Tag: PC gaming

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Bethesda reveals $750 million worth of Fallout 4 titles have been shipped

Just days after Activision and Treyarch revealed a massive opening three days of Call of Duty: Black Ops III — taking in over $500 million, Bethesda tries to one up them showing off an even larger figure. 12 million Fallout 4 games have been shipped to retailers across the globe leading to a $750 million profit for Bethesda.

It’s important to note the difference between the two numbers though. Fallout 4 has been shipped to retailers and the 12 million number includes copies that haven’t technically been sold to a consumer yet. The $500 million Activision made came from actual sales.

SuperData research shows that Fallout 4 has sold 1.87 million units on consoles and 1.2 million units on PC within its first three days of release. That amounts to a more subdued amount of revenue from actual sales — $100 million.

Regardless, the Fallout 4 launch has been a tremendous success. Call of Duty has higher expectations because of its place in the industry as a staple of video games. The fact that Fallout 4 has had so much success even with it’s lower place in the proverbial gaming totem poll is a great credit to what an amazing game it is.

Fallout 4 screenshot 3

Fallout 4 builds on the engine that Skyrim put in place in 2011 and does nothing but improve from both the Elder Scrolls game and the last two Fallout releases (Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas). While some of suggested the game isn’t quite as graphically stunning as they had hoped for, the general consensus remains that Fallout 4 is one of the best games of this generation.

The collector’s edition of the game that included the physical Pip-Boy to use with select smartphones, sold out almost immediately after being announced. Bethesda also set a milestone becoming the most concurrently played game on Steam with 470,000+ players exploring the Commonwealth at one time.

President of Bethesda Softworks, Vlatko Andonov spoke on the great work the studio has done.

“We’re extremely proud of Todd Howard, Game Director at Bethesda Game Studios, and his experienced team of developers for their talent and dedication in creating this extraordinary game. Fallout 4 is a masterpiece in game development and storytelling, providing fans hundreds of hours of fun as they explore and are challenged by this fascinating, beautifully crafted world.”

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Ubisoft preparing Trackmania Turbo for VR compatbility

Trackmania is a frantic racing game with extremely intricate tracks that play more similarly to a roller coaster, and Ubisoft wants to add VR compatibility to that chaotic gameplay.

Trackmania Turbo — the latest installment in the series — is slated to release in early 2016, but will offer some twists on the last formula. This title offers a greater variety of environments and a new “double driver” mode that gives two players control of one car for intense communication.

Ubisoft is hoping that these features blend well with the VR interface when it releases on PS4, PC, and Xbox One. PS4’s VR headset will get immediate support along with the Oculus Rift.

If you’re familiar with the history of the courses in Trackmania, you’ll know that playing the game in VR probably won’t be best for those with a weak stomach. The speed of the game is tremendous and experiencing any of that in even a somewhat immersive state will be a wild ride.

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Batman Arkham Knight releases on PC… again; glitches and bugs addressed four months after initial release

Batman Arkham Knight has finally come to PC in a state that will at least be playable. PC gamers were largely neglected when the game was initially due to release along with the new gen consoles June 23.

The intense crime-fighting and hand-to-hand combat action looks like it will finally release in a respectable fashion… as respectable as it could be after being four months late.

It was revealed Saturday that the game’s release will come with a plethora of additional content — skins, story packs, race tracks — that had been made available on the console versions over the period it was omitted from PCs.

Batman Arkham Knight‘s initial release had some staunch criticism of the game for being extremely poorly optimized for PCs running poorly on even the most powerful set-ups.

Warner Bros accepted the criticism and responsibility for the poor initial product.

“We want to give particular thanks to the members of the PC community who took the time to give us clear, detailed feedback and bug reporting. Now, get out there and Be The Batman!” – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Arkham Knight is scheduled to re-release on October 28 on PC.

No word was given on a price point and after having such an awful release it would be a smart move for Warner Bros to release at a notable discount to $59.99 price of the game currently on the Xbox One and PS4 online stores.

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Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes… Probably

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Look at how much fun they’re having! It’s all lies! No one maintains this much of a relaxed demeanor with a timer quickly cycling to zero. Today we’re going to take a fresh look at the newly released bomb defusal game, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes.

