Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 gets 'Vengeance' DLC map pack July 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/18/call-of-duty-black-ops-2-gets-vengeance-dlc-map-pack-july-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/18/call-of-duty-black-ops-2-gets-vengeance-dlc-map-pack-july-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/18/call-of-duty-black-ops-2-gets-vengeance-dlc-map-pack-july-2/#comments
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is ready to fire off its next DLC salvo on July 2 on Xbox Live, with PS3 and PC versions to follow. The Vengeance map pack includes new multiplayer maps Rush, Detour, Cove and Uplink, which a remake of Summit from the original Black Ops.

Buried, a new Zombies mode variant, is included with Vengeance along with the Ray Gun Mark 2 weapon, available exclusively in Zombies mode. No pricing is announced in the video above, though the two previous DLC offerings - Revolution and Uprising - were both priced at 1,200 MS Points ($15) each.

Continue reading Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 gets 'Vengeance' DLC map pack July 2

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops 2 gets 'Vengeance' DLC map pack July 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-black-ops-2dlcmicrosoftpcplaystationps3treyarchvengeancexboxTue, 18 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Destiny's online battlegrounds explained by Bungie]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/18/destinys-online-battlegrounds-explained-by-bungie/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/18/destinys-online-battlegrounds-explained-by-bungie/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/18/destinys-online-battlegrounds-explained-by-bungie/#comments
We spoke with Bungie's Chris Butcher, engineering lead for online shooter Destiny, about the overall concept of the game and its mishmash of genres. Destiny is primarily a shooter, as shown in gameplay footage released at the show, but we also discuss some of its other flavors and social components.

Butcher, being the engineering guy, also gets some time to geek out about the game's lighting and animation.

Gallery: Destiny (E3 2013)

JoystiqDestiny's online battlegrounds explained by Bungie originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionActivision-Blizzardbungiedestinymicrosoftplaystationps3xboxTue, 18 Jun 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Ghosts built with 'cinema quality' art assets]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/call-of-duty-ghosts-built-with-cinema-quality-art-assets/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/call-of-duty-ghosts-built-with-cinema-quality-art-assets/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/call-of-duty-ghosts-built-with-cinema-quality-art-assets/#comments
We had the opportunity to chat with Call of Duty: Ghosts Executive Producer Mark Rubin during E3, but instead of asking how many guns the latest installment has, we decided to focus on tech and art.

Rubin explains how the next-gen console architectures being so close to PCs will likely help all developers, from the mega studios, like Infinity Ward, to basement developers like Sally Perkins (you'll hear about her in five years). He also goes on to explain how Infinity Ward has reworked its art flow to benefit all platforms.

Gallery: Call of Duty: Ghosts (E3 2013)

JoystiqCall of Duty: Ghosts built with 'cinema quality' art assets originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionActivision-Blizzardcall-of-duty-ghostsInfinity-Wardmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxThu, 13 Jun 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New hybrid figures jump into the Skylanders: Swap Force toybox]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/new-hybrid-figures-jump-into-the-skylanders-swap-force-toybox/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/new-hybrid-figures-jump-into-the-skylanders-swap-force-toybox/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/new-hybrid-figures-jump-into-the-skylanders-swap-force-toybox/#commentsSkylanders Swap Force promises to build a better toybox
When you're tasked with previewing the latest and greatest in kid stuff, it's hard to not feel at least the slightest bit jealous. In my day, our molded lumps of China-manufactured plastics rarely interacted with technology in any meaningful way, and we liked it just fine.

Even so, if you lopped a good 20 years off my current age, it would be impossible to avoid the charms of Skylanders, a series that's successfully merged the worlds of physical and digital play - all with a booster pack-style setup that's only mildly predatory on parents' wallets. As backwards compatibility quickly becomes a thing of the past, Skylanders: Swap Force offers compatibility with every figure Activision has sold since 2011, along with a slew of new features that promise to make this installment the biggest and best its pint-sized audience has seen yet.

Gallery: Skylanders Swap Force (E3 2013)

Continue reading New hybrid figures jump into the Skylanders: Swap Force toybox

JoystiqNew hybrid figures jump into the Skylanders: Swap Force toybox originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activisionmicrosoftps3skylanders-swap-forceVicarious-Visionswii-uThu, 13 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision bullish about Skylanders in face of Disney Infinity]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/activision-bullish-about-skylanders-in-face-of-disney-infinity/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/activision-bullish-about-skylanders-in-face-of-disney-infinity/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/activision-bullish-about-skylanders-in-face-of-disney-infinity/#comments
Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, says the company isn't changing its sales projections on the Skylanders franchise, or this fall's Skylanders: Swap Force, in the face of Disney Infinity.

"We're still bullish on our projections. We feel like it was only a matter of time, given the scale of the success of Skylanders, that other competitors entered the genre. That's to be expected," said Hirshberg.

"I get this question a lot on Call of Duty. We have tough competition every year. We have tough competition in every category we play in, it's a part of the business. We try not to focus on it. We try to focus on making the best games we can and exceeding the expectations of our fans and bottling magic."

Skylanders has surpassed $1 billion in lifetime sales since launching in 2011. Disney Infinity will launch this August.

JoystiqActivision bullish about Skylanders in face of Disney Infinity originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionActivision-Blizzarde3-2013Eric-Hirshbergmicrosoftnintendoplaystationps3wiiwii-uxboxThu, 13 Jun 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 for consoles may be different, but it's still Diablo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/diablo-3-for-consoles-may-be-different-but-its-still-diablo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/diablo-3-for-consoles-may-be-different-but-its-still-diablo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/diablo-3-for-consoles-may-be-different-but-its-still-diablo/#commentsDiablo 3 for consoles different, but still Diablo Utter the phrase "Diablo for consoles" to anyone that has some familiarity with gaming history and you're bound to hear some Sideshow Bob-style shudders in response. Blizzard's skeleton-clicking series didn't have the most graceful entry into the world of console gaming, and after a disastrous 1998 PlayStation port Diablo hasn't dared to leave its PC home.

This year, however, Blizzard revealed Diablo 3 would make the transition with versions coming to Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One and PS4, finally giving console players a taste of the magic they've been missing out on for well over a decade.

Thankfully, Blizzard has been much more thoughtful this time about transitioning a mouse-and-keyboard-driven experience to console controls.

