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rss:9d9437cc2bdadfdb0c2a6594385b5cf5548bd329 rss_modified:rss:9d9437cc2bdadfdb0c2a6594385b5cf5548bd329 http://www.gamespot.com/mashup/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:19:32 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-says-tomb-raider-xbox-exclusivity-is-a-w/1100-6421784/

Microsoft's business deal with Square Enix to make Rise of the Tomb Raider "exclusive" to Xbox 360 and Xbox One for holiday 2015 is not an attack on PlayStation or any other platforms, Xbox boss Phil Spencer says. In a new interview with Eurogamer, Spencer said he understands some of the blowback to the controversial deal--which sees Rise of the Tomb Raider released exclusively on Xbox platforms before other systems--but said it is a "win/win" situation overall.

"It really was nothing against any other platform," Spencer said. "It's just looking at our portfolio next holiday and saying, this is a great game for us, and we can go really big with it. If we look back on the franchise and this release, it can raise the elevation of what it means in gaming. I'll be happy to be part of that."

"This wasn't an attack against anybody else," he added. It was an opportunity that came up for us that fit really well."

Spencer also made it clear that Microsoft's deal for Rise of the Tomb Raider is only for that game; decisions about exclusivity for potential future installments have not been made.

"I knew there would be some push back when we came out," he said. "Certain people won't believe this: it doesn't come from an evil space. It comes from a space where there's an opportunity that maps really well with what we need in terms of the genre, and a partner that's looking for a partnership. Other people can do the deal, but it was a deal that fit well with us. And I think it could help the franchise in the long run and help Crystal and Square and us."

"But for us and this opportunity, I think it was a good opportunity for us to partner on this game," Spencer added. "And I think it can be a win/win."

Eurogamer also asked Spencer if Microsoft's decision to sign Rise of the Tomb Raider as a timed-exclusive had anything to do with having an "answer" to Sony's Uncharted series. Spencer said he definitely sees the comparisons between Tomb Raider and Uncharted, and said picking up Rise of the Tomb Raider as a timed-exclusive is a way to better compete against Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, which also launches in 2015.

"I'm a big fan of Uncharted and I wish we had an action adventure game of that ilk," Spencer said. "We've started some, and we've looked at them. But we don't have one today of that quality. This [deal with Square Enix for Rise of the Tomb Raider] is an opportunity."

Spencer went on to say that the AAA space is a tough market today, and deals of this magnitude are one way to cut through the noise and make your game stand out.

"The games business today is an expensive business to be in. If you're going to build shows like [Gamescom], and IP, and marketing budgets, in certain instances a partnership is a good way for a publisher to find a way to get to the level they think they need to break out," he said. "Just look at this year and the October lineup. It's crazy. If you're one of the people who wants to make noise around the game you have, there are opportunities out there to partner with platform holders, with sponsorships and other things to make it big. This was one of those opportunities for Crystal and Square, and I think it can help take Tomb Raider and make it even bigger. We want it to be big, given what we have coming to the Xbox in the way it is."

Spencer added that big games like Rise of the Tomb Raider are "good for the [video game] industry," adding that if these types of games grow even larger, the industry stands to benefit. "This business, the console gaming business, only stays healthy if people are all making money. It's a hits-driven business, so 30 percent of the things will go great, and 70 percent of the things won't."

In the wake of Microsoft's Tomb Raider Xbox exclusivity deal, PlayStation EU executive Jim Ryan said in a media interview that Sony doesn't need to buy exclusives.

What is your take on Microsoft making Rise of the Tomb Raider an Xbox-exclusive, even if it's only a timed-exclusive? Let us know in the comments below!

]]> 1100-6421784Mon, 18 Aug 2014 07:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/shadow-of-mordor-dlc-pass-announced-but-no-word-on/1100-6421783/

Warner Bros. today announced that upcoming role-playing game Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor will have a DLC pass, but didn't answer all the questions gamers will probably have about it.

The DLC Pass includes the exclusive Guardians of the Flaming Eye mission (and you can earn the Rising Flame rune by completing it), and early access to the "Trials of War" challenge series. Warner Bros. says your skills will be put to the test as you square off against Sauron's forces in these challenge modes, which also let you post scores to a leaderboard to compete with friends.

Also included with the Shadow of Mordor DLC pass are new story missions that promise "hours" of gameplay. One is called Lord of the Hunt (you'll hunt wild beasts in Mordor), while the other is called The Bright Lord. In this mission, you will play as Celebrimbor (the forger of the Rings of Power) as you battle against Sauron and his forces.

In addition, the Shadow of Mordor DLC pass includes "access to future content." This will include rune, skins, and "additional future add-on content."

Warner Bros. did not announce pricing details for the Shadow of Mordor DLC pass or any of the content included with it if you want to buy expansions individually. Historically, these types of passes are offered from $20-$50 and represent a savings over buying the content separately.

