PlayStation 4 will play Netflix and YouTube videos in HDR
Sony made much ado over high dynamic range imagery for gaming on the PlayStation 4 Pro at its September event, but don’t worry — it knows you want to watch HDR videos, too. The console maker announced that both Netflix and YouTube are making new apps that should play HDR videos on all PS4 models. You’ll need a Pro to play videos from either service in 4K, alas, but this still means that you’ll get richer colors when you’re watching Luke Cage and other supporting shows. At least the Netflix app will be available around the time of the PS4 Pro’s November launch, so you’ll have a way to show off your HDR-capable TV in the near future.
Find all the news from Sony’s big PlayStation event right here.
The PlayStation 4 Pro is not an Ultra HD Blu-ray player
During today’s announcement of the new PS4 Pro, we heard a lot about the enhancements offered by 4K and HDR, but there was one thing not mentioned: Ultra HD Blu-ray. Our reporters at the event asked and confirmed there is not an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive in the new console, although it will include 4K and HDR apps from Netflix and YouTube.
We’re waiting for the spec sheets to find out everything (update: here it is, and it confirms only Blu-ray and DVD support), but those who prefer archival copies, demand the best in uncompressed video or just don’t have an unlimited internet connection could be in for a disappointment. Sony did mention that even older PS4 consoles would be upgraded with HDR, and specifically highlighted the Ultra HD video apps built into the Pro.
It’s not clear exactly what explains the omission, although a BBC reporter paraphrased Sony’s response as wanting to focus on games. It may be that to get the console out by this holiday season with upgraded graphics and storage for $399, something had to be cut. Another thought is that Sony has just fallen out of love with physical media. It wouldn’t be alone in that feeling, but considering the deep historical ties between the PS2 and DVD, the PS3 and Blu-ray, and even the PS4 with physical discs for gaming, it’s a surprising turn.
As it is, the capability to play 4K movies from discs is one thing Microsoft can claim as an advantage over Sony with its Xbox One S. Of course, if the PlayStation folks change their mind, then maybe Microsoft has a few old HD DVD shells laying around that they can use for an add-on?
Find all the news from Sony’s big PlayStation event right here.
Source: Sony (PRNewswire)
The PlayStation VR includes a demo disc loaded with games
PlayStation VR is expensive enough by itself, so you probably don’t relish the idea of spending more just to get a taste of what the PS4 headset is like. Thankfully, you won’t have to. Sony has revealed that PSVR’s accompanying demo disc will include samples of eight games. A handful are definitely lighter releases that serve more as showcases (PlayStation VR Worlds most notably), but there are also tasters of games you might well buy later. You can play demos for Battlezone, Driveclub VR, the ubiquitous VR sampler EVE: Valkyrie and RIGS: Mechanized Combat League, among others.
This lineup surfaced on Sony’s European PlayStation Blog, so don’t be surprised if the lineup changes depending on your region. Should it remain largely intact from country to country, though, it’s good news for many future PSVR owners. Yes, the demos are ultimately there to get you to buy games, but the breadth is important. You won’t run out of things to try minutes after opening the box, and you’ll get a genuinely diverse range of experiences that will give you a feel for what’s possible in VR. That’s particularly important when many players will know very little about VR, let alone have first-hand experience.
Via: The Verge
Source: PlayStation Blog
‘Duke Nukem 3D’ re-release adds new levels from the original team
If Duke Nukem Forever convinced you that cheesy one-liners, bad puns and juvenile action-hero humor is best left in the 90s, you’re in luck. Gearbox Software just announced that it’s bringing back the original Duke Nukem 3D in a special 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour that packs in 8 new levels, a ton of freshly recorded voice lines and a modest graphics update. Even better, all this new content was designed by much of the 1996 classic’s original team.
In addition to the original game, Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour (what a mouthful) features a new episode created by Allen Blum and Richard “Levelord” Gray (two level designers from the original game), new music from original composer Lee Jackson and a ton of fresh “duke talk” from voice actor Jon St. John. Not good enough? Okay there’s a little more. The game’s 20th anniversary release will also feature a 2.5D option that gives the graphics a modest update. The game’s 2D sprite look isn’t going anywhere, but the actual level environment will use real 3D rendered graphics instead of the pseudo-3D effect the original game used. Even that is only an option, though. Gearbox promises the original 1996 graphics experience will be available to purists.
The whole experience will set Duke fans back $20 when it launches on October 11th. That a pretty steep price increase from when the game could be had on Steam for about $4 — but at least there’s a ton of new content. It’s not just for PC gamers either: Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour will be available on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Source: Gearbox Software
Telltale’s second ‘Batman’ episode arrives September 20th
Telltale took its sweet time readying the first episode of its Batman adventure game series, but you won’t have to wait too long to see what happens next. The studio has announced that the second episode, Children of Arkham, arrives on September 20th on Windows (through Steam), PS4 and Xbox One. Mum’s the word on what happens in the next episode (some PAX West guests will already know by the time you read this), but it’s reasonable to presume that it’ll continue to balance Bruce Wayne’s attempt to balance his normal life with his vigilante side.
There’s more on the way, too. If you insist on a disc-based copy, you can buy the previously unveiled retail version (which includes the first episode and a season pass for the rest) on September 13th. And you should hear about more platform support this month — if you aren’t willing to switch devices just to follow the Caped Crusader’s exploits, you may be in luck.
