Former CLG EU League of Legends team officially joins Evil Geniuses

Former Counter Logic Gaming European League of Legends team joining new organization, confirming report from earlier this month.

The international eSports organization Evil Geniuses has officially announced that the former Counter Logic Gaming European League of Legends team will be joining the organization. This confirms a GameSpot report on the situation from January 3. Both parties have come to an agreement on terms that will reportedly make them the highest paid League of Legends team in the world.

Alex Garfield, CEO of EG, and Stephen "Snoopeh" Ellis, Captain of EG's new League of Legends team, have told GameSpot that the full five-man roster of Stephen "Snoopeh" Ellis, Henrik "Froggen" Hansen, Peter "Yellowpete" Wüppen, Mitch "Krepo" Voorspoels and Mike "Wickd" Petersen have signed a one-year contract with the team. The DreamHack Summer champions have been mulling over their future since August, having had serious discussions with Evil Geniuses and Curse, and also considered starting their own team. The finalization of the deal comes after many months of back-and-forth of meetings between Evil Geniuses Owner Alex Garfield and the team, with Ellis at the helm of the talks. It is said to be the longest contract negotiation Evil Geniuses have ever had with a player or team.

Both sides note financial support was not the focal point of the deal, as several other factors such as security, longevity, team stability, streaming platform and belief in each other were weighed along with the deal's financials. Garfield met with Ellis and the team at least six separate times throughout the past half-year, with the initial meeting occurring shortly before Ellis and his team played in Korea's OGN The Champions League this past summer.

Ellis and the team began thinking about and exploring their options for 2013 starting before their participation in The Champions last August, at which they narrowly lost to Azubu Frost in the finals. Their contract with CLG was ending December 31, and team knew of CLG's plans to partner with Azubu for the future. While the partnership presented opportunities for the team, they saw it more as a hindrance that relied too much on potentially unstable funding sources, and a lot of moving parts. The players felt CLG was not at the same level professionally as other established organizations, and came to a decision that without a major change in that development, they would not extend their contracts into the new year.

Curse, with a European squad that has gone through a variety of roster changes lately, reportedly made a very strong offer to the former CLG team. The offer had the potential to yield more money through their own additional personal sponsorships, an opportunity not attainable through Evil Geniuses, which is known to have the most restrictive player contracts in the industry in terms of players' independent sponsorship opportunities. Although Curse had on paper the better financial offer and a multiple large team houses to boot, Ellis felt there was too much of a reality TV atmosphere surrounding the team.

There were also said to be obligations from Curse of roughly double the number of hours they would have to stream compared to Evil Geniuses. Not only was this a large factor to the team for both fatigue and practice reasons, the team was said to have much preferred streaming on Twitch.tv rather than Own3d.tv, Evil Geniuses and Curse's streaming partners, respectively. As of a report two days ago, Own3d.tv may be shutting down in less than a week. Talks with Curse slowed down after this.

Negotiations came down to either signing with Evil Geniuses, or pursuing the teams' personal aspirations of building an empire themselves. Worldwide fan favorites CLG and Team SoloMid were born this way, and just less than two weeks ago, their European rivals Alexey "Alex Ich" Ichetovkin and company left Moscow 5 to start their own journey in Gambit Gaming. Ellis was not fond of traditional eSports organizations, going through a rough four-month stint himself with SK Gaming under Captain Carlos "ocelote" Rodríguez at the end of 2011, seeing himself and Peterson leave for CLG Europe for the start of 2012.

Ellis had his own reservations about Evil Geniuses as well, with the team's StarCraft II players Greg "IdrA" Fields and Geoff "iNcontroL" Robinson having unkind things to say about League of Legends in the past, although both recently backtracked on their previous comments and mentioned their support of all eSports titles, including League of Legends. Last December, Garfield spoke to PCGamesN at the fifth IGN ProLeague event in Las Vegas, unsure of what the future may hold for EG in League of Legends. "Obviously, the numbers are impressive, and the passion of the community is impressive," Garfield said. "I think the challenge for me is just to find the right brand representatives for EG. So I've been perfectly happy to wait and sit on the sidelines and let some of those guys grow up a little bit."