It is also unclear when the Shadow of Mordor DLC pass content will be available. We have followed up with Warner Bros., asking for more clarity about pricing and release information.

Shadow of Mordor is set in J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy world of Middle-earth. It takes place after The Hobbit and before The Lord of the Rings, and offers an original story. You play as Talion, a ranger who loses his family and everything else he cares about. He is brought back from death by a mysterious spirit and can move through the world as a ranger/wraith hybrid. Shadow of Mordor also includes an ambitious Nemesis system that promises unique enemies, but this feature is scaled back for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game.

Set to launch September 30, Shadow of Mordor is coming to Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and PC. For more, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

]]> 1100-6421783Mon, 18 Aug 2014 06:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fans-call-for-robin-williams-tribute-in-wii-u-zeld/1100-6421782/

Nintendo has responded to a fan petition that calls on the company to name a character in the next Legend of Zelda game for Wii U after the late comedian/actor Robin Williams. The petition, posted at Change.org, was launched immediately following news of the actor's death last week and calls for a non-player character to be named "Robin." It has gathered more than 100,000 signatures.

In a statement to Polygon, a Nintendo spokesperson offered support for Williams--who enjoyed the Zelda series and even named his daughter Zelda after the fictional princess--but would not commit one way or the other regarding a tribute. "Robin Williams was loved at Nintendo," the Nintendo spokesperson said. "Our hearts go out to his entire family, and especially to Zelda Williams who we've worked with multiple times."

Zelda and Robin Williams appeared in marketing campaigns for various Legend of Zelda games throughout the years.

"We appreciate the outpouring of support from the gaming community, and hear the request of fans to honor him in a future game," the Nintendo spokesperson added. "We will not be discussing what might be possible for future games during this difficult time, but we will hold our memories of Robin close."

The creator of the petition, Nick Schaedel, says: "He won't get to play it, but he'll live on forever in a universe he always loved." The Legend of Zelda for Wii U, an open-world game, launches sometime in 2015.

Last week, Blizzard Entertainment announced that it will create a World of Warcraft NPC based on Williams, who enjoyed the MMO. Blizzard's announcement came after fans launched a petition asking for such a character.

Williams was found dead in his California home last Monday in an apparent suicide. He was 63.

]]> 1100-6421782Mon, 18 Aug 2014 06:10:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/trent-reznor-gets-a-vr-demo-then-hits-the-stage-wi/1100-6421781/ Before Trent Reznor took to the stage in Dallas last night for a Nine Inch Nails show, the acclaimed musician got demo of the Oculus Rift virtual reality technology.

Oculus VR CTO John Carmack wrote on Twitter, "Gave Trent Reznor a demo of some new VR teach before the NIN show tonight. He totally gets it."

Carmack's tweet was flooded with positive responses from fans; some even wondered if NIN fans might get to see a show in VR some day. Carmack didn't say more about what he showed Reznor, and Reznor has not tweeted or made any public statements about the demo.

Reznor and Carmack have a history together, as Reznor wrote music for Quake and the pair have appeared in numerous pictures alongside one another. Reznor also wrote the theme song for 2012's Call of Duty: Black Ops II, developed by Treyarch.

Reznor and collaborator Atticus Ross won an Academy Award for the soundtrack to 2010 Facebook origin story The Social Network.

Oculus Rift remains an in-development product, and the consumer version is not yet available publicly. Social networking behemoth Facebook purchased Oculus VR in March for $2 billion.

]]> 1100-6421781Mon, 18 Aug 2014 05:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-reaches-an-astonishing-51-million-in-/1100-6421780/

The crowdfunding campaign for Star Citizen, the upcoming PC space simulator from Wing Commander creator Chris Roberts, has reached $51 million in funding. This is up from $49 million recorded just two weeks ago. At press time funding stands at $51,096,609 from 525,341 backers.

The new funding milestone was recorded over the weekend following the release of new ships for sale that go for as much as $350. You can see the new rigs at Star Citizen's website.

Just recently, Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games released trailers for the game's first-person shooter, racing, and planetary exploration modules. The FPS module is being developed by a different, unnamed studio. We may learn more about it at PAX Australia this fall.

For more on Star Citizen and Roberts himself, check out part one and part two of GameSpot's interview with the legendary designer.

]]> 1100-6421780Mon, 18 Aug 2014 04:57:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sacred-3-designer-says-marketing-department-of-dee/1100-6421779/

A designer who worked on action-RPG Sacred 3 has stated that sequel's divergence from the deeper gameplay of previous titles in the series was pushed by the marketing department of publisher Deep Silver.

Posting on the Steam Community page for Sacred 3, former Keen Games junior game designer Sascha Wagentrotz said, "The marketing department of Deep Silver was the only one with enough power to change the direction of the franchise."

