Gaming - Page 951

Refunds are a hot topic in the console realm, and Microsoft has taken the preemptive strike against Sony by offering refunds on digital Xbox One and Windows 10 PC games and/or apps.

The refund system isn't live just yet, and is only available to members of Xbox's preview program. The refunds themselves are self-service, meaning you can apply for a refund right from the Xbox One or Windows 10 dashboard.

Like Valve's refund policy, there's rules: "Games and apps are eligible for self-service refunds within 14 days of purchase if you have less than 2 hours of play time across all accounts," reads the official stipulations. DLC, season passes, and add-on content can't be refunded.

If you've been itching to get into the Quake Champions closed beta, id Software and Bethesda will be kicking off Wave 2 soon - with more closed beta codes being sent out to gamers across the world.

The official Twitter account for Quake Champions tweeted: "Champions! We've just sent a new batch of invites for Closed Beta - the next test event begins tomorrow. Please check your email! #Quake". If you were lucky enough to get into the first closed beta, your progress won't move with you - but Bethesda is providing gamers with 500 Platinum for the second beta.

The PC-exclusive shooter is not built from the ground up for consoles like 99% of games of today, but built for PC gamers with plenty of high-end hardware support and built for the keyboard and mouse.

Ubisoft has pushed out 'title update 3' for Ghost Recon Wildlands, which provides the usual game stability and improvements to user experience. There's also the new Live Season Challenges that have been added to the game.

Ghost Recon Wildlands' new update weighs in at 8.4GB on consoles, and 6.5GB on the PC - with the full patch available right here. Ubisoft explains in the official post: "This latest update focuses on improvements on game stability and bug fixing but we've also been gathering player feedback about certain issues and implemented changes in order to improve the user experience. For example, we fixed the Kingslayer files counter on the tacmap for the Media Luna and Inca Camina regions for those who are collecting every piece of intel around the map".

Ubisoft continues: "We fixed a rare issue that left some players with their XP bars stuck at a certain level. XP boosters will now display the number of hours they last, and players who reported problems unlocking intel and missions while playing in co-op should have a smoother experience now. Additionally, we also addressed the reports of players stating the ADV suppressor ability wasn't working properly for them".

Nintendo has confirmed Payday 2, Starbreeze's infamous massive DLC-ridden shooter, is coming to the Nintendo Switch.

Payday 2's Nintendo Switch port gives lots of hope for other shooters to cross over to the handheld-console hybrid. Earlier this week we reported that Overwatch likely wouldn't be ported to the Nintendo Switch, with Blizzard's Jeff Kaplan hinting the Switch's power just isn't enough to maintain the game's targeted performance.

Payday 2's Switch port will feature four-player co-op, but there was no mention of online-based multiplayer. I'm pretty sure the game would be included in Nintendo's new paid online subscription plan, but the game should also support four-player LAN co-op across four different Switch consoles.

If it's one question the Xbox team has gotten more than anything else, it's "when is Black Ops 2 coming to Xbox One BC?!" Now Call of Duty fans finally have their wish.

After months and months of requests, Activision and Microsoft have finally come to an agreement to bring Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 to Xbox One's backward compatibility platform. To commemorate the occasion, Black Ops 2 is currently on sale for $24.99 as part of the digital Xbox Spring Sale (although we recommend just grabbing it from eBay while the prices are still low).

Microsoft is absolutely committed to the console space, so don't expect Xbox consoles to go anywhere soon. In fact, the team is already planning out the next phase where Xbox goes after its 4K-ready Project Scorpio console ships in Holiday 2017, laying the first foundations for the console life cycle's future within the company's--and the industry's--future.

In a recent interview with Gamasutra, Xbox's head exec Phil Spencer said something quite interesting: the planning for the console after Scorpio is underway. Now I know what you're thinking...how can Microsoft start planning already when Scorpio won't ship until year's end? And this quote isn't to discount the team's dedication with Scorpio--I expect Scorpio to be supported for at least five years or more--but a confirmation that Xbox consoles aren't going anywhere, despite Microsoft's desire to continue making Xbox a service that merges both consoles and PC.

"So...I'm a strong believer in console. And what that appliance means in my family room, under my TV. Like I think...I log in with a controller, it kind of has power options and auto-update options that just feel a lot more like my cable box than it does my laptop. I'm not saying one is better than the other, but that space of a console, you just turn it on and it's always ready and it's really purpose-built to go do one thing first, which is play games. Yes, people can do other things on it, but it's purpose-built for that. I'm a believer in that," Spencer said, highlighting why he enjoys games consoles.

Nintendo has officially confirmed Splatoon 2 will release July 21, 2017 on Nintendo Switch.

In addition to the release date, Nintendo announced a new in-game mode called Salmon Run, which is kind of like 4-player co-op Horde mode with PvE style action. Splatoon 2 will also get three amiibos alongside its release in July, allowing gamers to swap in-game clothes and items with the amiibo characters. Existing Splatoon amiibos will also be compatible.

Nintendo still hasn't released official details of its paid online subscription plan for the Nintendo Switch, but we do know it should cost anywhere from $18-26 a year, and give access to online multiplayer for games like Splatoon 2. Subscribers will also get access to a free NES or SNES Virtual Console game for a single month, and the selection will rotate monthly, so you won't get to keep the games themselves.

