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You bet. en-us Wed, 14 May 2014 07:33:43 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/as-wii-u-struggles-nintendo-says-a-single-game-can-alter-the-fate-of-a-platform/1100-6419628/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528931-marionintendo1.png" data-ref-id="1300-2528931" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528931-marionintendo1.png" data-ref-id="1300-2528931"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2528931-marionintendo1.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Wii U may be <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-slow-to-a-crawl-as-nintendo-posts-457-million-loss/1100-6419475/" data-ref-id="1100-6419475">struggling at the moment</a>, but it's not the first Nintendo platform to come out of the gate slower than than expected. <a href="http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/140508qa/03.html" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Speaking with analysts</a> recently about the company's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-slow-to-a-crawl-as-nintendo-posts-457-million-loss/1100-6419475/" data-ref-id="1100-6419475">recent poor financial performance</a>, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata reminded people that the Game Boy also was a slow-starter before rising fast thanks to the release of a single title.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The fate of a video game system is often influenced greatly by the introduction of a single title. As many of you probably remember, before the release of the Pokémon game, Game Boy had been showing slow growth, and many people wondered whether it was the end of Game Boy," Iwata said. "But the Pokémon game singlehandedly changed the landscape of the system, which then started to show the strongest sales in the lifecycle of the system."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Some of the Wii U's upcoming marquee games include <a href="/mario-kart-8/" data-ref-id="false">Mario Kart 8</a> (May 30), <a href="/super-smash-bros-for-wii-u/" data-ref-id="false">Super Smash Bros.</a> (2014), and an all-new <a href="/the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u/" data-ref-id="false">Legend of Zelda </a>game, among others. These titles could be regarded as system-sellers, but the impact they have on the Wii U's overall prospects remains to be seen. Iwata also made clear that Nintendo isn't banking on the Wii U matching the sales of the original Wii, which is one of the best-selling home consoles of all time with <a href="http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/hard_soft/index.html" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">over 100 million units sold to date</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"As I explained back in January, it is true that we cannot draw up a good business plan for Wii U by assuming that Wii U will sell more than Wii did. Therefore, we will need to think very carefully about the balance of revenue and expenses and try to operate by controlling overall costs," Iwata said. "On the other hand, we do not believe that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-slow-to-a-crawl-as-nintendo-posts-457-million-loss/1100-6419475/" data-ref-id="1100-6419475">this year's estimate of 3.60 million units of Wii U hardware</a> will be the peak of its lifecycle, and we would like to work hard to make sure that we give sufficient momentum to the system so that we can expect good results in and after the next fiscal year, too. However, as for this fiscal year, as I explained before, the figures you see have been determined by rather conservative estimates."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also during his briefing with analysts, Iwata shed some light on Nintendo's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/could-nintendo-s-nfc-figurines-and-pokemon-save-the-wii-u/1100-6419544/" data-ref-id="1100-6419544">mysterious upcoming NFC initiative</a>. He said that though Activision (Skylanders) and Disney (Disney Infinity) have seen success in the toys-to-life market, Nintendo may take a different approach.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Our primary focus, however, is not to develop software that is compatible with figurines. Rather, we have been developing figurines since last year because we believe there may be different approaches or ways to appeal to consumers by using them, and this could also be one way for Nintendo to utilize its character IP," Iwata said.</p><p style="">Nintendo will share more details about its plans for the "toys-to-life" market <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-will-again-forgo-a-traditional-e3-press-conference/1100-6419283/" data-ref-id="1100-6419283">at E3 next month</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 07:11:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/as-wii-u-struggles-nintendo-says-a-single-game-can-alter-the-fate-of-a-platform/1100-6419628/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/harry-potter-spinoff-hits-theaters-nov-2016-but-what-about-the-games/1100-6419627/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528925-fantastic.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528925" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528925-fantastic.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528925"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2528925-fantastic.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Warner Bros. has announced (via <a href="http://variety.com/2014/film/news/harry-potter-spinoff-fantastic-beasts-to-hit-theaters-nov-18-2016-1201179553/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><em>Variety</em></a>) that the first of three movies in the Harry Potter spinoff trilogy, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will hit theaters on November 18, 2016.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling makes her screenwriting debut for the film, adapting Newt Scamander's fictional Hogwarts textbook of the same name for the movie. The book chronicles efforts made in the field of "Magizoology," that is, the study of magical creatures.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The film version of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/harry-potter-spin-off-films-will-get-game-adaptations/1100-6414377/" data-ref-id="1100-6414377">announced in September 2013</a>. Starting in New York 70 years before Harry Potter's story begins, it is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but rather an extension to the beloved magical world.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">There's no word yet on a director or cast for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">When the movie was announced in September, Warner Bros. also said that it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/harry-potter-spin-off-films-will-get-game-adaptations/1100-6414377/" data-ref-id="1100-6414377">would spin the movies into video games</a>. However, no mention was made of these video game tie-ins in this week's announcement. We're following up with Warner Bros. for more information.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Video games based on the popular Harry Potter films were developed and published by Electronic Arts. It is unclear if Warner Bros. will develop the new Fantastic Beasts games internally through its Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment label or license them out.</p><p style="">The most recent Harry Potter game was 2012's Kinect-required <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/harry-potter-for-kinect/">Harry Potter for Kinect</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 06:38:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/harry-potter-spinoff-hits-theaters-nov-2016-but-what-about-the-games/1100-6419627/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/humble-bundle-offering-daily-bundles-for-the-next-two-weeks-first-includes-saints-row-and-dead-island/1100-6419626/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2528915-4853251374-cast..jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528915" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2528915-4853251374-cast..jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528915"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2528915-4853251374-cast..jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Friendly good-cause-loving games shop Humble is offering up a series of daily bundles for the next two weeks: <a href="https://www.humblebundle.com/" rel="nofollow">the Humble Daily Bundle</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The first pack, which is available for the next five hours, gives punters another chance to pick up the previous Deep Silver bundle, which lets you pay what you want for copies of <a href="/saints-row-the-third/" data-ref-id="false">Saints Row: The Third</a>, <a href="/saints-row-2/" data-ref-id="false">Saints Row 2</a>, <a href="/risen-2-dark-waters/" data-ref-id="false">Risen 2: Dark Waters</a>, and <a href="/sacred-2-gold-edition/" data-ref-id="false">Sacred 2: Gold Edition</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Pay more than the average, $6.30 at time of writing, and you'll also get <a href="/metro-2033/" data-ref-id="false">Metro 2033</a>, Dead Island: Game of the Year Edition, all the DLC for Saints Row: The Third, <a href="/sacred-citadel/" data-ref-id="false">Sacred Citadel</a>, and the original <a href="/risen/" data-ref-id="false">Risen</a>. Chip in more than $9 for a copy of <a href="/dead-island-riptide/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Island: Riptide</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As always with the Humble Bundle, buyers decide how much of their money goes to developers, the Humble team, or charity.