Xbox Boss Teases E3 Plans

"I want to give our games more time on stage at E3."

With E3 2017 still a few months away, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has now spoken out to say that fans can expect Microsoft to dedicate more time to games during the presentation.

Writing on Twitter, Spencer said, "I want to give our games more time on stage at E3. I sometimes feel like we rush telling the story of our games at E3."

This is not to say that the briefing will be exclusively focused on software. It most certainly won't be, as Microsoft's Project Scorpio is coming out this year. However, Spencer's new comments do lend further credence to the suggestion that Microsoft may hold an event dedicated to Scorpio before E3.

Microsoft's E3 2017 briefing is slated to take place on the afternoon of Sunday, June 11. This is a change for Microsoft, as the company historically holds its presentation on the Monday of E3 week.

What are you hoping to see and learn from Microsoft at E3 this year? Let us know in the comments below!

                             

GTA Online promises weaponised vehicles, illegal arms trade, dodgeball in coming months

Grand Theft Auto 5's ever-growing online component GTA Online has outlined its plans moving into 2017, which includes new stunt races, game modes, vehicles, and missions—the latter of which will involve players at some stage fighting "for supremacy in the illegal arms trade and wage war with the latest in high-powered military hardware."

Due in March, the next GTA Online Title Update will see the Rocket Voltic, Ruiner 2000 and Blazer Aqua vehicles privy to a new style of Stunt Race under the game's Cunning Stunts banner. Against these vehicles' very specific gravity-defying traits, players will also be able to craft their own racetracks.    

Further into spring, two new Adversary Modes named Resurrection and Top Down will make their way to Los Santos. The former is billed as "a gallows humor take on dodgeball", while the latter offers a "nostalgic homage to the 2D GTA era with some explosive twists". Expect new vehicles around this time too—including the Infernus Classic which hasn't been seen since 2001's Grand Theft Auto 3. 

Further into the year still, and GTA Online promises gunrunning-related missions and new weaponised vehicles. Here's Rockstar with the skinny on that:

"Stock up and bunker down as you take on the craziest militias across the state of San Andreas in another massive update for GTA Online. Featuring brand new weaponized vehicles and exciting new missions, get ready to fight for supremacy in the illegal arms trade and wage war with the latest in high-powered military hardware."

As noted by the Rockstar Newswire, the 2017 GTA Online Stunt Race Event is live right now through March 13. 

source: pcgamer

Pokemon Go update: all the news and rumors for what's coming next

 The expansion into Gen 2 was the first of three major updates planned for this year according to Niantic CEO John Hanke. 

During a keynote at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Hanke said there would be three "major" updates to the game later in 2017, though he didn't reveal exactly what they'll be. 

He has, however, teased previously that trading and player vs player battles would be added to the game "soon" so it seems likely that these will be part of the major updates planned for 2017.

Pokémon Go has been out for more than six months now, and while the app has progressed a lot in this time - just remember how unstable the servers when it launched - there's still lots more work to be done.

Some of these features are ones that developer Niantic spoke about prior to the release of the game, while others have been promised since the game's release.

One feature in particular, the 'Nearby' functionality, is something that Niantic removed from the game to reduce the load on its servers , and took months to be rolled out globally. Now that that's out, though, what else is coming up?

Without further ado, here's our guide to every new update rumors as well as the tweaks promised by Niantic so far.

Trading

Trading was a key component in the original games, but it's remained absent from Pokémon Go despite repeated assurances that the feature is on its way.

In the beta, trading was a local-only affair, meaning that you couldn't trade with players over the internet, but Niantic hasn't yet confirmed how it expects trading to work in the final game.

We can't wait for trading to make its way into the game. It always feels like a bit of a waste transferring rare Pokémon just because they're a duplicate, and it'll be great being able to put them to use.

Player-vs-player battling

Another feature that's been rumored for some time is battling between players.

As it currently stands the only battling functionality in the game is between players and opposing gyms, but since before the game's release Niantic has been promising that PvP battling is coming and CEO John Hanke has confirmed it's in the works.

source: techradar 

POKÉMON GO UPDATE – NIANTIC ADDS 80 NEW CREATURES IN MAJOR UPDATE

Well, it's taken seven months to arrive, but Niantic has finally gifted Pokémon Go players with a major update that introduces 80 new animals from the Gold and Silver video games. The new critters will begin popping up by the end of this week, and are taken from the fictional "Johto" region of the Pokémon Silver and Gold universe.