Garfield said this, and at the same time knew this five-nation squad of five was the brand he was looking for. Garfield was said to have looked for almost two years for the right players to represent his brand in League of Legends, but was unsatisfied with his available options in his search until now. Even with Riot's Season 3 of the League Championship Series on deck with multi-million dollar prize pools and worldwide exposure was not reason enough to sign a team before the season starts. It was this team or no team for Evil Geniuses.

After initially meeting in Korea in August, and keeping talks going from that point, Garfield again met with the entire team at the MLG Winter Championships in Dallas, bringing a customized PowerPoint presentation with him that outlined the benefits of the team choosing EG over its other options. This is said to have been a major turning point in the negotiating process, as up until that point the team still considered both Curse and starting its own team as better options than signing with EG. Before Garfield's PowerPoint presentation, the team's other options were seen as more attractive and more likely, but after the presentation, the team began to consider the prospect of joining EG as equally viable and attractive to its other options.

Things went well in Dallas, and while EG was no longer behind in its pursuit of Ellis' team, it appeared to have caught up with the team's other options. However, both sides were still skeptical. Ellis and the team still had a strong desire to try things out on their own, and Garfield was having last-minute reservations regarding Riot's plans for Season 3 and how they might affect the way participating teams could run their businesses.

The two met for the final time at IPL5 in Las Vegas, with both parties coming out of talks with their concerns addressed. Looking two, three years ahead was very important to Ellis and the team, despite the fact that their initial EG deal would only be one year in duration. The meeting helped Ellis realize it would be more beneficial to the team to join with a strong organization like EG, rather than taking on the potentially difficult challenge of running things themselves.

Ellis was specifically concerned that, if the team tried to make things work on their own, he himself would have to take less of a player role and more of a management role--something he was not necessarily opposed to but felt was not truly in his best interests at this point in his career. The team agreed after IPL5 that it would be better to fulfill their goals with EG as an organization supporting them.

Ellis and Garfield continued discussions in the two weeks following after IPL5, with a verbal agreement being reached in mid-December. At that point, with Garfield still having some last-minute concerns, Riot eSports personnel personally reached out to him to help alleviate some of his concerns about Season 3 and the future of League of Legends. Ellis and the team take a significant amount of pride in being Evil Geniuses' first League of Legends team, which they saw as an overall plus given that Garfield is known for being incredibly picky with his player recruitment and he had noted as much previously in his PCGamesN interview. Ellis and the team feel that partnering with EG could help bridge the gap between League of Legends and the other professional gaming communities.

The new Evil Geniuses League of Legends roster will play their first games under EG blue at the start of the Season 3 League Championships in Europe.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

New Releases: January 27th - February 2nd

@nathanmaxtro @highlanderjimd@realguitarhero5 

They all have the same formula, the same trial and error, the story in the first two feels more professional, in Absolution the story is more personal for 47.

Honestly, I didn't notice a difference, Hitman frustrated me when it was first released back in the day, and so did Absolution, they are great games, but like I said, be prepared for a lot of trial and error frustration, much like Commandos was. 

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Metal Gear Rising: The Cyborgs

I totally agree with prats and curseaload ;-)

Very poor AI, bad camera and controls ( slash and parry button are the same :s) 

The left stick becomes the camera when in cutting mode , it's really annoying.

ZAnd i do not mention the dialogues and the story (which will be surely a crap)

I am a big fan of MGS, and played bayonetta and vanquish, but i think i'll pass by this one. 

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tomb Raider 360 scores exclusive content for Asia

January 28, 2013 1:54AM PST

Asian edition of game to include extra map, weapon upgrades.

With only a few weeks to go until the latest adventures of Lara Croft hits store shelves, publisher Square Enix and distributor Namco Bandai have outlined some exclusive goodies for the Xbox 360 edition of Tomb Raider for Asian gamers.

All 360 launch copies of Tomb Raider in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, and southeast Asia will include the agility skill upgrade for Lara, the Shanty Town multiplayer map, and the Tomb Raider combat strike pack (which includes extra skills and weapons upgrades) on day one of release.

In addition, Namco Bandai also has an offering for those who order the Asian Survival Edition for the 360. Gamers who pre-order will receive a Hitman: Absolution-themed weapons pack, three different skins for Lara, and a single-player challenge map called Tomb of the Lost Adventurer.

