Latest News - Page 2507

Nintendo is gearing up for its next-gen console release, currently codenamed 'NX', but what launch titles can we expect? Early rumors are pointing to Zelda, which would be a huge start for the company and its next-gen console.

According to NintenGen, a source that works for Nintendo has said that the NX console would be released this year. Furthermore, Zelda NX would be released inside the launch window, meaning the new Zelda game would either launch with the NX console or very close to its launch. NintenGen reports: "The source at Nintendo is not able to give details on exactly what the NX is but since Zelda is definitely on the system it heavily indicates that it is a home console. Further information of the Nintendo NX functionality, specs and the controller interface are still secrets that are very deeply hidden within Nintendo".

AMD has been teasing its dual Fiji GPU for a while, but now we're seeing things become much more real as we get closer to the Game Developers Conference next month.

Well, Corporate Vice President of AMD and VR fan Roy Taylor posted a picture to his Facebook and Twitter accounts, teasing the new Tiki PCs built by Falcon Northwest. Inside, we have AMD's super-secret dual-GPU, the Radeon R9 Fury X2. Taylor teased: "Developers, we have something coming for you... :)". A picture, speaks a thousand words - of course.

Falcon Northwest collaborated with AMD on the new Tiki PCs, as they were the system builder of choice for the console-sized PC that sports an insanely powerful dual GPU. When should we see the Falcon Northwest Tiki PC powered by the Radeon R9 Fury X2? Well, we should see it next month at GDC.

Screen dimming software f.lux isn't having much luck with iOS lately, but Android progress seems to be coming along. Recently, a beta became available to interested users, likely indicating it's not too far off from a public release.

To gain access to the beta, you must have a rooted phone. Assuming you fulfill that criteria, head here to request joining the Android testing group, then here for installation instructions.

Requiring a rooted phone no doubt will alienate many users, so hopefully that gets nixed prior to the public launch. Should we hear anything to that end, we'll be sure to report it.

Tech giants Google, Twitter, and Apple have publicly denounced the FBI's fight to get around phone encryption, favoring the privacy rights of their users instead. Now Facebook is hopping on board, too.

"We will continue to fight aggressively against requirements for companies to weaken the security of their systems," a Facebook spokesperson told Reuters yesterday. "These demands would create a chilly precedent and obstruct companies' efforts to secure their products."

That makes four for four. Microsoft is the biggest tech company to not yet comment on the issue; to that end, we've put in in an inquiry, and will report if we hear back.

A document leaked to TechCrunch reveales Facebook will be integrating advertising into its Messenger app starting in the second quarter of 2016. It's not the advertising you'd expect, though. Rather, advertising messages will be sent to users who have previously initiated chats with the company.

"Our aim with Messenger is to create a high quality, engaging experience for 800 million people around the world, and that includes ensuring people do not experience unwanted messages of any type," a Facebook spokesperson commented, neglecting to confirm or deny the news.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), following a months-long investigation, has declared the use of hoverboards -- and self-balancing scooters -- currently on the market to be unsafe. Consequently, retailers, manufacturers, and importers are now required to follow safety standards in order to sell current and future boards, lest they face legal action. Until now, no safety standards were in place. The news is expected to result in mass recalls.

Although it has admitted open flame was never achieved in its testing (which comprised examining hoverboard circuit boards, batteries, and burned hoverboards, as well as dynamometer tests), the CPSC witnessed enough melting and overheating to feel comfortable making their move. No doubt the 52 hoverboard fires constituting $2 million in property damage and killing two dogs and nearly three children -- all between December 1 and February 17 -- helped to that end as well.

New, certified hoverboards should start selling later this year.

Quantum Break has entered the time-honored state of matter known as "going gold" and we're now just waiting for it to hit physical and digital shelves. And of course, it's time to pop the cork on some expensive Champagne as well, because this release marks the banding together of the Xbox One and the PC in the gaming sphere.

If you haven't already you can pre-order the Xbox One digital version and receive the PC version plus a copy of Alan Wake and it's delightful DLC, American Nightmare, as a pre-order bonus.

The PC version is exclusive to the Windows Store, however, and won't be making an appearance on Steam. Thankfully, however, it'll be the first game that's DirectX 12 only as a result of only being available on Windows 10. Windows 7 users won't be able join in on the fun.

Master of Orion's voice cast has just been revealed by Wargaming.net, and it includes a whole lot of triple-A actors from a lot of different sci-fi franchises helping to bring it to life.

The full list is below but of note are Mark Hamill, Troy Baker, John de Lancie and Michael Dorn serving as your narrator. His deep, sharp yet refined voice is the perfect match for the futuristic space opera. He'll also fit in with the dry wit of the series.