Gallery: Diablo 3 (E3 2013)

PS3 MultiplayerPS3 MultiplayerPS3 MultiplayerPS3 MultiplayerPS3 Multiplayer

Continue reading Diablo 3 for consoles may be different, but it's still Diablo

JoystiqDiablo 3 for consoles may be different, but it's still Diablo originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionActivision-BlizzardBlizzardBlizzard-EntertainmentDiablo-3microsoftplaystationps3xboxThu, 13 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Ghosts exorcises several gameplay videos]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/call-of-duty-ghosts-exorcises-several-gameplay-videos/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/call-of-duty-ghosts-exorcises-several-gameplay-videos/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/call-of-duty-ghosts-exorcises-several-gameplay-videos/#comments

Get the behind-closed-doors E3 experience with these gameplay videos for Call of Duty: Ghosts. We say that, because if you go to check out the game at the show, these videos are what you're going to see. And you get to do it without the cacophony of show floor noise and with the luxury of doing it in your pajamas to boot. Lucky!

Above is the underwater gameplay of "Into the Deep." If you've got any drowning issues, it's probably best to skip that one. After the break we've got next-gen dog attack technology in "No Man's Land," along with the 28-minute Call of Duty: Ghosts presentation from Sunday night.

The only video exclusive to E3 at this time is "Federation Day," which finds a squad of soldiers infiltrating a building by rappelling down it and then attempting to escape as the skyscraper collapses, but that should be available sometime after the mega convention concludes.

Gallery: Call of Duty: Ghosts (E3 2013)

Continue reading Call of Duty: Ghosts exorcises several gameplay videos

JoystiqCall of Duty: Ghosts exorcises several gameplay videos originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionActivision-Blizzardcall-of-duty-ghostse3-2013Infinity-Wardmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxWed, 12 Jun 2013 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Skylanders: Swap Force to hit PS4 and Xbox One at launch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/skylanders-swap-force-to-hit-ps4-and-xbox-one-at-launch/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/skylanders-swap-force-to-hit-ps4-and-xbox-one-at-launch/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/skylanders-swap-force-to-hit-ps4-and-xbox-one-at-launch/#commentsSkylanders Swap Force to hit PS4 and XBox One at launch During an E3 demo today, Skylanders executive producer Scott Krager announced that the newest entry in the series, Swap Force, will launch "day and date" for both the XBox One and PlayStation 4 -- though the specific release date (or dates) for these consoles is still unknown.

In the meantime, some good news: in keeping with the series' tradition of cross-platform compatibility, the next-gen versions of Skylanders: Swap Force will use the same figurines as the current-gen titles, due to release for 3DS, Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii U October 13 in the United States.

JoystiqSkylanders: Swap Force to hit PS4 and Xbox One at launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activisionmicrosoftnintendoplaystationskylanders-swap-forceVicarious-VisionsxboxTue, 11 Jun 2013 17:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Ghosts trailers come in by land, sea]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/call-of-duty-ghosts-trailers-come-in-by-land-sea/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/call-of-duty-ghosts-trailers-come-in-by-land-sea/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/call-of-duty-ghosts-trailers-come-in-by-land-sea/#comments
Activision has deployed a pair of Call of Duty: Ghosts trailers, each highlighting a different mission from Infinity Ward's latest - one a romp through a sullen forest, the other an underwater jaunt. Who knew guns worked underwater?

Continue reading Call of Duty: Ghosts trailers come in by land, sea

JoystiqCall of Duty: Ghosts trailers come in by land, sea originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-ghostsghost-cod-way-of-the-dutyghost-dog-way-of-the-samuraiinfinity-wardmicrosoftplaystationplaystation-4ps3ps4xboxxbox-oneTue, 11 Jun 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Destiny gets its first gameplay trailer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/10/destiny-gets-its-first-gameplay-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/10/destiny-gets-its-first-gameplay-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/10/destiny-gets-its-first-gameplay-trailer/#comments
Bungie showed off a gameplay demonstration for Destiny, the developer's next first-person shooter, at Sony's E3 press event today. The trailer featured acrobatic moves and co-op action with players battling alongside one another with different character classes.

Destiny is coming to PS4, Xbox One, PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime in 2014.

JoystiqDestiny gets its first gameplay trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionBungiedestinye3-2013gameplaygameplay-videops4SONYtrailerMon, 10 Jun 2013 23:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft announces Summer of Arcade lineup, beginning August 7]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/10/microsoft-announces-summer-of-arcade-lineup-beginning-august-7/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/10/microsoft-announces-summer-of-arcade-lineup-beginning-august-7/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/10/microsoft-announces-summer-of-arcade-lineup-beginning-august-7/#comments
Microsoft announced this year's Summer of Arcade lineup for the Xbox 360, set to launch in August.

Featured Xbox Live Arcade games include Activision's brawler TMNT: Out of the Shadows, an Ubisoft-published remake of Delphine Software's side-scrolling thriller Flashback, 505 Games' character-driven adventure game Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, and Ska Studios' punk-themed multiplayer beat-'em-up Charlie Murder.

Specific release dates have not been announced. The Summer of Arcade campaign will kick off on August 7.

JoystiqMicrosoft announces Summer of Arcade lineup, beginning August 7 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>505-gamesactivisionbrothers-a-tale-of-two-sonscharlie-murderflashbackmicrosoftska-studiossummer-of-arcadetmnt-out-of-the-shadowsubisoftxboxxbox-360Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Skylanders Swap Force debuts worldwide this October]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/07/skylanders-swap-force-debuts-worldwide-this-october/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/07/skylanders-swap-force-debuts-worldwide-this-october/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/07/skylanders-swap-force-debuts-worldwide-this-october/#commentsSkylanders Swap Force debuts worldwide this October Activision announced that its kid-friendly action-adventure sequel Skylanders Swap Force will launch worldwide in October.

As part of today's announcement, the company also added PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of Swap Force to its multiplatform lineup, joining previously announced ports for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Wii, and Nintendo 3DS.

The Skylanders series allows players to summon playable characters via collectible toy figures. Skylanders Swap Force introduces a new series of toys that can be split in half and reassembled for unique mix-and-match ability combinations. Figures released for previous Skylanders games are also compatible with Swap Force.