By Randolph Ramsay, Site Manager, GameSpot APAC

Randolph Ramsay loves games in the same way monkeys love bananas. Sure, they can live without it, but what's the point? He also loves fighting games, but never plays online in case people notice just how bad he is at them.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK Chart: DmC knocked to fourth as Black Ops II takes lead

Call of Duty: Black Ops II has taken first place in the UK charts this week, with Capcom and Ninja Theory's DmC: Devil May Cry slipping to fourth after being unable to keep the top spot for two weeks running.

It's the first time Black Ops II has topped the chart in 2013. FIFA 13 -- which took the charts for the first two weeks of January -- is in second, and Ubisoft's island romp Far Cry 3 is third.

The usual suspects fill out the top ten: Assassin's Creed III, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Just Dance 4, Football Manager 2013, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Hitman: Absolution.

The only new release last week was The Sims 3: '70s, '80s, '90s Stuff, which entered the charts in 36th. This Friday sees much-loved Studio Ghibli JRPG Ni No Kuni landing on shop shelves, but will it be able to make the charts next week?

The Top 10 UK All-Format Ukie Games Charts for the week ending January 26, 2013:

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops II
2. FIFA 13
3. Far Cry 3
4. DmC: Devil May Cry
5. Assassin's Creed III
6. Need for Speed: Most Wanted
7. Just Dance 4
8. Football Manager 2013
9. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
10. Hitman: Absolution
11. LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
12. LEGO Lord of the Rings
13. Halo 4
14. Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Transformed
15. Skylanders Giants
16. WWE 13
17. Dishonored
18. Forza 4
19. Forza Horizon
20. Borderlands 2

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

What Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 Will Take From PCs

With AMD hardware rumoured to be in both next-generation consoles, just what does that mean for developers, gamers, and the future of video games?

If the many rumours and supposed leaks surrounding the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 are to be believed--and according to GameSpot's sources there's every reason to--both will represent a dramatic change in console architecture. With the exception of the original Xbox--which was based on an Intel Pentium III--consoles have traditionally relied on custom processors and graphics hardware to power them. The Xbox 360, for instance, uses a custom 3.2GHz PowerPC processor, while the PlayStation 3 uses Cell, itself also based on PowerPC architecture.

Traditionally, that has presented something of an issue for developers, particularly for those who started in PC development based on the much more ubiquitous X86 architecture that has powered PCs since the late '70s. Most famously, Valve's Gabe Newell called the PS3 a "waste of everyone's time" and said that developers won't "gain anything except a hatred of the architecture [Sony has] created." Strangely, he changed his tune at the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo and the launch of Portal 2, but there are other developers who have gone on record to question the ease of PS3 development.

The rumoured specs of Sony's PS4 and Microsoft's Xbox 720 show that both companies are creating hardware that will make developers' lives easier, even if it's unconsciously so. The PS4 is rumoured to be powered by an x64, 8-core AMD processor. The Xbox 720 is similarly rumoured to sport an x64, 8-core processor running at 1.6Ghz. While the current information on the Xbox 720 doesn't specify exactly which processor it's using, given the lack of 8-core parts from Intel outside of its server-based Itanium range, it's safe to assume that it too is powered by AMD.

Xbox 720 "Durango"	PlayStation 4 "Orbis"
System Memory: 8GB DDR3 Video Memory: Unknown CPU: 8 x64 CPU cores @ 1.6GHz GPU: Custom 800MHz, 12 Shader Cores Ports: USB 3.0, Ethernet Drive: Blu-Ray HDD: Unknown Audio Output: HDMI & Optical	System Memory: 8GB Video Memory: 2.2GB CPU: 8 x64 AMD GPU: AMD R10xx, 18 Shader Cores Ports: 4x USB 3.0, 2x Ethernet Drive: Blu-Ray HDD: 160 GB Audio Output: HDMI & Optical

The specs of the chips line up nicely with those of AMD's upcoming Jaguar architecture, which is a design intended for use with notebooks, ultrabooks, and tablets. While that doesn't immediately scream "high performance," the chips do have several features that are desirable in game consoles. Most notable is that the Jaguar is based on a 28nm fabrication process that integrates the GPU into the CPU die. It's an efficient design that means there are fewer parts to be made, there's less heat to disperse, and power consumption is much lower. Given that the original versions of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 pulled close to 200W under load, with reliability suffering as a result, Jaguar's design should be more cost efficient and reliable.

