http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Thu, 20 Mar 2014 20:57:13 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/swords-soldiers-ii-developer-commentary-preview/2300-6417879/ In this preview of the follow up to 2D strategy game Swords & Soldiers, Maxwell McGee checks out everything from combat mechanics to viking golf. Thu, 20 Mar 2014 17:59:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/swords-soldiers-ii-developer-commentary-preview/2300-6417879/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-devs-optimistic-about-aaa-gaming-but-say-b-game-market-could-struggle/1100-6418446/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2481313-callofdutynew.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481313" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2481313-callofdutynew.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481313"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2481313-callofdutynew.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Is the AAA gaming market healthy in 2014? If you ask Just Cause studio Avalanche Studios founder Christofer Sundberg, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/just-cause-developer-says-aaa-game-development-unhealthy-unprofitable/1100-6417519/" data-ref-id="1100-6417519">he'd say no</a>. But it's a different story for Call of Duty developer Sledgehammer Games.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As part of a Q&A session following a presentation the duo gave today at the Game Developers Conference, I asked cofounders Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey for their assessment of the health of AAA gaming in 2014.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">These are their responses:</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><strong>Schofield:</strong> "Well, [GTA V] sold what, 30 million units? [<em>In fact, it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-5-has-now-shipped-32-5-million-copies/1100-6417498/" data-ref-id="1100-6417498">shipped 32.5 million copies</a></em>] I don't know about the health of it. I mean, I'm pretty optimistic. I think there's always gotta be high-end video games. We see the demand. People are still buying them; people are still playing them."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I just think there's a place for that big blockbuster video game and you sit there with your 60-inch TV and you've got your speakers. You just gotta make sure it's really high quality."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Condrey gave a more nuanced answer.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We're in a really dynamic time now," he said, noting that the indie movement is allowing for incredible instances of innovation and experimentation. "That's fantastic," he added.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Though he enjoys smaller, independently made entertainment experiences, Condrey said he also appreciates big-budget blockbuster movies because he "wants both experiences." And the same is true for his gaming appetite, he said.</p><p style="">Condrey's assessment of the industry in 2014 wasn't entirely rosy, however. He said the gaming space that is having a tough time right now is the B-game market.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I fear that the middle ground is where it gets really tough," he explained.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">So far in 2014, the AAA industry has faced numerous instances of challenging news. God of War developer Sony Santa Monica <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-god-of-war-dev-hit-with-layoffs-one-project-might-be-canceled/1100-6417963/" data-ref-id="1100-6417963">cut jobs and even canceled a new IP in February</a>, Thief developer Eidos Montreal <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/thief-dev-cuts-27-jobs-one-week-after-release/1100-6418106/" data-ref-id="1100-6418106">laid off 27 people a week after release</a>, BioShock creator Irrational Games announced it is "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bioshock-creator-irrational-games-is-shutting-down/1100-6417821/" data-ref-id="1100-6417821">winding down</a>," and Metal Gear Solid creator said <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/young-people-are-losing-interest-in-aaa-games-says-kojima/1100-6418102/" data-ref-id="1100-6418102">young people are losing interest in AAA games</a> in favor of mobile experiences.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also during the presentation today, Schofield boasted that this year's Call of Duty game is "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-2014-is-ambitious-and-creative-sledgehammer-says/1100-6418444/" data-ref-id="1100-6418444">most ambitious, most creative game we've ever made</a>."</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6331882" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6331882/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 17:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-devs-optimistic-about-aaa-gaming-but-say-b-game-market-could-struggle/1100-6418446/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/narrative-legos-with-ken-levine-gdc-2014/2300-6417876/ It's clear that narrative is an important part of video games and something that the audience deeply relates to. However, the strengths of interactive media are player participation, the ability to experience content in different ways on different playthroughs and the fact that the content is not static. It's time for narrative to deeply embrace these elements. Thu, 20 Mar 2014 16:44:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/narrative-legos-with-ken-levine-gdc-2014/2300-6417876/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/battlefield-4-creating-a-more-dynamic-battlefield/2300-6417875/ Linnea Harrison will explore the game's creative vision and how it was implemented through various production techniques, including destruction, levolution and the new dynamic weather system. Thu, 20 Mar 2014 16:36:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/battlefield-4-creating-a-more-dynamic-battlefield/2300-6417875/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/witch-doctor-making-plays-in-heroes-of-the-storm-a/2300-6417874/ The Witch Doctor is a ranged specialist who coupled with his team can produce damaging results in Heroes of the Storm. Thu, 20 Mar 2014 16:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/witch-doctor-making-plays-in-heroes-of-the-storm-a/2300-6417874/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-2014-is-ambitious-and-creative-sledgehammer-says/1100-6418444/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2481254-callofduty.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481254" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2481254-callofduty.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481254"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2481254-callofduty.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Today during a Game Developers Conference presentation, Sledgehammer Games cofounder Glen Schofield boasted about the studio's current project, this year's Call of Duty game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">He said the game is the "most ambitious, most creative game we've ever made," referring to his development career alongside other Sledgehammer Games cofounder Michael Condrey.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick previously described 2014's Call of Duty title as "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/2014-s-call-of-duty-described-as-the-best-ever-created/1100-6417578/" data-ref-id="1100-6417578">perhaps the best Call of Duty game ever created</a>." Activision has yet to formally announce the game, but the publisher often announces new Call of Duty games in May, so the wait might not be much longer.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also during the presentation today, Schofield and Condrey showed off an in-game character image for this year's Call of Duty 2014. [<em>Ed. Note: </em><em>It looked impressive, but it was on screen for only a fraction of second, so I could not capture it. Sorry</em>]</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Schofield and Condrey have worked together for many years now and are perhaps best known for helping create the <a href="/dead-space/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Space</a> franchise at Visceral Games for Electronic Arts.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2481285-sledgehammer1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481285" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2481285-sledgehammer1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481285"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1179/11799911/2481285-sledgehammer1.jpg"></a><figcaption>Schofield and Condrey</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Activision hired Schofield and Condrey in 2009 to lead Sledgehammer Games. The studio's first project was <a href="/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3</a>, which it co-developed with Infinity Ward. Sledgehammer Games now has around 200 people on staff, which makes the studio one of the biggest in northern California, Schofield said.</p><p style="">The Call of Duty series is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/2014-s-call-of-duty-described-as-the-best-ever-created/1100-6417578/" data-ref-id="1100-6417578">now on a three-year, three-studio development cycle</a>. Previously, the franchise was developed on a two-year interval, with Infinity Ward launching games during odd-numbered years, and Treyarch releasing titles during even-numbered years. Now, Sledgehammer Games is in the mix, as well as supporting studios Raven Software and Neversoft Entertainment.