Written By Kom Limpulnam on Senin, 30 Juni 2014 | 23.07
Valve's digital gaming platform Steam continues to grow. Yesterday, June 29, at 11:44 a.m., a total of 8,020,700 people were logged into the service at the same time. That's a record for concurrent usage, up from 7.6 million six months ago. The surge in popularity recently likely had something to do with Steam's ongoing Summer Sale, which sees hefty markdowns on great games.
Currently, Steam has 5.5 million concurrent users. While Valve is known to openly share user data for Steam, platform holders like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo are less forthcoming about concurrent player levels. This makes it tricky to make a direct comparison between Steam and console online networks like Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, or Nintendo's online services.
The most popular game on Steam right now, based on the current player count, is free-to-play juggernaut Dota 2 with 566,568 people playing the game at present. Dota 2 is by far the top Steam game, as the second most popular game on the platform right now is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which has 94,732 total players right now. Of course, Dota 2 is free and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a paid game.
In all, Steam has more than 75 million users. More Steam statistics are available on the Steam Stats page.
The annual Steam Summer Sale ends today, June 30. Check back later today to see what our "Pick of the Day" is. You can also check out this post for a roundup of all the games marked down during Steam's Summer Sale.
Of note: We don't know which video game gun was used to subdue the intruder. This is just one possibility.
How did you spend your Sunday? For a 24-year-old Pittsburgh man, it involved subduing an intruder with a prop gun he was using to play a video game.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that a 24-year-old Oakland man (Oakland is a part of Pittsburgh) was playing a video game with headphones on when someone knocked on his door asking for a person he didn't know.
The resident said he felt threatened, and then wielded a prop gun to keep the intruder at bay until police came to the scene. It's not clear what game the person was playing, but games from the Cabela's hunting series support gun peripherals, and Nintendo offers a Wii Zapper gun.
Those guns, however, don't look all that realistic.
The accused burglar has since been identified and was subsequently charged with burglary, criminal trespassing, and possession of a criminal instrument, according to a Pittsburgh public safety spokesperson.
The Last of Us Remastered, the upcoming PlayStation 4 version of 2013's acclaimed PlayStation 3 title, will run at 60fps, developer Naughty Dog has strongly suggested.
"Played some #TLOU at 60 fps tonight for the first time (60fps cutscenes and all). Transformitive [sic]. I'm a believer. Don't think I can go back," Naughty Dog designer Kurt Margenau said in a tweet that was re-tweeted by creative director Neil Druckmann.
In addition, The Last of Us Remastered co-director Bruce Straley said, "I had a dream in 60fps last night. #TLOUremastered." Druckmann replied by saying, "What if I told you that was no dream? #believe."
The Last of Us Remastered runs in 1080p. Frame rate, however, doesn't sound like it's final yet. Druckmann's hashtag "believe" makes it sound like frame rate is not locked down. And while Margenau may have played a build of the game at 60fps, it's possible that it was a non-final version of the game.
We're still waiting a final confirmation on the game's frame rate, but we'll know one way or the other soon, as The Last of Us Remastered officially launches for PS4 on July 29. In Europe, you'll also be able to buy a special The Last of Us Remastered PS4 bundle.
The Last of Us Remastered also features higher resolution character models, as well as improved shadows and lighting. The bundle includes DLC, director's commentary, and special interviews with voice actors Troy Baker (Joel) and Ashley Johnson (Ellie). The game was originally expected to sell for $60, but Sony just recently announced a $10 price drop. If you already preordered, you can get a refund.
Robot Entertainment recently made controversial comments about Orcs Must Die! Unchained that suggested toxic player behavior would be welcomed in the upcoming PC game. But this is not the case, not at all, according to a new statement from the developer.
"Before we get started, let us be crystal clear--toxic players that worsen the experience for the Orcs Must Die! Unchained community absolutely will not be tolerated," Robot Entertainment said in a statement to Polygon.
A closed beta for Orcs Must Die! Unchained began on Friday, and Robot Entertainment is looking for feedback to help fine-tune the game. However, "If a person chooses to restrict or impede upon the gameplay and community experience with inappropriate behavior, then we will ensure they are disciplined and, if needed, banned."
The studio went on to clarify that, yes, toxic players are an "unfortunate facet" of multiplayer gaming in 2014. The studio added that it wants to gather feedback from "passionate" players, but not toxic players. Robot Entertainment pointed out that it has a community management team at the ready to address toxic player behavior "quickly and decisively."
The controversy originated from a report on Friday, where Robot Entertainment designer Jerome Jones said, "There's probably something good about the toxic players showing up and sticking with your game. The good thing is probably that it's a good game. It's holding their interest, it's keeping them around. It's making them passionate enough to give a damn."
Why is there so much violence in video games? According to Ken Levine, creator of the decidedly violent BioShock series, it's because violence is technically simple to create and it's what people want.
"One of the reasons there's been a lot of violence in video games is because it's relatively easy to simulate," Levine told NPR. "And generally it's been … like action movies, there's an easily perceivable market for it. I think the reaction to the violence is more an expression of people building confidence in the industry's ability to express itself in more diverse fashions."
Levine's most recent project was 2013's BioShock Infinite, which was a critically celebrated first-person shooter with lots of violence. Interestingly, Levine said he was asked "a lot" if he could have made the game--which has shipped over 6 million copies--without violence.
He said this was an "interesting" question to be asked, but explained that he wouldn't really know how to make the version of BioShock Infinite that he had in mind without violence.
"I like games myself, and I've always liked game-y things, so I wasn't terribly interested in telling … making a game that didn't have a game component," Levine said. "When you have non-violent components, it would have been odd."
Looking ahead, Levine said he's optimistic that in the future, the rise in digital distribution will allow developers to make more unique games.
"I assumed people were coming for the shooting when we made [BioShock] originally. I think now we have a little more confidence, especially when you don't have to appeal to 8 or 10 million people if you can just digitally distribute things like you can now. You can do that because you don't need to spend the money to put it on trucks to get it to a store and deal with retailers and shippers and all that. So you can really try to have a 1:1 interaction with a smaller, more dedicated fanbase and give them the thing they want. You couldn't do that 20 years ago when I started."
He said we've already seen this trend with TV, which started off with only a handful of networks that offered broad programming. Now, there are more niche shows, like The Sopranos or Mad Men, that branched out and struck a new chord--finding success along the way.
"I think that's what you're seeing in games now is we realize we can experiment more because we don't have to hit such a broad common denominator," Levine said.
After BioShock creator Irrational Games effectively shut down earlier this year, Levine and a handful of others stayed on board to work a "smaller, more entrepreneurial" effort for Take-Two. We still don't know what Levine and his team are working on, but it sure sounds like it won't be a big-budget AAA game in the vein of BioShock. In addition to this project, Levine is writing the script for the Logan's Run reboot at Warner Bros.
2K Marin is handling the BioShock series going forward. According to Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, the BioShock franchise is "beloved," and it may not have reached its potential yet.
"I think there's a lot of upside in that franchise," Zelnick said in May about BioShock. "It hasn't necessarily been realized yet. And the question for the future, assuming we decide to answer the question, would be 'How do you stay true to that creatively?'; 'How do you do something exciting?'; and 'How do you do expand the market?'. That would be the natural drill. We're starting from a good point on it. And certainly it's been a great piece of business for us; it's been a profitable piece of business."
Electronic Arts and PopCap Games today announced the "Tactical Taco Party Pack" for the bizarre console and PC shooter Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare. The free expansion launches tomorrow, July 1, on Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC, bringing players "south of the border" and introducing a new map and mode.
The new Western-themed map is called Jewel Junction and the game mode is titled Vanquish Confirmed. There's also a new 8v8 mixed mode playlist that will include all competitive modes. In addition, players will receive two free custom character variants (with new appearances and abilities).
These new variants (Berry Spooter and Citrus Cactus) are sponsored by Aquafina Flavorsplash. This is not the first time a major publisher has teamed up with a non-gaming company to release DLC. Epic Games partnered with men's magazine Maxim for a Gears of War: Judgment expansion pack in 2013.
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare originally launched in February for Xbox 360 and Xbox One, and came to PC last week. The game comes to PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in August, with the latter version running at 1080p/60fps. For more on Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, check out GameSpot's review.
Ubisoft Toronto managing director Jade Raymond is hopeful that one day video games can be more immersive than Star Trek's fictional Holodeck simulated reality system. During a speech at Gamelab recently, Raymond spoke about how the coming of wearable technology, virtual reality devices, and other further technical innovations will mold the future of gaming.
"We are constantly challenged by new technology, and we're always looking to think of new ways to surprise players," Raymond said during the event in Barcelona, as reported by Pocket Gamer. "I've always believed that one day games would be more immersive than Star Trek's Holodeck. I got into the game industry because I have a lot of questions, and I honestly do believe that games can help up answer some of them."
"I got into the game industry because I have a lot of questions, and I honestly do believe that games can help up answer some of them" -- Jade Raymond
Many are looking to VR devices like Oculus Rift or Sony's Project Morpheus as ways in which game creators can build more immersive experiences. However, commercial versions of those devices are not yet available, and it remains to be seen if VR can have mainstream appeal.
Impacting the future of gaming already, Raymond argued, are mobile games. During her talk she said she expects mobile games to rise in ubiquity and offer deeper integration with our daily lives. But at the same time, Raymond said there exists a lack of meaningful innovation in the mobile space right now.
"Mobile has attracted more people to gaming, but there hasn't been such a creative boom," Raymond said. "What passes for innovation on mobile is the recycling of 40-year-old game design, with real-world gambling and money stuck on top of it."
"These days though, I'm spending a lot more time on mobile games than I am on consoles. The form factor of mobile games is much more adapted to modern life. It fits our reality," she added. "Mobile gaming will become more integrated into our way of life as time goes on, and I like to call this transition 'ambient gaming.'"
For Raymond, "ambient gaming" will blur the lines of artificial intelligence and real-world interactions. "There are currently millions of AI bots on the social networks, and some of them are so good at impersonating humans that you've probably interacted with them without even realizing," she said. "The lines are being blurred, in games, and in reality."
Finally, Raymond said she thinks the game industry is on the brink of highly innovative breakthroughs.
"There are a lot of really exciting things going on, and I think we're on the cusp of a major innovation in games," Raymond said. "Ultimately, all of these connections we have as humans are actually becoming a real thing, and the hive mind is becoming a reality. Add games to that, and its a truly new way to comprehend and share those concepts."
Ubisoft Toronto is currently part of multi-studio efforts on the development of high-profile games like Far Cry 4, Assassin's Creed Unity, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege.