From a performance perspective, numerous benchmarks show AMD's chips lagging behind Intel's when it comes to raw power. The situation is flipped, however, when it comes to pushing 3D graphics. While it's not clear what family of GPU will be powering the next generation of consoles, the fact that it's integrated suggests something similar to AMD's current mobile chips, like the 7970m (itself a close relation of the desktop 7870). Indeed, the 800Mhz clock speed rumoured to be in both the PS4 and Xbox 720 show that it's most likely a slightly trimmed-down version of the 7970m. That chip runs at 850Mhz and features 20 of AMD's Graphics Core Next units.

Looking at the performance of the 7870m gives us some indication of what power to expect from both next-generation consoles. The folks over at Tom's Hardware reviewed the card late last year and produced a great set of benchmarks with games running at max settings at 1080p: Dirt 3, 74.4fps; Battlefield 3, 54.2fps; Metro 2033, 25fps; Skyrim, 62.2fps; and Starcraft II, 104.5fps. We've picked out the top-end benchmarks here (all games at max setting at 1080p), but if you're curious about some of the GPU's other features, there's plenty more to check out at Tom's.

Those keen to see a huge leap in GPU power over the last generation of consoles, or those hoping for Ultra HD 4K resolutions, may be disappointed with those results. However, it's worth remembering that without the overheads of an fully fledged operating system like Windows, and the advantages of an integrated design, there's potential for much greater performance over a similarly configured PC.

That is, unless both Sony and Microsoft opt to use a much more complex operating system to power their consoles. While there's no information on either console's OS at present, the rumour that both will come with 8GB of RAM is an indicator that multitasking is at the forefront of their design. With the Xbox 360 and PS3 increasingly being used more for media playback, Sony and Microsoft may wish to offer more-advanced, PC-like features that increase functionality, at the expense of some processing overhead. Would Microsoft go as far as to use Windows 8 to power the next Xbox? Probably not, but at the very least it would make sense for Microsoft to extend the same user interface values present in its desktop OS and Windows Phone 8 over to the Xbox to reduce consumer confusion.

Regardless, developers should be able to hit the ground running in a way that just hasn't been possible with past console generations. That's the hope anyway. SEGA's Dreamcast gave developers the option of using Windows CE and DirectX to program games, but most of them opted to use SEGA's own software instead. Or they simply went and developed for the PlayStation 2 with its notoriously complicated Emotion Engine. The original Xbox--which used actual PC hardware to power it--suffered less from the intense popularity of the PS2, but that was down to the allure of Xbox Live more than ease of development.

Still, with both consoles said to sport a design that's much closer to PC architecture than it has ever been, there's a hope that launch titles will make much better use of the power available. Having to wait for years until developers get a firm grasp on what each console can do should be much less of an issue this time, provided both companies can come up with alluring and easy-to-use developer kits. And given the similarities between both consoles, porting between them should be a much easier process too.

PC gamers should also see a benefit. For better or worse, consoles have been the lead platforms in multiplatform game development for some time. But by making the transition to x64 architecture, scaling games up for more powerful PC hardware or scaling them down for consoles should be an easier process. And make no mistake: a current quad core i5 or i7 PC armed with a high-end GPU like a GTX 680 is--at least in theory--comfortably more powerful than what's rumoured to be in the new Xbox and PlayStation. But if developers are able to leverage that power and trickle it down to consoles, or even Valve's upcoming Steambox (rumoured to be based on AMD hardware), there's a strong chance we'll see some real visual advancements.

Indeed, at last year's DICE summit, Epic's Mark Rein all but confirmed that Unreal Engine 4 (as shown in the video above) is up and running on next-generation consoles, or in his words "systems [they] can't name yet." Sure, the Xbox 720 and PS4 might not be the leap in technology some were hoping for, but if we see anything like the Unreal 4 tech demo running on those consoles, the future is looking very bright indeed for video games.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Major layoffs at Wild Man dev

Just days after launching a Kickstarter campaign for a new RPG/RTS hybrid called Wild Man, developer Gas Powered Games has enacted a round of company-wide layoffs. CEO Chris Taylor confirmed the news to Polygon today.

"These layoffs are substantial, but it's not everyone," Taylor said. "We still have a fully functioning company, IT, HR, Operations, etc. And have retained some key people."

Taylor told Joystiq the layoffs total around 40 employees.

