Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogobig.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[League of Legends Amumu music video is a tear-jerker]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/league-of-legends-amumu-music-video-is-a-tear-jerker/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/league-of-legends-amumu-music-video-is-a-tear-jerker/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/league-of-legends-amumu-music-video-is-a-tear-jerker/#comments

Amumu is the saddest of all League of Legends champions - as he wanders around Summoner's Rift, he says things like, "Come play with me," "Let me give you a hug" and "Where are we going?" with the most broken, depressing inflection. See, Amumu is cursed with eternal sadness and an inability to make friends, as Riot's new music video, "The Curse of the Sad Mummy," demonstrates with beautiful, terrible clarity.

Ugh. You can sit with us, Amumu! See the video and Amumu's creative spotlight on the official League of Legends site.
[Image: Riot]

JoystiqLeague of Legends Amumu music video is a tear-jerker originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jan 2015 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Amumuleague-of-legendspcriotriot-gamesMon, 26 Jan 2015 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gravity Ghost swirls through Steam's solar system today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/gravity-ghost-swirls-through-steams-solar-system-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/gravity-ghost-swirls-through-steams-solar-system-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/gravity-ghost-swirls-through-steams-solar-system-today/#comments

Ivy Games' Gravity Ghost is on Steam today for PC, Mac and Linux for $15, a reasonable price for a trip through the stars. Plus, it's two-for-one, forever - pay $15 on Steam, get two game codes.

"Why?" Gravity Ghost Designer Erin Robinson asks in an email. "I'm encouraging everyone to give that second copy to someone special in their life who doesn't play video games. My hope is that it will open the door to this amazing hobby and allow people to share that joy with their loved ones."

Gravity Ghost is a physics puzzler with a twist (or a twirl): Players soar around planets, using gravitational pull to gain momentum, alter direction and collect pieces of a shattered galaxy. There's no "fail" state, though there is a rich story with hints of darkness, plus voice acting by Ashly Burch (Borderlands 2), Logan Cunningham (Bastion) and Sarah Elmaleh (Gone Home). The soundtrack comes from FTL composer Ben Prunty. See the story trailer after the break.

Continue reading Gravity Ghost swirls through Steam's solar system today

JoystiqGravity Ghost swirls through Steam's solar system today originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buy-one-get-one-freeerin-robinsongravity-ghostIndieivy-gamesLinuxmacpcSTEAMMon, 26 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Barely Related: Night Vale travels to YouTube, UFO files]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/barely-related-night-vale-travels-to-youtube-ufo-files/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/barely-related-night-vale-travels-to-youtube-ufo-files/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/barely-related-night-vale-travels-to-youtube-ufo-files/#comments Partying is such sweet sorrow.

Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs.

Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.

Continue reading Barely Related: Night Vale travels to YouTube, UFO files

JoystiqBarely Related: Night Vale travels to YouTube, UFO files originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2015 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>american-sniperbarely-relatedchewcomicsdraco-malfoyharry-potternight-valethe-walking-deadtwin-peaksufowelcome-to-night-valeFri, 23 Jan 2015 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends studio CEO headlines DICE summit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/league-of-legends-studio-ceo-headlines-dice-summit/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/league-of-legends-studio-ceo-headlines-dice-summit/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/league-of-legends-studio-ceo-headlines-dice-summit/#comments Riot Games CEO Brandon Beck is the opening keynote speaker at the 2015 DICE summit in Las Vegas, The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences announced in a press release this week. Beck founded Riot, the studio behind League of Legends, in 2006. He's poised to take the DICE stage on Wednesday, February 4.

Also scheduled to talk at DICE is Monolith Design Director Michael de Plater, CastAR co-founder Jeri Ellsworth, Ubisoft's New IP Editorial Director Tommy Francois, Funomena CEO Robin Hunicke, and Twitch COO Kevin Lin, among others. See the full lineup in the below press release.

DICE runs from February 3 - 5 at the Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas. The talks and 2015 DICE Awards will be streamed on twitch.tv/dice from February 4 - 5.
[Image: Riot]

Continue reading League of Legends studio CEO headlines DICE summit

JoystiqLeague of Legends studio CEO headlines DICE summit originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brandon-beckDICEdice-2015dice-summitkeynoteleague-of-legendsriot-gamesFri, 23 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Real-life, giant Pac-Man maze stars in Super Bowl ad]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/real-life-giant-pac-man-maze-stars-in-super-bowl-ad/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/real-life-giant-pac-man-maze-stars-in-super-bowl-ad/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/real-life-giant-pac-man-maze-stars-in-super-bowl-ad/#comments

Bud Light's Super Bowl XLIX commercial sends a clear message: Drink beer, be chased by ghosts. Or is it "Drink beer, have a lot of strangers touch you?" No, no - it's probably "Drink beer, then run around a ton and don't throw up!" Or just, "Pac-Man is still awesome."

Continue reading Real-life, giant Pac-Man maze stars in Super Bowl ad

JoystiqReal-life, giant Pac-Man maze stars in Super Bowl ad originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pac-mansuper-bowlsuper-bowl-adssuper-bowl-XLIXFri, 23 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Creative assassination in turn-based stealth game, Ronin]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/creative-assassination-in-turn-based-stealth-game-ronin/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/creative-assassination-in-turn-based-stealth-game-ronin/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/creative-assassination-in-turn-based-stealth-game-ronin/#comments

Ronin, a bloody action and stealth platformer from Tomasz Waclawek, is on its way to Steam for PC this year, courtesy of Devolver Digital. It's turn-based, fast-paced and deliciously violent, starring a "vengeful heroine determined to strike down five prominent figures of a powerful corporation." There's a free, early-build demo available here.

Ronin has been lurking in the shadows of independent development lore since August 2014: Waclawek introduced it as "a Gunpoint ripoff" on Reddit, but Gunpoint developer Tom Francis kindly disagreed, calling Ronin "really fucking cool." Francis even uploaded a Let's Play of Ronin.

