Make your space fortune in ‘Astroneer’ on December 16th
If you felt a little let down by No Man’s Sky, perhaps Astroneer can restore your faith in procedurally generated universes. System Era’s space exploration game is finally nearing completion, and will be released on Steam Early Access, as well as Xbox One and Windows 10 Game Preview, on December 16th. The title actually has a lot in common with No Man’s Sky, apart from the third-person viewpoint reminiscent of Lifeless Planet. You are an explorer out to make your fortune, but to do that you must hunt down the resources required to build vehicles, bases and conduct research needed first for survival, then for prosperity.
Luckily, you have one invaluable tool at your disposal to conquer the many unforgiving and diverse worlds you’ll find yourself on — the ability to manipulate the terrain as you wish. You can build mountains and just as easily level them, create bridges across vast canyons and dig up long-lost ships to further your goal. You won’t have to Mark Watney your way through the harsh storms tearing across the somewhat lo-fi landscapes, though. Instead, you’ll be able to recruit up to three other explorers in co-operative multiplayer to survive the final frontier together.
Source: System Era
‘Super Mario Run’ arrives on iPhone and iPad December 15th
At the iPhone 7 event, Apple and Nintendo revealed that Mario would make his way to iOS devices this December. Well, today Nintendo revealed the exact date: December 15th. That’s the day Super Mario Run will be available to play on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The app can be downloaded for free, but you’ll only be able to play parts of the game’s three modes without handing over additional funds. To unlock the full game, you’ll have to pay $10.
When the time comes, Super Mario Run will be available in 151 countries (full list here) and 10 languages including English, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Russian and traditional Chinese. If you happen to live in one of those locales, you’ll just need to make sure you have a device that runs iOS 8.0 or later in order to leap over obstacles, take on enemies and collect coins in a few weeks.
Don’t worry, Android faithful: Nintendo says you’ll get a chance to play the mobile game as well. Unfortunately, the company hasn’t announced when, just the vague “at some point in the future.”
Source: Nintendo (Business Wire)
WHSmith will sell video games again with GAME’s help
Magazine and stationary retailer WHSmith is to start selling video games in-store again, thanks to a partnership with GAME to trial concessions in a small number of locations. WHSmith pulled games from shelves six years ago due to competitive pressure from more specialist retailers like GAME and HMV. Once adversaries, the two now appear to have found common ground. For WHSmith, it’ll mean being able to offer games to its customers again — new and high-profile console releases, we imagine — and for GAME, increased exposure on the high street, however small that increase might be.
“GAME Retail is rolling out a small number of concessions as part of an ongoing trial across WHSmith stores in 2016. Alongside our 300 high street stores it means easier access to top video games, accessories and merchandise for our community of gamers nationwide,” so reads the official line from GAME.
GAME is still struggling to find its feet after going into administration back in 2012. Since being rescued from high-street heaven, the company has tried all manner of things to stay relevant. In recent history, GAME has focused on eSports in particular, acquiring Multiplay — the firm behind the UK’s Insomnia events — as well as running tournaments and setting up dedicated competitive zones in stores. Finances are continuing to be a problem, though, and GAME’s latest yearly numbers noted an 81 percent decline in profits year-on-year.
The partnership with WHSmith may only be a limited trial in a small number of stores, but in such a competitive product category, anything that gets the GAME brand out there will no doubt be welcomed. If things get any worse, we could find ourselves in a dystopian future where GAME starts charging for PSVR demos. Oh… wait.
Via: gamesindustry.biz
A game about butt-sniffin’ pugs is coming to PS4 and PC
Butt Sniffin Pugs, a fun simulator featuring cute pugs exploring New Yorkie City (get it?), rescuing citizens in danger and sniffing food and butts, has conquered crowdfunding pledgers’ hearts. It has successfully reached its goal on Kickstarter, and it’s now scheduled to be released for PS4, Windows and Mac in the first quarter of 2018. Inspired by cute, open-ended games like Kirby and Animal Crossing, it was designed to cater to everyone, from people who barely play to big AC fans.
In an interview with Inverse, its developers (called SpaceBeagles) said they even worked with The AbleGamers Foundation to make sure people with visual and hearing impairments can play the game. While it presents you different quests and tasks for mornings, noons and nights, SpaceBeagles designed it so that even those who only play occasionally can feel like they accomplish something when they do visit.
Unfortunately, you can’t pledge money to be part of the beta phase anymore. Since the lowest tier in campaign was worth $15, though, expect to pay a bit more than that to get the game when it comes out.
Source: Kickstarter, Butt Sniffin Pugs
UK games retailer charges for its PSVR demos
Still not sold on VR? Got a PS4? But still not sure? Then you should probably test it out before laying down the hundreds of dollars (or pounds) the peripheral costs. But you probably shouldn’t have to pay to do so. But that’s exactly what UK retailer Game is doing, charging £5 (just over $6) for ten minutes of neck-craning and open-jawed gaming. You can also pay £15 for 30 minutes. Deal?
