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Sony's much-anticipated game streaming service, PlayStation Now, is now available through a public beta in the United States and Canada for the PlayStation 4. The service has been in closed beta since January, and will come to other platforms and regions sometime in the future.
To help get you up to speed on everything the PlayStation Now beta has to offer, Sony released a walkthrough video featuring commentary from Jack Buser, who is senior director for the service. More than 100 games are available through PlayStation Now currently, and you can rent them for a variety of durations (as short as four hours) and for a range of prices (as low as $1.99).
If you rent a game and then want to purchase the full product later on, your progress will be saved through Sony's cloud servers, allowing you to pick up where you left off.
The first thing you'll want to do when you fire up the PlayStation Now beta (available in the PlayStation Store on PS4) is access the "Connection Test." This will determine if your broadband connection is beefy enough to run PlayStation Now and get good results. Sony recommends at least a 5Mbps connection for an optimal experience on PlayStation Now.
PlayStation Now supports both wired and wireless connection types, but Buser says a wired connection is preferable because it is often more stable than wireless.
In addition, Buser stressed that the PlayStation Now beta you see today is just that, a beta. It's "early days," he says, adding that it is important that users share feedback with Sony so they can make the product better in the long run. "We're going to be listening closely to what the gamers tell us, and [PlayStation Now] will evolve over time."
Though you will only find a la carte rental options on PlayStation Now today, Buser reiterated that Sony is planning to offer a Netflix-style subscription plan sometime in the future. "It's definitely something [that's] in the works. So stay tuned for that," he said.
For more on PlayStation Now, check out GameSpot's in-depth interview with Sony about the streaming service.
Ubisoft's record-breaking and critically acclaimed open-world game Watch Dogs could be trekking to New Jersey for a future expansion, according to new details posted to the game's official Twitter account.
Ubisoft tweeted, "Our data indicates surveillance has become more prominent in high-crime areas." Included with this tweet was an image that reads, "The city of Camden, New Jersey had the highest crime rate in the US in 2012. A 24/7 surveillance program is now in effect."
A Watch Dogs fan responded to this tweet by asking if it was in reference to a downloadable expansion for the game. The Watch Dogs account replied by saying, "coming this fall!"
A 2012 study that used crime data from the FBI named Camden the most violent city in the United States with a population of more than 75,000.
The $20 Watch Dogs DLC pass includes new single-player content that has you playing as a character named T-Bone, a man described as a "brilliant but eccentric hacker who lives by his own rules."
Watch Dogs launched in May for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. A Wii U version is currently in development and is scheduled to launch sometime this fall.
Microsoft today issued a wide-ranging Xbox Live "service alert" for Xbox 360 and Xbox One. According to a post on the official Xbox Live Service Status page, the affected services on both platforms are extensive and affect the following:
In addition, Microsoft says there is an issue affecting the Xbox 360 right now where the console is "getting stuck on a black screen" when attempting to launch games or apps. "Hang in there!" Microsoft says, noting it is investigating all issues currently and will share an update regarding the status of these affected services as soon as they can.
"Thanks for your patience during this time," Microsoft said.
Are you experiencing any of the issues for Xbox 360 and Xbox One mentioned in this post? Let us know in the comments below!
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Last week, the Humble Square Enix Bundle went live, allowing you to pay low prices for several Square Enix games like Hitman: Absolution, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and Just Cause 2. Now, Humble Bundle has continued to discount the publisher's catalogue, adding more games to the bundle and putting many more games on sale in the Humble Store.
First, four more games are now available in the Humble Bundle if you pay more than the average price, which is $8.67 at the time of this writing. You'll now receive Hitman: Blood Money, Hitman: Contracts, the original Just Cause, and The Last Remnant in addition to the other games. If you've already purchased the bundle for more than the average, you can log into Humble Bundle and download these games for no additional cost.
Next, the Humble Store has put several more Square Enix games on sale. You can check out some of the highlights below.
You can find the all of the games on sale at the Humble Store here. Both the Humble Bundle and the Humble Store sale end next Tuesday. 10 percent of proceeds from Humble Store sales go to several charities, and Humble Bundle sales support the Make-A-Wish Foundation and GamesAid.
Which games interest you? Let us know in the comments.
| Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @alexbnewhouse |
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| Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com |
GameSpot's early access reviews evaluate unfinished games that are nonetheless available for purchase by the public. While the games in question are not considered finished by their creators, you may still devote money, time, and bandwidth for the privilege of playing them before they are complete. The review below critiques a work in progress, and represents a snapshot of the game at the time of the review's publication.
The only feature of the Gettysburg landscape I can still summon up from a childhood full of educational...let's call them "vacations," no longer actually exists, as I recently learned. The controversial Gettysburg National Tower, an observation deck that once loomed over the battlefields from a neighboring property, was demolished back in 2000, after the Park Service's domain was able to get a few hundred feet more eminent. I gather they made quite a thing of it: detonating the giant tower along to simulated cannon fire on the anniversary of the battle. You can watch it on YouTube.
"It's the only vantage point to see the entire spectrum of the battlefield," the lawyer for the tower's controlling group had argued at the time. I can appreciate the sense of that, playing Ultimate General: Gettysburg. The strategy game takes in the hilly Pennsylvania scenery at a similar remove, top-down and distant. From this tactician's view, fields and farmlands become striated earth tones, and forests are reduced to tufted copses of green lint. Tin soldier troops cluster together into rectangles not unlike the red and blue pictograms I recall of Ken Burns' The Civil War, crenelating hilltops and cascading downfield like Tetris pieces.
The paucity of menus allows you to focus on the action. This Gettysburg has the look of a modeler's diorama, which seems more than appropriate, given the way the battlefield's little promontories and valleys have been rendered into fetish objects over the last century and a half, to be turned over and over in the hands and imaginations of historical enthusiasts. Their storied names--Cemetery Ridge, the Peach Orchard, Devil's Den--are raised up in embossed arcs, a loving cartographic detail that extends out to the decorative inlays of the board that frames the game space. To better simulate the strategic importance of these locations, their successful seizure and control accrues "victory points" for your chosen side of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Ultimate General: Gettysburg certainly does have the feel of a board game, albeit one whose pieces are perpetually churning in their own independent motions. It has that armchair general appeal, I think, of tilting the board over and clearing the space for some new permutation: What if the Union overextended itself in the northwest ridges this time? What if Pickett never charged? It's a simple enough matter to draft new renditions of the historic battle; simply trace a path across the terrain, and your units will follow it faithfully, trading fire with whatever force you direct them toward. The action imbues the game with a wonderful tactility. It makes me feel like Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones, sliding figurines across a map with grim purpose. I want to lecture at Nikolaj Coster-Waldau about the importance of family legacy while skinning a deer.
I muck it up almost immediately, though, the temptation to draw my units into elaborate figures overwhelming comparatively basic strategic needs. I keep forgetting that this is the Civil War, and all the Napoleonic feints and swooping cavalry charges I conjure aren't going to win the day here. Thankfully, there were three days in the whole Gettysburg affair, and Ultimate General uses sundown as a convenient intercession point to step in and clean up whatever mess I've inevitably made of the battlefield. It's here where the importance of position makes itself known: even an early string of conquests can prove ultimately damaging, should they result in you starting the next day on untenable ground, far beyond the reach of reinforcements.
The ability to draw your own maneuvers feels revelatory, but a bit limited by the era. That's spoken from experience, of course. I'm no ultimate general. I tend to go inattentive to whole swaths of my formation for minutes at a time, if I'm being pressed hard on another front, or there's an especially good episode of House Hunters International on. But the clever artificial intelligence manages well enough on its own, and it's mesmerizing to find my troops drawing back, resolving themselves into a respectable interpretation of a defensive perimeter, and returning fire.
Sometimes though, I'm far too late, and when I finally cast my eyes toward my units, they've turned tail and fled wholesale. They're unclickable when they do so, and remain that way until they've reached some distance from the front lines they feel more personally comfortable with. In one catastrophic instance, a brigade of mine fighting perpendicular to the grain of battle was driven thusly back--straight through the crossfire in the no-man's-land between the two larger armies. It may not surprise you to hear that this had consequences on morale.
Morale, Ultimate General argues, must be maintained above all else. It's fragile: it wavers under artillery fire, and it falters at the sight of an enemy charge. It rebounds slowly, behind the reassuring cover of fences and trees, or under a general's calming stewardship. It's one of the few facets of battle the otherwise minimalistic interface stoops to representing with a hard number, though even that's hardly necessary. You can feel morale shifting behind the battle lines' ebb and flow, sense the hesitation in a decimated unit when you try to usher it back into the line of fire.
Battles hinge on your units' ability to endure. There are no routs in Ultimate General: Gettysburg. Even in the most lopsided victories the game can muster, tens of thousands lie dead for both Union and Confederacy. Absent options to mitigate all that death, I find myself nursing egos instead: fretting over exposed brigades, marveling at units asked to endure attack after attack, and pitying those who have clearly endured too much. There's a wonderful granularity to that sort of empathy, something that isn't normally legible from this high up, from this long passed.
| What's There? | A variable, single-player Gettysburg scenario that spans the battle's three days, changing based on control of the field. |
| What's To Come? | Multiplayer, along with additional weekly patches that continue to tweak balance and add cosmetic features. |
| What Does it Cost? | $9.99 during early access, with the price expected to rise at full release. |
| When Will it Be Finished? | Late summer. |
| What's the Verdict? | Ultimate General: Gettysburg's early access status shouldn't deter anyone from its balanced, expressive take on warfare. Its stripped-down interface and slightly ponderous pace direct your focus to where it's best served: on terrain, tactics, and morale. |
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SubscribeKonami today announced its Gamescom 2014 lineup, saying it will showcase "major advances" to open-world action game Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and professional soccer title PES 2015 during the massive public show in August.
According to Konami, both games "perfectly demonstrate the versatility and power of Kojima Productions' FOX Engine, while delivering a new experience in visual quality and the power of the new wave of console systems."
For Metal Gear Solid V specifically, Konami says Gamescom attendees will have a chance to see the "sheer scale and ambition" of the game. The game's open world--powered by the FOX Engine--has allowed series creator Hideo Kojima to "realize the scale and story he has always envisaged," Konami says.
The publisher will reveal "new details" about Metal Gear Solid V during Gamescom, which Konami believes will convince you that the game is the "most extensive and ambitious Metal Gear Solid ever." The game is coming to Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4, though no release date whatsoever for the game has been announced.
As for PES 2015, Konami will bring a playable version of the game to show, marking the title's first appearance at a major public event.
If you're attending Gamescom 2014, you can visit Konami's booth in hall 7.1 A030/A031. GameSpot will be on the ground at Gamescom this year, bringing you all the news as it happens.
Gamescom 2014 takes place in Cologne, Germany August 14-17. You can buy tickets to the show at the event's website today.
During a special live stage performance of The Last of Us last night, developer Naughty Dog revealed a secret epilogue scene from the acclaimed action game. The scene, which takes place sometime after the events of the main game, was performed live by main actors Troy Baker (Joel) and Ashley Johnson (Ellie).
Attendees of the event documented the scene in a thread on NeoGAF. According to those in attendance, The Last of Us creative director Neil Druckmann requested that no one film the scene, adding that Naughty Dog has no plans to release the scene at any point in the future.
SPOILERS AHEAD
According to those in attendance, the Last of Us epilogue scene was written as a "goodbye" to Joel and Ellie, and takes place at the Tommy dam after the events of the main game (maybe four years). Joel meets Ellie there and she acts somewhat "distant" and unattached until Joel pulls out a guitar and sings a song for her (Baker reportedly performed this live in Joel's voice). Joel then shares a joke with Ellie and the two enjoy a laugh together, alleviating the tension.
Interestingly, this scene reminds us of the "fan art" that The Last of Us artist Mark Okon released in May that showed Ellie playing a guitar by herself. Is it a tease for The Last of Us 2? There is no way to know for sure, but it's an interesting development all the same.
Naughty Dog said earlier this year that there is a 50/50 shot that the studio will make a sequel to the game. A movie based on The Last of Us is also in the works. Druckmann is writing the script, and it's possible that Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams (Arya Stark on the show) could play Ellie.
The Last of Us Remastered, the PlayStation 4 version of the 2013 PS3 game, is available today. For more, check out GameSpot's review and what other critics are saying.
Video game retailer GameStop is currently is holding a summer sale with some decent discounts which looks set to end around 8/17.
After digging around, the best deal on an individual game is the Mass Effect Trilogy as a PC download for $10. Note that this version of the game requires Origin to download and play.
If you're looking to build a console bundle starting with a use system, you can get some pretty decent deals. The best bundles include:
You can also put together your own used console bundle and choose your own games through the GameSpot deal site, but then you're limited to two free video game add-ons.
Any great deals you've found in the sale? Let us know in the comments below!
Despite some advances to the contrary, PC gaming is still the domain of the big boxy tower. But while there's no doubt that having a wall socket nearby has made for some impressively powerful graphics cards, Nvidia's having a bash at bringing over some of that PC power to the tablet domain with the Shield Tablet and the Shield Controller, the sequel to the quirky mash-up of gaming controller and LCD screen that was the Shield Portable (which remains on sale in the US). Powered by Nvidia's Tegra K1 chip--which features desktop-class graphics in the form of a Kepler-based GPU--the Shield Tablet may well be an early glimpse at the future of gaming; the idea of having just one device to idea surf, and email, and work, and game whether at home or on the go is certainly an enticing one. But, as neat as that concept is, and despite some successes, the tech isn't quite there to pull it off just yet.
On paper at least, the tech is impressive. Shield Tablet is based on Nvidia's 32-bit Tegra K1 chip, which features a Kepler-based GPU with 192 CUDA cores that supports OpenGL 4.4 and the DX12 API. In theory, this means PC developers should find it easier to port their games over to Android, with Epic having already unveiled a version of Unreal Engine 4 running on the chip. On the CPU side, a quad core Arm Cortex A15 processor clocked at 2.2GHz powers the Shield Tablet. That's actually the same quad core processor as used in the original Shield Portable, albeit at a higher clock speed. While the A15 is a powerful chip, it's slightly disappointing not to see something more modern here. Nvidia has already talked about the flagship 64-bit version of Tegra K1, which features the company's Project Denver CPU, a powerful chip first based on 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture.
The K1 is backed up by 2GB of RAM, which makes for zippy performance across the board; the Shield Tablet churns through pretty much any task you throw at it, which makes navigating through the largely stock version of Android 4.4.3 it ships with a pleasure. There's 16GB of internal storage, the much-appreciated inclusion of a Micro SD slot for up to 128GB of storage expansion, a 5MP front-facing camera as well as a 5MP autofocus rear camera, a non-active stylus based on Nvidia's DirectStylus 2 technology, front-facing stereo speakers, a 19.75 Watt hour battery, mini HDMI out, and an 8-inch, 1920x1200 pixel display.
Some might be disappointed not to see a higher DPI display here--such as the one featured on the iPad Mini--but the Shield Tablet's IPS display is lovely and clear, and has great viewing angles. You might run into some visibility issues if you're using the tablet outdoors in blazing sunlight, but otherwise the display is plenty bright. The lower DPI count is also better for running games, the more taxing of which stress the GPU at 1920x1200, never mind anything higher.
The display also makes a lot more sense when you see the price: at just $299/£229 for a 16GB Wifi version, or $399/£299 for a 32GB version with 4G, the Shield Tablet is definitely at the cheaper end of performance tablets, and it compares favourably with the likes of the Nexus 7, particularly because it's running a mostly stock version of Android. I'd happily pay the extra few bucks for the Shield Tablet; it's simply a better, more well-specced device.
