The Bureau: XCOM Declassified writer Erik Caponi re-enters The Matrix to talk about the Xbox One and the art of video game storytelling.
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Mutated wolfs make Jessica pine for her Chihuahua.
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Deep Silver announces Season Pass for new first-person shooter that includes four add-ons for $15; first expansion out next month.
Four expansion packs are coming to 4A Games' new shooter Metro: Last Light, publisher Deep Silver announced today. Gamers can grab all add-ons together for $15 via the DLC Season Pass, available now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.
The first expansion for Metro: Last Light is the Faction Pack, which will launch next month for all platforms. It introduces a new and original single-player story that "expands on the Metro: Last Light universe." Further details were not specified.
Following the Faction Pack will be the story-focused Chronicles Pack, as well as the Tower Pack, which will "present a unique solo challenge to Metro veterans." Lastly, the Developer Pack for Metro: Last Light will give players "some interesting tools with which to explore the world of Metro."
"Artyom's story may have been concluded in Metro: Last Light, but there are other characters with stories to tell, some familiar locations that fans of the Metro series wanted to revisit, and some new challenges that 4A wanted to explore," said 4A Games creative director Andrew Prokhorov in a statement. "Since completing the game we have been working on these new stories and hope to release them throughout the summer."
Gamers who purchase the Metro: Last Light DLC Season Pass will also receive a new semi-automatic shotgun rifle called Abzats. Its secondary fire mode shoots six shells in one blast.
Deep Silver did not divulge prices for individual expansions.
PlayStation Plus subscribers can score a 25 percent discount on the Metro: Last Light Season Pass if they purchase it between May 21 and June 4 in the United States and May 22 and June 5 in Europe and the rest of the world.
Metro: Last Light launched earlier this month for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. For more, check out GameSpot's review.
[ Watch Video ]
3 new shots posted.
This gameplay video we show the Dallara IndyCar racing at the world famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
4 new shots posted.
New bundle includes full game and all DLC only on PlayStation Network for $64.
Konami today announced the Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Ultimate Edition, a premium digital bundle that includes the full game and all downloadable content for $64.
The Ultimate Edition is available now for PlayStation 3 through the PlayStation Network. PlayStation Plus subscribers can grab the game for $44.79.
No mention was made of a release for Xbox 360 and a Konami representative was not immediately available to comment.
Downloadable content bundled with the Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Ultimate Edition includes the Cyborg Ninja Armor Skin, Metal Gear Solid Solid 4 Raiden Skin, Commando Armor Skin, White Armor Skin, Inferno Armor Skin, VR Missions, Jetstream, and Blade Wolf.
For more on Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, check out GameSpot's review.
29 new shots posted.
As part of multiyear agreement, Microsoft gets rights to create "exclusive interactive experiences for Xbox One and Surface; branding will appear on-field during NFL games.
The wide-ranging deal Microsoft and the National Football League (NFL) announced yesterday during the Xbox One event is worth an estimated $400 million over five years, according to sources speaking with the Associated Press.
As part of the multiyear agreement, Microsoft will have the rights to create "exclusive interactive experiences" through Xbox One and its Surface tablet line. As shown yesterday during the Xbox One reveal presentation, the NFL on Xbox One will allow for new viewing experiences made possible through Skype and Xbox Smartglass.
In addition, Microsoft said its deal with the NFL will be a boon for fantasy football enthusiasts. NFL on Xbox One will enable users to view live games and simultaneously interact with a personalized NFL destination that features player, team, and game information.
"When we started working with [NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell] and the team at the NFL we knew that we could create great new experiences that fans would love," Xbox boss Don Mattrick said in a statement. "This partnership will redefine NFL experiences through exclusive and interactive content that you will find only on Xbox. For fans, the NFL on Xbox will provide the most complete way to enjoy live football by bringing the first fully-integrated fantasy football experience to the TV, exclusively through Xbox."
The Microsoft-NFL agreement will extend beyond the TV screen and into the real world. As part of the deal, NFL coaches will be given Surface tablets to "enhance on-field communications, photo viewing, and play calling." Microsoft believes this could change the way the classic sport is played.
"Microsoft and the NFL envision a sideline of the future with players reviewing in-game photos from different camera angles directly from the sideline and head coaches calling plays off connected Surface tablets instead of today's static paper products," Microsoft said in a statement. "With Microsoft technology, NFL coaches, players, and other personnel will have the technology they need to improve decision-making and on-field performance."
Another result of the partnership will be Surface branding appearing on NFL sidelines on the hoods of the official on-field NFL instant replay stations. In addition, the deal reaffirms the Xbox as "The Official Game Console of the NFL," makes Microsoft "The Official Sideline Technology Sponsor of the NFL," and Surface and Windows will become "The Official Tablet and PC Operating System of the NFL."
Kinect-enhanced brawler to launch exclusively on Microsoft's next-generation platform.
Crytek's Kinect-enhanced brawler Ryse will launch exclusively on Xbox One, the developer has confirmed. The information was revealed via an updated website for the game, with a countdown clock ticking to June 10, the same day Microsoft will hold its 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo briefing.
The description for Ryse says gamers will "Fight as a soldier. Lead as a general. Rise as a legend." Once a Kinect-exclusive, it now appears Ryse's motion-control features are only complementary to traditional controller-oriented gameplay.
"Controller-based gameplay enhanced by Kinect," reads the game's description.
Microsoft announced yesterday that it will release 15 exclusive titles for the Xbox One during the platform's first year. Eight of these titles will be all-new franchises.
According to a past report, Ryse will be a launch title for the Xbox One. The Roman-themed action game was announced in 2010 for Xbox 360 as "Codename Kingdoms."
Update: EA says that October 29 launch date does not cover Battlefield 4 Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions.
Update: EA has contacted GameSpot to clarify that its October 29 release date for Battlefield 4 does not cover the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions of the game. The PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and PC versions of Battlefield 4 will be released on October 29 in North America, and on November 1 in Europe.
Battlefield 4 will be released on October 29, EA and DICE have confirmed.
EA also confirmed that the game will be released for Xbox One, hours after Microsoft finished announcing the next-gen Xbox at its Redmond campus in Washington. EA announced a partnership with Microsoft at the unveiling.
The publisher also confirmed that DICE would be bringing Battlefield 4's multiplayer mode to E3 2013. A Battlefield 4 multiplayer beta will be available later this year.
