Gaming - Page 942

If you're still playing Ghost Recon: Wildlands, you'll be pleased to know that Ubisoft has pushed out their new Update #4 for the game, including HUD and UI improvements.

The new patch will fix issues with gamers seeing through walls, and certain spots of the map where you would get stuck or fall through the map. Ubisoft has also polished up the aim consistency when shooting from behind cover, and they've also introduced a new short time to kill alerted enemies to avoid failing the mission (in the stealth missions of Wildlands).

There are also some PC-specific fixes, with the Steam and Uplay versions of the game being automatically updated, so you won't need to worry about any manual updates.

Resident Evil is the highest-grossing film series of all time that's based on a video game, raking in over $1.2 billion worldwide, and now the series is being rebooted.

Constantin Film owns the movie rights to the Resident Evil franchise, with Chairman of the Board of Constantin Film, Martin Moszkowicz, confirming with Variety at the Cannes Film Festival that the studio is working on a Resident Evil film reboot. The reboot will have another 6 movies in the series, after the 6 movies that we've experienced over the last decade.

We don't know who will star, direct, or write the new Resident Evil movies, but with $1.2 billion in box office profits - it's no wonder it's being rebooted this quickly.

At this year's BitSummit 2017 indie event in Kyoto, Japan, PlatinumGames producer, executive vice president and studio head Atsushi Inaba confirmed the studio is working on a new IP, and that it'll be made by a new game director.

PlatinumGames is known for making high-quality games in series it doesn't actually own; for instance, SEGA owns Bayonetta, and Square Enix owns the NieR franchise, and PlatinumGames has made stalwart games in both line-ups. The developer wants to change that by making a wholly-owned IP of its own so it has more creative control over the IP's direction, content, and sequel possibilities. However, this new IP will be directed by a brand new game director, not the studio's well-known games-makers.

According to Inaba, PlatinumGames' new IP is "formless and shapeless" right now, but he did hint that the studio will look at new abstract technologies for ideas. "One thing we want you to really be aware of is that there's a new formless, shapeless IP, but we can't talk about that right now. But it's really important to us," PlatinumGames exec Atsushi Inaba said during BitSummit 2017's keynote speech (stream here).

If these screenshots are anything to go by, Destiny 2 is shaping up to be one hell of a beautiful-looking game, and I personally can't wait to jump into these digital environs and explore every inch of their interstellar secrets.

Say what you will about Destiny, the game always looks great. Destiny 2 continues this tradition with sci-fi style and planetary pizzazz, and we've collected a massive gallery of sixty-seven screenshots to whet your appetite ahead of E3 2017--and the game's release in September.

Bungie iterates that Destiny 2 isn't just a sequel, but a brand new beginning for the franchise. Now Bungie can tap their true vision for the series and create a game that we should've received back in 2014, a game with a compelling story arc replete with interesting characters, a game that has new worlds like Saturn's moon Titan, Jupiter's moon Io, a strange Vex-controlled world called Nessus, and a region on Earth that isn't Old Russia (this time we can explore the European Dead Zone!).

Bungie is taking Destiny 2's PC version seriously and is keen on harnessing the platform's raw power potential by optimizing the shared worlds shooter for high-end video cards and desktops.

It's been a long time since Bungie has made a PC game, and Destiny 2's launch on PC represents a big risk for the studio. The devs know that Destiny 2 has to perform just right on PC, and hit all the right tickboxes while providing authentic features and options to make it look and feel like an authentic PC shooter.

We've already reported that Bungie has enabled key performance optimizations for Destiny 2's PC version including uncapped frame rates, 4K resolution, native 21:9 support, FOV sliders, fully remappable mouse and keyboard controls, and much more. In fact, Destiny 2 was running on desktops outfitted with NVIDIA's mighty GeForce GTX 1080 Ti video cards at the gameplay reveal, complimented with buttery-smooth visuals on a 4K G-Sync monitor.

During Activision's latest earnings call company CEO Eric Hirshberg affirmed Destiny 2 would deliver "meaningful features bespoke for the PC community,". Now Bungie backs up Hirshberg's claims by tapping the raw performance potential of the PC platform.

Bungie has confirmed that Destiny 2 will indeed have a proper PC version with must-have features like uncapped frame rates for buttery smooth FPS action, adjustable field-of-view sliders, baked-in native support for 21:9 ultrawide monitors, 4K resolution support, custom key mapping with full mouse and keyboard support, and even a text chat. The devs also say that Destiny 2 will have a "detailed PC settings screen," so expect more options and tweakable features not mentioned here.

⦁ 4K Resolution Support (3820x2160)

The latest screenshots from Project CARS 2 are here, and boy do they look amazing. Bandai Namco has released a bunch of new shots of the environments and cars that'll be found in Project CARS 2, as well as a new behind the scenes video on the game.