We haven't been given a full list of the new Pokémon at this point, but Niantic has announced the three starters Chikorita, Cyndaquil and Totodile. Luckily, there's also a new video, in which you can catch a glimpse of some of the other new additions.

And there's more. Niantic  added bunchew features to the game alongside the new creatures. First up there's new encounter gameplay that will see Pokémon react in new ways when you discover them and try to catch them. There's also new item carousels that allow you to select Berries and Poke Balls directly from the encounter screen.

Next, Niantic has added a few new evolution items which means some animals originally discovered in the Kanto region will soon be able to evolve into Pokemon that inhabit the Johto region. These new evolution items will be available at PokeStops.

New Berries have also been introduced in the form of the Nanab Berry, which slows a Pokemon's movements, and the Pinap Berry, which doubles the amount of Candy received if the next catch attempt succeeds.

And finally, the game has been upgraded with new customisation options, allowing players to further customise their avatar's appearance with new shirts and hats and stuff. You'll also be able to buy new other items from the in-game Pokémon Go shop.

Here's a full list of all 100 Pokémon added to the game:

• Chikorita
• Bayleef
• Meganium
• Cyndaquil
• Quilava
• Typhlosion
• Totodile
• Croconaw
• Feraligatr
• Sentret
• Furret
• Hoothoot
• Noctowl
• Ledyba
• Ledian
• Spinarak
• Ariados
• Crobat
• Chinchou
• Lanturn
• Pichu
• Cleffa
• Igglybuff
• Togepi
• Togetic
• Natu
• Xatu
• Mareep
• Flaaffy
• Ampharos
• Bellossom
• Marill
• Azumarill
• Sudowoodo
• Politoed
• Hoppip
• Skiploom
• Jumpluff
• Aipom
• Sunkern
• Sunflora
• Yanma
• Wooper
• Quagsire
• Espeon
• Umbreon
• Murkrow
• Slowking
• Misdreavus
• Unown
• Wobbuffet
• Girafarig
• Pineco
• Forretress
• Dunsparce
• Gligar
• Steelix
• Snubbull
• Granbull
• Qwilfish
• Scizor
• Shuckle
• Heracross
• Sneasel
• Teddiursa
• Ursaring
• Slugma
• Magcargo
• Swinub
• Piloswine
• Corsola
• Remoraid
• Octillery
• Delibird
• Mantine
• Skarmory
• Houndour
• Houndoom
• Kingdra
• Phanpy
• Donphan
• Porygon
• Stantler
• Smeargle
• Tyrogue
• Hitmontop
• Smoochum
• Elekid
• Magby
• Miltank
• Blissey
• Raikou
• Entei
• Suicune
• Larvitar
• Pupitar
• Tyranitar
• Lugia
• Ho-Oh
• Celebi

source: trustedreviews

E3 Opens To The Public For The First Time Ever

15,000 tickets for E3 2017 will go on sale this coming Monday, February 13.

For the first time ever, E3 is opening its doors to the public. The Entertainment Software Association, which organizes the event every year, announced today that an allotment of 15,000 tickets will be made available for anyone to buy this coming Monday, February 13.

Priced at $250 (or $150 as part of an early bird discount available on February 13), tickets provide access to the show floor, panel discussions, and other events from Tuesday through Thursday of E3 week. The ESA will partnerwith games media veteran Geoff Keighley to provide attendees with access to special benefits associated with Keighley's own E3 programming, such as developer interviews and more. Full details on this and other elements of E3's new public plans will be announced in the coming weeks.

For years now, there have been calls to open E3 to the public. The ESA conducted an experiment of sorts for this in 2016 with its E3 Live event, which was free and open to the public. It was located outside of the Los Angeles Convention Center, the site of E3, and attendees could go hands-on with upcoming games and take part in other events. There was "incredible attendee enthusiasm" for this event, the ESA's senior VP of communications, Rich Taylor, tells GameSpot. So the next step was to invite fans to actually walk the halls of E3 and get closer to the action.

"The feedback we heard was clear--they wanted to play the games inside the convention center. In addition, exhibitors inside the convention center wanted to have access to the fans. So this year we're bringing the two together," Taylor said.