DICE also confirmed that customers who preorder Battlefield 4 will gain access to Battlefield 4's China Rising DLC, which is set in the Chinese mainland and offers four additional maps and new vehicles. The developer offered a similar inventive with its Back to Karkand DLC for Battlefield 3, which was later offered for sale individually and as part of Battlefield Premium.
Battlefield 4 will also be released for PlayStation 4, PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The game will not be coming to Wii U.
To keep up with the latest on Microsoft's next-gen unveiling, check GameSpot's Xbox One hub.
Official Battlefield 4 site posts what appear to be cover designs for next-gen games.
The official Battlefield 4 website (via Kotaku) has posted what appears to be Xbox One and PlayStation 4 box art designs.
It is possible that the images in question are mock-ups made by Electronic Arts, as neither Microsoft nor Sony have released official designs as of yet.
If the images are indeed genuine, it means Microsoft is carrying over its familiar green-hued design, while Sony is shifting to a new blue theme similar to its PlayStation Vita line.
The Xbox One and PS4 are due out later this year, though pricing information and specific release dates have not been divulged.
Microsoft's all-inclusive Xbox felt like it was laser-focused on appealing to only one particular set of tastes.
We compare the hard details of the next generation of consoles and present them side-by-side.
Xbox maker acknowledges "confusion" exists around secondhand games for next-gen platform, doesn't deny fee will be required to play secondhand titles.
Microsoft has clarified its stance on used games as it relates to the Xbox One, the company's next-generation platform.
Writing on his blog, Microsoft director of Xbox Live programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb acknowledged that some "confusion" over used games on the next-gen platform has arisen today.
"We know there is some confusion around used games on Xbox One and wanted to provide a bit of clarification on exactly what we've confirmed today," Hryb said. "While there have been many potential scenarios discussed, today we have only confirmed that we designed Xbox One to enable our customers to trade in and resell games at retail."
"Beyond that, we have not confirmed any specific scenarios."
Earlier today, a Wired report claimed the Xbox One would require secondhand users pay a fee to play used games. Hryb did not deny this in his statement today, saying only that there will be no fee for those who play their games at a friend's house, provided they sign in to their profile.
"Another piece of clarification around playing games at a friend's house--should you choose to play your game at your friend's house, there is no fee to play that game while you are signed in to your profile," he said.
Microsoft says new multiplayer system a complete reengineering; new achievements span multiple games; Game DVR allows users to record and share gameplay.
Microsoft is overhauling Xbox Live and its feature-set for the Xbox One. The company broke out and explained a number of these changes today following this afternoon's reveal event.
First, Xbox Live for the Xbox One will boast a new matchmaking feature called Smart Match. Microsoft described the system as a complete reengineering of matchmaking for the next generation of gaming.
Smart Match will use "advance algorithms" to pair players based on skill, language, and reputation. In addition, gamers will no longer need to wait in a pre-match lobby to be matched up, as the Smart Match system will find games for players as they watch TV, listen to music, or play another game.
Xbox Live on Xbox One will also boast an updated achievement system that reaches "across games and experiences." On top of this, gamers will be able to earn achievements in new ways, as developers will now have the option to add new achievements whenever they want.
"Our new achievements portal not only keeps track of what you earned, but how you earned it, so it’s more personal than ever," Microsoft said. "It even lets you compare your achievements with your friends. Share your legacy and achieve greatness with Xbox One."
Microsoft also announced today that Xbox One will feature a Game DVR system whereby players can capture and share gameplay moments. Similar to the PlayStation 4's "Share" functionality, the Xbox One console will constantly record most recent gameplay, which players can then access, edit, and share through social networks and Xbox Live.
The PS4 achieves this through the DualShock 4's new "Share" button, though Microsoft did not provide any details regarding how this will work for the Xbox One.
Lastly, Microsoft revealed today that friends lists for Xbox One will be expanded to support up to 1,000, up ten times from the Xbox 360's current limit of 100.
For more on the Xbox One, check out GameSpot's continuing coverage of the next-generation platform.
New engine for Xbox One and PS4 will power developer's upcoming games; Madden NFL 25, FIFA 14, NBA Live 14, and UFC launching in next year.
Electronic Arts today announced an all-new next-generation engine called Ignite that will power upcoming EA Sports titles for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Gamers will get a first glimpse at what the Ignite engine is capable of when Madden NFL 25, FIFA 14, NBA Live 14, and EA Sports UFC all ship within the next 12 months.
The all-new Ignite engine boasts improvements to rendering, run-time physics, animation, intelligence, locomotion, and online systems. EA says the engine is capable of portraying athletes with "human-like intelligence," as well as "living worlds" for stadiums and arenas.
"Athletes in EA Sports next-gen games will be able to make intelligent decisions with human-like reaction times," EA said in a statement. "EA Sports Ignite computes four times more calculations per second than previous consoles, unlocking nearly infinite potential for how players think, and enabling them to make more difficult decisions faster.
"Players are alive with contextual awareness and instincts--thinking, anticipating, and reacting--just like real athletes, and players are conscious of their environment," the statement goes on. "In FIFA 14, for example, a player’s sense of urgency increases as the match draws on and a goal is needed, rushing to take a free kick, corner, or goal-kick if time is running down."
For more on Microsoft's Xbox One, check out GameSpot's continuing coverage.
Developer's first post-Halo project shipping on Microsoft's just-announced next-generation platform.
Following Microsoft's next-generation reveal event today, Bungie Studios confirmed its all-new shared-world shooter Destiny will ship for the Xbox One.
"Destiny will absolutely be shipping on four platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and the newly announced Xbox One," the developer said on Twitter.
Other titles to be confirmed for Xbox One today include Ubisoft titles Watch Dogs and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.
CD Projekt Red has yet to say if The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is coming to the Xbox One.
New next-gen Call of Duty engine will still run in 60fps, says Activision.
Activision has confirmed Call of Duty: Ghosts for Microsoft's next-gen Xbox One, adding that the DLC for this year's Call of Duty title will launch first on the new console.
Call of Duty: Ghosts features new characters and a new storyline, set a decade after America has been hobbled by a currently unnamed superpower.
Traffic and Syriana writer Stephen Gaghan is penning the script for Call of Duty: Ghosts.
The game features a new engine and new technology, although the series' use of 60fps will still persist.