I wouldn't say the same about the Shield Controller, though. While you can use any Bluetooth controller you like with the Shield Tablet, a lot of its features are built with the Shield Controller in mind. Unfortunately, it's an $59/£49 on top of the tablet asking price, and when you add in the cost of the kickstand case at $39--which is basically a necessity if you plan on gaming with the controller on the go--you're looking at almost an extra $100 on top of the tablet price to get the full Shield Tablet experience. Sadly, Nvidia isn't offering any bundles, which is a missed opportunity to get people into the tablet-gaming fold.
The Shield Controller features the usual array of analogue sticks and buttons that you'd find on an Xbox or PlayStation controller, as well as some Android-specific buttons, including home, back, and volume, as well as a small touch pad at the bottom of the pad for controlling a mouse cursor. There's a headphone jack up top for streaming game audio, or adding a headset for voice chat, and up to four controllers can be paired with the Shield Tablet. On the whole, the controller works well, with its proprietary WiFi connection remaining stable throughout. Nvidia claims the WiFi connection results in 2X less latency than Bluetooth, and while I can't definitively say that's the case, I certainly didn't notice any lag while playing games.
The problem with the Shield Controller is that it looks cheap, like one of those flimsy third-party Datel controllers you used to get laden with at birthdays from a well-meaning Aunt. There's nothing about it that screams premium gaming controller in the same way that a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controller does, and considering it's the same price as those controllers, that's disappointing. The plastic feels cheap, the D pad and shoulder buttons are mushy under the fingers and thumbs, and the controller is on the large side, so those with smaller hands might find it a little uncomfortable to hold. I also found the touch-sensitive Android buttons to be a bit too sensitive, and I often found myself accidentally activating the back button while playing a game. As you can image, that got irritating rather quickly.
I'm a much bigger fan of the design of the Shield Tablet itself. It might be a little bit thicker than some tablets at 9.2mm, but it feels solidly built, with a reassuring plastic construction and 390g weight that's not too heavy for one-handed use. It's an understated design, with a plain, matte black finish and a sole bit of branding coming from the embossed Shield logo on the back. The only bit of bling comes from the plastic chamfered edges around the display, which look great alongside the otherwise less ostentatious touches. The headphone jack, micro USB, and mini HDMI ports are neatly positioned at the top of the device, while the power, volume, micro SD slot, and stylus slot are easily accessible along the left side. My only real gripe with the design of the Shield Tablet is the thickness of the bezels around the screen, which are a tad wide by today's standards.
That's a small trade-off for what is a great tablet for the price. Indeed, even if you ignore any of the Shield Tablet's gaming-specific features like Twitch.tv streaming, or Gamestream for streaming PC games to your tablet, I'd throughly recommend the Shield Tablet as a great, everyday device. The gaming features are simply a nice bonus, which is good, because they don't always work exactly as advertised.
Nvidia Shield (left) next to an iPad Mini (right). But let's start with the good stuff. With the Tegra K1 chip on board, the Shield Tablet flies through Android. Apps load quickly, scrolling is buttery smooth, and video streaming with the likes of Netflix is stutter-free. 3D games like Modern Combat 5 and Real Racing 3 run smoothly too, whether plugged in to a TV or displayed on the tablet's screen. Plugging in via HDMI gives you the option of launching console mode, which shuts off the tablet screen, closes all running apps, and brings up a simple, to-the-point interface that lets you load up apps and games or purchase them. Nvidia's storefront sorts out apps via controller compatibility, which is extremely handy, but you can purchase stuff straight through the Google Play store if you prefer.
There aren't a whole lot of K1-optimised games available for the Shield Tablet at launch. So far, there are just 11, including The Talos Principle, Half Life 2, and free-to-play shooter War Thunder, which comes complete with cross-platform online play. To get you started, the tablet comes with a free copy of Trine 2, which is a nice touch. I tried both Half Life 2 and Trine 2, and found both games looked great, but didn't run without problems. Half Life 2 in particular had lots of noticeable frame rate issues during busier scenes, and while it didn't ever get to the point where the game was unplayable, it was slightly disheartening to see a Tegra K1 device struggle with a 10-year-old game.
That said, I happily sat on my couch and wiled away the hours playing through Valve's masterpiece, quickly forgetting that I was doing it from a tablet. Despite the issues, the fact that a game of Half Life 2's scope plays natively on a device that you can carry around with you is impressive; it's just not quite at the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 levels of performance that Nvidia boasted earlier this year.
Like the Shield Portable, the Shield Tablet supports Nvidia Gamestream, which lets you stream a selection of PC games from your PC straight to your tablet via WiFi, or even LTE. The only proviso is that your PC needs to be running an Nvidia GPU, and it has to be at least a GTX 650 in order for it to work. Laptops require something from the GTX 800M, 700M, or Kepler-based GTX 600M-series of GPUs. Nvidia says it hasn't made any large improvements to the existing Gamestream tech, so if you've tried Gamestream before with a Shield Portable, the experience is largely the same with the Shield Tablet: that's to say, if you've got a good wireless connection, it works well.
Over WiFi you get 720p streaming, and with a good, clear wireless signal, games look great. Obviously, the more powerful your PC, the better your games will look, but with the resolution capped at 720p over WiFi, you can afford to crank a few more settings than you would at 1080p. While there's no mistaking streamed games for native games thanks to a few light video compression artefacts, I happily played through the likes of Bioshock Infinite without issue. However, if you've got poor WiFi reception, or you're playing over the internet, then the quality and responsiveness of streamed games takes a hit. It's particularly noticeable in driving games, where the lag can make games like Grid 2 almost unplayable. Shooters like Bioshock Infinite fare much better, though. Basically, if you've got a poor connection, stay away from any twitch-based games.
Over ethernet, the Shield Tablet supports 1080p streaming, although, good luck trying to find a compatible ethernet adaptor. Nvidia doesn't sell one itself, and its knowledgebase for the original Shield simply states that "it may be possible to use a third party micro-USB to Ethernet adaptor," rather than actually suggesting which one to buy. So, you're left hunting through forums, and while some users have reported good compatibility with certain adaptors, it doesn't seem like there's a definitive choice. Clearly, if a feature is going to be advertised, it should be easy for customers to use it, and not have to go through a process of trial and error and Google searches to get there.
No. No it wasn't. Twitch streaming is also a bit hit or miss. Activating the feature is as simple as holding down the back button on the controller and selecting broadcast. You can stream the Android interface or any game or app you like, bar those with protected content like Netflix. You can also add in audio from the built-in microphone, or from a headset plugged into the controller, as well as activate picture-in-picture with the front facing camera. Twitch streaming worked without a hitch with smaller Android games and Gamestream. However, when running more intensive Android-native games like Half Life 2 and Trine 2, I encountered a few issues.
Twitch streaming worked without a hitch with smaller Android games and Gamestream. However, when running more intensive Android-native games like Half Life 2 and Trine 2, I encountered a few issues.
Most notable was the performance hit, which caused the frame rate to drop dramatically in both games. Things got worse in Half Life 2, where the game actually crashed consistently at a certain point while streaming, and only by reloading the game, playing past that point, and then reactivating Twitch could we get past it. Perhaps an update or two will fix this in the future, but for now, graphics intensive games and Twitch streaming on the Shield Tablet aren't the best of friends.
Neither, it must be said, are graphics intensive games friendly with the battery. Nvidia claims around 10 hours of battery life when playing back videos, and certainly, with everyday use I could get through a few days without needing to give the tablet a charge. That changed significantly when playing games, though. The more intensive the game, the more the battery life dropped. Certainly, with the likes of Half Life 2, I only managed to squeeze less than four hours out of the battery before it gave up the ghost.
That's not uncommon for tablets, though, and generally, the battery life is in the same ballpark as other tablets in this price range. One other thing to note about playing graphically intensive games is the heat generated by the tablet. Again, it's not uncommon for tablets to get hot while running 3D games, but the Shield Tablet got very toasty after an hour or so of gameplay. It's fine if you've got the thing propped up on a table, or next to your TV, but I certainly wouldn't want to be holding it for too long for those types of games.
Given that Twitch streaming is one of the key selling points of the Shield Tablet, it's disappointing that it doesn't work consistently across the device. Its small line up of games doesn't help matters either, particularly as there are frame rate issues with the more graphically intensive titles. Certainly, you're not going to be swapping your Vita or 3DS for a Shield Tablet anytime soon.
However, I like to think of the Shield Tablet this way: if you buy one, you're getting a great looking, powerful Android tablet with a near stock version of the OS for an enticing price; its gaming features are simply a nice bonus. PC players with a large library of games will also get a lot out of the tablet's Gamestream functionality, which--despite its issues over slower connections--is a great way to access your games away from your main machine.
Despite Nvidia's claims, I wouldn't get a Shield Tablet for its gaming features alone. Indeed, if you're buying it solely for the gaming features, then you might be a little disappointed. But, if you're interested in what the future of gaming might look like, Shield Tablet is perhaps the best glimpse we've had of it so far. If Nvidia can push the power of its mobile chips every year as much as it does its desktop ones, and if broadband keeps up, within a few years, something like the Shield Tablet may very well be the best way to game.
http://www.gamespot.com/mashup/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Sat, 26 Jul 2014 07:20:11 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/halo-5-gaurdians-and-halo-nightfall-with-kiki-wolf/2300-6420488/ 2300-6420488Fri, 25 Jul 2014 19:02:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/halo-nightfall-with-christina-chong-and-mike-colte/2300-6420487/ 2300-6420487Fri, 25 Jul 2014 18:59:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/sunset-overdrive-comic-con-2014-floor-demo/2300-6420485/ 2300-6420485Fri, 25 Jul 2014 18:55:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/ori-and-the-blind-forest-comic-con-2014-floor-demo/2300-6420484/ 2300-6420484Fri, 25 Jul 2014 18:51:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/comic-con-2014-street-fighter-producer-says-new-an/1100-6421314/ 1100-6421314Fri, 25 Jul 2014 18:19:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/sacred-3-comic-con-2014-live-show/2300-6420468/ 2300-6420468Fri, 25 Jul 2014 18:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/legend-of-korra-comic-con-2014-live-show/2300-6420473/ 2300-6420473Fri, 25 Jul 2014 18:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lego-batman-3-beyond-gotham-comic-con-2014-live-sh/2300-6420471/ 2300-6420471Fri, 25 Jul 2014 18:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/comic-con-2014-battlefield-hardline-dev-says-great/1100-6421313/ 1100-6421313Fri, 25 Jul 2014 17:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/comic-con-2014-shadow-of-mordors-inspiration-was-b/1100-6421312/ 1100-6421312Fri, 25 Jul 2014 16:36:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dark-souls-2-crown-of-the-sunken-king-review-round/1100-6421310/ 1100-6421310Fri, 25 Jul 2014 16:25:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/less-than-half-of-gamestops-customers-know-they-ca/1100-6421309/ 1100-6421309Fri, 25 Jul 2014 15:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/assassins-creed-unity-rob-zombies-french-revolutio/2300-6420476/ 2300-6420476Fri, 25 Jul 2014 15:03:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/comic-con-2014-the-last-of-us-movie-could-star-gam/1100-6421308/ 1100-6421308Fri, 25 Jul 2014 15:02:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-don-bradman-cricket-14/2300-6420467/ 2300-6420467Fri, 25 Jul 2014 15:00:00 -0700
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@nazgoroth
Exactly, it's such a stupid idea thinking that the console you play is what's used to determine your "gamer status." Can you imagine having a real conversation with someone like that?
"Hey, what systems you own?"
"Got myself a gaming PC, PS4, XBox 360, 3DS and a Wii U."
"Wii U? Man you're not a real gamer if you're playing on that crap."
Like really, is this the stupidity that goes through these people's heads?
Microsoft sold in a total of 1.1 million Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles during its fiscal fourth quarter (April 1 - June 30), the company announced today as part of its quarterly earnings report.
As has been common with the sales numbers Microsoft has provided for its gaming consoles this year, it's important to note that "sold in" refers to the number of consoles shipped to retailers. This is as opposed to the number of consoles actually sold through to consumers--a figure we haven't been updated on since Microsoft announced 3 million Xbox One consoles had been sold to consumers as of December 31.
The 1.1 million consoles shipped is a steep drop compared to the prior three months, when Microsoft shipped 2 million consoles (1.2 million of which were Xbox Ones). The company noted that it "drew down channel inventory" during this most recent quarter, referencing plans it announced in April to slow shipments in order to allow retailers to sell the consoles they already have on store shelves.
Without providing any specific figures, Microsoft announced last week that Xbox One sales had "more than double[d]" in June (as compared with May) following the release of the $400 Kinect-less model. That system went on sale on June 9 and brought the system's price down to that of Sony's PlayStation 4, which has outsold the Xbox One to date. As of April 6, the PS4 had sold 7 million units worldwide.
As part of its earnings report, Microsoft renamed its Devices & Consumer Hardware group, which will now be known as the Computing and Gaming Hardware group. Despite the name change, it will continue to include both Xbox and Surface. During Q4, the group posted revenue of $1.44 billion, a 23-percent year-over-year increase. That was thanks in part to a 14-percent increase in revenue for the Xbox platform (which accounts for the Xbox One and Xbox 360). Revenue for Microsoft as a whole was up 18 percent to $23.4 billion.
CEO Satya Nadella recently offered a showing of support for Xbox, though the platform was not completely unaffected by the layoffs outlined last week. Most notably, Xbox Entertainment Studios--the group responsible for developing original TV programming for Xbox--is being shut down. A select number of its projects (including Halo: Nightfall, the Halo TV series, and Quantum Break) will be unaffected.
In a formal statement today, Nadella briefly discussed the decision to refocus on gaming with Xbox One. "With our decision to specifically focus on gaming, we expect to close Xbox Entertainment Studios and streamline our investments in Music and Video," he said. "We will invest in our core console gaming and Xbox Live with a view towards the broader PC and mobile opportunity. I hope you can see that we have bold ambitions and we have made a lot of progress."
| Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @TheSmokingManX |
|---|
| Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com |
At first glance, Super Comboman looks like the kind of average action platformer that overwhelms Steam's front page. But it isn't. Rather, it's bad, and sometimes amazingly so. Nearly every success is met with an equivalent failure, and that leads to a cycle of hope and despair that perfectly encapsulates the Super Comboman experience. The art style is charming enough, as the game makes all of its characters and environments look like cute stickers, but the animations often fail to load, leading to visual clutter and confusion. Some of the music is amazing, but it wears on you when it loops every 30 seconds or so. And perhaps most damning, Super Comboman occasionally makes you feel incredibly powerful before doling out some excruciating forearm cramps.
The strange, almost dualistic nature of Super Comboman is clear from the outset. The star is Struggles, an out-of-work comic book geek desperate for some cash to help with his mortgage. To make a bit of money, he sets off with his sentient fanny pack in the hopes that he can one day learn how to fight as well as his hero, the eponymous Super Comboman. Immediately, there's an awkward clash between heavy poignancy and camp that ultimately drifts off into a nonstop barrage of groan-inducing Internet memes.
These types of vertical climbs highlight how bad Super Comboman's wall-jumping mechanics are. After that introduction, you're thrust straight into the heat of combat and taught how to string together attacks and combo like a pro. At first, you have a few basic moves, such as light and heavy attacks. For the most part, these are functional and help you juggle foes or slam them through a brick wall, but when the action gets going, the cracks in the foundation become too big not to notice. Even under the best circumstances, you can only ever attack in one or two directions, though you often have foes attacking from several elevations in addition to being in front of or behind you. Escape is tough, because it opens you up to other attacks, which can put you in an animation cycle that ends only when you die.