Taylor said he will release a Kickstarter video explaining the current situation to backers in the coming days. In this video he will ask supporters "if I should continue and then rehire people, or terminate the campaign now."

The Kickstarter campaign for Wild Man--asking for $1.1 million--went live on Monday. At press time, the fund stands at $175,000 pledged from more than 3,500 backers.

Taylor explained to GameSpot this week that he is betting the entire company's future on the success of Wild Man.

"Everything I have ever worked for in my entire career--in my entire life--it culminates in this one event," he said at the time. "I am absolutely all in. That's it. What victory is worth achieving if there's no consequence of failure?"

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Games 'destigmatize' violence, says Connecticut governor

At the winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors this weekend, Democratic Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy criticized violent games for "destigmatizing" violence in the United States. As reported by the Connecticut Post, Malloy called on his peers to focus their efforts on removing the stigma from mental health treatment.

"If we spent as much time and energy on destigmatizing mental health treatment as we do in the proliferation of these video games that destigmatize violence, we as a society would make great gains," Malloy said.

Malloy's comments came a month after the schoolhouse massacre in Newtown, Conn. that left 20 children and six adults dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School. He recalled this day, saying, "the day that Newtown happened, there were games available that actually allowed people to go into a school in the game and shoot 'em up."

"Why do we do that?" Malloy added. "When we're willing to destigmatize violence and willing to bring it home to your living room or your den and put it on a 50-inch screen [and play games that award points for] when you hit someone with your semiautomatic and more points depending on how many times you hit someone with your semiautomatic, where is the social value in that? Is this the kind of thing we want to be involved in as a nation?"

President Obama earlier this week announced a $500 million, 23-point plan to reduce gun violence in the United States that included directing the Centers for Disease Control to investigate the relationship between violent game consumption and real-world violence.

Responding to Obama's plan, the Entertainment Software Association (the group that represents the industry's interests in Washington, D.C.) said scientific studies have proven no link between entertainment and real-world violent behavior exists.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Army, Navy seeking out better video game tech

The US Army and Navy are reportedly looking into ways to make virtual training more exciting for new recruits.

According to an article in National Defense Magazine, both the Army and Navy are seeking contracts for the creation of updated virtual PC simulation games that will look and play more like Call of Duty than the games already available.

"The industry needs to find a way to get past the older code that's sitting out there," Havok vice president of sales and marketing Brian Waddle told the publication. "[Soldiers] look at these simulators, and they don't take them seriously because they don't look as good as what they're playing in their living rooms."

According to the report, the Army is looking for a first-person, massively multiplayer online shooter to replace Bohemia Interactive's Virtual Battlespace 2. It is offering a contract of approximately $44.5 million over five years to the winning application, which must include the ability to integrate more players across larger landmasses and accurately re-create territories like Afghanistan.

For its part, the Navy is also looking for games that will be able to train sailors in specific tasks, including a training program that will run on Crytek's CryEngine 3. The Navy will offer three separate contracts of $100 million each.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Free-to-play Spartacus Legends gets R18+ rating

The upcoming Ubisoft title Spartacus Legends has become the second game to receive an R18+ rating in Australia following the introduction of the adult classification earlier this month.

Based on Starz Entertainment's original Spartacus television show, Spartacus Legends is a free-to-play title for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. Its R18+ classification marks the first time a digital-only title has been given an adult rating in Australia, raising questions about the methodologies in place for policing distribution of age-appropriate digital content on home consoles.

Replying to a request for comment, a spokesperson for Sony Computer Entertainment Australia (SCEA) said both digital and disc-based games can be restricted by parental controls on the PlayStation 3.

"There are a number of parental controls in place," the spokesperson told GameSpot. "In terms of purchasing or playing online content on the PlayStation Network (PSN), at the time of account creation you have to be over 18 to set up a PSN account. If a person is under 18, the requirement is that the parent sets up a Master Account for the PSN, and can then create a sub-account for the child. When setting up the sub account, the sub account holder will not be able to play any games online rated above their age."

Microsoft did not return a request for comment at the time of publication. However, the Xbox 360 does also feature parental controls.

According to Ubisoft, Spartacus Legends will let players experience the life of a gladiator, from practicing on training grounds to participating in battles in the arena. Players will be tasked with dismembering their foes, and will have thousands of weapon combinations and skill system to use along the way.

