Gaming - Page 644

Microsoft's powerful next-gen Project Scarlett console will focus more on frame rates and speed than resolution, delivering up to 120FPS in specific games.

Project Scarlett is shaping up to be quite beastly. Reports say the next-gen Xbox will beat PlayStation 5's onboard specs, but on paper the systems seem quite similar: They both have a high-end AMD SoC with a Zen 2 CPU and Navi GPU, a super-fast PCIe 4.0 SSD, raytracing support, 8K resolution support, and high FPS gaming. But Microsoft promises it's going all out with Scarlett's power.

So what kind of in-game performance can we expect from Project Scarlett? No exact resolution and FPS matchups have been explicitly confirmed (there's no 4K 60FPS selling point yet like with the Xbox One X, for example), but Microsoft says Scarlett can hit 120FPS, which is likely for 1080p resolution. We should also expect native 4K gaming without upscaling like with the Xbox One X.

Following the gameplay reveal of Age of Empires IV, Microsoft and Relic Entertainment have released a behind the scenes video detailing the development of the title. Let's dive in.

The above video shows Game Director Quinn Duffy, Art Director Zach Schlappi, Creative Director Adam Isgreen, Community Manager Eliot Hong and General Manager Shannon Loftis describing all of the new aspects that will be arriving in Age of Empires IV. Its mentioned that Age of Empires IV's game resolution is "designed for 4K", meaning the game is going to come with a next-gen graphical upgrade when compared to its predecessors.

The developers also claim that they are "doing things that no other RTS has done before" in terms of how AI responds to players. They go into further detail, saying that the AI "are actually people with voices, character, and personality". This same upgrade in AI goes for combat as well; sometimes the AI will go offensive, and sometimes it will go defensive forcing players to come to it. These multiple strategies are designed to keep players on their toes.

BioWare is working on a new Mass Effect game, and lucky for us, it's a long ways away. That gives gamers plenty of time to tell BioWare exactly what they want from the next sci-fi chapter.

Now that BioWare is in very, very early stages of dev on the next Mass Effect, we thought it prudent to share our wishlist for Mass Effect 5 (or whatever the new game is called).

Mass Effect has lost its way over the years. The original trilogy is excellent, but Andromeda fell short in many ways--while also reinvigorating the franchise in others. Andromeda was jarring and awkward in execution, but also pushed some new barriers and evolved the series. Our wishlist is predicated on the best elements from both the trilogy and Andromeda, and assumes the next chapter will be based heavily around Andromeda's basic framework. We also toss in a few ideas of our own, mainly centered around the potential live service features.

BioWare's Mike Gamble is leading development of a new Mass Effect game, sources tell Kotaku.

It's not exactly a secret that BioWare is working on a new Mass Effect project. The studio has teased it repeatedly over the last few months:first on N7 Day in 2018, then in February 2019, then again in September, and only a week or so ago BioWare said it has "many more Mass Effect ideas and stories yet to tell."

But now we have a bit of concrete information. The new Mass Effect game is currently in extremely early planning phases of development at BioWare's main Edmonton branch, and we shouldn't expect it for a very long time. BioWare's next project in line is Dragon Age 4, and even that game is pre-production and EA doesn't expect it to ship until 2022 or thereabouts.

BioWare isn't giving up on Anthem, and plans to roll out big updates to turn the game around.

Anthem is far from dead--at least at BioWare. The game has been lambasted by its playerbase for months after release, and seems to barely have a pulse when it comes to active players. As a live service game, Anthem failed. But BioWare wants to right the ship with a huge expansion that systematically overhauls loot, skills, and most importantly, the online elements.

The ambitious shooter-looter will get a huge The Taken King-style update to revamp Anthem's soft spots, sources close to BioWare tell Kotaku's Jason Schreier. The idea is to radically change and streamline gameplay (not unlike No Man's Sky's huge NEXT update) to make Anthem less jarring and awkward. In many ways, BioWare wants to finish Anthem and reach its full potential.

During Microsoft's XO19 event, the publisher officially revealed when Minecraft Dungeons would be released on all platforms.

The above release date announcement trailer has been uploaded to the official Xbox YouTube Channel. The trailer doesn't really show that much at all, besides the official release month for Minecraft Dungeons. Microsoft will be debuting developer Mojang's next game sometime in April 2020. It will be arriving on the PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC all at the same time.

For those that don't know what Minecraft Dungeons is, the game will introduce players to a new range of nasty mobs, some sweet multiplayer dungeon-crawling action, new items, personalizations for characters, quests and more. This will mark the first game Mojang has developed since the original Minecraft. If you are after more information about Minecraft Dungeons be sure to check out the other trailer here.

As we expected, Microsoft took to the stage during the annual XO19 event this year and revealed official gameplay for Age of Empires IV.

Above, we have the gameplay trailer that has been released onto the official Xbox YouTube Channel. From the video, we are introduced to a moderately sized city, and at first glance, we can certainly see there have been massive graphical upgrades to buildings, units, vegetation, and lighting when comparing to Age of Empires III.