Series creator Toys for Bob is taking a break for this year's Skylanders release. The console versions of Swap Force are helmed by Vicarious Visions, who previously tackled the 3DS port of 2011's Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure. The Nintendo 3DS version of Swap Force is being developed by Heroes of Ruin creator n-Space, while developer Beenox is working on the Nintendo Wii version.

Skylanders Swap Force will launch in North America on October 13, Australia on October 16, and Europe on October 18.

Gallery: Skylanders Swap Force (6/7/13)

Continue reading Skylanders Swap Force debuts worldwide this October

JoystiqSkylanders Swap Force debuts worldwide this October originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsactivisionbeenoxmicrosoftn-spacenintendoplaystationplaystation-4ps3skylanders-swap-forcevicarious-visionswiiwii-uxboxxbox-oneFri, 07 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[StarCraft 2 adds 'spawning' system (it's not as gross as it sounds)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/starcraft-2-adds-spawning-system-its-not-as-gross-as-it-soun/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/starcraft-2-adds-spawning-system-its-not-as-gross-as-it-soun/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/starcraft-2-adds-spawning-system-its-not-as-gross-as-it-soun/#comments
Blizzard has instituted a spawning system in StarCraft 2, granting free access to gameplay features when moochers party up with players who have purchased the game.

When you jump into multiplayer, you play the most current version of the game owned by at least one person in the party. If you have the Starter Edition and you're playing with someone who has purchased StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, for instance, you'll both play Heart of the Swarm. The same goes for parties greater than two.

Spawning is being rolled out globally today. Not all regions have access to it yet, but Blizzard assures us it's in progress.

JoystiqStarCraft 2 adds 'spawning' system (it's not as gross as it sounds) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardblizzardpcspawningstarcraft-2starcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarmStarCraft-2-Starter-EditionStarcraft-2-Wings-of-Libertystarter-editionTue, 04 Jun 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision (Sierra) adventure games 50% off on GOG this weekend]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/activision-sierra-adventure-games-50-off-on-gog-this-weekend/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/activision-sierra-adventure-games-50-off-on-gog-this-weekend/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/activision-sierra-adventure-games-50-off-on-gog-this-weekend/#commentsActivision Sierra adventure games 50% off on GOG this weekend The massive catalog of adventure games from Activision - which once upon a time were known as the Sierra adventure games - is 50 percent off on GOG until Monday, June 3.

The sale includes the Kings Quest, Quest for Glory, Zork, Space Quest, Police Quest, Gabriel Knight series and many, many more. They are all either $2.99 or $4.99. The entire portfolio can be yours for $121.

Also, there's no shame in looking up the answer to the Rumpelstiltskin riddle in King's Quest when you get stuck. We've all done it.

JoystiqActivision (Sierra) adventure games 50% off on GOG this weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisiongoggog.commacpcsierraFri, 31 May 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Next Blizzard MMO restarts development, pushed until 2016 [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/report-next-blizzard-mmo-restarts-development-pushed-until-201/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/report-next-blizzard-mmo-restarts-development-pushed-until-201/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/report-next-blizzard-mmo-restarts-development-pushed-until-201/#commentsReport Next Blizzard MMO restarts development, not published until 2016 VentureBeat is reporting via "a source familiar with the matter" that Blizzard Entertainment has reset development on its long-rumored post-World of Warcraft MMO, codenamed "Titan." The source says Blizzard had 100 people working on the project, but that number has been reduced to just 30, with those dismissed being put to work on other games. Titan never had an official release date, but VentureBeat claims it won't be ready to publish until 2016 at the earliest.

Joystiq has also gained information on this development, with a source claiming the project "just wasn't up to polish." Stripped down to the core ideas, the game will now restart its process from the ground up.

Blizzard is no stranger to long and laborious development schedules. Diablo 3 famously went through multiple redesigns over ten years of development, and StarCraft Ghost was "postponed" after years of work, then never seen again.

Blizzard is gearing up to release a new digital card game named Hearthstone later this year, and then host a sold-out BlizzCon 2013 in November.

Update: Zam (via Massively) reports Blizzard, when approached, responded with this statement:
"We've always had a highly iterative development process, and the unannounced MMO is no exception. We've come to a point where we need to make some large design and technology changes to the game. We're using this opportunity to shift some of our resources to assist with other projects while the core team adapts our technology and tools to accommodate these new changes. Note that we haven't announced any dates for the MMO."

JoystiqReport: Next Blizzard MMO restarts development, pushed until 2016 [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 May 2013 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardblizzardblizzard-entertainmentdevelopmentmmopcreleaserumortitanTue, 28 May 2013 22:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Ghosts' new engine still iterative, not built from scratch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/call-of-duty-ghosts-new-engine-still-iterative-not-built-from/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/call-of-duty-ghosts-new-engine-still-iterative-not-built-from/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/call-of-duty-ghosts-new-engine-still-iterative-not-built-from/#comments When Infinity Ward talks about Call of Duty: Ghosts' new engine, the term "new" carries an implied asterisk, at least according to animation lead Zach Volker. "When we're talking about a new engine, we're talking about upgrading significant systems within in that engine - we're not talking about throwing it all away and saying we're starting from the ground up," Volker told Official PlayStation Magazine UK.

Creating a brand-new, from-scratch engine on Infinity Ward's production timeline would require "an army of 200 engineers" according to Volker, so the distinction of "new" is made by how significantly upgraded the latest version of the engine is, as compared to the last.

"We say okay, what are the things that are significant," Volker said, "that are encompassing of the engine or its visual quality? Are those being upgraded in a significant way? Alright then, I think that warrants that we've got a new engine on our hands."

JoystiqCall of Duty: Ghosts' new engine still iterative, not built from scratch originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 May 2013 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-ghostsengineinfinity-wardmicrosoftnew-enginepcplaystationps3xboxZach-VolkerTue, 28 May 2013 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Ghosts has Kinect voice commands on Xbox One]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/call-of-duty-ghosts-has-kinect-voice-commands-on-xbox-one/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/call-of-duty-ghosts-has-kinect-voice-commands-on-xbox-one/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/call-of-duty-ghosts-has-kinect-voice-commands-on-xbox-one/#comments Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg has confirmed that the Xbox One version of Call of Duty: Ghosts will have some form of Kinect voice commands. Speaking to VentureBeat, Hirshberg said, "I made a passing comment that you're going to see voice integration, voice commands via Kinect, which is something that we haven't done in the past with Call of Duty." He added that the improvements made to Kinect for Xbox One "really excite" the publisher.