"The original Master of Orion captured the hearts of gamers with solid gameplay and a rich, diverse universe where every choice makes a difference," Chris Keeling, Director of Product Vision at WG Labs, said in a statement. "Having some of the most iconic science fiction, horror and video game voice talent lending their skills to the game only helps us realize this amazing universe in even more exciting ways." The reboot of Master of Orion will be available in Early Access on Steam starting on February 26th.

Warner Bros. offshoot New Line Cinema is apparently hard at work developing a new feature film version of the classic anime 'Astro Boy' in live action - a first for the 60 year old, but much loved property.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio has tapped 'San Andreas' writers Andre Fabrizio and Jeremy Passmore to come up with the film's script, in conjunction with Japan's Tezuka Productions. Famed Japanese animator Osamu Tezuka created the 'Astro Boy' character in 1952, and has gone onto to various incarnations in print, TV and cinema. The most recent incarnation of the character was portrayed in the 2009 CG animated film, which failed to generate much box office interest, (particularly in Japan) nor even recoup it's production budget.

Galactic Civilizations III: Mercenaries, the first full-blown expansion for its popular 4X space strategy game is now live on Steam. It adds a new campaign, Galactic Bazaars, new races, the ability to recruit elite units with special abilities, new ship parts, and much more.

In Mercenaries, you will be able to visit new Galactic Bazaars where you can hire mercenaries to assist in expanding across the galaxy. With several new mercenary ships and multiple Bazaars to discover on each map, the expansion offers hours of unique gameplay.

"Once they're gone, they're gone," said Paul Boyer, Lead Designer of Galactic Civilizations III. "When a mercenary is hired by a civilization in a game, it is no longer available to the others. You will need to act quickly and choose wisely in order to get the best mercenaries and leave your enemies without." The campaign for Mercenaries centers around the peaceful Torian race who have long been enslaved and farmed for their meat by the cruel Drengin. Explore and discover mercenaries, then hire them to aid in escaping the oppressors. Liberate the Torians and help them rebuild their shattered civilization while staying out of reach of the Drengin.

Roller Coaster Tycoon World is having the finishing touches put on it as it's successfully finished being beta tested by endearing fans. It's been a bumpy road as things haven't always had a positive impact on the community at large. There have been a few missteps, but the feedback gained is being take to heart and being taken very seriously.

We had a chance to ask a few questions with Matthew Labunka, a senior producer over at Atari whose working diligently on making sure Roller Coaster Tycoon World meets the expectations the series demands. They're very excited about the direction that it's taking and want it to be a game that everyone of every skill level can properly enjoy. You don't have to be a master architect or engineer to appreciate the complex tools, but if you want to make some intricate, physics-defying contraptions, you can do that too.

Let's delve into the conversation and see where this train (or roller coaster) is headed. The franchise is old, but there's plenty of innovation to be had.

It turns out that a proper Roller Coaster Tycoon game fits perfectly with VR. Just imagine creating your own rides and then putting on your headset to take them for a proper spin, literally. Roller Coaster Tycoon World will eventually incorporate VR into the game, though only when they can perfect the experience.

Speaking with Matthew Labunka, a Senior Producer at Atari, he told us that "VR does naturally lend itself to the simulation genre. We are working on designing the best experience for the platform. A solid VR experience takes time and we want to provide relevant game features that fit the platform." It really is a natural fit, because you can already take a ride on any ride you create, so why not make it more visceral. Even better would be the incorporation of a "4D" type of experience with a chair that moves with the ride.

We've seen the experience already with mobile games and other VR demos, but they were incomplete and didn't quite capture the full experience of speeding along a rickety track. Sound, too, is an important aspect of true immersion, and real VR audio solutions aren't quite among us yet, though those solutions are coming.

As Ubisoft shifts towards a new long-term player-engagement strategy, we may never see an annual Assassin's Creed release again.

"The goal is not to automatically come back to an annual cycle, but to come back on a regular basis. We can't say every year," Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said during a company investor's meeting.

Ubisoft recently announced that Assassin's Creed will skip 2016 so it could "re-examine the franchise". Instead of a constant string of game releases, the publisher is now pushing a "live operation" business model based on multi-year engagement.

The 19th annual Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences DICE awards were last night, honoring games and developers themselves in their quest to create the ultimate in gaming entertainment. The Game of the Year was naturally Fallout 4, celebrating the brave new world it explored, despite the graphical downgrade that seemed to be the ire of so many.

During the event, Hideo Kojima was inducted into the Hall of Fame while the late president of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata was given a posthumous lifetime achievement award for his enthusiasm and dedication to the gaming community. The rest of the categories might surprise you with what came out on top. Perhaps not, however. You'll find the full list of nominees and their winners below.