Wagentrotz publicly apologized to fans of the Sacred series, saying he was sorry that they "didn't get the game they wanted to have." He also posted a Steam key for Sacred 3 as an apologetic gesture to fans who were disappointed by the game. According to Wagentrotz, the story and "chatter writing" in the game was outsourced, and player actions were limited to accommodate couch cooperative at the behest of the "most influential stakeholder of the game."

Sacred 3 was released last month for the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 to lukewarm reception. The game was praised for colorful visuals and challenging boss fights, but received criticism in GameSpot's review for its bland and repetitive level design.

]]> 1100-6421779Sun, 17 Aug 2014 22:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/world-of-warcraft-subscription-costs-increasing-th/1100-6421778/

The cost of subscribing to Blizzard's MMORPG World of Warcraft will rise for the UK region when the Warlords of Draenor expansion launches on November 13.

The announcement was made on the World of Warcraft forums for the Europe region by Blizzard community manager Taepsilum. According to the post, the recommended retail pricing of the subscription periods will be increased to £9.99 for 30 days, £28.17 for 90 days, and £52.14 for 180 days. The 60-day prepaid time card will have a RRP of £20.99.

At present, subscription pricing stands at £8.99 for 30 days, £25.17 for 90 days, and £46.14 for 180 days. This marks increases of up to £6 when the changes hit in November.

However, Blizzard also announced that World of Warcraft subscribers who are currently on a recurring subscription will be able to retain their current subscription price for two years, as long as the subscription is not interrupted. This will extend to players who sign up for the auto-renewing subscriptions before the Warlords of Draenor expansion is released. Taepsilum also stated that Blizzard will be reminding players of the price increase two months before the changes will occur.

What do you think, is Blizzard encouraging players to sign up for the recurring subscription? Let us know in the comments below.

]]> 1100-6421778Sun, 17 Aug 2014 17:19:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecrafts-notch-now-okay-with-facebook-buying-ocu/1100-6421777/

Creator of Minecraft Markus "Notch" Persson said on Twitter that he's no longer angry that Facebook acquired Oculus VR. Oculus' Chief Technical Officer John Carmack responded, offering to help port the game to the Rift.

"And about now I'm officially over being upset about Facebook buying Oculus," Persson tweeted on Friday. "I'm upset about there being a hole in my favorite sock instead."

Today, Carmack replied to Persson's tweet while mentioning Oculus' Chief Executive Officer Brendan Iribe as well. "Say the word, ship the source, and I'll make sure it runs well on you-know-what…" he said.

When asked if this means Minecraft will get Rift support, Persson said it's up to the Minecraft development team.

Does this mean we're sure to see an official, Oculus Rift version Minecraft soon? Far from it. Persson could just be joking, and while Carmack's willingness to help is encouraging, it could still take a long time before Oculus and Mojang works out the details and releases anything.

That being said, it's certainly an improvement over Persson's statements in March. Shortly after Facebook announced that it will acquire Oculus VR for $2 billion, Persson announced that he cancelled a deal to bring a version of Minecraft to Oculus Rift because Facebooks creeps him out. He later explained that "Facebook is not a company of grass-roots tech enthusiasts," and that it only cared about building its user numbers.

For more on Minecraft, check out GameSpot's previous coverage, or just watch Persson take the Ice Bucket Challenge again.

]]> 1100-6421777Sun, 17 Aug 2014 17:02:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-will-get-a-new-shooter-from-creator-of-critica/1100-6421776/

Japanese game developer Hiroshi Iuchi, who created critically acclaimed shoot 'em ups like Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun, announced that he's currently working on a new shooting game at developer M2 for the PlayStation 4.

Iuchi, who revealed the news on his official blog (via Siliconera), didn't say much about the game other than its name, Ubusuna, and that it's being developed for the PS4 as a downloadable title. However, Iuchi didn't rule out the possibility that Ubusuna will release on other platforms as well. Iuchi said that he usually doesn't like to talk about a game this far in advance, but that M2 told him that fans of the genre would wait patiently even if they make an early announcement.

If you've never played one of Iuchi's games before, publisher Treasure recently released Ikaruga on PC via Steam for $10. You can find GameSpot's full review of the game here.

]]> 1100-6421776Sun, 17 Aug 2014 15:22:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-last-of-us-meets-diablo-iii-on-the-ps4/2300-6420882/ 2300-6420882Sun, 17 Aug 2014 15:08:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hate-xbox-dashboard-ads-the-man-responsible-says-h/1100-6421775/

Allen Murray, the Microsoft employee who largely created the technology that allows for ads on Xbox's dashboard, says he's sorry.

As Murray explains in a post to his personal blog, the idea originated with good intentions. In 2004, Murray's first job in the games industry was Program Manager on the Xbox team, where he worked on the web services layer of Xbox Live. At some point, it occurred to Murray that many users won't discover games that were hidden just several clicks down the user interface.