Hirshberg also reassured fans that Kinect support won't be careless. "We've always made sure that we don't just use new technology for novelty's sake, he said. "We always make sure that it makes the gameplay better. In this case, we think it will."

He didn't elaborate on what the voice commands might be, but we imagine they will be something along the lines of, "Come here! Who's a good boy? Are you a good boy? Yes, you are. Yes, you are!"

JoystiqCall of Duty: Ghosts has Kinect voice commands on Xbox One originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-ghostsinfinity-wardkinectmicrosoftxboxFri, 24 May 2013 20:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Destiny 'looking forward to talking more about' PC version in future]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/destiny-looking-forward-to-talking-more-about-pc-version-in-fu/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/destiny-looking-forward-to-talking-more-about-pc-version-in-fu/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/destiny-looking-forward-to-talking-more-about-pc-version-in-fu/#commentsDestiny 'looking forward to talking more about' PC version in future Bungie senior writer Eric Osborne didn't go so far as to outright confirm or deny the existence of a PC version of Destiny, though he did say that Bungie is "looking forward to talking more about that kind of stuff in the future" during an interview with IGN.

"We haven't said yes, and we haven't said no," Osborne said. "The more platforms we take on, the more work it ultimately becomes, and what we don't want is to compromise the core experience on any platforms. We have a lot of people who play on PCs. We have a lot of appetite to build that experience."

Right now, Destiny is set to launch for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One at an unspecified future date, presumably before the dystopian, near-extinct future in which the game takes place.

JoystiqDestiny 'looking forward to talking more about' PC version in future originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbungiedestinypcpc-versionFri, 24 May 2013 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Destiny live-action trailer explores the law of the land]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/destiny/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/destiny/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/destiny/#comments

A new trailer for Destiny brings Bungie's new world into the live-action realm - with plenty of CG and story time with Breaking Bad's infamous villain. In the video, we learn about the law of the land in the upcoming, online-focused shooter, thanks to a passage from Rudyard Kipling's The Second Jungle Book.

Earlier this morning, Bungie sent Joystiq a copy of the classic story, featuring a highlighted passage detailing "The Law of the Jungle" and a note promising to see us at E3 2013. The video promises a "worldwide gameplay reveal" during Sony's E3 2013 press conference on June 10, 2013.

The passage from the book - as spoken in the trailer - reads: "Now this is the law of the jungle, as old and as true as the sky, And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die. As the creeper that girdles the tree trunk, the law runneth forward and back; For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack." A fitting passage, considering Destiny's focus as an "always-on, persistent world adventure."

According to Variety, the ad - starring Giancarlo Esposito - was directed by Jon Favreau and produced by the ad shop 72 and Sunny, with visual effects from Digital Domain. Esposito and Favreau had previously worked together on the pilot of NBC's Revolution, which stars the standout boss figure from Breaking Bad. The ad will also be broadcast during Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 25.

Destiny is launching on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2014.

Continue reading Destiny live-action trailer explores the law of the land

JoystiqDestiny live-action trailer explores the law of the land originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionBungiedestinymicrosoftplaystationPlayStation-4ps3PS4xboxXbox-OneThu, 23 May 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Ghosts confirmed for PS4]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/call-of-duty-ghosts-confirmed-for-ps4/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/call-of-duty-ghosts-confirmed-for-ps4/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/call-of-duty-ghosts-confirmed-for-ps4/#comments In formality news, developer Infinity Ward took to Twitter to confirm Call of Duty: Ghosts for the PS4, in addition to the PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC. In related news, the death of announcements featuring the phrase "next-generation platforms" is blissfully upon us.

At the Xbox One event, Activision revealed it's continuing its exclusivity agreement with Microsoft on Call of Duty DLC. So, the one missing link regards Ghosts remains the Wii U, which Activision is staying quiet about.

JoystiqCall of Duty: Ghosts confirmed for PS4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-ghostsinfinity-wardplaystationps4Thu, 23 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Comparing next-gen Call of Duty dogs in Ghosts to MW3 dogs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/comparing-next-gen-call-of-duty-dogs-in-ghosts-to-mw3-dogs/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/comparing-next-gen-call-of-duty-dogs-in-ghosts-to-mw3-dogs/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/comparing-next-gen-call-of-duty-dogs-in-ghosts-to-mw3-dogs/#comments
With the next generation of the Call of Duty engine, Activision studios will be able to produce curved objects with realism never before seen in the series. In layman's terms, that means the dogs will look really good - just look at Ghost Dog compared to MW3 Dog. Woof!

JoystiqComparing next-gen Call of Duty dogs in Ghosts to MW3 dogs originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-ghostsinfinity-wardmicrosoftplaystationplaystation-4ps3ps4xboxxbox-oneWed, 22 May 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Inhabit one soldier (and his dog) in Call of Duty: Ghosts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/inhabit-one-soldier-and-his-dog-in-call-of-duty-ghosts/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/inhabit-one-soldier-and-his-dog-in-call-of-duty-ghosts/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/inhabit-one-soldier-and-his-dog-in-call-of-duty-ghosts/#comments The next-generation engine debuted in Call of Duty: Ghosts will not only power the franchise's signature 60 frames-per-second gameplay, but a more coherent experience overall. According to Infinity Ward executive producer Mark Rubin, Ghosts will stick with the same protagonist and squad of soldiers throughout the game.

"If you look at Call of Duty in general, you're on the high-tech, super-powered forces. You're America, you're strong, you're Britain, Germany," Rubin told Joystiq at a recent press event in Los Angeles. "It just felt like, what if we could reverse those roles a bit, what if we had America as the underdog and not the superpower? What if we had some other countries as the big superpower and we're fighting against this more technologically superior force. And so that is really where we got: now we've got this technologically superior super force, they devastate the western world, the US, with a weapon of mass destruction of some kind - I'm not going to go into that, it will come later, and what we did is we had that event start the game, but the story picks up ten to fifteen years later and you as a soldier grew up in this new changed world."

That soldier will be a focal point for the game, Rubin said, and won't contribute to the fractured, multi-perspective narratives for which the series has drawn ire in the past. "It's not like before where you have these multiple sides and trot around. You're pretty much the same person throughout."

