. A newly-released trailer heralds the coming of the hipster pirate, Maxi.

Maxi, known as The Dandy of the South Seas, made his debut appearance in 1999's Soulcalibur. The slick combatant quickly gathered a solid fan following due to his Bruce Lee-inspired fighting style, which combines the fast and deadly Jeet June Do fighting system with some badass nunchaku skills.

Maxi is often popular amongst beginners, performing extended high/low combos with a mere sporadic tapping of the attack buttons - think Eddy Gordo in Tekken. Blessed with a stylish moveset, a devil-may-care attitude and dreamboat looks, Maxi has remained a popular Soulcalibur character since his debut, now re-joining Taki, Sophitia, Mitsurugi and other roster veterans on the Stage of History.

Soulcalibur VI launches on PS4, Xbox One and PC later in 2018.

Nunchaku-swinging pirate Maxi returns for Soulcalibur VI screenshot

News:: Insomniac's newest game will get revealed next week

Insomniac is the type of studio that's always juggling multiple projects at once. Even with PS4-exclusive Spider-Man launching in just a few months, it's not all hands on deck to help polish Peter Parker's story. There's something else brewing.

Oculus just uploaded a new video to YouTube that simultaneously spotlights Insomniac's recent efforts while teasing an upcoming game. The pertinent information is the phrase "Reclaim your world" and a June 7 date. Presumably, that's a tagline and the day when there will be a proper reveal -- exactly one week from today.

However, this teaser is nearly three minutes long when most teasers are 15 seconds long. That extra time is spent giving an overview of thematic and mechanical accomplishments of games like Sunset Overdrive, Ratchet & Clank, Edge of Nowhere, and The Unspoken. The gist is that this new game probably aims to combine interesting environments and fun locomotion, all in a virtual reality space. We should know a lot more in seven days.

Insomniac's newest game will get revealed next week screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/insomniac-s-newest-game-will-get-revealed-next-week-505406.phtml

News:: Might & Magic: Elemental Guardians is the mobilest mobile game that ever mobiled

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. That is an old and tired expression I don’t very much care for. It’s certainly true for some forms of entertainment, such as when a drag queen models herself after an actress or singer. Perhaps, had I grown up in an earlier era of society, I would agree with the sentiment or at the very least not roll my eyes when I hear somebody utter those words.

But I live in the era of YouTube and the App Store. Imitation isn’t a sincere form of flattery there, but rather an astute business model where companies and individuals copy and paste original ideas before adding in a few of their own elements and passing it off as something new. It’s how Threes becomes 2048, Mars Argo becomes Poppy, and Pokémon GO becomes Garfield GO.

It’s equal parts funny and sad how so many apps look like the exact same goddamn game. Right now, in Google Play, two titles -- Origins of an Empire and The Great Ottomans -- are up for preregistration and, gun to my head, I couldn’t fucking tell you the difference between them. Get a few beers in me and I couldn’t pick them out from Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire, Clash of Kings, Game of Thrones: Conquest, or any of the other log-in-and-win strategy games raking in the dough. A month from now, after it’s long been deleted from my tablet, I’ll probably be saying the same thing about Might & Magic: Elemental Guardians.

Might & Magic: Elemental Guardians is the mobilest mobile game that ever mobiled screenshot

News:: I can't stop listening to this synthwave cover of Final Fantasy XIV's latest boss theme

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn continues to deliver when it comes to worthwhile updates, as it should given its subscription-based format.

Just this past week 4.3 crept onto the scene, bringing in a heap of new content as well as a new primal (kind of like a summon or Esper/Eidolon) -- and with it, another kick ass boss theme that deserves to be put into the pantheon of great Final Fantasy music. It's definitely one of the more obscure types of covers I've found, but musician dutyyaknow crafted a synthwave version of Wayward Daughter, the latest track, and it's fantastic. For comparison's sake here's the actual theme.

With the rise of media like Stranger Things, Drive, and even Vice Principals synthwave has been seeing a sort of revival, and I'm loving it.

I can't stop listening to this synthwave cover of Final Fantasy XIV's latest boss theme screenshot

News:: The Sensel Morph trackpad is a digital creative's dream

Our computers have become indispensable creation tools, but let's face it: The decades-old keyboard-and-mouse combo aren't the best way to edit video, draw or play music. That's where the Sensel Morph comes in. It's a pressure-sensitive touchpad that lets you swap in multiple overlays and instantly switch gears between video editing, painting, music creation, gaming, coding and other tasks.

There are already a number of media controllers out there, and I've tested a couple, including the Palette Gear and the Loupedeck. But after using the Sensel Morph for a couple of days, I have to say that it really stands out from the pack. It's the most clever and versatile device I've tested, and though it's a bit expensive at $299, plus more for extra overlays, it's worth it for artists, musicians and editors, especially if you wear more than one of those hats.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/31/sensel-morph-trackpad-review/

News:: Review: Yoku's Island Express

There are some genres that work brilliantly when combined, and others you wouldn't expect to mash up very well. Yoku's Island Express blends a Metroid-like action platformer with pinball mechanics, and you'd be forgiven for thinking those are two great tastes that wouldn't necessarily taste great together, like peanut butter and ham. But the end result melds the two genres better than I ever could have expected. As far as I know, nothing like this has ever been attempted before, but the development team pulled it off beautifully.

Despite the coprophagial tendencies of the hero, this game is very decidedly NOT a steaming pile. On the contrary, it's one of the most ingenious, original games I've played in a long time.

Review: Yoku's Island Express screenshot

News:: The Morning After: Model 3 braking update

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

The week isn't over, but May is. Before we get ready for June's lineup of events, which will include E3 and WWDC, let's take a look at the latest 3D printed body parts and a teaser for the next Fallout game.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/31/the-morning-after-model-3-braking-update/

Pages

Thursday, May 31, 2018