So, what exactly is Keep Talking? Well thematically there’s not much going on. You’re in what looks like a military bomb-testing facility with a suitcase-sized explosive device wired with all manner of devilish puzzles to solve. It’s intended to be a multiplayer experience with the bomb technician viewing the device and giving information to assistants who have access to a manual. I’m sure it could be played single player but what are we, psychopaths?

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So, like any normal person, I teamed up with two buddies on stream and decided to save the world over and over and over again.

The puzzles are intuitive in their design giving you the classic “which wire should I cut”, symbols and ciphers, enticing buttons, and freaking Morse Code! Yes, if you’re a sailor or were born in the 1800’s, please contact me, we need help with that part.

Don’t even get me started on the alarms that blare, the gas ventilation, and the lights that turn off at every opportunity. Granted, it’s only for higher difficulties, but the challenge is graciously accepted. I couldn’t help but feel that the room was trying to kill me, and in some cases perhaps my own team was trying to kill me. It was funny, to me at least, when you hear a string of numbers and out of nowhere the deafening cry of an alarm clock shocks you into a state of disarray. It was like calling the ISS inside a herd of elephants, something I would totally do over and over again.

The fantastic heart-pounding action track from the blast end of the timer was even more invigorating as it gave you a solid minute to relinquish fear through your steadily evacuating sweat glands.

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Modules on top of your modules

It’s all in good fun though. On several occasions we had never dealt with a particular module and decided to wing it. We found, through trial and error, that the instructions are articulated in a way that makes them fair but punishing to those who don’t pay close attention. It can get confusing at times, but perfect play with practice and the ideal adage “Keep talking” both ring true for anyone who plays this several times.

After awhile the initiated quickly develop a shorthand and the vocabulary becomes secondary. At least that was our experience. We love puzzles and couldn’t help but fall victim to KTaNE‘s enticing throes. Perhaps the biggest draw is getting multiple people together and developing a multi-tiered operation. We traded information at everything less than lightning speed all to one source who had to process and execute each order with impunity or else, you know, we all die. It was the people who made the bomb interesting, who added the element of imperfection to a very by-the-numbers experience.

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For being a mechanically technical game KTaNE utilizes abstraction and the necessity of interpersonality to do what party games do best: create an atmosphere of raw enjoyment. Time is the enemy, the bomb is the obstacle, and together the engagement of friends or family steps KTaNE above other couch co-ops. One screw up might lead to death, but everyone is responsible. The resets are easy and the time it takes to disarm a bomb is nearly microscopic, so if you fail then there’s no hard feelings. You just move to the next challenge and keep on trucking.

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The immersion grows

Denying this game any modesty, I can say without a doubt that I’m seriously excited for the next step in Steel Crate Games’ IP. And given that I have yet to master all the puzzles and permutations, I can’t even imagine how many hours I’m going to kill(pun intended) inside that cold and dark concrete-padded room, but at least I know I won’t be alone.

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is developed and produced by Steel Crate Games and can be purchased on Steam for $14.99, additional platforms pending.

 

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Four great games that will be overshadowed this holiday season

The 2015 holiday season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting ever with games like Star Wars Battlefront, Halo 5, Call of Duty Black Ops 3, and Fallout 4 on the way. But this huge surge of incredible AAA games on Xbox One, PS4, and PC is making the market tough for other games to record a more than solid Q4.

The aforementioned games may very well be fantastic, but there are others coming that would be top selling games any other year. Here are just a few that gamers can’t forget about.

Just Cause 3

Avalanche Studios seems to have finally perfected the Just Cause formula over the nine years the series has existed. Just Cause 3 (which I got the change to play at NY Comic Con) takes a good look at what fans of the franchise have loved and turns them into more refined features.

The first Just Cause game was on the fringe of being a good game with solid ideas that were made infinitely better in Just Cause 2. The sequel offered better grappling hook mechanics, more destruction in the environment, and a larger world.

And this upcoming third game? It offers better grappling hook mechanics (three-way grappling hook), more destruction (fully destroyable bridges, refineries, and more), and a larger world… and a new feature to keep the gameplay fresh and evolving. A wing-suit has been introduced and in conjunction with the parachute and grappling hook players can virtually fly — pulling themself across the terrain as they glide by.