You'll also be accompanied by a Navy SEAL dog (not to be confused with a Moreau-style seal-dog), which can sniff out dangers and aid the team in several ways as a companion AI of sorts. As you might expect from a production of Ghosts' caliber, Infinity Ward did full motion capture on a retired SEAL dog.

Continue reading Inhabit one soldier (and his dog) in Call of Duty: Ghosts

JoystiqInhabit one soldier (and his dog) in Call of Duty: Ghosts originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 May 2013 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-ghostsinfinity-wardmark-rubinmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxTue, 21 May 2013 13:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty's Xbox DLC exclusivity continues with Call of Duty: Ghosts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/call-of-dutys-xbox-multiplayer-exclusivity-cod-ghosts/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/call-of-dutys-xbox-multiplayer-exclusivity-cod-ghosts/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/call-of-dutys-xbox-multiplayer-exclusivity-cod-ghosts/#commentsXbox exclusivity continues with Xbox One, Call of Duty Ghosts
Activision announced that it will continue to release timed-exclusive Call of Duty content for Xbox platforms with this year's launch of Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Microsoft hosted the worldwide premiere of Call of Duty: Ghosts at today's Xbox One reveal event. Currently, downloadable Call of Duty content is exclusive to the Xbox 360 for one month before it launches for other platforms. Microsoft and Activision's exclusivity agreement will continue with this year's launch of the Xbox One version of Call of Duty: Ghosts.

JoystiqCall of Duty's Xbox DLC exclusivity continues with Call of Duty: Ghosts originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 May 2013 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-ghostsmicrosoftxboxxbox-onexbox-revealTue, 21 May 2013 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Ghosts written by 'Syriana' and 'Traffic' scribe Stephen Gaghan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/call-of-duty-ghosts-written-by-syriana-and-traffic-scribe-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/call-of-duty-ghosts-written-by-syriana-and-traffic-scribe-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/call-of-duty-ghosts-written-by-syriana-and-traffic-scribe-s/#commentsCall of Duty Ghosts written by 'Syriana' and 'Traffic' scribe Stephen Gaghan

The latest Call of Duty, dubbed Ghosts, has drafted Syriana and Traffic writer Stephen Gaghan to provide its fiction.

Games don't get more Hollywood than Call of Duty, and Activision has shown little hesitance in acquiring composers and writers from the silver screen to aid in its ever bigger and brasher efforts. Gaghan's work on Traffic, a dour crime drama, and political thriller Syriana made him a standout candidate for Ghosts. The game follows the remainder of the US military in a world scarred by a weapon of mass destruction.

According to developer Infinity Ward, Gaghan didn't swoop in and drop off a script - he requested an office, and worked from one amidst the game's single-player team all throughout the game's production. That's a sterling gesture, but I asked Call of Duty: Ghosts executive producer Mark Rubin to explain why Gaghan was deemed suitable to write for players, not viewers.

"Basically, we looked at his work - he's a great writer, no doubt about it and that's fine, there are probably lots of great writers out there," Rubin said. "So what we did is we actually got the chance to talk to him a long time before we decided to go forward with it. And we realized he was getting it. We've had writers before, and they know how to write, but they don't understand the game aspect of it.

"And I feel like with Gaghan, he really understood what we were trying to do. He asked more questions than try to sell himself, and that was, I think, a really big selling point. He was asking how things work and how we do things, and was really interested in how we craft the story, not from a writing standpoint but from the visuals and gameplay. He was really asking more questions. Although he was a gamer - he knew it from that side - he didn't know it from the dev side. He really was asking a lot of questions about the dev side, he really wanted to know more. I think that interest in what we were doing is really what drove us to him."

JoystiqCall of Duty: Ghosts written by 'Syriana' and 'Traffic' scribe Stephen Gaghan originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 May 2013 13:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-ghostse3-2013infinity-wardmicrosoftpcplaystationps3stephen-gaghanxboxTue, 21 May 2013 13:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 community votes for next personalization]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/call-of-duty-black-ops-2-community-votes-for-next-personalizati/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/call-of-duty-black-ops-2-community-votes-for-next-personalizati/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/call-of-duty-black-ops-2-community-votes-for-next-personalizati/#commentsYou can pick the personalization perks in Blops 2 Activision is crowdsourcing its next personalization pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Starting on Thursday, May 23, fans will be asked to vote for one of four new packs, each with their own custom weapon camo skin, three reticles and a calling card icon.

One of Swords has preview images of all four personalization options. Voting ends May 28; the winning pack will go on sale the following day, May 29.

Personalizations are optional "micro items" you can purchase in Black Ops 2 on Xbox 360. While Activision has said the functionality will come to other platforms, it has yet to announce any additional details.

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops 2 community votes for next personalization originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 May 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-black-ops-2microsoftpersonalization-packtreyarchxboxMon, 20 May 2013 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Denis Dyack speaks up on X-Men: Destiny mismanagement allegations]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/denis-dyack-speaks-up-on-x-men-destiny-mismanagement-allegation/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/denis-dyack-speaks-up-on-x-men-destiny-mismanagement-allegation/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/denis-dyack-speaks-up-on-x-men-destiny-mismanagement-allegation/#comments
It may not be the timeliest response, but Denis Dyack is speaking out against allegations that the very poorly received X-Men: Destiny was the result of catastrophic mismanagement on the part of developer Silicon Knights. Dyack recently left his role as the head of Silicon Knights to join Precursor games, developer of the coming Eternal Darkness spiritual successor, Shadow of the Eternals. As Precursor is seeking crowdfunding for the project, and Dyack is serving as its chief creative officer, it seems the company believes he has some 'splaining to do.

The allegations sprung from a Kotaku article penned by freelance writer Andrew McMillen last October. In a 30-minute YouTube response, Dyack categorically denies statements made in the article, saying that "there isn't any hard evidence whatsoever besides non-credible anonymous sources." Dyack added that Silicon Knights refused to submit any comments for the article in question, as it would have appeared to lend credence to what he sees as untrue allegations.