Players will be able to fight as Spartacus, Crixus, or a user-created gladiator, and take part in fights with friends locally or via online multiplayer.

The Classification Board of Australia rated the game R18+ for "high impact bloody violence". According to the classification listing, the game contains high-impact violence, and moderate-impact themes, nudity, and language.

Spartacus Legends does not yet have a release date for Australia, but is due out in Q1 this year in the US.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pong creator Atari files for bankruptcy

The long-troubled U.S. arm of Pong, Breakout and Asteroids creator Atari has filed a petition for bankruptcy.

Reported by the L.A. Times, Atari Inc. and three affiliates filed petitions for Chapter 11 reorganisation in New York's U.S. Bankruptcy Court late on Sunday. The move is an attempt to break free from its French parent Atari S.A. and refocus the company to make digital and mobile titles, according to an anonymous "knowledgeable" source.

While many of its iconic properties will be instantly recognisable, Atari is not in rude health: its revenue plummeted 34% in fiscal year 2012 and 43% the year before that. The L.A. Times even points out that licensing the famous Atari logo for use in other products now makes for 17% of the company's revenue.

Another problem for the U.S. chunk of the company is "near total reliance" on London financial company BlueBay Asset Management, an arrangement which lapsed on Dec 31 and means the company lacks the funds to release any of its games currently in the works, one of which is the money-gobbling Atari Casino. Last year the company teamed up with Zynga to produce the in-app purchase fueled Breakout spin-off Super Bunny Breakout.

Atari's share price has also tumbled from 11 Euros to less than one Euro since 2008.

Today's Atari bears little similarity to the iconic publisher that shaped the direction of gaming in the 70s and 80s. French publisher Infogrames licensed the Atari name in 2003 and and in 2008 acquired all the gaming pioneer's American assets.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK Chart: FIFA 13 hangs on at the top, Anarchy Reigns enters at 16

FIFA 13 has retained the top spot in the UK games charts for the second week of 2013, making it the sixth time EA's immensely popular football (or "soccer" for those in the US) has snatched No. 1 since its release last September.

The rest of the top 5 remains the same as last week: Far Cry 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Hitman: Absolution and Need for Speed: Most Wanted.

There's a new entry in the charts this week courtesy of Platinum Games' Anarchy Reigns, which entered the charts in sixteenth place. Sega released the game at a budget price in the UK, with retailers selling the game for £19.99 or less.

The Top 10 UK All-Format Ukie Games Charts, compiled by GfK Chart-Track for the week ending January 5, 2013:

1. FIFA 13
2. Far Cry 3
3. Call of Duty: Black Ops II
4. Hitman: Absolution
5. Need for Speed: Most Wanted
6. Halo 4
7. Just Dance 4
8. Forza Horizon
9. LEGO The Lord of the Rings
10. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Angels and Demons - DmC: Devil May Cry Gameplay

January 14, 2013 3:07AM PST

Feast your eyes on some spoiler-free gameplay from Dante's latest outing.

Much-loved Capcom favourite Devil May Cry is back, hitting physical and digital stores very soon in the form of Ninja Theory's series reboot. So, how does the new-look Dante hold up in combat? Check out the gameplay clips below and judge for yourself.

Is it weird to name your guns? Dante doesn't think so.

Environmental kills are very much a 'thing' in DmC: Devil May Cry. Observe, as Dante makes good use of this ferris wheel.

Just look at the frame below. Enough said.

Early in the game these dream-like sequences serve to equip Dante with new weapons and abilities.

DmC: Devil May Cry arrives on 15 January in the US and Europe. Planning on picking up Dante's latest offering? Let us know all of your DmC: Devil May Cry related thoughts in the comments below.

By Cameron Robinson

Cam makes videos for GameSpot and is a lover of games, music, science, and above ALL else, musical science games. (See Deus Ex in Bminor).

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Killing Day still alive?

January 14, 2013 4:39AM PST

New Ubisoft trademark application suggests long-dormant shooter could still see release.

Rumors of Killing Day's death may be exaggerated. A new Ubisoft trademark application for the game (spotted by PlayStationLifestyle) suggests the publisher may be keen to revive it.

Announced at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo, Killing Day's existence to date has been limited to just one trailer (below). This trailer indicated the game would be a flashy first-person shooter featuring a tattooed gangster.