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gog-s-spring-insomnia-sale-requires-that-you-act-fast/1100-6419583/">GOG.com is also offering a spring sale of its own</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 06:18:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/humble-bundle-offering-daily-bundles-for-the-next-two-weeks-first-includes-saints-row-and-dead-island/1100-6419626/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-majority-of-core-gamers-in-the-us-prefer-discs-over-digital/1100-6419625/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528912-gamestopstoreline.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528912" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528912-gamestopstoreline.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528912"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2528912-gamestopstoreline.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The majority of core gamers in the United States prefer to buy their games on physical discs rather than digitally, according to a new study from research firm the NPD Group. When pricing is the same, 74 percent of respondents said they would opt for a physical disc over a download. Though physical media still reigns king for core gamers, a preference for digital is growing, up 5 percentage points compared to last year, the NPD Group said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also in the report, titled <em>Core Gaming 2014</em>, the NPD Group found that there are 34 million core gamers total in the United States. These gamers spend an average of 22 hours per week playing video games, the report found.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The NPD Group defines core gamers are those people who play games for at least five hours per week on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC, or Mac. In a statement, NPD Group analyst Liam Callahan said he expects the average time spent playing games will only increase as a result of the launch of the Xbox One and PS4 console generation.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Core gamers are really the lifeblood of the industry, spending tremendous amounts of time on their hobby of choice," Callahan said. "With the new console generation off to a great start, we can expect the amount of time spent gaming to increase as more core gamers adopt them."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Of the 34 million core gamers in the US, around two-thirds (22.6 million), said they also play games for smartphones and other mobile devices. Core gamers are also big fans of multiplayer games, the report found, noting that around 70 percent of core gamers play multiplayer titles regularly or occasionally.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Core gamers are an important part of the games industry and understanding their behavior is critical to anyone invested in the games space--especially considering the launch of the new consoles and the continued evolution of digital gaming," Callahan said.</p><p style=""><em>If pricing is the same, would you opt for the physical or digital version of a game? Let us know in the comments below!</em></p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 06:03:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-majority-of-core-gamers-in-the-us-prefer-discs-over-digital/1100-6419625/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/first-image-of-battlefield-4-s-dragon-s-teeth-dlc-revealed-what-do-you-think/1100-6419624/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528906-dragons.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528906" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528906-dragons.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528906"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2528906-dragons.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Electronic Arts has released the first image of <a href="/battlefield-4/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield 4</a>'s upcoming expansion, Dragon's Teeth, and teased that we'll get to see the content in action sometime later this week. The information comes by way of EA marketing man Dan Sheridan, who <a href="https://twitter.com/EA_ActionMan/status/466506647981268992" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">shared the details earlier today through Twitter</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="html"><script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async=""></script></div><p dir="ltr" style="">As you can see in the image above, Dragon's Teeth will bring a new two-handed ballistic shield to Battlefield 4. New maps and weapons are also likely to be found in the expansion.</p><p style="">Dragon's Teeth is the fourth of five planned expansions for Battlefield 4. It follows China Rising, Second Assault, and Naval Strike, and is preceded by the aptly named Final Stand.</p><p style="">Despite some technical issues at launch, Battlefield 4 has become "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-defends-rocky-battlefield-4-launch/1100-6417666/" data-ref-id="1100-6417666">exceedingly successful</a>" in terms of sales and gameplay, according to EA.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 05:40:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/first-image-of-battlefield-4-s-dragon-s-teeth-dlc-revealed-what-do-you-think/1100-6419624/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-ships-9-million-units-bioshock-infinite-climbs-to-6-million/1100-6419623/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2404409-bl2_hh3_mercenary_snowmanbossfight.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2404409" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2404409-bl2_hh3_mercenary_snowmanbossfight.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2404409"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1197/11970954/2404409-bl2_hh3_mercenary_snowmanbossfight.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Borderlands 2, the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-is-now-the-best-selling-game-in-2k-s-history/1100-6418865/" data-ref-id="1100-6418865">best-selling game in the history of 2K Games</a>, has now shipped 9 million units since its release in September 2012. That was just one of the new shipment figures publisher Take-Two Interactive announced during yesterday's post-earnings financial call.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Below is a roundup of the new shipment figures Take-Two disclosed for its games. Of note, Take-Two didn't say how many copies were actually sold through to consumers.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="/grand-theft-auto-v/" data-ref-id="false">Grand Theft Auto V</a> - 33 million</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/borderlands-2/" data-ref-id="false">Borderlands 2</a> - 9 million</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/nba-2k14/" data-ref-id="false">NBA 2K14 </a>- 6.5 million</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/bioshock-infinite/" data-ref-id="false">BioShock Infinite</a> - 6 million</li><li><a href="/sid-meiers-civilization-v/" data-ref-id="false">Civilization V</a> - 5 million</li></ul><p style="">Any surprises?