Multiplayer maps will feature dynamic elements, such as earthquakes and floods. Player actions will reportedly affect the outcomes of these events. The game's multiplayer mode will also feature a detailed character customisation system, according to Activision.
Call of Duty: Ghosts is being developed by Infinity Ward and will be released on November 5.
See how yesteryear's Call of Duty stacks up against the visual fidelity of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Internal statistics reveal players have spent 2.8 billion hours playing Blizzard's action role-playing game.
More than a year after the release of Diablo III, developer Blizzard has released an infographic showing statistics for the title.
Despite criticisms, Diablo III's stats boast huge numbers.
So far, players have spent over 930 years of real-world time in Diablo III. The highest number of daily players since launch has been 5.8 million, while the game averages 2.1 million players each day.
The total number of hours played for the game has passed 2.8 billion, with an average of 8.2 million played per day. 67.1 million characters have been created worldwide since launch, with only nine percent made up of Hardcore mode characters. The most popular character choice was the demon hunter, followed by the wizard, the barbarian, the monk, and the witch doctor.
For more information, and to view the entire chart, check out the Blizzard website.
Ubisoft reveals upcoming action games launching for Microsoft's next-generation platform.
[UPDATE] Following the publication of this story, Ubisoft also confirmed that Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag will launch for the Xbox One.
The original story follows below
Ubisoft has confirmed that its upcoming open-world action game Watch Dogs is coming to Microsoft's Xbox One.
"You've inquired about the presence of #WatchDogs on the new @Xbox One. The answer is affirmative," Ubisoft said over Twitter.
A launch date was not revealed, though other versions of the title will be released beginning in November.
Set in Chicago, Watch Dogs puts players in the shoes of Aiden Pearce, a hacker who uses his smartphone to break into the city's central operating system to control things like security cameras and also to obtain personal information.
Multiplayer in Watch Dogs will reportedly blend "seamlessly" with single-player.
Microsoft formally announces Xbox 360 successor during media event; will support live TV and Skype; features 500GB hard drive, 8GB RAM, Blu-ray drive; 64-bit architecture.
It's finally official. Microsoft formally announced the next Xbox today during a media briefing at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington. The next-generation platform is called Xbox One and will launch later this year alongside the PlayStation 4.
The Xbox One is said to boast an "all-in-one experience" and to that end, the platform will allow users to stream live television. Microsoft executive Yusuf Mehdi gave a live demo of the technology, which uses Kinect voice and gesture controls to manipulate onscreen actions.
In addition, Mehdi confirmed that the Xbox One will support Skype video calling.
The Xbox One boasts a 500GB hard drive, 8GB of RAM, a Blu-ray drive, 64-bit architecture, Wi-Fi, and USB 3.0, and is said to be "nearly silent."
Microsoft has also confirmed that players' current Xbox Live Gamertags, complete with all earned achievements, will transfer to the Xbox One.
GameSpot is in attendance at the presentation and will have more details on the next Xbox as information becomes available.
Japan Studio describes the upcoming RPG as a rescue multiplayer action game.
Sony has confirmed that its Panopticon trailer from last week is actually for a PlayStation Vita exclusive called Freedom Wars.
Panopticon is the name of the region where Freedom Wars takes place. It's a penal colony set 100,000 years in the future, where everything is constantly monitored by almost 13 million security cameras.
Sony's Japan Studio describes the game as a rescue multiplayer action game, though does not give any additional information about how the game will play.
A new three-minute trailer reveals more about the game's setting and context, though reuses much of the footage seen in last week's teaser.
The game's official website suggests more information about the game will be made available on May 30.
Freedom Wars is due out in Japan sometime in 2014.
Sony's Japan Studio is also currently at work on the PlayStation 4 platformer Knack, which was announced along with the console back in February.
PlayStation maker directs Twitter followers to watch PlayStation 4 teaser video hours before Microsoft will reveal its next-gen platform.
Just hours before Microsoft will unveil its next-generation Xbox, Sony has directed its Twitter followers to watch the new PlayStation 4 teaser video because "it's a slow news day."
Also - If you haven't seen our #PS4 teaser video, where have you been?! As it's a slow news day’ here it is: bit.ly/12oYGG7— PlayStation Europe (@PlayStationEU) May 21, 2013
Also - If you haven't seen our #PS4 teaser video, where have you been?! As it's a slow news day’ here it is: bit.ly/12oYGG7
When Sony announced the PS4 in February, Microsoft's director of Xbox Live programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb took a shot at the company, saying, "Announce a console without actually showing a console? That's one approach."
Microsoft's next-generation reveal event begins at 10 a.m. PDT. GameSpot is in attendance at the presentation and will host a live stream of the event beginning at 9 a.m. EDT.
Research manager at International Data Corp. says consoles as a product category have peaked.
As Microsoft prepares to give first details on its next-generation Xbox in a matter of hours, one market watcher has spoken out to say consoles as a product category face an uphill battle.
"The next wave crest isn't as high as the previous one," International Data Corp. research manager Lewis Ward told Reuters.
Ward estimated that a combined 250 million Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii units were sold between 2005 and 2012. Microsoft has confirmed that 77 million Xbox 360 units were sold, while Nintendo has revealed Wii sales of 99 million. That leaves around 74 million for the PS3.
"I do think that consoles as a product category have peaked and the next-gen devices won't match those totals," Ward added.
Nintendo's Wii U is the only next-generation console on the market thus far. It has struggled, selling 3.45 million units worldwide since its launch last year.
Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation 4 will launch this holiday season, the same window that Microsoft's next Xbox is believed to be on store shelves.
Microsoft has invited media to its Redmond, Washington, campus today where the company will formally announce its vision for the future of games and entertainment. GameSpot is on location at the event and will have details from the presentation as they become available.
Supplier sources say parts are now being shipped for manufacture; assembly to take place at controversial Foxconn factories.
As Microsoft's next-generation reveal event is set to kick off in just a few hours, a new report claims components for the platform are already being shipped for manufacture.
Supply chain sources speaking with Digitimes (via Games Industry International) say related orders are currently being shipped in small volumes before a ramp-up is expected in Q3 to prepare for a demand surge in Q4.
A number of companies are listed as component makers in the report, including Lite-On Technology and Delta Electronics (power supply), Lite-On IT (optical disc drive), Asia Optical and Newmax (sensing lens), Foxlink (connectors), and Jentech Precision Industrial (cooling modules).