Guarding can help, sometimes, but more often than not enemies just wear you down and kill you. Your only recourse is to parry attacks, which is done by tapping forward. Even that comes at a cost, namely your stamina. With most incoming attacks, a small bubble appears that alerts you to a parry, or at least that's how it's supposed to work. Sometimes there is so much happening onscreen that you just blindly tap forward so you can parry any incoming attack and avoid nasty animation locks. That's fine for a while, but it doesn't take long for that tactic to get exhausting. Add that to the constant flurry of attacks, blocks, and dashes that you perform, and on some levels, your forearms will be cramping inside of 10 minutes.
It's easy to get caught between two enemies and just...die. It's not fair, and just makes the game that much more frustrating. If you can defeat enough foes, you steadily earn a bit of cash, which you can spend on more-advanced attacks that are supposed to help rack up damage a bit more quickly, but they're really tough to pull off thanks to input lag. Every once in a while, everything lines up just right, and you can perform really slick combos that feel amazing, but those moments are far too rare and end all too quickly. In a game like this, boss fights should be a full test of everything you've learned up to that stage--tough, but ultimately empowering. Instead, I found that the best option was simply to double-jump in, use one attack, and then jump back out before I took a hit. The bigger, fancier moves Super Comboman tries to encourage are especially risky when facing off against a particular baddy that can knock away half your health with one good shot. Ultimately, combat is far and away more aggravating than fun.
Combos also bring up a smooth-voiced announcer that says things like "Noobtastic," "Scrubtacular," and "Smizzle" when you've performed combos that exceed five, 10, and 20 hits respectively. While the exclamations warrant little more than a dry smirk the first time, given that the game is based on performing combos as many times as humanly possible, the constant audio feedback quickly becomes mind-numbingly obnoxious. It's also representative of the kind of grating humor that pervades the entire game. Some of it can be offensive, depending on your sensibilities. I recall one enemy that's meant to represent homeless men, and after he attacked by flashing his penis offscreen, I couldn't help but think Super Comboman was presenting and reinforcing some of the worst stereotypes of the homeless with a touch of snarky homophobia. That crass and sophomoric humor runs throughout and is usually a miss.
Nearly every success is met with an equivalent failure, and that leads to a cycle of hope and despair that perfectly encapsulates the Super Comboman experience.
Platforming is just as awful. Super Comboman often transitions from large open areas to cramped vertical segments. To manage the transitions, the designers opted for long vertical tubes that rely on several successful wall-jumps in quick succession. What makes that problematic, though, is that the wall-jumping here is terrible and without qualification the worst I've ever seen in any game. Wall-jumps are typically difficult maneuvers, sure, but game designers have found many ways to make them simple enough to be doable for average players. Mega Man X lets you slide gently down and jump at your leisure, while the Metroid series requires you to properly time only a few button presses and automates the rest.
Super Comboman gives you no such help. You need to jump toward a wall and then quickly switch to moving out and away. The problem here is twofold. With the game's input lag, it's almost impossible to get that timing right consistently, and without a system like that of Mega Man X, where the game gives you a larger window to make that jump, platforming comes off as ludicrously frustrating. It's made much worse in some timed segments where obstacles and enemies are placed in front of you, and failure means an instant death. That is punishingly, brutally hard for absolutely no reason. After several runs, I found no consistent pattern for what let me succeed and what caused me to fail. Sometimes the enemies would lock me in one of those animation loops and I'd be dead before I could react. At other times I seemed to do everything wrong and still make it through. With levels like this, Super Comboman made me feel like my success was arbitrary and completely divorced not only from my actual level of skill, but also from what I'd managed to learn and ultimately apply within the game.
In this screenshot, the camera is stuck above the action as a wall of insta-death blades approach. That's a recipe for guaranteed frustration. Super Comboman is severely flawed, but buried beneath controller-snapping frustration is a game that with some control tweaks, less lag, and some bug fixes could have been enjoyable. Sadly, in addition to its numerous deficiencies, it is riddled with annoying bugs that keep the camera from focusing on you or that prevent your character sprite from loading at all, though to the developer's credit, patches have been frequent. Nonetheless, Super Comboman is still a frustrating mess that's more likely to cause wrist injuries than it is to inspire cries of platforming joy.
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Mike Colter has been announced as the protagonist of live-action miniseries Halo: Nightfall. Colter is best known for his role in the CBS drama, The Good Wife. He will play the character Agent Jameson Locke.
Agent Jameson Locke on the Halo 5: Guardians teaser. No further details were given, although footage from the series will be revealed for the first time at San Diego Comic-Con this Thursday at 11:45 a.m. PT.
Agent Locke first appeared as a featured character in the Halo 5: Guardians teaser image. According to 343 Industries head Bonnie Ross, the character will have "a key role in Halo 5: Guardians". His backstory and origin will be explored in Halo: Nightfall, which is being directed by Alien director Ridley Scott. The first episode will debut around the release of the Halo: Master Chief Collection on November 11.
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 22 Jul 2014 06:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/299-nvidia-shield-tablet-coming-july-29/1100-6421192/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2601008-shield_tablet_shield_controller_trine2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2601008" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2601008-shield_tablet_shield_controller_trine2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2601008"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/917/9176928/2601008-shield_tablet_shield_controller_trine2.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">GPU-maker Nvidia has taken the wraps off its Shield Tablet, an 8-inch, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nvidia-claims-new-tegra-k1-mobile-chip-outperforms-xbox-360-and-playstation-3/1100-6416941/" data-ref-id="1100-6416941">32-bit Tegra K1</a>-powered tablet launching in the US on July 29, starting at $299 for a 16GB Wi-Fi model. A UK and European launch will follow in August, with the tablet priced at £229. All regions will receive a free copy of Trine 2 at purchase. Nvidia is also launching a separate controller for the tablet, which will retail at $59, and a cover with kickstand for $39. No discounted bundles will be available at launch.</p><p style="">The Shield Tablet features 2GB of RAM, a 1920x1200 pixel display, a MicroSD slot for up to 128GB of storage expansion, a 5MP front-facing camera as well as a 5MP autofocus rear camera, a stylus based on Nvidia's DirectStylus 2 technology, front-facing stereo speakers, 10 hours of battery life for video playback and 3-5 hours for gaming, and a construction that company claims dissipates twice as much heat as its rivals during extended gaming sessions. A version of the tablet with LTE and 32GB of memory will be available for $399.</p><p style="">On the software side, the Shield Tablet will ship with a largely stock version of Android 4.4.3, with just a few gaming tweaks. Twitch is integrated into the device system wide, allowing players to stream almost any app, game, or part of Android interface. The front-facing camera can be used for picture-in-picture, with audio coming from the integrated microphone or an external headset. When plugged into a TV, the tablet automatically switches into "Console Mode," which brings up a controller-optimised 1080p interface for launching and purchasing apps and games.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2601014-shield_family_titanfall+%281%29.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2601014" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2601014-shield_family_titanfall+%281%29.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2601014"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/917/9176928/2601014-shield_family_titanfall+%281%29.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Other apps include 1080p Netflix streaming, Hulu Plus, Shadowplay for capturing gameplay footage, and Gamestream for streaming PC games directly to the tablet. 11 Tegra-K1 optimised games will be available at launch, including The Talos Principle, Half Life 2, and free-to-play shooter War Thunder, complete with cross-platform online play.</p><p style="">The separate wireless controller features the standard collection of buttons, triggers, and analogue sticks, as well as Android-specific home and back buttons. There's also a touch pad at the bottom for controlling mouse actions for games streamed from a PC via Gamestream, and buttons for adjusting the volume of the headset jack. In addition, the controller features an integrated microphone for controlling Google Now in Android, as well as voice chat in games.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VohrddwVQqg" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FVohrddwVQqg%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DVohrddwVQqg&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FVohrddwVQqg%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Interestingly, the controller doesn't communicate over Bluetooth, but instead communicates via a proprietary WiFi standard, which Nvidia claims results in 2X less latency, and allows for up to four controllers to be paired with the tablet. The company is working with Google to integrate the specialised drivers into Android so other devices can make use of the controller, but has not confirmed a date for launch. Support for the controller is coming to the exisiting Shield Portable via a software update, though.</p><p style="">Also notable is that the Shield Tablet comes equipped with Nvidia's 32-bit Tegra K1 system on a chip, and not the flagship 64-bit version. However, the quad-core Cortex-A15 CPU and Kepler architecture graphics of the 32-bit Tegra K1 were used to great effect as this year's Google IO, with the chip being used to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/epic-games-shows-off-unreal-engine-4-on-mobile-and-it-looks-incredible/1100-6420758/" data-ref-id="1100-6420758">run an impressive Unreal Engine 4 demo in real time</a></p><p style="">GameSpot was at the unveiling of the Shield Tablet, so be sure to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nvidias-shield-tablet-makes-a-good-first-impressio/1100-6421224/" data-ref-id="1100-6421224">check out its initial impressions</a>.</p> Tue, 22 Jul 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/299-nvidia-shield-tablet-coming-july-29/1100-6421192/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nvidias-shield-tablet-makes-a-good-first-impressio/1100-6421224/ <p style="">GPU maker Nvidia is expanding its Shield line of handheld Android gaming devices. Where the first Shield was a quirky mash-up of gaming controller and LCD screen, its follow-up is far more reserved. The Shield Tablet (starting at $299/£229 for a 16GB Wi-Fi model) is an 8-inch tablet that at first glance looks like a standard black slate with a glass screen. Its gaming focus comes from its 32-bit Tegra K1 internals, a separate wireless controller that will retail for $59, and a $39 cover with kickstand. While there's a certain inconvenience with having to carry around a separate controller to play non-touch games, it's a preferable compromise when the alternative is something like the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wikipad-price-down-from-250-to-200-do-you-want-one/1100-6418334/" data-ref-id="1100-6418334">gargantuan Wikipad</a>.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602414-dsc01856.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602414" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602414-dsc01856.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602414"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/917/9176928/2602414-dsc01856.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">While I'm still waiting to get some more time with the Shield Tablet for a full review, I was pleasantly surprised after my brief hands-on with the device. The tablet itself is understated, with a matte black finish and front-facing speaker grills reminiscent of <a href="http://www.cnet.com/uk/products/htc-one-m8/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">HTC's One series of mobile phones</a>; the only branding comes from an embossed Shield logo on the back. The top of the tablet houses a headphone jack, a micro USB port, and a mini HDMI 1.4a port, while around the side is a slot for a sim card on LTE models ($399 with 32GB of memory), a slot for micro SD expansion up to 128GB, and a slot for the stylus that makes use of Nvidia's DirectStylus 2 technology.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602415-dsc01872.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602415" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602415-dsc01872.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602415"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2602415-dsc01872.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602416-dsc01899.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602416" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602416-dsc01899.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602416"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2602416-dsc01899.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">The bulk of the tablet is dominated by a clear and bright 1920x1200-pixel LCD screen up front. While the bezel seems a little chunky by today's standards, the Shield Tablet is a pleasing device to look at, and with a 9.2mm thickness and a 390g weight, it's comfortable to hold too. Indeed, it's not hard to imagine people picking up a Shield Tablet, simply because it's a good tablet. And--for UK consumers at least--the price isn't that large a markup over the £199 Nexus 7. Nvidia is planning on hooking people in with the Shield Tablet's gaming credentials, though, and for that you get a powerful 32-bit Tegra K1 (used to great effect with <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/epic-games-shows-off-unreal-engine-4-on-mobile-and-it-looks-incredible/1100-6420758/" data-ref-id="1100-6420758">Unreal Engine 4 at Google's IO conference</a>), as well as a bunch of gaming-focused software that sits atop a largely stock build of Android 4.4.3.</p><p style="">Most notable is the tablet's Twitch integration, which lets you stream almost any app, game, or part of the Android interface. The front-facing camera is used for picture-in-picture, while audio commentary comes from the integrated microphone, controller microphone, or an external headset. The feature worked well in the demo I was shown, but I'm not sure we'll start to see people Twitch streaming and commentating on their games from coffee shops (or, at least I hope we don't!) as Nvidia envisages. When plugged into a TV, the tablet automatically switches into console mode, which brings up a controller-optimised 1080p interface for launching and purchasing apps and games. Essentially, you get simple text for menus, and big images to select the games or apps you want to use. It wasn't fancy, but it worked just fine on a big TV.</p><figure data-embed-type="gallery" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604437-dsc01890.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604438-dsc01856.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604439-dsc01872.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604440-dsc01885.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604441-dsc01904.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604442-dsc01913.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604443-dsc01927.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604444-dsc01935.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604445-dsc01940.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604446-dsc01944.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604437,1300-2604438,1300-2604439,1300-2604440,1300-2604441,1300-2604442,1300-2604443,1300-2604444,1300-2604445,1300-2604446" data-resize-urls="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604437-dsc01890.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604438-dsc01856.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604439-dsc01872.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604440-dsc01885.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604441-dsc01904.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604442-dsc01913.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604443-dsc01927.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604444-dsc01935.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604445-dsc01940.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604446-dsc01944.jpg" data-resized="" data-resize-url=""><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604437-dsc01890.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604437" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604437-dsc01890.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604438-dsc01856.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604438" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604438-dsc01856.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604439-dsc01872.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604439" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604439-dsc01872.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604440-dsc01885.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604440" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604440-dsc01885.jpg"></a><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604441-dsc01904.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604441" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604441-dsc01904.jpg"></a><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604442-dsc01913.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604442" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604442-dsc01913.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604443-dsc01927.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604443" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604443-dsc01927.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604444-dsc01935.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604444" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604444-dsc01935.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604445-dsc01940.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604445" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604445-dsc01940.jpg"></a><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604446-dsc01944.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604446" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604446-dsc01944.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Like the Shield handheld, the Shield Tablet supports Nvidia's GameStream tech, which lets you stream games from your home PC to the tablet. Over Ethernet, games are streamed in 1080p, while Wi-Fi or LTE limits that to 720p. I had a quick blast on Dirt 2, and while the visuals looked impressive, there was a slight pause between my actions on the controller and the car's movement on screen. It'll be interesting to see how well the feature works at home, but Nvidia has said it hasn't made any large improvements to the existing GameStream tech, so if you're already using it with a Shield handheld, the experience will be largely the same.</p><p style="">Similarly, if you've used a Shield handheld, the separate $59 controller will be familiar to you too, which is to say, it's rather big. The Shield handheld's size is forgivable given it houses a full Android device within, but it's tough to see why the Shield controller is so large. It's not original-Xbox-controller large, but even for someone like me with large hands, it didn't feel as comfortable as, say, an Xbox One or PlayStation 4 controller. Aside from a mushy D-pad (seriously, why is it so hard to make a good D-pad?), though, the controller was otherwise decent, and the Android buttons at the top and the touchpad at the bottom for navigating mouse-driven menus in PC games were useful additions during the demo.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VohrddwVQqg" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FVohrddwVQqg%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DVohrddwVQqg&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FVohrddwVQqg%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">The controller also has a built-in microphone, which Nvidia was keen to show working with Google Now so you can bark "OK Google" commands at your TV while the tablet is in console mode. It can also be used for voice chat in games, but there's also a headphone jack on the bottom of the controller for using a separate headset if you prefer. Interestingly, the controller works via a proprietary Wi-Fi standard instead of Bluetooth, which Nvidia claims results in 2X less latency.</p><p style="">Up to four Shield controllers can be used with the tablet, but it also supports regular Bluetooth controllers if you prefer. If you're wondering whether you can use the Shield controller with your other Android devices, sadly, that's not a feature that's going to be available at launch. Nvidia says it's working with Google to integrate the specialised drivers into Android so other devices can make use of the controller, but has not confirmed a date. Support for the controller is coming to the existing Shield Portable via a software update, though.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602438-dsc01913.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602438" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602438-dsc01913.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602438"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2602438-dsc01913.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sadly, there were a bunch of other features on the Shield Tablet I didn't get to check out, including 1080p Netflix streaming, Hulu Plus, a 3D drawing app for use with the stylus, and ShadowPlay for capturing gameplay footage. I also didn't get much time with many games, but Nvidia is promising that 11 Tegra K1-optimised games will be available at launch, including Trine 2 (which comes free with every device), Half Life 2, and the free-to-play shooter War Thunder, complete with cross-platform online play.