</p><p style="">Activision maintains that this move will allow developers to have extra time to not only create new features to help push the brand forward, but also so they can spend more time polishing each game. Installments in the Call of Duty franchise will still be released on a yearly basis.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6331882" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6331882/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 16:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-2014-is-ambitious-and-creative-sledgehammer-says/1100-6418444/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-mgs-v-ground-zeroes-censored-titanfall-2-c/2300-6417866/ How much might you be paying for PS4's virtual reality? Will Titanfall come to PlayStation 4? Are Nintendo on the verge of hardware success? Find out! Thu, 20 Mar 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-mgs-v-ground-zeroes-censored-titanfall-2-c/2300-6417866/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/infamous-second-son-day-one-patch-includes-free-six-weeks-of-additional-episodic-content/1100-6418443/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417839" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417839/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style="">Listed in the review notes for <a href="/infamous-second-son/" data-ref-id="false">inFamous: Second Son</a> are details on additional content players will be able to access along with the day-one patch for the game. The approximately 300MB patch also includes the standard bug fixes and minor gameplay tweaks.</p><p style="">The additional storyline included in the patch is described as "an innovative storyline in the narrative of the game world, but that also has content and gameplay outside the PS4 game itself." It mentions that sharp-eyed players may have noticed an easter egg in the game's TV commercial directing them to www.enjoyyourpower.com, a still-unfolding ARG created by developer Sucker Punch and 42 Entertainment that ties into Second Son. The description says, "At the end of the rabbit hole is six weeks of weekly episodic game content that weaves in and out of the game, giving you more gameplay and backstory on the world of Second Son."</p><p style="">In the game, you'll have access to the first mission in the Paper Trail storyline, but it's essentially free content that adds "approximately 5 hours of unique gameplay" through 19 additional story mission. The patch also includes Cole's Legacy Content Pack, which is a free upgrade for player's who pre-ordered the game. The four additional story missions in this content pack add approximately one hour of gameplay and "explore the events immediately following<a href="/infamous-2/" data-ref-id="false"> inFamous 2</a>.</p><p style="">The day-one patch includes the following fine tuning adjustments and bug fixes:</p><ul><li>Difficulty Balance <ul><li>Normal difficulty has been slightly increased to challenge the player's mastery of their powers</li><li>Expert difficulty has been fine-tuned to ensure it is the best experience for skilled gamers</li><li>Karma progression extended to support longer playtime</li></ul></li><li>Boss Fights <ul><li>The boss fights have been re-tuned for difficulty and fun</li><li>More dynamic boss behaviors and attacks</li></ul></li><li>Pedestrians and DUPs <ul><li>Engine performance tweaks to allow for more life and activity in the city</li><li>Increased pedestrian and traffic density and variety</li><li>Increased pedestrian-related karmic opportunities</li><li>Post-story enemy activity and D.U.P. raids</li></ul></li><li>Technical Improvements <ul><li>Graphics and performance improvements</li><li>Fixes for a small number of infrequent blocking bugs</li><li>PSN integration to support Paper Trail DLC</li></ul></li></ul><p style="">InFamous: Second Son is out tomorrow exclusively for PlayStation 4, but you can <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/infamous-second-son/reviews/" data-ref-id="false">read our full review right now.</a></p><p style=""> </p> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 15:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/infamous-second-son-day-one-patch-includes-free-six-weeks-of-additional-episodic-content/1100-6418443/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/swords-soliders-ii-reveal-trailer/2300-6417872/ Sharpen your axe, grab a tankard o' mead, and light up the barbecue! Witness the very first in-game footage of the upcoming Swords & Soldiers II. Thu, 20 Mar 2014 15:52:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/swords-soliders-ii-reveal-trailer/2300-6417872/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-is-not-an-evil-empire-peter-molyneux-says/1100-6418442/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480798-eahq.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480798" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480798-eahq.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480798"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2480798-eahq.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Electronic Arts is yet again in the running for "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/electronic-arts-is-again-in-the-running-for-worst-company-in-america/1100-6418386/" data-ref-id="1100-6418386">Worst Company in America</a>," but the Battlefield and Mass Effect publisher is not "evil," according to Fable creator Peter Molyneux.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"EA is not an evil empire," Molyneux told <a href="http://kotaku.com/one-explanation-behind-ea-destroying-bullfrog-1548092283" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Kotaku</a>. "They're a company that have done a great deal for this industry. [But] when corporates buy companies, several things change."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Molyneux has an intimate understanding of what it means to work with EA, as he sold his first studio, Bullfrog Productions, to EA in 1995. One of the problems that came along with the acquisition was what Molyneux called "love abuse."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"When EA bought Bullfrog, they just wanted to make it nicer. They moved us to a nice office, where we couldn't shoot each other [with BB guns] in the corridors," Molyneux said. "We had an HR department because that was a nice proper professional thing to do. And that changes the flavor of the company."</p><p style="">"When any company is acquired, it's gonna change the company," Molyneux added. "Sometimes, that change can possibly make the company better. Lots of times it can make it worse."</p><p style="">Molyneux would later establish Fable developer Lionhead Studios, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2006. He <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/peter-molyneux-quits-microsoft/1100-6364912/" data-ref-id="1100-6364912">quit Microsoft in 2012</a> to open his own studio 22Cans, which is working on <a href="/godus/" data-ref-id="false">Godus</a>. You can check out a demo for the game, led by Molyneux, below.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417832" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417832/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 15:45:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-is-not-an-evil-empire-peter-molyneux-says/1100-6418442/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dragons-and-titans-review/1900-6415706/ <p style="">When you play a game with a title like Dragons and Titans, you seek fire, brimstone, and battles of epic proportions that rattle the very foundations of the Earth. The reality of the latest addition to the ever-expanding MOBA genre, however, is a bland and clumsy game that relies on its theme as a crutch to make up for its gameplay having no longevity of its own. Dragons and Titans may feature the juggernauts of fantasy lore, but the game itself is too frail to make so much as a whimper.</p><p style="">Dragons and Titans is yet another free-to-play game following in the footsteps of the likes of <a href="/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2</a> and <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a>. You select a dragon and a legendary weapon, and then join a team with the focus of annihilating the equally voracious opposing team. As has become a staple of the genre, you may do so in any of three game variants, the central of which has you focusing on freeing your team's titan by destroying the enemy's titan cage in the center of the base. The titan cage is shielded, however, and destroying the various structures surrounding the enemy base serves to take a chunk out of the enemy's shield or speed up the shield's natural decay. The other options are a domination variant, which requires your team to destroy the enemy titan cage, and the familiar all-random, all-mid offering for a more relaxed experience. Matches are much shorter than in most similar games, clocking in at around 20 minutes for a long game, compared to the daunting hour-long matches that often appear in League of Legends.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462270-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462270" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462270-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462270"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/416/4161502/2462270-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Dragons and a titan.