"I went to Larry ['Major Nelson' Hyrb'] and showed him the problem: there was no way to promote content inside the Xbox 360 itself," Murray said. "He supported me and saw the value in how he could use it as a tool to promote not only the games that were available, but also events and special community messages."

Murray said he then went to his boss (whom he doesn't name) and suggested they display "banner ads" on the dashboard that link directly to the download pages of games. His boss was very skeptical of the idea, saying that gamers will hate ads.

"It was very hard for me to convince people that this sort of advertising was good," Murray said. "In hindsight, I think it was my choice of language, using terms like 'advertising' and 'banner ads' that conveyed a tone of corporate soullessness. This was games! We were supposed to be cool and f**k the man and all that s**t."

Ultimately, with Hyrb's support, the Xbox Live Arcade team moved forward with designing the Banner Of The Day system they would use to schedule ads. Murray said it's built with a proprietary tool very similar to Flash, and had a very basic scheduling system that allowed them to set up ads weeks in advance.

"Nowadays the Xbox One UI is nearly all 'ads', i.e., links promoting content and apps in the Xbox ecosystem," he said. "So it's nice to see that the idea caught on and if you hate the Mt. Dew ads, I am truly sorry."

]]> 1100-6421775Sun, 17 Aug 2014 14:13:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecrafts-notch-takes-ice-bucket-challenge-nomina/1100-6421774/

Creator of Minecraft Markus "Notch" Persson has taken the Ice Bucket Challenge, dumping a bucket of ice water on his head to raise awareness and donate money toward research to find a cure for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

After taking the challenge, the soaked participant usually challenges other people to do the same. Persson was challenged by Tesla Motors and SpaceX Chief Operating Officer Elon Musk, who himself was challenged by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg. Persson, in turn, challenged Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, Microsoft's Head of Xbox Phil Spencer, and Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski, who's currently developing a new PC shooter codenamed Project Blue Streak.

Other notable people who've taken the Ice Bucket Challenge include Conan O'Brien, Bill Gates, Weird Al Yankovic, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

To find out more about the Ice Bucket Challenge and how to donate to the fight against ALS, check out the ALS Association website.

]]> 1100-6421774Sun, 17 Aug 2014 12:28:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/middle-earth-shadow-of-mordor-gets-ps4-exclusive-m/1100-6421773/

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, the upcoming open-world game set in the Lord of The Rings universe, will have missions exclusive to those who preorder the game for the PlayStation 4.

According to a post on the PlayStation Blog from developer Monolith Productions' Community Manager Andy Salisbury, preordering the game for PS4 will get you the PlayStation Legion Edition missions. The exclusive missions will have you battling two more Warbands in Mordor: the Blood Hunters and the Flesh Burners.

The Blood Hunters, he said, are master assassins who travel in packs, and defeating them will earn you the Stinging Blade Rune. The Flesh Burners are a band of elite archers, and defeating them will earn you the Black Arrow Rune.

The missions included in the PlayStation Legion Edition are on top of The Dark Ranger preorder bonus you get no matter what platform you preorder the game for. It includes the Dark Ranger character skin and the Test of Power Challenge Mode. Both are different from the retailer-specific preorder bonuses.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is coming to North America on September 30 for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, with a release on PC coming worldwide two days later, on October 2.

For more on the game, check out GameSpot's latest preview.

]]> 1100-6421773Sun, 17 Aug 2014 11:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4s-project-morpheus-vr-device-gets-sequel-to-fir/1100-6421772/

Q.U.B.E. ², the sequel to the first-person puzzle game Q.U.B.E, is coming to the PlayStation 4 and will support the console's Project Morpheus VR device, developer Toxic Games announced via the PlayStation Blog.

Toxic Managing Director Dan Da Rocha said that now that the team is wrapping up development on the Director's Cut of the original game, which will release on PS3 and PS4 by the end of the year, it is shifting focus to Q.U.B.E. ².

He added that the sequel is going to refine the core mechanics of the original with new puzzles and a "tightly woven narrative" that will expand on the Q.U.B.E. universe. The game is being developed on Unreal Engine 4 and will support Project Morpheus. "We've already taken the hardware for a spin and it's shaping up to be something fantastic so we can't wait to get our hands (or gloves?) on a kit to begin developing for it!" he said.

Q.U.B.E., if you haven't played it, is very much like Valve's Portal in that it's a first-person puzzle game divided into a series of chambers. Rather than a portal gun, your character is equipped with a special glove that's able to manipulate colored cubes in the environments with different physical properties. You can find GameSpot's full review of the game here.

Toxic Games didn't say when and for what other platforms it plans to release Q.U.B.E. ². The original game, already out for PC and Mac, is set to launch on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Wii U, and iOS later this year.