</p><p style="">I'll be checking those games out, as well as giving the Shield Tablet the full review treatment just before launch, so keep your eyes on GameSpot for more soon.</p> Tue, 22 Jul 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nvidias-shield-tablet-makes-a-good-first-impressio/1100-6421224/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-hearthstone-naxxramas-cards-revealed/1100-6421236/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2604229-curseof+naxxramas.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604229" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2604229-curseof+naxxramas.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604229"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2604229-curseof+naxxramas.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Blizzard has revealed cards that will be introduced as part of the upcoming new Adventure Mode update for <a href="/hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft</a>.</p><p style="">The cards will be part of the Curse of Naxxramas patch, a single-player expansion that will be <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hearthstone-single-player-naxxramas-update-goes-li/1100-6421178/" data-ref-id="1100-6421178">introduced to the game on July 22</a>. The new additions were revealed on the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.701675023208602.1073741841.498467596862680&type=3" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Hearthstone facebook page</a>, and will include the cards shown in<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/images/1300-2604356/" data-ref-id="1300-2604356"> this gallery</a>.</p><p style="">Naxxramas itself will be released over five individual updates that will unlock one after another each week after the first update. Each will cover a specific area in Naxxramas; The Arachnid Quarter, Plague Quarter, Military Quarter, Construct Quarter, and Frostwyrm Lair. Players who participate in the expansion within the first month of it's launch will be able to access the first wing for free, but <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hearthstone-naxxramas-expansions-cost-7-or-700-gol/1100-6420985/" data-ref-id="1100-6420985">must buy the rest</a> with in-game gold or real world currency.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="false"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</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><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 23:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-hearthstone-naxxramas-cards-revealed/1100-6421236/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/heroes-of-the-storm-dev-discusses-new-warcraft-her/1100-6421231/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604006-9515845516-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604006" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604006-9515845516-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604006"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1539/15391776/2604006-9515845516-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><a href="/heroes-of-the-storm/" data-ref-id="false">Heroes of the Storm</a>, the MOBA-like hero brawler from <a href="/world-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">World of Warcraft</a> developer Blizzard, has been in a closed alpha test since March. Every few weeks, the developer launches a new update, adding new content, changing balance, and reworking character progression. With an upcoming patch, the team intends to make Heroes of the Storm stand out even further.</p><p style="">We were able to talk to game director Dustin Browder and learn more about the map, hero, and design changes coming to the game in the next patch. We also took the opportunity to ask about the game's future, its esports potential, and its competition.</p><h2>Who's the new hero coming in the update?</h2><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604001-7507817296-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604001" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604001-7507817296-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604001"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2604001-7507817296-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">First and foremost, players will get to battle as a new hero named Rehgar. He's an agile character who is inspired by the shamans of Warcraft. "He's a pretty cool and aggressive support character," Browder explains. "He can change into his mount form whenever he wants very quickly. He turns into a ghost wolf and runs around. He's a very special kind of support character, and a lot of fun to play. Basically, Rehgar is a shaman with a bunch of elemental abilities. He's a classic <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/warcraft-iii-reign-of-chaos/" data-ref-id="false">Warcraft III</a> Shaman build."</p><h2>And how about that new map?</h2><p style="">It's called Garden of Terror, and it's a dynamic map similar to others in the game. "You're trying to collect seeds to be able to create this big plant monster that you can become," Browder says. "[It's] kind of like [how] you can become the dragon knight in one of our other maps. It gives you the chance to be this giant monster that runs around, gums up the map and slimes enemy towers with this evil plant stuff. [It can also] choke off enemy towns, preventing them from fighting and making your pushes [into enemy territory] very effective."</p><h2>Are there any other changes going into the game?</h2><p style="">In addition to the map and character, Blizzard is also implementing a sweeping array of UI, performance, and progression changes. Most significantly, the developer is overhauling how you advance your heroes in and out of battle.</p><p style="">Firstly, the team has reworked cooperative gameplay so that you can now earn experience without entering into competitive arenas. Browder explains, "We want to give players the opportunity to earn experience and complete quests in cooperative play, but at the same time we didn't want to feel like it was wrong to play Player vs. Player modes. So we've changed the whole system, [and now] you do get a win bonus when you play cooperatively."</p><p style="">There will also be more items for you to work toward, including new cosmetic items called Master Skins. To make this work, the developer has made leveling up individual heroes much more important: "We've got this idea for a master hero skin that you'll earn if you play a hero for a really long time, so we've redone the entire leveling system. A lot of it is [now] about leveling up individual heroes. We had six hero levels before; now we're up to 10 different hero levels. So it feels like a much more meaty experience."</p><p style="">Finally, the team has redone the way you earn the gold used for microtransactions, to make it both more rewarding and more useful. This includes the addition of artifacts, which actually allow for an entirely different way of hero customization. Browder says, "We've gone to a gold-per-game model, or a gold-per-win model. It was just too long between rewards, so we've rebalanced the whole economy around [this new] model."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604005-0310037774-4KIA8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604005" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604005-0310037774-4KIA8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604005"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2604005-0310037774-4KIA8.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">He continues, "We've added a whole new system to the game, an artifact system, and this allows players to customize a lot of the core stats on their heroes. This is one of the things we had a lot of requests for from the players. At the same time, they didn't really want it to be a part of the talent system--they wanted the talent system to be more focused on skill, heroic abilities, all that stuff--so we thought it might be kind of cool to give the players the ability to customize the stats on their characters before the game launches. So now you can go in and you can get these artifacts and you can slot them into your hero.</p><p style="">"This also ties into a request from a lot of our players for something more to do with gold. a lot of players will purchase a couple heroes and be totally content with that, but say 'I'm earning all this gold, what else can I do with it?' We thought this could be a cool thing you can do with your gold--buy better and better artifacts and customize your hero."</p><h2>Is Garden of Terror designed around a core type of competitive play?</h2><p style="">"No, Garden of Terror will go into our regular map pool," Browder states. "We haven't decided yet if we're going to do special maps for special types of play, it's possible when we get to ranked play, we might say, 'Okay, these are the ranked play maps, they're a little different from unranked maps.'"</p><h2>Is the map modeled after another Blizzard area?</h2><p style="">"No, we're still doing the realms of the Nexus [right now]," he explains. "We're still exploring new worlds that allow us to be crazy and creative with the space. You'll see us explore more of Blizzard's environments in the future, and we will also have some of our other more classic worlds going forward."</p><h2>What are you doing going forward to make Heroes of the Storm stand out in a genre that's becoming increasingly crowded?</h2><p style="">Browder argues that Heroes of the Storm is fundamentally shaking up the MOBA formula by encouraging teamwork and a focus on individual hero customization. "We're doing things with team leveling where people are really asked to do things together as a team, and it's not about getting ahead on your own and being the carry," he says. "We really feel like it's making a difference and it's really showing a lot of what the genre can be. There're a lot of different things you can do in the genre.</p><blockquote data-size="small" data-align="left"><p style="">"We really feel like it's making a difference and it's really showing a lot of what the genre can be. There're a lot of different things you can do in the genre."</p></blockquote><p style="">"We've got lots of different maps with lots of different map mechanics. We're trying to make each map as unique as possible. We're doing things with our talent system. We're moving away from the traditional shop system and really giving players a custom set of options per hero. We can have items that are range bonuses on heroes. We can give a hero who specializes in melee attack and give him a +3 range bonus, and now he's a short-range hero. If we put that in a shop that's generic for all, that would break the game.</p><p style="">"That's been a huge win for us that's distinguished us from other games in the genre. We've got something legitimate to offer. It's not for everybody, but we feel that we're gathering an audience of players that's very excited that we're taking these types of risks."</p><h2>Looking at your competitors and their expansions into esports, does that influence how you're approaching development on Heroes of the Storm?</h2><p style="">The game is certainly inspired by <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/blizzard-dota/" data-ref-id="false">Dota</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2</a>, but it is becoming increasingly driven by the community, Browder states. In the future, it'll be the players who determine if Heroes becomes an established esport.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603996-3680132919-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603996" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603996-3680132919-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603996"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2603996-3680132919-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">"We owe an enormous debt to the modders in Warcraft III who helped develop the genre, and all the other developers who iterated on that even further," he says. "Early on, we were looking at those games a lot and learning from them, but at this point in our alpha, we're learning more about our game from our game. Our game and our players, that has become the focus and that teaches us what to do.</p><p style="">"It's not up to us if this game is an esport, it's up to the players. Do players start forming leagues, do shoutcasters show up? If they do, we'll be there for them. It'll be interesting to see where these people take the game."</p><h2>Can you say when Heroes of the Storm will move out of alpha and into a beta test?</h2><p style="">"Nope. We're still making sure the technology is good and safe," he explains. "You have to understand, when we go into a beta, we'll end up connecting up to Blizzard's other games. So you'll be able to chat with people in WoW, you'll be able to chat with people in <a href="/diablo/" data-ref-id="false">Diablo</a>, you'll be able to chat with people in <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">Hearthstone</a> and <a href="/http://www.gamespot.com/starcraft-ii-heart-of-the-swarm/" data-ref-id="false">StarCraft</a>. When we go to that point, if we make a mistake in Heroes of the Storm, it's not impossible that we could crash WoW. That's bad.</p><p style="">"So we're adding a few people every week to the alpha, and we're still testing the infrastructure. Once we're in a position where we feel like we're good to go, we'll roll over into the production hardware and into the beta."</p><h2>Will there be any other announcements for Heroes of the Storm before November's BlizzCon conference?</h2><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603999-7920150857-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603999" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603999-7920150857-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603999"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2603999-7920150857-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">"You can always look for more heroes, changes to the HUD, and changes to the progression system," Browder promises. "We're also updating talents as often as possible. But we've also got another milestone before then."</p><p style="">The patch looks to change things up pretty dramatically, and it'll be interesting to see how the new progression systems work out. You can check out <a href="http://www.twitch.tv/BlizzHeroes" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Blizzard's Twitch stream</a> tomorrow at 11 A.M. PDT for more information and a first look at the update. Keep an eye on GameSpot for more news about Heroes of the Storm as it becomes available.</p><p style="">What do you think about Heroes of the Storm and how Blizzard is trying to make it unique? Let us know in the comments!</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 17:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/heroes-of-the-storm-dev-discusses-new-warcraft-her/1100-6421231/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/watch-20-players-take-on-a-giant-end-game-boss-in-/2300-6420349/ Here's your first look the gigantic lava worm Kanaloa in this video of upcoming shooter Firefall's Titan Battles. Titan Battles are 20-player instances intended for max-level characters, and players can set forth on the road to tackling them when the game launches on July 29, 2014. Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:48:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/watch-20-players-take-on-a-giant-end-game-boss-in-/2300-6420349/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pro-gaming-team-wins-5-million-in-dota-2-internati/1100-6421234/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6420340" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6420340/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">The fourth-ever <a href="/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2</a> International--the MOBA game's worldwide championship tournament--was won today by the team known as Newbee--which is now more than $5 million richer.</p><p style="">In a best-of-five competition that took place in Seattle today, Newbee defeated Vici Gaming in four games. Vici won the first game before Newbee reeled off three wins in a row, earning the team a little over $5 million. A <a href="http://www.ongamers.com/articles/the-international-grand-finals-recap/1100-1966/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="1100-1966">full recap of the games can be seen at onGamers</a>, and you can watch a replay of the fourth and final game below.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Newbee, which was only formed earlier this year, is comprised entirely of Chinese gamers: Chen "Hao" Zhihao, Zhang "Mu" Pan, Zhang "xiao8" Ning, Jiao "Banana" Wang, and Zhaohui "SanSheng" Wang. Vici also consists solely of Chinese players.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The members of Vici, as runners up, take home just under $1.5 million total, while the third-place team, North America's Evil Geniuses, gets $1 million total.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This year marked a significant moment for The International and esports as a whole. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/espn-partnering-with-valve-to-stream-dota-2-esport/1100-6421184/" data-ref-id="1100-6421184">ESPN broadcasted the event</a> through ESPN 3, and a finals preview aired on ESPN 2 on Sunday. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/10-million-dota-2-international-exceeds-super-bowl-masters-and-tour-de-france-prizes/1100-6420785/" data-ref-id="1100-6420785">More than $10 million in prize money</a>--the most-ever for an esports tournament--was up for grabs in the International as a direct result of fans purchasing the Compendium (which earns buyers in-game items and contributed money to the prize pool).</p><p style="">Did you watch any of this year's International? Let us know how you followed the tournament in the comments below.</p><div data-embed-type="html"><object id="clip_embed_player_flash" data="http://www.twitch.tv/widgets/archive_embed_player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="454" width="745"><param name="movie" value="http://www.twitch.tv/widgets/archive_embed_player.swf" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowNetworking" value="all" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="title=%2BThe%2BInternational%2B2014%2B-%2BGrand%2BFinals%2B-%2BNewbee%2Bvs%2BVG%2B-%2BGame%2B4%2B-%2BCasters%253A%2BTobiwan%2B%2526%2BLuminous&channel=dota2ti&auto_play=false&start_volume=25&chapter_id=4714287" /></object><br /><a class="trk" style="padding: 2px 0px 4px; display: block; width: 320px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline; text-align: center;" href="http://www.twitch.tv/dota2ti" rel="nofollow">Watch live video from dota2ti on Twitch</a></div><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pro-gaming-team-wins-5-million-in-dota-2-internati/1100-6421234/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wayward-manor-review/1900-6415821/ <p style="">Many of us desire peace in our twilight years. In Wayward Manor, the sentiment is equally true for an old, sentient house, which yearns for a tranquil retirement. This means that the boisterous family that lives there has to go, and it's your job as the manor's loyal poltergeist to move them out. Wayward Manor is a modest puzzle game, featuring plenty of good-natured charm and slapstick humor. But you're not the only one haunting the manor's creaking halls; an array of game-ending glitches provide more worriment than the game's dancing shadows, while the lack of challenge turn the second half into a snooze.</p><p style="">As the manor's sole guardian, you must move from room to room, scaring away the unwanted guests. You approach this goal by manipulating certain objects in a room marked with an eerie spectral glow. Using your paranormal abilities, you prey upon the family's deep-seated fears and anxieties, or frighten them with tactful snares, including mousetraps and a pirate ghost that slashes at them from a painting. You can rattle a stone bust, which grabs a victim's attention long enough for you to send a bottle flying toward her head, shaking her constitution. The sight of a rat sends the family maid into a panic, so why not have one scurry across her path, causing her to jump with fright? A successful scare rewards you with a green skull. The more skulls you earn, the stronger your presence in a room, allowing you to manipulate even more objects as you frighten the pants off various intruders. Once you collect six skulls, you activate a ghastly whirlwind that whips up loose objects, sending your hapless victim screaming out the door for good.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6420230" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6420230/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">At first, there is a sense of discovery in solving Wayward Manor's puzzles, but the excitement dissipates more quickly than a specter in the sunlight. By the time you hit the third chapter, a cursory glance is all that is required to figure out each level's mystery. Gameplay stagnates, and there are only so many times you can whack one of the dopey characters on the head with a bottle before boredom seeps in. As you enter the game's third chapter, the lack of variety turns puzzle solving into more of a mechanical motion, over one that promotes the enjoyable analysis of the working parts. If you do find yourself at a loss, creatures such as cats, birds, and gargoyles located in the rooms offer advice on how to approach the puzzle.</p><p style="">The story is penned by <em>Coraline</em> author Neil Gaiman, and the game draws influences from the surreal book-turned-film. Narration is spoken in a storybook style, and Gaiman himself lends his smoky voice to the living manor during brief moments of exposition between chapters. Though the dated visuals of Wayward Manor won't win any awards, the game fully embraces its peculiar art style, which I found alluring. The multistoried manor is warped and cartoonish, yet still macabre, its dusty rooms lit by flickering candles or by azure moonlight creeping in through windows. The family inhabiting the manor is made up of diminutive caricatures exhibiting charming mannerisms, their voices replaced by the sounds of various musical instruments.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603495" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603495"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Glitches range from objects clipping into walls to levels freezing.