Written By Kom Limpulnam on Senin, 23 Juni 2014 | 23.07
Gamespot's Site MashupMicrosoft Congratulates Sony on PS4 Launch, But Says It's Still "Early Days"Ubisoft "Very Confident" Assassin's Creed Unity PC Won't be DelayedSniper Elite 3 for Xbox One Has a 10GB Mandatory Day-One PatchWhy Assassin's Creed Is Just Now Getting Co-OpCivilization Revolution 2 Coming to iOS and AndroidMadden NFL 15 Box Art Emerges -- What Is Richard Sherman Doing?Batman: Arkham Knight Launching in February?New Details for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Leaked Online [Minor Spoilers]Nintendo Offers Shaquille O'Neal, Christina Aguilera, and Other Celebrity Miis for Tomodachi LifeIndie Hit FTL Won't Release on Vita Because Screen Is Too SmallWii U Has a "Very Long Life Ahead of It," Nintendo SaysEA Investigating Incorrect Battlefield 3 PunkBuster BansXbox One Is the More Popular Console on Facebook in the United StatesOur Steam Summer Sale Pick of the DayOrcs Must Die! Unchained Closed Beta Starts This Week
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Mon, 23 Jun 2014 08:02:48 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-congratulates-sony-on-ps4-launch-but-says-it-s-still-early-days/1100-6420672/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2575265-399xboxone.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575265" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2575265-399xboxone.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575265"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2575265-399xboxone.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PlayStation 4 may have a sales advantage over the Xbox One right now, but the battle for the living room is more of a marathon than a sprint, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer says in a new interview.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"You look at what Sony has sold, and congratulations to them; they've had a great launch," Spencer told <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-23-xbox-head-on-stand-alone-kinect-theyll-buy-it" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06">GamesIndustry International</a>. "Maybe we're 10 percent of the way into this generation, so we're early, early days in how this will all play out. I tip my hat to them. I think they'll likely have a great [E3], and they should; they're coming in with a lot of strength. But this is a long-term competitive space, which is good for consumers."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Both the PS4 and Xbox One launched in November 2013. Microsoft sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-sold-3-million-units-in-2013-microsoft-says/1100-6416955/" data-ref-id="1100-6416955">more than 3 million systems by the end of the year</a>, but has not announced a new sales figure for the platform so far in 2014. Sony, on the other hand, announced in April that it had sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-reports-7-million-playstation-4-consoles-sold-worldwide/1100-6419044/" data-ref-id="1100-6419044">more than 7 million PS4 systems worldwide </a>to date.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also in the interview, Spencer said Microsoft's recent decision to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-399-xbox-ones-flying-off-the-shelves-at-gamestop/1100-6420336/" data-ref-id="1100-6420336">remove the Kinect camera as a pack-in for Xbox One bundles</a> does not mean the company is any less enthusiastic about future prospects for the technology.</p><blockquote data-align="left"><p dir="ltr" style="">"VR is an interesting technology. I don't know that it's mainstream yet, if you think about experiences in the home for consumers" -- Phil Spencer</p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="">"We see millions and millions of people using Kinect today. We've had over a billion voice commands used," Spencer said. "The use of Kinect in people's homes is incredibly high. And because people are continuing to use it, it's an area we're going to continue to invest, in terms of making the experience better."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"And I think that makes building games in that environment even better. Consumers love the device; they love the experience," he added. "They'll buy it. They'll either buy it at launch when they buy their console, or they'll be able to buy it after the $399 console; they'll pick it up and add it on later. And we'll continue to make sure that experience is great."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">One area Microsoft is not likely to look at for immediate future growth is virtual reality. The VR space has gathered much attention since <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/facebook-buys-oculus-rift-company-in-a-massive-deal-worth-an-estimated-2-billion/1100-6418540/" data-ref-id="1100-6418540">Facebook paid $2 billion to buy Oculus VR</a> and Sony <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-s-project-morpheus-vr-device-won-t-launch-in-2014-1000-price-point-unlikely/1100-6418418/" data-ref-id="1100-6418418">announced its own head-mounted display for the PS4</a>, but Spencer questioned the technology's mainstream appeal, at least right now.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"VR is an interesting technology," Spencer said. "I don't know that it's mainstream yet, if you think about experiences in the home for consumers. But I think it's great that the game space, whether it's what Sony is doing or Oculus is doing, that so many of the innovations you see all up in consumer electronics have come out of the game space. VR is something in games and out of games. I'm watching how that evolves over the next few years."</p><p style="">At the Game Developers Conference in March, Spencer <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-says-vr-is-something-we-ve-been-playing-with-for-a-while/1100-6418473/" data-ref-id="1100-6418473">teased</a> that Microsoft may be prototyping a virtual reality device of its own. "I think that technology's really interesting, and it's definitely something we've been playing with for quite a while," he said at the time.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 07:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-congratulates-sony-on-ps4-launch-but-says-it-s-still-early-days/1100-6420672/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-very-confident-assassin-s-creed-unity-pc-won-t-be-delayed/1100-6420671/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419587" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419587/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Installments in the Assassin's Creed series have a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-explains-why-assassins-creed-launches-last-on-pc/1100-6415282/" data-ref-id="1100-6415282" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-explains-why-assassins-creed-launches-last-on-pc/1100-6415282/">well-established history of coming to PC sometime after the console versions</a>, but Ubisoft is confident this won't happen for this year's game. Producer Lesley Phord-Toy said in a new interview that despite the inherent challenges of developing for the PC, Ubisoft is "very confident" that it will ship the game across all systems (Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC) on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-assassin-s-creed-unity-coming-to-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc-on-october-28/1100-6420262/" data-ref-id="1100-6420262" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-assassin-s-creed-unity-coming-to-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc-on-october-28/1100-6420262/">October 28</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We're always aiming to ship all our games on all platforms at the same time," Phord-Toy told <a data-mce-href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/06/23/assassins-creed-unity-pc-delay/" href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/06/23/assassins-creed-unity-pc-delay/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Rock Paper Shotgun</a>. "I don't have any specific news on the PC version of Assassin's Creed Unity, but I do know we're planning on shipping on all three [platforms]: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. I haven't heard any news differently than that."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2556066-acu_screen_combatsword_e3_140609_4pmpst_1402143761.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2556066" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2556066-acu_screen_combatsword_e3_140609_4pmpst_1402143761.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2556066"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/536/5360430/2556066-acu_screen_combatsword_e3_140609_4pmpst_1402143761.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="">Phord-Toy worked on <a data-mce-href="/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag" href="/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag</a> as the game's producer for the PC version. She acknowledged that the PC platform has built-in challenges not found on consoles, but still maintained that the PC version is on track.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It can be challenging," she said. "PC has a variety of different hardware configurations that you can't necessarily predict. On a console you know what's in the box. Every customer has the same configuration for the most part, and first-parties push firmware updates so everyone has what you're expecting to have. PCs are nowhere near as consistent. So it can be extremely challenging to try and support as many of those permutations as possible."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Like I said, Ubisoft has been very successful at achieving same-ship in the recent past, so we're very confident that we'll be able to do the same for Assassin's Creed Unity," she added.</p><p style="">Historically, Assassin's Creed games have launched on PC several weeks, and in some cases months, after the console versions came to market. This was true for last year's <a href="/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag</a>, which came to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U on October 29, with the PC version following on November 19.</p><table data-max-width="true" class="mceItemTable"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow" data-mce-href="mailto:news@gamespot.com">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""><br /></p> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 06:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-very-confident-assassin-s-creed-unity-pc-won-t-be-delayed/1100-6420671/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sniper-elite-3-for-xbox-one-has-a-10gb-mandatory-day-one-patch/1100-6420670/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419532" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419532/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">The retail version of next week's shooter <a href="/sniper-elite-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Sniper Elite III </a>will require a 10GB day-one patch on Xbox One, developer Rebellion has revealed. This update makes various improvements to the FPS, and also brings the entire game's install size down to 19GB from 21GB, the studio told <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-20-sniper-elite-3-has-a-10gb-day-one-patch-on-xbox-one" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06">Eurogamer</a> in a new interview.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The central purpose of the Sniper Elite III day-one update, however, is to "sync data between the game's retail discs and the Xbox Live digital download edition."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"In the several weeks between sending the code off to manufacture and release, rather than sit around or take a break, we've continued to work on the game, making improvements and optimizations," the developer said.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2437761-se3_screenshot_04.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2437761" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2437761-se3_screenshot_04.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2437761"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/536/5360430/2437761-se3_screenshot_04.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Rebellion says it has also started work on multiplayer DLC for Sniper Elite III, and explained that a "small part" of the game's 10GB day-one patch is needed to introduce a compatibility pack. "This is standard for any game that adds DLC--it's just to make sure everyone can have the same multiplayer experience whether they own DLC or not," Rebellion said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A 10GB day-one patch is one of the biggest we've ever seen for a console game. For gamers wanting to jump right into the action on release day, this news is probably somewhat of a bummer, especially if your Internet connection isn't the greatest. Rebellion acknowledged this, and thanked fans for their patience.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"While we understand gamers will be frustrated at the wait, the good news is that the update will actually reduce the size of the game's total install footprint on their hard drive, and reduce the size of future patches significantly," the studio said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's part of this ongoing optimization process that's enabled Sniper Elite III to perform well at a native 1080p on both Xbox One and PS4," Rebellion added. "We appreciate everyone's patience and we firmly believe Sniper Elite 3 will be worth the wait!"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions of Sniper Elite III will also have day-one updates, but they will be "much smaller," Rebellion said.</p><p style="">The 10GB day-one patch is required only for the first-run retail copies of Sniper Elite III. The update is not required for the digital version of the game, nor will it be for the next wave of physical discs that come to market. Sniper Elite III launches July 1 in North America. </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 06:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sniper-elite-3-for-xbox-one-has-a-10gb-mandatory-day-one-patch/1100-6420670/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-assassin-s-creed-is-just-now-getting-co-op/1100-6420669/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2555272-acu_hr_coop_e3_140609_11ampst_1402143432.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2555272" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2555272-acu_hr_coop_e3_140609_11ampst_1402143432.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2555272"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1365/13658182/2555272-acu_hr_coop_e3_140609_11ampst_1402143432.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Co-op is finally coming to Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed series through this year's <a href="/assassins-creed-unity/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed Unity </a>for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Some fans have been calling for the mode for a while now, so why is it just happening now, in 2014? According to senior producer Vincent Pontbriand, introducing co-op to the stealth-action series is a major technical undertaking.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Because it's very complicated to do," Pontbriand told <a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/469099/interviews/assassins-creed-unity-interview-the-french-revolution-was-always-in-our-plans/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">CVG</a>. "Assassin's Creed was always a single-player game to begin with. It took us three games to introduce PvP. It was in the same universe but you were playing as a Templar avatar in a very separate game mode. In Unity, we set out to unify all these game modes into a single experience."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"That's when we decided that co-op should be the next main focus but in order to do that we had to rebuild all of our systems to allow them to be replicated over a network and working online," he added. "So it took years of development to reproduce and redraft all of our sandbox features for a shared online experience."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Four players can journey through Assassin's Creed Unity's campaign together, as shown in the game's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/videos/e3-2014-assassin-s-creed-unity-co-op-demo-commenta/2300-6419579/" data-ref-id="2300-6419579">E3 2014 demo earlier this month</a>. This year's game, however, will not have a competitive multiplayer mode.