"It's clearly not a Gunpoint ripoff, because the core mechanics are so different," Francis said. "A lot of what it does copy is superficial, and that stuff doesn't matter. But the jump is pretty central, and if that was directly taken from Gunpoint, I'm delighted. I wouldn't want anyone to reuse Gunpoint's artwork or music, but the ideas in it are absolutely there for the taking. Every non-standard thing about it, from the jumping controls to the saving system, I did because I wanted more games to be that way."
[Image: Tomasz Waclawek]

JoystiqCreative assassination in turn-based stealth game, Ronin originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Jan 2015 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gunpointIndiepcPlatformerroninstealthtomasz-waclawekTurn-basedThu, 22 Jan 2015 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends hikes across Europe for 2015 Worlds]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/league-of-legends-hikes-across-europe-for-2015-worlds/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/league-of-legends-hikes-across-europe-for-2015-worlds/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/league-of-legends-hikes-across-europe-for-2015-worlds/#comments The 2015 League of Legends World Championships will again span multiple cities and multiple countries, though this year it will all be in Europe. The 2014 World Championships spanned Taipei, Singapore and Korea, and Korean team Samsung White took home the trophy.

Riot Games has yet to announce which European cities will host Worlds this year, but it should release details in "the coming months," the company says in a blog post.

"Europe has been a home for LoL esports since the very first steps in our journey," the post reads. "It's the setting for the EU LCS, the host for many memorable esports tournaments and events, (including our inaugural World Championship in 2011, IEM, Dreamhack, and last year's All Star tournament) and the home of some of the most talented players to dominate the game. It feels great to bring the 2015 Championship back to players and fans who have played such a big part in our story."

Even if you're not a pro League of Legends player, you can get in on the eSports action with some fantasy gaming. The EU LCS Spring tournament kicks off today; watch it here.

JoystiqLeague of Legends hikes across Europe for 2015 Worlds originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lcs-2015league-of-legendsleague-of-legends-world-championshipspcriot-gamesThu, 22 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hologram headset from Microsoft with Hololens [Update: Site is live]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/hologram-headset-from-microsoft-with-hololens/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/hologram-headset-from-microsoft-with-hololens/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/hologram-headset-from-microsoft-with-hololens/#comments


Hololens is a holographic headset from Microsoft, due out "in the Windows 10 timeframe." Windows 10 is due out this year, first on Windows Phones after the Super Bowl in February.

Hololens is not presented as a straight-up virtual reality headset - "We're dreaming about holograms mixed in your world," Microsoft said during a conference today. "Welcome to a new era of Windows. Welcome to Windows Holographic."

Microsoft has been working on Hololens "for years," it said, and to do so it invented the Hologram Processing Unit. Hololens features see-through lenses and allows users to navigate Windows apps and to create 3D objects, projected into the real world in front of the lenses, with gestures. Alongside the hardware, Microsoft announced HoloStudio, software that allows users to create holograms and then 3D print them.

Update: The Hololens website is live, right here. Regarding gaming, the page reads, "Microsoft HoloLens intelligently maps the room you're in, blending holograms with the environment around you. Pin holograms to physical locations you choose so that your room becomes the canvas for your holographic projects and games. With Microsoft HoloLens, you can interact with holograms and everyday objects together."
[Image: Microsoft]

JoystiqHologram headset from Microsoft with Hololens [Update: Site is live] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jan 2015 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hologramholographichololenspcVirtual-Realityvrwindows-10Windows-10-EventWed, 21 Jan 2015 14:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox apps, DVR, cross-platform streaming heads to Windows 10 [Update: Video]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/xbox-apps-dvr-cross-platform-streaming-heads-to-windows-10/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/xbox-apps-dvr-cross-platform-streaming-heads-to-windows-10/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/xbox-apps-dvr-cross-platform-streaming-heads-to-windows-10/#comments

Windows 10 will feature Xbox system-level apps, including friends lists, activity feeds, messages, clip sharing and clip recording services, Microsoft announced during a conference today. The Xbox app will appear on every Windows PC and tablet. Each user's list of games in Windows 10 will be platform-agnostic, meaning Steam games are listed next to Windows games, and so on. Windows 10 PC players will be able to record 30-second game clips - after the fact - just like on Xbox One.

Players will be able to stream any Xbox One game to any Windows 10 PC or tablet. Fable Legends will launch on Windows 10 PCs in addition to Xbox One, and it will feature cross-platform co-op. Additionally, Windows 10 universal apps are on their way to Xbox One. Unity is adopting DirectX12, which consumes half the power that DirectX11 does, Xbox head Phil Spencer said.

Microsoft posted a list of some coming Windows 10 Xbox functions, shared below.
[Image: Engadget]

Continue reading Xbox apps, DVR, cross-platform streaming heads to Windows 10 [Update: Video]

JoystiqXbox apps, DVR, cross-platform streaming heads to Windows 10 [Update: Video] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jan 2015 13:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftmobilepcwindows-10Windows-10-Eventxbox-oneWed, 21 Jan 2015 13:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows 10 is a free upgrade for 7, 8.1 users]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/windows-10-is-a-free-upgrade-for-7-8-1-users/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/windows-10-is-a-free-upgrade-for-7-8-1-users/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/windows-10-is-a-free-upgrade-for-7-8-1-users/#comments Windows 10, the new operating system from Microsoft, will be available as a free upgrade for one year after launch for current Windows 8.1, Windows 7 and Windows Phone 8.1 users.

"I'm very excited to announce that for the first year after Windows 10 is available we will be making available a free upgrade to Windows 10," Microsoft EVP of Operating Systems Terry Myerson said during a conference today.

For anyone gaming on Windows, this means one fewer roadblock to keeping that library current. Xbox will receive "core components" of Windows 10 in an update this year, and Microsoft is poised to deliver Xbox news during today's conference.
[Image: Engadget]

JoystiqWindows 10 is a free upgrade for 7, 8.1 users originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jan 2015 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mobilepcwindows-10Windows-10-EventWed, 21 Jan 2015 12:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Batman: Arkham Knight Limited Edition is $63 via Wal Mart]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/batman-arkham-knight-limited-edition-is-63-via-wal-mart/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/batman-arkham-knight-limited-edition-is-63-via-wal-mart/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/batman-arkham-knight-limited-edition-is-63-via-wal-mart/#comments The Batman: Arkham Knight Limited Edition is $62.76 for both Xbox One and PS4 on Wal Mart's site, though it's unclear why or for how long. The Limited Edition normally costs $100 and includes a custom art book, a steelbook case, Batman: Arkham Knight #0 comic, an exclusive character skin pack, and a Batman Memorial statue.

This could be a glitch sale, so maybe jump on this hotness while you still can. Batman: Arkham Knight launches for PS4, Xbox One and PC on June 2.

[Thanks, Patrick!]
[Image: Warner Bros.]

