Hyper Light Drifter’s Wii U version is “currently in limbo”

While we all “patiently” wait for Kickstarter sensation Hyper Light Drifter to finally make its way onto shelves and change our lives forever, the word is out that Wii U owners might not get the chance to experience the sting at all.

Developer Heart Machine explains in an update on the game’s Kickstarter page, detailing why the Nintendo build of this highly anticipated indie game is “currently in limbo.”

We had information about our engine, two years back, when we announced support for the platform. This had assured us we could port to the Wii U with relatively little hassle by now. However, due to ongoing internal contractual issues beyond our control between the platform holder and engine developer, we just don’t know when or if this situation will have a good resolution. We are looking into the options available and doing what we can to help push the issue, including posting about it here.

It sounds as if the whole situation is out of Heart Machine’s hands. The update says that it will keep the Wii U version on the table should the problem resolve itself. However, if Hyper Light Drifter is forever doomed to not grace a Nintendo platform, then Heart Machine will happily give Wii U owners a code for another version.

The cynic in me says that they’ll have nothing to worry about. Hyper Light Drifter will no doubt be delayed into 2017, and hopefully the whole situation will resolve itself by then. Afterwards, a new issue will arise when all of the Wii U owners have moved onto the NX.

When does it ever end?! Hyper Light Drifter is scheduled for a release in Q1 2016 for the PlayStation 4, PS Vita, Xbox One, and PC.

SOURCE:  KICKSTARTER

PlayStation offering free online multiplayer this coming weekend!

Thanks to a little game called Street Fighter V, Sony is dropping the pay-wall and opening its multiplayer for the public this weekend.

Staring Friday, 12:01 AM PT and running until Sunday at 11:59 PT, you will be able to access the multiplayer content on any game without a PlayStation Plus subscription. Keep in mind that this deal doesn’t just extend to Street Fighter V. Any and all games are free to come to the party including Call of Duty:Black Ops III, Star Wars: Battlefront, and whatever else the kids are playing these days.

Hopefully, this will give plenty of others a chance to enjoy Street Fighter V, since the offline components have been panned as “lacking” so far. Jump online for free this weekend, and maybe it will be the game to convince you that paid-multiplayer is an okay investment.

SOURCE: PLAYSTATION BLOG

Google Play Games gets new feature that should have been there all along

Google Play Games received a small but important update recently that delivers a feature most might argue should have been there all along. That’s right, you can now create a custom gamertag for your Google Play Games account. Previously, the service would just show your first and last initial.

“Over the next few weeks we’re rolling out Gamer IDs to Google Play Games,” Google product manager Ben Frenkel said. “Gamer IDs give you the ability to create a gaming persona, so you too can embrace your inner gaming hero. You can customize a unique Gamer ID and select a Gamer Picture to create a whole new gaming identity.”

Gamers will receive a prompt to set their Gamer ID when they log into a new game, which will kick off a whole customization process. You’ll be able to choose from more than 40 avatars for your picture, for example, and can set specific privacy settings to allow people to view your gameplay activity or not.

Act fast if you have a particular Gamer ID in mind – they’re all unique, so no two can be alike. Open the Google Play Games app on your Android device to get started.

SOURCE: GOOGLE

Sega’s giving away Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe and more on Steam for free right now

Well, thanks, Sega! The company has tossed up a bundle of games on Steam right now for absolutely nothing. If you were to buy the games separately, you’d pay almost $35. Snag the bundle now, and they’re free.

How long? We’re not sure.

The bundle includes Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe, Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit(two of its DLC releases) and Sega Classics.

This giveaway comes as the first prize for Sega’s Make War Not Love 3 event. Play any of Sega’s war games on steam (Company of Heroes 2, Total War Attila or Dawn of War 2, all of which are 75% off), and your action is added to the tally.

Basically, the world at large wins because players are partaking in the event. This prize was meant for then players of these games, but it’s open to everyone with a Steam account.