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The dragons in Dragons and Titans rely on special cone-based skills focused in the direction the dragon is facing. Such skills pertain to the element the dragon represents, whether it be poison, fire, light, sand, mist, or so forth. That the basic attack is tied to the direction you face is the cause of untold frustration. Once you use up your other spells and abilities or run out of mana, you and your opponents have nothing but basic attacks left, and battles play out in one of three equally exasperating ways: you chasing down someone who's too low to stay and fight and just flies in a zigzag pattern to reduce your damage; you chasing an enemy fighter who is waiting on cooldowns and simply flies backward; or you and an enemy dragon rider attempting to fly directly at one another, only to end up chasing each other's tail in a circle. The resulting chaos is never fun.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462325-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462325" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462325-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462325"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/416/4161502/2462325-0002.jpg"></a><figcaption>The ARAM map crumbles beneath you as you conquer your foes.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Basic attack complaints aside, dragons are inherently equipped with one other ability to give them their unique identities. The paper dragon has a bonus health shield to bolster its literally paper-thin defenses, the bone dragon gains some close-range combat ability, and the magma dragon sends chunks of flaming rock flying at foes. These abilities, and a dragon's appearance and base stats, are the only aspects of the game lending identity to the different selectable characters, apart from the game's legendary weapon system.</p><p style="">While teams are limited to one of each type of dragon per team, they are also limited to one of each type of legendary weapon. Legendary weapons grant you two additional abilities, and any weapon can be attached to any dragon, so you can customize half of a dragon's skill set on a game-to-game basis. This offers some interesting customization options, such as the ability to turn a back-line poker into an equally devastating threat in melee range, or to simply increase your firepower from afar, but it also drains the identity of each class of dragon and makes them all bleed into one.</p><blockquote data-align="center" data-size="large"><p style="">That the basic attack is tied to the direction you face is the cause of untold frustration.</p></blockquote><p style="">The game offers a single-player campaign for those who aren't interested in, or who want a break from, playing against other players. The campaign consists of three acts, two of which you must pay for to unlock, and is merely a gauntlet of "kill this, kill those, collect these, and kill that," with forgettable bits of dialogue to link each bit together. There are three difficulty levels, and the game offers an additional "star" for beating the level with additional parameters, such as within a certain time or with a certain dragon.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462382-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462382" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462382-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462382"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/416/4161502/2462382-0003.jpg"></a><figcaption>It should be a sin to mix incompatible fonts.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Much like League of Legends, Dragons and Titans features a rune system for customizing your stats for a battle by collecting and purchasing runes to power up your dragon. Unlike in League of Legends, the runes can be purchased with real money, leading to a red flag for those opposed to "pay for power" mechanics in games. Further in this insidious vein is the ability to forge your legendary weapons to reduce mana costs or cooldowns or to increase their damage. To forge, you expend forge materials and wait four hours, or use an ingot to finish the forging instantly. Once again, ingots can be purchased with real money, so players who pay can power up their characters more quickly than those who simply attempt to acquire them by grinding. You can make pretty substantial progress on a weapon's forging for as little as $4, with those 1 percent boosts all adding up to a noticeable decrease in mana consumption. And again, I stress that mana goes away fast in this game. You want mana. You want things to not cost a lot of mana. You want to forge that weapon you're using. </p><p style="">One of the few areas where Dragons and Titans succeeds and others have failed is in its method of mitigating champion select arguments over who gets to play which champion, because prior to queuing, you can preselect your dragon or legendary weapon. It comes with a warning that it will increase queue times, since running into anyone else preselecting your dragon or titan prevents you from being matched, but in my experience, the queue time didn't noticeably increase. I was guaranteed to get the weapon I wanted every game, which meant more to me than what dragon I selected. The mechanic is a brave one, especially given the meager player base, but it succeeds in its purpose.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462379-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462379" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462379-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462379"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/416/4161502/2462379-0004.jpg"></a><figcaption>Or let them peck your eyes out and pretend you are Odin.</figcaption></figure><p style="">It's a shame that a game featuring colossal lizards would look and sound so drab. Dragon fire-breath sounds are nigh indistinguishable from the sound of static when your TV's cable has gone out. The only graphics options available to adjust are resolution, full-screen mode, vertical sync, and a single slider allowing you to choose between fast or pretty graphics; the best I could reckon the slider did was adjust the brightness from "morning-drive road glare" to "moderate corneal incineration." You may wish to wear sunglasses when playing the game, or turn down your monitor's brightness and contrast settings to comfortable levels.</p><p style="">Dragons and Titans is a mere shadow of other, richer MOBAs, and while its significantly shorter average game time may give it some initial appeal, that appeal comes at the cost of almost any enjoyment of the time invested. Dragons and Titans could have been a gateway game to the genre, but weighed against the game's counterparts, neither dragon nor titan can tip the scales in its favor.</p> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 14:45:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dragons-and-titans-review/1900-6415706/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-boss-karl-stewart-quits-the-tomb-raider-studio/1100-6418441/ <p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Square Enix vice president of strategic marketing Karl Stewart has left the Tomb Raider studio after eight years with the company. He <a href="http://karlstewart.tumblr.com/post/80179275072/the-time-has-come-to-say-goodbye-thank-you-square" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">announced the news on his Tumblr today</a>. His last day is today.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480775-stewarttarantino.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480775" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480775-stewarttarantino.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480775"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_small/1179/11799911/2480775-stewarttarantino.jpg"></a><figcaption>Stewart with film director Quentin Tarantino</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Stewart will join Petrol Advertising where he'll work as VP of Brand Development and Strategic Partnerships. Some of <a href="http://www.petrolad.com/clients" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Petrol's clients</a> include Activision, Electronic Arts, and 2K.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Stewart began his career at Square Enix as a creative director at Eidos in 2006. He became global brand manager for Crystal Dynamics in October 2009 and was promoted to VP of strategic marketing at Square Enix in April 2013.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">During his tenure at Square Enix, Stewart worked on more than 25 games, from franchises like Tomb Raider, Hitman, Kane & Lynch, Thief, Deus Ex, and Batman: Arkham Asylum. Stewart said the "crowning glory" of his time at Square Enix was the time he spent working on the <a href="/tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Tomb Raider</a> reboot, which launched in March 2013.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"A large part of my life went into that reboot and I thoroughly believe that Crystal Dynamics has created one of the most memorable, if not the biggest, reboot in video game history," Stewart said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Stewart's departure from Square Enix doesn't mean the company is in trouble, he said.</p><p style="">"Square Enix is an amazing company, whether you work for one of its studios or publishing arms, or if you're thinking of joining, this company has given me the opportunity to grow and do what I love to do best, work in creative and ridiculously talented company at the heart of the video game industry," Stewart said. "The potential for opportunity and growth at Square Enix is limitless."