JoystiqBatman: Arkham Knight Limited Edition is $63 via Wal Mart originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jan 2015 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batman-arkham-knightLimited-Editionmicrosoftplaystationps4Rocksteady-Studiossalewal-martWarner-Brosxbox-oneWed, 21 Jan 2015 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Sunset Overdrive sale for Gold members, new achievements]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/sunset-overdrive-sale-for-gold-members-new-achievements/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/sunset-overdrive-sale-for-gold-members-new-achievements/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/sunset-overdrive-sale-for-gold-members-new-achievements/#comments Sunset Overdrive is on sale for Xbox Live Gold members, 40 percent off its normal tag of $60, making it a cool $36. The sale is on for "a limited time," Microsoft says in a press release.

Also live today, Sunset Overdrive gets three new Buck National-themed achievements, each worth 25 points: "Hardcore!: Buck National vs The Apocalypse," "Hardcore!: Buck Strikes Back" and "Hardcore!: Buck Stops Here." Each achievement is for beating a particular score in each of those challenges - 600,000 for Apocalypse, 564,500 for Strikes Back and 703,700 on Stops Here.

While we're here, a question for the room: Do you love or hate Sunset Overdrive?
[Image: Microsoft Studios]

Continue reading Sunset Overdrive sale for Gold members, new achievements

JoystiqSunset Overdrive sale for Gold members, new achievements originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Jan 2015 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Achievementsinsomniacinsomniac-gamesmicrosoftsunset-overdrivexbox-oneTue, 20 Jan 2015 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Remember Me studio building vampiric WWI RPG]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/remember-me-studio-building-vampiric-wwi-rpg/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/remember-me-studio-building-vampiric-wwi-rpg/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/remember-me-studio-building-vampiric-wwi-rpg/#comments Remember Me and Life is Strange developer Dontnod is working on Vampyr, an action-RPG set just after World War I and starring a doctor who's also a vampire, The Sixth Axis reports. As the doctor, players must grapple with moral quandaries - to heal or to feed on your patients? - and the game's tagline is "Take blood. Save a life," the site reports. Focus Home Interactive is publishing. Dontnod announced the game during a Focus Home event today.

There's no release date or confirmed platforms for Vampyr just yet. Dontnod is also working on the episodic, time-bending, emotional journey of Life is Strange, due to debut on January 30 for Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 and PC. We have a preview of that one here.

Continue reading Remember Me studio building vampiric WWI RPG

JoystiqRemember Me studio building vampiric WWI RPG originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Jan 2015 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Action-RPGdoctordontnoddontnod-entertainmentfocus-home-interactiverpgvampirevampiresvampyrWorld-War-IwwiTue, 20 Jan 2015 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bounden, Fingle studio closes its doors in April]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/bounden-fingle-studio-closes-its-doors-in-april/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/bounden-fingle-studio-closes-its-doors-in-april/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/bounden-fingle-studio-closes-its-doors-in-april/#comments Game Oven Studios, the independent Dutch team behind body-morphing mobile games Bounden, Bam fu, Fingle and Friendstrap, will be disbanded in April, studio co-founder Adriaan de Jongh announced in a blog post today. Game Oven will release its final game, Jelly Reef, in March on iOS and Android. Game Oven developers de Jongh and Bojan Endrovski will continue to support Bounden, Fingle, Bam fu and Jelly Reef, but they will remove Friendstrap from stores on February 1.

De Jongh and Endrovski founded Game Oven in November 2011 with their first game, Fingle, which was nominated for an IGF Nuovo award. Bounden, a two-player dancing game for mobile, is nominated this year for an IGF Nuovo prize and a GDC Innovation Award. Game Oven received financial support for Bounden from the Dutch grant program, Game Fund, and worked with the Dutch National Ballet to create the choreography.

And, despite Game Oven's closure, Bounden is doing "really well," de Jongh told me today.

"We're not making millions, no, but Bounden's profit is larger than the development costs, so maybe awards are not that disconnected from the financial success of the game," he said. "With Fingle, IGF helped us build an audience, helped us reach that critical mass, and even though we no longer do any marketing effort for Fingle, we still make one minimum wage from the game every month. The way things look now, it seems like Bounden is on that same road."

Continue reading Bounden, Fingle studio closes its doors in April

JoystiqBounden, Fingle studio closes its doors in April originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidboundenclosuredutchdutch-game-gardenFingleGame-Ovengdc-2015igf-2014igf-2015IndieiosipadiphonemobileTue, 20 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Age: Inquisition PC patch 3 notes, 'close' to launch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/dragon-age-inquisition-patch-3-notes/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/dragon-age-inquisition-patch-3-notes/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/dragon-age-inquisition-patch-3-notes/#comments The third PC patch for Dragon Age: Inquisition is focused on fixing myriad bugs, particularly those that break the game for some players, BioWare writes in a blog post. The patch is "close" to release, Executive Producer Mark Darrah said on Twitter over the weekend.

The patch tweaks multiplayer issues, balance issues, and adds requested features such as a key binding that allows walking on PC, armor upgrade menus and a push-to-talk option in the multiplayer end-of-match summary.

"Based on feedback from our players, we tweaked the banter system to be less random in order to prevent extra-long periods of silence," BioWare writes. "We fixed quest blockers in the personal quests of Dorian and Sera as well as a spawning issue in Solas's personal quest (I won't elaborate to avoid light spoilers). [...] We continue to listen to feedback from our players, and we thank everyone for working with us to create an even better Dragon Age experience."

Information about patches on Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One and PS4 is incoming. See the complete PC patch 3 notes direct from BioWare below.
[Image: BioWare]

Continue reading Dragon Age: Inquisition PC patch 3 notes, 'close' to launch

JoystiqDragon Age: Inquisition PC patch 3 notes, 'close' to launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Jan 2015 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWaredragon-age-3dragon-age-inquisitionEApatchpatch-notespcupdateMon, 19 Jan 2015 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo: MCC patch tweaks matchmaking (again), up now]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/halo-mcc-patch-tweaks-matchmaking-again-up-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/halo-mcc-patch-tweaks-matchmaking-again-up-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/halo-mcc-patch-tweaks-matchmaking-again-up-now/#comments The latest patch for Halo: The Master Chief Collection is live now and focuses on matchmaking, UI, stability and other features, outlined by 343 Industries in summary form after the break.