Just Cause 3 launches December 1 on Xbox One, PS4, and PC retailing at $59.99.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

Ubisoft has bordered on the line of oversaturating the market with Assassin’s Creed games, but the quality of them is (normally) worthy of being mentioned in this list. Syndicate brings a slightly darker feel to the excellent Assassin’s Creed engine running things.

Now set in Victorian London just as the industrial revolution changes the landscape of western society, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate looks to have an interesting narrative taking on another setting seldom explored in gaming. Despite the enjoyment fans of the series surely will find in it, this is a prime game to miss it’s target sales numbers (especially considering gamers seem to be growing tired of the year-after-year releases of the games).

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate launches October 23 on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

Rainbow Six: Siege

Though the recent beta has done a decent job creating some excitement for the first Rainbow Six game since Vegas 2 back in 2008, Rainbow Six: Siege is flying relatively under the radar despite it bringing back the classic realistic/intense style of the franchise to the new generation.

Rainbow Six thrives around player communication and strategy, and gamers looking for something that contrasts to the casual Call of Duty/Battlefield games. Rainbow Six is not a game in position to reach the same level as those games sales-wise simple because of the nature of the game, but any other year this game could be a top 3 game being sought after by way more gamers.

Rainbow Six: Siege is coming to Xbox One, PS4, and PC on December 1.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Microsoft was banking on Rise of the Tomb Raider giving it an advantage in exclusives this holiday season, but with so many multi-platform titles it’ll be tough for Tomb Raider to make a significant dent in the market. There’s no question though that the quality of the game will be fantastic. Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition currently available on Xbox One offers one of the best most exciting narratives.

The adventure game has been a consistent icon in gaming — especially with it’s prevalence on the PlayStation 1, and Microsoft would have struck gold if this game was not poised to be overshadowed by other games this holiday season.

Rise of the Tomb Raider releases November 10 with timed exclusivity on Xbox One.

Which of these games are you looking forward to the most during this holiday season?

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Resident Evil themed third-person shooter to release on PS4 and PC

Capcom’s continued flood of Resident Evil branded games is bringing another title to the market — this time a third-person shooter with faster and more intense action.

Umbrella Corps takes players into the battles and history of the Umbrella Corporation with many of the environments being derived from the Resident Evil universe. The game will be solely multiplayer with team-based battles.

The initial playable demo will give fans and critics the opportunity to play a 3v3 One Life match at the Tokyo Game Show September 17-20.

The game will offer a variety of close-quarter combat game modes all designed for fast-paced gameplay.

“…players can compete online in a variety of unique close quarter battle modes. Each adrenaline-fueled match will be short and brutal and is designed for quick and engaging play.” – Capcom Press release

The title will be a console exclusive on PS4 along with its release on PC.

Umbrella Corps will release in North America and Europe early 2016 and will retail at $29.99.

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Digital gaming is on the rise; up 11% in August

Digital gaming is the future — or perhaps digital gaming is the present. As the disc-based, physical model of video games continues to shrink with the new digital-heavy approach of the Xbox One and PS4 it’s no surprise to see each month the market continue to expand.

SuperData‘s recent analysis shows nearly a billion dollars (exactly $979 million) were spent on digital games in the month of August — an 11% increase from where it was just one year ago.

PC gamers have been a steady source of revenue for digital gaming for many years even before the Xbox One and PS4 consoles with online stores like Steam and Origin.

PC gamers and console gamers accounted for $250 million of the $979 million and with many major titles like Fallout 4, Halo 5, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more on the way, it’s a fairly safe bet to make this number is only going to go up.

SuperData suggests that this could be the biggest holiday-season yet for the digital gaming industry.

The latest Apple TV also comes into play a bit, and despite the excitement some may have for the additional gaming features in the console the limitations of the platform is far too great for it to take any sizeable chunk of the market.

SuperData explains that “…mobile gamers are just that: they prefer to play on their smartphone or tablet and are ultimately much less likely to switch to a large screen in their living room.”