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As for why Ubisoft waited for the seventh installment to create an Assassin's Creed game set in Paris, Pontbriand said the populous nature of the city mandated extra processing power, which the Xbox One, PS4, and PC can deliver.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We could have tried to do it earlier. We have a roadmap of ideas. We try to have a long-term vision for this brand, and the French Revolution was always part of our plans," Pontbriand said. "The thing is, Paris is a very, very populous city. Even in the eighteenth century there were more than a million people. So we needed to have the technology to allow us to have these dense crowds. This requires a lot of processing power which is available now with the new consoles."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">For example, Pontbriand pointed out that the Notre Dame cathedral alone in Assassin's Creed Unity took an entire year to build. "That's just a crazy amount of work," he said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Assassin's Creed Unity launches <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-assassin-s-creed-unity-coming-to-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc-on-october-28/1100-6420262/" data-ref-id="1100-6420262">October 28</a> for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. The game is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-assassin-s-creed-unity-can-t-be-done-on-xbox-360-ps3/1100-6420448/" data-ref-id="1100-6420448">definitely not coming to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3</a>, but Ubisoft has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-assassin-s-creed-unity-can-t-be-done-on-xbox-360-ps3/1100-6420448/" data-ref-id="1100-6420448">strongly suggested </a>that some new Assassin's Creed game will be available on those platforms this year.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 05:59:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-assassin-s-creed-is-just-now-getting-co-op/1100-6420669/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/civilization-revolution-2-coming-to-ios-and-android/1100-6420668/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2575233-img_0371.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575233" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2575233-img_0371.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575233"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2575233-img_0371.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution 2, a sequel to <a href="/sid-meiers-civilization-revolution/" data-ref-id="false">Firaxis Games' 2008 turn-based strategy game</a>, will launch next month for mobile devices. The game will be available July 2 for iOS devices, with an Android release coming sometime later.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Civilization Revolution 2 is the first game in the acclaimed series to be developed exclusively for mobile devices. Publisher 2K Games says it will offer "high-impact graphics," as well as new gameplay and controls tailored to mobile devices.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The 16 historical leaders from the first game, including icons like Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, and Napoleon, will appear in Civilization Revolution 2. Newcomers like Winston Churchill (above) and John F. Kennedy will also show up in the game. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Just like its predecessor, Civilization Revolution 2 lets you lead a civilization from the origins of man to modern times. You'll go head-to-head with history's most iconic world leaders in an ultimate battle for worldwide supremacy.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/sid-meiers-civilization-revolution/" data-ref-id="false"> Civilization Revolution </a>was originally released in 2008 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo DS. The game launched a year later for iOS.</p><p style="">There's another new Civilization game in the works, too. <a href="/sid-meiers-civilization-beyond-earth/" data-ref-id="false">Civilization: Beyond Earth</a>, a spiritual successor to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/sid-meiers-alpha-centauri/" data-ref-id="false">Alpha Centauri</a>, is currently in development for PC and will launch later this year.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 05:25:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/civilization-revolution-2-coming-to-ios-and-android/1100-6420668/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/madden-nfl-15-box-art-emerges-what-is-richard-sherman-doing/1100-6420667/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2575225-sherman.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575225" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2575225-sherman.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575225"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2575225-sherman.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Ahead of the game's release in August, retailers like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Madden-NFL-15-Xbox-Standard-Edition/dp/B00JUFSH6U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403525040&sr=8-1&keywords=madden+nfl+15" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Amazon</a> and <a href="http://www.gamestop.com/browse?nav=16k-3-madden+nfl+15,28zu0" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">GameStop</a> have posted the box art for<a href="/madden-nfl-15/" data-ref-id="false"> Madden NFL 15</a>. It shows <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/your-madden-15-cover-star-is-controversial-seahawk-richard-sherman/1100-6420184/" data-ref-id="1100-6420184">controversial cover star Richard Sherman</a>, a cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks, striking a strange pose that we can't quite get our head around.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">EA Sports says Madden NFL 15 is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/madden-nfl-15-gets-new-gameplay-video-and-details/1100-6420163/" data-ref-id="1100-6420163">improving defense</a>, so maybe Sherman's gesture is meant to be interpreted as, "<em>No, you're not getting by me!</em>" Or, as <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/20/madden-15-cover-art-wants-a-high-five/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Joystiq</a> wonders, Sherman is extending his hand in search of a high-five. What do you think he's doing?</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sherman's pose is not the only thing that stands out from the Madden NFL 15 box art. Noted sports game writer <a href="http://www.pastapadre.com/2014/06/20/madden-nfl-15-cover-prominently-features-equipment-not-in-the-game" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Pasta Padre</a> points out that his Nike Vapor Jet gloves and shoes have never appeared in a Madden game before. Despite Nike taking on the license for in-game equipment, it's Reebok equipment that is actually featured in the game, he writes.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Madden NFL 15 launches August 26 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4. For more, check out <a href="/madden-nfl-15/" data-ref-id="false">GameSpot's previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 05:01:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/madden-nfl-15-box-art-emerges-what-is-richard-sherman-doing/1100-6420667/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/batman-arkham-knight-launching-in-february/1100-6420666/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419479" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419479/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/batman-arkham-knight/" data-ref-id="false">Batman: Arkham Knight</a>, the upcoming action game from Rocksteady Studios, might have a release date. The official <a href="http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Batman-Arkham-Knight-for-Xbox-One/productID.298759000" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Microsoft Store</a> (via <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/6/23/5833758/report-microsoft-lists-batman-arkham-knight-release-for-february" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Polygon</a>) says the game will launch on February 24, 2015.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In development for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, Batman: Arkham Knight was originally expected to launch in fall 2014. However, the game was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/batman-arkham-knight-for-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc-delayed-to-2015/1100-6420046/" data-ref-id="1100-6420046">delayed earlier this month</a> to a new release window of sometime in 2015. The delay was necessary, according to Rocksteady Studios, because, "We just want to make this the best experience that we can, and that takes time."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">We have reached out to Rocksteady Studios regarding the game's rumored February 2015 release date.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">If Batman: Arkham Knight does launch on February 24, it won't be the only high-profile and current-gen-only game coming to market on that day. CD Projekt Red's open-world RPG <a href="/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt/" data-ref-id="false">The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt </a>also launches on<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/witcher-3-wild-hunt-launching-february-24-across-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc/1100-6420136/" data-ref-id="1100-6420136"> February 24</a>.</p><p style="">For more on Batman: Arkham Knight, check out <a href="/batman-arkham-knight/" data-ref-id="false">GameSpot's previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 04:34:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/batman-arkham-knight-launching-in-february/1100-6420666/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-details-for-the-witcher-3-wild-hunt-leaked-online-minor-spoilers/1100-6420664/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575124-witcher3wildhunt.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575124" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575124-witcher3wildhunt.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575124"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2575124-witcher3wildhunt.png"></a></figure><p style="">[UPDATE] The Witcher 3 developer CD Projekt Red has responded to the leak, issuing a statement to <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-23-huge-witcher-3-leak-reveals-ending-details-monsters-plot" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06">Eurogamer </a>on the matter.</p><p style="">"It has come to our attention that some of the production files for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt have emerged on the Internet," marketing boss Michal Platkow-Gilewski said. "A portion of the files contains information about the story of the game so we strongly advise against accessing them, as this may heavily impact and spoil your future gaming experience."</p><p style="">"We also like to reassure everyone that the disclosure of said documents does not affect the development cycle in any way."</p><p style=""><em><strong>The original story is below.</strong></em></p><p style="">Several design documents from CD Projekt Red's upcoming open-world game <a href="/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt/" data-ref-id="false">The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt</a> have allegedly been leaked online.</p><p style="">Posted on <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/28rq2p/witcher_3_design_documents_have_been_leaked_set/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Reddit</a> by user Kromgar in a series of screenshots, the images show concept art from the game, as well as some of the game's bestiary. The various game endings are also reportedly revealed in the design documents.</p><p style="">According to <a href="http://www.dualshockers.com/2014/06/22/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt-leaked-design-documents-reveal-interesting-numbers-and-boob-physics/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">DualShockers</a>, the documents list 64 different monsters and 174 music tracks for the game so far. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will allegedly feature five areas for players to explore.</p><p style="">Following the leak,<a href="http://ps4daily.com/2014/06/witcher-3-design-doc-leak/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> PS4 Daily</a> has reported that the files were obtained via a developer's Google drive which had been hacked.</p><p style="">The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is scheduled for release on February 24 next year for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Developer CD Projekt Red has confirmed that it will <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/witcher-3-won-t-have-platform-exclusive-content/1100-6419748/" data-ref-id="1100-6419748">not be offering platform-exclusive content</a>.</p><p style="">What are your thoughts on game details leaking prior to launch? Let us know in the comments.</p><p style="">Check out the leaked contents in the screenshots below.</p><figure data-embed-type="gallery" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575125-w3leak.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575126-w3leak2.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575127-w3leak3.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575128-w3leak.png,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575129-w3leak1.png,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575130-w3leak2.png,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575131-w3leak4.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575125,1300-2575126,1300-2575127,1300-2575128,1300-2575129,1300-2575130,1300-2575131" data-resize-urls="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575125-w3leak.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575126-w3leak2.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575127-w3leak3.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575128-w3leak.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575129-w3leak1.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575130-w3leak2.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575131-w3leak4.jpg" data-resized="" data-resize-url=""><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575125-w3leak.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575125" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575125-w3leak.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575126-w3leak2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575126" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575126-w3leak2.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575127-w3leak3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575127" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575127-w3leak3.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575128-w3leak.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575128" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575128-w3leak.jpg"></a><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575129-w3leak1.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575129" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575129-w3leak1.jpg"></a><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575130-w3leak2.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575130" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575130-w3leak2.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575131-w3leak4.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575131" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575131-w3leak4.jpg"></a><figcaption>Gallery credit: Reddit.</figcaption></figure><table data-max-width="true"><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> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 04:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-details-for-the-witcher-3-wild-hunt-leaked-online-minor-spoilers/1100-6420664/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-offers-shaquille-o-neal-christina-aguilera-and-other-celebrity-miis-for-tomodachi-life/1100-6420663/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq4bSdxudrg" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Ffq4bSdxudrg%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dfq4bSdxudrg&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Ffq4bSdxudrg%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="">As <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/tomodachi-life-review/1900-6415783/">our review</a> of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/tomodachi-life/">Tomodachi Life</a> pointed out, a big part of the game's appeal is to populate your virtual island with Miis inspired by your real-life friends and family. But what if you want to add some star power to your game? Rather than create your own or importing them from other players, Nintendo is now offering Miis of Christina Aguilera, Shaquille O'Neal, Debby Ryan, Shaun White, and Zendaya.