So, grab your free games! Go to that link, click into any of the games in the bundle and click install. That will give you access to all the games featured. You’ll need a Steam account, obviously.

SOURCe:  STEAM

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana’s setting sounds like an absolute nightmare

Nihon Falcom has pushed out a new batch of screenshots and concept art to detail its upcoming fantasy action-RPG, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana. The company recently delved into long-time protagonist Adol Christin’s newest companions, Raksha and Sahad, and this new gallery gives a look into the horrors of the game’s setting, Siren Island.

Nothing good ever comes from Siren Island. Local legends paint a dark picture of the place with some saying sailors sink their own boats after a monstrous voice destroys their will to live. Others call it an “Eternally Cursed Island” and claim that not a soul goes there on their own free will.

Naturally, Adol Christin finds himself stuck in the middle of this setup in Ys VIII. It makes sense, too, because he’ll be shipwrecked there, as is often the case with poor Adol, and he definitely does not go on his own free will.

The creatures on Siren Island are called “Ancients,” and they come in many forms. From birds and fish to dinosaurs and other enormous abominations, some are violent and will attack Adol, and others will passively ignore him.

No man knows what Adol Christin is bound to discover on his latest adventure. No doubt a blue haired anime girl is waiting at the finish line, though.

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana will be released for the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita in Japan this summer. No word on an English localization just yet.

source:  SILICONERA

Need for Speed coming to PC in March

EA has confirmed that the most recent Need for Speed is ready for launch on PC and will see a release on March 17. Those who pay subscription fees for Origin and EA Access will be able to pick up the game a week early on March 10.

The PC port of Need for Speed was delayed for visual performance reasons after it released on consoles last fall. EA claims that on top of fixing the performance issues, it has also added other improvements detailed in the reveal trailer above.

These improvements, like manual transmission, will eventually be making their way to the console versions. You know, just because we don’t want people feeling left out.

Need for Speed will release for the PC on March 17. Get low, EA!

source: technobuffalo

New World War 2 Xbox/PS4/PC Game Passes Funding Milestone

 With more than two weeks still to go in its Kickstarter funding campaign, new console and PC World War 2 shooter Battalion 1944 has passed $300,000 in funding. The game was a quick success on Kickstarter, having raised its initial target of £100,000 ($142,000) after just two days.

At press time, funding stands at around £215,728 ($307,579) from more than 7,000 backers. Developer Bulkhead Interactive already spent £100,000 ($145,000) of its own money to get the game off the ground

With Battalion 1944 now well above its initial funding target, fans may be wondering about stretch goals. None were announced when the campaign began, and though Bulkhead has teased they will be "awesome," we still don't know anything more specific--but that could change soon.

"Stretch goals are just around the corner," the developer said in a Kickstarter update. "We've had them planned for a while, and we're sticking to our original plan. We don't do empty promises at Bulkhead; which is why we are working on in-game assets to show you all exactly what we're working towards before we announce all of Battalion 1944's stretch goals."

You can guarantee yourself a copy of the game, which is expected to launch in May 2017 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, by pledging at least £15 ($21). Head to the Kickstarter page to see all of the other pledge tiers and rewards.

The multiplayer shooter aims to capture the "core of classic multiplayer shooters" while using the "most advanced industry technology." You can see some early gameplay footage here or check out some images in the gallery below.

source: gamespot

Ubisoft confirms a new Watch_Dogs and South Park game in 2017

Watch_Dogs 2 is no longer mere speculation. It might seem like it had already done so a long time ago, but today marks the first time Ubisoft has officially confirmed the game for a release in 2017.

In its official financial report for the year, Ubisoft confirmed an entire fiscal 2017 line-up with”the next installment of Watch_Dogs” as the obvious big fish. South Park is another stand out, announced last year at E3 2015.

“For Honor, South Park: The Fractured but Whole, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: WildLands, the next installment of Watch Dogs, and a new high-potential AAA brand with strong digital live services.”