Source: Telltale Games
‘Gran Turismo Sport’ delayed to sometime in 2017
Polyphony Digital has a reputation for taking its sweet time to bring Gran Turismo games to Sony consoles, and Gran Turismo Sport won’t be an exception to the rule. The studio has delayed its first PS4 racing game to sometime in 2017 after having previously committed to a November 2016 launch. Why the sudden change of plans? Polyphony chief Kazunori Yamauchi says his team doesn’t want to “compromise the experience in any way” — as is frequently the case, the company would rather be late than sully its obsessive vision. That’s wise given the history of rushed driving game launches (case in point: Driveclub), but it’s unfortunate for PS4 owners who’ve been waiting for what’s likely to be their console’s definitive racing title.
Source: PlayStation Blog
Progress from ‘NBA 2K17’ demo carries over to the full game
Game demos are awesome, but they’re usually the intro section of any given game. More than that, once you actually have the retail version, you’re stuck working through the same portion of the game over again before getting to the meat of the experience. Playing early is a double-edged sword. NBA 2K17 is doing something different come September 9th, though. With “The Prelude,” you’ll have early access to the basketball game’s career mode and will be able to play college games, interact with coaches during the mini-narrative and affect how you’ll start MyCareer when the game arrives.
It all sounds pretty neat, actually. Sure, it’s mostly the game’s tutorial and character creation modes (you can scan your face in using the game’s companion app), but you’d be doing all this stuff anyway. Now, you can jump right to the hardwood on September 20th.
ICYMI: Jump start your #NBA2K17 MyCAREER early on 9/9. Begin your #NBA2K17 journey for FREE on PSN & XBL!https://t.co/XwJBbGmMku
— NBA 2K 2K17 (@NBA2K) August 26, 2016
Source: Businesswire, NBA 2K (Twitter)
The Engadget Podcast Ep 3: Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
Editors Nathan Ingraham and Devindra Hardawar join host Terrence O’Brien to talk about Android Nougat, PlayStation 4 rumors and why Amazon would create an Echo-exclusive music service. Then the panel addresses the endless harassment faced by Leslie Jones, and use the word “garbage”… a lot.
Oh, and as promised, here are your Flame Wars leaderboards:
Wins
Loses
Winning %
Chris Velazco
3
1
.750
Devindra Hardawar
4
3
.571
Nathan Ingraham
3
4
.429
Cherlynn Low
1
3
.250
Relevant links:
- The slim PS4 is looking realer every day
- Amazon could launch an Echo-exclusive music service
- Android 7.0 Nougat arrives today
- Hackers target Leslie Jones, post nude photos to her site
- Twitter permanently bans one of its most offensive users
- Twitter is letting all users filter out trolls from their notifications
- Gawker.com will shut down as part of Univision buyout
You can check out every episode on The Engadget Podcast page in audio, video and text form for the hearing impaired.
Watch on YouTube
Subscribe on Google Play Music
Subscribe on iTunes
Subscribe on Stitcher
Subscribe on Pocket Casts
‘Don’t Starve Together’ arrives on PS4 with a huge bundle
Thanks to being a freebie for PlayStation Plus subscribers, Don’t Starve earned a solid following on PlayStation 4. To reward that, the developers at Klei Entertainment have put together a massive bundle headlined by the console version of the multiplayer expansion, Don’t Starve Together. The Don’t Starve Mega Pack includes previous expansions Shipwrecked, Reign of Giants, the base game and a few themes based on Autumn and the nautical Shipwrecked pack.
Klei’s Corey Rollins writes on the PlayStation Blog that the console version of Together features split-screen co-op both locally and online (for Share Playing!), while online-only multiplayer is good for up to six people.
“We loved hearing stories about friends and families finding creative ways to share the controller while playing the original single-player Don’t Starve,” Rollins says. “Now players will be able to survive together on the same couch, and even take their split-screen game online if the want and create or join an existing game to play with others.”
If you’re one of the folks who grabbed Don’t Starve when it was a free download, the Mega Pack will only cost $10.79. For everyone who doesn’t already own the first game, via PS+ or otherwise, the price is $26.99.
Source: PlayStation Blog
‘Titanfall 2’ multiplayer will be tweaked after fan feedback
Last weekend Titanfall 2 opened its doors for the first of two multiplayer test weekends, allowing fans to play an alpha version of the game for free on Xbox One and PS4. While it achieved a goal of testing out some of Respawn Entertainment’s revamped cloud-based server technology (and will be followed by the second test this weekend running Friday through Sunday), players also had a lot of feedback about how the game plays.
In the original game, the eponymous mech drops were an ability that charged both passively and based on kills, a shift from the usual Call of Duty-style killstreak rewards that only reward actions. In the test last weekend, the passive charging was gone, but Respawn says it’s coming back. It’s unclear if the passive charging of a pilot’s Titan Meter will be implemented for the upcoming test, but in a blog post multiplayer game designer Steven DeRose explains “We still want objectives to be the fastest way to get a Titan, but the goal of every player being guaranteed a Titan per match hasn’t changed.” Other changes that should feel familiar to Titanfall vets include making air and wall-running speed faster and letting players retain more speed while wall-running.
Those are the kinds of abilities that separated the first game from its shooter competition when it launched, and it’s important to nail them again this time around — especially since Call of Duty has included them in games released post-Titanfall. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any word on more integration with AI bots in most game modes, which is different from the original.
Still, some players are concerned, particularly given an interview with ShackNews where game director Steve Fukuda remarked on an intentional decision to slow things down “just a touch” from the original game, and maps designed around “more fundamental” lanes of movement. DeRose’s blog post says the team will showcase other map types soon, including some traditional maps. The HUD and Titans themselves will also undergo significant tweaks before the game is released October 28th on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Source: Titanfall 2 MP Tech Test and Your Feedback, MP Tech Test Successes
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