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">To add these Miis to your game, simply go to <a href="http://tomodachi.nintendo.com/sharing-miis/#/" rel="nofollow">Tomodachi Life's official site</a> and click on one of the celebrity Miis to pull up their QR code. In the game, visit the Town Hall and choose "QR Code," then "Scan QR Code," and follow the instructions to import that Mii.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Tomodachi Life was first released in Japan in April 2013, where it went on to sell <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-reach-6-17-million-as-nintendo-reveals-best-selling-games-to-date/1100-6419486/">1.85 million copies</a>. The game was released in North America and Europe on June 6, and earned a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/tomodachi-life-review/1900-6415783/">good review from GameSpot</a>.</p><p style="">For more on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/tomodachi-life/">Tomodachi Life</a>, be sure to read <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/tomodachi-life/">GameSpot's previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 15:57:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-offers-shaquille-o-neal-christina-aguilera-and-other-celebrity-miis-for-tomodachi-life/1100-6420663/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/indie-hit-ftl-won-t-release-on-vita-because-screen-is-too-small/1100-6420662/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418131" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418131/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-says-indie-games-are-the-heartbeat-of-gaming/1100-6419441/">Sony has put a lot of effort</a> into making the PlayStation Vita an indie-friendly platform, but there's one indie darling that won't be making an appearance on the handheld device.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Responding to a question from a fan on <a href="https://twitter.com/JarMustard/status/479668368274759681" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> about whether the spacefaring indie hit <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/ftl-faster-than-light/">FTL: Faster Than Light</a> will ever get ported to the PS Vita, the game's co-creator and half of developer Subset Games Justin Ma said that it will not. "We looked into it extensively and in the end it just turns out the screen is too small for us," he said. "Sorry about that."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">That's too bad, but it sounds like a good reason to not port the game to the PS Vita. And there are still plenty of other ways to get your hands on FTL. In addition to being available on both PC and Mac, the game's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/spacefaring-indie-hit-ftl-s-advanced-edition-now-available-as-a-free-download/1100-6418751/">Advanced Edition</a> was recently released for iPad. <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/212680/" rel="nofollow">It's currently going for $7</a> as part of the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/our-steam-summer-sale-pick-of-the-day/1100-6420612/">Steam Summer Sale</a>, but you might want to wait for it to turn up in a daily or flash sale if you're looking for an even cheaper price.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony recently said that the economics of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/economics-for-aaa-games-simply-don-t-work-on-playstation-vita-sony-says/1100-6419548/">producing a big, AAA game for the PlayStation Vita don't make sense</a>. Last week, president of Sony Worldwide Studios <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/vita-s-focus-will-be-indie-titles-and-remote-play-sony-says/1100-6420613/">Shuhei Yoshida reiterated the sentiment</a>, saying that Sony is decreasing first-party support for the PlayStation Vita and focusing on indies and Remote Play to provide content.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 14:38:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/indie-hit-ftl-won-t-release-on-vita-because-screen-is-too-small/1100-6420662/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-has-a-very-long-life-ahead-of-it-nintendo-says/1100-6420661/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2574941-9761941541-25167.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574941" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2574941-9761941541-25167.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574941"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2574941-9761941541-25167.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">As of March 31, Nintendo has sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-reach-6-17-million-as-nintendo-reveals-best-selling-games-to-date/1100-6419486/">6.17 million</a> Wii U consoles worldwide, well short of the 9 million it had hoped to sell in the preceding 12 months (2.72 million consoles were sold during that span). But Nintendo isn't ready to cut the price of the console, currently starting at $299, just to spur sales.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We believe the Wii U has a very long life ahead of it," President and chief operating officer of Nintendo of America Reggie Fils-Aime told <a href="http://kotaku.com/shigeru-miyamoto-weve-had-tough-time-before-1593390078" rel="nofollow">Kotaku</a> in an interview. "It's got great content coming that will help define the platform."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Using the 3DS to illustrate his point, Fils-Aime explained that it wasn't the price cut that drove sales for that handheld, but great games like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-7/">Mario Kart 7</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/super-mario-3d-land/">Super Mario 3D Land</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"That's exactly what we need to do with the Wii U, and we do believe that content like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/splatoon/">Splatoon</a>, content like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/hyrule-warriors/">Hyrule Warriors</a>, content like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-8/">Mario Kart 8</a> that we just launched, content like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/super-smash-bros-for-wii-u/">Smash Bros. for Wii U</a>, that is what is going to drive the installed base," he said.</p><p style="">Nintendo expects to sell <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-slow-to-a-crawl-as-nintendo-posts-457-million-loss/1100-6419475/">another 3.6 million systems</a> by the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2015. Coming out of E3 2014, Nintendo of America marketing executive Scott Moffitt also <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-wii-u-on-the-brink-of-success-no-plans-to-drop-the-gamepad/1100-6420610/">said he thinks the Wii U is right at the tipping point</a> where it will tempt gamers into buying the system.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 13:42:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-has-a-very-long-life-ahead-of-it-nintendo-says/1100-6420661/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-investigating-incorrect-battlefield-3-punkbuster-bans/1100-6420660/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2574910-3422669004-20275.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574910" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2574910-3422669004-20275.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574910"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2574910-3422669004-20275.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Electronic Arts is currently looking into the possibility that it incorrectly banned <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-3/">Battlefield 3</a> players for cheating when they didn't, <a href="http://help.ea.com/en/article/incorrect-punkbuster-bans/" rel="nofollow">the company has announced</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We are investigating an issue of PunkBuster bans that were incorrectly applied to some of our players," EA said. "Please understand that our game advisors are not able to access or overturn PunkBuster bans, but we're working with our partners at Even Balance to get this resolved as quickly as possible."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">PunkBuster is a popular anti-cheating software that works similarly to anti-virus software. It's developed and managed by Even Balance, not EA. In recent years, games like Call of Duty have been switching from PunkBuster to Valve's Anti-Cheat solution (VAC). Even EA's Titanfall, for example, uses a different anti-cheat program, FairFight, but the Battlefield games including the upcoming <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-hardline/">Battlefield Hardline</a> continue to use PunkBuster.</p><p style="">If you've been impacted by this issue, EA said you can appeal the ban directly by following <a href="http://help.ea.com/en/article/punkbuster-bans-and-violations/" rel="nofollow">the instructions found here</a>. EA also apologized for the inconvenience this may have caused and said players should stay tuned for updates on the issue.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 12:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-investigating-incorrect-battlefield-3-punkbuster-bans/1100-6420660/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-is-the-more-popular-console-on-facebook-in-the-united-states/1100-6420659/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2574891-5413105070-conso.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574891" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2574891-5413105070-conso.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574891"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2574891-5413105070-conso.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">According to the last official worldwide numbers, PlayStation 4 sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-reports-7-million-playstation-4-consoles-sold-worldwide/1100-6419044/">7 million units</a> to date, putting it well ahead of Xbox One's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-sold-3-million-units-in-2013-microsoft-says/1100-6416955/">3 million units</a>, but for some reason Microsoft's console is winning the popularity contest on Facebook.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to a tally of "likes" among Facebook users in the United States conducted by the <a href="http://www.movoto.com/blog/opinions/video-game-consoles-map/" rel="nofollow">Movoto Real Estate Blog</a>, the Xbox One is the most popular console in 22 states, compared to the PS4, which is the most popular console in 19 states. Nine states resulted in a tie, probably because of the way Facebook rounds-off audience estimates. The Wii U was in the running, but didn't earn more than half the "likes" of either Xbox One or PS4 in any state.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As you can see in the map above, Xbox One is more popular on the coasts and most populated states, while PS4 is more popular in the heartland. According to Movoto, Nevada also had the biggest fan base for both consoles, while Mississippi had the smallest fan base for both.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As you've probably already guessed, this doesn't actually mean a whole lot to either company, most of all because the Facebook data doesn't reflect actual sales figures. If anything, it might suggest that Xbox One fans are more active Facebook users, or that Microsoft has done more to promote it on that social network.</p><p style="">You can find more interesting numbers from Movoto's data on <a href="http://www.movoto.com/blog/opinions/video-game-consoles-map/" rel="nofollow">its website</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 11:29:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-is-the-more-popular-console-on-facebook-in-the-united-states/1100-6420659/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/our-steam-summer-sale-pick-of-the-day/1100-6420612/ <p style="">Got some spare cash you're desperate to offload? Do you have wads of bills just spilling out from your overflowing pockets? Then the <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam Summer Sale</a> is here to help you get rid of that pesky excess cash. With so many games on offer, it gets tough to figure out which ones to buy, so we're here to help that decision making process easier. Every day during the Steam Summer Sale--which runs from June 19 to June 30--we'll highlight our top pick from Steam's Daily Deals. Make sure to check back regularly to see which games you should get!</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2574881-tomb-raider-gets-important-1-0-722-3-steam-patch-2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574881" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2574881-tomb-raider-gets-important-1-0-722-3-steam-patch-2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574881"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2574881-tomb-raider-gets-important-1-0-722-3-steam-patch-2.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Day 4: June 22, 2014</th><th scope="col"> </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style="">Our pick: <a href="/tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Tomb Raider</a> -- $4.99 (-75%)</p><p style="">Tomb Raider's sequel, <a href="/rise-of-the-tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Rise of the Tomb Raider</a>, was announced at E3 earlier this month, and there's also the great co-op action game <a href="/lara-croft-and-the-temple-of-osiris/" data-ref-id="false">Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris</a>, but if you still haven't given it a try, this is the game to play while you wait. The gritty series reboot tells the story of Lara's origins and how she became the hardened adventurer we know her as today.</p><div data-embed-type="html"><div><strong><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider/reviews/" data-ref-id="false">Read our review</a>. And then check it out on <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>.</strong></div><div> </div><div id="livefyre-app-custom-1401497831589"><strong>Other Daily Deals today:</strong></div><div><ul><li><a href="/battleblock-theater/" data-ref-id="false">BattleBlock Theater:</a> $3.74</li><li><a href="/borderlands-2/" data-ref-id="false">Borderlands 2</a>: $4.99</li><li><a href="/kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning/" data-ref-id="false">Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning</a>: $4.99</li><li><a href="/outlast/" data-ref-id="false">Outlast</a>: $4.99</li><li><a href="/planetary-annihilation/" data-ref-id="false">Planetary Annihilation: Galactic War Update</a>: $16.99</li><li><a href="/south-park-the-stick-of-truth/" data-ref-id="false">South Park: The Stick of Truth</a>: $40.19</li><li><a href="/the-wolf-among-us/" data-ref-id="false">The Wolf Among Us</a>: $8.49</li><li><a href="/metal-gear-rising-revengeance/" data-ref-id="false">Metal Gear Rising Revengeance</a>: $14.99</li></ul></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2574464-steamworkshop_webupload_previewfile_221572497_preview.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574464" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2574464-steamworkshop_webupload_previewfile_221572497_preview.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574464"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2574464-steamworkshop_webupload_previewfile_221572497_preview.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Day 3: June 21, 2014</th><th scope="col"> </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style="">Our pick: <a href="/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/" data-ref-id="false">The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim</a> -- $4.99 (-75%)</p><div data-embed-type="html"><div><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/" target="_blank">T</a>he epic fantasy RPG has seen deep discounts before, but there's no better time than now to pick it up if you've been waiting. Explore the open-world of Skyrim, customize your character and playstyle, and maybe even fight some dragons. You can also get the Legendary Edition of the game, complete with all the DLC expansions, for just $13.59.