SEGA teases that fans can expect more PC ports of classic games in the not-too-distant future.

Just yesterday, SEGA released PlatinumGames' beloved hack-and-slash classic Bayonetta on PC with enhanced 1080p 60FPS support, 4K resolution upgrades, and tons of PC-specific optimizations and tweaks. But the publisher isn't going to stop at Bayonetta--SEGA is keen on fostering lots more goodwill with PC gamers, and plans to bring more of its fan-favorite games over to the platform.

"We are dedicated to bringing high-quality, best practice PC conversions of our back catalogue games to our fans, and Bayonetta was a great fit," Senior Vice President of Commercial Publishing at SEGA Europe John Clark said in a recent press release. "Bayonetta is one of the most often requested PC conversions of our games, so finally being able to launch it on Steam is fantastic. There's more to come!"

Bethesda will give all Xbox One and PlayStation 4 owners a chance to sample Prey before it launches in May.

Prey is getting a one-hour free demo on April 27, but the trial is only available to PS4 and Xbox One owners, so PC gamers won't get to try it out. The demo grants full access to the first hour of the game, which is quite...unusual, considering there could be some pretty huge spoilers at the beginning.

Now that Project Scorpio's development kit has been revealed, Microsoft has rolled out the 4K-ready console's finalized hardware specs for comparison, showing the system's full list of internal components.

If you've read our previous Project Scorpio coverage, most of these specifications won't be a surprise to you. We've known for a bit now that Project Scorpio features a highly customized 8-core Jaguar CPU with 2.3GHz alongside a similarly customized 6TFLOP Polaris-grade GPU with 1172MHz and 40 Compute Units, alongside the system's rather beefy 12GB of unified GDDR5 memory. But what about the other specs? We've got you covered.

We've already been extremely impressed with Scorpio's custom Jaguar CPU and Polaris GPU hardware being able to hit native 4K 60FPS in Forza 6 at Ultra PC settings, but the system has a few more surprises in store. For example, Scorpio's internal power supply unit is only 25 more watts than the original Xbox One, pulling 245W versus the stock 2013 Xbox One's 220W of power. The spec list also confirms FreeSync support, and 3840 x 2160p resolution capped at a max refresh rate of 60Hz with HDMI Variable Refresh Rate tech support via HDMI 2.1.

Microsoft's new 4K-ready Project Scorpio console is a massive boon for gamers, but it represents an even bigger advantage for developers. The system's development kit was recently revealed, showing the environment devs will work with to optimize their Xbox One titles specifically for Project Scorpio's raw power.

Project Scorpio's devkit looks a lot like an Xbox One S, but packs hardware that --like all devkits--features a hardware boost over the final retail systems, and we're wondering how much of the hardware has been emulated--likely all of it, for the same of time. For example, Project Scorpio's devkit features 24GB of unified GDDR5 RAM at the same 326GB/sec bandwidth as the retail kit, a slightly boosted 1172MHz Polaris-grade GPU with 44 extra Compute Units at 6.6TFLOPs over the retail's 6.0 TFLOPs, and a beefier internal 330W power supply. Interestingly enough, the CPU is exactly the same, with the same highly customized 8-core Jaguar "evolved" at 2.3GHz. The devkit also has some extra video codecs to boot.

According to recent reports, Project Scorpio's devkit isn't even at 100% max power just yet. Microsoft rolls out firmware updates to unlock more devkit power, and the last we heard the devkits were running at about 80% power efficiency. I'd be interested to know what Turn 10's Scorpio devkit was running at to hit native 4K 60FPS in Forza 6!

UPDATE: Nintendo has confirmed Splatoon 2 will release July 21.

Splatoon 2's release date may have been revealed ahead of Nintendo's new Nintendo Direct showcase.

Splatoon 2 will release on August 18, 2017 on Nintendo's new Switch handheld-console hybrid, according to an Amazon Italy listing. Nintendo is expected to announce the game's official release date during the upcoming Nintendo Direct showcase, which is slated to begin today April 12 at 6PM EST/3PM PST.

Star Wars: Battlefront 2's trailer has leaked ahead of schedule, revealing a ton of new eras including prequel and expanded universe eras, along with new features.

The 30 second teaser is short but sweet. We get to see large-scale battles the series is known for, and Yoda battle Darth Maul. Episode VII's Kylo Ren also makes an appearance, as does Ren. Of course specific Jedi/characters will only be available in a pre-order DLC pack dubbed the "Last Jedi Heroes". We also get a quick snippet at the Battle of Hoth from the original trilogy.

The campaign appears to follow an Imperial Stormtrooper who might've abandoned the Empire, culminating in the "untold soldier's story" segment at the very beginning.

PC gamers have been waiting eight years to play Platinum Games' beloved Bayonetta, and now the wait is over.

Thanks to a premature slip-up by Engadget, we can confirm Bayonetta is slashing onto PC via Steam with 4K support and higher-end graphical tweaks. SEGA's "surprise" reveal was supposed to happen at 11AM EST when the countdown timer ends, but the news was leaked out early.