The sources said the next-generation Xbox orders are expected to "strongly boost" business for the above-mentioned component makers in the second half of the year as development ramps up.
Lastly, Foxconn Electronics is reportedly conducting assembly of the next-generation Xbox. It is one of the world's largest electronics manufacturers and, despite controversy, assembles products for major companies like Apple, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Dell, among others.
The New York Times reports that three Chinese employees at Foxconn died in recent weeks from what appeared to be suicides. A statement from the company said that none of the deaths were work-related and that they occurred outside of the company's factories.
Microsoft will share its vision for the future of games and entertainment during its high-profile next-generation event today, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. PDT. This includes first looks at Call of Duty: Ghosts, a next-generation FIFA title, and EA Sports' new UFC game.
Concept art from Slant Six Games developer shows unannounced portable entry in first-person shooter series.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City developer Slant Six Games was working on a Medal of Honor game for the PlayStation Vita, according to concept art spotted by Superannuation.
A former Slant Six Games developer includes concept art for the untitled and unannounced Medal of Honor game in his online portfolio. According to his LinkedIn page, he worked at the Vancouver studio from 2006 through 2009.
Neither Slant Six Games nor Electronic Arts were available to comment at press time.
The original Medal of Honor reboot launched in 2010 and was followed by 2012's Medal of Honor: Warfighter. EA put the series on hiatus in January after Medal of Honor: Warfighter failed to meet sales expectations.
"We recognize and appreciate the value of the franchise," EA said at the time. "We're going to give Medal of Honor a rest while we plan its return. We haven't made any decision on how or when it will return."
Upcoming Deadpool game listed for Wii U platform on Amazon Canada.
Marvel action game Deadpool may be coming to the Wii U, according to a recent listing on the Amazon Canada website.
Marvel's verbose antihero is getting his own game.
The Deadpool game was first revealed by High Moon Studios during a Comic-Con panel last year, and was confirmed only for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC platforms.
The Amazon product page suggests a Nintendo Wii U version of the game may also be in the works, with the product showing an ESRB rating of Mature (17+) and an expected release date of December 31, 2013. No additional information is available. If true, the date may simply be a placeholder, with retailers often listing the last day of the year when no confirmed shipping date already exists.
An Activision representative confirmed to GameSpot AU that a Wii U version of Deadpool will not be launched in Australia, but was unable to comment on other territories. The publisher previously announced several preorder bonuses for fans, including extra in-game content and credits on specific Marvel graphic novels.
The Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC versions of Deadpool will launch on June 25 this year.
Official Twitter account for first-person shooter series says "big announcements are coming soon"; reveal event to last one hour.
The official Battlefield Twitter account has teased that "big" news about Battlefield 4 is coming soon, as Microsoft's next-generation reveal event kicks off in under 24 hours.
"Big announcements are coming soon!" the tweet reads.
No specific mention of the Xbox reveal event was made, but Microsoft and EA are rumored to announce a partnership at the reveal event that will see certain EA content released first on the next Xbox before launching on other platforms.
In addition, Microsoft's director of Xbox Live programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb today confirmed that the Xbox 720 reveal event will last one hour. By comparison, Sony's PlayStation 4 announcement event in February spanned just over two hours.
GameSpot will be in attendance at the Xbox 720 event, during which Microsoft will share its vision for the future of games and entertainment. This includes first looks at Call of Duty: Ghosts, a next-generation FIFA title, and EA Sports' new UFC game.
Dead Island: Riptide falls to second, and FIFA 13 climbs back up to third.
4A Games' Metro: Last Light has emerged at the top of the UK charts after its first weekend on sale, although the well-received sequel failed to match the numbers shifted by its predecessor in 2010.
The original Metro 2033 was released in March 2010 and debuted fifth in the UK charts at the time.
Deep Silver purchased the rights to Metro: Last Light in January, and the publisher also notches up a second place finish with open-world zombie mulcher Dead Island: Riptide.
FIFA 13 climbs back up to third place, and 3DS-exclusive Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity enters the chart in fourth.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II is fifth, Tomb Raider is sixth, and the retail release of Telltale Games' serial adventure The Walking Dead is seventh.
The top 10 is rounded out by DC brawler Injustice: Gods Among Us in eighth, which pushed Assassin's Creed III into ninth by less than 200 sales, and BioShock Infinite in 10th.
Elsewhere in the chart, poorly reviewed movie tie-in Star Trek drops to 32nd from last week's 24th-place finish, and Medal of Honor: Warfighter reenters the chart at 37th.
The Top 20 UK chart for the week ending May 18:
1. Metro: Last Light 2. Dead Island: Riptide 3. FIFA 13 4. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity 5. Call of Duty: Black Ops II 6. Tomb Raider 7. The Walking Dead 8. Injustice: Gods Among Us 9. Assassin's Creed III 10. BioShock Infinite 11. Far Cry 3 12. Luigi's Mansion 2 13. Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins 14. Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes 15. God of War: Ascension 16. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 17. Grand Theft Auto IV 18. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City 19. Skylanders Giants 20: Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
NetherRealm's DC brawler the best-selling title in region last month; overall industry sales slide 25 percent; Xbox 360 sales hit 130,000.
Injustice: Gods Among Us was April's top-selling title in the United States, according to data released by the NPD Group today. It marks the first time since April 2011 (Mortal Kombat) that a fighting game ranked in the top spot. No specific sales figures were provided, though it is estimated to have sold 424,000 units in the month.
Rounding out the top five performers for the month were Dead Island: Riptide, BioShock: Infinite, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and Defiance.
Overall, industry sales slid by 25 percent to $495.2 million. However, NPD analyst Liam Callahan points out that the sales figures make up only about half of the total consumer spend for the month.
"When taking into account our preliminary estimate for other physical format sales in April such as used and rentals at $76 million, and our estimate for digital format sales including full game and add-on content downloads including microtransactions, subscriptions, mobile apps and the consumer spend on social network games at $267 million, the total consumer spend in April is $802 million," he said.
In addition, Callahan pointed out that the Easter holiday typically accounts for a 10 percent boost in sales for the month. Since Easter fell in March this year and in April last year, a direct comparison is "difficult," he said.
Regarding hardware, total sales plummeted by 42 percent to $109.5 million. Microsoft was again the market leader, selling 130,000 Xbox 360 units in the month, down from 236,000 systems this time last year. Total retail spend on the Xbox 360 platform (hardware, software, and accessories) was $208 million.