For matchmaking specifically, the patch promises to improve search success rates, reduce instances of the "Awaiting Privileges" error, more correctly determine player counts in each playlist, fix an issue where players appeared to be searching in the incorrect "find game" screen, and add a countdown sound effect to the voting timer. The update should improve the network performance of Halo 2: Anniversary, lower the music volume in multiplayer menus and fix stability issues across multiple games in both campaign and multiplayer.

The Master Chief Collection has suffered from matchmaking issues since launch, prompting 343 Industries to dole out compensation in the form of a free month of Xbox Live for early adopters, plus a free 1080p, 60fps Halo 3: ODST campaign due in the spring, and a fresh nameplate and avatar.
[Image: Microsoft Studios]

Continue reading Halo: MCC patch tweaks matchmaking (again), up now

JoystiqHalo: MCC patch tweaks matchmaking (again), up now originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Jan 2015 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industrieshalo-the-master-chief-collectionmatchmakingmicrosoftmicrosoft-studiosmultiplayerpatchupdatexbox-oneMon, 19 Jan 2015 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Driveclub Japan update live now with 3.3GB of new tracks, fixes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/driveclub-japan-update-live-now-with-3-3gb-of-new-tracks-fixes/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/driveclub-japan-update-live-now-with-3-3gb-of-new-tracks-fixes/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/driveclub-japan-update-live-now-with-3-3gb-of-new-tracks-fixes/#comments

Driveclub's Japan update - featuring a new online multiplayer mode, gameplay improvements and five new Japan tracks with 11 variants in all - is available now on PS4. The update, coming in at 3.33GB, is free and will automatically download when launching the game. All Driveclub updates so far total 5.87GB, Evolution Studios writes in a Facebook post.

The new online mode is a multiplayer time trial, and the five new Japan tracks are as follows: Nakasendo (2 variants), Lake Shoji (2 variants), Asagiri Hills Racetrack (3 variants), Takahagi Hills (2 variants) and Goshodaira (2 variants). Gameplay updates include weather improvements, changes to AI drafting behavior, the option to race without crowds and other track infrastructure, and a number of bug fixes.

A handful of add-ons are due out January 27 - 29, including the free Icona Vulcano download, the paid Apex Expansion Pack - five new cars, 11 new events and five trophies - the Sakura Tour Pack with 11 new events and five trophies, and two new livery packs.
[Image: SCEA]

JoystiqDriveclub Japan update live now with 3.3GB of new tracks, fixes originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Jan 2015 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DLCdriveclubevolutionevolution-studiosJapanplaystationps4SCEAupdateMon, 19 Jan 2015 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Barely Related: Damn good coffee and House of Cards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/barely-related-damn-good-coffee-and-house-of-cards/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/barely-related-damn-good-coffee-and-house-of-cards/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/barely-related-damn-good-coffee-and-house-of-cards/#comments No one and no thing can make you feel a certain way. You're in control of yourself, your life and your reactions. Proceed as you will.

Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs.

Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.

Continue reading Barely Related: Damn good coffee and House of Cards

JoystiqBarely Related: Damn good coffee and House of Cards originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Jan 2015 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avengers-age-of-ultronbarely-relatedcones-of-dunshireedgar-allen-poeghost-in-the-shellhouse-of-cardsidris-elbaparks-and-recreationsuicide-squadtwin-peaksFri, 16 Jan 2015 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Grand Theft Auto 5 pre-orders go live with free game offer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/grand-theft-auto-5-pre-orders-go-live-with-free-game-offer/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/grand-theft-auto-5-pre-orders-go-live-with-free-game-offer/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/grand-theft-auto-5-pre-orders-go-live-with-free-game-offer/#comments Pre-order the digital version of Grand Theft Auto 5 for PC via Rockstar starting today and get some free goodies - GTA$500,000 to spend in the game's Story Mode and GTA$500,000 to spend in Grand Theft Auto Online. Plus, through February 1, get an extra GTA$300,000 for Online, plus a free game from a list including Max Payne 3, LA Noire, Bully, and Grand Theft Auto 4, 3, San Andreas, Vice City and Liberty City.

Here's how pre-orders and that free-game deal work out: "Upon checkout, a non-refundable 15 percent deposit will be charged and the free game code will be immediately provided. Once Grand Theft Auto 5 is released, the remaining amount will be charged and the activation code for Grand Theft Auto 5 on PC will be provided via email."

Grand Theft Auto 5 is due out on PC on March 24, a delay from its initial January release date. See PC requirements here.
[Image: Take-Two]

JoystiqGrand Theft Auto 5 pre-orders go live with free game offer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Jan 2015 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>freegrand-theft-auto-5gta5pcpre-orderRockStarFri, 16 Jan 2015 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gaming while black: Casual racism to cautious optimism]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/gaming-while-black-casual-racism-to-cautious-optimism/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/gaming-while-black-casual-racism-to-cautious-optimism/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/gaming-while-black-casual-racism-to-cautious-optimism/#comments
NPR's Planet Money reported last year on a culture shift in 1984 that drove many women away from pursuing computer science degrees. Computers were more readily available at stores that catered to men and advertisements pushed the narrative that these new-fangled home devices were made for men. Pop culture followed suit, depicting men as computer geeks in movies, books and journalism.

One thing that Planet Money found notable about computer ads in the 1980s was that they featured "just men, all men." Another aspect the ads shared was that they overwhelmingly starred a specific type of man: white.

Continue reading Gaming while black: Casual racism to cautious optimism

JoystiqGaming while black: Casual racism to cautious optimism originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Jan 2015 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>diversityharassmentracismFri, 16 Jan 2015 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guacamelee, Runner, Teslagrad and more join Nintendo eShop sale]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/guacamelee-runner-teslagrad-and-more-join-nintendo-eshop-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/guacamelee-runner-teslagrad-and-more-join-nintendo-eshop-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/guacamelee-runner-teslagrad-and-more-join-nintendo-eshop-sale/#comments Nintendo's Super Indie Connection Sale #2 is so on. Own or buy any participating 3DS or Wii U game and get all other games in the sale for 60 percent off. Games included in the sale are Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition ($6), Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien ($6), Swords & Soldiers ($1.20), SteamWorld Dig ($4), Chasing Aurora ($4.80) and Teslagrad ($6).