</p></div><div><strong><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-review/1900-6344618/" data-ref-id="1900-6344618">Read our review</a>. And then check it out on <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/72850/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>.</strong></div><div> </div><div id="livefyre-app-custom-1401497831589"><strong>Other Daily Deals today:</strong></div><div><ul><li><a href="/7-days-to-die/" data-ref-id="false">7 Days to Die</a>: $13.74</li><li><a href="/the-stanley-parable/" data-ref-id="false">The Stanley Parable</a>: $5.99</li><li><a href="/age-of-empires-ii-hd-edition/" data-ref-id="false">Age of Empires II: HD Edition</a>: $4.99</li><li><a href="/project-zomboid/" data-ref-id="false">Project Zomboid</a>: $10.04</li><li><a href="/wasteland-2/" data-ref-id="false">Wasteland 2</a>: $40.19</li><li><a href="/contagion/" data-ref-id="false">Contagion</a>: $4.99</li><li><a href="/dragon-age-origins-ultimate-edition/" data-ref-id="false">Dragon Age Origins Ultimate Edition</a>: $7.49</li><li><a href="/terraria/" data-ref-id="false">Terraria</a>: $1.99</li></ul></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2573520-amnesia.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2573520" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2573520-amnesia.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2573520"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/225/2256286/2573520-amnesia.jpg"></a></figure><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Day 2: June 20, 2014</th><th scope="col"> </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style="">Our pick: <a href="/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/" data-ref-id="false">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</a>--$4.99 (-75%)</p><div data-embed-type="html"><div><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/" target="_blank">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</a>, the follow-up to the genuinely frightening <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/amnesia-the-dark-descent/" target="_blank">Amnesia: The Dark Descent</a>, is a steal on the Steam Summer sale today at 75% off. Machine for Pigs is set in the same universe as the original, but it follows a new story and cast of characters, so it's a great place to start if you're looking for a horror fix on a budget (though the original is also currently going for 80% off and you can get <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/sub/36631/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">both games together for only $6.99</a>).</p></div><div><strong><a href="/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/" data-ref-id="false">Read our review</a>. And then check it out on <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>.</strong></div><div> </div><div id="livefyre-app-custom-1401497831589"><strong>Other Daily Deals today:</strong></div><div><ul><li><a href="/bound-by-flame/" data-ref-id="false">Bound By Flame</a>: $23.99</li><li><a href="/shin-sangoku-musou-7-musouden/" data-ref-id="false">Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends</a>: $24.99</li><li><a href="/game-dev-tycoon/" data-ref-id="false">Game Dev Tycoon</a>: $3.99</li><li><a href="/plague-inc-evolved/" data-ref-id="false">Plague Inc Evolved</a>: $10.04</li><li><a href="/prison-architect/" data-ref-id="false">Prison Architect</a>: $10.19</li><li><a href="/rpg-maker-vx-ace/" data-ref-id="false">RPG Maker VX Ace</a>: $17.49</li><li><a href="/the-walking-dead-season-two/" data-ref-id="false">The Walking Dead Season Two</a>: $12.49</li><li><a href="/state-of-decay/" data-ref-id="false">State of Decay</a>: $4.99</li></ul></div></div></td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2573522-farcry3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2573522" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2573522-farcry3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2573522"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/225/2256286/2573522-farcry3.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Day 1: June 19, 2014</th><th scope="col"> </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong>Our pick: <a href="/far-cry-3/" data-ref-id="false">Far Cry 3</a>--$7.49 (-75%)</strong></p><p style="">The Far Cry series has always been ambitious, and it culminated with the sprawling, enthralling, and sometimes narratively challenging Far Cry 3. If you're looking for a shooter that eschews the military feel most others in the genre embrace, then you can't go wrong with this outstanding game. Plus, with <a href="/far-cry-4/" data-ref-id="false">Far Cry 4</a> coming out later this year, now's a great time to catch up on the last game in this intriguing series.</p><p style=""><a href="/reviews/far-cry-3-review/1900-6400893/" data-ref-id="1900-6400893">Read our review.</a> And then check it out on <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>.</p><p style=""><strong>Other Daily Deals today:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="/dead-rising-3/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Rising 3</a> pre-purchase: $37.49</li><li><a href="/sins-of-a-solar-empire/" data-ref-id="false">Sins of a Solar Empire</a>: $7.99</li><li><a href="/divinity-original-sin/" data-ref-id="false">Divinity: Original Sin</a>: $31.99</li><li><a href="/democracy-3/" data-ref-id="false">Democracy 3</a>: $8.49</li><li><a href="/xcom-enemy-unknown/" data-ref-id="false">XCOM: Enemy Unknown</a>: $7.49</li><li><a href="/dont-starve/" data-ref-id="false">Don't Starve</a>: $3.74</li><li><a href="/the-witcher-2-assassins-of-kings/" data-ref-id="false">The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings</a> Enhanced Edition: $3.99</li><li><a href="/dayz/" data-ref-id="false">DayZ</a>: $25.49</li></ul></td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""><em>Check back tomorrow to see our newest pick from the <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam Summer Sale Daily Deals</a>!</em></p> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 10:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/our-steam-summer-sale-pick-of-the-day/1100-6420612/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/orcs-must-die-unchained-closed-beta-starts-this-week/1100-6420658/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419810" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419810/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/orcs-must-die-unchained/">Orcs Must Die! Unchained</a>, the latest installments in the third-person tower defense series, will start its closed Beta phase this Friday, June 27, developer Robot Entertainment has announced.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game is currently in its Alpha phase, and during the Beta Robot Entertainment will introduce a new map, three additional heroes, and the new deck editing system, which allows players to create the best possible combination of traps and creatures.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">You can register on <a href="http://en.omd.gameforge.com/#/" rel="nofollow">the game's website</a> for a chance to enter the closed Beta, or you can guarantee your spot by buying one of the Founder's Packs. Orcs Must Die! Unchained will be free-to-play when it's released, but you can start playing the Alpha today and get into the closed beta later by buying The Master Founder's Pack for $150, The War Mage Founder's Pack for $60, or the Apprentice Founder's Pack for $20. Each will also come with its own tier of bonuses, which you can read about in detail <a href="https://www.orcsmustdie.com/founders#" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/orcs-must-die/">Orcs Must Die!</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/orcs-must-die-2/">Orcs Must Die! 2</a> offered a more action-oriented spin on the tower defense genre, asking you to defend your castle against hordes of orcs by setting traps and fighting them yourself from a third-person perspective. Orcs Must Die! Unchained will focus on competitive multiplayer with its "Fortress Siege" mode, in which one team of heroes defends a fortress and the other attacks it.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 10:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/orcs-must-die-unchained-closed-beta-starts-this-week/1100-6420658/
Gamespot's Site MashupMicrosoft Congratulates Sony on PS4 Launch, But Says It's Still "Early Days"Ubisoft "Very Confident" Assassin's Creed Unity PC Won't be DelayedSniper Elite 3 for Xbox One Has a 10GB Mandatory Day-One PatchWhy Assassin's Creed Is Just Now Getting Co-OpCivilization Revolution 2 Coming to iOS and AndroidMadden NFL 15 Box Art Emerges -- What Is Richard Sherman Doing?Batman: Arkham Knight Launching in February?New Details for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Leaked Online [Minor Spoilers]Nintendo Offers Shaquille O'Neal, Christina Aguilera, and Other Celebrity Miis for Tomodachi LifeIndie Hit FTL Won't Release on Vita Because Screen Is Too SmallWii U Has a "Very Long Life Ahead of It," Nintendo SaysEA Investigating Incorrect Battlefield 3 PunkBuster BansXbox One Is the More Popular Console on Facebook in the United StatesOur Steam Summer Sale Pick of the DayOrcs Must Die! Unchained Closed Beta Starts This Week
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Mon, 23 Jun 2014 08:02:48 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-congratulates-sony-on-ps4-launch-but-says-it-s-still-early-days/1100-6420672/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2575265-399xboxone.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575265" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2575265-399xboxone.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575265"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2575265-399xboxone.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PlayStation 4 may have a sales advantage over the Xbox One right now, but the battle for the living room is more of a marathon than a sprint, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer says in a new interview.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"You look at what Sony has sold, and congratulations to them; they've had a great launch," Spencer told <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-23-xbox-head-on-stand-alone-kinect-theyll-buy-it" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06">GamesIndustry International</a>. "Maybe we're 10 percent of the way into this generation, so we're early, early days in how this will all play out. I tip my hat to them. I think they'll likely have a great [E3], and they should; they're coming in with a lot of strength. But this is a long-term competitive space, which is good for consumers."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Both the PS4 and Xbox One launched in November 2013. Microsoft sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-sold-3-million-units-in-2013-microsoft-says/1100-6416955/" data-ref-id="1100-6416955">more than 3 million systems by the end of the year</a>, but has not announced a new sales figure for the platform so far in 2014. Sony, on the other hand, announced in April that it had sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-reports-7-million-playstation-4-consoles-sold-worldwide/1100-6419044/" data-ref-id="1100-6419044">more than 7 million PS4 systems worldwide </a>to date.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also in the interview, Spencer said Microsoft's recent decision to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-399-xbox-ones-flying-off-the-shelves-at-gamestop/1100-6420336/" data-ref-id="1100-6420336">remove the Kinect camera as a pack-in for Xbox One bundles</a> does not mean the company is any less enthusiastic about future prospects for the technology.</p><blockquote data-align="left"><p dir="ltr" style="">"VR is an interesting technology. I don't know that it's mainstream yet, if you think about experiences in the home for consumers" -- Phil Spencer</p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="">"We see millions and millions of people using Kinect today. We've had over a billion voice commands used," Spencer said. "The use of Kinect in people's homes is incredibly high. And because people are continuing to use it, it's an area we're going to continue to invest, in terms of making the experience better."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"And I think that makes building games in that environment even better. Consumers love the device; they love the experience," he added. "They'll buy it. They'll either buy it at launch when they buy their console, or they'll be able to buy it after the $399 console; they'll pick it up and add it on later. And we'll continue to make sure that experience is great."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">One area Microsoft is not likely to look at for immediate future growth is virtual reality. The VR space has gathered much attention since <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/facebook-buys-oculus-rift-company-in-a-massive-deal-worth-an-estimated-2-billion/1100-6418540/" data-ref-id="1100-6418540">Facebook paid $2 billion to buy Oculus VR</a> and Sony <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-s-project-morpheus-vr-device-won-t-launch-in-2014-1000-price-point-unlikely/1100-6418418/" data-ref-id="1100-6418418">announced its own head-mounted display for the PS4</a>, but Spencer questioned the technology's mainstream appeal, at least right now.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"VR is an interesting technology," Spencer said. "I don't know that it's mainstream yet, if you think about experiences in the home for consumers. But I think it's great that the game space, whether it's what Sony is doing or Oculus is doing, that so many of the innovations you see all up in consumer electronics have come out of the game space. VR is something in games and out of games. I'm watching how that evolves over the next few years."</p><p style="">At the Game Developers Conference in March, Spencer <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-says-vr-is-something-we-ve-been-playing-with-for-a-while/1100-6418473/" data-ref-id="1100-6418473">teased</a> that Microsoft may be prototyping a virtual reality device of its own. "I think that technology's really interesting, and it's definitely something we've been playing with for quite a while," he said at the time.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 07:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-congratulates-sony-on-ps4-launch-but-says-it-s-still-early-days/1100-6420672/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-very-confident-assassin-s-creed-unity-pc-won-t-be-delayed/1100-6420671/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419587" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419587/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Installments in the Assassin's Creed series have a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-explains-why-assassins-creed-launches-last-on-pc/1100-6415282/" data-ref-id="1100-6415282" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-explains-why-assassins-creed-launches-last-on-pc/1100-6415282/">well-established history of coming to PC sometime after the console versions</a>, but Ubisoft is confident this won't happen for this year's game. Producer Lesley Phord-Toy said in a new interview that despite the inherent challenges of developing for the PC, Ubisoft is "very confident" that it will ship the game across all systems (Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC) on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-assassin-s-creed-unity-coming-to-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc-on-october-28/1100-6420262/" data-ref-id="1100-6420262" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-assassin-s-creed-unity-coming-to-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc-on-october-28/1100-6420262/">October 28</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We're always aiming to ship all our games on all platforms at the same time," Phord-Toy told <a data-mce-href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/06/23/assassins-creed-unity-pc-delay/" href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/06/23/assassins-creed-unity-pc-delay/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Rock Paper Shotgun</a>. "I don't have any specific news on the PC version of Assassin's Creed Unity, but I do know we're planning on shipping on all three [platforms]: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. I haven't heard any news differently than that."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2556066-acu_screen_combatsword_e3_140609_4pmpst_1402143761.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2556066" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2556066-acu_screen_combatsword_e3_140609_4pmpst_1402143761.