Sony has not divulged PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Vita sales information for the month, while Nintendo reportedly sold just 55,000 Wii U units during the month, some 20,000 fewer than the 75,000 Wii systems in the period.
As for software, this category decreased 17 percent in April to $267.8 million in April. Though the overall sector declined year-over-year, sales of April 2013 titles posted positive figures over April 2012, which was led by Activision's Prototype 2.
"Despite overall declines, April title launches in 2013 fared better than games that launched in April 2012, up 118 percent in unit sales and 130 percent in dollar sales," Callahan said. "This increase was driven by games like Injustice: Gods Among Us, Dead Island: Riptide, and Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins."
Separately, Nintendo announced that it has sold 2.1 million first-party 3DS games through the first four months of the year, up 52 percent over last year.
"In 2012, it took 30 weeks for Nintendo 3DS to sell 2 million units of first-party software. In 2013, the platform accomplished that same feat in 18 weeks," Nintendo said.
Nintendo said Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins shifted nearly 94,000 combined physical and digital copies. Notably, it was released on April 24, near the end of the NPD Group's reporting period. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon sold 140,000 units in the month (physical and digital), boosting its life-to-date total to 530,000 units.
The only Wii U title Nintendo revealed sales statistics for was New Super Mario Bros. U, which has now sold nearly 770,000 combined physical and digital units to date.
Shifting to accessories, this sector fell 19 percent to $131.4 million for April 2013.
"Though every accessory type experienced year-over-year declines in April 2013, year-to-date trending increased by over 20 percent for the combined sales of point cards, headsets/headphones, and All Other Accessories (which includes Skylanders)," Callahan said.
APRIL US GAME SALES (April 7-May 4, 2013) OVERALL DOLLAR SALES
Total retail sales: $495.2 million (-25%) Non-PC hardware: $109.5 million (-42%) Non-PC software: $254.3 (-17%) Accessories: $131.4 (19%) Total software: $267.8 million (-17%)
TOP 10 GAMES FOR APRIL 2013 Title (Platforms) - Publisher
1. Injustice: Gods Among Us (X360, PS3, Wii U) - Warner Bros. 2. Dead Island: Riptide (X360, PS3, PC) - Deep Silver 3. BioShock: Infinite (X360, PS3, PC) - Take-Two 4. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (X360, PS3, PC, Wii U) - Activision Blizzard 5. Defiance - (X360, PS3, PC) - Trion Worlds 6. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS) - Nintendo 7. NBA 2K13 (X360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, PSP, PC) - Take-Two Interactive 8. Skylanders Giants (Wii, X360, PS3, 3DS, Wii U) - Activision Blizzard 9. Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins (3DS) - Nintendo 10. MLB 13: The Show (PS3, PS Vita) - Sony
Wii-exclusive follow-up Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World also rumoured to be included.
GameCube RPG Tales of Symphonia could be getting an HD re-release on PlayStation 3, a new report claims.
Its Wii-exclusive follow up Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World is also reported to be included, with the PlayStation 3 game being packaged as the Tales of Symphonia: Perfect Edition.
Hideo Baba, manager of the Tales series, told Spanish website Koi-Nya the two-game collection would be "a representation of the dreams and hopes of the fans, who have long been wanting it" but would offer no addional details.
GameSpot awarded Tales of Symphonia an 8.8 upon its original release in 2004. "Fans of Japanese role-playing games will take to its style and the depth of its battle system, and those curious about the genre and who loathe the idea of turn-based battle and scads of random encounters will appreciate the quick fighting pace. While the story may rely a bit too much on cliché, the ride is still worthwhile. If you have a GameCube and like RPGs, you definitely need to check out Tales of Symphonia," said the GameSpot review.
GameSpot has approached Namco Bandai for comment.
Silicon Knights says it is still working despite downsizing, closing its offices, and selling equipment.
Too Human developer Silicon Knights says it is "definitely alive" despite the studio's former president Denis Dyack's departure to form Precursor Games.
Talking to Polygon, Silicon Knights chief financial officer Mike Mays declared that the studio was still alive. Despite the assurances, Mays would not say where Silicon Knights is currently located, what projects it's working on, or how many employees the studio currently has.
However, the studio did confirm it has closed its offices, downsized its staff, and sold some of its equipment. Some computers were even sold to Precursor Games, the new studio founded by ex-Silicon Knights staff.
"Silicon Knights was selling off extra assets to laid-off employees and we, along with others, purchased some of them," said Precursor Games CEO Paul Caporicci when asked. "Like so many others who have been laid off in this difficult economy, we are simply trying to turn a tough situation into something positive. This helps give us an opportunity with Shadow of the Eternals to give the gamers something that they have been wanting."
A $4.45 million lawsuit between Silicon Knights and Epic Games ruled in favour of the latter in May 2012, and in November 2012, the studio was ordered to destroy all copies of its ill-fated Xbox 360 action role-playing game Too Human and X-Men: Destiny.
Precursor Games is currently working on Shadow of the Eternals, a spiritual successor to cult survival horror title Eternal Darkness.
Caporicci also asserted that Precursor Games hasn't inherited any of the Silicon Knights technology currently tangled up in a lawsuit with Epic Games. "We are a completely separate and independent entity and always have been," he said.
"Precursor is not and never has been a party to that case, and is not involved in it whatsoever. We purchased completely wiped clean machines, that is all. There is no basis for any liability or any claim against Precursor Games."
"We wish Silicon Knights the best of luck in their future," concluded Caporicci.
The list of domain names registered by Lucasfilm includes Star Wars Alliance, Star Wars Rebels, and Wookie Hunters.
Lucasfilm has registered a group of Star Wars-related domain names, Fusible has reported.
Earlier this week, Electronic Arts and the Walt Disney Company announced a new multi-year exclusive agreement to develop and publish new games based on Star Wars characters and stories.
Several of the new domains reference Star Wars themes, including the following:
- Star Wars Alliance - Star Wars Rebels - Star Wars Wolf Pack - Wolf Pack Adventures - Order 67 - Bothan Spies - Gungan Frontier 2 - Gungan Frontier 3 - Gungan Frontier 4 - Wookie Hunters
No further information was available about whether the domains are tied to current or future projects, and none of the domains match currently announced games.