"It's a changing industry, and E3 has always evolved to meet industry needs and anticipate where we’re heading together--as an event, as an industry, and as fans. The decision to open our doors to 15,000 fans was a strategic decision. It is thanks to our members and their vision and leadership that made this possible. We have a model that allows the business of the industry to continue for our business and media attendees and provides an opportunity for video games' biggest fans to experience the latest in innovative, immersive entertainment."

Every year, it seems, the question comes up, "Is E3 still relevant?" A number of companies pulled out of E3 2016, including Activision and EA. Certainly, the industry is changing, and gaming shows like E3, Gamescom, and PAX--which has always been open to the public--remain popular. Taylor says E3 faces "the relevancy question" every year because it's the year's juggernaut when it comes to gaming shows.

"I think there are those who always enjoy questioning those at the top of the leaderboard," he says. "E3 has a reputation around the world as the place where video game hardware and software launches happen. Last year, E3 generated more than 65 billion media impressions around the globe. That doesn't happen accidentally, and it's a testament to E3's strength, its connection to the fans, and the event's position in the industry."

Taylor says the ESA is always listening to feedback and welcomes the ongoing discussion.

"I think asking, 'How can we improve?' 'Where are video games headed?' 'How do we connect with fans?' are all healthy questions, and that helps ensure E3 stays current and meets exhibitors' needs," he said.

In addition to the standard passes, business passes will be available. These provide access to a business lounge and preferred entry to the convention center, among other things. The ESA anticipates that this will be appealing to lawyers, analysts, executives, and advertisers.

E3 is a constantly evolving show. It isn't known yet if E3 2018 will be open to the public, but Taylor says you should think about this year's event as a "commitment of where [the ESA is] heading and [its] desire to respond to exhibitors and consumers."

"I think asking, 'How can we improve?' 'Where are video games headed?' 'How do we connect with fans?' are all healthy questions, and that helps ensure E3 stays current and meets exhibitors' needs" -- Taylor

E3 2017 takes place June 13-15. More than 200 exhibitors are lined up to attend the event--"leading companies from around the world," Taylor says. Bear in mind that the list of exhibitors on E3's website is not final, as discussions with publishers remain ongoing.

E3 is staying in Los Angeles, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, through 2021.

Pokémon Go reportedly has brought in $1 billion in less than 7 months

Pokémon Go may no longer be the massive mobile gaming hit it was when it first launched in early July 2016, but the AR app from developer Niantic Labs still managed to reach that $1 billion revenue milestone faster than any other iOS or Android mobile game so far.

According to the research firm Sensor Tower, Pokémon Go managed to reach that big revenue number faster than Supercell’s Clash Royale. The company claims that game, which launched on March 2016, generated $550 million worldwide in its first seven months. Both games are free-to-play titles that rely on in-app purchases for their revenues.

While Pokémon Go is not bringing in $18 million in revenue per day like it did at the height of its popularity in the summer of 2016, Sensor Tower claims that the game still generates a daily total of between $1.5 million and $2.5 million. The same research firm said a few weeks ago that Pokémon Go was the fifth highest earning mobile game in 2016, while Clash Royale came in sixth. Monster Strike was number one, followed by Clash of Clans, Game of War and Mobile Strike.

The firm adds that Niantic Labs could continue to keep that money flowing from Pokémon Go and its fans if it keeps the game updated regularly with new events and content. We will have to see if 2017 will be a solid year for the app or if it will prove it was just a passing fad. 

74-year-old grandfather enjoying the last days of Asheron’s Call after 18 years of playing

An unnamed 74-year-old grandfather emerged on the Internet this week, and he is stealing the hearts of gamers. He has been playing the groundbreaking MMORPG Asheron’s Call for the last eighteen years, but he must soon end his extended campaign.

Why? Because the game will be shuttered at the end of this month.

Asheron’s Call was released in 1999 but a company called Turbine, and it quickly became a fan-favorite on the MMORPG front. It brought real 3D graphics into an online fantasy world, and along with its contemporaries like Everquest, it laid the groundwork for what would become big money ventures like World of Warcraft, EVE Online, and Final Fantasy XIV Online.

Turbine never expected the game to last this long, and it promised to hold out as long as it could to keep servers open for enthusiasts who still play it. However, the time has come to say goodbye, and this gentleman, along with a good many other players, are getting ready to part with their characters and the fantasy world they’ve shared for the last two decades. Turbine announced on Dec. 20, 2016 that the servers would close at the end of January.

The granddaughter who posted the video is asking gamers to recommend new games for her grandfather to move onto, and naturally, I enthusiastically support Final Fantasy XIV Online.