No release date was ever given to Killing Day and its death seemed apparent until Ubisoft filed an additional trademark application for it in May 2009. The latest trademark application for Killing Day was filed earlier this month on January 4.

A Ubisoft representative was not immediately available to comment.

By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Xbox 720, PS4 could start at $350, says analyst

According to one analyst, the cost of entry for next-generation consoles will be lower than prior system launches. Robert W. Baird industry watcher Colin Sebastian issued a note to investors today, predicting the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 could debut at $350-$400.

The Xbox 360 launched in 2005 at $400, with the PlayStation 3 debuting in 2006 beginning at $500.

Sebastian's estimations are based on conversations with a range of game developers and distributors held last week during the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show. Sebastian explained that these conversations yielded "interesting takeaways with respect to next-generation game development and more broadly, the intensifying battle for the living room."

Sebastian also predicted that the Xbox 720 and PS4 will be built using existing "off-the-shelf" high-end PC components. Other features may include a hybrid physical-digital distribution model, "enhanced" voice controls and motion sensing, as well as "broad multimedia capabilities."

What's more, Sebastian estimates that the PC-based architecture of the new consoles will carry a range of advantages, the first of which is a shorter learning curve for developers compared to existing technology. In addition, this will allow developers to more easily build online services and capabilities, including free-to-play and subscriptions.

Regarding the PS4 specifically, Baird said some production snags may limit the console's launch quantities or timing. According to field checks, these production issues could negatively affect the console's launch, though Baird said these snags are "not necessarily fatal, or even unusual."

As for when the Xbox 720 and PS4 may be announced, Sebastian believes Sony and Microsoft will hold dedicated events prior to the 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo (June 11-13, 2013) to finally unveil these machines. If all goes to Sebastian's prediction, Sony and Microsoft will hype the consoles during E3 2013 itself before shipping the systems to retail during October and November, respectively. This timetable is in line with previous predictions.

Also in Sebastian's note to investors today, the analyst said Nintendo may be facing an uphill battle with its recently launched Wii U. He predicted that Nintendo will shift to a "niche category," and is concerned that the console will lack broad appeal beyond the dedicated fans.

He said following the Wii U's "lackluster" launch and holiday sales (the Wii U did not outsell the 2006 original Wii during the period), Nintendo must release major first-party games, including the rumored Wii U Zelda title. This would be the only way to "retain the support of key third-party developers and reduce marketshare loss."

In the bleakest of scenarios, Sebastian said Nintendo would be forced to lower the Wii U price point earlier than it would like and even give consideration to releasing first-party titles--like Mario and Donkey Kong--on other platforms.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

PS4, Xbox 720 announcements in March?

Official word on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 may only be months away. A Game Informer report (via Videogamer) states Sony and Microsoft are planning "special Apple-style press conferences" to officially announce their next-generation systems "near the Game Developers Conference," which runs March 25-29 this year in San Francisco.

"E3 in June may be the industry's biggest event, but both companies want to give their systems their own limelight," the report reads. "That doesn't mean E3 won't be without its surprises. Next-gen games will be announced at the convention in preparation for the systems' release at the end of the year."

The magazine also speculates that Sony may be planning to release the PS4 ahead of Microsoft's Xbox 720, or whatever the system may be called. This was also predicted by Robert W. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian in a note delivered to investors today.

"We hear that Sony in particular is determined not to come out last this time like the PlayStation 3 did this generation, so we'll have to see how soon it can get the PlayStation 4 out the door, and whether Microsoft is motivated to prevent this from happening," the report goes on.

Sebastian's note today suggested Sony had encountered PS4 production snags that could keep the system from shipping as scheduled, though he admitted these concerns could be overblown. Whatever the case, the previous suggestion is that both the PS4 and Xbox 720 will be on store shelves late this year.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Black Ops II Nuketown Zombies hits PS3, PC this week

January 14, 2013 6:23AM PST

Undead-themed map for latest Call of Duty coming to new platforms Thursday, January 17.

The Nuketown Zombies map for Call of Duty: Black Ops II will launch for PC and PlayStation 3 Season Pass holders January 17, according to a tweet from the official Call of Duty account.

The map launched for Xbox 360 in December for $50 Season Pass owners. It will be made available as a separate purchase at a later date.