</figcaption></figure><figure data-embed-type="gallery" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603522,1300-2603526,1300-2603530,1300-2603524,1300-2603528,1300-2603495,1300-2597321,1300-2597329,1300-2597319,1300-2597322" data-resize-urls="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg" data-resized="" data-resize-url=""><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603522" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603526" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg"></a><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603530" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603524" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg"></a><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603528" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603495" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597321" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg"></a><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597329" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597319" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597322" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Unfortunately, I won't remember Wayward Manor for its interesting characters or art style, but for the menagerie of bugs and game-ending glitches that invoke far more tension than what my spectral hijinks could match. The most innocent of the issues include the whirlwind, which forces objects to clip through walls and people, and some occasional animation foibles, such as characters sprinting backward. Among the worst, however, is the surprisingly frequent gameplay bug that causes the puzzle and characters to freeze, unperturbed by my dismayed flurry of mouse clicks--there is nothing more to do than restart the level. In my playthrough of the game, I encountered the bug more than a dozen times. The final level was especially irritating, because a necessary puzzle piece refused to move into position, requiring me to restart about five times before the object finally clicked into place.</p><p style="">Wayward Manor, with its brevity and elementary one-button approach to gameplay, is not a complicated game. It's unfortunate, however, that the number of bugs infesting it make things so problematic and frustrating. The game's spooky ambiance and appealing nature are enjoyable, but not enough to overshadow the humdrum puzzle solving, nor to distract you from glitches. Wayward Manor puts a lot of trust in your abilities to remove unwanted guests, but it would have found equal success in calling pest control.</p> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wayward-manor-review/1900-6415821/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-ruby-sapphire-screenshot-comparison-shows-/1100-6421233/ <div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6419405" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419405/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Considering 12 years have passed since <a href="/pokemon-ruby-version/" data-ref-id="false">Pokemon Ruby</a> and <a href="/pokemon-sapphire-version/" data-ref-id="false">Sapphire</a> were released on Game Boy Advance, graphical improvements are to be expected from their upcoming <a href="/3ds/" data-ref-id="false">3DS</a> remakes, <a href="/pokemon-alpha-sapphire/" data-ref-id="false">Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire</a>. But if, like me, you haven't seen Ruby or Sapphire recently, you might not realize just how much of a change the games' visuals have undergone by simply looking at screenshots of the 3DS versions.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Luckily, <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/pokemon/comments/2b1l1u/this_makes_me_a_bit_tingly_in_my_pants/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Reddit user YouDontKnowThisUser</a> has compiled a comparison of three dozen screenshots that pit the 3DS remakes against very similar (if not identical) scenes from the original games, which you can see below. The most significant change, of course, is the shift from the sprite-based 2D graphics of the older Pokemon games to the 3D-graphic style introduced in <a href="/pokemon-x/" data-ref-id="false">Pokemon X</a> and <a href="/pokemon-y/" data-ref-id="false">Y</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The gameplay is similarly not being left untouched: a new type of evolution is being introduced <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-evolution-type-revealed-for-pokemon-omega-ruby-and-alpha-sapphire/1100-6420638/" data-ref-id="1100-6420638">called Primal Reversion</a>, new <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-omega-ruby-alpha-sapphire-remakes-add-new-mega-evolutions/1100-6420187/" data-ref-id="1100-6420187">mega evolutions have been added</a>, and players will now be able to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/build-your-own-custom-secret-base-in-pokemon-omega/1100-6420988/" data-ref-id="1100-6420988">design their own secret bases</a> that can be shared through StreetPass.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Alpha Ruby and Omega Sapphire are scheduled for release on November 21. If you plan on picking up the game, which version will you choose? Let us know in the comments.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603980" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603980-pokemon-1.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603980-pokemon-1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603980"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603980-pokemon-1.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603983" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603983-pokemon-2.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603983-pokemon-2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603983"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603983-pokemon-2.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603984" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603984-pokemon-3.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603984-pokemon-3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603984"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603984-pokemon-3.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603985" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603985-pokemon-4.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603985-pokemon-4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603985"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603985-pokemon-4.jpg"></a></figure><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 15:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-ruby-sapphire-screenshot-comparison-shows-/1100-6421233/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/modern-combat-5-pirated-ahead-of-launch-after-dev-/1100-6421232/ <figure data-ref-id="1300-2603863" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603863-modern+combat+5.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603863-modern+combat+5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603863"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603863-modern+combat+5.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">To promote the release of <a href="/modern-combat-5-blackout/" data-ref-id="false">Modern Combat 5: Blackout</a> later this week, developer Gameloft recently held a contest that provided winners with early access to this latest game in its mobile first-person shooter series. Things quickly went awry as the game was cracked and distributed online as early as Friday, leading to thousands of pirated copies of Blackout being downloaded in the week prior to its launch.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Gameloft issued a statement to GameSpot today, confirming it's dealt with those playing pirated copies. "Following the release of several pirated versions of Modern Combat 5 prior the release of the game, we have turned on our anti-piracy systems and now all illegitimate users on a non-official version have been incapacitated," the company said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a post on a Modern Combat <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/370941913017140/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Facebook group</a> (via <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/21/5923033/modern-combat-5-contest-unreleased-game-cracked" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Polygon</a>), Gameloft community manager Florian Weber wrote, "As you can imagine I am really pissed off. To anybody who got MC5 already, shame on you! We are making games for you and all you can do is pirate them?" He also threatened bans for anyone who had proven they were already playing Blackout.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Numerous Twitter users posted openly on the site over the weekend about playing the game, which was reportedly hacked to allow the use of infinite ammo when playing online. A listing on an unofficial iOS app store hosting the cracked game showed it had been downloaded more than 3,000 times as of yesterday--this despite the app store in question not being the original source of the pirated game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A number of videos posted to YouTube showing gameplay from pirated copies of MC5 have been removed due to Terms of Service violations. However, videos with hundreds of views detailing the process of obtaining the game--which involves having a jailbroken phone--remain online. That may no longer be an issue with Gameloft having taken action, but the leaked version also included the game's single-player, resulting in videos being shared online that show the game's ending. At least one such video remains online as of this writing.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Blackout, which was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-modern-combat-5-blackout-is-a-premium-mobile-shooter-not-free-to-play/1100-6420375/" data-ref-id="1100-6420375">on display at E3 last month</a>, is scheduled for release this Thursday, July 24, on iOS and Android for $6.99. According to Gameloft, "Those who used this pirated version of the game just need to wait for the official game release." In other words, any bans imposed on pirates are not permanent.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong> Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 14:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/modern-combat-5-pirated-ahead-of-launch-after-dev-/1100-6421232/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/eas-sims-studio-hiring-for-first-new-franchise-sin/1100-6421230/ <figure data-ref-id="1300-2603297" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603297-sims4.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603297-sims4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603297"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603297-sims4.jpg"></a><figcaption>Maxis' latest game, The Sims 4</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">A newly discovered <a href="http://careersearch.ea.com/california/game-design/jobid5689540-senior-designer-jobs" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">job posting</a> for a senior designer position at Maxis has revealed the nature of a "new, unannounced" project in the works at the Electronic Arts-owned studio. From the sound of it, this "unique, emerging IP" will have a major multiplayer component and may draw on games with sandbox elements like <a href="/minecraft/" data-ref-id="false">Minecraft</a>, <a href="/littlebigplanet/" data-ref-id="false">LittleBigPlanet</a>, and <a href="/project-spark/" data-ref-id="false">Project Spark</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Among the aspects of the game that the new senior designer will work on are "creativity editors … extensive multiplayer gameplay mechanics, in-game economies, technology trees, HD, PC, and mobile and tablet companion application integration." The posting later refers to "content creation tools and editors" intended for use by both the game's developers and players.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Prospective candidates need experience working with "deeply social multiplayer games such as MMOs," as well as an understanding of "crafting trees" and "character RPG-style leveling design and mathematical loot progression modeling."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The most direct hint about the nature of this new game comes from the requirement for an "understanding [of] other games in the creativity space, including LittleBigPlanet, Minecraft and its popular mods, Roblox, <a href="/disney-infinity/" data-ref-id="false">Disney Infinity</a>, Project Spark, and other upcoming efforts."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Whatever the game is, it's likely to be free-to-play in some capacity. The new hire needs to be able to "design monetization that players respect and feel adds a great deal of value for their money." EA has had some issues with this in the past, in particular <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/another-ea-exec-explains-why-new-dungeon-keeper-su/1100-6420996/" data-ref-id="1100-6420996">with this year's mobile Dungeon Keeper game</a>.</p><p style="">Maxis has a long history of creating games that, in many ways, amount to sandboxes; when legendary designer and co-founder Will Wright was with the company, it created both <a href="/the-sims/" data-ref-id="false">The Sims</a> and <a href="/sim-city/" data-ref-id="false">SimCity</a> series, as well as <a href="/spore/" data-ref-id="false">Spore</a>. Since <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/will-wright-leaves-ea-founds-stupid-fun-club/1100-6207584/" data-ref-id="1100-6207584">Wright's departure in 2009</a>, it's released new content for <a href="/the-sims-3/" data-ref-id="false">The Sims 3</a>, launched 2013's <a href="/simcity/" data-ref-id="false">SimCity</a>, and developed <a href="/the-sims-4/" data-ref-id="false">The Sims 4</a>, which <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-sims-4-premium-service-spotted-in-lengthy-new-/1100-6421226/" data-ref-id="1100-6421226">releases in September</a>.</p><p style="">GameSpot has contacted EA for more details regarding this new project and will report back with anything we learn.</p><p style="">Based on what details are offered in the job posting, what are you hoping this new game turns out to be? Let us know in the comments.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:43:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/eas-sims-studio-hiring-for-first-new-franchise-sin/1100-6421230/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassins-creed-unity-preorder-bonuses/1100-6420631/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599325-6469591421-25939.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599325" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599325-6469591421-25939.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599325"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1539/15391776/2599325-6469591421-25939.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">The wealth of preorder bonuses and special editions for big games can get pretty convoluted, and <a href="/assassins-creed-unity/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed Unity</a> is no exception. Often, games will have different offers for each different retailer, and three or four different editions. If you're like me, you can end up feeling left out if you didn't know about a certain bonus. This year, developer Ubisoft has created four different retailer-exclusive versions of Assassin's Creed Unity, and each contains a unique weapon that cannot be acquired elsewhere (at least at launch). There will also be a Collector's Edition that contains a number of real-world and in-game items.</p><p style="">All preordered copies, regardless of retailer, also come with a code for a real-world spin-to-win sweepstakes game. Every day, Ubisoft is giving away prizes as big as games, clothes, and even trips to Paris and Ubisoft Montreal.</p><p style="">Each preorder also comes with an in-game mission called "The Chemical Revolution." Not much is known about the mission except that it includes "a genius chemist, a secret formula, and a plot for revenge."</p><p style="">We've outlined all four preorder items and the retailers' descriptions of them below.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Retailer</th><th scope="col"><strong>Guaranteed Release Date Delivery? </strong></th><th scope="col">Preorder Bonus</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Creed-Unity-PlayStation-4/dp/B00J48MUS4/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1401726519&sr=1-1&keywords=assassin%27s+creed+unity&tag=gamespot-vg-20" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><strong>Amazon:</strong></a></p></td><td><p style="">Yes</p></td><td><p style="">"Carve through the thickest armor with ease, thanks to the armor splitter axe's relentless cleaving power."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599329-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.23+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599329" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599329-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.23+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599329"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599329-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.23+pm.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><b><a href="http://www.gamestop.com/ps4/games/assassins-creed-unity/114241" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">GameStop:</a> </b></p></td><td><p style="">No</p></td><td><p style="">"Bring your enemies to their knees with the razor head spear, a lethal polearm designed to penetrate the toughest armor around."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599330-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.40+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599330" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599330-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.40+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599330"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599330-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.40+pm.png"></a></figure></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Assassin-s-Creed-Unity-PS4/35853378" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><strong>Walmart:</strong></a></p></td><td><p style="">No</p></td><td><p style="">"With its pinpoint accuracy and incredible range, the maple hunting rifle is the weapon of choice for stealthy assassins who prefer to lurk in the shadows and devastate their enemies at long range."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599331-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.58+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599331" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599331-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.58+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599331"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599331-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.58+pm.png"></a></figure></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/assassins-creed-unity-playstation-4/5606027.p?id=1219143553013&skuId=5606027&st=assassin%27s%20creed%20unity&lp=1&cp=1" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><strong>Best Buy:</strong></a></p></td><td><p style="">No</p></td><td><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599332-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.33.07+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599332" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599332-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.33.07+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599332"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599332-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.33.07+pm.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="">You can also purchase the Collector's Edition for $130. It includes a 16-inch figure of protagonist Arno, a music box that plays Unity's theme, a copy of the official soundtrack, an art book, a collector's edition box, and the Killed by Science and The Chemical Revolution missions. You can read more about <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassin-s-creed-unity-collector-s-edition-preorder-bonuses-announced/1100-6420270/" data-ref-id="1100-6420270">all that it includes here</a>.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599348-4990410759-25564.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599348" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599348-4990410759-25564.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599348"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1539/15391776/2599348-4990410759-25564.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Of course, these bonuses can change before the game's release. Assassin's Creed Unity launches on October 28 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.</p><p style="">Do you like preorder bonuses and special editions? Do you think that preorder bonuses should be <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-preorder-bonuses/1100-6417493/" data-ref-id="1100-6417493">as complex as those for Watch Dogs</a>, or eliminated altogether? Let us know in the comments below.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:18:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassins-creed-unity-preorder-bonuses/1100-6420631/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/analog-3-beautiful-worlds-to-delve-into-after-chil/2300-6420293/ If loved the hand-painted aesthetic of Child of Light, Lisa Foiles has three more beautiful games for you to pore over. Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/analog-3-beautiful-worlds-to-delve-into-after-chil/2300-6420293/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-hidden-in-plain-sight/2300-6420330/ Watch extended gameplay footage from Hidden in Plain Sight featuring the Giant Bomb crew. Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-hidden-in-plain-sight/2300-6420330/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-being-performed-as-a-one-time-only-/1100-6421229/ <div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo4fItgzUHQ" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fjo4fItgzUHQ%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Djo4fItgzUHQ&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fjo4fItgzUHQ%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/the-last-of-us/" data-ref-id="false">The Last of Us</a> has received a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-test-of-time-looking-back-at-the-last-of-us/1100-6421041/" data-ref-id="1100-6421041">great deal of acclaim</a> since its release last year, in particular thanks to its standout story. Just ahead of the game's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-huge-proportion-of-ps4-owners-never-played-the-l/1100-6420923/" data-ref-id="1100-6420923">re-release on PlayStation 4</a> as The Last of Us Remastered, a special, one-time-only stage performance of scenes from the game will take place next week featuring the voice cast from the game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Known as <em>The Last of Us: One Night Live</em>, the performance will feature "select scenes" performed by five of the principal actors: Troy Baker (Joel), Ashley Johnson (Ellie), Merle Dandridge (Marlene), Hana Hayes (Sarah), and Annie Wersching (Tess). The Last of Us co-director Neil Druckmann will serve as director for the show, and composer Gustavo Santaolalla will perform live music from his score. A Q&A with the creative team will also take place.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The show is being held at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA next Monday, July 28, at 7PM Pacific. Free tickets are being distributed <a href="http://www.playstation.com/en-us/inside-playstation/events/2014/onenightlive" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">through the PlayStation website</a>; you can <a href="https://eventgrid.com/Event/8433/InstanceView/The-Last-Of-Us-One-Night-Live" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">join the wait list</a> right now to have the chance to be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As the venue can't possibly seat everyone interested in attending--not to mention those who simply can't make it to Los Angeles--Sony will stream the event online through Twitch, YouTube, and the Live Event Viewer on the PlayStation Network.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Last of Us Remastered arrives on <a href="/ps4/" data-ref-id="false">PS4</a> on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-ps3-owners-wont-get-a-discount-on-r/1100-6421160/" data-ref-id="1100-6421160">July 29 for $50</a>. It sports visual improvements, all of the DLC released for the game, and some small additions that make use of the DualShock 4, but is otherwise the same game released on <a href="/ps3/" data-ref-id="false">PlayStation 3</a> last year. For more on Remastered, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-remastered-devs-discuss-making-60fp/1100-6421147/" data-ref-id="1100-6421147">check out our recent interview with Naughty Dog</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Will you be tuning in for this special performance, or do you plan on trying to make it to the event in-person? Let us know in the comments.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:32:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-being-performed-as-a-one-time-only-/1100-6421229/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lethal-league-multiple-players/2300-6420332/ Chris Watters and friends join a whole new league. A 4 player league of pain and reward with Lethal League! Join the chat and the chaos! Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:06:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lethal-league-multiple-players/2300-6420332/