</p><p style="">Stewart is not the only game industry executive to quit his company this month. In the span of the past two weeks, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/veteran-playstation-boss-jack-tretton-to-step-down/1100-6418156/" data-ref-id="1100-6418156">SCEA CEO Jack Tretton </a>and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-boss-marc-whitten-quits-microsoft/1100-6418367/" data-ref-id="1100-6418367">Xbox boss Marc Whitten</a> both quit their companies. </p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6405342" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6405342/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 14:33:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-boss-karl-stewart-quits-the-tomb-raider-studio/1100-6418441/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-ps4-will-be-supply-constrained-until-summer/1100-6418439/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480762-ps4salesnew.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480762" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480762-ps4salesnew.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480762"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2480762-ps4salesnew.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PlayStation 4 will remain supply constrained worldwide until this summer, PlayStation boss Andrew House told <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/03/20/sony-ps4-demand-will-outstrip-supply-into-the-summer/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><em>The Wall Street Journal</em></a> today from the Game Developers Conference. PS4 sales are strong in every region the console is available, he said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We're struggling to keep up with demand," House said, noting highest demand is in the US and Europe. "Conservatively, as we get into the early summer months, we'll be closer to a full supply situation."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PS4 has sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-4-crosses-6-million-sales-following-strong-japan-launch/1100-6418086/" data-ref-id="1100-6418086">more than 6 million units as of early March</a>. Meanwhile, Microsoft's Xbox One sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-sold-3-million-units-in-2013-microsoft-says/1100-6416955/" data-ref-id="1100-6416955">3 million consoles in 2013 alone</a>. Though Microsoft has yet to provide a new sales update in 2014, a representative said that the company will share new figures during earnings reports.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Microsoft's next earnings report is <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/investor/Events/upcoming.aspx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">scheduled for April 24</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PS4 is not the only piece of Sony gaming hardware that's in short supply. Sony said this week that the PlayStation Camera is "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-camera-severely-supply-constrained/1100-6418411/" data-ref-id="1100-6418411">severely supply constrained</a>." The company also admitted that it underestimated demand for the peripheral.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417843" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417843/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 14:03:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-ps4-will-be-supply-constrained-until-summer/1100-6418439/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-reveals-direct-x12-promises-major-improvements-for-xbox-one-and-pc-developers/1100-6418438/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480638-dx12.png" data-ref-id="1300-2480638" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480638-dx12.png" data-ref-id="1300-2480638"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2480638-dx12.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Today during a presentation at the 2014 Game Developers Conference, Microsoft officially announced Direct X12, the latest version of the graphics API. Microsoft is targeting it to launch for developers in holiday 2015.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">During the event, Microsoft showed off a tech demo of Xbox One racing game <a href="/forza-motorsport-5/" data-ref-id="false">Forza Motorsport 5</a> running on a PC rig powered by a NVIDIA GeForce Titan Black graphics card.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Direct X12 will introduce the next version of Direct3D, which Microsoft says has been redesigned to be "faster and more efficient than ever before."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Direct3D 12 enables richer scenes, more objects, and full utilization of modern GPU hardware. And it isn't just for high-end gaming PCs either--Direct3D 12 works across all the Microsoft devices you care about," Microsoft said. "From phones and tablets, to laptops and desktops, and, of course, Xbox One, Direct3D 12 is the API you've been waiting for."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In addition to providing a lower level of hardware abstraction, Direct X12 also introduces a new set of rendering pipeline features that Microsoft claims will "dramatically improvde the efficiency of algorithms" like order-independent transparency, collision detection, and geometry culling.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a statement of its own today, NVIDIA said it has "worked closely" with the DirectX team at Microsoft to deliver DX12. On top of that, NVIDIA says it has already provided drivers and a DX12 development kit to more than 15 developers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">For a deeply technical breakdown of Direct X12's advancements, be sure to<a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/b/directx/archive/2014/03/20/directx-12.aspx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> read this post on Microsoft's developer website</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6416256" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6416256/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 13:05:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-reveals-direct-x12-promises-major-improvements-for-xbox-one-and-pc-developers/1100-6418438/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/love-it-or-hate-it-playstation-s-free-to-play-business-is-booming/1100-6418437/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480330-ps.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480330" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480330-ps.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480330"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2480330-ps.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The free-to-play business at PlayStation is booming. Today during a Game Developers Conference presentation, Sony revealed a handful of statistics that the company says speaks to the "huge potential" of free-to-play on PlayStation.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Across PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, free-to-play revenues are up 50 percent year-over-year, Sony said. The company did not, however, disclose specific revenue figures.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">There are currently around a dozen free-to-play titles available today across PS3 and PS4, Sony said. Some of the big ones are <a href="/blacklight-retribution/" data-ref-id="false">Blacklight: Retribution</a>, <a href="/warframe/" data-ref-id="false">Warframe</a>, and <a href="/dc-universe-online/" data-ref-id="false">DC Universe Online</a>. Sony is also working on PS4 versions of <a href="/planetside-2/" data-ref-id="false">Planetside 2</a> and <a href="/everquest-next/" data-ref-id="false">EverQuest Next</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Here are some other statistics Sony revealed today during the presentation.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><ins><strong>PlayStation 3:</strong></ins></p><ul><li dir="ltr">ARPPU (average revenue per paying user) comparable to PC ranges</li><li dir="ltr">Consumers use PlayStation 3 more hours/week than any other console</li><li dir="ltr">Most engaged consumers who spend the most money</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""><ins><strong>PlayStation 4:</strong></ins></p><ul><li dir="ltr">ARPPU skewing higher than PlayStation 3</li><li dir="ltr">Over 90 percent of PS4s connected to the Internet</li><li dir="ltr">Over 80 percent of users have downloaded digital content</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""><ins><strong>All:</strong></ins></p><ul><li dir="ltr">Free-to-play revenue up 50 percent year-over-year</li><li dir="ltr">Conversion rates (from free to paying) vary from 3-15 percent</li><li>Average play sessions upwards of 90 minutes</li></ul><p style="">PlayStation's free-to-play business hasn't been without its struggles, however. Speaking during the panel today, Zombie Studios (Blacklight: Retribution) studio director Jared Gerritzen said he's been frustrated by how long Sony's certification process takes for game updates. This is especially pressing, he said, because free-to-play games need to release new content regularly to keep players engaged.</p><p style="">PlayStation free-to-play manager Sarah Thomson said Sony is aware of developers' concerns surrounding patch certification turnarounds and pledged that Sony will get quicker going forward.</p><p style="">Gerritzen also warned of the doubled-edged sword of microtransactions. He said this business model can be problematic if developers don't design with the consumer in mind.</p><p style="">"Free-to-play can go down a very dark road," Gerritzen said.</p><p style=""><em>Do you play free-to-play games? Let us know in the comments below. </em></p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6412494" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6412494/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 12:02:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/love-it-or-hate-it-playstation-s-free-to-play-business-is-booming/1100-6418437/