As you might have heard, Hideo Kojima has signed up with Sony to make a PS4 exclusive. Details on the game have been few and far between, but the Metal Gear alum offered some teases during a DICE 2016 panel with Guillermo Del Toro.

Kojima started the discussion by saying he feels "extremely free" about the project, and after the year he's had with Konami, I'm not surprised. The beloved Japanese mastermind went on to say that the PS4 exclusive will be "big and extremely edgy", and promises he won't let the project become constrained by corporate overlords, a la Konami.

"I have no intentions of ever changing anything I do in order for it to be a hit, to sell more. That's something that I would want never do and I'm not going do," Kojima said, likely jabbing at Konami. "So I have to create something that I want to play, something that people want to play and, within that, figure out ways that it will be appealing to market, that it will be a successful game. But I can make those adjustments, I chose them so I feel extremely free."

Team Fortress 2 is finally getting the competitive matchmaking services that it rightfully deserves.

Valve has put together a plan and shared it with fans on how they're going to implement matchmaking, and when it'll arrive. It'll be a slow rollout and the beta testing will be limited to those that have purchased the now free-to-play game. If you bought it rior to June 23rd 2011 or bought it from Mann Co. Store, have Steam Guard enabled and have a phone number assoiciated with your account, then you're likely to be invited quite soon.

The almost ancient competitive multiplayer, class-based shooter is finally getting something that it's needed since it was first introduced in 2007. Like many other competitive games, finding a server to play in put you in an open-slot based on availability, and not rank or ability (such as with CS:GO).

Guillermo del Toro recently reunited with Hideo Kojima to hold a "creative visions" talk at DICE 2016. During the talk, the famed director had some pretty strong words about the current state of the gaming industry, loosely hinting at the reasons why Silent Hills was cancelled.

The director says that games, like movies, are involved in a restrictive and tense marriage between creativity and finances. As a result, certain games that take a risk are deemed "unsafe", and are ultimately cancelled--not unlike Silent Hills. "We all belong in industries that are a marriage of creativity and finances. In that way, both movies and games are very similarly restricted. It's a pity, but it's a marriage that happens to every big industry."

"The storytellers look ahead to see what they can discover, and the money people are always looking back. The investors are looking backward and thinking 'where are we going? this isn't the safe route'. So there's a natural tension. [Gaming's creativity] is only limited by the bastards with the money."

The Make War Not Love 3 bundle just got a little larger. Now the free prize bundle of classic SEGA games includes a few more titular titles to get your retro juices flowing.

Now through the following website, you can grab another three great games absolutely for free. But of course it's for a limited time only and the offer will eventually expire. Once redeemed, however, those games are yours forever. In the bundle are Streets of Rage II, Binary Domain and Condemned: Criminal Origins.

Aside from the free games, it seems that they're offering a significant amount of other SEGA titles for hugely discounted prices. Alpha Protocol (a surprisingly in-depth and fun game) is 80% off while several others enjoy similar discounts. The more you play, the site says, the more you win. This is being offered by SEGA and Creative Assembly with Relix Entertainment also helping gamers enjoy more games for cheap.

If you're now diving head first into the lovely new world of USB 3.1 Type-C, SilverStone will be there at your side, recently announcing its EP05 Gigabit Ethernet and EP07 HDMI adapters for this new USB standard.

The EP05 adapter allows an adaption from USB Type-C to RJ45, enabling a Gigabit Ethernet connection, crossover detection, and Wake-on-LAN functions. Complete with an LED indication light, this product can be purchased for around $18.22 (16.50 Euro) and will be available in a few days' time. More information can be found here.

If your new monitor doesn't support a direct USB 3.1 Type-C connection, the EP07 HDMI adapter from SilverStone may interest you. Released with support for all HDMI versions up to 1.4, this product further features resolutions up to 3840x3160 @ 30Hz (when switched to the DP 1.2 alt mode) and per lane data rates of up to 5.4Gbps. Available for approximately $22.33 (20.10 Euro), this product also releases very soon and more information can be found here.

With a minimalistic design and body constructed of birch wood, the 'Get Up Stand Up' home Bluetooth speaker system by House of Marley is a fancy new addition to this saturated market.

When a market is saturated you have to do something different in order to stand out from the crowd, with Hosue of Marley opting for this great wooden design and frame, while including what seems to be a decent audio setup. Available for $329.99 from Amazon or the company directly, this unit offers two 4.5-inch woofers, two 1-inch tweeters and an internal amplifier for maximum sound output.

Connection options include Bluetooth, 3.5mm AUX and RCA, while the speaker can be completely controlled via the supplied remote. As for extra features, this speaker has an included USB port in order to charge your smartphone while in use.