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 22 Jul 2014 06:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/299-nvidia-shield-tablet-coming-july-29/1100-6421192/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2601008-shield_tablet_shield_controller_trine2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2601008" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2601008-shield_tablet_shield_controller_trine2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2601008"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/917/9176928/2601008-shield_tablet_shield_controller_trine2.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">GPU-maker Nvidia has taken the wraps off its Shield Tablet, an 8-inch, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nvidia-claims-new-tegra-k1-mobile-chip-outperforms-xbox-360-and-playstation-3/1100-6416941/" data-ref-id="1100-6416941">32-bit Tegra K1</a>-powered tablet launching in the US on July 29, starting at $299 for a 16GB Wi-Fi model. A UK and European launch will follow in August, with the tablet priced at £229. All regions will receive a free copy of Trine 2 at purchase. Nvidia is also launching a separate controller for the tablet, which will retail at $59, and a cover with kickstand for $39. No discounted bundles will be available at launch.</p><p style="">The Shield Tablet features 2GB of RAM, a 1920x1200 pixel display, a MicroSD slot for up to 128GB of storage expansion, a 5MP front-facing camera as well as a 5MP autofocus rear camera, a stylus based on Nvidia's DirectStylus 2 technology, front-facing stereo speakers, 10 hours of battery life for video playback and 3-5 hours for gaming, and a construction that company claims dissipates twice as much heat as its rivals during extended gaming sessions. A version of the tablet with LTE and 32GB of memory will be available for $399.</p><p style="">On the software side, the Shield Tablet will ship with a largely stock version of Android 4.4.3, with just a few gaming tweaks. Twitch is integrated into the device system wide, allowing players to stream almost any app, game, or part of Android interface. The front-facing camera can be used for picture-in-picture, with audio coming from the integrated microphone or an external headset. When plugged into a TV, the tablet automatically switches into "Console Mode," which brings up a controller-optimised 1080p interface for launching and purchasing apps and games.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2601014-shield_family_titanfall+%281%29.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2601014" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2601014-shield_family_titanfall+%281%29.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2601014"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/917/9176928/2601014-shield_family_titanfall+%281%29.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Other apps include 1080p Netflix streaming, Hulu Plus, Shadowplay for capturing gameplay footage, and Gamestream for streaming PC games directly to the tablet. 11 Tegra-K1 optimised games will be available at launch, including The Talos Principle, Half Life 2, and free-to-play shooter War Thunder, complete with cross-platform online play.</p><p style="">The separate wireless controller features the standard collection of buttons, triggers, and analogue sticks, as well as Android-specific home and back buttons. There's also a touch pad at the bottom for controlling mouse actions for games streamed from a PC via Gamestream, and buttons for adjusting the volume of the headset jack. In addition, the controller features an integrated microphone for controlling Google Now in Android, as well as voice chat in games.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VohrddwVQqg" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FVohrddwVQqg%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DVohrddwVQqg&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FVohrddwVQqg%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Interestingly, the controller doesn't communicate over Bluetooth, but instead communicates via a proprietary WiFi standard, which Nvidia claims results in 2X less latency, and allows for up to four controllers to be paired with the tablet. The company is working with Google to integrate the specialised drivers into Android so other devices can make use of the controller, but has not confirmed a date for launch. Support for the controller is coming to the exisiting Shield Portable via a software update, though.</p><p style="">Also notable is that the Shield Tablet comes equipped with Nvidia's 32-bit Tegra K1 system on a chip, and not the flagship 64-bit version. However, the quad-core Cortex-A15 CPU and Kepler architecture graphics of the 32-bit Tegra K1 were used to great effect as this year's Google IO, with the chip being used to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/epic-games-shows-off-unreal-engine-4-on-mobile-and-it-looks-incredible/1100-6420758/" data-ref-id="1100-6420758">run an impressive Unreal Engine 4 demo in real time</a></p><p style="">GameSpot was at the unveiling of the Shield Tablet, so be sure to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nvidias-shield-tablet-makes-a-good-first-impressio/1100-6421224/" data-ref-id="1100-6421224">check out its initial impressions</a>.</p> Tue, 22 Jul 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/299-nvidia-shield-tablet-coming-july-29/1100-6421192/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nvidias-shield-tablet-makes-a-good-first-impressio/1100-6421224/ <p style="">GPU maker Nvidia is expanding its Shield line of handheld Android gaming devices. Where the first Shield was a quirky mash-up of gaming controller and LCD screen, its follow-up is far more reserved. The Shield Tablet (starting at $299/£229 for a 16GB Wi-Fi model) is an 8-inch tablet that at first glance looks like a standard black slate with a glass screen. Its gaming focus comes from its 32-bit Tegra K1 internals, a separate wireless controller that will retail for $59, and a $39 cover with kickstand. While there's a certain inconvenience with having to carry around a separate controller to play non-touch games, it's a preferable compromise when the alternative is something like the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wikipad-price-down-from-250-to-200-do-you-want-one/1100-6418334/" data-ref-id="1100-6418334">gargantuan Wikipad</a>.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602414-dsc01856.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602414" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602414-dsc01856.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602414"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/917/9176928/2602414-dsc01856.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">While I'm still waiting to get some more time with the Shield Tablet for a full review, I was pleasantly surprised after my brief hands-on with the device. The tablet itself is understated, with a matte black finish and front-facing speaker grills reminiscent of <a href="http://www.cnet.com/uk/products/htc-one-m8/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">HTC's One series of mobile phones</a>; the only branding comes from an embossed Shield logo on the back. The top of the tablet houses a headphone jack, a micro USB port, and a mini HDMI 1.4a port, while around the side is a slot for a sim card on LTE models ($399 with 32GB of memory), a slot for micro SD expansion up to 128GB, and a slot for the stylus that makes use of Nvidia's DirectStylus 2 technology.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602415-dsc01872.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602415" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602415-dsc01872.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602415"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2602415-dsc01872.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602416-dsc01899.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602416" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602416-dsc01899.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602416"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2602416-dsc01899.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">The bulk of the tablet is dominated by a clear and bright 1920x1200-pixel LCD screen up front. While the bezel seems a little chunky by today's standards, the Shield Tablet is a pleasing device to look at, and with a 9.2mm thickness and a 390g weight, it's comfortable to hold too. Indeed, it's not hard to imagine people picking up a Shield Tablet, simply because it's a good tablet. And--for UK consumers at least--the price isn't that large a markup over the £199 Nexus 7. Nvidia is planning on hooking people in with the Shield Tablet's gaming credentials, though, and for that you get a powerful 32-bit Tegra K1 (used to great effect with <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/epic-games-shows-off-unreal-engine-4-on-mobile-and-it-looks-incredible/1100-6420758/" data-ref-id="1100-6420758">Unreal Engine 4 at Google's IO conference</a>), as well as a bunch of gaming-focused software that sits atop a largely stock build of Android 4.4.3.</p><p style="">Most notable is the tablet's Twitch integration, which lets you stream almost any app, game, or part of the Android interface. The front-facing camera is used for picture-in-picture, while audio commentary comes from the integrated microphone, controller microphone, or an external headset. The feature worked well in the demo I was shown, but I'm not sure we'll start to see people Twitch streaming and commentating on their games from coffee shops (or, at least I hope we don't!) as Nvidia envisages. When plugged into a TV, the tablet automatically switches into console mode, which brings up a controller-optimised 1080p interface for launching and purchasing apps and games. Essentially, you get simple text for menus, and big images to select the games or apps you want to use. It wasn't fancy, but it worked just fine on a big TV.</p><figure data-embed-type="gallery" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604437-dsc01890.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604438-dsc01856.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604439-dsc01872.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604440-dsc01885.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604441-dsc01904.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604442-dsc01913.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604443-dsc01927.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604444-dsc01935.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604445-dsc01940.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604446-dsc01944.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604437,1300-2604438,1300-2604439,1300-2604440,1300-2604441,1300-2604442,1300-2604443,1300-2604444,1300-2604445,1300-2604446" data-resize-urls="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604437-dsc01890.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604438-dsc01856.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604439-dsc01872.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604440-dsc01885.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604441-dsc01904.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604442-dsc01913.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604443-dsc01927.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604444-dsc01935.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604445-dsc01940.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604446-dsc01944.jpg" data-resized="" data-resize-url=""><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604437-dsc01890.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604437" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604437-dsc01890.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604438-dsc01856.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604438" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604438-dsc01856.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604439-dsc01872.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604439" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604439-dsc01872.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604440-dsc01885.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604440" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604440-dsc01885.jpg"></a><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604441-dsc01904.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604441" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604441-dsc01904.jpg"></a><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604442-dsc01913.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604442" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604442-dsc01913.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604443-dsc01927.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604443" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604443-dsc01927.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604444-dsc01935.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604444" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604444-dsc01935.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604445-dsc01940.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604445" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604445-dsc01940.jpg"></a><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2604446-dsc01944.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604446" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/917/9176928/2604446-dsc01944.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Like the Shield handheld, the Shield Tablet supports Nvidia's GameStream tech, which lets you stream games from your home PC to the tablet. Over Ethernet, games are streamed in 1080p, while Wi-Fi or LTE limits that to 720p. I had a quick blast on Dirt 2, and while the visuals looked impressive, there was a slight pause between my actions on the controller and the car's movement on screen. It'll be interesting to see how well the feature works at home, but Nvidia has said it hasn't made any large improvements to the existing GameStream tech, so if you're already using it with a Shield handheld, the experience will be largely the same.</p><p style="">Similarly, if you've used a Shield handheld, the separate $59 controller will be familiar to you too, which is to say, it's rather big. The Shield handheld's size is forgivable given it houses a full Android device within, but it's tough to see why the Shield controller is so large. It's not original-Xbox-controller large, but even for someone like me with large hands, it didn't feel as comfortable as, say, an Xbox One or PlayStation 4 controller. Aside from a mushy D-pad (seriously, why is it so hard to make a good D-pad?), though, the controller was otherwise decent, and the Android buttons at the top and the touchpad at the bottom for navigating mouse-driven menus in PC games were useful additions during the demo.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VohrddwVQqg" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FVohrddwVQqg%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DVohrddwVQqg&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FVohrddwVQqg%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">The controller also has a built-in microphone, which Nvidia was keen to show working with Google Now so you can bark "OK Google" commands at your TV while the tablet is in console mode. It can also be used for voice chat in games, but there's also a headphone jack on the bottom of the controller for using a separate headset if you prefer. Interestingly, the controller works via a proprietary Wi-Fi standard instead of Bluetooth, which Nvidia claims results in 2X less latency.</p><p style="">Up to four Shield controllers can be used with the tablet, but it also supports regular Bluetooth controllers if you prefer. If you're wondering whether you can use the Shield controller with your other Android devices, sadly, that's not a feature that's going to be available at launch. Nvidia says it's working with Google to integrate the specialised drivers into Android so other devices can make use of the controller, but has not confirmed a date. Support for the controller is coming to the existing Shield Portable via a software update, though.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602438-dsc01913.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602438" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2602438-dsc01913.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2602438"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2602438-dsc01913.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sadly, there were a bunch of other features on the Shield Tablet I didn't get to check out, including 1080p Netflix streaming, Hulu Plus, a 3D drawing app for use with the stylus, and ShadowPlay for capturing gameplay footage. I also didn't get much time with many games, but Nvidia is promising that 11 Tegra K1-optimised games will be available at launch, including Trine 2 (which comes free with every device), Half Life 2, and the free-to-play shooter War Thunder, complete with cross-platform online play.</p><p style="">I'll be checking those games out, as well as giving the Shield Tablet the full review treatment just before launch, so keep your eyes on GameSpot for more soon.</p> Tue, 22 Jul 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nvidias-shield-tablet-makes-a-good-first-impressio/1100-6421224/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-hearthstone-naxxramas-cards-revealed/1100-6421236/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2604229-curseof+naxxramas.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604229" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2604229-curseof+naxxramas.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604229"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2604229-curseof+naxxramas.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Blizzard has revealed cards that will be introduced as part of the upcoming new Adventure Mode update for <a href="/hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft</a>.</p><p style="">The cards will be part of the Curse of Naxxramas patch, a single-player expansion that will be <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hearthstone-single-player-naxxramas-update-goes-li/1100-6421178/" data-ref-id="1100-6421178">introduced to the game on July 22</a>. The new additions were revealed on the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.701675023208602.1073741841.498467596862680&type=3" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Hearthstone facebook page</a>, and will include the cards shown in<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/images/1300-2604356/" data-ref-id="1300-2604356"> this gallery</a>.</p><p style="">Naxxramas itself will be released over five individual updates that will unlock one after another each week after the first update. Each will cover a specific area in Naxxramas; The Arachnid Quarter, Plague Quarter, Military Quarter, Construct Quarter, and Frostwyrm Lair. Players who participate in the expansion within the first month of it's launch will be able to access the first wing for free, but <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hearthstone-naxxramas-expansions-cost-7-or-700-gol/1100-6420985/" data-ref-id="1100-6420985">must buy the rest</a> with in-game gold or real world currency.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="false"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</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><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 23:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-hearthstone-naxxramas-cards-revealed/1100-6421236/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/heroes-of-the-storm-dev-discusses-new-warcraft-her/1100-6421231/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604006-9515845516-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604006" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604006-9515845516-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604006"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1539/15391776/2604006-9515845516-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><a href="/heroes-of-the-storm/" data-ref-id="false">Heroes of the Storm</a>, the MOBA-like hero brawler from <a href="/world-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">World of Warcraft</a> developer Blizzard, has been in a closed alpha test since March. Every few weeks, the developer launches a new update, adding new content, changing balance, and reworking character progression. With an upcoming patch, the team intends to make Heroes of the Storm stand out even further.