Latest News - Page 2015

At this year's Minecon, Mojang announced Minecraft: Dungeons, a brand new spin-off adventure game that sounds a lot like a voxel-style Diablo.

As a big Diablo fan I'm always looking for new ARPGs to play, and I never thought I'd see a Minecraft-themed game roll out. But that's exactly what Mojang is doing with Minecraft: Dungeons. The game is a standalone four-player dungeon crawler that uses core combat mechanics of the original game but with a top-down twist. Gamers will blast through dungeons in the search for epic loot, and we should expect classes and some sort of adventure-style story line too. Since Microsoft is involved don't be surprised if Minecraft: Dungeons is monetized with microtransactions, too.

"This is a brand new game from Mojang," said Mans Olson, game director of Minecraft Dungeons. "It's a re-imagining of Minecraft as a completely different experience."

Intel is expected to unveil its new Core i9-9900K processor in less than two weeks time, with some "accidental" listed prices hitting Silicon Lottery. We're looking at a much more expensive 9th generation CPU series from Intel, but as usual the prices were removed - yet this is the internet, we all know whatever is posted is forever.

Well, it looks like we're looking at around $480 for the upcoming Core i9-9900K processor... a price hike of around $100 over the Core i7-8700K. Remember the new 9900K is an 8C/16T chip while the current-gen 8700K is a 6C/12T processor. The new 9th gen Core i7-9700K should debut at $370, which is the same price as the 8700K (but it is an 8C/8T chip with HyperThreading disabled). The upcoming Core i5-9600K is a 6C/6T chip (also with HT disabled) and should debut at around $250.

Intel's new Core i9-9900K will rock a base clock of 3.6GHz and boost clock of 5GHz (in single- and dual-core tasks). Intel should be listing the 4-core boost as 4.8GHz, while the higher-end 6- and 8-core boost is a huge 4.7GHz. This should really put the boot into AMD's neck... yet AMD's Ryzen sales are out of this world right now and Intel needs everything it can just to fight a battle that two years ago, it thought it didn't need to fight. 10nm is a mess, and now the Core i9-9900K has to take things to the next level for Intel to take the spotlight away from AMD... temporarily.

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What do big publishers and devs want from next-gen consoles like Sony's PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's upcoming Xbox Scarlett? More space for their games, for one. And beefier CPU/GPU power wouldn't hurt.

One of the most frustrating things about modern gaming is running out of space for your games. Games are so big these days--Halo 5 was over 90GB last time I checked, and Red Dead Redemption 2 will start out at 105GB on PS4--as devs pummel our hard drives with higher-end effects, 4K textures, and tons of content. The average game is about 40-50GB, which is over 10% of a default console's hard drive space. Devs are squeezing out every last GB on traditional Blu-ray discs...but a single disc may not be enough. This typically forces two outcomes: gamers have to download the remaining data online or publishers have to add in an extra disc, which could drive up prices. But the alternative, using dual-layer UHD Blu-rays (up to 66GB) or triple-layer discs (100GB+), could raise prices too.

2K Games exec Mark Little expressed that devs are simply running out of room on current media:

Tencent's upcoming Call of Duty mobile game takes aim at both enthusiast and casual FPS gamers with decent visual fidelity.

A batch of new Call of Duty mobile screenshots have leaked from a beta test, showing that Tencent is taking its responsibility quite seriously for the Chinese market. The visuals seem to rival that of the Xbox 360 console era which is both surprising and predictable given the power of today's smartphones. Just look at Razer's higher-end gaming handset that rocks some serious hardware, including a Snapdragon 835 chipset and 8GB of RAM to boot.

The HUD looks a bit messy, and we're wondering what it's like to play a tense shooter like Call of Duty on a touchscreen...but then again Epic Games has done wonders with Fortnite on iOS and Android.

Rocksteady's big new project may be centered around not one but many superheroes in DC's Justice League series.