Dyack then reads a letter he alleges was written by McMillen to an anonymous source. The letter states that McMillen's article was initially refused by Wired games editor Chris Kohler, who cited a lack of facts and documentation, apart from the comments from anonymous ex-employees. Dyack goes on to say that "not only did Silicon Knights not divert funds from X-Men: Destiny to our other projects, which I can't talk about, we actually put more money into X-Men: Destiny than what we were paid." Dyack says he and Silicon Knights worked with Activision and Marvel to make Destiny as good as it could be and, while he's sorry for how it turned out, he says, "We put nothing but our best efforts" into the game.

Dyack also admitted to saying some things he "shouldn't have said in the press" regarding X-Men Destiny, adding, "I've learned my lesson." The same mistakes won't be made again, he says. The video goes on to address other concerns, such as Silicon Knights' relationship with Nintendo, and Dyack has also posted a litany of related references on Precursor's forums.

JoystiqDenis Dyack speaks up on X-Men: Destiny mismanagement allegations originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 May 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionmicrosoftplaystationprecursor-gamesps3shadow-of-the-eternalssilicon-knightsX-Men-DestinyxboxMon, 20 May 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Deadpool listed for Wii U by Amazon Canada [Update: Activision responds]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/deadpool-listed-for-wii-u-by-amazon-canada/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/deadpool-listed-for-wii-u-by-amazon-canada/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/deadpool-listed-for-wii-u-by-amazon-canada/#comments Irreverent Marvel antihero Deadpool may be gracing the Wii U, at least according to a listing by Amazon Canada. Spotted by NeoGAF over the weekend, the retailer has High Moon Studios' madcap action game pinned for the Nintendo console.

Unlike other platforms listed by the retailer, the release date is apparently a placeholder (December 31 2013) and the listing is minus details and box art. Even if a Wii U version is on the way, given the timing it seems unlikely it'll launch alongside the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC ones on June 25.

We've reached out to Deadpool himself (and Activision) to clear things up. Update: Activision reps got back to us and have said, "There are currently no plans for DEADPOOL to come to Wii-U."

JoystiqDeadpool listed for Wii U by Amazon Canada [Update: Activision responds] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activisionactivision-blizzarddeadpoolhigh-moon-studiosmarvelnintendowii-uMon, 20 May 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA product manager Kevin Flynn defects, joins Call of Duty team]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/ea-product-manager-kevin-flynn-defects-joins-call-of-duty-team/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/ea-product-manager-kevin-flynn-defects-joins-call-of-duty-team/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/ea-product-manager-kevin-flynn-defects-joins-call-of-duty-team/#comments Kevin Flynn, who's worked for the last two years as a senior product manager for EA's UK arm, has left to join Activision's UK side as a senior brand manager on Call of Duty. Flynn's previous efforts for EA include launching Battlefield 3 and its subsequent Premium DLC campaigns in the region.

Flynn enlisted with the Call of Duty squad this month, which we imagine must be the busiest time to sign on for an Activision paycheck. With Call of Duty: Ghosts launching on November 5 and next week's next-generation engine reveal during the Xbox event on May 21, we just hope Mr. Flynn is finding adequate time for his lunch break every day. A hungry worker is not a happy worker!

JoystiqEA product manager Kevin Flynn defects, joins Call of Duty team originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 May 2013 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbattlefieldbattlefield-3call-of-duty-ghostseaelectronic-artskevin-flynnmicrosoftpcplaystationps3ukxboxFri, 17 May 2013 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Black Ops 2 Uprising DLC out today on PS3, PC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/psa-black-ops-2-uprising-dlc-out-today-on-ps3-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/psa-black-ops-2-uprising-dlc-out-today-on-ps3-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/psa-black-ops-2-uprising-dlc-out-today-on-ps3-pc/#commentsPSA Black Ops 2 Uprising DLC out today on PS3, PC Call of Duty: Black Ops 2's multiplayer offerings grow stronger -- and undead-er -- with today's release of the Uprising DLC map pack for the PlayStation 3 and PC platforms. The pack is priced at $14.99.

Uprising adds the Magma, Encore, Vertigo, and Studio multiplayer maps, the latter of which is a reworking of the classic Firing Range level featured in the original Black Ops. The bundle also includes Mob of the Dead, a Prohibition-era Zombies mode map that takes place at Alcatraz Prison.

Today's release brings PC and PS3 players up to speed with the Xbox 360 version of the game, which received Uprising a month ago. Activision has not announced plans to release any of Black Ops 2's DLC for the Wii U.

Continue reading PSA: Black Ops 2 Uprising DLC out today on PS3, PC

JoystiqPSA: Black Ops 2 Uprising DLC out today on PS3, PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-black-ops-2dlcmultiplayerpcplaystationps3psatreyarchuprising-dlcThu, 16 May 2013 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Celebrate Diablo 3's birthday with Magic Find and EXP boosts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/celebrate-diablo-3s-birthday-with-magic-find-and-exp-boosts/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/celebrate-diablo-3s-birthday-with-magic-find-and-exp-boosts/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/celebrate-diablo-3s-birthday-with-magic-find-and-exp-boosts/#comments One year ago, The Diablo 3 servers went public. In celebration of the Lord of Terror's re-birthday, Blizzard is granting Diablo 3 players some special in-game boosts. From now until May 21, all dungeon-crawlers will receive an extra 25 percent bonus to both Magic Find and EXP. In addition, this bonus will stack above the usual 300 percent cap.

In addition, many Diablo 3 Twitch streamers are holding celebrations of their own, hosting special streams and giveaways. You can find the schedule right here.

Last week, Blizzard implemented a boost of a different sort, massively expanding Diablo 3's in-game gold reserves, but that was an accident.

JoystiqCelebrate Diablo 3's birthday with Magic Find and EXP boosts originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionActivision-BlizzardblizzardDiablo-3macpcThu, 16 May 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Get Black Ops 2 for $40, Trials Evolution for $15 on Steam this weekend]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/get-black-ops-2-for-40-trials-evolution-for-15-on-steam-this/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/get-black-ops-2-for-40-trials-evolution-for-15-on-steam-this/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/get-black-ops-2-for-40-trials-evolution-for-15-on-steam-this/#comments Steam's deals for this weekend are action-packed, as Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is 33 percent off ($40.19), while the Deluxe Edition also on sale for $53.59 until May 13. Early birds can play the game for free until 1pm Pacific on Sunday.