</p><p style="">We were able to talk to game director Dustin Browder and learn more about the map, hero, and design changes coming to the game in the next patch. We also took the opportunity to ask about the game's future, its esports potential, and its competition.</p><h2>Who's the new hero coming in the update?</h2><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604001-7507817296-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604001" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604001-7507817296-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604001"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2604001-7507817296-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">First and foremost, players will get to battle as a new hero named Rehgar. He's an agile character who is inspired by the shamans of Warcraft. "He's a pretty cool and aggressive support character," Browder explains. "He can change into his mount form whenever he wants very quickly. He turns into a ghost wolf and runs around. He's a very special kind of support character, and a lot of fun to play. Basically, Rehgar is a shaman with a bunch of elemental abilities. He's a classic <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/warcraft-iii-reign-of-chaos/" data-ref-id="false">Warcraft III</a> Shaman build."</p><h2>And how about that new map?</h2><p style="">It's called Garden of Terror, and it's a dynamic map similar to others in the game. "You're trying to collect seeds to be able to create this big plant monster that you can become," Browder says. "[It's] kind of like [how] you can become the dragon knight in one of our other maps. It gives you the chance to be this giant monster that runs around, gums up the map and slimes enemy towers with this evil plant stuff. [It can also] choke off enemy towns, preventing them from fighting and making your pushes [into enemy territory] very effective."</p><h2>Are there any other changes going into the game?</h2><p style="">In addition to the map and character, Blizzard is also implementing a sweeping array of UI, performance, and progression changes. Most significantly, the developer is overhauling how you advance your heroes in and out of battle.</p><p style="">Firstly, the team has reworked cooperative gameplay so that you can now earn experience without entering into competitive arenas. Browder explains, "We want to give players the opportunity to earn experience and complete quests in cooperative play, but at the same time we didn't want to feel like it was wrong to play Player vs. Player modes. So we've changed the whole system, [and now] you do get a win bonus when you play cooperatively."</p><p style="">There will also be more items for you to work toward, including new cosmetic items called Master Skins. To make this work, the developer has made leveling up individual heroes much more important: "We've got this idea for a master hero skin that you'll earn if you play a hero for a really long time, so we've redone the entire leveling system. A lot of it is [now] about leveling up individual heroes. We had six hero levels before; now we're up to 10 different hero levels. So it feels like a much more meaty experience."</p><p style="">Finally, the team has redone the way you earn the gold used for microtransactions, to make it both more rewarding and more useful. This includes the addition of artifacts, which actually allow for an entirely different way of hero customization. Browder says, "We've gone to a gold-per-game model, or a gold-per-win model. It was just too long between rewards, so we've rebalanced the whole economy around [this new] model."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604005-0310037774-4KIA8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604005" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2604005-0310037774-4KIA8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2604005"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2604005-0310037774-4KIA8.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">He continues, "We've added a whole new system to the game, an artifact system, and this allows players to customize a lot of the core stats on their heroes. This is one of the things we had a lot of requests for from the players. At the same time, they didn't really want it to be a part of the talent system--they wanted the talent system to be more focused on skill, heroic abilities, all that stuff--so we thought it might be kind of cool to give the players the ability to customize the stats on their characters before the game launches. So now you can go in and you can get these artifacts and you can slot them into your hero.</p><p style="">"This also ties into a request from a lot of our players for something more to do with gold. a lot of players will purchase a couple heroes and be totally content with that, but say 'I'm earning all this gold, what else can I do with it?' We thought this could be a cool thing you can do with your gold--buy better and better artifacts and customize your hero."</p><h2>Is Garden of Terror designed around a core type of competitive play?</h2><p style="">"No, Garden of Terror will go into our regular map pool," Browder states. "We haven't decided yet if we're going to do special maps for special types of play, it's possible when we get to ranked play, we might say, 'Okay, these are the ranked play maps, they're a little different from unranked maps.'"</p><h2>Is the map modeled after another Blizzard area?</h2><p style="">"No, we're still doing the realms of the Nexus [right now]," he explains. "We're still exploring new worlds that allow us to be crazy and creative with the space. You'll see us explore more of Blizzard's environments in the future, and we will also have some of our other more classic worlds going forward."</p><h2>What are you doing going forward to make Heroes of the Storm stand out in a genre that's becoming increasingly crowded?</h2><p style="">Browder argues that Heroes of the Storm is fundamentally shaking up the MOBA formula by encouraging teamwork and a focus on individual hero customization. "We're doing things with team leveling where people are really asked to do things together as a team, and it's not about getting ahead on your own and being the carry," he says. "We really feel like it's making a difference and it's really showing a lot of what the genre can be. There're a lot of different things you can do in the genre.</p><blockquote data-size="small" data-align="left"><p style="">"We really feel like it's making a difference and it's really showing a lot of what the genre can be. There're a lot of different things you can do in the genre."</p></blockquote><p style="">"We've got lots of different maps with lots of different map mechanics. We're trying to make each map as unique as possible. We're doing things with our talent system. We're moving away from the traditional shop system and really giving players a custom set of options per hero. We can have items that are range bonuses on heroes. We can give a hero who specializes in melee attack and give him a +3 range bonus, and now he's a short-range hero. If we put that in a shop that's generic for all, that would break the game.</p><p style="">"That's been a huge win for us that's distinguished us from other games in the genre. We've got something legitimate to offer. It's not for everybody, but we feel that we're gathering an audience of players that's very excited that we're taking these types of risks."</p><h2>Looking at your competitors and their expansions into esports, does that influence how you're approaching development on Heroes of the Storm?</h2><p style="">The game is certainly inspired by <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/blizzard-dota/" data-ref-id="false">Dota</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2</a>, but it is becoming increasingly driven by the community, Browder states. In the future, it'll be the players who determine if Heroes becomes an established esport.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603996-3680132919-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603996" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603996-3680132919-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603996"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2603996-3680132919-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">"We owe an enormous debt to the modders in Warcraft III who helped develop the genre, and all the other developers who iterated on that even further," he says. "Early on, we were looking at those games a lot and learning from them, but at this point in our alpha, we're learning more about our game from our game. Our game and our players, that has become the focus and that teaches us what to do.</p><p style="">"It's not up to us if this game is an esport, it's up to the players. Do players start forming leagues, do shoutcasters show up? If they do, we'll be there for them. It'll be interesting to see where these people take the game."</p><h2>Can you say when Heroes of the Storm will move out of alpha and into a beta test?</h2><p style="">"Nope. We're still making sure the technology is good and safe," he explains. "You have to understand, when we go into a beta, we'll end up connecting up to Blizzard's other games. So you'll be able to chat with people in WoW, you'll be able to chat with people in <a href="/diablo/" data-ref-id="false">Diablo</a>, you'll be able to chat with people in <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft/" data-ref-id="false">Hearthstone</a> and <a href="/http://www.gamespot.com/starcraft-ii-heart-of-the-swarm/" data-ref-id="false">StarCraft</a>. When we go to that point, if we make a mistake in Heroes of the Storm, it's not impossible that we could crash WoW. That's bad.</p><p style="">"So we're adding a few people every week to the alpha, and we're still testing the infrastructure. Once we're in a position where we feel like we're good to go, we'll roll over into the production hardware and into the beta."</p><h2>Will there be any other announcements for Heroes of the Storm before November's BlizzCon conference?</h2><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603999-7920150857-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603999" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2603999-7920150857-23726.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603999"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2603999-7920150857-23726.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">"You can always look for more heroes, changes to the HUD, and changes to the progression system," Browder promises. "We're also updating talents as often as possible. But we've also got another milestone before then."</p><p style="">The patch looks to change things up pretty dramatically, and it'll be interesting to see how the new progression systems work out. You can check out <a href="http://www.twitch.tv/BlizzHeroes" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Blizzard's Twitch stream</a> tomorrow at 11 A.M. PDT for more information and a first look at the update. Keep an eye on GameSpot for more news about Heroes of the Storm as it becomes available.</p><p style="">What do you think about Heroes of the Storm and how Blizzard is trying to make it unique? Let us know in the comments!</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 17:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/heroes-of-the-storm-dev-discusses-new-warcraft-her/1100-6421231/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/watch-20-players-take-on-a-giant-end-game-boss-in-/2300-6420349/ Here's your first look the gigantic lava worm Kanaloa in this video of upcoming shooter Firefall's Titan Battles. Titan Battles are 20-player instances intended for max-level characters, and players can set forth on the road to tackling them when the game launches on July 29, 2014. Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:48:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/watch-20-players-take-on-a-giant-end-game-boss-in-/2300-6420349/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pro-gaming-team-wins-5-million-in-dota-2-internati/1100-6421234/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6420340" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6420340/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">The fourth-ever <a href="/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2</a> International--the MOBA game's worldwide championship tournament--was won today by the team known as Newbee--which is now more than $5 million richer.</p><p style="">In a best-of-five competition that took place in Seattle today, Newbee defeated Vici Gaming in four games. Vici won the first game before Newbee reeled off three wins in a row, earning the team a little over $5 million. A <a href="http://www.ongamers.com/articles/the-international-grand-finals-recap/1100-1966/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="1100-1966">full recap of the games can be seen at onGamers</a>, and you can watch a replay of the fourth and final game below.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Newbee, which was only formed earlier this year, is comprised entirely of Chinese gamers: Chen "Hao" Zhihao, Zhang "Mu" Pan, Zhang "xiao8" Ning, Jiao "Banana" Wang, and Zhaohui "SanSheng" Wang. Vici also consists solely of Chinese players.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The members of Vici, as runners up, take home just under $1.5 million total, while the third-place team, North America's Evil Geniuses, gets $1 million total.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This year marked a significant moment for The International and esports as a whole. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/espn-partnering-with-valve-to-stream-dota-2-esport/1100-6421184/" data-ref-id="1100-6421184">ESPN broadcasted the event</a> through ESPN 3, and a finals preview aired on ESPN 2 on Sunday. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/10-million-dota-2-international-exceeds-super-bowl-masters-and-tour-de-france-prizes/1100-6420785/" data-ref-id="1100-6420785">More than $10 million in prize money</a>--the most-ever for an esports tournament--was up for grabs in the International as a direct result of fans purchasing the Compendium (which earns buyers in-game items and contributed money to the prize pool).</p><p style="">Did you watch any of this year's International? Let us know how you followed the tournament in the comments below.</p><div data-embed-type="html"><object id="clip_embed_player_flash" data="http://www.twitch.tv/widgets/archive_embed_player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="454" width="745"><param name="movie" value="http://www.twitch.tv/widgets/archive_embed_player.swf" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowNetworking" value="all" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="title=%2BThe%2BInternational%2B2014%2B-%2BGrand%2BFinals%2B-%2BNewbee%2Bvs%2BVG%2B-%2BGame%2B4%2B-%2BCasters%253A%2BTobiwan%2B%2526%2BLuminous&channel=dota2ti&auto_play=false&start_volume=25&chapter_id=4714287" /></object><br /><a class="trk" style="padding: 2px 0px 4px; display: block; width: 320px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline; text-align: center;" href="http://www.twitch.tv/dota2ti" rel="nofollow">Watch live video from dota2ti on Twitch</a></div><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pro-gaming-team-wins-5-million-in-dota-2-internati/1100-6421234/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wayward-manor-review/1900-6415821/ <p style="">Many of us desire peace in our twilight years. In Wayward Manor, the sentiment is equally true for an old, sentient house, which yearns for a tranquil retirement. This means that the boisterous family that lives there has to go, and it's your job as the manor's loyal poltergeist to move them out. Wayward Manor is a modest puzzle game, featuring plenty of good-natured charm and slapstick humor. But you're not the only one haunting the manor's creaking halls; an array of game-ending glitches provide more worriment than the game's dancing shadows, while the lack of challenge turn the second half into a snooze.</p><p style="">As the manor's sole guardian, you must move from room to room, scaring away the unwanted guests. You approach this goal by manipulating certain objects in a room marked with an eerie spectral glow. Using your paranormal abilities, you prey upon the family's deep-seated fears and anxieties, or frighten them with tactful snares, including mousetraps and a pirate ghost that slashes at them from a painting. You can rattle a stone bust, which grabs a victim's attention long enough for you to send a bottle flying toward her head, shaking her constitution. The sight of a rat sends the family maid into a panic, so why not have one scurry across her path, causing her to jump with fright? A successful scare rewards you with a green skull. The more skulls you earn, the stronger your presence in a room, allowing you to manipulate even more objects as you frighten the pants off various intruders. Once you collect six skulls, you activate a ghastly whirlwind that whips up loose objects, sending your hapless victim screaming out the door for good.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6420230" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6420230/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">At first, there is a sense of discovery in solving Wayward Manor's puzzles, but the excitement dissipates more quickly than a specter in the sunlight. By the time you hit the third chapter, a cursory glance is all that is required to figure out each level's mystery. Gameplay stagnates, and there are only so many times you can whack one of the dopey characters on the head with a bottle before boredom seeps in. As you enter the game's third chapter, the lack of variety turns puzzle solving into more of a mechanical motion, over one that promotes the enjoyable analysis of the working parts. If you do find yourself at a loss, creatures such as cats, birds, and gargoyles located in the rooms offer advice on how to approach the puzzle.</p><p style="">The story is penned by <em>Coraline</em> author Neil Gaiman, and the game draws influences from the surreal book-turned-film. Narration is spoken in a storybook style, and Gaiman himself lends his smoky voice to the living manor during brief moments of exposition between chapters. Though the dated visuals of Wayward Manor won't win any awards, the game fully embraces its peculiar art style, which I found alluring. The multistoried manor is warped and cartoonish, yet still macabre, its dusty rooms lit by flickering candles or by azure moonlight creeping in through windows. The family inhabiting the manor is made up of diminutive caricatures exhibiting charming mannerisms, their voices replaced by the sounds of various musical instruments.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603495" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603495"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Glitches range from objects clipping into walls to levels freezing.</figcaption></figure><figure data-embed-type="gallery" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603522,1300-2603526,1300-2603530,1300-2603524,1300-2603528,1300-2603495,1300-2597321,1300-2597329,1300-2597319,1300-2597322" data-resize-urls="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg" data-resized="" data-resize-url=""><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603522" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603522-0002.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603526" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603526-0004.jpg"></a><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603530" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603530-0006.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603524" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603524-0003.jpg"></a><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603528" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603528-0005.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603495" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/416/4161502/2603495-0001.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597321" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597321-ci-120408988830384252.jpg"></a><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597329" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597329-ci211678740830384252.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597319" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597319-ci-94169988830384252.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2597322" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/78/787590/2597322-ci140274740830384252.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Unfortunately, I won't remember Wayward Manor for its interesting characters or art style, but for the menagerie of bugs and game-ending glitches that invoke far more tension than what my spectral hijinks could match. The most innocent of the issues include the whirlwind, which forces objects to clip through walls and people, and some occasional animation foibles, such as characters sprinting backward. Among the worst, however, is the surprisingly frequent gameplay bug that causes the puzzle and characters to freeze, unperturbed by my dismayed flurry of mouse clicks--there is nothing more to do than restart the level. In my playthrough of the game, I encountered the bug more than a dozen times. The final level was especially irritating, because a necessary puzzle piece refused to move into position, requiring me to restart about five times before the object finally clicked into place.</p><p style="">Wayward Manor, with its brevity and elementary one-button approach to gameplay, is not a complicated game. It's unfortunate, however, that the number of bugs infesting it make things so problematic and frustrating. The game's spooky ambiance and appealing nature are enjoyable, but not enough to overshadow the humdrum puzzle solving, nor to distract you from glitches. Wayward Manor puts a lot of trust in your abilities to remove unwanted guests, but it would have found equal success in calling pest control.