]]> 1100-6421772Sun, 17 Aug 2014 10:22:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/diablo-iii-reaper-of-souls-ultimate-evil-edition-a/2300-6420824/ 2300-6420824Sun, 17 Aug 2014 09:00:00 -0700

rss:9d9437cc2bdadfdb0c2a6594385b5cf5548bd329 rss_modified:rss:9d9437cc2bdadfdb0c2a6594385b5cf5548bd329 http://www.gamespot.com/mashup/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:19:32 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-says-tomb-raider-xbox-exclusivity-is-a-w/1100-6421784/

Microsoft's business deal with Square Enix to make Rise of the Tomb Raider "exclusive" to Xbox 360 and Xbox One for holiday 2015 is not an attack on PlayStation or any other platforms, Xbox boss Phil Spencer says. In a new interview with Eurogamer, Spencer said he understands some of the blowback to the controversial deal--which sees Rise of the Tomb Raider released exclusively on Xbox platforms before other systems--but said it is a "win/win" situation overall.

"It really was nothing against any other platform," Spencer said. "It's just looking at our portfolio next holiday and saying, this is a great game for us, and we can go really big with it. If we look back on the franchise and this release, it can raise the elevation of what it means in gaming. I'll be happy to be part of that."

"This wasn't an attack against anybody else," he added. It was an opportunity that came up for us that fit really well."

Spencer also made it clear that Microsoft's deal for Rise of the Tomb Raider is only for that game; decisions about exclusivity for potential future installments have not been made.

"I knew there would be some push back when we came out," he said. "Certain people won't believe this: it doesn't come from an evil space. It comes from a space where there's an opportunity that maps really well with what we need in terms of the genre, and a partner that's looking for a partnership. Other people can do the deal, but it was a deal that fit well with us. And I think it could help the franchise in the long run and help Crystal and Square and us."

"But for us and this opportunity, I think it was a good opportunity for us to partner on this game," Spencer added. "And I think it can be a win/win."

Eurogamer also asked Spencer if Microsoft's decision to sign Rise of the Tomb Raider as a timed-exclusive had anything to do with having an "answer" to Sony's Uncharted series. Spencer said he definitely sees the comparisons between Tomb Raider and Uncharted, and said picking up Rise of the Tomb Raider as a timed-exclusive is a way to better compete against Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, which also launches in 2015.

"I'm a big fan of Uncharted and I wish we had an action adventure game of that ilk," Spencer said. "We've started some, and we've looked at them. But we don't have one today of that quality. This [deal with Square Enix for Rise of the Tomb Raider] is an opportunity."

Spencer went on to say that the AAA space is a tough market today, and deals of this magnitude are one way to cut through the noise and make your game stand out.

"The games business today is an expensive business to be in. If you're going to build shows like [Gamescom], and IP, and marketing budgets, in certain instances a partnership is a good way for a publisher to find a way to get to the level they think they need to break out," he said. "Just look at this year and the October lineup. It's crazy. If you're one of the people who wants to make noise around the game you have, there are opportunities out there to partner with platform holders, with sponsorships and other things to make it big. This was one of those opportunities for Crystal and Square, and I think it can help take Tomb Raider and make it even bigger. We want it to be big, given what we have coming to the Xbox in the way it is."

Spencer added that big games like Rise of the Tomb Raider are "good for the [video game] industry," adding that if these types of games grow even larger, the industry stands to benefit. "This business, the console gaming business, only stays healthy if people are all making money. It's a hits-driven business, so 30 percent of the things will go great, and 70 percent of the things won't."

In the wake of Microsoft's Tomb Raider Xbox exclusivity deal, PlayStation EU executive Jim Ryan said in a media interview that Sony doesn't need to buy exclusives.

What is your take on Microsoft making Rise of the Tomb Raider an Xbox-exclusive, even if it's only a timed-exclusive? Let us know in the comments below!

]]> 1100-6421784Mon, 18 Aug 2014 07:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/shadow-of-mordor-dlc-pass-announced-but-no-word-on/1100-6421783/

Warner Bros. today announced that upcoming role-playing game Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor will have a DLC pass, but didn't answer all the questions gamers will probably have about it.

The DLC Pass includes the exclusive Guardians of the Flaming Eye mission (and you can earn the Rising Flame rune by completing it), and early access to the "Trials of War" challenge series. Warner Bros. says your skills will be put to the test as you square off against Sauron's forces in these challenge modes, which also let you post scores to a leaderboard to compete with friends.

Also included with the Shadow of Mordor DLC pass are new story missions that promise "hours" of gameplay. One is called Lord of the Hunt (you'll hunt wild beasts in Mordor), while the other is called The Bright Lord. In this mission, you will play as Celebrimbor (the forger of the Rings of Power) as you battle against Sauron and his forces.

In addition, the Shadow of Mordor DLC pass includes "access to future content." This will include rune, skins, and "additional future add-on content."

Warner Bros. did not announce pricing details for the Shadow of Mordor DLC pass or any of the content included with it if you want to buy expansions individually. Historically, these types of passes are offered from $20-$50 and represent a savings over buying the content separately.