Trials Evolution is also part of the weekend sale, as the game's Gold Edition is 25 percent off ($14.99) until May 13. The special edition of the game also includes the single-player tracks and skill games from Trials HD.

JoystiqGet Black Ops 2 for $40, Trials Evolution for $15 on Steam this weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionCall-of-Duty-Black-Ops-2MicrosoftpcredlynxsaleSTEAMsteam-weekend-dealTreyarchtrials-evolutiontrials-hdUbisoftweekendSat, 11 May 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft subscribers drop by 1.3 million in three months]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/world-of-warcraft-subscribers-drop-by-1-3-million-in-three-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/world-of-warcraft-subscribers-drop-by-1-3-million-in-three-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/world-of-warcraft-subscribers-drop-by-1-3-million-in-three-month/#comments World of Warcraft's subscriber base is down to 8.3 million as of March 31, representing a 14 percent drop in the past three months. In the previous-quarter financials, Activision-Blizzard said the MMO had 9.6 million subscribers, but 1.3 million have since said so long to Azeroth.

"Though the majority of our subscriber decline occurred mainly in the East, where we have more subscribers and lower revenue per subscriber, we saw declines in the West as well," Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said in a financials call.

"While we do believe further declines are likely and we expect to have fewer subscribers at year-end than we do today, World of Warcraft remains one of the most successful franchises in the history of entertainment," he added.

To put the plummet into perspective, it would be like the Governor of New Hampshire decreeing that every citizen must cease playing World of Warcraft - that is, if every citizen of New Hampshire plays World of Warcraft. Which they do.

JoystiqWorld of Warcraft subscribers drop by 1.3 million in three months originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 May 2013 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardblizzardfinancialsmacpcWorld-of-WarcraftWoWWed, 08 May 2013 16:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 patch 1.08 has gold duplication bug, Blizzard working on fix]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/diablo-3-patch-1-08-has-gold-duplication-bug-blizzard-working-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/diablo-3-patch-1-08-has-gold-duplication-bug-blizzard-working-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/diablo-3-patch-1-08-has-gold-duplication-bug-blizzard-working-o/#comments Blizzard rolled out patch 1.08 to Diablo 3's American servers yesterday and, along with it, a very substantial bug. The patch increased the stack size for in-game gold in the auction house from 1 million to 10 million, effectively making gold ten times cheaper. Players then discovered a serious bug: Canceling a gold auction refunded them double the amount listed. Streams of the bug in action soon spread the word quickly. Thanks to the higher stack size, players were reportedly duplicating trillions in gold. Some were buying up high-value items in the auction house, thus driving up prices and massively inflating the in-game economy.

Blizzard became aware of the issue last night and shut down the auction house. As of midnight Pacific, the company had created a fix for the problem, but it still hasn't been implemented. The studio has decided not to rollback the update, and will instead "make corrections" to individual accounts. Writing on the Diablo 3 forums, community manager Lylirra stated, "We feel that this is the best course of action given the nature of the dupe, how relatively few players used it, and the fact that its effects were fairly limited within the region."

We've contacted Blizzard regarding the current status of the problem.

[Thanks, Pablo and Erik!]

JoystiqDiablo 3 patch 1.08 has gold duplication bug, Blizzard working on fix originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 May 2013 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionActivision-BlizzardblizzardDiablo-3macpcWed, 08 May 2013 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Sledgehammer Games 'heads down' on next thing, not working on Ghosts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/sledgehammer-games-heads-down-on-next-thing-not-working-on-gh/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/sledgehammer-games-heads-down-on-next-thing-not-working-on-gh/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/sledgehammer-games-heads-down-on-next-thing-not-working-on-gh/#comments
Sledgehammer Games is already working on its next game, the studio has revealed in a tweet congratulating Infinity Ward on its Call of Duty: Ghosts announcement. You'll remember the two worked together on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

"Our team is heads down on our next project, but best wishes to the hardworking team at IW!" the tweet read. Nothing specific was shared about this next project, but we've inquired with Sledgehammer Games to see if the outfit is willing to disclose any additional information.

Sledgehammer Games formed in 2009, when Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey left EA's Visceral Games and founded the studio under Activision. The original plan was to produce a third-person action game, but that would eventually get scrapped in the prototype phase.

JoystiqSledgehammer Games 'heads down' on next thing, not working on Ghosts originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 May 2013 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-ghostsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3sledgehammer-gamesxboxThu, 02 May 2013 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Ghosts announced; next-gen powered by new engine]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/call-of-duty-ghosts-announced-next-gen-powered-by-new-engine/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/call-of-duty-ghosts-announced-next-gen-powered-by-new-engine/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/call-of-duty-ghosts-announced-next-gen-powered-by-new-engine/#comments
Confirming rumors, Activision has revealed the next game in its billion-dollar shooter franchise, titled Call of Duty: Ghosts. The military-based FPS will arrive on the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on November 5, and on "next-generation platforms" on an unspecified date. No Wii U version was announced.

A press release reveals the next-gen version of Ghosts will sport an all-new engine "from the developer that started it all, Infinity Ward." The series has been using the same engine, with numerous annual modifications, since 2005.

Saying it would have been "safe" for Infinity Ward to develop a fourth entry in the Modern Warfare series, Mark Rubin, executive producer of developer Infinity Ward, noted his team saw the next generation of consoles as the "perfect opportunity" to start a new chapter for the franchise. "So we're building a new sub-brand, a new engine, and a lot of new ideas and experiences for our players," he added.

Activision will debut the next-gen version of Call of Duty: Ghosts - and revealing its new engine to the world - during Microsoft's upcoming Xbox 'Next Generation' event on May 21.

Ghosts features an "all-new gameplay experience built on an entirely new story, setting and cast of characters," the press release further detailed.

An onslaught of additional info and explosion-filled marketing is expected closer to E3 2013.

Update: The website theghostsarereal.com - designed to look like an official Activision site - lists Wii U as a platform for the next Call of Duty title. Activision tells Joystiq the website is not owned or operated by the publisher. No Wii U version has been announced.