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Thu, 20 Mar 2014 20:57:13 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/swords-soldiers-ii-developer-commentary-preview/2300-6417879/ In this preview of the follow up to 2D strategy game Swords & Soldiers, Maxwell McGee checks out everything from combat mechanics to viking golf. Thu, 20 Mar 2014 17:59:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/swords-soldiers-ii-developer-commentary-preview/2300-6417879/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-devs-optimistic-about-aaa-gaming-but-say-b-game-market-could-struggle/1100-6418446/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2481313-callofdutynew.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481313" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2481313-callofdutynew.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481313"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2481313-callofdutynew.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Is the AAA gaming market healthy in 2014? If you ask Just Cause studio Avalanche Studios founder Christofer Sundberg, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/just-cause-developer-says-aaa-game-development-unhealthy-unprofitable/1100-6417519/" data-ref-id="1100-6417519">he'd say no</a>. But it's a different story for Call of Duty developer Sledgehammer Games.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As part of a Q&A session following a presentation the duo gave today at the Game Developers Conference, I asked cofounders Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey for their assessment of the health of AAA gaming in 2014.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">These are their responses:</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><strong>Schofield:</strong> "Well, [GTA V] sold what, 30 million units? [<em>In fact, it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-5-has-now-shipped-32-5-million-copies/1100-6417498/" data-ref-id="1100-6417498">shipped 32.5 million copies</a></em>] I don't know about the health of it. I mean, I'm pretty optimistic. I think there's always gotta be high-end video games. We see the demand. People are still buying them; people are still playing them."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I just think there's a place for that big blockbuster video game and you sit there with your 60-inch TV and you've got your speakers. You just gotta make sure it's really high quality."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Condrey gave a more nuanced answer.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We're in a really dynamic time now," he said, noting that the indie movement is allowing for incredible instances of innovation and experimentation. "That's fantastic," he added.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Though he enjoys smaller, independently made entertainment experiences, Condrey said he also appreciates big-budget blockbuster movies because he "wants both experiences." And the same is true for his gaming appetite, he said.</p><p style="">Condrey's assessment of the industry in 2014 wasn't entirely rosy, however. He said the gaming space that is having a tough time right now is the B-game market.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I fear that the middle ground is where it gets really tough," he explained.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">So far in 2014, the AAA industry has faced numerous instances of challenging news. God of War developer Sony Santa Monica <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-god-of-war-dev-hit-with-layoffs-one-project-might-be-canceled/1100-6417963/" data-ref-id="1100-6417963">cut jobs and even canceled a new IP in February</a>, Thief developer Eidos Montreal <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/thief-dev-cuts-27-jobs-one-week-after-release/1100-6418106/" data-ref-id="1100-6418106">laid off 27 people a week after release</a>, BioShock creator Irrational Games announced it is "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bioshock-creator-irrational-games-is-shutting-down/1100-6417821/" data-ref-id="1100-6417821">winding down</a>," and Metal Gear Solid creator said <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/young-people-are-losing-interest-in-aaa-games-says-kojima/1100-6418102/" data-ref-id="1100-6418102">young people are losing interest in AAA games</a> in favor of mobile experiences.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also during the presentation today, Schofield boasted that this year's Call of Duty game is "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-2014-is-ambitious-and-creative-sledgehammer-says/1100-6418444/" data-ref-id="1100-6418444">most ambitious, most creative game we've ever made</a>."</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6331882" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6331882/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 17:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-devs-optimistic-about-aaa-gaming-but-say-b-game-market-could-struggle/1100-6418446/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/narrative-legos-with-ken-levine-gdc-2014/2300-6417876/ It's clear that narrative is an important part of video games and something that the audience deeply relates to. However, the strengths of interactive media are player participation, the ability to experience content in different ways on different playthroughs and the fact that the content is not static. It's time for narrative to deeply embrace these elements. Thu, 20 Mar 2014 16:44:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/narrative-legos-with-ken-levine-gdc-2014/2300-6417876/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/battlefield-4-creating-a-more-dynamic-battlefield/2300-6417875/ Linnea Harrison will explore the game's creative vision and how it was implemented through various production techniques, including destruction, levolution and the new dynamic weather system. Thu, 20 Mar 2014 16:36:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/battlefield-4-creating-a-more-dynamic-battlefield/2300-6417875/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/witch-doctor-making-plays-in-heroes-of-the-storm-a/2300-6417874/ The Witch Doctor is a ranged specialist who coupled with his team can produce damaging results in Heroes of the Storm. Thu, 20 Mar 2014 16:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/witch-doctor-making-plays-in-heroes-of-the-storm-a/2300-6417874/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-2014-is-ambitious-and-creative-sledgehammer-says/1100-6418444/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2481254-callofduty.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481254" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2481254-callofduty.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481254"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2481254-callofduty.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Today during a Game Developers Conference presentation, Sledgehammer Games cofounder Glen Schofield boasted about the studio's current project, this year's Call of Duty game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">He said the game is the "most ambitious, most creative game we've ever made," referring to his development career alongside other Sledgehammer Games cofounder Michael Condrey.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick previously described 2014's Call of Duty title as "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/2014-s-call-of-duty-described-as-the-best-ever-created/1100-6417578/" data-ref-id="1100-6417578">perhaps the best Call of Duty game ever created</a>." Activision has yet to formally announce the game, but the publisher often announces new Call of Duty games in May, so the wait might not be much longer.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also during the presentation today, Schofield and Condrey showed off an in-game character image for this year's Call of Duty 2014. [<em>Ed. Note: </em><em>It looked impressive, but it was on screen for only a fraction of second, so I could not capture it. Sorry</em>]</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Schofield and Condrey have worked together for many years now and are perhaps best known for helping create the <a href="/dead-space/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Space</a> franchise at Visceral Games for Electronic Arts.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2481285-sledgehammer1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481285" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2481285-sledgehammer1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481285"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1179/11799911/2481285-sledgehammer1.jpg"></a><figcaption>Schofield and Condrey</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Activision hired Schofield and Condrey in 2009 to lead Sledgehammer Games. The studio's first project was <a href="/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3</a>, which it co-developed with Infinity Ward. Sledgehammer Games now has around 200 people on staff, which makes the studio one of the biggest in northern California, Schofield said.</p><p style="">The Call of Duty series is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/2014-s-call-of-duty-described-as-the-best-ever-created/1100-6417578/" data-ref-id="1100-6417578">now on a three-year, three-studio development cycle</a>. Previously, the franchise was developed on a two-year interval, with Infinity Ward launching games during odd-numbered years, and Treyarch releasing titles during even-numbered years. Now, Sledgehammer Games is in the mix, as well as supporting studios Raven Software and Neversoft Entertainment.