It is also unclear when the Shadow of Mordor DLC pass content will be available. We have followed up with Warner Bros., asking for more clarity about pricing and release information.

Shadow of Mordor is set in J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy world of Middle-earth. It takes place after The Hobbit and before The Lord of the Rings, and offers an original story. You play as Talion, a ranger who loses his family and everything else he cares about. He is brought back from death by a mysterious spirit and can move through the world as a ranger/wraith hybrid. Shadow of Mordor also includes an ambitious Nemesis system that promises unique enemies, but this feature is scaled back for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game.

Set to launch September 30, Shadow of Mordor is coming to Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and PC. For more, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

]]> 1100-6421783Mon, 18 Aug 2014 06:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fans-call-for-robin-williams-tribute-in-wii-u-zeld/1100-6421782/

Nintendo has responded to a fan petition that calls on the company to name a character in the next Legend of Zelda game for Wii U after the late comedian/actor Robin Williams. The petition, posted at Change.org, was launched immediately following news of the actor's death last week and calls for a non-player character to be named "Robin." It has gathered more than 100,000 signatures.

In a statement to Polygon, a Nintendo spokesperson offered support for Williams--who enjoyed the Zelda series and even named his daughter Zelda after the fictional princess--but would not commit one way or the other regarding a tribute. "Robin Williams was loved at Nintendo," the Nintendo spokesperson said. "Our hearts go out to his entire family, and especially to Zelda Williams who we've worked with multiple times."

Zelda and Robin Williams appeared in marketing campaigns for various Legend of Zelda games throughout the years.

"We appreciate the outpouring of support from the gaming community, and hear the request of fans to honor him in a future game," the Nintendo spokesperson added. "We will not be discussing what might be possible for future games during this difficult time, but we will hold our memories of Robin close."

The creator of the petition, Nick Schaedel, says: "He won't get to play it, but he'll live on forever in a universe he always loved." The Legend of Zelda for Wii U, an open-world game, launches sometime in 2015.

Last week, Blizzard Entertainment announced that it will create a World of Warcraft NPC based on Williams, who enjoyed the MMO. Blizzard's announcement came after fans launched a petition asking for such a character.

Williams was found dead in his California home last Monday in an apparent suicide. He was 63.

]]> 1100-6421782Mon, 18 Aug 2014 06:10:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/trent-reznor-gets-a-vr-demo-then-hits-the-stage-wi/1100-6421781/ Before Trent Reznor took to the stage in Dallas last night for a Nine Inch Nails show, the acclaimed musician got demo of the Oculus Rift virtual reality technology.

Oculus VR CTO John Carmack wrote on Twitter, "Gave Trent Reznor a demo of some new VR teach before the NIN show tonight. He totally gets it."

Carmack's tweet was flooded with positive responses from fans; some even wondered if NIN fans might get to see a show in VR some day. Carmack didn't say more about what he showed Reznor, and Reznor has not tweeted or made any public statements about the demo.

Reznor and Carmack have a history together, as Reznor wrote music for Quake and the pair have appeared in numerous pictures alongside one another. Reznor also wrote the theme song for 2012's Call of Duty: Black Ops II, developed by Treyarch.

Reznor and collaborator Atticus Ross won an Academy Award for the soundtrack to 2010 Facebook origin story The Social Network.

Oculus Rift remains an in-development product, and the consumer version is not yet available publicly. Social networking behemoth Facebook purchased Oculus VR in March for $2 billion.

]]> 1100-6421781Mon, 18 Aug 2014 05:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-reaches-an-astonishing-51-million-in-/1100-6421780/

The crowdfunding campaign for Star Citizen, the upcoming PC space simulator from Wing Commander creator Chris Roberts, has reached $51 million in funding. This is up from $49 million recorded just two weeks ago. At press time funding stands at $51,096,609 from 525,341 backers.

The new funding milestone was recorded over the weekend following the release of new ships for sale that go for as much as $350. You can see the new rigs at Star Citizen's website.

Just recently, Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games released trailers for the game's first-person shooter, racing, and planetary exploration modules. The FPS module is being developed by a different, unnamed studio. We may learn more about it at PAX Australia this fall.

For more on Star Citizen and Roberts himself, check out part one and part two of GameSpot's interview with the legendary designer.

]]> 1100-6421780Mon, 18 Aug 2014 04:57:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sacred-3-designer-says-marketing-department-of-dee/1100-6421779/

A designer who worked on action-RPG Sacred 3 has stated that sequel's divergence from the deeper gameplay of previous titles in the series was pushed by the marketing department of publisher Deep Silver.

Posting on the Steam Community page for Sacred 3, former Keen Games junior game designer Sascha Wagentrotz said, "The marketing department of Deep Silver was the only one with enough power to change the direction of the franchise."