The first official expansion for Black Ops II is called Revolution and will launch first for Xbox 360 gamers on January 29. It is the first of four expansions for the shooter, which has generated generated over $1 billion from retail sales alone and was the top-selling title of 2012 in the United States.

For more on Black Ops II, check out GameSpot's review.

By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Half-Life 2: Episode 4 Return to Ravenholm screens surface

January 14, 2013 7:12AM PST

Images from Dishonored developer Arkane Studios' canceled Half-Life game emerge.

Screenshots from Dishonored developer Arkane Studios' Half-Life 2: Episode 4--or Return to Ravenholm--have surfaced. ValveTime has posted a batch of images it claims are verified and stem from development in 2006 and 2007.

The images show off series-familiar environments and art style. Notably, a HUD element called "Absorption" is present in the screenshots, though it is not clear what this could mean.

This is not the first time Arkane's Half-Life game Return to Ravenholm has been discussed. A year ago, Valve writer Marc Laidlaw told LambdaGeneration that such a project was in development at the studio. He said some ideas were discussed between Valve and Arkane, but ultimately the project was scuttled.

By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

No Wii U Crysis 3

Crysis 3 will not come to Wii U. Crytek CEO and founder Cevat Yerli told Digital Spy that a "business drive" between Electronic Arts and Nintendo is keeping the upcoming shooter off Nintendo's first high-definition console.

"There has been discussions between Nintendo and EA and Crytek, but the bottom line is that there is that there's not enough business drive in it," Yerli said. "It's a business decision between EA and Nintendo. If that business decision doesn't make sense, or seems to not make sense for them, it's… not possible for us to make it. We can't publish ourselves, and that's the bottom line."

Crysis 3 was never a sure thing for release on Wii U. In May 2012, Crytek director of creative development Rasmus Hoejengaard said there was "not a fat chance" that Crysis 3 would ever ship for Wii U. That wasn't the end of the story, though, as Yerli clarified two months later that the game was possible for Wii U.

Crysis 3 is a first-person shooter set in 2047 New York that casts players as Prophet, a supersoldier seeking vengeance. The game is due out for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on February 19, 2013. For more on Crysis 3, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Asiasoft opens new server for Ragnarok Online 2

January 7, 2013 1:22AM PST

Third new server opens this week due to overwhelming response to open beta; in-game cash shop now accessible.

Southeast Asia company Asiasoft--the publisher behind the English version of Ragnarok Online 2--will be opening a new server for the game.

The new server is called Freyja and is available for players to go onto during the open beta phase of the game. According to Asiasoft, the server was added due to the overwhelming response to the game from users in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. In addition, players can now gain full access to the in-game cash shop where they can buy exclusive in-game clothing, equipment and mounts.

Ragnarok Online 2's open beta launched last month. For more information, check out GameSpot's recent coverage on the title.

By Jonathan Toyad, Associate Editor

Born and raised from a jungle-laden village in Sarawak, Malaysia, Jonathan Toyad has been playing games since the early 90s. He favors fighting games, RPGs, and rhythm titles above every other genre, and occasionally spaces out like Pavlov's dog to video game music on his iPod.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ouya reaching the UK in March for Â…99

January 7, 2013 2:57AM PST

Report says Android-powered console could ship a month early, while a 3D-capable version of the machine is also in the works.

The Android-powered Ouya console could be available in the UK from March, according to a report published on Pocket-Lint this weekend.

A 3D-capable version of the device is rumoured to be in development.

The final price of the Ouya is also reported to be £99, which is slightly more expensive than the console's US price of $99 (about £61.63). The device famously raised $8.6 million from Kickstarter last year, making it one of the most successful crowdfunded projects to date.

While Ouya kits were shipped out to top-level US backers in December 2012, the Ouya website currently claims that general UK pre-orders will be shipped in April.

Pocket Lint's sources also state that some of the money raised from the hugely successful Kickstarter campaign is being put towards developing a version of the Ouya with support for stereoscopic 3D.

Alongside the Ouya, Nvidia this weekend announced Project Shield, its own Android-powered gaming device with the capability to stream games to your TV from your PC.

By Martin Gaston, News Editor

Has absolutely never at all had the song from Beauty and the Beast sung to him at any point during his life, ever.

23.07 | 0 komentar | Read More