</p><p style="">Activision maintains that this move will allow developers to have extra time to not only create new features to help push the brand forward, but also so they can spend more time polishing each game. Installments in the Call of Duty franchise will still be released on a yearly basis.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6331882" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6331882/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 16:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-2014-is-ambitious-and-creative-sledgehammer-says/1100-6418444/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-mgs-v-ground-zeroes-censored-titanfall-2-c/2300-6417866/ How much might you be paying for PS4's virtual reality? Will Titanfall come to PlayStation 4? Are Nintendo on the verge of hardware success? Find out! Thu, 20 Mar 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-mgs-v-ground-zeroes-censored-titanfall-2-c/2300-6417866/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/infamous-second-son-day-one-patch-includes-free-six-weeks-of-additional-episodic-content/1100-6418443/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417839" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417839/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style="">Listed in the review notes for <a href="/infamous-second-son/" data-ref-id="false">inFamous: Second Son</a> are details on additional content players will be able to access along with the day-one patch for the game. The approximately 300MB patch also includes the standard bug fixes and minor gameplay tweaks.</p><p style="">The additional storyline included in the patch is described as "an innovative storyline in the narrative of the game world, but that also has content and gameplay outside the PS4 game itself." It mentions that sharp-eyed players may have noticed an easter egg in the game's TV commercial directing them to www.enjoyyourpower.com, a still-unfolding ARG created by developer Sucker Punch and 42 Entertainment that ties into Second Son. The description says, "At the end of the rabbit hole is six weeks of weekly episodic game content that weaves in and out of the game, giving you more gameplay and backstory on the world of Second Son."</p><p style="">In the game, you'll have access to the first mission in the Paper Trail storyline, but it's essentially free content that adds "approximately 5 hours of unique gameplay" through 19 additional story mission. The patch also includes Cole's Legacy Content Pack, which is a free upgrade for player's who pre-ordered the game. The four additional story missions in this content pack add approximately one hour of gameplay and "explore the events immediately following<a href="/infamous-2/" data-ref-id="false"> inFamous 2</a>.</p><p style="">The day-one patch includes the following fine tuning adjustments and bug fixes:</p><ul><li>Difficulty Balance <ul><li>Normal difficulty has been slightly increased to challenge the player's mastery of their powers</li><li>Expert difficulty has been fine-tuned to ensure it is the best experience for skilled gamers</li><li>Karma progression extended to support longer playtime</li></ul></li><li>Boss Fights <ul><li>The boss fights have been re-tuned for difficulty and fun</li><li>More dynamic boss behaviors and attacks</li></ul></li><li>Pedestrians and DUPs <ul><li>Engine performance tweaks to allow for more life and activity in the city</li><li>Increased pedestrian and traffic density and variety</li><li>Increased pedestrian-related karmic opportunities</li><li>Post-story enemy activity and D.U.P. raids</li></ul></li><li>Technical Improvements <ul><li>Graphics and performance improvements</li><li>Fixes for a small number of infrequent blocking bugs</li><li>PSN integration to support Paper Trail DLC</li></ul></li></ul><p style="">InFamous: Second Son is out tomorrow exclusively for PlayStation 4, but you can <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/infamous-second-son/reviews/" data-ref-id="false">read our full review right now.</a></p><p style=""> </p> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 15:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/infamous-second-son-day-one-patch-includes-free-six-weeks-of-additional-episodic-content/1100-6418443/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/swords-soliders-ii-reveal-trailer/2300-6417872/ Sharpen your axe, grab a tankard o' mead, and light up the barbecue! Witness the very first in-game footage of the upcoming Swords & Soldiers II. Thu, 20 Mar 2014 15:52:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/swords-soliders-ii-reveal-trailer/2300-6417872/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-is-not-an-evil-empire-peter-molyneux-says/1100-6418442/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480798-eahq.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480798" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480798-eahq.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480798"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2480798-eahq.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Electronic Arts is yet again in the running for "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/electronic-arts-is-again-in-the-running-for-worst-company-in-america/1100-6418386/" data-ref-id="1100-6418386">Worst Company in America</a>," but the Battlefield and Mass Effect publisher is not "evil," according to Fable creator Peter Molyneux.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"EA is not an evil empire," Molyneux told <a href="http://kotaku.com/one-explanation-behind-ea-destroying-bullfrog-1548092283" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Kotaku</a>. "They're a company that have done a great deal for this industry. [But] when corporates buy companies, several things change."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Molyneux has an intimate understanding of what it means to work with EA, as he sold his first studio, Bullfrog Productions, to EA in 1995. One of the problems that came along with the acquisition was what Molyneux called "love abuse."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"When EA bought Bullfrog, they just wanted to make it nicer. They moved us to a nice office, where we couldn't shoot each other [with BB guns] in the corridors," Molyneux said. "We had an HR department because that was a nice proper professional thing to do. And that changes the flavor of the company."</p><p style="">"When any company is acquired, it's gonna change the company," Molyneux added. "Sometimes, that change can possibly make the company better. Lots of times it can make it worse."</p><p style="">Molyneux would later establish Fable developer Lionhead Studios, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2006. He <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/peter-molyneux-quits-microsoft/1100-6364912/" data-ref-id="1100-6364912">quit Microsoft in 2012</a> to open his own studio 22Cans, which is working on <a href="/godus/" data-ref-id="false">Godus</a>. You can check out a demo for the game, led by Molyneux, below.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417832" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417832/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 15:45:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-is-not-an-evil-empire-peter-molyneux-says/1100-6418442/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dragons-and-titans-review/1900-6415706/ <p style="">When you play a game with a title like Dragons and Titans, you seek fire, brimstone, and battles of epic proportions that rattle the very foundations of the Earth. The reality of the latest addition to the ever-expanding MOBA genre, however, is a bland and clumsy game that relies on its theme as a crutch to make up for its gameplay having no longevity of its own. Dragons and Titans may feature the juggernauts of fantasy lore, but the game itself is too frail to make so much as a whimper.</p><p style="">Dragons and Titans is yet another free-to-play game following in the footsteps of the likes of <a href="/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">Dota 2</a> and <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a>. You select a dragon and a legendary weapon, and then join a team with the focus of annihilating the equally voracious opposing team. As has become a staple of the genre, you may do so in any of three game variants, the central of which has you focusing on freeing your team's titan by destroying the enemy's titan cage in the center of the base. The titan cage is shielded, however, and destroying the various structures surrounding the enemy base serves to take a chunk out of the enemy's shield or speed up the shield's natural decay. The other options are a domination variant, which requires your team to destroy the enemy titan cage, and the familiar all-random, all-mid offering for a more relaxed experience. Matches are much shorter than in most similar games, clocking in at around 20 minutes for a long game, compared to the daunting hour-long matches that often appear in League of Legends.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462270-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462270" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462270-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462270"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/416/4161502/2462270-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Dragons and a titan.