Wagentrotz publicly apologized to fans of the Sacred series, saying he was sorry that they "didn't get the game they wanted to have." He also posted a Steam key for Sacred 3 as an apologetic gesture to fans who were disappointed by the game. According to Wagentrotz, the story and "chatter writing" in the game was outsourced, and player actions were limited to accommodate couch cooperative at the behest of the "most influential stakeholder of the game."

Sacred 3 was released last month for the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 to lukewarm reception. The game was praised for colorful visuals and challenging boss fights, but received criticism in GameSpot's review for its bland and repetitive level design.

]]> 1100-6421779Sun, 17 Aug 2014 22:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/world-of-warcraft-subscription-costs-increasing-th/1100-6421778/

The cost of subscribing to Blizzard's MMORPG World of Warcraft will rise for the UK region when the Warlords of Draenor expansion launches on November 13.

The announcement was made on the World of Warcraft forums for the Europe region by Blizzard community manager Taepsilum. According to the post, the recommended retail pricing of the subscription periods will be increased to £9.99 for 30 days, £28.17 for 90 days, and £52.14 for 180 days. The 60-day prepaid time card will have a RRP of £20.99.

At present, subscription pricing stands at £8.99 for 30 days, £25.17 for 90 days, and £46.14 for 180 days. This marks increases of up to £6 when the changes hit in November.

However, Blizzard also announced that World of Warcraft subscribers who are currently on a recurring subscription will be able to retain their current subscription price for two years, as long as the subscription is not interrupted. This will extend to players who sign up for the auto-renewing subscriptions before the Warlords of Draenor expansion is released. Taepsilum also stated that Blizzard will be reminding players of the price increase two months before the changes will occur.

What do you think, is Blizzard encouraging players to sign up for the recurring subscription? Let us know in the comments below.

]]> 1100-6421778Sun, 17 Aug 2014 17:19:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecrafts-notch-now-okay-with-facebook-buying-ocu/1100-6421777/

Creator of Minecraft Markus "Notch" Persson said on Twitter that he's no longer angry that Facebook acquired Oculus VR. Oculus' Chief Technical Officer John Carmack responded, offering to help port the game to the Rift.

"And about now I'm officially over being upset about Facebook buying Oculus," Persson tweeted on Friday. "I'm upset about there being a hole in my favorite sock instead."

Today, Carmack replied to Persson's tweet while mentioning Oculus' Chief Executive Officer Brendan Iribe as well. "Say the word, ship the source, and I'll make sure it runs well on you-know-what…" he said.

When asked if this means Minecraft will get Rift support, Persson said it's up to the Minecraft development team.

Does this mean we're sure to see an official, Oculus Rift version Minecraft soon? Far from it. Persson could just be joking, and while Carmack's willingness to help is encouraging, it could still take a long time before Oculus and Mojang works out the details and releases anything.

That being said, it's certainly an improvement over Persson's statements in March. Shortly after Facebook announced that it will acquire Oculus VR for $2 billion, Persson announced that he cancelled a deal to bring a version of Minecraft to Oculus Rift because Facebooks creeps him out. He later explained that "Facebook is not a company of grass-roots tech enthusiasts," and that it only cared about building its user numbers.

For more on Minecraft, check out GameSpot's previous coverage, or just watch Persson take the Ice Bucket Challenge again.

]]> 1100-6421777Sun, 17 Aug 2014 17:02:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-will-get-a-new-shooter-from-creator-of-critica/1100-6421776/

Japanese game developer Hiroshi Iuchi, who created critically acclaimed shoot 'em ups like Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun, announced that he's currently working on a new shooting game at developer M2 for the PlayStation 4.

Iuchi, who revealed the news on his official blog (via Siliconera), didn't say much about the game other than its name, Ubusuna, and that it's being developed for the PS4 as a downloadable title. However, Iuchi didn't rule out the possibility that Ubusuna will release on other platforms as well. Iuchi said that he usually doesn't like to talk about a game this far in advance, but that M2 told him that fans of the genre would wait patiently even if they make an early announcement.

If you've never played one of Iuchi's games before, publisher Treasure recently released Ikaruga on PC via Steam for $10. You can find GameSpot's full review of the game here.

]]> 1100-6421776Sun, 17 Aug 2014 15:22:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-last-of-us-meets-diablo-iii-on-the-ps4/2300-6420882/ 2300-6420882Sun, 17 Aug 2014 15:08:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hate-xbox-dashboard-ads-the-man-responsible-says-h/1100-6421775/

Allen Murray, the Microsoft employee who largely created the technology that allows for ads on Xbox's dashboard, says he's sorry.

As Murray explains in a post to his personal blog, the idea originated with good intentions. In 2004, Murray's first job in the games industry was Program Manager on the Xbox team, where he worked on the web services layer of Xbox Live. At some point, it occurred to Murray that many users won't discover games that were hidden just several clicks down the user interface.