Gallery: Call of Duty: Ghosts (Key Art)

Continue reading Call of Duty: Ghosts announced; next-gen powered by new engine

JoystiqCall of Duty: Ghosts announced; next-gen powered by new engine originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionCall-of-Dutycall-of-duty-ghostsInfinity-Wardmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxWed, 01 May 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Spanish retailer lists Call of Duty: Ghosts for Wii U and PC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/report-spanish-retailer-lists-call-of-duty-ghosts-for-wii-u-an/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/report-spanish-retailer-lists-call-of-duty-ghosts-for-wii-u-an/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/report-spanish-retailer-lists-call-of-duty-ghosts-for-wii-u-an/#comments Spanish retailer lists Call of Duty Ghosts on Wii U and PCWhile both UK retailer Tesco and Target pegged an as-yet-unheard-of entry in the Call of Duty series for November 5 on Xbox 360 and PS3, a listing for the same game recently popped up on Spanish retailer Xtralife. In this case, Xtralife's listing includes PC and Wii U versions of Call of Duty: Ghosts, along with a November 11 release date.

Since we still can't prove that this game is anything more than an apparition, we've contacted Activision for comment.

JoystiqReport: Spanish retailer lists Call of Duty: Ghosts for Wii U and PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionActivision-Blizzardcall-of-duty-ghostsInfinity-Wardmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3wii-uxboxxtralifeSun, 28 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision's Kotick is now among the highest-paid CEOs in the US [Update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/activisions-kotick-is-now-among-the-highest-paid-ceos-in-the-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/activisions-kotick-is-now-among-the-highest-paid-ceos-in-the-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/activisions-kotick-is-now-among-the-highest-paid-ceos-in-the-us/#comments Activision CEO Bobby Kotick is now among the highest-paid CEOs in the United States, Bloomberg reported. According to a document filed to the SEC, Activision increased Kotick's compensation to $64.9 million in 2012. The majority of Kotick's earnings came from stock awards valued at $55.9 million. By comparison, Kotick earned $8.3 million in 2011, and Blizzard Entertainment President and CEO Michael Morhaime earned just over $9 million in 2012.

As Bloomberg noted, Kotick's $64.9 million earnings stretch out over five years, plus he could still garner $16 million more should he meet the "highest performance targets." Kotick saw his base salary increase to $2.1 million in January this year.

Update: To clarify, since the awards vest over a five-year period, Kotick received $8.33 million in compensation for 2012, not all $64.9 million.

JoystiqActivision's Kotick is now among the highest-paid CEOs in the US [Update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 27 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activisionbobby-kotickceosalarySECSat, 27 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 'Uprising' DLC rallies on PS3, PC May 16]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/call-of-duty-black-ops-ii-uprising-dlc-rallies-on-ps3-pc-may/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/call-of-duty-black-ops-ii-uprising-dlc-rallies-on-ps3-pc-may/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/call-of-duty-black-ops-ii-uprising-dlc-rallies-on-ps3-pc-may/#comments Black Ops 2's Uprising DLC pack will be available on Windows PC and PS3 on May 16 for $14.99. The DLC has been available on Xbox 360 since April 16, as part of Microsoft's exclusivity deal with Activision.

Uprising includes four multiplayer maps: Magma, a Japanese village at the base of an erupting volcano; Encore, a vacated London music festival; Vertigo, a map atop an Indian skyscraper; and Studio, a modern remake of the original Black Ops map, Firing Range. In addition to the multiplayer maps, Uprising also includes the Mob of the Dead Zombies mode variant, where Hollywood stars Chazz Palminteri, Michael Madsen, Ray Liotta and Joe Pantoliano fight to survive waves of the undead while stuck on the island prison of Alcatraz during the Prohibition era.

Gallery: Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

Continue reading Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 'Uprising' DLC rallies on PS3, PC May 16

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops 2 'Uprising' DLC rallies on PS3, PC May 16 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionblack-ops-2call-of-dutycall-of-duty-black-ops-2chazz-palminterijoe-pantolianoMichael-Madsenmob-of-the-deadpcplaystationps3ray-liottauprisinguprising-dlcThu, 25 Apr 2013 13:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Ghosts listed at multiple retailers for PS3, Xbox 360]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/call-of-duty-ghosts-listed-at-multiple-retailers-for-ps3-xbox/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/call-of-duty-ghosts-listed-at-multiple-retailers-for-ps3-xbox/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/call-of-duty-ghosts-listed-at-multiple-retailers-for-ps3-xbox/#comments Call of Duty Ghosts appears at multiple retailers, release date November 5Call of Duty: Ghosts emerges from the darkness thanks to Target and UK retailer Tesco, with the former advertising a release date of November 5. Meanwhile, a Tesco listing notes a release date of December 30 - early November is the traditional Call of Duty ETA. The box art posted on Tesco (see below the break for a snippet) features Infinity Ward's logo.

We know (as if we didn't before) that Activision has another edition of its shooter series slated for this year. "The Call of Duty franchise continues to set the bar for innovation," company CFO Dennis Durkin said during Activision's February earnings call, "And we expect the new Call of Duty game in development for 2013 to raise that bar even higher."

We've reached out to Activision for comment.

Continue reading Call of Duty: Ghosts listed at multiple retailers for PS3, Xbox 360

JoystiqCall of Duty: Ghosts listed at multiple retailers for PS3, Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardcall-of-dutycall-of-duty-ghostsinfinity-wardmicrosoftplaystationps3release-datetargettescoxboxWed, 24 Apr 2013 11:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 'Mob of the Dead' soundtrack out now]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/call-of-duty-black-ops-2-mob-of-the-dead-soundtrack-out-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/call-of-duty-black-ops-2-mob-of-the-dead-soundtrack-out-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/call-of-duty-black-ops-2-mob-of-the-dead-soundtrack-out-now/#comments
The moody tunes of Treyarch's Mob of the Dead, a special Zombies mode variant included in the "Uprising" DLC pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, are now available for purchase. You can pick up the album on Amazon, iTunes and Google Play for $10; or you can purchase each track individually.

Mob of the Dead takes place in Alcatraz during the Prohibition era, and focuses on four convicts - played by Ray Liotta, Joe Pantoliano, Michael Madsen and Chazz Palminteri - trying to escape a zombie onslaught spilling into the island prison. It's the first Zombies map in Call of Duty history where players can successfully complete the level and survive without succumbing to the undead.

Continue reading Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 'Mob of the Dead' soundtrack out now

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops 2 'Mob of the Dead' soundtrack out now originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-black-ops-2microsoftpcplaystationps3soundtracktreyarchxboxWed, 24 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST