‘Bulletstorm’ is back, baby
Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition takes the blood, brutality and bone-shattering moves from the original 2011 shooter and beefs it all up on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, due to land on April 7th, 2017. The remastered game features high-resolution textures, remastered audio and smoother frame rates, and it’ll run in up to 4K resolution on the PS4 Pro and PC. Full Clip Edition also comes with every piece of Bulletstorm DLC in existence, plus some new content.
Bulletstorm is, essentially, a symphony of violence. It’s a first-person shooter set on a resort planet overrun with mutant humans, plants and animals — players earn bonuses for killing these monsters in creative (meaning, grotesque and ridiculous) ways, dubbed “Skillshots.” New content for the Full Clip Edition includes six new maps for the competitive Echo mode and an “Overkill” campaign option that starts players off with unrestricted weapons and Skillshots.
On top of the new and pre-existing content, a Full Clip Edition pre-order bonus lets fans play as Duke Nukem instead of series star Grayson Hunt.
The Duke tie-in isn’t completely random: The Full Clip Edition comes from the publishing arm of Borderlands and Duke Nukem studio Gearbox, in partnership with original Bulletstorm developer People Can Fly. Plus, someone named “Nukem” definitely fits in a world where players murder enemies using moves called “Ding Dong,” “Man-Toast,” “Assplosion,” “Double Penetration” and “Dino-Sore.”
53 Oculus Rift titles will support Touch controllers at launch
We’re less than a week away from the December 6th release of the long-awaited Oculus Touch controllers, and it looks like lucky Rift owners will have plenty of reasons to use them. Oculus just announced that they’ll be launching with 53 supported titles. That includes existing games like The Climb and Job Simulator, as well as new entries like the magic multiplayer fest The Unspoken and the graffiti simulator Kingspray. Check out our coverage of those games, along with plenty of other intriguing Oculus Touch titles, from the company’s developer conference last month.
Looking ahead to 2017, Oculus says we can expect titles like Robo Recall, Arkitka.1 and Giant Copy: Justice Above. The company also revealed that its demo title Toybox will also be available for free when the Touch Controllers launch. That’ll join Medium, Quill and Dead and Buried among the free titles Oculus is offering, as well as the pre-order bonuses VR Sports and The Unspoken.
Source: Oculus
GDC will host its own video game art gallery next year
E3 has the Into the Pixel art gallery for video game concept art, and now the annual Game Developers Conference is trying its hand at one. Called “Art Boss,” it’s a collaboration with the folks at iam8bit and will feature not just concept art (a la Into the Pixel), but production art, in-game stuff like textures and even promo materials. Another way this differs from Into the Pixel is that each artist will have a headshot and a bio alongside their submitted work — the E3 gallery typically just lists the artist’s name, game a piece came from and the studio responsible. Further on the artist-forward note, there isn’t an entry fee for submitting a piece, either.
More than that, iam8bit says it’s creating a permanent digital and physical archive for the featured works. As for the latter, you’ll very likely be able to catch a glimpse at the outfit’s locations in Los Angeles and London. Given iam8bit’s reputation for highlighting truly gorgeous video-game-related art across a variety of mediums (giclee prints and vinyl records, for example) this sounds like a perfect match. The gallery will make its debut next February 27th at GDC in San Francisco.
Source: Art Boss
iPhone classic ‘Tiny Wings’ gets news levels and Apple TV app
Tiny Wings is one of the best iPhone games ever. It’s a great example of a developer making something that wouldn’t make sense on any other platform, and it’s a game equally suited to playing quick bursts or for extended sessions as you try to beat your high score. And after more than two years without an update, developer Andreas Illiger has finally released a pretty major update. Tiny Wings is now available for the Apple TV, and the iPhone / iPad version has five new levels.
Unfortunately, the Apple TV app requires a separate $2.99 purchase — but if it is as good as the iOS game, that’ll be money well spent. The Apple TV app features split-screen multiplayer; players can either use the Siri remote, a dedicated game controller or an iOS device to control the big-screen action. The Apple TV app uses iCloud to sync progress with your mobile devices, and it feature the same array of game modes and levels as the iOS version — including the five new “flight school” levels.
If you bought the iOS app years ago, you’ll get those new levels, and Illiger also finally upgraded the graphics to support the higher screen resolutions Apple introduced with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. There’s nothing else new here, but if you haven’t tried the game before now’s a perfect time to give it a shot. The adorable graphics, procedurally generated levels and excellent music are all as charming now as they were when the game launched way back in 2011. If you want to give it a shot, the update is live in the App Store now.
Via: The Verge
‘Gears of War 4’ gets cross-platform multiplayer this weekend
Since the dawn of time, comment sections have had vicious debates on which gamers own the superior platform. This weekend, Microsoft are giving them the opportunity to put their K/D where their mouths are. Between December 2nd and December 5th, Microsoft will be trialing cross-platform competitive play on Gears of War 4 allowing PC and Xbox One players to duke it out.