We know Rocksteady, the team responsible for the excellent Batman Arkham series (except for Arkham Knight on PC), is working on a brand new game. Past rumors say Superman is the focus, but nothing's been confirmed. It should be pretty huge, though: devs say the game will make us "lose our minds" once it's revealed.

Now an anonymous 4Chan user with purported inside sources says the game is centered around Justice League. The game will have singleplayer and co-op, the user says, and the story will chronicle the rise of heroes like Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and Flash. Live service elements will enable multiplayer action and a selection of massive cities like Gotham and Metropolis, all of which should expand over time via updates/DLC.

PS4's new cross-play feature was being tested, plotted, and implemented a while before it was officially announced.

Cross-play is a difficult thing to roll out. PS4 gamers can enjoy cross-play in some games like Final Fantasy XIV, but the majority of games are locked to the PSN ecosystem. Enabling cross-play was always in the works, though, and Sony's exec Shawn Layden discusses why it took so long.

"This is something that's been taking probably 65% of my Twitter feed over the last few months. Cross-play is something we know about. We know [cross-play] is a want, is a desire. We want to be able to deliver that in the best way possible. Enabling cross-play isn't just about flipping a switch and there you go," SIE Worldwide Studios Chairman Shawn Layden said in the recent PlayStation Blogcast.

Vivendi will soon shed itself of all controlling stake in Ubisoft.

A bit ago Vivendi wanted to buyout French games-maker Ubisoft, and started buying up shares en masse. Luckily (for both gamers and Ubisoft) the corporation cancelled the hostile takeover plans and agreed to relinquish control of all stake in the publisher. Now Vivendi outlines exact details of this plan, which sees it selling the remaining 7.5 million shares (about 6.7% of Ubisoft's total shares) by March 2019.

Vivendi will sell its shares for 500 million euros in the following ways: "This 6.7% interest will be sold by Vivendi to two financial institutions as follows: approximately 0.91% on October 1, 2018 as planned, and 5.74% deferred to March 5, 2019."

Bungie may be moving on from Destiny to a new IP called Matter.

Destiny and Halo developer Bungie has filed trademarks for something called Matter on the European Union Intellectual Property Office. The trademark, which is classified under gaming software and services, was filed just yesterday and has yet to be registered. Sources say Bungie has been working on a new IP for quite some time, and Matter could be it.

Bungie recently signed a big $100 million partnership with Chinese gaming juggernaut NetEase which will allow it to remain independent while creating new worlds. The funds will be used on an ambitious new plan and bold vision at Bungie, which may include a new game--or series of games--outside of the current Destiny universe.

Gamers won't be able to trade gear, weapons, and items with other players in Anthem, BioWare confirms.

While EA says BioWare's big new IP Anthem is unique and unexpected, it still follows specific shoot-and-loot service game mechanics. Most games of this nature don't let players actually trade or exchange items with others. Players must manage the gear they find themselves, whether it be scrapping or selling duplicates (I'm already getting Destiny 2 flashbacks...) to gain crafting materials that only fuel the grind further. It's a cycle, after all, and a lot of this playtime/engagement could be hindered by a trading system.

Anthem will be the same as most of its peers in this regard. BioWare's Mark Darrah recently confirmed Anthem doesn't have gear trading, and that you could find armor pieces and gear for Javelins you don't even use--similar to finding, say, Wizard-oriented unique items in Diablo III while you're playing as a Barbarian. "No trading. Most loot drops will be for the Javelin you are currently using but you will get others at a lower rate," Darrah said in a recent Tweet.

Oculus' new all-in-one headset will be surprisingly versatile and powerful for gaming, company CTO John Carmack confirms.

Although the new Oculus Quest is a wireless, self-contained headset powered by a Qualcomm chip, the portable HMD is actually comparable to last-gen consoles in terms of CPU and GPU power. The conjunction of firmware utilities and tools alongside optimized hardware will theoretically allow the Quest to hit up to 72FPS in specific games and apps running at 1280x1280 resolution.