</p> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wayward-manor-review/1900-6415821/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-ruby-sapphire-screenshot-comparison-shows-/1100-6421233/ <div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6419405" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419405/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="">Considering 12 years have passed since <a href="/pokemon-ruby-version/" data-ref-id="false">Pokemon Ruby</a> and <a href="/pokemon-sapphire-version/" data-ref-id="false">Sapphire</a> were released on Game Boy Advance, graphical improvements are to be expected from their upcoming <a href="/3ds/" data-ref-id="false">3DS</a> remakes, <a href="/pokemon-alpha-sapphire/" data-ref-id="false">Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire</a>. But if, like me, you haven't seen Ruby or Sapphire recently, you might not realize just how much of a change the games' visuals have undergone by simply looking at screenshots of the 3DS versions.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Luckily, <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/pokemon/comments/2b1l1u/this_makes_me_a_bit_tingly_in_my_pants/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Reddit user YouDontKnowThisUser</a> has compiled a comparison of three dozen screenshots that pit the 3DS remakes against very similar (if not identical) scenes from the original games, which you can see below. The most significant change, of course, is the shift from the sprite-based 2D graphics of the older Pokemon games to the 3D-graphic style introduced in <a href="/pokemon-x/" data-ref-id="false">Pokemon X</a> and <a href="/pokemon-y/" data-ref-id="false">Y</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The gameplay is similarly not being left untouched: a new type of evolution is being introduced <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-evolution-type-revealed-for-pokemon-omega-ruby-and-alpha-sapphire/1100-6420638/" data-ref-id="1100-6420638">called Primal Reversion</a>, new <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-omega-ruby-alpha-sapphire-remakes-add-new-mega-evolutions/1100-6420187/" data-ref-id="1100-6420187">mega evolutions have been added</a>, and players will now be able to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/build-your-own-custom-secret-base-in-pokemon-omega/1100-6420988/" data-ref-id="1100-6420988">design their own secret bases</a> that can be shared through StreetPass.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Alpha Ruby and Omega Sapphire are scheduled for release on November 21. If you plan on picking up the game, which version will you choose? Let us know in the comments.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603980" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603980-pokemon-1.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603980-pokemon-1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603980"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603980-pokemon-1.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603983" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603983-pokemon-2.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603983-pokemon-2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603983"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603983-pokemon-2.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603984" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603984-pokemon-3.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603984-pokemon-3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603984"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603984-pokemon-3.jpg"></a></figure><figure data-ref-id="1300-2603985" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603985-pokemon-4.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603985-pokemon-4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603985"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603985-pokemon-4.jpg"></a></figure><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 15:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-ruby-sapphire-screenshot-comparison-shows-/1100-6421233/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/modern-combat-5-pirated-ahead-of-launch-after-dev-/1100-6421232/ <figure data-ref-id="1300-2603863" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603863-modern+combat+5.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603863-modern+combat+5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603863"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603863-modern+combat+5.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">To promote the release of <a href="/modern-combat-5-blackout/" data-ref-id="false">Modern Combat 5: Blackout</a> later this week, developer Gameloft recently held a contest that provided winners with early access to this latest game in its mobile first-person shooter series. Things quickly went awry as the game was cracked and distributed online as early as Friday, leading to thousands of pirated copies of Blackout being downloaded in the week prior to its launch.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Gameloft issued a statement to GameSpot today, confirming it's dealt with those playing pirated copies. "Following the release of several pirated versions of Modern Combat 5 prior the release of the game, we have turned on our anti-piracy systems and now all illegitimate users on a non-official version have been incapacitated," the company said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a post on a Modern Combat <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/370941913017140/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Facebook group</a> (via <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/21/5923033/modern-combat-5-contest-unreleased-game-cracked" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Polygon</a>), Gameloft community manager Florian Weber wrote, "As you can imagine I am really pissed off. To anybody who got MC5 already, shame on you! We are making games for you and all you can do is pirate them?" He also threatened bans for anyone who had proven they were already playing Blackout.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Numerous Twitter users posted openly on the site over the weekend about playing the game, which was reportedly hacked to allow the use of infinite ammo when playing online. A listing on an unofficial iOS app store hosting the cracked game showed it had been downloaded more than 3,000 times as of yesterday--this despite the app store in question not being the original source of the pirated game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A number of videos posted to YouTube showing gameplay from pirated copies of MC5 have been removed due to Terms of Service violations. However, videos with hundreds of views detailing the process of obtaining the game--which involves having a jailbroken phone--remain online. That may no longer be an issue with Gameloft having taken action, but the leaked version also included the game's single-player, resulting in videos being shared online that show the game's ending. At least one such video remains online as of this writing.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Blackout, which was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-modern-combat-5-blackout-is-a-premium-mobile-shooter-not-free-to-play/1100-6420375/" data-ref-id="1100-6420375">on display at E3 last month</a>, is scheduled for release this Thursday, July 24, on iOS and Android for $6.99. According to Gameloft, "Those who used this pirated version of the game just need to wait for the official game release." In other words, any bans imposed on pirates are not permanent.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong> Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 14:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/modern-combat-5-pirated-ahead-of-launch-after-dev-/1100-6421232/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/eas-sims-studio-hiring-for-first-new-franchise-sin/1100-6421230/ <figure data-ref-id="1300-2603297" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603297-sims4.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2603297-sims4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2603297"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2603297-sims4.jpg"></a><figcaption>Maxis' latest game, The Sims 4</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">A newly discovered <a href="http://careersearch.ea.com/california/game-design/jobid5689540-senior-designer-jobs" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">job posting</a> for a senior designer position at Maxis has revealed the nature of a "new, unannounced" project in the works at the Electronic Arts-owned studio. From the sound of it, this "unique, emerging IP" will have a major multiplayer component and may draw on games with sandbox elements like <a href="/minecraft/" data-ref-id="false">Minecraft</a>, <a href="/littlebigplanet/" data-ref-id="false">LittleBigPlanet</a>, and <a href="/project-spark/" data-ref-id="false">Project Spark</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Among the aspects of the game that the new senior designer will work on are "creativity editors … extensive multiplayer gameplay mechanics, in-game economies, technology trees, HD, PC, and mobile and tablet companion application integration." The posting later refers to "content creation tools and editors" intended for use by both the game's developers and players.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Prospective candidates need experience working with "deeply social multiplayer games such as MMOs," as well as an understanding of "crafting trees" and "character RPG-style leveling design and mathematical loot progression modeling."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The most direct hint about the nature of this new game comes from the requirement for an "understanding [of] other games in the creativity space, including LittleBigPlanet, Minecraft and its popular mods, Roblox, <a href="/disney-infinity/" data-ref-id="false">Disney Infinity</a>, Project Spark, and other upcoming efforts."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Whatever the game is, it's likely to be free-to-play in some capacity. The new hire needs to be able to "design monetization that players respect and feel adds a great deal of value for their money." EA has had some issues with this in the past, in particular <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/another-ea-exec-explains-why-new-dungeon-keeper-su/1100-6420996/" data-ref-id="1100-6420996">with this year's mobile Dungeon Keeper game</a>.</p><p style="">Maxis has a long history of creating games that, in many ways, amount to sandboxes; when legendary designer and co-founder Will Wright was with the company, it created both <a href="/the-sims/" data-ref-id="false">The Sims</a> and <a href="/sim-city/" data-ref-id="false">SimCity</a> series, as well as <a href="/spore/" data-ref-id="false">Spore</a>. Since <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/will-wright-leaves-ea-founds-stupid-fun-club/1100-6207584/" data-ref-id="1100-6207584">Wright's departure in 2009</a>, it's released new content for <a href="/the-sims-3/" data-ref-id="false">The Sims 3</a>, launched 2013's <a href="/simcity/" data-ref-id="false">SimCity</a>, and developed <a href="/the-sims-4/" data-ref-id="false">The Sims 4</a>, which <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-sims-4-premium-service-spotted-in-lengthy-new-/1100-6421226/" data-ref-id="1100-6421226">releases in September</a>.</p><p style="">GameSpot has contacted EA for more details regarding this new project and will report back with anything we learn.</p><p style="">Based on what details are offered in the job posting, what are you hoping this new game turns out to be? Let us know in the comments.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:43:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/eas-sims-studio-hiring-for-first-new-franchise-sin/1100-6421230/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassins-creed-unity-preorder-bonuses/1100-6420631/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599325-6469591421-25939.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599325" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599325-6469591421-25939.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599325"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1539/15391776/2599325-6469591421-25939.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">The wealth of preorder bonuses and special editions for big games can get pretty convoluted, and <a href="/assassins-creed-unity/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed Unity</a> is no exception. Often, games will have different offers for each different retailer, and three or four different editions. If you're like me, you can end up feeling left out if you didn't know about a certain bonus. This year, developer Ubisoft has created four different retailer-exclusive versions of Assassin's Creed Unity, and each contains a unique weapon that cannot be acquired elsewhere (at least at launch). There will also be a Collector's Edition that contains a number of real-world and in-game items.</p><p style="">All preordered copies, regardless of retailer, also come with a code for a real-world spin-to-win sweepstakes game. Every day, Ubisoft is giving away prizes as big as games, clothes, and even trips to Paris and Ubisoft Montreal.</p><p style="">Each preorder also comes with an in-game mission called "The Chemical Revolution." Not much is known about the mission except that it includes "a genius chemist, a secret formula, and a plot for revenge."</p><p style="">We've outlined all four preorder items and the retailers' descriptions of them below.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Retailer</th><th scope="col"><strong>Guaranteed Release Date Delivery? </strong></th><th scope="col">Preorder Bonus</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Creed-Unity-PlayStation-4/dp/B00J48MUS4/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1401726519&sr=1-1&keywords=assassin%27s+creed+unity&tag=gamespot-vg-20" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><strong>Amazon:</strong></a></p></td><td><p style="">Yes</p></td><td><p style="">"Carve through the thickest armor with ease, thanks to the armor splitter axe's relentless cleaving power."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599329-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.23+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599329" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599329-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.23+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599329"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599329-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.23+pm.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><b><a href="http://www.gamestop.com/ps4/games/assassins-creed-unity/114241" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">GameStop:</a> </b></p></td><td><p style="">No</p></td><td><p style="">"Bring your enemies to their knees with the razor head spear, a lethal polearm designed to penetrate the toughest armor around."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599330-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.40+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599330" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599330-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.40+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599330"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599330-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.40+pm.png"></a></figure></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Assassin-s-Creed-Unity-PS4/35853378" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><strong>Walmart:</strong></a></p></td><td><p style="">No</p></td><td><p style="">"With its pinpoint accuracy and incredible range, the maple hunting rifle is the weapon of choice for stealthy assassins who prefer to lurk in the shadows and devastate their enemies at long range."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599331-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.58+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599331" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599331-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.58+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599331"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599331-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.32.58+pm.png"></a></figure></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/assassins-creed-unity-playstation-4/5606027.p?id=1219143553013&skuId=5606027&st=assassin%27s%20creed%20unity&lp=1&cp=1" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><strong>Best Buy:</strong></a></p></td><td><p style="">No</p></td><td><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599332-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.33.07+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599332" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599332-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.33.07+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2599332"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1539/15391776/2599332-screen+shot+2014-07-16+at+5.33.07+pm.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="">You can also purchase the Collector's Edition for $130. It includes a 16-inch figure of protagonist Arno, a music box that plays Unity's theme, a copy of the official soundtrack, an art book, a collector's edition box, and the Killed by Science and The Chemical Revolution missions. You can read more about <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassin-s-creed-unity-collector-s-edition-preorder-bonuses-announced/1100-6420270/" data-ref-id="1100-6420270">all that it includes here</a>.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599348-4990410759-25564.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599348" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1539/15391776/2599348-4990410759-25564.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2599348"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1539/15391776/2599348-4990410759-25564.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Of course, these bonuses can change before the game's release. Assassin's Creed Unity launches on October 28 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.</p><p style="">Do you like preorder bonuses and special editions? Do you think that preorder bonuses should be <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-preorder-bonuses/1100-6417493/" data-ref-id="1100-6417493">as complex as those for Watch Dogs</a>, or eliminated altogether? Let us know in the comments below.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:18:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassins-creed-unity-preorder-bonuses/1100-6420631/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/analog-3-beautiful-worlds-to-delve-into-after-chil/2300-6420293/ If loved the hand-painted aesthetic of Child of Light, Lisa Foiles has three more beautiful games for you to pore over. Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/analog-3-beautiful-worlds-to-delve-into-after-chil/2300-6420293/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-hidden-in-plain-sight/2300-6420330/ Watch extended gameplay footage from Hidden in Plain Sight featuring the Giant Bomb crew. Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-hidden-in-plain-sight/2300-6420330/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-being-performed-as-a-one-time-only-/1100-6421229/ <div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo4fItgzUHQ" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fjo4fItgzUHQ%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Djo4fItgzUHQ&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fjo4fItgzUHQ%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/the-last-of-us/" data-ref-id="false">The Last of Us</a> has received a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-test-of-time-looking-back-at-the-last-of-us/1100-6421041/" data-ref-id="1100-6421041">great deal of acclaim</a> since its release last year, in particular thanks to its standout story. Just ahead of the game's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-huge-proportion-of-ps4-owners-never-played-the-l/1100-6420923/" data-ref-id="1100-6420923">re-release on PlayStation 4</a> as The Last of Us Remastered, a special, one-time-only stage performance of scenes from the game will take place next week featuring the voice cast from the game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Known as <em>The Last of Us: One Night Live</em>, the performance will feature "select scenes" performed by five of the principal actors: Troy Baker (Joel), Ashley Johnson (Ellie), Merle Dandridge (Marlene), Hana Hayes (Sarah), and Annie Wersching (Tess). The Last of Us co-director Neil Druckmann will serve as director for the show, and composer Gustavo Santaolalla will perform live music from his score. A Q&A with the creative team will also take place.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The show is being held at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA next Monday, July 28, at 7PM Pacific. Free tickets are being distributed <a href="http://www.playstation.com/en-us/inside-playstation/events/2014/onenightlive" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">through the PlayStation website</a>; you can <a href="https://eventgrid.com/Event/8433/InstanceView/The-Last-Of-Us-One-Night-Live" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">join the wait list</a> right now to have the chance to be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As the venue can't possibly seat everyone interested in attending--not to mention those who simply can't make it to Los Angeles--Sony will stream the event online through Twitch, YouTube, and the Live Event Viewer on the PlayStation Network.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Last of Us Remastered arrives on <a href="/ps4/" data-ref-id="false">PS4</a> on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-ps3-owners-wont-get-a-discount-on-r/1100-6421160/" data-ref-id="1100-6421160">July 29 for $50</a>. It sports visual improvements, all of the DLC released for the game, and some small additions that make use of the DualShock 4, but is otherwise the same game released on <a href="/ps3/" data-ref-id="false">PlayStation 3</a> last year. For more on Remastered, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-remastered-devs-discuss-making-60fp/1100-6421147/" data-ref-id="1100-6421147">check out our recent interview with Naughty Dog</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Will you be tuning in for this special performance, or do you plan on trying to make it to the event in-person? Let us know in the comments.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/thesmokingmanx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:32:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-being-performed-as-a-one-time-only-/1100-6421229/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lethal-league-multiple-players/2300-6420332/ Chris Watters and friends join a whole new league. A 4 player league of pain and reward with Lethal League! Join the chat and the chaos! Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:06:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lethal-league-multiple-players/2300-6420332/