EA also confirmed earlier this week in a post-earnings financial call that it will not publish any new Star Wars games during its 2014 fiscal year, which runs from April 1, 2013, through to March 31, 2014.
EA's deal with Disney makes it the exclusive developer of core Star Wars games. These titles will be delivered on all platforms. Battlefield studio DICE and Dead Space outfit Visceral Games are currently making new Star Wars games, which will run on the Frostbite 3 engine.
Disney acquired LucasArts alongside Lucasfilm in October last year for $4.05 billion.
The fates of Star Wars: 1313 and Star Wars: First Assault remain unclear.
House of Mouse's Interactive sector the only division to lose money in latest quarter.
Disney's game division was the company's only unprofitable business during the media giant's latest quarter.
The company reported earnings for its second quarter ended March 30 this week, revealing its Interactive business posted a loss of $54. This is $16 million better than last year's $70 million hit.
Improved performance in the Interactive division was attributed to revenues rising 8 percent to $194 million due to growth in Disney's Japanese mobile business and lower accounting expenses at its social game studios.
Looking ahead, Disney chief financial officer Jay Rasulo said Interactive expects to see a comparable operating loss in the current quarter due to the delay of Disney Infinity from Q3 (April-June) to Q4 (July-September).
Earlier this week, Disney and Electronic Arts signed a deal that will see EA become the exclusive developer of "core" Star Wars games. New projects are already in development at Battlefield studio DICE and Dead Space outfit Visceral Games.
EA reveals new sales milestones for tentpole franchises as part of full-year earnings report that saw $3.79 billion in revenue and $98 million profit.
As part of its latest financial report today, Electronic Arts announced that FIFA 13 has sold over 14.5 million units, up 30 percent over FIFA 12. In addition, SimCity sales have climbed to 1.6 million copies worldwide, 50 percent of which came through digital sales.
Other highlights in the report included Battlefield 3 Premium generating over $120 million in revenue from more than 3.5 million subscriptions to date. FIFA 13 sales are up 30 percent year-over-year and digital revenue for the game hit $200 million, up 94 percent from last year. With FIFA Online and FIFA World Class Soccer sales factored in, total FIFA digital net revenue was $350 for fiscal 2013.
The Simpsons: Tapped out was a top iOS game for EA, generating close to $10 million in digital net revenue in March alone and almost $50 million since it launched in August. The company's new driving game Real Racing 3 was downloaded over 30 million times and has 2.5 million daily active users since its launch in March, EA said.
EA's Origin platform now has over 47 million registered users (up from 39 million at the end of December), including 20 million mobile users. And for the trailing twelve-month period, company-wide digital revenue jumped 36 percent to an all-time high of $1.7 billion.
"As we enter a new fiscal year, EA is well-positioned for dynamic growth on next generation consoles, PCs, and mobile platforms," said executive chairman and interim EA CEO Larry Probst. "With world-class games, a rapidly growing digital business, and top-notch creative talent, we are excited about EA's strategy for FY 2014 and beyond."
"EA has a solid operating plan with disciplined R&D spending and a sharp focus on delivering the best games and services," chief financial officer Blake Jorgensen added. "We are holding our FY 2014 operating expenses flat to the prior year--a significant achievement in a console transition year."
EA Labels president reiterated that the company is currently creating "a number" of new games based on the Star Wars franchise for consoles, PCs, tablets, and mobile, though none were specified.
Overall, for EA's fourth quarter ended March 31, the company posted revenue of $1.2 billion and a profit of $323 million. For the full year period also ended March 31, EA posted a profit of $98 million on $3.79 billion. The publisher will hold a post-earnings financial call this afternoon. Check back for highlights from the call.
Lollipop Chainsaw developer Grasshopper Manufacture found difficulties in relationship with small studio and big publisher.
Lollipop Chainsaw developer Grasshopper Manufacture has pointed the finger at publishers for poor sales of the studio's games.
In an interview with GamesIndustry International, studio boss Goichi "Suda51" Suda complained of a "wall" between creativity and sales, and that the differences in size posed challenges.
"Grasshopper does have a very strong base; it's just that because we were so indie, publishers were always [treating us] differently," Suda said.
Grasshopper has worked with Warner Bros., Capcom, Ubisoft, and EA, amongst others.
"Each publisher operates a different way, has different strategic ideas, so in terms of sales, what they did, was they kept creating what they thought was good. But in terms of publishing, it was a different company's strategic choice.
"So we believe that back then, when we were completely indie without a group company to be together with, we weren't able to translate our creative directly into sales because that was the part where there was always a wall between creative and sales transition wise," argued Suda.
Grasshopper says it will have more impact on the publishing of its unannounced next game, due after the upcoming release of Killer Is Dead, now that it's been bought by Japanese publisher GungHo. Suda believes that being part of a bigger group will allow for a more consistent strategy between creativity and publishing.
"Now that we're one big group together and we'll be publishing our own titles as Grasshopper, we believe that the creative side and the sales side will have a better connection," he added. "We definitely believe that it will transfer to good sales because we will be able to choose our own strategy," concluded Suda.
Grasshopper Manufacture's next game, Killer is Dead, is scheduled to be released this summer and will be published by Xseed Games in North America, Deep Silver in Europe, and Kadokawa Games in Japan.
This story was amended on May 3 to correctly reflect that Killer is Dead is not being published by GungHo.
Executive producer John Vignocchi says franchises are similar in that they have physical figures, but sameness stops there.
Disney Interative executive producer John Vignocchi has spoken out to downplay the similarities between Disney Infinity and Activision's Skylanders series. Speaking with Polygon, Vignocchi admitted some similarities do exist, but claimed that overall, Infinity is a unique game.
"There are similarities, in that we have figures, but the similarities stop there," Vignocchi said. "Infinity is intended to be a platform for all things Disney. The playsets inside of Infinity are new and original stories. They are open-world games."
Another significant differentiating factor, according to Vignocchi, is Disney Infinity's Toy Box mode, which allows gamers to make whatever they want.
"And then of course the Toy Box mode is more Minecraft-meets-LittleBigPlanet," he said. "It's something totally different where we allow kids to use their imagination and take our brands to build whatever they want."
When Disney Infinity launches in August, it will have much work to do to catch up with Activision's Skylanders series, which has minted more than $1 billion worldwide to date from the sale of over 100 million toys.
Activision is not worried about Disney's arrival in the toys-to-life market. The Call of Duty company said in January that it is unfazed by Disney's move and is well positioned to continue to be the genre market leader.