"In terms of raw processing power, there's lots of hedges and if buts when you're discussing different things, but Quest is in the neighborhood of the power of a previous gen like Xbox 360 and PS3. Now that's just in terms of CPU and GPU and what you can expect to do on it," Oculus' John Carmack said in a recent OC5 keynote speech.

Dragon Ball Legends has made over $65 million in mobile revenues to date, Sensor Tower reports.

Bandai Namco's new Dragon Ball Legends has proven a lucrative smartphone game that folds into the company's current multi-pronged strategy. The game has made in excess of $65 million worldwide via in-game microtransactions on both Android and iOS. Typical for the region, Japan generates the lion's share of Dragon Ball Legends' earnings with more than $40 million in spending, or about 62% of total revenues.

We should see continued growth as Bandai Namco rolls out fresh content updates including new characters, movesets, and spending opportunities for gamers to consume and buy. New releases in the Dragon Ball brand should also catalyze downloads and spending, and I'd be interested to see if the Switch's release of Dragon Ball FighterZ will spark more downloads in all regions.

According to analyst firm Newzoo, families are more likely to subscribe to services like Xbox Game Pass for a number of reasons: convenience, wide spectrum of games, saving money, and online multiplayer.

Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass has changed the industry. By offering access to over 100 different Xbox One and Xbox 360 games for $10 a month, including new first-party games, the company has reinforced its forward-thinking service plan and sparked competitors to do the same. Sony has changed its PS Now service to allow downloads, for example, and EA rolled out its new Origin Access Premiere subscription. But the kinds of gamers Game Pass attracts is also important...especially when it comes to big-spending gaming households.

Attracting families is always a goal for games-makers. Although families play games together, each member has their own tastes and households typically have more than one gaming system. Nintendo has nearly mastered the craft with its wide variety of games and interactive family-friendly content, but Microsoft has achieved similar results with Game Pass.

Major games-makers like Ubisoft, EA and even Sony are currently experimenting with blockchain technology, which could offer new ways to monetize and secure games.

A number of high-profile companies just joined forces to make the Blockchain Gaming Alliance, a new union made up of industry names like Ubisoft, Alto, Fig, and Ultra. While combing through the announcements I found something quite interesting: a mention of how blockchain could enable gamers to make money by selling or trading items and playing specific games.

"The Blockchain Game Alliance is advocating for a universal standard in the blockchain gaming space to create a more interoperable and transparent ecosystem which will benefit stakeholders, by furthering innovation and ensuring economic viability," Ultra CEO Nicolas Gilot said in an announcement post.

Bandai Namco and Nintendo are bringing Mario Kart VR to the United States for some hilarious and ultra-fun virtual reality shenanigans.

Every time I play my HTC Vive, one thing becomes more and more clear to me: VR was made to be played with friends. VR really belongs in arcade environments where everyone can get in on the fun, and the industry has seen various "VRcades" pop up over the years. One of the most intriguing is Bandai Namco's and Nintendo's VR Zone Portal arcade, which breathes new life into Mario Kart. Previously only available in Japan, Mario Kart VR first came to the UK and is now coming to the U.S. for a limited time.

HTC today announced that the Vive-powered Mario Kart VR experience will come to Washington, DC's Union Station alongside other interactive games in the VR Zone Portal banner. Sadly the games will only be playable for six months and won't be a permanent fixture.

It has been announced on the Brawlhalla website via a blog post that our favorite spade wielding hero Shovel Knight will be making his debut to Brawlhalla. He isn't coming alone either.

Blue Mammoth Games and Ubisoft, the developers and publishers respectively behind Brawlhalla have announced on the Brawlhalla website that "not only Shovel Knight but some of his compatriots will be coming to Brawlhalla!" In addition to the legendary Shovel Knight, players will also be receiving "King Knight, Black Knight, Plague Knight and Specter Knight."