"I went to Larry ['Major Nelson' Hyrb'] and showed him the problem: there was no way to promote content inside the Xbox 360 itself," Murray said. "He supported me and saw the value in how he could use it as a tool to promote not only the games that were available, but also events and special community messages."

Murray said he then went to his boss (whom he doesn't name) and suggested they display "banner ads" on the dashboard that link directly to the download pages of games. His boss was very skeptical of the idea, saying that gamers will hate ads.

"It was very hard for me to convince people that this sort of advertising was good," Murray said. "In hindsight, I think it was my choice of language, using terms like 'advertising' and 'banner ads' that conveyed a tone of corporate soullessness. This was games! We were supposed to be cool and f**k the man and all that s**t."

Ultimately, with Hyrb's support, the Xbox Live Arcade team moved forward with designing the Banner Of The Day system they would use to schedule ads. Murray said it's built with a proprietary tool very similar to Flash, and had a very basic scheduling system that allowed them to set up ads weeks in advance.

"Nowadays the Xbox One UI is nearly all 'ads', i.e., links promoting content and apps in the Xbox ecosystem," he said. "So it's nice to see that the idea caught on and if you hate the Mt. Dew ads, I am truly sorry."

]]> 1100-6421775Sun, 17 Aug 2014 14:13:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecrafts-notch-takes-ice-bucket-challenge-nomina/1100-6421774/

Creator of Minecraft Markus "Notch" Persson has taken the Ice Bucket Challenge, dumping a bucket of ice water on his head to raise awareness and donate money toward research to find a cure for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

After taking the challenge, the soaked participant usually challenges other people to do the same. Persson was challenged by Tesla Motors and SpaceX Chief Operating Officer Elon Musk, who himself was challenged by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg. Persson, in turn, challenged Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, Microsoft's Head of Xbox Phil Spencer, and Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski, who's currently developing a new PC shooter codenamed Project Blue Streak.

Other notable people who've taken the Ice Bucket Challenge include Conan O'Brien, Bill Gates, Weird Al Yankovic, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

To find out more about the Ice Bucket Challenge and how to donate to the fight against ALS, check out the ALS Association website.

]]> 1100-6421774Sun, 17 Aug 2014 12:28:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/middle-earth-shadow-of-mordor-gets-ps4-exclusive-m/1100-6421773/

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, the upcoming open-world game set in the Lord of The Rings universe, will have missions exclusive to those who preorder the game for the PlayStation 4.

According to a post on the PlayStation Blog from developer Monolith Productions' Community Manager Andy Salisbury, preordering the game for PS4 will get you the PlayStation Legion Edition missions. The exclusive missions will have you battling two more Warbands in Mordor: the Blood Hunters and the Flesh Burners.

The Blood Hunters, he said, are master assassins who travel in packs, and defeating them will earn you the Stinging Blade Rune. The Flesh Burners are a band of elite archers, and defeating them will earn you the Black Arrow Rune.

The missions included in the PlayStation Legion Edition are on top of The Dark Ranger preorder bonus you get no matter what platform you preorder the game for. It includes the Dark Ranger character skin and the Test of Power Challenge Mode. Both are different from the retailer-specific preorder bonuses.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is coming to North America on September 30 for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, with a release on PC coming worldwide two days later, on October 2.

For more on the game, check out GameSpot's latest preview.

]]> 1100-6421773Sun, 17 Aug 2014 11:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4s-project-morpheus-vr-device-gets-sequel-to-fir/1100-6421772/

Q.U.B.E. ², the sequel to the first-person puzzle game Q.U.B.E, is coming to the PlayStation 4 and will support the console's Project Morpheus VR device, developer Toxic Games announced via the PlayStation Blog.

Toxic Managing Director Dan Da Rocha said that now that the team is wrapping up development on the Director's Cut of the original game, which will release on PS3 and PS4 by the end of the year, it is shifting focus to Q.U.B.E. ².

He added that the sequel is going to refine the core mechanics of the original with new puzzles and a "tightly woven narrative" that will expand on the Q.U.B.E. universe. The game is being developed on Unreal Engine 4 and will support Project Morpheus. "We've already taken the hardware for a spin and it's shaping up to be something fantastic so we can't wait to get our hands (or gloves?) on a kit to begin developing for it!" he said.

Q.U.B.E., if you haven't played it, is very much like Valve's Portal in that it's a first-person puzzle game divided into a series of chambers. Rather than a portal gun, your character is equipped with a special glove that's able to manipulate colored cubes in the environments with different physical properties. You can find GameSpot's full review of the game here.

Toxic Games didn't say when and for what other platforms it plans to release Q.U.B.E. ². The original game, already out for PC and Mac, is set to launch on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Wii U, and iOS later this year.

]]> 1100-6421772Sun, 17 Aug 2014 10:22:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/diablo-iii-reaper-of-souls-ultimate-evil-edition-a/2300-6420824/ 2300-6420824Sun, 17 Aug 2014 09:00:00 -0700

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