It can also be noticed that units are walking on top of walls, much like in the Stronghold games, this is the first time Age of Empires has done this. Other cool aspects that can be noticed are: buildings can be destroyed and crumble like in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, units can have battle cry (probably depends on civilization), and when some buildings crumble they leave fire on the ground. Since this is only a minute worth of gameplay, there really isn't much to go off of, but so far Age of Empires IV looks incredible.

Mortal Kombat 11 has dropped a brand new gameplay trailer, this time introducing us to an old-time character, Sindel.

Sindel, who is the evil mother of Kitana, was first introduced into Mortal Kombat back in the third installment of the game. Ever since then, Sindel has become a regular throughout the series, but didn't appear in the last game, Mortal Kombat X. Above you can find the official Sindel gameplay trailer that shows how she will be facing off against her opponents and what moves she has up her sleeve.

From the trailer, we can see that Sindel can utilize her hair to space out her opponent, combine those moves with the fact that she has a polearm, players will have a great mid to close range fighter on their hands. Sindel can also manipulate sonic waves, as seen during her fatality. Sindel will be available for $6 as apart of the $40 Kombat Pack and released on November 26th. Mortal Kombat 11 is available on Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

The fight for console dominance is going to really kick off in 2020, as Microsoft doesn't want to behind in any sense of the word with the new generation of consoles. Microsoft plans to use its Xbox Scarlett to well and truly kick some Sony ass with its right-now-way-more-hyped PlayStation 5 console.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer recently talked with The Verge, where he talked about Project Scarlett and said: "I would say a learning from the Xbox One generation is we will not be out of position on power or price. If you remember the beginning of this generation we were a hundred dollars more expensive and, yes, we were less powerful. And we started Project Scarlett with this leadership team in place with a goal of having market success".

Spencer continued, saying that Microsoft had talked internally about whether they would do another generation of consoles "years ago". He added that he personally thinks there will be more generations of consoles post-Scarlett, saying: "We're all-in on Project Scarlett and I want to compete, and I want to compete in the right ways which is why we're focused on cross-play and backward compatibility".

Obsidian Entertainment isn't giving up on RPGs--there's still more projects in the works.

Today Obsidian announced a new IP called Grounded, and it's a huge departure from the sprawling RPGs like Pillars of Eternity or The Outer Worlds. Obsidian's first project under Microsoft's ownership isn't a fantasy of sci-fi epic, but an online multiplayer survival game set in a whimsical Honey I Shrunk the Kids universe. Fans were a bit confused by the reveal; where was The Outer Worlds 2, or the next big RPG to save the Xbox brand?

Those games are still in development. Obsidian's Josh Sawyer confirms the studio has multiple projects in development at the same time. Grounded is a passion project made by just one of Obsidian's dev teams. RPGs are still very much a part of the developer's DNA, and new adventures are currently in the works.

Microsoft has been embracing PC in a big way, complete with Xbox Game Pass integration and simultaneous game launches on the platform. But Project xCloud is coming to PC too, and aims to essentially do what Stadia does for Chome browsers.

In 2020, Project xCloud will stream games to PCs, solidifying Microsoft's strong synergy of hardware and services. "We've heard your feedback loud and clear. You want more ways to play. We are delighted to announce that in 2020 we will bring Project xCloud to Windows 10 PCs," said Catherine Gluckstein, GM of product engineering and strategy at Project xCloud.

And there's a potential tease for Project xCloud coming to competing devices, too. Maybe Nintendo Switch? "And of course we won't stop there. We're working with lots of partners to bring Project xCloud to every device you want to play."

The reports were right on the money, and Halo: Reach will release on December 3, 2019 on PC, including the Windows Store and Steam.

Today Microsoft confirmed Halo: Reach will arrive on PC as a full package this December, complete with Firefight, campaign, multiplayer, and huge PC optimizations like uncapped frame rates, 4K 60FPS support, and full mouse and keyboard support. We'll see playlists borrowed from the original 2010 launch including Firefight's online Score Attack mode as well as the classics like Team Slayer. It'll also have online co-op campaign too.

Reach is included with the $40 Master Chief Collection, but you can buy it separately on Steam for $10. The full Master Chief Collection obviously won't be available if you pre-order the complete package--only Reach will drop in December.

Obsidian's first game under Microsoft's leadership isn't a big new RPG. It's an online-oriented social survival simulator inspired by Honey I Shrunk the Kids.

Today at XO19 in London, England, Obsidian revealed a brand new IP. It's called Grounded, and it's basically a wacky mashup with platforming aspects, exploration mechanics, and first-person survival elements. There's even some Minecraft thrown in there too.

You play as a kid who's been shrunk down to the size of an ant who's trapped in a backyard, and to survive you have to team up with friends to hunt insects like ferocious ants, build communities, and scavenge the land--all while crafting your own settlements and weapons. It's kind of like the Sea of Thieves set in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids universe.