However, the grandfather says “Everything looks like crap compared to this game.” Ouch, indeed. I get where you’re coming from, too.

SOURCE YOUTUBE

Horizon Zero Dawn gets a story trailer to match fancy gameplay

Typically, games are marketed with story cinematics before they are with gameplay. At least, that’s how the big-budget world works. We see, maybe, a live-action trailer, a cinematic trailer and then, finally, we see some gameplay.

Horizon Zero Dawn from Guerrilla Games has been a bit different. We saw lots in the way of actual gameplay footage at events leading through the game’s development. Today, we have the first solid story trailer. There’s lots more than hunting robotic beasts in a dystopian future. There are characters, suggested storylines and lots more on display here.

This looks like a big story, so let’s hope for a big game

Sure, the cinematics look great. I don’t think that was ever in doubt. What I’m curious about after the trailer above is how large of a tale Guerrilla will tackle. There are lots of moving parts in the trailer itself, and putting together a complicated story takes lots of room with a game.

If Horizon Zero Dawn is as open and sprawling as previous trailer suggest, we may have a big, dynamic story on our hands. We’ll know when it hits the PlayStation 4 on February 28, 2017.

Sony unveils Glacier White PS4 Slim for Europe and Japan, and it’s beautiful

Europe and Japan are officially getting a gorgeous PlayStation 4 Slim. It’s “Glacier White,” and it includes the all-white DualShock 4 you see above.

The word comes from the European side of the PlayStation Blog. This is a 500GB PS4 Slim that comes with a matching controller.

They even gave it a 30-second video.

This 500GB console is set to sell for €299/£259 starting on January 24, 2017. Japan will see it on February 23, 2017, along with a 1TB version to boot.

Nintendo Switch launch date, games lineup, placeholders leaked by GameStop Germany

An employee at a GameStop in Germany snapped a picture of their system’s screen for what’s coming to the Nintendo Switch. The roster contains a specific software launch date, a bunch of games we knew or assumed would come and some particularly intriguing placeholder slots.

The release shared by all the software is March 19, 2017. If that’s true, then the Nintendo Switch will launch on March 19, 2017, in Germany, at least. A worldwide launch for the platform seems likely, so I imagine we’ll see it on the same day everywhere if this leak is legit.

The confirmed launch lineup isn’t all that surprising, though a few games are worth calling out. Zelda: Breath of the Wild is slated for day one, despite earlier rumors suggesting otherwise. We’ll also see Skyrim alongside the Switch, another release that’s been a question mark since the system’s unveiling.

The most intriguing listings to me are the placeholders

Then there are the placeholder slots. There are five of them, and we’re not sure what games will occupy those spaces. Lots of folks think the Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. will get a Switch port, and that’s totally possible. What about the other unannounced games?

Pikmin 4? Maybe. Miyamoto said recently that the work on that game is close to done, so it could totally find its way onto the Nintendo Switch at launch. As a fan of Pikmin, I’d be pumped.

What mysterious games are you hoping to see in those placeholder slots? We’ll know if they crack the launch lineup this week when Nintendo holds the special Switch event. Stay tuned.

SOURCE GONINTENDO

Injustice 2 gets a May release date for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One

Injustice 2, the next game in NetherRealm’s DC Universe fighting series, will be released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on May 16, 2017. Confirmation of the release date comes straight from studio head Ed Boon’s personal Twitter account.

 

 Follow

Ed Boon 

              

✔@noobde

          3:14 AM - 7 Jan 2017

 
•  4,8164,816 Retweets
 
•  8,1928,192 likes

Marvel vs Capcom vs DC vs Mortal Kombat… it’s all going down in 2017

2017 will finally be the year that we get a Marvel fighting game and a DC fighting game released alongside one another. Capcom already announced Marvel vs Capcom Infinite last year at PlayStation Experience, and that game stars both Marvel’s heroes and iconic characters from Capcom’s franchises, including Street Fighter.

NetherRealm has done a fantastic job rejuvenating DC fighting games and the Mortal Kombat series in general. In terms of gaming pedigree, it has the upper hand in this fight since Capcom isn’t firing on all fronts at the moment. However, Marvel is clearly the mainstream favorite these days with its Hollywood movies dominating DC left and right, and the money will swing in its direction.

Who knows which will emerge on top when all is said and done? Injustice 2 will be released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on May 16.

SOURCE TWITTER