It makes sense that PlayStation VR demos are supervised: most people will need assistance fitting the Sony headset. But to the tune of five pounds, for just ten minutes?! That’s harder to excuse, especially if it includes getting fitted in — and working your way through initial tutorials in the demos themself. It certainly won’t help endear people to the beleaguered gaming chain.
Given that the basic headset costs $350 in the UK, if you think you’re going to play it more than 35 times (in five-minute intervals), you could just buy it. Or, find somewhere that lets you test if for free. Enterprising early adopters are already stepping up:
.@GAMEbromley hey lads, I’ll charge £2.50 for a go on mine. 16 minute sessions. #BeatThat pic.twitter.com/zYMKQfLDP6
— Ben Potter (@Confused_Dude) October 22, 2016
Via: Kotaku
Source: Game (Twitter)
‘Amnesia’ games to scare a new generation of players on PS4
Horror fans on the lookout for bone-chilling titles on the PS4 have something to look forward to in November. The whole Amnesia collection developed by Swedish studio Frictional Games and British developer The Chinese Room is finally arriving on the console on November 22nd. It consists of the same PC games that became Let’s Play favorites among streamers a few years ago, namely Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010), its expansion Amnesia: Justine (2011), as well as their sequel Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs (2013).
The games stood out for being subtle survival horrors that don’t rely on jump scares — the kind best played in a dark room on your own. While it’s unfortunate that you can’t get them before Halloween, you can pre-order the collection right now on the PlayStation Store for $30.
Playing solitaire and tic-tac-toe is as easy as a Google search
A Google search is handy for getting info on nearly anything, but now the company is making it easier to play two timeless games on both mobile and the web. When you search for “solitaire” or “tic-tac-toe,” you’ll be able to play them both from the comforts of your browser on the desktop or inside the Google app on your phone or tablet. The company has been keen on adding these bits of whimsy to its search tool for a while now as these games follow animal sounds and a coin flip. You know, in case you need to decide who’s picking up the check in today’s cashless society. There’s also those Google Doodles that have been a mainstay for years, most recently offering Olympic-themed games.
Source: Google
‘Overwatch’ test patch turns troll talk into funny lines
Blizzard has rolled out an Overwatch test patch that could make playing on the game’s Public Test Realm (PTR) either hilarious or infuriating, depending on which camp you’re in. A bunch of Reddit and NeoGAF users have noticed that when you type in “gg ez” in chat, the game automatically changes it into either very polite messages or hilarious ones that insult the user. The term “gg ez,” as you might know, means “good game, easy win” that’s meant to insult the losing party in an online match. Well, Blizzard isn’t having any of that behavior.
Instead of “gg ez,” other players see various messages, including:
- It was an honor to play with you all. Thank you.
- Good game! Best of luck to you all!
- Well played. I salute you all.
But they could also see any of these:
- I feel very, very small… please hold me…
- Mommy says people my age shouldn’t suck their thumbs.
- I’m wrestling with some insecurity issues in my life but thank you all for playing with me.
Blizzard uses the beta server to test out new features before public release, so this might or might not make it to the rest of the Overwatch universe. Ana the healing sniper eventually got a wider release after spending time in PTR, though, so keep your fingers cross if you want to see more players get rekt.
[Image credit: CaptainJeppy/Reddit]
Via: Kotaku
Source: Reddit, NeoGAF
G2A attempts to appease game publishers with royalty payments
After coming under fire for how it handles sales of illegal video game keys, reselling website G2A has introduced a number of new policies that it hopes will appease developers affected by the practice. The company announced that it will let game makers apply for royalty payments for any titles that appear on its marketplace. It comes after SpeedRunners publisher TinyBuild accused G2A of failing to act on $450,000 in potential lost sales, after scammers used stolen credit cards to buy legitimate keys and auction them off for profit.
G2A says that when the Game Developer Support System goes live on July 29th, registered developers will receive up to 10 percent on third-party sales, allowing them to monetize third-party transactions, whether they’re legitimate or downright shady. The company has also committed to prioritizing developer-managed auctions, ensuring that publishers will be ranked above third-party resellers, and will offer free chargeback protection as well as access to its game key database to identify dodgy keys.
“As a leader in the digital gaming marketplace, we recognize our responsibility to serve the greater good for the entire gaming industry,” the company said in a statement. “Recent events have demonstrated that we need to move faster to introduce new benefits designed with developers in mind, and invite them to play an even bigger role in creating the marketplace of the future.”
While G2A profits from sales of stolen keys, which customers get for significantly lower prices than at retail, it is keen to repair its image with the game community. Before TinyBuild took up the issue, the reseller did take steps to suspend keys that it believed were obtained via illegal means. With the introduction of royalties and a clear route for developers to check the status of keys on the site, G2A’s willingness to increase its transparency may help it in its quest. However, a 10 percent share of sales might not appease the companies upset with the company’s business model.
AIVAnet 