Rare showcased a brand new IP at the Inside Xbox festival in London.

Rare's new IP is called Everwild, and it looks a lot like Journey's enchanting art style set in a 3D open world. It's nature-based and may feature four-player co-op, but exact details have yet to be announced. The game may be focused on connecting with animals around you while surviving in an alien wilderness, and definitely has an indie look and feel to it.

"We are passionate about creating something special and truly original. I'm excited to share with you a glimpse of the new IP from RARE," said Louise O'Connor, executive producer at Rare.

The long wait for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is almost over, and ahead of the title's launch, we have been given the option to pre-load the game.

For those that don't know about the Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Microsoft has decided to remaster the classic Age of Empires games. The first Age of Empires: Definitive Edition has already been released, and now we are up to the second game with the third possibly being in the pipeline. The AoE: Definitive Edition features three brand new civilizations, 4K textures, three new campaigns, revamped building destruction, adjustable zoom controls, and more.

The release of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is November 15th, but ahead of the game's launch, gamers can pre-load the game via Steam and the Microsoft Store. Not only can gamers pre-load the game, but we also have the launch times for each and every region. I have provided an image in the entirety of this article detailing each of the times for the different locations across the world. It should be noted that the game will be launching at the exact same time everywhere, so there will be no specific region ahead of another. A link to the Steam Store listing can be found here.

It was only a couple of days ago that we caught wind of a new update planned to arrive for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. That update is now live, bringing the game up to version 6.1.0.

The patch has hit the live servers prompting every to download the update if they want to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate online. So what is included in the patch? According to SSBUBot, the new update is directly targeting the new fighter, Terry Bogard.

According to the SSBUBot, Terry Bogard is receiving a fix for his special move "Buster Wolf" and how it connects with opposing fighters. The update details say that when players used the move, sometimes a rare issue would occur that caused both Terry and the opposing fighter to become unable to move from their positions. Just like every Smash Bros. Ultimate update, replays from the previous version of the game are not compatible with the new one. If you want to keep your replays, make sure to have converted them into a video format before updating.

The day is almost upon us. Age of Empires fans can now finally rejoice as we have an official teaser revealing that Age of Empires IV will be shown off at XO19.

The official teaser was released onto Microsoft's General Manager's Twitter account, Aaron Greenberg's. The tweet features a gif that shows off an eagle soaring over a new land. While it might only be brief, we can see trees and a mountain to the far right.

Greenberg captioned the tweet with the following message: "A new Age is upon us at #XO19", confirming that Age of Empires IV will be shown off at the coming Microsoft event in November. Diving into the Twitter thread, a fan asked what time fans should tune in for the livestream and then the official Age of Empires Twitter account replied, saying "Inside Xbox is at Noon PT / 3pm ET / 8pm UK." In other news about Age of Empires IV, here's everything we know about the game so far.

We've already had a good look at what Sony's next-gen PlayStation 5 will look like in 3D renders from LetsGoDigital, but now German retailer MediaMarkt Saturn is getting into the render fun with their own take on the PS5. Check it out:

The new design would see Sony using a square console with rounded edges, and something I really dig -- a status light that runs around the entire of the PlayStation 5. It looks pretty slick, but the "TURN ON" button seems so out of place -- a simple "ON" button would suffice.

The bigger change here with the new take on the PS5 from MediaMarkt Saturn is the radically re-designed DualShock 5 controller. In these renders, it would see the new PS5-bound controller featuring a smaller version (that is virtually identical) to the UI of the console. I actually like the idea of this as well, but Sony would have to do it right.

Google's new Stadia service will require a mobile app for basic features like buying games, changing stream resolution caps, and adjusting settings.

Today in a recent Reddit AMA, Google execs revealed some new info around Stadia, namely with the essential mobile app. The streaming service apparently won't have an actual dashboard or control center. Basic settings are instead moved to an external mobile app. Not only is the app required for first-time setup, it's required for game purchases (likely for authentication/verification), changing stream quality settings, and even family options. And of course the Stadia app is required for mobile game streaming...but we really don't advise that.

"First, the Stadia mobile app is your central hub to manage Settings across all screens. Use the app to set stream quality for your TV and other supported devices," Stadia Director of Product Andrey Doronichev said in a recent Reddit AMA.

Stadia subscribers won't actually be able to stream games in 4K 60FPS with HDR on PC at launch, Google today confirmed.

A bit ago, Google touted that Stadia will deliver 4K 60FPS performance in all of its games. Turns out this is only true for a portion of Stadia's platforms. Google won't stream Stadia games in 4K onto PC Chrome browsers until 2020.

"On day 1, PC Chrome gameplay won't support 4K, HDR, or 5.1 Surround Sound. But in the spirit of gradual rollout, we'll be adding support for 4K/HDR/5.1 on PCs in 2020," Stadia Director of Product Andrey Doronichev said in a recent Reddit AMA.