Cross-play was a key focus of Xbox’s E3 presentation this year, but until now the two platforms have only been able to interact in cooperative modes. While Gears of War 4 has long supported inter-platform play on its co-op missions and Horde mode, developer The Coalition says this limited trial could pave the way for permanent competitive cross-platform support.
Where games like Microsoft’s Shadow Run have attempted this in the past, the difference in input methods have meant that players on either platform could be put at a disadvantage. With many PC players preferring the more accurate mouse and keyboard setup, and console gamers requiring generous aim assist, the results of this trial will be interesting to say the least.
Thankfully, this daunting battleground will be isolated to a ‘crossplay’ multiplayer playlist, meaning that participating in the player war isn’t mandatory. If you’re feeling brave enough though, this is one fight you can proudly tell your bemused grandkids about in years to come.
Source: Gears Of War Forum
‘Ark: Survival Evolved’ stomps its way onto PS4 next week
After a lengthy wait, PS4 owners will finally be able to play Ark: Survival Evolved this week, with the game launching on December 6th. Since the game became a runaway success on Steam in 2015, PS4 owners have been waiting patiently to play the Early Access survival hit and now they will be able to purchase not only the latest build of Ark but also the recently released Scorched Earth expansion. To make up for the delay, buying Ark: Survival Evolved on PS4 will also net you two PlayStation exclusive items: the Bionic Giganotosaurus skin and a Manticore armor set. Developer Wildcard has also promised that PS4 players will receive the same updates as the Steam Early Access and Xbox One versions and at ” a similar tempo”.
For the uninitiated, Ark: Survival Evolved is a prehistoric survival game that sees you aiming to hold your own in a dangerous online world. Tasked with crafting food and weapons, players can build their own dwellings and defend them against terrifying creatures and worse still, other players.
The game’s release comes a surprise, largely due to Sony’s policy on Early Access releases. Games in Steam Early Access are unfinished, allowing players to purchase them for a discounted price and play them as they’re being developed. Due to its incomplete nature,previously Sony stated that the game would need to be finished before it would appear on PS4. It appears that Sony was happy enough with the state of Ark however, as PS4 owners will now be playing long before the game’s full release in Spring 2017. It still hasn’t been announced whether PlayStation gamers will be getting the same mode support as PC and Xbox One players, however.
Christmas is a time of bringing a bit of magic into people’s lives, and there’re very few things quite as magical as riding a Velociraptor while firing a machine gun.
Source: Studio Wildcard
Movie studio Annapurna Pictures now makes games
Annapurna Pictures, the production company behind blockbuster films like Her and Zero Dark Thirty, announced today that it will publish and produce games as Annapurna Interactive. It’s no secret that video games are big money and now it seems that, once again, the movie industry wants a piece of gaming’s lucrative pie.
Run by a team responsible for games like Mortal Kombat, Journey and God of War, Annapurna Interactive aims to publish interactive experiences that are “personal, emotional and push boundaries”.
The first two games the company will publish are Giant Sparrow’s PS4 exclusive, What Remains of Edith Finch and a mobile puzzle game called Gorogoa. What Remains of Edith Finch features a collection of intriguing first-person stories revolving around a cursed family and will be the developer’s second game after indie hit The Unfinished Swan. Gorogoa, on the other hand, is the debut title from lone developer Jason Roberts and promises a “unique” panel-moving mechanic.
As well as publishing other people’s games, the studio will also be producing its own titles. Annapurna Interactive is working on a few projects with big names attached to them, including a game from the lead designer of Monument Valley, Ken Wong. The studio has also revealed it’s releasing a game from creator of the beloved Katamari Damacy franchise, Keita Takahashi, as well as publishing a new game from Luna creators Funomena.
With Steam becoming increasingly flooded with titles, it’s now harder than ever for developers to get consumers to even notice their game, let alone purchase it. With a big-name studio like Annapurna coming along to champion more arty and ambitious projects, it could prove to be a winning move for both indie devs and consumers alike.
Yet this isn’t the first time a movie studio has created a games division. Movie companies like Lucasarts were responsible for gaming classics throughout the 90s and early 2000s, but even their behemoth brands weren’t enough to keep them afloat. Universal Studios also spent a decade flirting with video games, seeing great success with the like of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro The Dragon before losing interest and selling its game studios.
Warner Brothers is one of few movie publishers with a game division still standing, single-handedly redeeming the movie tie-in field with the Batman: Arkham series. Disney had less luck, however, recently announcing the demise of its once-successful toys-to-life series Disney: Infinity. Since Annapurna is focusing on smaller indie titles, though, the relatively low cost of funding the games could prove to be a fruitful investment.
Source: Annapurna Interactive
The Morning After: Thursday, December 1, 2016
Welcome to December!
Today Nikes start lacing themselves, Netflix cuts the cord and the FBI’s reach just got a lot longer.