</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 05:19:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-ships-9-million-units-bioshock-infinite-climbs-to-6-million/1100-6419623/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-is-the-ps4-outselling-the-xbox-one-microsoft-weighs-in/1100-6419622/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528902-xb1ps4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528902" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528902-xb1ps4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528902"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2528902-xb1ps4.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">With more than <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-reports-7-million-playstation-4-consoles-sold-worldwide/1100-6419044/" data-ref-id="1100-6419044">7 million units sold to date</a>, Sony's PlayStation 4 is the top-selling new console, ahead of Microsoft's Xbox One, which has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-is-top-selling-console-for-third-straight-month-according-to-march-npd/1100-6419067/" data-ref-id="1100-6419067">shipped (not sold) 5 million units to date</a>. In an interview with <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/05/13/microsofts-yusuf-mehdi-explains-the-xbox-ones-split-with-kinect-2/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><em>Forbes</em></a>, Microsoft chief marketing and strategy officer Yusuf Mehdi laid out some reasons why his console is lagging behind, at least right now.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's hard to really assess the gap in sales," Mehdi said. "[Sony is] in many more markets right now than we are. They're in 40+ markets, we're in 13." The PS4 won't have a such a dramatic regional availability advantage for much longer, as the Xbox One will be released in<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-will-reach-japan-and-the-rest-of-europe-in-september-2014/1100-6418375/" data-ref-id="1100-6418375"> Japan and 25 other regions in September</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another reason why the Xbox One has fallen behind the PS4 in terms of sales so far is because, according to Mehdi, Xbox 360 owners enjoy their systems more than PlayStation 3 owners do, so they are less inclined to upgrade.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"People have been more satisfied with the Xbox 360 than the PS3, so in that respect people have less of a need to upgrade in the short-term due to regular updates for the Xbox 360," Mehdi said. "We could point to any number of things."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Addressing the impact the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-price-drop-how-will-this-affect-the-console-war/1100-6419613/" data-ref-id="1100-6419613">Xbox One's new $399 price point </a>could have on the platform's viability going forward, Mehdi said the new price "broadens the appeal and hopefully brings more people to Xbox One sooner." He acknowledged that the original $499 price point was too steep an asking price for some gamers.</p><p style="">For more on this week's major Microsoft news, be sure to read <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-price-drop-how-will-this-affect-the-console-war/1100-6419613/" data-ref-id="1100-6419613">GameSpot's staff editorial about how the Xbox One's new $399 price point will affect the ongoing console war</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 05:02:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-is-the-ps4-outselling-the-xbox-one-microsoft-weighs-in/1100-6419622/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/1080p-dropping-kinect-could-lead-to-xbox-one-performance-boost/1100-6419621/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528892-399xbox.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528892" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528892-399xbox.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528892"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2528892-399xbox.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-talks-price-drop-says-e3-will-be-all-about-games/1100-6419604/" data-ref-id="1100-6419604">Dropping Kinect from the Xbox One</a> was good news for fans who wanted a less expensive model to purchase, but Microsoft's decision to make the camera optional could have other benefits as well. Microsoft representatives said in media interviews this week that removing Kinect from the bundle could free up processing power that could in turn lead to increased graphical performance.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We are in discussions with our game publishers about what we might do in this space and we will have more to talk about soon," Microsoft executive Yusuf Mehdi told <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/5/13/5713874/more-powerful-xbox-one-kinect" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Polygon</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">For the current $499 Xbox One, some portion of the system's processing power is dedicated to Kinect. A <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-microsoft-to-unlock-more-gpu-power-for-xbox-one-developers" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">report from Digital Foundry </a>concluded that the Xbox One reserves 10 percent of its total graphics resources for Kinect and app functionality. In an <a href="http://kotaku.com/kinect-cut-could-lead-to-two-interesting-xbox-one-devel-1575767624?utm_campaign=Socialflow_Kotaku_Facebook&utm_source=Kotaku_Facebook&utm_medium=Socialflow" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">interview with Kotaku</a>, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer said developers have told him they want to squeeze as most juice out of the console as possible, and the new Kinect-free Xbox One could be a way to do so.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I know that developers want to get every bit of functionality out of the box that they can," Spencer said. "In conversations I'm having with our partners, that's something that's come up. We need to land the right plan there so that we've ticked off all the boxes to make sure we understand all of the long-term ramifications, but you bring up an idea and a workstream that we're focused on that makes a ton of sense. It's just about when we're ready to make those kinds of calls."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It remains to be see how Microsoft's engineers would go about such a measure, or what it would mean for the existing $499 model, which <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-talks-price-drop-says-e3-will-be-all-about-games/1100-6419604/" data-ref-id="1100-6419604">Microsoft will continue to sell</a>.</p><p style="">A boost in system performance would help lessen the perception that the Xbox One is a technically inferior console compared to the rival PlayStation 4. Right now, it's not uncommon for Xbox One versions of multiplatform games to run at a lower resolution compared to the PS4 version. Just yesterday, Ubisoft confirmed that the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-runs-at-900p-on-ps4-792p-on-xbox-one/1100-6419607/" data-ref-id="1100-6419607">PS4 version of Watch Dogs would run at a higher resolution than the Xbox One version</a>, and that's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/infinity-ward-cod-ghosts-is-720p-on-xbox-one-1080p-on-ps4/1100-6415873/" data-ref-id="1100-6415873">hardly the first example</a>.</p><p style="">The new <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-talks-price-drop-says-e3-will-be-all-about-games/1100-6419604/" data-ref-id="1100-6419604">$399 Xbox One</a> goes on sale June 9--the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-s-e3-briefing-takes-place-june-9-what-are-you-hoping-is-announced/1100-6419449/" data-ref-id="1100-6419449">same day as Microsoft's E3 2014 press conference</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 04:32:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/1080p-dropping-kinect-could-lead-to-xbox-one-performance-boost/1100-6419621/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-sales-look-strong-but-sony-expects-to-make-another-loss-next-year/1100-6419620/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2528891-8057789076-23746.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528891" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2528891-8057789076-23746.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528891"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2528891-8057789076-23746.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sony CEO Kaz Hirai has put on his bravest face to report the company's annual financials, announcing a $1.26 billion overall loss despite a sales increase of 14.3 percent. In all, Sony corporation made $76 billion from sales.