The Super Indie Connection Sale #2 is live now through January 29.
[Image: Nintendo]

JoystiqGuacamelee, Runner, Teslagrad and more join Nintendo eShop sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Jan 2015 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dseShopIndienintendosalesuper-indie-connection-salesuper-indie-connection-sale-2wii-uThu, 15 Jan 2015 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox One price drops to $350 in US starting Friday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/xbox-one-price-drops-to-350-in-us-starting-friday/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/xbox-one-price-drops-to-350-in-us-starting-friday/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/xbox-one-price-drops-to-350-in-us-starting-friday/#comments The Xbox One will cost $350 at all US retailers starting Friday, January 16, as part of a promotion celebrating the new year. The price drop comes just two weeks after the Xbox One holiday discounts ended. The holiday promotion did well for Microsoft, placing US Xbox One sales ahead of PS4 sales in November and December, according to the NPD.

"Building off a record-setting holiday, we are excited to announce a new promotion in which fans in the US can buy an Xbox One at a special price of $349, starting tomorrow, January 16, from their preferred retailer," Xbox Corporate VP of Marketing Mike Nichols said in a blog post. "We are thankful for all the excitement for Xbox One this holiday."

Note that Nichols called the price cut a "promotion," not a permanent drop. In a video accompanying the blog post, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer promised that a screenshot function is coming to Xbox One "early this year."

"I know it has been a question for quite a while," Spencer said. "We delivered themes; I think a natural add-on to themes are screenshots."
[Image: Microsoft]

JoystiqXbox One price drops to $350 in US starting Friday originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Jan 2015 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftprice-dropxbox-oneThu, 15 Jan 2015 18:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Nightline investigates GamerGate, online harassment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/nightline-investigates-gamergate-online-harassment/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/nightline-investigates-gamergate-online-harassment/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/nightline-investigates-gamergate-online-harassment/#comments ABC's Nightline aired interviews with Anita Sarkeesian, Brianna Wu, Tim Schafer and a handful of video game critics and players on Wednesday, in a segment titled, "What It Feels Like To Be A Gamergate Target." It presented an overview of the issues involved in GamerGate, including the portrayal of women as sex objects in games, harassment toward women who play games, the growing market of women within gaming, and the argument that all games (or players) can't be represented by a few extreme examples alone.

Nightline highlighted "signs of change in the industry" with a visit to Double Fine co-founder Tim Schafer and a look at Broken Age.

"Once you've sat down and tried to play a game with your daughter and tried to find games where she can play a character that she identifies with, you start to feel bad about not putting that option in your own game," Schafer said.

Watch the complete segment below.

Continue reading Nightline investigates GamerGate, online harassment

JoystiqNightline investigates GamerGate, online harassment originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ABC-Newsanita-sarkeesiangamergateharassmentnightlineThu, 15 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Splice slices its way to PS3, PS4 on January 20]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/splice-slices-its-way-to-ps3-ps4-on-january-20/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/splice-slices-its-way-to-ps3-ps4-on-january-20/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/splice-slices-its-way-to-ps3-ps4-on-january-20/#comments Splice, the gene-slicing game with a gorgeous piano soundtrack, is due out on PS3 and PS4 for $15 as a Cross-Buy game on January 20. PlayStation Plus members will get a 20 percent discount during its first two weeks on PSN. Splice comes from music-loving indie studio Cipher Prime and has players piecing together cellular strands in a moody, floaty environment.

"We've been working for months to bring you a truly amazing experience for Playstation," Cipher Prime Creative Director William Stallwood writes on the PlayStation Blog. "It's been a childhood dream of ours for such a long time to release a game on a console, and Splice will be our very first. We couldn't be more excited to share with you our award-winning puzzler."

To celebrate the console launch, Cipher Prime is offering the Splice original soundtrack, Flight of the Angels, for free this week. It's seven songs of haunting, emotive, original piano work; grab it on Bandcamp. Also, get the sheet music for Splice's songs in the links here, for $5.
[Image: Cipher Prime]

Continue reading Splice slices its way to PS3, PS4 on January 20

JoystiqSplice slices its way to PS3, PS4 on January 20 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Jan 2015 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cipher-primeIndieostplaystationps3ps4soundtrackspliceWed, 14 Jan 2015 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Get an IGF 2015-nominated game for free today only]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/get-an-igf-2015-nominated-game-for-free-today-only/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/get-an-igf-2015-nominated-game-for-free-today-only/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/get-an-igf-2015-nominated-game-for-free-today-only/#comments PRY, a finalist in Excellence in Narrative at the 2015 Independent Games Festival, is free today on the App Store. PRY is a hybrid game, containing elements of film, literature and gaming. It tells the story of a Gulf War demolitions expert, allowing players to dive into his thoughts and explore his past, present and subconscious with the flicking or pinching of fingers.

The free day is in celebration of the IGF nod, PRY's feature on FWA as Mobile of the Day, and the game's release on iPhone. PRY is broken into two parts; the first installment was previously out for iPad at $3. Once part two launches in March, the full-game price will go up slightly - but those who buy part one before March will receive the second half as a free update. PRY comes from two-person art collective and development studio Tender Claws, which focuses on the intersection of writing, art and technology.

"Nomination by IGF is already an incredible validation," Tender Claws co-founder Samantha Gorman tells Joystiq. "We are a small team of two people who have looked up to and been inspired by current and past IGF nominees. It's so nice to know that our interventions in this space of storytelling are being seen and considered. Of course an IGF award would mean a great deal going forward. It would further give us license to establish our studio and continue to push the bounds of narrative in gameplay."

The 2015 IGF awards will be held on Wednesday, March 4, during GDC in San Francisco.
[Image: Tender Claws]

Continue reading Get an IGF 2015-nominated game for free today only

JoystiqGet an IGF 2015-nominated game for free today only originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>experimentalfreeigfigf-2015IndieiosipadiphonemobilePRYtender-clawsWed, 14 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gaming philosopher Pippin Barr takes on the art world]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/gaming-philosopher-pippin-barr-takes-on-the-art-world/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/gaming-philosopher-pippin-barr-takes-on-the-art-world/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/gaming-philosopher-pippin-barr-takes-on-the-art-world/#comments Again.

Pippin Barr - game developer, philosopher, artist - has launched a game within a picture frame, complete with the player's own reflection transposed in real-time over the glass. The game is a snippet from one of Barr's earlier works, Let's Play: Ancient Greek Punishment, and it uses the camera on your computer or mobile device to throw your own image over the top of the action, as if you were staring at the piece of art in a well-lit gallery.