Binge unpluggedNetflix rolls out offline viewing support on Android and iOS
After hinting at it several times this year, Netflix has finally delivered on one of its most-requested features. Subscribers can download a limited selection of its content for viewing even without an internet connection. As Devindra Hardawar points out, the move was inevitable after Amazon Prime expanded caching support last year, but is it enough to keep you happy?
Back to the present
A first look at Nike’s self-lacing sneakers
Power laces are real. The HyperAdapt 1.0 hits the streets today, but Edgar Alvarez got an early look. Nike says one charge is enough to keep that E.A.R.L. motor grinding away for a couple of weeks, but your biggest problem could be getting your hands on a pair of the $720 sneakers.
We only have ourselves to blameThe 2017 patch for “League of Legends” is heavily influenced by players
Riot Games’ Greg Street explains the impetus behind upcoming changes for the popular MOBA, saying “we want to create a good environment for all players.” That means keepingeSports pros and average joes happy using the same ruleset, across a base of 103 million players. “League of Legends” patch 6.24 goes live December 7th with a new practice mode,changes to the jungle, post-game replays and more.
It’s earlyDirecTV Now hands-on
AT&T’s new internet TV service is… a lot like the other internet TV offerings we’ve seen. Testing DirecTV Now streaming via Apple TV revealed a better UI than the one Sling TV offers, but right now, it can’t match the DVR feature of PlayStation Vue.
PhabulousMotorola’s president says a Tango Moto mod is “likely”
We didn’t immediately fall in love with Lenovo’s Project Tango-packing Phab 2 Pro, but what if you could buy its reality-measuring sensors as an add-on? At a Chicago event, Motorola Mobility president Aymar de Lencquesaing said that the Lenovo subsidiary is “likely to have a Tango module” for the Moto Z line of smartphones, so stay tuned.
If they have a warrant, it doesn’t matter where you areSenate fails to stop FBI’s expanded hacking authority
nate fails to stop FBI’s expanded hacking authority
A Senate effort to stop an expansion of the FBI’s authority to hack computers has failed. A rule change going into effect today means judges can issue warrants that let it hack computers regardless of jurisdiction. Senators like Ron Wyden are concerned about possible unintended consequences, and he called it “one of the biggest mistakes in surveillance policy in years.”
Long-term planningThe EPA will push to lock in fuel efficiency goals before the Trump administration arrives
In 2012, the EPA set a goal for automakers to double fuel efficiency by 2025. Today, it proposed leaving those rules in place without any updates, citing technical analysis that shows automakers will be able to meet the deadline. The reason for that move? Locking standards in could make it tougher for the incoming administration to reverse or modify the guidelines.
But wait, there’s more…
- Holiday Gift Guide 2016: The Tinkerer
- The ExoMars mission lost its lander, but its probe is in great shape
- In IBM’s future, Watson will be your doctor
The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you’ll miss if you don’t subscribe.
‘Halo 5’ is getting an eSports reality TV show
Microsoft really wants to make a big deal out of competitive Halo 5 gaming, and it’s taking an unusual route to get there. The company’s 343 Industries and Electronic Sports League have reached a deal with Pilgrim Media Group to create an eSports-focused reality TV series. Details of what it involves are scarce, but it will bring the “intensity and extreme competition” of Halo 5 to the TV, whatever that might mean. There’s no mention of a planned air date or even distributors, so it’s unclear when you’ll have a chance to watch. It’s safe to say that Microsoft will find some way to make the series available to Xbox One owners, though.
The show isn’t coming completely out of the blue. ESL, Pilgrim and Lionsgate announced cooperation on eSports programming back in May, and the Halo show is the first project to emerge from the team-up. It’s definitely a gamble, though. While the eSports field is growing rapidly and has had its share of TV coverage, it’s hard to say how well conventional TV viewers will respond to a serialized show about competitive video gaming… especially for a title that’s a year old before production even starts. With that said, the fictional Halo web series Forward Unto Dawn got an Emmy nomination. At this point, we wouldn’t rule out another success.
Via: Variety
Source: Pilgrim Media Group
‘Red Dead Redemption’ is coming to PlayStation 4 December 6th
Red Dead Redemption 2 may not arrive until next fall, but next week you’ll be able to play both its predecessor and Undead Nightmare on PlayStation 4 and PC. Thanks to PlayStation Now streaming, you can get reacquainted with the PS3 classic on December 6th. Of course, Xbox One owners have been able to gather their posses for action since this summer. PS4 players did get Red Dead Revolver last month, but Redemption is the title a lot of fans were waiting for.
Unfortunately, PlayStation Now is only available in North America, the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands. If you happen to live in one of those areas, expect to pay $20 for a month of game streaming or $45 for three months worth of access. Handing over those funds will allow you to play over 450 titles though, in addition to the aforementioned frontier adventures that are scheduled to arrive next week.
Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare Coming December 6th to @PlayStation Now: https://t.co/96AY7OZgDO pic.twitter.com/T8HnJVVvqH
— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) November 30, 2016
Source: Rockstar Games
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