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2556066"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/536/5360430/2556066-acu_screen_combatsword_e3_140609_4pmpst_1402143761.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="">Phord-Toy worked on <a data-mce-href="/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag" href="/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag</a> as the game's producer for the PC version. She acknowledged that the PC platform has built-in challenges not found on consoles, but still maintained that the PC version is on track.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It can be challenging," she said. "PC has a variety of different hardware configurations that you can't necessarily predict. On a console you know what's in the box. Every customer has the same configuration for the most part, and first-parties push firmware updates so everyone has what you're expecting to have. PCs are nowhere near as consistent. So it can be extremely challenging to try and support as many of those permutations as possible."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Like I said, Ubisoft has been very successful at achieving same-ship in the recent past, so we're very confident that we'll be able to do the same for Assassin's Creed Unity," she added.</p><p style="">Historically, Assassin's Creed games have launched on PC several weeks, and in some cases months, after the console versions came to market. This was true for last year's <a href="/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag</a>, which came to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U on October 29, with the PC version following on November 19.</p><table data-max-width="true" class="mceItemTable"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow" data-mce-href="mailto:news@gamespot.com">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""><br /></p> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 06:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-very-confident-assassin-s-creed-unity-pc-won-t-be-delayed/1100-6420671/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sniper-elite-3-for-xbox-one-has-a-10gb-mandatory-day-one-patch/1100-6420670/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419532" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419532/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">The retail version of next week's shooter <a href="/sniper-elite-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Sniper Elite III </a>will require a 10GB day-one patch on Xbox One, developer Rebellion has revealed. This update makes various improvements to the FPS, and also brings the entire game's install size down to 19GB from 21GB, the studio told <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-20-sniper-elite-3-has-a-10gb-day-one-patch-on-xbox-one" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06">Eurogamer</a> in a new interview.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The central purpose of the Sniper Elite III day-one update, however, is to "sync data between the game's retail discs and the Xbox Live digital download edition."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"In the several weeks between sending the code off to manufacture and release, rather than sit around or take a break, we've continued to work on the game, making improvements and optimizations," the developer said.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2437761-se3_screenshot_04.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2437761" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2437761-se3_screenshot_04.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2437761"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/536/5360430/2437761-se3_screenshot_04.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Rebellion says it has also started work on multiplayer DLC for Sniper Elite III, and explained that a "small part" of the game's 10GB day-one patch is needed to introduce a compatibility pack. "This is standard for any game that adds DLC--it's just to make sure everyone can have the same multiplayer experience whether they own DLC or not," Rebellion said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A 10GB day-one patch is one of the biggest we've ever seen for a console game. For gamers wanting to jump right into the action on release day, this news is probably somewhat of a bummer, especially if your Internet connection isn't the greatest. Rebellion acknowledged this, and thanked fans for their patience.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"While we understand gamers will be frustrated at the wait, the good news is that the update will actually reduce the size of the game's total install footprint on their hard drive, and reduce the size of future patches significantly," the studio said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's part of this ongoing optimization process that's enabled Sniper Elite III to perform well at a native 1080p on both Xbox One and PS4," Rebellion added. "We appreciate everyone's patience and we firmly believe Sniper Elite 3 will be worth the wait!"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions of Sniper Elite III will also have day-one updates, but they will be "much smaller," Rebellion said.</p><p style="">The 10GB day-one patch is required only for the first-run retail copies of Sniper Elite III. The update is not required for the digital version of the game, nor will it be for the next wave of physical discs that come to market. Sniper Elite III launches July 1 in North America. </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 06:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sniper-elite-3-for-xbox-one-has-a-10gb-mandatory-day-one-patch/1100-6420670/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-assassin-s-creed-is-just-now-getting-co-op/1100-6420669/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2555272-acu_hr_coop_e3_140609_11ampst_1402143432.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2555272" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2555272-acu_hr_coop_e3_140609_11ampst_1402143432.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2555272"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1365/13658182/2555272-acu_hr_coop_e3_140609_11ampst_1402143432.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Co-op is finally coming to Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed series through this year's <a href="/assassins-creed-unity/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed Unity </a>for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Some fans have been calling for the mode for a while now, so why is it just happening now, in 2014? According to senior producer Vincent Pontbriand, introducing co-op to the stealth-action series is a major technical undertaking.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Because it's very complicated to do," Pontbriand told <a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/469099/interviews/assassins-creed-unity-interview-the-french-revolution-was-always-in-our-plans/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">CVG</a>. "Assassin's Creed was always a single-player game to begin with. It took us three games to introduce PvP. It was in the same universe but you were playing as a Templar avatar in a very separate game mode. In Unity, we set out to unify all these game modes into a single experience."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"That's when we decided that co-op should be the next main focus but in order to do that we had to rebuild all of our systems to allow them to be replicated over a network and working online," he added. "So it took years of development to reproduce and redraft all of our sandbox features for a shared online experience."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Four players can journey through Assassin's Creed Unity's campaign together, as shown in the game's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/videos/e3-2014-assassin-s-creed-unity-co-op-demo-commenta/2300-6419579/" data-ref-id="2300-6419579">E3 2014 demo earlier this month</a>. This year's game, however, will not have a competitive multiplayer mode.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As for why Ubisoft waited for the seventh installment to create an Assassin's Creed game set in Paris, Pontbriand said the populous nature of the city mandated extra processing power, which the Xbox One, PS4, and PC can deliver.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We could have tried to do it earlier. We have a roadmap of ideas. We try to have a long-term vision for this brand, and the French Revolution was always part of our plans," Pontbriand said. "The thing is, Paris is a very, very populous city. Even in the eighteenth century there were more than a million people. So we needed to have the technology to allow us to have these dense crowds. This requires a lot of processing power which is available now with the new consoles."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">For example, Pontbriand pointed out that the Notre Dame cathedral alone in Assassin's Creed Unity took an entire year to build. "That's just a crazy amount of work," he said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Assassin's Creed Unity launches <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-assassin-s-creed-unity-coming-to-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc-on-october-28/1100-6420262/" data-ref-id="1100-6420262">October 28</a> for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. The game is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-assassin-s-creed-unity-can-t-be-done-on-xbox-360-ps3/1100-6420448/" data-ref-id="1100-6420448">definitely not coming to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3</a>, but Ubisoft has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-assassin-s-creed-unity-can-t-be-done-on-xbox-360-ps3/1100-6420448/" data-ref-id="1100-6420448">strongly suggested </a>that some new Assassin's Creed game will be available on those platforms this year.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 05:59:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-assassin-s-creed-is-just-now-getting-co-op/1100-6420669/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/civilization-revolution-2-coming-to-ios-and-android/1100-6420668/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2575233-img_0371.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575233" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2575233-img_0371.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575233"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2575233-img_0371.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution 2, a sequel to <a href="/sid-meiers-civilization-revolution/" data-ref-id="false">Firaxis Games' 2008 turn-based strategy game</a>, will launch next month for mobile devices. The game will be available July 2 for iOS devices, with an Android release coming sometime later.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Civilization Revolution 2 is the first game in the acclaimed series to be developed exclusively for mobile devices. Publisher 2K Games says it will offer "high-impact graphics," as well as new gameplay and controls tailored to mobile devices.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The 16 historical leaders from the first game, including icons like Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, and Napoleon, will appear in Civilization Revolution 2. Newcomers like Winston Churchill (above) and John F. Kennedy will also show up in the game. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Just like its predecessor, Civilization Revolution 2 lets you lead a civilization from the origins of man to modern times. You'll go head-to-head with history's most iconic world leaders in an ultimate battle for worldwide supremacy.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/sid-meiers-civilization-revolution/" data-ref-id="false"> Civilization Revolution </a>was originally released in 2008 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo DS. The game launched a year later for iOS.</p><p style="">There's another new Civilization game in the works, too. <a href="/sid-meiers-civilization-beyond-earth/" data-ref-id="false">Civilization: Beyond Earth</a>, a spiritual successor to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/sid-meiers-alpha-centauri/" data-ref-id="false">Alpha Centauri</a>, is currently in development for PC and will launch later this year.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 05:25:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/civilization-revolution-2-coming-to-ios-and-android/1100-6420668/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/madden-nfl-15-box-art-emerges-what-is-richard-sherman-doing/1100-6420667/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2575225-sherman.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575225" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2575225-sherman.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575225"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2575225-sherman.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Ahead of the game's release in August, retailers like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Madden-NFL-15-Xbox-Standard-Edition/dp/B00JUFSH6U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403525040&sr=8-1&keywords=madden+nfl+15" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Amazon</a> and <a href="http://www.gamestop.com/browse?nav=16k-3-madden+nfl+15,28zu0" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">GameStop</a> have posted the box art for<a href="/madden-nfl-15/" data-ref-id="false"> Madden NFL 15</a>. It shows <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/your-madden-15-cover-star-is-controversial-seahawk-richard-sherman/1100-6420184/" data-ref-id="1100-6420184">controversial cover star Richard Sherman</a>, a cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks, striking a strange pose that we can't quite get our head around.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">EA Sports says Madden NFL 15 is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/madden-nfl-15-gets-new-gameplay-video-and-details/1100-6420163/" data-ref-id="1100-6420163">improving defense</a>, so maybe Sherman's gesture is meant to be interpreted as, "<em>No, you're not getting by me!</em>" Or, as <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/20/madden-15-cover-art-wants-a-high-five/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Joystiq</a> wonders, Sherman is extending his hand in search of a high-five. What do you think he's doing?</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sherman's pose is not the only thing that stands out from the Madden NFL 15 box art. Noted sports game writer <a href="http://www.pastapadre.com/2014/06/20/madden-nfl-15-cover-prominently-features-equipment-not-in-the-game" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Pasta Padre</a> points out that his Nike Vapor Jet gloves and shoes have never appeared in a Madden game before. Despite Nike taking on the license for in-game equipment, it's Reebok equipment that is actually featured in the game, he writes.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Madden NFL 15 launches August 26 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4. For more, check out <a href="/madden-nfl-15/" data-ref-id="false">GameSpot's previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 05:01:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/madden-nfl-15-box-art-emerges-what-is-richard-sherman-doing/1100-6420667/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/batman-arkham-knight-launching-in-february/1100-6420666/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419479" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419479/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/batman-arkham-knight/" data-ref-id="false">Batman: Arkham Knight</a>, the upcoming action game from Rocksteady Studios, might have a release date. The official <a href="http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Batman-Arkham-Knight-for-Xbox-One/productID.298759000" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Microsoft Store</a> (via <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/6/23/5833758/report-microsoft-lists-batman-arkham-knight-release-for-february" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Polygon</a>) says the game will launch on February 24, 2015.