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The results were as expected, and Sony is weathering the storm right now--it's in a period of transition, having sold off its Vaio laptop division and giving its TV people their own department.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">All that work is still ongoing, too, and Sony has already warned its investors that it expects another net loss of $490m over the next 12 months. I imagine there's a lot of people with a lot of money hoping that will be the end of all the sad times as Sony, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-ceo-to-take-up-to-a-50-percent-pay-cut/1100-6419595/" data-ref-id="1100-6419595">with the executive team forgoing their bonuses for the year</a>. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">But things are certainly looking strong for the PlayStation team. All in all, sales across the gaming division were up 38.5 percent, raking in a whopping $9.5 billion for the company. All that money couldn't help the gaming division shake off an operating loss of $79 million, however, which the company attributed to both the cost of launching the PlayStation 4, as well as a $60 million write-off PC titles from Sony Online Entertainment.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony lumps hardware sales together in its financial reports, saying that the company shifted 14.6 million PS4's and PS3's over the last year. That's slightly down from the 16.5 million it recorded for its 2012 financial year, though back then Sony included the PlayStation 2 in the figure. Sony expects to sell a total of 17 million consoles over the next 12 months.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Portable consoles aren't doing so well, however. The Vita, Vita TV, and PSP dropped for 4.1 million overall sales this year, and that figure is expected to decline to 3.5 million sales over the next 12 months.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Software sales--the real prize for Sony, which makes a tidy profit from selling games--increased to 374 million for the year, up from 266 million the year before.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Looking forward, Kaz Hirai will reveal more about the Sony corporation's long-term strategies on May 22. Its gaming division will also have a big show planned for E3 2014, of course.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 04:27:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-sales-look-strong-but-sony-expects-to-make-another-loss-next-year/1100-6419620/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-expedition-dlc-will-be-released-for-xbox-one-and-pc-tomorrow-costs-10/1100-6419619/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmPYasVcJUI" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FzmPYasVcJUI%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DzmPYasVcJUI&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FzmPYasVcJUI%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">After <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-s-next-update-coming-soon-adds-loadout-private-match-options/1100-6419587/">talking about it in patch updates</a> and showing off a spangly video, Respawn Entertainment has said that the Expedition DLC for <a href="/titanfall/" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall</a> will be released on May 15 for Xbox One and PC. That's tomorrow!</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Expedition brings with it three new maps--Swampland, Runoff, and Wargames--and is being sold for $10. It's also included with the $25 Titanfall season pass.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Following Expedition, Respawn Entertainment will release two new map packs, and the developer has said it's also working on a free update that will bring new game modes.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">After all that, EA and Respawn Entertainment are showing no signs of slowing down on Titanfall: the publisher and developer have <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/more-titanfall-experiences-on-the-way-courtesy-of-ea/1100-6419467/">said they will release new Titanfall "experiences" in the future</a>. It looks like the space cannon that fires Titans down onto a planet's surface will be getting plenty of use in the future, then. </p><p style=""> </p> Wed, 14 May 2014 02:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-expedition-dlc-will-be-released-for-xbox-one-and-pc-tomorrow-costs-10/1100-6419619/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-not-dishing-out-any-freebies-to-those-who-bought-an-xbox-one-ahead-of-399-price-cut/1100-6419618/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418768" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418768/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">After <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/399-xbox-one-without-kinect-launching-in-june/1100-6419601/">dropping the price of the Xbox One to $399/£349</a>, Microsoft has said it has no plans to offer any compensation to those who paid full price for the machine when it launched back in November.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">No freebies, then, Microsoft? "No," explained a Microsoft spokesperson to <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-05-13-microsoft-wont-reward-early-xbox-one-adopters-following-Kinect-less-console" rel="nofollow">Eurogamer</a>. "As with many first generation products, the offerings can be expected to change and evolve over time."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Kinect remains an integral part of our vision. Xbox One is better with Kinect, making games, TV, and entertainment come alive with premium experiences."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">When Nintendo slashed the price of the 3DS shortly after launch, for instance, it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-extends-3ds-ambassador-program-deadline/1100-6328949/">offered up an ambassador program</a> that bolstered libraries with a slew of Virtual Console titles. There was no such offering when the Wii U price was reduced, however.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">When <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-talks-price-drop-says-e3-will-be-all-about-games/1100-6419604/">asked by GameSpot yesterday about the possibility of compensation for early Xbox One adopters</a>, Microsoft chief marketing and strategy officer Yusuf Mehdi said the company is instead looking to deliver extra value.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Part of what we're trying to do is really deliver value for those early purchasers," said Mehdi, "and that's part of what we're doing with some of the Games with Gold value offer that we've brought. One of the things that we did is we're bring an extra [free] game to Xbox 360. So we're always trying to reward our best fans with more services."</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 02:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-not-dishing-out-any-freebies-to-those-who-bought-an-xbox-one-ahead-of-399-price-cut/1100-6419618/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/is-an-xbox-one-without-kinect-a-good-idea-the-lobb/2300-6418793/ With Microsofts announcement of a cheaper, Kinect-less Xbox One, Justin, Danny and Chris talk about the online reaction and its repercussions. Tue, 13 May 2014 19:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/is-an-xbox-one-without-kinect-a-good-idea-the-lobb/2300-6418793/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/transistor-demo-with-greg-kasavin-the-lobby/2300-6418791/ Former GameSpot editor turned games developer Greg Kasavin demos Transistor a week ahead of release on PlayStation 4 and PC. Tue, 13 May 2014 19:40:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/transistor-demo-with-greg-kasavin-the-lobby/2300-6418791/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/thief-the-dark-project-is-still-fantastic-the-lobb/2300-6418790/ Greg Kasavin remembers the 1998 classic Thief: The Dark Project as part of GameSpot's Videogame History Month. Tue, 13 May 2014 18:05:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/thief-the-dark-project-is-still-fantastic-the-lobb/2300-6418790/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/toejam-earl-in-panic-on-funkotron-gameplay-multipl/2300-6418787/ Chris and Mary get funky with it by chucking jars as hard as they can at children and berating naked men in cardboard boxes as they play ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron for the Sega Genesis. Tue, 13 May 2014 17:52:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/toejam-earl-in-panic-on-funkotron-gameplay-multipl/2300-6418787/