Bandai Namco's first episode explains that Project CARS 2 developer Slightly Mad Studios is working with McLaren Automotive's engineering team led by Chris Goodwin, adding their expertise in high performance engineering into the development of the McLaren 720S supercar that will be featured in Project CARS 2.

Blizzard today announced a partnership with Bungie regarding Destiny 2 on PC, which will be hosted on Blizzard's widespread servers.

In a move right out of EA's playbook, Blizzard will assist Bungie in bringing Destiny 2 on the PC platform. The two juggernauts will partner together so Destiny 2 on PC will run on Blizzard's widespread and powerful Battle.net servers (no longer called Battle.net, but you get the gist) so Bungie doesn't have to create a whole new network client and worry about the logistics of another millions-player strong online platform.

However, this means Destiny 2 on PC will be exclusive to Blizzard's Battle.net platform, so you'll have to have an account to play. For most PC gamers this isn't a big deal, and Destiny 2 will just be another game tied to their account. This means PC players can use all the benefits of Battle.net including friends list, messaging, sharing, and purchasing Destiny 2 on PC with Blizzard Balance. However, if Blizzard doesn't operate in your global region, there's a chance you simply won't be able to play the PC game.

Ubisoft confirmed a not-so-surprising bit of news I suspected for a long while: all of its future games will have integrated live services to ensure longevity and consistent revenue streams.

In the last few years Ubisoft has made a considerable transformation in how it does business, moving away from big AAA releases and more towards sustainable online-based titles that consistently provide value via monetizing it over time. Ubisoft now favors games like Rainbow Six: Siege and For Honor with strong earnings via microtransactions and being able to provide new content via digital expansions. This online social engagement-fueled model is what the games industry is gravitating towards, and is the reason why many publishers and platforms are successful--from EA and Activision to Blizzard and Take-Two, and even Microsoft's Xbox LIVE platform.

So far Ubisoft has enjoyed considerable success with this strategy, so the publisher will fold all of its future games into the live services roadmap, including the new Assassin's Creed and Far Cry 5 games. But Ubisoft isn't foolish, and it knows it can't push microtransactions and in-game purchases that don't make sense--the company has to create live services that make sense for the title, and do so diligently as to not fracture the community.

Today Ubisoft announced that new Far Cry and Assassin's Creed games will release before March 2018, and promised info on the titles will come sooner than you'd expect.

In today's released financial report Ubisoft confirmed the new Far Cry game is a mainline sequel called Far Cry 5. However, company CEO Yves Guillemot didn't answer when asked if the Western-themed Far Cry rumors were true or not, but he did say gamers can expect more news on the game "very soon."

"We can't comment on rumors. But you'll get more information very soon on that game, so it will comfort you on its potential," Guillemot said during Ubisoft's financial earnings call with analysts and investors. "And we are extremely excited with what we're coming with."

The latest trailer for Middle-earth: Shadow of War is here, with the trailer called 'Dominate the Open World' displaying the huge open world that Monolith Productions has built for Shadow of War.

The trailer teases: "The video introduces viewers to the vast environments within Middle-earth, stretching beyond Mordor, and giving fans the first glimpse of various new environments to explore, including the Island of Nurn, Cirith Ungol, Gorgoroth and more. Through the innovative Nemesis System, every player experiences a unique world to explore and share and every area of the world is larger, more varied and more dynamic than ever before".

Middle-earth: Shadow of War is set between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

A new Far Cry game is coming, but when will it arrive? We make some predictions, and look over the company's financials for clues.

Ubisoft today confirmed that four new AAA games will release in its new Fiscal Year 2018 timeline, which is from now until March 31, 2018: Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, The Crew, and South Park: Fractured But Whole. We're not sure when the games will release, but its possible the four games will be carved up across the quarters for maximum sales effect.

We originally thought that Ubisoft would release one of these AAA games in Q1 to coincide with the big 22% sales spike it predicts, but that didn't make any sense; the publisher would have to release a game just weeks after its E3 reveal.

Bungie is set to reveal Destiny 2 gameplay footage tomorrow, but rumors have popped up on the eve of the big date with Destiny.

According to people that have played Destiny 2, Bungie's latest online shared-worlds shooter will run at a crisp 1080p 60FPS on PS4, Xbox One and PC (higher depending on your rig), with full optimizations for Sony's new 4K-ready PlayStation 4 Pro and Microsoft's new 4K60FPS capable "monster" Project Scorpio console. Oddly enough, rumor has it that Destiny 2 will be optimized for Sony's next-gen PS4, the big successor to the PS4 Pro that analysts predict will launch in 2018.

The NeoGAF user's sources also say that Destiny 2 will have cross-saves on PC and PS4, so PlayStation 4 users can migrate their saves to PC and back. If true, is a very surprising development especially given Microsoft's cross-platform parity between Xbox LIVE on Windows 10 and Xbox One consoles. The sources go on to say that Destiny 2 will feature exclusive content on PlayStation 4 consoles, but we already know that to be true.