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In development for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, Batman: Arkham Knight was originally expected to launch in fall 2014. However, the game was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/batman-arkham-knight-for-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc-delayed-to-2015/1100-6420046/" data-ref-id="1100-6420046">delayed earlier this month</a> to a new release window of sometime in 2015. The delay was necessary, according to Rocksteady Studios, because, "We just want to make this the best experience that we can, and that takes time."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">We have reached out to Rocksteady Studios regarding the game's rumored February 2015 release date.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">If Batman: Arkham Knight does launch on February 24, it won't be the only high-profile and current-gen-only game coming to market on that day. CD Projekt Red's open-world RPG <a href="/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt/" data-ref-id="false">The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt </a>also launches on<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/witcher-3-wild-hunt-launching-february-24-across-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc/1100-6420136/" data-ref-id="1100-6420136"> February 24</a>.</p><p style="">For more on Batman: Arkham Knight, check out <a href="/batman-arkham-knight/" data-ref-id="false">GameSpot's previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 04:34:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/batman-arkham-knight-launching-in-february/1100-6420666/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-details-for-the-witcher-3-wild-hunt-leaked-online-minor-spoilers/1100-6420664/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575124-witcher3wildhunt.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575124" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575124-witcher3wildhunt.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575124"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2575124-witcher3wildhunt.png"></a></figure><p style="">[UPDATE] The Witcher 3 developer CD Projekt Red has responded to the leak, issuing a statement to <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-23-huge-witcher-3-leak-reveals-ending-details-monsters-plot" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06">Eurogamer </a>on the matter.</p><p style="">"It has come to our attention that some of the production files for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt have emerged on the Internet," marketing boss Michal Platkow-Gilewski said. "A portion of the files contains information about the story of the game so we strongly advise against accessing them, as this may heavily impact and spoil your future gaming experience."</p><p style="">"We also like to reassure everyone that the disclosure of said documents does not affect the development cycle in any way."</p><p style=""><em><strong>The original story is below.</strong></em></p><p style="">Several design documents from CD Projekt Red's upcoming open-world game <a href="/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt/" data-ref-id="false">The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt</a> have allegedly been leaked online.</p><p style="">Posted on <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/28rq2p/witcher_3_design_documents_have_been_leaked_set/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Reddit</a> by user Kromgar in a series of screenshots, the images show concept art from the game, as well as some of the game's bestiary. The various game endings are also reportedly revealed in the design documents.</p><p style="">According to <a href="http://www.dualshockers.com/2014/06/22/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt-leaked-design-documents-reveal-interesting-numbers-and-boob-physics/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">DualShockers</a>, the documents list 64 different monsters and 174 music tracks for the game so far. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will allegedly feature five areas for players to explore.</p><p style="">Following the leak,<a href="http://ps4daily.com/2014/06/witcher-3-design-doc-leak/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> PS4 Daily</a> has reported that the files were obtained via a developer's Google drive which had been hacked.</p><p style="">The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is scheduled for release on February 24 next year for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Developer CD Projekt Red has confirmed that it will <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/witcher-3-won-t-have-platform-exclusive-content/1100-6419748/" data-ref-id="1100-6419748">not be offering platform-exclusive content</a>.</p><p style="">What are your thoughts on game details leaking prior to launch? Let us know in the comments.</p><p style="">Check out the leaked contents in the screenshots below.</p><figure data-embed-type="gallery" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575125-w3leak.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575126-w3leak2.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575127-w3leak3.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575128-w3leak.png,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575129-w3leak1.png,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575130-w3leak2.png,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575131-w3leak4.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575125,1300-2575126,1300-2575127,1300-2575128,1300-2575129,1300-2575130,1300-2575131" data-resize-urls="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575125-w3leak.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575126-w3leak2.jpg,http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575127-w3leak3.jpg,http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575128-w3leak.jpg,http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575129-w3leak1.jpg,http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575130-w3leak2.jpg,http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575131-w3leak4.jpg" data-resized="" data-resize-url=""><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575125-w3leak.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575125" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575125-w3leak.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575126-w3leak2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575126" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575126-w3leak2.jpg"></a><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575127-w3leak3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2575127" ><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575127-w3leak3.jpg"></a><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575128-w3leak.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575128" ><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575128-w3leak.jpg"></a><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575129-w3leak1.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575129" ><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575129-w3leak1.jpg"></a><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575130-w3leak2.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575130" ><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575130-w3leak2.jpg"></a><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2575131-w3leak4.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575131" ><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/280/2802776/2575131-w3leak4.jpg"></a><figcaption>Gallery credit: Reddit.</figcaption></figure><table data-max-width="true"><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> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 04:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-details-for-the-witcher-3-wild-hunt-leaked-online-minor-spoilers/1100-6420664/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-offers-shaquille-o-neal-christina-aguilera-and-other-celebrity-miis-for-tomodachi-life/1100-6420663/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq4bSdxudrg" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Ffq4bSdxudrg%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dfq4bSdxudrg&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Ffq4bSdxudrg%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="">As <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/tomodachi-life-review/1900-6415783/">our review</a> of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/tomodachi-life/">Tomodachi Life</a> pointed out, a big part of the game's appeal is to populate your virtual island with Miis inspired by your real-life friends and family. But what if you want to add some star power to your game? Rather than create your own or importing them from other players, Nintendo is now offering Miis of Christina Aguilera, Shaquille O'Neal, Debby Ryan, Shaun White, and Zendaya.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">To add these Miis to your game, simply go to <a href="http://tomodachi.nintendo.com/sharing-miis/#/" rel="nofollow">Tomodachi Life's official site</a> and click on one of the celebrity Miis to pull up their QR code. In the game, visit the Town Hall and choose "QR Code," then "Scan QR Code," and follow the instructions to import that Mii.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Tomodachi Life was first released in Japan in April 2013, where it went on to sell <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-reach-6-17-million-as-nintendo-reveals-best-selling-games-to-date/1100-6419486/">1.85 million copies</a>. The game was released in North America and Europe on June 6, and earned a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/tomodachi-life-review/1900-6415783/">good review from GameSpot</a>.</p><p style="">For more on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/tomodachi-life/">Tomodachi Life</a>, be sure to read <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/tomodachi-life/">GameSpot's previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 15:57:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-offers-shaquille-o-neal-christina-aguilera-and-other-celebrity-miis-for-tomodachi-life/1100-6420663/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/indie-hit-ftl-won-t-release-on-vita-because-screen-is-too-small/1100-6420662/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418131" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418131/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-says-indie-games-are-the-heartbeat-of-gaming/1100-6419441/">Sony has put a lot of effort</a> into making the PlayStation Vita an indie-friendly platform, but there's one indie darling that won't be making an appearance on the handheld device.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Responding to a question from a fan on <a href="https://twitter.com/JarMustard/status/479668368274759681" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> about whether the spacefaring indie hit <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/ftl-faster-than-light/">FTL: Faster Than Light</a> will ever get ported to the PS Vita, the game's co-creator and half of developer Subset Games Justin Ma said that it will not. "We looked into it extensively and in the end it just turns out the screen is too small for us," he said. "Sorry about that."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">That's too bad, but it sounds like a good reason to not port the game to the PS Vita. And there are still plenty of other ways to get your hands on FTL. In addition to being available on both PC and Mac, the game's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/spacefaring-indie-hit-ftl-s-advanced-edition-now-available-as-a-free-download/1100-6418751/">Advanced Edition</a> was recently released for iPad. <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/212680/" rel="nofollow">It's currently going for $7</a> as part of the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/our-steam-summer-sale-pick-of-the-day/1100-6420612/">Steam Summer Sale</a>, but you might want to wait for it to turn up in a daily or flash sale if you're looking for an even cheaper price.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony recently said that the economics of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/economics-for-aaa-games-simply-don-t-work-on-playstation-vita-sony-says/1100-6419548/">producing a big, AAA game for the PlayStation Vita don't make sense</a>. Last week, president of Sony Worldwide Studios <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/vita-s-focus-will-be-indie-titles-and-remote-play-sony-says/1100-6420613/">Shuhei Yoshida reiterated the sentiment</a>, saying that Sony is decreasing first-party support for the PlayStation Vita and focusing on indies and Remote Play to provide content.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 14:38:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/indie-hit-ftl-won-t-release-on-vita-because-screen-is-too-small/1100-6420662/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-has-a-very-long-life-ahead-of-it-nintendo-says/1100-6420661/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2574941-9761941541-25167.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574941" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2574941-9761941541-25167.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574941"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2574941-9761941541-25167.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">As of March 31, Nintendo has sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-reach-6-17-million-as-nintendo-reveals-best-selling-games-to-date/1100-6419486/">6.17 million</a> Wii U consoles worldwide, well short of the 9 million it had hoped to sell in the preceding 12 months (2.72 million consoles were sold during that span). But Nintendo isn't ready to cut the price of the console, currently starting at $299, just to spur sales.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We believe the Wii U has a very long life ahead of it," President and chief operating officer of Nintendo of America Reggie Fils-Aime told <a href="http://kotaku.com/shigeru-miyamoto-weve-had-tough-time-before-1593390078" rel="nofollow">Kotaku</a> in an interview. "It's got great content coming that will help define the platform."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Using the 3DS to illustrate his point, Fils-Aime explained that it wasn't the price cut that drove sales for that handheld, but great games like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-7/">Mario Kart 7</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/super-mario-3d-land/">Super Mario 3D Land</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"That's exactly what we need to do with the Wii U, and we do believe that content like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/splatoon/">Splatoon</a>, content like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/hyrule-warriors/">Hyrule Warriors</a>, content like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-8/">Mario Kart 8</a> that we just launched, content like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/super-smash-bros-for-wii-u/">Smash Bros. for Wii U</a>, that is what is going to drive the installed base," he said.</p><p style="">Nintendo expects to sell <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-sales-slow-to-a-crawl-as-nintendo-posts-457-million-loss/1100-6419475/">another 3.6 million systems</a> by the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2015. Coming out of E3 2014, Nintendo of America marketing executive Scott Moffitt also <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-wii-u-on-the-brink-of-success-no-plans-to-drop-the-gamepad/1100-6420610/">said he thinks the Wii U is right at the tipping point</a> where it will tempt gamers into buying the system.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 13:42:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wii-u-has-a-very-long-life-ahead-of-it-nintendo-says/1100-6420661/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-investigating-incorrect-battlefield-3-punkbuster-bans/1100-6420660/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2574910-3422669004-20275.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574910" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2574910-3422669004-20275.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574910"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2574910-3422669004-20275.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Electronic Arts is currently looking into the possibility that it incorrectly banned <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-3/">Battlefield 3</a> players for cheating when they didn't, <a href="http://help.ea.com/en/article/incorrect-punkbuster-bans/" rel="nofollow">the company has announced</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We are investigating an issue of PunkBuster bans that were incorrectly applied to some of our players," EA said. "Please understand that our game advisors are not able to access or overturn PunkBuster bans, but we're working with our partners at Even Balance to get this resolved as quickly as possible."