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Wed, 14 May 2014 07:33:43 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/as-wii-u-struggles-nintendo-says-a-single-game-can-alter-the-fate-of-a-platform/1100-6419628/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528931-marionintendo1.png" data-ref-id="1300-2528931" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528931-marionintendo1.png" data-ref-id="1300-2528931"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2528931-marionintendo1.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Wii U may be <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-slow-to-a-crawl-as-nintendo-posts-457-million-loss/1100-6419475/" data-ref-id="1100-6419475">struggling at the moment</a>, but it's not the first Nintendo platform to come out of the gate slower than than expected. <a href="http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/140508qa/03.html" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Speaking with analysts</a> recently about the company's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-slow-to-a-crawl-as-nintendo-posts-457-million-loss/1100-6419475/" data-ref-id="1100-6419475">recent poor financial performance</a>, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata reminded people that the Game Boy also was a slow-starter before rising fast thanks to the release of a single title.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The fate of a video game system is often influenced greatly by the introduction of a single title. As many of you probably remember, before the release of the Pokémon game, Game Boy had been showing slow growth, and many people wondered whether it was the end of Game Boy," Iwata said. "But the Pokémon game singlehandedly changed the landscape of the system, which then started to show the strongest sales in the lifecycle of the system."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Some of the Wii U's upcoming marquee games include <a href="/mario-kart-8/" data-ref-id="false">Mario Kart 8</a> (May 30), <a href="/super-smash-bros-for-wii-u/" data-ref-id="false">Super Smash Bros.</a> (2014), and an all-new <a href="/the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u/" data-ref-id="false">Legend of Zelda </a>game, among others. These titles could be regarded as system-sellers, but the impact they have on the Wii U's overall prospects remains to be seen. Iwata also made clear that Nintendo isn't banking on the Wii U matching the sales of the original Wii, which is one of the best-selling home consoles of all time with <a href="http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/hard_soft/index.html" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">over 100 million units sold to date</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"As I explained back in January, it is true that we cannot draw up a good business plan for Wii U by assuming that Wii U will sell more than Wii did. Therefore, we will need to think very carefully about the balance of revenue and expenses and try to operate by controlling overall costs," Iwata said. "On the other hand, we do not believe that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-slow-to-a-crawl-as-nintendo-posts-457-million-loss/1100-6419475/" data-ref-id="1100-6419475">this year's estimate of 3.60 million units of Wii U hardware</a> will be the peak of its lifecycle, and we would like to work hard to make sure that we give sufficient momentum to the system so that we can expect good results in and after the next fiscal year, too. However, as for this fiscal year, as I explained before, the figures you see have been determined by rather conservative estimates."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also during his briefing with analysts, Iwata shed some light on Nintendo's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/could-nintendo-s-nfc-figurines-and-pokemon-save-the-wii-u/1100-6419544/" data-ref-id="1100-6419544">mysterious upcoming NFC initiative</a>. He said that though Activision (Skylanders) and Disney (Disney Infinity) have seen success in the toys-to-life market, Nintendo may take a different approach.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Our primary focus, however, is not to develop software that is compatible with figurines. Rather, we have been developing figurines since last year because we believe there may be different approaches or ways to appeal to consumers by using them, and this could also be one way for Nintendo to utilize its character IP," Iwata said.</p><p style="">Nintendo will share more details about its plans for the "toys-to-life" market <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-will-again-forgo-a-traditional-e3-press-conference/1100-6419283/" data-ref-id="1100-6419283">at E3 next month</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 07:11:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/as-wii-u-struggles-nintendo-says-a-single-game-can-alter-the-fate-of-a-platform/1100-6419628/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/harry-potter-spinoff-hits-theaters-nov-2016-but-what-about-the-games/1100-6419627/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528925-fantastic.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528925" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528925-fantastic.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528925"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2528925-fantastic.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Warner Bros. has announced (via <a href="http://variety.com/2014/film/news/harry-potter-spinoff-fantastic-beasts-to-hit-theaters-nov-18-2016-1201179553/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><em>Variety</em></a>) that the first of three movies in the Harry Potter spinoff trilogy, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will hit theaters on November 18, 2016.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling makes her screenwriting debut for the film, adapting Newt Scamander's fictional Hogwarts textbook of the same name for the movie. The book chronicles efforts made in the field of "Magizoology," that is, the study of magical creatures.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The film version of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/harry-potter-spin-off-films-will-get-game-adaptations/1100-6414377/" data-ref-id="1100-6414377">announced in September 2013</a>. Starting in New York 70 years before Harry Potter's story begins, it is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but rather an extension to the beloved magical world.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">There's no word yet on a director or cast for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">When the movie was announced in September, Warner Bros. also said that it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/harry-potter-spin-off-films-will-get-game-adaptations/1100-6414377/" data-ref-id="1100-6414377">would spin the movies into video games</a>. However, no mention was made of these video game tie-ins in this week's announcement. We're following up with Warner Bros. for more information.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Video games based on the popular Harry Potter films were developed and published by Electronic Arts. It is unclear if Warner Bros. will develop the new Fantastic Beasts games internally through its Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment label or license them out.</p><p style="">The most recent Harry Potter game was 2012's Kinect-required <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/harry-potter-for-kinect/">Harry Potter for Kinect</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 06:38:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/harry-potter-spinoff-hits-theaters-nov-2016-but-what-about-the-games/1100-6419627/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/humble-bundle-offering-daily-bundles-for-the-next-two-weeks-first-includes-saints-row-and-dead-island/1100-6419626/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2528915-4853251374-cast..jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528915" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2528915-4853251374-cast..jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528915"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2528915-4853251374-cast..jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Friendly good-cause-loving games shop Humble is offering up a series of daily bundles for the next two weeks: <a href="https://www.humblebundle.com/" rel="nofollow">the Humble Daily Bundle</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The first pack, which is available for the next five hours, gives punters another chance to pick up the previous Deep Silver bundle, which lets you pay what you want for copies of <a href="/saints-row-the-third/" data-ref-id="false">Saints Row: The Third</a>, <a href="/saints-row-2/" data-ref-id="false">Saints Row 2</a>, <a href="/risen-2-dark-waters/" data-ref-id="false">Risen 2: Dark Waters</a>, and <a href="/sacred-2-gold-edition/" data-ref-id="false">Sacred 2: Gold Edition</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Pay more than the average, $6.30 at time of writing, and you'll also get <a href="/metro-2033/" data-ref-id="false">Metro 2033</a>, Dead Island: Game of the Year Edition, all the DLC for Saints Row: The Third, <a href="/sacred-citadel/" data-ref-id="false">Sacred Citadel</a>, and the original <a href="/risen/" data-ref-id="false">Risen</a>. Chip in more than $9 for a copy of <a href="/dead-island-riptide/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Island: Riptide</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As always with the Humble Bundle, buyers decide how much of their money goes to developers, the Humble team, or charity.