There is little question that the official presence of a new Watch_Dogs played into the decision to back off Assassin’s Creed for a year. Open-world Ubisoft fans need that fix.

Watch_Dogs was one of the first games announced for the most recent console generation. It rode the hype train for several years, but response to the final product proved to be underwhelming and controversial. What can Ubisoft do to make sure the sequel doesn’t fall into the same trap?

source:  EUROGAMER

[UPDATE] Quantum Break is heading for PC

[UPDATE]: Our original story indicated that most of Xbox’s biggest exclusives were coming to PC. Scalebound and Gears of War have not been announced for PC, which was an error in our source article. Quantum Break will be making the leap to PC with cross-platform saves. Whether the other games are hitting PC is still up in the air. As I mentioned below, this seems like a good way to pull up the Xbox platform overall and make sure that third parties want to keep making Xbox games despite the console’s performance.

Original story:

With the Xbox One trailing behind the PlayStation 4, Microsoft had to do something to make sure its exclusives had a good reason to stay that way. That something also brings a long-unfulfilled promise to fruition.

In addition to releasing on Xbox One, games like Gears of War 4, Scalebound, ReCoreand Quantum Break will see the light of day on PC in addition to Xbox One.

While Rise of the Tomb Raider took a couple extra months, Quantum Break will hit PC on the same day that it hits Xbox One.

While Xbox One owners may be disappointed to see exclusives heading to PC, this is great news for the titles in question and for gamers in general. More gamers will have access to what looks like a stable of awesome games this year and next.

Xbox head Phil Spencer had been paying lip service to PC gaming for some time, but now it looks like those promises are starting to come true thanks to the Xbox One’s difficulty in its competition with the PlayStation 4. Regardless of the reason, we’re happy to see these games getting the exposure they deserve.

SOURCE:  GAMESPOT

Sony might be teasing a new Crash Bandicoot for PlayStation 4

Crash Bandicoot, where are you? The last time the franchise was in the hands of its original creator, Naughty Dog, was in 1999 with Crash Team Racing.

It’s been in a few other hands since then, published by Activision and developed by companies like Radical Entertainment.

Now, Sony seems to be teasing some sort of return for the anthropomorphic bandicoot.

PlayStation’s Middle Eastern arm posted that image. The phrase with it loosely translates to “Most Wanted: Where Are You Crash?”

Come on, now. Don’t play with our hearts.

Is this little more than a community manager gone rogue? Or, is Sony really starting to hype the world for the return of Crash Bandicoot? Since Crash is currently published by Activision, maybe we’re looking at some sort of remaster for the originals before a proper new entry.

If Naughty Dog is set to take a break from the likes of Uncharted and The Last of Us in favor of making a brand new Crash game, I might lose my mind.

SOURCE:  GAMEZONE

Final Fantasy IX available now for iOS and Android in surprise-launch

 

Square Enix has just stealth-launched an iOS and Android version of Final Fantasy IX. The mobile build of the PlayStation Classic will be available for 20 percent off the normal asking price, sitting at $16.99 until Feb. 21.

Buyers might have to clear out their phones, though, because this is one hefty file, taking up 4GB of space after additional downloads upon opening the game. My guess is at least two of those gigabytes are swallowed up by Quina’s fantastic girth.

Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe have kidnapped Princess Garnet, the heir of Alexandria. To their surprise, however, the princess herself yearned to escape the castle. Through a series of unusual circumstances, she and her personal guard, Steiner, fall in with Zidane and set out on an incredible journey. Meeting unforgettable characters like Vivi and Quina along the way, they learn about themselves, the secrets of the Crystal, and a malevolent force that threatens to destroy their world.

Final Fantasy IX is the entry I’ve played most recently in the series. I’d like to give it another spin on mobile, but I only have the option for Japanese text on my tablet in Japan.

Plus, I’m getting ready for a push through Breath of Fire III, finally on PSN at long last. Decisions, decisions.

SOURCE:  APP STORE, GOOGLE PLAY