Gaming News - Page 1737

A new slim Xbox One model is rumored to be part of Microsoft's planned barrage of new hardware for October, including the Surface Pro 4, Lumia 940/940 XL and Band 2.

According to rumors the compact Xbox One, coined as the Xbox On Mini, is able to hit the smaller form factor by nixing the Blu-ray drive altogether and shaving off a considerable chunk of space--about 1/3 of the current massive VCR-sized monstrosity. This will turn the Xbox One Mini into a digital-only machine, and the excising of the drive will also lead to a nice price drop to boot.

News of a slim Xbox One circulated as far back as October of last year when AMD shrunk the console's 28nm APU to a smaller, cheaper and more efficient 20nm factor. The 20nm APU, which is 1.9 times more dense than the previous model, could lead to speeds up to 30% faster with 25% less power draw.

In the next update for GTA V, console gamers will be able to create, share and download customized mods, adding in a massive dollop of freshness to the game.

Rockstar Games didn't exactly break the news with a full-on announcement--instead it was cleverly embedded in a blog post about the Ill-Gotten Gains modding contest, where the devs pretty much sneaked in a confirmation.

"The upcoming launch of the Rockstar Editor for PS4 and Xbox One as the next update to Grand Theft Auto V and GTA Online means the next Rockstar Editor Contest will be the first one with entries across all three platforms - so the creative competition will be fiercer than ever. Stay tuned for info about that contest and forthcoming update."

Sony wants to enlist everyday PlayStation 4 gamers to help beta test new updates and features for the console, and plans to implement its own form of Microsoft's Xbox One preview program.

Interested users can sign up here and in addition to new exclusive access to new features, testers will be able to share feedback with Sony on a special section of the PlayStation community forum. Testers will be able to try out the PS4's next major PS4 v3.0 update, which brings YouTube broadcasting, a new events and communities section, and even the ability to upload video clips to Twitter.

The initiative is a great idea considering Sony's past blunder with the PS4's ill-fated v2.0 blunder which locked gamers out of the console with a rest mode glitch, and it'll be another way to squash bugs while collecting feedback in the process.

Bethesda previously admitted it had to "dial" down some of the graphics, and many gamers weren't necessarily happy with the news. The studio has offered a public statement regarding the mini controversy, with one official noting the criticism "definitely doesn't upset us."

"As with most forms of entertainment, you never get 100 percent agreement on anything," said Pete Hines, marketing chief at Bethesda, in a statement to Metro. "And so, at the end of the day, whether it's what the graphics look like or whether the gameplay is what you want or whether you like the setting, or whatever it is, everybody is entitled to their own opinion."

The need to dial back graphics was done to benefit game consoles, with Fallout 4 expected to run at 1080p/30fps on consoles - but there will be no PC restrictions. Even if some people are angry, Fallout 4 is expected to be a gaming blockbuster that has drawn incredible interest from PC and console gamers alike.

SEGA has recently announced a free and limited trial of Company of Heroes 2: The British Forces to be launched on Steam in America and Europe, beginning 7PM CET on August 31 and concluding 11pm CET on September 2, 2015.

Exclusive to Steam, this trial will see up to 55,000 total players involved, allowing access to the British army and the ability to control 15 new units, six new commanders and eight new multiplayer maps. Alongside these are the four factions and base commanders as seen in all previous Company of Heroes 2 titles.

Self-claimed as "one of the most comprehensive World War II RTS games available," Company of Heroes 2: The British Forces is set for full release on September 3 for $12.99 as a stand-alone package, with 10% off given for pre-ordering customers.

The Electronic Sports League (ESL) wants to crack down on the use of recreational and performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) used by its competitors. Many of you balked at the idea, especially when marijuana is on the list of banned substances, though the ESL has a long-term goal in mind: legitimize eSports worldwide.

"The popularity and visibility of eSports has grown exponentially in recent years, but this combined with the increasing size of prize pools has also made the temptation of rule-breaking even greater," the ESL previously wrote. "ESL has an ongoing commitment to safeguarding both the integrity of our competitions and that of eSports as a whole."

It looks like ESL is most concerned about the use of Adderall and similar drugs that can be used to help enhance gameplay. ESL will work with the German Nationale Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) - which oversees anti-doping coordination and promoting anti-doping measures. WADA, of course, is best known for its role in athletic sports - but with a growing global image and prize money on the line - eSports wants to follow suit.

In a bid to win over eSports enthusiasts and those looking to transfer into this scene, Blizzard has recently announced the addition of automated tournaments within its gaming client.

Complete with an easy-to-access tournaments button in the main menu, the two tournament formats on offer in this beta testing period will be 3-round tournaments in single elimination and 6-round tournaments in a group stage to single elimination bracket.

This is a great way in order for Blizzard to push more players towards the eSports scene, alongside giving competitive players a viable way to hone their skills on a regular basis. However, small tournament organizers who are looking to learn some tips and tricks in order to move onto bigger and better things may find this addition an issue as it basically kills their target audience.

The Duke Nukem franchise hasn't been in a good spot for quite a while now, with 3D Realms, Gearbox Software and Interceptor Entertainment "voluntarily ended all litigation between them".

It has all been quite messy, with the announcement of Duke Nukem Mass Destruction back in February 2014, which was an isometric view shooter for the PS4 and PC. 3D Realms had bought in Interceptor to develop the game, but after the teaser site for the game opened up, Gearbox sued them. Gearbox wanted full rights and control over any Duke Nukem game, with 3D Realms then countersuing, stating that it had the rights to develop Duke Nukem games, saying that the Duke Nukem trademark was its property.

Interceptor acquired 3D Realms the next month, in March 2014, with Interceptor's Mike Nielsen placed into the CEO chair. Nielsen has said "When Interceptor acquired a license to develop Duke Nukem Mass Destruction [or Duke Nukem Survivor, its working title] from 3D Realms, we did so in good faith and were not aware of any conflict. We never intended to cause any harm to Gearbox or Duke, which is why we immediately ceased development after Gearbox reached out. To secure the future of Duke, 3D Realms has agreed with Gearbox that a single home serves the IP best".

Microsoft is quite happy with the addition of Xbox One backward compatibility able to support Xbox 360 games, but the company may not just stop there. When asked by someone on Twitter about backward compatibility so Xbox One gamers could play original Xbox titles, here is what Xbox chief Phil Spencer said:

Current Xbox One Preview Program members are able to test out Xbox 360 games, with a public rollout expected in November. Looking ahead, all Xbox 360 games with Gold titles will automatically be playable on the Xbox One.

There are plenty of things to work out with supporting Xbox 360 titles on the Xbox One, but it's interesting to hear Microsoft not shutting the door on original Xbox game support.

Gearing up for the upcoming launch of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, PlayStation Japan has launched a 2-minute "A history of METAL GEAR and PlayStation" video:

Since Metal Gear Solid was made available for the original PlayStation, there has been a Metal Gear Solid game available for each PlayStation home and mobile platform.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is scheduled for launch on September 1, and will be available for the Sony PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC. Metal Gear Online will not launch until October 6 for console gamers and next January for PC gamers.