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gog-s-spring-insomnia-sale-requires-that-you-act-fast/1100-6419583/">GOG.com is also offering a spring sale of its own</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 06:18:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/humble-bundle-offering-daily-bundles-for-the-next-two-weeks-first-includes-saints-row-and-dead-island/1100-6419626/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-majority-of-core-gamers-in-the-us-prefer-discs-over-digital/1100-6419625/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528912-gamestopstoreline.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528912" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528912-gamestopstoreline.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528912"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2528912-gamestopstoreline.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The majority of core gamers in the United States prefer to buy their games on physical discs rather than digitally, according to a new study from research firm the NPD Group. When pricing is the same, 74 percent of respondents said they would opt for a physical disc over a download. Though physical media still reigns king for core gamers, a preference for digital is growing, up 5 percentage points compared to last year, the NPD Group said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also in the report, titled <em>Core Gaming 2014</em>, the NPD Group found that there are 34 million core gamers total in the United States. These gamers spend an average of 22 hours per week playing video games, the report found.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The NPD Group defines core gamers are those people who play games for at least five hours per week on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC, or Mac. In a statement, NPD Group analyst Liam Callahan said he expects the average time spent playing games will only increase as a result of the launch of the Xbox One and PS4 console generation.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Core gamers are really the lifeblood of the industry, spending tremendous amounts of time on their hobby of choice," Callahan said. "With the new console generation off to a great start, we can expect the amount of time spent gaming to increase as more core gamers adopt them."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Of the 34 million core gamers in the US, around two-thirds (22.6 million), said they also play games for smartphones and other mobile devices. Core gamers are also big fans of multiplayer games, the report found, noting that around 70 percent of core gamers play multiplayer titles regularly or occasionally.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Core gamers are an important part of the games industry and understanding their behavior is critical to anyone invested in the games space--especially considering the launch of the new consoles and the continued evolution of digital gaming," Callahan said.</p><p style=""><em>If pricing is the same, would you opt for the physical or digital version of a game? Let us know in the comments below!</em></p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 06:03:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-majority-of-core-gamers-in-the-us-prefer-discs-over-digital/1100-6419625/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/first-image-of-battlefield-4-s-dragon-s-teeth-dlc-revealed-what-do-you-think/1100-6419624/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528906-dragons.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528906" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528906-dragons.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528906"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2528906-dragons.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Electronic Arts has released the first image of <a href="/battlefield-4/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield 4</a>'s upcoming expansion, Dragon's Teeth, and teased that we'll get to see the content in action sometime later this week. The information comes by way of EA marketing man Dan Sheridan, who <a href="https://twitter.com/EA_ActionMan/status/466506647981268992" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">shared the details earlier today through Twitter</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="html"><script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async=""></script></div><p dir="ltr" style="">As you can see in the image above, Dragon's Teeth will bring a new two-handed ballistic shield to Battlefield 4. New maps and weapons are also likely to be found in the expansion.</p><p style="">Dragon's Teeth is the fourth of five planned expansions for Battlefield 4. It follows China Rising, Second Assault, and Naval Strike, and is preceded by the aptly named Final Stand.</p><p style="">Despite some technical issues at launch, Battlefield 4 has become "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-defends-rocky-battlefield-4-launch/1100-6417666/" data-ref-id="1100-6417666">exceedingly successful</a>" in terms of sales and gameplay, according to EA.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 05:40:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/first-image-of-battlefield-4-s-dragon-s-teeth-dlc-revealed-what-do-you-think/1100-6419624/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-ships-9-million-units-bioshock-infinite-climbs-to-6-million/1100-6419623/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2404409-bl2_hh3_mercenary_snowmanbossfight.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2404409" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2404409-bl2_hh3_mercenary_snowmanbossfight.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2404409"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1197/11970954/2404409-bl2_hh3_mercenary_snowmanbossfight.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Borderlands 2, the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-is-now-the-best-selling-game-in-2k-s-history/1100-6418865/" data-ref-id="1100-6418865">best-selling game in the history of 2K Games</a>, has now shipped 9 million units since its release in September 2012. That was just one of the new shipment figures publisher Take-Two Interactive announced during yesterday's post-earnings financial call.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Below is a roundup of the new shipment figures Take-Two disclosed for its games. Of note, Take-Two didn't say how many copies were actually sold through to consumers.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="/grand-theft-auto-v/" data-ref-id="false">Grand Theft Auto V</a> - 33 million</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/borderlands-2/" data-ref-id="false">Borderlands 2</a> - 9 million</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/nba-2k14/" data-ref-id="false">NBA 2K14 </a>- 6.5 million</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/bioshock-infinite/" data-ref-id="false">BioShock Infinite</a> - 6 million</li><li><a href="/sid-meiers-civilization-v/" data-ref-id="false">Civilization V</a> - 5 million</li></ul><p style="">Any surprises?</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 05:19:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-ships-9-million-units-bioshock-infinite-climbs-to-6-million/1100-6419623/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-is-the-ps4-outselling-the-xbox-one-microsoft-weighs-in/1100-6419622/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528902-xb1ps4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528902" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528902-xb1ps4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528902"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2528902-xb1ps4.