Nintendo supervisor Hiro Yamada says company hopes to reveal the studio's latest project soon.
Gamers interested in learning about the new Wii U game from Metroid developer Retro Studios may not have long to wait.
The Official Nintendo Magazine asked Nintendo supervisor Hiro Yamada if Retro is not making making Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, then what is the Austin, Texas developer up to?
"I wonder what kind of game it is? I hope to introduce it to you in the not so distant future."
Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said in September that Retro's Wii U game will be "fantastic."
"Rest assured that Retro is working on a fantastic project," he said at the time. "We've got big games in development that are coming that are going to continue to drive the install base of the system."
Last week, Nintendo announced that it would not host a major presentation at E3 2013 in favor of smaller events to showcase new titles.
Retro Studios' most recent game was Donkey Kong Country Returns, which was released in November 2010 to a warm critical reception and sales of nearly 5 million units. The studio also collaborated with Nintendo EAD on 2011's Mario Kart 7, and was named by Miyamoto as a candidate to work on a future Legend of Zelda installment.
Latest contract awards Activision CEO five-year stock options that could pay up to 800 percent more money than the $8m he earnt in 2011.
Update: An Activision representative has contacted GameSpot to state that Bloomberg has since revised its story to emphasise the distinction between Kotick's annual salary and his stock options, and that the CEO's performance related five-year stock options make up the bulk of the additional extra income reported in the SEC filing. GameSpot has subsequently amended its article.
Call of Duty maker Activision's CEO Bobby Kotick saw an 800 percent raise in potential earnings with his latest contract, as new stock options left the executive with up to $64.9 million extra in the bank. In the 2011 financial year his total pay was $8.1 million.
Kotick is now a contender for the second highest paid public-company CEO in the US, Bloomberg reports, behind Oracle founder Larry Ellison.
The vast majority of Kotick's pay increase came from $55.9 million in stock awards, based on performance, which will vest over the next five years. His total cash salary for 2012 was inline with his previous earnings: $8.33 million.
Activision's report states that Kotick exceeded his performance goals on operating income, diluted earnings per share, and free cash flow. Kotick did not meet his target in the expansion of profit margins, however.
Kotick will receive another $16 million if he steers Activision towards its highest performance targets in 2013.
“We don“t like any element of this pay package,“ said GMI Ratings corporate-governance consultant Nell Minow to Bloomberg. "In the past we have expressed concern about this company and its compensation practices."
"The lack of information provided by the compensation committee is a red flag," continued Minow. "It“s very difficult to discern how they determined this compensation package from the information that“s been provided."
Activision states that it now has a market value of $16.5 billion, and posted a net income of $1.15 billion for the financial year.
The publisher is rumoured to be unveiling its next Call of Duty title on May 1.
Disney VP Bill Roper says company sees potential in adding Star Wars characters to game, but won't commit right away.
Star Wars characters could one day appear in Disney Infinity, according to Disney Interactive VP Bill Roper. Speaking with Games Industry International, the executive said the company recognizes the potential of adding characters like Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker to the new game, but wouldn't commit right away.
"That was definitely exciting when [news of the acquisition] came down from within the company. We love the potential for Infinity--we always joke, well, 'the possibilities are infinite'," Roper said. "For us, we're really just focused on launching this platform quickly."
He explained that though Star Wars characters won't be in the game just yet, those characters--as well as any others from Disney's portfolio--may one day appear in the game.
"We've done a lot of work about identifying the properties that we felt would really make the platform sing at launch, but I never discount any possibilities with the vast array of characters and worlds that we can tap into across the company," Roper said.
Disney purchased the Star Wars brand in October 2012 for $4.05 billion. Since the acquisition, Disney has closed Epic Mickey developer Junction Point, as well as Star Wars 1313 outfit LucasArts.
Disney Infinity launches in August for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, 3DS, and PC. Currently confirmed characters are pulled from franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean, Toy Story, The Incredibles, Monsters University, Cars, Wreck-It-Ralph, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Phineas and Ferb.
Notably, Disney Infinity will not feature Mickey Mouse or any characters from classic Disney films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Peter Pan, Pinocchio, or The Lion King, among others. However, this could change in the future.
"Please look forward to it," says Okami Twitter account.
Capcom's Japanese Twitter account for Okami appears to be teasing an upcoming announcement.
“Sorry I“ve been kind of out of touch lately," said the account (translated by Gematsu), "but I have the feeling we“ll be able to drop a fresh announcement like WHAM! around the beginning of Golden Week, so please look forward to it. Right now we“re on track with preparations.“
Golden Week is a holiday period in Japan that runs from April 29 to May 5, and Gematsu also points out that the latest issue of Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu is teasing an announcement for its issue due out May 9.
Okami was an action adventure title helmed by Devil May Cry and Bayonetta director Hideki Kamiya, originally released by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 in 2006. The cult title has seen subsequent re-releases on the Wii in 2008 and PlayStation 3 in 2012.
A Nintendo DS semi-sequel, Okamiden, was also released in 2011.
Funds from the Call of Duty: Black Ops launch event were used to pay for luxury shopping trips, holidays, iPads, and a bachelorette party.
An ex-Activision PR manager in the UK has been convicted of defrauding the company out of £18,963 (approximately $29,000) and spending the funds on multiple shopping sprees, a luxury hotel break, and a bachelorette party.
Former senior manager of PR at Activision UK Kathryn Kirton took the money from the budget of 2010's Call of Duty: Black Ops London launch event, which took place in Battersea power station. She was aided by Frank PR consultant Jamie Kaye, who also admitted to taking £5,000. Kaye spent the money on six iPads and a £3,500 holiday to Florida.
Blackfriars Crown Court was told (via the Daily Mail) by Kirton's defence that she was entranced by the "glamorous and luxurious" world of public relations.
Kirton attempted to clear the purchases through Activision's finances by getting Kaye to pay for them on a company credit card. She then approved the expense claims.
The purchases were made over multiple months in 2010, and were discovered in 2011 when Activision investigated the case further.
Both Kirton and Kaye avoided prison, with Kirton being sentenced for 18 months with a suspended sentence of two years. Kaye was given a nine month sentence suspended for 12 months, and was also ordered to perform 80 hours of unpaid work.
During the sentencing, Judge John Hiller said "What is surprising is that cases like this are happening more and more often in your industry. But this is not the place to explore the PR industry."