Barr's inspiration stems from an exhibition of his work at Australia's Andrew Baker Gallery late last year. He took a photo of a print of his Prometheus scene in Let's Play: Ancient Greek Punishment and imagined turning the photo itself into a game, he says.

"So I made a version of the Prometheus game that runs 'inside' the picture frame," Barr says. "To add to the effect, I also worked on ways to make the digital version of the frame picture reflective in the way it was in the gallery. This extends to (in the best scenario) a live webcam-based reflection that works on desktop versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, a video-based reflection that works in Internet Explorer and Safari, and an animated image-based reflection in mobile browsers. It was quite the technical challenge for me, working with new web technologies I've not encountered before."

Play Let's Play: Ancient Greek Punishment: Art Edition Edition right here in your browser, or here on your mobile device. Or, see it in action in the video below. It's a fairly cool experience, even if you'll never win the game. Seriously, you won't.

Continue reading Gaming philosopher Pippin Barr takes on the art world

JoystiqGaming philosopher Pippin Barr takes on the art world originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Jan 2015 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidartexperimentalIndieiosipadiphoneLets-Play-Ancient-Greek-PunishmentLets-Play-Ancient-Greek-Punishment-Art-Edition-EditionmacmobilepcPippin-BarrWed, 14 Jan 2015 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[This trailer for The Order: 1886 is chilling]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/this-trailer-for-the-order-1886-is-chilling/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/this-trailer-for-the-order-1886-is-chilling/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/this-trailer-for-the-order-1886-is-chilling/#comments

Not like, "That trailer is so relaxed, it's chillin'." This trailer for The Order: 1886 does away with fancy 3D cinematics and tells the terrifying story of Little Bobby Paige, complete with children singing in the key of creepy.
[Image: Ready at Dawn]

JoystiqThis trailer for The Order: 1886 is chilling originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>creepyplaystationps4Ready-At-DawnSCEAthe-order-1886trailerWed, 14 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mario vs. Donkey Kong is the first Nintendo cross-buy game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/mario-vs-donkey-kong-is-the-first-nintendo-cross-buy-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/mario-vs-donkey-kong-is-the-first-nintendo-cross-buy-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/mario-vs-donkey-kong-is-the-first-nintendo-cross-buy-game/#comments Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars is Nintendo's first cross-buy game, meaning anyone who buys it on 3DS gets the Wii U version as well, and those who buy it for Wii U get the 3DS version. Tipping Stars is due out on March 5.

The 3DS is consistently Nintendo's best-selling console, while the Wii U is historically slower to sell, though a rush of acclaimed games near the end of 2014 did boost sales.

Nintendo announced Tipping Stars and its cross-buy nature during today's Nintendo Direct, which included the announcement of a new 3DS, a new Fire Emblem game, Wii games on Wii U and much more.
[Image: Nintendo]

JoystiqMario vs. Donkey Kong is the first Nintendo cross-buy game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Jan 2015 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dscross-buymario-vs-donkey-kong-tipping-starsnintendonintendo-directnintendo-direct-january-2015wii-uWed, 14 Jan 2015 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tell me, Muse, when The Next Penelope launches on Steam]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/the-next-penelope-hits-steam-on-jan-22/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/the-next-penelope-hits-steam-on-jan-22/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/the-next-penelope-hits-steam-on-jan-22/#comments The Next Penelope, an interstellar spaceship racing game from Arkedo co-founder Aurelien Regard, is due out on Steam Early Access on January 22. The Early Access version includes a complete single-player campaign for PC, Mac and Linux. The Next Penelope is also confirmed for Wii U, with other consoles "likely."

The Next Penelope is a fast-paced racer with weapons and boss fights, and it will eventually feature four-player local multiplayer and extra-hard missions. Its story is based in Greek mythology, but placed in a futuristic world - Penelope, faithful wife of the famed adventurer Odysseus, travels a neon-tinted galaxy as Poseidon's evil threat grows, managing suitors and taking out baddies.

Arkedo, the studio behind Hell Yeah! and Big Bang Mini, is now a one-man operation: Co-founder Aurelien Regard is responsible for the code, art and music of The Next Penelope. Arkedo closed shop as a studio in February 2013 under "good conditions."

See the Early Access trailer for The Next Penelope below.

Continue reading Tell me, Muse, when The Next Penelope launches on Steam

JoystiqTell me, Muse, when The Next Penelope launches on Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Jan 2015 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arkedoearly-accessgreekIndiemacpcSTEAMsteam-early-accessthe-next-penelopeWed, 14 Jan 2015 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Grand Theft Auto 5 PC due on March 24, rig requirements]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/grand-theft-auto-5-pc-due-on-march-24/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/grand-theft-auto-5-pc-due-on-march-24/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/grand-theft-auto-5-pc-due-on-march-24/#comments Grand Theft Auto 5 is due out for PC on March 24, Rockstar announced today in a blog post. The PC edition was originally scheduled to drop on January 27.

"Our apologies for the slight shift in the date but the game requires a few extra weeks of testing and polish to make it as good as can be," Rockstar writes. "Moving a release date is never a decision we take lightly and is a choice we make only when we know it is in the best interests of the game and our fans. Thanks everyone for your understanding and we assure you these few extra weeks will be worth it when the game does arrive in March."

Rockstar promises the PC version will run at 1080p and 60fps, with up to 4K resolution and support for three monitors, including Nvidia 3D Vision. Minimum PC requirements include a quad-core processor, 4GB memory and 65GB hard drive space. Recommended specs include an i5 processor, 8GB memory and 65GB hard drive space. See the full system requirements below.

Grand Theft Auto Online for PC supports up to 30 players and will launch - with Heists - alongside Grand Theft Auto 5 on March 24.

Continue reading Grand Theft Auto 5 PC due on March 24, rig requirements

JoystiqGrand Theft Auto 5 PC due on March 24, rig requirements originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jan 2015 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Delaygrand-theft-auto-5gta5pcrelease-dateRockStarTue, 13 Jan 2015 10:10:00 EST<![CDATA[The Talos Principle review: God in the machine]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/the-talos-principle-review-god-in-the-machine/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/the-talos-principle-review-god-in-the-machine/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/the-talos-principle-review-god-in-the-machine/#commentsMac, PC, Linux
Often, performing routine tasks can provide unexpected clarity: You think of the perfect ending for your short story while in the shower, or realize the best comeback while riding your bike down a familiar street - three hours after the actual argument. Or, you finally understand the true nature of consciousness while angling a laser beam into a portal beside a door.