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">With more than <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-reports-7-million-playstation-4-consoles-sold-worldwide/1100-6419044/" data-ref-id="1100-6419044">7 million units sold to date</a>, Sony's PlayStation 4 is the top-selling new console, ahead of Microsoft's Xbox One, which has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-is-top-selling-console-for-third-straight-month-according-to-march-npd/1100-6419067/" data-ref-id="1100-6419067">shipped (not sold) 5 million units to date</a>. In an interview with <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/05/13/microsofts-yusuf-mehdi-explains-the-xbox-ones-split-with-kinect-2/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><em>Forbes</em></a>, Microsoft chief marketing and strategy officer Yusuf Mehdi laid out some reasons why his console is lagging behind, at least right now.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's hard to really assess the gap in sales," Mehdi said. "[Sony is] in many more markets right now than we are. They're in 40+ markets, we're in 13." The PS4 won't have a such a dramatic regional availability advantage for much longer, as the Xbox One will be released in<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-will-reach-japan-and-the-rest-of-europe-in-september-2014/1100-6418375/" data-ref-id="1100-6418375"> Japan and 25 other regions in September</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another reason why the Xbox One has fallen behind the PS4 in terms of sales so far is because, according to Mehdi, Xbox 360 owners enjoy their systems more than PlayStation 3 owners do, so they are less inclined to upgrade.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"People have been more satisfied with the Xbox 360 than the PS3, so in that respect people have less of a need to upgrade in the short-term due to regular updates for the Xbox 360," Mehdi said. "We could point to any number of things."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Addressing the impact the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-price-drop-how-will-this-affect-the-console-war/1100-6419613/" data-ref-id="1100-6419613">Xbox One's new $399 price point </a>could have on the platform's viability going forward, Mehdi said the new price "broadens the appeal and hopefully brings more people to Xbox One sooner." He acknowledged that the original $499 price point was too steep an asking price for some gamers.</p><p style="">For more on this week's major Microsoft news, be sure to read <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-price-drop-how-will-this-affect-the-console-war/1100-6419613/" data-ref-id="1100-6419613">GameSpot's staff editorial about how the Xbox One's new $399 price point will affect the ongoing console war</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 05:02:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-is-the-ps4-outselling-the-xbox-one-microsoft-weighs-in/1100-6419622/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/1080p-dropping-kinect-could-lead-to-xbox-one-performance-boost/1100-6419621/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528892-399xbox.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528892" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2528892-399xbox.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528892"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2528892-399xbox.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-talks-price-drop-says-e3-will-be-all-about-games/1100-6419604/" data-ref-id="1100-6419604">Dropping Kinect from the Xbox One</a> was good news for fans who wanted a less expensive model to purchase, but Microsoft's decision to make the camera optional could have other benefits as well. Microsoft representatives said in media interviews this week that removing Kinect from the bundle could free up processing power that could in turn lead to increased graphical performance.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We are in discussions with our game publishers about what we might do in this space and we will have more to talk about soon," Microsoft executive Yusuf Mehdi told <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/5/13/5713874/more-powerful-xbox-one-kinect" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Polygon</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">For the current $499 Xbox One, some portion of the system's processing power is dedicated to Kinect. A <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-microsoft-to-unlock-more-gpu-power-for-xbox-one-developers" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">report from Digital Foundry </a>concluded that the Xbox One reserves 10 percent of its total graphics resources for Kinect and app functionality. In an <a href="http://kotaku.com/kinect-cut-could-lead-to-two-interesting-xbox-one-devel-1575767624?utm_campaign=Socialflow_Kotaku_Facebook&utm_source=Kotaku_Facebook&utm_medium=Socialflow" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">interview with Kotaku</a>, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer said developers have told him they want to squeeze as most juice out of the console as possible, and the new Kinect-free Xbox One could be a way to do so.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I know that developers want to get every bit of functionality out of the box that they can," Spencer said. "In conversations I'm having with our partners, that's something that's come up. We need to land the right plan there so that we've ticked off all the boxes to make sure we understand all of the long-term ramifications, but you bring up an idea and a workstream that we're focused on that makes a ton of sense. It's just about when we're ready to make those kinds of calls."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It remains to be see how Microsoft's engineers would go about such a measure, or what it would mean for the existing $499 model, which <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-talks-price-drop-says-e3-will-be-all-about-games/1100-6419604/" data-ref-id="1100-6419604">Microsoft will continue to sell</a>.</p><p style="">A boost in system performance would help lessen the perception that the Xbox One is a technically inferior console compared to the rival PlayStation 4. Right now, it's not uncommon for Xbox One versions of multiplatform games to run at a lower resolution compared to the PS4 version. Just yesterday, Ubisoft confirmed that the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-runs-at-900p-on-ps4-792p-on-xbox-one/1100-6419607/" data-ref-id="1100-6419607">PS4 version of Watch Dogs would run at a higher resolution than the Xbox One version</a>, and that's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/infinity-ward-cod-ghosts-is-720p-on-xbox-one-1080p-on-ps4/1100-6415873/" data-ref-id="1100-6415873">hardly the first example</a>.</p><p style="">The new <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-talks-price-drop-says-e3-will-be-all-about-games/1100-6419604/" data-ref-id="1100-6419604">$399 Xbox One</a> goes on sale June 9--the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-s-e3-briefing-takes-place-june-9-what-are-you-hoping-is-announced/1100-6419449/" data-ref-id="1100-6419449">same day as Microsoft's E3 2014 press conference</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 04:32:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/1080p-dropping-kinect-could-lead-to-xbox-one-performance-boost/1100-6419621/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-sales-look-strong-but-sony-expects-to-make-another-loss-next-year/1100-6419620/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2528891-8057789076-23746.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528891" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2528891-8057789076-23746.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2528891"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2528891-8057789076-23746.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sony CEO Kaz Hirai has put on his bravest face to report the company's annual financials, announcing a $1.26 billion overall loss despite a sales increase of 14.3 percent. In all, Sony corporation made $76 billion from sales.