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">PunkBuster is a popular anti-cheating software that works similarly to anti-virus software. It's developed and managed by Even Balance, not EA. In recent years, games like Call of Duty have been switching from PunkBuster to Valve's Anti-Cheat solution (VAC). Even EA's Titanfall, for example, uses a different anti-cheat program, FairFight, but the Battlefield games including the upcoming <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-hardline/">Battlefield Hardline</a> continue to use PunkBuster.</p><p style="">If you've been impacted by this issue, EA said you can appeal the ban directly by following <a href="http://help.ea.com/en/article/punkbuster-bans-and-violations/" rel="nofollow">the instructions found here</a>. EA also apologized for the inconvenience this may have caused and said players should stay tuned for updates on the issue.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 12:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-investigating-incorrect-battlefield-3-punkbuster-bans/1100-6420660/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-is-the-more-popular-console-on-facebook-in-the-united-states/1100-6420659/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2574891-5413105070-conso.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574891" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2574891-5413105070-conso.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574891"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2574891-5413105070-conso.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">According to the last official worldwide numbers, PlayStation 4 sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-reports-7-million-playstation-4-consoles-sold-worldwide/1100-6419044/">7 million units</a> to date, putting it well ahead of Xbox One's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-sold-3-million-units-in-2013-microsoft-says/1100-6416955/">3 million units</a>, but for some reason Microsoft's console is winning the popularity contest on Facebook.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to a tally of "likes" among Facebook users in the United States conducted by the <a href="http://www.movoto.com/blog/opinions/video-game-consoles-map/" rel="nofollow">Movoto Real Estate Blog</a>, the Xbox One is the most popular console in 22 states, compared to the PS4, which is the most popular console in 19 states. Nine states resulted in a tie, probably because of the way Facebook rounds-off audience estimates. The Wii U was in the running, but didn't earn more than half the "likes" of either Xbox One or PS4 in any state.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As you can see in the map above, Xbox One is more popular on the coasts and most populated states, while PS4 is more popular in the heartland. According to Movoto, Nevada also had the biggest fan base for both consoles, while Mississippi had the smallest fan base for both.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As you've probably already guessed, this doesn't actually mean a whole lot to either company, most of all because the Facebook data doesn't reflect actual sales figures. If anything, it might suggest that Xbox One fans are more active Facebook users, or that Microsoft has done more to promote it on that social network.</p><p style="">You can find more interesting numbers from Movoto's data on <a href="http://www.movoto.com/blog/opinions/video-game-consoles-map/" rel="nofollow">its website</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 11:29:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-is-the-more-popular-console-on-facebook-in-the-united-states/1100-6420659/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/our-steam-summer-sale-pick-of-the-day/1100-6420612/ <p style="">Got some spare cash you're desperate to offload? Do you have wads of bills just spilling out from your overflowing pockets? Then the <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam Summer Sale</a> is here to help you get rid of that pesky excess cash. With so many games on offer, it gets tough to figure out which ones to buy, so we're here to help that decision making process easier. Every day during the Steam Summer Sale--which runs from June 19 to June 30--we'll highlight our top pick from Steam's Daily Deals. Make sure to check back regularly to see which games you should get!</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2574881-tomb-raider-gets-important-1-0-722-3-steam-patch-2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574881" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2574881-tomb-raider-gets-important-1-0-722-3-steam-patch-2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574881"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2574881-tomb-raider-gets-important-1-0-722-3-steam-patch-2.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Day 4: June 22, 2014</th><th scope="col"> </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style="">Our pick: <a href="/tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Tomb Raider</a> -- $4.99 (-75%)</p><p style="">Tomb Raider's sequel, <a href="/rise-of-the-tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Rise of the Tomb Raider</a>, was announced at E3 earlier this month, and there's also the great co-op action game <a href="/lara-croft-and-the-temple-of-osiris/" data-ref-id="false">Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris</a>, but if you still haven't given it a try, this is the game to play while you wait. The gritty series reboot tells the story of Lara's origins and how she became the hardened adventurer we know her as today.</p><div data-embed-type="html"><div><strong><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider/reviews/" data-ref-id="false">Read our review</a>. And then check it out on <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>.</strong></div><div> </div><div id="livefyre-app-custom-1401497831589"><strong>Other Daily Deals today:</strong></div><div><ul><li><a href="/battleblock-theater/" data-ref-id="false">BattleBlock Theater:</a> $3.74</li><li><a href="/borderlands-2/" data-ref-id="false">Borderlands 2</a>: $4.99</li><li><a href="/kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning/" data-ref-id="false">Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning</a>: $4.99</li><li><a href="/outlast/" data-ref-id="false">Outlast</a>: $4.99</li><li><a href="/planetary-annihilation/" data-ref-id="false">Planetary Annihilation: Galactic War Update</a>: $16.99</li><li><a href="/south-park-the-stick-of-truth/" data-ref-id="false">South Park: The Stick of Truth</a>: $40.19</li><li><a href="/the-wolf-among-us/" data-ref-id="false">The Wolf Among Us</a>: $8.49</li><li><a href="/metal-gear-rising-revengeance/" data-ref-id="false">Metal Gear Rising Revengeance</a>: $14.99</li></ul></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2574464-steamworkshop_webupload_previewfile_221572497_preview.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574464" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2574464-steamworkshop_webupload_previewfile_221572497_preview.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2574464"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2574464-steamworkshop_webupload_previewfile_221572497_preview.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Day 3: June 21, 2014</th><th scope="col"> </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style="">Our pick: <a href="/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/" data-ref-id="false">The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim</a> -- $4.99 (-75%)</p><div data-embed-type="html"><div><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/" target="_blank">T</a>he epic fantasy RPG has seen deep discounts before, but there's no better time than now to pick it up if you've been waiting. Explore the open-world of Skyrim, customize your character and playstyle, and maybe even fight some dragons. You can also get the Legendary Edition of the game, complete with all the DLC expansions, for just $13.59.</p></div><div><strong><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-review/1900-6344618/" data-ref-id="1900-6344618">Read our review</a>. And then check it out on <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/72850/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>.</strong></div><div> </div><div id="livefyre-app-custom-1401497831589"><strong>Other Daily Deals today:</strong></div><div><ul><li><a href="/7-days-to-die/" data-ref-id="false">7 Days to Die</a>: $13.74</li><li><a href="/the-stanley-parable/" data-ref-id="false">The Stanley Parable</a>: $5.99</li><li><a href="/age-of-empires-ii-hd-edition/" data-ref-id="false">Age of Empires II: HD Edition</a>: $4.99</li><li><a href="/project-zomboid/" data-ref-id="false">Project Zomboid</a>: $10.04</li><li><a href="/wasteland-2/" data-ref-id="false">Wasteland 2</a>: $40.19</li><li><a href="/contagion/" data-ref-id="false">Contagion</a>: $4.99</li><li><a href="/dragon-age-origins-ultimate-edition/" data-ref-id="false">Dragon Age Origins Ultimate Edition</a>: $7.49</li><li><a href="/terraria/" data-ref-id="false">Terraria</a>: $1.99</li></ul></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2573520-amnesia.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2573520" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2573520-amnesia.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2573520"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/225/2256286/2573520-amnesia.jpg"></a></figure><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Day 2: June 20, 2014</th><th scope="col"> </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style="">Our pick: <a href="/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/" data-ref-id="false">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</a>--$4.99 (-75%)</p><div data-embed-type="html"><div><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/" target="_blank">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</a>, the follow-up to the genuinely frightening <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/amnesia-the-dark-descent/" target="_blank">Amnesia: The Dark Descent</a>, is a steal on the Steam Summer sale today at 75% off. Machine for Pigs is set in the same universe as the original, but it follows a new story and cast of characters, so it's a great place to start if you're looking for a horror fix on a budget (though the original is also currently going for 80% off and you can get <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/sub/36631/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">both games together for only $6.99</a>).</p></div><div><strong><a href="/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/" data-ref-id="false">Read our review</a>. And then check it out on <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>.</strong></div><div> </div><div id="livefyre-app-custom-1401497831589"><strong>Other Daily Deals today:</strong></div><div><ul><li><a href="/bound-by-flame/" data-ref-id="false">Bound By Flame</a>: $23.99</li><li><a href="/shin-sangoku-musou-7-musouden/" data-ref-id="false">Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends</a>: $24.99</li><li><a href="/game-dev-tycoon/" data-ref-id="false">Game Dev Tycoon</a>: $3.99</li><li><a href="/plague-inc-evolved/" data-ref-id="false">Plague Inc Evolved</a>: $10.04</li><li><a href="/prison-architect/" data-ref-id="false">Prison Architect</a>: $10.19</li><li><a href="/rpg-maker-vx-ace/" data-ref-id="false">RPG Maker VX Ace</a>: $17.49</li><li><a href="/the-walking-dead-season-two/" data-ref-id="false">The Walking Dead Season Two</a>: $12.49</li><li><a href="/state-of-decay/" data-ref-id="false">State of Decay</a>: $4.99</li></ul></div></div></td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2573522-farcry3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2573522" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/225/2256286/2573522-farcry3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2573522"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/225/2256286/2573522-farcry3.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Day 1: June 19, 2014</th><th scope="col"> </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong>Our pick: <a href="/far-cry-3/" data-ref-id="false">Far Cry 3</a>--$7.49 (-75%)</strong></p><p style="">The Far Cry series has always been ambitious, and it culminated with the sprawling, enthralling, and sometimes narratively challenging Far Cry 3. If you're looking for a shooter that eschews the military feel most others in the genre embrace, then you can't go wrong with this outstanding game. Plus, with <a href="/far-cry-4/" data-ref-id="false">Far Cry 4</a> coming out later this year, now's a great time to catch up on the last game in this intriguing series.</p><p style=""><a href="/reviews/far-cry-3-review/1900-6400893/" data-ref-id="1900-6400893">Read our review.</a> And then check it out on <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>.</p><p style=""><strong>Other Daily Deals today:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="/dead-rising-3/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Rising 3</a> pre-purchase: $37.49</li><li><a href="/sins-of-a-solar-empire/" data-ref-id="false">Sins of a Solar Empire</a>: $7.99</li><li><a href="/divinity-original-sin/" data-ref-id="false">Divinity: Original Sin</a>: $31.99</li><li><a href="/democracy-3/" data-ref-id="false">Democracy 3</a>: $8.49</li><li><a href="/xcom-enemy-unknown/" data-ref-id="false">XCOM: Enemy Unknown</a>: $7.49</li><li><a href="/dont-starve/" data-ref-id="false">Don't Starve</a>: $3.74</li><li><a href="/the-witcher-2-assassins-of-kings/" data-ref-id="false">The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings</a> Enhanced Edition: $3.99</li><li><a href="/dayz/" data-ref-id="false">DayZ</a>: $25.49</li></ul></td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""><em>Check back tomorrow to see our newest pick from the <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam Summer Sale Daily Deals</a>!</em></p> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 10:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/our-steam-summer-sale-pick-of-the-day/1100-6420612/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/orcs-must-die-unchained-closed-beta-starts-this-week/1100-6420658/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419810" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419810/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/orcs-must-die-unchained/">Orcs Must Die! Unchained</a>, the latest installments in the third-person tower defense series, will start its closed Beta phase this Friday, June 27, developer Robot Entertainment has announced.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game is currently in its Alpha phase, and during the Beta Robot Entertainment will introduce a new map, three additional heroes, and the new deck editing system, which allows players to create the best possible combination of traps and creatures.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">You can register on <a href="http://en.omd.gameforge.com/#/" rel="nofollow">the game's website</a> for a chance to enter the closed Beta, or you can guarantee your spot by buying one of the Founder's Packs. Orcs Must Die! Unchained will be free-to-play when it's released, but you can start playing the Alpha today and get into the closed beta later by buying The Master Founder's Pack for $150, The War Mage Founder's Pack for $60, or the Apprentice Founder's Pack for $20. Each will also come with its own tier of bonuses, which you can read about in detail <a href="https://www.orcsmustdie.com/founders#" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/orcs-must-die/">Orcs Must Die!</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/orcs-must-die-2/">Orcs Must Die! 2</a> offered a more action-oriented spin on the tower defense genre, asking you to defend your castle against hordes of orcs by setting traps and fighting them yourself from a third-person perspective. Orcs Must Die! Unchained will focus on competitive multiplayer with its "Fortress Siege" mode, in which one team of heroes defends a fortress and the other attacks it.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sun, 22 Jun 2014 10:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/orcs-must-die-unchained-closed-beta-starts-this-week/1100-6420658/
Of note: We don't know which video game gun was used to subdue the intruder. This is just one possibility. 
Raymond wearing a Google Glass headset 