The Talos Principle takes advantage of this vague phenomenon, presenting a series of straightforward physics- and tetromino-based puzzles within a deeply introspective, proddingly philosophical narrative. It could have easily been a puzzle game and nothing else - and its intricate puzzles could sustain it on their own - but The Talos Principle offers an intelligent story packed with history and the quiet questions we ask ourselves just before falling asleep. It's mysterious and haunting, creative and beautiful - and loads of fun.

Continue reading The Talos Principle review: God in the machine

JoystiqThe Talos Principle review: God in the machine originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jan 2015 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CroTeamdevolver-digitaljoystiq-excellence-award-2015macpcrecommendedthe-talos-principleTue, 13 Jan 2015 09:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Voice-controlled RTS There Came an Echo speaks up in Feb.]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/voice-controlled-rts-there-came-an-echo-speaks-up-in-feb/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/voice-controlled-rts-there-came-an-echo-speaks-up-in-feb/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/voice-controlled-rts-there-came-an-echo-speaks-up-in-feb/#comments There Came an Echo, the voice-controlled real-time strategy game from Iridium Studios starring nerd royalty Wil Wheaton, is due out on February 24 for $20 via Steam for PC. The release date comes courtesy of a new trailer (below), featuring players that Iridium "totally found on Craigslist." These uninitiated few try out There Came an Echo's voice controls, including the ability to change characters' names to things like "Sweetie Pie" and something naughty that appears to rhyme with "Duckface."

There Came an Echo was successfully funded on Kickstarter in March 2013, raising $115,000 of a $90,000 goal. It's Iridium's second successful Kickstarter game, following Sequence. There Came an Echo stars Wil Wheaton and Ashly Burch, and puts players in charge of a small, gun-wielding squad in a near-future sci-fi environment.

"Corrin (played by Wil Wheaton) is a 31-year-old cryptographer and inventor of a very particular encryption algorithm ... one that currently holds safe a shocking secret," the game's Kickstarter reads. "His comfortable existence is interrupted by the enigmatic Val, who informs him that his life is in very imminent danger. His desperate attempts to uncover the truth are aided by a mercenary, Miranda; a vengeful young woman, Grace; and a mysterious British gentleman named Syll."

Players are able to customize the voice controls in There Came an Echo, and Iridium promises that it's possible to play the game without speech at all. It's also coming to Xbox One and PS4, eventually.

Continue reading Voice-controlled RTS There Came an Echo speaks up in Feb.

JoystiqVoice-controlled RTS There Came an Echo speaks up in Feb. originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2015 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ashly-burchIndieIridiumiridium-studioskickstarterpcrelease-dateSTEAMthere-came-an-echovoice-controlwil-wheatonMon, 12 Jan 2015 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Assassin's Creed, The Last of Us, Alien get Writers Guild nods]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/assassins-creed-the-last-of-us-alien-get-writers-guild-nods/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/assassins-creed-the-last-of-us-alien-get-writers-guild-nods/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/assassins-creed-the-last-of-us-alien-get-writers-guild-nods/#comments The Writers Guild of America has nominated Alien: Isolation, The Last of Us: Left Behind, Assassin's Creed: Unity and Assassin's Creed: Freedom Cry for the 2015 award recognizing outstanding achievement in video game writing. Winners will be announced during simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City on Saturday, February 14.

Note that to be nominated for an award from the Writers Guild of America, "credited videogame writers must have been or must have applied to become members of the WGA Videogame Writers Caucus at the time scripts were submitted," meaning the pool of eligible writers is limited. (Yes, the Guild spells "video game" as one word).

For reference, we had the following to say about the stories in Alien, Left Behind and Unity:

Continue reading Assassin's Creed, The Last of Us, Alien get Writers Guild nods

JoystiqAssassin's Creed, The Last of Us, Alien get Writers Guild nods originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2015 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2015-writers-guild-awardsalien-isolationassassins-creed-freedom-cry-standaloneassassins-creed-unitymicrosoftpcplaystationps3ps4the-last-of-uswriters-guild-awardswriters-guild-of-americawritingxboxxbox-oneMon, 12 Jan 2015 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Landfill copy of Atari's Centipede donated to university]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/landfill-copy-of-ataris-centipede-donated-to-university/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/landfill-copy-of-ataris-centipede-donated-to-university/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/landfill-copy-of-ataris-centipede-donated-to-university/#comments University of North Dakota's Special Collections department now houses a cartridge of the Atari 2600 game Centipede, dug up from a landfill in New Mexico last year. Assistant professor of history Bill Caraher participated in the dig and threw down $60 to buy the cartridge on eBay.

"While I usually would not condone purchasing archaeological artifacts of any kind, these artifacts are somewhat different because they represent our very recent past," Caraher told the AP. "When I saw that the Smithsonian had received a game and several other major cultural institutions as well, I had to acquire one for UND to commemorate the university's participation in this unusual excavation."

The Centipede cartridge marks an important moment in video game history - the crash of the industry in 1983. That year, Atari reportedly dumped truckloads of unsold copies of ET, Asteroids, Missile Command, Centipede and other games in the New Mexico landfill, and in 2014 a documentary team set about excavating the old, dirty games. Microsoft helped finance the excavation and the documentary Atari: Game Over, which explores the 1983 crash and subsequent landfill dig. Atari: Game Over premiered on Xbox in November.

Once on eBay, the games sold individually for $50 to $1,500. The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, picked up a copy of ET last year for its video game history collection. The University of North Dakota plans to invite people who participated in the excavation to a showing of Atari: Game Over in the spring, for a discussion of archaeology, media and video games as artifacts.

JoystiqLandfill copy of Atari's Centipede donated to university originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2015 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alamogordoalamogordo-landfillarchaeologyAtariatari-2600atari-game-overdocumentaryhistorylandfillnew-mexicouniversityuniversity-of-north-dakotaMon, 12 Jan 2015 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Barely Related: Ghost in the Shell snags Scarlett Johansson]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/09/barely-related-ghost-in-the-shell-snags-scarlett-johansson/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/09/barely-related-ghost-in-the-shell-snags-scarlett-johansson/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/09/barely-related-ghost-in-the-shell-snags-scarlett-johansson/#comments Welcome, 2015!

Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs.

Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.