Nintendo discontinuing a series of original Wii channels and network services in June due to "very low participation rate."
A handful of original Wii channels and some network services are soon to be no more. Nintendo announced today that due to a "very low participation rate," the company has decided to discontinue the following applications beginning June 28, 2013.
· Forecast Channel · News Channel · Everybody Votes Channel · Nintendo Channel · Check Mii Out Channel · Data exchange between Wii friends on WiiConnect24
Concerning the last point, Wii message exchanges through Wii Message Board, Mii exchange via Mii channel, and exchanges of messages or data in "some" games will no longer be possible come June.
Nintendo apologized to gamers using the services and said the move was necessary so the company could focus on an "even higher level of service" for the Wii U.
"We apologize to those of you currently using these services, and ask for your understanding," Nintendo said in a statement.
"In order to focus on the development of an even higher level of service for Wii U and other products, a portion of the network services offered through the Wii console will be discontinued."
Limited edition featuring customized PS Vita skin and lithograph also on sale; Amazon and GameStop preorders include free soundtrack.
The PS Vita version of the Vanillaware-developed action game Muramasa: The Demon Blade finally has a release date for North America: June 25.
Slice up demons in style with the limited edition of the game.
Now called Muramasa Rebirth, the game will ship in both regular and limited editions. The latter version is called the Blessing of Amitabha collector's edition and contains a customized PS Vita face cover, a PS Vita skin, and a PS Vita pouch. The set also contains a high-resolution framed lithograph drawn by series creator and lead designer George Kamitani. Players will need to fork out $60 for the collection.
Amazon and GameStop are currently accepting preorders for both versions of the game. Gamers who do that will get the "Muramasa Rebirth Abridged Soundtrack" music CD, which contains five songs created by composer Hitoshi Sakimoto.
The Wii version of Muramasa: The Demon's Blade was praised for its visuals and boss battles but panned for its lack of depth. For more information, check out the review.
Customers who have already purchased songs will be unaffected, with Harmonix saying that future updates on DLC will likely arrive quarterly.
Rock Band's older DLC content will begin to leave the game's store as licensing agreements expire, developer Harmonix has said.
Metallica's "Ride the Lightning," "And Justice for All," and "Blackened" are the first, and currently only, tracks to be affected. The three songs were released on the Rock Band store back in November 2007.
Speaking about the potential removal of songs from the Rock Band library, Harmonix said on Facebook that "our Music Team has been hard at work extending these licenses to make sure that this has as small an impact on the community as possible, but there may be a very limited number of songs that will no longer be offered for new purchases in the Rock Band store."
At present, customers who have already purchased the content will be unaffected by the removal of the songs and will be able to download them if required.
Harmonix says that future updates on Rock Band DLC relicensing will likely arrive on a quarterly basis. The developer says it is "making it a priority" to give players notice ahead of content expiring.
"We'll do our best to make sure that you have one last chance to buy these legacy catalog tracks," said Harmonix.
The final downloadable track for Harmonix's Rock Band Store, "American Pie" by Don McLean, was released on April 2. In total, the store saw over 4,000 tracks released across 275 consecutive weeks.
"We're incredibly proud of the DLC milestones we've set, especially producing the largest music library of any game available, and we wouldn't have been able to release as much outstanding content without the support of our amazing community," wrote Harmonix in February.
Deus Ex, Epic Mickey designer says working on big-budget games is "a lot less fun than making games should be."
The process of making big-budget, AAA games can be a challenging endeavor that breaks a person's spirits. That's according to Deus Ex and Epic Mickey designer Warren Spector, who told Games Industry International that developing such projects comes with many burdens.
"As cool as triple-A games are, the time and money that go into them now is just soul-crushing, at least for me," Spector said. "There are so many voices you have to listen to, so many legitimate stakeholders; it's just a lot less fun than making games should be."
Spector is recently jobless, after Disney shuttered Junction Point Studios at the end of January. The industry veteran does not know what he plans to do next.
According to Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios creative director Stefan Ljungqvist, big-budget games are here to stay, though they may decrease in number.
"I don't think big-budget games are going away," Ljungqvist said this week. "There's going to be less of them. But that's a good thing, because maybe we don't need 40 first-person shooters. I don't want to play them all [laughs], but maybe we need one, two or three."
The Wii-exclusive RPG will hit North American shelves this month for $39.99.
North American JRPG fans can finally experience the next Nintendo Wii RPG, when Pandora's Tower hits gaming store shelves later this month.
"Hey, miss, you got a little something on your left cheek."
Publisher XSeed Games has confirmed that the game will be out on April 16 for $39.99. To coincide with the announcement, a North American website has been revealed.
Pandora's Tower originally launched in Japan in 2011, with an English version going on sale in Europe and Australia in April 2012. GameSpot praised its combat and time-management mechanics in its review, but criticised fixed camera angles and a lack of enemy variety. For more information, check out GameSpot's full review here.
Harmonix reveals new download milestone as weekly releases come to an end; proof-of-concepts shown for Rock Band Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, and Pink Floyd.
BOSTON--Harmonix today revealed during a PAX East presentation that more than 130 million Rock Band songs have been downloaded to date. This is up from 100 million in 2011.
The news as the Rock Band weekly song releases will come to an end after 281 straight weeks on April 2. The final song will be Don McLean's "American Pie." In all, the Rock Band downloadable content library stands at 4,254 songs from 1,657 bands.
The Cambridge, Mass., developer also today showed off a proof-of-concept video for Rock Band: Led Zeppelin, along with images and video for installments based on the bands Pink Floyd and Pearl Jam. Harmonix previously denied doing any official work on a Led Zeppelin Rock Band game.
One image from the Pink Floyd project was shown, though Harmonix said this was created in PhotoShop and was merely experimental. It contained the iconic marching hammer imagery from the group's 1979 album The Wall.
The Pearl Jam Rock Band project was announced in 2009, before it was later canceled for unknown reasons. The developer explained that this game was going to place its focus on the Seattle-based group's live performances. A still image depicting singer/guitarist Eddie Vedder and other members of the group was shown.
Following the publication of this story, a Harmonix representative confirmed with GameSpot that no formal partnership with Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin was ever established, and the projects never entered full development.
"The images referenced were created by Harmonix as proposals for potential titles about those artists. No partnership with Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin was ever formalized, and those two titles were never in actual development."