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The results were as expected, and Sony is weathering the storm right now--it's in a period of transition, having sold off its Vaio laptop division and giving its TV people their own department.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">All that work is still ongoing, too, and Sony has already warned its investors that it expects another net loss of $490m over the next 12 months. I imagine there's a lot of people with a lot of money hoping that will be the end of all the sad times as Sony, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-ceo-to-take-up-to-a-50-percent-pay-cut/1100-6419595/" data-ref-id="1100-6419595">with the executive team forgoing their bonuses for the year</a>. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">But things are certainly looking strong for the PlayStation team. All in all, sales across the gaming division were up 38.5 percent, raking in a whopping $9.5 billion for the company. All that money couldn't help the gaming division shake off an operating loss of $79 million, however, which the company attributed to both the cost of launching the PlayStation 4, as well as a $60 million write-off PC titles from Sony Online Entertainment.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony lumps hardware sales together in its financial reports, saying that the company shifted 14.6 million PS4's and PS3's over the last year. That's slightly down from the 16.5 million it recorded for its 2012 financial year, though back then Sony included the PlayStation 2 in the figure. Sony expects to sell a total of 17 million consoles over the next 12 months.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Portable consoles aren't doing so well, however. The Vita, Vita TV, and PSP dropped for 4.1 million overall sales this year, and that figure is expected to decline to 3.5 million sales over the next 12 months.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Software sales--the real prize for Sony, which makes a tidy profit from selling games--increased to 374 million for the year, up from 266 million the year before.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Looking forward, Kaz Hirai will reveal more about the Sony corporation's long-term strategies on May 22. Its gaming division will also have a big show planned for E3 2014, of course.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 04:27:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-sales-look-strong-but-sony-expects-to-make-another-loss-next-year/1100-6419620/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-expedition-dlc-will-be-released-for-xbox-one-and-pc-tomorrow-costs-10/1100-6419619/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmPYasVcJUI" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FzmPYasVcJUI%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DzmPYasVcJUI&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FzmPYasVcJUI%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">After <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-s-next-update-coming-soon-adds-loadout-private-match-options/1100-6419587/">talking about it in patch updates</a> and showing off a spangly video, Respawn Entertainment has said that the Expedition DLC for <a href="/titanfall/" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall</a> will be released on May 15 for Xbox One and PC. That's tomorrow!</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Expedition brings with it three new maps--Swampland, Runoff, and Wargames--and is being sold for $10. It's also included with the $25 Titanfall season pass.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Following Expedition, Respawn Entertainment will release two new map packs, and the developer has said it's also working on a free update that will bring new game modes.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">After all that, EA and Respawn Entertainment are showing no signs of slowing down on Titanfall: the publisher and developer have <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/more-titanfall-experiences-on-the-way-courtesy-of-ea/1100-6419467/">said they will release new Titanfall "experiences" in the future</a>. It looks like the space cannon that fires Titans down onto a planet's surface will be getting plenty of use in the future, then. </p><p style=""> </p> Wed, 14 May 2014 02:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/titanfall-expedition-dlc-will-be-released-for-xbox-one-and-pc-tomorrow-costs-10/1100-6419619/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-not-dishing-out-any-freebies-to-those-who-bought-an-xbox-one-ahead-of-399-price-cut/1100-6419618/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418768" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418768/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">After <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/399-xbox-one-without-kinect-launching-in-june/1100-6419601/">dropping the price of the Xbox One to $399/£349</a>, Microsoft has said it has no plans to offer any compensation to those who paid full price for the machine when it launched back in November.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">No freebies, then, Microsoft? "No," explained a Microsoft spokesperson to <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-05-13-microsoft-wont-reward-early-xbox-one-adopters-following-Kinect-less-console" rel="nofollow">Eurogamer</a>. "As with many first generation products, the offerings can be expected to change and evolve over time."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Kinect remains an integral part of our vision. Xbox One is better with Kinect, making games, TV, and entertainment come alive with premium experiences."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">When Nintendo slashed the price of the 3DS shortly after launch, for instance, it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-extends-3ds-ambassador-program-deadline/1100-6328949/">offered up an ambassador program</a> that bolstered libraries with a slew of Virtual Console titles. There was no such offering when the Wii U price was reduced, however.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">When <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-talks-price-drop-says-e3-will-be-all-about-games/1100-6419604/">asked by GameSpot yesterday about the possibility of compensation for early Xbox One adopters</a>, Microsoft chief marketing and strategy officer Yusuf Mehdi said the company is instead looking to deliver extra value.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Part of what we're trying to do is really deliver value for those early purchasers," said Mehdi, "and that's part of what we're doing with some of the Games with Gold value offer that we've brought. One of the things that we did is we're bring an extra [free] game to Xbox 360. So we're always trying to reward our best fans with more services."</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 14 May 2014 02:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-not-dishing-out-any-freebies-to-those-who-bought-an-xbox-one-ahead-of-399-price-cut/1100-6419618/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/is-an-xbox-one-without-kinect-a-good-idea-the-lobb/2300-6418793/ With Microsofts announcement of a cheaper, Kinect-less Xbox One, Justin, Danny and Chris talk about the online reaction and its repercussions. Tue, 13 May 2014 19:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/is-an-xbox-one-without-kinect-a-good-idea-the-lobb/2300-6418793/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/transistor-demo-with-greg-kasavin-the-lobby/2300-6418791/ Former GameSpot editor turned games developer Greg Kasavin demos Transistor a week ahead of release on PlayStation 4 and PC. Tue, 13 May 2014 19:40:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/transistor-demo-with-greg-kasavin-the-lobby/2300-6418791/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/thief-the-dark-project-is-still-fantastic-the-lobb/2300-6418790/ Greg Kasavin remembers the 1998 classic Thief: The Dark Project as part of GameSpot's Videogame History Month. Tue, 13 May 2014 18:05:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/thief-the-dark-project-is-still-fantastic-the-lobb/2300-6418790/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/toejam-earl-in-panic-on-funkotron-gameplay-multipl/2300-6418787/ Chris and Mary get funky with it by chucking jars as hard as they can at children and berating naked men in cardboard boxes as they play ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron for the Sega Genesis. Tue, 13 May 2014 17:52:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/toejam-earl-in-panic-on-funkotron-gameplay-multipl/2300-6418787/
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