Continue reading Barely Related: Ghost in the Shell snags Scarlett Johansson

JoystiqBarely Related: Ghost in the Shell snags Scarlett Johansson originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ant-manbarely-relateddaredevildcdoctor-whogambitghost-in-the-shellMarvelNetflixpower-girlscarlett-johanssonserialx-menFri, 09 Jan 2015 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[See Commander Shepard's first steps]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/09/see-commander-shepards-first-steps/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/09/see-commander-shepards-first-steps/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/09/see-commander-shepards-first-steps/#comments Straight from the Twitter feed of Mass Effect 1 and 2 Lead Animator Jonathan Cooper, Mass Effect protagonist Commander Shepard was a woman in the game's very first animation tests 10 years ago. Turns out, FemShep is the OG Commander.


"For those asking, I repurposed mocap from Jade Empire," Cooper said in a follow-up tweet. "Shepard was always planned to be both male & female after JE's pre-set characters."

Continue reading See Commander Shepard's first steps

JoystiqSee Commander Shepard's first steps originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWarecommander-shepardEAfemshepMass-Effectmass-effect-2mass-effect-3microsoftpcplaystationps3xboxFri, 09 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kingdom Hearts 3 launch window revealed, refuted]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/08/kingdom-hearts-3-launch-window-revealed-refuted/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/08/kingdom-hearts-3-launch-window-revealed-refuted/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/08/kingdom-hearts-3-launch-window-revealed-refuted/#comments Bill Farmer, the voice actor who plays Goofy in Kingdom Hearts 3, has completed recording for the game and he says in a tweet that it's due out in 2015. Square Enix, however, doesn't agree - about a week after Farmer's quiet bombshell, the company tweeted that there is no release date for Kingdom Hearts 3.


Why must you mess with our hearts this way, Farmer? Et tu, Square Enix? Reports have it that Kingdom Hearts 3 is being built in Unreal Engine 4, and series Director Tetsuya Nomura says, "The battles that the characters have been fighting for the past 10 years will come to a conclusion." Kingdom Hearts 3 is due out on PS4 and Xbox One ... eventually.
[Image: Square Enix]

JoystiqKingdom Hearts 3 launch window revealed, refuted originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bill-farmergoofykingdom-hearts-3microsoftplaystationps4release-dateSquare-Enixxbox-oneThu, 08 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Speedrunners get engaged on Awesome Games Done Quick]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/08/speedrunners-get-engaged-on-awesome-games-done-quick/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/08/speedrunners-get-engaged-on-awesome-games-done-quick/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/08/speedrunners-get-engaged-on-awesome-games-done-quick/#comments

They met on Twitch, so getting engaged on Twitch is wonderfully romantic.

While blasting through a cutscene in the Nintendo 64 game Mischief Makers, Awesome Games Done Quick speedrunner Jackafur took a moment to thank his friends for their support over the years, and then he turned his attention to Kittyrawr, his girlfriend seated right next to him. He said he would love her forever, pulled out a ring, got on one knee and popped the question - and she said yes, all live on Twitch.

Onions, guys. Onions. Awesome Games Done Quick has so far raised more than $500,000 for the Prevent Cancer Foundation, and last year the group raised more than $1 million for Prevent Cancer. They're streaming through January 10 - watch it live right here.
[Image: Awesome Games Done Quick]

JoystiqSpeedrunners get engaged on Awesome Games Done Quick originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awesome-games-done-quickcharityengagementgames-done-quickloveprevent-cancer-foundationproposalSpeedRuntwitchThu, 08 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Witcher 3 PC requirements are hefty, not surprising]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/the-witcher-3-pc-requirements-are-hefty-not-surprising/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/the-witcher-3-pc-requirements-are-hefty-not-surprising/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/the-witcher-3-pc-requirements-are-hefty-not-surprising/#comments The minimum and recommended PC requirements for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are on the higher end of things, CD Projekt RED announced via Twitter today. Minimum specs include an Intel i5 processor, 6GB RAM, DX11 and 40GB hard drive space. Recommended specs include an i7 processor, 8GB RAM, DX11 and 40GB hard drive space. See the full requirements in the below press release.

The Witcher series has set a high standard for itself, in terms of graphics and massiveness. In December, CD Projekt RED delayed The Witcher 3 from a February launch to May 19, 2015, citing many in-game details that required further completion and tweaking.

"When we release the most important game in our studio's history, we must be absolutely sure that we did everything we could to limit any bugs to a level that will allow you to enjoy the game thoroughly," CD Projekt RED said. Days after the delay announcement, President and Joint CEO Adam Kicinski said that fans took the news well. "[The] market is afraid of badly polished games on next-gen platforms," he said.
[Image: CD Projekt RED]

Continue reading The Witcher 3 PC requirements are hefty, not surprising

JoystiqThe Witcher 3 PC requirements are hefty, not surprising originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jan 2015 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CD-Projektcd-projekt-redpcpc-requirementspc-specsthe-witcher-3Wed, 07 Jan 2015 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[IGF 2015 finalists: The Talos Principle, 80 Days, Invisible Inc.]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/igf-2015-finalists-the-talos-principle-80-days-invisible-inc/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/igf-2015-finalists-the-talos-principle-80-days-invisible-inc/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/igf-2015-finalists-the-talos-principle-80-days-invisible-inc/#comments Finalists for the $30,000 Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the 17th annual Independent Games Festival awards are Klei Entertainment's Invisible Inc., Croteam's The Talos Principle, Inkle Studios' 80 Days, Patrick Smith's Metamorphabet, 11 Bit Studio's This War of Mine and Team Outer Wilds' Outer Wilds. These games make appearances across other categories - Exellence in Visual Art, Narrative, Design, Audio and the Nuovo Award for unconventional game development - as well.

Other games up for awards from the IGF are Lumino City, Else Heart.Break(), Pry, Three Fourths Home, Framed, Killer Queen, Shovel Knight, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, The Sailor's Dream, Desert Golfing, Elegy for a Dead World, Bounden and more, listed in full on the IGF website. The IGF jury nominated more than 30 games from a judging pool of almost 650.

The IGF awards are held during GDC, alongside the Game Developers Choice Awards, on Wednesday, March 4 in San Francisco. Congrats to all the finalists!
[Image: Klei Entertainment, Invisible Inc.]

JoystiqIGF 2015 finalists: The Talos Principle, 80 Days, Invisible Inc. originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jan 2015 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsandroidgdc-2015igfigf-2015Indieiosipadiphonemacmicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationps3ps4wii-uxboxxbox-oneWed, 07 Jan 2015 12:35:00 EST