Ubisoft expects in-game player spending to make up 25% of its total revenue in its next fiscal year, showing just how far the company has come in such a short time.

Ubisoft today announced its yearly financial earnings, reporting total sales earnings of $1.61 billion (1.45 billion euros) for its last FY2017 year, of which digital made up almost 50% of that revenue via microtransactions and in-game spending. But what's even more interesting is the company's roadmap for future earnings, and how it expects digital player investment to become even more of a significant earner.

The French games company forecasts that PRI (player recurring spending) will make up a steep 25% of its total earnings for Fiscal Year 2019 (March 2018 - April 2019). Ubisoft defines PRI as in-game purchases such as microtransactions, as well as expansions and add-ons for its online games such as For Honor, The Division, and Ghost Recon: Wildlands. As Ubisoft projects strong total sales revenues of $2.33 billion (2.1 billion euros) for FY2019, it expects to make a quarter of that from PRI, or $584.1 million.

UPDATE: Ubisoft will release three games in FY2019 including the new IP, not four. Coverage has been amended to reflect this.

Ubisoft's latest financials reveal some interesting things about its future plans, including a new IP.

Today Ubisoft released its yearly financial earnings, showcasing some impressive results. As always the company delivered a peek into its future pipeline to reveal a new IP is in the works, alongside two new AAA games. We have a good idea what those games are, and Ubisoft's financials tell us what to expect from the new IP. Like all games publishers Ubisoft is always planning for the future.

Nintendo's new Switch system continues to break sales barriers in both hardware and software.

Nintendo today announced that its new Switch handheld-console hybrid was the best-selling console for April, and that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was the best-selling game for the month as well. According to tracking firm NPD Group and Nintendo, the Nintendo Switch sold more than 280,000 units globally. This is the second month that the Nintendo Switch has topped games hardware sales charts.

The console's must-have racer Mario Kart 8 Deluxe eclipsed hardware sales with an impressive 550,000 units sold globally in the first two days. NPD notes Mario Kart 8 sold 460,000 physical copies on the Switch, and Nintendo says the game sold 90,000 units digitally on the eShop.

Not many of you will know who the Adelaide Crows are, but they are one of my local AFL (Australian Football League) teams here in South Australia, and they have just become the first mainstream sports organization in Australia to buy a professional eSports team.

The Crows scooped up Lecacy eSports, which is one of Australia's eight top-tier teams that competes in the Oceanic Pro League playing League of Legends. The Adelaide Crows are based in Adelaide, South Australia while their new eSports team are based out of Sydney, New South Wales.Legacy will retain its identity and branding for now, without any details on whether the League gamers will have the Adelaide Crows' signature branding and colors.

COO of Adelaide Crows, Nigel Smart, was reportedly enthusiastic about becoming the first AFL club with an eSports team, and as a local Adelaide resident who lived and breathed games when I grew up and now work in the technology industry surrounded by games - I must tip my hat to him. Adelaide hits the international eSports scene in a big way with a large AFL team buying an eSports team. Awesome.

Eidos Montreal confirms our skeptical predictions: a new Thief game isn't in development.

Just days ago Straight Up Films, the production company who's making a feature film adaptation of the Thief franchise, said that Eidos Montreal is currently developing Thief game to release alongside the movie. Now Eidos Montreal boss David Anfossi confirms the game isn't happening.

"Apparently we're developing Thief 5 game! So now we have a title... We just have to build a team,a budget... Forget it!" Anfossi said on Twitter, poking fun at the production company.

Square Enix plans to accelerate its Mobile / PC Browser gaming segment to counterbalance low full-game sales, and we should see more mobile titles this year than ever before.

In our latest Square Enix financials report we dissected the company's latest Fiscal Year 2017 earnings, and also highlighted where the publisher will go in 2018 and beyond.

While most gamers are itching for news on Final Fantasy VII: Remake and Kingdom Hearts III, this year will be a low-point for big-name Square Enix games, especially after the flurry of AAA releases in FY2017 (Final Fantasy XV, Nier: Automata, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided). Instead of belting out new juggernauts, I predict Square Enix will use the strength of its mobile IPs to buoy revenue streams and carry momentum into the next fiscal year, who's pipeline likely includes the aforementioned anticipated RPGs.

Square Enix recently announced its Fiscal Year 2017 earnings (April 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017) revealing strong growth in all gaming sectors as well as a look at the publisher's future.

Square Enix reported mighty net sales of $2.26 billion (256.8 billion yen) during its FY2017, representing a sizable 19.94% year-over-year increase.

The company notes that "major launches of blockbuster titles boosted revenue significantly," with games like Final Fantasy XV, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Rise of the Tomb Raider's PS4 port, World of Final Fantasy, and NieR: Automata all contributing the the strong net sales.