The expectations for the Apple TV as a gaming console should be set very low. There is a slim-to-none threat of the platform threatening even Nintendo’s WiiU console let alone the major Xbox One, PS4, or PC gaming platforms.

Overall, gaming as a whole is in a fantastic place as a medium with the launch of YouTube Gaming helping popularity stay on it’s skyrocketing pace along with twitch.tv merging the video and interactive media together.

 

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Bethesda boasts depth of Fallout 4 announcing over 111,000 lines of dialogue in game

Bethesda’s games do an incredible job offering an unprecedented level of depth with massive worlds and personality-rich characters (and occasionally an overabundance of launch-day bugs). The upcoming Fallout 4 game from Bethesda is already being named in contention for game of the year with how much content is expected to be in the game and Bethesda’s twitter is adding even more excitement for fans.

Bethesda Game Studios announced that Fallout 4 would have 111,000 lines of dialogue. The preceding RPG Fallout 3 had just 25,000 in comparison and the fantasy RPG Skyrim had roughly 60,000. Both of those games are already heralded as being extremely rich with content.

Putting this in more perspective, Skyrim alone has over 1,000 individual characters and if the lines of dialogue were used in the same proportion of Skyrim, Fallout 4 would have closer to 2,000 individual characters.

However, perhaps one of the biggest aspects of dialogue adding to the massive amount of lines is the fully voiced main character which Bethesda is hoping will help add a more personal and emotional connection between players and the game world.

In an interview with Telegraph it was said that the two main voice actors for the main character — Courtenay Taylor and Brian T. Delaney — recorded 13,000 lines apiece. Without their contributions the lines of dialogue drops down to a tamer 85,000.

Still, the potential of 1,500 unique characters outside the main protagonist should excite fans.

Fallout 4’s November 10 release on Xbox One, PS4, and PC looks prepared to give fans the deepest world since Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind in 2002.

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Emotional Metal Gear Solid V: The Phatom Pain trailer showcases evolution of series

As the final game in the Metal Gear saga, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will bring everything to a dramatic end following the story that’s spanned nearly two decades in gaming. This trailer is one of the last pieces of work fans will ever get to see from Hideo Kojima with the franchise.

Kojima served as the director, designer, and ultimate creator of the Metal Gear games since his first released in 1987. As the franchise progressed and evolved into the more recognizable Metal Gear Solid games, his influence on the game made ripples throughout the entire gaming industry and this latest trailer showcases just a small bit of the progress the series has made over the years.

Though Kojima and Konami had a distasteful breakup, the quality of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will not take any negative hits. MGSV is bringing “the ultimate thrill,” and “the ultimate story” wrapped up in massive open world to improve the iconic stealth element of the game. With realisitic day/night cycles and weather patterns players can recognize and adapt to their situation to take the best approach to gameplay.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will release on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC on September 1, 2015.

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EA introduces new control point game mode, Supremacy, for Star Wars Battlefront

Mutliplayer is all the focus of Star Wars Battlefront and EA is ready to make sure fans get enough variety in their online gameplay experience as they announce a new game mode called Supremacy.

Designed to encompass a variety of situations ranging from close-quarters combat to long-distance sniping battles, Supremacy faces two teams against each other with a series of points (5) to control in “the largest fighting grounds that Star Wars Battlefront has to offer.”

The game mode along with the large map sizes will be reminiscent of Conquest from the Battlefield franchise — something for fans should expect of the whole game given this a DICE developed game.

The influence from previous Battlefield games will show, but some key tweaks will make “improve the formula” that was used for Conquest.

Merging the Star Wars characters into the gameplay will give it its own sense of fun.

“Using a character like Darth Vader to secure control points is great, as he can take increased damage before going down. Luke Skywalker and Boba Fett are great for moving swiftly between attacking and defensive positions, and giving you the edge against opponents in battle,” – Lead Level Designer Dennis Brännvall

While the action takes place on the ground the battles continue on the sky with “TIE fighters and X-wings soaring through the sky to assist the quest for supremacy at each location.”

Supremacy will be available right away on Star Wars Battlefront when it releases on Xbox One, PS4, and PC November 17, 2015.