Bayonetta will feature 1080p 60FPS gameplay with "unlocked resolutions up to 4K, anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering, SSAO lighting, scalable texture and shadow quality, and more."

Sorry to burst your bubble, but it looks like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic isn't getting remastered after all.

Most of BioWare's studios are currently ramping up for its new IP, which I predicted will be EA's unique answer to Destiny (and I wasn't alone in that prediction). This new IP will be the biggest project BioWare has ever taken on in its storied history, and will culminate in a "clean sheet design with new concepts, new gameplay mechanics, and new stories set in a unique universe" with tons of action-adventure "genre-melding."

Kotaku's Jason Schreier Tweets that most of BioWare Austin, the studio rumored to be working on KOTOR's remaster, is currently working on the new IP alongside the company's principle Edmonton-based studio. Remember that BioWare Austin also helms development of the Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO, strongly hinting that the new IP will have distinct MMO-style elements. We spotted clues long ago that the new IP would have extensive online components, and with BioWare Austin in the mix, it could be much bigger than we originally thought.

Remedy Entertainment is working on their next major triple-A game and plans to bring the title to as many platforms as possible--including PlayStation 4.

Microsoft's exclusivity deal with the Alan Wake developers at Remedy Entertainment has apparently expired, and the studio has already confirmed its next game will drop on PS4. Considering the lukewarm critical and commercial reception of the studio's most recent release Quantum Break, which used a star-studded cast in a failed attempt to merge film and video games, it's no surprise Remedy wants to broaden its horizons.

The studio is currently co-developing CrossFire 2, a sequel to one of Asia's most popular shooters, and working on a mysterious new game codenamed "P7". While we don't have any concrete info on "P7," Remedy has confirmed the game will use its rather powerful Northlight Engine and that P7 will release on PlayStation 4.

There will be a large chunk of our readers that remember Tamagotchi, as it was 'a thing' over 20 years now. Japanese toymaker Bandai has re-released the infamous Tamagotchi, the electronic pocket pet - and it includes the original 6 characters from the 90s.

Bandai stayed close to the original design of Tamagotchi, but the new version is half the size of the original - the only difference, other than that, they're identical.

Japanese consumers went crazy for the re-released Tamagotchi, with Twitter users saying: "I got the Tamagotchi! It's smaller than I thought it would be but oh the memories!" and another tweeting: "I came to buy this immediately at Tamagotchi's 20th anniversary". Someone else tweeted: "The eggs were sold out right away! People were getting increasingly impatient..."

We hear about financing rounds in other businesses like start ups and new companies, but eSports is quickly turning into the next big thing in sports. Now professional eSports team Fnatic have raised $7 million in funding that will be put to good use across many teams, competing in many games, in multiple countries across the world.

Fnatic is so big that it even opened its first retail location last year, but needs the injection of funds to continue spreading staff and infrastructure throughout the world.

The $7 million in new funding comes from a few interesting companies and people, with Boston Celtics owner Jim Pallotta along with The Raptor Group - the private investment firm owned by AS Roma president, as well as the CEO and founder of Fractal Design, the Swedish case and cooling giant. MIT Media Lab director Joi Ito, and Hersh Interactive Group also added to the funding round.

It looks like Slightly Mad Studios is putting everything they've got into Project CARS 2, with Creative Director Andy Tudor recently speaking with RedBull about the Project CARS 2 and its support for the PS4 Pro and upcoming Project Scorpio console.

Tudor said: "Yes, absolutely. We're all gadget freaks at our studio, so if there's any wheel, pedal, VR, second-screen apps, triple screen, 21:9 monitors, or consoles, yeah, PSVR, PS4 Pro, and also Microsoft Scorpio, we will always be looking to utilise them in some way. I can confirm that PS4 Pro and Xbox Scorpio will get some sort of improvements, but we can't really talk about the Scorpio stuff at the moment, because not very much is known. You'll have to wait until Microsoft themselves reveal more information on that".

Personally, I'm loving the scope of what SMS has with Project CARS 2 - as they're supporting so many different products and technologies, across multiple platforms. We have VR support for both the PC and PS4, upgraded visuals and rendering resolutions for PS4 Pro and Project Scorpio, 21:9 and triple-monitor setups on the PC, and "any wheel, pedal" you can find.

G2A has responded to Gearbox's ultimatum by highlighting all the ways its marketplace already strives to meet the demands.

Earlier this week, Gearbox Software got into a tussle with G2A, the key reseller who it had signed an agreement with. Gearbox signed a deal to promote its newly publisher Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition on G2A's marketplace. Soon after learning about the deal, YouTube's Total Biscuit called attention to the deal by spreading the news on Twitter and boycotting all Gearbox games from his coverage. Gearbox reached out to TB and reportedly wrote up an ultimatum for G2A to follow or else the publisher would pull out of the deal.

As you could imagine, G2A didn't agree, as the company would have to overturn its business strategy within up to 90 days. But G2A now says the main reason it didn't agree was because the marketplace already protects its sellers in specific ways, and the company broke all of those protections down in a recent statement to Eurogamer.