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The dragons in Dragons and Titans rely on special cone-based skills focused in the direction the dragon is facing. Such skills pertain to the element the dragon represents, whether it be poison, fire, light, sand, mist, or so forth. That the basic attack is tied to the direction you face is the cause of untold frustration. Once you use up your other spells and abilities or run out of mana, you and your opponents have nothing but basic attacks left, and battles play out in one of three equally exasperating ways: you chasing down someone who's too low to stay and fight and just flies in a zigzag pattern to reduce your damage; you chasing an enemy fighter who is waiting on cooldowns and simply flies backward; or you and an enemy dragon rider attempting to fly directly at one another, only to end up chasing each other's tail in a circle. The resulting chaos is never fun.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462325-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462325" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462325-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462325"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/416/4161502/2462325-0002.jpg"></a><figcaption>The ARAM map crumbles beneath you as you conquer your foes.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Basic attack complaints aside, dragons are inherently equipped with one other ability to give them their unique identities. The paper dragon has a bonus health shield to bolster its literally paper-thin defenses, the bone dragon gains some close-range combat ability, and the magma dragon sends chunks of flaming rock flying at foes. These abilities, and a dragon's appearance and base stats, are the only aspects of the game lending identity to the different selectable characters, apart from the game's legendary weapon system.</p><p style="">While teams are limited to one of each type of dragon per team, they are also limited to one of each type of legendary weapon. Legendary weapons grant you two additional abilities, and any weapon can be attached to any dragon, so you can customize half of a dragon's skill set on a game-to-game basis. This offers some interesting customization options, such as the ability to turn a back-line poker into an equally devastating threat in melee range, or to simply increase your firepower from afar, but it also drains the identity of each class of dragon and makes them all bleed into one.</p><blockquote data-align="center" data-size="large"><p style="">That the basic attack is tied to the direction you face is the cause of untold frustration.</p></blockquote><p style="">The game offers a single-player campaign for those who aren't interested in, or who want a break from, playing against other players. The campaign consists of three acts, two of which you must pay for to unlock, and is merely a gauntlet of "kill this, kill those, collect these, and kill that," with forgettable bits of dialogue to link each bit together. There are three difficulty levels, and the game offers an additional "star" for beating the level with additional parameters, such as within a certain time or with a certain dragon.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462382-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462382" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462382-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462382"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/416/4161502/2462382-0003.jpg"></a><figcaption>It should be a sin to mix incompatible fonts.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Much like League of Legends, Dragons and Titans features a rune system for customizing your stats for a battle by collecting and purchasing runes to power up your dragon. Unlike in League of Legends, the runes can be purchased with real money, leading to a red flag for those opposed to "pay for power" mechanics in games. Further in this insidious vein is the ability to forge your legendary weapons to reduce mana costs or cooldowns or to increase their damage. To forge, you expend forge materials and wait four hours, or use an ingot to finish the forging instantly. Once again, ingots can be purchased with real money, so players who pay can power up their characters more quickly than those who simply attempt to acquire them by grinding. You can make pretty substantial progress on a weapon's forging for as little as $4, with those 1 percent boosts all adding up to a noticeable decrease in mana consumption. And again, I stress that mana goes away fast in this game. You want mana. You want things to not cost a lot of mana. You want to forge that weapon you're using. </p><p style="">One of the few areas where Dragons and Titans succeeds and others have failed is in its method of mitigating champion select arguments over who gets to play which champion, because prior to queuing, you can preselect your dragon or legendary weapon. It comes with a warning that it will increase queue times, since running into anyone else preselecting your dragon or titan prevents you from being matched, but in my experience, the queue time didn't noticeably increase. I was guaranteed to get the weapon I wanted every game, which meant more to me than what dragon I selected. The mechanic is a brave one, especially given the meager player base, but it succeeds in its purpose.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462379-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462379" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2462379-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2462379"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/416/4161502/2462379-0004.jpg"></a><figcaption>Or let them peck your eyes out and pretend you are Odin.</figcaption></figure><p style="">It's a shame that a game featuring colossal lizards would look and sound so drab. Dragon fire-breath sounds are nigh indistinguishable from the sound of static when your TV's cable has gone out. The only graphics options available to adjust are resolution, full-screen mode, vertical sync, and a single slider allowing you to choose between fast or pretty graphics; the best I could reckon the slider did was adjust the brightness from "morning-drive road glare" to "moderate corneal incineration." You may wish to wear sunglasses when playing the game, or turn down your monitor's brightness and contrast settings to comfortable levels.</p><p style="">Dragons and Titans is a mere shadow of other, richer MOBAs, and while its significantly shorter average game time may give it some initial appeal, that appeal comes at the cost of almost any enjoyment of the time invested. Dragons and Titans could have been a gateway game to the genre, but weighed against the game's counterparts, neither dragon nor titan can tip the scales in its favor.</p> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 14:45:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dragons-and-titans-review/1900-6415706/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-boss-karl-stewart-quits-the-tomb-raider-studio/1100-6418441/ <p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Square Enix vice president of strategic marketing Karl Stewart has left the Tomb Raider studio after eight years with the company. He <a href="http://karlstewart.tumblr.com/post/80179275072/the-time-has-come-to-say-goodbye-thank-you-square" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">announced the news on his Tumblr today</a>. His last day is today.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480775-stewarttarantino.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480775" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480775-stewarttarantino.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480775"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_small/1179/11799911/2480775-stewarttarantino.jpg"></a><figcaption>Stewart with film director Quentin Tarantino</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Stewart will join Petrol Advertising where he'll work as VP of Brand Development and Strategic Partnerships. Some of <a href="http://www.petrolad.com/clients" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Petrol's clients</a> include Activision, Electronic Arts, and 2K.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Stewart began his career at Square Enix as a creative director at Eidos in 2006. He became global brand manager for Crystal Dynamics in October 2009 and was promoted to VP of strategic marketing at Square Enix in April 2013.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">During his tenure at Square Enix, Stewart worked on more than 25 games, from franchises like Tomb Raider, Hitman, Kane & Lynch, Thief, Deus Ex, and Batman: Arkham Asylum. Stewart said the "crowning glory" of his time at Square Enix was the time he spent working on the <a href="/tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Tomb Raider</a> reboot, which launched in March 2013.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"A large part of my life went into that reboot and I thoroughly believe that Crystal Dynamics has created one of the most memorable, if not the biggest, reboot in video game history," Stewart said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Stewart's departure from Square Enix doesn't mean the company is in trouble, he said.</p><p style="">"Square Enix is an amazing company, whether you work for one of its studios or publishing arms, or if you're thinking of joining, this company has given me the opportunity to grow and do what I love to do best, work in creative and ridiculously talented company at the heart of the video game industry," Stewart said. "The potential for opportunity and growth at Square Enix is limitless."