According to the post on the website "For the first time ever, these skins will come with unique select animations and signature effects! Keep an eye out for more information as we get closer to the release!" Shovel Knight will be digging his way into Brawlhalla on October 3rd, if you are interested in more news about Brawlhalla check out the announcement of Rayman joining the titles roster, visit that here. If you wish to read the official Shovel Knight announcement, a link to the website can be found here.

Nintendo and publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment have released a brand new Nintendo Switch launch trailer for the newly released Dragon Ball FighterZ.

There has been quite a lot of news lately regarding Bandai's Dragon Ball FighterZ, we just saw a couple days ago that Android 17 and Cooler have been added to fighting roster, now the title has debuted to the Nintendo Switch. A brand new launch trailer has been released in celebration of the title coming to the handheld console.

The trailer showcases portability, we can see Dragon Ball FighterZ players enjoying the Switch outside and beating a range of different people from all different ages. If you happened to miss out on the content update that was just released for Dragon Ball FighterZ, check that out here. Nintendo Switch players will be glad to know that this content update will be included within the launch of the game. For further information regarding Dragon Ball FighterZ, visit the official Bandai Namco website here.

Ubisoft has announced on their website that players that are curious towards whether to pick up The Crew 2 will be able to take it for a test drive over the weekend. The Crew 2 will be going free-to-play over the weekend.

Despite the mixed reviews about Ubisoft's The Crew 2, car race fanatics may want to use this opportunity to give The Crew 2 a test drive over the course of the weekend. Ubisoft, the publisher behind the title has taken to their Twitter page to announce the good news. Players will be able to enjoy The Crew 2 from 27/9 - 30/9 2018.

On the Ubisoft website, numerous FAQ questions have been answered, some of which concern whether players that participate within the free weekend will have their experience carried over if they purchase the full game. Here was the answer: "All of your progress and vehicles will carry over if you decide to upgrade to the full game." Players will have to download The Crew 2 through the Uplay client and not Steam, if you are interested in pre-loading the title, visit the official Ubisoft website here.

Bandai Namco will be bringing future Soulcalibur VI players a chance to jump into the game before its official release. Xbox One and PS4 players will have the option of participating in Soulcalibur VI's network test, let the downloads begin!

Bandai Namco has taken to their Twitter Page to announce that Soulcalibur VI fans will be at liberty of their network test today across both PS4 and Xbox One. Players on both of these platforms will be able to download and play Soulcalibur VI and jump straight into a ranked match online. The download for the game will be available at 8:00AM PDT, Thursday, Sep 27th USA. For Europe and Japan it will be 4:00PM BST, Thursday, Sep 27th and 12:00AM JST, Friday, Sep 28th. For further information about times visit the official Bandai website post here.

If you happened to miss the recent news about Soulcalibur VI, there has been quite a lot of character reveals leading up to the games release. So far we have seen Raphael, Cervantes, Tira, Maxi, Taki, Siegfried and Geralt. Soulcalibur VI is planned for release on the Xbox One, PS4 and PC. It will be arriving on October 19th.

A overview trailer has been released for Nintendo's future NES games that are coming to players under the umbrella of service by Nintendo Switch Online.

From the trailer we know that potential players will be able to play from a selection of NES games either locally or online. Select NES games will have support for both options. From the beginning players will have a selection of 20 different NES Classic games, with more planned for the coming months of October, November and December.

For players that acquire Nintendo Switch Online and are curious to what future games are installed for the participants, they should know that throughout October players will receive the following: Solomon's Key, NES Open Tournament Golf and Super Dodge Ball. November has got plans for Metroid, Might Bomb Jack and TwinBee. Finally December, we have Wario's Woods, Ninja Gaiden and Adventures of Lolo. Unfortunately we don't see classic NES titles such as: Kirby's Adventure, Earthbound Beginnings, Punch-Out, Super Mario Bros 2 or Lost Levels. Hopefully Nintendo acknowledge the communities cries for some more popular classic NES games to be added to the library. For further information visit the official Nintendo Switch Online website page here.