</p><p style="">Stewart is not the only game industry executive to quit his company this month. In the span of the past two weeks, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/veteran-playstation-boss-jack-tretton-to-step-down/1100-6418156/" data-ref-id="1100-6418156">SCEA CEO Jack Tretton </a>and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-boss-marc-whitten-quits-microsoft/1100-6418367/" data-ref-id="1100-6418367">Xbox boss Marc Whitten</a> both quit their companies. </p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6405342" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6405342/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 14:33:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-boss-karl-stewart-quits-the-tomb-raider-studio/1100-6418441/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-ps4-will-be-supply-constrained-until-summer/1100-6418439/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480762-ps4salesnew.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480762" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480762-ps4salesnew.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480762"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2480762-ps4salesnew.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PlayStation 4 will remain supply constrained worldwide until this summer, PlayStation boss Andrew House told <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/03/20/sony-ps4-demand-will-outstrip-supply-into-the-summer/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><em>The Wall Street Journal</em></a> today from the Game Developers Conference. PS4 sales are strong in every region the console is available, he said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We're struggling to keep up with demand," House said, noting highest demand is in the US and Europe. "Conservatively, as we get into the early summer months, we'll be closer to a full supply situation."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PS4 has sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-4-crosses-6-million-sales-following-strong-japan-launch/1100-6418086/" data-ref-id="1100-6418086">more than 6 million units as of early March</a>. Meanwhile, Microsoft's Xbox One sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-sold-3-million-units-in-2013-microsoft-says/1100-6416955/" data-ref-id="1100-6416955">3 million consoles in 2013 alone</a>. Though Microsoft has yet to provide a new sales update in 2014, a representative said that the company will share new figures during earnings reports.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Microsoft's next earnings report is <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/investor/Events/upcoming.aspx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">scheduled for April 24</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PS4 is not the only piece of Sony gaming hardware that's in short supply. Sony said this week that the PlayStation Camera is "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-camera-severely-supply-constrained/1100-6418411/" data-ref-id="1100-6418411">severely supply constrained</a>." The company also admitted that it underestimated demand for the peripheral.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417843" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417843/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 14:03:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-ps4-will-be-supply-constrained-until-summer/1100-6418439/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-reveals-direct-x12-promises-major-improvements-for-xbox-one-and-pc-developers/1100-6418438/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480638-dx12.png" data-ref-id="1300-2480638" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480638-dx12.png" data-ref-id="1300-2480638"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2480638-dx12.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Today during a presentation at the 2014 Game Developers Conference, Microsoft officially announced Direct X12, the latest version of the graphics API. Microsoft is targeting it to launch for developers in holiday 2015.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">During the event, Microsoft showed off a tech demo of Xbox One racing game <a href="/forza-motorsport-5/" data-ref-id="false">Forza Motorsport 5</a> running on a PC rig powered by a NVIDIA GeForce Titan Black graphics card.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Direct X12 will introduce the next version of Direct3D, which Microsoft says has been redesigned to be "faster and more efficient than ever before."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Direct3D 12 enables richer scenes, more objects, and full utilization of modern GPU hardware. And it isn't just for high-end gaming PCs either--Direct3D 12 works across all the Microsoft devices you care about," Microsoft said. "From phones and tablets, to laptops and desktops, and, of course, Xbox One, Direct3D 12 is the API you've been waiting for."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In addition to providing a lower level of hardware abstraction, Direct X12 also introduces a new set of rendering pipeline features that Microsoft claims will "dramatically improvde the efficiency of algorithms" like order-independent transparency, collision detection, and geometry culling.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a statement of its own today, NVIDIA said it has "worked closely" with the DirectX team at Microsoft to deliver DX12. On top of that, NVIDIA says it has already provided drivers and a DX12 development kit to more than 15 developers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">For a deeply technical breakdown of Direct X12's advancements, be sure to<a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/b/directx/archive/2014/03/20/directx-12.aspx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> read this post on Microsoft's developer website</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6416256" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6416256/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 13:05:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-reveals-direct-x12-promises-major-improvements-for-xbox-one-and-pc-developers/1100-6418438/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/love-it-or-hate-it-playstation-s-free-to-play-business-is-booming/1100-6418437/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480330-ps.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480330" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2480330-ps.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2480330"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2480330-ps.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The free-to-play business at PlayStation is booming. Today during a Game Developers Conference presentation, Sony revealed a handful of statistics that the company says speaks to the "huge potential" of free-to-play on PlayStation.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Across PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, free-to-play revenues are up 50 percent year-over-year, Sony said. The company did not, however, disclose specific revenue figures.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">There are currently around a dozen free-to-play titles available today across PS3 and PS4, Sony said. Some of the big ones are <a href="/blacklight-retribution/" data-ref-id="false">Blacklight: Retribution</a>, <a href="/warframe/" data-ref-id="false">Warframe</a>, and <a href="/dc-universe-online/" data-ref-id="false">DC Universe Online</a>. Sony is also working on PS4 versions of <a href="/planetside-2/" data-ref-id="false">Planetside 2</a> and <a href="/everquest-next/" data-ref-id="false">EverQuest Next</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Here are some other statistics Sony revealed today during the presentation.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><ins><strong>PlayStation 3:</strong></ins></p><ul><li dir="ltr">ARPPU (average revenue per paying user) comparable to PC ranges</li><li dir="ltr">Consumers use PlayStation 3 more hours/week than any other console</li><li dir="ltr">Most engaged consumers who spend the most money</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""><ins><strong>PlayStation 4:</strong></ins></p><ul><li dir="ltr">ARPPU skewing higher than PlayStation 3</li><li dir="ltr">Over 90 percent of PS4s connected to the Internet</li><li dir="ltr">Over 80 percent of users have downloaded digital content</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""><ins><strong>All:</strong></ins></p><ul><li dir="ltr">Free-to-play revenue up 50 percent year-over-year</li><li dir="ltr">Conversion rates (from free to paying) vary from 3-15 percent</li><li>Average play sessions upwards of 90 minutes</li></ul><p style="">PlayStation's free-to-play business hasn't been without its struggles, however. Speaking during the panel today, Zombie Studios (Blacklight: Retribution) studio director Jared Gerritzen said he's been frustrated by how long Sony's certification process takes for game updates. This is especially pressing, he said, because free-to-play games need to release new content regularly to keep players engaged.</p><p style="">PlayStation free-to-play manager Sarah Thomson said Sony is aware of developers' concerns surrounding patch certification turnarounds and pledged that Sony will get quicker going forward.</p><p style="">Gerritzen also warned of the doubled-edged sword of microtransactions. He said this business model can be problematic if developers don't design with the consumer in mind.</p><p style="">"Free-to-play can go down a very dark road," Gerritzen said.</p><p style=""><em>Do you play free-to-play games? Let us know in the comments below. </em></p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6412494" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6412494/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 20 Mar 2014 12:02:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/love-it-or-hate-it-playstation-s-free-to-play-business-is-booming/1100-6418437/
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